Visit to South Haven Michigan

Dale and I took a weekend trip to the west coast of Michigan. South Haven is on Lake Michigan. A good friend suggested the location and many places to visit while there.
These are the places we went
Lodging- Sand Castle Inn
Such a nice little place. The service was great. Fresh baked cookies before bed was the best treat!

Dinner- Thirsty Perch
Dale had a filet and I enjoyed a bucket of perch. The perch was so good, I wonder where they got the name for their place. ;)

Dinner- Tellos

Dale had
Penne con porcini
Porcini mushrooms, beef tenderloin, roasted tomato
caramelized onions, crumbled gorgonzola.

I had
Tartufi del porco
Pork tenderloin seared with black truffles,
butter and fresh parsley

I have never had truffles before. I was amazed how much flavor were in those things!

Breakfast- Phoenix Street Cafe
This place had the fanciest menu for a breakfast place I have ever seen.
Dale had a breakfast burrito that was topped with fresh guacamole. I had an omlette with havarti, tomato and fresh avocado. So tasty. I don't think I have had avocado for breakfast before.

We had a very nice visit. I love Michigan, we get a bad rap, but there is so much beauty in our state it is nice to get out at see it every now and again.

$4.75

So I just love summer when in Michigan you can get fresh produce that is grown locally. It is always so tasty and the price is great.

This is what I got for less the $5.

Running

I decided to write this post so it would be archived. I can't run now because I am pregnant. But I can't wait to get back to running and will do another 1/2 marathon at some point.
I have always had an itch to be a runner. I do much better running than walking. But I have always been a heavy person and didn't have the courage to run before. My husband is a bit of a runner. But he doesn't like mileage above 5Ks. He just does it for exercise and really doesn't enjoy it much. But since he participated in a 5K yearly I decided I would do it too.
So I ran my first 5K race in June 2005, Race for the Cure, Downtown Detroit
It was a great experience. I am a slow runner and will probably always be. But I finished and ran the whole time. So it was quite a milestone for me. I kept the running up but felt I needed some other motivation, like a race, to keep me going. We got married in August 2005. A few months after the wedding I was looking for something to occupy my time like the wedding planning did. I found a flyer for Team in Training at a coffee shop. And I sat and read it and realized I wanted to do a 1/2 marathon. A 1/2 marathon is quite a jump from a 5K. But I had plenty of time to get ready for it. So I took the plunge and went to the information session and signed up. So starting in November 2005 I was training for a 1/2 marathon. WOW. In December 2005 I signed up for my first 10K race, Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis, Birmingham, MI. This was quite the experience. This was a 5K and a 10K. Since it was quite chilly in December most of the runners opted for the 5K distance. I was the last finisher of the 10K. I ran the entire time and was followed by the ambulance back to the finish. It was a humbling experience. But I finished I ran 6.2 miles. Wow.
So the next few months were full of lots of running and preparing physically and mentally for the 1/2 marathon.
My husband and I planned a trip to Texas to visit my Brother and Sister In-Law. Since my Sister In-Law used to be a runner she decided to get into shape and do a 10K with us when we visited. So we all signed up for the Fiesta 10K in San Antonio Texas, April 2006. This was a huge test for me. I was not in shape for the previous 10K, but this one I was very prepared for. My time was good, in my eyes, and I felt so prepared for the race.
On May 7th 2006 I ran the Vancouver 1/2 Marathon with Team In Training. It was an amazing experience. I was slow, but I finished and I didn't finish last. I had met a goal. What a great thing! I also raised a ton of money for Team in Training in the process.
I slacked after this race, which I wish I hadn't done. I wish I would have signed up for another 1/2 marathon right away. I tried to get back into running officially in the spring of 2007. I was training for another 10K. Unfortunately I sustained an injury to my hip that got worse and worse as I trained more and more. I did the race Fireman's 5K/10K in Farmington Hills, MI in June 2007. But I could only run a little over 4 1/2 miles before realizing I was really hurt. So that led to a doctor's appointment and to months of phyical therapy. So this ended my running for the time. The process of getting pregnant was difficult for us, so running wasn't a priority in the Fall/Winter of 2007. But it will be again. I believe I have the running mentality and will get back there again. I just hope my injured hip doesn't stop me.

Our Baby Girl!!

I am very blessed to be 20 weeks pregnant. Our journey into parenthood has been long and difficult. We are so very thankful for scientific/medical advances. We needed assistance to get pregnant. So the last year, and 20 weeks especially, have been difficult and a journey that someone (up above) wanted us to take. So while this wasn't MY PLAN. I have accepted that this is something to cherish deeply, not take for granted, and appreciate every day. So I try my best to balance those emotions with the normal uncomforts of pregnancy and enjoy the days we are given. We found out Monday that our baby is a girl. So we are going to start getting into the pink state of mind, Although I prefer purple. Here is her most recent picture.

My Sincere Apologies

I have been AWOL from blogging. I am 20 weeks pregnant. The kitchen has honestly not been a place I have spent much time. But I have more energy now and feel better. So back to work!! Since I was tagged over a month ago I must show some new work before responding. :)