Mossy Moss

It's called thatching, my friends. Lawn care in the Northwest is way different than what I was used to in the lovely deseret. Instead of raking leaves in the autumn (because there are barely any deciduous trees here, only evergreens), we thatch moss in the spring. Moss grows everywhere. It grows on driveways, on rooftops, on decks. My sister has to restain her deck every year because it's too mossy and slippery otherwise. I would probably grow moss if I stood still outside too long. So we put a weed-n-feed on our grass, which kills the moss, and then we rake and rake the dead moss out of our lawn. Fun! The three piles in the picture below are all moss I have thatched out.

R n R

Part of a cute little tourist town we visited

Cool indian Whale design

The boat next door at low tide

View from our deck

Love these lights, want them in my house

My book club went on a nice, relaxing weekend trip. We stayed in a cute little house on Widbey Island. The second day I was there, the sun shone for us all day. It was beautiful to be on the beach waking up to such gorgeous sunshine. We stayed up late talking and playing games, and I spent a lot of daylight hours sleeping. It was great!

25 Random Things

Remember when this was going around on Facebook? Well, I totally missed the boat. I kept thinking about what my 25 random things would be, and all I could think of was "Rachel's 25 Random work out tips and how I love it." Lame, I know, and if you already hate this entry, then just skip it now, because it's only going to get worse. Here goes:

1. The hardest thing about working out is actually going. Once you're there, you can do whatever you want, and feel good about it.

3. Buy cute workout clothes. You'll feel more confident, and will be more willing to go.

2. I started running when I was 20, mostly because it was free.

3. Turns out running isn't free, shoes are expensive, and I paid $145 to run my half marathon in June and tickets for Damon and I to attend the after party that evening. Hope it's not lame.

4. I've practiced yoga for at least 6 years now, and I love it. It is good for my soul.

5. After all these years, I still have to talk myself into going some of the time, and sometimes I can successfully talk myself out of going.

6. But I'm always glad when I go. But I don't feel guilty when I don't, because it usually means I get a little extra sleep.

7. Regular excercise releases the same amount of endorphines into your brain as taking an antidepressant.

8. One of the best recovery drinks after a hard workout, or long run is chocolate milk. Love that. They don't know why, but something in it really replenishes you.

9. Make sure you hydrate, before and after you work out. I've gotten migraines from not.

10. Find something you enjoy doing.

11. Find a buddy. They really do motivate you, and you're able to run longer. Here's to all my past running buddies: Chantal, Damon, Tamara, Laura, Heather, and Tara. I am currently without a running partner (or an MP3 player), so training sucks right now, but I'm planning on getting an MP3 player. Not as good as running with someone, but it will have to do.

12. I want to swim, but that costs money.

13. I want to compete (right!!!) in a triathalon, but the swimming is a problem, and I can't afford a trainer. But someday soon.

14. I'm having knee trouble right now, so I'm doing a lot of exploring to find out why.

15. My awesome sister, Hannah is flying up to run the half with me. She has already run the Provo half, rockstar that she is. So we're just considering june her second half, and then she can say she has run a full.

16. I work at a gym, so I get a free membership, and free tanning. I only use the tanning when I feel blue from constant gray skies.

17. I attend a weights class that is awesome. Lifting is so good for you. Good for your bones, and burning calories. If you lift, your muscles continue to burn calories for you for the rest of the day.

18. I think I'm stronger now than I ever have been. But I also weigh 10 lbs more than what my norm used to be.

19. Despite all my hard work, I still have (and probably always will) a mommy middle (muffin top).

20. My boobs have gotten really small. But that's the price I pay, I guess.

21. I work out at 5 and 6 in the morning. Even I think that is Crazy.

22. Running on a treadmill is boring.

23. Running outside is way more enjoyable, especially if you can run along a lake trail, or at dusk in Utah when there is a spectacular sunset.

24. I've never counted calories, it always seems like so much work to me. I feel I do OK I just try to listen to my body. If I eat Fast Food or sugar I feel sick, so I try not to eat it much. And I pay attention to the latest research, but take it with a grain of salt. 20 years ago, milk made me fat, now it has a slimming effect. Well, I've always liked milk, and have stuck with two percent through it all. I stopped eating butter for a while. But butter is yummy, and it doesn't make us fat in moderation.

25. Allow yourself treats, but only on the weekends. This one is HARD for me. I want a dessert EVERY night. So sometimes I try to go for every other night. Like I said, this one is hard for me.

Easter Eggs 2009

I love to dye Easter eggs. The past couple of years I have dyed eggs with silk ties and onion skins, both of which are awesome. This year my sister and I tried to transfer a lace pattern onto the eggs, (see the Martha Stewart web site for what I am talking about). The lace didn't work so we ended up stamping our eggs with regular stamps and leaves. I must they they turned out great, I love the leaf patterns the best, so you get repeat pictures, the first because the picture is better, and the second because I included the eggs with the gold leaf on them. The kids had a blast too.