5 on Friday: Iowa State Fair edition

Tim & I often joke about how we eat our way through the Iowa State Fair. this year was different. We didn't really eat that much but I did take lots of pictures of food stands.

1. Southern Style Nachos. YUMMMM homemade potato chips, nacho cheese (even if it was out of a can), shredded smoked pork & BBQ sauce (again, even if it was store bought). This was a first for us, recommended as back up plan if the line to the hot beef sundae was too long for us-it was, now I am thankful. 
2. American Gothic statue. Somehow I managed to cruise right on by this bad boy on our first Saturday at the fair. Place in the middle of one of the main drags that I know we walked on both directions. Way more impressive than I expected it to be. 
3. The big Pepsi clock.  It was always a 'center point' for us growing up. We were taught (?or maybe just learned on our own) how to remember the location of almost everything in relation to this clock. I love that its still there, still works & still in great condition.
4. The flags lining the top of the Grandstand.  I don't remember them there as a child but I do remember that when someone was lost or missing their meeting time, there was an announcement, "would John Doe please meet your party at the Hall of Law located at the West end of the Grandstand" & on the repeat of it (they always said it twice) my brothers & I would repeat it with the announcer. Oh the funny things we did as kids & then remember as adults.... 
5. The food stands. I haven't tried but I imagine I could find the exact number of food stands located on the fairgrounds & I bet the number would boggle my mind even though I know there is A LOT. 

Fairgrounds 5k- part 2

Ok, So I did the full recap here a few days ago but since then, the blue ribbon foundation staff has posted photos on facebook from the event & I am oddly giddy about appearing in several! You will have to click on them to enlarge the photo to find me, but here they are to share:

..

Ok, so I am not in the last 2 but I thought they were great shots to document the event.

 

 

 

 

 

Fairgrounds 5k 11/1/13

For the first time ever, I had a 'support crew' for a race. I usually just go or take other runners. This time, my mom & her boyfriend Eli came along for the trip.  Being the early fanatic I am, I told them to be here by 10:45 so we can be on the road by 11 as the registration/packet pick up table opened @11:30. So, 10:43 they pulled up, we loaded into my van & left. I checked in, then walked back to them in the van, as it was way too windy to ask them to stand outside already. My nervousness about the big hill had me texting w/Denise, Rose & Melissa, all on their way. After they got their packets picked up, we met up w/them + another & friend before they called us to line up.

I loved seeing the fairgrounds all decorated up for fall!

 

 We all enjoyed the 'chase the cow' races for the littles. 3 heats of them in different age brackets. super cute & what a great way to get kids motivated to run & be active!

WOW I really am an expressive talker. Thanks Mom for this candid. :)

 Here we are, 'lined up' & listening to announcements. then the National Anthem & air horn ...

 

.,, & we were off.. holy windi-ness! Our first stretch was straight up Heritage Hill-one I dread to walk when we are here for the fair, much less run up. I did well keeping my head down to take it one step at a time, until I thought I should be at the top & looked to find I wasn't quite there, I lost my momentum & walked a bit. Melissa & Rose caught up so, we 3 talked & walked a bit, then jogged through the campground, walked a short stretch to the Grandfather's Barn hill, hitting the one mile mark hallelujah!   From there, we ran down & around the Cultural Center, back up a smaller hill (one of those you barely notice as a hill when just walking but when running its quite evident) between the Youth Inn & the new barn, around that barn & down between the barns & fence on Dean Avenue, north on Rock Island in front of the swine barn, between the swine & beef barn, around the beef, (basically swerving in & out of barns playing 'see the fairgrounds') back to Rock Island in front of the pavilion, hitting mile 2 YAHOOOOOO!! Then on north & east past the Ag building, across Grand Avenue (where the race started & would eventually finish).  North, walked up the road past Animal Learning Center/Little Hands on the Farm, started running again when we turned west behind the Grandstand, loop around to the front of the Grandstand.  Seeing the 3 mile marker, AMAZING! I kicked it into overdrive & powered up Grand to the finish line (that was also the start line). 39:29 I thought the timer said but my mapmyrun program was a bit different + it said we went more than 3.1 :)  We met back up to take cool down photos, then head into the grandstand for snacks-mini corndogs, beer (we all passed), banana, yogurt, orange juice, chocolate milk, mini fair square, & bottled water. Scarfed down goodies, I don't think a corn dog has ever tasted so good! Checked our times/placings me-173 of 191, Melissa -174, Rose shortly after, Denise way ahead. parted ways. I headed to the bathroom, washed up & changed into jeans, new long sleeve t from the race then headed to Grandma.

Truly amazed at how I felt after the 2mile marker, like the rest was cake. Maybe because I new it was way flatter than the first 2, maybe that I felt like I was 2/3rds done & could surely rock through another 1/3. Not sure what it was but that last mile was way easier mentally, the last .1 I really pedaled through barely catching a breath due to the wind but determined to truly leave it all on the course.

the weekend & a recipe

minus photos as I have no camera battery right now :(  super sad!!

Saturday: Sammy had a checkup @ the vet, then I picked up 30+# of tomatoes @ the local farmer's market, then we spent the day @ the Iowa State Fair!! I love the state fair.  The people watching, the food, the exhibits, the food, the people watching, the exhibits. We even ended up spending much of the night there too, totally unplanned LOL those darn co-workers of Tim's that keep a cup in his hand ;)

Sunday: Tim slept in... hmmmm wonder why ;) but I was up & running ready to do those tomatoes!  I remembered (all too well) the misery I was in after spending 4 hours on my feet cleaning tomatoes last year so I set myself up on the living room floor w/a bowl of scalded+iced tomatoes, a bowl w/a sack in it for the compost & an empty one for the clean pieces, a towel & washcloth.  I watched Knight & Day on blu-ray then Mister Eleven on Netflix stream while I cleaned my tomatoes.  Then they simmered all afternoon w/veggies & seasonings to make seasoned sauce YUMMMM 3 quarts & 2 pints later, TADA! I was even pretty good @ keeping up w/my mess this time  ;)  planning another round each of the next 2 Sundays.

here is the recipe I use:

Seasoned Tomato Sauce
(from the ball blue book of canning)
yield: about 14 pints or 7 quarts

45 # tomatoes
6 cups chopped onions
12 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
2 TBS oregano
6 bay leaves
1 TBS black pepper
1 1/2 TBS sugar
1/4 c salt (optional)
2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
bottled lemon juice

Wash tomatoes, drain, remove core, & blossom ends. Cut into quarters; set aside. Saute onions & garlic in olive oil in a large saucepot. Add tomatoes, oregano, bay leaves, black pepper & sugar. Stir in salt and crushed red pepper, if desired. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaves. Puree tomatoes using a food processor or food mill. Strain puree to remove peels & seeds. Cook pulp in a large, uncovered sauce pot over medium-high heat until sauce thickes, stirring to prevent sticking. Reduce volume by one-half. Add 1TBS lemon juice to each hot pint jar, 2TBS to each quart jar. Ladle hot sauce into hot jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust two-piece caps. Process pints 35 minutes, quarts 40 in boiling-water canner.

linking up with the girls over at:

TGIF!

I am ready for this weekend. or rather, ready for it to be over. 

• Sunday is my last race for twenty-ten.
• I have only run/ran 2x since the last race 2 weeks ago. YIKES.
•  its going to have hills. hills that put me out of breath when we walk them! double YIKES. 
• I haven't put the new podcast on the mp3 player yet. I need to not forget it. again.
• I have a very unwelcomed visitor. I knew it would be too good to be true to run every race minus it but I was 3 for 3.  it will be another lesson learned & something else to chalk up in experience. I suppose. 
• I am giddy that the forecast is mid to high 60s & clear tho. its been 50s & WINDY here all week so this looks muuuuucch better!
• I did invest in a pair of running capri cut pants to wear under my shorts & am only wearing ONE shirt & I think it will be short sleeved. 
• I couldn't get Tim to pick up my race packet today so I have to do it on Sunday right before the race. THAT makes me nervous. I like to be over prepared. 
• Leave it alone Kim :) what will be will be. 

the rest of the weekend looks pretty busy yet uneventful-tonight Wine Walk w/my mom, tomorrow childcare training all day.

how's your weekend look? Hope you have a good one!!!

ITS TUESDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY

& YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.....

THAT'S RIGHT.. its time for some confessions...

• 90 pc bucket o saltwater taffy, 2 people, 24 hrs --seriously, what is IN that stuff????
• fried cheese curds--I didn't eat them all in one sitting but I did eat them all
• walkin' taco w/everything- I only ate half of it
• shake up lemonade-- yikes sugar overload
• 4 words to explain the above --Iowa.State.Fair.Food.
• feeling sorry for myself yday skipped my run
• miserably emotional Saturday morning I walked the last 1/2 of my run
• but I chewed myself out Jillian style all the way home!
• garden tomato & basil potato chips-WHAAAAAT? where did those come from?? ugh

That's the best I can do this week. not too bad, nothing overly done, just a few splurges. :)

what do you have to confess this week???

Summer :)

I love the change of seasons!! Each one has its own novelty that keeps is oh so special from the others (in Iowa anyway). Summer is our season of activity around here. Lawns need mowed, flower gardens need added to, weeded & loved, planters need freshened, the veggie garden needs tilled, planted & tended, outside projects GALORE! Not to mention our camping/boating weekends *dreamy sigh* Looooooooooooooooove them!!! With those fun weekends comes the prep, upkeep & planning of the boat & supplies on the off weekends & evenings. Our local Farmer's Market starts next Saturday!! Oh how I love the Farmer's Markets!! Summer also means no school so I have to try to keep the kids from getting bored. Last year, I was able to plan a few morning movies @ the local theater, this year I am planning weekly events! Every Friday we are going somewhere & doing something & during the week we are hitting at least one local park paired w/a picnic lunch! My favorite holiday is the 4th of July! I love the local parade, patriotic decorations, traveling carnival that comes to town, hosting my family BBQ after the parade & catching up w/Tim's family @ their annual gathering, fireworks, all.of.it. August brings the Iowa State Fair! With it's concerts, food, walking, animals, food, walking, art, food, walking, friends, food, walking, displays, food, walking, OK you get the picture! We used to joke that I eat my way thru it :) *whew* It really is no wonder I am ready for Fall when it arrives :)

Along w/all of this I have a 'few' special projects I'd like to complete sometime this summer. I have printed some plans from Knock off Wood I'd like to build, I'd like to disassemble & paint the handmedown desk I use in the childcare, I have a pile of frames in the hallway I'd like to hang, I'd love to get some color on these walls in the childcare, and I plan to explore at least 2 new farmer's markets. This is just a tiny list of 'want-to-do's' for this warm season ahead. This list I have on a jumbo stickie hanging on my calendar, you should see the master list I have in word :)

What are your summer plans? Please Share!

we asked around & around all Morning Saturday looking for this stand w/the 'authentic cajun food' alot of places boast cajun chicken on a stick but nothing is like this stand we had heard so we were on a mission to find it & try it. upon finding it he decided to wait for the group b4 eating there to share the new experience. I was happy for this as I chose to sit this one out. I just cannot bring myself to eat a crawfish. just cannot do it. sorry.

They weren't even sure this stand was going to make an appearance this year as Mike the original owner had passed away 2 weeks b4 the start of the fair :( so when we heard that we KNEW we had to eat there. his wife & son brought it on anyway! YAY for them!!

Tim cozied up to 'mama' & learned lots of crawfish info. he's so out going w/a bit of liquid courage. Tim, Hupp & Lauren tried the crawfish soup & I had wanted the chicken but some how missed out. oh well.hopefully they will return next year!!

She even invited him to Louisianna & they'd show him some REAL southern cookin'. :)

this year my fair themed scrapbook pages will be all about the food the kids & the friends! here is a sample of the food photos!

I am loving this stand photo! gorgeous

this pizza place is our first & last stops every year! yummmy

Jake-having some cotton candy :)

Lilly w/a fair favorite-corn dog!

Jadi having some cotton candy

sharing the cotton candy

I found it amusing that they just had all this beer sitting in the alleyway

the louisianna stand. there will be a whole post about this marvelous stand later in the week-here is their cajun chicken & shrimp on a stick

our sweets.. his strawberry shortcake &my choc dips mmmmm

my taco on fry bread.. from the buckskinners.. looks nasty but was lovely!

finally.. a good stand shot of the legendary footlong corndog

mmmm

totally diggin the giant cone on top LOL

there you have ... some food & stands @ the ISF.

HUMP DAY!

wow we've had a rough start today! yuck! I didn't sleep well -got my 96oz in so I was up 3x in the night, PLUS the time Gus needed out @2. guess maybe I should have kept my early bedtime of 8pm from the 2 previous nights. oh well. I think I'll crank some tunes & dance it out soon.

Right now, I am:

• frustrated b/c the collage I have posted as my header is so large I want is shrunk & would love to have more summer photos to fill the space but for some funked up reason my headers always go to the left NEVER ever center! grrrr suggestions??
• Happy that I did take my vites last night! got my 3 diary in, 3 f/v, considering the 2 hrs @ the park my walk for the day, & 96oz as previously reported. (21 day challenge)
• EX-CIT-ED for this Saturday's excursion to the Iowa State Fair! Tim &I are going early as always & meeting up w/the boating crew thru-out the day! FUN! the ISF may never be the same hehe.
• happy the Creative Memories order will be here this morning!
• tickled that Scrap Pink is coming along so well!
• both happy & sad that school starts in less than 2 weeks. ready for a new routine, but will miss my bigs.
• bummed I didn't get ANY organizing done this summer!
• anxious to hear back from the nurse consultant on our visit 2 weeks ago.
• looking fwd to spending the weekend in my scrap room next weekend while Tim's in the garage.
• enjoying listening to the kids playing cooperatively
• looking fwd to hearing all about my aunt & cousin's trip to Australia when they get back on Monday!
• looking fwd to a full morning in the back yard!
• making a list of phone calls that need made today.
• shocked @ how long I can make a list LOL

Have a Happy Hump Day!!