Mexican Sugar Skulls

We haven't done much in the way of Halloween fun with the move and all- in fact, the kids are even wearing costumes made in previous years- unprecendented in this house... I don't think I could have made costumes this year if I'd wanted to, everything sewing and crafty is still in boxes, somewhere. So, when Q had a assignment to make Day of the Dead Mexican Sugar Skulls for her Spanish class, I was relieved that we already had the molds and I was able to find them.

Super- duper easy, just make sure you have meringue powder handy (get it at the craft or grocery store), and a 5 lb. bag of sugar. I think I got the molds on Olvera St. in LA a couple of years ago, or you can order them here.

They need about 8 hours of drying time before they are hard enough to decorate and not crumble when touched. We've got to get some royal icing mixed up today, dig out the glitter glue and sequins from a box somewhere and do some after school decorating. I hope we can make some cute enough that we want to preserve them for posterity. As I recall, the last time we made them, they were all tossed in the trash Nov 2 because they all looked like a preschool (with no supervision) art project. I believe the key is to use the tiniest tip when putting on the icing details, or give up being a purist and use puff paint... stay posted.

basil

I got the last of the basil harvested just in time, the temperatures dropped this past weekend and there's about two inches of snow on the ground right now. Feels like Christmas, not the week of Halloween.  These leaves look a little hammered, but they'll taste just fine.

I made 3 batches of pesto until I ran out of olive oil. I freeze them in ice cube trays or small plastic storage containers (like the one in the picture)- to use throughout the winter months.
With the last pile of basil leaves ready to go, I  realized I was out of olive oil. Not in the mood to run to the store or borrow anything else from our new neighbors (until they borrow something back from us, we are up 2 eggs) I searched the cupboards for possible substitutes and found a bottle of walnut oil. I did a little research and found this recipe:

Walnut Oil Pesto:
3 cups basil leaves
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 TBSP grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup walnut oil
salt, to taste
Blend all ingredients in the blender or food processor.

Here is the pesto recipe I usually use:
Pesto Sauce:
1 c. fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
coarse or rock salt, just a sprinkle
2 tbsp pine nuts (giant bags available at costo)
1/2 c. olive oil
4 tbsp fresh grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp pecorino cheese or more parmesan
Place basil, garlic, salt, and pine nuts in a blender or food processor until finely chopped. add olive oil with motor running, the add cheese. blend one more time until ingredients are mixed well.

Basically the same, excepting the pine nuts when you use walnut oil instead of olive oil, this might be a good pesto option these days as the price of pine nuts soars so high even Costco has stopped carrying them.
Just a note in case you're entertaining or trying to impress your diners- the walnut oil pesto browned noticeably quicker than the traditional recipe. Otherwise, the taste is basically the same.

This bowl full of lunch may not look very delicious- but it is. It's is my favorite way to eat pesto these days- with spaghetti squash instead of pasta, then mix in whatever else you have handy- some protein (salmon, tuna, ham, soy beans...) and more vegetables (tomatoes, green beans, peas...). Delicious.
I've finally arrived at the year when all of the kids are in school all day... a mom milestone... this means I can catch up on the Sunday New York Times (that takes me all week to get through) over lunch.

basement, underway-

Top o' the list on moving into this house was finishing the basement, otherwise, we've just moved into a house smaller than the first when we are still growing. So... here we go.
The space is about 2000 sq. feet. What we need is:
- family room
- 2 bedrooms
- bathroom
- art/craft room, sewing room
- storage
No plans for the basement exist, so we get to make it up as we go. This is harder than you think. First, you have to factor in things that cannot be changed like 2 load bearing walls and window placement, the rest is up to us- how many rooms and for what, traffic flow, storage space and closet size, bathroom layout... does the plan we've drawn up make sense? If we were to resell the house would the basement we've finished be a selling point or send people running the other way?
Anyway, I'm really trying to do my best as a jr. architect...
Here's what we've accomplished in a week, thanks to some wonderful subcontractors (and a slow economy)- all the framing is in, ductwork for heating and the gas fireplace in the family room. There is a gas fireplace in the master bedroom upstairs, (along with an awesome bathroom, both major selling points) we decided it would be wise to cozy up the family room/commons room, share the love in the basement too.

A very patient plumber did lots of jackhammering to find the right pipes and get ready to put in the right places. Call me naive or crazy, but I had no idea that this sort of under concrete searching happens all the time when finishing basements. I am kind of in awe that pipes set in concrete can be so readily shifted and moved around. The bathroom ended up rather large, so, we've divided it up- tub and toilet in one part and 2 sinks and vanity will be in the other part. This will be the teens/kids bathroom, divided up space should help keep everyone happy.

We added some angled walls to match a couple of similar walls upstairs. I really like the the way they turned out, it looks much better than square and should make things flow better, visually and physically. Straight ahead is a cold storage area (under the front porch) crammed full of stuff waiting for it's rightful place. This closet will stay concrete, shelved and a metal door added, to keep things cold.

Next on the list is electrical/TV/phone, finishing up moving the plumbing and patching the concrete, running gas lines for another hot water heater and the fireplace, bathtub installed then framing around the tub, framing around ductwork in the ceiling to prep for sheetrock. Here's hoping we can check all of those off by the end of this week.

hot pots

As the winter approaches, I get more excited about the 110 ° F/ 43 ° C  hot spring here in Midway. (Just for reference,  hot tubs max out at 104 ° F.)  I haven't been all the way in yet, unlike Steve O (as you can see here) who likes to swim laps while everyone watches- jaws agape, very impressed.
It might be cold enough this weekend for a momentary soak, longer if I can stand it. Mind over matter folks,  it's all in your head...
...have a great weekend everyone.
Thanks for the picture Munn!

bike thief

I've had a few bikes stolen throughout my lifetime and I feel like I can relate to this ad. Stealing a bike is the bottom of the heap, in my opinion- don't even get Steve O started on the subject...
Although, I do want my bikes back, especially the tandem. Whoever stole it can take a long walk on a short pier, and their passenger too.

moving to the country

The mist over Deer Creek Reservoir and Mt. Timpanogos, 8:17am.

draperies

I ended up finding some fabric I liked at Urban Outfitters, sewn into the shape of a duvet. I spent entirely too much time picking out the seams (instead of just cutting the seams/edges off), but then I was glad I did- I ended up needing every last inch of fabric for the windows I wanted to cover.
As a sewer, I've always loved the fabric panels at Urban Outfitters, I didn't see any on this last trip, word is, now you have to purchase them online.

I had these clippys from Ikea (they can be purchased anywhere) leftover from some other project at the other house, and my some miracle was able to locate them when I finally need them. So easy to use, especially for lightweight cotton curtains like these. They might not work as well for something heavier. In the end all you need is a piece of fabric, no fancy sewing on curtain holder-oners on top.
I went back to Ikea to find curtain rods- the trouble was finding one long enough. I think there was only one available (or maybe just one I liked) for a window 107" long. Then I found this one at Target, maximum length- 120"- I like it better too.

There are even cute little tie backs that match, I just haven't put them up yet.

In the end, the full/queen duvet didn't quite give me enough fabric to completely cover all the windows. It works out fine because we've got blinds coming for the big window next week. The sliding glass door is the important part and those curtains cover completely. Really, we are not the blind or curtain closing family, but now at least we'll have options, and a bit less echo when kids start getting loud.

iplunger

I've been searching around the internet, and driving around town, looking for an affordable area rug that I really like (not an easy job) and some curtain inspiration before our new neighbors get weirded out by us and our naked windows. Along with some really groovy home furnishings under the heading "apartments" (perhaps I should grow up and look for something more mature to decorate the house with...) I came across the iplunger at Urban Outfitters.
Here's the stocking stuffer of the year my friends- for 6 bucks, why wouldn't you?

19 wonderful years

Today, we have been married 19 years. I can't believe I'm old enough to say that.
This isn't our engagement picture, but one from the roll of film shot that day. Can you see why we didn't use it? This picture says so much, and is wrong for so many reasons-  First of all- what is with my dress? It used to be one of my favorites, I wore it all of the time- in this picture I could have weighted 200 lbs. or 100 lbs. (OK, maybe not quite 100 lbs.) and no one would ever know. How am I suppose to gauge how I'm doing 19 years later with a fit like that?
Then there are Steve O's ripped jeans, this speaks volumes for family history and fashion buffs alike...
The crazy face? Funny, I've seen Steve O pull many faces since, but I don't think I've ever seen this one again- he sure does love getting his picture taken.
Ahh- good times, these 19 years, I wouldn't change the last 15 for anything (this is his joke, not mine).
Happy Anniversary dear.

Moved, done/finished.

We did it. We've gotten all of our belongings from Springville to Midway. This is way, way easier said than done. For those of you who have moved in the last year or so, you know exactly what I mean. If you haven't moved recently than the only way I can describe it would be to relate it to natural childbirth. After each of my children were born I swore I would never ever have any more children. Then time passes, you forget the pain and suffering of labor and delivery and next thing you know- a couple of years later, you're pregnant again. I'm telling you- moving feels the same way. It's this massive mental, emotional and physical effort, that I'll soon forget I'm sure, which is why I'm writing this. To remind myself to never do it again (or at least not for a few years).
While things on the main level of the house are getting themselves sorted out and put away, this is what the basement and my sewing room look like. This is actually about 1/32 of the boxes and tubs of sewing and crafting goods I brought with me. I hope it feels like Christmas and not like yard sale leftovers when I get to open these boxes again in a few months. Onward, to the next chapter- finishing the basement.

And some more supplies of mine, waiting patiently in the garage for their rightful place. Anyone need a almost brand-new microwave before I list it on KSL?

absolutely inappropriate

Once again, moving puts you in touch with all sorts of things you forgot you had. Like a pack or two of candy cigarettes- most likely nearly petrified. It's funny to think back on my childhood and remember buying packs of candy cigarettes any time I was at the candy store without parental supervision, doing these very same moves. Ahh, the good old days...
Just kidding, of course, after this picture there was a mini-class on the perils of such behavior and how candy or real cigarettes can ruin lives, families, hopes and dreams- just like the lecture I got when caught fake smoking by my parents. The circle-of-life folks, circle-of-life.

The end of another soccer season...

Just a game or two left of kids soccer games this fall. Usually, by the end of the season we are bundled up in winter clothes to watch games. This year, we are still in shorts and t-shirts- temperatures in the 80's. What a gorgeous September, making up for our chilly month of June, I suppose, or global climate issues...
We sure do appreciate this commercial around this house-

It's Kind of a Funny Story

I caught Fresh Air this afternoon on NPR as I was driving down Provo Canyon for the one millionth time this fall as we try and get all of our belongings from Point A to Point B. Zac Galifianakis was the guest today, promoting his new movie It's Kind of a Funny Story, and talking about all being funny and whatnot. Good interview, I always enjoy Fresh Air- but don't catch it often enough. I'm putting this movie on my post-moving list-of-things to do, if I can handle one of the characters being named Noelle. I don't have to share my name very often, it's always a bit weird for me. When I was a kid I used to turn bright red and crawl under the pew when "The First Noel" was sang in church. The 'other Noelle' in high school was a teacher's pet/know-it-all- I think that's what ruined it for me.
 If you haven't seen his other movie The Hangover, I recommend it, it's funnier than you would think.

It's officially going down-

Super Fantastic Yard/Moving Sale

Saturday October 2

7 am - 2 pm

1165 South 1080 East (just south of the high school & indoor pool)

Springville UT

Clothes, shoes, toys, duplo legos, puzzles, crib and other bedding, books, housewares a go-go, costumes, furniture... and the list goes on as the garage fills up. A few neighbors are going to join us too. Don't miss it, pass it on!

the best part about moving

I don't know how many times mention of this picture, Steve O in a dress, has come up in family conversation over the years. It's legendary, to phrase it lightly. See what happens to you when you are the youngest?

Another myth turned to fact- my envelope full of concert tickets from my high school years. I have been looking for this envelope for about 20 years. I had just about resigned myself to the fact that it had been thrown away somewhere along the way, when I found it in the most unlikely of places- mixed in with college papers, in a box I've never looked twice at. When I was forced to face this box, I got nostalgic and instead of tossing the whole thing in the recycle bin, I started sorting. Retrieving papers I'd written in college, yes- on my typewriter, and getting rid of about 10 lbs. of stuff I'll never look at or need again- there, in the mix... was my beloved envelope.
Steve O has always given me a suspicious eyebrow tilt and nod of the head when I'd tell him about all the shows we use to go to, back in the day. He was especially skeptical about The Dickies- now I have proof.

real or fake? or does it really matter

I guess this film, Catfish played at Sundance last year, I missed it, another reason to feel giddy about moving to Midway- only 10 minutes or so from Park City. Anyway, if Catfish comes back to Utah, (it opens in selected cities tomorrow, Sept 24th) and I really hope it does, I will be there. I know not much else but what the trailer gives you, but it looks intriguing and I enjoy the raw filmmaking style. I just hope I doesn't end too freaky, like The Blair Witch Project and continue to give me the heeby geebies every time I go camping when it's been years since I saw that film. Catfish might make me want to what? cancel my facebook account? I hope that's all, if you know... don't tell!


Steve O saw this film about Joaquin Phoenix, I'm Still Here, last week and can't stop talking about it. Apparently tons of controversy now surround it- is it real or fake? Word is, it doesn't matter- Joaquin is jacked up. Either way, I hope I can get around to seeing it while it's in SLC, if I can stand looking at that hot mess hairdo for 120 minutes.

a proper rating system

Don't underestimate the importance of a properly labeling and rating your boxes. Apparently, I have been unaware all my life, that there is a level or two above just simply 'fragile'.
Q packed this one, I'm kind of afraid to even touch it.
I'd better start labeling more seriously. I did write in Sharpie "Adult Books" on a box yesterday, and then felt like I should clarify, (perhaps just with a ball point pen), then I figured, oh well- let whoever picks up that box get a good laugh.
Here's the final word in Yard Sale- I'm not quite ready this weekend, and we have 4 soccer games this Saturday. So Saturday October 2 is the final date, it's looking good folks- all sorts of treasures and good stuff coming your way.

see honey, what I could look like...

It's fun for the whole family with this iphone, itouch, ipod app. Everywhere we go we are altering friends and family's pictures in Fat Booth and laughing our heads off. It's $.99 well spent, in my opinion, and depending on how you feel about your own person fat booth picture- you might love the app or hate it, looking into what could have been (if you'd let go of all self control over the years) or how you might look in the future... or how you looked before your season on The Biggest Loser.

time to apply

If you're (anywhere) near the area (Provo UT) and you make some funky craft or art... you might want to apply for the Winter 2010 Beehive Bazaar coming up December 1-4th. Applications are being accepted until September 29th. Get all the info at thebeehivebazaar.com

mustache shaping chart

Mustache sampler, or if you asked my 6 year old (a few years ago)- nose-stache.

sidetracked-

I came across this gal's goods on flickr- eye candy- I would recommend a visit here. It makes me want to take a bunch of my fabric and jazz up the woodlands. It could be some interesting Halloween yard decor. I've got lots of costumes... would they perhaps fit on my trees? By the way- for those in the area... big yard sale coming up Sept. 25 & 26th. Be ready for costumes, books, clothes, household goods and stuff, lots of really great stuff.
Same lady, from Toronto Canada, now, which box did I put the felt and zippers in?

a bit of recycling...

This winsurfer sail has been in our garage for years, ever since, in fact, Steve O fell into it ripping a nice big hole- honestly, this sail is from way back in the day before the sport of windsurfing killed itself by becoming too specific and technical- morphing into kiteboarding and kitesurfing and could only be done in a handful of places in the world with enough consistent wind. After a amazing windsurf specific trip to Maui in 1994 (or so) we dropped out of the sport, mainly due to the fact that we live in Utah where the wind blows very inconsistently except at Rush Lake in Utah's West Desert where I'm not really interested in hanging out, not to mention the whole family thing... But enough about the history of windsurfing... I've been meaning to cut this sail up and make it into something for eons.

An so, the big reveal... the one and only item (so far) to be made from the sail- a messenger bag with many recycled sail aspects. I put the sail with this super sturdy brownish upholstery fabric that is so heavy duty, it could probably be used as carpet in an office building. I hate working with it, it has cost me much frustration and many sewing machine needles- but I love the end result.

It's kind of cool looking, backlight and all. I just listed it on etsy, along with many other bags, garlands and felt dolls. Check it out, and get details here.

anticipating/dreading

The hour has finally come... it's time to start packing up and move. The amount of goods a family (OK, I'll admit- I am mostly to blame) can accumulate in 13 years in one house is rather astounding. The space in this picture is what I have be frightened to tackle. It doesn't look like much- about 500 sq. ft. of 4 ft. tall crawl space directly under our family room. The beauty of it was that it was available space- all warm and dry but virtually unusable for anything but storage. Some people in our neighborhood have actually turned them into playrooms- what? Then where do you put all your fabric and craft supplies? (Oops... cat out of the bag...) and your camping equipment, winter clothes, holiday decor, archived papers and pictures, films and such (and such and such). I realized yesterday as we made a family 'fire line' up the stairs and into the garage... I'm really going to miss this space, like, really bad. The new place has only real, full-sized basement space, space that could be easily tempted into becoming life-sized rooms.

Can you believe all of this came from the crawl space... I'm a little embarrassed- don't open the garage door please. And like I said- a lot of it is fabric and craft supplies. Priceless goods, I tried to explain to Steve O. If myself and the children can only easily reach the supplies, I can teach the children all sorts of clever and creative skills to last a lifetime. But for now, be a dear, pick up that box and put it in the garage, please.

but do you keep it in your pocket?

There is something so intriguing, yet ridiculously absurd about the wooden, or in this case, bamboo, iphone cover- it's like knitting a cozy for the frame of your bicycle- but then again, why not?
By the way-Happy Thursday everyone.

September

This time of year is simply delightful. Here's my top ten for September 3rd:
1. everything in bloom
2. in the 80's
3 windows open all day
4. eating something from the garden for every meal
5. kids in school
6. peaches
7. tomatoes
8. mountain biking
9. soccer games
10. house- sold

I'm getting some sewing done now that the kids are back in school and we are getting back into a routine. These cut out- a few completed- messenger bags are on their way to Salt Lake City Bicycles next week.

Laser sailing

A Sunday sail Steve O and Q- at Jordanelle. In a few months the ski hill you see in the background (Deer Valley in Park City UT) will be covered with snow.
I'm kind of excited about it, kind of not.
I think I'll just focus on the upcoming Labor Day weekend- the grande finale o' summer fun.

school lunch

First grade is tough- little ones need to adjust to the long day of sitting still and listening, not wandering about doing exactly what they want, when they want to do it.
Tough stuff.
C started 1st grade on Tuesday and his mood has been deteriorating all week. This is very hard for me, the Mom, to watch the little fella stress out about going to school the next day, crying himself to sleep. Trying to get to the bottom of the problem and find out what exactly was making him so sad, I quizzed him on the possible problems- the kids, curriculum, teacher, having to sit still so long, shiny happy faces, too hot or too cold, lunchtime, recess...
Roughly all of it, was his reply, but then he shared that lunch makes his tummy hurt, before and after he's actually eaten. Recess- not much better either, he imparted.
At this point his 10 year old sister M, who had been listening to the who conversation chimed in, "Eating lunch in the school cafeteria is freaky- those kids are crazy." She paused, perhaps for emphasis, and then continued to add details after reading the skeptical look on all our faces- the crowd was growing, Q (14 yr. old) had now joined the conversation.
"No really Mom," M pleaded and then began to demonstrate, "the kids get their corn dogs, peel off the corn coating and then wiggle the cornless dog around on the stick." She made a dorky face as she illustrated the event and those involved, "all the boys laugh- they think it's SO funny!"
Then Q chimed in, "It's true! I've see it, you should see them squeeze the grease out of the grilled cheese sandwiches!" another demonstation followed.
I begin to get the picture, it comes back into focus- all my days spent in school cafeterias when I was a kid. Oh dear, I recall the madness. The noise, sights and smells- hundreds of kids, lots of food, spotty supervision.
Who doesn't remember scavenged containers filled with ketchup, mustard, juice, milk and grilled cheese sandwich grease... hurriedly mixed together with corn dog sticks then passed around on a dare, potato chip bags exploding all around you, naked hot dogs on sticks-
My tummy is started to hurt too.

one snazzy bowl

I almost impulse bought this bowl today- 5 seconds after first seeing it...
Now, I think I might dream about it tonight and order a few tomorrow. So great- and available at Scandinavian Design Center, with a bunch of other really cool stuff.

Mancebo on tip-toe

Here are the winners of Stage 4 Tour of Utah- on the podium (l to r) Tanner, Lill, Leipheimer, Mancebo, Boswell. The stage was a criterium, a one mile course up and down Main Street in Park City. Lots of climbing- over and over and over again for the patient/exhausted/hard-working riders, good observing for us cycling fans.

Dinner was wood-fired pizza at Cafe Galleria in Midway on the way back home. Oh how I love pizza piled with non-traditional pizza toppings (this pizza was topped with pesto, chicken, zucchini, arugula, pine nuts and maybe a few other delicious tidbits I can't think of now...).

Round it out with some dessert at the newly opened "Fill'er Up Coffee Station" also in Midway. Yummy baked goods, ice cream, coffee, tea and (sandwiches are coming soon... like for Swiss Days on Labor Day weekend.) The atmosphere on the patio is delightful, meander through the hollyhocks to find a hidden table and enjoy your treat.

the next act

Back to real life- after a few weeks of vacation 'real life' will always leave one breathless. Lots of catching up to do- yard work, grocery, school shopping, cleaning, soccer practice, kids on a better schedule so they can get up without too much trouble when school starts next week... blah, blah, blah... boring. What I should be doing is sewing. I need to get busy making up some messenger bags, like the one shown here. It's not that I don't enjoy the process, it's just the getting started part that is so tough. Too many summer fun distractions.
One would think I have plenty of motivation for locking myself in my sewing room, I have a stack of media ready to go to while I sew- Glee, season 1(and another 90+ movies in my Netflix queue), then Anna Karenina (audio version) that I've just barely started- I've never read it before, Dragonfly in Amber (audio and book version) the second book in the Outlander series, I cannot wait to start it. I spent my weeks at the beach entirely submerged in Outlander, I happily left the real world behind- and lost myself in this book, great read to get lost in by the way.
I've also just started Little Bee (our book group book) so far it's very good, but I only have the print version, and now that I'm back in the real world I need the multi-task version (audio). What I really need is a Kindle so I can go back and forth between listening and reading (the old fashioned way) and focus on one book at a time.
There are just not enough hours in the day.
So, here's to motivation, let me see if I can pull it off making some messenger bags this week and get my kids into bed before 11 pm every night.

dog parade

The Dana Point Marina, an excellent place to get a treat and watch the parade of pampered pups that pass with their doting owners- sometimes in strollers, I mean please people... This big fella caught our eye- how could you miss him? A newfoundland with a lion haircut, pulling a wagon. Even the tip of his tail was left long, like a lions.
To top it all off, the wagon was full of puppies, (chihuahua puppies not newfoundland)... does it get any better than that? And, yes, that is my son- eating his ice cream and petting the puppies (that probably haven't even had their shots yet.)

Doheny

Could there be a better beach to learn to surf? Doheny is our favorite, just south of Dana Point Harbor- and just a bike ride away. The little waves roll in all day, no black ball- you can surf all day. Foam boards are also a wonderful invention- inexpensive, buoyant and virtually harmless to those in the water around you (we found this out the hard way).

And while I'm singing praises... thank goodness for the waterproof camera (Olympus Stylus Tough) for being able to capture these close up images. Great picture- way to go Steve O.

And this gal couldn't love surfing more. She spends hours on end in the water, despite the coldish water (what is up with the water temp. this summer So Cal?), sans wetsuit, ready to catch the next wave. You go girl!

From these pictures it looks like we have the beach to ourselves- this is not at all the case- and part of the fun. Folks of all ages spend the day learning to surf, teaching their kids- having a blast. It's good fun watching everyone- tandem surfing, grandpas styin' it up but especially the little kids in their tiny wetsuits paddling around on longboards, shredding the waves.

smoothies

We made it to the beach, it's quite lovely to really be on vacation- with a book, my bikes, a stack of games, surfboards and boogie boards, sand and some sun and my family.
I love these giant succulents at Dana Point Harbor where we paused on our bike ride for smoothies this morning. I just had to keep snapping pictures of these plants, amid all the patrons, embarrassing the kids can be so fun.