Monday, January 26, 2009

Oh How I Love Snow


As I went outside this morning to take Charlie to take care of his business I remembered why I love, love, LOVE when it has freshly snowed. It is soo peaceful, surprisingly warm and everything is quiet as if you are the only person around. That has to be just about the best thing in the world!!! So please let it snow more and more so that I can go out in the morning and enjoy this little peace before I start my day!!

Friday, January 23, 2009

Sundance Film Festival 2009



Yesterday afternoon Celina and I went up to Park City to hit up a a movie at the annual Sundance Film Festival. Last year we saw Frozen River and really enjoyed it. Thus we had high hopes that this years pick Big Fan would be just as good.
Sadly, not so!!

Big Fans main character Patton Oswalt was way too pathetic of an individual who had no aspirations of even getting enough money to actually attend the Giants game let alone get a better job or move out of his mom's house!! Overall it was far too long of a story that didn't really go anywhere. We did score a great free parking spot so we didn't have to deal with that hassle at least.

I was given the name of a little cafe called Windy Ridge Cafe to try in Park City that was supposed to be good. I always like to try new places so I was pretty excited to see if it could be another one of my Park City favorites. We arrived and were seated, as we were perusing the menu I came upon Meatloaf and corn bread which sounded delicious. Celina decided upon the chicken and Pesto lasagna because she loves pesto and wanted something hearty as well. We double checked with the waitress as to how the Meatloaf and lasagna both were and we were assured that both were excellent and were patron favorites. When our food arrived Celina was not impressed with her meager portion and bland taste and my meatloaf was so finely ground that it melted in my mouth almost. Melt in your mouth meatloaf was not anywhere close to what I was wanting or expecting out of a nice big piece of meatloaf!! I think we may try the bakery out back next time instead of the cafe again. Oh well there is always El Chubasco and Davanza's to eat at still and be very satisfied!!!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Chi Running


I have almost finished reading this book and so far have really liked the principles that it teaches and the methodology seems sound. Yes this was one of my items to encourage me to train for the marathon. Over the past month while reading it I have been trying to practice some of the exercises while taking Charlie out for his walks or while I am showering and getting ready in the morning. I was liking how I felt doing my little practices but had not really run any distance. This morning was my first go and actually applying the princples to my run and WOW!! First I was able to run 5.5 miles after not doing really any form of exercise for about a month, Second I finished feeling good and relaxed and not sore anywhere and Third I actually was more stretched out and relaxed than when I had started. So I am going to continue working on my Chi Running and see if I enjoy running more and can make my goal of a 4 hour marathon. You can find out more about the technique at their website

I Did It!!!





I have been struggling to get to the gym oh since before Christmas and the marathon training schedule is looming in the very near distance. Since the usual motivations weren't working like meeting someone at the gym or meeting my goal of losing weight or just feeling better so I had to go to purchasing fun things for running that I will be excited to try out thus making me run!!! I know a weird and probably backwards methodolgy but hey I had to do something I was desperate. So I purchased these great ear warmers with headphones built in them that work great!! Oh and I of course got them at 50% off so I thought why not!!


So that wasn't a strong enough draw to actually run more than around the kitchen in them so I had to go further, yes I bought myself a GPS & Heart Rate Monitor Watch that has probably, okay definately, more options than I will ever use but the reviews are amazing and I got it at over 50% off so why not?!
It is a Garmin Forerunner 305 and I am looking forward to this workout wonder assistant!!!


So after all that and Celina agreeing to meet me at the gym in the morning but I would have to call her while I was on my way, motivated me enough to get out of bed so that I would be ready to do my long run outside with my new ear warmers and GPS/Heart Rate watch this Saturday!!! As the alarm went off I only laid there for a few minutes and rolled out of bed and off to the gym to pound out 5.5 miles on my first day back. I feel great so far and am looking forward to tomorrows little jaunt on the good ole treadmill, at least at this moment I am!!!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

New Adventure



I am the friend that when someone wants to try something and needs a buddy to go with them they call me up. Well, yes this was one of those incidents and here is how it went!!

I was over at Celinas and we got to talking about Bikram Yoga that we had read about on an old roommates blog that she had done a 30 day challenge. So Celina did some research and we jumped right into going. We arrived a bit apprehensive as to what we would experience.

This is us on our way up ( A little nervous)


Here I am all prepared or so I thought!!


When we went inside and talked with the instructor for a few minutes she let us in on a few ideas of what we would be experiencing. One it is about 110 degrees in the room at 40% humidity; second we would be doing 50 minutes of standing poses and then 40 minutes of laying down poses; three it is very important to properly breathe through your nose so that your body can stay relaxed and benefit fully from the exercises and three really for a beginner our goal is to just stay in the room!! The sign on the door says, "no talking, no cell phones and no complaining!" We weren't quite sure we wanted to enter becuase we are not really that great on being quiet when we are next to each other!! I took a Hatha Yoga class in college and I think 90% of the time I was trying not to laugh and the other 10% I was snorting so I was a bit skeptical as to what I was going to be able to suppress.

Fortunately the instructor was very "normal" and everything was very difficult so it demanded my entire focus to maintain my breathing and listening to the instructor so I might be able to perform the poses. There were a few moments throughout the class that all I could think about was fleeing madly from the room due to the heat and that I felt like I couldn't get enough air. Luckily I was able to get myself under control and continue on. When the class was done I was completely wiped out and fully drenched in sweat!!! I am not a sweater so I was not used to having so much sweat pouring out of my body and was rightly amazed that one person could sweat so much!! Here I am afterwards:



So I am heading back Saturday morning for my next torture/workout session I am hoping it will go better than last time!! My friend went back yesterday and had read up on some tips that helped so I am going to stock up on some pedialite before I go!!! To read my partner in Bikram Yoga and more informational viewpoint you can read here.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Announcement


Okay more like making a commitment by writing this post that I am going to run in the Ogden Marathon on May 16th. That means I need to start training oh about NOW!! I have zero motivation to start the training program and I think Kim in waning as well but I am going to pay and then I will be forced to train and hopefully the love and joy of it all will kick in and it will be a fun experience like last time but who knows it could become a horribly dreadful experience and I suppose it will if I don't start training!!! I guess that leaves my options at training and hoping for the best the odds are better than not training!! So wish me luck and inquire often if I am training becuase then I will be guilted into training and sticking with it which isn't necessarily a bad thing to do when it comes to exercising!!!

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Miranda's TuTu & Purse


Here is the tutu that I made Miranda for Christmas that I think I have convinced her that she loves!! If you put her in front of the mirror and say "oh soo pretty" she will defintely love it!!! She also got a cute cupcake purse and bracelet that she was immediately obsessed with, no convincing needed, and some mittens and a cute headband from her aunt and uncle and cousins in California.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Charlie's New Tricks

We have been working on Charlie's obedience since we got him and he has been doing really well. He even got bumped up to the next level in obedience class he was soo smart!! Jesse has been working on all the fun tricks while i am the drill sergeant with the basics to make him well behaved one day!! So far Charlie knows sit, stay, down, come, leave it, drop it, wait and easy from me and shake from Jesse. Jesse has been hard at work on the next trick roll over and last week it clicked and Charlie rolls over really well now!!

Charlie also loves to play in the snow. At work while we go on our walks Charlie is constantly running and jumping into the snow as much as he can. He will be very sad when the snow melts! I like to encourage his running in the snow becuase it makes him tired so I throw his toys way into the snow so that he has to jump through the snow!!
Video to come it is being a pain

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Christmas Presents





As I have gotten older along with my siblings Christmas has changed from exciting to sad to say a bit ho hum. Luckily my siblings have graced me with some little nephews and a niece to bring back all the excitement and glee I used to feel when Christmas rolled around. This year since we were going up to Jesse's families house on Christmas Eve and forward we did an early dinner and presents.

Some reason I always have a picture of my rear end when people have a camera around me, not sure what it is but I think my rear must be mesmerizing or something!!


My little Niece is two now and has fully realized what presents are and has enough of an attention span to open all her presents and be super excited about it!! It was soo much fun watching her tear open the packages and then jabbering about each present and wanting to immediately play with whatever she got or wear it!!


Of course I forgot to bring her present in my crazed rush to get over in time after ruining the sweet potatoes!! So we got to extend Christmas to this past weekend when her cousin's present arrived back from my parents trip out to see the other grandkids way out in California. Going along with the homemade theme I made her a cute TuTu which was surprisingly easy to make and looks really cute.

Of course we did have fun opening our presents as well and had some help from Miranda in opening them and displaying them for pictures!!


Miranda helping out Papa open his present

Me and my cozy socks

Brittney and her stylish new purse

My mom and her new Aebelskiver Pan I am waiting for a yummy aebelskiver!!

Monday, January 5, 2009

Christmas Fun







My family has started a little tradition since moving to Utah that we go on a sleigh ride and dinner every Christmas eve, or around there. Each year we have chosen a new place to try out till we have tried them all and decide which one we like the best. Usually they are out past Kamas way, way out in the boondocks but this year we hit up one at the Park City Resort and I think we have a winner!! In years past we have driven through white out conditions to arrive at the sleigh ride driving on icy, snow filled roads becuase snow plows don't go out that far just to have a little dinner. Although, last year we pulled a suburban out of a ditch and got $100 so that was exciting!! This year was a lot milder and we just drove up nicely scraped roads to warm blankets, well if dry and water proof is considered warm, on the sleigh all awaiting our arrival.



We all loaded up and took a lovely ride up the mountain to a lodge where we got to have plenty of photo ops with the horses and driver!!

(Snowed Inn)

Then inside we went to eat our delicious grilled menu of Chilli, salad, bread, Tri-tip, chicken or fish and then probably the best brownies and ice cream I have ever had in a very, very long time if ever!!

(Mr. Moose & Us)

(Our Driver and Family)

Then back onto the sleigh for a final lovely ride down the mountain. I would recommend a sleigh ride to everyone at least once in their lives!