fall casserole

there is nothing better than a meal full of fresh goodness. abundance from the land. in this week's csa note, heather borski left a little recipe. how convenient that everything the recipe called for was in this week's selection. well, except for the chicken or seafood fillet. for that I just substituted zucchini.

I pulled together a garden variety salad to go on the side. one quick note about that: has anyone else discoverd the goodness that is raw corn cut from the cob in a salad? oh. my. love. I think if you put dressing on it, though, it would muddy up the sweet taste. this is best enjoyed with a squeeze of fresh lime.

needless to say, everything turned out quite deliscious.

onion | potato
zucchini | tomato

fall casserole recipe
layer:
sliced onions
1/4 inch sliced potatoes
chicken or seafood fillets (or zucchini slices)

top with:
sliced tomatoes

drizzle:
olive oil

salt + pepper to taste

sprinkle:
bread crumbs
parmesan cheese

bake:
325 degrees for one hour

cover:
if top is browning too fast

americana folk rock love

have you ever had one of those blah days? the kind where nothing bad happens per se {except for that unnecessarily long phone call with the cell phone company; fifty years of my life and three reps later the issue is still left unresolved.} but you just feel a little off. your head hurts and your body doesn't seem happy for some reason. and amidst all of this you remember something that you love, something absolutely fabulous that you had forgotten about and it makes you smile.

today it was leslie and the badgers. {I know I've mentioned them before, but please go check them out. I'm sure they will make you as happy as they make me.} more specifically airliner. and my tears are wasted on you. and all of their other fabulous songs, really. I've been listening to them all evening. now go. please. check them out.

{and dear sister, for some reason I totally thought of you while listening to them online today. I think you would fall in love with leslie and her badgers too.}

the csa

peaches
zucchini
potatoes
onions, red + yellow
tomatoes

television in the animal kingdom

I was watching the rachael ray show today and learned these two very important things:
gorillas are 1) very smart, and 2) get bored easily. so with this in mind, what did the memphas zoo introduce to our dear friends the gorilla? television. yes, that's right. television. maybe we can make our primate friends just as fat and lazy as we are?

{and just so you know, the large gorilla pictured here, mwelu, is quite discerning. he dosn't like just any television program, he loves rachael ray.}

twenty-nine

01. he loves cold + dark 02. his favorite season is obviously winter 03. he is a champion for the earth 04. and an advocate for all things efficient 05. he dances like no other 06. and is my guitar hero 07. his smile melts my heart 08. he tickles relentlessly 09. he is a creative genius 10. and a computer wizard 11. he gets a little carried away on the equality of food 12. he's a jeans + tshirt kinda guy 13. he is kind 14. compassionate 15. giving 16. he has an innate sense of direction 17. if I were stranded on a desert island I would want him by my side 18. if I were stranded anywhere I would want him by my side 19. he's creative in the kitchen 20. he has the wanderlust 21. he is spontaneous + crazy 22. in the game of scrabble, he is expert 23. he's on the swimteam 24. he gets high on elevation 25. he has an inner cowboy 26. he's cute when he's asleep 27. he hiccups randomly 28. he loves his jetta wagon tdi almost more than me 29. he knows the value of hard work, in any aspect of life

I live and breathe for this man.

special birthday surprises were had this weekend. unfortunately no surprise party, but a semi-surprise jaunt up to meet my bloggy friend, jen {she is a cute runner blogger and has a cute family blog as well!} and crash her peach days bbq and ride her horses. let me tell you one thing about pete. he loves horses. loves them. I had no idea until that fateful day in costa rica. his inner cowboy spilled out and he's been dying to get back on and ride ever since. they say he's a natural. it was a fun little adventure and I'm glad jen and her family were so willing to share it with us.

his birthday dinner was a special surprise as well. I cooked fish. yes, you heard me. I cooked fish. this is a first for me. remember? and it was surprisingly easy + delicious. I'm not so scared of cooking fish anymore. the meal was rounded out with some long grain and wild rice, roasted vegetables, and steamed cabbage. of course there was the traditional red velvet cake. what birthday is complete without that?

as always, click to enlarge | adapted from THIS recipe

the backpacking bust

it's never a good sign as you're driving down the road to look out your window and see smoke coming from a mountain in the distance.

especially as you realize that the course you're driving is going to lead you straight to that smoke eventually.

and that's when you know that your backpacking trip is in serious jeopardy because the trail head might be on fire.


so as it turns out part of the bridger-teton wilderness was on fire this past week. perfect timing for our wind rivers trip. this is beginning to be the trip that never was. twice. last year's trip was canceled due to scotty, who forgot that med school started that week. this year's trip was canceled due to wildfire.

we're planning for mid-july '09. let's see what happens next year.

so instead of backpacking it was car camping. we tried to salvage the trip by going to grand teton national park. the tetons are amazing. but not quite the same trip when you're camping in a national park. {especially since you're not planning on spending money} at least you have bear lockers to put your food in and you don't have to worry about hanging bear bags.

{click to enlarge}

speaking of bears, we saw one. we saw one about ten feet away from the trail we were hiking on. I don't know if anyone else out there has ever snuck up on a bear, but it's pretty freaky. and quite dangerous. luckily he didn't notice us, or I might not have a face right now.

speaking of not having a face, on the other side of the lake we told everyone we hiked past to make lots of noise once they got near the bridge, that we had seen a bear. everyone was excited. nobody was worried in the least. hello, a bear. where is your healthy sense of fear? this thing could eat your face off. maybe they didn't realize it was that close to the trail. I guess I would be excited about seeing a bear from a distance. a safe distance. like at the zoo or something.


so as it turns out there's not much hiking at grand teton national park unless it's around lakes. {or unless you go backpacking, of course} and as it also turns out peter doesn't really like hiking around lakes--he needs elevation. but my friend really wanted to hike around lakes. total conflict of interests.

so to save the relationship {trust me, things could have turned ugly very quickly} we headed home early. it was probably a good thing because my friend said she was beginning to feel like she was on our family vacation. and nobody wants to tag along on someone else's family vacation.

goonies never say die

sometimes in life all your plans completely fall through and you are left to fend for yourself. luckily, on some such occasions you will happily stumble across the midnight flick at the tower: the goonies. and life will feel complete again as the film rolls by on the big screen.

upward lift

we were traveling down wyoming state road twenty-six, the landscape zooming beyond the window, my thoughts swirling. talk of the fallen arch filled the car. it's sad that future generations won't get to see it, she said. they'll all be gone someday, I responded. but new formations will rise. it's the same song and dance that has been going on since the beginning of time. through various forces, rocks rise. until time, erosion, gravity pull it all downward. it is a cycle. the sacred interplay of rebirth and renewal, of rise and fall.

quickly, I wrote these words down; putting pen to paper before they were forgotten:

the upward lift of rock to heaven
like hands held up in prayer

I held on to this imagery as we kept speeding past the tetons. I thought of these rocks, these mountain spires pushing up toward the sky. prayers unto heaven. hoping one day I, too, could be strong like the mountain.

m. phelps, the early years:

{has always been the fastest swimmer in the pool,
in world record time, of course}

csa: week nine

the goods:

01 cantaloupe
06 peaches
01 eggplant
02 garlic
07 assorted peppers

rode the bicycle to the csa pickup today. don't have to work and feeling free.

this boy

this boy
wanted some brownies
so badly
he even resorted
to sneaking a bite
straight from the pan
in the oven.

the brownies that were
for the funeral.

the brownies that had
to be cut up instead
of being given in the pan to
the neighbor
because of an unsightly
baked-in hole.


this boy just really likes
his treats.

you like?

then please vote.

this photo really says, summer. no? so please go vote for my lil' sis: the summer fun photo contest | #15 mary elizabeth. tell your friends. you know you want to. all the cool kids are doing it.

ps: if you vote and/or vote + blog the link, you can be entered in a fabulous giveaway a la miss mary elizabeth herself. what a sweet, giving person. so selfless like that. you should really go vote for her. really.

taco tuesday

it's back. taco tuesday is back! {for a special appearance this week}

you just cannot go wrong with the taco bar. what with all the taco meats and the cheeses and the special fixin's and all. I like to avoid the hard taco shells entirely, so I suggest using the tortillas you get from costco. you know, the ones you cook yourself. and an addition of fresh cut corn off the cob is a summertime treat. and who doesn't love the taco suicide mix at the end of the night? all the leftovers go in the bowl for one super taco salad.

oh how I love and miss the taco tuesday tradition.*

maybe next time we'll even invite the old crew back.

*for all you single ladies out there, instituting your own taco tuesday tradition amongst friends is a great way of snagging the man you have your eye on. especially if you have a friend with a pool. friends + double decker tacos + swimming + cute boys is a recipe for sure eternal love. especially if he also brings a kayak.

{not my tacos}

csa update

okay, you will all be glad to know we did not get any green beans in the csa today. I am about done with those things. I mean, they're tasty and all, but a couple pounds every week? two people can not eat them fast enough! {good thing my mother + sister gave me the brilliant idea of blanching them and then freezing them for later. duh--why didn't I think of that weeks ago?!}

so without further ado, here are the goods:

zucchini
yellow squash
corn
peas!
yummy peaches!
. . . and that may or may not be all.
oh, and potatoes.

so I'm pretty stoked on this week's variety. really I'm just glad we didn't get any beans. and I'll probably make some zucchini bread again with one of the zucchini's, which is always a good thing. and can I tell you how good that peach was? delightful.

merry christmas, grandpa + venna.

wanted:

a little secluded getaway with loved ones.

found:
a little secluded getaway with loved ones. plus some rummikub.

bonus:
one truly fun ride with the larisch through the oakley/kamas valley.

double bonus:
one monstrous burger at the road island diner + michael phelps on the television.

conclusion:
thank you g + v for letting us pay out our christmas dues in style.

LoVes and avalanches

e + p + p we are missing you already
now who will we go to hire's with? every. single. time.
have the most fun in georgia you could ever have
but don't worry, we will be there someday to run with you on thanksgiving
we love you!

we survived

yes it's true, we survived. what trip to lava hot springs is complete without a float down the portneuf? {well, probably a trip with the olympic-pool-diving-platforms-giant-water-slides and/or the hot pools. or even the diy triathlon, the lava monster.} now this section of the river, the one that flows through town, is quite deceiving. I have seen many people come out bleeding and in need of urgent medical attention. this is why I like to affectionately refer to it as the river of death. so you will be glad to know that we all made it out alive. even my 85 year old grandpa. though we did see some tubers do some pretty stupid things and in turn get pretty beat up. this section of the portneuf is not to be taken lightly.

{click to enlarge}

so much goodness

we had our co-op pickup for the month yesterday. this time around we did the harvest share, meaning more produce and no meat (all the meat from last month's pickup has remained untouched in the freezer). we have so much goodness packed into our fridge right now between the csa and the co-op it's unreal. now I'm just worried that we won't be able to eat it fast enough.

but in an effort to use up some of the goodness, we've made a special little peach dessert for the family get-together tomorrow. so get excited.

god's country

there are forces that shape land: wind, water, pressure, time. they always seem to play out most beautifully in the desert. it is like reading the history of the earth on open pages. a story of rise and fall. a story that we are so caught up in the middle of we don't even realize it's going on around us. every day. we are, in terms of geoligical time, just a speck on the line. I find comfort in that. I find comfort in knowing that whatever we may do, the earth will reclaim herself as her own. eventually. someday. that is the beauty of ecological succession. the ability of the earth to heal. to regrow. to fight. the evidence is in every weed, every blade of grass pushing itself up through the cracks in the sidewalk.

things you might learn on a mini vacation to bryce canyon for your sister's half marathon:

01. patience is a virtue
don't try and pass the line of cars waiting to be let through on the half marathon course.
especially not the police car and ambulance. and the people in the line will shout either
obscenities or scripture to you as you try and get back into the line.

02. the navajo loop + wall street
this is amazing landscape which is worth the short hike (but relatively steep hike) down into the canyon.
you will never in your life be more engulfed in your surroundings.

03. red canyon
perfect for a rain soaked evening and a brilliant sunset. the colors of the canyon walls soak up the evening light. walking among the formations you are reminded of the circles: this is bryce canyon in it's earlier stages. and one day, when bryce canyon has fallen to the forces that once created it, this canyon will take its place for those who come after.

04. panguitch
not just a sleepy town on the way to bryce canyon, panguitch utah could someday be called home.
how we yearn for some small town living.

05. orange + green + blue
god is most definitely an artist. he has put together the most beautiful palate of colors
right here in canyon country. they are deep + rich + vibrant and I am in love.

csa: week four

corn
green beans
apricots
zucchini
yellow squash
cucumber

(I never really posted about last week's csa goodies... sorry. now I don't remember what we got, except for the special cheese from a local cheese company and the mini beets that I had originally thought were radishes... otherwise it was a lot of the same stuff we got the week before: cherries, peas, garlic, et cetera...)

telly without context

my spoon is too big! | I'm a banana!

if you're dying for some time-wasting fun, please hurry your little web browser over to neave.com. more specifically THIS page. you will not regret it. ever. neave television is bewildering, baffling fun. it takes random to the extreme. and I love random to the extreme.

csa: week two

I should really post what we get the day we get it. tomorrow is yet again csa pickup day. {note to self: don't forget that it's csa pickup day} let me try and remember what we got last week...

salad greens
peas
cherries
herbs
garlic

to be honest, I haven't really been cooking much these days. {but who is in this heat?} so if I can eat it with minimal prep, then that's good enough for me. I was just telling pete today that I am so over salad dressings, because I'm raw. it's true. I'm raw. okay, so I'm not really raw, but I like to pretend. I've been eating a lot of salads and raw veggies. so yes, I've been loving the csa. and the food co-op.

the freedom hike 2K8

I feel like every time peter and I go hiking lately I fear slightly for my life. it probably has something to do with rock scrambles and steep slopes. but in any case it's always a good view + a fun time.

I love where we live.

I love our mountains.

I love our new independence day tradition.

csa: week one

the players: salad greens, cherries, peas + anasazi beans

last monday we picked up our first CSA share off of some random porch on sherman avenue and I am in love.

building communities one bite at a time

can't wait to pick up our share from the community food co-op this saturday. it's not necessarily local nor organic, but it does build community through food. good, cheap food.

here is a little sneak-peak as to what we will be getting this month:


and if that wasn't enough food excitement, our first CSA goods are coming next monday! I can't wait to pick up those local (and organic!) delights!

from the farm to my tummy, it can't get any better than that.

who said donuts don't belong in endurance racing?

sad you missed
the doughnut run '08?

here's your chance
for the ride of a lifetime:

the tour de donut.

ride. eat. repeat.

the details, a la the website: {you know, just in case you actually want to participate}

confessions spelled out on a double word and triple letter score

scrabble sunday

anna 263 | peter 256
temp: 81.5

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}

father/man's day

my dad is a pretty cool guy. he loves to travel; especially to places that don't exist, like north dakota. I think he's rad. happy father's day, dad!


andrew peter is a pretty cool guy too. he doesn't believe in father's day--well, for him anyway since he's not a dad and I'm not even with child--so I just wanted to tell him happy man's day. or maybe husband's day. because he is a very good man. and husband. and one day he will be a good father. {once he gets over his fear of babies and promises he won't teach our children how to make various explosives}

post script:

the batchelorette is kind of a stupid television show. but I think I am completely hooked. and she should totally pick jason. because that is who I would pick. and they probably look the cutest together. (and all the other guys are kind of retarded) the end.

{post post script: I just watched an episode that we had recorded for some reason. it aired a week ago. I missed this week's episode because I didn't know I loved it. I hope, hope hope jason is still on the show. I must find out! oh good, he made the cut.}

{post post post script: I can't believe this is what I've reduced myself too on a friday night when my husband is gone. maybe I need some bon bons now too.}

just start writing

I haven't done a finding friday in a while. maybe what I really need to find is myself. this is going to be a stream of conscious post. just whatever is in my head. we'll see what comes out, I guess.

my husband is out on a boys trip to a friend's cabin. I'm home alone, totally livin' it up. yeah, if sitting on my couch blogging counts. I was almost going to go to a movie by myself, but nothing good was at the dollar and that's all I really want to spend on a movie by myself. and let's be honest, I'll probably be asleep by ten o'clock anyway.

I went lap swimming tonight. even after I stuffed my face full of pizza only hours before. I must be dedicated. or crazy. probably just mostly stupid. why did I shove my face full of pizza? because I'm a social eater. and I can't be left out of a party. all my work peeps go out to the pie after our friday meeting is over. it's totally fun bonding with them outside of the work environment. so I can't just not go. and if I do go, I can't just not eat. I'll have to figure something out, though if I want to keep swimming friday masters.

but maybe I don't want to keep swimming friday masters. maybe after my triathlon next week, I'll cut it back to two swim workouts a week. I mean, friday should be hot date night, right? not be at the pool until 8 o'clock at night night.

speaking of my triathlon, it's in a week. who knows if I'm actually ready. I feel like I never run or bike. I mean, I know I do. but I feel like I don't. if that makes any sense. I'm doing the olympic distance, which is the longer of the two courses. I'm just jumping right into this sport and not looking back. it should be a fun trip. we'll see if I don't self destruct during the race next saturday.

so this was the first week of camp. besides the incident, it all went rather smoothly. and this incident I speak of was actually quite major. and very scary. it involves a swimming pool, a six year-old girl, my counselor rescuing said camper from the bottom of the pool and starting cpr, and a life guard who fled the scene. it makes me proud to know that my staff are well trained and qualified. it makes me horrified that the lifeguards at this pool don't even know the EAP. yeah, that would be the Emergency Action Plan. you know, what to do in case someone actually needs to be rescued. because otherwise what are you being trained and paid for? to get a nice tan?

it's 9:21pm and I'm already starting to get a little sleepy.

did you guys realize it's friday the 13th? that's slightly scary.

okay, it's 9:26pm and I'm going to fall asleep if I don't get up and do something. sorry this post wasn't overly exciting. I wish it could be deep and meaningful, but it's obvious I'm just way too tired for those types of thoughts.

peace out.

the best twice baked potato recipe ever

01. take advantage of your neighbors coals while they are barbecuing out on the lawn.
these neighbors will inevitably have crappy coals and your potatoes won't cook.

02. place tinfoil wrapped and partially (very partially) cooked potatoes in fridge.

03. wait approximately three days.

04. go up the canyon and prepare your cooking space.
if your area has open fire regulations, coals work fantastically.


05. make an "oven" using the grate and a rather large rock.
trust me, it will have the same effect. maybe.

06. play scrabble.
this is the key ingredient. you can even let your husband beat you for good measure.

07. use your potatoes as a base for steaming the brocoli.
the log cabin effect will increase the deliciousness of all foods.

08. sprinkle fixin's to taste.
toppings include: shredded cheese, broccoli, sour cream, salt 'n peppa (but not the late eighties rap duo)

09. enjoy the charred, crusty outer goodness of the two times baked potato.
at least the insides were soft and yummy!

10. next time just make sure you have proper coals in the first place.

sunday scrabble

peter 279 | anna 194

twilight series announcement

no, not the dumb books. the free concert series! the line-up has just been announced. can't wait for broken social scene {august 21} and yonder mountain string band {july 31}. also heard the roots and andrew bird are fabulous. really, you can't beat free, live music. can you? no, I thought not.

the twilight concert series
thursday evenings | seven o'clock | july 10 - august 28
galivan center | downtown salt lake city | free admission

beans are not a fruit

the black bean salad.

here is peter's famed black bean salad. it is full of fresh goodness. not only is it fabulous as a salad, but the leftovers are a perfect veggie burrito filling. or as a "dip" with corn chips. very versatile, this salad is. and very sought after. so go and make it today! you won't be disappointed.


red onion, chopped
tomato, chopped
cucumber, chopped
bell pepper, chopped
black beans. {you really should try soaking + cooking them yourself. not only is it easy (just think set it and forget it) but they taste so. much. better. than the canned variety. trust me.}
cotija cheese, crumbled
salt to taste
and a squeeze of lime if desired

stir together the chopped vegg before adding the beans and remaining ingredients. {peter says this is the key} then mix it all up and enjoy!

ingredient amounts have been left out as I feel they are personal preference. use as much or as little of whatever you want. experiment. give your food some self expression. if you feel you must have an exact idea of how much to put in, please contact me and I will be happy to give you a general idea. thank you, and happy eating.

DIY arm warmers

I started out with a little something like this:
an under armour long sleeved running top that was just way to snug for comfort. {good thing I had happened upon it for free. and even better that I found a use for it.}

with a snip at the shoulder seams and a quick little hem, I had myself a pair of my very own arm warmers. perfect for those days when your ride starts out a little chilly, but eventually warms up. just slip these babies on or off as needed. they are easily stowed in the back of your jersey.



what am I going to do with the rest of the shirt? make fold over mitts for cold weather running days of course! nothing goes to waste around here!

roadtrip eats

while traveling pete and I try our best to avoid eating out. not only is it a healthier option, it's also easier on the wallet. with a little planning, it's pretty easy + tasty.

cut up raw vegg is a great snack and compliment to any on-the-go meal. we had: carrot sticks, snow peas, green bell pepper. . . you could add anything you and your roadtrip buddies like.

and don't forget the fresh fruit: bananas, strawberries, apples

my dad needs his protein in the morning (though we ended up taking full advantage of the hotel breakfasts) so packing things like baby bell cheeses, hard boiled eggs, and yogurt (with granola mix-ins, of course!) are a pretty easy fix.

and don't leave home with out that peanut butter. PB+J sandwhiches, PB apple slices, PB toast (especially good marathon morning), PB bananas. it's a win win win.

and if you're feeling your inner domestic goddess, try this fantastic lunch-time snack: homemade wheat crackers + chedder cheese slices + turkey-roni. it equals a DIY lunchable that any grownup would love! (at least I love them)

for dinners it's best to have some sort of camping stove. we love our jetboil around here. it's quick and easy to cook up some rice, pasta, cheesy broccoli, beans. . . you name it. we were eating like kings on the cheap. (and if you don't have the luxury of the hotel breakfast, you can poor boiling water directly into the instant oatmeal package. just a little tip)

we only ate out twice, and those were race necessities: grazie's italian restaurant for the carbo-loading extravaganza and burger time for the post race refueling (nothing beats burgers + fries after a marathon)

oh, and btw, it also helps if you have a big cooler + a small car-fridge. if you do not have a car-fridge, the cooler will work just as well. you just won't feel as cool when you're pulling out your mini dr peppers.

to play along with us from the comfort of your couch

please check out the detailed account of the trip so far at:

{interstate 50}

post script:  even though I am blogging live from north dakota even as we speak, I am still not convinced of its existence.  I can't rule out government conspiracy just quite yet. . .   

only the open road

big occasions and races which have
been eagerly anticipated almost to the point of dread,
are where great deeds can be accomplished

--jack lovelock, 1936 olympic 1500m gold medalist

an update of sorts

sometimes life is just way too busy to blog.

it's a shame, though, because then we miss the small moments.

and the big moments.

in honor of this coming weekend's big moment,
let's take a look back at some recent slightly smaller moments in the life of anna jo:

my friend scotty trained for a marathon on a treadmill because running on the road hurt him too much; he ran the salt lake city marathon in 3:36 and looked good doing it. he is my hero and another one of my success stories.

I won a pie eating contest with my youth ed teammates at work. hopefully there will be video coming shortly. let's just say I attacked some apple pie with my face. and then won a "trophy."

I "quit" my job at bcdc. I'm not sure if they know that yet or not... okay, so they've probably figured it out by now. but I didn't really tell anyone, because I didn't know quite who to tell. that's certainly a grey area when your supervisor gets fired and your manager quits all within a week of each other. and you're only there for like two more days. but my discount code still works, so all is well!

I had the complete joy of going to jury duty last week. unfortunately I didn't make the cut. but I did get to sit there all day, waiting endlessly so I guess I still got the full experience. I was kind of interested in seeing how the criminal case played out, though. oh well, maybe in two years I'll get another chance.

the only running I've done over the past three weeks has been in a pool. and this weekend I get to run 26.2 miles through the streets of fargo, north dakota. is anyone else scared for me? well don't be, 'cause I'm gonna rock the socks off this race. uff da!

I cut up about eighteen-thousand carrots today. hurrah for roadtrips!

amiGO Scott!

I got ben folds on my radio right now

I can finally say I've seen ben folds live--unfortunately without his five, no reunion show. {check number eight off the list!} let me recap the ben folds live near misses:

instance number one: my first counting crows concert oh so many years ago. ben folds five was touring with them as the opening act. adam duritz gets sick and the show is rescheduled. by the time adam duritz and the boys make it back to salt lake city, ben and his gang are no longer on the tour. at this time I didn't truly realize what a sad, sad thing that was.

instance number two: ben folds five was playing at the Big Ass Show (which will now be referred to as the BASH, for all you young, sensitive-eyed readers). I was going to Snow College at the time, but just happened to be up in SLC for the weekend because we had a soccer game against SLCC. perfect. I'd play some soccer and then head over to the show, I'd get to see ben folds and all would be happy. too bad that's not how it went down. I was going over to the BASH with my dear friend and teammate, cyndi morris. we had to make a quick stop at her sister's house first. that quick stop didn't end up being so quick. by the time we got to the fairgrounds, ben folds had just ended. I was devastated in my heart. he was really the only band I wanted to see.

instance number three: mr ben folds was playing a free show in some little club downtown. I found out the. day. after.

yeah, so can you see why it became my life's mission to see this man? so many missed opportunities.

I hadn't realized just how long I've loved ben folds. ten years. quite possibly eleven. how has it been that long? each song he played from the ben folds five era just took me back to the day. each album reminds me of such a specific time in my life. it was fun to revisit that. and I loved the sneak peak into his new album. oh yeah, and did I mention he puts on a fun, fun show?

now if only something could be done about tall people. they should not be allowed.

the night started with a little I *heart* sushi and ended with a little I *heart* ben folds. thank you, birds, for sharing in the magic.

overcoming mountains

sometimes life puts obstacles in my path at the most inopportune times. but for every mountain there is a miracle. I just need the patience to see it through to the top. because if there is one thought that I have really taken to heart lately it is this:

you are stronger than you know.

image: thoos
words: robert h. schuller

rockin' the pink!

ali, the first female biggest loser {video clip}

remember my favorite show? the biggest loser? well, I don't know what I'll do with myself on tuesday nights (besides being able to go to bed at a decent hour so I can wake for the early am swimteam) because now it's over.

but don't you see why this is the best television show on these days? it is transforming people! it is inspiring people! {click HERE for all the inspiration. check out mark he looks fantastic too. oh and roger!} seriously, while I was watching the finale last night, I just couldn't help but feel this overwhelming sense of happiness for these people. they've reclaimed their lives. it's truly amazing. and everyone looks. so. good. especially ali. she is my hero.

she and her mother were kicked off on episode 4, I do believe. not because they lost the least amount of weight, but because of game play. as ali left the elimination room she told everyone she was going to be the biggest loser. bold statement from a girl who just got voted off. but with a twist of the game, all eliminated contestants were invited back to the biggest loser campus for one final weigh in. one man and one woman would be invited back to the game. ali and mark won. ali then proceeded to kick everyone's trash in future weigh ins. even the guys. she was a rock star that fought for what she wanted.

she is so inspiring to me! seriously. I wish I could be her best friend. because I think we would be best friends. she has such a determination and drive. I truly believe that she can do anything she puts her mind to. anything. and that means beating out all the big guys on the biggest loser. {remember when kelly and brittany were whining because they felt it was impossible to beat the guys? all the cards were stacked against them? yeah, well ali comes back on the scene and proves it can be done. and she continued to prove it week after week}

she lost almost half her body weight, looks super toned + fit, and can finally reclaim her true athlete self. she is amazing.

I hope to see her on the triathlon scene someday. she'd probably kick my butt.

a tasty five-k

you all know how much I love doughnuts. and you know how I love to run. why not put them together? it is the doughnut run '08.

for every doughnut you eat, time is taken off your overall 5K finish time. there are eight "aid stations." you can eat as many doughnuts as you want at each one. but please don't purge (intentionally or not); it only counts if you keep it down. sounds like fun, no?

sign me up for the doughnut run '09! who's in for a road trip to iowa?!

{check out steve in a speedo's full race report. his was an epic adventure. not to mention he ate fifteen doughnuts and won the thing.}

after all the dreamin'

first of all, can I just tell you about my dreams? slightly bizarre. . .

[somewhere in the half-light of saturday morning. right before my eighteen mile run.]

it was marathon morning. I didn't seem all that prepared. like I didn't even have my favorite socks! (you know, the ones with the L and the R on the toes) the ones I have been planning to race in because they're probably the thinnest ones I own. so I had to use someone else's socks. luckily they were the ones with the L and the R on the toes. I finally got myself over to the race and had to find my pace group. I found the leader and there was only one other runner in the group. we must've started the race, but the other guy just seemed to disappear. it was just me and the pace group leader. for some reason--and this is where it starts to really get weird--we went to my parents house (you know, in utah. nowhere close to north dakota!) and had scripture study with my family. scripture study?! that took a while and after it was done we went into my parents kitchen and mr pace group guy started showing me all these little trinkets that he had and was trying to give to me. then I realized, hey, wait a minute! we're supposed to be running a race here. I'm trying to qualify! we'll never make it in time! pure panic. and it's like the guy didn't even really seam to care. yeah. so I'm freaking out, thinking how fast are we going to have to run to make up this time?!

I was in that state of half-consciousness, wondering if I ever finished. if I qualified for boston or not. and then I slipped into my next dream. . .

I was with katie holmes and tom cruise. you know, of tomkat fame. oh, and there little baby, suri. in their house. cleaning their toilet. I was mostly hanging out with katie. we didn't want to disturb tom because it was apparent that he wasn't a nice guy. like I was a little scared for katie, like maybe he had threatened her life at some point. like there was that unspoken tension between them. it was a weird vibe. and why was I cleaning tomkat's toilet, you might be wondering? I have no idea. I should've just made that little miss katie holmes scrub that bowl herself.

now when I woke up I still couldn't shake that feeling. . . that slight panic, wondering if I ever qualified or not. and I was also wondering why tomkat made an appearance at all. pete thinks it's because I'm still so bitter that she ever thought she could just up and run the boston marathon because she's a celebrity. (or was that really just a rumor? a publicity rouse?) people have to earn that right, missy! people like me, so just back off!!

*phew!*

okay, so now all my psycho-analysis readers, analyze me! do you think my dreams mean anything in particular? are they even related? weigh in. the best interpretation wins a prize.*

*prize yet to be determined, but will be super cool. obviously.