Another Attempt At Pomegranate’s Cowgirl Cookies!

Posted on May 19, 2013 by pugmamastace| Leave a comment

If you live in Phoenix and have never been to Pomegranate Café (and are a healthy eater like me), you are missing out. If you’ve been there and never tried their Cowgirl Cookies, well, that should be your next goal in life. They are seriously the best cookies ever! I tried to make them myself last year, and they didn’t turn out anything like them! They were flat and not as full of goodness (chocolate chips, raisins, pecans, walnuts, or whatever nuts they use) like the ones at Pomegranate are. I’ve been thinking about trying to make them again, and finally did tonight!

I got everything I might need out and put it all within arm’s reach on my counter.

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Yup, I have a really small kitchen. One deal-breaker when it comes to purchasing a home sometime in the future. MUST have BIG kitchen with PLENTY of counter space and an ISLAND!! Non-negotiable my friends. I can only take so much of this clutter!! The good news is that I was able to sit on my trusty stool while making the cookie dough!

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“Heeeeeeeey!”

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I adapted this recipe from one I found on LiveLearnLoveEat.com. I also read about refrigerating the dough before baking it on this website. Like I said above, my first batch last year turned out flat. I was hoping this would help my cause. The cookies at Pomegranate must rise while they bake or something, look!

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So this recipe is really easy:

Cowgirl Cookies (Attempt #2)

2 cups rolled oats

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ tea ground ginger

½ tea ground cloves

1/8 tea allspice

2 ½ cups (total) of dark chocolate chips, raisins, walnuts, pecans, almonds or any nut you like in any ratio you prefer

1 flax egg (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons warm water)

2/3 cup apple sauce

¼ cup Splenda brown sugar blend (or ½ cup sugar of your choice)

¼ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

½-1 tablespoon honey or agave

1 teaspoon vanilla

(pre-heat oven to 350*)

First, you put all of the dry ingredients (including the nuts, raisins and chocolate chips) in a large bowl, and mix together.

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Then, put the 2 tablespoons of flax seed into the 3 tablespoons of warm water and whisk. Wait a few minutes for it to thicken up. (This is a trick I’ve never seen before. It is a substitute for an egg. Pretty cool, huh?) While you wait for it to thicken, you mix the apple sauce, Splenda, almond milk, honey and vanilla until uniform, then add in the flax egg.

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Next, you slowly add in wet ingredients to dry ones in a standing mixer, and mix until you get a big clump of dough. It will be a dryer dough, and that’s ok.  If you get a little bit of flour left on the bottom of the bowl that the mixer doesn’t reach, that’s ok. Transfer the dough to another bowl, and throw the flour away.

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Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes. This will help the cookies to not flatten out while baking.

Grease a cookie sheet, or lay down parchment paper. Form 2 inch balls of dough and place on sheet about an inch apart. You have to press firmly on them so that they stay together since the dough is so dry.

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Bake for 12 minutes at 350* F. Let cool on wire rack. I got 20 cookies out of my batch. (Plus the random leftovers on the right up there that I ate right out of the oven!)

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See!! Random little cookie didn’t even make it long enough to be in the picture Winking smile.

Now unfortunately, these still didn’t turn out like Pomegranate’s. They did, however, end up being very good! I just don’t know how they do it….I will keep trying and someday, I’ll duplicate them! Until then, I guess I’ll have to pay $3 per cookie if I want to get the real thing Sarcastic smile.

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For cookies, these are pretty healthy. In fact, I will probably have a couple of these in the morning with a banana or fresh juice for breakfast for the next few days.

What did you make for dinner for your family/yourself this weekend?? Leave a comment below and let me know!

‘Til next time….

Happy Trails!

Stacey

Posted in General, Healthy Eating

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Physically Same, Mentally Better

Posted on May 16, 2013 by pugmamastace| 1 Comment

Today was just a great day in general. Had the same “oh wow I feel great” upon awakening, followed quickly by “just kidding” after 10-15 minutes of walking around at home. Oh well, I guess I should just expect this for awhile….mentally, though, I was in a much better place. At this point, I have grieved a loss-the loss of something I love-just temporarily. Now I’m ready to move to the step of taking action, which is exactly what I did today!

I went to see Nicole, Coach Susan’s PT this morning, who has been suggested time and time again by both her and Ari. I was hesitant to even start PT again so soon, because I thought it might aggravate things, but I have been pleasantly surprised! She started me out with some very simple, yet effective strengthening exercises. She said that a lot of runners that come to her (she pretty much only deals with runners) are to the point where they are waiving the white flag and will do absolutely anything they’re told-including taking months off of running-to get better. Ding ding ding! I told ya’ll that the other day didn’t I!? So I will be going three times a week indefinitely, and working my ass off in every way possible to get better.

I made some progress on my table today, as well:

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I finished the two coats of red on the top, and now just have to finish around the edges. I also started on the stain. I am going to have to do two coats of stain to get it even close to the darkness that I want. Ali is just thrilled to see me create my masterpiece, can’t you tell? I did get a tiny drop of red paint on the carpet…anyone have any ideas as to how I’m going to get that out? I have paint thinner!?? Will that disintegrate the carpet, too?? I’ll worry about that after I’m done with the table. For now, though. it’s coming along quite nicely, don’t’ you guys think?

I will be posting what was for dinner Wednesday tomorrow. It is 12:30am, and I don’t feel like being up until 2am. I will say it was very good, though! I can’t wait to share it with you!

I got some new toys for when I am able to run again tonight:

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They are sitting on a shelf in my room with a smiley face on the box to remind me of what’s yet to come Smile

Can you guys believe I was deciding between these??

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Nicole said she wanted me in neutral shoes when I start running again, so I took that as “Stacey-I think you should go buy a new pair of shoes. Today!” lol! The ones on the left are Newtons if you’re not familiar with what they look like. They have cushioning in the mid-foot, which I found to be very intriguing. The Asics just felt right, though. I always try on other brands, and the only ones that come close to the Asics are usually Brooks. These are the Asics Gel Nimbus. Thanks to Jared at Sole Sports for helping me out tonight! He seriously brought me like 12 pairs of shoes to try on. I love shoes. Running shoes…heels…flats….boots…flip flops…all of them. Open-mouthed smile 

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Look what else they had!! The new Watermelon and Cherry Limeade Nuun!! The Cherry Limeade one has caffeine….another thing in life that I love Open-mouthed smile. I tried the Watermelon one tonight, and it didn’t disappoint!

Here was dinner and dessert:

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Hawaiian Beans and Rice with grapes, mango and watermelon.

(Hint hint: That’s what was for dinner…Wednesday….)

I’m tired, can’t you tell? I’m going to shave my legs and climb into my warm comfy bed and read until I fall asleep. I will be praying that the tears in my hammies continue to mend themselves. Dreaming of running a half marathon in my new Nimbuses….

‘Til next time…

Happy Trails!

Stacey

Posted in General, Healthy Eating, Running, Sweat Pink

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Are you having a Martha Stewart Moment?

Posted on May 15, 2013 by pugmamastace| 1 Comment

Today wasn’t as bad as Monday regarding my outlook on life. I had conversations with Ari, Melissa, and a few Sweat Pink Ambassadors online during the past 24 hours, and they made me feel a lot better about everything. I am definitely not the only one who is/has been completely down and out with an injury. In fact, my decision to take time off of work was supported by another SPA that said she wishes she had done the same a few months ago when her injury first started. I feel good about the decision I’ve made, and I’m ready to work hard to get better!

I woke up this morning, and was pleasantly surprised about how good I felt! Then, within 30 minutes of being up, I started to get pain again. I guess that was just wishful thinking.

I went to the Take Care clinic this morning because my throat has been hurting since last week, and I just wanted to rule out strep or tonsillitis. I knew if it wasn’t either one of those, it was just really bad allergies. Well, fortunately, the strep test turned out negative, and my tonsils were just a little bit inflamed.  I already take Allegra and Flonase on (almost!!) a daily basis, so I really didn’t know what else to do besides maybe a sinus wash. I learned a few things from the nurse practitioner today that I did not know!

(Necessary disclaimer: I’m not a doctor (well, technically I am a doctor of pharmacy, but I’m not an MD) and I am not recommending you do any of these. I am just telling you what I learned today, and what I am going to try. Do not try this at home without consulting your MD! Thank you Smile)

First, apparently the second generation antihistamines (i.e.: Claritin, Zyrtec, Allegra) only minimally reduce the amount of histamine that is already in the body. They will keep them low if they already are, but will only lower by 10-20% on their own. If you have been suffering from allergies for a week or two, and introduce one of these 2nd gen meds into your body, you will not reap the full benefit unless you reduce the histamine first. Two first generation antihistamines do just that: Benadryl and Atarax (hydroxyzine hcl). She told me that if you take Benadryl every night for 7-10 days only, then d/c Benadryl and introduce your Claritin, Zyrtec or Allegra, you will have significantly better results. Also, she said that a lot of times it is better to rotate your “drug of choice” for allergies every season. She said Claritin usually works better for fall, and Zyrtec for spring allergies. I’m not sure about this, but I get the concept. Different things grow at different times of the year. What I have always told patients is that choosing which of the three is best for you is a trial and error process. Try one for 3-4 weeks, and if it doesn’t work, switch until you figure out which one works best. She agreed with this, yay! Smile I told her we should just sit and chat all day and school each other. I love being a nerd with another cool nerd!

Second, not only should you wash your pillow case every week or two, you should also put your pillows in the dryer on high heat for 30 minutes just as often! I told her that my throat seems to hurt more at night and in the morning. When you have a pillow full of allergens, no wonder it’s worse at those times, right?? Seems so simple, but I never thought of it! So that was my morning.

Then, I went by Goodwill on my way home to get a stool for my kitchen so I can sit while I am cooking.

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I also brought home my newest project:

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Thank you to the guy at Goodwill for loading it into my car, and for my neighbor Jason who brought it inside for me. Not a chance in heyell I’m going to try lifting that! I can barely lift Ali as it is now! (I mean, she weighs 26 lbs., ok? She’s just a little fluffy…) This is another great thing about having a convertible. You can load large things into it. I never realized how convenient this would be!

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Yup, I had Spaghetti Squash Boats with Ari’s amazingly good meatballs and sauce for dinner again.

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When I was looking at the table, I had the idea to smooth the surface with some kind of material and paint it. I ended up getting this:

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I applied it all over the top of the table, because I didn’t like the pattern of the wood.

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I covered the whole table with the wood filler, and tomorrow, I’ll sand it smooth and apply the paint. The paint is a dark red that matches the red in my rug:

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I might stain the rest of the table a dark cherry like my dining room table. I love dark colored wood in general. I usually like darker or cherry colored cabinets and furniture when I see it.

I told my Mom about my little project and this is what she said lol!

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I’ll keep ya’ll posted on the progress of the table. If I have to stay off my feet as much as possible, at least I can be Martha Stewart while doing so! Plus, now I’ll actually have a place to put a drink in my living room! Hallelujah!

I had freshly cut watermelon for dessert. After watching a guy fully cut a watermelon into chunks in 21 seconds, I managed to cut this one up in about 15 minutes, lol!

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Watermelon is quickly becoming my favorite snack for the summer. I like it better refrigerated, is that weird?

I also juiced some fruits and veggies today to go with my lunch. I knew beets were good for you, but I didn’t realize this:

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(FitnessRx Magazine—issue on stands now)

So endurance athletes, don’t forget to eat your beets! Or juice them…that’s what I do!

I also saw this online today:

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I will not be getting a tattoo nearly this big or cool looking. Don’t worry. I just think it is so fun to look at! Whoever did this one is very talented!

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Last, but not least, this was on tonight, and it made me very happy! Goosebumps before they even rolled the opening credits. I love this show!!

That’s all the randomness I have for today. No improvement in pain, especially in my right leg. Hoping tomorrow will bring some better news for me as I am seeing another provider to try and get some specific guidance as to how to kick this thing for good. Will keep you posted on that Winking smile

‘Til next time….

Happy Trails!

Stacey

Posted in General, Healthy Eating, Running

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If You’re going to complain….

Posted on May 13, 2013 by pugmamastace| 1 Comment

I am not in a good place right now. You guys know what’s going on physically, and that’s leading to a not-so-good emotional and mental state. I read a few friends’ blog posts tonight that helped me to realize that even though things might not be good now, they will get better. It’s going to be a long road to healing, and an even longer road to get back to running. In the end, though, it’s all worth it because running makes me happy. It makes me feel like I am capable and strong. It allows me to set goals and achieve them. It gives me something to look forward to, and something that enriches my life in ways I could never imagine! So I’m trying to keep it positive. Everyday will be a challenge for me, so bear with me, please Smile.

I’ve been complaining a lot lately. I don’t want to be the complainer that that just sits back and doesn’t at least try to help themself-that’s annoying. So trying to be the “not hypocritical” person that I strive to be, I thought I’d show you guys what I have been doing to help with my situation. Yes, not doing anything (as in resting) is what I really need right now. I’m not talking about anything crazy here, just things I can do mostly while not on my feet.

The most active thing I did today, besides going to a meeting this morning, to Dr. A’s, and to Walgreens, was do a few yoga poses that don’t involve hamstrings. I’ve figured out that if I go from child’s pose into plank, into a chaturanga with a few push-ups added, it doesn’t bother me! I don’t stay in plank long enough to really engage my hamstrings. I tried downward dog before I did child’s pose, and felt like it could end up being too much if I went to deeply into it. That’s why I switched it.

I also did some laying tricep extensions, some mini-bicep curls, and some arm raises (working deltoids) while laying in bed. A few sets of these everyday, and I may come out of this with arms like Coach Susan, Meeker or Karen! Wouldn’t that be awesome!!!! Open-mouthed smile

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Still haven’t gone to the pool yet. Not going to lie. I will get there. Baby steps. I’m probably going to end up getting doctor’s approval before starting to swim. I’m not messing around here, people, this has to heal for real.

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You like my strategically censored photography skills?? So I’ve also been wrapping the little bastards with ACE bandages for a few hours at a time, and wearing compression socks to stimulate blood flow. You see, these tendons that are inflamed don’t get a lot of blood flow compared to muscle tissues. Blood flow helps with healing, and they can use all the help they can get! It may be a long shot with the socks, but at this point, I’ll try anything!

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Then there’s the ice packs. I have been icing the areas for between 15-30 minutes around 3-4 times per day. This is pretty standard for hamstring tendinitis and for many other injuries. It seems counterintuitive to ice when you want to increase blood flow, right? That’s what I said. However, Dr. A says to only use ice because it helps with inflammation, which will also help with healing. So I listened. I know, there’s a first time for everything. Winking smile

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Last, but not least, I have been applying this a few times a day. My fellow Ragnar teammate and running friend Melissa from Trying to Heal recommended this because it helped her when she was injured last year. I already had some at home, so I said why not! It’s too soon to tell if it’s working, but it definitely doesn’t hurt to try. Thanks for the suggestion and words of encouragement, Melissa!

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Always trying to eat my almond butter sandwiches and the bananas on top. Spoiled.

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That’s why she’s spoiled. It’s so hard to say no to a face like that! Do you guys see what I’m up against? #pugmomproblems

Anyway, I think I’m going to order in my favorite wonton noodle soup from Beijing Beijing for dinner tonight. I don’t feel like standing and cooking or going anywhere to get anything.

Is anyone else excited for the season premier of So You Think You Can Dance tomorrow!!??? (Which from here on out will be referred to as SYTYCD. Please make a note of it, lol Smile.) I AM!!!!! I know you are, Ari!!! You’re going to have to come over one of these nights for a viewing party!!

Ok, now I’m going to go. I’m hungry. Ya’ll have yourselves a good night and I’ll be on here a lot more in these coming weeks!

‘Til next time…

Happy Trails!

Stacey

Posted in General, Running

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Waiving the White Flag

Posted on May 12, 2013 by pugmamastace| 4 Comments

I’m sitting here on my couch, hamstrings wrapped tightly with ice packs, watching TV. This is what I’ve done all weekend when I wasn’t at a meeting or my friend Abbey’s baby shower.

No running. No biking. No Yoga. No nothing. Even standing at work for more than 10-15 minutes at a time hurts. I surrender. I’m waiving the white flag. I’m going to do whatever I need to do to make this injury get better. So far, that has been a lot of this:

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I’m getting depressed. I feel helpless, incapable, and broken. I’m not looking for a bunch of sympathy, I am just venting because I am really frustrated. It’s so easy to take health for granted. To take something as simple as running, or being able to run, for granted. It’s kinda crazy how you realize all of the functions your hamstrings serve when they are broken! Even driving hurts. Pointing the toe for an extended period of time (on the worse of the two legs of course) eventually causes pain.

My only hope now to stay in shape is swimming. Once I start feeling a little bit less pain, I want to try it out. I haven’t been able to get myself motivated to do it yet. I will soon, though, and when I do I’ll let you know how it went Smile.

On a happier note, Ms. Tater had her teeth cleaned and a couple of suspicious bumps removed from her neck on Friday. She is doing great! Her puppy breath has gone from stinky back to puppy breath, and I couldn’t be happier! Dr. Iverson will be letting me know what the bumps turned out to be and if she got everything when she removed them (if they turned out to be something bad, that is.) I’ll keep ya’ll posted on that, as well. Look how stinkin’ cute my baby is!!

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This is her thinking if she hides under the chair, maybe she’ll be safe!

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This is her right after surgery. She was just a little stoned, that’s all!

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I don’t have a whole lot else to write about, since I spent most of my weekend in bed or on the couch. Devin and I watched Safe Haven, and it was good! Poor guy had to suffer through a chic flick, and no complaints! What a good guy Smile.

Now I am going to watch the season finale of Revenge. Word on the street (a.k.a. Facebook) is that it leaves quite the good cliffhanger. I hope everyone has a great week!

‘Til next time….

Happy Trails!

Stacey

Posted in General, Running

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What’s For Dinner Wednesday: Wild Salmon With Sunshine Rice

Posted on May 8, 2013 by pugmamastace| Leave a comment

This recipe is one that I got from my fellow running teammate Carrie Weldy, who is a Certified Health Coach. She has a company called Nourished Body and Soul where I purchased an awesome meal plan for the month of May for only $25! (That’s about $8 per week.) It includes a meal plan for each day of the week, the recipes, and a shopping list to make it all a bit easier. All of the meals are mostly plant based, non-processed, no artificial ingredients, organic, local, and made with real whole foods. If you want to improve what you put into your body, check out her website! She has much more than just the meal plans, but they are a great place to start! Smile

This is the first recipe I made from May’s list. Safeway didn’t have wild salmon, but I definitely recommend getting wild if you can find it. I’ve never done a meal by throwing a skillet into the oven, but I absolutely loved it! SO easy and turned out amazing!

Here’s the recipe:

Wild Salmon with Sunshine Rice

2 teaspoons coconut or olive oil
1 cup brown rice
2 cups small cauliflower florets
1½ cups water
½ onion, chopped
2 teaspoons garam masala or curry powder (I used some red curry paste, as well, because I ran out of powder)
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 (14.5 ounces) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with their liquid
1 lemon, halved, divided
12 ounces boneless, skinless wild salmon fillet, cut into large chunks
2 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro-I used cilantro

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Heat the oil (I used coconut oil) in a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium heat.

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Add rice and cook, stirring often, until toasted and
fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.

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3. Stir in cauliflower, water, onion, curry powder, salt & pepper, tomatoes and juice from ½ the lemon.

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4. Cover tightly with foil and the Dutch oven lid. If using a skillet, transfer the mixture to a casserole dish. I actually used a skillet with a metal handle and just put it right in the oven. Bake until
rice is almost tender, 1 to 1 ¼ hours.

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5. Uncover, arrange salmon on top of rice and continue to bake, uncovered, until salmon is just cooked through, about
15 minutes more; garnish with parsley or cilantro.

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6. Cut remaining lemon half into wedges and serve on the side to squeeze over the top.

This is a great way to cook rice! It was completely idiot-proof (I am not good at cooking rice for some reason-so I needed that, lol!!) and really can’t be screwed up! It seems like every time I cook rice without using a rice cooker I end up undercooking it or burning it, or what have you. When I took it out after adding the salmon, it was beautiful!!

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It was not only beautiful, but it was so so so good!! Devin and I had some for dinner, and there was enough left over to have for probably two more meals this week!

I love cooking healthy, especially with recipes like Carrie’s. I know everything that I am putting in my body, and I know it’s healthy.

Thanks again so much Carrie for letting me blog about your recipes!! I am really enjoying what I have made so far. I can’t wait to make a couple more of them this weekend!

‘Til next time….

Happy Trails!

Stacey

Posted in Healthy Eating, What's For Dinner Wednesday

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A Special Weekend

Posted on May 6, 2013 by pugmamastace| Leave a comment

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This is me to a “T”!! I’m a 31 year-old female, conservative with some socially liberal views, that doesn’t drink, yet sells drugs for a living Winking smile.  For the first time ever this weekend, I posted on Facebook about my sobriety. I have been sober for 3 years, this past Sunday. I had my last drink on my birthday in 2010, and haven’t looked back. To make a long story short, the drinking needed to stop before I completely screwed up my life. It took me awhile to get to the point where I wanted to get help for myself. Throw in the risk of losing the first thing that was more important to me than alcohol, and you had a catalyst for change.

Getting sober was one of the hardest things I have ever done emotionally in my life. The key is you have to want to help yourself, and I did. No one can force you to change. It has to come from within for it to really work. Everyone follows a different path, and this was mine. I can’t explain how emotionally raw I was those first few months. It’s like I was stripped down completely with paint thinner before I was built back up. It was all worth it, though, and I wouldn’t change a damn thing.

Soon after getting sober, came hiking, and then running, and my life was completely changed for the better. A lot has changed since 2010, and life has only gotten better since. I now feel like I have more of a purpose, and I look forward to far different things in life than I used to. The friends I surround myself with are real. I didn’t surround myself with the healthiest people while I was out there, but now, I won’t have it any other way.

So, as you have figured out, May is a special month for me! My birthday is 5/4, directly followed by my sobriety birthday on 5/5! One of the cutest texts I got on the 4th was this one:

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Brat!! Lol!! My friends know me SO well!! None of my plans aligned and worked out on Saturday, so I went to a meeting that morning, and stayed home watching a Smash marathon on On Demand trying to catch up with the season. I was kind of sad, but really, it wasn’t that big of a deal.

Sunday turned out much better! Ali decided that we were going on a walk to the dog run whether I liked it or not! On our walk, we ran into a pair of ducks! They appeared to be boyfriend/girlfriend:

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They were so friendly and fearless! They came right up to me like they kind of just expected me to give them something to eat! I didn’t have anything with me, so Ali and I started to walk back home, and they started following us down the sidewalk!

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So I went home and brought back a couple of pieces of bread for them. They bravely came right up to me, and the female ate bread right out of my hand!!

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They were so adorable! They made my morning! I saw them outside again today. I wonder if they’re lost? The lake is a couple of buildings over….anyway, they were cute nonetheless!

That afternoon, I hung out by the pool, and Devin took me out for sushi that night. We went to Ginban Sushi over on 40th St and Chandler. It was excellent!! Even their basic rolls like Spicy Salmon and Spicy Tuna were exceptional! The fun rolls we got were the Ginban Roll (right)and the Spicy Girl Roll (left) pictured here:

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Fan-freakin-tastic! I could’ve eaten like four of either of those rolls. I will definitely go back and try more of their stuff. After dinner, we watched Silver Linings Playbook and ate candy Smile.

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This whole candy thing’s gotta stop…..

The movie was really good! Jennifer Lawrence definitely earned her Oscar for her role in it. What a great representative of my hometown!

So the weekend was really nice. I am so blessed to have such supportive people in my life! I really didn’t expect the kind of response I got to my Facebook post on Sunday. I am grateful! Here’s to another great year of healthy living and continuing to grow into the person God created me to be Smile

‘Til next time….

Happy Trails!

Stacey

 

Posted in General, Vacation Time

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Rest of the week randomness

Posted on May 5, 2013 by pugmamastace| Leave a comment

All in all, I had a great week! After I got home Tuesday, I went by Pomegranate Café and got their Wild West Tacos. They are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!

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Ali apparently thinks so, too….she got a couple of pieces of sweet potato. She loves sp’s! Whenever I cut them up to make fries, I always give her the small pieces on the end. She eats them raw! Glad they’re good for her!

Then I took like a 5 hour nap because I got like zero sleep the night before, and I was exhausted.

Later that evening, I decided to try my luck at finding spaghetti squash again. I called Safeway for shits and giggles, and they had just gotten some in that morning!! Woo hoo! Spaghetti squash boats for dinner it is!!

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Never in my life have I been so excited over a vegetable. Compared to the typical human being, I don’t really even like vegetables. I don’t like cucumbers, celery, brussel sprouts, or raw tomatoes that aren’t chopped small like you chop food for a toddler. I only like green beans from a can, and I don’t like raw broccoli, cauliflower or carrots (only steamed.) I know, I know….at least I eat them, though!

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Thunderous, yes it was.

Currently, it hurts to walk. I have to get up from sitting to standing with my weight evenly distributed between both feet, and even yoga poses where you have to balance on one leg hurt. Yet, look what I want to do!!

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Look at this elevation profile!!! When I get healthy, I am going to PR here!!

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Right now, my injury is really humbling me. I switched my avenue of healing to Dr. Ackerson by recommendation of my coach, who happens to have recovered from the same injury as me. Did I tell you guys that my hamstring issue is ischial tendonosis with degenerative tendinopathy (In both legs)? According to Sports Injury Clinic.net, here is the definition:

Hamstring Origin Tendonitis

Hamstring tendinitis is inflammation of the hamstring tendon as it attaches to the Ischial Tuberosity at the top of the back of the thigh.

Symptoms of Hamstring Tendonitis

  • Pain and tenderness at the ischial tuberosity.
  • Pain when stretching the hamstring muscles.
  • Pain when bending the knee against resistance.
  • A gradual onset of pain following a sprinting session.


What is Hamstring Tendonitis / Tendinopathy?

Hamstring tendinitis is inflammation of the hamstring tendon as it attaches to the Ischial Tuberosity at the top of the back of the thigh. It can follow a tear of the hamstring tendon which is poorly treated or more often is an overuse injury.


 

 

  • Biceps femoris muscle - the largest of the three hamstrings

So I am completely sidelined from running right now. I agreed to take 4 weeks off from running completely, and only to do workouts that don’t aggravate my injury. Even strength training on the hammy aggravates it right now. I did some on Wednesday, and since then, it has hurt to walk. I may be taking even longer than 4 weeks off. We’ll have to see. I just know that I am kind of depressed right now that everything I do hurts, and I need this to heal. Completely. There is a Zero Gravity type of treadmill thing I found out about in my neighborhood that I am thinking about trying if it doesn’t hurt. I just have to get in some form of exercise, and I am still trying to convince myself to try swimming.

Anyway, on a happier note, I finally got a new trash can/ Kleenex box holder for my car! It was $15 at the car wash and worth every penny. Look!

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Yes, I finally got my car washed. It IS indeed black, and not brown, lol! While I was at it, I enjoyed one of these:

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and I got some of these for the car:

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I discovered a really good new healthy snack! Tara actually let me try one of these crackers at Ragnar, and I finally found them at AJ’s!

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I got the hummus at Sprouts, and with the Almond crackers, it is perfect!

I also cooked some great healthy stuff this week. I am going to blog about one of the recipes soon. Here’s a sneak preview:

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Right now, though, I need to be doing this:

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I have an early day tomorrow, so I’m hittin’ the sack. I hope everyone, including myself, kicks Monday in the face!!

‘Til next time….

Happy Trails!

Stacey

Posted in General, Healthy Eating, Running, Vacation Time, Working Out

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After The Race…

Posted on April 30, 2013 by pugmamastace| Leave a comment

After I took my nap after the race, I was VERY hungry! Mom and Dad took me to a place in downtown Louisville called Doc Crows. It is a southern smokehouse with a raw oyster bar. It was absolutely incredible!!

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We got shrimp cocktail and crab cakes as an appetizer-both were great!

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I got a wedge salad, which is one of my favorite salads when I’m not eating healthy!

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Mom got grilled salmon on a bed of New Orleans rice, Dad got a pulled pork barbeque sandwich with awesome baked beans, and I got a Smokehouse platter with ribs, pulled pork and brisket:

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A girl’s gotta get down and dirty to eat these ribs! There’s just no other way around it!

According to the waitress, they smoke the ribs for 5-6 hours, and the pork and brisket for 14-16 hours!! This meat was fall-off-the-bone tender. It made me want to buy my own smoker for my balcony. (Think the HOA would like that one? How ‘bout my upstairs neighbors? lol!) The sweet potato fries were great, as well. If you ever have a chance to come to Louisville, go to Doc Crows!! I want to go again just to try the other things on the menu that I was debating on getting. Would that make me a fatass? Haha! I seriously almost ate every bit of food on the platter. Mom got a pic of my almost empty plate:

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It’s a little bit blurry, but you get the point. Yummy yummy in my tummy!

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Dad and I in our very stuffed full of food state Smile

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I had to get a picture with Mr. Troll in front of the bar next door (and yes, you get to wear your medal all day, everywhere on race day!)

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Even the trash cans in downtown L’ville are cool! Yes local friends, I’m a dork Winking smile

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The Yum Center from the side-where my parents walk to get there from their car when they go to games. Yum Center looks like such a cool place! I hope to be able to go there sometime!

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I got a pretty pink shirt from the expo on Friday:

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Here’s my medal. So pretty! There’s a space for it on my holder at home!

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I love it! My parents have the magnet I got them on the back of their car!

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I got a massage on Sunday morning to work out my poor body. After that, Mom and Dad and I went to Perrin park in Jeffersonville for a nice walk/recovery run. I did just over 2 miles, the last one I ran with Mom! Then, we fed the geese bread that we brought.

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Mom and I made lots of new friends!

The wife of the Perrin family used to collect bears, so there’s a bear museum on the property that is open during park hours. It was so cute!

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That whole museum was adorable! I really like the bench with the bears, and so did my Mom!

Then, in true Stacey fashion, we went to Clarksville to get some FroYo:

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Now this was my first time going to Sweet Frog. I had never even heard of it until we drove by and saw the sign. It was VERY good! I highly recommend this place. The yogurt was so rich and creamy, and I’ve never seen a toppings bar so big in my life!!

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I am so used to having to work hard to get the Nutella to come out of the squeeze bottle, but this Nutella came right out! Whoopsie! It still ended up being SO good!! I had Dulce de Leche, Red Velvet and some kind of chocolate turtle flavor. Definitely check out Sweet Frog if you’re ever around one.

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So apparently the FroYo didn’t completely satiate my sweet spot. We decided to watch a movie, and I went to Walgreens and Thornton’s to get some candy. I ended up getting all of this, and eating almost all of it. It was so good and so bad at the same time! That will not be happening again for a long time my friends!

Then, Monday we attended Grandpa Hollen’s military burial. It was sad, yes, but for me it was more of an honor to be able to be there. I’ve never been to one before, and it was very nice.

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Grandpa was a World War 2 veteran and was on a submarine in the north Atlantic, among other places all over the world.

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We love and miss you Grandpa! You are in a better place, resting with God, and we’ll see you when we meet again Smile.

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This cemetery is one of the first 7 created by Abraham Lincoln. It is a Civil War cemetery with a lot of history, What an honor to have a final resting place there. My uncle is also buried here.

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Family members got to take the shell casings from the 21 gun salute they did for Grandpa.

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I have a friend, Ashley Weber, that makes amazing hand made metal jewelry that is able to make really cool necklaces out of the casings for the girls in the family. I am really looking forward to working with her on this. Her stuff is really great!

After the service, I had some time to chill and get an afternoon snack and pick me up. I had a blueberry rooibos tea and a chocolate cherry healthy bar thing from Quills coffee shop in downtown New Albany. Downtown N.A. has really grown and become a fun place to go! There are so many restaurants and coffee shops and places to eat down there now. I guess this stuff happens when you move away and don’t visit often for like 7 years! I was very impressed. The tea was fantastic, and the bar was perfectly filling and yummy!

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That evening, I was blessed to be able to have dinner with 3 friends from my high school dance team that I haven’t seen in years (like 13 years for a couple of them!) at Bristol in downtown L’ville.

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Alysen, Marjie and Mary Kate and I enjoyed a nice dinner and caught up on all the good things in life. What an awesome time! I can’t wait to do it again, ladies! Sooner than 13 years this next time, k, ladies? (Whose fault was that now, lol!??)

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I had grilled swordfish on top of brown rice and broccolini. It was alright…I really liked the broccolini, though! I’ve never had it and always wondered what it would be like. It tastes like broccoli, but it’s just a little bit more dainty, if you will.

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 Here we are!

After dinner, I met a good friend out to catch up with her. Jessica and I were good friends in high school, but also hadn’t seen each other for years! We determined that the last time we saw each other was in 2006 when I was on rotations. Time sure flies doesn’t it!!

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It was so great to see her again! We have so much in common, and it’s great to know that there are other women out there that I can relate to so much even after not seeing each other for years! I definitely look forward to seeing you again next time I’m in town, Jess!!

I just got home today, and did absolutely nothing. Ok, I threw laundry in the washer like 5 hours ago. It’s still there. I took a 5 hour nap, and now I’m going to make dinner and take a shower. I love vacation!  I also put my medal in it’s special place I had waiting for it:

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Safeway has spaghetti squash!!! I am so excited!!!! So I am off to get some, throw it in the oven while I take a shower, and have a spaghetti squash bowl for dinner.

I hope you guys have a great rest of your week!!

Happy Trails!

Stacey

Posted in General, Healthy Eating, Running, Vacation Time

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Kentucky Derby Festival Mini-Marathon Recap

Posted on April 27, 2013 by pugmamastace| 4 Comments

I got up at the crack of dawn (middle of the night Phoenix time) this morning to run 13.1 in my hometown!

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Here was the finish line being put up this morning

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(source: KDF Facebook page)

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Starting line potties!

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This was my tribute to Boston this race Smile

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These ladies had awesome shirts that they had made for their Boston tribute!

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(source: KDF Facebook page)

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(source: KDF Facebook page)

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Corral C where I started

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Lots of spectators at the starting line! Great way to get pumped up!

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My picture of the starting line. May not look like it, but it was perfect weather for a race!

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We got to run down Main St past the Yum Center!! (Where U of L BBall plays!)

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This girl’s sign said she “is getting hitched on Derby Day!” How cute!!

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There’s the girl running with the American flag-too cool!!

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I liked his shirt Smile

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Mile 3!!!

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Running through Old Louisville was beautiful!! So much green, I loved it!

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Heading into Churchill Downs through the tunnel

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The World Famous Twin Spires!!

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The grandstands

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Horses running on the track practicing for the Derby!!

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The split off of the marathon and the mini marathon-I’ve never been so glad in my life to take a left!!!

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Kevin Ware’s cardboard cutout was hanging out on the side of the road!

That was the last picture I took during the race because it was at around mile 10, and it was time to focus and dig deep.

The race was in general really great! I enjoyed it so much and plan to continue making it a yearly event! Hopefully making 26.2 miles happen next year!

My hamstring behaved for the most part the whole time. I was told by Devin that he would kick my ass if I looked at my Garmin during the race! He was concerned that I would push myself too hard if I kept looking at my pace. That’s what happened during PF Changs. I did look at my Garmin, but I didn’t let it dictate my pace. I tried to adjust it based on how my hamstrings were feeling. I was able to keep it around a 10 minute mile the entire time! I purposely pulled back several times because I started to notice that my right hamstring didn’t like me very much. It helped! I struggled once I got to around miles 9-10, because I started feeling the fact that I hadn’t run more than 4 miles at a time for like 2 months! I was able to pick up my pace once I hit mile 12. I held it at around 9:30-9:40 until I rounded the corner to the finish line, then I finished really strong. My pace on my Garmin when I crossed the finish line was a 7:41.

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It didn’t hurt then, but I am pretty sore now. It felt so good, though! After the race, I got my mylar (thought they only gave those out at fulls!?) and my medal, and found Mom and Dad.

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Before I found Mom and Dad, though, I saw a cutie that I just had to get a picture of! His name is Rafa! What an adorable Corgi! I took this pic to send to a special someone-you know who you are Winking smile

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Nice braids, Stace’!

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Love the Riverfront! Planning on a nice recovery run there tomorrow.

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How cute are they!! Front and back of their Team Stacey shirts they made!

Great job on the color and the design Mel! Great idea guys, I loved them!

I’m going to end with my new favorite race picture, taken by my sister:

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This shows how truly happy I was to have my amazing family there today to support me. I have never had family at a race before, and it felt so awesome and made me SO happy!! It just felt right today. Running in my hometown with my family there to support me, and actually pulling off a 2:19:30 to boot!! Wow what a day!

Now, I’m sore and my body hurts, so I am going to bed. It was all worth it, though. Hopefully, the next race recap I do will be a PR and I will be nursed back to health finally!

Thanks so much to my Mom and Dad and Mel and Johnnie for coming and cheering for me! Best race ever!! I love you all!!

Happy Trails!

Stacey

Posted in Running, Sweat Pink, Vacation Time

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