The Greatest Thing Ever Happened

That's quite the auspicious title isn't it.... but so true!!!

Saturday afternoon, after the retreat (which was awesome by the way - I'll post on it later...) I was at home with my husband when I mentioned something that one of my cousins had told me.....there was a new Russian store that opened in Draper, Utah.

This is epic.

Seriously.

While Portland, OR has a nice Russian population, and therefore grocery stores to support that, Utah is a bit lacking. The one we did find in Salt Lake kinda stunk. We couldn't get bread, pelmeni, chocolates, tea, really anything. So we hopped in the car, and decided to immediately check out the new store in Draper.

428 E 12300 S Draper, UT 84020-9503 US

This place is AWESOME!!! They have tea (chai), chocolates, bread, kielbasa, cookies, cheese, just so many good things! I'll admit - Lance and I went a little bit overboard. We were like two kids in a chocolate factory (which incidentally we've been to the Russian chocolate factory - twice). If we saw it was remotely close to something we remembered, then we bought it. If it was shiny... we bought it. We got a little carried away, but it was just so exciting. Finally! A Russian store that carries Russian food that we actually like and would definitely get.

We picked up some pelmeni  - which is a Russian meat filled pasta that Lance is an EXPERT at cooking. Of course some chocolates, cheese, kielbasa, mayonnaise, kinder eggs, and the best chamomile tea in the world. So so so happy about this.....



We're going back on Wednesday.... :)



Juice > Chocolate Milk

Ok, now I know that chocolate is a serious contender in quenching my thirst, but nowadays, juice is number one. While I still love love regular milk and water, sometime juice is simply.... divine.

And thanks to some good friends, we have found the best American juice out there. Now, I say American, because Russian juice is so so so good. Just imagine a nice box of juice that is more puree than watered down and sugar filled - basically just pure delicious juice. And what will really blow your brain is strawberry juice. Yes, it exists, and yes, it is wonderful! There were months when all I wanted to have in Russia was bread, cheese and strawberry juice. Not the best staple, but certainly the tastiest.



And when i came back from Russia, it was a mad search to try and find some sort of alternative - nothing too sugary, watered down, carbonated or what have you. Just plain straight up juice.

Introducing: Bolthouse Farms. Thick, fantastic, good for you juice. They have so many varieties, but right I'm having a love affair with Mango Lemonade. Now I know most of you have enjoyed flavored lemonades at restaurants and I'm not exception, but this is the real deal. Not just regular lemonade with flavored syrup squirted in. It's fantastic. It's..... well, you HAVE to try it. I won't be offended if you don't like it, but I just don't see how that is even possible.

Mango Lemonade - Nectar of the Gods, and my latest find.



Well, as always life gets a little crazy and I neglect to write all about it. It hasn't been overly busy, just lots to deal with.

I work at a jewelry store (they pay me to play with diamonds....not too shabby), and there have been lots of goings on there - sales, end of year (our fiscal year ends in March) sales, and of course, the big inventory of the year. Now, when I say inventory, I mean that we have to count EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF JEWELRY!!, and in a store that's a fairly good size, that means lots and lots to account for. It usually takes a couple of hours, and this year was no different. Now, I'm not saying that I hate inventory, because oddly, I really don't mind it, but it always seems to sneak up on me.... I know it coming.... then.... BAM!!! It's here. Catches me off guard when I am busying working with clients, helping out in the store and just doing my job in general.

Then of course is what I've been major focusing on for the past year - the retreat. I don't know if you know this, but I'm a board member on a non-profit charitable organization called Evergreen. It's been around for nine years now, and while I haven't sat on the board that long, its definitely a new experience for me. Sometimes its maddening how we have to keep going back and forth on issues and where we want to focus our efforts and where we want to contribute, but when I look at what we accomplish, I'm very proud to be a small part of it. We've given to the Christmas Box House, donated hygiene kits to various disaster relief aids, send doctors and medicine to Haiti, helped out with Hurricane Katrina, given blankets to the Huntsman Cancer Hospital, teddy bears to terminally ill children, and lots and lots of other things.

What I'm getting at, is that each year, we hold a retreat. It acts as a fundraising event for the foundation, as well as helping all the members (who are all the women in my extended family over the age of 14) to have a chance to get together. We have speakers, guests, crafts, humanitarian projects, good food, and of course insanely great company. My family is awesome - really wonderful inspiring women, who even though they are often older than me, there is a lot to learn from them.

And this year, it's my family's turn to host the retreat, get things organized and come up with a theme. We decided we wanted a kick-butt kind of retreat - the kind where we hope all the women leaving empowered and uplifted. So we're calling it "Women of Strength." oh, and the best part..... we're focusing on superheroes!! :) I'm so excited!! We are helping (hopefully) the ladies realize that they are already super heroes and need to stop living as their secret identities. I mean, Clark Kent is a great guy, but he's also kind of a dork, and then BAM!!! He's Superman - and way confident and well..... super. :) We have Bam! Pow! Whoosh! signs all over for decorations, and I've drawn a comic book cover to have on the notebooks we are providing for notes, and well, I just hope it goes off as well as we have planned. My husband says we've planned way too much, but that it's like when you are going to give a talk in church, or give a lesson - you always plan more than what you actually use.

Did I mention that it's this weekend? Well, it is..... hence the rush and running around to make sure we have done our very best to make it a memorable and uplifting weekend for all who can attend. Wish us luck! Maybe I'll post pictures afterwards..... :)

Anyway, just saying that's why I haven't been super good about keeping up with this, but I'll get better. I keep following all those cute blogs out there and hoping I get as good as you guys.

And by the way -  YOU ARE ALL SUPER HEROES!!! BAM! POW! ZOINKS! GADZOOKS! YOWEE!

A legend is gone...

Well, today it came as a total shock that revered coach Jerry Sloan of the Utah Jazz has resigned. Now while I won't claim to be the biggest sports buff by any means, I do love the Jazz. I love the game, the players and seeing Coach Sloan on the sidelines getting worked up. For me, I don't remember anyone else coaching the Jazz.



He was the coach for the great duo - John Stockton and Karl Malone, and watching now, even though sometimes the games drive me nuts, he's all I have ever known. My husband and I try to go as often as we can, and last night we were there at Jerry Sloan's last game as Jazz head coach. It was a disappointing loss, but I would never have dreamed that that would be it - goodbye to Coach Sloan.

He is a legend and it's sad to see him go. Going to Jazz games have been a favorite past time for my husband and I. Not to say that we won't still go to games, but it won't be the same. I don't envy Tyrone Corbin, the new coach, trying to follow in the footsteps of an NBA institution.

So thank you so much Coach - for creating great players, for many exciting games and even more memories. You're the best there ever was or will be again.



Fancy Cheeses and Breads

So, in today's adventure, my husband and I stumbled upon a very fancy (almost snooty) grocery store while running errands. What was supposed to be a light stroll just to see what was on display ended up setting us back a few bucks, but on some really cool finds.

Jazz Apples - this is the first that I had heard of them. My favorite tends to be the Honey Crisp, but I'll give this one a whirl.

Artisan Breads - while this isn't new to Lance and I, its the first that I can recall so many different kinds being made right there in the store. After some consideration, we settled on homemade chibatta, and sourdough. Not exactly new to us, but they smelled fantastic. Should make some really good toast (ah, toast how I love thee!).

Horseradish Cheese - Definitely not what i would pick out at all (I selected a nice Gouda), but Lance was crazy about this. This one is all him; I tried a bit, but the aftertaste about killed me. Now, if only we could have found some nice kielbasa. I miss picking out bread, cheese, and meat in the stores in Russia.

Squeaky Cheese - I'm not sure what the actual name of this is called, but it's called Squeaky Cheese when it comes from the Tillamook Factory in Oregon. While not as good as the true Tillamook version, we did find a Chipotle style. Here's hoping that it's good!

And then, just for fun - Thomas Kemper's Orange Cream Soda - nothing to say but mmmmm!!! This company makes the best flavored drinks out there. Oregon Marionberry, Orange Cream Soda, Spiced Ginger Ale.... all unique and all extremely delicious.

So we didn't get anything that was actually on our grocery list - but its kinda fun to pick up unusual foods and trying them out. I'll let you know how it goes.... :)

The World's Biggest Fish... sort of.....

This amazing narration chronicles our discovery of the world's biggest fish.... well, maybe not the biggest, but certainly bigger than I've ever seen. Ok, I've seen bigger, but we had fun filming them.... in case you couldn't hear me laughing.

The Four-eyed Fish

Here is a short video as proof of our adventures. This was filmed at the Living Planet Aquarium and features me narrating with additional information provided by my husband. Please also disregard the red dot - it's just there to show we were recording.

Wednesdays are the Best

So, my sweet husband and I usually only have one day off a week from work (besides Sunday thank goodness), and it's usually a Wednesday. And once in a while we spend the whole day not being super productive but having a nice day date.

So last Wednesday we started our adventure (after sleeping in a little bit) with a drive to the races. :) Now the races are the best arcade game we have ever discovered. I've talked about it before, but it's just so much fun (and a little frustrating when your horse doesn't do well). It's only fifteen dollars for admission and ten dollars worth of nickles, which if you start a new horse will take you all the way to retirement for your horse. It's fun and frustrating, and and just plain nice to sit next to each other cheering on your horse for the win or at least a good photo finish.

After the races, Lance drove around mysteriously without telling me our next destination, which ended up being the Living Planet Aquarium. We only had about 45 minutes till close which ended up being enough time to walk around and video tape the animals and enjoy the grocery store-esque layout. The penguins were of course the highlight and the sea turtle that apparently escaped the clutches of a great white shark; only to be captured by us.

Then we went to the Mayan restaurant and were sitting up in the tree foliage to eat in peace and enjoy the diving show. Good food, but great atmosphere. I wish there were more themed restaurants. Then we went next door to try to see if Tron was any good. :) I won't give anything away, but I'm glad we shelled out for IMAX 3D, because I doubt I'll see it again. It was entertaining but certainly no Young Victoria. :)

Anyway, back home to relax a bit and enjoy a quiet evening before jumping into the fray again. We don't always go all out for our dates but it was a ton of fun to spend the whole day doing things we like to do with each other and things we haven't gotten around to doing for a long time.