Today the Sun's On Us

Happy 15th

2011-12-20T19:44:00.000-08:00

Atlantis, Palm Island Dubai. Anniversary 2008

Fifteen years ago today Brad and I finally made it official. Since then it's just gotten better. We've been on a non-stop adventure. There is nobody I would rather take this amazing ride with.

I love you more today than I did then. Many more to come.

xoxoxo

Dubai, Anniversary 2008

Our best (and only) Halloween Costumes 2008

Jordan

On the Nile

At the Great Pyramids

A Very Merry Weekend

2011-12-20T19:01:00.000-08:00

We had the traditional AWOL (adults without little ones) weekend at Little America with the Kerr Clan. It was full of laughs, laughs, laughs, fun, Utah State heartbreak, delicious food, laughs, and lots of love and Christmas cheer.

Whenever I am around my siblings, their spouses and our parents I am reminded how fortunate I am to have my best friends also be called family. It was very relaxing and fun to enjoy each others company as couples. The very best gift Bobbi and John give us every year is the gift of time spent together.

Little America lobby, post-dinner. 12/17/11

Thanks Mom and Dad!

What a Difference a Few Weeks Makes

2011-10-10T14:00:00.000-07:00

Jack's accident was 2 weeks ago Saturday. It's amazing the progress he has made. He gains confidence daily. Giving him the courage to try new things and stretch his legs and move his body. Getting out of the house for the first car ride proved to be quite dramatic with neighbors coming out to see what the commotion was and if they could help. Now a car ride is the first thing on this mind and he manages to get into and out of his seat in the car with little or no help. Today we decided to put him into a full bath and let him soak. What therapy that was for him. His leg floated and he was able to stretch and move it as he is supposed to every day to keep the muscles long and strong.

After a bath and a clean up he was my date to the SUU coaches luncheon to hear about the last football game and to see one of his heroes, Coach Ed Lamb. Coach Lamb invited Jack to come and watch practice on Tuesday or Thursday and get pictures with the players. He and Charlie will be over the moon!

Through this entire experience we have been so fortunate to have loads of people rally around us and offer help and support. In the grand scheme of things it is such a minor speed bump on the road of life. We know that. That knowledge just makes the support of others that much more valuable. It makes a difference to feel cared for and loved in a community we are relatively new to. We are all on the road to wellness and Jack plans to try school on Wednesday. Another first, another milestone.

Jack's Progress Report..2 weeks Post Accident

2011-10-10T13:48:00.000-07:00

Jack works everyday to get more experience with his crutches.

Friends provide great therapy.

Follow up X-Ray 10 days post op.

Jack's first car ride!

Working on crutches with Brad.

Going downstairs...really?...Tough for Mom to watch but he knew just what he was doing.

In the basement...Slept in his own bed last night!

Coach Johnny Brown of SUU Basketball

Coach Ed Lamb of SUU football.

A Visit from Grandma and Grandpa Cook and Braxon

2011-10-05T16:41:00.000-07:00

We finally got to see what is under all those bandages..YIKES. It looks like a good start to a Halloween costume.

Charlie, Jack and Braxon playing Legos

A quick visit from Grandma and Grandpa Cook was super fun. Especially since they brought Braxon as a surprise.

Jacob Bolton (football team mate) comes for a visit

Sam's 1st Film Festival

2011-10-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

About 3 months ago Sam asked Brad and me if he could enter a film festival he had read about on a flier at our local theater. It's a Southern Utah film festival sponsored by the group of theaters in this area.

He and a group of friends, including his siblings, came up with a script, costumes and props and pulled together an entry for the short film category.

The past 3 days have been the festival, culminating in the awards ceremony last night.
Given the busy past several days we hadn't made it to St. George for the festival up until yesterday when I took Sam and 4 of his cast to see the screening of the film and attend the awards ceremony. (Meantime, Cairo looked after Jack while Brad and Charlie were at the Cedar 3rd football game.)
With a favorite SUU student looking after Jack, Brad and the other 2 two kids made their way to St. George for the awards portion of the day...
The results...

I hope the fact that he is holding some cash in this photo is a foreshadowing of what this hobby may produce.

Cast heading into the awards ceremony

Sam and his buddies getting ready to view their film on the big screen

Dallin Brown (Cast) and Sam

The award: A nice trophy and an opportunity to take 25 people to a private screening of a movie of his choice at our local theater. Also, lots of $$$ in gift certificates to spend on anything from movies to concessions at Westates Theaters.


Sam was awarded an honorable mention for his film. He was by far the youngest of all the producers/directors. Many of whom have made multiple films and have high-tech editing and producing equipment.

Jack's recovery, 7 days post accident. We have both had a bath (or sponge bath) and are doing our daily rehab.

A Day of Beauty and Distraction

2011-09-28T08:49:00.000-07:00

The 6 healthy legs overlooking Zion from the top of Kolob

There was enough UGLY last weekend with Jack's injury during a football game on Saturday. Thankfully, Bobbi and Grandpa John Kerr were in town to watch the game and looked after the surviving members of Team Cook for the remainder of the weekend.

The idea to take a hike to enjoy one of God's gifts to this region was a great way to get the kid's minds off their concern for their brother. These photos were taken at the top of Kolob, the northwest portion of Zion National Park. What a beautiful way to look after our family. Nature and the beauty found there can definitely heal the soul. Thanks Mom and Dad!

Sam took his sketch pad and came home to paint an landscape inspired by Kolob

Charlie, checking out the Tarantula

What an added BONUS! A Tarantula.

FOOTBALL..The good, the bad and the UGLY!

2011-09-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday morning the Cedar 3rd graders played in Hurricane. During the 4th quarter Jack was carrying the ball and was tackled and through a weird fluke his femur was seriously fractured. I guess all fractures are serious and most femur fractures are really tough due to the large bone and large muscle groups around it.

An ambulance came to the field and the EMTs used scissors to cut Jack's cute #81 uniform off of his little broken body.

We were blessed to have had Bobbi and Grandpa John at the game to help with the other kids and the nerves. They brought the other kids back to Cedar while Brad and I spent the day and night and day and night with Jack recovering from surgery. They put 2 titanium rods through the lower end of this femur up into his hip, capturing the broken bone like a skewer and putting it all back together.

We have had so many people reach out to help us and send love already. It's amazing how people come from everywhere right when you need them (or even if you didn't think you did.)

As I type this, Jack is still in the hospital in St. George recovering with Brad by his side. I'm at home getting the house ready for a wheel chair and our new version of normal for the next few months.

Charlie running off the field after a play. Jack..running on 2 solid legs. Trying to hold up his pants.

Jack taking a hand off from the QB

Charlie is the defender center of photo, closest to and facing the camera...containing the offense. Jack, #81 just to the right. Charlie is a defensive monster, just like his dad was. Jack plays offense and defense.

The tackle that broke the leg.

Brad and Charlie look on and lend support as the EMTs work on Jack.

Sam and Charlie..Charlie has felt this as much as Jack has but in a very different way.

Coach Hirschi reassures Charlie that Jack will be OK and that Charlie played a great game.

Post-op. Bionic leg and Jack in recovery.

2011-09-19T21:04:00.000-07:00

Charlie #79 Defense

Jack has the ball...running for a TD

Jack, #81...his first TD coming up..

Jack scores 6

Celebration!!!

Best Wishes

2011-09-06T09:53:00.001-07:00

Sam's a TEENAGER! Happy 13 to Sam

2011-09-06T09:36:00.000-07:00

Everyone at the party wrote a birthday wish for Sam's next year on this Chinese Wish balloon.

We lit the balloon's fuel source and just like a hot air balloon it sailed off into the skies..Hopefully all those wishes will rain down on Sam.

Some of the wishes that people wrote: To win the film festival contest Sam entered last month, To get a 4.0. To get straight A's,To stay strong, stay happy, stay cool. That he will get to go on the wish trip of his lifetime...Greece to visit all the historical sites that he has studied so much about.

Sam's party was simple. He wanted pizza, chocolate cake filled with homemade chocolate pudding and to have an Airsoft war with his friends. They also ended up having a video game marathon in the basement. He's a simple guy.

Cairo is Running for Class President

2011-09-06T09:33:00.000-07:00

The elections are this week. Cairo is allowed 2 posters so she is hanging them up today. Good luck Cai!

2011-07-31T22:08:00.000-07:00

We just returned from one of the funnest trips we have had as a family. While we have traveled to many wonderful and beautiful places around the world, we all agree that Lake Powell is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places on earth. Great thing is, it's only 3 hours from home and we have incredible family that invites us to share their comfortable houseboat.
What more could we ask for...Good food, good fun, great company, perfect weather and beauty surrounding us day and night. There was loads of laughs and fun cousins and friends for the kids to play with. Late nights shooting the breeze with friends and family. My kind of vacation.

The Wondertwins Get Baptized

2011-06-08T15:36:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe these two little guys are getting so grown up. We had a great day, shared with friends and family on Saturday, June 4. Charlie and Jack were baptized. We had a house full of people who have loved them from the moment they were conceived and have grown even more crazy about them since. They are at such great ages. Different personalities and interests but still best friends.
Thanks to everyone who has helped to shape their lives this far!

Charlie and Jack's Soccer Season

2011-05-30T10:51:00.000-07:00

"EYE" Love Drugstore Makeup

2011-05-20T11:00:00.001-07:00

I'm a proud DRUGSTORE DIVA. I love playing with makeup and trying new things but I don't want those experiments to break my budget. Walgreens is the place I love to buy new makeup to play with and stay with. Every week Walgreens has a sale on a different brand of cosmetics that offers a buy one get one 50% off. What a great way to try 2 different items and get a deal. I have to say I've kept and continue to use many more of these steals and deals than what I've put away for Halloween.

The eyeshadow shown above is always a deal. $.99 for a compact holding 12 colors! Yes, you read it correctly, under $1. It is such a fun way to try new colors as liners or shadows and they have about 20 different compacts to choose from.

(Another reason to love Walgreens is every other week they offer Coke product 12 packs 4 for $15. On alternating weeks it's Pepsi so stock up on the Coke weeks!)

Sam's Achievments at the end of the School Year

2011-05-18T16:53:00.000-07:00

Cairo's 11th Birthday is Celebrated in Royal Style

2011-05-18T15:55:00.001-07:00

Cairo's Birthday fell on Easter this year. Since we were celebrating in Salt Lake and Orem with family we postponed her party until the following weekend. That weekend happened to be the wedding event of 2011. The Royal wedding of Will and Kate.
I remember staying up all night to watch the wedding of Charles and Diana hmhm...30 years ago (before the benefits of DVR and TiVo). It is still such a great memory and really takes a girl back to the days when she dreamed of the prince that would someday come along and make her a princess. Cairo invited a few friends to watch the event which I had recorded at 4am that morning. The girls spoke in English accents and made fascinator hats to wear in honor of Kate having made them so popular. When the girls finally got see Kate get out of the car they screamed and began snapping photos of the TV with their cell phone cameras. It was such a laugh. Some of the girls spent the night and awoke to English scones and juice for breakfast.

I had downloaded some official photos of the wedding and had them printed at a 1 hour photo shop and decorated the walls with them. They turned out to be the highlight of the party. Each girl wanted to take a few home. They also were sent home with an English Tea cup that had a cupcake (wedding cake) inside to enjoy later that day.
My hope is that Cairo and her friends will always remember watching this wedding with friends and celebrating, laughing, and screaming together at the beauty of the bride and the tradition of the monarchy in England. It was really memorable.

Cairo as Sally Ride in the Wax Museum

2011-05-18T14:27:00.001-07:00

Every year the 5th Grade does a Wax Museum where the students portray an individual who has impacted history. Cairo was Sally Ride. After a week of preparation we finally were able to enjoy the exhibit. The process was that when you went up to a "wax figure" you would snap or clap your hands and they would come alive and speak as that individual.

Cairo Performs...Always...But Officially in the School Play

2011-03-18T11:29:00.000-07:00

Remember those Saturday morning shows we all loved to watch..I'm Just a Bill sitting here on Capital Hill...
They were little vignettes that were shown between cartoons. Learning about the use of nouns, verbs and punctuation was part of my Saturday morning TV.
The South Elementary School did a musical this week that was called School House Rock. They covered many of those old time favorites.
Cairo was part of the cast and did a fabulous job.

FAT TUESDAY DINNER

2011-03-08T15:34:00.000-08:00

Our Fat Tuesday dinner menu...for info on how to create these fun, chalkboard place mats check out www.dollar3eighty.com

Teaching Responsibility...????

2011-03-02T11:06:00.000-08:00

Lately I've struggled with helping our children learn responsibility. Specifically, when they forget something they need at school and call me asking me to bring it to them. A dear friend of mine from Provo used to let her kids (high school age) walk to school if they missed the bus, or she would charge them $5 for a ride. I've thought of her often lately, admiring her strength as she must have given her kids a hug and sent them out the door to walk (quite a distance) to school..Rain or shine.
I considered how to teach Cairo responsibility and organization when she forgot the valentines for her classmates on February 14th and then on Friday, February 18th forgot some homework and both times called from school to request my delivery of such items.
I'm a stay at home mom. I struggle with what part of "Mom" means I deliver forgotten items to school. If I were a Mother who worked outside the home, it's likely I wouldn't be able to break away to drive home, collect the items and deliver them. As all stay at home moms know, I WORK...AT HOME...all day long.
In the case of Cairo's valentines I said, "I'll see if I have any errands down that way today and if I happen to be in that part of town I'll bring them." Seriously, we live in a town where everything is about a 5 minute drive from home. So, that sounded mean as I said it. I COULD make time to take the valentines to school but I wanted to teach her a lesson..Tough lesson, ON VALENTINE'S DAY.
I ended up taking the valentines and letting her know I happened to be in the area and it was lucky I could bring them..
When, later that week, she called again, I thought I truly must have failed on Monday because she made the same mistake right in the same week.
I gave her the same line about not knowing if I could bring them because I have a busy day and that wasn't in my schedule...
When I took the homework I also spoke to her about how, if a friend or neighbor called and was in a bind I would likely find a way to help them. But, I'm not her friend OR her neighbor. If, said neighbor did request a favor and I was able to help, certainly that person would feel gratitude and likely send a thank you in some way.
Today, Sam came into my room about 40 minutes prior to leaving for school and let me know he needed a shoe box for school today...
I don't keep such things around but Charlie recently got a new pair of shoes and was keeping some things in the box. I asked Sam to ask Charlie if he could have the box. Of course Charlie said yes because Charlie would give anyone anything, always.
About 10 minutes after Sam left for school he called and let me know he left the shoe box home..hmmmm. What to do??? I do go right past his school on my way to the gym but how will I teach him to be more conscious of his responsibilities?
I gave him the same story I gave Cairo about not knowing if my schedule would allow it and if I had errands that took me that way, I would try to find time to drop it off.
Sam is 12. I decided when I delivered the box that perhaps his lesson would have more impact if there was a slight embarrassment associated with it..Not a lot, but a little.
When I arrived at his class he came to the door to retrieve the box. As he walked away I said, "Wait, I need a really special thank you for going out of my way to help you today. How about a big kiss and a thanks in front of your class?" (I would not have done this if the teacher was in the middle of a lecture, but the class was working independently and had already been totally interrupted.) So, Sam gave me a kiss on the cheek and a big thank you to the cheers of his classmates.
We will see how that lesson works.
Any suggestions for future issues?

"Homemade" Salsa

2011-03-02T10:28:00.000-08:00

I put quotation marks around the homemade part because the tomatoes used are from a can...But, I do make it at home and at least 2 times a week. It appeals to all, even my sweet sister-in-law (who is living with us) that never has liked salsa before..
Ingredients:
1 Can Mexican Style Stewed Tomatoes
1 Anaheim pepper
1 Serrano pepper
1 Bunch fresh cilantro
1 tsp. Cumin
1 Tbl. Brown Sugar
1 Tbl. Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 clove fresh garlic
1 green onion
Recipe:
In a food processor, mix the following:
1 can Mexican style tomatoes
1" Anaheim pepper (the seeds add heat so I leave them out)
1/2" Serrano pepper (same info on seeds)
2 Tbl fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 Clove fresh garlic..(If you don't have this on hand just add a sprinkle of dried or leave it out...)
1" lower part of green onion
1 Tbl. Brown Sugar..(White will work too...I just always use brown when cooking with tomatoes)
1 Tbl. Apple Cider Vinegar
Pulse until desired consistency is achieved. I prefer it less chunky.
The results are delish!

Smoky Chicken Chili Rellenos

2011-02-27T16:34:00.000-08:00

These are simply divine! I've made them twice in the past week. The family has decided they prefer non-fat plain Greek yogurt to sour cream as a topping. Of course meals like this are always served with homemade salsa which is a breeze! Recipe tomorrow!

Smoky Chicken Chili Rellenos

Ingredients:
4-5 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 limes
Bunch of fresh cilantro
1 35 oz. bottle La Sobrozita tomatillo sauce (found in Mexican food section of grocery store)
1 sm can diced mild green chilis
Olive Oil
Cinnamon
Cumin
Liquid Smoke
1 round Queso Fresco Cheese
1 round Smoked Gouda Cheese
3 eggs
1 C. Cream or Milk

4-5 Chicken Breasts trimmed and tenderized with meat mallet

Using ¾ of the following sauce, marinade the chicken breasts in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Sauce/Marinade:
Juice of 2 limes
2 Tbl fresh cilantro coarsely snipped into pieces
3 C Tomatillo Sauce
½ small can green chilis
2 Tbl. Olive oil
¼ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. cumin
1 tsp. liquid smoke

Reserve ¼ of the sauce to mix with the following cheeses, grated.
1 round of Queso Fresco
1 round of Smoked Gouda
(Reserve about ½ C grated cheese to sprinkle on top of rellenos before baking.)

After 30 minutes in refrigerator bake chicken and marinade sauce in preheated oven at 350° for 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

While chicken is baking, open pablano peppers and remove seeds. Over gas range or on grill, roast the peppers until tender.

Put cooked chicken in zip lock bag and use a tenderizer or a rolling pin to break the chicken into small pieces. Add to remaining sauce and cheeses and mix into a thick stuffing.

Fill the grilled peppers with chicken stuffing and lay in casserole pan.
Lightly beat 3 eggs with 1 C cream and 1 C tomatillo sauce. Pour over the stuffed peppers.
Sprinkle cheese on top of each pepper and bake at 350° until cheese is golden and bubbling.

Top with salsa and non-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream.

The dish tastes great with sweet corn bread.

A Few of My Favorite Things

2011-02-26T20:51:00.001-08:00

A few people have recently asked me what make-up I use. So, I decided to do a few little segments of the blog and dedicate them to my drugstore make-up regimen.
We are all getting older...especially me! I've always had a love for beauty secrets, make-up and my own glam that is still simple enough for a busy mother. Also, I pride myself on shopping for "drugstore" items to make my regular treatments...Nothing special or expensive. (I save that money for Botox and other future upkeep)
The above pictured items are 2 of my favorite things that I swear by for the base of my daily make-up regimen.
The Neutrogena moisturizer can be found in any drugstore. I combine it with the Bioderma, tinted moisturizer which, unfortunately, I get from Abu Dhabi. I haven't tried to buy it here but I'm sure it can be found on the internet if not in stores. It can be substituted with any tinted moisturizer but I recommend using a darker shade than you would normally use because the Neutrogena will lighten the color of it.
Using just a drop of each covers my entire face (including eye-lids) for an even, all-over tone. The two of them together offer great sunscreen, alpha-hydroxy as well as coverage of any blotches or blemishes...OH NO...None of us like to admit to having those but the occasional spot does appear. There is something fundamentally wrong with a pimple in a wrinkle!
None-the-less, this is how I start my morning, or mid-day, or even 3pm make-up (whenever I get to it)..More later on the next step..It's all affordable and seems to work for me.

Max the Dog

2011-02-26T20:39:00.000-08:00

My dear friend Megan came to visit last Sunday and brought 2 of her three daughters, leaving out her hubby Andrew, son Luke and other daughter Morgan (we missed them but we will take what we can get!). It was so great to visit with her and catch up. We have one of those friendships that picks up like no time has passed and we laugh and carry on like it was just yesterday.
While she was here, the subject of Max the Dog came up. She couldn't believe we have a dog. Neither can we when we really think about it.
I decided since I failed to take any photos of the darling Clark family while they were here that I would insert a pic of Max. He also is rarely recognized on the blog and he is, after all, part of the family!

Jello Playdough

2011-02-26T20:30:00.000-08:00

Hey, I found something really great to do with Jello besides adding carrots and whipped cream and calling it a side dish. It's a MUCH better use.
Yummy smelling, soft and workable PLAYDOUGH!

1 cup white flour
1/2 cup salt
2 T. cream of tartar
...2 T. Vegetable oil
1 c. warm water
1 three oz. pkg. jello (any flavor)

Combine ingredients and cook over medium heat until it thickens and pulls away from the sides of pot and becomes dull. * Note: it burns easily so don't put over too high a heat and keep stirring. Mold and knead until cool enough to touch. Store in a closed plastic bag.
The Jello gives it the color and yummy fruit scent. Try it today...

Jack the Weatherman

2011-02-24T20:58:00.000-08:00

Jack had an assignment to do a project about weather..It was wide open. We decided to research the use of green screen in weather broadcasts and did our best to produce one. He is a weatherman I'd watch everyday, all day long..what a cute kid!

My Latest KSL Studio Segment and Recipes

2011-02-16T15:27:00.000-08:00

To view the segment cut and paste the link below to your address line.
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=204&sid=14376951

The following recipes have been approved by my most critical eaters, Team Cook.
All the recipes are winners at our dinner table.
One thing I love about quinoa is it’s versatility. It’s a grain that is packed with nutrients (think protein and fiber).
Almost anything in your refrigerator can be added to this delicious grain to create a meal. Left over asparagus, beans, corn, chicken, turkey, tomatoes, cheese and fruit, just to name a few.
Also, it’s interesting and tasty enough to serve at a luncheon. All your guests will know you are the gourmet cook that your are (or not)…. It’s simple to prepare, toss in some other tasty and nutritious foods and you have a one-dish meal ready in no time.

3 Great Recipes Using Super-Foods

Greek Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup water
• 2 grape tomatoes, cubed
• 1/2 cup shredded fresh spinach
• 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion (1 small)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Spinach leaves, chopped (reserve some leaves to place on the plate under the salad)
• 2 ripe avocados, halved, seeded, peeled, and sliced**
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• roasted chicken breast, cubed
• Optional Extras to add “Superfood” value: Black beans (rinsed thoroughly) Edemame beans
Directions
1. In a 1-1/2-quart saucepan combine quinoa and water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
2. Transfer quinoa to a medium bowl. Add tomato, spinach, and onion; stir to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, and salt. Add to quinoa mixture; toss to coat.
3. Place spinach leaves on 4 salad plates. Arrange avocado slices on spinach leaves. Spoon quinoa mixture over avocado slices. Sprinkle with some of the feta. Makes 4 main-dish servings.
4. *Note: Rinse quinoa thoroughly before cooking to remove a bitter substance called saponin that coats the seeds.

Moroccan Quinoa Salad

Ingredients
• 1 cup quinoa (see Ingredient note)
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup Moroccan-Spiced Lemon Dressing (recipe follows), divided
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 8 cups baby spinach
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted (see Tip)
• Roasted Chicken Breast served on the side or incorporated into the salad in bite-size pieces
Directions
1. Toast quinoa in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until it becomes aromatic and begins to crackle, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a fine sieve and rinse thoroughly.
2. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Add apricots and the quinoa; continue cooking, stirring often, until the quinoa has dried out and turned light golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add water and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the quinoa is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 18 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make Moroccan-Spiced Lemon Dressing. Transfer the quinoa to a medium bowl and toss with 1/3 cup of the dressing. Let cool for 10 minutes.
4. Just before serving, add tomatoes and onion to the quinoa; toss to coat. Toss spinach with the remaining 1/3 cup dressing in a large bowl. Divide the spinach among 4 plates. Mound the quinoa salad on the spinach and sprinkle with almonds.
5. Related Recipes: Moroccan-Spiced Lemon Dressing
6. Ingredient note: Quinoa is available in most natural-foods stores and the natural-foods sections of many supermarkets. Toasting this grain before simmering enhances its flavor. To toast nuts: Heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add nuts and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

Moroccan-Spiced Lemon Dressing
Ingredients
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preparation
1. Whisk lemon juice, yogurt, honey, cumin, cinnamon and ginger in a small bowl until blended. Slowly whisk in oil so that the dressing becomes smooth and emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.

Steel-Cut Oats

This twist on traditional rolled-oats was introduced to me by my sister-in-law. Usually oatmeal is something I save for breakfast on vacation. After getting acquainted with the steel-cut version I could eat it everyday. Steel-cut oats are oatmeal before it would be rolled and cut into what most of us know as oatmeal. The process of rolling oats includes water and rolling the oats to flatten them. Every step in processing any food usually cuts some nutritional value from the item. Steel cut oats retain more of the original nutrients of the grain because soaking in water and rolling are not part of the process.
In addition to retaining more nutrients than rolled oats, steel-cut oats have a delicious nutty flavor and texture. Add the same toppings, fruits, nuts and milk you would to traditional oatmeal and you have a very healthy, delicious breakfast.
Usually I cook a large pot full and keep the cooked oats in the refrigerator to eat throughout the week.
Just a minute in the microwave and breakfast is quick and easy.

Steel-Cut Oatmeal

• Rinse Oats thoroughly through fine strainer or cheese cloth
• Add 1 part oats to 2 parts water with a pinch of salt
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer for 15-20 minutes or until water is absorbed

To serve, enhance with super-foods: skim milk, blueberries and almonds
Cooked oats can be kept in refrigerator for 5-7 days.

Chinese New Year Dinner

2011-02-02T17:52:00.000-08:00

We decided to have a dinner to celebrate Chinese New Year tomorrow. We are going to have stir fry and homemade frozen yogurt with mochi (probably Japanese but it's too good not to). We will have fortune cookies with personalized fortunes inside for each person as well as some for the group.
Happy New Year 2011 the Year of the Rabbit

Kayaking in Kaua'i

2011-01-23T21:15:00.000-08:00

Cruising 4 of the Hawaiian Islands

2011-01-23T20:44:00.000-08:00

2011-01-23T20:31:00.000-08:00

Karaoke is always a tradition on cruises with this group..

2011-01-23T20:22:00.000-08:00

NaPali Coast
Don't Ask....70's night at the dance club on the boat.
Karaoke is a tradition when we cruise with this group.
We try to wipe the sand and salt off before dinner every night. Sometimes we clean up OK..
Iconic photo that everyone must have when visiting Waikiki Beach.

Christmas Eve Nativity

2010-12-25T17:08:00.000-08:00

This tradition, along with reading our favorite Christmas book about Hoshmakaka, the grumpy camel, is a favorite. We had some friends over and the added children just made it that much more fun.

Christmas in Cedar City

2010-12-25T16:59:00.000-08:00

Our Search for the Perfect Tree

2010-12-21T08:33:00.000-08:00

Going to the mountains and cutting our own Christmas Tree has been on my bucket list for several years now. Mission accomplished!
We had so much fun getting out in the snow and searching for the perfect tree. We will probably make it a tradition.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow....(Please, Let it Snow!)

2010-12-21T08:12:00.000-08:00

This was taken of Cairo a few weeks ago...When we had SNOW!
Right now Southern Utah is suffering from near record levels of precipitation but it's in the form of RAIN. It's the week of Christmas..we want snow and lot's of it! Bring on the snow dance. We will be doing the snow dance today to pass another day until Christmas.

Baby Steps...

2010-11-28T20:51:00.000-08:00

The contest to become a contributor on a local lifestyle television show was entered on a whim. I had an interest, a curiosity, but I also have an intense and very real fear of public speaking. It seems I've had a lot of opportunities lately to "Face that Fear".
I won the contest and had my first appearance last week on Monday, the 22nd of November. It was a really fun experience and it helped my nerves that Sarah was willing to come with me. This is a photo collage of that morning on the set.

Festive Holiday Drinks

2010-11-22T07:17:00.000-08:00

This sparkling treat screams "Happy Holidays...Let's Party"!
It is layered with Pom juice or Cranberry, then fresh lime juice, lots of great ice with fresh mint crushed and infused into it then topped off with 7up or Diet 7up. Then for a fun garnish some pomegranate seeds, mint sprig and peppermint stick for stirring.Grandma Watts used to always serve this warm drink for her clubs in the cold months. It's really easy to make and keep cold in the fridge just in case someone stops by to say "Hi" and you welcome them like you knew they were coming. Just warm up some milk and drop a heaping spoonful into a cute mug. Then sit down and share some laughs.

This warm, spicy tomato treat is perfect with some crackers,sliced cheese and olives. Serve it warm as an appetizer or just to warm your house guests up when they drop in for a visit.
I promise to post all the recipes later today. Have a happy one!

Reaching Great Heights

2010-11-13T19:20:00.000-08:00

The elementary school has Green Ribbon Week. When I signed up to help with this week I assumed it would be about the environment. Well, green ribbons symbolize Healthy Lifestyle Week. It was a lot of fun planning and helping with this week which incorporates another cause I am passionate about. Keeping kids moving, eating right and making safe choices when it comes to wearing protective gear while participating in sports.
To kick off the week we invited all the students and their families to come to the SUU PE building for a free/discounted morning of fun using all the equipment. Our kids loved the rock climbing wall and we all enjoyed playing racquetball.
Thanks to the help of Sarah and ZenPrint we were able to market the week in high style with promotional banners, posters and bookmarks for the students that had fun fruits and veggies encouraging healthy choices.

Winter Strikes Southern Utah

2010-11-13T19:14:00.000-08:00

We awoke one morning to a dusting of snow...and frigid temps!
Brad found the coats, gloves, and boots for the kids and they got geared up for the trip to school.
This all seems waaay to sooooon..brrrrr.

A-Corny Family

2010-11-13T18:45:00.000-08:00

I've always loved acorns! I love the way the little hats fit on the heads and look like little people falling from the tree. It reminds me of collecting chestnuts with my Mom this time of year. I don't remember what we did with those things but I do remember going to Utah State and wandering around Old Main looking for chestnuts. The ones with some of their shell still attached were always my favorites.
The other day Jack and I were out on a walk with Max Pinto..the dog. Near our house we came upon a bunch of acorns that had fallen from a tree. I couldn't help but start collecting them and trying to find the "hat" that should fit on the nut. Jack got into it quickly and before we knew it we had hands full and pockets full to take home. When we got home we used a small stick I had also picked up on our walk and started creating our family to sit on that stick. Cairo and Charlie got involved and we soon had extended family included. Sitting on a twig of a family tree. Spontaneous crafts and fun always seem to work out to be the best at building memories and creating the cutest outcome.

Butternut Squash Soup

2010-11-13T18:19:00.000-08:00

I adapted this recipe from one Lori Hansen, a friend from Provo who came to visit us in Abu Dhabi, made for a luncheon a long time ago.
It is so yummy and warming for this time of year. I encourage you to try it.

My changes included the following:
1 can of pear slices rather than a fresh pear
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 leek instead of onion..simply because that's what I had on hand.
Garnished with pomegranite seeds for a little tart crunch

Thankful Every Day

2010-11-13T17:26:00.000-08:00

Every day we each use a slip of paper to write something we are THANKFUL for. When people come to visit we try to remember to ask them to write a "THANK YOU NOTE" and slip it into our little box in the kitchen.
This box is just the magnetic pencil box that came from IKEA and goes on our magnet board. I made the turkey picture from clip art and put magnets on the back of it to decorate the box for Thanksgiving. It's a great way to encourage all of us to think of at least 1 thing every day we are thankful for.

Harvest Holiday

2010-11-01T20:06:00.000-07:00

The weekend before Halloween was a break from school for the kids. Luckily, we took the name of Harvest Holiday seriously on the first day and chose that day to harvest our pumpkins from the garden because it rained everyday after that.

Halloween Run for Cancer Fund Raiser

2010-11-01T19:44:00.000-07:00

On the morning of Halloween Eve Brad, Cairo and I went south to warmer weather for a good cause. One of Brad's colleagues has a sister suffering from cancer and there was a 5K run to raise money for her. It was so nice to drive only 40 minutes and feel 10 degrees warmer..It warmed our hearts too.

Halloween Fun

2010-11-01T18:59:00.000-07:00

World's ROCKSTAR Dad!

2010-10-26T07:36:00.000-07:00

After 5 days off school under low dark clouds and freezing rain blowing sideways, Cairo awoke this morning letting me know we needed to run to WalMart before school so she could pull together her idea of the perfect Rockstar costume!
OK. At least the sun is shining today.
After I explained to her that the Red Ribbon Week committee at her school certainly didn't plan this day to have parents and kids run out and buy rockstar costumes a week before Halloween and that she would have to do her best with all the costumes and other things we have around the house, she started giving me the silent treatment. I could see something shaping up in the way of a costume but I just watched and waited to let her work it out..Then, I could see her talking to her personal ROCKSTAR...DAD.

Brad had just returned from the gym and he was sitting at the breakfast table sending her running this way and that around the house to collect different items.
Before I knew it, he was putting make-up on her face and helping her into shimmer leggings. She was going to be a KIZZ CHICK.
Only Brad could have pulled off this parenting success. He makes it fun. Makes it perfect. Let's be honest, if I would have even had the creative music mind to suggest such a thing I wouldn't have gotten past the words "KIZZ CHICK" before she rolled her eyes that were welling up with tears!

What would any of us, especially me, do without this Rockstar of a man, Dad, professor, Dr. Hotpants...He made her into the Rockstar she didn't even know she had in her dreams! She ran off to the bus with a giant smile on her face. I'm crazy about that guy!

Jack and Charlie decided (WHEW) to be the ROCKSTARS that they are in everyday life..making good choices and being kind to everyone. Those were easy costumes for me to pull together...

Brad Coaches Charlie and Jack

2010-10-19T15:14:00.001-07:00

The boys played flag football again this year and what a difference a year makes! Brad was the coach and had a great assistant in Keith Gilbert another father. The team really seemed to catch on to the concepts of the game. Defense was great. Offense usually scored if the ball made it from the center to the QB. Both Jack and Charlie were fantastic players and I was so thrilled to watch them celebrate each other in success. Jack is super fast and was a great receiver and running back. Charlie was also great on offense but really found his place as a "Defensive Monster". Even when they had the ball, Charlie got a real thrill out of protecting the ball through great blocking. It was a great season and the team only lost twice to the same team...It's so much fun to watch the twins and Brad out there on the field together. Brad was such a patient and good coach. Often, when someone was out of place on the line he would just pick them up and move them over a few feet. There isn't much a man can do that is sexier than be a great father!

Cairo's Volcano Project

2010-10-19T14:37:00.001-07:00

The 5th graders always do a volcano project for science. Cairo did hers today. We put it together last night and today she did the presentation for her classmates. It's built around a 2 liter bottle of Coke and to make it erupt she opened the Coke bottle and added several Mentos. As the photos show, it was a huge success.

2010-10-08T12:26:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much to all who heard the call to the computer to vote for me..I won! No idea yet when I will be on the air. It was so nice of all of you to spend time and energy voting for me. I wish I could offer each of you a nice warm serving of peach cobbler as a thanks! Instead..you can just look at it in this picture...

Vote for Me...

2010-09-22T08:50:00.000-07:00

OK, it's election time but I'm giving you something a little more interesting than Sarah Palin and the Tea Party..Vote for me to be the next contributor on Studio 5. It's a morning TV show here in the Utah market and I have made the finalists but the winner is determined by internet voting...
Please click on the link below, then vote for #5
There is not limit to how often you vote so if you have a few minutes..waiting at the Dr's office, sitting in a parking lot..or just letting dinner simmer..Please get on a toss me a few votes!
There will be a unified effort at 8:30pm MDT tonight for 10 straight minutes people voting again and again to try to move the numbers in my direction by at least 2 points.
This doesn't mean you can't vote during the day today or tomorrow...just vote...Come on..It's an adventure!

http://studio5.ksl.com/?nid=23&sid=12237921

Sam Turns 12...Really.

2010-09-10T21:17:00.000-07:00

It's so hard to believe my first born is 12!
It seems just a minute ago he turned 8 on our first September in Abu Dhabi.
He shares his birthday with Grandma Cook so we always like to combine the celebration. Fortunately we had both sets of grandparents here with us as well as Sam's Aunt Joleen, Brad's sister.
Sam had a combat themed party. (Every Mother's dream.....hmmmm) All his friends brought their Airsoft guns and protective gear and went out in the green space in our backyard to fight it out. I was only hoping they would wind up with the corpse of our not-so-friendly skunk that has been visiting our yard, spraying our poor dog and being really aggressive.
No skunk, but lots of fun and everyone seemed very happy with the party. Even one of Sam's best friends, Mohammad, was given the day off from fasting for Ramadan so he could partake of the pizza and cake to help Sam celebrate.
The cakes met Sam's request of chocolate, chocolate, chocolate...Chocolate cake, filled with chocolate pudding, covered with chocolate frosting.
I added my attempt of camo frosting on top to carry out the theme.
It's such a delight to have family near by to help celebrate special days with us and our kids.

Dr. Hotpants Runs a Serious Relay

2010-09-10T19:59:00.000-07:00

Beginning at Brian Head ski resort and running through the gorgeous mountains and monuments of Southern Utah there are 200 teams running almost 200 miles in 48 hours.
Brad is on a team and ran the 1st leg of the race for his team this morning.
I took Max and went to Brian Head to see him finish his leg of the race and bring him home for some rest before he started his next assignment 7 hours later. He ate, showered and napped then ran another 6 miles this evening, watching the beautiful sunset on our western mountains. He will sleep now and be up running again at 4am. It's inspiring to see him and the other many runners along the route. Awesome!

Flag Football 2010

2010-09-10T19:52:00.001-07:00

Brad is coaching Charlie and Jack in flag football. He is so patient and caring with these young kids, many of whom haven't ever played football. The priorities are to get a center who can snap the ball and a quarterback who can receive the snap...That's just the beginning of the play. If they can get that done without a fumble they need to get a play off, either with a hand-off, pass (it would take a miracle) or the QB running around the defense. The latter brings up the subject of an offensive line...No blockers..NOT SEXY. Everyone wants to carry the ball, run for a TD. Totally understandable for 7 year olds.
They are all so adorable and occasionally the stars align and they score. It's a blast to watch and just reinforces my belief that the sexiest man is one who is being a father.

Back to School

2010-08-19T08:34:00.001-07:00

Sam is absent from the photos because he left for his first day of middle school before I thought to pull out the camera. I'll have to take his photos tomorrow and down the road we'll never remember they were on the 2nd day! The other kids each handled going back to school in their own way.
Cairo was so excited she has been practicing carrying her backpack and wearing her clothes for the past week.
Jack has asked me no less than 5 times a day if I'm going to take him to his class and if I will volunteer to work in the class. I've managed to talk him out of having me work in his class EVERY DAY to just having me come once a week. (He reminded me again this morning to sign up to help then wondered why I was leaving his classroom...He thought I would start my job today.)
Charlie marched right into class and found the desk he sat in two nights ago at back to school night. He wore his new watch and got himself up and dressed bright and early.
Sam seemed quite calm. I was more stressed about him going to middle school than he was.
They will all do great. While I'm enjoying the quiet this morning, by the time they all come through the door this afternoon I'll be excited to see them and hear all about their first day back.

Today's Fun

2010-07-19T17:23:00.000-07:00

We started our day with circuit training in the cool basement. We had 3 stations..One with 8 lb. weights to do bicep curls, one doing push ups and sit ups and the final one was free dancing to the rockin' tunes we had playing to motivate.
To follow up we had a nice, cold drink of water.
This is a great way for me to get motivated to drink water. I love this water bottle!
While in Australia at a great little beach side cafe we were served our cold water out of a bottle like this. I wanted to take it home but it wasn't for sale.
Thanks to TJMaxx I found one just like it for $2.99...Yea (I've since seen them at IKEA).
It makes me want to have an ice cold drink of water to open the fridge and see this cute bottle full of simple Cedar City tap water. It's also so cute to serve with dinner. It makes me drink more water and we all need more of that.

2010-07-07T12:40:00.000-07:00

The Children made the ornaments as one of the activities for the camp. This little tree was used for our "Cowboy Christmas in July". Since Bobbi had her surgery just a few days before Christmas last year we waited to exchange our gifts until now. The weather was wonderful. Let's have Christmas in July every year!

Breathtaking, Bryce Canyon National Park. Just one of the many treasures Mother Nature has given to us...And only 45 minutes from our home. How lucky are we?

Weekend Away in Alborada

2010-06-21T11:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks to generous relatives we had access to a very comfortable home as a weekend retreat. We held a family "Squirt Quadathon" Including, running, swimming, biking, and shooting baskets. Bobbi and Grandpa hadn't seen the kids for a really long time due to Bobbi's Chemo schedule, work, and the kids school. It was so much fun to see Mom feeling great and growing some hair back after finishing chemo and being declared a SURVIVOR.
Charlie lost a tooth (he loves to lose teeth!). The Tooth Fairy found him at Alborada.
Charlie, with an extra hole in his mouth...peeking through a hole in the rock.

Weekend Away in Alborada

2010-06-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

We had a great time away for the weekend with Bobbi and Grandpa John. We all stayed in Ivins, UT, only 45 minutes from home but it was a much needed get-a-way with Mom and Dad and the kids. We swam, rode bikes, hunted for endangered turtles and had fun playing Uno and just being together.
Cairo, Jack and Charlie went out early one morning with Bobbi and Me and they decided to rock climb. All 3 of them conquered fears and got really high up the rock wall. The fears came when they didn't know quite how they would get down. It was a great exercise physically as well as problem solving. It required them to take deep breaths, relax and pick their foot holds and hand holds carefully. They all got down safely and felt the joy of overcoming fear and achieving a goal.

Opening Ceremonies for Utah Summer Games

2010-06-21T11:04:00.000-07:00

The Opening Ceremonies were breathtaking. After a very windy day the air became calm and the ceremonies were perfect. Fireworks, a live band (that had Cairo swooning at the band-stand), and the march of all the athletes.
Prior to the ceremonies we were privileged to have dinner with a few Olympic Athletes that are from Utah. They were honored as inductees to the Hall of Fame for the Utah Summer Games.

Cairo Competes at The Utah Summer Games

2010-06-21T10:59:00.000-07:00

Cairo is finally back in the pool. We love watching Cairo swim. After moving from Abu Dhabi she couldn't get excited about swim team. She missed her friends from swim team at ACS and the beautiful pool and palm trees that graced the surroundings at practice.
After she registered for 2 events in the Summer Games we started swimming together twice a week and she had 2 weeks of practice before her events.
Given she hadn't been swimming for over a year, she competed very well. She finished in the middle of the pack on both 50M Butterfly and 50M Freestyle events.

Mom and Charlie with his Silver Medal

2010-06-21T10:57:00.000-07:00

Charlie Wins Silver - Arm Wrestling

2010-06-21T10:53:00.000-07:00

The Summer Games continue and Charlie competed so well. He took the silver medal in Arm Wrestling. He has never been in an official Arm Wrestling competition before but he knew the rules and understood how to use the special table to his advantage.
Way to go Charlie!

Sargon, Habib and Sidal Come to Cedar City

2010-06-10T16:22:00.001-07:00

We had the absolute pleasure of the company of Sargon and Habib when they came to visit us 2 weeks ago. They came for 2 reasons. 1-To bring Habib's younger brother, Sidal to start school as a student at SUU. He is the first Afghan student to attend. He has since started classes and is staying with us until he gets settled in student housing. He is a delight to have around and it is great for the kids to have interaction with yet another great person from another country and culture. Second reason and no less impressive or important was to donate $$ to open the Sargon Heinrich Global Engagement Center on the campus of SUU. It will serve international students in many ways and also help domestic students in finding opportunities for exchange and interaction with international peers. Sargon ROCKS! It wouldn't hurt at this time to direct your attention to Skateistan (http://skateistanthemovie.com/), a skateboard park that ACC International, Sargon and Habib's company in Afghanistan, helped to build in Kabul to offer an alternative to young Afghan kids who may otherwise take to the unsafe streets or worse, fall into the hands of terrorist groups looking for recruits.

Pictured here are Sargon, Habib, Sidal and the kids in front of our home on the day Sargon and Habib said goodbye to Sidal and left him here for his first college experience and first time away from his family.

Brad Gives Keynote Address

2010-06-10T16:15:00.000-07:00

Last night was an event at SUU honoring the Utah High School coaches who had teams that won state championships this year. Brad was asked to give the keynote address. Of course he did a fabulous job.
The kids and I went to enjoy a great meal and to support Brad. I think the highlight of the night for the kids was the room it was held in. It looks a lot like a room out of Harry Potter, Hogwarts Academy. There were knights lining the walls and the boys were in 7th heaven.

Sam Competes in Chess in the Utah Summer Games

2010-06-10T16:10:00.001-07:00

Yesterday Sam competed in his first Chess Tournament. He did great. The event lasted all day. He played 6 rounds, each consisting of 2 matches. He won about half of his matches. Most of the people he played against had been in chess matches before so this being his first made it a little more pressure but he handled in great.

Cairo Competes at The Utah Summer Games

2010-06-10T15:55:00.000-07:00

Cairo swam the 50M Butterfly event today in the Utah Summer Games. She did great. Especially considering she hasn't competed for over a year. We don't have the final times yet but she finished 4th in her heat. We are proud of her no matter what. She's a star(fish).

Last Day of School 2010

2010-05-28T07:30:00.000-07:00

The kids awoke to an invite to a Breakfast Party to celebrate the final day of school for year 2010. They were treated to their favorite breakfast of Belinis, fresh fruit, yogurt and their choice of beverage.
We're all excited to have the summer ahead of us. Lots of hiking, biking, playing with friends and family and loving the summer sun.

A Few Post-Game Pics of the Team

2010-05-17T05:01:00.000-07:00

Sydney

2010-05-17T04:39:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Sydney on Saturday morning, the same morning 16 year old Jessica Watson was arriving from her solo sailing trip around the globe. Sydney harbor would be an awesome sight on any day. But on this day with all the boats out to welcome Jessica and her little pink vessel back it was absolutely amazing!

World Famous Bondi Beach. The surf was crazy. There weren't even any surfers willing to hit the huge waves here. Great beach, fun people watching...not enough time!

We took a bus tour from the airport around Sydney to our hotel that was located right in Sydney harbor. From a point right above Bondi Beach we could see over the entire city, the famous Sydney bridge, the opera house, etc..

Brisbane - The Gold Coast

2010-05-17T04:26:00.000-07:00

Eastern Most Point of the Australian Continent-Byron Bay

We've been on a lot of great beaches but the Gold Coast was simply one of the best. Because it's going in to winter there, there were hardly any people on this pristine beach with sand like fresh brown sugar. The sand was so clean and fine, it squeaked when we walked on it. The beach went on as far as we could see in each direction and the water was clear and blue.

Townsville

2010-05-17T04:21:00.000-07:00

Brad went on another dive out of Townsville while I took the day to enjoy Magnetic Island with some of the group. We took a ferry out of Townsville and landed on the island where we hiked and within 15 minutes we were seeing/waking and bothering koalas in the trees above. This is one of the few populated areas where koalas can still be found in their natural habitat.

A Visit to the Zoo

2010-05-17T04:20:00.000-07:00

2010-05-17T04:09:00.000-07:00

Day two of the trip we did what every tourist in Australia must do...fed kangaroos and cuddled koalas..OK, we didn't cuddle the koalas but we looked at them at this zoo.

Our Australian Adventure

2010-05-17T04:04:00.000-07:00

We were fortunate enough to be invited to join the SUU Thunderbirds Men's Basketball team as they played 4 games in 4 different cities on the Eastern Coast of Australia. A group of 9 players, 4 coaches and some of us "hangers-oners". Enjoyed seeing the home country of 3 of the players.
Australia is an amazing country full of life and beauty and offered much, much more than I ever imagined. 9 days flew by!
Team Cook back in Cedar City did great and survived (even thrived) without Mom and Dad around. We owe our kids and sitters a huge thank you for making this wonderful trip so stress free for us. Love you all.

First Stop: Cairns

The boat ride was a bit cold, after all it is going into winter there but we had an amazing time. Brad completed 3 dives. I did one dive and snorkeled. I found Nemo and Brad swam with Crush the turtle for about 20 seconds!

This is B as we head out to the Great Barrier Reef for a day of diving..First day in Australia..This is the way to spend it. Amazing.

7th Heaven

2010-05-01T19:35:00.000-07:00

Charlie and Jack had their party today at Funtime Inflatables. There were 12 boys their age from school and soccer as well as Sam, his friend Mohammad, Cairo and her friend Janica. It was a wild, crazy, good time.
Love you boys.

Cairo Turns Double Digits

2010-04-25T17:44:00.001-07:00

Cairo turned 10 yesterday..SCARY!
Cairo wanted to give as well as receive on her birthday so she requested that her birthday guests bring a donation to the local food pantry. The girls who came to the party were very generous to Cairo and to the food pantry.
She is so much fun and easy to be around. What a great help around the house.
We gave her this cute Cruiser bike which is just "SO CAIRO". It's cute and stylish and has personality.
We love you Cai..PS: Stop growing..No more birthdays for you!

We had a party with the theme of Minute to Win It. A new game show that is on in the evenings featuring challenges using household items. The challenge must be completed within 60 seconds to win the prize.
Brad was the host..White hair, lots of jewelry, black shirt. He did a great job.

Bergen Visits Cedar City

2010-04-04T19:36:00.000-07:00

We were lucky to have Bergen here for 3 nights last weekend as our guest. She is such an easy baby and was a delight for the kids and Me and Brad.
That same Friday, Sam and Cairo had a science fair at school so she went to see their projects.
Sam's project was to create electric energy from a potato.
Cairo created static electricity by rubbing wool on a Styrofoam plate.

Mountain Meadows Historical Site

2010-04-04T18:47:00.000-07:00

While Cory, Angie and family were here for the Easter weekend we decided to take a short road trip to the site of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. The massacre is a black mark on Utah history and the location of the event is about a 45 minute drive from Cedar City. Brad has wanted to see it for some time and this was a great weekend to take it in. The kids were interested and troubled by the history that took place there. It was quite morbid and disturbing. A classic quote by Chasik was, "I thought today was supposed to be fun." Cory responded by saying, "Nobody promised you that." It was quite funny. To see that Chasik found the experience disturbing and "Not Fun" just re-enforced how our children have a sense of morals and know right from wrong. I have to admit I felt a little bit like Chasik. It was such a beautiful little meadow and I felt like the tragedy that occurred there was something I wanted to push from my mind. Brad commented that it is important to visit history that is unpleasant and learn from it just as we learn from positive, uplifting historical sites. It was a nice day and we created memories together with family. The beginning of a great weekend.

Easter 2010

2010-04-04T18:39:00.000-07:00

For Easter we had a nice brunch, listened to LDS General Conference and the children had an Easter Egg hunt. The weather was beautiful with a clear warm morning. We managed to have the Egg hunt outside just as the weather turned a bit gray and started getting cold. As a fun little edible craft the kids made nests out of chocolate and chow mien noodles then filled them with candy as the eggs. All the kids participated but a few of them were hard to catch on film.

The Long Ride Home...

2010-03-21T00:23:00.000-07:00

We spent 14 hours in the van getting across the border and all the way to Flagstaff on Friday. Saturday morning we awoke with renewed energy and excitement to see the Grand Canyon. I have never seen it and I found myself getting more excited the closer we got. We arrived at the South Rim about 2 hours after leaving Flagstaff...That was an easy ride. The canyon did not disappoint. WOW!
After about 2 hours there we forced ourselves back into the van and hunkered down for the long, long ride home.
We made it. Daylight Saving Time didn't do us any favors since we were in Mexico last weekend when it changed and they don't recognize it. So we got home even an hour later than we thought we did.
All that matters is we are home. We are safe. And we are tighter as a family and better as individuals for having spent the past week having fun and giving of ourselves to those who are less fortunate.

Our Last Night in Guaymas

2010-03-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

A week on the Ocean wouldn't be complete without a lot of great seafood...served with tacitos, guacamole, salsa, chips and fresh veggies.
On our final night there we didn't have dinner plans with any of the group so I decided to buy fresh lobster and shrimp from a vendor who parked his truck in the parking lot of the condos every evening.
Upon arriving at his truck I realized he sold a whole lot more than fresh fish! It was heaven..fresh asparagus, fresh guacamole, pico and refried beans (made that day by his wife)He had garlic, onions, limes and everything else I may have wanted to season the meal to perfection. It was so much fun cooking up a delicious meal of fresh food while Brad and the kids played on the beach with the sun setting.
After dinner we caught up to the group (who Cairo had been with for the past 2 days) for a final farewell bonfire on the beach. They had ingredients for s'mores and we all talked and reflected on the great week we had in Mexico.

It Wasn't All Work and NO Play...

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Our accommodations in San Carlos were so beautiful. We stayed in a condo on the beach. This beach was just amazing. Everyday we could wake up and go out to find new treasures delivered by the tide overnight. Large, beautiful shells, sand dollars, hermit crabs, etc. Never in my life have I been on a beach where I could actually find shells the size of my hand! Cairo loved to take a bag out every morning and hunt for new interesting shells to add to her collection.
The condo also boasted a great swimming pool (but the water was very cold). So we spent afternoon at the pool. The rest of our free time was beach time.

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A Morning at a Local School

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We took school supplies that had been donated to a primary school. After delivering the supplies we helped clean up the playground, which was made up of uneven hard dirt and lose rocks and a lot of trash, played soccer with the school kids, painted desks and doors. It was a hot morning and the work was challenging but we all left with a great feeling of having made a difference in the lives of a few school children and their teachers.

Sam quickly found a way to communicate with school kids his age...chess! He was able to spend a few hours sitting and playing chess with many different children his age.

Charlie is NOT afraid of a little hard labor! Give this guy a pick and set him to work taking out weeds on the playground. He was a trooper. He also helped carry school supplies into the school and played soccer with the kids his age.

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Jack and Brad taking school supplies into the school.

Cairo and her new friends and Charlie getting ready to clean up the playground!

The kids played soccer with the school children..

Mr. Boyd

2010-03-20T22:54:00.000-07:00

This is Mr. Boyd. He heads up the service done by the SUU Construction Mgt. team in Mexico. What an awesome guy. He took our kids under his wing and made sure they were part of everything they wanted to be. In these pics he has Sam helping him finish off some plumbing before they pour the concrete porch of a home.

Meet Rosarita, Single Mother of 5, Now with Shelter

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(Rosarita receiving a blanket from Cairo. The Bear Scouts in my troop here in Cedar City made 2 blankets to send with us to give away.)

This woman has 5 children, is a single parent and has been living in make-shift shelter for a long, long time. After the visit from SUU's Const. Management majors and their generous time and energy and donations, she now has a home to protect her and her children from the elements. All of her material belongings are what you see behind her in the photo.

We were fortunate enough to meet her and a few of her children and to spend an afternoon helping with the progress of her home. What an amazing experience.

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This is the beginning of the home. It was started and brought to this point when the SUU group was in Guaymas in December. This past week it was completed. Now there is a roof, door, windows, bathroom for Rosarita and her family.

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The four Cook Kids, reporting to work! The construction management majors were kind enough and patient enough to take time to teach the kids how to use a trowel. Uncle Skip would be sooo proud. The kids helped smooth out Rosarita's new front porch.

I thought it amazing and touching that Rosarita had protected her flower garden from the construction of her home. Imagine, she didn't have a home but she had flowers and had the desire to enjoy nature's beauty as her family of 6 survived between 4 cinder block walls since December, waiting until now to get a roof over their heads, concrete floor instead of dirt, and actual doors and windows.

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Our Family with One of the Families Who Got a New Home Last Week

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Day 1

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Spending time with orphans was quite an experience. They are well cared for but still seem starved for love and affection. The kids had fun playing with them and Brad and Cairo helped prep the exterior of the building for painting. It was a great kick-off to our week of service and fun!

Charlie Loses His First Tooth

2010-03-10T15:25:00.000-08:00

It's always fun to remember the excitement that comes with losing the first tooth. Charlie was thrilled! The tooth fairy was generous...(It was much cheaper in Abu Dhabi since 5 dirham seemed like a lot) $5 for the first tooth lost.

Cairo Reports on Grandma Great

2010-03-10T15:16:00.000-08:00

Cairo had a school assignment to do a report on an ancestor. I was thrilled when she chose Grandma Watts. She has a few strong memories of Grandma and I hope through projects like this she will continue to know her and feel the love and bond they had while Grandma was alive.

Fun in the Dunes

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