Sweethearts and Snowshoes

One of the nice things about living near mountains are all the fun winter activities involving snow. Carrie keeps an eye on new adventures for us, and recently she discovered the sweetheart snowshoe hike. It's a romantic stroll through the snow and the woods and the mountains, just you and that special person and about 14 other people. With Valentine's Day in our minds, and love in our hearts, we set out for our fun adventure.

First, we met with the rest of the group, and then took the 30 minute drive up to our trail. We started to hike up into the mountains on a trail set aside for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing (no snowmobiles allowed!). It was uphill all the way. That meant that we, who had dressed rather warmly, were already rather warm about halfway up. I even had to unzip my jacket!

Now, of course, I cannot just get off the trail and not have a little fun. Armed with her camera for proof, Carrie caught me in this most unusual of snowshoe positions.

For all of you amateurs out there, DO NOT try that at home!

Just to show you how cool she is, my sweetheart snowflake also wandered a few steps off the trail to show off her modeling skills. What do you think? You'd buy whatever she was selling, right?

Really, we had a lot of fun. We have both gone snowshoeing before, but were reminded today of how much fun it really is, and how much beauty we are surrounded by out here. We noticed the pawprints of a number of different creatures (such as ermine, snowshoe hare, kangaroo rat, deer, and then from a moose or an elk, the guide wasn't sure), saw how the snow packs up, and got a pretty good workout.

This has become an annual tradition at the local nature center. We have gone on a sweetheart snowshoe hike before, and really enjoy it a lot. We got to interact with a few other couples from the local area, but really, we got to enjoy some beautiful landscapes that God made and so few people ever get to see. What a great joy that is!

Of course, we can't help but be a little silly every once in a while. You would never guess that from this picture.

Just a couple of cool people, out for a cool stroll through the cool mountains, enjoying God's cool creation. What better way to be sweehearts together?

Tastiest Pasta Dish Ever!

It is truly amazing what you can learn reading through magazines. Some time back, I subscribed to a magazine, Runner's World, which has helped me learn a lot about being a safe, inury-free runner. With much of what I have learned in reading through this magazine, I am probably in some of the best shape of my life, fitness-wise.

But would you believe that a running magazine is not only about running? Every issue, they give a number of healthy recipes that are friendly for runners. And then, in a recent issue, they even had a number of recipes from one of the judges on the TV show "MasterChef." Following some of his ideas, I have come across what is, to me, the tastiest pasta dish ever!

I typically start out with a pound of ground beef, a small onion chopped up, and about 3-4 cloves of garlic, also chopped. I cook these together over medium heat until the beef is cooked thoroughly. Then, I add three small cans of tomato sauce (it's been really great when I have made my own tomato sauce, but that's for another post!), rinse the cans with water and add it to the mixture, along with generous sprinklings of oregano, basil, ground black pepper, and then salt to taste. At this point, I usually will add any "extras" that I want, such as chopped tomatos, mushrooms, etc. I let this mixture cook for about 4-5 minutes, mostly to let the veggies cook a bit, but also to let the flavors all mix well together.

While this is going on, I also get my pasta going. I bring my pot of water to a boil, then add my pasta about the time that I'm pouring in the tomato sauce with the meat, onion, and garlic. Most pasta recipes say to let them boil about 8-10 minutes, but I only boil mine for about 6-8. Then, using a slotted spoon or sieve, I add the pasta into the sauce to finish. (I also will add some of the starchy water, as it helps the sauce to set better and provides a bit of liquid for the pasta to finish cooking.) Let it all cook for about 2-4 more minutes, and you have some of the tastiest pasta ever!

If you really want to put this dish over the top, just add a little shredded Parmesan cheese. It'll practically knock your socks off.

One of the best things about this recipe: I usually only have two pots/pans, two spoons, a knife, and a cutting board to wash afterward!

A Day of Rest

Friday is typically my day off. It's the day where I look forward to not having to face the rigors of work. Now, working in a Christian setting doesn't mean that I take time off from being a Christian, but instead from the phone calls, the "busy" work, and other things of that nature.

So my days off tend to find me doing a number of things. Usually I have a short list of things to do around the house (vacuum, mow grass, etc), but for the most part, the day is pretty open. Lately, I have made Friday my long run day. Last week, I took an hour long run, and today involved a run of an hour and twenty minutes.

One thing I really, really try to incorporate into my day off is time to let my mind rest. I do so much that involves thinking and planning throughout the work week that my mind needs that time away. Sometimes this means a nap, and other times it means playing Nintendo, or watching a movie, or the Food Network, or some mindless thing like that.

I really recognize the need for this day in my life on a weekly basis. It's also sad that I know so many people who seem to be unable to just stop and learn how to let their minds and bodies relax. Our society seems so intent that everyone has to always be "doing something", even on a day set aside to rest.

God knew that we wear out, get sick, burn out, and other such things when we don't let our minds and bodies rest. I hope that each of you finds time to escape the rigors of work to let yourself rest, and I really hope that you find time for prayer and Bible reading on that day set aside to rest.

A Trip to the Dentist

Every year, we both make two trips to the dentist for checkups. Most of the time, the news after a visit is good. We both try to brush our teeth, gargle, and floss with regularity, which leads to good, healthy teeth. At least, most of the time.

Unfortunately, when I first opened my mouth, the dentist identified one area of concern. I had a small bump in my gum, which he didn't like. After an X-ray, he said that I was in need of a root canal. The nerve in the tooth had died, and an infection had built up under the tooth. So he would need to go in, remove the root, and then clear out the tooth so that the infection could be healed.

That found me this past Thursday once again sitting in the dentist's chair. Since this was my fourth root canal, I knew the procedure pretty well. It took about 35 minutes, all told. At the end, he gave me a prescription to get rid of the infection.

That leads to even better news! He told me that, since the little bump had appeared, my body was probably fighting various other infections in addition to the one at the base of my tooth, and that I had probably noticed some symptoms. Sure enough, after looking back to see when I first noticed the small bump, I had been through several different little illnesses. Now that I'm on the antibiotics, they are all cleared up, and I'm feeling as good as new again.

Moral of the story: when you get a small bump in your mouth, have it checked out ASAP!

Creating Hope for Others

Hope. It's such a full word. It carries the thought that there is something better ahead, and that the something better is actually possible. For both Carrie and I, this is a firm belief that we have, not just during our lives in this world, but for what lies beyond our life here.

Having worked with a number of people who face various illnesses and challenges in life, I can truly say that hope is what gives them a reason to continue to push forward. This past weekend, our church sponsored a team with the purpose of giving hope to those who suffer from cancer, as we participated in the Relay For Life.

The young lady who was our team coordinator did a fantastic job of lining up people to walk for the entire time of the relay (25 hours!) as well as leading a few efforts to raise money for Cancer research and awareness. She also was selling our team T-shirts, which looked like this (front and back view side by side).


Usually I won't willingly wear a shirt that tells me to do something like a girl, but when it comes to giving hope to the many people of the world who suffer from cancer, then I will be glad to "Fight like a girl."

I encourage you to find some way during the rest of this year to also create and bring hope to someone who could really use a good dose of it.

Another Phytosterol Update

Well, it's pretty much official now. I have survived the various blood draws, weight and blood pressure measurements, and the like. This week, I have been involved in a "run in" with the cholesterol test, eating only the food that they are providing for me.

Here's how it has been working. Monday through Wednesday, I went in to the Nutrition Center for breakfast and dinner. For breakfast, I would have a shake, then the breakfast food. On Tuesday and Wednesday, I had to fill out a brief report about such things as eating all the food provided, not eating other foods, and list out how many non-sugar, caffienated beverages I had (max of 5 8-oz cups). For dinner, I was weighed (to make sure that I was receiving enough food), had another shake, and then dinner.

Now, for Thursday and Friday, we are practicing the weekend. I received two days worth of food to take home and put in the fridge. It has the usual shakes and food, the only difference is that I am not weighed at each dinnertime meal.

Next week the real test begins. That means I get to eat up this weekend and the early part of next week, since I will be in three weeks of eating the food they provide.

Stay tuned for more updates, and even a menu of my daily food.

Phytosterols Additional Update

From an earlier post, you read that I am trying to be part of a study on phytosterols and how diet and the drug "Zetia" help to lower LDL cholesterol. Here is the latest news.

This past Wednesday, I went in for a second round of testing to determine if I fit the qualifications for the study. The results from my first blood draw indicated that I had an LDL level of 103. For the study, they are looking for individuals ranging from 100-199. As part of the study, I had to have a second blood draw, and they would then take the average of the two.

So yesterday, I was at the doctor's office early in the morning for my second blood draw. I received a call later in the day saying that I still fit the parameters of the test, with a second result of 100 (average of 101.5) So it seems that I have made it into the study. (All that remains is for the doctor overseeing the study, who resides in St. Louis, MO, to give final approval for all participants.)

That meant that I had a physical exam and a meeting with a dietician this morning. Both went pretty well, and with the dietician, I have now set up three separate, three-week segments where I will be eating only the food that they provide (free food, free food!!!) Tomorrow evening I have a brief orientation to the food and the place where they will serve it, and then next week, they are holding a practice run, with three days of food, and then treating Thursday and Friday as a weekend, where they will send the food home with us to eat.

So it seems that I will be a part of this study. Not only have I received a couple of checks on my cholesterol, but I also received a physical exam, and approximately 10 weeks worth of food, all with no expense to me (other than a little bit of time and blood). Maybe life as a guinea pig isn't really too bad after all!

Phytosterols and Free Food? ***Updated***

In a previous blog entry, Carrie told you about many of the free things we've come across lately. It's been a lot of fun, looking for the various coupons and deals, and then making the most of them.

One opportunity we can across a couple of weeks ago involved a nutritional study about high cholesterol. At our local university, they have a center for advanced nutrition, and one of their goals is to help people better understand the inpact diet and behavior can have on our bodies. We came across the website for a study of phytosterols, so I decided to throw my hat in the ring and see what all was involved.

This morning, I went to the student health an center where I had my blood drawn to see if I am eligible for the study. They are looking for people with high cholesterol, to see the effect diet has on it. While I don't think I have very high cholesterol, if they have need of me, I'm hoping to be included.

The research project consists of three separate three-week times where the participants eat only the food provided by the nutrition center. During that time, they take regular blood draws to see how the diet is affecting the cholesterol count. All the food is provided by them, which equates to about 9 weeks worth of food covered.

I'm expecting to hear back in the next few days on whether my cholesterol count includes me in the study. Stay tuned to hear the results, and, should I be chosen, to hear about my participation and my yummy, free food.

***UPDATE**** I received a phone call on Thursday saying that I had moved on to the next round of testing. The sad part is, this means that my cholesterol levels were high enough for their research purposes (I didn't receive a detailed number, though I will probably ask at my next appointment). That means that I have to once again fast on Tuesday night and be at the clinic at 6:30AM Wednesday for my next weigh-in, measurements, and blood draw. I'll let you know what comes up after that!