Dearest Blog,
As you probably have suspected from my prolonged absence, I admit I have been spending my time with another website. For the last several weeks any moment I have had outside of chasing Babyhead around, has been creating another site. You should feel jealous because I think it is a good one. But please know that it is purely business and you my dear Blog are for pleasure.
To further my home organization business I created www.brightlivingnow.com
Don't worry it is finished now and I can turn my attention back to you. So to compensate for lost time we'll have a Blog-a-Thon.
Best Trip to Colorado
Summer has always been my favorite time in Colorado. I tend to make more trips there during the winter however to be with family during the holidays. But that ususally has meant a little more stress traveling, finding warm clothes to bring, and
being cooped up inside.Over labor day weekend the three of us headed off for the Mile High City to visit family and I could attend my 10 year high school reunion...go Farmers (yes, the mascot was a farmer.)
We were blessed with absolutely beautiful weather and overall just a fun, relaxing time. Many thanks to my dearest friend Linda for giving us her basement to stay in so we could avoid a stuffy hotel. Plus, even though she works a gazillion hours a week she found time to make us feel special with fresh flowers, sweet candles, and even travel size baby products.
Babyhead had such a great time becuase there is so much more room to run around. Bigger houses, bigger yards, bigger parks and even though he is just a little guy he needs big spaces to run. We also had some real quality time with my family, especially for Tavian to see his Grandpa Al (my dad) and his great grandparents who we call GG and G'pa. It was fun to dig out toys that I remeber playing with at my grandparent's house to entertain Tavian. Despite all the toys however, he really enjoyed placing the drink coasters all over the room and then collecting them, sitting on the lazy susan and spinning around, and plunking on the piano keys.
Grandpa Al and the big tractor.
Swinging with GG
Hanging with G'Pa
One afternoon my dad took us to the Golden Farmer's market. It was such a beautiful day and location. There was a little stream that all the kids were playing in so we took of Babyhead's shoes and let him squish in the mud and feel the cool fresh water. No joke up stream there was a guy panning for gold...for real.
At the market we gathered ingredients to make dinner including handmade garlic penne, colorado poeaches for dessert, fresh basil, garlic, tomatoes, and sweet corn for an interesting twist on a brushetta. Not only did we have a great dinner, but we supported some local vendors and filled our tummies with organic yumminess.
Best New Blog
This blogs creator is my bestest, wonderfulest friend Rachelle and Babyhead's Auntie Rachelle. She has turned her frugal talents into a very entertaining and informative blog. Check it out and subsribe...or don't and just be lame and broke.
Best Summer Cookout
On the Bright side of the family I am the only granddaughter. I spent all our family gatherings with 5 boy cousins and my brother. At times they all had cooties and at times I didn't mind so much. My cousin Aaron is the closest in age to me. We knew each other as kids, but our adult lives have limited our time spent together. My dad has been bragging about the summer cookouts Aaron and his wife Kim would host on the weekends. He would enduce from me "mmmms" and "oh my gosh"s with his deiscriptions of delicious BBQ, homemade ice cream, and sitting around the fire pit. So prior to our trip we arranged to have a cookout at aaron and kim's while we visited. Little did I know what an amazing dinner we were in store for.
Aaron had smoked and slow cooked the brisket and ribs for 8 hrs, that kind of TLC creates amazing flavor and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. He used his custom built meat smoker which he made out of spare parts including an exhaust from a semi truck. I pointed out how eco-frirendly he was, and he said he "just like to make stuff." I laughed as I poured more home made BBQ suace on my fourth helping of brisket.
The rest of my plate was filled with a tomato, cucumber, and onion salad and everything had been grown in their own garden! I cried a little as I took a bite of tomato, happy because it was so sweet and tender, and sad because this is not how my store bought tomatoes taste at all.
Next to my salad was a perfectly baked potato with all the fixings including real bacon pieces and butter infused with parsley. And just when I said "I can't eat another bite" for the 8th time my Uncle Dave busted out the home made ice cream...strawberry, vanilla, chocolate. No more needs to be said, expect compliments to my uncle for mastering my Grandmother's ice cream maker and our master Colorado cookout chef's Aaron and Kim for their home grown and innovative cooking.
Chicken encounter at Aaron and Kim's house
Exploring the coop...no we can't have chickens at our house.
What is a goat? Like a big kitty?
His trucker name is Babyhead Bandit
Worst Airline
American Airlines has been our favorite airline. In our pre-Babyhead days we were rolling in the frequent flyer miles, offered warm cookies and milk in our upgraded first class seats, and happily trotted through Platinum Status in the security line. But those days were traded in for the joys of parenthood, and when we did decide to travel I looked to my old friend AA.
Weeks of planning went into making our 2 hour plane ride as easy as possible. There was no way Tavian would sit still so I decided to bring the car seat on the plane. Maybe trick him a little to think he was in the car and not free to about the cabin once the seat belt light was off.
The trip out of LA was executed flawlessly. The gate agent changed our seats to the front row so we could use our car seat, just like AA said was their policy when I called them 2 weeks before our flight. Tay had an OK ride, but what can you do he is a madman.
On our return we expected the same routine at the airport. Oh silly, silly momma who thinks she can travel with her toddler and have no problems. The gate agent would not change our seats to the front row so we could bring on our car seat. Even when we explained to her and her supervisor that their Customer Service and LAX branch followed the policy of moving small children to the front row, these AA workers did not care. The two agents just looked at me blankly I tried to hold my squirming child and beg them to help us make this flight home easy on us and the passengers around us.
Once on the plane sans carseat, I was sweating, stressed, and very frustrated. I asked the flight attendent to help me since the gate agent wouldn't even assign us 3 seats together and there was someone else in our row. Again staring blankly at me as Tavian thrashed in my arms, she assured me the woman would move if I asked her myself. Totally flushed, I asked the woman to change her seat with Eli's so we could sit together. She said no, with some lame excuse about needing to be close to her bag in the overhead.
Needless to say I did not stop Babyhead from throwing his Goldfish in her direction, nor did I apologize when the Hungry Caterpiller book drop and land on her foot. After an hour, she finally traded with Eli. American Airlines, we had a good run...but times are different now and I am breaking up with you. If I wasn't so busy with a madman Babyhead, a new
website, and taking forever to blog...I would write bad reviews about you emphasizing that you are not family friendly!
Best New TJ Items/Store
There are 3 men I love the most in my life, I will not put them in order because sometimes that changes. So listed alphabetically they are Eli, Tavian, and Trader Joes. The latter I have never met in person, but we have weekly encounters. TJ, my life wouldn't be the same without you and now that your brand new store is closer to my house, my life is also complete. Here are just a few of the latest reasons why I really, really, really love you.
Mini Chicken and Cilantro Wontons
Salsa Authentica
Spicy Ranchero Egg White Salad
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Bites
Worst Design Star Season Finale
You had me at the blank room challenge Dan. You were my favorite the whole season. But they don't call it show business for nothing, it is a business. Antonio was just a more exciting TV personality, but his designs weren't even close. For all you who felt the pain during the Design Star season finale as Antonio beat Dan for the chance to have a show on HGTV, I felt it too. The world can be an unfair place, even if you have the perfect color pallette and can build your own entertainment center.
