On The Road Again

We’re in El Paso, Texas!  We made it!

We loaded our two cars to the max, said our goodbyes and headed out. It’s about a 12-hour drive from SoCal to El Paso, TX. Thankfully we had a one-night pit stop in the Phoenix area to visit my “big sis” and her family. This was the first road trip I’ve had to drive myself and I decided rather quickly that I’m not a fan. You can’t nap when you’re driving! And besides snacking nonstop, napping is my second favorite part of road trips. Plus, I was in the car with the kids and there are only so many times a person can listen to Veggie Tales CDs and stay sane. 

Our last In-N-Out stop...G's shirt says it all.

 

We realized that between all of us we had to stop every 1.5 hours to use the bathroom and/or refuel. We stopped a lot...here’s a photo of us picnicking outside of Burger King. The kids were hungry and this was the last stop before we left the Tucson area. There wasn’t any outside seating so we sat on the curb in the parking lot, ate our food, and let the doggie stretch his legs. It was really classy. 

Why are we squinting? The 105-degree sun is in our eyes, that's why.

Between Tucson and El Paso there isn’t much to see. We really are in the middle of nowhere. Just a lot, lot of desert. I never thought I’d be so happy to see El Paso. In fact, I was so happy to see any type of urban activity. Cacti are lonely things. 

From the road

We’ve been here for a few days now and have made some large strides toward getting settled in. House and school situation is settled. Learned our lesson on which hotels to stay at and which ones to avoid. Found a park. We’re learning the streets. And, overall, our initial impressions are favorable. Having grown up in Southern California, this feels more like “home” to us than Georgia. There is no real suburb, the city stretches on forever with a mix of industry and residential and the airport and main post is in the middle of it all. The city seems to be in a valley surrounded by mountains and hills. The valley is shared between El Paso and Juarez, Mexico, and at various parts of the city, you can see stretches of both cities. It’s beautiful sparkly lights at night.

The view from our hotel room...that's the 10 FWY folks...

The weather is not unbearable. In fact, this dry heat is so much more tolerable than the humidity in the South. The sunsets are gorgeous and we've seen some awe-inspiring afternoon lightening storms too. It's bizarre to watch storms that are miles and miles away from you, the sun shining on your face while you watch the rain pour on someone else.

There is so much more to say but the kids and dog are bouncing off the hotel room walls. Can’t wait to be in our house…with a yard…although, having someone else make our beds is a nice perk to hotel living. Oh, and one side note about extended hotel living, packing my French press and favorite canister of coffee seemed crazy at the time but might be the best idea that I’ve ever had. It’s made hotel living so much more pleasant and homey.

More to come soon…Hasta Luego!

Finding Nature In SoCal

I think this is the first time I’ve felt like a tourist in my hometown. It’s definitely our first fun-filled, action-packed vacation to SoCal.  We’ve done a lot of the touristy things – Disneyland, Downtown Disney, Knott’s Berry Farm, the beach, etc. – and we’ve been eating and drinking like we’re on vacation. It’s like a vacation with all your friends and family – in short, it’s totally awesome! And we’re having a great time! We’ve been visiting with people almost morning, noon and night for the past couple of weeks and we still don't/won’t have time to see everyone we love and care about…talk about being overwhelmed (in a good way!!) with all the blessings (our friends and family) in our life! 

There is so much I could tell you about - and I might at a later date (probably when I’m gone and missing California terribly) - but I want to focus on our recent trip to Big Bear Lake. In my opinion, Big Bear Lake is the best escape-to-nature in SoCal. It's a year-round destination (skiing in the winter, boating in the summer), found in the local mountain range, and surrounded by the National San Bernardino National Forest. 

You could call this trip “our vacation from our vacation.” It was the most relaxing few days that I’ve had in a really long time. 

Picturesque landscape…

wind in your hair…

lots of yummy treats…

and good company…

What more could you ask for?!

We were lucky enough to be there with friends that have a cabin and a boat (yay!). No worries if you don’t have a boat, there are lots of rental options (kayaks, jet-skis, etc.) and a small beach with a water slide. The beach looks perfect for families with younger kids.  Click here for more info.

If you need a place to stay, try the Northwood Inn Resort.  My hubby has stayed there many times for work.  Click here for more info.

We ate at Village Pizza (40568 Villge Dr). It has decent pizza, is family-friendly and relatively inexpensive. If you’re feeling adventurous, try the Taco Pizza. It was a fun change from ordinary pepperoni pizza.

We also found a cute little bakery, Sugar Pine Bake Shop. It has limited operating hours so check the website or call before you go. I recommend the Hoosier Pie – a cross between Crème Brulee and Bread Pudding – and the chocolate chip cookies – which have an unexpected but delicious burst of cinnamon and nutmeg flavor. I wouldn’t turn down a cupcake either.

As for nightlife, near "the Village," there is a fun, hole-in-the-wall, dive-bar with karaoke nights – I can’t remember the name (did it even have a name?!) – where the locals seem to hang out. If you go, I highly recommend you sing only country songs. Trust me on this...I learned the hard way. 

One last note, if you happen to get car sick, research “the back way” up the mountain. The front way (Hwy 330) has many sharp twist and turns. 

American as Apple Pie

Happy 4th of July weekend!  

I found this recipe on Pocket Cocktails and thought it'd be a perfect drink for this holiday weekend.  Enjoy, but please, drink responsibly!

Apple Pie Martini

Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ oz vodka

• ¾ oz Goldschlager

• 1 ½ oz apple juice

• 1 ½ oz red cranberry juice


Recipe:

1) Fill a shaker halfway with ice cubes.

2) Add the vodka, Goldschlager, apple juice and cranberry juice to the shaker.

3) Shake the mixture vigorously for 5 to 10 seconds.

4) Strain the drink into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an apple slice.

 

Super Easy Banana Bread

I'm in consumerism heaven right now.  Here, in Southern California, I have easy and quick access to all my favorite stores and restaurants - Trader Joe's, In-N-Out, Cost Plus World Market, etc., to name a few. There is no shortage of shopping options, that's for certain. 

I was most happy to go to Trader Joe's.  I love that store.  Here's one of my favorite, easiest recipes, made possible by the friendly and genius people at Trader Joe's. 

Super Easy Banana Bread

1 package of Trader Joe's Banana Bread Mix
1 ripe banana, mashed
3/4 cup of chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate baking chips)

Follow the directions on the package. Mix the ingredients called for on the package, along with the mashed banana and chocolate chips. Bake, as directed. You might need to add about 5 minutes to the baking time. 

As Sienna would say, "easy peasy lemon squeezey."  And delicious!

California or Bust

The kids and I made it to California, hooray!

Somehow I managed two overweight suitcases, two car seats, two kids, two carry-ons, a shuttle bus to the airport, the chaos going through security, and the flight, and once again, while racing a huge storm that was rolling into Atlanta and bringing with it the talk of possible of cancelled flights. Needless to say, I was so relieved and excited when our plane’s wheels touched down in Ontario, California. Thank you and Amen. 

I had to take the shuttle to the airport because Bill was busy with the movers, but he did have time to snap this photo of us when he dropped us off at the shuttle bus.  

 

The caption should say: I am super traveling Mom, here me roar. Honestly, at this point, I think I can take on almost any travel situation with the kids. I’ve come a long way. Of course, it helps that the kids are older now and they are super-duper travelers. Seriously, I was so impressed at how much they helped me, listened, and boogied their way through the security line – all without tantrums or tears. Also, I was impressed with my “airport angels” – the random people who see a lady traveling alone with kids and actually lend a hand to help. (Some people see me and start praying that I’m not on their flight)

The only time I had a minor panic attack was when I realized we were in the International Terminal (I immediately recognized the food court area because it was where I ate my last McDonald’s meal before we left for Italy. It’s not noted because of the meal, it’s noted in my mind forever because during the meal the weight of moving to Italy finally sank in and I started to think, “what the heck have I gotten myself into?” I’ll probably never forget that food court and the knot I felt in my tummy while eating my chicken nuggets, and it was odd to be back there again in a different context and transition.)  Anyway…we arrive at the International Terminal and I begin to wonder if I pulled the ultimate blonde move and booked tickets to Ontario, CANADA instead of Ontario, CALIFORNIA.  I made my way to the counter and desperately said, “Please tell me this flight is going to California!” Thankfully, it was…

So, we’re in California, safe and sound, and couldn’t be happier to be here. We’ve missed it so much. It’s so good to see family and friends. And, in a way, I'm getting reacquainted with California – traffic, what?! – and I did feel like a bit of a country bumpkin driving on the big ol’ fancy eight-lane highway. I guess I have noticed a change in me. For one thing, I miss the trees! Although, no hope of seeing trees again soon since we’re headed to the desert land. And I could do without the yuppie, pretentious people at Panera Bread, thank you.The wait staff at Cracker Barrel are much nicer and friendlier.

Meanwhile….

Bill is making his trek to California driving with our pup Nico. Isn’t he a cute travel companion?  And, from what I hear, he's quite the super-duper traveler, too.

And when Bill gets tired, they switch….

Happy Father's Day and More

I’m taking a quick break from packing and cleaning to wish my husband a Happy Father’s Day. It’s a little late but this weekend has been the beginning of moving chaos. He is the hardest working man I know, in fact, while other Dads are taking the day off today, my hubby has been working hard at cleaning and packing and getting ready for the movers (they arrive tomorrow!). He even scrubbed the oven for me late last night...that’s dedication! The kids and I are really blessed to have such a strong, hard-working, moral, leader of our family. Speaking of leading, I took this photo as we were rushing into Bill’s graduation ceremony last week.  

When I look at it, I think of the military slogan,“Lead the Way.” And there is no one more capable, in my eyes, at leading us as a family. 

In other news, we’re wrapping up our final goodbyes. We said goodbye to most of our local friends; many of them are moving, too. And today we attended our church here, Christ Community Church (CCC), for the last time. We have been so blessed by CCC. The worship – especially the variety of the worship – has always inspired us and the instruction has been sound and given us ol’ Christians new fundamental truths to live by. Yet, I’m thrilled at the thought that next Sunday we’ll be at our “home” church, Vantage Point Church, in California.  (It’s funny that I now put “home” in quotation marks. It’s almost an abstract idea to me now.) I will admit, it’s been so encouraging to see God at work in other parts of the world. I guess I had this funny idea in my head that God was only at work in Eastvale, California. Silly me.   

I’m so excited for our visit to California.  It’s the second thing keeping me standing as we tear down our life, which is never an easy process for me, and start over again.

To my California friends, see you soon!!  Can’t wait!

 

The Lighter and Cooler Side

During the summer I try to cook without using my oven. I stick to the stovetop, crockpot or BBQ.  This summer, I’m also trying to make more salad “meals.” I have a ton of salad recipes but when it comes to actually making the salad, I usually just throw whatever veggies - and sometimes fruit - that I have around the house. But, I’m trying to make more of an effort to actually use my salad recipes. Plus, I love making homemade dressing. Even though I can be somewhat obnoxious about it, I’m a salad dressing snob.  No soybean oil here, please.

We tried this salad recipe last week.

Shrimp and Avocado Salad with Crispy Tortillas

Serves 4

Ingredients

    6 corn tortillas, sliced into strips

    5 tablespoons olive oil

    kosher salt and black pepper

    1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp

    1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

    2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

    2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

    2 romaine hearts, thinly sliced (about 5 cups)

    1/4 small cabbage, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)

    1 avocado, sliced

    1/4 cup roasted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the tortilla strips with 1 tablespoon of the oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Spread in a single layer and bake, tossing once, until golden and crisp, 7 to 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the shrimp with the cumin and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the shrimp until golden and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

3. In a large bowl, combine the orange and lime juices with the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the romaine, cabbage, avocado, and shrimp and toss to combine. Serve the salad topped with the tortilla strips and pepitas.

  

Tip

Too tired to cook? Use crushed tortilla chips instead of baking the tortillas, and swap in pre-cooked shrimp for raw (put the cumin in the dressing instead of on the shrimp).

Notice the handy “tip” given with the recipe. Um yeah, I decided I was “too tired to cook” while I was at the grocery store a couple days before I actually made the salad.  It was a safe bet.

Seriously? I’m not making my own tortilla strips. I tried that once and almost burnt down our house. Instead, I bought Fresh Gourmet Tortilla Strips in the Santa Fe Style flavor.  But, if you want to make your own tortilla strips please go right ahead. I salute you. 

The salad is delicious, light and zesty.  The perfect meal for a warm evening. 

For dessert, I recommend Frozen Strawberry Bars (click here for the recipe).  I tried this recipe last night and was pleasantly surprised at how tasty it is. I will warn you, though, making it makes a bigger mess than you might expect because several large bowls are necessary. And please don’t be like me and have a panic attack because your egg whites aren't stiff enough. I promise you that the recipe still turns out yummy. 

Pair it with a Pinot Grigio?  Even better! 

The perfect meal to beat the heat.