300 Days of Sunshine

This past weekend was the Santa Fe Century (and Half Century) bike ride, part of Outside Bike & Brew weekend.  We could not have asked for more perfect conditions for the entire weekend of events!  Friday and Saturday featured bike exhibits, live music, a local beer festival, family events, and guided group rides, followed by the 31st annual Santa Fe Century ride on Sunday morning, along with an Enduro race in Glorieta.  Jaycob and I both rode the 50 mile course on Sunday. Between running 5Ks, traveling, and working a lot (oh, and being pregnant!), I didn't train as much for the event as I did in previous years.  I did several short rides (15ish miles) to get used to my bike seat, and I took a few spin classes to get some more pedaling in, but my longest training ride was only 30 miles.  I also struggled with several flat tires this season.  On two occasions, I got a flat, spent a lot of time changing out the tube on the side of the road, only to have the tire go flat agai

Our 4-legged daughters have some news to share...  Our little family is growing!  We are expecting a baby in early November!   I will be 16 weeks tomorrow and things are going very well.  We are a few weeks into 2nd trimester already, and all my labs and screening tests have been normal.  Baby is on track with his or her growth and we are low risk for complications at this point.  I think Jaycob and I both felt a little cautious during first trimester but stayed hopeful, and we grow more excited each week to welcome this new joy into our lives!  I envision this little life and look forward to experiencing motherhood and the overwhelming and unconditional love that comes with it.   It was so wonderful to be able to share the news with our families!  I visited my parents in the Twin Cities at the end of our first trimester and surprised them with a few baby-themes gifts.  This will be their first grandchild and they are thrilled!  A couple weeks later we visited

Baking with booze has the potential to add an entirely new flavor and sweetness to desserts.  Alcohol can be substituted for extract in many recipes (bars, cakes, bread, brownies, cookies, etc.).  Bourbon, Bailey's, amaretto, and dark rum are popular additions, but honestly you can bake with everything from flavored vodka and Bacardi to tequila and cointreau.  Wine and beer make great additions to certain recipes too.  Boozy desserts also appeal to the adult crowd!  While a hard cider apple pie may not be appropriate for a child's birthday party, my 30-year-old friends who brew their own beer are all about it.   In honor of Kentucky Derby season, I bring you Bourbon, Pecan, Coconut & Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars .   With brown sugar, coconut flakes, pecans, and Kentucky Bourbon, these are not your average blondies.  Hope you enjoy these as much as we did!   All the best stuff Mixing up the liquids Starting to look like cookie dough!  Yum! Done! Ser

My book club is 7 months old and going strong!  We have 4-6 dedicated members representing a wide range of perspectives and contributions.  One of the highlights of my month is getting together for wine, snacks (cheese is always a staple of our diet), and conversation with my friends who have a shared love of reading.  We don't have a theme, and we read everything from nonfiction and self-help to historical fiction and futurism.  My favorite book so far has been  Fates and Furies  by Lauren Groff, a thought-provoking and honest portrayal of marriage and the secrets that define a person.   Here's our complete list of the first 7 months: 1.   Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men , by Leonard Sax 2.   In the Unlikely Event , by Judy Blume 3.   Little Bee , by Chris Cleave 4.   A Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun, and Be Your Own Person , by Shonda Rhimes