Slip-n-Slide

So you may think that slip n' slides are just for children! I beg to differ with you! This past weekend we went up to Austin to celebrate Molly's birthday...and it was complete with a 30-foot inflatable slip-n-slide! So what if she had to call five companies to find one who would rent to adults! =)

We had soooo much fun and it reminded me that you actually can enjoy the outdoors in this crazy Texas heat. Here are some of the snapshots...

Kevin, Molly's husband, was the slip n' slide champion..you can see why!

He actually got a jump named after him...we called it the "Kevin Corkscrew 360." He would start off in one lane, bounce, roll over 360, and land in the other lane...with enough momentum to make it all the way to the end! Look, we can't just do plain jane slip n' slide here...there have to be some elements of difficulty!

The feet-first attempt.

Molly vs. her sister Julie...even though it was her birthday, Molly lost to super-star Julie in this head to head competition.

By the end of the night, after the 6-person relay, the head-to-head tournament, and some pretty tasty ice cream cake, Jeremy was ready to buy one of these slip n' slide contraptions to take back with us to San Antonio! Anyone looking for some summer fun, I'd definitely recommend it!!

Jala-PAIN-Yo!

So since I am finally getting feeling back in my fingers, I can now write about our most recent cooking adventure in the Siefer household....a little something called Encilantrada...and also a little something I call "lessons in handling jalapeno peppers!"



Since we live in San Antonio, I should have known that it wouldn't be long before we tried to cook some authentic Mexican dishes, but I had no idea that would require speaking Spanish!

Jeremy came home the other day salivating over a dish that one of his co-workers had brought in to share with everyone. It was a spicy chicken stew of sorts with a base of a green tomatillo sauce...which you can then smother on top of chips. Jeremy loved it and has been talking about it incessantly ever since! I think he would bathe in the stuff if he could.


At Jeremy's request, his co-worker tried to acquire the recipe from his Spanish-speaking grandmother, but unfortunately she is one of those grandmothers who just does all the cooking by sight. Needless to say we ended up with a cryptic recipe that either needed 3 tomatoes or 3 pounds of tomatoes, and a laundry list of items, of which I could only pick out the word "pollo" since as you know, I just learned how to spell and pronounce that one!! I knew we were in trouble!

I tried my best to Google all the items, on the Spanish Google site no less, and it took me almost 30 minutes to translate "herba buena," which apparently is our version of spearmint. Oh, and we either needed 4 leaves of the stuff or maybe a handful....I was just hoping the concoction would be edible!!

Jeremy headed off to frisbee and I was still working away on the recipe...in particular I was preparing the 10 jalapeno peppers and 5 habanero peppers...trying to roast them and get the outer layer of skin off....if only I had worn gloves! Why didn't I wear gloves!?!! About an hour later, just as we were biting into the finished Encilantrada dish, my hands were on FIRE!

Oh, and at this point our mouths were on fire too, along with faces turning red, and eyes watering! Let's just say we couldn't handle the heat...and maybe the jalapenos were just a bit too much for us.

I spent the remainder of the evening googling "remedy for jalapeno burn," and let me tell you, I tried it all...from dipping my hands in milk, rubbing alcohol, and even making a salve out of baking soda and water! In the end I just needed time...and over 36 hours later I finally got feeling back in my hands. So I hope you all can learn from my mistake...and put on those gloves...oh, and you'll just have to wait on the recipe for Encilantrada...or, if you want some, we've got a ton leftover in the refrigerator calling your name!

CrossFit - My new obsession

So I have a new obsession that I wanted to share...other than those really tasty green monsters!

At the beginning of April I joined a special group workout program called CrossFit. I LOVE IT! Every morning I come to the gym and I don't know what the workout is going to be. It might be more resistance work, 1/2 mile sprints, push-ups or tire jumps...it's kind of like a boot camp! The part I love is the competition....those of you who know me well, know that I thrive on competition. So each workout is timed and they post the results on the board....love it!


I am just coming up on my 11th week and I am really excited about my progress. I definitely couldn't run a mile when I first started, and just last week I ran 5 miles in under an hour.

As motivation, they take photos of us doing our workouts each day...so you can see how you're improving...oh, and also to show off the wonderful faces we make when we're trying really hard. There are a few on the daily CrossFit blog that I definitely wish were deleted, if only to protect your eyes. Actually, whenever they take a really bad photo I always email it to my best friend Molly. She said nothing has ever made her laugh that hard before! =)

So here are some of the typical workout activities we do...

Wall Ball: throwing a medicine ball to about 12 feet and catching it in a squat.

Double Unders: getting the rope under twice in one jump. I finally did this one last week!

Box Jumps: So far haven't killed myself on these yet, though I've attempted to bite it a couple times!

Overhead Press: They put the medicine ball underneath to make you go all the way down each time... not so that it looks like you are laying an egg! Though this photo kind looks like I'm laying an egg.

Pull Ups: This is my next challenge...I still have to do a little hop, but would love to get to the point where I could do a real one! Look at that focus! =)

Medicine Ball Run: I ran with a 20-pounder this morning. Last time we did this we almost caused an accident on the main road in front of the gym. At 7:30am, ladies running with massive medicine balls, is quite a sight to see...cars were staring at us instead of each other. Let's just call it a near collision!

Dips: Kinda what they look like, but just not as fun!

So there's my show-n-tell! It's been fun to go from doing girly push-ups to real ones, from single jump ropes to double, from 12 minute miles to 9:30... it's like school all over again where you get the gold stars! Now I know why that works so well with the kids! =)

Have a great week!

Green Monster Attack

So I finally decided that it was time to try a different kind of recipe...it's called the Green Monster!! Muuuu-hhhaaaa-haaaa! Had to get the added sound effect in there!


Since Jeremy and I are on a health kick right now, I've been looking into good ways to get more of the right kinds of foods. Both of us struggle with getting enough of those leafy greens...I mean, I can eat all the fruit that you give me, but veggies are just a little harder.

I heard about these things called "Green Monsters." Oh yes, there is a Green Monster revolution going on all around us, and we just didn't know it! Basically it is a smoothie of sorts that ends up being green in color because of the use of spinach, kale, cucumber, or other greens. Oh come on, don't stop reading just because of the scary vegetables!

I researched like 8 different recipes, from the one that Dr. Oz recommended on Oprah to others on personal fitness blogs. They basically had a couple things in common, almond milk (or regular milk), a frozen banana, and 2-3 cups of spinach. The rest of the things you might add are totally up to you...more protein, flax seed, etc.

Here was my first attempt blending up some green goodness. Yes, Jeremy was so scared of this concoction that he had to leave the room!

All blended up and looking like a hue I've seen on
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!

And success! My first Green Monster! And I have to say it is REALLY good! And I'm not just saying that because I made up the recipe myself. Plus I put it in one of Jeremy's favorite glasses - a tribute to the show Arrested Development for those of you who watch!

I've never had 3 cups of spinach so easily in my life. Here was my own unique spin on all the recipes I've seen out there...

Rory's Green Monster
- 2-3 cups spinach (about 1/2 a bag)
- 1 cup almond milk (Almond Breeze unsweetened vanilla - or you can just use milk)
- 1 frozen banana (needs to be frozen and on the ripe side - and don't forget to peel it before putting it in the freezer - whoops!)
- 1/2 cup to 1 cup frozen blueberries (again, needs to be frozen)
- 1 scoop Cinch protein powder - (I think this is optional - I'll have to make it without and see if it changes the consistency, but I need the extra protein, so I added it in)

So there you go! A new concoction for you to try in your blender...I'll let you know if I come up with some other good combinations. I'm going to try the Dr. Oz one tomorrow - it has ginger root, lemons, lime, and parsley - so sounded a little scarier!

So let me know the truth on the poll below...would you try a taste of my green monster drink?

Burgers n' Cake

Here are the rest of the photos from yesterday's birthday celebration! Although it may appear that my husband only has one t-shirt to wear...I assure you are there are many others. But this one is at the top of the rotation... and makes him happy, so what's a girl to do!!?

Here's Jer with the ice cream cake he picked out! This was after his specially requested dinner of a cheeseburger from Longhorn Cafe! This kid is easy to please!

Okay, so not exactly 29 candles on there...but they are swirly, so they should count double!

Jeremy picked the recipe out of the Kraft Food & Family Magazine that I love - plus it is free!

Here's the cake in the making action - super easy, no baking, and 5 ingredients!

Ta-daaa! Frozen orange n' creamy goodness...as Jeremy would say!

The night finished off with a game of indoor mini frisbee golf (Jeremy's b-day gift).... let's just say I let him win...since he is the birthday boy and all!

Birthday Boy

Ahh, what a difference a year makes! Last year on Jer's birthday we were headed into emergency surgery for his leg! I think I prefer this year's version just a little better!

Birthday chocolate chip muffin, card, presents, and signage up and ready to greet him....but where is he?

Ahhh, I see, still in bed! Guess the party will have to move in here!

Happy Birthday Jer!! I love you...and no, don't worry, I haven't sent any singing telegrams to your office this year! ...or have I??! =)

$72 Million can buy you...

On Sunday, Jeremy and I went downtown to check out what $72 million can buy these days. Apparently it can add at least 1.5 miles of river to the existing San Antonio Riverwalk. This two year expansion project was just completed on Saturday and we went to check it out!

We parked our car down at the Pearl Brewery - which is the "new" end of the line for the river boat tours.

Yes, I was ready to document, even in 90-something degree temperatures!

I think Jeremy is striking a pose here...

Here's the new landing at the Pearl Brewery stop.

Then about 1/4 mile down the river is the new faux grotto. Which apparently cost about $3.5M to create.

If you keep going towards the San Antonio Museum of Art, you run into IH35, and the school of fish underneath. I think they are almost 7 feet high each!

Here's the new landing for the museum...looks like there might be a new restaurant out on the patio too.

And finally, the cool part... the new lock and dam system. The boats pull up and then are lowered more than 8 feet to the existing portion of the riverwalk. It takes about 3 minutes or so..and was pretty slick to watch.

Okay, we made it...now for the walk back....it was a hot one!