Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Discovery Toys
It's official!
I've joined the Discovery Toys Team!
I'll be hosting a launch party next week. More details will come, but for now, here's some info:
Wednesday, Oct 7 - 5:30pm-7pm
OR
Thursday, Oct 8 - 6:30pm-8pm
I've joined the Discovery Toys Team!
I'll be hosting a launch party next week. More details will come, but for now, here's some info:
Wednesday, Oct 7 - 5:30pm-7pm
OR
Thursday, Oct 8 - 6:30pm-8pm
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
I like to think I ride my bike for several reasons: earth, health, enjoyment.
However, as admirable as those reasons are, sometimes they're not enough to convince me to roll out of bed just a little bit earlier so that I can ride rather than drive.
This week however, Chris' car has been slightly out of commission, so he's been using my car and I've been biking in.
After work today I rode over to Grandma's house to take care of the vacuuming.
"Oh Alison! You rode all the way here!" (shock and dismay in her voice)
"Yes Grandma, I did."
"Do you want to put the bike in my Jeep so you don't have to ride home?"
...I just can't seem to convince her that I choose to ride, and I could just as easily have taken the car if I didn't want to have to ride home. *sigh* Maybe someday she'll understand. For now, she just thinks I'm crazy.
On my way home I headed to the library. A week or so ago I was there picking up some books on soap making (yes, I'm a hippie-wanna-be...) and travel. As I was looking at the online catalog I saw that Twilight was in on the Express Shelf. What a nice idea! The Express Shelf has a shorter check-out time, so instead of getting it several weeks, you only have like a week to borrow it. Those books are always on such long hold lists, so I was excited that it was actually in.
Needless to say I sped through that one, put the next book on hold, got it within a few days, sped through it, put the next one on hold and today Eclipse came in at the library! So I picked it up.
I know. My life is pretty exciting. But you probably don't have much more of an exciting life if you're sitting here reading this. ;)
PS - Apple Cider Century this weekend!
However, as admirable as those reasons are, sometimes they're not enough to convince me to roll out of bed just a little bit earlier so that I can ride rather than drive.
This week however, Chris' car has been slightly out of commission, so he's been using my car and I've been biking in.
After work today I rode over to Grandma's house to take care of the vacuuming.
"Oh Alison! You rode all the way here!" (shock and dismay in her voice)
"Yes Grandma, I did."
"Do you want to put the bike in my Jeep so you don't have to ride home?"
...I just can't seem to convince her that I choose to ride, and I could just as easily have taken the car if I didn't want to have to ride home. *sigh* Maybe someday she'll understand. For now, she just thinks I'm crazy.
On my way home I headed to the library. A week or so ago I was there picking up some books on soap making (yes, I'm a hippie-wanna-be...) and travel. As I was looking at the online catalog I saw that Twilight was in on the Express Shelf. What a nice idea! The Express Shelf has a shorter check-out time, so instead of getting it several weeks, you only have like a week to borrow it. Those books are always on such long hold lists, so I was excited that it was actually in.
Needless to say I sped through that one, put the next book on hold, got it within a few days, sped through it, put the next one on hold and today Eclipse came in at the library! So I picked it up.
I know. My life is pretty exciting. But you probably don't have much more of an exciting life if you're sitting here reading this. ;)
PS - Apple Cider Century this weekend!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Bicycle Maintenance
Chris is gone at Praise Team practice.
We have a bike trip coming this weekend (Apple Cider Century).
So...while Chris was away, I took the knobby tires off his bike and put on some new slicks.
All by myself.
No help.
Just me, one woman.
I feel so empowered!
We have a bike trip coming this weekend (Apple Cider Century).
So...while Chris was away, I took the knobby tires off his bike and put on some new slicks.
All by myself.
No help.
Just me, one woman.
I feel so empowered!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Playing with Backgrounds
Okay, I think I've figured out enough to make my own backgrounds now... Sorry it's not that pretty at the moment.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Canning Tomatoes
Saturday we spent the day canning tomatoes. It was Chris and my first solo flight in canning. Last year we did applesauce with his parents and last week I did a batch of tomatoes with my mom.
It went well, but it was a long day. Only one jar casualty! Not sure what happened, it got a crack and made a mess in the canning bath... Oh well.
Here's some pictures:
See more pictures at our flickr page.
It went well, but it was a long day. Only one jar casualty! Not sure what happened, it got a crack and made a mess in the canning bath... Oh well.
Here's some pictures:
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Pies
I got a recipe from a co-worker the other day for some pies, so we made them for our Labor Day get-together at Kim and Chad's last night.
Basically they were like cream pies... One we filled with blueberries and one with peaches. I made the crusts from scratch (good ol' Joy of Cooking is such a help). I'm still learning on pie crusts though... I can never seem to get them to roll out nice without cracking or sticking. Then we made the filling and Chris topped them with freshly whipped cream and decorated them.
If I can bake it, he can make the presentation awesome for it.
Basically they were like cream pies... One we filled with blueberries and one with peaches. I made the crusts from scratch (good ol' Joy of Cooking is such a help). I'm still learning on pie crusts though... I can never seem to get them to roll out nice without cracking or sticking. Then we made the filling and Chris topped them with freshly whipped cream and decorated them.
If I can bake it, he can make the presentation awesome for it.
Frank's
My parents' friends, Buzz and Marinan, came up to visit and check out Michigan a little before they and my parents headed out to Chicago to do part of the Ride for the Relay Route 66 motorcycle trip.
So we gave them some good old family dining at Frank's. Did you know that place has been around since the 1920s?!
New Slicks
I got some new slicks (smooth tires) for my bike the other day. So... I learned how to change bike tires! I don't think it's quite as quick of a process (changing a flat) as everyone says, but maybe I just need more practice.
Anyway, I feel better having changed tires because now my ride is a little easier (knobby tires make it a little harder on all street riding) and now I know how to change a tire. This is all good stuff in preparation for our upcoming trip, the Apple Cider Century. I don't think we'll actually do the century (100 miles), but there are plenty of smaller options for us to choose from.
Anyway, here's my tire (left) vs. Chris' tire (right) - which is what my previous tires were.
And then here's me with my "naked" xtracycle (no bags or snapdeck on it).
Take note of the shirt I'm wearing... It says "The Pumpkin Patch" on it... You know what that means. Every year, the 2nd and 3rd weekends of October...great family fun! Chris and I won't be there on the Saturdays this year (we have weddings both weekends), but we'll be there for the Sundays. Check it out!
Anyway, I feel better having changed tires because now my ride is a little easier (knobby tires make it a little harder on all street riding) and now I know how to change a tire. This is all good stuff in preparation for our upcoming trip, the Apple Cider Century. I don't think we'll actually do the century (100 miles), but there are plenty of smaller options for us to choose from.
Anyway, here's my tire (left) vs. Chris' tire (right) - which is what my previous tires were.
And then here's me with my "naked" xtracycle (no bags or snapdeck on it).
Take note of the shirt I'm wearing... It says "The Pumpkin Patch" on it... You know what that means. Every year, the 2nd and 3rd weekends of October...great family fun! Chris and I won't be there on the Saturdays this year (we have weddings both weekends), but we'll be there for the Sundays. Check it out!
Chicago-land
We took a trip by plane...
By train...
By ship...
No... by flying Ford Anglia!
Chris and I drove down to Chicago to check out the Harry Potter Exhibition. It was a lot of fun! Sure, there was plenty of staff with fake British accents, but it was pretty cool seeing all of the props and costumes from the movies. We couldn't actually take pictures IN the exhibit, so all of the above pictures are from elsewhere in the museum. I bought a book that had pictures of the exhibits so that I could at least have something.
The exhibition runs into the evening after the museum closes. We didn't get a picture by this big banner beforehand, so when we got out of the exhibit, we went to get a picture in front of it and they turned the lights off right when we were about to take the picture... Photoshop helps, but it's still a little dark...
This (below) is a Lego set that was designed based on Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water. They had a few Lego sets based on his architecture, but they were much too pricey for our meager souvenir budget...
After Harry Potter we needed to get some good Chicago eats, so we asked a guy walking down the street where to go. He suggested Gino's East, which was right down the street. World-famous for it's deep dish pizza.
Chris really liked it... It was about 9pm though, and we weren't really hungry that late into the evening, so we each had a slice and took the rest home with us! (I think a slice is worth about half of a normal pizza anyway...)
The decoration at Gino's East is graffiti-like, with people's names written all over the walls, covering almost every square inch. We left our mark, like good little tourists.
By train...
By ship...
No... by flying Ford Anglia!
Chris and I drove down to Chicago to check out the Harry Potter Exhibition. It was a lot of fun! Sure, there was plenty of staff with fake British accents, but it was pretty cool seeing all of the props and costumes from the movies. We couldn't actually take pictures IN the exhibit, so all of the above pictures are from elsewhere in the museum. I bought a book that had pictures of the exhibits so that I could at least have something.
The exhibition runs into the evening after the museum closes. We didn't get a picture by this big banner beforehand, so when we got out of the exhibit, we went to get a picture in front of it and they turned the lights off right when we were about to take the picture... Photoshop helps, but it's still a little dark...
This (below) is a Lego set that was designed based on Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water. They had a few Lego sets based on his architecture, but they were much too pricey for our meager souvenir budget...
After Harry Potter we needed to get some good Chicago eats, so we asked a guy walking down the street where to go. He suggested Gino's East, which was right down the street. World-famous for it's deep dish pizza.
Chris really liked it... It was about 9pm though, and we weren't really hungry that late into the evening, so we each had a slice and took the rest home with us! (I think a slice is worth about half of a normal pizza anyway...)
The decoration at Gino's East is graffiti-like, with people's names written all over the walls, covering almost every square inch. We left our mark, like good little tourists.
Desperately Behind...
I'm desperately behind on my posts... So... Here's a bunch for today.
Ericka and Cas came over from Boston not that long ago for a wedding and we got to spend the afternoon with them. Ericka was one of my roommates in Los Angeles and a bridesmaid in my wedding. Very cool chica. And Cas is way cool too.
This is Ericka and Cas. We had lunch at New Holland Brewery.
Then Chris wanted to give a tour of Hope's campus. We wandered into the Martha Miller Center and checked out the communications (video, radio, etc) area. This picture is not at the Martha Miller Center.
And finally we ended up at Lemonjello's for some Boba Tea. At least, that's what we called it in LA, but here it's just Bubble Tea. Our other roommate (in LA), Jill, loves this stuff. She could not make it out this way...
Someday (hopefully soon!) Chris and I will head to the east coast to visit. Half my family is there and more and more of our friends are migrating in that direction...
Ericka and Cas came over from Boston not that long ago for a wedding and we got to spend the afternoon with them. Ericka was one of my roommates in Los Angeles and a bridesmaid in my wedding. Very cool chica. And Cas is way cool too.
This is Ericka and Cas. We had lunch at New Holland Brewery.
Then Chris wanted to give a tour of Hope's campus. We wandered into the Martha Miller Center and checked out the communications (video, radio, etc) area. This picture is not at the Martha Miller Center.
And finally we ended up at Lemonjello's for some Boba Tea. At least, that's what we called it in LA, but here it's just Bubble Tea. Our other roommate (in LA), Jill, loves this stuff. She could not make it out this way...
Someday (hopefully soon!) Chris and I will head to the east coast to visit. Half my family is there and more and more of our friends are migrating in that direction...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)