Try and Tri Again

Yesterday I completed my second triathlon. I would love to say it was fun, but it wasn't. I had fun for about the first 5 minutes, thinking "yeah this is great"! Then I spent the next 2 hours waiting for it to be over. I don't think I am a triathlete. I have never been one to be very competitive. With myself or others. When I get that feeling of pain, and knowing that this is uncomfortable, I like to stop. This sport is all about pushing yourself and pushing through that pain. That's just not me or my thing. I like to go swimming. I do not care for swimming in open water for half of a mile. I like to bike. I like to ride my bike to work. I have no interest and owning a bike that is worth more than my car. I do not care to run. I don't mind a nice jog here and there, but going out for a big long run, not me. I think it took a long summer of training (last summer), a lot of personal work to come to this conclusion.  Last year was fun because it was such a statement, a exclamation mark and a culmination of when I put my mind to something.  I am very proud of the things that I have accomplished in the last year and a half. Yesterday while I was swimming, and biking, and especially running, I just kept thinking I am NOT enjoying myself. I think that was my soul telling me that I need to move on and find the next thing that is going to challenge me. I will always have the pride of accomplishing two triathlons...and in my mid thirties...but I do not care to ever complete one again!

Happy Anniversary

If you would have told my 12 year old self that that tall, awkward cello playing guy in orchestra class was going to make me the happiest wife and mom I know I would have called you crazy.  For years I thought he disliked me because I dated his friend and took his attention.  Come to find out he didn't talk to me because he had a crush on me.  Only took him 7 years to get up enough courage to ask me out but 15 years ago today we started this wonderful journey of our life together.  9 years ago today we made the life long commitment to eachother by exchanging vows atop a mountain.   We have been through a lot and I have learned so much from this man who just keeps getting better every year.  He somehow always sees the best in me, makes me live more and deeper and reminds me what's important in this world. 
Thank you Mom and Dad for taking care of the kids and giving us time together.  It is such a rare and wonderful gift.  We relaxed in a hotel,  slept the WHOLE night through (very rare in the last 2 - 4 years), and went for a great bike ride in Denver to celebrate. 

We stumbled upon a cool art festival in downtown Denver that we would have never planned on attended but really enjoyed.

  The coolest piece:

3D Hungry Hungry Hippo.  

So amazing the talent people have.  

Life wouldn't be life without a little sour.  Heath got a flat tire (I guess when you only ride every few years tires just don't last). 

It was a nice walk back to the car.  One thing Heath and I do really well as a couple is handle adversity.   I know other men and other couples that a flat tire would have ruined the day.  We tend to just make the best of things and move forward.  I really appreciate that about you Heath.  Thank you for never spoiling a perfectly good day with one bad occurance. Or two.  He also got pooped on by a bird.   Crappy luck.  

We finished the day with some of the most important people in our lives.  We are blessed beyond measure and so grateful for our life together.  Happy anniversary babe.  Cheers to the past 9 years and heres hoping for the next 90!

Special treat

Annabelle is fresh from a sleep over at grandma and grandpa's house last night. Because it was daylight savings today and they had to get up early for church, Annabelle and Grandpa took a nap this afternoon.   Guess who's now not the least bit tired.

Often times as mothers we feel less than.  We don't make the right choices.  We don't do enough.  We aren't enough.  As for me I am not here enough, when I am here I am not present enough.  I am often preoccupied (with making breakfast/lunch/dinner, doing laundry, paying bills, planning errands, etc).  It sounds silly to say it outloud.  I know my family loves me and thinks I am plenty.  

I treasure nights like tonight when we get to steal a few moments to just BE TOGETHER.

I need to remember these times when I get down on myself about all the other times.  I am here. I am present.  She will remeber these times as well as the others.  

This is life and all we can do is to live it to the fullest each day!  

(while still maintaining a household).

Syrup, our favorite morning sugar

We go through a lot of syrup around here.  I have two kids, and a husband who all eat syrup almost every morning.  I hate feeding them all of those chemicals and spending all that money.  My mom found a recipe for homemade syrup, so yes, I too made some homemade syrup.  Super easy and surprisingly tasty.

This only took me a few minutes and made about 16 oz (I doubled the recipe).  Water, sugar, corn syrup and Imitation Maple flavoring.  I didn't do the exact math but this recipe only costs cents to make.  Now I am excited to mess with the recipe and try to cut or substitute some of the sugar. Any suggestions? 

2 Cups Sugar

1 Cup Water

1 teaspoon Maple Extract

Bring water and sugar to a slow boil Over low heat, stirring constantly.  Don't let it come to a rolling boil as that would cause crystals.  Remove.from heat.  As it cools, add the flavoring.  Transfer to a storage container.  Store in the refrigerator.  For thicker syrup replacenhalf.of the water with corn syrup.

I hate washing my face

I am very good about washing my face in the shower in the morning, with a great cleanser, and taking care of my face.  When I am not showering, I hate washing my face.  I hate washcloths, I hate splashing water on my face, I hate the whole process.  But, as a woman, I know how important it is to wash off the day before going to bed.  I was delighted many years ago to find those pre moistened face wipes.  They have been my go to item for some time now.  I have tried many brands, and have my favorites, but it has always bothered me how much they cost.  I have tried to make myself use a wash cloth and cleanser, and I just don't do it.  I was excited many months ago to see a post come across Pinterest about making your own face wipes at home.  Again, it has taken me too long to actually create them, but I am out of the store bought kind and refused to buy more until I tried making my own. 

The post I read had instructions on using a full roll of paper towel and cutting it in half.  That just seemed too messy to me, and would really bother me to have uneven edges.  I thought of using these nice and soft hand towels instead.  I found them on sale for $2.50.  I will keep my eye out for the right container to hold them, but for now, my upcycled coffee container fit them just fine. 

Most of the store bought pre moistened wipes only come in 30 packs.  There are 60 of these towels so I am already at a savings. 

Two cups room temperature water that has been previously boiled.  Dissolve 1 - 2 tablespoons coconut oil in the water.  I decided to use a few drops of some essential oil, Serenity anyone? 

To get the towels wet enough I had to more than double the amount of liquid I made.  I used 5 cups of water and 5 tablespoons of coconut oil to get them properly moistened.  I think next time I will half the amount of coconut oil.  After testing my concoction I am pleased, but do feel that it is a tad bit oily.  They smell heavenly and I will see how they fair moistness wise throughout the next month or two. 

A link to the original post.

http://www.homemademamas.net/2012/09/makeup-removing-cloths.html

Homemade Laundry Soap...I am my mother's daughter

I grew up hearing stories of my mom making all kinds of homemade things, as all good Montana wives and mothers did.  As convenience has won out over the past generation, many of us have lost touch with those recipes and processes.  Well, tonight I decided that wasn't going to be me any more.

Several months ago a few of us at work got to talking about homemade items.  A fellow nurse, a recent transplant from Michigan, told us that she made her own laundry soap.  We were all aghast!  What?  How?  How much?  She had received her recipe as a wedding gift from her aunt, and she assured us that it was easy, cheap and ended with a great product.  I am embarrassed to say how long it has been that I have had both the recipe and the ingredients, but have lacked the time to dedicate to this.  Well, we have been out of laundry soap around here for, hmm, about two weeks and so necessity is the mother of invention.  I had a few minutes tonight to myself, and so I went for it.  I am pleased to report it was fun, easy and very rewarding! 
The recipe follows in its entirety is at the bottom of this post.

I started by cutting up a bar of Fels Naptha soap.  I found this bar at Walmart and it was only $1!  Heidi (my coworker) said she didn't grate it but just cut it up into small pieces.  I think next time I will grate it, as I couldn't get some of the bigger pieces to melt completely, so my laundry soap has some chunks.

 

  After adding the Borax and washing soda.  This stuff smelled heavenly...I wanted to take a bath in it!

 The brew!  We used the empty laundry detergent bottle to store it.  This recipe made almost a whole 6 Liters.  This bottle of all natural laundry detergent usually costs me $15 at Sams. 

This brew only cost me $1.50 and 45 minutes of my time.  Now I am so excited to do laundry!

It just keeps getting better...

It has become very apprent lately that Heath and I are very happy and very blessed.  We feel that our marriage just keeps getting better and better.  We have learned how to communicate, how our strengths and weaknesses compliment each other and how to overlook those small annoyances.  We are by no means perfect, and it is not all hearts and flowers all the time, but it is good and just keeps getting better. 

I look forward to spending the next year and a half together, saving and planing a wild 10 year anniversary trip, then a twent-five, fifty, and God willing a seventy-fifth wedding anniversary.  

I love you Heath, I have since I was 18 years old and will until I am 118!  You are my best friend, my partner in life and in crime ; ) I look forward to raising these crazy kids with you, watching them bloom into amazing adults (like us) and start their own families. We are going to be that grandpa and grandma that kiss to gross out our grand kids.  I look forward to a lifetime of memories we are yet to create. Thank you for being in this with me.