30 Before 30: Item 11

Since 2004, I've lived in the fabulous city of Fort Collins (recently ranked No. 6 on the "Top 100 Places to Live" list in Money magazine). In all that time, I've never once gone tubing, rafting or floating down the Poudre River, which is literally 20 minutes away. Every summer that has passed, I've looked back regretfully on yet another missed opportunity to whitewater raft or kayak down the clear, cool waters of the Poudre Canyon. Determined to enjoy this favorite local pastime, I was certain to add Item 11: Ride the Poudre in a Sea-Bearing Vessel to my list.

Early in the morning on the 5th of July, my spouse and I awoke to perfectly blue Colorado skies excited for our long-awaited Cache la Poudre adventure: Whitewater Rafting! Booked through Mountain Whitewater Descents, we drove to the base of the Poudre Canyon on the north end of Fort Collins and checked in for our morning "plunge".  

I apologize for the poor quality of the photos in this post, darn underwater cameras.....

We started off the trip with a short informational session; a rafting guide disclosed to us the many dangers of whitewater rafting as well as situations to avoid (i.e. falling out). We were then given helmets, life vests and splash jackets (the lovely blue number I'm wearing below) and directed to our transportation. Packed with all the necessary life-saving gear and instructions, we crammed into a school bus full of family vacationers, a whole team of softball-playing teenage girls, and adventurous couples....just like us!

Taking note of the guide's stories of potential river injuries and mishaps, I have to admit I was a little nervous as I slid into my seat and hooked my foot under the single strip of plastic that would supposedly keep in me the boat if we hit.....er, when....we hit a rock. Thankfully, my nervous energy quickly faded as I took in the breath-taking beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park and we pushed off the riverbank to start our 12-mile watercourse. 

Bryan, our red-eyed, unshaven guide, had a surprisingly cheery disposition and excited us all with detailed accounts of what to expect from the Class II, III and IV rapids we would encounter on our adventure. He named each of the most tumultuous rapids, explaining the rock locations and water depth, while preparing us to be launched from our seats and thrown into the water at any moment! Promising to not have any "swimmers" on his ship, he let our excitement takeover and the whole boat of passengers rowed eagerly towards the white waves ahead.

We hit the Class II and III rapids first (the easier rapids....thank goodness) shrieking as the cold water plunged over us and laughing as we bumped and splashed our way down the mountainside. While cascading between rocks and over whitewater currents, our hilarious guide regaled us with stories of previous rafting trips, random skiing adventures and his favorite, local hippie-hangouts. 

After a short time of the "easy" stuff, we began to hit the Class IV rapids with exciting dips, drops and plunges into layers of crisp, Colorado runoff. Adrenaline pumping, fear tickling the back of our necks and smiles shining, we went up and down the rocky, white peaks of waves screaming with delight and clinging to the raft as Bryan instructed us to row and to hang on!! 

True to his word, Bryan's boat was successful in keeping all passengers on board (thanks to John's one-handed catch of an 11-year old who flew out of her seat). The boats around us.....not so lucky.....

Between exciting moments of thrashing waves and avoiding rock collisions, we had a fair amount of welcome down time to catch our breath and soak up the sun. On the break pictured below, we had a good laugh at the rafters who had to abandon ship onto the rocks as their guide attempted to get their beached boat back in the water.

Overall, I give Mountain Whitewater Descents an A++ with an extra special thanks to our guide, Bryan. We had an absolute blast whitewater rafting and can't hardly believe we've lived so close to such fun for six years and hadn't tried it before now. It will definitely be on the summer activity list going forward. Just look at these happy customers :)

I Can't Cook But Even I Can Make: 'Smores Bites

My favorite four-year old is turning FIVE this week and to celebrate his birthday, his mom and dad threw a camping-themed bash last Saturday afternoon. Burgers on the grill, tents, sparklers, a fire pit and Boone's Farm (for the adults only, of course) transformed their backyard into the quintessential campsite; complete with 'Smores-Making Kits as party favors.  

Inspired by the party theme, I thought up a special treat for the birthday boy and party-goers that I've dubbed 'Smores Bites. 

As described in my previous cooking posts Here and Here, I'm not exactly skilled in the kitchen. However, these little treats are easy, easy, easy. If I can make them, you can too. Extra Bonus for those of you intimated by the knobs on the oven: The only cooking required is pressing buttons on the microwave! 

You Need:

• Melting Milk Chocolates or Milk Chocoloate Chips
• One Bag of Large Marshmallows
• Graham Crackers
• Toothpicks 

And Action:

Pour the melting chocolates or chips into a shallow bowl. Heat in 30-second increments in the microwave, stirring the chocolate in between heating until melted and creamy.

Put 3-4 graham crackers in a plastic, ziploc bag and crush into crumbs until they are nearly dust. Pour them out on to large plate and spread evenly.

Poke a marshmallow with a toothpick on its flat side. Roll it in the melted chocolate, coating the entire rounded portion. Then roll the chocolate-dipped 'mallow in the graham cracker crumbs until covered.

Plate on its flat side and let sit for 10-15 minutes until the chocolate starts to harden. Serve & try not to eat the whole plate yourself.

If the summer plans don't include bonfires or marshmallow sticks, you can replace the classic campground treat with these little bites and the only thing they'll leave you craving is....well.....s'more :)

30 Before 30: Item 9

Item 9: Try Pilates. Not the most ambitious of goals, but hey, I've always wanted to try it and thought putting it on the List was a good way to get it done. 

A self-proclaimed "cardio junkie", I just don't feel like I get in a good workout if I don't go running (or swimming or biking). So, much like in my first post on yoga, I went into Pilates a bit skeptical about the intensity level......and got in a 3-mile run at lunch, just in case.

On Wednesday evening at 5:30pm, still flying high from the miraculous US win over Algeria to advance in the World Cup, I took myself over the 24 Hour fitness to take my first Pilates class. As always at 24 Hour Fitness, I was greeted by a friendly receptionist. I trotted over to the group exercise room, picked a good spot on the floor and spread out my trusty yoga matt. 

In hopes to capture pictures of me in some kind of bendy-flex move, I shared my blogging adventure with the instructor so she could snap a few shots while I was mid-workout. Excited to be a part of something posted publicly (hahahaha....public...as if people read this), she eagerly agreed and thanked me for selecting her class. That's her, below.

The class started out, as expected, with deep breathing. In through the nose, out through the mouth, raise the chest, suck in the tummy, etc, etc. Feeling very relaxed (and glad I'd already run that day), we moved into abs....where the relaxation quickly melted into agonizing pain.

After what seemed like hours of shaking, sweating and an overwhelming certainty that I was going to tear a stomach muscle, we finally took our first break. I relished in the sweet, stretchy release of Child's Pose, glancing quickly at the clock to verify that we were at least half-way through the class (if it wasn't already over).

With pure shock, I took in the time: 5:42pm. Slowly, I realized that I had only been in the 60-minute session for 12 minutes. I stared with disbelief at the red digital numbers wondering if perhaps I could have participated in an earlier class and not realized it? Did we start early? Maybe it was day-light savings this week? Stunned by the undeniably tough workout I'd endured for a mere 12 minutes, I suddenly felt as though I may not be able to finish the class.

Determined to succeed in my goal, I took a deep breath. Well, I took several deep breaths, focused on the instructor, picked up the hand weights, and pressed on into the arm routine. 

Surprisingly, the intensity level slipped back into neutral! We used the small weights to do several arm exercises, moved on to our stomachs to work the back, and got in a bit of a leg workout. The rest of the class included great strengthening poses, fantastic stretching techniques and a few challenging planks. When remaining 48 minutes came to an end, I honestly found myself ready for more!

Overall, I'd give Pilates at B -. The core workout is nothing to scoff at, in fact, it was possibly one of the better ab workouts I've done. Next-day soreness wasn't nearly as horrific as I expected, and being a masochist of sorts, I'm a little disappointed to not be cringing in pain every time I laugh or sneeze.  Pilates surely has its advantages and I'll definitely integrate the ab-work into my regular exercise plan, but overall I think I'll stick to yoga and running for now. 

If the ab-wrecker story inspired the masochist in you to give Pilates a try or if you're looking for the lower intensity, sculpting workout that we did for most of the class, I found a few videos that are fairly short and intro you to the basic Pilates moves. Check 'em out: Abs, Legs/Butt, Overall Sculpting

30 Before 30: Status Update

In efforts to achieve Item 22 (Stop being a Procrastinator), I've been working on a few tasks for the 30 Before 30 list this week. The most important one was to purchase the plant that I plan to keep alive for 6 months (Item 2) because June 9 was exactly 6 months before my 30th birthday (I guess I'm not doing too good on Item 22 just yet).

So Wednesday was June 9th, which I found it to be a particularly good day overall. After a visit to Sprouts to get some veggies and fruit, I drove over to Lowe's and found my way through grills, tools and paint to the Indoor Plant section. My attention quickly turned to several little plants in pink and white pots labeled "Exotic Angel Plants." I started looking at all the different types of green, leafy seedlings when my eyes came to rest upon one with dark, waxy leaves. Intrigued, I read the little shrub's tag and gasped as I took in the title, "Coffee Plant." A coffee plant! It had never even occurred to me that I could have my very own plant capable of producing the sweet, sweet nectar of coffee beans. I couldn't think of a better plant for me, a true coffee connoisseur.

Thrilled with my little shoot, I texted my sister a rambling message about coffee and shrubbery and beamed all the way to the check out stand. Just to be on the safe side, since my history with house plants is littered with hundreds of dried-up, brown sticks shooting out of ceramic pots, I also grabbed a small bamboo because I hear they're hard to kill (although I have successfully murdered a bamboo in my dark days as a greenery serial killer). Plus, now I have one in my home office and one at my regular office.

A few other items I've been slowly working on include printing off and filling out my registration form for the Boulder Backroads Marathon on September 19th (Item 1)! I'm six chapters in to Catch 22, my first of 5 "Classic" novels (Item 4) and I'm 37 pages into the Bible (Item 19)....that is a looooong book. A couple weeks ago I signed up on the wait list for a Self-Defense class (Item 18) and I made arrangements with my friend Amy to learn to knit (Item 16)....pics of handmade washcloths coming soon.

Introducing: The Kilted Pig!

In honor of my wedding anniversary, I dedicate this blog post to my hubby and personal chef of 4 years and best friend of the last 10 years. Love you, Breezy! 

On Sunday, we hosted a backyard Memorial Day BBQ to kick off summer and introduce John's latest cooking endeavor, competition BBQ. We invited as many friends as our house can hold, unveiled John's steel-baby and announced his BBQ competition team name, The Kilted Pig! 

For the last two weeks, my spouse has been welding, cutting and slaving away into the wee hours of the night, building the structure you see below. One engineer, 700 pounds of steel, countless hours of grinding and careful measurements resulted in a monster of a smoker that produces the best BBQ I've ever had!    

John's first practice run with the new smoker and competition quality 'Q was a HUGE success!! Starting at 11pm the night before our bash, he put on an 18-pound brisket while we toasted to his efforts and successful build. Throughout the night and early hours of the morning he tended to it carefully, watching the temperature and adding charcoal. 

Sunday morning, he added the pork shoulder, ribs, chicken and fatty. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term "fatty" as a reference to some kind of food (rather than what you become after eating it), a "fatty" is a pork tenderloin and peppers rolled up in ground sausage and then wrapped in bacon. The partial-vegetarian in me shutters at the thought, but I've heard its the very best thing a carnivore can put in their mouth.

By Sunday evening, you could smell the deliciousness of spices and hickory from blocks away (per our hungry neighbors). We and 35 of our closest friends enjoyed John's home-made sauces; one sweet, one spicy and one just a bit vinegar-y (my fav) and the assortment of finger-lickin' fare while toasting spritzers and home-brew. Everyone raved about every last bite, but I think the brisket was the winner of the day.

Thanks to everyone who came to our BBQ and chipped in for John's competition banner! A special thanks to John for his motivation and awesome cookin' skills! And thank you in advance to everyone who will support us July 17 in Laramie, WY! I'll post pics of the sanded, painted and named smoker soon and follow up with details on the competition in July!!! 

30 Before 30: Items 20 & 28

I've crossed two items off the list! Honestly, I knew I'd be going on vacation when I made the list, so it was a little like cheating, but only a little.

Item #20 - Take a Cheesy, Kissing Photo on the Beach with my Spouse!

Despite his reluctance to pucker up to me on camera, I managed to grab my hubby for a smooch on the beach in Cozumel! If you go to Cozumel, I have a recommendation. DO NOT hang out on the western side where the cruise ships dock! Go directly to Mezcalito's on the eastern side of the island, and if you never leave, I'll completely understand. The eastern side is a beautiful stretch of rocky beaches with ultra-low-key bars scattered every mile or so down the shore. The best way to visit this side of the island is find a cab-driver and negotiate a 3 or 4-hour rate to have him drive you around all afternoon. We had a blast bar-hopping, taking gorgeous pictures and enjoying the unbelievable ocean as it stretches out over the horizon to, well, Cuba. It goes to Cuba, but you can't see it. Watching the teal waves crash on the tan surf, feeling the light breeze blowing through the green palm trees and tanning in the golden sun as you relax in a hammock will result in one of the best days you'll ever have (at least I can say it was one of the best days I've ever had).  

Item #28 - Go Deep Sea Fishing!

Except for the Dramamine overdose which resulted in me sleeping most of the 4-hour tour, I loved Deep Sea Fishing. 

We left for our journey from Puerto Aventuras at about 9:30am, excited to catch loads of fish, drink some Sol and enjoy sailing on the open sea. We rolled over the waves under the hazy blue sky, chatting about buying a restaurant in Playa (dream job!) while waiting for a bite. And we waited and waited and......fishing takes a lot of patience. (BTW, I'm the one on the right in the photo.....he he he).

About 30 minutes in, something happened! We all jumped up and watched as our friend Vierk reeled in a fish. He was fighting and pulling and out popped.....a mackeral. Holy Mackeral! Horray for a fish! I couldn't wait for my turn to attempt the exhilarating experience of reeling in my very own sea-creature. Unfortunately, I was 4th in the line up......so we had a lot of fish to catch. 

Three hours, several Sol and quite a few naps later, we finally hooked our second fish! This time Larson fought the strong swimmer all the way in! Turns out he got a Wahoo...which we promptly ate at Gringo Dave's for lunch. Wahoo = Yum! Only two fish, but a lot of fun memories and some great naps made for a very fun and memorable day on our vacation! I'd recommend deep sea fishing to anyone who can remember to buy non-drowsy Dramamine and likes floating on the ocean while drinking cerveza's.......come on, who doesn't like that. :) 

The 30 Before 30 List

Well, here it is....the 30 things I'd like to accomplish in the next 7 months. Some of it is semi-serious (really do need open an IRA, the 401k isn't cuttin' it)....some of it is silly (I've always wanted to sing karaoke solo but knew I wasn't drunk enough) and some of it is terrifying (uh...sky-diving).

Many thanks to my friends Kelly and Jesse for introducing me to this list of wishful items! And thanks to the bloggers out there who have documented their list publicly, online and motivated me to steal their idea and do the same. I look forward to sharing my progress with anyone who will read this. Wish me luck!

1. Run a marathon

2. Keep a Plant Alive for 6 months

3. Join Junior League of FC

4. Read 5 "Classic" Novels

5. Plant a Tree

6. Go Vegan for a week

7. Sing Karaoke Solo

8. Take Writing Class/Workshop

9. Try Pilates

10. Go Skydiving

11. Ride the Poudre in a Sea-bearing vessel

12. Learn to cook John's favorite Gourmet Meal

13. White a Children's Book

14. Watch 5 "Classic" Movies

15. Volunteer at Church

16. Learn to Knit

17. Watch the Godfather Trilogy, Beginning to End

18. Take a Self Defense or Karate Class

19. Read the Entire Bible

20. Take a Cheesy, Kissing Photo on a beach with my Spouse

21. Write a Non-Profit Business Plan

22. Stop being a Procrastinator

23. Host Fancy Dinner Party & Cook John's Favorite Meal Previously Learned

24. Ask for and/or Receive a Raise

25. Give Blood

26. Open an IRA

27. Achieve a "Flat" Stomach

28. Go Deep Sea Fishing

29. Relearn the Piano & Master One Song

30. Try Kickboxing

Hiatus

Well, its been awhile since my last post. My apologies to my two followers.

On April 23rd, a very special event took place, Wyoming Art for the Cure! It was an incredible evening full of amazing artwork, great food, spirits and a fabulous crowd all helping us raise money to find a CURE for breast cancer!!! 

Post-party celebration at the Cloud 9 Airport Bar in Cheyenne was too fun to describe (also, my wine-infused memory of it is a bit fuzzy, so its best if I don't try). Then I jumped a flight to Boston for 5 days for a work conference. It was a fun, yet exhausting, trip. Let me tell ya, risk management is a very exciting industry....as you can imagine.  Are you picking up the sarcasm? Cause I'm layin' it on pretty thick. 

Well, now that things have settled a bit, I'll get back on the blogging band-waggon. Somehow I just realized this week that my 30th birthday is sneaking up on me (7 months and 4 days away...ah!) and I got a great suggestion from a good friend to make a 30 Before 30 List. The List is the 30 random and not-so-random things I'd like to mark as DONE before I embark on the next decade. It'll be coming soon.....

I Can't Cook But Even I Can Make: Homemade Hummus

My adventures in the kitchen have been limited and hazardous, but occasionally a dish will come along that even I can make, who as Carrie Bradhshaw says, would “keep sweaters in my stove” if my husband didn’t use it.

The dish of choice this go-around is Homemade Hummus! Main selling feature for the culinary-impaired….no stove/cooking required! You can create this dish with a food processor, some simple ingredients and about 10 minutes.

You Need:

• One can of Garbanzo beans (or Chick Peas)
• 2-3 cloves of Garlic (recommend roasting it first)
• Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper

Other Seasonings/Flavors of Choice - Today we’re making Olive Hummus so get the following:

• Handful of black olives
• Little bit of olive juice
• Dash of Oregano, Celery Salt, or some kind of pre-mixed Italian Seasoning

And Action:

Dice garlic (very, very small). Place garlic, beans (drain most of the bean liquid but leave about a tablespoon for moisture), olive oil, salt and pepper into food processor. Give it a good mix. Voila – Hummus!

For the Flavor: Chop olives and add to hummus, pour in about a tablespoon of olive juice and season with oregano and celery salt or any Italian seasonings. Mix and continue to add seasonings/olives until you get the taste you want!

What the heck, it's so easy, make two flavors!

Red Pepper Hummus: Chop red and green peppers, a bit of onion, and add to your hummus mixture (the mixture without the olives in it). Season to taste with a jalapeno hot sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, and paprika. Yum, yum, spicy, yum!

A Great Night Out: 3 Fun Spots in FC!

Tonight from 4-6pm at Choice City Deli in Fort Collins, enjoy a tapping party of New Belgium's "Shadow of the Foeder". They only have approximately 80 beers of it, then its gone forever! Choice City Deli is a fantastic place to grab a bite to eat afterwards as well! Their awesome menu includes fabulous market-fresh cuts of a wide variety of meats, good-sized entrees, an incredible sandwich menu and 15 beers on tap! Check them out tonight!

Also, thanks to the site Feasting Fort Collins, I've learned of a two new bars opening right here in Fort Collins! In the Armstrong Hotel, Ace Gillett's will be opening this Saturday night, featuring martini's and live music. Looking forward to an evening reminiscent of another time, I can't wait to atttend, sip on a extra-dry martini and take in some jazzy tunes.

Also opening this week, the Times Square Dueling Piano Bar & Grill promises sing-along piano songs and a "New York style with a western pull" menu. Sounds like a fun, fun weekend to me!