I had a pretty good birthday today.  I cleaned the house, did laundry, and took care of a sick kid.  Makenna stayed home from school today because she woke up with a fever and body aches.  Brad and Alanna had breakfast for me when I got up and then Brad and I got coffee and had lunch later in the day.  Tonight Krista and I went to the rec center for 2 hours and then Brad went with us for a drink at Applebee's.  All in all, it was a pretty good day, I just wish Makenna would have felt better.  She felt really bad that she was sick on my birthday but I told her I'm glad she was sick on my birthday and not hers.

Hail Storm!

These are pictures from the hail storm that we got last night.  I was trying to post this last night but blogger was not able to upload my pictures for some reason.  The hail in our yard wasn't too big, but in different parts of town there was golf ball sized hail that caused damage to roofs, cars, etc. 

Well, not a lot to blog about today.  It has been rainy and foggy here all day.  We've already gotten over an inch of rain and there is plenty of water on some of the roads and in the ditches.  As it turns out, it was a good day to work since I wouldn't have done much outside anyways.  It's also good I had to work so that I wouldn't try running.  I am working on healing my knee pain and I think the best remedy is rest.  I don't like the idea of resting, however, I hate the idea of not being able to run comfortably even more.  I just hope I can stay in shape and get rid of my knee pain before the half marathon in June. 

The Race 5K

On Saturday, May 22nd, I took the girls, Jessica, and Krista to Spearfish to run The Race 5K, a run benefitting the Spearfish Food Pantry.  We had to get up at 5am and leave at 5:30am.  It was an early morning but at least the weather was decent.  It was a little windy, but I've definitely run in worse.  It was a challenging course with what they called "rolling" hills.  I hadn't run much at all last week due to pain in my right knee.  I was trying to rest it and get it healed up.  It was a little sore during the race and after, but not as bad as it had been.  So my time wasn't great, 28:03, but it was okay for me, all things considered.  The girls all ran/walked the race and did an awesome job.  Alanna finished in 37:30 and Makenna in 43:00.  Brad had to work all weekend so he didn't get to join in the fun.

Krista, Alanna, and I waiting for the race to start.

Alanna, Makenna, and Jessica waiting for the race to start.

After the race we went to the Common Grounds coffee shop and hit a garage sale.  Then we stopped at the park and fish hatchery after failing to find more than one garage sale.

The girls playing at the park.

At the fish hatchery.

Standing on the bridge by the Booth house at the hatchery.

Eating (and playing) at Guadalajara's for lunch after the park.  Makenna won a bag from Two Wheeler Dealer and a gift certificate for Guadalajara's as a door prize at the race.  Alanna won a coffee mug and a gift certificate to the Cedar House Restaurant. 

Again, playing at the restaurant.

Alanna showing off her race t-shirt...

and her time!

The Best Ever Super Moist Chocolate Cake

This is the recipe I used for Makenna's birthday cake, it really is the best cake I've had and it is vegan too!  Try it, you might be surprised.  I frosted Makenna's cake with a vegan mint frosting.  Mmmm, so good! http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=6686

Super Moist Chocolate Cake


Ingredients:

1.5 cups of all purpose flour (can substitute with wholewheat flour)


3 tablespoons of sifted good quality cocoa


1 teaspoon baking soda


1 cup white or brown sugar


0.5 teaspoon salt (optional)


5 tablespoons canola oil (can substitute with any veg.oil or even olive oil)


1 tablespoon white vinegar


1 teaspoon vanilla extract


1 cup cold water

Directions:

By far the most surprisingly deeelightful cake. This recipe is great for adults and for kids ages 3 and up.


1. Put your flour into mixing bowl, add cocoa, baking soda, vegan sugar and salt and mix well.

2. Make three deep holes in the dry mixture. Into one, pour the oil, into the next, pour the vinegar into the next, pour the vanilla.


3. Pour the water into the bowl, over all of this--- making a great big mess.


4. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until there aren't any more lumps and pour into a 9 inch by 9 inch baking pan, two inches deep, it doesn't even have to be greased.


5. Bake at 350 degress Fahrenheit for about half an hour, test with a fork.


Enjoy this delicious cake. You will be surprised at its moistness and richness!!!!! It can be cooled and iced with your choice of icing or can be enjoyed on its own. The batter can also be used to make cupcakes!!


TIP OF THE DAY: for an instant cake, have the premeasured, premixed dry ingredients at hand, then simply add the wet ingredients when you want a fresh treat! It makes a great birthday cake! Hey, it even freezes well!

Makes: 1 9x9 cake, Preparation time: 15 minutes, Cooking time: 30 minutes

Makenna's 12th Birthday Party

For Makenna's 12th birthday we rented 2 joining rooms in the Settle Inn and she invited 6 girls to spend the night.  Thankfully, my amazing friend Krista was willing to help me out!  First we had pizza and then went swimming, did facials and foot scrubs, ate cake, opened presents, and watched a movie.  In the morning we ate breakfast at the hotel before the girls went home.  It was a lot of fun and the girls were all so good! 

Pictures for Addie...

These pictures were posted per Addie's request.  Soon I will post pictures from Makenna's birthday party!

Makenna Is 12!

Well, I can't believe my big girl turned 12 today!  Where oh where does the time go?  I guess it flies while you're living life and having fun! 

Makenna took a fruit tray to her morning Tech Club meeting today and this afternoon I brought in a huge fruit tray for her class to celebrate her birthday.  I am so happy that this far into 6th grade she still thinks it's cool when I come in to her classroom (and so do her friends)!

  After school she had dance until 7:15pm.  I asked her if she wanted to go out to eat and she said she wanted to go to Perkins to have pancakes and mashed potatoes.  So that is what we did.  And, yes she had strawberry bliss pancakes  with a side of mashed potatoes!  Krista came with us and so did Makenna's best friend Jessica (it was a surprise).  The staff at Perkins even brought her a brownie sundae and sang to her. 

When we got home around 8:30 she opened her presents.  I'm pretty sure she got everything she wanted: Aeropostale from Grandma and Grandpa; clothes and a hat from Alanna; lotion and face masks from Jessica; a flat iron, tiger eye necklace, dance t-shirt, and a gift certificate for a manicure, pedicure, and massage from mom and dad. 

5 years ago today...

...I brought Rose home.  I can't believe we've had her for 5 years already!  Where does the time go?  And tomorrow one of my babies will turn 12! 

Mother's Day 2010

I had an awesome Mother's Day, the best ever actually!  After my 7 mile run this morning the girls treated me to chocolate chip pancakes and strawberries and chocolate cake for dessert.  Then, they pampered me with massage, a sugar foot scrub, and an avocado facial.  They really are the best daughters in the world and I love them so much!!  I could not ask for a better day.  The entire weekend was great!

Getting my avocado facial.

So relaxing!

Card from Alanna

Card from Makenna

Their cards were so sweet, I had to hold back tears.

A nice Saturday

We had a great day today.  First Brad and I went for a 6.75 mile run/walk (I'm training him to run a half marathon with me this summer)!  Then we took the girls and 2 of Alanna's friends to lunch, the park, and of course Starbucks!  Now it is time for a movie and some raspberries and wine! 

Nurses Week 5K news article

Well, my picture didn't make it in the paper, but here is the article about last night's race:


Nearly 100 turn out for Nurses Day 5K

Runners and walkers participate in a 5K run/walk at Dalbey Memorial Park in Gillette to honor Nurses Week on Tuesday evening. Nearly 100 people participated in the event, which actually was an extended 5K at 3.3 miles. Nearly half of the participants were nurses and those who just wanted to run or walk in the event. - News-Record photo by Ken Blackbird

By The News-Record staff

Published: Wednesday, May 5, 2010 12:55 PM MDT

Jonathan Mau set the pace in the first annual Nurses Day 5K run/walk in Gillette on Tuesday evening.

Competing at the Dalbey Memorial Park on the walking path around Fishing Lake, Mau led a group of 22 runners over the 3.3-mile course (an extended 5K). He finished with a time of 24 minutes, 16 seconds.


More than 92 people participated in the walk/run, according to Lynn Wyllie, who helped organize the event. That included 65 walkers.


Tami Massman was the first woman across the finish line, finishing with a time of 27:23. She was trailed five seconds back by Wyllie at 27:28.

Douglas Everet finished fourth at 27:45, followed by Robert Palmer, rounding out the top five, in 28:48.

Other top 10 finishers included Jim LaManna, sixth, 28:50; Eduardao Quintino, seventh, 29:19; Scott Mooney, eighth, 29:37; Robyn Gray, ninth, 29:55; and Wayne Pollat, 29:56.

Nurses Week 2010 5K

Finally, something noteworthy to blog about!  Tonight I ran in the Nurses Week 5K sponsored by Dr. Simpson.  The course was just slightly more than a 5K, it was 3.3 miles, and I finished in 27:23.  We ran 3 laps around the fishing lake here in town.  The temperature wasn't bad, upper 40's, but the wind out of the west was very strong at about 30mph.  I finished 2nd overall and 1st in the women's division!!  Then, right after that I played in two tournament volleyball games, which we won!  Those were the first wins of the season for us.  It has been a GREAT night for me!  Now it is time for me to get to bed so I can get up at 5am and go to work.

I know, not a great picture, but I wanted to show off my shirt and the only prize I left with, the piece of paper.  I left before the other runners were even finished so I didn't get to stay to get my other prize. 

Well, in case anyone's noticed, I have fallen off the blogging wagon for a few days.  I don't even have an excuse for not blogging because I have not been out of town for the last week.  I have been busy running and working and trying to get Brad into shape so that he can run with me.  We went for a run this morning in the 20+ mile per hour wind.  Running South and East was fine but running North and West was like running  into a brick wall at times.

Hopefully I will come up with something to post this week.  Have a great week everyone!