Sedona

Last weekend, my parents came in town. We decided to take a short one night trip up to Sedona, AZ. It was SO beautiful!!! I definitely recommended visiting if you are in Arizona :)

Early Saturday morning, we drove up to flagstaff on I-17. It is always a beautiful drive, but this time we got to see a few trees that looked like Fall!This is exciting, because we don't really change seasons much in Texas or  Phoenix.

When we got to Flagstaff, we turned to go South on Scenic highway 89A toward Sedona :) Our first stop was Oak Creek Canyon.

We drove through the mountains and past the creek until we got to the red rocks in Sedona!

Everywhere we went had the most fantastic views! Check out a few views from restaurants and shopping:

We stayed at a hotel called: Sky Ranch Lodge. I highly recommended it! It was under $100 which is cheap for Sedona. It had a fireplace and the BEST view!! Here are pictures from the hotel:

Chapel of the Holy Cross was a place we heard about.....take a look! It is definitely worth seeing!

Since the Texas Rangers are in the playoffs for the world series, we made time for them too! Dad sent this picture to Channel 4 news in D/FW and apparently it got aired a few times :)

Finally, the most memorable experience was a helicopter ride over the red rock formations! It was a little bumpy because of the storm in the distance, but it was so FUN!

We had a lot of fun with my parents! Arizona is a beautiful place to live! 

Black Bean and Beer Chili!!!!

It is getting to be the time of year where a lot of us like to cook chili, soup, or stew. Here is one of my favorite recipes that I've adapted from the Women's Club of FW cookbook! We are going to try and make homemade chicken noodle soup for the first time tonight!!! I also make really good tortilla soup and chicken n' dumplings! If you have any favorite soup/stew/chili recipes, send them my way :) Soup is my favorite food, and Sean is learning to love it as well!


1 lb ground turkey or ground beef
2 small onions, chopped
1 medium sized green bell pepper, chopped
28oz. can petite diced tomatoes
1 1/2 c. dark beer
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
salt and black pepper
------------------------------------------
2c. beef broth
1c. beer
1 or 2 (15oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained




Brown ground beef (or turkey) with peppers and onions. Stir in the next 9 ingredients (where line is drawn). Simmer covered 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in broth, beer, and black beans. Simmer 45 minutes. Serve with shredded cheese and Frito's, if you like!

Being Healthy

Sean and I have made a lot of life changes since the Spring of 2008. We finally realized that although we're young, we're not invincible! We have been driven to lead healthy lifestyles through some experiences we've been through. In March of 2008, Sean was at a hospital in Houston for about 5 days with a collapsed lung that happened spontaneously during a day he was student teaching. A few weeks later, his roommate (and one of our best friends), Maura, was diagnosed with Sarcoma. Maura was the healthiest person I knew. She got me started on this health-kick! She battled cancer for over a year and passed away in May 2009. We miss Maura every day.

We try as hard as we can to make the best healthy choices. Here are a few truths we try to live by that are in mostly all of the health books out there:

• It all starts at the Grocery Store
• DUH! If you buy crappy junk food, that is all you will eat!!!
• TIP: Make a dinner menu for the week with healthy options, make your list, and STICK TO IT!
• Water
• We drink at least the "8 cups a day" that are recommended....but we try to drink MORE! On a good day, I will drink a gallon of water
• Fruits, Veggies, and Whole grains
• It is no secret....these are the best foods for your body! Plain and Simple!
• Frozen is a GREAT option because they retain more nutrients than canned or even some fresh!
• Meat
• We try either to not eat much. If we do,  we try to stick to chicken or turkey. Fish is good too, but smelly! haha!
• Fun time for yourself
• be sure to have fun...it keeps the brain happy!
• read about it
• keep yourself informed by reading nutrition labels and trying to understand all the health facts out there....you are worth it!
• exercise
• yep
• sleep well every night
• one of the best cures for anything!
• Eat pure foods in moderation
• Salt and pure sugar are fine....just limit it
• Try Agave Nectar or Honey instead of sugar

I guess that is it for now! I am kind-of enjoying this blogging thing :)