RAGNAR!

Some may call me crazy but... I did it! I finished Ragnar!!! For those of you who don't know what Ragnar Relay is, its a 200 mile relay race over 2 days and the 200 miles is split between 12 people, each given 3 times to run! I was runner #5. I was supposed to only run 18.4 miles total but plans changed because my mom busted her ankle so I gave her my last run which was 4.5 miles and I took hers which was 8.1!! So I actually ran 22 miles... oh boy. So I had a 5.8 miler, 8.1 and 8.1!! It was insanely fun, I realized I'm still way afraid of the dark BUT I beat my PR!! I was running 9:30 milers! I cannot wait to do this again next year! I am so glad I am in such great shape for this because I would've never imagined doing this a year ago... Go Team, WILL RUN FOR DONUTS!!!!

Anyone can be a runner I promise you that much. Ragnar taught me to push myself to limits I thought I couldn't go to. Being healthy feels so good and I hope everyone wants to feel it too! Get out there, get healthy and get happy. I promise you, that is something you will NOT regret.

Back to Baking!

So, yesterday I was in charge of making dessert because we were having the missionaries over for dinner. I decided I would make a Chocolate cake with coconut filling in the middle. Or as I would like to call it, Almond Joy Cake! It is DELICIOUS. So fluffy and perfect. Here is the finished product:

I also will post the recipe for future reference and for any of you who want to try it out :) Also, if you don't like coconut it makes for an AWESOME chocolate cake! Or you could even fill it with something else!

ALMOND JOY CHOCOLATE CAKE:

Ingredients:

Cake:

1 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspon kosher salt

1 cup water

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

Filling:

1 egg white

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup shredded coconut

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

2-3 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

3 almond joy bars cut in-half (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a bunt cake pan with non-stick spray

Make cake:

2. In a small saucepan, add butter, cocoa powder, salt and water. Place over medium heat and stir until ingredients are combined and butter has fully melted. Remove from heat and set aside

3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and baking soda. Add half the cocoa mixture and whisk, just until combined. Add the remaining cocoa mixture and again, whisk just until combined. Next, add eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition until incorporated. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Whisk again until combined. Set aside.

Make filling:

4. In a clean, dry glass bowl whip the egg white until soft peaks form. Sprinkle sugar gradually into egg white and continue whipping egg white until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the coconut, flour and vanilla extract. 

5. Add half the chocolate cake batter to the prepared bundt pan and spread evenly. Dollop coconut filling over batter being sure to keep the coconut in the center and not letting it touch the sides of the pan. 

6. Spread the remaining cake batter into the bundt pan over the coconut and smooth top evenly.

7. Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until a tester inserted comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Make Glaze:

8. In a small bowl, stir together heavy cream and confectioners' sugar starting with 2 tablespoons cream and adding more to achieve desired consistency. Stir in vanilla bean paste.

Assemble:

9. Drizzle cake with glaze and top with Almond Joy bars if desired. 

ENJOY! :)

'MERICA

Ok this post is kind of late from the 4th but that's because I was in Lake Chelan from the 2nd-7th!! Plus I've been busy with work since I've been back so I haven't had time to post. Anyways, CHELAN WAS A BLAST. I didn't have really any service because I was at a boat-to only campsite. I loved it though. It really helped just getting away from everything. So we got up there Wednesday, and the next day we spent it on the lake boating and tubing. I actually got to meet up with Samantha & Christian and tube with them so it was so much fun!!!

Then Tyler and Cassie came up Thursday night. We just had so much fun! Just relaxing, enjoying time as a family :) Taking lots of pictures as always. We also hiked up to the top of the mountain from our camp site which was fun. We made s'mores over our stove cause there was a burn ban. BUT my s'more was so good. It had peanut butter ON the graham cracker then pieces of chocolate on either side. 

I love chelan and I'm so grateful I got to go with my family this year. I missed my other brother, his wife Kayla and their son Jackson. But I still had a lot of fun. The beauty that God has created for us is amazing and I'm so grateful I live in such a beautiful state where I can enjoy it. 

Goodbye June, Hello July what?!

I can't believe tomorrow is July 1st. Where did the month of June go?! Its crazy. A lot has happened last week! I started my new nannying job Tuesday and it has been going really well!! The kids are adorable. The girl is 4 and the boy is 8. We did Tie-dye and the little girl (Anushka) got tie-dye all over her hands!

 I worked every day from about 10-2:30 pm just having fun! We went to the park, rode bikes, had a picnic, went to the library and read books. It's a super fun easy job. The only down side is my car takes so much gas, so driving everywhere uses a lot of it up :( But, I am just trying to save money to help pay for school. This week was bad in terms of going out a lot... NO MORE.

Then on Friday I stayed with Mali Hansen because her parents were out of town that night. Luckily her ward was going to the Mariners game so we had something to do! It was so fun :) We had garlic fries (I swear I still have that taste in my mouth...), candy, the works! It was also Firework night that night! And guess what?! THE MARINERS WON!!! It was awesome!

Then Saturday I helped the missionaries in my ward draw the plan of salvation on the art wall at the Redmond Skate Park! Now that is what I call missionary work in a different way :)

I'm so incredibly excited for this week because I will be in CHELAN!!! Celebrating the 4th of July with my family :) I can't wait for camping, boating, tanning, s'mores, and everything! These missionaries in my ward are incredibly nice guys! This church is true people. It's incredible. Prayer works, Miracles happen every day, Keep having faith in God and know that anything is possible with him.

Elder Kearley (middle), Elder Garriss (right) and I tonight! Last time

Elder Garriss will be in R3!!