Thirty sixteen

so... the alarm went off this morning as usual, and i hit the snooze button for the 11th time, as usual, and i really didnt want to get up and go to work, AS USUAL, and everything else was feeling the same "as usual", until BAM!! a tiny little lovenote stuck to my side of the bed from my cabana boy turned the whole day upsidedown. it said simply: "happy birthday babe". what the...??? awwwwwww crap! i'm another year older. damn it!! now what? 29 isnt believable anymore, and everyone is on to me by now anyway!! but wait a minute.., my sister, uhhhh- i mean, my daughter, sarah has the cutest way of refering her fast approaching big 3-0 as her twenty tenth birthday, so i decided, hey! if she can turn twenty ten in three years, why cant i be thirty-sixteen today? so thats it, i'm thirty sixteen....anyone got a problem with that? take it up with my cabana boy, he's got my back....wayyyyy back....

Sweet Ass Stir Fry

... it's week 4 of my new practically vegan lifestyle, and i have lost somewhere between 8-10 pounds!! thats respectable, right? anyway, i went to the only whole foods store we have here in salt lake city, "good earth" and while it is no "trader joes" it didnt completly suck!! i found vegan "mayonaise", "butter", "yogurt", "sour cream", "cream cheese", and even "cheddar cheese"!! yummy!! so anyway, i am so excited to try new things, and last night i created this awesome vegan knock off of the Rumbi Grill's Jamaican Jerk rice bowl. i wrote the recipe as i created it, so here it is...

2 T soy margerine

1/2 tsp. sea salt

4 cloves garlic, minced

8 oz. (1/2 pkg) firm or extra firm tofu, cubed 1/2" cubes

2 T pickled sushi ginger, minced

1/3 c. pine nuts

in wok or large frypan, melt margerin (yes! it melts!!) on medium to high heat, add everything else, and saute, stirring often, until garlic and pine nuts are lightly toasted. Meanwhile, prepare the following:

1 c. each: matchstick cut carrots, broccoli stalks, zuccini, and yellow squash.

1/2 c. each: red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, red onion, and celery, cut into 1 " pieces

1 c. broccoli florets

1 8oz. can sliced water chestnuts

1 T margerine

Carribean Jerk Sauce (look for an organic version at your whole food store)

add 1 T margerine to the saute, then add carrots, broccoli stalks and florets, and celery. Stir fry 2-3 minutes on medium to high heat. Add remaining vegetables and stir fry just to heat, about 2 minutes. Serve over brown or wild rice. Drizzle 2-3 T of Jerk Sauce over the top, and HOOVER!! Soooo good!! Oh, serves 6.

by the way, LOOK what i did!!

yes, me...its all my fault!! every square inch of their cuteness, and intelligence, and perfection!! i am solely responsible, and if you dont believe me, ask me!! Elliot, Delaney, Fisher, Bryar and Truman...my second generation children!!

Smoke 'em if ya got 'em!!

so, its the 4th of july, and we're a pretty patriotic family. we have a traditional BBQ in the backyard with whichever of our children happens to live by us at the time. now my backyard is more of a destination, than a place to store our crap, and its one of my favorite places to be. we live in the desert, but im not afraid to plant flowers, and i have torches, and lanterns and lots of candles placed better homes and gardens style here and there. a couple of weeks ago, my cabana boy and i bought this cute little iron and glass bistro table and two chairs for the "deck". ( its really a slab of concrete, but being a "mental traveler" i'm also a "mental deck owner", got a problem with that?) well, it didnt take me long to find a cute dragonfly candle holder, and a pretty little indoor-outdoor table mat to adorn my new bistro table with!! so, we decide its time to move the chips and salsa, glasses of wine, and all the kids outside for a nice little game of bacci. it's just before dark, and all of the torches, lanterns and candles are lit. the backyard looks amazing. i'm pretty pleased with myself, and everything looks and feels perfect. did i mention that it was kinda windy? oh yeah, it was kinda windy. odd, windy on the 4th of july? whatever...so were out on the grass, its my cabana boys turn to toss, and he looks over at my new bistro table and its clear there is something wrong with the picture. the wind had blown the chip bag onto the dragonfly candle holder which immediately burst into flames, inviting the new table mat to join them in thier patriotic explosion of color and light!! what the? arent 4th of july fires supposed to involve faulty gas grills, or fireworks, or lots of intoxication mixed with fautly gas grill or fireworks? CHIPS AND SALSA AND DRAGONFLY DECORATIONS? are you kidding me? well, my cabana boy grabbed the hose, and my son grabbed the baby, the dog was barking like his life depended upon it, and as quickly as it began, it was over. so was the bacci game. oh, i salvaged the dragonfly candle holder. the bistro table is unscathed, but the chips and the mat? may they rest in peace...