Life on Stover Drive

We've Moved!

2010-10-21T09:01:00.001-04:00

Come visit us at our new address:

http://thesplatteredapron.wordpress.com

Thanks!

Lisa & Jeromy

Make.This.Soup

2010-10-03T20:45:00.001-04:00

This is one of the most delicious soup recipes I've ever had.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-chiarello/roasted-tomato-soup-with-croutons-recipe/index.html
The only adaptation I made was to add a can of tomato juice because it was really too thick after I blended it and then I ran it through a sieve (really just a strainer and a ladle--I'm resourceful) and it is delicious. Totally makes me want a grilled cheese sandwich to dip in it.

Enjoy!

Okra?

2010-08-24T21:20:00.003-04:00

I have always avoided okra. The description just never sounded appealing--crunchy on the outside but slimy on the inside? No thanks. This summer, my opinion completely changed. We received 9 okras (okri?) from the CSA and I asked what the best way is to prepare them. I knew I could deep fry them, but was looking for a healthier way to cook them. Another CSA member told me he likes them sauted with tomatoes. I decided to take his advice.

Without pictures, here's what I did:

1) Slice the okra into thick coins.

2) Mince garlic (for 9 okra I used 2 cloves of garlic).

3) Heat some olive oil in a large pan.

4) Add the garlic and okra, saute for 5 minutes.

5) While the okra and garlic are cooking, chop up some tomatoes. I used one yellow and one orange from the CSA.

6) Add the tomatoes, stir and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

It was delicious! The tomatoes were perfect and the okra was crunchy. I didn't notice too much slime, maybe because I had mixed the tomatoes in. Either way, I am no longer afraid of okra and will look forward to next year when it's back in season (good thing I froze some this year!)

BBQ Chicken

2010-08-19T21:00:00.001-04:00

As I was grocery shopping last weekend, a craving struck for BBQ'd chicken. Ordinarily, I would just grab a bottle of sauce at the store, slather it on chicken and throw it on the BBQ. But of course, that's not my style anymore. I want to make everything from scratch. I'm probably just glutton for punishment.

I visited my go-to recipe site for inspiration and found exactly what I was hoping for--Ina Garten's homemade barbecque sauce. My only problem was I did not have enough hoisin sauce on hand so the sauce was not as sweet as it should have been, but it was still delicious.

I paired the chicken with a chopped caprese salad with fresh tomatoes and basil from the farm for a perfect summer evening dinner.

Climbing Back on the Wagon

2010-08-18T22:20:00.005-04:00

When I started this blog it was to chronicle my training experience for an Olympic triathlon. I had completely 2 sprint tris before that and went on to do one more after.

Iron Girl 2007

NJ State Tri 2008

Capital of Texas Olympic Tri 2009

NJ State Tri 2009

Just over a year ago, which was 3 weeks after the last tri, I went to Yellowstone National Park on a work trip and hurt my foot hiking. I laid off of running for about a month, thinking that some cross-training and resting would do the trick, but it didn't help. After many doctor visits, sessions of physical therapy and an MRI, my doctor figured out that I had a hidden fracture in my foot and I'd have to wear a walking boot for 6 weeks. 6 weeks became 8 weeks and I was finally rid of the boot at the beginning of March.

I know it's been almost 6 months, but I have had an incredibly hard time motivating to get back to the gym. Truthfully, I really miss running. I've done a few 3-4 mile runs here and there, but my foot still gets sore and I don't want to push it before our wedding. I feel lazy and that is just not me. I don't know where all of my motivation went, but I want it back! I am making a conscious effort to climb back on the wagon now. I am going to stop saying, I'll do it tomorrow. I am going to run, little by little, I am going to build back up until my foot is okay. I hate injury recovery, but I know it's necessary.

My goal is to run the Arlington Memorial 5K on September 11. In 2006, this would not have seemed like a big deal to me. A 5K was an easy recovery run but after being sidelined for the past year, a 5K sounds a bit daunting to me. I've missed racing so much, I can't wait to get out there. Hopefully this won't backfire and I'll start being able to race again and I can start writing more about the sport I love so much. Stay tuned....

Sage, rosemary and thyme. If only we had parsley....

2010-08-17T20:16:00.017-04:00

With 74 days to go, I thought it'd be fun to share our DIY centerpieces. I absolutely love flowers, but hate the idea of killing so many for the sake of centerpieces. Of course, I looked around at blogs for inspiration and at what my friends have done at their weddings and decided that potted herbs would be perfect for us. Our deck is covered in potted herbs that we use when we cook so using them to decorate our reception venue fits.
I started looking around for the right size terra cotta pots, but could not find the right size at an affordable price. I came across the ones below at Lowe's. They are 10 inch plastic hanging pots but without the hangers they look great as centerpieces. The only other problem was the color--plastic terra cotta is really not my thing. With a can of spray paint, that was an easy fix! Spray painting the pots.

Pretty pots all in a row!

We decided to go with sage, rosemary and thyme because they are hardy plants that have come back for us year after year. That way our guests that take the centerpieces home will be able to use the herbs for at least a few years, as long as they care for the plants.

Jeromy ready to plant!

Ode to Simon & Garfunkel.

That is a lot of plants!

Ready for watering.

The pots have all filled in considerably, hopefully they won't outgrow the pots before the wedding.

There are just a few finishing touches that the centerpieces will receive the week of the wedding, hopefully it'll be here before I know it!

Meatless Meals (while J is away)

2010-08-08T11:00:00.018-04:00

I stopped eating red meat and pork for 6 years between the summer before junior year of high school and right before graduation from college. Even when I was living in Italy, I resisted what looked to be the most delicious prosciutto I could ever taste. To this day, I kick myself for not eating it while I was there.

I remember the day, practically the moment, that I decided to eat meat again. I was at a reception at the President's house for seniors at Trinity and I saw this appetizer that had a medium rare piece of beef on it. And I wanted to eat it. I looked at my friend Jen's brother Kevin and told him what I was thinking. His response was, but you don't eat meat. And I thought, yeah, I'm kind of done with that. So I ate the beef. The next day, I had bacon with my eggs. And I forgot why I stopped eating meat in the first place (it was because we had to read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair in high school).

As time has gone by and I've become more aware of where the food we eat comes from, (thank you, Michael Pollan) I've wanted to move a bit away from eating a lot of meat. At least once a week I try to make a meatless meal and I try to keep red meat, pork and poultry out of my diet during the day. It doesn't always work, but I'm not going to beat myself up about it.

The challenge is, my fiance thinks that every meal should involve meat. He begrudgingly eats the meatless meals that I make and always makes sure to let me know that he knows "what I'm doing and it's not going to work." No, honey, I am not trying to make you a vegetarian :-) I enjoy meat too, but I also enjoy meals that do not involve meat. Since J was out of town this weekend, I have not had any meat in any of my meals. Granted, I also didn't eat a proper breakfast or lunch yesterday, but that's neither here nor there. Friday night dinner was chana masala from the Smitten Kitchen:

I've never cooked Indian food before, though I LOVE to eat Indian food. I was really excited to try this dish and have had it bookmarked in my mind since I saw it in February, just waiting for the opportunity to make it. Here are my ingredients assembled:
I had to make a few substitutions. I completely left a green chile pepper off of my grocery list, so I substituted a green bell pepper from our CSA share this week. I also could not find ground cayenne pepper, so I subbed half ancho chile power and half chili powder. I used smoked sweet paprika instead of regular paprika because I prefer the smoky flavor. I did not include amphoor powder and increased the amount of lemon juice, as Deb suggests. My last adjustment was to increase the amount of ground cumin because I did not have cumin seeds. I was pretty nervous that with all of these changes the dish would not taste anything like what I've had at restaurants, but I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong!

Oh, the spices!

Saute of onion, garlic and green pepper:

With the addition of all of the spices--the kitchen smelled delicious at this point:

The tomatoes and water added to the pan:

And the chickpeas:

Combine and let simmer for 10 minutes:

Chana masala:

I would have served this with naan, but I was too lazy to make any :-) So I ate it over rice. I was surprised at how delicious this was, it was as good as takeout to me, even with all of my substitutions. There was still a good level of spice, despite leaving out the green chile pepper.

Saturday night's dinner was zucchini and eggplant pasta with tomato and mushroom sauce. I found this recipe on The Front Burner. The only change I made was to add eggplant ribbons to the zucchini ribbons, since I had a nice long eggplant from this week's farm share.

This was remarkably good. I loved the zucchini and eggplant as pasta. I love pasta and I didn't even miss it in this dish. The flavors were amazing, I think because the majority of the ingredients came from the farmer's market or our CSA (with the exception of the mushrooms and the parmesan cheese).

J will be home tonight, which means that meat is back on the menu :-) I enjoyed the last couple of days of meals, but am very happy that J will be here and who doesn't love pulled pork?

Versatility Cowl

2010-08-08T10:40:00.005-04:00

I finished this scarf right after my tonsil surgery, way back in April. Despite the massive pain meds I was on, I managed to muddle through the very end of this scarf. Luckily, it was a very simple pattern, but the results are just beautiful. My mom loves it too!

I LOVE how this scarf is wearable in different ways because of the buttons at one end. Thanks to my mom for being a wonderful model--I hope this scarf keeps you very warm!

We certainly look the part....

2010-05-11T21:26:00.001-04:00

Only 172 days to go!!!

Topsy Turvy

2010-05-09T12:11:00.006-04:00

When Jeromy's grandparents came to visit us last year, they could not stop talking about the Topsy Turvy tomato grower that they saw on tv. Jeromy and his grandfather even went searching for it at Home Depot and Lowes without any luck. It's designed for people that have a small outdoor space and can't grow things in the ground--it grows tomatoes upside down! Jeromy stumbled upon a generic version of the Topsy Turvy this spring and upon examining the contents of the box, realized that he could make a Topsy Turvy with materials we already had in our house.

We had 2 empty hanging pots that Jeromy spray painted bronze, potting soil and we picked up some tomato plants at the store--some cherry ones to put on the top and larger tomatoes to put through the bottom.

Conveniently, the pots already had holes in the middle.

And now we have our very own Topsy Turvys hanging off the side of our deck! There are already 3 tomatoes in this one and our fingers are crossed for many more to come!

Oh, baby...

2010-04-27T20:39:00.005-04:00

blanket. Baby blanket. Don't get carried away, we have to get married first!! ;-) It took me just over a month to finish my first baby blanket. I went with a fairly straightforward pattern--the Big Bad Baby Blanket from Stitch n' Bitch. Turns out, however, that I was purling backwards! No matter because I did it consistently throughout the entire blanket so you can't tell that it wasn't intended.

Here's the blanket blocking on the bathroom floor (I needed a place I could close the door and keep Dixie away).

And below is Sarah, the recipient of the baby blanket at her baby shower! I spent the majority of my time working on this blanket while on the metro. It's remarkable how much knitting I can get done while commuting!

I've started working on the next baby blanket, which I will reveal when it's finished and delivered to the recipient. I'm also working on several other projects that I won't be able to reveal for quite some time. Fortunately, I also have a list of new recipes to try and Jeromy and I have a very long list of home improvement projects to share. Our style is DIY so I should have some pretty good stories and before and after pictures.

Jeromy's Feast

2010-04-05T22:54:00.008-04:00

Jeromy went all out about a month ago for a dinner for four. It turned into a dinner for 5 and we STILL had way, way too much food. And lots of leftovers. I didn't get pictures of every course, and the pictures I did take did not come out so well, but you'll get the idea....

We started the evening with deviled eggs--both chicken and duck. Both were delicious! I couldn't really tell a flavor difference between the two but the duck egg was definitely meatier. Very good. Along with the deviled eggs, Jeromy prepared ceviche with tilapia, red onions, lime and cilantro. We've always been big fans of ceviche and this recipe was fantastic.

Spicy sweet potato peanut soup was our first course (pictured below) followed by homemade goat cheese raviolis in a creamy mushroom and sundried tomato sauce. I was so busy scarfing them down that I did not take a picture!

The main course was pan-seared grass-fed ribeye steak. Neither of us have ever had grass-fed beef, but we've been dying to try it. Especially after watching Food Inc. and reading Omnivore's Dilemma. And truthfully, it was fantastic--I don't think I'll ever eat non grass-fed beef again, it was that delicious. Jeromy cooks an amazing steak and this one was no exception. It was served alongside my contribution to the meal, wild mushroom risotto. Again, I was too busy eating to take pictures of this course :-)

We ended the night on a sweet note, of course, with our favorite dessert--tarte au citron. I've only made this dessert twice once was a smashing success and the other time was a massive fail. Jeromy, however, has never failed at this recipe, and the leftovers do not survive long in this house :-)

Signs of Spring....

2010-03-06T15:39:00.003-05:00

Right outside our door!

Jeromy has spent the day preparing quite a feast for dinner tonight, if I remember to take pictures before digging in, I'll post them!

Taking Stock

2010-02-21T22:34:00.005-05:00

My soon-to-be mother-in-law's Christmas present:

Clare's Christmas present:

My sister's Christmas present:

I've finished 4 scarves since November, one of them was ruined in the washing machine and I've started that one over again. So that's #5. I am trying to teach myself how to knit a hat, which is project #6. I am working on a gift for a friend that I started today, #7, a scarf for mom, #8, and I have yarn for a scarf for myself, another gift for a friend and another scarf for my mom. That's #9, #10 and #11. Currently, I have 4 of these projects on needles. Phew, it sounds like I have some work to do! The good news is that watching the Olympics and knitting go very well together :-)

Not your average Peeps

2010-02-10T10:42:00.010-05:00

I'll admit it. I love Peeps. My dad fully supports my love of Peeps as evidenced by the mostly eaten box above. My mom came down a couple weeks ago to go wedding dress shopping and my dad sent this down for me. 1) Can you believe Easter candy is already out? 2) Can you believe there are still some left in my box? Thanks,Daddy!!

There's really no way of telling what kinds of unnatural, processed ingredients go into Peeps that for me, make them so addicting (and I fully believe that the ducks taste better than the rabbits. Perhaps because I had pet rabbits as a kid?) I've seen recipes for homemade marshmallows and they always look a little daunting--they involve a candy thermometer for goodness sake! But the string of snow days and an upcoming weekend in Wintergreen that will involve s'mores convinced me that it was time. Time to make marshmallows and I have to tell you, it was not nearly as hard as it seemed to be. Visit www.smittenkitchen.com for the recipe!

Mise en place:

The recipe called for a metal 9x13x2, which I don't have so I improvised.

Bringing the sugar, corn starch, water and salt to a boil (while the gelatin softens in another bowl).

The mixture is almost at the 240 degree point--look at how clear it is, the sugar is completely dissolved.

Bottom layer is the gelatin, water and mixture from the stove whipped together for about 10 minutes. On top is two egg whites whipped just until stiff peaks are formed and 1 tablespoon of vanilla. This is when you can add whatever you want to flavor the marshmallows. I think mint extract would be delicious in marshmallows in a tall cup of (spiked) hot chocolate!

I only ended up needed two of the pans and I took Deb's advice on Smitten Kitchen and did not try to get every last bit out of the bowl.

After sitting overnight in the refrigerator, I cut the marshmallows into squares and rolled them in more confectioners sugar (I guess you just can't get enough sugar in these). I think I was supposed to sift the sugar, but I had not yet had coffee so this is unsifted sugar.

I can't wait to get these into some s'mores!

And yes, it is still snowing. I don't want to talk about it.

Lisa :-)

We're Converts

2010-02-08T11:40:00.004-05:00

This title sounds a lot more serious than it actually is :-) A few weeks ago, Jeromy bought us a french press to make coffee and quite honestly, it's the best way we've ever had coffee--it beats drip coffeemakers by leaps and bounds. The trick is to add a pinch of salt to the ground coffee before adding the water and you will end up with a perfect cup. I'm drooling just thinking about tomorrow's cup of coffee (because we have another snow day tomorrow. I'm beginning to forget what my office looks like!).

I've also converted the way that I eat oatmeal. I love me some oatmeal, it sticks to the ribs and keeps me full all day long, or at least until after noon. Years ago I stopped eating the packets of oatmeal because of all of the added sugar and processed foods that I just didn't want to eat. So I started buying plain old oatmeal, preparing it plain and then adding toppings so I could control what I was eating. I was over on Danielle's blog, beltwaytobay.com and saw an entry about overnight oats. I was intrigued. So I looked around the internets a little further and found a recipe. Oats? I like oats. Greek yogurt? Delicious. Milk? I love milk. Little brown sugar? Great. Mix it all together, let it sit overnight in the fridge and you have overnight oats! Add whatever you want to it, it's like a blank canvas. Here is the recipe I use, found at keepitsimplefoods.com (serves 2):

1 cup oats
1 cup milk
1 cup Greek yogurt (I use fat free)
generous dash of brown sugar

Mix it all together, leave it overnight in the fridge and the next day you have a delicious and nutritious breakfast. So far I've tried the following combos:

leftover cranberry compote
grape-nuts
sliced almonds

blueberry muesli

bananas
flaxseed
Trader Joe's superfruit spread
Trader Joe's natural peanut butter
The third combination was my favorite!

Because of my boot I haven't been able to do my normal grocery shopping runs to Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and Safeway (I'm crazy, I know, but I like what I like!). I've been sticking only to Safeway since it's the closest to the house and they did not have Greek yogurt last week :-( After being snowed in for 3 days, I made my way to Giant today and was able to get a big tub of Greek yogurt. I'm very much looking forward to more overnight oats tomorrow. Thanks, Danielle, for introducing me to my new favorite breakfast!

We're hunkering down for another major storm in our neighborhood. I don't know when, but apparently we moved to Maine....

I'll post some pictures of the snow in the next couple of days along with all of the knitting projects I've been working on.

Lisa :-)

Books or Kindle?

2010-01-27T22:27:00.002-05:00

I try not to fall for all of the cool electronic toys that are on the market. I like the days where I forget my cell phone at home and contrary to belief, I do not always answer my phone. I like the convenience of always being plugged in, but sometimes I do like to unplug and not have access to the internet.

I've always been a reader. I love books. I hope that someday I live in a house with a room with floor to ceiling bookshelves, covered in books, like my grandparents' house. I even have some of my grandfather's books from those shelves, just waiting for the perfect place to live. Somehow, I don't think that the temporary IKEA bookshelf that they currently sit on in the basement will cut it.

One of the benefits of having about 45 minutes to an hour commute twice a day is that I get to do a lot of reading. One of the downsides is that, depending on the book, it might take up a lot of space in my bag and be a lot of extra weight to carry. This is where the technology question above comes in to play. The Amazon Kindle.

Apparently, the Kindle can hold up to 1,500 books, so your library is at your fingertips at all times. It's lightweight. The screen is not backlit so it's like reading a book and not a computer screen, but what I can't wrap my head around yet is settling into before I fall asleep with a Kindle instead of with a book. That just seems off to me. Plus, I get a lot of books from the library (I LOVE the library, the smell of the books, the atmosphere, I just love libraries), so they're free now, why should I start paying to download books?

I don't know, I do buy some books but I don't know that I buy enough to make the Kindle worth it just yet. It seems like it would be the perfect device for me, but I think I'll stick to books for now.

Even in the boot...

2010-01-19T21:19:00.006-05:00

I am still cooking up a storm! The first few days were a hard adjustment, but I'm finally used to the boot and am confident that my foot will be as good as new in a little under 5 weeks.

One of the new cookbooks I found under the Christmas tree is Molto Mario by Mario Batali. I have never before cooked one of his recipes, but I am going to be working my way through this book because if this first recipe was a preview, we are in for some delicious food!

Tonight I made Cotolette alla Zingara. Translated from Italian, zingara means gypsy. I don't know why this dish of Pork Chops with Peppers and Capers is named after gypsies, but I'm gonna go with it.

The most exciting part of this recipe for me was that I had to brine the pork chops overnight. Jeromy has made several brines for our turkeys over the past few years, but I have never once made a brine myself. I was so excited about the brine that I pulled it out of the refrigerator and said, "Jeromy, look! My first brine!" I hope I am as proud of myself when showing off our firstborn child ;-)

The ingredients for the recipe:

Dinner on the stove:

The finished product:

I added garlicky broccolini from this month's issue of Food and Wine and some whole wheat couscous. This is definitely a larger meal that what I normally cook during the week, but it was sooooo worth it.

My final note, tonight, I'm really disappointed in Massachusetts.

Weekend Wrap-Up

2010-01-10T09:46:00.006-05:00

This weekend has been action-packed, and it's only Sunday morning!

We started out yesterday, bright and early in the cold, cold air with our friends Ben Flaccus and Casey Moore. They are both incredibly talented photographers and were generous enough to take some engagement photos of us. Here's one from our session:

Even though we were all freezing, it was a lot of fun. We're looking forward to another session with Ben and Casey--thank you both so much!!

Last night our friends Ashley and Dan came over for dinner. We always love spending time with them and last night was no exception. We thought we'd try another recipe out of Everyday Italian--this is our fourth recipe out of the book, so we're well on our way to cooking through her book! We made the roasted pork loin with fig sauce:

The pork came out perfectly, but the sauce, while tasty, was not thick enough. After following the recipe, I added fig spread to it to thicken it up and it still wasn't quite what we wanted it to be. For the first time, we are a little disappointed in Giada. But I'm sure she'll redeem herself this week.

I'd like you to meet my new best friend, my walking boot. I started wearing it yesteday afternoon and will be wearing it for the next six weeks. I'm trying to stay positive and know that this is what will heal my foot, but at the same time, it is really frustrating! It makes standing in the kitchen and cooking difficult. My wonderful fiance brought one of our breakfast bar stools into the kitchen so I could cook without standing on my feet--he is too good to me :-)

And finally, we have set a date for our wedding! The countdown is on!

Lisa :-)

Happy 2010!

2010-01-01T17:16:00.007-05:00

The end of 2009 was full of action on Stover Drive! Jeromy and I flew up to Massachusetts to spend Christmas with my family and while we were there he surprised me on Christmas Eve and proposed! My response was, "are you being serious right now?" which I'll admit is slightly odd, but I was so surprised that I didn't know what to say! I started crying and was just so happy. Jeromy had asked my dad the day before when they went skiing and it was all just perfect.
:-)

Taking a picture in pretty much the exact spot that Jeromy proposed, only I was in my pajamas at the time.

Here's my ring (I LOVE IT!!! Almost as much as I love my fiance):

We've now entered the world of wedding planning. It's comforting to know that many other people have gone through this process before us so we have lots of friends and family to consult if we have questions. We're really looking forward to this next year and to the start of our married life. I can't wait to get married but I also hope we take time to enjoy being engaged. I hope your holidays were filled with joy, laughter, family, friends and lots of fun. Here's to 2010!

Lisa :-)

Julie & Julia

2009-12-21T12:11:00.004-05:00

Jeromy and I watched a ton of movies while snowed in--part of a great, relaxing weekend. One of them was Julie & Julia. I could have watched the entire movie just about Julia Child and done without the Julie Powell part, but I did find the premise of her blog intriguing and so did Jeromy. We decided that we wanted to cook through an entire cookbook in one year as well (but don't worry, we're not going to blog about the experience, we're not complete copycats). We like the idea of challenging ourselves to try every recipe and not just the ones we've cherry-picked from the book. Starting January 1, 2010, our goal is to make every recipe out of this:

We'll let you know how it goes and if there are some recipes that really stand out, we'll post them here. We're both big fans of Giada's cooking so I think we're in for some very good meals!

One scarf finished!

2009-12-20T17:48:00.002-05:00

I finally finished my first scarf! Love how it came out. Unfortunately, the washing machine did not love it so much and ripped a section of it to shreds :-( The question is, do I give in and just buy a gift for my godchild, or, do I attempt to make a scarf in 4 days? With a snow day tomorrow, maybe it's possible....

Here's a picture of Dixie modeling the completed scarf pre-washing machine disaster.

Blizzaster 2009 cont'd

2009-12-20T17:39:00.005-05:00

These were taken this morning...

Blizzaster 2009 pictures

2009-12-19T13:56:00.007-05:00

These were taken around 10 am, the snow is already a lot higher...updates will be posted later!

The Great Blizzaster of 2009!

2009-12-19T09:29:00.003-05:00

The best part of living in the Mid-Atlantic region--the sheer panic when there is snow in the forecast. Granted, this snow storm is actually pretty big with up to 2 feet in some areas, so this is a bit of a big deal. What I find most entertaining is the amount of time we spend making fun of the panicking before the panic has even set in. The two articles below had me laughing hysterically...enjoy! I'll post some pictures later today of all the snow.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/commons/2009/12/here_comes_the_snow_a_survival.html

http://wonkette.com/412828/washington-dc-to-be-absolutely-decimated-permanently-with-snow

And yes, the word "Blizzaster" just came out of the mouth of meteorologist Chuck Bell. Wow.

Confrontation

2009-12-16T21:32:00.002-05:00

Over the course of 4 hours last night, I did battle with the nasty, angry knot of yarn that you see in the previous post. 4 hours of pulling, threading and winding and at the end I had 6 balls of yarn to show for it! Yes, it's true, I confronted the angry yarn and I WON! It felt like a very big accomplishment, now if only I can finish this scarf before Christmas.....

my new obsession...

2009-12-10T21:45:00.008-05:00

My Sitoo (my mom's mother) taught me how to knit in high school. My poor sister even wore the horrible scarf I knitted for her once or twice. I made one more scarf after that and then put down my knitting needles. Recently, I decided to pick them back up. I think it was the new yarn stores with shelves upon shelves of beautifully colored threads calling my name. So I signed up for a knitting class. It was like riding a bike and I'm happy to say that the results seem to be A LOT better than the first time I tried. Once again, Kristin, I am so sorry I made you wear that scarf. The next one will be a lot better, I promise!

I have three projects going right now. The purple one is a ribbed scarf that is a Christmas gift. The yarn was in a nice, neat ball but something happened and all of a sudden it became an angry mess. The yarn and I are working through our difference and I'm confident that in the end we'll have a great scarf to show for our efforts :-)

The second one, which is almost finished, is for my Godchild, Isabella. I thought the color combination was perfect for her and I just love the tassles at the end.

And last but not least, is a scarf I'm working on for me :-)

These scarves are the result of the beginner class, stay tuned for more difficult projects as I take more classes!

Lisa :-)

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-08T20:52:00.002-05:00

For comparison....

2009-12-07T22:09:00.003-05:00

Our Christmas Tree (at Stover Drive)....

The Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center (in NYC).....

Had a great time in New York, despite the crazy crowd wielding umbrellas, and I love the Rockefeller tree, but I will always love the tree that we have at home more--it's just so us. :-)

Dixie's favorite spot...

2009-12-02T20:59:00.002-05:00

is right under the tree!

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-29T15:04:00.003-05:00

Thanksgiving has become my favorite holiday. I love preparing lots of food and getting my family and friends around a table to enjoy a meal together. This year Jeromy and I put together a rather ambitious menu. To start, we had hummus and veggie dip with crudite and hot stuffed peppers (more to come on the stuffed peppers). My friend Leah also joins us for Thanksgiving rather than traveling home to Duxbury. She has always been a fabulous addition not only for her company but because her contribution to the meal is an amazing antipasto. This year, she was so great as to bring us a separate smaller antipasto that Jeromy and I are about to dig into!

For the meal we prepared: mushroom soup, sweet potatoe biscuits, roasted acorn squash, sauted spinach, brussel sprouts with bacon, stuffing (the only from the box item on the table), mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy and 2 turkeys (one on the grill and one in the oven). It was quite the feast. Unfortunately, I was so busy getting the food on the table that I didn't have a chance to take pictures of it all! I know, what kind of food blogger am I if I can't even show you what I did?? In the absence of food photos, I give you a video of Jeromy and my dad cutting down our Christmas tree:

We are officially entering one of my favorite times of the year--a time to eat, drink and be merry with the people that I love. I promise to be better about my picture taking and will post some Christmas recipes in the next few weeks. Until then, Happy Holidays!!

Lisa :-)

Fall Flavors

2009-10-12T20:34:00.004-04:00

Every now and then Jeromy and I visit a butcher in Del Ray, Let's Meat on the Avenue (http://www.letsmeatontheavenue.com/). He has some amazing meat and introduced us to kangaroo filet this summer. Last time we visted we picked up a rack of pork ribs. In celebration of Columbus Day, we made them for dinner tonight!

The recipe was from Food and Wine magazine and can be found here:

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/apple-glazed-barbecued-baby-back-ribs

I had to make a couple of modifications, 1) we did not get a full rack since it's just the two of us so I cut the recipe in half. The ribs were also not baby back, but still came out very tender, juicy and came right off the bone. 2) I searched two stores and could not find apple jelly! I settled on pear jelly and it worked as a fine substitute. 3) Since there was less meat, I also modified the cooking times keeping the ribs in the oven for 2 hours and 15 minutes.

To go with the ribs, I made mashed potatoes and roasted acorn squash.

For the mashed potatoes (serves 2):

Peel and cut up 3 small/medium potatoes and add to a pot of boiling, salted water. Boil until the potatoes are fork-tender. Drain. Mash up the potatoes. Add 3-4 tablespoons of fat free buttermilk, 1/2 tablespoon of butter, 1 minced garlic clove, 2-3 sprigs of finely chopped chives and a pinch of parmesan cheese to the pot and stir to combine. Add buttermilk or butter for smoother consistency.

For the acorn squash (serves 2):

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut an acorn squash in half, clean out and discard seeds. Drizzle with olive oil, kosher salt and ground pepper. In a bowl, mix 1/2 tablespoon softened butter, 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar and 1 tablespoon amaretto liquer. Spread the mixture over the acorn squash halves, it will pool in the middle of the squash. Place sage leaves over the mixture in the squash and roast for 40-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with toasted almond slices.

If you have any questions about the recipes, just leave a comment here and I'll get back to you. I'm about to try apple donuts...if I'm succesful, I'll let post again!

Happy cooking (and eating)!

Lisa :-)

In the kitchen tonight...

2009-09-14T21:12:00.003-04:00

Our basil plant is HUGE so I was planning to make some pesto and mixing it with whole wheat pasta. As I was coming home from work I started thinking about what else was in the refrigerator and decided to do something with shrimp, tomatoes and mushrooms too. So I came up with this....

Here's the recipe:

Shrimp with Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Pesto over Whole Wheat Pasta

Giada’s pesto
Whole wheat pasta
16 frozen peeled and deveined shrimp, thawed
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 mushrooms, sliced thin
2 plum tomatoes, cored and diced
Salt and pepper

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook whole wheat pasta according to the package.
Prepare pesto according to Giada’s *modified* recipe (below)
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan, add minced garlic and sauté for 2 minutes
Add mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste and continue to sauté until mushrooms let out their juice
Add shrimp, tomatoes and pesto, combine until heated through.
Serve on top of pasta

Giada’s Pesto:

1 1/2 lightly packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Blend the mint, basil, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add 1/4 cup of olive oil, processing until well blended. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl. Stir in the Parmesan. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Serves 2

Summer Cooking

2009-09-09T18:49:00.008-04:00

Aside from the traveling, work and other typical summer activities, I have spent a large amount of time in the kitchen--this should not come as a shock to anyone :-) Some times I stuck to the recipe, sometimes I made up my own and sometimes Jeromy and I made it a team effort. Below are our creations:

Frittatas. Here's the thing I love about frittatas--you can put almost anything in them! On the left we have a broccoli, green pepper and cheddar frittata and on the right we have a tomato, tomatillo, green pepper, corn and cheddar frittata. The CSA we joined gave us a TON of produce over the summer so this was a great way to use up some of it.

This would be kangaroo filet. It was AMAZING. Jeromy and I have a butcher that we love in Del Ray and he imports kangaroo from Australia, so we had to give it a try. It's leaner than chicken and tastes as good as steak. On the side we have sauteed kohlrabi greens, mashed purple potatoes and corn on the cob, all from the CSA.

Risotto. I love risotto. I really REALLY love risotto. So even though it's not the time of year for risotto, I made it anyway. This recipe I made up on the fly with what we had on hand which was: shrimp, tomato paste, chicken broth, zucchini, white wine, parmesan cheese and arborio rice. I was really looking forward to the leftovers but someone else got to them before me!

More to follow....
Lisa :-)

Adventures in the Kitchen

2009-09-06T09:55:00.005-04:00

Last night I decied to put our Food and Wine subscription to use and made the Poached Salmon with Corn and White Wine-Butter Sauce, from the most recent issue. It sounded kind of complicated after reading through the recipe a few times, but I discovered that if I had my ingredients ready to go ahead of time and followed the recipe step-by-step, it wouldn't be so bad. Here is my mise en place (those French chefs really know what they're doing!)

The only missing ingredient is the basil--I snipped that from the back deck right before adding it.

About 20 minutes later, we were ready to eat!

If you'd like to try this recipe, it can be found at: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/poached-salmon-with-corn-and-white-wine-butter-sauce

Happy Cooking (and Eating)!

Lisa :-)

The Lion of the Senate is Silent Today

2009-08-26T21:35:00.003-04:00

I couldn't let today go by without comment. I was shocked and sad when I woke up this morning and discovered that Senator Ted Kennedy had died late last night. Growing up in Massachusetts, the Kennedys were akin to the Royal Family and even though I knew that Sen. Kennedy was not long for this world, I hoped he would make it long enough to be able to vote on the health care reform that was the cause of his life. He was not a perfect human being, but none of us are. He was an amazing orator and statesman and I'm not sure that I'll see a senator as skilled as he was in my lifetime. He was able to reach across the aisle to make this country a better place and I hope his legacy lives on. So, Senator Kennedy, thank you for your service to the Commonwealth and to this country that you loved so much. I hope the seas that you now sail on are smooth and that the wind always fills your sails. Even though we are sad here on earth, I hope you are rejoicing with your family that has preceded you in Heaven. Rest in Peace.

Lisa

Blog Facelift

2009-08-20T21:51:00.002-04:00

My blog has received a bit of a facelift. Instead of writing just about me and my triathlon training, I thought I'd open it up so Jeromy and I can both write about the things that we do, see and most likely, make. Because really, we love to cook, Jeromy loves to do projects around the house and I really love to make anything that will make me seem more like Martha Stewart. We hope you enjoy seeing what we're up to!

ANOTHER triathlon??

2009-07-28T23:22:00.002-04:00

Yup, I did it again! The New Jersey State Triathlon for the second year in a row. I remember last year saying, "next year I'll train for this." I didn't. But, I did set a personal record and I think that's kind of a big deal. Despite the fact that I ate a hamburger for dinner the night before, I still managed to do each leg a little faster, including the transition. Usually transition is where I get hung up and kind of take my time and hang out, but not this time. This time I was fast as fast can be (which is still not entirely that fast :-) The most interesting part of the day was after the race was over, Jeromy took pity on me, Kara and Laura and put our names in for the free massages. While Kara and Laura enjoyed what seemed to be very relaxing rub downs, I was subjected to the S&M masseuse who stood on my shoulders and then kept swinging my legs around in ways that were neither comfortable nor decent. At least Jeromy, J.P. and Mr. Decker had a good laugh! I was hoping Oden would see my distress and come running to my rescue, but let's face it, as much as he's a lover that dog is not a fighter. He's just so darn cute. Pictures to follow.

Up next: a week in Yellowstone National Park with wolves and grizzlies and bison, oh my!

Hooray, Maine and New Hampshire!

2009-06-03T21:33:00.004-04:00

I was excited to hear on the news that Maine and New Hampshire have become the next states to allow same sex marriages. Hooray, Maine and New Hampshire! Way to respect everyone's right to marry whomever they choose. I'm proud to be from New England--Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Maybe that's enough peer pressure for Rhode Island to come around....

I have a job!

2009-06-03T09:51:00.002-04:00

Hello, just a quick update to let anyone that reads this know that I received a job offer yesterday and I took it! I'm really excited to start (on Monday) and get back into the working world. I'll be at Defenders of Wildlife in the development department. I'm really excited for this new opportunity and can't wait to see what it has in store for me!

I'm a guest blogger!

2009-05-31T14:40:00.000-04:00

Check out my friend Marika's blog, littlemisslaidoff.com, to see what I think about interviewing during this (hopefully short) time of unemployment. Thanks, Marika, for giving me the opportunity to write on your blog!

I'm an Olympic triathlete!

2009-05-27T20:52:00.000-04:00

This post is so long overdue, and to anyone out there that was actually checking my blog, my apologies. I thought that training was interesting, but didn't find anything nearly so interesting that I thought others might want to read about it and to be quite honest, I was being a complete slacker. So I am sorry about that and I'll do better with my blog as I continue on with triathlons, road races, marathons and generally the game of life. But now, for the important stuff....the race recap!

The National Capital Area Team In Training team (NCA TNT) arrived in Austin, Texas on Saturday morning for a fun-filled and inspiring weekend. I started the morning by picking up one of my teammates, Christinas Fox (aka CFox) at 5:45 to make the drive to BWI and we became fast friends. My friend, Steven, from my first TNT event in 2005, lives in Austin now and became the de facto tour guide for our team. Over the course of Saturday and Sunday, we saw the biggest Whole Foods in the country (it was really amazing, I didn't want to leave), the bridge that houses the largest urban bat colony in the country, Lance Armstrong's bike shop, Mellow Johnny's and had some fabulous Tex-Mex food. Where better than Texas for that? Sunday night brought us to the inspiration dinner with the rest of the TNT participants from around the country. All in all we raised $780,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society--pretty amazing for 211 people.

After the pasta party we had a team meeting to go over all of the last minute details and then we were off to pack our transition bags and get a good night's sleep. For the first time in my racing "career" I was not nervous and was able to sleep.

On the morning of the race I woke up at 4 am, ate a small breakfast of a banana and a Clif Z bar, gathered up all of my gear and headed downstairs to meet my team. **Oh, a note about the tri suit. It is spandex from shoulders to knees. It is not pretty, flattering or make you look photogenic. But I digress.** After everyone on my team had been body marked (race number on arms and thighs, age and wave on back of right calf) we walked to transition. It was still pretty dark but I was able to get all of my stuff out of the bags and laid out in the way I like it. Typically I start with enough empty space at the front of my towel so that I can step on it out of the water, then all of my bike stuff is lined up and anything that I want to remember to put on is tucked into my bike shoes. Then my running gear follows with my transition bag last. Along the side, I have extra water bottles, Gatorade, Gu and Clif Blocks. By the time I was done, the sun was up, I had on a ton of bodyglide and sunblock and had wriggled into my wetsuit to my waist. I was ready to go to the start line, but I was still not nervous. Jeromy and my parents will tell you that it's odd for me not to be nervous pre-race, but for some reason this one did not affect me at all.

I only had to wait about 50 minutes before getting in the water for the swim. My wave (Wave J, Females 25-29, yellow caps) went off at 7:50 for the 1500 meter swim, so just under a mile. I completed the swim in 27:09, a time I am really proud of! I don't think I've ever swam a mile that quickly, so training has really paid off. Getting out of the water was really disorienting though but I was so impressed by how the race handled it--they had people lining the ramp into the water that basically just grabbed me and held me up as I walked up the ramp. At the end of the ramp I started running, pulled off my cap and goggles and pulled my wetsuit back down to my waist. As soon as I was out of the water, I knew I was fine and that I would finish the race. I am strong in the water but for some reason I always feel like it's the spot that could go wrong and I could have a problem, but as soon as it's over, it's just a matter of how fast I will finish.

--> that's me in front!

When I got back to my transition, I peeled off my wetsuit, put on my helmet, dried my feet, drank some gatorade and took my bike off the rack. I should have run through transition but I was still feeling a bit wobbly so I walked my bike to the end of transition. This is the first time I saw Steven and CFox's family and friends--it was so great to hear and see people cheering for me. I smiled as soon as I saw them, gave them a few goofy faces and crossed the mount line. I did not prep at all for this race in terms of being familiar with the course so I had no idea what to expect except for a couple of bad hills somewhere. But still, I was not nervous, I felt great. I ate some Clif Blocks (and lost an unopened pack on the road) as soon as I got into the first loop and buckled down to see what was in store. To my pleasant surprise, the hills were maybe a 7 out of 10 in terms of how hard they were and they did not last long. It was hot, but on the bike there was a nice breeze. I can't tell you exactly how great I was feeling. My bike was light and fast, and my legs just kept pushing and pulling on the pedals--I did not want to slow down or stop. There were a few moments when it felt hard and I was tired, but when that would happen I would think of Brian and how brave he was at the clinic when I went with him, or how much his little body has to endure when he is receiving chemo. Brian got me up the hills when it started to get hard. At the front of my bike you'll see that I taped a list of people I was racing in honor of. It was the thought of what they went through that made me push harder and get through the race, because if they can battle cancer, then I could certainly finish a triathlon and finish strong.

** a note on the course--I loved it. It was a fantastic course. The bike had challenging hills and straightaways that were great for recovery. I hope to be able to do the race again, it was that much fun.**

After my fourth loop (confirmed by Steven and my bike computer to make sure I actually rode the whole race), I headed back into transition for the run. I completed the 40K (24.8 miles) in 1:27:32, about 3:30 faster than I expected, which was very exciting for me since biking is my weakest link. I got into transition, reracked my bike, put on my hat, my knee brace, my running shoes and my tri bracelet from Auntie Ellen & Uncle John, grabbed a Gu and I was on my way.

The transition between biking and running is never easy because your legs feel like jelly, so you start out kind of slow. I was hoping to be able to run the entire 6.2 mile course, but it was so hot that I was afraid I would overheat so I had to walk for part of it. The course had a ton of support so at every water stop I was able to drink water and also douse myself to keep cool. The run course was 2 loops back over the river and downtown--part of it was along the bike course. As I came over the Congress Street bridge the first time, I saw Steven and told him how bad I was feeling. He waited for me to come back around the corner and took this picture and then ran with me for almost a mile. It was really helpful because I was able to take my mind off of how I was feeling and naturally get into my stride. Thanks, Steven, you have no idea how much you helped! As I started on the second loop I knew exactly what I was in for and decided that as soon as I was about a mile out, I would run all the way into the finish as fast as I could. I had thought it would take me between 3:15 and 3:45 to do the whole race but at that point I was on pace to finish in 3 hours and I wanted to try to make it. (In the end I did the 10K in 1:06, a few minutes off of my PR.) I found a few other NCA TNTers on the course, which was fantastic so we could run/walk together. As I came back around and was on Congress Street, with just over a mile to go, I started to pick up my pace. I would not walk, I would run the rest of the way in. And I did. The crowds cheering me on made it easier to lift my feet and put one in front of the other. The chants of Go Team made me smile, every one, and smiling makes running easier. It's an amazing feeling to know that you're not racing for yourself, you're racing for a cure for something that has stolen the lives of too many people.

As I came around the corner into the finish shoot, I could not stop grinning. The finish was SO close! I started sprinting and didn't stop until I got over the line and saw my friend Leighton (a TNT team captain) waiting there. I gave her a big, sweaty hug and went on to get my medal. As soon as I had my medal and was waiting in line for my finish picture, it hit me. I did it. I finished an Olympic triathlon in 3 hours, 12 minutes and 53 seconds. I surpassed what I expected to do and I raised $4500 for the Society. I started crying right then and it took me a couple of minutes to pull myself together for the photographer--it was just overwhelming.

Thank you all for your support, encouragement and donations. I can't tell you how much it meant to me to know that you were all cheering for me in spirit and that you believed I could do this. I wore the triathlon bracelet that Auntie Ellen and Uncle John gave me so that I could carry them with me on the course and over the finish line. Uncle John, I TRI-ed for you, and I will keep TRI-ing and running until there is a cure (or my shoulders and knees give out, whichever comes first!)

Bike-2, Lisa-1

2009-01-10T13:33:00.000-05:00

This morning was the first group bike ride. The weather forecast was for sleet, snow and rain and I can't tell you how much I was hoping for that weather so that I could avoid getting on the bike! I was really excited about my new bike but also apprehensive because I knew the risk of falling was very real. The coaches started off the training by working with people that have never clipped their shoes in to the pedals (me). Basically, with this type of bike and pedals, my feet are attached to the bike. So if the bike goes over, I go over with it and can't put my foot out to stop it. So I gave it a try in the parking lot and seemed to be fine, but as soon as we started for the street, I accidentally got stuck in my clip and fell right over to my right side in to the middle of the street--I wasn't even moving when I fell! It was really funny and only slightly painful. Luckily it was so cold that I really didn't feel the impact.

Bike-1, Lisa-0.

I got myself back up and got back on the bike and was able to do the ride without any other incidences. But I was really cautious about clipping in to my pedals and only had one foot clipped the whole time so that in case I started to fall when I stopped, I would have one foot free.

After training we had the Honored Teammate picnic, when our season's honored teammates get to tell us their stories and really give us a reason to get up so early, get in the pool, go for a run or get on the bike. As always, some of the stories made me cry because they were so touching. But the best part is that the three Honored Teammates that were there are SURVIVORS. They've battled cancer and come out on top and if they can do that, I can certainly stay upright on my bike.

When I got home I took my bike out for another ride just to see if I could stop without falling and have both feel clipped in. First try, no, I fell over on to the other side.

Bike-2, Lisa-0.

The second fall helped me figure out what I was doing wrong though, so I headed back home. Sure enough, when I pulled in to the parking lot and started to slow down, I did it the right way and didn't fall! Success!!

Bike-2, Lisa-1.

Thanks for checking in on my progress! To date my training log:

Running: 45 mins.
Biking: 30 mins.
Falls off of bike: 2
Swimming: 0 minutes (I slacked on this part this week--I wasn't feeling well).

You'll see these numbers climb this week as I start to settle in to the training routine. Stay tuned...

New Year, More Training!

2009-01-08T20:58:00.001-05:00

Happy 2009! We started training in December, but I will admit, I slacked a little over the holidays :-( So I'm considering this week to be my first week of REAL training. So far, so good! I'll do my weekly total of training time at the end of the week (for any of you that are interested in seeing exactly how much time I am spending doing this...or it might just be me that's interested....)

Today I picked up my bike from being tuned-up and it's looking great! I can't wait to get out there on the first ride on Saturday morning and see how it feels. I've never ridden a road bike before, so it will be a whole new experience. And, everyone says that I'll fall at least twice, so I'm trying to prepare myself for that--I hope it's not too painful--I'm going to wear some extra padding :-)

I also just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone that has donated so far, especially those of you who have donated anonymously, because I have no way to properly thank you. I can't tell you all how much your generosity and support means to me and to the mission. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Stay tuned...I'll post after the ride and tell you how many times I fell!

Minor Setback

2008-12-11T22:07:00.001-05:00

Yes, it's only the first week of training and I've already had a setback. Luckily, it was a very very minor setback! After the first swim training on Tuesday I had a ton of water in my left ear. As some of you know, when I swam in high school and college I would get swimmer's ear all the time so I would put drops in my ears after every swim. So of course, after my first practice, the next morning (yesterday) I woke up with swimmer's ear! But I went to the doctor and got the magic ear drops so now all is well and I will be back in the pool Tuesday. I'll let you know how the run on Saturday goes too!

As a side note, I mentioned that a little boy in the area has relapsed with histiocytosis. Today, we found out that another one, our 3-year-old friend Brian, did too. He has 10 new tumors and is facing another round of much stronger chemo to make these tumors go away. I don't understand why such young and innocent kids have to face these ordeals and fight for their lives. It just doesn't seem fair. Brian has been battling since he was a year old--he doesn't remember what it's like not to be sick. So again, I am hoping that the research that the Society funds can not only cure blood cancers but can also help find a cure for other rare diseases like histiocytosis. Please keep Brian and his family in your thoughts and prayers--I know he will be in mine while I'm training and racing.

First Swim Training--Done!

2008-12-09T22:36:00.000-05:00

Tonight was the first swim training and it was great! I met several of my teammates and I think it is going to be a really fun season. And, lap swimming is apparently just like riding a bike and I was leading my lane after a few minutes. So there will be a coach-led swim training every Tuesday night and then I will need to swim on my own on Thursdays and Sundays. This is going to cut in to my after work drinks, but it is definitely worth it! One of the team captains took pictures tonight so I will post them if I can.

On another note, some of you know that earlier this year I worked on a fundraiser for the Histiocytosis Association, an organization dedicated to eradicating Histiocytosis--an incredibly rare disease that affects 1 in 200,000 children in the United States. Today we found out that one of the little boys that has this disease in the area has relapsed and will need to begin chemotherapy again. While histio is not a cancer, it is treated as a cancer with chemotherapy. I hope that the research that is being funded by the Society will not only help patients battling blood cancers but will also lead to a cure for histio and other rare diseases. Please keep this little boy in your thoughts and prayers as he enters his third round of battle with histio--he is only 3 years old.

This Saturday I am heading to Suburban Hospital in Bethesda for a triathlon 101 clinic and a 30-40 minute group run followed by coffee at Starbucks with the Team. Stay tuned for more updates....thank you for checking on my progress!!

Pictures from Kickoff

2008-12-09T13:16:00.000-05:00

The team captains did a great job decorating the tables!

My Team for the Capital of Texas Triathlon...we will all know each other very well by the time we're done! (That's me in the back row, 4 in from the left.)

Peggy Goode, announcing the news that she is cancer-free! Congratulations, Peggy! You make getting out of bed at 5:30 am to train worth it :-)

The room was packed with people, it's so wonderful to be a part of this!

Let the Season Begin!

2008-12-06T22:42:00.000-05:00

This morning I went to the official Kickoff of the Team In Training spring season! It was great to see old friends from past TNT events and meet new members that are joining us for this season. The highlight of the day was when one of the Honored Teammates, Peggy Goode, gave her speech. We found out that after battling leukemia for several years, Peggy is now in remission--this is amazing and absolutely thrilling news!! It reminds me of why I am going to be getting up at 5:30 am on Saturday mornings to train for a triathlon.

Which brings me to the training...wow is there a lot of it! While my parents were in town for Thanksgiving they gave me an early Christmas present--a bike rack for my car! So now I have a bike and a bike rack.... I just need to get the bike tuned up and get new biking shoes and I'll be all set :-) Good thing the biking doesn't start right away, I'm a little nervous about this new style of riding--it's going to take me awhile to get used to it.

Thanks so much to everyone who has donated so far! To date I have raised $910!!! Only $4,190 to go! During this holiday season, please consider a donation to the Team In Training program: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/txtri09/llambrenos.

My first swim training is on Tuesday night--wish me luck! It's been awhile since I've done laps, but I'm really excited to get back in the water!

I hope you're all enjoying the holiday season--thanks for checking on my progress!! Stay tuned....

You probably think I'm crazy...

2008-10-22T21:06:00.000-04:00

I've decided to participate in my third Team In Training event and continue to raise much-needed funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society! But this time, I'm training to complete an Olympic distance triathlon--the Capital of Texas Triathlon! That's right...1500 meter swim, 24.5 mile bike and a 3.1 mile run. I'm really excited and anxious to start training, but there is an even more important aspect to this race--the money I will raise to help fight blood cancers.

I would like to share with you why Team In Training is so important to me.

In October of 2005, my Uncle John was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia, or CML. Today, there is no cure for CML, but thanks to the money raised by Team In Training, a drug was developed to treat CML. My uncle takes Gleevec every day and it keeps him alive. You’re probably thinking, if Gleevec works, why do you need to keep raising money? Because Gleevec is not a cure, it is a treatment. And eventually, patients develop a resistance to treatment, so we need to keep raising money to find the next drug after Gleevec and more importantly, a cure.

I wish I could say that my uncle is my only reason to race, but unfortunately, he is not. Throughout the time I have been involved with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society I have met so many people who have battled or are currently battling a blood cancer and I am constantly amazed by their courage and fortitude.

I will be racing the triathlon in Austin, TX in honor of my Uncle John and because I know that as hard as it is to train for a triathlon, it will be nothing compared to what my Uncle John and others battling cancer experiene every day. I am racing because I believe that a cure for cancer will be found within my lifetime. I am racing so that some day, parents will no longer have to watch their children undergo treatment for cancer. I am racing so that one day the Society will cross it's ultimate finish line--a cure!

How can you help? Please make a tax deductible donation to my fundraising effort. You can do it online by visiting:

http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/txtri09/llambrenos.

Remember, no donation is too small!

I hope you will check my site often to see my progress! I will also post fundraising events here. Thank you!

Lisa :-)