Week 17

Hi friends!  How was your week?  Ours was fantastic!

For a couple of weeks, Ian has suggested that he takes all the cooking on for an entire week.  Well, this was the week!  I told him that he had to stick to budget and the meals had to be semi-nutritious.  We had a feast this week.  Ian is definitely the better cook of the two of us.  And he stayed on budget (maybe?)  I don't care, the food was fab!
He made:

• Mini-Pizzas (on English Muffins)
• Chicken and Spinach Calzones
• Cinnamon Woes
• Chicken Cheesy Pepperoni Panini and Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Strawberry Pancakes, Yummy Scrambled Eggs, and Company Coffeecake
• Breakfast Sandwiches (english muffins + eggs + candian bacon)
• He took me out to eat here!
• Leftovers
• Quesadillas
• Pasta + Chicken + Veggies + Cream Sauce of loveliness

When you can not find a recipe on the internet, just take a picture of the cookbook :)

The rule in our household is: Whoever cooks does not have to clean up.  So I have been on clean up all week. 

In other news, it snowed here this week.  We got snow on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.  And since we live in Colorado, when it rains it pours, when it snows, it blizzards.  Ironically enough, Ian mowed yesterday :)  Oh Colorado and your crazy bi-polar weather!

I am a safe driver...I only take pictures while I am at stoplights.

What I've been enjoying: Ian cooking!  It is so nice to come home from work and relax for a bit.
What I've been reading: Naming Infinity - I checked this out at the library - so, so interesting!
What I've been running: dreadmill, dreadmill, and more dreadmill with the yucky weather this week
What I've been humming: The Doxology and Great is the Lord (by Michael W. Smith)(from like 1982)

Week 16 - some R & R

Hi friends, I am a little late on this update, but the beauty of the internet is that you can reverse time on your posts :)

Last week was not too eventful around here.  I spent the week laying on the couch recovering from my lovely illness.  Some exciting things that did happen:

• It snowed.  It was 65 degrees here on Monday and snowed here on Tuesday.  Oh Colorado, you are a tricky one.
• We had Missions Weekend at church.  We learned about Muslims, visited a mosque, and ate some Middle Eastern Cuisine.  
• In preparation for the international potluck following Sunday's church service, we headed to H Mart to stock up on Korean food.  We currently have kimchi in the fridge!  My heart is happy.

Even in America, Korean marts have a whole row of Ramen :)

 What I've been making: I made Two Timin' Pasta, last week, but forgot to share.  This is delicious (but loaded with calories).  The only change I made to the recipe was using homemade Alfredo sauce.  And I only made 1/2 of the recipe, since there is just two of us.
What I've been enjoying: watching lots of YouTube videos whilst laying on the couch
What I've been running: not so much, I got shaky legs just walking around the apartment
What I've been thankful for: We stocked up at Costco right before I got sick, and it has been a life-saver!

Week 15 - it was going well until I got sick :(

Hi friends, another week has past.  Here are some highlights from our week include:

• I discovered that a nearby coffee shop has a Cinnamon Roll Latte.  Praise the Lord!
• We got some good chores done this week including:
• An Emission Test done on the car.  It is a required test before you can register your car in Colorado.
• We got our Colorado License Plate (and learned the hard way that you really should get this done within the first 90 days of moving to Colorado, even if your car is legally registered in IL...)  The Colorado DMV got a nice donation from us this week :)
• We got a Costco card!  I think I will always associate Costco with Korea, but American Costco has some good deals too.  
• I did our taxes and mailed them in.  (It pretty much amounted to me putting zeroes in a lot of spaces, since all the money we earned in Korea was tax-free).
• We finally got some spring weather this week!  It rained and the grass started to green up. 
• For a new recipe, we tried this Apple Tortilla Dessert out.
• We ate at Chiptole for lunch this week...probably not a highlight for some people, but I like the small joys of life.

And then Saturday happened.  Saturday started off as a normal day, but turned into quite the adventure.  I don't remember what we did Saturday morning, probably slept in, ate breakfast, and then we picked up trash around the church.  Ian went to help one of his friends move.  I headed out for my long run.  It was a glorious day to run 13 miles.  I came home to discover that I had locked myself out of our apartment.   :(    I called my sister-in-law.  She came to the rescue!  She let me shower at their place and borrow some clothes.  I had to babysit that evening, so she even dropped me off for that.

Shortly after arriving at babysitting, I started feeling queasy.  I am not a thrower-uper.  I hold it down for as long as I possibly can.  But it was not to be.  I threw up.  And felt better.  I thought that would be the end of it (oh the irony!).  An hour later, I upchucked, then again 20 minutes later, then again and again.  Thankfully I have an amazing husband who came and helped me out with the kiddos, so I could lay on the bathroom floor and empty my stomach every 20 minutes.

When the parents finally got home, my knight-in-shining armor whisked me home in our chariot and I puked into a garbage bag on the way there.  We got home and I ended up sleeping on the floor of the bathroom so I could continue to vomit every 30 minutes throughout the night.  I think we each got about 2 hours of sleep.  Around 6:30 in the morning, it got even better.  I started having diarrhea.  And then the last straw, I was throwing up and having diarrhea at the same time.  I threw in the towel and Ian took me to the ER.


I don't remember a whole lot other than I was dry heaving and they were trying to start my IV at the same time.  And I think I told the nurse that she "spoke English very well".  Being sick in America is way better than being sick in Korea.  I would have survived in Korea, but it was convenient to speak English and be understood.  Ian was quite the trooper, he stuck with me the whole time and was so helpful.  We were in the ER for about 5 hours.  They gave me 3 bags of liquid (I totally could have taken another bag or two, but the nurse, doctor, and Ian said it was time to go home).  They also gave me some anti-nausea, Benadryl, and some else I can't remember via the IV.  The nurse told us that five other people had come in that morning with the same thing.  (And I am not prego, in case you are wondering...I have the stick in the arm, remember?)

"I just assumed there was an actual use for the cup of ice chips they gave me."  Anyone else a lover of Gilmore Girls?

Gatorade mixed with Ginger Ale is rocking my world right now.  It seems quite pathetic to me that a few days ago I ran for 2 hours and today I get shaky legs whilst brushing my teeth.  Oh well, all in good time.  If I had a desk job, I would be back at it tomorrow, but running after 3 kids take a lot of energy...so I will probably stay on the couch and focus on getting something more substantial than a Popsicle down.

That was the excitement of our week...how about yours?

This is the Bambi Wall...it was in my room in the ER.  It will be engraved in my memory for years to come.

Week 14 - Spring Break!

Hi friends!  Hoppy Easter!
I am a rebel ya'll, this is the second year in a row that I have skipped church on Easter.  Last year it was because I was trying to run a marathon.  This year it was because I was skiing with friends.

But before I get ahead of myself, highlights of the week:

• The kiddos that I nanny for were on Spring Break this week.  We had a blast!  Can't wait for summer to roll around so I can hang out with all three more often.  I brought everyone over to our apartment and we played hide-n-seek.  It was too much fun.  There are three kiddos that now have a Mr. Ian wrapped our their little fingers.  Mr. Ian showed each one how to write his or her name in Greek.
• Mr. Ian and Miss Alissa took all three kiddos out for lunch.  When going out to lunch with kids, two adults to three kids is a good ratio I have learned.  Much better than one adult to three kids.
• I got a library card this week.  Bad new bears ya'll.  I stayed in bed until noon one day this week reading.  Some self-control needs to be applied.
• One of my good, good friends from college flew in on Friday.  We went running together (!!).  She is a rockstar and helped us clean the church on Saturday.  I was her caddy when we went disc golfing.  We ate a lot of good food together.  We went skiing together.  It was a good weekend!
• For the record, skiing is not quite like riding a bike.  It took me a couple of hours to remember what I was doing.  But it is a lot more fun to ski in Colorado than in Korea!  Remember to bring some sunscreen with you if you go skiing on a cloudless day (just sayin').
• Oh yeah, if you are ever in Breckenridge, check out this place - it is delicious!

Yogurt land + Friend = Awesome

What I've been making: Greek Style Supper was our new recipe for the week, it was good!
What I've been enjoying: Having a friend in the same town as me for a few days!
What I've been reading: Lori Wick will always be my favorite author.  You can make fun of me, it is okay. 
What I've been running: I did 1,000m repeats on the dreadmill, thought I was going to die.
What I've been listening to: Sara Groves
What I've been smelling: pine trees whilst skiing!
What I've been humming:  Up from the Grave He Arose!
What I've been buying: I get to buy an emission test for the car.  It is required before we can get our Colorado license plates.

Week 13 - Spring is Coming...maybe?

We are snug as a bug in a rug this weekend.  We got about 8 inches of snow.  Except for going out to shovel, we have been sticking close to home and enjoying a lazy weekend.

When you live in a basement apartment,  your pictures of the snow outside your window are pretty special.

Here are some highlights from the week:

• I took the Wee One that I nanny to tumbling this week.  We had a blast!  She loves to get out of the house and go on adventures (that is what I term leaving the house with her in tow).  Her brother, on the other hand, loves, loves, loves to stay home and hates to leave the house.  I was quite proud that I got some amount of breakfast into everyone, the older ones to school on time, and the little one and I made it tumbling on time (dare I say  a few minutes early) all by 9:15am.  Glad I do not have to do that every day though.
• It snowed.  Like 8 inches.  Have I mentioned that Ian and I are the snow removal team for our church.  Ya'll, it is good for me.
• I ran a 12 mile long run this week.  Wootwoot!  It has been awhile since I have done 12.
• I wrote a long post on menu-planning.  It will rock your socks or your world.

What I've been enjoying: the Wee One recently had a birthday, she got some sweet art supplies.  Yes, I enjoy crafting at the same level as a 3 year old.
What I've been wearing: I impulsively got a new "spring" T-shirt for 5 buckaroos at Target
What I've been running: I ran a 800 repeat workout this week and have been increasing my mileage
What I've been buying: I bought plane tickets this week!  Yay!  

Week 5

Highlights from this week:

Is there anything more beautiful {or tempting} than a field of untouched snow?

• It snowed!  I think we got 3ish inches.  Some of the places in the mountains got over 2 feet!  Not surprising that the overall snowpack for the state of Colorado increased by 17 percent this week.  The lovely thing about living where we live is that today's high is in the 50s!
• Ian started his second semester of Seminary this week!  Wootwoot!  
• We went to the SuperBowl Party...with the youth group at church.  God is laughing at me right now.   
• Best quote of the week (from G. K. Chesterton's Orthodoxy):

[Children] always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that he has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we. 

What I've been making: Shrimp Spinach Pasta, Baked Three Cheese Chicken Pasta, Meatloaf w/ Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Greek Pizza
What I've been enjoying:  Pumpkin Cinnamon Woes and Coffee (I think Ian made 5 pans of Cinnamon Woes this week...we did not keep all of them)
What I've been reading: Ways to Save $100 Per Year
What I've been wearing: I found a sweatshirt at J. Crew's Factory this past fall.  I wear it all.the.time.  It is so comfy!

What is more fun than playing with kiddos in the snow?

Week 4 (Grapefruit Cupcake Recipe)

Highlights from our week:

• It was my momma's birthday this past week.  Happy Birthday Binks!
• We had a fun game night with another Seminary couple.  I won a game that I had never played before.  I'm pretty competitive and I like winning.  We ate a grapefruit cake with them.
• The eating of aforementioned cake sent my lovely husband on a mission.  Within 24 hours of eating the grapefruit cake, we were making grapefruit cupcakes with a grapefruit infused cream cheese frosting and garnished with fresh raspberries.  Yes, I have watched Cupcake Wars one too many times. Scroll down for the recipe.
• Ian finished his J-term class!  Wootwoot!  He did really well in the class!  Second semester starts Monday.  
• We (unexpectedly) got to see a friend from IL this weekend!  Thanks for hanging out with us Ben!  
• I am throwing around the idea of running a half marathon in mid-May.  I would need to start training in the near future (The half is 16 weeks from today).  There is also a 10 miler.  It seems like a unique race, so maybe I will do it as part of half marathon training for a different half.  

What I've been making:

Jonah 2:8 - now hanging in our pantry

What I've been running: Hills, hills, and more hills. 
What I've been listening to: Mars Hills' Esther series
What I've been enjoying: the longer sunlight hours.  It was 5:30pm the other night and it was not completely dark out!  Wootwoot!
What I've been smelling: sweet-scented candles (and grapefruit cupcakes) and it is in plan to make some pumpkin cinnamon woes this afternoon.
What I've been humming:

 

Are you still with me?  Here is the recipe. Knock yourself out.

Grapefruit Cupcakes (makes 30ish cupcakes)

INGREDIENTS:

• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1-3/4 cups sugar (I used 1.5 cups and they were still delicious)
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups cake flour (we used regular flour and it turned out just fine)
• 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup fresh grapefruit juice
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon grated grapefruit peel
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

FROSTING:

• 4 ounces butter, softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 (scant) cup fresh grapefruit juice
• 1 (scant) tablespoon grated grapefruit peel
• Optional: a splash of vanilla extract
• 30-60 fresh red raspberries

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Line your cupcake tins or grease them whichever floats your boat.  

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in peel and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with grapefruit juice. Beat just until combined. Stir in milk. 

Fill prepared muffin cups so they are about 1/2 full. Bake, rotating pans once, until cupcakes are just golden brown and spring back to the touch.  This took about 14 minutes, but we live 5,387 feet above sea level.  Basically when a toothpick goes in and comes out clean, you are good to go.  Repeat with any remaining batter. Let cool completely.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy. Beat in the grapefruit juice and peel.  If you want to add vanilla extract, beat that in too.  Frost your cupcakes.  Top with a raspberry or two.  Enjoy!

Sources: Cake - Taste of Home   Frosting - Food Network

Week 3 (and one of the best quotes I have heard in awhile)

Hi!  I am still finding my rhythm with my New's Years Resolution of blogging once a week.  Exciting moments from our third week of 2013.

• I bought honey wheat bread (for the Chicken Salad Sandwiches) from Panera.  So good!  I don't know if I will ever be able to go back grocery store bread.  If you buy it and they give the option of slicing it thick or thin.  Pick thick!
• The Wee One that I nanny for (she will be 3 in March) comes up with some great quotes sometimes.  For example, this week, while strolling through Target in her purple princess puffy fufu dress (and light up Disney Princess snow boots), she had a fantastic quote.  We were walking past the CD sampler section (you know the aisle that plays the music).  There was some classical/elevator music playing.  She said, "Dat sounds like Cheesuz!"  (That sounds like Jesus).  I asked her what Jesus sounds like.  She told me, "Pweety"  (pretty).  Then launched into her own unique rendition of  "Cheesuz Lobes Me" mixed with "Twinkle, Twinkle, Wittle Star".   Pre-cious!
• We saw a hawk this week.  
•  I made Alfredo Sauce for the first time in my life this week (recipe).  It is not hard at all!  I will say that the first time the sauce was GREAT, but once we refrigerated it, we had a hard time reheating it without it separating.  My next idea is to ask My Amazing Husband to make homemade pizza and see how chicken alfredo pizza turns out.  Basically the story of my life is, "mmmm this taste great!  Can I make it into a pizza somehow?"  I just googled it - Chicken alfredo pizza DOES exist.  
• I am tired of moving.  I can not wait to be done.  I keep thinking we are almost done, and then I realize we have 20394820385 more carloads of stuff.  I feel like we have been moving since last June.
• We attended a seminar this weekend at church.  It was very informative!  I did not realize that there are places in America less than 1% Christian populations - mind-blowing!
• Ian only has 4 more days of Old Testament J-term to go!  Wootwoot!

This was sitting super-close to our new apartment - crazy!

What I've been making: Chicken + Alfredo Sauce + Pasta, Meatballs, Chicken + Feta + Pecan + Craisins + Spinach, Chicken Salad Sandwich (We used my friend's Sara's recipe, but toasted a piece of bread, put on some Chicken Salad, topped it with a slice of cheese and broiled it.), Lasagna
What I've been reading: Esther and Ephesians 
What I've been wearing: T-shirst - who wears t-shirts in January!?!?!
What I've been enjoying: getting to know more people in church family
What I've been buying: we bought a microwave cart for the new apartment this week - best.choice.ever.  It makes us feel like we have a lot more counter space.

Week 2

Some highlights from the last week:

My mom gave us this amaryllis at Thanksgiving time...It actually bloomed.

• Playing tennis with my sister-in-law.  Oh my goodness gracious!  We laughed so much.   I think the "workout" was running after the ball more than actually playing.  There is a reason that I am a runner and not a tennis player. 
• We tried a new recipe this week {30-minute Buffalo Chicken French Bread} and it was great! It has been added to our rotation of meals.  Mom, if you try this, it might be a bit spicy for your tastes.
• I got to Skype with some dear friends from college!  It was so much fun to talk to all of them and catch up.
• Ian survived his first week of Old Testament.  Only 2 more weeks to go!
• I fixed our printer.  Don't ask me how.  Sidenote: if you are ever on the phone with a person in the Philippines and she says, "I as in Idaho, C as in Cedar...", she does not mean C, she is actually saying P as in Peter.
• I finally decided what my word will be for 2013.  Emmanuel :: God with US.

What I've been making: Nutella French Toast (Ian made it), Thai Chicken Pasta (actually Ian made this too), I did make the 30 minute buffalo chicken french bread mentioned above :), Grilled {Pepper-jack} Cheese and Tomato Soup, and BBQ Chicken in the crockpot
What I've been reading: I finished High Call, High Privilege  (by Gail MacDonald) this week.
What I've been wearing: Comfy jeans, hoodies, and wool socks
What I've been enjoying: It has been COLD here the last few days - perfect weather for snuggling up with blankets on the couch.  (I have not been enjoying the cold and snow while running, but once I have had a hot shower, I'm back to loving winter.)

Week 1

Okie-dokie, I made a New Year's Resolution to blog once a week (and to run my fastest half-marathon in 2013...get it? fastest 13 miler in 2013)

So here is a recap of our week (or at least what I can remember):

• We had family in town at the beginning of the week!  Yay!  We took them out to Korean - yum-o!  It was so fun to play Apples to Apples with these guys!
• I stayed up until about 9:17pm on New Year's Eve.  Yes, I am 79 years old on the inside.
• I am finishing up my 2 weeks off from running.  Goodness - I can't wait to jump on that treadmill tomorrow morning.
• Ian starts an intense 3 week Old Testament class tomorrow, so I tried to soak up all the "my husband is not studying" time I could this week!  
• I was introduced to the following youtube video this week.  I cried because I was laughing so hard.

What I'm making: BBQ Chicken, Omelets, Sloppy Joes, Chili, French Toast
What I'm buying: plane tickets to see some friends when they come to visit America in February
What I'm reading: Orthodoxy from G.K. Chesterton
What I'm watching:Biggest Loser is starting this week!