tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27544601146292058562024-02-20T23:46:13.910-05:00Welcome to the Nut House...Keeping up with all the craziness in life, and a few of my favorite things along the way...Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-25759603966831293512010-09-06T19:02:00.006-04:002010-09-06T19:15:13.801-04:00As of LateNot much note-worthy going on here lately, as usual. I can't believe August is already over - it flew by, and the poor blog has certainly suffered from my lack of attention and time to devote to it. Such is life, I guess... only a few note-worthy events worth writing about... at least, note-worthy in comparison to the daily routine.<br />
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The (very old) elevator at work has been acting up for a while now - being jumpy, opening the doors with a little gap left to the floor, things like that. They actually had to shut it down a few weeks ago to work on it. Lately it started acting up again though, and it got more serious. We got a few reports of people getting stuck on it, so we'd all wait a day or two, then gradually start back into the old routine of taking it. One morning a few weeks ago, I was the first one on, and the doors started shutting. I hit the button to hold them open for others, but it didn't work - one guy tried to stick his hand in front of the door too, but that didn't work either. I was quickly shut in by myself, and I just figured the door buttons weren't working. But sure enough, the elevator just sat there with no response to my floor request, door open request, nothing. I'm sure it felt like longer than it was, but it had to have been at least 15-20 seconds that I was standing there and evaluating my options - call my office, press the call button on the elevator, etc... Thankfully, as if it decided it had sat there long enough, it eventually started moving and made its way up to my floor. Six floors has never felt like it took so long... and I sure was glad to see those doors open when it got to #6. I told myself then and there that I'd take the stairs <i>on purpose</i> from now on. I also emailed the rest of my branch to let them know, since we'd already been getting a few alerts from people in weeks past who had encountered issues with it as well. I've since been taking the stairs up and down every day, and let me tell you, six floors is a lot to start out with. It has gotten easier over the course of a week or more doing it consistently, so here's hoping it continues to get easier.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfvaV4qJnaRP6YS-HRtLAxhkGUhjM9cdp2yuwSM3QGvCgk4rlfU0G7oQ54l_R3o0uLM51ee5hcmtmv2DM0lEknVkkAI1CDt-q1xuIqZM35Axez1GohYB5_eDvIM0FdE4tsaE2_a0n1mY/s1600/0827001446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfvaV4qJnaRP6YS-HRtLAxhkGUhjM9cdp2yuwSM3QGvCgk4rlfU0G7oQ54l_R3o0uLM51ee5hcmtmv2DM0lEknVkkAI1CDt-q1xuIqZM35Axez1GohYB5_eDvIM0FdE4tsaE2_a0n1mY/s400/0827001446.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Oh, and the elevator has had an "Out of Order" sign on it since then as well.<br />
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On the home front (well, near home), they've been putting up new housing developments around here like it's going out of style. There is one close by on my way home that has gone from woods to dirt to tractor playground to suburbia, all within less time than the past year alone, and I've been documenting the craziness as I pass by...<br />
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There is also a new development going in very close down the street, near a large intersection (don't ask how silly the driveway location is). New townhomes keep popping up in no time, and people are already moving in as well...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3c5xGLOCqkWi1ySDCU4RR7Y_GObkvRYyN0-Itl1BX4Pko9CkHwACOcg9lXmxJ5KMrzIbf4wpgsLUU4czzAm84k7cwJm2gRFZn9FO8rgQ5j1EycyTO0Gtp5IqJdSuuHaEjDHZrKwFvMfU/s1600/0702001718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3c5xGLOCqkWi1ySDCU4RR7Y_GObkvRYyN0-Itl1BX4Pko9CkHwACOcg9lXmxJ5KMrzIbf4wpgsLUU4czzAm84k7cwJm2gRFZn9FO8rgQ5j1EycyTO0Gtp5IqJdSuuHaEjDHZrKwFvMfU/s400/0702001718.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Along with this have been improvements to the road and intersection near the driveway... a la a new turn lane...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZl3oJiXAw0yTgGbI_JMn4c6_8wLZQwb_X0EvgtU89QNcaJ0scjqE6WwKnNZUFLQsEJsG0BPd-kqok8b9r5h7z2JoJ7tiYGmYwK8jPSUBEZTLZ0CB7EXX9jwB1DRpg94GUvUeEA3XQjxc/s1600/0715000720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZl3oJiXAw0yTgGbI_JMn4c6_8wLZQwb_X0EvgtU89QNcaJ0scjqE6WwKnNZUFLQsEJsG0BPd-kqok8b9r5h7z2JoJ7tiYGmYwK8jPSUBEZTLZ0CB7EXX9jwB1DRpg94GUvUeEA3XQjxc/s400/0715000720.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>...as well as resurfacing an entire section of the road right in front of our complex, which meant milling out the existing surface. I go that way to work every day, so for a week or two, I had to ride through the milled out section and its deep joints - aka BUMPS. Wanna know the joy of these bumps? The tractor trailer traffic that uses this road got to ride over them too. This translated into noises, even in the middle of the night, that actually sounded like thunder at times. J even said it sounded one night like someone was breaking in a door - which tells me it's a lot louder than most of the car door noise and thug music we tend to get used to hearing around here. Anyway, last week the road was finally resurfaced, and the joint was filled in. Not only was my daily ride smoother, but we finally weren't wondering if it was storming outside or trying to tune out all the truck traffic. Not exciting for most people, but believe me, we were glad to see that fixed.<br />
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Oh, one more fun part of this project? The new lane striping was started last week too, and J and I rode on it shortly after the crew had finished their initial work. The lane this picture is taken from is the only through lane from behind it - as in, all traffic is coming into this lane...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsYq5Tlr0Z_lizUvagd55nHiFik2MWzz6_qltaIjbQeEHiW1z_P4yWk3tOpX5wBTHH11k3F1nPqDZwd_KYM_UL9GJfmdTLM8hyphenhyphennbo8tN5aGqCVmR3t1ZiopWZ64PdV3kbA79oQIqC7yQ/s1600/0827000733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsYq5Tlr0Z_lizUvagd55nHiFik2MWzz6_qltaIjbQeEHiW1z_P4yWk3tOpX5wBTHH11k3F1nPqDZwd_KYM_UL9GJfmdTLM8hyphenhyphennbo8tN5aGqCVmR3t1ZiopWZ64PdV3kbA79oQIqC7yQ/s400/0827000733.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Anyone want to venture a guess as to what went wrong here, or what you're supposed to do? Haha, it still looks like this, so I guess we'll have to wait and see.<br />
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I also got my husband to watch The Devil Wears Prada, and he actually enjoyed it. J and I don't usually watch a lot of movies, but every now and then, we'll DVR one and finally get around to watching it together a month or two later. I'd recorded this one for me a while back (or us if he wanted to join, and he likes Anne Hathaway) and we finally made it around to watching it about a month ago. This channel had been messing up sporadically, and wouldn't you know that 2/3 of the way through the movie, our recording stopped. J was actually enjoying it too, so we both were pretty bummed. Fast forward to a few weeks ago, and I found it on TV again. We got to watch the entire thing from start to finish this time, and J liked it too. Fun stuff. Next up, I'll put in some James Bond time with him to even things out a bit.<br />
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J and I got to have a nice date night last weekend too. We don't spend a lot of time out and about, so it's always a fun change when we do. It actually turned out to be very relaxing and a nice time together. We went to Olive Garden, and the waiter really took "glass of wine" literally, almost overflowing J's glass. He even gave us the leftover half glass from the bottle.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERaUB0Mnm6sRTL8Ww7c3IXO4BzJT508OJTDsNabTqIDuUt24t5iwDiL1Bxz8sIiTHskjTdPZDj9HxOm9kJ4weGqaXYSWgYwEMJlbyk98vhn8ia7reQColLuJRbjjhj3BlbeZj5ePtiwE/s1600/0828001724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERaUB0Mnm6sRTL8Ww7c3IXO4BzJT508OJTDsNabTqIDuUt24t5iwDiL1Bxz8sIiTHskjTdPZDj9HxOm9kJ4weGqaXYSWgYwEMJlbyk98vhn8ia7reQColLuJRbjjhj3BlbeZj5ePtiwE/s400/0828001724.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And my Tour of Italy served me for more than two meals in total...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCmMOnLxVADjGUt-7oSkGg9dM80mLDPdq7HCcpwxO_Azd-ujbA5N98XhJ9yGIU_h3JhAdniFCWiAynmXdQxyrHcVUaNcNg6sYPxHO5SGKP2rNdhBXC6YMEieMxNInOV_OaiNKDrZnDrc/s1600/0828001731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCmMOnLxVADjGUt-7oSkGg9dM80mLDPdq7HCcpwxO_Azd-ujbA5N98XhJ9yGIU_h3JhAdniFCWiAynmXdQxyrHcVUaNcNg6sYPxHO5SGKP2rNdhBXC6YMEieMxNInOV_OaiNKDrZnDrc/s400/0828001731.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I've also joined <a href="http://www.flickr.com/">Flickr</a>, a photo-sharing website. I take so many photos, but I never seem to follow through with the sharing aspect of it, which kind of defeats the purpose, unless I want to be the only one ever seeing them. Facebook has photos, but the quality degradation is terrible due to compressing down such large files - Flickr is also public, and it also allows me to easily link more photos into this blog as well (vs. just a bunch of phone pics that I typically use now). So once I start making use of that, hopefully photo sharing will become a bit easier for me to follow through with.<br />
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We just finished up a Labor Day weekend at the beach and home, so more on that later (hopefully sooner than later, actually). Maybe a good way to start out on a good foot with some picture-sharing...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Oh, and before we left for the beach this weekend, I'd secured a huuuuuuge centipede (the normal-looking kind this time) via the tried-and-true cover-with-a-cup method for J, but we both forgot to get it before we left. Came back yesterday, and we finally remembered to get it today... and it wasn't there. Darn thing somehow got out... guess those hundred or so legs are stronger than I figured. So now I feel the need to go pull up everything in there until I find it... we'll see. But there is a WANTED bug somewhere in my house right now, and his visiting days are numbered...Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-69871771295873729502010-08-12T21:32:00.002-04:002010-08-30T12:18:07.823-04:00Why Hello ThereNot much interesting (or even uninteresting) has been happening around here lately. Mainly just work... nothing new about that...<br />
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I've had multiple night meetings at work, including two in a row this week. J has been really busy with work too. So we're both knee-deep in all that, and finally getting home in the afternoon/evening (or even night for me sometimes) is definitely the welcoming part of our day.<br />
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J and I met up for supper and family time this past Saturday with Mom, Dad, and my brother, Jacob. We all enjoyed some steakhouse and a bit of family hanging-out. It's always nice to see family.<br />
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We didn't get into all the tax-free shopping with the rest of the world, but we did take advantage of a mail coupon for a new pair of tennis shoes for yours truly - much needed, I might add. My feet are already thanking me after only a few days. <br />
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J and I ran our errands a little later than usual this weekend, so we enjoyed one of our go-to meals right now - Greek Fiesta...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6R_Soo6Ja9tqMOQtmGIWGnLytTMsgimj23ponXf9zwiTXYuykW_Lu4IkmYT80GnPMoVNxZKW3rB_8TQ8ArpTkqDymGgynOGa0ovYeSLWJwDlUH7aityKocZhM9Z-_R8DzVF1GfzEMDMI/s1600/0731001908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6R_Soo6Ja9tqMOQtmGIWGnLytTMsgimj23ponXf9zwiTXYuykW_Lu4IkmYT80GnPMoVNxZKW3rB_8TQ8ArpTkqDymGgynOGa0ovYeSLWJwDlUH7aityKocZhM9Z-_R8DzVF1GfzEMDMI/s400/0731001908.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
On our way to one of our errands, we also passed under one of those rare moments at the airport when you time the ride perfectly and end up directly under one of the planes coming in to land. For once, it wasn't me driving under it on my way to or from work - I was actually in the passenger seat for a change, so I snapped a pic with the phone... this never ceases to amaze me when you hear that huge plane going right over your head...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXIeu9WeG6b92_JPs4T9rHXmyJHk3lsRRS04IjQrUBqhyphenhyphenExZ6GMsqdKN-kY_KhFhyhIfnWkNbxT-SkLhu2wvjwQUVqg-o0zyeDQPIXaChQWb497S5ye4oZB25taPpXij2gmshaBsimM8/s1600/0808001408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXIeu9WeG6b92_JPs4T9rHXmyJHk3lsRRS04IjQrUBqhyphenhyphenExZ6GMsqdKN-kY_KhFhyhIfnWkNbxT-SkLhu2wvjwQUVqg-o0zyeDQPIXaChQWb497S5ye4oZB25taPpXij2gmshaBsimM8/s400/0808001408.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
And while we're in picture mode, here are a few lovely (well, it was lovely in person...) pictures I grabbed on my way back from night meetings at work. It seems like every time I'm coming back from one, I see the perfect photo opportunity for an awesome sunset... yet all I have is this camera phone, which unfortunately doesn't do so well at dusk or low light. But you can see the slight idea of the beautiful light...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObS7MKI-0V1Ex8vfxatYqIa0oW67oZrhV0k3XC1gVD8lN8nK1g7t7FNyDlIBm1Vuh9Y8dSWzZYDrprBtFRpoR47ygv-a_L-oHEXM3TxBypp5ZHeoOpCrat1v5DJEph1nhpkJsbCsFcXk/s1600/0809002018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObS7MKI-0V1Ex8vfxatYqIa0oW67oZrhV0k3XC1gVD8lN8nK1g7t7FNyDlIBm1Vuh9Y8dSWzZYDrprBtFRpoR47ygv-a_L-oHEXM3TxBypp5ZHeoOpCrat1v5DJEph1nhpkJsbCsFcXk/s400/0809002018.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Day 1 had beautiful orange, pink, and purple tones throughout the sky</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEtBpoL8Nc4bfFI9qUAjhO7-htsYODLS_H1-OMp_gMvdbfWmunsy0yIx067mp4iW-WSrXIctig4rq8EYp_KK5WNOSPe9C4miJNRWQfN2Zx37yqkFa1iQXtKlwF899LY31HNg3kGawbXYI/s1600/0809002021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEtBpoL8Nc4bfFI9qUAjhO7-htsYODLS_H1-OMp_gMvdbfWmunsy0yIx067mp4iW-WSrXIctig4rq8EYp_KK5WNOSPe9C4miJNRWQfN2Zx37yqkFa1iQXtKlwF899LY31HNg3kGawbXYI/s400/0809002021.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>with straight line breaks in the clouds and tones... gorgeous</i></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVjmJlka5LoZUG2ptp66dXRV64D5lFWNnCL6ZBPVzzHJcZn0_fqstuAiNdVtGwJf1BKTtWNpUpxX4lifk4HVpPzQoRf4f6_LqWwTVEc3mUt5lTUKjKwWs02d8lQ8yGf1G58BSb3ZgbKEc/s1600/0810001904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVjmJlka5LoZUG2ptp66dXRV64D5lFWNnCL6ZBPVzzHJcZn0_fqstuAiNdVtGwJf1BKTtWNpUpxX4lifk4HVpPzQoRf4f6_LqWwTVEc3mUt5lTUKjKwWs02d8lQ8yGf1G58BSb3ZgbKEc/s400/0810001904.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Day 2 ended a little earlier, so I got to catch some bright sun rays</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiON6MGBO0VhuZVrUEJ8h9_d9EybsVwjspdgFNK7-0QUGM_kYBiZilgI2aiyo-xauYgU7AFOHLwZ2cIPRVymHEMoULzdjm3zmvOFuT9K5FModwPAruN5X_BfkEp0o0p6eKBlNCXrT0Obgc/s1600/0810001906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiON6MGBO0VhuZVrUEJ8h9_d9EybsVwjspdgFNK7-0QUGM_kYBiZilgI2aiyo-xauYgU7AFOHLwZ2cIPRVymHEMoULzdjm3zmvOFuT9K5FModwPAruN5X_BfkEp0o0p6eKBlNCXrT0Obgc/s400/0810001906.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1Ftrkm8Ug582pnvWDBap0F5yqvkIkDZ-9nXiobxZkui40HSxgTmBOiOLhKAONYhlyS4QEsA2940r5vLejDAioE20NdiaYOIlNb_aJju61xE0Sn1XnZtq0B984NXSt9VfRmPA6MXNmHg/s1600/0810001944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1Ftrkm8Ug582pnvWDBap0F5yqvkIkDZ-9nXiobxZkui40HSxgTmBOiOLhKAONYhlyS4QEsA2940r5vLejDAioE20NdiaYOIlNb_aJju61xE0Sn1XnZtq0B984NXSt9VfRmPA6MXNmHg/s400/0810001944.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>followed by a big, beautiful, orange ball of fire as I got closer to home</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlEQ_t8e7dfwMb4CUVtcrl2du1f8fiN6QsPuO01k1LHfwyme69Bby50NNNwK8pdfk9dcdglTXQ5IeXPvR8EOTpE-Gi-2bwqOD_McIowTADwaorcziq71MjYd7YOQVtqf6QHLPpbgWj1c/s1600/0810001951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlEQ_t8e7dfwMb4CUVtcrl2du1f8fiN6QsPuO01k1LHfwyme69Bby50NNNwK8pdfk9dcdglTXQ5IeXPvR8EOTpE-Gi-2bwqOD_McIowTADwaorcziq71MjYd7YOQVtqf6QHLPpbgWj1c/s400/0810001951.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Setting sun over the airport pond...</i></div><br />
Well, thank goodness tomorrow is Friday. Looking forward to some rest and downtime! I sure do have enough (real, not phone) photos to last me through blog posts for months, but I can never seem to find the time to sit down and prepare them after work and everything else that needs doing. Maybe that should add to the forever-long to-do list...Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-75236564490498037252010-07-31T17:58:00.001-04:002010-07-31T18:03:21.387-04:00Recipe: Turkey QuesadillasWe've been looking for new recipes for lunches with low GI and low carbs, and J found a quesadilla recipe we started with. We tweaked a few things based on what we wanted in them, as well as ingredients we found in stores. We experimented this morning with them, made some changes to the recipe, and J and I both gave them our seal of approval when we had them for lunch - they were very tasty. They were also very handy - a great size to fit in the hand, and not too big or small. One makes a great snack, and two would be a great meal.<br />
<br />
The half cans below reference the fact that we're making a second batch early in the week to last us through the rest of the work week - we'll use another pound of meat and the rest of the can contents then. So you could use just one can of the same kind of beans. We also used a rectangle tortilla in halves, actually called <a href="http://www.josephsbakery.com/p-10222-Flax-Oat-Bran-and-Omega-3-Square-Lavash">Lavash bread</a>, that we found - flax, oats, and whole wheat - very healthy. We're essentially making little pockets that are closed all around, instead of making the typical round quesadilla that is sliced like a pizza. These are a lot easier for transport to work than having something that's sliced open on the sides.<br />
<br />
<strong>Turkey Quesadillas</strong><br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
Small tortillas of your choice<br />
1 lb ground turkey breast<br />
2 cloves garlic (we used garlic powder)<br />
2 tsp ground cumin<br />
1/4 tsp ground pepper<br />
1/2 small can enchilada sauce<br />
1/2 can dark red kidney beans<br />
1/2 can black beans<br />
Shredded cheddar cheese<br />
<br />
Directions:<br />
1. Preheat oven to 300.<br />
2. Combine turkey with spices, and cook in skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Try to break up into as small pieces as possible.<br />
3. Rinse beans in colander and add to pan. Add enchilada sauce, and mix all ingredients until coated with sauce.<br />
4. Add mixture by spoonful onto a tortilla until majority of area is covered, leaving edges free. Do not pile high, as the top tortilla will need to easily reach the bottom one.<br />
5. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.<br />
6. Using a basting brush, lightly coat the edges of the bottom tortilla with water. Add the top tortilla, and sqeeze the edges together so they stick and enclose the ingredients. Lightly coat the edges of the top tortilla with water.<br />
7. Bake for 15 minutes.<br />
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Servings will depend on how many you make and how much you put into each one. Out of the pound of meat and full can of total beans we had in there, we got 12 quesadillas total.<br />
<br />
The original recipe offered all kinds of suggestions for toppings - salsa, avacado, etc. I think sour cream would do nicely as well. But honestly, these things are really good on their own - the bread is very tasty too, much better than a regular flour tortilla in my opinion. And with the combination of the beans, cheese, and sauce, you don't even taste the turkey, which is usually the most bland part.<br />
<br />
One tip I have is to only use the water right before you're going to seal them up and put them in the oven. I had to do multiple rounds of them since only 4 would fit at a time, and I quickly learned that the water is definitely the secret to getting the edges to stick together. So just wait to seal them until you're ready to get the next batch in, then spread the water on the edges and stick the top layer on.<br />
<br />
We used our pizza stone to bake them on, since it gives a nice crisp to food without the scalding that comes from a metal pan - they actually turned out nice and firm, much more so than I expected, so they're easy to handle and pick up to eat. We also cooled them on a cooling rack as they came out of the oven. The only thing to watch out for is sometimes the sauce may leak out of the bottom slightly, so just flip over when you take them out of the oven.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cgmnDkc4U9kgdafvJi5UCAyB7Y2dqEo2yTFOAfs6xRDizDpWZBF111fIPrrmd1F6Z92YJ2PLlQftrQIq5DG7OsoCSJroXnOe2KWit3Jmue9pGO-wkfkUFvCaRtk7Nk6CF9jW5OReE9g/s1600/0731001332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cgmnDkc4U9kgdafvJi5UCAyB7Y2dqEo2yTFOAfs6xRDizDpWZBF111fIPrrmd1F6Z92YJ2PLlQftrQIq5DG7OsoCSJroXnOe2KWit3Jmue9pGO-wkfkUFvCaRtk7Nk6CF9jW5OReE9g/s400/0731001332.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>Ready to go into the oven...</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5mnXW0OMXpVhwPTkdpu1giJSu5sQuP7j15K-NruRl8_BPkURFDUWirD-hjYBHMz-_C1gBA0FjpGG7oAbOxNb02b9ukIo5lzPYLpLX7cxXcWmEdHJDm5LoIFbYXBSzbgasqEHunxlnQ0/s1600/0731001309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5mnXW0OMXpVhwPTkdpu1giJSu5sQuP7j15K-NruRl8_BPkURFDUWirD-hjYBHMz-_C1gBA0FjpGG7oAbOxNb02b9ukIo5lzPYLpLX7cxXcWmEdHJDm5LoIFbYXBSzbgasqEHunxlnQ0/s400/0731001309.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>After coming out of the oven, nice and crispy brown on the sides...</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_I8PO4lBYrMAQQwk9WbX8JsA2RYDANVVgTvfSE2krvVRlPbo1tjQfM2P8TZ4u4J8AT7ebePKvOdp4fuxFsRDx6VGm9UvJs8OEUg6MobdMvxbjbRLwicGaHmRfieVGJ-5PF5la1AV9alY/s1600/0731001309a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_I8PO4lBYrMAQQwk9WbX8JsA2RYDANVVgTvfSE2krvVRlPbo1tjQfM2P8TZ4u4J8AT7ebePKvOdp4fuxFsRDx6VGm9UvJs8OEUg6MobdMvxbjbRLwicGaHmRfieVGJ-5PF5la1AV9alY/s400/0731001309a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>Hot and steamy!</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrNnEvK7n0Ob5aFtCh5mFAdErnCnhiS7l8xZI2gqdiuvYXy1mAnr68bJDO3jHxgleUoK_PM4l9jnlzw-UtZ-Gzfu_cLiptpiXSThjqv3pLItiUcSui9oMAUU-05BI3NP7eyAJYt4xU6t8/s1600/0731001310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrNnEvK7n0Ob5aFtCh5mFAdErnCnhiS7l8xZI2gqdiuvYXy1mAnr68bJDO3jHxgleUoK_PM4l9jnlzw-UtZ-Gzfu_cLiptpiXSThjqv3pLItiUcSui9oMAUU-05BI3NP7eyAJYt4xU6t8/s400/0731001310.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>Yum yum!</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYBy3UuWGUOph5ntxG3KubRu5ec5sxC0Cai8cp8G6gScVCEjTM29uKIPna4l4RvQE-Olryl4QrdyYQbHJA9HC0KrNZJtoH1QqD5D5g5-l0gBZ1ZOdz6tKICB6kTfTxAEThUvd3cTY_t0/s1600/0731001709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYBy3UuWGUOph5ntxG3KubRu5ec5sxC0Cai8cp8G6gScVCEjTM29uKIPna4l4RvQE-Olryl4QrdyYQbHJA9HC0KrNZJtoH1QqD5D5g5-l0gBZ1ZOdz6tKICB6kTfTxAEThUvd3cTY_t0/s400/0731001709.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>We ate 4 today, so the remaining 8 are ready to take for lunches...</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>They certainly were awesome straight out of the oven. But the only unseen factor is how it will be when we take them for lunches at work. Microwave is typically the only option, but I think they'd still be great if we had access to a toaster oven. We shall see.<br />
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Next up: Greek food. We've been enjoying Greek Fiesta more and more, and I'm on my way to learning how to recreate our favorite meals they have here at home. Got some items at the store yesterday, so we'll see how that goes.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-31365993839816531492010-07-27T21:45:00.001-04:002010-07-28T09:00:34.983-04:00The Day That Started Last Night(aka "The Night Post That Almost Was")<br />
<br />
Today was quite a day. It actually started during the night last night with me waking up nauseous and sicky feeling. I haven't had that feeling in a long, long time, but I used to get it in college - basically indigestion that makes me feel awful unless I'm sitting up. No clue what made it happen randomly last night, but I do know it's the one time I've actually wished it was just time to go ahead and get up for work - no such luck. I tried to lay halfway propped up on my back pillow for a while because I was so darn tired, but all that got me was a sore neck and some light rest. I was <em>thiiiiis</em> close to just getting up and coming downstairs, which inevitably would have led me to do exactly what I'm doing right now, because everybody knows there's nothing on TV at 2 or 3 am. But somehow I was able to fall back asleep, because next thing I know, I was being woken up and told it was time to get up for work. Hooray...<br />
<br />
It's funny, because today was a big meeting at work, and I had some mapping to finish up this morning before lunch and leaving for the meeting this afternoon. So I had actually done really well last night with getting things done early here at home, pulling everything together for today, getting showered, and winding down before turning the light out at a decent time so I could get some good rest and be ready to go today. Haha, shows what I know.<br />
<br />
Due to that extremely weird schedule, I had some really foggy moments at work, as well as some really on-the-ball moments. Meeting went well, but a lot of the day was spent in the rain, trying to keep maps and meeting materials dry. Not complaining though, because we desperately need the rain, and it certainly helped cool things down a bit around here. But the rain definitely doesn't help with my drowsiness!<br />
<br />
I even left work for home before rush hour, since I'd gotten to work early this morning. But this immediately began the most tense part of my day by far. The traffic on the ramp to my main thoroughfare to get home was at a stand-still. After trudging along and cresting the hill, I could see something a ways away that was completely across the road, blocking both outbound lanes. As I got closer, we all had to merge into one lane to turn off into a <em>neighborhood</em>... at 5:00pm... in Raleigh... downtown. As I turned, I got a good glimpse of the problem:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid05SbeA3QYFA7cxTdodZpegWuQNAti66mK18IwY-MnOSgQDZ2rwGDZEK9Yc1-lRwKGgewFj0tUdeM4meR9nUUW7uCO9BciHfg6HgQQIXjl0TlHE-7cZ3JtqV_26y8d38Sk8SkgHYR7rI/s1600/0727001703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid05SbeA3QYFA7cxTdodZpegWuQNAti66mK18IwY-MnOSgQDZ2rwGDZEK9Yc1-lRwKGgewFj0tUdeM4meR9nUUW7uCO9BciHfg6HgQQIXjl0TlHE-7cZ3JtqV_26y8d38Sk8SkgHYR7rI/s400/0727001703.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Maybe got stuck pulling out? Trying to straddle the median and see what his truck can do? I have no idea. I do know that I sure hope he wasn't taking that SUV back to its owners.</em></div><br />
Those neighborhoods are all somehow connected over to another major road... that just happens to be shut down in various areas right now for repair. Of course. And I don't even know my way through these little neighborhoods anyway, but I just went the opposite way of all the stupid traffic. I followed what my direction sense was telling me, and at least made it back to downtown, not even a mile from my work. Great... just wasted 30 minutes. But I found another way out to try, which turned out to be not so bad. I even got to ride through the new Hillsborough St. project, which was neat to see...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoCF8f5Tu2sajez3OkZCYcRoCgIP2nLYvC4AmWAcXcAR_ZXcyqyA1ERGcu4zHn7RPlcISRzWUskb-ucSL6mdu1tuaD01dM4OimB0rLW6kXiww82SSqC1elySCk3rkQC66f5Qk0e3lEfWc/s1600/0727001717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoCF8f5Tu2sajez3OkZCYcRoCgIP2nLYvC4AmWAcXcAR_ZXcyqyA1ERGcu4zHn7RPlcISRzWUskb-ucSL6mdu1tuaD01dM4OimB0rLW6kXiww82SSqC1elySCk3rkQC66f5Qk0e3lEfWc/s400/0727001717.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Pretty new medians...</em></div><br />
I eventually made my way back to my main thoroughfare to get home, which I had to do because this whole time, I was in the staff car. Gotta love that I not only had to detour all around Raleigh for the heck of it, but I couldn't even be in the comfort of my own vehicle to do it. Oh well. If another person has to drive the staff car before I have it again next week, I hope I can plead my case to them as to why I didn't refill the gas tank.<br />
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To top it all off, on the way home, this was the weather (which also reflects the general feeling I had by this time)...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwguwPdmmMuNtUnHwtdXGmwYxVL1A1fVkAfXchcITN_5Qq4nCjE-v-I_FS-7K5gSJQKV6a4EQ75Cu2wad-Ozl9fY7MM0y9a9Gcef11EjDmN8Eq9Rjmy6laOd4fpXePTSycQBTNPHc4WGk/s1600/0727001733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwguwPdmmMuNtUnHwtdXGmwYxVL1A1fVkAfXchcITN_5Qq4nCjE-v-I_FS-7K5gSJQKV6a4EQ75Cu2wad-Ozl9fY7MM0y9a9Gcef11EjDmN8Eq9Rjmy6laOd4fpXePTSycQBTNPHc4WGk/s400/0727001733.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Dreary and worn down...</em></div><br />
Regardless of the good and bad, overall, today feels like it was one of the busiest I've had in a while. Which is odd, because time-wise, it really wasn't. But it's funny what the contents of your day can do to how you feel about it. Yet another reason I'm not a fan of Raleigh.<br />
<br />
Well, at least it ended pretty nicely. I have a kind husband who was waiting at home for me and willing to head out for a nice, relaxing dinner out at the steak house for a change. Now I'm home, a good hot shower helped wash off the day, I'm in my comfy clothes, squishy socks have replaced the day's nice shoes, and it's time to get some rest and try to replace last night's weirdness.<br />
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Tomorrow is another day!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-14204567810024603012010-07-25T20:38:00.001-04:002010-07-25T20:40:25.737-04:00For my Fellow Engineers(and all you nerds too...) <br />
<br />
Just a little something to enhance the fondness for our self-proclaimed nerdiness...<br />
<br />
A coworker sent this last week, and I got a good laugh. It displays not only our thought processes, but also the way we hunt to make an answer work, instead of just searching for the <i>only</i> correct answer.<br />
<br />
(<i>Due to the fact that I don't typically worry "for" things, I'm thinking this was made by someone with a little bit of lingering language barrier... and I'm assuming the medical student said "However." Regardless, funny...</i>)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiDDIISHshlXnHIQHT6H9N7Db4qioWxWd-jnBBdjBAnv05DehqxZx4Bt3AwLRMWBD_HIw-q9bdxIxoV7wDogjH3XqsfCUzfB5J72pGL6sl03hTQl3RN6iTjPI2LctdgegIBcBi4Nosn2M/s1600/518603102-200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiDDIISHshlXnHIQHT6H9N7Db4qioWxWd-jnBBdjBAnv05DehqxZx4Bt3AwLRMWBD_HIw-q9bdxIxoV7wDogjH3XqsfCUzfB5J72pGL6sl03hTQl3RN6iTjPI2LctdgegIBcBi4Nosn2M/s640/518603102-200.jpg" width="443" /></a></div><br />
There's your knee-slapper for the day...Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-63414874378499128672010-07-22T08:26:00.000-04:002010-07-25T20:40:33.692-04:00Letter to the CentipedesTo any monster centipedes still hiding out in my home, or those outside thinking about coming in:<br />
<br />
I've just about had enough of you for one season (or a lifetime). I was quite taken by surprise the first time a freakishly fuzzy thing scooted out from beside the bottom stair when I was putting on my shoes a month ago, and I had to trap you with a cup.<br />
<br />
I had never seen your kind before, so I had to google you. Google said you liked warm and humid places, so I figured you were just lost. We have nothing in here for you, and it's most definitely hotter and more humid outside than it is in our house.<br />
<br />
Then your buddy decided to scare me by making his presence known under my vacuum another morning. He really pushed my buttons though when I came back with a killing tool and was gone, and I had to leave him in my house all day. We made amends though when he showed his face that afternoon and was taken captive. J would have let him live in the great outdoors, but he had a homing beacon on our house, so he met his end.<br />
<br />
One of your little ones really pushed the limit when they were found playing inside my lunchbox... even worse, inside my <em>cup</em> inside my lunchbox. NOT COOL.<br />
<br />
A few nights ago, one of your elders who apparently has been around a long time decided it was safe to come out in the wall on the stairwell. Guess he thought we were upstairs for good, but little did he know, I had to go back downstairs. J was in no mood for bug-saving games, so a huge wad of tissue was called in for duty. Sorry if this guy was important or something.<br />
<br />
But you guys have now gone too far. This morning was the last straw - coming into my bedroom? No sir, I'm not going to take it. The thought of you guys near my bed and in my clothes... not gonna fly. J found one of your young'uns in the kitchen again too, so I'm thinking you guys have gotten a little too bold with what you think is OK around here.<br />
<br />
It's a good thing I don't have pets or babies around yet. Because the bug spray is coming out this weekend in full force. There will be no entry surface to cross without walking through our poison. I'm sorry, I know you're all God's creatures too, but you've overstepped the boundaries here.<br />
<br />
I hope you've enjoyed it while you can, because next week will be like walking on hot coals for you... well, hot coals coated with poison. And one day, when our home isn't rented, I promise you my windows and doors will be sealed so well that you won't even have an option.<br />
<br />
In closing, I think it's time to terrorize someone else now. Move on please, because even though I really can't stand your creepy-crawliness slinking across my floor and walls, I still don't really care to pick up your poisoned bodies either.<br />
<br />
Please pass this along to all your friends.<br />
<br />
Sincerely (and not kidding),<br />
SarahSarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-1072802051365278742010-07-17T19:23:00.001-04:002010-07-17T19:30:33.895-04:00Home Grown FoodI think there's nothing better than homegrown and home-prepared food. It's natural, good for you (usually, ha - depending on the method of preparation), and you know exactly what's been put into it. Nothing processed about it, and the flavors are just amazing and fresh.<br />
<br />
I got to see my maternal grandparents last weekend, and my grandpa in his 80s still keeps a big garden every year. We've grown up with his incredibly tasty green beans, lovingly called GGBs (Grandpa's Green Beans). Silver queen corn is my absolute favorite, which we get every summer there. And at some point in the last few years of my life of not liking raw tomatoes, my tastes have changed and I can now be guaranteed as much tomato as I can possibly handle at their house, as well as a bagfull to come home with me for continued enjoyment. We got to enjoy a seemingly unending supply of all 3 of those things last weekend at their house, along with some tasty roast and my personal favorite... fried okra. I don't think I could ever, ever get tired of fried okra. However, I could do without the itchiness that comes with raw okra... but that's another fun story.<br />
<br />
So I came home with the aforementioned supply of extra homegrown garden food. I haven't had a chance all week to enjoy any of it - it's just been sitting on my counter. Two squash, 3 ears of corn, and a big back of tomatoes have been waiting and beckoning me. So last night, I got in the kitchen and set to making myself a yummy meal of fresh-from-the-garden food. The first thing I started was a plate of fried squash. I grew up eating that at the grandparents' house probably every time we were there, and I haven't had it in years and years. I couldn't even remember the taste of it, but I could remember how much yummy goodness was involved. I used safflower oil, which we use around here instead of vegetable oil, and a little cornmeal, salt, and pepper. I think I probably ate 10 or 15 pieces just during the cooking process between frying rounds. And I think I melted with the first bite - <em>so good</em>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjihp9i1L74tvUycjqXXAH2nvrw6Qvx5FdVf-Q_3GXZ_vHiS73BQ8PJJENTKgxf5pbmzSiTFouHeiRU8pW5zqZu6caacbFDGvRQ9fVBSWZJsQHzZ0LD_IWyq3rTiSYn2gM4dqr6vYDElxs/s1600/0716001939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjihp9i1L74tvUycjqXXAH2nvrw6Qvx5FdVf-Q_3GXZ_vHiS73BQ8PJJENTKgxf5pbmzSiTFouHeiRU8pW5zqZu6caacbFDGvRQ9fVBSWZJsQHzZ0LD_IWyq3rTiSYn2gM4dqr6vYDElxs/s400/0716001939.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Next was cooking an ear of corn, and last was making a tomato sandwich. Now I am <em>seriously</em> not a fan of mayonnaise - but I don't think I've always had this strong of a dislike for it. Somewhere along the line, the consistency, smell, and taste began to make me queasy. To this day I shudder when I have to cook with it. And I still did when I got it out last night. However, you absolutely can't have a true tomato sandwich without it. So I did put a thin layer on the bread (as I still shuddered at the nasty glopp-i-ness of it). I can't even taste it, but it really does make the sandwich, along with a little pepper of course! When I finished getting everything ready, I showed it all to J, who wasn't in the mood for any of that food that night, but actually said it looked reeeeally good.<br />
<br />
So here is evidence of the incredible yummy goodness of a home-grown and home-prepared meal. I may or may not have eaten an entire squash and an entire tomato all by myself. That's ok, right? Right??<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHj30FR_zKsdhmUxqpGJ_epxeQsmqoYggg5a5iDKMZJhOLzRYt07OFyZDUb6Ca3NSChxtWjObWyaCxxgR7m5LcmNmJZnUKMJxV0OPf98FsWt0wFDg7Gz90Zhp9bW-LE_sez7-74t9Mh2k/s1600/0716001959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHj30FR_zKsdhmUxqpGJ_epxeQsmqoYggg5a5iDKMZJhOLzRYt07OFyZDUb6Ca3NSChxtWjObWyaCxxgR7m5LcmNmJZnUKMJxV0OPf98FsWt0wFDg7Gz90Zhp9bW-LE_sez7-74t9Mh2k/s400/0716001959.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBtpDq2KUTpwZSgQ2hSS5vK2vXArHUTCiCHB68H2NeCzvhhejkJJtDo2HyxS6dXk7UZB1lYH11xOxUqsrjN4trQyE8XtHZ9yze1Sm7BkiA7pJ_bci2pOltlZ7jxvpQlrRp8gHMQwh0Fw/s1600/0716001959a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBtpDq2KUTpwZSgQ2hSS5vK2vXArHUTCiCHB68H2NeCzvhhejkJJtDo2HyxS6dXk7UZB1lYH11xOxUqsrjN4trQyE8XtHZ9yze1Sm7BkiA7pJ_bci2pOltlZ7jxvpQlrRp8gHMQwh0Fw/s400/0716001959a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZBPEHxdQnEDr3ERwIqOh8HfyEzyiZFUniyB8bOSlGa3INuau_rWkDAEjUUny6NIdXlKKukouk5ccO7pZ9K5blELa-IZxNQzhSDzuFB17HrKoAY9T8uct-sQ0GPPlhPu9U1gWONvA14Y/s1600/0716001959b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZBPEHxdQnEDr3ERwIqOh8HfyEzyiZFUniyB8bOSlGa3INuau_rWkDAEjUUny6NIdXlKKukouk5ccO7pZ9K5blELa-IZxNQzhSDzuFB17HrKoAY9T8uct-sQ0GPPlhPu9U1gWONvA14Y/s400/0716001959b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Also, more evidence of the goodness of homegrown food: the peach. You can buy canned peaches all day long, but nothing will ever, ever, <em>ever</em> compare to the incredible taste of a fresh peach right off the tree. We had 3 right off the farm, and I ate them 3 different ways. Observe...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DSx2A_bJY1hx0bChhulAtohhz5sCcbyRbyirxPDWilUxJ1Rt93pEkF9liN5lsfBqSy4-FFgKtQr_acVb379xtEkA6zOCFKDYyTLc43r8Dgqih-7UXjOb0JawuZfP2QAnsLs5OmrI3pk/s1600/0703001611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DSx2A_bJY1hx0bChhulAtohhz5sCcbyRbyirxPDWilUxJ1Rt93pEkF9liN5lsfBqSy4-FFgKtQr_acVb379xtEkA6zOCFKDYyTLc43r8Dgqih-7UXjOb0JawuZfP2QAnsLs5OmrI3pk/s400/0703001611.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>Whole, of course</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6-PD7MV8FaB18THuvikTCSd4lObETGEXFncjdsFPOXmNRkzhzX1Qe-YIDWou2dcDUxrfT3fhlYVZQTQg0RZmIewLtkKraXn4_yzr25uvQPrku8Sp6GEhDKXGrWo01GVcyVN8ZLYX3EA/s1600/0708001023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6-PD7MV8FaB18THuvikTCSd4lObETGEXFncjdsFPOXmNRkzhzX1Qe-YIDWou2dcDUxrfT3fhlYVZQTQg0RZmIewLtkKraXn4_yzr25uvQPrku8Sp6GEhDKXGrWo01GVcyVN8ZLYX3EA/s400/0708001023.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>Freshly sliced for an easy snack at work</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>(Anyone else see mandarin oranges here?)</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1YelTowqarpBK3JYVMZb9pFdut9MIcD2UZadfZbLf3qGJImFkV0ILfStPja0b21A2Zzit5O1G-tfjJMJD6iF15CB8YSkS5j7S8wge1juxqfsXPLbC49B8q_eXyWZY6FPxz9c7MgyzDGc/s1600/0705001907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1YelTowqarpBK3JYVMZb9pFdut9MIcD2UZadfZbLf3qGJImFkV0ILfStPja0b21A2Zzit5O1G-tfjJMJD6iF15CB8YSkS5j7S8wge1juxqfsXPLbC49B8q_eXyWZY6FPxz9c7MgyzDGc/s400/0705001907.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>My personal favorite, freshly sliced in a bowl of plain cheerios - I know Dad favors this too, because he's the one that used to make it for me!</em></div><br />
I didn't try it with the skin on, because for some reason that's not very appetizing to me. And coincidentally, smoothies have been on my mind this afternoon. I suppose I could have made myself a nice peach smoothie too, but it didn't occur to me then. Guess I just need to find me some more fresh peaches!<br />
<br />
So here's to homegrown food. We had a small garden in our backyard growing up too, and I always thought <span style="background-color: white;">that was a really special thing. Hopefully,</span> one day I can be one of the people cooking from my own garden and handing out extra vegetables and fruit to folks.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-10649911846252306242010-07-01T12:17:00.001-04:002010-07-28T09:00:47.568-04:00Anybody else?Anybody else despise the idiots in traffic that fly all the way to the front of a lane closure and bully their way in front of you with such speed and rudeness that you're force to slam on brakes as they weasel in line uninvited, lest you slam into them with no choice?<br />
<br />
Yeah, me too.<br />
<br />
Anybody else want to shake some common sense into the dummies that stop and sit in the middle of a free flow turn lane, looking back to their left to find an opening to merge into, instead of looking forward and seeing that there is an entire open lane in front of them?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6F2_eHb55pYO4K6YFjd8irQgOKcif8-xh5g6p6aCpaWzHNxalGuuNzOflpMRs4ZjG0of6111znD_Z1PyOiCny9YPbzuGYggeNLw20l7aBoHJmbDR5gwN3lAtT6gg8mOZH2fo_gogeE8/s1600/free_flow_traffic_sign-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6F2_eHb55pYO4K6YFjd8irQgOKcif8-xh5g6p6aCpaWzHNxalGuuNzOflpMRs4ZjG0of6111znD_Z1PyOiCny9YPbzuGYggeNLw20l7aBoHJmbDR5gwN3lAtT6gg8mOZH2fo_gogeE8/s320/free_flow_traffic_sign-1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I sure do.<br />
<br />
Anybody else want to go put up a few more better-placed, bigger signs at said turn lane so that said dummies will have a better chance of seeing the already-marked free flow characteristic that awaits them ahead, giving the rest of us behind them that have a little common sense a chance to save on our brakes and gas?<br />
<br />
I think I'll go get me some cardboard today and do that.<br />
<br />
Happy Thursday!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-27268047993005607282010-06-27T13:08:00.002-04:002010-07-31T18:03:32.613-04:00Recipe: S&J SpaghettiWe used to eat spaghetti pretty often because we both love it so much. But recently we've really been working hard on eating well and portion control, and spaghetti always tends to turn into quite a hefty meal. So it's been quite a while since we had some, and in our weekly grocery shopping yesterday we decided to make some this weekend.<br />
<br />
I cooked it all up last night, and it was the first time we'd had it in a long time... and I swear I think it was the best version yet. The sauce was so tantalizing even while just stirring it on the stove... yummm. Jason happened to eat the first bite, and his eyes opened wide while his spaghetti-filled mouth muttered "mmm-MMM!!" I think I had the exact same reaction as soon as I had my first bite. Maybe we just haven't had it in so long that we just forgot how good it was, or maybe this really was the best batch yet.<br />
<br />
The back-story here is that when we first met, we knew we were both fans of spaghetti. We learned the specifics of how each other likes their spaghetti... such as the fact that J likes a lot of extra sauce, and he hates watery sauce oozing liquid onto his plate under his noodles. He will choose homemade sauce every time over storebought sauce in a jar, and he will always prefer meat (preferably ground beef) in his sauce over just marinara. He doesn't like other types of pasta besides spaghetti, and he likes parmesan cheese on top of his sauce. I think he's also incapable of having spaghetti without some type of bread... gotta have that bread to sop up the extra sauce (hence the purpose of the extra sauce). I, on the other hand, prefer the perfect ratio of sauce to noodles - I can easily do without bread most of the time, and I don't like to have a lot of sauce left over with no noodles to use it up with. Even though I wouldn't choose it purposely, watery sauce doesn't bother me so much - but I definitely don't want sauce that's so thick it lacks moisture and is hard to get down. I don't mind switching up pastas, and I actually love a little cheddar cheese melted up under my sauce. I don't mind meat, but sometimes a nice smooth marinara with chunky tomatoes is sooo good too.<br />
<br />
So every time we made spaghetti for a while, we experimented with what we liked. And this "spaghetti experiment" has been going on for quite some time. We had some meatless sauces, some with beef (even different types of beef) and some with ground turkey, various types of pasta, various brands of pasta, different sauce brands, different ingredients, different spices, different ratio mixtures, sometimes with tomatoes, sometimes with spinach or zucchini blended in, sometimes with beans. Sometimes a salad on the side, sometimes Texas Toast, sometimes loaf bread with butter and garlic.<br />
<br />
A few things always remained constant from the beginning of our experiments. We avoid "white" food whenever possible because we try to stick to <a href="http://www.glycemicindex.com/">low GI foods</a>. So we always go with either a brand we like that has lots of fiber and low net carbs, or a whole wheat brand, which was an experiment in itself to find one that actually had some good flavor to it. And with the exception of one of the very first times, we have always made the sauce mix ourselves - no jars of ready-made sauces. At one point I was using a canned sauce as one of my ingredients that was flavored with various spices, but I've since moved on to regular sauce and adding the spices myself. And I think we've come up with what seems to be the perfect spice mix.<br />
<br />
Last night's version was a mix of both types of pastas since I had a box of each available. But we're on our way to using all whole wheat, because I'm really making an effort to eliminate preservatives from our intake. And these other pastas that still taste like white pasta but have low net carbs still have some preservatives in them. But really, even the whole wheat pasta we like has some additives in it. So until the day that I get the ultimate mixer and learn to make my own pasta... this will have to do.<br />
<br />
I can also say with utmost certainty that the meat makes a huge difference. Whether you want to use ground chicken, turkey, or beef, the quality needs to be good. We were buying a lot of very high quality ground meat for a while at the grocery store, which was also the lowest fat content possible, and it was putting a big dent in the grocery budget. So we found one day that our buy-in-bulk warehouse carried 93% beef, which was great compared to the only previous choice of 80/20. I have a vacuum sealer, so for a few months we bought the 93% 4lb container and divided it up into 1lb sections for sealing and freezing. The freezing and cooking never adversely affected it, but we both definitely noticed a quality difference in our sauce due to the meat itself - much more grit found in our bites, and the meat was a lot greasier and watery when cooking. So we've since gone back to purchasing <a href="http://www.laurasleanbeef.com/aboutOurBeef/groundround.php">the best beef I've ever tasted</a> - the cows are fed a purely natural diet, and I wholly believe that has a huge part to do with how good the meat is. This meat even smells better when cooking. When we were experimenting with other meats, we made sure we used quality <a href="http://www.shadybrookfarms.com/ProductDetail.aspx?product_category_id=14&product_id=191">ground turkey breast</a> or <a href="http://www.perdue.com/products/product_detail.html?category_id=15&id=16">ground chicken breast</a> as well.<br />
<br />
The final version has kidney beans in it, as a result of us trying to work in more fiber and make the meal a little more filling when we were taking it as lunches to work a while back. Sometimes I like to add in a can of tomatoes, and I don't think J prefers this, but sometimes even some spinach leaves thrown in towards the end are really good. The beans/tomatoes definitely add more bulk to the meal, and the 4 servings it makes are already pretty large in my opinion. But they're filling without making you feel overly full, which is what's great about fiber and low GI meals.<br />
<br />
So, in light of the "spaghetti experiments" we worked on together and pretty much years put into perfecting it, I've dubbed this recipe...<br />
<br />
<b>"S&J Spaghetti"</b><br />
<br />
Makes 4 hefty servings.<br />
(Updated to actually add the numbers I had published without and had to go look for...)<br />
<br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
4 servings (224g/8oz) dry spaghetti (we've been liking Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Blend)<br />
Sea salt<br />
EV Olive Oil<br />
1 lb ground beef<br />
1 15oz can Hunt's regular tomato sauce<br />
1 6oz can Hunt's regular tomato paste<br />
1 16oz can Bush's dark red kidney beans<br />
Garlic powder<br />
Oregano<br />
Basil<br />
Paremsan cheese<br />
<br />
<strong>Directions:</strong><br />
<br />
Put water on the stove to boil for pasta. Also put a large pan on medium-high heat.<br />
<br />
When water is boiling, add a little sea salt, then break spaghetti in half and add to the pot. Add a few drops of EVOO to water and give everything a stir. Turn heat down a bit and let pasta cook, stirring occasionally.<br />
<br />
When pan is hot, add the beef. Cook beef fully, and make sure that it is broken up enough that there are no large chunks remaining.<br />
<br />
Add the can of tomato paste to the pan, then add the can of tomato sauce. Use a little water to get the extra sauce out of the can and add to pan. Use a large spoon to break up the tomato paste and mix everything together. It will take a few minutes of the heat and stirring to disperse the paste.<br />
<br />
When the paste, sauce, and beef are smoothly mixed, turn down the heat to about medium. For the spices, you'll have to learn how much you prefer, but ours is not overly strong or spicy by any means. I sprinkle the garlic powder into the sauce, probably using a good 1/4 tsp, if not more. Then I add the oregano and basil, probably using at least a good full tsp of each. Stir in the spices. (Add in tomatoes or spinach leaves here if used.)<br />
<br />
Rinse the kidney beans in a colander under cool water until bubbles no longer appear on the beans. Drain well, add to the sauce, and mix everything together. Keep it on the heat for another minute or two, then remove from heat.<br />
<br />
When the pasta is cooked, drain and separate into 4 servings. Then add the sauce to the pasta servings until all of the sauce is used. Top servings with parmesan cheese.<br />
<br />
Serve with preferred sides... salad, bread, etc.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB24rhqGerQcWQR9HezfNL940bUtV8SxMXIbRkkI0ukTNyvHICChpEJDUN1f80JgvvBmPa9BK8BPSizx8Zy_2GX9ZXc5xiSJayWOFDhhMlvrvQFDIaclNrLluLAvb143qqrkS8ulgwB3A/s1600/0626001919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB24rhqGerQcWQR9HezfNL940bUtV8SxMXIbRkkI0ukTNyvHICChpEJDUN1f80JgvvBmPa9BK8BPSizx8Zy_2GX9ZXc5xiSJayWOFDhhMlvrvQFDIaclNrLluLAvb143qqrkS8ulgwB3A/s400/0626001919.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
We like to treat ourselves to New York brand texas toast every now and then - sooo good, and suits the spaghetti perfectly. (Not exactly non-white and non-preservative, but hey - it's a treat.) This recipe does have what most people would probably consider "extra" sauce, but the noodle serving is actually a great portion size. And the sauce really isn't that much once you mix it on your plate - the beans take up a lot of the room that you'll see.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-67688522615205313922010-06-26T16:33:00.000-04:002010-06-27T13:09:16.708-04:00More Bug Torment<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Ok people, this is getting ridiculous. No joke, the evening of my last crazy post about all the bugs, I had the pleasure of almost having a conniption fit at the finding of this...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjryntKqB4ep91CORHt54wDjqEXcaImGJJtq6GrmdJ-OjDwpigWhStFHUyzzmYyEeAUg7sBu-vexBY8A09WOOqeI1Rvquwgm9HMwEf01fhConhogMtWYS0QvlTCTXGlsSz3KOz4LXC5F-o/s1600/0624002209a-e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjryntKqB4ep91CORHt54wDjqEXcaImGJJtq6GrmdJ-OjDwpigWhStFHUyzzmYyEeAUg7sBu-vexBY8A09WOOqeI1Rvquwgm9HMwEf01fhConhogMtWYS0QvlTCTXGlsSz3KOz4LXC5F-o/s200/0624002209a-e.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">...on. my. TOILET. SEAT. I lift up the lid and get the surprise of the month. I think I probably jumped back a few feet while simultaneously gasping... I think my mind was reeling at the ickiness I would have experienced if I hadn't looked first... Anyway, I'm in my pajamas, getting ready to go to bed, J is already asleep, and I have to take care of this thing myself. The thing didn't move at all, but the moment I tried to push it into the toilet, the thing half jumped/half floated through the air and landed on the floor - it all happened so fast that I'm not sure if it flew or what. So as I try to work up the courage to do the deed, I keeping hering these small shrieks and gagging sounds, before I realize they're involuntarily coming from me. It's pitiful, really. I just get these tight feelings in my chest and gut that I can't get rid of, even now just writing and thinking about it. In the end, it took a huge wad of TP, a quick flush of the toilet, some clorox wipes, and some fun TV to help me get over the event.</div><br />
I think all this craziness and bug surprises have made me a little jumpy. Today a bulb blew in my bathroom when I turned on the lights, and I think I gasped and jumped about 2 feet. I really need to chill, haha.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And just for reference, I cleaned out my phone and found a picture I'd taken of the lovely surprise in my cup inside my lunch box last week...</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDaBwWx72VPMZYzU2jwH1ClCT1Ursg3U8K2_nyHqlFmnysuHT8Z9FPMazU9hJwfaqEy38Xn_5DQDeBYf8nybw8D39Y-ms8feUyBkw4Ixwws-BdlXgc-eMnAmaSIWfJgjErhHo4OTKUbI/s1600/0614000847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDaBwWx72VPMZYzU2jwH1ClCT1Ursg3U8K2_nyHqlFmnysuHT8Z9FPMazU9hJwfaqEy38Xn_5DQDeBYf8nybw8D39Y-ms8feUyBkw4Ixwws-BdlXgc-eMnAmaSIWfJgjErhHo4OTKUbI/s400/0614000847.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">So much fun...</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-84498217881565031982010-06-24T12:17:00.001-04:002010-06-27T13:09:28.566-04:00The Creepy Crawlies Are After MeSo, long time no blog... but I had a realization that I figured was blog-worthy.<br />
<br />
Tuesday morning as I was eating breakfast, I saw movement in the kitchen out of the corner of my eye. I turned to see a lighting-fast-crawling-freak-of-nature-thing scooting across my kitchen floor and onto the carpet. By the time I got up to grab a trapping method (benefit of having husband around - I do the trapping, then call him in for the kill), the thing had disappeared. I searched all over the place for the thing but never found it. Unfortunately, I ended up having to leave for work knowing I had a huge creepy-crawly pet somewhere in my home. Makes me shudder just thinking about it - I promise you the thing was at least 2 inches long.<br />
<br />
When I got home that day, I started straightening up a few things. Low and behold, this thing came crawling directly across my path in the hallway (must not be very smart, if you ask me). I hurried to the kitchen to get my trusty plastic cup that has been my go-to trap for monsters on the carpet. Thankfully, he didn't scoot as fast as that morning for some reason, so I was able to catch him up under the cup. The plan from there is typically to let the cup sit there till J gets home, who then gets the honor of doing the bug duty. With tiny creatures, he usually just grabs a paper towel or tissue and does the deed. But with big monsters, a lot of times he'll do the slide-cardboard-under-the-cup deal and take the thing back outside somewhere. That ended up being his method of choice yesterday as well when I showed him the waiting cup.<br />
<br />
Now, you're probably thinking I've got some sort of bug phobia. And I'd probably agree with you. I don't know at what point that changed, but years ago I used to have no fear when it came to squashing things that were unwelcome in my home. Now I can't even squish one - I almost get sick if I do and hear the noises of bug death. BLEGH... gives me the goosebumps. Maybe the change came when I was off at college by myself and was BOMBARDED by bugs. I swear to you, my apartment senior year was a direct line to some sort of colony. Literally for a few months, my bathroom and kitchen always surprised me with a bug of many different varieties... on the ceiling above my head while I'm at the sink, on the wall while I'm in the shower, shooting across the floor at me. I ended up with bug traps up under my bathroom cabinet, spraying poison all over the place, and I even had to set off those stupid bug bombs (which ended up setting of the smoke alarms, which I had to leave on because you can't go back in for hours with the exploding bombs... I just couldn't win). And even after all that, I still had bug issues. The apartment office was no help either. So I checked everything - every last corner in the house for holes and cracks, places in the doors and windows where they might squeeze through... My last resort was to duct-tape up the overflow hole in my bathroom sink, and for some strange reason, my bug issues were mostly resolved after that. Go figure. So unless they finally ate the poison from the traps and carried it back to their immense colony somewhere, they were entering through my sink??<br />
<br />
Fast forward to now, in my current apartment, and I still have bug issues. It's actually a townhome, so I'm on the ground and have a door directly leading to a sidewalk surrounded by landscaped areas with mulch and bushes - perfect hiding ground for the crawlies that want to sneak in my front door and windows. And I promise you that multiple times a week I'm calling J into the room I'm in to kill a bug that I see. The typical breed is spiders - a lot of them fairly small, but we've had some monster spiders that require me running and getting out the cup trap. We also get the little rolly pollies in the back room, which obviously are coming in via the stupid sliding doors, but I don't mind them so much. But I just can't imagine where these monster things come from.<br />
<br />
I started to think about it a while back, and I wondered how many cracks and holes are probably in this place in areas that I can't check - back behind/in kitchen cabinets, behind the frig, behind the washer and dryer... I mean it's not like they swoop in the front door unseen for the 2 seconds that we have it open every day. Yet I constantly find them trying to make a run for it across my living room floor, across my kitchen, down my walls, and even defying gravity and scaling my ceiling. The worst was when I had a spider DROP DOWN onto me from the ceiling like a ninja, web and all, while I'm sitting peacefully on my couch watching TV. Talk about a freak-out moment - who the heck could be prepared for that?? Then of course the couch is dark and patterned, and the spider elusively got away and wasn't found that night. GAH.<br />
<br />
Earlier in the spring, I began to do some investigating in our kitchen. Ever since I've lived here, the corner cabinet in the kitchen has had some black and white spots on the floor under it. I'd clean it, and a few weeks later, the spots are back. After checking it out, I realized that the cabinets had an open area up under the front that creates a perfect haven for these creatures. I'd swear to J that something is living up under there and leaving its nasty deposits on our floor for us. And with every kitchen spider I killed, I figured I might have finally gotten the culprit. But no, the spots kept reappearing. So finally one day, I got out the most trusted common tool in the world - duct tape. And I taped up the underside of the front of the cabinet - completely sealed it. No more spots in the corner... but they began appearing under other parts of the cabinet. So one day, it occurred to me to use a mirror instead of craning my head upside down against the kitchen floor. I examined the entire length of the cabinets... and in one right in the middle lived one of the creepiest spiders I've ever seen. And right beside it... an egg sack. So we'd finally found the culprit, but getting rid of it was another thing - apparently everything with more than 4 legs that barges into our house has lightning-fast speed capabilities. But J got it... and I took a picture. I haven't yet done the research to identify what it was, but it sure was ugly. And after going back and looking at these pictures again, I don't think I'm going to do the research. This particular spider memory will just fade into oblivion... because rest assured, all of the cabinets in my kitchen and 2 bathrooms now have completely duct-tape-sealed areas up under the front.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhSQepnN5XbCQFsP4G5H7BfxTKzmqUt_I_BmGCExv2cXGF3c1xPNcXbSED30SiZtkffL18on2me_3aPHsZdUB5RPKH41WPsAGt0morioN6zhbZWPeO2vVzWg5M2m33Zl6p2ux0WTdf1U/s1600/DSCF2067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhSQepnN5XbCQFsP4G5H7BfxTKzmqUt_I_BmGCExv2cXGF3c1xPNcXbSED30SiZtkffL18on2me_3aPHsZdUB5RPKH41WPsAGt0morioN6zhbZWPeO2vVzWg5M2m33Zl6p2ux0WTdf1U/s400/DSCF2067.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>"Hey guys... mind if I shack up under your cabinets and excrete on your kitchen floor? No? Ok then, see ya around the house..."</em><br />
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<em>(yes it's in an old snack bag from my lunchbox - I wasn't about to examine this thing up close without some sort of physical barrier giving me superiority...)</em></div><br />
J pokes fun sometimes and says I have bug radar, but it's probably true. I think growing up my mom was always spotting bugs and just things in general that were out of place on the floor, walls, etc., and that very well may be where I inherited the radar from. It's not like I'm constantly on the lookout specifically for bugs, but I do have an eye for detail. I can't help it if I'm looking around while making dinner and I see an odd black spot on the floor or wall - wouldn't that ring a bell for you that all is not right in the home, that something is there that shouldn't be? Well, I think so... so I check it out. And 98% of the time I've just spotted a bug. The other 2% is random stray dryer lint in the hallway, a string from somebody's pants or socks, or outside paraphernalia such as leaves or mulch.<br />
<br />
You know, I think I have more than bug radar. I think it's a bug homing beacon or something that I have no control over. Because how many bugs has J spotted since we've met? Um, I can't even remember any. I'm always the one stumbling upon them at home, or having them drop on me on the couch or in the car (yes, in the car too... yet another freak-out moment). Then yesterday, when J took this massive creepy crawly thing with a hundred legs outside and THREW it into the parking lot, the thing continually seemed to turn around and start crawling back towards our place. No matter what J did with sticks or shoes to shoo it the other way (conveniently into the path of cars through the lot), the thing would eventually turn back around, like it had a signal set on our place. Needless to say, I came back inside before the inevitable happened. When J came back in, I was informed that he didn't get bug guts on his new tennis shoes, but I didn't need to worry about this particular crawly coming back in here anymore.<br />
<br />
So fast forward to yesterday morning. I come downstairs to get my bags together, and head to the shoe rack that sits at the base of the stairs. I grab my shoes, sit on the 2nd stair to put them on, and what do I see out of the corner of my eye? No joke, another of these creepy crawlies like the previous day shoots away from the stairway into the living room. There's no telling how close I came to this thing actually touching me at the stairs and creating a major freak-out moment again. But thankfully, I was able to book it with one sock on, grab a cup, and trap the sucker in front of the door. No clue why, but my curiosity got the best of me and I raised the cup for a hot second to get a better look at the type of thing that's apparently trying to torment me. I should have known better from the lightning-fast one the day before, but it shot out from under the cup. I tried trapping it again, and in doing so laid the cup down halfway across the monster, hearing a nasty buggy-cracking noise, I get the shudders and gag, and thankfully trap the thing again in its entirety. With all of this happening before 7am, I can assure you that I was ready and willing to get out of the house of creepy crawlies. I think J ended up taking this out outside again but not even giving it the benefit of the doubt as he did yesterday, since he was headed to work too and had on the infamous steel toe boots. Ick. I informed him that he was not to walk around the house in those boots now.<br />
<br />
I was also reminded that this same type of creature (although dead) had surprised me last Monday morning at home from inside my LUNCH BOX. Although there was no food in it, I guess he was curious, and ended up meeting his fate at some point over the weekend at the bottom of my plastic water cup (which was directly put in the dishwasher after discovery). So, in an effort to become more familiar with these unwelcome guests, I've done a little research of my own. The immediate words that come to mind are centipedes and millipedes. These crawlies are definitely somehow related, and I think I've found the one that's been trying to drive me crazy these past few days. I was so grossed out that I wasn't even about to take a picture of it myself at home. And I can't even stand to look at the photo on this internet article, so it's definitely not earning a photo spot on my blog. But you can see it <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scutigera_coleoptrata">here</a> - it may not be the exact thing, but it's close enough. Talk about gross...<br />
<br />
Anyway, the plan this weekend is to do another round of the bugspray around the doors and windows (even though we did it about a month ago and it's supposed to last 12 months). And I know you could be wondering about the cleanliness of my home, but I promise you I keep this place straight and clean. So I just don't understand the torment. But I will deal, as I always have, and rise above. Yes, I will rise above the bugs.<br />
<br />
...but I still wish they could be like these bugs instead... at least they'd be nice and talk to me.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ldIAQ4Z-dCBsgoAYHrpY599jfiQBOklU_lsr5AdzyimUIbJBwKIINmuuvSMpCgqktLA0Ao3n2oLBgmzTO5ClJYtTHENMim9xzeNH4zSluQqVhNd0FLA3UaQB1O7ZcYp5Qic7dx_ndVY/s1600/BugsLife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ldIAQ4Z-dCBsgoAYHrpY599jfiQBOklU_lsr5AdzyimUIbJBwKIINmuuvSMpCgqktLA0Ao3n2oLBgmzTO5ClJYtTHENMim9xzeNH4zSluQqVhNd0FLA3UaQB1O7ZcYp5Qic7dx_ndVY/s320/BugsLife.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDkGhqtPRGCs77MB6kHc3QvcKYrdH1RkKdWHGtcOoMudneteFwS4ih9ngbNHb5LSkqy03eIphSulM7SVqOyq3IJNiBbgrnXE1NDbMBYC7y0l5HhRyxcEIHsurJfgKBQmxwPkTSf_JuabI/s1600/a_bugs_life_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDkGhqtPRGCs77MB6kHc3QvcKYrdH1RkKdWHGtcOoMudneteFwS4ih9ngbNHb5LSkqy03eIphSulM7SVqOyq3IJNiBbgrnXE1NDbMBYC7y0l5HhRyxcEIHsurJfgKBQmxwPkTSf_JuabI/s320/a_bugs_life_1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Heck, maybe they are, and I just have the evil ones invading my home...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHqiv59GCYrL0ogeEqnCITzFPxE0p4XYJcvN72WrUgdRPgv3TfRF68k9Vc4mg_2U3STB6BUQ87LwR0S1dG7Cl3WxUC7gctlmaBNpzR2z_kDaFgRyqT0mQFzKCFx3OjkgB6GXxOuav0Ng/s1600/10-movie-theories-tested-01-430-75.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHqiv59GCYrL0ogeEqnCITzFPxE0p4XYJcvN72WrUgdRPgv3TfRF68k9Vc4mg_2U3STB6BUQ87LwR0S1dG7Cl3WxUC7gctlmaBNpzR2z_kDaFgRyqT0mQFzKCFx3OjkgB6GXxOuav0Ng/s320/10-movie-theories-tested-01-430-75.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-91792844085509190392010-05-18T21:25:00.000-04:002010-05-18T21:25:30.637-04:00Traffic Rant, Part III left at the <strike>worst</strike> usual time today from work, and encountered the same traffic that made me have the same reaction as in the last post.<br />
<br />
I even changed lanes on I-40 today into one in which a crazy little white car, though a ways back, was obviously flying past most other cars. (But by now I've realized that everybody making this commute has to be out for themselves while on this road, so I've just joined in the attitude in order to keep myself sane on the drive.) After passing some slower cars, I switched lanes back again to the original one I was in. By now, the little white car has been tailgating me for a while. No biggie, now that I'm where I need to be for my exit, they can do whatever the heck they want to. Little white car proceeds to drive up beside me, and I look to see what crazy-little-white-car-driver looks like. I can't see though, because she is leaning all up on her steering wheel and checking her other blind spot as she simultaneously swerves into another lane away from me. But, in her hasty passing, I got a glimpse of something that made me do a double-take. Her toddler daughter, in the back seat, was as close to the window as could be, staring straight out at me, giving me the evil eye while shaking her head and making all her colorful hair clips in her braids flip around, and wagging her finger at me like she was <strike>telling me off</strike> reprimanding me. Must have been something she learned from her <strike>crazy-driving-don't-get-in-my-way-or-me-and-my-toddler-will-tell-you-off-because-we-deserve-the-entire-road-to-ourselves</strike> lovely mother. I was glad to see the kid sticking up for her mom, who was too busy to glare at me herself because she had to work on playing the vroom/switch-a-roo/tap game around other people's bumpers.<br />
<br />
Thank goodness I was exiting.<br />
<br />
And if that wasn't fun enough, once off the interstate, I got to enjoy some guy's R&B <strike>nothing but bass</strike> music who was sitting behind me at the light, which was loud enough to drown out even my own tunes. Honestly, I don't know how folks like that deal with it - it hurts <em>my</em> ears, and I'm not 3 feet from the sound source. I mean, I have my times of my own loud music, but I make a point not to bother others with it, and bass is a completely different story altogether. Guess that's where the difference of common decency and respect come in with this world. Oh well.<br />
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Man, I just love Raleigh...<br />
<br />
...It keeps my cynicism and sarcasm in check, and I'm now a healthy user of cross-outs and always proof my writing, just to make sure you guys don't get an overdose of cynical Sarah.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-38292178137807282712010-05-12T18:05:00.001-04:002010-05-12T18:07:33.804-04:00Vroom, tap, switch-a-roo, tap...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Loosely translated, that was the plan of virtually every single car on my way home from work. It's really making me consider getting up at some crazy early hour just to drive into work and home in the afternoon at times that no one else is on the road.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Today it was pretty much like everybody (except me) had organized a zig-zag game of lane switching, and just for fun, the rules required that you do it within 4 feet of somebody's bumper. And 2 feet gives you extra points. And turn signals are OPTIONAL, just to make things more interesting. And the more you tap your brakes, the better.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And that wasn't even rush hour.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It really does get to you after a while. Time to seriously consider changing hours.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">These are a few photos I've taken on my way home from work sometimes when the amount of traffic amazes even me. Pay special attention to the other side, which is even worse. Honestly, I don't know how the people in it stand to sit there like that every day. Never fails to be consistently backed up every afternoon (with the exception of when a wreck completely blocks all lanes). But in the year-plus that I've been making this drive, I've noticed even my side has consistently gotten more congested. To the crazy point that it was at today.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZaNI5KxloE1AliR9fpVJz921ZD08xef7wP2MdkSj2pfn7WaZP5tS3P6QBsEeEnY3WUDDiY2DJoDQNHoSQ8tiKhHPrMmz-AD2wlh4TaRODFqriy3TLVuLjWnrAKNsLL6y45UfXjxd-ms/s1600/02-09-10+traffic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZaNI5KxloE1AliR9fpVJz921ZD08xef7wP2MdkSj2pfn7WaZP5tS3P6QBsEeEnY3WUDDiY2DJoDQNHoSQ8tiKhHPrMmz-AD2wlh4TaRODFqriy3TLVuLjWnrAKNsLL6y45UfXjxd-ms/s400/02-09-10+traffic.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTfA-yVEwIHBiahWv5q_I7TQkA99LjAzj4js2O3lDLpgKz2mrSBIzy5wmKTx7ZwTFvIckrudVNFzOEy5Hq0fpM1lGNCaihojGve313dBNekzsLAQC8Y1AzLPavq3FtKHi9i_RMYTpHUs/s1600/0326001700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTfA-yVEwIHBiahWv5q_I7TQkA99LjAzj4js2O3lDLpgKz2mrSBIzy5wmKTx7ZwTFvIckrudVNFzOEy5Hq0fpM1lGNCaihojGve313dBNekzsLAQC8Y1AzLPavq3FtKHi9i_RMYTpHUs/s400/0326001700.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_d9-PWokcaBcrg2xutESRfc0h30B0wqsis5S2LZ-5vhhna2s3Hj4nhqiGVPQVlIf8F_0K5Er7gkJG8QSXuoPkFvrfxyvyRQxNSxlE4T1Abmx-dYmif5IPNSQMyVXIiXz79ZrruLrXdss/s1600/0326001702a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_d9-PWokcaBcrg2xutESRfc0h30B0wqsis5S2LZ-5vhhna2s3Hj4nhqiGVPQVlIf8F_0K5Er7gkJG8QSXuoPkFvrfxyvyRQxNSxlE4T1Abmx-dYmif5IPNSQMyVXIiXz79ZrruLrXdss/s400/0326001702a.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLC9GEFptcKzmEOYXt5OKcBm0nHyne2ibloSG2sJ9gbwDhN6OterWkwL_ARmGfBy3D9y0GHvGJLb61r3Y_ZvzyxZw5UDgBFtZHZaZzJUFkWUuC7pCtTyG20NCY4FSaNLiL_ugRl5Ey8TI/s1600/0326001658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLC9GEFptcKzmEOYXt5OKcBm0nHyne2ibloSG2sJ9gbwDhN6OterWkwL_ARmGfBy3D9y0GHvGJLb61r3Y_ZvzyxZw5UDgBFtZHZaZzJUFkWUuC7pCtTyG20NCY4FSaNLiL_ugRl5Ey8TI/s400/0326001658.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCzFkR-PXLmKJq4-0YD7mcJdVwMT8rB4RbuTU2klhL9pt9v_vt4S8ggHGTDf18664ohotvZ04lJbWDq33ntVbe_LIB5ARWSEIJqPzZdruh-rT1vvaGRd88sdK-KeiTuv8Tm-o8Px3jFg/s1600/03-05-10+traffic+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCzFkR-PXLmKJq4-0YD7mcJdVwMT8rB4RbuTU2klhL9pt9v_vt4S8ggHGTDf18664ohotvZ04lJbWDq33ntVbe_LIB5ARWSEIJqPzZdruh-rT1vvaGRd88sdK-KeiTuv8Tm-o8Px3jFg/s400/03-05-10+traffic+2.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">(when the opposite direction was completely blocked by a wreck ahead, and the only traffic was entering from the entrance ramp)</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">...Now I'm at home unwinding. Need it.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">(Disclaimer: These pictures are taken while driving, but all I do is hold the phone up and snap the camera button. No watching involved. Eyes remained on the road.)</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-13619609053822034772010-05-06T10:29:00.000-04:002010-05-07T08:52:12.416-04:00It's my Birthday!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Happy Birthday to me,</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Happy Birthday to me,</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Happy Birthday to Sarah,</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Happy Birthday to me!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Even though, after having an annoying head cold for a few days, this is pretty much how I feel...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7uheA5h66UrfYQSHmHL8tVLMr0apq-QSA071M3Nvw7m_RAP9JLT8m-yRQY52a8jQx17AgVNpheJQU-1s2oktKLJh3zGUF2DSB1sYDoNDPUiLyvBrUIIoxDvsK4Ql8b_ozlCUxkLUe7OU/s1600/dog+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7uheA5h66UrfYQSHmHL8tVLMr0apq-QSA071M3Nvw7m_RAP9JLT8m-yRQY52a8jQx17AgVNpheJQU-1s2oktKLJh3zGUF2DSB1sYDoNDPUiLyvBrUIIoxDvsK4Ql8b_ozlCUxkLUe7OU/s400/dog+2.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So conflicted... I just want to rest, yet it's my birthday, so I wish I felt like this...</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-kzdsboOBLIuqRSVG5Hm6aBp08XMJ_bcrwzN6E5mSsAldD84lXPgi4mQXwPSOJdx3ekQv_lKZ1ZlE2ob1hZsyOXplyq3wA78b8yjt3CMBJfslIx7soF3g8ZCFVxgNa3-p0HosgO3mB1M/s1600/dog+3.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-kzdsboOBLIuqRSVG5Hm6aBp08XMJ_bcrwzN6E5mSsAldD84lXPgi4mQXwPSOJdx3ekQv_lKZ1ZlE2ob1hZsyOXplyq3wA78b8yjt3CMBJfslIx7soF3g8ZCFVxgNa3-p0HosgO3mB1M/s400/dog+3.bmp" width="322" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(If you ever want some funny entertainment with animals, go <a href="http://icanhascheezburger.com/">here</a> or <a href="http://ihasahotdog.com/">here</a> - definitely good for a laugh, especially from the animals' perspectives.)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Here are a few photos from last year's birthday...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNb5dAibNjaS6k1iTtD9S3Ctek6B_MvOYCpNuOaRuR4YnEKwMmowzsyhs5dG3o5W8jV5H4f86ig8KLbNP0PsnmiqjJpVEmK515Ffy1dISX9yco0ZrimDO9hws4AeTjzS5HU9HOl99ZZ20/s1600/cake+1.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNb5dAibNjaS6k1iTtD9S3Ctek6B_MvOYCpNuOaRuR4YnEKwMmowzsyhs5dG3o5W8jV5H4f86ig8KLbNP0PsnmiqjJpVEmK515Ffy1dISX9yco0ZrimDO9hws4AeTjzS5HU9HOl99ZZ20/s400/cake+1.bmp" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The tasty cake made by my mommy (that inflicted sugar shock, haha!)</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieirKxYfNZkPPK2ejo_fxerNfCj7hxmB2aXczLjfLHQS0g83BV6V1r2QaOE_WVPxSjdewx5Y2RlHBZo-ag2e1JUFdaFFKGVJXrppPXf4orIoyyzMTt38YX9osmhKEBOXeD8dl41byQg-w/s1600/cake+2.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieirKxYfNZkPPK2ejo_fxerNfCj7hxmB2aXczLjfLHQS0g83BV6V1r2QaOE_WVPxSjdewx5Y2RlHBZo-ag2e1JUFdaFFKGVJXrppPXf4orIoyyzMTt38YX9osmhKEBOXeD8dl41byQg-w/s400/cake+2.bmp" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Dad steals the candles, as always :-)</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMO5EKcUKdmn5jHtUyszNUmLI9YuRrwXzPeJ4bmj8JM56-HW8ZMc3Rf9Nd9zafKpmxCH8YN3Ma6-k_A8RGQPJ8k0P0O8kQ2QqgwOtKB1FiOjI_VNWkaHikaYnvcAVOehzKakOvt6MS10/s1600/cake+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMO5EKcUKdmn5jHtUyszNUmLI9YuRrwXzPeJ4bmj8JM56-HW8ZMc3Rf9Nd9zafKpmxCH8YN3Ma6-k_A8RGQPJ8k0P0O8kQ2QqgwOtKB1FiOjI_VNWkaHikaYnvcAVOehzKakOvt6MS10/s400/cake+3.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Strawberries everywhere...</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>So, here's to another year... and the past 25!</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-18770822650656358572010-04-23T10:08:00.003-04:002010-04-23T10:10:53.316-04:00The Ups and Downs of CampingThere are so many nice things about camping. My favorite, by far? The campfires. The warmth, the crackles and pops... mmm. I even took video so I could come back and watch and enjoy whenever I wanted...<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwe7A1MjfZextUJNHLVE-rfzbdFfwhP1akSs4-iKARPRYTCAvlVWHx5AQRHPumKJisntNNNs5RcO_usd_qgdA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>But there are also some downsides. My mom would be the first to tell you this. Besides the fact that there is no A/C so why would you <em>purposely</em> stay out there, she'd tell you that the biggest downside is that even when you stay somewhere with a bathroom that has electricity for your hairdryer, it's not worth it because the hairdryer will inadvertently whoosh the air up to the ceiling and knock off the years of dust and dead bug carcasses resting on top of the lights and alcoves above, bringing it all fluttering down into your freshly washed hair, causing you to have to shower all over again in the public shower, which you were already grossed out at to begin with. Haha.<br />
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Another downside? Ticks. On our first night out, I didn't think about shaking and brushing off every now and then. So, on the day at home inbetween our two camping locations, I made a discovery and won the award for first tick of the season in the Lee household. Yay. Even got the head stuck and had to do some splinter-removal-type maneuvers. Ick. I cleaned it up really well, but the area is still slightly irritated. If I was skin and I got picked and prodded at after having a nasty bug latch onto me for who knows how many hours, I'd be irritated for a while too. Blegh - makes me shudder just thinking about it. I definitely did a lot of picking up of my pant legs and brushing off the second time out. I know, I know, I <em>could</em> walk around with my pants tucked into my socks and my shirt tucked into my pants and long sleeves... but I'm a little more cool than that. Heh. Plus it still leaves my shirt neck, which to me is just asking for a drop-in visitior anyway. Oooh ok I'm shuddering again... moving on.<br />
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The last downside? Injuries. Jason is Mr. Boy Scout, therefore Mr. Be Prepared. If I ever ask his opinion on if something should be taken somewhere with us, I usually already know his response (unless it's something trivial) - "I always say, be prepared!" So, you'd think of all the things we took with us camping, he'd have brought his first aid kit that he's had for years and years, right? Sure. So, in the short time we'd actually been at the campsite the first day, all it takes is me getting the area on the picnic table prepared for me to make supper and moving some things around to pick up his lovely little axe and slice my little pinky finger. So, you might ask - "Why wasn't the cover on?" It was. "Why were you picking it up by the blade?" I wasn't. "So what happened?" Well I'm glad you asked. It's a new one he got recently to replace his old, old, old one. He'd just finished using this new one to split some wood and had put it back on the table, in its case. All I saw was a case, so I glanced and grabbed for the main handle. My pinky grazed the bottom of the head, where the very tip just happened to be sticking out. After J exclaiming and wondering how in the world I cut myself on it and me having to adamantly show him the tip sticking out of the case, he finally realized... the case was on upside down. Once turning it into its proper position... well, that looks a little better! Now I just need to get a bandaid... Aaaaaand of all times for J to ignore his "Be prepared" motto, this turned out to be the one - yes, ONE - time I've ever known that to happen. Greeeeat. He figured all we were doing is camping, and what in the world would we be doing that we'd need a first aid kit for? Well, just maybe in case I decide to go moving an axe not very carefully that happens to not have the case put on correctly! Hmph. At least this was why we did the first night camping near home - to learn the things we wanted to have with us, and the things to leave at home. First aid kits? Definitely needs to stay on the list. But I made it through the night with napkin wrapped around my pinky finger, held on by a hair rubber band. Now who's prepared for anything that comes? :-) <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz6XdqvkuJFBWu-2ebx_C4R0yDhknjuPE32bdxynt_Cz56HptbHOe-FO5JwATJIqWxr694p3VfZkS81FdpG55v73r7np7mgLWjn7f4wm0Bv0cP8SD_k6CgDgHzI9PLg5cs5Rp-UnCJCBI/s1600/DSCF2045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz6XdqvkuJFBWu-2ebx_C4R0yDhknjuPE32bdxynt_Cz56HptbHOe-FO5JwATJIqWxr694p3VfZkS81FdpG55v73r7np7mgLWjn7f4wm0Bv0cP8SD_k6CgDgHzI9PLg5cs5Rp-UnCJCBI/s400/DSCF2045.JPG" tt="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The day after - looks like my napkin/hairband combo let my platelets do their job!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">I also managed to somehow smack the heck out of my forearm on the back of the Jeep. You know Jeeps, with their random hard points sticking out every which-way... yeah. No great photos of that, but man did it add insult to injury after my little pinky incident, plus added a whole lot of bruising and pain for the next 3-4 days. It also earned me a nice comment from J on how clumsy I am and how I just can't escape injury. Gee, thanks - tell me something I didn't already know.<br />
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Regardless of the downsides, I still can't wait to go back. Campfires await me. :-)<br />
</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-89360560286311435062010-04-20T17:06:00.000-04:002010-04-20T17:06:26.357-04:00The School Lunch DebateI'm starting to see more and more about this being publicized, which is such a great thing. I try my best to eat good, healthy foods that benefit my body, and I can't imagine wanting any different for my family, or for anyone else's kids for that matter. I can remember sitting in school every day, and how hard it was most days to get through the afternoon classes without falling out. And my school even had fairly wholesome meals, compared to what public schools seem to be offering these days.<br />
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If you haven't seen the blog I'm about to mention before, read up when you get a minute. It's a school teacher that is eating the same lunch as the kids offered by the school cafeteria every day in 2010, to demonstrate the lack of nutrition and bad quality of food that the kids are having to digest and get through their day on. And I was appalled when I first read that they only get 20 minutes - <em><strong>20</strong></em> - to get through the line, find a seat, eat, and clean up. Twenty minutes. Talk about indigestion. Here is her blog: <a href="http://fedupwithschoollunch.blogspot.com/">http://fedupwithschoollunch.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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I also saw an article talking about military recruits and how many kids today don't even meet the physical requirements because they are too overweight to even join. They are targeting the school lunches as one of the primary reasons. Now, we all know there are 2 other meals in the day plus physical activity levels that will lead to overweight issues, but the things they talk about in this article certainly are eye-opening. It is ironic how they mention that years ago during the war, the issue was not obesity, but inadequate nutrition and stunted growth. Now the issue is not the lack of quantity of food, but rather the lack of nutritional value and its affect on kids' health - physically and mentally. Here is the article: <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_school_lunches_threat">http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_school_lunches_threat</a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-64880578055378785882010-04-18T13:52:00.000-04:002010-04-20T13:11:40.655-04:00The Lees go camping<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After finally uploading the photos, I can document the trip. We've been meaning to get out and camp for a long time and never were able to make it work. We had all the gear and were itching to get outside and enjoy the nice weather. So except for the not-so-great timing with the huge pollen explosion of the season that coincided with Easter weekend and our camping trip, we had a nice time. Very relaxing, and so nice to get away from everything.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Day 1...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOCCBlFObBJxt80VStRkAASheOLnDivGOhdPx7z-r8TcPqtbc8lzK1rvBWclJYt42oGWDmgmN39U8jGuWtKX8_nqLNLGlH2VaLJBfn7BFZtbFSlXYcb6YJPi7mWCku4KqRPsW1BmGVmxw/s1600/DSCF2028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOCCBlFObBJxt80VStRkAASheOLnDivGOhdPx7z-r8TcPqtbc8lzK1rvBWclJYt42oGWDmgmN39U8jGuWtKX8_nqLNLGlH2VaLJBfn7BFZtbFSlXYcb6YJPi7mWCku4KqRPsW1BmGVmxw/s400/DSCF2028.JPG" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Love the tent - it can be completely sealed or can open all the way up to have a huge view of the entire sky.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKmn-yBssgeUux1UbEvw76er_Cu75jNK0qtuT58mbuK7TKCJIXmpJuZu1REq59pzaIOIEmrWTXdXY4rYylBTfO2_0uUfnP974OUklyZPAP8dRguseT9TT94lsSqA9mfgYwSUneXhxRvc/s1600/DSCF2029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKmn-yBssgeUux1UbEvw76er_Cu75jNK0qtuT58mbuK7TKCJIXmpJuZu1REq59pzaIOIEmrWTXdXY4rYylBTfO2_0uUfnP974OUklyZPAP8dRguseT9TT94lsSqA9mfgYwSUneXhxRvc/s400/DSCF2029.JPG" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Backpacking stove.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-00SVknZWlYAtF3TVqcsnreXnpGcWKvKvm_jVOs6vdtWQaJ2t2eFLx5ArrsJYFcPxukhhxpEgqQy4vkFWofD2XaXOtsfJSO68mv8vZwpIy85mueYl0qyR2rCC1edpghkKd7dr3T4R-U/s1600/DSCF2031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-00SVknZWlYAtF3TVqcsnreXnpGcWKvKvm_jVOs6vdtWQaJ2t2eFLx5ArrsJYFcPxukhhxpEgqQy4vkFWofD2XaXOtsfJSO68mv8vZwpIy85mueYl0qyR2rCC1edpghkKd7dr3T4R-U/s400/DSCF2031.JPG" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Trying out one of our MREs - actually was pretty good. Reminded me of spaghetti-Os.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMd8TWC9EhAl_0iaKFU9MMWn2KmNq9QLtrybDgl1MhhzBMKw8kpKNq227y1YQG4FafWrafjpMgSJqkieWzP4BFlsQ51FEFXG2OA_jXki0sFSadrOIIAFByo10L5kdwcRyHS-1gTWMAR0/s1600/DSCF2033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMd8TWC9EhAl_0iaKFU9MMWn2KmNq9QLtrybDgl1MhhzBMKw8kpKNq227y1YQG4FafWrafjpMgSJqkieWzP4BFlsQ51FEFXG2OA_jXki0sFSadrOIIAFByo10L5kdwcRyHS-1gTWMAR0/s400/DSCF2033.JPG" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVlA_REM6wX0rJbLuyxjQV59KtbJ4szFtE0xGczCBON9p5wbBUFVtT5RA2oBEKULsacaSGtxiqGJXf4dlMb1e2Xxy-kJPSMfY7tHzH8oGxeEWcYIaGAaiZ85C-KFv6IcUDtjW43Vj43zI/s1600/DSCF2041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVlA_REM6wX0rJbLuyxjQV59KtbJ4szFtE0xGczCBON9p5wbBUFVtT5RA2oBEKULsacaSGtxiqGJXf4dlMb1e2Xxy-kJPSMfY7tHzH8oGxeEWcYIaGAaiZ85C-KFv6IcUDtjW43Vj43zI/s400/DSCF2041.JPG" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I love a fire. So entrancing, peaceful, enticing, warm.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbccif0T0EZG7wi6jwUmXGE7FXqTD6yjMnKjMWENE-nFdIacxXMV5_5YlIwgRYBoEjmdvoyeRRlb-uzqD5N08TRQH-oAcGqPVj7iO0ut2NQIywh-shyphenhyphenNV0xNVb1LuGiXZeLggr3G14QmM/s1600/DSCF2042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbccif0T0EZG7wi6jwUmXGE7FXqTD6yjMnKjMWENE-nFdIacxXMV5_5YlIwgRYBoEjmdvoyeRRlb-uzqD5N08TRQH-oAcGqPVj7iO0ut2NQIywh-shyphenhyphenNV0xNVb1LuGiXZeLggr3G14QmM/s400/DSCF2042.JPG" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">YUMMY breakfast.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Day 2, second location...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadWmqIxgGj_U5ATPk-LFjnBEvWHsQdx0yrxl5MahOEi-zED3VhGLaVweBj0nCQa5t480Y6VG4vHclEs_eMdtfAWs43zKzCR74ukke6NXqS_2z0RVnRnPTTKdRk1q_cUb3U2TyANvIAAs/s1600/DSCF2054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadWmqIxgGj_U5ATPk-LFjnBEvWHsQdx0yrxl5MahOEi-zED3VhGLaVweBj0nCQa5t480Y6VG4vHclEs_eMdtfAWs43zKzCR74ukke6NXqS_2z0RVnRnPTTKdRk1q_cUb3U2TyANvIAAs/s400/DSCF2054.JPG" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Beautiful lake view.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5effMNk1-xwuEU4YtiM7JeOGBpYYo0NEhbNvciUhQjGJqczb7IAUsNL3DoHm5LVl98aacFcoyrp7inqKr2lAs9WmTir55aFawYloaxaVH14i4b7P6Z6ngCux6ntAD2IJua1oc4KG89Hw/s1600/DSCF2055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5effMNk1-xwuEU4YtiM7JeOGBpYYo0NEhbNvciUhQjGJqczb7IAUsNL3DoHm5LVl98aacFcoyrp7inqKr2lAs9WmTir55aFawYloaxaVH14i4b7P6Z6ngCux6ntAD2IJua1oc4KG89Hw/s400/DSCF2055.JPG" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Afternoon visit to the lake.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxs6FWSx17eE_o2ytWPM5NbX26JXtHECwKv52F39DuHaYGfv_t_WpOVL6Yph_zdMTvSuzwbiKXcjSzIRVeGsc2FBYGjtikulxBTVteHaU3qn1JDdcWfB3-sveyjj30lP3xvhgjjKgxOQ/s1600/DSCF2061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxs6FWSx17eE_o2ytWPM5NbX26JXtHECwKv52F39DuHaYGfv_t_WpOVL6Yph_zdMTvSuzwbiKXcjSzIRVeGsc2FBYGjtikulxBTVteHaU3qn1JDdcWfB3-sveyjj30lP3xvhgjjKgxOQ/s400/DSCF2061.JPG" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rainfly to keep all the condensation and crazy ants off the tent.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQV89KgEgX2iEkleycZcrvWMs1BcMzQX2KB4G8ES4Ixyt6MHOw2QNBE7Y19GE5VJy8W32rNPHXsR70SAZ_vzX_RSYThrlvFepgyfEZbPfbD9tYEsH7zOTNqIth5S35DYUf1-6tEStB7zc/s1600/DSCF2056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQV89KgEgX2iEkleycZcrvWMs1BcMzQX2KB4G8ES4Ixyt6MHOw2QNBE7Y19GE5VJy8W32rNPHXsR70SAZ_vzX_RSYThrlvFepgyfEZbPfbD9tYEsH7zOTNqIth5S35DYUf1-6tEStB7zc/s400/DSCF2056.JPG" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Gorgeous sunrise on the lake.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8omtasGNUkUMR0Dw1y344KDGpV-QnXnoiU98BeXZu-8e-ftKl29s9vuiOmZqI9QLsbjiGaOvBBYgglnzKS6Tq0DcgNZek_-1RsCqz7ObaO1t8b-tZzzmGEBbD2W6PiVBQCc5A6oMUpQ/s1600/DSCF2058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8omtasGNUkUMR0Dw1y344KDGpV-QnXnoiU98BeXZu-8e-ftKl29s9vuiOmZqI9QLsbjiGaOvBBYgglnzKS6Tq0DcgNZek_-1RsCqz7ObaO1t8b-tZzzmGEBbD2W6PiVBQCc5A6oMUpQ/s400/DSCF2058.JPG" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Morning light.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerq79nxaU2Qn98tqZ7n7GKRLMUARc-i6xUNnCn0cOxTLQKkmBx0JNtLK84HMSug9Fw2RANT6VP5D8W6AloDlcjX2IitxuSTQ4B1V3ItqVRR0tvXHxTqIlB1E7tgcT1ZsMMeS620Cu69w/s1600/DSCF2062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerq79nxaU2Qn98tqZ7n7GKRLMUARc-i6xUNnCn0cOxTLQKkmBx0JNtLK84HMSug9Fw2RANT6VP5D8W6AloDlcjX2IitxuSTQ4B1V3ItqVRR0tvXHxTqIlB1E7tgcT1ZsMMeS620Cu69w/s400/DSCF2062.JPG" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">YUMMY breakfast, day #2.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Can't wait to get back out there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-85036030654856471322010-04-16T21:21:00.001-04:002010-04-16T21:32:53.350-04:00Interesting read<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/15/AR2010041505964.html?g=0">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/15/AR2010041505964.html?g=0</a><br />
<br />
You know, I would usually say that I whole-heartedly support this. Because there are just some times that words mean absolutely nothing to a student (or just a person) and they'll continue to act up, bully, disrespect, and disrupt. I noticed it very early on when just teaching preschoolers, so just imagine trying to discipline an older "child" when he or she may very well be bigger than some of teachers themselves are.<br />
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But in my mind, that's in a semi-perfect world, with good people. When I think about children I may have one day, and when I think about the many, many ugly and bad-intented people in this world, I begin to second-guess my above opinion. Because really, I doubt I'd be comfortable with someone else paddling my kid. I know I'm not perfect, but I also don't trust others to practice restraint or to know when is enough. Honestly, how do you decide who is worthy of deciding that kind of punishment, besides the parents? (And honestly, many parents aren't even worth of that, in my opinion... but different subject for a different day.)<br />
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So I don't really know what to think now. I do know that in today's world, only using "encouraging words" and thinking that will make the ones needing discipline "want" to just act better, in my experience, usually doesn't work.<br />
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It is interesting that since the reinstatement of the discipline, behavior has significantly improved, even though only one kid has actually received it. It's also interesting that it was reinstated due to parental request.<br />
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Which kind of brings me to what I'd say is my final opinion on this idea. In today's world, I wouldn't be comfortable with someone else paddling my kid. But I'd rather them leave that option to me. Which really drives home the thought that good parenting makes all the difference in the world. If a child is raised right and the time is invested in their life to help make them a good person, their discipline shouldn't have to extend to paddling anyway. But if it was necessary, my thought is that the schools need to inform the parents of the problems, and even send the kids home if they continue to disrupt. But leave the actual discipline to the parents. If this was years and years ago, my opinion might be different. But in this world we now live in, that would be my choice. <br />
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...What's yours?Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-40038779794339094542010-04-07T12:09:00.001-04:002010-04-16T21:32:41.180-04:00The week we all turned yellowSo things have been pretty crazy and busy around here, including the pollen. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, is yellow right now. I have never seen such thick pollen before.<br />
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And this is probably why...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldW7Y3bqw50MzgkTnxr0Y5p9bW5dM6SY-4ON9q0QCsXeaZ2tO5_F3bVgZH_yWJxvhSY4JgcQViQ-lsOIbYkCaVZ1xnIoj7nMrBOJIyJIVIgrqfUrfndzeP9EbMHRYsxkwfSQNNIQlp0E/s1600/0406001805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldW7Y3bqw50MzgkTnxr0Y5p9bW5dM6SY-4ON9q0QCsXeaZ2tO5_F3bVgZH_yWJxvhSY4JgcQViQ-lsOIbYkCaVZ1xnIoj7nMrBOJIyJIVIgrqfUrfndzeP9EbMHRYsxkwfSQNNIQlp0E/s400/0406001805.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>In early April. At 6:00pm. No wonder the blooms are taking this chance to go crazy.</em></div><br />
This is what sticks out to me the most - the fact that there are <em>tracks</em> in the pollen...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GeTQjHJYtK9y9BqcGrlmCnSyec18NytQrAy4YEypdltxKaaxuISERD0fqfIIeLHL1yg7NLdMl1Y58b9_y02rEsEoKe0sjVH1cd7_I5KIkZSeZovRQmpuH4ix-jDqk3QWxmSBh1dfsXg/s1600/0406001801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GeTQjHJYtK9y9BqcGrlmCnSyec18NytQrAy4YEypdltxKaaxuISERD0fqfIIeLHL1yg7NLdMl1Y58b9_y02rEsEoKe0sjVH1cd7_I5KIkZSeZovRQmpuH4ix-jDqk3QWxmSBh1dfsXg/s400/0406001801.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>Tire tracks and footprints at the parking garage entrance.</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6b5_3AK5gMwTA5Zt7eRi12iSv2_yCWENUJX_nLmuSLB6mvi9HeMqOZ_JJ3BacYtQ3OC8Z92NHEXgqKK50g9Qmi8KGF3HQc685Y7wzY3gnzvvW1eYNpBXBhZv0kDm2TD4jHq7vAPl1wFc/s1600/0407000828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6b5_3AK5gMwTA5Zt7eRi12iSv2_yCWENUJX_nLmuSLB6mvi9HeMqOZ_JJ3BacYtQ3OC8Z92NHEXgqKK50g9Qmi8KGF3HQc685Y7wzY3gnzvvW1eYNpBXBhZv0kDm2TD4jHq7vAPl1wFc/s400/0407000828.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc81vEvfCQKbyF51r2Y9V-GbtOMH5NTrKEG7RVRtHnRyY7oLdkEXJltuRDJtxHnJfDUuFrjcBGfLaDHQnUcrM_fGZYR4iTIGD8-QE6L7fgRqnHy21AWCqcpwTkUPjmqroiU7aHElGbgZg/s1600/0407000828a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc81vEvfCQKbyF51r2Y9V-GbtOMH5NTrKEG7RVRtHnRyY7oLdkEXJltuRDJtxHnJfDUuFrjcBGfLaDHQnUcrM_fGZYR4iTIGD8-QE6L7fgRqnHy21AWCqcpwTkUPjmqroiU7aHElGbgZg/s400/0407000828a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>People's footprints walking towards the door at work.</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sick, sick, sick. Gross. Ick. Shudder. Achoo. Any other words I'm forgetting?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-71761592162694928662010-03-25T17:04:00.001-04:002010-03-25T17:12:58.275-04:00Feel Better FoodWhen we get sick around our house, we like meals with some "umph" that will give us some energy and help our bodies fight off the gunkiness and grossness. We usually try to eat much healthier and leaner, but meals like that don't tend to offer much relief when you have the energy of a groggy turtle and moving feels like your limbs weigh a ton each. So sick meals turn into sort-of treats that we normally wouldn't have otherwise. J has a cold right now, so I picked up some extra yummy items for meals this week.<br />
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For some lunches, I found <a href="http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/impossibly-easy-cheeseburger-pie/8c78aa78-c368-40fa-8a88-1654640c7525">this recipe</a> on my cousin's <a href="http://sydneysfood.blogspot.com/">food blog</a> - Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie. Haha, with a name like that, what's there not to like?? Apparently it's pretty widely known (even though I couldn't find it on my Bisquick box like the website said), but I've never made it before. We both really enjoyed it - I definitely want to make it again, and experiment with some different additions to the recipe as well. Here it is in my lunch container - probably not looking so appetizing here, but ignore the gladware and picture a pretty plate! (Why yes, that is yummy cheesy goodness all on top...)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrjc3pBawYxrIdTDomEsLbYEFDiNpAvPncf6jQo506vsxyxB_mimzHaW4x-K2AxE4Pn0VoJay_OYtk1jG5n7h7O1yArgab6DiuErluBqx064wFkvBrBXfr_8werwt8jsLuE9dTpXcTgU8/s1600/0325001139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrjc3pBawYxrIdTDomEsLbYEFDiNpAvPncf6jQo506vsxyxB_mimzHaW4x-K2AxE4Pn0VoJay_OYtk1jG5n7h7O1yArgab6DiuErluBqx064wFkvBrBXfr_8werwt8jsLuE9dTpXcTgU8/s400/0325001139.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hamburger helper (actually chicken helper for us this time) made the cut as well - always a favorite around here. As spectacular as it always tastes though, it doesn't come across very appetizing in photos.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And last night was one of my personal favorites - always a comforting and yummy meal. Ever since I first had these years and years ago, I've absolutely loved the taste of them - pigs in a blanket. :-) As soon as I hear it, I think of kid food and smile... but hey, I'm a kid at heart, so it works.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQkGCTiLHyihb5FQ0lvS0m61gYR51tv0CvJUqzvBAowC6fg2-NBBllXYZEdyNJ51SpmtJmRC2OCK3bJ3WbNMQWOxorehZo-td7UOdDF1E2SNBLOT38MGwWVN0anKf0pgpaXEC-sjkWKUg/s1600/0324001956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQkGCTiLHyihb5FQ0lvS0m61gYR51tv0CvJUqzvBAowC6fg2-NBBllXYZEdyNJ51SpmtJmRC2OCK3bJ3WbNMQWOxorehZo-td7UOdDF1E2SNBLOT38MGwWVN0anKf0pgpaXEC-sjkWKUg/s400/0324001956.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And what goes better with pigs in a blanket than mac and cheese??</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyO8f3XM_MtXN7rkG7_EmgCXCJmjVbD0lTePabbIGODdmvhgsrsMJ6EKlOgaEYWJExb_0VelsWvfgQJmZE_Kbds1NeALaxXMN7Ut0OB8KXsHrGZXJQsK7Fjbnh8ApSol908J3hJ_V6ek/s1600/0324001957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyO8f3XM_MtXN7rkG7_EmgCXCJmjVbD0lTePabbIGODdmvhgsrsMJ6EKlOgaEYWJExb_0VelsWvfgQJmZE_Kbds1NeALaxXMN7Ut0OB8KXsHrGZXJQsK7Fjbnh8ApSol908J3hJ_V6ek/s400/0324001957.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Haha, only bad part is, I'm not sick. But I'm still eating the yummy food - I can't cook it for the sick guy then not eat it myself! So, gotta get my rear doing some activity and work it all off, haha.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But until then, it's most likely Stouffer's lasagna for tonight. YUM.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-4483385857685945582010-03-17T12:32:00.004-04:002010-03-17T16:58:52.066-04:00A New OutlookNo, not on life - a new view. At work.<br />
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I recently got to move to a new office, which is awesome news compared to my old view. The guy across our mini-hallway from me moved to another group, so I was able to move into his old office. It's a little bit smaller, but check out the change...<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">My walls before...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBHVosx6d-jJoRJniEhEwHYW8qjRYPDmQ8pExCVQrTIrxl97YpSWDyb3KXeuuH6iGstXsoOKP_4lvxqbyGJtSwYaXnHoc7B2_9DsETq7iYyN3sxDu9x54Ug7M4V38xGj6Nmr6PjZY2D_c/s1600-h/Copy+of+02-23-10+old+office+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBHVosx6d-jJoRJniEhEwHYW8qjRYPDmQ8pExCVQrTIrxl97YpSWDyb3KXeuuH6iGstXsoOKP_4lvxqbyGJtSwYaXnHoc7B2_9DsETq7iYyN3sxDu9x54Ug7M4V38xGj6Nmr6PjZY2D_c/s400/Copy+of+02-23-10+old+office+2.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">What I looked at before from sitting at my desk...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjO9Hzdvrja256pTS7yZM1XwTs_dGd_bO7Emqk-MKIZITCP7tJICD7A4zKPluNE7jdJXfVlPOYaA2Fvmh8EpVpn4GyB6EIzhk1JT4vxVgZkdd62QFF4THJUDGaY_AXE6LlozujTlX8O0/s1600-h/02-23-10+old+office.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjO9Hzdvrja256pTS7yZM1XwTs_dGd_bO7Emqk-MKIZITCP7tJICD7A4zKPluNE7jdJXfVlPOYaA2Fvmh8EpVpn4GyB6EIzhk1JT4vxVgZkdd62QFF4THJUDGaY_AXE6LlozujTlX8O0/s400/02-23-10+old+office.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">And the new one... not a great shot of the office, but check out the greatest perk (besides a real desk)...</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4O9iJU1WGYEXgOVlbjiDdUYN9OuKcHoquSa7tgAOMS5cRH9PbU6ReZMW3MOQLNdYS60X02LW59OlJOv_Jgz9AAvZWx4Etwh996m8NZWQX8Hid6wbUmYPNW8tfiyxrhPdOHZph0zYkmms/s1600-h/02-22-10+office.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4O9iJU1WGYEXgOVlbjiDdUYN9OuKcHoquSa7tgAOMS5cRH9PbU6ReZMW3MOQLNdYS60X02LW59OlJOv_Jgz9AAvZWx4Etwh996m8NZWQX8Hid6wbUmYPNW8tfiyxrhPdOHZph0zYkmms/s400/02-22-10+office.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div>Ah, yes, the window... so much better than staring at walls. The photo doesn't do it justice - the window is about 4 feet wide, and goes all the way up to the ceiling. As much as I love the outdoors, it's definitely helped me to at least have this sort-of-connection to it on the hard days at work. People were surprised when they saw that I left the bigger office for this one (it's not as small as the picture makes it feel). But to me, natural light and a connection to the outside world is so much better for my mental state than being cooped up in a hole full of harsh flourescent lights. I've even willingly not had the burned-out lights above my desk replaced, just so I can avoid the fake light and soak up the all-natural.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">So now, the office itself is just much brighter...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkYREN6mk9AVVU4tOB5UC-Zn1zEo84FGcKSolEXPsRbkZn-gpYSq1PhgA3MO5OnjoOEFEeglYgVj9PlGx7iNQwCpoxM2sE7viCVcwws5kG12omUytl9z3ryoeiQHcmV6-crTlOkdgHSLc/s1600-h/Copy+of+0317001126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkYREN6mk9AVVU4tOB5UC-Zn1zEo84FGcKSolEXPsRbkZn-gpYSq1PhgA3MO5OnjoOEFEeglYgVj9PlGx7iNQwCpoxM2sE7viCVcwws5kG12omUytl9z3ryoeiQHcmV6-crTlOkdgHSLc/s400/Copy+of+0317001126.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(notice the way we use even cubicle walls wisely - that is my only exit)</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">And while we're in the sharing mode, here's my normal visual range for 8 hours of every weekday...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdX7CwZzDUBKIVaULLC72CEmVJ6jN8MRfebt_cYStKp99s6OA66OP94dFtj4lwt3Fmrfn3VlN2LUVGkFcTEmqCttqvkVU2WZdqYHenbkbpwxuaMS-fZ_X0DJBexkVFx9OCBVvfIlPyyQ0/s1600-h/Copy+of+0317001127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdX7CwZzDUBKIVaULLC72CEmVJ6jN8MRfebt_cYStKp99s6OA66OP94dFtj4lwt3Fmrfn3VlN2LUVGkFcTEmqCttqvkVU2WZdqYHenbkbpwxuaMS-fZ_X0DJBexkVFx9OCBVvfIlPyyQ0/s400/Copy+of+0317001127.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Haven't had time yet to add more personalization to the wall - it needs some lovely pictures and other things.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">But regardless of that, now instead of only white walls and cubicle fabric,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I can see blue sky...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU60xTN6cPWUYugD1ryEz3wdEquWJAXxmTzOhz5QCyt_w0WbnBwf0T7AVFfSBVInnseBwzPvnUhebgfdQHoZrQhg6ms4OEUs_cwdXfpGAesvGPM5EyYJD7mRJwVCN0r3QzcyeKlgjsWeQ/s1600-h/02-25-10+office+view+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU60xTN6cPWUYugD1ryEz3wdEquWJAXxmTzOhz5QCyt_w0WbnBwf0T7AVFfSBVInnseBwzPvnUhebgfdQHoZrQhg6ms4OEUs_cwdXfpGAesvGPM5EyYJD7mRJwVCN0r3QzcyeKlgjsWeQ/s400/02-25-10+office+view+2.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">puffy clouds...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wuuSz04mwx9a1Fp8vd62_HRYQzBqR7FjR-0IqRIVZSj0PYxQDzsAyJmOPhCN7YsAgMdfrIfBvsF2E61qp-RFcBZEi3ZvfuwGW_MaLFJ5w3fZzeSnJyXkzN_1bxJFcSAwxpAe1r7Kn2o/s1600-h/02-25-10+office+view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wuuSz04mwx9a1Fp8vd62_HRYQzBqR7FjR-0IqRIVZSj0PYxQDzsAyJmOPhCN7YsAgMdfrIfBvsF2E61qp-RFcBZEi3ZvfuwGW_MaLFJ5w3fZzeSnJyXkzN_1bxJFcSAwxpAe1r7Kn2o/s400/02-25-10+office+view.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">hazy days...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr__VDUoy1bFhVgXwaV7SMtBTsHwZ55XuoC-WgegpEx5dZ4pSTn0jfDKIAf2M4LSNKM-St-v4dZHa2wO3CT-mG4wnr-3hTEbYkVLtsZf3buyZAoy41zQjffjdYAA6nWX2YO0p-zuKx1uU/s1600-h/02-23-10+office+view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr__VDUoy1bFhVgXwaV7SMtBTsHwZ55XuoC-WgegpEx5dZ4pSTn0jfDKIAf2M4LSNKM-St-v4dZHa2wO3CT-mG4wnr-3hTEbYkVLtsZf3buyZAoy41zQjffjdYAA6nWX2YO0p-zuKx1uU/s400/02-23-10+office+view.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">storm clouds...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEianSDMt2qxiCr1zr334GhzdQ0kmV7Yc1KUocCB1hXrRA01uRa4CtaErkk3_7sKkUvY5syybCfNHs85BQNk7tjamFHmwjun1vajlRma9O9mP_lBriXmwqJ3bhilgODpqzmG8hKG9qmzhmw/s1600-h/0526091521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEianSDMt2qxiCr1zr334GhzdQ0kmV7Yc1KUocCB1hXrRA01uRa4CtaErkk3_7sKkUvY5syybCfNHs85BQNk7tjamFHmwjun1vajlRma9O9mP_lBriXmwqJ3bhilgODpqzmG8hKG9qmzhmw/s400/0526091521.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and even snow.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOTTPMWRZrXCskqDV43NrzLNdp5EcJ_YWn_O3hx0QulHfanHnjSGelXd_4hH5D6veFBNklaV7Vu38YAexYIlpDa9rqWoBCcEl9GERoy65JjMIFIFjW-d1dikQH0lJ3kcb8JMlR-QuWHI/s1600-h/02-25-10+snow+6+office+view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOTTPMWRZrXCskqDV43NrzLNdp5EcJ_YWn_O3hx0QulHfanHnjSGelXd_4hH5D6veFBNklaV7Vu38YAexYIlpDa9rqWoBCcEl9GERoy65JjMIFIFjW-d1dikQH0lJ3kcb8JMlR-QuWHI/s400/02-25-10+snow+6+office+view.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Add that to a couple weeks of parking space issues that resulted in assignment changes that slashed my walk to work from 5 blocks to 2... and you've got a pretty good upswing in working conditions. Hooray.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-15100930679469331842010-03-13T17:20:00.001-05:002010-03-13T17:24:49.015-05:00Sad PillowsI found out how pitiful my old pillows really were. I'd known it for a while but put off replacing them. When I finally found some great new pillows last weekend, I did a comparison once they got home... and no, the one on the left is NOT sitting on a higher level - they are both on even ground. New is on the left, old on the right. So sad. But my neck and shoulders are now happy.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLpkpONHB-IC9F2lnbvValG9em7ZJDp7nbMQHf-AULlLXo8edI7dM-p8F79mbBi7gx06aoI0EUKP0j20KZlTEzoEAbT0DGxUtJ-kChaUN_UmtZMRjtEFA2oCSCoaf88XD5xM0GAiS88E/s1600-h/0306002336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLpkpONHB-IC9F2lnbvValG9em7ZJDp7nbMQHf-AULlLXo8edI7dM-p8F79mbBi7gx06aoI0EUKP0j20KZlTEzoEAbT0DGxUtJ-kChaUN_UmtZMRjtEFA2oCSCoaf88XD5xM0GAiS88E/s400/0306002336.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
My sinuses are probably happy now too, based on what you can read out there about dust mites and all that nasty stuff that can get into your pillows and mattresses after a certain amount of time. Ick.<br />
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So what's your record time for keeping pillows? My old down one that's a standard size is still my head-prop second pillow, and I think I've had it since before college... so at least 8 years. Ew. Might be time to replace that one too. And my foam contour one is about the same age - wonder if the same rules apply to the foam ones. Haha, google, here I come for some research...Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-41864561297100586072010-03-12T17:32:00.002-05:002010-03-12T17:35:14.687-05:00Around here lately...Not much new around here, besides the usual busy stuff... guess that contributes to my lack of blog updates...<br />
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I have been reminded yet again this week that headaches stink.<br />
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Everybody kind of seems in and out of funks, me included. Lately it's been one of those where I can really see a 180 coming, with respect to my activity levels, motivation to exercise and eat right (all the time, not just some of the time), desire to cook more, and do some of the things I've had on my things-I-want-to-do list for quite some time. Just don't feel like I'm quite on the road toward that yet. Maybe the spring weather making its way in is exactly what we all need.<br />
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I'm pretty bummed because my camera is sick and had to go away to the camera "doctor" for a little while... hopefully it can come home soon. Maybe that's where the funk comes from, mine at least... lack of being able to get out and take photos, which is something I take a lot of joy in.<br />
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Speaking of photos, I do have tons of them to upload online and share with folks. I love taking the photos, but it the sharing that I've got to work on getting better at. Haha, so don't be surprised to see photos from last summer or other events finally making their way on here at some point. I should actually take this time as an opportunity to do just that, while I'm not adding to the collection with new ones.<br />
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Speaking even more of photos, I spent Saturday night at my parents' house, stuffing photo albums with wedding pictures. The grandparents don't have internet access, so Mom wanted to take them the actual photos to be able to see in person. We got them all printed - over 1,000 photos - and Mom and I spent a few hours slotting away photos, along with a little wine, and some good laughs with Jason and Dad sitting by watching us work. :-) Here are the finished products, all 3 are honestly practically FULL of photos...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjW4pM4pIHZZs2sbx1CJqJozpIo_F1cJ2pIvdwjZlXc18svfROnPGq7mpIYPwdlx-dYJ-J62rcXDVigfWC3i69cBFm5xO4GQGx7uU04Eudu9ieRjuSoGObjKf1A9l1O2IqBKT9-ZL0ftQ/s1600-h/downsized_0306002258a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjW4pM4pIHZZs2sbx1CJqJozpIo_F1cJ2pIvdwjZlXc18svfROnPGq7mpIYPwdlx-dYJ-J62rcXDVigfWC3i69cBFm5xO4GQGx7uU04Eudu9ieRjuSoGObjKf1A9l1O2IqBKT9-ZL0ftQ/s400/downsized_0306002258a.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In other news, I found a new recipe to try - Beef and Bean Enchilada Casserole (<a href="http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/recipes/bean-and-beef-enchilada-casserole-540917/#poll-B83EEBEA271611DFA0D6B8B4514A4933">linky</a>). I've been searching for recipes to use for dinners for chicken and other meats besides beef, plus some dishes that have fiber and are filling and energizing. This one fit the bill great. I used chicken instead of beef, and a few other substitutions for items I didn't have on hand, and it turned out yumm-o. Also feeds us both for 3-4 different meals. Definitely will keep this one in the rotation.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFFVF-ASwWyCqYpWlLviSCpAsSZpr6gKGAKPrmp-oybarPh2lqnA_6kMGfcex3P4BvtIs1TLjKROl2oHAAekoDJ-hwwhZlUIKtmgsnQcjA6qydMlbw0HUmyFPaXXOcaqjYXsWxD-LxK5E/s1600-h/0309001901a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFFVF-ASwWyCqYpWlLviSCpAsSZpr6gKGAKPrmp-oybarPh2lqnA_6kMGfcex3P4BvtIs1TLjKROl2oHAAekoDJ-hwwhZlUIKtmgsnQcjA6qydMlbw0HUmyFPaXXOcaqjYXsWxD-LxK5E/s400/0309001901a.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><div align="right" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div align="right" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That's about all that's going on in the Lee life right now... speaking of which (topic for another time) - I just have to say that it is SUCH a pain to change your name. Seriously. I thought it was annoying to sit at the Social Security office and DMV for hours on end - those were a breeze compared to the headaches I've had with processes elsewhere. I'll stop now, or else you'd get many more paragraphs of complaints about something that should be so much simpler.</div><div align="right" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div align="right" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, now THAT is all that's going on.</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-7187611909911253312010-02-24T13:34:00.001-05:002010-02-24T13:53:01.839-05:00Such a busy world... and squeezing in lifeIt seems lately that everyone is just so busy, me included. It feels like there are so few hours left in a day to do the things I want to get done - some days it's like there are no free hours. I wish I could find time for multitudes of things... to really keep my home as clean and organized as I'd prefer... to do all the junk purging and donating that needs to be done... to work the extra hours at work that would be so beneficial... to volunteer at the SPCA... to update this blog regularly... to post the hundreds of pictures online that I have from probably the last 12 or so months... to take the photography classes I've been yearning for... to have a consistent workout schedule... to cook the hearty and healthy meals I really want to... to spend more time outside... to actually use the many hobbies I have... to see my family and friends more... to have the consistent daily quiet time with the Lord that I want and need... and so many other things.<br />
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It looks like many other people have the same "busy" problem as I do. Many of the blogs I keep up with don't get updated like they used to. I play phone tag with people constantly. Even the people I would tag as having all the free time in the world seem to constantly be on the move.<br />
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So what's going on? Is everything in the world just getting more and more fast paced all the time? Are we doomed to just run around like crazy for the rest of our lives, with our speeds just increasing exponentially? Are any future kids I may have going to just have no hope of having any free time? (And yes, I know that in most cases kids tend to <em>add</em> to the busy-ness of your own life. But I tend to think that your priorities and schedules shift - I know mine would have to, because I wouldn't stay sane otherwise.)<br />
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For a long time now, I've often brainstormed about ways to slow down... to make the WORLD slow down. It seems like such an impossible feat to help the entire world do so. But for me, I could probably do it. It would take some lifestyle changes and people in my life being understanding of those changes. But a lot of times, I really think it'd be worth it. Maybe lose the cell phone for a weekend and spend that time camping and hiking in the woods, away from everything. Maybe give up some sleep... haha, sike - not a good idea - I need more now as it is. Maybe give up the few TV shows I do watch in my few spare hours a week to do some of the other things on the list. Maybe make myself even more lists than I do now, but instead of just scratching down all my random thoughts and to-dos, put aside time every day to organize my thoughts and agenda items, and make a plan so I can get it all done, and just live by a constant schedule. Heck, maybe even job changes come to mind sometimes, but that's a big consideration for another day.<br />
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This does make me think of the Andy Griffith episode with the famous tagline of, "What's your hurry?" A visiting preacher gives a sermon on slowing down in life and not being in such a hurry. Makes me wish I had as much free time as they did... sit around on a Sunday afternoon and decide to walk down the street to get ice cream, or go watch your cousin wash his car, or suddenly get the notion to revamp the old band and have a band concert the same day. :-) Here's the link to the episode if you want to see it (this is the first third, the next two are right after it): <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz_LNzUcaN4&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz_LNzUcaN4&feature=related</a>.<br />
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I was searching for a funny "busy" picture to include here before I published, and I found this cartoon that perfectly depicts the priorities of the majority of today's world... made me laugh, so here ya go...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDoGydCsqgewqAj41jlxbmU4wMF_xuzADd9TFOllBjBSr4DpQd6y2_0cMhCRTJrvKx7t5C8euBueiC8WeoQ0Oky9vGqbt9To1CIsZUvvQjKSl4fW5ja1cMJw1JHFbmvk0Oq0reATYK34/s1600-h/6a00d8341d3df553ef00e551cc8ba48833-800wi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDoGydCsqgewqAj41jlxbmU4wMF_xuzADd9TFOllBjBSr4DpQd6y2_0cMhCRTJrvKx7t5C8euBueiC8WeoQ0Oky9vGqbt9To1CIsZUvvQjKSl4fW5ja1cMJw1JHFbmvk0Oq0reATYK34/s400/6a00d8341d3df553ef00e551cc8ba48833-800wi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(found here: </span></em><a href="http://geekandpoke.typepad.com/geekandpoke/2008/04/busy-times.html"><em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://geekandpoke.typepad.com/geekandpoke/2008/04/busy-times.html</span></em></a><em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">)</span></em></div><br />
And this one is pretty good too, for a reality of the usual excuse for not exercising...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUcVqUM39CmkaXyua7ksgKZkhDlsYY9tmWmVCnUV-4l6tjUykt8R0JgH60NRjFYN51A3afHMQJ94d47bouyv-YGLUGFWeeNUiLEnYZgB7nInI8HEi5KeEY6Ly7mSb525MYIvymHPcca0/s1600-h/too-busy-to-exercise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUcVqUM39CmkaXyua7ksgKZkhDlsYY9tmWmVCnUV-4l6tjUykt8R0JgH60NRjFYN51A3afHMQJ94d47bouyv-YGLUGFWeeNUiLEnYZgB7nInI8HEi5KeEY6Ly7mSb525MYIvymHPcca0/s320/too-busy-to-exercise.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(found here: </span></em><a href="http://pastorsteveweaver.wordpress.com/2007/09/07/too-busy-to-exercise/"><em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://pastorsteveweaver.wordpress.com/2007/09/07/too-busy-to-exercise/</span></em></a><em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">)</span></em></div><br />
Anyway, these are more just thoughts out loud, but I'm really curious if anyone else has had a time of evaluation that I seem to be having at the moment. If so, did you make schedule or lifestyle changes? Haha, or did you just come to grips with the fact that you'll be running around like a madman forever?<br />
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(I did just realize, however, that running around like crazy does fit the name and idea of the blog... "The Nut House." But I do need some satisfaction of being able to do some of the things I want to do in life as well. Just need to find some middle ground is all... keep some of the craziness and nuttiness, but fit it in with the rest. Haha, I think I'm even going to create a new label for it.)Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754460114629205856.post-51112637704605476872010-02-12T12:27:00.006-05:002010-03-17T17:00:44.640-04:00Whistler-Blackcomb and the Winter Olympics!With all the talk about the Winter Olympics starting soon, I thought it was a fitting time to show the fantastic trip that Jason and I were able to take last winter - especially since I've never put anything up on here about it before, and it's such a cool place. We went to Whistler-Blackcomb for a week, which is a ski resort/town in British Columbia, Canada, comprised of two giant mountains that are side by side. It is one of the locations for many of the events in the Winter Olympics this year, which are based in Vancouver. Jason had been to Whistler one time before, many years ago, with a bigger group, and only got to stay for a few days. He hardly got a true taste of the place, so he really wanted to go back. His desire rubbed off on me, and before long we were both so excited to go. We got the trip planned and booked, and went to our little lookout spot at the airport multiple times a week, just anticipating and getting excited to go. Looking back now, I really think of it as a trip of a lifetime. Sure, you can drive a few hours to go skiing all the time around here at our state's little resorts. But Whistler is world-class - I mean, it's the home for the Winter Olympics. But it's a place that takes a good bit of effort and time from this side of the country to get to. Then once there, I really was in awe the whole time at how majestic this earth can really be, and the many ways how God can demonstrate the grandeur of this world, along with how small we really are. The beauty of it all was just amazing, and it's something that you just don't see every day.<br />
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So, I'll stop with the talk and get going with the photo stream...<br />
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We started with a flight that took off before dawn, so we got to enjoy a gorgeous sunrise from the air along with a nice, quiet, cool morning 2-hour flight...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4RV3AY9RDwj01Av5M-4Yy2-nqKXfQHl3NacFXVxuVdxidwRnccr3e2iQnovLWlgS83kvZ4jDxjwPhtKJ6S-OamuyRorhC3gQ_V5SrCoXDzk63FKO1IwLZNmvPnlOYFPDoNSOHyvpDQw/s1600-h/1.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4RV3AY9RDwj01Av5M-4Yy2-nqKXfQHl3NacFXVxuVdxidwRnccr3e2iQnovLWlgS83kvZ4jDxjwPhtKJ6S-OamuyRorhC3gQ_V5SrCoXDzk63FKO1IwLZNmvPnlOYFPDoNSOHyvpDQw/s400/1.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We landed for our connection in Chicago, and got our first taste of snow earlier than expected...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkHqV5b5g7i5bWElbScVuVf1eGSybRal2cenmBa9ipA6OR05nuannk3sjw2fN4taNWhYjQaKLwadUcESMWMXLZVXnTDSFR0EKwvahHnP59RYVgyFk5FdOWo40328FLPGZEuiivyWsNysU/s1600-h/2.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkHqV5b5g7i5bWElbScVuVf1eGSybRal2cenmBa9ipA6OR05nuannk3sjw2fN4taNWhYjQaKLwadUcESMWMXLZVXnTDSFR0EKwvahHnP59RYVgyFk5FdOWo40328FLPGZEuiivyWsNysU/s400/2.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">O'Hare had a really cool underground tunnel that takes you between terminals, actually going underneath the taxiways. J was more concerned with keeping us on schedule, but I totally was enthralled with the experience. I also took a video of going through the tunnel, which I'll have to find and get on here.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxegrNsda3rYvAsVmvzKfLveRXn0CaIXkO-PwOTf4xiIGB-GE4fjL4bXpCpn_IHx6nQASRo1xO3nGkiwHaBuyijJHPTra3lXAy3KBHZRZj4PEveCapmdQFjCB6hFjQ_dwYvp3nFrg3Ko/s1600-h/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxegrNsda3rYvAsVmvzKfLveRXn0CaIXkO-PwOTf4xiIGB-GE4fjL4bXpCpn_IHx6nQASRo1xO3nGkiwHaBuyijJHPTra3lXAy3KBHZRZj4PEveCapmdQFjCB6hFjQ_dwYvp3nFrg3Ko/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After we boarded our plane in Chicago, it slowly backed up to get out onto the apron. We then sat there for over an hour, before we ever even moved forward, with no word from anybody who would know what was going on. After quite a miserable time of sitting and lots of de-icing of the wings, we finally felt the plane get going again and start to move forward. The sun baked us in the plane like meatloaf in the oven for the 4 hour flight, and we finally landed in Vancouver not a moment too soon. We spent over an hour slowly winding forward in the line for customs, right behind some very fashion-forward (read: fashion-strange) girls, admiring their skill to keep standing in some sky-high heels.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After some QandA from the customs lady, we went to find our bags from the various bag areas, praying our snowboard bag had made it through. We finally found it in a random pile of the oddly-sized items, then had to somehow find our way to the correct bus to get us to Whistler. After some wrong lines and misguided information from airport people, we finally found the lady that would direct us to our bus. We were the LAST two people to get on this short-bus, and I ended up with the window seat above the tire (aka the one with no leg space). Yay for a three-hour drive in icy slush at dusk up a road called the "Sea to Sky Highway" that overlooks cliffs. :-) Thank goodness the windows were foggy and it was getting dark, so I didn't get so freaked on the ride up there. And thank goodness for a travel partner who doesn't mind when I need to stretch out my poor legs over his lap.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our bus driver LOVED to talk, but unfortunately he couldn't multi-task, so his driving severely slowed whenever he was having conversation. The dude sitting up front apparently didn't realized this, and kept him in conversation for the entire drive up there. But, thank goodness Jason and I had each other for company and distraction. We also took a short pit-stop in Squamish at a fast-food restaurant, which let us get a little air. When we finally made it to Whistler, in the dark, after a full day of travel, we learned that the driver barely knew his way around the resort. It was then, thanks to his endless chatter, that we found out he wasn't a regular driver - he was one of the owners/planners for the shuttle company who doesn't even live around there. He had to come fill in because the scheduled driver couldn't make it. So, after driving all over creation, secretly fearing we were stuck maaaaany times on really steep driveways, and actually having to direct our driver around because we knew more from our online research and learning for the trip than the driver did, Jason and I were the LAST people to get dropped off at our hotel. Ours was a partner hotel with the one nextdoor, so you had to check in there and get keycards to get into our hotel. We got it all done, trudged across the snow with our bags, and finally got into the lobby - SO thankful to finally be there. But, we were treated with quite the lovely first view upon arrival, which definitely helped... (sorry it's blurry - but it's snowing, and I love all the Christmas lights!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlJz_uFNPqBulqr1Y9HvGVsefhlFYc2TAFGprLJ4dPmdecu3-8TMCtkawIOxzGkxGyolQDLxzfbw_v9YymPLDjkJRJV42VnchI_U3Ly49k189-NP6l6uo8AIRiyDItYIp1SCc-PATRjk/s1600-h/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlJz_uFNPqBulqr1Y9HvGVsefhlFYc2TAFGprLJ4dPmdecu3-8TMCtkawIOxzGkxGyolQDLxzfbw_v9YymPLDjkJRJV42VnchI_U3Ly49k189-NP6l6uo8AIRiyDItYIp1SCc-PATRjk/s400/4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Me outside our hotel, finally here!!! Look at all the snow!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio04Nu0f_MEFyTvHloHMAbyyQlP4uaifWIl42vSfqestZq_tIgb17uiSZuNuoZvA6nAEPeN4ePMSR6vVTs6lP97SjRxwsDYqrdLNKdWfEjrzYDnoA5_ExD6mt1WbovW804N-V5h4RVwLE/s1600-h/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio04Nu0f_MEFyTvHloHMAbyyQlP4uaifWIl42vSfqestZq_tIgb17uiSZuNuoZvA6nAEPeN4ePMSR6vVTs6lP97SjRxwsDYqrdLNKdWfEjrzYDnoA5_ExD6mt1WbovW804N-V5h4RVwLE/s400/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Inside our hotel lobby - I secretly want one of these chandeliers for our future home... j/k. Maybe if it's in the mountains. :-)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vYU68EMbFqBedGOqVcPjJax-GDv5a-Dy_pc8nRlf9WMbR2rBcwoqJSbxCRCF1tWLt_-gpp3vwtEt9hJ30YQbS-94WaNF-9mEoOT6dMiqN3HqWAYM9QHGgBkavHwYKyqYJupYdYiK85c/s1600-h/6.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vYU68EMbFqBedGOqVcPjJax-GDv5a-Dy_pc8nRlf9WMbR2rBcwoqJSbxCRCF1tWLt_-gpp3vwtEt9hJ30YQbS-94WaNF-9mEoOT6dMiqN3HqWAYM9QHGgBkavHwYKyqYJupYdYiK85c/s400/6.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Huuuuuge fireplace in the lobby that I thoroughly enjoyed...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gOHHjcdkpPXSgxS_Sxs1o8uRPDw4x2tITHW_frzXeaiOy3ZsWvHq-wyufwjZwscFQi9TMAUcjgI6pAQ5-QWyYMGsydZg2YdqSPyMG5OnsSiv9sWZQ6LqaYJV-yeaGWcJTXEdgsetS14/s1600-h/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gOHHjcdkpPXSgxS_Sxs1o8uRPDw4x2tITHW_frzXeaiOy3ZsWvHq-wyufwjZwscFQi9TMAUcjgI6pAQ5-QWyYMGsydZg2YdqSPyMG5OnsSiv9sWZQ6LqaYJV-yeaGWcJTXEdgsetS14/s400/7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And after documenting the lobby, we finally made it into our room. I L-O-V-E-D where we stayed, and I would so enjoy having something just like this every single day of my life. The best part of the kitchen (besides the granite counters, huge frig, awesome appliances, and everything needed to cook provided)? The tile floors are HEATED. Yes, they are WARM. Oh my gosh, I just stood there every morning, basking in the warmth that radiated up through my cold little feet. The bathroom also had them, and both rooms had a thermostat for the floors. Haha, so innovative, and so cool. I would just love to have that every day. That was probably one of our favorite parts of the entire hotel. So serious.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6-3DGFqBGOJ8CUQ4MKG4Nw-ShNk7ejT3Kmi6cXnqAb7ozVoscqzjP-7XKW4bH2ULQGvlX_6Qe8w3STJvYIEZoed-DINsbSPsqxs1KmnHc59Kh8CysIi6UGEV4PuN4Hur8-G7IyA5wC8/s1600-h/8.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6-3DGFqBGOJ8CUQ4MKG4Nw-ShNk7ejT3Kmi6cXnqAb7ozVoscqzjP-7XKW4bH2ULQGvlX_6Qe8w3STJvYIEZoed-DINsbSPsqxs1KmnHc59Kh8CysIi6UGEV4PuN4Hur8-G7IyA5wC8/s400/8.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also loved the view out the living room - it looked up the side of one of the mountains, the pool areas, and at the other side of the semi-circle hotel. So beautiful.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaiU7shJW2hQHjFo5rDtXeFcbZ12nN_UWZl1qdpYKciGUjMu52e1FIEpRXv9mVkemLiCg1gA07yWUboE2r-Dx90qmQbz2fq7OVmPJzBqP2g367k23m5COF79MvE4Phz2_UoDtXZ5_p38/s1600-h/0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaiU7shJW2hQHjFo5rDtXeFcbZ12nN_UWZl1qdpYKciGUjMu52e1FIEpRXv9mVkemLiCg1gA07yWUboE2r-Dx90qmQbz2fq7OVmPJzBqP2g367k23m5COF79MvE4Phz2_UoDtXZ5_p38/s400/0.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the first morning there, this is the gorgeous early-light view we were treated to. Everything was so calm.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQn6Rn5Ckm7lzM0CWt6p-bsqIMnqNZI-HLfM15Pz5GO0K63tAOzVtZy1bSHosv_HwVOGbeEOiJeh44GES-ZOpcZvVZy9P5lpT3S08kdD-0zyvlYtiYORgiuqxv-pt54sWvbNSWJM8BBk/s1600-h/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQn6Rn5Ckm7lzM0CWt6p-bsqIMnqNZI-HLfM15Pz5GO0K63tAOzVtZy1bSHosv_HwVOGbeEOiJeh44GES-ZOpcZvVZy9P5lpT3S08kdD-0zyvlYtiYORgiuqxv-pt54sWvbNSWJM8BBk/s400/8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We did some walking around and getting to know the area on the first day. This is Creekside Gondola, right outside our hotel. That run directly up the left of the photo is part of the Dave Murray Downhill, which is the run being used for the men's alpine event in the Olympics. I can't WAIT to see it on TV and know that I've been right there!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrXfO5XNmEg63bA3S23CK9DmzrtfmCwVUfo72Mq3TMt_TTDYZ4VmrHs4EVTgN-K6zSCrgtGBvpkNklWSYJyBV-Mtbst4_pUmzBgi8AvwnMlN6J2UsXStDY1CrDJMNungLb0SlTJe7xFg/s1600-h/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrXfO5XNmEg63bA3S23CK9DmzrtfmCwVUfo72Mq3TMt_TTDYZ4VmrHs4EVTgN-K6zSCrgtGBvpkNklWSYJyBV-Mtbst4_pUmzBgi8AvwnMlN6J2UsXStDY1CrDJMNungLb0SlTJe7xFg/s400/7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We caught the shuttle to the main village to explore a bit there. It's more of the "happening" place, if you will, but also therefore louder at night and busier. We chose to stay in Creekside, which was the original "village" before what is the main village now existed. Creekside is quieter and more serene, which we really liked. But it still has all the necessities - restaurants, bank, grocery store, ski shop, etc. The main village just has more of that, plus lots of shopping and more restaurant variety. Here are two of the beautiful hotels in the village, right at the base of the mountain. You barely have to walk out the doors to get to the lifts.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCm5SgO7nWRSialXHHZgclZMXVzsQIV-E4iwQpGpuZIRi3KPfC32LmkPPu_JLeZYo3nYO0c6j4KHcw59K2Vv9-GxEwG8EjVpbh2IjODwtc4OzrWNPE4omoRlv-tNpxcHDgpEK56IeuxFc/s1600-h/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCm5SgO7nWRSialXHHZgclZMXVzsQIV-E4iwQpGpuZIRi3KPfC32LmkPPu_JLeZYo3nYO0c6j4KHcw59K2Vv9-GxEwG8EjVpbh2IjODwtc4OzrWNPE4omoRlv-tNpxcHDgpEK56IeuxFc/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZfaxk7BER_SX-D0XSajf3DLk-xN-XU-q10Y6m2PjdoexSdfHovb2r0QT15QbW-S2O_Bjtv7Oauzzoqga_NAyHq1e4cdfxe0_Wvhg6dZ3zXicnx1GAlPU1sEh1Xa5_hAbQNU2E77yAn0/s1600-h/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZfaxk7BER_SX-D0XSajf3DLk-xN-XU-q10Y6m2PjdoexSdfHovb2r0QT15QbW-S2O_Bjtv7Oauzzoqga_NAyHq1e4cdfxe0_Wvhg6dZ3zXicnx1GAlPU1sEh1Xa5_hAbQNU2E77yAn0/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The lift map for Blackcomb mountain - all lifts were currently open on that mountain. Not all lifts were always open though, because there had been a lot of dangers of avalanches that season, which were causing lifts and runs in the higher elevations to close.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSVh1Ui7u5oKiFcSWKwh98AYIcHK-cA4T6RKypLkV8nVFNEOBNAva7fp_wvIhl4wibgKAvUi3QcY6FAHAm9xFep2kwR9U0Liu5stQXwiTce7FKkq3k9V1CVYh3paGBMsXizJvCadUCuM/s1600-h/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSVh1Ui7u5oKiFcSWKwh98AYIcHK-cA4T6RKypLkV8nVFNEOBNAva7fp_wvIhl4wibgKAvUi3QcY6FAHAm9xFep2kwR9U0Liu5stQXwiTce7FKkq3k9V1CVYh3paGBMsXizJvCadUCuM/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Looking up one of the main runs from the village, at the base of Whistler mountain.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgigBKy9ZF0GCISd4WoeX4tKcwO4X2wAFdIIOGEouSgU-AhPKIX47mEAtu8xXO4e9IcUlNB7K3FYx3zZYrubUXH_DxuU8fF2lyeUvH1NyKdfw27k3zIM7V4_11hg36sP1YqRK7qDUc3-I8/s1600-h/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgigBKy9ZF0GCISd4WoeX4tKcwO4X2wAFdIIOGEouSgU-AhPKIX47mEAtu8xXO4e9IcUlNB7K3FYx3zZYrubUXH_DxuU8fF2lyeUvH1NyKdfw27k3zIM7V4_11hg36sP1YqRK7qDUc3-I8/s400/6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The lift lines and base station (in the building) of Whistler Gondola. This became one of our favorite lifts, because it has a station in the middle of the mountain where you can get off, or load there to go up as well as down. We used this at the times we were exploring and taking some photos, so we could ride up to the station to see the views and take lots of photos, but be able to come back down without having to cart all the gear around with us. Also notice that there is NO line for the lift. We apparently came at the perfect down time in the middle of the season, because we never once had to wait in a line longer than just a few minutes. It was great, and definitely unexpected.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0oYSZtVurbMuhyzQXLw2Gr3rzgSiDkWgWAJizfZxnj16NknITGlik0_DkmmfNeZ99YP4ZRB4o1QVD4kffYLC3Wzkwn9f12yj_gpUCGM_U6a-toWlePPgXvvfiZWliDUQla6HvDIMIdY/s1600-h/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0oYSZtVurbMuhyzQXLw2Gr3rzgSiDkWgWAJizfZxnj16NknITGlik0_DkmmfNeZ99YP4ZRB4o1QVD4kffYLC3Wzkwn9f12yj_gpUCGM_U6a-toWlePPgXvvfiZWliDUQla6HvDIMIdY/s400/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The base of the Blackcomb Gondola, later in the afternoon. You can see on the map how the higher lifts were closed on Whistler mountain.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-7TLicOJ_kKw0PHVyjv1fI86dBOHcIZYxplpshyphenhyphenxevbgj_y22GxRK6jfy9nVmuwRpbPI1jUd9LNW3b7si4tTcYvWabIe0EH9VkrZI32EOU_FtejsRgQ41FXWTX-uoduYzl87guCg7ww/s1600-h/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-7TLicOJ_kKw0PHVyjv1fI86dBOHcIZYxplpshyphenhyphenxevbgj_y22GxRK6jfy9nVmuwRpbPI1jUd9LNW3b7si4tTcYvWabIe0EH9VkrZI32EOU_FtejsRgQ41FXWTX-uoduYzl87guCg7ww/s400/4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is the view that afternoon outside our hotel - I just love the snow on the trees. It's one of those beautiful views that I could never get tired of looking at.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizODafi1Ef7IKJMFVyzPWSCfWZf37cDN2sdn_q5jokjD0jOPc5L8id0Nj6WiWWGjeuOvFofqP10gq6qCqtbPoSMXoOeukQgeq4yJx-9_H-uJT03pZYRS9I300oVm7WUlUvSjCMjnA6CDE/s1600-h/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizODafi1Ef7IKJMFVyzPWSCfWZf37cDN2sdn_q5jokjD0jOPc5L8id0Nj6WiWWGjeuOvFofqP10gq6qCqtbPoSMXoOeukQgeq4yJx-9_H-uJT03pZYRS9I300oVm7WUlUvSjCMjnA6CDE/s400/9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Later that night, we caught the Fire and Ice Show that they put on every weekend during the winters at Whistler. It's run by the Whistler-Blackcomb staff, and the ski and snowboard school instructors are the cool dudes and gals doing all the tricks. I've never seen anything like this in person, so it was quite a show. I really enjoyed it, and I was lucky enough to get a front row spot next to the rails. The hill is actually built up just for this show - it is right at the bottom of the run that you can see from the village in the photo above. This is one of the snowcats grooming the hill before the show started...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhrhNZy8RlQb4YkFJxsfQNSW3gFhujeXOgPOGlyQY0M7eoYQQ6fgzcQ9nhuplECvqVNGVj7UtQKCC-H0Vdwz2XFQftyAB0U-QqttXRb3_H_NxFu7H-C-cE-3QW7NNzsn5lmDYCfWi2aE/s1600-h/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhrhNZy8RlQb4YkFJxsfQNSW3gFhujeXOgPOGlyQY0M7eoYQQ6fgzcQ9nhuplECvqVNGVj7UtQKCC-H0Vdwz2XFQftyAB0U-QqttXRb3_H_NxFu7H-C-cE-3QW7NNzsn5lmDYCfWi2aE/s400/9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We watched as they did some practice runs...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5n_5ddMT1vdIehvAcbq0POsOyWG2JgHb68fj5ziSAeF6BWoFEa3Fnrb0MKfVkOKbB0qxGZL0LxRC_eR_F0pfmVg6iYHQVXTOnzoh75iJs6uyGufhh8WDcfL_-kVZ4tUbYQBVySJ5DNC8/s1600-h/34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5n_5ddMT1vdIehvAcbq0POsOyWG2JgHb68fj5ziSAeF6BWoFEa3Fnrb0MKfVkOKbB0qxGZL0LxRC_eR_F0pfmVg6iYHQVXTOnzoh75iJs6uyGufhh8WDcfL_-kVZ4tUbYQBVySJ5DNC8/s400/34.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We watched some cool ladies throw and spin fire around for a while to techno music...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg51FzgEqf7IweJobsVBk3dnQ3FW_eB08lMErso3WPqvNcLJpv3eSR0ynGvqrHignzkbz79pfyvrPaWg-qRbXN8CtZegHABiUXKD_gaRG41u0yPCftomqskQDu1vCduiAjY1VAL92tX-v4/s1600-h/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg51FzgEqf7IweJobsVBk3dnQ3FW_eB08lMErso3WPqvNcLJpv3eSR0ynGvqrHignzkbz79pfyvrPaWg-qRbXN8CtZegHABiUXKD_gaRG41u0yPCftomqskQDu1vCduiAjY1VAL92tX-v4/s400/10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then they lit the ring of fire, and spun wreaths of flames around their heads...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNzL_BtHKW9bkBTWSAnW4k8dVauc62ZaDSmcgCQ3JUQ1RBHnwvaHHTx3eXa6EVD6OZP1eBjVEU9G3LdPb_R3ro9bUP8U3_kI36DGGVwfnJRkJmnb4Y7TiHTbzgnLb1MZ6VTldDw0CjcTo/s1600-h/11.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNzL_BtHKW9bkBTWSAnW4k8dVauc62ZaDSmcgCQ3JUQ1RBHnwvaHHTx3eXa6EVD6OZP1eBjVEU9G3LdPb_R3ro9bUP8U3_kI36DGGVwfnJRkJmnb4Y7TiHTbzgnLb1MZ6VTldDw0CjcTo/s400/11.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then came the tricks! It really was cool to watch the amazing things these folks can do. Not to mention the ability to ski (or snowboard!) behind the snowmobiles that pulled them back up the hill every time for their next run. Haha, kind of reminded me of waterskiing and wakeboarding, but a lot harder looking.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIoDLo6r7nHoPvV7rCZBlQYzMq-gSRfGXAM7Snn9Ji8Q0aO2rv373gIkgx2d_SwLnrF-4sqPoWJc4FU54vwUXJz_9oR-0u_psDPCMrKRjfYsXuX7Q1TT-lzZ9CWlRyqIn3yf0sV64DNkU/s1600-h/12.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIoDLo6r7nHoPvV7rCZBlQYzMq-gSRfGXAM7Snn9Ji8Q0aO2rv373gIkgx2d_SwLnrF-4sqPoWJc4FU54vwUXJz_9oR-0u_psDPCMrKRjfYsXuX7Q1TT-lzZ9CWlRyqIn3yf0sV64DNkU/s400/12.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXQrIhZLynm-_vezMrBwoZ7Gm1WiHgLhIReskeABEtbtADxgvN7lni1Ov_fAMvoG1wd1eJQeHjfmUL53f5v8RIIqNsIluyMJHn2U-uMEGgJHgLMiowomk-Q-dyfC48cwwgEAGLClFfO8/s1600-h/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXQrIhZLynm-_vezMrBwoZ7Gm1WiHgLhIReskeABEtbtADxgvN7lni1Ov_fAMvoG1wd1eJQeHjfmUL53f5v8RIIqNsIluyMJHn2U-uMEGgJHgLMiowomk-Q-dyfC48cwwgEAGLClFfO8/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And here's all the awesome instructors that put on the show for us...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2CmgW89bZWY4C0aBxYBe82oeDnhWF9fZZ2D5niCbE8eRIogGzxVntaFue_XeDUV3YECDI07-qSfPX_stuo72jx3jDzfxjxExWkouAH0jr3oxR6HvFC4Gmnbr_E1Mnmc6M1GH6KVGeBuM/s1600-h/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2CmgW89bZWY4C0aBxYBe82oeDnhWF9fZZ2D5niCbE8eRIogGzxVntaFue_XeDUV3YECDI07-qSfPX_stuo72jx3jDzfxjxExWkouAH0jr3oxR6HvFC4Gmnbr_E1Mnmc6M1GH6KVGeBuM/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We hung around for a little while after the show and got to see the snowcats completely maul the hill of snow and flatten it back out for the next day's ski crowds. It really was cool to see how much snow they have to work with and do whatever they want with.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Speaking of lots of snow, check out this video for how much snow Whistler has been dumped this season so far. It's WAY more than they got last year when we were there, and even then I couldn't believe how much there was. So the Games should be awesome!! Check out the snow... <a href="http://video.whistlerblackcomb.com/tv/125/media-25942-channel--page-1.html">http://video.whistlerblackcomb.com/tv/125/media-25942-channel--page-1.html</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And, as a good ending for now, check out the aerials in the beginning of this video. One of them has a good view of both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, side by side, with the village at the base of the both, so you get a good idea of the setup of the entire place. I just watch it, and it stirs up this want to go back so badly! I'm just in awe when I see it and realize that I. have. been. there. So awesome... <a href="http://video.whistlerblackcomb.com/tv/125/">http://video.whistlerblackcomb.com/tv/125/</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">More photos, trip details, and cool info on Whistler-Blackcomb to come. The Olympic opening ceremonies are tonight!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06261969523415605329noreply@blogger.com1