Brad's Generosity Gets Rewarded

Today was Brad's last ski club, it was a make-up ski club from one that was cancelled. He had an extra voucher which he could have saved for himself but he offered it to Kyle. Since we didn't have any plans for the evening we put Brad on the bus this afternoon and about an hour later we left to drive Kyle up to Big Bear. We knew we would pass the bus, but we didn't expect to pass his bus broken down. Just as we passed, Brad texted Kyle, "the bus has a flat tire we're going to be late". We kept driving thinking they wouldn't let him off the bus. He sends another message, "please come get me". He said they would let him off the bus. We turn around, go back and pick him up. Turns out the bus didn't have a spare, someone had to come out from Commerce (very far) to fix it. It was going to be at least three hours or more before that bus made it to Summit. So by Brad giving Kyle his extra ticket we were there to "rescue" him from the bus and they are off to a great day/night of skiing.

The broken down bus

Loading Brad and skis into our car

Brad and Kyle, ready to go at Summit

Technology and Me

I was thinking today about how fast February has come and almost gone.  It has been almost a year since I've been keeping a blog.  When I first started I didn't know how to do anything other than type.  (Thank you high school typing classes, it's really a shame they don't teach typing anymore).  But since I started the blog, with the help of Kerri, I soon realized I would need to learn how to use a digital camera.  Yes, I really did refuse until last March to learn how to use a camera and upload/download pictures.  Now I have added to my skills digital picture taking (note I did not claim to have photography skills).  I can download my pics to iPhoto, crop, rotate, and eliminate red eye.  I haven't ventured forth to Photoshop yet, but as I see more and more wrinkles appearing in my pictures I will definitely have the motivation to learn, maybe I better do it soon while Brent, PhotoshopMaster is still home and can teach me.  

It's amazing how quickly we become addicted to technology that we stubbornly refuse to learn. There's  online banking.  There was no way I was ever going to do online banking and now I hate to write a check.  I love the convenience of paying all the bills in 5 minutes or less and not ever running out of stamps.  I did have one minor glitch with online banking when I was paying the business bills this past year.  I paid DirecTV $8,900 instead of $89.00.  Oops, big oops.  With a paper check I could have put a stop payment on it, but by the time I discovered my mistake it was in cyberspace and the bank insisted it could not be recalled.  I had to wait for DirecTV to clear the check and then get reimbursed, the problem was they claimed they never received it, but the bank had still cleared it.  Where was the money!!!  It appears that some alert person at DirecTV actually caught my error and returned the check to the company that clears digital payments for the bank.  It took about a week and a half to get the money back in Craig's business account.

I even updated my phone this year, I was content with my old phone, but now love my new phone, I can even blog from it.  I remember my first cell phone, I can't remember the year but it was a car phone in a bag, I thought there was no way I wanted a cell phone or car phone, I loved the fact that no one could call me in the car.  Now a cell phone is almost a necessity for all of us.  It's great that the kids can call right before they need to be picked up, I don't think any of the younger kids have ever been forgotten, but my older kids have a few stories to tell.  I also won't ride without my phone in my pocket.

And yesterday I did the ultimate--I joined Facebook, to the ultimate dismay of one of my children in particular.  Sometimes children find it hard to believe that we have friends, in fact, many, many years worth of friends.  I don't think the oldest three really care, they're even my friends now.  And some of my nieces and some of my children's friends even friended me without me asking.  It really isn't to keep track of my kids.  I finally did it when my friend Sherrie got me to.  I don't think there is anyone else in the world that can make me laugh so hard my stomach hurts.  Gotta stay in touch with Sherrie.  And besides how else would I know that yesterday Sam (Sherrie's husband) had to have a conversation with the Springville Police because Sandy called 911 when her gray bunny went missing.  Or today, DK friended me and directed me to a great picture of Sarah and Brian that I hadn't seen. (Thanks DK, very cute picture!)  Yes I'm liking technology.

Some Cousin Time

Brent and his cousin Jenna.  It looks like one is headed off to Hawaii in June and the other to Provo, can you tell which one is going where?  

Rachel, Kyle, Craig and Brad

Hooray, the Burley Wright's are here visiting us!

The Yucaipa cousins came for dinner and a visit with the Burley cousins

Burley Brandon

Hiking the hill, Wayne, Brandon, Tyler and Rachel

Grandma and Grandpa came for dinner too, we had lots of fun.  The Burley Wrights are headed out for more fun in San Diego tomorrow.

The Wisdom of Angels

"Kael, you get what you get and you don't throw a fit...then you take a brick and throw it at them, and they'll give you what you want."  Kyle age 4, to his brother Kael age 2

from Kerri's blog

Snow Campout

Craig and Brad went to Barton Flats Friday for a snow campout.  They got home just in time for Brad to head off to make-up ski club.  Think he'll have enough snow for the weekend?  Probably not.

Bri-

This is a great training plan (there is a whole selection of plans at this link, I used novice) if you only plan to finish.  I used it last year; so if I can do it so can anyone, now if you want something more intense dad likes Furman First plan.  The biggest obstacle is the mental, you've done it once already so you know you can do it again.  I will make sure there is appropriate encouragement at Mile 18!  It will be fun to post the 1999 picture next to the 2009 picture.  Do It!  Oh and I almost forgot to mention there is also the Big Brother training plan which consists of just running the SLC Marathon, Provo Marathon and then just show up and run St. George.

Tour de Palm Springs

A few more Tour de Palm Springs pictures from photocrazy

This is HammerMan at the first photo place

After the first sag
A little ahead of me, same place after 1st sag

Finish
Finish, way before mom and dad

HSM3

High School Musical 3 came out on DVD today.  And how might I know that?  Tonight our YW activity was making homemade lip gloss but the girls begged to make it HSM3.  So tonight we are meeting at our house making lip gloss and watching a movie.  My boys are not too happy about this, I reminded them they would be at the church and they wouldn't even have to see a minute of the movie, but they are still not happy that it would ever have been played on our TV.

I am probably the only person in the world who has not seen any HSM movies.  Honest, I have not seen any of the movies.  But go ahead ask me any question about the X Games, go ahead any X Game event or superstar or how many flips they did or what event so and so does!

18 Candles

Count 'em, there really are 18!

Grandma and Grandpa are in town and came to celebrate with us. Note the new sweatshirt, I think it kinda sorta indicates he has made up his mind about school. (The sweatshirt came in the mail straight from Hawaii, he had lots of willpower not to open it till today).

Favorite dinner spicy garlic chicken

Favorite present, he assures me this is a necessary mode of transportation for BYU-Hawaii

Oh yeah, and the flex is just right too

One more thing, shhh.....don't tell him, his friends are coming at midnight to kidnap him and take him out to eat since there is no school tomorrow and of course it will be Monday when they get here.

Valentines Day-Tour de Palm Springs

We got off about 6:30 am headed out to Palm Springs. My friend Lisa was already there and called to let us know the weather was going to be perfect.  If it was raining or horrendously windy it was going to be a deal breaker.  Handsome Husband, HammerMan and I went.  Brad decided to stay home and clean the garage (thank you Brad it was long overdue) to earn some extra money.  We met up with the Speedier family at the start line, Hammerman was happy to see them so he didn't have to hang out with the pokey parents.  
The Family Speedier

The first 20+ miles are a gradual uphill, it's not hard, just wearing, and there was some headwind (not enough to really complain about). 

 We met up with the boys at Sag 1.  Tour de Palm Springs has the best sags, lots of salty Chex Mix, and peanut M&M's, bananas, and Cytomax.  At the second sag Little Speedy, HammerMan and Pres. Speedier took off and finished it off.  Handsome Husband and I straggled in, skipping the third sag (more great food they have sandwiches at this one) 'cause I just wanted to be done.

Handsome Husband and HammerMan at the finish

Me at the finish (Yay, Yay, Yay!)

The weather was great, crisp and cold but not too cold, the valley was clear and the mountains were snow capped, it was just a great day.  So to finish off a romantic Valentines Day we went and got new tires for the truck, and a few more odds and ends for Longboard Boys birthday tomorrow.  And then out to dinner with the boys, ah yes, more romance at:

And what did I get Handsome Husband for Valentine's Day: a ticket

What did Handsome Husband get me for Valentine's Day: a ticket

Yes, true Romance will have to wait till April.

It's Carbo Loading Night (Fat Loading Night?)

It's raining so tomorrow is looking a little iffy although the forecast is mostly sunny. But who cares we needed a great excuse for pasta alfredo (Kyle's choice). Here is my quick and easy recipe, so easy and so good you will never buy alfredo sauce in a jar.
8 oz cream
1 cube butter
8 oz (or so) shredded paremesan
Heat over low heat until butter and cheese melt--

I usually add 6 chicken breasts cooked in strips and whatever pasta is handy tonight we used penne.

Look at that ingredient list, now you know why alfredo has it's famous nickname

Congrats Brent!

Brent got into BYU. We still don't know if he'll choose BYU or BYU-H.

My Lucky Day

Ok no details yet, too many other details to work out. I thought our passports were expired, but they're not, we have another year. We are going to put them to good use. Just Craig and me. Haven't gone away together since Boston and that's been awhile.

Kyle Made Dinner

Kyle made dinner tonight, it was the directions from last week, we finally got to it. Pretty impressive huh!! Tomorrow we're going to see if Brad can do enchiladas, oh I mean wet burritos because Brent doesn't like enchiladas. Ok so here's the recipe for Cheater Enchiladas aka Wet Burritos, we used it for a joint activity and it was really good.
Place however many frozen burritos fit in a glass baking pan (I use the shredded beef ones that Costco has)
Cover with enchilada sauce and cheese.
Bake. Yum, let me know if you try them.

Congrats Justin

Congratulations!!!  Kael and Kyle know all about the Philippines I know they would love to tell you about it.  (See Kerri's latest post)

Oh Darn It!

Tour de PS 2008
Usually I like rain, in fact I love rain.  It's a great excuse to have a big bowl of chili or soup with homemade rolls for dinner, to snuggle in blankets with a video and slow down a little.  Today though, I had plans.  I need a long ride with Handsome Husband.  Let me emphasize that word need again.  Next week is Tour de Palm Springs and there is no way we're not going HammerMan is determined and out to see what he can do.  I'm hoping that we can turn him loose with his friend Speedy and Speedy's dad President Speedier 'cause there's no way I can keep up with him and Handsome Husband claims he can't either.  HammerMan will probably finish way before we do however it's all good, the longer he's waiting at the finish line the more pizza he can eat.  The rain problem today is a big problem it was one of my key training rides (when you only have four training rides every ride is key) I'm not too worried about the legs but the sit bones sure need to be sitting on a bike.  Well I guess it's the treadmill at the gym after I get Brad off to school.  Oh yeah and Brad is supposed to have ski club tonight, it's already been cancelled once because of snow and he's pretty sure they'll cancel today too, go figure cancelling ski club because it snowed!

Boys in the Kitchen-Update 1

I thought I had the foolproof plan, I thought it was brilliant to text dinner directions to Kyle, no way could he not receive them and have the instructions handy.  It seems however that I failed to communicate dinner plans to Brad.  Brad made dinner, so I'm still looking on this as success.

Boys in the Kitchen

Track practice started this week. I now have the same problem with dinner as we did during cross country season. The boys are starving when they get home, they eat whatever is handy and then don't want dinner. I'm trying a new experiment, I told Brent yesterday to start dinner when he got home, toss some frozen meatballs into the microwave then into the crock pot on high with bar b que sauce and a can of pineapple and I would make some rice. He called me after he got the meatballs started to see how long it would be before I was home, since he was starving he wanted to make the rice too. I told him how to do the rice and we had dinner! I decided this morning it worked so well it's Kyle's turn. I texted him the directions for dinner (so he can't say he forgot, or didn't know what temp to set the oven). He's making chicken breasts, red potatoes (either baked or mashed, his choice) and whatever handy frozen veggie sounds good to him. I'm trying to keep it very simple just something they can put into the oven in about 5 minutes. We'll see how it works. It may not solve eating way too much of whatever is handy but they can't not want to eat the dinner they made (I'm hoping). Brent's pretty good in the kitchen he makes a great snickerdoodle cake (see Cake Mix Dr.) that his friends want all the time, I'm hoping Kyle will like the kitchen too. Anyone want to share their easiest dinner ideas or recipes?

Well it seems that chainlove is now totally dedicated to mountain biking, however......in true steepandcheap fashion there is now bonktown for the roadies.  Did I really want to know this.

Lorene I won't tell Eric if you won't.