How To Make A Man Happy

The old saying is true...the fastest way to the heart of a man is through his stomach. My man happens to be aaaaaaaaaall about quantity and could usually care less about quality. If it happens to taste good in the process, then double-bonus. Fortunately for him, he married someone who tries to make it taste good while simultaneously making a huge amount for dinner!

Step One: Cook three types of peppers and onion together until caramelized yet crisp.

Step Two: Cook marinated steak and chicken until sizzling and yummy smelling.

Step Three: Provide oven-warmed tortillas, acquiring at least three burns on your fingers to prove your efforts.

Step Four: Assemble. Lovingly.

Step Five: Display table-top fajita toppings such as sour cream, cheese, and homemade salsa for "decorating" fajitas prior to partaking.

Step Six: Don't forget to pour strawberry lemonade (for her) and cherry Kool-aid (for him).

Step Seven: Step back and let the fajita-loving monster emerge!

They were indeed yummy. Fajitas are always a special treat. I only wish I had an oven with a working broiler so they could have been cooked that way. And some blessed day, a grill! But cooked in a skillet on the stove was rather edible, so I can't complain too much!

The Return of My Baby

What a glorious day! I was finally able to bring my baby home from the hospital! Look how clean and shiny it is! We left the airplane at the Mesa-Gateway Airport all of last week when we found out the big boss wasn't going to fly. We are still in need of a part and left the airplane with the mechanics in hopes the part would arrive. Unfortunately, the part is in high-demand and still can't be located! We were released for flight and could still leave, but not until payment was received. Wouldn't you know the day they try to make the wire transfer is a major holiday that warrants banks to be closed?! I sweet-talked them into letting us leave with the airplane, anyway.

It was a quick but necessary flight. It allowed us the opportunity to ensure everything was working properly post-maintenance. It's terrible to have important people in back, only to discover something major still needs to be looked at by a mechanic! Luckily, the flight went well with no squawks! We landed back at Sky Harbor Airport around 2:00 PM. It felt good to be back in the air, even if for just twenty minutes. I start to miss flying if I haven't been in the air for a few weeks! I'm supposed to be up there! I am relieved to have my baby back where it belongs so that when the boss calls with a request to take off in an hour, we are ready to go!

Dinner Pratty

We drove from one side of the Phoenix Valley to the other for a lovely dinner engagement on Saturday night. John's cousin and former roommate married a neat lady and decided to move out. They have a gorgeous little girl, too, who provided lots of entertainment throughout dinner! They invited us to their new home for dinner, and we aren't the kind of people who refuse such offers!

The lighting was perfect for taking some photos, even if being in a moving car wasn't. We tried to take the 60 Freeway to the I-10, but the 60 narrowed to just one lane for construction and backed things up terribly. With steak dinner awaiting us, we couldn't waste time on traffic! So we took Mill to Priest to the Loop 202 which connected to the I-10. It eventually connected to the I-17 northbound, and we exited at Peoria for a few more miles until we arrived in their neighborhood in Glendale. The sunset...breathtaking! We have the best sunsets here, if you can handle the scorpions!

Dinner was delicious and not even remotely healthy. We brought a pasta salad and mini cookies to add to their steaks, green salad, and steamed broccoli. I got a text this morning letting me know she discovered the potatoes in the oven late last night and had luckily turned off the heat! After the grub was gone and the baby was asleep, we played "20 Questions" and visited. They are such fun people!

In the pictures, I attempted to catch some major Phoenix landmarks that we enjoyed during our drive. Camelback Mountain. Sky Harbor Airport. Downtown Phoenix. Arizona State Fairgrounds (opens next weekend)! I-10 to I-17. Castles and Coasters theme park. And the sunset. Oh my, the sunset! Did you know we have the best sunsets here in the Valley of the Sun?