Sunday, June 14, 2015

Warriors that dash and other stuff..

Today I am washing muddy shoes and clothes and it's still raining.



Yesterday, PopPop and I went to sit with grandchildren while their parents and other friends and family ran a local obstacle course called Warrior Dash. It should have been called a mud mash.

Illinois is certainly not under a drought, we have a tropical rainforest growing in the back yard. So with already wet ground and after a brief downpour out in the middle of the corn fields of Channahon, IL, we spectators and dashers got all the mud you wanted and didn't want, at least on your shoes.

Because the run is designed to be muddy, dashers are encouraged to donate shoes for charity after the run.. I saw several people barefoot, in flops etc. after the run, even saw some shoes abandoned with socks in the grass parking lot, they were done in. My shoes are my favorite truly best shoe ever and cleaned up well. Thank goodness.

I met a woman covered in mud after the run, who said she got dirty again in the parking lot pushing out at least 10 cars stuck in the mud.

Because the lot was grass many cars got stuck in mud trying to depart. Son in law and PopPop and many other Warriors pushed out desperate souls and took mud to the face pushing behind tires for their good deed. I even heard a group of women chanting "Warriors" while pushing one out.

It was amazing to see people old and young, athletic and not, pushing themselves and others.

All in all it was a great day, with great beer, a well prepared turkey leg and my kids who like to do "cool" things and celebrate life.

When my Son in law started dating my Daughter, he remarked about how we would go to restaurants on a regular basis, not just for Birthdays or Graduations. "Red Lobster tonight? Olive Garden? Yes, its just a Saturday night".

In celebration of "not just a Saturday night" he treated the family to Outback. A fit meal for Warriors it was.

It is such a great pleasure as a Mother to see what was important to my Mother is still important to my kids and their friends.

That's celebrating life, living life, moving beyond fear and limitations or history, trying new things, treating life as an adventure to be cherished! I wish this for every one.

To all the Warriors, especially mine,  I salute you!

~M

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Where did two years go? Living, loving, learning...

2  years being Mome' and Mommy and Daughter and Sister and yes Bae flew by.

Life is good and trying to keep it that way is exhausting but in the best possible way. 
After two years away from my last post we will keep this one light and breezy. 

Mood: Chicago House Music on the Radio, Yes Real Radio, speakers bumping this lil house.

We have had lot's of early mornings around here lately, so with the choice between dining out and a movie or a long nap well, as it should, the nap won.

Now we are up sipping bubbles, singin and rump shakin. After a light late supper of chicken and shrimp pasta salad. 

Got a Deep Fryer. My cast iron skillet is cursing me out, I can feel it looking at me with that sad disappointing look. But wow, Check @twitter for picture of the chicken. Amazing!

I tweeted that I would post the pasta recipe, it's below. 

The best thing about this dish is you can tweak it to your taste and change it depending on your mood or budget. Normally its just onion, mayo, egg and shrimp. I had a few extra veggies so I added them. You could add crab or shrimp or both works!

I also added Turmeric, please google and find ways to use it. This is a great one! It makes it so pretty and yellow.

Shrimp Pasta Salad Recipe ~ (kicked up)

In a Large serving bowl


Finely Dice and place in the bowl


1 tsp each


grated turmeric

fresh garlic
fresh jalapeno

2 tbsp each


red pepper

orange pepper
scallion
red onion

2 hard boiled eggs diced


1 bag fresh or 1 box dried pasta Spaghetti or Fettuccine boiled to directions (always salt pasta when cooking)


1 lb peeled de-veined shrimp lightly seasoned with salt and cayenne pepper about 1/4 tsp of each sauteed in 1 tsp olive oil until pink 


Place all the diced ingredients except Egg into the bottom of bowl


Drain and pour hot pasta over veggies in bowl and let sit 5 min (do not stir) heat from pasta will lightly soften veggies


On top of pasta add


shrimp, diced egg, 1/2 cup mayo and toss lightly


garnish with green part of scallion 


~Enjoy!