To Those It May Concern

I had big plans for blogging about marathon training. So far, my effort has been sub-par. I guess I figured no one really wants to read about that and it's not really exciting, but I've decided that since I like to read about running on other people's blogs, and this does pretty much cover four months of our lives, I'm going to put in more effort to keeping track.

This is my nice way of saying - if this bores you, there are about a billion other blogs. I'm in a fantastic mood today, by the way.

This past week was our fifth full week of training. It was our first step back week, so the long run was just 6 miles Saturday, followed by an easy 3 on Sunday.

I've yet to take a good pre-run picture, so I made MS suffer for the sake of memory. Color him unimpressed.

If your workouts are getting boring, can I suggest running on curvy roads with no sidewalks? The certainty that you will meet your death with each turn really mixes things up.

About half way through.

In the books.

Key lesson this week: Thai noodle and coconut soup served as an excellent Friday night meal. This is great information, for anyone with an addiction to Surin West.

Fall - The Good and the Ugly

I decided this fall/winter I'm going to make more soup. Shoot for the moon...you know the rest. This was one of the first recipes I ran across that I really wanted to try. If Starbucks can sell pumpkin spice, I can make soup while ignoring the high of 90 today.


Simple Slow Cooked Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
2-3 cups cooked chicken
1 can Ro-Tel
15 oz. chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken condensed soup
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic
1/4 cup onion, chopped



Directions
Combine first ten ingredients in slow cooker

Cook on low, 6-8 hours.
Place tortilla chips in bowls. Pour soup over tortilla chips, then add cheddar cheese & sour cream, if desired.

Yes, I desired.

We didn't have tortilla chips, but we did have some leftover tortillas that I toasted for about 10 minutes on 350. MS is thankful for my cooking skills each and every day.

I would definitely double this recipe next time. Its not efficient to do all the work of opening cans and pouring them in the crock pot and not have much for leftovers.

This rolled out at Target yesterday and crashed the Target web site.

Seriously? Thinking these people never read The Emperor's New Clothes.The real winners are the sellers hacking this stuff on eBay for ungodly amounts of money.

This $400 bike is now up to $1000.

I might be hitting up Target soon.

Old Dog, New Tricks

Look how organized MS had Saturday mornings coffee and clif bar breakfast before bed Friday night. I like to think I've taught him a few things, but I think it's just the imminent fear of missing kick off.

Jokes on him, since I used all the time we saved on a photoshoot of the many faces of Namath. He has no new tricks. Sticking with the classics - awkward and pudgy.

The tongue curl. The leg raise.

He's a magnificent creature.

This was before both of his bulldog teams came thisclose to winning this weekend. He had high hopes. Hopes that we had to drown in nutella cookies. I highly recommend this method.

In Summary

I've had nothing exciting to write about, so decided I would bore you with a list.

• It POURED on Monday. Perfect weather for laundry and TV which was fine by me. Not great weather for the 45 minute drive to my parents to cook out. Yes, cook out. I was 98% sure the drive up there was how I was going to die and they would find my body in a ravine at some point this week. Clearly, I'm dramatic.

• Since the rain wasn't letting up among other factors, we ran during lunch on Tuesday. Fact: running in the rain makes you feel like you are working 10 times harder, when in fact, you are not. Fact: North Face rain jackets aren't good workout gear.

• Insert something here about football and pumpkin spice lattes. Fall is here. You heard it here last.

• And just for giggles - from Bedtimes are for Suckers -

Wordless Wednesday - Working from Home

MS had an assistant yesterday.


I read his mid-year review. Key Gaps: takes too many breaks.

Friday Favorites - Road Edition

I spent some time on the road this summer - also called the summer of facing my fears (i.e. dams and public speaking. Once I gave a speech at a dam. How's that for multi-tasking?).

In order for it to not be the summer I gained 10 lbs, I turned to these trusty standbys.

Sorry, Jared, but I've never been a Subway fan. I don't like paying for a sandwich that is no better than I can make at home. Until the crispy chicken was unveiled. And I was stuck in smalltown, USA. Seal of approval.

Welcome to Moe's! Love the Close Talker salad with lots of salsa verde as dressing.

Gold star if you can look past the munchkins to the egg white and veggie flatbread from Dunkin Donuts. It really is one of my favorite breakfasts on the go. The coffee isn't too shabby either.

I always take a few Clif bars so as not to get stuck with hashbrown casserole and questionable gravy. The blueberry crisp is amazing. Even if you aren't going rock climbing that day.


There you have it - some dam good road food.

Celebrate Good (and Bad) Times

I like traditions. I also like wine. When I heard of a way to merge these together, I was on board.

We've kept just about every wine cork from when we started dating, and wrote on the cork the occasion (or lack thereof) and throw them in a glass jar. Last night, I dumped out the jar I keep the corks in, wavered between opening a bottle and calling Betty Ford, and took some pictures of a few favorites.

There are a few everyday memories -

Bad Monday (no recollection of what was so bad), UAB vs. Memphis basketball, Bad Day, Wine Night.

There are a lot of celebrations -

Pre-drinks before dinner when I sold the house, Matt's new job, Lost Finale, 25th Birthday Dinner, New Car.

Some bad decisions -

Pre-10 miles. Night before, not day of. Don't call Intervention just yet.

Good times with friends -
4th of July cookout, Melissa's 25th birthday, New Years Eve Dinner, wine bought on visit to see my old roommate.

A little family time -

Snow Storm 2011 with Fluff (MS' sister).

Our relationship -
Long talk with Matt(?), Keys to our first place together, Mad Men/Homemade Pizza Date Night, Engagement Anniversary.

Our wedding week -
Pre-wedding mani/pedi with Meredith, Rehearsal Dinner, Wedding, Packing for Honeymoon.

We have two glass jars and they are both nearly full. I cleaned out a lot of corks with no writing - shame on me. I'll look at the jar half full (so punny) and think about all the corks it will take to fill them now. Pop a bottle....

What are your traditions?