A Sunnier Version of Sweden

It's that time of year again, when we race toward the last day on the calendar and begin turning our thoughts to the opportunities that lie ahead when we flip the page. As I have for many years, I've been noodling on my goals and challenges to lay out for the next twelve months. I managed to finish almost all of the to-do's I laid out for 2018, and I continue to love the sense of accomplishment that comes with achieving these goals! I did, however, also place enough stress on myself with the recipe-per-week resolution that I'm rethinking the level of commitment I'm willing to make for resolutions in 2019. To that end, here is my plan for the last year of this decade: Improve my Spanish. I've already checked out some CDs from the library and I plan to listen to them while I get ready in the morning! I also have a Playaway audio book that I can use in the car, so Caroline and I may work on this one together on the morning ride to school. Learn and memorize a n...

Not all of my adventures happen a long way from home; Wisconsin has an incredible variety of things to do, and when the weather is nice, Sconnies take advantage of it by planning countless outdoor activities, races, and challenges to attempt. As part of my New Year's resolution to complete four endurance events, I looked for ideas beyond my regular marathon and triathlon endeavors. Long distance bike rides have been a part of my training plans for several years, and I really enjoy cycling as both a workout and an enjoyable way to be outside! Several years ago, I rode in the Tour de Cure in NW Arkansas with friends from work, completing the metric century (100k) distance not long after I completed my first half iron distance triathlon. Googling endurance events in Wisconsin, I found the Door County Century Ride , a long standing event in the beautiful thumb of Wisconsin. I signed up well in advance, as 2018 was the 40th anniversary and it sounded like something I definitely wanted...

Several years ago, I set a goal of running a marathon in each of the 50 states. At the time, I could count all of my 26.2 accomplishments on one hand, but that didn't deter me! Dream big, go all in, shoot for the stars, all of that... as part of writing my bucket list down , I gathered a list of goals audacious and modest, outlandish and realistic. After several years of ticking state after state off the list, I think this goal is somewhere in between the extremes. It's been fun and miserable, depending on the day and the race, but each one has brought its own sense of accomplishment, which ultimately is why I keep doing it! Mr. Lincoln at the Expo! This past spring I completed the first of my endurance events for the year, laid out in my New Year's resolutions for 2018 . Shauna and I had chosen the Illinois Marathon on April 28th as a somewhat in-between spot, and trained through the winter to be ready to go. Mary joined us, too, and Whitney came in from St. Louis t...

Here it is Labor Day weekend, and I'm going strong with my cooking one new recipe each week! I'm not sure anyone is more surprised than I am that I've been able to keep up with this resolution, but here we are in week 39 and I've definitely earned the title of "capable cook!" What I realized as I sat down to write about my last few weeks is that I've also developed the habit of assuming there is a recipe out there for whatever it is I'd like to make, and turning to cookbooks or a couple of my favorite internet sites to find it. New recipes and defaulting to homemade have become a way of thinking for me when it comes to food, and that has been fantastic! As I've made my way through the summer, I haven't kept up with all of the blog posts for my cooking escapades, but I have at least captured each of them on my New Year's Resolution list . With a little bit of extra time on my hands this Labor Day, here are the last three weeks' worth o...

While I'm on track for my New Year's Resolution to make one new recipe per week, I've fallen a bit behind in keeping my blog updated. As much as I love to write, there are so many things that demand my time, it tends to sit on the back burner until I either find a quick moment, or put it on my to do list and force the issue with myself! When it comes down to it, though, I write for fun and for enjoyment, and maybe to keep my family or friends up to date if/when the visit the blog. In the spirit of "this shouldn't be a task to dread," I'm going to catch up on all of my cooking in one fell swoop, with pictures and reviews galore! When I last left you, I had made main courses, desserts, and a couple of sides. There continues to be no rhyme or reason, no pattern to the recipes I choose, other than 1) they sound like something my family would enjoy and 2) they fit into the time available for the week at hand! Week 13 definitely came down to time availabl...