Urges

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I woke up this morning with three urges:

 

  • To go back to sleep.
  • To write (oh, happy day – I live for the days I have the urge to write).
  • To eat pecan pancakes.

 

Pecan pancakes for breakfast it is!

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I am pretty loyal to Hodgson Mills pancake mixes, but Kodiak Mix sent me a sample to try.

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The secret to perfectly browned pancakes?  Don’t heat the griddle before you put the pancakes on.  Just put them on cold and then slowly cook the first side.  Patience is key!

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With strawberries maple syrup on top…. Mmmm.

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I really liked the Kodiak mix.  It had a great flavor and made deliciously fluffy pancakes.  However, I can’t buy Kodiak mix in my regular grocery store, so I guess I’ll be sticking with Hodgson’s… which is pretty a-maz-ing, too!

 

Prepare to Get Inspired…

 

As you know, I’m a huger supporter of fitness events that raise $$$ for cancer research (my college friend has had leukemia twice and just went into remission again).   I ran the Disney Marathon in her honor and raised more than $3,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and my upcoming Century Bike Race is for The Livestrong Foundation (and together we raised $3,300!).

 

Fellow blogger Katherine is an inspiration! She’s signed up for a 3-day, 60-mile walk to raise money for cancer research!  We’ve teamed up to offer LIMITED EDITION Operation Beautiful shirts, the proceeds of which go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Ladies' Operation Beautiful T-Shirt

Here’s what Katherine had to say:

 

This year I wanted to accomplish something. Something important.  Something bigger than myself.  On Friday, April 23rd I took on an incredible challenge and signed up to walk sixty miles in three days!  I am 40 years-old, never been an athlete, what was I thinking?  Why am I walking? I am walking because I am a woman and as simple as it sounds – because I can.  Not only is there the huge challenged of walking sixty miles, but there is the challenge of raising $2,300 to walk.  I have joined a great group of women “Hugs 4 Jugs” and will be walking in San Diego November 19-21, 2010.  To share my store I started a personal blog documenting my journey and to keep friends and family updated – www.katherine3day.blogspot.com  Please stop by and follow my progress!

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I live in sunny and HOT Arizona with my wonderful husband and two kids (Meghan and Matt).  I am also a huge Cavalier lover and enjoy outdoor time with my pups Avery and Mazie.  I had the awesome opportunity to design scrapbook product and author a couple “how to” books over the past couple of years, but traveling became hard with a family and decided to leave the scrapbook world in 2007.  With turning 40 last year I took great interest in my health by working out more, training to run a 5K and cutting meat out of my diet. I have lost close to 30 lbs. over the last couple of years and still find maintenance a daily struggle, but through the internet I have found so many wonderful websites to keep me inspired.  I share recipes, my workout adventures and more on my fitness blog – www.fitredhead.blogspot.com

 

In order to walk in the 3-Day walk I need to raise $2,300 to help fight breast cancer.  Caitlin has been gracious enough to support my fundraising efforts by creating a t-shirt design for Operation Beautiful.  There are many different designs available along with several different styles of shirts and accessories for purchase.  All proceeds will go directly to my fundraising donations for the Susan G. Koman for the Cure walk.  With your help I will walk sixty miles in three days! 

 

Please visit Katherine’s online shop to purchase an Operation Beautiful shirt!

 

As always, thank you for supporting the fight against cancer in any way you choose to do so! I appreciate everyone who has donated to my races, Katherine’s efforts, or other athletes who are using their muscles to fight cancer. 

 

Side Question:  What’s your favorite charity and why?

{ 68 comments }

 

  • Jessica @ The Process of Healing May 5, 2010, 9:43 am

    Wow, that is awesome!! Katherine, you are doing something absolutely incredible. The part that stuck out to me was that you are walking because you CAN. It’s eye-opening to realize that we take so much for granted, even something as simple as walking.

    • Hedda May 5, 2010, 11:36 am

      Thanks for pointing that out Jessica, we all need a reminder of the things we take for granted once in a while.
      My life holds so many opportunities for me, and there are a lot of things which I take for granted that is not an option for other people, such as walking, speaking freely etc.
      We should try to be more aware of this, as well as our ability to do something, to make a difference in our own and in others lives.

  • Freya @ Brit Chick Runs May 5, 2010, 9:44 am

    Good luck to Katherine, what an awesome woman!! I wish her all the best 🙂
    My favourite charity…I love the Brooke Hospital for Animals – they go to poor countries, and train the people in how to look after and treat their animals properly, as well as training up vets/farriers etc, AND training the children, so they step in before it’s too late. Their work is totally amazing! Especially cos it makes a difference to the animal’s life AND their owner, as the owners rely on the animals for money.
    Have a good day 🙂

  • Beth @ Beth's Journey to Thin May 5, 2010, 9:48 am

    Ohhh pecan pancakes… yum! And that’s so awesome what Katherine is doing and the Operation Beautiful shirts!

    I really like Autism Speaks because it’s raising awareness about an ever growing condition that is very prevalent in todays children. It’s hard to pick just one charity, but I really love what they do.

  • Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday May 5, 2010, 9:48 am

    What adorable puppies Katherine!
    Good luck with your walk 🙂

  • Jenn @ LiveWellFitNow May 5, 2010, 9:49 am

    The MS society holds a very special place in my heart. A very close friend has had MS for over 30 years now. She is an angel, a true light in this world. She now struggles to walk, to move and to be. But she still shines. She is still my angel. For that, the MS Society will always be my favorite.

  • Lauren @ Dragonflies Journey May 5, 2010, 9:56 am

    Love, love, LOVE pancakes! They look delicious. Also love all your charity work, Caitlin. So awesome!

    Katherine, best of luck with your walk! You’re an inspiration!

  • Jo May 5, 2010, 9:58 am

    Pecans are my favourite nuts, I’m definitely going to give pecan pancakes a try. I haven’t made pancakes in a long time but you have inspired with with the delicious combination of fruit & syrup – drooooooooool!

    My favourite charity is also cancer research and I have raised quite a bit of money for them in the past.

    However, I am running my first half marathon in aid of The Stroke Association in memory of my friend who died last year of a stroke just aged 24 🙁

    I’m also running the Great North Run in September in aid of the NSPCC which is a children’s charity in the UK that protects against child abuse.

  • Retta @ RunRettaRun May 5, 2010, 10:03 am

    My favorite charity is March of Dimes. Both my dudes were born early (they are both great now) and were in NICU before they were able to come home with us. It sucks to leave the hospital without your babies. Really, I try to help children’s & animals’ charities. 🙂

  • Jessica @ How Sweet May 5, 2010, 10:04 am

    That is so inspiring. I have 2 and can’t pick – one is for cancer researd, because my dad had cancer. The 2nd is the special olympics, because my cousin has some disabilities and has participated for years.

  • Diana May 5, 2010, 10:07 am

    Those pancakes look delicious!
    And that’s awesome Katherine, good luck! 🙂

  • Jenn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) May 5, 2010, 10:11 am

    I love Kodiak pancakes!! They’re so delish.

    My favorite charities are the ASPCA and the Humane Society. No particular reason other than loving animals and being fond of anyone or any organization that is kind to them. 🙂

    Jenn

  • Tracey @ I'm Not Superhuman May 5, 2010, 10:12 am

    Good luck, Katherine! My new favorite charity is the The Michael J. Fox Foundation. My grandfather was just diagnosed with Parkinson’s, so it’s now close to my heart.

  • Courtney (Pancakes & Postcards) May 5, 2010, 10:13 am

    First, your pancakes look amazing. I ordered some Kodiak mix to have sent to my house in CA, and my mom just sent it to Africa for me. 🙂 THAT is how much I love pancakes.

    As for charities, first of all I just want to THANK YOU for raising money for Team In Training. LLS is my favorite charity because my mom had leukemia twice. The second time she was hospitalized for almost a YEAR, and was told she had no chance of living without a bone marrow transplant, and even then, the chances were slim. After a long clinical trial of arsenic and a bone marrow transplant, my mom survived and five years later, ran her second marathon for TNT! Miracles do happen. Thank you for raising money for TNT, because it is helping people like my mom defeat all odds : )

  • Madeline - Greens and Jeans May 5, 2010, 10:14 am

    That is so amazing Katherine! Best of luck! The charity I am closest to is an organization called Bike and Build that raises money and awareness for affordable housing through cross country cycling trips! I did two trips with them in college and besides raising thousands of dollars I had a life changing experience along the way!

  • Angharad May 5, 2010, 10:15 am

    I have heard a lot of good things about kodiak. I’ve never used a pancake mix – always made from scratch – but I kind of like the idea of knowing they’ll turn out well!!

  • Samantha May 5, 2010, 10:19 am

    Yeah for Katherine! That is totally awesome–I always love watching the selfless nature of people jumping in and helping for a cause bigger than themselves. And how cool of you Caitlin to create a special shirt for this cause!

  • Kelly May 5, 2010, 10:19 am

    I support all women’s cancer or organ donation foundations. They are both super close to my heart and make such a difference on a daily basis. I just participated in the Revlon Run/Walk for Women in NYC and there were over 34,000 people there to walk! It was amazing such a great feeling to know little girls were there walking with their moms. It shows the awareness is spreading and we are getting closer to a cure. Plus, I loved the little girls saying “Bye bye boobie cancer!”
    Check out my run: http://makingitafterall.blogspot.com

    Good luck with the 3 day walk! It sounds amazing and I’d love to participate in one soon!

  • Heather (Heather's Dish) May 5, 2010, 10:20 am

    i don’t know if i have a favorite, but anything that deals with cancer research is high on my list…i’ve had several friends and family members who have had cancer or died from some form of it, and i am a huge supporter of finding a cure!

  • Wei-Wei May 5, 2010, 10:21 am

    Good luck, Katherine! We’re all behind you… And YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! Awesome, too, for walking 60 miles! I’d do the same thing… I love walking! 😀

    Oh, and I’ve heard about Kodiak cakes through KERF – she highly recommends them! 🙂

    Have a great day! Awesome days always start with pancakes 😀

    Wei-Wei

  • Lisa C. May 5, 2010, 10:22 am

    I signed up for the walk in Philadelphia in October! Way to go Katherine!

    http://the3day.com/goto/lisa.michelle

  • Lisa C. May 5, 2010, 10:24 am
  • Morgan @ Life After Bagels May 5, 2010, 10:24 am

    I’m big on local food banks, and not just at Christmas. Because people need food all year round. When I was in highschool I ran a HUGE food drive for easter. It was the biggest food donation that our local food drive had ever received. That was one of the best feelings ever!

  • Maura May 5, 2010, 10:26 am

    I work with in a Cancer Center so I’m with you 100% on supporting cancer research! (Any cancer research is wonderful!) I also support the MS Foundation. A friend’s younger sister was diagnosed at the age of 14 two years ago with the disease.

  • Jessica May 5, 2010, 10:28 am

    My favorite charity right now is the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). I signed up with their Team Challenge program to raise money and run a half marathon in June in Boston! My sister in law has Crohn’s disease, so I’m raising money in her honor to help find a cure for these horrible, painful disease. Check out my fundraising page at:
    http://www.active.com/donate/boston10carolina/Boston10JPhilli

  • Alexis May 5, 2010, 10:30 am

    Good luck to Katherine, that’s wonderful!

    I volunteer pretty regularly with Orlando-area animal non-profits (Pet Rescue by Judy and the SPCA), but the charity that I will always donate to without a second thought is Kids’ House of Seminole. They offer a safe place for abused and neglected kids of all ages, medical care and therapy. I toured their facilities a couple years ago, and it was simultaneously really upsetting (that people would do these types of things to children) and reassuring (that I was contributing to a place that makes a difference to these kids).

  • Camille May 5, 2010, 10:30 am

    My favorite charity is NEDA, the National Eating Disorder Association. I am raising money for them when I run my 1/2 marathon in June 🙂

  • Estela @ Weekly Bite May 5, 2010, 10:31 am

    My favorite charity is St. Jude’s (Pediatric Cancer Research) and Ovarian Cancer.

    I am a cancer survivor… so this holds a special place in my heart 🙂

  • Jaya May 5, 2010, 10:32 am

    I have to say that among my favourites are the Stephen Lewis Foundation and also (although I wouldn’t call it a “charity” by any stretch) Kiva – a microcredit lending system. I really think (not to undermine the genuineness of your question) that as organizations shift to a more social justice than charity model of empowerment, that the people in question are better served and less characterized as helpless and disempowered.

    • Jaya May 5, 2010, 10:33 am

      Oh, and great work Katherine! Lots of support from your (still snowy) neighbours up North!

  • lisa May 5, 2010, 10:33 am

    Thanks for the pancake tip. I never have enough patience for them, and they tend to burn!

    My favorite charity/non-profit is Save the Children. They do all kinds of work with and for children in the developing world.

  • Erin (Travel, Eat, Repeat) May 5, 2010, 10:34 am

    I can’t say I have one favorite charity so I always encourage friends/family to donate to the American Red Cross. They do so much good work around the world and help millions of people every year. I love that it helps both Americans and other people.

  • Cynthia (It All Changes) May 5, 2010, 10:35 am

    My favorite charity is the American Heart Association. Many people in my family have had heart attacks or heart disease in so many different ways. I support them in any way I can.

    I also support all the work of The Salvation Army around the world because there is so much that we do that people have no idea about and I love seeing lives changed by the way that we work.

  • Holly May 5, 2010, 10:38 am

    Thank you for the trip about the pancakes!! I will definitely be making them that way next time 🙂
    My favorite charity is anything to do with breast cancer since my biological mom had it & I am BRCA positive- so I have an 85% chance of getting it. I love all of the Komen events & conferences!!

  • Julie @ Wearing Mascara May 5, 2010, 10:47 am

    Love the t-shirts and love the tip about the pancakes. I think it’s great what Katherine is doing. She is inspiring and her puppies are adorable! 🙂 My favorite charity is the Tourette Syndrome Association. I was diagnosed with TS when I was in elementary school and it was a struggle. Some of my family members have it as well. I’ve always wanted to raise money for them and I may someday. If you’re interested, I wrote a “coming out” post about TS not too long ago.

    http://wearingmascara.com/index.php/2010/04/i-have-tourettes-and-its-not-a-dirty-word/

    I don’t like posting links on peoples blogs unless they are near and close to my heart so I hope that’s okay. Have a good day Caitlin (and Katherine!).

  • Laura@FindingAHealthyBalance....after a 100+ Pound weight loss!!! May 5, 2010, 10:47 am

    My Aunt “walked” in that 3 Day Walk last year and loved it! What a great cause………=)

  • Lindsay May 5, 2010, 10:53 am

    Congratulations, Katherine!

    Trust me when I say this will be an AMAZING journey. I just completed the Avon 2-Day Walk in Washington DC last weekend, and I loved every minute of the process from training, to fundraising, to camping and feasting on spaghetti and meatballs with thousands of other women. My feet are still a little sore even 3 days later, but I promise you’ll remember this event fondly forever. You’re making an incredible difference!

    Your blog is fantastic and I know you’ll blow away your fundraising goal. Please feel free to contact me if you’d like some ideas for fundraisers that worked well for me!

  • Caitlin @ Right Foot Forward May 5, 2010, 10:56 am

    I’m a huge supporter of Autism Speaks. Someday, I plan to run a marathon to raise money for their charity.

  • Carolyn @ lovinlosing May 5, 2010, 11:12 am

    So happy to read about this!! My mom is a breast cancer survivor and I do the 5K every year. 🙂

  • Amber K @ sparkpeople May 5, 2010, 11:15 am

    The pancakes sound great, operation beautiful t-shirts ~ awesome! And what Katherine is doing? Simply amazing. Definitely inspiring!

  • STEPH May 5, 2010, 11:17 am

    My favorite is anything for HIV/AIDS. I lost 2 people to the disease when I was young and as I’ve gotten older, I have many gay friends so it’s very important to me. My second favorite to support is breast cancer since I am a woman.

  • Sarah for Real May 5, 2010, 11:24 am

    Hmm… do NOT pre-heat the pan eh? Can I ask you what kind of stove you have? Gas or electric… ceramic top or coils? Also what kind of pan do you use?

    • caitlin May 5, 2010, 11:28 am

      electric, ceramic top. i have a flat pancake griddle. does that help?

      • Sarah for Real May 5, 2010, 12:28 pm

        Yep a lot! I’ve got the ceramic top too and I hate hate hate it. I can see how low and slow would work better on it.

        The burner on mine seems to either be ON or OFF (for example there’s more ON time when it’s on high, and less on low) so when it’s in ON mode my cakes do get burned.

        I’ll have to try this for sure. It’s unconventional and I’m sure the great chefs of the world are agasp but your cakes look beeeeautiful and that’s all that matters!

  • Melissa @ For the Love of Health May 5, 2010, 11:26 am

    That’s so amazing! I would like to run a full marathon for the first time next year in support of cancer research.

  • Hedda May 5, 2010, 11:31 am

    Katherine : That is a powerful and beautiful thing to do, wish you the best of luck.

    That is a very difficult question, I have a hard time “rating” different charities, as they are all good in their way.
    But I do support Save the Children, Amnesty International and cancer research. Cancer is a cause close to my heart, as my grandmother has fought cancer for the last 21 years and one of my mums closest friends passed away two years ago.
    It is scary to read about the increse of people who get cancer, it makes me wonder what the causes are to this increase.

    Btw : Do you ship those items to Norway?

    • Kate May 5, 2010, 11:38 am

      Hi Hedda –

      Thank you for your support! We can ship to Norway, if you email me at katherine3day@yahoo.com with your address I can have my shipping manager pull a quote for you and we can go from there. 🙂

      Katherine

  • Katie@ Two Lives, One Lifestyle May 5, 2010, 11:32 am

    I’ve been loving Team in Training!! Running with a group, making friends, having a coach to teach me a LOT, and all the team heroes make training so much more bearable. I’m not sure I would have been able to do it on my own with a busy schedule!

  • Rachel May 5, 2010, 11:37 am

    I just volunteered with a group called Martahon Kids. It gets set up through the school and they track the kids’ mileage throughout the whole year. The goal? 26.2 miles of course!

    Then at the end of the year they have a big event where they bring all the kids from different schools together to do the “final mile”.

    Everyone gets a t-shirt and a medal and all kinds of other goodies.

    🙂

  • Melissa May 5, 2010, 11:40 am

    Wow so inspiring! Thank you for sharing! Love the t-shirts too!

    PS yummy pancakes!

  • Heather C May 5, 2010, 11:41 am

    Just checked out the shop – the shirts are so cute!! And the bag is fabulous. This is a great idea!! Love the collaboration 🙂

  • Sarah May 5, 2010, 11:47 am

    My favorite charity is Children’s Rescue Mission – http://www.crmission.org. It is an educational mission based out of Teupasenti Honduras – giving children educational opportunities so they don’t end up in trades where they only have their bodies to offer (ie prostitution). I’ve been there twice, so it’s definitely near to my heart.

    That being said – a really good friend of mine died on Sunday night after a long battle with breast cancer. You better believe I will be buying something from Katherine’s shop. Thanks for posting this – it was just what I needed after two days of mourning.

    xoxo
    Sarah

    • Katherine May 5, 2010, 11:55 am

      Sarah –

      I am so very sorry for the lost of your friend. Your post has brought me to tears this morning. Thank you for supporting me in means so very much to me.

      Katherine

    • caitlin May 5, 2010, 12:09 pm

      Sarah, this really touched me too. Tears welled up in my eyes! I cannot imagine what you’re going through. E-hug!!!

  • Ashley May 5, 2010, 11:55 am

    Love waking up with the urge to work (in your case, write!). I love the inspiring story, thank you for sharing!

  • Lisa May 5, 2010, 12:01 pm

    60 miles in 3 days? What an amazing story!

  • Katharine May 5, 2010, 12:02 pm

    What a wonderful idea! Kudos to you, Katherine, and good luck!

  • runnerforever May 5, 2010, 12:12 pm

    What an inspirational story Katherine!
    I love the Kodiak pancake mix. I always heat up the pan first, so I will have to try putting the batter on right away. I do lack patience though, uh oh.

  • Jenny May 5, 2010, 12:37 pm

    That’s a great story & shirt!

  • Diane May 5, 2010, 12:40 pm

    My favorite charity is Autism Speaks. Having a child affected by Autism, I have a true appreciation for the awareness they raise.

    Just ordered the Operation Beautiful t-shirt. How awesome to have the opportunity to support two great causes and get a cute t-shirt to boot.

    Keep up the good work! Love all that you do.

  • Lacey @ Lake Life May 5, 2010, 12:57 pm

    Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are the most gorgeous dogs ever! The personality in their faces in so cute.

  • Lacey @ Lake Life May 5, 2010, 12:58 pm

    Along those lines, the SPCA is my favorite charity to give to.

  • Olivia @ Blissful Runner May 5, 2010, 1:26 pm

    Great shirts! They are too cute! I don’t really have favorite charity, but I do try to give to a couple different organizations each year – ideally groups that don’t get a whole lot of recognition. The little guys matter too!

  • Ali @ Food, Fitness, Fashion May 5, 2010, 3:16 pm

    Love those shirts! I can’t wait to get mine!!!! 🙂

  • Bethany Herrington May 5, 2010, 3:50 pm

    Good luck, Katherine!

    Compassion International is our charity of choice. We sponsor three children from around the world and love getting letters and pictures from them. We have a relationship with these kids and it’s neat being able to watch them grow and succeed with a little bit of financial help from us.

    “Compassion International exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults.”

  • Lily @ Lily's Health Pad May 5, 2010, 8:38 pm

    My favorite organization isn’t really a charity. It’s more of a support/volunteer group.

    http://www.wm3.org

    They help support Damien Echols, Jessie Miskelly, and Jason Baldwin who were wrongly sentenced to jail (Damien to death) for the murders of three young boys. There is a facsinating HBO documentary about how all of this happened. It’s called Paradise Lost. I urge everyone to watch!!!

    Free the West Memphis 3!

  • John May 5, 2010, 11:05 pm

    I’ve never felt I had a favourite charity. Guess the one I’ve supported the most over the years is CHEO (Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario).

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