Hey everyone,
Summer and her sisters got together on Sunday and sang a new song. Afterwards, they sang it again so we could record it.
Enjoy!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Camping at Yankee Meadows
Well, we have less than three weeks before Brandon goes off to the MTC to start his mission. Last weekend we camped at Yankee Meadows in our favorite spot and took some "all in white" photos:
Friday, June 17, 2011
10k run in the Utah Summer Games
I was pretty nervous going into today's 10k run. I had been training for some time but I hurt my calf muscle a little over a month ago and I have been easing back into my running routine. I have run the 6.3 miles several times, but I haven't run that distance since the injury. I've had all kinds of nightmare outcomes to the race playing in my head: coming in dead last, getting passed and beaten by somebodies grandmother, re-injuring my leg.....
I was interviewed the other day by the Iron County Today newspaper. Here is the article that was published last Wednesday:
When the Utah Summer Games starting guns fire this weekend for the 5K and 10K road races, there will be a lot of different people running for a lot of different reasons.
Some want to win a medal, and some just want to finish. Others will be out for a short run with friends, and still others will be trying to run the fastest they have ever run.
Brian Tremelling will be entering his first 10K race on Friday, and his goal is a modest one.
“I would like to finish in under 60 minutes,” Tremelling said. “Even if it’s only a few seconds faster, I want to do it in under an hour.”
No matter how fast or slow he runs, Tremelling, 41, will be a whole bunch smaller than he was last October.
Tremelling has lost 85 pounds. He maintains he’s not on a diet – he just wants to look and feel better.
“If you aren’t ready to lose weight, you’ll never do it,” Tremelling said. “I just watch what I eat, have smaller portions, and the trick for me is finding (low calorie) foods I like and can fill up on.”
Tremelling had never ran more than a mile or two consecutively, but took on the challenge of the 10K as a sort of measuring stick and goal for him to look forward to.
A native of San Diego, Tremelling surfed and played volleyball growing up, and continued to play basketball even when his weight slowly increased.
Between the diet change and running, he lost eight inches off his waist, and went from an XXXL shirt to a large.
Is he done?
“I’d like to perhaps expand my running to where I can do a half-marathon,” Tremelling said. “And the triathlon sounds like a lot of fun.”
I was interviewed the other day by the Iron County Today newspaper. Here is the article that was published last Wednesday:
Runners participate in the 5K in the 2009 Utah
Summer Games. This year’s 10K and 5K will be
Friday and Saturday.
Some want to win a medal, and some just want to finish. Others will be out for a short run with friends, and still others will be trying to run the fastest they have ever run.
Brian Tremelling will be entering his first 10K race on Friday, and his goal is a modest one.
“I would like to finish in under 60 minutes,” Tremelling said. “Even if it’s only a few seconds faster, I want to do it in under an hour.”
No matter how fast or slow he runs, Tremelling, 41, will be a whole bunch smaller than he was last October.
Tremelling has lost 85 pounds. He maintains he’s not on a diet – he just wants to look and feel better.
“If you aren’t ready to lose weight, you’ll never do it,” Tremelling said. “I just watch what I eat, have smaller portions, and the trick for me is finding (low calorie) foods I like and can fill up on.”
Tremelling had never ran more than a mile or two consecutively, but took on the challenge of the 10K as a sort of measuring stick and goal for him to look forward to.
A native of San Diego, Tremelling surfed and played volleyball growing up, and continued to play basketball even when his weight slowly increased.
Between the diet change and running, he lost eight inches off his waist, and went from an XXXL shirt to a large.
Is he done?
“I’d like to perhaps expand my running to where I can do a half-marathon,” Tremelling said. “And the triathlon sounds like a lot of fun.”
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Brandon gets his mission call
Many of you may know by now that Brandon received his mission call to the Arizona, Mesa Mission. We are all very excited for him and he is anxious to get going! He is to report to the MTC on July 20th, only about five weeks away. If it isn't enough getting ready for a mission, he just finished fire fighter training and is on call for wild fires. I wouldn't be surprised if he was called to go fight that big fire in Arizona in his last few weeks before reporting.
Yesterday, Summer and I along with her parents and Scott and Kourtney Jolley went through the temple with him for the first time. It was an amazing experience and we are so proud and excited for him. We have family on both mine and Summers sides in that area - cool eh?
Yesterday, Summer and I along with her parents and Scott and Kourtney Jolley went through the temple with him for the first time. It was an amazing experience and we are so proud and excited for him. We have family on both mine and Summers sides in that area - cool eh?
Monday, May 30, 2011
A great cause!
Hello everyone!
I just wanted to let you know that our family has gotten involved in a great cause here in Cedar City. It involves planting a community orchard to benefit the local food banks and establishing a community garden. We would REEEAALLY appreciate it if you would go to that blog, become a follower of the blog and let us know what you think. There is also a place where you can "vote your support for the project".
cedarcityorchard.blogspot.com
Thanks!
Brian
I just wanted to let you know that our family has gotten involved in a great cause here in Cedar City. It involves planting a community orchard to benefit the local food banks and establishing a community garden. We would REEEAALLY appreciate it if you would go to that blog, become a follower of the blog and let us know what you think. There is also a place where you can "vote your support for the project".
cedarcityorchard.blogspot.com
Thanks!
Brian
Monday, May 23, 2011
Running - It's something I do because I hate it / love it
If I told you that I absolutely love running, it certainly wouldn't be the whole truth....
I started running a few months ago as a way to add some exercise to my routine and to help me to keep off the weight that I just lost. Although I used to run "the mile" in high school, I never considered myself a runner because I would always "expire" at one mile and nearly drop dead if I took one additional step over that distance. That is to say that my body knew exactly how far a mile was and when to shut down. When I started running, I decided to take it slow - very slow. I would go jogging with Emmie (9 years old) and to my surprise, the slower pace made a big difference in how far I could go. Within a few weeks, Emmie and I were running about 2 miles, three times a week. Over the last several months, I have gradually increased my distance to where I am preparing to run my first 10K in a few weeks. I have been pushing myself pretty hard as I wanted to finish in under an hour (yes, I know that's still pretty slow - but it's great for me). Over the last two weeks, I started to develop Achilles tendinitis. This started as a small pull in my left calf and turned into something that made me rest it for a week. I am now starting to test it again with very slow three mile running loops, three times a week. Tonight's run went well, no pain at all after doing my new, extended warm up routine.
Let me know if any of you have any warm up or stretching tips. Like I said, I'm seriously new to running - I'm running without a clue.
Why do I run? Keeping the weight off is part of it and being more healthy for my family is certainly another big part. Yet there are still times in almost every run where by body is yelling "STOP - STOP - STOP" and for some strange reason, I push on.........I guess that reason is that I want to be able to say "I did it / I'm doing it / I'm stronger than the STOP inside of me" - I guess a different way of saying it is that I do it to keep a challenge in front of me that is different from all of the other challenges in my life. Something that I alone control. Besides, once in a while.........it's fun.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
My AeroGarden is amazing!
So, I have been a big fan of the AeroGarden for some time. I think that a self contained hydroponic garden that fits on your counter top is pretty darn cool! It's also going to be cool to harvest home grown greens all winter long this year.
Well, like I said, I've been a fan for some time but I've hesitated in buying because the nice "extra" model is $200. I finally took the plunge and bought after talking with a friend of mine that has had one for a few years. He told me that when he plants (from seed), he is able to start harvesting salad greens at 21 days and he gets a medium salad bowl full every other day for 4 months - sweetness! So even after all of the YouTube videos where people sing praises to the AreoGarden, it took a friend to convince me.
After ordering, I got into my geekish garden mode and waited by the mailbox for it to come. On Wednesday the 4th, it arrived and I put my little garden "seed pod" things in the garden, added water and the nutrient pack and plugged the thing in. I'm growing three different kinds of basil, dill, thyme, oregano and mint. I took this photo today - exactly two weeks ago these were seeds:
Here is a better close up
If you're not a gardener, this may not seem like much. I am a gardener and growing herbs can be tricky - this is amazing! I plan to start using the basil sometime next week When this grow cycle is done, I'm going to try the romaine salad mix - that's the one my buddy uses. Check out these videos:
I have a lot of people asking me about it now that mine is growing. If you know me, you will know that I signed up to get a referral bonus if you buy using a link from this site. Please use this link to check it out: http://aerogrow.myvoffice.com/fresh
I'll keep you posted as to harvesting my indoor garden.
Well, like I said, I've been a fan for some time but I've hesitated in buying because the nice "extra" model is $200. I finally took the plunge and bought after talking with a friend of mine that has had one for a few years. He told me that when he plants (from seed), he is able to start harvesting salad greens at 21 days and he gets a medium salad bowl full every other day for 4 months - sweetness! So even after all of the YouTube videos where people sing praises to the AreoGarden, it took a friend to convince me.
After ordering, I got into my geekish garden mode and waited by the mailbox for it to come. On Wednesday the 4th, it arrived and I put my little garden "seed pod" things in the garden, added water and the nutrient pack and plugged the thing in. I'm growing three different kinds of basil, dill, thyme, oregano and mint. I took this photo today - exactly two weeks ago these were seeds:
 |
| The ultimate "set it and forget it" - i haven't touched it in 2 weeks! |
If you're not a gardener, this may not seem like much. I am a gardener and growing herbs can be tricky - this is amazing! I plan to start using the basil sometime next week When this grow cycle is done, I'm going to try the romaine salad mix - that's the one my buddy uses. Check out these videos:
I have a lot of people asking me about it now that mine is growing. If you know me, you will know that I signed up to get a referral bonus if you buy using a link from this site. Please use this link to check it out: http://aerogrow.myvoffice.com/fresh
I'll keep you posted as to harvesting my indoor garden.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Weight loss - making a more healthy choice
My friends and family that live near us here in Southern Utah are all pretty amazed by my weight loss these last eight months. Starting last October (2010), I decided that it was finally time to start taking my health a little more seriously and I have now lost over 80 lbs.
So, before I tell you how I did it, I need to make it very clear that not only is weight loss a tough goal, but you have to be ready to make a lifestyle change or the results will never last. I know quite a few people who have lost 40 pounds or more, only to put it right back on (plus an extra 10 pounds). If you aren't ready, it simply won't work. I have dieted other times in my life with limited or short term success. I am convinced that this time is different because I was ready on the inside (and exercising on the outside).
Before I began my diet, I set a date to begin (about a month away). It was a way for me to prepare mentally to make some changes. I kind of had a countdown to the diet. Another thing I had going for me was that a friend at work was challenging me, even pushing me to make the change. It was really nice as he had lost and kept off a considerable amount of weight, so I had a great example sitting near me at work.
In October, I started my diet by using an HCG program for the first 40 days. The HCG was easy to use and it helped me to feel full while eating MUCH smaller portions. The diet was pretty strict with limited portions and limited selection. Some days were easy and some were tough. Overall, this program was essential to me because it got me started and showed me what good things I should eat and that I can live on smaller portions. After 40 days, I lost about 38 pounds.
Once I was off of the HCG drops, I increased my portions but continued to eat the same types of food. I added in rice and beans. I also began eating oatmeal with cinnamon and sugar free syrup for breakfast each morning. I started parking farther out in the parking lot so I would get a little more exercise each day. I continued to lose weight. When I began the diet, I hoped that I would lose 40 pounds. It was really exciting when I exceeded that goal. The 70 pound mark was HUGE for me, and I accomplished it by the end of January.
For some strange reason (I still have no idea why), in February I decided that it would be a good idea to start running. At this point in my life, I have been into cycling, but had NEVER run back to back miles in my life. I had a physical / mental block where my body wanted to stop running right at one mile (we always ran for one mile at my high school). A friend of mine advised me to jog very slowly to start and to increase my time or distance by only 10% a week. Within a couple weeks, I was running a couple miles three times a week. It was hard, but it got easier surprisingly fast. Pretty soon, I was able to get my breathing under control and I am now training to run a 10k (6.3 miles) in about four weeks and a half marathon in the fall. (more on this when I post about running)
Anyway, I am still losing weight but it is coming off very slowly now. My body wants to be more active and I have even gotten my family to join in on the healthy eating (some of the time). As a matter of weight maintenance, I allow myself to have some of the things that aren't associated with dieting. The rule that I am using is that I can have a cookie, not four cookies. I also don't eat things "just because" any more. If I'm not hungry, I don't eat -
 |
| Here is a "before" photo. We were out enjoying a little paintball - |
Before I began my diet, I set a date to begin (about a month away). It was a way for me to prepare mentally to make some changes. I kind of had a countdown to the diet. Another thing I had going for me was that a friend at work was challenging me, even pushing me to make the change. It was really nice as he had lost and kept off a considerable amount of weight, so I had a great example sitting near me at work.
In October, I started my diet by using an HCG program for the first 40 days. The HCG was easy to use and it helped me to feel full while eating MUCH smaller portions. The diet was pretty strict with limited portions and limited selection. Some days were easy and some were tough. Overall, this program was essential to me because it got me started and showed me what good things I should eat and that I can live on smaller portions. After 40 days, I lost about 38 pounds.
Once I was off of the HCG drops, I increased my portions but continued to eat the same types of food. I added in rice and beans. I also began eating oatmeal with cinnamon and sugar free syrup for breakfast each morning. I started parking farther out in the parking lot so I would get a little more exercise each day. I continued to lose weight. When I began the diet, I hoped that I would lose 40 pounds. It was really exciting when I exceeded that goal. The 70 pound mark was HUGE for me, and I accomplished it by the end of January.
For some strange reason (I still have no idea why), in February I decided that it would be a good idea to start running. At this point in my life, I have been into cycling, but had NEVER run back to back miles in my life. I had a physical / mental block where my body wanted to stop running right at one mile (we always ran for one mile at my high school). A friend of mine advised me to jog very slowly to start and to increase my time or distance by only 10% a week. Within a couple weeks, I was running a couple miles three times a week. It was hard, but it got easier surprisingly fast. Pretty soon, I was able to get my breathing under control and I am now training to run a 10k (6.3 miles) in about four weeks and a half marathon in the fall. (more on this when I post about running)
Anyway, I am still losing weight but it is coming off very slowly now. My body wants to be more active and I have even gotten my family to join in on the healthy eating (some of the time). As a matter of weight maintenance, I allow myself to have some of the things that aren't associated with dieting. The rule that I am using is that I can have a cookie, not four cookies. I also don't eat things "just because" any more. If I'm not hungry, I don't eat -
Salsa - this recipe is the one!
This recipe is based on the one that I got from my good friend SJolley. His Mom makes an amazing version of it but the recipe below has been adjusted to my taste. Keep in mind that even though I call this "Satan's Salsa" (there are 6 of this and 6 of that making an impressive 6666666), it really isn't that hot. I would give is a medium to medium hot rating..... Let me also say that if you are one of those that love the hot sauce at Taco Bell (or even worse - Taco Time), this salsa probably isn't for you.
 |
| My kids will go through a jar in a single sitting. Cameron made this salsa bowl at school, it's perfect for chips and salsa |
I usually plant anywhere from 12 to 18 tomato plants in my garden each year so I have plenty of tomatoes for my salsa and my favorite tomato sandwiches (that recipe will come at harvest time). While I'm here, I want to thank Dan Quale for ensuring that I will never misspell tomato or tomatoes - way to go bud.
Ingredients:
6 Qts peeled tomatoes
6 Chopped Bell Peppers (assorted colors)
6 Chopped Jalapeno Peppers (or 3 jalapeno and 3 habanero)
6 Chopped Anaheim Peppers
6 Chopped Onions
6 TBLS Garlic Salt
6 TBLS Vinegar
1/2 Cup Sugar
2-8 Ounces Tomato Sauce
6 TBLS Garlic Salt
6 TBLS Vinegar
1/2 Cup Sugar
2-8 Ounces Tomato Sauce
2 Cans of El Pato Sauce
Peel the tomatoes by dipping them in boiling water until the skin loosens, then dip them in ice water and the skill will fall right off. I usually throw the tomatoes in the blender an pulse it until you get a chunky consistency. Seed and dice peppers. Dice onions. Combine all ingredients in a large pot and simmer for 1-3 hours. I usually use this time to adjust the consistency - leave the lid off to thicken or put a lid on the pot to retain moisture.
I usually make HUGE batches and bottle it for year-round use. Process the salsa in a water bath for 35Min, using the usual canning technique. I like the medium size jars as we almost never have any left over and we get to open a new, fresh jar every time we want salsa.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Gardening - Finally spring time!
I am so excited that it is finally time to start putting in a garden here in Utah. I guess that I got the gardening bug from my Dad, although I didn't care for it nearly as much when I was younger....
We ended up moving last summer so we didn't get to plant a garden and I now have two years of it penned up inside of me. Prior to the move, we had quite a large garden that did very well. At the time, we lived on 5.5 acres and we actually had about 1/2 acre or more of garden area. Some of my favorite veggies include: green peas, broccoli, tomatoes, leeks, garlic, pumpkin, watermelon, cantaloupe, onion, butternut squash, zucchini, acorn squash, peppers and whatever else the kids feel like growing.
Ever see a happy face on a pepper?
We found this when making salsa a couple of years ago (recipe to follow). My kids love the salsa so I usually try to make about 40-50 jars to last through the year.
Anyway. This year we live in town and we got permission to plant in a vacant lot next door. We also have reserved a 10 x 20 foot garden area in the SUU community garden and we will put in a small garden in our back yard. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.
We ended up moving last summer so we didn't get to plant a garden and I now have two years of it penned up inside of me. Prior to the move, we had quite a large garden that did very well. At the time, we lived on 5.5 acres and we actually had about 1/2 acre or more of garden area. Some of my favorite veggies include: green peas, broccoli, tomatoes, leeks, garlic, pumpkin, watermelon, cantaloupe, onion, butternut squash, zucchini, acorn squash, peppers and whatever else the kids feel like growing.
Ever see a happy face on a pepper?
We found this when making salsa a couple of years ago (recipe to follow). My kids love the salsa so I usually try to make about 40-50 jars to last through the year.
Anyway. This year we live in town and we got permission to plant in a vacant lot next door. We also have reserved a 10 x 20 foot garden area in the SUU community garden and we will put in a small garden in our back yard. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.
Why on earth would I start a blog??
Hello, my name is Brian Tremelling and I guess I'm a blogger -
I'm a father, a son, a husband, a brother, an uncle, a cousin and a friend. I thought I would start this blog to share not only our family projects, but tips and tricks that we use on a daily basis. Fortunately, I have no great expectations for this blog other than to use it as a way to share my experiences and to hopefully help or influence someone in a positive way.
You will see that I have a number of interests that include: Family activities, gardening, cooking, weight loss, running, camping, community work / service, religion, photography and whatever else catches my attention. I also love to dabble in renewable energy as we once had an off-grid cabin and also a solar PV company.
I plan to get to each of these topics in the coming weeks. If anyone happens to read my comments, please reach out and say hello and let me know what you like or don't like.
I'm a father, a son, a husband, a brother, an uncle, a cousin and a friend. I thought I would start this blog to share not only our family projects, but tips and tricks that we use on a daily basis. Fortunately, I have no great expectations for this blog other than to use it as a way to share my experiences and to hopefully help or influence someone in a positive way.
You will see that I have a number of interests that include: Family activities, gardening, cooking, weight loss, running, camping, community work / service, religion, photography and whatever else catches my attention. I also love to dabble in renewable energy as we once had an off-grid cabin and also a solar PV company.
I plan to get to each of these topics in the coming weeks. If anyone happens to read my comments, please reach out and say hello and let me know what you like or don't like.
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