TeamThornhill News

Kansas City on Day Two

2011-06-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

I am feeling very accomplished today!

After my full day of training (8:00am-4:0pm) I put on my tennis shoes and
hoofed it over to the Union Station!

The building is simply breathtaking...

When you walk in, you notice a motorcycle right away.

I only had so much cash, otherwise I would have seen the exhibit.

If this is any indication of what is inside the exhibit- then it woulda be FANTASTIC!

I believe this is the Liberty Memorial

I then walked through the Union Station via "The Link", all the way to the Freight House District bridge.
Right underneath the bridge the trains run, so I grabbed some cool shots.
(I love trains)

Then I saw this old building. Not sure what it is, but I liked the style.
(I found out it is the KC Lofts)

And FINALLY to my destination spot-
Jack Stack Barbecue

This is the 2 item combo. Burnt Ends and Pork ribs with baked beans and cheesy corn!
Holy Momma in Heaven....
It was G.O.O.D.
Better than good....
Incredibilicious!!!!!

Then I walked all the way back to the hotel.

The End.

Kansas City Day One

2011-06-28T07:20:00.000-07:00

Over the river and through the woods...oh wait- wrong song....

I made it to Kansas City despite being on 2 jam-packed small, itsy-bitsy planes, with sleeping through the drink service on one, and a lady being 'over her own imaginary line in space of where she should be' and into my space a whole heck of a lot....but I made it!

I even took a Super Shuttle to the hotel and saw some pretty sites!

I did go over the bridge I had seen on the internet...
and these are some of the GOR-GEE-US buildings I saw along the way...we don't have buildings like this in Palm Springs....

I also noticed how GREEN everything was and how many TALL, GREEN trees there were. This is us speeding down the freeway...see how GREEN it is?

This the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Crown Center Hotel- stunning!

This is the view from my hotel room!!!

As the sun goes down...
And the view at night time!

And here is me; all checked in ready to go to my Yearbook Advisor's Conference!

Kansas City Here I Come!

2011-06-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

I want to go here....

and ride over this...

and dip my toes in this...

and I will be staying HERE!!!!

and I will be shopping here.

Kansas City, Kansas City here I come!!!!

Catching Flies....

2011-06-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

Literally!

It has been so hot here in Palm Springs, that the flies wait patiently
by your doorway to ZOOM inside to get cool.

We have had a plethora-cornucopia of flies in the house!

Did I mention I DETEST FLIES?

You know they land on poop, right?

I DETEST THEM. YUCK.

So....I have found a way to amuse myself with them and
give them the treatment they deserve for invading my house....

You know how they fly so fast you can't get them the first day?
Then slowly they get a little slower?

Well, I got my tweezers and fly swatter ready. (snicker, snicker)
and I wait.
and wait...(whistling nonchalantly)

and swat them carefully so they arent really dead yet, only MOSTLY DEAD...
I pick them up with my tweezers and....

Feed them to my Venus Flytrap! (Big Smile Here)

Bunco treats- Oh Yummie!!!

2011-06-24T22:00:00.000-07:00

My BFF is throwing a Bunco Party tonight!

I am making three recipes to bring-

*Sesame Won Ton Chips
*Tomatillo Avacado Dip
*Fresh Bruschetta

Sesame Won Ton Chips

Tomatillo Avacado Dip

Fresh Bruschetta

Everything was yummie!
I must have gained 20 pounds sampling it all!

(My BFF made cake pops! O.M.G!)

Message me if you want the recipes- SUPER SIMPLE!!!!!

Summer is here (106 today!) in Palm Springs, Ca.

2011-06-21T19:54:00.000-07:00

After spending ALL DAY in the pool, this is all they can muster.
I've got two "plum-tuckered-out, pooped from playing hard, too much sun today" kids.

Solarcaine to the rescue!

PS- tomorrow is supposed to be 116-118 degrees! Yikes!

Ever had a Budweiser Cake?

2011-06-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

(regular size pan vs BUDWEISER size)

Me neither-

But I'm going to try and make one! The special occasion is for my uncle's 80th birthday,
and he happens to to be biggest all-time BUD fan since forever.

All the family will gather together and we will celebrate the BIG OCCASION! :)

Here is my first attempt-

(pretend I had red and dark blue icing instead of pink and purple)
(And pretend the icing was well mixed and didn't spoozch on the cake)

(And pretend I remembered to spray paint the cake silver before I decorated it)

Not bad, I think, for my first time!

Vote for The Thornhill's! SheKnows.com-HomeStretch

2011-06-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

BEFORE

We won a room makeover with some great friends of ours!
They remodeled our room, we remodeled theirs! It was a blast!

AFTER

You can watch the short videos here and then scroll down to the LOVE IT/HATE IT pictures and click on which one you like the best! Then click the brown bar underneath and you're done!

Winner receives a little more cash to 'finish off' their room with the perfect accessories!

You can vote as many times as you like until June 30th!

I hope you watch it and vote! We had a blast!!!!

XOXO

Beth Ann

Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort and Spa

2011-06-17T22:07:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be neat to win a weekend get-away for the family? Especially since it is kid-friendly?
Well try entering this one: Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort and Spa! (Chandler, AZ)

You can win

One night stay at the Sheraton Wild Horse Resort and Spa, with the option of an additional night for only $99.
Dinner for two at Ko’sin
Voucher for 4- lunch at Hanyo Poolside bar and Grill
3 hours of Native American inspired arts and crafts with Sheraton Adventure Club

Go check it out! There are multiple ways of earning entries! :) Good Luck!

Trying my hand at fruit leather!

2011-06-17T20:08:00.000-07:00

I read that you can use any combination of fruits and that the skins can be added and are also very nutritious- so I tried what I had in the fridge: Kiwis and a nectarine.
I did add skins of kiwi and of course the skin of the nectarine (which we eat normally).
Does anyone eat the skin of kiwi? This is new to me. :)

So it looks like guacamole, but I'm gonna try it! Wish me luck! :)

As an added bonus- Jeff worked so hard all day Thursday to build me a much better
compost bin for our school garden! It turned out beautifully! Thanks Jeff, I love you!!!

Zesty Cheesy Kale Chips

2011-06-16T11:53:00.001-07:00

I found a GREAT website: Uncooking 101 (easy*no-bake*living)

I saw these Zesty Cheesy Kale Chips and thought I could make them in the oven (dehydrated), but then I saw my chance to grab an Excalibur Food Dehydrator on sale, and make them the first recipe to try!

Tierney and I made them according to the easy to follow directions.

They have a nice creamy texture and the kale chips were a little chewy, which I really liked. Sometimes potato chips are just too hard and I like a little crunchy with chewy. These chips deliver! I have more 'dip' left over and will do a batch of brightly colored swiss chard next!I highly recommend this as a first experiment into raw foods- it was an easy transition, and my 10 year old daughter had a great time making them and helping me eat them! :)
My husband even tried one!

Excalibur is here!!!!

2011-06-14T22:08:00.001-07:00

My food dehydrator came tonight! :)

IT IS HUGE!!!!! I mean HUGE!!!!

As we speak, I am drying basil, oregano, chives, lemon balm, and thyme!
What do you recommend I do next?
Do you have a favorite recipe?

Juicing, Juicing and more juicing!

2011-06-13T19:08:00.000-07:00

At the Certified Farmers Market Saturday, I bought 8 pounds of
organic oranges and juiced them all today! YUMMIE!!!!!

I also got notice that my dehydrator is coming soon!!! I cant wait!

Care to try a Green Smoothie?

2011-06-12T13:04:00.000-07:00

This is not the same recipe I used. (I got mine from The Green Smoothies Diet)

Here is a basic recipe from Uncooking 101 Experiment. Add new things. Make it exciting!

Let me know how you like it!

(pic from http://uncooking101.com/site/raw-food-recipe/basic-green-smoothie/)

Making my 1st Green Smoothie!

2011-06-12T11:35:00.001-07:00

Our local Certified Farmers Market moved INDOORS for the summer!
I had to go check it out and say HI to a few friends-

So my goal was to find Swiss Chard- you know, that brightly colored stalk with big green leaves?
And Kale. For my Green Smoothies.

I found it! I felt pretty excited I knew it by sight!

I had a hard time not bringing one of everything home.

Found a new food- Lemon Cucumber! (The roundish prickly green/yellow colored things)

Washing up and going to make a Green Smoothie...

Now to taste it.....Verdict: Surprisingly good! It went down smooth, and had a kick to it. It tingles the tongue for awhile and I really enjoyed it. I did notice it helped suppress my appetite all day. (Quite a feat for me)

*Update: I had a second glass today (just refrigerated the blender container) at breakfast and could not finish my egg sandwich. Humm..... will keep posting noticeable results. LOL

My book came!

2011-06-09T17:36:00.000-07:00

It arrived!

I have been feverishly reading chapters and also information on her website.
Robyn Openshaw is her name and she presents some facts that seem very logical.

Read the tid-bits under Nutrition Manifesto. I'm interested in the alkaline water...don't get it still, but will keep learning about it till I do.

I did read something very interesting about ADHD related to some unhealthy eating habits, and all during my pregnancy all I wanted was McDonald's french fries. *Sigh

I also saved my money and purchased a food dehydrator. If I'm going to do this- I might as well learn and do as much as possible. Besides, using my oven, even on the lowest heat setting, during the summer time here is ridiculous!

Anyone have a food dehydrator and can recommend some things to do with it?
I have already found two great recipes to do with it!
Here is one (Zesty Cheesy Kale Chips), here is another (Nori Nachos).

Going GREEN and SPROUTING

2011-06-06T21:55:00.000-07:00

Sprouts?
Like a seed sprouting? Eating the sprout?
It does what for my body?.....
I am drifting (oh-so-slowly) into a foreign new land of 'healthyness'.
What I mean by that is I envision myself finally learning to take care of myself first, and get my weight under control.
My life is at the half-way point, not to sound morbid or depressing, but I'm openly aware that I might not live past 80, and that is okay. I just want to go out gracefully, not disease-ridden.
What scares me is how my body feels now. It's not good.

I need to make a change, and so does my family.

Green. Live foods. Organic. These are things I am learning about as I garden more with my students and meet fascinating people who teach us along the way.

So, I tried my first 'sprouts' a couple of weeks ago and got a mini lesson on how wonderful they are for the body. They were good, and I thought, "I can grow sprouts!"
So I started some a day ago and was so proud. My husband poked at the bag on the counter (they need darkness to begin) and I explained very matter-of-factly that they were sprouts. Well, I threw them in the trash this afternoon as I saw fuzzies on the seeds. (bummer)
I researched on the computer and realized I didn't rinse and drain daily, as I was supposed to. Duh!
So I will make another trip to the local health food store and purchase more raw sunflower seeds. I learned a lot from this site: sprouting

I also have a Blendtec blender that does everything! I mean everything! We got it at Costco and LOVE IT! I make much healthier versions of everything with the awesome cookbook that came with it.

So Im also 'following 'Green Smoothie Girl' for her recipes on 'green' smoothies. I haven't tried one yet, but I aspire too- I have the kale growing in my backyard to pick...(still waiting to pick it) I bought one of her books to read this summer. I can envision myself now laying on my new lounge chair, catching some rays carefully by the poolside. (maybe sipping on a green smoothie?)

Drop me a message if you have tried any of this! :)
PS- the pic is seeds soaking for an overnighter, and a protein powder....I'm beginning my journey!

This should be an interesting summer!

Dreaming of vacationing in Santa Barbara?

2011-05-19T20:08:00.000-07:00

Well, dream no more!

Enter this contest to win a vacation to beautiful Santa Barbara for a family of four!

Click here!

Win a trip for 4 to Catalina Island!

2011-03-31T18:54:00.001-07:00

Read about it here! :)

We did it!!!!

2011-02-26T18:33:00.000-08:00

Since my last post Jan 29th, we have successfully received 10 'adoptions' for our cages in the school garden!
We were asking for sponsors for the 'cages' we needed to build over the raised beds to help keep the squirrels out of our garden...and we did it!

These awesome people/businesses adopted a cage!

*Stewart and Christine Cross (Wonderful Rotary friends!)
*Jim and Barb Wynne (Thanks Mom and Dad! Love you!)
*Pamela Kershaw and Suzanne Radinski (My best friends!)
*F5 Networks
*Gillespie Air Conditioning and Heating
*JN Landscape Construction
*Slow Food Desert Cities (adopted the last 4 cages!)

**And to my sister Erin Marie Provost who came up with the idea in the first place for 'Adopting the Cages'! You are so wonderful!

A HUGE and profound Thank You for allowing our students to learn about healthy food and how to overcome obstacles! You all are wonderful! Thank you! Thank you! xoxo

See 3 bins done, 1 with frame and 1 with no frame yet.
Thanks to my wonderful hubby Jeff who built all the cages! (and so quickly!)

Can you help "Adopt A Cage"?

2011-01-29T19:14:00.000-08:00

Well,

I think I have a great idea. Actually to be honest, it was my sisters idea, but I'm running with it!

We have been outsmarted by our squirrels at school, and they have eaten through three plantings since September. It is very frustrating when you spend so much time and effort into teaching students how to be healthy and how easy it is to grow your own food, when you can't eat anything from the garden because the squirrels have chewed all the plants down to nubs. Sigh.....

So here comes the great idea! "Adopt A Cage" Program!

You donate to a very worthy cause, our school garden, and in return we:

purchase all the materials needed for each cage
built the cages and provide all the labor
eat healthy, organic foods from the garden we grew ourselves
supply you with free advertising for the year in our yearbook (you/your business)
send you a tax write-off paper
put a plaque with your name/business on it and hang it on the cage

All that for $200.00. (tax deductible)

My husband and I have funded the first 'cage' and have installed it. However we cannot afford to fund the other 9 bins in our garden. :( This is where you can come in and save the day!

You can click on the link in the title and go straight to my school web page, or you can simply write/email me for more information.

Right now, I have a whole backyard full of little plantlings waiting to be planted by the kids, but I won't take them to school until our raised beds are secure from those pesky squirrels. (we aren't allowed to shoot them, in case you were wondering) :(

Please help us! We are more than willing to accept any amount as well. We will send you a tax-write off paper as well. :)

Picking up donated plants
at Bonnie Plants

Our bounty!

Raised beds
Start of building cages

Almost done with cage
Still needs wire doors on side
It is looking beautiful!

More great times from Yosemite

2010-11-13T20:36:00.000-08:00

Unwinding among the pines

2010-11-12T22:59:00.001-08:00

Feeling like I've been treading treacherous waters for a long time.

I've had too much on my plate....for too long.

Each breath of crisp air released an ounce of stress.

I found myself speechless and watching my breath rise up

Listening to crunching needles under my feet, and ducks squawking at each other

This site stopped me in my tracks. My first thought was the backyard in Pittsburgh, as a child, with all the incredible colors of leaves the trees would have!

All cares have melted away at this point

Have you ever noticed?

How many types....

...of leaves can be....

...found together?

....And I'm still breathing in and out...

Life is great.

We needed this

Lone Pine to Home...

2010-07-23T21:56:00.000-07:00

This is just my favorite thing to see....rivers/creeks running alongside the road. This would be my dream, to live right next to a river or creek...and be able to dip my toes in at anytime I wanted!

We took the 395 down from Bishop right into San Bernadino and over to the 10.

I spotted this cute little creek going up the pass, and asked Jeff to pull over so we could 'dip our toes in'...
SO T and I got in and it felt so good!

Then boredom sinks in....
.....and then FINALLY we made it home.....to 109 degree heat. Oh how I missed that heat! (NOT)
We had a WONDERFUL time and have so many other places we want to see....one of these days we'll have another grand adventure like this one!
Thanks for coming along and feel free to drop me a note here or on FaceBook... :)

Having fun in Tahoe

2010-07-20T20:22:00.000-07:00

We ate a great breakfast and then biked down from the hotel to the beach, and spent the day there. It was incredible and I cannot believe I have not played here before!
The kids had a great time and even though the water was a little cold, they spent HOURS in it! The water was incredibly crystal clear and just wonderful!
Got me some sand, which is a really neat orangy color.
Here is a melody of pictures for you to enjoy

And we found a PIRATE STORE!!!!! Oh Me, Oh My!!!!!! It was closing, so we will come back tomorrow!!!! I cant wait!
!

From Lava Beds to Lake Tahoe!

2010-07-19T22:31:00.000-07:00

Whew....I have to say I would really miss the Internet if it was gone, but once you cannot have it, it sort of melts away and the desperation melts away after two days.... LOL

So- we traveled over to The Lava Beds National Park....way out in the boondocks....and you would NOT guess there was anything out there!This is what you see for a couple of miles after you leave the entrance...you think, "Where is this Lava Bed?"
"Ahhhh...now I see some lava."
So let's go to the Visitor Center and sign up for a hike!
So we signed up for the Most-Challenging one-oops!
Down we go and Dad and I started panicking-"Can we do it?"
This is what we called, "LOW SPOT!" when ceilings were LOW...
Another cave to explore!

Capt. Jack's Stronghold-awesome!
T demonstrating what the Modoc's went through
Petroglyph Point

Working on their Jr. Rangers books
Becoming Jr. Rangers
More caving!
Mushpot cave- the easiest cave...we did last!
Winema Lodge- an old hunting lodge!
Luckily they had a gun rack so we could unload them from the van!
T playing with "Annie"
This place was really cool and the lady that took care of us was so great! Well worth the stay!

Now we are in Lake Tahoe and we are very excited to see what it is all about!!!! :)

Picking right back up......

2010-07-17T20:30:00.000-07:00

LOTS to update you on- and I'm so bummed the internet has been so crazy...but I think I have a good connection for atleast tonight! :)

So- On FB I left off on The Dalles. GORGEOUS! We stayed at the Shilo Inn right on the Dalles Dam! If you are in that area- stay there for sure!
This Shilo Inn has three interesting sights to see on-site.
1) The Hole in the Rock (behind hotel)

2) The old Indian ruins that you can walk through!

3) The Ladies- two gorgeous wood carved lady poles holding up a fabulous wooden bar- all of it came from very far away and rested right inside the bar of the hotel! (Bar was closed for breakfast!)
We then traveled from The Dalles Dam over West to Multnomah Falls! WOW!!!! Incredible!
It is a bummer we had to hurry through, due to a 7+ hour drive down to Crater Lake that same morning, because they had a Jr. Ranger program too! (Cope and Tierney have become Jr. Rangers in each of the National Parks we have gone to)
Simply breathtaking and sooooo worth the drive over!

On the way to Crater Lake- you GOTTA stop by this gas station/store! Two guys own it and they are hysterical! Their dad is from Palm Desert!

Crater Lake was really breathtaking and one cannot describe the color of deep, illuminated sapphire blue...it was one of those places you could just sit and stare at it all day long!

We planned on camping there 2 days, but cut it short due to the mega-amount of Zombie mosquitoes that were there. Evidently, when they have a late snow, and the snow starts to melt away, that is when the mosquitoes flourish. (bummer) We couldn't even enjoy our campsite- there were so many! In our campsite alone there was atleast 51,931 at last count.
It wasn't nearly so bad traveling out around the rim and stopping at all the vistas! We went to the 6 major ones and a few in-between. The kids even became Jr. Rangers for the 3rd time! As a bonus, they got to help the Ranger make a mock caldera and see how Crater Lake was formed. They loved it and it really helped them to understand how this beautiful feature was formed.

So onto our next stop- Klamath Falls. Really pretty drive is the 62 leaving the south entrance of Crater Lake and straight into Klamath Falls. Word has it there used to be falls here, until they damed up the water and the falls quit running. Oh well. We are at a wonderful Shilo Inn and have enjoyed the pool, the hot tub and are about to enjoy a free drink on the house. (Me and Jeff, not the kids) We also went to the old downtown section and ate at a wonderful Mexican restaurant called Hildalgo's..... very yummy and on the left side of the main town road almost to 4th street. I highly recommend it. Looks like a hole in the wall-but those are usually the best places to eat!

Tomorrow we will travel a short distance to the Lava Beds National Monument....not sure if we will camp again, so if you don't hear from me...and I didnt post pics on FB, then I didn't get internet! :)
There are a ton of things to do here! Check it out! (Thanks Alison!!)
Also we plan on caving! Here is a partial list of caves to check out!
More later!

There was a murder last night....

2010-07-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

Murder Mystery Party, that is!

Mom and Dad hosted a murder mystery party last night with the theme being a 5th year high school reunion for Roley High. Even though we we didn't have a lot of time to get ready- we all managed to get into our parts pretty well. It was confusing, crazy and the most fun I've had in awhile! Here are some highlights:

The host: Penelope (Penny) Lofer

Host: Richard (Rick) Alcitrent

Calvin (Cal) Q. Layder

Evelyn (E.C.) Leigh

Dierdre (Dee) C. Deucer

Joseph (Joe) K. Awledge

Priscilla (Pris) E. Teene

Delbert (Dell) Toydes

Ted and Bette also co-played the parts of Rick and Penny

We had a grand time- and after learning an overwhelming amount of facts, taking copious notes and breaking for dinner....we finally figured out who KILLED ROCK E. ROLEY.... It was Cal!
Thank you to Mom and Dad for giving us a great time this night! And thank you to Erin and Robb for getting a babysitter! Whew! :)

Okay- my Analness got the better of me...Here I go

2010-07-05T14:12:00.001-07:00

I'm going back to just post pics of July 2nd and 3rd...going from Grangeville to Coeur d'Alene- so here are some highlights!

Remnants of the World's Biggest Egg Toss

Downtown Grangeville coming out for the Festivities

Kids doing the 'Dime Toss'

We all love tractors! Hamming it up

Finally getting some rain

So badly wanted to see the train...

The most awesomest barns!

More to come- you'll get to see the motorhome Erin and Robb are working on.

Blackwell Island Fun

2010-07-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

Well, today is really gorgeous! Sun goes in and out behind these awesome dark clouds. It gets hot, then cools down. We don't get to enjoy 'changing' weather much in Palm Springs, so this is a treat! I awoke this morning to a fresh breeze blowing in through the little window at our faces, while listening to the Aspen tree rustling it's leaves...begging me to get up. It was so hard to wake. I could have stayed there all morning!

Once up, Jeff took the van to the Honda dealership. We have been smelling gas the whole way up here. Turns out we have some sort of crack at the gas tank, and they thought they had the part close by- but it has to be ordered off the East coast...over $650.00 later....ugh. We should get it back int he next few days. The good news is that we made it up here okay, and that we can manage without it right now.

I have a rare window of time to finish my blogging for the day! LOL

I forgot to mention that after a wonderful dinner put on by my sister and wonderful brother-in-law, we came back to the motorhome park and did laundry while watching the fireworks! It was perfect! Then we came home and crashed! LOL

Today we are lounging around and waiting till all the company comes over for fun in the lake today. This Blackwell Island RV Park has a wonderful section of beach that touches the lake with tons of lounge chairs!

Cope and I have already been to his 'secret place' riding bikes (and I almost wiped out trying to get on my bike) <-----that would have been hysterical for all the people watching from the safety of their motorhome!

And we managed to play Blongo-Ball- 2 games before Dad and Tierney came back from the store. So here are some more highlights of yesterdays events:

Robb doctoring up my knee with "Ancient Chinese Secret"

Relaxing in the beautiful sunshine

My favorite brother-in-law's spicy wings...to die for

My favorite brother-in-law Robb :)

Our AWESOME fire pit on the windy day...it felt and smelled so good!

They played on this all day long!

My sister makes the most delicious salads!

My wonderful sister

Yummy dessert!

I'm So Anal, That This Is Killin' Me...

2010-07-04T23:07:00.000-07:00

...But I have got to forget the last two days and move on....If I stop and blog about the last two days, I'll never catch up to today....so I'm sorry but all you get is TODAY- July 4th!
(I've had numerous problems the last couple of days trying to get on the internet and even once on, to load pictures....truly a nightmare! Robb- THANK YOU for all your help!)
So, Happy 4th of July Everyone!

We are staying the next two weeks in my parents motor home in Blackwell Island RV Park and despite having a few problems with living in the motor home, are really enjoying it! Space is an issue, but as long as the family just does what I tell them, we are fine. (You know like, "Hey- please put your shoes away." or "Your pj's don't belong there Cope."....you get the idea.

Today was wonderful! We enjoyed the BEST parade ever in Coeur d'Alene and here are some pics to prove it!

Well, as it is now 12:28am, and I am still waiting for pics to upload....I think I may call it a day. :( Im so sorry this internet thing is pooping out!

We had a wonderful lunch at MoonTime (my favorite place to eat because they have the most delicious curry cashews!) and then over to Erin's house for a lot of playtime, conversation and ROBB'S FAMOUS WINGS! He makes the best wings ever! Ill try again tomorrow morning to see if I can upload more pics! Until then- Night Night!

I think we can, I think we can.....make it to Grangeville, Id.

2010-07-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

Today was BY FAR the most incredible, crying your eyes out, catch-your-breath beauty I have ever seen. We started off a little scary- eating breakfast, not in a restaurant like I thought it was, but a TRUCK STOP! :I
I cant even think of the name of it, but our hotel sent us over for a free breakfast- and BAMM! Very interesting people in a truck stop. Made it through breakfast okay and onto 55 North- onto the MOST BREATHTAKING road I have ever seen. Truly.

Horseshoe was beautiful. Cascade was beautiful. McCall was beautiful...you get the idea.

The entire way on up was followed closely by Payette River, which I'm not even sure it was only one river we followed..it seemed like we crossed many and each one was incredible in it's own right. I have a million pictures, but I promise not to post them all....seriously.

We then lunched in McCall and ate at the cozy McCall Brewing Company. Cope wanted to eat on the rooftop overlooking the lake...simply incredible. We then drove over to the Rotary Park and let the kids enjoy some water time. It was very, very cold water!

New Meadows was incredible....and each curve of the road displayed a new texture, color, and beauty.
Pollock, Riggins and Lucile were so small of towns that we missed them. Seriously.

We then finally hit Grangeville! This is where we were supposed to stop for the night... and after driving around to scope out the town, we realized we had 2 choices for accommodations. We chose the Gateway Inn. We got the best room in the house and if you ever come this way and stay here, ask for room 104. Seriously.

So...we have been here since 4pm. We checked out the whole town, we watched a piece of logging equipment take the whole bundle of logs off a semi, we ate a the restaurant across the street, and have done our laundry. Whew.

Im looking forward to not waking up early. We have a short drive up to Coeur d'Alene and will see if any place deserves more time as we head up north.

Anything you want to add to the places we have been at?

Boise Here We Come!!!

2010-06-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

So we again ate at The Cracker Barrel (LOVE that place) and started on a long day's worth of driving up to Boise. We have a nephew that just finished his first year at BSU and we have been dying to visit him!
We drove up the 15 and onto 84 into Idaho. So many wonderfully beautiful places that all I can do is post pics.

We did find a great place to stop along the Snake River, in Twin Falls, Idaho. There is a beautiful place called Shoshone Falls and it is just breathtaking!
Evel Knievel attempted a jump back in 1974 and there are still remnants of the ramp to be seen. Not only are the Falls incredible, but they also have Dierkes Lake there!

The kids had a blast and it was so funny to see Tierney jump right in, as Cope took a good 30 minutes before he felt comfortable to jump in...they both made a friend they played with and it was a perfect place to stop and relax! We also had a small picnic there in the grass.

Finally we made it to Boise and stayed at a Shilo Inn, our first time. It was a great hotel to stay at! We loved the beds, showers and the room was very comfy!
We met up with Jake and he took us to a great place downtown for some Chicago-style pizza.

We had never had it before! It was very yummy! Then back to the hotel for an early morning wake-up!

Bryce Canyon revisited (and feeling MUCH better)

2010-06-29T22:37:00.000-07:00

Yes- today was a MUCH better day at Bryce Canyon! I was feeling really bad that I was so disappointed in the day-but come to find out we just didn't have enough information!
So we wake up and head on over to the kiosk to purchase a yearly pass- and the lady so nicely explains that the free shuttle goes to the Visitor's Center first and to see the movie there that she recommends (which we did) and then the shuttle takes you to the end of the line and you start visiting the different points coming back! Oooooh!
No one mentioned that to us yesterday, so we didn't know why it wasn't stopping where we wanted! Sooooo- you start at the end, which is Bryce Point, and spend as much time as you want there, then take the shuttle to the next point which is Inspiration Point, then on to Sunset Point (where we took in the Geology talk with Ranger Jan), and on to Bryce Canyon Lodge (beautiful!), and again on to Sunrise Point and back to the Visitor's Center!
Well that all made sense when she explained it- so we went back today FULL FORCE and took most of Bryce Canyon in and LOVED IT!!!!
We did just as we were told, and went to Bryce Point first. Beautiful and so amazing that this was all pushed up and up and then exposed and weathering so.
We hit all the Points we missed yesterday and then some!

Finally we made it back to the Visitor's Lodge and the kids turned in their Jr. Ranger booklets, answered some questions and were swore in as Bryce Canyon Jr. Rangers! Now they are Jr. Rangers in Zion and Bryce! It was very exciting!

Back into the car as we headed out of the park and went looking for Mossy Cave just East on the 12. Well, somehow we completely missed it, and ended up making a bathroom stop in a little town of Escalante. WAY CUTE!!!! If you get the chance to drive through- make sure you STOP and enjoy yourself at a shop/cafe called ESCALANTE OUTFITTERS.
Excellent food and a wonderful shop filled with everything imaginable to play outside-hiking, backpacking, etc....YOU GOTTA GO!

Heard a secret from the store owner...and found a secret local hangout where the kids could play in the water we so missed! So off we went in search of this place and we found it! The kids had a ball swimming and wading and being brave!

Moving on we then drove all the way 12 N going through Escalante, Boulder Town, Grover, Torrey, Loa, Lyman and Sigurd. We hopped N to Salina and took the 50 across to catch the 15. 15 all the way to Spanish Fork, which we found no place to stay, and moved onto to Springville! WHEW! Pooped to say the least! But guess what is RIGHT NEXT TO THE HOTEL?
That is right baby- The Cracker Barrel! Oh we are in Heaven! More tomorrow!

Bryce Canyon in a day

2010-06-28T17:06:00.000-07:00

(Waiting to pick up the free shuttle into Bryce Canyon)

Well, Bryce Canyon is a HUGE contrast to Zion...and being the 1st time for us at both...I was sort of disappointed. I guess I thought it would be more Zion-like, but it was very different.
Now don't misunderstand- It truly is breathtaking and Ranger Jan gave a very informative and wonderful geology talk on the canyon...BUT...did you know there is no water there?
I had our day bag packed with suits, towels and flip-flops, but no place to go in the water! Did I miss something?
I know that even though it is called Bryce Canyon, it truly is NOT a canyon. (This explanation came from Ranger Jan) They have over 200 days of 'freeze-thaw" which had led to major erosion of the canyon. Hoodoos are EVERYWHERE and they are so incredible to look at! If you go-make sure you visit Sunset Point. The Hoodoos are so close, it feels like you could just reach out and touch them! You can almost imagine yourself jumping across the tops of them all the way across the canyon! Bryce is at the 8,000 ft mark, so Ponderosa Pines are everywhere and that old familiar (Flagstaff) smell brought back so many memories! I also had forgotten how cool big, puffy and thick white clouds could be! (Still waiting for my thunderstorm)

As beautiful as it all was, I am most disappointed that there was no water! I miss water! We had so much fun yesterday in the water, even though it was freezing. Yes, I am disappointed in the no water part; everything else was beautiful and worth seeing!(This was so COOL! An automatic water bottle-filler)

So-things on the the To-Do List:

Visit the Lodge
Watch the Bryce Canyon movie in the Visitor's Center
Gift shop in Visitor's Center
Sunset Point
Ride the free shuttle all over the park
Get, read and study the park guide newspaper for TONS of park info

Things to ponder:

Going to more than 1 National Park? Buy the yearly pass for $80.00
Bring in a backpack for all your stuff
Scope out eating and sleeping arrangements ahead of time
make sure you can get free Wi-Fi
If you have kids- join the FREE Jr. Ranger program- great for kids and you!

If you have any ideas I missed- please add in comments!

Day 2 with an Incredible View!

2010-06-27T20:24:00.000-07:00

Jeff and I got no sleep last night because we were worried about getting into the 2 hour ranger-led tour this morning...
(This is Jeff, so tired, and put shampoo on his head instead of lotion)

We got up at 6:00am, showered and at breakfast by 7am, done eating by 7:30- to drive the 30 minutes over to Zion by 8:00am to hopefully get our name on the list for the tour! (Brochures say 12 people max)
(Cope and Tierney joined the Jr. Ranger program)
Success! Not only were we added, but the ranger let out a sigh of relief due to only 4 others being signed up! Boy did Jeff and I stress all night about being able to get into that tour! LOL
It was a fabulous tour- which I highly recommend! (Thanks Dad!)
We were hungry for lunch and stopped at the Sol.......and then off in search of some water to swim in. Right behind the Visitor's Center is a perfect place to hop in the river and cool off! (Did I mention it was 102 today?) The kids met another family that
really went in the water and they had such a fabulous time!
Soon it was time to head out to Bryce Canyon. The drive there was incredible- we hit everything from desert, to red rocks, to scrub, to Aspens, to pine trees and back again....

(Menu Falls) A gorgeous place to see!

(Tierney and Cope being inducted as Jr. Rangers!
They had to finish a workbook about the park and answer
questions from the ranger before being inducted and receiving a badge or patch)

The water was freezing but felt sooooo good!

(On the way to Bryce Canyon- we went through two of these)

You gotta make this a FOR SURE thing to

PAUNSAUGUNT WILDLIFE MUSEUM www.Brycecanyonwildlifemuseum.com

Over 600 beautifully mounted animals from all over the world, Indian Artifacts, Gift shop and live deer you can feed-which was the highlight of the trip for the kids!
This place was so incredible that 1 day is not enough! Around every corner and in each display was so much beauty! This is a definite MUST for anyone going through to Bryce Canyon!

Beautiful Scenery and Sore Butts on Day 1

2010-06-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

Can we fit anything else in the van? What did we forget?Our neighbor was riding by (at 5:00am!) and took our picture! LOLOn the road at a decent hour!Having breakfast at Starbucks!

Going through "the Virgin River Gorge"...just breathtaking!

Cope sleeping and Tierney picking on him....

Heading up to Zion....
So our travels for Day 1 were from Palm Springs to Zion, with a stop in Las Vegas for lunch with Jeff's parents, sister and his nephew Jack. Great time and it was good to see them!
Now we are relaxing at a local hotel in Hurricane , Utah and ready for hiking and playing in the water tomorrow! Sadly we did not get a campsite, but this is summer time after all!
Excited to see what Zion has to offer! With any luck we will be able to take the Zion Scenic Tour and then play in water! Whew.....I'm pooped.

Ooops! Too much breath....

2010-06-25T06:36:00.000-07:00

Father's Day was celebrated by a cake made from the twins. Tierney helped put everything into the bowl and mix it. Then we dumped it into the pan and she got to lick the miniscual batter...
Cope's job was to frost the cake and then decorate it. Easy, right?

Dad blew his candles out....

And the sugar sprinkles FLEW EVERYWHERE!
No Problem!

Fly and be free little ones... A pictoral view

2010-06-24T10:52:00.000-07:00

Well, it finally happened...
The little twins grew up and learned how to fly!
6-8-10
(click on pics to enlarge)

6-12-10

6-19-10

6-22-10

6-23-10

6-24-10
empty nest

6-24-10
one of the babies

New photo of my little preemies! (Blue Monday)

2010-06-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

Thank you Sis, for submitting this LONG AGO photo (which I don't even have!) of the twins!
I forgot they couldn't fit into any 'regular sized' clothes for a long time!
Thank you to SmilingSally who recommended Blue Monday!
This is my first time participating!

WHAT?! My twins are 9? When did this happen?

2010-06-12T20:41:00.001-07:00

This is my little man Cope who was born (hurriedly) on June 11, 2001 at 9:57pm.

And this is my little girl Tierney who is strong-willed and knows it all. She was born on June 11th at 9:59pm.

This is them now...... where did all those years go?

And this year I dropped the ball and didn't take ANY pictures during the party! I know! I know!
So here are some 'after the party' pictures....

Having a friend spend the night

Fresh fruits....

to counter-balance the design-your-own cupcakes.

The fancy helmets they got for baseball

And the fully-enclosed FORT they made for the sleepover

There were many other wonderful presents they received, but this post would be forever long....so you'll just have to come over and play with them here!

It was a wonderfully-relaxing day with friends.

Thank you everyone!

Teeny-Weeny Humminbird babes....

2010-06-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Got a sneak peek FINALLY!

Momma is very quick to leave and come back, so finding her gone is hard to do.

She came back while I was videotaping and waited patiently on the ocotillo branch until I was done.

THANK YOU MOMMY HUMMINGBIRD!

Goodbye Farmers Market.... (sniff sniff)

2010-06-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sadly, Saturday was the last Certified Organic Farmers Market until September.

You see, Palm Springs just gets too hot for most people...and growing food!

Here are some of the yummy foods I brought back from my trip with Nikki-

(And I for sure have to THANK Kim and Wendy for letting me have their 'box of food' they pick up once a week, since they both were on vacation! I love you two!)

Yummy yellow nectarines and peaches!

I really have NO IDEA what these were- do you?

You have not tasted a carrot until it was organically grown, period.

Strawberries were to die for!

Leeks, green onions, garlic and broccoli- all ready for preparing dishes!

And thanks to my secret sister Alyssa, my new compost pail got all the leftovers!

So Saturday night we had Nikki and her family come over and we had teriyaki chicken and veggies on bamboo skewers, with white rice, and a fruit salad. We had a wonderful time!
Who will you invite over this week?

Hummingbird babies are here!

2010-06-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, she finally hatched her babies!

Look how proud she is...carefully inspecting her new little ones.

I had to stealthily watch and snap a picture while she was away....

My, they are teenie-weenie!
More postings as time goes by!

Looking at the new me- Nationally Board Certified...

2010-06-04T18:22:00.000-07:00

Well, not officially yet, but I'll know my results in November.

I'm pretty sure.

I am still unwinding from the whirlwind of taking it, of becoming a Nationally Board Certified Teacher.

Feeling better about it as seconds go by. I'd rather push it into the crevices in my mind, but it sticks out like a neon post-it tag on a page.

Oh well.

Best news is that it is all down hill from here. 4 days of school left. Easy peezy.

Cant wait for 100% family time!

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1175/622612084_b06c92ad4b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/extraketchup/

Hey! Hey! Vote for me!

2010-06-03T08:19:00.001-07:00

Today starts the voting for a microgrant I would love to receive!

Will you vote for me?

I plan on expanding the garden here at school and have the kids journal thier journey of experimenting and growing food in the desert!

Vote Here!

I am on page 57- Beth Ann Thornhill

Thank you soooooo much!

Feel free to send all your friends here to vote too! I'd sure appreciate ALL your votes!

Delightfully sweet things from the garden!

2010-05-30T12:04:00.000-07:00

As the heat begins to weigh heavily onto the Coachella Valley, the last of my crops are coming in.
It is a race against the sweltering heat...

I am still learning what-to-plant-when, and this pepper plant might not make it through the heat, but Im so excited to see the little veggie growing!

I am a newbie when it comes to corn....How do you know when it is ready to pick? Once picked, will more grow on the stalk?

Tomato plants are fading fast, but still producing! I have found that I get very upset if plants have yellow leaves, look spindly, etc...I try to keep everything trimmed and looking good. This photo was BEFORE I trimmed up my plants! LOL
Anyone else 'Obsessive' in the garden?

Ahhhhhhh...the rewards of gardening are evident! This harvest will become freshly-made brushetta for my study group today! The basil will come out of the garden as well! Nothing like home-grown foods to eat!

I'm a new Vice-President!

2010-05-27T18:00:00.000-07:00

Tonight we held our
Delta Kappa Gamma installation for the new 2010-2012 board members.
What a night!

We thanked the outgoing- and welcomed the incoming...and had a bountiful feast while doing it!

Our society organization helps foster women in education...whether going into the field, or newly credentialed. We offer scholarships and grants for women in the field...as well as community service projects that benefit the kids we teach!

We have a couple yearly projects...one is providing backpacks full of supplies for different age groups and genders, right before school starts. The second one is we started making "Jared Boxes" for children who end up with long hospital stays. They are plastic boxes filled with all kinds of goodies for the child to play with- coloring books, crayons, cards, toys, etc...
Our chapter ended up making a total of 32 boxes and I hope we can beat that for this next year!

I look forward to working with these wonderful ladies and getting to know them all as good friends!

Let's get ready to boogie!

Update to Momma Hummingbird...

2010-05-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

Lookie see!? 2 Eggs!!!

Googled hummingbird nests and found out they usually lay two eggs, but don't start the incubation period until the second egg is laid (usually a day or two after the first one is laid).
Then in about 16-17 days, the eggs will hatch and they will be little black squiggly things with yellow beaks. Within 40 days total, the little babies will be ready to fly away!
Wonderful site with a great video of eggs to birth to flying away....

Watch this video below!

Will You HELP Me Lose Weight?

2010-05-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

I can't seem to do it alone. I need someone to hold my hand and lead me. Literally.

Will you give me some words of encouragement? Advice? Recipes? Favorite things you do? Secrets you have for making it easier? ANYTHING WILL HELP!!!!

I would like to stick with Weight Watchers...simply because I've been through it and it uses REAL FOODS.

What can you suggest?

Monday Humor.....

2010-05-24T12:18:00.000-07:00

This was too funny to pass up!
Haven't you ever wanted to do something like this?

A Special Thursday for this Week

2010-05-23T10:25:00.000-07:00

I am proud to say I am a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society. What is that you say?

Our main goal is to help support other women educators, either already in the field, or going into the field of education. We also do service projects for children in need.

It is a wonderful group and so many of the girls at my school are members, that it makes it really fun!

My big news is that I will proudly be a board member on Thursday! I will be one of several initiated into position, and will become the new 1st Vice-President, along with a great friend Sheila Ruble (*my w.d.m.p.m. friend). My best friend Cathy Seeger will become the new President, along with Fran Chapman .

We will also induct Joanie Wilcox as a new member, who also teaches at my school! I am so excited!

I will take pictures, of course!

This will help get me through the last 'full' week of school we have. (Next week we have Monday off, the following week we have Friday off! Yes, 13 more school days left! Yahoo!

This is me and my best friend Cathy Seeger
when I was inducted as a DKG member back in Dec. 2004!

*Wine drinking, mashed potato-making friend

Finally....Patience Rewarded!

2010-05-19T21:30:00.000-07:00

OOOOH! Momma hummingbird is away....
Let's sneak a peek, shall we?

Awwwww.....one teenie, tiny little hummingbird egg!

Our New Little Neighbor

2010-05-19T12:12:00.000-07:00

Can you see? Right there...Yes, smack dab in the middle...

How 'bout now? Right there- at the knot

She is sitting sideways...
This is as close as I can get right now. Her nest is 2 days old.
Cant wait for babies!

Change of plans for my Utopia

2010-05-18T21:02:00.000-07:00

Utopia just turned into Jury Duty the week I am out of school. UGH.

...On the brighter side, at least I don't have to plan for a sub, and it is before our vacation trip...

17 More Days till Utopia!

2010-05-18T13:51:00.000-07:00

...Yes, ALL teachers count the days until the end of the school year, Didn't you know? OH YES!!!!
This is the time of year that traditional schedule teachers both dread and relish. Dread because we have so much to squeeze in before those 17 days end, and relish because we only have to wake to our alarm clocks 17 more times.

Let me break down the last 17 days for you-

17 school days left means that we have 3 days left this week. Lots to review and reinforce in these kids still, as well as trying to do a super clean/toss old junk within your 4 walls before school ends.

Next week is 5 solid days of teaching. See above.

Memorial Monday is no school, which means there are only 4 days that week. That helps becasue those 4 day weeks always seem to feel so long. See above.

Now comes the excitement period. This last week is full of 8th graders promotion, 6th, 7th and 8th grade reward days, and we end on June 10th. Yes, that is a Thursday, which I think is a little strange, but makes us happy because we sort of feel like we are playing hookie the last day of school. (Which we really aren't) :)

Literally on June 10th, the administration wants you to take the 'check-out list' and do everything on it and check out as fast as you can so you can turn in your keys and they can lock up. Rooms might need to be painted, carpets cleaned, furniture moved, etc....lots happen while we are gone over the sumer.

I plan on keeping my keys for awhile, so I can remove all the old stuff left by the last teacher, that is unfortunatley not being used. I have to put all my stuff away, since it is literally all over my room. I should take a pic and show you. That is what I'll do! :)

Anywho....after today we are counting 16 more days..... 16 more days....I think I can, I think I can...

Reincarnation...of sorts

2010-05-16T16:13:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is I....Beth Ann. Coming back to resume where I left off almost a year ago! LOL
Let me tell you- A LOT has happened since then, and although I dont have time (or want to go back) to tell you everything, I will pick up where I left off- which is the wonderful town of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Yes, you know the one. It's the ONLY place I talk about, besides South Bend.

So- here is the scoop. My sister, who laughed at my expense regarding blogging....who tirelessly made fun of me while on vacation in Idaho blogging, who griped and complained about me having to have time to blog my adventures while I was in Idaho....IS NOW BLOGGING! :)

I have to say I am THRILLED!!!!! I dont care if she made fun of me or not (or my mom for that matter)- the fact is SHE IS BLOGGING and I will be able to read and see her adventures this upcoming year....Didnt I tell you? Well.....

My sis and her family will be selling their house, buying a motorhome and homeschooling their kids on the road as they travel the U.S. for a year! (I know, I know....who does that? Only in the movies...but really it is FABULOUS!)

She is living what A LOT of people only dream of! I know I wish I could do that!
So she will be blogging about her adventures and because you are following me, you can follow her too! :)

So, here is her house in Couer d'Alene, Id.
It is FOR SALE....(sniff sniff)
It is a 3 bd/2 bath cozy and adorable 1916 house that I would SNATCH UP in a heartbeat if we could!
You can catch her blog at: PROVOST RECESS
...and if you click on her picture of the house, you can see all the rooms inside!

Ta ta for now!

Which darling house to buy?!

2009-07-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

I'm surprised I haven't been arrested or anything...
I cant help taking pictures of such adorable and incredible houses here in Coeur d'Alene!
We have NOTHING like these and I constantly walk down the streets pointing and saying...
"I'd buy that one! Oh! I'd buy that one too! And that one! Oh! Look at that one!"

Roger's Ice Cream Parlor

2009-07-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

WOW!!! And boy did they look good!

Perfect ending to a wonderful day!

Steaming cup of tea, brisk walking and shopping till we dropped...all in 2 hours!

2009-07-09T20:35:00.000-07:00

The Bakery

Yummy tea to get us going on a brisk morning of shopping!

I'm DYING to go in this Antique Shop downtown...Goal: a salt cellar!

This Antique Store is right next to the above one...is that HEAVEN or what?!
MIX IT UP! A very cheerful store with must-have items like the bamboo curtain, happy dishware, specialty candles, wonderful sayings on plaques, gardening tools and toys,
and much more!

My new silk skirt from The Lucky Monkey downtown...

My new silk dress that is soooo not my jean shorts and t-shirt!

My new lotus dress...

And my new earrings to go with everything!

All this (and more) in 2 hours thanks to Grandpa taking little Jillian and the other 4 kids taking a super-fun art and music class! What a glorious day!

Pampering to new heights...

2009-07-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

Ready to be pampered with a Pedi outside overlooking the beautiful park?
Comes with a fleece blanket to cover up with in case you get too cold!

View from that chair!

Community Gardening

2009-07-07T16:27:00.001-07:00

*Note: a portion of what each family grows is then donated to the local food shelter...how cool is that?!

Coffee shop and snapshots

2009-07-06T16:11:00.000-07:00

Relaxed today and walked downtown. Checked to see if some of my favorite stores are still around...thankfully A LOT were!

Java On Sherman - Map

324 E Sherman Ave,

Coeur D Alene, ID 83814

Still a GREAT place to get a cup of Joe...or anything else for that matter! Huge cookies, pastries, bulk specialty coffees, teas, sandwiches, shakes...you name it- they've got it! Plus FREE WiFi!!!!!

So I sat there looking out the great expansive windows, peering into the streets and people watching...while sipping on some yummy Passion Ice Tea! It is in the heart of downtown, so stop on by when you come this way!
Here are some highlights of the day...

Garlic Turkey Burgers and Homemade Chunky Potato Salad...

2009-07-05T15:51:00.000-07:00

Just to name a few of the entrees we feasted on for the 4th of July!

My sister made an artichoke hummus (so yummy) and one of those fancy veggies on skewers cut into shapes of stars and firepoppers, and for the finale- a delicious "Freedom Cake" complete with sparklers on top! (How she has time to do this with three little ones I'll never know)
Peek at first pic- the veggie 'flowers' are ont he table.

Sandcastles turned into mudpies....

Swimming and hoops were popular...

Me and my incredible sister Erin

Sneak-attack of getting Mom in the picture too

the beautiful moon that came out that night

The very yummy and gone-in-seconds 'Freedom Cake' my sister made

And this is Lex. No party or gathering of any kind is complete without Lex and his guitar. He makes everything seem so much better as he strums his guitar and sings along. He is the icing on any cake!

It was a wonderful day and our Hostess Melissa was just fabulous! Thank you Melissa!

Empty Airports and Very Old Trees....

2009-07-05T15:38:00.000-07:00

Here I am! Back and in the Cd'A Library- a HUGE and beautiful building dedicated to all the readers here in town. It truly is breathtaking! Check it out! Cd'A Library

Speaking of empty airports, we flew into Spokane and it was like a ghost town...no one in site, all the stores closed up, food court seemed open but the custodian was mopping the floor and putting the chairs up on the tables....and it was only 4:30pm! Maybe because it was 4th of July?

Beautiful view outside the airport windows! That is (I think) a river...?

Thank goodness for these wonderful WiFi seats!
The kids had three hours to wait for the next plane and they played their games in their own area.

The ride from Spokane Airport to Coeur d'Alene is so pretty...and I love glimpsing at the surroundings, like this old bridge and the river underneath...

Have you ever been to a Cabela's? It is a hunting/fishing/boating/camping/etc. store that is just fun to shop in....BUT THIS STORE...is the HUGEST CABELA'S I've ever seen!
It is inbetween Spokane and Coeur d'Alene...you really cant miss it!
Post Falls, ID to be more exact...and you could easily spend the day in there! You GOTTA go check it out if you come this way!

Looking at some of the old downtown Spokane buildings....reminds me of Pittsburg. Love old brinck buildings and especially ones that are vacant with old peeling billboards painted on the sides of them.

Ancient churches with old-fashioned steeples are just my cup of tea!

Here is another great example....check out the stained glass right in the front...I'd love to see that from the inside!

Looks like we have arrived in Coeur d'Alene!!!

Let me get settled in and unpacked, grab some tea and Ill be back with great things to do around town!

Idaho here we come!!!!!....

2009-07-03T12:53:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is my official "On vacation" vacation and I cant wait!

We will be in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and Ill be showing you around town, so stay tuned!
I'll take you to the best eats, a beautiful lake and hiking trails, sandy beaches, and all the shops downtown.... it truly is a wonderful place to visit, and I would move there in a heartbeat tomorrow if I could. See you soon!

Pondering another 5K walk....check this one out!

2009-07-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

24th Annual Palm Springs Aerial Tram Road Challenge

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Beautiful scenery, 2000' elevation gain for this 6K (3.7m) uphill run/walk

I'm thinking about it. I need to confer with my WW buddy and see if we are up to it! I want to be honest with myself...but I am seriously wanting to do this challenge- I know it would be just that- A CHALLENGE!!!
Besides, I want the cool t-shirt.

Anyone want to join us?

To Register for this incredible race: Click Here

Really?? I need surgery?

2009-06-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

Well-

For a long time now I have had this knee pain...it would come and go at random times-I could be fine one minute, and two seconds later I would be in pain...

[I thought it was all in my head]

FINALLY I got into the doctor and had an MRI.

Yes, there is a tear. A tear in your meniscus. You will need surgery to repair it. Gristle sound? No, that is not fixable, sorry. See you in surgery. You'll be fine.

I will see the doctor today to see about options and what I can expect. Ill let you know my prognosis. Wish me luck.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with Lays potato chips...

2009-06-29T21:42:00.000-07:00

...cut 'butterfly' style and the chips overflowing from between the two halves....add a glass of ice cold KoolAide....and summer is here!

Today's temperature reached 108 on my thermometer...stir in some unusual humidity of 14%, and some dark clouds...and you have one hot, strange day here in Palm Springs.

Pool isn't quite to my liking yet. If I had to describe it I would say a refrigerated Coke can placed on someone's back...I like it when the sun's rays boil the water to a level where you walk in and say, "Ahhhhhhh...." ...yes, my old bones need the rejuvinating waters of the valley to unwind my spirit and relax the mind.

Much is on the "To Do" list for the summer.

Here is a sampling...

*lose weight (always on the list)
*sleep in (doing good so far)
*stay up late (not as much fun as I remembered)
*find some fun activites for the kids (working on that one)
*celebrate our 10th anniversary somehow (we are going camping in Idyllwild!)
*finish this on-line class of 23 things...
*sign up for more 5k's (walking, of course)

What plans do you have?

Vacation (squared)

2009-06-28T21:04:00.000-07:00

YES!!!!

IDAHO here we come!!!!!

6 more days....6 more days......

How in the world do babies get to be 8 years old?

2009-06-14T20:08:00.000-07:00

My mom warned me plenty of times....

.........."Honey, you better enjoy those twins now, because before you know it...they are going to be all grown up."

At the time I couldn't wait because I was dealing with 1 colicky baby and 1 who was fearless. Both wanted attention at the same time, both wanted to be fed at the same time, both needed me at the same time....I was continuously exhausted.

...Now, I wish I had those days back.

Those carefree fun days where time seems now, to have stood still....

Is it me, or do you notice too, that smiles just don't come as quickly as they used to back in those days? It is a whole different world now...sometimes easy, sometimes very difficult...but each thing we experience with them....is a learning step for them on their path of life. Oh how quickly the time goes...

I cannot beleive how big my babies are! Thursday, June 11th, they turned 8 years old!

Such a BIG DAY for the twins, and especially for me....yes I was va-klempt all week.
And I'm so glad it is over, and we have a whole year to look forward to the antics of 8 year olds!

Thing # 8 RSS Feeds and scrambled eggs-HELP!

2009-06-10T12:49:00.000-07:00

My brain

What in the world am I doing trying to learn all this stuff? I am so confused about RSS feeds (still) that I took the night off to rest my brain...now I'm back at it today....

I''m skipping a few "things" (#6-7) because I didn't understand them, now I'm stuck on #8 which is:

WHAT THE HECK IS A RSS FEED?
ONCE I'M SIGNED UP- THEN WHAT??
WHAT IS IT SUPPOSED TO DO AGAIN?
DO I HAVE TO FEED IT ANYTHING?
WHERE DOES IT SHOW UP TO DO WHATEVER IT IS IT DOES?

My brain is like scrambled eggs right now...

I have followed the directions to "follow" someone, but not sure if I am or if they know they are being "followed" and I also signed up to Bloglines, which I''m so confused as to what I'm checking off the boxes for!

Can someone help me out there?

PS- don't let me fool you if you see the FOLLOW thingie on my blog, or the SUBSCRIBE...I can push buttons to get them, but I'm not sure what exactly they do....

Thing #5 Explore Flickr

2009-06-09T21:03:00.000-07:00

Yuck....very confusing trying to find where to go or what to do on Flickr....I have an account, and followed the tutorial on what to do...until I got to the uploading of my first picture, and it wouldn't do it!
Then I tried to download the program and I don't have enough memory currently (Robb, don't get mad...you can look at it when I get up there)...then I tried Flickr Commons.
I couldn't figure out exactly what the purposeof it was....to look at pictures and help identify them?
(frustrating) and then I tried Flickr Toys, which was fun, but am I correct that there is only 1 page of cool stuff? I played with making the map, but I didnt add it to my blog. Just played with it.

Anyone have any help for me to find people I know on Flickr to share photos with, or help uploading pics?

Classroom Learning 2.0 challenge Thing #1-4

2009-06-09T10:08:00.001-07:00

Hi!

Last year I went to the CUE conference, and learned about blogging and others funny named things I knew nothing about. I went about creating my first blog site and blogged until I was burned out! (giggle) I now know how to blog and comment, and add different things to my website, but now I want to learn more.
I am currently taking an on-line course (credit must be given to the California School Library Association for the development of this program) that will teach me 23 things.... ....so the first thing I did was create an avatar using Doppelme...see near top of this blog. I liked the dread-lock look, but I really don't have them. Just picture this as me if I was living on the beach in the Bahamas, having a drink at Capt'n Jacks!

Another quest was to create a voki, which is a speaking person who represents you....again, I had problems finding the right hair color, and I'm sure somewhere there is a site where you can upload a pic of yourself and have your own voice added...so I just chose an animae person and have really red hair. The voice is me though! :) Again this is at the top of the blog, just push the play button.
These were free sites and a blast to create. It didn't take a lot of time either! Go check them out!

Next quest is Flickr....so I will check that out soon!
Let me know what you think of my avatar and Voki! :)

I invite you to join me and we can learn all 23 things at our own pace, but blog about them together! I am looking into the continuing education credit that can be obtained, and you will find me blogging about these as I learn them- as it is part of the requirement.
Come join me! Check out Classroom Learning 2.0...not just for teachers though...anyone can do this!
The 7 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners was fantastic! It is a power-point presentation of strategies other successful people use- and teaches you what they are and how to use them! Check out the 7 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners.
I have to blog about which one is hardest for me and which is easiest.

Hardest for me would be Habit 1 and Habit 7. I have a great idea, then another and another...which snowball into more and more great ideas, all connecting, but I think of how to start, instead of the end in mind. Habit 7 1/2 because I don't have time to play...or allow myself to have time to play.
Easiest for me would be Habit 7 as I love to help others be successful and watch that light bulb go off in their eyes.

Jot me a comment and let me know if you want to join me! I'd LOVE the company!

*Question for you- what makes YOU blog?

Take the 5K challenge (from Weight Watchers)

2009-06-08T08:52:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

I'm back with an update on my 5K challenge!

I starting hanging around active.com which was a site Weight Watchers said to go and meet others and get active by walking....then go do something wild like sign up for a 5K walk!

So I did! I met alot of great people and 1 person in particular from my area. Although we played email tag more than we got to walk together, we DID sign up for a 5K walk in the beautiful town of Idyllwild, Ca. It was their Idyllwild 5K and 10K Run and Fitness Walk.

There was also another wonderful gal from Palm Springs who took it further by doing her own 5K walk to which she made not only the route, but also complimented it with a tour of famous homes we would be walking by as we enjoyed the cool morning! It was fantastic! (Thank you Jan!) This walk was May 30, 2009 and I walked this one with my husband and twins. It was a great way to start off the weekend and prepare for the big 5K the following weekend!

Here is a recap of my 1st real 5K walk in Idyllwild this past Saturday...
This is the beautiful owner of the Taqhuitz Inn at Idyllwild! We stayed overnight here and loved it!
The best part for me was the wonderful smell of the towels...(bear with me...) it brought back memories of coming home from college and smelling mom's laundry. Mine never smelled as good, even though I used the same stuff....the towels just were so fluffy and heavenly smelling! But if you end up in Idyllwild, make sure you stay here...cute place with a full kitchen, fridge, plenty of hot water, and tons of sleeping space!

This is my new friend Susan in her cool race shirt ready to go the morning of June 6th. We were very excited and I will admit I was very nervous as well.

Need to register? These are the gals you want to see. It was amazing how many people waited until the morning of the race to register! My stomach would have been in knots if I had waited till the last minute. Brave people...either that or they have done this before.
*special note-what was so great about these ladies is that they were so full of energy and spunk! They were there last night when we picked up our registration packet Friday night and were so nice and answered my millions of questions.

My son demonstrating just how cold it was...you could see your breath...it was a very chilly 36 degrees at 7:00am.
I was saying how cold it was, that is was just freezing, but the announcer heard us and clarified that is was only 36 degrees, which clearly is not freezing...as you know, freezing is 32 degrees which clearly isnt 36 degrees...it got a laugh out of everyone.

Susan and I had our feet ready and in position for the start of the race. I am on the left, Susan is on the right.
We had to laugh because all the serious runners were going to trample us once it started. We survived without so much as a scrape or scratch.

Here Susan and I are at the beginning of the race. Notice we are all smiles. I think I was still thinking at this point, "What the heck am I doing?"

And we are off!!!!!
Susan and I started off arm in arm in case we got knocked over by someone....LOL

We literally had a cheering section on our route! It was so great!
This is where we walked through the campground and I felt sorry for all the campers who were sleeping as we noisily walked through chatting away....

Luckily the path was marked well....as I am very much directionally challenged. These arrows were fabulous and helped my tired brain by telling my legs where to go.

Yes I had to make a pit stop...but I wasn't the only one...LOL

Wait! Is that the...YES!!!! It's the FINISH LINE!!!!! He is showing me where to go-probably because I am close to dragging my arms on the ground and my tongue is hanging down a foot out of my mouth! I did it! I really did it!

Here is my sweet family that got up so early to be at the finish line when I came in! Yeah Family!!!!

Here we are going through the finish line!
We were so ecstatic that we finished it!!!!!
If you go to the results page, you will find us at #59 and #60! I am sooooooo happy I made the effort and had such a great pal to do it with!

Here are some other highlights...my children entered the 1/2 mile kids' fun run.

And THEY ARE OFF!!!!!! (the two kids in long sleeve brown shirts # 94 and #95)

Cope coming across the finish line!
I just love this picture! He is sooo cute!

Here is Tierney....I was gonna push the others aside so I could get a good picture of her, but I thought that wouldnt be too good...(just joking)
She is the third one in the brown shirt.

We ate at different restaurants around town...

Jo'Ann's is smack dab in the middle of town center....

and this place is so much fun for all ages-
old candies and toys long forgotten...

Remember When... Toys
The Fort
54225 N Circle Dr
Idyllwild, CA 92549
(951)271-6310

All in all it was a very enjoyable weekend and I would definitely do it again! Look and see when our next 5K is in Palm Springs, email me and we'll hook up and walk it together! I am challenging you to sign up for one! What have you got to lose? :)

Hey- I'm back in the game!

2009-04-15T19:54:00.001-07:00

Well!

Howdy to some old and new faces! I am back after almost 6 months to the day.... I just couldn't keep up and my schedule got so crazy.... and to top it off- my internet "lite" version stinks and is so slow- that I got too frustrated and gave up.

But now- I'm about to embark on a HUGE mission and I want to share it with ALL OF YOU!
Maybe even you're thinking about joining me in your own town?? (how COOL would that be!)

I am taking the Weight Watcher's Momentum Challenge... the Momentum™ Walk-It Challenge. Between April 12 and June 6, 2009, set an activity goal for yourself like walking in a 5K -
I will be starting a walking group here in town (Palm Springs) and encourage you all to not only start walking, but to join up with the million of others who have just joined...to become less of a couch potato and more of the person you have always wanted to be!
My program has me starting out at just 15 minutes per day....how simple is that? Grab a buddy, and go walk briskly for 15 minutes each day....a great goal would be to shoot for 5 out of 7 days...maybe walk three, take a day off, then walk 3 days.
You can find others to join up with on ACTIVE.COM -->Community-->Walking Community-->Training-->Team Weight Watchers Community GO ON- I DARE YA!!!! :)

Ill keep you posted on my progress... and I'm going to sign up for the 2009 Idyllwild 5K & 10K Run and Fitness Walk.
You can learn more at Idyllwildrace.com

Okay....ready, set, GO!!!!