Whew....where the heck have I been?! (Review of 2011)

I haven't posted since March and so much has happened I don't even know where to begin.  I have gone to the Olympic National Forest in Washington, Alaska (again), had an amazing summer, went to three concerts, went to the happiest place on earth, had the best Birthday week ever, have met so many great people, enjoyed every moment with my amazing son, and had a blast with my friends.  2011 has been one of the best years of my life and I did really well with my resolutions!  The biggest resolution I kept with was "Be Happy".  This was the most important and if I didn't accomplish anything else, this was the one that had to happen.  And it did.  Merry Christmas!  I will be starting this blog up again in 2012 so watch out for it!

First Beach, LaPush, Washington

Redoubt Bay, outside Anchorage, Alaska

William Fitzsimmons (most amazing song writer/folk singer of our time)

Rowdy and Mommy being silly on the iPhone

Rowdy at swim lessons this summer

Alejandro of Boyce Avenue, Martini Ranch, Scottsdale

Rowdy at Disneyland, the Happiest Place on Earth

Halloween, vampire and Spiderman coming at ya

The girls and the boy

Celebrating my 37th with Joena and many other friends downtown Prescott

Christmas pic taken at Grand Canyon Hotel, Williams, AZ

So many great memories of 2011.  Happy New Year everyone! 

Love, Stephanie & Rowdy

Lions & Tigers & Bears OH MY!

What an awesome trip to an awesome place - Out of Africa Animal Park in Cottonwood, AZ! 

That's Rowdy feeding a giraffe a cookie with his mouth!  He did it three times and didn't mind the slobber one bit!  He also fed a camel (from his mouth), a tiger, and some other exotic African animals.  This place was so cool.  It was pricey but well worth the money. 

It was so neat to see all these animals in their semi-natural habitat. 

Now, that's an egg - an Ostrich egg to be exact!

My Mom knew someone that worked there and he was kind enough to let us in some areas that would otherwise be unaccesable!  We were able to pet some porcupines and look a cobra straight in the eye!  And I am not kidding.  This thing was right in front of me!

They had some beautiful felines at the park, too!

A white tiger and a lioness

My brave boy feeding a tiger named Ezekial

They also has some young bears and a pair of hyenas.  The hyenas were cool to watch!  I had never seen one up close before.  They laugh when they want their food.  And they growl when they are happy and want to play! 

And let's not forget the giant python that Rowdy was enthralled with!  A Python is the longest snake in the world.  It slithered around and never fazed him!  He thought it was the coolest thing ever!

So next time you are thinking, "what should we do today?", why not take a trip to this awesome animal park.  You won't be sorry.  Of course the natives are pretty restless! 

"FEED ME!  I AM STARVING HERE!"  No we didn't feed the zebras but they sure were relentless!

Boom Boom the Rhino























Fun with the Juicer

Rowdy and I decided to break out the juicer this morning because I had two apples that were looking a little like two old men!  But still great for a healthy juice.  I don't like apple very much in my morning smoothie so juice was the best idea to use them up.  And Rowdy loves to use the juicer!

Rowdy added the cut up apple to the top and pushed down the plunger to extract that lovely apple juice.  But, of course, Mommy had to add some veggies to the juice so in went about 4 carrots.  Carrots mix so well with fruits, especially oranges!

We also added one orange for a little more sweetner.  YUM was it delish!  And what a beautiful orange color! 

"This is yummy, Mommy!".  It was quite a fantastic sip if I do say so myself!  And thank you to my friend, Hope, for giving me her juicer for free!  Yes, I am using it, Hope!

Rowdy's Juice

2 large Opal Apples, cut up

4 big carrots (do no cut up or peel)

1 large orange, skin removed and cut into quarters

Juice and enjoy!





Happy Valentine's Day

Rowdy and I made Valentine's for his friends.  I wish I could say these were my idea but I did steal them from my good friend Sheri's daughter.  It was so simple and so unique! 

Mommy cut the holes with an exacto knife and Rowdy was in charge of putting the lollipops in the holes.  He did a fantastic job.  He was very proud of them!

The instructions are very simple.  First just take a picture with their hand out in a fist.  Make sure they smile!  Then open your photo in "paint" on your computer.  I don't have photoshop but paint worked just fine.  Put shapes and doodles all over it.  Save it and get them printed.  Then cut the top and bottom of hand with an exacto knife and insert your treat.  Voila!  A unique and personable valentine for your friends!   The gal that  I got the idea from made cookies, wrapped them, and stuck them to a popsicle stick.  Here is what the valentine looked like before we inserted the lollipop:

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!  







No Buy February Challenge

I have read about this challenge on a few sites (Chiot's Run for one) and I have decided to take the challenge!  The challenge is to not buy anything I don't need - books for my nook, clothes, electronics, etc.  If I need food that isn't in my house and I can justify the cost then I can buy it.  But that's it.  If you don't need it to live by, don't buy it!   

I am also going to go through my house more and purge stuff I don't need.  I am getting stuff together for my yard sale (one of my many new year's resolutions) so this is a great opportunity to do just that!

Anyone else want to join the challenge?  Just say no to consumerism and save some money along the way!  Let's be like George Carlin - no more stuff!



Homemade Granola & New Year's Resolutions

One of my new year's resolutions was to eat more healthier.  I have been dabbling in raw foods and trying to incorporate healthy stuff into my diet.  So I tried my hand at making homemade granola the other day and I have only one thing to say - YUMMY!  Why didn't I ever do this before??  I am putting it in my greek yogurt (it makes it taste alot more like regular yogurt) or eating it with some 1% milk.  Rowdy has also been snacking on it!  We just can't get enough.  I think this will be a staple at the Rowdy and Mommy Homestead!

This is roughly the recipe I used.  I looked at a bunch of different recipes and came up with this one.  It has a lots of healthy stuff in it.  If you don't have all the stuff, you can substitute (use honey instead of agave for instance) or just leave it out.  You can't really mess this up!  If you like dried fruits with your granola (raisins, craisins, etc) add it to the final product after you have baked it.  This amount made 1 Quart jar and 1 Pint jar of granola for me.

Homemade Granola ala Stephanie

4 Cups Rolled Oats (not quick oats)

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1 cup raw cashew pieces (or any 2 nuts you like)

2 Tbls ground flax

2 Tbls wheat germ

2 Tbls cinnamon

1 Tbls nutmeg

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup agave nectar

2 tsp vanilla

Mix all dry ingredients in a roasting pan (or a couple of cookie sheets).  On low heat, melt the oil, agave, and vanilla until liquid.  Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and give it a good stir.  Bake for 20 minutes at 275 degrees.  Take out and stir.  Put back in for another 20-25 minutes until golden brown.  Let cool and put in containers (after cooling, this is where you will want to add any dried fruit).  Will keep for 2-3 weeks. 

I sat down and made a list of my New Year's Resolutions for 2011.  Many of them will not get crossed off - they will be ongoing - and I may add some or subtract some.  I added them to the right side of my blog.  I really want to make an honest effort to follow this list.  There have been alot of changes in my life in the last few months and I realized that I need to change a lot in my life because of what's happened.  I just want to be a good person and live my life to the fullest. 

I wish everyone a Great 2011!  What are your New Year's Resolutions?







Fire Chief Rowdy Turns 4!

Sorry I haven't blogged since Christmas.  Life always seems to get in the way, but that's ok.  Because it's a good life!

Rowdy's 4th birthday party was a hit and the kids had fun playing with all the new toys and pin the ladder on the firetruck (thanks Pam!).  Everyone was a winner of the game and got goodie bags filled with m&m's, kisses, play dough, stickers, card games, and a fireman's hat. 

James and Seth with James' Mom, Debbie

Rowdy got a lot of cool toys including a nerf tommy gun (that went to Dad's!), carwash, games, Cars Vtech computer, lots of firetruck stuff, and the biggest remote control firetruck you have ever seen, courtesy of Papa!

For the third year in a row, Deb at the PV Safeway made Rowdy's birthday cake.  She always does such a great job.  This year it was a firetruck cupcake cake. 

Banner made by Pam

Everyone enjoyed the cake!

Little Max

James

I always have so much fun planning Rowdy's Birthday parties every year!   I am already brainstorming next years! 

I love you Sugar Booger!