I’m Back!

I’m back! After a not-so-brief hiatus, I’ve dusted off my recipe book and dug up my WordPress password to get back to sharing some fun stuff!
The past few months have been pretty busy with work and getting into a rhythm. Since August I’ve run a few really fun races and had some really great times. I am in “training mode” now and really enjoying the building blocks towards my half marathon in January (Sedona 2015 – CANNOT wait!!). I am lucky to have met so many awesome people and runners through the Fleet Feet store, and they are keeping me going – especially with shorter daylight hours. Umm… creepy things come out in the dark – I am all for safety in numbers. So here’s a little synopsis of what you’ve missed. Then we can get to the good part – which is food, of course!

I ran my first ever 5k – not only that, I ran my first ever RACE!  It’s not somewhere I ever thought I’d see myself – but I did it, and even took first in my age category. Sometimes it is important to look back in life, just to see how far you’ve come. Since then I’ve done a 10k, a 7k trail race, and a 12k. Talk about addicting… I’ve got the racing bug.

In October, we had the pleasure of traveling back to Maine to see Brian’s brother and his beautiful fiance (look they have a blog too! VO2(snax)) tie the knot. We shared a wonderful week with family and loved ones doing all that fall New England – y stuff that you just can’t do in the desert: apple picking, country fairs, Pinecrest rd. bonfires… Our departure was bitter sweet.

This year we prepared our first Thanksgiving feast for two. While we missed sharing time with our families, we always find warmth in the abundance of blessings that we have. One of which being the lovely people we have met and had the pleasure of sharing a Thanksgiving morning hike with. It was a beautiful day!

And now I just can’t believe that we are just only week away from Christmas!!  Last weekend we hosted the Fleet Feet Scottsdale Christmas party at our place. It was so nice to squeeze everyone into our little apartment. There was food, wine, laughter, and Brian and I welcomed a new member to our family…

Everyone, meet Bubby

And yes, that’s me dying of laughter when I opened up my white elephant gift to find… a goldfish.

So that’s where we’re at right now. Getting ready to celebrate the Holidays and ring in the New Year with new ambitions and open hearts! And hopefully some more consistent blogging!! I’ll be back in the kitchen soon and sharing some more yummy Paleo-friendly runner food soon!

It’s Sunday!

One of my new goals in life is to have goals. Good Start.

So, because I think Sundays are the perfect day to start new things, every Sunday I am going to make three goals for the week ahead. I also think that an even better place to post things than the internet, is the refrigerator. Here is what my post-it reads this week:

Goal #1: I will not eat tortilla chips this week. NONE! for a WHOLE WEEK! It isn’t going to be easy, but hey, go big or go home. I got this.

Goal #2: I will get outside every morning. Early morning is the only time to get out for a run out here. But even if I don’t run, I find that if I can get outside and walk first thing, my day goes a whole lot smoother. Plus it’s the best time to see these guys!

 

Desert Bunnies!

Goal #3: I will spend less time in front of a screen. Not very conducive to starting a blog, I know. I’d just like to stop filling my spare time on my computer or my phone. One great thing about our place in Maine was the lack of internet. I got so much done! And I took the time for creative and relaxing things like drawing, reading, meditating, etc. Even though we’re connected now, I wan’t to pretend we’re not.

Another great thing about Sundays: Sunday Runday! Had a great run this morning at Gateway Trails in the McDowell Sonoran conservancy. We had a bigger turnout this week, and it was great to run along some more seasoned trail runners. Having some running buddies really helped push me faster and longer, and helped me feel more confident in my abilities. I might even start like running for more than just the calorie burn! It’s actually pretty fun!

 

For starters…

I can’t believe its been over 3 weeks since we packed up our happy Maine lives into the back of a Prius and drove across the country to start this new adventure in Arizona. But, I guess it’s these sudden opportunities that make life so exciting and enriching!

Settling into our apartment has been a snap! We bought a bed and were able to have it delivered before our first night in the new place. Side note: Mattress movers are FIT.  I also scored a couch at a consignment shop for 100 bucks, and discovered IKEA, which Brian just described as “Disney World for furniture”. It’s pretty super.

Settling into the new climate – mostly a snap! We’ve adjusted to 105 degree days pretty quickly, but adjusting to staying inside during the summer months is kind of a bummer. We didn’t make it a quarter mile into the hike we attempted yesterday before we were defeated by the sun. The nearby beach was also a bust because the sand was too hot to take our shoes off…. we’re left with a bizarre anticipation for winter.

We’ve been making home-made-juice popsicles to beat the heat and stay hydrated! They’re super delicious and nutritious, but mostly they’re just super cold! There are are tons of ways to get creative with these, even if you don’t have a juicer at home. Coconut water, kombucha, tea, coffee, even store-bought juice, would work really well! I picked up the popsicle tray at, you got it, IKEA.