This week’s favorite song is “When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars. In case you haven’t noticed, this guy is EVERYWHERE right now. It seems like one of his songs is on nearly every radio channel I turn to. This particular song has beautiful lyrics – a reflection of the “what I should have done” thoughts.
Year: 2013
A New Concert
I’m excited to add another concert to the 2013 Concert Calendar (click HERE to see the page). The latest is a group I’ve been wanting to see for quite a few years now, but stuff just kept getting in the way. Yup, I’m finally going to see Straight No Chaser. For those of you unfamiliar with them, watch this video (all the way through!):
Since that fateful 1998 video, SNC has come out with several albums, mostly that cover pop songs with their 10 person a capella group. They are absolutely talented and amazing… I can’t wait to see them live!
Despicable
It’s taken me a while to pull my thoughts together regarding the bombings at today’s Boston Marathon. I actually found myself saying “People suck!” several times today. I hate that. I hate that now you can’t even go for a run without fearing for your life.
Instead of focusing on my frustration and anger towards those who executed this despicable attack, I’m trying to focus on the good. If you’ve seen any of the video footage, you’ve seen all sorts of people running to help the injured. They were military, they were police officers, they were race volunteers, they were even ordinary citizens. I’m going to cling to that – that in a time of need there are still good people out there who will run toward danger to help a fellow human being.
I had two friends running today (along with several who went to cheer), both who finished before the bombs exploded (one of them by only about 9 minutes). I’m so glad they’re both safe and so sad that their great achievements were tarnished by something so terrible. For those of you who don’t know much about running, the Boston Marathon is the oldest annual marathon in the world and you have to qualify to participate. To give you an idea of what an accomplishment it is to compete, a woman my age would need to run a qualifying race in under 3:35. Yeah, that’s fast (remember, it’s 26.2 miles!).
My heart and prayers go out to all of those killed or impacted by the tragedy in Boston today.
Favorite Song Friday – “Thrift Shop”
I have no idea why, but this song has been stuck in my head for like two weeks. Ok, I do know why… it’s on the radio ALL the time. But it’s catchy and I find myself singing along every time. It’s “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. I absolutely love the horn line – I think that’s what hooks me!
Happy Friday everyone!
Spider Solution
So, maybe the five S method hasn’t been the way to go all of these years…
Words of Wisdom
I don’t know why, but this seriously makes me laugh every single time I read it!
Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef
Tonight we tried a slow cooker barbacoa beef recipe… it was delicious!
I didn’t take pictures because, to be honest, it’s not really pretty… but trust me, it tastes good! We took this beef and used corn tortillas to make street-style tacos.
Ingredients
1 can of chipotle peppers, plus all the adobo sauce it sits in
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 red onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 head garlic, peeled and cloves smashed
5 dry bay leaves
2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Juice of 4 limes
1/2 cup cider vinegar
5 to 7 pounds beef brisket
4 to 6 cups beef stock
Directions
Stir together chipotle peppers and sauce, cilantro, red onion, garlic, clove, salt, lime juice, and cider vinegar in the insert of a slow cooker. Place the brisket on top of this mixture. Add stock to cover the meat and place bay leaves on top. Use tongs to move the meat around gently to combine everything and put the lid on.
Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. It’s done when the meat can be pulled apart and shredded easily with forks.
Remove meat from slow cooker and place on rimmed baking sheet. Use two forks to pull the meat apart. Discard the fat, if desired. Place shredded beef in large bowl and ladle cooking liquid over the top a few scoops at a time. You want the meat to hold the liquid but not swim in it
Both Ends Of The Spectrum
I had the coolest weekend – I got to celebrate two ends of the age spectrum – a first birthday and a 90th birthday. Yesterday I went to Brigitte and Dan’s house to celebrate Aspen’s first birthday. First of all, I honestly can’t believe it’s already been a year… it seems like just yesterday that we were at our Easter brunch and I was getting the call from Brigitte! Secondly, I can’t believe how cute that little girl has gotten! She had the time of her life… at first she didn’t know what to do with her cake, but as you can see from the picture below, she figured it out pretty quickly!
Today we celebrated Grandma Jeanette’s 90th birthday (Mike’s grandma). She had an open house style party and a lot of people came by to visit and wish her well! I hope that by the time I’m 90 years old I have as many friends as she does and that I’m as energetic as she is! It was a great time and the weather was absolutely beautiful!
I got to hang out with my awesome nieces today too… I’ve missed seeing them lately! Aren’t they adorable?!
Saturdays With Shadow
I love these paws!
Love It: PRO Compression Marathon Socks
I read SkinnyRunner almost every day and she’s a big fan of the compression sock. I’ve heard about them time and time again – I decided to give them a try when I saw there was a promo going on (see below for details). I love them. A lot. To me they feel like a hug for my legs. Here’s how they work (from the PRO Compression website):
PRO Compression socks are designed specifically to deliver both maximum comfort and speedy recovery times. The science is complex, but benefits such as improved blood flow, stability and comfort are universally understood. The moment you put these socks on your feet and incorporate them into your game, you will feel and understand the difference.
PRO Compression socks are noticeably tight and require more effort to put on than standard socks in your drawer. But it’s that extra effort and much-needed compression that make all the difference. Be patient and your feet will thank you.
So far I’ve only worn them after my workouts. Here’s the bummer… they’re expensive. I am willing to pay more for my running socks because I’ve learned it’s super important to take care of your feet, but $50 for a single pair of socks is pushing it a little bit for me. That said, I now own three pairs (pink, purple, and blue) – they run various promos (like 40% off and free shipping) that I took advantage of. Love them!
Down The Road I Go 