Tucson part II

Me 'n Jason on the veranda at the Signature Grill...I thoroughly enjoyed eating lunch out in the fresh air!

Ok, so I'm going to try and sum up mine and Jason's little venture down to Tucson 2 weeks ago...obviously we survived and didn't go down in a flame of fiery glory in an airplane crash, like I seemed to envision every now and then while up in the air...I'm probably one of those people who SHOULDN'T fly, as I tend to have a wee bit more anxiety than the average person! lol

Enough about me...well, let's just say the morning we were to leave, my boys weren't the nicest of boys (at least my oldest wasn't) and that just made it that much easier to walk out the door, say BYE! and get a couple of days of PEACE!! Holy crap, wasn't the best of heartfelt exits, but maybe I needed that kind of an ending to a beginning of (almost 3) kid-free days, and I really could have used 1, maybe 2 more on top of that to recharge my mommy batteries...but hey! beggars can't be choosers so I'll take what I can get!


My Delta cookie :)



This was only the 3rd time I've flown in my life, so I have to say I'm just in awe at the beautiful views down below when you're tens of thousands of feet up in the air! I just kept snapping away in the airplane and I'm sure the passengers around me thought I was a little ridiculous...but then again, I suppose in my mind I was living like it was my last day on earth! I couldn't resist taking picture of some of God's great creations from a different angle.




Afterall I was in an airplane and airplanes do crash sometimes, and I was pretty sure I would be the one to end up dying that way...so I figured I'd have lots of pics to have of my last minutes on earth to share with the world!!! And then we landed in Tucson :D

Tucson city limits...pretty much a desert. Not much green in sight!


Some kind of mining pit...or the world's largest sink drain!


WHAT THE...?!? Apparently the Tucson airport shares it's lanes with the military jets...good to know we weren't in the midst of a war or attack :)





We stayed at an amazing resort called Starr Pass at the JW Marriott. Wow. Didn't have the most expensive room, but it was perfect for us and we had a beautiful view of the hills and cacti (that's plural for cactus, you know).



The first day we got there was on Sunday, and we basically just relaxed in our room, went to a business meet and greet and ordered room service...ahhh, and all kid-free! I just want to make one thing clear, though: I LOVE LOVE LOVVVVVE my kids...so much!! But becoming a stay-at-home mommy has been a wonderful yet sometimes, rude awakening to the demands of being a mom and having to pretty much be the one to hold down the fort!

A few view of our room...




A waterslide our boys would TRULY appreciate...too bad they were a few hundred miles away from it! mwuahahahaha



View to a kill from our room...yes, you CAN golf in winter if you go a few hundred miles south :)


Lunch at the Signature Grill....my sweet hubby and his yummy salad



Me and my salad...yummy...not me, the salad :)




Our pigeon friends we had lunch with: Larry & Barry~ haha! They quite enjoyed the free lunch they were getting out of me!



Some of the pretty vegetation of the desert region:




Don't TOUCH


Wow, this cactus really magnifies the fact that I AM vertically challenged :)




So I've definitely learned over the years to take advantage of any little break I can get from them because then I can get that quiet time to myself and get away from all the noise and chaos, and come back re-energized and ready to go full speed ahead all over again!

Monday Jason had his seminar meetings to go to, so I woke up when I wanted, headed to the gym and had a great workout, then stretched outside in the warm SUN! It was wonderful...came back to the room and had a nice warm bath and was actually able to read my book and just take as long as I wanted...SO nice. We met up with some clients later on for a drink (virgin for me) and then went back to our room until dinnertime.

We went to an AMAZING restaurant called Primo that was in the restaurant...they have all kinds of organic dishes and grow the veggies and herbs that they use, out in a little garden adjacent to the restaurant. They use local products as much as possible and they served them in a really creative way.


Us at Primo restaurant

Later that night we met up with a couple of people who work for CLVS and sat outside around the chimnea and chatted it up for a couple of hours...wow it got cold out!! Strange how the desert can be so arid, dry and hot in the day but FREEEEZING at night. So we went in when I couldn't feel my toes anymore :)

The next day Jason had a couple of more seminars, but got to take a break for lunch and we went to a restaurant called Catalina BBQ and Sports Bar. The chef has been featured on The Food Network so we thought we'd give it a try. It sat right next to the golf course and we were able to sit outside to eat because afterall, we were in the far Southwest and could enjoy it being in the 70's :)


A hungry little bee...look a little closer :)

They have a roadrunner on site...Yes, a roadrunner; they are, in fact, REAL!! He came up while we were eating and the waitress said that he is a 'regular' and will pose for a picture if you feed him! So I threw him a piece of toast and yep! He definitely stood there and posed for me so I could take a picture, he was so cute. And he had a name! Jasper, haha :)


Just me...


Me and Jason


Crazy Tucson mountain skyline at dusk




So as all good things come to an end, so did our mini-trip down to Tucson have to end eventually...After lunch we went back to the hotel and I sat outside the hotel on the patio and read and at choco sunflower seends while Jason went to his last meeting...ahhh, one of the best parts of the trip for me, just to relax and be with my own thoughts :) I put in my earphones to block out the vulgar phone conversation some Big-O tire redneck-exec was having with someone and just enjoyed the lovely AZ weather.

So off we went to the airport and turned in our rental back in and waited to get on our plane...in the meantime we enjoyed some downtime with Pegasus :) Can't wait to do it again with my honey!!

At the airport to go home, boo :(


Dang, I'm a poser!




Plane ride home...what else do I have to do other than take pictures?? :)



Almost home! Approaching the Salt Lake Valley at night...


Touchdown to the ground at the airport...what a beautiful sight to see, the American flag to welcome us back home!

Tucson part I

So the hubby and I are going to Tucson this weekend, kid-free, for 2 nights and 3 days, woo-hoo!!! At least, that's what I initially thought when it was proposed to me that I escort him on his business trip...

Fast forward 2 months later and I'm starting to see that maybe the whole preparation part is way more work than this little impromptu trip is going to be worth!!!

Not that I don't need, or DESERVE to get away from my little chillins for a couple of days, but holy crapola, there is so much involved in trying to get everything situated just so they are accounted for while I'm gone, sheesh!

The last time Jason and I were gone longer than just an overnighter, which is totally doable for me, was when our 2nd baby was well, just a baby! 18 months a baby...but they weren't in school, they didn't have friends who would more than likely be calling to come over and hang out with, etc. etc. etc.! That's the part that is really getting to me with this whole planning process...SCHOOL!!! Effin' school. I suppose I wouldn't be ranting on so, had we been going when they were OUT of school...but life goes on whether we like it or not, hehe :)

Today I'm making homemade chicken NOODLE soup...notice the emphasis on NOODLE, as we normally make Chicken Matzoball Soup, mmm, mmm, mmmmmmm...for those of you who don't know what a flippin' matzoball is, let me briefly explain: Matzo is what is served during Passover in Jewish tradition. It's similar to ground up breadcrumbs, as it's made with wheat, but it is 'kosher', as I'm sure most of you already have seen the little "k" symbol on a lot of meat and dairy products, which means it's been blessed by a rabbi, and therefore, "kosher".


Here is a picture of matzoballs...not mine, but you get the idea...kinda like a dumpling.

So for a while I was getting the matzomeal from Albertson's over in Lehi...but when they sold out and sold themselves over to Fresh Market, I assumed they wouldn't have the matzomeal anymore, since none of the other stores carry the damn stuff...there just aren't enough Jews living in Utah to create the demand to put the stuff on the shelves so that Jamie Bohn, non-jew can make a delicious homemade chicken MATZOBALL soup for her Jewish husband and half-jewish children to eat and RAVE about :D

I suppose I will be able to say, to be continued...on this one and I really need to stop assuming Fresh Market doesn't carry the matzomeal and go in and check for myself.

Wow, so I really went off about the soup, but I guess I felt it was of utmost importance that I explain why Chicken noodle just isn't quite as good as Chicken matzoball soup...and if you don't believe me you'll have to come over and try a bite...that is, if I ever do find what I'm looking for!

So Chicken NOODLE soup is simmering on the stove and my house smells like a yummy garlic factory...I'm going to make a meatloaf and freeze it so my mom can just pull it out, thaw, and bake so it comes out hot and fresh.

I went off of a website that gives some advice on what to do to get ready to leave your children for a few days...good info so I'll share it with ya'll:

www.parenting.families.com/blog/leaving-your-child-while-on-vacation

Basically I made lists for my mom, who is kind and BRAVE enough to come and stay with our boys for the time we're gone, so she really can't pretend that I didn't leave her with a BACKUP plan with each one of these sweet children of mine :)

I think it would have been REALLY helpful if God had sent one of these down with each one of my kids, would have been nice to know just what to do with these alien creatures of mine, sometimes :)

I also made up menu lists for each day and am pre-making the dinners so it's easier on my mom to feed our little army, and I also know they are eating healthy stuff that they actually LIKE, and I can rest a little easier...ahhhh :)

So anyway, on that note, I will follow this posting with some pics from Tucson...hopefully I'll actually get some good ones, right?! I also want to tell my boys HOW MUCH I LOVE THEM!!! All that I do and sacrifice for them is all for THEM!! Even sacrificing my SANITY is all for them, too :D

To be continued...

So you think you can BLOG?!

Just when I thought I would put together a family blog, to archive and showcase the daily, weekly, and monthly goings-on of our family life, reality bites and I realize I'm fooling NO ONE but myself, ha! The kids were way too quiet, I'm sure of that, even though I didn't 'hear' their being quiet; the first sign they're up to no good! While I was blogging away like a mad woman trying to catch up with the year that passed me right on by, this is what was taking place behind the island countertop...could've been worse, right! Pretty cute, actually. hehe :)

Payton's new duds

These are Payton's new stylish clothes he got for Christmas...I love the flannel shirts that are out there now for boys, especially toddlers, I just think it is the cutest look! Pair it with some stylin' new converse all-stars and he's set! My little boy just looked so darned cute I had to post about it...besides, I think he likes posing for the camera :)

Teagan turns 9!

Teagan as a baby


So this is the second time around I've seen one of my babies turn 9 ! As always, bittersweet, and also in awe of how much they change in just a year! More handsome, more mature, more responsible, more...well, maybe I'm just dreaming, but hopefully they are moving in this direction, somewhat :)

As a family we always do a special birthday dinner for each child and let them choose what they want to eat. Then we alternate every year with having a party and home with as many friends as they want, and the following year they get to choose a party place to go to and take just a few friends, like bowling, skating, etc.

So this year Teagan was having a home party and invited 19 friends! Yes that's right, 19! As a parent you question the validity of them actually having 19 friends that are close enough to be considered 'friends'...then you also have to assume that they are thinking in terms of 'presents' and are hoping for as many as one can possible accumulate :)

Teagan is somewhat of a new years baby as he was born on January 2nd...it's always a balance for me to make sure we get the details and goings on established for his birthday party beFORE Christmas because it comes up so quick with the holidays being so close together and close to HIS birthday. So he decided to take the initiative this year and pass out his invitations to his friends at school before they got out for Christmas break, so that made it WAY easier on me this year instead of having to drive around and drop off invitations to 19 homes, yikes! So I am grateful he is old enough to be doing that kind of stuff himself now.

He got a new parka and snowpants, belts and an NBA jams video game for the XBox from his parents and the game connect 4.





He chose to eat ribs, chicken alfredo with noodles, and cauliflower for his dinner. How proud can I say that I am he actually chose to have a veggie as part of his meal?? I'm sure he knew I'd make him pick one anyway, so he saved himself the trouble by including one in there already :)

Teagan's birthday dinner




Homemade cake compliments of chef Jamie :)
White cake with a cream cheese frosting and marionberry spread mixture in the middle, yummm....




Teagan making a wish~ hope it comes true!



Teagan and his brothers



THE FRIENDS ARRIVE!!!
So I guess I didn't think as many of Teagan's invites would make an appearance given the long break inbetween him sending out his invitations and the actual party, but as you can see below, plenty of them did! It was a lot of fun and I think Teagan felt loved and special on his birthday.




The kids had pizza and soda, the typical junk you serve at a birthday party for lots of kids! Then later on, an ice cream cake.





We did a pinata by inserting a metal hook into a beam in the ceiling downstairs in the family room...our choices are limited when your son wants a pinata for his party and you are in the dead of winter, not to mention any trees large enough to hold one, LOL! So this was the best we could do and it worked out fine.

Teagan having a swing at it...


Weston and the winning swing! Out comes the candy, what a shot!



Video game competitions



A little bit of pool...




Teagan and his cousin, Raynee :)


Teagan and his gramma :)


Teagan and his 2nd birthday cake! An ice cream cake from Maggie Moo's :)



AND FOR THE FINALE...THE PICTURE OF THE YEAR!!!
Payton let the balloons go and up, up, up they went onto our ridiculously tall ceilings! How do you get them down? According to Jason, you throw the baby up in the air and let him catch them and pull them down! LOL...I had to post this, it's such an incredible shot...he was really playing "up in the air" with Payton, but the angle makes it look like Payton is floating away after the balloons and Jason is saying, "come back down Payton, you're going to fly away!" Hahahaha :D