One of Nathan's best friends moved to Florida with his wife to go to graduate school. We had never been to Florida and we thought that having friends living there now would be a perfect excuse to go. So we planned a trip to Florida. But since Texas is halfway to Florida and two of my favorite people live in Texas, we made a slight detour to lovely San Antonio and Austin.
First stop: San Antonio (and the little town of Gruene).
Nathan and I were sick sick sick the first part of the trip, so San Antonio turned out to be mostly marathon sleeping sessions and not the coastal camping and fishing adventure that was originally planned. However, we did rise from our deathbed a couple times to get in what fun and revelry we could. The following pictures are all courtesy of Jess since I have the awful habit of forgetting my camera whenever something good is happening.
Oh Jess....
After San Antonio we headed over to The Freshman's. Only she's in her last semester of grad school so I guess that term no longer applies (actually, I guess it hasn't applied since she was, well, a freshman). Ali and Bryce taught us how to live it up southern style by gorging ourselves at the Salt Lick (amazing all-you-can-eat barbecue) and then returning home to plop on the couch and watch the whole first season of The Big Bang Theory (we're hooked). Again, I am bad with the camera skills so the only proof I have that we were there is this one picture taken with Ali's camera phone to make Rosie jealous.
Oh Ali...
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Dear Rosie, Sometimes I do stupid stuff too.
If there is one thing I love in this world, it is a s'more. I love it so much in fact, that one of my gifts for Christmas was all the fixings for s'mores complete with an extra long skewer so I could roast them in our fireplace without getting roasted myself. The combination of melty chocolate, golden graham cracker, and toasty marshmallow is simply divine.
I subbed today for a particularly rotten class of 3rd graders. When the kids are rotten, I like to come home and eat (I'm sure Rosie, you'll agree). I opened up my cupboards and there was my s'more kit calling out to me. What better way to forget the child who tried to make a break out the front gate while on the way to lunch than with marshmallow oozing down your chin? I decided to make myself one.
I didn't feel the need to light our whole fireplace, so I just grabbed a fork, popped on a mallow and lit up the stove. Within minutes, my marshmallow was ready and I slid it off the fork into its bed of chocolate and graham. Before tossing the fork in the sink, I noticed that a bit of the gooey, marshy middle was still stuck on it. So I put it in my mouth.
I head a sizzle, my lips began to burn and I instantly realized what an idiotic thing I had done; I had wrapped my lips around a burning hot fork. I grabbed ice as quickly as I could, but it was too late. The damage was done. Both my upper and lower lips have four long blisters on them...in the distinct shape of fork prongs. I resemble Courtney Love. Or Bubba Gump. And the worst part about it - I can't finish my s'more.
I subbed today for a particularly rotten class of 3rd graders. When the kids are rotten, I like to come home and eat (I'm sure Rosie, you'll agree). I opened up my cupboards and there was my s'more kit calling out to me. What better way to forget the child who tried to make a break out the front gate while on the way to lunch than with marshmallow oozing down your chin? I decided to make myself one.
I didn't feel the need to light our whole fireplace, so I just grabbed a fork, popped on a mallow and lit up the stove. Within minutes, my marshmallow was ready and I slid it off the fork into its bed of chocolate and graham. Before tossing the fork in the sink, I noticed that a bit of the gooey, marshy middle was still stuck on it. So I put it in my mouth.
I head a sizzle, my lips began to burn and I instantly realized what an idiotic thing I had done; I had wrapped my lips around a burning hot fork. I grabbed ice as quickly as I could, but it was too late. The damage was done. Both my upper and lower lips have four long blisters on them...in the distinct shape of fork prongs. I resemble Courtney Love. Or Bubba Gump. And the worst part about it - I can't finish my s'more.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Home Again
Nate and I just got back from our Texas/Florida/Bahamas extravaganza. We had an amazing vacation (details and posts to follow), but I was just as excited to come home as I was to leave on our adventure. How could I not be happy when this is what I have to come home to?
It's good to be back.
A happy, dancing dog.
A thriving winter garden, ripe for the picking.
A giant, giant bed.
It's good to be back.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Happiest Place on Earth
Earlier this year Disneyland did a promotion to try and get one million hours of volunteer service. They offered a free Disneyland ticket to anyone who went and volunteered for a few hours at one of their designated areas. Seeing as tickets to Disneyland are going for $76 dollars these days, Nate and I jumped on the service bandwagon. We got our free tickets and made a trip down to Anaheim to enjoy the fruits of our labors.
Neither of us are big Disneyland people and so we planned our trip for the evening, when there would be shorter lines and less crowds. We got there at about seven and were surprised that we did not have to pay for parking. Disneyland is not typically known for letting anybody slide by without paying. When we got to the ticket counter we found out why; during the winter months, the park closes at eight o'clock. Oh crap. Our tickets expired at the end of the year, so we just decided to go for it and have a forty-five minute blitz of California Adventure. Let me tell you, it was probably the most fun Nate and I have ever had in 3/4 of an hour.
On the ferris wheel. You can't tell, but it was a great view.
People were kissing inside of the A. Blech.
Neither of us are big Disneyland people and so we planned our trip for the evening, when there would be shorter lines and less crowds. We got there at about seven and were surprised that we did not have to pay for parking. Disneyland is not typically known for letting anybody slide by without paying. When we got to the ticket counter we found out why; during the winter months, the park closes at eight o'clock. Oh crap. Our tickets expired at the end of the year, so we just decided to go for it and have a forty-five minute blitz of California Adventure. Let me tell you, it was probably the most fun Nate and I have ever had in 3/4 of an hour.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Climb On!
In the days before his mission, Tim used to be my climbing buddy. We’d usually bring along one or two friends, some music and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and make an afternoon of it. In fact, the first time I ever hung out with Nathan it was rock climbing. It was a bit funny to see my little, scrawny, sad-excuse-for-a-man brother belaying big, hulking, "I could eat you for breakfast and still be hungry" Nathan. I don’t think Nate felt entirely safe as that was his first and only time climbing with us.
The other day Tim and I got to do our first climbing since he got back from his mission. We went to our usual spot off of Highway 38. Aside from the fact that it was freezing cold, it was just like old times.
Timmy, this blog’s for you.
The other day Tim and I got to do our first climbing since he got back from his mission. We went to our usual spot off of Highway 38. Aside from the fact that it was freezing cold, it was just like old times.
Timmy, this blog’s for you.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
13.1 Miles
Last weekend, I ran a half marathon. I use the term "run" very loosely.
Rosie, the namesake of my future child, was a great sport waking up before dawn, acting as chauffeur to and from the race, popping up several places along the route to cheer us on, and photographing all the action. Here are a few of the highlights.
Rosie, the namesake of my future child, was a great sport waking up before dawn, acting as chauffeur to and from the race, popping up several places along the route to cheer us on, and photographing all the action. Here are a few of the highlights.
Kim and I getting ready to start.
Being outpaced by an old man with bad knees.
Happy to be almost done.
Just finished and got my medal.
I think we are all ready for a nap.
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