----- Shirley ----

Changes - Blog Consolidation

2011-04-09T18:00:00.000-05:00

After some thought, I've decided to merge my two blogs into one blog. I've found it too difficult to keep up with both, and there was some repeat content.

So, my main blog will be shirleybehindthelens. I've imported all the posts from this blog over, so it's all in one convenient place!

We'll see you over there!

Sara Bareilles Concert - Millikin University

2011-04-08T15:40:00.011-05:00

It’s been two years since I had the opportunity to catch my favorite recording artist / performer, Sara Bareilles in concert. She sang an acoustic set on campus in early March, 2009. I guess she has a thing for college campuses in the spring, because I caught her again Tuesday night, this time at neighboring Millikin University’s Kirkland Center for the Performing Arts.

I am a bit forlorn that I didn’t try to sneak in my camera. The University website clearly stated “no photography or video recording allowed”, that “all bags are subject to search”, and persons in violation would be “removed from the venue”. Not wanting to break the rules, I left my big camera in the car. Heck, no one took a second look at my bag, and the students were all toting their cameras around in the auditorium. I did take in my daughter’s point and shoot camera, but after looking at the image rendering on the back screen (completely washed out stage), I didn’t even try.

I selected a seat in the balcony this time – by the time I learned about the performance, many of the good seats on the floor were already gone, and I got a front row balcony seat. The view was a little far back, but a really nice vantage point (totally reachable with a 100mm+ lens). I remembered to bring my little binoculars, enjoyed the view and was really jealous of the students in the front row.

The concert opened with two acts – soloist Ximena Sarinana and group Elizabeth and the Catapult. Both performances were likeable – very indie in feel – real musicians (no Ke$ha or Gaga or Katy Perry wannabes here, thank goodness) who really perform without all the antics.

While the crew was setting up for the main event, I took some time to “guess” the upcoming setlist. My predictions – open with Gonna Get Over You, then Uncharted and Hold my Heart. I predicted she would close with King of Everything and an encore performance of Gravity. I hoped I would get to hear Let The Rain and Between the Lines. I knew I would be subjected to Love Song (fine song, but I’d rather hear something else) at some point during the night, but I guess you don’t forsake what made you famous in the first place.

The actual performance:

The band took stage as the studio recording of Kaleidoscope Heart started in the background, with the stage lights pulsing on and off. I’m not sure if the light people were on top of things yet, because Sara was still in the dark as she started playing the beginning chords to Uncharted, which moved into her second song: Gonna Get Over You (OK, I was wrong with my opening guess - I just had it reversed).
Third song – a surprise – Love on the Rocks.
Fourth song – Love Song, which Sara encouraged everyone to sing along (no problem there), and it was fun to hear the song rise from the crowd.
Next song – Hold My Heart, with a great guitar solo by Javier Dunn during one of the chorus sections.
After Hold My Heart, Sara stopped to don a guitar, and I thought – yay, she’s going to sing Let the Rain. But instead, she played Basketcase (probably my least favorite of all her songs, probably because it is so different from her upbeat, jazzy style).
7th song – a stripped down version of City (another favorite of mine) – just Sara and the piano. The twist - Sara wasn’t the one playing – her other keyboardist, took the seat at her piano and Sara sang standing behind the microphone, no doubt a position she isn’t accustomed to (see, even professional performers need to step out of their comfort zones). I love this song and the stripped down performance really highlighted her vocals.
The band members returned and sang a cover of Little Lion Man. The banter between her and the audience centered on her habit of swearing when she’s been told not to, and this song (of course) has the f-bomb in the chorus, so they took suggestions from the audience on what to replace it with. The song provided a fun segue into her next song – a rocking rendition of Machine Gun, a song aimed at harsh critics.
I didn’t recognize the next song – a reworked, amped up, bluesy Bottle It Up – until she was two lines into the lyrics. I like how she re-invents her music. It shows constant evolution and growth. It was rocking until the bridge and then it was all simple again, just Sara and the piano. I must find a video on You Tube! She used this song to introduce the talented members of the band – the same guys she’s been playing with for years – [several of them are on her Constant Confessions album].
Unfortunately, this act normally means the concert is nearly over –and I thought the next song, King of Anything, would be her last. It was another fun audience participation number – clapping and singing in harmony. Even the two ladies sitting next to me were grooving on it.
But I was wrong, as Sara didn’t leave the stage, but sat down at the piano to sing one of my favorites, Gravity. I think she performs this song as much as she does Love Song, however, I could listen to it again and again.
Gravity marked the official end of her set, and the crowd clapped and clapped until the band and the opening acts all came back on stage. The girl behind me was yelling “sing Many the Miles”, but when I saw her pick up the guitar, I knew Let the Rain would be the encore. Sara talked about how the song is about moving through the unknown (umm, I thought that’s what Uncharted was about), but to me, the song is about embracing change, letting go of the past.

If I my hands could hold them, you’d see
I’d take all these secrets in me
And I’d move and mold them to be
Something I’d set free

I want to darken in the skies
Open the floodgates up
I want to change my mind
I want to be enough
I want the water in my eyes
I want to cry until the end of time

I want to let the rain come down
Make a brand new ground
Let the rain come down
Let the rain come down
Make a brand new ground
Let the rain come down tonight

Finally, she sat at the piano again and performed the last song of the night – a cover of Coldplay’s Yellow. I liked the song, but I would have preferred to hear her sing Bluebird from the Kaleidoscope Album. Still, it was a great way to end the show.

So, how did this performance compare against the performance two years ago? The overall vibe in the auditorium was very different from the performance I caught two years ago. The entire floor level was on their feet, dancing around, hugging the stage and interacting with the band. The stage lighting pulsed and fanned around, like in a club. The music was definitely louder – sometimes too loud, as the bass or guitar would drown out the vocals and piano. I guess that is the difference between an acoustic tour and a full blown one. But with an artist like Sara, any performance will be an enjoyable one, and I feel fortunate to have attended last night’s concert. I even attended by myself (a Tuesday night is really hard for many of my friends to get away) because I knew getting Sara to the cornfields of Central Illinois isn’t going to be a common occurrence.

As for a picture, I am posting photos I found on flickr (remember – I didn’t bring the good camera in and I am still kicking myself about it). The pictures are from the talented Nicole Wamsley, taken at the Michigan concert the day after the Millikin one. I couldn’t find a single photo from the Millikin concert, so I figured this was close enough – even Sara’s outfit is very similar.

Nikki has some concert video footage she is working on. As soon as that gets uploaded, I’ll embed here, too.

If you remotely like Sara’s music, catching her live is a great experience and highly recommended. Life is too short to not get out and enjoy things that make you happy.

Last Evening in Florida

2011-03-31T15:30:00.007-05:00

Our last night in Florida and we’re going out to eat at a Floridian Institution – Mel’s Diner - known for its food and reasonable prices. Let’s not forget retro styling, which I always appreciate.

Even at 5:30 on a Wednesday evening, we had to wait a little bit for a table to open up. The kids didn’t mind – the weather was gorgeous and they could goof off outside.

Afterwards, I realized that the sunset would be really nice and if I could convince the rest of them to head over to the beach, we could watch the sunset along the water. But alas, no one wanted to go with me! Instead, we pulled into a gas station as the sun was starting its descent.

I guess a sunset at the gas station is what I get to enjoy on our last evening in Florida.
Once we returned to my parent’s place, the kids wanted to take one last dip in the clubhouse pool. We allowed them to swim as we supervised (the pool closes at “dusk”, so we may have stretched that rule - depending upon your definition of “dusk”).

Taken with my iPhone - I thought the street light looked like the moon coming up along the water.

As we finally left the pool, I took a picture of the final remnants of daylight over the pond.

Florida - Family Pictures

2011-03-29T15:45:00.003-05:00

Unfortunately, all family visits must come to an end, and life must go back to their normal rhythm.

We really enjoyed our relaxing vacation in Florida - my mother and father were great hosts!

And as usual, we must have our standard "group picture" - taken in the screened in lanai:

I should have positioned Scott differently - the palm looks like it is growing out of his head!

This one is a little better, although you can see the remote control in my father's hand (Brian held it in the last picture):

Of course, we have the outtake:

And the rejected background:

A bonus - Erica let me take a picture of her:

She spent a lot of time curling her hair and I thought it was so pretty.

And we have a wrap on Spring Break Family pictures

Parasailing

2011-03-27T19:12:00.000-05:00

We've done the parasailing thing before - the first time in 2006, when Erica (7 years old) went up for the first time and had a blast. That year, we even convinced my mother to parasail.

In 2008, a very nervous Brian (8 years old) parasailed for the first time and received high-fives from the flight crew as well as the others on the boat. That year, we convinced my father to parasail with us.

So it's a tradition for us to parasail when we visit Florida on spring break. We always go back to the same company - Ranalli Parasail, located at the Diamond Head Resort on Fort Myers Beach. They offer a 1200 foot ride (the longest / highest ride you can take on Fort Myers Beach) with a great flight crew. In the past, up to three people could take flight on their parasail rig, but now, they have the capability to fly up to six people at a time. This meant that our entire family could go up together.

It was another beautiful day in SW Florida - the air was warm, the breeze refreshing and little clouds dotted the sky. Our family got on the boat at 1pm with another couple and the boat jetted off to the middle of the ocean.

The crew guy who set us up in our harnesses was nice enough to take a picture of us:

The woman from the other couple saw my camera and also offered to take pictures - she has a Nikon D90, so she was familiar with the general operation of mine.

I believe we used this blue and yellow chute in 2008. It's so pretty against the blue sky.

Here we are, ready to launch:

And we're flying!

It was really nice to be able to experience the flight as a family - we chatted about what we saw up in the air and when we were dipped into the water, had fun getting each other wet.

Back on land, we enjoyed walking a bit along the beach. A lovely day.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

2011-03-20T20:20:00.003-05:00

The embedded slide show includes pictures from 1999 to 2003, film that I had developed at Seattle Film Works / PhotoWorks. I received an email from PhotoWorks this week that they were closing, that I had over 1000 pictures with them that they would transfer over to Shutterfly. I didn't realize the breadth of photos I had developed through PhotoWorks, and I am so glad they had all these archives of my film pictures. Pictures from before Brian's birth, all the way to 2003, just before I bought my first digital camera. I plan to have Shutterfly send me the archive DVD of the full resolution files so I can save them on my computer, load them up to my Flickr account, organize and tag them.

Click here to view these pictures larger

I didn't realize when I developed my film with Seattle FilmWorks/PhotoWorks they would provide these archives. Back then, it was very tempting to drop my film off with the Wal-Mart or whoever had the best deal. Being consistent will save me hours digitizing my archives.

Even in today's digital world, I think it is still important to be consistent with your photos. Delete the bad photos, organize the rest, back them up. Choose one photo printing company and print those photos out. I know I've been bad about the "printing the photos out" part, especially since I've been consistently blogging these past three years. I still plan to get my photos into photo books and the like. Receiving these old photos in electronic form has just emphasized that (and most of the photos already reside in scrapbooks).

Farmer's Market and Wetland Preserve

2011-03-19T20:30:00.000-05:00

Saturday morning - and it's Farmer's Market time.

But that's after a nice early morning run as the sun rises -

It's perfect running weather - mid 50s when I start and mid 60s when I finish - this means shorts and a t-shirt, the first warm weather running of this year.

I go to the Farmer's Market with my parents - they eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruit. I picked out two mangoes (they were delicious) and a pair of sunglasses (I left mine in IL).

But most of all, I like looking at all the beautiful produce.

Today's family outing - the wetland preserve - a large wetland area, complete with lake and board walk that winds through the 2500 acre facility. It was a great way to enjoy the evening.

Crocodile Lake, where we saw a crocodile, sunning himself on dock:

Scott points out the Croc to Erica:

I didn't capture it well at all (and hence deleted the picture), but on the left side of the lake, there's a grove of trees where hundreds of birds roost at night. In the evening, they fly back to the shelter of these trees. Next time I'll bring my zoom lens to capture this amazing sight.

Tradition - Mini Golf

2011-03-18T22:05:00.000-05:00

Friday - March 18
It's our second day on spring break - the weather is perfect. I ran 4.5 miles in the cool of the morning, then relaxed around the pool, and did some reading (I'm reading The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother).

The kids slept in and played in the pool. We have one or two excursions planned, so our main activity will be relaxing.

Today's after dinner activity is a tradition for our family - Mini Golf at Castle Golf.

I have at least two other pictures of the kids in these stocks - it's fun to see how they change over the years.

As we rounded the back nine, I noticed the moon rising in the sky. Tomorrow is the "super moon", but tonight's moon is really nice, so I snapped a couple pictures.

As usual, Scott had the lowest score, then me, then Brian and lastly Erica.

I don't think the kids really care about the scores - just that we had a good time.

Spring Break Recap - Travel to Florida

2011-03-17T18:30:00.000-05:00

I can't believe we've been back for a day and I think we want to go back to Florida, where the sun, warmth and ocean breeze soothes the soul. All in all, we enjoyed our relaxing visit with my parents in Fort Myers. We were blessed with perfect weather - and for mid-March, the weather, even in south western Florida can be fickle.

We started our trip Wednesday evening, driving to Indianapolis. With an early Thursday morning flight, I estimated we would have to leave at 2am, so we opted to stay in a hotel close to the airport instead.

I like taking pictures while we drive. My iPhone makes it even more fun.

The kids were so tired, they didn't even go to hotel's pool. Or, maybe that's because we arrived so late and it was closed.

We still had to leave the hotel at 5:30am - that's really early [the equivalent of 4:30am Central Time, and when you factor in the new daylight savings time, our body clocks think it's 3:30am]. Our plane took off right at 7:00, still shrouded by the inky black of night. And I realized my inadvertent genius of selecting seats facing east - we would be treated by a sunrise while airborne.

The only problem - Erica had the window seat. At least I was in the middle, but she's not all that tolerant of her mom leaning over her with that big lens. Add in my camera's need to emit flashes of light while attempting to auto focus at the dark subject and let's just say she was complaining through clenched teeth. I was only permitted to take one exposure, and I opted to manually focus.

The beauty in taking the first flight out to your destination - you can be at the pool by noon (or in our case, by 11am!).

Belated Birthday / Anniversary for Rascal

2011-03-15T20:00:00.000-05:00

I am such a bad Mom - I missed acknowledging Rascal's birthday / anniversary last Friday, March 11. I guess I was a little distracted with all the events of the day. But Rascal deserves better than a lame excuse like that, so tonight, she's getting a special treat - some yummy soft cat food.

Here's Rascal story, how she came to us 17 years ago. I know she may not be here with us next year (but I've been thinking this way for the last 3 years), after all, she's at least 17, maybe even 18 years old now. Scott theorizes she's just staying alive to spite the other cats.

Rascal found us 17 years ago on March 11 when we lived in West Virginia. I still remember that Friday evening I came home, tired after a long week at work. Dusk was falling and I walked out to the mailbox to retrieve the mail when I heard a “meow”, almost like a “hello”. Well, I “meowed” back. A small animal, hidden in the pine trees that lined our front yard, trotted towards me, meowing and meowing. I realized the cat must be a stray, and by “meowing” back I had “invited” the animal in.

We didn’t have any pets at the time, and didn’t want any pets, so I did what any normal person does – I ran inside the house, and turned up the TV, as to block out the constant “meowing” that had ensued outside our breezeway door. When Scott returned home later, the he fired off several questions upon entering the house - “What is that noise? Is there a cat somewhere around the house? Why is the TV turned up so loud?” I acknowledged that there was a stray cat sitting outside our door. Then I opened the door to take a peak at the animal and found this face staring back at me:

OK, not that exact face - she was much younger back then and her eyes very green, but you get the picture.

Wow, what’s there not to love? Of course, we took her in, I went out and bought all sorts of cat paraphernalia, and she cuddled right up on the couch, then onto our laps and into our hearts. I put some signs up in the neighborhood (Found: Grey Tabby Cat), but after the weekend realized she had found us.

The story doesn’t end here, because a couple weeks later, we noticed that our petite little cat was looking a little “porky” in the belly. Hmmm. Yup, she was pregnant. Case in point:

Several weeks later, she escaped down to the basement and gave birth to five little kittens, two which died, three which she cared for until we gave them away. We named the kittens Spanky, Alfalfa and Buckwheat (after the Little Rascals – OK, Scott is the one who named them). Buckwheat looked just like his mom – a brown tiger striped tabby. Spanky and Alfalfa were tiger striped, but a light grey.

Buckwheat

Spanky and Alfafa's butt.

I was really sad when we gave away Buckwheat - he was my favorite. I ran into his new owner one afternoon at the park, who recognized me as "The Cat Lady" (not too many Asians in that small West Virginia town) - she carried on and on about how "Max" (Buckwheat's new name) was such a great cat. I was happy for Buckwheat and his new family.

So that's how Rascal became our "family starter kit" and my first "baby". She survived the move to Indiana, and the addition of our two children.

Taken in 2001 with Erica and Brian.

Now she has to put up with two more cats, but she pretty much stays out of their way.

Happy 17th Birthday/Anniversary to our Rascal!

Girls and their Horses

2011-03-14T20:35:00.000-05:00

Sounds like a bit of a country song, doesn't it?

These two worked together for 3+ years, and they were so happy to connect with Caesar and Cody at the new barn.

I took this yesterday (Sunday). We were at the barn again this evening, and Jordan brought her new saddle. Their teacher, Meg helped the girls put the saddle on Cody and then on Caesar. Both girls got to ride their own horses. They were very happy.

A week into horse ownership and so far, so good.

Book Club Night - The Pioneer Woman's Book

2011-03-12T17:30:00.000-06:00

Friday was a busy day! In addition to Scott being out of town, Brian's Rube Goldberg competition, Erica's horse riding lesson, visiting Caesar the horse, it was Book Club night!

This month's book - The Pioneer Woman's (Ree Drummond) Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. It is a light, amusing and easy read (and I read a lot of it on-line at The Pioneer Woman's Blog). Some might call it "fluffy", but I think most of us enjoyed it in one fashion or another. Heather may have been its biggest critic, but she didn't read the book!

I'm a big fan of Ree and her blog, from her funny relating of life on a cattle ranch to her easy, tasty recipes and the beautiful photography [the fact she shoots with Nikon gear seals the deal]. After this book, I know my friend, Kellie, is a new fan.

Host Janice is already a fan (she suggested the book) so for tonight's goodies, she prepared recipes from the Pioneer Woman's Cookbook (using Real Butter):

Pictured above - Potato skins

Also served - Hot Artichoke Dip, Mango Salsa and to top things off - Sweet Rolls!

Janice totally rocks!

Rube Goldberg Regional Competition

2011-03-11T19:30:00.000-06:00

Brian's class competed today at the Rube Goldberg Regional Competition. Two weeks ago, they took the top prize at the Local competition and today they competed against seven other 5th grade groups.

The event was held in conjunction with the U of I Engineering Open House and the High School Rube Goldberg Competition, so there were plenty of other Rube machines to view. The High School competition allows electricity, with a larger machine footprint (I'm guessing 6' x 6' x 6') and up to 100 steps. Many of the High School entries were very extensive - motorized cars, fans, ramps, elevators and rockets, just to name a few of the elements.

For example, this team's theme of the North Pole:

Arriving early enabled us to watch many of the HS teams assemble their machines - like the above North Pole Team:

And watch many of the teams' preliminary runs through these complex machines - like this Disney-themed machine which incorporated scenes from Peter Pan (Big Ben), Cinderella (the castle), Beauty and the Beast (the flower), The Lion King, just to name a few.

I can't imagine how many hours were spent designing and building these contraptions!

And here's another look at our 5th grade machine, a birds eye view -

While I wish our team won this Regional competition, sadly, we did not. The judges only award a first place, so the rest of the teams all "came in 2nd place". I do know that our kids presented their machine well and it worked during the judging process. The kids did their very best and we are so proud of them!

Taking Ownership

2011-03-08T21:00:00.001-06:00

Sunday was the big day - we officially became horse owners.

All I can say is thank goodness Erica knows what she is doing, because the rest of us really have no idea what we've gotten ourselves into.

We board Caesar at a barn a mile away from his previous owners' location, and the previous owners have been so helpful and will continue to work with us and Caesar.

We're getting Caesar ready -

We watched Bonnie administer de-worming paste and we're glad we didn't have to!

Caesar received a haircut - his mane is really scraggly and looks better completely shaved off. Once that was done, he was ready to be transported:

Bonnie and Matt loaded him up in their trailer and drove the short mile to the new stable. Caesar took a walk around the new arena, his new stall and he settled right in.

The next day, we went over to visit:

Caesar seems happy and so does Erica.

Scenes from Home, Road and a Last Blast of Winter

2011-03-07T20:30:00.000-06:00

On Friday, Brian attended George's birthday party. The rest of us enjoyed a quiet evening at home. Scott has been re-arranging the garage - he wants to park the convertible in the single bay, thinking it won't get it's new paint job "dinged". So this is what the double bay looks like now:

I actually like this configuration - I simply back out straight out the garage and driveway - no turning, no driving on the grass by accident. I didn't take a picture of the single bay because it is a complete mess right now. But I know Scott will get it organized by the time Cappy gets back.

Saturday morning - I went for a run in the light misty rain. I can handle the rain and the cool temperatures, but the wind from the north was a killer. I felt like one of those birds trying to fly into the wind, getting no where fast. I guess it makes you stronger.....

That was early in the morning, because we had to be close to campus by 10:30 to catch the last home basketball game of the season. The Illini blew out the Hoosiers!

After the game, I took Erica to the Farm and Fleet. Yup, it's a Farm store and so much more! We bought horse supplies - a harness, lead rope, lunge line, some brushes, a crop and a whip. Oh, and some horse treats.

Saturday night - I took Erica and her friends to the movies. They saw Beastly and the Justin Bieber movie. Erica definitely has a crush on the Biebster (it's kind of cute because she's not the teeny-bopper type).

Here's the road coming home from the movies -

And a little later, we have THIS -

The snow remained on the ground until Sunday afternoon. Then it melted away. I hope that is it for this season.....

At the Stable

2011-03-02T20:00:00.000-06:00

After a few delays, I finally signed and submitted the horse boarding contract at the new stable. We thought we might go to another horse stable, but for now, this is it.

Erica's friend and her horse, Cody, are settling in. They brought Cody over on Monday, and I found them with him when I brought over the contract.

The girls still need to get their saddles and tack - until then, the horses get their exercise by a long lead rope in the arena.

Cody definitely wants to know what I'm doing - it's like he is interested in the camera! The girls claim he doesn't like them, and he's looking over to "keep an eye on the person with the camera"!

Rube Goldberg Competition

2011-02-27T19:43:00.000-06:00

We spent all Saturday morning with Brian's 5th grade class at a Rube Goldberg competition. If you aren't familiar with the concept of a Rube Goldberg machine, it is a complex device with numerous steps which performs a simple task. If you played the Mousetrap board game, you've assembled a Rube Goldberg-type machine.

My son's class has been working on this machine for over a month and all the hard work of designing, testing, re-designing, re-testing, writing a technical report, designing brochures, T-shirts, and posters culminated in the local competition where they competed against 5 other machines.

The purpose - create a machine to open the cover and the first page of a book. The machine must also be designed around a theme, complete with a backstory.

Our class decided on a Medieval theme and built it as a large Castle, complete with moat, dragon, princess and brave prince. The machine itself used ramps, dominos, levers, a pendulum and a mouse trap to open the book and turn the page.

The competition included a Junk Wars theme:

And Alice in Wonderland:

The remaining competitors: the Illini team, The Beach Team and The Jungle Team.

Here the kids are setting up right before their performance and judging:

The coolest part of the project - everyone in the class participated in the presentation. That's 24 kids to manage and herd!

Here's a quick clip of the machine in action - it goes fast, so pay attention.

The best part? The machine worked during the competition and our team won first place! Now they advance to the Regional competition in two weeks.

Snow Again

2011-02-25T20:00:00.000-06:00

After a bit of spring-like weather, a blast of winter re-emerged last night, giving us several fresh inches of snow.

I pulled out the fisheye adapter for these shots - trying to distort the snow as much as I can!

Even Sammy wasn't happy with the snow:

The good thing - it's wet and the temperatures aren't too low. I'm hoping this will be the last Blast of Winter.

5th Grade Choral Concert

2011-02-24T21:00:00.000-06:00

The first of several "lasts" as we enter the second half of the school year and Brian's final months in elementary school. Tonight - the last choral concert - a look at the history of black inspired music, from spiritual, to jazz, Motown and Hip Hop.

See - they are moving their hands around (singing It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got that Swing).

Except for Brian. That boy - he didn't even try to perform.

Friends George, Drew and Matthew are all smiles. Yes, they all sang and moved their arms:

Oh well, I'll always remember this concert as the one where Brian just stood there...

Into the Great Unknown

2011-02-21T11:24:00.000-06:00

The question, "Oh, My, what have we gotten ourselves INTO?" crosses my mind quite frequently today. That, and "Are we really going to DO THIS?".

THIS:

It looks like we are going to become horse owners. Yikes. Writing that out scares me to death. But look how happy she is:

The lesson barn Erica has been with for the last 5 years is closing and as a result, they are selling all the lesson horses and slowly ceasing operations. We learned of the news two Fridays ago, and since then, Erica has been researching what it would take to buy one of the horses. Her first choice, Casey, was sold in one day. Then she started looking for horses on the internet (something I wasn't comfortable with at all). Finally, she said she wanted Caesar, a gentle Appaloosa from the lesson barn. Better yet, a boarding stall became open at the boarding farm one mile from the lesson barn, where her friend will be boarding another one of the lesson horses. We checked it out yesterday and put a deposit down on the spot.

So I guess it is inevitable. We don't know what we've gotten ourselves into, but I'm sure it will be a great adventure.

Making Crepes

2011-02-20T20:52:00.000-06:00

I have been delinquent in several of my "cooking" themed posts - I took the pictures, but never created the actual posts.

So today, a little bit of catch up - our favorite "pancake" - crepes.

The recipe - (I have it memorized now)

3 Eggs
1 1/4 C Milk
1/4 C Melted Butter
Pinch of salt
1 C flour

Beat eggs together, add milk and melted butter. Mix in salt. Whisk in the flour. The batter will be thin.

Heat up a skillet pan and when it is hot, add a thin layer of oil.

Pour about 1/4C of the batter on to the skillet, picking up the skillet and rotating it to spread the batter around the bottom of the pan in a thin layer.

Cook until the top of batter looks dry. Then flip the crepe over:

Yes, nice and golden on top. Wait until the steam stops coming out of the crepe, and it should be done.

Serve with jelly, jam or even ricotta cheese mixed with the jam.

Or plain, with confectioner's sugar sprinkled on top. This is the way my daughter likes it.

Yummy! And easier to make than you think!

The Piano - Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

2011-02-16T19:02:00.002-06:00

The family piano is leaving our home and going south to my sister's house. We don't play it enough and my sister's boys are planning to take piano lessons.

I sat down and played it Tuesday afternoon. If only I had more time to practice.

My sister will be receiving this classic book (it will be in the piano bench).

On Wednesday afternoon, the piano movers came, wrapped it up and took it away.

Leaving a big hole in the former piano room.

I admit I miss the piano, but it will be used more at my sister's house.

Saturday Morning

2011-02-15T15:30:00.002-06:00

This is how we spent last Saturday morning, before Auntie Teresa arrived:

I woke up early to pick up Brian from the all-night lock in at church. The sunrise coincided with my drive out to church:

A lock in means minimal sleep for all involved and a morning nap:

I worked out at a Cage Fitness class and then hit the road for a nice run in the glistening snow. I tried out another portion of the trail in the neighborhood:

The local neighborhood association must take care of this trail because most of the sidewalks in town are still covered in snow and ice. I greatly appreciate it!

Special Visitor and Dinner

2011-02-14T15:30:00.000-06:00

[A bit of a cross-post between this and my photography blog - sorry if you've read both posts]

I learned a week ago that my sister, Teresa, would be traveling to Chicago for work and planned to drive down to visit us! She arrived Saturday afternoon.

The photo taking started almost immediately.

Brian took this picture, using my big camera.

[Hand held at 1/40second exposure time! That's a steady hand!]

I planned to make pasta, but the kids suggested we try out the local sushi/fusion place.

We walked into the restaurant and were transported out of the midwest. We faced an industrial scene with waves of neon and pulsating music. Oh, and the obligatory fish tank in every Asian restaurant, but without the koi:

The wasabi is so pretty, piped into flowers:

We ordered three sushi rolls as an appetizer. I had to fend off the hungry masses for an additional 10 seconds to get this shot. They only gave me one try.

The carnivores also known as my family inhaled the three dishes in less than 2 minutes. Seriously. Poof! All gone.

So we did what any normal sushi loving group does - order more! We ended up consuming 6 sushi rolls between the 5 of us. Again, just as appetizers!

Because after the sushi came the main courses. Since it is a "fusion" type of restaurant, I ordered a very non-Asian duck dish.

Needless to say, we had lots of leftovers to enjoy for Sunday lunch.

Making Stuff - Bookmarks

2011-02-13T16:54:00.000-06:00

Each year, the fifth graders hold an event called the Trader's Faire, where they barter and exchange hand made goods. Since this is my second go-around with a fifth grade child, I had a game plan already formulated - making bookmarks.

Brian and I worked on these two nights last week - he picked out the paper, the stamps and made up a design. Then we assembly-line produced 25 stamped, heat embossed book marks:

And truthfully, Brian did a lot of the work himself (like all the embossing - give the boy any kind of gun and he'll use it). I was really proud of him.

Dumpling Time

2011-02-13T16:36:00.001-06:00

Yes, I know - a week has passed since my last post.
We are super busy here - making things, running around, the usual stuff of life.

Last Sunday I spent most of the day making and cooking Chinese Dumplings:

This includes making and rolling out the wrapper / dough by hand.

The finished product (shot with my iPhone):

I even had left over dough for green onion pies.

Added yumminess!

This sort of thing only happens once a year, so we enjoyed the dumplings while they lasted.....

Friday Night a Cappella

2011-02-06T19:21:00.001-06:00

I've posted about the local a cappella concert before - it's an annual event at one of the local high schools. I didn't go last year because the tickets sold out before I could reserve mine. Then a big storm hit the night of the concert and I was happy I didn't have to drive through the rural country roads to attend.

But I did miss seeing the performances, so this year, I made sure I had tickets.

Sorry about the grainy picture - taken with my iPhone

The groups:
The Other Guys, from the U of I:

No Comment, from the U of I:

The only mixed group of the night, so they hold a special place in my heart. I also bought their freshly pressed CD.

Two groups from the Unity High school - U9 and and Surreal Sound - performed after No Comment. It's great that a cappella is making inroads in the High Schools.

Secondary Dominance, from Illinois State:

The Rip Chords, from the U of I:

The Xtension Chords, from the U of I:

The performances were great and, as usual, made me long for those past days of performing - voices only. I only get to sing in church and in the car now (only if I'm alone because the kids complain).

Snow Day Two - Wednesday, Feb 2, 2011

2011-02-05T17:53:00.000-06:00

Wednesday morning we woke to several inches of snow on top of granular snow on top of ice. And wind.

[Truthfully, we didn't receive as much snow as we expected - North of us, the snow fell heavily and South of us, freezing ice covered everything]

We started to shovel the driveway, down to the ice layer.

Yeah, I really don't mind shoveling snow as long as it's not too cold.

Later on, our neighbor, Bob plowed the cul-de-sac and all the driveways. What a great neighbor. Even better, he mounds all the snow by our driveway so the kids can use it for snow forts, sledding, snowball fights, etc.

The kids also like to slide off Buck and Jill's backyard deck, after covering it with snow.

They enjoyed the fun while they could because it was back to school on Thursday.

Running on Ice

2011-02-04T17:00:00.002-06:00

The news of the week - the weather. Things started Monday afternoon with freezing rain and sleet. The fun continued Tuesday with more ice, changing over to snow.

School was canceled Tuesday, so Erica invited some friends over and they tried sledding / surfing on the ice. I had fun playing with the video recorder on Brian's iTouch and captured this:

They worked hard building a ramp out of cardboard.

But in the end, they just had fun.

For Today - February 1, 2011

2011-02-01T19:33:00.000-06:00

FOR TODAY:

Outside my window… the storm of the winter is bearing down on us. Yesterday, about an inch of ice accumulated on the streets. Today, ice pellets and snow are whipping through the air. You can’t go outside without being hurt by the ice hitting your exposed skin. So we are staying inside and praying the power doesn’t go out!
I am thinking… when is Spring due? Not soon enough!
I am thankful for… my warm house.
From the kitchen… I made The Pioneer Woman’s Burgundy Mushroom sauce to serve with grilled flank steak for dinner. It was delish.
I am wearing… sweat pants and a seafoam green sweater. It’s a snow day, afterall!
I am creating … a Blurb Book that covers our trip to Italy.
I am going… to make some cake after I finish this blog post. Something about hunkering down in the midst of a storm that makes every one crave baked goods.
I am reading… A Most Uncommon Degree of Popularity by Kathleen Gilles Seidel, an interesting book about a group of middle school girls and their mothers.
I am hoping… Our power stays on through all this wind and sleet
I am hearing… the “soundtrack” from the SIMS3 computer game. Erica is playing it on the computer. It’s like the music they play when you get put on hold.
Around the house… Snow boots, jackets, hats, gloves and scarves litter the floor, a reminder of the sledding and playing in the blizzard the kids did today.
One of my favorite things… hot tea and blueberry muffins – this morning’s breakfast.
A few plans for the rest of the week… Another snow day tomorrow, which means we get to dig out from “Stormagedon”. Maybe things will return back to normal on Thursday.

And a picture to share:

It's Sam, in his new "spot" in the computer cabinet. We set up a nice cushy blanket for him to feel comfortable as he checks out the family room, dining room and foyer. It's the perfect vantage point for a Siamese.

I hope you are staying warm and off the streets during the current blizzard.

Haircut

2011-01-31T20:37:00.000-06:00

Brian received his second "professional" (ie, paid) haircut this weekend.

We have a similar trimmer at home, but the stylists have much better "finishing" tools (to get the sides and back shaved).

The overall experience took 5 minutes, and we liked the results:

Friendship and Honors

2011-01-29T20:14:00.000-06:00

I love the friendships I've cultivated through this and my photography blog. And when one of those friends honors me with a blog award, I'm even more grateful for relationships and inspiration found through this medium.

I've known Lee for several years now, and we've met in real life (and will get together later this year - so excited about that!). She's awarded me the Stylish Blogger Award. How cool is that! Backtracking through the other award recipients, I've been linked to some great new blogs - another bonus to the award.

For this award, I am to tell 8 things about myself and then pass the award on to 8 more people.

8 more things about me -

I have to sleep with eye shades and ear plugs. And I still wake up when the toilet starts to fill randomly at night.
I sing in the car every day on my way to and from work.
I love to run in cold weather. Today, it was 32degF and I thought it was perfect. Any temperature between 30 and 50 is ideal.
My family calls me the "kitchen nazi" because I am a control freak in the kitchen.
I'm currently learning to use Lightroom to process my pictures. So far, I'm liking the process.
We've lived in our current house for 8+ years - that's the longest time we've stayed in one place. And we don't expect to move for many years.
I don't watch a lot of TV. When I graduated from college and moved into my first apartment, I didn't have a TV for over a year. Now with the internet, I would cancel our satellite TV service (but the other members of the family would certainly balk!).
As much as I don't need TV, I need my internet! I think the longest time I was unplugged was 3 days. Big time withdrawal!

Now, this is the part of these awards that I always find so hard - passing on to 8 more people (like I know that many!).

Kyla
Jeanne
Char
Puna
Maggie
Martha
OK, I'm stopping at 6 blogs..... but they are all great, so check them out!

Teen Age Friends and Trends

2011-01-28T21:30:00.000-06:00

I understand that having a teen in the house means a transition in interests. Instead of the constant hum of Disney Channel, we now endure TLC (What Not to Wear, The Cake Boss and Say Yes to the Dress). Nancy Drew mysteries have been replaced by The Clique Series and best sellers like The Lovely Bones.

So imagine my surprise when Erica wanted to buy these:

Apparently all the rage among teens - the cuddly and soft Pillow Pets. Yes - glorified, over-sized stuffed animals, quite similar to the 100 stuffed animals I sold at last year's garage sale.

"But it's a pillow" Erica tells me. "And they are SO soft".

I acquiesce and let her buy two. She's named the horse "Casey" because he looks like her favorite horse at the Stable. And that's Zoe the Zebra [again, named by Erica]. I'm glad there's still a little bit of "kid" in that teen head.

There's still lots of silliness between teen friends, too:

As the two of them get ready to play volleyball in the snow:

Scenes from the Weekend

2011-01-23T20:26:00.000-06:00

Technically, more than the weekend -
Thursday night - a full moon with snow means a cool exposure of the backyard:

Friday - it's retro day at Middle school.

Saturday -
It's cold outside and snowy, but I managed a 3 mile run after a Cage Fitness class. Running while the snow is falling is so peaceful.

The tulips are starting to fade -

I finished up the last of the photos from July's Italy trip. The pictures from Florence (Firenze) may be found here, on Flickr.

Sunday - The cats make a little bit of a fuss while watching the birds outside. They won't go outside, though - it's too cold!

Erica enjoyed dumplings for lunch (leftovers from last night's takeout)

Hope you had a great (and warm) weekend!

January 10-19, 2011

2011-01-20T20:40:00.000-06:00

It’s already the third week of January, the snow is falling (yet again) and tomorrow the temperatures will drop below zero. Welcome to winter on the prairie. Even the birds have to deal with the snow and ice.

Taken outside the orthodontist office on Monday, January 10th – Brian had a retainer check up (he needs to wear it more, so we’ll have to monitor that a little more).

Later that evening, Sammy got up high above the refrigerator in the kitchen. He and Hannah were playing a bit of “tag”:

Fast forward a couple of days, and we’ve got 6” of fresh snow on the ground, and Scott bought these from the store:

Just what the kids need – caffeine and real sugar!

That night, I made some crepes for Erica:

On Friday, I hosted book club at the house. What a busy day! So busy that I didn’t take pictures, but my friend, Kellie (who is doing her own Project 365 this year) did:

I made rum cake (of course) and we discussed The Happiness Project (my selection).

On Saturday, January 15, I took Erica to the mall – she needed new jeans [the ones she bought in the fall are “too cold” – that’s because they have holes in them – that’s why buying jeans with holes in them is really not the best idea…..].

Apparently, Aeropostale has been surpassed by the America Eagle store:

And later, Sammy decided to snuggle on her lap.

There’s no shortage of cat games tonight:

On Sunday, I decided to take my own advice concerning finding photographic inspiration during the winter months and bought a bouquet of tulips to photograph.

And instead of wasting time playing Angry Birds (seriously, I need a 12 step addiction program), I wasted time photographing stemware:

I promised Erica I would hang her new window blinds today. Out come the power tools – the Makita drill set I bought Scott for Christmas in 2009.

It’s a great drill (not too big) so I quickly completed this project.

Monday morning, Martin Luther King Jr. day, and the kids have the day off. I guess I have the “morning off” too, as I don’t have to drag the kids out of bed and drive them to school. Instead, I leisurely prepared for the day and played around with my iPhone camera and the Hipstamatic app:

Tuesday – kids are back to school. I have violin lessons in the afternoon – starting the 2nd movement of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto – very pretty. Later that night, Brian and I sweat things out at Cage Fitness Class.

Wednesday morning and I’m still taking photos of the tulips.

The kids persuaded me to get them sandwiches from Panera on Wednesday night. Wow, the Christmas lights are still up in the Olde Farm Shops.

But I have to admit, they are kind of festive….

Rascal

2011-01-12T20:56:00.000-06:00

I just had to post this picture I took of Rascal last Sunday, basking in the sun.

She's looking good for a 17 year old kitty, and I always approach each year like it could be her last (although Scott says she's going to outlive us all, just to spite the new cats we keep adding to our family).

The First Week of January

2011-01-08T19:41:00.000-06:00

We've been blessed with abundant sunshine, making it "seem" warmer. But the temperatures have been right on par with previous years, which means it is COLD out there!

So, what's been going on?

We went out and purchased a treadmill:

...which was used heavily by the kids for about two days. Erica was the requester, but Scott and I have used it more than she has. I figure now I don't have any excuse not to run (even though I'll be hitting the pavement unless there is serious ice and / or single digits outside).

It's been sunny outside:

Scott and Brian set up the big tent in the basement last night (Friday). They camped out there with Sammy.

A small amount of snow (about 1") fell last night and provided Brian with some afternoon entertainment today.

We are watching football now, and I am learning to use Lightroom 3 to organize and process my pictures. I have been using the 50mm lens since mid-December, forcing myself to work within the constrains of the fixed focal length.

The kids are back to school again, complaining a bit about the homework, and having to get up early. They don't know how easy they have it!

The 2011 Calendar

2011-01-03T20:41:00.000-06:00

I think I am ahead of schedule, having created the 8x10 layouts for our yearly wall calendar. Like last year, I'll create the calendar on Shutterfly.

I thought I was all done, but I didn't realize that I can add little pictures to specific dates on the calendar grid - you know, like a picture of Rascal on her birthday, or a picture of Scott and I on our anniversary. So, it's back to the photo archives to search for more pictures to upload to Shutterfly. It will only delay things by one day (those who receive these calendars every year can rest assured they will receive one by the middle of January).

364 and 365/365 - Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T20:13:00.000-06:00

Brian and I stayed up to welcome in the New Year. He was very excited (an understatement, really) and set up at least two count down clocks until he realized the TV show all displayed them.

Once the clock counted down, he jumped all over the place and danced on the floor.

At 1am, I drove out to church to pick up Erica from her New Year's Eve celebration. I was really tired, but she was completely awake. I suspect we will experience some groggy mornings as the kids adjust their body clocks back to "school schedule".

+++++

Later on, during the "normal waking hours of the day" - we took down the Christmas Tree and decorations. I finally "wiped" our old PC - we've been using the new PC for over a month now and no longer need the other computer.

I also cleaned out the unused toys in the basement - toys that haven't been played with in years. A bit of a trip down memory lane, remembering when the kids wanted to play with their toy dinosaurs and horses. But it was good to get the broken toys out and the other toys organized to sell at a garage sale. Cleaning and purging - all appropriate in the new year.

++++++

And so I've finished up another year of taking daily pictures.

In 2011, I plan to change things a little. I probably won't take a picture every day and post every day - after two years of posting to two blogs, I feel I need a little break. I might just post weekly instead, at least for the month of January.

For those just starting a Project 365, good for you! I found the project to be very rewarding.

363/365 - New Year's Eve Lunch

2010-12-31T20:55:00.001-06:00

Note - I'm not sure how today is the last day of the year, but I'm only on day 363 of my Project 365. Maybe I miscounted somewhere along the way, or maybe I started late. Who knows. I guess it doesn't really matter - tomorrow is a New Year and today is New Year's Eve!

Which we celebrated with a nice lunch at KoFusion, a nice sushi restaurant in the Downtown area.

We didn't know that they offered a wonderful buffet at lunch, which included three types of sushi. All the items on the buffet were wonderful - Chicken Curry, Pork and Veggies, Sweet / Spicy chicken, Spicy Tuna Roll, Big Sushi Roll and California Roll, just to name a few.

Brian loves sushi, too:

After lunch, we walked to Pekara bakery, where I ordered a cannoli for desert.

I was kicking myself for not bringing my purse, which holds my camera (you know, when the hubby drives, there's not much reason for me to lug the purse around). I was lucky I had my iPhone, which I used to take the pictures.

There are a lot of unique stores in our small Downtown area. I should go back again with my big camera. I guess it will have to wait until "next year", though!

I hope you have a safe New Year's Eve and a fabulous 2011!

362/365 - Christmas is 70% Off

2010-12-30T21:23:00.000-06:00

'Tis the season for great deals on Christmas decorations.

Brian wanted a taller tree for his bedroom. The little 12" tree we bought several years ago was too small for all the ornaments he put on it and it tipped over constantly.

Today, Brian, Scott and Grandma Fay visited the Target and scored a nice 4 foot, pre-lit tree, 70% off (they paid $17 for it - another bargain). They set it up in his room this afternoon.

Even though Christmas is over, it's nice to have something new and festive in the house.

361/365 - More Uggs Knock Offs

2010-12-29T21:22:00.000-06:00

Ever since Erica purchased her Uggs Slipper from Zappos, I have been coveting a pair. I've worn a hole in my current slipper and the cozy lining is all gone. I was hoping for a new pair at Christmas, but that didn't happen (I'm not complaining - Scott bought me something just as nice - I'll have to take a picture of that tomorrow).

I was mentally prepared to spend between $70 and $100 for a pair of slippers like Erica's. I went to the Zappos website and tried to select a size 7 slipper.

And received this message - "The Shoe / Size Combination you have selected is not Available" - at least 6 times!

OK, I understand. Christmas was a few days ago and I'm sure folks are heavy into the after Christmas shopping thing. I set up the "e-mail me when this selection becomes available" bit. Then I hit the local Outlet Mall's Famous Footwear store after work.

And came home with these:

And I only paid $35 for them!

Let's look at Erica's Uggs to compare:

I think I can live without the Uggs label on the top. And I will attest that my BearPaw slippers are just as comfortable.

And for $65 less than the Uggs, I think my wallet feels better!

Day 360/365 - Mornings

2010-12-28T20:47:00.000-06:00

While I wish I had this week off from work, I would have missed the gorgeous, sparkly landscape this morning.

I love the look of these red twig dogwood branches in winter. Covered in frost, they are even more beautiful.

I watched the sun rise as I approached the interstate ramp.

And that sun really made the pine trees at work sparkle:

359/365 - Just a Small Sampling...

2010-12-27T19:49:00.000-06:00

...of the Christmas / Holiday cards we received from friends near and far.

We are so blessed to have friends next door and friends as far away as China. I love the prominence of photo cards and really love it when we get to see picture of the entire family, not just the kids. I wish I could capture all of the cards in one 4x6 capture, but I think this one gets most of them.

358/365 - Relaxing Day

2010-12-26T21:20:00.000-06:00

The last day of my 4-day weekend, and we are just relaxing at home.
Scott caught the Colts game via the internet.
Fay watched the Giants lose to the Packers.
I started reading a book on Lightroom 3.
Erica took a 5 hour nap.
Brian played games at George's house.
The cats napped on the couches.

A perfect lazy Sunday.

Day 357 - Christmas

2010-12-25T19:00:00.000-06:00

A wonderful day, starting with the view of the backyard:

The bonus of having older kids - they don't wake up before the crack of dawn. This was the first year the adults got up before the kids. Around 8:30am, Brian woke up and we sent him into Erica's room to wake her up [otherwise, he wouldn't be opening up gifts until the afternoon].

And later on in the afternoon, the kids played with some of the new toys:

After dinner and another round of Clue, this time with all five of us [I won this time!].

A Great Christmas!

356/365 - Christmas Traditions

2010-12-24T20:00:00.000-06:00

One of our favorite holiday traditions - making and decorating the gingerbread house.

The finished product:

Christmas Eve and the snow has started to fall:

The best thing about snow on Christmas Eve - we don't have to go anywhere and we can simply watch the snow fall peacefully.

The Lost iTouch

2010-12-23T22:06:00.000-06:00

About a month and a half ago, on a Tuesday afternoon, Brian admitted that he couldn't find his [2 month old] iTouch. Before getting frantic, I calmly stated - "Oh, don't worry, Brian, I'm sure it will turn up - we just need to look for it harder".

That evening, we searched every little nook and cranny in the family room. I moved couches, stuck my hand into the deep recesses of both couches (not a pleasant activity I'll tell you), and even searched the trash (worse than the couch, by far). Over the next days and weeks, we recounted the days leading up to that Tuesday - where the iTouch had been, who had played with it, etc.

I finally relinquished that it was lost, that maybe I had thrown it away with the papers on the desk. [Because, once upon a time, I accidentally threw away Erica's cell phone along with the Sunday paper - you know, those devices are SO small and light! A total accident! One I am still reminded of from time to time...]. I started to admit to co-workers and friends that buying an expensive electronic device to an 11 year old maybe wasn't such a great idea. I started to think about the impending cell phone purchase and how to mitigate the risks associated that.

[Truth be told, we have very responsible kids - we had never experienced any major issues with belongings and they treat their stuff well. I started to hear all sorts of stories from other parents and realized that we weren't alone!]

Fast forward to Tuesday. Brian's best friend, George, is over. Brian has been spending a lot of time at George's house because George has been grounded from electronics use, and things are "too tempting" over here. Today is the last day of his ban and the two of them are in the basement getting out the board games when Brian discovers his missing iTouch, sandwiched between the board games. Excitement ensues. We laud the discovery. We charge it up a little bit and the two boys start to play with it. I take pictures of the boys, filled with such joy.

Oops - George is still banned from electronics....

The irony of it all - the only reason why they found the iTouch was because of George's electronics ban. And now he'll be banned for another day. Sorry about that!

But Thank You! We'll make sure you get to play with the iTouch in a couple of days...

355/365 - Clue Game

2010-12-23T19:30:00.000-06:00

We had a full day of last minute Christmas preparations, cleaning and laundry. For me, the day started with a much needed run outside - the sun was shining and the road was clear of snow and ice. I have a feeling I won't see these conditions after today (lots of snow in the weather forecast).

I headed out to run errands, but stopped off at Starbucks first.

After my errands, the kids and I spent the rest of the day cleaning and preparing for Grandma Fay's arrival, just in time for dinner.

After dinner, we broke out this year's new CLUE game. Seriously, we have at least 8 versions of the game and there seems to be a newer version each year.

Erica won tonight's game.

354/365 - New Addiction - Angry Birds

2010-12-22T20:30:00.000-06:00

Oh why did I purchase this App? I had heard bits and pieces about this game and hey, it is the number one App on iTunes. And it's only 99 cents. But it's addictive, too.

The object of the game is simple - launch the birds out of the slingshot and kill the pigs. Sounds easy, right? Heck, the pigs are even stationary! The key is to get the right trajectory, which can tricky.

The game reminds me of my C+ programming class back in college, where we built a golf game using trajectories (factoring in force applied to the ball and wind speed / direction). Of course, our game graphics didn't really exist (well, I think they consisted of keyboard dashes, dots and slashes - really high tech - NOT!).

The game is a hoot and the best 99 cents you can buy. Now, if only I could get past Level 1-21.

353/365 - Was Lost, Now Found

2010-12-21T21:15:00.001-06:00

The long story short - Brian's lost iTouch has been found. I had resigned myself to its demise, afterall it went missing almost two months ago.

The whole story deserves a separate blog post - and I'll have time to pull it together over the next couple days, so stay tuned.

352/365 - Sweet Treat Surprise

2010-12-20T22:00:00.000-06:00

We are blessed to have such great neighbors who are friends. Tonight, Kellie and cute little Maddie delivered some goodies - Puppy Chow and Peppermint Bark. Totally yummy.

No pictures of the Puppy Chow, and I didn't get much of it - the kids devoured it!

351/365 - Sleepy Sunday

2010-12-19T20:00:00.000-06:00

Can you tell winter break has started for our kids? That's Brian sleeping in the kitchen on the makeshift couch. He's joined by the two cats.

I think the cats will be completely spoiled by the time the kids have to go back.

350/365 - Magic Time

2010-12-18T22:00:00.000-06:00

Tonight's event - the annual work holiday party, complete with Magician.

He even visited the tables before dinner and ran through some cool tricks:

Changing two silver coins into five:

Then working with doves during the official show:

And picking on the HR Manager:

A fun and entertaining night.

349/365 - The Snow Fort

2010-12-17T17:30:00.000-06:00

Snow mound, courtesy of our neighbor, Bob, who plows all the driveways in the cul-de-sac and mounds it up by our driveway. He knows the kids will create a fort.

348/365 - Snow Covered

2010-12-16T19:30:00.000-06:00

We received another 3" of snow last night. School wasn't canceled, but that's really for the best - all the end of semester activities, not to mention final tests.

Brian took advantage of the new snow to play. He refuses to wear his normal winter jacket, instead wearing a sweatshirt. He decided to roll around in the snow tonight.

347/365 - Choir Rehearsal

2010-12-15T21:30:00.000-06:00

Even though I'm not feeling great, I will be attending choir rehearsal tonight, from 6-8pm. The singing does improve my mood. Must bring out the endorphins. Heaven knows, I could use some endorphins to break this cold.

346/365 - Heading South

2010-12-14T19:30:00.000-06:00

I think the geese have the right idea - heading south. I saw several flocks flying overhead today. With the lack of wind and bright sun, it must be a good day to travel!

345/365 - Cake Prep

2010-12-13T19:00:00.000-06:00

I'm making rum cake tonight to bring to a function tomorrow night.

I've come down with a terrible head cold and can hardly breathe. Will be taking things a little easier (as much as I can!) over then next couple of days.

No Internet! Catching up Days 342-344

2010-12-13T15:30:00.006-06:00

Our internet service went down Saturday morning and wasn't fixed until today. Talk about withdrawal!

I knew something was afoot when I saw the AT&T service truck in our cul-de-sac early Saturday morning. Then Scott couldn't get on the internet. I picked up the phone to call - and no dial tone - the phone was dead. Since the DSL signal comes across the phone lines, I knew we were sunk.

The feedback this morning from the AT&T repair guy - "There was another guy out here on Saturday, and while doing his work, he pinched off your terminal". Gee, Thanks. Oh well, at least I still had my iPhone and could receive email via that data link.

So it's catch up time!

Friday, December 10, Day 342/365 - Look what arrived in the mail tonight, from mpix.com – our 2010 Christmas Card.
And I know the picture on the front looks familiar to everyone.

As usual, the quality of the 5x7 card from Mpix is excellent – this is our 4th year using them. I create the entire card in PSE – the front, back and even the center portion. Now to get them out in the mail before Christmas!

Saturday, December 11, Day 343/365 - – Violin Recital
I admit – I hate performing as a soloist. Even accompanied, there’s so much pressure to play all the notes perfectly. But really, the pressure is self imposed and simply a pride thing. I don’t want to sound bad because it might reflect poorly on me.
So I try to let it go, and do the best I can. It won’t be perfect, but it will be fine.

I managed to get through my performance of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto without too many issues. I am glad my teacher, Ms Kim, pushed me to learn this piece. It certainly challenged me.

Sunday, December 12, Day 344/365 - Inclement Weather
We ventured out for church this morning and that was it. Erica’s horse riding job canceled all classes, so we all stayed home after church. Because outside it’s snowing and the winds are blowing to near white out conditions and the temperatures are dropping to the teens and into single digits again.

That doesn’t deter the kids from going outside to play, and Erica took Sammy out with her.

Then went down the slide together.

While the kids played outside, I made my signature Christmas cookies.

I plan to post the recipe and entire cookie making process this week. By stating that now, it has a 50% chance of actually getting accomplished.

To cap off our snowed in day, we received word late Sunday night that school had been canceled for today. That news set the kids off, high-fiving and jumping for joy. I have to be at work by 7am so no snow day for me. How I wish....

341/365 - Presents Under the Tree

2010-12-09T20:30:00.019-06:00

Well, the presents have started to appear under the tree and with that, the guessing games have started.

Brian thinks he has it all figured out:
"This one is a Wii Game - it MUST be Mario Brothers Galaxy Two - it is the most popular game this season."

I give him a blank stare. Scott bought it. I have NO IDEA what it is. It could be a DVD for all I know. Plus, I have NO IDEA about what's popular or not. I tell him as such.

He's not buying it - "Come on Mom, you are so faking it! You know that I guessed it!"

Moving on to the next box, he then declares:
"This is a T-shirt or a sweat shirt. It feels like clothes."

[He's probably right on that one...]

Moving on to the newest box under the tree (from me to Scott):
"Mom, how boring! You got Dad a BOOK! It's big, so it must be a boring book."
[Sure, if you want to think so - but you are so wrong - and it isn't a boring gift].

Lastly, he shakes the box that was delivered yesterday, whose delivery box had Lego catalog sticking out from one of the gaps in the plain brown box [you would think companies would do a better job of packing these things].

"This is my Lego Ship! I just know it!"

Um, hon, did I ever tell you about the Christmas when Auntie Michele searched and found all of her Christmas gifts? She was a little disappointed that year because there were no surprises come Christmas morning....

"Yeah, yeah, yeah - you tell us that story every year! I don't care if I'm not surprised. I can't wait for Christmas!"

And so he goes, rearranging the gifts under the tree. Over and over. Glad it keeps him occupied...

note - this is my 1000th post on this blog! I started this blog in December 2005, but only became really consistent with posting last year with my Project 365. Thanks for visiting!

340/365 - Friends

2010-12-08T17:00:00.000-06:00

I love that George will let me take his picture, even with heart bokeh.
He takes direction well, too - I told him to stand by the window and look out it.

Brian definitely has a good friend in George.

339/365 - Sweetheart and the Tough Guy

2010-12-07T21:36:00.000-06:00

This is a neat trick I finally pulled off with the new (to me) 50mm lens - heart shaped bokeh. I'll post something on my photography blog tomorrow (Wednesday) on my set up, but you can go to this post from DIY if you don't want to wait.

First, my sweetheart, Erica. The hearts in the background make her look even sweeter.

And a dichotomy of sorts - Is this "tough love"?

I had a fun time with these and hope to create some additional shapes over the next few weeks, while the Christmas lights are still up.

338/365 - How is This Possible?

2010-12-06T21:00:00.000-06:00

How is it possible that my daughter will be going to High School next year? That sweet, little thing that cried and cried the first night we had her home? It just seems like yesterday she was starting kindergarten.....

(now, if I were a good blogger, I would have pictures from kindergarten for you to see - I'll have to get a picture or two to scan in)

Well, future freshman night was pretty straight forward - our next step will be meeting with her future counselor to determine what classes she will take. And based on her grades, it will be a pretty easy discussion [all honors classes].

337/365 - Meet Frosty

2010-12-05T21:15:00.000-06:00

Erica has declared this year's snowman to be the biggest, best-est snowman ever.
She probably right - he's tall, handsome and bound to stick around for a while.

He's going to stick around, because our high temperatures won't get above 25degF over the next week. And the lows will be in the single digits!

I think Frosty is OK with that!

336/365 - Snow!

2010-12-04T21:00:00.000-06:00

So much for the forecast of 1-2". We received over 6" (some reports measured 8", but that seems high), and it was the soft fluffy snow that sticks to everything. Add in temperatures just at freezing and you have nice, packable snow.

Really pretty, too...

Brian played out in the snow all day long.

And with the Thomas boys, the kids built two snowmen.

A perfect way to spend a Saturday in December!

Day 335 - Blue Skies and Snow

2010-12-03T23:30:00.000-06:00

We saw the sun for the first time in like, five days. A welcome break from the gray skies.

I took a different route into work this morning, having to stop off at the auto shop with Scott to pick up the convertible. With the blue skies, I enjoyed the different scenery driving in.

But the clear skies were short lived, as a storm system rolled in and the snow started to fall. After dinner, we drove to the hospital to visit a friend who is recovering from recent back surgery (she's doing well) - one of the trees in the elevator lobby caught my eye, so I did what any normal person does - I took a picture of it.

The snow was falling at a good pace after we left and I think we'll receive more than the forecast 1-2":

334/365 - Christmas Blend Coffee

2010-12-02T19:00:00.000-06:00

I got to break out the Starbucks Christmas Blend coffee this morning! This year, they have a Christmas Blend Espresso Roast, too. Totally delicious!

I'm going to try it out with a new flavored syrup - Monin Gingerbread. I expect I won't be disappointed.

333/365 - In With the New

2010-12-01T21:00:00.000-06:00

After almost six years, we finally upgraded the home computer. Use of the ~~old~~ ancient computer elicited numerous complaints. I wanted to wait longer, but then again, I don't normally use the ~~old~~ ancient computer. We were starting to have issues with Erica's on-line homework, too.

I spec'd out the replacement tower over Thanksgiving and it arrived today. One of the accessories I added on was a "data transfer cable", that you hook up to both computers. With the supplied software, all of your data from the old computer is transferred to the new one. Wow, this made the over all process fairly painless - all of the digital music and pictures are in their proper spots on the new computer. Totally worth the extra $25.

Still, there's lots of stuff to re-install and clean up. The kids are happy that they can surf the internet quickly, with out the application locking up. I'm happy because we've got a terabyte hard drive. I'm hoping it won't fill up too quickly!

332/365 - Birds on the Wire

2010-11-30T10:00:00.001-06:00

I have been meaning to get a picture of birds on the electrical wires ever since I saw a ton of them coming out of the Red Lobster back in September or October. I got my chance while stopped on a country road today, on my way to violin lessons.

331/365 - Walgreens

2010-11-29T20:00:00.001-06:00

I don't know what it is with the kids and Walgreens - they love the Walgreens! And chance they get, they want to go to the Walgreens. Probably because they can get lots of goodies there - you know - gum and candy.

Scott and I ventured out on this rainy night to take the car to the shop to have some repairs done. Brian came along for the ride, just because he knew we would pass by the Walgreens. And we stopped and he bought some gum.

Ah, gotta love the Walgreens......

330/365 - Published - A Hike Along the Cinque Terre

2010-11-28T19:42:00.000-06:00

The local newspaper prints submissions from readers for their Travel pages. The article I wrote on the Cinque Terre was published this morning, along with several photos from that portion of the trip.

Since I never blogged about our Cinque Terre hike between all five villages, I am including it here. With more pictures as a bonus.

Along the Ligurian coast of Italy, the Cinque Terre offers travelers a respite from the museums and historical attractions of the main cities in Italy. The Cinque Terre consists of five villages, all built into the rugged coastline. The area surrounding the villages is part of the Cinque Terre National Park. To reach the Cinque Terre, you have two main avenues – by car or by train. The train from La Spezia services all five villages and if you have a car, you can park at the La Spezia station. If you plan to drive, be prepared for steep and narrow roads as well as hairpin turns that seem to take you over a cliff. Once you reach your destination, you’ll have to park the car, as most roads are limited to pedestrian traffic.

The main attractions in the Cinque Terre include beaches, breathtaking coastal scenery, and the network of hiking trails along the coast and up through vineyards and olive groves. During our visit, we chose to hike the Blue Path, or “Sentiero Azzurro”, which allowed us to experience each of the five villages. To gain access the hiking trails you must purchase a Cinque Terre Card, available at each of the train stations in the villages. A basic day pass costs 5 Euro, and multi-day passes are available. The entire Blue Path can be traversed in one day, or in portions spread over two or more days if you prefer a more leisurely pace.

Perhaps the most famous portion of the Blue Path is called the Via Dell’Amore (Lover’s Walk) and takes you between the southernmost village, Riomaggiore, to its sister village of Manarola. Along the paved walk, locks and graffiti adorn the fence line, even the rocks. Couples write their initials on the locks, along with a date (maybe an anniversary, maybe the current date), in order to represent "locking" their love forever. This trail only takes half an hour to complete, and at the height of tourist season is extremely crowded.

Riomaggiore Marina

Locks of Love Along the Via Dell'Amore

From Manarola, it’s a leisurely 90 minute walk along the path (portions are paved), winding you along the coastline towards Corniglia, smallest and quietest of the Five Lands. But before you think you have arrived, you must climb the Lardarina, or series of stairs, comprised of 382 steps. Alternatively you can take the bus instead of the stairs.

The Walkway to Corniglia

The Rugged Coastline

After Corniglia, the hiking trail becomes much more challenging. The trail to Vernazza takes you away from the coast and up through olive groves and vineyards. The path is un-paved, uneven and rocky and takes you up and well above the villages. Be sure to look back at Corniglia because the view back is as stunning as the view going forward. After two hours you will be rewarded as Vernazza reveals itself from behind the trees.

Looking Back at Corniglia

Vernazza Appears

Vernazza's Marina

Overlooking Vernazza. We're Pretty Tired at This Point, but Push On towards Monterosso

The final leg between Vernazza and Monterosso will take another two hours, up and down through the lush forest and then through more vineyards. The trail includes steep stone stairs and narrow paths, but is less rocky than the previous leg. Once you reach Monterosso, you can dip your tired feet in the turquoise waters of its large, sandy beach front.

Scott and Dave Pose Among the Grapes

Our Last Look at the Hiking Path once in Monterosso. Can You Tell the Sun is Setting? I think we arrived back around 7pm. The hike took us over 8 hours!

In between each leg of the Blue Path, we took time to rest and explore each village. The villages of Riomaggiore and Manarola are a delight to wander through, with narrow, winding alleys, colorful Italian buildings and boat filled marinas. In quiet Corniglia, we enjoyed lunch at an outdoor café in the small piazza. Vernazza’s main plaza opens up to a small beach and harbor. Two towers flank the town – the clock tower of the Church of Santa Margherita d'Antiochia and the Doria Castle. Of the five villages, the northern most Monterosso Al Mare feels more resort-like and touristy. Monterosso boasts a large sandy beach and numerous modern hotels - perhaps not as quaint as the other villages, but with plenty to see and do.

The Beach in Monterosso

Rooms rates during the summer range from $100 for basic accommodations to upwards of $250 for a three star hotel. Off season rates will be lower, and the area less crowded with tourists.

With so much natural beauty, the Cinque Terre is a beautiful diversion to enjoy. Even if hiking isn’t your thing, you can still relax on the beach, eat delicious seafood, pasta and gelato – all with a beautiful view of the sea.

329/365 - Ornaments on the Tree

2010-11-27T20:50:00.000-06:00

Just a few of the ornaments on the tree.

And "my" ornament, transformed into a "fake Polaroid":

The Day After Thanksgiving

2010-11-26T21:39:00.000-06:00

Tradition - to pick out our tree the day after Thanksgiving. We started this tradition eight years ago, being new to the area, just having moved into the house. So this will be the ninth time getting our tree. We go to the same tree nursery, and on the ride back home, we stress about that tree tied to the roof of the truck, fearful that it will come off. Because it nearly did eight years ago and we haven't forgotten about it - seeing the tree out the side view mirror of the truck, something one should never see.

I think the tree place changed their policies around securing the tree to the roof of vehicles, because in the past, they had always helped with the rope and the weaving of that rope through the tree trunk and branches. Not this year - they give you some twine and you are on your own. They must have had other customers experience what happened to us, eight years ago - and maybe even lost the tree to the pavement. I shudder to think about that!

But enough about tying the tree to the car - here we are with this year's tree:

And the start of the decorating:

We were so lucky to have a beautiful, sunny day today, after yesterday's rain, sleet and sprinkling of snow. But a bit on the cold side, so we only got the indoor decorations up. And unpacked some of our favorite holiday friends:

We finished up the day with a trip to the movies to catch the latest Harry Potter movie. A great post-Thanksgiving day.

327/365 - Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T18:00:00.000-06:00

From our house to yours.

We didn't include Rascal in the picture - too much work.

And some of pictures leading up to the whole family:

On this cold, rainy Thanksgiving, we are so thankful for our friends, family, our warm home and so much more.

326/365 - The First Ice Storm of the Season

2010-11-24T21:45:00.000-06:00

Yup, this morning, completely out of the blue.

Because it was 75 degF on Monday, I think we were caught off guard.

After all, I ran outside in shorts on Monday. Today, I'm bundled up in my winter coat with a hood and I was still cold.

Fortunately, the temperatures have warmed up since this morning and the sheeting of ice that covered the cars at work. But it's still cold and rainy out there, so please slow down on the roads when traveling tonight!

325/365 - Pickles and Glee

2010-11-24T21:37:00.001-06:00

We love the comic strip, Pickles (does that mean we are getting old and can relate?) and I love the show, Glee, so imagine my delight when the two are paired up today.

Ah, so much fun. I wish life could be as fun as Glee sometimes, breaking out into full song, with a full orchestra accompaniment.

324/365 - Love and Peace

2010-11-22T20:04:00.000-06:00

The first of the Holiday decorations to be displayed at our house.

I generally don't want any Christmas decorations up before Thanksgiving, but Scott saw Snoopy and Charlie Brown at the Walgreens and couldn't resist. [But somehow he resists buying a Sham-Wow - go figure]

But that's it until Friday.....

323/365 - These Boots Are Meant for Sloshing

2010-11-21T21:30:00.000-06:00

We assembled at a local restaurant - an informal gathering to celebrate Jill's birthday. Jill didn't want any gifts, but Heather couldn't resist these funky rain boots.

Too bad we didn't have them two weeks ago. Oh, except it rarely rains in Vegas. I guess that's why they are sold here instead.

322/365 - Mile 3

2010-11-20T19:55:00.000-06:00

This morning's fog didn't burn off until almost noon and made for a very peaceful morning run.

I drove back to this spot, along the golf course. Much of the fog had burned off by then, but not along the water here.

321/365 - Carnage in the Village

2010-11-19T19:30:00.001-06:00

Jill's kids have a great sense of adventure and humor. Example - Jill set up an Indian Village scene off her kitchen to commemorate Thanksgiving. While we were in Vegas, it appears the boys rearranged thing in the village - the animals revolted and attacked the villagers. From the raccoon to the bear - all the animals can now be found on top of a person in the village. Even the turtle was found on top of a papoose.

320/365 - Reading Night

2010-11-18T21:00:00.001-06:00

It was reading night at Brian's school tonight. Several classrooms were set up with readers - teachers and athletes from the university. There was a classroom set up with fifth graders - Brian and other fifth graders signed up in shifts to read "The Ugly Duckling".

319/365 - Pad Thai Ingredients

2010-11-17T20:30:00.000-06:00

Here are some of the ingredients for tonight's dinner - Pad Thai.

Mainly purchased at the Asian market, but I have found the Sweet chili sauce at our big grocery store. The Pad Thai Sauce is a must and is so cheap at the Asian market. And then you can pick up the rice noodle there, too.

I ended up adding a "tiny amount" of Red Curry paste. I didn't think it rendered the sauce too spicy, but my daughter, with her sensitive palate nearly revolted. I guess next time, I'll leave it out.

But tonight, no bean sprouts - the ones at the market were nasty - there was one bag left and they looked slimy. I like the crunch they add.

I'll be back to post the recipe. Gotta run for now!

318/365 - New Exercise Class

2010-11-16T21:15:00.001-06:00

When Brian re-started TaeKwonDo classes last week, I was intrigued by another class going on on the opposite end of the TKD facility. Two of my friends, Chris and Amber, were in the class, beating up on these heavy bags. It looked like fun.

It turns out it was a Cage Fitness class and is available for people outside the TaeKwonDo program. Chris invited me to try out a class on Thursday and I signed up for a 8-week session tonight.

And after my normal morning workout of kick boxing DVD and 3+ mile run, my legs are in serious pain now. But in a good way. The bonus - I take the class while Brian is in his TKD class and I have plenty of time for extra stretching afterward (something I always seem to skip in the rush of the morning).

My intent is to take the class at least twice a week, and maybe three times.

317/365 - School Pictures

2010-11-15T21:00:00.000-06:00

This year’s school pictures – I am amazed how grown up they are getting. The funny fact about Brian’s picture – he is wearing the same shirt he wore last year. The difference this year – no braces! This year, Erica put a lot of thought into what she wore and how she did her hair (straightened that morning). A sign of the times…..

316/365 - Sunday

2010-11-14T20:40:00.001-06:00

Taken on the way to the Stables this cool but sunny Sunday.

314/365 - Couch In the Kitchen

2010-11-12T20:30:00.001-06:00

Scott and the kids have taken to setting up a “couch” in the kitchen, in order to enjoy the TV there. Line up all the chairs and wrap yourself with blankets. It’s like watching TV in bed.

313/365 - Veteran's Day Sunset

2010-11-11T21:30:00.000-06:00

On this Veteran’s Day, I thank all the service men and women who keep our country free.

312/365 - Some Monster For Ya

2010-11-10T21:30:00.001-06:00

The kids have been clamoring about these “energy drinks”. I read where the younger generation prefers these beverages over coffee. So Scott bought some Monster and some Red Bull. I tried the Red Bull – it was OK.
I once tried some diet Monster and have to say, it was disgusting, so I didn't try this new Monster....

The kids were allowed to have some over the weekend - I don't think they were super-wowed about the drinks but you know how it is with these kids - if it's something new, they'll want more.

311/365 - Back to TKD

2010-11-09T20:30:00.001-06:00

After a three month break, Brian is back at Tae Kwon Do. Three months away isn’t a lot of time, but the TKD academy has made many changes – the most notable being that they moved locations. They moved only two blocks from their original space, but the new facility couldn’t be more different. A ton of floor space, separate waiting area and cool punching bags that are suspended from the ceiling. Winches bring the punching bags down when in use and back up out of the way when done. It’s like starting new at a new academy. I think Brian is glad to be back kicking and punching.

310/365 - Back To Reality

2010-11-08T20:03:00.000-06:00

It’s back home and back to reality, but the weather couldn’t be nicer – highs in the 60s today and into the 70s the rest of the week. Some trees are still holding onto their leaves – I took this picture in the park across from Erica’s school – I picked her up after she stayed afters chool to perform some community service.

Last Glimpse of the Weekend

2010-11-07T21:46:00.000-06:00

A last view from our hotel room at the Aria:

I'm Leaving Las Vegas
Lights so bright
Palm sweat, blackjack
On a Saturday night
Leaving Las Vegas
-Sheryl Crow

Time to get back to our normal lives.....

309/365 - The Group Photo

2010-11-07T12:30:00.000-06:00

You can't go to Vegas with a group of people and not take a group photo.

I had the group pose outside the hotel, in front of the water wall.

And as Scott can attest, I can't just take one picture - there has to be multiple ones. That applies even if I'm not taking the picture. I asked an unsuspecting Asian man to take our picture. After he agreed, he didn't know what hit him - I looped the camera strap over his head and instructed him on how to take the shot.

"You see the rectangle in the viewfinder? I need you to place the rectangle on the man in the orange shirt.... Yup, just push that button..."

After the shutter was actuated, I said "Wait!" (Scott predicted this and muttered to our friends "look, she's going to make him take the picture again").

I had the nice man take the picture again. This was the result:

And the 2nd shot was much better than the first.

Day 308 - Spa and Love

2010-11-06T23:15:00.000-05:00

After a full Friday, much of Saturday was spent relaxing. All the ladies indulged at the Aria Spa in the morning - I had an hour long massage, then soaked in the hot tub, then the steam room before jumping in the cold jacuzzi.

I had never experienced a cold jacuzzi - it's like an jetted ice bath! The ice cold right after a hot steam really gives you a jolt. I think my pores have never been so confused!

In the afternoon I walked South of the Aria, taking in the daytime sights:

The M&M Store

Part of NYC

Our home for the weekend - City Center and Aria

We enjoyed dinner at Sensi in the Bellagio, and took advantage of the lovely Bellagio decor, taking pictures:

I had the sea bass - prepared with Tuscan beans:

After dinner, we walked over to the Mirage and took in the Cirque Du Soleil show, Love, which features songs by the Beatles.

Lisa and Jeff managed to snap their picture in front of the Love sign, but Amy and Dan are just about to get busted by security in this picture.

The show, as expected was fabulous. I wish I could take pictures during the performance, but I understand why that isn't allowed. I was just happy they let me bring my camera into the theatre.

And some more Vegas neon from our evening:

I'm a sucker for the older establishments. A Total Classic.

Harrah's next to the Flamingo

The Rest of Day 307 - Vegas At Night

2010-11-05T23:00:00.000-05:00

First, dinner in Paris!

Well, not the real Paris, but a pretty good replica....

We enjoyed a birthday celebration dinner at Mon Ami Gabi where Scott ordered Country Style Pate (I haven't been able to find pate back at home) and Seared Sea Scallops. I ordered a daily special - rare tuna (totally yummy!).

As the guest of honor, Jill was presented with a cute birthday profiterole:

After dinner, we roamed the strip, checking out the Venetian:

Lisa and Jeff

We ended up at the Wynn and enjoyed the warm outdoor lounge overlooking the Wynn's Lake of Dreams. We even caught the end of the frog that pops up on top of the wall of water. Sorry, no picture, I thought it was a little weird.

Instead, here's picture of the parasols at the Parasol Up Lounge, just inside:

After the Wynn, we caught the Treasure Island "Sirens of TI" performance that combines pyrotechnics, bad acting and dancing. Oh, there's a cool pirate ship that sinks. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure our entire group thought it was tacky.

Scott and I decided to walk the rest of the way back to the Aria, and we stopped in at the Bellagio and caught the fountain show:

It was well past midnight when we got back to the Aria. We couldn't find the rest of our party on the casino floor, so we called it a night.

Hoover Dam and Lake Mead Tour

2010-11-05T22:00:00.000-05:00

Scott and I ventured away from the neon strip and took a tour out to the Hoover Dam. We ended up with a personal tour guide, Dean, from Dean's Outdoor Adventures. If you ever want a great tour experience, I highly recommend Dean - his company specializes in adventure-oriented excursions like white water rafting and as a result, the tour groups are smaller (10 people or less). This allows for a very personalized tour experience.

Our trip to the Hoover Dam included a visit to Lake Mead, Boulder City, the new O'Callaghan-Tillman bridge and the Hoover Dam power plant.

The Hoover Dam, taken from the O'Callaghan-Tillman Bridge:

The O'Callaghan-Tillman bridge:

Lake Mead:

It is amazing to see how low the water level is in the lake and the waterways feeding the dam. You can see the distinct change in color from dark to light - that represents the highest level of the lake in 1983.

And our tour guide, Dean, who was so knowledgeable and accommodating.

Next time we go out to Vegas, we're going to hire Dean to take us to the Valley of Fire.

306/365 - Arriving in Vegas

2010-11-04T23:00:00.000-05:00

We left the cold and windy mid-west this evening for a weekend in warm, sunny Las Vegas - a total of five couples, celebrating our friend's upcoming 40th birthday!

Scott and I have never been to Vegas and what better way to enjoy it than with some good friends - Buck and Jill, Amy and Dan, Lisa and Jeff, and Jen and Bill.

With the exception of Jen and Bill (Jill's sister and brother in law from Minnesota), we all took the same flight out and were able to travel via limo from the airport to the Aria Hotel in City Center.

Dan, Jill and Buck
A Stretch Limo - big enough for all eight of us. And Buck is already counting out the cash (really, he's just collecting money to pay for the limo ride)

Jill's the one turning 40 later on this month. Sorry about the blurry photo - it's hard to take a clean one without a flash.

Even though it is 11pm (that's 1am Central time - WAY past our bedtimes!), we went out for a late night snack at the Todd English pub, where we met up with Jen and Bill.

Bill

Amy and Jill

Scott ordered Ninja Snacks, a decadent crispy won ton fill with Nutella and sliced banana. Totally yummy.

I'd like to say that after our snack, we all felt energized enough to hit the Strip and paint the town red, maybe even pull an all-nighter, but we're over 40 and therefor need our sleep in order to function properly. So we all hit the sack.

305/365 - Harbinger

2010-11-03T22:00:00.000-05:00

Gonna sell my car and go to Vegas
'Cause somebody told me
That's where dreams would be
Gonna sell my car and go to Vegas
Finally see my name upon the Palace marquis

Gonna quit my job and move to New York
'Cause somebody told me that's where
Dreamers should go
Gonna quit my job and move to New York
And tattoo my body with every Broadway show.

Listen up now honey, you're gonna be sorry
Can't get out from under a sky that is falling
And you say
No fame no money I'm nobody
The way I'm running has sure got me down
On my knees.
But next stop, Vegas please.
Gotta get to Vegas
Can you take me to Vegas?

Vegas by Sara Bareilles

Here's the Video of the song, from her Live at the Fillmore DVD/album:

304/365 - Save this Recipe!

2010-11-02T20:45:00.000-05:00

Tuesdays are always busy at the house. I have violin lessons right after work. Erica has soccer practice. Brian has TaeKwonDo. Scott has church meetings every other week. But tonight, we have no practices, no meetings, just hanging out at home.

Because I've got the time (and nothing else ready to make for dinner), I opted for "Breakfast for Dinner" tonight. Breakfast for Dinner always sounds so easy - fry up some bacon, some sausage, sausage gravy, biscuits, potatoes, eggs, etc. So, why am I always exhausted afterward? Oh, well, we only do it once every 6 months or so and the food is always simple and good.

But today, we added a new recipe to our breakfast repertoire - crepes! Erica orders these at the local restaurant that "serves breakfast all day long" and has been asking for them. So she looked up a recipe on the Internet and set forth mixing up the batter. I managed to make 6 decent looking crepes. And they were delicious!

Erica and Brian prefer theirs plain with powdered sugar. I filled mine with ricotta cheese and jam. Oh, yummy! Sorry, no pictures of the crepes themselves, I was busy concentrating on making the crepes without mangling them.

But here is the recipe that Erica copied from the Internet and stuck on the fridge. I predict we will make more soon.

Oh, you want the actual recipe, right?
3 eggs
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
dash salt

Mix all the ingredients together. The batter will be thin - we used a whisk to make sure it was lump free.
Pour 1/4C or so out a thin layer on a greased griddle, a 6-9" inch circle (or oval, or general shape). I used a non-stick square griddle, but I greased it with some oil.
Once the top of the batter is dry, flip it over and cook on the other side until golden. Add filling as desired, fold and serve.

I can see I'll have to follow up with some pictures of the actual cooking. Because it really is easy to make these delicate, melt in your mouth morsels, and one shouldn't shy away from making them because it seems difficult!

303/365 - Penzeys Spices

2010-11-01T20:41:00.000-05:00

My most recent Penzeys Spice order arrived today. None too soon, as I am out of Taco seasoning and Cinnamon (and that cinnamon is essential in my morning coffee).

Penzeys also sells their spices in glass jars, but since I already own the glass jars, I tend to order the bulk bags - they are a better deal with less waste - I simply refill my existing glass jars.

I have been using Penzeys Spices for at least 10 years, and I won't buy the stuff in the grocery store anymore. My favorite spices / blends include:
Northwoods Seasoning - perfect for grilling chicken
Taco Seasoning - less salty than the brands you find in the supermarket
Greek Seasoning - garlic, oregano, lemon and pepper - used on chicken, veggies, also can use to make Greek salad dressing
Vietnamese Cinnamon - the strongest, sweetest you can buy.
Double Strength Vanilla - need I say more?
Garlic - when I'm too lazy to mince fresh, and great in Chinese sauces

OK, I could list more, but that would prove that I own a small fortune in spices.

But life is too short to be without a little spice right?