Like that Beastie Boys Song: CRAFTY - part 2

So the Easter Craftiness updates continue...



Except that I wanted to show you how well some of my wheat grass DIDN'T work out...Here's the one I showed you earlier this moth. And perhaps you thought I was pretty nifty.
You've already heard about the eggs.

Because I thought growing wheat grass would be a spectacular idea (after my friend Erin grew some with her son, and Marie laid it out in Make & Takes).

So some of it worked!
(Special thanks to my *Friendter Christie for watering my plants whilst we were gallivanting in Maui. They ALL would've been dead had it not been for her careful attention...I have learned some containers just work better than others.)

Stage one...

Starting to Grow!

Stage two:

Not to shabby!

But more of it did not...

Exhibit A: Pathetic

Exhibit B: Pathetic-er

Exhibit C: Pathetic-ist

I hope you enjoy laughing at my hardships.

Do over:

Here I am, starting fresh - not for Easter Baskets, but for my Juice Tiger...
and the Weekly World News Garth Brooks Juice Diet.

You may not have time, but I think it's worth the 5:49 seconds...

*Friend + Renter = Friendter

Crafty: Eggs-elent

So I am not a crafty person. My friend Marie, super crafty (with a fancy-schmancy blog to prove it.) But Me? Not so much, though I do enjoy finding natural ways to do thing...

The fake dyes, plastics, additives, preservatives? They're everywhere and they make me nervous. Easter is no exception.

I know, remember Easter? It seems so long ago, but I wanted to share a few details on our "projects."

First, the Natural Egg Dying Experiment:

Egg dying was a tradition at the Suite household I always looked forward to around Easter time. And I wanted to make sure that Holden had this same opportunity for creative expression, and though I'm aware that PAAS is non-toxic, I knew there had to be another alternative.

So we started with these:

And then tried this:

That was spinach...and here's the carrot juice:

The beet juice worked the best! Option One:Option Two:

I also used coffee grinds with water which made for an interesting outcome.

We ended up primarily with shades of pink, and some coffee grinds that look like I forgot to wash the dirt off of the eggs before I used them.

Some closeups:

But truth be told, I loved this experiment! Even though the green didn't come close to working and the orange didn't fare much better; it was a good time and one that Holden will take more of an active role in next year (albeit a more creative and messier role.)

We'll use white eggs and take a few lessons from here too.

The Pacifier

No, not Vin Diesel (was that the star of that show?) But Holden... he never really took to a binky, pacifier... whatever you call it.

I was grateful, for a few reasons (thankfully, he has not shown signs of being a thumb sucker either.) But recently he discovered one (a pacifier) in his toy box. Hilarity ensues...(ok, maybe not hilarity, but definitely tipping the scale of serious cuteness.)

Finally Getting a Pair...

You know that expression "grow a pair?"

Me neither, because I'm buying some...shoes that is. Well, if you can call these shoes.


I ordered them online tonight.

I tried on a pair about a month ago (my cousin turned me on to them), but wasn't quite ready to fork over the cash. But Friday night I had decided that Saturday was indeed a special day, and I'd make the big purchase before my Saturday run.

But the barefoot universe had something else in mind...Apparently these suckers are all the rage because EVERYONE WAS SOLD OUT.

Seriously?

The Salt Lake Running Store? Sold Out.
REI? Sold Out.
Even St. George Running? You guessed it, sold out.

And apparently the company can't make them fast enough to keep up with demand (gah!). They all told me to keep checking back, but that they weren't expecting a big shipment until this summer.

Thank goodness for the world wide intrawebs (Al Gore, I salute your efforts.)

I found a pair...And there were only seven left in a size 37 on the Vibram website. Scratch that... there are now only six pairs left.


The journey continues...

I know why I got injuried

So yesterday I mentioned I got injured while running this weekend. I don't know how, but I understand the why:

Barefoot Ted says:

"Barefoot running is not about blocking or pushing through pain, or at least it shouldn't be. Rather it is about tuning-in to your own body's highly sophisticated set of integrated awareness systems, systems that communicate through feelings and senses that are being collected in real-time as you move."

When my foot signaled "Something's not right," instead of stopping, I thought, "I have two more miles to go."

I didn't listen to my feet.
I didn't listen to my body.
I tried to push through the pain.

In yoga, we practice 'ahimsa' or non-harming. Some people think it's all about not harming animals, and thus you naturally get a lot of vegetarian yogis. But it's also about not harming ourselves.

I didn't practice ahimsa on Saturday at mile four of my run, and I am paying for it. My ego got in the way.

Ah experience is such a strong teacher.

Chicken Little and Other Weekend Adventures

This weekend I...

1. had a moment of covetousness when my "cousins" showed me their urban chickens. (Soooo awesome!)
2. was surprised to hear Holden say 'chicken' and also 'cat.'
3. injured my foot (barefoot) running...(yeah, I know you're not surprised to hear it. No I did not step on glass or anything like that; it just started hurting at mile 4 on yesterday's jog. I don't really 'get' it. maybe I'll share details later.)
4. but, was pleased to discover that Holden really enjoys a hockey game.
5. worked in the yard cultivating the soil (ha! I was really just weeding and adding 'Bumper Crop') AND planted the strawberries
   
6. attended "Earth Jam" at liberty park...had hummus, and cheese pizza.
   
7. ate way too many cookies at Emily P's dinner party.
   

What a blessed weekend.


Some pictures to peruse:

FIRST: THE GRIZZLEY'S HOCKEY GAME
(Friday Night)

Holden in the Zion's Suite... the kids loves a Hockey Game

Holden's new friend in the suite...Little Bits was trying to get a hold of concierge for more food, but apparently didn't understand you 'call for food' not 'eat the phone'...

Mmmmm, delicious.

What a great Friday night... the fam loungin' on the couch inside the ECenter Suite
(I'm sure it was between periods)

Holden's "Friend" took this picture:
I think he did an excellent job for only being a 4yo

Our photographer

The boys...

View from the Top

SECOND: Visiting the Davis's Chickens.
(Saturday Afternoon)
They are so awesome! (The Davis's AND their urban chickens!)


Holden was interested, but not sure if he was ready to 'pet' them... yet. Apparently they seemed way more unpredictable than say, dogs....

He liked looking at this one. I can only assume because it was inside a house.


Scoping things out.

"Come pet the chicken, Holden."


Hmmm, not so sure about this adventure.


Getting braver...

getting even braver with Mom's help

Self discovery

Danny volunteered to take the picture. (Holden was much braver with the chicks than the Man of our House. So here we are with Ian and Katie and a few of the delightful birds.

PART THREEL Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Sunday Afternoon

The last couple of shots are of Holden and his friend Luke (and Luke's Dad's hand in this one.) Taking a little break from the excitement from the dinner party at the Poulsander's to finish off a perfect weekend. I ate waaaay to0 many of her chocolate mint cookies. I told her I didn't want the recipe, but only because it would be dangerous if I had them easily available... The food was awesome and she and Boyd were tremendous hosts.

Thanks Friends, SLC and tremendous weather.

Earth Day Action.

Happy Earth Day All! First off, Salt Lakers: We'll see you at Earth Jam this weekend!

We are getting our Green On at the Mangum household. In honor of April 22nd, I've listed 22 Things You can do (and we're trying to do) to save the planet:

1. Eat leftovers (and find easy ways to Eat Green...no it's not just about "organic").
2. Switch to energy saving light bulbs.
3. Remember your canvas bags (at Costco too!)
4. Plant a garden - or just some herbs in a pot.
5. Cook more (using real food is even better! See #12)
6. Visit iTunes. No seriously, if you haven't made the switch already - move from CDs to digital music (this has been a big one for me! I know: I'm so stuck in the 90s sometimes)
7. Eat less meat.
8. When you do eat meat, opt for the organic variety.
   
9. Turn off the lights.
   
10. Steer clear of microwave popcorn bags - their packages often feature grease-repellent coatings containing harmful PFCs.
11. Ditch the harsh chemicals in commercially manufactured cleaning products and use eco-friendly products like vinegar and baking soda to clean.
12. Eat real foods in their natural states (skip the packaged & processed whenever possible)
13. Change your credit card and bank statements to the online variety.
14. Breastfeed (or encourage your wife to do so). And I out of all people, know this one can be harder for some than others... but if you have the resources "Breast is Best."
15. EC ... or, if that sounds too crazy, just let your baby go diaper free once in a while. (It's 'suppose' to be warming up...get outside and get that babe in his birthday suit!)
    
16. Fix leaks in plumbing, faucets, etc
17. Skip the dry cleaners to avoid the toxic solvent "perc" and make your own starch to iron shirts, etc.
18. Change your mode of transportation: carpool, try out public transportation or better yet, bike!
19. Become a responsible fish eater.
20. Buy local (it's almost Farmer's Market Time!)
21. Use cloth napkins. They can be added to laundry you're already doing, and they'll make dinner feel fancier...even if you're just having pizza or a casserole.
    
22. Visit the Library. I love books as I have confessed before. But the library is a much greener option than buying...and while you're there, it wouldn't hurt to check out a few books on living Gorgeously Green!

PS. What are you doing to celebrate Earth Day/Save the Planet?

I Looked Out the Window & What Did I See?

Definitely popcorn popping, but this is our plumb tree... I missed the opportunity to take a picture of the apricot tree, again... but trust me, it was brilliant.


So this is not my kid, but I think it's worth checking out.






This week in preparation for Earth Day, Holden and I spent some time working on and in the yard:

• Weeding the first patch of official garden space that will house the tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers
  
• Visiting Western Gardens for organic Bumper Crop, organic fertilizer, seeds, seeds ( and more seeds) and some help with the Wasp problem (While this is the year I make peace with the Bees, I am not so open-hearted with the wasps and hornets)
• Checked out about 25 lbs worth of Library Books (ok, 12 I think?) with titles like "Composting," "Organic Gardening" and "The Complete Herb Book." I will not be reading most of them cover to cover; but I am already learning so much.
  

So welcome spring. We're hoping you'll stay a while!

Just in case you don't know the words to sing along:

I looked at the window and what did I see?
Popcorn popping on the apricot tree.
Spring has brought me such a nice surprise!
Popcorn popping right before my eyes.

I can take an armful and make a treat
a popcorn ball that would smell so sweet.
It wasn't really so, but it seemed to me
Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree.


Happy Earth Day Tomorrow!

I WON! I WON!

In honor of this weekend's Salt Lake Marathon, another post on running:

So I have never been a good runner. Even when I was clocking 20 miles a week apres college, it was usually on a treadmill and only lasted a summer. (Then the bone spur and the knee problems resurfaced.)

In junior high, when I was on the track team (there were no 'cuts,' obviously... you just had to show up), but I was labeled a "sprinter" in the loosest sense of the word. I didn't have the endurance for distance running, so I did the sprints. But I was never fast enough to win anything.

Which is why I am pleased to announce that I won my first 10k! OK, well I actually just won my division (the barefoot division, of course)...ok, well, technically I was the ONLY ONE in my division, and technically it wasn't even a sanctioned division... but it's a win nonetheless (don't steal my thunder. You have your own blog... let me set up a false sense of spectacularness on my home page, um'kay?)

So the truth is, I 'did' my first 10k in almost 10 years last weekend (April 10th ...It was down in St. George), and I was the ONLY runner without shoes?!?!

Which kind of surprised me. After all those blogs and barefoot websites I've been reading; not to mention the waiting list for 'Born to Run' at the library, it seemed that there would be a lot more people going shoeless. So you can imagine how shocked I was to discover that EVERYONE WAS IN RUNNING SHOES?!?!? (Ha!)

(The feet after the Race: I thought they'd be dirtier)

Here's what I came up with (socks for half the race; barefoot the other half):

What I wore for about 1/2 the race

What I wore on the other foot

During the race, I got a few comments from the sidelines and fellow runners "WHERE ARE YOUR SHOES?" And "Why are you barefoot?!?!" At one point, on the final hill and the last mile & 1/2 of the race, I passed a group of three guys who obviously went out way too fast in the beginning.

As I plodded past them, they groaned: "Oh we're getting passed by a girl." Which was a pretty ridiculous comment: more than 1/2 the race participants were female, and I was jogging at a 10:30-pace so most of the estrogen had whooshed passed them long ago. But I kept going up the hill, and hear more groans: "And she's NOT even wearing shoes!"

As most racers will tell you, the best part of the race is the finish, of course... I didn't take last, which was a good feeling (the pace I started at had me the back of the pack for about the first 3 miles.) But I felt great the whole time (minus a minor side ache). No knee problems, no heel trauma. It's nice to run pain free.

At the finish line, a winner from the 5k division (that had made 'where are your shoes?' comment) handed me his divisional prize: a $15 gift certificate for the St. George Running Center towards a pair of ....RUNNING SHOES.

After Race hair, After Race Face but with my 'prize'

PS. Did I mention Danny ran the race too and beat me by a full 8 minutes! He probably could've been faster, but his shoes were obviously weighing him down...

This post is dedicated to the Tiger killer Bree, who successfully completed her first marathon this weekend (so proud of you friend!), and to all my friends who run... you're inspiring!

He speaks for the trees!

With Earth Day fast approaching (HUZZAH!), I thought I might share a little Mangum tradition that takes place every year on April 22nd. Well actually, we just started this tradition last year, but it's such a good one, it's as if we've been doing it for ages...

So what is this magical annual tradition, you wonder?

We read this:

"I'm the Lorax who speaks for the trees
which you seem to be chopping as fast as you please."
From The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss

Why The Lorax you say?
Because it's eco-conscious in so many ways!
From the trees and birds and fish in the water,
it's 'GREEN awareness' for mothers and their daughters.
But the tale's also a warning for dads and for sons,
For it helps us understand the value of one.

From the Library you can find this delightful book,
Check it out, read it over, give it a look.
You may be surprised how delightful it can be,
To learn from the Lorax about planet responsibility!

Ummmm, yeah...that was my best attempt at Seussical prose.

But seriously, I love this book. We did in fact check it out of the Library (a very green thing to do as well), and we've already read it (I couldn't wait until Earth Day, the book is too powerful!) And we'll continue to read it.

You don't have to get all caught up in the battle of industrialized society verses the plight of the Environmental movement.... yada yada yada. You really can just enjoy it on it's simplest and purest level (though the symbolism is pretty hard miss.)

In the interest of full disclosure, I am not afraid to admit I cry almost every time I read the book's warning. (I also have been known to shed a few tears when I read Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are," but for different reasons.)

So snag a copy for yourself and your loved ones, and then go hug a tree (better yet, plant one.)

And for continued fun & games (literally), check out the Lorax's Website at Seussville.com.

DG's Bumble Bee Bash (this Friday Night!)

No, not Delta Gamma... Discovery Gateway! aka The Children's Museum.
Their big fund raiser THE BUMBLEBEE BASH (a night of make-BEElieve) is this Friday night! So if you are a lover of the museum, or just looking for an excuse to check it out, the event promises NOT to disappoint.

The museum will be closed, open only to event participants, which means Holden can play in the Grocery Store's Meat Locker in peace...(ah, taste the antibodies and immunity just growing in my child!)
You can come for the regular gems of the museum:

Holden likes the blocks, and riding in the car, and playing in the water with friends (Sophie is pictured below).
But besides the two floors of fun (have you seen the full size helicopter?!?!?) there's going to be a puppet and magic show, face painting and I even read something about a 'Bumble Bee Antennae Workshop.' I'm not sure what that is, but Holden and I will definitely be checking it out.

Food Sponsors include Biaggi's, CPK, Rico, Granato's, Acme Burger and more.

As you may know, DG is a family affair for the Suites (and Mangums). My Dad is Chairman of their Board, my husband sits on the board and their Executive Committee, AND ALL the grandchildren love the place. We try to get to Discovery Gateway at least a couple of times a month (usually it's more than that.) Here are some pictures of Holden's and his adventures at DG. So yes, this is a shameless plug in the truest sense of the word.

You can RSVP/get tickets here; or contact Cindy Hottes directly at 801.456.5437 (x115). We'll see you there!