A Quickie

Really fast...we're alive!

1. Our backyard is really coming together. Thank you to everyone who helped Tyler with the prep work and installation. We have 6 bouganvillas, 6 hopseeds ('wall plants' as I like to call them because they will grow 10 ft. tall and block the 'driveway' side of our yard), 3 Mesquite trees, a new beautiful Shamel Ash tree and 800 sq. ft. of wonderful green sod! Sorry I don't have a picture yet but I will soon.

2. Countdown to a wedding and graduation and birthday and housewarming. As you can tell our weekend is JAM PACKED with events. All of these are happening within 24 hours...we will be running :)

3. Tyler is done for the semester! He got really good grades and I know he is enjoying not having to go to class on Monday nights and worry about all his online homework the rest of the week (I won't lie...I'm enjoying the break too...haha) But not for long, he starts summer school the 1st of June!

4. Tyler also started playing on the softball league at work...WHAT!!?? I know...crazy huh? I was so proud of him. The guy has seriously not touched a bat since he was in elementary school and he hit the ball all 3 times he was up for bat and I think he even got someone out while he played 1st base. I am so so so proud of him. It's fun to take the dog and share my pretzel and cheese with her while we enjoy the show.

Can't Stop, Won't Stop

We ran down to Tucson and while we were there the boys wanted to go test their new dirtbikes...I don't blame them. Dan, Tyler, Scotty, Shauna, and Gary all ran the track down by the fairgrounds. So...in an effort to be more productive and have a little bit of our own fun, Christie and I decide to drive later and meet them. Boy....what an adventure! Had to turn back for food, got some crazy directions, got a little lost, did some doughnuts in the front office parking lot, ate some junk food...long story short...a dang good time! Here is us at the end of the our adventure sitting in the freezing wind watching our boys ride :)

I thought I should provide an updated picture of our yard after all the hard work last weekend! We scooped and shoveled and raked until we just couldn't take it anymore.

So, I know it's hard to tell but you can see all the pea gravel we layed in the back...12 tons...didn't even begin to put a dent in this beast. BUT...we have some rock to keep the dirt down, thank goodness! Tyler and John dug some trenches and then Tyler and I laid and glued all the pipe for the sprinklers. Yay! Sprinklers! I am so glad we are doing it the right way this time...no more half-way business.

Here is a picture of John keeping our dog busy while we were working :)

We will probably finish the drip system this week and be able to lay sod and plant some more plants this weekend. But there is still so much more to do....there will definitely be future updates including brick laying, more rocks, and a firepit!

Tearin' it up!

Just some fun and quick snapshots of our hard work this morning in our backyard. I am so grateful for my family and all of their help....seriously, I could not have survived the day without the tractor.

Let's Get This Party Started!

Riding the Smoother

He Had to Try

Cilantro loves Maria...and Maria loves it back

This is for a special someone (I told you I would do it)! This post is all about the wonderful world of cilantro. Cil-what? That's right everyone, I am dedicating a whole 10 minutes of my life to discussing a little green Mexican herb.
Today Maria and I enjoyed "Coriandrum sativum" atop our nachos. I think we are so used to tasting hints of cilantro in salsa or in Mexican food, but just plopping it right on top of a big pile of sour cream and pinto beans was perfect. It was clean and crisp and added a whole different spin to such usual and plain ingredients.
My cousin Morgan makes the best homemade salsa and unlike the usual Pace or Herdez, it has a really strong and fresh flavor...maybe that is why Morgan's salsa will forever by my favorite. Cilantro is a little spicy, a little smoky, and at the same time, cooling when it is in your mouth. Strange but oh so tasty. Though I don't use cilantro often, here are some tasty ways to easily work the little leaf into your cooking:

Cilantro Rice: Mix some garlic and cilantro leaves in a blender. Saute onions in a little bit of oil until soft, brown uncooked rice until opaque. Cook as usual but try using chicken stock instead of water

Cilantro Avacado Potato Salad: Mix softened potatoes and onions in a bowl, add some garlic, salt, and pepper. Dice avacado, a little jalepeno, and cilantro and toss in with potatoes with some lime juice

Cilantro Lime Mayo: Blend lime juice, hot sauce, garlic, dijon mustard, and cilantro. Process until leaves are finely minced. Add some mayo and mix just until blended...add to anything!

Some side notes that may be of some importance:
1. Mix cilantro with some mint juice and you can use it as a facial toner
2. Coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant
3. Some people believe it can relieve insomnia or anxiety
4. You may be allergic to it...and then don't blame me! :)

Happy Eating!

Here She Is!

What you have been waiting for! It's not the most glamorous picture in the world but you get the picture. When the brown curtain is open there is a cream colored sheer underneath and we will probably move my favorite picture in the whole wide world because it doesn't match :( But...I love the color, love my bedding, and I bought some new decorations to put up that match. What do you think?!

Chillaxin' All Cool

That title is for the Fresh Prince fans out there...I know you're out there :) This week flew by! I left for Minneapolis early on Tuesday morning for a big meeting with one of our customers. We went to some great food places, little hole in the wall places that I would have never gone to on my own. One is tucked away in an old building and is actually two stories of dining room that don't connect...you take the elevator up to sit in the upper dining room. The other is an old refurbished fire house that sources everything from right around their area and has a ton of history.

112 Eatery - I got the pork tenderloin and gnocchi mmm...so tasty
Cafe 28 - I got a locally grown, organic burger with fresh cheddar and guacamole....hit the spot

I came home from Minneaoplis on Thursday night and took the next day off just to recoup and take a little Kristina & Tyler time. We ate out all weekend which is totally against my plan for saving money...but it was nice not to care.

We put the finishing touches on our room on Friday night and I am so excited to post pictures!!! Give me about 8 hours and I will have some eye candy up here for you :) Saturday morning I dug up part of our drip system in the front yard because the dripper heads were clogged and weren't letting any water come out. Got those all cleared out so now my plants can drink up. Tyler changed the oil in our cars and then sprayed all the weeds in our backyard. This week week we are going to buy some brick to extend our patio and I'm crossing my fingers that my father-in-law will bring his tractor up here to clear this hot mess of a backyard up!

I cannot resist......

telling you about the easiest, tastiest dinner I have made in a really long time!

Chicken & Spinach Bake
3/4 bag of small egg noodles
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 C of milk
2 cans of chicken
2 handfuls of frozen spinach (I know that isn't very technical..but neither is this dish)
2 slices of provolone cheese (you can use whatever you have in the fridge)
1/2 tsp. Garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Cumin
1/2 tsp. Salt
1tsp. Pepper

Boil and salt water in order to cook noodles. When noodles are al-dente, drain and set aside. Mix cream of mushroom, milk, spinach, chicken, and spices in a 9x13 casserole dish. Gently mix in noodles and even out the top in order to lay cheese flatly across the top of the noodles.

Bake on 350 for 30 minutes...mmm...mmm...delicious!

The Good Ol Days

This weekend Tyler went on a boy's trip to the dunes and I went down to Tucson for a babyshower. My cousin Camry is absolutely adorable and even more adorable pregnant! But I'll back up and give you the whole weekend.

Friday night I drove down right after picking up my dog and saying goodbye to Tyler. I dropped Ruby off at my mom's house and drove to Fred's Bar and Arena to see my friend Megan since her birthday is on Monday. Her grandpa owns this bar so it is basically a staple of my childhood. We went in the back and made some tacos and ate some birthday cake and then topped it off with a little karaoke and a present :)

Saturday morning Mom, Charles, and I drove out to Ryan Field, another childhood staple, and ate some breakfast at the cafe in the small airport. Then we went out to my grandma Janet's house and they helped trim some trees for an older couple that lives near by while I visited with my grams and my cousin Morgan, her husband Doran, and their beautiful little boy Wylan. (Morgan is Camry's sister) When Mom and Charles were down the three of us drove back to the house and watched general conference and ate some lunch.

Wylan, Morgan, and Kristina

Saturday night I went to the babyshower and my aunt Nila, Morgan, Camry, my aunt Terry, and cousin Sasha were all there! We had so much fun, I think we scared Camry's inlaws...we tend to by loud and laugh a lot when we are all together. Right after the shower we stole Camry and the 4 cousins all went to Chilis for a little post-baby shower noshing. It was so fun to catch up with everyone...this was my crew growing up...my best friends....we had a really good time.

The Whole Crew

Sasha and Camry

After dinner I drove Sasha back to her mom's house (Aunt Terry) in Sahuarita. That house is absolutely beautiful. Terry and Joe have only been there since around Christmas and it is decorated so pretty with the bones of a beautiful back yard that just needs to grow into itself...the area is awesome. I loved it and I couldn't resist hanging out and visiting with Terry and Sasha for another 2 hours. I felt like a single girl again driving all over town and getting to my mom's house just before the stroke of midnight..haha!

I drove back early Sunday morning with my puppy did a few things around the house, watched some more conference and took a little nap. Now I'm getting my second wind and I think I'm going to clean like a mad woman...haha. Happy weekend everyone!

Just when we think it slows down...

Oh it is that time of year again...the holidays are long gone, dune season rolls to an end, but what is around the corner...so much more!!

We have at least 3 weddings coming up in the next 3 months, a baby shower, the end of the semester for Tyler, annual account planning at work for me, and a honey-do list about 80 miles long :)

Granted...I do a lot of my own honey-do tasks.....it's more of a Curtis family list. The catch? We have to get it all done before lake season!!! We have decided it's time to do the backyard right instead of just half way, so within the next few weekends we will have a ditch-witch, some sod, gravel, and weed killer. I know it sounds like SO much fun, so if anyone is interested please give me a call. Luckily my father in law has a tractor and even more luckily our backyard and side gate are big enough for him to tackle the hot mess that is currently behind our house.

I visited with my grandparents this weekend down in Tucson and my grandpa is such a green-thumb, just talking to him gives me the itch. He has beautiful blossoms (popcorn popping) on all of his trees, an awesome garden-by-the-square-foot, and I just want to be a farmer now!

I am also really excited because I have finally decided that it is time for a family picture update and I am doing it right this time. I have gotten some awesome suggestions for photographers that are all at a really great price so now it's Tyler's choice. I narrow it down and he picks or he just makes me pick :) We're a good team that way.

Just for fun......

I don't have any pictures from exciting adventures so I thought I would throw this on here to break up the words. We were on our way home from the temple in Snowflake for a wedding and caravaning with Tyler's parents. We stopped at the lake for a quick break and Jessie caught us with our puppy :)

Whoa Whoa Whoa...where did it all go!

My time is just escaping me! I've been traveling for work and out of town for fun so I am running behind in my posting :) Right now I'm in Minneapolis ready for a training. It is about 50 degress and drizzling. It is such a refreshing change from the Phoenix heat. I am a cold weather girl at heart that is for sure! My favorite thing is to walk or run in the cold so after our AMAZING dinner tonight (sea bass that just melted and an amazing tangy sesame sauce with asparagus), we walked the 1/4 mile back to the hotel...sorry girls! Mmmm...it was so nice!
Well, it's 10pm in the big MN right now so I better get some beauty rest for tomorrow.