I'm Back.......again

Woohoo! Something has drawn me back into my blog again. I can't explain what keeps me away.

Sometimes I wish we had a computer chip in our brains that we could automatically download our thoughts from the day. I know I make myself laugh a few times a day and if I could get those thoughts downloaded others would laugh too. And truly, to put a smile on someone's face or hear a few sounds of laughter each day is my daily goal!

I like to blog because it would be my little journal. But for some reason I can't seem to get on here daily or even weekly to catch up with myself!

A lot has happen since I last blogged:

I graduated from nursing so I now have an ADN
My oldest has decided to serve a mission for our church, he is going to Mesa, Arizona
My oldest is graduating from high school
My second is learning to drive
My youngest is a young women
My hubbie is going to be an endocrinologist
We are moving to San Antonio
We have made lots of home improvements and have a million more to make
We are to become landlords
I never want to be a landlord again
I love Call the Midwife and Downton Abbey
I love the app Houzz and want to live in all the houses
My husband has hearing aids and can now hear again!
My favorite blog is Pioneer Women, but I can never win any of her prizes!
I would still like to visit Kirtland Ohio but cannot seem to find any time

I think my list could go on for a few pages!!!!

To Tri or not to Tri

So far in Ohio I have done two half-marathons and two triathlons. Each time I say yes to do a race, sign up, and start training I instantly regret that I said yes. I did a tri in May. I trained for maybe two weeks since home, school, and the weather were keeping me indoors.  I was sloooow. I was so glad to finish. Then I did another one in June.  Again not much training. The half mile open swim was ok, I was tired but still manage to jog back to the transition area. Then the bike was a whole another story.  I knew I was in trouble when my friend told me it was hilly on the way to the race.  I told her she would be hearing cuss words from my mouth. Second, it was 21 miles. 21 long miles.  I haven't ridden 21 miles in forever, like two years ago. So now I have 21 long and hilly miles to go.  I think I had a little fun and energy for the first 5.  Then I was done. But I knew I couldn't be done I had a long way to go. At one point around mile 15 on a particular long hill I had to get off my bike and walk. Then the most embarrassing thing that could happen to my ego happen.  The race sponsor truck came up behind me to make sure everything was ok. I was the last person!!!! Dead last! I did finally make it up the hill and pushed myself to the end.  Only with lots of prayers and I am pretty sure some spiritual angels pushing me did I finally finish.  My tank was empty. I could not go on and do the 3.5 mile run.  I was soo mad at myself.  
So I plan I doing this triathlon again! With more training time under my belt and definitely on the bike seat.
Training again for the Air Force half.  I really like this race! And this time the whole family is participating. Even my brother-in-law is running. Ran with my daughter this morning.  She is way faster then me now.  She needs to train with her runner dad or her big brother.  I just kept waving her on when she stopped at all the stop signs looking back at her mom a 1/4 mile behind her.


Mentioning that I am missing my boys this week the house is quiet, but a little less messy. The oldest is in Minnesota canoeing on the 10,000 lakes area. I hope he is not being eaten alive by mosquitos. The middle is backpacking the Appalachian Trail.  I know he is tired and sore but still making the best of it.  He took lots of dried mashed potatoes which he loves and beef jerky.  I am sure they will be stinky and tired when they get home.


Hope summer time fun has kicked in where ever you may be,


Mads

Away so long

Has it really been six months since my last entry?!?! How sad, since I wanted this to be a blog of my rantings. A journal of my life to me and my family. Well, let me update myself and this blog.

The middle of Feb. started a new term at nursing school.  It was awful, stressful, gross, funny, and I never want to go back. It required me to swallow some serious self reflection.  I think I came out a better person and in the end a better nurse. I now only have eight more months to go. Feb. 1, 2013 is soo close I can taste it. 

My oldest went college shopping in April out in Utah.  He is so excited and I have bittersweet emotions. He is growing into such a great young man. Right now he is on a mini mission with our church. I have not heard from him in four days. It is good preparation for me when he goes on a full time mission in two years. He is close to the Lord and knows how to choose the right.  My middle son is going to China this summer and spouts out some serious Chinese mumbo jumbo I can't understand but love to hear. My youngest is out of elementary school and came home crying because she is scared of middle school.  I love my drama queen. She is going to rule that school with her life force.

My busy resident husband is also so close to finishing his training to his new career that we are already planning our graduations celebrations for next year!

I have added about four new food blogs to my favorites list and threw a yummy Cinco de Mayo party. I was so busy cooking that I did not take any pictures of the fabulous carnita meat or spanish rice I made.  But, I remember the taste and it was mouth watering.

I went house hunting for family that is moving close to us.  I love going into homes and checking them out.

I cut sixteen inches of hair off and now love my shorter hair.  It is still in the bag to send off to Locks for Love along with my hair I cut off four years ago.

Oh, did I tell you that I am a terrible procrastinator. I am, I save everything to the last minute then complain to myself(mostly) that I hate doing that.

I went on a Women's trip to Ft. Lauderdale with two other wonderful women.  We had a blast eating three times at Burger Fi, sitting on the beach and by the pool.  I think that it will be a yearly trip for me.

I have now done two more triathlons in Ohio.  This makes seven total. But, the sad part was I could not finish the last one. The bike took everything out me, not really physically but emotionally.  I had some angels(spiritual ones) push me back the last four miles of the bike ride.  I cried because I could not finish.  I was the last bike rider.  I had the race sponsor car following me with their flashers on. I have never done that before.  Not enough training. I plan I redoing that tri again later this summer.  I need more time in the bike seat.  The bike is my nemesis.  I will beat it and at least one other rider to not be in last place.

OK, this updates me to last week.  This week I am on my one week summer school break.  I have some new recipes I am trying.  

I am going to keep this blog updated!!

One foot in front of the other,

Mads

Voices

We have two small dogs, Jack Terrier mixes, they have their own voices and personalities. The female an obvious alpha female has a strong sweet voice. And her son the male has a sweet high pitch voice. Well, he hasn't been feeling very well and the other day when my husband, who only likes the dogs when he feels like it, finally recognize that Loki wasn't feeling well and started to worry. Pixie who obviously has a "jealous focus on her only streak" decided it was her turn to get love from the male alpha of the house. This doesn't happen to often. So then my husband decides to use the dog voices. It is so hilarious because they rarely come out of his mouth. Since Loki is sick Hubby asked Pixie would she be sad if he died? Pixie response " no dad I would love to be the only dog of the house". I swear she smiled and nodded in agreement.

I love our dog and their voices,

Mads

Can't Stop

I made baklava last night for my daughter's Greece project. It was super freakin easy. I used the recipe from The Pioneer Woman. If you haven't read her blog start now, it is that good. Anyways, the only problem with the baklava is I can't keep my hands off of it. And I know it is going straight to the junk in my trunk. And I know no matter how much P90X I do if I keep eating it the trunk is only going to get fuller.

Please help, on second thought don't worry it is almost gone,

Mads

Ever Get Hooked

Have you ever been hooked on a TV show that you just have to watch all episodes until the end? Well, right now I am hooked on this show out of Australia called "Mcleod's Daughters". I should have known better when I saw on Netflix that it had 220 episodes. But I just can't stop. Everyday I need to watch 1-2 episodes. I think it is the accents that keep bringing me back. I love those Aussie accents and really want to start talking like them. Also the scenery is BEAUTIFUL! It was filmed in South Australia. I totally want to go there even more now and live on a farm/ranch and ride horses all day long. Right now I am only on season 4 with 4 more seasons to go. I am trying to get things done around the house and sometimes I succeed, but I keep finding piles of things that I have built up to take care of later after my show. Good thing I have a understanding husband that just finish watching for the third time all the seasons of Scrubs. I think right now I can squeeze in half a show before I have to take my daughter to guitar.

Good Day Mate,

Mads

I Don't Wanna....sometimes

Ever feel like folding your arms across your chest, pouting your lips and screaming " I don't want to". Well, I am in nursing school right now and am in the mode of don't want to study ever again. But, I will totally fail if I don't and I don't want to fail. So even though I feel like pouting and I might even make that position of folding my arms across my chest. I suck it up and keep plugging along.

On a side note. Finished reading "All Quiet on the Western Front". What a powerful story! The language was beautifully. The story was sad and oh so prominent in today's society. Even if the way soldiers fighting style has changed since WWI. Can't wait until book club to discuss it.

Plugging along,

Mads