Sunday morning projects

Las Vegas Springs Preserve, Spring 2010

Holy mother of all things scrumptious, that was some excellent guacamole.

We went to Lindo Machaocan for dinner tonight. Believe it or not, this was our first time out to a Mexican restaurant since we've lived here. I do not count the quick-serve, everything taste like refritos, fake cheese, bottled salsa Mexican places as restaurants. You may sit where that food is served but they do not employ 237 staff who all have personalized name tags every night of the week and have a guy who plays music for your entertainment.

Back to the point....the guacamole is made to your specifications table-side and it's worth the $8.25 and then some. It was the best guacamole that has every crossed my lips. Sorry Chipotle, you've now been rendered useless. I was hanging onto you for your chips and guac, but you've been trumped. We took notes as Manny crafted the green goodness. We will practice in our own kitchen. Research trips back to the restaurant are in our future. I am sure of it.

So while we were eating, someone rang a bell. A lady shouted, "Tequila!" Then a group of staff, one with a guitar, surround said lady and her friend's mother who was having her birthday dinner. The birthday gal was turning, oh, maybe 80. She got a fancy hat, a candle, and a shot of tequila. She took one sip and when the waiter asked her what it tasted like, she said, "It doesn't taste like water!" Then her daughter took it away from her. Later she tried to steal it back, but her daughter's friend, the drunk hyena, ratted her out.

Dear Mom,

When we are celebrating your 80th birthday, I vow to you, on this day, May, 1, 2010, that I will never take away your shot of tequila. You will have earned that shot of tequila. Hell, you have already earned that shot, and many more. In fact, let's drink some tequila when we see each other again. Mother's Day shots? Good? Good. I'll wash the shot glasses.

Love, Daughter.

I've covered the guacamole. The house-made salsa was also very tasty. Spicy, smoky, deep flavor. The tortillas were excellent. Fiona's chicken was like mom's chicken - little bites of browned salty chicken goodness. My chicken was fair but the sauce was outstanding. I lapped it up with everything I could dip into it. Anthony had the carnitas. Flavor was good but the presentation was unexpected - the meat was cubed. Not what he was expecting but since the leftovers came home with us it passed the taste test. Sadly, there was no guacamole left to bring home.

Fiona had been dancing along to the music in our booth through the whole meal. After our plates were cleared, I told her she could go dance in the area in front of the keyboard player. I asked him to play a good dancing song. So he played and sang Macarena for Fiona. She froze. He kept going and going and going.....staff danced in and out of the area.....she just stood and stared at the silly man singing and making goofy faces and trying very hard to break her stiff stance. Finally she started twirling.....and then she wouldn't stop twirling. I had to carry her out to the lobby where she was distracted by the rubber bouncy ball machine that charged a dollar (!) for a ball. It was a win-win. We got some good laughs, the entertainer got a tip, and Fiona got a bouncy ball.

On the way home from dinner, we passed Chuck E. Cheese. From the back seat we heard, "Hey....I just saw Chuck E. Cheese." Heads in the front seat spun right into action. What the? We've never mentioned that place in her presence - on purpose. How did she.......Nick Jr. is sponsored by Chuck E. Cheese. And there you have it. No commercials trick us into thinking we like this channel. Blerg. Our reaction? Dead silence. The war against product placement has officially begun.

April 2010

I find it hard to believe May starts on Saturday. I've been in Nevada for 6 months. To celebrate I got a hair up my butt and made Anthony help me hang things on the walls this week. Yes mom and dad, we have put things up in the first 5 years. I know, you're stunned. We even moved some furniture around. Should have listened to Max form the beginning - he knows how to lay out a room.

Fiona continues to surprise, motivate, and exhaust us. Last week she suggested that a bird we saw on a walk was a condor. We know she learned about condors from Diego, but it was quite the head-spinner when she said it. Her first visit to the dentist went very well. She has been instructed to floss between her molars every day. So I am now flossing. Occasionally. Since she is a mimic with a wicked memory, we have to be very careful what we say in front of her. Deep down, I knew all that Pig Latin practice in elementary school would come in handy. Though I know now that my teachers were also bilingual. And then there's the manipulation. She's really honing her stills. The stalling, the testing of limits - the latest technique is "I want to hug you and kiss you all over." Really? Oh okay, love me. Oh, that tickles and makes you giggle? Weeeee! More! Weeeee! Wait, what were we doing?

When it's quiet in the house we are never quite sure what we will discover. Apparently bears have to go potty too.

Easter present - a Little People camping set we picked up at a friend's garage sale. Score!

And the basket o' candy...

More booty from the garage sale: mega blocks. Check out the froggy picnic Anthony built.

No sweetheart, this is not a good hiding place.

This outfit includes pajamas, panties, a tee shirt, a sweater, pants, and socks. Hey, all the parts are there. Cant't see the tee shirt? It's under the sweater. Around her waist.

Huff 'n Puff

This morning....

I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your cheeks up.

.......... ............. .............

It's not working.

Way to hold your own Dolly.

Just another example of the child sponge brain.

Me: Would you like cream cheese or peanut butter on your bagel?

Fiona: Not peanut butter. That sucks.

A piece of the past, present, and future.

Sunday we met up with a colleague of mine, her fiancée and his roommate's dog, Red. The guidebook says something like "if you've reached the Hacienda Hotel & Casino, you've gone too far." No kidding....the unmarked turn off is the last turn before the Hacienda's parking lot. Good thing we had that guide book - we'd have ended up in Arizona. But we made it to the parking lot just as Fiona drifted off to sleep in the back seat.

Historic Railroad Tunnel Trail in Lake Mead Recreational Area. 2 miles and change in each direction. 5 tunnels. Lake Mead. And a blue sky full of fluffy white clouds. The trail and tunnels were used to take equipment to the Hoover Dam construction site. Other than minor elevation from the parking lot, it's a level walk on compacted gravel. Four and a half miles is a lot to ask of a three year old so we didn't go beyond the tunnels. But you can walk or bike to the scenic Hoover Dam Visitor Parking Deck.

A view of the Lake Mead Marina.

Looking back at Tunnel 4. Notice how low the water level is on the lake.

Railroad tie from the old tracks.

Per Fiona, this is a volcano but it isn't exploding.

Thank you, climbing walls at every playground in the city. She was not pleased when we made her stop climbing so we could hike back to the car. But she got to have her first pee in nature shortly after this and was sufficiently distracted.

Four of the five tunnels have timber supports at either opening. Here and there you can see drill lines in the tunnel walls from where dynamite was placed.

Across the way on that ridge are old bootlegging trails. We've been told there's a peak from which you can see the Strip and Lake Mead.

A wee little rock cairn we found along the trail. I experimented with different camera settings. In the bright sun the night-time setting gave this lighting effect.

Interesting color and formations in the rock below the trail.

Again with the night-time setting on the camera. There were a few sailboats on Lake Mead that day. This one is for Anthony who is still mourning the sale of his Buc.

Should you find yourself in Nevada, this is a great walk, view, history lesson. Just make sure you don't leave the granola bars in the car.