Try Melon Tri

We have been participating in this triathlon for 14 years now.  We've missed a few years here &there.  Giving birth, having a kid in the hospital, a ruptured achilles tendon, all various reasons that we have missed.  It's really just a fun little challenge to throw into our schedule to spicen up the winter blahs that set in.  The kids have been wanting to become more involved the last few years, but are not quite able to complete this on their own.  Last year Jim & John were a team and Mandy formed a team with her friends.  I competed on my own.  We decided to form our own family teams this year to be able to include everyone who wanted to participate.  Without intending it this way we became 2 teams:  The Peterson Men & the Peterson Women.  More than anything Jim & I kept the focus on keeping the kids involved and making this more about them, than us or the competition.  For those wondering (Uncle Jim, I know you are wondering!!) yes, the Peterson women beat the Peterson men : )

We really did have fun  AND the kids did an amazing job.  We are very proud of them.

The Peterson women:  Mom, Brianna & Mandy.  Finished in a time of 1:04:28.

Mandy on the bike:

Nina stretching & getting ready to run.

Nina running:

The Peterson Men: Dad & John: finished in 1:07:12

Jim did the swim & the bike:

John running:

All of us with our race shirts on : )



Biscuits & Pancakes

Thanks to a dear friend and SISTER in Christ, I have found a great recipe for homemade buttermilk biscuits.  I am constantly on a quest to eat healthier.  Not only for myself, but for my family.  I easily get into the habit of buying pre-made and heavily processed food.  This has become normal for the great American way of life.  Which, if that works well for your family, then keep with it.  This post is not meant to shame or guilt anyone into what or how they eat.  This is about me & my family.  Anyway, all it took was for me to start reading labels on food and WOW!  What is some of this junk that we are putting into our bodies?!?!  Trust me, I have nothing against food....I LOVE FOOD!  (too much sometimes, as my not so flat waist will attest to).  For me, the solution was to cook more from scratch.

I admit, it's not always easier or faster to make things from scratch.  Sometimes once I got into the habit then it became just that, a habit and I couldn't think of making it any other way.  Examples of this are mashed potatoes and pancakes.  I can not and refuse to make these things from a box.  Homemade from scratch all the way.  The extra nice thing about pancakes is that you can make more than you need at the time and then freeze the extra.  Then when the kids want pancakes you pluck them out of the freezer, warm them in the microwave and wah-la you still have the wholesome goodness, but without all the work.

Another solution we had to implement is to simply not buy the food that is deemed necessary.  No more super sugary breakfast cereals, no more fruit snacks (that was one of the hardest), no more Little Debbie lunch treats.  My list can go on.  But even though it's all deemed normal American food....we deem it as junk food.  Our bodies really don't need it.  Doesn't mean we don't like it.  I myself was guilty of inhaling those fruit snacks.  Have I mentioned how I LOVE food.  Yeah, the fatty-er, the sugary-er, the badder (is that a word?) would just make me LOVE it even more.

Anyway, you get my point.  (The main one being that I love food).  I've never shared a recipe on my blog, but today I am going to share two.  Isn't this your lucky day?  First I will share my buttermilk biscuit recipe.  This was handed down to me from Suzie.  My special friend whom I've never met in person, yet we have such a strong bond, it's amazing.  And amazing was the word my kids were exclaiming when I took these biscuits from out of the oven.  Hubby liked them too.  He's another food lover, even more than I am.  It doesn't take much to get him to like anything I fix him, from scratch or not.  I knew he was specifically fond of these biscuits when he came into the kitchen repeatedly to "test" a few more.

And, of course, with anything I had to take pictures of our little biscuit making adventure.  Hopefully I never ever pick up and buy those pop open can of biscuits.  Homemade, all the way.  Which, you can make up the dough, cut them out & freeze them.  Then when you want biscuits, but not all the work you just pull some out of the freezer, thaw them & bake them up.  Yum-o : )

 In this picture, the girls thought it was funny how dirty I was getting.  I had also taken a batch, added a few seasonings (basil, parsley, etc) & cheese then brushed the tops with garlic butter.  I had a close imitation of Cheddar Bay biscuits that Red Lobster makes.  (Mmmmmm, Red Lobster)

Buttermilk Biscuits

4 C. flour
4 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. coarse salt
1 t. sugar
1 C. unsalted butter (room temp and cut into pieces)
2 C. buttermilk

Mix all dry ingredients and then cut in butter. Add buttermilk (batter will be sticky). Transfer to floured surface, roll and cut into biscuits.
375 for 18-20 minutes.

Pancakes (seriously, these are heavenly delicious)

1 1/2 C. flour
2 t. baking powder
1 C. brown sugar
1 egg
1 C. milk
3 tb. melted butter

Mix your dry ingredients, then wet, add the butter last.  Mix well & cook on griddle.
If I want enough to feed my family AND put a 2 - 3 dozen in the freezer I quadruple this recipe.

Make these up, let me know if you like them or not.  And if you have any homemade/from scratch recipes you like to make feel free to pass them onto me.  I'm looking for more!!!!

Winter Run

A few weeks ago we had a one day leadership retreat out at Camp Summit.  This is one of my favorite places to go.  It's way out in the country and it is always so serene & peaceful.  When we had some free/personal time I chose to suit up & head outside for a run.  Except I didn't really run too much.  I would take a few steps and then stop, taken in by some view or sound or sight of an animal.  I probably never went more than 200 yards without stopping.  From a running aspect I didn't really accomplish anything.  However from a personal aspect it completely refreshed my soul to be out there and enjoy what God had created.  It helped me to reflect on the fact that I want to take off down the road of life, but that I need to stop and listen or see what God has for me.  Sometimes whatever it is can be easily seen or heard.  Other times I really need to stop and be completely & utterly still and wait...wait...wait....for what God has for me.

I absolutely LOVE this road.  I have no idea why, I just love to gaze down it and they view that it offers.

Some other views along my run:

Every time, I mean, EVERY time I run out at Camp Summit I always come across some deer.  I don't mean to sound like some quacky deer whisperer, but I swear I connect/communicate with the deer.  When I came across these deer I was actually trying to find & get a picture of a woodpecker that I could hear, but not see.  I had stepped off the main road & down a small path.  When I couldn't find the woodpecker I looked around to see there was a deer not too far off.  I stood completely still & just watched the deer.  I tried to take a few steps closer, but it moved and that is when I realized there were several deer in the woods, all looking at me.  Probably 6 or 7, I don't know for sure.   I stood for the longest time just watching and trying to get some pictures of them.  My zoom is only so good on my camera, but I was able to get a few shots. 

New purse

I wanted to show off my new purse that I had custom made.  The business I use offers many fabrics to choose from.  However, they don't have anything with elephants.  I came across the red elephant fabric one day while surfing the internet and I was estatic the second I saw it.  Red & black are my favorite colors so I knew my new purse would look fabulous.

I have been using Christie Goss of MomofTwoBoys Designs for a couple of years now.  She is WONDERFUL!  She does a great job of listening to exactly what you want in a purse/bag and will do her best to meet those needs & specifications.  With this new purse I actually mixed & matched a few of her different purse/bag styles.  So if you name it & she can do it you can really come out having the purse of your dreams.

I'm not a very stylish or fashionable person, especially when it comes to purses.  For me, though, this purse is THE BOMB!  I paid a little more than I ever would on a purse I would buy in a store.  It's worth the money though.  MomofTwoBoys purses really hold up and I don't mind paying for that personal touch and exact specifications that I want. 

If you are interested you can find her business website at: http://www.momoftwoboys.com/



Brianna's 11th Birthday

I have a few catch up things to blog about.   So I'll give you a break from my Epic posts and get them done.  This one is particularly important because if I don't hurry then I will need to catch up on TWO birthdays.  So without further ado, here is Brianna's birthday post.

Brianna has always been my princess girly girl.  So it made sense when she wanted her birthday party to include mani/pedicures, facials & such.  None better than with some girlfriends in tow.  This was a little sigh of relief because she didn't want anything extremely expensive or high maintance.  Just some girl time.

 This face mask was made up of avocado, honey & salt.  The girls had fun putting this on their face & beautifying their skin.  They did oooohhhh & aaaahhhh over how smooth & great their skin felt.  One girl, however, had some kind of allergic reaction and turned all red & swollen.  Oops!  After some benedryl the symptoms went away and she was good as new. 

 I can't believe that my baby girl is 11.  I still call her my baby girl because for 7 years she was just that.  Old habits & nicknames die hard.  This is one that I don't want to let go of.  She is wonderful & great in every way possible.  My Brianna.

EPIC continued....

Sooo, I have been up & awake for about 20 hours now.  I don't even feel tired.  Ok, well, maybe a little.  Normally when 8 - 9 p.m. rolls around I need toothpicks to hold my eyes open.  That was so not the case today, not once have I felt tired.

I did make one last trip to the stores and then took the kids to the Y to run off some energy.  It helps that a few other friends were doing the same so we all met up.  We let the big kids do their thing & us moms camped out in the jungle gym and let the younger ones run around & play.

When we left for the Y it had just started to snow & get windy.  By time we left the Y it was picking up considerably.  My first picture I shot while driving home.  (Yes, I was driving and operating my camera at the same time.  As you can see I at least waited until no cars were coming at me to be safe.)

When Jim got home from work he started to shovel.  He's such a trooper during these times.  Lately work has been crazy, beyond crazy and he has been given no choice but to pick up all the slack.  As a result he's been delivering mail in addition to completing his postmaster duties.  Some days (like today) he's been out delivering 1 1/2 routes.  That's a lot of mail to carry and for quite a distance too.

Shortly after 5 I took this picture.  I wanted one last good shot before it got too dark. This is looking out my kitchen windows.  First let me clarify that the snow in this picture is not piled up from the ground.  There is a metal awning that covers a portion of the patio directly behind the house.  So the snow is resting on top of that, which is about 6 feet tall.  Even so I can usually easily see the top third of my van or so.  Now I can't see my van back there at all.

Since there is no school tomorrow I did some kid swapping.  Nina went & spent the night with one of her friends and I in turn got 2 other girls.  It's been a win-win situation for everyone.  It's nice for the kids to have their friends to hang out with to help pass the time.  In turn, the 4 older girls made up several batches of chocolate chip cookies for me.  Tomorrow I plan to get even more busy with the cooking and with many helping hands it should go much quicker.

Once it got later in the evening, the younger kids had played plenty of xbox & computer games and watched a few too many movies.  So I pulled out some puzzles to do with them.  At first I got some grumbles about my requests for them to join me.  Once we got going though, we really had some fun.

Next, I moved onto this puzzle.  It's Neuschwanstein, a castle in Germany.  Jim & I have been to that castle before so it has special meaning to us (ok, mainly me cause I'm the sappy, sentimental one).  I have the border done.  I could go work on it now, but I REALLY need to go to bed.

Tomorrow I will bring you more updates from our epic snowstorm.  I hope to get up with the first light of the day to get some pictures before the city comes & plows through the street.  At one point it looked like we didnt' have a street at all.  Just a field of snow between the houses.  The house next door has a drift about as tall as me.  Which, ha-ha, yeah I know that doesn't mean it's THAT tall, but it's still an impressive looking drift.  As of now it's been reported that a full 12 inches of snow has fallen in our city and more is yet to come!!!!!

EPIC

Surpassing the usual or ordinary, particularly in scope or size or heroic and impressive in quality.

Right now that is what we are sitting around & waiting for.  In case you are living under a rock or have no connection to this portion of our world.  I'm talking about the big winter storm of 2011. Said storm is being compared to the storm in 1979.  I was only 3.  I honestly don't remember that storm.  But don't you laugh, cause I know MANY people that were not even alive at that time.  It's all a matter of perspective.  So while I don't remember, at least I was alive : )  I remember a lot of other big snow storms, but yeah, this one is sounding pretty epic.

It has me in a little crazy tingly giggling like a little girl in anticipation frenzy.  It's been crazy around here for the last few days.  Stores have been bombarded with business.  Everyone rushing around trying to get everything done.  And what else can we talk about????  The impending storm!!!!!

We are ready.  Even if I had not gone to the store we would have been ready to stay in for a few days.  I went to the store anyway and stocked up even more.  My plan is to cook/bake like crazy.  Fill my freezer full of goodies.  Even then there should still be plenty of time for blogging, wasting time of facebook, watching endless movies with the kids, etc, etc.  Of course, assuming we don't lose power.  That could prove interesting.  Backup plan would be playing lots of board games, coloring, doing jigsaw puzzles and *gasp* bonding as a family ; ).  I have enough candles to last us at least a good month.  Either way, we'll be ok.

I am excited...beyond excited to see history unfold.  I promise a lot of pictures will be taken (not that that is anything unusual for me) and memories will be made.  I want my kids to grow up & not only remember the "storm of the century", but how we "survived" such an epic event.