a life beyond running shoes.

three cups of tea . by greg mortenson and david oliver relin such a good use of my time. should have passed this one along. should have purchased this one for friends. then i saw the 60 minutes story . questions the accuracy of mortenson's story, his program, his finances. **sigh** i value truth. it is a priority of our home. now what? so, i read on line. i read the nytimes article that doesn't necessarily counter the other new program's story. mortenson defends his story. his friend published a story as an op-ed piece . i liked that point of view. kristof doesn't know what to make of the accusations. but he knows greg mortenson and also knows mortenson's limitations. mortenson never claimed to be organized or financially savvy. and yet he started a foundation, built schools, risked his life, and is changing the world. what have i done? frankly, if only half of what he has accomplished is actually true.... it is amazing, remarkable, incredible. it is hard to balanc...

i have not hid my love for YA (young adult) literature. in fact, i am re-reading all the harry potter books before the last and final movie comes out this summer. and i really did read all the twilight books. (i don't claim that i always read good books, wink, wink). but i loved the hunger games . and of course, the movie is being made. it is all over the blogisphere. and here is the cool part: brooke, who is a babysitter for a kid at the boys' school, just got cast. here is the post from one of the fan websites. (perhaps, i have seen this blog before... cough, cough). brooke is going to be octavia. (small but really cool part) i think i was the only mom on the schoolyard the literally yelped when she was talking about her audition..... then i really did scream when she said she got the part. perhaps it is because i was the only one that knew what she was auditioning for and HOW S TINKIN' COOL IT IS!!! and i just hang with her on the park bench while the kids ru...

just some cute photos. you know the long walk from baseball to the car what just "too long" that my six year old needed to ride in the stroller too. she got this hat as a hand-me-down and will not take it of f. you can't tell in the photo, but she got a bit of a trim. this was taken upon arriving home from stitches: and this is new fun app on my phone.... just playing around:

walking gently on the earth by lisa graham mcminn & megan anna neff i feel like i am always evaluating where i can give up more. where to live simpler. where to make choices that reflect god's care for his creation. i didn't feel like anything in this book was new. i had either read it before, thought through, or talked with someone about it. the main difference is the authors come from a distinctly christian, biblical point of view. some key principles from the book: give first live with margin share and borrow stuff reuse, buy used, recycle pursue justice for people using your consumer power do no harm - protect ecological systems seek contentment just the idea of giving first and finishing with being content are challenging whether or not you consider your carbon footprint. god has called to us as stewards of his creation, and this book gives good basis for it and good resources in each chapter for considering it further. warning.... they do get controversial. ...

happy birthday, daddy!

i ran the brooklyn half marathon today. finally, a day with no rain..... but only after a fully water logged week. in terms of race prep, it made me nervous not to have a week of any miles. but i got up early... well, normal early for a running day. walked three-fourths o f a mile to the bus. ran into a few folks i knew..... but then found my corral.... and waited for the start. i hate standing around at the start of a race by myself. i feel self-conscious. i start analyzing my training... i start to psyche myself out. no good. i was missing stef this morning. this was my first brooklyn half without her. it was also my first brooklyn half running the opposite way. we started in the park. did a full two loops (which means i met the hill twice). ran down ocean parkway. turned on surf avenue and finished on coney island's boardwalk. i had a great race. i found someone i knew and ran with her and her friend from mile 1 - 9. that made all the difference. at mile 9, i...

or at least it can feel that way. living in a borough of one of the greatest cities in the world.... and most of my life is playgrounds, diapers, homework, and dinner.... with a bit of running thrown in..... i can get down on my lack of cultural experiences. between the financials of getting out much less getting a babysitter. ...... fu'gettaboutit. or at least it can seem that way. in the midst of surviving life with three small kids, major surgery, the anniversary of loss.... we have had an uncanny season of cultural opportunities: a concert. (that is glenn phillips from toad the wet sprocket.... the band i saw) a top modern dance company's performance. (albeit three weeks post-op) the opera. (see previous post ) the ballet. (mind you lincoln center twice in a month.... i have not been once in the six and a half years we have been here). plus, a small off-off-off (not even near) broadway play. it is because we have experienced the overly generous kindness of f...

i read this book in a few days.... what to do with it now will take forever to figure out. i mean, running barefoot... that is crazy talk. born to run . christopher mcdougall how do i even begin..... it is fascinating, if nothing else. it might totally be nuts. or he might be just enough genius to be right. i have no idea. i don't know enough. just the story of the ultra-runners was so fascinating. those people are nuts. and the journey is full of such characters.... and they are real people. but i can tell you i have been googling him and this line of thinking ever since i finished the book. and i bought it for my dad and brother. there. that is endorsement if ever i've had one.... especially since in my "green" moments, i am all about the library. i mean, i really have to want a book OR i must be really behind in requesting it from the library for my next book club meeting.... and here i went and ordered two copies of the same book. maybe i just want someone e...

last week was full of fun! cousin baby bear came to visit... oh, he brought my brother and his wife with him as well. brooklyn bridge, playgrounds, ny style pizza, peanut butter balls, the sand box, the stoop, and sidewalks.... too much fun. then i hosted a bridal shower while daddy took little bit to the ER for stitches. (he was jumping off a wall...of course he was). three stitches! but i made scones for our english tea party. it was delightful!

and we have success! 1. homemade granola bars add peanut butter and more chocolate chips! okay... so, i am still eating more of them than my children but at least they didn't turn up their noses right away. peanut actually ate his in his lunch and little bit ate one on the bus home from a long morning. (desperation just might breed consumption!) recipe: (adapted from ina garten - the barefoot contessa) 2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal 1/2 cup of puffed rice cereal 1/2 cup sliced almonds 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 2/3 cup honey 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed 1/4 cup of peanut butter 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 cup dried cranberries Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 12-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper. Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and puffed rice cereal together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the...

an opinion about opera that is. i have been to two in my life. i don't consider that enough to have figured out if i love it or not. i mean, i have friends that LOVE it. (i took one hoping she would rub off on me) i have an old friend who was in new york city opera's production of seance on a wet afternoon by stephen schwartz (from wicked and aladdin ). he was one of the singers and was incredible. the entire cast was incredible for that matter. (me with singer friend, todd wilander) i don't really know what i think of english opera. it was a bit jarring to have operatic voice singing, "billy" over and over again. as much as i am not accustomed to the genre, the voices were amazing.... and the show riveting. the lead soprano was .... phew... amazing. and one of the fun things about knowing a cast member, is getting to go back stage. um... shaking hands with stephen schwartz. ...and sitting on the rather spectacular set. throw in a super bizarre party upstai...