Highway 12: Day 1

A move to MN being imminent, Dave and I decided we needed to take advantage of our time left in UT by road-tripping to see some of the beautiful national parks. We zeroed in on Highway 12, mainly because neither of us had been down there and in April it was listed as one of the top 10 most scenic road trips in the world in this article, and  shoot, the road begins only about four hours from us! We planned to camp and be real rustic but then the forecast was calling for freezing night temperatures, and I suddenly remembered I never liked camping, so we prudently reserved a hotel room. That being done, we had only to pack three days' worth of clothes, food, and hiking gear and on May 9th we took off, road trip music blaring and camera at the ready.

Riley loves that road trip food.

We took 89 down. That road is COUNTRY - lots of farms and old  houses and livestock, with the most beautiful background there in the mountains. We just drove and drank it in, the whole time, chatting about interesting things like Dave's beard.

(D: Did you know I'm getting white patches in my beard? H: How exciting for you! D:You're crazy.)

Glad I included that little gem, aren't you? But the conversational gems and inside jokes are one of the reasons I love road tripping.

The babies slept till almost Manti, where we stopped to stretch our legs (chase the babies around so they would nap again) and take in the gorgeous temple that, incidentally, my parents were married at.

I think the Manti Temple is one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen. It is in a tiny farming community (of course) but when you come around the bend and see it nestled on a hill among giant fir trees, you feel like you are at a castle.

The sight that I got MOST excited about: I accidentally woke the kids in my excitement when I saw this adorableness.

Hang in there, Momma! I relate a little.

When you hit the arches you know you've arrived at canyon land. This might have been Dave's most exciting moment of the trip. It was like me with the goats all over again.

We stayed at Best Western. I'd recommend it - it was clean and up-to-date and the price was reasonable. Though I must say, the cafe attached was mediocre and there aren't a lot of other places to eat. Luckily, we brought a ton of food with us so we no one starved, but it might be a while before I want another Twizzler...

Our vaca castle, Antelope Lodge; oh how we loved you.

We checked in at 4 and then headed right into Bryce Canyon. We had high expectations.

It lived up to every one of them. 

Eventually it started raining so we only got a short hike to Sunrise Point in and then got in the car to drive around and feel out the rest of the canyon.  

We got as far as Natural Bridge before the babies had enough. It was cold and people were tired so we went to our hotel, had some sandwiches, put Joe down and snuggled into bed with Riley.

Happy Mothers Day 5*12*2013

Lets here it for the laaaaaaadaaaays! And then take a moment to thank the mommies for loving us, caring for us, giving up stuff for us, teaching us, feeding us, forgiving us, and making time for us.

Flashback to pimply freshman year, Tazewell, 2000, Valentines Day. I had no boyfriend to walk me to my locker or send me silly flowers via the office like the cool kids.But, surprise! The office called my name to come pick up flowers. Wha??? "Secret Admirer" is on the tag but when the sweet secretary tells me, "They're from the person who loves you more than all the world," well, that gave it right away. My mom had done it again; she had made her fifth of eight children feel lovable, cherished, and important to her. I am tearing up just thinking about it.

A girl needs to feel like she matters to somebody. Making cookies because you know I like them or getting a speeding ticket trying to drive me to the mall before it closes to get new church shoes, or driving me hours to music lessons for my fourth instrument (I was a finicky student)  - these things really built me up and gave me confidence when the rest of the world has felt less than friendly.

Nowadays I am a mom myself, but you still keep mothering me. Thanks for always being there for us, calling just to say hi and catch up, making the trek to UT when babies are born, and cooking enough to last us through the apocalypse. You are still always there for me.

 Love you, Mom!

Joe the Persnickity

The problem, friends, was that Joe was a foodie! That whole time, we thought he didn't know how to swallow off a spoon or something, when really, he simply detested baby food. What he likes her REALLY likes and eats it hand over fist: carrot-ginger soup, homemade bread, SALMON CHOWDER for crying out loud! Loves it! Can't get enough of it! I am so pleased he appreciates the weird stuff I make.

Lately I have been on a dorky culinary mystery kick - it's pretty much a whole big genre I recently discovered from the Relief Society book club. We read one of Josie Kilpack's novels and of the many I have read since, I have made a bunch of the recipes. Yesterday I was feeling especially domestic and made this chowder and some bread and blackberry crumble and I LOVED it ALL. Dave did not love it all. But Dave loves me so...I do what I want.

Salmon and Red Potato Chowder
5-pound bag of small, unpeeled red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (peel half, if desired) 

3 to 4 bacon strips, diced 

1 large onion, diced 

4 celery ribs, diced
2 quarts milk 

4 cups chicken stock (or water/chicken-stock equivalent) 

1⁄4 cup dried parsley 

1 teaspoon salt (optional) 

1⁄2 teaspoon pepper (or to taste) 

3⁄4 cup butter 

3⁄4 cup flour 

1 cup whipping cream

 2 cups of cooked, flaked salmon (not smoked)
Place potatoes in a large pan, cover with salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are tender. Drain in colander and set aside. (Do not return potatoes to original pot.)
In the pot you used for the potatoes, sauté bacon on medium-high heat until it just begins to crisp. Add onion and celery and sauté until vegetables are tender. Add milk, chicken broth, parsley, salt, and pepper. Heat through, but do not boil after adding the milk.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir constantly for 1 minute, allowing to brown slightly. Add whipping cream slowly and stir constantly until thickened. Do not burn.
Stir flour-cream mixture into soup, stirring constantly. Add cooked potatoes and salmon. Let simmer 10 minutes, until soup is thick. Keep on low heat.
Serves 20 (feel free to double as necessary). Note: Substituting chicken, turkey, ham, or corn for the salmon creates a variety of chowders. Note: A touch of mustard brings out the flavor of the salmon—but just a touch. Note: canned salmon works in a pinch.
This recipe was provided by "Sweet Mermaids," a café located on Front Street in Ketchikan, Alaska, that opened for business on April 4, 2011. The owners, Debi Hanas and Shirley Solaas, were awarded the Rotary Club Business of the Year for Ketchikan 2012 for their Spirit of Entrepreneurship.

When Joe allows it, Riley makes one sweet little momma.

Blackberry Crumble
5-6 cups fresh or frozen blackberries (or any kind of frozen berry)
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1⁄2 cup butter
1⁄2 cup flour
1⁄2 cup rolled oats
1⁄2 cup brown sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg
1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 ⁄4 teaspoon salt
Zest of 1 lemon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix berries, 2 tablespoons flour, and 3 tablespoons sugar together in large bowl. Spread in an 8x8 pan. In a mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients; adjust spices to taste. Use a pastry cutter to cut ingredients together until pea-sized crumbles form. Sprinkle over the top of the berry mixture: sprinkle zest of a lemon on top of that. Bake uncovered for 45 to 55 minutes or until crumb topping is browned. Let cool slightly. Serve warm topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired. Serves 6.

Mmm, so good. Blackberries in any form take me back to my roots and make me dream about summer time.

Just Another Day in Par-a-diiise ♪♫

I've been in kind of a country mood lately. That happens when I start thinking summer.

May! The month started with SNOW, but calmed down nicely for the weekend. Saturday dawned blessedly warm and pleasant, and Dave was sweet enough to take the babies downstairs so I got a little lie-in. Then a haircut. Then a donut. Then we all lounged around. Naked, in Joseph's case. He had a bit of diaper rash so we were letting him air out some, and you KNOW of course that meant eventually Riley's toys got peed on and she spent the rest of the morning shoving blankets and towels into his lap.

As fun as that was...we finally got ourselves out the door and went to check out a potential new car. It was a big Tahoe, and we are still undecided. After that, we headed up to Salt Lake to see Em and explore City Creek and Temple Square. On the way we passed a car wash with a bunch of Tongan guys and I thought, "football fundraiser," when in fact it was a Missionary Fundraiser. Awww - made me miss UT for a second, and we have not even left yet.

There were insane amounts of gorgeous flower in TS. Tons of brides as well. One of the grooms just happened to be Elder McKean, from my mission! Small world, here in happy valley!

 

 

Everyone was pretty worn out by the time we got home. We actually had peanut butter crackers and milk for dinner. And no one minded at all! Makes me wonder why I ever bother cooking. Well I suppose we'd be at risk for scruvy or something if we had crackers for dinner every night. Still, easy is good once in a while.

Joe was asleep well before seven.

I love a sleeping chubby baby. With their velvet-soft skin and sweet little mouths and dimpled arms and legs, there is nothing more beautiful.

Oh yes, and this happened. Again.

Then there was Prom! Chris and Adriana (Aka Frenchie. Aka from France.) dropped by on their way to say hi and stun Riley with their beauty.

Riley would happily have accompanied them to the dance, but, alas, babies have early bedtimes. Only 15 more years, sweetheart, and then it will be your turn. And if I can get Adriana's dress for you, I will! Gorgeous!  Her dad picked it out - how sweet is that?! And then HIS played driver for the night! It completely melts my heart, I really just can't stand it. Daddies represent!

A Birth Control Kind of Morning

5am: Feed Joe
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6am: Smuggle Joe back in the baby room, successfully not waking Riley. Yesssssssss.
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7am: Riley wakes with major leak in her diaper; strip her and her bed, giver her cereal and milk, start laundry, vacuum cereal out of carpet.
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7:30am: Make blueberry muffins. Yes!
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8am: Joe wakes, also leaked HIS diaper. Get everyone in the shower (steamy to help the snotty colds!), halfway through remember muffins! NOOOOOO! Run down, remove from oven, then dash back up. Riley has befowled the shower. At least it was a shower and not bath...As I haul him over to wash him under the faucet, Joe pees on Riley. Meltdown. Distract Riley with a toothbrush, take Joe to get dressed, return to find Riley happily unwrapping a pack of sanitary napkins and sticking them to bathroom wall.
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9am: Meltdown over tutu choice resolved. Extra-toasty muffins for breakfast.
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9:15am: Call reinforcements (Dave) to see when he will be home.

So no, baby #3 will not be joining us anytime soon.

Sicky-sick-sick

It's quite the snotfest here.  Riley, Joe and I all have this nasty cold, and I tried to tell them that when you are sick you are supposed to wallow and watch movies in bed and take cold medicine that makes you drool into your chicken soup. They clearly don't know how to be sick. I can tell you too, this bug is icky! Sinus headache, sore throat, drippy nose - all that! And yet...

No wallowing there! And I am finding it difficult myself. The babies won't let me. The babies,  the tulips, the sunshine, and the weekend, just are not going to let me wallow!

 Joe had his 9 month check up this week.  He is getting so big! and it is soooo much fun to watch him and Riley interact and play - I am glad we decided to have them close together. They can entertain eachother while I drool over my soup.

Kitchen Therapy

Riley and I get some girl time every morning when big boy is at work and little boy is having his nap. Usually we head into the kitchen to make smoothies or, if we are in the mood, bake some cookies or banana bread or other food of comfort, to be consumed later as an afternoon snack (Bringing up Babe suggested this as a way of teaching patience but we usually sample stuff hot out the oven anyways.) It has been the routine for a while, but I bought Riley a baby-sized apron the other day so now of course we have to have pictures.

 Today we made Energy Bites, or you might call them Cookie Dough Balls, if you want your sceptic of a husband to try them. They are made of oatmeal, flaxseed, honey, peanut butter, coconut, vanilla, and chocolate chips and they taste AMAZING! Plus, you only mix and refrigerate. Done! Recipe here. They are great especially for growing toddlers and nursing moms - I prescribe them to myself regularly.

Then we might load the dishwasher, read some books, do some laundry...riveting stuff, you know? It is fun to get some one on one time with Riley and makes her more willing when she has to share the attention with Joe.

Also, a suggestion for next time you make pizza at home: turn the third part into dessert pizza. So fun and delicious!