Digital Portfolio

My roommate showed me how to edit my digital portfolio that Albion wanted students to work on so I've been working on it lately and I thought I would send you guys a link to check it out:

http://people04.albion.edu/LLB10/dp/

Chipmunk Cheeks

I just thought you guys might get a giggle from my fat face, 2 days post-wisdom teeth extraction.

From South to North

We have made it back from South America in the best shape of our lives. We had many challenging days of hiking amidst 60 mph winds, sleet storms, blizzards, and aching feet. But the views (when we had them) were spectacular and made the difficulties worthwhile. These pictures are not entirely in order, the first is Mom, Dad and me at Perito Moreno glacier just outside of El Calafate, Argentina. We took a boat tour around one side of the glacier and even then we did not appreciate the size of this massive glacier. It was 14 km long (approximately 8.4 miles) and at its widest point about 9 km wide (5.4 miles), it was also really active, calving all the time because it moves about 2 meters a day, about 6 ft! We got to see some of this action but the glacier seemed to wait until just after I had put my camera away to allow a piece to break off, so rude.

Our second hike in Torres del Paine national park left mom's and my feet in agony. Sure an 18 km hike doesn't sound so bad...until you're doing one everyday, including rock scrambles and lots of up and downhill. We decided it was important to document the invalid feet, post-hike. Not long after this picture was taken, having decided that our call for hunger was greater than the pain in our feet, we went to dinner and returned for a friendly game of Rummy. Our campsite in this particular area was in a valley constantly flayed by wind and one massive gust shook our tent to the core. All of the sudden I noticed the rain-fly was hitting the tent and I believed the stakes had been ripped out of the ground. WRONG we opened the tent to find the stakes and skirt of the rain-fly securely in place while the remainder of it was flapping wildly in the wind and our guide was staring mouth open wide with the site manager. The wind had ripped our rip-stop nylon tent! Needless to say, sleep did not come too easy that night.

This picture was taken of Los Cuernos-The Horns, in Torres del Paine. Our campsite was across the lake from these mountains and our dining area had an amazing view of them every night.

And the last picture is from Buenos Aires, our last night there before heading to southern Argentina to being our hiking expedition. Our hostess at the Bed and Breakfast in Palermo directed us to a Tango show that included dinner and a FREE TANGO LESSON!! Mom and Dad even gave Tango a try, I have the pictures and a video for proof. The show was pretty amazing and we all really enjoyed ourselves. Buenos Aires was definitely a unique city with a much greater European influence than I had anticipated. The sidewalks were a bit gone to seed and we found ourselves fearful we were going to sprain an ankle before having made it to Southern Patagonia! All the same, we are happy to be back at home and we have many more stories to share from our journey.

Gingerbread House

This is Elinore making a gingerbread house. Or I suppose I should say that I am making the gingerbread house and Elinore is eating all of the candy.

addition to list

I wanted to add

Peter Pan (2003 DVD)

The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray...it doesn't come out until Dec 26 buuuut I still would really like it

Christmas List

For Christmas I would like:

The Holiday (DVD)
James Harriot audio books (CD)
Harry Potter 5 (DVD)
a pony
fuzzy socks
garlic press
a really good book
scented candles
food processor

that's really all I can think of right now I'll let you know if I think of anything else

Please let me know what you guys want too!!

Thanksgiving and birthdays and books Oh My!

I just thought I would post some of the pictures I have taken of Thanksgiving and our celebration of Elinore and Jennifer's birthdays! It has been so wonderful having everyone here and I wish it happened more often because we always have fun.

In this picture, Elinore had Josh reading her "The Napping House".

Elinore and Jen opened their presents together...they look pretty similar in this picture...

Elinore showing off her new bunny ears from Grandma

Cheesy

I wanted to share with all of you a cheesy assignment and the cheesiest line in my paper.

The assignment:
Choose 5 songs from 3 genres and write a 10 page paper explaining a bit about the song and how it influences you.

My cheesy line (it makes me want to throw up, I don't know how this came out of my mouth):
In spite of my insecurities, I will keep on singing and let my true self be seen because music is my outlet and helps me express what I cannot seem to find the right words to say.

Isn't that just gross? I'm so embarrassed for myself

Cats in Trees

I just looked out my window to see three girls standing at the base of a tree holding a sweatshirt among the three of them. It wasn't hard to figure out what was going on. Cat stuck up in tree. Hilarious to think that these girls thought the cat would be smart enough to understand what they were doing and jump right into the outstretched sweatshirt. We have an electrical company at the end of our street, so we see a lot of their vans and trucks go by. Just as I notice this, one of their vans pull up. Two guys get out of their van and grab one of their ladders to set up against the tree, so that they can bring the cat down. It was like watching an old movie, seeing this electrical guy carry this little kitten down the ladder and hand it to one of the girls. With all of my pregnancy hormones flowing, I could feel my eyes welling up a bit (don't make fun of me, Caitlyn!!). It was really sweet.

But I have to wonder. Do they really need to be rescued? Cats get themselves up there. If you just leave them there, won't they eventually get themselves down?

Apologies

Sorry I still haven't posted anything about my trip. Re-entry as been tough with the jetlag and a cold, and I just spent hours downloading pictures from other folks in my group. Now I have to organize them, and then I'll post the best ones to share.

And I decided to post this now because intervention was necessary. Kevin's post was gross and I couldn't let that be the opening to our otherwise enjoyable blog.

Peace out--

I just had to tell you this.

So we just got back from Florida and I am sure Jen will post more about that later...but I just had to get this down before I forgot how it went.

Scene: Driving somewhere in the car.

Elinore: I have a booger, I need a kleenex.

Kevin: Ok, just a minute...

Time elapses while Kevin and Jen look for a kleenex which is not to be found in the rental car.

Elinore: I ate my booger, it was good yum yum.

Kevin and Jen laugh at this for a while.

Elinore: My booger is all gone.

So I guess this answers the age old question...it begins simply out of the need for disposal.

Thailand Preview

Mawwaige is what bwings us togethah

Two of my greatest college friends finally tied the knot this weekend on a spit of land along the Guadelupe River in central Texas. Most of the wedding party and family arrived on Friday morning to help set up and spend some quality time shootin the breeze.

This was the first time since graduation (2.5 years ago) that I've seen most of these folks, and it was strange how NOT strange it felt! Seeing them and being with them was like putting on an old sock. These country bumpkins are like family--they make me feel comfortable and content in my own skin. We came from near and far to celebrate (Chicago, DC, New York, Texas, Oklahoma, Michigan, CHINA), and most if not all of my closest friends from college made an appearance. In fact, I can't think of one person who was missing! If only the weekend could have stretched just a little longer...

The wedding itself was simple and beautiful. Their vows included serving one another while encouraging their individuality. The mood was joyous and light-hearted especially in the middle of the blessing when the pastor referred to them as Regan and May instead of Megan and Ray. The wedding party and family did most of the set up and break down, cake cutting, center piece arranging, DJing (iPod management), etc, so it was very laid back and FUN. The ceremony was on a landing looking out over the river at dusk--75 degrees, sunny, breezy, perfect. Dinner was an enchilada buffet, chips/salsa/guacamole on every table, and a keg and margarita machine to top things off--yeehaw! Apparently Megan and Ray bring out the dancer in us all and we partied until the cows came home. We sent them off through a tunnel of sparklers


It was fantastic to reminisce, but also to create some new memories from scratch--to hear what people are up to and what kind of an impact these beautiful, talented, and passionate people are having on their communities. Does everyone have friends as great as these?

HALLOWEEN II

Our finished products...Halley's is the Vampire Face and the Headless Horseman is mine. I got a little creative with the dark setting on my camera, I think it makes them look way scarier :-) I love Halloween!!!!

HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Halley, my roommate, and I went to a cider mill yesterday and got some pumpkins for carving. I had some carving stuff and patterns from freshman year that I brought back and we set to work de-gooing and seeding our pumpkins. There's a recipe in the book for pumpkin pie tarts and pumpkin pie soooo we might just give it a try and we're going to bake the seeds. I took a picture with Sabbath in it because she's our Halloween cat :-)

Where our food comes from

We've been trying to teach Elinore about where her food comes from. We do a lot of fruit picking in our lovely state and are teaching her about other things as opportunity allows. She is very proud of herself that she knows that grapes grow on vines, blueberries grow on bushes, and apples grow on trees!

I'm very sorry I don't have a photo of this, so I'll try to get one sometime soon. Yesterday, while I was cooking dinner, Elinore came into the kitchen carrying a stuffed cow. "I need some milk," she announced and held the stuffed cow over her face so that she could pretend to drink straight from the cow's udders. While I couldn't stop laughing, I wondered if there is a fine line we have crossed! It may be time for a trip to a farm, so Elinore can see how it really works.


ps - laura, it is really mom and dad that are the delinquent bloggers

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Kevin!!!!


ps. why am I the only one who ever posts anymore? step it up people

More pictures

Looooooooooong trip

I just thought I would put up some of my favorite pictures from this weekend. Mike, Mom, Dad and I were watching Elinore while Jen and Kevin were on a retreat in Indiana. We had such a great time with Ella. We went to Meijer gardens, out for ice cream, out to dinner, sailing, to an art festival, etc. We had a few mishaps with remembering to bring things. At dinner, the night we went out, we got to the restaurant, ordered and then realized we didn't have Elinore's bib, silverware or books/toys to keep her busy. Fortunately we had one diaper in the bag, which we needed and I fashioned a skirt out of the joey Jen used to carry Elinore around in when she was a baby.

She was so excited to go sailing on Dad's boat and even helped him steer. I could not have asked for a more fun weekend, except to have had Caity, Jen and Kevin all there. On the way back Mike and I went to Crane's to get apples and didn't get lost coming back, thanks for the directions guys!

Flint

Members of the equestrian club doing concessions at the mustang sale. Halley is the one making the face and she's my roomie!

One of the mares I wanted to buy

The other mare I fell in love with, both of them sold