kaNsAs

kaNsAs

Last weekend we took a speedy trip Kansas to visit Dan's family. We left at 3am on Saturday morning and arrived at noon. The New York family flew in for the week and it was so good to see everyone! Our, what used to be little cousins, Danielle and Gina, have grown so much! We had fun playing with our adorable nieces, Genni and Layna, and Diesel loved all the new scents! We had to come back on Sunday so it was a very short trip, but we're so glad we made it!

spRinG fLiNg

Come on spring... I know you're out there! We had about an inch of snow last night but luckily tulips and iris' are resilient and they're thriving in our front yard! Finally, we live in a climate that will grow something besides weeds and cactus! This is a snap shot of their progress so far, please ignore the dead grass in the background! I can't wait for the weather to warm up so that I can plant a vegetable garden. More beautiful flowers to come!

Spring Break

Wow, first of all, I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to update our blog with these photos! A few weeks ago my little brother, Duncan, came to visit during his spring break. He had been saving his money for a year so that he could buy his own plane ticket! I'm so proud! Anyhow, we had a BLAST with him! This was his third visit to Colorado Springs since we moved here and he's one lucky kid because each time he's come it has snowed...which he loves! We started the weekend with shopping and a movie ("10,000 BC" is really good!) and playing Othello over and over again until Duncan finally beat Dan! Saturday Duncan and I went to Mueller State Park for an adventure in sledding! We decided that it would be fun if we chose the hill with the longest, steepest slope... and we were right! We sled down the hill several times before Duncan thought we needed a little variety and while I was eating lunch, he built a ramp for us to fly off of! Oh man, now we were really going to have some fun! The anticipation was getting to both of us and we decided that one of us couldn't fly over the ramp before the other, so we doubled up on the sled. Things were going great, snow was splashing our faces, wind was making us feel like we had just eaten a Klondike bar, and the ramp was approaching...then BAM!! Due to our inability to simultaneously steer in the same direction, we veered to the left, missing the ramp completely and crashed... well, I crashed. Duncan somehow quickly recovered and jumped on the sled again, riding it to the bottom of the hill. On to round number 2. The plan was for me to ride down with the camera and stop just after hitting the ramp so that I could catch a picture of Duncan while he flew over it. I made it to the perfect spot for taking an action shot when Duncan shouted down to me that he thought I should move over a little more in case he veered to the left like we did the first time. "No, it'll be okay, just go, I'm all ready!", was my response. The camera was aimed and everything was going perfectly, until what do you know, Duncan missed the ramp and yelled, "Watch out Stefani"! ... then WHACK! The camera flew from my hands, both of us were struggling to breathe and the pain in my wrist was throbbing. Once I caught my breath I reached for Duncan and was totally freaked out by the blood dripping down his face! We got him cleaned up with butterfly bandages and a Wendy's frosty! Man, what a day! On St. Patrick's Day we ventured to Monarch Mountain for skiing/snowboarding with our friends Neil and Valeri. That was a miserable experience. It was my first time ever skiing, and while I was grateful for Neil's and Dan's patient tutoring, it didn't help. Let me walk you through the emotional rollercoaster of a first-time skier... Excited, anxious, scared, nervous, helpless, frustrated, angry, REALLY angry, and finally, tears. The second time down was a 180 and I could see how people thought it was fun. Then I gave into peer pressure and went down a blue (intermediate) run. Wish I wouldn't have, but it was still fun. Duncan is a snowboarder and so we only saw him here and there but he seemed to enjoy himself! Overall, we had a blast with Duncan and miss having him here to make us laugh with his creative come-backs! We love you Duncan! ... And love to have company for anyone who's interested!!

Campaign for Real Beauty

A friend once showed this to me and since then Dove has created a second ad, which I love just as much as the first. It's refreshing to see a company put time and emphasis into honest advertising. I believe our view of real beauty has been completely distorted by doctored photos, quick fix pills, and plastic surgery, along with many other over-marketed strategies to make you thin and "beautiful". Each video takes only a minute, I encourage you to watch... and I'm anxious for your comments!

Saturday Thoughts

Although it stinks that Dan has to work every Saturday, it has become a day I look forward to. A day of reflection, reading, and catching up on tasks that I'm not able to complete during the week. Last Saturday, for lack of a better word, rocked! It was 70 degrees and the sun was shining. I started the day by attending my usual Saturday morning yoga class and had the best practice ever. I love how yoga encourages you to push your body while focusing on your mind! I returned home and ate a nice breakfast outside while reading the Ensign insert on President Hinkley (very touching by the way), and watching Diesel roll around in the dead grass. Then Diesel and I drove up to Fox Run park for a hike. There is this bench along the path with a gorgeous view of Pikes Peak through the trees. I've included a picture, good thing I take my camera everywhere!

I love to be outside, I love the fresh air, smell of pine trees, the sun on my skin, and enjoying the earth we've been blessed with. As we hiked I was thinking of all the things I'm grateful for: being sealed to Dan for eternity, our loving families, Diesel, getting money back from our taxes this year, belonging to a great ward, our health, friends, the ability to work hard, having legs to walk with, the organization of the church, my calling, difficult experiences that teach me to learn and grow, sisters, clean water, never knowing what hunger truly feels like, my ancestors who fought and sacrificed so that I can enjoy the freedoms of this country, all servicemen and women who do the same to maintain our freedoms and help others gain freedom, temples, spring, books, cameras, music, the internet that allows me to keep distant family and friends updated, and many more. I think Heavenly Father knew I needed a day to contemplate and ponder on these things. Lately it's been hard to focus on all that I've been blessed with because it hasn't been easy moving away from family and friends to settle in a new place all on our own, but I'm so glad we are here. It's beautiful here and I can't wait for spring to bring tulips and green grass again.

I know this post is long, and pretty random, but one last thought... It was a visit to Pikes Peak in 1893 that inspired Katharine Lee Bates to write a poem that later became the song we now know as "America the Beautiful". I hope this picture does it justice!

O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain!

America! America!

God shed His grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea! lyrics by Katherine Lee Bates; music composed by Samuel A. Ward

Branching Out

I've decided to start branching out from our typically repetative dinner menu and try something new each week. For dinner tonight... Oriental Chicken Salad! And this was an excellent choice! We love hearty salads and this had the perfect amount of everything! I added mandarin oranges to the mix for a little sweetness and it turned out great! It makes a large size salad which is nice since we both work there will be left overs for lunch tomorrow. Who knows what the next venture will be....? If you have any good recipes, anything at all, please share!

ORIENTAL CHICKEN SALAD

4 C shredded cabbage

4 C shredded iceberg lettuce

1/2 C green onion, chopped

3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (depending on how chicken-y you like your salads)

3.5 oz pkg sliced almonds

2 pkgs Chicken flavored Ramen noodles

DRESSING

2 pkgs chicken flavoring from Ramen Noodles

1/2 C vegetable oil

3 Tbsp vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

4 tsp sugar

Toast almonds and Ramen noodles on stovetop. In a large bowl combine cabbage, lettuce, onion, and chicken. In spearate bowl, whisk all dressing ingredients together. Add to salad and toss. Add toasted almonds and noodles to salad. Toss again. Chill and serve. Enjoy!