Virtual Running Date No. 56: Pancakes for now and later

Hello Crushers!

This past weekend was an easy one for running. I just did two miles, but it felt great! Steve did 7 and rocked it. It's nice that the weather is warming up, but it is not nice that those little swarms of midges are back. So. Gross.

Don't worry, I didn't take a picture. Eeeeeew.

If this were a running date, I'd tell you how I may have gone a little overboard with planting this year...

This shot did not include my rosemary, basil, tomato, rhubarb, raspberry and pepper plants.
Or the plants that Steve is growing from seed. 

So, yeah. There's that. Fortunately, Ellie had a great time sitting outside in her little sun shade playing while Mama and Dada got a little dirty.

If this were a running date, I'd tell you that I'm sorry for the frost warning we had on Tuesday. I just have trouble waiting to plant after Memorial Day. Ugh!

If this were a running date, I'd tell you that I've had a craving for pancakes for several weeks now, but Pancake King Steve hasn't made them yet. Oh, until Sunday night...

If this were a running date, I'd confess that I gave up waiting and made myself (and Ellie and my sister) some tropical pancakes on Friday morning. Steve, honey, if you're reading this, I'm really sorry!

If this were a running date, I'd also tell you that you can freeze pancakes for later. That means Ellie and I have pancakes for any day we want without having to make a mess as often! Yippee!

Hungry?

Tropical Pancakes
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tsp coconut extract
1 Tbsp vegetable oil for coating the pan

Toppings: we used bananas, strawberries and pineapple chunks

Directions:
In a bowl, whisk all ingredients together except the oil for the pan and the toppings. Yes, yes, you can do the dry and wet ingredients separately, but why make another dish dirty? Make sure all the large lumps are gone, but a few small ones are OK. I suggest using a bowl with a spout to make pouring easier.

Heat a large skillet or griddle to medium and dampen a folded paper towel with some oil. Using a pair of tongs or VERY CAREFULLY using your fingers, carefully rub the skillet with oil. I did not use grapeseed oil from Wildtree for this because it's green and I didn't want to risk green pancakes.

Pour 2-3 tablespoons of batter out for each pancake. No need to measure unless you really want to, but it's pretty easy to eye-ball. Cook until the wet surface of the pancakes have some bubbles that have burst. Flip carefully (trust me) and cook until the underside is lightly browned. This takes about a minute or a bit more. Repeat until you have a stack of pancakes.

Serve with toppings and enjoy!

Virtual Running Date No. 55: Switching gears!

Hello Crushers!

If this was a running date, I'd have to tell you that I did not run this weekend. Instead, I skipped the opportunity to be on a team with friends for the Color Run (which was totally OK to skip) and gave blood instead (warning - photo of arm with tubes taped to it - no blood or needles though).

Be a hero! Donate blood if you can!

We worked on our house and garden this weekend so we could have a lovely Mother's Day with our moms. My yard is dandelion free for the moment. Woohoo!

If this was a running date, I would tell you that Steve and Ellie gave me my gift on Saturday night instead of Sunday. Going back in time, Steve has been working on this project from Ellie for over a month. One day, he was really frustrated because something wasn't working, but he couldn't tell me. I sat him down and said, "I appreciate all of the love, time, and energy that you are putting into this gift, but just so you know, I would have been really happy with a new cutting board."

Little did I know that he had already bought me a cutting board after I couldn't shut up about the one that I used at my cooking class back in January. HA!

Anyway, he (and Ellie), took tons of photos from my phone, his phone, our cameras and even some from my sister and mom and made me a slide show with music from our engagement pictures through Ellie's first year. I laughed, I cried (especially at the photos of my grandparents who have passed away at our wedding and then with Ellie), I "oohed" and "aahed". It was so thoughtful, and I'm so glad to have these years captured all in one place! I think we might have to continue this tradition, but add more of Steve to the photos, too!

If this was a running date, I'd be able to tell you my idea for Steve for Father's Day, which is also his birthday, but since he sometimes reads this blog to catch up, I can't tell you. Also, sorry for the run-on sentence.

If this was a running date, I'd tell you that I got to spend time with my mom and my mother-in-law this weekend. What a fantastic bunch of ladies! My sister had her first Mother's Day and my brother and his wife and kids were in town, too. All the little cousins had fun playing together and Ellie took her first assisted steps this weekend. AH!

My brother, sister, mom and I - Mother's Day 2015.

If this was a running date, I'd also tell you that my nephew, Patrick, had his first race last week. There is a local running series where they live in Peoria that does weekly kids' races. You show up, pay a small fee (I think they said it was $2), let the kiddos run a quarter mile with a race bib, and then they get a ribbon. Patrick was SO excited! My mini-runner!

If this was a running date, I would tell you how our house is switching gears. Now that my half marathon is over, it is Steve's turn to train. He signed up for a full marathon taking place in September. As a teacher, he will have a good chunk of summer away from work so he can do some heavier training before the school year starts in again. By then, he should be tapering his miles anyway. So excited for him!

Virtual Running Date No. 54: Door County Half Marathon

Hello Crushers!
I am back home safe and sound after a lovely weekend in Door County! Door County is one of the many options for people when you hear them refer to "Up North". My usual Up North is closer to Minocqua, Wisconsin, but Door County is also very lovely! Plus, it has Peninsula State Park where this race was.

This race had it all!
Beautiful weather? Check!
Closed course so you don't have to worry about cars? Check!
Hills? Check! (grumble grumble)
Pirates at the Mile 5 water station? Check! (They had Gator-aaaayde)
Awesome running friends that you meet just because they have your same pace and you will probably never see again your whole life but are so glad they found you and you got to encourage each other? Check!

Gorgeous day, excellent volunteers, cool race shirts and medals and more. Seriously, go run this race.

Don't forget to do some hill training though. Your quads will thank you.

Here are a few photos from the race:

Pre-race hugs

I finished!
(Yes, I know I am wearing a finisher shirt from another race. Whatever.)

 

Celebratory ice cream! Ellie kept trying to steal some of Steve's, so we let her have some.
We now have a tiny ice cream monster. 

My race goal time was 2:30. I made it - by 1 second!

Hope you all enjoyed the weekend! Time to go unpack and do some wash!

Virtual Running Date No. 53: 10 miles down, 13.1 to go

Hello Crushers!

If this were a running date, I'd tell you I did my longest training run on Sunday before my handbell festival concert (You can see the live stream here. I am in the second row, way far on the right sitting next to the bubblers/drinking fountains around minute 23). Across all my runner friends, there are two main training programs:

1. Run over several months with increasing time and distance until you reach somewhere around 10 miles at least 2 weeks before your race. Then taper. (Most full-marathoners run about 20-22 miles for a final long training run before tapering). 
2. Run over several months with increasing time and distance until you reach a minimum of 13 miles or more (usually no more than 15) at least 3 weeks before your race. Then taper.

I am in the first bunch, hence I listed it as number 1. Heh.

If this were a running date, I'd confess that my longest run before my first half marathon back in 2011 was barely 9 miles (might have only been 8). Thankfully, my race was on a very flat surface, and my body recovered fine. I was also lucky to run with a friend for miles 5-9. We chatted and encouraged each other. After the race, I hopped in the car, Steve drove us back to Milwaukee (a 2 hour drive), and then I walked around (aka cooled off) at a bridal show. Kind of dumb, but it worked out.

If this were a running date, I'd tell you that my second half marathon training was very different. I ran with Steve for almost every training run since it was going to be his first half marathon. He was vigilant about our training. Our longest run was a very hilly 10-mile trek through the Ice Age Trail. It worked MUCH better, and I had a great PR for that half marathon.

If this were a running date, I'd tell you that for my 3rd half marathon training, I was super pleased that I did 10 miles and most of my training on my own. Yes, Steve and Ellie ran with me on some of them. Yes, I did interval training with Kristi. BUT I did 10 miles on my own. Not surrounded by other runners all going the same direction. Not with my hubs and running buddies. I did not think I could make it, but I did. It was awesome and grueling and more awesome. I'm ready folks.

Also, new shoes!

Saucony Stabil CS3

I heart them. I have super flat feet thanks to foot surgery I had as a kid. I think I've mentioned it in the blog, but I can't find it to link, so whatever. Flat feet, ahem. Anyway, I have to wear shoes with "stability" so I don't pronate weird and get hurt. Running shoes aren't about looking cute; they're about healthy feet.

Well, excuse me for doing a happy dance because someone FINALLY got through to the designers and us stability shoe wearers now have fun colored shoes to wear! Everyone else got cool shoes. I was stoked when my shoes went from navy, white and silver accents to hot pink, white and silver accents. I bought hot pink shoe laces to jazz it up a bit. I don't even wear that much pink, but in running shoes it's so fun!

If this were a running date, I'd tell you that my friend Cam, who ran the Boston Marathon in 2013 when it was bombed returned to Boston this week for the marathon. He set a new PR. Boston Strong!

If this were a running date, I'd also tell you that Ellie had a lot of fun at the running store. She got to try out a new jogging stroller (did not buy) and help me find cool gear for Steve for a future gift! Oh, and the owners' Great Dane was in the store. Ellie clapped and shrieked "Doggie!" Poor dog did not find meeting Ellie nearly as exciting. I think the high pitch of her voice was a bit much. Ha!

Virtual Running Date No. 52: Catch up!

Good evening Crushers!

So, this whole mom, work-from-home and part-time, writing at all hours kind of thing is weird. Before, I would sit down to write my blog and post it in the morning and be done. That's how I got three posts in a week! Um, yeah, it's Wednesday night, and I'm writing this after a long day.

If this were a running date, I would tell you that I have spent most of today being used as a tissue by my daughter. She has a cold and probably getting a tooth and totally fooled me into thinking that this was an ear infection. Um, nope. Went to the doctor and everything only to be told that her ears are perfectly clear! Huh. So. Many. Tears. And. Boogers.  Sorry if that was gross, but she's so young, and although she has lots of words, telling mama where it hurts just isn't in her vocabulary yet.

Which brings me to my second "if this were a running date" comment, I'd tell you that Leinenkugel's makes a great new beer called Canoe Paddler. The baby is asleep. No judging.

If this were a running date, I'd tell you all to go and read the blog "A Mothership Down" written by Liz. She is hilarious. Her son is adorable. And I'm kind of jealous that she won a Bloggie award. However, she actually has clear pictures and fancy designs and a real web address that doesn't have anything to do with a Google product. So therefore, she just wins my adoration and envy. Not to be a creeper or anything... Besides, she used some of my words in a few posts here and on her Facebook page. Must try harder with blogging...

If this were a running date, I would tell you that I got a random call from a friend who was at a grocery store with a dilemma. I believe her words were, "Jen, I am at the grocery, and I only have time to pick up a few items for dinner before my kids get dropped off. What do I make for dinner?" She rattled off the Wildtree items she knew she had in her house. Since pasta is my go-to dinner if I'm stuck, this is what I told her:

Buy short pasta, like rotini or penne, Italian sausage, a can of crushed tomatoes, and mozzarella. Boil pasta according to directions. In pan, cook sausage. When done, set aside. Bring crushed tomatoes to a simmer with 1 Tbsp Italian Dressing Blend, 1-ish Tbsp each Zesty Lemon Grapeseed Oil and European Garlic Dipping Oil. Dice meat and add to sauce. Pour over drained pasta and enjoy!

She said it was a hit, and that I should post it on the blog, so here it is!

If this were a running date, I'd tell you that last weekend was a wonderful vacation with my girls. We ate, drank, hot-tubbed, shopped (the bargains!), and talked and talked and talked. It was so special to share this time with them even if I was kind of nervous about being away from Ellie for a whole weekend. She and Steve had a great daddy-daughter weekend, and I got to shop without a diaper bag! Just kidding. As I said, it was so much more. These women are amazing.

If this were a running date, I'd tell you that I did run with Jessica at our girls' weekend. It was only 12 degrees when we woke up on Saturday morning, so we hit the fitness room. Normally, I like running while watching the Food Network (no surprise there...), but "Sister Act" was on. WINNER! I did run more on Tuesday after Steve got home from work. It was much warmer! Time to add on some miles!

Hope you had a fabulous weekend and forgive my late running date.

Virtual Running Date No. 51: 6 miles, hummus, and coleslaw

Hello Crushers!

If we were on a running date, I would have a lot to tell you. First, I'm signed up for another half marathon. This time I'll be running through the gorgeous Peninsula State Park in Door County. This will be the longest race that I've run since Ellie was born. I did a training run on Saturday for 6.29 miles! WHOO!

If we were on a running date, I would confess how hard it has been to get back into running. Since Ellie has a spring birthday, I got to take her on lots of walks and we took her hiking all over Wisconsin and even took a trip to Denver to visit friends (Hi Susan and family!). There were lots of people that saw us hiking through the mountains, and stopped us to say, "You have a baby. On the trail. In the mountains." Yes, yes we do have a baby. She hikes. She's awesome.

But you know what? It's not awesome when you're struggling with this weird guilt that you want to go and do something by yourself (run) and you miss your running partner (Steve) because you now have to share. You have to split your running time so that one person runs while the other person watches the baby. As much as she loves the running stroller, she probably wouldn't sit in it for anything more than 4 miles. Plus, there's this jealousy that Steve got to go running while I couldn't. And even now when she doesn't sleep through the night, I'm just tired even though I know I need to keep running for my health and sanity. It's rough. Mommies need to stop judging each other. We judge ourselves plenty!

If we were on a running date, I would catch you up on a few things in our family. One of Steve's sisters and my sister had a baby in 2014, too! That's right, there are lots of tiny girls in our family! So many little ones to bring us joy, and wow they are good at it! Sadly, we had to say good bye to my maternal grandfather (pictured here) in January. He got the flu, pneumonia, COPD, and had other health issues related to those things. He was doing alright until something took a quick turn for the worse. Grandma missed him and God called him home to Heaven. As much as I miss him, my friend, and I miss him A LOT, he is in a better place. The best place. My paternal grandfather is starting to slip away from us with Alzheimer's disease. He is angry a lot of the time and taking out his struggles on my dad. Please send up a prayer if you have a moment. Both for the arrival of healthy babies (another of Steve's sisters is due with her 2nd baby in October!), and for those who are/were caregivers. 

If we were on a running date, I would tell you that we had a delicious weekend (this is a food-based blog, right?) with homemade coleslaw, a new recipe for a torte I'll try out in the next few weeks, and lemon garlic hummus. Not to toot my own horn, but I came up with the lemon garlic hummus and submitted the recipe to Wildtree and they made it and took a picture (that credit goes to Wildtree) and posted it on Instagram and it was amazing! Not amazing - my run-on sentence. Whatever. I FINALLY HAVE A PUBLISHED (sort of) RECIPE! WHEE!

Ahem.

If we were on a running date, I would also tell you that the next few weeks are going to be fun because a) Girl's Weekend, b) Easter, and c) Ellie's 1st birthday. And I am good at themes and Pinterest recreations. How cute are these? Some bunny is going to be turning one... he he he... So many silly things I can do with that! Since her birthday happens to be after Easter this year, I am planning on getting deals on decorations and stuff. Or raiding a dollar store... Whatever.

If we were on a running date, I'd also tell you that class is going well. Most of my students are awesome and the rest are still nice. I also started a new job as a content writer for some manufacturing companies' websites. It won't be nearly as fun as this, but a nice challenge.

Coleslaw recipe coming soon...

Virtual Running Date No. 50: A Camping we will go!

Good morning, Crushers!

If this was a running date (and I've been cleared for running again - whoot!), I'd tell you all about our camping trip.

We got back from our camping trip on Sunday night, and I would like to say it was a total success. We had perfect weather - upper 70's-low 80's - and less mosquitoes than I thought. Like many northern states, Wisconsin could claim that the mosquito is the state bird during summer. I'm glad it's really the robin though. I digress...

View from top of the fire watch tower.

People told us to our face that we were nuts for taking a 3 month old camping. I even thought it when I saw how packed our SUV was just to take two adults and one tiny person to Peninsula State Park for 2 nights. So. Much. Stuff. We may cave and get a minivan before you know it. Or a truck. Anyway...

We camped with our friends Adam and Erin and their three girls (ages 5, 3, and 1.5). They camp like pros and bring everything you could possibly need for five families. Now that's some awesome preparation. The only things we forgot were a light blankie for Ellie and a bottle brush. Not too bad for our first camping trip with a kiddo!

Hiking with Ellie! (Yes, she had a hat, but I took it off for the photo)

 Our eggs and sausages with the chopped up veggies made breakfast easy. Erin and Adam had noodles with their girls the night before, so they asked if we could add them to some of the eggs. Scrambled eggs and noodles? Apparently it's a family recipe from their German heritage. No matter, it was surprisingly delicious! The breakfast cookies were also a hit. Only four ingredients and it was nice to just have a quick breakfast before packing up the tent!

Playing in the shade with daddy!

Erin made tacos and had all the fixings for dinner. Tacos while camping? OK! Again, delicious. We had a picnic lunch by the beach after seeing a lighthouse and climbing a fire watch tower. Camping was great.

Now to do it all over again next weekend... We are nuts.

VIrtual Running Date No. 49: Pasta Problems

Good morning, Crushers!

Remember how I said that I was going to make this wonderful pasta dish on Saturday night? Heh.

IF this was a virtual running date, you'd be doing the running and I'd be doing some waddling. Yeah, we're waddling now. Oh. My. Lord.

Anyway, after a wonderful morning walk on Saturday, we went to a bunch of stores to plan out Steve's soon-to-be raised garden bed. He's got veggies on the mind! Just when I was all ready to make us a delicious dish on Saturday night, I realized that we never bought pasta on Friday while grocery shopping!

Um, kind of hard to make linguine without the noodles. Facepalm.

So, I'll be making that tonight for dinner instead. Unless baby girl shows up. Then we'll just have all the ingredients for another time.

Geesh.

Virtual Running Date No. 47: That's where he gets it from...

Good morning, Crushers!

If this was a running date, please allow me to say I'm really sorry if I gave anyone high hopes for the weather over the weekend. It was all lies. You would have needed at least 2-3 layers to run. It never really got warmer than 40 degrees. Tonight's forecast calls for an inch of snow and a high of 22 tomorrow. Ick!

If this was a running date, I would tell you that no less than 5 strangers and 3-4 non-strangers have asked me, "When are you due?" Either I look really pregnant or I've started to walk funny. I hope it's the former and not the latter. I am refusing to waddle. I'm still wearing (low) heels for goodness' sake! Anyway, I think the kiddo should wait to make her arrival until we get some solid 40-50 degree weather. No need to rush into the cold!

If this was a running date, I would have to tell you about one of my new favorite shows. If you live in Wisconsin, you know that we take our cheese seriously. In fact, the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association sponsors the World Championship Cheese Contest. Although no American cheese maker has one the top prize since the 80's, Wisconsin earned the most gold medals of any American cheese maker - a whopping 33 gold medals! Anyway, I found this new show called Wisconsin Foodie and they were featuring a grilled cheese cook-off. Doesn't this sound like something fun to do with friends on a weekend? 

If this was a running date, I would tell you that I'm not sure if this kiddo will take after me or her dad in the kitchen. Only time will tell. So far, she match us in active nature, but we are two very different cooks. As you know, nothing Steve ever makes turns out the same. It usually always tastes good, but he never finds a reason to use a recipe. I like recipes and will veer off course to add an ingredient or try something new, but using recipes is like doing good research. Research is something that I preach to my students every week!

If this was a running date, I would tell you how Steve's parents dropped off about 10 jars of "hot beans" which are now taking over our fridge. Fortunately, these things are delicious. It's like pickled green bean with dill, vinegar, garlic, and a few other things I can't quite determine. You know why? NO TWO JARS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME! I even saw part of a cinnamon stick in one of them! Now I know, that's where he gets it from. Steve made chili over the weekend, and despite some identifiable items like beans, beef, and tomatoes, it's as random as the hot beans. In fact, some hot beans made it into the chili.

There's two reasons I needed to take a few antacids on Saturday night - the chili and the Badgers' exciting win.  Seriously, I do not even have to watch the game. I could just sit upstairs and listen to Steve and the guys yelling at the TV in the basement man cave. "WHERE'S THE FOUL?" "DID YOU SEE THAT?!" "OHHHHHHH!" Nothing boring around our house!

Virtual Running Date No. 46: Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Dear Crushers,

If this were a virtual running date, I'd tell you to stay bundled up! It's still cold here. Only 20 degrees F! Geesh! Run in layers - green layers!

Finding things to wear while 36 weeks pregnant is getting to be a bit of a challenge. I pretty much stick to my 5-6 favorite outfits now and just rotate them. It's easier than trying to get too creative! Ha! Anyway, I've got a green sweater on and green and orange earrings, so I'm all set for today. Granted, I will have to skip the Guinness and whiskey and a lot of potatoes that normally go with traditional Irish foods that Americans like to enjoy.

I know "throwback Monday" isn't a thing, but I found some photos of my work trip to Ireland that you might enjoy:

"Slainte!" is a traditional toast meaning "Health!" or "To your health!"

The most interesting convention centre I've worked in.

The River Liffey

Inside the chapel at Dublin Castle

The Round Tower at Dublin Castle - they held lots of criminals there.

Some of the grounds at Dublin Castle

St. Patrick's Cathedral

St. Patrick's Cathedral - makes you want to say a prayer!

On the grounds of Trinity College
Yes, we took the tour and saw the Book of Kells - amazing!

A busy street on one of the few sunny days in June

St. Stephen's Green - the pigeons were not afraid of anything

Me in St. Stephen's Green - about one month before our wedding!

"An Taoiseach" is the Prime Minister

Sweny "druggist" aka pharmacy was mentioned in James Joyce's "Ulysses"

Deliciousness inside!

If they ask for volunteers for a "special tasting" RAISE YOUR HAND!
You get to try a few extras!

If this were a virtual running date, I'd tell you about all the new Irish recipes I discovered! Over the weekend, the PBS Create channel was featuring travel and cooking shows from Ireland or about Ireland. One show that I got addicted to (while I was supposed to be napping/relaxing) was Kevin Dundon's Modern Irish Food. He featured everything from scallop tarts to "Kinky Eton Mess" to a new spin on Cottage Pie. My favorite thing that I ate while in Ireland was either the delicious steak or fish. You can't go wrong!

Despite all these new delicious recipes he showed, Steve and I will enjoy some corned beef sandwiches at some point this week. I might even make my own bread to go with it! I don't have time to start sour dough bread if we're going to eat it before Saturday, but I could do a nice loaf of wheat bread. Also, doesn't this recipe for Asian chicken thighs sound amazing?

Darn, now I'm all hungry. However, if I hear "you're eating for two" one more time, I might lose my cool. People say the weirdest things to you while you're pregnant. Seriously.

Anyway, if we were on a virtual running tour, I'd also tell you the funny thing that happened this weekend. We have been trying to knock out a few projects here and there while keeping most of March low-key in case the kiddo decides to arrive early. We both agreed that the second car seat base needed to be installed. However, the next project we had a bit of a disagreement on. Steve was sure that installing a new digital converter box in the basement "Man Cave" and rearranging all the cords and electronic devices was necessary baby-prep. I thought that assembling the new stroller we got as a gift was more important baby-prep.

They both got done, but it just goes to show that every one's priorities are a bit different. The baby will eventually watch something on TV. We're realistic about that. The baby will eventually need to use the stroller (or mom will need the baby to use it). Granted, the kid won't need either item for a while, but at least it's all done!

VIrtual Running Date No. 45: Steve Cooks

Good morning, Crushers!

If this were a virtual running date, I would be telling you all about the delicious meatball subs that Steve made this weekend. However, he wants to tell you about it in his own words. Seriously, all I did was tell him how long to bake the meatballs for and I chopped up a few veggies. He did all the hard work including, "forming the meatballs with my hands - wedding ring and all!"

Please check back later for Chef Steve's meatball subs!

Virtual Running Date No. 43: Spoiler alert - Downton Abbey!

Hello Crushers!

Sorry for being so absent this past week, but it was a very busy week!

If this were a virtual running date, I would tell you about how Steve and I went to the Wauwatosa Woman's Club because they had a "bring a guest" event to see a guy perform as if you were having dinner with Winston Churchill. This guy was amazing in his portrayal and I can't believe how knowledge able he was!

The menu was not very British, but that's OK since Churchill seemed to spend a good amount of time in America between war efforts and his own travels. The menu included garden salads, beef tips, wild rice stuffed chicken breasts, 4 different kinds of potatoes, green beans, carrots, and pie and ice cream for dessert. It was delicious!

If we were on a virtual running date, I would confess that we went up to the Dells, again. I did not do much shopping, but I am totally going to buy this purse the moment I have a chance:

LINK

I know that buying it in plain black would be more versatile and I could use it all year long, but the stripes! And the coral bottom! And the cuteness! AH!

Anyway, as I said we went up to The Dells again so that Steve and the guys and gals (who didn't have kids along) went skiing while the rest of us took the little kids to the water park. It was a weekend filled with late nights, games, lots of laughing (and cocktails for the non-pregnant folks), and wonderful food. We each took a different meal and made food to feed 11 adults and 6 children of various ages (14 months to 5 years old). Here is what we did:

Dinner on Friday - on your own
Breakfast on Saturday - Jamie made French toast and sliced fruit
Lunch on Saturday - Adam and Erin L. brought all the fixings for a make-your-own sandwich bar with veggies, fruit, and chips/snacks
Dinner on Saturday - 1-2-3 Lasagna, garlic bread, salad and cookies and brownies for dessert (my sister-in-law made a vegetarian lasagna and she brought the bread and brownies)
Breakfast on Sunday - Adam O. made hash browns while Steve and I made blueberry pancakes and scrambled eggs. I also baked bacon for everyone. It was so easy and didn't require us to have another thing going on the stove top.

If this were a virtual running date and you hadn't watched Season 4 of Downton Abbey (DA) or the finale, I would tell you to stop reading right now. I LOVE this show and was glad that I got home in time to watch it. Sometimes PBS really has the best programs on. OK, now if you haven't seen it, you've all gone off to other blogs or work or e-mail, right? Good. Now, for the DA conversation...

My friend Courtney said that she did watch it, but was underwhelmed by the story line all season long. Granted, last season was a sob fest between Sybil dying, the house being in mourning and then Matthew's season finale fatal car accident. UGH! So many tears! This season only had me crying once for Anna when she was attacked. The "downstairs" crew had a much better season than the upstairs family. Upstairs had too much "will we save the estate with pig farming?" and "Is Mary allowed to smile or laugh?" and "Poor Edith" and "It's the jazz age!" Also, Shirley MacLaine's season finale appearance was kind of blah. And seriously, Lady Mary? "I don't mind lying." vs. "I can't lie to save Bates." attitude stunk. Pick one! Either you're going to put your big girl tiara on or you're not.

Downstairs had much more realness to it between Alfred's new position at the Ritz, Bates and Anna's relationship, and Mrs. Hughes as the keeper of all secrets. Mrs. Patmore's one-liners rivaled Lady Violet's and Isabel's banter! Bates' did-he-didn't-he intrigue and his other many talents for forgery and pick-pocketing came in quite handy as the Crawley's tried to salvage the Prince of Wales' reputation. The drama (Bates and Anna and Baxter vs. Barrow), the characters maturing (Daisy and Alfred), Mrs. Hughes being all tough and Carsen loosening up a bit. So much more interesting!

Agree with me? Disagree with me? Try and talk me out of buying the coral and striped bag? Let me know in the comments!

Virtual Running Date No. 42: Baby Shower "treats"

Happy Monday Crushers!

I don't know about you, but my weekend was jam-packed with nieces and nephews and babies and showers and now we have SNOW showers. AGAIN! We're supposed to get 4-7 inches of snow. One of the girls in my office has to travel to Kuala Lumpur, and I have a feeling that she's going to be spending lots of time in airports over the next 36-48 hours!

Like I said, we did a lot of running around this weekend, but not in the "Hey, I went 3 miles" kind of way. We did a lot of laps around tables talking to people and thanking them for celebrating the soon-to-be-arriving Baby Girl. Our shower was so cute! It had a travel theme with Steve's and my family, and now I wish I had taken more photos. Fortunately, that's what sisters-in-law are for! Thanks to Melissa for all the wonderful pictures!

This blanket was made by Steve's grandma before she passed away.
It's perfect with bunnies since Baby Girl will be here in time for Easter!

Cupcake "rattles"

My sister and mom made this adorable diaper cake!

The tables all had maps on them along with diapers for messages and candy airplanes!

Salad bar!

All the good stuff I'm allowed to eat!

Later on when I was unpacking it all, I discovered that our baby received so many blankets!
Most of them were handmade! She can never be cold.

My foot compared to the tiny little socks!
And yes, I can still reach to paint my own toes...

Some very talented friends made these "treats" and bouquets out of
rolled up burp rags, wash cloths, bibs and onesies. So crafty!

I have to admit that I got all teary when I was unpacking them at home. I can't believe she's on her way! Well, then she gives me a good kick and I can totally believe it! HA!

Virtual Running Date No. 41: FISH and Fashion

If this were a virtual running date, I would apologize that I didn't take pictures of all the cute little clothes I bought for baby girl over the weekend. My friends and I had a WONDERFUL time in the Wisconsin Dells at the Wilderness Resort. Seriously, if you go to the Dells, just go there. It usually has the best prices and it has an indoor water park with a "solar dome" or something like that where you can sit with your feet at the edge of the wave pool and pretend you're on the beach. Also, if you're not prego, you could probably order one of those margaritas the size of your head, too!

Note: I am in no way being paid to talk about the Wilderness Resort. I just really love it there.

We went shopping at the outlet mall and it was so much fun! I got two sweaters, a wrap dress and a pair of earrings for me (less than $30!), two pairs of pants for Steve and a bunch of baby clothes on clearance/sale. Oh the snuggly little outfits! SO CUTE!

It was so nice to just be with the girls and feel refreshed with good talks and helping each other solve problems like "What to do with toddlers to prevent feeling stuck inside in nasty weather?" or "What are some good ways we can think of to 'date' our husbands?" or "What are some new recipes we can mix in our with the usuals?" You want to solve problems? You put a bunch of ladies together, and we will figure it out. Or we will know how to research it. (One lady, Hi Susan, is a librarian at a university. She can find you stuff. Also, there's Pinterest, and we all know how to use it!)

Last night, I was blessed to come home and here Steve had worked on organizing the "crap room" in the basement, bought and installed a new mailbox, and has practically found us a new vehicle to replace his two-door truck. He was a busy man! Busy man needs a great dinner, right?

I found this recipe "The Very Best Fish Recipe Ever" on the blog Living Well Spending Less, and since it's a non-breaded fish, I thought I'd try it. We ate it with green beans and some stuffing, and I had a glass of milk - easy carb counting!

You can find the link to the recipe above. Of course, I didn't have all the exact ingredients, but what I did have tasted wonderful. You can either follow the link above or my version below. Steve said that this was the best non-breaded fish he's ever had, and he's kind of picky about his fish. This is definitely a "keeper".

Best Fish Recipe
Ingredients:
4 fish fillets (1-2 pounds) - I used tilapia (prego safe fish)
3 slices of mozzarella cheese, crumbled
1/3 butter (you could probably use less)
1/4 cup mayo (the real stuff, not Miracle Whip)
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp dill
2 healthy dashes of Tabasco sauce (ok, it was more like 3)

Directions:
Preheat the oven broiler. Grease the baking pan. I used a 9x13 Pyrex dish. Place the fish fillets in the dish so it's one layer. A little overlap is fine. Broil for 8 minutes or until the fish flakes. While that's in the broiler, mix all the other ingredients in a bowl.

Doesn't look like much yet...

When the fish is ready, put a layer of the spread over the top and broil for another 2-3 minutes. Serve up and enjoy!

Still looks like a blob (on the right), but tasted SO GOOD!

Serving suggestion: I don't think I either used enough fish or if this recipe could have done without the cheese. I think I'll skip the cheese next time or possibly just use the correct cheese. That would likely help.

Virtual Running Date No. 40: Italian Beef Sandwiches

Good morning, Crushers!

If we were on a virtual running date this morning, I'd tell you to get back inside and put on a sweater. We would NOT be running today. It'd be very dangerous. It's another chilly day in Wisconsin. The news said that today's high is a whopping 17 degrees F. It was -5 when I woke up. No one likes or wants frostbite.

Fortunately, yesterday was spent all nice and cozy at home after church. We cleaned up a few more boxes from the move, I worked more on the baby quilt and we made Italian Beef Sandwiches for watching the Super Bowl. I must admit that I was looking forward to the food more than the game. I am not a Seattle Seahawks fan, but I do love Russel Wilson and appreciated the speed and athleticism of their team. Plus, I think the Broncos forgot that it was the Super Bowl or something. They obviously did not bring their A-game. I actually gave up on watching the game when Downton Abbey came on. At least there was more action!

I just need to go buy some fabric for the back!

Anyway, between sewing, catching commercials and other fancy moves by the Seahawks, we had these amazing sandwiches:

Yes, that's a bit of mozzarella cheese peeking out at you!

They were just the perfect amount of spicy and juicy! Plus, since I ate my open faced, I only used up one of my "3 carbs per meal" allowances. Then I could enjoy a few chips and guac, too. Yum!

Since we had such a low key weekend, I'll just share the recipe with you.

Italian Beef Sandwiches:
Ingredients:
2-3 pounds of beef roast (you're cooking it low and slow, so you can pick a less fancy cut of beef)
1/2 cup water
1/2 jar of jalapeno peppers (or a milder pepper if that's your thing)
5-6 white mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
1-2 tbsp of Wildtree Italian Dressing Mix or other Italian mix
Hamburger buns or rolls
As many thin slices of mozzarella cheese as you'd like

Gear you'll need: a Crockpot or slow cooker, measuring spoons, knife, cutting board, and will power.

Directions:
Place the roast in the bottom of the slow cooker and pour in a the water. It doesn't have to be a lot, but just enough to make the bottom of the cooker wet. Then sprinkle the roast with the seasoning giving it a good coating. Put all of your sliced veggies and peppers on the roast. We even used some of the juice from the jalapenos. Let that mix cook for 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low. Since you're cooking it for so long with all these fantastic juices, you don't have to use a fancy cut of beef. It'll all become melty and tender.

About one hour to one half hour before you're going to dish up these great sandwiches, pull the meat out of the slow cooker and shred it. You can do this by using two forks and pulling them in opposite directions to pull the meat apart. At this point, you can trim off any fat, and return the meat back to the slow cooker for a bit longer. Give it a stir and try not to eat it directly out of the pot. Trust me, this is harder than it seems.

Serve up on buns or rolls with a slice of mozzarella cheese and even a pepper or two for garnish. Be prepared to use napkins because these things are juicy! It should make 6-8 servings. So maybe make that lots of napkins?

Gestational Diabetes trick:
Eat them open faced or bun-less with carrots or pickles so you can enjoy other Super Bowl snack carbs like a serving of veggie chips (15 g), 3 pizza rolls (13 g), and a glass of milk (15 g). If you have heartburn while prego, I really suggest the glass of milk or using a really mild pepper! Hot stuff!

Enjoy!

Virtual Running Date No. 39: Cold? What cold?

Good morning Crushers!

I kid you not that the temperature in my car dropped from 20 degrees F to -1 degree F in the 25 minutes that it took me to drive to work. Almost all of the schools in the entire state are closed today for "dangerous freezing weather conditions". The governor actually called a state of emergency due to difficulties people are having in getting adequate heat fuel.

Before the temperatures really dropped, Steve and I took ourselves to a local county park to do some snow-shoeing and skiing. He skied. I walked. It was nice.

My spiffy snow shoes!

Curry Park

29 weeks and bundled up!
If it weren't for me holding my hands under the baby bump,
I'm not sure you'd be able to tell that I am pregnant since I was wearing so many layers!

Besides getting out and getting some exercise, snow-shoeing and cross-country skiing are just plain fun! Snow shoes are a nice option for me right now since they have these spike things on the bottom so I can't slip on ice. The only problem is bending over to get them strapped on. I needed Steve's help. I can still tie my own shoes, thankyouverymuch, but the buckles were a little hard.

We went out for dinner and my pulled-pork sandwich was lovely, but let me tell you about this pecan pie. Yes, it's a horrible photo, but oh was it good! I don't normally like pecan pie, but this was just like a slab of caramel and pecans. With ice cream. I had about 5 bites and said Steve could have the rest.

We took care of that!

I have never found a recipe I liked, so I don't have one to share, but if you do, PLEASE share it in the comments. This pie may have to be investigated.

In other news, we worked on the baby's room this weekend. One wall is a dark blue, so my mom found these super cute vinyl letters. The only problem is that they are VERY DIFFICULT to put up. Not only because they lacked instructions, but because they were skinny letters.

Yay instructions!

Um, blank reverse side. You had one job...

The end result (after much stress and anger at a few words).

We also packed part of our hospital bag. Considering the crazy weather we have, I either over packed the baby's "going home" outfit or I didn't pack enough. Who knows?

That's it for now! If you went running this weekend, I salute you. If you did some other form of exercise, I also salute you. If you hid from the cold, I understand. It's chilly!

Have a wonderful week!

Virtual Running Date No. 38: Baby stuff

Good morning, Crushers!

If this were a virtual running date, I would first confess that I haven't run. I probably won't run much until after the kiddo is born because it's icy and slippery and falling is bad.

My second confession is that I'm not a mommy blogger. Will I talk about baby food and toys and post pictures of my kid? Probably. Will I offer advice that is brilliant? Probably not. Will I at least share with you some cool stuff I find and maybe some things that work for me? Yup. Most likely.

If this were a virtual running date, I would tell you that this past weekend felt like it was all about babies. I went to a baby shower for a friend last Friday and it was really fun. We made mocktails, ate food (BLT dip?!) and talked about baby stuff and other stuff. Three women there were moms; three were prego; and three were just engaged. It was funny to hear every one's perspective on babies and care and what you really "need".

Speaking of what you want (more BLT dip?!) versus what you need, have you seen the baby section at a department store lately?! So much stuff. If you're reading this and you're registering for baby stuff, here are three pieces of advice:

1. Do your homework before you go (I highly suggest the book Baby Bargains), but it's COMPLETELY OK if your sense of "dang that's cute" overrides common sense a few times. Can't leave the store without scanning that fuzzy pink onesie? SCAN IT!
2. Pack snacks. Something that's an energy booster is a good idea. Plus, no one, and I mean NO ONE ever seems to mind a prego lady having a handful of pretzels or raisins. 
3. Leave when you feel overwhelmed. 50 kinds of pacifiers and you're not even sure you want your child to use one? Feel free to skip that and come back later, if ever. 

Speaking of registries, I should go check that I took all those accidental doubles off the list...

So, this is a food blog, right? Baby shower food is pretty darn good. We had BLT dip (have I mentioned that?), sweets, veggies and dip, taco dip, and cheese and crackers. Fun finger food plus mocktails = a great evening friend shower. So nice!

I'm not allowed to know anything about my shower. I was just supposed to supply a list of names and addresses and I'm sure someone will tell me when to show up.

We took a baby class at our hospital over the weekend. It was very informative and fun despite talking about one of the messiest, but coolest things that your body could ever do. No cool food to mention there. They did give us snacks, but that's about it.

Yesterday, I did make jambalaya, which I'm fortunate to have leftovers of today! Sunday afternoons spent cooking while football is on in the background is very nice. As much as I wish the Packers were still on their way to the Super Bowl, I enjoyed a day where I could just be a football fan. If I had to pick a bandwagon to jump on, I'd go with the Broncos. I have more family and friends that live in Colorado, plus I really can't stand Seattle's coach. Ugh.

If this were a virtual running date, I could at least mention that I did safely walk on a treadmill for 2-3 miles at a stretch. Kind of boring, but it beats slipping on ice!

Virtual Running Date No. 37: It appears I owe you another one

Hello Crushers,

If we were on a virtual running date, I would tell you that it's been one of those days:

Between Friends by Sandra Bell-Lundy

I keep this cartoon at my desk because sometimes, you need to be reminded that if you can't say something nice, then you shouldn't say anything at all.

Mostly this has to do with other non-blog related stuff, but I will confess that it's been a little hectic around here. Between making art for the baby's room:

Can't you tell that's hand-painted with love?

Someone learned how to install floating shelves. BOO-YAH!

Pinterest inspired. And oddly lighted...

And getting ready to teach next semester:

That's my beast of a laptop from 2005.

It's been crazy. Fortunately, I have my freezer meal workshop tomorrow night. I'm VERY EXCITED to get to try out a bunch of new Wildtree products**. Here are the meals we're going to be making:

1. Spanish-style garlic shrimp
2. Italian marinated flank steak
3. The best burgers EVER
4. Smoked mozzarella and tomato meatloaf
5. Chipotle lime fajitas
6. Italian medallions
7. Honey balsamic chicken drumsticks
8. Crockpot chipotle lime chicken
9. Adobo chicken (I'm actually making mine with pork)
10. Mozzarella and tomato chicken pasta

Don't those sound good? Yum!

Uh oh, now the prego lady is hungry again...  Good thing I made Hurry Up Chicken Pot Pie last night for dinner. That might mean there are leftovers to enjoy later!

**As always, I'm not getting paid or compensated by Wildtree in anyway. I just really like their products