Closet Hotcakes

I woke up this morning relieved that it's the MLK Jr. holiday and the girls and I have no school! Before I could even get out of bed, I had four rumbling tummies coming at me begging for their first meal of the day. Usually the mornings during the week are rushed trying to get everyone to school on time, so breakfast isn't very exciting. Frequently the kids eat cold (or hot) cereal, sometimes it's frozen homemade waffles popped in the toaster, and if we're in a big hurry it's a slice of toast with a piece of fruit running out the front door. Today, with the feeling of having a "free day off" (hardly) I was in the mood to cook them something special for breakfast. I pulled out my recipe binder and found a recipe for whole wheat vegan pancakes. I know, BORING right? Well I thought so too, especially when I had the idea to sneak in a scoop of oats (my kids probably hate me). Have no fear, I redeemed myself by adding loads of chocolate chips and sliced bananas to the batter, and served them sprinkled with some more on top. A drizzle of warm maple syrup and a mini mountain of soy whip and VOILA! Breakfast is served!

CLOSET HOTCAKES (because they're secretly healthy, shhh!)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 cup oats (kids didn't even notice)

1 1/2 cup rice milk

2 tbsp coconut oil, melted

1 tbsp pure maple syrup

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

*Combine dry ingredients in one bowl, wet ingredients in another. Whisk wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring until combined (some lumps are ok). Cook and flip over medium heat until golden brown. Enjoy!





Black Chasm Cavern

Earlier this week we took the kids on a day trip to Volcano, CA in Amador County. Just an hour and a half drive away from Sacramento, it's home to the Black Chasm Cavern. We had an absolute blast getting outside, underground, and exploring the many different formations inside the cave.

The entrance into the cavern...

Rare helictite crystals found in less than 5% of all the caves in the world...

Translucent drapery known as "Angel's Wing"...

Stalactite and Stalagmite formations...

Flowstones...

We were told not to touch the delicate cave formations. They take thousands of years to grow, and the natural oils from our skin may prevent further growth and cause damage to the rocks.

Food, drink, candy, and gum is also prohibited. 

Black Chasm Cavern is incredible. There's even a bright blue lake at the bottom!

Gemstone mining outside the cavern...

 Just a short walking distance away from the cavern, we went on a nature trail hike through the Zen Garden...

 We had so much fun climbing up and down the huge moss-covered stones...

This place is gorgeous. It felt like something out of a movie!

Caught in the act...DESPICABLE!

Perfect for the kids to run around and explore...

We were in awe at it's beauty...

We had such an adventurous day, it was amazing! I highly recommend anyone should visit, especially with children. We already want to go back!

13.1 mile Itch

I've been trying to push away a feeling, but it keeps itching at me: I'm ready to run another half-marathon...ekk! Wait, let me rephrase that: I WANT to run another half-marathon, but ready? Far from it. The last half I ran was in April, with Joseph, and neither of us did any real training. Well, I kept up on my weight training routine and uped my runs on the treadmill for 2 weeks prior, which still resulted in feeling like almost zero training. Although I didn't walk and probably pride made me run the WHOLE thing, I didn't get the same satisfaction in completing it like I did with my first half marathon, that I trained 8 weeks for.

American River Parkway 2011 

A couple of weeks ago I got the email that sparked the itch. It was the sign up announcement for the 2012 Parkway Half Marathon on Saturday, April 28. I started spreading the word to some of my girlfriends, who I ran my first half and had a good time training with. I still had not fully committed to the idea though, because being in school makes doing anything else that much harder, and with running I need all the help that I can get! So now that I'm in my last week of break before starting school again, I knew I had a decision/commitment to make. This week I finally put on my running shoes and headed out the door 2 days in a row, to log my first official training runs! I'm now officially signed up for the race, so I guess I'll be juggling long runs with short school quarters, and a busy home life - yikes!

I've been getting some good tips found in the book The NONrunner's Marathon Guide for Women By Dawn Dais (who lives in Sacramento). I enjoy the author's sarcasm and sense of humor as she gives running advice. I appreciate her down-to-earth, honest way of validating how difficult running is for us average, athletically challenged women. I've started following her 20 week Half-Marathon Training Schedule found on page 6, but with the race 17 weeks away I started at Week 3. Also, there are lots of training schedules found online from other sources that I'm sure I'll be incorporating, to fit my schedule. I would much rather train with friends, so if you are interested RUN WITH ME!!!

Merry Christmas

Christmas Eve

My parent-in-laws do a pancake breakfast every Christmas, but with Christmas falling on Sunday this year (church) they bumped it up a day early. I actually like it better that way. It's like getting a Christmas a day early!  We opened presents and enjoyed hearing the missionaries sing us a lovely Christmas song...

Meme read us a Christmas story...

That evening we went to my Aunt Maria's where my mother's side of the family gathers. It's our family tradition to eat tamales, drink atole, and wait up until midnight to celebrate the birth of Christ. I remember when I was a kid Santa actually came at midnight! It was so great visiting with my mom and sister, aunts and uncles, cousins, friends, but especially my Grandma Juanita!

Christmas Day
On Christmas morning we let the kids get into their stockings and open presents. Lucy noticed that Joseph's and my stocking was empty, so she put a "MOM" heart necklace in mine, and in Joseph's five dollars with a note. Her note reads:

"dad I love u and you problee hav nuthing so I did giv you 5$ and that is all I got. Love Lucy to dad"

...She is so considerate and thoughtful. She makes us proud!

My friend Stephanie mailed the kids brand new $2 bills. They had never seen those before!

At Nonna's opening more gifts...

At Uncle Tim's and Aunt Sandy's house in the afternoon...

Our gifts from the White Elephant gift exchange. Joseph got us a date night with candy and two movie tickets, and I picked Godiva goodies. This year the family decided to not open the gifts until the very end, so stealing was done while the gifts were still wrapped. I think it made for a "nicer" gift exchange with less fighting and gift envy. Definitely a plus!

In the evening at Nonno's...

Yes, that was all the same day! Although living near both sides of our family is indeed a blessing, all the running around to visit everyone during Christmas time sure makes for some busy, stressful times! And on top of  it Joseph worked the graveyard shift in Fairfield that night. It took us a few days of staying home in our PJ's to recover from all the fun!