What Vacation?

Here is the conclusion Mike and I have come to...if we come home from a "vacation" completely tired and feeling like we just got rocked, it was a success. And so the story goes, we come home from our week in PR feeling in need of a vacation....what a surprise.
The good news is that we dominated the top half of the island from coast to coast, and then some. The main focus was seeing the Rip Curl pro surf contest, and using time in between to see everything else. From the minute we set foot on Puerto Rican soil we were racing against time to make the most of our 6.5 days.
Mike knows how to weave some magic when it comes to planning agendas and time management, which usually entails back to back adventures which are always off the beaten path, and the only way to go.
-Witnessing the best surfers on the planet doing their thing-inspiring.
-Ferrying to the small island of Culebra, having a world class beach all to ourselves, experiencing my first dive with an underwater welder by trade, as my "dive master" (the only one on the island available and willing to take us out)-terrifying/priceless
-Exploring caves carved by the ocean, and others hidden in the rain forest ALONE-thrilling
-A personal guide leading us by kayak, to an enchanting bay hidden by mangrove trees, in the pitch black of the night, through bioluminescent waters-spellbinding
-Cemeteries, Walmarts, loosing our way, finding our way...

Now back to reality.

Some good advice

It's just not FAIR!

I have to take a minute this evening and write about my little sob story.
I've known for a long time now that life isn't always fair, but COME ON!

Tragedy number one. My favorite drink in the world...yanked off the market without warning. No one can say if or when this fizzy delight will ever return to the shelves.




Tragedy number two, I just learned about today. While trying to order my favorite fragrance in the world online, I see the words out of stock...fine. I resort to my brother who lives in New York City. Yay he got me one of three bottles left on the shelf, Boo Karma is being discontinued...FOREVER!



This madness leaves me wondering what is next!

Spread the love!

I have come across this recipe...it is simply too good not to share. Over the summer I fell in love with Mango's, I couldn't get enough of them (until I started buying the ginormous ones from Costco), and then I didn't know how to get rid of them. Luckily I stumbled onto this baby... a dessert that I could never quite replicate until now! Enjoy!!

Thai Mango Sticky Sweet Rice

1 cup uncooked sticky rice (Jasmine or sushi rice works)

1-2 ripe mango's, cut into slices

1 can coconut milk

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp coconut flavoring

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbsp water

Prepare the rice as directed on the package. In a saucepan combine the coconut milk, brown sugar, salt, coconut flavoring, and vanilla. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. (Don't bring to a full boil or you will loose the good coconut flavor) Add the dissolved cornstarch and stir until thickened and smooth and then remove from heat.
To serve, spread a layer of rice on a plate. Pour coconut sauce, and top with sliced COLD mango's.

On the road again!

This year (the year of 2010) I was looking forward to having a summer that was made up of simplicity and stability...last summer was amazing...I would love to, am planning on, and can't wait to do something on that grand of a scale again; however, it was nice staying close to home and letting our roots have a chance to take hold. There is one week during our summer though, that is particularly popular for everyone in the household, and this year was no exception. Mike and I send the boys packing to Overton, NV (my dad's house...they LOVE and look forward to it) and Mike and I go on a trip for about 10 days!! Year one was Italy, year two was Alaska *kids in tow, and this year we chose Colorado. Weird I know...Indonesia or Colorado hmmm that's a tough choice...but yes, Colorado it was;)
Mike and I went on a short road trip there about four summers ago, and spent a few days exploring ghost towns, hiking around the Maroon Bells wilderness area etc.. If you are into checking out old mines, beautiful scenery, breathtaking views, and soaking in the Alpine fresh air, Colorado is in abundance, and so we decided it needed to be revisited and we needed more than just a couple of days. Other things were on the agenda as well, such as Mike's favorite childhood restaurants Casa Bonita and Beau Jo's pizza, his uncle Bob, the infamous Crystal Mill, the Delaware Hotel, our now second favorite city in the U.S.(Leadville which got beat out by Silver Plume while we were visiting), and the chipmunk feeding frenzy.
We explored, visited, revisited, ate, and hiked our brains out while we were there. Colorado is interesting, historical, beautiful, and has the best summer thunderstorms (which are a rush when you are in a tent, alone in the mountains!) My favorite spot is definitely St. Elmo. I could spend hours sitting, adoring, and feeding the swarm of cute, greedy little chipmunks that will jump in your hand, on your head, and in your bags to binge on sunflower seeds. *Beware of the evil squirrels...they are aggressive and they bite hard! We had a great vacation...most of which felt like a vacation.
Rejuvenated and recharged I am anxious and ready to bid farewell to summer and welcome the fresh breath of change that fall brings.


*Most beautiful/grueling hike to date

A room with a view

This past Thursday we(Mike, Kristen, Creighton, friend Daxton, Karac, cousin Parker, and Caiya) hiked Mt. Timpanogos. Just for the record... it was HARD! I thought I was pretty close to being in the best shape of my life, and what really happened was I think I got my rear end kicked! That's OK though, because it was beautiful, the wild flowers were in full bloom, we hung out with the mountain sheep, and my boys got to experience something that hopefully will become a cherished memory for them, (when they are older, much older) even though they both said they hated it and will never, EVER do it again.
I was excited about this hike and very much looking forward to it. I can only now assume this is because I did this same thing about three years ago and what stuck in my memory, is a state of grace and a feeling of immeasurable accomplishment. How valuable it is to be reminded... Just as with many cherished memories, most of the fine details get lost with the gift of time (i.e. the pain and suffering we sometimes must endure, to reach most of the world's and life's summits). Time performs it's magic and what we are left with are warm fuzzy feelings, and great photo's that give us wonderful happy memories!





(Notice the thrill and excitement displayed in their expressions)


(View from the restroom is fantastic!)

The Countdown!

I'm not sure how I feel when I say this, but in approximately one month, summer as we know it is over and it's back to school for Creighton, Karac and I. Where does the time go?! This summer has been extremely chill if you compare it to last, but in our household, "chill" doesn't mean we are lounging around the house eating otter pops in front of the t.v. As I am writing this, I feel a sense of urgency... we have to get our game faces on, and prepare for some serious adventure before all some of us have to look forward to is textbooks and homework;( (I really love school though and am a little excited to get back into my studies.)
We had a blast in Jackson (Mike nailed that trip in his blog), the boys and I spent a week in Garden City (Bear Lake) with my madre, brothers/sister/nephews and niece. Bear Lake entails 1 large house, somewhere around 16+ tenants, puzzling into the wee hours of the morning, boating, biking, more puzzling, rope swinging, motorcycling, and so on.
Although it's only mid summer, sadly the end is in sight. Luckily Mike and I still have our "big trip of the summer" coming up in a couple of weeks, and enough overnighters planned, to appease that ever insatiable appetite for adventure...for now.

un·con·ven·tion·al (ŭn'kən-vĕn'shə-nəl)

Last summer was the epitome of unconventional...and so while the topic of summer and unconventional are on my mind, I thought I would share. I really miss last summer, not being tied down to anywhere or anything, being in a different and amazing location almost daily, made every day full of wonder and excitement. I realize that everyday can be that way no matter where you are, but being at home in the grind of daily chores, jobs, and other responsibilities, make it a little more challenging. We do have small and medium scale adventures on the calendar, I think I am just getting antsy.

One of our options this coming weekend is to partake in a popular summer activity I was introduced to a few years back and is one of many on our growing list of 'unconventional activities'. It is called "one man rafting". This requires a (one per person) $10 single man blow up raft from Walmart (Walmart=mandatory), you, and a river. It's just you and that raft, where you end up and the condition you are in when you get there is all up to you, and your ability to paddle that $10 raft with your arms, solo, down a river, through rapids that hopefully scare you a little/ lot. Where this sport origionated I can't say, but it's one of many activities passed on from Dan Loveridge (who could possibly be one of it's founders) who then went on to teach Mike everything he knows. If we go, we will go to THE spot...which is located on the Snake river near Jackson Hole, Wy. THE spot is the home of two sets of rapids that are a one man rafters paradise. Big Kahuna the first of the two, can range from being a class II to III rapid, and Lunch Counter the one following, ranges from class II to IV, depending on early or late season. Weather this is safe, or a good idea...I won't comment on, but it is definitely a rush and hours of fun can be had by all, weather you are a participant or just spectating.

If the Snake river doesn't work out this weekend, we have an awesome backup plan, the destination...Moab, which will include one hut, one four man raft, a river, swan diving off of a medium sized cliff, hippies, and plenty of sunshine. Wherever we end up, I have no doubt that our summer is going to be full of conventional and unconventional fun, and we'll try and capture all of the little bits and pieces of it that we can, so you can catch a glimpse of our version of true down home unconventional fun!

*Notice: Everyone survived however it was a little traumatic.

Gratitude

The state of being grateful; thankfulness.

I experienced this (state of gratitude) while I was out running this morning, which is unusual because of the strong feelings of dislike that I have for running. An overwhelming feeling of gratitude overtook me as I was on my rout down the old white church road, and was drawn to the smell of the early morning, fresh cut hay, and horses lingering in the air, all while running under the shadow of the mountains AND getting to watch the sun come up over Mt. Timpanogos. I am grateful.

Kristen