Yesterday was a fun fun day!

The really fun part of my starts when my other half returns home from a hard day of work...well, it really begins AFTER he takes a shower. Yesterday Gary entered our humble abode and quickly changed his clothing and went out to run around the park directly behind our place. I had dinner all ready waiting and nothing else to do but wait myself so I grabbed my book, The Book Thief, and a blanket and a bottle of water and went out to lay on the grass to watch my hot man run (I would have ran with him but I do my running in the morning BEFORE it gets hot outside) and, er, read.

When he finished his laps, I decided to stay outside relaxing in the shade and continue to read my fabulous book while Gary ran back inside to shower up. We ate quickly, Lasagna (left overs from last nights dinner...LOVE it!) and buns, made from scratch by MOI. And then jumped in the truck (truck you say? Old news. Haven't posted but will soon) and drove to Baskin Robbins for an ice cream cone! Why the cone? Why the hurry? Well, you see...it's TUESDAY. Tuesday night at 7:00pm (we had 20 minutes) we had to be back home for THE BIGGEST LOSER!

Last week was the first show of the season and I can't count how many times a DAY since last Tuesday Gary has said to me something to the effect of "Tara, I just can't wait until next Tuesday" or "Tara, I just wish it was Tuesday already" or "Tara, three more days until the Biggest Loser again" you get it right? Well, it's started ALL OVER AGAIN last night at 9:00pm! He's already counting down the days until NEXT Tuesday. Yes, we sure like that show. So while we sat on our couch and ate ice cream, we watched other people working out and fighting to make their lives a healthier one. Kinda ironic eh?

Did I mention to you that Gary was obsessed with the Biggest Loser? Oh yeah, I did. Well let me expand on that... we have a couple 5 gallon water jugs that we use to fill with clean, yummy, filtered water from the grocery store. Well, it just so happened that yesterday the last drop came out of our last jug. SO, after the biggest loser was over we went to go fill up one up. Since Smith's is across the street and we just finished watching a bunch of people exercise for 2 hours, Gary decided that we should get a little 'exercise' ourselves and walk. Remember we were going to fill up an awkward shaped container with 5 gallons of water? I started with this 40 pound jug of water and told him I was going to make it all the way home...dodging sprinklers on our way. But I think I made it to the sidewalk just outside the parking lot. And then Gary had to take over.

(I had to hold it on my hips like I would carry a child for the picture. Gary said it was good practice for the future. Pretty sure a child doesn't have a hard plastic bottom that DIGS into your hip like this water jug did oh, and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be holding a child that weighs FORTY pounds on my hip either)

Biggest Loser Obsession: Gary has decided that we are going to have a biggest loser challenge week. We're going to cook 5 meals all under 300 calories for dinner each night and participate in a challenge each day. Challenges such as: The Water Chug (he/she who drinks the most water wins immunity at the next weigh in), The Cooking Challenge (we're going to see if Chef Rocco wants to come teach us how to cook like he did on the show last night. And then we'll each cook a meal and then points will be given for the meal lowest in fat and best tasting.), And then the 5 Gallon Water Jug carry as we practiced last night. If you would like to submit ideas for challenges or participate in our biggest loser week. Please just leave us a comment and we'll let you in on the planning.

I'm telling ya, this is "FOR REAL!" (SYTYCD)

New Mexico State Fair

Last night Gary and I paid a visit to the New Mexico State Fair. We couldn't go until after Gary got home from work so we missed quite a bunch of 'day time' stuff. But still, it was lots of fun! I'm always interested in what kinds of foods show up at a State Fair. I don't know if I mentioned this but at the Calgary Stampede a couple months ago one stand was selling all things deep fried...including, fried oreos, snickes, and Fried COKE (the drink). Now, how do you fry Coke? I should have found out. Anyhow, it's always interesting to me. We knew we were going to eat something so we decided to carefully consider our options. One place that looked quite fun was this Big Bubba's BAD BBQ joint. They were selling full on LARGE turkey legs. Not like those KFC drumsticks, we're talking...caveman sized. So everywhere we went there were these carnivores just chowing down on this HUGE leg of meat. Kind of funny looking. If you look at the picture, on the right you can see their HUGE HUGE BBQ. We should have got a better picture of it. In front of the BBQ is a table full of corn. Well, I've heard of BBQing Corn before...but not like they do it down here in these parts! (I'll get back to this)There was another place selling the corn and for some reason tempted us a little more than Big Bubba's. So, we decided to try some of their grilled corn on the cob. I've done a little research on this and in Mexico (a nearby country in these parts) "Elote" is sold and eaten everywhere! Well, since we're not too far from Mexico, it's been known to be eaten here too! I've learned that there are MANY different ways to 'dress' your COTB. Cajun spice, Ranch powder, Seasoned Salt, Lime Juice, Mayonnaise, Horseradish, Cilantro, Paprika, Garlic Salt, Garlic, Mustard, Chili Powder, Cumin, Cotija Cheese, and the list goes on and on. Gary and opted to just try the butter and Parmesan cheese...divine! Here's a picture Gary snapped of the guy cooking the corn...it was quite the operation they had going on.OK, and what's a state fair without fresh squeezed lemonade and funnel cake? We had to have it! It's the one time a year that I get funnel cake. As IF I was going to deny myself some fried goodness. Don't worry health nuts, we SHARED...thus consuming HALF the (still too many) calories. This was probably my favorite "money drainer" to watch. So, these people stand around and throw dimes and try to get them into any of those glass jars. If they get a dime in, they get it! JOY! Nice prize eh? No large stuffed animal...just a small glass. AWESOME! And they were all doing it too!Of course, Gary had to have a little ice cream as we found our selves walking back through all the food concessions to exit the park. I had a few licks, and my...was it delicious but Gary and I can't share ice cream cones because we both like the same part, which makes for one unhappy soul...you know that very bottom part of the cone?...the one that is filled with the melted ice cream by the time you get down to it? (doesn't matter which kind of cone you eat, it's all the same goodness)...yeah, that part. We BOTH want it and it gets ugly! I let him have it this time. But next time he might not be so lucky! :) Stay tuned for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta...largest one in the world...coming up in early October. You'll for sure want to be checking back for that post! Or you could just come visit and attend it with us!

It's that time of year again!

No, not fall...I'm talking Chile Roasting Season. This is a BIG deal here. Trust me, I've talked to quite a few native New Mexicans and got the scoop. These people buy a whole ton of it during the harvesting season (red, green, or both) and then have them roasted. Usually with a 40lb purchase, they'll roast them for free. Then you let them steam in the bags for a few hours and peel and seed them, chop them up...then pop them in the freezer to use throughout the year. All of my interviewees told me that I just need to get on the chile wagon because if I don't buy them now, it will be too late and I'll WISH I did. One guy was telling me all about his addiction. He said that it's a big serious deal. He HAS to have Red Chile at least three times a week or he just goes crazy!

Perhaps the most essential ingredient for any New Mexico recipe is the famous chile, or chili pepper that grows in 2,000 different varieties. And each and every one of them is spectacular in taste! That;s right folks, they put the famous chile in EVERYTHING they can! Scrambled Eggs, Pancakes, Mac & Cheese, you name it, they've done it! I'm not quite to that point just yet, but I'm working on it!

Camp Fire!

Well, first of all, I have to show you where Gary and I went running last Saturday. We had lots of fun and just couldn't believe how many people there were out there with us! TONS of mountain bikers and walkings, runners and of course...dogs on leashes! We had a blast! Can't wait to go again.

This picture below is where we went...toward the mountains. This trail breaks off and makes all these trails that go every which way. We sort of got lost and decided to just turn around after a while. This one is behind us showing you where houses are but notice, the trails keep going that way too! These trails are everywhere here, it's awesome! I never get bored of running on trails when they're different every time! Last Saturday after the BYU game a bunch of us got together and went and had a camp fire, I can't really say it was 'up the canyon' as I ALMOST said...I'm so used to Provo Canyon. Not so much here. We had a lot of fun! I hope we have a few more of those before it gets too cold!

(or does it get too cold here? I have no clue)And behold...the Reeses Smore. The ONLY way to have a smore! Divine!