It's all about choices...

image via dazeychic

"...Everything can be taken from a man but one thing; the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.”  ~ Victor Frankl from "Man's Search for Meaning"

Sanity is overrated, anyway...

photo via Northbrook Park District

Today's StoryPeople story of the day reminded me of when I first started dating the handsome hubby and he was coaching a kids soccer team on GTMO...

"There are a hundred good reasons why no sane person would ever coach soccer, he told me on the drive home, but I forget most of them when I'm on my meds & we laughed wildly in the bright spring air."

An excuse to eat more cupcakes? Count me in!

photo via The Bespoken:  For Gentleman

It's no secret that I have an incredible sweet tooth.  So when I saw this article about less sinful cupcakes, I had to share! 

Eve Turow came up with some recipes for cupcakes that have improved nutritional benefits so that you don't have to feel TOO guilty for indulging.  She used non-traditional ingredients such as beans, pumpkin, and yogurt to up the health-value of the treats without sacrificing flavor. 

I'm dying to try the chocolate espresso, the red velvet, and the pumpkin recipes...although I suppose I'll have to hold off until next year when I get back home.  If anyone decides to take one of these recipes for a spin, let me know what you think!

What a great cover...

Wise advice to live by...

image via i can read

I'm so proud... (insert sarcasm here)

Hello, lovely family and friends!  I'm finally (somewhat) settled in here in Iraq and have a semi-decent internet connection in my room. I promise to do my best to try to keep everyone updated...

I've been able to keep up with friends and family sporadically through Facebook (oh, the joys of social networks!) and when I logged on the other day, this was the photo I saw on my handsome hubby's page.  Most of our friends and family know that Bru is OBSESSED with CrossFit.  This was his "workout" the other day...the exact FB quote?  "Beer for time, while doing a one handed hand stand, against the wall of course.....If I could do it without the wall- then I would be the man." 

And that, my friends, is one of the many, many reasons why I adore this man--no one can make me laugh like he can.  (Although I just may be a tad concerned about what my house will look like in nine months when I return home...)

I hate good-byes...

Why?

                                                                                 photo via Baking and Books

Why is it...
While other people
Are thinking about all kinds of
Important things...
I am thinking about
What it would be like
to jump barefoot
Into an open box
Of jelly doughnuts?

~ James Stevenson ~

Yes, CrossFit would be even better, but....wow

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Fancy footwork

image via Living, Etc

I LOVE this idea from Liz's blog...it would look great in my dressing room (AND free up space on my current shoe shelf for some new footwear...like these and these and these.  Oooh, and this pair, too, please...) 

I forsee another project to add to my handsome hubby's to-do list while I'm gone...

Some photos that make me happy...and a video that brought tears to my eyes

via Mary Ruffle

by Olivia Bell

one of my three sweet, sweet nephews

photo by Craig Carpenter

via Simply Bloom Photography

another courtesy of  Mary

via 16 House

this happy boy is another of my gorgeous nephews

by Ella May

this photo via dream and wake makes me miss my Lulu

my favorite photo of my brothers and me

And finally...this video had me smiling through tears...

~ I hope that everyone has a lovely Tuesday ~

2010 Salt Lake City Half Marathon

(image via Huntsman Cancer Foundation)

I ran in the Salt Lake City Half-Marathon yesterday (I'm using the word "ran" very liberally here...it was more like a fast jog.)  I'd actually planned to participate in the full marathon back in January, but around the last week of March when I realized that I hadn't run for over a month I started thinking that maybe I should scale down to the half. 

This was my seventh half-marathon and I didn't set a PR by any means!  My training for this particular event was sporadic (if not non-existent!) because of work and a lot of traveling (I know--excuses, excuses...)  The last time I'd run before the race was April 9th when I ran 2 miles for my PT test (which I also did not train for--geez!)  I ended up in the lower mid-pack with a finish of 2:21:11 (that's a 10:46 pace--I was runner # 1748 out of a field of 2882.)  This isn't the first half that I've run with no training and I always kick myself afterwards--if my performance is relatively mediocre without training, it'd be nice to see what I could do WITH some training!

Even if I didn't do as well as I'd have liked, I really enjoyed the whole experience.   Bruce was an excellent cheerleader/support team, and I had a lot of fun during the actual run.  Unfortunately, the battery to my camera died so I didn't get to take any photos--huge bummer because it was a perfect day and I kept seeing things during the run that I wanted to take pictures of:  a nail salon in Sugarhouse with a sign advertising for pedicures and asking, "Do your feet hurt?"...Two girls running together in bright red tutus...A sweet, sweet 9-year-old little girl running (with perfect form, may I add!) alongside her mom ...An older gentleman who ran the entire half marathon while pushing a man in a wheelchair that was adorned with flags...A guy on the side of the route wearing a purple feathered hat and playing his guitar for the runners...

I was able to stick with the pose running for the first 4 miles and actually felt great until about mile 9.  Once I got to the (evil and COMPLETELY uphill!) street leading up to the Capitol Building at about mile 11.5, I was definitely ready to finish!  At that point all I could think about were the bananas, ice cream bars, and Paradise Bakery rolls waiting for me at the end...I was SO hungry!

All in all, I had a lot of fun, but I definitely need to work on training before events (I'm not as young as I used to be!!)  It was a beautiful day today and I was able to get a short jog/walk in this afternoon to work out some of the soreness.  I do have a lovely dime-sized blister the color of a watermelon Jolly Rancher on my toe as a souvenir, but I don't feel as tired or as achy today as I thought I would.  So I guess that means I have no excuse not to show up to a WOD tomorrow at CFUV, right??  :-)

(photo credits)

(photo by Theorris)

I'm not sure my HOA would go for this...

Keeping up with the Joneses can be an expensive business, but a German company has come up with an ingenious way to make your neighbors green with envy:  weather-resistant 3D photos for your garage door that are deceptively realistic and will cause passers-by to stop and stare...

images from Style Your Garage via Lyn

A Dream

image by thresca via mary ruffle

A Life Less Ordinary

art by Belle and Boo via Sheye Rosemeyer

Sheye Rosemeyer's writing and photography is achingly, devastatingly beautiful.  I find myself moved, inspired, and smiling through tears while reading her eloquent words.  The world is a more beautiful place for having her in it.

There's no place like home...

photo by Betty Mullet

I'm so excited to be getting home tomorrow night after being away for three weeks!  Even better:  I'll be on leave for two weeks before having to head back to work.  I plan to spend some quality time with my handsome husband, cuddle with my Lucy, hang out with some good friends, and just enjoy being back home...maybe I'll even have one of these days.

A few things I've found around the web that have made me smile over the last week: 

Genius!  Why didn't I think of this?? 

My new favorite tea of the moment...it'd be even more fun steeped in this

I've definitely had days where I could relate to how Laurel is feeling

Oooh, oooh, oooh...free ice cream!!

Inspiring

I love my pet, too, but...honestly??

Make a custom duvet cover

Beautiful.  I can't decide which one I love the best

I adore this movie

I want to frame this for my kitchen

Have a fun weekend!

A poem for Monday...

image via All the Pieces of Me

Pomegranates

his hands curl

gracefully, clenching

the round pomegranate

and a knife that crunches through its thick skin

he slowly clasps each half, deliberately pulls them apart

for his daughter

like a magic show.

he reveals the crimson treasures within,

hundreds of delicate little jewels, fragile pockets of pure sweetness

and revels in each moment as her eyes, and the juicy halves, open wider.

—Beth Kacel

Have a wonderful weekend!

lovely photo by Mary Swenson 

How sweet is this photo??  I stumbled across Mary's blog the other day and absolutely loved her work--it's so beautiful.  Through her site, I also discovered Karey's wonderful blog.  They both collaborate at T. ruffles.  Stop by their little slices of the internet...I'm sure you'll love them as much as I do.

Another week down and one more to go before I'm finished with all of my training here in Little Rock and am able to get back to my handsome husband, sweet kitty, and cozy home. 

One positive thing about being here in Arkansas for three weeks is that I'm only a 6 hour drive away from Huntsville, so I'm able to spend the weekends visiting with my family.  Last weekend Mom and I did a little shopping, Billy brought Ethan over to Mom and Dad's house to hang out for most of the day,  Amber came over for dinner after taking in a play with her Mom, Dad barbecued the kal-bi that Mom made for us, and Dad and I went to mass on Sunday before I headed back to Little Rock.  Whew!  We fit quite a bit into just two days! 

I'd thought about driving to Nashville instead of Huntsville this weekend so that I could visit with Mark, Jackie, and Griffin.  Unfortunately, the timing is bad.  Jackie has to work this weekend, and Mark will be busy packing up the house for their move.  Instead, I may be able to see Mark and Griffin for a short visit when Mark brings Griffin down to Huntsville to spend the weekend with Jackie's mom, Linda.   Fingers crossed...

Happy Friday, everyone--I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

Laughter is the best medicine...

image by Bill Watterson via Faith and Theology

Oh, how I used to LOVE Calvin and Hobbes...and still do...

Thanks to the power of Facebook, Betty White will be hosting SNL on 8 May!!

Cringeworthy (but FUNNY!) blog

Yes, the humor can be low-brow, but Bruce and I laugh out loud when we watch this and this

My brother, Billy, posted this cute video to his Facebook page

NPR's "Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!" and "Car Talk" keep me laughing on Saturday mornings

David Sedaris' humor is brutally honest, sardonic, witty, and absolutely side-splitting.  His books are wonderful, but listening to him read his writings is priceless.

I know it's silly, but this commercial makes me laugh everytime.

Do good, feel good

image via grow.cook.eat

I loved Ashley's post on Tuesday--what a great message.  It's so true that while a good deed makes the recipient feel good, the giver gets just as much (if not more) joy from the act...sometimes I get so caught up in the craziness that is my life and I forget that. 

So I'm echoing Ashley's request:  go out and do something nice for someone today--pay the toll for the person in the car behind you...call your mother-in-law just to say hi...share your umbrella with someone who doesn't have one...compliment your waitress to her manager...mail a sweet handwritten note to your grandmother to let her know that you miss her (or better yet, if you live close-by stop in for a visit)...sit down and color with your nephew...bake some brownies and bring them in to your office...

I hope that everyone has a beautiful day today.

Happy Birthday, Little Brother!

 Today is Mark's 32nd birthday.  Happy birthday--I love you!

I'm so ready for spring...

(images via han picked)

Have a lovely weekend...

(photo by Anna Aden)

Happy weekend, everyone!  I just finished a week of SARC (Sexual Assault Response Coordinator) training in preparation for the deployment in June.  It was a really good course--heavy subject matter, but a really important program that I'm excited to be a part of.  

I'm looking forward to heading to Huntsville for the weekend to visit with the family before coming  back to Little Rock for two more weeks of training (the S-1 course this time.)  I hope you all have a relaxing and fun weekend...

Like a fine wine...

...he only gets better with age.  :-)  Today is my handsome hubby, Bruce's, birthday.

Happy birthday, Love.  They're countless, but in honor of your 35th birthday here are 35 reasons that I love you:

1.  I love that you don’t hog the blankets ... too much
2. I love the way you can always make me smile and laugh – even when I’m mad at you
3. I love the way I can always be myself around you
4. I love when you call me beautiful – even if I’m just in track pants with no make up
5. I love the way you love your family
6. I love when you hold my hand while we're driving
7. I love that you're honest with me – even when it’s something I don’t want to hear
8. I love how you don’t try to change me
9. I love when we curl up on the couch to watch movies and cuddle
10. I love that you have dinner ready for us when I get home late from work
11. I love your sense of adventure
12. I love your thirst for knowledge
13. I love when you surprise me
14. I love that you have never ended a phone conversation without telling me you miss me or you love me
15. I love that you're as helpful as therapy, but you never charge me for it
16. I love how sure you are of yourself and what you believe in
17. I love that you’re never boring
18. I love that you open the door for me whenever we get into a car
19. I love that you’re a people person, and talk to anyone and everyone
20. I love the way you always reason your arguments about everything
21. I love your willingness to try new things
22. I love your brains – intelligence is sexy
23.  I love that you love to travel
24.  I love how passionate you are about scuba diving and CrossFit
25.  I love that you clean Lucy's litter box so that I don't have to
26.  I love when you text me just to say hello
27.  I love that you're the first person I want to talk to when I have news
28.  I love that you love to read as much as I do
29.  I love that you're a loyal friend
30.  I love that you say "bless you" every time I sneeze
31.  I love that when I want dessert you have some, too, even though you don't really want it--just so that I won't feel too guilty
32.  I love that you inspire me to get out of my comfort zone and try new things
33.  I love that you'll watch a chick flick with me and (usually) not complain
34.  I love that you'll come to bed and lay down with me until I fall asleep even though you're not tired yet
35.  I love that you're my best friend
(And one more to grow on...)
36.  I love that you're 2 years older than me! ;-)

 Happy Birthday, Sweets!

How Genetics Work

Joanna posted this on her blog today and it made me laugh out loud!  It's been a long week of 12+ hour training days (and it's not over 'til Saturday afternoon!), so I was very ready for a smile...

image via Casanova Wong

There's no place like home...especially when it smells like cinnamon rolls!

(photo via Pinch My Salt)

Last night Bruce and I got back from our 10-day road trip around the Northwest visiting his family and some of our friends.  It was wonderful to get away and we had such a great time, but it's so nice to be home!

I saw Nicole's post about her heart-shaped cinnamon rolls and thought that they look so pretty and yummy!  I just may have to try my hand at these this weekend...

A Poem for Friday

 

(photo by Jenny Litchfield)

 
This Is Just To Say 

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

-William Carlos Williams

Hello, Weekend!

photo by Jesús Manuel Nieto Bobadilla

Bruce and I are going away for a few days away to visit with his parents.  We're heading to his doctor this morning to see if they'll okay a walking boot (fingers crossed!), then up to Moscow (Idaho) to visit with his Dad and Judy for a few days.  After that, we'll make the trip up to the Seattle area to visit with his Mom (and to drive up to Vancouver to take in the Olympic sights) before coming back home through Boise to visit with his brother, Jay....Whew!....I'm definitely looking forward to some time away, but I think I'll need a vacation just THINKING about all of the driving on this trip!  Good thing we're both big fans of roadtrips...

I'll post some photos when we get back.  In the meantime, I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

(P.S. How lovely is this photo?!  I adore it...AND it's free for download.  The image is available on Oh Brooke and I found the link on Little Green Notebook. )

Not quite Friday (but almost!)

(photo via annierudenphotography.com)

Just one more day 'til the weekend!  I can make it...I can make it...I can make it...

Blah

image via dazeychic

Happy Anniversary!

Today is my parents' 35th wedding anniversary...congratulations, Mom and Dad--I love you!

Thank goodness it's Friday!

rainbow bookshelf image via www.freshome.com

I know I've been out of touch for the last week.  Work didn't leave me much free time this week...and, unfortunately, I've got to be at Camp Williams from 6 to noon tomorrow, as well.  Sigh...

Still, I'm looking forward to slowing things down a bit this weekend...and I LOVE Fridays.  I typically work a four tens schedule and get every Friday off (if you don't count the fact that I bring my work computer home with me most weekends!) 

Some potential weekend plans:

Nervous about (but looking forward to) today's WOD at CrossFit UV

Dinner with Katie tonight

Big gymnastics meet at the U tonight

Take in a movie with the handsome hubby...and maybe catch a star sighting!

January is National "Learn a Snow Sport Month"...you can learn to ski for less on the greatest snow on earth!

Catch this weekend's episode of  one of my favorite NPR shows, "Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!" (Saturday at 11 AM on KUER...and of course, if you miss the broadcast, you can download the podcast.)  One of my college roommates, Jen Miller, will be a contestant this week!

I've got a project for my dressing room I'd like to get started on

Long run this Sunday (gotta get ready for the big event!)

Would really like to finish up my current bedside reading, since I've got my eye on a few new books...

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend!