Easter in Evergreen

Well, our first evergreen Easter is tomorrow, and we have already hit 2 eggs hunts! Next is Lizza's b-day party at the rec center, then easter backers tomorrow, then egg dying, and then the grand finale is the UU egg hunt with maybe three other families if we are lucky. Ironically, I am feeling super uninspired by easter this year. Usually I have a lot to say to the kids about the re-birth of the earth! Not this year. Tired and excited to move!

Dinner: Jill's Sweet chicken

During the 2017 Oscar Red Carpet (with the flu) I threw this together for the kids' dinner tonight.

4 to 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 peeled and chunked apple
Soy sauce
Balsamic vinegar
Ginger beer
Salt
Handful of snow peas -- roughly chopped
Handful of chopped Green onions
Can of pineapple chunks

Start the rice in the steamer
Chop the raw chicken and throw it in a bag with the apple, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger beer and salt.
When ready to cook, drain most of the liquid and pour out the bag into a sauce pan. Cook on medium until chicken is cooked. Add genes and serve with rice and pineapple.


Jill Fellow
801.735.7416

President's Day in Ouray!!

Valentine's -- Over the Top surprises

I never think about Valentines. To me it is a day for my kids to think about my mom who loves hearts. If I am close to a dollar store, I buy things to decorate the breakfast table, and maybe I make a fun meal. That's the end. The rest is kid stuff. Tim even schedule a work dinner for Valentine's this year, and I didn't blink an eye.

Well, he came home on Valentine's EVE with steaks and dinner. What a treat, right? We cooked and ate and watched TV, and I thought, "Wow, what a wonderful Valentine's with my man!"

Then, I woke up this morning and could hear all kinds of noises from the kids down stairs, and I couldn't remember hearing Tim leave for the day. I had left out cards for the kids from Grammy -- they must have been musical. I also put out cute Valentine's paper plates, a gift Grammy sent for Charlie (since his card didn't have a crisp $5 bill), and a few red candy corns. Kenna came up and really wanted me to come down. I thought this was cute since there was clearly no need for me in the meager celebration. I asked why she needed me down there. "So we can eat the Strawberries. With chocolate." What?

I head down, and it was surprise after surprise. Tim was there for one, which was a shock since he usually leaves at 5 am. he was cooking French toast and bacon. I turned and saw flowers on the table. The girls were drinking juice out of champagne glasses, and there were plate of berries and chocolate covers strawberries everywhere. Tim was pouring a Mimosa for me, and everyone was laughing and playing with their musical cards.

Later after we ate, and walked in to the office to prep for my 9 am class. Next to my computer was a GIANT bottle of my favorite Scotch. This thing is CARTOON big. I laughed my ass off and felt so grateful for a silly surprise on a silly day from my man who really is my partner, my love, and my friend. Thanks, baby. 

Great day -- hiking, sliding, drinking, working, folding, watching

It was a great day. I got the kids off to school -- after sitting in the car 20 minutes waiting for the defrost -- and after I scraped and scraped the windshield with no success. But then I was off on a winter hike with Joanna. It was beautiful. It was 15 degrees, which is ironic because all the days I didn't hike this week were like 50 degrees. But it was quiet, white, and amazing. I wore little spikes that you wear over your shoes, and they made a nice grip on the icy trail -- until they didn't because one fell off and I only had traction on one foot. Of course that was when we hit the north/dark/icy side of the hike and started heading down hill. I was slipping and laughing my tail off. I think the cold made me delirious. But then Joanna started falling too -- and I really lost it. She would scream like someone getting eaten by a bear. I died. Then I started just sitting down and sliding down the really icy parts -- and we both lost it. Not sure why, but I truly saw the bright side. Joanna took a pic of me on the ground at the bottom of the last slide. It helped that I was wearing these crazy way too tight and thick leggings from Costco -- they are super human because I never got wet or very cold in my legs from all the sliding. Anyway we ended the hike with a hard hot cocoa at a new cafe.

The day goes on with all kinds of things -- sick kid -- a pre-school director who told me to come get my 2-year-old because he won't cover his mouth -- a work meeting -- more hot drinks -- laundry to fold and shows to watch. Spirits are high.

Tomorrow we've got a play date here with 6 friends -- so happy to stay in and stay warm.

More laughter is surely coming my way.

Jill Fellow
801.735.7416

So much pain in the world right now

I'm really upset about what is going on with Trump. It's awful and stressful -- Trump is awful. I opened a book this morning and the first page had this quote. I believe it to be true -- and I wish everyone on both sides of all the aisles understood it too.

Re-do

I finally took Lizza back to the mountains to re-do our awful day of skiing a few weeks ago when I totally fell off the wagon and yelled like a sailor.

We had a great day, and I was so proud of her progress. She rocked! And I stayed calm.