Bad Hair Day

This is what I tackle.  Every. Single. Morning.

Lake Tahoe and Montana

We have been out of town for quite the summer extravaganza.  Unfortunately, I am at the mercy of others to send me pictures from our various outings because I didn't do a very good job of taking them myself.

Here is the basic rundown:

We went to Lake Tahoe for a Smith Family reunion for the first week of our vacation.  Lake Tahoe is incredible.  I highly recommend it if you haven't been there before.  The beaches are beautiful and the water stays very shallow for about 100 yards out (which was great for the kiddos).  I think the kids built a million different sandcastles.  The men had fun playing football in the water.  We jet skied, ate, played, shopped, ate, went to the amphitheater, hiked down to Emerald Bay, ate, had a talent show, ate, sunbathed, played "the Great Dalmuti, ate, swam, laughed and then ate some more.  All of our favorite things!  It was delightful being with all of Kevin's family.  We live so far apart (Anchorage, San Francisco, Salt Lake, Chicago, and Washington D.C.) it is a big deal to get us all together.  Thanks to Dave and Carol for the great fun.

Beach beauty.

After Tahoe, I drove with the kids to Montana, while Kevin hitched a ride back to SLC with his brother.  Mom and Dad had a great week planned.  We started with some "girls days out".  My mom spoiled us, we ate out multiple times and went to a movie.  But mainly, we did what we do best, we shopped.  We also made table runners and started a few other projects.

The 4th of July, we went to my parents' friend's cabin by the stillwater river. We we on a hike along side this gorge. Breathtaking.

I haven't been to Yellowtail Dam for quite a few years.  We used to go there a lot when I was growing up.  My parents rented a pontoon boat and we took the jet skis along.  The weather was incredible, and the scenery, even more incredible.

Meggie and Papa Jim.  She was fearless!
Chels and Dad with me being cheesy in the background
Ian and "Aunt" Cody (why Ian kept calling Cody "aunt" instead of "uncle" was a mystery to us all).  They really busted out some sweet moves on the jet skis. 

Mommy and Meggie.  Isn't it just gorgeous there?  And, it is so big, you hardly ever see anyone else.

Ian was the captain.  Uncle Nate taught him how to drive the boat.

Thanks to both our families for the fun summer vacations.  Now, off to plan the next party!

Goooooooo . . . . COUGARS!!!!

Unless you are a Cougar fan or a grandparent of Ian and Meggie, you are probably not going to appreciate the following video. It is long, but the kids almost have all the words down!

Sweet Onion Grilled Pork Chops

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law Wendy, the best cook I know. (She told me I would get a standing ovation from my husband if I made this, and I did!).




Sweet Onion Grilled Pork Chops

1 large SWEET yellow onion julienned (cut 1/4 inch thick)
Olive Oil
Handful of fresh chopped rosemary (I used dried, because that is what I had on hand, but I'm sure fresh would be better)
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1 T sugar (optional, this gets pretty sweet)
2 T balsamic vinegar

For rub:
Chopped thyme and rosemary
2 cloves pressed garlic
salt and pepper
4 thick pork chops

For onion topping: In heavy pan coat onions with olive oil, add rosemary, sugar, marmalade and vinegar. Stir until all mixed. Cover and cook on very low heat for 2 hours (sounds long but it is worth it!). Mix rub together to form a paste and rub on both sides of the chops. Grill. Top with onion topping.

Tip: I cook all of my pork to 140 degrees internal temperature and remove from grill, then tent it with foil. It keeps cooking after you remove it from the grill. Pork is safe when it is still a little pink. Don't overcook, or you will have really dry pork!

Seriously, make this. You'll thank me. And your hubby will LOVE you!

I love beet greens!

We have been out of town for the past 2 1/2 weeks (hence, no blog updates). I have MUCH to post, but am waiting for some pictures from my sweet sister and sister-in-law, since I was horrible at taking them myself! I thought, however, that you would enjoy this little bit of info.
Having trouble getting your kids to eat their beets and/or beet greens? Have them watch this "I love beet greens" video! Ian loved helping my mom in the garden while we were in Montana. He thought it was the coolest thing to be able to pick the veggies right out of the garden. He loved the beets and beet greens that my mom made so much, that he made up a dance:


p.s. he also showed a major feat of strength today when he picked up a pillow and raised it over his head exclaiming, "Whoa, mom, look how strong I am!" Yup, a pillow.