Sarrazollas in Surfville

Nope, that's not a typo...we are actually in Surfville (in Oceanside, CA and 750 feet from the water's edge, to be exact). We are here to celebrate the holidays with family and friends and to wish the Sarrazolla matriarch congratulations for seven decades of a marvelous life (Happy Birthday, Gabriella!). As selfish as it is, we are thrilled that we won't be missing our first white Christmas while here in sunny SoCal (Idaho is in a persistent dry weather pattern that is not expected to abate until maybe after the holidays). We have acclimated so much to the colder climate in Boise that today's high temperatures along the beach, hovering around 65 degrees F, felt a bit too warm. My oldest son strutted in shorts, well...he ALWAYS wears shorts...but took the opportunity to go without his wrestling sweat jacket for a change. I simply baked this afternoon in my turtleneck and thin sweater (alas, I forgot what warm felt like so all I brought were turtlenecks and sweaters...really, isn't winter supposed to be cold?!?).

I have to be honest. I feel like I'm living a Twilight Zone episode. A place I called home for 44 years doesn't really feel like home anymore. Everything is intimately familiar and strangely vague all at the same time. Certain sights bring feelings of connectiveness yet I can't help but think that I don't belong here...that this is not home. Well, actually, I guess it's not home. We are native aliens, foreigners in a land where we grew up. Places I used to perceive as spacious are not as uncrowded as I once believed. Even the sky seems smaller and cluttered here. Adding to the Rod Serling moment is picking up with people I visit as if we haven't missed a beat...like 6 months are as 6 minutes and we haven't been apart at all. It's mind-bending, comforting and humbling at the same time. It makes me realize in a very concrete way that regardless of changes in environment, love really does transcend distance and time.

Well, leaving the deep thoughts for a moment, let me tell you a little about the beginnings of our heavily anticipated vacation. We took a two days to drive down the I-15,passing through five states in all (ID, UT, AZ, NV, CA) Our first stop: Cedar City, UT...which didn't have much to offer (we did arrive on a Sunday night, in a very religious, "we-roll-up-our-sidewalks-and-don't-work-on-the-Lord's-Day" town, afterall). Not much, except for snow on the ground, beautiful, sparkly, non-icy snow. I do believe we were the only guests in the KOA and arriving after 5 pm and leaving before 7 a.m., we never did see anyone that worked there. That was just fine with us because we really only wanted a place to rest our road-weary bodies for the night. Leaving the next morning, we got a taste of what winter actually looks like. It is gray and white and exquisite (maybe I'd feel differently if I had to see it all the time). I've never seen a landscape, hibernating and so desolate yet magnificent.

In contrast, we are staying at the Paradise by the Sea RV Resort in Oceanside, a "glamp-ground" I've driven by hundreds of times when taking the boys to preschool but never ever really noticed. It's a quaint and friendly place nestled behind Buccaneer Bay Park between the railroad tracks and Pacific Coast Highway. We've already met the owners and been invited to several events being held in the park club house, including a Christmas party. When we come to San Diego County for a visit again, this will be top on our list of places to stay. Downtown Oceanside is a short walk away (well, short for those who like to walk or who don't have kids whining about how mean you are to make them walk to much). I am impressed to how Oceanside is putting on a beautiful face...it is my fervent hope that the beauty is not only going skin-deep but that this gem of a beach town is cleaning up its soul, maturing into a safe place for all to visit. As much as Carlsbad wants to brag, I think O-side has much more to offer...more character, more eateries, more beach, more shops, more entertainment, more, well, everything (good and bad).

In the two days we've been here, we've finished our Christmas shopping and have already visited some friends and family. We are looking forward to the next 7 days of feasting and festivalling (yes, I know that's not a word, but you get the point so don't sue me).

If I don't get a chance to update the blog in the next week, I want to wish you and most blessed Christmas season and a joyous New Year!

Lavender...it's not just a color for Advent

This season I have fallen in love again with lavender and have discovered many uses for it beyond sachets, floral bouquets and bathroom spray.  Recently, at the Boise Co-op, one of Treasure Valley's answers to Southern California's Boney's, Henry's or Jimbo's, I found a soda called Dry Soda in Lavender flavor.  It was rather expensive, at nearly $2 for a twelve-ounce bottle, and though it was delicious and only 70 calories, I won't buy it again.  I even looked online to see if I could purchase it at a more wallet friendly price to no avail.  Well, I've heard it said that necessity is the mother of invention...I say it's a limited grocery budget that spurs on ingenuity and resourcefulness.  After perusing Dry's website and finding out that they only use four natural ingredients in their soda, I thought, hmmm...I bet I could replicate it at home.

This set me on a course to figure out how to make lavender syrup.  The biggest problem was finding culinary lavender for sale.  Thanks to the internet, I found some (I'm sure I could have procured it back at the Co-op but it turns out I'm rather lazy when it comes to driving 12 miles out of my way). At any rate, after finding many lavender recipes online, I made my syrup:

Some sugar, water, dried lavender buds, three days worth of refrigeration, a little straining and voila!  This marvelous, aromatic syrup came into being.

As for my version of the soda, I mixed the juice of one small Meyer lemon (strained) with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the syrup and poured this into 10 ounces of cold carbonated water.

This concoction may not be exactly the same but it evokes the same delightfully delicious hint of warmer months.  In other words, I like it.  For approximately thirty-five cents, I've made for myself a worthy opponent to the Dry Lavender soda AND was much easier on my wallet.

For now.

Until spring comes and I have to buy all the plants I want to put in my garden so I can cook with them. Including lavender.  Lots and lots of lavender.

Bronco Arrogance

OK, I am tired...well more than tired, of hearing Bronco fans here in Boise complain how they were passed over again, treated like an outcast, in the BCS bowl system.  It permeates the news and the culture in the Treasure Valley in such a way, it makes me a little sick to my stomach.  Yesterday, when I checked the website of the major paper in town, 80% of the top stories were about Coach Petersen griping over the unfairness of the BCS system.  I am here to tell you...I know...BCS should really stand for Bull Crap System.  I get it.  But, BSU and it's fan base complaining ad nauseum this season over a perceived disparity is getting on my nerves, and just goes to prove the Boise sports program's arrogance.  I have five words for you, Coach Petersen...Your. Team. Is. Number. Two.  Number Two teams in their conference, irrespective of where they fall in the popularity contest of the BCS/AP/Coaches Poll, DO NOT DESERVE TO GO TO BOWL GAMES WHERE, AS TRADITION HAS IT, NUMBER ONE CONFERENCE TEAMS GO.  If you were number one in the MW, if you had not lost to TCU (again, by a field goal, in your own house), you might have had a shot at a BCS poll simply because of your placement in line.  But, getting to brass tacks, you need to WIN your games to maintain your status in the polls.  It's as simple as that.  Just because you went 11 and 1 in a season mostly made up of fairly namby-pamby opponents, does not a football dynasty make.  Open up the blinders, Bronco fans, and actually watch other teams from stronger conferences play.  You will realize that the five nominated for the Heisman are truly better than your fair-haired boy, Kellen Moore.  You will realize that there are other kids better than KM who didn't even make the first look simply because their teams are off the radar due to unreasonable NCAA sanctions.  Maybe BSU should leave the MW conference because I'd like to see an Alabama, a Georgia, a LSU, heck, even USC open up a can of whoop-ass on ya and squelch the incessant, infantile rants of unfairness coming from your mouths.

I'd like to see ASU cream you in the Las Vegas bowl.  When TCU beat you by three, the arrogance momentarily ceased.  Maybe a spanking in a bowl you think you're better than will help you eat a great big serving of humble pie.

And, that's all I have to say about the blue and orange.

What do I love about Boise?

What do I love about Boise?  Well, rather than count the ways, there are many after all (like the Boise Holiday Parade, the most awesome concert venue at the Knitting Factory, great eats like Gino's and Bardenay), I'd like to tell you about the extraordinary generosity of the people that make up this small metropolis.  I'll start with Bishop Kelly High School...

BK set a record this year...The Campus Ministry Team set a goal of 30,000 items to be donated to the food drive.  Students brought in over 42,000 to help feed the hungry of Idaho.  Way to go Knights! And, my enterprising son, a freshman at BK, brought in 200lbs of potatoes, potatoes he was selling for his Boy Scout troop.  He figured out a way to make his minimum sales requirement for the troop and help the needy by asking out of state friends and family for donations that would go towards the purchase of the potato cases.  Smart thinking!

The generosity doesn't end there...I am impressed with the creative way the Idaho Food Bank uses to coax donations and elicit a sense of solidarity through their "Empty Bowls" campaign (http://www.idahofoodbank.org/?page=empty-bowls).   This year, the IFB embarked on their umpteenth year of this Holiday Tradition which is held the day after Thanksgiving.  "What is it?" you might ask.  Well, throughout the year, the food bank solicits donations of hand crafted, hand painted bowls.  These bowls are then sold with soup (muy delicioso and donated by local restaurants) to those who have stood in line, often with wait times of 30+ minutes long, for a minimum donation of $10 a piece.  Not only is the steamy hot soup and bread delectable, it, the empty bowl chosen, and the wait in line brings home the point that people go without food every day.  Men, women, children...hungry in this city and across the nation who would be ever so grateful for just a meager bowl of soup.   From among the many colorfully embellished  bowls, I chose this one; simple, free from unfettered adornment...

This unadulterated vessel gives me pause to think of all the blessings I have...shelter with heat, a winter coat, meals and a family to partake in them with.  We will use this bowl not wholly to reflect on those who go without but also as a vehicle to share with the less fortunate...in this bowl we, as a family, will put money and notes of hope and will donate all we collect to organizations whose motis operandi comes from corporal works of mercy.

Last for this blog post, but certainly not the least of the efforts that happen in the Treasure Valley to assist the needy, is this fine entry...The St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center's Festival of Trees (http://www.saintalphonsus.org/Foundation-FOT-main.aspx).  Did you know that this charitable event, which raises money to improve healthcare in the area (and this year specifically to assist in the monetary needs of the St. Alphonsus Mobile Mammogram Program), is the third largest festival in the nation, in terms of money raised and numbers of volunteers, among all cities that have festivals of this type?  Yes, you read that right...THIRD in the nation!  That to me is remarkable and amazing, considering that Boise, as a city, ranks in size in the lowest percentage of metropolitan areas that host tree festivals.  Citizens here generously give of their time, talent and treasure, even in the midst of localized economic woe and upheaval.  And, aside from the inspiring charitable giving, the festive display of Christmas trees, wreaths and table decor is dramatic and extraordinary.  I have not seen anything like it!

This tree, sponsored by St. Mark's Catholic School (where Damien attends) and themed "Christmas Peace,"
is just one of many trees decorated by schools in the Boise area.   Tree sponsors ran the gamut from local businesses, to hospital wards, to women's groups, to elementary schools and universities, to other charitable organizations.
 In this particular tree, Damien's fifth grade class was instrumental in creating many of the peace dove ornaments.
Oh, and by the way, St. Mark's earned first place in the Non-Traditional School/Youth Level I decorating contest.  Congratulations, Little Lions!

Why do I love Boise?  Hearts, pocketbooks and creativity are open wide in this town!

Fall into Winter

I'm told that the winter weather has arrived early in the Treasure Valley.  It has been cold...mighty cold...so cold that though the house is heated, Sierra has decided her dog bed is just not warm or comfortable enough on the floor has has made a habit the last few nights of jumping up on the couch and sleeping there.  Don't be confused, though...I am not complaining.  I rather like taking long walks, bundled up, along the sunny sidewalks of my subdivision where the air temperature is a see-your-breath-make-your-nose-run-like-a-faucet 24 degrees Fahrenheit.  I do...I really, really do.

But as much as I am enjoying the dip in temps, I am disappointed that the hues and shades of fall are fading so quickly...giving way to the austerity of winter.  Here are a few pictures from around the neighborhood of the last vestiges of autumn:

Fall leaves on the left, winter's frost on the right.

Just last week this tree was full of leaves.

This tree thought it was winter already...
guess it didn't get the memo that winter doesn't begin until the third week in December.  

Still beautiful though losing its leaves.

Fall colors still abound on the main drive through Bridgetower Subdivision.

This picture kinda says it all...fall leaves making way for icy winter in a puddle near a patch of grass in the park.

Instead of gracefully blending into gray, I think autumn really is going to "fall" into winter!

Five Mile Cemetery

At the risk of being accused of having a peculiar penchant for the macabre, I have to share that one of the  coolest things about living on former farmland in a community that has the utmost respect for the dead is that we have, in our subdivision, our own piece of history...a cemetery housing the bodies of seven former souls from the 1800's.  Rather than desecrate the graves of these farmers, wives and children, by moving their final resting places to another burial ground, the builders decided to dedicate a plot of park land to memorialize these people who lived here way before we did and leave the graves as is.

I love this little cemetery and though I do not know the people who lie here or their full history, I have the privilege of visiting their graves and saying a prayer for their souls.  It reminds me that our journey here on earth is short and time, fleeting.  We must make the most of what we've got while we're here.

The grave sites of Ezekiel Lamb and his wife, Priscilla...originally of Vermont.
I wonder how and why they came to Idaho?

This is the tombstone for Nina McGinnis.  She was only 13 years old when she passed away.    A daughter just a bit younger than my oldest son, Nate...I can't imagine the pain of a young child passing.  

This site is the final resting place for George T. Nisbet and his brother Samuel.
 They share a tombstone (but I'm assuming not a tomb).  
This obelisk is interesting in that it is leaning quite a bit, as if a good stiff wind could knock it over. 

This is the last of the large tombstones with legible names on it and it belongs to Fred Heslop.  There are two other headstones next to Fred's which are really not much larger than stones and there is no carving on them.  I wonder if their families could't afford bigger pieces of marble and the hand chiseling of the names.  I am not really sure who the smaller "rocks" (not pictured) belong to.  

For more information on this tiny cemetery and the bodies that have taken their eternal rest on this patch of God's green earth, see:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=2262697  and
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gsr&GScid=2262697

Real, honest to goodness, SNOW!!!!

First there was rain.  There was a dip in the temperatures.  Now there is snow...real snow.  Our first ever after moving to Idaho.  I'm doing my best not to be overly exuberant...well, maybe not so much. The locals think I'm barking mad, a downright lunatic for exhibiting such happiness that I'm moved to gleeful excitement over the white stuff gracefully gliding through the air.  The flakes, on their best behavior, are trying hard to stick but alas, the ground is still just a bit too warm.  But never mind the fact that everything else still has color...there is flakey bits of colorless frozen joy falling from the sky!  I am filled with bliss.

Sierra seems nonplussed by the snow, maybe even a little annoyed that it is resting on her back and whiskers.

Hip, hip, hooray!

Congratulations, SPOT SPUD winners!

Roseanne, Julie, Ginny and Cheryl,

Thanks for playing SPOT SPUD!

Your fabulous "Made in Idaho" prize package is on its way by priority mail!

Pumpkin heads

What's a family to do on a Saturday in late October?  Well, if it's the Sarrazollas and they live in Smurfville, naturally they go to the Fall Festival at the Farmstead and get lost in the corn maze.  And get grouchy.  And hungry.  And sick.  Fun times.

I did get a few shots of the happier moments after we first arrived, before we walked around in circles in the corn...

See, they're still smiling...that's right we haven't gone into the corn yet.

Pumpkin head.

Damien thought it was hilarious that Nate was the girl in the picture.

Farmer D

Pumpkin head #2

Pumpkin head #3.

My corniest son.

Yep, forced smiles.  The fun is starting to wear off.  I especially like the fact that
Nate chose this t-shirt to wear out in public.  

Corn around every corn-er.

Stamp #2 down, only 10 more to go...too bad we lost the game card after we made it out of the corn.  :-(

What was left of the pumpkin patch (it was two days before Halloween after all).

Ok, this was fun...a pumpkin-chunkin' cannon. 

And, the little sister to the pumpkin cannon...the corn cob gun.  It was a blast.

The house and colors of fall

Pardon my exuberence, but though we do not have much in the way of showy trees in our yard, the smattering of fall color we do get in our little patch of Idaho makes me giddy.  Quite giddy.  The rest of the neighborhood does make up for the evident lack.  Lucky for me, I get to enjoy all that flame-like hue without having to rake the mounds of dead leaves left behind when the wind whips through the valley.  Actually, strike that.  My boys are lucky...they do not have much to rake.  

I just LOVE how the trees, red-hot and deep burgundy, play off the muted pine green house.

Our little backyard corner of fall paradise.

Our First Smurfville Halloween

Last night was the first of what we hope to be many Halloween nights in Meridian, Idaho.  Here are a few pictures of the festivities...

Everything looks better with glow-in-the-dark paint and a few black lights.

Sierra wanted to go with us so we decided to make a quick ladybug costume with some black tape, a few pipe cleaners, ribbon and her red winter jacket (I know, I said winter jacket, but this is a dog used to SoCal winters...we thought a jacket would be appreciated by her).

Ready to go trick-or-treating!

Added spooky "follow you" eyes to the car...kinda looks like something out of a Pixar film.

The next photos don't do the atmosphere justice...as usual, we had music going on in the background (such Halloween party classics like "Monster Mash" and "Thriller" for example).  Luckily, unlike the nasty-grams we received over the barking dog, we did not get any complaints about the decibels from our PA system last night.

Slightly overexposed, the colorful dancing lights in the upstairs bedrooms are completely washed out in this pic.

Pumpkins and scarecrows greet the neighborhood ghouls and goblins.

Happy Halloween!

For the record, we had 89 kids come to the door (a far cry from the 402 that came to our house in Carlsbad).  Most of the mini-monsters, and elephants, and princesses were under the age of eight which has me anticipating many more glee-filled Halloween nights in the cul-du-sac.  Hooray for children!

Spot Spud! Contest

Sarrazollas in Smurfville is proud to announce our newest and latest (and thus far, only) contest.

SPOT SPUD!

Before we begin, here are the contest rules:

This is our mascot, Spud...

Hi Spud!

If you can spot Spud in the official SSP (Spot Spud Picture), you can win a "Made in Idaho" prize shipped directly to your door.  There are two ways to win...All you need to do is correctly identify Spud's location in the picture, post where he is by using the blog comments below this entry (or write the location on my Facebook wall) and your name will be put in a hat.

This is the hat to be used...

Why, yes, this is a roasted turkey hat...
and I will be wearing it on Thanksgiving because that's just the kind of person I am.

Two winners (one from the blog and one from Facebook) will be drawn.  Winners will receive not only a "Made in Idaho" gift, they will get their 15 minutes of fame, right here on "Sarrazollas in Smurfville." There will be runner up prizes, too.  Tell your friends!

The fine print:  Nice try, but members of my immediate family (that means Carl , Nate, Damien or Sierra) are exempt from this contest and may not play or win.


And, now, without further ado, here's the official Spot Spud Picture:

Since this is the very first contest of what I hope to be many, this one's easy.

Don't forget to tell me where Spud is in the comments box below or on my Facebook page!  This contest ends on All Souls Day (November 2nd).  Good luck, my easily amused friends! 

Before and After, Vol. 1

As I finish the unpacking and the setting up of home, I hope to share some of the before and after pictures of 4169 North Desertbreeze Pl. Here is the first installment...The Family Room:

BEFORE

AFTER

For the record, I am not sure I am all that happy with the wall color I picked.  Too neutral.  But, because the walls in this room are 20 feet high, I will be sticking with this color for a very, very long time.  Oh, and, this room isn't entirely finished...We still have to redo the fireplace surround and I plan on painting the hand rails on the stairs, like I did in our Carlsbad house (as if the tedium of that project wasn't enough to kill any desire to paint again).  


By the way, lucky for you, what you don't encounter in the before pictures is the smell from the previous owners cats (yes, they left presents in and on the carpet) and the scratch marks on the wood floors and walls from the cats' sharp little evil claws.  Nor do you see all the bugs who met their demise on the window sills...bugs, I'm sure, who were hopefully looking for an escape from the smell).  Nor is there a picture of the 1/2" thick layer of dust (I am not exaggerating) on the ugly, yet functional, ceiling fan.  I am eternally grateful for the painters who, when on their ladders giving a coat to the ceiling, cleaned the blades for me.