Enjoying Daily Life (Formerly Life & Knitting)

Pinnacle Peak

2012-01-27T08:37:00.001-07:00

As I may have mentioned, I'm hiking the Grand Canyon in Sept. and I've been working on getting in better shape.

Pinnacle Peak has been a nemesis of mine for awhile and I've been avoiding it because although I can do it, the hike kicks my butt and makes me worthless for the rest of the day.

Hmm....I'm in much better shape because I had a new personal record of 1 hour 15 minutes and I was fine the rest of the day!!!

Some photos from sunrise.

Wow!

2012-01-26T19:35:00.001-07:00

Katherine and I were swap partners in Kathy's Dragon Swap.

I feel so spoiled!

Gorgeous yarn, 2 dragon themed patterns, chocolate, double pointed needles, stitch markers and lotion.

Thank you!

Luminaria at the Desert Botanical Garden

2012-01-09T19:15:00.001-07:00

The botanical garden has luminaria every year during the holidays.

My friend Wendy and I went for my birthday. Beautiful!

The garden added bugs since our least visit. It was a beautiful evening.

11/11/11 Weddings

2012-01-08T11:36:00.001-07:00

I got invited to 2 weddings on 11/11/11.

One was for the daughter of some friends who were old neighbors in Chandler. All our children were so young when we met....Hannah was 2! She'll be 13 in just a month.

The other is Heather, my Grand Canyon hiking buddy's daughter.

A great evening all around.

Reach 11

2012-01-08T10:31:00.001-07:00

For those that haven't heard, I decided to hike the Grand Canyon. If you would like to follow our journey getting ready for the hike, Heather started a blog for us on the new blog at http://azhikerchicks.blogspot.com

There is a nice 3 miles I can do right outside my house. I can get it done in about an hour or less but don't have time before work right now due to the late sunrise.

Today I captured a beautiful sunrise over the McDowell Mountains.

The other photos are of my hiking shoes, Brooks Cascadia, and the hiking belt I use to carry my phone and other small items to keep my hands free.

Sunrise is my favorite time of day.

Happy New Year

2012-01-06T14:23:00.001-07:00

I hope this post find everyone healthy and happy in 2012!

We rang in the new year by having the neighbors and their kids over. By the looks of my floor on the day after, it was a good party.

The mobile ping pong set was the best $20 I have spent in a long time.

Hmm....it would appear my daughter looks more ad more like me, except for the blond hair, every year.

Christmas 2011

2012-01-03T19:20:00.001-07:00

Grandpa and Grandma Linda came over for Christmas. We had much fun and too much good food.

Here's hoping you all had an amazing Christmas.

First Hike of 2012

2012-01-03T06:22:00.001-07:00

I'm have to admit I am excited to be posting this entry from my android phone. Between my ipod and my phone, plus kids activities, I don't often get to my computer.

This year I committed to hike the Grand Canyon with a girlfriend in September. I really need to focus on the uphills!

I went hiking with some friends yesterday. Sadly it is back to work today after 2 weeks off. I will miss my hikes but here's some photos of the desert.

My Dad's 70th Birthday in Minnesota

2011-12-23T07:09:00.002-07:00

The kids and I headed to northern Minnesota to celebrate my Dad's 70th birthday last August. We hit a bunch of spots we used to go to during my childhood in Minnesota.

My brother, Matthew, and his family overlooking Duluth.

Little boy cousins

Japanese garden

My Mom along with the kids.

Simon & I during the never ending harbor tour!

Most of my siblings, cousins and extended family.

Minus 1 brother but adding another brother & his family

Down near Canal Park in Duluth

Road trip to Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada to visit friends I haven't seen in over 20 years. Their son was back visiting from England so it was an added bonus!

Views from the Amethyst Mine......

My youngest brother, Samuel, loves fire so there was a fire every night with s'mores.

Cousins....

Happy birthday Dad.

Friends

2011-07-04T07:07:00.000-06:00

If you live in Arizona, lots of people come to visit in order to enjoy the weather! My college girlfriend, Tamara (on the left), came to visit from Arizona.

Isn't she beautiful???

Friends since 1992! Come back anytime!

Visitors from Sacramento

2011-07-04T06:57:00.001-06:00

I had some friends visit for baseball Spring Training in Scottsdale. Here is Stan, Sally & Wayne. Stan & Wayne are from Sacramento. While they were here we visited Giligan's Bar in Scottsdale.

Simon's football coach and girlfriend.

Wayne was obsessed with the "midget" (the bar called her a midget, not our words) wheel of booze.

The crew from California. Hmmm...wonder if they are Giants fans???

Wayne & I..who met through my amazing friend Diane. I sure hope these guys come back next year.

Simon modeling his Giants shirt with Wayne...they look good right??

A Field Trip to the Zoo

2011-07-04T06:40:00.000-06:00

Simon's class had a field trip to the Phoenix Zoo that I chaperoned in the spring.

Oh my goodness, it's going to eat Simon!

My group and the bunny!

A huge elephant skull. The boys LOVED it!

Christmas

2011-05-22T20:39:00.001-06:00

Dad napping early on Christmas....

Simon playing with his new gift....

Hannah with one of Auntie Leigh's kitty's.....

The kids admiring Simon's new computer.....

All the kids playing the Wii.....

Dad, Leigh & I....

The after party with paper crowns....don't ask. ;-)

The whole crowd.....California & Arizona

Christmas Eve

2011-05-22T20:25:00.000-06:00

In our family, Christmas Eve is the big celebration, not Christmas day.....so here it is....

Dad making pasta with my sister, Leigh, on Christmas Eve.

Simon, Cwen, Hannah & Simon....yes, we have 2 Simon's on our family.

Early morning Christmas Eve at the Winchester Mansion in San Jose. Simon had memorized the brochure so we had to go!

Back to Christmas: Monterey, CA

2011-05-22T18:13:00.001-06:00

While on our road trip at Christmas time, we had a night in Monterey. It is gorgeous there!

The rest are photos of a day in the life!

Dad & Linda came with us....

It might be freezing but my son was all wet.

Crabs at the pier.

Hannah's gorgeous curly beach hair.

We interrupt the vacation slides.....

2011-02-16T07:48:00.001-07:00

To wish my daughter, Hannah, a belated 12th birthday. Her birthday (and due date) was Valentine's Day. Shortly after this photo was taken at 6:30 am, she announced it was only 364 more days until she turned 13. I'll mark that on my calendar with sparkles!

San Francisco Day 2

2011-02-15T20:28:00.001-07:00

Day 2 started with the sun coming up over the Golden Gate Bridge from our hotel room window.

The kids and I took the street car down the pier.

There was a farmers market with cool stuff, including this interesting veggie. I don't remember what it was but it looks cool!

Then we hit the boat ride to Alcatraz.

The former recreation building.....

A cell at Alcatraz

"Rodeo Drive"

David's friend, Stella, that came to see us in San Francisco...she lives just north of the city.

A ride on the cable car.....can't do San Francisco without hitting the cable cars.

And a walk through China Town.

Christmas Vacation: San Francisco

2011-01-02T08:19:00.000-07:00

The kids and I took a road trip to San Francisco, Monterey and San Jose (to visit my sister and her family). On the drive we stopped at Peggy Sue's 50's Diner. They had this "animal park" out back with a gorilla & dinasours.

Eventually, after much driving, we got to San Francisco. I hear a bit of Otis Redding in my head when I look at this photo.

We took a boat ride into the harbor the evening of the first night.

The Golden Gate Bridge in the distance.

Simon was estatic about seeing Alcatraz. I had bought tickets for the next day but he could not contain his excitement.

The San Francisco skyline.

What would a trip to San Francisco be without a trip to Ghiradelli Square?

Lots of chocolate!

Diane's Holiday Party

2011-01-01T19:54:00.000-07:00

I had the honor of attending Diane (& David's) annual holiday party!

I was lucky enough to fly in on Thursday night (thank you Dad & Linda for watching Hannah & Simon) so I was able to supervise the making of Diane's egg nog (aka jet fuel)..

Wayne came over on Friday and Diane gave him a Christmas Giants hat. This is cool for Wayne since he is a HUGE Giants fan.

After much fun in the kitchen, we made cucumber, salmon, herbed boursin cheese and dill.

Salami, cheese and basil in a roll. It was yummy!

Scene's from the evening....the table inside the front door.

Me (pretending I am REALLY REALLY tall) in front of the tree.

Diane striking "the pose" (ha, ha, ha!)

The bar.....

Cathy, myself & Diane. Cathy & Diane have been friends since kindergarten.

Dom (Cathy's hubby) and I. He wanted to make sure he looked shorter than I did. I took a lot of crap for wearing 4" heels that made me 6'2" for the evening. Dom is also taunting Diane by taking off his glasses....it became the running joke of the evening.

Diane's daughter, Jennifer, with their friend, Thelma. Thelma and her hubby brought yummy bbq sauce!

Bill, Lindsey and their beautiful daughter,

Wayne (who did not match his outfit to his Giants hat) and his lovely girlfriend, Diana.

David (the host) & Avril

Fred & Cathy

A good time had by all. Can't wait until next year!

Hannah's Band Concert

2011-01-01T19:12:00.000-07:00

Just before Christmas Hannah had her holiday band concert. They were able to wear holiday "accessories" if they chose to do so.....

Hannah and her friend Shelby...the two flutists in her band.

Hannah, Simon & I. Hannah did a great job!!!

Scenes from Thanksgiving Week

2010-12-30T08:39:00.000-07:00

Hannah helped make some chocolate orange flavored cookies. I'd post the recipe but I have already forgotten where I got it from........yeah, that is how I cook, rarely the same thing more than once.

Thanksgiving morning, Hannah was cooking the cranberries to make a yummy cranberry sauce.

The Thanksgiving table set for dinner. You know you live in Arizona when the front door is open to let the outside air in to cool the house.

A version of my Mom's "Christmas Tree Hunting" lunch (we used to cut our own back in Minnesota). Mom's were bacon wrapped with the cheese in the middle but I put cheese in Hebrew National dogs and covered them with crescent rolls.

Hannah wearing the Christmas tree skirt.

Simon with the wrapping from the outside tube lights.

The almost finished Christmas tree.

Simon with a craft project...yes, it is a volcano he is painting.

And he did mix vinegar and baking soda together with the neighborhood boys later in the weekend.

Happy almost holidays to everyone!

LA in November

2010-12-29T19:21:00.001-07:00

Better late than never with my posting lately.

While on our LA junket, we hit Griffith Park and visited the trains....

Saw the Hollywood sign from a distance at the observatory!

I think that might be Mars (OK, I don't know)....

I love that my children LOVE men of science!

View from the top of the observatory! You can see HOLLYWOOD far, far in the distance.

Then, it was time to hit the walk of fame.

Grauman's Chinese Theatre.....

Guiness World Records Museum...Simon asked if that outfit made him look fat?? That kid kills me

This mime was amazing!! All glowing and gold! Simon even tried to touch him.

A Day in the Life: Channel Islands, CA

2010-11-21T15:00:00.000-07:00

Some of my "regular blog readers" know that Hannah & Simon's Dad (David) passed away a couple months ago. Last weekend the kids and I took a trip to Los Angeles to spread David's ashes in the ocean as his last request.

David has some amazing friends, two brothers (Laurence & Keith) who took us out on a gorgeous sailboat to David's final resting place in the Channel Islands (Santa Cruz & Anacapa).

Along the way, we had a beautiful day on the Pacific Ocean, enjoying the weather and paying our last respects to Hannah & Simon's Dad. This blog post is a series of scenes from the day.......

Sending David off into the gorgeous blue water.

Flowers in the ocean......

David's final resting place. A gorgeous view.

The lighthouse on Anacap Island.

Flowers from Hannah & Simon for their Dad.

Smuggler's Cover

I love my children!

Simon, Lawrence & Hannah

Enjoying the ocean air and the relaxing piece of being on the water. We can't forget Leonardo, the boat dog.

Keith showing Hannah how to steer the boat.

Lawrence & Leonardo

Oxnard Marina

Simon supervising bring the boat into dock.

the boat........

David, I hope you find peace & beauty in the hereafter while watching over our children. They miss you.

Focaccia Bread

2010-11-15T21:14:00.000-07:00

I made a nice focaccia bread recently. Here is my pictures of how I made it....

Mix the yeast with sugar & water.

Add the flour, knead until soft & pliable.

Let rise and then press it out into a baking sheet.

Poke with chop sticks and drizzle with olive oil. Add coarse salt & pepper.

Bake and it tastes SO GOOD!

Ingredients:

1 envelope active dry yeast (2.5 tsp of bulk yeast)
1 t salt
2 t sugar
2 t olive oil
1 1/3 c warm water
3 c flour, plus more if needed
2 T fresh or dried rosemary
½ yellow onion, chopped fine (about ½ c)
1 T coarse ground salt
Olive Oil for top of bread

Directions:

In large bowl, combine yeast, salt, sugar, olive oil and warm water. Stir gently to dissolve yeast and set aside for 15 minutes.

Slowly add flour 1 cup at a time until dough is elastic and doesn’t stick to your fingers. Make dough into a ball and place in greased bowl.

Cover and let rise until double, approximately 30 minutes. Punch down and knead gently on a floured cutting board until dough is workable. Place dough in a greased baking sheet (9 x 13) and spread out to fill sheet.

Let dough rise for about 10 minutes. Poke tope with fingers. Baste generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with onions, rosemary and salt. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Plum & Ratatouille

2010-10-17T16:56:00.000-06:00

I am sharing a co-op basket at work with a co-worker. Recently my basket included a plums and a bunch of Italian veggies/herbs so I decided to make a Plum Cake Tatin and Ratatouille.

Dinner with steak, baked potato and ratatouille.

The plum tatin was SSSSOOOO good.

Bloglines!

2010-10-17T16:24:00.000-06:00

I use bloglines to follow blogs. They are shutting down on Nov. 1, 2010.

I don't know what other program to use?

Can anyone recommend a program to follow rss feeds??

Thanks!

What we did most of our vacation

2010-08-29T12:07:00.000-06:00

Held up the beach. Yes, that was a VERY important job to which we were well suited.

Read books either at the beach, in bed, on the patio or just about anywhere.

Front patio of the condo

And watched another amazing sunset! I love sunsets and watching them over water is even better!

Traveling

2010-08-29T09:52:00.001-06:00

I have had some travel recently for work and THANKFULLY for fun.

I had a recent business trip to New Jersey and was lucky enough to visit my good friend Kristina and her hubby, Andy. We met about 12 years ago when we worked at the same company in Phoenix. I rarely get to Jersey on business so as a bonus for the 5 hour plane ride I got a bonus visit!

New Jersey: My Amazing friend Kristina

The kids & I took our annual vacation to California this year. Instead of one of our driving vacations we chose to hold up the beach, bike and just hang out. I rented a condo 3 houses from the beach in a tourist area where we were able to ride our bikes anywhere we needed to go so the car didn't move for the bulk of the time after we arrived.

Simon boogy boarding

Running in the Pacific Ocean

Hannah playing in the waves

Roller coaster at Mission Beach

Bumper Cars at Mission Beach

Pacific Beach Sunset

Surfers in the ocean at sunset

Random Sunday

2010-08-29T09:33:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago the kids wanted to get a coconut and crack it open. We did and not surprisingly, this is what we found inside!

Even after draining the "milk"

And cracking it open, it was not nearly as excited they had hoped. They both tried the meat and decided it was OK and wandered away. Not quite as exciting as they had hoped! I am pretty sure we won't have to go down that route again.

Life as a single Mom is so exciting sometimes. Simon's back bike tire was flat (again) so I took it apart and was very excited that I was able to replace the tube AND get the chain back on so he could ride it on our vacation!

Ground up jalapeno with garlic and salt to make the Vietnamese Dipping Sauce.

A very delicious Sizling Saigon Crepes (Bánh Xèo). They were SO GOOD!

Finny inspired the Vietnamese cooking with her post about the crepes. I had them a few years ago but have been unable to find them in a restaurant so we very excited to find the recipe. You take the crepe above and wrap it in a lettuce leaf with mint and cilantro then roll it up and dip in the sauce. I couldn't convince the kids to try it but I enjoyed it very much! Thanks Finny!

Scottsdale Gun Club

2010-08-22T20:39:00.004-06:00

A few weeks ago I went with a couple of guys at work over lunch so they could shoot a machine gun for their birthday. We went to the Scottsdale Gun Club.
David was getting his target ready for shooting.

I know, I look SMOKING in my safety glasses and ear protection. It was a lot of fun.

Here is David's video! The clip goes very fast.

Recent cooking fun...

2010-08-22T19:05:00.005-06:00

For those of you that don't know, cooking is relaxing to me and I also get good food at the end of the process. Here I roasted some peppers, cauliflower and onions.
Mix it with some other veggies and feta and call it a great salad!

More cooking......I made my version of Cioppino (seafood soup) with what was in my refrigerator that included onions, yellow pepper....

Frozen tomatoes.....

Add parsley.....

wine, bay leaf, and all the other stuff and simmer.

Add seafood and parmesan and you have an amazing meal with a nice crusty loaf to sop up all that broth goodness.

And then, blueberries were in season.....

A little tip for you when adding fruit/berries to a cake. Dust them with some of the flour called for in the recipe before adding to the batter. This will keep the fruit from falling to the bottom of the pan.

Make the batter,
add dusted blueberries, bake and
glaze with a powdered sugar icing and serve.

Salad & Hikes

2010-06-27T14:32:00.003-06:00

I saw a recipe for a blueberry corn salad. I know, it sounds weird but it isn't!

The last time I posted food photos, I got some emails asking for the recipe so here it is...

6 ears sweet corn (or 2 cans of drained corn)
1 c fresh blueberries
1 small cucumber, sliced
1/4 c finely chopped red onion
1/4 c cilantro
1 jalapeno, seeded & finely chopped
2 T lime juice
2 T olive oil
1 T honey
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Boil corn, let cool and cut corn off of the cob. Mix together the ingredients for the dressing. Mix together cucumbers, blueberries, onions, cilantro, jalapeno and corn. Coat with dressing. Can be made up to 24 hours in advance.

As you may have recalled, I have been hiking around the Phoenix area lately. This was a recent hike I took about 5 miles from my house.
Gorgeous views of the desert in the early morning sun.

At the top of the trail I hiked looking down. A bit steep but not too bad.

I am enjoying the change in the exercise routine and getting outside, even if that day starts at 4:30 am to beat the heat.

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-06-01T11:43:00.004-06:00

Our neighborhood had a pool party on Memorial Day weekend Sunday.
Hannah & Shelby had a lot of fun with the lei's.

Sebastian REALLY enjoyed the Cheetohs.

Neighbor Mike worked the grill. I loved his shirt. It said, "Paddle Faster. I hear the sound of banjos." AKA Deliverance.

Simon & Brendan got into the lei act too.

Soon enough it was time to get the kids in the car for camp. Hannah was GUNG HO but Simon was a bit more apprehensive. He has not ever been away from home for 4 nights.

Hannah found a spot in the van with some of the counselors and their iPod full of music.

Simon found a group of little boys to ride with....I am hoping he made friends with them and it made his first trip to camp a little less lonely for him. I haven't gotten the call to come pick him up so, he must be doing OK.

Hiking Pinnacle Peak

2010-06-01T11:21:00.003-06:00

My girlfriend Sally convinced me to get up before the sun rises to go for a hike at Pinnacle Peak Park. It was an absolutely gorgeous way to start the day.
There were many beautiful views to be seen along the way.

I also splurged on a little "something" for me....a Camelbak hydration pack. It is a great way to carry water and all the other little things including my cell phone, my ID, money and my keys.

I don't know why it took me nearly 15 years of living in the desert to finally buy one.

Arlington, VA

2010-05-31T11:03:00.006-06:00

I seem to be on a travel binge at work lately. I had a conference in Arlington, VA. I took the metro and then figured out it was a 14 block walk to the hotel. However, since it was a nice day and I didn't have anywhere I needed to be quickly, I decided to walk since I always pack light. The walk was beautiful and although I got distracted by all the cool shops, I was able to resist buying anything.
The hotel I stayed in was really funky and quaint. Definitely a boutique hotel. This is a photo I took of the lobby where they served wine every evening during happy hour.

This is my hotel room. Although there was no closet, they put in a nice armoire to use instead.

The bathroom........I had a handicap accessible room so I think the bathroom was larger than normal.

During lunch on the first day of the conference, I took a walk down to the Potomac and enjoyed the lovely weather and scenery.

In the evening, I was fortunate enough to get together for dinner with my old boss, Chris, from Fargo.

After the conference, I rented a car to get on the road EARLY (or at least before the traffic to really ugly!) to visit my brother. It is always a beautiful drive with much greenery along the road.

The traffic wasn't too bad and I made it to Matthew & Mindy's place before it got dark.

Even the Jack the cat was waiting in my bed to greet me when I tried to get in and move him out of the way!

What a warm welcome!

Visiting My Brother

2010-05-31T10:23:00.004-06:00

At the end of my trip to DC, I was able to visit my brother and his family. They were all a bit under the weather so not too many photos. However, my nephew, Benjamin, had a birthday party at the roller rink. Matthew & Emily.
This is how my nephew spent a good amount of time at the rink.

Emily gave it a good go at trying to skate.

Here is Matthew taking a spin around the rink.

Benjamin finally took a bit of a better round with the birthday boy's Mom, Julie.

He even took a try by himself before the skates came off for good.

If I am truthful, this was the favorite part for both kids....the bounce house!

Benjamin after getting his face painted by his Mom.

Unfortunately, my visit was short and I was off to the airport early the next morning. As always, the drive from DC is always gorgeous!

Non-Yeast Cinnamon Rolls

2010-05-31T09:41:00.005-06:00

A few weekends ago I made cinnamon rolls for Hannah. She loves cinnamon rolls and I had a recipe that said the rolls would be baked and ready to eat within 1 hour start to finish.
The dough......

Rolled out and ready for cinnamon sugar......

Just prior to rolling them up....

Just before they went into the oven.

Right out of the oven.....

Frosted and ready to send over to the neighbors.

A Trip to Lee Lee's Market

2010-05-30T17:17:00.006-06:00

A few weeks ago, I learned how to make Vietnamese Spring Rolls. In order to buy the supplies, I took a trip to Lee Lee's Market. It is always an experience. They have all kinds of stuff you just don't see in regular markets like Jack Fruit. If you read my blog, you will know one of my favorite meals is green papaya salad and spring rolls. You can't get green papaya just anywhere but always at Lee Lee's.

We also saw live crayfish.....

Live blue crabs.....

I bought all the makings for spring rolls & green papaya salad including rice noodles, green beans,

and shredded green papaya. Yes, I was being lazy!

daikon radish and carrot salad. I bought this ready made. I LOVE it.

Here are all the parts for the spring roll. Cilantro, mint, shrimp, rice noodles, pork and lettuce.

You only have to wet the rice paper a little bit. Then add all the components.

In the end, you get some amazing spring rolls and a great green papaya salad. I could live on this meal!

Happy cooking every day!

Hannah's Spring Band Concert

2010-05-30T17:00:00.003-06:00

We just finished the end of the school year. Hannah had her spring band concert.
The kids have really improved since their fall concert.
Our little family photo.

Random Update

2010-05-30T16:41:00.002-06:00

A few weeks ago, right around Mother's Day, I got these pretty tulips. I bought it for the flowers but really also liked the container it is in for later use.
Hannah ran for Student Council President. She did a great job making all of her posters 90% on her own.

I am still cleaning up glitter from the poster extravaganza.

This is the photo she used on her poster. All fancied up with her Van's cap. Unfortunately, Hannah didn't win but I am so proud of her for making her posters, practicing her speech and campaigning with all of student friends.

Business trip to Chicago

2010-05-09T07:46:00.005-06:00

I had a tiring business trip to Chicago this past week. Since it was a conference and not one of my normal solo junkets, there was fun to be had with colleagues. One of the annual events is the "Pope" dinner at Bucca de Beppo.
Photos from the room.....

Lots & lots of Pope's!

Due to my inability to sleep well on business trips in hotel rooms, no matter what time zone I am in, I saw a beautiful sunrise every day from my 33rd floor corner room. It was very calming to watch the sun come up over Lake Michigan.

Although it seemed like I was chained to the hotel, I did sneak out one afternoon for an hour to walk around and get some fresh air. The flowers were really pretty.

I did get to walk to the open water of Lake Michigan by getting up near dawn and walking down to the riverfront walk.

Saw the water taxi's....

My walking partner and colleague, David, took a photo of me near Trump Towers and the pretty flowers.

I left my camera at the hotel for the final event since I didn't want to carry a handbag and my pockets were full. However, the final event was held at the Museum of Science & Industry and it was held around the U-505 exhibit. It was really cool and SO BIG! We got to go inside the submarine and enjoy the exhibit. If you get to Chicago, I would definitely recommend this as a place to visit.

Mother's Day

2010-05-09T07:14:00.003-06:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's that read my blog.

I bought these lovely tulips at Sam's Club last weekend and they are just about gone now. They opened to be gorgeous and I LOVE the container.
Yesterday, I met Dad & Linda at the House of Tricks in Tempe, AZ. We sat on the patio (thankfully near the mister system) and had a lovely lunch. I had the Seafood Piccata,
Dad had the curried beef skewers,

and Linda had the Moroccan fruit salad.

Since it was Mother's Day, we also had dessert. Linda had the flourless chocolate tart.

Dad had the bread pudding.

I had the lemon panna cotta with a basil gelee and cream.

It was a nice way to wile away an few hours with good company and food.

The patio of the restaurant. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for a beautiful outdoor lunch with great food.

Outlet shopping

2010-04-26T20:40:00.002-06:00

I met a friend for breakfast yesterday and it just happened to be right next to the outlet mall so I did some shopping. I finally indulged myself and bought a "second" Le Creuset 5 quart "French" oven from the Le Creuset store and pasta bowls from Harry & David.
We actually used them for dinner tonight.

A close up of my kiwi pan.

Ogling it as I watched it cook dinner!

Makes me wonder why I waited so long to buy one.....oh yeah, the price. Thank goodness for seconds and outlet malls.

Earth Day

2010-04-22T19:59:00.004-06:00

I think we all may remember my voyage into community supported agriculture (CSA) last year. I liked it but it was more than I could eat because the kids wouldn't eat most of it so....the neighbors ate well! ;)

Anyway, for Earth Day at work, they supported CSA baskets so my girlfriend and I split one. PERFECT! So, here is a sampling....1/2 a head of romaine, cantelope (she took the pineapple since I had one at home), red potatos, bananas (not shown), apples and tomatoes.

Tonight I decided to use the Swiss Chard......using this recipe.

Add red pepper, garlic, olive oil to saute then at the end, add parmesan, salt and pepper.
A good dinner.

Miss Finny...she may not agree (she is part of the One Yard Wonders craft along...and dislikes Chard).

Heres hoping I can continue to share the CSA basket!

Random Sunday...

2010-04-11T12:01:00.003-06:00

I had a busy Saturday of errands, bike ride, buying dressers (finally!) for my master bedroom (still have to put them together) and house cleaning.

However, on Friday, Hannah and her friends decided wear something fun to school on Friday. This was her Friday outfit. I got nothing to say, since my Mom used to swear I put on my "worst" (coolest in my mind) outfit to go out with her. She put up with it and I still may have my own sense of style, although a wee bit older, I enjoy Hannah's personal expression.

Today, with a morning (weekend) to myself, I thought I should make a real meal instead of eating junk. Sometimes I do that on my non-kid weekends but today I made a 1 person breakfast that started with a cubed slice of bread.
And ended with a very nice egg, cheese and bread bake.

I also have a couple of salads floating around in the fridge. This one is for the One Yard Wonder Craft Along April project. Since I haven't really been sewing, I can ALWAYS cook. :) This is Finny's Fennel Citrus Salad.

The salad includeds fennel, red onion, red grapefruit (can I tell you I LOVE the pre-cut packages from Dole I bought at Sam's Club!), rice vinegar, orange juice and olive oil. Her recipe called for black olives but I had none so skipped them.

I also have a carrot salad that has shredded carrots, orange juice, cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper and then add a little feta cheese before eating. Yum! I think there is enough food for me until I leave for Sacramento on Tuesday. Hmmm....now what to feed the kids?

A day of rest(ish)

2010-04-09T21:44:00.004-06:00

Here is a photo of the rental. We had the upstairs.
We saw a good number of crew teams practicing in the bay.

I also saw quite a few sea lions in the bay. I saw this one floating and was worried something was wrong with it but, after an internet search, I learned that the behavior below is called jug handling where the sea lion is raising their fins above water to warm themselves. Learn something new every day.

We rented bikes for an hour and road up and down the beach front.

Enjoyed watching the surfers off the pier....

And then took a 45 minute boat ride in the harbor and out into the ocean just a wee bit. The weather was perfect!

We saw some sea lions up close and personal on the bouy.

Thankfully, the kids went on the small ferris wheel without me. ;) I don't like heights and I really don't like the part where you have to sit at the top while the equal the weight by loading someon on the bottom.

We spent some time at the beach and building sand castles.

A friend came down from the LA area and took us up the Laguna Beach.

We'd hope to hit the tide pools....but it was high tide. I know where to go next time we visit and the tide is out.

We wound down the day by watching the world go by on the patio.

And one last visit to the fat cat down the way.

We are definitely headed back in August. Warm weather, bikes we bring from home and the ocean.

Old California Post

2010-04-08T21:45:00.004-06:00

I found that I had uploaded these photos but didn't finish the post.

We went to Laguna Beach. I love this photo of Simon.
A new family photo on the beach.
This photo tells me Simon would love to visit the tide pools when the tide is out.

Watching the world go by in the harbor from our deck.

The kids absolutely loved seeing this fat cat by our rental.

It was a great vacation.

California Day 2: Knott's Berry Farm

2010-04-08T21:31:00.003-06:00

On day 2 of our trip we visited Knott's Berry Farm.
Waiting for the Sidewinder.....

Going up the hill on the Jaguar!

Getting our kicks on Route 66.

And the Pony Express.

Here is Simon getting sucked in by the snake.

My hot dogs at the end of the day. I don't know about them, but I was tired!!!!

Newport Beach

2010-04-06T21:31:00.002-06:00

The kids and I took a long weekend visit to California. We rented the top floor of this house.
We visited the beach......

I love the ocean! That is one of the things I miss living in the desert....natural water.

More playing in the cold ocean waves.

Simon planted his feet in the sand and waited for the waves to dig him further into the sand.

A view of crewing teams practicing in the bay.

There was a very friendly, fat cat that lived down the street. She was incredibly friendly.

Sunset on the first day....absolutely beautiful!

Quick Trip to DC

2010-03-30T21:34:00.003-06:00

I had to go to Washington, DC overnight for work.....left Sunday and got back Monday. Thankfully, when I got there on Sunday at least the weather was nice enough to walk from the Metro to my hotel. Along the way, I saw a lot of cherry blossoms.
Gorgeous and happy I could see it before it rained all day Monday!

Here's hoping you see the lovely Washington, DC cherry blossoms in your future.

Beauty....

2010-03-21T18:57:00.002-06:00

I just needed some beauty today......

Good thing Fresh & Easy had daffodils on sale for $1.29 for 10 stems. I bought 4 bunches and am going to take some to work with me.

Simple yet beautiful!

Here's hoping you have some beauty in your life.

Mmmm.....

2010-03-20T16:22:00.005-06:00

About a week ago I got fresh basil & mozarella that made a very good Caprese Salad.

I made granola this weekend using a recipe very similar to one I made before from an online source.

The recipe:

4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup sliced almonds (I used chopped up whole ones)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup unsalted pepitas (I used sunflower seeds)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 T canola oil
1/2 kosher salt
1 cup dried fruit (I used craisans.)

1. Heat oven to 350F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the oats, almonds, coconut, and nuts with the maple syrup, oil and salt.
2. Bake, tossing once, until golden and crisp, 25 to 35 minutes.
3. Add the dried fruit and toss to combine. Let cool.

TIP: the granola will keep in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 3 weeks.

Source: Real Simple Magazine, April 2010

The finished granola.

I mix it with yogurt for breakfast and it is really good.

Renaissance Festival 2010

2010-03-14T17:07:00.006-06:00

We went to the RenaissanceFestival today with Dad & Linda. While we waited for Dad & Linda to meet us, Simon made a nice rubbing of a unicorn with a very nice man in one of the booths.
I had to take a photo of this attendee since his chain mail was made of Bud Light cans. I just laughed when I saw it!

This year Simon tried Jacob's Ladder. It is game of balance and counter weights but Simon did not quite grasp that concept.

Yeah....this was right before he fell off!

This group so guys named London Broil did a great show! The balanced juggling and comedy was a lot of fun.

The bungee cord trampoline jumping is the highlight of my children's visit to the Renaissance Festival. This year was no exception. You see Simon in the background with Hannah in the foreground.

They tried their hand at jumping frogs.....

And this huge slide!!! It almost looks they are in jail (tempting, I know).

We fed some sheep in the petting zoo.

And Simon churned some butter. He LOVED it last year too!

Hannah modeling my new hat. I forgot a hat at home so......a new one was purchased with a wide brim to block the sun. Hannah trying out the hammocks...if only I had somewhere to hang it!Trying their hand at archery!

and a small cross bow....

And finally the merry go round.....

Let's not forget Simon...

A family photo before we left!

We can't forget Grandpa & Grandma.

Beautiful spring weather in Arizona. Can't be beat!

Bungee trampoline jumping video!

Road Trip Saturday

2010-03-14T07:53:00.005-06:00

The kids & I decided to take a road trip yesterday because I saw an advertisement for a gem and gem show in Cottonwood, AZ. As you can see, Hannah found some she liked.

Simon was very impressed with the large amethysts.

After our visit to the gem show we visited Tuzigood National Monument.

The ranger was very nice to allow us to use the staff picnic table for our picnic. The view of the Verde Valley was beautiful.

Jerome, AZ off in the distance at the left of the photo. The kids thought it was cool that there was snow on the peaks.

At the top of the monument.

Verde Valley.....it is nice to see the desert all green because of the recent rains.

Simon practicing his corn grinding skills like he did while we were in Colorado.

A view of the monument.

Last stop....Montezuma's Well. A view of the cliff dwellings built above the water.

At the bottom of the well is an 800 year old ruin that you can look into up close and personal. Good thing I have kids, because of all the times I have visited the well, I never knew it was there!

The well from above with the cliff dwellings of in the distance.

The well naturally drains on the other side of the well and the Sinagua tribe used to irrigate their farm land. Simon enjoyed trying to catch the water bugs. Unfortunately, he was not successful.

At the end of our visit to the well, we ran into a couple that had 6 animals between them, including a wolf that Simon enjoyed petting. It had the most gorgeous blue eyes.

A great day! Today, we are off to the Renaissance Festival.

Hannah's District Track Day

2010-03-13T06:33:00.003-07:00

I chaperoned Hannah's District Track & Field Day. Here she is in the stands.......
My lovely daughter and I. Like the school shirts???

Waiting for the final relay events.

On the track and waiting for the baton hand off.

And off she goes!

Her relay team came in 4th out of 6. Here is the whole group that went to district from her school along with their teacher.

Food...Veggies!

2010-03-07T19:13:00.003-07:00

This weekend, I had lots of veggies on hand. Therefore, I made a very yummy Italian flavored veggie soup.

A few weeks ago, the neighbors also gave me a jar of "friendship" soup. It was really good! I used the soup mix and added a bunch of veggies including carrots, celery, beans, onions and cabbage. It was really good!

Friday night I had Simon all to myself. We went to the mall to get him a new pair of shoes. Along the way, he found some massage chairs. His special treat for the evening was to have a chair massage. I gotta love that boy because I LOVE getting a massage.

With our veggie love....I got a bunch of carrots. Here they are before being washed. I figure that when they are put into soup, they need to keep their peels since that is where a lot of the nutrients are in carrots.

Simon was my helper with the Italian style soup and the carrot soup. He did a great job working the food processor.

The simmering carrots & a few potatoes.

After being hit with the immersion blender. I LOVE that Christmas gift from Dad & Linda a few years ago!

And, finally, Donk & Finny are having a craft/cook along this year. One of the projects for this month is an Irish soda bread. Easy to make and mighty tasty. It will be my toasted breakfast this week along with some boiled eggs!

Valentine's Day

2010-03-07T08:27:00.002-07:00

I decided to make Pasta Primavera for dinner while Hannah & Emily were having something a wee bit more kid friendly. I have yet been unable to sell eggplant to my kids.
The finished dish, it was yummy!

The morning of Hannah's actual birthday, Feb. 14.

Later in the day we met up with Grandpa & Grandma for dinner at Lucille's Smokehouse BBQ. They even brought her a birthday dessert.

Hannah with Grandpa & Grandma. She has finally gotten taller than Grandma.

Bigger feet too....I just bought her a Women's size 8. Wow!

Hannah's Birthday

2010-03-07T07:58:00.005-07:00

Yes, I know I am late with the posting for Hannah's birthday since it was on Valentine's Day. She had invited boys to her roller skating party but they bailed so....it was just her friend Emily. For her party she decided to wear some pink additions to her hair. A side view....
And a front view.....

Her friend Emily with their skates on....

Hannah the skater......

After the skating....

On the way home we stopped at Swensen's Ice Cream for a "little" snack.

After we got back to the house, the two of them decided to go in the FREEZING swimming pool. The weather was nice....about 75 degrees, but the water was very cold.

They did eventually get in but not for long. After they came back in the house they spent the next hour soaking in a warm bath tub.

It was a fun day!

Build a Bear

2010-03-06T19:47:00.004-07:00

Grandpa & Grandma Linda gave the kids a trip to Build A Bear Workshop for Christmas last year. Here they are before their bears are stuffed.
Grandma, Grandpa & Simon....

Waiting for her bear to be stuffed.....

Grandpa helping Simon dress his bear in an Army uniform. I love Simon's smile in the mirror!

Getting his hat on...........

Grandpa, Grandma, Hannah & Simon with their new bears.

Zoo Lights....

2010-02-02T20:18:00.002-07:00

A little late. The kids & I went to Zoo Lights after the holidays.
Our lovely peacock.

Gary from Sponge Bob.

A reflection across the lake.

The kids with the Komodo Dragon.....

The spider in its web.....

Oh my, the kids are scared......

Our Canadian Visitors

2010-01-31T07:52:00.004-07:00

We met our friends, Lorna & Robert, at Arriba Mexican Grill for dinner. We ordered margaritas...you can see below. They look huge, which they are, but to be truthful, there was very little actual tequila in it.
Linda, Lorna & I with our ginormouse margaritas.

Robert & Dad....

Hannah & Robert...

I ordered Pasole for dinner. It was really good.

A final group shot.

Can't wait until we see them again!

Sew Along with Kelli & Finny

2010-01-26T19:30:00.003-07:00

Well...not this project. My friend, Lorna, from Canada made me a Potato Bag. We tried it and it made potatoes in the microwave that had skins like in the oven.

I am also joining Kelli & Finny's Sew Along this year. The first project was the Good Day Hat from One Yard Wonder's. You had to do some math after measuring the circumference of a circle I figured out the diameter. Thankfully, I had a bowl that measured it perfectly!

The finished hat.......not sure I will ever wear it BUT I learned something from the process.

Rest of NY Trip

2010-01-10T14:54:00.006-07:00

Well, I took a bus tour (a few days worth where I would tour, get off, walk around and then take the subway back to where I wanted to be) and we saw Grant's tomb. I will always remember my Dad asking who was buried in Grant's Tomb??

Took a trip to Harlem past the Apollo Theater.

The Guggenheim. Love the architecture!

The Metropolitan Museum of Art....

Horse Drawn Carriages at Central Park

Central Park

Rockefeller Center Tree.....

Me & the tree.... (notice the many layers of clothing and a hat!!)

A tour of my postage stamp room...... 1/2 of the bathroom view from the bed....

The bed...(yeah, that is the whole room).

Other half of the bathroom....HUGE, as you can see!

A visit to Tavern on the Green in the last few days of its existance. I met some amazing ladies....from left (Carolyn, Jill, Aisyah from Singapore and me). One last hurrah!

Out front on my way to dinner with Sauniell.

I was Sauniell's secret pal back in 2005. She was fun to shop for and she was so sweet because she sent me a thank you gift that I use to this day, stitch markers! We had a great dinner at Josie's. We shared our meals and enjoyed some great food and wine.

It is funny because although we have never met in person, I felt like I knew Sauniell and I can honestly say, that we had a very nice few hours together with not a silent moment in the conversation! Thank you Sauniell for taking the time to meet me on my visit to NYC! It was definitely a highlight!

Last morning....

2010-01-09T07:59:00.003-07:00

I decided to walk around the neighborhood and have breakfast. I stopped at EJ's Luncheonette and it was definitely worth the stop.
I was lucky enough to get a small table by the window to people watch during breakfast.

Breakfast was SSSOOOO GOOD. A Greek omelet, potatoes and toasted challa.

Inside the diner...

After breakfast, a stop to Knitty City.....yes, I bought something (a pattern and a bag).

And finally, a view of my hotel. It was definitely a budget hotel but worked well for a trip where little time is spent in the room so I could spend money other places.

I loved the beautiful flowers at the green grocer's along the street.

A great visit.......

A Day in New York

2010-01-02T08:00:00.005-07:00

I spent a few days in New York over the holidays. I had not been there in a couple of decades. Getting there was a very long day....that ended well with a wonderful Thai dinner that included one of my favorites, green papaya salad.
A visit to Times Square.

An abstract sculpture near Ground Zero in New York.

A Statue of Liberty sculpture in the museum near Ground Zero.

Manhattan skyline from the Brooklyn Bridge.

Gorgeous day for a walk on the Brooklyn Bridge.

Downtown Manhattan, Pier 17, looking over to Brooklyn Heights.

Chinatown...I always love the sights in Chinatown. I was surprised to see so much Durian for sale due to its distinct odor.

I was sorely tempted to stop for a bowl of Pho but kept going since I wanted to save room for other snacks along the way.

Yum, cheese in an Italian deli.

Later in the afternoon, I happened to be on the subway back to my hotel, when I heard the next stop was Bleecker Street. One of my colleagues told me to stop in and try their sangria.

So...I did!

At the end of this really long day, I caught Mamma Mia on Broadway. A great show!!

Times Square at night is a very interesting place. Lots of fake handbags and wallets.

With a stop at CLEAN bathrooms provided by Charmin!

A fun end to a great first day in New York.

Christmas Eve

2010-01-01T17:47:00.005-07:00

Hannah played Christmas Carols at church before the service on Christmas Eve.
A family photo at Church.

A book we read before opening presents. It is from when I was a child. It is a very sweet children's book of the Christmas story.

In front of the tree on Christmas Eve (thank goodness for camera timers).

Hannah's new orange scarf.

Simon with his new building set.

Hannah modeling her boots.....

Mmmm.....Bakugun.

Mom's new scarf.

Christmas Morning

2010-01-01T17:37:00.005-07:00

Hannah got a pair of boots, skinny jeans and her black plaid shirt for Christmas. She is looking more grown up than I would like to admit. She is all dressed in her Christmas best.
Santa was good to me with some Burt's Bee's pampering items.

Hannah got a sweater and tank in her favorite color from Santa.

Simon got a Nintendo DS game. He was a happy boy!

Family Photos

2010-01-01T08:50:00.003-07:00

My friend, April, is a great photographer and she took some photos of the kids and I just before Christmas. She make all of us look so good!
Hannah & Simon working hard to look like they like each other.

My beautiful daughter.

Family photo.....my first since getting divorced.

My beautiful daughter.....this photo makes me very worried for the teen years! She won't be 11 until Valentine's Day!!!

If you live in the Phoenix area, call me and I will give you April's number if you are interested in getting photos taken.

December...Getting Ready for Christmas!

2009-12-20T06:59:00.005-07:00

My friends, Diane & David, throw a great holiday party every year!

Jennifer, Diane's daughter, was there with her family. This is a photo of Jennifer & her son, Jacob.

Dom, Bob, Kathy (Bob's other half) and Cathy (Dom's other half. They will be celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary in 2010!).
Wayne & Diana. Wayne has been friends with Diane's family since high school...so at least 20 years.

David...in checking his wine cellar list. I love drooling over their wine cellar list.

This is David's daughter, Theresa, with her daugther, Cali, Uncle Fred and Cousin Derek.

Diane & I before the party started and things got crazy!

Three best friends....

I already have Diane & David's party on my calendar for next year.

November....

2009-12-20T06:35:00.003-07:00

I have not updated in awhile. It has been busy! Hannah performed in her first band concert.
Getting ready to play her flute.

The pumpkin chiffon pie I made for Thanksgiving.

I attended the wedding of my old neighbor's in Chandler.

Definitely a good November.

San Francisco

2009-11-13T18:55:00.009-07:00

I was lucky enough to take a recent business trip to San Francisco. What is a trip to SF without a photo of the Golden Gate Bridge?? Here are a bunch of photos in no apparent order from the trip!
I flew into San Jose, where my sister Leigh lives, and we drove into SF together to play tourist. Here she is riding the running board on the cable car.

Us together....nice of the conductor to take a photo of us together!

The two of us at the Golden Gate Bridge.

Some of the electric transit down by the wharf.

The morning after I got into SF, I took a walk down by the wharf and followed the scent of sourdough for my breakfast. I visited the Boudin Bakery.

I wanted to bring a bunch of sourdough home but.......the kids wouldn't eat it and it would have been challenging on the plane. I guess I will need to get a starter going at home again like I did a few years ago so I can bake my own sourdough bread. Yum!

Along the wharf I saw this sign for the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. of Forest Gump fame.

I visited Ghiradelli Square during my walk.

And the gorgeous fountain in the square. It is truly a piece of art.

I had to laugh when I saw the Zoltar machine. It made me think of the movie, Big.

Leigh and I visited Plouf resturant near Chinatown.

We had an amazing dinner of salad, steamed mussels in a coconut broth that was AMAZING as seen below, and creme brulee.

The picture below is the Fine Arts Museum. I had wished I'd brought my tripod so the photo would not have been blurry but you can get the idea of how beautiful it was in the evening.

Back on my morning walk, I saw the sea lions at Pier 39.

It was amazing to see them just hanging out in such a huge group doing nothing but making noise. They are protected so they did not worry about getting harrassed by tourists.

A pretty view of the San Francisco bay. I was singing Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding in my head while I watched the tide water lap up on the shore. That is one thing I miss living in the desert is large expanses of open water so I love it when I can visit an ocean!

Shortly after this photo was taken...the read reason for the trip took over and all I saw was the inside of hotels and restaurants. I am hoping to go back to San Francisco and visit Alcatraz and play tourist in the not so distant future.

Saturday

2009-11-08T06:03:00.003-07:00

I had a Saturday project.....take the carpeting off my stairs and landing. I am having laminate installed soon, and since I have a lovely cat (aka landing peeing machine) I needed to see how bad it was and what wood needs to be replaced before I get the laminate installed.

I am dressed and ready for action......crowbar, gloves and a mask.
The carpet on the stairs........
The finished product.....

After the project I atttending the wedding of my former neighbor's daughter. Here are Russell & Joanne (Mother of the Bride).

And me....I would have had a photo of the bride but.......my camera battery died.

Interesting contrast between morning and evening.

First Friday Book Club

2009-11-08T05:52:00.002-07:00

I made Caribbean Chocolate Cake Ring with a chocolate glaze.
I also made some pumpkin cream cheese cup cakes.

The spread before everyone arrived. What isn't on the table is some yummy almond prosecco. Very good with desserts for those of you think about entertaining for the holidays. It would also be good with brunch too. Go to Trader Joe's and ask for the almond prosecco.

Gladiola's are in season or at least at the grocery store again. I love them!

We did actually discuss the book, The Hotel at the Corner of Bitter & Sweet. A fun evening.

Popover's

2009-11-01T07:19:00.002-07:00

We started Halloween with some popover's. You have to first melt butter and preheat the popover pans.
Since I only have 1 popover pan, I also use muffin pans.

When you do it right, they pop up and are SO good!!

Happy Halloween!!

2009-11-01T06:59:00.004-07:00

We started the day by carving pumpkins.
The kids always hate cleaning the guts out of the pumpkins

Hannah was able to carve some of her pumpkin.

Simon did a good job of supervising.

We had a Halloween carnival in the neighborhood yesterday. I decided to dress up this year because it turns out I had everything I am wearing already on hand in my house.

Here is Hannah with one of the neighbor girl, Tatum.

Some of the neighborhood ladies and Shelby as a mime.

My little witch!

Simon taking a ride.....

He enjoyed the little kid area!

Mike & Jason enjoying beverages.

Sally & Tatum

A great day had by all!

Dinner with Rosie & Woody

2009-10-31T08:23:00.002-06:00

I didn't get any photos of Rosie & Woody but I did get a photo of their new baby, Sydney.

She was so good with the kids, which make them think she was in a home with kids before she ended up at the Humane Society. She did not like the collar that Rosie tried to convince her to wear but Simon really did enjoy playing with her.
One last photo before Syndey decided the tulle was no more. Hmmm....might end up on my costume today! ;)

Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Festival

2009-10-24T18:07:00.002-06:00

The kids and I went to the Pumpkin Festival at the botanical garden today. These are some of the carved pumpkins we saw while at the festival.
Hannah & I also met the garden mascot.

We took a hay ride and visited the maze.

Hannah found her pumpkin.

I had to carry Simon's....shocking, I know.

The kids & their pumpkins. Simon's is bigger than he can carry.

There were also games to be played by the kids.

We visited the Monarch butterfly pavilion.

There are still a few pieces of the Chihuly glass left in the garden. These are at the entrance and still as gorgeous as ever.

A family photo...might be the photo for my Christmas card.

More Baking....

2009-10-21T22:10:00.003-06:00

I had apples so I made a Harvest Apple Cake. The wonderful part of this cake is "soaking" the apples in brown sugar.
I am working to buying REALLY nice knives, but I did get some higher end IKEA knives with a sharpener. That knife is sharp!

The apples after soaking for 45 minutes.

The lovely cake before cooking.....

The finished product. It was good!

A Visit with my Brother & Family

2009-10-21T21:47:00.004-06:00

I was able to also visit my brother and his family while I was in the DC area. I always figure that if I get 6 hours closer by plane, what is a few hours by car?

My lovely niece got a new "cell phone" that she really enjoyed playing with while I was visiting.

She was very snuggly!

The lovely family, Mindy, Benjamin, Matthew & Emily.

Hmmm...see any family resemblance??

I was lucky enough to visit on Mindy's birthday so we got CAKE and Hershey's ice cream too!

Thank you Matthew & Mindy for a wonderful visit!!!

Welcome to Pennsylvania

2009-10-21T21:26:00.003-06:00

I had to go to the DC area for work, so I was lucky enough to get to go out for the weekend before my meeting and see friends and family.

I visited Pennsylvania....
While there I visited my friend Melody, her hubby and her son, Colin.
Isn't he a cute boy????

Melody and I have known each other since 1991 when we met in Fargo, ND while working at the USDA. We still look 20-something, right???

Lovely sleeping Colin.

Melody and her little boy.

Another blast from my Fargo past....Chris was the boss that brought Melody and I together. I made a joke that we looked 20 years older....oh, wait! We are almost 20 years older than the day we first met.

I was so lucky to also see one of my old Stitch N Bitch girls, Eva, from our group who moved to the DC area. We had a wonderful Ethiopian dinner. Yum!

I feel blessed that I was able to see so many friends while on a business trip!

Cooking....

2009-10-11T08:45:00.003-06:00

Last weekend I made pita bread for lunch. From start to finish it is a pretty quick bread to make, maybe under 3 hours with very little actual active working time. Here is the last step before baking.
The fun part about pita bread is that is puffs up some when you cook it to make the pocket inside. Here is one batch baking and puffing up. It was tasty and my kids even liked it.

I had gotten okra at the farmer's market. I thought I would try something new with okra other than battered and fried so I made curried okra.

The first step is sliced and then soaked in salt water overnight.

In order to get the okra soaked, it recommended iced water.

Afterward it is sauteed with onions and curry. I added lentils to the mixture to make a whole meal. It tasted great with the pita bread.

Another recipe I recently tried was caramel apple cookies. I substituted caramel's for the bits because I couldn't find them. The cookies were really good but if you use caramel pieces, cut them up in REALLY TINY pieces!

I didn't make this meal but it is one of my favorites. Green papaya salad and summer rolls from a local Thai restaurant.

This is the last soup I made from the farmer's market produce. It is a butternut squash and sweet potato soup. I made up the recipe as I went along so, nothing exciting on that front. I topped it with fresh basil and Sriracha sauce.

Happy Sunday!

Stitch N Pitch

2009-09-20T21:41:00.002-06:00

I met Heather for the Stitch N Pitch Diamondbacks game today. We saw Sue from Fiber Factory and she was showing us how to make the crocheted version of the Rasta Hat.
The Fiber Factory also had people demonstrating spinning and bobbin lace making (below).

We thought we needed a photo to show you all how long our hair is now. Both of us used to have very short hair. Hmm....maybe we get along so well since we are about 5 days apart in age. Weird, huh? You meet someone at Stitch N Bitch and just click! Luv ya Heather!

The view of the field from our nosebleed seats.

You can't really see Heather's hat but you can see me modeling the scarf that took me nearly 2 hours to knit the last row. However, it is ready to block and send to its new owner somewhere cold. The scarf is made with Silk Maiden yarn given to me for my 40th birthday last December by the Queen of Snarkville. She drove all the way from Santa Rosa, CA to Sacramento to have lunch with me to start my 40th birthday extravaganza. We had never met before...but that is the wonderful thing about blogland. You meet amazing people!

I THINK the Dbacks lost but to be truthful, I don't care. I went for the company and time spent knitting my friend.

Recent Meals...

2009-09-13T10:37:00.002-06:00

I made grilled Chimichurri Tofu a few weeks ago. The tofu marinating.
Fresh seeded baguette from the Farmer's Market ready for grilling.

The finished meal of grilled tofu on grilled bread with an avocado, cucumber and heirloom tomato salad. Definitely would make it again!

Yesterday I made roasted tomotoes for Ina Garten's Caprese Salad.

It was really good and a good use of my Farmer's Market bounty.

Vacation to Colorado: Day 2

2009-08-29T13:53:00.003-06:00

Our little house at Dean & Mona's. Our "little house" was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the depression for tourists and rangers at Mesa Verde. As the story goes, after tourists required "fancier" accomodations at Mesa Verde, the park service sold off all the little houses for $0.50 to $1 to the people in the area. Legend goes that this was a ranger unit because instead of having two bedrooms, it has a living room, small kitchenette, bathroom and bedroom. It was perfect for us!
We visited Spruce House at Mesa Verde.

Our hostess, Mona, with the kids.

Pretending they are grinding corn.

Another cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde.

A gorgeous view.

More cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde.

"Back at the Ranch" hunting for toads. (Notice Hannah's fashion look of white leggings with white shorts.)

Hannah with a toad we never thought she'd touch!

Self portrait with my camera. I know my "pre-teen" daughter sitting on my lap and thinking it is cool is a fleeting thing and I am enjoying every moment.

Maple Apple Tarlets

2009-08-29T13:42:00.002-06:00

Our friends in Cortez, CO gave me the recipe for the Apple Maple Tarlets. So yummy and so easy.

Start with Puff Pastry (I used my Silpat brought back from France by my sister instead of parchment paper).

Add sliced apple pieces, a bit of cinnamon sugar and butter.
Bake and add some Maple Syrup (thank you to Matthew & Mindy for the birthday gift!).

Delicious and beautiful. I brought 6 to work for a MDA bake sale fundraiser at work. They were gone within 30 minutes. Hmmm...must have looked homemade. :)

Colorado Vacation: Day 1

2009-08-22T08:08:00.003-06:00

The kids and I took a road trip to Cortez, CO the week before they went to school. We visited real dinosaur tracks in NE Arizona.
Aren't they cool?

Simon thinking his Mom is crazy. I know...it will get worse.

We visited the Navajo Museum in Tuba City.

They had a special exhibit about the Code Talkers that Hannah enjoyed since she studied them last year in school. Simon liked the guns.

We also visited Monument Valley National Monument in Utah & Arizona.

We finally reached our destination in time for dinner after a long day of driving. Thankfully, Dean & Mona had Legos, lots of Legos to entertain the kids.

First Day of School

2009-08-18T06:53:00.002-06:00

I can't believe summer is over! The kids were happy to go back to school yesterday so that is a GOOD thing!
Plus, they both survived the day well.

Tomatoes & Children

2009-08-05T20:03:00.002-06:00

After visiting Micheal Chiarello's restaurant, Bottega, I started reading one of Diane's many cookbooks. One of the recipes I saw that looked good was the Oven Dried Tomatoes from Michael Chiarello's cookbook. I had 3 tomatoes & a toaster oven.
I mixed up the Herbes de Napa in my mortar & pestle.

Slathered it over my tomatoes with salt, pepper and garlic.

And baked until done. The toaster oven worked great!

Hannah had decade day at her summer camp program. She was able to borrow a dress from her friend (who is a lot shorter than she is!) and worked the leggings with the dress.

Totally reminded me of the 1970's.

Is it me or is she suddenly growing up faster than normal??

Northern California Trip

2009-07-29T21:58:00.002-06:00

I had a great visit with my friends, Diane & David. We visited some wineries in Napa and just hung out at the house experimenting (ok...Diane cooked) with food.

Since Diane has done such a great job documenting the trip, I will just send you links to her posts.

Food at Bottega restaurant in Napa.

Hanging around the house with Diane & David.

Bottega lunch photos....and a photo of Michael Chiarello.

Tasting wine in Wine Country! Yum!

Thank you for a great visit Diane & David!!

Wander-Lust

2009-07-20T21:28:00.002-06:00

I just finished Honeymoon with My Brother and Anthony Bourdain No Reservations, Around the World on an Empty Stomach.

Both books make me want to travel and try new food.
I have always loved to travel. Although international destinations are not currently on the menu for me, I have vowed to myself that I will see what I can either by car or plane in the coming years.
Portland, Utah, Montana and exploring New Mexico are on the list. I have a planned trip to the 4 corner's area (New Mexico, Arizona, Utah & Colorado) are on the menu for next month with the kids. I am also off to Napa with Diane this coming weekend and hope to hit Portland in the next few months. I see Portland as a long weekend like I did on my trip to Seattle.

I love to see new things and eat new food and look forward to exploring for years to come!

Here's to eating my way to as many corner's of the world as I can...YUM.

Tie Dyeing!

2009-07-19T20:55:00.002-06:00

We got some shirts at Mighty Mud Mania and some of the volunteers had dyed their shirts so I thought I should pick up some dye on the way home. I like the Dylon cold water dye better than Rit dye. Just my $0.02. The very white shirts...

Hannah putting the dye on hers...

Simon with Kyle watching...

The shirts "soaking" up the dye.

Hannah's with her 3 favorite colors.

Kyle with his finished shirts.

Hannah & Simon with their finished shirts.

I also dyed some yarn I had floating around in my closet with the left over dye.
The orange is for Hannah for her finger weaving.

Mighty Mud Mania

2009-07-19T08:15:00.006-06:00

I won a raffle at work so I could take a free day off work and take my kids (and one neighbor kid) to Mighty Mud Mania. Here we are all clean and ready to go.
Kyle in the mud.....

Simon before he hit the mud....

and all muddied up....

Kyle watching Simon finish the obstacle course.

All 3 kids at the end after getting a light shower to remove some of the dirt.

It was HOT! Although there was no mud for the parents, I decided to cool off by getting doused with water by the fire hose. It felt SO GOOD!

It was nice that the kids could get a good amount of the mud off them before we left.

Kyle.....

Hannah......

Our bedraggled bunch at the end of the day after hitting the obstacle course and a mud pit or two.

A great morning in the mud.

It's CSA Sunday Again...

2009-07-12T21:25:00.003-06:00

The CSA had floweres this week. I love the fresh flowers.
I got fresh beets last week and this week. I finally used them. I have never made fresh beets before but they are easy. Just boil them, let them cool and the skins come right off. I made a basic salad after they cooked.

Hmm...what could be under the plates??

Tofu (firm tofu). I am trying to eat less meat and so bought tofu to put into a Thai Curry. I read that before use that I should try and get the excess liquid out of it by placing something heavy on it. It came out nicely firm.

Sadly, again.....there was nothing I had to go out and buy when I found a recipe for Thai Coconut Curry with Sweet Potatoes & Spinach. I already had the coconut milk, curry paste,

and fish sauce. A very distinct taste that does make a difference in Asian cooking.

Yum! Lunches for this week.

Like I told someone this week.....I will love you through food but you need to be willing to try new things.

Garage Sale Finds

2009-07-12T19:01:00.002-06:00

I got two side tables from a garage sale for $4 each. Hannah & Simon are in need of night side tables so I knew when I saw them, I could paint them.
Here they are after I finished painting them. Blue for Simon and Orange for Hannah.

Now if only I could find a dresser for Simon.

Not all wine & caviar

2009-07-05T13:20:00.004-06:00

As if it were.......

I love music. Mostly country, 70-80's, light rock and some harder rock. I can listen to a song and tell you how that song related to my life.

I have an ipod full of music that makes me smile.

I'd like to tell you divorce is fun....it is not. The part where you get to 2 years down the road is a good place to be. However, there are still challenges that face you from time to time.

Dating....different than pre-kids and a whole new set of rules. I heard this old song by Garth Brooks recently, Learning to Live Again, and I smiled because for me it is true. Sometimes dating is a challenge and there are days it feels like it is killing me.

A friend of mine has more music than I do and alphabetizes it (What??). When I visited I downloaded the Eagles album, Hell Freezes Over. A great album I remember listening to in grad school in Fargo, ND. (Why yes, the movie Fargo did come out about the time I drove to Phoenix.) However, I never listened to the whole album. One song that I have been enjoying (I love the Eagles anyways) is the song, Learn to Be Still. I smile when I hear it because I spent a lot of years with someone that looked for happiness over "that next green hill" and never found their happiness right in front of them. I try to find happy in every day and find a way to enjoy every day.

A final song for today....is the song, Here, by Rascal Flatts. Yes, I know it about love but I think it is very true about my love for my children. I would not have wished the chaos of divorce and the pain & agony that goes with it on anyone. BUT, I think every step was worth the peace and calm we have in our lives to day so that we can be HERE.

Before you feel bad for me...this is a post about how HAPPY I am in life. I wish I was creative like song writers so I could express myself but I am not, so I love music that helps me crystalize the thoughts floating in my head.

Life is good. ;) Hope you enjoy the music.

Holiday Weekend

2009-07-05T13:06:00.002-06:00

I love Gladiola's...don't ask my why but they are my favorite flower. I know I could pick something super expensive but I really do enjoy them in any color. I found some pretty red ones this weekend. Seemed appropriate for the 4th of July.
I found the cat holding up the bar stool on Thursday afternoon. Kinda looks like she is in jail....

but she isn't. :)

We visited Dad & Linda for lunch on the 4th and then headed north of us for fireworks. However...there meant holding up chairs and waiting. Thank goodness for Nintendo DS.

Here we are about 20 minutes before the fireworks. Thankfully we hit Dairy Queen early before the line got out the door!!!

Don't ya love our new patriotic foldable chairs??? ;)