Wind. Why? Whyyyy????

Running 3 miles in intense wind when it's cold is awful. Just saying. Thankful Thursday!

Good Morning, Suburbia.

How am I supposed to run 9 miles when the roads aren't plowed? Hmm. Guess I'll have to wait a bit for safety reasons and enjoy a tall mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows in my comfy chair with a super soft blanket and my pup while I watch the world go by. Oh well.

10 Mile Weekdays

This week we ran 3 miles on Tuesday, 4 miles on Wednesday, and 3 miles on Thursday. And it was FREEZING. The highlight was Bradford's birthday on Tuesday, and the requisite creamy slow-cooked cherry cheesecake. The low point was feeling like my eyeballs were frozen open.

I've never been so proud. :-D

Looking forward to a toasty 9 miler Saturday.

Frigid icy scampers

After running 3 miles and coming to the conclusion that my eyeballs were frozen last night, I'm having a hard time motivating myself to go do a 4 miler this evening. Humph.

Wind can't stop Rocky

So When the going gets tough I think about Rocky. And this run today was super super tough because the wind was absolutely insane. Granted it was supposed to be a rest week so the long run was only 5 miles, but after working out for very very long many many days in a row it didn't really feel like a rest. But we can killed it and I'm very proud of us.

39 Degrees

Beautiful morning for a run :)

New kicks! Asics gel nimbus 14

But, sometimes hard work is rewarded! Off to run in the rain, but first, a beautiful picture of the shoes that I hope will get me through my second marathon (and training!) asics gel nimbus 14. Brand new. (Loved my 13s which i am wearing now to go for my rain soaked run.) Super stoked. Hoping to try them out for the 7 miler this weekend! Hard work, dedication!!!

Hard Work, Dedication -Dolvett

For the vast majority of my life, I worked really hard at many things. I worked hard at school. I worked hard at my job. I worked hard at sports.

I'm beginning to think that those who don't work hard are on to something.

One of the most selfish things I've seen since Hurricane Sandy is people begging for wedding bailouts. Ohhh so your venue is gone? But your house is ok? And the people you love are ok? And now you want something for free because you were "affected" ??? God forbid you ever had to know what "affected" really looks like. It makes me livid. I'm sorry. You can't have your big, superfluous wedding exactly the way you wanted it. While there are other people who are still living on air mattresses because they can't go home. And there are companies out there giving money to these people? Not the people who really need it? Giving away money so Uncle Sam can have filet mignon instead of chicken? AHHHHHHHHHHH. Disgusting.

Why do people always want to play "victim." Why do people always make excuses? Oh, I couldn't work out because... or I couldn't get my essay done because... Or I couldn't make practice because... Or I couldn't pay attention in class because... etc.

What are we teaching our youth? We are setting a horrible example. Then we complain when they don't do their homework, don't read, don't pay attention in class, don't write essays, and don't care.

Well, helllooooooo. Maybe if adults weren't always looking for bailouts and freebies and being lazy, kids wouldn't either.

Sorry for the rant, but America was successful because people weren't afraid of hard work. Now, America is falling apart because nobody wants to work. Makes me nervous for the future.

Saving Money; Interior Design. Bookshelves, Cushions, and Blues

So, now that the holidays are officially over, and our tree is gone, our decorations are back in the red and green bins, and the house is swept, here are some of the money saving projects I completed.

1. Cushion for bench. (More to come, for dining room)
*We bought this awesome bench from Ikea. I wanted pops of color (kelly green) in this room, so we opted for the awesome green bins. After the holidays, Joann's had a ton of fabric on ridiculous sale. I scored this for $4.99 and bought an egg crate mattress cover from Target for about 25 bucks. I'll be able to make 3 cushions from the egg crate, which is awesome. (Foam is CRAZY expensive!). Granted, using egg crates is a bit weird because the foam won't be entirely perfect, even if you cut it perfectly. But, the price is right. I wrapped the fabric around it like a Christmas present and I just used safety pins on the bottom to keep it connected, and voila! An awesome homemade cushion that perfectly matches the look I was going for in the room. Total cost is less than $15.

2. Bookshelf glory. Again, cheap yard of fabric from Joann's that I love because it matches the "winter surf" paint on the walls. Brad removed the back from the Ikea bookshelf and stapled it on, replaced the back, and Perfection! Total cost, $5.00

3. Ok, this isn't especially crafty, but this is our new living room! Mix of blues. LOVE IT! Don't you just want to hang out, socialize with great friends, or cuddle up with a puppy and a book and a warm blanket? There's another reclining leather chair in the other corner. Like butter. I can't wait to watch snow fall out the window and to one day put a real woodburning fireplace where the wave picture is now. So cozy.

Japanese "Pad Thai" with Soba Noodles and 6 Miles

First, we ran 6 miles. And it was windy. And not fun.

But more importantly, I made this fabulous international meal of food for dinner. Hey, you can't run if you don't eat, right?

This is a Runner's World International recipe, and it's awesome. Here are the stats:
CALORIES PER SERVING: 577
CARBS: 59 G
FIBER: 3 G
PROTEIN: 41 G
FAT: 19 G

Check out that protein! You'll be full for days! Don't worry about the fat content... Sesame Oil provides much of it, and it's not awful for you. Plus, it's dinner, and it's under 600 calories. Awesome.

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons reduced sodium tamari or soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil (such as Leblanc)
1 tablespoon unsweetened peanut butter
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
10 ounces soba noodles
2 cups shredded cooked chicken, warmed or room temperature
5 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup chopped unsalted peanuts
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Now, let me walk you through the process.

1. In a large, shallow bowl, whisk the tamari, sesame oil, peanut butter, vinegar, 2 tablespoons water, ginger, and garlic.

In a pot, boil 3 quarts of water. Add noodles and stir. cook until tender (5 minutes).

Drain in a colander; run hot water over the noodles until the water runs clear. (If the noodles aren't washed, they'll be starchy and sticky.) Drain thoroughly again.

Add noodles to the sauce and toss to coat evenly. Add chicken and scallions; toss again. (I poached my chicken: 2 chicken breasts, cover with water. Add a couple shakes of herbs de provence and a bay leaf. Bring everything to a boil. Once it is boiling, immediately turn it down to a simmer for 10 minutes. Then remove from heat, and let sit for another 15-20 minutes--I went with 19 minutes. Then I shredded it with a fork.)

Garnish with sesame seeds, peanuts, and cilantro. (I chopped up some unsalted peanuts in a food processor. Awesomeness. Note the wine. The wine is important. It makes your cooking better. It makes everything better. Just saying.)

Serves four.

Enjoy!

Jersey Shore Pallet

So during vacation, I was inspired to make something that represents my new home state. At first, I was going to make the state of NJ with a heart over the shore area to represent the healing that has, is, and will take place post-Hurricane Sandy, but then, I noticed the light around the Shore area, and decided to roll with that, letting the light emanate from the Shore. Subtle, but a happy accident.

To make this, I cut up some pallets (which remind me of boardwalk and further the concept of this piece)and left them unsanded, like driftwood.

Then I hand cut out a stencil of the state of New Jersey (this took FOREVER) using a shape I found online and the website :

Blockposters.com

I used some spray paint so it would bleed a little bit, and since Jersey used to be (officially) the Garden State, I went with green and blue on the inside and red and yellow on the outside.

Red for this Hurricane symbol you see everywhere these days. I also kind of wanted it to look like a sunrise (new beginning). Ok, I'm an English teacher; I'm really into symbolism! I can't help it. Now it resides at the top of my steps. Jersey Strong!

Marathon Training Day 3

I need sleep. So badly. I've got the overtired shakes and the "you really shouldn't be driving" heavy eyelids.

But, I did come up and NAIL this run!

Done and Done. No running tomorrow. And tomorrow is Friday. In the immortal words sung by Jeff Buckley, "Hallelujah." No exclamation point because I'm too tired.

Marathon Training Day 2, and Quinoa Salad

Went for the second day of marathon training run today. Temperature gauge said it felt like 22 degrees. I concur. Freezing! So I came home, had some fat free chocolate milk as a recovery drink, and whipped up some of the black bean fat shredder soup.

For an even more intense protein packed punch, I made this salad from Runner's World.

Quinoa Salad with Walnuts, Apples, and Herbs
Recipe by Gail Simmons, culinary expert, special projects director at Food & Wine, and judge on Bravo's Top Chef and Top Chef: Just Desserts

What you'll need:
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 granny smith apple, cored and diced
1/4 cup rough chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup rough chopped fresh tarragon
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted
2-4 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

How to make it:
1. In a medium saucepan, add quinoa and lightly toast over medium high heat for about 2 minutes. Once it starts to smell nutty tip out into a bowl and set aside.
2. Place saucepan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add diced onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add toasted quinoa back to pot, cover with chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 12-15 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa is cooked through. Fluff with a fork and transfer quinoa to a large mixing bowl.
4. Allow to cool slightly then fold in apples, walnuts and fresh herbs, stir well.
5. Drizzle remaining tablespoons of olive oil. Pour in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss thoroughly to finish before serving. Serves 2-4.

I used black quinoa to make it look extra intense, craisins instead of apples because I didn't have apples, and a tangerine instead of lemon because I didn't have lemon. Yummmm!

New Year, New Laundry Room: Milk Toast Champagne Toast

We closed on our house at the end of September. On first glance, it seemed as though everything was perfect: stainless steel appliances in the kitchen, no major cracks or holes, and plenty of hardwood floors.

Granted, we had been looking mostly at fixer-upers, because we didn't think we could afford a real house in our ideal neighborhood.

But we got lucky. Insanely lucky. And we bought our little gem.

But like all beauty, it's not just on the outside. As the days went by, we began to notice small things that we wanted to tweak. They didn't drive us crazy, just made us reconsider our plan to not do anything to the house.

Like the fact that the ceiling in the living room and dining room matched the color of paint on the walls, and said color is called "Milk Toast." Seriously? Who paints a wall "Milk Toast?" Who names a paint "Milk Toast?" And who on earth paints a ceiling "Milk Toast!!"

So, we painted the ceiling. And the walls. And we started to feel better. But, that was just the beginning.

The other day, during what was supposed to be our vacation (read: romantic construction getaway weekend with paint speckled jeans, grout, and spackle) we decided to tackle the smallest room in our house: the laundry room.

So, we heaved our washer and dryer into our den (lovely Seahorse pallet art that I made by hand-cutting a stencil... I picked seahorse because that is the theme for our wedding that got drowned out by Hurricane Sandy, but WILL happen in March of 2013, yay!) and got to work.

Here's the picture of the laundry room before. Looks just fine, right? Well, we have a golden retriever who loves mud. And the walls were tired, the floor was constantly dirty, and the molding was peeling off in places.

So we headed to our new favorite place, Home Depot, and purchased some Blue Regatta paint. Just to find out that the previous homeowners must have used high gloss hairspray on the walls before, because NOTHING would stick. It was a nightmare. It took about 3 coats just to cover the walls! But we finally did it.

Then, we used Shasta linoleum tiles. We picked them because they are peel and stick, relatively inexpensive at a little over $1 a tile, and you can grout them, which makes them look more professional. So we bought some earth colored grout, and got to work. We used 1/8 inch spacers, peeled the backs off (which is trickier than you might think), and cut the tiles around the edges, which I kind of wish we had a proper saw to do, as scissors just didn't cut it (bad pun, sorry). After everything was down, I grouted, which is basically just spackling and washing everything off constantly with a sponge. Constantly is an understatement. After almost 48 hours, we had this:

Divine! Actually, it wasn't so bad, it was relatively cheap, and a good DIY project. Plus, we learned that the tiles and grout worked really well, so our next project is to redo the downstairs bathroom (the only bathroom in the house that hasn't been updated.) Stay tuned and we demo, put in wainscoting, and paint to our hearts' content!

Resolutions

Today is January 1st. In five months, I will run the NJ Marathon right here at the shore.

Today we start training. Yes, it takes 5 months to train for a marathon. Pretty intense.

Today, I will run 3 miles. In fact, I am about to go put on the warmest gear I have, because it's freezing. I'm cold sitting here typing right now, so I can only imagine what outside is like. But, I will get out into the tundra and knock it out. And I will feel REALLY good about myself afterwards--that I can promise.

So why do people make resolutions on January 1st? Why not June 3rd? Why not Halloween? I don't know. All I know is that it's never a bad day to pick up a healthy habit, do something you truly love, or smile. So if you made some resolutions this year, good for you, improving one's self is awesome. If you didn't make any resolutions, there's always January 2nd!

My resolutions:

1. Get married

2. Run a marathon; and enjoy the process

3. Complain less about work

4. Allow myself more balance between work and the rest of my life.

I know 2013 is going to be AWESOME! So I'm going to go run now. What are you going to do today?

Bill Bowerman once said, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just soft people.”