My favorite hat, spells TEAM LIVESTRONG!

So I have this hat… that is my absolute favorite hat. It was given to me by a friend who got it after he accomplished his first century ride. Pretty sweet swag right!? The hat is made from a white wicking material, that keeps your head cool on a hot summer day. It is actually the only hat I don’t feel suffocated in, while I run. It fits my head perfectly, protecting my skin from the sun’s harmful rays, and shielding my hair color, from fading, keeping it everlasting, shiny, and vibrant. (Yes, I am a hair stylist, so my hair color is a priority.)

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The above photo collage shows me wearing this hat at the beach, on hikes, while doing yoga, I also run with it, and just about wear it everywhere. Now, if you look closely it says, “TEAM LIVESTRONG,” written across the front.

I know the interview between Lance Armstrong and Oprah was sooo last week. But I finally stopped being annoyed, and was able to pull it together, to write this post.

So as you all may know, Lance Armstrong was the face of the LIVESTRONG organization. As you may also know, he recently admitted to Oprah that while he competed his 7 tours, he was using performance enhancing drugs, and undergoing blood transfusions. So in my mind, and pretty much the rest of the world’s, Lance Armstrong, is a cheater and a lier. The amazing athlete we thought he was, never existed – so sad.  He was not much of an athlete at all, but rather a man that was a brilliant cheater, with the best doctor, and doping schedule.

However, when it comes down to it, the whole using performance enhancing drugs doesn’t really bother me, (I mean it does,) but I can be understanding. Lance told Oprah, everyone was doing it… it became part of the job. The only way to win was to do it too. Well what kind of “Win” is that, and look who is loosing now…

Well like I said above the whole using performance enhancing drugs doesn’t really bother me, because what does, is the the way he handled everything. Lance was selfish and foolish. He called his best friends, the people that lied for him and protected him, horrible names, and then he sued everybody.

Ok, so that bothers me, but there is one thing that bothers me even more… The interview with Oprah, was Lance’s chance to make things better- but he didn’t. I am a marathon runner, who is so passionate about running, that I get a little crazy if I miss a day. I was desperately waiting to hear Lance say how passionate he was about cycling – but he didn’t. I just wanted him to say, how he couldn’t imagine life without participating in the sport – but he didn’t.  I did not hear him say he has a love for the endurance sports, but rather an obsession with winning. Maybe he is not passionate at all. Maybe he doesn’t care for cycling at all. Maybe he just found that he was quite good at cycling and would do whatever he could to win.

When Oprah asked, “Why now?” I wanted him to talk about his passion for the sport, but he didn’t. So then, I was waiting for him to say, that he is a father, and wants to make things right, to be a good inspiration for his kids. But nope, he didn’t say that either. Instead he admits to all the lies, cheating, and bad behavior not to make thing right, but rather to reduce his sentence. How selfish can you be?

So in the end… I have this fabulous hat, that has TEAM LIVESTRONG written across the front. I will still wear that hat, not only because I love it, but because I support Cancer research. I support what it truly means to LIVESTRONG. But what I don’t support is Lance.

© 2013 sweatdaily

Pumpkin!

I know… Thanksgiving was soo last week.

But I can’t help it, I have to share with you, this amazing pumpkin pie I made, ate, and now keep wishing I still had some left.

It is funny, how the mind works… When I was thinking about what I was going to prepare for my portion of my family’s thanksgiving dinner, I kept thinking about the Oprah show.

Back in the day, I remember watching Oprah, and this amazing pie was made on her show. So I went to her website and with a simple search of the word pumpkin, there it was… I was so thankful the recipe was still there on her site.

PUMPKIN CHIFFON PIE

click here for recipe found on Oprah’s site.

INGREDIENTS – exactly the same from original recipe on Oprah’s site, except for those in bold text.

  • 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. allspice
  • 1/2 tsp. giner
  • 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 2 large egg yolks, beaten
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (I used organic, or better yet make your own pumpkin puree with a real pumpkin.)
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped
  • 1 (9-inch) graham cracker crust ( I did not store buy my crust, I made mine from scratch. I will teach you how below.)
  • Whipped cream for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Now this is how we do it…

Part 1 – Pumpkin

  1. In a pan, over the stove, combine gelatin, sugar, salt, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg.
  2. Then stir in egg yolks, milk, pumpkin.
  3. Cook over heat, until bubbles and thickens.
  4. Remove from heat, chill in fridge until it is partially set, no less than 1 hour.
  5. Remove chilled pumpkin mixture and give it a stir.
and this is what your pumpkin filling should look like so far.

And this is what your pumpkin filling should look like so far.

Part 2 – Whipped Cream

  1. Pour heavy cream into a bowl.
  2. Use an electrical better and whip it until whipped cream forms.
Whipped Cream

Whipped Cream

Part 3 – Pumpkin Filling

  1. Use a different bowl and beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
  2. Add sugar until stiff peaks form.
  3. Combine both fresh whipped cream and egg whites and sugar with pumpkin.
  4. Fold ingredients together until totally combined.
  5. Pumpkin filling should be light and fluffy.
  6. Set aside.

Part 4 – Crust

In the recipe found on Oprah’s site, they used a store bought crust. I made my own. This is what I did…

  1. Take a box of graham crackers, remove two packs from the box.
  2. Crush and crumble graham crackers.
  3. Melt one stick of butter in the microwave, or over the stove. Whichever method you prefer. I quickly melted my butter in the microwave.
  4. Add graham cracker crumbs to a pie pan.
  5. Add melted butter to the graham cracker crumbs in the pie pan.
  6. Use your hands to mold the graham cracker and butter combo in shape of the pie pan. Making sure the bottom and walls of the pan are completely covered. Make your crust as thick as you want by adding more crushed up graham crackers. 

Part 5 – The Pie

  1. Pour pumpkin filling mixer into pie crust.
  2. Chill for at least one hour.
  3. Top the pie off with extra whipped cream when serving. TIP: If you put the whipped cream on to soon and it ends up sitting out the whipped cream may melt. So I always  just put the whipped cream on each slice when serving.
Pumpkin Pie! Yum! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie! Yum! Enjoy!

I hope you choose to make this pie. Enjoy it during your next holiday party!

My sister and I on Thanksgiving! Finally you can see me without my running clothes on.

My sister and I on Thanksgiving! Finally you can see me without my running clothes on.

Questions for You…

  1. What is your favorite holiday food?
  2. Is it pumpkin pie?

© 2012 sweatdaily