Come along for the ride (part one)

I decided to post some of the scenery we captured from our road-trip yesterday.  We left Colorado Springs about 6:20am and arrived in Sedona, AZ last night at 7:00pm.  We traveled across plains, mountains, desert, and arrived in the beautiful red rock formations of Sedona. 

leaving Colorado Springs - heading into the mountains

are you proud, Shay - I waited till 8:20am!

gorgeous and winding mountain passes

a coyote

lunch in Cortez, CO - "Farm"

my lunch - zucchini fritters and french onion soup

Rob's lunch - burger and fries

entering the "typical" southwest landscape

we stopped at the four corners monument - I was "in" AZ, CO,UT,NM

Navajo fry bread - very yummy!

honey topping - the kids would have loved this!

This was about halfway - our total trip was a little more than 12 hours.  We really loved driving - it was fun to see the changing climates and landscapes.  Stay tuned for our travel through Arizona - we traveled through major winds, blowing sand, and finally arrived in Sedona.  Our first stop was the rooftop hot tub.  Gorgeous stars, an almost full moon and relief for travel-weary muscles! (and there are no pictures, sorry!) 

Garden of the Gods

Here are some of the sights from our day in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

my hiking shoes :)

our view while hiking in the Garden of the Gods

my friend, Jess and her dog, Shelby

another view

our lunch - I totally didn't know Rob was going to be capturing my face!

the menu at our little hole in the wall mexican restaurant - yum

Rob had the beef taco and cheese enchilada - I had the chiles rellenos

Southwest Road Trip - Day 1

Hello from Colorado Springs, Colorado!

On Saturday I left for Denver, CO from home.  I arrived at 5:30pm local time and Rob had already arranged our rental car and was waiting for me in baggage claim.  It was great to see him after being apart for a week.  We had dinner at a local Thai restaurant and then spent the night with his aunt and uncle!  We were able to stay in Littleton, CO for our first day and Nan and Charlie are amazing hosts!

We enjoyed relaxing talks, delicious meals, and it was great to spend some time with part of the Blanks family.

Tim, Katie, Josh, Isaac, and Ethan

Rob and I and our hosts - Aunt Nan and Uncle Charlie

 Today we'll be enjoying the beauty of Colorado Springs. On this trip, I'll be meeting a friend I haven't seen in more than ten years!  We'll be hiking through Garden of the Gods, and the weather is supposed to near 70 degrees today, so it should be beautiful!  Later, Rob and I will be meeting an associate of his at Compassion International for a tour and to spend the evening together.  Compassion is an amazing Christian organization that spreads the love of Christ to children around the world (by meeting their practical needs through the generosity of sponsors). 

Tomorrow, we plan to leave early for our road trip!  We'll be driving through Colorado into New Mexico and arriving in Arizona.  Our halfway point will be Cortez, Colorado, where we hope to tour some cliff dwellings.  We'll be staying overnight in Sedona, Arizona.  We'll spend Wednesday in Sedona before we need to arrive for a conference (for Rob) in Tempe, AZ.  What I love about a road trip is the fact that we can enjoy the landscape and stop whenever we want to.  Rob always indulges my impulsive (usually food-related) whims, so it will be fun!

I'll bring you along for the ride!  We've never been to New Mexico before, and I find the history fascinating.  We can't wait to glimpse the scenery, taste the food, and set off on an adventure! 

Where should we go?

Rob is on his annual ski trip this week, and while we are missing him lots, I hear the snow is deep, and the conditions are perfect! 

On Saturday I'll be flying into Denver to meet him and to start our weeklong vacation!  First we'll be in Denver where we are excited to spend some time with family.  We'll be stopping in Colorado Springs for some meetings (for Rob), and for me to meet up with a close college friend.  We'll then be driving to Tempe, AZ for a conference that Rob will be attending.  We'll have a couple of days to sight-see.  So my question is: should we stop in Santa Fe, NM or Sedona, AZ?  I've already been to Sedona and loved it.  But, I've heard Santa Fe is great, too! 

If anyone out there has an opinion or any great ideas, I'd love to hear them.  The cities are both on our way to our destination and virtually equidistant.  We'll probably have one overnight and two days to sight-see.  Oh, and it's just the two of us (!!). 

Any and all advice would be great! 

Wannabe Gyros

It's so funny - every year around this time I feel like I need to detox.  I feel inspired to deep-clean my house, throw "stuff" away, eat healthier, and just generally "get it together".   I am discovering more and more that my moods are determined by sunshine.  I've also discovered that while I love meat, sometimes my body just needs a break.  My skin and hair pay the price when I'm eating an especially fattening diet.  It's been about a week since I've had meat and I can say that I feel great.  I have tons of energy, and it's a nice change.  I'll probably go back to meat next week, but for now I'm reveling in the novelty (and not needing deodorant - isn't that weird?). 

I've been trying some new recipes and the sandwiches we had last night were a winner!  Even Emma, who hates tomatoes and cucumbers (but wishes she liked them), said, "this is pretty good". 

Basically, it's a pocketless pita that we stuffed with tabbouleh, chopped lettuce, and the world's best salad dressing.

If you do nothing else, you must try this salad dressing recipe.  It's a riff on the Olive Garden salad dressing recipe.  I have been to the Olive Garden maybe once in twelve years, but I do remember the salad and breadsticks - remember when the breadsticks were coated with butter, garlic and cheese?  yum.  Anyway, trust me when I tell you that you will love this dressing recipe.  It keeps really well - I usually make a batch and we use it for a few weeks until it's gone. 

But, back to the sandwich.  A couple things:  it's very messy.  It's also delicious, and you could totally include ground lamb, grilled chicken, or even shrimp if you wanted to.  The crunch of the lettuce and cucumbers mix well with the pillowy softness of the pita and the creamy dressing drips down your hand in the best way possible. 

Enjoy!

Banana Cupcakes

I just made these - and after looking at the pictures, I realized that they sort of look like an over-easy egg.  I used my trusty banana bread recipe and then topped the muffins cupcakes with cream cheese frosting (adding lemon zest and a little lemon juice).  I put a dollop of apricot jam on top and sprinkled with toasted coconut. 

Even if they look a little like brunch, I've been told they're pretty yummy.  I found some pretty willing guinea pigs!  I also have chocolate peanut butter cookies in the oven - Josh is taking the treats for a get-together with friends, hopefully they'll enjoy them!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Things I've Learned

since joining the gym one month ago.

1.  My clothing has never been tighter.  I keep hearing, "oh, but you're building muscle".  I don't want muscle.  I want loose clothing.

2.  There is a reason that speedo bathing suits do not have "miracle" in their title.  If you look good in a speedo, you are my hero.

3.  I think my kids have seen more than they've bargained for.  People are not real modest in the locker rooms.  Kate said last week, "I've seen things no ten-year old should ever see".  I kind of don't find it a big deal.  I guess I'm not real modest either, then.

4.  Every drop of sweat on your body is highly visible in a brightly lit exercise room with mirrors on all sides.

5.  My kids are part fish.  We've been swimming a few times a week and Kate swam 44 laps last night.

6.  I am part fish.  I really love to swim.  I don't like the speedo, the dry skin, or having to use conditioner, but swimming is good for my mental health.  I just wish it made my clothing fit better.

7.  I feel a little guilty exercising every day.  I totally realize it's a luxury.  It takes time.  But, I kind of love it.

8.  There are lots of rules and signs announcing the rules.  My personal favorite hangs in the sauna/steam/hot tub area.  "This area should not be used for shaving".  Really, someone needed to specify that? 

9.  It's a great excuse to eat more.