"Well, I guess this is growing up"

Stars on Ice

2008-02-12T13:55:00.001-08:00

I took my mom to see Stars on Ice in Spokane at the end of January. I'm not a huge ice skating fan, but really enjoyed the energy and skill of the skaters. The last time I saw Stars on Ice (about 10 years ago), the performances were pretty traditional and typical of the late '90's. The show two weeks ago had a fun, modern young edge that was extremly appealing. The cast even did an entire performance dressed as an '80's rock band, complete with some great '80's music. We had really great seats and could even hear Sasha Cohen giving verbal cues to her helpers during one of her performances. She did the entire piece without skates, being carried around the ice by three male skaters. It's hard to explain, but was really cool.

Here are some pictures I captured of the Stars:

Sasha Cohen begins her non-skating scene.

Todd Eldridge leads the cast in rocking out.

Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao during on of my favorite performances of the night.

Ilia Kulik does a modern dance performance that reminded me of Napoleon Dynamite, in a good way, of course.

Patrice Lauzon and Marie-France Dubreuil performed many ice dancing numbers.

Michael Wiess struts his stuff, playing right into the hearts of the ladies.

Let it Snow!

2008-01-27T17:22:00.000-08:00

It's been snowing at our house for about 30 hours now. Although, I guess it actually turned to rain for a bit over night. I estimate we have about eight inches of accumulation. I measured four inches this afternoon. We had already shoveled off an equivilent amount last night.

Aside from the roads be really terrible, I think it's kind of fun to have a good old fashioned snow storm. I called it a blizzard, but my sister pointed out there has to be wind to make a blizzard. So, I guess it's just a snow storm. A really big snow storm.

One Year of Blogging

2008-01-27T10:24:00.000-08:00

I passed my first anniversary of blogging a few days ago. The past year has flown by and it's fun to have a record of what I did and thought!

Ringing in the New Year

2008-01-03T11:15:00.000-08:00

We rang in the New Year with a party at home. It was a relatively quiet event, a far cry from our pre-child days, but fun none-the-less. It was fun to watch Munchkin and his friends enjoy the celebration and traditions. We ate hors d'œuvres, visited with new and old friends and watched the animatronic version of Dick Clark announce the countdown in New York. The kids draped themselves over the back of the couch to view the annual Christmas tree toss. Without a back deck to toss it off, we improvised by launching the tree out of the back of the truck into the front yard. I say it's an improvement because now I can watch the event from the warm comfort of the living room.

New Years' Day found us at Sanders Beach for the Polar Bear plunge. DD and his friends jumped in for a frigid 10 seconds in the lake. Munchkin and I endured a frigid 10 minutes outside, bundled up in our winter wear. That is as close to taking the plunge as I'll get. A delicious prime rib dinner at DD's parents' house rounded out the day and brought a close to the holiday season.

The holiday decorations have all been packed away. All that remains is a handful of Christmas tree pieces and orange flags marking the results of the tree toss. I think all of my Christmas wishes were granted this year. We celebrated with our friends and family, all healthy and home for the holidays. We welcomed a new nephew, born only a few days before Christmas. We received wonderful gifts for Christmas, but the best gift was the time we enjoyed with our families.

I hope your holiday season was as wonderful. Here's to a happy and healthy 2008!

Spending my Winnings

2007-12-16T10:22:00.000-08:00

On Halloween, JBelle hosted a Mad Lib inspired contest at Huckleberries Online. With DD's help I was able to conjure up one of three winning entries. I had a blast laughing over the silliness and that would have been reward enough, but JBelle was generous in handing out fifty dollar bills to the winners.

When I picked up my prize from DFO at the Spokesman office, I already had plans for it in my mind. I had a list of household supplies I could spend it on, charities I could donate it to and other people I could buy for. DFO put an end to all those plans when he gave me strict instructions to spend the prize money only on something fun for myself and DD.

It didn't take much convincing, but it did take a lot of thought as to what fun thing I would do with my money. The bill sat sealed in it's envelope in my car for about 10 days before I could settle on a plan. I decided the money would best be spent on a spur-of-the-moment, last outing before winter, trip to Seattle.

DD and I love to travel, but it's usually well thought out and planned for weeks in advance. This time I planned the trip in two days and sprung the news on DD 12 hours before our departure. I had the suitcases packed, the car loaded and hotel reservations made. DD was shocked, but game for adventure.

Munchkin's always ready for a vacation with Mom and Dad, so he happily settled in to the car for the drive. From our garage to the time we were sitting in the House of Hong watching the dim sum carts go by was four and a half hours. A temptingly short amount of time in the car to experience the best dim sum I've had so far. The House of Hong was decorated in an upscale version of the expected Chinese/American decor. The dim sum carts were loaded with delicious looking steamed and fried small plates. We sampled the barbecued pork, pork dumplings, vegetable egg rolls, barbecued pork buns and pork egg rolls. The flavors were so fresh and good that my mouth is watering just writing about it.

We spent the afternoon wandering through the tourist shops on the waterfront. We won a plastic shark from the arcade on the pier. We watched container ships pass through the bay with the snow capped Olympic Mountains as a backdrop. Most importantly, we didn't have a schedule or rush around. We took our time and enjoyed being in the city.

After a night in a hotel, we browsed through Pike's Place Market, enjoying the crowd free shopping of late fall. We bought croissants from La Panier and munched them as we walked. Munchkin truly enjoyed his first real French treat, refusing to share a bite. The Space Needle caught the attention of Munchkin and he had to know it's location during our whole visit. We stood underneath and were awed by the space-aged architecture. Tears were shed by our three-year-old as he had to say goodbye to the Seattle icon.

Our final stop in Seattle was Steamers on the waterfront. Munchkin and I dined on clam chowder and fish and chips while DD had chicken strips. I'm not sure I would enjoy a steak while overlooking a cow field, but fish and chips sure taste better while looking at salt water. It must be the fresh sea air.

We all were a little sad to say goodbye to the city as we headed home. We didn't go up in the Space Needle or any major attractions. We didn't rush around cramming all of the sites into one day. We just all enjoyed being away from home and spending time together.

Obviously my prize money didn't cover all the costs for the trip, but what's important is that it inspired the trip. Thanks, JBelle, for the inspiration, the good laugh and the prize.

Daycare Search

2007-11-19T13:14:00.001-08:00

Munchkin has been anxious to start school ever since his cousins went back to school this fall. He routinely asks me to take him to school (the closest elementary location) and leave him. He also asks me to take him to his friends' houses, his grandparents and the mall (Drop in & Play) so I can leave him. Yesterday he even told me I could go "goodbye" and he'd stay home by himself.

I guess it's time to face the fact that Munchkin is growing up and wants time away from mom to become more independent. It's also about time for me to have alone time to focus on two different work projects that I've accepted.

So, the search for daycares has begun. I didn't think it would be hard to find a place that I felt comfortable taking Munchkin. I was wrong. I think part of my problem is I have so many "wants" out of a daycare. I only need two days a week. Most places require at least three. I would like somewhere that provides meals. I don't want the extra stress of making sure I get a lunch packed before rushing out the door. Also, I want a preschool program in a school-like setting. This rules out most in-home daycares since I want someplace with a lot of kids for social interaction. Finally, it has to be in Post Falls. I want a convenient location for drop off and pick up for when I'm traveling around the area and working from home.

I've called just about every number in the book for Post Falls. Apparently there's a boom in three-year-olds at the moment and not a lot of openings. What makes it really difficult is the lack of regulations and rules for daycares in Idaho. I ask all the questions about background checks, fingerprinting and teacher certifications, but it would be nice to have state feedback. Or even user feedback about daycares. It's hard to tell whether or not it's a good or bad thing that a Google search doesn't bring up much about a daycare. I would feel more secure with another parent giving a location a good review before I picked one.

Maybe some of you readers have recommendations or "stay away" warnings about daycares in Post Falls. If so, I'd appreciate a comment or email. Thank you!

Review: Tomato Street (Coeur d'Alene)

2007-11-05T14:39:00.000-08:00

221 W. Appleway Ave., Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814 (208) 667-5000

Tomato Street offers everything you might expect in an Italian restaurant thousands of miles away from Italy: checkered table clothes, soft lighting and red plastic tumblers. It also offers somethings you might not expect: entertainment for the kids and an extensive menu.

The most surprising thing about Tomato Street for me was their perfect Seafood Fettuccine. Yes, I said perfect. Too often Italian restaurants skimp on the seafood, under cook or charge a fortune for it. None of the above apply to Tomato Street.

I ordered the lunch sized portion of Seafood Fettuccine for $8.99 (which would be a perfectly fine dinner size for me). The menu promised shrimp, clams, calamari and scallops in a wine and cream sauce with fettuccine noodles.

When my order arrived, perched on top of the al dente pasta were two thick prawns. I dove right in to sample a prawn while it was hot and fresh. The meat was pink, firm and cooked just right. It was so good that I saved the second one for the end of my meal. Five baby manila clams surrounded the prawns. They were tender and sweet. Perfect enough I could have eaten a whole bowl of just clams.

The real deal breaker of seafood dishes for me is the calamari. One rubbery bite and the entire dish becomes sub-par. I tasted my first ring of calamari with a bit of hesitation and was not disappointed. It was absolutely tender without being underdone. From that point on, I was in love with my meal.

The creamy sauce was just thick enough to coat the pasta. The flavor of garlic complimented, but didn't overpower the seafood. A few slivers of sun dried tomato added the perfect amount of sweetness. My only complaint could be that the scallops were so small that I almost forgot they were there. But, what the scallops lacked in size, they more then made up for in quantity and flavor.

My meal was accompanied by a basic green salad consisting of romaine and iceberg lettuces, shredded carrot and store bought croutons. The House dressing - creamy garlic - can be overpowering in large quantities. I ordered mine on the side. Baskets of hot, soft garlic bread were kept stocked at our table. It made the perfect utensil with which to scoop up the sauce that remained after my pasta was gone.

The service during my visit was top notch. The children in the party were given balls of Play-Doh and a dried pasta necklace kit to entain themselves during the meal. Both were a big hit with Munchkin and his six-year-old cousin. The children's menu offers such things as pizza, macaroni and cheese and chicken fingers. All are nicer, homemade versions of the kid offerings at most restaurants. Kid's meals include beverages and ice cream for $5.29.

Our server was friendly and prompt in taking care of our needs. She even treated Munchkin to his own soda and ice cream, even though we didn't order a child's meal for him. She didn't want him to feel left out among his cousins. When one member of our party received the wrong meal, a new one was made in record time and a sincere apology was given.

Other items in the Tomato Street repertoire include smashed sandwiches, calzones, pizzas cooked in a wood burning oven and every type of pasta and sauce combination you could imagine. They also have many specialty drink offerings, including Italian Sodas and a lounge with a full bar.

If you hit Tomato Street on a weekend night, I'm sure the place will be packed. The long time Coeur d'Alene restaurant is not a well-kept secret.

Halloween Costumes

2007-11-04T00:05:00.001-07:00

DD and I attended a total of three Halloween parties this year. The first was a mix of adults and kids, but those with kids left early. The second was for kids and the third was strictly for grown ups. Out of the three parties, there were two adult costumes that I thought were particularly good.

The first was someone dressed up as Tom Cruise's character in "Risky Business." The costume was complete with a white dress shirt, no pants and sun glasses. The reason I think it was pulled off so well is that the guy wearing the costume could have been Tom Cruise's double.

The second costume was a man dressed as a pregnant nun carrying around a flask. It was a costume I hadn't seen before and the contradictions of it all was hilarious. It also helped that the man had the general appearance of Alfred Hitchcock.

A New Rod Stewart Fan

2007-10-26T17:15:00.000-07:00

Something happened today I that I never thought was possible. DD has become a Rod Stewart fan. It has nothing to with Rod's Billboard topping hits or his stylin' hair. It's all about the fact that Rod is a avid Model Railroader.

Yes, I'm revealing a bit of DD's nerdy side. He's a huge model railroad buff. Right now he's itching to finish the basement so he can unpack his boxes of layout supplies. Today the mailman delivered DD's favorite magazine: Model Railroader. On the cover is a shot of Rod's amazing HO scale layout. Inside is an extensive story and pictures. DD's been oohing and aahing over the detailed skyscrapers and labyrinth track system of Rod's layout. I questioned whether or not it was all done by the rock star himself. Apparently all the detail work is, but at least the wiring was done by professionals. Ah. The burden of being a rich celebrity with a hobby.

DD's been known to hunt down railroaders published in the magazine to get a peek of their layouts while we're vacationing in their hometowns. Maybe a trip to Beverly Hills is our future.

Review: Toro Viejo (Coeur d'Alene)

2007-10-23T16:49:00.000-07:00

Toro Viejo, 117 N. 2nd Street, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814 (208) 667-7676

The bright new sign along Seltice Way advertising the new businesses in Riverstone keeps taunting me. When I'm driving to or from Coeur d'Alene, I see just a flash of "All you can eat tacos." It's a taco addicts dream come true and I know what it's referring to: the all you can eat taco deal at Azteca on Tuesdays. It's only $5 and comes with all the tacos, rice, beans and salsa you can eat. However, I've indulged in the feast at the Spokane locations and know that even though it's a good price and decent food, I'd rather spend five dollars on one limited size, high quality meal at Toro Viejo.

Like any other restaurant with multiple locations, I believe that there are variations between Toro Viejo outlets in Coeur d'Alene, Hayden and Post Falls. The Coeur d'Alene always has been the best, in my opinion. I was reminded of why when I visited for lunch today.

Although parking has very little to do with the restaurant, I knew things were off to a good start when I snagged a parking spot right outside the front door. Upon entering, I had just enough time to read the specials on the board before we were greeted by the host. He laughed and joked with us while he showed us to our table. As usual, a basket of warm tortilla chips, salsa and water were brought immediately.

Our server seemed to be the only one working. She had a helper dishing out the chips and water, but other than that was on her own. Her tone and mannerisms reflected the stress she must have felt with such a job. It was noon and even on a weekday the tables were filling up. My order was straight up, the special, one taco (shredded beef) and an enchilada (cheese) with rice and beans. My grandma's order threw the server a bit and she became confused and flustered. My grandma is almost 90 years old, but she knew exactly what she wanted and I thought was clear in her order - a green chile enchilada with no rice on the side, just beans. However, the server clarified and went through the order again before she left the table.

Munchkin entertained himself with chips while we waited for our food. Toro Viejo is one of his favorite restaurants because of the self serve basket on the table. I held off on the chips, waiting for the mild salsa I had request from the server (yes, I'm a wimp). The mild didn't arrive, but our food came out so fast, I didn't have much to complain about. The server did remember when she delivered our food that I had asked for mild and promptly brought it. My grandma felt she was bothering the server when requesting guacamole, then a spoon on the return trip.

I dove into my meal with excitement. It had been over a month since I'd eaten Mexican food, and with that sign always taunting me, I was hungry for it. The enchilada was hot with creamy, melted cheese and just the right amount of sauce. I gave the taco to Munchkin, but not before have a sample. It was your regular taco with shredded beef, cheese, lettuce and tomato. Good, but nothing great. I savored my enchilada, thoroughly enjoying each bite. Grandma couldn't stop talking about how good her meal was.

Even though the server got flustered and seemed a little stressed, she made a point of coming back by the table at the end of the meal to offer an apology. She told my grandma she was sorry about the confusion, but just wanted to be sure the order was correct. I thought it was a very thoughtful and unusual thing for a server to do. Grandma really appreciated the gesture. It changed ok service to excellent service.

As I'm writing this, only five hours after eating at Toro Viejo, I'm getting hungry for another enchilada. The food was just so fresh, fast and good. Plus, you really couldn't beat the price. My "special" was $4.75 and Grandma's single enchilada (which, with the beans consumed a whole plate) was $4.50. Blows the $5 taco bar out of the water.

Too much time on my hands....

2007-10-11T13:34:00.001-07:00

Your Punk Band Name Is...

The Fuzzy Tweezers

What's Your Punk Band Name?

You Are a German Shepherd Puppy

Intelligent, quick witted, and a bit aggressive.
You've got the jaw power to take a bite out of anyone you choose.

What Breed of Puppy Are You?

You Were an Eagle

You are able to rise above the details of life and see the big picture.
A spiritual being, you tend to go beyond material concerns.

What Animal Were You In a Past Life?

You Are a Boston Creme Donut

You have a tough exterior. No one wants to mess with you.
But on the inside, you're a total pushover and completely soft.
You're a traditionalist, and you don't change easily.
You're likely to eat the same doughnut every morning, and pout if it's sold out.

What Donut Are You?

Review: Perkins Restaurant (Spokane Valley)

2007-10-08T12:19:00.000-07:00

East 9019 Mission Avenue, Spokane, WA 99212 (509) 927-2640

I will admit upfront that I had a preconceived notion that Perkins has bad service and mediocre food. Before this visit, it had been about 10 years since I dined at Perkins. However, I was dining with a group and did not choose the location. I also thought I would give Perkins the benefit of the doubt and try them again. Unfortunately, no improvements have been made in the service or food at local Perkins during the last decade.

I thought the visit was off to a good start when I approached the front door and an employee standing outside greeted me with a smile and opened the door for me. I was feeling optimistic as I joined my group, which was already seated. When it took about 20 minutes and someone beckoning a server to place an order, my hope was diminishing. I ordered the Heartland Omelette. The menu boasted diced ham, applewood smoked bacon, sausage, American cheese and diced fresh tomatoes in the omelette. It included hashbrowns and toast on the side. The server was friendly and able to answer questions during the ordering process.

My order arrived in a reasonable amount of time. The omelette was hot, but the cheese was only partially melted. The sausage was more plentiful than the other meats and it over powered any other flavors. It might have been balanced by the fresh tomatoes, if they had been included. The hashbrowns were a greasy, undercooked pile of what tasted like the frozen variety of potato. Even something as simple as the toast wasn't done well. It was under toasted and over buttered. I might have pointed out some of these inadequicies or at least requested the missing tomatoes, if our server hadn't abandanded our table after delivering the food. We didn't see her for about an hour and at that time she only made an appearance to drop of the check.

Just when things didn't look like they could get any worse, two employees began vacuuming and cleaning next to our table. Concerned that our group was delaying their closure, we inquired if that was the case. The employees told us they don't officially close until 10 p.m. (the time post on the door), but if it's not busy they close early. Apparently "not busy" and "early" qualifies as 9:15 p.m. when there are still customers in the restaurant.

When it came time to pay the bill, the hostess at the front dished out a lecture about using a coupon. I had clearly stated to the server that I had the coupon and would be using. The server had no problem with it, but the hostess had other ideas. She claimed because we had a group, we had to have a minimum order and coupons don't qualify. The problem is, no one in our group was ever told about those requirements when reservations were made or during the meal.

I left Perkins reminded why it's been so long since I've set foot in one of their restaurants. It also made me wonder how they have stayed in business for so long. I can't imagine they have a large following of repeat diners with such poor customer service and frankly, unappetizing food.

Copycat Recipes

2007-10-01T14:08:00.000-07:00

I checked out Todd Wilbur's Top Secret Restaurant Recipes from the library last week. It prompted me to make multiple attempts at creating my own Olive Garden meals at home. I was somewhat successful in recreating the Zuppa Toscana and breadsticks, but the Alfredo sauce was less than desirable.

The first recipe I started with was the Zuppa. It's a combination of chicken stock, heavy cream (I used whole milk), cooked ground Italian sausage, chopped kale, potatoes and paprika. I omitted the red pepper flakes because the sausage I purchased was "hot" and more than spicy enough for me. The recipe goes together the same as most good soups, toss everything in the pot and let simmer for an hour. The results were excellent and could be a dead ringer for the version served at the restaurant. I was more than happy that I doubled the recipe so we could have it again the next night. **Note: The spiciness intensified overnight.

Of course I couldn't have "Olive Garden soup" without breadsticks. Wilbur's book doesn't have a secret recipe for breadsticks, so I hit the Internet to search. I found multiple versions that started with frozen bread dough. I also found a couple of posters claiming to be Olive Garden employees (or former ones) who said the bread sticks are nothing more than store bought sticks slathered in butter and garlic powder. I wanted to start from scratch, so I kept searching until I found a recipe at Visual Recipes. I tried out the recipe, but found it a bit flawed. Namely due to the shaping of the bread sticks prior to the first rising. So, I revamped it the second time around and came up with the following recipe. It's not exactly Olive Garden, but it's a close second.

Olive Garden Breadsticks at Home

makes 8 breadsticks

1/2 cup + 3 scant tbls warm water

1 tsp yeast

1 tbls sugar

1 tsp soft butter (I used Smart Balance spread)

2 cups bread flour

1 tsp salt

Melted butter, salt and garlic powder for topping

Combine water and yeast. Let sit for a few moments as yeast activates. Add sugar, butter, flour and salt. Mix by hand or in stand mixer until dough is soft and kneaded. Allow to rise in oiled, covered pan until doubled, about 1 hour (indent in dough will remain if fully risen).

Punch dough down. Shape into log. Cover and let rest 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 4oo degrees during this time. Cut dough with a bench scraper into eight equal pieces. Roll with your hands into cigar shapes about 6 inches long. Place on a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Place in hot oven, toward the top to avoid over browing on bottom. Bake for 4 minutes. Remove from oven. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake an additional 4 minutes, brush again with melted butter and sprinkle liberally with garlic powder. Return to oven and bake a few more minutes until just starting to get color on top. Watch the bottoms carefully to avoid over baking on the bottom of the sticks.

Of course I couldn't have Olive Garden soup and breadsticks without pasta, so I studied Wilbur's Secret Alfredo recipe. I also consulted the Olive Garden website, which lists their recipe for Alfredo sauce. I was scared off by the six jumbo egg yolks, so I went back to Wilbur's recipe. His version called for heavy cream, butter, garlic powder, black pepper and grated parmesan cheese. My fridge was devoid of both butter and heavy cream. I thought I could get away with using light margarine, 1% milk and a couple of tablespoons of flour. I was wrong. The resulting concoction was a bland, thick, floury sauce. Definitely not even close to Olive Garden. But, I decided that's ok. If I'm going to consume an ungodly amount of fat, calories and cholesterol from all the heavy cream and egg yolks, I'd rather do it at the restaurant where I don't know what's in my food.

I'll take the two out of three and keep the soup and breadstick recipes.

Photo Op: Fresh Baked Gingersnaps

2007-10-01T14:06:00.001-07:00

A Peck of Pickled Peppers

2007-10-01T13:52:00.000-07:00

Last week I felt a frost coming on, so I harvested my jalapenos for pickling. What I thought was a huge amount of peppers on the plant, turned out to only fill three pint jars. I'm afraid that won't be enough to supply DD's jalapeno habit for the next year. He's been spoiled by my homemade canned jalapenos and prefers them to the store bought variety.

Recipe: Pickled Jalapeno Peppers

from Texas A & M Agriculture Extension Services

makes 1 pint jar

1 lb Jalapeno peppers

1 cup vinegar

1/4 cup water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pickling spices (I used garlic cloves instead)

Wash peppers. Slice and pack tightly into hot jar, leaving 1/2 inch head space at top. Combine vinegar, water, salt and spices; heat to boiling. Pour boiling liquid over peppers, to 1/2 inch from top of jar. Wipe jar rim. Put on lid. Process in boiling water canner 10 minutes. At altitudes of 1001 to 6000 feet, process 15 minutes. Higher altitudes 20 minutes.

Craft Idea: Tea Cup Candle Holder

2007-10-01T13:40:00.000-07:00

I purchased this tea/coffee snack service set at a thrift store a couple of years ago. I loved the snowflake design. At the time I had no idea what I would do with the set, but it was only a couple of bucks and I was really drawn to the design. It's too small to use as a serving dish for a party, and with only one set, not usable for it's intended purpose.

So, after purchasing a pack of candy cane votives from Party Lite, the solution dawned on me. The set makes a perfect holiday candle holder. The cup is perfect for the candle and the tray can be left empty or adorned with holiday items once winter rolls around. At night, the entire cup glows from the light of the candle.

If you are going to make your own tea cup candle holder, I have a few suggestions. First, make sure you choose a cup with a wide brim. Second, make sure the set you are using is for hot beverage and not punch. Third, choose a candle in which the wax burns away (like Party Lite) so clean up is easy.

The Bzz: Listerine Whitening

2007-09-24T20:11:00.000-07:00

When I approached DD with the clear, paper-thin sheet that is a Listerine Whitening strip, he backed up and gave me a bit of a horrified look. It might have been better if I warned him before trying to stick the teeth whitening strip in his mouth, but I was excited to see how they work. I also didn't want to be the guinea pig who tried them first.

As soon as I saw how the strips go on and that they weren't harming DD, I stuck a couple whitening strips on my own teeth. Right off I'll admit I didn't thoroughly read the directions and it took a couple of times before I realized you are supposed to place the strip on the back of the teeth first, then the front.

Once the strips on on your teeth, they are easy to smooth out with your tongue. The Listerine Whitening strips claim to be "quick dissolving." I can't compare to other strips because I've never used any other whitening products, but I guess the 5-10 minutes it takes the Listerine strips dissolve is quick in the industry. During the dissolving time, the strips don't feel bulky or awkward. They conform to your teeth so well, you almost forget they're there.

After the promised 5-10 minutes, the strips were dissolved. I was left with a Listerine-fresh mouth and teeth that I could tell were a hint whiter than before. As promised by the package, there was no messy gel and no rinsing needed. The first time, I noticed that some of the whitening concoction had gathered between my teeth and bleached it more than the rest. The next times I made sure to floss immediately after the strips were gone. DD didn't have this problem, so I guess it depends on your teeth.

Overall the strips hold up to their claim of being easy to use and effective. Once again the good folks back at the Hive have sent me a plethora of free samples the Listerine Whitening strips to try and review.

Thank you to everyone who entered the Listerine Whitening strips giveaway. The winner is... AshleyR! Congratulations!

Blogging Catch-up

2007-09-21T11:48:00.000-07:00

I haven't been finding much time to blog lately because, among other things, I've been too busy in the kitchen. With cooler weather and less summer activities to jam in, my kitchen has been working overtime. I've mostly been trying out recipes from other websites, but I've improvised a bit, too.

My favorite recipe at the moment comes from Smitten Kitchen. It's a super easy, basic, flavorful tomato sauce. It's so easy, it doesn't even require a real recipe and can be adjusted to accommodate any number of tomatoes that you have on hand. I use about eight medium size tomatoes. They're a combo of Early Girls and Beefsteaks from the garden. Drop the tomatoes into boiling water until the skin breaks or begins to look loose (about 30 seconds). Plunge the tomatoes into ice water to stop the cooking. The skins should slide off easily. Cut out the cores. In a sauce pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil and a couple cloves of garlic until fragrant. Squeeze in the tomatoes, breaking up with your hands. Add a splash of white wine and salt and sugar to taste. Allow to simmer until thick, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and mashing tomatoes with a fork.

The sauce is so great because it has a variety of applications. I've been using it for another Smitten Kitchen recipe, Pizza Even Sweeter. I love how simply the crust goes together and there's nothing better than fresh mozzarella and basil with the homemade sauce and crust.

I also made a baked linguine with the sauce. I combined the sauce with hot cooked linguine noodles, adding just a touch of the pasta cooking water. I put the noodles into a baking dish and topped with slices of fresh mozzarella. Next, I cooked the pasta in a 350 oven until the cheese was bubbly and just beginning to brown. A nice twist on basic spaghetti.

I also made up a batch of Syrian Pita Bread from Food & Wine magazine to use for gyros. I wasn't super happy with the results, but I think it's due to Munchkin's attempt to help. While I had my back turned making tzatziki sauce, Munchkin climbed up at the counter and decided to help roll out the pita bread. Unfortunately, the bread was already rolled out and just finishing it's final rest before the oven. Some of it even ended up on the floor. By the time I got the rounds fixed, they had been over worked and became tough.

Our friends from Mommy & Me came over for lunch earlier this week. I made Chicken Tortilla Soup. It was a slow cooker recipe from All Recipes. I love tortilla soup and was hesitant to try a new recipe, but with over 700 reviews and a four-and-a-half star rating, I didn't think I could go wrong. I assembled the soup the night before, adding a can of drained and rinsed pinto beans and using raw diced chicken. I also an extra can of chicken stock. Cooking from the fridge with the raw chicken took the full four hours on high. I was a bit worried about making sure the chicken was fully cooked, but a check with a instant read thermometer proved it safe. It was the best Tortilla Soup I've had and got rave reviews from everyone.

My next project will be canning the large batch of jalapenos from the garden. DD's grown to like my homemade pickled variety better than the store bought kind. I've been told twice this summer that I would've have been a good pioneer. Maybe, but how would I have blogged about it?

Vote for Brant Phillip!

2007-09-12T10:51:00.000-07:00

No, I haven't made an early jump on the '08 election bandwagon. The poll I want you to participate in is the Mix 96.9 Rock Star Competition. The Phoenix based radio station has opened it's poll to chose an opening act for Hootie and the Blowfish.

The reason I want YOU to VOTE for Brant Phillip is his Coeur d'Alene connection. He is married to a former classmate (Lake City High graduate) of mine. Brant's brother-in-law is also an editorial cartoonist for the Spokesman Review. I met Brant at our reunion this summer. He's a great guy and a even better musician. On his website, Brant likens his style to Jack Johnson or John Taylor.

Check out his work at http://www.brantphillip.com/ or http://www.myspace.com/brantphillip. Then vote for him at Mix 96.9. You don't have to live in Phoenix to vote.

Good Luck Brant!

Newspaper Interview

2007-09-11T09:35:00.001-07:00

I was interviewed last week by a reporter for the Spokesman Review. He was working on a story about BzzAgents and wanted a local voice for the piece. He found me through my blogging about Bzz.

You can view the article here and the expanded Q & A at Frank Sennett's blog here.

Enjoy!

Photo Op: Garden Tomatoes

2007-09-10T16:10:00.000-07:00

A Peck of Peppers

2007-09-04T16:04:00.000-07:00

I don't actually know how much a peck is, but I picked peppers from my garden today and am happy with the harvest. They are pablanos, all from one plant. I strung them together in hopes of preserving the peppers by drying. Air drying seemed to be the less pungent alternative the oven or dehydrator.

Munchkin was fascinated by the whole process. He was very excited to help by handing me each pepper as I used a needle and thread to connect them. I have to admit I was a bit fascinated too. It never fails to amaze me that I can grow such an abundance of food right outside my door. It is truly fun and satisfying to pluck items from the garden and use them right away. For lunch we had BLTs with lettuce and tomato that I picked just minutes before we ate. Munchkin shares my enjoyment and thinks it's a treat to pick the vegetables. Yesterday, he was very proud to bring me a tomato he had picked all by himself. Next we'll work on only picking the red ones.

Fair Weekend

2007-08-27T15:07:00.001-07:00

All summer I look forward to the week in August that the North Idaho Fair is held. When I was growing up, I would save up my babysitting money to spend at the fair. I remember I used to allow myself about $40 (a lot for a 12-year-old) to use on my splurge. My friend and I would eat junk, buy junk, win junk and ride rides until midnight. We'd go home with bags of treasures collected from the booths and stomachs from the food and rides.

Friday night, I continued the tradition of attending the fair. DD was working, so I took Munchkin and met up with my family. My $40 budget has shrunk considerably. It's easy to get by on much less when you don't eat as much junk and you can't stomach rides anymore. Munchkin really enjoyed the animal barns. He was excited to see the exotic animals in the reptile house and giggled at all the rabbits in the bunny barn. His one request to see was the horses. He was awed by the massive draft horses.

We enjoyed watching the Army's skydiving demonstration. There were so many more booths and events to see, that we didn't have time to do half of it. I ate my annual taco and elephant ear from the food court. I sampled a double cheese burger from the Mica Grange booth. I'll either have to spend more time at the fair next year to have a burger and a taco, or years and years of tacos might be replaced.

Munchkin really got into the rides this year. He didn't hesitate to jump on any ride with his cousin. I even took him on the Ferris wheel. He was just at the line for height. I thought he might be scared, but he had a good time yelling, "weee," and waving to Grandma.

I only went on a few rides. My favorite: the Fanny Flyer (formerly known as the Super Slide). I could spend all night (and I have) riding that one. The "rides" that really brings the feel of the fair to me are the fun house ones. I do have to wonder how many features of the Rock n'Roll house have to break before they replace it. I'm sure it's the same one that's always been around.

One of the most fun features of the fair is running into friends. It used to be the time I'd see all of my classmates who I hadn't seen all summer. Now we run into all sorts of people we haven't seen for a while. Even Munchkin ran into one of his friends.

I think the fair gets better (and bigger) each year. The best part is that it is so family friendly. Even the carnies this year were extra nice and helpful. Definitely not the mean grumpy ones from my childhood.

I'm glad Munchkin can share our memories and fair experiences. Now he'll start to develop his own favorite memories and activities. Before we know it, he'll be running off to met his friends at the fair.

Recipe Rant: Summer Vegetable Chicken Soup

2007-08-26T19:50:00.000-07:00

A touch of a summer time cold prompted me to whip up a homemade chicken soup. With the garden over flowing with vegetables, it wasn't hard to be inspired. Even Munchkin enjoyed all the veggies in the comforting concoction.

Summer Vegetable Chicken Soup

1 tbls olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 1/2 cups chicken broth (I use Pacific Organic)
1 cup water
1 tbls flour
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
1/2 cup orzo
1/2 cup chopped green beans
1/2 cup chopped summer squash
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
chopped basil for garnish

Saute onion in oil until soft. Add carrots and continue sauteing until onions are start to become translucent. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken broth. Stir flour into water until lumps are gone. Add mixture to broth while stirring. Simmer, covered for 5 minutes. Add chicken and orzo. Simmer until pasta is almost tender, about 10 minutes. Add green beans. Cook 3 minutes. Add squash and cook an additional 4 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with basil.

Photo Op: Mutant Summer Squash

2007-08-21T15:14:00.000-07:00

Unusual Hotels

2007-08-21T15:01:00.000-07:00

I could spend hours browsing all of these cool places to stay. Nearby I found a beagle shaped hotel in Cottonwood, Idaho, and a tree house in Oregon. Oh the possibilities for vacation destinations!

Check it out at:

Visit Unusual Hotels of the World

A Twist on Ratatouille

2007-08-15T15:41:00.001-07:00

One of my all time favorite blogs, Smitten Kitchen, featured a variation on the dish ratatouille a few weeks back. My garden is bursting with all of the makings for the dish, so I gave it a try yesterday.

I omitted the red pepper (they don't like me) and the thyme since I didn't have any on hand. I also used a small wedge of Laughing Cow light Swiss cheese in place of the goat cheese. I served it over whole wheat couscous made with chicken broth. The final cooked product was very pretty (see Smitten Kitchen's pics here), but I'm still never sure how eggplant dishes are going to turn out, so I issued a caution to DD before the first bite. I was very pleasantly surprised that the taste was mild and well balanced. The cheese added a nice touch and the couscous a nice texture. This recipe is definitely one to add to my collection.

Ratatouille’s Ratatouille

As envisioned by Smitten Kitchen

½ onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
1 cup tomato puree (such as Pomi)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small eggplant
1 smallish zucchini
1 smallish yellow squash
1 longish red bell pepper
Few sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and pepper

Few tablespoons soft goat cheese, for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Pour tomato puree into bottom of an oval baking dish, approximately 10 inches across the long way. Drop the sliced garlic cloves and chopped onion into the sauce, stir in one tablespoon of the olive oil and season the sauce generously with salt and pepper.

Trim the ends off the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash. As carefully as you can, trim the ends off the red pepper and remove the core, leaving the edges intact, like a tube.

On a mandoline, adjustable-blade slicer or with a very sharp knife, cut the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper into very thin slices, approximately 1/16-inch thick.

Atop the tomato sauce, arrange slices of prepared vegetables concentrically from the outer edge to the inside of the baking dish, overlapping so just a smidgen of each flat surface is visible, alternating vegetables. You may have a handful leftover that do not fit.

Drizzle the remaining tablespoon olive oil over the vegetables and season them generously with salt and pepper. Remove the leaves from the thyme sprigs with your fingertips, running them down the stem. Sprinkle the fresh thyme over the dish.

Cover dish with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit inside.

Bake for approximately 45 to 55 minutes, until vegetables have released their liquid and are clearly cooked, but with some structure left so they are not totally limp. They should not be brown at the edges, and you should see that the tomato sauce is bubbling up around them.

Serve with a dab of soft goat cheese on top, alone, or with some crusty French bread, atop polenta, couscous, or your choice of grain.

The Good Life

2007-08-13T18:11:00.001-07:00

This weekend we were invited to join our friends at their condo in Hope. As I was floating on Lake Pend Oreille, DD was tubing with the guys and Munchkin was playing in the water with his friends. I was enjoy the sun, the water and the mountain views. It made me realize life is good.

Of all the problems in the world and all the issues people deal with, we are fortunate to have relatively small problems. We complain because our new grass has weeds. Or Munchkin is grumpy because he didn't take a nap. Our neighbor's dog barks on occasion and I have to take the car to Les Schwab because it's handled strangely since I had the tires rotated. That's it. That's the worse I can come up with at the moment.

The few minutes of quite, relaxing bliss while floating on the water and taking in the view, reminded me to be grateful for what we have. We have a nice house and cars that are reliable. We are healthy (nothing short of a miracle in Munchkin's case). We don't worry about having what we need and are fortunate to also get a lot of what we want. We have good friends and loving families. The particular friends (and their extended family) who invited us to Hope, even consider us like family (the feeling is mutual). Some people don't even have family, but we basically have three.

I'm grateful and thankful for what we have. It's easy to get caught up in the rush of summer and forget to "stop and smell the roses." I'm glad I had the opportunity to stop for a minute. Even happier to have such a beautiful place to have it happen.

Big Boy Bed

2007-08-10T17:49:00.000-07:00

Munchkin has finally graduated to a big boy bed. I headed advice from experienced moms and kept Munchkin in his crib until he could climb out. Well, in this case until he could bounce high enough on the mattress that I thought he would launch himself out.

I searched Craiglist and visited a few furniture stores before settling on a used captains bed with a bookcase headboard. We decided it was best not to invest a lot in a wood headboard and foot board that is likely to be abused during the next few years. We did purchase a new mattress. That purchase required two trips to Costco, only to discover they did not get the delivery when they said they would. It also involved an encounter with a less than friendly saleswoman a few minutes before closing at a local mattress store. We finally ended up with a Simmons mattress from the store next to Black Sheep. The salesman there was helpful, friendly, efficient and gave me a good deal.

I was afraid Munchkin wouldn't like the change from his crib to a big bed, but it didn't phase him. In fact, he kind of gave us a strange look when we left his crib up the first night. The second night went just as smooth and nap times have been easy. Munchkin has proudly showed off his bed to his cousin and grandpa. He also finds it quite novel that Mom and Dad can lay with him on his bed now.

I thought I might be more emotional about our baby reaching this milestone. Instead, I see the benefits of the change. Munchkin seems more comfortable in his new bed. He also told me the "bad zebra" that causes his recent bad dreams was leaving with the crib. I was a bit sentimental about packing away the crib. Munchkin was the fifth baby to use the crib. It was first purchased by my parents for my sister over 30 years ago. I used it as a baby, then my nephew and niece used it before Munchkin. It's laden with bite marks (mostly from me) and is a bit creaky, but meets the current safety standards for cribs. Maybe someday Munchkin's offspring will sleep safe and sound in it.

2007-08-10T17:48:00.000-07:00

55%

Mingle² - Dating Site

A Taste of the Coeur d'Alene's

2007-08-08T09:03:00.000-07:00

A highlight of the summer is the first weekend in August. The weekend when downtown Coeur d'Alene is taken over by Art on the Green, A Taste of the Coeur d'Alenes and the Street Fair. Each year I enjoy checking out the artist's work and talent, but what really draws me to the events is the food.

I remember when A Taste of the Coeur d'Alenes was just starting. It was meant to be a way for local restaurants to show off their skills and draw in customers. Unfortunately, I realized this year that goal must have been cast aside. The majority of food booths were standard carnival type fare, with high price tags. I tried a giant looking burrito from Devo's Burritos. The sign promised black beans, cheese, shredded chicken, tomatoes, red chiles and tequila. What I got was a layer of dry beans, a pile of prepacked shredded cheddar and a slop of dark, finely chopped chicken meat with over cooked tomatoes and little flavor. At $7, I felt a bit ripped off.

DD ordered a Philly cheesesteak sandwich from "The Italian Sasauge Guy." He'd heard good recommendations from past years and thought he'd deviate from his usual pizza. DD claimed the sandwich was good, but not any better than the type you buy frozen and cook in the microwave. At $8, we again thought the value was poor.

The highlight of the dining experience was Mary Lou's Ice Cream booth. A small scoop on a cone seemed like a bargain at $2. The huckleberry flavor I ordered was excellent. DD had a white bubblegum cone. The ice cream was thick and creamy with good flavor and not too much sugar. Just good, old fashioned, who-cares-how-much-fat-and-calories it has ice cream.

I know other cities have "Taste" events. A lot of them seem to charge one price for addmission, then you get samples from the different booths. They all seem to have the same focus, local restaurants. I would like to see A Taste of the Coeur d'Alenes go back to it's roots and feature more local restaurants. I would also like to see a better value for food. The idea is to attract business for the future, not gouge the patrons at one event.

Garden Harvest

2007-08-07T20:11:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I was feeling very behind. I was behind in my blogging, behind on the dishes, the laundry, the vacuuming, starting dinner. I was even behind on finding the cord to charge the camera battery. Motivation to complete my "behinds" was non existence. Then, I had an epiphany. I was only behind by my own standards; in my own mind. This realization freed me up to stop worrying about being behind and get creative.

I went out and raided my garden to make vegetable tempura for dinner. I was thrilled to find eggplant, summer squash, carrots and a couple of green beans ripe for the picking. Paired with a sweet onion from my parent's garden and I had more than enough selection for dinner.

We set up the deep fryer outside on the porch. There's something to be said for picking the veggies right from the garden, dipping them in batter, frying and eating them. Cooking and eating the tempura outside is a bit of a tradition for me and DD. It's a special summer time treat that we always look forward to.

Tonight I hit up the garden again. This time I chose an eggplant, summer squash, my first two cherry tomatoes and basil. I added some broccoli from the fridge and the leftover tofu from last night. After sauteing the veggies and tofu together with some seasonings, I tossed in linguine, the basil and freshly grated parmesan. It was a satisfying and healthy dinner.

I'm looking forward to the next month of fresh veggies and all the possibilities. Pastas with veggies, BLTs, eggplant parmesan, tomato and fresh mozzarella pizza, corn on the cob, fresh green beans and more. I've already eaten the spinach and kohlrabi. I missed the peas while I was in Salt Lake City. I know by the end of summer I'll have exhausted all my options with eggplant. We'll have eaten our fill of summer squash and corn. The basil will reach it's peak and the onions will be harvested. But it all seems so glorious and wonderful right now. This winter when I'm face to face with a pale, flavorless tomato at the grocery store, I'll be planning my next year's bounty.

Mommy's Big Adventure

2007-07-25T13:24:00.000-07:00

Another "first" has occurred in my life as a mother. I have spent just about an entire week away from Munchkin. It's the longest I've ever been away from him and the longest he's spent with DD on his own.

The reason for my absence is that I'm in Salt Lake City. My close friend here had surgery to help fix a shatter elbow (snowboarding didn't work out too well for her), and I flew down to help her care for her 3- and 2-year-old daughters.

Not only is it the first time I've been away from Munchkin for so long, but it's been a trip of a lot of firsts for me. It's the first time I've flown by myself (and the first time I've been on a plane since 9/11). It's the first time I've been to Salt Lake. It's the first time I've seen the Great Salt Lake. It's the first time I've eaten real street tacos and the first time I've participated in a Pioneer Day celebration.

I was a little unsure about traveling to Salt Lake City since I've never been here and I've never really had any desire to go. Since I'm not Mormon, I felt the City had nothing to offer me as a tourist. Of course I was wrong about that. There are many different cultures here and all have something to offer.

I was also leery about being in a desert area in the middle of summer. We tried it last year when we traveled to Twin Falls, Idaho, in 105+ degree weather. Not our best vacation by far. However, Utah has exceed my expectations in weather and climate.

This trip overall has been a learning experience in a lot of ways. I really miss DD and Munchkin, but it feels good to know I can still be adventurous on my own. To the horror of my friend, I rode the city bus from the airport to her house. It was the most convenient option for the commute, in my mind, plus it was good to know I could be self sufficient in travel. I have also learned the navigation of the area and explored a bit by car on my own.

I also have learned more about myself while caring for someone elses children. First off, it's not nearly as mentally exhausting as caring for your own child. In that sense, it's been a good break from being home. Also, it takes a lot more patience to raise someone elses children by their methods or standards. Most of all though, I've learned Munchkin is a lightweight and my muscles are sore from packing around girls that outweigh him by five pounds!

I feel like I do my best to be open minded, but it's hard when you have lived in the same area all your life and the majority of your vacations are to similar places (Seattle and Portland). Traveling to Salt Lake City has really taken me beyond my comfort zone, but in a good way. I was shocked and stunned to find that SLC has a dim sum restaurant (Hong Kong Tea House). I took my friend to eat dim sum on Sunday and she really thought it was a neat experience. On the other hand, it didn't surprise me that a lot of stores and businesses are closed on Sundays, for religious reasons.

Each day has been a new adventure. My friend gave me a quick tour of Hill Air Force base and we had dinner there with her husband. He gave me a tour of the fire station he works at (another first). We toured downtown Salt Lake, visiting the Gateway mall, driving by the Temple and the state capitol building. I got to see the Naval base where she worked and the hospitals where her daughters were born. I was treated by my friend's neighbors to a meal at the Chuck A-Rama, a unique Utah experience in itself. I took the girls to see part of the Ogden Pioneer Day parade and got to see the Wiener Mobile (again, a first). We ate at Arctic Circle and had fry sauce, in the city where it all started. And today, I ate street tacos in downtown Ogden. Exciting not only because of my love of tacos, but because they were only two for $1.

I did do a little bit of research to learn more about the Mormon faith. I also learned they have a heritage park called "This Is the Place," named so because those are the supposed words Brigham Young used to declare this area as the place to settle. I was having trouble seeing why this would be the place, but I took a drive after a recent thunderstorm and caught a glimpse of why. The brief rain left the surrounding sage brush covered mountains a bright green. I stood at the edge of the Great Salt Lake and looked at the mountains on one side and the sunset on the other. I drove through a mix of farming and residential areas that reminded me of my grandparent's home in central Washington. For a split second I felt like I could belong here.

Tomorrow I head home. I'm not looking forward to the flight, because I seem to have developed some motion sickness tendencies as I've gotten older. I can't wait to see Munchkin and DD. My phone conversations with Munchkin make him sound so small and fragile. I miss them and can't wait to get home, but I've had a good time playing the accidental tourist.

Review: Pizza Schmizza

2007-07-17T15:55:00.000-07:00

Apparently the hot spot to eat before catching a Saturday night flick at the Riverstone theater is Pizza Schmizza. Located just steps away from the box office, Pizza Schmizza attracts movie goers and hungry diners alike.

A visit to the New York style eatery last weekend was my first taste of the chain's "gourmet" pizza. The restaurant cooks to order more than 20 varieties of whole pies, such as Ol’ Hickory (hickory smoked bacon, baby red potatoes, Roma tomatoes & a dollop of sour cream) and Green Chicken Pie (pesto chicken, fresh spinach, marinated artichoke hearts, Roma tomatoes & feta cheese) along with the standard fare. They also offer fresh slices of classics and special pizzas that change daily. Pasta dishes and side items round out the menu.

On this trip to Pizza Schmizza, we ordered up a "ginormous" 18" pizza. Off the menu I chose Foo Foo (marinated artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, garlic & feta cheese) for my half and DD picked pepperoni, salami and jalapenos for the second half. In just the time it took for us to read the menu and decide on toppings, a line formed that nearly reached the door. We got our order placed just in time, as the line was constant and just as long during our whole meal.

Our dinner started with Dipsticks, Schmizza's version of breadsticks. The pillowy sticks of pizza dough arrived hot with a side of marinara sauce (you can also choose Alfredo or ranch). The Dipsticks were like the best part of a pizza - the crust. The outside was chewy and the inside soft with a flavor reminiscent of being baked in a brick oven. Unfortunately, the sauce had a canned taste and detracted from the Dipstick experience.

Our meal deal came with side salads, so we tried one each of the Greek and Caesar. The Greek salad consisted of baby spinach and feta cheese, topped with vinaigrette and a skewer of red onion, tomato, kalamata olives and cucumber. The skewer was a nice touch and made for a good presentation. The dressing was light and flavorful. The Caesar salad didn't fare as well. The romaine lettuce was dripping with a dressing that was so thick it was almost inedible.

After the Dipsticks, I was really looking forward to pizza with an excellent crust. What arrived was only sub-par. The giant pizza had just the right amount of toppings and sauce, but the crust came out flimsy and slightly soggy under the toppings. It gave me the impression that the pie needed a couple more minutes in the oven. Unlike the Dipsticks, there was no hint of brick oven in this pizza crust.

The Foo Foo toppings almost made up for the crust with an excellent combination of flavors. The sweetness of the sun dried tomatoes cut the bite of the feta cheese. Baby artichoke hearts dotted the surface and the mozzarella held it all together. The sauce on the pizza complimented the mix of toppings. DD loved his combination of pepperoni, salami and jalapenos and didn't mind the soft crust. He declared it the best pizza he's had in some time.

I have to admit, the lackluster pizza crust and over dressed Caesar made me think I wouldn't return to Pizza Schmizza. The interior of the restaurant sealed the fate. Each wall is a different color from the obnoxious palette. Neon green. Purple. Silver metallic. Brown. Mustard. Old movie posters decorate the wall in cheap looking plastic displays. A TV played the Shock game in one corner while patrons crowded around the counter in the other. A mix of 80's and 50's music played as a odd combination in the background. Combine the above with little space to maneuver, and I was ready to leave almost as soon as we arrived.

The one saving grace of Pizza Schmizza was the service. Each employee I spoke with was friendly, smiling and helpful. The dinner rush didn't diminish the welcoming attitude of the staff and the cashier made a point of thanking us as we left.

Considering mine and DD's differing opinions of the pizza and decor, we might end up at Pizza Schmizza again, but only because of it's convenient location next to the movie theater. And if we do, I'll just stick to Dipsticks.

Prices: From $11.99 for a medium pepperoni to $27.99 for an 18" alligator sausage pie. Slices start at $2.99

Waffle Sandwich

2007-07-12T15:29:00.000-07:00

There's no picture to accompany this tip because sometimes it's too hard to wait until after the camera is done to eat.

I saw a tip some time ago that you can make grilled cheese sandwiches with a waffle iron. I've done it in the past, but kicked it up a notch yesterday. It was too hot to turn on the stove, and we were tired of meals that didn't require cooking. I put ham, sandwich pepperoni, Muenster cheese and smoked Gouda between two slices of bread. A little butter on the exterior of the bread and the sandwiches were ready for the barely preheated waffle iron. I pressed down with the lid as hard as I could for a few seconds and let it cook. When the cheese started melting out with a sizzle and the bread was golden brown, the sandwiches were done.

It takes a fraction of the time to cook a grilled cheese on the waffle iron because both sides are cooking at once. The product is a cross between a panini, grilled cheese and Monte Cristo. Yummy and fast. My kind of summer meal.

Heat Wave

2007-07-11T16:28:00.000-07:00

I just checked the thermostat. It’s registering 80 degrees, but that’s inside. Outside the scales have hit 101. I know my thermostat runs a bit high because it’s under on the porch, up under the eaves, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s just plain hot.

I am aware there are people in this world who relish in the hot weather. My mother is one of them. However, it’s my belief the majority of those people live in places where it is routinely hot. Places like Phoenix, San Diego, Las Vegas or even at the equator. People certainly do not choose to live in North Idaho because they are searching for hot weather.

Relatively speaking, North Idaho is not hot. We haven’t reached the 120's like the Southwest. I don’t think we have officially topped 100 this year. And yes, our hot weather will only last a few weeks of the year, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is too hot.

When I was a kid, I would spend a month each summer at my grandparents’ ranch in north central Washington. Even though the ranch was up in the mountains, it was in the rain shadow of the Cascades which created an arid climate. It was routinely hot and dry. Fireworks were never present on the Fourth of July because the fire danger was always high. Despite the heat, we spent nearly all of each day outside. The fact that it was near 100 degrees didn’t change the fact that we wore jeans with tennis shoes or cowboy boots while we traipsed through the sage brush, rattle snake infested landscape.

As a kid, it never occurred to me that it could be too hot. As an adult, I just can’t seem to tolerate the heat. I don’t like to be cold. I don’t particularly enjoy extended time in overly air conditioned buildings. In the middle of winter, I’m dreaming about summer days, but at this minute, I’m dreaming about snow covered roads. Snowmen in the yard. Frosty, ice covered windows. Wind chill.

The thing about cold weather is it’s easier to correct than hot. It’s easy to put on a sweater or a pair of socks. It’s easy to turn up the furnace or put another blanket on the bed. But hot weather, that’s harder to fix. You can only take off so many layers before you are not deemed fit for public viewing. You can only take so many layers off your bed before your just sleeping on a mattress. You can't even turn on the stove or do laundry without making it worse. And, for people without air conditioning (me), you can only depend on good old mother nature to cool you down at night.

I never thought I would need air conditioning until I moved to Post Falls. The former grass field where our house stands is void of shade producing trees. We were acutely aware of this and had trees waiting to be planted before we bought our house. I figure it will only be 10 or 15 years before we fully benefit from their shade potential. We actually spent an hour at Del Taco last night enjoying their Tuesday special (3 tacos for $.99) and soaking up the AC while Munchkin played on the toys.

We are better off than last summer. Our last house was less efficient and we bore the brunt of large, southern exposure windows. We had full sun in the front all day, then full sun in at the back of the house in the late afternoon and evening. Our new house is designed better so the sun exposure isn’t so direct. Our new vinyl fence and the house next door help cast shade over the back yard in the evening. The best cooling feature of the new house is windows upstairs. They are large and create a cross breeze in both directions when opened. It also helps that we aren’t right next to the train tracks so we can actually sleep with the windows open.

Tonight’s plan to deal with the heat is a picnic dinner at the lake. It always comes back to the lake, the main reason I love where we live so much. A couple of miles by car, and we’ll be soaking in the cool, refreshing water. I wonder if anyone would notice if I just camped out there until the heat wave ends?

Recipe Rant: Street Tacos

2007-07-07T11:48:00.000-07:00

1 ½ lbs. round steak, trimmed of excess fat
1 package McCormick Grill Mates 25% less sodium Montreal Steak marinade
1/4 cup lime non-alcoholic margarita mix
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
16 corn tortillas
½ cup finely chopped red onion
1 cup finely diced tomatoes
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 limes, sliced into 8 quarters

Slice steak against the grain into 1/8-inch pieces. Combine steak, marinade packet, margarita mix, vinegar and oil in a gallon Ziploc bag. Allow meat to marinate in fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

When marinading is finished, place meat and marinade in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Cook over medium high, stirring frequently until meat is cooked through and most of the liquid is evaporated.

While meat is cooking, warm tortillas individually on a medium-high griddle until pliable, turning once. Do not brown. Place tortillas in a warm oven wrapped in a damp towel.

To assemble tacos, take two tortillas together. Fill with meat. Top with onion, tomato and cilantro. Squeeze juice of one lime slice over top of each taco. Serve immediately.

An End to the Radon Saga

2007-07-05T16:18:00.000-07:00

We had a surprise at the door this morning. At 9 a.m. the radon mitigation installer showed up a day early. Earliness is not something we've experienced when dealing with contractors or other building professionals before. We certainly didn't complain since we've been waiting nearly three months to have our system installed.

The saga began when we had an inspection on our house prior to the purchase. The inspector gave us a sheet of information about radon, recommended a test and offered to do it for half price while he was in the house. Being the bargain shopper that I am, half price sounded good, so we ordered the test.

Even though the information our inspector had given us showed North Idaho has extremely high levels of radon, we didn't expect ours to come back high. Our house registered levels as high as 8 pCi/L during the 48 hour test. The EPA recommends "fixing" your house if your average level is above 4.

At first I didn't know what to think of the test. I wondered if it could be a fluke or maybe just wasn't that important. Once I started doing research, I knew we couldn't ignore the problem.

Radon is a gas caused by the breakdown of uranium in the ground. The gas works it's way up through the soil and into your house through the foundation. It will accumulate at the lowest level. Outside, radon is not a problem because is dissipates in the air. However, in your house (especially well sealed ones), the radon is contained and breathed. Radon, according to the EPA, is the second leading cause (behind smoking) of lung cancer in the United States. The EPA claims it causes more deaths per year than exposure to second hand smoke. The certified mitigation installer told us about 20,000 people die each year from lung cancer, or about half the number that die in car accidents.

The numbers might not seem high considering how many people live in the United States, but they are too high to ignore. We don't smoke and although we've exposed ourselves to second hand smoke, we certainly would never expose Munchkin to it. Along those lines, we couldn't knowingly keep exposing our son to a cancer causing gas. Especially when that gas is in our own home and the problem can be fixed.

Today the certified specialist installed the radon mitigation system. He cut through the concrete slab in the basement, inserted a pipe, ran the pipe up through the attic and out the roof. A fan sucks air through, taking the radon directly from the ground and out through the pipe. Theoretically, opening a window and creating a breeze through the house will do the same thing, but who wants to open the windows in the middle of winter.

It costs about three times as much to retrofit an existing house than it does to install the mitigation system during construction. This has been a point of frustration for us since our area has known high levels of radon. There is no building code in Kootenai County requiring that radon be dealt with. In fact, Jim Faust, the Idaho State "radon guy" told me that only one county (Blaine) in Idaho has requirements about radon. However, Realtors are now bringing it up as a good investment for resale value. Once a house is tested for radon, it must be disclosed when the house is sold under the hazardous materials law, according to the Panhandle Health website.

I am glad to finally have our house fixed, but I wasn't losing sleep over the problem. I figured the levels are no higher than what DD and I have been exposed to our whole lives in this area. For Munchkin though, in regards to radon, I feel like we've fulfilled our parental duties by making his home safer. Now it's time for the powers that control building codes to do their part and take steps to require radon mitigation systems or at least testing. Radon in known to cause lung cancer. What else can it do?

2007-07-03T13:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Angel Day Max

^I^

Reunion Good Times

2007-07-02T15:26:00.000-07:00

The big 10-year reunion occurred this weekend. I really enjoyed meeting with my old classmates. Friday night DD, Munchkin and I attended the reunion barbecue in Coeur d'Alene. Quite a few of our high school friend were in attendance and we had a great time catching up.

Even though in the end, we all ended up in the same groups we were in high school, everyone seemed more willing to reach out and talk with each other. The event was well organized and fun. There was a DJ playing "hits" from our high school days and awards were given out. I didn't win any, but I'm not sure I wanted to. Holding any kind of award for having the most pets just isn't part of my life "to do" list.

I realized the people I was most interested in and seeing were the ones I went to school with for more than just high school. I had gone to school with some of my classmates since kindergarten. The funniest stories that came up seemed to all be from middle school - a much more turbulent and humorous time. I also realized that after spending so much time in school with these people, ten years was really a long time not to see them. It amazed me how we could sit down and talk as adults, all in different places in our lives, but underneath, some things hadn't changed.

I'm already looking forward to the next one!

Photo Op: Creative Side

2007-06-29T15:08:00.000-07:00

I'm combing a bunch of pictures from the last week. They document the creative things I've been working on lately.

My first harvest from the new garden - red radishes.

The linguine platter I hand painted at Color Me Mine.

Homemade Pepperoni Pizza Bread topped with fresh tomatoes and spinach.

Banana Streusel Muffin

10 Year Reunion

2007-06-28T14:56:00.000-07:00

It’s the eve of my 10-year high school reunion. I feel an anxious excitement about the approaching functions. It’s hard to believe ten years have gone by since I’ve seen most of these people.

At first I wasn’t sure about attending the reunion. We went to DD’s last year and the organization was a disaster. There was a low turn out and there ended up being very few people we actually hung out with in school. We ended up with the opinion that we are already in contact with the people we want to be from DD’s class.

My reunion is a different story. For one thing, the organization has been great. The organizer started contacting classmates almost a year ago. She sent out frequent reminders and set the dates early. It also helped that she only tackled the Lake City class instead of creating a joint reunion with Coeur d’Alene.

The second difference is that most of our (mine and DD’s) friends were in my class. We both can look forward to seeing old friends and catching up. There are a lot of people I would like to catch up with; a lot of people who have moved away and I’ve lost connections with. I’m curious to see where life has taken them and what they’ve done.

Even though I’m anxious, I feel good about the reunion. Through MySpace and the reunion update emails, I have a good idea who will attend and who won’t. I’ve also planned to meet up after the planned function with some classmates who aren’t comfortable having a reunion with everyone. I think it will be a fun and exciting weekend.

Swimming Season

2007-06-27T15:53:00.000-07:00

We had the official kick-off to swimming season today. I decided it was time last night when I realized the water coming out of the hose felt refreshingly cool.

This morning I was skeptical when the thermometer only registered 70 degrees. The forecast called for mid-to-high 80's today, so despite the clouds and wind we packed up our beach gear. By the time we arrived at the Q'emlin beach, it was hot enough to swim. Well, hot enough for the kids anyway. I ventured out to above my knees, but didn't take the plunge. I didn't want to leave Munchkin on the shore alone and he wasn't interested in going deeper than his waist.

I seemed to be the only adult wearing swimwear. The rest of the parents stayed in the shade, content to watch their older kids frolic in the water. My nephew joined right in and barely left the water to eat his lunch. I had a hard time pulling Munchkin away from his make-shift yogurt container "bucket" when it was time to leave. I don't blame him. By the time we were leaving I was hot again and wished I had dived in.

Sitting at home observing the hot, humid and oddly still afternoon makes want to go back to the beach. With a good two months of swimming time left, I know there will be more days to spend at the beach. Some days might just be worth a second trip.

Shhh

2007-06-26T15:23:00.001-07:00

Don't tell anyone. I've developed a secret addiction to Hostess' banana Twinkies. The creme in the center is banana flavored instead of vanilla. Apparently Twinkies originally sported the banana creme, but a banana shortage during WWII prompted a change. Hostess has returned to it's roots by bringing back the banana creme permanently.

It's been about a decade since I've had a Twinkie. They truly are one of those "once every 10 years" kind of food. At least that's what I thought before I sampled the banana version. Now I can't stop myself each afternoon around snack time. It's almost like eating a piece of banana creme pie. The flavor is so close to real bananas it makes you feel like you're having a "healthy" snack. I know it's far from healthy, but it's how I justify the indulgence.

It's not my fault. It's Hostess'. I tried to buy the two pack, but they haven't hit the stores with the new flavor in the two pack. I was forced to take home a 10 pack. I've already pawned some off on DD and my niece and nephew, but the rest call to me each day. Someone did point out that I could save the rest for the next 10 years and they'd still be good thanks to their record setting shelf-life. Oh well. You only live once and at this rate I won't need another Twinkie for the rest of my life.

Summer Weekend

2007-06-25T09:56:00.000-07:00

It's evident that summer has started based on how many activities we jammed into the weekend. We started Friday by watching the Spokane Indians play against the Eugene Emeralds. It was a Family Feast night so we gorged ourselves on $1 hot dogs. It was a great time to take Munchkin because we knew he wouldn't last the whole game. He made it through the fifth inning, not too bad for a 2-year-old hopped up on sugar from his first root beer. The dollar tickets and treats made for a very affordable evening. Three tickets, a score card, six hot dogs, four sodas, a bag of kettle corn and an ice cream sandwich only set us back $20.

Saturday DD had to put in an extra day at work, so Munchkin and I picked up Grandpa to watch the Hayden Days Parade with us. I was worried arriving only 15 minutes before the start wouldn't give us enough time to find a good viewpoint. Too many years of attending the Coeur d'Alene Fourth of July parade has conditioned me to believe all parades require hours of planning, parking, walking, finding a place to stand and watching. Not the case in Hayden. We utilized a church parking lot, which was nearly empty when we arrived, and walked a short distance to easily find a place on the curb. The parade lasted less than a half hour, but it was just perfect for Munchkin. There were police cars, fire trucks, classic cars, horses and lots of candy. By the end Munchkin really caught on to the concept of chasing after the candy tossed out by the float riders. I've never attended the Hayden Days parade, but Grandpa said it was the largest (and best) they've ever had.

After the parade, we went to Finucane Park to view the vendor and food booth participants of Hayden Days. The new location for the festivities was really great. There was a kid area set up with jumping houses and carnival games. I'm sure a mother planned it because the kid area took up a baseball field and was nearly fully fenced with limited exits. It was a good think because Munchkin was running circles again, this time hopped up on candy. DD met us for lunch and was asked to judge the apple pie baking contest. Out of three pies, two tied so Grandpa had to step in and be the tasting tie breaker. It didn't really matter because the two had been baked by the same person.

DD and Grandpa also sampled burgers from the Elks food booth. They had nothing but good things to say about them. I was happy to see a lot of the vendors were local businesses. It seems like more and more festivals like this only attract vendors from out of town. Hopefully this year was successful enough to keep the local businesses involved.

Saturday night Munchkin spent the evening with his aunt and uncle so DD and I could catch a movie. We saw Evan Almighty. It wasn't necessarily my first choice, but DD is a big fan of Steve Carell. I was pleasantly surprised by the movie. It had a good storyline with some profound meanings and it was funny. It wasn't crude, raunchy funny, just funny. It really is a good family film because it appeals to everyone.

Sunday Munchkin and I spent more time at Grandma and Grandpa's for Sunday Dinner. The meal was a hodge-podge of foods - makings for sub sandwiches and hot wings. I've been telling Grandpa about using ground turkey instead of ground beef for recipes. I never thought he'd try it, but he made meatballs for meatball subs using turkey. He didn't tell me until I was done eating. They were the best meatballs yet. I think I ate the whole dish by myself.

We finished off Sunday with a visit to the other Grandma and Grandpa's. We enjoyed a pleasant summer evening chatting and sitting by the fire on the patio. Munchkin enjoyed running around the yard with a stick growling. I'm not sure what he was doing, but it seemed to be some kind of little boy instinct.

Today's a day off to get the chores done that went to the wayside over the weekend. Also a day to gear up for another busy week and busier weekend. It'll be my 10 year high school reunion, so we've got friends to visit with and functions to attend. Welcome summer!

Night Out

2007-06-21T21:47:00.000-07:00

I met up with the Mommy and Me group for a night out at Color Me Mine in Spokane. I tried out my painting skills on a ceramic pasta serving dish. It's something I've always wanted to try and had a blast doing. I get my fired piece back next week and can't wait to see it.

Being in downtown Spokane on a summer night brought back a lot of memories. Growing up, Spokane was the special outing destination. It was the place we went to go Christmas shopping, play miniature golf or go out for a special dinner. We had to drive to Spokane just to go to the mall or Costco. When DD and I were first dating (13 years ago), we celebrated our six month "anniversary" with an dinner date in Spokane. It was a big deal for us, since we were still high schoolers and DD had just gotten his driver's license. We got our parents' permission to drive as far as the Pines exit for a romantic dinner at the Old Country Buffet. It was a fun, exciting adventure for us to go to Spokane by ourselves.

Later we would hit River Park Square for movies at the AMC theater. It was the first theater we went to that had stadium seating. We would wait for an hour to eat at Olive Garden. It seemed like such a treat.

Now that Coeur d'Alene has the restaurants and stores we frequent, we don't find reasons to make the drive to Spokane very often. I realized tonight that I miss it and it's worth the extra time and distance to make everyday events seem special again.

The Bzz: Coppertone sunblock

2007-06-18T16:01:00.000-07:00

I'm Bzzing again. This time the good people back at the Hive sent me two containers of Coppertone spray sunblock to try. I was truly excited about this campaign because I was out of sunblock and it seemed like an easy solution to coating Munchkin with sunblock each day.

Here's the breakdown.

Coppertone Kids Quick Cover Lotion Spray

SPF 50, waterproof

Pros: Quickly covers by spraying the lotion. You still rub the lotion in, so you can feel if there is even coverage. The kids think it's fun and cool to use the spray. So far we haven't had any burns using the spray.

Cons: Once you rub the lotion in, it's hard to press the button with slippery hands. The "sprays at any angle" claim on the label doesn't hold up to testing.

Final Decision: I like the kids spray because it really does make it faster to get them ready for the sun.

Coppertone Sport Continuous Spray

SPF 30, waterproof and ultra sweat-proof

Pros: Fast, easy coverage. Great for baldies or thin hair. No sunburns so far.

Cons: Smells like mosquito repellent going on. Leaves a shiny glean to the skin. Feels oily on. Over spray ends up on floor or surrounding people. Bottle doesn't seem to go as far as equivalent amount of lotion.

Final Decision: I won't be buying the Sport edition for myself.

2007-06-17T15:34:00.000-07:00

Recipe Rant: Chicken Parmesan

2007-06-17T15:06:00.000-07:00

Here's another hands-off recipe I created when Munchkin was a baby. It's easy to throw in the oven and forget about until it's time to eat. By skipping the traditional breading, time and calories are saved. The secret is using flash frozen chicken breasts sold in "value" bags at the supermarket.

Ingredients:

4 frozen, skinless, boneless chicken breasts (all about the same size; if large, use 2)
2 cups Prego jarred marinara sauce
4 1-0z. slices of mozzarella
2 tbls. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray bottom of 9 x 13 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Place frozen chicken in pan without overlapping. Bake until no longer pink in the center, about 35 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup sauce over each chicken breast. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top, then place mozzarella slices over each breast. Return to oven and bake until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Serve with over cooked spaghetti with a side salad.

Serves: 4

Review: The Iron Horse

2007-06-12T16:04:00.001-07:00

On a rare occasion, I like to treat myself to a steak dinner out. Most of the time we pick up a good cut of meat at the store and cook it on the grill at home. Every once in a while even that seems like too much work and we start thinking of where to go for good steak. My first thought is always Mr. Steak, the long defunct family steakhouse in Coeur d'Alene. I think it's been a parking lot for almost 10 years, but I'm still mourning the loss. My second thought was Wolf Lodge, but Saturday night during graduation weekend brought to mind tortuous hours of waiting while drooling over the smell of the open pit fire.

It was a somewhat difficult decision to make. We wanted a local, non-chain, good, old fashioned steakhouse meal that didn't cost a fortune. After considering G.W. Hunters and Sargent's, we decided on the Iron Horse for it's convenient location near the movie theater (we were out on a real date night). We also knew they served up decent steak, since we have been frequenters of their Wednesday night special in the past.

We completely missed the crowd with our 6 p.m. arrival. We even snagged a parking space right out front on the street (they have a parking lot in the back). About half the tables were empty when we entered the restaurant. Our waitress greeted us quickly and gave us the choice of a table or booth. It's been a couple of years since I've eaten in the restaurant and was surprised to see casual seating arrangements of leather couches and chairs in the middle of the dining area. Otherwise, the old railroad signs and pictures on the wall are just as we remembered.

Our waitress seated us and told us about their three specials: a 12 ounce prime rib, 16 ounce t-bone or salmon dinner with all the fixings (salad, baked potato and garlic toast) for $15.95 each. Even though we had started out in search of steak, we ordered a prime rib special to share (to ensure plenty of room for movie popcorn). We also took advantage of the two-for-one drink special and ordered whiskey and cokes ($3 for two).

The salad arrived quickly. I was happy to see the Iron Horse has upgraded their salads with a fancy lettuce mix combined with your standard iceberg mix. Mushrooms, tomatoes and homemade croutons topped the salad. The salad was a good sign of what was to come.

I saw the giant plate of prime rib heading our way and knew we were in for a treat. The slice of prime rib took up so much room on the oval shaped platter that the potato and toast had to have their own plate. The meat was cooked exactly as ordered (medium) and was nearly an inch thick. This prime rib was all meat with just a hint of marbling. I could taste the quality as I dipped each delicious bite in the Au jus (DD opted for horseradish).

The potato was no miniature itself. It was a true Idaho russet served with sides of sour cream, butter, cheese, green onions and real bacon chunks. My only complaint was the potato had a bit of a microwaved texture, but had good flavor. The garlic toast was a large piece of good quality bread with just the right amount of garlic butter grilled in.

The meal really hit the spot and was just what we had been searching for. To top it off, the service was excellent. The experience in the staff shows. The courses were well timed, the food prepared just as we ordered and our waitress gave us just the right amount of attention. The Iron Horse will definitely be at the top of the list next time we're in the mood for steak.

Cinnamon Roll Heaven

2007-06-11T15:47:00.000-07:00

I'm coming down from a cinnamon roll sugar high. Thanks to a friend, I indulged in a delicious cinnamon raisin roll from Wheat Montana. This particular roll came straight from the source in Three Forks, Mont., brought by friend's mom during her recent visit.

I knew the treat was coming, but had forgotten about it until said friend knocked on my door this afternoon. The two giant sized rolls didn't stay in their Ziploc bag for long. I grabbed a fork and started dishing out bites for Munchkin and myself. I had forgotten how wonderful the rolls are.

Unlike the ooey-gooey mall cinnamon rolls around here, Wheat Montana's rolls are more bread, less filling. It's what I imagine the perfect made at home cinnamon roll would be. The baked dough comes out soft and chewy. The bread layers are in perfect proportion to the amount of filling with raisins sprinkled throughout. The cinnamon taste comes through without being too strong. And the whole thing is topped off with just a drizzle of sugar glaze. No dripping, gooey mess. No doughy center. Just perfection.

It's just enough to jump start my cinnamon roll addiction.

Photo Op: Mutant Egg

2007-06-06T18:50:00.001-07:00

Review: Sonic

2007-06-05T10:13:00.000-07:00

I can honestly say I had never heard of a Sonic drive-in until one opened in Spokane about a year ago. I have avoided the place due to the overwhelming traffic congestion the restaurant's popularity caused. Now with a handy Post Falls location (Hwy 41 & Mullan) and a soft-opening, I had no reason to miss out.

We pulled into "America's Drive-in" at about 1:30 p.m. last Thursday. Most of the drive-in stalls were full and there was a line at the drive through. Staff members were handing out menus and directing traffic into the parking lot. We chose a stall next to the building, not the best choice with record high temperatures and no shade at that time of day.

Each stall has it's own speaker menu board. The directions are easy. Push the button, wait for a greeting, place your order and a "friendly carhop" will bring your food. There's even a slot for your credit car right on the board (you can pay cash to the carhop). Seems easy enough, but hearing the voice on the other end was difficult with the Sonic radio station blaring overhead and a diesel idling next to us. After starting our order over once and then correcting it twice, we left it up to fate to see what came out.

We did realize between the order and delivery that we weren't offered our choice of fries or tots with our "Burger Meal." It wasn't a problem for the smiling, friendly carhop who delivered our order (which came surprising fast considering the crowd). The carhop quickly retrieved tots to replace the fries we were given. Other than that, our order was complete.

My Sonic Burger ($2.49) was a thin, but wide and heavy patty topped with pickle, onion, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. The bun was slightly dry and cracked, but otherwise it was an excellent fast food burger. The tots were hot, crisp and well seasoned. DD had the same burger, but added jalapenos ($.30). The best part of the meal was my Cherry Slush ($1.59, medium). Think Slurpee, but better. It really hit the spot on such a hot day.

The menu at Sonic is more American diner fare, like Denny's, than a fast food joint. Aside from burgers, they serve toaster sandwiches, salads, wraps, chicken, coney dogs and various breakfast offerings (served all day). One item in particular caught my attention - the Chili Cheese Wrap ($2.69). It's a flour tortilla filled with Fritos, chili, cheese and onions. A portable pepper belly.

The ice cream and drink section are extensive. Flavorings are available for soft drinks and ice teas. Combine that with the Limeades, Slushes and Smoothies, and the possibilities are endless.

The real attraction to Sonic is the atmosphere. In true carhop fashion, the servers ride out on roller blades. A condiment server rolled up half-way through the meal to offer extra ketchup and mustard. On the day we visited, the manager came by with a tray of miniature root beer float samples. There isn't any inside seating, although there are a few outdoor tables. A restroom is available for those dining in their cars and the Sonic radio station sets the mood with requests from all over the nation. The experience is nostalgic for those who can remember the heyday of drive-ins and just plain fun for the next generation.

Harry Connick Jr.

2007-05-29T23:47:00.000-07:00

We were lucky enough to go see Harry Connick Jr. in concert tonight. This is the second time we have seen him live and it was even better than the last.

The show opened with just the band playing a medley of songs from all the Cd's. Each section had was featured. It was a great way to get into the show.

When Harry stepped out on stage, the crowd went wild. Not exactly what you would expect from a mostly 40's and 50's crowd. At the piano, Harry showed off his skills, but it was his voice that really got to me. Just hearing him sing brought the whole experience to life. It's even better in person than on the Cd's.

The concert was a mix of real New Orleans jazz and Harry's modern renditions. This was his New Orleans tour and most songs focused on his home town. Hits from older Cd's included "Come By Me" and "It Had to Be You."

Our favorite part of the show was the time Lucien Barbarin spent on stage with his trombone. He joined Harry in some duets and even sang a bit. The pair are quite entertaining together.

Aside from being a musician, Harry's a bit of an actor and comic. The show was interlaced with comments to the audience. One of my favorites was when he talked about going to the mall in Spokane. "There were nice things there. It's a nice mall you have." He also apparently saw a movie at the AMC and was a bit embarrassed by his own vocal outbursts during "Disturbia." Apparently even in a baseball cap, jeans and a t-shirt, Harry's more than recognizable.

At one point, Harry even invited a 13-year-old boy from the front row up to play piano. The boy played a bit of Beethoven and didn't do too bad. It really gave the idea that Harry's just the average guy who loves to share music with his fans.

After the last squealing trumpet (and trombone) faded away, and the curtain closed, the crowd gave a standing ovation. Harry came back out for an encore. He started it by reminding people about the devastation still left from Hurricane Katrina. He urged us not to forget.

The Ultimate Sacrifice

2007-05-25T21:19:00.000-07:00

I resisted watching the live coverage of Moscow Police Officer Lee Newbill’s funeral on television today. However, I was drawn to watch the solemn event, mostly because DD was there, watching in person, but also because it’s such a big part of our lives.

Watching the event brings to the surface the feelings and fear I push down every day when DD leaves for work. I am routinely asked by people who find out my husband is a police officer how I can deal with it, how I am not in a constant state of worry.

For us, it’s our way of life: a job just like anything else. That is what I tell myself to get through each day, each shift. It’s what I tell myself when those shifts run over and my husband hasn’t called to tell me he’ll be late. The rational side of my mind always reasons that there was a "routine" call, report, traffic stop or accident that is keeping DD away. But we all know there is no such thing as routine, so the "what if" part of my brain always sneaks in a thought of what if something is wrong? What if something has happened? What if he won’t be coming home?

Thank God he has come home safely from each and every shift. Too many in our country don’t.

We get caught up in our daily lives and forget that there are people in our communities who go to work each day to protect our way of life: police officers. Not one of them is immune, not even in small town Idaho, to the fact that each time they go into service for us, they may not return. Yet, each day they still dedicate themselves to that duty.

How do we, as a society, thank them? We criticize and analyze their actions in the media. We take for granted their service when we are in need and criticize their enforcement of such things as traffic laws. We forget they are there, or worse tell them to leave when they are. We fight their tickets, try to discredit them in court and bad mouth them to anyone who will listen. We underpay and forget to thank them. We treat them as if they are doing something wrong. Until one gets killed or injured.

Suddenly, the same reporters who last week were reporting biased, half-investigated pieces about recent police activities are eager to get the "scoop" on a fallen officer. Suddenly they’re "sacrificing" their time, traveling away from their families to cover a man’s death, when the real story - his character, his service, his life - was there all along.

Suddenly the coworker who won’t stop complaining that the police are harassing him, stopping him, giving him tickets when he "was only going ten over," is talking about how terrible it is that an officer is shot. How a person who could ambush and kill a cop is scum. How a person who could hate a cop is scum. But you know soon enough that same coworker will be complaining again about being stopped for "no good reason" or that the police did respond fast enough to his complaint about a barking dog.

I know next week the headlines will once again have an accusing slant toward law enforcement. The media will have moved past the death of one of Moscow’s finest in favor of stories that bring in the numbers. Stories about possible corruption and misconduct. Stories that skew the public perception of police officers. Stories that make people forget about the ultimate sacrifice given by our nation’s law enforcement and their families every day.

Memorial Fund

2007-05-25T21:02:00.000-07:00

Donations in the memory of Officer Lee Newbill can be made to:

Lee Newbill Memorial Fund
c/o the Moscow Police Department

The Lee Newbill Foundation Fund
c/o the US Bank in Moscow

or

The Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) at http://www.nationalcops.org

To view the entire funeral service visit www.khq.com

For more information about fallen officers in Idaho visit www.idahopeaceofficersmemorial.com

***Donations to help with expenses during the recovery of Latah County Sheriff's Sargent Brannon Jordan can be made to the fund in his name at US Bank in Moscow. ****

Review: Sahara Pizza

2007-05-22T14:28:00.000-07:00

Sahara Pizza is a relative newcomer to the Post Falls area, although they have managed to survive in the pizza market for about two years. We had sampled a slice or two at Post Falls Days in past years, but never ordered from the restaurant.

This last Saturday night found us tired, hungry and wanting something hot and close. DD chose pizza (he always does), so we gave Sahara a call. I was unimpressed with the employee who answered the phone. She was polite, but had a complete lack of enthusiasm and seemed unsure about the menu. I ordered two medium one topping pizzas (on special for $7.99 each) and bread sticks.

We decided to forgo the $1.50 delivery charge and drive the mile-and-a-half round trip ourselves. DD claims this earned him dirty looks from the idle delivery drivers when he arrived for the carryout.

The pizzas were ready on time and arrived home hot. I was disappointed with the lack of real toppings on my favorite, cheese with fresh tomatoes. The amount of chopped tomato couldn't have been more than a quarter of a tomato, although it was one of the best flavored tomatoes I've had recently. DD said the pepperoni was equally as sparse. We both agreed the sauce had something odd about it and I kept detecting the taste of green peppers in the overly acidic, overcooked sauce. The cheese saved the pizza as it was piled on thick with a nice bubbly, brown top. The bread sticks were twisted bits of crust dough baked and covered with a garlic/oil concoction. They were good, but could use more real flavor and less oil.

The one thing that changed my initial disappointment in Sahara Pizza was the filling factor of the pizza. Two slices of the medium pies were as filling as two large slices elsewhere. I'm sure it's due to the good amount of real cheese. We won't be quick to try Sahara again, but based on the large amount of gourmet pizzas on the menu, I would guess one toppings aren't their specialty.

Local Tragedy

2007-05-21T18:09:00.000-07:00

The news coverage for the past day has focused on a deadly shooting in nearby Moscow, Idaho. A gunman shot and killed his wife, a Moscow Police Officer and a church caretaker before shooting himself. He also wounded a good Samaritan who tried to help and a Latah County Sheriff's Deputy.

You can read more about the incident at the Spokesman Review's website.

The tragedy hits home for our family. It reminds us of the danger faced daily by our law enforcement friends and family.

I appreciated editorial cartoonist Noah Kroese's (Spokesman Review) response to what has happened:

Circle of Life

2007-05-15T16:10:00.000-07:00

When we arrived at our new home just over three weeks ago, we had an unanticipated neighbor. A Killdeer couple had also found the location to be prime and started a nest with four eggs. The nest was nothing more than a slight depression in the ground, filled with a few twig pieces and right in the middle of the backyard. To be honest, it wasn't really a backyard when they moved in, more of a field with a lot of dirt, rocks and weeds.

We left them alone and carefully worked around the birds and nest. I did Internet research and determined the eggs had three weeks to hatch from the day we moved in. I really enjoyed watching the birds and checking the nest daily. I did more research and found out interesting facts about our neighbors. Killdeer are actually shorebirds, although we don't have any shores nearby. They also very commonly build nests near humans.

The part I found most interesting was how the birds would defend their nest. First, the bird on the nest would let out a shriek to let the mate know a "predator" was near. Then the nesting bird would run off the nest and fake a broken wing, trying to lure me away from the nest. The final tactic would be to brood over a fake nest.

Finally, last Saturday morning, a check on the nest revealed two baby birds. The babies were just as fascinating as the parents. They hatch ready to go and can be up and running in a matter of hours. A third bird had hatched by Saturday night and we had observed the babies trying out their legs. It was an exciting time and I was looking forward to watching the birds grow.

Just after midnight Sunday morning, I was awoken by a thunderstorm and the Killdeer parents shrieking. I tried to see what was going on, but it was dark and rainy. I assumed the birds were upset by the storm. Unfortunately, Sunday morning revealed the parents noise had been caused by an intruder. A small animal (we assume a cat) had discovered the nest and gotten to the defenseless babies. The only sign of the birds was the fourth egg, unbroken.

I was saddened and disappointed by the devastation of the nest. One of the parents came back to check the egg, but deemed it unviable and abandoned our yard. I hope we might be lucky enough to observe nature in this way, but next time with a better outcome.

The Bzz: Hillshire Farms Entree Salad

2007-05-08T21:41:00.000-07:00

I recently became a Bzz Agent. It means I get to try products for free in exchange for spreading the word about that product. It's a word-of-mouth advertising campaign in which I share my opinion, good or bad, with anyone who might be interested in the product.

My first product was the Hillshire Farms Entree Salads. I chose to try the Turkey and Ham Chef. The salad kits came with everything needed to make a meal, except the lettuce. I chose to go with the cheap bag of iceberg salad mix.

The Chef salad kit contained 1.25 ounces each of smoked turkey and ham, cheddar cheese, garlic croutons and ranch dressing. My first thought was how little food was contained in the bulky packaging.

Assembly was pretty quick and straightforward. I piled lettuce on the plate, then dumped on the toppings. A squeeze from the dressing packet and lunch was ready.

The salad tasted about how you would expect chopped up lunch meat on lettuce to taste. It was a step above a fast food or prepacked deli salad because I had control over what kind of lettuce to use. The Entree Salad would be a handy on-the-go or at work meal because there was no prep and it's easy to transport. I was disappointed that after the 400+ calorie meal, I was hungry again in less than three hours.

I'm not writing the Salads off yet. I definitely think they are worth trying, especially since Wal-Mart had them on sale for $1.50. I'll try some of the other varieties (Chicken Caesar, Chicken & Bacon Club or Turkey & Cranberries) and let you know the Bzz.

On the Right Path

2007-05-08T10:07:00.000-07:00

I was cleaning out my purse yesterday in search of a particular receipt. I failed to find what I was looking for, but found the fortunes we had saved from our last Chinese dinner. For once the fortunes seemed on track, since we were just days away from taking possession of our new home (set for a Friday).

Little Sponge

2007-05-06T20:05:00.000-07:00

Even as I am typing this, Munchkin is practicing his new skill. Saturday morning, DD and I were finishing breakfast while Munchkin was playing with his toys. Out of no where Munchkin started counting his cars, "One, two, three, four, five." Just like that. We had no prior indication he knew how to count. The rest of the weekend he's been popping out the numbers every chance he gets right up to 10.

It made me realize just how amazing it is how a child's mind develops. We make a point of counting and saying the alphabet for Munchkin, but we certainly haven't pushed it. He just absorbs information up like a little sponge. It was the same way with colors. One day he just knew them. He likes to wait until he thinks we aren't paying attention, then he says his new words out loud to try them out. Then he'll use them for us and get a little smirk, proud of his new ability.

I wonder what he'll do tomorrow.

Phone Update

2007-05-02T19:35:00.000-07:00

Thanks to an anonymous comment on my previous post, I was inspired to call the Idaho Public Utilities Commission in regards to our wait for phone service.

Although the cold conversation with the commission rep left me hoping I would never have need to call again, it may have worked. I finally got a call from a local Verizon employee today. She assured me a month wait for service in new construction is the norm, however was able to bump me up on the list. Fingers crossed, we should have phone service by this time tomorrow.

Side note: While we still won't be in the service area for Verizon DSL, a rep at the 800-number was set to sell DD on dial-up when he called looking for answers about our phone connection. She failed to understand how we couldn't possibly be interested in dial-up when we lack the phone line to connect with.

Need Help!

2007-04-30T11:08:00.000-07:00

I'm asking for help from anyone who reads this blog in the Post Falls area. Since we moved we have been without phone and Internet service. Verizon keeps extending the date they will have our phone line in and we were informed today (two weeks after the original call) that we cannot get our DSL service at our new house. We are confused by this since we moved less than 1 mile to a newer neighborhood and had no problems at our old house.

So the question for all of you out there is: What are our other options for high-speed (not dial-up) Internet in the area?

P.S. For the record, if we had a choice of companies for phone service, we would switch away from Verzion. They have been nothing more than difficult and unprofessional in our moving process.

Photo Op: The Real Reason Mothers Carry Purses

2007-04-24T20:38:00.000-07:00

In Case You Ever Wondered

2007-04-19T14:11:00.000-07:00

Another one of those email forwards that is actually funny and worth passing on:

How to get from New York to London:

1. go to www.google.com
2. click on "maps"
3. click on "get directions"
4. type " New York " in the first box (the "from" box)
5. type " London " in the second box (the "to" box)
6. click on "get directions"
7. scroll down to step #23

Drink Up! Rogue Mocha Porter

2007-04-17T19:52:00.000-07:00

Our first night on vacation in Newport, Ore., DD requested a pack of Miller Light from the store to go with dinner. Since I don't like ML and we were in the hometown of the Rogue Brewery, I decided to bring back a case of beer or maybe even a jug straight from the brewery. While driving the quick 3 miles to the brewery, I noticed many garage sale signs along the way. They seemed to be leading to Rogue.

When I arrived at the small brewery on Newport Bay, I was just in time to be the last customer of the day at Rogue's annual garage sale. I'm a big fan of regular garage sales, but one that involves micro brews is about as good as it gets.

In true garage sale style, the loading area was wide open and stacked with discounted cases of beer and miscellaneous t-shirts and merchandise. A sample station was set up in the corner so you could taste what was available. When I questioned why all the beer was discounted, I was told it was for various reasons. The Kells Irish Lager was present because it has been over brewed for St. Paddy's day. The Chipolte Ale is just one of Rogue's most popular and the Mocha Porter bottles had been packaged in the Santa Private Reserve boxes. With prices starting at $15 per case, it was hard not to go overboard. I selected a case of the Kells and the Chipolte. I knew DD would enjoy these variety and was sure we would have plenty to take home at the end of the week.

The problem was, I thought both beers were good, way above-average brews, but I couldn't get my mind off of the Mocha Porter I had left back at the brewery. The next day we made it a priority to stop back at Rogue and pick up a case of the porter packed in the smiling Santa boxes. At the end of the week we were barely able to find enough room in the car for the two remaining cases of beer, but it was worth the 45 minutes of arranging and rearranging to bring home our Rogue brews.

Since the porter was my choice, I've been savoring it. A bottle here, a bottle there. It's not a "drink a couple beers" kind of brew. It's dark, very dark. You can't see through the almost black concoction. The flavor matches the dark color with the thick taste porters have. It's like a cup of thick, black coffee, but with a smooth, clean finish. The chocolate presents itself with the slightest hint of a dark, bittersweet chocolate. It's a good type of bitter in the middle of the beer, not like the hoppy aftertaste present in a lot of ales.

If you're a fan of dark beer at all, the Rogue Mocha Porter is a must try. I'm still enjoying my reserves, but when those are gone, I'll be searching local stores for the brew. Of course, I could always use it as an excuse to make it back to the Coast before next spring break.

Recipe Rant: Baby Back Ribs

2007-04-15T16:34:00.000-07:00

I love a good chunk of barbecued meat. However, actually cooking on the barbecue can be time consuming and hard to supervise with a small child running under foot. I've recently developed this easy, hands free version of baby back ribs. They might even beat out the barbecued variety.

Ingredients:
1-2 racks baby back ribs
Johnny's Seasoning salt
BBQ sauce

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Sprinkle ribs with seasoning salt on both sides. Place bone side down on rimmed baking sheets lined with foil.

Bake ribs for 2 hours, 10 minutes. If using multiple sheets or cooking multiple racks, rotate half way through. Coat top of ribs with your favorite BBQ sauce. Bake for 20 minutes or until sauce forms a crust. Rib meat should be easily pulled away from bones when done. Slice between bones and serve with extra sauce for dipping.

Serves 4-6

Vacation Yearnings

2007-04-15T09:41:00.000-07:00

Our week on the Oregon Coast was really enjoyable. We had excellent weather for the area and time of year. The highs were in the 50's and 60's (one day it was 70) with no wind. It's almost unheard of not to have wind at the Coast. We put in enough time with wind at home on the prairie that it was a really nice break.

I'm homesick for vacation already. I do a lot of planning and organizing to make sure our vacations go off without a hitch. We also make a point of doing a lot of relaxing and napping so we don't get burned out during trips. Besides, we just really like traveling.

This year vacation had a different dynamic. We sold our house just prior to the start of our trip. That meant there was a lot of emails, phone calls and faxes between us and our realtor while we were away. I became familiar with the Newport, Ore., library for printing off forms and the local Staples for sending faxes. I'm glad we sold our house, but working during vacation takes something away from the care-free feeling you should have.

Another way vacation was different this year is because it marked a change in our lives. We left Post Falls with a spotless house in preparation for more showings and an inspection. When we returned, we realized that for the first time in seven months we didn't have to keep the house "showing ready" anymore. It felt like we were given our lives back. I could once again leave the house on a whim without doing dishes, cleaning toilets or picking up toys in case of a last-minute showing. We discovered we had a lot more free time.

Most of that free time is now taken up by packing and preparing for moving in less than a week. We still are stuck in a vacation mind set, yearning to have a fun family weekend routine (something that went by the wayside when the for sale sign went up). Each Saturday brings comments like, "Let's go the the (Portland) Saturday Market, then get some dim sum for lunch," or "I bet there's a good sushi bar by the Saturday Market." Munchkin thinks he sees lighthouses all over town and repeatedly asks to go to one. I'm having withdrawals from my daily cup of clam chowder or two.

I know once we move and have yard work and decorating to do, we'll get new routines started. Until then, we'll be dreaming about our return to the Coast. As DD says, we can go back. Next year.

Coeur d'Alene-isms

2007-04-14T11:24:00.000-07:00

I don't usually find the MySpace bulletins terribly entertaining or worth sharing, but I got a kick out of this one. I've got to post something to get me back in the posting mood!

How You Know You're From Coeur d' Alene, Idaho.

1. You were born in, or have been checked into the "Big Blue Hospital" (aka KMC)
2. You have attended (or had) a birthday party at Skate Plaza
3. You swear by Hudson's Hamburgers (or you've been there more than once.)
4. It's always a treat to get "Gooeys" at the Resort (or have eaten an entire one by yourself!)
5. You have been swimming at the steps
6. You have hiked and jumped off Rocks at Tubbs Hill
7. You know a Red Hot Mama
8. You always pay $1 to contribute to the 4th of July Fireworks, which you still think are the best in the world.
9. You saw a movie for $1 at Riverstone's Opening Day
10. Every new person in your neighborhood is Californian
11. You've always wanted to Parasail on CDA lake ( but probably never have)
12. Sherman Park was your favorite place to go when you were little... or you were kicked out of it as a teenager at least once late at night
13. You have hiked Canfield Mt.
14. You have once had a pass to Wild Waters, but now you are putting it out of business by buying passes to Silverwood
15. You have been on every ride at the county fair, EVEN the Kamikaze (on in my case, the Gravitron)
16. You've eaten/sobered up at The Breakfast Nook
17. One or both of your parents attended Coeur d' Alene High School
18. You freeze your butt off the day after Thanksgiving to watch the lighting ceremony downtown.
19. You attended either: Winton, Sorensen, Bryan, Borah, Dalton, Fernan, Hayden, Ramsey, Hayden Meadows, or Skyway.
20. You wish you were as rich as Hagadone, the Trump of CDA.
21. You have been Trick-Or-Treating on snob hill because you know they are all rich and have the best candy.
22. You've bragged about (though you may not admit it) winning "the fish."
23. When you tell somebody where you're from you either get: "I hear it's SO beautiful!" OR... "Isn't that where the KKK is?"
24. You've attended Art on the Green, Taste of the Coeur d'Alene's, CAR-d'Alene, The Festival of Trees, the Parade of Lights, Ironman, or a play at NIC.
25. You have worked for, or know someone who has worked for the Coeur d'Alene Resort (including Tito's, the Cruiseboats, etc.)
26. You've cruised Sherman Ave.
27. You've four-wheeled or Off roaded up at Hayden Creek
28. You know that "The Floating Restaurant" is not as cool as it sounds
29. You know what someone is referring too (even though you might think it's stupid) when they say "let's go to I.P."
30. \You remember the Ice storm of 96'

Review: WingStop

2007-03-26T22:39:00.000-07:00

DD loves hot wings, so I stopped in at WingStop on Government Way to pick up dinner tonight. Word of mouth is the Atomic Wings are dangerously hot. I took the cautious route and ordered a split of Original Hot and Garlic Parmesan.

The Original Hot were, "Almost as good as Chili's," according to DD. That was after I had to reheat the wings, since he got a late dinner break. My Garlic Parmesan wings were good - the first couple of ones anyway. After that, the excess of cheese and garlicky butter was too much.

I was impressed with the service. The employee who took my order was friendly and polite. Plus she paid extra attention to Munchkin and gave him a balloon. That always earns points in my book.

I got a side of carrot and celery sticks (a must with wings). I was surprised by the quantity of veggies in the order. It's not often a restaurant offers a healthy choice that is cheaper than fries. Then again, they have to counter balance the deep fried, oil/butter drenched chicken wings somehow.

Cost: $10.99 for 20 wing pieces; $.69 for carrot/celery sticks

Better than Christmas

2007-03-25T16:02:00.000-07:00

Don't get me wrong. I like Christmas. Are there many people who don't?

What I like better than Christmas is vacation, especially our annual trip to the Oregon Coast. I think it is because I have more control over vacations. I get to choose where we stay and what we do (DD gets a little say). And vacations last longer. Instead of one day, we get a whole week to enjoy.

I've got this year's trip mapped out. A day of driving to Portland. One night stay in the city, with stops at the Saturday market, the House of Louie for dim sum, Uwajimaya, and the hobby store (DD's choice). Then we'll head out through Tillamook for ice cream, cheese curds and pepperoni sticks. A couple hours down the coast and we'll reach our destination.

Each year we rent a vacation house with our friends. We check out houses and reserve them through the Internet. This year's house promises to be oceanfront with sandy beaches. There should be lots of room to spread out and we'll be within walking distance of a lighthouse and bay front attractions. It's always a bit of a risk and we never know exactly what we are walking into, but I think this year will be the best yet.

Pressure's On

2007-03-23T16:49:00.000-07:00

I've been added to the Spokesman Review's Huckleberries Online. I guess this puts the pressure on to keep my blog updated.

Thanks for the publicity DFO.

Daffodils

2007-03-22T21:06:00.000-07:00

Here's the proof of my early blooming daffodils. I took this pic on March 15.

The Lesser Known Saint

2007-03-18T08:49:00.000-07:00

DD and I headed out for a pint of green beer in honor of St. Paddy's Day. Too bad the bar ran out of green food coloring before we got there. We did, however, enjoy the high school bagpipers that toured through the bar. Only in Idaho...

Everyone knows the story of St. Patrick and how he drove the snakes out of Ireland, but few know the story of St. Urho. My buddy from Butte enlightened me to the tale of this little known saint.

St. Urho is credited with driving all the grasshoppers out of Finland. The Finnish were so grateful they dedicated a day of drinking to him - March 16. Translation: You now have a reason to turn St. Paddy's day into a two day binge.

I was surprised to find information supporting the story: http://www.brownielocks.com/urho.html

Recipe Rant: Hot Wings

2007-03-13T19:30:00.000-07:00

It seems to be my internal quest to duplicate the foods we like to order at restaurants. Hot wings have long been one of these favorites. Many versions have been prepared in my kitchen, but this is by far the easiest.

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs fresh wingettes and drumettes
seasoning salt (like Johnny's)
1/4 cup Louisiana style hot sauce (like Frank's Red Hot)
2 tbls melted margarine or butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet by covering it with aluminum foil. Spray a pan sized baking rack (I use a cooking cooling sheet) on both sides with cooking spray. Place chicken pieces skin side up on rack. Sprinkle liberally with seasoning salt. Cook until internal temp is 180 degrees and skin is crispy; about 45 minutes. Combine margarine or butter with hot sauce. Toss wings in sauce and serve while hot.

Tips: If you like it hotter, stir some Tapatio hot sauce into the mix. For a milder taste, use a higher margarine to hot sauce ratio.

Serves: 2

Infomercial Takeover

2007-03-11T17:03:00.000-07:00

The majority of the time I don't mind the fact that we don't have cable or satellite TV. Most of the shows I like are on prime time network stations. With just our rabbit ears, we pick up 11 "through the air" channels plus a handful of religious stations. If the weather's right and it's late enough at night, we can even get the Home Shopping Network.

The lack of cable/satellite TV also provides a form of entertainment when the telemarketers call peddling Dish TV or Dish Network. Their first question is always, "Do you have cable OR satellite?" My response is, of course, neither. They always follow up with, "Oh. So you don't watch TV?" It seems to be beyond their grasp that you can watch TV without paying for it. They hang up perplexed.

Once in a while I do wish we had more channels to choose from. Today was one of those days. I turned on the TV to find the same infomercial on three of our eleven channels. If I switched channels fast enough, I could make it sound like a broken record. I settled on some Sunday morning political debate. About five minutes later, the political show ended. What was on next? The same infomercial. The TV got turned off and the radio on. I just wasn't up to learning how to even a ten year old can make money buying and trading stocks. Maybe next weekend.

Review: Donut House II

2007-03-09T14:10:00.000-08:00

True to it's name, the Donut House occupies a former house on a Post Falls side street. The house has been renovated to include a sitting area, counter display and kitchen. Conveniently located behind the White House, off of Spokane Street, the Donut House is worth a stop.

The glass front donut display featured about ten types of glazed, sugar coated, frosted or plain donuts. A sign stated there were too many offerings to put everyone in the case. Unseen varieties were more than likely available by request. We sampled maple bars and a cinnamon sugar twist. The fried donuts were much lighter and the dough softer than your typical grocery store variety. The toppings are what really set these donuts apart. The maple glaze was well set, not dripping off the sides. The maple flavor good and not overly sugary. The cinnamon twist had a strong cinnamon flavor, again not too much sugar. The donuts were truly delicious without being sickeningly sweet. Prices started at $.50 for an unglazed plain donut.

Coffee is self serve with real cream and sugar. Bagels and bagel breakfast sandwiches are also on the menu.

Cost: Three donuts and two cups of coffee, $4.07 with tax.

Drop In & Play

2007-03-07T16:00:00.000-08:00

When the Drop In & Play first opened in the local mall, I thought it was the strangest thing I had seen. Who would pay for their kids to play. I had much better things to do with my coveted spending money.

Then I realized the true meaning of the Drop In & Play. You drop your kid off so you can shop on your own. The endless possibilities of shopping, eating or watching a movie at the mall kid-free were appealing. The enclosed area locks the kids in with an attendant. The kids are then free to play with any number of toys, climbing towers, slides, video games or watch a movie. All things they do rather than hang off your legs while you shop.

Another benefit to the Drop In & Play is that for half the price you can stay with your child while they play. Today Munchkin and I joined some other moms for a get together at the mall. While the kids were entertaining themselves exploring, us moms got a chance to chat. It's worth the small hourly fee to not have to worry about imposing at someone else's house or cleaning your own.

Now I see the benefits, we'll definitely be dropping in more.

Spring Cleaning

2007-03-06T17:01:00.000-08:00

The last two days have consisted of a lot of cleaning and moving. Yesterday, we decided our house would be more marketable if we moved our bedroom upstairs, the office downstairs, Munchkin's room upstairs and the guest room downstairs. All four rooms completely switched around. It was like playing musical bedrooms. It took DD and I all day to accomplish the feat. At least in the process the spring cleaning got done for those rooms.

Today I cleaned up the front yard. My crocuses are in full bloom, so I figured I would clean out the dead plants and leaves to welcome spring. I raked up about a trash bag full of leaves. It doesn't sound like much, until you realize we only have one tree. It's not old enough to produce that many leaves. I guess that's the price you pay when you live on the edge of a prairie. It seems like the wind never stops blowing.

House For Sale

2007-03-03T20:34:00.000-08:00

Our house has been on the market for 6 months. I'm tired of constantly cleaning and preparing for showings. We've had about 50 of them. Today alone we had three. We are ready to move on and get this over with!

ABC TV Shows

2007-02-23T13:23:00.000-08:00

Here's another quickie for today.

I'm a big fan of Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy. Whoever at ABC decided to allow viewers to watch these shows online for free is a genius. Pure genius.

When will the other networks catch up?

Food Review: Smart Ones Ravioli Florentine

2007-02-23T11:05:00.000-08:00

Name: Weight Watchers Smart Ones Ravioli Florentine
Category: Frozen microwave single serve meals
Price: <$2 Rating: 0 stars

This will be short and sweet: Stay away from this meal. The tomato sauce was overly acidic. The spinach plentiful, but stringy and overcooked. The pasta for the ravioli had a good texture, but the filling was chalky. A waste of money in my opinion.

ChaCha

2007-02-19T19:13:00.000-08:00

I have become a ChaCha guide. It's a cool new search engine that allows individuals to search on their own (like Google) or search with a human guide. A chat box allows for communication between the "infoseeker" and guide.

I had never heard of ChaCha until about a month ago. A member of my moms' group mentioned it in a forum discussion. It sounded interesting, so I signed up. You can only sign up to become a guide if you are invited by an existing guide. I do actually get paid to conduct the searches. It's fun never knowing what your next search will be. The ChaCha program "doorbell" rings whenever a search needs to be conducted. I get to work whenever I want.

I have also began using ChaCha to search when I need information. It's great to search with a guide, because they sort through the results for you. The links you are given are only the most relevant. Basically, I use it when I'm feeling lazy and don't want to read through result after result for myself.

If anyone is interested in getting paid to be a ChaCha guide, just let me know. I'll get an invite to you!

24 Hour Vacation

2007-02-17T19:36:00.000-08:00

This time of year the cabin fever strikes and we get the itch to travel. The recent stretch of foggy, rainy, grey weather hasn't helped much. Neither has the pre-planning of our Spring Break trip. We've got our week on the Oregon Coast booked and are counting down the days.

To shake things up a bit, we embarked on a local mini vacation. Out the door and back within 24 hours, traveling less than 30 miles and spending just about $55, we played tourist in our own town.

Hudson's Hamburgers

We started the adventure with a trip to Hudson's Hamburgers in downtown Coeur d'Alene to join in their 100th anniversary celebration. I hadn't enjoyed a Huddy burger in quite a few years since we never seem to be able to squeeze in the time. We arrived just before noon, but didn't have to wait too long for seats to open at the counter. For you out-of-towners, Hudson's has only one dining counter. It seats about 16 people. You can watch the hamburgers cooked right from your perch. The hamburgers are hand formed from a large pile of ground beef right at the grill. Your choices are simple and haven't changed much during the past 100 years: single or double, cheese, onions and pickles. You add your own ketchup or Huddy sauce from the squirt bottles on the counter.

And you never, ever ask for French fries. They have never been and never will be a part of the Hudson's menu. It's rumored you will be denied service if you even mention the word. I dared DD to ask for fries, but he was too chicken. Good thing, because I was hungry for a hamburger.

I wasn't disappointed. One taste, and I was reminded why Hudson's has been a downtown staple for so long. It's just down right good every time. You know your food is fresh, down to the pickles and onions being sliced just before being put on the bun. Your order is taken right at the counter, and never written down. It is also never messed up. You get exactly what you asked for. Seconds, often even thirds are carried over by hand and placed on your plate. It's simply good food and good service.

Cost for 2 hamburgers, 2 cheeseburgers, 1 soft drink and tip: $12

Subway
On our way out of town to our feature destination, we stopped by the Subway on Northwest Blvd to pick up sandwiches for dinner. This has to be my all time worst experiences in a Subway. There was one employee working. Since it was 3 p.m., there was only one other customer in the restaurant. I lost track of time, but it took about 20 minutes to have three sandwiches made. DD was waiting in the car with a sleeping Munchkin and started to become concerned I was being held hostage or something.

The problem was, the one employee working was new. I had to tell him what meats go on certain sandwiches. Then, he was distracted by the batch of bread overcooking in the oven. Finally, he labored over how to ring up the sale. I must have been in a good mood not to walk right out. The only reason I didn't was the employee was really nice and trying very hard. It wasn't his fault he didn't have help. It seems to be more and more common in fast food around here. Besides, the sandwiches tasted excellent.

Coeur d'Alene Casino
Just a quick 30 minute drive from town, the Coeur d'Alene Casino appears to sit in the middle of nowhere. In reality, is only a few minutes from the small towns of Worley and Plummer. It is an expansive building consisting of two hotel wings, hundreds of gaming machines, a cafe, buffet and deli, plus convention and event facilities. Across the parking lot is the Circling Raven golf course and club house.

Reservations are a must on Friday and Saturday nights, especially when the Casino issues coupons. We cashed in on our Coyote Rewards Club $19.95 hotel coupon. That's right. A hotel stay for only 20 bucks. Anyone can join the Rewards Club. It allows you to get points for the money you spend gambling. They also send a monthly newsletter with coupons (the more you spend, the better the coupons).

The room we had was a hundred times nicer than the Motel 6's we usually stay in. They are decorated with twig furniture and Indian inspired fabrics. Our room had two queen beds, a desk and chair, two arm chairs with an ottoman and a tv armoire. The room was large enough that it didn't feel crowded with all of the furniture. Since we are cable tv deficient at home, we were happy to crash on the beds and catch up on the non-network channels. Munchkin thought he was pretty cool having his own bed to spread his cars out on.

The Casino buffet is pretty well known in the area. I've had the Friday night seafood buffet and it was really good. For $17.99, you get all-you-can-eat top quality seafood. And trust me, I can eat a lot of King crab legs. Anyway, during this visit, we decided to forgo the dinner buffet (prime rib is available most nights) and save the calories for breakfast. We dined on our Subway sandwiches in the room before heading down for a swim at the indoor pool. Munchkin had a great time splashing and swimming. The pool even has an area at one end that is just 1 foot deep.

DD and I switched off hanging out in the room with Munchkin so the other could take a chance with the slot machines. Being the big gamblers that we are, we hit up the penny machines. I, as usual, lost my funds. Luckily, DD won it all back. We came out even in the end, not bad for a few hours of entertainment.

The breakfast buffet at the High Mountain Buffet could make you go crazy trying to decide what to eat. They offer made-to-order omelets and eggs, waffles, French toast, at least three different potatoes, sausage patties and links, bacon, biscuits and gravy, fresh fruit, breads, desserts and even more that I can't remember. The $7.99 includes all beverages. It was hard to leave, especially after I tried a mini eclair. Who would've thought they make an excellent breakfast item?

We just made the 11 a.m. checkout time, not in an hurry to end our mini vacation. We were treated with sunshine for the drive home. A taste of spring to help get us through the rest of winter.

Cost for hotel and breakfast: $37.13

King Kong

2007-02-12T18:23:00.000-08:00

DD and I have fallen way behind on our movie viewing since Munchkin was born two years ago. We are either too tired, or can't dedicate enough time to pay attention and finish a movie in one sitting. Since Munchkin's attention span is expanding, we have recently started trying to include him in the movie watching. He likes the time he gets to spend with mom and dad, and we the opportunity to catch up on the movies.

I checked out King Kong at the library. I thought Munchkin would enjoy it because it has a giant monkey. Right before we popped it in the DVD play, DD noted it was rated PG13 for "some disturbing images." I didn't realize they would be a lot of extremely creepy, disturbing images. Although we distracted Munchkin during the first landing on skull island, he knew something was up. By the time King Kong made his debut, Munchkin was clutching me screaming in terror. It probably didn't help matters when I put my arms up and said, "AHHHHH."

Sufficient to say, Munchkin did make it to the end of the movie (I didn't realize it was 3 hours long). He spent a good amount of time snuggled against dad's shoulder terrified to look at the screen. Somehow I don't think he was overly scared, as he kept giving me little smirks and snuggling in closer. He also was strangely resistant to returning the movie to the library today. Oh well, you can't blame him for taking advantage of having daddy wrapped around his finger.

Review: Mexican Food Factory

2007-02-08T17:13:00.000-08:00

Mexican Food Factory (MFF) is one of the long standing Coeur d'Alene eateries that is not well know outside of town. For one thing, they don't advertise much. They don't need to. The place is always packed at lunch and dinner, and even though they aren't open weekends, they have no problem staying in business.

Ok. Maybe the place is always packed because they only have six tables. Regulars know that once you see an open table, you have to grab it fast. Since orders are placed at the counter, it's handy to having a dining partner so one can order while the other stakes out a table.

Even though I tend to forget about MFF, since it's "way" downtown on Fourth Street near the old Safeway, the food is anything but forgettable. This go-around, I was craving one of MFF's shredded beef tacos. Their beef is mild, tender shredded pot roast meat. For their crisp tacos, they take a corn tortilla, fill it with beef, then deep fry it. A generous amount of cheese, lettuce and tomatoes are added. It's not like any other taco I've had any where else, and I've had my share. The soft tacos are huge flour tortillas, charred and filled with huge amounts of shredded beef, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. For those of you who like to kick it up, MFF provides squeeze bottles of their homemade spicy salsa with each meal.

This visit to MFF was typical of any other. We hit it up after the lunch rush, so there wasn't a line to order. The food was prepared fast and delivered to the table. Fresh is the only word I can think of to describe it. Each bite reminds you of the quality ingredients used. I couldn't help but think it had been a long time since I had eaten restaurant food that tasted so homemade and just outright good.

Caution: Experimental Food Preparation in Progress

2007-02-08T13:03:00.000-08:00

I made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner last night. Nothing fancy or authentic, just the Better Homes and Garden recipe. I wouldn't recommend it. A real Italian inspired recipe is much better.

Anyway, I ended up with a half a dozen OK meatballs as leftovers. I didn't think I could stomach them again for dinner (I didn't think DD or Munchkin wanted to either), so I started thinking of some alternate meatball uses. Meatball subs were tossed out immediately due to lack of a good bread and cheese to go with them. Straight meatballs with sauce wasn't appealing. I was about to give up when I opened the fridge. There was my inspiration: won ton wrappers.

Given my latest potsticker/gyoza kick, I now have two packages of wrappers stocked up. I finally found the round ones at Fred Meyer (although they weren't the "gyoza" style I was hoping to find). The packages claim they can also be used for ravioli. That's when I put two and two together, and decided I had to make meatball potstickers.

I started out taking a leftover meatball (in sauce) and cutting it in half. I placed one half on a square wrapper and realized it was way too much meat for one wrapper. Using water, I moistened the edges and used a second wrapper to cover the meat. I folded the edges up like a shrimp pouch. It didn't look too bad.

To cook the "potsticker," I wiped a non stick pan with a oil laden paper towel. In went the potstickers and I let them cook just for a minute on medium-high before adding 1/2 cup water. I covered the pan and steamed the potstickers for about 6 minutes. After removing the lid, I let turned up the heat slightly and allowed the water to evaporate. When all the water was gone and the potstickers were browned on the bottom, I was done.

I really wasn't sure how it was going to turn out. I was thinking a bit like ravioli, but not too much because of the flavor of the won ton wrappers. The combination of meatball and won ton was good. It wasn't really like a ravioli or a potsticker. For a second I was reminded of the Olive Garden's Fried Ravioli, but then it tasted like a potsticker. I kept going back and forth trying to figure out if I would enjoying dipping it in Alfredo sauce or soy sauce.

The second batch I decided to go all out and use a whole meatball. It was the same basic process, but I did not fold up the corners. I also made sure to preheat the oil slightly before adding the potstickers. That did the trick. I ended up with a use for leftovers that was tasty and unique.

It makes me wonder. What else would be good steamed up in a won ton wrapper?

Food Review: Michelina's Greek Recipe Chicken Pizza

2007-02-06T18:24:00.000-08:00

I had fun writing the GW Hunters review, so I thought I would add in some other kinds of reviews.

Name: Michelina's "Authentico" Greek Recipe Chicken Pizza

Category: Frozen microwave single serve meals

Price: <$1

Rating: 2 stars

I have to admit, I'm a sucker for the frozen food isle at the grocery store. Once I see all of the wonderful, frozen convenience foods, I forget everything I know about nutrition. Sure, I know I should eat healthier and I could choose something better, but there is just something appealing about being able to cook the whole thing in less than three minutes.

It also amazes me how you can cook a pizza in the microwave and it comes out crispy. The Greek pizza held up to that standard nicely. After 2:30 in the oven, it came out with a crisp, flaky crust. The packaging contains a foil sheet (since when is foil in the microwave ok?) on which to cook the pizza.

When I first opened the box, I was impressed with the smell of feta cheese. However, after cooking, the odor and taste of feta had vanished. The toppings also contained mozzarella, spinach, black olives, onions and microscopic pieces of chicken. Overall, the toppings were a good balance of flavors. The sauce was particularly flavorful and not over done. I enjoyed the pizza, but after each bite thought, "What is that odd taste?" I believe it came from the chunks of spinach, which when cooked still tasted like unseasoned frozen spinach. I'm not sure I would buy it again, but I was pleasantly surprised at how satisfying the Greek pizza was.

The nutritional information isn't pretty, but at 360 calories and 16 grams of fat, it beats out one slice of Pizza Hut Supreme pizza or a Big Mac. At least this way, you are limited to one serving.

Protesters

2007-02-03T16:29:00.000-08:00

I'll start by saying I am certainly not in favor of the US involvement in Iraq. I think the process was poorly managed and Bush mislead people (Congress) to support his actions there. The death toll of 9-11 has been doubled due to troop casualties in Iraq. This fact makes me irate and frustrates me to no end.

That being said, I do think it is still important to support our troops. They are doing a job that I certainly am not brave enough to do. They are risking their lives daily to serve our country without any say in how that is done.

Recently a local Marine was killed while in Iraq. Thanks to other military families, he is receiving the military funeral he (and all other service people) deserves. Can you believe that a group wanted to come and protest his funeral? They claim the deaths from 9-11 and the War on Terror are the US's punishment for tolerating homosexuality.

I just can't even fathom that people can be so intolerant and ignorant that they would travel half-way across the country to protest a funeral. What a waste of time, money and thought. Kudos to Governor Gregoire of Washington for signing a bill limiting such protests.

By the way, the group didn't show. Maybe local support for the Marine and his family scared them away.

Review: GW Hunters

2007-01-31T11:30:00.000-08:00

In the style of Making Flippy Floppy, I'm going to jump on the blog review band wagon. I find the local reviews at Making Flippy Floppy useful, so I'll throw in my two cents.

We had a house showing this morning, so we cleared out and headed for breakfast. That's one of the benefits/downsides to selling the house; we tend to eat out a lot so the house doesn't get messed up.

Despite being five-year residents of Post Falls, we have only eaten at GW Hunters (615 Spokane St.) once before. We chose the wild game restaurant today just to try something new. I also hoped to get in on their advertised deal - a full breakfast for under $4. Too bad the special is from 6-9 a.m. Our 10 o'clock arrival didn't fit the bill.

Special or no special, breakfast was still a deal. For a total of $16.33 (w/tax), we had a Belgian waffle, the Bacon and Eggs plate (3 large slices of bacon, 2 scrambled eggs, fried potatoes and a piece of Texas toast), the kids French toast (two full slices and a cup of milk) and two coffees. I can't remember ever going out to breakfast and not being able to finish everything, but I took home a doggie bag this time. The French toast was the best I could ever remember having at a restaurant. Not many restaurants serve their syrup hot anymore, but at GW's you get maple and boysenberry syrup hot. The eggs and potatoes were obviously cooked fresh to order and our server came by with the coffee pot frequently enough that the cup was never empty.

You do have to be able to stomach staring at real stuffed animals while you eat. I have no problem with it, especially when they provide entertainment for The Munchkin's two-year old mind. The raccoon and skunk were particularly fascinating to him. I enjoyed the wolf who appeared to be drooling over our heads.

It appeared a few regulars were in for their morning meal, a good sign for any business. It's not often you get to sit at a table next to a Santa look-a-like. The kids in the place didn't seem to find it odd that Santa eats at GW's during the off season. I guess it's not odd, given how good the food is. He's got to keep his "bowl full of jelly" somehow.

Gyoza Attempt #2

2007-01-30T13:26:00.000-08:00

I tried again with the gyoza. Same filling recipe, different wrapper. I tried to make the wrappers myself. It was a basic hot water and flour mix. It worked, but was way too much work.

The search for store bought gyoza wrappers continues. I've tried two more stores with no luck.

I've found an inspiring cooking blog here at Blogspot. Check out Kuidaore for great pictures and ideas.

All Clear

2007-01-27T14:30:00.000-08:00

The three day fog finally is gone today. The sun does still exist.

I got a new camera (Fuji Finepix F20). It's nothing fancy, but nicer than the last.

Is it too soon to be thinking about spring?

Monumental Disappointment

2007-01-26T22:30:00.000-08:00

In my true nerdiness, I am sitting at home on a Friday night watching a documentary about the construction of Mt. Rushmore. I am a sucker for a good historical documentary and PBS never fails to deliver.

In the course of the documentary, it was brought up that the sculptor in charge of Mt. Rushmore, Gutzon Borglum, had been the first sculptor to work on Stone Mountain in Georgia. He did not finish Stone Mountain, and actually destroyed the work he began before skipping town. Borglum apparently clashed with the funders of the project, mostly rumored (or known) to be KKK members.

When I was nineteen, I set out on a two week journey traveling with my dad in his semi-truck. When asked where I wanted to go, I chose the South. I had never been there and was interested in seeing some of the cultural differences between Idaho and the southern U.S. We ended up hauling a load to Atlanta.

While in Atlanta, we decided to ride the bus for an hour out to Stone Mountain. I had heard very little about the monument, only that it was a massive sculpture in a mountain. It sounded interesting and was something to do. Upon arriving at the park, I was faced with a cultural difference I had never imagined. Stone Mountain is a shrine the Confederacy.

I was so shocked and in disbelief, I wouldn't even take the tram ride to the top. I wanted nothing more to do with it. I felt I had been jipped. I had wasted my time and travel. It never occurred to me that someone would celebrate the "other" side of the Civil War. I certainly never thought such a large scale monument would be created to honor those who promoted slavery. I still find it hard to believe.

It also brings more meaning and truth to Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.

"So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!

Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring."

It makes me wonder what other tourist attractions aren't what we think.

Yum-O, Not So Yum-O

2007-01-24T15:25:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite hobbies is cooking, but only when it's really in a hobby form. For the most part I don't mind being responsible for making dinner every night, but sometimes I just like to take the afternoon and really cook.

The problem with this is when I decide to make up a recipe. I am one of those "picky" eaters, not in the sense that I don't like foods, but that store bought or restaurant foods are always just a bit off in taste. So, I'll spend an afternoon trying to recreate a good food, but make it the best possible way. I'm on the impossible quest of making the perfect food.

There is, also, the problem that I live in a fairly un-diverse region of the country. That said, we do have a wide array of different ethnic restaurants, but due to lack of numbers to try, I question how authentic they are. And, if I want to recreate a recipe, the ingredients can be hard to find. I only have the patience to go to so many stores in one outing to search for an unusual ingredient.

Despite the problems that come up when creating recipes, I have fared pretty well. I haven't killed anyone or given anyone food poisoning. My made-up Buffalo Chicken Pizza got rave reviews at dinner the other night. And, only one recipe, my attempt at homemade gnocchi with sage butter sauce, has resulted in an emergency trip to McDonald's.

My current obsession: pot stickers and gyoza. I followed the America's Test Kitchen (http://www.americastestkitchen.com/) recipe to the letter the other night and wowed my family. But there is just one problem. Somehow, something was lacking. The taste wasn't right. I'll have to make a second attempt, maybe a third to refine the recipe. It might even warrant a trip to a four or fifth store in search of gyoza (not won ton) wrappers.

Now I only need two or three free afternoons.

Here it goes...

2007-01-23T18:23:00.000-08:00

My very first post. There have been so many times I have read other blogs and thought of topics to create my own blog with. Now the time has come and I'm drawing a blank.

I'm starting a blog not to be trendy and hip, but because I have realized the social benefits of an Internet connection. As a stay at home mom (sahm), my social network has been reduced to the collection of Little People living in my son's bedroom. Unfortunately, I have grown tired of their hard, unchanging views on life.

I have used computers almost my whole life. They have been useful in completing whatever task was at hand. I have used the Internet for more than ten years to research topics, find information and send email, but I never saw the full potential of developing relationships with people.

My recent epiphany about using the Internet to develop a meaningful connection to the outside world led me to join a Mommy & Me group via the web. I can't believe it took me two years to realize a group of moms just like me was a click away. Even better, they are just a few minutes away when it comes to get-togethers with the kids or a mom's night out. It's the best of technology coming to life.

So this is it. I'm stepping out into the blogging world with hopes of getting to know more of you mysterious web people.

Ok, and maybe being trendy is a little bit fun.