I would have written this two days ago, but it hurt too much to type

 AZ Activities, Peoria AZ  
May 172012
 

UntitledI’ve been on this quest lately to lose the last 10 ponds of baby weight. Yes, I realize the last time I was able to use the “I’m pregnant” excuse while scarfing down a box of Mounds bars and washing it down with chocolate milk was four and a half years ago…what of it?

Thing is, I have this procrastination issue. There are more important things to do than exercise, like eat at new sushi restaurants and search for the mythical “newer 3 bedroom, 2 bath house in Peoria under $150k” that is still available to be bought. And those weight machines look like torture chambers designed by Twiggy.

Enter Skyzone in Peoria, introduced to me by a LivingSocial coupon (arguably a better site for Phoenix coupons than Groupon). The place is a pure indoor trampoline gym, with no added fluff like inflatable castles or foam pits. They offer a SkyRobics class that looked interesting, so I decided to try to get out of my Wii-when-I-have-a-chance rut and do some jumping. It can’t be that hard, can it?

Oh. My. God.

Never have I been so out of breath from jumping on a surface that is supposed to assist you in jumping. Even the WALLS are bouncy. The only things that aren’t bouncy are the safety stripes between separate trampoline squares, which I discovered when I landed on one with the edge of my foot and was propelled backwards across three separate squares, bouncing off a different part of my body in each square. All in front of the rest of the class, of course, who were safely on the walkway taking a break.

The whole workout kicked my butt, though. The combination of core muscles needed to keep stable (many) and cardio made for a killer workout.

I can’t wait to go back next week.

 

Skyzone is located at 9040 W Larkspur Dr,, Ste. 134 in Peoria. Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons – taken by houseofair.

A pretty please, with sugar on top…

 Peoria AZ, Phoenix AZ, Real Estate  
Jan 172012
 

AntonyBeggingDear property manager,

I do a lot of work with people looking to rent your listings. I field a hundred or so questions a month about your Phoenix homes for rent, and I do my best to answer them based on what I see in the MLS. However, there are a couple things I’d ask, no, BEG of you, in order to help my rental clients choose their next home.

1) Put pictures (yes, more than one) of your rental in the MLS. Renters want to know that the rooms look big enough for their king size bed and what color the dishwasher is, not if the bathroom has a toilet. If the bathroom doesn’t have a toilet, you’ve got other issues, and good luck renting that.

2) Put clear directions in your listings. Recognize standards such as “north” and “left,” and use them. Following directions such as “From Greenway, go south on Cotton Lane to Surprise Farms and go east” makes me and my clients frustrated, especially since we both know that Surprise Farms (Loop, we’re assuming, not the subdivision) is actually north of Greenway. And no, “Use your GPS to find” isn’t a good substitute. My GPS hates me, and will send me in circles around your rental, but not actually to it.

3) Please, answer your phone, or at least, return calls within the hour. It’s hard for me to show your vacant rental home with no lockbox code. There are tons of other, more available, homes out there. We’ll skip yours if we can’t get in. Just sayin’.

So there you go. Three little things, that’s all I ask. Simple things, really, which will make my clients choose your rental over the one right next door. You know, the one that has 15 pictures in the listing, a Supra lockbox, directions even I can follow, and that rented in two days. The one that my clients could see as their next home. Yeah, that one.

Today’s thoughts

 Life  
Dec 122011
 

In the beginning, I walked in the Komen 3-Day for the Cure because of what I was afraid might be.

Later, I walked because what I thought might be wasn’t true for me, but was for other people I knew of.

Now, I walk, not only for breast cancer, but for all cancers.

For Linda.

For Lori.

For Starlet.

For Kim.

For T.

For too many people – those who I know personally, and those who I don’t – but who still made a huge impact on me.

For Clint. For Angela. For their kids. For their family.

For everyone who has been affected. For everyone who hasn’t.

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#RIP Clint Miller, @TheRealClint. #weloveclint

New restaurant–Yellowtail Sushi & Steak in Glendale, AZ

 Eating Out, Food, Glendale AZ  
Dec 022011
 

gyozaI love food. I especially love sushi (remember my enthusiasm when I found out that Squid Ink opened down the street from my house?) Therefore, I’m always on the lookout for sushi on the west side of town… and Yellowtail Sushi & Steak on 83rd in Glendale is a winner in my book.

filetTo tell the truth, I’ve kind of been stalking this restaurant. They had “Opening Soon” signs hanging outside the building for weeks, and every time I drove by on my way to Costco I would peer through the car window hoping to see the sign changed to “Now Open!” Well, my high-speed observation skills being what they are*, I completely missed the signs – but I did manage to catch a Yelp! review that indicated that it had indeed opened.

tunanigiriThe menu at Yellowtail is less of a “sushi” menu and more of an “Asian fusion” sort – not only do they have the standard edamame and yakisoba, but they also have an appetizing collection of other Asian dishes, such as pad thai noodles and mongolian beef. While ordering anything but sushi at a sushi restaurant doesn’t really make sense to me, Josh is more of a steak type of guy, so we ended up getting an interesting mix of the daily lunch specials – a sushi platter served with salad and soup, and a filet platter served with soup, rice and salad. We also decided to throw in an order of tuna nigiri and gyoza on top – you know, because we’re starting to exercise again and we deserve the extra food.

sushispecialOverall, the entire meal was absolutely delicious. The sauce that comes with the gyoza is lick-the-plate tasty, and Josh said the tuna nigiri & steak were delicious. See that picture with only one piece of sushi on it? Yeah, I had to snap that in a rush so that Josh could dive into the other piece…

We were bordering on a food coma as we happily walked out after lunch. So, if you combine a creative menu, generous servings, and affordable prices, you’ve basically got Yellowtail Sushi & Steak in a nutshell. The owner and staff are extremely friendly and talkative, too – definitely a plus! The owner is extremely passionate about his restaurant and his food, and it shows in the way he and the rest of the staff speak about it. That, in itself, is one of the best reasons for us to go back to Yellowtail.

*i.e. nonexistent – I would have better luck noticing a 10 foot Christmas tree in my best friend’s living room – oh, wait… I managed to miss that too

Neighborhood Holiday Lights in Peoria

 AZ Activities, Peoria AZ  
Nov 302011
 

I love this time of year – the time when everyone pulls out their largest ladders, climbs onto their roofs, and puts what seems like a billion and one holiday lights up on their homes. What I love more is that we aren’t the only ones in our neighborhood that take part in this insanity – it seems like almost every house has outdone itself this year!

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One of my favorite homes in Peoria, however, is located at 25278 N. 74th Ave. in the Terramar subdivision. Not only is there a great light show and FREE hot cocoa every Friday and Saturday night, but I’ve heard rumors (shhh… don’t tell my kids) that Santa will be visiting every Friday until Christmas – and that he might even be bringing in some snow as it gets closer to the holiday!

 

 

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Additionally, there’s a wonderful twist for this display – the family is collecting donations, as well as selling holiday treats, for the Ronald McDonald House in Phoenix.

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So if you’re in Peoria, be sure to come out to Terramar to look at all the holiday lights. If you’re not out my way, you can always find other holiday light displays all over the Phoenix area, as well!

 

 

 

Hey, is that Santa hiding behind that window?

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The hot air balloons are back in Phoenix!

 AZ Activities, Peoria AZ  
Nov 222011
 

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My kids love counting the hot air balloons that they see on the way to school each day – they get so excited at all the colorful designs. The last couple of years, we’ve noticed that the sunset-ride balloons had been taking off from right behind our home in the Terramar subdivision of Peoria – but not this year.

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I was kind of missing seeing the sleeping giants woken up – until I went out for a late-day coffee this weekend (oh, Starbucks, those Peppermint Mochas are addictive…) and found their newest take-off spot right across from the BASIS School down the street!

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Of blisters and breast cancer

 Komen 3-Day, Life  
Nov 192011
 

1036492470.customThis past weekend was a long one, but I think I’ve finally recovered enough that I can actually type a couple of coherent sentences in a row. If anyone reading out there wants to completely abuse their bodies for a good cause, then I highly suggest walking in the Arizona Komen 3-Day for the Cure – a 60-mile, three day walk through one of 14 cities in the US. 2011 was my third year walking in the 3-Day, and my fourth year participating. Will I be back, even though we have to commit to raising at least $2300 for the Susan G. Komen foundation in order to walk? Yeah, probably, for the following reasons:

1. The medical staff rocks. I’ve never heard of hyperextended knees before. Thanks to the sports medical volunteers at the 3-Day, I now know that yards and yards of sticky tape attached to the back of my knees will help prevent the most awful knee pain I think I have ever felt. I’m sure the eight aspirin I took didn’t hurt either.

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2. The walker stalkers. These people come out of the woodwork at every 3-Day walk, dressing up in costumes, bringing much appreciated water, candy, string cheese and laughter to the route, and in general just being the greatest moral support you can imagine. Some are former walkers themselves, so they know exactly what all the walkers are going through on mile 23 of a supposed 20-mile day.

IMAG04353.  The 3-Day staff have greatly improved camp life. The pink tents are pretty darn good at keeping the rain out (mostly.) The showers actually had hot water for the full time you were using them. There were over 100 outlets on power strips available to charge your phones. And the food – german chocolate cake at dessert. And s’mores bars. And rocky road cookies. Throw in string cheese and I could rename this “how I ate my way through the Arizona 3-Day.”

4. GPS helps take the wondering out of the day’s walk. There was a supporter along the route that was holding a sign that asked “How long is a Komen mile?” She didn’t understand why that was so funny to the walkers (her son, who was there with his walker wife, just handed her the sign and said not to worry about what it meant.) She came to realize that those of us with GPS systems actually knew that a Komen mile is anywhere from 1.2 to 2 miles, which meant that we were walking nowhere NEAR what the little route cards the staff handed us as we walked out of camp in the morning said we were walking. Multiple people clocked us at 25 miles on Day 1 this year – a day that was supposed to be 21.8 miles.This makes a HUGE difference when hobbling on blisters. ‘Nuff said.

5. I got to walk 60 miles with some of the best people I know. These men and women are committed to celebrating the lives of those they know with cancer, whether it be themselves, their immediate family, or their friends. Although the Komen walk is for breast cancer, there are a ton of other cancers that affect people I love just as much, and any progress toward getting rid of such an awful thing is worth the blisters, the sore knees and the occasional stress fracture.

Another 60 miles down… and I’ll keep walking.

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What they teach kids these days

 Kids, Life  
Nov 152011
 

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((Note: this post was supposed to have been put out on Thursday of last week. Unfortunately, all things computer went *poof!* as I prepared for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure this past weekend, and it didn’t get put up. Now that my blisters are recovering… I’m catching up.))

I am continually impressed with the Phoenix public school system (specifically, the Deer Valley School District district, but that’s only because it’s what I know).

No, that’s not a joke.

Despite all the “facts” about Arizona having one of the worst school systems in the nation, I just don’t see it in the quality of teachers and programs that my daughter has experienced so far in her first year at Terramar Elementary School (newly renamed this year as Terramar Academy of the Arts) in Peoria.

What’s so special about this school? Let me count the ways:

1) The teachers and administrators are proactive. When my daughter was having trouble at the beginning of the year, they were quick to recognize the issues, bring them to our attention, and propose solutions. And, they did it knowing that the solutions were not what we were going to want to hear.

2) Did you see the word “arts” in the school name? As in, things like music, and painting, and all those other creative activities that make our kids supposedly well-rounded and at the very least not so bored that they’re ready to run over their poor teacher by lunchtime? The school puts an emphasis on those non-standardized-tested things. That’s important to me.

IMAG0314-13) They do stuff like set up a special first-grader’s tribute Veteran’s Day assembly, where all the kids stand on those old chorus risers, wear hats and sing patriotic songs, fully accompanied by a slideshow and pianist. The kids also honored all the current and former service people who were there with them that night – and there were quite a few. The kids, I’m told, have been working on the presentation for quite some time, and it showed in how prepared and enthusiastic they were. Josh got to stand up front with all the kids, who gave each of the vets a small gift for their service.  He’s a veteran of the Navy (submarines), so this whole Veteran’s Day thing was pretty special to him. Tweet at him about it sometime (@SubGuySellsAZRE) – I’m sure he’d love to share stories!

I guess my point is that you can’t always believe everything you read or hear about the Arizona public school system. It’s not overrun by unknowledgeable teachers and uncaring administrators who can’t tell their Moby Dick from their Mobius Strip. There are always going to be a few bad apples in every bag – maybe more than a few. But from what I’ve seen (and what I’ve heard from other parents around the city), Arizona schools are working hard to make sure our kids have a good education and grow up to be great citizens, and that makes me a happy Arizona parent.

5 Things I Will Do To Embarrass My Kids

 Kids, Life  
Nov 072011
 

You. Yes, you… the two little angels I gave life to. Please pay attention, because this is a list of stuff that I have already done that should have embarrassed the living daylights out of you, but you’re too young to know it.

1. I will use the word “bottom” multiple times in mixed company. For example: “These mom jeans are so big and frumpy they keep sliding off my bottom.”

2. I will beg for boobs in public. Mind you, it is for a good cause. However, I refuse to call it something nice like “raising money for breast cancer research.” “Begging for boobs” just sounds like more fun, and I need all the fun I can get while standing out front of a Walmart in the middle of August’s suffocating Arizona heat asking for donations. I do enjoy it when my children come help me, though. You guys got candy out of it, too.Paige fundraising for the 3-Day

3. I will wear a Halloween costume while begging for boobs, because the top of the costume – a Renaissance Faire bodice – accentuates what I am begging for quite nicely, thank you very much. I believe one of the other people I walk with described my look as “bodacious.” At my age, I’ll take what help I can get in that department, as I have discovered that gravity does work as advertised.

4. I will serve your vegetarian friends chicken nuggets, though not on purpose. Who knew there was such a thing as a four year old vegetarian?

5. I will share with anyone who will listen about my little girl’s traumatic experience with “POOOOOOOP!!!!!!” Seeing as this was probably the last time she willingly got into a bathtub with her little brother until he was toilet trained, I have to conclude that the event significantly impacted her young life, and I shall treat it as such. Remind me to tell her therapist about this someday, too.

I’m sure I will do many other things in the next few days years that will scar you in various ways, but this is a good list to start with. Just remember… I love you, and you have very little control over what I choose to write about. Be warned.

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