Andrea's Salsa
1 large can whole tomatoes (with juice)
1 can original Rotel (with juice)
Last week Jaden, Macy and Me went to Mountain Home, Idaho for the week to visit our really good friends the Wirig’s. Because we fly free and have to go stand-by we ended up with a 7 hour lay-over in Phoenix, Arizona. Luckily I have a sister-in-law that lives just a few minutes from the airport in Phoenix and she came to get us so that we didn’t have to wait all day in the airport. Thank-You sooo much Debbie. And it happened that a brother-in-laws kids were visiting Debbie’s family from Utah and so it made for a big reunion with the cousins that my kids don’t get to see very often. Jaden had fun playing games with his cousins and Macy was in heaven playing in Shelby’s adorable playroom that was just her size. I enjoyed visiting with Debbie and also Chandler and Madison who are getting ready to leave for college. I was so grateful to them for picking us up, entertaining us, and feeding us before we continued on. THANK-YOU again SO MUCH!
When we arrived in Mountain Home it was late and so we decided not to wake Andrea’s kids and just let them be surprised in the morning (we knew we would never get them all back to sleep). Andrea had not told her kids that we were even coming and I didn’t tell mine until the morning that we left. In the morning it was so fun to surprise them with us being there. The girls hugged and hugged each other, and the boys just laughed. You would have never known that it had been an entire year since they had seen each other. I felt the same way seeing Andrea. I guess that is how you know a good friend. You can go a long time without seeing each other and the moment that you do you just pick right back up where you left off.
We spent a lot of time outside, and it was just beautiful. There was sooo much green. Right down the street from their house there was this huge grassy area with a pond and a few streams. The pond has fish in it and a few people were fishing. And the streams were small enough that the kids could jump back and forth across them. They thought that was really fun. They also chased ducks, had a rock throwing competition in the pond, the boys buried an anthill, and they all played hide and go seek in the shrubs around the pond, they climbed trees, dug up earthworms, played with a frog they found in Andreas flower garden, rolled down the grassy hills and just ran around. I felt really bad when I had to have the kids come back inside. They just had a great time. I was so happy that they got to play and be kids outside.
Mountain Home is a really small town. The speed limit is 25 mph through the entire town. It felt so safe. We let the boys walk together over to the soccer field and play by themselves over there. As we were driving around I saw quite a few kids walking around the town just with other kids. I saw 2 boys walking with ice cream cones, they must have just come from the ice cream store, and I thought that was so cool. Something I would never be able to let my kids do in Vegas. It was also a very friendly town. When Andrea and me went to the store the workers smiled and asked how we were. Andrea even knew the cashier on a first name basis. And people wave to each other as they are passing in their vehicles. I just thought is was just an awesome place to raise a family. Safe for the most part, and friendly.
During our stay we were able to go to the Air Force Base just outside of the town. Andrea’s husband is a dentist for the Air Force. That was really awesome too. We got to drive up really close to some of the airplanes and watch a lot of them in the sky. We drove through a park at the A.F.B. that had some of the older airplanes in it. I thought that it was neat just to be there, and felt extra grateful for those who serve and protect our beautiful country. I don’t think my kids appreciated or even really understood what the military is about.
We also stayed inside when the weather got to cold. The boys were hooked to Rock band on the x-box and total boy rough housing. The girls colored, did crafty things and played babies and ponies. Andrea and me did a lot of visiting and even snuck away without the kids one night. Thanks Spencer for watching everyone!
It was hard to leave. They were so much fun, and such great hosts. Thank-you a million.
We look forward to going back.
Enjoy the pictures!
Jason bought this swimming pool over a year ago and has been waiting a whole year to set it up. Last year Jason, his brother Stephen and my brother Kirk all bought them. We didn't get to set ours up last year because we were working on our house and in the middle of moving.
Now, that Jason has leveled the dirt (with a level) and laid carpet pad, and leftover carpet under it, it is finally ready to enjoy. It is not a huge swimming pool by any means, it is only 10 feet wide and 30 inches deep, but it is really fun to splash around in. Macy, Troy and Cloey have all been practicing holding their breath under water and it the perfect size for that. We have played water guns in it, and are getting pretty good at making a lazy river, and wave pool. Jason and I have even enjoyed relaxing in it without the kids. It gets really warm and feels good to just sit in.
It was a fun time hanging out with my dad, catch up on things with him and just enjoy his company without having to worry about the kids. Thanks for a Great Night out dad, Love you!
