Thursday, May 31, 2012

Are you wasting your strength?

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/highschool-prep-rally/inspiring-elementary-schooler-cerebral-palsy-runs-amazing-400-154523256.html

Watch this video, cry and realize that sometimes getting up off the couch to do a lap around the block shouldn't be a chore. Be thankful for what you have and don't let your health slip away by sitting back and wasting your good legs, your strong back and  your strength. Watch this video and think: How easy do I have it? What is "Matt's" goal now that he has achieved that 400M? What is my goal? Have I been selfish with the body I have been given? 

I cried when the coach walked out to encourage him and then I lost it when the whole class began walking and cheering. What a great encouragement for that little kid! 

Get off the couch, get up and move! 

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Memorial Day Weekend Fun

Beautiful Hydrangea's that my mom brought me from her garden!  
     I posted about Brandon all weekend and that was mostly for family and friends. What did I do? Watched and photographed Brandon's swims, cleaned, cooked, blogged, school work and got to hang with my parents. They decided to come down Sunday night and play! My dad and I got up at 6:30am and went for a 3.5 mile walk around my neighborhood. I love spending time with my dad- he is the best dad in the world! We talked about lots of stuff and enjoyed the beautiful morning weather. Brandon and I also made dinner for my parents on the grill and some dessert. 


Here is something for my foodies! 


On the Grill-


I marinated grilling steaks for about 2 hours with salt, pepper, garlic, Chef Leo's meat rub and coconut amino's.
Brandon grilled them with a little Chef Salt for a kick of  flavor (chef salt is another one of our friend the stone broke chef's creations that will be for sale soon!) 
We had grilled brussel sprouts and a large Garden salad.

        Dessert was delicious and easy. After making Lemon Bread  I decided that it kind of tasted like pound cake and then all I could think about was pound cake with berries and cream. 


Lemon Almond Pound Cake 
(Red, White and Blue for memorial day)

Ingredients: 

3 1/2 C. Almond flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Lemons Zest
2 Lemons, juice
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 C Honey
2 Tbsp Coconut Milk
1 tsp Cinnamon
5 Eggs


Process: 

  1. Combine Eggs, Milk, Honey, lemon juice and Vanilla in a mixer, beat well
  2. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, lemon zest and cinnamon, mix well
  3. Mix the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, beat well. 
  4. Grease an 8x8 cake pan (or any cake pan) and pour batter into the pan. 
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes (time varies but start watching closely after 25 minutes) You want the top to be a nice golden brown and for a toothpick to come out clean. 
  6. Top with fresh berries, coconut ice cream and a little dark chocolate drizzle. 

Crappy Phone Picture

This is an easy recipe and I ate it without berries and cream and still enjoyed it. Non- paleo friends loved it with the berries and ice cream but people who aren't use to the almond flour thought it was too nutty. (I had to make my mom ice cream, berries and chocolate instead because she didn't give me a chance to prepare the dessert properly for her without digging in!) 

Memorial day Monday- I spent at an auction house in Ashburn with Brandon and my parents. It was really fun bidding on antiques and watching bidding wars. I am still amazed at what some people buy- stamps, old letters, ugly lamps and broken plastic dolls! Crazy but fun. Afterwards we went to the All American Steakhouse in Ashburn and enjoyed delicious salads. This is a photo of what I had to turn down (Brandon couldn't resist and neither could my parents.) 
Happy Memorial Day weekend

My mom loves fresh hot gluten rolls! 
The Hooch bottle Brandon got at auction for $7.00. 

Sunday, May 27, 2012

More Swimming Pictures

Today Brandon swam a 2 mile race and then a 1 mile race. They call this weekend a "Triple Dipper" for him since he participated in all three race. 66 people signed up for the triple dip but only 46 completed it. Brandon got 29th! He finished 4th in his division for both the 2 miler and the 1 miler. Again relying a good meaty burger and veggies the night before and a Thunderbird Energetica Bar, banana and TONS of water for a pre-race breakfast. I am so proud of him and it was a great accomplishment for someone who was told it would be a long time, if ever, that he would be able to swim competitively again.


2 Miler Race and Opening Ceremonies




Honoring Military with moment of silence and the anthem













No wet suits allowed caused a lot of people to quit or drop out.  The water was almost 80 degrees



double dipped results
Hyper Hawaiian Crunch Bar




1 Miler Race






I call this next series- Brandon kickin butt! Watch the guy next to him- YAY






And he pulled ahead and beat that guy out of the water! GO Brandon! 
Brandon is in the front and the guy stopped with his head out is the guy trying to race him! 

This is the first group coming in. A girl from Yale won- she was awesome. 


Triple Dip Certificate! 

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Brandon's Reston 5k Swim

His number one fan! Love him!!
Up at 5 in the morning for Brandon's 5k swim in Reston. Today was the 25th annual JMLS Lake Audubon 3.1 mile swim. He did a fantastic job and got a medal for finishing 3rd in his division. We were joking that his previous pre-swim meals consisted of a bagel with peanut butter and carb loading. Post race he would have milkshakes, gatorade and more carbs. Today his race meal was a banana, Zico Water and a Thunderbird Energetica bar. He had plenty of energy and had no problems finishing the race (even said he could have kept going!) After the race he still had energy and had a bowl of scrambled eggs with chicken and bacon. Just goes to show that the Carb load isn't necessary and that real natural food is a great option for pre-racing. He got a new Xterra WetSuit Wet Suit and thought it was incredible- no rubbing or irritation, easy to put on and it got the job done without lathering on body glide. 

Brandon started out in Heat F but finished with Heat D at 1:28:51. I am so proud of his achievement. He is only 10 months out from serious elbow surgery and he was able to be competitive with some great swimmers. Tomorrow he is getting in and doing it again a 2miler and then a 1 miler. Hope tomorrow goes as well! Woohoo!


 

 

 

 

 



 



 

Xterra Wet Suit
Cherry Walnut Crunch Thunderbird Bar
Pineapple Zico Water

 

Brandon Brown- 1:28:51