Authentic Mexican Food

Aaron made us an Authentic Mexican meal. I helped him out and it was a lot of fun. We went to the mexican market and bought the supplies. Then we got busy and Aaron created a wonderful meal. We pollo empanda, rice, beans, tortillas and horta to drink. We also had flan for desset.

Oh and onions. They are mexican onions. There like green onions only biffer and a milder flavor.

I was the assistant and Aaron the chef. It was a fun night.

Sammy helped out and Aaron put in charge of stiring the horta drink.

It takes like a cinnamon milky coconut water. No one loved it. Except Aaron.

Look at that yummy food.

How you eat it is you squezze lime over the chicken and cut the chicken up. You take the tortilla and spread it with refried beans and then put chicken on it fold it over and eat.

Aaron said he ate this pollo meal a lot when he lived in Mexico.

Neil was a good sport. But he wouldn't eat the beans.
If you know Neil that is not a surprise he hates beans of any kind.

Sammy was surprised the food was so bland and where is the cheese. Real mexican food is so different than the mexican restaraunts we all eat at and think are mexican food.

Thanks Aaron for giving us a taste of Mexico.

Sammy's Dance Competition

Sammy had her dance competition on Saturday in Ogden.

We of coarse had to go early to get some yummy food at The Cheesecake Factory.

Sammy's friend Emily came with us and my date for the day was Hayley. We had a lot of fun!

Love the Cheescake. We took it to go because we were soo full.

The competition was at The Egyptian Theater in Ogden a really cool old theater.

Sammy's company took one first place and two second places. They did GREAT!

Well done Studio 1 girls.

The little things in life...Living

Today I got a text from Aaron. It read "I just want to say I love ya! And say thanks for all the things you do. Even the little things like making smoothies or dinner. It means a lot. Thanks Mom."

Life is full of stress and worry sometimes. It sure is nice to get little things that make you say Ahhh! The little moments are what add up to a full and happy life.

I only made one new years resolution this year I made myself a motto. My motto is "I want to live". Living to me means fully being in each moment. Fully appreciating each moment. Taking time to notice, taking time for me, taking time to refill and fulfill my covenants and commitments. Not always saying yes, but when I do say yes mean it and fulfill it. Trying to get to know myself. Isn't that funny? I am 42 years old and I am still discoverying who I am. My likes, my dislikes.

In the movie Runaway Bride. Julie Roberts character doesn't know herself very well so she goes about trying to find what she likes and dislikes. She starts with eggs. She had all the different kinds of eggs to see which kind she liked. I don't know why but that movie struck me. It wasn't my favorite movie but I could relate to not knowing myself or morfing into what others needed me to be. But not really knowing me. We pleasers do that.

So this year 2009 is my year of discovery. Honestly I am a little scared and find myself procrastinating some things or letting my usual habits of every one else first get in my way. Us moms and wives do that don't we. In ways we feel it's our job and yes it is yet...

I hope to share my discoveries and random moments with you. Well really with myself but you all have access if you wish. In each of you I see special talents and gifts I would love to have. Uniqueness and fun quirky ways that you may not know but you inspire me.

I wish I could have...

Neils ability to have fun and for his desire and ability to help others.
McKinsey's unique way of looking at things and her ability to accept and love.
Sammy's smile and the happiness she brings to others.
Aaron's sensitivity, kindness and love.
Grandma's patience and selflessness.
Celete's ability to be a true friend that stands by and stands up for you.
Karen's ability to listen and talk.
Kobi's smile and easy going nature.
Tiffany's beauty.
Chelsea's ability to express her deep feelings with words that are beautiful and amazingly deep and personal. Chels you amaze me and I think you should write a book.
Crystal's talent at being a mom and being so kind.
Sienna always looking at the bright side of things, for always wanting to help others and for her beautiful eyes that shine with light and love.
Todd's ability to understand and to rise above and be positive.
Amber's design skills.
Russ's fire starting skills and talent with making tasty meat.
Melissa's dedication. To school, callings, family.
Stephanie Koss I would love her camera and her photo skills.
Colett and her unique blog and fun way that makes me laugh and want to stalk her blog oh and her amazing talents.
Brooke for being my kindred spirit someone I will always love and feel close to even when we are far away and not in contact too often.
Deloy's ability to come to the rescue and just because I love him so much.
Michelle's ability to raise a close and loving family.
Jodi and her gift for speaking and making others feel welcomed and accepted
Peggy's cooking skills I try and I have my family fooled but no one is like you.
Sarah always greeting others with a smile. beautiful
Travis's talent for climbing although I don't know if I can ever get over my fear of heights.
Ben's photogenic nature.
The Heidi's because their so cute and I wish I could have a baby. Although it may have to be grandbabies some day. Not too soon.
Shallon and Bryans ability to always be there for important moments and for living their lives as examples even if they aren't aware of it.
Sheila's ability to care and make effort and love. No one kinder in the world.
Trish's ability to confront people but somehow they still love her. Gift of talk.

And for all the rest you also touch me in many ways. I know I have left some off but that's just because it's been a LONG day and my brain is fried.

Thanks to you all for your love, support and inspiration.

The way to spend a day off

I bowled a 150 that's right a 150. For most of you that's no big deal. For me I have hardly bowled over 100 in my life. I am also proud to say I beat Aaron. Yea Go me! I bowled 6 spares in a row and then a strike to end the game. Kinsey and Aaron were shocked. Well so was I... but it sure was fun.  Aaron and I had a little wager and he owes me a date. That will be the fun part. Neil hurt his back and couldn't bowl and Sammy had to go to dance for her up coming recital. Aaron, Kinsey and I went to Fat Cat's and bowled three games. Thanks for going with me Tyke and Kook and for making our President's Day fun.When we came home we had a pizza making marathon and made some yummy pizza. I even tried a dessert pizza (which turned out pretty good).  Matt and Celeste came down to share their vacation to Mexico with us. We are so jealous we want to go to Mexico really bad. So glad they got to go and have a good time.

Valentine's Day

I tried using Aaron's camera since mine is still not working. I loaded the memory card in wrong so all the Valentine's Day pictures are no where. We had a good day yesterday and today celebrating Valentine's Day. Neil hates Valentines Day. He hates the cost of things and being told to show love on this certain day. It makes me laugh. He is so amazing at all holidays and birthdays. But Valentine's Day is one he hates. So knowing this we have turned Valentine's Day into a show of love for our kids and us as a family.

The girls and I went to the movie Confessions of a Shopoholic (cute, fun movie). Then we went shopping and then the boys and I went to Out Back. Out Back opened at noon and there was and hour wait right from the start. A popular Valentine's dinner. The kids all had plans with friends so Neil and I hung out the rest of the night at home with a fire.

Today Sunday we were lucky to have Grandma with us and we had a nice dinner. Neil got everyone flowers and wrote all the girls notes. *Sweet* We also have a tradition of going around the table and sharing our love and thoughts with each other. I cry every year. It is the best feeling when your family is expressing their love to one another. It sure does make me feel so blessed and so lucky.

I am sad the photo's didn't turn out. There were some cute ones. I sure need to get my camera fixed because I hate not having photo's.

I hope you all had a good day. Someone at work said Valentine's Day is Single Awareness Day or SAD. Ahhh that makes me feel bad for those who are single. It makes me take note of the blessing I have of being married and having a husband who loves me.

Fantasy Birthday

I haven't posted to my blog in a long time. But I'm back to share my Fantasy Birthday.

I call it my fantasy birthday because Neil used his winnings from fantasy football to pay for my birthday get away or it for sure would not have happened. But the most important reason is because it was truly a girls fantasy. I am so lucky. I don't mean to brag but I truly have the most loving and thoughtful husband.

We left on a Thursday night and it was deluxe all the way. Neil packed the car up with my favorite snacks and we drove to Las Vegas. . We arrive in Las Vegas and checked in to our hotel The Bellagio. It is a five star hotel. Very fancy. It was during the Chinese New Year so it was all decked out in Oriental decor. They have an indoor garden that is beautiful and it changes each holiday. Our room looked over the fountains and we had a beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower at the Paris hotel. Just beautiful.

He said he had a special date planned and wouldn't tell me anything about it except to dress up. He gave me money to buy new clothes before we left which was so fun. I don't usually buy myself a lot of clothes there is always needs the kids have or just no extra money so this was a nice treat. Neil says get ready and then I will come pick you up. A real date. So he rings the door bell. Can you believe our hotel room had a door bell. It made me jump when it rang. I come to the door to greet my handsome date and he has a dozen roses. I know auhhhhhhhhhh!

We get in a cab and drive to the Venetian hotel and I find out my special date. Phantom of the Opera. I have been to The Phantom twice before in Chicago and Salt Lake. But this was something so much better. Oh WOW!!! The Phantom theater was built just for the show and it was truly something else. The special effects and costumes were unbelievable. It was so AMAZING!!!! We had regular tickets but lucky us someone came up to us and moved us up to 3rd row seats middle. Great view. Neil loved the special effects and the smile on my face which was there the whole night but not so much some of the music. He was so cute and said "don't they talk at all?" What a good sport.

The weekend continued I got to stay three nights. The next day we slept in went to a movie and to our favorite restaurant The Cantina in the Venetian it is amazing mexican food and it's along the canal. It is one of our favorite places. We then went to a really fun adventure. It's called Mystery Adventures and basically it is a live Clue game. So fun.

There was Neil and I and 5 other couples from Texas, California and Florida. This is an elaborate game where you drive to different locations like a video store, a newspaper office and a doctors office. We looked in computers, surveillance tapes, lockers. At the end we found clues to a hidden room. We found the locket and solved the mystery. I guess not all groups solve the mystery so we were real good detectives. This would be a really fun activity to do with all your friends or family. They change the mystery every six months.
The next day Neil got me a massage. Deluxe and so fun to be pampered and then that night we went to a really fun dinner at the strangest restaurant it was not like anywhere I have ever been. It was at the Palazzo called Lavo. It's a Mediterranean restaurant and was very chic. The food was so good. It was fun to go somewhere so different. After dinner Neil surprised me with dancing. You read right we went dancing and had so much fun. We are even thinking of taking lessons. I know mid-life crisis. But really we had a blast dancing and laughing together. We weren't the best dancers but we didn't care.

Neil thanks so much for treating me so special and for giving me the best birthday ever. I sure am lucky and I love you so much.

When we got home the kids had cleaned the house and Sammy made a really nice dinner. The kids made me a video with music and pictures and they each had an interview where they talked and said really nice things. Tova (kinseys dog) was interviewed. Aaron did a funny voice and talked as if he was Tova. It was the funniest thing ever we laughed so hard. Thanks kids for being such great kids and Aaron for babysitting.

I am so blessed and so lucky to have you all as my family. I love you all so much.

Our camera broke down as we got there so no digital pictures. We bought a throw away camera but I haven't gotten around to getting them developed. We sure are lucky now days with digital cameras. I'll add in photo's later if any turn out.