So, maybe the five S method hasn’t been the way to go all of these years…
Spider Solution
Author: Anna Blankenheim
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!
Happy Birthday Shadow!
Eight years ago today, a sweet little black lab puppy was born. A short two years after that, Shadow wiggled his way into my life. Happy 8th birthday!
CrossFit
Today I tried a class at the work gym. I’m not a huge class person and normally don’t really like working out with other people.
I think I’m hooked on CrossFit. For those of you who don’t know what it is, CrossFit is a core and strength training program, consisting of varying exercises that change every time.
It was hard. I was red-faced and sweaty before we even finished warm ups (seriously, when was the last time you jumped rope!?) but I loved every minute of it. I have a feeling I’m going to hate it tomorrow morning when I get up to swim, but it’s a great hurt!
Thanks to “Auntie M” for convincing me to go and for teaching me the exercises!
Daffodil Hill
Ever since I moved in with Mike I’ve wanted to visit Daffodil Hill in the spring. Each year, something has happened that has made that impossible – mainly, a brief period of warm weather followed by a cold snap and snow. The snow kills off the flowers for the year, so that pretty much ruins the trip. Today I headed over with Dad, Kati, Nate, and Chloe. According to their website, it’s estimated that Daffodil Hill is carpeted with over 300,000 bulbs when in full bloom. That’s pretty impressive! It was a beautiful day and it was really nice to walk through. They have a bunch of different varieties that I didn’t realize existed.
This was my favorite one:
This one was really pretty, too – I think it was more luck than skill, but the picture turned out really amazing!
When we got back to the house, Mike made some amazing burgers and then we hung out for a while. Chloe was such a good girl and even consented to hang out with Uncle Mike for a while!
I love that little girl so much… she’s getting so much more inquisitive and interactive!
The 20/20 Experience
FINALLY Justin Timberlake has come out with a new album, titled The 20/20 Experience. I was super excited to get tickets to see his show later this year (I’ve seen him in the past and he’s an amazing performer) and am now even more excited now that he has new material!
There are big chunks of this album that remind me of old school JT, and there are big chunks that are very Robin Thicke-esq. I love the mixture of the two. It definitely has a more R&B focused sound to it, which I think his voice fits perfectly into.
I don’t necessarily think that this album is as great as FutureSex/LoveSounds was, but it’s right up there. Can’t wait for the show!
Favorite Songs: “Let The Groove Get In”, “Mirrors“, and “Suit & Tie“
Down The Road I Go 