Guest Blogger: The Grandkids Speak Wisdom

This week’s guest bloggers are ”The Grandkids” and they have some wise words to share. We had a few days together and their sweet spirits and active minds always come up with some awesome phrases. Truth and wisdom truly comes out of the mouths of babes.  Here are just a few of the gems from the past week.

The oldest is the illustrator for my first two children’s books. We spent many hours at work while she was here. She is talented and young enough to be confident in her abilities. She also knows her own mind.

We took her shopping for her birthday. She picked out an outfit in about five minutes. The skirt was the same brand and style as two she already owned. Running her hand across the rack she stated, “I want to collect all of these.” I can relate. I feel the same way about a couple pairs of shoes that I own – one red pair and one black pair. I want a pair in every color!

She is also confident in her artwork. When asked if she could draw a particular item or scene she would think for a moment and then smile and say, “Yes, I can do that.” When asked if she thought the picture needed anything else she would often say, “No, this is good enough.” And it was!

The middle child proved to be my own personal fashion consultant! At four years-old, she appreciates all pretty things. Eyeing and admiring my limited assortment of necklaces, she was pleased when I offered to let her wear one. Still, she continued to comment, “That big jewel necklace is so special.” In other words, “I would so love to wear the big jewel necklace, but I don’t think you will let me.” The big jewel necklace was actually a prism tied to a string hanging alongside my necklaces. Of course I let her play with it. I’m a grandma!

She approved of my red high heels and disapproved when I opted not to wear a necklace. “Why aren’t you going to wear a necklace? What earrings are you going to wear? Why don’t you know!” She’s right, you know. I could put forth a little more effort to accessorize.

The little guy didn’t have much to say – at least not that we could understand. When we stopped to pay attention, we discovered that he was communicating more clearly than we thought. My favorite was when he would point to his oldest sister and say, “Gaggie!” Her name is Maggie.

What did I learn from the Grandkids?

A – Self-doubt is learned behavior.

B – A little effort can produce big results.

C – If we pay attention we may find that others are telling us more than we first thought.

Have a great day and as my grandkids would say, “Believe in your abilities, try a little harder, and pay attention to what others are attempting to communicate.”

Visit my Guest Blogger page to get to know all my blogging friends.

Happy Running!

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Tuesday's Training Tip: Find the Joy

Why do you exercise? Is it for the joy, the pure pleasure of the experience? I am a runner. I am not certain I have ever felt the Runners’ High. It eludes me. It might be a myth. I have, however, felt good after a workout. I have felt fantastic while doing other activities because running helps make me strong enough to enjoy them. Hence the phrase, “I don’t love running. Running loves me.” I run to make my life better.

I often find myself dreading the daily run. (Perhaps I should dub it the Sporadic Run because that is often more descriptive.) Recently I flopped down on the living room floor and had a pep talk with myself regarding the reasons I needed to go for a run on that very day. I had to employ my most coercive techniques before I reluctantly agreed that I would feel better after the run than if I lazed away on the sofa for the afternoon. I got off the floor and went for my run and I felt better the rest of the day.

I had a conversation with a couple the other day. I guessed they were in their mid-sixties. Both were in very good physical condition. They mentioned that they go to the gym several days a week. “It’s the best feeling you’ll ever have! And it’s the best $20 you’ll spend all month!” Really?

First - I would like to know the name of that gym that only costs $20 per month! It would be a lot more expensive for me because there is travel involved.

Second – The best feeling in the world is doing something I love with my grandchildren, or maybe eating chocolate! Both of these things are better if I run. I have greater endurance to spend time with my grandchildren, and … well, chocolate consumption has less guilt attached if I run.

For me, the joy usually comes after the run. Sometimes it is immediate as in, “Yay! We’re done!” Often the joy comes when I am doing something different like waterskiing or eating chocolate.

Not all satisfaction or reward in life is immediate. We usually have to wait a time for the payoffs. Exercise is no different. Be patient. Wait for the joy!

Tune in every Tuesday for more training tips and visit my Training Tips page to find all the tips you may have missed.

Question: Do you have a training tip you would like to share? Post it in the comments below.

Happy Running!

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Food Friday: Slow Cooker Crème Brûlée with Huckleberries

I found a recipe for slow cooker Crème Brûlée from Dessert For Two and decided to give it a try. I had never made Crème Brûlée before. In fact, I was only introduced to this richly decadent dessert a few years ago. My husband LOVES it, so when I stumbled upon this recipe I had to give it a try! The huckleberries, of course, were my own addition.

The recipe was surprisingly easy!  I whisked it together and let it cook for 2.5 hours in the crock pot. After it chilled for several hours I grabbed my handy dandy torch that I use in my dental lab and caramelized the sugar. I felt rather chef-like! Follow the easy instructions and you can’t go wrong!

Slow Cooker Crème Brûlée from Dessert For Two

Huckleberry Garnish

3 Tbs frozen huckleberries (If you aren’t fortunate enough to have these, substitute blueberries or blackberries)
3 Tbs white sugar
Cook in saucepan over low heat until sugar is dissolved and berries are sweetened. Spoon over Crème Brûlée.

Thanks to Dessert For Two for this easy and elegant dessert recipe. I’m now following you!

Find more of my favorite recipes HERE.

Happy Running!
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Guest Blogger: Kimbre writes about house keeping

Meet Kimbre, she is 27 years old. She has 3 boys and is expecting her 4^th in May 2016. Kimbre and her husband spend a lot of time not only raising their children in Christ, but helping to raise other children to know Him through their church’s AWANA Club. Kimbre is starting a new chapter of her life as a “stay at home” mom. She is eager to share what she has been learning in this new part of her life.

“Oh for Clean Sake”

Never have I claimed to be a great house keeper or even a good house keeper, for that matter, but always thought that I was at least decent. When I was still working it was easy to shrug off a messy house as my husband and I both worked 40 plus hours a week. Well, now that I stay at home there is no excuse for my lack of effort.

My husband was out of town this week for work and I thought, wouldn’t it be so awesome for him to come home to a spotless house. Ha! What did I do all week? Work on client websites and binge watch How I Met Your Mother, oops. So here it is Friday and the house is a disaster. I put on my best cleaning lady sweats and rubber gloves and get down to it.

Remember how I said I wasn’t even a good house keeper, well I decided today that I wasn’t even decent at it as I started in on my kitchen. My husband has this horrible need to always keep oil in his deep fryer even though it doesn’t have a lid. Because he wasn’t home I decided I was going to empty it. I pull the basket out and put it in hot soapy water, then I go to pour out the oil into a container to throw away when I discover… a dead mouse floating in the oil! Blah. After disposing of the nasty creature and start the fryer to soak I pulled out the microwave to find a field of mouse droppings. We live in the country so I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised, but I guess that’s what I get for not cleaning that part of my kitchen more often.

After this horrifying cleaning experience, I have decided to spend an hour a day cleaning a specific room. This is on top of the daily dishes and laundry that have to be done, of course.

Monday: Bathroom – shower, counter, sinks, toilet, floors

Tuesday: Living room – vacuum, dust

Wednesday: Office – file, organize, dust

Thursday: Kitchen – floors, counters, sinks, table, cleaning out the fridge

Friday: Light tidying before the weekend

Hopefully you all don’t struggle with keeping a clean house as much as I do, but if you do, I hope my blunders and new cleaning schedule can help you like I hope it will help me.

Catch up with Kimbre on Facebook and visit her blog Life of a "Stay at Home" Mom

Visit my Guest Blogger page to get to know all my blogging friends.

Happy Running!

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3 Tips to Begin Running

So you want to be a runner? Bravo! You’ve probably put some thought into this and weighed a lot of pros and cons. Trust me when I tell you that the pros far outweigh the cons. Don’t let the naysayers get you down – and there will certainly be naysayers. Just remember, most of them have never tried to run. A runner will never tell you not to run.  A runner will applaud you, as do I! Here are three tips you’ll need as you begin running.

1 – Get Over Yourself! Worrying about what others are thinking while you are running is fruitless.

 “I don’t want anybody to see me trying to run.” Well, for those of you who are hanging onto this excuse, I have some news for you.  NOBODY is looking at a runner and thinking this … “Boy, that runner sure does look stupid.” Most of them wish they were so brave, motivated and strong … Read More

2 – Get Over Your Fear! Beginning running can be scary, I will admit.  There are so many unknowns.  You might wonder if running is something you should even try.  What if it hurts? What if I’m not very good at it?  What if I don’t love it? Having questions is no reason to avoid trying.  My mother used to tell me, “You’ll never know unless you try.”  Well, I tried and now I know … Read More Excuses

3 – What to Wear. Shoes are the most important piece of equipment for any runner.  You will find that runners spend more time talking about their shoes than their running playlists, favorite smoothie recipes, or even the weather.  You can begin without a fancy new pair, but if you plan to continue running it would be wise to visit a running store and get a good fit.  The right shoes may cost a little more, but they will be worth it and your feet will thank you! Socks will take some experimentation.  Some runners don’t wear any.  Others like them thick. The rest of your attire is up to you. There is no need to purchase a new wardrobe before beginning. Runners can wear anything that keeps them comfortable.  Here are a few ideas …

What are you waiting for? There is no time like the present to begin running. Visit my Training Tips page for more ways to be successful.  If you need a little motivation when the going gets rough, and it will … The Hard Run: Painful Lessons from a Running Granny can help you see the value in the journey.

Best of Luck and …

Happy Running!

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Two Ingredient BBQ Sauce

You won’t believe how easy this Two Ingredient BBQ Sauce is to prepare.  I like it best over Hillshire Farm’s Lit’l Smokies, but it can even make everyday hotdogs taste gourmet. If you want to try the hotdogs, cut them into 2-inch pieces and let them soak up the sweet and sour goodness in a slow cooker. Your friends will be begging for your secret recipe. Are you ready for it?

Two Ingredient BBQ Sauce

1 Cup Prepared Mustard

1 Cup Grape or Currant Jelly

Measure equal parts mustard and any red jelly of your choice into a saucepan or slow cooker. Give them a stir. You might be skeptical at first.

Warm over low heat, stirring occasionally. As the jelly melts the mixture will slowly begin to meld and you will have a smooth BBQ sauce in which to simmer your choice of meaty finger foods. *For sweeter sauce, increase the jelly by 1/4-1/2 cup.

This recipe pairs well with cheese, crackers and Jalapeno Pepper Jelly.

You might also try this Chicken Wing recipe from Sheila’s Sagacious Stirrings.

Do you have a quick and easy recipe for BBQ Sauce? I would love to hear about it!

Find more of my favorite recipes HERE.
Happy Running!

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Guest Blogger: Kimberly writes about Priorities

My name is Kimberly, I am 24 years old and mother to two sweet little girls. I'm married to an amazing man and we live in a little town in Idaho. I enjoy crafting, reading, running and baking! I have an Etsy shop where I sell handmade cards, and I am currently in the process of starting my own blog. We have one dog and three chickens. We dream of having our own farm someday (hence the name of my shop and blog The Farmhouse Dream) with lots of animals, and our 12 children (No joke, that's how many kids my husband wants. Pray for me please).

Prioritizing the 'Important' Things

 “I have a really good friend who I always call to go snowmobiling, water-skiing, hunting ... you know the really important things in life...”

I was sitting in church when I heard these words. The same church I always go to, just in a different building in a different town. As the speaker said these words the congregation laughed with him as though to say, 'You're so funny. We all know these aren't the important things in life'.

Hearing these words got me thinking about how we often treat these things as the important things in our lives. How often does that television show, that conversation, that text message, or that shopping trip you had planned two weeks ago become that ALL important thing? When do these (sometimes meaningless) tasks get more of our time than our families? How often do we tell our children (and/or spouse) 'hang on, just a minute, we'll do that tomorrow or next week' while continuing to do what we are doing and never really focusing on them and what they may need at the time? Our actions never really change.

We need to re-prioritize our lives and focus on what really IS important. Not just what is important to us, but our family and our Heavenly Father as well.

We need to realize that we need to slow down and enjoy the little things. We need to take time with our children playing 'kitchen', reading stories and coloring in those never ending Disney coloring books (Seriously we just colored four pictures of Bambi ... Another one? Oh, all right.) because that is what they NEED us to be doing instead of the never ending list of laundry, cooking, cleaning, baking, etc. that we THINK we need to be doing. For our children those little things that are annoying, or a nuisance to us, are the BIG things to them. Have you ever heard the quote by Catherine M. Wallace, “Listen earnestly to anything your children want to tell you, no matter what. If you don't listen eagerly to the little stuff when they are little, they won't tell you the big stuff when they are big, because to them all of it has always been big stuff.” I love this quote! When I hear it I also think of how it applies to what they want to do and not just what they say. Our children need to have these memories of us (Mom and Dad) doing what they want to do, playing dress up, reading their bedtime stories, and making mud pies ... because at the end of the day the mud from the pies washes away and all we're left with are the memories (and photos if you remember - not my strong suit).

When I take a look at my own personal life I can see myself focusing on things that are of little importance to my family and my Heavenly Father. I will admit that I am human though, and I do get caught up in the things of the world. But I know that I can change that, it just takes time and the ability to admit that it is something that I need to work on. The important things in life aren't how many times we went snowmobiling last winter, or how many elk we successfully hunted in the span of our lifetime. The important things are the memories we make with our families, the time we spend with our Heavenly Father, and making the world a better place for our children to live in. We need to be the examples they deserve when it comes to what is important in life.

So what can you do today to re-prioritize what is important to you?

This is Kimberly's first guest post on Running Granny Green. Give her some love by visiting The Farmhouse Dream on Facebook, her Etsy Shop, and The Farmhouse Dream Blog.

Visit my Guest Blogger page to get to know all my blogging friends.

Happy Running!

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Cookies, Crafts, and Consistency

If you haven’t already heard, I make a mean batch of cookies. I’m not boasting – it’s true. The reason my cookies are so good is that I have perfected them over time. If you want to do something well, you have to stick with it.  Anybody who bakes cookies on a weekly basis will eventually be a very good cookie baker.

The same holds true of any project or practice. Take crafting, for instance. I’m not usually a fan – partly because I haven’t taken the time to learn how to paint or cut out wood and partly because I have another job that is very similar to crafting in that I work with my hands. It’s technical and tedious and I am very good at it because I have spent years doing it. In an attempt to combine my technical skills with creativity I have designed my own beaded bookmarks. The first effort was a little boring.

They have evolved and the current designs are much more satisfactory than the first.

Several years ago I was working for a doctor and as he celebrated an anniversary of the opening of his practice he said, “I remember that day. I came to work and I sat down and waited for the phone to ring.”

How often do we do the same? In my case, I published my first book and thought my life would magically change. My books would appear in large stores and readers would buy them up by armfuls, right?  None of that happened. I began blogging and supposed readers would flock to my site because I had so much to say. Doesn’t simply having a Twitter account “get the word out?”

The truth is … we have to work for success. None of it happens magically. There may be some steps to follow that will be more effective than others, but even those have to be climbed – consistently. If the first tweet doesn’t bring followers, be assured that Twitter is not broken. You’ll need to work a little harder, a little smarter and a little more regularly. If your online store doesn’t empty its virtual shelves the first time you post an item, keep posting. If you want someone to read your blog, you’re going to have to tell them about it.

If anyone wants to know, I’m going to keep baking cookies because I’m good at it. I’m going to keep crafting because practice makes perfect and I kind of like the bookmarks. I’m going to consistently share my regular blog posts and other pursuits so the people that want what I have to offer can find it.

And if you want those cookie recipes … they can be found on my Recipes Page.

Happy Reading!

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Tuesday's Training Tip: When to Take Time Off

Find this cute cinch bag HERE.

Today's training tips examines when to take time off. While I am an advocate of enduring pain and discomforts. I also know there is wisdom in caution. The tricky part is discerning when to go and when to stop during a workout or training plan. I wrote an entire book about recognizing what kind of discomfort you are experiencing. Today’s discussion deals with knowing when to take time off.

I recently began following a training plan to help me be more consistent in my running. Unfortunately, the weather in Idaho in January is not consistent. The only consistent thing in Idaho’s weather is change.  I postponed a run on a sunny 45 degrees day because I was extra busy and knew I would have more time the next day.  To my dismay, the following day was dumping heavy wet snow! (We pray for precipitation around here, so I can’t complain about the snow – only the timing!) I have endured snowy runs in the past. In fact, I quite enjoy them. However, I spent last summer with an injury that nagged me for six months, so I decided not to risk injury on the slick and snowy roads. I am happy to report that today I am injury free!

When should you take time off?

• If weather conditions indicate injury is likely.

• If you have an injury that is aggravated by working out (Sore muscles are not an injury!)

• If your training plans call for a Rest Day

• If your running shoes are worn out. (See this running shoe post)

• If you are dead

When should you work out?

• If the weather is warm, cold, windy, or damp

• If you have an indoor gym, treadmill, swimming pool, etc.

• If your injury is not worsened by your work out (Not sure? Ask your doctor)

• If you have new running shoes! (Breaking them in is a fallacy. If the shoes fit, you’ll love your first run in them)

• If you are breathing.

Of course, there are other excuses that have nothing to do with physical abilities and injuries. Lack of time, lack of motivation, lack of a running buddy and more have an impact on our dedication. Keep visiting on Tuesday’s to get motivated and find more ways to keep moving forward!

Tune in every Tuesday for more training tips and visit my Training Tips page to find all the tips you may have missed.

Question: Do you have a training tip you would like to share? Post it in the comments below.

Happy Running!

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