That's my Boy...Dew Tour '09

And it Begins...

Mommy and my Guy, so happy to be with him today!

Look his eyes, twinkling with excitement... just had to take a quick pic :)

ThE DeW ToUr!!!!!Waiting to get on the bike...

Mom and little "B" having a BlAsT!!!

Clap for the Dew....

Oh, YEA!!!!!!! Nitro Circus, his favorite show.... Brayden is a big FAN!!

Well now, what can I say... we had such a great weekend!! We took Brayden to the Dew Tour, and I cannot tell you how much fun we had together. These guys are so incredibly talented and it is so crazy what kind of insane tricks they try. We walked around, got autographs, saw motorcycles, skateboards, and bmx riders. It was amazing. As many of you know, my son is a thrill junkie, yes anything that involves a stunt, motor, or a HIGH jump count him in, and yes he is 2 years of age...

***Are you ready for this?***

We both know that we are in for a world of trouble with this kiddo, because of his love for this crazy sport. He WANTS to be on every bike he sees, and the scary thing is he knows how to work them... There was Yamaha tent that had these mini motorbikes going around a dirt track, so Brady went to see what it was all about, and.... they had a "sample" of a riding lesson from ages 2-4...next thing we know we are both running down to this tent and signing Brayden up to go ride a bike. He was ThRiLleD!!! Parents were not allowed where they were suiting up the kids or on the track, so with great trust I handed my little man over to the instructors to give him his first mini lesson. It took a while to get him fitted with his gear, so that made me a little nervous. But, a lady that was part of the production looked at me and gave me the thumbs-up. I couldn't wait to see my guy! Which then he was put on the littlest bike they had, I have to say my heart was bursting, I was so PROUD of my guy. I just kept thinking, oh my he is only 2!!!! What kind of crazy Mother am I?! These instructors were so great, they worked with Brayden for only 20 minutes, and he was pretty much doing this on his own. One gentlemen came over to me and asked how old he was, I responded 2...He just looked at me and laughed, smiled, and said, "You are in BIG trouble.This little guy knows how to ride. " We told him he already rides a 2-wheel bike, never had training wheels. So he takes Brady back into the tent and shows him what bike to get, how to teach him, and so forth.

Helmet=check, suiting up=check, goggles=check, seeing your boy ride for the first time=priceless :) ( I just had to put that in there)

That would be poppin' a wheelie... Whooo HOOOOO!

The little dare-devil...

Just one day could turn out like this...What an unbelievable time that we had together!! Lots of memories to share...As my Brayden would say.. "GO, GO, yesssssssssss" with his little arm bent at the elbow pulling it into his hip... He is the coolest little boy EVER!!! Love you B!! :) And yes my friends, this is my son riding for the very first time on a motor-bike.... (well~ that was actually going) He did AWESOME!!

My Life...In boxes

Brady and I have been on the fence about selling our home for about a year now....and last month we SOLD, I know many people may think we are crazy right now to be making such a huge decision in these uncertain times, but all the past year it had never felt right, but now, I cannot explain it but it just does... Oh how I wish that I could just pick up our house and move it. We have worked so very hard to have the home that we do, we are truly grateful to have had this beautiful place. Brady has worked countless hours on making our yard like a park, I remember him hauling loads and loads of top soil. It felt like we just moved dirt around for months but all of that paid off, now our yard is one of my favorite places to be...When we were building we drove by almost everyday we could hardly wait to move in! And when we finally did, it was a dream come true. We have made many wonderful memories here, we brought home our beautiful son, shared laughter, tears, many holidays, good family times, and birthdays, these walls have sheltered our family from the outside world and has given us peace. I have made some amazing friends here as well, I will miss them very much, they have touched me deeply. We have taken pride in what we have created and it will forever be a part of us! But for now we just have to have faith in the future and what it may hold for us. This is a major stepping stone for our little family and it is time for us to look into the next chapter in our lives. I know the day when we drive away will be a very difficult one, truly a bittersweet feeling....

So for now as we wait to be led to our next home, all I see is boxes EVERYWHERE!! If you know me at all I want to be 10 steps ahead of the game, so yes I am all packed. Crazy I know, I had a feeling our home would sell very quickly which it did, and I have a feeling that when we do find our home, the move will (hopefully) be a speedy one as well....Brayden seems to think that every box needs to be climbed on, jumped on, or moved. To tell the truth I don't mind it at all, it's kind of a mental relief not to worry about keeping the house neat all of the time. The future is bright, and with a lot of positivity we look ahead to what the next few months may bring!!

One-dish wonder....

So, fall is just around the corner the crisp air is going to set in, along with cooler weather. This time of year is my absolute FAVORITE season, I have so many reasons why but one of the best is it's time to get out the old crock-pot again! In my opinion the crock-pot is one of the greatest inventions ever created! It has saved me many times when I am in a pinch and it seems that no matter what you put in the thing it cooks perfectly and tastes wonderful...not to mention you don't have to do hardly anything to create a fabulous meal to come home to at the end of the day... Here is one of my favorite "One-dish wonder" recipes

*South-of-the-Border

*Steak and Beans*

1 lb. beef flank steak (you may season your meat)

1 10 oz. can of chopped tomatoes ( I use fresh ones from my garden, for extra flavor)

1/2 c. chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon crushed oregano

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

2 small red and yellow peppers cut into strips

1 can pinto beans, rinsed

3 c. hot cooked rice

salt/pepper to taste

~Place meat in crockery cooker, in bowl stir together tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt/pepper. Pour over meat..
~Cover and cook on low-heat for 7-9 hours

~Add sweet pepper strips and pinto beans. Cover and cook for 30 minutes more.

~Remove meat, slice meat across the grain

~Spoon rice into bowls. Arrange meat on top of rice. Spoon bean mixture over meat. If you so desire, sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese and serve with hot bread

And Enjoy!

There is nothing like walking in from a long day and smelling the yummy dinner the amazing crock-pot has done for you... I repeat one of the greatest inventions of all time!

Gotta love the crock!! Bring on Fall....