Rally the Team!

So.. The National Women's Law Center has set the challenge for bloggers to write about how participating in sports has shaped their lives. Where do I start? I played basketball in high school - actually sat the bench most of the time but I had good fun with my teammates & have remained friends with most of them for life. Not easy as we are all over the country now. I almost got cut from the team - which at 17 would have been horrible so I worked my ass off - I shot free throws- up to 500 a day, ran, shot around, ran and impressed my coaches enough to stay on the team. So I learned hard work & humility.

Today I run - well jog. I enjoy it for the most part and have made great friends, experienced wonderful life transforming times on simple runs and enjoyed the spirit of many races. I have completed 4 marathons & 5 half marathons. I continue to learn that hard work pays off.

I'm happy my nieces get the opportunity to play basketball, soft ball, soccer and volleyball. It is helping shape them into beautiful women both inside & out.

So what did sports do for me? Help make me the person I am today.

It's Been Awhile - So What's in Your Freezer?

Wow - July - that's how long it's been since I posted and one of my two faithful readers was asking my why the other day. To use my Mom's famous quote - I have no idea. So how should I catch you up on my life? The exciting trip I took to Glacier? The trials of half marathon training? The beauties of New England fall? No - I had a writer's block so I looked to one of my favorite blogs - Carole Knits for ideas. Her Ten on Tuesday topic seemed like a good place to start - Ten Things in Your Freezer. We have two freezers & both are packed - so much so that this week we are making all of our dinners we eat at home out of stuff in freezer. We also have one of those vacuum sealers so stuff stays pretty darn fresh for a pretty darn long time.

So here we go -

1. Gravy - or tomato sauce depending on who you are talking to. We bought 16 quarts of tomatoes this summer & cooked them down to the most awesome gravy. It will be a great reminder of summer this winter.
2. Chicken stock - gallons of it. I make my own because our little cat loves chicken - we buy her a rotisserie chicken every couple of weeks so use the carcass for our stock - give her a break she's 16!
3. Flavor Ice - I love them after I have had a long run or worked out in the garden.
4. Ham - left over from Easter but vacuum sealed so it's still good.
5. Strawberries - about 4 gallons that we picked this spring.
6. Peaches - from last year & about to become ice cream.
7. Grill roasted corn - we roasted three dozen ears of corn - cut the kernels off the ears & froze them. We will enjoy that taste of summer all through the winter.
8. Stuff to make stock - see number two. I have a bag that I put all the onions skins, vegetable cuttings, etc. to put in my stock. The taste of the stock varies on what vegetables I have been cooking with - it's never the same twice but it's always good.
9. Edamame - love them - I have several bags of the beans in the shell - good for snacks or just beans which is good to throw in soups or stir fry.
10. Artichokes - I think I have 4-5 bags of Trader Joe's artichokes. I love them but think I need to use what I have before I buy more.

So - what's in your freezer??

Dear 20 Year Old Self....

I first heard about this on NPR & then checked out Cassie's blog to read some of the other letters. I so love this idea but really had to think about what I would say for a couple of weeks. So here it goes....

Girlfriend....you are in for an amazing time! I don't want to give too much away because I don't think you'd believe have of it and I don't want to influence the choices that you/me are going to make because they will help mold you into the woman you/me are going to be. I do want to tell you not to be so damn scared - live more in the moment. Trust me - you need to loosen up and enjoy your life. Enjoy the mountains and Montana because you are right, you won't be living there forever but when you leave your soul is going to miss those mountains. Don't worry about love - hard to do I know but it will happen - sort of. But you are looking for it in all the wrong places - I will tell you that much now. And what you think is love - well not so much. So stop worrying about that and enjoy the time you have with your friends. You are a smart woman - I think you know that at 20 but you aren't always confident about it. And I must say you do need some confidence. Enjoy your family - especially the aunts & uncles because they won't be around forever. The choices you make for the most part will work out good and none of the bad choices are fatal. You'll always be where you are meant to be - you'll understand that one later. Keep running - it is a better release than a beer & it will be important later on that you are a runner. You haven't met some of the people who will influence your life the most, including a group of very amazing women friends. You will never be alone so stop worrying about that. People will come in and out of your life - that will be tough for you to deal with but that is how life works. And...spoiler alert... it's not you - your first mother-in-law is crazy. You'll find what you think is love & that's Ok - but don't give away YOU for love. Someday you'll find someone who will love you for you - don't lose sight of that. The most important thing I can tell you is it all works out - you are becoming the woman you are meant to be but it is an ongoing deal . However it is a great ride. So be happy now, enjoy each moment and breath deep. I can't wait for you to meet me!

The Return of Ten on Tuesday

My bloggy friend Carole has started this game again - thanks Carole! This weeks topic, Ten Books On My summer Reading List is a little hard for me. Not because I don't like to read - I LOVE to read but I work across the street from the library so usually just cruise over & pick up whatever catches my eye. But I'll try to pick 10.

1. Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert. I'm anxious to see how different her perspective is since EPL.
2. Loving Spoonful:How Eight Chefs Saved My Life by Kim Severson, I heard her on NPR & she sounded like she has had quite the life.
3. A good mystery - usually I only like non-fiction books but I want to branch out a little.
4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larson - it is very popular & I've read good reviews.
5. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson - I checked it out but was not able to start it.
6. Are You There Vodka? It's Me Chelsea - by Chelsea Handler. A pretty much summer read book recommended by a friend.

And the last 4 lifted from Carole's list because she is a librarian & probably knows a good book or two.

7. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender.
8. The Things That Matter: What 7 Classic Novels Have to Say About the Stages of Life by Edward Mendelson
9. Women, Food and God by Geneen Roth.
10. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith.

So do you have any suggestions or books you want to read this summer? Please comment!

I'm Orange!!

Since I got my iPhone I have been also using the Nike+sensor to log my runs and this morning I moved out of the yellow zone (beginning zone - logging a total of 0-30 miles) to the orange zone - YEA!! And I got props from Lance Armstrong - his recorded voice told me that I logged my fastest mile to date - YEA again! Now I know that when you start out from 0 miles and really slow it can only get better but still....I feel pretty damn good today! Look out Philly Half Marathon - here I come!

Here it is - Fred on Letterman!

Set your TiVo - Fred's on Letterman!

The quality isn't the greatest but Fred rocks!! I am so excited to see him on Letterman - check it out!! (This video makes me miss Willie even more)