We're moving!

Blue tape, paint, brushes, rollers, drop clothes, blue tape, driving, driving, driving, busy Marston, packing, unpacking, up ladder, down ladder, blue tape, fussy child, out to eat again, Lowes, tile, crying child, driving, locked keys in car with it on, air mattress, driving, painting, running, driving, driving.

My Little Dragon

Daniel bought a dragon costume for Marston this year. I know... shouldn't I have made him one rather than buy one? No time this year with the move and all. Plus I am trying to train for the race, I don't think I can handle another project. Anyhow, Marston loves it. Every morning he'll bring me the costume and he'll wear it for hours. It is so cute seeing a little dragon playing in my house. I have always loved when I see parents let their children wear costumes in public well after Halloween just because the kid really loves it.

Oatmeal Pancakes

I am in love with these pancakes! I have been running in the morning around the neighborhood and I often can smell people's breakfasts. I get wonderful smells of pancakes, bacon, and coffee (I don't drink coffee but I love the smell). I come home tried and ready for my own delectable breakfast. I found this recipe on mykitchencafe.blogspot.com and I love love love it! I made the mix a couple of weeks ago and keep it in the fridge. When I must have hot tasty pancakes I mix 1 cup of the oat mix with 1 cup buttermilk and 1 egg and I grill them up. That's it. They are so good and you wouldn't even know they have whole wheat flour and oats in them. Okay maybe you would notice the oats but they are very fluffy and the texture is just like any other pancake you've had. You MUST try this recipe.




Oatmeal Pancakes

Makes 10 cups dry mixture.

3 1/2 cups rolled (quick) oats
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 cup vegetable oil

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixer with a paddle (or by hand). With mixer on slow speed (or gently by hand), drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl slowly while the mixer is running. When all the oil has been added, stop the mixer and squeeze a clump of mix in your hand. If it stays together, it is just right. If it is still crumbly, add another tablespoon of oil at a time until the consistency is correct (I've never had to add additional oil). Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks at room temperature or indefinitely in the refrigerator or freezer.

To make the pancakes: whisk together 1 cup of mix, 1 cup buttermilk (a combination of half plain yogurt and half milk will also work), and 1 egg. The mixture may seem thin at first but the oats will soak up the milk as it stands while the griddle preheats. Heat a griddle and drop the batter onto it. When the edges look dry and bubbles come to the surface and don't break, turn the pancake over to finish cooking on the second side. As a sidenote, buttermilk can be frozen indefinitely for future batches of pancakes, so it's worth keeping it around!

*1 cup of mix will make about 6-7 4-inch pancakes.

In a nutshell.

I feel like I need to post something profound. I have nothing. Sorry. Lately I have been preoccupied with dreams of a new house, a new town, finishing a long race with hundreds or maybe thousands of people and of course my ever so busy Marston. I love my life. I am tired and my muscles ache but I have a peaceful heart and a calm mind. I guess I can't ask for much more than that. I am using blogging as a form of journal writing but I have been rather boring in my posts. Here's an update.

Marston is learning how to walk. As I watch him waddle along I am in awe at how fast a human can change. It really seems like yesterday that I could lay him on a cloth diaper and he would fit head to toe. Now he is a little boy who is curious and spunky and sweet. I go around all day putting things back where they belong. He will open a cupboard and pull everything out then move on to the next cupboard. This morning I was talking to Daniel upstairs and heard a toilet flush downstairs. "Where's Marston", will be my new tag phrase. And thus it begins.

My house. I have never thought more on a decorating project in my life. I love to decorate but I have never been able to go into a space and make it completely Abbi until now. I have made all the decisions I can make for now and it's driving me a bit crazy that I have to wait to pull it all together. I was at Restoration Hardware today and have decided all of my colors. Silver sage, garnet, butter and the right white are going to be welcome in my home. I have tile for the fireplace finally picked (sage marble 4x4 tiles) and I have an idea as to the kind of knobs and pulls (Restoration Hardware "modern"-look it up) I want for my kitchen. We bought a dining room table, chairs and a bench and we are going to order window treatments on Monday. I am ready.

I am in my 3rd week of training and I feel pretty good. My muscles really do ache today. Up until yesterday I was running completely on a treadmill. It feels so good to get outside. Fresh air and a change of scenery makes a world of difference. I did 4.5 miles yesterday, running an average 11 minute mile. I was so proud of myself. On the treadmill I was running an average 13 minute mile. Today I ran 3 miles with an average 9 minute mile. That's 4 minutes off my mile just by heading outdoors. Saturday I have to run 6 miles. I am rather nervous for that day. I have 7 more weeks of training until the big day in San Francisco.

Daniel is busy at work. He has been swimming laps at the El Dorado Hills sports club and loves it. He is doing really well, swimming 40 laps continuously most days. I have been super proud of him. He has his plate full with school, work, swimming, me nagging him to build me a mantle and making sure to get enough Marston time. Marston loves his daddy. He will often give Daniel kisses and cuddles when he only cuddles with me when he hurts himself.

We have our final house walk through October 7th and we sign the papers on the 15th. Then we paint and move. Start a new adventure in Lincoln.

Tahoe Time

Last week we went up to Tahoe for the week. It was so nice. The weather was perfect and things started to quiet down from all the summer tourists. We swam, rode bikes, took walks, jet skied, and just took in the cool clean Tahoe air. We found this beach just a few miles north of Zepher Cove. It was breath taking. The water was so clear and the sand was dusted with "fools gold" so it had a sparkle to it. It was really shallow for 10 or 15 feet from the shore so Marston had a good time playing in it while I didn't have to constantly worry. It was a charmed day, okay the whole week was wonderful.

Day 1 Week 1

For some crazy reason, I got it in my head that I should run a half marathon this fall. So I signed up for the US Half Marathon in San Francisco on Nov. 1st. What was I thinking? 13.1 miles. Running for hours. Why?

I have never ran in a real race before. Sure I ran track in high school (sprints, never long distances) but I have never done anything official since then. I googled training programs for half marathoners and found one that I think might work. It's a 10 week program from marathorookie.com. It believes that your body needs ample time to rest and repair in order to build strength and endurance. It also says that on the days where you rest you should be treating your body well by eating very healthy. You never run more than 2 days in a row. This week I will run 13 miles; Monday-3, Wed.-3, Th.-3 and Sat.-4. Anyway today was my first day. 3 miles...check!

House update

This is what our house looks like this week. They painted the stucco and all the interior walls. They even installed all the cabinets. Before we move in I want to paint the kitchen cabinets white and the walls in the kitchen, dinning room and family room a silver sage color and the den some other color-still undecided. I think I want to paint the island in the kitchen a bright green color, like avocado green or perhaps green apple. Anyway, here it is thus far.