my foot!

is still dropped.

pete's prediction was better by thanksgiving. his new prediction is better by christmas. and hey, I know that christmas is true; I believe in christmas miracles.

and just so you all know, I once thought I had the back of an eighty year old woman but as it turns out I have the back of a healthy thirty year old. what a relief! I really was stressing over that. and the nerve damage isn't stemming from my lower back. again, what a relief! I'm convinced that it's from the pelvis--hello! childbirth!--but the spine guy says the next most likely place for this type of nerve damage is below the knee and that's where they would check next. (and then after that the next most likely place is the pelvis... which is where, I'm convinced, the damage happened.) but even if they check below the knee and my pelvis that won't affect my recovery time-frame.

so it's the same old story we've been hearing all along: wait it out. no one knows just how long that will take, though.

but the other day pete and I noticed movement in my toe. it's so subtle, so weak you can barely even see it, but it's there. I think. and I noticed a few days ago that the ligament (or tendon?) that runs across my ankle was responding. I think these are pretty big break throughs from a foot that was doing nothing at all for so long!

thankful

am thankful for family
for health
for life

this year has been quite a doozy. looking out at the start of the year I would have never imagined what 2009 would bring. the happy news of a little one growing inside of me. the not so happy news that my husband had been hit by a car while riding his bike to work, leaving him with a broken neck + back. a very uneventful pregnancy ending in a long, hard labor, that left extensive nerve damage in its wake. who would have thought both pete and I would have had to go to the same spine clinic in the same year? like I said, it's been a doozy.

but it's been a great year. pete is still here with me. little miles pj entered the scene. we've been through a lot, but I think we've learned a lot. we've felt so much love and concern for our small little family. we are happy + healthy + recovering. we truly are blessed.

the foot drop

it hasn't gotten better.
set up an MRI appointment.
will be going to physical therapy.

wish I could walk normally.
wish it wouldn't hurt all the time.

wondering if my pain is worth
two hundred dollars.
would you pay that for relief?
or would you continue to just deal
because is it really two hundred dollars bad
anyway?

blessed.

thank you one and all for the kind words + support given to me and my small family over the past few days. peter and I have felt the love + and know that prayers have been answered on our behalf. we are so blessed.

every time I think of how things so easily could have turned out differently, I get emotional. every time I think of the blessings and the support of family + friends I get emotional. maybe it's all in the hormones.

but honestly, it is in moments of tragedy that you are reminded of the fragility and simpleness of life. how it can all be taken away at any moment. my heart aches for those who have gone through that. I was given a gift on tuesday morning: continued time with my husband here on this earth. how precious that is. I know he has been watched over on more than this occasion. for this I am grateful.

he is the lucky one. he will heal. it is his quiet strength and good attitude that have helped him this far. he is home. he can get around for the most part. this is not a chronic condition. he is lucky.

and we are blessed.

{for those not aware, my husband was hit by a car while riding his bike to work on tuesday morning. the person driving fled the scene and thankfully because of witnesses the paramedics were called in. he spent the next 36+ hours on spinal precaution in the hospital. he was released earlier than I ever expected possible from an accident such as this with a fractured skull and a compression fracture on his back. he is home now and confined to life in a neck brace + a back brace for a while, but his spirit is not confined. especially when the meds are kickin' in.}

biggest loser treats a la runner's world

a few weeks ago when the newest season of the biggest loser began, trainers jillian michaels and bob harper yelled at america.

you know, that we all needed to stop being so lazy, get off our butts, move, eat fruits and vegetables... you know, the stuff we all already know but for some reason most of america has a really hard time with...

and then bob yells: it's never going to happen if you're sitting on the couch eating ice cream!

pete and I looked at each other. we were both sitting on the couch eating ice cream. we just got the smack down from bob harper.

see, it sounds kinda ironic and all, but we love our treats when we sit down to watch this show.

so the next week I made these sinfully delicious red velvet cupcakes. but hey, I got the recipe from runner's world so they must be good for me, no?

no? oh, well at least I got rave reviews from peter's coworkers the next day. bake yourself up a batch for tonight's episode--you won't regret it! {but your thighs, might. unless you go for a nice long run. I'm just sayin'}

strengthening my resolve

I was told the other day that a person is 43% more likely to keep a resolution if it is written down.  I've been mulling around the things that I would like to do {or not do} as this new year rolls around.  the clean slate that january brings is always full of so much potential.  in all of us is the ability to change.  but we have to want it.  and we have to be willing to work for it.  

* * *

:: chew my food ::  I resolve to eat more slowly, to let the enzymes in my saliva break down the foods so they are more easily digested and the nutrients more readily available to my body

:: read books ::  I resolve to read more instead of wasting time on the computer or watching television just for the sake of something to do

:: blog more ::  I resolve to consume less and produce more.  there is a lot of inspiration and creativity out there, but I need to remember to document my thoughts, feelings, et cetera as well

:: eat closer to the source ::  I resolve to be more conscious of my foodshed.  where it comes from, how it was produced, how it got to me.  more whole foods.  more local foods.  more organically grown foods

:: be more social ::  I resolve to get out of my comfort zone in social situations.  I have a tendency toward non-social behavior.    I need to get over any awkwardness, which really just stems from a lack of self confidence.  I am an interesting person.  I just need to believe that

:: create ::  I resolve to make things out of sticks.  or fabric.  or paper.  or anything that my little hands can get on.  I have grand ideas and little follow-through.  those projects will become reality, hopefully in a timely manner

:: document my life ::  I resolve to put pen to paper and write for me.  I am losing the details that make my life what it is.  the personal things.  the thoughts.  the feelings.  the special moments.  the hard moments.  the daily decisions that lead me through life

* * *

if you're having trouble coming up with your own resolutions this year {come on, isn't lose weight and eat healthy so overkill by now?} check out this list I stumbled across:  fifty things everyone should know how to do.  pick one or two and resolve to learn some invaluable skills this year.

photo via.

giving it a tri

the summer solstice.
the longest day of the year.
a day you should be out there,
trying something new + a little scary.

six years ago I braved the daylight
with my first marathon
in the land of endless light
(and consequently endless dark)
anchorage, alaska.

it seems fitting that I begin
another chapter of the journey
again on this day -- where
possibilities are as endless
as the day is long.

{click HERE for the full cache valley tri race report}

I wanna rock and roll all day. . . and party every night.

it seems I've been partying non-stop this entire weekend. bringing in my 30th year in style. if a weekend is any indicator of a year, 29 won't be so bad. not so bad at all.

it all started when peter picked me up from hot yoga on friday. with food on our minds we ended up at barbacoa for fat burritos in our stomachs. he mentioned there was a band playing at kilby court who I'd probably like. it was some good old fashioned americana folk rock. it was leslie and the badgers.

and oh my goodness was he ever right. they were amazing musicians with a fun + funky style. check them out, please! {if not here --I especially love old timers-- then here, here, and here!} I am smitten with leslie and her badgers. just absolutely smitten.

at exactly 12 o'clock am, the very minute my birthday began, we watched one of my favorite movies on the big screen. while leaving barbacoa's I saw up on the marquee, in big bright lights, that the 'burbs was the midnight show at the tower. oh my goodness, I screamed so loudly with excitement! if you didn't know already, I absolutely just love this movie. such a classic. favorite line: [chanting] I wanna kill everyone, satan is good, satan is my pal. {okay, so if you've never seen the movie you might think that's a little weird to be my favorite line. I don't really like satan, and he is definitely not my pal. but I just love it in context. such a funny moment.} we had to struggle just to make it--let's be honest, I'm practically falling asleep at ten o'clock every night--but make it we did. I even stayed awake through most of the movie! (don't worry, I've seen it before. I know how it ends.) seriously, killer movie. (get it? killer movie. . .)


I woke up to a kiss from peter as he was saying goodbye. "I'm going skiing now!" I looked at him suspiciously, "but you're wearing jeans. . ." he then gave me some story about backcountry skiing and having to take all his gear. yeah, not buying it. I knew something was up. he left, then I dragged my birthday butt out of bed. after doing my happy birthday ten miler I came home to find this surprise party: a homemade breakfast {german pancakes} made by peter and a pile of presents.


but the surprise parties did not end there, oh no. peter had planned and pulled off a complete party without my knowledge. (if you remember the costa rica surprise, you'll know that's quite a feat!) I had no idea. {he is amazing.} he got me out of the house because we needed to go to the grocery store. I didn't even notice all the extra cars in our parking lot behind the apartment. not until I stepped in my house and the lights came on and I saw all the cute smiling faces of some of my neartest + dearest did I have any clue. I was in shock. it was the best surprise ever. and a fun, fun party. we even made my favorite shakes! strawberry + banana, a true love story.

the parties haven't seemed to end, either. tonight was a fabulous valentine party hosted by the fabulous marta. holiday cookies + beans spilled everywhere. oh, and some great jokes from the peanut gallery.

what a fantastic weekend. . . do I really have to go back to work tomorrow?

bake room yoga

salt lake city bikram yoga

many people started this year with a word. a mantra that would take them from where they are to where they want themselves to be. what they want to embody. what they want to strive for. recently, I have found my word.

release.

I want to release myself from self-doubt. I want to release myself from a body that is holding me back. I want to embrace what I have been given, where I am right now, acknowledge it and then find a way to push past it. I have been held hostage by tight muscles for far too long. it is time to release. it is time to let my body relax. let the tissue elongate and really start to stretch for the first time.

I am throwing myself full-force into yoga. bikram yoga. as peter likes to call it, bake room yoga, or sauna yoga. I just like to call it hot yoga. plain and simple. it is what it is. in a one-hundred degree room your muscles loosen, your body opens. sweat is pouring out of every inch of your body. it is cleansing + exhausting + energizing. as in the words of the yoga teacher, it is magical.

the heart of the matters

the heart truth: heart disease is the number one killer among american females.
are you at risk?

help celebrate national heart month today
by participating in national wear red day.
show support + raise awareness.

a healthy heart is a happy heart; become educated on heart health:

{learn the risk factors
signs and symptoms
and tips for a healthy heart}

national wear red day | friday, february first

note to self

when you're in a hurry,
running late for work,
and you still need to pack a lunch,
don't even bother.
as you're cutting up your carrot sticks
you'll inevitably cut off your finger.*
and then just forget the whole lunch
on the counter anyway.
(oh, and btw, you'll also forget your cell phone)

I've had a rough day.


*don't get all alarmed and start freaking out that I have no finger. I'm fine. I barely cut myself, much like THIS incident. do not worry your pretty little hearts.

nasal irrigation in the nineties

okay, so this was going to be a post about how I am utterly and uncontrollably in love with the 90's. I miss them. terribly. I still feel like 1995 wasn't that long ago. everytime I'm listening to X96, more specifically todd nuke 'em's show, and even more specifically todd nuke 'em's 90's at noon I am thrown back to a time where the world made sense and I was happy. {okay, so that was junior high, high school, and my first years of college. did the world make sense? probably not. was I happy? yes, but was going through the angst of youth as well. those were good times. good times indeed.} I don't know, I guess the music just takes me back to the memories. ah, the nestalgia. I miss you nirvana, pearl jam, weezer, rem, [insert fave 90's rockstar here], et cetera, et cetera.

well, this post was going to be all about that. but now it's not. see, I went to x96's site to check out any info on todd's show, nuke 'em's 90's at noon, and what did I find? THIS -- for nasal irrigarion! {in case you didn't follow the links, it's a Netipot. I had never heard of one either. you use it to clear out your nose of gunk. you know, for overall sinus health.} I am slightly intrigued + slightly disgusted. which I think equals willing to try!

has anyone out there ever used something like this? or even heard of this? is anyone even half as concerned about their general nasal well being as I am? I'm ready to try it, people. I've got gunk in my sinuses and it has got to go!

maybe I could use the netipot while jammin' out to some radiohead? it's a win, win, win! (because we all win)

the real deal

since we all know you can't make a pumpkin pie (or anything pumpkiny delicioius) out of a regular pumpkin of the jack-o-lantern variety, I went out and bought a couple sugar pumpkins. {okay, the sign at the grocery store said they were pie pumpkins. since I was making pie, I figured this would be good enough, and that they were probably the same thing as a sugar pumpkin anyway, just under another guise.} yesterday I ventured into making the pie. the real, whole-foods pumpkin pie. for a girl who doesn't love pie {though let's be honest, I don't quite hate pie either} I do find myself making quite a lot of them. now I can add pumpkin to the repertoire.

it turned out quite delisious, in case you were wondering. it even held up to a side by side comparison of a marie callender's pumpkin pie.

fresh pumpkin pie recipe via allrecipes.com

Fresh Pumpkin Pie

1 medium sugar pumpkin
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup honey, warmed slightly
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1. cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds. lightly oil the cut side and place cut side down on a baking sheet. bake at 325 for about an hour, or until flesh is tender. cool until warkably warm. scrape the pumpkin flesh from the peel and either mash or puree in a blender.

2. in a large bowl blend together two cups pumpkin puree, spices and salt. beat in vanilla, eggs, honey, milk and cream. pour filling into pie shell.

3. bake at 400 for 50 - 55 minutes, or until a knife inserted one inch from the crust comes out clean.

No Roll Pie Crust via allrecipes.com

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons milk

1. in a 9 inch pie plate sift flour, sugar and salt. make a well in the center and add the oil and milk. mix with a fork, then press into the bottom and sides of the pie plate.

2. bake at 425 for about 8 to 10 minutes. **for this pumpkin pie recipe, though, I didn't pre-bake the crust and it turned out fantastic**


whipped cream

1/2 pint whipping cream (the little box)
1/4 cup white sugar

1. mix the whipping cream and sugar.

2. blend the heck out of it until desired consistency.

my newest veggie

it's true, I have never cooked a spaghetti squash. so let me present to you, in honor of my resolution, tonight's dinner: the spaghetti squash.

baked squash with parmesan recipe via vegetarian

resolution:

I am going to cook
one new vegetable each week.
this week's little beauty:
brussels sprouts.

tasty + healthy



golden-crusted brussels sprout recipe via super natural cooking

what works for me--or not, as the case may be

yes, it's that time of the week again. the time where we let everyone out there know the little tricks and tips that keep us afloat. yes, it's what works for me wednesday. well today WWFMW is doing something a little different. see, it's everyone's {in elementary school, at least} favorite day -- backwards day! {at least it's not opposite day} the day where the bloggy's get to implore the universe for some serious answers. it is deeply profound and moving stuff.

so here's my situation. I stepped out my front door today and saw a big truck full of pumpkins driving down the street. I remembered my cute, lonely pumpkin sitting on our steps and realized I had to do something with it before we left for costa rica. the seeds are already destined for this fate. but I'm lookin' for something to do with the guts.

so dear bloggy's, if you're out there, can you help a girl out? any good recipes you know of that use actual pumpkin guts, not the canned alternative? I'm trying to be a good, whole foods girl, so I'm trying to avoid canned versions of things I have at the ready. though it seems like in this case, the canned stuff might actually make recipes of this variety taste better. so I'm at a loss. before I start my thorough search, I thought I'd hit you all up for some ideas.

photo above not my actual pumpkin. though I have been told that my pumpkin is very pretty and the perfect shape.

move well, eat well, think well

the other day I borrowed a book from the library, super natural cooking, by heidi swanson. you know, of 101 cookbooks fame. as I sat at the bus stop and opened the pages, I realized I was holding some very valuable information in between my two hands. I needed to pay attention and try and incorporate at least some of this wisdom into my daily life. I would be so much the better for it.

I feel that I am a student of healthy eating, and this book could be the master teacher.

I love when I can take more away from a cookbook than just a satisfied tummy. when it's more than just a book full of recipes but a lesson learned with every turn of the page. please educate me on the whole foods I am missing in my life. tell me why they are so good for me, what I should look for, when I should use them, teach me about alternatives, methods of cooking, and throw in a beautiful photo of the finished product and I'll be a happy camper.

I have three cookbooks {okay, so one is technically the library's} that I am in love with for the aforementioned reasons.

vegetarian planet | super natural cooking | vegetarian

these little beauties are a must-have not only for the delicious creations inside, but the wealth of information they hold.

fish fry

I think I'm craving fish. {can I really be serious? is this anna jo typing these words?} I might not be craving the taste per se, but I am craving the health benefits. I'm still working on my pre-conceived notions and discriminations towards our fishy friends. they don't really taste that bad. right? I mean, a little lemon really goes a long way. and maybe a cut of salmon cooked well really is tasty? I'm beginning to realize that an open mind--in life as well as fish--really can change our tastes, perceptions of life and the world around us! I'm making some definite strides in my relationship with food lately, so here's to my health!

just say no to driving, at least for tomorrow

oh, and btw everybody, tomorrow is world car-free day. below is a snippet from the website of our favorite friends, the utah transit authority:

UTA Rideshare is also recognizing World Car-free Day, which is an event recognized by over 100 million people in hundreds of cities around the world. This year the event will be celebrated Saturday, September 22nd. We encourage people to leave their vehicle at home and elect to walk, bicycle or take transit o their destination on this day. World Car-free Day also can be used as a day to reflect on what changes you can make to create a safer environment for pedestrians and bicyclists as well as what you can do to help rid our valleys of pollution.

Please participate if possible!

{the uta is also declaring september as curb your car month. so everybody, everywhere let's play along!}

tonight's dinner

I was tired of peter only eating veggie burgers and peter burritos (both quite tasty in their own right, but certainly no way to live), so I decided to make something real for him to eat, even in spite of my cleansing. below, for your viewing pleasure, is the spread of our family dinner.
as you can see, peter had some freshly steamed broccoli, with roasted red potatoes and some pepperjack cheesey eggplant. anna had a lovely blend of lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper.

yeah, I wonder who had the tastier dinner.