Top Five Friday

1. Every Friday I make some treat to bring into work. It started as snacks or desserts I wanted to try but didn't want to eat all of. Because really who makes half a pie? Now? Now, I've created monsters. If I don't bring something in I get an interrogation on why there's no goodies.

I made sm'arshmallows for today because it was WAY to hot to turn on the oven and make coconut macarons like I've been planning. Maybe next week.

2. I booked our plane tickets to and from Germany yesterday. It may finally be setting in that I'm moving to a foreign country in 36 days. Help!

3. Ryan and I have a vacation planned for our anniversary in July. It's also happens to be one week before I leave for Germany. We have no idea where we're going but it's most likely going to be somewhere in Maine. Because Maine is our place. We love it there. It's just hard to justify a vacation when we're going to be backpacking every weekend in Europe.

4. I haven't read a book in FOREVER. I have a few downloaded on my kindle but I don't have any motivation to start reading them. I think I need a better book. Any suggestions?

5. This weekend is going to be crazy. We have two birthday parties, some moving, and a lot of exercise to get in. I'm looking forward to spending time with friends but I'm really looking forward to getting reacquainted with the back of my eyelids. We're having a love hate relationship right now.

Adventures | Saratoga Brewfest

We finally made it to a craft beer festival and the timing couldn't have been better.

There are always ten craft beer festivals in our area throughout the year. They just so happen to always be on the weekends we plan to go up North and visit Ryan's family. Literally.

But not this year! 

We strategically planned our June weekends so that we could visit his family/celebrate his birthday on the first one and then celebrate his actual birthday at the brewfest. He was in his glory. 

Trust me. He was as happy as a clam at high tide. He may have also been a little drunk from the unlimited free tastings. But he was incredibly responsible and didn't get anyway near a point of concern. Unlike some other folks staggering around the fairgrounds...

The brewfest had live music, fantastic food vendors, and reps from local stores. Even the weather was pretty perfect.

It was the start of a fun birthday weekend for my favorite guy. Happy 28th Birthday, cutie.

Let's just not play with the camera next time, okay?

Our Kind of Museum

Cooperstown, New York. First thought. Ready...go!

Was it baseball? You know, because that's where the Baseball Hall of Fame is? Sadly, it's not mine. Baseball just isn't my thing. Sorry dad. 

I could be biased, but my first thought of Cooperstown is triathlons. My very close second thought is the Farmer's Museum. And yes. There is such a thing. It's this awesome collection of everything you would find in a historic small farming community. They even moved old local buildings all into one place to create this teeny tiny town. The best part is it's a FREAKING WORKING FARM. 

HELLO ADORABLE. I wish I could have stole him. I am definitely holding Ryan to his promise  of goats one day.

The museum's main building had all the basic history about farms. There were different tools from different time periods. Different versions of sleds and carriages. They even showed different techniques of how barns were built.

Out in the "town," there were a host of characters who all held different jobs. It was so fantastic to see these real people creating things using historic tools and recipes. We talked with a weaver, we spoke with an apprentice at the print shop. We even visited the pharmacist who was making ginger pellets to soothe stomachs.

It's kind of neat to think about how everything fit in that world. Like, maybe the Amish have the right idea? Simple is better? But then I wouldn't have things like this blog. Or an awesome camera that captures pictures that I can look at for years to come. And I would probably be wearing some heavy clothes that covered me from tip to toe.

I think I'll stick with today...

...as long as I can still have a turkey. Maybe a sheep, too? 

Our First Triathlon | Cooperstown Triathlon

There's a moment, after every race, when you stop to think, "I did it."

I remember having it back in November for the first time. It was a I-just-ran-an-entire-5k moment. This past May, it was an I'm-a-triathlete moment. It was followed shortly by the thought, "Holy crap, I can't wait to do it again."

I think I may have had a stroke in between those thoughts. Because, I mean, what normal person thinks like that? Clearly not these ones. It must've been the bananas and cookies they give you after.

All the training that we did. The swims, the physical therapy, the indoor and outdoor cycling. It led us to this moment. Surrounded by fantastic people who all support one another; accompanied by personal cheering sections.

The Cooperstown course was an 800 yard swim, an 18.85 mile bike ride, and a 3.3 mile run course. Which made for a long sprint for our first triathlon. But we finished together and I'm really glad Ryan waited for me during each transition. Poor guy.

The swim, which I anticipated would be okay, was the part where I struggled the most. During our training, I was always really great with pacing, breathed consistently, and was always a length or two ahead of Ryan. The only thing I thought would get in my way would be weeds in the lake. Take a wild guess at what I got hung up on...

For whatever reason, I have this fear that the weeds are going to wrap around my leg and drag me under. Or, you never know, there could be some Harry Potter merpeople hanging out in them.

Once I hit those weeds, I started freaking out. I completely lost form and my breathing rhythm. It was awful. I tried to calm down and went to the backstroke so I wouldn't have to see the weeds. Once I made it past them, I tried to switch back to the front crawl but couldn't calm down enough to find a breathing rhythm. I ended up doing most of the swim with the back stroke. It was really disappointing.

This next one I'm determined to do better. It's funny, how afterwards you realize how ridiculous you are, but in the moment you can't seem to reason with yourself.

Ryan waited in transition for nine minutes before I got out of the freaking water.

I dragged my ass when I started the bike, trying to calm down from the freaking swim. Once I did get back into it, I averaged a 14.3 mph pace. It wasn't the fastest but I was pretty happy with it. Ryan only waited four minutes for me in that transition.

We ran the two loop course together. I swear, he is my biggest supporter. By the end of the race I was so done with it. The run course started with a little run through the Glimmerglass State Park then up to the largest hill I've ever seen. The first time I walked it. The second time (because of course the loop included it) I ran up two thirds of it. You have to celebrate the little things, okay?

We averaged a really slow 12:41 pace. But we finished together.

When you get close to the finish line, this smile creeps on your face. It's unlike any other. It's one that shows how happy you are, how accomplished you feel, how proud you are.

Then comes that moment. The I-did-it moment. Then if you're crazy, the I-can't-wait-to-do-it-again moment. So here's to the next one. And to competing in the Cooperstown one next year. I. CAN'T. WAIT.

Dude! I'm totally a triathlete now! Like for reals...

A New Adventure

Have you ever had a really busy week when, by the time you get around to having down time, you have no motivation to do the things you're supposed to do?

Welcome to my last two weeks. A week of work meetings. A weekend of sharing news. One last week of nerves and training. Then finally my first triathlon.

Today? Today, I just want to sleep. And not. move. an. inch. I want to just sit and relax and look at things like this.

I don't want to think about closing week. I don't want to think about the logistics of moving to another apartment. I don't want to think about my new job in Germany.

I just want to think about the sound that picture makes and relax.