Reflections on 3 Weeks with a 10 year old

When I first agreed to the idea of my nephew coming to stay, I mostly visualized these activities:

I totally got the jackpot on the Storm Chaser 3 times!!

Aw bumper boats!

Sometimes this is the only way they'll shower!

Setting things on fire is also fun!

Loved it!

 But it also came with having him around all the time. Like really, ALL the time (Insert Julia's parent friends comment: Yeah, duh!) because he didn't want to stay in our second bedroom, lovingly termed the crap room which is called thus because it's our storage room, so he was always out in the living room. I had to deal with making sure he brushed his teeth, discipline him when too silly or ornery, comforting him when he was sick and consoling him when he missed home (although parents a facetime call away was certainly helpful).

Eric was happy to get a card from home

But there were other great things I hadn't anticipated, like reading scriptures and saying prayers together. Eric showed really good understanding of what scriptures were saying and asked good questions when he didn't know something. It reminded me of what I have learned over the years and allowed me to remember knowledge and teachings I had taken for granted. We got the chance to pray for help when he lost his wallet and had our answer by finding it.

So, while it's great to have the dungeon apartment back to ourselves, I'm gonna miss my cute little errand boy and look forward hopefully having my own ten year old someday :D

Love this silly guy!

Brian's Cake Monstrocity

In May of this year I was scrolling through my newsfeed on Facebook, a usual activity after work, when I came across this glorious cake. A Reese's Overload Cake. I was anticipating the end of the school year and a glorious summer of baking and exercising (such a realistic combination, I know...) and I thought that this cake would make a perfect birthday cake for Brian.

On a side note, I have notice with friends and family that people with summer birthdays tend to feel neglected because none of their friends were available for parties or their family would go out of town on their birthday and it becomes kind of a looked-over thing. A similar thing happens for Christmas birthdays and people born in September, right when school starts or is in it's first few week. They get lost in the shuffle. Brian felt that way about his birthday too, so I always try to do something special to help him feel excited. I tend to buy his presents way in advance and so he constantly bothers me all month to know what they are and hopefully excitement builds all month. Although the first year we were married I got him the Lord of the Rings trilogy on blu-ray and I was so excited for him I let him open it as soon as it came in the mail at the beginning of the month and we watched it all month and then we went to San Diego for his actual birthday.

Anyway, back to the cake. Brian love Reese's peanut butter cups, so I thought that it would be the perfect cake to make for him. In the back of my mind all summer I planned to make it for him. Look how pretty and delicious it looked!

The thing is, I never really looked all that closely at the recipe. I didn't realize how much work it involved, but that was for future Julia to worry about. Then my nephew came to visit. He was a blast to have around and was definitely a cure for summer boredom, but it also meant I never really gave another thought to the cake. Birthday presents were ordered and wrapped and all the ingredients were bought for the cake, but still, I hadn't looked into the process much. 

On Brian's birthday, I started a crockpot meal to eat later and set it aside. And let's face it, dilly-dallied away the morning with my nephew playing video games and such. So in the afternoon, I started mixing the cake and baked it. The cake was delicious! It tasted like a giant peanut butter cookie. But it was taking too long to cool! I needed the pan to make the middle layer! Then it occurred to me....I probably should have made the cake portions the night before. Ack! I mixed the middle layer, which was basically a simplified cheesecake (Did I mention I'd never made a cheesecake, but I was magically confidant that it would turn out great?!) and the cakes still weren't cool enough, so I thought, oh well it's not going to be perfect and had Brian help me take the cake out of the pans. They were a crumpled mess, but I thought, "I'll just fill in the holes with frosting... it'll be fine....!"  Here is the progression of that logic in pictures:

Yeah, just cover that in frosting. It'll be fine!

That's the cheesecake layer smushed on top.

The cheesecake layer tasted great! But alas I also didn't give it enough time to cool and I understood now why they're often cooked in springform pans. However the recipe didn't mention cooking it in a springform pan so I thought this one might be special... wrong.

We'll just cover that mess in some frosting...all better!

See now that doesn't look horrible...wait yes it does.

More healing frosting. That'll do the trick!

Umm, it looks ok.

Except for this part.

Meh, we'll go with it!

A week later and frozen, it definitely doesn't look like that first picture from facebook.

  So, it never looked very pretty, but it tasted great!! And Brian says that's more important to him anyway. If I want pretty, I need to do more advance preparation, but advance preparation with cooking is one of my least favorite things! I like to just go in and get it done in one big hurrah, so until I master that part of my personality, this is what the results are going to be I guess.

Lemon Sunday

Last Sunday I went on a recipe craze. I found some good food blogs and pick some recipes to try. I only managed to make one of them this week....But today I went crazy with some of the lemon recipes I found last week. I made a simple lemon sweet rolls from pre-made crescent roll dough. (Recipe here) They were ok. I think it's important to get the right kind of crescent roll dough, so that it complements the filling.

Lemon Sweet Rolls

One of my favorite treats when I go to San Diego is the Lemon Shortbread cookies from the Champagne Bakery. They're ginormous and have a delectable glaze frosting that makes the cookie. It really is an indulgence because these cookies are like a $1.25 a cookie!! So I've tried to make some myself. One version I tried last year crumbled too easily, so I tried to make another kind today. They only had 5 ingredients which helps me to not mess them up. (Recipe here) I topped them with the same glaze I put on the lemon sweet roll, which consisted of lemon juice and powdered sugar mixed to the right consistency. Here's what they ended up looking like. 

Normal-ish

Not really sure what happened to this poor soul

Finished Product!

 They're pretty tasty but I think next time, I'll work more on making them look prettier.

Race Day!

I didn't post before the race because I didn't really train very much the last two weeks. I got that cold and then stomach flu over spring break. Needless to say, health was not on my side. Though I didn't formally train, I did try to incorporate walking into what I did. Like I took my niece Rachel on a walking tour of BYU and took my niece Caitlin on a walk at Bridal Veil falls.

The really happy thing was back in December I took my grandma on a walking tour of BYU and I was pretty winded after looking at just a few things. This time I was going and going and ready to do more. It showed that my training was helping even if the effects are still minimal.

This last week, I only made it to the gym once. It was really the week of babysitting. I have some friends trying to find a house to buy as their's has pretty much been sold, so I babysat twice for them and once for another friend.

Brian practicing his daddy skills :)

Babysitting still felt like a workout. Lots of stairs, lot's of holding and comforting... definitely a workout! I feel for all my mommy friends and all their mommy muscles. So the day of the race dawned cold and overcast. Not a bad day for a race. The race started at Spanish Fork High School and looped around the the nearby Spanish Fork sports complex. We got to go on trail by the river. We were pretty much the last people in the race, but we were more concerned with finishing than trying to catch up with anyone. We made it to the end and though I'm tired, I'm not dying and my knee seems to be doing ok. So despite the mess of health issues interrupting my training, we still did pretty well.

At the beginning

The finish with some of the racers left

Race is all done and I'm happy in my chair

Now I'm pretty happy just sitting in my armchair for the next couple of hours. But Brian say that eBay is doing a 5K for the grand opening of their new building in May... Next goal!!!!

Week 3 was a bust!!

It's not usually good if you wake up looking like this....

Last Saturday I woke up with crazy hair. What I didn't know was that it was a sign of what was to come. Clearly I didn't have restful sleep! And it turned out there was a reason. I had worked with a student that was very sick that week and I caught it! It started out pretty subtly. I was tired and had a strange headache all day. I sneezed a few times on the way to babysitting some cute kids for a friend. I was ok while babysitting, but as soon as we left I started sneezing like crazy and really felt a bad cold coming on. (Thankfully the kiddos didn't get sick!!)

Sunday was awful!!! I had horrible fevers all day and couldn't relax. I drank lots of fluids and ate a bunch of cuties (those mini oranges that are soooo good). But nothing took the edge off. It was so bad, I knew there was no way I was going to get better enough to go to work the next day. This is a pretty big deal then, because I don't get paid sick days, so I never stay home from work. I usually try to tough it out the best I can or try to work a half-day at least, but that was just not happening. The only good thing that came from being sick is that I discovered this awesome little BBC show on Netflix called "Call the Midwife". It's based on the memoirs of a nurse/midwife that worked in London's East End in the 1950s.

The second season is now playing on PBS!!!

Monday I woke up feeling significantly better, but still pretty bad. Staying home from work really helped though. Brian got me some grapes, which is my go-to sick food. I also made myself a big vat of chicken soup and that helped a lot! I was able to go to work the rest of the week though my health seemed to be hanging on a precarious balance. My ears were strange all week and I kept fearing that my cold would turn into an earache. Thankfully that has not happened, but as a result I didn't walk AT ALL this week. Unless you count today where I walked several times around my grandmother's neighborhood with my nephew who is really into running right now.

I still have two weeks though and I'm going to keep working on it this week. I'm on Spring Break so I have time to work on my goals, but my brother is in town with all his kids and I plan to spend time with each of them. (If you're a facebook friend you've probably already seen a bunch of pictures with me and the nieces and nephews.)

So a lot of my friends have expressed wishes that they could come to the 5K, but they don't live locally. If you can't come, but wish to still contribute to the cause then here is a link to donate directly to the family.

http://hopeforholland413.blogspot.com/

Also, since it's Sunday here's a more spiritual version of Holland's story from the BYU newspaper.

Holland's BYU Universe Story

The Rough Patch

Everybody has rough patches in their lives. If you think you know someone who hasn't then you just don't know them well enough.  Rough patches can be long and they can be short, but they totally happen and no one is immune. For example, I have had a few people in my life that are dear to me who have recently lost their unborn babies. These were babies that were supposedly past the first "viability" stage and close to being able to tell gender. This is heartbreaking for these families and it will definitely be a rough patch in their lives.

I had a short rough patch this week with my 5K goals. I caught some kind of stomach bug and my knee started aching with all the stairs I had to go up and down on Monday and Tuesday. On top of that, it seemed like every meeting I went to for work, the important people didn't bother to show up. Grrr. Therefore, I took Monday and Tuesday off from walking the mile in order to get better. I compromised telling myself that I would start my 2 mile week early to make up for the missed days. But it was hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you feel like throwing up every 10 minutes, but you have to go to work anyway and smile like everything is fine so you don't scare the children.

But like every rough patch, eventually you get through it and things start to turn around. My stomach bug was finally gone today, my knee didn't hurt when I woke up and an appointment I didn't have hope was going to work out ended up working out alright. I went to the gym and was able to walk 2 miles in 42 minutes. Considering my goal is to finish the 5K in less than an hour, this is a good starting point.

So like every rough patch, long or short, it has come to an end. My heart mourns for those close to me who are still going through their rough patches and have a while yet to see the end of theirs. My friends that I am supporting in the 5K are going through their own rough patch and I'm glad to help support them through it. My friend Bryan, Holland's dad, posted a video from Elder Bednar's CES fireside from earlier this month. It's a great message to help you get through rough patches no matter the outcome and Bryan said that it has been a message of peace to help them through. If you're in a rough patch, I hope you'll watch it and take it for the message it was meant to be.

Week 1 is Done!!

My first week of 5K practice has gone well! I walked a mile everyday except for Friday and today. I took a day off on Friday because we had an early St. Patrick's day celebration with friends. All home cooked goodness by Brian's friend Spencer that was too good to pass up. It kind of took up my walking time, but that's ok. The food was super good!

Lamb Stew, Soda Bread, Irish Cheese and Corned Beef!

It's also ok, because I made up for it on Saturday by dragging Brian out with me and walking a mile on the Provo River trail near our apartment. Brian was ok with getting up early because he has to get back into the habit since he got a job at eBay!! Hooray, but he still has two weeks before he starts, so a little more lazy time for him :)

Provo River with morning sunlight :)

Brian is trying to run away. Stinker. 

We had a good time walking and it was excellent practice walking on hard asphalt with the inclines like it will probably be for the 5K.  With the treadmill at the gym I can cheat a little and walk with no incline  or hold onto the rails when I get tired, but on the trail it's all on my own and I have to deal with unlevel ground. But Brian let me hold his hand, so I can at least count on that to help through the 5K!

In reflection on this last week, I've been really happy doing my mile each day. I can't say it's always been convenient or that I've lost weight, but my clothes are fitting better and it's been easier to climb stairs, so it's definitely worth the mild inconvenience of taking the time to go to the gym.

If you want to join the 5K, but think you have to run to participate, let me reiterate that I will be walking. You do not have to run the 5K, though many people will. Walking at a brisk pace is perfectly acceptable, so it you want to join Hope for Holland's 5K, I will be happy and proud to walk along with you. The link to register is below. Onward and Upward people!!

http://runnercard.com/e/runner.Main?meet=4612  

Progress!!!

Day 2 of 5 Weeks for 5K...

This is the pinkish and tired face of a gal who shaved 3 minutes off her mile time!!! Also to serve as a baseline picture. We'll see if I skinny up a bit after my 5 week challenge. But for viewers sake, we'll stick with the face. Brian can enjoy the rest.

Speaking of my dear husband Brian... He's also part of the impetus for my working out. When I signed up for the 5K he kind of chortled at me like, "Are you sure you want to do this? Remember walking just that mile at your brother's house the other day?" Of course he'd never say that, because he enjoys living without bruises. But he did imply that he would do better than me on the 5K because he walks so much more. That might have been true a few months ago, but since he graduated in December and been on the job hunt (good leads lately, hopefully he'll be gainfully employed soon), I'd say I've definitely been walking more than him. So part of this quest is to show Brian up.

Keeping in mind the real focus of why I'm doing this, here's a video the 5K organizer made to show the world Holland and her smile all through battling cancer. If you don't tear up a little at this brave girl, then you may have a heart of stone. I would check on that if I were you.

5 Weeks for a 5K!

Young Family

If you're a facebook friend of mine, you may have seen some posts the last couple of months about the Young family. Holland Young is only 3 years old and last year as her family found out they were having their second baby, Holland started having bad headaches and throwing up. They found out she had brain tumors. At her young age, she has already had 5 surgeries to fight her cancer. After the last one they started her on chemotherapy. All of these procedures have ran up bills and have been tough for this young family to handle. A friend of the family organized a 5K to help raise money to help. Holland's dad is a friend of mine from grad school and work, so I was happy to sign up.

The problem: I am super out of shape. Last summer I seriously tried to lose weight, but it wasn't working. I found out later that I had been pregnant at the time. I had a miscarriage which seriously messed with my hormones. I've gotten all of that back on the right track, but doing so hasn't been so good for the weight loss challenge. I see this 5K as an opportunity to help a friend and try to kick-start my fight against weight again with a level of seriousness that hasn't been there for a few years.

I told myself that in 5 weeks I was going to be able to walk that 5K without looking ridiculous. This goal may seem vague, but the other day I walked only a mile with my brother...and I looked ridiculous. So I have 5 weeks to turn this around. I told myself to start slow and master the mile again. I've never been a good runner. My knees have been against me since middle school and let's tell the truth, I was in Adaptive P.E. when I was a kid because I showed slight delays in my gross motor skills. A few years ago I lost a lot of weight and was able to get my mile run down to 11 minutes. Now by a good runner's standard, that's not super impressive, but for me it was good enough. I used to be able to run/jog/walk 8 miles on the beach in San Diego just 4 years ago when I could run the 11 minute mile. So, I'm going to start with the mile. I'm giving myself 2 weeks to work on the mile, then 2 weeks to work on 2 miles and then the last week I will tackle 3 miles in preparation for the 5K.  

I started today by going to the gym and I walked my mile. It took me 23 minutes with 11:30 being the half mile. I'm going to slowly get that time down and report on this blog how I'm doing. Go 5 weeks for the 5K!!!

If you live in or around the Utah County area and are interested in joining the Hope for Holland 5k, here is the link for the facebook event page:

https://www.facebook.com/events/150066688488115/

and the link to register if you're not a facebooker:

http://runnercard.com/e/runner.Main?meet=4612