Outlaws win Back-to-Back National Championship!!!

I had the pleasure of making it to Billings, MT this weekend to watch the IFL National Championship game. Another showdown between the Billings Outlaws and the Sioux Falls Storm. These two rivals have been battling it out over the last couple years to combine for a total of 6 championship titles in the last 6 years.

Due to the tornado that ripped through Billings and tore the roof off the Metra Park Arena, the championship game (as were the other playoff games) were held in their morphed practice facility, the SportsPlex. And there was no lack of fans or noise in this packed building.

The game started off with some great plays by my personal favorite, #19 Michael Eby. And it stayed neck and neck throughout all four quarters. Here are some pictures from throughout the game.

(from Billings Gazette)

With a Sioux Falls attempt to jump over a pack of players for an attempted touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter and an Outlaws crowd-surfing-like rejection, the Outlaws clenched their back-to-back IFL Championship title. Final score: 43-34.

Here are some pictures of the post-win celebration:

One of Michael's interviews:

Michael and his biggest fans:

Me and Michael:

Coach O'Neil and Michael Eby:

(from Billings Gazette)

Garret Palmer, Tim Brown and Michael Eby:

For more information about the game, check out the Billings Gazette Article: Outlaws Top Sioux Falls.

Progress on the Remodel!

After about a month of remodeling, the condo has really come quite far!! Today the new granite counters were installed and it really makes a world of a difference. Here are some pictures of the install and final product:

The Final Product:

Although, there is still a ways to go, it has come very far and I have to give HUGE thanks those who have helped!! My dad, my brother, Bethanne, Michael and all my friends who have helped me move in, helped paint and install things, provided food for our tummies, helped me calm down when I was freaking out about making a decision....

THANK YOU!!!! You mean the world to me!!

Here's a list of what we've been busy doing so far:

• Installed amazingly beautiful granite countertops with a new sink/faucet/garbage disposal
• Installed new baseboards throughout the entire condo (thanks for cutting so perfectly, Scottie)
• Ripped up the kitchen vinyl floor and dining room carpet and installed new flooring (just my dad and I - yes I am a pro at a chop saw now)
• Stripped and repainted the kitchen cabinets.
• Tore down a hideous brick backsplash and had to rehang drywall - to be covered in tile by the end of the month!
• Purchased and installed new stainless steel appliances (fridge, stove and the fun project of replacing a stove hood with an above the stove microwave - much more difficult than you'd imagine)
• Painted EVERY SINGLE WALL in this entire condo - including the gigantor 15 foot living room wall and the hideous yellow smoke stained pantry.
• Installed new light fixtures in the kitchen, dining room, both bathrooms and the hallway.
• Ripped out and replaced the vinyl flooring in the laundry closet that dated back to ancient times.
• Installed two new and very amazing low-flow toilets (the old toilets were so old the bolts disintegrated when we... sorry, my dad... tried to unscrew them)
• Painted and hung new doors for the hall closet and laundry closet.

Sigh... that's all I can remember. More to come as the condo becomes more of a home! Keep posted!

Half Marathon - Check!

Another check off the list... definitely not an easy check either! This weekend I completed my first half marathon after about 10 weeks of training (minus one week for Costa Rica – totally worth it). The Seattle Rock ‘n Roll Marathon!!

More than 27,000 runners from all 50 states and 23 countries ran from Tukwila to Seattle for the second annual Rock ‘n Roll Seattle Marathon & ½ Marathon benefiting the American Cancer Society.

It all started before the crack of dawn when we headed south to Tukwila to the runner drop off area. Apparently, the city of Tukwila was caught off guard by the massively planned event and wasn't ready for the volume of cars. So I started the morning with 2 miles of walking just to get to the start line!! Talk about a warm-up.

After arriving at the start line I was blown away by the sheer number of people corralled into the start line gates. I love the guy in this picture with his green race shirt on backwards. Don’t let the light fool you – it was really early – easy mistake apparently.

Once out of the gates we were immediately greeted by a variety of bands (hence, the name), cheerleading groups and a multitude of spectators along the way. From the start in Tukwila, the course headed up the west side of Lake Washington to the I-90 Bridge (we got to run through one of the tunnels) and then looped through downtown Seattle before finishing at the steps of Qwest Field. Thanks to the huge crowds and all the excitement, the race went very well. Right up until Mile 11 when my knees REALLY started screaming at me – thank you Seattle spectators for cheering and making it slightly easier to finish the last 2.1 miles!

I finished in 2:13, which is right around where I had hoped to be. We even received a medal and yummy treats after. Here are some pictures taken by the paparazzi (a.k.a. my dad).

The Finish Line:

Finisher!

Best Dad EVER!

Roomies!

Me and Michael...

The Medal:

UW Certificate - Check!

Just a bit of exciting news to announce. The checking of another List Item --- to get my University of Washington, Foster School of Business Marketing Management Certificate!! After a year of classes, I've finally completed it and just received the diploma in the mail the other day. The graduation ceremony is tomorrow (Thursday 6/17) but I will likely not be in attendance - just seems silly to sit through a graduation ceremony at this point and life is currently keeping me really busy!

The program included three classes - the last being a practicum where we worked in groups with a local business (A&H Pharmacy, a great family owned Pharmacy/Home Medical Equipment/Pharmaceutical Services business). It went amazing and was such a good experience helping a small, local business develop a customized marketing strategy. Here is some of what the President had to say:

It was good to have a group of enthusiastic marketers look at where we are and show us the possibilities of where we could be. We unanimously thought the project was a wonderful success. Our satisfaction with the project partly comes from seeing 6 people dedicated, curious, and enthused to move our operations to a higher level. That type of positive energy is contagious and I think we got it!

Excited to have had the experience, to continue to grow, and to help a local family owned company along the way!

Costa Rica - The Farm, Part 2

The day I had in Angostura to help on the farm began bright and early at 4:30 am. And yes, it came with the whole shebang – rooster and all. We had some breakfast to prep us for the day and then crammed the seven of us into an old, two-door Land Rover and went to just one of the five farms they take care of.


The farm itself is a short drive from the house in the small town of Angostura. The dirt, sometimes muddy and pothole stricken road winds down the side of the hill Angostura sits atop of, into the valley and then over a river. Once we arrived, we got busy right away – well, busy trying to figure out how 5 completely clueless city people could possibly help on a farm in the middle of Costa Rica.

We started by trying our hand at milking a cow. None of us was very successful at all. In fact, the only thing we were successful at was making it nervous enough that it wouldn’t let anyone milk it – even the seasoned veterans.

(photo by Brian Knopp)

Left with an empty milk container, we then walked down one of the small roads that had been overtaken by a stream turned river to get their two horses grazing in one of the hilly fields.

After getting acquainted, we walked them further down the road to feed the cattle. Even with our rubber boots on, we watched as Kelci and Michael worked through their well-practiced routine of feeding the cattle – dry feed with drizzled molasses on top for extra yumminess.

From the very muddy cattle feeding area, we walked past the sugar cane fields to the shelter where they crush the sugarcane into a thick liquid substance (excuse the lack of technical terms here). This sugar product can then be used for a huge variety of things – such as the aguadulce I had with breakfast earlier in the day. Aguadulce, or “sugarwater,” is a drink of hot water mixed with this sugar substance. Very popular in Costa Rica because Ticos and Ticas love sugar and because, well, it’s VERY delicious!

(photo by Sara Pauk, I think...)

Once we got back to the farm, it was time to get down to business or get UP to the very top of the hills surrounding the farm to plant 500 coffee plants. It turns out this particular area we would be planting in can only be reached by foot or by horse. We loaded up both horses with large bundles of coffee plants on their backs and took off to plant!

Fortunately enough for us, there were countless numbers of fruit-bearing trees along the way – oranges, mangoes, avocadoes, soursop, fruit from a cocoa plant, plantains, and bananas. So not only was it an educational hike but a delicious one as well!

Once we wove our way to the top through the maze of trees, brush and other coffee plants we got started. Small holes had already been dug where we would sprinkle in some fertilizer and then drop in a small coffee plant. Each plant was about a foot tall and the roots hanging down nearly doubled that. Then we would go back and pack the holes with dirt. Around the middle of filling these 500 holes, I remember thinking “Oh, it must be about 1:00 which would make it time to head back to go into town.” Ooooh no… The hands of time are cruel sometimes – only 10:00 AM. Amongst all of this strenuous coffee tree planting we did; however, get to watch a very exhausting chase across the coffee fields which lead to the below happenings…

(Photo by Sara Pauk)

After a good portion of the work was completed, we headed back to the farm house for some amazing Costa Rican food for lunch. And then Tanya and I departed for a horseback ride up one of the other surrounding hills. Bella and Quitano (Spanish for gypsy), surely exhausted from two trips of coffee plants took us for a short ride around the area to get a better look at the incredible views. And the word “incredible” really does it no justice at all, nor do the pictures. But I’ll give it a shot anyway…

Having returned from our ride, I un-saddled Bella (for the first time) with help from Michael’s nephew, Memito, who spoke no English. Due to our practicing along the ride, my very terrible Spanish was up to par JUST ENOUGH to barely understand the directions of un-saddling a horse. After what seemed like a very long day on the farm for us and a short day for Kelci and Michael, we departed the farm to head back to the house so I could begin my journey back home.

I have so much appreciation for those who work on farms. It’s very hard work and it’s definitely a job that doesn’t allow for breaks very easily. It was such an incredible experience to see a “day in the life” and I really do treasure every drop of sweat that day (and that’s A LOT!!!).

Costa Rica - The Farm, Part 1

Visiting the farm and Sara's (my roomie) sister, Kelci was the ultimate purpose of joining in on the Costa Rican fun so I was really excited to make the journey from the Pacific Coast in Manuel Antonio to Kelci and her boyfriend's family's farm. It was located near the VERY small town of Acostura which is located just outside of San Isidro del General. It is almost the middle between the two coasts of Costa Rica.

The journey took a good portion of the day on bus and waiting in San Isidro for our bus transfer. But it was definitely worth it! The views along the way were incredible and I found myself not believing I was actually there. After two buses, the last leg of trip was made on foot down one of the few (and very muddy) main streets of Acostura which follows the spine of a large hill.

Once settled in, we got busy right away making some amazingly incredible snacks. The first included corn tortillas from scratch made with the corn grown on their farm. This, of course, had to be accompanied by freshly made guacamole made with avocados and tomatoes grown on their farm as well. There's really something incredible about making your food from scratch from ingredients you've grown yourself. I really do wish I had the time (and ability) to do this at home.

The house had incredible views and was so quaint, I can completely understand WHY Kelci moved to Costa Rica to learn organic farming and HOW she's ended up staying several years.

Here is a picture of Sara and I enjoying the views from the top near Acostura.

This area is where Cupito (the cutest and loudest of little dogs) lives along with several chickens/roosters and a bunny. The path leads further down to more fruits/veggie trees/plants.

A bundle of green plantains grown on the farm, easily accessible outside the back door.

In process of making fried plantains in three, equally amazing, ways. (Note: Please excuse the very inaccurate terminology.)

1. 
   
   
   Thicker dices of ripe plantains fried
2. 
   
   
   Green plantains fried, squished, then fried again
3. 
   
   
   Thin slices of green plantains deep fried

 (Additional note: all frying took place in pig fat from a pig raised on the farm. mmmmm.)

An evening event of roasting coffee beans over an open-fire outdoor stove. Took a little longer than the modern methods...

Although I was only there a very short time (too short), I do have to say there is something comforting about living so closely to the land and your food source. It continues to boggle me how we have let ourselves get so removed from what we eat to the point that we don't even know everything that's in it.