A Quick Update

Good Evening Lovelies,

A quick update......

My running has been placed on hold and my upcoming 1/2 marathon has been put on hold until next year.  I have been training for the 1/2 marathon for a year and on Monday's run I started to get back pain. Pain bad enough if my husband had a cellphone I would have called him to come pick me up. After we got home I found out I had blood in my urine. Called the doctor and they got me in the same day (that's a first) I had a blood test and by the end of the day I found out everything was okay with my kidney's so that ruled out kidney disease. They next test was a CT Scan they couldn't get me in until Thursday AM due to my insurance. They told me my doctor would have the results by Friday. That same afternoon he had the results....a kidney stone the size of a almond.  He had me in to see the urologist by Friday and I am scheduled for a lithotripsy on August 26th.  As soon as I am healed I will start running and going to the gym to prepare for next years 1/2 marathon.

Peace and Love,
Pam

Books/Music and Running

My 1/2 marathon is a little more than a month away and I'm getting bored listening to music. I signed up for AudioBooks to see if listening to books would help make my long runs easier to get through.

I don't know if it was that night that I was listening to the sample narrating of the books but everyone's voice was annoying me. Then I came upon a book written and narrated by Steve Martin, ShopGirl. I thought for my first book it would be nice to hear a familiar voice, plus I love the way Steve Martin pronounces words, he knows how to emphasize a word just right to make a point. It only took 3 runs to complete the book and now I have the movie ShopGirl set to record on my DVR.

After my run this morning I decided to go with a self-help book. I downloaded Success through a Positive Mental Attitude by Napoleon Hill and W Clement Stone.  It's 10 hours long that will get me through a few weeks of running. I thought I would give it a listen, I put on my headphones and laid down on my bed, I woke up a hour later. Not sure if that is a good sign for running.

I have been wanting to read a book that I read years ago Summer Sisters by Judy Blume. I keep putting it off since my stack of books to read is about 3 feet high now. It is on AudioBooks I think it will be perfect re-read for running, I will be downloading it too.

Just incase the reading is not grabbing my attention while running I still wear my iPod that way I can switch over to music if I feel the need to change this up.

I will be skipping Wednesday Recipe Sharing this week, my planning is off this week.

Love and Peace,
Pam

Wednesday Recipe Share Day

Our summers are getting hotter this year in Southern Utah. Last year I didn't even have to turn on the air conditioner. I'm hoping for some relief from the monsoon weather when the clouds take over in the afternoon and we have a little rain and a few thunderstorms. I find monsoon season soothing. It also makes for some beautiful sunsets.

When it's hot like this I like to eat lighter meals. I'm sharing with you my recipe for a Blackberry Prosciutto Cheese Quesadilla. This makes for a very light lunch and low in calories.

Blackberry Prosciutto Cheese Quesadilla

1 small flour tortilla
brie cheese, sliced thin (I used less than 2 oz)
asiago cheese, slice thin (I used 1/2 oz)
3 small sage leaves, chopped small
1 1/2 teaspoon Smucker's Simply Fruit, Blackberry Jam
1 thin slice prosciutto

Layer 1/2 the tortilla with brie, asiago, sage, jam and prosciutto. Fold in half and place on a pre-heated flat griddle pan on medium heat for about 2 minutes, flip and heat until cheese has melted. I calculated my quesadilla calories right about 350.  Serve with fresh blackberries or a green salad.

Next time I make this quesadilla I think I will have to break out a glass of white wine.

Peace and Love,

Pam



Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet. - Bob Marley


Recipe Shared at The Country Cook

It's Time To Get This Blog Going

Darlings -

I started out with good intentions and life got in the way....but in a good way.

Over a year ago I started on a fantastic journey to get healthy.  I purchased a FitBit and took my first walk on June 12, 2014 and I have not looked back. In fact, by August I was running and in October I did my first 5k. Since that day I have 4 5k's, 1 10k under my belt and in September I'm attempting my first half marathon.  I run every other day and the days I do not run I go to the gym. I watch what I eat and log it into MyFitnessPal app just to keep me in check. This has kept me very busy and achy.  The benefits have been incredible, more energy, happier and no more high blood pressure. I've lost weight and I'm shrinking in size. Yay! I've added meditation which has changed my life, if I start to feel stressed 10-15 minutes of relaxing slow breathing and I'm good to go.

Big News

My daughter got engaged on April 3rd (her birthday) a November 2016 wedding is being planned.  She has been stressing out planning a traditional wedding to the point she was ready to elope. This is not my free-spirit kid. She has decided to have a non-traditional wedding that fits her personality. I'm very excited about this wedding.

Step one has been accomplished, the wedding gown has been purchased. She is now checking out venues and food and once that is secure it will be time to pick out a photographer and videographer.

Here is a sneak peak of my wedding attire as MOB - Mother of the Bride.

As you can see this is going to be a lot of fun and whimsy, now this is my daughter. I look forward to sharing the steps up to the wedding and the big event with you.

Peace and Love,

Pam



A daily does of daydreaming heals the heart, soothes the soul, and strengthens the imagination - Richelle E. Goodrich

The Journey - Welcome

Hello Lovelies,

It's about time I dove in and started writing.

My name is Pam, I'm a native Californian, that uprooted and moved to Utah. I'm just going to say it....worst mistake of our lives. The positives, I live on a mountain, no neighbors, beautiful views and not far from Zion National Park. The negative, we do not fit in Utah and the reason we do not fit in we are not LDS (Mormon) I know Mormons in CA and they are nothing like the people in Utah. Enough on that; unless you have any questions and I will be happy to answer them, leave me a comment.

I am married to a wonderful guy, we have a beautiful daughter and I am a self proclaimed Bull Wrestler - what that really means is I have a English Bull Terrier named Olive who is a handful.

What I love and what I will be sharing with this blog:

I have a new appreciation for fashion, jewelry and style

Art - photography, painting, mixed media, writing and creating beauty around me

Nature - the outdoors and animals

Food and Drink - I love being in the kitchen

Taking care of myself and loving who I am

Releasing my Inner Gypsy Soul

Life is a journey, it's time we all start living the life we love, no excuses.

Be kind to one another and make someone smile today.

Pam