Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Chicken Fart



We went to Sophia's friend's birthday party this weekend. It was really fun, the kids decorated gingerbread houses and were generally raucous for hours.



Sophia grew tired of working on the house and decided to eat hers within 10 minutes. What an angel.

Following gingerbread house time the kids all got on adult shoulders. One parent said "I wasn't expecting a chicken fight!" and it was GAME-OVER. The kids (okay, Sophia) started screaming CHICKEN-FART over and over for the next hour. There was a brief interlude where we called out BIRTHDAY CAKE but it didn't really catch on. Chicken Fart is all the rage and is sweeping the nation...Just like Baby Fish Mouth.





Tuesday, November 9, 2010

My dearest Tasha, I'm so jazzed

It's your birthday-CELEBRATE!

I want you to start out by choosing to have the best year EvAr! I know that you can be the best Legal Assistant, Kwilter, SugHo Krew Cyclist, Person With Better Plans, Scrapbooker, Rollerbladerer that you ever set your mind out to be. Let's do it, girl. Kick some ass! I can't believe how incredible it is to have you as a tier-one-friend. It was destined to be..we can't leave each other....don't let Steve and Rich know.

I'm reusing this pic. I love it.

Awwww!


Wuv! Twue Wuv!

Monday, October 18, 2010

3rd Half Marathon of 2010!

I did another half-marathon this weekend, The Other Half in Moab, Utah. I did this with my friend Tina and also Leslie (although Leslie is a rockstar and ran!). I convinced Tina ten weeks before the race to actually sign up. She hadn't been running or training, but I thought she could do it...and she did!

We drove down Saturday morning. This is the first time that Steve and I have driven down since having our kid, Monster. This is also the first time that we have driven down during the day (another story!) We honestly didn't realize what a short drive it was, just 4 hours. Whoodathunkit?

The drive was beautiful. I was really sad that we haven't done this more. Just more proof that the people who live an area don't always appreciate it. We stayed at the Red Stone Inn. It's a great Motel on Main street close to everything. There is a winery and a brewery in town that we didn't visit this time but I would highly recommend it.

Tina arrived around 5:30 pm so we had about an hour to pick up our registration packets, have our spaghetti dinner (delicious!) and go to bed. Nighty-night!

6:00 am the alarm goes off...put on shirt...put on pants...answer text message...Leslie is go-getter and already there...why is it so early...and cold...how can 47 degrees in Moab feel so different than 47 degrees in Boise?

I walk to the hotel next door and got on a bus. Sit down and we get moving. The ladies behind me are talking a mile a minute. I'm not awake yet so I barely acknowledge the woman next to me. The bus keeps driving and driving. About half an hour in the lady behind me says "here's the finish line!". What? We've been driving FOREVER. "How much further?" I'm thinking-because it's so early I don't think "duh, 13.1 miles". The sun starts peeking over the park. My God it is glorious. I only had my iPhone so I couldn't get any pictures from the bus.

I get off the bus and it's colder than before! I might not make it. Why didn't I bring a drop bag? Why didn't I wear the long sleeve tech shirt they gave us? Too late now, just grab a coffee, (there is coffee at the Moab runs, Angry Runner)mix it with hot chocolate, stand by one of the fire pits and look around for Leslie. When I can't find Leslie I decide to use the DJ to my advantage. I ask him to page Leslie. There she is 4 feet away from me. Yay! Hugs and more fun and freezing.

We get in line for the potty. Start to freak a little bit, how are we going to get this done walking? I didn't mention before that we were walking since I convinced Tina ten weeks before to do this and she hadn't been running. There is a 3 1/2 hour time limit. There is a sweeper van. OMG!! THERE IS A SWEEPER VAN!! I don't want to get swept up!

We start-we are running-Leslie is on her way! Go LCP! I'm crossing my fingers that she gets her best time yet. This is the third half we have done together. She was my inspiration at Riverton and Salt Lake so, GO GIRL!

We run past the Start line and slow to a 15 minute mile walk. This is how we are going to make it before the Sweeper Van. SWEEPER VAN!

It's beautiful. It's so freakin' beautiful. We are walking along the river and it's gorgeous. I get passed by Grandma. A GRANDMA! A fer-reals, 80 year old, curved spine grandma. She is kicking ass and taking names. I look at Tina and she looks at me. We pick it up. We are then passed by a woman about 35 to 40 and I tell Tina that's the woman we are going to keep up with-not Grandma because she's too fast.

There are aid stations at every two miles. It's great! They actually have water unlike the Salt Lake Marathon (I did the half there)
where they ran out of water. Repeat-RAN OUT OF WATER-I was running that one and at the 6 mile aid station (loosely stated there) they ran out of water. A kind woman was filling bottles with her filtered fridge water. Thanks, Kind Woman!

We stop at the 4 mile aid station for another potty break. We lose our advantage. Ack! We need to catch up to yellow shirt and Grandma. We get moving. A pregnant woman passes us. This really gets us going-also Dr Feelgood comes up on my shuffle. We kick it up and pass the pregnant woman, pass the group of four wearing all black, pass another person and now we are passing Grandma. Kick ass!

Grandma passes us.

Mile 6 I hand out Shot-blocks. It's starting to hurt. Mile 7 there is a guy and his son with a cow bell-Go us! Mile 7.5 there is a hill. If you've looked at the course the elevation gets serious at mile 7 and it doesn't stop. The beauty of the park keeps you going though.There's a woman with a bell who tells us that it's all "down river" from here. Get it! Down river and not down hill!

Mile 10 and Tina stops talking to me. I warned her ahead of time. I offer her a Shot-blok and keep going. Mile 12 and the drummers are in full force! Yay for drummers! Tina takes the last Shot-blok. I had warned her that she needed them when she really wanted to cry. No crying yet.

Mile 12 and the police come by and tell us to go single file so we don't get run over. They had opened the roads. Oh dear. Just have to make it. We can see the finish line! We can see it. I can't wait! We turn in, we are on our way. The people wearing all black run past us-Grandma's friends are waiting and start walking with her. We are doing this. It's taking forever! Final turn. Steve is there with Monster! He made it! We start running! Go! WE CROSS! (3:32:Something they took the overall down)So great...so great...I can't believe that we did it. I'm waiting for Tina to cry-no crying. The medal is great. Free beer is great. Seeing Leslie is great!

I forget how you can't do anything after this. I would love to talk to Leslie (2:43:04!)but I can't. Monster is making me push her up on a rock, Steve runs the 1.5 miles to the car and we head home. NAP.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Boise, You Rule! Who knew?!


I went to Boise this week for an ICD-10 training with a couple of coworkers. We stayed at the Hampton Inn Downtown. I've never stayed in the downtown area. It was AWESOME! It's partly a historic district and it's all super pedestrian/bicycle friendly. There were bicycles everywhere. We would walk past a bar and 35 bicycles-well, fixies-were locked up outside. These people are serious.

I met up with my Aunt Elicia and Uncle Ralph who I haven't seen in 3 years. 3 years? I can't believe I haven't been there since baby girl was 6 months old. We chatted for hours! It was a great visit since I didn't have to share with the rest of my family. ;) I'm thinking I need to do this a lot more and maybe I'll bring Monster and Steve.

Everywhere the group of us ate was fantastic. Bardenay, Solid, Asiago's, Bittercreek Ale House, Cottonwood Grille were all outstanding. I was so sad to leave! There were more to try. We were all talking about plans to come back with family for fun.

The other fun thing about downtown is the painted electrical boxes. I only got a shot of one-it's the awesome owls at the start of this.

There's more...I'm just too tired.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Dress Up?

Leslie and I discussed wearing a crazy outfit to The Other Half in October. I'm thinking it sounds a little fun. Has anyone out there dressed up in some sort of crazy outfit for a race? Is 13 miles too long to run in a tutu? I'm just curious.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Moab Training

I'm in training for the Moab Other Half. It's been going "okay". I've only run 3 times in the last two weeks (if you don't count running to first base for kickball) and I'm hoping for the best. My foot is bugging me, which is too be expected with the vampire tooth causing the worst heel pain ever.

This doesn't bode well.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

I know I'm snarky..

but
I love my family (even you, baby Coco)
I love all my friends
I love my job
I love my house
I love my car that keeps on going (even though I want it to die!)
I love that we pulled 10 snails off of the garden 15 seconds after we came home
I love that Sophia checked my butt for ticks
I love that Tivo recorded the new Jersey Shore
I love Twitter and Facebook because I get all of it delivered to me

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Roughing it

We are on our way to Yellowstone! Here's a shot of Sophia roughing it in the backseat of the wagon. She's plating Jirbo Match on the iPad. Sometimes it's just so hard for these kids.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

How do you get rid of rocks?

Steve keeps gathering rocks up from the backyard in some sort of deranged effort to rid the yard of bumps. He spent a good two hours gathering rocks into these two planters. He wants to know how you get rid of rocks, can you throw them in the garbage can? That's where I know he's truly lost it. How can he not understand the beautiful rock sculptures I can make from these things? I can plant lettuce next year and mark where they are instead of accidentally ripping them up a week later because I think they are weeds. Oh friends, I cant wait to show you the path through the backyard that I decorate with these babies. No! I can line the chicken coop with rocks! Oh, the possibilities!

Friday, July 16, 2010

Arts Festival

Clara contemplates the artist's skills.

Sophia with her usual crazy face

We are ladybugs!





The girls talked and talked and threw pine cones at us. It was a pretty nice evening with the Neubert family!

Friday, July 9, 2010

Chickety-chickens!

I recently visited a bunch of chicken coops on Wasatch Community Garden's Tour de Coop. I wanted to see how other people in town were keeping their chickens so I could get some ideas on what I would need Steve to build. These first two photos are of my favorite coop. This is Tasha's old neighbor's coop. They are quite good gardeners and have two bee hives as well. The coop was built last year and then they built the cover for the run before winter. They used to let the chickens run through the garden but the chickens started to eat everything so this run was built with access to the compost heap.

This is the Taj Mahal of chicken coops. This guy had so many birds! There were ducks and chickens running all over. The area that was given over to the birds was enormous!

All in all I figured out that the chickens will like whatever you make them as long as they have a place to roost, they are safe from predators and you feed them properly. No longer as scary as I thought it could be.

Friday, June 18, 2010

My first quilt, Fer Shizzle!

These are some seriously bad photos of my first quilt, but I don't care. Here it is! I picked it up from the quilter, Cindy Leon, today and I'm in love.
As usual, I questioned all my choices as soon as I saw it quilted but now I'm sold. I love the brown thread! I'm hoping to finish the binding in a few weeks and then I'll wear it as a cape/wrap dress/shawl everywhere I go.

I heard a Peter Murphy song on the way back from the quilter's and I wondered how I had become a crazy quilter who works in health insurance and plays kickball once a week. Who cares? I finished (nearly) a whole quilt!

Sunday, June 13, 2010

What a day

I finished mom's birthday present, a lovely purple sling purse.
Steve cut down a bunch of tree limbs so you can see our lovely house.
I weeded and cut down bushes that I hate.
I planted lettuce.
Steve rented a wood chipper and chipped the hell out of the branches.
Dinner was made; grass-fed cheeseburgers, black bean tacos, strawberry and arugula salad.
Wii Resort played until I hurt myself canoeing.
The movie Milk watched.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Chickens

I am getting chickens. Backyard chickens. Real frickin' chickens who lay eggs for me and my friends. Fer reals.

Tonight I was invited by Tracy to visit her friend, Mike, who has had chickens for 4 months. This is his coop and his lovely birds. Check it out! There is a beautiful tree in the middle!
Mike had a new baby, he had accidentally gotten a rooster before. Mike is going to name him 'Roo in reference to the rooster that he had traded in (apparently there's a "crazy chicken lady" who will take these birds).I can't wait for the chickens! I've been checking out some coops, got a book on farming in the urban jungle and will be attending "chicken week". Steve is waiting for this to die out but the obsession will live on!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Mmm, dinner

I was so hungry when I got home I was hoping that Steve would call and say he was picking something up. Too bad I didn't put that out into the cosmos earlier in the day because he was nearly home when I called. I decided to make the first few things that were I saw in the fridge.

The first was left over salad from the day before, not really worth showing you here. The second was asparagus. The trimmed asparagus was placed in a pan of water with about 2 tablespoons of butter, pepper and some lemon juice. I cook this until the color becomes a rich green. I don't know what it is about cooking it this way but I usually eat a couple before serving it to anyone. It is so good!


The second item was a little experiment. I took some frozen hash browns and baked them at 450 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Then I whisked 12 eggs with 2 cups of sharp cheddar and pepper. I had some frozen breakfast turkey sausage which I sauteed with green onion. Once I realized that wouldn't be enough I took the Aidell's sausage I had left over from a barbecue on Saturday and sliced that up as well. This was all mixed together and poured over the hash browns.

Waiting....


It was pretty good, but not as flavorful as I thought it would be. It needs more onion and some green pepper in the mix. I added a side of salsa and it definitely made all the difference. Now I have leftovers for the week.



Monday, May 10, 2010

Delicious Dinner

The new issue of Vegetarian Times showed up a few days ago and I decided to try a few of their recipes tonight. The first was Hawaiian-style Sweet-and-Sour Roasted Pineapple and Bell Peppers. I grabbed the pre-cubed pineapple pieces from the grocery store to save some time.



I roasted this for 30 minutes. With the following result.

The smell is amazing! I was a little worried that Steve wouldn't like it because it would be too sweet. I had mine with brown rice and Steve had his with some sort of curry rice he had made a few days ago. It was great! I would recommend this to anyone who is not opposed to a vegetarian meal.

The second item was a strawberry cobbler. I don't know how I could have another bite after the pineapple and peppers, but it was worth it. This was really easy to make and the majority of time was spent in the oven (always a plus for me).

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Nobody can resist

This is Steve playing Plants vs Zombies at swim lessons. He always
made fun of me for loving my iPhone and overusing it but now this all I see. His head
bent over a little screen tapping madly to kill the zombies.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

I got a prezzy!

Recently my friend, Tina, asked for my address again because she
"lost" it. It was all a ruse to send me a fabulous necklace! Hooray!

Now I'm just outside showing it off to the neighbors.

Super Fun Birthday Party


Sophia was invited to a birthday party for Emily (cute girl from daycare) and it was a great party. The theme was Spongebob and the entertainment were some fuzzy and not so fuzzy animals.

Wild Things brought a bunny, snake, hedgehog, dove and lizard. The kids loved it. Everyone got a chance to pet the animals or shriek in terror.




Sophia, looking off into the distance


Spongebob cake pops. These were homemade by Emily's aunt. Scrumptious!

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Breakfast with the Easter Bunny


We are the two cutest gals in cutesville!


Where's the bunny's boyfriend? Why was there only a girl Easter bunny?


I love mac & cheese on pancakes!


Talking


Talking


Cheese!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Seriously, heel pain?

I believe I have plantar fasciitis. This sucks, yo. The recommendation for treatment is that you stay off the foot and do some stretches. How am I supposed to keep training? Maybe I can start swimming. I'm no good at swimming, but I think that's my only option. Bah! I was going to do more racing! Wah!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

So I wasn't last...part 2

Okay, so all those people (3) are cheering and trying to get the last of us to get moving.  I finally leave behind the other slow people and really pick up the pace.  Round the right corner, round the right corner, another corner and  I'll be going in a circle, bah!  I am second guessing my choice to pick up the pace.

I finally make a left and there is the finish line.  Now I'm getting all emotional (because I have been unemotional for the last half hour) and would like for there to only be strangers at the end so no one has to see me cry.  I can see that this is not going to be possible because there is a little jumping pink shirt ahead waving.

Leslie is cheering and I'm choking back tears and she starts to run along side of me.  Double Bah!  I cross the finish line at 3:05:28.  I wish I had pictures of the maze I had to walk through.  I know it would be useful when there are 400 racers finishing at the same time but this is not one of those times.

Rick takes some photos and I drag my butt to the food that they have set out.  I grab an orange slice and IT IS THE MOST DELICIOUS THING I HAVE EVER HAD.  I mean this thing is better than the sandwich they gave me at the hospital after being in labor for 22 hours.

Free massage..I could use one of those...They hand me a paper ask me to fill out my name and address.  Apparently the ability to write is one of those things that you lose when you are exhausted and dehydrated.  My hand is shaking and I ask the woman 3 times how much I have to fill out.  I guess I was hoping that she would tell me that I didn't have to fill out anything.

Once the massage was complete I took a bunch of oranges (THE BEST ORANGES IN THE WORLD!) and sat in my car eating for half an hour. I was getting orange juice all over myself but I didn't care, I took my orange juice/sweat soaked self to La Fronter for lunch.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

So I wasn't last...part 1

Leslie and I met at 8:30 on Saturday. There were lots of professional runners out there who ran, RAN, to the race. THEY RAN TO THE RACE. Ha! It's funny to watch the super runners with legs that are bigger than my head walk to the same starting line as us.

The wind was so extreme it felt like 10 degrees.  Even with a headband and gloves I was miserable.  Leslie didn't have either so I don't know how she was keeping a smile on her face.  After sitting in my car watching everyone warm up we walked to the starting line.  As we are marching in place, Leslie turns and says "Is now a good time to tell you this is really hilly?" with a big shit eating grin on her face.  I just wave off the comment.

We start!  We are at the back.  We are WAY at the back.

Two women in running skirts keep passing us then start walking after they pass us.  This goes on for 4 miles.  To make up for my annoyance (75 passings) the one on the right has her skirt fall off.  Then my pants fall down.  I resolve to buy new pants, this is still not done and the Salt Lake half is in two more sleeps.

We run into the river bottoms and then out for our first hill.  It really sucks.  We pass running skirt girl number 1 who is waiting for her friend to get whatever she needs from her house.  Yes, she stopped at her house.

Back along the same way we came....

Run into river bottoms again, this time on a steep grade with switchbacks down the hill to a long bridge/trail through a marsh.  Mile 5 and we find the "unfinished" part of the trail.  This equates to a .75 mile bit of muddy construction area.  Leslie and I walk.

Running again, feeling kind of good, not hating everyone yet.

Another hill comes up.  All have been steep and this is no different.  We pass the 7 mile point and I must walk.  I have no resolve but Leslie does and she shuffles on ahead.  I make it to the top and try to suck it up.  Leslie is upbeat and I'm thinking we can make it.

Mile 9 ahead and Leslie announces "Look alive, Rick is taking pictures".  Leslie's husband is meeting us at this point to cheer and all I can think is "bathroom!"  After the potty break I try to get going and it's not possible.  I wave Leslie on with a scowl and angry hand motions.   Running skirt girls have passed us.

Mile 10 and I'm depressed.  This is much harder and hillier than expected, it's about 20 degrees and I'm walking.  I call Tasha to complain who offers to pick me up.  I refuse because I'd rather have my internal pity party.

Mile 10.5 and I notice that they are starting to clean up the water table.  Then I'm passed by the truck picking up the signs marking the turns runners should take.  I realize that I've got to get to the finish line. To get to the finish line I have to go up another steep switch back.  I'm trying not to cry/swear loudly/freeze.

Finally on the last 2 miles.  I'm determined to beat the woman ahead of me.  She has been stopping to have her friends take pictures of her along the way.  I have to beat her!  I focus on this instead of the fact that I can't see Leslie's pink top anymore.

Good lord, there are still people trying to rally us at the last half mile and I start up again.  For some reason I don't want them to be disappointed.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Le Art Show

Sophia's art is on display at the U of U Union yet again. The
reception was filled with brownies, chips and lemonade. I had a chat
with Xander's parents and met Luke's family as well. It's always nice
to get to meet the parents since I am not in charge of pick up and
drop off.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Riverton Half Marathon Part 1


Tomorrow morning I will be running the Riverton Half Marathon with my friend and running mate, Leslie Perea. Our plan is to finish and give us a base line to beat at the Salt Lake Half Marathon. We decided to do this spur of the moment on Thursday afternoon so I haven't had the time to get worked up over it. More to come after tomorrow's adventure.


Monday, March 15, 2010

my S

Tonight Sophia was shouting out "Thats my green S!" "Thats my red S!". She loves to point out the letter s. When Steve reminded her that his name starts with an S she flipped. No! She told him that his name starts with an A. No correction would be accepted. Steve jokingly asked "Are you breathing my air?". "NO!" then began the heavy breathing from the car seat to prove that she was breathing her own air.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Super Sleepy

I was making dinner when Steve called out from the living room, "how long should I let her sleep?" This is what I saw when I walked around the corner.

Sophia had asked Steve to sit on the floor and watch TV just ten minutes before. Apparently she was a little sleepy. She slept until 9 (I may have joined her for part of it) which made bedtime exciting. It's 11:19 and she is still awake and calling out to us!

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Tasha's Favorite



Tasha makes me drive to Quilts Etc in Sandy to see this quilt. She loves it. She is thinking of running away to Mexico with it.

Dorrie the Witch

Little Baby Stevie has been looking for Dorrie the Witch books since he found out that I was pregnant. These were his favorite books when he was a child and he was dismayed to discover that they were out of print. His mom found a copy of one of the books at a garage sale recently and he has been reading it to Sophia every night. Sophia gets a little scared because one of the witches yells, but she still asks for the book all the time.

I told Steve that the were starting to reprint some of the books and he laughed at me. He's ordered everything available and they will be here Friday. His quest for these books will never die.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Roller Derby


My Big Happy Family attended the local roller derby match on Saturday with Greg and Jessica. It was our first time attending such an event and it turned out to be pretty interesting. I was a little disappointed that the seats weren't stadium style (what's up with that?) but we were in the back and standing up was okay.



Once we figured out how the game worked, thanks Google, it got pretty exciting and I found myself cheering loudly for our local Midnight Terror Jammer. Sophia was her regular disinterested self and ran around the lobby forcing Steve to take the stairs until they were both sweaty. Our lives are so interesting.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Independent

Sophia woke up this morning and hopped on the couch for some cartoons.
Steve asked if she wanted to sit with him and get a hug and this is
what he gets in return. I love that he gets the brush off too.