run run run.

I have been running pretty regularly for the last 5 years.  I love it.  It is a huge release for me.  I put my ear buds in, put the leash on my loyal running partner Kirby and we hit the road.  It really clears my head and put things into perspective.  (Sometimes, Trent sends me out because he knows we I get back I am in better shape than when I left.)

Kirby is a great runner, he keeps up with me, pushes me to run harder and he tries to make so many friends around town.  He is a such a great dog, but for sure keeps me on my toes.

I normally run by myself (with Kirby) but when I run with Trent, my Dad or Mary Jane the running takes on a whole meaning.

Trent isn't so much of a talker whilst running, but it is fun running with him because...
a. he cracks me up
b. it is fun to encourage each other
c. he is such a trooper!

When I run with my Dad and MJ we talk the whole time.  We cover every subject.  Our ability to chat so much probably indicates that we do not run hard enough, but it sure is fun.  We even run silly half marathons just talking and talking.  We also document every race.  People around us find us to be annoying.  We just think it is nice to do all of this running with people you enjoy.  Toward the end of the race is when dad breaks into his ridiculous jokes to keep us going.  They have saved me on more than one occasion.

Regardless of if it is Kirby, Trent, Dad or MJ...it is good for the body and good for the soul. 

Hope you have something that kinda makes your life:)

xoxo

ps horse walked into a bar....:) love you, dad.

mail. i love mail. don't you?

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I love checking the mail...well that isn't entirely true.  I love checking the mail when I know there will be super fun things in it.  When we were getting the RSVP cards back for the wedding, I raced to the mail.  I loved reading what people wrote on them, sooo fun!  When there isn't anything fun in there (fun being cards, checks, packages from amazon) I find checking the mail to be annoying.  We have an old mail slot that goes into this little box with a door, this enables me to leave the no fun mail in there for sometimes weeks at a time.  It gets so bad that eventually the mail pushes the door open and the junk mail is all over the porch...I feel this really looks lovely when my in laws come over and they see our mail spewed out all over the place.  OH WELL.

For some reason I was thinking about mail which led me to this thought, I bet other people really love getting happy mail too.  I think I will start making people enjoy checking their mail, like when they were younger!!  Do you remember being little and always wanting to check the mail?! I always wanted to, am I a freak?  Probably.  Moving on...check your mailboxes, I think a happy leap year card is coming your way...or maybe a hope your day was swell card or maybe just a super fun postcard with a weird photo on the front!  GET EXCITED!  I know I am:)

xoxox

SUPER BOWL!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, I am not a big sports fan. I am not about to lie to you.  Trent loves football.  He will watch whatever game is on.  We have gone to some colts games and that is enjoyable.  I love people watching and Trent likes my RIDICULOUS commentary.  He is a good husband.
Check out those prime seats ^ ^ ^ ^  We were kinda high up but the tickets were so very cheap!  PLUS better to people watch:)

ANYWAYS, sorry for getting off track this post is about the super bowl.  Not even so much the Super Bowl but the super fun time had in the Super Bowl Village and the NFL Experience.  We debated going and on the Friday before we decided, the Super Bowl comes to Indiana maybe once ever so we had to go.  Travis the great brother of mine met us downtown.  While waiting for his friends we wandered around the village.  There was tons of people downtown and the energy was AMAZING. Everyone was so excited and enjoying being downtown.  The city was dressed in all things Super Bowl.


Sadly the only famous person we saw was Debby Knox from the local CBS news.  If you weren't from Indiana you would not have known she was famous.  The boys really enjoyed drinking beer on the street and also that they were drinking in what used to be Nordstrom...or maybe I enjoyed that.  Who knows.  Either way, it happened, awesome right?  Okay, it probably isn't.


There was a ton of stuff to do downtown.  Lots of concerts, activities, race cars and EVEN a fire dancer!!!!  Although I was too short and couldn't see the fire dancer, the boys said it was AWESOME!
OH and a zipline!  Totally fun, right?!

We also went to the NFL experience.  Trent LOVED it.  Lots of memorabilia, tons of stuff for little kids to do.  We didn't have any children with us so we didn't participate in that fun but it did look like a darn good time! The photo above was the only photo taken at the Experience...as you can see it really showed off the experience (please take note of the sarcasm in that last statement).  There was all sorts of awesome things but at that moment the camera would not turn on.  So lame.

We had an amazing time and if the Super Bowl returns to our lovely state we will for sure return for another outing!  LOVED IT!!!  Hope you were able to go too!
xoxo

mmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!

So to beat a dead horse to death, one of my resolutions was to cook a new meal every week.  Maybe I haven't posted 4 times a week on life and other little musings but I have cooked a new meal or sometimes multiple new meals a week.  Thank you, Pinterest!  My stack of recipe cards is growing like crazy!  I have been super lucky with only one being a dud.  I was a total loser and didn't document any of the food we've made ...NEXT WEEK I WILL! So you must look at the original photos that I did.

1.  Our first recipe was Alfredo Sauce using Greek Yogurt instead of using heavy cream and cream cheese. I always try to cook as healthy as possible and Trent is a sucker for Alfredo.  I do use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth but most everything is the same.  Sometimes I add fresh pressed garlic for a little different taste.  I also LOVE to half the recipe and then use the rest of the sauce for white pizza...did I mention Trent loves Alfredo?!

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2.  Spicy Thai Noodles.  Super easy, Super delish.  On this one, I was lazy and didn't include the carrots, nuts or cilantro.  Regardless, even without that so darn good!  Next time I will cut the oil down a bit but still so very tasty! Oh and there is a really cute printable recipe card...was that lame to mention?  We paired this with the next lovely item on the list...

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3.Baked Coconut Shrimp = Heaven on EARTH!  So very good!!!!  Pretty darn easy too.  I didn't change this recipe at all...well I didn't make the pineapple salsa...is that changing the recipe?  If so, sorry.  Trent hates pineapple and really pineapple and jalapeno does not seem appealing to me either.  Takes a little time to coat each one but so worth it!  If you have ever bought these frozen, there is a lot of ingredients.  These little homemade suckers only have 4!!!

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4.  Rolo Cookies well I really should change that to Dove Cookies.  I think Dove's with caramel is WAY better than Rolos...and at the time I first made these I couldn't find Rolos at  Target.  Lucky me.  So anyways, these cookies are gooey and tasty and soo very chocolately.  I, of course, cut the oil from 1/3 cup to a 1/4 cup.  The easiest recipe ever. PLEASE MAKE THESE!!!  DELISH!

Alright kids, that is what we are up to!  I will share more recipes soon, I am sure 4 is plenty for one post:)

xoxoxox

the happy sadders...yes, sadders.

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Like the rest of the world I am completely obsessed with pinterest...but that is another post.  Anyways, someone pinned this quote and it just really resonated with me.  I repinned, and tried to move on but kept thinking about it.  This nagging feeling that I just wanted to express more about it, lucky you.  

This little quote is exactly how I feel.  Completely happy and so very sad.  I felt for a while maybe it was just me or my little family and then I read this.  It hit me...probably most of us are both happy and sad.  We all have heartbreak or loss or just discontent in some regard and yet are so very happy.  It is very confusing but really explains life, this darn roller coaster ride of life.  In reality there will always be ups and downs and hopefully there is more happiness than sadness.  

I think in this world we live in, it is so easy to think that everyone is so incredibly happy, that their lives are perfect.  Blogs we read and posts on facebook perpetuate the idea that everything is rosy.  (DISCLAIMER: there are also those people who are always complaining via those avenues...clearly this isn't about them.)  I am going to try to not compare my life to others, I don't do it a lot but reading blogs you do get the idea that everything is perfect and wonderful for these people.  I know I make a point on Facebook to never complain or post negativity.  I love sharing our happiness but will never share to the mass of Facebook our blah moments.  I have shared things here, but for me, potentially no one but my loved ones will read this.  Most of them already know.  Also, I want a record of our of marriage both the good and the bad.  

So what is the point, what do I plan to do?  I think it is best, in the wise words of Plato...Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.  I am working hard on this because we really have no idea what is happening in other people's lives...maybe they are happy sadders too...or just sadders.  So for this snapshot in life, we are working hard to be kind and only focus on our lives...or at least I am, not sure if Trent is but I have a feeling he is too :)