Day 151

Day 150

A tractor barn

Day 149

Chocolate Angel Food Cake with a Chocolate Whipped Cream "frosting"

Brie made this last night when we were over there and it was so yummy I knew it was going to be the perfect dessert to take over to the Viehwegs. That family loves chocolate! Yummy

I made sure to make extra of the "frosting" for dipping the extra strawberries in.

Recipe

Sift together 3 times

-1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

-1 cup minus 2 tbsp flour (strange I know but do it)

-1/4 cup baking cocoa ( I used the hersheys Special Dark for our chocolate lovers)

In large bowl beat together

-10 egg whites

-1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

-1/2 tsp salt

beat until soft peaks form then add

-1 cup of sugar 2 tbsp at a time

beat until stiff peaks form. Gradually add cocoa mixture about 1/4th at a time. Spoon into an ungreased angel food cake pan. Carefully run knife through to remove large air pockets. Bake on lowest rack at 375* for 35-40 min or until the top springs back with touched lightly. Cool completely before removing.

Frosting

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

combine, whip and chill for 1 hour while cake is baking.

Day 148

These 2 are so cute together. Tonight we went and hung out with our good friends the Floyds. After dinner, an amazing dessert and much playing these 2 were ready to just watch some cartoons. I'm so grateful that our kids are close in age and that they play so well together.

Day 147

Checkers Anyone??

Keegan really has the coolest "Pa" there is!! He had an area just off the patio that needed something done. So what does he do? He goes and buys 2 colors of stepping stones and makes a giant checkerboard. So after finding frisbee's at the dollar store he was set to teach Keegs how to play.

Day 146

While it doesn't seem to be summer here in good old Utah, it is summer somewhere and where ever that is they are growing some really yummy watermelon.

Day 145

Bathroom lighting tour #1

So while taking Keegan to the bathroom at one of our favorite Utah restaurants I looked at the light and to me it looked like a butterfly. I guess when you have nothing better to do when standing in the bathroom waiting for your child you start to see things. ha ha

Any Utahans able to tell me where I was?

Day 144

The rhododendrons in Washington are amazing. They were everywhere.

Day 143

Again with the parking lot, I know it probably isn't that exciting but behind all these trees is the hospital. Maybe it's because I just came from Albuquerque where the trees are sparse and you can see for miles and miles, but I'm in love with all the trees.

Day 142

A cute little picnic area we found.....wait.....nope it's in the hospital parking lot. I was so amazed by the hospital parking lot. While Josh was interviewing I spent most of the time wandering around the parking lot. And NOT because I couldn't find the car.....because I felt like I was taking a stroll in a campground. Soooo pretty!

Day 141

The Capitol in Olympia.

Day 140

We got to fly up to Washington so Josh could interview with two hospitals. On our first night there we got to have a really nice dinner overlooking the marina.

Day 139

Beggars, all 4 of them! My mom has 2 dogs and while we are living here in UT that makes 3 dogs and then my sister went on a cruise so that made 4 large dogs at my moms house. It's a good thing the neighbors are all so nice, because I'm pretty sure this isn't legal. I also tease that our dog doesn't really count because his favorite activity is sleeping in the basement.

Day 138

Just the view from the in-laws house.

Day 137

I saw this soup on the cute blog The Coop Door she had seen it on another blog and gave her review. It looked good and super simple so I decided to try it out. Granted the blog calls for your own home made chicken broth but I just went for the canned version. The best part was Keegan even liked it.

ingredients:
1 tbsp unrefined coconut oil
2 cups diced yellow onion (approx 1 medium)
1 tbsp minced garlic (approx 3 cloves)
1 cup chopped asparagus (approx 1 bunch)
2 cups spinach leaves
3 cups chopped broccoli (approx 1 large head) *
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp sea salt
½ tsp fresh cracked black pepper
6 cups homemade chicken stock

Instructions:
In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, warm coconut oil until glistening. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently; onions will have softened. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly; garlic will be fragrant. Add asparagus, broccoli, red pepper, sea salt, black pepper and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Turn burner off. Add spinach, stir and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Puree the soup in a blender in small batches OR use a puree stick to blend.

* Both the florets and the stalk of the broccoli may be used. Simply cut off the bottom 1″ of the stock and peel the outer layer with a vegetable peeler. Chop and add to the soup with the florets.

Day 136

Not a bad day for Josh. We decided since it wasn't supposed to rain today, we'd go fishing. Well more precisely, Josh fishes and I keep Keegan from falling in.

Today was a good fishing day, in less than 90 minutes he had caught 6 fish including this nice one that measured 16" long and had a lot of bites. Not long after this one he caught me! He had a fish on but it got off somehow and the line with 2 flies on it came whipping back and caught me in the leg. Now I have to say I was not standing directly behind him. I was standing what I though was a safe distance behind and off to the side, and since he was not back casting but roll casting the entire time I was positive I was safe. WRONG It stung like a son of a bleeep. Luckily it was just in my pants not my skin!

Day 135

If you can't find your shoe at my house, check with the dog. Koda loves to sleep with our shoes. He'll pick them up from wherever they are and take them to his bed and sleep with them. They are never hurt or chewed on......just snuggled a bit.

Day 134

Nature Calls.....

Day 133

New baby horses are the cutest things ever. My mom's horse Emma had her baby today. Not sure on a name yet, she has a few picked out but hasn't narrowed it down. Keegan wants to call him Zippy

Day 132

Hanging out at "Pa's" house.

Day 131

I have the best friend ever!! On our 3rd day back in town I get a text message from her. She manages a pool and was short 2 students for a swim class. So with 10 min till class starts she asks if we want to do swimming lessons? Of course we do, and the best part, as long as I'm willing to go pick up her son (they are 2 houses away) Keegan gets to take them with his BFF. So we ran out the door, grabbed Evan and we were on our way.

Here is Keegan doing "the starfish float"

Day 130

Cold weather

fire pit

marshmallows

chocolate

graham crackers

.........

Day 129

We left ABQ and 80 degree weather to come home to

Snow

Day 128

After we got to UT it rained for 24 hours

Day 127

My little goalie

This was sadly, his last game

and our last day in ABQ

Day 126

This is much better than packing........I'm going to miss our garden tub

Day 125

Keegan and I made one last visit to the zoo here. I really am going to miss ABQ

Day 124

Go Go's

Keegan's new favorite toys. When he came and asked if he could have some I had to Google it to see what they even were. I don't see why they are so exciting but he likes them.

To play, you line them up and try to knock the other players Go Go's over.......

Day 123

Tonight we went to an ABQ Isotopes game. We sat in the grass seats so Keegan could run around, he REFUSED to sit still for a pic. I tried multiple times and this is the best I could get. He is in the middle of waving his arms like a crazy man and trying to hide behind Josh. Not a great pic but the best I could do today.

Day 122

Keegan ready to do some serious sword fighting. He's got his nerf sword and so does his little friend Logan.

I can't believe how grow up he looks..... why do they have to grow up so fast?

Day 121

The NM sky is usually the bluest blue you've ever seen with not a single cloud in sight. Today......nothing but clouds. It was kind of a cold blustery day, I don't think the temp even hit the 50 degree mark. And you know what?........it was nice. Josh was at work and Keegan and I spent the day in our sweats watching movies, snuggling under blankets and just relaxing. It was a great day. I'll take all the snuggles I can get.