this is about to get random.

I'm a little overwhelmed at the lack of spare time in my life. Just ask my kitchen, it's feeling pretty neglected.  But I'm sick of seeing that picture of my tooth hurting and I'm feeling the need to show you my random iPhone pictures from the past couple weeks. Here is what's been going on in my life as far as my phone pictures can tell.

These trees outside Paul's lab were the nicest red I'd ever seen. So, I wanted to take a picture - Paul told me to join in the fun.

This is a foggy commute. Hello Rt 1 - also known as my best friend, who I see for 2 hours a day everyday. I wish you always looked like this picture is portraying as far as lack of traffic but unfortunately it's typically quite the opposite - I must have been stopped at a red light or something and been first in line. Bumper to bumper - with a stick shift = great thigh muscles developing!

More trees...

This was a nice spot that I ate lunch one day. I really liked it. There is something about sports fields that just makes me feel good. In fact, when I was walking across the field to get to these bleachers, I just felt different right when I stepped over the out-of-bounds line - like I was walking on special ground, that emotions are felt in that space. I miss lacrosse coaching! This is getting weird lets move on.

Oh, this is actually exciting. One day I came home from work with to a package on the table for ME. What!? The only packages we ever get are from nashbar.com with new bike equipment. Then I saw it was from my Kayla friend and I got very excited!

This nicest girl sent me a new mixed CD (the last CD she gave me, when she moved to California, is basically the only music I listen to) in celebration of me getting an adult job. And with the commute mentioned above, I was needing some new musica! Because sometimes NPR has lame stories and I have to switch to some music. This was just the trick!

Plus she has great taste. Nicest award ever goes to Kayla. (Thanks again if you ever read this!)

 The only time Paul and I get to spend together is doing the dishes. Sometimes not having a dishwasher is good for the marriage.

I took this blurry picture and didn't make a wish because I didn't know that I was supposed to until I checked Facebook a couple hours later and everyone was talking about the great wishes they made. Oh well.

 I bought this cupcake to eat on 11/11/11. It was Jeff's birthday - whenever it's someone's birthday I literally crave cake, and this time I just couldn't resist the bakery when I was 15 min early to work.

 Oh! This is great stuff coming up right here. Paul was so nice and wanted to get me some good carbs the night before cyclocross race and so he took me to this new Italian Bistro in Highland Park. Authentico dudes!

I got the most delicious pasta/sausage/yumminess and Paul got some tasty Chicken Parmigiana. We also got bruschetta and pesto/bread combos pre-meal. The people next to us were acting like they were food critiques so maybe I should have asked them to write a food description for my blog. They probably could have made you feel really jealous about how fancy and nice everything was. How about this: it was very delicious and I felt like I was in Italy!

Plus.
Creme Brûlée. mmmmmmmm.

 This was at Staten Island Cross. Early morning beautiful day on the bay!

Handsome beardy man on the bay too!

 Panera goodness post Staten Island race.. (we were about to eat when Paul said, we got to go girl! So we asked for to-go containers so we could come home and watch the cyclocross grand prix live on the internet. True story. JPOOWW! (won).

 It was about 67 degrees the other day and so I took a really nice walk outside to Rider's campus, and took more pictures of trees. What the heck will I take pictures of during lunch when there are no more colorful trees? I better start brainstorming.... because today was freezing, hello bitter cold and humid winter!

Not sure how to end this one.

teeth.

A little dental emergency has put me out of commission for the night.

Usually I'm a toughy when it comes to these things, but I'm feeling the pain.

I had a lazy night watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune, and now I think I'll have some hot cider (requested by Paul), and then go right to bed... ice pack in hand.

Taking a bite out of the Big Apple. Cyclocross style.

Paul and I decided that a cyclocross bike for me would be a good thing. So, this past weekend I broke my bike in NY style at the Staten Island Cyclocross race.

The three nights before the race I had nightmares about every possible thing that could go wrong - i.e. showing up late, my seat post dropping, my handlebars breaking, etc etc. Obviously I was a bit nervous.

Luckily, it was an amazing venue - a park in Staten Island, right on the Lower Bay.
(Here is a handy map so you know what I'm talking about! The race was in the park that the word "Pleasant Plains" is over, Manhattan is in the top right corner - and our house is towards the far left of the map.)

So, yes. Racing.

 Apparently I was nervous... because every picture Paul took of me at the start line I was biting my lip. I didn't even know I had that nervous habit... haha. That's how scared I was, I developed a new one.

 And guess what guys, cyclocross is way hard. It totally made me appreciate how good Paul is and how hard he works every week to have really good results.

 This is called the sand run. It was sandy, deep sandy. I should have felt like a baywatch babe but mostly I felt like falling over and never getting up. Soooo tired.
And since in cyclocross you do laps, I got to run this sandy-fun-time three more times!

 I could have cropped out the homies at the bottom of the stairs, but it's New York and that's cyclocross hipster for you but not even the best example. Anyways, I ran up some stairs (also, four times).

But the stairs were a breeze compared to the crazy backwoods section. Yikes!

 And guess what! I finished! Which is pretty miraculous! And not even last place at all... haha.

(so tired at this moment...)

So I felt like I champ and basically it was a showing of my love for that Paul. I always think it's important to appreciate and be involved in each other's interest so this was me doing my best. 

And now I have a bike so we can ride together and enjoy riding/racing all the time! Hooray for that.

PS When I was passing the start/finish at the beginning of my last lap, they said "and here's number 313 - Christine Frandsen!" and I am only slightly embarrassed to say that it made me choke up a bit because I was just trying so hard and they were all cheering me on! Hooray for pain bringing out the truest emotions in people/me.

Now, let's get to the REAL cyclist already. Paul had an amazing race.
Here, he and a team mate and storming the beach.

 Now he looks baywatch!!!!!

Paul was in first place collegiate and catching up to the lead group in the overall race. They went into the woods section (out of sight) and when they emerged I couldn't find Paul. I started freaking out a little because it's basically my worst nightmare. A few moments later he came riding through - after a painful crash that set him back quite a bit and also hurt his body and bike. Quite the heartbreaker since his first four laps were the best I've ever seen him race and then the last lap was sadness/pain. Such is cycling I guess.

One of the more minor injuries - some painful road rash.

Okay, so I love Paul and actually love/appreciate cyclocross even more now! :) Aka.. I did it!

PS- No-shave November is making me think I might have to nominate Paul for THIS website sometime in the future.

Happy Leaf Day!

I was informed by my mother that todays the day!

Leaf day!

This Carruth holiday was explained here.


...also tonight I am grateful for the HP marathon on ABC Family. The Sorcerer's Stone is on right now and I just love baby Ron, Hermione and Harry and Dumbledore #1. :)