Lent Update

Overall we are doing well!!! Last year I attempted giving up swearing and it flat out didn’t work, it was a terrible attempt. So this years’ attempt I was serious, I am going to do this. The first 24 hours were difficult but it is much better now. I am at 11 “bad” words, I’m proud. Facebook was REALLY hard the first week, and now it’s not a big deal. We all lived without it before, and I’m doin’ just fine now! Don’t get me wrong, I can’t wait for April 11th at midnight!

Kyle, he is doing really well!!! He has had many challenges in the deep fried and alcohol departments, only because of situations he has been in, but he hasn’t “made baby Jesus cry”. I on the other hand screw it up for him! The challenge here is that I do most of the cooking and with Kyle giving up red meat, I’m forced to ventured out of my red meat, seafood and chicken box. I made Kaiser Roll calzones the Wednesday that Lent started which called for salami. I read the label at the store, as I always do, all the ingredients looked good, and it made it into my basket. After a satisfying meal, Kyle gets up walks to the fridge and ingredient #2…BEEF! Oops, that one is my fault, I’ll take a lashing now!

30's

Now that I’m officially out of my 20’s I have been thinking….what a decade!!! For me it was a wonderful 10 years with a lot of memorable event….growing up, learning about myself, graduating college, buying a house, drinking legally, starting a career, figuring out where I’m supposed to be, re-met the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, got married and traveled with Up With People.....and those are just the big items. They were the best years so far.

I’m not about to deny the fact that I struggled with 30 more than any other birthday, but I am learning to embrace it. Saying I’m in my thirties, sounds older, wiser, mature, and creditable, like I know what I’m talking about, doesn’t it?! My thirties are going to be incredible with even more fun, excitement, learning and new adventures.

My 30th Birthday

“My birthday weekend” as Kyle put it, was awesome! It started Saturday early evening when Kyle told me I needed to open the gift from his parents and Lisa. Kyle brings in this huge box from his car (wrapped in a ski jacket) and said open it. I unzipped the jacket and found a sewing machine. I was so excited. I took sewing lessons for years as a kid and haven’t sewn in forever. I mentioned recently I wanted one, and sure enough Randy and Frank have a little bird on their shoulders. Lisa gave me a gift car to a local fabric store. I feel like a real homemaker now!

Saturday evening we (Mom, Kyle, Kelly Dan and I) went to Lala’s for dinner. It is this cute new gourmet pizza place that was delicious! Afterward, we meet some friends at Forest Room 5. Thanks Jaime and Andrew and Chris and Court for meeting us out, it was so much fun. Sunday I was told to be at mom’s house at noon. I arrived to a wonderful lunch prepared by Mom and Kel, opened a few more gifts and then we headed to the spa for manis and pedis. Ah, what more could a girl ask for….a spa day! Kel and I did a little shopping after our relaxation. Monday night (my actual birthday) Kyle and I tried a new restaurant called Mark and Isabella’s. It was delicious and I would definitely go back! Then we went to d-bar. This is owned and run by a local celebrity often seen on the Food Network as the host of Food Network Challenge. Trying not to name drop....IT WAS AWESOME!!!!! I couldn’t decide what to get, I wanted one of everything and ended up with Cake and Shake, yum. Kyle got the ice cream sandwich which was also delicious. Everything is made right in front of you, or 10 feet away. It was so fun, and I am definitely going back for more!

The best thing about last night is that I got a cruiser!!!! I am so excited. I have wanted one for about a year. I can’t wait for the weather to get warmer, so I can ride my new bike to work. Thanks to Kari for helping Kyle get it, and also for my basket and bell. I can’t wait for spring.

Thank you everyone for a great birthday, the best one yet!

Lent 2009

Here we are again, day one of the Lenten season. The list seems to get longer each year, so here goes….

Kyle

1. Red Meat

2. Alcohol, minus beer

3. Fried foods

Meg

1. Facebook

2. Swearing

3. Red meat (by marriage)

Kyle has been talking about what he is giving up for about two months. I, on the other hand, just decided this morning, so much so, I checked FB and then decided I don’t need it! Nothing was really calling my name this year. We have a friend that gave up facebook and I thought it was genius! I lived for years without it, and I will survive this 6.5 weeks. I attempted the swearing last year and failed miserably. I am really going to give it a go this year! Now, #3 is not by choice, but by marriage. I do nearly all of the cooking and I am not about to make two meals on occasion. I am not really a pork fan, as some of you know, so this will be a good time to really decide if it is something I like.

I plan our meal on Sundays and actually didn’t have any red meat in the menu this week, maybe we can do this? That is until Kyle got home on Monday night and officially declared his Lent list. Last night we switched to chili cheese fries. This is by far my favorite thing to eat at home. It is delicious and so satisfying, every single time! Ah…..until April 11^th at midnight…..

Big Girls Don't Cry

I think I am finally recovered from a great weekend which was packed full of Bachlorette events. Courtney came to town for a big three day boozer! Friday we hung at Angela’s house, which sounds innocent, but it was a late, 20 empty bottles of wine, and bachlorette Paraphernalia kind of night! Saturday we had brunch at the spa and then indulged in spa activities…aahhhh! I ran home for a nap and dinner and then we met up for the “big” night out. It was a lot of fun and we had to do it Court style, dancing! Both mornings I rose to a pounding headache, but I fared pretty well, considering! It was a great kick off to the countdown to her wedding…..Congrats again Court!

A great day at work

After six months of walking on egg shells, round after round of layoffs, endless closed door meetings and simply, the unknown, I am happy to say I have a job and will continue to have a job!!! Yesterday was the best day I have had at work in a long time and it was very refreshing.

Here’s what happened……I have been working on a medical wellness hospital that we were all anxious that it was going to come in wildly over budget. We got final pricing back yesterday and it came in about half a million dollars UNDER budget!!! Not only that but after changing some flooring patterns, it will bring the cost down about another $400,000. That will bring the project to about $1 million under budget. IT IS AWESOME!!!!! I have never worked on a project that came in under budget and this is a big deal for us as a project team. What this really means is that the project is going forward without any delay having to find more money. The construction schedule is 26 months, so I will be happily employed, at a minimum, through this project.

I go through phases where I’m not sure design is where I am supposed to be, but when something big like this happens, I know I am supposed to be here. It is for the love of design, not the pay or stress. I do love my job and am so thankful to have one!

Casa Bonita….A Mexican Bandido Birthday Dinner...A.K.A. The finale to Kyle’s 30th birthday

The Pink Mexican Castle

Finally, the story of our venture to Casa Bonita…..When we were kids, this was the place you went, albeit birthday parties, girl scout trips or because we wanted to. A restaurant in which the entertainment cost was included in the price of your entrée. Back then, the menu had two options, The Beef Plate or The Chicken Plate. Once seated, your waiter would rattle off the details of the restaurant, the distance from your table to the kitchen, so be patient, and….the best part, bottomless chips and salsa and sopapillas. All you have to do is raise the red flag on your table. You could sit and gorge yourself. We would eat and then run all over the place, Black Bart’s cave, the arcade, the Muppet or magic show. The place was huge and a kid’s delight.

The Evite said it all:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Casa Bonita
"The Taste Magic of Mexico"
• Witness our brave fire juggling cliff divers plunging from a spectacular
30-foot waterfall into our 14 feet deep pool.
• Watch the "gorilla trainer" chase down Chiquita - our 500 pound gorilla
• Gold and silver mines
• Caverns and caves filled with stalactites and stalagmites
• Black Bart's Cave
• Amusement arcade
• Gran Vista Casa El Mercado - a shopper's delight
• Strolling Mariachis
• Puppets, magicians, games and prizes
• Authentic Mexican dancers

DISCLAIMER: Party planners are not responsible for side effects.
Most common side effects: Indigestion, diarrhea, stomach discomfort, excessive bowel movements, vomiting, and ingestion of chlorine.
Other side effects include: Cold sweats, headache, bumps, bruises, temporary loss of hearing, soreness, raw skin, weakness and fatigue. If symptoms persist, please consult your doctor.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here’s the problem (or a good thing, depending on who you’re talking to)…..it hasn’t changed one bit! I’m not kidding, the carpet hasn’t been replaced, the tile needs a power washing, the arcade needs all new games to be cleansed of the germs, the air is being re-circulated which means they need a new HVAC system, the kitchen….I won’t even go there. It opened in 1974 and literally hasn’t changed since, 35 years of grime; I’d consider it on the same level as a petry dish!

After researching my question “Has Casa Bonita ever been renovated or updated?” What I found is humorous, astonishing and disturbing. First and foremost, NO, it has never been updated. Secondly and what I find amusing……the man behind the Mexican castle with pink stucco, had FIVE LOCATIONS!!!!! The first one opened in 1968 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and closed in 1993. The second location in Little Rock Arkansas was alive from 1969 to 1993 and a location in Ft. Worth Texas with an unknown opening date closed in 1986. Tulsa Oklahoma, was the second most successful, opening in 1971 as Casa Bonita only to close in the fall of 2005 due to the end of their lease. The founder reopened the restaurant under his other venture, Casa Viva in spring of 2006 and went out of business in December of 2007. Casa Bonita opened their doors once again under the original name in summer of 2008.

This Mexican style Disneyland has been called “tourist attraction”. Casa Bonita is going on 35 years of serving some of the world’s worst food in one of the dirtiest environments I’ve ever eaten. Parents, bring your wipes and anti-bach for an adventure of a life time in Colorado’s most repulsive tourist trap!

Okay….so enough of the drama, we really did have a good time. This all started while Kel, Dan, Jaime, Andrew Kyle and I were at the rodeo. I can’t remember how it came up, but somehow, we were going to Casa Bonita for Kyle, Dan and Angela’s (Kelly’s roommate) birthdays. Ang was the only one who had not previously been there. The rest of us had been there numerous times as kids. When we walked in, it was a blast from the past….literally nothing had changed. We had a great time reminiscing about the food and its still terrible, the shows and attractions. A local columnist had written about the place about two weeks before our trip and he noted to order the nacho salad, and nearly all of us did. A party of nine, with 7 salads and Dan and Andrew were adventurous ordering a #2 and a #3. It was a good laugh, and a great end to a big birthday! I pray this is my last trip for another 20 years!

The group, a table right by the waterfall.....we couldn't have planned it better