Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Backcountry

Backcountry.  Can mean many things.  The land behind your house.  Country thats behind you.  Untouched land.  Or you can do what most Colorado residents do.  Clip on an avalanche beacon.  Fill a pack with food, water and avalanche gear.  Strap on skis or snowshoes and start heading up.  Up mountains that aren't groomed, aren't part of a resort and aren't known to the thousands of tourists that visit the area.

Today, Mayflower Gulch.  An old mining area.  Current magnificent hiking spot.

 Kari and her excited dogs, Ripley in front and Kobe behind.


 Kobe...in his element.  Please notice the icicles on his chin.
 Demonstrating an avalanche beacon
Kari's a natural.  As many times as it took me to fall and get back up, she stood there patiently encouraging every moment!

Have you seen Smile Feist?

Define insane, awesome energy and cross it with abstract, hilarious ideas....... and you'll have Anna!  

Need a laugh?  Idea?  Motivation?  Recipe?  Read her blog.

She's also very in-tune with her fashion side...!

Colorado newness!

 The most breathtaking views....everywhere!
 Snowboarding....at Beaver Creek and Vail
 Can it be awesome forever?
 Tim, Jovie and her sunglasses...Jovie is a natural on the piano and singing, Tim was taking lessons.
 Skate skiing for the first time. Up at Tennessee Pass.   I stood up for 2 seconds before eating it...several times!
 Skate Ski instructors/roommates....Kari and Jake (Ripley minus his head)
Backcountry skiings/snowboarding, another 1st time and with Kari again.  She's full of awesome-ness.  Mayflower Gulch.  Hike up.  Ride down!  (unless its your first time, then you 'fall' down!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Food Inc.



Make it a point to get this documentary.
Know what you eat.
Know where it's grown.
Know how it's grown.
Know why its grown.

'You'll never look at dinner the same'

Monday, December 6, 2010

Define your success

'To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one’s self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived—this is to have succeeded.'

The Elf on the Shelf

The Elf on the Shelf just appeared in my sisters house.  Meeting this little guy, from the North Pole, was the first encounter for me, but not the last.

This tradition is AWESOME.

How does Santa know the kids around you are being naughty or nice?  Well, this little elf flies to the North Pole every night and reports back to Santa how the day has gone.  Then, he magically reappears somewhere new the next morning.  Giving the kids something to find/look forward to every morning, also giving the parents something to point to and say 'look who's watching.' making them more accountable for their daily actions during December.
It's a yearly tradition, starting whenever the Elf (ours named 'Flash') makes his first appearance.  IF it were up to me, he'd been here in May.

Yesterday was Flash's first day in 2010!  So we had to sit down, read the book on what happens with 'Flash' and remind ourselves that 'somebody's watching!'  Today, he's in the kitchen.  A reminder to us adults from the kids "he's watching you too!"

Saturday, December 4, 2010

We're considered 'Netizens'

Recent article from WSJ talks about how us 'netizens' are being tracked by all those advertising firms.  Did you know, online advertising is a $25 billion dollar industry?  With some crack down on all those cookies, come January, some of these agencies, they call it the 'Open Data Partnership,' are going to come clean and show you how they're following your tastes online.

For more info, read the WallStreet Journal article or the Fastcompany.com article.  In January, you'll have options on if you even want to be tracked.

More freedom??~~!!

Friday, December 3, 2010

On: being an aunt!

How do mom's do it?

We're in Lowes and Z turns into another 'thing.'  All of the sudden he's sitting on the self checkout bagging area.  Machine starts talking to me "there's an unidentified object in the check out area, please remove"  Next second, he's pushing buttons on the computer.  And now my order 'needs assistance.'   That's not the beginning.  In fact, earlier in Lowes, a glance over my shoulder sees both boys hanging on the side of someone's cart talking to a 2 yr old girl.  If you could have seen her eyes, they matched her moms!

At home.  "Aunt Hai, I'm done pooping, can you see if I got it all?"  I look in the bathroom, see a naked 3 yr old boy, bent over the tub, showing me that he wiped.  It needs another swipe.  "Ouch, my booty hurts."

"Wash your hands, please."  Five minutes later I realize that the sound of water is still coming from the bathroom.  Z's still naked.  Now playing in the sink, drain plugged.

"Go play."  I walk away for a few minutes and come back towards their rooms.  Only to see white paint chips on the floor.  BT has sawed the door frame with his plastic tools.  Turns out, plastic or metal, they all work.  Yesterdays' explaining that the tools are to be used on their toys and in their rooms, not the hallways, wasn't enough to remain registered today.  5 yr old memories from short term to long term aren't what I expected.

Onto lunch.  Pizza day.  So easy.  Yet again, I leave the room and hear the scared, shrinking voice "Hailee, Z spilled his milk."  Another milk spill, we just had one 2 days ago.  It's starting to resemble to gulf coast here.

Sneeze.  AAAAAHHHCHOOO!  "bless you."  I walk to the sink to rinse the washcloth thats soaked in milk.  "I got buggers, can you help me?"  Taking a kleenex over I assist in a 3 snort blowout.

The boys are sick.  We can no longer play continuously outside because it's cold and windy.  They're restless.  Chasing and torturing Ginger, Angies dog.  Angie left Ging with us when she went to India.  They chant, then run; then scream, chant and run "Ginger Baby" as they corner her under the kitchen table.  She snips at them.  Her warning for the annoyance of the little fingers constantly pulling her ears and tail.  They giggle.  And transform into savage like animals who want more.   I walk in and make my presence noticed.  They scatter like flys in the sight of a swatter.

Next a high pitched scream.  Something out of a horror film.  Walking into the next room I hear BT has convinced Z that this reusable water bottle has lemonade inside, when in reality it's only water.  But to a 3 yr old, it's INCONCEIVABLE that he doesn't have the same!  A temper tantrum ensues.

This is a constant game.  'How to have fun, maintain peace and sanity in a house with 2 boys.

Afternoon nap time comes and I pass out on the couch.  They wake me up 5 different times tattle tailing on each other OR from chanting "Ginger Baby."  I give in and get up.

During bike time, Z pulls up to the sidewalk "I need to go poddie" so I say to go in and take care of it.  Z calls back "I need help,"  I reply "you can do it."  He starts to whine but goes in.  BT comes up moments later and asks where's Z.  He goes in to check on him, not seconds later he's running outside, "he had an accident."  REALLY.  My head hangs and I walk inside.

Toilet paper is thrown all over the floor.  He's there, pants off, winter coat still on.  Pee everywhere.  Z whines and says he had an accident and "it's all over"  Literally buddy I agree.  Pee is on his jacket, down his legs, on his socks, both sides of the toilet and while we go in his room to get more undies, I notice to enormous spot on his sweatshirt.  Wondering, did he make any inside that porcelain bowl?

Randomly during the day I notice them playing in the kitchen with Ginger, another cornering, poor dog.  They pet nice.  Talk to her like they're all dogs for a bit.  Then Z's eyes light up.  IDEA!  He walks over to the oven, opens it and says "Ginger, come here."

Bath time consists of spills of water, then a song to say "accidents happen and that's okay!" as I'm on my hands and knees for the second time today.  Cleaning up an ocean of water and a tipped over bottle of shampoo.  That's after BT told on Z for sticking his washcloth in the toilet and washing with in.  Not once, not twice, but 5 times.

After nighttime Uno, it's time for brushing teeth, books and bed.  You'd think bushing teeth seems harmless until you find that the 3 yr old is chasing the dog, swinging the toothbrush like a sword.   The energy flow continues during book time.  With feet kicking, pointing and random interruptions.

Prayers are hilarious.  "God bless mommy, daddy, Brett, and Zach.  Ginger, Aunt Hailee, her friends and the soldiers.  Papa Keith and Kevin.  How was work?"

(At least he understands that staying home IS work)  Kel, love your kids!

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Need a statistic?

datum that can be represented numerically.  

Always changing.  Mostly stated wrong.  Yet, our minds find them fascinating and important.

Feast here on statistics.

Yesterday, HISTORY and GREATNESS!!

Remember the first day you rode you bicycle by yourself.  Without someone running behind you. There to catch you if you fall.  Scared of every crack, rock, curb and the fact that somehow you have to slow this big machine down.  That day, was yesterday for this little guy Brett.

See video for proof!

"You need balance, think about your belly button.  You need speed, don't stop pedaling.  You're going to fall over and bleed at some point, it happens to everyone, but it's totally worth it.  You ready to try this by yourself Brett?"  ......
Do you blame a kid for wearing that helmet if his name is Brett?
 If only there was a camera there to capture the smile that was RADIATING from Brett after he was done showing mom and dad his new accomplishment.  Fear conquered.  Scrapes, bumps and bruises to come!
Zach is fearless....already jumping curbs with training wheels!

Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance


Recommended by a close friend.  This books been burning a hole in my bag, itching to be read.  Well, started it today and feel like the underlying message of this book thus far already justifies a blog post and more.

If you're in the market for a book.....might see if you can find Zen for yourself and your soul!

The Decisive Element

"I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is in my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather.
I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous.
I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal.
In all situations, it is my response that decides weather a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized.
If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming."


 - J. W von Goethe

Tapped.



Please, take a second and think about it.  The earth will thank you!

Saturday, November 27, 2010

New hobby

Crocheting:  process of creating fabric from yarn with a crochet hook.  It consists of pulling loops of yarn through other loops.  A hobby my family claims only those over the age of 60 should be doing.  I disagree.

Thanks to Tim and Kerin for patiently teaching me!

Ultimate favorite food

Lefse
Lefse is a traditional Norwegian flatbread.  Made out of potatoes, the main food group in Norway!  Typically eaten with butter and sugar, rolled like a pinwheel to be devoured.

Try it today or during your next holiday celebration!  You won't be disappointed!

Texas


When in Texas, head to a ranch!



Pickin' pecans 

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Free Photo Recovery

Recently deleted some important photos from my cameras memory card by accidentally ejecting it from my computer.  The sickly, sinking feeling in my stomach was overwhelming.  With a little patience and luck I found a great software ...free and available online, that helps aid in photo recovery.

If you ever delete your memory card:
-don't use your card again or there is great risk you will completely lose them.
-download MjM Free Photo Recovery Software
-smile, watch your photos magically return, reminisce great memories!

Photos that were once lost.....
Making homemade Pumpkin Ravioli with Kari, Jake and Tim

Perfection!  Look how long the noodle was before we cut it into ravioli! 

My first ever snowshoe!

Mountain Ash

Monday, November 15, 2010

Happy?

 
Shared from a friend at Naked Binder

Friday, November 12, 2010

Capitol Reef National Park

In roadtrip day of snow, Capitol Reef National Park just happened to be on the road towards home.
Because of the snow, we did car sightseeing.  We drove along the scenic drive inside Capitol back into the gorge when the snow accentuated the grandness of it all.
Snow falling over Castle Rock

Bryce National Park

When in Southern Utah.......visit national parks.

Bryce National Park.   Best described on the NPS website as 'a cave without a ceiling, a forest of stone.'  Another national park where your eyes just need more time to adjust, more time to perceive, more time to attempt to understand 'how does all of this work?'

Spent two days here.  Driving the 18 mile long scenic drive.  Stopping off at random overlooks.  My favorites were Agua Canyon and Bryce Point.
Fences are meant to be climbed!

These 'hoodoos' are rock formations that have been sculpted by water and time.  Bryce receives snow over 200 days in the year.  With the snow, ice, freezing and melting processing taking shape, Bryce has received its   rare shape.

Zion National Park

Coming from the Grand Canyon, our eyes were used to looking along the horizon line, gazing downward.  Until we entered Zion.  The way Zion is, you drive that scrapes the bottom of the canyon.  Looking up at giant walls of sandstone formations, 2000+ft tall.
We started driving along the Virgin River inside the canyon.  Took the Riverside walk up into the start of The Narrows.  The temptation took us, the boots and socks came off as we waded through the river, upstream for a few hundred yards.  The canyon walls of this gorge are sheer faces and they enclose fast, soon you find yourself enclosed by very steep walls and in a river.  As our feet were beginning to freeze, we found a warm water spring and warmed up for the trek back.  Next time visiting Zion, I plan on hike the 16 mile trail which is 90% 'in river' walking.

One hike that's a must in Zion is up Angels Landing.  It's an easy go of switch backs until you reach the last .5 mile of climb.  Thats when the signs saying "not for children or those scared of heights."  There you must use a chain to pull yourself up and around rocks.  Adrenaline practically seeps out of your body as your knuckles turn white from grasping the chain, looking down on both sides of the narrow rock that your standing on.  Below is over 1,200 feet.  Cars become tiny.  Life becomes a little more real.
View from atop Angels Landing

You walk along and up this skinny ridge line, carefully placing every foot, reminding yourself that 9 people have died along this trail and the number seems small.  One of my favorite day hikes EVER.