First Anniversary Bliss

Traveling to Bend was a perfect way to celebrate our first year of marriage. Good friend, Stacy, spoiled us by flying us over to Sunriver (30 minute flight!). We started the anniversary by getting a couples massage to work out the "kinks and knots" of marriage! Then continued over to our proposal spot along the river at Drake Park. I think it even made John Mark a little nervous to revisit the spot, thinking of all his anxiety the last time. We ended the evening with a great dinner at Pine Tavern (ate lots of "donut" bread and butter). At dinner we exchanged our gifts...well our poems.

Our actual anniversary day, began with a round of golf at Caldera. After golf, the Baldwins treated us to breakfast at the Chart House.

Yummy, manmosa drinks!

This is how we traveled to the airport. Thanks Don! I think John Mark looks pretty good in it!

The crew and pilot. First time flying with Stacy and it was a breeze and so smooth. Best pilot (and best looking) I've ever been on board with!
And we are off!

Quick photo opt after our safe arrival. What a super fun weekend and even a little adventurous. Definitely memorable.

Schoooools out, for....SUMMER!

Can't believe how fast the school year went. What an amazing year I had. Great students that respected each other and were eager to learn. I feel so blessed to have a job that I enjoy! Looking forward to my fifth year of teaching first grade in the fall.

Spring Break 2010

I still haven't quite decided if I can actually use the word "break" for my week off of teaching. JM & I started the "break" by skiing up at Timberline...I'm not going to complain because we did have a blue bird ski day, however, we literally were doing groomed runs on the Palmer the entire day because the rest of the mountain was complete slush. I wasn't sure how the day was going to go for us, considering before we had even taken a full run John Mark asked if we could take a break when we got down. He said he was thirsty??? "Um, honey I just put on all five layers of my clothing...can we ski a few runs before we think about taking a break?" Here is a glimpse of our beautiful day, JM likes to show his muscles...

The following day I was off to visit the Jordans in Raleigh, North Carolina. Super excited to spend time with my sister, Ford, and Kealy...but most excited to meet my new nephew Grady. His sweet, calm demeanor is easy to fall in love with. Couldn't get over his quiet giggle and lovable smile.

People have said to really understand the responsibility of having kids you should start with getting a dog. Are you kidding me? Leaving a dog in a kennel while you head to work is nothing like feeding, loving, caring, changing, washing, entertaining, etc...a child! I had a blast visiting my family and I am confident in my decision of waiting a few more years to have kids. To keep it short- let's just say I need to get a lot more hours of sleep before I am rested enough to tackle having a child. Ha!

The fun continued as we met the rest of my family in Palm Desert to celebrate my mom's 60th birthday. Her fun spirit, devotion to family and friends, love for the Lord, and active life style doesn't show a day over forty. We had a great time and can't wait for our next visit.

Home Signature

People have signatures. The things that people do that set themselves apart. They're different from person to person. Usually they are for the most part good. For example the guy with his tongue hanging out while concentrating or competing…Michael Jordan. MJ, dang. He’s got a few right? The black and red knee brace that he actually wore on his calf for some reason (I emulated that one). You could go on with this guy. How about his “Jumpman” silhouette. It’s a brand logo now. I emulated that one too. On a 7 foot hoop in my backyard on a slick day as an 11 year old. I got my first concussion, due to some serious rim check.

How about in music, that guy, Angus, from AC/DC. He wears suit jackets with matching shorts. Little weird. Even in cycling. A certain cyclist always makes his hands like he’s shooting two six-shooters when we wins a race. Alright, you get it.

So, in a way more boring, domesticated way. I have a signature in the house. But mine I’m trying to get rid of (the cyclist up above could get rid of his too). It’s one Kelsey has been so nice to point out. Even calling me at work once. I leave crumbs behind. Not all crumbs, I’m a clean person. But from my PB&J creations I make mainly. I make a lot of them, so the frequency of my mess could be or is high (depending on whom you ask). I’m working on it, getting them up right away that is. Below is an example, minus the rarity blob of jelly (Marionberry I think). It was just too perfect that happened when I went to take the photo.

Here’s the deal. We get up early usually. I’m in more of a rush than my wife (because I’m slower), so I swiftly have to make my lunch which is 98% of the time a PB&J. I love them you see. They taste good, they're quick to make, hold well (I actually ate one last Monday I made on a Thursday), and usually not too messy (again, depends on who you ask). I think it’s the utility of the PB&J I love most or it’s the Trader Joe’s peanut butter. So, it’s 5 am, making PB&J’s, it’s dark, I’m thinking about how cold my car is going to be, then I forget to wipe the crumbs up! But, here it is, the crumbs are same color as the counter! I don’t even see them to remind myself they are even there without my friendly signal, Mr. Blob of Jelly.

So, then my wife is making her lunch or breakfast after she gets back from the gym (it’s brighter out now remember). She says “Uh” are those crumbs? “Yes, John Marks crumbs” she says. “He did it again, leaving his PB&J crumbs again.” Wham. My household signature! I don’t mean too, honestly. I usually get those up 80 % of the time. But if I don’t, I could get a phone call at work or at least an email.

So there it is. It a very un-MJ glorified manner, my household signature. I bet I stick my tongue out when I slather peanut butter my bread though.

Foam Rollin

Looks harmless. Doesn't it. Foamy, squishy, comfortable. Those all come to mind when I see people on these things or when I generally think of foam. I got one the other week and rudely found out the real story.

This little ton of fun is a foam roller. I never really got foam rollers. I saw people in the gym rocking slowly back and forth on them before. I just though it was their way of being "productive" while not really doing anything. I was wrong. Really wrong.

Ever have a bruise that really hurt? The ones that you could barely touch. Or better yet, have a bruise that your wife or girlfriend/boyfriend pushed on asking "Does that hurt?" Okay, you get it. Now, image 75 percent of your of body weight balanced over the bruise. To cap it off, roll back and forth over the bruise and see how that feels. Thats what this little comfy foamy slow roller feels like going over my quads, glutes, and hip flexors.

Honestly, I dread using it, each day I dread it. Badly. It's wild how the body works, but using this thing on my quads is to help my knee. I'm not too flexy in my hips, so it tweeks my knee cap. So, my cure is this foam roller of pain. I would post pictures of the exercises, but they are really not very pretty.

I don't want to know what people think of me when they see me in the gym on this thing. I know what I thought of others on them. Making my slow motions back and forth working out my muscles. To make sure people know I'm "working" on something I make really mean faces, but the rude massage from the foam roller delivers those faces effortlessly. Don't be fooled by foam rollers.

Chicken with Baby Spinach and Couscous

After watching Julie and Julia, John Mark and I have been totally inspired. Half way through the movie I pulled out the only two cookbooks that I own and started tabbing every page that looked enticing. I'm experimenting and slowly learning but loving every step of it. I'm sure my hips and belly are not too thrilled. I have also enjoyed reading through other blogs on cooking and recipes- it's a whole other world out there. Here is a recipe my sister shared with me. Great for nights that you are hungry and have 30 minutes to cook. When I made it I accidentally added the whole can of broth. Oops!

3 T olive oil, divided
4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded between waxed paper to
1/2" thickness
1/4 t salt
1/4 t fresh ground pepper
3 garlic cloves, chopped (about 1 Tablespoon)
8 oz baby spinach, about 8 c. lightly packed
2 T balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. low sodium chicken broth
1 c. canned no salt added chopped tomatoes, in their juices
2 c. hot cooked whole wheat couscous

Heat 1 T olive oil in a large skilled over medium-high heat. Season
chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Add chicken to the pan
and cook until browned and just cooked through, about 4 mins per side,
or until the chicken reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees. Remove
the chicken to a plate.

Add remaining 2 T olive oil to pan, add garlic and cook for 1 min. Add
spinach and cook until wilted (1-2 min). Season with salt and pepper,
then transfer the spinach to a bowl and set aside.

Add vinegar, chicken broth and tomatoes to the pan and stir, scraping
the brown bits off the bottom. Bring to a simmer and cook until the
sauce is slightly thickened (3-5 mins).

Divide the couscous between 4 serving plates. Top with some spinach,
then a piece of chicken and the balsamic-tomato sauce. Makes 4
servings.

Competitive

This photo is actually from New Years but it is the only photo we have in the past five months... does that mean our life is getting boring? Or just uneventful?

Now with John Mark posting I feel the urge to step-up my blogging. Otherwise, I am afraid 'Tour de Baldwins' will become a blog solely on biking adventures. Don't get me wrong, I loved the Saturday morning, pre-season 45 mile (with extreme hills) bike ride. It did however leave us totally worthless for the rest of the weekend.

John Mark has left me for the day to continue his biking adventures with his boys (should I be offended?). It's probably a good idea that I'm NOT riding this morning considering how it started...

I woke around 3:30am with a charlie horse in my left calf. It felt like it lasted for almost a minute- I was thrashing around in pain as my husband slept purring next to me. However, a few hours later he mentioned that I had been pounding my pillow in the night. I kindly told him, "no, I was actually in extreme pain, trying to massage out the knot, but yes, thank you for helping." I decided to be a good wife and help my husband get ready for his day with the boys. So my already wonderful morning continues with first clogging the toilet to then realizing I hadn't cleaned the toilet in a few weeks. Two things I've learned since marriage: 1. how to declog a toilet; 2. how to clean a toilet. Wow, it's only 7:30 and look what I have already accomplished. Next, I go downstairs to get the coffee going. I look over a few minutes later only to see coffee and coffee grinds spewed all over our countertops. Oops, forgot the paper filter! Are you serious?!?! Honestly, I should go back to bed. I wonder what the rest of the day will hold? Do I dare adventure out for a run?