Thursday, August 30, 2012

A day in the park...

This is actually a couple of different days but Samantha LOVES going to the park to swing and slide so I thought I would share some photos! There is also some other random photos of recent adventures :)


Sorry it's a little fuzzy,  I wanted to show she has amazing balance! She stood like that for 30 seconds or so...

Already getting ready for school at 2?!
S

Backpack is as big as her!

Dad helping out.

So cute :)

she loves walking the line

She wanted to share with the birds...

She was determined!

On a walk.

She woke up saw the crown and said Pretty? Pretty?

So we wore crowns :)

Tried to tell her not to step on the box... ah learning experiences aren't they fun...

Apparently she didn't get enough of a nap...

This is how I found her this morning... with her shirt around her waist, hmmm.

Today we were luck enough to find a nice little dog at the park today! Her name was Mesa!!!
I think she likes to toot her own horn... kind of gross but funny all at the same time....

She likes to sing all the nursery rhymes she learns out of her library books... she's singing Ring around the rosey if you can't tell :)

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

What's been going on...


Lots has been going on since I was last on… there has been cooking of course  as well as a off roading trip, a first carousel ride!!!!

What I used on the pasta and veggies :)

Bow Tie pasta with Garlic Philadelphia cooking creme with a little extra garlic, then some zucchini and onion seasoned with some Weber Garlic and Herb

Homemade sushi!!!!
 Sushi Rice

One Cup of white rice made with 2 1/2 cups water. Cook like normal.

In another pan stir together and heat
1/3 cup rice vinegar 
(this batch I used 1/2 rice and 1/2 apple cider vinegar)
 1/3 granulated sugar
1 tsp salt 

Pour over rice, mixing and let cool.

Then in the sushi was seasoned egg, red pepper,  and some cucumber. 



 Zucchini Brownies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons  vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soad
1 teaspoons salt
2 cups shredded zucchini

Ingredients:
6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup butter
2 cups confectioner sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini.  Spread evenly into a prepared pan.

 Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring bakc when gently touched. To make the rosting, melt together the 6 Tablespoons of cocoa and butter;  Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend together the confectioners sugar, milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled brownies before cutting into squares.

I have to say the frosting is AMAZING but make sure to follow the directions or it doesn't turn out quiet right and isn't as good.


Just reminiscing about my childhood and made a Micky Mouse pancake for Samantha like my daddy use to make for me :) 
Trying on the helmet for the big ride!!!

Just a little big :)


We forgot her sweater and it was a little cool up in the mountains.

Someone gave her a sweater :) Fit her perfect!!!

Monkey sitting in the side by side.


Dan drove and it was a blast!

It was a great trip!!!

The scenery was beautiful :)

I think she was the dirtiest kid there :)

She was dusty head to toe... but most of us were :)

Dan took the 4 wheeler out...

Just getting back from his ride.

He enjoyed himself :)

A picture just doesn't compare!!!!

It smelled amazing and it was SO breath taking!!!

Monkey  got a little ride too :)

She thought that was pretty cool!








We all got a little dusty dirty on that trip!

And I think we all enjoyed it!!!

Monkey's first counsel ride... she said she liked it :)

 

Friday, August 24, 2012

A town of Change...

I’ve been thinking as I walk along the streets of this little town I’ve have begun to call home, how much has changed. It seems that new shops are built daily, road work galore, and old houses being torn down and new apartments being put up. I often am sad to see the old houses, the ones with character that have been part of this little city for so long be torn down, I often have to remind myself that change is a good thing. In a manner I suppose I should think of all this like the city simply getting in shape and getting a new wardrobe to go along with all the hard work. The student population for the campus has exploded and there must be room made for them. Well enough with the chatter… here are some pictures of things I have noticed have changed in the almost 3 years since I’ve lived here and been married…
New apartments they are working on right by BYU Idaho campus!

One of the local grocery stores was extended A LOT

A little maternity store they put in...

This use to be Hogi Yogies I think they called it and then it was a little Chinese place now it's this!

The HUGE three story building they had started when Dan and I got here to school. It's beautiful inside and it's very big!

Men's housing

Woman's housing just down the road from us!

The men's housing just down the road....

more road work!



New sidewalks on campus...

So this is to the right of where my BFF lived when she was here... there use to be a house or two there..

More campus side walk updating....

To the left of where my BFF lived when she was here, again I think there was a house there... The house with the green roof was where she lived.

Across the street from that same house... again two or three houses are missing!

Another view to the left of it!

And this is the same place but if you look you can see all the way to the next street over... so there is a house or two missing there too!!!!

Some persons house.... I feel a new set of stairs and sidewalk coming!!!!

There use to be a little place called "The  Backyard" They had great fries there!!!! Sadly it's gone now! And the building next to this you can see is now a video store and a Jimmy Johns!


More construction down one of the side roads!


Our road a few weeks ago...

They tore up a TON of the road!

Samantha enjoys throwing rocks in the water and watching the men working.

Finally Paving and the finished product the side walk actually goes all the way up the hill now!!!!

Pretty sweet machine they had to flatten out the tar!

The finally finished new road! All the way from where I am at to the corner if you can see it!!!!

Building... apartments? The next street over...

The church building... it's been up for over a year now but it's still something that has changed since I've been here!

New woman's housing!

It's called the Ivy and boy is it EXPENSIVE!!!
Tore up the corner and are working on it...


This is actually tore up all the way up the street now!!!!

They put a roundabout it...

Old motel became Men's housing...

Hemmingway village.... fun shops like Gator Jacks and Kiwi Loco. Plus they are building on!

There use to be houses to the right of the house on the corner...

More houses torn out down the road...

and down another street!

Add caption

Seems like everything has to go!!!

Sadly this Scoops use to be one of Dan and I's favorite places called Twizleberry!!!

They expanded the cheap theater and it is now called Holiday 5 I think


New doughnut shop they put in awhile back...

Use to be Flapjacks... not anymore!!!