a little venting...

So, I've been thinking about all the inconvenient things about living in New York lately and thought I would write about them-- but, then I thought-- wait a minute, am I just being a spoiled, ungrateful person? So, you make the call- do I have a right to think NY is incredibly inconvenient?

List of Inconveniences

- I live in the top corner of our 6 floor building, so anytime I forget something when I get to the car or we are outside playing and need bathroom/water/toy etc. it is up, up, up we go!

Pro- at least we have an elevator

-On the same note, I am dreaming of the day where I don't have to load the groceries/Costco goods into my stroller and rolling cart, through the parking lot, up the ramp, up the elevator and down the hall to our apartment

Pro- I get a little exercise and at least we have money for food?

- I cannot even put into words what it is like to drive around here--so FRUSTRATING!!

Because there are so many people living in such a small area and so few parking spots for all of these people, everyone thinks they can just pullover, stop, sneak past, brake and meander any way they want and it kills me. I actually like driving in the city better than on Long Island- people are nutso out here!

Pro- I have a car to drive.

- I live on an Island and cannot come and go without a bridge, traffic and paying a toll! I didn't realize how much this would bother me, but I get this claustrophobic feeling when I consider exactly what's around me. I just don't like the feeling of not being able to come and go as I please to my own home.

Pro- we LOVE going to the beach :)

Con- you have to PAY to go to the beach- lame.

- $20 bills around here drop like $1 bills other places. We went out to Fire Island for Resident's Day last week and it cost us $78 just to park and get to the island on the ferry. It was a nice beach, but I'm not sure it was THAT nice. Somedays I just can't figure out how people afford to live here- and besides family- why they choose to stay here!

Pro- if you have money, there are lots of ways to spend it..does that count as a pro?

- Our closets are bursting with STUFF because of the lack of closets. I know I should just have less STUFF but since I don't, things fall on my head and you have to take 3 things out to get the one thing you need in the back and we are constantly rearranging.

Pro- we have all that we need and more

- Long Island is definitely lacking in the frozen yogurt, fountain drinks and convenient drive-thru departments. Most gas stations only sell bottled soda, if that, and I can't even think of a place to get frozen yogurt that isn't at least 15 min. away. These may seem like petty things, but considering my love of frozen desserts and Dave's love of fountain drinks-- it is highly inconvenient to us.

Pro- it saves calories, fat and money to not have these things nearby

Okay, I think I am done for now. There are other things that bug me about living here, but I wouldn't trade these years for anything! It has been pretty amazing to live so close to NYC and we have tried to live it up for the past 2 years and will make the most out of our last year here. The friends we have are Spectacular and I love the people in our ward- so loving, funny and individual in their own way :) We love having so many visitors and are telling you to come now before we are gone!

The big picture is that we love it/hate it, can't get enough/have had enough, and will be so sad/happy for our next adventure! I feel like I have a dual-personality disorder when it comes to my life here. I love it here, but the day-to-day is a little.... inconvenient.

sum-sum-summertime

Nickerson Beach, Long Island

this is to prove that I do actually get in the water, despite what you may hear from Dave!

Swim caps for everyone! We watched the Guymon kiddos while their parents did a triathlon and the kids loved their new wardrobe addidtions.

We had a GREAT visit from Aunt Rach and KK and spent some HOT days in the city. These girls can shop!! We didn't really take too many pictures, but we loved having them here and want them to come back soon...

While the girls were shopping, we hung out in Dillions Candy Bar with some dippped chocolate treats--- so tasty!

We bowled with some friends last week and ZANNA had the high score for our family... we all even had bumpers the whole time. I was very ashamed of my game as I pride myself on being a decent bowler, but at least my girl can bowl!

Dave and I had a night out with some other Residents at a Mexican restaurant ¡Vamos! in the city. Dave was trying so hard to keep his eyes open in this picture...not too bad :)

Our friends, the Hartricks, invited us to a Brooklyn Cyclones game and we had a BLAST! I hadn't been to a baseball game in a long time and it was the kids first time. We got hooked up with hats, towels and dinner before the game and there was an awesome Fireworks show after the game- so cool. The field is down at Coney Island and it was just a really fun night- I wish Dave could have been with us!

gummi worms and Boston Baked Beans

the Hartrick Clan

sixth inning

watching fireworks

On Monday we did some big time shopping for school supplies and gear and came home with the kids' new shin guards (Zanna's are pink-- so cute) for soccer this Fall. They have worn them everyday on our errands and have been practicing in the hall when it's too hot to play outside. This picture cracks me up 'cause they are trying to be so tough- I think James feels more like a super hero, but whatever works to get them excited!

Zanna got this little Sunflower plant from school in a milk carton and now look at it!! She has watered it all summer and it just opened up this week and we were so EXCITED-- i think I was a little more excited than she was :)

greens and recipes

I've been wanting to post some pictures of our garden for the last little while, but I never have my camera when I'm out there and going back up to get it just seems like too much effort sometimes!

But, here is some of the goodness that has come from our little plot of land behind the basketball court :)

Our string beans and basil were plentiful this year! The beans were so good that sometimes they never made it home for dinner 'cause we would just eat them straight off the vine while we were picking.  The sugar snap peas were the best and we will definitely plant more of those next time we have a garden...someday.

 I made homemade pesto with our basil and I thought it turned out pretty tasty! The picture is lame, but I topped the pasta with fresh parm and cherry tomatoes and enjoyed one of my favorite lunches :)

Here is the recipe I used for the pesto.

This big mama is the prize of our garden and turned into some great zucchini bread.

I posted my favorite zucchini bread recipe from my mom-in-law last year

click here:  (if I was having a bake sale)

and love it with chocolate chips! We just got another big one and I think we are making some more bread tonight- sweet!

funny beans

This is not from our garden, although I would love to have a shrimp-growing garden, but is one of my new favorite recipes when you want something really yummy, pretty healthy, and EASY!

James ate two big bowls and I could've eaten all the rest, but decided to save some for Dave.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients: 1 lb linguini (I like to use spinach fettuccine)  4 TBSP. butter   4 TBSP. olive oil   2 shallots, finely diced   2 cloves garlic, minced   pinch of red pepper flakes   1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined   salt and pepper to taste   1/2 C. chicken broth   Juice of 1 lemon   Parsley, chopped, to taste

Directions:  Cook pasta al dente. Im large skillet melt 2 T. butter in 2 T. olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes 3-4 minutes.  Season shrimp with salt and pepper; add to pan and cook until pink, 2-3 minutes.  Remove from pan, set aside, and keep warm.  Add broth and lemon juice to skillet and bring to a boil.  Add 2 T. butter and 2 T. olive oil.  After butter melts, return shrimp to the pan; add parsley and stir in pasta. Season with salt and pepper. 

 (From Worldwide Ward Cookbook by Deanna Buxton)

This little platter is my latest discovery of a meal that everyone loves and the kids want to eat every night.  James is actually sitting by me right now and when he saw this picture he said, "can we have that chicken right now for dinner?"

All it is is chicken tenders covered in Yoshidas sauce (the big bottle from Costco) and baked for an hour or so, covered.  Sometimes I add a can of pineapple chunks or you could add green onions and seseame seeds to make it a little "fancier."  I just make some rice, sometimes I make it coconut rice, a veggie and it is so yummy and quick.   

I am always looking for recipes like this, so if you have any, please send them my way!

Summer Fitness

The last few weeks I have been trying to get the kids to be more active--even in the hot, humid weather and we have had a lot of fun... along with a lot of whining, sweating, and complaining, but still fun!

• the past two mondays the kids have participated in 1/2 mile fun runs at different State Parks on Long Island. They have started out both races holding hands and James even turned back and grabbed Zanna's hand when she got too tired to keep going. It was really cute and I had it on video, but Zanna deleted it- darn girl! I loved seeing how proud they were when they ran over the finish line and it has created some great memories for us. James is a GREAT runner and I hope this has sparked a desire in him to be a runner..fun times!
• today was the second time we have walked home from Manhasset's main street and I just tell the kids we are having an "adventure" and it sounds much cooler. The first time we walked home from the train station after a sleep-over at my cousin's in the city. Today we took the car to the shop and walked home instead of getting a ride. It was a little over 2 miles and really hot! We stopped at the bank, post office, park and then set little goals to make the trek go a little faster. We had a good chat about Pioneer children and how far they had to walk and then the whining stopped. I hosed the down with the garden hose when we got home and they were both flexing their muscles to show me how strong the walk had made them- pretty cute.
  
• i also have the kids doing some of my exercises at home and checking out ballet and yoga videos is a fun way to get them moving when it's just too hot outside. I am looking for a Karate video too, so let me know if anyone knows of one to rent!
• we try to go swimming wherever and whenever we can and just found out that the pool down the rode from us is free on Friday afternoons...too bad I just barely figured this out! We went last week and are going again this week and the kids are getting to be pretty good little fish :)
  
• as for me, I am happy to say I am finally losing some of the pounds I inherited after my foot surgery! I gained about 10 pounds and it has really been bugging me, so they are coming off slowly but surely. I love using the extra 90-pounds of the double jogger to make my walks/runs a little harder and the kids have been great about going regularly so that I can exercise and they can be outside. I have also been LOVING my classes at the gym and my favorite teacher, Gina- the crazy, high-energy little lady kicks my butt! I feel like I'm in a dance class again and it is what I look forward to every week at noon on Wednesday :)

I am excited for the kids to start soccer in the Fall. It will be their first time on a team and although Zanna keeps saying she's not going to do it (she tends to complain about things!) I'm pretty sure they're going to love it... I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

July Happenings...lots of photos

Lake George Trip

(we went last year too and I would love to go every year if I could!)

the resort (that we didn't stay at this year, but it's so pretty)

James' real birthday was on this trip- so we lived it up!

at Tim's cabin on Friend's Lake

(this is where we stayed when we took the kids skiing in february)

this time the lake wasn't frozen- it was beautiful!!

I hadn't swam in a lake for a while and I forgot how fun it it, I took some time to just chill out on the dock and relax.

we got rained on while in the rowboat, but it was a fun adventure

on the way to dinner we just couldn't pass up this bakery we walked past

the ECLAIRS were the best I've ever had- I told Dave I wanted to bring some home in my purse, but it didn't quite work out

music in the park in the cute town of Lake George Village

The Mooney's Cabin- thanks for another great stay!

4th of July fireworks over the water in Glen Cove

the BBQ before the fireworks- Zanna with Rachel and Cindy

i just really like this one.

we got to go see the Guymon's at their new house and the kids just picked right up- we miss having them so close!

I rented a ballet video from the library and Zanna has done it almost every day- it's pretty cheesey, but I love watching these guys get dressed up and dance, dance, dance

James' first day in a suit- pretty handsome

everyone needs a pair of these

the beach park in Port Washington- we tried going to a free concert at the pool, but it was REALLY lame so we headed to the park and played instead

$5 drawings-- we couldn't pass it up!

Broadway (the street in NYC) is closed to cars for the summer and they've put chairs everywhere and everyone can just walk on the road or sit and relax...Zanna took advantage

we met Jess at TGIFriday's for traditional birthday dinner and a sleepover -- it was a memorable night, as always, and so fun to see her again!

Manhasset's "child safety day"- games, prizes, face painting, italian ices and all! 

and of course LOTS of ICE CREAM this month...with sprinkles :)

I know it looks like all we've done is play, but I didn't want to post pictures of us cleaning the toilets, sweating, sitting in time out, doing a lot of dishes, and doing all sorts of church work.

It was a GREAT month though and we are excited for August and visits from Dave's fam- yeah!