These Shoes Were Made for Running

"I believe it's jogging or yogging. it might be a soft j. I'm not sure but apparently you just run for an extended period of time. It's supposed to be wild."

So, I've done something crazy.  I hate running, yet I just joined a running club.  I'd like to tell you about it, but I'd be breaking the first rule of running club.

Okay, fine.  But you have to promise not to laugh at me.  Deal?  I ran for 15 minutes straight last night, and I'm darn proud of it.  It wasn't fast, and it wasn't pretty, but I was running the whole time.  For all of you that are thinking, "Pshht, I ran 30 miles before sunrise;" I'm happy for you.  No, really, I am.  I just ate 3 cookies a cookie to celebrate you and your superhuman lungs.  For me, 15 minutes is an accomplishment.  Plus, we didn't measure distance, but I'm sure it was at least 5 miles, maybe 8.  Boston, here I come!

I was so impressed by myself last night that we decided to do it again tonight.  We strapped the kids in the stroller and took the very long route to the playground.  Another 15 minutes, without stopping!  Again, you aren't impressed, but I am.  Supposedly, I'll be running 5 miles straight within the next 12 weeks.  I'm skeptical...

Here's a "positive" that some of my family members will appreciate.  I completed these amazing feats of strength while wearing my new Nikes.  This is positive because 1. I'm creating job security for my Nike employed cousins, and 2. I'm decreasing my chances of being shunned for wearing *gasp* a different brand of running shoes when we visit family this summer.

Pretty, huh?  

Moving on...

As much as I'm a runner, I'm also a fashionista (insert sarcasm here).  I think this hairdo is super cute.  I did a much less poofy version of this today; it's still a ponytail, so it's not completely out of my comfort zone.

If I had $180 to spend on dinner, I'd love to attend Outstanding in the Field.

Are you a superior or poor wife?  Take this quiz to find out. 

I'm off to darn some socks.

Expert Advice

Our house is done (again), we've checked out the hotel (again), and moved home (again).  Moving this time was much easier than the last.  The area of our home that was damaged was very minimal and did not contain much in the way of personal items.  The bedrooms, living rooms and kitchen were intact, and we had the foresight to close doors and throw sheets over everything in the great room to make for super easy cleanup (tip #1).  

Tyler's coworker had been offering to help us, so last night we asked her to hang out in the hotel after the kids went to bed, so we could get everything out of the house.  She was happy to oblige, considering we had cable tv (Bravo!).  When we finally got the kids to bed, after screaming, crying and poop issues (the kids, not us), we loaded the car and teamed up to leave the babysitter with a bit of advice.  "The kids don't normally wake up, but they might tonight."  "Screaming will probably mean a poopy diaper, and it's going to be bad."  "Do you know how to change a diaper?"  "Oh, well... it's pretty self explanatory, wipe off the poop and put on a clean diaper."  "You'll need a lot of wipes, and be prepared for a very bad smell"  (As we can both see the look of horror forming on her face)..."You know, on second thought, in the case of poop, just call us.  We'll come take care of it."  Thankfully, the kids slept, we got the suitcases, books and toys put away, and the babysitter got to enjoy the awesomeness that is Bravo reality television.  This morning, the kids woke up early, we scooped them out of bed, headed up the hill and we were home before breakfast.  Easy-peasy.  

Other than the fact that the size of the flood was much smaller this time, things may have seemed easier this go around because we are now experienced flood recovery experts.  I wonder if there is a niche market for this kind of thing?  Maybe I could make some money being a disaster concierge.  Tonight only, just for you, my loyal readers, the advice comes for free.  Grab a pen and start taking notes.  

In no particular order, here are a few things that I've learned or wish I would have known before:

aka:  What to do if your house floods:

1.  Have the name and number of a 24 hour disaster mitigation company on hand.  When you come home to a flooded house, you won't have the time or mental clarity to research different options.  Plus, there's no internet because you've turned off the electricity (getting electrocuted would really piss you off at this point).  Make sure that the company guarantees their work.  If they don't get the house dried out correctly, you could end up with mold.  Make sure they would take care of this.  

2.  While you're collecting numbers, it wouldn't hurt to get references for a contractor, or specific individuals or companies, such as a plumber, flooring company, painters, etc.  Do your research ahead of time and it will save you a lot of stress and time down the road.  At the very least, it will give you a starting point and hopefully save you from having not so positive experiences will the wrong crews.  

3.  Keep receipts for large purchases, and make a log of brands, serial numbers, and purchase date and price for these items.  This will make the insurance claim process somewhat less painful.  Go here to read about home inventory software.  Speaking of the claim process, it may be lengthly and you may have to fight to get a fair settlement.  Don't give up. 

4.  Take charge!  Both times, we've found that you have to really push people to get things done correctly and in a timely manner.  This will mean a lot of phone calls to coordinate the different parts of the restoration.  Unfortunately, this might also mean making people come back 2 (or 3, or 4 times) to get the job done right.  Be persistent.  

5.  Demand that the insurance company pay for a hotel during the mitigation and restoration, especially if you have kids.  Aside from the obvious safety hazard (holes in the walls, exposed subfloors with nails and staples sticking out, and huge fans all over the house), there will be toxins in the air from the removal of old materials, as well as during restoration (paint fumes, etc).  Most insurance companies would rather pay for a hotel than risk a liability claim for injury during the restoration.  

6.  Speaking of the hotel living, we found one indispensable item to be clear packing tape.  It makes a perfect do it all makeshift baby proofer.  Use it to tape over the buttons on the heater and the nobs on the dishwasher, to tape the oven door shut, and cover outlets.  Duct tape would also work, but I think it would be more likely to damage surfaces, plus it's harder to tear off (and you probably won't have a pair of scissors).  

Hmm...I could tell you so much more, but I hope you'll never have to use any of this advice.  Here's what you can do to avoid joining the "my washing machine flooded my house" club (we meet at the laundromat on Thursday nights); don't run your washer when you're not home, and consider adding a drain to your laundry room.  We now have a fancy new washer, as well as a pan and drain in the laundry room.  Bubye, tax return.  However, it is all worth it for the peace of mind.  If you are in the Boise area and you're considering putting a drain in, we found a wonderful plumber that we'd happily refer to anybody.  He did the whole job for $225, which is very reasonable.  

Well, this post has not been uplifting or humorous, but hopefully it is helpful.  I'll try to come up with something fun for tomorrow's post.  Or is it today's post, since it is now Wednesday?  It's well past my bedtime, and Blake has been stirring for awhile.  I better go enjoy a few sweet moments of rest in my own bed.  Oh, it's good to be home.  

"Oh, I Wish I Were an Oscar Mayer Wiener..."

As parents, we wear many hats.  We know that one day, we will have to act as counselors to the lovesick.  I thought (hoped) that this wouldn't happen until the kids are teenagers.  I need time to study this stuff, you know?  I still haven't figured out how to handle the emotional issues that come with potty training, much less a bad breakup.  Well, it's time to start cramming.  I'll order some parenting books and pull an all-nighter.  I have to figure this out, and fast.  Blake is in love, and it's going to end in a bad way.

On Tuesday, I came "home" to find the Wienermobile parked in our hotel parking lot.  I quickly ushered the kids outside, trying to explain to them what we were about to see.  Blake wanted to head to the pool ("Water, water, SPLASH!  Imming poooool!) and Hadley wanted to do laundry (seriously), but I scooped one up in each arm and headed out the door.  Little did I know that Blake was about to experience love at first sight.

Alas, it was short lived.  The hotdogger (yes, that's what they are called), hopped in the wienermobile and said she was had to go; she was late for yoga.  Blake cried as he watched the "erbile" drive away.

Tyler looks pretty upset, too.

That was Tuesday, today is Sunday.  I recently learned the days of the week from this video, so now I'm  just showing off.  Anyway, my poor son has had to endure the torture of a love lost, day, after day, after day.  Every morning, Blake wakes up crying for the "erbile."  He immediately asks to be lifted up to the window, only to find that the winermobile is gone.  However, sometime around 4:00 or 5:00 PM, it magically appears back in the parking lot.  I know that Blake loves me, but the excitement he shows when I come home from works pales in comparison to the look on his face when he sees that his beloved wienermobile has returned.  He begs to stand in the window, "erbile, look at it!"  He gets upset when he sees other people go near it.  He runs to get his shoes and asks to go outside.  He hugs it, kicks the tires, peeks inside the windows.  He cries when it's time to go inside.  He returns to the window a handful of times before going to bed.  He blows kisses, says, "goodnight erbile, lub you."  He then cries himself to sleep, begging for the wienermobile.  Rest, rewind, repeat.  

Tomorrow, we'll move back into our house, and the weinermobile will move on to the next town.  In attempts to ease Blake's pain, we've ordered wienermobile collectibles galore.  I can't wait to see his face when the box arrives on the doorstep.  Until then, I'm going to work on making my way back into his heart.  Call me selfish, but I'm just not ready to share this kid yet.  Maybe in 15 years.  

P.S.  Blake isn't the only one that's growing up too fast.  First, she starts wearing lipstick.  Then, look who we caught peeing on a downtown sidewalk late at night.  Is there a parenting book for that one?  Oy Vey!  

'Bruno, you must feed them the pasta!'

Choose Your Own Laughter

Do you remember Choose Your Own Adventure books?  I always had a little bit of a guilty conscience after reading them, since I always cheated.  I'd skip forward to find out what would come of different choices, then I'd make my choice.  Well, there's no need to cheat here.  I'm thinking that both choices will end in laughter, or maybe both will end in eye rolls.  You're welcome; or, you're sorry.  Choose your own response.

Option one: (Best for readers over the age of 18)

Go to this website, read, then laugh until you cry.  Repeat.


Option two:  (Best for the under 18 crowd, the over 88 crowd, or anybody who's name includes the title "Father," or "Sister")

A nice clean joke.  (Thanks, Nina)



So, I know that option number one was making the facebook rounds a few weeks ago, so it's obviously so February, 2011.  Still, it was new to me, and man, did I laugh at some of them.  I've always said that my iPod Touch was programmed by some 18 year old boy with a dirty mind.  This site confirms my theory.

While I was laughing through page after hilarious page, Tyler spent the whole time rolling his eyes and telling me that "it's not that funny."  I think he was actually just annoyed that my laughter was making it hard for him to watch MacGruber.  The man obviously has a more sophisticated understanding of comedy than I do.

It's All About Timing

In the past week or so, our house has flooded (again), Hadley's tantrums have reached a whole new level of awesomeness, Blake has weaned himself, and finally, this showed up in my mailbox:

She's a bit of a sommelier savant.

Coincidence?  I think not.  The world is telling me that it's time to start drinking.  For 44 of the past 47 months, I've been either pregnant or breastfeeding, which means that I've been caffeine and alcohol free.  (Yes, I already know that both are fine in small amounts, but I'm crazy paranoid during my pregnancies).     

You may not know this, but the Boise area is home to several wineries.  In all, there are about forty wineries throughout Idaho.  It's been a few years, but we used to enjoy bringing a picnic out to Ste. Chapelle during one of their summer concerts.  

While Ste. Chapelle has been around for many years, Cinder Winery is a relative newcomer.  They were featured in a little write up about Boise in the March issue of Sunset Magazine.  

Speaking of Sunset magazine, do you have a subscription?  If so, would you like to give me your discarded issues?  I promise to recycle them when I'm done.  

And speaking of Boise, did you know that the Stylish Stork is going out of business?  That means that everything in the store is 50% off.  

When you are done shopping, you can head to Aspen Leaf Yogurt, Boise's newest spot to please your sweet tooth.  Imagine: 20 flavors of frozen yogurt, 70 topping choice (including mochi- yum!), and it's all self serve.  I've heard of places like this existing in magical sugary dreamlands, but this was my first visit to one.  The minute I walked through the door, I was handed several small sample cups to try out the many flavor options.  I settled on tart yogurt with mochi on top, the kids had peach yogurt with fresh berries, and Tyler had strawberry yogurt with fudge on top (delivered to his office by his wonderful wife).  The yogurt is priced by weight ($.42/ounce), so it's best to exercise some restraint when filling your cup.  Our total for the three dishes was $12, and we had a fair amount of leftovers.  

So by this point, most of you are probably thinking, "Where is this post going?"  or perhaps, "Has she already started drinking?"  Bear with me here folks.  

After you've shopped the sales in BoDo and enjoyed frozen yogurt on 8th street, you can head to the Boise Flower and Garden Show.  In addition to the flowers, the bonsais, and the gardening seminars, there is a WINE and jazz event.  Boom!  Full circle.  

Still confused?  Yeah, me too.  It's been a long week.

I Love Happy News

1.  Start here

2.  Then go here

3.  And finally, here

I've Got Sunshine

What do you do when you're stuck in a hotel room on a rainy day?  If you're my kids, you stand on the window sill, watching the rain fall.  The kids stayed there for over 45 minutes, except for the occasional break to grab another slice of apple or a drink of water.  Some of the highlights included a school bus parked in our lot, a crane on the construction site at the university, and some skateboarding kids in the parking lot below.  Every time they'd attempt an ollie (are you impressed by my knowledge of skateboarding terminology?), Blake would yell, "Careful!"

Boise Restaurant Review: Thai Cuisine

The first meal I ever ate in Boise was at a Thai restaurant.  Over the past six years (wow!) as Boise residents, we've tried most of the Thai restaurants in town, and Thai Cuisine has come out on top.  Not only is their food delicious, the staff is always friendly and the service is quick, even when they are busy.  They kids like to look at all of the decorations, especially the elephant heads on the wall (fake of course).  The last time we were there, the waitress must have come over to talk to Blake ten times, telling him he was so cute, while Blake was throwing food and silverware in every direction.

I almost always order the Phad See Ew, and Tyler goes for the Drunken Noodles.  The kids eat off of our plates, but we usually order them a side of rice or an appetizer as well.  We've tried and enjoyed the Wrap Lover, the Fresh Rolls and the Honey Chicken Satay.  Also, Tyler would be upset if I didn't mention that they make the best Larb salad in town.  Bonus:  all of the food is MSG free.

Thai Cuisine is located on Overland Rd, between Curtis and Cole.

Constantly Hugged Goats

A couple of nights ago, I was talking to friends about eating safe, healthy and ethically raised meat.  A friend said that she bought half of a cow from an organic farm in coastal Oregon.  I know what this means, but I can't help but imagine them literally having half of a cow in their freezer.  Moo!  Anyway...  Apparently these are happy cows, free roaming with sweeping ocean views.  This sounds great, but one question kept running through my mind: Are the cows constantly hugged?

Note:  This friend is nothing like the "Total Foods guy" but this video to is too funny to not share.  I first watched it several years ago, but I'm reminded of it often.  For example, when I found these caramels at WIlliams Sonoma tonight.


A few other things:

An unusual, but nice story of community outreach by a police officer, here.

This is what I was going to bake Wednesday night.  Unfortunately, our plans changed and we are living in a hotel again.  Now, I'm left dreaming of warm Sally Lunn bread with brown butter.

Williams Sonoma has a yogurt maker on sale for $49.95.  It gets great reviews and might be worth it if you want homemade yogurt without the hassle.

Homemade Yogurt

There are certain foods that seem impossible to make at home.  I don't get excited when mixing flour, butter and eggs results in cookies.  In my mind, that's just logical.  But turning milk into yogurt?  Magical.  Turning regular yogurt into Greek yogurt?  Magical and super thrifty!  I did a lot of online searching for the perfect yogurt making method and recipe, but I found that nobody seems to agree on the "right" way.  So, I tried a couple of different ways.  The first was a flop and the second was perfect.

Here is what I did:

Taking bits and pieces of recipes from here, here and here, I came up with this recipe.

Homemade Yogurt

1/2 Gallon Milk (I used 1% organic milk)
1/2 cup store bought plain yogurt (I used Nancy's plain organic)
1/2 to 1 cup powdered milk, optional  (I added this)

1.  Mix milk and powdered milk (if using) in a saucepan.  Stirring constantly, heat the mixture to 180 degrees.  I use this Taylor thermometer, it works very well.

2.  Remove Milk from heat and continue to stir for 2-3 minutes to avoid scorching the bottom.  Allow to cool to 110 degrees (mine took about 40 minutes).  While the milk is cooling, heat the empty crockpot on the "warm" setting.

3.  Mix 1/2 cup store bought yogurt into the milk mixture.  The yogurt is your starter.  After your first batch, you can reserve some homemade yogurt to use as a starter.

4.  Preheat the oven for one minute (the temp doesn't matter).  Turn the oven and crockpot off.  Turn the oven light on.

5. Pour the milk/yogurt mixture into the preheated crock, put the lid on and wrap in a large towel.  Place this in the oven, close the door and try to be patient.  It will take from 8-10 hours for the yogurt to cook.

[Tangent:  Hadley kept asking, "Are we cooking yogurt?"  When I'd say yes, she'd reply, "but I don't like my yogurt cooked, I want cold yogurt!"]

The light will maintain some heat in the oven, and the towel will help hold in the heat from the crock.  The idea is to maintain a temperature of about 105 degrees, and there are lots of ways to do this.  Some people use electric heating pads, coolers, or drawers rigged with clip-on lights.   This seemed to be the safest way in my mind.  Just don't turn the oven on!

The next morning, you will find this:

The yellow liquid is the whey.  I know the photo doesn't look appetizing, but don't let that deter you.   Chill the yogurt in the fridge for 2-3 hours, then enjoy!  You can add honey, fresh fruit, or even throw it in the blender with some frozen fruit.  Yum!  

Now, the best part...

You can make "Greek" yogurt!  Along with the rest of the country, I've jumped on the greek yogurt bandwagon.  The problem is, it's pretty expensive, especially the organic kind.  Making greek yogurt is super easy.  

1.  Place a sieve or colander on top of a bowl, then line it with a coffee filter or cheesecloth.  Fill with yogurt, place in the fridge, and wait for the magic to happen.  In a few hours, the whey will drain out and you'll be left with thick, creamy yogurt.  The longer it drains, the thicker it will get.  

If you don't use these coffee filters, you obviously don't care.

I know a lot of people eat Greek yogurt for the protein content.  It would be easy to figure out the protein per serving in the original yogurt recipe, but with the Greek version I'm unsure how much protein leaves with the whey.  However, I've read that whey is mostly carbohydrates and thus, when the whey drains you the yogurt that is left has higher protein per volume and an higher protein to carbohydrate ratio.  

I'm guessing you could skip the first part of this recipe and strain store bought yogurt to thicken it, but I'm not sure.  If anybody tries, let me know.  

  I won't bother with the "flop" recipe, but I am pretty sure it failed because I added the starter when the milk was too hot.  So, learn from my mistake and wait for the milk to cool before adding the yogurt starter.

Brownie Caramel Pecan Bars

For the first few years that I knew Tyler, he was "just a friend."  Also, he claimed that he didn't like sweets, and specifically didn't care much for chocolate.  Then I made him a batch of these brownies.  Soon after, Tyler proposed, and the rest is history.


Brownie Caramel Pecan Bars
recipe and photo via Hersheys

Ingredient

        1/2 cup sugar

        2 tablespoons butter 

        2 tablespoons water

        2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (I use Ghiradelli 60% cocoa)

        2 eggs

        1 teaspoon vanilla extract

        2/3 cup all-purpose flour

         1/4 teaspoon baking soda

         1/4 teaspoon salt

         25 caramels

         1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

        2 TBSP milk

         1 cup pecan pieces (best when toasted)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 9-inch square baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan; grease and flour foil.  (I skip the foil and use Pam for Baking)
   
2. Combine sugar, butter and water in medium saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Remove from heat; immediately add 1 cup chocolate chips, stirring until melted. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well blended. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; stir into chocolate mixture. Spread batter in prepared pan.
   
3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Remove brownies from oven.
4.  While brownies are baking, prepare caramel topping.  Unwrap the caramels and place in a microwaveable bowl along with butter and milk.  Microwave on high for 45-60 seconds at a time, stirring each time, until melted and smooth.
5. Immediately and carefully spread caramel topping over brownie surface. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup chips and pecans over topping; lightly press into topping. Cool completely in pan on wire rack, being careful not to disturb chips while soft. Lift out of pan; cut into bars. About 16 bars.

Note:  I like to double the recipe and bake it in a 9x13 metal pan.  This results in thicker, more gooey brownies.  They take exactly 20 minutes in my oven.

Creme Fraiche

I think that I'm making yogurt right now, but I can't be sure until tomorrow.  I thought that I was making yogurt all day, but the end result was a crockpot full of chunky milk.  If this new batch works, I'll be sure to post the recipe.  In the meantime, here is a tried and true recipe for homemade creme fraiche.  When I make it, I pour it into a small pyrex container and just set the lid on top without sealing.  It's exciting to go to bed with a bowl of cream on the counter, and wake up to a bowl of creme fraiche!  Plus, it's delicious and so much cheaper than buying it in the store.

 image via stephmodo.com

Crème Fraiche (Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1) (via stephmodo.com)

1 teaspoon commercial buttermilk

1 cup whipping cream/heavy cream

Stir the buttermilk into the cream and heat to lukewarm–not over 85 degrees.  Pour the mixture into a loosely covered jar and let it stand at a temperature of not over 85 degrees nor under 60 degrees until it has thickened.  This will take 5 to 8 hours on a hot day, 24 to 36 hours at a low temperature.  Stir, cover, and refrigerate.  Your crème fraiche will keep up to 10 days in the fridge.

Enjoy!

Thank you!

This and That

Here is a great deal from Gap.  Enter your phone number on this site and they will text you a code for $25 off of a $50 purchase in stores.  Of course, Gap will now have your phone number so you may end up getting more offers, which could be good or bad.  

Speaking of texting, text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 for disaster relief in Japan.  Stepping away from the positive for a moment; things are BAD over there and people need our help.

To end on a happy note, how cool is this recreation of the flying house from Up?  Read about it here.

  

An Announcement

Our family is growing!  It's hard for us to tell, but we're told it's a boy.  Hadley has already decided to name him Alex, and both of the kids are so excited to welcome him to our family.  He is already an active little guy, always fluttering around.  Here is one of the first pictures.

Meet Alex, the Betta.  Or as Blake calls it, "ALEXTHEFISH!"

Cribs

Remember MTV cribs?  Who doesn't love a voyeuristic look into somebody else's home?  While we may not have 12 bedrooms or a ferrari, we do have a pool.  Okay, so it's a pop-up toddler pool.  Anyway... here's our "new" home.   For the most part it looks just like it did before.  Can you spot the differences?  

This picture frame is from Red Envelope; I love it!

An afternoon snack of hummus crackers and popcorn; Blake kept demanding "More Popcorn!"

Then he used the leftover hummus to create art.

"Snack Time" 

Hummus on glass

Blake c.2011

Hadley's take on the finished project: "Um, I do not like it.  It is not good, because it needs more pink." 

The Marmoleum in the bathroom- so far we are big fans.

Laundry- again, more Marmoleum.

The kids' bedroom.  No obvious changes here as they were able to re-stretch the old carpet.

Let's head upstairs.  New paint here, plus a glimpse of our annual family photos, ordered from Kodak.

Look who we found!

Our bedroom was the dumping ground (along with the garage) for everything we owned.  Look!  We can see the floor again!

These are old, but I like them.

My mom got me a "housewarming" gift.  Aren't these pretty?  Find them here. 

And I bought Tyler a housewarming gift.  It's hard to tell from the picture, but these are small.  Perfect for one egg.  

Oh, and guess what?  I made dinner for the first time in three weeks.  I love to cook, but it was kind of nice to take a cooking vacation.  I decided to ease back into things.  No recipe, simple prep, quick to cook. 

The finished product.

The "un-recipe"

Bruschetta pasta with chicken sausage

1.  Cook some pasta.

2.  Chop some basil, tomatoes, and garlic.

3.  Pour olive oil in a pan, cook chicken sausage (we used these) and garlic.

4. Add pasta, tomatoes, basil and chunks of fresh mozzarella (add more olive oil, if needed).  

5. Stir together until mozzarella just begins to melt.  Season with salt and pepper and top with shredded asiago cheese (or parmesan) and more fresh basil.

There's No Place LIke Home

We're home!  We're home!  We're home!  Yay!

Project Hopeful

Project Hopeful is an organization created to facilitate and advocate for the adoption of children with HIV/AIDS.  There was a great article about the founders in People magazine a few months ago.  The Twietmeyer family already had 7 biological children when they began their adoption journey.  They now have 13 children (on a salary of $64,000/year), two with HIV.  They've made it their mission to help other families adopt children that otherwise may not survive.

The Today Show did a story on the Twietmeyers this morning; I loved hearing from the kids in the family.  Here is a video clip from the show.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The Perks of Hotel Living

Are we anxious to get back into our house?  Sure we are.  Are we sick of hotel living?  For the most part.  Do you want to know a little secret though?  This gig isn't so bad.  The kids love having their own pool, continental breakfast is still a novelty, and despite the fact that they are coin operated, having been able to use three washing machines at once really speeds up the chore of doing laundry.  Also, we have been taking full advantage of our proximity to downtown.  Over the last few days, we've walked to the zoo, the art museum, the library, several parks, Tyler's office, coffee shops, downtown shopping, the university and the river.  Here are a few photos of our fine city.

One more perk of our current living situation: we are among celebrities.  Well, sort of.  The cast of Fiddler on the Roof, performing as part of Broadway in Boise, is staying in our hotel.  They arrived today, and I've been devising a plan ever since I caught wind of their arrival.  You see, Fiddler is one of my favorite musicals, yet I'm too cheap to buy a ticket to watch a performance.  So here's the plan:  Step 1.  Casually ask the cast members if they are part of the Fiddler production.  Mention that I love the musical.   Step one, complete.  Nobody has offered my complimentary tickets (yet), so I'll have to move on to step 2 tomorrow, and here it is.  Step 2:  Strike up a conversation (In the hot tub? While dishing up oatmeal? Doing laundry?) regarding our reason for staying at the hotel.  Surely they'll pity us enough to offer, no insist, that we take free tickets.  Now, on the off chance that this doesn't work, it will be on to step three.  To pull this off, the kids will be going through Broadway boot camp tomorrow morning, but it will be worth it.  Step 3:  Hadley and Blake perform a rousing medley of Fiddler songs.  Blake will start off with "Tradition" (you should see him do the dance!), moving onto Hadley singing "Matchmaker," followed by a duet for "Sunrise, Sunset."  Blake, you've got 12 hours to grow a beard.  Don't let me down, kid.