My Running Career

 I am trying to get myself motivated and back into running regularly. In my brain, I really want to do it. In the mornings when I should be getting up and running.....I don't want to do it. So, I thought maybe I could try a little self-motivation by re-living my past running career.   (....not sure if it can really be called a career, though!)

Previous to meeting Jason, I tried running all of about one time. I never thought I could run, and never really tried. When I shared an apartment with Brittany, she tried to get me into running, although I'm not sure if she was really into running herself. We tried to do something similar to what is called fartlek training, where we basically did intervals of walk/run/walk/run/etc., each for the same amount of minutes. I think we did it together maybe two times. I guess we weren't that motivated, and were horrible running partners in that we didn't hold each other accountable to our plan.

When I met Jason, he would go running at night for 2-5 miles, or more. He ran alone, he ran with other people, and he would run from one end of town to the other, stop at McDonalds for a burger, and run back. I thought he enjoyed running. And, as a good girlfriend should do, I thought I should try to learn to run so that we could do that activity together. You know, the romantic work-outs together, running together, all that lovey-dovey stuff. (I'm actually not sure how getting all grungy and sweaty is romantic, but maybe that's just me.)

The very first time I tried running with Jason, I about died. And then I was highly disappointed to find out that I hadn't even run a quarter of a mile! Ha! I guess a few of my excuses could be: I had never run before, besides what was necessary for chasing cows growing up and that had been a few years past at that point. I was out of shape. And, I was running at an elevation of 6,000 feet - a bit higher of an elevation than I was born and raised at, for sure!

I tried running with Jason a few more times, but usually ended up just walking after dying at the first quarter mile, and Jason would run on and do his loop. And, wherever he met me on his loop back, he would then stop and walk with me a bit before going on and finishing his run. And I walked.

Apparently at some point, I started making a more concentrated effort to run. It was after we were married, and I believe after we got Gunther. And, I had decided that I really wanted to do this running thing. In August of 2013, I decided I needed more motivation so I signed up for my first 5k. And, it was only about 2 weeks away.  I remember taking Gunther for a walk to the park after work every night and, when we got to the park, I would make laps around the lake. It started out as, "Just make it part-way around the lake." Then it was, "Make it the full circle." I kept setting higher goals for myself with the intention of reaching the full 3.2 miles before my scheduled 5k. I almost made it with my training, and I participated in my first running event ever.

I consider myself to be a very slow runner, and I completed my first 5k in a bit more than 30 minutes. I didn't quite make it in running the entire course; I got shin splints at some point and decided to walk for a bit. But, I did run the majority of the course, and I finished it! Quite an accomplishment that I was kind of proud of!

After that first race, I continued to run and tried to improve. I invested in a pair of minimalist running shoes, and tried to get tips on how to run better, or more correctly. Jason had continued his own running, but it was determined that we could not run together. I couldn't run as fast as he, and he just wanted to be able to do his own thing. We would still go out together sometimes, but we both ran at our own paces.

At some point, he decided that he wanted to try and run the 2014 Army Ten Miler that is held in Washington D.C. every fall. We started trying to increase our mileage on our runs, and were doing pretty good at it. We made a very concentrated effort to make it into the sign-ups when they opened the online registration (it usually sells out within an hour or so after registration becomes available), and thankfully were successful. Since Jason's availability at that time could change at a moments notice, I invited my sister-in-law, Katelyn, to be a back-up runner in case Jason couldn't be there. She trained steadily through-out the summer, but I think she was a little relieved when we found out for certain that Jason would be able to go.

The month before the Army Ten Miler (ATM), I again signed up for, and ran, the annual Freedom 5k in which I had made my running debut. It was a lot easier the second time! And then, Jason and I traveled across the country to run the ATM.

This was pretty much the one and only time that Jason and I have literally run together for any length of time, or distance. There were thousands of runners and Jason did not want to leave me in the dust, so he slowed his pace to match mine, for the most part. We discovered that after running 6-8 miles regularly at 6,000 feet, running at sea-level feels like a piece of cake! It was actually a pretty refreshing run! Jason did end up with shin-splints once or twice, so we did a little bit of walking. But, whenever we would encounter a runner that was a single, or double, amputee, or a blind runner, Jason would say, "I think we can run." Seeing men and women running despite those sorts of challenges was definitely motivating, and made us realize we had no excuses. Jason and I both finished the race, although I don't remember our run times; they weren't amazing, but we weren't the last to finish!

After running the Army Ten Miler, I think Jason and I both kind of fell off the running train. Neither of us did any runs in 2015 or 2016. In the spring of 2017, something motivated me to start running again. It was slow going, as I was now running with a dog and a stroller. Jason tried to get back into running, too, but we did not run together which was nothing out of the ordinary. To help keep us motivated, we decided to sign up for the local 5k Color Run in June.

[ Before... ....After

For this color run, we alternated running and walking a LOT. Neither one of us was ready for running a full 5k. We sometimes ran together, we took turns pushing the buggy, and we did a lot of walking together. We did cross the finish line together, and there is a picture out there somewhere that the photographer got of our finish. I need to see if I can find it. Our run/walk time wasn't great, but we got out and did it. And that's what counted.

Later that summer, I convinced Brittany to sign up for a fall race with me for when we were going to be in Wyoming. Brittany, having not run since I don't know when, decided to start training for our race and found that she could already run a 5k no problem. So, she said we needed to do the 10k portion of the race so that she would have a challenge. I agreed. And, I decided to sign up for a 10k in our own town the very weekend before the race in Wyoming. I did pretty good with my training, even with a stroller and a dog. I also convinced a friend here in Kansas to run the 10k here with me. And she hadn't run since she, and her husband, had done the 5k Color Run with us! I'm not sure how much training she did, but it wasn't a lot. Yet, she only walked maybe 5-10% of the 10k; she was running right beside me the rest of the time. I was impressed! (Jason had signed up for the 5k portion, and willingly took Little Pumpkin in the stroller so that I could run stroller-free.)

As it turned out, there were only four women in our age group that ran the 10k, and my run time made third place! I was a bit shocked!

I also experienced my first bloody toes on this run. I've heard stories of people losing toenails after big races, but had never experienced any such injuries myself. I didn't lose any toenails, though. Just bloody toes from I'm not quite sure what.

After my 10k in Kansas, we headed out to Wyoming for Jason to go hunting, and for me to run a 10k with Brittany. At 6,000 feet again. After living back at sea level for several months.

The weather in Wyoming was completely different from the weather in Kansas. It was COLD the morning of the run. Brittany's mom, Sheryl, gladly kept Little Pumpkin that morning, as the running trail was NOT conducive to running with stroller. Britt and I are not on the same running page at all (seriously, who can just get up off the couch and run a 5k with no problem?), so we did not run together. She ran her pace - which was fast, and I ran mine - which was slow and steady wins the race, little turtle. She finished well ahead of me, and actually placed in her age group, although neither one of us kept track of our running time. I will say that running at that elevation again was a little bit brutal, and I begrudged the agreement to run a 10k a few times. But, I made it with minimal walking, and I was glad I did it.

It was after the two back-to-back 10k runs, I believe, that I found a 5k in November that I invited Jason's family to do with me. Jason's mom, Christine, was the only one that was willing to join me. (I don't remember why Jason didn't do this race.) She has never run, that I am aware of, but was game to walk the 5k with Little Pumpkin and I. It was a largely attended race - bigger than most of the others I have done - and I think it was a good experience for both of us.

It wasn't terribly cold, but cool enough to use the stroller cover and blankets to keep Little Pumpkin warm. She (Little Pumpkin) slept through most of the walk, as was her usual pattern. Christine and I took turns pushing the stroller and finished the race in about 45 minutes, if I remember correctly. We each got a participation medal, but didn't place for any times, of course. It was just a good 5k experience, at least for me. I don't think I ever heard what Christine thought of her first 5k experience.

At some point that fall, I discovered a New Years Eve fun night run in Virginia when I was going to be visiting family for New Years. I extended a running invitation to my entire family, which garnered a little bit of interest, and signed up to run with my sister and sister-in-law, Katie and Katelyn. Katie had never run before, but was interested in trying it. Katelyn had done some running before, so she was excited with the idea. I believe they may have trained together a bit, too.

Once again, it was freezing cold; even colder than it was in Wyoming for the 10k. I wore many more layers, and we had to keep on the move while waiting for the race to start. It was pretty much dark when the race started (which is the whole point of a glow run!), and we all ran at our own pace. Katelyn was, of course, the fastest. (I think her height gives her a bit of an advantage.) Katie also did well at running faster than I, and they both passed me on their return while I was still hoofing it towards the turn-around. I'm a slow runner, what can I say. My goal with all my races is to not be the last person crossing the finish line, and so far I have succeeded! I don't remember what all of our run times were, but I believe this may have been my fastest time yet. The cold may have been a bit of a motivator....or maybe I was improving. None of us placed with our times, though, and that was OK. We all had fun, and I think we all said we'd try other races in the future.

Since that cold, New Years Eve 5k, I have slacked off the running program. I am a bit of a fair weather runner. And, I don't adhere to a good running schedule all the time. I did go for a short run with my nephew, Sam, when he was here visiting in August. But outside of that, I have not run at all this year. And I have recently been having the urge to run.

Since our jogging stroller has had one too many run-in's with the Jeep and the garage wall, it is not the funnest to go running with. And, Little Pumpkin is not as content to sit in the stroller for as long of walks as she used to be. So I have been telling myself that I need to change up what was my former routine. Instead of going running in the later morning or early evening with a dog and stroller, I need to get up early in the morning and go running with just Gunther. He's got plenty of energy that needs to be used, not to mention his "bulking up" that he's done over the past year. However, getting up and out of bed early in the morning is not my natural tendency, though if I can make it a habit it is not too terribly bad. I just haven't started forging that habit yet. So I have been looking at some upcoming races and, just tonight, I started looking at my past race photos for motivation. And, as a result, I decided to sit down and chronicle them all out for you! Not sure if it's going to help motivate me, especially since it is now after 2am and I had great intentions of getting up and going running early in the morning.....

So how about you? How would you motivate yourself to do something that you want to do, but yet are finding it hard to actually do?

Why Don't We Talk About It?

 Have you ever noticed that there are certain things in life that we just don't talk about?

Maybe it's just me, and the general public circles that I grew up around, but it seems as though there are certain things that just aren't shared. Ever. Even though they are fairly common experiences that pretty much everyone deals with at some point in their life. Yet those topics, and any experience related to them, are rarely discussed. It's almost like they are taboo. And, if by chance the topic is brought up, it is kind of in a "hush-hush, don't tell anyone" manner, and it is a very short, surface-level conversation that is quickly moved on to another "non-taboo" topic. Why? Why don't we talk about it?

Currently, the topic on my mind is miscarriages. Why don't we talk about them? Why are they kept secret, as if they are something shameful? Why don't we share about them? Just because we don't talk about them doesn't mean they don't happen, or keep them from happening.

I know.

I know because I recently had a miscarriage. And I knew next to nothing about it because I have never heard anyone talk about it, even though I would guess that a large portion of the women I have known have also experienced a miscarriage. I was told that one in three pregnancies ends in a miscarriage, so it's not something extremely rare. How is it, then, that most people are quick to share their experience with carrying a baby to term - sometimes even the nitty-gritty details that you really didn't care to hear - yet nothing is ever shared about experiencing a miscarriage? Why don't we talk about it?

It wasn't that long ago that I realized I was pregnant. And, I had just recently told Jason that Little Pumpkin might have a sibling sometime next year. I finally went to the doctor's office to start the preliminary stuff to establish myself as a patient on a Tuesday. The very next evening, while I was at work, the miscarriage started. And, I was at a bit of a loss as to what I should do.

Was there something that I needed to do? Do I have to call the doctor? What should I expect to happen so that I would know if something else is going wrong? Do I need to go to the hospital? And, how do I know for sure that I had miscarried? Because I have never heard anyone talk about it. Ever. I honestly didn't quite know what to do.

In the weeks prior to that Wednesday evening, I experienced random sharp pains occasionally, but nothing that caused me to be overly concerned. When I had a few other minor, random things happen, I did Google "how to tell if you're having a miscarriage." I read a few articles from WebMD, a few articles on pregnancy and parenting websites, and some discussion forums on similar websites. While there was some helpful information on there, there really wasn't a ton such that I knew what to expect when it happened. The few things I read that seemed helpful basically said: unless you're bleeding more than "x" amount an hour, you may, or may not, be having a miscarriage; and, if you pass tissue then you probably had a miscarriage. The two small bits of information about miscarriages that I could barely remember actually hearing is that they are most common within the first 8-12 weeks of pregnancy. And, that you have to take a special trip to the doctor afterwards. But it's kept "hush-hush" so that no one knows, of course.

While I was reading things on Google, the procedure "D & C" was mentioned more than once. And, that you could be completely knocked out, as opposed to just local anesthesia, for such a procedure. That piece of information conjured up in my mind that I had heard a rumor at some point in my life that a procedure has to be done after a miscarriage. Whether that memory was accurate, or not, I have no idea. But, when I was trying to figure out what to do in the midst of the miscarriage, that thought was in the back of my mind.

On Wednesday evening, when blood seemed to be gushing uncontrollably, I was 99.9% sure I was having a miscarriage. My first thought was to try and control the bleeding so that I didn't leave a puddle on the floor. Not an easy task. Second, I needed to be able to leave work, even if just for a bit to get supplies and a change of clothes, but I didn't know if I needed to go to the hospital, or not. One of the things I had read earlier on Google was that if you passed tissue, you needed to call your doctor. While trying to manage everything that I had going on, I Googled, "how to tell the difference between tissue and blood clots." I really had no idea. And the only information garnered from the search was: tissue is gray. Well, that's helpful! With the mess I was dealing with, how I was supposed to be able to tell if something was gray? There really wasn't a lot of concrete information that I could find.

After calling Jason, and finding someone to come relieve me at work as soon as they could get there, I called the doctor's office. Because I really had no idea what I needed to do, if anything. When the on-call doctor returned my phone-call, one of the things he asked was, "Have you passed any tissue?" Well, I didn't really know; everything was kind of a big mess. The doctor highly recommended going to the Emergency Room as soon as possible so they could see exactly what was going on, and see if they needed to try and control the bleeding.

After I was able to leave work, I went home to change and talk to Jason.

I was in very minimal pain. Yes, I was bleeding a lot, but did I really need to go to the E.R.? Could I just wait out the process at home? But, I was also wondering if you had to have that "D & C" procedure (dilation and curettage) after a miscarriage. If so, is that why I should go to the E.R.? Poor Jason - he knew even less than I did about any of this stuff, and, if I went to the E.R., he was wondering if he should go along. I told him it was completely up to him; I wasn't going to tell him he had to go, but I wasn't going to tell him he couldn't go. I honestly didn't know what normal protocol would be in this situation. However, if I did have to have this "procedure" because I miscarried, I didn't know if I would be able to drive myself home. On the other hand, I did not want to take Little Pumpkin into the E.R. with us, so if he was going to accompany me, we needed to figure out what to do with her.

Little Pumpkin was already in bed by the time I got home, and Jason decided to see if his Mom would come stay with her. I went ahead to the emergency room, still wondering if it was really necessary for me to go. By the time Jason was able to come, they had me in a room and were doing a sonogram, and five different people had asked me the same set of questions that included, "Have you passed any tissue?" I still didn't know, and I still didn't know how I was supposed to know. And, no one tried to explain to me how I was supposed to know.

After they finished with the sonogram, I really had to use the facilities. I procured the little sample in a cup that they requested (you know what I'm talking about), and was finishing my visit when that tissue that everyone had been asking about came through. It was obvious. So obvious that if it had happened prior to being at the hospital, I still would have known what had happened. It was at that point that I told Jason I was 100% sure there was no little sibling for Pumpkin, and I began to question even more if I really had to have come to the E.R.

The nurse practitioner came in and said the sonogram confirmed what I already knew, gave me some restrictions (no hot-tubs, no soaking baths, etc.), and said to make an appointment with my doctor. And I went home. There was no special procedure that had to be done just because I had miscarried, there was nothing they did besides take a sonogram and a lot of blood-work, and there was nothing I could have done any differently prior to going to the E.R.

So did I really have to go?

I had an appointment two days later with my doctor, and I asked her, "Do you have to go to the hospital, or the doctors office, when you are having a miscarriage?" I also told her that I really had no idea what to expect when it started happening. She herself said that it is really unfortunate that we don't talk about miscarriages. That for some reason society has placed a negative stigma around miscarriages as if they are something to be ashamed of; to be kept a secret. Yet miscarriages are common, and are typically the result of a chromosomal abnormality in which the baby cannot survive. She also told me that it is not required to go to the hospital when you are miscarrying. As with most things, if you use common sense and know to take action if something doesn't feel right, you are in a lot of pain, the bleeding doesn't slow down, etc., then you can take care of yourself at home and notify your doctor when the office is open. And that D & C procedure? It is only done if there are complications with the miscarriage that make it necessary. Every miscarriage does not require a procedure.

Throughout this whole experience, I felt like I learned first-hand a lot of things that I could have already known. And, I wish I had known all of those things. I think it would have taken away some of the uncertainty of "what should I do?" A few days later, I sat down and talked to Jason about it.

About how I wish I had known more going into that experience instead of doing it blind. That I was pretty certain other people that I know have experienced a miscarriage. Yet I've never heard a word about miscarriages besides those one or two rumors that I had caught wind of at some point in my life.

I realize that having a miscarriage is a difficult thing to have happen. It can be devastating. It is something that needs to be processed, and grieved. That was a little baby that you were carrying that you will never get to see, or hold, in this lifetime. But why do we feel that it needs to be kept a secret? Why do we not share with each other so we can be supportive, grieve together, and be there for others in that process? Why do we not share so that others know better of what to expect, watch for, and how to handle the situation if it ever happens to them?

I will state again that I know that having a miscarriage is an emotionally difficult experience. I also know that people handle things differently, and grieve and process in different ways. I guess, however, that I wish it was not such a taboo subject in that it is hardly ever talked about. People are fairly quick these days to announce their pregnancies. And, people are becoming more and more open (and descriptive) in sharing their birthing stories. Yet I never hear anyone sharing about a miscarriage. I think some people would say, "It is a private, personal thing. My little baby, that I so desperately longed for, died, and I will never get to see or hold him/her." I get that; grieving a loss is personal. But when a fully grown baby, or an adult passes away, it is rarely kept a secret. I would also go so far as to say that it's usually publicized for all the world to know that someone has passed away. Yet for that tiny, little baby that God created, and then took home to be with Him, it seems we feel as though we need to keep it a secret. Why?

As I stated earlier, maybe it is just the social circles that I grew up in, and am currently around. Maybe there is a population out there that shares just as openly about their miscarriage experience as they do their birthing stories. I don't know. But, I do know that I don't want to harbor it as a deep, dark, shameful secret that no one can ever find out. Yes, it is sad. Yes, it is a grieving process that I'm still trying to figure out. Yes, it was, and is, a very personal experience that I, or actually we, are still navigating. But that little baby was our baby. It was a sibling, a niece, or nephew, and a grandchild. And, for whatever reason, God took our little child home when they were only 4-6 weeks along.

I'm not wanting us to become desensitized to, or to celebrate, miscarriages. But, I find it kind of sad, and frustrating, that it is not something we feel that we can talk about. I personally don't want to continue the shameful, or negative, stigma surrounding miscarriage by keeping it a secret. And, maybe by sharing about my experience with a miscarriage I can help someone else that might experience it, too.

*The information contained in this post is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, prevention, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician, or other qualified health provider, with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice, or delay in seeking it, because of something you have read on this website.*

Recipes: Week 23

 Hello folks! I'm trying this week to get things ready for my Wednesday Recipe Reviews post ahead of time, instead of being late! Since I did not keep a good written record of all the recipes I have made over the past few months, I am just going to be putting them up in the order they are in my photo folder. So, I can't guarantee that the next few posts will contain a wide variety of each of the food groups! To start this week's recipes, we have...

Breakfast Burritos

This recipe is actually my very own made-up recipe that I just threw together a lot for freezer food. I would make a large batch, freeze them, and then pack them in Jason's lunch. When Jason's parents visited a few years ago, I was making a batch and his mom wrote down the recipe. She then included it in Jason's cookbook that she put together for him. When I made this recipe, I did fudge a little bit and used bacon instead of sausage, and added salt and pepper. (Just using what I had on hand!)

The Honest Review: Jason LOVES breakfast burritos, and I quite enjoy them, too. Little Pumpkin doesn't like eggs, so....she hasn't given this recipe a good try yet. When I used to make and freeze these breakfast burritos, Jason would eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner some days. He really does like them! I do think that they are better with sausage, but the bacon worked out OK. Another alteration to the recipe that I do is to add shredded cheddar cheese, and some salsa, when putting the burritos together. It just adds that finishing touch to the recipe! The burritos really do freeze well, and are easy to eat on the road, too, so it's a handy food to have in the freezer. This recipe is staying in our collection.

Mom's Buttermilk Biscuits

Here is another one of my old, cut-out, Taste of Home recipes. A few months ago, when I was going through the recipes, I read the authors description of the recipe on the front and happened to notice their name. As it turns out, she lived in Laramie, WY and I am certain I have met the lady! How crazy is that? Anyways, I was excited to try this new recipe to see if it could top my biscuit recipe from last week.

The Honest Review: Sad to say, I was a little bit disappointed with this recipe. The biscuits did not turn out light and fluffy for me. They were a bit dry and crumbly, dense, and just did not impress me. We all ate them, but we all agreed that they were not as good as last week's biscuits. This recipe is tossed from our collection.

Barbecued Hamburger

This recipe comes from my personal cookbook; as you can see there's an additional handwritten note on there. I believe this recipe was always used for Sloppy Joes when I was a kid. And, I think having Sloppy Joes was a bit of a treat at home! Any time I have mentioned making Sloppy Joes to Jason, he always scrunches up his nose and says he never really liked them as a kid; that he had to eat them too much. (Which is kind of funny, because his Mom says she hardly ever made Sloppy Joes!) I honestly didn't figure Jason would like this recipe, because it contains ingredients that he is opposed to: catsup, vinegar, and mustard. I went ahead and made my old-fashioned Sloppy Joes anyway, and added the optional Pork and Beans because that's the way we had it at home.

The Honest Review: I really enjoy this recipe, especially with my home-made hamburger buns! And, Little Pumpkin ate it well, too. Jason said it was "OK," but remarked again that he doesn't really care for Sloppy Joes. I think he did have the suggestion to leave out the Pork and Beans, as he thought that made it a bit weird. Since he wasn't strictly opposed to the recipe, I will probably try it again without them. And, since the rest of us enjoyed the recipe, I'm keeping it! This recipe is staying in our collection.

Burrito Casserole

This is another recipe from Jason's cookbook. Jason said he didn't really remember having this as a kid, but that he is getting up there in years and his memory doesn't work very well! Ha! Since we like burritos, I thought the idea of the recipe might work out. I do believe that I bought a package of taco seasoning for this recipe instead of using my home-made taco seasoning mix.

[caption id="attachment_427" align="aligncenter" width="667"] (It did not turn out very picturesque.)[/caption]

The Honest Review: This recipe did not turn out like I thought it might. While it didn't taste bad, it didn't taste....like anything, really. It also turned out a bit soggy, or soupy, which I don't think was quite right. We all ate it, but Jason said it would be fine to not make this recipe again. But, if I did make it again, to try adding more flavor, and try rolling it into burritos before baking instead of layering it. He later added, "I'm not really a casserole person; maybe just make regular burritos." This recipe is tossed from our collection.

Kool-Aid Icicles

Jason was so excited at the idea of sharing popsicles with Little Pumpkin this summer, and wanted me to buy some every time I went grocery shopping. I tried making some other popsicle recipes that did not impress him at all, and I finally got out the popsicle recipe from my youth. These are pretty much the only popsicles I ever remember eating as a kid. And they were a treat! When I went to make them, Jason picked out Black Cherry for the flavor (blech! I don't really care for black cherry flavor). And, I was a bit shocked at how much sugar it required. However, in trying to make Jason some home-made popsicles that he might like, and to continue trying recipes, I made them per the recipe.

The Honest Review: Jason said that these were much more palatable than the previous popsicles I had made! He and Little Pumpkin quite enjoyed them together. I tried them and was surprised that the Black Cherry flavor wasn't as bad as I remembered. Considering the ingredients in this recipe, I don't think I will make them a lot. I would still like to find a healthier, home-made option that Jason will enjoy. But, for a treat, I do like this recipe. This recipe is staying in our collection.

Even though Jason said that these home-made popsicles were good, they just weren't the same as the orange creamsicle popsicle that he loved as a kid. And, could I please just buy some orange creamsicle popsicles! He eventually found, and bought, a giant box of orange creamsicle popsicles, but he said they weren't the same brand and kind that he remembered from his childhood. He still enjoyed them to the fullest, though!

Well, that wraps up this week's recipes from earlier this summer! It appears that we had a lot of burrito-type foods during this time. What is your favorite type of burrito? Or, would you rather have Sloppy Joes?

Corn Maze Adventures

 Jason has wanted to go to a corn maze for a few years now. I remember the fall before Little Pumpkin was born, we attempted to go to a corn maze in Colorado with our friends, Shaun and Tiffany. That was supposed to be a haunted corn maze, and I was a bit relieved that it was closed when we arrived. (We obviously did not research and plan that trip very well!) Since then, I believe the topic of doing a corn maze has come up every single fall. We finally made it out to a non-haunted corn maze this past Saturday. I was surprised to find out that Jason had never actually done a corn maze. Not that I had ever done one, but I just assumed that he had been to corn mazes at other times in his life. So it was a first for all three of us!

Gieringers Family Orchard and Berry Farm is south of Kansas City, and I discovered them last year when I heard of their u-pick strawberry patch. We have been fortunate to be able to partake of almost all of their seasonal fruits - strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, peaches, sweet corn, tomatoes - but had never been to any of their fall events.

Little Pumpkin did a fair amount of walking through the corn maze- more than we expected!

When the little lady was tired of walking, she got a piggy-back ride that she thoroughly enjoyed!

 

After having a drought this summer, there has been a ton of rain this fall to the point of flooding in some places. Thankfully it wasn't too muddy this weekend, although the ground was still spongy, and a little muddy in some areas.

Thanks to Jason's extensive reading throughout his life, he was pretty sure he knew the key to getting through the maze without getting lost: pick one side to follow and stick to it. We followed his suggestion and it worked! We did not have to do any back-tracking, never got lost, and made it out in decent time. Although, with the corn being so short this year, I don't think you could get too desperately lost!

After the corn maze, it was time to check out all of the other activities Gieringer's provided: a combine slide, a truck slide, barrel rolling, and more. We chose two of the events that Little Pumpkin could enjoy the most.

The inflatable pumpkin bounce! She really likes to jump, or bounce, these days so this was a lot of fun for her.

We even convinced Jason to join us on the pumpkin bounce, which made it all the more fun for Little Pumpkin!

And the giant corn pit. I told Jason that this activity kind of goes against farm safety rules, but it was not very deep.

She spent a fair amount of time filling, and dumping, the buckets with corn. Since it was getting closer to closing time, and we still had a few more things we wanted to do, we had to move on....

....to their pumpkin donuts!!! Gieringer's makes, and sells, seasonally flavored cake donuts throughout the summer. We have tried their strawberry and blueberry donuts, so of course we had to try the pumpkin! I think the pumpkin donut was my personal favorite of the year, and Little Pumpkin definitely did not disapprove!

On our way back to the parking lot, we stopped to take a picture with the sunflowers. Sadly, they were past their prime, and were drooping (not to mention we have had a couple hard frosts already), so I did not get the beautiful, full-bloom sunflower pictures that I had wanted.

Our last stop was the pumpkin patch! I had really wanted to get a nice picture of Little Pumpkin with a pumpkin. (Cliche, I know!) But, we were too late in the season. They still had a lot of nice pumpkins, but the leaves and vines were all dead, so not a very pretty picture.

We still took some pictures, but the little lady is in the phase of "don't smile for the camera."

All in all, our first experience with a fall corn maze and pumpkin patch event was pretty successful. Little Pumpkin quite enjoyed the outing, loved the pumpkin donuts, and got lots of exercise! Jason and I both enjoyed the break from a slightly rough week, and it was a lot of fun to do something all together.

What fall-type activities have you done, or would like to do? And, what is your method for not getting lost in a maze?

Recipes: Week 22

 I know it's been quite a while since I did a recipe post, and technically I believe this would be week 25 of new recipes. But, since I didn't "number" my recipe posts from when we had company, and my Monster Cookie review post, this is post #22. I do have loads of recipes from all those weeks that I have been lax in sharing them. And, I have kept a pretty good pictorial record of all the recipes, but not a good written record. So, to try and get back into the groove of things, allow me to recall recipes that I made weeks ago! They include...

Plain Pancakes

I think this is the pancake recipe that we used at home growing up. Actually, I don't know if that is correct, now that I think about it; I just always assumed it was Mom's recipe! Maybe Sally can tell us where the recipe hails from, as it has her helpful hints at the bottom.

The Honest Review: I really like these pancakes, personally. Jason and Little Pumpkin like them, too, but Jason will tell you that waffles are better than pancakes any day. So he eats, and enjoys, pancakes whenever I make them, but he would rather have waffles. This here recipe, though, I have followed Sally's helpful hint several times, and every single time they turn out different. Sometimes they are really thick, fluffy pancakes, and other times they are thinner, fluffy pancakes. (Maybe I goof and put in too much baking powder those times that they really fluff up!) I do believe that the times when I haven't followed Sally's method, the pancakes are denser and flatter. The whipping of the egg whites really does make a difference! Either way, they are a good, plain pancake recipe that I enjoy. This recipe is staying in our collection.

Buttermilk Biscuits

I love biscuits. In years past, I used to eat way too many of them whenever they were available. I particularly like warm, light, fluffy biscuits that you can just pull gently apart, and they break evenly through the middle. Add some butter, or good jelly, and it is one of my favorite things! I had this recipe in my old manila folder and decided to give it a try one day.

The Honest Review: These biscuits turned out AMAZING!! I could not believe how light they were, and the flavor was great, and we all really enjoyed them. They literally did pull gently apart, splitting down the middle most of the time, and tasted wonderful plain or with butter and jelly. I just could not get enough of these biscuits, and believe they have topped all the other biscuit recipes I have ever made! They are my new favorite biscuit!! I highly recommend trying them! One hint I will share: every time that I have made this recipe, I did sift the dry ingredients together. I feel like that may play a part in their light texture. This recipe is staying in our collection.

Pig's in a Blanket

I grew up having Pig's in a Blanket as a somewhat rare, but well-enjoyed meal. The biscuit dough was always home-made, and it was always a treat! Pig's in a Blanket is somewhat of a comfort meal for me - about like home-made macaroni and cheese. Actually, having those two together would be the ultimate comfort food meal for me!! I decided to make some Pig's in a Blanket at the same time that I made the new Buttermilk Biscuit recipe above. So you know at least the biscuit part turned out OK!

The Honest Review: I LOVE Pig's in a Blanket! And this batch with the new biscuit recipe was no exception! Little Pumpkin doesn't really care to eat the "blanket" on the hot-dogs, and just eats the hot-dog. After making these a few times this summer, I have learned that Jason doesn't really care for hot-dogs. If he's going to eat a hot-dog, he would prefer it grilled to a char, basically. (He also thinks that there is no difference between the cheapest hot-dog at the store, and higher quality hot-dogs....They all the same and need grilled to a char in his opinion.) All that being said, he doesn't typically complain when I make Pig's in a Blanket, but I don't think he considers them a "comfort food" like I do. He also would prefer the pop-can biscuits for Pig's in a Blanket, I think. Personally, I think this recipe is a really quick, and easy, meal, and I like using it when I am tired of cooking other food! This recipe is staying in our collection.

Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe comes out of my Betty Crocker cookbook, and it is one that Jason picked out to try this summer. We both thought it looked good, and interesting, especially with the toasted, slivered almonds! Jason quite likes Mexican-style food - tacos, fajitas, chips and salsa, burritos, you-name-it - and is always looking for good recipes in this style.

[caption id="attachment_363" align="aligncenter" width="667"] The finished product wasn't of great picture quality. Sorry![/caption]

The Honest Review: These enchiladas were pretty good. We all enjoyed them, and they had a nice flavor. The one downside was that the corn tortillas fell apart; corn tortillas always seem to crumble for me. The recipe was also fairly easy to make, which is always nice! Jason and I both thought the almonds added a nice element to the enchilada, and a nice crunch. We do want to re-try this recipe using the enchilada sauce that is available at the end of the recipe instead of the white sauce, and then determine if the recipe is staying, or being tossed from our collection. I will have to give another review on that when I make it.  Possible Alterations: Use flour tortillas

Beer Brats

This is one of Jason's recipes that was not written down anywhere, even though he has made it several times. And, he showed me how to make it. So, when I made it this last time, I wrote down the recipe to share with you. It is kind of an odd recipe for Jason to like, because he does not like beer. I asked him the other day whatever made him try it, especially since he doesn't like beer. He said that a friend made it for him one time when he was visiting, and that he really liked it. For the beer part, Jason just uses a can of cheap beer; nothing fancy. For the brats, I believe he usually just gets plain brats; not any of the spicy or flavored ones.

The Honest Review: Jason and I really enjoy this simple, and easy, recipe! It is quick to put together, tastes good, and carries all the food groups: veggies, protein, and carbs. I will say that the type of beer you use can change up the flavor a bit in the end. Whenever I am the one making it, I end up buying random bottles of micro-brew beers, just so I can try new a beer before pouring it into the pan. For this specific making of the recipe, I used an Oatmeal Porter made by Zip Line Brewing Company out of Lincoln, Nebraska. I wasn't a big fan of this beer, and I could tell that it slightly altered the flavor of the cooked brats as well. I've never really noticed that before, and we have used all different kinds of beer. If you're not wanting to taste a variety of beers when you're cooking, then just get the cheap stuff. It will still turn out good! This recipe is staying in our collection.

Gorp Trail Mix

I am not sure how my family came upon this recipe, but I remember it being made in large batches and enjoyed thoroughly! If I'm not mistaken, this trail mix was specifically made for at least one trip to Camp Maranatha when my sisters and I attended. I do know that we typically made it with these tiny, little marshmallows, and I believe miniature pretzels, too. I looked for such items around here, but couldn't find any, so I went with regular pretzels and regular mini-marshmallows. My memories of this recipe were that it was extremely good to munch on, and that it would be hard to improve upon the recipe!

[caption id="attachment_371" align="aligncenter" width="802"] Please ignore the great pink bowl that I mixed it in; it is super bright pink!!![/caption]

The Honest Review: This was an addictive trail mix to have around! It did not disappoint my memories, for the most part! Both Jason and Little Pumpkin assisted me in eating this batch of trail mix, but I confess that I may have devoured the bulk of it myself....oops! (It can give you a stomach ache, just so you know!) I did find that there were a few things that I did not quite enjoy as much anymore: the M'n'Ms, and the amount of them. And, with not having the micro-marshmallows (which you can buy at Grandma's Pantry, by the way!), it just wasn't quite the same. In light of that, I requested that my Mom bring some micro-marshmallows when she came to visit. Then, I did a re-make of this recipe using the micro-marshmallows, and my favorite chocolate, Ghirardelli Bittersweet Baking Chips. I did not change any amounts of the ingredients for this new batch. However, even with my ingredient substitution, the chocolate element was still too over-powering, in my opinion. (I must be getting old: I never thought I'd say you could have too much dark chocolate!!) So, even though I still really love this recipe, there are a few alterations I will be making to it for future batches! And, I would still highly recommend this trail mix recipe to everyone! This recipe is staying in our collection.

Well folks, that concludes my recipe trials for now. If I were to make recommendations of what all you should try making from this week, I would say: Buttermilk Biscuits, Pig's in a Blanket, and Gorp Trail Mix!

What would you want to try?