The Daily Details

No Place to Call Home

2012-02-15T13:56:00.004+01:00

The Colorado Sky

Where are you from?

It's a simple pleasantry but I don't have a simple answer.

I've started saying The West.

That answer doesn't get the simple oh okay response.

What do you mean you're from The West?

Well, I've lived in most of the western states but I can't claim one as home.

A close friend said she thought I'm from California. Well, the Army happened to send use there for four years and I have five other years I can add on to that. Nine years out of 36. Does that make California home? My parents live there and we go back at least once a year. Now is it home?

But I've lived in Europe for seven years. One school year in Spain, and three different Army posts in Germany. Am I almost as European as I am Californian?

When we returned to the States for Christmas there were some things that bothered me. Things are changing or maybe it's just me.

The mall may as well be the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. Vendors constantly harass you as you walk through. No, I do not want my hair put in ringlets. No, I don't want to try your hand lotion. No, I don't want a spritz of your perfume. No, I don't want a sample of your food. No, no, no! If I wanted something I would approach you. So I use my Grand Bazaar strategies. I don't make eye contact. I don't look in their direction. I walk quickly. Kenny went so far as to tell a vendor in the airport (maybe Philadelphia) that he's an American. I'm sure the guy was bewildered and didn't at all understand that we just didn't want to be harassed. It's becoming normal in America.

After I navigated my way through the pushy vendors I then had to deal with pushy salespeople. Yes I'll take the jeans, but no I don't need a top or a belt to go with them. If I wanted those things I would have been shopping for them on my own.

Then there's the parking lot. The vehicles are huge! Why do we need such large vehicles? In Sacramento our airplane taxied by the parking lot. Just about every vehicle was a pickup or an SUV.

At the risk of sounding like an old fuddy duddy, the fashion is tasteless. Leggings are not pants. You are not classy because you threw on a pair of UGGs and a designer bag with your leggings. Unless you're at the gym, cover your bottom.

People are on the phone all of the time. Kenny says I have an iPhone addiction. It's probably true. I like to respond promptly to texts and Facebook comments, but I don't talk constantly. After eavesdropping quite a bit in the airport I decided that most people's conversations are pointless. They're not even really saying anything.

People look hard and tough. Kenny said he could take me to some neighborhoods in Europe where I would feel uncomfortable but for the most part I feel pretty safe walking around. It was intimidating walking around San Francisco. Hoodies and tattoos and piercings became armor. I walked a little faster and wondered if I needed something to make me look tough too.

As strange as it felt in America, I don't feel at home in Europe either.

I don't think I could call a place home if I don't speak the language perfectly. It's just too much work to try to understand and make myself understood. If I can't relax, I'm not at home.

Everything is closed all of the time. Kenny wanted to shop for ice skates for Sophia. He got there at 7:45 but they had closed at 7:30. There is no shopping on Sunday.

There's a lot of peer pressure to have everything just so. Germans are meticulous with their housekeeping, gardens, and even their cars. I never quite feel like I measure up.

It's hard to find vegetarian food, especially in smaller towns.

The clothes just don't fit right, and it's hard to find 30-something clothes. It seems like things go from super trendy teens/twenties stuff to old lady with not much in the middle.

It is really crowded. I never noticed how closed in I felt until we got to Colorado and I felt like the sky opened up and I could breathe.

There's no such thing as a line. Everybody crowds together and pushes to the front. You have to eye the gang to know your place and then be assertive about taking it.

Kenny has been in the Army for over 11 years. He can retire at 20. I sometimes ask him if he thinks we'll settle down in a forever home. He thinks we might. But where? There's no clear place to go but I'm willing to bet it will be in the West. If I could take Portland's restaurant scene, combine it with Boulder's outdoor culture and blue sky, and add a handful of family and friends then I think I could call that place my forever home.

Food for My Valentines

2012-02-14T22:25:00.000+01:00

Inspired by Pinterest - veryculinary.com

Participating in Jamie Eason's 12-Week Body Challenge has made me a little bit of a party pooper lately when it comes to food. We eat a lot of really healthy dinners that usually consist of a veggie meat, a veggie like broccoli, and a grain like quinoa. Very, very healthy. Nobody's complaining too much but I sense a general lack of enthusiasm.

So, for Valentine's Day today I tried to make a few special treats, most of them inspired by Pinterest. I'm supposed to eat a serving of berries every morning for breakfast. This morning I stuffed raspberries with white chocolate chips. Delicious and pretty too.

Inspired by Pinterest - griffithsrated.blogspot.com

This afternoon I surprised Sophia and Kenny with these Pretzel Buttons. You can find the recipe here, but really it's easy. Just melt Hershey's Hugs over pretzels and place an M&M on the top while the Hugs are still warm. The hardest part is unwrapping all of the Hugs.

I made a "Chicken" Pot Pie special by topping it with heart-shaped pie crust. The recipe comes from my Soul to Soul cookbook that my parents gifted to my grandparents in 1977.

Chicken Pot Pie
Serves 4-6

1 cup chicken-like vegetable protein
Extra virgin olive oil
2 small onions, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 small potatoes, diced
2 large carrots, diced
3 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoons chicken-style seasoning
Salt to taste
1 cup frozen green peas
7-Minute Pie Crust (Recipe follows)

Sauté in oil the onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic for 15 minutes. Add potatoes, carrots, and vegetable protein, and sauté for 10 more minutes. Add remaining ingredients except peas and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Add peas and cook until cooked through. Remove from heat. Line deep pan with pie crust. Pour in filling. Cover with top pie crust (or hearts!), slashing 2-3 gashes on top to let off steam. Bake at 350F for 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

7-Minute Pie Crust
This is my mom's favorite pie crust recipe. The original recipe calls for shortening but I prefer to use butter. I've also updated the instructions to be food processor friendly.

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup warm water

Pulse flour salt and butter together in a food processor until it's the consistency of cornmeal. Gradually pulse in the water. Shape into a round ball and let rest in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Roll out into desired size adding a little flour if it's too sticky.

Makes two standard pie crusts.

Birdies
When I was little we always made Birdies with leftover pie dough. Sophie and I made them today.

Leftover pie dough
Butter
Sugar
Cinnamon

Roll out leftover pie dough. Spread with butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Cut into strips and roll. Bake at 350F until golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.

Jamie Eason's 12-Week Body Challenge - Week 5 Results

2012-02-13T15:06:00.000+01:00

After this week I'll be halfway done with Jamie Eason's 12-Week Body Challenge. Here's how it's going:

Just over two pounds lost.
About 7 inches lost.

Clothes are getting bigger. Need to go down a pants size. Ready for shorts and tank tops. Oh, that's not for another four months or so.

Getting stronger. Was able to do a set of overhand pull-ups with the blue band today. Cranked out the other two sets easily with the green band.

Ran into a guy from the gym in the produce section of the Commissary. He noticed that I workout everyday and he said it's worth it, I'm in good shape. Made me feel good!

Best running song today was Eminem's Mosh. My happy memory association is that this would play on long runs with only four miles and one long, steep hill to go until home. Makes me run faster, stronger.

Come along follow me as I lead through the darkness
As I provide just enough spark that we need to proceed
Carry on, give me hope, give me strength
Come with me and I won't steer you wrong
Put your faith and your trust as I guide us through the fog
To the light at the end of the tunnel
We gonna fight, we gonna charge, we gonna stomp, we gonna march
Through the swamp, we gonna mosh through the marsh
Take us right through the doors (c'mon)

A Real Life Organized Pantry

2012-02-12T22:14:00.000+01:00

I got tired of pantry items falling on my head so today's project was to organize my pantry. We've been living in this house for about six months now so I have a pretty good idea of what I use frequently.

My goal was to make the most of what I have. I can drool over beautiful pantries like these on Pinterest but they are NOT REAL. Real people do not use these pantries. These were set up to sell built-in shelving or to illustrate an article in a photo shoot.

storageracks.com

http://www.womansday.com/home/organizing/pantry-perfect-22348

We are a military family renting the home we're living in right now. Built-in shelving is not an option. I cook a lot. A just-for-show pantry is not an option. I need something that allows my daughter and her friends easy access to snacks and something that allows me to grab what I need quickly. My pantry has to hold food items as well as recycling and cleaning tools.

I don't have a lot of room in my kitchen or my pantry but I do have an extra kitchen upstairs and a storage closet in the basement. This is what I did to create a sane pantry:

Remove the pantry door. I didn't do this today. I had my husband do this as soon as we moved in. A door that opened up into the small kitchen blocking the refrigerator was a deal breaker. This created more space but also meant that my pantry has to look nice because people are going to see it. I put my GORM shelving units from IKEA off to the side so that the main view is of pretty aprons hanging from hooks made from silverware. The three compartment recycling sorter sits below. I used my label maker to mark glass, metal, and paper so that when guests come they aren't confused over what goes where.

Use stacking containers for pantry staples. I used Martha Stewart's Food Storage Sets to store things that I keep on hand all of the time like nuts, grains, and pasta. That way I avoid random bags and boxes and I'm able to neatly stack everything.
Use baskets for other awkward items. There is one basket for sweet snacks and one basket for savory snacks. These are put at kid level. I can trust my daughter to make good choices. I put baking supplies like coconut, chocolate chips, and specialty flours in baskets because I don't necessarily have these things on hand all of the time and they are a hodge podge of shapes and sizes. I also used a basket to store kitchen towels and rags.
Use bags and nails to get things off the floor. I have potato and onion storage bags that I hung along with our aprons. I also have a canvas shopping bag that contains plastic shoppings bags that I repurpose as kitchen trash bags. I hung cleaning tools like my broom, feather duster, and dust pans from nails to get them off of the floor.

Remove infrequently used items. My pantry is prime real estate. I can't waste space storing things I don't use all of the time. My 110 small appliances that I don't use often here in Germany got removed. Seasonal things like cookie cutters and sprinkles got removed. Drink containers and large serving pieces got removed. Happily I have that second kitchen where I can put extra things that I need occasionally.
Remove extras. I made neat rows of canned goods and filled the snack baskets. Any overflow got moved down to the basement. My shelves are not completely full. I didn't want to have to move one thing to get to another.
Throw away expired items. Check expiration dates on everything and throw out anything that is expired.

All of this got relocated.

My system isn't going to sell any shelving units or be featured in a magazine, but it is neat and efficient and hopefully things won't be falling on my head now.

3 Ways to Make Your Run Better

2012-02-10T16:51:00.000+01:00

Jamie Eason's 12 Week Body Challenge introduced cardio in addition to strength training this week. To avoid wasted time and wardrobe changes I've been running inside on the treadmill instead of running outside like I usually prefer to do. I absolutely hated it all week but today's run was better. Here are the things that helped me have a better run today.

Get 7.5-8 hours of sleep. I've had a busy week with lots of things going on in the evenings so I've been getting closer to 6.5 hours of sleep a night. Last night I made it a point to head upstairs at 10 to prepare for a 6 am alarm clock.
Wear good shoes. After spending the better part of last year training for a half-marathon and a marathon, 30 minutes on a treadmill didn't seem like that big of a deal so I just wore the black shoes I wear for strength training. They are worn out running shoes but I like them with dark workout pants. They help reduce the dork factor. Dork factor aside, today I packed my white speed training shoes. They chew up my feet on longer runs, but they are light and fast for shorter runs. What a difference! I didn't even look at my elapsed time until 16 minutes had gone by.
Listen to good music. It's a powerful memory trigger. Put upbeat songs with nice memories associated with them in your playlist. I've listened to my running playlist so much that I have happy running memories associated with different songs. Survivor's Eye of the Tiger means it's time to lace up and get started. Lady GaGa's The Edge of Glory means the marathon is almost over and I'm about to achieve my own personal glory. And, Bon Jovi's Bad Medicine means that I've just run three miles in record time. Today when Bad Medicine came on I smiled and felt like singing out loud. I restrained myself, but the song was a powerful happiness trigger that made my run better.

Fixing a Shaved Eyebrow

2012-02-09T19:37:00.003+01:00

I've been feeling out of sorts since we've been having cold weather like this:

Maybe my brain is frozen along with the landscape. I've walked into walls, forgotten my electronic devices at book club, and this morning I accidentally shaved off half of my eyebrow. I was going to groom them a bit and forgot to put the plastic guide over the blade of the trimmer.

I was preoccupied thinking about how it made my day that Kenny scraped my car windows before he left for work. He's a good Valentine! I appreciate all of the thoughtful little things he does. Then I shaved off half of my eyebrow and my morning was no longer quite so nice.

So, what to do?

I started by trimming my eyebrows appropriately. Then I pulled out this brow ex-press kit by Anastasia. It includes stencils for eyebrow shaping. I used a thinner stencil that I usually do, Thinner brows will fill in faster.

I had to go to the gym with a naked brow. After my workout I went to the PX and purchased a Lancôme eyebrow pencil. Unfortunately they didn't have a good color match. My natural brows are almost black, but if I filled them in with black they would look weird. So, I got Brunet, the darkest brown they had.

This is what I ended up with:

Not so great. Need practice with the pencil. The real brow looks too heavy. Probably need to find a makeup counter to get some help, but I don't know where to find one in Bamberg. Might need to head to Nürnberg. Or maybe now is a good time to cut those long bangs I've been admiring on Pinterest.

www.ew.com

www.pinterest.com

What would you do?

Snowman Soup

2012-02-08T20:28:00.000+01:00

Hot Cocoa Packet + Marshmallows + Hershey's Kisses + Candy Cane = Snowman Soup

Package it all up with a ribbon and a cute tag and you have a fun surprise to give your kids or hand out to friends.

Sophia made a bunch of bags with Grammy and Grampa when Kenny and I were in San Francisco. We carefully brought them back to Germany for her to hand out to her friends. We saved three for us to enjoy on a cold winter's day. This is a great way to use up those leftover candy canes from Christmas.

Quinoa Salad and Valentine's Fudge

2012-02-07T23:12:00.000+01:00

Quinoa Salad with Pears, Baby Spinach, and Chickpeas in a Maple Vinaigrette

Valentine's Conversation Hearts Fudge

My book club met tonight to talk about Girls' Poker Night by Jill A. Davis. We were a room full of pretty functional ladies discussing a group of pretty dysfunctional women. I think a lot of humor in the book was lost on me, but I really liked the idea that sometimes it takes courage to make positive changes in your life. I'm more likely to stay the course even if it is unpleasant because I already have it all figured out.

I of course took something healthy to eat. I found the recipe for this Quinoa Salad with Pears, Baby Spinach, and Chickpeas in a Maple Vinaigrette on Pinterest. It was originally posted by the Gluten-Free Goddess. I used a combination of regular quinoa and red quinoa. Several people were curious about what the grain was in the salad and how it's pronounced (keen-wa) and where to buy it here in Germany. Our Commissary doesn't sell it but we can find it in the Bio-Markts off post. I followed her advance preparation directions, dressing the quinoa first and then adding the rest of the ingredients. I liked it that way but I was afraid it was going to be a little dry so I took a jar of oil, balsamic, and a little salt so people could add dressing if they wanted.

I also found the recipe for the Valentine's Conversation Hearts Fudge on Pinterest. It is a Brach's recipe. You know, the candy maker. It was so cute I had to make it. The ingredients are really simple and no candy thermometer is required. It's pretty easy. I'm glad I have some leftover. I'm going to send some to school with Sophia for her friends. I think they will be delighted.

Book Club in 2012

Just about everybody at book club is using an electronic reader. I think you might find more traditional books in a normal population, but military families overseas can't just go to the bookstore to pick up a book. We have to think ahead and order online, or use an e-reader for instant download. I was struck by how things are changing. I got my first email account in college and now I can download a book anytime I want to and my iPhone is my constant companion. I like the instant gratification, but I do need to change my Facebook settings on my phone so it's not dinging at me all the time.

Jamie Eason's 12 Week Challenge - Week 4 Results

2012-02-06T15:23:00.000+01:00

This is not a noose to hang myself. Rather, it is a giant rubber band for me to step into so I can manage to do three sets of 10 pull-ups. I'm glad my gym had them for me to check out because even with four weeks of weight training under my belt, I wasn't going to be able to manage. Theoretically, with practice, the rubber bands should get smaller and smaller until I don't need them anymore.

The completion of week four also marked the completion of phase one of Jamie Eason's 12 Week Challenge. I feel more toned and more energetic, though I still feel like my digestion is a bit off.

Here are a couple of low quality pictures that I took in the gym from the start of week one and the end of week four. We're always making fun of those guys who parade around in the gym spending more time looking in the mirror than working out. I would die of embarrassment if anyone caught me taking a photo of myself. Thus, the low quality. The one I took today isn't even in focus. But, I think it's okay for comparison.

Phase 1 Before and After

Can you see a difference? Maybe not just yet. I love this image that is floating around Pinterest and Facebook.

It has only been four weeks so maybe you don't notice yet.

I've only lost a pound and a half but I've lost 6.5 inches, measuring only one arm and one leg. I'm glad I'm seeing results with the inches otherwise I would get discouraged with my weight. I know I'm building muscle, and I know my digestion is erratic, but still I have happy numbers and unhappy numbers in my head when it comes to weight. I think most people probably do. I think that if I'm really watching what I eat and exercising aggressively then I should get closer to my happy number. I pinned this image as a reminder of what this plan is really about.

So it's on to phase two. I got to start some cardio today. Going to the gym for an hour and a half for strength training and cardio was a lot but it felt good to run again.

I'm excited to see what the next eight weeks will bring!

Playful Petal Card - PDCC117

2012-02-05T20:49:00.000+01:00

My card this week was inspired by the color challenge at the The Play Date Cafe. My take on the challenge was a little bolder than the inspiration photo but I really like the way the purple, blue, and blush colors work together. I kept my card simple, letting the layers and the colors stand on their own.

All supplies from Close to My Heart.

Playful Petals Stamp Set
Vanilla Cream Cardstock
Twilight Cardstock
Petal Cardstock
Colonial White Button
Colonial White Waxy Flax
Flower from awhile back

Sophia's First Quilt Block

2012-02-05T20:21:00.000+01:00

With lows below zero and highs in the teens we decided to spend a good deal of the day inside. Sophia played outside a little bit and went for a walk with Kenny to see the snowless sledding hill, but that didn't take up the whole day.

She's been asking me to learn to quilt and finally at seven she's tall enough to reach the sewing machine pedal. She chose and ironed her fabric a couple of weeks ago. Today she cut the pieces and sewed them together, closely supervised of course. I was surprised at how well she was able to control the sewing machine. We pinned the seams that needed to match up and she was able to stop the machine just before the pin, remove the pin, and continue.

Grammy asked her how big her quilt is going to be. I said it depends on how long she stays interested. Quilting requires a remarkable amount of concentration and attention to detail. It's good practice for her. I hope she continues on to make a big quilt. I'm glad she's little enough to still find my hobbies interesting.

This block is called Thrifty from Around the Block with Judy Hopkins.

Classic Minestrone and Italian Panzanella

2012-02-04T15:38:00.001+01:00

One of my healthy lifestyle strategies is volunteering to cook for social gatherings. When ladies get together for crafting groups, Bunco, book club, and parties the food is often decadent and delicious and really bad for you if you don't have something healthy to go along with it to provide some moderation.

This week I volunteered to cook for my scrapbooking group. I took Classic Minestrone and Italian Panzanella, both from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food. Temperatures were in the single digits so the soup hit the spot and the bread salad was something unique that many of the ladies hadn't heard of.

My bread was really soft and fresh so I drizzled it with a little olive oil and toasted it at 350 F for about 10 minutes.

I left some bowls of soup and salad for Kenny and Sophia to have for their dinner. Sophia doesn't usually care for spicy food but this time she said, "Daddy the soup is a little spicy but I really like it." She finished her bowl and ate some of his.

12 Ways to Help You Raise Healthy, Enthusiastic Eaters

2012-02-02T22:12:00.000+01:00

Is it nature or nurture that gave me a 7-year-old that piles her plate high with veggies at the salad bar? We're stopping at one child so I'll never know for sure. But there are some things I did a long the way that I think helped her be a good eater.

Introduce a variety of foods. Start nurturing your good eater as soon as you introduce solid food. Find a good book that gives you ideas of what to try when. Rotate through the different foods remembering to include ones that you don't personally like. If your baby doesn't like a particular food in the beginning keep exposing her to it. Sometimes it takes a few tries. Remember that homemade baby food is more economical than jarred and it tastes better too.

Sweet Potatoes

Feed them what you eat. Make the same meal for everybody. Once you're sure that your baby tolerates a variety of foods, puree the regular meal that you make for your family. Sometimes certain foods are labeled kid food or grownup food. The grownups can eat mac and cheese occasionally and the kids can eat what the rest of the family is eating most of the time.

Pasta with Mixed Peppers

Eat dinner together. Sometimes it doesn't work out for the whole family to eat together, but make sure that one adult is there, sitting at the table with your children. Books, magazines, and electronic devices should be put away and the television turned off. This is maybe the only time you have all day to check in and connect. Web MD cites these ten benefits to eating dinner together. See the whole article here.

Everyone eats healthier meals.
Kids are less likely to become overweight or obese.
Kids more likely to stay away from cigarettes.
They're less likely to drink alcohol.
They won't likely try marijuana.
They're less likely to use illicit drugs.
Friends won't likely abuse prescription drugs.
School grades will be better.
You and your kids will talk more.
You'll be more likely to hear about a serious problem.
Kids will feel like you're proud of them.
There will be less stress and tension at home.

Dinner with the family, even when she was little.

Let the kids help cook. They are more likely to eat food they've helped prepare. Let them stand on a step stool and let them help spread and mix. Give them more jobs as they get bigger and more capable.

Making party favors for her 2nd birthday.

Helping me with a cheese/fruit platter.

Let them experiment. If the kids get used to helping you in the kitchen they're going to want to try out some ideas of their own. Be their sous chef if they still need supervision. Cultivate the joy of creating in the kitchen.

Wheat crackers, string cheese, and halved cherry tomatoes = Airplane

Take them out to eat. Your kids won't know how to behave in a restaurant if you never take them along. Make sure they're well rested when you go and let them know they're expected to sit in their seats and use inside voices. They aren't going to do that all by themselves. Take things to entertain them. Trains, cars, books, paper and markers, and small stuffed animals are all fun diversions. You could even keep a small bag of things that only comes out at restaurants. If you're stuck without anything to do, use your imagination. You can take turns folding a napkin, play I Spy, or see what might be interesting in your purse. At quieter restaurants plan to arrive right when they open so you can get in and out before the big crowds arrive.

Eating Early at a Nice Hotel

Plan a menu. If you plan a menu you're more likely to come up with a variety of healthy ideas. You're less likely to get stuck in a rut. Choose new recipes from time to time to introduce your family to new ingredients. Often kids say they don't like foods when they haven't been exposed to them.
Talk about making healthy choices. Talk about what foods are healthy and what foods aren't. Do a food pyramid coloring page so kids could see which foods they should eat the most of and which foods they should only have occasionally.
Indulge occasionally. You don't have to avoid all sugar. Just try to make sure the treats are high quality ones. Encourage moderation. Eat fruit for dessert most of the time and save cake, ice cream, and pastries for special occasions.

Dessert Before the Ballet in Prague

Know where your food comes from. Kids get excited when they get to find out where their food comes from. Take them to pick fruit or find a local dairy where you can buy milk or yogurt. The food is particularly fresh and tasty when you go to the source.

Nectarine Picking in Idaho

Choose good snacks. Fruit, veggies, and nuts make good portable snacks. If you have to use something packaged look for snacks without partially hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial flavors and colors. Look for real food ingredients.

Watermelon in the Park

Corn on the Cob at a Fest

Make food fun. Kids delight in fun food. Make special shapes or let them help you plan a picnic. Pinterest is a good source for unique ideas.

Pot Pie with Heart Crust for Valentine's Day

Making Kebobs

Picnic After Hiking Up a Hill

I hope you've found some good ideas that you can use to help encourage your children to be good eaters. I'd love to hear what you do in your family to encourage your children to eat healthy food.

7 Ways to Improve Your Blog

2012-01-31T17:35:00.000+01:00

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I've always had a nagging feeling that I wanted to blog more. I'm pretty good at following a program so I decided I would participate in the Ultimate Blog Challenge. The goal was to complete 31 posts in the month of January. I did it! This is my 31st post. Sometimes I posted more than once a day because I started the challenge late. With the challenge of posting something everyday I found that I had all kinds of ideas I wanted to share. I also found that I had all kinds of ideas about ways I wanted to improve my blog.

Create a better banner. The blog banner is the first thing that people see when they visit. I liked the photo I used in my banner before but alone it didn't necessarily reflect what my blog is about. And, I never figured out how to get it sized correctly so readers had to scroll down to get beyond the photo which is something that always bothered me.

The Daily Details' Old Look

Create a better tag line. The old tag line of fitness, vegetarian cooking, sewing, papercrafting told what the blog was about but it wasn't particularly catchy or comprehensive. The new tag line, creating a rich life one post at a time, really conveys the message of the blog. I am a blogging Army wife so "post" has a double meaning...blog post and Army post. I wasn't sure whether anyone would get the double meaning, but my non-tech savvy friend got it right away. I think it's a nice tag line even if people don't get the double meaning.

Write catchy titles. I used to write long titles that would describe the category of the post and perhaps the number in a series (i.e. Running-Marathon Training #53). Who wants to read that? It would be much better to write something like Last Training Run Before First Marathon. Now I let the labels take care of my catagorization.

Simplify the labels. I started out with over 13 categories of blog posts but when I really looked at them I found that I could narrow them down to 7. These categories are really what my blog is about. How convenient! If I got organized I could write about one category each day. They are:

Raise (Parenting)
Move (Fitness)
Create (Sewing, Papercrafting, etc.)
Tell (Feature. Whatever I want to write about.)
Jaunt (Travel)
Taste (Cooking, Nutrition, Dining Out)
Inspire (Ideas that I put into practice.)

Post a profile photo that is consistent with the blog message. As I was reading posts in the Ultimate Blog Challenge I found that some people's photos were off-putting. I didn't want to read their post or consider them an authority because I didn't like their photo. I chose my new photo because I looked happy, it was creative, and the colors worked with the blog color scheme.

Decide on an audience and focus posts to them. Mentally, I shifted audiences. This blog started before Facebook so it was my main way of sharing updates about my daughter. It had a very personal, journal-like quality to it. I'd like to keep some of that because I think it makes me relatable, but I'd like to write my posts in such a way that others can read about my experiences and apply them to create their own rich lives.

Post Better Photos. I don't even care if some of The Pioneer Woman's posts don't apply to me. I always enjoy looking at the amazing photography. I'm learning how to edit photos and hope that I can post nice photos too.

I hope you like the changes I made and will follow along in my attempt to create a rich life one post at a time.

Some of my changes were inspired by the Ultimate Blog Challenge and 31 Days to Finding Your Blogging Mojo.

My Resolutions (Now that I know which ones I'll keep!)

2012-01-31T16:28:00.001+01:00

Everybody talks about resolutions at the beginning of the year. I want to let you in on mine now that I know which ones I've done a good job of keeping so far. The secret to most of these is having some kind of program to follow.

Learn how to strength train. Last year I trained for and completed my first half marathon and full marathon. I got certified to be a personal trainer, group instructor, yoga teacher, and indoor cycling instructor. It is one thing to do the book learning and get certified to teach something. It is quite another story to actually feel confident teaching. I've been practicing yoga for about 12 years now and I feel comfortable teaching one-on-one or in a group setting. But, I don't feel like I can put out my card to be a personal trainer just yet. I need to get more comfortable in the weight room. So, I'm doing Jamie Eason's 12 Week Body Challenge. I'm on Week 4 and my confidence is growing along with my muscles.
Blog more. Maybe even daily. This is a record of my life and it's a good one. I hope to keep a record for myself and inspire some people along the way. If you've been paying attention you may have noticed that I've been posting more, often more than once a day. I signed up for the Ultimate Blog Challenge to help keep me motivated. The goal is to post 31 times in January. This is number 30 and today is the last day. One more post and I've met my goal.
Learn how to edit photos. Last year I had a friend teach me how to use the manual settings on my camera. This year I'm going to learn how to edit photos to take it to the next level. Happily this is something that Kenny and I enjoy so we've spent several afternoons and evenings editing photos. I also joined a Facebook group that is posting a photo a day all year long so I'm thinking about photography every day.
Spend more time doing the things that I want to do. I could putter around my house all day long cleaning and organizing and never feel like I'm done. I decided to rededicate myself to the Flylady system. I had revised her Weekly Home Blessing to be more of a clean my entire house day. Yes a day. In the beginning when I lived in a two bedroom stairwell apartment I could get through it in the designated hour, but it takes longer and longer as my homes get bigger. So, I'm using my timer and doing her daily missions and following her list for the Weekly Home Blessing. When I'm done, I'm done and I give myself permission to move on to other things. With Flylady and the body challenge my days are starting to have some structure and I'm able to accomplish more of what I want to do. I get Sophia off to school and do my chores around the house. Then I hit the gym and go to the grocery store if necessary. After lunch I write a blog post or two. Then the rest of my afternoon is free for projects until I pick up Sophia. Then I make dinner and spend the evening with my family. There's a time for everything. I like the structure.

There are always more things I want to do...craft, spend time with friends, learn more yoga poses. I think these things will fall into place as I keep up with my routine.

It has been a good year so far. I feel reenergized and excited for the coming year. When I do things I enjoy I have more energy for things things that are necessary but not as pleasant.

How are your resolutions coming along? What is your secret for making sure you follow through?

Pinterest on the iPad

2012-01-30T14:06:00.000+01:00

It took me awhile to figure out how to get everything set up to look at and post to Pinterest on my iPad. Now, I like using it better than my desktop for Pinterest.

The regular Pinterest site looks like this on my iPad or my desktop:

There's a lot going on. My eyes don't know where to look. So, I discovered that I could use the mobile site and it would look less busy, like this:

By the way, the mobile site works on the desktop too if you prefer the simpler view.

I had a good way to look at Pinterest on the iPad but I didn't have a good way to post. Pinning things on my iPhone was less than ideal so I assumed pinning on the iPad would be the same. But then I saw that the bookmark bar from my desktop came through on my iPad. Thank you iCloud. If you don't have the Pin It button yet go here.

To have the bookmark bar show up all of the time you'll have to go to settings and turn on Always Show Bookmarks Bar.

And now I can easily read AND pin from my iPad. I'm very pleased!

Jamie Eason's 12 Week Body Challenge - Days 17-22

2012-01-30T13:35:00.000+01:00

Do you see these Candy Cane Joe-Joe's? They are my favorite store bought cookies. They are not on Jamie Eason's 12 Week Body Challenge eating plan. I opened them this weekend because Kenny and Sophia made a huge snowman and I thought they would make good eyes. I did not eat one. Not one. Kenny commended me on my dedication and said most people wouldn't be so committed. I felt pretty proud. The funny thing is that they weren't terribly difficult to resist. My tastes are changing.

I love Pinterest and food porn is one of the reasons. People post things like these Taco Cups or cakes with ten decadent layers and I will never in my life get around to eating all of that stuff. Even a small amount of moderation will never allow it. But again, things like this are becoming less attractive as I consistently eat only healthy food.

For three whole weeks I have followed the eating and exercise plans. Here are the results:

Weight = -2.5 pounds
Waist = -1 inch
Hips = -1 inch
Chest = -1 inch
Upper arm = -.5 inch
Inner thigh = -1.25 inches
Calf = .5 inch
Waist/Hip Ratio = .84 No change

I would have hoped to be down at least 3 pounds this week because I think a pound a week is reasonable weight loss for an already healthy individual. But, I'm not too worried about it because I can see a difference in how I look. I've gone from post-holiday dumpy to okay in three weeks. Muscles are starting to appear and the ring around my belly is smaller.

Some people wonder why I work so hard to stay in shape. I am not overweight. However, I have an apple shaped body (weight in belly and chest) so I am at moderate risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. I need to get that ratio down to .8 or below to be healthy. That is one goal. The other goal is to look better in my clothes. And, I want to improve my yoga poses. The weight training can help with that. Already I'm noticing more control in my attempt to manage forearm stand.

Only one more week and I begin phase two.

Pumpkin Protein Bars

2012-01-29T22:05:00.003+01:00

I'm just finishing up week three of Jamie Eason's 12 week body challenge and I finally made a version of her Pumpkin Protein Bars. I've been feeling guilty about eating so many Kind bars as snacks. Nuts aren't part of Phase 1. It's nice to get on track with something so yummy.

I had to piece things together from things I had on hand from Trader Joe's in the States, Tegut here in Germany, and the Commissary. For the record, Kenny says that if you're active duty you're not supposed to consume hemp protein powder. It's legal for civilians and it will not make you positive on a drug test because hemp, unlike marijuana does not have THC which is the compound that makes you high. It's nice for vegetarians because it is a good source of Omega-3 which is commonly found in fish.

I just used regular brown sugar. I'm not sure I could find the Xylitol Brown Sugar Blend, but I'm not a big fan of sugar alternatives so I didn't spend any time looking for it. She calls for baby food applesauce. I just used an individual portion of no sugar added applesauce. I couldn't find oat flour so I used Haferkleie which is finely ground oatmeal. I was worried that my bars would be too grainy. They look pretty grainy but the texture didn't bother me when I ate it. I did find some quinoa flour at the Grafenwöehr Commissary so maybe I'll try that next time.

The instructions didn't require separating wet and dry ingredients so I was prepared for a disaster but the bars came out nicely.

Pumpkin Protein Bars

Ingredients
1⁄2 cup brown sugar
1 3.9 ounce container no sugar added applesauce
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground ginger
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large egg whites
1 15 ounce can of raw pumpkin
2 cups oatmeal, finely ground
4 tablespoons vanilla hemp protein
1⁄2 cup almond milk

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13 baking dish with non-stick spray.
Combine first 11 ingredients and mix well.
Add the final 3 ingredients (4, if adding walnuts), and mix until incorporated.
Spread batter into the baking dish and back for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Makes 24 squares.

Sometimes My Daughter Listens

2012-01-28T22:04:00.001+01:00

Sometimes I feel like I'm talking to a block of wood when I talk to Sophia.

Sit like a lady.
Use manners at the table.
It doesn't matter who gets to the gate last.
Use your best handwriting.
Use the correct fingering on the piano.
Keep track of your gloves.
Close the door.

On and on. Over and over. Broken record. I don't think she hears me a good deal of the time.

But sometimes she listens.

She's gotten into a bad habit of eating while she watches TV. This started because if she's watching TV she's sitting still, taking a break from whatever she's been doing. It's a nice, quiet time for a snack. But, I've noticed that she wants to eat the entire time she's watching TV.

Now, I'm careful to avoid the f(at) word at home. We talk about making healthy choices, and there are some times when we are definitely more mindful about what we're eating. Little girls are having enough body image issues I don't want to contribute. But this time I told her that she can't just eat constantly in front of the TV. When we watch TV we're distracted, and not really paying attention to whether we're hungry or not. It's easy for people to get big when they eat in front of the TV because they eat more than they need.

She barely acknowledged what I said. But, when she and her daddy ate breakfast on the couch in front of the TV I heard her say, "Mommy said," and she gave the whole speech. She heard me. Now it's time to establish new habits.

Necklace and Bracelet Organization

2012-01-27T17:18:00.004+01:00

One of the ladies in my photo-a-day group showed a photo of her pile of jewelry. She was looking for ideas on how to organize it so I thought I'd share what I put together.

I hung the bottom rack of a broken laundry cart on the wall and then used IKEA hooks (found in the kitchen section) to hang my necklaces and bracelets. It's pretty great. A bulky item didn't go to the dump and I can clearly see what have. And, no tangles!

My rings, earrings, and pendants are kept in a dresser drawer in boxes like these from Bed Bath and Beyond.

Happy Birthday Card - PDCC116

2012-01-27T14:02:00.000+01:00

This is my entry for this week's challenge over at the Play Date Cafe. Every week they provide an inspiration photo and colors to work with. While I love the purple (plum) and the blue (moldy cheese) colors, I wouldn't ordinarily be inclined to work with the pear color. In the end I loved the brightness that it provided to my card.

Here are the supplies I used:

CTMH = Close to My Heart

CTMH Grapevine Stamp Set

CTMH Annotations Stamp Set

CTMH Vanilla Cream Cardstock

CTMH Indian Corn Blue Cardstock - Distressed with sandpaper

CTMH Smokey Plum Cardstock

CTMH Black Ink

CTMH Smokey Plum Ink

CTMH Citrus Leaf Marker

CTMH Black Marker

CTMH Blender Pen

Stampin' Up Watercolor Pencils

Happy, Healthy Surprises at REWE

2012-01-26T14:16:00.000+01:00

For those of you who live here in Germany, I was so delighted with what I found at REWE I thought I should share so you can go there too.

As soon as I walked in the door I saw a whole display of 10 liter buckets filled with fruit for only 5 Euro. It includes apples, bananas, oranges, grapefruit, kiwi, pineapple, and of course the bucket. I needed a nice clean bucket for fruit picking in the summer.

Then, in the Tchibo section they had these snow chains for shoes. I really needed them last winter. I was lucky I didn't break my neck when I was doing my half-marathon training. We haven't had much snow this winter but it will be nice to have these on hand for whenever it decides to dump on us.

Americans often stick to the Commissary for their grocery shopping, but today is a good day to go out and try a new store.

Organize Your Fridge with a Lazy Susan

2012-01-25T14:58:00.000+01:00

Use a lazy susan in the fridge to make small jars easily accessible. I have a Barbie doll size fridge so I need all the help I can get. Europeans' appliances are much smaller than those we're used to using in America.

I found this idea on Pinterest from this blog. This is yet another attempt to put to use all of the fabulous ideas I find there.

Jamie Eason's 12 Week Body Challenge - Days 12-16

2012-01-25T14:28:00.000+01:00

I've started week 3 of Jamie Eason's 12 Week Body Challenge and there's some good news and some bad news.

The good news is that yesterday's leg workout included this amazing exercise that combines strength, flexibility, and balance. Check it out!
BodyBuilding - Kettlebell One-Legged Deadlift

The other good news is that I'm feeling more comfortable in the gym and getting into a nice routine where I can get things done at home in spite of taking time out to go to the gym just about every day.

The bad news is that my weight is doing this:

After a couple weeks of steady losses I got a couple of red dots in the last few days. Red dots mean sudden weight gains and the Wii Fit wants to know why. I marked indigestion. I don't know. But it's a little discouraging. I'm going to choose to believe that I'm creating all kinds of great new muscle and it weighs a ton.

Healthy Living Resolutions - 5 Pitfalls & Solutions

2012-01-24T15:17:00.000+01:00

Breakfast Buffet = Major Tempation

It is the end of January. How are you doing with your New Year's resolution to get fit and eat better? I'm sticking with it but there have been some sticky situations. Here are 5 pitfalls that I've run into while trying to get fit and eat better and what you can do to avoid them and stay on track. After all, according to a Franklin Covey survey, 35% of respondents broke their New Year's resolutions by the end of January.

There's a personality quiz at the end to determine whether you're a Type A personality. Type A personalities tend to like specific plans like the one I'm doing at bodybuilding.com. I reveal my score and want to know how yours compares.

1. Travel

Pitfall - Traveling is fraught with peril for those trying to make healthy choices. You're off schedule and eating out at restaurants. Without your own kitchen and gym you're likely to stray off course. For example, Jamie's plan requires me to eat every three hours. It's a diet heavy on protein and vegetables, is specific about what fruit to eat, and requires healthy starches. When we visited Prague recently I was faced with a breakfast buffet at the hotel and restaurant meals. Luckily we were there over exercise rest days so I didn't have to go use the hotel's gym after full days of being a tourist.

Solution - Plan ahead. If you know you're supposed to eat frequent small meals including lots of vegetables and protein make sure to bring along some protein bars and portable veggies like baby carrots. You can carry them in your bag while you're out and about. Choose to stay at a hotel that has a gym or bring portable equipment like resistance bands, a jump rope, or a yoga mat. Ask your hotel for good/safe running routes. Exercise in the morning before you get too tired with your day's activities.

Learn how to make healthy choices at the hotel breakfast buffet and restaurants. You might not be able to stay completely on track, but know what the good compromises are. In Prague I ate eggs, the darkest available toast, fruit, and a veggie salad for breakfast. I allowed myself only a sample of the wonderful pastries. Didn't want to miss out on the cultural experience! Prague has several wonderful vegetarian restaurants so I was able to get hearty salads including protein, veggies, and healthy starches. Just what my plan called for. If you're not a vegetarian you'll have an easier time finding healthy choices like lean meat and vegetable dishes. Know your plan and approximate it the best you can. Allow yourself a small portion of special items unique to the place you're visiting. You will help facilitate lifestyle change by allowing yourself indulgences from time to time.

2. Change in Schedule

Pitfall - No week is perfect. There will be days when you have to travel, or there's a holiday, or a child is home from school, or you have a meeting during the time you usually work out. Something comes up and you miss your workout. Maybe you miss breakfast and your eating schedule is thrown off.

Solution - Have a backup plan. Jamie Eason offers a couple of home workouts you can do if you can't get to the gym. Or, if rest days are built into your plan, just push the schedule forward a day. If your eating schedule is thrown off throw some healthy snacks in your bag so you have good choices instead of making a desperate bad choice when you're out and about.

3. Social Gatherings

Pitfall - Social gatherings are usually great fun. There is often delicious food, fun activities, and good friends. Sometimes there aren't healthy food choices to make and you feel like you have to eat whatever is there to please the hostess or the other food contributors.

Solution - It's the P word again. Plan ahead. Know what you're going to eat before you get there. Make the decision to avoid temptation. If you're going to book club or Bunco or your crafting group and you're asked to bring something, take something you can eat. I usually like to take a large salad that contains veggies, a protein, and a starch. It could be my whole meal if I need it to be. If a friend asks me what she should bring I'll have a suggestion in mind. For last book club I asked a friend to bring an egg dish. Decide that you'll have one treat and stick to a small portion. That treat might be a dessert, cheese dip, chips, whatever. I decided I didn't want to be that thin girl that didn't eat cake at parties (I used to be her and I knew people were calling me names behind my back) so at book club I had a small slice of cheesecake. Allowing occasional indulgences will help you enjoy life and maintain a healthy lifestyle rather than keeping you in a yo-yo diet cycle.

4. You Don't Have Anything to Eat

Pitfall - You didn't plan ahead. You are out and about and you can't find any healthy choices on the run. Or it is dinnertime and you have to feed your family and you don't know what to make. It's easy in these situations to grab something from the bakery (our bakeries here in Germany are amazing!) or throw together some nachos or a frozen pizza.

Solution - Know what you're going to eat before it is time to eat. Yes, I'm going to say it again. Have a plan. If you're going to be out all day, know what your meals and snacks are going to be. Decide on what's for dinner early in the day. Don't scramble. Know ahead of time.

5. You Fell Off the Wagon

Pitfall - You had good intentions but you didn't plan ahead and were stuck making a bad choice or you couldn't resist temptation. You got too busy and didn't make it to the gym.

Solution - Forgive yourself and jump right back on the wagon with the next meal or the next workout. Just because you deviated from your plan doesn't mean that the whole thing is out the window. Remember your goal. Do you want to look better in your clothes? Do you want to run a marathon? Do you want to see some defined muscles? Do you want to buy that prize you promised yourself for meeting your goal? Is it worth it to throw away your success because you went off course for a short time?

Of course not. Stick with your plan. Achieve your goals. This is easier said than done for me. My friends say I have a very Type A personality. One went as far as to say I'm the most Type A person she knows. I like to have a goal and a plan and I usually follow it to the letter. That is until one of the above pitfalls catches me and I deviate. Once I deviate that's it. I'm done. The plan is out the window. That's why it is very important for me to have a very specific goal with an end date like Jamie's 12 week plan, or a marathon. It forces me to get back on track even when I've fallen off.

Just for kicks I just took a short personality test to see whether I'm a Type A personality. I scored 85 which means that I have most if not all of the Type A personality characteristics. Take the test. It will take you less than five minutes. I want to know what your score is. I want to know if I can tell my friend that there are real people out there that are more Type A than me. Meanwhile, I guess I better get working on my yoga practice so I can learn how to relax a little more.

Quilts of Valor

2012-01-23T20:44:00.001+01:00

One of the ladies in my quilt block exchange group asked everyone if they would like to contribute to the quilt she's making for Quilts of Valor. According to the QoH website these quilts are "stitched with love, prayers and healing thoughts. Combat troops who have been wounded or touched by war are awarded this tangible token of appreciation that unequivocally says, 'Thank you for your service, sacrifice and valor.'"

Making a quilt is a lot of work. A lot of time and energy is involved. So much so that I rarely gift a quilt outside of my family. How special it is that over 60,000 quilts have been given away. My husband is in the Army and we are often thanked for our sacrafices. How easy it is to give away words! I'm thankful that my husband has returned home safe and sound, but so many others aren't so fortunate. I think this is a worthy cause and I want to make some tops of my own to send.

In the meantime I'll send this one off and I hope it becomes part of a quilt that offers comfort and hope to someone who needs it. It is the Army Star made from Around the Block with Judy Hopkins.

If you are a quilter or would like to become one, I hope you'll check out the link above and consider contributing.

Creating a Bathroom Vignette

2012-01-22T20:38:00.000+01:00

There are Army wives that create spectacular homes wherever they are. They showcase their talent at the Parade of Homes and wow the rest of us. They collect antiques and have special Christmas china. I admire them and yes, I'm a bit jealous. But, I don't like to go crazy buying all kinds of things because it breaks my heart when the movers break it. So, I just try to make the most of what I have. Thank goodness for Pinterest and the inspiration I find there.

My outdated bathroom with brown tile from floor to ceiling is a little bit tough to work with. I toured my house to find things that would work for a vignette to top my Ikea EXPEDIT shelving. I chose to embrace the brown and add some blue.

I don't like a lot of clutter so I picked useful things and things that would add some height to give some relief from all of that brown tile. There are containers holding cotton swabs and cotton balls, a vase filled with reeds and tied with wire ribbon, candles on a pedestal, a photograph I took in Gozo, and some rolled towels in a basket. Pretty simple, but I think it adds a lot.

Rolled Towels

Photograph, Filled Vase

My Bookshelf - The Happiness Project

2012-01-21T21:51:00.000+01:00

Things that make me happy...in no particular order.
1. Alone time
2. Baking
3. Getting ready to go out with friends
4. Sunshine
5. Blue sky
6. Painted fingernails
7. Flat abs

Roasted Autumn Panzanella Salad

2012-01-21T12:44:00.000+01:00

WHAT'S COOKING?

A couple of months ago I made Bulgur Salad with Arugula, Pomegranate Seeds and Toasted Almonds for book club which I reworked from Whole Foods (see below). My friend asked that I bring it again. I was flattered but told her no because I don't want to be a one trick pony. This recipe is similar but with a roasted vegetable twist.

Last night we gathered to discuss The Help and of course eat lots of good food. My salad was well received. I didn't bring much back home. I made just a few changes to a recipe from Tasty Kitchen.

Roasted Autumn Panzanella Salad
6-8 Servings

INGREDIENTS

For the Salad
1 teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed
2 Pink Lady apples, seeded and cubed
5 slices thick multigrain bread, cubed
4 cups arugula
Seedes from one pomegranate

For the Spiced Pomegranate Vinegrette
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
¼ cup pomegranate juice
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 pinch each of salt, pepper and nutmeg
½ cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS

For the salad:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix salt, pepper, chili powder, cinnamon, and garlic powder in a small bowl.

In a large bowl, mix sweet potato and squash chunks, then drizzle the olive oil on top and mix to coat with your hands. Add about 3/4 of the spice mixture and mix again to coat. Lay on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, flipping once.

After 20 minutes, toss apple chunks with remaining spice mixture. Add apple to the baking sheet and bake for another 25 minutes, tossing once or twice. Add salt to taste.

Let squash, potatoes and apple cool and place in a large bowl. Add bread chunks to the baking sheet. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil if desired. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden and crispy.

In a large bowl, combine arugula with roasted fruit, vegetables and bread cubes.

For the dressing:

Combine mustard, honey, pomegranate juice, vinegar, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and olive pile in a jar with a lid and shake. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

I don't pre-dress the salad because I like people to be able to control the amount of dressing they want. And, I don't want any leftovers to get soggy.

And now for the much requested bulgur salad.

Bulgur Salad with Arugula, Pomegranate Seeds and Toasted Almonds
6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 cup uncooked bulgur wheat
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds
3 cups packed baby arugula
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine bulgur and water, cover and set aside until water is absorbed, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spread almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until lightly golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

Stir arugula, pomegranate seeds, celery and almonds into bulgur.

Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Stir into salad.

Salad becomes creamy after sitting for half an hour or so.

Serve.

Notes:

11/20/11 - Book club. Kenny said he might even give this salad 5 stars. He really liked it. The ladies at book club said they enjoyed the creaminess and earthy flavor. I added the dressing to the original recipe. It definitely needed something.

12/15/11 - Served as a stuffing substitute for Christmas dinner.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

New Blog Purpose = New Blog Platform?

2012-01-21T11:37:00.000+01:00

I started blogging in the olden days before Facebook. The main purpose of my blog was to share updates of my daughter with family and friends. I also posted quite a few recipes so that when people asked for a copy at gatherings I could just direct them to my blog.

Times have changed. I'm more likely to share photos of my daughter on Facebook unless it's a major milestone that compels me to write a blog post. I'm brainstorming ideas to take this blog from a free-flowing "this is what I'm up to" feeling to a more structured approach to give readers ideas on how to create richness in their lives through fitness, eating well, creative parenting, crafting, traveling, and making the most of sometimes difficult situations (Army life!).

My question then becomes, should I change my blogging platform? As I've been looking for inspiration from other blogs I get the feeling that all of the cool kids are playing at WordPress. They have all kinds of fun plug-ins to work with and their templates look clean and fresh. I've read that all of those plug-ins crash all of the time though. In talking to my husband, he says that Tumblr is the wave of the future. I'm just not so sure that Tumblr can be made into blogging platform that can successfully display in-depth content.

Is it worth my time to fidget with Blogger as I upgrade my blog, or should I be looking at a new platform?

Sewing Room - Quilt Block Exchange 2012 - January

2012-01-19T14:40:00.001+01:00

Army Star

When I saw that a high school friend was putting together a quilt block exchange on Facebook I was excited to join. I've vowed to organize my time better this year so that I can do more of what I want to do. Quilting is one of those things and a group like this provides me with good accountability.

The block exchange requires us to complete two blocks a month. We all send them in to one person and will get two blocks in exchange each month. It is a fantastic way to get me in my sewing room regularly. I'm using up scraps for this project which is an added bonus. And, I'm getting acquainted with other quilters that I otherwise wouldn't have a chance to meet.

I decided to make the "Army Star" from Around the Block with Judy Hopkins - 200 Rotary-Cut Blocks in 6 Sizes. This is the book I turn to when I need to make a single block. There are lots of good choices and I get to pick my size. This book was written in 2004 but Judy has a newer book called 501 Rotary-Cut Quilt Blocks which is more easily available now.

Of course I picked the Army Star because I am an Army wife.

Fitness - Jamie Eason's 12 Week Challenge - Day 11 - Paula Deen

2012-01-19T13:36:00.001+01:00

Have you seen Chef Paula Deen's interview with Al Roker on the Today Show? She discusses waiting three years to announce her Type 2 Diabetes diagnoses while continuing to dish up her recipes full of fat and sugar. Now that she has an endorsement with a major drug manufacturer she's ready to discuss her diabetes while continuing to insist that she's always eaten in moderation. She's sending an irresponsible message. Eat what you want and let the drugs take care of the consequences.

Some people eat with reckless abandon because they aren't educated about healthy eating. Some people know better but continue to make bad choices.

Yesterday at the Commissary the lady checking me out said to the checker in the next aisle, "Look at her cart. It is full of healthy vegetables. If people were to see my cart they would say 'Oh my, look how she feeds her family.'" That woman knows better. Her conscience is bothering her. She continues to make bad choices not only for herself but for family.

I'm doing Jamie Eason's 12 Week Challenge right now, but I'm not always on a plan. Still, I make healthy choices with my diet and exercise. It is a lifestyle. This isn't the first time that people have commented on my grocery cart. Sometimes they don't even know the names of my fruit and vegetables.

Who would you rather be? You get to choose.

Paula

Jamie

I choose a healthy lifestyle. I just finished Jamie's week two workout.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Fitness - Jamie Eason's 12 Week Challenge - Day 10 - Upset Tummy

2012-01-18T15:25:00.002+01:00

So far so good with the workout portions of Jamie Eason's 12 Week Challenge. The biggest challenge is the change in my diet. This plan calls for more protein than I usually eat, and the sources of protein are different. As a vegetarian, I usually get my protein from a nice variety of tofu or other veggie meats, beans, nuts, and dairy/eggs. This plan is heavy on the eggs and tofu/veggie meats. I'm guessing nuts are too fatty for this plan and beans are considered starches so they're eaten along with an additional protein source. Dairy is extremely limited.

My stomach has not felt particularly good since I started. I started off feeling bloated. A friend who's doing the plan had the same complaint. I started drinking yogurt shots (Activa, or something similar) with my lunch. That helped a little but then this morning I felt very sick and Kenny had to make Sophia's lunch and Brotzeit because I needed to be curled up in a ball.

So I did a little reading and found that high protein diets can lead to bloating, or feelings of fullness, because protein seems to leave the system slower than carbs or fats. This isn't an Atkins diet like the article talks about, but it does explain why my stomach hasn't been happy. The good news is I haven't really been tempted to stray from the plan.

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Fitness - Jamie Eason's 12 Week Challenge - Day 9 - Workout Clothes

2012-01-18T14:41:00.001+01:00

Lululemon Ta Ta Tamer II

I hear a lot of reasons why people don't like to work out. Some of the excuses have to do with clothing.

"I don't have nice workout clothes." --Don't let this be a barrier to entry. Make sure you have good shoes and a good sports bra and you're good to go. Otherwise you just need something you can move in. Then save up for something cute or ask for workout clothes for special occasions.

"My boobs are too big and it is uncomfortable to exercise." --Again, make sure you have a good sports bra. I like the Ta Ta Tamer II from Lululemon. It has adjustable padded straps and moulded cups so you get excellent support without the mono-boob look.

"I need to lose some weight before I can go to the gym." If you are overweight and walking down the street with a bag of chips (yes, I'm talking about the soldier walking down the street the other morning with the open bag of Doritos that I'm sure doesn't meet weight standards) then you should probably feel a little self-conscious. People will judge you. People will not judge you if you're in the gym working out. But if you're feeling too self-conscious to go to the gym, clothes can be your friend to help get you in the door. I dare say the Ta Ta Tamer mentioned above is minimizing. It is very flattering. Kohl's has a whole shape wear category under Activewear to give you a little help while you're working on getting fit. Lululemon has some great tanks right now that are fitted through the chest and then have a nice drape through the middle. Invest in a few good pieces to boost your confidence so you can get in the door of the gym. Fake it till you make it!

Lululemon Back on Track Tank

No excuses for me. It's day 9 of Jamie Eason's 12 Week Transformation Challenge. I haven't been feeling well since we got back from the States. My chest is congested and it is slowly getting worse, developing into a phlegmy cough. It's unpleasant, but luckily it is manageable during the day, getting worse during the late afternoon. It is not stopping me from exercising. I'm glad I'm not doing any cardio right now. It would just aggravate my cough.

What's Cooking - Vegetarian Meatloaf Muffins

2012-01-17T14:16:00.001+01:00

I like to eat these Vegetarian Meatloaf Muffins with salsa.

I'm doing Jamie Eason's 12-Week Body Transformation Challenge and I'm supposed to eat a lot of protein. This is my vegetarian version of the plan's popular snack food. The menu plan for Phase One calls for eating four Turkey Meatloaf Muffins a day. They are good, but I eat one a day and choose an alternative for the second snack. Two is a serving, but I've found that it is difficult to eat as much as the plan calls for. Perhaps it's because I'm petite and I don't require as many calories as a larger person.

2 bags Morningstar Burger Crumbles
3 egg whites
1 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dry yellow mustard
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spray muffin pan with canola or olive oil.
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
Roll the mixture into balls and place in a muffin pan. Muffins should be about the size of a racquetball.
Bake for 40 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins.

Fitness - Jamie Eason's 12 Week Challenge - Day 8 - Results

2012-01-17T13:42:00.000+01:00

What is a fitness/nutrition plan without results? Here's how I did after week one of Jamie Eason's 12 Week Transformation Challenge.

Weight lost: 2.2 pounds
Inches lost: 2.5 (measuring one arm and one leg only)

It was nice to hit the gym armed with a familiar workout. Well, I wasn't excited to revisit narrow pushups, but I liked to feel like I knew what I was doing. I was worried about the gym being busy since it's a holiday. The gym opened at 8 and I managed to get there at 8:30 and it wasn't too bad. I'm sure a lot of people wanted to sleep in.

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Pinterest Inspired - Cake Stand

2012-01-17T13:30:00.000+01:00

I've been a loyal fan of Pinterest for awhile now. It's a little bit of an obsession. It's fun to look at pictures of pretty things and beautiful spaces. I collect ideas of things I want to do. It's about time I put some of those ideas into action.

This Pin came from the Home Design with Kevin Sharkey blog. The idea is to use a cake stand to hold frequently used items next to the stove or prep area. I already had a collection of items next to my stove, but I'm able to buy a little more space with the cake stand because low standing items can sit underneath.

I keep oil, vinegar, salt, garlic, honey, and spoon rests here.

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Travel - Prague - Maitrea and Lehka Hlava Vegetarian Restaurants

2012-01-16T14:47:00.002+01:00

Prague was only an hour and a half away from us when we lived in the Grafenwoehr, Germany area. Now we live about three hours away, but it is still an easy distance for a weekend trip. We go quite often. It helps that as vegetarians we're able to eat well there. It is a treat for us, particularly in Europe, to get to go to restaurants and have lots of choices of things to eat.

We always eat at Maitrea Vegetarian Restaurant and now for the second time we've eaten at Lehka Hlava. They are sister restaurants that offer world cuisine, including traditional Czech specialties. They are very popular so we always either show up right when they open and hope for a spot or call for a reservation. Both restaurants offer a children's menu, but with so many wonderful choices our 7-year-old ordered off of the regular menu. Portions are big though, so next time I'll see if they can make a kid's portion for her.

At Maitrea Kenny had marinated "duck" with cabbage and dumplings. Sophia had vegetable lasagna. I had a Thai salad that included smoked tofu, veggies, and avocado. They also offer unusual drinks. Kenny had birch juice and Sophia had ginger lemonade. Our waiter was surprised that a little girl would want ginger lemonade. She loves ginger, but this was indeed a little spicy for her. Maitrea is a larger restaurant but the tables are close together. Prepare to bump elbows with your neighbors.

At Lehka Hlava Kenny had bulgur risotto with tempeh. Sophia had an unusual pasta and tofu dish. I had a salad topped with "sausage," roasted potatoes, and beet dressing. Kenny and Sophia ordered aloe vera juice. This is a smaller restaurant but the tables seem to be spaced further apart. Our table was drafty but they had blankets for us to use. I didn't complain. They were full but agreed to seat us one hour earlier than our reservation time. The ballet that we went to see let out earlier than we expected and we weren't really dressed to walk around outside in the cold for too long.

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Fitness - Jamie Eason's 12 Week Plan - Days 5-7 - Traveling

2012-01-16T14:25:00.000+01:00

It can be hard to stay on track with a diet and exercise plan while vacationing. Here's how it worked out for me this weekend.

Days 5-7 of Jamie Eason's 12 Week Transformation Plan were rest days so no workouts were required. It was good timing because we were in Prague for the weekend. Our hotel had a gym but walking around the city all day made me tired so I was glad to not have any workout obligations. I took my yoga mat along with the best of intentions but I fell into bed each night and didn't get any yoga done.

Eating right was a challenge. I meant to bring along some protein bars but I was fighting with Sophia about completing her homework before we left so I walked out without them. Without healthy choices in hand I was not able to eat every three hours, but I tried to make good choices when I did eat.

Our hotel had a nice breakfast buffet. I was not able to get anything made with egg whites (well, I was too timid to ask) so I had scrambled eggs one morning and boiled eggs the next. They didn't offer any berries so I just had a serving of fruit. I had a slice of their really hearty dark bread and a bowl of veggies. I didn't want to be completely left out of enjoying the goodies so I just had a bite of the cakes and pastries that Kenny and Sophia had. Sophia had perhaps the best pastry ever. It was similar to a croissant and it was filled with chocolate and just a tiny bit of custard. I would have liked to have eaten several, but I stuck with two bites. After all, complete deprivation won't lead to lifestyle change.

We ate at vegetarian restaurants both nights (Maitrea and Lehka Hlava) where I was able to find hearty salads that contained my protein, starch, and veggie requirements.

I failed when I ate a Snickers bar for lunch one day. We rushed to a ballet performance and I was stuck with whatever I could find at the concession stand. And, I had to make do the best I could at the Grafenwoehr food court on our drive back home. The salad bar in the Commissary is closed on Sundays. So, I had some bean tacos at Taco Bell. They were kind of icky because I did not get sour cream on them as I usually do.

The best part is that even though I had to make some compromises with the eating plan, I was able to come back home and jump right back on the program. Goodbye to my all or nothing attitude.

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Fitness - Jamie Eason's 12 Week Challenge - Day 4 - Routines

2012-01-13T10:19:00.000+01:00

Getting into a good routine helps with beginning and maintaining a new fitness program. I like plans like Jamie Eason's 12 Week Program, or marathon training programs because what I have to do is outlined for me. I just have to fit it into my day and stick with it.

Finding a good time to hit the weight room is particularly important to me because I don't want it to be too crowded with soldiers. Also, the locker room is closed from 9-10 for cleaning which I find inconvenient because that is prime time for me. Any earlier and it's going to be busy with people who go to the gym before work. I've discovered that the weight room will be all but deserted if I leave my house by 9:45.

That's a little late for me because it means I'm puttering around my house all morning in either pajamas or workout clothes and there's not a whole lot of dignity in either. This morning my neighbor came by at 9 and 9:30 and caught me in both. I was embarrassed! I'm going to have to at least put my workout clothes on right away every morning.

Getting to the gym is becoming routine but it takes a couple of hours out of my day. It's lunchtime by the time I get home. I need to figure out a good routine for getting everything else done.

I did shoulders and abs today. Struggled with even light shoulder weights.

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Fitness - Jamie Eason's 12 Week Plan - Day 3 - Fitness Goal Rewards

2012-01-12T13:06:00.005+01:00

I often turn to food for a reward. Or as a way to celebrate. Or to help ease the burden of a bad day. Emotional eating at it's finest. I'd like to do away with that kind of eating for good, but especially now while I'm trying to rid myself of the results of extra holiday indulgences and stay on track with Jamie Eason's 12 Week Transformation Plan.

I usually do a pretty good job of meeting my fitness goals. I ran my first half-marathon and marathon last year and I followed a strict training schedule from January through July. My reward was meeting my goal of finishing. Staying on an eating plan is harder because I have an all or nothing attitude. Either I'm on the plan or I'm not and if I get interrupted by a vacation or a major holiday like Thanksgiving it's all out the window. So, I thought it might be nice to treat myself to the gym bag I've been coveting from Lululemon. It has all kinds of great features but I particularly like it because it will hold a yoga mat. I hope it's still available in 11 1/2 weeks!

Lululemon Destined for Greatness Duffel

How do you reward yourself when you meet your fitness goals?

I hit the weight room at 10:30 instead of 11:30 and there were several women and one guy. What a difference an hour makes! Much less intimidating to not have to work out in a gym full of soldiers.

It was a leg workout today and for the first time the gym didn't have the exact equipment I needed but I was able to modify and get the workout done. It was a relief to move to lower body. My upper body was pretty sore.

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What's Cooking? Breakfast Tacos

2012-01-11T14:51:00.002+01:00

Jamie Eason's 12 Week Plan is pretty straightforward when it comes to food. There's a set outline of what you should eat for each phase of the program. Phase 1's breakfast for women looks like this:

5 egg whites
Unlimited vegetables
1 serving starch
1 serving berries

And, you can click on a link to see lists and quantities of vegetables and starches. But this is almost too simple. How does it translate into a meal? This is a nice breakfast recipe that I came up with. I cheat and use a tiny bit of olive oil to sauté the green peppers.

1 cup frozen blueberries (It is winter and we don't get good prices on fresh berries at the Commissary. Will have to check the German grocery stores.)

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 cup Egg Beaters (usually I like to eat unprocessed food, but I didn't feel good about wasting so many yolks)
1 tablespoon whole flax seed (plan calls for 1T a day and this is where I choose to use it)
2 corn tortillas, toasted until crispy in toaster oven
Salsa

I like my blueberries somewhat frozen so I set them out in a bowl while I cook the rest of the meal and they're just right when it's time to eat.

Heat the smallest about of olive oil you can get away with in a cast iron skillet (or skillet of your choice). Sauté green peppers until somewhat soft. Add Egg Beaters and scramble. Remove from heat and stir in flax seed. Spoon over tortillas and top with salsa.

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Fitness - Jamie Eason's 12 Week Plan - Day 2

2012-01-11T14:25:00.000+01:00

Except yoga, CrossFit, and the cardio room, the gym is divided down gender lines. Women like to go to group classes and men head to the free weights.

Today I hit the free weight room at lunchtime on an Army post. It is only day 2 of this strength training plan so I'm not particularly comfortable in that room yet. Being the only woman in a room swarming with soldiers was intimidating. The rest time between each set dragged on and on. I just wanted to get out of there. I wished I had someone there with me so I wasn't so clearly by myself.

The guys were polite. They didn't do anything to make me feel uncomfortable. But, the glaring gender gap made me feel like I wasn't supposed to be in there. I guess that's why there are women only gyms. I made it through the entire workout with a brave face.

Now my entire upper body is very sore. Happy to be moving on to legs tomorrow. It's really aggressive to have four days in a row of strength training. Missing the cardio a bit.

After feeling so full yesterday, I cut back on the food a bit today and I feel much better. I was surprised to have dropped a pound and a half overnight after eating so much. Perhaps my body was thanking me for eating no holiday treats.

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Fitness - Jamie Eason's 12 Week Plan - Day 1

2012-01-10T13:59:00.001+01:00

It's a new year and it's time to get in shape. I always enjoy a plan so this time I'm trying Jamie Eason's 12 Week Transformation Plan.I chose this plan because of the strength training focus (and because I wouldn't cry too much if I looked more like Jamie). I've already proven that I can do cardio and yoga on my own. I ran a marathon, a half-marathon, and got certified as a yoga teacher last year. But, when it comes to strength training I prefer to go to a group class. It's time to learn to fly solo in the weight room.

The plan started as soon as I got up. It requires eating within an hour of waking and every three hours after that. I was not able to eat all of the scheduled meals. It is just too much food, and really heavy on the protein. I don't want to eat a bunch of egg whites and veggies before bed. But, for the most part I'm staying on track with the food.I found a handy app called Gym Buddy that lets me program my workout and then record weight, reps, and sets. It also has a timer for rest periods. Jamie's plan gives easy instructions for figuring out how much to lift. I experimented until I found heaviest I could lift with good form. I found 60% of that weight and that's the weight I worked with.This is a completely different way of eating and exercising for me so it will be interesting to see what happens.

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Travel - 11th Anniversary in San Francisco

2012-01-01T18:02:00.001+01:00

The Army gave Kenny consecutive assignments in Germany so the Army gave our family airfare home. We were pleased to take advantage of this at Christmas time. We visited my parents in Paradise, CA and will visit Kenny's dad in Colorado. But first we detoured to San Francisco for our 11th anniversary.

We came here for our 5th and 6th anniversaries as well. We found that it worked well to celebrate Christmas with my folks and then leave Sophia with them while we headed several hours south. We also discovered that the conveniently located Kimpton hotels offer decent rates in advance and that the Millennium restaurant offers the best vegetarian food in the world (or so we've found so far).

We were pleased to come here to revisit some old favorites and try some new things. For the familiar we got the chef's tasting menu (no mushrooms) at the Millennium, made sure we got some bubble tea, walked on the pier, and saw a Broadway show.

For the unfamiliar we had vegan Mexican food at Gracias Madre, floated in a sensory deprivation chamber, and got a Thai massage.

It is almost time to check out and head back but first we'll have to stop by Lululemon to pick out my late Christmas present. Picking out new, cute athletic wear is a nice way to jump start New Year's goals.

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My Bookshelf - The Hunger Games Trilogy

2011-12-07T08:53:00.001+01:00

I just devoured this trilogy, and hungry for more I just started The Girl Who Was on Fire, a collection of essays about these books by other authors. I'm not a gusher (me da igual and it's neither here nor there are phases I use often to express my indifference) but I was captivated by these books. I want to explore why before I read beyond the first essay in The Girl Who Was on Fire. I want to be firm in what I think before I am influenced by accomplished authors. I'll try to not include any spoilers in case you want to read the books too.

I picked up the first book, The Hunger Games, because the movie is coming out in March 2012 and I got the feeling that these books are going to be the next big thing. Think Harry Potter and Twilight. I will often choose books to read so that I can be aware of what everybody is talking about. There is almost no buzz about these books on Facebook so I thought perhaps I can be ahead of the curve on this one. Kenny made fun of me a little bit, saying he didn't know I was such a fantasy nerd.

However, while Harry Potter and Twilight couldn't possibly happen because magic and vampires don't exist, the possibility of evolving into the society portrayed in The Hunger Games is very possible. The way we treat each other with our hate and our wars (and our indifference!) and the way we ignore our environment could take us there. This realness and possibility and the resulting soul-searching provided more than just entertainment value.

But the books were entertaining. I couldn't wait to find out what happened. One of the reasons the books had such pull was they touched very effectively on human needs. Collins takes us right up Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs pyramid. An essay could be written on how Collins used each level and what that means for our society right now. Because every need is addressed, readers can find something that they strongly relate to. That personal feeling created the draw that made me stay up too late, shirk responsibilities, and read in the kitchen while cooking dinner. The books hit me in the middle of the pyramid. The characters were pushed very quickly into recognizing their skills. They had to discover what skill they had that would help them get noticed and survive. Esteem needs. I was just thinking yesterday that maybe it's not so nice being the jack of all trades and master of none. I sure would like to be known for something.

So, yes. The books were entertaining. It doesn't hurt that there's a love triangle and I was dying to know how it would be resolved. But there's something about these books that keeps me thinking. Perhaps it's the realness of the themes. Hunger, danger, family and friends, loyalty, alcohol and drugs, war and PTSD, guilt, personal accomplishment, right and wrong, indifference, love, environment, choices, politics and propaganda, reality TV, celebrity worship, opportunities, gumption, courage, selflessness. The list goes on and on. So many things to think about.

These books can inspire personal change if you let them. I am going to see if I can isolate one skill that I have and put it to work. I'm also going to work on taking a stand on things rather than being indifferent. Indifferent people are dangerous. If they are too comfortable they can let bad things go on all around them. It's time to speak up.

Sophia Update - Parent Teacher Conference

2011-11-30T21:11:00.001+01:00

I had to go to the first parent teacher conference of the year tonight. Last year I took a translator. This year I tried it by myself. I started the meeting by saying that I was afraid I wasn't going to understand. Most of my communication with Sophia's teacher is written so I wanted to give her fair warning.
Kenny got to spend the evening at a farewell dinner for the brigade commander. I wished I could be socializing with him at a fancy hotel downtown instead of facing the unknown with Sophia's teacher. I really had no idea how the meeting was going to go both in ability to communicate and the nature of the report I would be given.
The teacher started by saying that things did not go well at the beginning of the year. Sophia was not on par with the other children in her second grade class. They had covered much more material and were used to working faster here in Buttenheim. We think that is because Sophia's first grade class in Weiden had a lot of students that did not speak German at home so the instruction was slower paced. She went on to say that Sophia has now caught up and is with the rest of the class in reading, math, and science. She is particularly good at science because she is excited about the material. Her German is very good. She understands everything. However, her handwriting is the worst in her class. The absolute worst. This is not a surprise. Her teachers are always complaining about her handwriting. I've tried to work with her and encourage her but she doesn't make sustainable progress. We're going to resort to bribery. Her teacher is going to give her stars on pages that are done well or that show great improvement. Ten stars and I will buy her a prize. I don't know what else to do. She just doesn't really care. Her teacher cares because she will have to mark answers wrong if she can't read them clearly.
This is a good example of why military children should be working above grade level if possible. It's no fun to have to play catch-up. My challenge is that I don't exactly know what I should be expecting of Sophia. She is the youngest in the class. We thought we would be moving back to the States after German 1st grade and she would then do American 1st grade with other children her age. Well, we ended up moving to a different post in Germany and her teacher had no hesitation about sending her on to 2nd grade. Additionally, she's had to learn German. I don't want to make excuses for her, but at the same time I don't know what reasonable expectations might be.
I'm just glad she's caught up to her class. Hopefully she can be bribed into improving her handwriting.
As for me...I'm glad I was able to get through the meeting in German.

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Army Life - Thanksgiving Past

2011-11-23T11:17:00.001+01:00

Thanksgiving 2005

I'm making pies today for our Thanksgiving dinner with friends tomorrow. The simple act of piercing the raw crust with a fork made me think of my Mom. It's her job to make the pies. I plan the menu. It's Dad's job to go to store after store to try to find the obscure ingredients on my list. We all help cook. Kenny entertains Sophia. At least that's how it goes when we're lucky enough to be home for Thanksgiving. The Army sends us all over so we don't always get home for important holidays. Somehow making the traditional pumpkin pie made me particularly nostalgic this year.

But, this year is special in its own way. We get to celebrate with our neighbors. We live two doors down from friends that we had at Fort Irwin when our babies were just learning to walk. Now the kids are 7. We also have German neighbors that have done everything from help us find our house to help with work in the overgrown yard that came with our house to show me how to make jam from the fruit harvested from our trees. I feel like they have adopted us into their family. I am particularly thankful for my neighbors this year and I'm glad we get to share Thanksgiving with them.

It is not often we spend Thanksgiving with friends. People don't usually want to have a vegetarian meal. I guess the turkey is kind of important. But, since Mary and I are teaming up to do the cooking we'll have the best of both worlds...a turkey and a cheese nut loaf with a bunch of vegetarian sides. We'll have the pies of course and Kersten our German neighbor is bringing Tiramasu. She makes desserts that look and taste like they come from the bakery so I'm pretty excited to try it.

And as for Christmas, the Army is paying for our way home since we were assigned consecutive overseas tours. If all goes well we will arrive Christmas Eve. Sophia's last day of school before the break is the 23rd so we're cutting it close.

Army Life - Get Off Post!

2011-11-22T14:09:00.001+01:00

I ran into a friend at the Commissary today and I commented on how well stocked the shelves were. Usually we can expect them to be out of something important like potatoes or cranberries. Sure enough, there was no cream. A helpful employee heard me talking to another woman about the empty shelf and she went to check to see if there was any in the back. The other searcher and I had a minute to chat.

I told her it was no big deal if they didn't have it. I would just go off post. She confessed that in 10 months here she has only gone into downtown a couple of times and she hasn't explored any of the grocery stores close to post. She said it is too hard to get around with her big stroller. I gave her the names of several stores and said they contain some really nice things. I shop at my local grocery store several times a week.

What I wanted to say was that she needed to ditch that big old stroller and get out. Get off post! Sophia occasionally rode in a small stroller, just one step up from an umbrella stroller. It was compact and it folded easily with one hand. She rode in a jogging stroller but only if I was walking or running for exercise. She rode in a sling when she was a baby and when she could walk she walked. She climbed canyons in the Mojave desert when she was not even a year old. I hated those monstrosities that would carry the baby and half of the nursery and I refused to own one. I think I was in the minority.

What I'm really upset about though is that so many people here have been given this amazing opportunity to live in a beautiful country and they rarely even leave post. Many are struggling to raise a family on a small salary. Many have small children at home. Many are intimidated about the language barrier. Many just hate it here. But no wonder they hate it if they never leave the gates of post. I start to get claustrophobic just thinking about it.

I try to excuse some of them because they're young and pinching pennies. Then I remember that I first came to Europe to study when I was 19. We had lots of opportunity to travel with school, but Kenny and I explored on the weekends and then met up with friends along the way on a four week Christmas trip that went in a big circle from Spain to Turkey and back again. I credit him with being the adventurer but I was a willing participant. And, I didn't have much money. My memory tells me I had only $400 of spending money for the whole year but that is seemingly impossible. Maybe that didn't include my Eurorail pass. In any case, I had to be very careful about any money I spent. I was thankful that I was wearing two sets of clothes for warmth when we were robbed on our train in Rome on Christmas morning. I didn't have money to buy more clothes. We found a way to make it work.

I made a summary scrapbook of all of the important trips and events of our first ten years of marriage. When people were looking through it at the 12 hour crop the other week they were amazed that we have been so many places. It helps that we are now on our third assignment in Germany and money isn't as tight. But, we take advantage of our time here and try to see as much as we can.

And then there are the people that won't go to the grocery store to buy cream for Thanksgiving dinner. It's too bad the Army doesn't figure out a way to send people that really want to be here. I am so sad about all of the lost opportunities.

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Sophia Update - Reading Progress

2011-11-20T15:04:00.001+01:00

Kenny has assured me that Sophia is not going to be in high school and not know how to read. Mary just told me this week that she's probably a little behind because she started German school right at the time many children begin to read in English. Still, I worry. Kenny and I were both early readers and we've read to Sophia since she was a newborn. She has always loved hearing stores. She could write her name and she knew all of the letters and their sounds at three. I thought she should have been an early reader too. She was actually right on track with reading in German last year but she seems to be a little behind her classmates in this new school where she is the only student in her class that doesn't speak German at home. So, we just plug along. Kenny and I both read to her every night and she reads a bit of German and English every day. But, it's a slow go and I try to mask my impatience and instead delight in the baby steps.

Imagine my surprise when I came down this morning and Kenny and Sophia were both reading quietly on the couch. She read this entire 100+ page book this morning by herself and then did the online quiz mostly by herself getting most of the answers correct.

I think she's holding out on me!

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What's Cooking? - Chunky Pumpkin Soup and Pumpkin Butter

2011-10-21T16:58:00.001+02:00

My neighbor took me to a place nearby that sells all kinds of pumpkins. I asked for a good soup pumpkin and they picked this one for me. It is not as huge as some so I was surprised that it was 15+ pounds. I found that most recipes called for 2-3 pounds of pumpkin. I ended up using 5 for my soup so that left me with a lot leftover for pumpkin butter.

The daughter-in-law of the neighbor that took me shopping makes an excellent creamy pumpkin soup. I don't have her recipe yet so I didn't want to try to duplicate hers and be disappointed so I took mine in a completely different direction...chunky with southwestern flavors. I started with a Mark Bittman recipe from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian for inspiration but then I changed it up quite a bit. This would be really good with some red pepper flakes for heat but Sophia still doesn't care for anything too spicy so I didn't go in that direction.

Chunky Pumpkin Soup

3 tablespoons canola oil
5 pounds pumpkin
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
Salt and pepper
2 cans black beans, rinsed
3 tomatoes, roughly chopped
6 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped

Put the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring frequently until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the pumpkin, cumin, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking until fragrant, another minute or so. Add the beans, tomatoes, and broth and bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the soup bubbles gently. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin starts to fall apart, about 30 minutes. Stir in the cilantro just before serving.

Spiced Pumpkin Butter

Five pounds of pumpkin makes a lot of soup and I still had more than 10 pounds left to do something with. So, I decided to makes some pumpkin butter. I got the recipe from eHow. Kenny laughed a little bit. He thought I should have been able to find a recipe from a better source, but I wanted a recipe using fresh pumpkin, no sugar, and ingredients I had on hand. This was it. I multiplied the recipe for the pounds of pumpkin I had, and I made two big pots. I used an immersion blender so I didn't have to transfer to a blender or a food processor. I used all of my maple syrup, raided Mary's pantry, and still didn't have quite enough so my second pot had some dark brown sugar in addition to the maple syrup.

It is a big hit. Bread with pumpkin butter is the only snack Sophia is asking for right now.

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Travel - Tour of Bamberg

2011-10-21T13:49:00.000+02:00

I got to take a walking tour of Bamberg yesterday. I go there frequently to eat and shop, but I still didn't know much about it so I was glad to go.

This is the view from Villa Remeis at the top of the hill. They still had tables and chairs set up outside in case the weather happens to be nice on the weekends. I would like to go there sometime afternoon to enjoy some tea and cake.

The nearby Cafe Bergschlosschen is supposed to be a nice place to go with children.

We had taken the bus up to Villa Remeis but we walked down and enjoyed all of the autumn colors.

Tante Emma was a chain of stores that went up after the war. It is very small, but you can buy meat, cheese, bread, newspapers/magazines, cleaning supplies, personal care items and a variety of other things. We overwhelmed the place and cleaned out all of their rolls and pretzels. There are only two left in Bamberg.

It was nice to stand inside for a little while. Temperatures were in the high 30s. Winter will show us much colder temperatures, but the transition is a little painful. Mary couldn't believe that we needed coats, boots, hats, gloves, and scarves in October. I had warned her but she thought I was exaggerating.

This is St. Michael's church. Bamberg is built on seven hills and this church sits on the highest one.

The roof of the church is painted with 580 different kinds of plants. Many of these plants grew in the herb gardens around the church. The monks had a free pass to experiment with the plants without fear of being accused of being a witch. It was not only women that could be accused of being witches. Men and children were accused as well.

People believed in the grim reaper. They thought they could fool him into not coming for them by sitting up in bed to sleep. Here he is blowing bubbles to show that your life can be taken from you just as fast as a bubble pops so you should take advantage of every moment you have.

Alpha and Omega, beginning and the end. This stained glass again reminds us to use our time wisely because it must someday come to an end.

View from St. Michael.

Bamberg is famous for beer, but recently someone had an idea to put in vineyards. Our tour guide protested against and boycotts this wine because they had to tear down trees that were hundreds of years old to plant the vineyards.

This is the Bamberg Cathedral. Pope Clement II is buried here. He died after only one year of being pope. His body was moved to safety during WWII and tests were done at that time and they found he was poisoned.

We finished our tour at the Kachelofen where we had a traditional lunch. I was really happy to get some soup and tea to get the chill out of my bones. It was really nice to have a tour guide who loves her city to give us an insider's perspective.

What's Cooking? Corn Potato Chowder

2011-10-19T13:22:00.000+02:00

We have been down to one car for a couple of weeks now (or has it been several?) so my grocery shopping has been handicapped. We have a nice store that is biking distance if only I had one of those cool German bikes with a basket or two. Tried unsuccessfully to outfit my bike with a basket. It's just not built for that. So, on Monday I found myself wondering what I could pull together because I wasn't going to make it to Rewe or the commissary until Tuesday.

I happened to have all of the ingredients for this chowder that I simplified from an old cookbook that belonged to Kenny's grandmother. Her recipe calls for crumbled bacon on the top. I served veggie bacon on the side. Her recipe also calls for a pat of butter or margarine on top which really makes the recipe seem old fashioned.

We don't usually keep regular milk in the house, but I've started buying individual cartons of long shelf life milk that I can use on demand for recipes when almond milk just isn't going to do.

3 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup water (add more as needed)
1 teaspoon salt
1 can whole kernel corn
1 1/2 cups milk
Freshly ground pepper

In a saucepan combine potatoes, onion, celery, water, and salt. Cover; cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently and adding more water as needed. Stir in undrained corn, milk, and a dash of pepper.

Process with an immersion blender until creamy. Heat through.

Makes 6 servings.
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Sewing Room - Table Runner and Matching Chairs

2011-10-17T22:17:00.000+02:00

My friend Mary hosted book club last week and she wanted to update the fabric on her dining room chairs and have a coordinating table runner to show off her crystal candlesticks and votives.

We started with the chairs. All we had to do was unscrew the cushions, staple the new fabric on, and reattach. The only tricky part was pulling the corners tight to avoid wrinkles and puckers.

Next I tackled the table runner. She wanted points on the ends so I told her she would need to find a tutorial. I'm good at following directions but not so good at making things up.

This one from Windy Hill Designs was pretty good.

It is always important to read directions before beginning. Had I done so I would have realized that the pattern calls for half a yard of fabric but I only needed a 15 inch cut.

I used decorator fabric so I was able to make a 51 inch runner to go the length of her table. Because of the technique used for the points I didn't need to allow for a seam allowance for length. I cut 51 inches and the end result was 51 inches.

I did not have a hem gauge handy so I used a one inch strip of cardstock to ensure a perfect fold along the long sides in step 8.

I used a quarter inch seam allowance in step 12 and pressed my seam open to reduce bulk in my point.

I used a straight pin to pull out a sharp point in step 13.

Mary was pleased with the results and she set a beautiful table for book club.

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Sophia Update - Sweet and Sour Seven

2011-10-14T11:06:00.000+02:00

Sophia turned seven a couple of weeks ago. We were having unseasonably warm weather so we celebrated as a family at Playmobil where we could enjoy the nice day outdoors. She and I had been several times with friends but she wanted to take her daddy there.

At her annual checkup she was given a clean bill of health with 20/20 vision and a healthy height and weight of 47.6 inches and 52.6 pounds. When the doctor handed us a card with recommended limitations for TV Sophia said she didn't like to be a couch potato. I was very proud. She had a cough that she couldn't kick starting around around spring break time and we found that allergy medicine got rid of it, so unfortunately she may be developing my allergies. She also may be getting my bad teeth. She has lost one tooth, but two permanent teeth are coming in and they don't look straight. Last night she was up with the second loose tooth. She really wanted it out and tried eating a hard pear and even had me pull on it with dental floss, but we couldn't get it. Hopefully it will fall out at school today!

Her favorite thing to do is ride her bike outside with friends.

Last year she continued to learn how to ski, learned how to play the piano, and completed first grade in German school.

At this age she can be very sweet or very sour. First the sweet.

She knows how to behave. We are able to do things with her that are perhaps beyond her years. For a couple years now we've taken her to the midnight Christmas service where we did not see any other children her age. We took her to Sardinia where our four (or more!) course dinner did not begin until 8:30. Even though 8:30 is two hours past her normal bedtime she had good manners at the table and enthusiastically ate all of the food which was always a set menu that we didn't get to choose. The ladies at the agriturismo sang her praises. She is always welcomed over to friends' houses for play dates. Her teachers say she is enthusiastic, eager to learn, and gets along with the other children.

She makes friends easily. In spite of claiming to be a little bit shy, it did not take Sophia long to make friends at her new school. She left behind Sarah and Gamze at her old school but quickly made friends with Lara and Nina in our new neighborhood. I was at the school on the first day helping Mary get Riley situated in first grade so I was able to check in on Sophia during her break. She was already running around with a group of girls. I was pleased and relieved.

She's a good eater. She ate everything as a baby but definitely has some preferences now. Even with those preferences I think she eats better than the average kid her age. She doesn't like avocados, fusses about lettuce (though she's getting better with this one), and she doesn't want anything too spicy. She'll at least try everything. She's starting to be self-conscious about being vegetarian, but is happy that she is able to have the hot lunch with the other kids at school occasionally because they have at least one vegetarian meal a week. We try to make healthy choices, but she's nursing a bakery addiction. Can't blame her. The bakeries here in Germany are pretty great with all of the good bread and cakes. They don't use as much sugar as we do so maybe I shouldn't feel too bad about our occasional indulgences.

Her German is getting really good. I used to understand everything she said during play dates. Now I don't. She tells me I speak with the wrong voice, meaning wrong accent. She is starting to correct me. If I'm trying to say something in German and someone is not understanding me she will repeat it correctly so the person can understand. It's wonderful to observe her learning something that I didn't teach her. Her teacher last year had quite a few students who didn't speak German at home. She said Sophia did particularly well because she was eager to learn. She could be corrected one time and then use words correctly the next time.

She's a good walker. When we travel we can be tourists on our feet all day long and she trots right along with us. She's been to major cities like New York, Paris, London, and Berlin as well as lots of smaller cities.

And the sour.

She has anger management issues. When she gets angry there is nothing I can threaten or promise to calm her down. She has to be put into time out behind closed doors until she has worn herself out crying and yelling and hitting and kicking. She sometimes gets angry when she doesn't get something that she has her heart set on, like ice cream or something she wanted in a store. Or, she gets angry when we need her to do something that she doesn't want to do, like take a bath, go to the bathroom, practice the piano, or do her homework. I've always been mindful about not spoiling her because she is an only child but she is certainly acting spoiled rotten. I also try to make sure that she gets 12 hours of sleep a night. But, I need a new strategy for dealing with her and I haven't discovered it yet. I think it all might boil down to control. She can't control when she has to pick up and move and she can't control daddy's work requirements, but she sure can assert her will over things like taking a bath and cooperating with homework. She lost her birthday party with friends this year because she we were struggling over personal care issues. She was devastated but the threat didn't help her make better choices.

She might be behind in reading and her teachers always complain about her handwriting. In German Sophia is a slow reader and it is hard to get her to focus on the task, but she seems to be fairly proficient. In English when pushed she can read books like The Cat in the Hat, but she would rather not try at all. I'm a little bit dismayed because Kenny and I were both early, good readers. I'm not extremely concerned because in America she would be in first grade and she does have to work with two languages. We'll just keep reading to her and having her read to us every day and hopefully everything will click by the time she returns to America. Her afternoon teacher discovered that she gets overwhelmed sometimes, whether it's a full page of words or a busy page of math. She said that if Sophia covers up the part that she's not working on she does much better. And the handwriting, oh the handwriting. I think Americans have started to regard good handwriting as a bit old fashioned, but the Germans still really insist on good penmanship. Last year Sophia even got a frowny face with tears streaming down on one of her papers. Her teacher recommended that Sophia go to occupational therapy to help improve her handwriting. The American doctor tried to keep a straight face when I asked about getting a referral. We of course didn't get one so we're working on trying to be neater when she writes at home, paying attention to staying in the lines. She is barely seven years old and writing in cursive so I'm pretty pleased with that, but we will try to make her teachers happy. Her afternoon teacher told me yesterday that her handwriting is improving, so that was cause to celebrate.

She is really concerned with fair and not fair. She will get in disagreements with other kids and whine to us when things are not fair. If Riley gets to stay at a play date with his friend longer than she gets to stay with her friend, it's not fair. If someone gets to take doughnuts to school for a snack every day, it's not fair. And on and on.

The sweet outweighs the sour but the sour can be pretty ugly. And that is Sophia at seven.

Sewing Room - Fabric Scraps

2011-10-08T20:41:00.001+02:00

I have been quilting for over 10 years now so I've accumulated quite a few scraps. Every time we move I think I really should do something with them sometime. That time is now. My first project is to turn this pile of 30s reproduction prints into something. I sorted the pile by size and found that I had quite a few 2 1/2 inch pieces so that became my lowest common denominator.

My finished half-square triangle blocks measure just two inches. Tiny. I kind of wonder what I've gotten myself into.

The finished quilt could look something like this on a much smaller scale. Will post pictures when I'm done. Happily my craft room is on the main floor of the house now rather than in the frigid basement so I'll be much more excited about crafting this winter.

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Papercrafting - Clean and Simple Christmas Card Tutorial

2011-10-07T11:50:00.000+02:00

As cool weather approaches I start thinking about the holidays. I wanted to make some clean and simple Christmas cards that using supplies I had on hand. This is what I came up with. The elements are simple:

8.5x5.5 inch cardstock card base
3.5 inch patterned paper circle
5 inch ribbon
3 inch ribbon
Stamped sentiment and ink
Adhesive

Cut a 3.5 inch circle. I'm still using the old school Creative Memories cutting system. You could use your Cricut, a large punch, or even a template and scissors.

Apply adhesive to circle. I find that if I use an X on my shapes they are securely fastened and I don't waste a lot of adhesive.

Diagonally cut a 5 inch piece of ribbon and a 3 inch piece of ribbon.

Apply adhesive to the back of the 5 inch piece of ribbon.

Apply the ribbon to the front of the circle, taking care to not set the circle down because of the adhesive on the back. It is tricky, but worth it since it is easier to apply adhesive to the circle before the ribbons are on it.

Fold the ends of the ribbon around the back of the circle.

Apply to the card base.

Gently loosen enough of the 5 inch ribbon so you can slide the 3 inch ribbon behind it.

Tie the 3 inch ribbon taking care to have the patterned side (if applicable) of the ribbon facing up on each end.

Stamp a sentiment on the inside of the card.

You're done...quick and easy!

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My Piece - Trending Topic - Time Management

2011-10-06T16:25:00.001+02:00

We all have the same amount of time. Some spend it more wisely than others but most would say they could use more of it.

I've been thinking a lot about time management lately. The start of a new school year is the time to establish new routines. We are several weeks into my daughter's school year, but I don't feel like things are rolling along smoothly just yet. My friends are thinking along the same lines. Erin and Johanna blogged about time challenges and successes already this week.

I thrive on routine. I truly believe in doing routine things routinely so that I don't have to put out fires all of the time. Unfortunately, it takes me half a day to get through my morning routine so if for some reason I am not home in the morning, then important things are not getting done. Afternoons are spent doing bigger jobs like errands or yard work. This afternoon I raked my huge yard and weeded my flower bed.

The trouble with routine things is that they keep coming back. I can work all day on routine things and still feel like I haven't accomplished anything. Raking, weeding, cooking, cleaning, laundry. It all comes back.

It dawned on me today that to feel satisfied I need to add some concrete projects that have a beginning and an end to my routine life. Projects could include things I'm already interested in like quilting, papercrafting, fitness challenges, or teaching a new skill to somebody else. I'm nursing sore ribs so maybe tonight instead of yoga I will pull out some paper or some fabric. Christmas card planning and coming up with a new quilting project are both on my list for today.

Speaking of lists, I recently started using Appigo's Todo app. I really like that you can add tasks, projects (add several tasks with deadlines to one project), and checklists. You can designate priority, deadlines, and make items recurring. I was almost ready to go back to a paper list because I hadn't found the flexibility I needed in electronic form, but this app works really well. You can even choose the color and style of line you want to use to mark things off your list.

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My Piece - Cleaning Out the Wood Shed and Attitudes About Work

2011-09-30T10:42:00.000+02:00

We have this beautiful wood stove in our living room which we intend on using daily this winter. My neighbor took me to a man that will sell and deliver wood that is custom cut to fit my stove. We were going to request delivery in about four weeks. My neighbor came over yesterday and said that it would be better to have it delivered today since the weather has been so beautiful and dry.

Great. Except for our wood shed was a disaster and would need to be cleaned out before we could put any wood in there. I wish I would have gotten a before picture.

This is what it looked like after we had fogged for spiders, stacked our existing wood, boxed our poor man's wood (floor was thickly littered with small branches from the yard), put some of our landlord's things in another shed, unpacked some of our own boxes, and removed two of Sophia's old bikes. There was no floor space this morning, and now we have room to put our delivery that will come this afternoon.
When I told a friend how I was spending my morning she joked about me becoming a ranch hand with all of the apple picking and woodshed cleaning. It's true that I enjoy Aveda haircuts, painted nails, and nice clothes, but I didn't bat an eyelash at having to clean out the wood shed and I started wondering why it doesn't bother me like it would bother some of my friends.
I can think of a few childhood experiences that made an impression.
We usually rented the houses we lived in and my parents always wanted to leave it nicer than it was when we moved in. One house in Oregon when I was in 5th grade had a run down barn and 10 acres of dead alfalfa. I worked on cleaning out the barn because I was hoping for a pony. We only lived in that house for a year, so that of course didn't work out, but the barn was in better shape for the kittens that were born to the barn cat that came with the house. And, we learned to irrigate alfalfa because my parents were embarrassed of the neglected field. I was given a choice to either help do the dinner dishes or move irrigation pipes. I think I always chose the pipes. I told Kenny today that I would rather clean out the wood shed than do the dishes (as long as the spiders were dead!). Unfortunately doing the dishes in our house is always my job.
The summer after 8th grade my high school assigned all of the incoming students a job to help work off tuition. Everybody was expected to work all day during the summer, and a half day during the school year. I was assigned to be a groundskeeper in the morning and a tree nursery worker in the afternoon. These jobs weren't glamorous. It is hot in New Mexico in the summer. I went home hungry, dirty, and tired. I did my best every day. At the end of the summer my supervisor offered me an accounting job in the business office. I was only 13 years old but she told me that if I could do a good job at something unpleasant then she could trust me to do a good job in the office. That was an early, important lesson, that it pays to work hard even at something I don't like.
Going into college I had planned on spending the summer at home with my parents but I was unable to find a job. My college, however offered a job along with their summer start program. Again, the job was assigned. I was a painter. It was really unpleasant with all of the fumes and harsh chemicals that we used to clean up. It wasn't long until I found an accounting job at a construction company. But, I had to take the unpleasant job to get me by until I could find something better. I worked for that construction company for two years, and they were pleased with me so they held my job while I studied in Spain for a year.
After college I became a CPA/MBA and had the opportunity to work for a Fortune 100 company. After I had Sophia I decided I better learn how to dress because I desperately didn't want to become a rundown mom. Maybe that's what makes it seem so strange that I would do a lot of manual labor in my yard. But, there's work to be done so I guess I'll just go ahead and do it.
I get the feeling that all of my random experiences, interests, and qualifications are preparing me for something. I just don't know what yet!

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Gardening - Making Apple Juice

2011-09-29T09:59:00.000+02:00

We're really lucky to have lots of fruit trees in our yard. The apples are ready this time of year. We really enjoyed going out in the evening and picking a cool, crisp apple to eat. But, there were a lot of apples and I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them. When my neighbor suggested taking them to a local place to have them made into juice, I thought that sounded like a good idea.

We needed to have a minimum of 50 kilos of apples, so to be sure we had enough we pretty much stripped our trees, which was a little sad because now we don't have any to eat.

I was getting ready to go out and pick apples one by one using a ladder. This would not have been very efficient.

Our neighbors came over and helped us. They beat the branches with a long wooden pole and the apples fell to the ground. We then sorted them and filled large sacks.

The next day we went to have our juice made. First, we weighed the apples...154 kilos! Guess we could have left some for eating.

Then the apples get washed in a tub. Next, they are shoveled into the juicer.

The leftover fiber gets sent outside where it is shoveled into a cart. It will be saved and fed to the deer in the winter.

Our juice. We got 100 liters, almost a whole barrel.

The juice was sent through a centrifuge to further separate solids from liquids. The remaining juice was heated to 80 degrees centigrade. Then it was time to package it up. That was our job. The juice came through a spout and we filled one 10 liter bag at a time. When one was full we turned on the other spout and the next bag began filling.

The bags were then placed into a cardboard box.

These boxes can store in a cool place for up to a year. When it's time to use one we lay it on its side in the refrigerator and pour it from a spigot. It is a very easy way for Sophia and her friends to get their own juice. And, it is sweet and delicious.

I really like knowing where our food comes from. Our juice came from our tree and I helped it get processed. I met the chickens that lay our eggs and I see the oven and people that bake my bread. The grocery store labels the produce that comes from our region. We live only about 20 minutes from the city, but it is very rural in our village and it almost feels like we have gone back to a simpler time when people knew where their food came from, communities got together, neighbors helped each other and it was safe for children to play outside. It is perfect.

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Army Life - Comfort in Familiarity

2011-09-20T13:03:00.000+02:00

Grafenwoehr

Weiden

Everybody agrees that moving is a stressful experience. I think I handle it pretty well. But, I didn't notice how much it was wearing on me until I went back to Grafenwoehr and Weiden last week. Everything was easy and comfortable and I had high spirits. I knew how to find my way around the health clinic. I knew where to pay for my gas. I knew where to find things in the PX and Commissary. I knew how to drive to Weiden without second-guessing myself. I knew where to take a friend for lunch. I knew where to park in town and how to pay for my parking. Though unsuccessful in searching for an off-season item for a friend, I knew quite a few places to try. I knew where to find a special bribe for Sophia. I knew where to find the special colors of pencils Sophia was looking for. It took two years to know all of those things. By the time I know Bamberg that well it will be time to move again.

There is comfort in familiarity and that is something we miss out on as an Army family. A friend told me recently that after 10 years (It's really about 6, but it's almost the whole lifetime of our children so that's a long time) of knowing each other I'm finally able to tell her what I really think. We've had the good fortune to be stationed together twice. It takes me awhile to get beyond acquaintance, or somebody I hang out with, to real friendship. Sometimes it happens in two years and sometimes it doesn't.

Kenny is more than halfway done with his Army career. What will we do when he retires? Will we live somewhere we've lived before? Will we put down roots? Will we find comfort in home? Will excitement and novelty come from vacations? Will we find people we can relate to?

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Running - Marathon Recovery

2011-09-14T23:27:00.000+02:00

There are many programs out here for marathon recovery. They typically include resting and resuming running gradually.

After my marathon I quit cold turkey, not because I didn't want to run, but because we moved and climbing countless flights of stairs and schlepping boxes was just about all of the physical activity I could manage.

Sophia went back to school yesterday so today I ran. It had been six weeks. My feet and ankles still feel stiff and achy when I first get out of bed in the morning. But I ran. Not far. Only about a hilly mile and a half.

I felt a surge of emotion as I started out. Was it joy? I loved that I was out again, enjoying the beautiful morning. It was chilly but clear. Temperatures were in the 40s and I was okay in shorts and a long sleeved shirt but I wished for a hat to cover my ears. There are lots of farm trails around here to be explored, as well as a flat canal run that should go quite a ways.

My right knee felt a little achy and the skin around my left big toe is tender, but I other than missing two toenails on my right foot, I don't feel like there are long-term consequences to my marathon run.

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Sophia Update - First Day of Second Grade

2011-09-13T12:30:00.000+02:00

Early morning!

Sophia's summer vacation was only six weeks long but it feels like an eternity ago. We moved to a new town so that has something to do with it, but it didn't take us long to get off schedule. She has been sleeping in until 8:30 or 9 so when the alarm went off this morning at 6:15 it was a little bit tough, though tough mostly for me. She was excited about her first day of second grade.

We walked with our neighbor who is in fourth grade and she showed us the way she goes. I was the only parent hanging out before school because the first graders came later and the older children already knew what to do. Sophia told me she was scared but just then her teacher came and introduced herself and whisked Sophia into the classroom and introduced her to her desk mate.

I went back to the school with Mary and Riley to make sure they could figure out what was going on since they of course have the German language barrier. The older children sang songs to the first graders so I got to see Sophia then and she smiled and waved on her way in to sing her song.

I also saw her later during her snack time and she was running around with some girls, so I'm glad she found someone to hang out with.

She was pleased with her morning in school and wished she could stay longer. It is a nice start to what I hope will be a nice school year.

Gardening - Priceless Help from Neighbors

2011-09-12T23:24:00.000+02:00

Before

After

I really don't know anything about gardening. I had a big empty space to fill in my front flowerbed but I didn't want to waste money on something that was just going to die. So, I asked my neighbor if he would go shopping with me.

He came over about 10:30 or 11 this morning and we went to Dehner which is pricey, but has high quality plants. We consulted with a store worker and looked around. We came away with two butterfly trees, a lily, and what I think is a variety of daisy. I didn't expect my neighbor to help me plant them, but when we got home he said he just needed to change clothes and he would be right over.

He helped me arrange the plants making sure they were not too close to the house. He dug the holes, filled them a bit with some new soil, had me fill them with water, and then we put the plants in the ground.

I had some questions about pruning some of the existing plants in the garden and that opened a can of worms that didn't wrap up until about 7 in the evening. His wife came over and helped weed and prune and till the soil with a tool that was kind of like a claw with three bent prongs. We went to the rock factory and purchased some stones to pave the way to the water faucet so we wouldn't get our shoes dirty or walk on raked soil. His son came over and helped level the ground and lay down the stones. He measured precisely like he was laying tile.

We also washed my car and cleaned the interior.

I don't like to ask for help, and somehow asking for help in selecting flowers led to a crew helping me all day. I still need to plant some spring bulbs, but I'm proud of my front flowerbed. I don't feel like the odd house out anymore. All of that help from my neighbors was priceless and I am truly thankful.

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Gardening - Sophia's Garden

2011-09-11T22:45:00.001+02:00

Weeded and Raked

Deciding Where the Flowers Should Go

All Done

Kenny told Sophia she could have part of a flower bed for her very own. She weeded and raked. No small job. If you look at the untended portion you can see that it was very overgrown. Then we shopped for flowers. I showed her how to look on the tags to see what was appropriate for a shady bed. Then she decided how she wanted them laid out. She dug the holes and I showed her how to gently remove the plants from their plastic pots. I helped her plant some spring bulbs. Then we put in some mulch. She's very proud of her garden. I'm glad it looks nice because it is right by the front door. We had to tell her just flowers because otherwise she would fill it with pinwheels and gnomes.

We have worked on our yard a lot but there is still a lot to be done. As soon as we clean one part up, the surrounding areas look desperately bad. After we were done with Sophia's garden we cleaned up the sidewalk in front of it that was overgrown with weeds and littered with sticks and cigarette butts.

Our landlord came by last week and said the yard looks really nice. I'm glad he noticed!

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What's Cooking? - Plum Applesauce

2011-09-08T22:33:00.000+02:00

We have ripe plums and apples on our trees in the yard and I've been itching to do something with them so they don't go to waste. I've already made plum jam, but there's only so much jam you can eat so this time I made Plum Applesauce. I more than quadrupled the recipe so I could have some to eat right away and some to can. I used this recipe from Epicurious as a starting point but I changed it up a little bit. I was really pleased to see that peeling the apples wasn't necessary.
Ingredients (for one batch)2 pounds apples, quartered and seeded (mine are green with some spots of red where the sun hits)2 pounds plums, quartered and pitted1/4 cup water1/4 cup sugar (I used a little less for a tart flavor)2 cinnamon sticks
PreparationCook all ingredients in a large covered pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until fruit is very tender and falling apart, about 1 hour. Remove cinnamon sticks.
Meanwhile, soak canning jars and lids in hot water. I used jars that are self-sealing.
Process cooked fruit with an immersion blender until desired consistency is reached. I don't mind having a little skin in my sauce so I didn't process for very long.
Pour into prepared jars. Tighten lids. Turn upside down and let rest for at least 10 minutes.
Label jars. I used a white permanent paint marker that I found at a small office supply shop in our village.
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Travel - St. Wolfgang, Austria

2011-09-07T22:14:00.000+02:00

Quite awhile ago Sophia found a picture of a swimming pool extending out into a lake in a Ryan Air in flight magazine.

She was fascinated and never forgot about it.

We spent the better part of her summer vacation moving from Weiden to Buttenheim.

To make sure she had a little bit of fun on her summer vacation Kenny took us to the White Horse Inn at Lake Wolfgang in Austria where the pool extends into the lake.

Judging from the boot trays, umbrellas, and raincoats provided for us in our room, and the way it was pouring when we left, we knew we were really lucky to have three nice swimming days.

The water in the pool was heated to 80 degrees, but the lake water was a little chillier. Sophia needed a little convincing to get in the lake, but she eventually went because she was excited to jump on the trampoline.

Out on Lake Wolfgang.

The pool.

On the train up to Schafberg Mountain.

From the top we could see many lakes and mountains.

Our train.

Sophia was genuinely frightened that Kenny was going to go over the edge so she grabbed his feet to save him.

Restaurant at the top.

I need some photos with red in them for our living room so I spent lots of time taking pictures of these flowers.

There are bursting window boxes all over Austria and Germany right now.

Summer is almost over. I'm glad we got to have one last hurrah before school starts next week.

Decorating - St. Wolfgang, Austria

2011-09-07T20:58:00.000+02:00

My new favorite thing is browsing through Pinterest for inspiration on how to decorate, dress, do my hair, craft, throw a party. It is inspiration for life. I thought it was about time that I add some content of my own. These are my three favorite decorating ideas that I found on our Labor Day trip to St. Wolfgang, Austria:
Simple plants dressed up with a colorful lantern and pumpkins. The turquoise and orange color scheme is right on trend.
Terra-cotta pots hung upside down from rope to resemble bells. Just thread the rope through the hole in the bottom of the pot and tie a knot.
Dark but colorful light fixture in a restaurant at the top of Schafberg Mountain.

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Army Life - Fixing Bad Highlights on Dark Hair

2011-09-02T00:45:00.000+02:00

One of the frustrating things about living this Army life is trying to find a new hairdresser all of the time. We move, or they move. There is no consistency.

I had quite the adventure today. I wish I would have had somebody take better pictures than my iPhone self-portraits because you can't quite see how bad the salon results were.

I had planned on going to the Aveda salon in Bayreuth. They are expensive but I'm a big fan of their natural products, and they always do a really good job. But, it is about a 45 minute drive to Bayreuth and it usually takes about four hours to do my hair. I didn't want to spend the extra time right now when Sophia is out of school and we're still settling into our house. So, I went to the salon here in town. I thought it would be nice to go to a place in our village that I could walk to. My friend went and had good results so I made an appointment there too. I made an appointment with the lady that did my friend's hair. She is the boss of the salon. But, when I showed up, some other lady was there all by herself.

When she took my towel off I thought there was still soap in my hair because it was so white. Nope, I just had really blond highlights. She cut and styled my hair nicely, except for the zigzag part that was popular ten years ago, and I thought I would just have really unnatural highlights. When I got home I immediately undid the zigzag part and I saw that my roots were spotted orange, black, and blond. I looked like a jungle animal. I played with parting different ways. One side was much blonder than the other. I thought about going back to the salon but I just didn't want her touching my hair again and I didn't want to be the ugly American. But, I was really upset every time I looked in the mirror and I knew I couldn't go on vacation with such bad hair.

A friend who recently moved back to the States recommended Schwarzkopf hair color. Another friend and I went to the drugstore to pick some up. Luckily she is very interested in anything that has to do with beauty so she offered to help me. We chose Schwarzkopf's Perfect Mousse permanent color in Mittel-Braun because it looked like it would be dark but not too dark and it was the most expensive variety. It was maybe just slightly lighter than my natural color. We bought two boxes because I have a lot of hair.

I went over at 8:45 after we got our kids to bed. We were not done until about midnight. She did the first application, applying only to the areas that were highlighted. Thank goodness I didn't have my whole head done. I washed and conditioned and dried. There were still a lot of orange spots. She was shocked at just how bad the highlights were. Spotty and orange. Can't get much worse than that. She opened the second bottle and we repeated the whole process three more times, applying only to the bad areas.

In the end, it looks pretty good. I'm thankful to have a friend that had the willingness and patience to help me in a crisis. We'll see what happens when it fades. My next appointment will be with Aveda either here or in the States. They will probably have a lot to say about what they find.

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Army Life - Bamberg Move - Almost There

2011-08-29T18:56:00.000+02:00

I almost had a normal day today. I got my Home Blessing (weekly housecleaning) done all at once for the first time since we moved in. That means enough floors and surfaces were clear enough to clean.

If you're familiar with Flylady you'll know that the term Home Blessing comes from her. She says you should get through the process in an hour. I expanded the elements of the Home Blessing but could still get through it in an hour back when we had no Sophia and we lived in a two bedroom one bathroom stairwell apartment. I still do the same routine now that we have Sophia and a five bedroom three bathroom house. It takes longer than an hour!

But back to my normal day. I got three proper meals at appropriate times, none of which was prepared at a restaurant.

I had time to look at Pinterest and read some blogs.

The day will be perfect if I can get in some yoga.

I still have to tackle my craft room, the second kitchen, and the basement. Getting close, but the craft room looks like this:

Yikes!

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Gardening - Taming the Eye Sore

2011-08-17T22:50:00.000+02:00

My Gardening Hat

Before

During

After

I think I was probably the talk of the neighborhood today. First of all, I put on a sombrero that Sophia got as a party favor because I'm taking a medication that makes me sensitive to the sun. Secondly, in a neighborhood of immaculate gardens mine was an eye sore and I think the neighbors were pleased that something was finally being done about it. Several neighbors walked by, shook their heads, and said "viel Arbeit," or a lot of work. I worked all morning. Neighbors started bringing me better tools to work with. At one point I thought I had it pretty good and one neighbor showed me how to level out the soil with a rake.

I trimmed bushes with a glorified pair of scissors. I chopped down a dead tree with a dull saw. I hoed until I could hoe no more. I raked when I thought I was done. I only took short water breaks. I was done and exhausted and very dirty by noon.

There's a lot of work to do still but at least the flowerbed you see from the road doesn't look completely overgrown and untended now.

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Army Life - Bamberg Move - Final Out

2011-08-16T23:02:00.000+02:00

Goodbye to our Weiden house. We lived there for just over two years. Other than having to have my craft room in the cold, dark basement it was a nice space for us. We had American-size appliances, 110 electricity, and lots of closets. We had a small, low-maintenance yard. There were lots of nice, American neighbors close by with children for Sophia to play with. We could walk to small grocery stores and bakeries and the hardware store. We could even walk to downtown if we felt like it. The running trails were easily accessible and abundant.

I always worry about the final out with housing. I want to make sure everything is in good shape so we don't get charged for anything. The housing inspector showed up 20 minutes early, told me I cleaned too much, and said that his colleague said everything was in good order at the pre-inspection so all we needed to do was hand over the keys. We said a quick goodbye to the neighbor we shared a wall with and we got out of there before the inspector could find fault with the house.

After we got home I put together the outdoor fireplace that we gave Kenny for Father's Day. He built a small fire to try it out. We picked up some marshmallows so someday soon we'll roast them with Sophia and the neighbor children.

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What's Cooking? - Creamy Cauliflower Soup

2011-08-11T21:58:00.000+02:00

Soup cooking on the stove, fresh flowers in crystal vases, washing machine and dishwasher running, internet and phone working...it's starting to feel like home.

To those enduring a heat wave in the States this may seem like a strange recipe for August, but it is cooler and entirely appropriate here in Germany. I served it with Morningstar Riblets and a salted German pretzel. Sophia's new friend Lara was over playing and stayed to dinner. She had very good manners. She ate most of everything, didn't make any faces or comments, and in the end told me that the Riblets were a little spicy and she didn't care for her vanilla almond milk. She is only five.

1 tablespoon canola oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 large head cauliflower, chopped, about 2 pounds
4 cups vegetable broth
Freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Heat canola oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and salt, cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are very soft, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and wine. Cook, stirring, until liquid is almost completely evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir in cauliflower and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until cauliflower is very soft, 20 to 25 minutes.

In 2 or 3 batches, process soup in a blender until very smooth. Stir together and season to taste with white pepper and salt.

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, chives, and parsley. Ladle soup into bowls and decoratively drizzle herb oil on top.

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Army Life - Bamberg Move - Assembly Required

2011-08-07T23:39:00.001+02:00

Today was a productive day. I put together two Ikea serving carts that will serve as extra counter space in my tiny kitchen. We also drive out to Weiden and did most of the cleaning that we need to do for our final check out. I really did not want to break away from unpacking this house but it feels good to have that unpleasant task out of the way.

Usually I can have my house unpacked in a week and decorated in another week. I think it is going to take me longer in this house because I don't have places to put things away. I have to shop and put together before I can put away.

Yesterday we had a nice break. Our village had a community camping event. It goes on for several days every summer. Last night we got there in time for Sophie to roll around in a giant ball, walk a tightrope, and do other fun activities before dinner.

Dinner was pizza made to order on stones in an open fire. It was the best pizza ever with a crispy, slightly smoky crust. Sophia was praised for choosing vegetables to go on hers. It was nice to hang out with our friends and get acquainted a little bit with people in the neighborhood.

Next year Sophia will have friends from school and she and Kenny will camp for two nights if it is not raining. It feels pretty special to live in a community where people do things together and it is safe for the kids to run and play.

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Army Life - Bamberg Move - Moving In

2011-08-05T22:29:00.002+02:00

It is small things that are really nice when you are moving. A friend living next door can provide lots of those small things.

On our way out we had dinner and a movie night at Deanna's house. It was nice to sit in a room with no boxes. Sophia had lots of good playtime with Jayden and Jayce while we were packing up.

On the way in to our new house we spent the night at Mary's. She gave us a comfortable bed with nice smelling linens to sleep in and a bath in her yellow tiled bathroom that she hates. I think it's charming. Sophie stayed at their house pretty much all day. Mary brought me a pancake with peanut butter and provided dusting spray. Just little quality of life things that are so nice.

One truck showed up at nine and they were done unloading by about noon. One of the truck drivers from yesterday had a bad back and could not make the trip today. We had to wait several hours for the next truck to arrive. We worked frantically to unpack as much as we could so they could take the packing materials with them.

Sophia likes the way her jungle room is coming together and she seems proud of the quilt I made her.

Our village is charming and friendly. German neighbors have already insisted that we attend a village camping party tomorrow for coffee and cake and games for kids. We will not pitch a tent but it will be fun to check out the festivities.

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Army Life - Bamberg Move - Movers Day 2

2011-08-05T08:11:00.003+02:00

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The movers showed up at nine with two trucks and six workers. Two of them have been working on my kitchen for 3 1/2 hours. It is a small kitchen but it is full of Polish Pottery, china, and crystal, all things that we get at a good price living here in Germany.

As I sit here and watch them pack I start to wonder if we have too much stuff. One of the struggles I have as an Army wife is that I want to make a nice, comfortable home for my family. But, we move every two years. Even if the movers do a good job our stuff gets a lot of wear and tear.

It's hard to get rid of things too because every house is different. We might not need something in this house but we might in another. That creates excess that other people don't have to contend with.

I have to keep versatility in mind when I buy things. We bought several cubes shelves from Ikea for our new house. They all go in different rooms but I bought them all in white. I would have liked red for Sophia's playroom or dark wood for the bathroom but someday they might all have to go together in the same room so it is better if they match.

Instead of spending big money for a wardrobe for the bedroom I bought three racks to make an open closet. We can always use the racks in a basement or break them down to store. Versatility is key.

Kenny already told me he's not replacing any light fixtures and it is going to break my heart. Ours are so ugly. But, it would be spending money on something that wouldn't move with us. I might keep my eyes open for a crystal chandelier that I could have rewired. Then again, a friend's chandelier was destroyed on her recent move. Maybe I won't bother until I have my forever house.

Until then I will work on defining my style and make do the best I can.

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Army Life - Bamberg Move - Day Off

2011-08-03T22:12:00.000+02:00

Our movers were supposed to be here packing today but there was a misunderstanding and they did not come so we had an unexpected free day. Sophia has been such a good girl so far throughout this process even though she's had to entertain herself, spend a lot of time in the car, be off schedule, say goodbye to her friends, not have access to her stuff, etc. So, I decided that today would be her day. We could do whatever she wanted.

I offered her cold cereal for breakfast but she said she wanted a healthy breakfast with eggs and fruit. So, we went to brunch at Bruenner's in downtown Weiden. We loaded up since it would be the best meal of the day. We had scrambled eggs, bread with butter and jam, yogurt, potatoes, fresh-squeezed orange juice and tea/hot chocolate. I think we were there for nearly two hours. It was really nice to not be in a hurry and not have anything else to do.

After brunch we did a little shopping. We found a new lunchbox, brotzeit (snack) box, and water bottle for Sophia to take to school.

When we went home I took a half hour snooze and then we went to the park with our neighbors Jayden and Jayce. Our visit was cut short by rain, but we decided to have pizza and a movie together after bath time. It was nice to sit in their house that was not all disassembled. It was also nice to see Sophia giggling and having fun with her friends.

After she went to bed I spent some time getting everything organized again so we can be ready for the movers in the morning. It will be a crazy day. They still have to finish packing and get everything loaded.

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Army Life - Bamberg Move - Moving Day 1

2011-08-02T18:19:00.000+02:00

We woke up an unpleasant surprise on moving day 1. There was Kicsi's blood all over our sheets. She has been really anxious because of all of the moving and she got a sore bottom. Luckily Kenny had saved out some laundry detergent.

We were ready for the movers at seven but they didn't show up until 10: 30. We got a nicely dressed, clean cut guy, who is not a mover but an office worker filling in for a sick truck driver. And we got a very butch girl who turned out to be a 14-year-old boy. Kenny caught the young boy putting a crystal candle holder in a box using no paper. Kenny yelled at everyone and they went out and got some paper. I watched over them carefully and I think they packed better from then on. They took an hour long break at noon and then left at 4. Kind of a short day.

The older boy was very excited that I had Cherry Coke. I guess it is very expensive in Germany.

The other problem I had with today's move is that they're not coming back until Thursday. The paperwork said packing today and loading on Thursday. It assumed two days of packing. Sophie and I will have to find something else to do tomorrow and Thursday will be a whirlwind because there is a lot if packing yet to do.

I am trying hard to let go of artificial deadlines and just be patient when things don't happen according to my timeline.

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Army Life - Bamberg Move - Cleaning and Assembly

2011-08-01T17:14:00.002+02:00

Spent the day at the Bamberg house. Vodafone was supposed to come hook up our phone and internet so we scheduled delivery of our loaner closets and washer/dryer. Everything got delivered but Vodafone did not come. We received a second letter from them saying they are coming on the 11th instead. We corrected our address with them and that must have canceled our appointment. I am disappointed but not surprised.

The house seemed to be really clean with its new wood floors and fresh coat of white paint but the kitchen cupboards, drawers, and dishwasher were a mess. I spent several hours scrubbing.

I also spent some time assembling the clothes racks that will make my closet, and two shelves for the bathroom. When Kenny got home he helped me with the monster 25-cube shelf for Sophia's playroom. He and Sophie also mowed the lawn with the riding mower that came with the house.

Busy day. It's not over. I'm at the dentist to get my permanent crown put on. Then I'll drive back to Weiden to finish getting ready for the movers who come tomorrow. Pfew. I'm so tired I might fall asleep in the dentist chair.

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Army Life - Bamberg Move - Almost Ready

2011-07-31T22:30:00.002+02:00

Tomorrow I have to put two of these beasts together. One is for my craft room and one is for Sophia's playroom. We are going to be very organized.

We are still neither here nor there. This morning we picked up some things from Kenny's office, ate a gross breakfast at Burger King on Bamberg post, hit the Graf PX for super glue and a 220 vacuum, and went back to the Weiden house.

Number one priority was laundry. I don't want to move dirty clothes. Next I made sure there were no loose papers around the house and got our filing in order. Then I went through and made sure I set aside all small valuable items (coins, electronics, etc.) and other items I didn't want the movers touching. I packed up some things to entertain Sophia. And finally I wrapped my necklaces and bracelets separately in plastic wrap so they wouldn't tangle and I put my jewelry with the other valuables. Meanwhile Kenny started taking everything off of the walls and taping the hardware to the backs of pictures.

We have a little bit more to do tomorrow night, but we're getting close to being ready.

Sophia was a really good girl while we were working. She rode her bike back and forth in the driveway for a very long time. She usually likes a lot of interaction with us so it broke my heart a little bit that she entertained herself for so long. She might have been afraid that we were going to put her to work.

Kicsi is a little bit traumatized with all of the movement between two houses, a hotel, and two posts. I gave her a bone today and she was too depressed to chew on it.

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Army Life - Bamberg Move - Keys!

2011-07-30T21:41:00.002+02:00

As we were walking to dinner at Orlando in Bamberg's university district I had one of those surreal moments when I couldn't believe that I LIVE here in this fairytale.

It's a lot of work getting here though. I think I've mentioned before that it is hard to do a short distance door-to-door move. We have to simultaneously get both houses ready and the hour and a half drive between the houses gets tricky.

Yesterday I worked on the old house until my marathon recovering legs couldn't climb any more stairs.

I care more about my stuff than the movers do, so I like to do a little pre-packing to minimize loss and damage. In Sophia's room I put like things together in Ziplock bags...Barbie, My Little Pony, American Girl, rocks, shells, etc. That way small things are less likely to get lost. I also made sure all hanging clothes were on hangers and all money was set aside for us to move ourselves. I had her pack a suitcase with a week's worth of clothes.

Another big job was the kitchen. I packed a bin with essential kitchen items that I would want right away. I pulled out all cleaning supplies so I could have them to clean for our final out. I loaded up all liquids for us to move ourselves. I cleaned out the fridge and filled it with water and soda for the movers.

Today we loaded up what I had set aside along with things from Ikea and we came out to get our keys.

Kenny was thrilled with the early apples and green plums that are ready to pick.

We learned how to use our wood burning stove.

I started to see just how much of a challenge my tiny kitchen will be. I think the microwave will have to live on top of the fridge and I will need to buy some more counter space at Ikea. I WILL figure it out!

A lot more to do tomorrow and Monday to get ready for the movers, but we're getting there.

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Army Life - Bamberg Move - Pantry Organization

2011-07-28T22:07:00.000+02:00

One of the challenges of Army life is that we move so frequently and every space is different. Every new house presents us with a puzzle. We have to somehow fit all the pieces into an ever expanding and contracting border.

One of my challenges in this house is that the kitchen is tiny. There isn't very much drawer or cupboard space. The refrigerator is small. We chose not have a big American fridge brought in. I'd rather use the pretty new stainless one that is there and maybe save a little on utilities.

There is a pantry but it is empty. I'm going to fill it with inexpensive Ikea shelves. I'll stack the containers shown in the picture on those shelves. The containers will also stack neatly in the fridge or freezer. They are the Sistema brand by Martha Stewart and available at the PX. They are BPA free.

I am pleased as punch. My life is going to be in chaos shortly but I can know that all of my pantry items are stored and labeled neatly in uniform containers.

Usually I would use up most of these items before moving, but I didn't make that effort for this short move. Now I won't have to worry about having spilled rice etc. everywhere.

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Army Life - Bamberg Move - Saying Goodbye

2011-07-28T19:17:00.000+02:00

Sophia said goodbye to her American friends one by one as they moved this summer. Now it is time for her to say goodbye to her school friends.

This is Sophia and one of her best friends from school, Gamze. They had one last play date today before school ends tomorrow. I think they were such good friends because German is the second language for both of them. Gamze speaks Turkish at home.

I realized when I picked Sophia up that I showed poor manners when Gamze played at our house. Her mom asked if I had time, invited me in, and offered me tea. We chatted in German for an hour. It was nice hospitality.

When we signed our lease with the Germans we sat down to coffee and cake while we did the paperwork. Americans are in a hurry all the time. I think it's nice (although somewhat painful with limited language skills) to take some time and chat.

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Army Life - Bamberg Move - Supermom

2011-07-27T20:24:00.001+02:00

I had to spend three hours in the car again today driving to the dentist in Bamberg. He fixed a small cavity and gave me a temporary crown. The new crown will be ready on Monday. That is super fast. My dentist in the States took 4-6 weeks to get a crown back from the lab. I had heard that German dentists don't always use anesthetic so I was scared to go. When I expressed my concern the dentist told me he has boxes and boxes of it. He was also particularly careful to be gentle. His English was excellent and he told me about a patient that qualified for the Ironman Hawaii last weekend in Frankfurt. It is inconvenient to have all kinds if dental work right now but I'm happy to get established as a patient and put my fear behind me.

A bright spot in my day was that I got to see my old friend and new neighbor. We went to lunch and she showed me other restaurants and good places to shop. She showed my her son's playroom which she just finished decorating. It's really well done with paint on the walls and everything. Not sure if I can keep up with the neighbors this time! Finally, we went to my yard and picked some plums with green skin and some purple berries that I can't identify. I'm super excited about all of the fruit growing in my yard.

When I picked Sophia up from school she told me she told her teacher I have time to bake a cake for tomorrow because I don't work. She must think I'm Supermom. No, I don't get paid for what I do, but I'm recovering from a marathon, enduring an achy tooth, and trying in vain to get ready to move. Sure, I can bake a cake on short notice with an abbreviated pantry. Kenny brought home a cake mix from Trader Joe's. I'm an ingredient snob but this mix passes my test with no chemicals or artificial stuff. It sure came in handy today!

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Army Life - Bamberg Move - Shoeboxes

2011-07-26T22:01:00.000+02:00

Today to get ready for our move I made sure all of my shoes had a labeled shoe box. If they're in boxes the movers stack them nicely in cardboard boxes. If they are loose they all get thrown in together and they get all scuffed up.

Someday I would like to have nicer open front boxes like these:

If somebody wants to buy me a present I need 10 sets please. That amounts to $370. Pricy. Guess I need fewer shoes if I want nice storage like that.

I'm starting to develop a plan for our closetless house. The Army lends us four tiny closets. Two will go in Sophia's room. Two will go in the guest room for Kenny. I'll put canvas hanging shelves for each of them in one of their closets for folding items. Our master bedroom is intended to be a living/dining room so it is spacious. I will do something like this for my clothes:

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Army Life - Bamberg Move - Neither Here Nor There

2011-07-26T21:59:00.000+02:00

Doing a short distance door-to-door move makes me feel like I'm neither here nor there especially since Kenny is there already.

I'm spending two days driving to the dentist in Bamberg this week to take care of my crown that fell out. I probably could have used those days getting organized on this end. I did get new license plates for my car and a new fuel ration card. I shouldn't have to do any inprocessing when I get there.

I had my pre-inspection with housing today. My house was picked up and reasonably clean, but I would have done a lot more if I hadn't spent Monday in Bamberg. It's just as well. The housing guy was just happy that there were no stains on the carpet or holes in the walls.

Tonight I packed up some liquids that we won't be needing right away and will drop them off with Kenny tomorrow. I also packed up hand soap, toilet paper, paper towel, and multi-surface cleaner to have on hand at the new house. We get our keys this weekend!

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Running - Marathon Playlist (6 hours!)

2011-07-26T10:53:00.000+02:00

For my half marathon I had iTunes make me a Genius playlist based on Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger." It was a pretty good playlist but I started getting tired of it and there were some songs that I just couldn't stand. Kenny tweaked it for me at the beginning of my marathon training and he freshened it again just before the big day so I could have some surprises. I run alone so it was nice to feel like Kenny was with me in some way during the race. Most people didn't run with music. I don't know if it's bad race etiquette or what. I wouldn't have wanted to run for five hours without it, that's for sure!

Some songs are explicit so if you choose to use some or all of this playlist, don't be surprised and use your own discretion.

When Kenny tweaked the original list I told him I wanted songs that were angry, told a story, or had a good beat. He added some songs that were inspiring as well. This list was made to keep me going not to make me go faster so we weren't concerned with beats per minute. If you are a fast runner you could probably run two marathons in the time it takes to get through this playlist!

I had to giggle as I typed this list. It is just so eclectic. Read through. You'll see.

Grinderman - Get It On
Archie Eversole - We Ready (No. 2)
Survivor - Eye of the Tiger
Journey - Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
Bright Eyes - Easy Lucky Free
Pat Benatar - Invincible
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Lady GaGa - Highway Unicorn (Road to Love)
Bon Jovi - Bad Medicine
Eminem - Till I Collapse
Bruce Springsteen - Glory Days
Alice Cooper - Poison
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Abattoir Blues
Guns n' Roses - Don't Cry
Survivor - Burning Heart
Bon Jovi - I'll Be There for You
Metallica - Fuel
Poison - Look What the Cat Dragged In
Bob Seger - Against the Wind
Black Sabbath - Iron Man
Arcade Fire - We Used to Wait
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son
Evanescence - Going Under
MGMT - Kids
Olivia Newton-John - Physical
Dixie Chicks - Not Ready to Make Nice
Iron Maiden - Run to the Hills
Conor Oberst - Moab
Poison - Talk Dirty to Me
John Cougar Mellencamp - Hurts So Good
Lady GaGa - I Like it Rough
Nine Inch Nails - Getting Smaller
Townes Van Zandt - Where I Lead Me
Pat Benatar - Heartbreaker
REO Speedwagon - Keep Pushin
Ween - Piss Up a Rope
The Cure - Fight
Rammstein - Du Hast
Guns N' Roses - Welcome to the Jungle
Queen - Another One Bites the Dust
Metallica - Sad But True
t.A.T.u - Not Gonna Get Us
Twisted Sister - We're Not Gonna Take It
Eminem - Mosh
Lady Antebellum - Love this Pain
Franz Ferdinand - Come on Home
Lita Ford - Kiss Me Deadly
Timbaland Feat. The Hives - Throw it on Me
Carrie Underwood - Flat on the Floor
Christina Aguilera - Keeps Getting Better
Marilyn Manson - The Fight Song
Charlie Daniels - This Ain't No Rag, It's a Flag
Bryan Adams - Run to You
ZZ Top - Legs
Van Halen - Jump
Marianne Faithfull - Desperanto
Rob Zombie - Demon Speeding
Nine Inch Nails - Sin
The Cooper Temple Clause - Promises Promises
Guns N' Roses - It's So Easy
Marilyn Manson - Tourniquet
The Cure - Cut
New Kids on the Block - Hangin' Tough
Cinderella - Coming Home
Europe - The Final Countdown
Muse - Time is Running Out
Lady GaGa - The Edge of Glory
xzibit - X
Nine Inch Nails - The Beginning of the End
Placebo - The Bitter End
Metallica - So What
Lady Antebellum - Stars Tonight
Smashing Pumpkins - Bullet with Butterfly Wings
Cascada - Evacuate the Dance Floor
Young MC - Bust a Move
I Finished! But there were still some extra songs, just in case.
Madonna - Celebration
A.F.I - Girl's Not Grey
t.A.T.u - Dangerous and Moving
The Cure - Push
Brazilian Girls - Jique
Foreigner - Hot Blooded
Dolly Parton - Baby I'm Burning
Toby Keith - Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue
Chuck D with Fine Arts Militia - No Meaning No
Eminem - Just Don't Give a F***
Faster Pussycat - House of Pain
Slayer - Angel of Death

Running - 2011 Königsschlösser Romantik Marathon in Füssen

2011-07-25T23:22:00.000+02:00

My first marathon in short. Read on for the long story.

On May 31, I signed up for the 2011 Königsschlösser Romantik Marathon in Füssen because I was well into my marathon training and feeling confident. I injured my knee that same day doing hip openers in yoga. On July 23, the day before the marathon, my knee hurt when descending stairs and my ankle hurt so badly I could hardly walk to dinner. All that night Sophia was up, delirious with fever and screaming for Mommy. It was raining and in the 40s on the morning of the marathon. Sophia was finally sleeping soundly so my family did not accompany me to the starting line, nor did I expect to see them during the race. At mile 12 my right leg, where most of the knee and ankle trouble came from, felt like it was paralyzed. It didn't hurt, but I could barely move it forward. At mile 17 I lost a crown from my tooth, almost got run over by a bicycle, and lost my pace group. At mile 19 they started serving cola so I knew I was almost done. Kenny and Sophia found me when I was nearing the finish line. I finished in 5:05:59.

And now for the long story.

Running a marathon was never on my list of things I wanted to do. I'm ambitious but I know my limitations. I've had bad knees for as long as I can remember. I learned to ski in 5th grade and took some tough tumbles. I played basketball in high school. It was a small school and the boys and girls would scrimmage each other. It got rough sometimes and I hit the floor hard on my knees. And, I just wasn't a good runner. I got a B in my college jogging class because I couldn't go fast enough to get into the A category.

Never say never. My friend Sarah encouraged me to run the Prague half marathon with her and some other ladies (plus a husband) from the gym on April 2, 2011. I started training in January. I started to believe that I could be a runner with proper training and yoga.

As my training for the half drew to a close I started to think I should train for a full marathon since I was already halfway there. It took some courage to continue on with that plan after the half because I felt really sick after I completed it. I went out too fast, got overheated, probably did not fuel/hydrate properly during the run, and I did not have the right shoes. I knew that if I was going to continue I would need to find shoes that did not chew up my feet and I would need to learn how to fuel better during the run.

I rested for about a week and then looked for a late summer race. I train in the forest by myself so unlike the big city Prague race, I wanted to find something in the country. Tammy, a fellow JAG wife, told me about a race in Füssen, Germany that had views of King Ludwig's castles, including the famous Neuschwanstein castle that gave Walt Disney his idea for the Cinderella castle. It just so happened that a July 24, 2011 date would work perfectly. I could jump into week 3 of an 18 week training program since I was already trained up for the half. I used Hal Higdon's novice program from Hal Higdon's How to Train: The Best Programs, Workouts, And Schedules For Runners Of All Ages.

In the beginning I tried to train not only to increase distance but to improve time. I had a day for speedwork, a day for a tempo run, a day for a long run, and a day for a recovery run. When I injured my knee I headed for the soft forest trails and just checked off mileage. My long runs became like pleasant forest hikes with snacks, good music, and time for taking pictures. I let go of all time goals. My only goal was to finish.

I never really recovered from my 20 mile run even with the two week taper down that followed. My ankles and knees hurt and I thought maybe I was developing an IT band issue. I had a hard time with stairs and with getting up from the floor. I knew I was injured and needed rest but I wanted to reach my goal of finishing the marathon. I talked to my doctor about my bad knees back in November and he said it was just runner's knee. He recommended at least a month of rest and some strengthening exercises. He said that if I chose not to rest it wouldn't get any worse and often soldiers are not excused for running because of runner's knee. So, I chose to carry on.

We drove to Füssen the day before the race. Kenny found a wonderful restaurant at Schloss Seefeld that boasted a whole page of vegetarian menu items. For lunch I chose brats made out of lentils and a potato arugula salad. I washed it down with a whole bottle of water. I thought it was a nice combination of protein and carbohydrates.

We drove to the starting line so I could pick up my number. I surprised by the low number of 26 and I thought it was a nice touch that it had Kimberly written on it even though I am not an elite runner. They still had small shirts available and they surprised me with some local beer cheese.

We checked into Hotel Sonne which was conveniently only a slow 10 minute walk to the starting line. They had a fridge where I could stash my cheese, chocolate milk, and Gatorade.

We headed out to look at runners that were participating in other runs. They had a half marathon, 10k, and a city run. At first I was alarmed because the runners were dressed in shorts and t-shirts for rain and temperatures barely in the 50s and they had no gear. No fanny packs or water bottles, no music. It just looked weird and I wondered if I just do things differently since I train alone. Later I figured out that those people were doing the shorter runs. The half-marathoners were more adequately dressed and some had music and water.

We did not search for a perfect restaurant. My ankle hurt and Sophia was complaining about being cold. We just picked an Italian restaurant and I got some spaghetti for a good carb load. I drank another bottle of water with this meal. Sophia started complaining about her eyes being sour during dinner so I knew she had a fever. I was quiet at dinner because I was scared. I knew I was injured and the longest I had ever run was 20 miles and I didn't know if I was going to make it. I talked to some other Americans in the restaurant and one girl from Kaiserslautern said, "I'm really nervous. I'm kinda injured and I don't know if I can hold it together long enough to get through." Exactly how I felt. I was quiet at dinner because I could only express my concerns about my injuries or how to dress for the rain/cold so many times to Kenny and Sophia. I enjoyed their company but missed pre-run talk and companionship of other runners.

We took Sophia back to the hotel and she went straight to bed in her clothes. I convinced her to substitute her corduroy pants for leggings so she could be more comfortable. It was early so I made some Aveda tea, which is my favorite for relaxing, and I pulled out my Kindle to read. I wanted something calming. You can train your body to run a marathon, but you also have to train your mind, and I didn't yet have anything to latch onto mentally. I wasn't necessarily looking for anything in particular when I clicked on Baron Baptiste's 40 Days to Personal Revolution: A Breakthrough Program to Radically Change Your Body and Awaken the Sacred Within Your Soul (he's the founder of the Baptiste Power Yoga Institute) but I found some wisdom that gave me the mental edge I was lacking. He writes, "Jesus taught his students to walk toward their fears with an open heart rather than away from them, to face them head-on so that we can dissolve their hold over us." I was definitely fearful and I needed a way to cope if I was going to complete the marathon. I can't find the exact quote, but somewhere in the first chapters he talks about surrendering control over things that are outside of us, letting those things fall away and repeating, "Just me. My heartbeat. My breath." I can't find that quote again and I'm beginning to wonder if I made it up. That was it. My mantra. The mental key that I needed. When Sophia was up screaming in the night I did not panic about not being rested enough. I calmly comforted her, was really glad that I had some children's Tylenol in my toiletry bag, rested my head on my pillow, and repeated my mantra no more that three times before I went to sleep. I was able to sleep because I did not panic.

Sophia was sleeping soundly in the morning so I knew that she and Kenny would not make it with me to the starting line. I felt like crying. In Prague I really counted on them. I heard of a study that people feel less pain when they think about their loved ones. Seeing them on the course really helped me and I was going to miss out on that for this race. I repeated my mantra and held it together.

I sat in the bathroom at 5:30 and ate my breakfast. I had purchased an electric water kettle because I knew the hotel wouldn't be serving breakfast that early and I wanted to eat two hours before the race. I made black tea and oatmeal and also had a banana.

I did cry when Kenny was trying to explain how to get to the starting line. I'm terrible with directions and I count on him for all navigation when we travel. He had pointed out the starting line from the pedestrian area the night before and I knew it was close to the hotel. He got impatient with me because I made him repeat himself several times and I started to cry because that was one thing that I didn't think I had to worry about. Finally I was clear on where to go and I took Kicsi out for a walk after breakfast to find the starting line. It was raining and cold and I knew that long running tights and a jacket would be appropriate. I opted for a short-sleeved shirt under the jacket in case I wanted to push up my sleeves.

Kenny took my picture in the hallway of the hotel before I left. He said my dork factor was pretty good until I put on my turquoise hat.

It was kind of strange at the start. There just weren't very many people. Nine-thousand people ran Prague and there was a line to exit the subway station. Only 611 people ran this race. It is not an elite race, but it is well-organized and goes through some spectacular countryside. The slowest pacer was going to run the race in 4:45. Before I injured my knee I had planned on running with the 4:30 pacer. Now, after my leisurely runs on the forest trails I had no idea what my pace would be on a flat surface. I decided to hang out with the 4:45 pacer as long as I could. I envisioned him pulling me along with an umbilical cord and my group of well-wishers pushing me from behind. I took out my earphones early in the race to talk to a Canadian woman. It warmed my heart to speak English for awhile and I eased into the race knowing that we were going a comfortable, conversational pace. I told her I didn't want to bother her too much with my jibber jabbering and I put my earphones back in.

I took water at the first stop and was pleased that our pacer walked through and took time to drink. After that I took ISO, a sports drink, and I took bananas when I found them. I also ate a Shot Blok every two miles and chased it with water. I wanted to fuel well and stay hydrated. In spite of my good intentions, at mile 12 my right leg, the one with most of the knee and ankle problems, felt like it was paralyzed. It didn't hurt. It just didn't want to move. I didn't know what I was going to do and I started to panic. I repeated my mantra, "Just me. My breath. My heartbeat." A water station appeared and I felt better after a drink and a banana.

We cruised right along at an easy pace. We completed the half in 2:20, just five minutes off of my Prague half that was so painful. I was pleased at how good I felt. Around mile 15 though I started to struggle. I felt like the pacer was speeding up. I knew he wasn't. I was slowing down. Nothing really hurt but I felt a little light headed so I ate more Shot Bloks.

At mile 17 those sticky Shot Bloks pulled a crown right off of my tooth. I couldn't believe it. It didn't hurt though and I had two Ibuprofen tablets in my pocket in case I needed them. I tried to put the crown in my pocket but I dropped it. I turned around to look for it and nearly got run over by a bicycle that I didn't even know was back there. There was gravel underfoot. I didn't stop to look. But, I lost my pace group. It was probably for the best. I'm used to running alone and I was a little bit irritated by some of the other runners. It was not a crowded race. We did not need to be right on top of each other. One man shuffled his feet so much that I was afraid he was going to fall into me. Another man ran on his tiptoes and just the thought of running like that made me hurt.

At mile 19 they started serving cola so I knew I was on the last stretch. I knew I was going to make it.

I was happy to run alone, but I was pretty sure I was dead last. I couldn't see anybody ahead of me or behind me. I only took this one picture during the race because I was afraid that if I dilly dallied too much I wouldn't finish before the six hour time limit. I only walked through water stations. The rest of the time I ran. Well, jogged, or whatever you want to call it.

The scenery was spectacular with the lakes, mountains, castles, and bright green grass. I saw deer and cows and was glad that I wasn't the one that stepped on a frog. It rained but it didn't dump. I'm glad I had a chance to run this race before it becomes crowded with other people that want to run through a fairy tale.

With about 5k left my Oprah's gonna beat you music came on. Kenny put that in so I would have warning in case I was close and I wanted to push to beat her. The songs were Cinderella's "Coming Home", Europe's "The Final Countdown," and Muse's "Time is Running Out." When that song was over I laughed out loud. I had hoped to beat her time because I am younger and I'd like to think fitter than she was when she ran her marathon, but I just couldn't do it. The next song was Lady Gaga's "The Edge of Glory." I almost started to cry. I felt really emotional. I was on the edge of my own personal glory. I didn't beat Oprah but I was going to finish a marathon in spite of all obstacles. I had faced my fear with an open heart and I was running well. I was not running fast but I was maintaining a steady pace and a good attitude.

Kenny reworked my old Eye of the Tiger mix that I used for the half. He infused it with some more current music. I asked for stories that were angry, or that told stories, or that just had a good beat. I had never listened to his final mix so it was fun to be surprised. It was kind of like receiving a mixed tape from him back when we were dating. One of the songs said, "See you at the finish line," and that made me feel emotional too.

With about 2k to go Kenny called me and asked how I was doing. I was pleased to report that I was almost done. He and Sophia and Kicsi came out to meet me.

Sophia and Kicsi ran. Clearly she was feeling better. It was nice to see them.

I was all alone on the trail. I had passed one man walking. Was I second to last?

I had a smile at the finish line. I felt much better than I did after Prague. I did not feel sick or delirious or crampy. I finished in 5:05:59. I wish that number had a 4 in front but I feel like ran a smart race. I knew from training that my knees would act up if I pushed it too fast. I was starting to feel light-headed when I lost my crown and my pace group. Those things could have compromised my finish. In the end, I ran my own slow race and I can be proud that I persevered.

I was trying to have a pleasant look on my face but it looks more like a grimace. The woman behind me was Jennifer from Canada, the woman that spoke English to me and lifted my spirits.

I consumed lots of Shot Bloks, bananas, ISO, cola, and water along the way so I grabbed a sports drink and told Kenny I just wanted to go home so we walked to the car and I did not eat the snacks offered at the end or take advantage of my pasta party coupon that was included with my entry fee. At the car we realized that Kenny didn't get my special cheese or recovery drinks from the fridge when he checked out. He was allowed to go back and check but it was cleared out already. The man at the front desk thought he could find it so I went to change in the bathroom while he looked. There were showers offered somewhere but I didn't know where. It was cold and I ran at an easy pace so I wasn't too sweaty. I put on fresh clothes and deodorant and washed my hands and face. When I went down the man had found my things. When I thanked him I said they were small but important things.

It didn't occur to me that the car ride home would be tough. The roads out of Füssen are narrow and curvy. I started to feel carsick.

We stopped to walk around a bit, use the restroom, and get some snacks. I could hardly walk. My knees often ache after a long car ride under normal circumstances, so I was in really bad shape after such a long run. It is not a good idea to get in the car immediately after running a marathon. It was also very cold and my teeth were chattering so much that I thought I was going to bite my cheeks or tongue.

I started to feel better after eating some animal crackers so we decided to endure some extra time in the car and go to post to eat at Taco Bell. I ate three crunchy supreme tacos with beans instead of beef.

Today, the day after, I am stiff and sore but up and about. Kenny was afraid that I would be bed-ridden all day and wondered if I would be okay to pick Sophia up from school. But, it turned out that a dentist in Bamberg could see me today at 10 to see about getting me a new crown. I got off the phone with them at 8:25. That didn't leave me much time to get there. It is about an hour and a half drive. So, I moved as fast as I could and managed to get there only a little bit late. In reference to my crown my sister wrote, "I'm glad that's not all the trial consumed." She meant to type trail but trial was appropriate too.

I'm glad I made it and also glad that I never have to do it again if I don't want to. I think a half marathon is a much more manageable distance.

And did I finish second to last? No, but there weren't very many people behind me. I finished 580th out of 611. I think all of the half-hearted people were put off by the rain.

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Sewing Room - Sophia's Pillow Shams

2011-07-20T22:16:00.000+02:00

I am supposed to be getting ready to move, but I couldn't bring myself to put away everything in my craft room until Sophia's pillow shams were done. I want to be able to make her bed when we get to the new house.

I used black fabric to make the front of the shams. She will have black sheets and a black bed skirt so the pillows will tie everything together. I used pretty backs though using the only two pieces of leftover fabric that were big enough.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone