Snow Chickens or Chickens in the Snow

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!

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!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

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

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

Time to Clean out the Garden!

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)

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!

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.

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

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

About Us

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

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

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

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

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)

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!

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....