Into the Frey: 2012

Sunday, December 16, 2012

White Elephant

We had a Christmas party to attend last night. Mike ended up getting sick last minute, so I took Alyssa with me. We had a GREAT white elephant idea...

I got the idea here...but I changed it up a little and added hair to her legs as well. It was HILARIOUS and we had a really fun time!

Merry Shaving to the Blaine's (who had the honor of taking her home)!!

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Hayden got his learner's permit back in March. He was eligible to go take his driving test in September, but with baseball, soccer and school we didn't have much time to go practice parallel parking in preparation for the test. We finally had a couple of weekends to go practice and then yesterday he had a half day of school, so we headed to the MVD to get his license. I didn't realize it until we got there that it was 12.12.12. Now his license will say that until it expires in 2061. Pretty cool!

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Defeat

Garrett's soccer team made it to the district championships again this year. They played against the same team they played last year. It was also the team that his good friend, Z, moved to and his previous coach (Z's dad) was helping to coach. So, it was bittersweet.
The game got started late because the girls' team went into overtime and then penalty shots to decide the winner. Our girls' lost. The boys' game finally got started and it went scoreless, even through overtime. Each team got 5 penalty shots. They missed one, we missed one. They made one, we made one. It went like that through all five! Then it went into sudden death. Again we matched each other for a few goals until finally.....
They made one, and we missed. It was disappointing, but we're happy for Z and his dad! (I was also so cold at this point that I was begging to lose so I could go home. I guess I've already become an AZ wimp. It was probably in the high 40's, but I had taken my coat to the dry cleaners in preparation to go to UT for Christmas and only had a jacket.)
Garrett was disappointed, but not as much as I thought he would be. He didn't feel well before the game even started (Stomach bug) and ended up sitting the whole second half. He said he felt like me and was hoping to lose so he could go home to bed.
Better Luck next time, Mustangs!

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Agreed

We have an old iPod touch. Mike won it in a drawing at work years ago. He passed it along to me when he got an iPhone and I in turn passed it on to the boys when I got my phone. They both love it, so here's the problem...

2 teenage boys + 1 iPod = Big Fight

Last week they came to blows over it. One had the iPod and the other had the charger (and it was nearly dead). They were hiding what they had from each other to keep the other one from using it. I told them to work it out themselves and that there would be no dinner for either of them until they did. (I thought that would speed up the process). Until they came to an agreement, the iPod went into my underwear drawer for safe keeping. (Neither one would ever go looking in there!) They both went to bed that night without dinner. I wish I had a picture of Hayden's face when I called Alyssa down for dinner. He said, "What about me?" with sad, puppy dog eyes. I held firm that night, but then felt so guilty that I made a huge breakfast the following morning. The iPod stayed hidden though until there was a truce.

It took them 8 days to reach a consensus. (I'm so glad I didn't starve them that long!!) I told them to put it in writing for future reference.

Crossing my fingers that we won't have any more iPod issues!!

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

"A light that won't light on one side" ~ Grinch

A little over a month ago we had to take our van in to get the brakes replaced. We decided that while it was in the shop we would get a few other little problems fixed that had been going for a while, but weren't enough to warrant taking it in for just that. One of those little things was that there was a bulb that had burned out behind the heat and a/c panel making it so that the blue/red (hot/cold) light only lit on one side. Not a big deal at all, but it was annoying (to my husband). $3000 later we had new brakes, shocks, struts and a few other little things......

but the light still didn't light on one side. We called and they said to bring it back in. They had misunderstood and replaced the bulbs behind the temperature gauge. I was still on the road, so I turned around and went back. After pulling off the panel they realized they didn't have the right bulbs. They ordered them and told me to come back the next morning. I did, and the bulbs still weren't the right ones. I waited for over 2 hours while they called around to try to find some. They were even going to pull some out of one of the mechanic's Dodge truck to get us by until they could find them, but they didn't fit either. It really wasn't a big deal, but since we had paid $150 for bulbs we wanted it done.

Finally they said they would keep looking for them and give us a call when they did. Fast forward about 5 weeks...

I got a call yesterday that they just ordered a whole new panel, it was in and I could come anytime to get it installed. We now have fully lighting lights and didn't have to pay a dime extra. Yipee!

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Turkeys

My three turkeys went to the park this morning to play football (the "Turkey Bowl") with other turkeys from church. They got sweaty, muddy...

....and hungry for this turkey!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Music

I'm grateful for music!

It makes life so much better. Whether I'm cleaning, driving or attempting to run/jog/walk, it's always a lot easier and more fun if I'm listening to music.

One of my favorite things about Christmas is the music. It brings back so many happy memories when I hear my favorite songs. I even broke down and played a few yesterday while I mopped the floors (which is so against everything I stand for). I just couldn't wait any longer!

I LOVE MUSIC!!!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

In-laws

I'm thankful for my In-laws!

Gary and Cate have been in AZ for the past 2 weeks and it has been so fun to see them! (So fun that I keep forgetting to bring out the camera. These pics are from their last visit in May.) They came to Garrett's soccer game and over to our house for dinner last week. We went to see them last weekend for Cate's awesome manicotti and meatballs, and then made homemade ice-cream. Yesterday Alyssa and I met Cate in Scottsdale for a day of shopping and lunch at the Grand Lux Cafe (Delish!) Tomorrow we will meet them for dinner in Fountain Hills on our way to another fishing tournament in Payson. They are leaving to go home on Saturday and we will miss them greatly until their next visit in the spring.

We love Grandma and Grandpa!

Monday, November 12, 2012

Extreme Measures

I am trying my hand at gardening in Arizona. It's so different from what I'm used to, so it's been interesting. My first struggle was white flies. I had never seen or heard of them before. They are about the size of gnats, are pure white and they love my bean plants. They have pretty much sucked them dry. (You can see the remnants of the beans in the first pic below.) I did a lot of research and tried a few home remedies such as spraying the leaves with a mixture of oil, dish soap and water, and hanging fly paper. I probably killed thousands, but since there were millions, I gave up and let my beans die.

My biggest struggle though has been the neighbor's cats. They use my garden as their personal litter box. (YUCK!) At first we spoke with the neighbor's and they said they would try to keep them in at night, but now the cats use it during the day as well. Again I did some research and tried a few things like sprinkling cayenne pepper and pine cones around to make the smell and texture unappealing. Didn't work.

Next I bought cage wire and spent HOURS cutting every few squares and bending it to make spikes.

At first I felt a little guilty about hurting them. I really am a cat lover! Now the little buggers are maneuvering in between the wire and digging up the plants. I'm so frustrated!

Not sure if I should talk to the owners again, call animal control or send my boys out with a BB gun, but it has got to stop or I'm going to become like this...

I'm thankful for a garden, even if it causes stress. I love going out and picking fresh herbs and veggies.
I'm also thankful for the servicemen who have served our country!

Happy Veteran's Day!

Saturday, November 10, 2012

For the Beauty of the Earth

On the way to Garrett's soccer game we saw this....

and on the way home we saw this....

I'm so grateful for the beauty around us, (no matter where we live.)

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Food

I'm so thankful for FOOD! I love to bake, cook, grocery shop, and especially eat (unfortunately) and so I am so thankful for food.

I have been trying to eat healthier (and less) lately, which is not always fun, but here are a few YUMMY recipes that I have tried and want to share. Click on the name for the link.

Steel cut oatmeal

Spinach Basil Pasta Salad
I made a few changes. I used less basil than it called for. 2 cups seemed like a lot. I just used more spinach instead. I also used 6 oz. of prosciutto because that was the size of package I bought and I didn't want the extra 2 oz. getting bad in the fridge.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Talents

It is November and time to be THANKFUL! I'm jumping on the bandwagon a bit late, but I am very thankful for my many blessings. (I just probably won't be posting every single day.)
This week I have been thinking about talents and how grateful I am that we all have them and we are all unique. Some people make me laugh, some inspire me and some amaze me. Thank you to all who share your talents and make life fun!

This week Mike's third article was published. Next month #4 will come out and he is working on #5 for the beginning of next year. He loves to read and research about anything respiratory and it has made him very good at his job. I'm so grateful for his hard work and for making it possible for me to be home!

On Wednesday there was an awards assembly at the high school. Hayden, once again, received a Scholar of Distinction award for getting straight A's. He amazes me as well! I did well in school, but I didn't take very hard classes to be perfectly honest. Only one AP class throughout all of high school. Hayden is in ALL AP classes and still pulls off good grades. He is so naturally intelligent and is dedicated to whatever he sets his mind to. Way to go Hayden!

Halloween

I'm not the biggest fan of Halloween. I don't hate it, but it's definitely not among my favorite holidays. My kids haven't wanted to dress up or go trick-or-treating for a few years so that certainly takes most of the fun out of it.
This year there was a half day of school on Wednesday and since I have recently began my fall cleaning, I put the kids to work. I gave each of them a wash cloth and assigned them a few room to scrub baseboards. BEST IDEA EVER! The whole house was done in about an hour. I have never enjoyed that job, but it's especially difficult since I hurt my back, so it was nice to get it all done without killing myself. I did help and also scrubbed all the doors and door frames. What a way to celebrate!
Alyssa and I sat outside on the porch in lawn chairs for the evening so we didn't have to keep getting up to answer the door. It was a gorgeous night and we had fun visiting with the trick-or-treaters.
We hope everyone had a very Happy Halloween!

Monday, October 29, 2012

Disappointment

Garrett's soccer season started this past week. He is playing for the school that he attended last year. His coach, who was also the coach of his recreational league and indoor soccer team, had to resign at the last minute due to a job change. Garrett was very disappointed. To make matters worse, the coach's son (a good friend of Garrett's) is now playing for another school since he was only allowed to play here because his dad was coaching.

Then to top it all off, his very first game was against the team that this friend is now on AND THEY KILLED US! 5-0.

Thankfully we won our second game and things are looking sunny again. Garrett did say that he likes the new coach so far, if only for the fact that he moved him to mid-fielder and he gets to see a little more action. He was getting bored with only being a defender.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Payson

We spent another weekend in Payson, AZ. It is becoming one of our favorite places to get away. Garrett had a scout Camporee at Camp Geronimo, just north of Payson. They left on Friday afternoon. The rest of us headed up after Mike flew in from Minnesota later that evening. (We went because Hayden had another fishing tournament early Saturday morning.)

We stayed at the Best Western this time instead of the "Spider Inn" near the lake. MUCH nicer!! Hayden's fishing partner lives in Payson and was able to swing by the hotel at 3:30 am and pick Hayden up for the tournament so we didn't have to make the 45 minute drive. We were SOOOooooooo grateful!!

After going back to bed for a few hours, Mike, Alyssa and I had breakfast and then went antiquing.

We didn't buy anything this time around, but we had fun looking. After lunch at the Buffalo Grill (fabulous) we headed down to the lake to meet Hayden as they came back in. This time the weather was much better~ sunny skies and no wind.

They caught their limit this time, but they were all much smaller fish. Poor Hayden didn't get any, his partner caught them all. They came in 3rd place.

But, we all had a good time and are even contemplating buying a bass boat. We'll be doing it all again in November....

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Do or Die

I absolutely HATE running/jogging!

I always have. I remember in high school P.E. class we had to run the mile and a half each term as part of our grade. We were timed and then graded according to our time. I would walk it and get a D every time.... and I didn't care. I think the reason my GPA was 3.94 instead of 4.0 at the end of high school was because of those mile and a half runs (and calculus).

This totally sums up my feelings!

So, it will totally shock you to learn that I have this app on my phone now. No, I didn't change my mind about running. No, I don't really plan on running a race. I still think people who do are CRAZY! (To all my runner family and friends~ I still love you, but you're NUTS!)

A few weeks ago I had my annual visit to the gynecologist. She wanted me to have a bone density scan in addition to a mammogram this year. I thought it was a little early (and so did the tech doing the scan), but I do have medical reasons to be at risk and it was intended to be a baseline for the future.
To my surprise (and I think the doctor's as well) my score came back showing osteopenia, which means not quite osteoporosis yet, but on it's way there if I don't do something about it. The doctor recommended doubling up on my calcium supplements and running. Really? I asked if there was ANYTHING ELSE I could do besides running, but she said that was the best weight bearing exercise.
I already walk and it's not helping so, I guess I have to suck it up and run. Today was day one of week one and I survived. We'll see if I change my mind about running by the end of the 8 week training. (Probably not.)

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Here we go again!

Remember this kids who was in a sling just a month ago?

Well his arm is better, but....

This week he was playing basketball at the church before mutual and sprained his foot and ankle. So another trip to the doctor for another Dr.'s note to get out of gym.
He might have to get a job to pay his medical bills, or stop playing sports!

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Twenty-One

My sweet Alyssa turned 21 this past week. When I was just a little older than she is now, I got pregnant with her. WOW!

She had a friend over on her actual Birthday. They had a good time swimming, eating, laughing, and giving each other a manicure.

On Friday we celebrated as a family with her favorite dinner (chicken parmesan, broccoli and Italian bread), opening presents...

(She has had these are her wish list for a very long time! She also got some clothes and a display case for the porcelain doll she got for graduation.)

and an Oreo ice-cram cake.

Happy Birthday Alyssa!

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Chilly and chili

It has still been over 100 degrees this week, so I can't say it's CHILLY, but last night I took the kids to the pool after dinner and it was a bit cool for their liking. I was fine, because I walk laps and like it cool, but they were shivering. We'll have to make sure we go during the day from now on.
On that note, even though it's not really chilly, this time of year makes me want to start eating chili and other yummy soups. I tried a new recipe this week and I thought I would share. I have a winning chili recipe, which I make when Mike is home. He doesn't like beans so it's an all meat recipe. In fact it takes about 4 lbs. of different meats to make a pot, so it not exactly for the healthy calorie counter. This is a healthy, full of vegetables version that I found on the Dr. Oz website and tweaked a little (like I always do). It was very yummy!
The original recipe can be found here, and these are my changes.

3 Bean Chili~

Although it doesn't say to (and it adds a few calories) I sprayed the pan with non-stick cooking spray before adding the tofu. (Make sure you follow the instructions about freezing and thawing it. It crumbles nicely and resembles cous cous. No one even suspected it was tofu instead of meat.)
I used a food chopper to chop the veggies really fine. I wanted it to look like chili and not vegetable soup with beans. I think I only used one zucchini instead of 2.
After adding everything, I thought it was too dry and that there was no way it would simmer for 2 hours without scorching the bottom of the pan. I added a 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes in addition to the 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes. It was the perfect consistency.
I used regular beans rather than the no-salt added. I also added some salt and pepper. I don't like things really salty, but I don't like them bland either and no one in this house is on a low salt diet, so I seasoned to taste.
To serve, I sprinkled a very small amount of grated cheddar. Again adds a few calories, but it was so good!
Next time I would probably add another can of green chilies or a jalapeño pepper. I thought it was perfect as is, but it was very mild and my boys like a little kick.

I LOVE FALL!!

(Even when it's still hot.)

Monday, October 1, 2012

WE went camping!

Campers we are NOT!

But, this past weekend our ward had a campout and we decided to go for one of the 2 nights. (If the Relief Society president can go with her 7 kids of which the youngest are 14 months and 1 month, we have NO excuse.)

Mike flew in from Texas early Thursday morning and we headed straight to the camp ground, which was about 30 minutes east of Payson, AZ. There were 2 families who had gone up on Wednesday night, and we were the third to arrive.

South end of the camp ground.

Mike wanted to set up our tent right here in the field next to the parking lot so we didn't have to carry our stuff so far. I said if we are going to do this we have to do it right and set up in the trees.

North end of the camp ground.

There was a nice big pavilion with 6 tables, a fire pit and grill.

About 10 minutes away was a beautiful lake that had just been stocked with trout.

After setting up our tent we went fishing for the afternoon and caught our dinner.

Hayden caught a fish with almost every cast. Garrett caught a few as well.

We came back to more arrivals, some of whom had set up their tents right where Mike wanted to. Oh well, I still liked our spot best!

We played games, ate trout, roasted marshmallows, had a manhunt with airsoft rifles, and sat around the campfire talking til all hours of the night....

A good time was had by all, even though it got REALLY cold during the night and a herd of elk kept us awake with their bugling.

We camped and we survived!