long weekend

I took a quick trip up to Minnesota for five days to see friends, aunts, grandma and my sister. It was great!! Just relaxed. I didn't take a lot a pictures, just a couple on Saturday.


I love being back up in Minnesota, I feel more calm and relaxed. But this trip just reconfirmed Minnesota is not home again yet and I am kind of done with Dallas, it's time to move to a different city. When searching for a new job, I am going to make it nationwide. Find a fun new city to explore.

Library Book:
Lately I have been on a reading kick, this last week I have read Lipstick in Afghanistan by Roberta Gately, The Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Just started reading I Don't Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson. I recommended The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, I read each within 24 hours. There is a third book to the series but I have not read it yet, I am number 27 on the library reserve list.

Jicama

When my sister was in town three weeks ago, we picked up a jicama to eat while camping. Never ate it. The poor abandoned jicama is now at a use it or throw it away stage. I am leaving for Minnesota on Wednesday. Decided to give myself an Iron Chef challenge, what can I do with a jicama? After cutting it up, I have about two sandwich bags full. During work, I ate a couple sticks raw. For dinner, I cut some sticks into bite size piece and put it in the oven with a cut up sweet potato. Set the oven at 400 degree then waited 45 minutes. Topped it off with some salsa, almonds & olives on the side with frozen grapes for dessert.
(sorry about the iphone picture, my brother has my camera. He wanted to take pictures while he helped fix up a Boys & Girls Club building.)

Library Book:
Just finished I'm Down by Mishna Wolff, I decided to read something a little lighter after reading The Historian (six hundred & some odd pages) by Elizabeth Kostova and A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. Great, quick, fun, summer book!

lately

Lately I have been feeling/acting like I am waiting for my life to start. I feel in limbo. Maybe I thought my life would be different. I don't know how though. My ten year high school reunion was last summer and I turned 29 in February, kind of made me think about things (mainly - how do I want to live my life?). I need to stop thinking of my bike rides and camping trips are just time waste-ers, enjoy them and use them to their fullest potential (like, trying different recipes while camping). I need to enjoy life and use it to it's fullest potential. I need to stop taking the safe way, I am adventerous but keep holding myself back. There is no one event or product that will create happily ever after, life will always have struggles but I can be happy, live and grow.

Library Book:
I just finished A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller. Part story and part self help-ish. It's about how to make the most out of your life. I recommend it.

Lancaster Country Ride

This morning was my first 63 mile ride of the year and it was a tough one! The wind was strong. The ride started a little after 9am then finally finished around 2:30pm, half an hour before the course would close. It has NEVER taken me that long before. Luckily the view was beautiful!! The bluebonnet (Texas State flower) was in full bloom!

Cowboy Stadium

Monahans Sandhills State Park March 29th-31st