I want to go to there:

I don't know about you, but I am in desperate need of a vacation! I am counting down the days to Bear Lake this summer and then California in the fall Woohooooooooooooooooo! When I get antsy for a getaway I think about all the awesome places I want to see in person.

1. Salvation Mountain
I just recently heard about this man made attraction. Think sculpture on a super duper large scale...more like installation to the umpteenth level. I've got to see this place. I am fascinated. It makes me think of the movie Toys. Unreal. Image via


2. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Steve would say I am a nerd, so my plan is to brainwash my boys (shouldn't be TOO hard because, duh, it's awesome) and then we will HAVE to go there. The boys would LOVE it. Or I would. This place looks awesome. Image via


3. The Grand Tetons
I'm not a huge camper, would like to be, but for me, its a little too hard with kids. When I see images of this place I want to see it in person. My favorite images of the Grand Tetons are those by Ansel Adams, such as this:


Thank you for indulging me my daydream....

Zoo Day!

On probably the only actual spring day in April, we went to the Zoo. It was fun to get out and let Owen explore with his cousins in tow. Here is Owen and his best gorilla face, and how he measures up. When we were looking at the gorilla down by the glass there were a lot of kids tapping on the window. As we walked away the gorilla went NUTS! It started pounding on the windows and running back and forth. I never even knew that could happen. It was a little bit exciting (otherwise I think the zoo is a little bit lame). Luckily Owen didn't really catch the commotion, but there was a mom and her little girl in there and the little girl could not be consoled. I felt really bad for her.

Owen and Jassy: the quintessential best frenemies. They love to play, but love to fight. On a different occasion we were visiting my aunt and I told Owen it was time to go. Jassy kept holding his hand and he kept saying, "but I have to go!" while pulling his hand away. And her reply was, "But your my best friend!" Ha. I love those kids. And I love that they were holding hands at the zoo. Adorable.


Owen, Jassy and Hadley. Loving the lion.




Do you love that I went to the zoo and have not one picture of any animals? Ha. Kinda funny, just not my style. I did get some with the giraffe, but they didn't make the cut.

Shhh....It's a Surprise!

We celebrated 50 years of my mom's life! I started planning in March for her birthday in May. I decided a surprise was definitely in order. I had in my mind an idea for what I wanted to do, so little by little I got it all together. I wanted to keep it colorful, fun and summery, so I avoided the black/grey/silver cliches. My aunts were a big help with most of the food: Chile Colorado (my mom's favorite, and one of mine), chile con queso, Abby's rice: I don't know what this dish is technically called, but it is the bomb. Rice mixed with sour cream and corn topped with chiles and cheese. DELISH. Chips, salsa, quac, and lets not forget my mom's other fave: WINE. haha. I was left with desserts and punch. I had invited the family of course, but also a lot of friends and co-workers. Unfortunately, not many could make it, but we had a good handful. Also, this was in the middle of May. My aunt has an awesome backyard and I was so excited to do it outside, but of course, it was raining. Either way it was fun. My mom is really awesome. She is always giving of her time and talents. She is an awesome "Kika" to my boys, and they adore her. She is fun and active and fun to be around. If anyone deserves a celebration, it is her. For her gift I made her a book, which I will have to post pictures of later, but it was a fun project for me. I little by little got learn about my mother's child hood, teen years and into adulthood. Some things I learned: my mom's grandmother, brother, and father all died in the same year (1970) My mother lived in a convent for a while. My mom was a daddy's girl, possibly the favorite (shhh). My mom moved to the States kind of on a whim. She had come to visit her sister and decided not to go home. One of her fist jobs was selling encyclopedias, and (so she says) everyone was jealous of her. Ha! That really made me laugh. My grandma traded their home with someone in the city (after my grandpa had passed away). She changed her mind and was able to trade back.

I think she may have been tipped off in the end, but oh well, it was fun!

A Picnic in the Park

A Night Away With the Hubs

We spent a night away "Just Because" at the Waldorf Astoria. Steve told me not to plan anything on this day a loooong time ago. Shortly after that he told me why...we were staying here! He cannot keep surprises:) There was no specific reason, but it was great to get out with out children and sleep in a little and relax. We checked in to the classy establishment, dropped off our stuff and headed to dinner at Robert Redford's "Zoom." We love to try new restaurants and we love to eat GOOD whenever we get the chance. This was no exception. It was all delicious, but the most memorable item I ate was "Broccolini." Ever heard of it? It looked like a hybrid of broccoli and asparagus. Cooked to perfection and delicious. The restaurant had a very rustic feel and there was this awesome blues guitar player/singer performing. I love it when there is music at dinner. When we got back to the hotel, the drapes were all drawn, our sheets were pulled back, and our slipper were out and ready for us to slip on. Also, a chocolate was left along with the next day's weather. How lovely!
We love hotels, and I'm really glad we got to experience this one. On top of it all, we were greeted with fresh baked cookies and a personal letter from Steve's friend that upgraded our room. How thoughtful!