I really hate when I have put my mind to something and then end up not being able to do it.

I was going to run about nine miles today. I had mentally prepared for this... told myself I was going to do it. About a mile into my run my calves started burning intensely as they have for the past week or so that I have been running. This burning is so intense that I have to stop and stretch them out, and start again, with the pain coming back momentarily. My nine miles quickly turned into three... and that really upsets me.

Do any of you have suggestions on how to combat this? I stretch thoroughly before and after each run, I hydrate a lot, and I usually eat a spoonful of peanut butter after my run to give me protein to rebuild my muscles. My dad thinks I run on my toes, which is probably true (thanks ballet... now I am twinkle-toes!). So I will try to focus on running heel-toe... but if any one else has a good suggestion, I would love it!

My race that I am running is in 2.5 weeks, and at this rate, I feel like I won't be able to finish it because of this pain. NOT what I want. 

Over my spring break I made two batches of Oreo truffles: one set for my family and one for Hayden to take back to College Station to share with his roommates.

What you need:

1 package Oreos

1 block of cream cheese

1 package of Baker's chocolate (you can use chocolate chips if that is what you have, but I strongly suggest using Bakers... it's 20 times easier to work with)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Start by grinding two whole rows plus a third of the last row of Oreos in a food processor. Separating the cookies before grinding creates a finer powder. 

• Pour crushed cookies into a mixer, add cream cheese (that is room temperature) and vanilla. Beat together until you do not see any more cream cheese. 
• Roll truffle mix into about 1 inch balls and set on cookie sheet lined with wax paper (my batch made 54 truffles)

• Cool the truffles in a refrigerator or freezer between thirty minutes and an hour
• Melt your chocolate in a double boiler. Pay careful attention that no water gets in the pan, or else your chocolate will crystalize.
• Dip each truffle into the chocolate, covering the entire ball. (I usually use a fork to do this. I roll the ball around in the chocolate, pick it up and shake the excess chocolate off back into the pan).
• Once you have covered every truffle, you can decorate the tops with excess chocolate, white chocolate, sprinkles.... whatever you'd like!
• Let the chocolate harden in the refrigerator, and keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

My week and a half in ten:

1) Midterm doom. Friday did not come quick enough, or before 2 tests, 1 quiz, and a paper due in a two day period. 

2) Driving up and down the Loop about once a day looking for a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. I'm pretty sure I have taken my obsession to a whole new level... I can tell you exactly which colors you can find at what dealership. One can dream.

3) Sewing a Rocky Mountain patch on my backpack and saving my Trail Tags for my Camelbak.

4) Dreaming of my next trip to the Rockies to collect more trail tags.

5) Finally getting to run with Hayden. I'm a slow poke for suresies. At least I've still got a month.

6) Hanging out with the doodies.... and learning how quickly I pick up their mannerisms. 

7) Jamming out to songs that defined my sophomore year with Maggie.

8) Walking through Fresh in the morning hours with my parents finding all the mini fruits.

9) Whipping up a batch of oreo truffles with plans for a fabulous chocolate cake in the works.

10) Playing Call of Duty with me, myself, and Gus. He has a hard life.

Make it 11) Frisbee and fetch in the backyard.. trying to beat Gus to the missed frisbees so that the poor little flying saucer won't endure any more puncture wounds. Attempt(s) failed.

With a lot of time on my hands at home on Spring Break (hallelujah!) I decided to spruce up the ol' design of the blog. I liked my other layout, but it got a little much to look at, plus it was a little too girly for my taste.
So if you read your blogs in Reader, pop out and look at the new banner I made! I hope you like it! The mountains were not purposely made with the Egyptian Ankh on them... or were they? College can do some weird stuff to you!.... but really I just liked the design of that fabric.

New, long-overdue post coming this evening!

I am officially the most uninteresting person. Ever.

Other than maybe for my broken toes and telephone conversations about Pokemon raps and the Krazy Kookie Dough Ice Cream I rewarded myself with and now feel really sick/upset/disgusted that I ate. Maybe I should weigh these situations before I dive full in. And also that they have a new Cash Cab host. This better be temporary. For realz.

Yeah that's right.