Spring Fever Chase, Part Two

Ahhhhhhhhhhlabama
I went home for a visit to good ole' Alabama for some much needed R & R.  And, of course, a little race called the Spring Fever Chase.  'Part Two' you may be asking yourself... what was part one?  Part one was last year, before I was a blogger. 

Let me back up just a minute to my title above. I say "Ahhhhhlabama" because that is how I feel when I go there to visit.  No work, no obligations, no errands, no laundry, no cooking, no email or phone (unless I want it),...no problem! Maybe I should throw in another one in there 'no hair or makeup' (that's probably my favorite).  It's such a relaxing place to visit to get a little sun, and of course, visit my family and friends.  I can medically prove that the river is such a relaxing place to be - enter Larry's (my dad) blood pressure.  My dad's blood pressure was very high last week (when he was living in his Tennessee house, working per usual) he then drove to AL to spend the weekend with mom and me at the river.  Well, long story short, within 24 hours of being at the river his blood pressure went back down to normal... I'm talking like a 40 point drop in one day!  Maybe it's the river that is calming, or maybe it's me! hahaha

On to the photos. Below are some photos from the race and of family and friends in Alabama.

The new dock



Spring Fever Chase



The finish; Mom got 3rd place in her age group!

Pregnant friend, Jessica ... no, she didn't run!

Enjoying coffee from Page & Palette in downtown Fairhope

Will & Lindsey Richardson; me holding their son, Miles

Out to dinner at Jesse's restaurant (only time I put a stitch of make up on)

Dad kayaking mom around

***I forgot to mention that we were two minutes faster at this year's Spring Fever Chase than we were last year.  Next year, mom will dominate and win her whole age group!

Spaghetti Squash For Two

Spaghetti...Squash!
This recipe is delicious, easy and is great for you.  It tastes just like spaghetti but without all the carbs.

Ingredients:
1 Spaghetti squash
1 Can tomato sauce
Zucchini
Mushrooms
Red, yellow, or orange pepper
Garlic
Onion
Herbs that you have on hand - basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper
Shredded, low-fat, part-skim mozzarella (optional)

Step One:
Poke holes all over the spaghetti squash with a fork. Microwave for 5-6 minutes on each side (~10-12 minutes total).

Step Two:
Chop the veggies (any that you have on had will work, the ones I listed above are just suggestions), onion and garlic.

Step Three:
Sautee the garlic and onion until tender in some tomato sauce (you can use olive oil if you prefer).

Step Four:

Add chopped veggies, spices and the rest of the tomato sauce. Cover and simmer over low to med-low heat for about 15 minutes or until tender. Stir occasionally.

Step Five:

Poke a hole in the squash with a knife to let out the steam (use a rag to hold it - it's very hot!).  Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  Then use a fork and scrape the sides of the squash and it will turn into little spaghetti strings! 

Pour the spaghetti and vegetable mixture on top of the plated spaghetti squash. Add fresh basil and cheese if you want.

Buon Appetito!

Hhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrre Comes...Johnny!

Well, almost.  He'll be here on (or around) April 24th to be exact. 

Are you wondering who Johnny is?  Now that I've got your attention, I'll tell you.  He is the future baby boy of my good friend Cecilie and her husband Karl.  Long story short, Cecilie and I used to be work colleagues until she moved (twice).  We have remained close friends through the distance and this weekend she was in town for a baby shower.  It was great to see her and all the cute kids that were at the shower as well.  If I am ever pregnant, I hope I look half as good as she does, seriously... she looks great!

*To find out what Johnny looks like, check back after April 24th for an updated post!

Tiny Umbrella for a Tiny Rainstorm

Super cute video from YouTube, courtesy of my brother, Alan. For cute animal viewing, click below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w89bFK3PvBA

Signs of Spring

I know it's coming...we've waited so long!  Dallas has had a rough winter (as many parts of the country have) and I am finally seeing signs of Spring.

Hopefully these photos brighten your day (especially all of my 'northern' readers {Julia, Robin})!

Mimi, I know you've been having a rough week, so I took photos of all the flowers I could find and am 'sending' these to you!

Is There Art in Dallas?

Yes, there is.

Surprised? I kind of was too.  I was driving around the other day and saw a giant wooden snake being installed on a wall of a parking lot, the first time I passed it, it was just solid, unpainted wood.  The next time I drove by, it was a huge burst of color!  I was very excited to see some 'life' added to this area of town and that got me thinking 'where else is there outdoor art in Dallas?'  Obviously, there is the Nasher Sculpture center and the whole Arts District, but I'm thinking more along the lines of random pieces of art just intertwined into the city's landscape. 

I drove around this past Sunday afternoon and took a few photos of artwork that I could recall seeing in Dallas. See if you can recoginze where these pieces are!  If you know of more outdoor/random art that I'm missing, please share it with me.



 *I apologize for the quality of these photos, they were taken from a moving car and I did not photoshop them.