{part of the weekend}

On a whim I booked a hotel fifteen minutes away from our home called the Saguaro. You see husband had a birthday and his only request was that he got to sleep in. To remedy this request we outsourced a place to sleep. The cool thing about the whole experience was that we walked into the hotel with the same clothes we walked out with. No packing except for our bathing suits and a few toiletries. A couple of highlights from our stay included the fact that we were the very first ones to sleep in the newly renovated room and we were also the only ones at the pool area. I do have to admit the weather was pretty chilly but with heated pools and hot tub it all worked out just fine. Now if this sort of place looks like it would be up your alley and you come and visit us in the valley of the sun then I would recommend it for many reason including the most comfortable beds. What are you waiting for? Come and visit us because we really are in our season of joy in this neck of the desert...

How was your weekend?

Happy Father's Day!

As we departed my parents house on this fine Father's Day, I witnessed what to me is just the norm....my Dad getting the kids all riled up. He is such a playful soul. I reflected back and remembered that was one of the reasons as a child why I loved him so. Now the next generation gets to bask in all of the fun except they see a tall 6ft 5in white haired man and I still see the dark haired handsome Daddy that woke us up with a song and made "potato patutties"....I regret to say there was a time that I didn't quite appreciate some of the Daddyisms that happened back in the day. I must have been pure crazy to not like the song, "So let the sunshine in, face it with a grin", blasted in my ear at dawns early light....and to not appreciate recycled tater tots from that night before made into a delightful breakfast surprise is even more astounding. Man things have changed because I'd gratefully take any one of those things on a platter (platter optional).

I'm pretty sure that Dad ranks as one of the top people to have shaped and influenced my life. Can't say I'd want it any other way really.

I'm also pretty sure that my kids will say the same thing about their Dad (AKA my husband) as well...I already think that he is top notch.

I still laugh @ this picture taken last year...

What a couple of Dads!

{the love cake}

Husband finally decided to have his birthday 2 hours after I got home my trip. I was a little heart broken that I didn't pull off the envisioned party but I hope I made it up to him with the cake I made from my heart. I didn't stop thinking about him in any one of those four hours that it took to make that cake. What a glorious day when husband graced his presence to this world. The value he has brought to our family is immeasurable so by me saying his birthday is one of my favorite days is not an exaggeration.

Hope you had a wonderful birthday my main Mr. Man.


OH MY, besides my kids, that cake was the most wonderful thing I have ever made....I am not exaggerating that one either. Everyone NEEDS to go and make it. Every little detail that went into making the cake was so worth it...even the very expensive dutch processed cocoa.  So my little cakie cake didn't exactly look like the picture but I didn't care because it was all about the taste.

Recipe from here, ENJOY!

ingredients

For cake layers
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup boiling-hot water

For filling
7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
4 ounces coarsely chopped pecans (1 cup)
14-ounces can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla

For glaze
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
10 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate
3 tablespoons light corn syrup

For full instructions go here.

If your wondering if cake is included in my special diet than the answer is no but there is always an exception for LOVE CAKE.  I made my candida very happy last night:-)

Las Vegas..viva full house style

You know the saying, "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas"...well not in this case. I brought it all home with me 2 girls & a husband in tow.

All I have to say is good thing husband ate 10 plates of food @ the seafood buffet (in which he took his merry old time finishing I may add) because he needed all that food to make him strong. Little did husband know but he would need all of his strength to rush two little girls off a crime scene on the Las Vegas strip. "The crime", you say....Treasure Island changed their pirate show. No more little family friendly pirate stunt show. With the girls hoisted up onto our shoulders, we stood there waiting patiently for the show to begin all while packed into a tight little crowd. It was earlier in the evening & I had everything planned out. Early dinner, hit the pirate show, the volcano, Belagio water show & then back to our non-LV strip hotel with plenty of time to swim before bed. Surely we would be safe from any foul scenes because it was only 7pm & the kids (or parents) would love all of this free entertainment...not so much. We made as far as the first 2 minutes into the apparently new & changed pirate show before we realized all of our Las Vegas dreams (haha) were going to be crushed right there within the first 10 minutes of arrival. Apparently in the new pirate show the pirates were really lonely & needed some lady friends if you know what I mean. The whole show was cheesy & a party foul if you ask me & thats even if we didn't have under-agers in our party. Well it didn't matter that we were packed into the crowd like a can of sardines because there was no getting in husbands way as he forged a little path for his precious little chicks to high tail it back to the chariot. I could hardly keep up & that is the reason for all of the blurry photos as I tried to document a protective Dad in action.

Lesson learned though...outside of Circus Circus there is a reason why there are hardly any kids in sight on the Las Vegas strip...no matter what time of the day and if I can save anybody from wasting their time, energy & eyes from seeing the new pirate show that used to not be so bad..then mission accomplished. Or was the old pirate show really any good? After all I am trying to recall events that happened 7+ years ago & I'll admit my little brain isn't as crisp as it used to be pre-kids, I mean I think I used to also think the buffets were good too. Man, things have changed.

The below is a common sight to behold. Little girls love their Dad.

Couldn't get out of there fast enough but we've finally made it to the car.

Husband made us get out to observe the progress on the bridge that will soon change the travels over Hoover Dam as we know it. It's a part of history his says because 20 years from now when the girls travel to Las Vegas they would not even remember the old route. I wish I were better @ being more sentimental as husband. If it were up to him we would have a history tour every time we travelled up to see Grandma & Papa. He especially loves any historical sights that have to do with Butch Cassidy..I know go figure.

Have I mentioned how much I do love the Arizona State flag?

Glad that we got to go but glad to be back home.

Incorporating masculinity into the juxtaposition equation

juxtaposition equation:

feminine + masculine = different

different= good       

 

As my girls watched Bambi for the first time many questions arose like (ok maybe just one question asked over and over), "Why are people trying to kill the animals."  I had a tough time explaining this one to my sensitive four year old as I still remember being in those very same shoes.  Bambi made me cry when I was a little lass (still does) & I could not understand why anybody would hunt.  You can imagine the looks on the girls faces when I finally pronounced, "You know Dad is a hunter".  With looks of horror little "M" said, "He is...my Daddy is a hunter".  I felt kind of bad dropping that bomb on her but that fact of the matter is, well that it was true.  Trust me I was actually in denial the first couple years of our marriage about the hunt.  What made it worse was that I was working for Sundance & helping out with some NFPA (North Fork Preservation Alliance) stuff.  Husband & I had many debates on the hunting subject matter during that time.  Finally one year I decided to be a good little open minded wife & go up on the hunt to see what all of the hype was.  I was the only girl for miles & miles as far as I could see.  I really was hoping to put an end to all of my judgements.  The trip didn't really help me change my mind but after I saw how happy husband was basking in all of his manly glory up in those mountains I called a truce.  I'm not even going to try & figure this one out but just let it be, I told myself.

Well when little "M" came into the kitchen dressed up in the above get up I thought, "Well there's a piece of Sweet Home Alabama".  You see I can relate very well to that movie...well sort of...not really but for the sake of this post just go with it.   You know the part where she wants to be a designer in New York & he is pretty much just a redneck, country bumpkin.  I better add that we all know in the movie he turns out a bit more refined as the lead actor creates works of beauty from glass.  I really like that movie.  

It's hard to believe that 2 people that are so vastly different could stand side by side & go together even with all of their contrasts but in the end if having those contrasts would obtain results like in the above picture then sign me up.  Oh did you know the definition of juxtapose is to place close together or side by side, esp. for comparison or contrast.

I also hope to master that same skill of setting contrasting things side by side & having them mesh as I decorate my home.  Problem is I need to throw in a few more masculine items to set next to the already existing feminine items....or a few more modern pieces to set next to the already existing antiques. 

So here's to masculinity....

{via Nate Berkus}

{vi Nate Berkus}

{via Robert Passal Inc.}

Alright who's embracing the boyfriend blazer?

{via This is Glamorous}

P.S - I really do not think my husband is a redneck but if he were then it's pretty much safe to say I love rednecks.