Disney's Glass Slipper Challenge 2016: What I Did and What I'd do Differently

     This has taken me a lot longer to write than I planned, but I figured it's about time I write my review of the 2016 Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend.  My sister and I ran the Glass Slipper Challenge at Walt Disney World in Florida.  The weekend included the Enchanted 10K Saturday morning, followed by Monkey's 1-mile Kids' Race Saturday afternoon, and then the Princess Half Marathon Sunday morning.  It was a magical experience, but it was also pretty rough.  Being almost 33 weeks pregnant definitely took a toll on me not only physically, but that was nothing compared how it changed the mental battle that comes with running long distances.  More on that to come, but first...

The 10K
     The Enchanted 10K was the highlight of my race weekend to be honest.  I felt it was a good distance for me at this stage of my pregnancy.  It was cooler Saturday morning, which played a huge part in how I felt compared to the half.  We started in corral B, which meant we didn't have to wait long to start.  The course was mostly in Epcot, which meant there was plenty to see.  My only regret is that I was so nervous about the "dreaded balloon ladies" that my sister and I only stopped for one character, the Genie.  Our time was good, considering it included 3 bathroom stops (with lines included) and one character stop.  We did stop in front of each mile marker to snap a quick selfie (us-y?) before proceeding.  We finished middle of the pack, which meant we weren't weaving in and out of too many walkers during the race.  I felt amazing afterwards, and I couldn't wipe the grin off of my face as they placed my first ever runDisney medal around my neck.  Oh, and the Cosmo's coconut popcorn in the goodie box afterwards was AMAZING!  So here's my brief play-by-play of the 10K:

Wake up: "Oh, thank God I didn't oversleep.  Plenty of time for oatmeal and water while getting dressed and ready to go.   Now, just to meet up with big sis, and we're good to go!"

On the bus: "This is so exciting!   Everyone is so friendly.  The Baymax outfit idea was genius!  I've gotten some laughs out of it already.  This is awesome!"

Waiting in our corral: "Okay I've peed several times now, I should be good to go.  Look, the other corrals are starting.  I'm glad we're not going to have to wait long to start or I might have to pee again.  We'll be off and running in no time."

Start line:  "This is it!  I'm either really excited or I still need to pee.  Probably just excitement.  I have the best big sister; she's been awesome to motivate me to do this.  This is going to be so much fun!  I hope I see Tiana.  Oh, here we go!!!"

Mile 1: "I knew I should have peed again; oh well, I'll know better for tomorrow's race.  We're still in the front end of the pack.  Oh, look; Anna and Elsa are waving at us.  Of course we need a selfie! And another at the mile marker sign.  This is awesome, and I'm making decent time."

Mile 2: "Look at all the fun costumes.  I don't know which is better the cross-dressing men or the human Dinglehopper.  I love Disney.  I love Disney fanatics.  I'm definitely doing this again.  Just not pregnant.  I'll be faster then and have more time to stop with characters.  Mile 2 complete; time for a selfie."

Mile 3: "Is that a contraction?  Yep.  Definitely a contraction.  Just take it easy.  Big sister has been so good about walking with me when I need it.  She's the best cheerleader.  Contraction's stopped now.  We can run again.  Ooo, another mile marker!  Selfie time!"

Mile 4:  "I think I'm gonna need to pee again soon.  At least I know I'm hydrating enough, and there are real bathrooms up ahead big sis says.  She's so prepared. I didn't even look at the course map.  Oh my goodness; is that Epcot?!  Woot, woot!  Oh, look at the funny men on stilts.  Yes, I agree I should get two medals; no, I didn't have to pay two entry fees.  Okay, enough of the preggo jokes, smile for the camera boys.  Now we're officially in Epcot.  I feel like the fact that we're actually in Disney just sunk in.  Awe, look at the sunrise.  More pictures.  I'm glad big sis brought her camera.  This is why she's the older sibling."

                                                                             

Mile 5:  "Awe; it's the place where we got that picture that one time with Mom; we'll take a selfie here and tag her in it later.  'Hi, Mom'.  Look it's Lumiere and Cogsworth.  No, let's not do the line.  We can just do a selfie with them in the background.  But wait, is that the Genie?!  We're totally waiting in line for him!  He's even got the Goofy hat on.  How cute!"

Mile 6:  "Wait a minute, where are we?  The Boardwalk?  Well this is a first. It's beautiful!  Oh, look!  The Epcot ball is getting bigger!  We must be close.  And I think I can hold my pee until the finish.  It's a win-win for everyone."

Finish Line: "This is all so magical.  My first Disney medal!  It's so shiny!  Yes, I need water.  Oooo, and Powerade.  Yummy, snack boxes.  Now just to tackle tomorrow, and I'll get two more shiny medals!  There's J and Monkey with their cute motivational signs!  Oh, look, port-potties.  Yay."    

The Half Marathon
     The Half Marathon was a different animal altogether.  It was my second morning getting up at 0230, and since we went to Chef Mickey's for dinner the night before, I didn't get the early bedtime I was counting on, so I was tired.  Physically, though, I felt good.  As we loaded the buses, the mental game began.  Most of it was baby-related; my biggest fear was that I'd somehow induce labor and ruin not only the vacation, but my son's arrival.  I began to hint to my sister that she could leave me behind at any point should I get too far behind, to which she responded, "Enough.  None of that this morning.  We're doing this, and it's going to be fun.  No negativity this morning."  God bless her for that!  We got to the race check-in, and after ensuring we emptied our bladders at least 3 times each (neither one of us wanted a repeat of the 10K, where we stood in line for 15 minutes for the only porta-potty at mile 1, only to be cut by a fellow "princess") we then preceded to the corrals.  We were in corral F for this race, and I believe that is what saved us from the balloon ladies this time.

Wake up: "Oh sweet mother of all that is holy and good in this world it is too early to be awake...again.  Is that my nephew I hear crying in the next room?  Poor baby.  Better text big sis to let her know I'm up.  Gotta get dressed; gotta get going.  Let me make sure I hydrate.  Two water bottles should be good for this morning.  Fill up the Camelbak again.  Grab the oatmeal.  Okay, let's do this thing!"

On the bus: "Everyone looks tired.  Maybe it's just me.  Maybe I should warn big sis of how I'm feeling this morning.  I just feel off.  I don't want her getting swept because of me.  She can totally leave me behind.  She's a rockstar; if we see the balloon ladies, she could probably take off and still have time to stop for pictures and such.  Okay, she's right; I need to get my head right.  No more negativity.  Game plan time.  Okay, so if we see the princes, the villains, the pirates, or Tiana I definitely want to stop.  Big sis wants to stop if we see Mrs. Incredible.  Sounds like a plan. Oh, we're here."

Corral:  "Big sis is right, we don't need to rush to get to our corral quite so early.  Time for pictures!  Okay, let's head out now; but first let's pee... a few times.  Holy crap, the corals are super far away.  Does this mile hike to the start count towards the 13.1 mile?  It should.  Okay, coral F.  Here we are.  Just a little warm up stretch and one more pee break, and we should be good."

Start Line: "This is it.  Awe, look at the fireworks!  I'm loving this!  I can do this. I did half this distance yesterday, and I've done a half before.   No; I wasn't pregnant, but that's okay.  I'll just be a bit slower.  Look the princess behind me is pregnant too.  She says she's 5 months.  That's cool.  I wish I was 5 months, and not 8.  Oh well.  Oh, selfie?  Sure thing, big sis.    And we're off!"

Mile 1:  "Alright; we've got this.  This is gonna be great!  Look, more cross-dressing princesses.  Those guys are hilarious.  Wait, what?  Mile marker one?  That was quick!  Oh, yeah, no pee break to slow us down this time."

 Mile 2:  "ARE THOSE THE PRINCES?! Yes, we have to stop now, not on the way back.  That line is nothing!  Oh, Prince Eric called big sis 'Ariel' and me 'Sea Witch'.  Guess he got the costumes.  Yay, we can scratch those guys off our list.  Now to find the pirates and/or the villains."

Mile 3:  "Oh, look the Children Miracle Network Balloon.  Omg, is that the sign for Magic Kingdom already?  Man, this race is flying by.  Why does big sis not seem surprised.  Oh, yeah, she read the map.  I really should have done that.  Next time.  Oh, mile marker 3 selfie? Of course!"

Mile 4: "OMG is that Jack and Sally?!  I LOVE Nightmare Before Christmas!!!  Please, big sis can we stop?  Sweet!  Highlight of the race.  Hey, guess what; we're halfway through the Glass Slipper Challenge.  I'm so getting that medal."

Mile 5:  "Wait a minute; this place seems familiar.  We're right outside of Magic Kingdom, right?  Oh, this tunnel thingy doesn't look too good.  It's super crowded.  I'm just gonna go to the far left, up on this taller area so hopefully no one runs into me.  Whew, glad that's over.  Now onto Magic Kingdom."

Mile 6: "My brain feels foggy.  Big sis says stop and take a picture.  Why?  Oh, look the castle!  Wait a minute, that must be what she was taking a picture of.  I feel so slow.  Tomorrowland? How did we get here?  Oh, look Anna and Elsa again.  Wait a second.  This is the castle.  Oh my gosh.  We're here.  We did it!"

Mile 7:  "Okay, we made it to the castle.  Now, what?  No seriously.  That DJ guy on the side of the road said there's nothing out here but trees and suirrels.  So we're almost done now, right?  What mile is this?  There's the mile marker up ahead.  7?  That means we're only halfway through.  Seriously.  Those villains better be around here somewhere."

Mile 8:  "I've been too quiet.  Big sis looks worried.  I swear I'm okay.  Just tired.  I think I'm done.  Only 5 miles left.  I can make it to Epcot.  Wait, what did she just say?  The Incredibles are up ahead?  Run; go get in line;  I'll catch up.  Yay for a stop. I'll just stretch a bit while we wait, and then I'll feel better."

Mile 9:  "Nope, there's nothing out here.  That guy was right.  Just some random guys from the Bachelor.  I hate that show.  No, big sis, I don't mind skipping them at all.  The sooner we get to Epcot, the better.  Hey, look a port-potty behind that med tent with NO LINE.  That's worth stopping for.  That poor lady working the med tent.  Her eyes got as big as saucers when I ran up.  No, I don't need your help, just your porta-potty."

Mile 10:  "Overpasses?  I don't remember anyone saying anything about overpasses.  Thank God big sis suggested we walk up them and run down them.  We must be going pretty slow.  There are more walkers now, and fewer people are using the running etiquette.  It's hot.  I'm gonna start elbowing people out of my way.  No, your whole party of 4 does not need to run side by side.  Stop glaring at me when I call "on your left". Mile 10's done?  Oh, thank God!  Big sis says it's just a 5k from here.  I'll pretend that's good news.  She's trying so hard to get me through this.  On the bright side, the overpass gave me a glimpse of all the people behind us.  There are hundreds!  No balloon ladies in sight." 

Mile 11:  "My Camelbak is empty.  I have to pee again.  My hips hurt; my hips have never hurt before.  My knees hurt.  My feet hurt.  Big sis is trying to pace me, but I can barely do much more than an undignified shuffling waddle.  I'm coming, big sis.  I swear.  She says Epcot is close.  I'm starting to question her definition of 'close'.  Oh, look.  Wildlife."

Mile 12:  "Okay, I can do this. Only this mile and the next, and I get my medal.  I get to sit down.  I'll get to eat.   I see the giant ball.  We're almost there.  Almost there, almost there, people 'round here think I'm crazy, but I don't care.  I love Disney music.  I do love Disney.  This part just sucks.  What? The coachmen?  Okay, humor her and take a picture.  You owe her that much for getting you through this."

Mile 13:  "Okay, we're in Epcot.  No balloon ladies can get me now.  I'm just ready to be done.   No, I don't want to stop for any more pictures.  I shouldn't think like that.  She hasn't asked for much, and she's pretty much carried my slow ass through this.  Okay, we'll stop.  No, I will not stand in line for the Fairy Godmother.  I hate Cinderella.  I'm just ready to be at the end.  Great.  I have to pee again.  No; no stopping; we're so close.  I can hold it."

Finish line:  "Oh my God, has anything ever looked so beautiful?!  No one can judge me for these tears.  I did it.  I didn't think I'd make it, but I just finished 19.3 miles at 8 months pregnant.  Lord, my body hurts.  Thank you volunteer with water, God bless you lady with the Powerade.  You, ma'am, with the medals; you are my favorite.  Oh, look at that; ports-potties!  I'm in heaven."

It wasn't until I got back to the hotel that I actually got excited about what I'd just done, and that's when I decided I liked pictures after all.

 So, here is what I did, and what I'd do differently:

What I Did to Prepare
aka A List of Awesome Blog Links that I Read (and Should Have Re-Read) Before the Races

• Princess Half Marathon Survival Guide---This one is at the top of the list for a reason; this girl goes through several "episodes" that tackle different aspects of the race weekend. I linked it to Episode V, because it's all about the Glass Slipper Challenge.  
• Rundisney princess half marathon tips
• runDisney Tips
• Don't Fear the Sweeper
• Of course, as with any race, make sure you train!  I will admit that I did not train like I should have.  Between work and pregnancy I was doing well to get 6 miles under my belt.  I've run a half marathon 3 times now, one official and two during training, but I could feel how unprepared I was by about mile 8 of the half, so make sure you train!
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!!!  Especially since you'll be traveling and all that jazz, it's easy to let your body get dehydrated, and you'll definitely feel it on the course.

What I'd do Differently
After this race, there will definitely be a "next time", but here's what I learned from this one:

• Not be pregnant: for obvious reasons. 
• Get more rest:  The night before the 10K, everyone was in bed by 7, which meant 0230 wasn't so bad.  The night before the half, however, we went to eat at Chef Mickey's and even though we had an early dinner reservation, between the dinner itself and transportation back to our resort, we ended up not going to bed like I planned.  That made Sunday morning's 0230 wake up call a pain.  So heed my warning, don't make dinner reservations the night before, just go to bed.
• Bring your own camera:  My sister and I took turns bringing a small, hand-held camera with us to the races, but we didn't rely on them, thinking "Oh, Marathonfoto has us covered".  Wrong!  Although Marathonfoto did get several candid shots of us running, I was missing all but one character photo from the races when they uploaded our pictures.  This meant I had to spend several hours digging through the "unidentified" pictures, hoping to find one of me with my favorite characters without much luck.  So next time, we'll be more willing to have the photographer or another princess in line snap one or two on our personal camera as well.  I did hear a rumor (from my awesome Disney-savvy sister) that they may be doing away with Marathonfoto and be using the Disney photographers so that all you'll have to do is scan your Magic Band.  Fingers crossed that it's true.
• Stop more:  My sister and I had great start placements for both races, which meant we had a ton of cushion, even with my slowed pace.  I did not realize just how much cushion we had, however, which meant I was less willing to jump into the character lines for snapshots, but it's runDisney! That's kinda the whole point, right?  Next time I'll try to remember that.
• Pee before the race:  This is something I got wrong on the 10K, which meant I wasted time in line for a porta-potty at mile one.  No fun!  
• Post-race take it easy:  After the race weekend we spent 5 consecutive days at the parks, and although it was fun, by day 3 I was exhausted.  I think having a "relax by the pool day" would be a good thing to add.
• Have a designated area picked out ahead of time for our families to watch for us:  This is a must!  The night before my sister was trying to explain to my husband where to be and what time to be there, because I just didn't think about it.  Bless his heart, even though he tried to be there at the finish line for me at the 10K, he was stepping off of the Disney bus from our resort to come see me just as he got the text message that I was crossing the finish line.  This meant I saw him right after the race, but he didn't get to see me finish.  Next time, we'll have a game plan.   This sort of bleeds into my next point...
• Pay more attention to the race maps:  There were so many times I looked around Magic Kingdom in the days following the race, and thought "Wait, I think we ran past here".  I think if I would have looked at the maps a bit more, I would have been more aware of my surroundings.  But that brings me to my final point:
• Take it all in:  You're in Disney for crying out loud!  Look around.  Absorb the magic.  After all, how often are you going to see the sunrise in Epcot?  Or get to see characters like Jack and Sally, the Genie, or Lumiere and Cogsworth?  Slow down and savor it.  

Ramblings of a Pregnant Woman

     I feel like my brain is pulled in 50 different directions these days.  I can feel my mommy ADD kicking into overdrive as my mind tries to focus on any one of the following: baby, work, Disney, running, labor, J, Monkey, and the list goes on from there.  I think I get where the whole "baby brain" theory comes from; it's just a lot to think about at once.  Sometimes I wonder why baby #2 isn't a little less overwhelming to plan for, after all this isn't my first rodeo.  But then I remember that it has been about seven years since I've gone through all of this with Monkey.  And I wasn't working.  That's a bit of a game-changer.  It's not a bad thing though;  thankfully I have a career I love which makes being away from home easier.  It also makes me more aware of how I spend my time when I am home.  Soaking up as much time with J and Monkey has become priority one these days.  Just yesterday we spent the day in NOLA using the membership to the Audubon institutes Monkey got for Christmas to visit the Insectarium and then the Aquarium.  We had a great time, and Monkey's grandmother even came out to meet us for the Insectarium.
     Of course, between work and my agenda to make as many memories with my little family as I can before it grows means that I've had less time for other things, like this blog.  Sometimes I think of something to write, but then I get home and can't remember a thing I wanted to say.  Oh, well.  There's that "baby brain" again.
     That being said I've finally decided to take advantage of this opportunity to hop on here as I "supervise" J and Monkey as they put together Wolverine's crib.  So, let's talk Disney.
     In July....well it actually starts long before that.  For a few years now, my sister and I have passively made comments like, "We should do a Disney run one day."  Well in July we finally bit the bullet and signed up for the Princess Glass Slipper Challenge, which is the 10K Saturday followed by a Half Marathon on Sunday.  I was pumped, thinking of how great it was to have a goal that would motivate me to pick my running back into high gear after Nursing school ended in August.  Well, of course, I found out I was expecting Little Man the week of graduation.  I'm stubborn, however, and decided I'd be one of those super badass mommas who runs up until she gives birth.  These days, however, I find myself questioning my own sanity every time I pull on my running clothes and lace up my running shoes.  My pace, which was a decent 9'30" pace back in July, has plummeted to barely-qualifying to not get swept.  Monkey is faster than me these days.  I feel like I am working so hard to move so slow.  I get winded.  I get heart burn.  I get cramps.  I get thirsty, and boy do I get hungry!  But you know what else I get?  I get a rush of pride from knowing that I'm still getting out there.  Yes, I look like this guy:



But when I finish even a one-miler, I feel like this:

     That being said, the upcoming race still has me nervous, but what would a race be if it didn't get my heart going?   I've even decided to embrace the extra girth around my middle by forgoing the typical princess route and dressing up as this voluptuous baddie for the half:

     Meanwhile, my sister will be going as the little mermaid herself.  I'll be sure to get plenty of pictures for sharing later.  It's less than a month away.  Eeeeek!!!

     Well, I think I've rambled enough, and J's almost finished with the crib, so let me wrap this up with  a recipe.

Chicken Pot Pie
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp celery seed
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
 2/3 cup milk
2-9" unbaked pie crusts (I use Pillsbury)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery.  Add enough water to cover and boil for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat, drain, set aside.

In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent.  Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed.  Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk.  Simmer over medium-low heat until thick.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Spread bottom pie crust in pie plate (or if you're like me and don't have a pie plate, an 8x8 baking dish should work). Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust.

Pour hot liquid mixture over top.

Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough.  Make several slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.

Cool for 10 minutes, then serve.  

     Enjoy!  It may not look the prettiest, but it's become a house favorite, as it's so yummy and filling.

Race You to the Castle

     My poor little neglected blog needs a bit of an update.  I've been busily finishing out the last bit of Nursing school, and as a result I've been adjusting to the life of a "real nurse".  The schedule is not the typical 9-5 I've been used to, with twelve  hour days 3-4 times a week, and it's taken some getting used to.  Poor J has had a time trying to navigate this blog for various recipes, and I've had one too many nights where I've come home to a disaster in the kitchen with a note on the table saying, "The kitchen's a mess; don't judge me".  It's all a learning experience though, and I think we will make it out of nursing school alive after all... I hope.

     In my down time I've still been cooking as always, and of course I have a recipe in store for y'all, but in the meantime I am super excited to announce that my sister and I will be participating in the  2016 Glass Slipper Challenge :-D  This is a runDisney event that consists of the Disney Princess Enchanted 10K and the Disney Princess Half Marathon.  Ultimately it's a Disney fanatic/insane runner's dream come true, and I'm going !    

     This is coming at a good time because the heat has me needing some motivation to run.  I've recently begun a weight training program by Jamie Eason, but I miss running.  With school ending soon, I'll have fewer excuses to not get out there.  Now I get to have fun picking which princess I want to be for a day :-)  

     Now I think I owe y'all at least two recipes since this poor blog has been so neglected lately. 

     

Baked Oatmeal

Adapted from The 36th Avenue

3 cups old fashioned oats  

1½ cups brown sugar 

5½ cups milk 

½ cup peanut butter 

3 eggs, beaten 

1 cup walnuts 
1 cup dark chocolate chips 

In a large pot, combine oats, milk, brown sugar, peanut butter, and eggs. Mix well and simmer over medium heat, stirring regularly, 20 minutes or until thickened. Once mixture is thick, stir in raisins. Pour into greased 9x13 inch pan and top with chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until oatmeal is set. Let stand 5 minutes. Serve warm; top with milk or additional brown sugar if desired.

This made for a yummy breakfast for dinner meal.  That is, for everyone except Monkey, who has found peanut butter personally offensive for some reason.  Oh well, you can't please everyone.  This next one had a much better reception from all parties.   

Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry with Asparagus 

From Cooking Classy

1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into 1-inch pieces

• 4 1/2 tsp canola oil, divided
• 1 lb asparagus, end portions trimmed and remainder diced into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced into thin strips
• 8 oz button mushrooms, sliced*
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, then more for garnish if desired
• 1 Tbsp peeled and finely grated fresh ginger 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• In a 12-inch non-stick wok (or large and deep non-stick skillet), heat 1 1/2 tsp canola oil over moderately high heat. Once oil is hot, add diced chicken and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté until cooked through, tossing occasionally, about 6 to 7 minutes. Pour chicken onto a large plate and set aside.
• Return wok to burner, reduce to medium-high heat, add remaining 1 Tbsp canola oil. Once oil is hot, add asparagus, yellow onion and mushrooms, and red pepper flakes and sauté until tender-crisp, about 4 - 5 minutes, adding in garlic and ginger during the last 1 minute of sautéing. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl (or in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup) whisk together chicken broth, soy sauce, honey and cornstarch until well blended. 
• Pour chicken broth mixture into skillet with veggies, season with salt and pepper to taste, and bring mixture to a light boil, stirring constantly. Allow mixture to gently boil, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 1 1/2 minutes. Toss chicken into mixture and serve warm over white or brown rice, sprinkled with additional red pepper flakes if desired (note that this is best served immediately as the liquids from the veggies will begin to break down and thin the sauce).

    

I'm Never Running Again

     I am never running again!  Nope.  That's it.  I'm done.  100% complete.  No mas.  And this is why:  You know those people who tell you once you've faced your fear, you can accomplish anything?  They lied!  Tonight I faced my fear.  I looked him straight in his scaly little face, and I ran in the other direction.  Literally.  I hauled butt and didn't look back.  I'm calling BS to that whole "face your fears" adage.

   
     So what happened?  Well tonight while I was just running along, pushing Monkey in her stroller, about to complete my third mile when I happened to glance down, and out of the corner of my eye I saw a stick.  Keep in mind I don't have contacts anymore; I lost my last one.  So now I'm sporting glasses, and my peripheral vision is pretty much non-existent.  So all I saw when I glanced down was a stick.  A squiggly stick.  And I thought to myself, "I probably shouldn't run over this stick because Monkey was already complaining about too many bumps earlier".  So I swerved, barely missing the squiggly stick with the front tire of my jogging stroller by about 2 inches, and that's when my "squiggly stick" reared back and hissed at me!  Immediately I took off running at a pace I haven't managed in months, and in my mind all I could think was, "HOLY SHIT!  Holy Shit! That was a snake!  Not a stick!  A snake!  OMG!  We almost died!  I almost died because of a stupid squiggly stick that was really a snake!!!  Holy CRAP!  Is he chasing me?  I'm pretty sure he's chasing me!   OMG! I'm being chase by a squiggly, hissing stick!!!  Is this what adrenaline feels like?  So, right now my adrenal medulla is secreting epinephrine and norepinephrine, and that's what's causing the increased BP and increased heart rate, and this is what it feels like?  This is so cool. "  Then the panicked side came back.  "OMG! You nerd! Stop reviewing what you learned in Anatomy and RUN!!  Knees up.  Knees up! Knees UP!!!  OMG!  Why am I cold?  It's 100+ degrees out here, and I'm cold.  Oh, cool so is this what they mean by you have ice in your veins?  Omg!  If you don't shut up nerd and get your knees up that snake is going to get us!  CURSE YOU DEMON SNAKE!!!"

     Needles to say I didn't stop running until I made it safely back to the sidewalks next to my subdivision.  Even then, my eyes were still darting from side to side, scanning for the demon spawn of Hell.  Being on the sidewalk was little comfort, considering my little run-in didn't happen in the woods or when I was running through the recently torn down subdivision where the grass is unruly and hasn't been cut in a month.  Where did all this encounter take place, you ask?  On the newly paved asphalt sidewalk they created specifically for runners, the one that is near the woods, yes, but they mow it and trim it at least once a week.  That's where Mr. Demon snake decided to hang out.  With half his body on the sidewalk someone had just run past!  So that whole "they're more afraid of you than you are of them?"  Yeah, I'm calling bullshit on that one too!

Dear Reader,
    The Bored Navy Wife is currently suffering from a mental breakdown after our little adventure this evening, so she's going to go lie down now.  In a nice dark room.  Under some covers.  For a week.  In the meantime, I think it's safe to say that you won't have to suffer through another annoying attempt at a "motivational" blog about running for a long time.  You're welcome.

Sincerely,
The Demon Snake
aka "The Squiggly Stick"

P.S.  Here's a recipe:


Remember when I went back to the Eubanks Farm in Lucedale?  Well I got some yummy summer crops, and I'd like to share a few of the things I did with them.

First I sliced and pickled the jalapeños, using the same recipe I did when I pickled banana peppers.

 Next, using the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving, I made Canned Tomatoes. *I don't have a formal ingredients list for this.  Because I was working in such small batch to save space, I lost count of how much I used.*

Start by gathering your jars (I used pint-sized).  Wash and dry them.  Heat jars and lids and lids in a saucepot of simmering water.  Do not boil lids.  Allow jars and lids to remain in hot water until ready for use, removing one at a time as needed.  (Or to save time and space, run them all through the dishwasher with the steam-dry option.)

Fill water bath canner half-full with hot water.  Elevate rack in canner.  Cover with lid.  Heat water to a simmer.  Keep water hot until used for processing.

Use fresh tomatoes at their peak of quality and flavor.  Use firm tomatoes free of cracks, spots and growths.  Prepare only enough for one canner lad at a time.  Wash tomatoes; drain.

Bring a large pot of water to boil, and have a large bowl of ice water ready.  Add tomatoes to boiling water, and blanch 30-60 seconds, or until skins start to crack.  Remove from boiling water and dip immediately into ice water.

Slip off the skins; trim away any green areas, and cut out core.  Leave tomatoes whole or cute into halves or quarters.

Place tomatoes in a large saucepot, adding just enough water to to cover.  Boil gently 5 minutes.

Begin removing canning jars from hot water (or dishwasher), set jar on towel-lined counter.  Add 1/4 tsp citric acid or 1 TBS lemon juice to each pint jar. (If using quart jars, simply double the amounts).

Carefully pack tomatoes into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Ladle boiling water (leftover from when you boiled the tomatoes) over the tomatoes.  Add 1/2 tsp salt to each pint jar (again, double for quart jars), if desired.

Slide a nonmetallic spatula between tomatoes and jar; press back gently on tomatoes to release trapped air bubbles.  Repeat procedure 2-3 times around inside of jar.

Wipe rim and threads of jar with a clean, damp cloth.  Remove lid from the hot water (or dishwasher).  Place lid on jar, and screw the band down evenly, just until resistance is met.  "Fingertip tight".

Set all the full jars onto the elevated rack in the water bath canner.  Lower the rack in canner.  Water level must cover the lids on the jars by 1-2 inches.  Add boiling water if necessary.  Put lid on canner.  Bring water to boil.  Process pint jars for 40 minutes (quart jars for 45 minutes).

When time's up turn off heat, remove lid.  Let canner cool 5 minutes, then remove jars and place on a dry towel to cool, about 1-2 inches apart.  Let cool 12-24 hours.  Check seal by pressing on the cent of each lid and listening for the "pop".  If not sealed properly reprocess the can.  Store jars in a cool, dry place.




After that, I made Tomato Sauce, again using the Ball Blue Book.

To make 14 pints or 7 quarts, you'll need:
45 lbs tomatoes
Ball Citric Acid or lemon juice

Wash tomatoes; drain.  Remove core and blossom ends.  Cut into quarters; simmer 20 minutes in a large sauce pot, stirring occasionally.  Puree tomatoes in a food processor.  Strain puree to remove seeds and peels.  Cook pulp in a large, uncovered sauce pot over medium-high heat until sauce thickens, stirring to prevent sticking.

 Reduce volume by 1/2.  Add 1/4 tsp citric acid or 1 TBS lemon juice to each pint jar (double for quart jars).  Ladle hot sauce into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Adjust two-piece lids. Process pints 35 minutes in water bath (quarts 40 minutes).

Ta-da!

And because Monkey has been on a Lilo and Stitch kick lately, I couldn't help but think of this clip tonight.