Caribbean of the Rockies

Bart and I laughed out loud when we read that description of Bear Lake in a brochure we picked up last week during our family-of-3's first vacation. On a more serious note, we did learn from this brochure that the reason the lake has such a beautiful turquoise color is due to limestone at the bottom.


All in all we had a good time but wouldn't recommend the place that we stayed at (thumbs down to bearlakelodging.com). Picture fry sauce colored stucco and a carpet that had one too many parties and you'll sorta get an idea of the condo we rented. It did have a FANTASTIC view though. This below pic was taken from the back patio.

It's too bad that Bear Lake doesn't have better accommodations for smaller parties (aka people who aren't in need of a cabin that sleeps 20) because Garden City is a very quaint and friendly little town. We talked to more people (Benjamin is a people magnet) while waiting at La Beau's in one day then we have in a week here in Logan! 


I guess next time we'll try for the good old standby of the Blue Water Resort (formally Sweet Water) but that's where I spent a lot of our summers growing up, so I've really been looking for somewhere different. Somewhere charming and cute like that big blue mansion right by the gas station...The Inn At the Lake. Doesn't it sound and look like something right out of Anne of Green Gables? Well, I called that one and turns out you can only rent the ENTIRE house, not individual rooms. To quote their response: "It's all or nothing at The Inn At the Lake!" Nice motto.

Anyway- it's always nice to get away and who can beat just a 1 hr drive? We considered Jackson Hole, but that's pretty far for us with a little one, and we really do like being by the water. Plus, we hadn't had any Bear Lake raspberries yet, and those NEVER disappoint! Speaking of, I'm interested to know, who do you think has the BEST Bear Lake raspberry shakes...La Beaus or Quick n Tasty?

Kettle Potato Chips- Week Waiting...

I've decided to wait a little while before reviewing the LAST two flavors of Kettle Potato Chips. This decision came after.....


The realization that we have absolutely NO room to house anymore bags of chips. I can only buy each bag in a pretty large size, and even though they're delicious, my husband and I can only eat so much. I'm always offering them to whoever stops by, but nonetheless we still have a lot of opened bags hanging around.  

Summer seems to have left us early anyway, so my deadline to finish all by the end of summer is now more lenient. Plus, we had a BIRTHDAY BONANZA (will post pics of details soon) this past weekend for my son and I'm therefore in need of a break. Today's rain provided me with the perfect excuse to stay in my p.j.'s (I'm still in them now) and clear some things off my plate (aka chips out of our pantry!). So, I should be able to try and rate these last two out before the end of Sept. I've also got a interesting conclusion to add about this whole chip tasting experiment too, so hopefully you're all still with me! 

JJ Delivers!

Today I called up Jimmy Johns (aka JJ) and placed an order for one Veggie Club to be delivered. Delivered right to my front door even though we live less than 5 min. away from one. This marvelous idea came to me as I awoke from a nap with my son. There I lay with one of my arms still asleep under his head as my stomach impatiently growled. 


As I wrote yesterday, we absolutely NEED to go grocery shopping, but I think I must still be in vacation mode because I keep putting it off....after days of eating out I was beginning to crave food like lettuce and fresh veggies. Problem was my son and I crashed on a bed in our guest room, (not a place where I could leave him alone for very long) and like I said, I was VERY hungry. After months of practice, I was successfully able to squirm myself away to make my emergency phone call to JJ, and in less then 10 min. (JJ delivery is FAST!) I was greeted by a college kid angel on our doorstep. This JJ sandwich never tasted so good. I devoured it in between checking in on Benjamin and dancing around the kitchen. I also ate it with some of those Sea Salt & Vinegar Kettle chips with it and a big glass of ice water...Ummmmm...what a way to improve my day! 

You see today was also the day that our annoying neighborhood cat (I swear it doesn't have a home, it just mooches off of every one who feels bad for it) tried to chase down Benjamin. I normally don't have Benjamin outside without me RIGHT there by his side, but I was just doing a quick and simple task: empty out the remaining water in our cooler. Of course Benjamin scrambled outside the second I opened the door, but I was still watching him very closely. I watched him wander over to our neighbors side of the yard, watched him touch each of the poles to the trampoline, and watched as he walked underneath the trampoline. Then, right when I was almost done cleaning out the cooler, I heard the cat (I actually call it "The Evil Cat" because its evil black color, beady eyes, and overall sneaky disposition). If you couldn't already tell, I don't like cats and I don't think one has ever liked me. Maybe it's because one scratched me when I was younger, or maybe it's because they always seem too preoccupied with themselves, but I've accepted the fact that I am just NOT a cat person. This cat knows that and therefore does evil little things like jump inside my car (thankfully I was NOT inside when this happened), and now creepily approach my son. I quickly sprinted over to the tramp and crouched down to 3 feet to grab Benjamin out from under it. I caught him just in time as I glared back at The Evil Cat. Just as I thought we were in the clear, I extended my head and body up (hard to do with a 20 lb. baby in your arms) and....ouch! I went up too soon. We fell, and I scratched the back of my back. I made a quick recovery as I looked back again at the cat (who I swear was now laughing at me) and finally got us both back safely inside. I had mud on my pants and a little bit of blood on my back (Benjamin is completely fine), and declared it family nap time. Glorious nap time followed by a delicious sandwich speedily delivered to my doorstep. 

I hope The Evil Cat stops bothering us, but until then I think I'll add JJ to the phonebook in my cell phone....perhaps even speed dial? I also better go to the store now so that I can make us some homemade dinner tonight....even though JJ came to the rescue, I'm going to limit ourselves to one take-out indulgence per day before I get too used to food delivered by angels.

The Bond of Family

This past weekend I came across this little diddy. I don't know who wrote it but I like it because I think it serves as a nice reminder to appreciate where we come from and to not lose sight of the connections we have amongst family. The Bond of Family Even though each of us is different from each other in a lot of ways, we have a bond that comes from belonging to our family and sharing the special feelings that only families share... It is a bond that links us together throughout all the experiences and changes we each go through, a closeness that allows four our faults and misunderstandings as well as our best times together. Each of us is a unique individual in their own right with a lot to offer the world, but somehow what we each bring into our family makes us one inseparable unit, loved and valued by all.

Kettle Potato Chips- Week 12

Almost done with this brilliant chip-tasting experiment folks! I know I got a little behind last week, but we went out of town for a much needed vacay. It was nice, but now we're back. Back for loads of laundry, bags to unpack, and grocery shopping to do. I can do it though! As Bart told me the other day....I'm tough! ;) 

So, here's the review for Sea Salt & Vinegar....pucker up! I found them to be strong and sweet, but not as over-powering as others that I've had. These also aren't too salty, which I expected due to the word SALT in the title. One nice thing is you only need a few, unlike some of the other addicting flavors which I HAVE to get the Sharing Size bag of. All in all, I give them an impressive....7!

unconventionally STRONG & tangy
Is it presumptuous to call a chip a harmonic convergence of flavor? You might want to taste this chip before you answer. How else can you describe the perfect balance of zesty sea salt, a hint of tongue-puckering vinegar and satisfying crunch? Your mouth is watering, isn’t it? 

Next weeks flavor...Jalapeno 

Hand Soap

I secretly (okay, guess it's not a secret anymore) have a bit of an obsession with hand soaps. I know it sounds silly, but it's one of the first things I notice in someone's home and one of my absolute must have's for our home. I like the promise they bring to make things cleaner, happier, and prettier, and therefore only go for the fancy kinds. 

As some of you may have already checked-out, I have a link in my favorite things section for personalized soaps. Who knew you could have beautiful organic bars of soaps adorned with your very own monogram? Right now deals like 5 for $15 at Bath & Body Works are what fit our budget, but one wish I have for them is to go back to their more traditional packaging because every time I go to buy soaps, I find their bottles looking completely different! I'm fine with them introducing new scents, it just has been harder for me to find ones that still match our decor. When I can splurge I love the elegant look and feel of these, not to mention their incredibly delicious scents....  

Caldrea Hand Soap

and...

Olive Lavender Bars

both available at Hip & Humble.

Kettle Potato Chips- Week 11

Not too much to report here with the Unsalted flavor for last week. I've never been a big salt person, so that's probably why I didn't miss it all that much. These still have a nice potatoey flavor though, and I must give them props for their very funny flavor description! 


So- all in all I give them a safe 6, but don't think I'd buy them again seeing how there's sooo many other fancier Kettle flavors that I prefer, but if I ever do run into a cholesterol scare, then these are a good alternative. 

PROUD potatoes

Let’s face it. Not all chips should go around naked. Some brands mask sad potato flavor with a host of extreme, unnatural flavorings. We, on the other hand, searched the world over for the ideal potato, gently cooked it to perfection, and let it run around in the buff, just as nature intended. Open up a bag and see for yourself.

Next weeks flavor....Sea Salt & Vinegar

Lovin' my son

With our son's first birthday coming up I've been updating his baby book with all of the major milestones that he's achieved, as well as our special moments in my Mothers Journal. Here's some of our moments that I thought I'd share:

• Eating graham crackers together on the couch. We make a total crumbly mess, but I love how he feeds me some of them too as we cuddle.

• Going on walks. This is something he and I have done pretty much every day (sometimes 2x a day) since he was just a wee little lad. It's so nice to experience the outdoors with a child and have the peace and serenity that comes with relaxing exercise.

• Playing the "Knock knock" game. Benjamin loves to open and shut things (especially doors). Whenever he's on the loose, I wait by the door after he shuts it and say "Knock knock, who's there?" He responds with different words like- "Da," "yeah yeah," or a drawn out "yeeees?"

• Watching him feed himself finger foods, or be fed finger foods. My sister and I both agree that this is like the cutest thing ever. He kinda looks like a little birdie as he opens up his mouth and eagerly sticks his little chin forward. 

• Moving around the furniture or other large objects. We're not sure where he learned to GRUNT, but he does so pretty loudly when he's determined to figure something out, or using a lot of physical force. He's VERY strong, and funny at the same time!

These moments spent lovin' my son are what makes being his mom such a pleasure. Thankfully, I've been able to be a part of every minute of his development, and am glad I'm not sad about him growing up (I know, talk to me later when goes off to college!). Right now though I'm beyond proud of everything he's accomplishing, and look forward to us all learning and sharing more new things because that's really what life's all about!

Runway Rundown...

Here's my thoughts so far on Season 8:

*SPOLIER ALERT from the Aug. 5th episode!!!*

• Thank goodness for no more "Models of the Runway." That show had absolutely no purpose and was therefore super booooring.

• Still bugs me that McKell got sent home on the first episode. Even if they didn't "like" her outfit, there should be a rule that poorly constructed clothes (aka clothes finished with a staple gun) should be kicked off before the ones that don't meet their fashion opinion.

• I don't think Casanova and I would ever get along very well. He's so far snubbed his nose at Utah, and said he dislikes the color NAVY. Those are fighting words I tell ya!

• I was laughing so hard when Valerie said that she just realized that someone will really be sent home every week. Hmmmm, isn't that the whole point of the show, to slowly eliminate contestants one by one until the best one is left?

• I predict that Christopher Collins (I like saying his first and last name together), Mondo, Gretchen (hello back-to-back wins!), and Valerie will be finalists. Click here for pics of each of them. 

• It seems like there is a designer named either Christopher or Chris on every season.

• I know I've been doing this whole look-a-like thing a lot with reality stars and actors/actresses, but don't you think that Gretchen is a big time look-a-like of the actress Holly Hunter?  

I'd love to hear who your favs are, so please share! Until then, do as Tim Gunn says and...."Make it work!"

Kettle Potato Chips- Week 10

This week's flavor of Yogurt and Green Onion is very similar to the Sour Cream & Onion flavor, just with a bit more sweetness to it. If going for a sweeter potato chip I would definitely recommend the Sweet Onion flavor (in the purple bag) over this one, and therefore only give it a 5....I really just wasn't that impressed by it. 

cool, CREAMY & green

All yogurt should be this lucky. Light and breezy, these chips are a little different - a hint of onion, a swirl of creamy yogurt, wrapped up in a crunch you can write home about. Have we gone completely mad? When it comes to creating perfectly balanced flavors for our perfect potato chips, yes, okay, we've gone mad!

Next week's flavor....Unsalted.

Good vs. Bad Baby Post

I simply have to do a post on this topic of good vs. bad baby because it's a question that I was/am asked a lot with my son, and one that I (now embarrassingly) have asked other moms. Some may think this a lot of analysis for me to do for one simple question, but I think it's important for us all to be conscious of what we say due to the negative implications it could later have on both the child and parent.


The question is: "Was he/she a good baby?" 


Now I know this question sounds innocent enough, but after some thought I've decided that this question isn't fair. It isn't fair because...


1) It labels the child before he/she has even had a full chance to really figure out what their world outside the womb is like, what they need, and how to communicate those needs.


2) It sets the parent up to think they either the best or luckiest parents, OR the worst or unluckiest parents.


Both of these conclusions are pre-mature since ALL babies are constantly changing. Some babies may adapt faster to one particular environment, others may not, others may also be more adaptable when they're younger but not when they get older. The beautiful things about babies is that nothing they do is either "right" or "wrong" but simply what they prefer to do at that time based on their needs. 


As a first-time parent myself, I found the best way for me to approach things parenting related was as a new learning opportunity. With learning anything new comes a whole range of emotions from uncertainty to pride. So yeah, at one time I may have felt like the best mom, other times the worst- but lucky or unlucky? I don't think there's such thing because any person who has the honor to become a parent is blessed, and every baby is truly a miracle.


So let's get this silly question out of the parenting world and replace it with something like- "What have your favorite moments with your child been?" By inserting the word "favorite" you automatically focus on the positive and remind the parent to appreciate those special moments that they shared possibly amidst all of those harder ones. I know we as parents serve as a support system for one another, but I think it's important for us to step back and see the bigger picture of their growth before applying pre-mature labels on them and ourselves- ESPECIALLY in their presence!


To back-up my opinion on this topic, here's a excerpt from www.babycenter.com 


Is there anything I can do about my baby's temperament?
If there's something about your baby's temperament that has you worried or that you hope to help her with (such as shy behavior), it's important to be understanding and not judgmental. Don't label your baby, criticize her, or otherwise make her think she's flawed or "bad," whether in private or in front of other people. Instead, sympathize, and encourage her when she behaves in a way that seems healthier. Recognize that you can't really change your baby's natural tendencies, although you can encourage certain behavior and help her to learn and grow in a way that supports her temperament.

Why I love blogging

While reading the book YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL by Arnold M. Patent, I came across the following excerpts that I couldn't help but relate to blogging...


"When you connect with your purpose, you invite inspiration into your life. You give yourself permission to express your real self. And you feel the joy that is your essence."


Of course blogging is not my sole purpose in life, but I am so thankful for the outlet of expression that its provided me over this past year. Another thing that I love about blogging is how everybody's got their own "blog style" making there no right or wrong way to do it! 


I think the common ground that every blog shares is a desire to somehow connect with others. This brings me to another excerpt from this book....


"Remember, the Universe is a mutual support system, and each of us has a deep inner need to function in a mutually supportive environment."


On that note, I wanted to also share how thankful I am for all of your comments. I always find them fun to read, but as I told my mom when I first started this, I simply enjoy putting things out there, and if someone else reads it, finds information, or draws inspiration from it great, but whether it's the most popular blog on the block really doesn't matter to me- that's not my goal (hence the anonymity that I still partially keep). 


A question that I remember coming up when I first started was from my brother. He asked how I planned to come up with new topics for posts. I told him I didn't think that would ever be a problem as I'm constantly coming up with things I want to share, explore, and connect with people about, which is still the case to this day....I seriously keep a list by my computer of topics that come to mind, and that list has yet to stop growing!


Blogging also reminds me of a form of books that I used to create. It began when I was younger. My mom had us do this activity where we cut out things from magazines that we liked and pasted them on paper. I remember making mine into a book (we're talking age 9 or 10) and calling it a Look Book. Over the years I kept on with it, along with adding other flat souvenirs (similar to a scrap book, minus the photos or fancy do-dahs). This blog has now replaced my need to make any more of those books (or keep up an endless supply of glue sticks).


So thank you blogspot for making this so so easy and for all of you wonderful bloggers out there~ I really enjoy your interesting and inspirational online company! 

All things A U G U S T

I will always love the sunny month of August.

August is the month our first son was born.

It's funny how months take on different meanings based on how we spend, or have spent their days....for example, I love the simplicity and romance of September (our wedding date), the mystery of October (in Utah you never know if it's going to be hot of cold), family and festivity of November, and warm and cozy traditions of December. May also holds special meaning to me of tulips and birthdays...but yes, back to more things August.

The little boy (Freddie Highmore) in the movie August Rush is so cute I could cry.

Actress Mariska Hargitay named her August-born son August (this is notable not because she's famous, but because I'd heard of the name Augustus before, but never August!). 

My brother got me the book Running With Scissors by the male writer, Augusten Burroughs (i had never heard of this name before either, but just looked him up on Wikipedia and learned that he changed his name...interesting choice since his birthday is in October).