Race for the Cure

This past weekend I ran race for the cure with my co-worker, Amanda, and her step-daughter Alex. I run this race no matter where I live or the weather conditions. I find it extremely gratifying in many ways. I ran with Aunt Vicki and Aunt Linda in mind (Brad's side), and with their names on the front of my shirt. There were about 12,000 runners on Sunday! I do have to question--with this same event in almost every part of the country, why do we not have a cure? I am hoping it is not too far away.

So this is how the day went: The race started at 9:45, and I live about 10 minutes away from the event. Amanda and Alex where here at 9:08, we got in the car, quickly got to the turning lane to enter the parking garage (our standard spot), but then we waited in line to park. And we waited. And we waited. Finally, we got to the area, and it's blocked off; of course the garage is full. We ended up parking far away (looking back, I could have gone around the long line of waiting cars). So as we were walking toward the starting line, we saw everyone already running. Yikes! How am I supposed to know my official time? Like good Midwesterners, we walked all the way to the start line before starting. It just makes sense. By the time we started to run, we were already in the "walkers" pack. That means I am running on the grass, maneuvering around fathers with strollers, and ducking when women are telling a funny stories and have to use their arms. It took me so long to run out of the pack of walkers. The race is 3.1 miles, and I ran the whole time (I don't walk, I can't walk--it's an ego thing). Though the course is very hilly, I felt much more prepared this time around as I trained for about a month. After the race, we walked around to the vendor stations and got our free nutri-grain bars, waters and bananas and headed home. It was a successful day! After I got home, I decided to eat my whole grain rice with a "pinch" of garlic. To preface this story, I really really enjoy: garlic, driving distances, getting the mail, kitties, and responding quickly to emails. That is me. This particular day I thought why would I put 1 clove of garlic in a serving of rice when I could use 3? Using 1 means I don't taste the garlic, so I figured 2 would mean I would kinda taste the garlic. Solution: 3 cloves of garlic. OH, and a 1/2 of an onion. Let's just say I'm surprised you cannot smell my breath from here. I learned my lesson...2 max! I know that garlic is known as the "wonder drug," so I made sure to tell Brad that my choice on Sunday to eat 3 cloves of garlic meant I would outlive him. He seems so excited to hear that news :) After this little experiment, I somehow found the only mint in our house, which I'm sure was taken from one of those candy jars from a hostess stand. That didn't work. I drank a lot of water. That didn't work. I even ate the chocolate syrup in the refrigerator. Poor choice. Lastly, I took a shower (we all know this is not typical for me on a weekend--I find them meaningless). Needless to say, the solution for eating too much garlic is time. Finally today I cannot smell it on my breath or on my hands. Lesson learned.
So that's our exciting weekend. I hope you enjoy the picture of the race. Also, please note I am restricting kitty pictures this week. It's hard, but I'm doing it for the readers. All 2 of them. Perhaps there will be a new posting mid week with updates of the furballs. Stay tuned!


Alex, Amanda, Myself

The Soup Field Trip

So I was lucky enough to go to the taping of The Soup on E! network! My friend, Amanda, has a friend who knows Joel McHale, so she was able to get us in the door and meet him before and after the show. It was so much fun! Here are some pictures of the evening with the cast. It is very interesting to see how they cut scenes, entertain the audience, and produce the show in 1.5 hours. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did!


Amanda and I with Joel McHale

Us with Mankini (A Frequent Character)

Green Screen

Model: Victoria Silvstedt

Joel Watching the Show

Dragon Fruit Attempt

So I work next to a shopping center that has many interesting stores. One of them is a supermarket. How is that interesting, you ask? It is called Mother's Market (we call it Mom's House), and it's a great source for exotic fruits, tofu turkey (in California we call it Tofurkey), multivitamins made from natural and organic weeds (more of an exaggeration...), Orange County housewives, etc. etc. This past week, I caved to the fruit display. Who wouldn't? It was perfectly placed right in the front door, and the fruit is PINK! C'mon, any girl with a long work day would have caved. So, I brought it back to work, showed it to the girls, and saved it for Brad and I that evening. Brad is a fruit lover, and I am more of a veggie girl, so I thought it would be a perfect "present" for him. As I was cutting it open, I browsed back at the receipt to realize I had paid $9.18. For one. It had better be good. What is this fruit, you ask? Well, it's called dragon fruit. Brad thought it was that expensive because it was actually made from dragons. Nice try--it is actually from a cactus plant. I took some pictures for my own pleasure, so here they are. The fruit tastes similar to kiwi, but less sweet. Was it worth the big bucks? Not really. Am I glad I made the attempt? Yes. Maybe it will come up in conversation some day and I will be able to join in. Wishful thinking.

I am also posting more pictures of the cats. I have an addiction...


Dragon Fruit: Interior and Exterior, Respectively

Sleepy Peanut...

Don't be Fooled...She Bites

A Smokey Close Up

Sunday Fun Day

Here are some pictures of the Gizzy and Smokey saga...which goes a little something like this: Gizzy wants to play with Smokey. Smokey wants to sleep, eat, or bathe. Gizzy still wants to play with Smokey. Repeat.


How Can the Big Guy Deny this Face??

This is Rare...So I Captured It

He's Annoyed, She's Curious

A Bath is His Priority

Viva Las Vegas

It was 2 full days, 8 hours in a car, and 1 awesome time this past weekend in Las Vegas. We went to Vegas with our friends from Iowa, Matt and Kim. What an amazing time! We stayed at the Bellagio and ate at amazing restaurants; we are so appreciative of our great friends! Take a peak at our pictures...we didn't take too many (always seems to be the case).

Enjoy!


On Our Way to Eat

Matt and Kim in the Limo

The Entry of the Suite

View of Pool from Room

Feline Update...Of Course

Ok, so I said earlier I would post pictures of Smokey when he started being nice to Gizzy. Well, I've decided that may not ever happen. She wants to play, but he is uninterested, at all times! She thinks by using his litter box, food, and water, he will clearly want to be her friend. How do you tell a kitten it's not the best way to make friends...by using his things...in FRONT of him. Gizzy has also come to the conclusion that 4 AM and 6 AM are play times. IF we are sleeping (which we always are), that means she clearly has permission to attack anything flesh colored. I swear she thinks our 10 fingers are 10 play toys. So every night Brad and I have on full covers to our necks (sweating, of course) and pillows over our eyes because she definitely can attack eyelids. Well, to date, she has attacked my nose...twice...in the same spot. Yep, one night I actually bled (not knowing) and left blood on her fur! I guess we are the ones who chose the "most active" one in the litter. Last week we also had a worm incident, which I will leave at that, so we took her to the vet and he said, "man, she has a temper!" We know. We know.

Well, I will post some funny pictures of Smokey trying to fit in an awkwardly small box. It was meant to be taken to the dumpster that day, but he has claimed it as his. So yes, we have an empty beer box in our house--some interior designer!

I realize I keep blogging about my kitties, but as my mom says, "it's my blog and I can do what I want!" :)

Enjoy!


Gizzy: 11 weeks, 1 day

This is NOT Photoshopped

This is My Best Angle...

I am Laughing at You