Our trip to Iowa

It was very important to us to document that Alyssa has gotten to know 4 of her great-grandparents, so we took a trip to Iowa while they were all still healthy.

This is Troy's Dad and his parents.

This is Troy's mom and her parents. I wish Alyssa would have smiled. :( It was hot and the sun was hard to squint through.

This is Troy's step-brother and his wife and their baby Henley. They live in Missouri, so we took a quick overnight trip there to spend time with them! Troy's step mother Cindy celebrated her 60th birthday! She was fabulous to us all week long cooking us steller Vegan meals.

Red Rock Lake was only created about 40 years ago since the Des Moines River kept flooding everything. This is an earth dam. The three biggest floods in recent years, were 1993, 2008 and 2010. We saw 2008 and 2010. The raging water was amazing. We timed our visit perfectly since it rained heavily for weeks before we arrived and it rained the day we left, but we had perfect tolerable weather while we were there for 7 days.

The family in front of the dam.

The fish were going crazy.

Cordova Park Observation Tower - The tower features the world's longest and tallest continuous set of fiberglass stairs, ascending from the ground to the observation deck built atop a converted 100-foot-tall (30 m) by 15-foot-diameter (4.6 m) stand-pipe water tower. The structure stands 106 feet (32 m) in the air, making it the largest observation tower in the Midwest. The tower, completed in 1998, offers a breathtaking view of the Des Moines River valley. The structure has been awarded to Iowa for engineering excellence.

A random buffalo in the midwest.

We went to Winterset, Iowa, birthplace of John Wayne. There are only 4 stoplights in the entire county.

The home he was born in!

And he posed with me.

While in Madison County, we had to see the covered bridges. Imes was built in 1870.

Holliwell, built in 1880 and is the longest bridge.

Roseman bridge, most famous from the movie. Built in 1883.

And we posed with Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep.

We visited the Grotto of the Redemption in northern Iowa, near Minnesota.

Apparently, Alyssa had never seen a phone booth. She had to have her photo in there and feel what the booth felt like. FUNNY. What I love about Pella, is the quaint-ness and all the kissing dutch figurines on porches. I love the windmills on the signs too. This little town was settled in the 1800's by about 900 dutch folks and all of Troy's heritage comes from this settlement. Alyssa is going to pose by this sign each year. We just decided to do it this year, so bummed we missed 2009. She looks so lean, athletic, and grown up here in 2010 compared to 2 years ago. Here she is in 2008.

We had a wonderful visit. Alyssa gets to stay there all month. She is also taking a road trip to Washington DC with her grandparents. What an opportunity for her and for us! Thank you family for the great time.

Overnight Breakfast Bars

Overnight Breakfast Bars

Bars:
1 1/4 cups flour [used white and whole wheat]
1 1/2 cups oats
2 tablespoons flax meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup sugar [used 3/4 cup]
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup butter [used 1/2 cup applesauce]
2 eggs [ used egg sub]
1 1/3 cups buttermilk [used rice milk with 2 tablespoon vinegar]
2 medium granny smith apples peeled, chopped

Topping:
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts [used 1/2 cup]
1/2 cup brown sugar (i used 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Grease 13 X 9 pan.
2. Combine flours, oats, flax meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon in medium bowl; set aside.
3. Combine sugars and butter in large bowl. Beat at low speed til just blended. Beat on high speed well. Bend in eggs and buttermilk. Slowly add flour mixture. Fold in apples. Pour in pan.
4. Combine nuts, brown sugar, cinnamon for topping. Sprinkle over batter in pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
5. Preheat oven 350.
6. Uncover pan and let stand for 30 minutes. Bake 45 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Serves 18.

Three bean salad

15 oz white kidney beans (cannellini), drained and rinsed
15 oz garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
15 oz kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1/2 red onion finely chopped
1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 T finely chopped fresh rosemary
3 T fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 t kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

large bowl, combine beans, celery, onion, parsley and rosemary

small bowl, whisk lemon juice, oil, salt, pepper

drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss.

serve

(i added some black eyed peas that I had too)

Cookie Dough Hummus

1 c hot water
1 T raisens
1 pinch cinnamon
1/4 c unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 T peanut butter
1 t vanilla
1 t maple syrup
1/2 t canola oil
1 t cinnamon
1 T ground flax seed
15 oz garbanzo beans drained
1 T instant oatmeal
1 T shredded coconut

Pour the hot water over the raisens and cinnamon. Let stand for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.

Place the applesauce, peanut butter, vanilla, maple syrup, canola oil, ground flax seed in a food processor until smooth. With motor running, add in garbanzo beans, drained raisens, instant oatmeal, and coconut.

Process until smooth or to your desired consistency.

Sweet Potato Barley Salad

1 C regular barley (not quick cooking)
1 C frozen sweet soybeans
1 L sweet potato
1/3 C olive oil
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
1 t garlic salt
1 C fresh baby spinash
1C golden raisens
2 M carrots shredded
1/2 C thin red onion wedges

Rinse barley in sieve under running water until it runs clear. In medium saucepan bring barley and 3 cups of water to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 20-25 inutes or until tender and drain. Rinse cooked barley in colandar under cold running water until cooled, drain well.

Meanwhile, prepare soybeans according to package. Scrub potato and pierce with fork several times. Wrap in paper towel and YES, use microwave. (we baked ours and it was too mushy) You don't want a mushy potato. When cool enough to handle, remove skin and dice.

For dressing, in small bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic salt, black pepper. Mix to your personal taste however much dressing you like with the Barley mixture. Arrange on plate, spinach and top with the barley mixture.

SO YUMMY

Vegan Pesto Sauce

It is so versatile and always adds a delicious touch to any dish! Spooned it onto a pizza or toss into pasta, or spread on a sandwich. The options are virtually endless! Pesto couldn’t be easier to make if you have a food processor, and it is truly worth making from scratch if you can get fresh basil.

Ingredients:
1 large bunch of basil (about 3 cups, loosely packed)
2-3 large cloves garlic
6 Tbsp raw pine nuts or walnuts (or a combination of the two)*
3/4 – 1 tsp salt, or to taste
6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional)**

Preparation:
Place all ingredients except the olive oil and nutritional yeast into a food processor. Process to a finely ground consistency. Add olive oil and process again, until smooth and creamy. If desired, add nutritional yeast and process again until creamy. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

*Classic pesto is made with pine nuts, but it is also delicious with walnuts or use 3 Tbsp of each.

**Nutritional yeast is a delicious addition to this classic pesto and will give it a kind of “cheesy” flavor and a more rich and creamy consistency.

White bean chili with jalapeno bulgar

1/2 cup bulgar wheat
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 scallions
1 jalapeno seeded and chopped
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper
1 large onion chopped
1 green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 t ground cumin
1 t chili powder
14.5 oz diced tomatoes
30 oz cannellini beans (white kidney beans)

bring 1 cup water boil, add bulgar, simmer, cover until all water is absorbed and bulgar is tender about 12-15 minutes.

stir in lemon juice, scallions, jalapeno, 1 T oil, 1/4 t of salt/pepper

meanwhile - heat remaining oil in large saucepan, over medium heat. add onion, bell pepper, cook until tender, 6-8 minutes. add garlic, cumin, chili powder, 1 t salt, 1/2 t pepper, cook until fragrant, 1-2 minute.

add tomatoes and their liquic and 1 1/2 cups water to the onion mixture, bring to boil. add the beans and simmer until slightly thickened 8-10. Divide the chili among the bowls and top with bulgar.

Vegan must haves - who says eating healthy is restrictive?

Sharing this list with my friends and family that have asked my new favorite staples:

Best Life - buttery spread (olive oil) - so amazing.

Chia Seeds - nutty whole grain flavor, omega 3, antiocidents even more than blueberries, keep blood pressure and blood sugar stable, good for joint pain, skin conditions, Chia provides fiber (about 2 tablespoons--25 g--give you 7 g of fiber) as well as other important nutrients, including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, niacin, and zinc. sprinkle on salads or soy yogurt, shakes, or make your own energy gels to resemble GU.

Nutritional Yeast - nutty cheesy flavor, good as a parmesean cheese substitute, yummy on popcorn. it is a complete protein, source of vitamins, especially B complex.

Quinoa - Great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, being secondary only to the potato, and was followed in importance by maize. In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source among plant foods.[4] It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned spaceflights.[4]

Flaxseed - among the oldest crop in the world, dietary fiber, abundance of micronutrients, omega 3 oil. 1 TBSP of flaxseed with 3 TBSP of water, substitute for 1 egg in baking recipes. use in soy yogurts, top salads, put in protein shakes,

Rice Milk - Compared to cow's milk, rice milk contains more carbohydrates, but does not contain significant amounts of calcium or protein, and no cholesterol or lactose. Commercial brands of rice milk, however, are often fortified with vitamins and minerals, including calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin B3, and iron.[2] While most rice milks do not contain protein and are not a whole grain. Good for baking.

Almond milk - promoted as a healthy alternative to cow's milk for reasons including:
It lacks casein, It is safe for people with lactose intolerance or milk allergy , Contains far less saturated fat than cow's milk.

Light olive oil - used for frying

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) - used for salad dressing

Egg Substitute - Ener-G is an incredibly versatile and easy to use commercial egg replacer available in most health food stores and larger well-stocked grocery stores. Despite the instructions on the package to mix Ener-G with two tablespoons of water, some recipes will need a bit more moisture when replacing eggs using Ener-G, so you may need to compensate with an extra tablespoon of water or soy milk. Ener-G and other store-bought egg substitutes are relatively flavorless and work best in baked goods, such as cookies, muffins and cakes, and can also be used to bind ingredients together in a vegan casserole or loaf. Ener-G is vegan and certified kosher, but be sure to read the labels carefully on other brands, as some may contain egg whites.

Sunbutter - from sunflowers, like peanut butter, good for people with nut allergies

Overnight Vegan Oatmeal

1 cup steel cut oats
1 cup mixed dried fruit (apples, prunes, apricots, raisens, cranberries)
4 cups water
1/2 cup rice milk
1 TBSP cinnamon

in a slow cooker, combine all ingredients and set to low heat. Cover and let cook for 8-9 hours. S

Stir and remove to serving bowls. This method works best if started before you go to bed and having it creamy by morning.

Vegan Blueberry Muffins

These were super yummy and healthy!

1 cup oats
1 cup white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 egg substitute
1 cup & 2 TBSP rice milk & 1 TBSP vinegar (gives it a buttermilk effect)
3 TBSP canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups blueberries
1 tsp sugar

preheat oven to 400 and spray muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray
place oats in blender and blend to finely ground
large bowl, combine everything else, mix, then fold in berries
spoon batter into pan, bake 23 minutes.

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Recipe

I thought about throwing a couple handfuls of small broccoli trees into this soup (a few minutes before doing the puree), spinach would be great as well. You can use a vegetable stock if you like in place of the water. I've mentioned before that I like Rapunzel Herb Bouillon with Salt (available at many stores), I use about 1/2 of one cube in a soup like this to kick things off - it makes a nice, light but flavorful broth.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions chopped
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
2 cups dried split green peas, picked over and rinsed
5 cups water
juice of 1/2 lemon (reserve the zest)
a few pinches of smoked paprika
more olive oil to drizzle

Add olive oil to a big pot over med-high heat.
Stir in onions and salt and cook until the onions soften, just a minute or two.
Add the split peas and water.
Bring to a boil, dial down the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the peas are cooked through (but still a touch al dente).
Using a large cup or mug ladle half of the soup into a bowl and set aside.
Using a hand blender (or regular blender) puree the soup that is still remaining in the pot.
Stir the reserved (still chunky) soup back into the puree - you should have a soup that is nicely textured.
If you need to thin the soup out with more water (or stock) do so a bit at a time.
Stir in the lemon juice and taste.
If the soup needs more salt, add more a bit at a time until the flavor of the soup really pops.

Ladle into bowls or cups, and serve each drizzled with olive oil and topped with a good pinch of smoked paprika and a touch of lemon zest

Veggie stir-fry with Chia Seeds with Tofu

We sort of used this recipe as a base, but altered it some too! Really, you can't go wrong here, just throw stuff together. Veggie Stir Fry with Chia

I love this as the main course to create an easy and nutritious dinner in a hurry.

2 teaspoons avocado oil (we used sesame oil instead)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger root finely minced
3 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
Sea salt (pinch)
1 jalapeno pepper, finely minced (keep the seeds and stems for more heat)
1 small red onion, thin half moon slices
1 carrot, fine matchstick pieces (we shredded ours)
1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, thinly sliced into ribbons or just use green bell
3 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
a bunch of broccoli - chopped up and use stems too!
4 ounces extra firm tofu, cubed
5-6 baby bok choy, split lengthwise, rinsed well
Soy Sauce - low sodium
Rice vinegar (splash)
1 teaspoon of Chinese 5 spice
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
3 cups cooked brown or basmati rice

Place oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Sauté ginger and garlic with a pinch of salt for 30 seconds. Stir in jalapeno, onion and a pinch of salt and sauté until onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add carrot, a pinch of salt and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in peppers and shiitake, a pinch of salt and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in tofu and sauté for 2 minutes. Add baby bok choy and brocolli; season to taste with soy sauce, 5 spice, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the bok choy just wilts. Do not overcook the veggies in this dish. Stir in chia and sesame seeds and spoon over brown rice to serve.
Makes 3-4 servings.

We love hummus

This morning I made hummus. Being vegan now, we love our hummus, pesto and guacamole. We keep refreshing our batches of sauces!

This time we didn't buy canned garbanzo beans, we bought them dried and soaked them. We got double our money this way, never going back to cans again.

CHICKPEAS: Like most beans, garbanzo beans are rich in the best sort of fiber - soluble fiber - which helps to eliminate cholesterol from the body. They are a useful source of folate, vitamin E, potassium, iron, manganese, copper, zinc and calcium. As a high-potassium, low-sodium food they help reduce blood pressure.

TAHINI: Think peanut butter, only made with sesame seeds. To make it, sesame seeds are soaked in water for a day, then crushed to separate the bran from the kernels. The crushed seeds are put into salted water, where the bran sinks, but the kernels float and are skimmed off the surface. They are toasted, then ground to produce their oily paste. There are two types of tahini, light and dark, and the light ivory version is considered to have both the best flavor and texture.

RECIPE: this size is for our home, this was 1/2 the original recipe though.
6 cloves fresh organic garlic
1/4 c. organic tahini
1/3 c. olive oil
1/3 c. warm water or chickpea liquid (saved from water that soaked the garbanzo beans)
1.5 t. salt
2 t. cumin
1 t. pepper
3 c. garbanzo beans

Just throw it all into cuisinart and let it go! Serve with healthy whole grain pita bread. YUMMY to my TUMMY!

heathly coleslaw

I made this yummy healthy coleslaw today, a derivitive of my mother in law's. Cindy's recipe:
2 heads of cabbage,
2 or 3 tsp. salt
4 cups sugar
3 cups vinegar
1 cup water
1 onion
1 or 2 peppers(red or green)
1 Tbsp. mustard seed
1 Tbsp. celery seed
1 bunch celery(cut fine)

Chop the 2 heads of cabbage, sprinkle with salt and let stand in its own juice for 2 hours in a cool place.
Then squeeze all the water out.
Bring the sugar, vinegar and water to a boil and let cool.
Add the peppers, celery, onion, mustard seed and celery seed to the cabbage.
Combine all with the liquid and store in glass jars in the refrigerator.
Will keep 2 weeks.

I used all the same ingredients, but just 'winged' it and didn't measure anything. I just tossed in the shredded cabbage, red onion, red pepper, shredded carrots, chopped celery, threw in a tiny salt, organic apple cider vinegar, celery seed, mustard seed, no water and I used AGAVE for my sweetner and not sugar. I used as little as possible.

Before eating, I sprinkle with chia seeds and a little flax seed! Healthy and YUM!

Converted

Let me start by saying, ethically, I am not against eating meat or animal products. However, the direction our country has taken to raising animals has now led me to a mental place of not being able to consume animal products anymore. I can not support the industry. Our government is not protecting us, don't trust them and they certainly do not CARE about what you eat and how you educate your kids to eat. The way we eat has changed more in 50 years than it did all the years combined prior.

The modern supermarket has 47,000 products. How did we become a species with a need for that much variety. No other species has that and certainly 50 years ago, we did have that. Our bodies don't need that much variety and is certainly confused with how to process it all. The food industry does not want us to know the truth, we are not eating from farms, we are eating from factories.

I have read the book "Skinny B&#ch" and also watched the move "Food Inc". On reserve to read is "The China Study". The findings in these resources are startling. Here are just 8 concerns I now have after studying this subject.

1) Egg laying hens kept in all day daylight, so they will lay multiple batches of eggs, against their natural ability. They are confined to cages where they can't spread their wings and their little feet fall through the wire cage and get stuck. Because the hens are so irritated with each other, they cut off their beaks so they won't peck each other to death.

2) White chicken breast meat has been re-engineered since that is the what the market requires. These chickens are kept in the dark with no room to move and are so fat/heavy their little bone structures can't take the weight, so they can't walk. They are raised in just 45 days which is unnatural. It should take 120 days. AND today they are twice as big than they should be. When taken to slaughter, the final few days spent in trucks, they are releasing hormones of fear, grief and rage.. you are what you eat.. you want to eat that? Today chicken farmers are no longer in charge of their birds. TYSON foods controls the farmers. The farmers go into debt $500K to create a farm, in the end they only earn $18K a year, but TYSON makes billions.

3) DAIRY DISASTER: Cows are designed to produce heavy fat milk for their calves, to raise them from a 90 lb calf to 2000 lb cow over two years. However, for some reason, man has determined they should rob the calf of their 10 lbs of milk and instead, we are forcing the mommas to produce hundreds of lbs of milk a day. The metal clamps that attach to the cows sensitve udders suck the dead white blood cells to the point of infection. Infection produces pus and the pus is sucked into the pails along with the milk. To get rid of the bacteria, milk is then pasteurized. This process destroys the beneficial enzymes. We are the only species that once weened off our mothers, switch to drinking another animal's milk. This is not natural and does not seem by divine nature. It's no wonder that NO OTHER COUNTRY will buy our milk, we poison it, and they are too smart to buy into our evil ways. We do not need milk to survive and it is the number one allergy in this country, well no wonder.. it is not even milk we are drinking, it is poison.

http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/campaigns/factory_farming/

http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/force_fed_animals/

http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/swine_flu/

4) DECOMOSING FLESH: 10 billion animals are slaughtered each year, majority from factory farming. They don't have vast meadows and lush green pastures to roam. Instead, they are fed fattening corn (also controlled by government), injected with steroids and antibiotics. They live in unsanitary conditions (stand in their own manure and breathe it all day too) and all that is in the meat we eat. To make 'pink slime' burgers, they put ammonia in it to kill the ecoli that grows due to the horrible conditions. Really?! I can't believe the man who invented that process, thinks this was a great idea. Also, high fructose corn syrup is now allowed in USDA meat because it makes you EAT more which supports the industry. Cows are not designed by evolution to eat corn. They’re designed by evolution to eat grass. And the only reason we feed them corn is because corn is really cheap and corn makes them fat quickly. Corn fed beef get ecoli.

5) Cornucopia of choices: Corn is in most of our food. This is controlled heavily by the government because it makes so many other products. With this control, it feeds the animals too. Also, since USDA has 15 food assistance programs for the elderly, homeless, military, schools and poor, this is a $41 billion program.... of course, they control the corn and other food sources. They are feeding the people, fattening, unhealthy, artery-clogging, heart stopping, acid-producing, contaminated meat and this is all part of our tax money. UNBELIEVABLE. This then translates into the healthy care industry, also being controlled now by Obama. I mean.. really, this is kind of scary. Corn has conquered the world: It is an amazing plant. 50 years ago, 20 bushels were grown per acre, now 200 bushels per acre is no problem. 30% of our landbase is planted corn. We produce corn at lower than production costs. BUT since corn is in all the foods, they can allow lost revenue on corn so they can make money in the other food. The government subsidizes corn farmers because of the other controls they have.

6) Aspartame (diet soda, Nutrasweet, Equal, Splenda): This was invented in 1973, it took 10 years (and 8 rejections first) to finally get approval. Pop was the first product to allow this legally. Aspartame converts to formaldehyde. It has 92 KNOWN negative side effects (seizures, depression, schizophrenia, reproductive disorders, migraines, memory loss, alzheimers, bloating, nervous system disorder, hair loss, food cravings, yeast infection, skin problems, thyroid gland problems, weight gain).. need I go on? GROSS.

7) PESTISIDES: We use 1 billion pounds of pesticides on our food each year. The Europeans reject our meat too! Tomatoes are sprayed with ethylene gas to make them turn red faster than natural. This isn't a tomato, just the idea of a tomato. Have you had a freshly grown natural tomato?! They taste wonderful and natural, not what you get in the store.

8) MCDONALDS is not food people. Please don't eat there, please don't take your kids there. It is TERRIBLE to put in your body. The drive in started in the 30's by the McDonalds Brothers, changed the food industry. They brought the factory system to the restaurant. They trained each worker to do only 1 thing, they could pay them low wage and they were easily replaceable. McDonalds became a success due to their uniformity and cheapness. The consequences from that are too HUGE to explain. They changed out ground beef is produced. They are the largest purchaser of apples, lettuce, tomatoes, chickens and beef. There are only a handful of companies controlling our food. McDonald's has big power, don't add to their power by eating their disgusting poison.

http://foodincmovie.com/img/downloads/Press_Materials.pdf

Read this for more information if you can't see the movie.

This information is simply frankly terrifying. I hope you educate yourself to see what you are eating, read labels and KNOW what is going in your mouth. I have been animal product free for a week now and am loving the difference. Cravings are different, bloating is not there and I have lost weight and didn't even try.

BE HEALTHY, BUY HEALTHY, EAT HEALTHY and it will save you health care costs down the road.

Issaquah Sprint Tri - 3 race reports and pics

SWIM BIKE RUN DAY .....began with a 4am alarm, the birds started chirping and we began to see the sun peaking out from the eastern horizon. I can't believe our weather luck, a miracle indeed. Beautiful, not too hot.

837 finishers: 528 men, 309 women

TROY REPORT: 95 finishers
Troy's duathlon: 1:12:36 overall, 47:19 bike, 4:17 transition, 21:00 run
25th out of 95 total, 7th out of 10 in his age group
He now realizes that he wants to speed up his transition and he wants a wet suit to begin swimming. First, we need to get him some coached swims.

IN HIS WORDS: The Issaquah Duathlon had 95 participants this year. It was run on the same course as the triathlon at the same time, so there were approximately 1000 athletes competing on the course. This race was my first step toward a triathlon. I wasn’t quite ready to add the swim to a race, but was excited (and nervous) to throw in the biking portion. After this experience, I am looking forward to competing in a triathlon soon

The Monday prior to the Saturday race, my wife and I rode the course and ran what we thought was the run course. This was my first time running immediately after a ride. It felt very awkward. The course was a lumpy, muddy road trail. It was horrible. I slipped and slid. We ran then walked. I was worried all week that I wouldn’t be able to run well and that is where I had some experience racing. I was debating back and forth with myself whether I should go all out on the bike and suffer through the run, or take it easy on the bike and hammer down on the run. My goal was to do the run at an 8 min. mile pace until Monday’s practice. After that, I didn’t know what to do. As Mike Tyson once said, "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face." That is exactly how I felt.

I wasn’t feeling 100% physically, so I figured I should have perfect nutrition leading up the race to make up for it. Well, life happens. A busy Friday meant I didn’t eat right. Race day morning went OK. I started off with a breakfast sandwich and a zip fizz. We loaded up the bikes and the rest of our gear and left the house at 5:07 AM. I picked up a NOS on the way to the race and was good to go!

We checked in, picked up our race packets, and proceeded to the transition area to set up our gear. It was so muddy from all of the rain we had that week that my running shoes I was wearing were already soaked. I went back to the truck to grab my other pair of shoes.
We were told that after the first wave of the triathlon started, the Elite group, we would queue up near the exit of the transition area. After all of the elites were on their bikes, they would begin releasing us. They told us if you felt ‘fast’ to be ready when the gun went off, otherwise relax and wait awhile so you weren’t in the way of the faster du and triathletes. I felt I was somewhere in the middle, so when the gun went off I went to the queue area and figured I would let people in front of me if I thought they would be faster than I would. I ate a gu and made my final decision to wear my hydration pack. I prefer it on the bike to reaching for bottles. Much to my surprise, when I went to get in line there were about 60 of 95 duathlon participants in line already. Many of them were far from fast and others were on mountain bikes, or may have been born before the invention of the automobile. I reminded myself that this was all a learning experience for me and that I was here to have fun, not to win the event. About 10 minutes in line and I was off.

This was my first race on a bike. In fact, I had only been on a road bike about 10 times prior to the race. I wasn’t too sure of what to expect and was a little nervous about riding around that many other people. Also, this was my first time riding at my own pace. I bought my bike used and it has been used in 4 ironman events, so I was relying on the bike’s experience to pull me through. I had no problem clipping in at the start. I wasn’t too worried about that until I heard a few horror stories as I was standing in line. The beginning of the course was very narrow but did allow room to pass. By the time we got to Eastlake Sammamish by Microsoft (about 1.5 mi.) I had already passed around 20 people and was feeling pretty good. It was nice to get to the main road and have a little more room to ride. We had a full lane blocked off for us for most of the ride, so this was the first time I felt comfortable riding in aero position for long periods of time. When I hit the only hill at about 4.5 miles I stayed in aero and worked on pulling up on the pedals to help me so I didn’t need to stand. I made it to the top no problem and let loose on the downhill. I was surprised when we reached the turnaround. It seemed too early, but I guess I was just enjoying the ride and time was flying. I had a scare on the return trip. I was riding in a narrow area and was surprised to be passed very closely. I was right next to the curb and was watching it so I wouldn’t hit it. It was getting closer and closer when I realized if I looked away from it, the bike would follow. Thankfully it worked. I was riding down the hill when I heard, “Go husband!” I never saw Scheris, but returned a “woooooo!” It is so much fun racing together. My final bike time was 47 min. 19 s. I didn’t know it at the time, but later was very pleased to be in 21st place at that moment.

I reached the transition and trotted to my station to hang up the bike. It felt a little weird to be walking again, but I did notice that I was feeling better than my practice on Monday. I changed out of my bike shorts and into my running shorts. I decided to leave the hydration pack and travel light. It was only 3 miles and I was sure to drink a lot of ‘heed’ the last 5 miles of the ride. I put on the running shoes and was very thankful I had grabbed dry shoes to put on. I exited the transition at a medium pace trying to see how my body was going to feel. I realized my transition wasn’t fast, but when I saw the results I was shocked. 4 min. 17 s. Only 8 people out of 95 had slower transitions than I did and two of them were over 10 min. Oh well, live and learn right? I sure didn’t feel great, but good enough to pick up the pace a little. I got about 100 yards into the run and the course leaves the pavement onto the grass. Ok, it was grass at one point, but it was mostly standing water and mud now. So much for the dry shoes. There was a bit of confusion when we got to a point where the trail turned 90 degrees left and there were pallets placed in the middle to run on. 3 people in front of me missed the turn at first, then about knocked me over when they realized it and jumped back on course. They let me go first over the pallets. One of the guys lost his shoe in the mud as he stepped off of the pallets at the end. We were all laughing and just enjoying the chaos of the course. The rest of the run went well. I talked with a few people as we were running. I kept looking down at the garmin expecting to see 10 or 11 min/mi pace, but every time it read under 8. It sure didn’t feel that fast and I was happy to see that I might reach my goal after all. Just as I was about to finish, I met Scheris again. She was just beginning her run. I really didn’t pick up the pace too much at the end. The ground was sloppy and I didn’t have the energy or stability to sprint. I did finish strong and ended up with a run time of 21 min. 0 s. I placed 13 out of 95 in the run. That was much better than I had hoped for.

Overall, I was very pleased with my performance in my first duathlon. I had a total time of 1 hr. 12 min. 36 s. and placed 25 out of 95. Not bad for having the slowest transition in the top 50 finishers. I learned a lot about racing the bike know some areas I can improve on. I went to find Alyssa who was warming up for her first triathlon and we went to watch Scheris finish her race. It was an amazing day to spend with the family at the park.

SCHERIS REPORT: 1:39:33 overall, 10:48 swim, 4:00 transition, 54:38 bike, 3:32 transition, 26:34 run, 34th out of 61 in my age group

PRE: Friday, I wanted to eat a lot but was feeling fat and so I struggled with that. I did drink lots of water in preparation. Saturday morning: The one thing that helps a race morning is a good poo, then the pressure is off. Fortunately, I had a good poo first thing and I got to poo at the park, so WOWZA.. double good morning. For bfast, I had 2 packets of oatmeal. At about 6:45, I took a 5-hour energy. I drank HEED on the bike and took one pack of shot blocks. My nutrician was dead on, I didn't feel any hunger or thirst or lagging-ness.

SWIM: 10:48
This was the first year that I actually was not afraid to get in the water pre-race to warm up. It felt great, I felt brave and was really pleased with where my head was starting this race. It always takes a bit of mind-work to deal with the swampy weeds touchy the body and galeophobia. Once those thoughts, can get dismissed, then swimming in the lake becomes enjoyable. With the water temp below 60, I wore earplugs and 2 caps to avoid the dizziness that often comes with cold water. This worked well, as I felt very stable later on when I exited the water. I was suprised how well the water did feel and I know the power the mind has on calming the heart rate. I just kept telling myself, 'steady breathing', 'stay calm', and it seemed to work. I am happy with a 10:48 in the water for a 1/4 mile swim. I felt strong and didn't idle in the water and didn't get too tired, never had to change my stroke, just kept pressing forward. I am careful about kicking my feet too much since that is what really exhausts my lungs. Arms, arms and more arms is the name of the game, to save the legs for bike and run. What I loved about every stroke, is seeing the blue sky above. It was fun to catch up with guys, 3 minutes ahead of me and overtake a few women in my group too, when they switch to backstroke or breaststroke for a 1/4 mile swim, I can't help but say to myself, "they didn't prepare".


BIKE: 54:38
I was surprised that with my wool socks, my feet never once regained feeling from the cold swim. They didn't hurt or bother me, I just couldn't feel them. I enjoyed the bike and was glad the temperature was just right to wear my RTB jersey. My new water bottle mounting with the long straw was helpful so I didn't have to move to drink. It was fun to overtake slower people and to thank all the traffic volunteers. I saw Troy on his return and said, "GO HUSBAND". Lots of time to think and reflect during this 54 minutes. My lungs felt good, my muscles felt good, I was thrilled my arms and legs weren't cold.. just my feet.

RUN: 26:34
After the bike, I decided, I would change socks to a drier wool to see if that would warm up my foot. However, 2.5 miles later. still no feeling in my feet. I couldn't believe it. The insides of my thighs were very tight and in pain from griping the bike seat so tight and from not wearing a padded short during the bike. Still, I was fine with my time and how I felt during the run. At the beginning of my run, I saw Troy go by finishing his. I got to hear the announcer, "TROY SCHURING of Maple Valley". One lady got trapped behind me on the narrow wood pallets and started swearing (not at me) and I just slowed down because I thought she was rude. Later, she was a mess trying to run too fast through the mud. I kept hoping she would lose her shoe or fall! HA...Anyhow, it was nice to hear lots of RTB supporters rooting me on from my TRI team, Raise The Bar. Troy and Alyssa found me as I was coming in from the run and they cheered for me and took pics. I heard my coach yell my name near the finish line! With all the mud near the finish, it was hard to do my serious sprint like I wanted to, but I still didn't let whoever tried to pass me, make it by. I sped up!

Troy was super AMP'd up after the race.. just on fire.. loving the whole atomsphere. It was great to see his spirit and love for Alyssa and I.

POST: It was hard to get my appetite back on Saturday, well, for both of us. I had to eat applesauce and crackers for dinner. We are both a little sore on Sunday and skipped church to just veg on the couch in our jammies. Finally, getting some appetite back too.

Post race pic for Troy and I, Alyssa about to begin her race.

ALYSSA REPORT: Website says she got 2nd in her female age group of 10-12. It was supposed to be a 75 meter swim, 3.3 kilometer bike, 1k run. but the course was shortened due to a muddy course.

IN HER OWN WORDS: My morning started with Dad waking me up saying, "RACE DAY" at 4:30am. I hopped out of bed and into a pair of sweats and sweatshirt, began packing and soon enough, we were driving away. We got out of the truck and wheeled our bikes over to the our racks. I got completely set up in the adult area since a volunteer mis-directed me. Later, I moved to the kid area.

My parents left to start racing as I sat to start a 3 hour wait (7am-10am). Time flew and the next thing I knew, I was in line to start my swim in 60 degree water with my parents on the side cheering me on. There were a group of girls behind me singing, "we're not here to win, just to have fun". They also happened to be the ones who elbowed me later when the horn rang.

SWIM: I was the only one that really warmed up in water prior, doing full laps of swims. During the race, I was the only one who truly swam and didn't run through the water.

BIKE: Mom met me in the transition and helped me with my socks, shoes, helmet and race belt. Off and running with my bike out of transition. I rode 1.6 miles going fast. I passed a group of chatting girls, who were clearly out for a Sunday drive. I was flying by until IT HAPPENED. A boy wasn't going to let me pass and swerved to force me to skid off the path. I didn't miss a beat and I still made my pass. We did a few passes, that boy and I, until I finally kept the lead.

RUN: After the bike, I took less than 10 seconds to throw off my helmet and dump the bike. It was so easy to be able to just wear my suit the entire race, due to great weather. Dad apparently lost track of me since my transition was so fast. He had to run to catch up to me so he could snap a photo. I ran fast and passed many boys and before I knew it, the end was nearing and I kicked in my final sprint. I made it through the finish line ready for a well deserved meal of hot dog, water, chocolate milk and banana.

I can't wait to race again. I just want to race with better athletes next time and with people who don't cheat. Thanks parents for introducing me to a great sport. IRONMAN here I come.
I am so proud of how hard and fast she ran and her drive to do this race! Look at that form.. LOVE IT... wow.. that looks HAWT. I love a great smile at the end of a race. After every good race, you earn some replacement calories. With all three of us racing, I realized the value of needing a non-racing supporter.

Post race pics showing our muddy shoes. Thank you Jacque for the YANX.. We loved them.

Muddy bikes

Our family of medals.

Race day pet peeves:

1. smoking spectators
2. husband/wife teams that ride their bikes side by side, making passing difficult
3. trying to avoid a mud puddle and then having some hot shot blast through it and spray another person
4. Mormon runners in their g's.. i mean.. really.. really?! We are racing people... sheesh, making me feel all un-holy or something...
5. Kids that don't follow their race instructions and parents who encourage them to cheat

BUT to end on a good note... I love racing, I love watching others race. It brings me near tears to people shredding on their muscles and tearing up the course... I love people pushing themselves beyond what they think is possible.

Blessings

These last two weeks have been very meaningful and special to us. I want to share, not to brag, but to give thanks to the Lord. We don't feel lucky, we just feel grateful that we got these experiences.

We believe in tithing. We have faith in tithing. It is a privledge to give the Lord's church 1/10 back after he gives us EVERTHING. The scriptures remind us that this is a commandment. As my friend Nichole says, "tithing helps us not have a love of money". Can you imagine a world where everyone gave back 10%? WOWOWOWOZA

Even Dave Ramsey says that everyone should give away at least 10% of their earnings. It is good for the world, it is healthy for the soul. "Money given produces more JOY than it can ever buy." "If you can't live off 90% of what you make, what makes you think you can live off 100%?"

Because of the way we bank our tithing into an account, I see the figure build every few weeks as we get paid and transfer the money. We just pay tithing 3x a year for simplicty, usually in June 30, Nov 1 and Dec 31.

However, Monday, I felt a prompting that we needed to release a particular dollar figure to the Bishop, right then and there. I didn't question the prompting, I didn't wonder, "did I just put that thought into my own head?" I recognized that the Spirit knew I was concerned about paying tithing without Troy working. I knew he wanted to test my Faith. I didn't want to give Satan even one minute to put doubt in my head so I immediately sent it off.

Within minutes of that bill pay:

1. We found out that we double paid our truck payment in March and now we don't have a payment due in June.
2. Then we found out that the GAP insurance that we requested a refund on, reduced our July truck payment by 2/3.
3. We also got our Costco rebate check and hadn't been planning on that and so our groceries this week were free!
4. We were able to get our Comcast bill cut in half with an easy phone call and they back dated it a month too, so we have a credit on our account for June.
5. We also received a refund from our annual escrow estimate.
6. Our food hasn't been depleting and we are beating our montly budget.
7. Alyssa got 3 babysitting jobs this past 10 days.
8. Troy was offered a summer gig using his computer science passion by our good friend.
9. We had a few friends approach Troy on some summer tile jobs they have been contemplating.
10. I had some great job interviews this week and feel very hopeful to landing my next role in the next month.
11. Today, we used coupons and saved $17 on our $38 shopping trip.
12. We are harvesting radishes, lettuce, spinach, kale, leeks, green onions, and herbs already which is saving us money!

I mean, it is kind of shocking....... the blessings are overflowing and this is so fun and good for us! Things are just coming together well. We are loving Dave Ramsey too and really taking in the education to make changes in our spending, saving, investing and giving!

With Troy home, our daily schedule is not so chaotic! He has been able to give service 4x this week and Alyssa gave service 3x. I feel so happy with what we are sending out to the world and what is coming back. The positive energy is wonderful. I feel like our life is so much more whole now.

I am truly appreciative of this trial and lesson. It is good for me to see that giving and receiving can be like air.. endless!!! I don't have to hoard my time and money and worry about running out. I am trying to live with the motto of what we send out to the world, will be reflected in how we receive too! I see the benefits and positive changes in our life. Thank you for letting me share these personal thoughts!

Our Financial road

Well, our family situation has changed lately. Troy has become unemployed. Our new chapter has begun, read about our ride!


Because I have a few close friends in town that have shared some of their recent actions, secrets, tips, lessons learned, with me, I thought I would share what we are going through. Lately, all I think about is how to be smart with money, how to control my money and not be controlled by it. I think of all the entitlement that we have grown up with and how back in the 'day', people didn't act so entitled. Back in the day, families just didn't eat out, families all didn't have their own cell phones, families didn't get a vacation each year, families worked extremely hard labor on their farms, and yet, they were happy, in love, procreating and living full lives. (we read from old journals). I want Alyssa to grow up knowing what really brings happiness in life and it isn't unlimited texting and loud music on the MP3.


A few weeks ago, we began Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. This has just been one reason that we are making different decisions. Troy losing his job was another. And just being smarter and less wasteful is another!Every person should read this book and make changes in spending money. Eliminate the excess spend, eliminate the attitude of "I WANT RIGHT NOW and I DESERVE IT". We expect this 13 week course to tranform how we spend, save, give and live. Retire with dignity is the goal. We are sharing all this info with Alyssa to give her the tools that will help her be smart with her money.

Last week, I cut up 4 of my department store cards. They were only little $300 limits and they all had zero balances. I had them only because they send coupons and 'what if' I needed something on a whim and I could use their card and get points or save money with their coupon. Well, 5 minutes per phone call, I had them all cancelled in 20 minutes. I discovered from Macy's they had automatically increased my limit without asking to $2000. I would never walk into Macy's and spend $2ooo. Glad to have those little cards gone. My wallet is less fat and I dont have to worry about identify theft on those 4 cards.

We created a budget. We perfectly allocate each penny that we earn, so there is no WHIM spending. Everything is planned. The budget balances to zero. We make x, we allocate x, there is nothing left to waste.

With Troy out of work, we didn't just want him to jump back into construction. We felt like he needed to take 2 steps back (attend school and get computer science experience) so that in 3 years he can LEAP forward with his Bachelor/Master degree in hand. So, we are working on this avenue and trying not to panic at his lost income.

With this new plan, we needed a strong, accountable financial plan. All decisions with money require a unanimous decision by all household members. We discuss all the income and all the expenses.

What to CUT, what is not a RIGHT, what have we been feeling 'entitled' to, what can we do differently, how can we be different from the 'Jones'?

1. First, I called the Orthodonist. She reduced our payment by $37.50 for the next 5 months while we transition.
2. We filed for unemployment immediately.
3. We cancelled our netflix for $10.99 a month (plus tax was $13).
4. Creating a food budget was hard. We don't really know what we spend on food. We don't eat out though and we pack our lunches for work. We are starting with a $100 a week food budget. I have no clue how reasonable that is, so we are now going to use a cash envelope system for our food, to begin to really get an idea of what we eat. However, I can tell you, no Halibut or Steak for us for the next year, adding in more cheaper potatoes, rice and beans.
5. We reduced our cell phone plan which will require a more watchful eye on limits. I am trying to convince Troy to eliminate our texting package to save $20 a month and reducing our minute usage saving $20.
6. I eliminated our 401K contribution, this made me sad since I contribute 6% so that my employer will match 3%, but for now, we need that 6%. Remember, step back for that leap forward.
7. We increased our W-4 exemptions since we got a tax refund last year and the goal is to break even, not let the government sit on your money all year and return it to you without interest.
8. We asked the piano teacher if we can do 1/2 hour lessons each week for a while, that saves $80 a month for now.
9. All lights and water are now being closely scrutinized.
10. Laundry needs to wash in a full load.
11. Re-use your glass for a whole day.
12. Use your towel for a week.
13. We can't cut swim team yet. It is a monthly billed system with steep penalties to cancel and restart.
14. Troy to do our own oil changes from now on.
15. Alyssa showers at the pool, 5 days a week though, so that helps water and energy.
16. Wash plastic baggies for re-use.
17. Turn out the pilot light on the gas fireplace.
18. Turn down the hot water heater a little.
19. Keep anything possible unplugged to not draw on energy.
20. Pray for the proper rain/sun mix for the garden and lawn
21. Use food storage that we saved up.
22. Eat perishables first so they won't go wasted, even if your taste buds don't desire them.
23. Harvest from our garden and eat fresh.
24. Save rain water run-off and re-use in the garden
25. Turn off the circulating fan for the air in the house and open windows.
26. Called Comcast and reduced bill in half using promo price.
27. I called our insurance agent and asked him to cut us back to the bare minimum. He is not happy about this and keeps giving me the warnings. I don't have a dollar savings yet on this change.
28. We aren't giving up a vehicle yet, but it is on the list of options.
29. For now, we are saving gasoline, combining errands and not wasting any unnecessary trips.
30. Making our own chicken and vegetable broths by saving onion skins, celery ends, and brocolli stalks and boiling them.
31. We called our garbage company and told them we only use 1/4 of our bin each week, so we were able to reduce down our can size and bill by $4/month and he told us it is ok to overflow the recycle bin and we aren't charged for that.
32. Alyssa is saving us 21 miles a week in gasoline, by riding her bike to swimming! Thank you sweetie for your contribution.
33. We don't buy books, instead we ride bikes to the Library and check them out.
34. I can be happy without pedicures and hair color. Really.... I promise!
35. We also use the 75 free library pages a week for printing.
36. Look for scholarships for Troy's schooling.
37. Never short the Lord his 10%, simply for giving us life and blessing us with love!
38. And finally, a motto to follow, "Pray as if it all depends on God and work like it all depends on you".

In short, I am sharing this, because I like this game of cost cutting and living within our means is something that so many of us need to keep in mind. It makes me feel in control again to make these changes. These things above, while nice, don't give us the full happiness in life. They are simply convenient and we don't need to be spoiled like that. This is a great lesson for Alyssa to see that money needs to be respected and carefully used. AND to see that we can entertain ourselves without gossip magazines, internet browsing, shopping, eating out, or watching movies. Instead, we will play board games, we will hang out in our back yard, we will exercise and get good rest and be just be grateful for life.

SOOOOOOO, while you all know I am not a private person, I share this post because I am experiencing anxiousness and am having trouble talking about this outloud. It is hard to really tell my you how I feel. Some of you know, I don't cry very often, only about 3x a year. However, my emotions are raw and I am on edge and I even cried for 2 minutes yesterday. Darn it.. I don't cry! I have all my cautions up, my decision making is on high alert. So, you may ask me 'how are YOU Scheris,", but I will simply reply with the obligatory answer, "fine", but because you now have read this, you will know! But at least we do have a plan and we are doing everything we can to be careful. Pray for us to stay close to the Lord, pray for comfort in our soul, pray that we will keep praying, and pray that we do our part for the right opportunities to be opened up to us. My job is also up on June 30, so that only adds to our new chapter. I am looking within Microsoft.

Well, I hope something I said was beneficial. Thank you to my friends this week that shared their personal information with me on how they are making ends meet. You impacted my decisions. I love my friends, and they don't really know how much they influence me. Keep living as you do, so I can keep trying to follow your examples. You are my inspirations.

Washing and Reusing our plastic baggies

Have you ever seen one of these? Costs $17.95. I don't own one, but it makes for a cool drying rack for your baggies. "Purchase a box of baggies, re-use each baggie 30 times and you have saved $100 and saved the landfill 1000 baggies." Buy one box, use it for a whole year! Just think if we would all do this.

Bet you didn't know the Schuring Family was this frugal, did ya? Yep, we save our baggies and wash them in batches using a big bowl, soap and water. This is how we air dry them, using our glasses. We do this to save money but also to not put them into the landfill. Since Troy and I pack our lunch every day, well, throwing away baggies would be alot of waste. Also, sometimes, just using them for a few crackers, doesn't warrent them to be considered dirty, old or unusable again.

Another example of how you can dry your baggies. We don't re-use the ones that we marinate meat in, but now I try to marinate my meat in glass containers so I can dishwash the bacteria away.

Well, I post this in hopes that I convert at least one more person! Thanks for reading.