A Runner

A while ago I posted a picture of my new running kicks and spoke of a half marathon I'm currently training for. A fellow bloggy friend of mine (Kate, go check her out) wanted to know what got me into running halves... Here's my story:

It was the beginning of 2008 and I had made a resolution set a goal for myself. I wanted to be healthier, I wanted to get in better shape, I wanted to feel good about myself. To the gym I went (like 8 million other people at the start of the New Year) and snagged a membership. I even went all out and had session after session with a personal trainer. My trainer and I sat down one evening before our workout and talked about what I really wanted to get from training. In my mind I'd been toying with the idea of running a half marathon. If I was going to do all this work I wanted to compete against myself, push myself. If I was going to run all these miles I wanted a finish line to cross. Just like that, running a half became my goal.

Eager as ever I found a half and signed up like it was no big deal. Then it hit me. I paid (a good chunk of change) to run 13.1 miles. I couldn't back down. I was going to had to tackle those miles head on.

It wasn't easy. It was one of the hardest things I'd ever prepared myself for. Physically it was difficult to run so many miles (I'd never been "a runner" prior to this new goal), but mentally it was just as taxing.

April 20, 2008 I ran my first half. Then I ran a second a few months later, and a third a few months after that.

The first two photos (left to right) are from my very first half. The last two are from the second half I ran in 2008.

Suddenly, I was hooked. I was a runner.

Fast forward to 2010 and I was in a severe car accident.

1) My car, or what was left of it. 2) Another shot of my destroyed car. 3) My right arm: both bones had snapped. 4) Home from the ER - bringing sexy back. 5) My arm, all fixed. Those plates are still in my arm today. 6) Cast removal day.

After my accident I had a really rough time. With the exception of close friends and family, no one knew I suffered from depression. I went from an active 20-something who ran halves, swam all the time, and played volleyball and softball on the weekends, to someone who couldn't bring her forefinger and thumb together. Needless to say, I'd given up on so much, especially running.

With a ton of love and support from Scott I was pulled from that darkness. After countless hours of therapy I rediscovered my running shoes. My love for pounding the pavement was being rekindled. Then I found out I was pregnant and had slight complications in the first trimester. Again, running went by the wayside.

Six weeks after Marcus was born I was finally cleared to run again. The beginning was hard. Each and every mile was a struggle, more work than I had expected. Slowly, very slowly I began tacking on miles and picking up my pace.

I am finally training again, and it's safe to say I'm a runner again. I love it. That's not to say every day I'm itching to get my miles in. Some days I don't want to run, some days the first few miles are torture. But, after every run I feel so much better, so refreshed and rejuvenated.

Life has thrown a few unexpected twists and a few times I've slipped from the running path. But something keeps drawing me back to all those miles...

April 28 I will run the Huntington Beach 1/2, almost exactly five years from the first half I ever ran. To say I'm excited is an extreme understatement.

These days I don't only run for me. I run for my little man as well. I want Marcus to grow up enjoying a good workout, staying healthy, being outside, setting a goal and sticking to it. I want Marcus to see that hard work and determination do pay off.

We won't always come in first (honestly, I'll never finish a race in first place), and sometimes we may come in dead last, but every day we try we finish ahead of those who didn't try at all.

Iced Lemon Bread

Many of you just finished digging out from one snow storm only to have to turn around and start digging out from yet another. Yikes. Perhaps this little lemon loaf will bring some Spring cheer to you.

Make a loaf, grab a cup of coffee, and dream of all things sunny and warm and lemony.

One more perk, a slice of this isn't going to kill your waist as you prepare for Spring and Summer.

Iced Lemon Bread

Serves 12

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream (pre the usual, I substituted non-fat plain Greek yogurt)
3 eggs
2 Tbsp grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbsp water
1 tsp lemon extract, divided
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp skim milk

Preheat oven to 350.
Grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan.
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream (Greek yogurt), eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Pour sour cream (Greek yogurt) mixture into flour mixture, stirring until combined.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan; bake 50-60 minutes, or until golden and thin skewer inserted in center of loaf comes out clean.
Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, stir together remaining 1/3 cup sugar, water, and 1/2 tsp lemon extract.
Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolved and syrup is clear. Set aside.
Cool bread in pan 10 minutes.
Loosen edges of loaf with knife, invert loaf onto cooling rack to remove bread and turn right-side up on rack.
With thin skewer poke holes in bread; slowly pour syrup over bread and allow it to soak in.
Cook completely.
For icing, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and remaining 1/2 tsp lemon extract. Pour over bread, allowing it to run down sides.

Don't let all the little steps scare you away from this one. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy this was to put together. And, even with the little steps it was SO worth it.

Because Scott only eats chocolate chip baked goods I had to take half this loaf to my neighbors. Even though this recipe has been healthified I couldn't let the bread sit there and beg for me to eat the entire thing. With lemon things I have no will-power. To the neighbors it went!

Enjoy!

Nutrition content (for one 1/3-inch slice):
Calories - 240
Fat - 4.5 grams
Sodium - 220mg
Carbs - 46g
Fiber - 0g
Protein - 4g
This info is for the original recipe, I didn't make changes for the Greek yogurt substitute.

Source: Hy-Vee.com

Another Hike Post

Here I am with yet another post about a weekend hike. But, when the weather is nice that's what we like to do. We want Marcus to have a strong appreciation for being outdoors and being active.

We checked out a trail that we hadn't been on before. With views like these it's impossible to want to stay inside.

Obligatory Mommy and Daddy pose.

It's all so pretty from way up here.

We even spotted this little guy along the way.

Little man really seemed to love the sights along our new hike.

Happy Marcus Monday!

Here's a little sneak peak at my monkey's (early) 1 year photo shoot.

We tried shoes, but that literally lasted for less than 10 seconds.

Happy Monday!

11 Months Old!

There's one more month to call my little man my baby. I've said it time and time again, but time sure has flown. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that there is an 11 month old cruising around our house, filling our hearts, and completing our lives.

Unofficial stats
Height: 30 inches
Weight: 25 pounds
Teeth: 10

In the last month I've learned:

• We're so over baby steps. For real walking is happening! It's not pretty and certainly not graceful, but it sure is fun to watch. We are busier than ever before, and I didn't think that was possible.
• The monkey seems to have no fear. He's tried to run... Only to quickly realize that he can't walk all that well. 
• Those little legs are still chunky, but the rolls are slowly disappearing. *tear*
• Books are finally becoming interesting! Turning pages is more fun than actually sitting to read them, but it's a start. (This momma is a lover of books, and I hope that brushes off on the little man).
• I swear I've heard "Hi Draaa" (translation: "Hi Drake!") come from Marcus' mouth. I also believe "Hi yiee yiee" is "Hi kitty." I'm probably just making this up in my head.
• The little guy likes to eat all day long. However, he is incredibly picky about what he eats.
• Picking up objects and "putting them away," immediately followed by taking all said objects right back out has become a favorite form of play.
• Diving face first into a tub of water is a hilarity that scares the bejeezus out of this mommy.
• Peek-a-boo is SO.MUCH.FUN!
• Marcus is so ticklish. The squeels he lets out when he really gets going are almost too much to handle.
• Waving "hi" and "bye" is common practice these days.
• If Marcus is in a really good mood and you ask him for a kiss he will oblige. Granted, he'll most likely come at you with mouth wide open, and slobber for days, but his kisses are the best.

Standing next to the chair was more fun than simply sitting in it.

Our newest "thing" is so slobbery.

11 month photo shoot is officially over.

Perspective - InstaGram Style

After the confession post I needed a little reminder of how awesome life is. How amazingly blessed my family is. A quick look through my InstaGram photos (desireemacke if you'd like to follow along) brings into perspective how great things are, and complaining about a grumpy baby seems silly.

Here's a little glimpse via IG of our many blessings.

1. Grandma Kathy made Marcus his very own Kansas State hoodie jacket. Scott loves it.

2. Don't be fooled. Grandma Kathy wasn't about to get away with making a K-State jacket and not an Iowa State jacket!

3. My little monkey isn't huge on veggies. What kid is? He does love him some sweet corn though! That's the Iowa in him. :)

4. Drake can annoy me until I'm blue in the face, but when these two have moments like this my heart can't help but melt.

5. Grandma Kathy also managed to whip up my little man's 1st Birthday outfit. She's so good.

6. Marcus enjoys sharing his snacks with Drake. It's cute, but it doesn't mean I love his generosity.

7. Kenny Chesney in July. What's not to love?!

8. Girls Night Out with a little New Kids on the Block, 98 Degrees, and Boys II Men. Between the two concerts July is going to rock my face off.

9. Milk and Cookies Cupcakes. To.Die.For.

10. After the death of my beloved coffee pot, and three days sans my morning crack, I was back in business.

11. My mom and dad surprised me with a KitchenAid mixer, just because! They're the best.

12. I'm all signed up for my first half marathon since 2008. New running kicks are a must for training!

Life is good. 

The Gym

Not my gym. Actually, I don't have a gym. But, that's neither here nor there.

I'm talking about baby gyms. After confessing how stir crazy Marcus and I get in the afternoons it was time for this mommy to take some action. I started my search of a baby gym for Marcus (and me).

We checked out four different gyms. And, there were about a hundred others I could have explored, but four was about all I could take of different versions of "The Itsy Bitsy Spider."

The first gym we checked out was simply an "open gym" concept. And, Marcus was the only child there. Obviously not what we had hoped for.
The second gym had organized activities, song singing, and open play time after "class." More up our alley.
The third gym focused on gymnastic elements. We were "teaching" the kids the basic steps to do a cartwheel (WTH?! My kid is just learning to walk, you want him to do a cartwheel?!), somersaults, and walking on a balance beam (again, we haven't mastered the art of simply walking).
The fourth was a mad house. That's the best way I can explain it. Kids running amuck, equipment didn't seem the cleanest. I'm next to positive had I set Marcus down he would have been pummeled. We didn't stay for more than 15 seconds. Yikes.

While each gym offered its own unique spin, and I'm sure Marcus would have loved anything I threw at him, I decided on gym number two.

The real issue I have with all the baby gyms... The price. Whoa nelly! Not only is there a membership fee, there is a monthly fee. These fees are for a single class a week. It's not like we can come and go to any old class when we please. It's all a bit ridiculous. But, these places know what they're doing. Full-time mommy's will pay these absurd prices, because if we don't we will simply go insane. Oh, you want one of my kidneys? Glady, as long as the little man and I can get out of the house! Kudos to you, baby gyms, you got me and my money.

Milk and Cookies Cupcakes

As mentioned in yesterday's post, our friends hosted a BBQ to celebrate the long weekend, and I was assigned desserts. Aside from the traditional sheet of Scotcharoos I wanted to bring something fun. And delicious. Immediately I went searching over at Lemon Sugar (seriously people, if you need a sweet treat Erin will hook.you.up).

While searching for the perfect dessert I kept a few very important things in mind:
1) Scott. The man is so attached to his chocolate chip cookies I needed something that would appeal to him. This meant nothing with lemon (which kills me because I LOVE lemony treats), nothing with coconut (this also kills me), and had to resemble his favorite cookie.
2) The ingredients had to be primarily pantry staples. No crazy items that I would only use once, and then have sitting and taking up space in my pantry or fridge.
3) I only had a few hours of uninterrupted time; whatever I was going to make needed to be within the constraints of having a teething 10-month old.
4) Aesthetics. I really wanted something that not only tasted awesome, I wanted it to look equally as awesome.

When I happened across the Milk and Cookies Cupcakes and instantly knew I had a winner staring me down.

Milk and Cookies Cupcakes

2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
6 oz mini chocolate chips, plus more for garnish
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour to coat chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Line cupcake tins.
Beat together eggs and sugar until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
Add flour, milk oil, baking powder, and vanilla and beat for another minute.
Pour mini chocolate chips into a small bowl.
Sprinkle 2 Tbsp flour over chips, mix to coat.
Fold coated chips into batter.
Fill each tin 2/3 full (tip: use an ice cream scoop).
Bake for 18-24 minutes, or until a cake-tester comes out clean from the center of a cupcake.
Remove from cupcake tin right away and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg, room temperature
6 oz mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Line a large baking sheet with a silpat mat or parchment paper, and set aside.
Beat together butter and both sugars until creamy and fluffy.
Meanwhile, combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl.
Add egg and vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until just combined.
Slowly add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Spoon a very small spoonful (about the size of a large marble) on to the cookie sheet.
Bake for 4-5 minutes or until the edges are just beginning to turn brown.
Remove from oven and allow to sit on the cookie sheet for another 1-2 minutes.
Transfer cookies to a wire rack, and repeat.
Allow cookies to cool completely before garnishing.

Tip: If your kitchen is warm it's a good idea to keep the dough in the fridge between batches. Otherwise, the cookies will spread too much.

You could forego the mini cookies, but that would just be silly. I mean, how adorable do they look perched in that bed of frosting?! Don't skip these.

Milk Frosting Ingredients
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, cool room temperature
3 1/2 cups confectioners/powdered sugar
7 oz sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and creamy.
Add the powdered sugar, and beat to combine.
Add condensed milk, cream, and vanilla extract, then beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Generously frost cooled cupcakes.
Garnish with mini chocolate chips and cooled mini cookies.

You should end with about 24 cupcakes, and ton of mini cookies!

I kind of forgot to garnish with the mini chocolate chips. I was too busy swimming laps in the frosting. Oh my gosh people, this stuff is out of this freakin' world awesome.

In the words of Scott, "You knocked this one out of the park." And that, my friends, is when I knew I had success on my hands. The man had to make an annoucement to the other BBQ attendees that there were cupcakes to be consumed. Scott wanted to be fair and give others a shot at the cupcakes before he devoured them himself. Later, I found out he did manage to restrain himself to just two.

Please make these. Please. I PROMISE they will be a smashing success.
And, please go visit Lemon Sugar the next time you need to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Enjoy!

Inspiration: Lemon Sugar
Recipe Source: Raspberri Cupcakes

Linking Up With Foodie Friends Friday, thanks to Kelly at Adorned Well ...A Hand Crafted Life, for hosting!

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Scotcharoos - An Iowa Thing?

There are several recipes I have queued up right now, but this one seems to need immediate attention. Like, Code Blue attention.

Yesterday we attended a fun little BBQ and I was in charge of desserts. Initially I wanted to do something fun and a bit whimsical, which I did (tune back in tomorrow for that). But then I was afraid I might botch said dessert (which I totally didn't!). So, just to play it safe I made a batch of my go-to Scotachroos. I mean, everyone and their mother has heard of, and loves Scotchasroos. Right?

Not a single person at the party had ever heard of these! Apparently if you're not from Iowa (or neighbor the border veeery closely, or aren't from my dad's side of the family) you've never heard of this pot-lucking, picnicking, BBQing staple. Total blasphemy if you ask me.

These were made and devoured at every single family function I can ever remember. If someone, namely my Aunt Barb, didn't make them something was wrong. But, lucky for us, that never happened. Phew.

Now I present to you the world's easiest dessert that will surely be a crowd pleaser.

Scotcharoos

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup corn syrup (*gasp* just use it already, you probably ate tons of the stuff when you were younger and had no idea.)
6 cups puffed rice cereal
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips

In a large pot add peanut butter, sugar, and syrup.
Set stove to high heat and continuously stir, until all ingredients are combined and just beginning to bubble.
Immediately remove peanut butter mixture from stove and add puffed rice cereal.
With a sturdy spatula mix well.
Pour peanut butter/cereal mix into a 9x13 pan.
Meanwhile, in a double boiler add chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.
Mix chips until a creamy chocolate/butterscotch mixture forms.
Immediately pour chocolate mix onto peanut butter bars.
Allow to cool before cutting.

If you're not from Iowa (or even if you are), please tell me you've had these before! If not, go make yourself a batch.

Happy Marcus Monday!

One little monkey of the Marcus variety is learning a new skill.

Now, he's not very good. Nor is he very graceful. 

Crawling is still the preferred method of transportation. However, if Marcus needs to go a short distance he will "walk" rather than crawl.

Forgive the poor video quality.  

Anyone else reminded of a drunken sailor? 

Happy Monday!

Winner, Winner!

There was a giveaway going on a few weeks ago to have a photo session with traveling photographer, Sarah Sloboda*. I'd checked into her work, which is AH-MAY-ZING, and entered on a whim. I never win anything, so I threw my name in the drawing and kind of forgot about it.

Then I received an email that I won. Wait, what? I won? I won. I WON!

We don't have professional photos of the little man taken very often so I was THRILLED at this opportunity.

I'm here to gush about what an amazing job Sarah did, and maybe to show off some of the pics. :)

 

 

The shoot was in San Diego. Everything was totally new for Marcus, so he was a little conservative with his smiles. However, I am in love with the pictures

If you are in the Cleveland area I highly recommend Sarah and suggest you check her out!

*Sarah Sloboda's Awards, publications, and clients include Daily Candy Kids, Martha Stewart Weddings, Baby Shop Magazine, The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Knot, Prix de la Photographie Paris, Citibabes, Wondertime, Mommy Poppins, Classy Chaos, Brio, Beach Blvd. Bride, Stationery Trends, Ode Exchange, Goodkin, Urban Baby, A Child Grows in Brooklyn, The 3six5, Glamour.com, Sephora, CW network, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Classic Chocolate Chip

February 14th is really just another day around these parts. I've never been real big on the day. Loads of money spent on flowers and chocolates doesn't make sense to me. Flowers last all of four days in my house (I have no green thumb), and chocolates promptly find a permanent resting place on my hips and thighs (not to mention I'm not a chocolate fan). If exorbitant amounts of money are going to be spent I'd rather have a pair of shoes. Scott, if you're reading, I'm a size 8.5.

Unbeknownst to me Scott arranged a baby-sitter and surprised me with a Valentine's dinner.  Seriously, so sweet. For the first time in ages neither of us had to worry about pieces of hot dog spontaneously flying out of Marcus' hands, or playing the "pick up game" for the duration of dinner. And, we didn't have to pay the insanely inflated dinner prices that Valentine's Day ushers in.

This year I did manage to snag a great deal for Scott through Living Social. He's got a round of golf at this lovely golf course (see below). I'd go with him, but I don't golf. Scott gets to golf and I get to pass this off as a Valentine's gift. Score for us both.
Scott's known of his gift for a couple weeks now. I can't keep a secret to save my soul.

Top photo source, bottom left photo source, bottom right photo source

To get to the actual point of this post... For Valentine's Day I also whipped up a batch of Scott's favorite chocolate chip cookies. If any of you long time followers were wondering, I still hate that word (the baked good that starts with the letter *c*). I made the baked goods a little early, but I made them with love and with V-Day in mind.

Let's get to it. These are Scott's all-time favorite. In fact, he hardly ever eats anything I bake. Except for these.

Classic Chocolate Chip

3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 stick butter flavor Crisco (make sure you're using the butter flavor!)
1 tsp bakin soda
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla (I always use 2 Tbsp)
1 package milk chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat ove to 375.
Blend brown sugar, granulated sugar, and Crisco until creamy.
Add baking soda, salt, cinnamon, eggs and vanilla. Mix until throughly incorporated.
Add flour 1/2 cup at a time.
Fold chocolate chips into dough.
Drop about 1 Tbsp of dough onto a cookie sheet. I use a small ice cream scoop.
Bake for 7-8 minutes, or until edges just begin to brown.
Remove cookies from oven.
Allow cookies to finish baking on cookie sheet for 5-8 minutes before placing on a cooling rack.

Make a batch of these for your sweetheart this Valentine's Day. They're a million times better than boxed chocolates!

For those of you who have been with the Monologues since the beginning these may look familiar. They are. I posted about them waaaaay back when. I figured this recipe needed a serious update.

Enjoy!

Source: My mother-in-law's recipe

Monkey Trouble

After yesterday's confession I concluded I need a little more help (this parenting business can be tough stuff). We have a few little dilemmas and I'm at a loss. These little issues aren't earth shattering, but they're still issues that Scott and I have addressed, but a 10 month old has his own agenda.

In our living room we have two end tables. On those end tables sit lamps. Everything else has been cleared from said tables, for obvious reasons. We can't clear off the lamps, they are our only sources of light. Apparently houses built c. 1980 didn't have overhead lighting.

I have told/asked Marcus SEVERAL times not to touch the lamps. He's heard "no" probably 3,686,411 times when it comes to those darn lamps. He thinks its funny. Kid you not, the boy laughs at me when I tell him/ask him/explain to him why we don't pull on the lamps. The little toad.

He thinks it's funny. Me? Not so much.

The last time Marcus really got his hands on something it ended very badly. Not for Marcus, but for some favorite items of ours.

Marcus walked away unscathed. Our ISU, KSU and Kansas City wine glasses weren't so lucky.

On to another little problem... The monkey has gotten into the very bad habit of sneaking his food under his high chair tray, making it seem as if he's been eating.

Don't let that little face fool you.

Often, Marcus will pitch his food overboard, and Drake will gladly clean up any castaway vittles. I'll turn away for a half second, look back at Marcus and think what a great job he's doing on his breakfast/lunch/dinner. Then I'll see food being chucked to the floor.

Mommy caught Marcus red-handed, stuffing his food under his tray and into the sides of his seat.
That food didn't just accidentally fall into his seat. The little turkey thinks he's sneaky.

Or, Marcus will put his food in his mouth, chew it, then take it back out. The chewed food either ends up "hidden," or Drake is treated to yet another Marcus meal. GAH!!

Drake is no dummy. He patiently waits for Marcus to toss his lunch to the floor.
Anyone else grossed out by those strings of drool? 

What to I do?! I can't live in the dark, and Marcus needs to eat his food, not waste it!

Help! Suggestions are more than welcome.

I Confess...

Often I sit here and write of all the wonderful things my little monkey brings into our lives. The smiles, the giggles, the play, the fun.
It's not all rainbows, and roses, and sunshine-y goodness.

Head to Memoris of Megan and Cookies for Breakfast for more confessions.

I have to tell you something... And please don't nominate me for Worst Mother of the Year.

I'm fortunate to be a full-time mommy. It's a true blessing. I haven't missed a single milestone that Marcus has hit. Every day we get to play, go for jogs, snuggle whenever he wants/needs to... It's everything a full-time mommy could ever want.

Then, 4:00 p.m. hits, and we are both d.o.n.e. You see, after Marcus' afternoon nap he is nothing short of a pill. He's whiny, and clingy, grumpy, and fussy. There's rarely anything I can do to get the cranky out of him. Any and all patience I have is long gone. It drives me bonkers. And, we usually have to wait a good hour or two before Daddy gets home. Daddy is usually the only person, by this point in the day, that can make that baby happy. It frustrates me to the point I think I may seriously pull my hair out.

I count down the minutes until Scott gets home. The second Scott walks in the door I usually dump Marcus with Scott and proceed to breath.

Please, please, please tell me I'm not the only mommy who faces this.

Head over to Our Journey to see Sarah's confession. Also, make sure you check out her 28 Day of Love (her RAKs are awesome)!