Andree' and Joe

Love

2011-02-14T08:02:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day to all. I am so thankful for my sweeties!

(The picture is from Rockcliff Nature Center, just in time for Valentine's Day.)

See what we are up against?

2010-12-21T19:53:00.002-08:00

FYI, that is a regular size bar stool...

Who Needs Toys?

2010-12-21T16:05:00.000-08:00

* Bronco was not harmed in the making of this video. Well, maybe his pride was hurt a bit.

Little Miss Book Worm

2010-12-20T16:01:00.000-08:00

* Special thanks to Grammy for getting me hooked on reading.

Happy Holidays from the Bravo Family

2010-12-10T22:10:00.001-08:00

Walking!

2010-10-24T20:45:00.000-07:00

Miss Olive has been stepping for a while, but just recently started to take longer walks. With 3 kids and 2 dogs in the house, I can see why she prefers to crawl - - it is an obstacle course!

Helping Mom Wash the Doggies

2010-08-15T20:18:00.001-07:00

Miss Olivia jumped right in to "help" as soon as I set the hose down....

Copy Cat

2010-05-20T19:43:00.000-07:00

Olivia's new favorite game. Sometimes she'll start the game, sometimes she'll play along....

Wounded Soldier

2010-05-17T16:19:00.000-07:00

We don't have crawling yet, but we have a tiny Marine making her way across the floor.
(Sorry about the turbulence at the end of the video, I received a lick in the face from Bronco dog.)

I think she might have caught some shrapnel in the right leg.

(Ok, ok, I shouldn't make fun of my little pumpkin like that, but I can't resist. She's so darn cute.)

Once a Nana, Always a Nana

2010-03-14T17:28:00.000-07:00

Nana Bronco 4 1/2 years ago with my niece Kate.

Nana Bronco today with Olive. A bit grayer, a bit less involved, but still a good Nana.

Movin' on up

2010-02-08T16:44:00.000-08:00

The most exciting thing around these parts is rice cereal!

Everyone Loves Bath Time, Yes Indeed They Do

2010-01-16T10:45:00.000-08:00

Olive loves her Papa Dale

2010-01-09T11:09:00.000-08:00

Over the holidays, Papa Dale enjoyed feeding his 10th grandchild! He can make Olivia laugh like none other as well!

She takes after her Daddy

2009-12-05T21:43:00.001-08:00

This might not do it justice if you haven't seen other pics of Joe as a child, but this little girl definitely got her Daddy's looks... I'll keep trying to get a similar shot.

(above - Joe)

4 Generations

2009-11-18T17:03:00.000-08:00

Last week, Olivia and I were able to go to Arkansas to visit MY Gram who was turning 90. We loved visiting and were happy to get a picture with both Grammies.

(Olive was getting tired of having pictures taken and flashes in her eyeballs!)

The Next Feather Weight Champ!

2009-10-28T17:21:00.000-07:00

She's practicing her intimidating "I'm gonna knock you out" face.

Jab, punch!

Shake it off...

The Tummy Tub

2009-10-19T17:30:00.000-07:00

My friends Wendy and Caleb told me about a different kind of bathtub called the Tummy Tub. It is basically a bucket that the kid gets set down in for their bath. The idea behind this is that the baby stays warm and more comfortable in the water since it mimics being back in the womb.

Olive liked it at first, but it was short lived. I think her cries were more my fault than the Tummy Tub's. It is going to take a bit of practice for me to hold her in there comfortably for both of us. It shouldn't have been on the counter either, the directions show the parents sitting on a low stool and the bucket on the ground. Makes more sense. We'll keep practicing...

Oh, and she promptly pee'd on me when I was drying her off.

Bath time

2009-10-16T19:44:00.000-07:00

Little Olive is getting bigger every day. Today was her 2 week old doctor appointment and she weighed in at 7 pounds 3 ounces (she gained 1lb 3 oz in a week!).

Grammy helped bath her. She washed the top half and left the bottom half for me....

Stay tuned for more bath pics as we try out the tummy tub tomorrow!

Big Brother and Sister

2009-10-10T14:05:00.001-07:00

The kids LOVE their new little sister....

A bit more of the story...

2009-10-03T15:38:00.000-07:00

I thought I would write a bit more of the story for you all since I've got some down time at the moment (Olive is at the nursery)....

Some of you already knew that I was past my due date and being monitored for amniotic fluid levels as they've been borderline low for the past month or more. Even though low, they were still stable, so there was no medical reason to justify induction until this past Thursday when her heart rate was pretty erratic. They thought that she might be squishing her cord a bit, and if we waited, we'd have to have even more monitoring.

We decided to induce Friday night. Even though I was ready to be done being prego, I wasn't thrilled with induction as I would have rather let my body do its thing. However, with the additional montitoring needed, I knew I would have been a nervous wreck over the weekend, so we went for it.

The plan was to give a drug called Cervadil that is just a pill put near your cervix. It dissolves and gets you one, ready for the patocin or two, kicks you into labor. More commonly you still need patocin. Joe and I went in to the hospital around 10:30 pm and started with the Cervadil. They gave me an ambien, and I was out most of the night, and out of it for a bit in the morning too. I started having harder (hurtier) contractions around 5am. I was able to get up, shower, and we were waiting for my Midwife to show up around 9am to start the patocin. Another midwife friend came over around 8:30 and helped me with some pretty gnarly contractions that were coming quick. The nurse checked me and I was dialated to a 9! We were all surprised and my friend told me that it would be over soon. I asked her if it would be 5 hours soon or an hour soon. She said the hour soon!

Only once did I say I wasn't sure if I'd be able to so this without an epidural, but my friend said, just get through this one and we'll talk about it. We never talked about it... My midwife came and we started pushing. Then, another Midwife friend came and with the help of Joe (who was an amazing partner the whole time), and my regular Midwife, I pushed for about half an hour and the baby came right out!

My parents and Jana were at the hospital and were able to meet Olivia right away and we've had a couple visits throughout the day. I'm glad I was able to hold off on the epidural, as I don't have any pain and I've been able to walk around. Olive didn't want to nurse right away and we found out that she had swallowed some of the amniotic fluid junk and therefore wasn't feeling like eating. They eventually cleaned out her belly and now she is one hungry gal. Overall it was a great experience and we are all happy and healthy!

5 Days Late But Worth the Wait!

2009-10-03T13:23:00.000-07:00

Full Term Belly

2009-09-28T17:00:00.001-07:00

The due date came and went... hopefully we'll be seeing her soon. (oh, and the weird face is because Mom snapped the pic right after I was telling the dogs to move out of the way!)

Belly

2009-08-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

Some days it is big, other days it is small. This day was a big belly day. 7.5 weeks to go!

Happy 3rd of July! (and prego belly pics)

2009-07-04T07:55:00.000-07:00

Joe and I both had Friday off, and we had the kids all day as well, so we decided to have an early holiday since we wouldn't all be together on the fourth.

The day consisted of a morning hike to donut falls, an afternoon of playing in the sprinklers and the cold-hot tub, a bbq in the back yard, a trip for ice cream cones for dessert and finally, a couple packs of sparklers before bedtime. Check out the pics. Oh, and for the first time (even though I'm 28 weeks), my belly has popped out.

Gracie busting out a modeling pose.

Joe and the kids.

Donut Falls.

Donut, I mean, prego belly.

Sprinklers are so fun!

Leonard and Moses in their new pool. They've obviously outgrown the utility sink.

The new fence Joe built! (and check out the corn in the background!)

Two hot dogs. Not just one.

Moses and Leonard

2009-05-24T13:53:00.001-07:00

We'd like you to meet the newest members of the Bravo farm, Moses and Leonard!

Basically what it comes down to is that Joe and I shouldn't be allowed to go to the farm store together, and even more we shouldn't ask the lady all the questions that we think will talk us out of it, but really results in us leaving with a little happy meal sized box with two ducklings.

Get this... they'll eat all the box elder bugs in our yard and provide pest control for the garden. They'll live in the coop with the chickens and eat the chicken feed. And, they'll love to swim in our little pond. I may even lead train them so they can eat bugs in the front yard too. Or, I can rent them out. ;)

Stay tuned for pictures of Moses and Leonard learning to swim (turns out we have to teach them in the bathtub).

They're gonna put me in the movies, they're gonna make a big star outta me.

2009-05-14T08:46:00.001-07:00

I'm totally famous. People from friends parents in Idaho to my step daughters preschool teacher have been telling me how they saw me on Fox 13 news last night and this morning. Well, though I do enjoy being in the spotlight, this one really wasn't about me.

My work (the Utah Society for Environmental Education) runs a program developed by the Northwest Earth Institute in Portland Oregon that gets groups of people together in book club type groups to talk about various topics ranging from healthy children to living simply. The Voluntary Simplicity course was something Fox 13 was interested in highlighting (with the economic times and all), so Cath Edvalson (my coworker Nicole's mom) and myself were interviewed after we finished up our discussion group.

Simplicity has many meanings and can range from buying less, gardening, eating lower on the food chain, eliminating stress to raising chickens. Whatever it is that simplifies your life and makes you happy, go for it!

Check out part one below and click here for part two highlighting Cath.

The Plantains have Spoken!

2009-05-11T16:58:00.001-07:00

We went to the doc this morning for an ultrasound and found out we are having a girl. Joe's family in Venezuela already knew this however because the plantains (banana like fruit) were all splitting, which means whoever in the family is pregnant is having a girl. They also knew I was pregnant before I did. Talk about being in tune....

She was a little wiggle worm the entire time. I'm thinking in a few weeks when I start to feel her move more consistently it just might drive me crazy! It was amazing to be able to see her.

Here are some pics. My favorite is the little foot...

She wouldn't move her hand away from her face for the pictures. I'd say she's shy, but being a product of Joe and I, I doubt it.

Cross-legged sitting.... cute little legs and feet.

Long Overdue Annoucement, Due in October

2009-03-03T17:13:00.001-08:00

Some of you may have heard through the grapevine, or some of you may have heard from Joe or I, but we are proud to announce that we (I) am pregnant!

I'm only about 9.5 weeks along, but have already seen the ultrasound, and we have a little kidney bean with a heartbeat! Well... now it is about the size of a grape.

As for the questions... Yes, I am sick, but hopeful that it will subside in the next few weeks. Due Date?: Oct 2. Do we want a girl or boy?: Doesn't matter to us, but Johnny wants a brother and Gracie wants a sister. They, by the way, giggle every time I tell them how big my belly is going to be.

Here's some cool info on the development from a website called babycenter.org. Its facinating!

My new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.

Simplicity in the Time of Zombies

2009-02-04T10:35:00.000-08:00

As some of you may know, the staff of the Utah Society of Environmental Education (USEE, where I work) is working toward simplifying our lives, not just at home and pertaining to the environment, but in the office as well. We discuss issues that come up in our lives on an almost daily basis, have been participating in the USEE Discussion Course - Voluntary Simplicity, and also have read the book Getting Things Done by David Allen to try and streamline our days in the office.

Simplification is on my mind always, and also seems to be more and more of a trend lately. Whether it is to relax a bit in your life, to save money, to free up time for other things, etc, simplification is a good idea to consider and has been popping up everywhere.

A most unexpected place I read about simplification was on the back of a book about Zombies called The Walking Dead (by Robert Kirkham and published by Imagecomics. Something you may not know is that the USEE office likes Zombie literature... well, Jason and I do, and we are trying to convert Nicole. Here is the quote.

"How many hours are in a day when you don't spend half of them watching television?

When is the last time any of us REALLY worked to get something that we wanted?

How long has it been since any of us really NEEDED something that we WANTED?

The world we knew is gone. The world of commerce and frivolous necessity has been replaced by a world of survival and responsibility. An epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe causing the dead to rise and feed on the living. In a matter of months society has crumbled, no government, no grocery stores, no mail delivery, no cable TV.

In a world ruled by the dead, we are forced to finally start living."

I know it may seem a little silly with the zombies and all, but simplification may not only be beneficial for us in the present time, but also for whatever the future has in store. Personally, I'm not going to wait until the Zombies come before I start living. :)

2009-01-23T11:25:00.000-08:00

Hello all. I wanted to give another update on my "Nothing New" resolution. We've completed week three and have found that it is getting easier all the time. Here are a couple highlights...

Cake Baking:
Jan 15th was my stepson's birthday, and he requested a pirate party (we talked about this last time with the few decorations etc that we bought "legally"). Somehow in my new family, I have become the cake baker. I quite enjoy it and am always looking to outdo myself from the previous year. Fittingly, this year I decided to make a pirate cake for Jonathan. I picked up all the necessary decorative candies, etc and set out to make the best darn pirate anyone had seen. I forgot one thing.... I only have one round cakepan! I don't know why or how I ended up buying just one so long ago, but I did. Not so smart on the part of the cake baker. I could have borrowed one from a neighbor, but I decided that I had time, I love to multitask, and so I'd just make do with my one pan. It took twice as long to bake, but splitting the batter worked just fine. It also prevented me from rushing into cutting and frosting when it wasn't ready yet. I also was able to relax a bit and do my other work in between cakes.

Dog Toys:
We have a puppy and an old dog. The old dog (Bronco) loves his stuffed animals. He carries them everywhere, even on walks sometimes. Salchi (the puppy) on the other hand loves to tear stuffed animals apart. I spent quite a bit of time last week patching and repatching Bronco's toys. My efforts were futile though, as they finally were so disfigured that my stitches didn't help and I threw them out. Throwing them away made me feel bad, as did knowing that poor Bronco (who would cry and sigh watching his pet hippo and pumpkin being stitched on the table) couldn't have any new toys. But, out of sight, out of mind, he seems to be getting along ok without them.

Decisions:
Joe and I both have ancient laptops. Mine was purchased before Grad School, which means it is at least 5 years old. We have decided that we need new ones. We debated over whether to get one for the both of us to share, or two. We settled on two as he is in school and I am teaching. Our final decision was that we would purchase one sooner for him, and later for me. Its a tough call, but we felt that it was something that was depleted (in a way), we would recycle it, and having new ones would help us progress in our lives. The iphone however, can wait.

Thoughts:
One interesting aspect of this "resolution" has been how much it has made me slow down and think about things. Everything I do now has consequence. Everything has a choice. It was so easy to sail through life not thinking. You may ask if this makes my life more stressful (i.e., the one cake pan). Really, it hasn't. It makes me plan a bit more (which is great), slow down, and really think about what is important and what impacts my choices have. I also haven't made any impulse buys of items that I don't need. Finally, it has led to many other forth coming positive behaviors (buying with less packaging, bringing my carrots for lunch in a paper towel I can use as a napkin rather than a plastic bag, etc). I'm excited to tackle those one at a time as my life can handle it.

How are your resolutions going? Are they leading to positive behavior change?

Arggg, Me'Earty, Ahoy Matey and all that Pirate Stuff

2009-01-15T20:15:00.000-08:00

What my little pirate wants for his birthday cake, my little pirate gets. Now I need to get off the computer and swab the decks for the party. Yar, arrggg. Avast there be a vacuum.

A Sweet Tooth? My acceptance into Skinny Land

2009-01-15T19:55:00.000-08:00

I just had my initial acceptance to Skinny Land (or, well, maybe just - Not Fat Land). Tonight I made a pirate cake for Johhny's birthday, as you can see in the post above. In order to do this, I had to go to the grocery store and buy a ton of candy (you can't just get one lifesaver for a pirate earring or one m&m for a pirate eyeball, you know). I also had to buy a big mix bag of candy for the pinata (the big bag of candy of course did not contain the eyeball or earring pieces I needed). I'll set the scene for you .... I'm standing in the line, my red basket FULL of candy, and I might add, some sugar free apple cider, are sitting on the belt, and a there is a gentleman about my age in a beanie is standing in line in front of me. He takes a look at my basket and says (almost in a flirty way), "You've got a sweet tooth, huh?". Hold on. What? Seriously, what did you just say? You are making a comment about all the candy in my basket? You think I am going to head home and eat it all right now, huh? My first reaction was to say "Wow, thanks.... a&@hole!" But then I realized he wasn't being mean. This is something that is ok for skinny people to say to other skinny people! It isn't offensive! Whoa, my whole world was just turned upside down. I then showed him the picture of the pirate cake and the list and he said, "Cool" and we parted ways. So, I now know the secret way that people who don't struggle with their weight see others... sweet toothed skinny people just like candy and thats ok, sweet toothed overweight people eat it all in the car on the way home. I still ate some in the car on the way home. Take that skinny land. (or, alternate ending... You'll never understand Skinny Land)

Shameless Plea for Money

2009-01-12T08:23:00.001-08:00

I work for a nonprofit. Many of my friends work for nonprofits. And we are all a bit nervous.

Nonprofit work is always tricky in that we do a lot of work to benefit society for a little bit of money, and the funding sources vary from private donations, to membership dues to government grants. In the current economic times, everyone is worried about their money, including the individuals, the philanthropists, and the government. Donations to and membership in nonprofit organizations is down, which means cuts to important programs may occur.

Now, I'm not one to tell you to pony up and send $200 to your favorite organization. I wouldn't do it, because I, like most people I know, really can't afford it. This has been something that has bothered me since college. I worked for and volunteered at a couple nonprofits during my college years, but couldn't even afford membership dues. Giving $50 - $250 would completely blow my budget. It is a hard thing to give up a chunk of money to an organization, even when you know it is totally worth it, and you would love to support them.

But, I've found a solution!

I'll tell you what I am going to do, and hope that you will consider joining me. Joe and I talked about donations last weekend and decided that we would give $240 to nonprofits. Whoa, wait a minute, I said before that I couldn't even afford $200, what am I thinking?

Here's how it will work....

Many organizations offer monthly giving. You visit their donation page, tell them how much you are willing to give, set it for a specific number of months, they bill you monthly, and then send you an end of year statement for your taxes. Joe and I choose 4 nonprofits (including USEE - I work for them, and feel that they are that important, so I'll give back). We will give each nonprofit $5 a month for the entire year, which will end up being $60 each (for our grand total of $240). A sixty dollar donation doesn't seem like a ton, but I know we at USEE are excited when we get a check for any amount. I won't miss the $20 each month. If you think about it, that would just be skipping one cafe mocha latte from your favorite coffee shop once a week. Not a bad trade for all the wonderful programs that come from nonprofits.

Please consider supporting us here at the Utah Society for Environmental Education. Even $5 a month will make a huge impact. Click here to set up a monthly donation.

Or, if USEE isn't your cup of tea, consider donating to your favorite nonprofit. Trust me, they'll be grateful. If they don't have a monthly giving option, please suggest they set one up.

Thank you for your support!

Week one of the "Nothing New" resolution

2009-01-09T11:07:00.001-08:00

For those of you who read my 9 goals for 2009, I'm going to give you an update on #6 - Live More Sustainably/Simply, more specifically, the part of that where Joe and I don't buy anything new for 3 months (unless it can be consumed or depleted, or it is second hand)...

So, week one seemed pretty easy. We had some realizations, bought a couple things that were "legal" according to our rules, and I became a crazy mess noticing all the unsustainable things in my life.

Realizations -
1. Sunday morning - Joe says, "Oh, let me see the adds for Circuit city to see if they have any good movies on sale." Then he says "oh, nevermind."

2. There are days when we eat out, and I'll admit, I went to Taco Bell to grab some food for Joe and I to eat on his lunch break. Now, I don't normally eat fast food, but I'm just being totally honest, sometimes I crave it. I was proud of myself for remembering to bring some drinks for us from home, as Taco Bell has giant plastic cups with their meals and that, in my mind, would count as something new. So as I waited for my food I started thinking about all the plastic cups that they give out each day. Do people recycle them? Why aren't there recycling bins in Taco Bell for the cups? Wouldn't it be cost effective for Taco Bell to have people voluntarily recycle them and then wash and reuse them?

3. I am almost out of the stuff (I call it stuff because I really don't know how to describe it) I put in my hair to make it smooth and shiny. I could justify buying more because it is used up or depleted, but then I look at the plastic container that it comes in. Do I really need it? I wish there were more refillable products. If you see me with dull frizzy hair, you'll know my decision.

4. A friend of mine asked me today if I wanted to go to NPS (or Market Square) this weekend. I LOVE NPS. It is a store that carries damaged or overstocked products and food (i.e., a can of spaghetti sauce broke in a box, so the whole box goes to NPS and is sold at great prices, or a shirt is dirty, so they take it there and still sell it). I told her that would be great, but I can only buy food items there, which would be ok, but not as fulfilling. It is amazing to realize how much we as a society LOVE to shop. I love to scrounge for deals, but it is still shopping. I can hardly pass up a good deal. So, I had to decline. Joe and I will just have to look at what we need and hit the thrift store instead.

5. I can't buy new running shoes for 3 more months...bummer, but I'll live.

"Legal" Purchases
1. Oil change in the truck. It needed to be done, and the truck will be more efficient because of it.

2. My stepson's birthday is next week, and so we decided that we would buy him a new gift and the party supplies (pirate themed, arrrrggg). We did NOT buy cute paper plates or napkins, but did get invitations, etc. We initially talked about having the kids in on this project, but as they are at their mom's more than they are with us, we felt it might be hard and conflicting for them. However, we are working on talking more about where are resources come from and where they go and planning a trip to the landfill (they've never been!).

3. Food - from Costco in bulk or the Crossroads Urban Community Co-op.

That's it! I'm pretty proud of us.

Other Unsustainable things I've noticed...
1. Ziploc bags - I'm my mother's daughter, and I've grown to depend on them, but my mom and I both know we need to cut back.

2. When you buy containers so you don't use Ziplocs, they come packaged in cardboard and then shrink wrapped. What is with all the shrink wrap? Its not needed.

3. I do soooo much laundry. Two adults, two kids, one puppy and one old dog have been keeping my washing machine busy. How can I reduce that?

4. Joe and I have so much stuff that we don't use. We are working on giving it away or sending it to the thrift store.

5. There are many more things we could talk about, but we'll save that for another post.

So, what do you think? Any advice for me? Any thoughts or questions? I'd love to get other people's take on this since it is a trial effort for us and my eyes are being opened to so many things. Where does one start?

9 for 2009

2009-01-01T22:11:00.000-08:00

I quit making New Year's Resolutions years ago. I don't like to set myself up for failure. Rather, in college, some friends and I decided to make a certain number of goals based on the year. 5 for 2005, 7 for 2007, you get the idea. So this year we are up to 9. You may think...Wow! That is a lot of accountability! But instead it lets me think of all the things I'd like to accomplish and why. In 2011, I'll be back to one major goal, so check back in then and we'll see how it goes....

You may also be wondering why I am telling you my personal goals (and the actions involved to meet those goals) and then relating them to my work in Environmental Education. That's easy to answer. Environmental Education can encompass all that you do. We live in the environment and constantly interact with it, so my goals not only pertain to me, but my relationship with the environment too. Here we go....

1. Stay Fit. This past year I've lost over 40lbs. I'm not going to gain it back. My actions will be to continue training, to run at least one foot race (aiming for a half marathon), to eat healthy and local, to drink more water. All of these things help me physically, but also allow me to take time to be outdoors and ponder my environment (i.e., Where is my food coming from? What is food grade petroleum and why am I eating it?) . The USEE Discussion ourses help out with this... especially the Menu for the Future Course.'

2. Prioritize Family Time. I am working at USEE as well as teaching a course at USU this spring. My husband works full time and goes to school. We have my step children at the house part time, two dogs, chickens and a gigantic to-do list. The USEE Discussion Course Healthy Children Healthy Planet opened my eyes to how much we let society take over and dictate what we "should" be doing. We should work more to make more money to be happy. We should put our kids in as many classes as we can so they are successful adults. But no, not for me. I am uber busy, but I am going to take time out for my family. We'll go on walks, check out the stars, dig in the dirt, etc. They will be more involved in all the other goals as well. Read on.

3. RELAX! This relates to the goal above. I can't sit still. If I'm watching TV, I am crocheting a hat. The only time I am relaxing is if it is also serving another purpose. I don't sit in the hot tub to relax, I sit in it to get warm. My mindset is going to change. Relaxing will help me in meeting my goal above. I will remember that I don't have to be everything to everyone.

4. Spend time with my dog. I have a new puppy who demands attention. But, I also have an old lab who has been my buddy for 10 years. He's can't do the things that he used to with me. He was my hiking friend and running pal. Now, he gets so excited when i put on my running shoes and I have to say "No, you stay here Bronco, you can't go that far." How horrible is that? So, I will slow down (relax? goal number 3?), and take my old friend for a walk at his pace (it is a good pace for the kids too.... goal number 2?). Being out in the environment benefits me tremendously. But, does that mean it needs to be at my running pace? No, I can enjoy it at an old dogs gait, and he will be much happier too. He deserves it.

5. Have an awesome garden. We have a huge garden area in my backyard. I did an ok job last year with it, but this year... look out! I plan to be able to provide much of my families food from my little plot of dirt. I've been gathering info and tips from my mom, my grandma and anyone who will let me pick their brains. Gardening will fit in with goal number 1, 2, and 3...I love multitasking. This makes me feel great about my contribution to the environment. I can cut down on energy costs of food production and travel. I know where it will come from, how it was grown, and what was put on it. It will also be a wonderful teaching tool for my kiddos.

6. Live more sustainably/simply. This one is a no brainer on how it relates to the environment, but here are a couple ways I hope to accomplish it. My husband Joe and I are going to do a three month experiment of not buying anything new (other than food and emergency things like car repairs, etc). If we need something, it has to come from freecycle, DI or be borrowed. This should be fun for us as we LOVE scrounging. One mans junk is our treasure. We'll reassess at three months. The kids are in on it too, and I love the thought of teaching them that we don't always need to be consumers. I also hope to use less plastic and create less plastic waste (stay tuned for another blog post).

7. Rid myself of clutter. I just read an article from YES! Magazine about a woman who lives quite happily in an 84 square foot house. I complain about my 1700 square foot house. Yes, I have the husband, two kids, two dogs, chickens, etc to justify with, but really, we don't need more room, just less stuff. I have a plan to create a 6 month box in the garage. If I put something in there today for example, I'll put a date on it 6 months from now, so June 31. If I haven't thought of it or pulled it back out by then, it needs to be giving to someone who can really use it. I can live happily with my little family and I don't need to upgrade to a bigger, less economical house.

8. Redevelop old friendships, make new ones. I like to be alone. Who doesn't? But, I also need my friends. I need to share experiences with them (my favorites are the ones that happen outdoors!), I need to learn from them (any good gardening tips?), I need to relax with them, etc. I also LOVE making new friends. A group of "professional acquaintances" got together last year for the Healthy Planet Healthy Children Discussion course. What an amazing group of women! I was so blessed to get to know them better, and to learn so much from them. I look forward to more in 2009.

9. GET OUTSIDE MORE! This again relates to all my goals above, but it needs to be a conscious thought as well. The last month here at the USEE office we have been trying to take a walk outside everyday. Even in the snow. It is amazing how much it brightens my mood, makes me more productive and keeps me awake. I always end up putting off my outdoor experiences for other things I think are more pressing (household chores?). Getting outside will help me with everything in my life as you can see from this whole blog post.

So, I'm excited to get a move'on for all my goals. If they don't end up happening to their fullest, oh well. At least they are on my mind, and I'll do my best.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Snow Chickens or Chickens in the Snow

2008-12-26T21:13:00.000-08:00

This little one is a chicken when in the snow. He's not a fan.

The real chickens don't seem to mind...

Bronco would stay in the snow all day, especially if the kids pitch him snowballs...

Christmas!

2008-12-26T21:00:00.001-08:00

Everyone was very happy in our family on Christmas...
Johhny got a Tetherball...
Gracie got Elefun the Elephant...
Salchi played Santa...
and Joe and I stuffed ourselves on a Venezuelan Traditional Holiday food - Hallacas.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-18T10:05:00.000-08:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2008-12-01T20:49:00.000-08:00

While Mom and Dad were visiting for Thanksgiving, Jana invited us to go with her to see the lights at Temple Square. Dad opted to stay home and work on my laundry room (thanks Dad!), but Mom was excited to go. The lights were bright, the air was chilly and the sidewalks were packed, but as you can see we were happy.

Joe's Early Christmas Present

2008-11-08T11:25:00.001-08:00

All Joe wanted for Christmas this year was a little wiener dog. I resisted quite a bit, as I am more of a big dog person (hence 100 lb Bronco), but he convinced me and I have to admit the new pup is a cute little bugger.

We planned on getting one in December, but found a good deal on a pup that was close to us so we went for it. He's doing really well. We are crate training him and he only cried for about 30 minutes the first night and now he goes in it on his own. He also knows to use the newpaper if he needs to potty. I'm so glad he's good... so far. On the drive home with him I was thinking "What have we done?" remembering training Bronco 9 years ago. He's 9 weeks old and will get to a max of 13 lbs. Haha.

We decided to name him Salchi, which is short for Salchicha. Salchicha means "hot dog" in Spanish, so it is fitting.

He and Bronco are learning to like each other. The first night little Salchi was really scared of Bronco. Bronco, in turn, liked to look at him like he was something to eat for dinner. If Bronco even looked his way he would turn and bury his little head. At one point, Salchi walked by Bronc and Bronc gave a mild, and I mean mild, snarl. I thought he might die. He cried and cried.

The kids love him, and as soon as he can be outside without getting too cold (see his sweater?) I'll work on introducing him to the chickens.

Playing in the Leaves

2008-11-08T11:20:00.000-08:00

Time to Clean out the Garden!

2008-10-30T10:33:00.000-07:00

I just came across this recipe for Green Tomato Salsa on the Grist Newsletter (Environmental News and Commentary) and thought I would pass it along to all you garden growers.

Green Tomato Salsa Verde, Now and Later

This is a salsa verde recipe adapted to make use of the loads of green tomatoes left hanging on the vines, refusing to ripen this time of year. Of course, you can also use the traditional tomatillo. I like to can at least a dozen jars of this delicious green tomato salsa to last the whole year. To do the same, just multiply the recipe. (Makes 2 pints)

2 pounds green tomatoes
1 medium white onion
4-6 cloves raw garlic
10-14 fresh jalapeños or your favorite green chiles (if you prefer milder salsa, try poblanos or Anaheim chiles), stems removed
1 bunch cilantro
Juice of 2 limes
Salt to taste or about 2 teaspoons
Water, if thinner consistency is desired

In a cast iron skillet or under the broiler, cook the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chiles, turning frequently, until they begin to blacken all over and are soft. The garlic will likely be ready before everything else. Alternatively, you can boil the first four ingredients in salted water for 10-15 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and squishy. Next, transfer all to a food processor or blender and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Add the cilantro, salt, and lime and process into a coarse purée.

Thin with several tablespoons of water if a thinner salsa is desired.

Use immediately, refrigerate for up to two weeks, or freeze for up to six months. To can, ladle salsa into sterilized pint jars leaving 1/4 inch of head space; top with clean and sterilized two-piece lids. Process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes. Store in a cool, dark place.

Dora and the Ninja (aka, Swiper)

2008-10-26T20:06:00.000-07:00

Joe is working on Halloween, so we took the kids to an event downtown this Saturday where they could dress up and do the normal candy, pumpkins thing. Gracie is Dora (striking resemblance), and Johnny is a Ninja. Not sure if he wanted to be a Ninja or just liked the idea of being able to play "swiper no swiping" with Gracie. A good time was had by all.

By the way, we don't know who this guy was, but he posed with the Ninja.

TARANTULA!

2008-10-26T19:56:00.000-07:00

This afternoon Annie, Bronco and I took a quick hike in the foothills around Salt Lake. As we were walking, we saw something ahead in the trail. We being Annie and I, Bronco had somehow found a tennis ball and was oblivious. ANYWAYS, coming down the center of the trail was a Tarantula! I've had never seen one in the wild and how fitting is it that I see one to kick off the Halloween week. I used this topic to post on my work blog, so in case you are interested in learning some environmental info that is also suitable for kids, here are some cool facts about Tarantulas from kidszone....

Tarantulas are part of the family of spiders called Hairy Mygalomorphs.
These are the spiders that, scientists believe, have been around for millions of years and have not changed much in that time!
There are around 700 kinds, or species, of Tarantulas.
Tarantulas are nighttime hunters who will pounce on their prey. They eat insects, beetles and grasshoppers.
Many Tarantulas live in burrows underground. They will either use their fangs to dig them or else take someone else’s burrow-home.
All Tarantulas have an interesting way of defending themselves. They have hairs on their abdomen (stomachs) that have sharp little barbs, or pokey things, on them. When threatened, the spider will rub these hairs with their legs and shoot them at their predator.
Not only are they caught as pets; in some countries they are eaten, as well. They are said to have a nutty taste kind of like peanut butter!

In addition to the Tarantula, the hike was great. Bronco is currently passed out on his bed (he's 9 yrs old now...), and Annie and I had a nice time. The view up there is amazing as well, when it isn't hazy. Here are some more pics.

I like boxing, but I LOVE my nose.

2008-10-08T20:11:00.001-07:00

I got rocked in the nose tonight at boxing. I really need to learn to keep my gloves up better.

It was the first time I did "open sparring", which means that we were actually hitting hard and not controlling our punches to practice technique. I let my guard down and took one right in the face.

In my defense, I got some good shots in after my eyes quit watering and I checked, and checked again, for blood. But the worst part is that it was a 40-something year old woman that kicked my a**.

I'll keep practicing.

Backyard Barnyard

2008-10-06T19:55:00.000-07:00

Since I can't let John and Katrina beat me at something, I'm going to start posting on this blog again too.

Here are some recent pics of our backyard barnyard. The birds were harassing the chickens and trying to eat their food, so Joe and I bought them some feeders of their own. The result was an aviary in the back yard. Somehow they all managed to get along - bronco, the chickies, and the LBB's (little brown birds).

We're getting married! APRIL 12, 2008

2008-01-31T20:27:00.003-08:00

About Us

2008-01-31T20:27:00.001-08:00

Joe and I met in Salt Lake City in December of 2006. We hate to admit it, but we met on the internet. Ironically, neither of us were into "online dating" so it was pretty lucky that we found each other. We actually "met" in a coffee shop close to my house. Don't worry...I made sure he wasn't a slimeball, and we met in a public place. Since then we have been acting like a married couple, in a good way. :) Joe has 2 kids, Gracie (3) and Johnny (6) who I adore. We spend a lot of time with them, and we all get along great.

Joe and I know we are perfect for each other. Even though we aren't married yet, we've worked out a lot of kinks that usually come after the wedding....

Our first step at testing our relationship (other than the kiddos) was heading to Venezuela for 2 weeks last summer. Joe grew up there, and his extended family still lives in Maracaibo. I LOVED it. We had a great time, my spanish improved, and now the first thing Joe's family asks about when he speaks to them is me! They were awesome, and they took me in as one of their own. It was also a good test for Joe and I that we found out we could spend 14 days (that is 336 hours) together and still like each other. :)

The second step was buying a car together. After we got back from Venezuela, Joe and I bought a 1990 VW Bus to haul the kids and Bronco (the dog) around in. Its been a fun "project" and we hope to be able to have it road trip worthy soon. We had no problem taking care of the finances for the car together. Whew... second hurtle overcame.

In August, Joe proposed to me. That wasn't a hurtle at all. I was so happy. He gave me a ring that is made of African Blackwood and white gold. The diamond was from the first ring my dad gave my mom. It means a lot to me to have my moms diamond, and I love how unique my ring is. People tell me it suits me perfectly.

Our last hurtle is that we recently bought a house in Salt Lake City. We are renting it back to the previous owners until April, which helps keep the stress level a bit lower. We are both so excited to have our own place, as well as having a great space for the kiddos and visitors.

My sister-in-law said that two of the most stressful times in life are getting married and buying a house. Well, we decided to just kill two birds with one stone. We've stood up to this much, and both feel that together we can take on anything. We are so excited to be married, and to share the event with our friends and family.

California Ceremony Information

2008-01-31T20:26:00.001-08:00

WEDDING CEREMONY
SATURDAY APRIL 12, 2008 - 11:00 AM
VETERANS PARK ON ARROYO ROAD
LIVERMORE, CA

DRESS: The ceremony will take place in a natural area of Veterans Park, so please dress appropriately. Semi-Casual is fine. Ladies - you may not want to wear heals, as we will be walking on grass and field areas.

DIRECTIONS FROM THE QUALITY INN TO VETERANS PARK...

1: Start out going NORTHEAST on PRESTON AVE toward SOUTHFRONT RD.
2: Turn RIGHT onto S VASCO RD.
3: Turn RIGHT onto TESLA RD / CR-J2. Continue to follow CR-J2.
4: Turn LEFT onto CONCANNON BLVD.
5: Turn LEFT onto ARROYO RD.
6: End at Veterans Park Kiosk: 5211 Arroyo Rd, Livermore, CA 94550, US

DIRECTIONS FROM JUDY AND DALE'S TO VETERANS PARK...

1: Start out going NORTH on GONZAGA CT toward DRAKE WAY.
2: Turn LEFT onto DRAKE WAY.
3: Turn RIGHT onto HILLCREST AVE.
4: Turn LEFT onto EAST AVE.
5: Turn LEFT onto 7TH ST.
6: Turn LEFT onto S L ST.
7: S L ST becomes ARROYO RD. 8: End at Veterans Park: 5211 Arroyo Rd, Livermore, CA 94550, US

California Open House Information

2008-01-31T20:25:00.000-08:00

OPEN HOUSE TO FOLLOW THE CEREMONY AT THE
HOME OF JUDY AND DALE WALKER
1:00 PM- 6:00 PM
1215 GONZAGA COURT
LIVERMORE, CA

DIRECTIONS FROM VETERANS PARK TO THE WALKER HOME...

1: Start out going NORTH on ARROYO RD toward PALM DR.
2: ARROYO RD becomes S L ST.
3: Turn RIGHT onto 7TH ST.
4: Turn RIGHT onto EAST AVE.
5: Turn RIGHT onto HILLCREST AVE.
6: Turn LEFT onto DRAKE WAY.
7: Turn RIGHT onto GONZAGA CT.
8: End at 1215 Gonzaga Ct, Livermore, CA 94550-4919, US

DIRECTIONS FROM THE QUALITY INN TO THE WALKER HOME...

1: Start out going NORTHEAST on PRESTON AVE toward SOUTHFRONT RD.
2: Turn RIGHT onto S VASCO RD.
3: Turn RIGHT onto EAST AVE.
4: Turn LEFT onto XAVIER WAY.
5: Turn RIGHT onto DRAKE WAY.
6: Turn LEFT onto GONZAGA CT.
7: End at 1215 Gonzaga Ct Livermore, CA 94550-4919, US

Utah Open House Information

2008-01-31T20:14:00.000-08:00

PLEASE JOIN US FOR A WEDDING CELEBRATION
AT OUR NEW HOME

SATURDAY APRIL 26, 2008
5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

1031 TALLY HO DRIVE, SALT LAKE CITY

Registration Information

2008-01-31T20:13:00.000-08:00

We are registered at Target. You can look us up at the store, or shop online.

Also, since we just bought a new house, we would love gift certificates for Lowe's (I'm sure we'll have lots to get there....) or IKEA (we LOVE IKEA).

Hotel/Lodging Information (California)

2008-01-31T20:07:00.002-08:00

I've blocked out rooms at the Quality Inn in Livermore for Thursday April 10 - Sunday April 13.

To make a reservation, call 925-606-7171, and tell them you are with the Walker/Bravo Wedding party. They will give you a discounted rate.

The rates are....
2 queen beds $69.99/night
1 king bed $69.99/night
Suite (1 king bed and a pull out couch) $99.99/night

YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE RESERVATION BY MARCH 10 TO GUARANTEE THAT THE ROOMS WILL STILL BE HELD, AND GET THE DISCOUNTED RATE.

Call me if you have questions.

Pictures of us!

2008-01-31T20:07:00.001-08:00

Andree' and Joe

Johhny Joe Bravo

Gracie Bravo

Andree' and Joe at the Zoo

Gracie, Andree' and Johnny

Andree' and Joe at the Copa America soccer game in Venezuela (2007)

and let's not forget Bronco....