lately...

   well hello. I thought I would briefly emerge from the black hole I've been living in....

 (there is no internet in black holes, you know.)

lately (as in, the past 11 days) I've been enjoying life 

as a 31 year old. 

I must say, it feels good.

lately I've been aching for a huge snowstorm......or summer. 

Either would do. If it's going to be winter, I want loads of snow--piling up to the rooftops and filling my yard with armies of snowmen. If the weatherman can't deliver, then let's move on to summer....I'm tired of all this in-between season stuff.

lately (last weekend, actually) we were able to 

celebrate the life of Robby's dear grandma. 

Such a happy weekend spent with family sharing all the best memories. 

And two kids pretty excited about flying for the first time 

(and killing time playing on the people mover at the airport)

lately I'm so happy that football is over......who's with me?!

lately I've been craving the cauliflower at Communal. 

Who are we kidding.....I've been craving everything. We went there for my birthday and I can't stop thinking about all the wonderful things we ate--I was sad when the last bite was gone. I'm pretty sure I'm one of the last people in Utah to eat there, but if you haven't been--head there for your next special occasion. You will love it.

lately I've been extremely lazy about getting out my big camera. 

So here is a phone snap of sauteed kale with a fried egg and goat cheese + my homemade natural protein shake. This is my go-to breakfast (or lunch or dinner) before I head to class. 

Super easy and filling and loaded with brainpower.

lately I'm debating adding more chicks to my flock 

later this spring.....

I just don't know if I'm up for those first few weeks with baby birds in my house. yikes.

lately this is my favorite soup.

Thai Butternut and Sweet Potato Soup

I found this recipe on How Sweet It Is. I added more garlic, more ginger, and the sweet potato.

3 tablespoons coconut oil

1 sweet onion, diced

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

2 tablespoons red curry paste

4 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced into small cubes (uncooked)

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (uncooked)

1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk

juice of 1 lime + more for garnish

salt and pepper to taste

fresh cilantro for serving

Heat a large pot over medium-low heat and add coconut oil. Once it's melted, add in the onions with a pinch of salt and stir. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent (I like to turn the heat up a bit and let the onions start to caramelize) about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic, ginger and curry paste and stir until it is incorporated. Add in squash and sweet potato. Cook the mixture for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in the stock and cover the pot and increase the heat to medium. Cook until the squash and potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Once the squash is soft, turn off the heat and very carefully pour the entire mixture into a blender. Blend until the soup is smooth and pureed. Pour it back into the pot and turn the heat on to medium low. Add in the coconut milk, lime juice, salt and pepper, and stir. Cover and cook the soup for 10 minutes until it's warmed through. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with cilantro and an extra squeeze of lime.

 

try it with homemade naan!

What have you been up to lately?

blogged 1 year ago: lentil and coconut curry stew

blogged 2 years ago: chocolate cupcakes with cherry mascarpone frosting

blogged 3 years ago: how to take a nap

blogged 4 years ago: how to build a farmhouse table

lately....

lately we've been seeing lots of temperatures with a minus sign in front of them. 

so lately we've been eating lots of soup.

lately I am craving a run--my feet on the trail.....I don't care if it's buried in snow......I need to get out.  It's been almost two weeks and my brain is feeling it.

but lately it's been gorrrrrgeous.
white sparkly snow and frost dancing on top of everything.
foggy mornings with sun peaking through the mist.

lately I've been doing some research on essential oils. I know I know, I am so late in the game. But I am hearing more and more and I am definitely curious.....I just like to do all my research.
Do you use them? Why? What? Tell me all about it.

lately I've been enjoying the following friends on Instagram
@alliefinch (pretty photos and words)
@waywardspark (off grid living)
@carolinegleich (professional skier)

lately I am getting so close to having my Christmas shopping done.
 And I haven't left my house one time.
bless you, internet.

lately we've all been quoting Elf. I laugh so hard at that movie every time....is it just me?
What are your favorite Christmas movies?
(two of my all time favs are It's a Wonderful Life (of course) and The Family Stone)

lately it's been cold......did I mention that?

Hearty Minestrone

this makes a GIANT batch of soup. I freeze half of it and pull it out when I need a quick dinner.
minestrone is such an awesome soup because you can add any veggies you have on hand. 
throw in sweet potatoes, squash, chard--whatever is in your kitchen. 

2 small onions, diced

6 large carrots, sliced

1 bunch of kale, roughly chopped

8 cloves of garlic, minced

2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
2TBS chopped fresh rosemary

2 TBS chopped fresh thyme

4 cups of diced tomatoes

2 cups pumpkin puree 

1 can tomato sauce

2 cups kidney beans

2 cups cannellini beans
2 cups pasta (I used farfalle)
6-8 cups chicken broth
1TBS Italian seasoning
splash of balsamic vinegar
S&P to taste

In large pot, saute' onion, carrots, and kale until onions are tender. Add a large pinch of salt and some cracked pepper. Add in potatoes, garlic, and fresh herbs and cook for a few more minutes. Add all remaining ingredients except the pasta and simmer for at least 30 min or up to a few hours. (I like to simmer my soup all afternoon if I have the time) 15-20 minutes before serving add pasta and vinegar. salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with crusty bread and enjoy!

Bacon Minestrone HERE

What are you up to lately?
What soup are you eating?

lately

lately we've had thunderstorms almost every afternoon. 

windows open, thunder crashing, the earthy smell of rain.

lately I think I'm having panic attacks because the kids go back to school next week.......noooooooo

lately we've been having THE most incredible sunsets. ever. 

lately I've been craving the desert. It's been four months.....and I feel it. 

lately I've caught myself with a kitten purring in my lap.....and I liked it. 

what is happening to me??!!

lately I am just so thankful for my friends. they are funny and smart and I feel so lucky.

lately I've decided that Amazon Prime is the best invention known to man.

lately I have come to realize that we live in the world's most fantastic community. when we got to church on Sunday there were giant boxes of zucchini and squash.....just for anyone who wanted to take a few. free squash! for people like me with lame gardens. perfect.

lately we've been checking to see if our chickies have laid an egg. we are still a few weeks away I'm sure.....but lately we are antsy.

lately I like baked eggs for breakfast.....or lunch.....or dinner.

baked eggs with tomatoes and prosciutto

-preheat oven to 400°
-add 1-2 TBS half and half or cream to a well buttered ramekin
 -crack two eggs into ramekin
-add a few small pieces of prosciutto, torn into bite size pieces
-sprinkle with gated parmesan
-top with a few slices of tomato
-sprinkle with coarse salt, cracked pepper, and your choice of fresh chopped herbs (I used basil and oregano)
-cook for 15 minutes for yolks that are a little bit runny, add a few more minutes for more firm yolks

make a whole bunch of these for dinner--just put all your ramekins on a cookie sheet!

what have you been up to lately?

oh yeah, blogging

Whoops. It happened again, I forgot to blog.

Here is a little peak at what's been going on.....thanks to my iphone for all the photos.

We finished school last week! yaaaaaaaay!!!! Overall homeschool was a wonderful experience--we all enjoyed it and we all learned (me too) more than expected. We liked it so much I'm still trying to decide what to do come fall. That being said, we are still very excited to start out summer break. I'm so happy to just be MOM for now, and not the grumpy old school marm.

Sunsets here can get pretty awesome.
That's all.

We drove up the mountain over the weekend and found it alive and well. Summer is on it's way (so yeah....still some snow at the tippy top) but we are so excited to be spending more time up there soon.

Saturday morning I got up before the sun and joined some crazy girls for a hike up up up through thick twisty trees, leg-ripping bushes, and slippery rocks (no trail, mind you) and we laughed the whole way.
Good way to start the day.

My baby turned SIX!!! Whhhhyyyyy???!! All she wanted was to go to the zoo. Here they are watching the leopard pace back and forth. It growled and she swears it was saying "happy birthday".

I've been running!
And running and running, trying my best to get myself somewhat ready (I'm not) for a 20 mile race this weekend......eeeeeek!!

not pictured:
popsicles
sprinklers
chickens (always chicken stuff going on around here)
late nights with friends
backyard BBQs
family bikerides
sleeping in (finally! hooray!)
mapping out road trips
planning campouts
(Arrested Development, of course)
cookbook final review (we're close guys!)
annnnd.....I think that's it. 

Be back soon!
Happy Weekend!

short stories

So many little stories to tell.....

Circle of Life

Our first story hurts my heart......last week I had mentioned that our little chick Pebbles wasn't growing like the others. As the days went by she began to move a little slower and sleep a little longer. We came home from church on Sunday and found that she had never woke up. It was a sad sad day for my Lu--Pebbles was HER chick, her baby. We snuggled and she cried, and snuggled and snuggled some more until her tears had soaked my shirt. We had a proper funeral (I mean, of course we did.....for a chicken.....because that's normal) and said our goodbyes. 

She had a hard afternoon--she's so sensitive this one, and loves like no other. 

I'm so lucky to be her mom and to be loved like that.

Chuck

But I wouldn't tell you a sad story without a happy ending!

Friday night Robby went to get our coop (no more chickens in the house!) A friend from work was getting rid of it--perfect for us! What we didn't realize (until he went to GET the coop) was that they still had one hen left......and she was coming home with US! Her name was Chuck, and she was completely barren-never laid an egg in her life. I didn't really know what we were going to do with her.....until.....

Until our sad afternoon a few days later when poor Pebbles died. We decided that Lu's new pet and very favorite would be Chuck. She was thrilled.....as long as she could rename her. And she did. 

Meet Millie.

A gigantic barren Orpington who gets carried around on a hip like a baby.

(also totally normal.)

Sugar Sugar

Remember that time I announced I was going off sugar for the month? (You should remember, it was only last week) That is really funny that I said that. Well, I made it 6 full days. It actually wasn't that hard skipping out on the treats--I craved my usual piece of chocolate after dinner (and let's face it, usually lunch as well), but I skipped it and felt good about my decision. But I was also trying to ease up on other carbs, which the more I think about, the more hilarious it is. I had mentioned I'm adding mileage to my weekly runs, and that doesn't go over so well with a lack of carbs in my diet. My 5 mile run felt fine--no problem. Eight miles felt like I weighed 300 pounds and was running through Jell-O. It was terrible. I realized I needed some more carbs in my diet, so before my 12 miles on Saturday I had a big bowl of oatmeal with fruit and pure maple syrup......I felt better than I had a few days before, but still slow and sticky. So after laughing at myself and realizing how silly I'd been, I decided I'll try out my sugar cleanse when I'm not running so much. And naturally I ended my say-no-to sugar campaign with a Ruby Snap Cookie.

Mother's Day

I went to bed on Sunday evening giggling. What an odd day is was--we had a funeral for a chicken. 

But other than that, we had such a good afternoon. I read, napped, and feasted on grilled burgers with my favorite people. I sure do love these two--I feel lucky each day that they were sent to me. 

They are wild and crazy and dirty and silly and I just love watching them grow.

Summer Senses

These last two days have felt like summer--hot hot heat and sticky sweat dripping down. The taste of grilled burgers, veggies, and popsicles on my tongue. I hear squeals and giggles from outside in the late afternoon until the sun drops out of sight. I smell the fresh summery air--trees and dew and afternoon sun. And I see summer........well.....ok, it actually looks like spring still....Blossoms, baby animals, and new life on the mountain--it's perfect, really. 

The Cookbook

Every few days I get an email from Mrs. Whitney L. Ingram with a few sample pages from her upcoming cookbook.....and I see MY photos on the page! It's crazy! And it's happening! Soon! Things are coming together more and more each day, and we should have a date sometime soon--I will keep you posted.

Eggs and Greens

Does all this chicken talk lately make you hungry for eggs? I love eggs.....we are counting down the days (we are so far away) until that magic moment when our own eggs start to arrive. 

I have some combination of a fried egg and greens several times a week--breakfast lunch or dinner, I'll take them all. Here are two to try:

Sauteed Kale, Egg, and Goat Cheese

Sauté kale and leeks in some olive oil and a big squeeze of fresh lemon juice. After it's cooked for a few minutes, crack your egg into the kale and let it cook until it's done to your liking. 

Add some salt, pepper, another squeeze of lemon to the kale and a few crumbles of goat cheese (or feta).  

Egg and Spinach Salad

-fried egg

-baby spinach

-blackberries

-pine nuts

-goat cheese

-a splash of balsamic and olive oil

the end.

this and that

our little family over the weekend....

so

many

things

happening.

Here is a little of this and that:

The Weekend

My sweet handsome boy was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints over the weekend. (In our church we are baptized by immersion at age 8).
 It was such a happy weekend and we had family in from Montana, up and down California, Wyoming, and Colorado.
He is one loved (and seriously how handsome is he??!) little boy.

Chickens

My house is a Pet Store. Zoo. Petting Zoo. Our "chicks" are giant (and dirty and smelly) and the coop should be ready this weekend.......thank goodness....I need them out of my house. (pictures soon!)

Sugar

I'm going off sugar for the month. (whaaat??!! why??!!) I was inspired by my friend Hayley, who's doing a complete sugar cleanse, and feeling fantastic. I started reading more and more about it--finding different "cleanses" and trying to figure what would work best for me. I've always believed in everything in moderation.....so it's not forever--I've just been looking for a few new ways to jumpstart my body and get some of the junk out. I love baked goods......we all know that. I'm active and burn enough calories that I don't worry about my weekend dessert intake. I don't like candy--I have no problem passing it up....it's just the weekend cookies and spoonfuls of peanut butter and chocolate chips (heavy on the latter) at 4:00 (and maybe then 5:00 also) every afternoon. I really don't eat a lot of simple carbs, but I do like a good piece of artisan bread every now and then so I'm nixing that as well (and any other simple carbs that try to sneak in). I'm keeping fruit in my diet--I'm trying to get my short runs faster and my long runs longer.....so for now I want that fruit. The past few weeks I've even skipped out on whole wheat bread....so I'm basically trying to eat only whole foods (with no "ingredient lists") for right now. I won't be perfect, I guarantee a little of this and a bit of that will sneak it's way in, but I'm going to try the best I can for the month and see how I feel.
Anyone want to join me? 
(and yes, Sunday I had a giant banana split with homemade caramel AND homemade hot fudge to wish myself well on this sugarless journey.)

Running:

My friend somehow tricked me into singing up for a 20 mile trail race......in a few weeks. ha. ha. hahahahaha. I have been running, but nowhere near (nowhere!) 20 miles. So it should be really, really, interesting. And entertaining. And terrifying. And maybe, eventually, worth it. maybe.

Skin

While I have been off antibiotics for a while now (hooray!!) my body is still trying to rebuild after 3 years of on and off use (doesn't that just disgust you?!) My skin has suffered the most, and I feel like I have been running circles trying all kinds of "solutions". I have recently been reading up on The Oil Cleansing Method.....have you heard about this? (google it....you'll learn lots. THIS lays it out very simply). I'm going to give it a try and I will report back to you in a few weeks. (why was I on antibiotics forever? I've battled Lyme Disease for the past several years. I'm currently living symptom free (weeeeee!) after years of traditional and homeopathic treatment. read more posts here.)

School

We have 3 weeks of homeschool left! We have all learned so much (well, at least I hope they have learned something.) We definitely have our routine down each morning, and things go smoothly as long as I don't leave the room for more than 3 minutes.....otherwise they'll be rolling around on the floor in math facts and pronouns. My house is usually in some sort of disastrous state, but I know that right now this part of our lives is more important than my house being perfectly clean (or perfectly unpacked for that matter). Some days I turn in to "grumpy mom", so I have to make sure that "fun mom" makes appearances too. We try and find time to play outside and hike together each week. We play board games and read together outside of our school reading.

Reading

Robby and I are reading The Magician's Nephew to the kids right now. I have never read all of The Chronicles of Narnia, and we are loving reading this book together. 

One of the many benefits of homeshcool is that I get to read more. I read when my kids read....win win. Right now I am in the middle of Red: Passion and Patience in the Desert by Terry Tempest Williams. In the past year, I have declared my love for the desert over and over again, and this book has been so good for me to read. It brings the desert to me when I can't quite get there--I can feel the heat bouncing off the rocks and see the sun casting shadows over the sand when I read it. I'm pacing myself because I don't want it to end. (more desert photos from last week coming soon!)

and lastly......Soup

Soup?! In May?! Why yes....it was cold and rainy and I wanted soup. 

Kale and Bacon Soup

6-8 strips of bacon

1 onion, diced

4 large handfulls of kale, roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2TBS chopped fresh oregano

2TBS chopped fresh thyme

pinch of red pepper flakes

1 can of diced tomatoes

2 cups of shredded zucchini (optional. I happend to have this in the freezer from last summer....)

2 cans of beans of your choice (I used black eyed peas and butter beans), drained and rinsed

4 cups of chicken broth

dash of worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, cook the bacon,
Remove from pan and add the onions, kale, garlic and cook for a few minutes. (add a bit of olive oil of the bacon fat isn't enough)
add pepper flakes and fresh herbs and cook for a few minutes more.
add tomatoes, zucchini if using.
add beans,  chicken broth, and worcestershire.
Salt and pepper to taste.
bring to a low boil and then turn heat down and simmer for at least a half hour so all the flavors can come together.

enjoy!

I think we are all caught up......for now anyway.

lately

the sky here is just so blue.

the air is crisp and clean, as only country air can be.

I wake up every morning and I'm filled with Christmas morning giddiness.....that view out my window!

I have even got out of bed and peeked out a few times in the middle of the night--the stars live here! I wish you could see them. millions and millions blinking down.

spring is coming, I see it. feel it. smell it.

there is a faint smell of local dairies in the air.....I love a good dairy smell, don't you?

the ground is thawing, mud is squishing.

our house! it's coming along........a bit here....slowly there.

I have my kitchen together, and starting to find my way around.

I've cooked two nights in a row--a miracle! chicken tacos. black bean, bacon, and butternut soup.

the sound of my mixer twisting and turning, made it officially home. chocolate chip cookies out of the oven, straight into happy bellies.

monday morning we will slowly work our way into homeschool. a bit this week, full swing next week. so exciting and just a little bit terrifying at the same time.

this week I will get out and run some more! there are too many trails here and my feet are just begging to get dirty.

I got out my camera this week! another miracle.

a few scenes from around the house

my favorite cookies.

I think I post a picture of these every few months but we just love them so much. want better chocolate chip cookies? move to higher elevation. they are chewier and more crisp.....so good! if that doesn't work for you, add a sprinkle of kosher or sea salt to the top as they come out of the oven.....mmmm..... (recipe here)

we love guacamole. 

out of limes? try juice from a lemon, an orange, or do like Summer and use apple cider vinegar!

an easy throw-together soup. recipe below.

Black Bean, Bacon, and Butternut Soup

......something you throw together when it's five o'clock and you didn't plan anything for dinner....

6 strips of bacon

1 small onion, diced

1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cubed

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

4 cups chicken broth

pinch of red pepper flakes

dash of nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

chopped cilantro for garnish

Saute bacon until crisp, remove from pan. 

In bacon drippings saute diced onion and squash until both begin to soften

add red pepper flakes and garlic

salt and pepper to taste, continue to cook veggies

add beans, broth, and nutmeg

bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. crumble bacon and add into pot. simmer until squash is tender (the longer you simmer, the more the flavors can mingle)

top with chopped cilantro and enjoy!

I'm feeling so inspired these days....this new environment combined with spring air is filling my giant head with all kinds of ideas. I've had thoughts of where I wanted to take this blog and changes that needed to take place, and I feel that now is such a good time to make them happen. I have not forgotten about our One by One Project and can't wait to get going on it again with you all. Posts will be sporadic for the next little while as we continue to get settled, but I promise good things to come (think......baby chicks:)

see you soon!

just a few things.....

first things first.
THANK YOU!!! 
Thank you thank you for such a great response to last week's announcement of the 
One by One Project! (check it out HERE if you missed it).

Thank you for your comments, emails, ideas, and thank you for grabbing buttons and your help spreading the word. Thank you for sharing on twitter and facebook and pinterest and all the other little corners of the web--thank you! I am so excited for your help with this project, and I have so many ideas swimming around in my brain--this is going to be a lot of fun.

a little (ok, kinda big) announcement

My posts around here the next few weeks are going to be very sporadic......you see......we are moving! As in, packing up (oh dear) and moving. This little red house has served us well, but it's time for a new adventure in a new town (and coincidentally in a house that is even littler, and red as red can be.)
 

We have been feeling the need to move out of the city and simplify, and finally decided to take the plunge. This new (super old) little house will be a stepping stone for us the next couple of years, and we look forward to all we will be able to experience there.....it really will be an adventure!
We will be downsizing our home, learning to garden at a higher altitude, and finishing out the remainder of the school year testing the waters of homeschool.....so much to learn.
I can't wait!

and one more....

I realized a while ago that I have the BEST blog readers. In the universe.
You always have the smartest things to say and I love that I can rely on you for answers.
These next few weeks I may have to call on you for help.....
for example:
When we moved into this house six years ago we had a nearly two year old, a bun in the oven (about to explode out), and hardly any furniture at all. We had moved around several times our first years of marriage, and with few belongings....we were pretty good at it.
But now.....
well....
I don't know how to move now!
Share your moving tips if you are pros  (ahem, Hayley)

I'll see you around here and there the next few weeks--you can always find me on instagram because I can't go that long without taking a picture....
@_sheenarae

see you around!

5 Things (and then some.....)

If you're on Instagram you've likely seen the little 5 Things game going around where you're supposed to share a picture + 5 random facts. 

I thought I'd share here.....and then share a few extras for the blog.

1. My graduating high school class had 37 students.

2. I tried very hard for a few years to be a city girl, but I am a country girl at heart....I long to get back to my roots.

3. I have never been further East than Wyoming. This needs to change. (we are always traveling up and down THIS side of the country.....we need to move laterally next time!)

4. I knew my husband for 6 months the day we got married.....but hey! We are still here, alive and well. 

5. I love the smell of fresh cut hay, cows, and skunk (see #2)

6. Yes, my bathroom is pink.

7. I grew up with my (boy) cousins and all their (boy) friends. I have played every sport and feel happiest and most comfortable when I'm doing something physical. 

8. I want my own bees.

9. I loved college. I LOVED taking tests. I want to go back for more school and study environmental science.

10. I like long drives. I will drive across the country some day (this would help with #3)

11. I'm turning 30 in exactly one week. ONE WEEK!! I am so excited....let's get these 20s over with!

Feel free to share your 5 Things on your own blog or on Instagram!

and don't forget to tag your weekend photos #howweweekend

happy weekend!

this and that

A peak at little bits of life over the past few weeks......

Piano Guys play at Red Butte Gardens (this song is my favorite)

Grilled swiss, apple and spinach with yogurt and fruit.

Cookbook shoot with Whitney. Blueberry Oatmeal Bars. yum.

Remember this house? It is impossible for me to drive by without stopping. 

Always hoping to see a ghost.

Still harvesting a few tomatoes here and there in the chilly morning air.

Bedtime stories in her room.

I forgot how much I LOVE fall running. 

The air is so cool and breezy, the light is so pretty and golden. It makes my legs happy to get out and run and run and run through the trees without the heat weighing them down.

follow me on instagram for more

Happy Weekend!

this and that

from my instagram last week

whoa. it's been busy. how is it friday?

We baked cookies last week! We haven't baked in so long......just too hot. But we have been seeing cooler mornings and evenings, and even rain earlier this week.....which could only mean.....

....SOUP! So excited for soup weather. We had a nice end-of-summer Minestrone (read: throw in any kind of veggie we have). I'll post the recipe next week. Are you eating soup yet? What kinds?

I get question after question about the cookbook I am photographing for Mrs. Whitney Ingram. We took some time off from shooting over the last few months so she could go over, review, and perfect each and every recipe (she is GOOD people). She was having so much fun in the process, that she added more recipes to The Book! We are now OFFICIALLY back in action and shooting (see a sneak peak of a recent shoot here). Yesterday I got to shoot (and of course sample) Korean Lettuce Wraps that you will LOVE. So many exciting things happening in this book. We will keep you posted with lots of yummy updates. 

Thank you for your input last week about selling some of my prints. I have been going through images, selecting a few favorites to start out with.....it's kind of fun....

We are headed in to another hot weekend--it's been a few weeks since I was out on my usual trails and I can't wait to get out tomorrow to clear my head and move my legs. I can't keep away from the mountains for too long.....that cool air is just calling my name. 

Have a fun weekend!

around the kitchen

We've spent many hours in the kitchen this week......and I love it. 

I am so happy when my hands are busy and messy with end of summer goodness.

My sweet baby girl is leaving me for school next week, and so we have been making the most of our quiet hours at home while brother has been gone. 

We spent yesterday morning baking in our pajamas.....it was perfect.

Zucchini. Everywhere. Still. 

They just won't give up. 

I can't even tell which zucchini belongs to which plant anymore--they have grown together and formed their own community. 

So I shred and shred and shred, freezing it for fall and winter months for soups, pastas, and breads. 

We are loving all the farmer's market has to offer right now. You can really get everything you need--this week we got 

apples

corn

potatoes

cantaloupe 

peaches (of course)

and these beautiful berries. 

I love my tomatoes....it's really weird how I obsess over them....

....they're 

just

so 

pretty! 

I could play with them all day (and I do)

here we have a green zebra, radiator charlie, hawaiian pineapple

radiator charlie, green zebra, purple cherokee 

and a favorite lunch right now

Whole Wheat Toast with 

Avocado, Tomato, and Goat Cheese

pictured is a hawaiian pineapple tomato and it was deeeeelicious

What's been going on in your kitchen?

Happy Weekend!

ketchup

How are you? We haven't been talking so much lately.....have we? 

This is a power packed post......so much to catch up on.

Starting with:

I am now married to an MBA graduate. IT'S TRUE!!! He did it! We did it!

 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This weekend was graduation and it was an amazing feeling knowing that we made it through this crazy time in our lives. He still has three weeks of school left (uuuhhh....kind of a buzz kill, right?) but I am almost done with this whole single-mother thing.....yippee!!!

We even got to go on a graduation weekend date.....bonus!

 

and here is my haggard family after a 17 hour long ceremony.

 

I have a five year old. FIVE!!! How do babies grow up and turn five? It should be illegal.

Her cake was chocolate cake layered with whip cream, chocolate buttercream, and strawberries. 

(basically this cake)

(last year's ruffly cake here)

I ran the Timpanogos Trail Half last weekend (which actually clocked in for me at 13.7 miles)  

I ran it last year, and apparently I forgot how insanely steep sections of that trail are.....like, straight up. OH. THE. BURN. calves. quads. buns. all on fire. this race pooped me out, but it was a great run. The UP was exhausting, but I pushed and pushed and pushed and felt strong all the way dooooowwwwn the giant mountain. 

My kids chased me through the finish line and then we all collapsed.

I wore the boy's camelbak, and while it was't 100% ideal for me (I would like wider straps, a bottom strap, and pockets on the straps).....it actually worked out ok. 

I ended up getting 4th place for women (only 39 women in the race), and while the course was beautiful....to be completely honest, I left wanting a little more. Everyone in this race was so quiet. No one really talked during the race, or even after. Everyone really kept to themselves, which was so different than last month's race in Moab, where I felt like we were all a team. So my advice to you if you are out on the trails--say hello! Tell someone they are doing an awesome job. 

You are all in it together, so why not make a party out of it?

after:

 

Speaking of running, my Saturday (early early) morning run looked like this:

 

AMAZING! We climbed up 4000ft. 

as much as I love to sleep in, early early morning runs are the best because:

-sunrise

-not so many mountain bikes to run you over

-cool temps

-the rattlesnakes are still sleeping, so when you come within an inch stepping on them, (aaaAAAAaAAhHHhhhhHHh!!!!!!!) they are too lazy to sink their fangs into your chicken leg.

annnnd last, and totally least:

My wisdom teeth are coming out Thursday. 

all of them.

oh. man. 

Please tell me I will live. 

I am so bummed out because I am missing out on opening day at the farmers market this weekend.....will you go for me?

I think that's it.....well.....some if it anyway....I just found out it's already June....what?!

What have YOU been up to?