taste buddies

I like to cook. It makes me feel good (and to eat it too, obviously). I just opened the oven to take out 2 pumpkin pies. Oh how I love that warm pumpkin spice wafting on my face! Now I just have to be patient enough to let it cool so I can put some whipped cream on top and have a slice {too late, just snarffed down a piece}.

I am proud to stay that I had my first round at canning. Who knew that could be so fulfilling? We had a ton of grapes so I did grape juice (and we still have more grapes). I was relieved and proud that all 8 cans sealed and nothing broke or cracked in the process.

I currently have tomato basil soup simmering down on the stove. I'll puree it and then can that tomorrow. I've got a bag of apples to peel and cut and I'll make that into apple pie filling and can that too (I hope I can keep up the motivation I have right now, I think that is part of my reason for posting).

We also made a red pepper pesto this week from the peppers in our garden. We froze a few tupperwares so we can enjoy it later on.

I'm going to borrow my sis's food processor and make salsa out of our tomatoes, jalapenos, and onions we've grown. Having a baby due in January is also adding motivation. All this canned and stored yummyness will be very handy in a few months.

Today I went to a big parking lot baby/kid garage sale and got ski boots for Siri, a fleece jacket, a potty training seat, a pair of newborn pj's, 2 shirts, newborn hat, 3 onesies, and 3 swaddling blankets for $29. I'm pretty excited about it. Mark also biked today in his foxy new bike attire (his first time owning spandex that's not in speedo form). He'll have to post some pics.
We went to the Oktoberfest with LizDanSam and Em&Jess. I have grown to love sitting and listening to the german music they play. And its always nice to be up the canyon. Then we hiked a little way up the Red Pine Trailhead. It was a good day.

{today I also worried about what I'm going to do with a newborn and where we're going to live in a year, when my aunt gets back, and how things will be when Mark is training like crazy...but I'd prefer to post about the good things and the worries pale in comparison anyway}

And another good tidbit: Siri's birthday was radical!
She weighs 26.8lb (53%), 18.6in noggin' (45%), and is 34.5in tall (69%).

She got 3 or 4 shots (even I couldn't stand to watch...needles make me shutter). She did really well. Had a gap in breath/speech so she could get her wail out and then was fine after she got the purple sucker.

We went to the zoo in the morning, had lunch with grandpa Mike, swimming w LizSam then party with more friends and family! She got a new orange bike that she lu hu huvs. She doesn't really get the whole push with your feet thing, but she'll catch on. Her Aunt Zaza and Uncle Bill gave her a stuffed Pooh bear that she carries around constantly and sleeps with now (so much for her faithful sidekick Leo the Lion who has slept with her since birth). And the doll accessories from JennKate have been another hit. Mark has pics from that lovely evening on his camera.

Her favorite seemed to be the elephants and the monkeys

did I mention that I got double the amount of cupcakes I meant to get? I thought I ordered 24...but ended up with 48! Good thing is that there is no such thing as too many cupcakes.
super cute clippies handmade with love from Auntie Kerrah.

The Point of No Return...

A few weeks ago, I made one of those decisions that can (depending on the day) make you super excited/conquer-the-world-type feeling or make you feel scared out of your freakin' mind: I signed up for the St. George Ironman Triathlon. (gulp)

I sometimes try to pawn the decision off on my friend, Cody Flamm, who called me encouraging/persuading/threatening (again, depending on the day and who I am telling the story to) to do it with him. But I think I am just kind of crazy. And that is totally fine with me. (I actually came to grips with my freak-o-ness back in the day so it doesn't bother me.) Plus, I take consolation in the fact that Cody will be there suffering with me.

In reality though, I have always secretly wanted to do an Ironman but have never had the guts to sign up and train for one. That is, until Cody called me up and straight up asked me to do it. (Cody is my hero, by the way) Admittedly, I was hesitant, scared, and extremely intimidated by the sheer gnarliness of the entire event (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, 26.2 mile run) but it was one of those things that I felt incredibly good about the moment after I signed up for it. Love that feeling.

So I am going to attempt to document my progress as I go through my weekly workouts. I doubt I will post my weekly progress so I will try for bi-monthly as well as me at the start of my training and then photos after I complete the Ironman, which will probably include me in an ambulance.

Start Date: August 30th, 2010

Starting weight: 175 lbs

September 11th, 2010

Weight: 169 lbs

*Picture note: I was going to sport a speedo but Siri told me not to. Sorry Tim :(

The first few weeks are focused primarily on solidifying proper techniques, especially for the swim since it's the most technique-oriented of the three disciplines. My workout is set up to feature one heavier workout a week (Saturdays) with regular, exercise-oriented workouts throughout the week (Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri). Most of the weekly sessions only last for 45 minutes or so. Today I biked for 55 minutes followed by a 30 minute run. I haven't really had any weekday sessions that last for more than 2 hours, yet, but will certainly have to reschedule my days to be able to fit everything in when they arrive.

If any of you out there are have even the slightest desire to try something that is way bigger than you, then come and do the Ironman with me. It would be awesome to get a group of people together to accomplish something of this magnitude! Woot woot!

Last, I have to thank my gorgeous Mrs; Ali has been so supportive of me doing this and I hope that I won't be too much of a burden for her. Thanks goodness for an awesome wife!

harvest

We have tomatoes growing like 'gangbusters!' as my aunt would say. I love everything we've been able to harvest from the garden. The grapes and apples have been dee-lish this week too.
Mark made jalapeno poppers after church today...I want more. We've tried them fried before, but I like the baked ones today better.

Mark taught Siri how to do spread eagles on the trampoline.
I hope someday she'll do them on snow.

We had a huge pile of weeds, leaves, branches, etc we finally burned yesterday. We had to call Draper city with the burn permit # and everything. Scary, but mesmerizing to watch it at the same time. Mark smelled so bad once it was finally done.

Heart these two

My sweet friend Rachel, who lives in Minneapolis, came into town to bless her new babe and see family. I was so happy to spend some time over at the Hill house, just like we used to, only now with kids around.

On Tuesday Siri will be turning TWO!
Two years ago I was writing about a baby shower, waiting for her arrival.

Hairs cut

Went to Dr. T today. 22 weeks and all is well. I'm happy to have such a smooth pregnancy so far.

Mark went to Lake Powell with his fam over Labor Day weekend. Siri and I had fun playing and
Siri got her first haircut! It was more like a mullet-trim. Either way, her hair looks better. Kerrah's a great kid-hair-cutter.

My mom and John went to Slovenia to visit his fam, so we got together at the park before she left. Siri's a snugglelover.

Siri found Mark's iTouch. She found a skate game or something, and told me she wanted to watch surfing. I asked her if she wanted signing time or surfing...she went with surfing.