Motivating Someone?

While I can't seem to motivate myself, apparently I can motivate others once in a while.  Recently I asked my  little sister to take some family photos of Princess, hubs and myself.  Little sister takes great photos and I have a pretty cool camera, only makes since.  She got some pretty good shots, I was very pleased especially considering she didn't really know how to use my camera.  We had a good starter session and she was inspired.  I let her borrow my camera so she could get familiar with it more.  She took baby sister out and got some really great pics in that session, too.  Little sister is so excited she is talking about working hard on this and maybe making it into a business venture.  She has tons of potential, I'm sure she could do it.  I offered to help her put together a portfolio and have now been appointed Head of Marketing.  Who knows, maybe little sister will really make a go of this and she told me I was the one who motivated her to start.

Hubs and I, taken by little sister

In a conversation with curly friend earlier this week, she suggested that maybe my desire to be a runner and my Facebook ad to find running friends is God's way of using me to motivate someone else to start a running club in this area.  I purchased the book Run for God a couple years ago and started it a couple times.  I broke out the book again and I'm actually taking notes and using the book as intended, as a training program and a bible study.  I'm almost positive God doesn't want me to lead anything.  I'm not very good at sticking with stuff myself, I probably shouldn't be trying to lead others.  But maybe I can help someone else discover their ministry through running.

After having 2 conversations about me motivating someone with 2 different people in one week I've been thinking, maybe I could find motivation by being motivation.  I'm a pretty positive person and I love to see people meet their potential.  I know that God wants us to give and be generous and we will be rewarded for it in the end.  Maybe the thing I can give is pep talks and encouragement.  I know there is so much more I could be giving, but this may be something I'm good at, my talent maybe?  I named this blog 'Finding Motivation' but maybe I'm not just finding it, but providing it.This is something I am going to have to pray about and I would appreciate any prayers on my behalf. 

Have I ever posted anything that has motivated you?

Recap

Okay, it's been way to long since I posted anything.  I should probably recap because you are all on pins and needles wondering.  Here goes:

As you know hubs and I were in Branson a couple weekends ago.  While there I forced myself to get up and go for a jog.  One of the reasons I wanted to start running is so I could run in cool places, so why not start with Branson!  The thing is, Branson is in the Ozarks, ya know, like mountains...  Nothing flat and everything feels like it's uphill, even the downhills stuff.

 

 

After meeting some of the fam for lunch on Saturday, hubs and I decided to walk the strip to see some sights (by sights, I mean tattoo shops for hubs).  It was nice to take a leisurely walk with hubs, a great way to spend some time together, burn a few calories, and conserve a few natural resources.

 

 

 

This week I decided to post an 'ad' on Facebook to see if I could find a few local friends to hit the track with me.  We are more likely to succeed if we are in a group, right.  Got a couple to agree to start with me next week.  Wish us luck and pray that we can keep it up even with it gets really cold out.

 

Tonight is Thanksgiving Eve.  I know that isn't a real holiday, but it's fun to say.  I volunteered to make a yummy, healthy cranberry relish.  I didn't get a picture of it, but I'll try to get one before it's all gone.  I also made a Pumpkin Pi:

 

 

Ahha!  Pi!  I know, I'm a nerd...

 

And this beauty:

 

Dark Chocolate cheesecake with Cherries

Crust
8 Low-fat cinnamon graham crackers
1/4 stick butter
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 Tbsp strong coffee or a shot of espresso

Filling
1 10oz bag dark chocolate chips
2 (8-ounce) packages fat-free cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons splenda
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 large eggs
1/2 cup chocolate covered cherry wine
1 5oz bag dried cherries

Preheat oven to 325.

Melt butter in microwave, about 90 seconds. In a food processor add graham crackers. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Add melted butter, cocoa powder, butter and coffee. Pulse until combined. Press into bottom of pie pan or spring form pan.

Melt 1/2 chocolate over a double boiler. Set aside to cool.
Whip cream cheese. Add splenda and cocoa powder until combined. Add melted chocolate. Mix until combined.
Add eggs one at a time until mixed completely. Finally add wine until and mix.
In a food processor, add the remaining chips and cherries. Pulse until coarsely chopped.

Add filling to crust. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until center sets.
 

 

That about sums it up, sadly.  Until next time.

 





Branson mini vaca

This weekend hubs and I decided to take a mini vaca and join some of his family in Branson, MO.  His grandparents and an aunt and uncle were going, so we met them to tag along for the weekend.  Something that has had me in absolute awe the whole time we've been here is how serious Branson takes Veteran's Day.  Everywhere we go people are offering some kind of discount for veterans, but they are also stopping to talk to these brave men and women who have fought for this country so that we have the freedom to run or not, or to eat junk through a drive through or something healthy and local, and a million other things we take for granted every day.  Hub's grandpa is a veteran and we've had conversations about different things.  You can tell by talking to him that is is proud of this country, even when he doesn't agree with it's leaders.  He is proud that he had the opportunity to fight for the freedoms we enjoy.  We have visited Branson in the past, but never this time of year.  You can feel the pride in this town this weekend.  I am in awe.

On thing that really effected me tonight:  We were on our way to dinner and a show and just outside our hotel was a gorgeous restored old pickup.  Hubs has a weakness for this kind of thing and it was beautiful so we stopped to take a look.  (Please forgive my cell phone photog, the camera was in the car.)

 

The young man who's name is on that gravestone always wanted to restore this old truck.  He enlisted in the military after high school and was killed in the line of duty.  His parents decided to restore the truck in his memory.  The picture I didn't get was of the back of the truck.  Across the bumper there was a banner that said 'All gave some, Some gave all' and the license plate read GAV ALL.  This young man wasn't even 20 years old when he died serving his country, our country.  I'm tearing up again just typing this.

Folks, I don't agree with a LOT of the decisions made by the leaders of his country, but we should be showing respect to those who serve so that we are free.  I bet we all know people who have served.  Take a minute out of your busy day to stop and say thank you.  Without the bravery of these men and women, we would be living a much different life.

It's the shoes!

Wore my super fantastic new stripper shoes today and my calves hurt more on my evening run!  You have no idea how sad this makes me.  I don't know what sensible business casual shoes look like, but I imagine little old lady shoes.  Please, if I'm wrong, post a link to some cute ones in the comments.  I know wearing high heels most days a week isn't really good for my feet and legs, I knew that before today.  It just makes me sad.  I guess I'll keep the heels for days when I don't plan to run and probably hold off on wearing them regularly until after I finish C25K.

I started week 2 today.  This is probably the furthest I've ever made it in this program.  Week two consists of 3 days with 90 second jog/2 minute walk alternating for a total of twenty minutes.  I think all days of the program include a 5 minute warm up and a 5 minute cool down.  I did 1.75 miles on the track today at this pace.  I really dislike that it is so dark when I get home.  I need to organize a group of people doing this at the same time so I'm less terrified of being snatched up by Sasquatch on my jogs.

Okay, enough with my paranoia, I mentioned a recipe coming soon so here we go:



 

Wild Mushroom and Barley Risotto

 

6 cups vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups water

2T evoo

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups mixed wild mushrooms, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups pearl barley, rinsed

1/2 cup red wine

6 cups turnip greens

1/3 cup Colby jack

1T butter

2t balsamic vinegar

salt & pep to taste

 

1. Bring broth and water to a simmer in a large saucepan.  Adjust heat to maintain a steady simmer.

 

2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add garlic, cook about 1 minute.  Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they begin to release their juices, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add barley and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute.  Add wine and simmer, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute more.  Reduce heat to medium.

 

3. Add 1/2 cup hot broth to the barley and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has been absorbed.  Continue adding 1/2 cup hot broth at a time stirring until the liquid has been absorbed after each addition, adjusting heat to maintain a gentle simmer, until barley is tender and creamy but still somewhat firm, 35 to 45 minutes. (You might not use all the broth).

 

4. Stir in greens and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in cheese, butter, and vinegar.  Season with salt and pep.

 

I adapted this recipe from here.  It is a hands-on recipe, but cooking is therapeutic for me.  Original called for arugula, but the turnip greens at the grocery were way prettier.  Also called for an onion in with the garlic, but sil was over and she doesn't like onion.  I know, who doesn't like onion?!?  But I guess there are some out there...  Another change I made was the cheese, I didn't have parm, so I used Colby jack.  I think it turned out great.  VERY filling, I ate it as a meal.  Everyone else had it as a side to the steaks hubs grilled.  I made enough that I will be able to take leftovers for lunch at work for a couple days.  Try it, let me know what you think.

 

 

Shoes

Super lame start to Pile on the Miles.  I only got out one day so far in November, did 2 track miles on Friday night.  I had intended on going today because it was GORGEOUS out, but ended up shopping with sil.  That was very productive, she got lots of stuff she needed and I got a fantastic pair of shoes I needed.

 

Needed, right?  As you can see, normal socks aren't really my thing...

I have successfully completed C25K week 1.  I felt pretty great about it, too.  I'm going to start week 2 tomorrow.  I look forward to the end of this 8 weeks because I should be able to run for 30 straight minutes, but also because I will have completed something I started.  I don't always do that.  I have a history.  I started the Brazil Butt Lift once and finished 29 out of the 30 days of the program.  I'm notorious.  My house looks like I'm a borderline hoarder often because I collect things for projects I'm going to do, then don't do them then purge everything to clean house.  I have to finish this C25K program this time, though, because I'm now accountable to you, my reader(s).  I almost skipped the track yesterday.  Hubs was home from being on the road all week, I had a long week at work, and I had a bottle of wine chilling.  I got my butt down to the track, sil and I both did 2 miles, then I had the wine after I showered.

Since starting this blog, I've lost 8lbs.  That really says something.  Thank you for keeping me accountable loyal reader(s).    Stay tuned, soon I intend to try my hand at posting recipes and food photography.