Welcome Winter & Wilmer!

As most of you know we have started a tradition of cutting a Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving - and naming it! Welcome Wilmer, we are excited

to share the Christmas season with you. Wilmer comes to us from the
Malheur County Forest and is the kind of pine tree with really long needles ...a fir I think? Anywho, he looked great out in the snow & he looks even better covered in Christmas lights in our front room. We had some little helpers with us. The Johnson family came out and got a tree too. All of Wilmer's extra branches will be part of my first endevor to make homemade garland, so I hope it goes well. The tree is up the lights are on and now it's time for Christmas!!

Our Portland Weekend

This last weekend was the OSAA Oregon State Soccer Championships and Ryan was nominated by his region to be a soccer referee. His name was chosen and he got to be Ref #4 for the 3A Boys State championship match. The game was 0-0 until the last two minutes when a soccer player for Team A tried to kick the ball back, but landed in the goal of Team B making him the game winning player...for the other team. (I hope that kid had an alternate ride home because I doubt his teammates would let him ride the bus!)

We were able to catch up with some friends, the Wilson's, for breakfast & a trip to Fry's (every man's technology dreamland. It was really, really fun. After a beautiful breakfast of pumpkin pancakes with pecan syrup I decided to try my mix-master skills on DJ Hero

Guitar Hero & Rock Band are sooooooo much more fun!

Ryan left for his pre-soccer referee duties, Heidi ditched her hubby & two boys and we went shopping!! It was alot of fun! Going into any store we wanted to, looking at whatever, asking an opinion without a one-word answer and of course....not having someone breathing down your neck asking you how much longer you are going to stay there - it was bliss. We topped off our shopping trip with a visit to Target and each walked out with a purple dress of our liking that was (each) under $10 - how can you beat that!?!

After the game Ryan & I were able to go to the temple and do some family names. It was an awesome experience, a personal project of mine, and who doesn't like going to the temple!?

We were able to spend sometime with Uncle Ron while we were up there, which is always a hoot! And enjoyed yummy Panda Express (I'm telling ya living in a small town with out a temple, Target & Panda Express....you really take advantage of what you can get when you can get it!!)

It was a great weekend!! Now! Onto the TURKEY!!! (or if you are like me) MASHED POTATOES AND GRAVY!!!!!

Happy Halloween!

Ryan is sick, but still managed to carve two of the most amazing pumkins ever!

Our 5 Year Anniversary

So I am very, very late getting this up, but ...better late than never right? Remember our trip to San Diego that Ryan won a few posts back? Well we took it in celebration for our five year anniversary (has it really been that long?) October 14th-19th. It was sooo great!
The flight over wasn't my favorite part (I'm not the most comfortable flyer), but once we got there and walked into 75 degree weather - pure bliss!!
Our hotel room was awesome!! Definatley a place that we wouldn't be able to pay for ourselves. There were views of the marina from every room (bathroom included) & the hotel was perfectly situated walking distance to everything and anything. What we couldn't walk to the metro was infront of the hotel and ferry's were in the back.
Seaport Village was a short walk along the dock full of shoppes and restaruants & had many statues, memorials & ships (there was a cruise ship departing from a port every day - if we had had the time I would have totally jumped on!). Little Italy was alot of fun!! There wasn't too much to do there but eat - is that so bad! The streets were lined with restaruant after garlicy smelling restaruant. We stopped in a local shop and asked where the place to eat was. We were directed to go to Filipinni's. The BEST pizza in the world and not bad eggplant parmesan. It's actually an Italian grocery and the restaurant is in the back - the best place ever. We enjoyed time relaxing in the piazza's eating our very expenisive gelato and planning where to go next. Coronado is a special little place.We were able to ferry over there and spend the day. We walked around shops and went down Orange Street (the main street that goes from one side to the other of Coronado) which brough us to The Hotel Del Coronado. Now not only is this hotel the last victorian built hotel that is still working, but it's the site of one of my favorite films "Some Like It Hot" with Marilyn Monoroe, Jack Lemmon & Tony Curtis (if you haven't seen it - do!). I had so many plans with different pictures I was going to take from different scenes of the movie only to find that they have changed quite alot since the 50's. We had just missed Tony Curtis by a few weeks who was there celebrating the 50th anniversary of the movie. We took a few pictures and then we hit the beach. The ocean was soooo cooooold, but after all that walking I was ready for a rest! Gas Lamp is considered the hub of downtown. All the restaurants, shops, etc is there. It was really cool to walk around and see all the sites like Petco Park (home of the Padres), NBC Corp headquarters that had no idea what I was talking about when I asked if The Office was filmed there (it's filmed in LA) & a shopping mall that was so huge and so expensive it almost made me sick. We ate very well in the Gas Lamp district. We totally recommend Nicky Rotten's. They have the best hamburgers in the world (we forgot our camera or you would have seen a pic of the burger that was as big as my face) & one morning we had breakfast at the Broken Yoke Cafe. An oober swanky IHOP-like place that not only makes a killer breakfast, but gives the homeless one free meal a week. We then headed up to Old Town I orgionally didn't really want to go - the thought seemed a bit boring - but when a local told us that it was the best authentic Mexican in San Diego - we went (can you tell that we really travel more by food, than by places?). It was awesome. Since we were there in October they had decked the place out for Day of the Dead. Skeletons in sombreros everywhere. We ate some delicious Mexican food (it ranked a 6 in Ryan's Authentic Mexican list....we were starving so we went to the first restaurant in the touristy part of Old Town instead of searching outside) and walked around a lot of shops, old trees and tile....colorful tiles everywhere. We also went to an Olive Oil tasting. That's right little shots of different kinds of olive oil - it was actually really good.
It was a wonderful vacation and awesome anniversary and soooo hard to come back to rain and SNOW!!!!!

Ryan turns the big 3-0!

Ryan turned 30 yesterday & it was full of surprises (for him, not for me because I planned it all). The morning began with his favorite breakfast of biscuits & gravy. He spent the rest of the morning in the yard while his sisters, Rachael & Allie, drove up from Utah to celebrate with him. He was surprised, in his towel (he'd just gotten out of the shower), by their presence in the kitchen. (Really I was trying to get him to hurry up, he thought that I needed help in the kitched & started to walk towards the kitchen when he noticed the truck in the front yard & heard rustling in the kitchen......we still surprised him). We then had a big BBQ with close friends & a 30 question trivia quiz all on Ryan (if you would like your own copy send me your e-mail and I'll send it to you). Allie was the winner of that game with 21 points. We were so stuffed from the BBQ we just laid around the rest of the evening-oh wait that was me, Rach & Allie. Ryan was busy setting up the monster TV that his parents had sent us and then set up the other TV in the treadmill room (we just got our replacement treadmill, I hear that it's great - I haven't had time to try it). We took our traditional late night stroll to Safeway with Ryan's sis's and got some groceries for tonight's (Sunday) dinner of Taco's al Pastor (marinated pork with chili's & pineapple). And started to watch "Dark Night" at midnight - it's amazing how much louder the Joker's antics are when you are trying to sleep through them! We've had alot of fun & we are happy to have Rach & Allie with us!

27 is an odd year

I have been very remiss at updating our blog posts! But thanks to Candace & her sweet, gentle, reminders always gets me to post (as quickly as possible). Let's see...what is up with us? Well on the 3rd of September I turned the ripe odd age of 27. I say odd because it's a really odd number (both verbally & mathmatically) I'm fine with turning older, but 27 is different, it's late 20's....& I just can't wrap my head around the fact that I'm now in my late 20's.....odd, very odd.
Ryan made sure I spent my birthday weekend in style. Weds. we had a party with our friends
& I stuffed myself so full of food that I didn't even want to have breakfast the next day (Can you say Pecan chicken, dutch oven potatoes, corn on the cob -from the garden, pesto bread, garlic bread, cinnamon rolls, cheese cake & home made ice cream cake)!!! Thursday (my actual birthday) I had lunch with a bunch of ladies from the ward & that evening Ryan made me shrimp fetticunne alfredo & we watched Prison Break (if you aren't addicted to it yet, START NOW!). That evening my parents came up & we spent the weekend eating really good food & enjoying relaxing and having a great time together. I haven't had one on one time with my parents since I was two! So it was really great. I recieved numerous phone calls, e-mails & birthday cards - it was wonderful!!
Ryan's up next (September 26th) & this year it is the big 3-0!!! So watch out for that!
Other than getting older we have both been really busy with work. I'm working as a legal secretary for the defense lawyer in town and I'm learning a boatload!!! It's so exciting to do something new & learn more how our justice system works. I'm full time so my weeks are full & my weekends fly by!! Ryan is loving his job at the Ag Research Center. Currently he's been working on the upcoming land managment retreat this upcoming week. He's been creating their work packets & hand outs . His bosses are loving everything he's doing for them. We are still crossing our fingers that they will decide to hire him permanently!!
With my Dad here last weekend he & Ryan did work out in the yard (I think Ryan loved having the company) We have a new rock pathway & a fire pit - so once the burn ban is lifted we will be out in the back roasting marshmellows!! Ryan is also reffing again this year & just had his first game today, sadly nothing much has changed Burns lost 20-0.

3's of Me

You've been tagged; so you are supposed to fill in the 3's of You.At the end, choose 3 people to be tagged.If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you. Have fun!

Three names I go by:
1. Baby (That's what Ryan calls me)
2. NowNow (That's Tiffany's version of my name)
3. Mike/Mitch/Paul/Chell/Sis. Steineckert (all nicknames of mine)

Three jobs I have had in my life:
1. Waitress at Applebee's
2. Student Secretary Assistant in the Advancement Office at Southern Utah University (I had that job all four years of college - it was great!)
3. Drama Teacher (It's when I learned that I CAN'T teach)

Three places I have lived:
1. West Jordan, Utah
2. Cedar City, Utah
3. Burns, Oregon

Three favorite Drinks:
1. Water with a Lime (try it, you'll never go back to lemons again!)
2. Orange Julius (especially with my secret ingredient)
3. Lemonade - it has to be the good kind with the perfect blend of lemon/water & sugar

Three TV shows that I watch: (on DVD because we don't have TV)
1. Gilmore Girls
2. The Office
3. Man V. Food (if you haven't seen it yet, it's on the Travel Channel ...I'm totally addicted!!)

Three top places I have been:
1. San Fransisco, CA (An Orchestra memory that will remain forever!)
2. Oregon Coast (It's hard to pick one place!)
3. New York, New York (it's hard to remember that there is a whole state outside of that city)

Three of my favorite restaurants: (It's really hard to pick three, this is a sampling of the top 3 I like to go to when we're in UT, because Burns....doensn't really have....anything)
1. La Puente - Their salsa & Chili Verde has yet to be beat!
2. Buca Di Beppo - Their macaroni rosa was so close to tasting like my grandma's I almost started crying!
3. Purple Turtle - Their burgers are great, but the onion rings are FABULOUS!

Three things I'm looking forward to:
1. Having Children
2. Retiring with Ryan
3. Cookie Dough

Three people I tag:
1. Shelley
2. Jamie
3. Greg

A Weekend...

I'm a little slow getting these pics up, but it was a pretty busy weekend at the Steiny home! I went on a fabulous overnighter with my friend Heidi and spent too much money on things that I didn't really need - BUT everything I bought was on sale ....so that's okay, right? For breakfast we went to this awesome crepe place - pesto in crepe's are really, really, yummy! Then walked around downtown Bend - there is so much down there! It was really fun & we promised to do it again!
Saturday Ryan participated in two softball games and like the supportive wife that I am I sat on the sidelines & took pictures. Ryan's team didn't win (they were up against high school baseball coaches), but I think everyone had fun. After the game we went to a big BBQ and then drove home through a cattle drive (they were moving the cattle to a different field. Ryan thinks I'm crazy for taking pictures of it, but how many people can say they were surrounded by cattle in their car?
Two big updates on my side of things. I was released from being Enrichment Leader and was put in as first counselor in the Primary presidency (crazy!). Also I just recently landed a gig as a legal secretary for a law firm in town - new experiences are kind of exciting!

Our Summer Part 2

The Music Man went really, really well. With the exception of the non-airconditioned auditorium I think everyone really enjoyed themselves. My cast really got it all together and really showed Burns/Hines how great it is to have the arts in our community. My cast & crew put in so many hours and I am so grateful for the hard work that they did! I wish I had better pictures, but ...I was already taking illegal pictures so - I didn't do too bad. I just wish I could have gotten a shot of the boys band. My costumer was able to get the vintage (1970's) marching band costumes from the high school. Our community LOVES the high school and when they saw those uniforms again they couldn't help from clapping.
I'm glad that I did this - I miss the theater so much I get choked up when I think of it - so many good memories.
I'm also grateful to Ryan - he was a trooper - he filled in last minute for the barbershop quartet and ROCKED the part! So many people kept commenting on what a good singer and actor he is - I already knew this - but I'm glad that others in the community were able to see his amazing talents. I love you Baby and Thank you for helping me, listening, loving & supporting!!

Our Summer Part 1

It was a really fun, busy, crazy, hilarious, jam packed, etc. month of July for us at the Steiny house! After our trip to Utah my sister, Jeanette, and our nieces Tiffany (2 years) and Katrina (1 year on August 8th) came up to stay with us for three whole weeks! We had alot of fun (and Aunt Michelle learned how unbaby proof her house is). We swam at the pool, hung out with friends, went to yard sales, made some yummy food and ice cream (can you say blueberry cheesecake?), worked in the yard, BBQed, story time at the library, read tons of books, took short naps & giggled, cried, smiled, kissed & sqeezed! It was alot of fun and I hope we make it a tradition!! We just won't do it the same week that Aunt Michelle has a show!!!

The Count Down Begins

Music Man is going to be performing next week!!! (July 24th & 25th for those of you who would love to see some community theater.....that's really far away!). I feel like I've been working on this show (I'm directing it - CRAZY WOMAN THAT I AM!!!) for years and on the other hand I feel like I've been working on it for three days (the reality is about two months). We are in the final stretch of rehearsing where we are starting to run through the entire show. It's hot, I'm stressed and feeling the pressure! There hasn't been a musical community theater production here since the 80's (they cut drama from the high school and that ended that - glad to keep our losing football team though!) and I think everyone has really high expectations...can I meet those? The Dr. Lewis quote has been boring into my brain over and over "If a show goes well the audience congratulates the actors. If the show goes badly the audience blames the director." - AAAAAAH!!! I feel like my brain has been fried and is fizzling out of my ears & my cast - they need encouragement, excitement, pep, wise words from their director who is wondering how the captain of the Titanic felt before they hit the iceberg.
Now, to make things clear I understand that not everything can be perfect and my cast is trying their hardest (community theater isn't suppost to be perfect-that's what makes it fun to go to) and I think they have made really good strides and have improved greatly. I know that the show will be fine and people will like it and others will hate it and life will go on, but two questions:
1. The director encourages the cast - who is going to encourage the director?
2. Has anyone else poured their heart, soul, time, effort, money, sanity into a project and wondered right before they finished "what the hell did I get myself into" and wondered if they are going to get out alive?
Anyone?
Now, don't get too worried about me. I'm mainly venting for my own stress relief. There is nothing like a challenge with something that you are not fully proficient on to point out all of your weaknesses (I only took two directing classes in college and directing a musical vs. play are two greatly, large, different, furry monsters).
Oh boy do I have weaknesses!!!

Our Summer Trip!

I'm very late at posting this, but better late than never right?
We were able to have a fabulous whirl-wind vacation in Utah and brought back a few souviners!
We celebrated my Mom's birthday with a delcious dinner at Johnny Carino's and some yummy French vanilla birthday cake! We played at the new playground at Majestic Elementary and watched Katrina walking and Tiffany talking (and singing - the reptoir includes: "The Itsy Bitsy Spider", "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam" & "Old McDonald's Farm E-I-E-I-E").
Tiffany & I (Ryan was there too, but I don't think I would admit it) went to East High and got some "High School Musical" pics. You can buy a map for a buck and it will show you every locker, room & hall that they used in the movie. I touched Zac Efron's locker!!!!
We then headed to Bear Lake with Ryan's family & had a blast. Minature golf, dinners, pools, hot tubs, tubing in freezing cold water, suckers, games, singing & learning that carcinogens produce cancer and you DO NOT want to get "Dumping Disease" (My sis-in-law Jana is studying for her registered dietician test and I helped her with flash cards).
We came back for the fireworks & popcicles! It was Caiden, Katrina & Tiffany's (first time she wasn't too scared to watch) first firework show. For those of you who are wondering why you are looking at a brightly lit ladder. We found that lighting the fireworks atop a ladder provides a more entertaining effect as everything sprays down instead of just popping off the ground.
We also got to meet, for the first time, Ben & Ruth's little one - Cooper James Shelton - so sweet!! He really enjoyed the motorcycle noises that Ryan made...very soothing sound for a Shelton boy.
We had so much fun in Utah we brought some of the party back with us. Jeanette, Tiffany & Katrina came back up with us and will spend a few weeks up here.
More pictures to follow!!!

I know how Two Face feels!

So I got my wisdom tooth taken out today and it was ALOT easier than I thought! A dentist who wears tropical scrubs can't be too mean, right? He was awesome! A big shout out to Dr. Morgan. I didn't even feel the needle and barely heard my tooth crunch at all!! This numbing feeling is really weird! To drink water, it's cold on one side & warm on the other - crazy! And right when I started to wonder what on earth I was going to eat today my faithful friend Candace brought be over a big bag of wisdom-tooth-extraction-loving food! Ice cream, yogurt, jello & pudding. Thanks Candace for taking such good care of me!!

Can I Swap My Tooth?

So, I thought I might be one of those lucky people that never have to get their wisdom teeth taken out - I have a big enough mouth, there's room in there. Wrong! After going to the denist with an emergency visit of a possible abcessed molar (which was confirmed). The only way to get out of this pain is to get them taken out. Blah! Since we currently don't have insurance we've been shopping around - insane what dentists are charging for wisdom tooth removal!! But I have to say - if you want to get it done, get them taken out up here in Burns! My dentist was by far the cheapest with $136 a tooth!! (There is one office up in UT that specializes in wisdom teeth only and it would cost around $1100 for the complete visit)
I know that there are reseach centers that will pay you and/or will take your wisdom teeth out for free if you take whatever meds they are researching on, but there is nothing like that up here and our time in UT is short enough that I can't really spend 20 hours in an office filling out a questionaire every hour. Unless they'd let me have visitors.....hmmmm.
So to the dentist tommorrow (June 24th) I will go and get my main, problematic, vain-of-my-existance-if-it-didn't-come-in-I-wouldn't-have-this-problem wisdom tooth taken out.
The dentist said that I shouldn't swell up (I have perfect cone shaped roots that should slide right out) - I hope that he's right!
I found a cool website (no, not mine, although - it is pretty cool). http://www.swaptree.com is a fun little place that you can swap books, movies & games with others for free! It's pretty cool. I'm going through all of my stuff to see what I can swap. Check it out.
Too bad I couldn't swap my tooth!!

Last Weekend & Crazy Things!

Aaaah, as the season of summer begins I am itching to have the school year over and the vacations to start!! I haven't posted in a while so I thought I would give everyone a good ole update!

We are doing well. Ryan is working!! He got hooked up with an awesome job at the Argriculture Research Center out here and while the work isn't the most exciting thing ever (counting grasses, identifying weeds, driving out to experimental dirt plots out in the boonies) you can't beat the great government pay!! We are oober excited about it. He has work with them until August and then we'll see what happens! Ryan is still planning on applying for radio jobs this summer so keep your fingers crossed.

I'm doing well. I've been subbing a ton and I'm excited for summer. I have signed myself up to do a community theatre production of The Music Man! Call me crazy....I know that I am. In six weeks I will be showing Harney County what real community theater is! It's fun, good and no one will be reading their lines off of their hand (honest to goodness truth about the last play that was done here!!).

We had Ryan's parents visit us last weekend and that was fun. We went yard saleing, got bit by dozens of mosquitoes, watched movies, ate at Glory Days and one evening went up to Deliment Lake to do some dutch oven cooking & fish. I'm so mad that I forgot my camera - there were some beautiful shots that evening! The sunset was beautiful - never forgetting my camera again. We then enjoyed some Simpson's Clue (It was Mr. Smithers in Mr. Burn's office with the slingshot) & Catch Phrase ("Middle Evil", "Evil Times", "Dark Times", Dark Evil Times"....Medevil Times!). We enjoyed having them here and hope they come back again!
Hope everyone is doing well!!

Memorial Day Weekend

Our friends, Candace & Darwin Johnson and their boys Denver, Porter & Parker, recently purchased a camper trailer that can sleep 9! They wanted to go try it out and we were invited to try it out with them. The adventure started when the truck (that was pulling the trailer) ran out of gas and Candace & I had to drive out 10 mins away to try to find cell phone service to call someone and ask them how to switch tanks (the gray switch under the dashboard). We found a spot at Sage Hen Springs that had alot of trees, no mosquitoes (score!) and no bathrooms (the campers bathroom isn't ready yet and Ryan & Darwin learned about girls and well....how they need a bathroom). We ate like kings! Yeah for marinated steak!! And I won't tell you how many toasted marshmellows I ate, but .....you can't go camping without toasted marshmellows!! The beautiful thing about campers is the fact that you can go inside a room, sit on the couch and play cards at a table (I'm not knocking tents! they're great, but this was awesome). All I'll say is that I'm not good at Phase 10 and probably never will be!! The next day we went fishing at Yellow Jacket ("Porter has one of those" said Denver) Lake. Ryan tried to get a big one, but....it just didn't work out. But the fish really loved the bait and ate plenty of it! After a whole day of sun, sitting, watching Denver fish using a stick with "playdough" (that's what he thought the power bait was), eating handi snacks & Little Debbies Oatmeal cookies it was time to pack it up and take it home....where all the mosquitoes are!
We had fun and are excited to go with the Johnsons again!

The Perfect Brownie

A dear friend of mine is continually in search of the "Perfect Brownie". Well to Greg and to all of you who are in that same search.... I think that I have found it.

Cookie Dough Brownies (oh yes! They do exist!)

1 Box Brownie Mix, plus ingredients for the brownies
1/2 C. Butter, softened
1/2 C. Brown Sugar, packed
1/4 C. Sugar
2 TBS Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 C. Flour
1-3/4 C. Chocolate Chips, divided (I also use whatever chocolate candy I have on hand. I used chopped up Reeses eggs in the recipe pictured)
1 TBS Shortening

1) Prepare and bake brownies according to package directions in a greased 13x9 pan. Cool completely.

2) Cream butter and sugars in a mixing bowl. Add milk and vanilla mix well. Beat in flour. Stir in 3/4 C. Chocolate chips. Spread over cooled brownies and refridgerate until firm.

3) Melt remaining 1 C. Chocolate chips and shortening, stirring until smooth. Spread over filling. (The brownies that are pictured are not iced)
Store in an airtight container in the refridgerator.

Enjoy!!! Sometimes dreams really can come true!

Weekend in Utah

Powered by GoodWidgets.com

My friend, Heidi, went down to Utah for her sisters graduation and they brought me down with them! It was a quick three days - and I'm sorry to all of you that I didn't get to see - but it was really fun! Tiffany & Katrina are growing up really fast. It's fun to see their little personalities coming out. We had grass fights in the back yard, painted our toes & went to the park. Katrina LOVES the swings!! Caiden is really getting big - and blond!! and hates to lay down (he thinks you are changing his diaper!). Me & my mom went to the Draper temple - beautiful place!! And on Saturday Merisa & I went up to Logan to spend the day with Nan (we didn't have a break in the conversation for three straight hours) and had some lunch with Rachel (my sis-in-law) before she heads out to Germany!! Amidst family dinners, watching "Friends", seeing Kelley before she headed off to see Wicked! and enjoying Tiffany walking on the ceiling it was a great weekend - with the exception of missing Ryan (who had work) I'm so co-dependant on that boy & hated to be away from him (Tiffany was pretty dissapointed as well)!! That and I really wanted to to go to East High and get some pics, but it never worked out & I can't be upset with that because....I'm 26 years old!! Maybe the next time I'm down. Hope all had a good weekend!

"I Am The Cure"

Powered by GoodWidgets.com


My friend Heidi & I participated in our town's Susan G. Komen walk for the cure this last Saturday. I love to participate in these walks. Both of my Grandmothers battled with breast cancer so walking for a cure means alot to me. It was the perfect day to walk; the weather was beautiful and there was a great turn out. I think the best part of the walk was the last half where all the motivational signs were put up. As you can see just being in the race made me the winner! Heidi & I plan on doing it again next year and this time making first place. We had alot of fun!!
(Click on the pics to make them larger)

Easter Bliss

Powered by GoodWidgets.com

Eating! Oh baby did we eat good!! Eggplant, artichokes & spicy meat-a balls....not to mention some fabulous Sicilian pizza in between -we were never hungry.Big thanks to Ryan & Dad for cooking and a shout out to our little helper Tiffany! When we would start to pull out the pots and pans Tiffany would come in and say "Help?" - how can you say no to that!?!
fAmily time! My family came up to spend the Easter weekend with us! It was wonderful, glorious and truely a miracle....I couldn't believe my eyes. My Mom, Dad, Jeanette, Tiffany & Katrina were all here and we had great fun.We were running around with the girls, making cards at Scrapbook Heaven, watching movies "...your shoes....are very....comfortable. Bye" (Ghost Town - MUST see!), blowing bubbles, eating, napping, reading, playing Druthers "If Dad were a vegtable what vegtable would he be? A. Potato B. Carrot C. Rutabega D. Celery". *answer down at the bottom. It was sooooo much fun!!
Sleeping. What is a vacation without a little R&R? My favorite little napping pal was Katrina. Such a cuddler!! (As long as she doesn't see her mommy she'll stick with you).
Tiffany and Katrina faces!! It is sooo much fun to see more of their two - very different - personalities come out as they are getting older. Tiffany puts on quite a show when she is up for it. I would say "Smile Tiffy" and she would give this squinty eyed grin to me - adorable! Katrina has THE FACE it is the "Oh face". She only did it every so often and it was my quest to capture it on film. After many proddings (My Dad took a picture of all three of us giving the "Oh Face" to Katrina trying to make her mimic it) and a load of blurry pictures I got it!! She sucks her lips in and pulls her face down as far as it can go - SOOO funny.
Egg hunting & Easter baskets. We took Tiffany and Katrina to our town's annual Egg Hunt. It was so much fun watching Tiffy get those eggs. Katrina is also quite the egg hunter......did she have any accomplices? The Easter bunny was not a great hit. Tiffany didn't even want to be by it and Katrina just looked at him like "Why do you have all that fur?". Easter baskets were fun! Hello to my honk'n huge Reeses egg (Thank you Jeanette!)While up in Portland I went to a Good Will and I found the perfect Easter basket for Ryan. The pail is green with football field yard markings all around it and the handle is a goal post with a football in it - perfect!! Ryan liked it.
Reading. The first day at the house Katrina tried to unload our bookshelves....kinda got peeved too when we wouldn't let her unload all the big books that she wanted to. Tiffany fell in love with "There's a Monster at the End of This Book" - you know the one with Grover? She thought it was the best thing ever! My favorite part was when she wanted to read the book. She would open her eyes wide, hold her hand out (in a "Stop Stop" motion) and say "Uhhhhh Ahhh" for every page - sooooo sweet!!
Hope that all of you had a great Easter too! *Answer: Potato.

What Are the Steiny's Doing?

Well....we started an internet business......Not that kind of internet business! but a website that offers baby products. We have been working on it for the last six months and are thrilled that it is FINALLY up and running.

After a summer long job search we finally decided it was time to take matters into our own hands and start our own business. We started looking into an internet business because it can move/go where ever we do. Ryan started researching and he found a place called PMI that teaches people how to start an internet businesses. We love it. Who knew that it takes sooo long to get a website up and running, but now we have a business that we love and have complete control over.

I worked on the business end of things: contacting drop shippers, researching products, shipping rates & working up re-selling agreements. Ryan built the website - hours and hours of work, but I have to say it's awesome (I'm sooo not biased!). We wanted to sell something that pretty much everyone needs every day and now matter what the economy is like - diapers will be a nessessity! Out here, in rural areas, we saw a need that moms have to get diapers quicker and easier (For example: Bend, the closest city from here, is two hours away). So, we decided on baby products: baby bath tubs, baby carriers, potty training tools, nursing blankets and diapers & wipes.

Be sure to check it out

http://littlenappies.com

And feel free to let anyone you think might be interested know about it!

It's really surreal to see something that you have created on the internet where anyone can see it - just as surreal as seeing how white you actually are (San Diego plans are still under way - major beach time is needed!). We hope it does well.

I just want to emphasize that you aren't obligated to buy from us. We are a small company and can't even begin to try to beat out Wal Mart on their prices. I just wanted to give you all a heads up on what we are up to!

One Wicked Week!

Well, it didn't start out completely "wicked". I started out the week (Tuesday March 17th - Happy St. Patties everyone) with getting ready for the Relief Society birthday party. We had a garden party theme complete with everyone wearing a garden party hat & enjoying a short play "Emma Smith's Garden Party" that gave a brief history of each general president of the Relief Society starting with Emma to the present. It went "Wickedly" well. We had 60 ladies show up & everyone had a great time. As for my hat - nothing is better than an upsidedown potted plant holder that has a twig theme!

Thursday me and my two friends Courtney & Dana went to Portland to see "Wicked"!!!! It was absolutely - fabulous and amazing - and even though I have already seen it once before it didn't loose it's fabulosity!! If you have the opportunity to go (heads up my SLC friends!) it is TOTALLY & COMPLETELY worth the big 'ole ticket price. The drive up was full of fun, giggles & talking (for the whole five hours it takes to get there from Burns, OR), we stayed at a hotel that was walking distance from the theatre. It was great walking around and feeling the vibe of such a busy city ("I just felt like a little baby chick out of the hen house"). We saw the play that night and in the morning we enjoyed some breakfast "at Tiffany's" (or at least right by it). Now, while Dana & Courtney enjoyed their Starbucks coffee I was introduced to their Steamers - ooooh! Who knew that warm milk with a hint of vanilla could be so good!! (for my Cedar City-ites is that what a Hot Cow was at the Pastry Pub?) and they go great with their pumpkin scones!! Yum! I had so much fun walking around - and you got to love a super Good Will! I missed my Ry-guy though, but I'm sure he was happy to stay home and not have to sit through, yet another, musical.

There's no rest for the wicked! When I got home Ryan & I got ready for my cousin Lyle, his wife Jamie & their kids Dasha, Cohen & Gemma. They stopped by and stayed the night before they headed out to see the Redwoods! We had a lot of fun and gratefully nobody peed on anybody (a little inside joke!)

With all the things I had going on this week it was totally -Wicked! (in the 80's sense of the word!)*click on the images and it will slide into a big one.

Happy Birthday Babe!

Babe, my brother, David. Not to be confused by my Baby, Ryan. My little brother David is now 19 years old - crazy!! Time goes by fast! I've had some people ask how David got the nick name Babe and on this, his Birthday, I will entertain you all with the tale:

When David was born the movie "Babe" (you know the one about the talking pig "Baaa Raaaam Yoooou") had come out and we were watching it alot around the house. Now, David was the cutest baby in the whole world (at least I thought...too bad I don't have a picture to prove it) and for some reason the name Babe just worked for me and from then on David was known as Babe. And that's it.......yeah, next year I'll think of a more entertaining story of how he got this nick name.

He's grown quite a bit since then and is now always mistaken for either Jared or a lamp post depending on his hair color at the time. I always have fun with Babe and enjoy the fact that even though he is soooooo old now he still lets me call him that. I hope that you have a great birthday, you mean alot to me and I love being with you always (except for the time that you picked me up for a big bear hug, and being as tall as you are, smacked my head at the top of the door way).

I love you!!!!

Tag I'm It!

My sister-in-law, Shelley, tagged me. I have posted the sixth picture in the sixth folder in My Pictures and this is it. I call it "Man Under the Heat". For Halloween last year Ryan and I did a shout-out to "The Office" by wearing second heads a-la Michael Scott. To make these masks we did the classic paper mache crafting project. So with strips of newspaper and a mixture of flour and water I framed the face of my husband, Ryan, and to help it dry a bit quicker we used the blowdryer. The heads turned out quite well (see our Halloween post). I, however, did not do the paper mache on the face with the blowdryer method. I was just getting over a cough and I knew that I couldn't hold it in that long and as delicate as paper mache is I didn't want it to crack. So, I built my face on a balloon.

I'm running after Paco - tag your it!

Doughnuts!

Oh those beautiful, delectable, pieces of fried, sugared, dough! Heidi & I (minus our third culinary-musketeer Candace) had never made doughnuts before, but took on the challenge. They turned out rather well and .....rather tasty! Sadly, there were some victims of our green-baking thumb. My slotted spoon melted (it's amazing how hot oil can get) and my candy thermometer. While fishing out the last doughnut hole I wondered why there was red liquid swirling in the oil and then it hit me....the candy thermometer! Popped, cracked...died. But the doughnuts in the end were well worth it! Yummy!

Valentines Day

Ha! Ha! So, I'm a little late on getting this post up, but better late than never right? Ryan & I decided (when we first got married) that we would trade who was in charge of Valentines plans everyother year. This year was mine! My friends Candace & Heidi & myself planned a lavish five course meal with rounds of The Newly Weds Game played inbetween each course. It was sooo much fun!
Appetizer: Fried Tortelini with alfredo
Question: What meal would your husband make for you?
Ryan: green chicken enchiladas
Michelle: Sloppy joes
Soup: Tomato Basil Bisque with cheese twists
Question: What is your favorite meal that you would want your wife to make you?
Ryan: green chicken enchiladas
Michelle: Sloppy joes
Salad: Mandrin spinich salad with citrus dressing
Question: If you were at home alone (husbands) what would you have for dinner?
Ryan: green chicken enchiladas
Michelle: sloppy joes
Entree: bacon wrapped Steak, twice baked potatoes & asparagus
Question: How did your husband show you that he loved you?
Ryan: I said "I love you"
Michelle: He said "I love you"
Dessert: strawberry topped Chocolate soufflee's & Vanilla Panna Cotta with strawberries & mangos (yeah! I know & it was just as good as it sounds!)
Question: What day does your wife's birthday land on this year?
Ryan: "Tuesday I think?"
Michelle: Tuesday!
There were alot of other questions with alot of other answers (alot right & some totally WRONG!)We tied for first with Hiedi & Jared.
We exchanged some homemade V-day gifts!! I made Ryan this really cool picture cube (thanks for finding that Heidi) that had pictures of us with scrapbook-y layouts on each side & Ryan made me a book full of segments that he had written in his journal about me & us. Starting from when we started dating to our first wedding anniversary. Sooooo romantic & so sweet! We had a great one & we hope that all of you did too!!

If You Give You Will Recieve....

So, whenever there is a blood drive Ryan always donates; the Red Cross loves him! Well a few days ago we got a phone call from the American Red Cross to let Ryan know that his name was chosen for the American Red Cross Dream Vacation get-a-way. We get 6days/5nights in the San Diego Marriott on the Marina and a South West gift card. We couldn't believe it! We won....well Ryan won, which means I also win by extention so ... We won!! We are tre-mundo excited and are planning on using our trip for October when we celebrate our 5th year of blissful marriage! So next time you're asked to give something - give it - you may get something back in return!!

The Wedding Cake

So my friend Candace was asked to make a wedding cake for her brother-in-law's reception & Heidi & I helped out. It was so much fun to learn how a wedding cake is made! So here are a few key elements that I learned on how a wedding cake is made:

• Cake Release: a concoction that is made with butter and flour. It costs $3.95 a bottle, has about a billion calories per tablespoon and when you turn that cake pan over - it really does release!
• The Cake: To make a wedding cake it takes 3 to 4 days. The cake is made on the first day, cooled & cut. Sits over night and is then moistened with any flavor of basting you choose (Candance I think did an orange-honey one? BTW: Basting isn't the technical term, but you get the idea of what you do with it). You put in the filling (Raspberry mousse for this one), you stick dowels in and stack it. Frost with buttercream and await the fondant.
• Fondant: It's the stuff that looks like frosting that is really, really smooth. Classic fondant is made with powdered sugar and crisco, but Candace made this one with powdered sugar and marshmellow!!! Soooo yummy. You knead in any colors you want & roll it out thin - Candace told me that I have an excellent talent at fondant rolling! Then place it on the cake and mold it around to fit.
• Tools: Being the thrifty mormon women that we are the fondant smoother was the bottom of a measuring cup, instead of a pastry cutter we used a pizza cutter and sissors & instead of a pastry brush to brush off the powdered sugar we used a cleaned makeup brush.
• Powdered Sugar: You need ooober amounts of it! It is everywhere! What you think is flour in the pictures is actually powdered sugar it was everywhere & we smelled like Jessica Simpson for the week!
• Decorating: That is on the final day! It was soooo much fun. Rolling out the chocolate fondant and Heidi cut out the picket fence posts & Candace arranged the flowers!

It was so much fun & I would loooove to do it again! Ace of Cakes here we come!

A New Year!

We were able to ring in the new year with my family (Caldiero) and our friends the Johnsons this year. It was fun! Good food and games galore. Our vacation with our families, both of them, were awesome!! We really had alot of fun in Utah and got to see alot of friends as well (not everyone sadly!!) We miss having our nieces and nephews being around, all of the food and all of the many activities: movies, games, Beatles Monopoly, late nights, Cafe Rio, ice cream at Leatherby's, family pictures, food, Rock Band, food, and more food, sleeping in, snow, icing cookies, holding a niece, playing with a nephew.... so many good times and memories by the end of it we were just pooped (and we weren't the only ones)! Thankfully Candace brought down my camera so I was able to take a few shots of my nieces and nephews. Between the Merry Christmas post and this New Years you will be able to see how all of them have grown! Bryson - 8 years, Abbey- 5 years, Parker - 2 years, Tiffany - 1 year (and a few months), Caiden - 11 months & Katrina - 6 months. We are truly blessed! We look forward to the new year with hope and optimism. We hope that all of you have a great 2009!
P.S. Sorry that the pictures are so dark in the widget. I'm still learning about our camera and such. Click on the thumbnails on the side to enlarge the picture & and click the down arrow to see more thumbnails. Enjoy!