No turning back now.

I did it. I registered for the Tacoma Narrows Half-Marathon on August 6th! Gulp. I am really excited and really terrified at the same time. Mostly really excited though. See you in August, Gig Harbor!

Have you ever...

Have you ever stared at a pregnancy test for hours, hoping that a second line will magically appear?

Me neither.

The secret to youthful skin

Please watch. You will thank me later.

Awesome

Not Your Mama's Chicken Salad


Marinate 5 cups chicken in the following:
6 T. olive oil
6 T. fresh orange juice
6 T. cider vinegar
4 tsp. salt

Mix the following in a large bowl:

3 C. cooked rice, cooled
1 1/2 C. red grapes (cut in half)
1 1/2 C. chopped celery
1- 13 oz. can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 or 2 cans mandarin oranges
1 C. slivered almonds
1 1/2 C. mayonnaise

Cook the chicken on the stove or in the oven. Mix everything together. SO GOOD!

Note: This makes a ton, so I would half the recipe.

Rhubarb Cake... so, so good.

Have you ever had Rhubarb Cake? My mom used to make it when rhubarb was in season (summertime) and it is so delicious. I made it last week and it was just as good as I remembered. If you serve it warm, with vanilla ice cream you just might die of deliciousness overload. Yes, it's a real condition.

RHUBARB CAKE

1/2 cup butter
1 ¼ cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
3 cups rhubarb, chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

TOPPING:

1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup packed brown sugar (I use some white sugar and some brown)

In a large bowl, cream together butter or margarine and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla.
In another bowl, sift together 2 cups flour, soda, and salt. Add sifted ingredients alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture.
Toss rhubarb with 1 tablespoon flour, and stir into batter. Spoon batter into buttered 9 x 13 inch pan, and smooth the surface.
Blend together 1/4 cup butter or margarine, cinnamon, and brown sugar; sprinkle evenly over batter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

These are not my pictures.

Words of wisdom

The following is from my friend, Leslie Rushton's blog. She posted it yesterday and I've been thinking about it a lot. It's a good reminder for all of us (well, me at least), so I asked her if I could post it on my blog. Hers is private, so I couldn't just post the link. Read on...

I've Been Thinking...

I'm kind of sick of hearing women complain about their bodies, and talking about how their bodies are ruined from having kids. I don't know why this bothers me and don't get me wrong...I've participated in this behavior countless times. But sometimes, I'm so sick of it. Why are our bodies ruined? Says who? Jennifer Anniston, Jessica Biel, Angelina Jolie, Gisele Bundchen? Well the first two haven't had kids, and as for the ones who have...some people just happen to have extra bouncy skin, high metabolisms, lots of money, people cooking for them, personal trainers, OR just more self discipline then I (and maybe you) care to have!!! Is that reason to tear ourselves down because we happen to have a few stretch marks and maybe our bums hang a little lower to the ground then we wish them too?

Maybe I'm bothered because since everyone else seems to care so much and be so worried about it, I feel like I have to too. The truth is, when I look in the mirror for that split second before my thoughts barge into my head, I'm okay with me. I like my freckles, blue eyes, and ginormous teeth. I think I have cute feet, and I like that I have small hands but long skinny fingers! I appreciate my nose even with the little bump in the middle! I like that my ears stick out. I like that I can wear lower cut shirts and not look all cleavagy and exposed! I like my curvy hips and bum because they make me feel girly. I have no desire to let myself go and be 300 lbs...but I also have no desire to nit pick at everything "wrong" with myself. I have stretch marks! And I don't really care that much until YOU start complaining about your own. I weigh 10-15 lbs more then I did in High School! And I don't really feel that worried about it until YOU start complaining about your extra 10 lbs and how you're so ugly, gross, and repulsive. I even have cellulite people (yea I'm a girl), and I wasn't even thinking about it until you started criticising your own thighs!

I'm not pointing fingers because maybe you were feeling fine about yourself until I started complaining about something wrong with me one day. I think it is a sad sad cycle we put ourselves through. When in reality we are doing exactly what are bodies were meant to do. I've come to realize lately that maybe one of the best ways to help lift other girl's self esteems, or confidence, would be to stop ripping apart our own. So that's what I'm going to be working on for me, I am going to try my very hardest to keep my mouth shut, so that my words don't drag down someone else. I like me and I like this body I have, and I'm going to appreciate it! And for the record, all the girls that I've heard complain in person, on facebook, or wherever...are all women that I think are so pretty and have even been envious of. So love yourselves, and if you can't love, at least try to like. And if you can't like, then at least try to keep it to yourself some of the time.

I repeat...

These are the best Chocolate Chip Cookies.


BIG, FAT, CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I USE 1 1/2 cups GHIRARDELLI MILK CHOC. CHIPS)
1/2 cup (or more) chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Do not overmix. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon.

Spoon large "globs" of dough onto cookie sheet. Bake, reversing position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy (approximately 10-13 minutes). Do not overbake. Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking. DELICIOUS!!

Here is where I got the recipe:
THE GIRL WHO ATE EVERYTHING

Next craft project

I love this! It would be so easy to re-create. Thanks for the ideas, Pottery Barn!

Cutie

Relapse

I was doing so well with not spending on random stuff, but today I relapsed. Ha ha. I fell in love with this ladder. Fun, huh? Any ideas on what I should hang on it, or how I should decorate it? All I know is it's cute.

Also, I attended a craft group today and we made mossy letters. I love it!

It was inspired by these Pottery Barn ones.

The last couple days

I wonder how much sucking and slobbering it would take to destroy this iPod?

Paige loves Tangled

It is so hard to get pictures of Kate. She is always on the move.

How cute are tiny flip flops? She actually didn't seem to mind wearing them.

I had a dream...

Last night I had a dream that I ran a half-marathon. It was so fun and exciting, and I was so proud of myself. It couldn't have been very accurate though because I remember thinking, "Wow, this really isn't that hard!" Ha ha ha.

The dream made me realize that I am desperate for something to be proud of. I don't know if that thing is a half-marathon, but I just know that I need to challenge myself and overcome my self-doubt. I'm learning that I generally don't believe that I can do great things or hard things. I limit myself all the time.

Being a mom is really hard. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that. The hardest part for me is not feeling like I am making a difference in the world. I think it's difficult for moms to feel worthwhile and fulfilled because we usually can't see the results of our efforts right away. I know motherhood is such an important calling and I am so thankful that I was able to have my girls, but I'm searching for something that makes me unique, and something that I am passionate about. I wonder if I'll ever find it.

I think training for and completing a half-marathon would really boost my self-confidence. It's one way that I could prove to myself that I can actually do hard things and accomplish my goals. I need to do it. I have wanted to do one for a long time now. If not that, then I have to think of something else to work toward. I'm feeling pretty lost and restless lately. I will let you know when I finally figure myself out.

Kater Bug

Happy Birthday to me!

I turned 27 on Friday, April 1st. That night Nate and I went out to eat at Anthony's Home Port. Anthony's is one of my favorite restaurants and they are mostly on the west side of Washington, always located right near the water. We actually had our wedding/sealing luncheon at Anthony's in Seattle, so it holds a special place in my heart. :) We aren't near the ocean here, but they built the restaurant overlooking the Spokane Falls. It's a pretty cool location.

Our meals were so good! They have a 4 course dinner for $20, so altogether we had Crab and Artichoke dip, Salmon with shrimp, Mahi Mahi tacos, clam chowder, salad, and creme brulee. It was all delicious! I love that place. This is the view from the restaurant.

The girls lately

Paige likes to dress herself and it's usually pretty interesting.

This is Kate's favorite hiding spot- under the easel. She seriously loves to hang out under there.