Just a few photos from the family Christmas

Ready for Winter

Andrew and I spent 4 hours splitting and stacking firewood yesterday. We are both very very sore, but we will stay warm when the snow starts to fly.

Must try recipe.....

Andrew and I are trying to eat healthy and get in shapse. So I have been cooking out of the Southbeach book. This meal is delicious, healthy and just as good reheated for left overs.

Mexican Lasagna Serves 8 Ingredients:
Try this lasagna when you’re in the mood for Mexican.
1 pound extra lean ground beef or turkey breast
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
1 cup fat-free sour cream
1 jar (4 ounces) chopped green chile peppers
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups salsa
4 whole wheat tortillas (6" in diameter), halved
1 1/4 cup (5 ounces) shredded, reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheeses

Instructions:Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 13" X 9" baking dish with cooking spray.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and place over medium heat. Add the ground beef or turkey and cook, turning several times, for 5 minutes or until no longer pink.

Remove the ground beef or turkey to a medium bowl. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel. Coat the skillet with cooking spray. Place over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Add to the ground beef or turkey in the bowl.

In another medium bowl, combine the cottage cheese, sour cream, peppers, cilantro (if using), cumin, and salt. Mix with meat and onions.

Spread 1 cup of the salsa across the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange half of the tortillas evenly over the salsa. Spread half of the cheese over the tortillas. Top with half of the ground beef or turkey mixture. Top with 1 cup of the remaining salsa and 1/2 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese. Repeat the layering sequence with the remaining tortillas, cheese, and ground beef or turkey mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining salsa and 3/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until heated through. Loosely cover with foil if the cheese browns too quickly.

Yeah! We're Going to a Concert

I am so excited! I heard that the Trans Siberan Orchestra was coming to Reno. I thought it would be in December, but I looked it up today and it is on Friday. I used a pathetic puh puh puh please with Andrew and he is taking us to see them. I have always loved their CD's and can't wait to see them! This should be awesome!!!

Finders Keepers...

Well leave it to Andrew to find an abandoned motorcycle in the middle of nowhere. He was off roading in his truck and stumbled upon a motorcycle that had been partially striped and abandoned. With his superman power and excitement, he single handedly put it in his truck. His good friend Jason is a cop so he ran the vin numbers to make sure it wasn't stolen, and good news is it's not, and it hasn't even been registered since 1992. So now Andrew has moved from wood widdeling to wrenching. His plan is to fix it up and have a new toy. Here are some pictures.

The Newest "Andrew" Creation

Well, I told you Andrew spent a ton of time in the garage making things. His newest creation is a cat tree. This is a real tree that we added platforms too. He thought the cats deserved a place to play. The pics aren't that good because of the sunlight, but you should be able to get the idea.

As Requested

So after the initial shock, most everyone said they liked my hair, but said that it might need some highlights. So I added some. Here are some pictures. Let me know what you think. Oh, I also included one picture of the desk that Andrew built me for my office. There should be a total of four pictures. The system is being a little crazy, so you may need to wait for all of them to load.

Working out and loving it

So once again I have started working out. This time I am really enjoying myself. Now that I work from home, I am desperate to get out of the house each afternoon. When Andrew gets home, he wants a little quite time in his man cave and I want to get out of the house. It is actually perfect. He builds stuff, I work out. For those of you who know me you know I don't sweat that much. I have always thought that sweating was a direct correlation to how hard you worked out. But no matter what I do, I don't sweat. I finally found a way to solve this problem. Andrew bought me a neoprene workout waist band. I love it! I sweat like a pig, gross I know, but so cool. They make shorts and tank tops too. I now want all of it. I can be on the treadmill for 30 minutes and sweat like a maniac! It may be mental, but I feel like I am getting more from my workouts by sweating. Here's to working out and not being a Fatty McFat fat any more!

Survey Says.......

Well working from home plus being bored equals hair dye and a new look. Thoughts??

Just an update

Wow, you wouldn't think blogging was so hard, but I can't seem to do it on a regular basis. Let's see what has been going on? Our trip to Mammoth was awesome. Andrew was a little under, ok maybe a lot, under the weather and it snowed, so we were able to have a much needed weekend doing nothing. On Sunday we went on a beautiful hike near Lake Lindy (I think) and were able to sight see a little bit. We didn't get to see Devils Post Pile because of the snow and the recently discovered plane of Steve Fossett. Lille loved the snow. I think she thought we had it done just for her. She ran around like a lunatic. I guess we know someone is ready for winter!



The fall leaves are in full change right now and it is absolutely
beautiful every where you go. We spend the evenings driving around and enjoying the beauty of Lake Tahoe, corny I know, but fun.





We spent last weekend up in Apple Hill. This is an area near Placerville, about an hour and a half form here. It is an area where there are dozens of Apple Orchards and you can drive around to each one, pick apples, feast on apple dumpling, pies and even pick your own pumpkins in the local pumpkin patches. I decided to find the most retarded pumpkin and take it home. After all, retarded pumpkins need a home too.


We went with our good friends Josh, Jacie and their precious little boy Mason. The area is beautiful, and it was a great way to spend the day. Good friends, good food and good beer.



Andrew and I have also been spending the weekend harvesting firewood. He found out that for $20 you can get a permit to harvest your own wood. Needless to say, that is what we are doing. It is a lot of fun, and a lot of work. Who knew hauling giant logs from the forest to the truck was so hard. Yep, that's my job. I have to load the 1920's, gullopy of a wheel barrel we have (it came with the house) and bushwhack back to the truck after he chops the tree in pieces with his chain saw. We take the wood home, then he chops it to pieces with the ax, then I have to stack it in neat piles next to the house. We can't drive by a single tree anymore without him pointing out how great it would be for our collection! Ah, what a funny man. We will spend the next two weekends doing the same thing, as collection season ends on the 31st of October. Did I mention that he love to build fires in our fireplace. It doesn't matter if it is 65 degrees out side, he will build a fire, open all of the windows and heat the house. I think he would have made a great cave man :).


Not only is Andrew on a firewood kick, he is also on a building kick. I can't seem to get him out of the garage. He loves to build things, and he is constantly doing so now that he has a place to work. We have a two car garage, but I am convinced that only one car, if any will live there this winter. You may ask what does he build, well let me tell you. So far he has built a dog bowl box for Lille. It is a box that holds her food and her bowls go on top of it. It is white with brown dog prints on it. Let me tell you how cute he was at 7:00am on Saturday painting paw prints on a wooden box for his little girl, super cute. He built me a desk for my office, and he plans to add on an L piece to give me more space, he is now building a Cat Condo, jungle gym type think out of a real tree for the cats. He is also building a surprise something that I am not allowed to see. He is very resourceful too. The neighbors are building a house and he asked the guy if he could have the wood from the scrap pile, and he said yes. Wow, endless wood for building and firewood for fires. What more could a man want.

I guess that is it for now.

Heading to Mammoth for the weekend!

Andrew and I are heading to Mammoth California for the weekend. Our two year anniversary is next Tuesday, so we thought we would get away and enjoy the fall colors. It should be exciting. They just found the wreckage of Steve Fosset's plane in the Mammoth Wilderness, so the place should be swarming with media. Not he quite trip we planned, but it should be quite entertaining. We are staying at the Westin Monache Resort which is a lodging partner of mine. So not only is it a little R and R, it doubles as a site tour. The best part of the whole thing is that the Westin is Pet friendly, so Lille gets to go too! I will post pictures when we get back.

Uh oh......here comes the stress

I wish I wasn't having to post this. As you all know, we still own our place in Hilton Head. Due to the crummy market, it hasn't sold. We found out yesterday that our renter is moving out on November 1st. I am doing my best not to stress, but the what if's are taking over. What if we don't rent it? What if the place is destroyed and we have to put $ into fixing it? How are we going to be able to take time off in October to fly to South Carolina and check on the place? I am trying to stay positive, but quite frankly, after three years of being positive it is starting to wear me out. I am so ready to be done with that place. Andrew and I bought it thinking that we were going to be there for several years, not just two. We have spent more time trying to get rid of it than the time we lived there. We have been very responsible and paid all of our mortgages on time. It has been hard at times, but we did it. For the two years we lived in Park City, we both worked 6 to 7 days a week. It sucks paying for something that you don't live in. We have re-listed the unit, for sale and for rent. Please keep us in your prayers. We were looking forward to moving to Tahoe and not having to get second jobs. If it rents, this is possible. If not, looks like we go back to busting our butts again. Once again, sorry for the not so fun post, but I had to get it off of my chest.

New House

Well we are finally getting settled. We officially moved into the new place and received all of our belongings on September 15th. We spent last week unpacking and find a new place for all of our stuff. It is amazing what you forget you have, or have and don't need! As soon as everything is done, I will post some pics of the house furnished. For now these will have to do. Lille is loving her new back yard, she spends all day sunning and chasing birds. Andrew never leaves the garage. Currently he is working on building me a desk for my office. I have been helping out too. So far it looks great. I can't wait to see the finished product!

Home Sweet Home

After four days of house hunting Andrew and I found a place. We heard from the landlords today, our application came back and we got rave reviews from our previous land lord. We are going tonight to put down the deposit, sign the papers and take some pictures. For those of you who know Tahoe, know that most houses are 70's "rustic." This is a nice way of saying, most places are overpriced POS. But not ours, it is older and quirky. It was built 30 years ago by a man and his wife. They have become sick and had to move to Carson City. The neighbor bought it and is now renting it. We will be the second people to ever live in the house. The landlords have repainted the whole interior and we are getting brand new carpet! There is a huge 2 car garage, or as Andrew calls it, a Man Cave. The home also has a huge back yard for Lille, and a wrap around porch for me! These are just a few of the highlights. I will post some pictures soon.

Super, Duper, Amazing Fantastic News

It is official, Mountain Reservations is allowing me to stay with the company!!!

Mountain Reservations has decided to pilot a new program and have a Tahoe representative, and I will be testing this new program. I will continue working for the company as an agent and help build partner relations in Tahoe. This is a great opportunity for both me and Mountain Reservations. Tahoe is a great resort town that most of our agents haven't had the opportunity to explore. I will become the eyes and ears to bridge that gap. I look forward to working with the company remotely and continuing to be a reliable and honest team member to everyone. My goal is to help the company acquire more Tahoe resorts and build a successful California market as we have in Utah and Colorado. I am excited and grateful to be taking on this challenge.

This is a blessing and stress reliever for Andrew and I. I am proud to work for a company that sees and believes in my potential. Mountain Reservations has been talking about a program like this for a while, they just didn't have a person to head it up. Talk about right place, right time, right person right place to move. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers during the transition. Move date set for next Tuesday!

Scooter Update

My pink beauty has been out of commission due to a faulty petcock valve. But, it is fixed now!!!! I picked it up from the repair shop yesterday!!! Now I am back on the open road.

Packing up

Our home looks pitifully :( We took all of the pictures down last night. The walls are bare and lonely. I think it is starting to hit us that we are actually moving. The house will be controlled chaos for a few more weeks, then we will be gone. We plan on heading west on the 25th or 26th of August. Looks like the movers are coming on September 11th or 12th. So we should be settled in a new place in Tahoe by mid September. Both of us are excited and ready to be there. Sometimes waiting is the worst part. When we get to Tahoe, we plan on having a yard sale to get rid of some junk that we don't need. There is nothing like moving to help uncover lost treasures or buried worthless junk. We will keep you posted.

Hello

I know it has been a while since I posted anything, so I thought I would update everyone on what is going on. Things here have been very busy. We are working hard, and getting ready for the move. My last day at work is August 22 so we plan to head to Tahoe around the 26th or 27th. Andrew's first day of work is September 2nd, so give him a call and tell him good luck. He is going to be great, but he is still a little nervous. We have been looking at places to rent in Tahoe, and the good news is there is plenty of availability. So we should be able to find something that will work for us. The most exciting thing is that Andrew has promised me a back yard!!!! This means I can have flowers and a garden, even better, Lille will have a place to play.

My scooter has been out of commission for a little while. The repair place is sending me a new part. It is a problem with the petcock valve. I guess the part allows gas to flow from the gas tank to the carburetor. Currently it is stuck in the shut off position, so no gas is flowing. Bummer. Hopefully it will be fixed by next week. I had to put gas in my car, and I almost cried. I miss my $6 full scooter.

Other than that things are great.

Hope you wrote our address in pencil!

BECAUSE WE ARE MOVING AGAIN!!!! Back to Lake Tahoe. Andrew got a promotion, and we will be relocating at the end of August early September. It has been over four years since we have been there, and now we are going back for the long haul. We are hoping that this move will be at least a five year stay, not the typical 2 year stint. We are very excited for the change, and can't wait to see some old friends. We will keep you updated.

Heros For Children

A good friend of mine is participating in a 5k run in September. The money she raise supports a great organization, Heros For Children.

Heroes for Children is a nonprofit organization providing financial and social assistance to families, within the state of Texas, with children (0-22 yrs of age) battling cancer. Formerly known as Taylor 's Angels, Heroes for Children was created in memory of Taylor Anne Brewton and Allison Leigh Scott. We strive to make a difference in the lives of families in Texas.

Let's help her reach her goal, and save some lives!!! You can donate at the following link.
http://www.active.com/donate/heroesforchildren/amandablankenship

Bored....

I am at work and the systems are down and they have been down since 8 this morning. It is impossible to get anything done right now. I hope my clients that want to book don't go elsewhere. Goals are hard to hit when you don't have the proper tools to work. Oh well, I will just hang in there.

I GOT MY SCOOTER!!!

I took a half day of work today and Andrew took me down to Salt Lake City. While we were down there we bought me a pink scooter!!! It is not a name brand, it's a Zingo. She is a 4 cylinder, 150 cc pink masterpiece. So far, so good. I rode it to the softball game in my ultra cool pink riding jacket and helmet. And trust me when I say, I don't think anyone will overlook me while riding down the road on what looks like a flying pepto bismol bottle dressed like Barney's girlfriend :) I love my scooter it is so fun! Bad news is that I had to fill the tank.......it cost me....$5.67 for PREMIUM!!! $$$$$$$ I see the savings already. Andrew has already tweaked my air intake to get help get more horse power. Gotta love a man who knows how to fix my toys. He also said he was going to "pimp" my scooter and make it super unique. Andrew couldn't stand himself and had to take the pink rocket for a ride, but trust me he doesn't look as cool as I do on a Pink Scooter. I can't wait for work tomorrow, well not work, but the ride to work.

I want a Scooter

Gas prices are horrible. I don't drive that much and since I live in a small town with out much traffic, I really want a Scooter. Something very hideous, yet fabulous like pink or bright orange! I think they are so cute and fun. Not only that, they get 85 mpg!! I would only fill up once a month. My gas cost for my car alone is about $160 a month. If I had a scooter it would only cost about $16, and that's if I had to fill up twice a month. The money saved on gas would pretty much pay for the scooter. Don't get me wrong, I love love love my car, but I have never had a fun toy. It may just be a pipe dream, but I think it would be awesome and I would look soooooo cool in a matching helmet and jacket :)

Update on Joe

From Joe's friend Marcus...

I just saw Joe this am and things are looking bright. He responded to voice commands at some point during the night. Although it is not where the Dr.'s want him to be, he is still continuing to improve at a fast pace. The CAT scan came back and did not show any major brain damage, just minor complications. They have an MRI scheduled for tonight to take a closer look. His vitals are good, and he was quite restless and moving around. They will most likely NOT have to put in a Trachea meter in his airway now. If he continues to improve the way he has, he will loose the breathing tube possibly tomorrow morning. These are all really good signs that Joe will be OK so let's all continue to pray for him.

Praise God for his work so far, and keep praying!

Please Pray for Joe

A friend of Andrew's was in a very bad car accident last night. He made it through a long and intense surgery, but is still in a coma and non responsive. He needs all the prayers he can get. Joe is a wonderful father of two and has been a great friend to Andrew. For anyone who was at the wedding, he is the friend that came down with our best man Jason. Please Please Please keep him in your prayers. He needs all the support he can get. I will keep you all updated.

The lesson of five balls

I just finished a good, easy to read book. One part of the book stood out to me, so I thought I would share this lasting life lesson.

The lasting lesson in Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas is the story of five balls. In it Life is a game in which you are juggling five balls. The balls are called work, family, health, friends, and integrity. Every day you keep them all in the air. Then you come to understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls are made of glass. When dropped, they will probably shatter.

How are you taking care of your glass balls? Are you struggling to keep them in the air? Have a few already shattered and you are trying to glue the pieces back together? Do you take care of your rubber ball and neglect the rest?

Just remember to cherish everyday and live like it is your last day here.

"One today is worth two tomorrows"

10,000 Steps

"There's a difference between knowing the path, and walking the path." I am going to walk.

My mom came to visit in January and gave my sister and I a pedometer. If you read the instructions, it states that to stay healthy you should walk 10,000 steps a day. For me that is just about 4 miles!

Have you ever really tried to track how much you walk, or better yet how much you don't. My mom has walked and dieted since the beginning of the year and had lost 40LBS!! Not only has she been following the routine, so has my Aunt, Uncle and even some cousins. (Your blogs are making me feel lazy). I know that with a desk job you don't walk much, but once you see how much you really "don't walk" it is kinda sad. I am making a conscious effort to walk my 10,000 steps.

Yesterday Lille and I went for a 6.5 mile hike (almost 15,000 steps). When I have days off it is easy, I will have to try harder on days I do work. The other day, I worked a full 8 hour shift and only walked 1,200 steps. Pathetic!

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not "fat," just pudgy and soft around the edges I am making a vow to exercise more and eat better this summer. To make sure I do, I am even going to tell everyone how much I weigh (143 lbs) and I will take measurements and post them too. If this isn't encouragement, I don't know what is. So hopefully the 10,000 a day it will catch on in my household like it has in Meadville!

Mtn Res Softball

My work has a team, and I am on it. I think I am more of a filler than anything. Sometimes I hit the ball, sometimes I don't. It is a fun way to spend Wednesday nights. We are supposed to have a double header tonight, but it has been sprinkling all day. Not to mention that it is cold and supposed to Snow tonight!! Yep, I said it, snow in June. Just got word. Looks like for the third time this season games are postponed due to rain. Rats, I was looking forward to showing of my non-existent skills.

On another note, the weather has been nice and Lille and I have been going on lots of hikes. The trees are blooming and wild flowers are everywhere. I love spring!

Doggie DNA Test. Awesome or just bizarre?

As everyone knows I have the most beautiful fun loving mutt on the entire planet. But I have no idea what breed she is. We adopted her from the shelter when she was 4 months old. (the picture is her as a puppy, she is about a year old now) Poor thing was abandoned in a shopping cart? Bad for her, lucky for us. She is an amazing dog, but curiosity is starting to get the best of me. I am at work today, with little to do but cruise the Internet. While doing so I came upon dog DNA testing kits. I must say, I am quite intrigued. Most of the kits cost between $60 -$100. You take a cheek swab, mail it in and wha-la. Mystery solved. I think it would be fun to know what breed she really is. Andrew is convinced that she is Lab/Beagle, but I am not convinced. I think she may have pointer in her, and everyone we meet on the street thinks she is part Greyhound. After all, if you had the perfect dog, wouldn't you want to know how to reproduce it? Not only could this curve my curiosity, it could come in handy at the vet. Knowing what breed she is may help avoid future health problems and possibly get to the bottom of her separation anxiety. Crazy or Cool? Vote on my survey and let me know.

Vegas/Wyoming Vacation

We recently returned from our much needed vacation. Andrew and I had a great time. We started out in Vegas for a few days with Cyndi and Scott (Andrew's sister and her husband). It was a blast. We gambled, ate well and drank. Did you expect more? While in Vegas we were able to stop in and see an old friend, Rodger. He has been working in Vegas for about a year. I haven't seen him since our wedding, so it was very nice to see a friendly face. By the way, I got a new job. I am now a Hooters girl! Just kidding, but I look great huh.

After Vegas, we headed home to pick up the Lille and head off to Wyoming. The day we drove there it was snowing!! Yes, snowing in mid May! Not what we had expected, but we were going to wing it. Instead of a hotel, we decided to try VRBO. We ended up renting this great cabin on the Wind River, in Dubois Wyoming.

The weather wasn't as great as it could have been, but the vacation was very very relaxing. We hiked, fished, tracked wildlife, bbq'd and just hung out. Lille had a great time. We would let her out on the deck, and she would just lay in the sun and chew on sticks. One of her favorite things was to run to the river and get muddy. She also liked chasing deer. Man she can run. I think she is the fastest dog on the planet.

With all that said, it was absolutely perfect!

Just Because

I will have to say that I am a huge fan of just because gifts. Last night I received a beautiful aquamarine (my birthstone) necklace from Andrew. It has several stones and it is called "along the way." There was no special occasion, he got it for me because he saw it and thought it would look great on me. I never splurge on nice things for myself, so he wanted to get me something nice to show his appreciation and love for me. So remember this, don't wait until a special occasion or a holiday to show some one you love how much you care about them. Do it daily. Don't wait, you never know when that special someone could be lost. Why wait until it is to late. Tell someone you love them now. "There is no time like the present"


Here are some fun facts about Aquamarine:


Aquamarine (along with bloodstone) is the birthstone associated with March. It is also the gemstone for the 19th Anniversary.
People in the Middle Ages thought that aquamarine could magically overcome the effects of poison.
Ancient sailors traveled with aquamarine crystals, believing that it would ensure a safe voyage, and guarantee a safe return; they often slept with the stones under their pillow to ensure sound sleep. They believed the siren’s (mermaid) fish-like lower body was made of aquamarine.

Its light blue arouses feelings of sympathy, trust, harmony and friendship. Good feelings. Feelings which are based on mutuality and which prove their worth in lasting relationships. The blue of aquamarine is a divine, eternal colour, because it is the colour of the sky. However, aquamarine blue is also the colour of water with its life-giving force. And aquamarine really does seem to have captured the lucid blue of the oceans. No wonder, when you consider that according to the saga it originated in the treasure chest of fabulous mermaids, and has, since ancient times, been regarded as the sailors' lucky stone. Its name is derived from the Latin 'aqua' (water) and 'mare' (sea). It is said that its strengths are developed to their best advantage when it is placed in water which is bathed in sunlight. However, it is surely better still to wear aquamarine, since according to the old traditions this promises a happy marriage and is said to bring the woman who wears it joy and wealth into the bargain. An ideal gem, not only for loving and married couples.

Getting up to speed

Here is the quick of it. Andrew and I met in Tahoe, fell in love, moved to Hilton Head, South Carolina, married, moved to Park City. That's us in a nutshell. We have been living in Park City Utah for about 18 months and we have a beautiful family. Ok, so it isn't the typical family like most people think of, but our four legged loves will do for now. It's our family, and that's what matters.

We have Sammy, a three year old OCD Tabby cat. Cali, a three year old Black and White chunk of love. Last but not least, the most recent addition, Lille. Our mutt, who is on Prozac cause she loves us to much. We think she is a Labbe, a mix between a Labrador and a beagle. It's just a guess, we may never know for sure. But it sure is fun guessing.