Lunch and dinner

These are times I look forward to because a) lunch comes at the perfect time and lunch dates are where it's at and b) dinner-time means Zuriel is home, you just can't beat that.  

This was my lunch date with Emily a few days ago.  We went to Rumbi's and it seriously satisifed a craving I didn't know I had. 

 I always love our lunch dates girlfriend

 This was dinner with Z two nights ago.  I think this was only the second time I've made chicken fingers, but after finding this recipe in my cookbook, I'll be making them again soon.

We commonly use gloves when handling raw meat in this house

 We don't buy pineapple all the time, but when we do, we get to use this guy.

Then last night we went to get sandwiches for dinner at Zuriel's fav sandwich place.  Have I told you how he could eat sandwiches for every meal and be perfectly happy?  So easy to please.  

Want to know something embarrassing?  Ok, I'll tell you.  We went to this same sandwich place two nights before this and they put cheese on my sandwich when I asked for no cheese (you order, then sit down, and they bring it to you) so Z brought my sandwich back and insisted they fix it.  So when they brought me my new sandwich they also brought out a coupon for a free sandwich as an apology.  So two nights later, we went back for our free sandwich. 

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-Which do you like better, lunch or dinner?

-Do you love sandwiches?  What's your favorite?

When we go to this particular sandwich place, I always get grilled chicken on wheat with lettuce, spinach, sprouts, cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers, and ranch.  And sometimes onions and banana peppers.  But I'm not always in the mood for non-cooked onions.  Z got bbq chicken with everything on it.  He loves his veggies and I love his mother for it.

Sister meets Spain

My sister Erica and I have an interesting, but overall healthy and relatively normal relationship.     

 I was the {typical?} older sister that always knew when she went into my room because something had moved or was different.

 The older sister that would be secretly flattered, 

 but mostly mad, when I saw my little sister wearing my clothes or jewelry.

 The older sister who voluntarily gives advice without being asked.

 The older sister who will always be supportive, 

 but will give my honest opinion even if you don't want to hear it.

The older sister who loves and cares about her little sister

even if I don't always act like it.

Who worries about her little sister because it's only natural,

but trusts her and knows deep down that she's a 'big girl' and can take care of herself

It's times like these, when your sister takes off to a different country for the summer that you realize how much you take her for granted

Because distance makes the heart grow fonder, right?

Well, clearly I already miss you and you've only been gone six days.  Hopefully your heart is growing fonder for me as well while you're off loving life in Spain.  Enjoy the food, the language, the people, the sites, and the overall culture.  I am beyond jealous, but mostly excited for you.  This is what you've always wanted to do girl, make the most of it.  Love you tons.  Don't forget to bring me back a present or three.

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-Ever been to Europe?
We are making plans for it, but haven't been yet...
-Are you a typical older sibling?
Probably

Two contrasting LRs

The Saturday of Easter weekend, my dad joined Z and I on our long run {LR} that morning.  Sadly, within the first 0.5 miles my dad stopped and had to catch his breath.  We quickly remembered that his body is used to running at sea level and we jumped into a moderate pace at 4,862 ft above sea level.  That'll take your breath away.  Three miles into our run, he turned back, giving him a good 6-mile run.  Z and I were scheduled for a 9-mile run, so we kept going. 

He wanted a picture in front of the Tetons...those mountains wayyy back there.

We felt awesome during this run.  No tired legs, no distracting mental battle, no intestinal or stomach issues, no dehydration, no bad weather, no fighting to keep our desired pace.  The last half of our run I decided to blast pandora on my phone.  I put it to the 'Club/Dance Radio' station and we ran home to some techno and other upbeat dance songs, ignoring the glances of people outside their homes who could also hear our blasted club/dancing music.  This was a good run.

Fast forward a week to this past Saturday when we only had to do 6 miles.  After eating Costa Vida and going shooting, we went for a run.  We drove out {imagine that} to the loop we wanted to run, starting our run at almost 3pm.  It was warm enough to wear shorts and a tank top, about 55 degrees.  Within the first mile, I knew it was going to be tough.  By the second mile {in contrast to our previous week's LR}, my legs felt kinda tired, there was definitely a distracting mental battle, I was definitely dehydrated, and I was definitely fighting to keep any pace once I realized our original 'desired' pace was out the window.  What is wrong with me.  Conveniently, Zuriel was feeling just as junky as I was. I wanted to stop, but knew I needed to keep that to myself.  Honestly, 75% of the run, I was wishing I was walking. Running isn't always sunshine and rainbows.  Especially when you really, really want to stop.  By the last couple miles, my stomach was getting just as worked up as my mental battle.

It's funny how temperamental running can be.  Although we can just have our 'bad days', more often than not, minor details of the day(s) leading up to the run affect it more than you'd expect.  As I was getting through those miles, I thought of how I hadn't had enough to water in the last 36-ish hours, I thought of how there might not have been enough down-time between my rice and bean-filled chicken salad and the time we started running.  I remembered that my body has been used to running in temperatures between 8 and 40 degrees for at least the last 6 months, so my body will be sensitive to running in almost 60 degrees.  I thought of how I had pushed myself pretty hard for two runs wednesday and thursday and couldn't get around to my run on friday.  My body probably needed a good recovery run that day before I tried pushing myself hard again on Saturday.

But what's great about the junky run I had, is that 1) I finished it despite my uncontrollable desire to stop and 2) I was reminded about what I needed to be careful about if I'm going to expect a good run, especially with warmer weather coming.  The longer I've been running, the more sensitive my body is to ev-er-y-thing.  Especially while training for a marathon.  And especially food, curse my sensitive stomach.  It's mostly a good thing.

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-Ever had a junky run and realized afterwards that you probably could have prevented it if you were a little more careful with your eating/hydration/sleeping/training?

-Ever read stories about junky runs and are glad you don't run?
Ha yeah I used to...and sometimes I still do...I'm half-joking...

The extent of my 'couponing' and our shotgun date

Coupon for 'buy one daily special, get one free' + coupon for free chips & salsa after doing phone survey = a lot of good food for just $6.35

And when I say 'shotgun date' I mean we went to the middle of nowhere to shoot Z's shotgun.   Check out that blue sky.

Handing me the gun as I start freaking out {I haven't actually shot this particular gun since he bought it about 8 months ago, so I got nervous, it's powerful}

 How cheesy am I?

Leftover shells from someone else else's shotgun date...and my shadow.

"Babe, stop taking pictures and listen to me teach you how to use this, this is important"

I loved my neon orange Idaho hunter's hat.  Seriously.

We don't own an mechanical pigeon launcher {is that what it's called?}, and sadly for Zuriel, I'm not too consistent at throwing them with our little handheld launcher. 

After getting home we went for a 6-mile run, the details of which I'll leave for tomorrow.  Now, we just got home from getting a redbox and shrimp cocktail--another documented 'non-craving' of Zuriel's...


*Disclaimer:  the only reason we brought our lil' red non-manly car off-roading to go shoot guns is because Z was having car trouble with his truck this morning...he just thought you all should know that.


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-Do you 'coupon'?  I've heard of people who do it as their part-time job.

-Do you like to go shooting?  Have you ever been?
Before Zuriel, I think I've gone shooting three times.

Every single one of us

The whole familia was together for a fabulous 24 hours before a few of them had to catch a flight home to Texas.  As the kids grow up and go to college and get married and graduate and have kids and get 'real' jobs in separate states...it only gets harder to meet up.  The last time we were all together was November 2011, and before that was December 2010.

Meet the newest granddog of the family--Sammy, the german shepherd mix.  What a good looking pup, I wonder how big you'll get.

And meet the girl in the jammies who gives me the title of 'aunt'.  She embraced Easter in all of its egg and candy-eating glory.

My mom was excited for these mini Easter cupcakes

Behind that red rose {thank you Jacob&Ashley} is the white rose I got from graduation.  The smaller bag of cadbury eggs is the bag I bought for myself a couple weeks ago to be sure I got some in case Z forgot to get them for me... The ginormous sized bag on the right is the one Z bought me lots of weeks ago to make up for forgetting to buy them last year...  I shouldn't have doubted you babe.

The calorie-loaded french toast, mostly thanks to its syrup.  I actually didn't have any, my stomach wasn't in the mood after my run that morning.  My loss.

Remember this post where I told you fun facts about Zuriel, including how he has sewing skills?  Well, we borrowed a sewing machine for a fews hours last weekend and Z took full advantage by patching up about seven pair of work pants.

And Monday morning, after the rest of my siblings and mom left, Tina curled into a ball and was out until the next morning.  

 I was looking for pictures of our egg toss we had in that 'dog park' area in our complex...can't find them.  But let me tell you, it was hilarious.  We also ate things besides sweets and eggs, I just forgot to take pictures for evidence.  

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-What's your favorite Easter tradition?  Do you eat food besides sweets?

I'm not sure on the first question...maybe a tie between the egg toss and the egg-coloring.  But this year I got eliminated in the first round of the egg toss, I forgot to take off my wedding ring before catching the egg.  

And some family members try to get away with sugary foods only, but my stomach is too weak-sauce for that.