PURE Taqueria

PURE menu on their stylish laminate tables

If you ever happen to find yourself in downtown Matthews, NC, a beautiful little suburb of Charlotte, make sure to check out PURE Taqueria. I had been longing to go to downtown Matthews on a date since I made a stop at the Dilworth Coffee near the heart of downtown. So Tyler and I headed to Matthews a few Saturdays ago for lunch.

Surprise upon surprises, PURE was offering brunch on Saturday afternoon, so I made sure to take advantage of it by ordering the Sopes de Desayuno - fried eggs on handmade masa corn tortillas, refried beans, pico de gallo, avocados, and roasted chili de arbol salsa. It was an explosion of flavor and absolutely delicious. See the picture below for a glimpse of the goodness. They had many other options I wanted to try, but this won out.

Sopes de Desayuno

Tyler got a combination of shrimp and pork tacos. He definitely loved the shrimp ones the most, so check those out if you're there. 

I really loved the decor and feel of the place the most. PURE is designed to look like an old gas station. I'm not exactly sure if they refurbished a gas station or if they built the look from scratch. I know the original in Alpharetta, Georgia was a built from an old gas station. Anyways, we sat on the semi-patio, where the paned-glass garage doors were raised. It was beautiful day, so dining al fresco was a must. But they can close the doors for bad weather, and there is always an indoor seating section if you're not one for eating outside.

Most of the building has windows, giving the atmosphere such a clean feel. I also loved being able to see through the wall to the bar on the other side of the restaurant. Tyler and I decided not to get Margaritas at two in the afternoon, but we hear they're amazing and will definitely have to go back and try one. I also hear PURE often has life music on weekend evenings, so we may have to go check out as well. I was tempted to buy one of their shirts, particularly the one designed to look old and worn out, but refrained. I still may have to go back and buy one at a later date. 

The food was authentic and delicious, the atmosphere was fun, the price was great, and our waitress was friendly. PURE is definitely worth visiting.

Handsome Date and Great Seating

Let's Be Honest - Hibernation

It's October 9, and I already want to hibernate under the covers all day long.

Hence, I didn't post yesterday. Hence, it's after 5 p.m. and I still haven't posted today.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not just being lazy around here. I ran five miles today, watched some kids, went to a bible study, did some laundry, but all I want to do, and mostly what my heart thinks about, is crawl under the covers with a good book. Our house is less than 65 degrees. I can't see the point in turning on the heat in October, but it definitely encourages bundling up.

I finished the Harry Potter series last night, so I'm currently between books. This poses a problem for my hibernation desire. Any suggestions for new books to read?

Here is the problem with my need to hibernate:
1. I'm not a bear, snake, or other animal. My life continues even during the winter.
2. It's not even that cold out, yet. I'm not donning my North Face (I don't have a North Face) or wearing mittens or anything. I really haven't even worn a scarf yet.
3. The south really doesn't get really cold weather in the winter, so I have nothing to complain about.
4. I teach a night class on Tuesday and have a busy day Wednesday, so there is no hope of me hibernating any time those days.

Fall Break is Thursday and Friday this week, so I bet you could find me under a blanket, a mug of hot tea nearby, and a good book in hand. Here's hoping I'll make it through the winter.

Good for the Soul and Belly - White Bean Chili

It's finally starting to feel like soup weather! Hooray.

We celebrated soup weather this past week with a random rendition of white-bean chili. I doubled the recipe so Tyler and I had leftovers the next day for lunch, AND we had a whole extra container left for the freezer. On a tip from a friend, I'm doubling my recipes and freezing half for busy days later in the fall/winter. Great idea, Faith! 

Tyler loved this soup. He ate two bowls, had a stomach ache later (from eating too much, not the soup), but still wanted more the next day for lunch. I'm definitely making it again.

What you need:

- 1 tbsp EVOO

- 2 medium onions, diced

- 4 cloves garlic, pressed/chopped/mashed

- 1 small can diced tomatoes and chilis

- 4 tsp. cumin

- 3 tsp. oregano

- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (I used a half, and it was too much - I'm cutting back next time)

- 2 tsp. salt

- 4 cans great northern beans

- 1 can refried beans (gives the soup multiple textures of beans)

- 8 cups. vegetable broth

- 5 corn tortillas

- Cheese (optional)

- Light Sour Cream (optional)

1. Cook the onion in the EVOO until onion is translucent.

2. Add seasonings and cook another minute.

3. Add everything else into soup.

4. Simmer 1.5 hours.

5. Preheat over to 350. Slice corn tortillas into strips.

6. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until browned.

7. Serve soup with tortilla strips, cheese, faux cheese, and sour cream.

White Bean Chili

Absolutely Delicious

The Longest Run

From DurhamRadioNews.com

I did my longest run today. Previous to my 8-mile excursion today, I'd only done 6.5, maybe 7. But today, I took it the extra step, and I loved it.

With my half-marathon looming at the end of the month, I have to get my milage up. Since Thursday is my day off from teaching, it was a perfect time for a long run. Also, it's been nastily humid this week, and while today was no exception from the humidity, the heat wasn't nearly as excruciating as the past few days.

I'll be honest. I was nervous. I would nervous I would fail, and then that would probably mean failure for the half-marathon. But I didn't.

I made it. I ran the whole eight miles. I even took a teeny bottle of water to rehydrate around mile five. While I hate carrying things when running, the water was essential and worth dropping the bottle a few times and having to stop to pick it up.

Right at the end I faced a moment that could have changed the course of my run. I had to stop for a light to change, so I wouldn't get hit by a car (important but frustrating). I paused my stopwatch. I've just recently started keeping my time, and it definitely motivates me to keep going and push through to the end of my run. But when the light changed, I accidentally hit reset instead of un-pausing my stopwatch.

My time was gone. Of course I didn't realize it until a couple of minutes later, preventing me from being able to add my old and new time together. I was so angry to have run so far and not be able to calculate my time/mile. I almost stopped. I was that frustrated. But I was only a mile away from being through. I couldn't stop then. It would ruin my run and probably my day, unfortunately.

So I kept going, and I can say it was worth it. I felt great when I finished. I was so excited, I emailed my mother. She's not into running, but was super proud of my accomplishment. So I don't have my time (Based on what I had before and what time I finished, I'm guessing my mile was more than 9 minutes flat but less than 10 minutes flat. This is good for now). However, I am ok with not having my time. I accomplished a goal, which was more important.

10 miles next week...

Let's Be Honest - Sibling Fights

Tyler and I have sibling fights. No, we do not live in West Virginia, and we weren't related previous to our marriage.

Tyler is an older brother, and I am a younger sister. So our less than necessary bickering always tends to remind me of an argument I would see between older and younger siblings. Let me give you an example.

Scene 1: Tyler and Melissa open up a brand new puzzle Melissa has brought home from the store. They decide it's a wonderful thing to do one Friday night after Ethan has gone to bed. Immediately, they start sorting pieces, making a pile of the edges and a pile of the insides pieces. They quickly realize they don't have enough space on their coffee table for all of the pieces.

Tyler: Melissa, make sure you're sorting the pieces first. We have to do that before we can start.

Melissa: I'm just going to stack up the inside pieces since we'll be putting the frame together first.

Tyler: I think that's a really bad idea. That's not the proper way to lay everything out. See, watch.

Melissa: We don't have enough room. We have to do something or the pieces will be on the floor.

Tyler: Every time I've ever done a puzzle, I never stacked pieces.

Melissa: (Rolls eyes. Remains silent) 

Scene 2: The couple has made it halfway through putting together the puzzle pieces. They have gotten through the frame and are working on putting together pieces inside.

Melissa: I can't seem to find these gold pieces that make up the roof.

Tyler: (picks up three pieces) Here, I think these will work.

Melissa: Thanks!

Tyler: (Continues watching Melissa) I think that one will fit if you just move it up one.

Melissa: Hey, hey! I can do it myself.

Tyler: I was just trying to help.

Melissa: I don't need help. I can do this.

A few minutes later, they take a break from the puzzle. Tyler and Melissa relax on the couch.

Tyler: Sometimes I just like to sit back and look at my progress.

Melissa: Vain.

Tyler: No, I just like to enjoy the work I've accomplished.

Scene 3: Tyler and Melissa only have five minutes left to go in their puzzle challenge. They have worked through the most difficult parts and are finishing up. Melissa feels as though Tyler has done most of the work and hopes he doesn't rub it in her face. Tyler just wants to finish the goal.

Tyler and Melissa: (Silently, furiously working to get pieces into the puzzle)

Tyler: I feel like we're just shoving the pieces in here so we can get it done.

Melissa: Yeah. We kind of are.

Melissa reaches for another piece just as Tyler realizes there are only five pieces left.

Tyler: Stop! (He hastily grabs up all the pieces left to put in the puzzle, leaving Melissa with only the piece in her hand.)

Melissa realizes what Tyler's intentions are with the last few pieces.

Melissa: (Throws her puzzle piece on the floor) Fine. You do it.

Melissa storms into the kitchen, leaving Tyler alone with the puzzle. Melissa realizes she's acted like a child. After all, there is no mother to go tattling to, but merely a pile of dirty dishes in the sink, waiting to be cleaned.

You get the idea. Of course, this isn't the end of the story, but it contains the key elements.
Tyler likes to be in control, make the rules, and run the show.
Melissa likes to be the star and turns into a diva at the end if she isn't given "fair" treatment.

The good thing — I got a lot of dishes cleaned.
The ironic thing — I'm actually older than Tyler, so if we were related, the situation would be the other way around.  However, since he's got a younger brother, and I have an older sister, we are what we are.
Another good thing — Tyler and I realize we fight like siblings sometimes, so hopefully it won't happen too often.

It's all for our sanctification. That's what I keep telling myself.

Old Friends

It's hard to imagine that E already has "old friends." But he definitely has a few who have known him for ages or ages, or whatever you call most of your 8-year-old life. Wyatt has been E's friend since 2008, when both families lived in Florence. We actually all moved away from Florence in the same month of 2009.

Sept. 2012 (E - 8, Wyatt - 6)

Oct. 2007 (E - 3, Wyatt - Almost 2)

Wyatt came over this past Sunday for an afternoon play date. We haven't let them do this for a while, what with our schedules being busy and Wes and Sage moving into a house and having four kids now. It's just been hectic, but the fun our whole family experienced on Sunday reminded me we need to have Wyatt over more often.

E and W used to have their own language. Probably for most of 2008-2009, they talked to each other in a gibberish language no one could understood. And literally, they acted as if they knew exactly what the other was saying. During playtime, they could rarely be heard using any real words. It would get to the point where Sage and I would have to ask them to please use their English so we could understand what they needed or what they were doing.

They've gone from playing cowboys to playing LEGO Star Wars. In reality, they're playing the same thing, just using space cowboys with light sabers and droids instead of horses and guns. But I'd never tell them that for fear of disillusionment and the inevitable chase and attack with Nerf guns.

At one point this past Sunday, Tyler wondered why it was so quiet upstairs. Obviously things being too quiet signals trouble or some sort of sneakiness. However, they were quietly playing LEGOs. So maybe it just means they're maturing. Oh, it definitely means they're maturing.

Part of me is just so jealous to still be close to the friends I made when I was three. We moved when I was five and just didn't keep in touch. No Facebook or Skype in those days. I consider it true providence both E and W are back in the same city, a different one than they started in, but nonetheless able to play with and love each other. Their friendship is sweet and comical to watch. Both being either the oldest or the only child, they both like to call the shots, which we know doesn't work ever. Everyone can't make the rules at the same time. There was much: "But I think we should do this." "But I think we should do that." "But I want to do this." "Oh this is definitely the best idea." However, there was very little anger and a lot of sharing time and ideas. I was impressed.

I am so thankful for these guys. Absolutely thankful.

Rural Hill Amazing Maize Maze, Etc.

This past Saturday, amidst the nasty weather, Tyler, Ethan, and I headed out for our first trip to Huntersville, NC and Rural Hill's Revolutionary War Encampment and The Amazing Maize Maze. I haven't done a corn maze in years and wasn't quite sure what to expect from the encampment. I've always been the type not to appreciate Civil War Reenactments, so I was definitely skeptical of an encampment.

Side Note: Before we left, I was pretty adamant about everyone wearing quality shoes for our outing. I knew we'd be in the mud and grime. In an effort to spare my running shoes, I decided to wear my old hiking boots, which haven't been used in a few years. As soon as we arrived, I discovered chunks of dirt on the floor of the car...come to find out they were actually chunks of the sole of my boots, which had dry rotted because of lack of use. Since we were 30 minutes from our house, I tried shuffling around, but had no success. I looked like I had on boot flip-flops. I was so embarrassed to be seen but also laughing hysterically. Not a good combination if you don't want people looking at you. We ended up quite easily ripping off the soles of the boots, and I walked around hoping the rest of the bottoms of the boots wouldn't come apart. Surprisingly, my feet didn't get wet, though when it started pouring down rain, I didn't have much traction to keep me from slipping. Needless to say, I need new boots. Tyler's comment: I'm never buying boots from L.L. Bean.

Back to the story.

Even with my skepticism, the encampment was pretty neat. The crowd was small because of the weather but perfect because we got to learn and see so much.


There was a blacksmith making crosses and flowers. He used the biggest bellow I've ever seen. It was located on the ceiling of the building and he pulled on the rope and handle (see on left) in order to get air on the fire.

E got to spend some time in the pillory. I learned the pillory was where people stand up, and the stocks are where people sit down while being locked up. In the colonies, someone could be punished as an adult at the age of 14. E definitely learned he never wanted to be publicly disciplined.

The Pillory

We saw and fed some Scottish Highland cows.

We also spent about an hour listening to this man talk about guns and swords. He pretended to be a Jager (hunter) from Germany, who King George asked to come help fight against the colonial uprising. I was definitely impressed with his knowledge about guns. He had rebuilt a few of his own and shot them for us. We were shocked to hear some of the gory details of how they crushed skulls and ripped faces off, blinding people in their own blood. I was surprised, yet not surprised, that Ethan wasn't grossed out.

The Deutsche Jager

After the encampment, we headed over the the Amazing Maize Maze. We definitely didn't know what to expect from this particular maze but were impressed by their election theme. They had designed an elephant, donkey, and many stars into the maze, and there were 12 sections in the 7 acre beast. We started the quest hoping to find all of the pieces of the map (one in each section). However, when it started pouring, we decided to give up that goal and just find our way out.

E met some friends from school along the way. We definitely profited from making a team and reached the end much more quickly because we had friends. It took us 1 hour, 10 minutes to get through and we found 7 of 12 pieces to the puzzle. 

Highlights of the maze: Ethan tripping and sliding through the mud, Walking around in a very large circle for a while, passing the same families over and over again, figuring out we had to go back to the beginning and walk the other direction, meeting up with friends, and seeing the exit bridge in the distance.

Drowned Rat Edition - The Fam.