Monday Melange

In no particular order, here's some of the stuff swirling around in my head:

• I'm about to go on a run. But I don't want to run. But I'm gonna. Why? Because even though I'm not particularly motivated right now, and am quite unsure as to what kind of goal I want to set, I know that movement = sanity for me. Enough said!
• FarmVille vs Farm Town -- tell me which you prefer and why.
• It's supposed to be 105 degrees here today. In my opinion that is TOO DARNED HOT!
• I've just discovered Moleskine journals and I LOVE THEM!
  
• Did I mention that it's gonna be super duper blazing hot here today?
• On that note, I'd better get out and run before it gets too hot to go.

Have a wonderful Monday, everyone!

Hawaii, part 3

When you consider that we took more than 200 pictures, I'm really editing down what I post here. But it feels like too many pictures to me. Bear with me -- these are the last of the lot.


One of several delicious meals at our favorite restaurant on Maui, Mala.


We toured an organic farm where lunch was served under this rustic gazebo. It was delish!


One of the trip highlights was the entire family going scuba diving. We explored a reef about 35 feet down -- it was lovely!


I buy one of these metal cars each time we visit Hawaii. This is the view as we left Paia on our next to last day in town. Incidentally, Hillary Duff was in Paia that day, but we never found her.

Thanks for bearing with me. It was a wonderful vacation with my wonderful family!

Hawaii, part 2

You've gotta get a picture by the giant banyan tree in Lahaina, right?


Austin made it all the way across this branch on his 3rd try. Gymnastics continues to provide benefits!


Didn't see this till after he'd made it across -- oops!


Tucker became fast friends with the most darling girl on the island at the BEST shave ice place we've ever tried!


Building sandcastles is Tucker's and my idea of fun at the beach. (So is swimming underwater in the ocean, but that's tougher to depict!)

Part 3 coming soon...

Hawaii!

It's taken forever to get these pictures uploaded. But seeing them again makes me smile -- it really was a wonderful vacation!

We biked down the volcano, which was billed as the only 28-mile bike ride where you can gain weight doing it, as it is LITERALLY downhill the entire way! This picture was taken when we stopped for lunch. As usual, my daredevil family was completely comfortable with something that made me incredibly nervous!


Still in love after almost 20 years of marriage!


It's good to exercise while on vacation, and it's way easier when you have an ocean breeze and an ocean view!


It's also good to eat healthfully while on vacation.


We went ocean wakeboarding. Here's Tucker jumping the wake.

Part 2 coming soon...

Quote for the day

Life is not about waiting for the storm
to pass… it’s about learning how to dance
in the rain.
Vivian Greene

Tucker in High School Musical

Tucker was in his first real play last weekend and he was wonderful. His comment was "I've never had so much fun in my entire life" so I think there may be more plays in his future.

For any Trader Joe's fans

My friend Linda won a Trader Joe's recipe contest!!!

Here's her recipe:

Crunchy Chicken Sandwiches
Serves 4

2 cups Trader Joe's Organic Broccoli Slaw
1 Tbsp. Chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbsp. Trader Joe's Champagne Pear Vinaigrette With Gorgonzola
4 Trader Joe's Chili Lime Chicken Burgers
4 Multi-Grain or Honey Wheat Hamburger Buns

Mix Organic Broccoli Slaw, cilantro, and Champagne Pear Vinaigrette
With Gorgonzola. Heat Chili Lime Chicken Burgers according to package
directions. Place one burger on each bun bottom. Top burger with
Organic Broccoli Slaw mixture and close bun.

And here's what Trader Joe's had to say:

Aloha, Linda!

On behalf of the Trader Joe's Round Table Recipe Review Panel, I'd like
to formally congratulate you (and your recipe) on being chosen as one of
the top 3 winners of the 2009 HiiP Recipe Showdown!

Your recipe for the Crunchy Chicken Sandwiches will be featured on
traderjoes.com, and we would like to get your permission to feature your
name on the recipe card. Please let us know if that is ok with you.

Also, we have a nifty prize to help you create even HiiPer recipes (if
that's possible). Please reply with your mailing address and we will
send it out to you.

Congratulations again, and thanks for submitting a truly HiiP recipe!

Sincerely,
Emily, Marketing Dept.

Photo problems :(

I keep trying to post photos from vacation and have run into one problem after another. And I told myself I wasn't writing until I actually posted the pics. I hate it when I'm stuck like this.

Today

Today I am grateful.
Today I am appreciative.
Today I am 24 years sober.
Today I am amazed!

Wednesday Melange

• Summer here in Nor Cal is tomato season, and I have the BEST gazpacho recipe, in case anyone's interested in seeing it. Made with home-grown tomatoes, it's out-of-this-world good!
• My eating is a bit schizophrenic, which is why I can eat fresh gazpacho and an organic corn tortilla for dinner, followed by a nice pack of Twizzlers.
• In an attempt to improve my eating habits, I'm taking a four week course titled "Back to Basics" at Healthy Habits in Roseville. The class is based on the work of Paul Chek, whose writings I've studied. We'll see if they can convince me that meat is an essential part of a healthy diet, but I'm ready to listen and learn. The first class was last night and I think it's going to be good.
• Have I written about The Daily Plate? If not, I really should have. It's on the Livestrong website and is a free food tracking system. It's the best I've ever seen, and I'm trying to consistently log my food choices. Got a bit off track over the weekend, but I'm back and entering what I eat, the good and the bad. If you sign up there we can be friends -- I'm "lpglives."
• I still don't know what's next for me, fitness-wise. I do best when I have a goal, but I can't figure out something I'm willing to commit to. For now I'm kind of thinking I'm gonna run 15 - 20 miles per week and maybe do a couple of P90X videos and some AOS kettlebell workouts too. I'm considering boxing camp, taking a jazz dance class, maybe another marathon, or ... or ... well I just don't know! When I do know, I'll be sure to share.
• Planning to getting back to reading weblogs again. I think I put too many in my feed reader and just got burned out. Actually it's not that I'm not reading, cuz sometimes I do, but I just haven't had the energy to post any comments. This is probably changing though, because I can feel it shifting.
• I wish I knew of a word for "mixture" that started with a W, so my Wednesday Melange would be alliterative. :)

That's it friends. Have a blessed day!

Monday Melange

• This weekend was a whirlwind, with younger son in a play (he was Zeke in High School Musical Jr.), my sister and her kids up to see his performance, and my older son leaving for 10 days at camp. No wonder I'm tired today!
• Tim played golf yesterday (something he does often) and I walked the course with him (something I almost never do). We had a GREAT time, and it was so fun to experience the game Tim loves in the place he loves.
  
• News flash: poor food choices + that special time of the month = feeling ridiculously bloated! Need to remind myself that it's physically impossible to gain 100 pounds in one weekend. :)
• I have a slight (cough) addiction to Mafia Wars on Facebook. So now I'm limiting my time on the site, and once I hit 501 family members, I plan to go back to a more normal and less addictive relationship with the game. ;)
• Back to ironing ... more soon ...
  

Still here

I'm still here, just focusing on other stuff for the moment. Next week I'll post Hawaii photos and perhaps share some of what I'm doing (playing with a new fitness toy, loving a food tracking site, about to celebrate a milestone AA bday).

Enjoy the sunshine, everyone!

Best video ever!

Taco Bell Goes Green!

Taco Bell's New Green Menu Takes No Ingredients From Nature