Eating at The Bank (and getting dessert at The Piggy Bank)

In a small town, I'd expect to find lots of fast food and if it's like Logan, movie theaters.

But Richfield surprised us with how few places to eat there were. After our wet, soggy ATV ride we wanted something warm and delicious to eat. We drove through the entire town, with limited options and nothing standing out. And then I spied a sign "Bank & Vault Bistro". It sounded way better than any of our other options so we decided to give it a try.

It was AWESOME! I can't believe more locals weren't packing that place to capacity! The building was an old bank that has been restored into a restaurant on the 1st floor, an office building on the 2nd floor, and most importantly, an ice cream shop called "The Piggy Bank" next door. Despite our complaining with a 100+ year old house, we have a soft side for anything historic. I was so thrilled to see all the original bank decor and hardware throughout the place. You could even eat in the two vaults! We wandered around, wishing I'd brought my good camera to take pictures with instead of my phone, admiring everything. Loved these wall hangings of old bank and mail deposit boxes! Just like the ones my Grandpa uses for his piggy bank trucks. You could still see the safety deposit boxes, an old 10-key (at least I assume that's what it is), real air conditioners, the locks for the vaults complete with magnifying lenses so you could see the numbers, cool lights, and new but made to look old ceiling fans.

Man! I wish I'd have taken my nice camera with us. As convenient as my phone's camera is, it doesn't look nearly as good as my Nikon.

The food was delicious. We both got a cheeseburger with vinegar fries and I thought it was amazing! Grass fed beef and huge toasted buns apparently do make a difference!

Oh, and if that wasn't enough, I told Jeff he was buying me ice cream next door at The Piggy Bank. I mean, who can resist homemade blueberry ice cream? Yum. It was so creamy and delicious, and the small was HUGE! 

If you are ever in Richfield or even remotely close to Richfield, you can't miss a drive down Main Street to the Bank & Vault Bistro. I know we will be back someday.

Scipio petting zoo

If you are ever driving through Central Utah, you have to make a stop at the Flying J in Scipio. I'm sure they have great treats, but this truck stop is famous for something else.

The petting zoo.

It's free. It's made the news before. And it's a little bit of fun in the middle of nowhere.

Alpacas, goats, some cows, a turkey, ponies, peacocks (who tried hitchhiking on the back of someone's truck), bunnies, chickens, and a zebra. All of which acted like they'd never been fed before in their lives.

Oh and in Jeff's words, "Jackasses." They seemed to bond :)

We had a good time and it helped with my pouting on the way home for a few minutes.

Morning sights

I'm hoping my dedication will kick me out of bed so I get to see this in the morning...

'cause my 6 a.m. workout is going to come all too soon at this point.

Are you breastfeeding again?

A little over a month ago, I wrote five goals for myself to try and get back into any shape other than my current one... round.

1.  Get up at 6:00 a.m. at least 4 times a week to go walking/running for an hour.
2. Be able to turn those walks into runs and run 3 miles in preparation for the mud race I signed up to do in August.
3. Curb the late night snacking when I'm making lunches for myself and my husband.
4. Take all my "measurements."
5. Go to bed by 11:30 p.m.

Bonus: Buy a sports bra and new pair of running shoes.

Well. It's been a month and how have I done? I can tell you the first three weeks of my "new" routine it was like I'd been hit by a truck. I postponed writing this during that time for fear that I'd never try again, scare off anyone thinking of moving themselves from contemplation to action, and scar my posterity for life with my crazed rantings. 

I was an emotional, crazy, grouchy, depressed wreck. 

It felt like my hormones were completely out of whack. I HATED IT! My coworkers were concerned and kept asking me what was going on. They kept teasing me that I must be pregnant to be that up and down. To which I adamantly said no... you'd know it if I was pregnant. I'd be barfing up a storm and definitely not at work. 

Don't believe me that I was completely losing it? Jeff asked me one day, "Are you breastfeeding again or what?" Yes. I was THAT out of control!!!

Exercising was the only thing I'd changed in my routine. I know it sounds completely illogical, since physical activity is supposed to bring a myriad of positive benefits like a clear thinking, more energy, less stress, etc. But it was having the exact opposite effect on me. Oh sure, for the first couple of hours after I got done, I felt great! Then I would crash. Hard!

But I kept at it. Somewhere in my DNA is this stupid "I made a commitment and I have to do the responsible thing" gene that comes out every once in awhile. I guess I'd gotten up enough days to exercise to kick this gene into gear. I really hate it sometimes.

So with the exception of the last week in June, I've gotten up at least four times to go on my early morning strolls. That week, I'd hit the high with my crazy, depressed, emotionally out of control feelings and decided enough was enough. I stopped getting up for five days, slept in, and felt like my old self again. Apparently my body was rebelling from me trying to trick it into being an early to bed early to rise type person instead of it's preferred night owl. Some days I just stroll along. Really slow. Other days, I run. Not three miles yet... that "I made a commitment and I have to do the responsible thing" gene hasn't quite overpowered the "I can't do this, give up" gene. Jeff's letting me use his Ipod with some upbeat music which should help with accomplishing goal #2 before my 5k mud race the end of August. Goal 1 and goal 2. Done. And going well, depending on how I do with goal 5.

Speaking of goal 5, I am amazed at how hard this transition has been for me to get used to. But, for the most part I've been to bed by 11:30 p.m. The days I stay up late? It is really, really hard to get up. Those are the days that Jeff usually kicks me until I sort of flop out of bed and catch myself before I hit the floor.

Now for the cookies. Er, I mean goal 3. I've actually done better than I thought with this one. Most days anyway. Minus last week when I made chocolate chip cookies. Urgh! Those darn cookies were so soft and delicious. Oh the shame! I don't even want to admit I ate at least two dozen cookies myself in the span of two days. But they looked so sad in the bag not being eaten. I had to. For the cookies.

I stopped making lunches at night to break my bad habit of snacking on everything. That helped immensely, but poor Jeff went to work without a lunch a lot more than normal. Food is still up and down for me. Some nights I do terrible and snack away while packing lunches. Other days I don't snack at all. Maybe someday I'll work up the courage to start a food journal and ensure we get all our fruits and veggies in. Food will always be hard for me though. I have some terrible past issues with food that I'm not quite ready to divulge here but I promised myself and my Heavenly Father that I wouldn't obsess over food like that ever again. As you might imagine that struggle has also had quite the opposite effect on me at times.

Which brings me to goal 4. I have not taken any measurements. I have no idea how much I weigh or how thick any parts of my are. I really don't want to know either. Again, from some of my past issues. What I want is to feel better in my clothes. To see some muscles and feel them as I'm walking and running. I must admit, the past week or so, I've been thinking "when do I get to see some of the results of sacrificing sleep for exercise?" Oh well. I'm trying to stay positive and tell myself, even if I'm never the size I was in high school (heck, I'd take my first year of marriage), I'm doing something that is healthy for my body and mind. Plus, my guilt for not exercising has dropped significantly!

As for the bonus goals. I did buy some sports bras. And after my mud race, I'll definitely have to buy some new running shoes.

Now if I could just muster up enough self-confidence and commitment to set some other personal goals to boost my parenting skills and spiritual health. I really need a lot of work.

Gift-less

So... Jeff's present is lost in the mail somewhere.

And today is his birthday.

That meant, I had to do something to make up for having no gift.

Like letting him sleep in until 11 a.m. this morning.

Bringing him breakfast in bed... a doughnut (with a candle in it). Which Cole and I picked up yesterday from Krispie Kreme at Jeff's request.

Trying my hardest to not completely lose it before church, given Pearl's constant screaming, tantrum throwing, crying, sassying, and more screaming.

Making the world's best dinner rolls.

Grilling the most delicious meat wrapped in bacon skewers (bacon-wrapped teriyaki chicken skewers) Ok, so Jeff actually manned the grill but I did all the assembly.

And then forcing him to eat some veggies... baked asparagus drizzled with olive oil and salt and pepper.
 

Oh, and just so everyone knows, I did offer to make a German chocolate cake but Jeff told me he couldn't eat an entire cake himself so not to worry about it.

I think I succeeded. That, or he has extremely low expectations for his birthday.

A bit of a side note. We have an addiction to the T.V. show Master Chef. The past few nights, Pearl's told me that we're playing Master Chef and I'm the cook who might get sent home. Somehow she's still in the show but has threatened that I'm getting sent home. But after his birthday feast, Jeff told her no way was I getting sent home.