South Lake Tahoe-- A Review

On Thursday evening, hubby and I dropped the kids off at some wonderful friends' and headed to Lake Tahoe for a couple of days. We only get away from our kids once or twice a year, so this was a big deal for us. We have been trying to squeeze in a getaway for months and were determined to escape before number 5 joins our brood in 23 days. This departure was not without its last minute drama and crises, but that is a story for another day. The point is, we did make a departure.

Being cheapskates when it comes to lodging, we had gone all over the internet looking for a great deal. I wanted a nice hotel room because the plan for this trip was to basically veg out and do whatever we felt like; if the plan is to sightsee non-stop, the room doesn't matter much, but if the plan is to sleep in, read, maybe catch a movie in our room, then I care more. Jared finally bid on a 3 1/2 star place on Priceline-- he bid $60 a night and proudly announced a few minutes later that he'd won! The place turned out to be this one, which was a great spot for us. They do nickel and dime you a bit when you get there--parking is $12 a night and internet is $6.95 for 24 hours-- but at least the parking is valet and convenient. The bathroom was large and luxurious and I spread out my toiletries all over the granite countertop with delight. The room also had a small kitchenette with a fridge, microwave, coffeepot with Starbucks coffee (if you're into that--we picked up some hot chocolate at the store), two-burner stove, sink, and cupboards stocked with dishes, silverware, and pans. We were impressed with a large TV with DVD/VCR player and a window that actually opened to let in the fresh (albeit unseasonably cold) lake air.

The said resort is actually a timeshare hotel and we were staying in the studio room. Although there was no obligation, the staff at check-in were very persuasive and my husband agreed that we would listen to their presentation while we were there. I quickly told him we weren't going but I eventually succumbed, lured by the promise of a $75 gift card, a voucher to come back, and the fact that we didn't have many plans anyway. We went on the last day and I'll say this: if I was going to buy a timeshare, I'd really consider theirs. The features and amenities were great, they offered wonderful flexibility, I was happy with where we had stayed, and the price was reasonable. What baffled them was that we were unwilling to pop at any price because we don't put vacations on credit. Yes, we plan vacations with our family and as a couple every year, but how nice that vacation is depends on how much money we have IN HAND and are willing to spend, even if the price is great on something that we can't really afford. I guess we are strange folks, but as we are expecting a fifth child, homeschooling, and eat sugar but not HFCS, you already knew that about us.

If you know me well, you know that any trip, party, or holiday is mostly about the food. Of course this was also about being with Jared, but I can be with him and have great food, so why not? I had done a little research before I went, but apparently not quite enough research, as we discovered when we finally went looking for our brunch restaurant Friday morning about 11:00. The place I had picked out was clear at the northern end of the lake, completely opposite us. Even though we had no plans, things could have gotten ugly between us quickly if we'd gone another hour without any nourishment, so we started looking at local spots. Did I mention that I hate just picking out a place based on what it looks like from the street? It's such a risk.

We ended up at Heidi's, a little chalet-style building about 1/2 a mile from our hotel. The concierge had suggested it and a friend of mine with the same name had mentioned that she'd been there before. She hadn't given a rave review as we'd had a quick conversation about it, but at least it had come up. Here's what Heidi's has going for it: Swiss/German pancake house ambience, generous portions, and a menu that looks very tempting when it's nearly noon and you haven't eaten yet. Here were some of their drawbacks: their booths were so narrow that this pregnant mommy had to ask if they had any tables and chairs (they have one such seating arrangement). I will say that at 8 1/2 months I don't carry very large--I just look 5-6 months pregnant from conception on, and then look 4-5 months pregnant for two years post partum:). For what you get, I felt the prices were a bit high (around $10-$13 per plate), and the food had no flavor. Jared had the Country Breakfast, I had the Strawberry French Toast, and we shared their cottage fries. Perhaps I am spoiled, as my husband can and does make a far superior breakfast for us most weekends. We went away disappointed, poorer by $30, but full. Sadly, we agreed that we would have had better food at the IHOP across the street, which didn't convince us to go there next time. We decided to pick up some breakfast stuff for Saturday at Safeway rather than waste our time and money on mediocrity.

We explored the area for a while, especially checking out the vacation home that we've rented for a family reunion in September. It looks like it's going to be perfect for our large family group, and its location on the Tahoe Keys means that we'll be close to a private beach, tennis courts, parks, a swimming pool, and the marina. As the weather was cold and drizzly, we didn't walk on any of the lake paths, but did enjoy the beautiful Tahoe scenery for a while before returning to our room to watch a movie and take a nap. Ah, the sheer laziness of it was blissful.

We had asked the concierge to make reservations for us at Riva Grill for dinner. The website looked promising and a friend had recommended them. But while I tried to nap off a headache Jared read about 53 reviews on the place that mostly complained about how mediocre the food was for the price or raved about their cocktails. He was skeptical, which made me grumpy at first, as I really wanted some good food that night and irrationally blamed him for ruining my chances of Riva being any good! I browsed around on the internet and found nothing but amazing reviews for this place: Evan's American Gourmet Cafe. We decided to call and see if we could get a reservation, since we wanted to eat on the early side anyway, and they got us a table. Everything was absolutely perfect. The restaurant is in a little home nestled in pine trees. There are perhaps 15 tables in the place. Every dish was divine, full of flavor, a gastronomical treat. Although we spent more than our hotel room had cost (remember, we did get a great deal) on dinner, we agreed that it was worth every penny.

We ordered the Hoisin and Orange Glazed Prawns as an appetizer, shared a Butter Lettuce with fruits, nuts, and cheese salad, and munched on their warm, fresh sourdough. Jared actually ordered the Alaskan Halibut entree (a shocker if you know him well) with a lobster potato cake and grapefruit wedges, once the waiter assured him that the halibut had been flown in fresh that morning. I had the Panko-encrusted Chicken with Marscapone Risotto, buttery green beans done to perfection, and an edamame panzanella salad. Every bite was heavenly.

We were full at this point, (I in fact, had half of my dinner left), but we had looked at the dessert menu online and I was determined that we would try some of them. I told Jared it was worth the pain later. The only problem was deciding. For such a small restaurant, their selection was outstanding and at least half of the items on the dessert menu were beyond tempting. We finally settled on a blackberry creme brulee tart and their candy bar torte, which consisted of dark chocolate, cashews, caramel, and coconut baked in a tart shell and served with vanilla ice cream. We moaned through the entire course (probably the entire meal) and agreed that we would happily make the 2 hour drive back just for dinner anytime.

We went and saw Star Trek that night, as Jared really wanted to see it and we weren't paying a sitter, which is always a bonus. As someone who's not a fan of the franchise, I can still say that it was an enjoyable movie, although somewhat violent (not for young kids). Plus, the theater was mostly empty, which meant no teenagers eating and texting loudly behind us. Nice.

The next morning we slept in again and enjoyed croissants with Nutella, fresh strawberries, and Brown Cow yogurt in our room, which was perfect. We went to the said timeshare presentation, which took an hour longer than they had promised (no surprise). We drove around a bit more, looking for a good spot for a family reuion photo and wishing that it wasn't raining. We drove over to Emerald Bay and checked out a bit of the forest over there, passing the Rennaissance Faire which appeared to be going strong inspite of the weather. (I'm all about the Rennaissance but I will admit that I don't understand grown-ups putting on costumes and walking around a fair like that.)

On the way out of town we had lunch at the Sno-Flake drive in, which claims that they've been voted best shakes for 4 years in a row. The burgers were okay, the curly fries good, the sweet potato fries needed more seasoning. The shakes? Jared had the Butterfinger, which I thought was quite good. My Boysenberry had very little flavor and I doubt there were any actual berries involved. Would I go back? Probably for a shake and fries if I was getting a chocolatey flavor. I definitely wouldn't order the Boysenberry and I'd skip the burger. The shakes were nearly $5 a peice, which is fine for vacation without the kids, but could get pricey if you were feeding the whole crew.

All in all, it was a good trip, with the highlights being alone time together and a great dinner at Evan's. Now that we've been up there, we are looking forward even more to our family reunion there later this year, although it won't involve much sleeping in or gourmet restaurant dining. We look forward to having better weather so that we can enjoy kayaking, boating, hiking and biking on our next visit--but for someone only weeks away from delivering a baby, this trip was just my speed.

Wordless Wednesday-- Disneyland 3/3/09

Climbing Out of My Hole

I'm so sorry. You must be so tired of the purse post! This is definitely the longest I've ever gone between postings. Thank you to those of you who inquired after my well being when you noticed my absence in the blogging world. I have a dozen things that I could post about right now, so I think I'll give you the Reader's Digest version of my life in the past two weeks.

Things that have been keeping me too busy to blog:

• I sent my boys and DH off on the Fathers and Sons' campout two weeks back and took advantage of the peace and quiet by painting my master bedroom. I'm sure there will be requests for pictures, but I want to wait until I have some drapes made and a few other touches done to the room before I show it off.
• Planning two funeral luncheons. It is my responsibility in our congregation to help coordinate compassionate service for families and individuals in need. Unfortunately, the past two weeks have seen two funerals in our little flock and I have needed to organize luncheons for the families. Thank goodness there are so many people who are willing to help.
• Preparing for a four day camping trip in Santa Cruz by going to 47 stores, making 17 lists of things to remember, laundering everything in the house, packing bags for five people, planning meals and making sure that we have absolutely everything we need to make them . . . . I spent four days running around to prepare for the trip and was exhausted by the time we left!
• Camping in Santa Cruz, which was so much fun! We went with some good friends who have gone every Memorial Day for over 20 years. We borrowed an enormous tent (14x14x8), which took up 1/3 of the entire campsite--oops. The campground was woodsy and nice and full of families; apparently many many LDS families have had a similar tradition, so there were kids everywhere and mine wasn't the only baby trying to fall asleep in a strange place, which was nice! An added bonus is that our "neighbors" weren't getting smashed around the campfire. (By the way, lest you be too jealous, the weather was quite chilly and we spent most of the time in many layers. Henry told his kindergarten teacher today that he had fun, but his hands were cold the entire time!
• Visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium, one of our favorite places. We went there for a three day trip last summer and our kids still talk about it all the time. They told us this time that they like it as much as Disneyland! The jelly fish exhibit is still my favorite. They still like the sharks best. Go figure.
• Cave painting with my kids. We are loving our history curriculum right now. I am two weeks behind on my weekly report on my homeschool blog as well.
• Tending our garden, which is growing like crazy. Like weeds. Does anyone know why my tomato plants are huge with lots of blossoms (not in this picture) but hardly any fruit? The zucchini and yellow squash will be ready to start harvesting in a day or two, since I like to pick them before they get too big and tough.
• Trying to make my family and their needs a priority over my little blogging hobby. Striving to find balance. Failing:). Don't worry, I'm not being too hard on myself. What is life if not a constant struggle to find the right balance?

I'll try to post again soon. But the next few days look to be pretty crazy, so don't hold your breath!

Outta Town

We're at my mom's for the weekend, helping with some projects, visiting with her, and attending a continuing education course (okay, the last one is just Jared.) Anyhow, I won't spend time posting, but in the meantime, here are a few blogs and such that I've discovered recently for you to explore:

This blog by a homeschooling mom is one that I am so excited about. I can tell that she has a similar philosophy to homeschooling to mine and seems to be implementing the way I would like to be (notice that I'm not there yet.) Besides having some great pictures and thoughts, she posts once a week with a report on everything they've been doing for homeschool. Even if you are a parent whose kids are in public school, you still might enjoy some of the things she is doing with her kids as enrichment activities. Here's Sonja at The Wonder Years.

Also, my friend Christine just started a blog on cupcakes. If you are a fan of the single serving bliss-on-a-plate desserts, or if you are looking for an idea for an upcoming kid's party, look no further. Check out The Coolest Cupcakes. And tell her who sent you:)!

Since you already know what a cake lover I am, wander on over to the Charm City Cakes site and browse their amazing creations. Cakes start at $500 each, so you may just be window shopping, but it's still fun. You may already have seen many of their masterpieces on one of my favorite Food Network shows, Ace of Cakes.

Last but not least, last week I read A Thousand Splendid Suns (see the link for my full review on goodreads.com). A tremendously moving book that spoke to my heart about the plight of the women in Afghanistan. I have not stopped thinking about how I can help them. This non-profit aims to do just that. Check it out and think about ways that you can help women who were born into heart wrenching situations. The organization is the Women of Hope Project. And if you haven't read the book, I recommend it. It is not light reading, but I found it to be uplifting in spite of the heart breaking stories found therein.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Three Women, One Man, and a Baby

No, it's not a new show about an alternative family. It just describes my recent trip. I had the privilege of visiting some former BYU roommates, McArthur and Neves, in Washington, D.C. this past weekend. I took Bronwen with me on her first cross-country adventure, and we left the male folk at home to fend for themselves. Here are a few highlights of our trip:

• A short but great visit with Rebecca, my cousin, and her two little boys. I took about 15 pictures of her two year old, Brandon, and not a single one was any good. Bummer. So you won't get to see anything from that.
• Bronwen and I alone with McArthur's car, trying to get from Alexandria, where Rebecca lives, to Reagan National Airport, where I was supposed to pick up McArthur, and Dylan (Neves' hubby). Apparently, one of the security measures in the D.C. area is that you are never really sure where you are at any given moment, nor will you reach your intended destination on the first attempt, even if you are a local! (And I thought, being raised in LA, "I'm a city girl! How hard can it be?")
• A drive out to the northwestern part of Virginia. If it had not been raining and grey, this would have been absolutely breathtaking. It was rather lovely anyway, but I didn't get any photos of this either, much to my chagrin!
• A shopping to trip to "Gabe's", a discount store akin to TJMaxx, but on a much larger scale. I've been hearing about Gabe's and drooling over the deals acquired for 16 years now. Now I know what I've been missing.
  
• Dinner at a fabulous little tavern in Upperville, VA.
• A visit to D.C.'s Eastern Market on Saturday morning to check out the international flea market, farmer's and fresh food market, and to enjoy a maple pecan french toast breakfast. Yum. There were many booths to explore with jewelry from all over the world, photography, textiles, and architectural remnants. We would have lingered longer if it hadn't been frigid (the weather report had predicted sunny and 50 degrees. Not once did we see those kind of temperatures.)
• A free concert at the Kennedy Center on the Millenium Stage. In spite of it being a standing room only crowd, it was worth it to see the Kenyan children's choir and acrobats who performed there. Bronwen made some friends while crawling around the floor under Kennedy's head. This brother and sister duo were so adorable and so into her--they cried when their parents finally said it was time to go.
• Another great dinner, this time at an Indian restaurant on Capital Hill, near McArthur's home. Since everyone else at our table had been to India multiple times, they knew the best food to order and delighted me with everything I tasted.
  
• Here's a shot of our charming hostess, McArthur. She always was the photogenic one.
• I prepped Bronwen ahead of time that she needed to be on her best behavior, as these friends have not yet made the jump into parenthood, and I did not want to be responsible for scaring them away any further. At the end of the weekend, they pronounced her a "false advertising baby," skeptical that all babies could possibly be as easy as she. Nice work, Bronwen! Our plan worked perfectly!
• The most miraculous part of the trip was that we didn't have any delayed flights, missed flights, six hour stints on the tarmac without moving, lost baggage, or screaming on airplanes. Our flights were pretty uneventful, which is a huge improvement over the last time I paid these friends a visit with baby Henry back in 2002. That was a nightmare (not the part where we actually got to be together, shopping for Neves' wedding gown--just all the traveling parts.)
• I left wanting more. Not only more of my friends, whom I see too little of these days, but of D. C. I spent the flight home dreaming up ways that we could move our family there for six months and explore all the city has to offer, then wander up and down that coast. Washington D.C. is a homeschooler's paradise, with all of the free educational places available to visit. Maybe we'll be able to swing it someday, somehow!

Anyway, I'm home now, and busy with laundry, Tiger Academy, laundry, preparing for Thanksgiving next week, and more laundry. Hopefully I'll be able to post again soon.

It's Raining, It's Pouring

So, Jared & I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary at the beginning of the month (as you already know if you read my blog.) We were determined to do something to celebrate it that involved leaving our kiddos with someone else, but as it approached we could think of lots of other things that we needed to spend our money on more than a getaway to somewhere fabulous. We have always been full tithe payers, but have lately been really asking the Lord to "open the windows of heaven and pour [us] out a blessing." (Malachi 3:10)
So, regarding this wedding anniversary, it seems that tithing blessings kicked in to make it nicer that the money we had to spend on it. First, I received a gift card in the mail (as a thank you for helping with Laura's wedding) to the Cheesecake Factory, a chain restaurant we enjoy, which we used on the night of our actual, mid-week, anniversary. We were out $18 for a babysitter, but not bad for an evening out sans children.
Then, we remembered that we had already paid several months ago for a night at the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero in San Francisco. We'd stayed there once before and I loved the location and the bedding--those people know their linens! So we decided to go for one night and stay there, then spend all day Saturday in SF before going home. Not an entire weekend getaway, but still a nice break from the routine. Plus, we spent three days of our honeymoon in SF so it seemed appropriate. Total cost (now) on the room for us: 13 cents for some random tax.
Then, Jared's patient who owns a limo service and trades with us from time to time asked Jared if he'd like to use the limo again. So, at no cost to us (except the trade) we got a ride into town and to dinner on Friday night, then picked up again on Saturday evening to go home. That meant no gas, no tolls, and no ridiculous SF parking (our hotel alone charged over $30 per night for parking.) Even the tip was part of the trade. Cha-ching. (Special bonus: no bickering over directions as we navigate a lesser-known city--priceless.)
We hit up Jared's parents to watch the boys while we were gone and paid them later in chocolate. Not a bad deal (for us, that is.) The boys can't wait for us to leave again, since Grammy and Papa took them to the circus and they had a marvelous time.
We went to dinner Friday night at a favorite Italian place, Lupa Trattoria in Noe Valley. We love their food and they always treat you like old friends, even if it's your first visit. The owner and chef actually greeted us at the door! (The photo to the left is of our appetizer--bosc pears wrapped in marscapone, then in prosciutto. Very good.)While we were eating some other patrons nearby kept ogling Bronwen (yes, we did take the baby--it was asking too much to leave her with the grandparents when she's still positively awful on a bottle.) They came up at one point and told us how much they missed their children's baby days--all teenagers now, of course. Later (after they'd had a bit too much wine,) one of them came back over and asked to touch her hair and showed us pictures of his children, etc. etc. Much to our surprise, when it was time to pay, the server announced that our bill had been taken care of by the other table! Chalk another one up for tithing!
The next day we wandered through the Ferry Building Marketplace, which is a foodie's paradise. On Saturday mornings there is a local farmer's market there, and inside the Ferry Building there are all sorts of specialty shops for artisan cheeses, wines, chocolates, breads, oils, pastries, and flowers. We sampled a few different things there and then made our way down the Embarcadero towards Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf (yes, totally touristy, but it was all within walking distance and it's fun to do once in a while.)
Among other things on the Pier we stopped to talk to the market researchers there and Jared qualified to do a one hour fast food taste test for a $100 pay out. At first, we thought we would both get to do it, but having the little tyke along was a problem, so I found a quiet spot to feed her while Jared did the taste test. I felt bad for him having to fill up on fast food when we were eating our way through town, but he was willing to take one for the team. (In the end they didn't need him, but paid him anyway, so he only spent 20 minutes and didn't have to sample any gross fish sandwiches, McRibs, or new-fangled fast food salads.)
All in all, we had a lovely time. We did a lot of walking, ate some of our favorite San Francisco food, enjoyed the out of doors and a Saturday that wasn't full of laundry, grocery shopping, and vacuuming. We ate in nice restaurants, picked up a few things shopping (including a "genuine" Coach wallet for $10, a gorgeous hand-silk-screened shirt sold on the street, lots of overpriced chocolate, and some used books from Helper's Bazaar, (where I got to meet the locally famous fashionista and philanthropist Joy Bianchi. She said, "You're a book person? I like book people. Come next door and let me show you some really special things." Next door, I got to see the upscale version of her shop, with vintage couture dresses, hats, and jewelry. When I googled it later, I found that was even cooler than I knew at the time.) And we did all of this for very little cash out of pocket.
Let's hear it for tithing!

Remembering The Cabin--Recovery Attempt #54

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+Skunk%2C%22+%22Nose+Job%2C%22+%22Where+Have+All+The+Flowers+Gone%3F%2C%22+%22Old+Stuball%2C%22+%22Grandma%27s+Featherbed%2C%22+%22Hobo%27s+Lullaby%2C%22+and+many+others%2C+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fsleepymum.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F07%2Ffamily-road-trip.html%22%3Eof+course%3C%2Fa%3E+including+most+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.weirdal.com%2F%22%3EWeird+Al%3C%2Fa%3E+songs+ever+written.%3Ca+onblur%3D%22try+%7Bparent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully%28%29%3B%7D+catch%28e%29+%7B%7D%22+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp1.blogger.com%2F_GSlQB5SD3W4%2FRsNzdR2Pm1I%2FAAAAAAAABYE%2FiTwcfgcVBSg%2Fs1600-h%2Fslides2521.jpg%22%3E%3Cimg+style%3D%22margin%3A+0px+auto+10px%3B+display%3A+block%3B+text-align%3A+center%3B+cursor%3A+pointer%3B%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp1.blogger.com%2F_GSlQB5SD3W4%2FRsNzdR2Pm1I%2FAAAAAAAABYE%2FiTwcfgcVBSg%2Fs320%2Fslides2521.jpg%22+alt%3D%22%22+id%3D%22BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099046149957851986%22+border%3D%220%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3E%0D%0AThe+Cabin+gave+us+a+chance+to+see+the+stars%2C+a+rarity+in+our+smog+and+light+polluted+LA+skies%2C+to+come+across+wildlife+like+moose+and+deer+%28and+mice%3A%29%2C+and+to+bond+in+the+absence+of+television%2C+phones%2C+and+other+such+nuisances.+We+picked+wild+huckleberries+for+pancakes+%28I+never+liked+them%2C+but+that+didn%27t+stop+me+from+picking+them%21%29+This+picture+is+of+Alli+with+our+nephew%2C+Cooper.%3Ca+onblur%3D%22try+%7Bparent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully%28%29%3B%7D+catch%28e%29+%7B%7D%22+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp0.blogger.com%2F_GSlQB5SD3W4%2FRsN20B2Pm5I%2FAAAAAAAABYk%2FTJJseclcCKU%2Fs1600-h%2Fcabin%2Bhuckleberries.jpg%22%3E%3Cimg+style%3D%22margin%3A+0px+auto+10px%3B+display%3A+block%3B+text-align%3A+center%3B+cursor%3A+pointer%3B%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp0.blogger.com%2F_GSlQB5SD3W4%2FRsN20B2Pm5I%2FAAAAAAAABYk%2FTJJseclcCKU%2Fs320%2Fcabin%2Bhuckleberries.jpg%22+alt%3D%22%22+id%3D%22BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099049839334759314%22+border%3D%220%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3E%0D%0AI+took+some+of+my+first+steps+at+The+Cabin+in+the+summer+of+1974%2C%3Ca+onblur%3D%22try+%7Bparent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully%28%29%3B%7D+catch%28e%29+%7B%7D%22+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp3.blogger.com%2F_GSlQB5SD3W4%2FRsN2Dx2Pm3I%2FAAAAAAAABYU%2FNgvrYzTt2IE%2Fs1600-h%2Fslides2791.jpg%22%3E%3Cimg+style%3D%22margin%3A+0px+auto+10px%3B+display%3A+block%3B+text-align%3A+center%3B+cursor%3A+pointer%3B%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp3.blogger.com%2F_GSlQB5SD3W4%2FRsN2Dx2Pm3I%2FAAAAAAAABYU%2FNgvrYzTt2IE%2Fs320%2Fslides2791.jpg%22+alt%3D%22%22+id%3D%22BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099049010406071154%22+border%3D%220%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3E+and+my+first+three+children+had+the+blessing+of+crawling+around+on+the+blue+shag+carpet+and+playing+under+the+deck+and+in+the+forest+there.+%28Why+can%27t+I+find+any+digital+pictures+of+that%3F%3F%29%0D%0AJust+today+in+the+van%2C+I+overheard+Kimball+telling+a+friend+about+his+great-grandma%27s+cabin%2C%3Ca+onblur%3D%22try+%7Bparent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully%28%29%3B%7D+catch%28e%29+%7B%7D%22+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp2.blogger.com%2F_GSlQB5SD3W4%2FRsN4_h2Pm8I%2FAAAAAAAABY8%2FULJ4V0WVNH0%2Fs1600-h%2FCabin%2Bpic.jpg%22%3E%3Cimg+style%3D%22margin%3A+0pt+0pt+10px+10px%3B+float%3A+right%3B+cursor%3A+pointer%3B%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp2.blogger.com%2F_GSlQB5SD3W4%2FRsN4_h2Pm8I%2FAAAAAAAABY8%2FULJ4V0WVNH0%2Fs320%2FCabin%2Bpic.jpg%22+alt%3D%22%22+id%3D%22BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099052235926510530%22+border%3D%220%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3E+trying+to+describe+it+to+him.+%22It+was+all+wood+and+blue+furry+carpet+and+when+we+slept+upstairs+the+walls+were+slanty+because+they+were+really+the+roof.+And+you+could+see+the+downstairs+from+the+beds+up+there%21%22+Another+detail+he+mentioned%3A+%22At+my+great-grandma%27s%2C+you+drink+from+green+glass+mugs+and+sometimes+there%27s+hot+chocolate+in+them%21%22%0D%0AI+believe+that+because+of+our+time+at+The+Cabin%2C+I+was+much+closer+to+my+Grandma+than+I+would+have+been+otherwise.+It+just+provided+us+with+great+quality+time+to+spend+together+and+share+stories%2C+jokes%2C+and+games.+We+laughed+so+much+within+those+walls.+When+I+picture+Grandma%2C+it+is+at+The+Cabin+with+a+twinkle+in+her+eyes.+This+picture+isn%27t+taken+at+the+Cabin+%28it%27s+in+Monterey%29%2C+but+for+some+reason+it+is+one+of+the+only+shots+I+could+find+of+her+in+my+digital+files.+Siblings--if+you+have+any+pictures+of+Grandma+at+the+Cabin%2C+please+send+them+to+me%21%3Ca+onblur%3D%22try+%7Bparent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully%28%29%3B%7D+catch%28e%29+%7B%7D%22+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp1.blogger.com%2F_GSlQB5SD3W4%2FRsN4WR2Pm7I%2FAAAAAAAABY0%2Fhil-OvY3s9U%2Fs1600-h%2Fslides2741.jpg%22%3E%3Cimg+style%3D%22margin%3A+0px+auto+10px%3B+display%3A+block%3B+text-align%3A+center%3B+cursor%3A+pointer%3B%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp1.blogger.com%2F_GSlQB5SD3W4%2FRsN4WR2Pm7I%2FAAAAAAAABY0%2Fhil-OvY3s9U%2Fs320%2Fslides2741.jpg%22+alt%3D%22%22+id%3D%22BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099051527256906674%22+border%3D%220%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3E%0D%0AWe+always+had+lots+of+good+food+at+The+Cabin%2C+but+somehow+managed+to+not+spend+all+of+our+time+cooking.One+recipe+that+will+always+remind+me+of+Grandma+and+The+Cabin+is+Boiled+Raisin+Cake%2C+which+she+would+always+have+ready+and+waiting+for+us+when+we+swung+into+Idaho+Falls+to+pick+her+up+and+head+for+The+Cabin.+After+about+age+93%2C+when+she+wasn%27t+doing+much+of+her+own+baking+anymore%2C+Alli+and+I+continued+to+make+the+BR+Cake+so+that+she+wouldn%27t+fret+about+us+not+having+it--and+so+that+we+could+continue+the+tradition.+The+name+isn%27t+ 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ally+made+it+with+whole+wheat+instead+of+rice.+We+laughed+and+laughed+together+about+that+for+the+rest+of+the+week%21%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Cdiv+style%3D%22text-align%3A+center%3B%22%3E%3Cspan+style%3D%22font-style%3A+italic%3B%22%3E%3Cspan+style%3D%22font-weight%3A+bold%3B%22%3ERice+Pudding%0D%0A%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3Cdiv+style%3D%22text-align%3A+left%3B%22%3E%3Cul%3E%3Cli%3E1+c.+white+rice%3C%2Fli%3E%3Cli%3E2+c.+water%3C%2Fli%3E%3Cli%3E2+quarts+milk+%28any+will+do%2C+but+whole+makes+the+creamiest+for+obvious+reasons%29%3C%2Fli%3E%3Cli%3E1%2F2+c.+butter%3C%2Fli%3E%3Cli%3E2+t.+vanilla%3C%2Fli%3E%3Cli%3E4+eggs%2C+beaten+until+frothy%3C%2Fli%3E%3Cli%3E1+c.+sugar%0D%0A%3C%2Fli%3E%3C%2Ful%3EAs+usual%2C+this+will+only+be+as+good+as+the+ingredients+you+use.+If+you+substitute+margarine+or+imitation+vanilla%2C+it+won%27t+be+nearly+as+good+as+if+you+use+the+real+thing.%0D%0ABring+rice+and+water+to+a+boil+and+allow+to+boil+for+7+minutes.+Add+milk+and+butter+and+simmer+for+1+hour.+Watch+it--if+you+aren%27t+careful+it+will+boil+over+and+make+a+mess+of+your+stove%21+After+1+hour%2C+add+the+vanilla+and+the+sugar.+Temper+the+egg+by+adding+a+little+bit+of+the+pudding+mixture+to+the+egg+and+beating+it+in+before+adding+the+egg+back+to+the+entire+pudding.%0D%0AServe+with+a+dash+of+nutmeg.+My+mouth+is+watering%21%0D%0A%0D%0AThe+family+sold+The+Cabin+last+year+after+Grandma+passed+away.+It+was+sad+to+have+such+a+treasure+leave+the+family%2C+but+we+also+knew+that+it+would+not+be+the+same+place+it+had+been+for+all+those+growing+up+years%2C+when+we+had+it+packed+with+kids%2C+guitars%2C+and+a+good+fire+in+the+fireplace.+It+was+a+long+way+for+us+Californians+to+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fsleepymum.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F07%2Ffamily-road-trip.html%22%3Etravel+every+year%3C%2Fa%3E%2C+but+it+was+well+worth+the+journey+to+spend+time+with+our+Grandma+in+a+place+that+we+all+loved%2C+a+place+free+of+distractions%2C+where+life+was+simple+and+pleasant+and+lazy+and+there+was+always+time+for+one+more+hand+of+cards%21%0D%0A%3C%2Fdiv%3E%3C%2Fdiv%3E%3C%2Fdiv%3E%3C%2Fdiv%3E

Monterey Peninsula Trip Wrap-Up

Day 3 dawned chilly and overcast. Not quite beach weather, and the beach had been on our itinerary that morning. We moved at a leisurely pace getting ready and finally left the hotel room at 11:00 with a new game plan.
Stop 1: Carmel Mission
Those of you who went to elementary school in California know all about the missions. This one was built in the late 1700s near the coast of Carmel. It is an architectural treat and even though our kids couldn't really conceive of something being 230 years old, it was a much older building than they had ever seen before. (The Mission asks for a donation--suggested $5 per , $1 per child.)
There was a wedding going on--I love being a wedding (we waited outside to ogle after the ceremony was over. Don't think that I plowed into the chapel with my noisy herd.) The flower s were darling, although one absolutely fell apart in a screaming tantrum halfway through the ceremony. Ah, children!
Once we had perused the gardens, the museum, and the chapel, (and visited the bathroom twice) we headed back to Monterey.
Stop #2: Fisherman's Wharf
This is a much like other Fisherman's Wharfs, with lots of touristy shops and cafes and restaurants serving fish and chips and clam chowder. There are also countless places offering whale watching, some even guarantee whale sightings. We decided to put off whale watching for another visit, especially since our warm clothes had all been worn by this point in the trip. I splurged calorie wise (not that I had eaten that righteously all weekend) and got a sourdough bowl of clam chowder at Old Fisherman's Grotto ($7 at the outside cafe). I highly recommend it--it was creamy, peppery, and not fishy tasting at all. I wanted to lick the bowl clean, but remembered how mortified my mother would be.The boys and Jared, not being seafood lovers, opted for bean burritos and a taco salad. Not quite traditional for Fisherman's Wharf, but it was just what they wanted, so who could complain? We also picked up some toffee cashews and almonds and some caramel corn here. YUM.
Stop #3 Dennis the Menace Park--again. It was definitely more crowded on Saturday and I was accosted by some ducks who thought I should share my caramel corn--other than that, it was just as fun as Friday. Nothing new to report.
Stop #4 Monterey Bay Aquarium--again. Why not, since we had purchased a membership? We revisited a few of our favorite exhibits in the early evening, when the crowds were starting to die down.
By the time we left the Aquarium, we decided to ditch our plans for another dinner in a restaurant. Jared dropped the kids and me back at our hotel and went over to Allegro Pizzaria and brought back yummy pizza. Meanwhile, I bathed everyone and got them ready for bed.
Sunday morning, we packed up, checked out, and attended an 12:00 Sacrament Meeting in Watsonville before heading home. We are already planning our next visit to the area. We loved it!

Monterey Peninsula, Day 2

So we woke up Friday morning and traipsed up to the breakfast room to see what qualified as continental breakfast (it turned out to be English muffins, cheap danish, Cheerios, Raisin Bran, Fuji apples, and orange juice. Adequate but not impressive.) I already missed the TiVo because it meant that we had to tolerate the cartoons that were on when we needed TV that morning, rather than letting the kids watch something we had taped on purpose because it didn't get on our nerves. So spoiled.
Once we were all ready, we set off for stop number 1: a Safeway where we could pick up some items for lunch, rather than buy lunch at the Aquarium. We didn't find a Safeway en route to Monterey, so we ended up at a corner market where I spent too much on a loaf of bread,a jar of peanut butter, dried apricots, and a bottle of honey. So much for saving money! Still, when I saw the long lines for $6 hot dogs at the aquarium's one and only food source, I was glad I didn't have to wait.
OK, we finally made it to the big destination for the day: The Monterey Bay Aquarium. This was something that our kids had been looking forward to for a long time. They have wonderful exhibits, mainly on marine life that is local to the area, but they also have a penguin exhibit and an otter exhibit which includes both sea otters (which are abundant on the rocky shore around the Monterey Peninsula) and river otters. They had a GORGEOUS Jellyfish exhibit which I really enjoyed from an aesthetic standpoint. They are so graceful and colorful and the exhibit was beautifully done. The boys loved petting the bat rays, seeing the sharks in the Outer Bay tank, and the exhibits designed for young children with hands on play (Otters, Splash Zone, and a Fins exhibit). If you have a large family, consider becoming a member of the Aquarium like we did. For $120, two s and their children can come back to the Aquarium for the next year for free, plus you get discounts at the Aquarium and other places around town like whale watching. A portion of that is tax deductible as a donation.
We left the Aquarium around 3:30, planning on returning the next day, and ready for a change of pace. After browsing through a few shops on Cannery Row, we left our parking space ($12 for the day or 75 cents per half hour) and went over to check out the Dennis the Menace Park. It's a free public park designed by Ketcham, the creator of the comic strip. It has lots of fun things to play on including this train engine (that's Jared, Ian, and Henry up on the very top--I got up there myself and it's kinda scary.)The boys loooooved the climbing wall. Henry was like a little spider; it took Kimball longer to get comfortable with it, but he was scaling the wall with ease by the time we left. Bronwen was just happy to get out of the stroller and roll around. When we finally tore them away from the park, everyone was hungry, so we headed over to Rosine's, which had been recommended by a friend. I had their Heavenly Squaw turkey sandwich and it was not only heavenly but enough for two days! Their desserts are amazing and we had a hard time choosing which one we were going to take back to the hotel. Stop on by if you're in Monterey.
Our kids did amazingly well that day, considering how much we did and how stimulating it all was. (Kimball did have a mini meltdown during dinner because he could smell Henry's chicken and it was all too much for him--I'm so grateful that I don't have the sensory issues that he deals with. He was able to finish his dinner in the quiet safety of the hotel room with no chicken around!) Any how, we all slept hard that night and woke up ready to go the next day.
Tune in next time for Day 3!