I quit. I am not the cook any more.
After months of researching several freezer cooking books, weight watchers recipes and my personal collection of cookbooks, coupon/store sales blogs, I thought I had this home economist thing figured out. I needed my food to be nutritious (no frankenfoods), inexpensive, healthy (low in points), and convenient. I cooked a 15 lb. turkey that I got for $.32/lb and served it for dinner with all the tday trimmings. Dinner went over well and I had so much left over, I made up a dinner for a family needing a meal at my church. I still had a ton left over so I used the rest to make several casseroles/soups. I even put the carcass with a few veggies and water in the crockpot on high to make several cups of broth as a base for my casseroles, mashed potatoes and soups. Wow, I was so impressed with myself. The part I didn't plan on was that my family didn't like the casseroles I made. I've made them before and they have liked it, but not this week for some reason. My little ones were on a hunger strike and my husband just seemed to want something else. So, I was stuck with a bunch on casserole that couldn't be refrozen. After all the time and work. Ugh! So, I declared this week restaurant week. I am not cooking and doing tons of dishes and shopping. We are going out to eat all week until I am ready to cook again. Until then, forget it.
Mouse, well, mostly Mouse, and I sat down to make a war plan for the week. We researched all the kids eat free places, looked over the Entertainment book and online for deals, and looked at the coupons we got in the mail. Since we have moved to the Springs, we've eaten out like 6 times, so this was going to be a change for us.
We started by eating at the Elephant Bar on Monday. I liked the Elephant bar and for lunch, the portions are reasonable and the food was very good. The kids liked the place and for my two preschoolers, they shared a kids entree and had plenty to eat. Mouse and I had the lunch specials and enjoyed them much. The best is the hot fudge sundae for dessert. Yum!
Tuesday morning we went to Chick Fil A for breakfast, they are giving away free breakfasts all month. This week they gave away breakfast burritos which I didn't like and neither did the girls. We ordered the chicken minis and that worked out. Tuesday night, we went to Fazoli's (kids eat for $1). Fazoli's is a fast food italian restaurant. My assessment was yuk. I was love to see an ingredients list for their food, because my bet is that it would be a mile long with ingredients that read like a chemistry project. Mouse had the Chicken Parmesian, which seemed ok and the girls and I had the pizza which was completely worth forgetting. The plus side is that our bill was $11, but I left that meal not feeling nourished. The Black-eyed Pea is a much better bet where kids eat free on Tuesdays and the veggie plate is a great standby for mom.
Wednesday, I took the girls to one of my favorite places for lunch - the Air Force Academy Falcon Club. We are members and lunch is always a great experience. I like to take the girls to this place for what I call a "big girl lunch" so we can practice etiquette and behaving like ladies. The staff is warm and always welcoming to the girls, remembering their names and surprising them with special treats they have in the back. The food is fresh and served buffet style so my little ladies can try new foods. This week, Princess especially enjoyed the black-eyed peas. They have different themed meals each day of the week, and today was chef's choice. Other days they have southern comfort, italian, from the grill. The best part is that the girls eat free and lunch for all three of us is $9 including tax and a nice tip for our server. You can't beat that price anywhere. Wednesday night, we went to La Casita, where, you guessed it, kids eat free. I had no idea what to expect, and was pleasantly surprised. La Casita is a fast food mexican restaurant, but fast here means fresh. The tortillas were made from scratch and the girls enjoyed seeing them being made and the chicken being grilled. The food was fast only because the staff was humping. They were busy. I had the chicken fajitas with guacamole and it was really yummy. Princess liked her beans and beef taco, Spidergirl is on a hunger strike. Dinner for us 4 was $18 and I'd recommend it. We'll be back.
Today for lunch, I went to King Sooper and got an 8 pack of chicken to go. The girls are still on a hunger strike, but I liked it and it is always a good standby and is on sale this week.
We have a few more days to go on this eating out adventure. I enjoyed eating out more when I was working and on an expense account. I am enjoying not having to run the dishwasher 2x a day and cooking for now. Maybe I'll be ready next week.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Sunday, February 8, 2009
SnoFest '09 - Military Ski Weekend at Keystone, CO
We went skiing last weekend at SnoFest '09, which is a big ski weekend for military families at Keystone, CO. I highly recommend this trip and we plan to take it again next year. We stayed at the ski resort at the River Run condos. Most importantly, we got a condo with a balcony so we could proudly hang our Coast Guard and Pittsburgh Steelers flags from the balcony. our place was perfectly situated facing the entrance for all to see our proud display. We drove up last Friday morning, leaving the Springs at 6am. It was about a 2.5 trip to the resort. We stopped at Virgin Island Ski Rental to pick up skiis for my sister-in-law who flew in from the Burg for the trip. I highly recommend this place for rentals and for buying other ski stuff. We bought skis for our 4 year old there, skis for me for cheap, and a crazy hat for me.
Once we hit the resort, I dropped off Mouse and his sister so they could hit the slopes and ski. I visited the hospitality tent at the foot of the slopes and picked up badges for everyone for the weekend, which got in places and special discounts for the weekend. The hospitality tent rocked and had tons of food, drink, and toys including much needed hand and footwarmers, hats and more. If you are going, stop here first. There, I scored tix to take the family ice skating at the rink onsite, which is the biggest ice skating rink in the N. America. More on that later.
Next, the cherubs and I went to go check in to our room and we were able to check in at 10am. Woo hoo! Lovin' it.
What to do with my little girls? They are a little young to ski, and I questioned whether they would be able to sit through ski school so we decided to switch off watching them, with childcare adding up to $240 PER DAY! I am thinking, I can do a lot with that. So. I treated the girls to a gondola (Princess calls it Gorn-GOOLA) ride up to the top of the mountain which they ATE UP and thoroughly enjoyed. Then, I took them to the only 4 star restaurant, Alpenglow Stube, on top of a ski mountain for a lunch. It was a buffet, and the girls are accustomed to eating in big girl restaurants so I thought it would be a good thing. Lunch was good, service was slow, I mean how can a buffet take 1.5 hours, really? Anyhoo, it was enjoyable mostly and made for a fun adventure. We'll especially remember all three of us being greeted with warm fuzzy slippers at the door and our great view of the skiers on the mountain.
Then we hung out in our condo and relaxed before the first evening dinner party. If you are going to SnoFest, you gotta get the dinner party tix. The first party was "ready to rumble" where everyone was to wear their favorite team gear. Let me tell you, we were all Steelered out. My girls were in their Steeler cheerleader outfits, had their terrible towels, Steelers build-a-bears, pom-poms and we were ready with mom, dad and SIL in jerseys too. The dinner was a good buffet with plenty of food/drinks to suit everyone's tastes. We all enjoyed dancing after dinner to the live band and I was delighted to see my 4 year old can really dance, shake her booty and has rhythm like her parents. We also won an IPod and a Pepsi snow saucer. Princess and SIL got their pix taken at the SnoFest photobooth.
Saturday am, I got to go skiing. Unfortunately, I was sick that weekend and didn't feel much like skiing. I was glad I went anyway and hit the slopes for several hours. I LOVED it and can't wait til next year when the girls will definitely be old enough for ski school. While Mouse and I skiied, SIL got the girls in their snowsuit and they hit the playground outside of our condo to play in the snow and make snow angels. I took the girls in the afternoon to a sleigh ride while Mouse and SIL hit the slopes again. The sleigh ride was "ok" but I don't think I would do it next year. It was something new to do with the girls that they could do at their age. Spidergirl fell asleep as soon as we hit the sleigh. That in itself made the trip worth it as she is not a good sleeper when we travel. Princess fell asleep on the bus ride home from the sleigh ride. A big thanks to a fellow military woman who carried Princess, while I carried Spidergirl 15 minutes back to the car, while they slept.
We got back to the condo and got ready for that evening's dinner party. The party was great again with dancing, good southern BBQ food and prizes. Gotta do the parties.
Last day was Sunday and the ski duo completed their goal of hitting each slope at least once. I tood 90 minutes to get my cranky girls suited up and dressed to go ice skating. Ice skating was awesome. I rented an LL bean sled for spiderbaby and got Princess in ice skates for the first time ever. I also rented a walker for her to use on the ice and after a couple spills and tears, she quickly got the hang of it and was running around on the rink and having a blast. Her dad would have been soooo proud.
Before we left the resort, we had a great lunch at Pizza on the Run and headed home.
A word of caution, drive carefully on I-70 on the way home. Traffic is stop/go and cars stop really suddenly.
Once we hit the resort, I dropped off Mouse and his sister so they could hit the slopes and ski. I visited the hospitality tent at the foot of the slopes and picked up badges for everyone for the weekend, which got in places and special discounts for the weekend. The hospitality tent rocked and had tons of food, drink, and toys including much needed hand and footwarmers, hats and more. If you are going, stop here first. There, I scored tix to take the family ice skating at the rink onsite, which is the biggest ice skating rink in the N. America. More on that later.
Next, the cherubs and I went to go check in to our room and we were able to check in at 10am. Woo hoo! Lovin' it.
What to do with my little girls? They are a little young to ski, and I questioned whether they would be able to sit through ski school so we decided to switch off watching them, with childcare adding up to $240 PER DAY! I am thinking, I can do a lot with that. So. I treated the girls to a gondola (Princess calls it Gorn-GOOLA) ride up to the top of the mountain which they ATE UP and thoroughly enjoyed. Then, I took them to the only 4 star restaurant, Alpenglow Stube, on top of a ski mountain for a lunch. It was a buffet, and the girls are accustomed to eating in big girl restaurants so I thought it would be a good thing. Lunch was good, service was slow, I mean how can a buffet take 1.5 hours, really? Anyhoo, it was enjoyable mostly and made for a fun adventure. We'll especially remember all three of us being greeted with warm fuzzy slippers at the door and our great view of the skiers on the mountain.
Then we hung out in our condo and relaxed before the first evening dinner party. If you are going to SnoFest, you gotta get the dinner party tix. The first party was "ready to rumble" where everyone was to wear their favorite team gear. Let me tell you, we were all Steelered out. My girls were in their Steeler cheerleader outfits, had their terrible towels, Steelers build-a-bears, pom-poms and we were ready with mom, dad and SIL in jerseys too. The dinner was a good buffet with plenty of food/drinks to suit everyone's tastes. We all enjoyed dancing after dinner to the live band and I was delighted to see my 4 year old can really dance, shake her booty and has rhythm like her parents. We also won an IPod and a Pepsi snow saucer. Princess and SIL got their pix taken at the SnoFest photobooth.
Saturday am, I got to go skiing. Unfortunately, I was sick that weekend and didn't feel much like skiing. I was glad I went anyway and hit the slopes for several hours. I LOVED it and can't wait til next year when the girls will definitely be old enough for ski school. While Mouse and I skiied, SIL got the girls in their snowsuit and they hit the playground outside of our condo to play in the snow and make snow angels. I took the girls in the afternoon to a sleigh ride while Mouse and SIL hit the slopes again. The sleigh ride was "ok" but I don't think I would do it next year. It was something new to do with the girls that they could do at their age. Spidergirl fell asleep as soon as we hit the sleigh. That in itself made the trip worth it as she is not a good sleeper when we travel. Princess fell asleep on the bus ride home from the sleigh ride. A big thanks to a fellow military woman who carried Princess, while I carried Spidergirl 15 minutes back to the car, while they slept.
We got back to the condo and got ready for that evening's dinner party. The party was great again with dancing, good southern BBQ food and prizes. Gotta do the parties.
Last day was Sunday and the ski duo completed their goal of hitting each slope at least once. I tood 90 minutes to get my cranky girls suited up and dressed to go ice skating. Ice skating was awesome. I rented an LL bean sled for spiderbaby and got Princess in ice skates for the first time ever. I also rented a walker for her to use on the ice and after a couple spills and tears, she quickly got the hang of it and was running around on the rink and having a blast. Her dad would have been soooo proud.
Before we left the resort, we had a great lunch at Pizza on the Run and headed home.
A word of caution, drive carefully on I-70 on the way home. Traffic is stop/go and cars stop really suddenly.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Skiing at Keystone
I went skiing with my family for the weekend at Keystone, CO and had a great time. I hadn't been on skis for almost 20 years, and I can't believe it has been that long. I was really nervous but did well. It was almost like riding a bike. I stuck to the bunny slopes, which are like Black Diamond ones out east where I've done most of my skiing. The first time down I was braking most of the time, and by the last time I went down the slope, I was just having fun. My husband is amazing and was a great instructor and partner to ski with me. I was so glad to have Aunt Lea with us who watched the cherubs for the day, which made the whole ski outing possible. Now I have the ski bug and can't wait to go again. We are going next month for military SnoFest with the girls' Aunt Stephanie and we can't wait. I plan to ski some more and take the cherubs for a gondola ride and some snow tubing. We are even planning to take Princess skiing and hopefully enroll her in ski school. I can't think of a better place to learn how to ski. I learned to ski in Utah at a ski school and the lessons were so good, I learned what I needed to know in just a few hours. So ... if you haven't skied in a long time - do it. It is so fun, great exercise without feeling like exercise, the views are amazing, and it is a great escape from the daily grind. But I highly recommend lessons if you haven't skied out west. I sat next to a sweet lday from Tennessee whose husband took her on the slopes without any instruction and she and her 11 year old daughter literally fell down half the mountain. Her husband, a CO native, just kept yelling back to them "get up. this is the easy slopes." They ended up calling ski patrol and only to be told we can't help you. They walked up the mountain, which is a feat I cannot fathom. I couldn't decide whether her husband was stupid or a jerk. Who knows. But lessons... gotta do 'em. And marry the right guy. I did. And I'm looking forward to more skiing with him.
Friday, December 12, 2008
A Simple Christmas
What to get my kids for Christmas?
My kids are blessed and have everything they need and more. Thanks to friends with older kids who've passed on clothes and toys, and thanks to my expertise in retail acquisition, my kids have EVERYTHING. Finding gift ideas for my kids is a challenge. For the past 5 weeks, I've asked Princess "what do you want for Christmas?" I get the same answer, which may surprise you. A purple lollipop, cheetos, pretzels, a candy necklace, and tic tacs from my grandmas. Do you want toys? No, I have so many already. I credit this to the lack of junk food they get to eat and lack of commercial television in their lives. When we watch the idiot box, we watch DVDs or PBS.
But here's the problem; I am a planner. I am always planning or semper paratus - prepared - for what lies ahead. So. When I see something that I think my kids might need in the next year or two, and it is a great price or I don't think I'll have the oppty to buy it again, I get it and store it. The problem is, many times, I forget what I bought. Night before last, I starting wrapping gifts and discovered that I not only bought enough gifts for my kids to open this year, but for all of next Christmas too. Having them open all the gifts I bought doesn't match up to the simple Christmas I had thought I was planning.
Note to self: write down all the stuff I have for them and store it in a note on my cell. Next time I'm tempted to buy something else for them, review the list.
My kids are blessed and have everything they need and more. Thanks to friends with older kids who've passed on clothes and toys, and thanks to my expertise in retail acquisition, my kids have EVERYTHING. Finding gift ideas for my kids is a challenge. For the past 5 weeks, I've asked Princess "what do you want for Christmas?" I get the same answer, which may surprise you. A purple lollipop, cheetos, pretzels, a candy necklace, and tic tacs from my grandmas. Do you want toys? No, I have so many already. I credit this to the lack of junk food they get to eat and lack of commercial television in their lives. When we watch the idiot box, we watch DVDs or PBS.
But here's the problem; I am a planner. I am always planning or semper paratus - prepared - for what lies ahead. So. When I see something that I think my kids might need in the next year or two, and it is a great price or I don't think I'll have the oppty to buy it again, I get it and store it. The problem is, many times, I forget what I bought. Night before last, I starting wrapping gifts and discovered that I not only bought enough gifts for my kids to open this year, but for all of next Christmas too. Having them open all the gifts I bought doesn't match up to the simple Christmas I had thought I was planning.
Note to self: write down all the stuff I have for them and store it in a note on my cell. Next time I'm tempted to buy something else for them, review the list.
Governor's Mansion and Cherokee Castle
I went on a tour with my friend Rachelle to visit the Governor's Mansion in Denver and the Cherokee Castle in Sedalia. The Governor's mansion was a surprise. It was a huge mansion unlike anything else I've seen in CO - no trace of the SW style and I reminded me much of the homes in Old Town Alexandria. The house is open for tours at Christmas time and the place was beautifully decorated using all "recycled" materials and Christmas decorations in the attic. It seems budget cuts are everywhere. The staff was soooo friendly and welcoming, esp. when they found out I was a military wife. They even had a special tree for the fallen heros who were from Colorado, which had ornaments with each of their names on it. I was especilly impressed that they had a few Coast Guard ornaments on the tree. Thank you Mrs. Ritter for remembering we are here too.
Another highlight and if you are ever in the Denver area, I cannot recommend more that you visit the Cherokee Castle. I went there for high tea and a tour. The food was impressive. The art collection ...priceless. The silver and furnishing...timeless. The history...rich. The castle itself... enormous. Nothing was more impressive than the view. On the back deck there was nothing but wide open space. Acres and acres and acres. Nothing in front of you but land and the mountain range everywhere you looked. In front of you, to the left, right, and behind you. And it was quiet. So peaceful. On the right side in the far distance, you could see the skyline of Denver downtown and that was it. Amazing. I hope to go back for a romantic dinner with my husband in the summer on the deck and just sit and look out. So much beauty out here.
Tours coming up: Breckinridge for Christmas, Keystone for Sno Fest 09, Estes Park in May.
I'm hoping to go dog sledding or on a sleigh ride and outdoor dinner in February depending on mouse's work schedule. Mouse, thanks for taking off work so I could do this trip and others. I love you!
Another highlight and if you are ever in the Denver area, I cannot recommend more that you visit the Cherokee Castle. I went there for high tea and a tour. The food was impressive. The art collection ...priceless. The silver and furnishing...timeless. The history...rich. The castle itself... enormous. Nothing was more impressive than the view. On the back deck there was nothing but wide open space. Acres and acres and acres. Nothing in front of you but land and the mountain range everywhere you looked. In front of you, to the left, right, and behind you. And it was quiet. So peaceful. On the right side in the far distance, you could see the skyline of Denver downtown and that was it. Amazing. I hope to go back for a romantic dinner with my husband in the summer on the deck and just sit and look out. So much beauty out here.
Tours coming up: Breckinridge for Christmas, Keystone for Sno Fest 09, Estes Park in May.
I'm hoping to go dog sledding or on a sleigh ride and outdoor dinner in February depending on mouse's work schedule. Mouse, thanks for taking off work so I could do this trip and others. I love you!
Facebook...a distraction?
I know it has been forever since I've blogged. The culprit...FACEBOOK. I got on facebook a month or so ago and found it so addicting I stopped blogging about all the cool things we've been doing in the Springs. Facebook has been amazing. In one place I can connect with all kinds of friends I wouldn't otherwise be in touch with. Old high school friends, my college newspaper friends, the elite IABC posse, Alexandria Jaycees, my Pittsburgh Just Moved sisters, Pittsburgh Mothers and More friends, and family. Instead of finding 15 minutes to journal about our outings, I can just post a sentence and I'm done. And I can see what my friends are up to and connect with them in a minute.
One day I checked my facebook friends and noticed that my niece "defriended" me. I am thinking, there is no way. Somethings up. My niece loves me. When she got to go to Bermuda for a week for her 15th bday, she picked me to be her friend to go with. I will always cherish that week we had together and am so grateful for the break from my baby and active 2 year old. My precious husband watched the kids that week and pushed me to go. I digress. I called my brother to find out wuzup. She is a junior in HS and decided that FB was a distraction and deactivitated her account. It made me think. Wow, what a mature decision. I realized how much time I was spending poking people and reading what old friends were up to, taking movie quizzes, I was missing out on other things, like blogging...
Having just moved and not having established friendships here in the Springs, it was such a comfort to be connected to my friends and family who know me and love me. At the same time, I wonder if that time took away opportunities to bond with my kids and seek out opportunities to connect in person to new people in the Springs. Friendships do take time to grow. Especially being a SAHM, I find you have to be intentional in building new relationships and that it takes time. It doesn;t just happen on its own, as it did going to college or belonging to a professional or social group.
I still like FB and am happy that I now connecting with people in my present life. I will just be more mindful about not getting sucked in.
Your thoughts?
One day I checked my facebook friends and noticed that my niece "defriended" me. I am thinking, there is no way. Somethings up. My niece loves me. When she got to go to Bermuda for a week for her 15th bday, she picked me to be her friend to go with. I will always cherish that week we had together and am so grateful for the break from my baby and active 2 year old. My precious husband watched the kids that week and pushed me to go. I digress. I called my brother to find out wuzup. She is a junior in HS and decided that FB was a distraction and deactivitated her account. It made me think. Wow, what a mature decision. I realized how much time I was spending poking people and reading what old friends were up to, taking movie quizzes, I was missing out on other things, like blogging...
Having just moved and not having established friendships here in the Springs, it was such a comfort to be connected to my friends and family who know me and love me. At the same time, I wonder if that time took away opportunities to bond with my kids and seek out opportunities to connect in person to new people in the Springs. Friendships do take time to grow. Especially being a SAHM, I find you have to be intentional in building new relationships and that it takes time. It doesn;t just happen on its own, as it did going to college or belonging to a professional or social group.
I still like FB and am happy that I now connecting with people in my present life. I will just be more mindful about not getting sucked in.
Your thoughts?
Saturday, October 11, 2008
2008 Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
We're here! It's been a long time dream for me to come to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, the biggest hot air balloon festival in the world. It has been well worth the wait and the timing was perfect. Now I can share the experience with my little girls who LOVE hot air balloons and it has been spectacular. Everyone needs to make the pilgrimage out here.
Thursday night, we saw 100s of special shapes blow up on the field, and we got to be right there on the field with the balloonists. We took hundred of pix and we saw balloons in the shapes of a stagecoach, champagne bottle, beer can, pepsi can, 3 pigs, tweety bird, nemo, a pumpin, scarecrow, haunted house, moving truck, felix the cat, 2 pirates, a train, daisy, alien from Roswell, pottery pitcher, 2 buildings, witch, ladybug, fish, spider, Darth Vader, Noah's Ark, two kissing bumble bees, an evil bumble bee with a stinger, monkey with balloonist dressed as bananas, Smokey the Bear, the Energizer bunny, a stork, fishbowl, a carousel, cow, airplane, strawberry, iguana, tree with animals, storks, winnie the pooh, alligator, eagle, cactus, car, bull, uncle sam, parrot, and more if you can believe it. We also got to go Friday morning and saw balloons glowing in the dark flying before dawn. Kids were up at 3:30am ready to roll, so after baths and a big breakfast we hit the road. Friday, we saw all the special shapes launch and fly. We then saw 100s of regular balloons launch and fly. Sadly, one of the balloons shaped like a triangle hit a power line and caught fire. One pilot died. Luckily, we didn't witness the event.
We're off to Santa Fe today and are staying one night there before our adventure ends for now.
Thursday night, we saw 100s of special shapes blow up on the field, and we got to be right there on the field with the balloonists. We took hundred of pix and we saw balloons in the shapes of a stagecoach, champagne bottle, beer can, pepsi can, 3 pigs, tweety bird, nemo, a pumpin, scarecrow, haunted house, moving truck, felix the cat, 2 pirates, a train, daisy, alien from Roswell, pottery pitcher, 2 buildings, witch, ladybug, fish, spider, Darth Vader, Noah's Ark, two kissing bumble bees, an evil bumble bee with a stinger, monkey with balloonist dressed as bananas, Smokey the Bear, the Energizer bunny, a stork, fishbowl, a carousel, cow, airplane, strawberry, iguana, tree with animals, storks, winnie the pooh, alligator, eagle, cactus, car, bull, uncle sam, parrot, and more if you can believe it. We also got to go Friday morning and saw balloons glowing in the dark flying before dawn. Kids were up at 3:30am ready to roll, so after baths and a big breakfast we hit the road. Friday, we saw all the special shapes launch and fly. We then saw 100s of regular balloons launch and fly. Sadly, one of the balloons shaped like a triangle hit a power line and caught fire. One pilot died. Luckily, we didn't witness the event.
We're off to Santa Fe today and are staying one night there before our adventure ends for now.
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