everyday in a photo

01.12.12

2012-01-12T20:34:00.000-07:00

New Laptop!

Well, a couple of weeks ago my desk top started smelling hot so we decided it was time to invest in a new computer. I'm going with a laptop versus another desk top. It is exciting to have a new computer...just don't look forward to transferring all my files and reinstalling various apps.

01.11.12

2012-01-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

Breakfast Sandwich

While on Pinterest over the weekend I came across a good looking sandwich. But when I went back to look...it was gone! :( Anyway, I was able to remember what I needed, so I came up with this yummy concoction this am.

Here's my recipe for the half sandwich I made:
-1/4 of a small, Granny Smith apple (warmed)
-1/3 of a banana
-one slice of bread
-one serving of peanut butter
-maple syrup

1. Toast the bread and spread it with the peanut butter.
2. Cut the apples into small wedges, place in a small bowl with water (enough to completely cover the apple slices). Place the apples in the microwave for 15-30 seconds...be sure not to boil the water.
3. Place the apples on the bottom half of the bread.
4. Cut the 1/3 of banana into long slices and place on top of the apples.
5. Drizzle just a small amount of maple syrup over the bananas and top with the other piece of bread.

If you don't like maple syrup, you may want to use honey or agave nectar. You could also do some experimenting with different types of fruit. ENJOY!!!

01.09.12

2012-01-09T06:23:00.001-07:00

Jalapeño Jam

Looking forward to eating the jalapeño jam that we made this weekend. 16 cups of jalapeños...some were from my garden (I had froze them whole and just thawed them out) and others were from the store. We did notice that the peppers from my garden were much hotter!

We also tried out another recipe from Pinterest with he leftover jalapeños...Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich. They weren't too bad, but they did need hotter peppers.

01.08.12

2012-01-08T17:49:00.000-07:00

No Calorie Counting Today!

Well, there was no calorie counting this morning! I had found two recipes on Pinterest that I wanted to try...a yummy Frothy Mexi-Mocha Coffee and Buttermilk - Blueberry Breakfast Cake. I really enjoyed the breakfast cake...next time I would probably put in another teaspoon of lemon zest. The coffee was VERY sweet...could have probably used a little milk or extra 1/2 and 1/2.

We had to get our energy for the GREAT Bronco's game-watched them beat the Steelers.

01.07.12

2012-01-07T17:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Crab

Had two surprise visitors this am...two of my nephews. Matty and I made this "happy" crab using his hand prints. He was impressed with its googley eyes.

01.06.12

2012-01-06T19:03:00.000-07:00

White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce

Found this recipe on Pinterest and decided to give it a try...it was very YUMMY!! I cooked a whole chicken in the crock pot during the day and used a combo of dark/white meat in the enchiladas. (I was left with a lot of chicken to use in another recipe.)

01.05.12

2012-01-05T20:45:00.001-07:00

Homebrew

We moved the newest batch of homebrew, a batch of Witbier, to the smaller carboy for its second fermintation. It should be ready for bottling in another week.

01.04.12

2012-01-04T20:36:00.000-07:00

iPads

Well, I began working on getting our school iPads ready to share with the staff and students later this month. The big problem I'm having was getting them to all look the same for the students...Apple never seems to make anything easy.

01.03.12

2012-01-03T20:21:00.000-07:00

Snowman

Just a cute snowman that was on display in the hall at school.

01.02.12

2012-01-02T20:11:00.000-07:00

Photo Display

While working out, I learned how the "other half" is living while watching "Hollywood at Home" on HGTV. They were in the home of one of the New York housewives and I noticed a cool idea for displaying photos. (This isn't a good photo, I just wanted to capture the idea.)

There is a wire attached to the wall and then the photo is attached to the wire with clips. This allows for easy movement and/or changing of the photos. I think it would be cool to have several wires on a wall to display a variety of photos.

01.01.12

2012-01-01T22:04:00.001-07:00

New Year
Looking west this morning towards the mountains...first sunrise of the new year. Looking forward to what life has in store.

11.24.11

2011-11-24T10:55:00.001-07:00

3rd Annual Turkey Trot

Well, my time wasn't as good as last year, but it was better than two years ago...working at getting back to my "Tri for the Cure" fitness level. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

07.19.11

2011-07-19T21:37:00.003-06:00

Thunderstorm

Last week we had a number of storms roll through Castle Rock...unfortunately, I wasn't at home to enjoy them. Tonight we had a storm come through that had a TON of lightning and it was GREAT. This is one of the bolts that hit just on the other side of the interstate - just about 2 miles away. We had one that was literally just across the fairway, but didn't manage to get a shot of that one.

I loved the chance to sit outside, under the deck, and enjoy the rain, lightning and thunder...there's nothing like a good rumble.

07.04.11

2011-07-04T22:39:00.000-06:00

Budweiser Backyard BBQ House Party

We had a wonderful night with family! The weather was perfect, the burgers were yummy and the free Budweiser beer was cold! I was selected to host the House Party (you can check them out at: http://www.houseparty.com). One of the items included in my party pack were plastic cups...we did find another use for them! :o)

05.18.11

2011-05-18T20:57:00.005-06:00

Golf????

Wednesday evening means golf league...even on nights like tonight! I actually wouldn't have played tonight if we wouldn't have had a scramble tournament. They had been calling for rain all day and it was raining off and on. At the beginning of our tournament we were lucky in the fact that the wind died down. Just two minutes after I got this photo, it started raining - with small hail mixed in. Other than some wet pants...we survived!

05.16.11

2011-05-16T21:16:00.003-06:00

Eggs

Yesterday afternoon I got a little scare...I saw a pile of feathers in the middle of the backyard. Upon further investigation I couldn't rule out the possibility it might be the female bluebird. I kept a close eye out for her the remainder of the day yesterday, but no signs. I also didn't see her this morning before heading into work. Fortunately, around 5 o'clock this evening she peaked her head out of the box. I decided to do a quick next check and discovered 6 eggs!! VERY excited!!

05.15.11

2011-05-15T17:00:00.000-06:00

New Project

Well, Kelly and I got a new project underway today...creating some animal letters for the soon to be arriving Jack. We managed to get the animals picked out (I still need to create the patterns for those) and we got the first coat of paint on for the letters. I will be sure to update you on the progress.

05.12.11

2011-05-12T12:40:00.001-06:00

Springtime in Colorado

Yesterday we had a storm set in over most of Colorado. We had probably an inch or two of snow and some rain. (When I checked the rain gauge around 5:30 there was just over an inch + one small bug.)

Today we woke up to this! By around 8:00 we had about 4 inches and the big, wet flakes were still coming down!

Snow in May isn't that unusual for Colorado. For the unusual part, check out my blog post from May 12, 2010! h ttp://everydayinaphoto.blogspot.com/2010/05/051210.html

05.08.11

2011-05-08T13:38:00.001-06:00

Nest

We have a nest in progress! I have to admit that I was very concerned...I haven't seen very many blue birds in the neighborhood or around the school. I'm once again participating in the Colorado Blue Bird Project and I'll be anxious to see the results for this year. Looking forward to another nesting season!!

And HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

05.7.11

2011-05-07T18:33:00.000-06:00

Rubber Duckies!

There were rubber duckies EVERYWHERE today. We held my sister's baby shower today and the theme was...rubber duckies! Two years ago I made some fun cupcakes for her bridal shower, so I only thought it was fitting that I make something for her baby shower. The weather was PERFECT so we were able to hold the shower outside and it was a GREAT afternoon!!

04.27.11

2011-04-27T19:47:00.003-06:00

Spring in Colorado

We woke up this morning to just over an inch of snow. It was a beautiful morning!

I did see the mail blue bird around the box this morning. Also had a swallow on the deck.

04.25.11

2011-04-25T21:28:00.003-06:00

Photo Contest-Need Votes!!

I would appreciate ANY votes you would like to send my way...vote for as many as you like!! I have photos on these pages:
http://photocontest.islands.com/photo_contest/65/photos/all?page=10

http://photocontest.islands.com/photo_contest/65/photos/all?page=9

http://photocontest.islands.com/photo_contest/65/photos/all?page=8

You will have to complete a quick registration to vote.

THANKS!!

04.23.11

2011-04-23T22:53:00.000-06:00

Birthday

Well, I realized that I took NO photo of my mom's surprise birthday party...what!?!?!? I guess it must have been because we were crazy busy.

With or without a photo, we had a WONDERFUL night!!!

04.21.11

2011-04-21T18:43:00.000-06:00

A Single Flower

On my way back from the mailbox I noticed that a single tulip had made its way up out of the rocks.

04.20.11

2011-04-20T08:37:00.000-06:00

Spring Flowers

As I was leaving for work this morning the daffodils resting in the sun caught my eye.

04.19.11

2011-04-19T17:30:00.001-06:00

First Storm

Well, today we had our first "storm." I was out for a walk during my lunch and noticed that the clouds were rolling in fast. I cut my walk short and just in time...the rain and hail began just about 4 minutes after I got inside. The hail was small and I was able to enjoy the smell of the rain.

This morning I also saw my first pair of swallows hanging out on the deck.

04.16.11

2011-04-17T20:20:00.002-06:00

Mussels

We finally gave mussels a try! We were at The Union here in Castle Rock. The mussels were steamed in safron chile broth with a baguette and garlic aioli. We both liked them, I think me a little more than Chad. I am anxious to give them another try.

04.13.11

2011-04-13T21:35:00.004-06:00

Outdoor Education - Final Day

During our time at High Trails, I have been working with the students in the Trapper group. During our time in the forest, students had the opportunity to build their own lean-to structures. I came across a number of very cool fallen logs. I've enjoyed my time with the kids, but I'm anxious to get back home. I will say that being out in the mountains makes me anxious to go camping this summer.

04.12.11

2011-04-12T15:29:00.002-06:00

Outdoor Education - Day 2

I was very excited to wake up to beautiful, clear skies this morning! We were up early for our morning hike. This was the view looking east towards Pikes Peak.

04.11.11

2011-04-11T20:25:00.002-06:00

Outdoor Education

Today was the first of three days at High Trails just outside of Florrisant, Colorado. This is a camp for the 6th graders - I went as a chaperone. We had great weather for our first day. This is a photo of an aspen tree...I loved the texture.

04.10.11

2011-04-10T17:36:00.000-06:00

Downtown Urban Field Trip

The weather held out for my photo field trip class in downtown Denver. There were 10 of us in the class and we had the opportunity to get some pointers in using our cameras and then headed out to walk around and take some photos. This was part of a sign.

04.07.11

2011-04-07T17:08:00.000-06:00

Cupcake

As many of you know, I have purchased the two Hello Cupcake books and have enjoyed baking some fun and creative cupcakes. A student at school delivered this cupcake for her birthday and I just had to take a photo.

04.05.11

2011-04-05T18:03:00.001-06:00

Thankful

I know this photo of my car wheel probably seems random and isn't of high quality, but I was so thankful that it was still intact. This evening while I was traveling through an intersection here in town, another driver ran a red light and hit the car right in front of me. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

04.03.11

2011-04-03T22:11:00.003-06:00

SNOW!

Well, it is 50 degrees colder than yesterday...it was 81 degrees and we were out playing golf - actually got a sunburn! Today it's all about keeping from getting blown away and not getting frostbite! Gotta love spring in Colorado!

04.02.11

2011-04-02T19:14:00.001-06:00

Spring Golf...Again

We were lucky enough to make it out the Ridge again for some golf. The wind started off very calm, but ended up making an appearance. At least it was sunny and warm...80 degrees!! With all of these wind days I won't know how to play in nice weather.

04.01.11

2011-04-01T20:17:00.002-06:00

Dusting Off

It's April 1st and the outdoor furniture has made its appearance!! They are calling for snow on Sunday or Monday, so I'm sure that it will get a little wet. Since the weather was so nice today, I was able to enjoy a little time sitting on it, watching and listening to the birds. (Still looking for those darn blue birds!!) I even broke it in with a Fijitini!! So looking forward to summer!!

03.31.11

2011-03-31T22:23:00.004-06:00

Spring Golf

Installing tile and playing golf were on my "to do" list for spring break. The damn wind has been getting in our way for golfing. We decided to play at The Ridge today...the weather forecast was calling for winds to pick up around noon - not so much! We still managed to have fun...on most holes. :o)

03.30.11

2011-03-30T20:20:00.000-06:00

Tile is Done!

Well, we have officially put our first tiling job in the books! We are VERY happy with how it all turned out. Chad did a great job of installing the new under-cabinet lighting.

03.24.11

2011-03-24T14:19:00.002-06:00

First Blooms

The mini daffodils once again managed to be the first flowers to bloom this spring...there must be some snow on the way!

03.23.11

2011-03-23T09:31:00.001-06:00

Let the Fun Begin!

The tiling project in the kitchen is getting underway today! This is our time tiling, so we are both a little nervous and excited. I'll be sure to post the after photos when we are all done.

03.22.11

2011-03-22T14:27:00.000-06:00

Spring Has Sprung

I was in the backyard checking things out...I'm VERY anxious for spring! Came across these tulips making their way through the soil and mulch.

03.21.11

2011-03-21T15:23:00.000-06:00

A Day of Play

First "official" day of spring break and I got to play...bubbles, seashells, popcorn, car wash, and hermit crabs!

03.16.11

2011-03-16T20:48:00.002-06:00

Another Pair

This morning there was a pair of bluebirds hanging out on the desk this morning...they didn't seem to stick around long. Today was the first day I saw a couple of bluebirds in the neighborhood.

03.14.11

2011-03-14T07:43:00.002-06:00

Beautiful Morning!

This picture didn't truly capture the morning colors. As the sun came up, there was a warm glow on the mountains. Getting very excited for spring and summer!

03.12.11

2011-03-12T13:33:00.003-07:00

Perfect Picture!

We were out in the backyard this morning to clean up the old plants and grasses...no sign of any bluebirds. We came back inside to fix lunch and while I was looking outside and saw the brilliant blue!

There was a male and female around the box - both looking in several times. There was another female just a little ways away in the scrub oak. This is the most activity I've had around the box...anxious to see if they stick around!

03.11.11

2011-03-11T17:07:00.003-07:00

YEA!!

This morning I had the first bluebird of the season in the yard (at least that I've spotted). It tried sitting on top of the nesting box but the wind was blowing so hard this morning that he couldn't hang on.

I had to come back and edit this post right after publishing it...a bluebird flew into one of my windows right when I had clicked "Publish Post." It appeared to fly off okay.

03.10.11

2011-03-10T18:16:00.000-07:00

Wrong Type of Bird

I was excited by the bluebirds I saw when leaving school and since the weather was beautiful, I decided to sit out in the backyard and keep my eye out for some birds around the house. There were a few that made a quick dash past me, but this was the only "bluebird" I was going to be photographing today.

03.08.11

2011-03-08T18:54:00.000-07:00

Party Pack Arrived!

Very excited today...the party pack for my DIGIORNO Pizza & Hoops House Party arrived today! Contents: coupons for food that night, coupons for the guests, hot pad, pizza cutter, spatula, timer, plates, fridge magnet clip, an over-the-door basketball game, inflatable noisemakers, and wet wipes.

Looking forward to March 19th - I'll share a photo!

03.07.11

2011-03-07T17:50:00.000-07:00

Busted Toe

There have been a number of times I've caught my little toe on the edge of the suitcase or some other item on the floor of our bedroom...it's usually no big deal. This time was different. Yesterday it was full-force into the edge of the suitcase and it was the toe next to my little toe that took the brunt of it. I think there's a good chance it's broken - just have to wear loose shoes and keep it taped for a little while. I guess it's better now than this summer when I'm playing golf!

03.05.11

2011-03-05T15:42:00.000-07:00

Morning of Learning

This morning was great! Two other teachers and I planned and executed a great morning of professional learning for other technology folks in our district. We ended up with about 60 folks at the conference and had 10 different sessions for them to choose from. This photo is of the presentation done by one of my Discover Educator Network (DEN) friends, who is also a DEN Guru. She joined us virtually from Pennsylvania!

The crazy thing...the three of us never actually met in person to organize the ETIL Regional Conference. We met virtually via Skype and utilized Google Docs and email. A great use of technology resources to pull off a great technology conference.

03.02.11

2011-03-02T20:39:00.004-07:00

Breakfast

Chad treated me to a great breakfast of steak, toast and soft-boiled eggs. We fixed the filet in the sous vide last night and Chad did the eggs this morning. This was the first time for doing eggs...they were yummy!! Thanks babe - it was a GREAT start to my day!!

03.01.11

2011-03-01T21:08:00.002-07:00

Great Morning

The first day of March found me talking a morning walk on the golf course. It was great to see some familiar territory...it was so quiet and peaceful. I caught the sunrise over the Rock.

02.27.11

2011-02-27T16:32:00.001-07:00

Grand Tetons

The sun was out and it was a beautiful day. On our flight home from Montana I spotted Grand Teton National Park out of my window in the distance. It looked beautiful...the picture doesn't do it justice.

02.26.11

2011-02-26T22:38:00.003-07:00

A New Beginning

Today Joshua, my cousin, and Christy became man and wife. They had a beautiful ceremony in Bozeman, Montana - Christy's hometown. There were moments of mixed emotions today. At many points in time I so wished that my Aunt Julie could have been there to share in their special day - she would have been so proud.

One of those moments was when we released lanterns into the cold, night sky. I know there was at least one that reached heaven. We miss you Julie...

02.23.11

2011-02-23T19:50:00.002-07:00

A Happier Place

After one of the toughest days I've ever had, I was able to get away to a happier place for a little while. The weather was nice today and I was able to get out and walk on my favorite trail behind the school. I ran into a few patches of mud and ice, but it was a much needed time out and in the sun. My heart is still so full of sadness...I miss my Bailey.

02.22.11

2011-02-22T19:11:00.002-07:00

Our Brown Dog

Today we lost a family member of 14 years. Bailey has been with Chad and I since our first Christmas together. Whenever there was a mess to clean up or he did something bad, we would always joke - "He's your dog." But today...we lost "our dog."

02.14.11

2011-02-14T22:15:00.003-07:00

Sweet

We had our "official" Valentine's celebration on Friday night with dinner at our favorite restaurant...Flemings. But today, even with a sick sweetie, I found two roses in my car after school. It reminded me of our college days. (The roses were usually left on the outside of my car, but it was very windy today.) Thanks sweetie!

02.11.11

2011-02-11T17:31:00.003-07:00

New Apple Product?

This is the BEST!! I was in a classroom after school today and saw this. It may look like the newest and greatest Apple product, but it's actually a Valentine's box!!

02.09.11

2011-02-09T20:46:00.004-07:00

Live

The first word in our school's motto. What did YOU do to live today? Today is Buddy Check 9 Day. Ladies...do a self-breast exam and remind your female friends & family. Men...remind the women in your life.

02.07.11

2011-02-07T20:40:00.000-07:00

Duct Tape

So, I've come to a conclusion...duct tape is good for ANYTHING!! And for me, it serves multiple "foot" purposes. I won't bore you with the long story, but due to lost luggage, I had a bad fin incident on one of our dive trips...it resulted in me only being able to wear flip flops for an entire month when we returned home and scars on two toes - one on each foot. To this day I still get hot-spots on my toes. So what do I use?? Duct tape! I wrap small pieces around several of my toes and it works great!! Much better than the mole skin that comes off after one dive - I usually have to cut off the duct tape by the end at the day.

Well, I have now found a winter use for it as well. I've had these boots for years and they've become dried and cracked - resulting in water leaking in. With our recent snow and my crosswalk duty, I decided to solve that problem and duct tape them.! It worked great - no leaks! I wish I would have thought of this sooner! I only had one student comment on my new fashion statement.

02.06.11

2011-02-06T21:54:00.006-07:00

Super Bowl

We had a great time at Kelly & Alex's Super Bowl Party. I had to honor their Packers with a photo of the GREAT cupcake and "cheese" cakes. Thanks guys and congrats on your Super Bowl Champs!!

02.05.11

2011-02-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

Snow!

After bitter cold temperatures last week, and two cold days, it was time for snow. The storm moved in quickly and has dropped several inches in a short time...predicted to get up to 8 by tomorrow morning.

02.02.11

2011-02-02T14:44:00.006-07:00

Cookies!

A second "cold day" off from school called for a "Matty Day"! I finally broke into the alphabet cookie cutters - been saving them for over a year. :o) We had fun making everyone's name...and every letter was "E!"

02.01.11

2011-02-01T22:10:00.004-07:00

Yep...it's cold!

The proof is in the picture. Another day off tomorrow...glad I'll be able to kidnap a certain someone for the day!!

01.31.11

2011-01-31T21:54:00.002-07:00

Snow Day!

Before we even left school today they had called a snow day for Tuesday. It was 5 degrees when I was outside for crosswalk duty. It's expected to get down to nearly -20 overnight.

01.30.11

2011-01-30T19:24:00.005-07:00

Taco Bell

Personal opinion...I don't worry so much about what makes up the actual "beef" content of a taco. I'm more interested in the percentage of "beef" to other ingredients! Here's a wild guess... the lettuce costs much less then the "beef"?!

01.29.11

2011-01-29T16:21:00.004-07:00

Flip Flops!!

Any January day in Colorado that warrants flip flops deserves a pedicure!!

01.27.11

2011-01-27T07:17:00.003-07:00

Happy Birthday!

Just wanted to wish a "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" to my dad! You'll have to wait and see what's inside...fortunately I didn't include any codes or model numbers in the photo!

01.26.11

2011-01-26T21:46:00.004-07:00

New Arrival

Ate our first meal at the new table tonight. When we first moved in almost eight years ago, we needed a table...managed to pick up an inexpensive one at Walmart. Well, we finally kicked it to the curb today to make room for the new one. The nice thing is we can add a leaf and two chairs - then it seats six.

01.25.11

2011-01-25T21:40:00.000-07:00

Workout

Managed to get up and workout this morning. Got some multi-tasking done...working out, checking email and watching a couple cooking shows.

01.22.11

2011-01-22T22:00:00.004-07:00

Helicopter - IKEA

We are excited to be getting an IKEA store here in CO. There is an over-stock furniture store right next to the IKEA store that is under-construction. While in the furniture store today, I swore that I heard a helicopter. When we left the store, there didn't seem to be any helicopter in sight..but then...there it was. I hadn't see a helicopter this thin before...very cool - but a little scary considering how windy it was today.

01.21.11

2011-01-22T21:47:00.003-07:00

The Other Side

Living in Castle Rock, you typically get one view of "The Rock." When I get the opportunity to see another view of the rock, it's fun. Coming back from my afternoon work-day in Parker, I was able to see the other side. I also decided to make it B&W.

01.19.11

2011-01-19T21:07:00.003-07:00

Lots of Wind

Before it got dark we had LOTS of wind and not much snow. Unfortunately I don't think there's any chance for a snow day tomorrow. :o(

01.17.11

2011-01-17T20:06:00.004-07:00

Just Hanging Around

First, I have to admit that I took this photo yesterday...had I been outside in the backyard today I would have blown away!! Caught this little chickadee in the scrub oak out back. They are one of my favorite little birds that visit my feeders.

01.16.11

2011-01-16T19:53:00.004-07:00

A Visitor

This afternoon I noticed a coyote along the fairway, up several houses from us. He appeared to be doing a little hunting in the snow. I grabbed my camera and captured a few shots - nothing great. As I continued to watch him, he moved up closer to the fence and headed our direction. I threw on my shoes and headed to the backyard. Just as I was coming down the stairs, he appeared around the edge of the neighbor's retaining wall. After I grabbed a couple of shots he headed back towards the golf course. I was actually glad he didn't come much closer to our place.

01.15.11

2011-01-16T10:16:00.004-07:00

TOSH!

The day finally came! We've been watching Daniel Tosh's show, Tosh.0, for a little over a year now...we love him!! By a little luck, Chad learned that he was coming to Denver...after the first show had sold out. Fortunately, there was a second show added! My sisters and their husbands joined us for a GREAT night of comedy! (Photo's not the best...didn't want to use my flash.)

01.13.11

2011-01-13T21:53:00.003-07:00

Coffee's Ready!

Just got the coffee set to brew - time for bed. Just in case you saw my post last night, we are getting new counter tops...some demo got done today, but we got to keep the partially connected tops for a few more days.

01.12.11

2011-01-12T22:15:00.002-07:00

Before...

Looking forward to the old counter tops coming out tomorrow! Looking forward to granite!

01.11.11

2011-01-11T21:49:00.004-07:00

Tea Before Bed

Enjoying a cup of warm tea on this very cold night.

01.10.11

2011-01-10T09:31:00.004-07:00

SNOW DAY!!

Well, I was a little surprised when I woke up this morning and learned that we had a snow day - no school! It wasn't due to the amount of snow, but to the poor roads and driving conditions. I would say we got about 8 inches.

This photo is from the upstairs bedroom, looking towards the mountains. The snow on the course was beautiful this morning - so smooth, untouched, new.

01.09.11

2011-01-09T10:29:00.000-07:00

Snow

Well, we are set to get 5-10 inches of snow...here's the beginning. You'll see Bailey's tracks headed out to the yard.

01.08.11

2011-01-08T20:35:00.000-07:00

Yummy Snack

Popcorn is one of those snacks I can never get tired of.

01-07-11

2011-01-08T06:55:00.002-07:00

Friday Night

We decided to get a bite to eat at the nearby burger joint. I had the "Krusty" burger...yum!

01.06.11

2011-01-06T21:08:00.003-07:00

All that's left...

Well, I forgot to get a pic before we ate dinner. This was the only bit of ribs left. They were YUMMY!! Looking forward to the next product in the sous vide!

01.05.11

2011-01-05T21:59:00.003-07:00

Before...

For Christmas, Santa brought us a Sous Vide. It's a VERY cool water-bath cooking system. We've cooked a few things since getting it and we've been very please. In the mail today I received my first sous vide cookbook, so it was time to get the ribs going!

Today's photo is the ribs after seasoning and packing. They will go in tomorrow AM and will come out 8-12 hours later...looking forward to tomorrow's dinner. I will get an after picture up tomorrow.

01.04.11

2011-01-04T22:07:00.003-07:00

Can't Get Out!

I got a little laugh tonight. My Elmo slippers are still in my suitcase...looking out at me. :)

01.03.11

2011-01-03T17:19:00.005-07:00

Visitor

We see a number of hawks fly through the backyard or sometimes sit on the fence (January 6, 2009 post/photo), but we'd never seen one in the neighbor's tree...was surprised the top tree branches supported the hawk! We have also seen a smaller hawk, possibly a falcon, in this same tree but I still haven't captured a photo of him.

01.02.11

2011-01-02T20:34:00.005-07:00

Evening Out

I learned earlier tonight that our Winter Break had been extended by one day due to a water line break at our school. Fortunately it sounds like there was minimal damage.

Since it was another "weekend" night we decided to go get something to eat at Carlos Miguel's. While waiting for our bill, I decided to give my new ToyCamera App a try. I used the Rich B&W mode and then added a little Antique in iPhoto.
2/365

01.01.11

2011-01-01T20:54:00.004-07:00

The Path for 2011?

We had some measurable snow on Thursday which drew out the sledders. This morning there were a number of trails in the snow out on the fairway. I didn't see any of the people who made these tracks, so I was left to wonder...Who were they? What type of sleds did they have? Did they have fun? Were they old? Were they young?

These questions in-turn made me think about the upcoming year? What does the new year have in store for me? Will there be additions to our family? Will I lose a friend or loved one? Where will I go diving? Will I continue teaching in the tech lab? Will I improve my time in the Tri for the Cure? So many questions!

I know the answer to a few of the questions, but there is always the unknown. I'm looking forward to the year and what it has in store for me.

06.06.10

2010-06-06T13:03:00.003-06:00

Nest Updates

Well, today the bluebird box was empty. I could hear some bluebirds down a couple of houses, so I'm guessing the fledglings are down there somewhere. Anxious to see if they come back into our yard tonight.

The tree swallows now have eggs - six for sure. When I came to check their nest, they were not happy with me at all! I flushed one of them off the nest and as I was taking a photo, they were both swooping in and yelling at me. I love how the swallow nest looks...so warm and cozy with all of the feathers.

05.29.10

2010-05-29T11:09:00.002-06:00

Seven Little Mouths

There are two hard-working bluebirds in our backyard. They are working non-stop to feed seven, hungry mouths.

05.22.10

2010-05-22T10:59:00.000-06:00

New Arrivals

During the weekly nest check I discovered the eggs have hatched. Not sure if there are six or seven...one seems to be a little tucked in more than the other.

05.21.10

2010-05-21T15:20:00.002-06:00

"Grape" Iris

I'm not sure what type of irises these are, but they smell like grapes...I love them! In the past years it seems that there's always been a late snow - just when they are opening. I lucked out this year.

05.18.10

2010-05-18T21:36:00.003-06:00

Sunrise

I don't catch them often, but this morning's sunrise was BEAUTIFUL!

05.17.10

2010-05-17T21:32:00.001-06:00

Iris

Well, the first iris of the season have bloomed. They are on the front of the house - where it's warmer. The purple ones that smell like grap should be opening within the next few days.

05.15.10

2010-05-15T21:29:00.002-06:00

Still Seven

Did my weekly check-in on the bluebird box...still seven eggs. The tree swallows don't have any eggs yet, but the nest was about twice the size as last week.

We have had to clean out a few finch nests from the gutter under the deck.

05.12.10

2010-05-12T21:25:00.001-06:00

Is it Really May?

Well, it's Wednesday...golf league...but I don't think we'll be playing golf today. We got just about an inch.

05.08.10

2010-05-08T20:49:00.003-06:00

We Have Eggs

With the crazy weather we've been having, I have waited to check-in on the bluebirds. Today when I came up to the box, I tapped and out came the mother. I took off the top and snapped a photo...7 eggs!! Very excited to see how many hatch.

04.30.10

2010-04-30T21:53:00.001-06:00

Swallows

About a week ago I noticed a swallow circling over the backyard, but I never say any hanging out on the deck corner...until this morning. They have officially arrived and are ready to make their home under the deck. I will be registering that nest box as well.

04.27.10

2010-04-27T21:47:00.002-06:00

Hummingbirds!!

They come in a close second to my bluebirds. We have hummingbirds the entire spring, summer and fall...and they are CRAZY hummingbirds. They are always buzzing around, usually shooting way up in the air and then dive-bombing back down.

For a number of years I have always tried to find their nests, but have had no luck. Today the first hummingbirds of the 2010 season arrived!