So we decided to drive….

How is it that we find ourselves in these adventures? Is it our personalities? The path chosen for us? Maybe we are just plain wacky?

The Strader’s were on the move again. We took a break, a hiatus of sorts, Allison isn’t as “easy” a traveler as Natalie was and frankly I think we just gave up for a while. Then Ben and I went away on an anniversary camping trip – two night away from the girls (thanks Nana and Papa) and we reminisced about road trips and adventure. We decided right then and there, a few days before departure to drive. 1500 miles up and who knows how many miles home. Why? Who knows? For Ben, he was burned out on flying, he wanted to really SEE Idaho. For me, well with a full size truck I could pack half the house to take with us.

So we switched gears, instead of flying for 7 hours to the cabin we drove, almost 30 hours instead. Interesting fact, not only would we have used less fuel it would have been cheaper had we flown. But to those who pack like I do, I would have only been able to bring the bare essentials.

We left and drove day one to Reno, uneventful, through Bishop, passed Mammoth, and got free breakfast in the morning. Day two drove to Boise via Oregon, lunch at a roadside diner not worthy of a Guy Fiori write up. Spent 3 days in Boi”see” searching for the perfect house – did not find it, not yet... although the plan is coming together. Day five, drove to Priest Lake – 11 hours. Not because of mileage but because of everyone else trying to celebrate the 4^th in the mountains….

Things we learned along away:

a. You can drop a MAC laptop on the ground from about 2.5 feet TWICE and it still works flawlessly.

b. You can eat tacos and fried chicken from the same fast food joint.

c. If it stays light out until 10pm you do forget to feed your kids dinner and put them to bed.

d. There are a LOT of place we don’t want to live!

e. Sometimes it is worth the long way home....

My food blog moment of fame!

So a few weeks ago one of the food blogs I follow (doesn’t that sound nerdy) was asking for recipe testers for their upcoming cookbook. I submitted myself and said I was interested AND that my family was NOT unfamiliar with me testing new recipes on them. Nothing, I heard nothing for almost a month.

Then amazingly enough while enjoying my first cup of coffee in our cabin in the sticks, I relish in the still secret joy that not only do I have internet my email came through and I was chosen to test a recipe! Then I think, oh no! I am in the middle of nowhere – where will I find ingredients, cookware, camera, laptop – I am seriously overwhelmed.

I do knock a few of these out of the way…my laptop-working! I bought a camera at Target in Boise – left mine at home. Ingredients? Well let me take a breath and finish reading the email, oh yes, here it is – the recipe!

Lazy Day Beef and Vegetable Soup. It was the 4^th of July, on our menu was burgers, beans, potato salad – the American Fare. But *said exaggeratedly* it is cloudly…probably going to rain…we are on vacation which means lazy day…but I thought for sure Ben would TOTALLY veto my plan.

We needed ingredients, only a few…Ben was on board – can you believe it? He thought it was a cool idea. Of course we’d have to go into town and search for the few ingredients I needed. Thankfully they were basic.

1. Beef – stew meet, I found a rib eye, I cut it up – YUM!

2. Noodles – they wanted something fancy but said any small noodle would do. We were happy with elbow.

3. Beef broth – really in a town of less then 1,000 – found it bought all 3 cans on the shelf @ 1.49 a can!

4. Tomato sauce – found it too, next to the beef broth who knew?

5. Frozen vegetables – found them, only to bring them home and discover they were totally freezer burned – so I substituted fresh veggies – carrots, celery and onion.

6. I amazingly had, Italian seasoning - should I ever leave home without it (read former blog post on – “we decided to drive”)

7. Pepper, from the cabin, garlic – brought some along, the basil was optional – shhhh it called for chickpeas – which I omitted.

I did write to them and explain that I was in the sticks of Idaho on a family vacation., that I was willing to forgo my USA BBQ for the cookbook but I did not have a slow cooker, I needed to substitute a stockpot. I did not tell them about the chickpeas…

I am waiting to hear from them. I HOPE I still get to submit my pictures, commentary and overall experience as a recipe tester. If not, I’m posting on on my on blog darn nit! I feel so lucky to have been selected anyhow I figured it deserved a post somewhere! If it does make the food blog and cookbook I’ll let you know:)

Ally's swimming...

Here she goes...Ally loves swimming with Miss Dee at Swim to Shore Swimschool.

Wheels!

One adorable little girl who just finished Pre K - gets her first set of wheels!

"permotion"

According to Natalie she has "permoted" to Kindergarten. I think it is so cute how she is so insistent on using big words pronounced incorrectly...I think Ben would say she gets that from me. She is all of 4 and a half and I still say this is my FAVORITE age so far (aside form the newborn snugly nursing all day long age, but does that really count for an age?)

4 means a lunch date- not a lunch struggle,

4 means a friend to shop with - not a snack machine belted into the cart,

4 means a story hour - not a story minute with pages torn,

4 means a session of insightful questions - not figuring out which stuffed animal she is calling for,

4 means I get to hear, "I love you mommy" ALL the time!

4 means getting to soothe hurt feeling from friends,

4 means hanging out, not stuck "babysitting",

4 means a glimpse... that so far, you haven't done that bad as a parent,

4 means freedom from diapers, wipes, pacifiers, sippy cups, water wings, and other crutches,

4 means almost 5, and then I have send her out into the big world of elementary school - and I finally understand why parents are scared...I am too and I used to work there....

Permotion was last night, she doesn't look any different, she isn't acting any different, but I know it is coming. I know sleep overs, catty girlfriends, and maybe a swear word are coming before we know it. How does this happen? I know Ben and I aren't getting any older so how is it that Natalie is stuck in a whirlwind and growing up so fast???

A friend of mine several years ago when Natalie was only 2 shared a story about her oldest turning 5. She said they went to the mall to see a movie and have lunch, they went shopping and stopped in Bath and Body Works to let her choose some lotions and such...she said she cried in the store, watching her baby smell and inspect the different scents and colors - making her selection carefully. This 5 year old she spoke of seemed so old, MUCH older then my 2 year old toddler...well now it is my turn - and heading to a movie and lunch and some Big Girl lotion sounds like a fantastic way to celebrate my BIG GIRL'S day.

However, I have ALL summer to enjoy my 4 year old, ALL summer to build sand castles, ride bikes, eat ice cream and enjoy her still being 4...(please tell me I get to these things for years and years to come)

Here are some seriously BAD pictures of her permotion...bad camera!

Tea Party Friends

This month we celebrated Mother's Day but part of celebration for me is enjoying my girls and realizing that they too will be a mother someday. I thought I would invite a few mom friends over with their girls and host a true tea party. I turned it into a lesson in etiquette and hostessing. We folded napkins, set tables, garnished finger foods. We found all the right accessories and dresses to get just the right look and here is what we ended up with.

A table for the girls...

A table for the moms...

A Tea Cake done by Jackie...

Mother's Day Bunco

What a fun time to dress up and have Tea and Roll for Buncos! Mom and Me Style...