PurVine Wine Making Tour

This weekend, our friends, John and Denise, treated our small group to a wine making tour at a local wine making establishment in the Phoenix area - PurVine. We were treated to a great wealth of knowledge by the wine-maker himself, a tour of the facilities, some great wine (so says Alan), yummy appetizers and wonderful company! We had a fabulous time and would highly suggest it for other folks living in this area.

Read more...

Steph's Pick - Taco in a Bag

Since moving to AZ, I quickly realized that we were not in the Midwest anymore. So many things I would say would cause a confused reaction by AZ residents. Specifically, I've always been accustomed to buying taco-in-a-bag at sporting activities. It is such a great alternative to the standard hotdog or burger. However, Taco-in-a-bags are no where to be found here! And no one has even heard of them. So I'm slowing introducing this great idea to friends here in the Valley and I thought it was about time to include it as my "Steph's Pick."
Now for those of you readers who cook very little - don't be scared away - this is one of the easiest things you can possibly make. It's a great meal for on-the-go (picnic or camping) or during times when you want to make something with little clean-up.

INGREDIENTS
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
4 (2.5 ounce) packages Doritos (my favorite) or Fritos
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 chopped fresh tomato
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup salsa
1/2 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS
Place ground beef in a large skillet. Cook and stir over medium heat until browned. Drain excess oil. Mix in the taco seasoning and prepare according to the directions on the package. With the bags unopened, gently crush the corn chips. Snip the corners off the bags using scissors and slit open the bags along the side edge. Spoon equal amounts of the beef mixture, lettuce, tomato, Cheddar cheese, salsa and sour cream into the bags on top of the crushed chips. Serve in the bag and eat using a fork.

Read more...

welcome niece, Adelyn Diane

Our niece was born this past weekend and we couldn't be more proud to announce her arrival. Adelyn Diane was born to Nick & Abby on January 12, 2009 at 5:03 pm, weighing 8 lbs, 3 oz and measuring 19 3/4 inches long! Mom, Dad and baby are all doing well and are at home adjusting to life with a newborn! We plan to visit them at the beginning of February and are already anxious for the departure day to arrive!!! Congrats Nick & Abby! We love you!

Read more...

I guess it's safe to assume that the above picture tells our story - maybe even a little bit better than we could ourselves :) Yes - you guessed it - we're pregnant and expecting our first child come July! We are currently 14 weeks along. I figured maybe the best way to tell you a little bit about this new found joy is to answer some specific questions. Let's just call it the "Top 5 Questions all Pregnant Couples are Asked"

5) When are you due? July 12th (yes - right in the middle of the 100+ degree heat in AZ - I'm sure it will be lovely)
4) Was this planned? Although always a bit of an awkward question - our answered would have to yes - kindof.
3) How have you been feeling? I was doing quite well until early December when I came down with a nasty case of the flu which launched into several weeks of a dull nausea. That has come to pass, which I'm grateful for. Not only was I nausious, but right from the beginning I was extremely tired. On most days I would come home from work just to take a 30-45 min nap and to head back in again. This was probably the most frustrating thing for me, as I'm a bit of a busy body and being hindered in my ability to physically go about my day because I was too tired was very frustrating. But all in all, it has been a great pregnancy. I can't complain.
2)) Are we going to find out if it's a girl or boy? Yes. We can't wait to find out if we're having a "little Alan" or a "little Steph." That will come in a few more weeks.
1) Do you have names picked out? Yes. We do have some idea's but will wait to seriously consider what name we'll choose until we find out the sex. However, our plan is to keep the name a secret until the little one arrives in July.

Alright - I think that's all for now.

Read more...

Steph's Pick - Personalized Gift Tags

Now I had every intention of posting this is a "Steph's Pick" far before Christmas came around but that obviously didn't happen! So I apologize in advance for giving you a bit of a belated suggestion. I also have to give credit where credit is due - my good friend, Nealy, did this very thing a couple years back which inspired me to use the idea this year.
Although I don't think really much explanation is necessary, I found this gift tag idea to be creative and very easy. Rather than buy gift tags at the store, I went through this past year's photos and printed off various ones that I cut out to personalize each gift we gave this Christmas season. Our family and friends got a good kick out of their photos and I have to admit, I had a great time chosing which photos to use.
So - the next time you have to wrap a gift, consider this personalized gift tag option. It would even work for Birthday gifts, Anniversary gifts, Baby shower gifts and the occassional "because I love you" gifts.

Read more...