Visit to the Mountains

Last weekend one of my coworkers got married. After the ceremony Emmi and I decided to drive to the top of 9th street in Ogden and see the mountains. It was cold out, but the snow topped mountains were hard to resist. They looked so beautiful.

Emmi went exploring at the trail-head. She noticed lots of signs of foot traffic, and not just of the human variety. She decided that she wanted to live at the bottom of a mountain and then said she was cold.


I agreed. It was really windy and cold out.

We couldn't help but take some pictures. (Okay, so we took lots of pictures)

While I really hate the cold winters in Utah, it sure does make for some breathtaking scenery.

Enjoy!

(P.S. I love my new camera and I really really love my new zoom lens!)

WHAT IS MOST PRECIOUS

Sometimes in life we have those moments when everything else around us seems to fade and we realize just how important certain people are to your existence.

I had one of those yesterday.



Yesterday Emmi went swimming to Surf and Swim (a local wave pool) for a friends birthday. While she partied I shopped. At 5:00 I went to pick her up and saw a fire truck parked next to the building. I didn't think anything of it because the police and fire station aren't too far away from the swimming pool.

So I get out of the car, walk into the building only to have a nervous 16 year old worker tell me I can't pick up my daughter that I need to leave the building immediately.

I was then grabbed by a fireman and escorted from the building. He told me I needed to wait on the far side of the parking lot and that they would evacuate the building when it was safe.

My heart stopped, but I reluctantly left the building.

I heard the sirens so I ran for my car to move it so I wouldn't be blocked in by police and fire trucks.

Then I stood at the back of the parking lot and waited.

My first thought was that someone had drown, my second was a gunman... I kept thinking that we had missed the Trolley Square shooting 3 years ago because I was too lazy and decided to leave the house later and then decided on the way that I didn't want to drive to Salt Lake. So as I stood in the parking lot watching firemen and police officers surround the building and enter it I could help but think "what are the odds'?

I was hoping that because the firemen were around and by the door that it was something else and not some freak-job with violence on the mind.

I was seriously freaked that my daughter was inside.

About 5 minutes later people started to evacuated the building so I started walking towards them, looking for Emmi and not seeing her.

When I got closer to the building I knew what the problem was.

I could smell the gas and BOY was it strong. The were taping off the parking lot and didn't want anyone to start their cars. At that time I was seriously glad I had moved my car. It had been parked right next to the building where they were not allowing anyone to get to their vehicles.

Although in hindsight, starting my car was NOT a smart thing to do. But I didn't know it at the time.

I was still standing back from the building watching the last of the people exit and getting more and more upset as the time dragged on. It looked like everyone was out of the building and cuddling in groups to keep from freezing to death. (wet hair and Utah temps in February don't mix well).

I still couldn't find my daughter and was just about ready to have a panic attack when she walked out.

They had come out another exit. They had to turn around and go back through another door to get out.

I don't want to ever again have the feelings I had while standing outside of that building yesterday. I was terrified! She is the most precious part of my life and I couldn't get to her when I most wanted to.

I hugged her extra tight throughout the night.

MY LITTLE VALENTINE

This is my little valentine. She is 4 foot 10 inches tall with short blond hair, blue eyes and a feisty attitude.

For our valentine weekend we held the annual "cousin sleepover" on Friday night. The kids had a blast, as did I. We ate, played games, painted, watched a movie...and didn't get much sleep.

Then Saturday we did some clearance shopping. There is nothing like end of the season sales to get my blood pumping. We went out to lunch with some wacky people and then did some MORE shopping.

Today, valentines day, we slept in. I don't get to do that much so it was a real treat. Then we spent the day playing games and lounging around. I'm not feeling well today, so the lounging around really brightened my day.

Emmi built towers with the Jenga blocks after we played. She got pretty creative with her towers.

It was a GREAT weekend. I hope you each had a wonderful valentines day too.

JANUARY FUN

"I love you too Emmi."

We have had a good January. I good start to the new year.
Life is really good at the 'Nut House' We are plugging away at life and doing the best to enjoy ourselves.

Some funny things this month....

Emmi is trying to learn to inline skate. Grandma and pa bought her these skates for Christmas and there has been WAY too much snow and ice and, well, cold, to want to attempt to learn.

Yesterday was a sunny day...not warm, just sunny... so we decided to try.

She did a great job.




A few weeks ago I was in bed and pulled back the covers to see THIS!



at first I freaked a little thinking they were bugs. But even though it looks nasty, these are a byproduct of my child crawling into MY bed at night while wearing these.



Hahaha, they left behind a LOT of fluffies.



It really was a great January. Emmi did 'climb the walls' a little (as did I, although not literally). Overall it was just one more fun and busy month at the nut house.

Emmi's Butt-Sliding Fun

This past September my family went camping to Tony Grove in Utah. Behind our camping spot was this really cool landscape that had a tree who's roots were showing. It was so very pretty I couldn't help but take a bazillion pictures.

Emmi, my adventurous 9 year old, decided she wanted to climb up and touch the exposed roots.

She did so with my enthusiastic approval. (I'm a bad influence)

So she climbed down across the gully and up a mud and rock slide to the roots. She then begged her 10 year old cousin to join her. His parents weren't so excited about the idea.

So there is my child, standing on a rock slide holding onto the roots of an 80 foot pine tree. LOL, geez I'm a brilliant parent.
They stayed up there for a bit, holding onto the roots and thinking they were pretty cool.

However, what goes up....must...well, you know.

So the debate ensued. "Mom? How do I get down?"

"Same way you got up, only backwards."

"Moooooom, it is slick, how do I get down?"

Me in my brilliance said. "Well, you just slide down on your butt."

Makes sense...right?

Right!

Her cousin went first, and I'm really sad I didn't get that on video because geez he slid down that hill fast.

His parents were less than happy with my bad influence on their son. And how that influence impacted their sons jeans.

Then it was Emmi's turn.

Here is the video...I still laugh every time I see it.

I may be a bad influence, but I'm a GREAT mom and no one can accuse me of being a boring mom either.

Manicotti: My Favorite Food

I love Manicotti....I mean I loooooooooooooooove Manicotti. It is my favorite food in the whole world. I have many, many, many recipes for the stuff, and while this is not my favorite, it is the favorite of my daughter.

Most people I know who don't like Manicotti don't like it because of the ricotta cheese. It is really a weird cheese with an odd taste that many people don't like.

This recipe doesn't have ricotta cheese.



EASY CHEESY MANICOTTI

• 8 ounces, fluid Chive And Onion Cream Cheese
• 4 ounces, fluid Regular Cream Cheese
• 3 cups Mozzarella Cheese, Shredded
• ¼ cups Shredded Parmesan Cheese (or 1/8 Cup Of The Grated Sprinkle Kind)
• 1 package Manicotti Shells (8 Oz Package)
• 1 bottle Marinara Sauce 24 Oz (or Spaghetti Sauce )
• 1 Tablespoon Parsley

* Preheat oven to 400 degrees

* Cook Manicotti shells according to the package. Drain the water. I put mine on wax paper after draining so they don’t stick together.

* Soften (in the microwave) both kinds of cream cheese. You want it softened, not cooked, so be very careful.

* In a medium bowl combine 2 cups of Mozzarella Cheese, Chive and Onion Cream Cheese, Regular Cream Cheese, Parmesan Cheese, and parsley. Mix well.

* Pour a small amount of the marinara sauce into a glass casserole dish. Spread it around.

* Fill the pasta shells with the cheese mixture. I find the easiest way to do this is to put a glop into your hand and roll it out into the form of a snake then slide it inside of the shell.

* Place stuffed shells into the casserole dish

* Pour the remaining Marinara Sauce over the top.

* Sprinkle with 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese

* Cover with aluminum foil and Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Recipe makes about 10-12 stuffed shells.