Well, Greg and I just spent the last week of our lives without a camera, which is now turning into two weeks. We went to Lake Powell with the Warner side of our family, only to discover once we got there that we left our camera battery at home. Then the camera got left on the houseboat when we had to abandon ship due to weather.
What did Auburn do about it? Well, she started walking. Besides the fact that she is a babe in a swimsuit.
Auburn's walking record is 7 steps. She loves for me to hold her hands and walk all over with her, and has figured out that crying-complaining will help her accomplish that want. She keeps me BUSY!
Lake Powell was GREAT! We decided it was one of the best family vacations because of how much time we got to spend with our family talking, playing games, and even having dance parties. Some of our favorite moments from the trip were eating lots of good food, and even more candy; floating across the bay in rafts, hiking, then swim-pushing them back across; Greg building a slip-n-slide with a tarp; the nightly devotionals; jalapeno eating contest, pinata, and mexican food for "venta-de-mayo"; the dance on Friday night; and (of course) having to abandon ship Saturday morning. :)
We love VACATION!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Our Solar Oven
We just added a solar oven to the list of cookware in our house a week ago. We got it from Global Sun Solar Oven's through ebay for $230. Here are some pictures:
It takes up the same space as a BBQ grill, and needs to be rotated with the sun in order to do it's job. Auburn loves the shiny foil. It's easy to move (lightweight as well), and easy to set up. So far here are the things we've cooked in it:
blackberry crisp dessert
vegetables (on a half cloudy day)
pork roast
eggplant/onion kabobs
My regular 9x13 glass pan doesn't fit inside, but one that is dark with straight sides will. We hear that it will cook anything, but won't ever burn it. I'm not sure I believe it.
Greg has a phobia of the food cooked inside the oven. He swears that it has "a taste" that is gross. Silly Greg.
It takes up the same space as a BBQ grill, and needs to be rotated with the sun in order to do it's job. Auburn loves the shiny foil. It's easy to move (lightweight as well), and easy to set up. So far here are the things we've cooked in it:blackberry crisp dessert
vegetables (on a half cloudy day)
pork roast
eggplant/onion kabobs
My regular 9x13 glass pan doesn't fit inside, but one that is dark with straight sides will. We hear that it will cook anything, but won't ever burn it. I'm not sure I believe it.
Greg has a phobia of the food cooked inside the oven. He swears that it has "a taste" that is gross. Silly Greg.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Our Garden...
I think of our garden as a small AZ feat. While many people that we know grow much better and bigger gardens than we do, I am proud of our budding broccoli, our ripening tomatoes, and our newest addition, the avocado tree.
I call it a small feat because our cucumber plants all died, the bell pepper plant rotted (I ask how when it's been so hot), the green onions are in the middle of dying, even the jalapenos are thinking about hitting the deck. And don't get me started on the pea plants. But we do have our fighters, the tomato's, the broccoli, the chives, some basil, and our tree. Let's hear it for our dinky garden!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Sunday, May 2, 2010
the help
by Kathryn Stockett
plot simplified:
"The Help" deals with racism in the 1960's. But even better than just being another book about dealing with racism, it's a book that has WOMEN that deal with racism. It's nice to hear an historically accurate fictional book addressing the change that occurred in our country in the 1960's.
Skeeter, a white women in Jackson, Mississippi, inadvertently starts seeing how her friends are very degrading towards their maids, and gets the idea to write a book from Aibileen and Minny's perspective. Skeeter is also a misfit, who is too tall, too boyish, and too forward thinking to fit into the role given her by society, which helps her have a better perspective of what Aibileen and Minny and their friends are going through. Aibileen is the maternal, sensible reason that many white women want for their children. She is a great teacher, which you can see through her interaction with kids, and makes you want to love your kids more. Minny is the best cook in Jackson County, and has a cheeky mouth that continues to get her into trouble. She brings spice, and a great foil to the passive way that many black women acted around white women in that era.
stats:
I counted 2 swear words, but it has true 60's southern jargon (aka, they say "Lord" a lot). Two graphic scenes, one a black boy gets beat up (which is historically accurate) and number two is a streaker. Most of what she includes in the book (Kennedy's assassination, Medgar Evans assassination, Rosa Parks) are true events.
final word:
This is a very well written book. Stockett does a good job of creating people that are real and interesting. I found myself holding my breath, crying, laughing out loud, chewing my nails, everything!
Minny's act is pretty controversial, but I feel that it was necessary. One reason is it becomes the solution to there problem of anonymity. The second being that what else could Minny do? In the time period she is in, and the situation she is in, she has nothing she can do. She is cornered. She finds something that cannot get her in trouble with the law because it would require publicity for her to be punished. I love Minny's character. And I love the fight in her.
you might like this book if...
-you like historical fiction
-you need a reason to shut your door for 8 to 10 hours
-you like a little drama
time: 10 hours
plot simplified:
"The Help" deals with racism in the 1960's. But even better than just being another book about dealing with racism, it's a book that has WOMEN that deal with racism. It's nice to hear an historically accurate fictional book addressing the change that occurred in our country in the 1960's.
Skeeter, a white women in Jackson, Mississippi, inadvertently starts seeing how her friends are very degrading towards their maids, and gets the idea to write a book from Aibileen and Minny's perspective. Skeeter is also a misfit, who is too tall, too boyish, and too forward thinking to fit into the role given her by society, which helps her have a better perspective of what Aibileen and Minny and their friends are going through. Aibileen is the maternal, sensible reason that many white women want for their children. She is a great teacher, which you can see through her interaction with kids, and makes you want to love your kids more. Minny is the best cook in Jackson County, and has a cheeky mouth that continues to get her into trouble. She brings spice, and a great foil to the passive way that many black women acted around white women in that era.
stats:
I counted 2 swear words, but it has true 60's southern jargon (aka, they say "Lord" a lot). Two graphic scenes, one a black boy gets beat up (which is historically accurate) and number two is a streaker. Most of what she includes in the book (Kennedy's assassination, Medgar Evans assassination, Rosa Parks) are true events.
final word:
This is a very well written book. Stockett does a good job of creating people that are real and interesting. I found myself holding my breath, crying, laughing out loud, chewing my nails, everything!
Minny's act is pretty controversial, but I feel that it was necessary. One reason is it becomes the solution to there problem of anonymity. The second being that what else could Minny do? In the time period she is in, and the situation she is in, she has nothing she can do. She is cornered. She finds something that cannot get her in trouble with the law because it would require publicity for her to be punished. I love Minny's character. And I love the fight in her.
you might like this book if...
-you like historical fiction
-you need a reason to shut your door for 8 to 10 hours
-you like a little drama
time: 10 hours
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