everything nagel

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

2012-01-27T14:00:00.003-06:00

What?! Two posts in one week? Can you tell it was a resolution to update this blog more?

I love flipping back through the years of posts on our blog and seeing a record of things we've done, places we've been, pictures of us and the dogs, and American Idol predictions.We have had the same layout for four years, so I thought it was time for a refresh.

I'll be tinkering with it for the next week or so, but we were just looking to update and de-clutter the layout.Feel free to throw your two cents in.

One of the cool features of this layout is the ability to shift the display style. By clicking the buttons up there on the left under the banner (Classic, Flipcard, Magazine, etc.), you can change the layout of the page. Magazine is easy for browsing, Flipcard is cool for looking back.

Anyway...stay tuned. And thanks for reading our little family diary.

US Pond Hockey Championships

2012-01-24T18:54:00.013-06:00

Big time bucket list item last weekend. Brad and I put together a team of 6 guys and played in the US Pond Hockey Championships. The event is 7 years old, and has been hosted in the Twin Cities since its inception. For the first few years, it moved from lake to lake in urban Minneapolis, then settled on Lake Nokomis, a mid-sized lake about 10 minutes east of us in South Minneapolis.

The US Pond Hockey Championships is the largest outdoor hockey tournament in the country. Hockey players and fans come from far and wide (40 states and 5 countries this year) to play 4-on-4 pond hockey across 28 rinks built on the surface of the frozen lake. Pond hockey is played on smaller rinks with small, boxlike goals. Four guys per team are on the ice at a time and there are no goalies, minimal rules, and almost no interference from the referee.

The atmosphere is much more "softball league" than Stanley Cup Final. The players play hard and take the competition seriously, but the beer and brats are flowing in the warming house - a huge tent that smells of old hockey pads and beer.

Our team was called "Slush Fund," and after a bad first day, finished 1-2. Not good enough to qualify for the final bracket, but respectable for a 6 guys playing together for the first time. It would've been nice to advance, but we had a great time playing and I loved spending time with my brother on the ice for a weekend.

I've been looking forward to playing in this event since deciding to move to Minneapolis last year, and I'm already looking forward to playing again next year. Video (it's not all that exciting, but posted here for posterity) and pictures below.

High-Speed Action Shot

Ready to Play

Brad Finding a Place to Sit

The Nagel Boys in Their Natural Habitat (on the pine)

B in Action

Wouldn't be a Game If I Didn't Get Pulled Aside by the Ref

Hanging With the "Fans" After the Game

Sharing is Caring

2012-01-19T19:48:00.006-06:00

In chronological order:

Story time

2012-01-12T07:36:00.001-06:00

Winter Time Fun!

2012-01-10T20:19:00.006-06:00

This past week, we've ramped up the kiddie activity and took Max to two different mall play areas and the Nickelodeon-land in the middle of MOA (Mall of America). Good news, he LOVED the carousel and watching the roller coasters go by overhead. Bad news, he now has an ear infection and pink eye. I thought rubbing him all over strange kids and play equipment would build his immune system...hmm. Maybe it takes time to build. Three kid-infested areas in one week may have been a bit overboard.

Daddy and Maxi
Max and his cousin, Sam

Later, y'all

Christmas 2011

2012-01-02T19:48:00.010-06:00

Christmas morning at our house
Max's first hockey stick
Fresh to death
First skate
Group skate on the farm pond
Irma's a farm girl

Free reign

Click here for full album and Happy New Year!!

1st Annual Frozen Snot Classic

2011-12-25T22:41:00.002-06:00

We had a beautiful night skate at the farm this evening. Celebrated Christmas with the family, then enjoyed some pond hockey with the nephews.

Team "Big Brothers" (Ben and I) beat team "Little Brothers" (Brad and Caleb) with a final score of 4-3. A good match, and, luckily for the losers, it was only game one of a 35-game series.

Rematch in the morning.

Maxim's First Class Project

2011-12-22T09:09:00.001-06:00

Fall Pics

2011-11-29T09:48:00.010-06:00

For more pics, click on our Flickr page.

Frozen Berries

2011-11-21T11:11:00.005-06:00

On Saturday we made our monthly trip to Costco to stock up on some necessaries (and unnecessaries). We impulse-bought a huge bag of frozen mixed berries, rationalizing that we can stick them in anything - oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, pancakes, etc. Plus, now that Max is sharing most table foods, he can start having some berries.

This morning Allison sliced up some blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries for him. He really seemed to like the blueberries, but wasn't quite as big a fan of the blackberries and raspberries. We sat and giggled (and filmed) while he made his displeasure obvious with some great faces.

So, to summarize:

Not much of a blackberry fan...more of an iPhone guy, I guess.

May The Best Mo Win

2011-11-18T12:46:00.003-06:00

Just a quick request: go over to the Minnesota Wild's website and vote for me to win "Best Moustache!"

As many of you know, I come from a line of great moustachioed gentlemen. This would cement our family name in history...ok, not really. But it would be pretty cool.

If I make the top two, I get to do the "Let's Play Hockey" announcement at the beginning of a Wild game. For those who don't know, this is akin to singing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" from Harry Caray's perch in the press box.

Vote early, vote often!

Nursery of Terror

2011-10-31T12:35:00.006-05:00

Once upon a noontime dreary, while I wandered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
Max was overdue for napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at his nurs'ry door.
...but it wasn't tapping...it was the sound of me locking us in his nursery.

Ok, it would be cool to write this entire tale out in Poe-esque verse, but, alas, I have not the time. But I thought Halloween an apt time to share this nightmarish tale.

Around 2 months ago, shortly after moving into our new house, Allison left to run an errand of no more than a couple hours. Immediately upon Allison's departure, as is his custom, Max dropped a masterfece in his pants. I scooped him off the floor and brought him to his nursery.

On the way through the doorway I noticed that the side of his bedroom door was shaved down and in need of paint. It looked like it had been planed so that it would close properly (not at all uncommon in this still settling, creaky 100 year-old house). I stepped into the room, and pushed the door shut. No problem, it closed easily. Pleased that this door needed no further adjustment, I set Max on the floor and went about changing his diaper.

Not satisfied with blessing me with a full diaper, Max, once exposed to the fresh air, decided to hose me down (also not uncommon in this house). Plenty of little guys do this - as soon as the cool air hits their nether regions, it's as if someone turned on a hose without securing the business end. And he got me good. Shirt, shorts, arms...all sufficiently sprayed.

I finished wiping the both of us down with wet wipes, then redressed him and went to go make a bottle. He was getting hungry, and I knew that if given a warm bottle, he might just sleep through the rest of Allison's errand and leave me an hour of time alone in the house to read or organize my study. I grabbed Max and headed for the door. I gripped the doorknob and turned. And turned. And turned. No click...no result. The knob just spun on the spindle...we were locked in.

There I stood with a hungry baby in a small room smelling of fresh diaperfillings, my shirt and shorts wet with Max's concentrated number one, and no food or drink for either of us. I had no credit cards (nor the requisite MacGruber skills to otherwise jimmy the door open). Max was due for a bottle and I was getting hungry myself. We had two already-drank bottles and two almost-empty bottled waters. Good 'nuf.

For the next 90 minutes, Max and I passed the time. There was one book in the room, so we read it thrice. We worked on his crawling ability - now he's a pro. And we let our fluid-soaked clothing air dry. At one point, I'm pretty sure the lamb nightlight was laughing at us.

Finally, I heard Allison come into the house. "Hello?...Guys?"
"Up here, in Max's room."
She opened the door (no problem doing so from outside), "What are you doing in here?"
"Oh, you know. Reading that book, smelling like poop, getting peed on, reading some more, taking sips of water, working on crawling, reading that book again. Just generally being locked in this room the whole time you were gone."

No harm was done, and we enjoyed some quality father-son time. Also, this was Max's first hint that I may not be the handiest guy in the world. But, alas, he had already marked me as his property when I took his diaper off...so I'm sure we'll have plenty other adventures.

Happy Halloween!

Indy Visit

2011-10-25T14:04:00.007-05:00

Max hit the 8 month mark this week and has changed so much since just a few weeks ago. He is now crawling at full speed and working diligently on his standing. He has 3 new teeth coming in to join his current 2, for a total of 5 teeth! What's been the most fun though are all his new "tricks" he likes to show off...spitting his tongue out on cue, waving, and clapping!

We made a trip to Indy last week for Gregg to go into his office for the week and so we could visit family. We started the week with a nice day and a half visit with Grandpa P and Gigi - they brought Halloween gifts, including a bag of goodies from the Big Peach. We also enjoyed a pizza night with Max's two uncles on my side of the family - Uncle Ayron & Uncle Ryan.

We stayed with Grandma & Grandpa Miller and Max got to play with his cousins, Ady & Ayden.

On Thursday, Grandma Rhonda took the day off and I got a fall 'do at Bobby Cooper...bangs! I got to eat my favorite Cobb salad at Patachou, and Gregg & I even enjoyed a date night at Flemings. Yum!

We stayed busy and had a great time showing off our little Maxi.

Drool Master

2011-10-11T21:33:00.001-05:00

Max's two middle bottom teeth have been in for a bit, but now come the real deals...two front teeth. He goes through four shirts a day minimum- the drool doesn't stop! He sure is a trooper though. Laid back guy, as usual.

A Swingin' Good Time

2011-10-03T16:41:00.000-05:00

Carnivore

2011-09-07T21:55:00.005-05:00

6 Months Old

2011-08-24T09:05:00.008-05:00

We've got quite the day ahead of us. Maxi turns 6 months old today and we close on our new Minneapolis home at noon.

I feel like he's changed so much over the past few weeks. He is now very pleased with himself, as he can get up on all fours and rock back and forth-he should be crawling in no time!

He is enjoying lots of varieties of baby food and we've even added ground meat to the mix.

He continues to be one of the happiest babies I've ever seen. Greeting us with a smile each morning.

We can't wait to get involved in our new community and get this guy some play dates.

Among the wildflowers

2011-08-11T20:52:00.007-05:00

There's a beautiful park here, Lake Camelot, in Plymouth. Max and I spent a little time walking the trails yesterday. The path takes you through wildflowers meant to attract butterflies and a pond full of wildlife.

Lily pads as far as the eye can see. Throughout the walk, other than being amazed at how peaceful I felt, I had a song stuck in my head that was appropriate for our walk, and for our recent move to this beautiful part of the country. It's Tom Petty's Wildflowers. While you may not be a fan, the lyrics are simply beautiful:

You belong among the wildflowers
You belong in a boat out at sea
You belong with your love on your arm
You belong somewhere you feel free

Run away, go find a lover
Run away, let your heart be your guide
You deserve the deepest of cover
You belong in that home by and by

You belong among the wildflowers
You belong somewhere close to me
Far away from your trouble and worry
You belong somewhere you feel free

~allison

Offer Accepted

2011-07-26T22:03:00.007-05:00

We found a home! We have started the purchase process for our new home in Minneapolis. It's a 1924 tudor-style home with tons of charm! We will soon become urbanites, as the home is in Minneapolis proper. Southwest Minneapolis to be exact. In a gorgeous pocket of homes with tons of history!
This is a 4 bedroom/2 bath home that has been completely updated. Brand new kitchen, both baths, and a finished basement. This will give us plenty of room to grow for many years to come.
Aside from the house being adorable, the area has so much to offer! We are just 3 blocks from the Minnehaha Parkway- a wooded, scenic bike and walking path that connects to just about everywhere you want to be in south Minneapolis-including the city's lakes. Summertime on the lakes offers concerts, beaches, and sailboats. And the glory of winter in Minnesota is that people embrace it. The lakes offer as much or more recreation in the winter: ice skating, hockey, broomball, and cross-country skiing.

Along with outdoor attractions, the house is also very close to lots of boutiques, coffee shops, and restaurants. So much to explore!
Our closing is scheduled for August 24th...just 4 short weeks. We can't wait to dive in to our new 'hood.

5 Months Old

2011-07-14T09:28:00.007-05:00

As I was gathering the pics for this post, I commented to Gregg that we now only post Max's progress once a month and have become terrible bloggers. Apologies for that, though once life is a bit more settled I'm sure we'll be back with more frequent life updates.

We are now officially Minnesotans and made the move June 26th. We are in the process of trying to determine what part of town we want to live in and find a house. Max is adjusting quite well and is surprising us with new "tricks" every week.

Since we've been in Minnesota he has:

Enjoyed his first trip to the beach and got to feel his toes in the sand

Experienced a slice of Americana at the Delano 4th of July parade (it was a little hot for pants)

Chilled at the pool

And practiced his sitting and standing in his ExerSaucer

It's been another wonderful month with this guy!!

4 Months of Maxim

2011-06-16T08:21:00.006-05:00

We are so thankful for the last four months of our life. Maxim has brought such joy to our house and it feels like he's been here all along. I keep telling people that I didn't realize he would be so much fun already. He is always full of smiles. He wakes up each morning with a huge grin on his face, ready to start his day.

Daddy can really bring the belly laughs and Max thinks he is the funniest person in town!

He had his first dip in the baby pool last week and didn't seem all that interested in the water, though he didn't scream either, which is a good first step. Since we'll be living in the 'Land of 10,000 Lakes' in a couple of weeks, it is only appropriate that this kid swim like a fish.

We're looking forward to introducing Max to the rest of his family as we relocate to Minneapolis on June 26th. We can't wait for him to meet his seven cousins and hope for years of adventures growing up together.

Happy 4th month, Lovebug!

Nowitzness

2011-06-11T10:15:00.002-05:00

A few friends on Facebook have asked for this photoshop, so I parked the file here. Copy/Paste to your heart's content.

Michigan Trip

2011-06-09T07:10:00.006-05:00

We got to spend last weekend with Max's great-grandparents on Gregg's side...Betty & Pres. Max took his first road trip to Zeeland, Michigan, which is about 4 hours north. He was a great little traveler.

We were lucky to get a taste of Grandma Betty's authentic Mexican cooking (after living in California for many years-she can really bring the Mexican-especially the enchiladas!)

We ended the evening playing cards - Dutch Hearts- and then headed back home midday Sunday. We were so pleased that Max traveled so well and love that he finally got to meet these family members.

3 Months Old Today

2011-05-19T08:53:00.006-05:00

This month has brought lots of changes and developments. Max began holding things, besides our hands and his blanket.

While I know he has larger than an average 3 month old's feet, they are still tiny to me and one of my favorite parts about them. I love playing with his little toes.

He picked up this number at Costco...surf's up dudes!

As long as it isn't too cold or raining, we take a daily walk. I'm not sure if he's enjoying them or not, as he is fast asleep two minutes in.

He has a very sweet temperament, and is smiling most of the time. I don't know how a Type A, worrywart like me got such a laid back guy, but I'll take it!

Rookie of the Year

2011-05-09T10:52:00.003-05:00

This year I get to celebrate a new mom in my life.

In the last 10 weeks, Allison has become an expert mom. I love watching her with Max - she knows him better than anyone and it shows. She can read all his moods and noises. She can tell he's hungry just by the way he turns his head, and she's a pro at making bottles one-handed.

Watching her care for, talk to, and play with Max is great fun for me. It's awesome to see that the woman I married is turning out to be as wonderful a mother as she is a wife, and Max and I are lucky to have her.

So Happy Mother's Day to the Rookie of the Year - you're already playing like an All-Star. Hip Hip...

Email Me

2011-05-06T08:04:00.005-05:00

I got a fantastic idea from one of my favorite 'Mom' websites that I fully intend on using. Cool Mom Picks has come up with a great suggestion on 'How to Turn your Email Box into a Baby Book'

The idea is to capture all the little details about your baby's growth, development, and life without the task of assembling an official baby book. By creating an email account for your little one, you will be able to send your baby details, notes, and messages that are automatically time/date stamped.

Ideas from the article include, "little notes about their development, fun things we did, or just fond memories that I'd love to share with them someday but I knew I'd forget if I didn't jot it down immediately."

This certainly doesn't mean that I won't ever put together a baby book for Max, as the idea is to capture all of this information to one day do something fun with it. In fact, I think this will gather far more information than the traditional method.

I'd like to take it a step further and ask anyone who'd like to send Max a note, a picture, a story , or just quick hello to email him at: maxim.nagel@sbcglobal.net

Happy Star Wars Day

2011-05-04T08:25:00.001-05:00

"May The Fourth" be with you

Sourdough Bread

2011-05-01T12:32:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I made the most incredible sourdough bread with only water, flour, and salt.

A little over a month ago, Allison sent me a link to a story on the WSJ website about a growing online community of bakers trying to emulate the sourdough bread from a bakery in San Francisco (Tartine Bakery). I was immediately interested in the combination of science and art of this style of bread. What sets this dough apart is that there is no yeast in the recipe. Over time, you GROW your own natural yeast starter.

So, for the last 30 days, I've gotten up early to "feed" a mixture of flour and water to a growing blob under a towel on top of our fridge. This starter captures the naturally occurring yeast in the air and begins a daily rise/fall fermentation. Allison has been fairly grossed out by the process, and by me talking about the health and feeding of a living culture in our kitchen.

Last week, my starter began rising and falling as it was supposed to, and smelling "ripe." Yesterday, for the first time, I removed a bit of this natural leaven and made the bread with it. After an all-day process of folding, rotating, resting, rising, and shaping, I pulled these loaves out of the oven. And, oh MAN...they were worth the work! An incredible crisp crust and a perfectly sour interior.

Now I can keep my starter in the fridge and just feed it from time to time to keep it healthy - only taking it out when I plan to bake with it. We're really excited about trying other things with it...there's an awesome looking pizza dough you can make with the same recipe.

It's a pretty labor-intensive process for bread, but after tasting it, we agreed it was worth all the work. I look forward to trying the variations.

Talky Talkerton

2011-04-27T07:40:00.000-05:00

2 Months Old!

2011-04-22T07:19:00.005-05:00

I can't believe we have a 2 month old! Maxim is changing every day. We're slowly settling into a daily routine, now that he's figuring out the difference between nights and days.

He has a couple of stretches in the day where he is all smiles and likes to have 'conversations' with us by cooing and smiling. There is nothing better in the world than this getting this guy to smile.

Just yesterday he began wanting to be held upright so he could work on holding his head up. I like to tell him what a big, strong boy he is...and at almost 14 lbs, that ain't no lie!

Suess: B-Sides

2011-04-08T07:13:00.003-05:00

Gregg & I both grew up on Dr. Suess books and so look forward to reading them to Max. This year, we'll have even more stories to chose from!

This coming September, a lost collection of Dr. Suess stories will be published by Random House. Geisel's (Dr. Suess's) art director came across them being sold in an eBay auction years ago and they have now been compiled and ready for release. Ah, eBay!

From what the article details, (read here) these stories are sure to be as rich and joyful as those we all know and love. I'm especially looking forward to the lost story, Gustav the Goldfish.

Max on Film

2011-03-31T08:24:00.003-05:00

Because we have so many family members that we are living far away from, we thought we'd reinstate our YouTube page to keep us close...and since we now have something a bit more exciting to take video of than the dogs.

You can find a link to our channel at the side bar on our blog page (see right) or via our YouTube channel at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/anagel76

Here, you will find such gems as seen below:

Celebrating One Month of Maxim!

2011-03-24T07:08:00.007-05:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T06:08:00.002-05:00

Fourteen surprising facts about beer. Celebrate responsibly. (click to enlarge)

[via]

First Week at Home

2011-03-05T14:34:00.004-06:00

First, thanks to everyone for the warm wishes and prayers over the last couple of weeks (and months...and years). We are so thankful and excited to have Max home and in our lives.

We brought him home last Sunday. Allison was still in pretty rough shape, and kinda looped on meds. The first night was interesting. All three of us were up all night, Allison and Max were crying, Allison was puking, I was thinking this may be a tad harder than we thought.

On Monday Allison started to recover, and with the help of Shube everyone got a little rest. We started to get into a rhythm. Our three-hour cycle of eat, diaper, sleep, eat, diaper, sleep felt fine.

Since then, Max has begun sleeping like a champ. He only wakes up during the night to eat, then goes right back to sleep (as do we). We've been really lucky so far to be getting lots of rest.

The dogs are getting used to him being around - Irma loves cuddling up with him, and Rufus just wonders why this "new dog" is allowed in the kitchen while we eat.

I'm not looking forward to going back to work on Monday, but Allison is doing great with Max and we look forward to settling into our new life. I'll miss my little guy while I'm at work, but somebody's gotta earn some money to buy food for all these hangers on!

Maxim Henry

2011-02-26T16:32:00.004-06:00

On Thursday, February 24th Allison and I welcomed our son, Maxim Henry, into the world (9 lbs., 3 oz.; 20 inches). Max and Mom are both doing very well - and we're looking forward to going home tomorrow. Allison and I have just been enjoying him and taking it easy, but today I got around to taking a few pictures. If you'd like you can see more by clicking the link below.

I wanna see more of Maxim.

Empty Nursery

2011-02-21T09:46:00.005-06:00

Yes, February 20th, our baby's due date, came and went. This waiting is for the birds!!

We learned at our appointment last Friday that if we don't have him 'naturally' by Tuesday (tomorrow), we have an ultrasound scheduled for that day to determine his weight, as the doctor has concerns that he might be "larger than average".

If he is in the 7-8 lb range, they will schedule an induction and get labor going with meds, and if he is 9+ then we will most likely be scheduling a C-Section. Either way, he'll be here by this weekend!!

Another Shower?!

2011-02-10T12:51:00.005-06:00

We were showered yet again this week. Gregg's office threw him a surprise shower. It was actually a group shower, as there are 5 people pregnant there right now, 4 of whom are having boys, and one who is keeping it a surprise. Something in the water cooler there?!

We got lots of cute little outfits, diapers, books, toys, and other necessities such as the item below...to which Gregg replied to a room full of 60 co-workers, "Oh, I already have one of these..." ahhh, work jokes!

We were overwhelmed by everyone's generosity and continue to feel the love and excitement of all those around us as we prepare to welcome our little boy into the world - hopefully any day now.

Just a Thursday...

2011-02-03T13:03:00.006-06:00

After two lovely snow days together, Gregg headed back to work today. This left me feeling like being productive and getting some housework done. I cleaned the bathrooms top to bottom and cycled through some laundry.

The chicken and stuffing recipe from my new Crock Pot cookbook is on.

Baby & momma's hospital bags are packed.

And now I need to put up my giant swollen foot, which I will spare you the details of posting a picture, and watch a movie that I wouldn't normally watch with the husband, The Time Traveler's Wife. A great day!

"I like to say a prayer and toast to world peace"

2011-02-02T07:31:00.000-06:00

"All right, campers, rise and shine! — and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cooooooold out there today. "

Happy Groundhog Day! The Nagel family celebrates this special day year 'round by watching one of our favorite movies--Groundhog Day. It's on tv ALL THE TIME, all year long, and no matter what part we tune in to, the policy in our house is that you must leave it on. There are more great one liners in this movie than I could even begin to list. Let's just say that more days than not, I'm singing the "Pennsylvania Polka," by Frank Yankovic, "America's Polka King."

So, "to Gobbler's Knob. It's Groundhog Day!"

- Allison

I'm always reminded of Matt Miller when Bill Murray's character, Phil Conners, runs into his high school friend Ned Ryerson. Classic. Matt and I greeted eachother more often than not by yelling, "Phil?...Phil Conors?...Ned! Ned Ryerson!" Good times. Enjoy the trailor below, say a toast to world peace, and strike up the music...

- Gregg

My New Office!

2011-01-31T09:35:00.002-06:00

Today is the first day at my new office...home! My last day at Coffey Medical was Friday and I thought that after 8 years there, I'd take today to relax and do nothing.

Well, turns out, that's impossible for me. From the comfort of my couch, and with the help of my delicious decaf cappuccino, I've started the day paying bills, organizing files, and clipping coupons. Since it's the final countdown (20 days until due date), I have a full list of house projects that I'd like to accomplish before his arrival.

I am thanking the Lord every day for the blessings given to us that have allowed for me to stay at home and for such a wonderful, supportive husband. I couldn't be filled with more joy as I begin this new phase of my life!

~allison

Sam Cooke

2011-01-22T07:13:00.004-06:00

Just in the last year have I gotten heavy into Sam Cooke. Allison brought home a stack of CDs from the library last year that included a Sam Cooke compilation. I already knew a handful of songs on the disc ("Another Saturday Night," "You Send Me," "Chain Gang," "Bring It On Home To Me," etc.), I just never knew they were all sung by the same guy. Aha moment.

The songs are short and sweet. Of the 22 tracks on his greatest hits album, only 1 is over three minutes long (it's 3:06). I love that. I feel the same way about pop music as I do about movies. Re: movies, if you can't tell a story in under two hours, you're in the wrong business. Same goes for pop songs. It seems that Sam Cooke songs have been distilled to perfectly dense melodic moments. When you get to the end, you wish there was more. Isn't that the showbiz motto...always leave them wanting more?

Yesterday would've been his 80th birthday. Who knows how many great tunes we've missed out on after he died at age 33...left wanting more.

Winter Update

2011-01-13T10:58:00.004-06:00

We've been pretty lax in posting as of late, but we've been a tad preoccupied with the Holiday Season and prepping for the arrival of Mr. Nagel.

In the way of updates - Allison has been interviewing potential replacements for her position at work - and (no surprise), they've decided to hire two people to replace her. Training is under way and she is excited to start her new full-time career taking care of me (and the baby).

We had a nice, quiet Christmas at home - our first in 8 years. Allison didn't have the energy for a whirlwind trip, I wasn't excited about a road trip that required pottybreaks every 25 minutes, and the dogs were probably happy to spend Christmas NOT in the kennel! We had a lovely holiday weekend at home...our last quiet Christmas for the foreseeable future.

We're pretty much prepared (at least as much as one can be) for our new arrival. We've toured the hospital where Allison will deliver, the crib has sheets on it, the drawers are stocked with diapers. We're quite excited - we've waited a long time for this.

BONUS LINK - I thought I'd pass this on as well. It's a story in the Wall Street Journal about "Chinese Mothers" and their parenting techniques. I thought it was pretty interesting. I'll bet the book by the author of the article is a good read. There are more parenting books out there than one can shake a spanking paddle at, but this one looks pretty interesting.

RIP Aveda

2010-12-22T12:22:00.005-06:00

Aveda has officially "jumped the shark" in my book. Well, maybe not the prodcuts, but at least the store. I stopped in to our local Aveda store at the mall today to pick up one last Christmas gift and was left with a bad taste in my mouth. In one 5-minute visit the following occured:

I was immediately offered a tea ( I know, this shouldn't be annoying, but I'm clearly pregnant and don't want your caffeinated tea, and I'm obvisouly trying to quickly pick something up for a gift. Not here to lounge.

I was told the product I came in for was discontinued becuase it had parabens in it and instead was offered a replacement product for only double the price of the item I came in for. I'm not one for parabens, but was put off, as I only came in for this specific product.

As I was being rang up, I was urged to buy two more products so I could earn 300 bonus points. (Yes, I bought the darn replacement prodcut, reluctantly) In the five or so years I've had a rewards card with Aveda, I've never earned anything from it. No coupons, no nothin'...so, save it.

Since I didn't purchase more items for rewards, I was urged to purchase an item to donate to the women's shelter. I do my giving other places, not at point of purchase at the mall.

I was then asked if I could please help their organization to help the environment by not accepting a bag for my item. Uh...I guess you look like a jerk if you say no. So I shoved the item in my purse (like there's room for anything else in there!)

Finally, since I had said "no" to all other offers in the 5 minute transacation and had my keys in hand, obviously in a rush, the girl thought she should offer me a free hand massage before I go.

Maybe it was me in a rush, maybe it was my crazy preg hormones, or maybe... Aveda has become a bit on the annoying and unbearable side. Did I mention that I was the only one in the store during this last week of Christmas shopping?? Hmmmm.

Carmel Palladium

2010-12-17T08:55:00.002-06:00

A few weeks ago Allison and I had the opportunity to attend a really cool event that I meant to document here. Allison's dad, Steve, invited us to a holiday concert sponsored by his workplace - the really cool thing was the location.

The concert was at the new Palladium, a really incredible new symphony hall in Carmel. The Palladium doesn't officially open until January, 2011. This was a "tune the hall" concert to help the sound technicians get the acoustics properly bouncing 'round the room.

The Palladium cost over $150 M to build (and has been a source of some conflict in the area), and is part of the new "Carmel City Center" that is to be a hub of arts, commerce, and nightlife in Carmel's downtown area. When we were there (December 3), it was 99% done. There were a few unpainted hallways and some scaffolding in the choir loft; but the building is really, really nice. We were a little surprised at the color choices of the interior, but the stage and the sound was fantastic. The seats were even comfy for me - something I can't say about most theaters. We are going to see the musical Wicked next week at the Murat Theater downtown...I've been there before and I think that the seats were designed for malnourished, depression-era children.

A jazz quintet played and was quite good (other than the drummer treating the evening like a 90-minute drum solo). It was really fun to get to see the Palladium without dropping $300 for a pair of tickets to a show next year.

Thanks again to Steve for the tix!

The Filth Stops Here

2010-12-15T08:39:00.007-06:00

A few months ago, we noticed that our dishes weren't coming clean. And I'm not talking about a little dirty. Every single dish comes out white with a full film of deposit coating them. This has been very unsettling since we had a new GE dishwasher put in a few years back.

We've tried powder, gel packs, Jet Dry, keeping salt in our water softener...all with no change. We've been completely boggled by this one. Until this morning!!

On my drive in to work I caught an NPR Morning Edition story about people across the country whose dishes were no longer coming clean. Apparently, unbeknownst to the entire American public, a ban on phosphates in dishwasher detergent was passed as an environmental protection act. This ban was passed for 16 states (Indiana being one of them) so the major manufacturers decided to go ahead and eliminate the phosphates in all of their products, ahem, Cascade, my brand of choice.

So with no resolution in site, other than going to the hardware store to purchase phosphate and concoct our own solution, looks like I've got some knitting to do. I will be in serious need of some dish cloths to go back to my old ways of hand washing.

I suppose we'll all just sit back and let those with an environmental agenda take away items that have made life nicer/easier. I certainly am not for polluting the earth, but you have to come up with a comparable solution before trying to replace items...next up? The light bulb.

Sources:

16 States Ban Phosphates in Dishwasher Soap

NPR Morning Addition: It's Not Your Fault Your Dishes are Still Dirty

Thanksgiving in the Twin Cities

2010-12-10T13:36:00.008-06:00

I realized that we never posted our Thanksgiving trip to Minnesota. We made the ten hour drive up to visit with family. Gregg was pleased that it stayed around a balmy 10-20 degrees throughout our time there, allowing him to get a skate in. The outdoor rinks had been filled and were just freezing. Not great conditions, but good enough for an ice lover who will only get to skate outside once this year.

We enjoyed the usual: relaxing, chatting, good food. We both especially enjoyed the outdoor fire at Andy & Amanda's house. The air was so crisp and refreshing. Unfortunately, this was the day that we both started to feel the affects of being around little ones. We both caught a terrible virus, making the journey home very difficult to withstand. But we made it, and we're both back in good health.

We are 30 weeks along today and are eagerly awaiting our baby boy's arrival. We have a busy December, so I'm sure time will fly and we'll be a mommy and daddy in no time! We are so thankful for our many blessings this Christmas.

Showered Again with Love

2010-12-05T18:59:00.005-06:00

I just got back from a weekend in Evansville, where my side of the family had a shower for me. We celebrated the pending arrival of our baby boy with brunch and games.

Thanks to all who put this morning together and for everyone who came to celebrate. Love you all!!

Thanksgiving Proclamation

2010-11-24T10:43:00.003-06:00

From Wikipedia:

As President, on October 3, 1789, George Washington made the following proclamation and created the first Thanksgiving Day designated by the national government of the United States of America:

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness. Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks, for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation, for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war, for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed, for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us. And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually, to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed, to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord. To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and Us, and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best. Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

That was sort of a "one-and-done" Thanksgiving. It didn't become an annual federal holiday until a similar proclamation by Lincoln in 1863, which is also a good read and can be found here.

What Not to Expect When You're Expecting

2010-11-19T13:19:00.004-06:00

In preparation of the arrival of Mr. Nagel, we've been reading the typical "What to Expect..." handbooks and the like. They're full of tips on how to get your child to sleep, eat, stop crying, etc. There's absolutely no shortage of books on dealing with babies - and you can find a book to support just about any decision you make about the rearing of your child.

A great book from a few years ago (Freakonomics) said studies show that reading books on parenting doesn't make you a better parent. However, the type of people who want to read about better parenting make better parents. After reading this, I stopped buying books and just rested easy on the fact that I was thinking about buying books. Job done.

I'm sure we'll have all kinds of questions we didn't expect to have - and will call all of our experienced friends and family for input. However, there's another type of question I have - and I thought this may be the better forum for people to throw their two cents in.

The question is - What's not in the books?

I'm looking for tips like, "steal the bedpan from the hospital, it'll make a great chip-n-dip platter at baby's 1st birthday," "take a picture of the first thing the baby sees when he opens his eyes," etc. You know - weird tips that aren't in the books. I've heard a few good ones, but I'm curious what the readers here would say.

What got my mind rolling on this is a post I saw on an illustration blog. A father (who is an illustrator) draws half an illustration and writes half a sentence on a post-it note in his boy's lunch each day. His son then finishes the sentence and the drawing, and they post them online (here). Pretty cool idea, I thought. I wonder what other interesting traditions people start early in their child's life...

At Home

2010-11-04T07:35:00.004-05:00

I've been reading a great book recently and thought I'd share the recommendation. The book is "At Home" by Bill Bryson (yes, the guy who wrote "A Walk in The Woods"...no, I haven't read that one - yet). I'm exactly 61% of the way through it (ain't Kindle grand?), and I've enjoyed every bit so far. At just over 500 pages, it's a good bit of nonfiction - one I may have missed out on had I held the hefty book in my hand.

The book is a history of domesticity. The writer narrates his way through his old house, room by room, as he shares the history of how the rooms, halls, and stairways came together to become the homes we're familiar with.

Each chapter addresses one room or area in a house. The kitchen and dining room chapters were (as you might expect from me) most interesting so far: the history of salt and pepper - and the mysterious "third shaker" found in old homes; how corn and potatoes came to be staples where they did; and lots of interesting stuff about the Columbian Exchange and how, without it, Italian food wouldn't have tomato sauce, Thai food wouldn't have peanut sauce, and Greek food wouldn't have eggplant.

I drive Allison crazy by making her listen as I read passages aloud every night in bed. Last night's read-aloud section was about the stairs - and how they're second only to car wrecks as the cause of accident-related injury.

Reading it has made me look at my home differently. If Bryson can make the history of the window this interesting, I'm sure his other books are great. But you don't have to take my word for it...

Craft Season!

2010-11-01T14:16:00.006-05:00

Welcome, November. And that means, Allison's feeling crafty. I am never crafty in the sense that I come up with my own ideas, but I'm really good at stealing other people's snazzy projects.

One of my favorite craft sites, Purl Soho, which I've mentioned before, and got to visit last summer during our New York trip, has put out the pattern for a very cute holiday craft...Scandinavian-inspired felt bird ornaments. These couldn't be simpler. Great for a non-crafty gal, or could be a great kid project.

I love what they did (above) with the rainbow color scheme. You could definitely change things up by varying contrasting colors with the wings and stitching. And why stop at birds? You could do bells, ice skates, snowmen, etc. I feel inspired! If I'm not all talk, I'll update you when I tackle this one.

~allison

All Aboard

2010-10-27T07:18:00.010-05:00

(Conway Scenic Railroad Winter Tour)
While looking through my emails this morning, trying to clean things out, I'm noticing a recurring theme in my "note to self" emails. I have been sending myself links to train trips. I know, we should have probably got this checked off the to-do list before the baby arrives, but that's not going to happen.

So I dream. I'm sure it's the romantic nostalgia of a simpler time that I'm craving. But these trips seem so enjoyable. Peaceful, relaxing, and one of the best ways to take in the country. I've spoken to several people who've done a nice trip up the coast of the Northwest- Oregon or Washington up to Canada. Recently, my Aunt Ruthie went cross country and ended up in Santa Fe and the Grand Canyon...she spoke highly of that.

(Durango to Silverton)
It seems that aside from taking a commercial AmTrak, there are several train tour companies still in existence. One has been on my list for months- the Durango & Silverton line that runs 45 miles one way from Durango, CO to Silverton, CO. This one is even listed in the book "1000 Things to Do Before you Die." This is just a half day trip, so certainly not a destination location. But it does seem to run throughout the seasons and even offers a Polar Express during the holidays.

(Durango Polar Express)
Another one that looks just heavenly to me is a fall foliage tour through the Northeast. Though there are several tour options throughout the East Coast-through the Catskills and the Allegheny Mountains, it seems a highly ranked one is the Conway Scenic Railroad through northern New Hampshire along the border of Maine. Again, just a day trip, but what a way to spend a Fall day!

So for today, I'll sit in my office looking out at the Indiana foliage, thankful that I have four seasons to experience and look forward to planning one of these nostalgic rides one day.

~allison

The Grass is Always Greener / The Ice is Always Smoother

2010-10-12T13:57:00.006-05:00

What is quintessential Indiana?

Is it bike rides to farmers markets and nights at Connor Prairie with the symphony and a great local food spread? Or is it hilljacks having "garage parties" and playing cornhole until 3 a.m. on weeknights? Andy (who calls Minnesota home) and I have had this discussion in a few forms, but I thought I'd open it up to comments.

Thanks to Alex and Tricia (fellow Hoosiers) for the above picture - it's an awesome photograph, and one that captures Indiana at its best.

It may just come down to this: It's easier to simplify the greener grasses of another place to a simple concept than it is to distill home to an idyllic snapshot. ("distyllic")

Both Indiana and Minnesota have their charms - I won't list them, because my charms aren't your charms. It's easy for me to say "Quintessential Minnesota is a cold night of pond hockey and time with family around the fireplace in the pond-side warming hut." But a Minnesotan may say Quintessential Minnesota is the consumerism that is Mall of America.

Allison and I have had no shortage of moments in Indiana where we've looked at each other and thought - this is living! Then we get home and the "grown man" who races around the neighborhood every night on a mini-crotchrocket wearing nothing but WAY too short jean shorts and a tank top goes buzzing by with a Busch Light in his hand on his way to a cornhole party.

(picture taken from our kitchen)

Wall of Fame

2010-10-08T09:25:00.005-05:00

We had another ultrasound checkup this week, and we're pretty excited that Mr. Nagel made the wall of fame (the very top two pictures above). We've been looking at the pictures taped to the wall in the doctor's office since our first visit wondering what ours will look like, and now we're beginning to see. It's quite exciting to be past the half-way point, and we're so thankful that everything has gone so smoothly with both Allison and baby thus far.

Below are two of the shots from our latest peek inside - one regular, and one "4D" picture. The 4D ultrasounds are wild to watch - especially in motion on the big flat screen on the wall in the ultrasound room. Mr. Nagel is moving around a lot; waving and kicking and squirming. Most of the time he's got one hand in front of his face - what Allison likes to call the "stressful day" pose. I prefer to think that he's just saluting me out of respect.

Weekend "Bumpdate"

2010-10-02T17:42:00.002-05:00

As of Friday, we are 20 weeks along...halfway home!

Study Recommendations?

2010-09-30T08:18:00.003-05:00

As a new Christian (May 23, 1999) I did not grow up surrounded by Wednesday night church services, Sunday school, and especially Bible Study. I attended my first women's bible study group two years ago, and haven't been back. While the fellowship with women was nice, albeit a bit on the gossipy side at times, we never really got into true study of the bible. We would discuss what we studied on our own for the week for about 20 minutes and then the rest of the two hours turned into a counseling session about what struggles people were going through. Not a Wednesday night passed without tears shed.

Our book during the group study was Kenneth Boa's 'Living What you Believe: A study through the Book of James'. My favorite part of this "group" bible study was the quiet mornings spent alone with a cup of coffee, my guidebook, and my bible.

I'm not saying I won't ever do another bible study with others, but I'm really wanting to do something on my own right now. Therefore, I want to put it to all my blog readers to suggest self-guided bible studies that you've done and enjoyed. It doesn't have to be female focused, I'm simply looking for a good study. Any recommendations?

~allison

Boy Name Finalists...

2010-09-29T13:22:00.002-05:00

A few months ago, we were at Ady's soccer game and a girl on her team had one of our favorite girl names. After an hour of hearing her parents yell the name (mostly supportively), we didn't like it anymore.

Therfore, I've been test-driving a few boy name semifinalists around the house by randomly yelling them when I'm home alone -

"Jon Bon Nagel, did you take my blow-dryer?"
"Finn Nagel, how did you talk us into this?!"
"Andrew Dice Nagel, we don't use that kind of language"
"Bell Biv Nagel, I TOLD you that girl was poison!"

...and so on. So far, so good - it has been a useful exercise.

(Don't get too attached to any of the above names, they aren't quite there yet...but I think we're getting close.)

Showered with Love

2010-09-23T11:48:00.009-05:00

I had briefly mentioned in our Labor Day Weekend blog about the surprise baby shower thrown for me in Door County a few weeks ago, but had no pictures. I got some emailed to me yesterday and thought that gave good reason to post a bit about the shower.

This was a ladies only event, as Aunt Loretta said "hens, no roosters," to the little boys that were trying to join the party. I was surprised with a lovely breakfast buffet of egg casserole a la Shube, sausages, a beautiful fruit tray, several types of pastries, and coffee. This was held in the common area of the lodge where we were all staying, and yes, strangers did try to crash the breakfast buffet and help themselves to our food. Hilarious!

My sister-in-law, Sarah, came up with a nice array of shower games, complete with prizes. All very fun. My niece, Molly, did a great job of helping me choose which presents to open.

I was completely surprised and overjoyed, as this was the first surprise ever thrown in my honor. Thank you to all the wonderful women of our family who helped me to celebrate our baby's arrival!

More pics of the shower and our Door County trip here.

~allison

Skinny Dippin'

2010-09-15T13:12:00.003-05:00

On Sunday, the Fishers YMCA opened their pool to dogs for the last day of the season. They do this every year after they close the pool to human use for the year, but we always seem to miss it. Not this year!

We took Rufus and Irma to the pool for about 45 minutes and they had a great time. There were tennis balls everywhere, and about 50 dogs in and around the pool when we left. Most of the dogs were in the shallow "kiddie pool" depth...and the superstar swimmers (mostly Labs) were in the deep pool.

Above is Irma playing ball in the water fountains. Rufus ran around with other dogs, got in the pool a little, and drank about 2 gallons of chlorinated water. A great time was had by all.

Labor Day Weekend

2010-09-12T09:48:00.014-05:00

On our way up to spend time with family last weekend in Door County, Wisconsin, we hit a Cubs game. Neither of us had been to a game since we lived in Chicagoland and have been excited to visit Wrigley again.

We actually didn't sit in the stadium, but in one of the rooftop buildings across the street. The view was much better than we had anticipated. Our tickets also included all food and bevies! A great deal. We would definitily do the rooftops again.

We had a great turn out in Egg Harbor, Door County this year - twenty three and two high chairs. We enjoyed the usual: a traditional Wisconsin fish boil, shopping in Fish Creek, a meal at Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant, lawn games and bikes at Peninsula State Park, and this year, I was suprised with a baby shower thrown by the ladies!!

(brothers: Gregg & Brad)

(Amanda, Molly & Lucy lounging at the park)

The late Summer/early Fall trip to Door County has now become an 'every other year' tradition for us. Door County is the northern half of the peninsula at the very top of Wisconsin surrounded by Lake Michigan and Green Bay. The scenery and crisp air are always perfect and certainly welcome after ninety degree Indiana summers. We are grateful to spend this time with extended family and are looking forward to introducing our little boy to all of the Door County family traditions in 2012.

He's a He

2010-09-07T18:06:00.003-05:00

Our 17 week ultrasound went very well today. We were lucky enough to see parts and found out...we are having a boy!!!

Everything's progressing very well and as you can see from the picture below, there is no mistake, he is ALL boy. We couldn't be happier and are continually grateful for this journey we get to experience.

A Hairy Resemblance

2010-08-31T12:32:00.005-05:00

I read on my Yahoo ticker today that Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers insured his 3 foot long hair for a million bucks courtesy of Head & Shoulders (ew). I couldn't help but think of one of Hanna Barbera's classic characters...Captain Caaaaveee Maaannnn! (That's how you have to say it)

See the resemblance? They even wear similar colors.

~a

A Haunting Tale

2010-08-20T11:03:00.006-05:00

I rarely blog about books that I have read, or am reading, but I must share this one. This is the fastest I've read a book in quite some time. I am excited for bed every night and end up reading a little too late.

Her Fearful Symmetry is by the author of The Time Traveler's Wife, which I read and thought was pretty good, not fantastic. Though others must have thought differently since it was turned into a movie starring Rachel McAdams last year.

This is only Audrey Niffenegger's second novel. The realists out there would think this was a ridiculous subject matter- it is a ghost story that requires you to put reality aside and just go with the story, no matter your beliefs on the after life. It's a dark fairytale for adults, along the lines of Hans Christian Andersen's twisted stories.

It seems that the author must enjoy this style of storytelling because the only other works I can find by her are graphic novels, or what some call visual or illustrated books. Both of which are award winning.

A third just came out this year. I feel a bit odd about buying a "picture book" as an adult, but the story lines are intriguing and told in the same fairytale style as Her Fearful Symmetry. I'm seriously considering ordering one to try and Fall seems the perfect season for another dark tale.

~allison

West Coast Tacos

2010-08-14T12:58:00.006-05:00

Today we got to try something we've been looking forward to for some time. There's a new SoCal-style Korean taco truck that's new in town and is quickly gaining a cult following. They use Facebook and Twitter to keep fans up-to-speed on where they'll be set up for lunch, dinner, and late night - and the crowds line up.

They're called West Coast Tacos, and the truck is usually downtown during the day, and in Broadripple in the evening - but today they ventured into the 'burbs for lunch and we gave it a shot. The tacos are an awesome blend of Mexican and Korean flavors. The style is apparently gaining popularity across the US, and was recently written about in the New York Times - including a shout-out to our new local truck. Today they had beef and pork (they also have chicken, tofu, and fish tacos...the menu varies).

We tried both the beef and pork - the beef was good and the pork was excellent. $5 for 3 tacos, the price is right. We'll be watching to see where their trucks are, and following them around for sure. And with a second truck on it's way soon, it'll be even easier to satisfy our craving for these unique, flavorful tacos.

Week 13

2010-08-11T10:32:00.002-05:00

We had our second appointment this morning and everything is looking just perfect. This isn't the best shot of the day, we've got several more print outs, but we were able to see the legs kicking around, arms waving every time I laughed, and perfect little hands, fingers, and toes.

I feel so grateful that my doctor prefers seeing the baby via ultrasound at all of these early appointments. We'll get to see the baby on the next two upcoming visits as well.

Baby Nagel is growing strong and mom is feeling fantastic!

Sunflowers

2010-08-06T09:51:00.004-05:00

I haven't had the appropriate amount of time or focus to dedicate to the plants and flowers in our yard this summer, so you can imagine my joy at the success we've had at our first try at sunflowers. I actually didn't expect them to even grow, but planted the seeds directly into the soil in early June.

I made Gregg stand next to them so you could get a real perspective on how enormous these things are. Gregg at 6'5 is dwarfed!

They are so beautiful and I love coming home every day and admiring them. But please don't be too impressed, I've managed to kill absolutely EVERYTHING else, including my tomatoes. Between the lack of watering, extreme heat, and being tired at the end of the work day...gardening is just not in the cards for me this year. Sunflowers will be on my 'must plant' list from now on.

~allison

Carnitas

2010-07-27T12:16:00.004-05:00

A few weeks ago in Minneapolis, Dad and Joni hipped us to a show on PBS we hadn't seen: America's Test Kitchen. We watched an episode (video) about preparing Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork). The host is a wonderfully nerdy, detail-oriented man who makes Alton Brown seem unprepared and ill-equipped. They try making recipes in every conceivable way, then teach you the best way. It seems that the recipes are normally pretty labor-intensive, but their method for preparing Carnitas wasn't too different from ours. So we tried it.

We've always just thrown fist-sized hunks of pork shoulder in a crock with some stock and an envelope of burrito seasoning. Then, over the next 7 hours, we'd continually rearrange the meat so that bits would stick out above the liquid level and get a little brown. The version from America's Test Kitchen added a step or two at the end that took our Carnitas to an H.N.L.

Allison make the seasoning stock herself; it included the usual Mexican flavors and an orange. After crocking the pork, we removed the meat and reduced the stock on the stove. We broke the pieces of pork into smaller chunks, laid them on a baking rack, and basted them with the stock reduction. We slid these into the broiler for 7-8 minutes per side, with a second basting after the turn (make sure your baking racks are oven-safe and aren't coated in toxic chemicals that will create horrendous vapors and smells in your kitchen like ours...as pictured above). The result was what we've always tried for. Wonderful, flavorful, ultra-tender pulled pork with perfectly-browned ends.

This pork with just a little pico and a squeeze of lime on a corn tortilla is AWESOME...and we really only added the one broiling step onto the end of our old recipe.

Por Supesto!

Yes to Yes

2010-07-27T09:43:00.007-05:00

Gregg and I are notorious planners. Along with that, we are both researchers. Flippant decisions are rarely made in our household. So as you can imagine, I've dug into the pregnancy research with full force. Books, blogs, websites, pod casts, magazines...the amount of information on toxins during pregnancy has been enough to really make me think about every little thing I put in and on my body.

One particular podcast, Pregtastic, scared the daylights out of me in one show, 'How to Have a Toxin Free Pregnancy'. Yikes. It made me think I should be living in a hippie commune with hairy armpits and no makeup, growing my own food and making my own soap. But since I'd like to keep my husband, that ain't happenin'.

The cause of concern seems to be parabens. These chemicals may contribute to a high risk of cancers and tumors associated with their use. These are found in absolutely every product in my bathroom. Since it would be wasteful to just toss everything at once, I have decided to replace my products as needed with paraben-free items. The organic products I've found aren't exactly cheap, but I've found a brand I'm really into, it's very inexpensive, and the best part? Available at Target! Yes To Carrots.

So far I've started using the night cream, and from the Yes To Cucumbers line, the Color Care Shampoo. Both products smell fantastic and actually feel like they're working, unlike other paraben-free products I've tried that lack the smooth and bubbly feel of a product that's doing something.

This may be part of the green agenda, parabens may turn out to have no affect on people, but I figure, why risk it? Now is not the time to be taking chances. So I'll let my roots show, quit bleaching my arm hair, lay off the spray tanning, and switch a few products. Well worth it to give my little one the best possible start in life...and I look forward to using their line of baby products, Yes to Baby Carrots, in late February!

Fight the Urge

2010-07-22T07:04:00.004-05:00

Have you seen the TV show "Hoarders" yet? It's a documentary that follows people who have lost all ability to throw anything away. It's pretty disgusting - watching it makes me want to clean...and that's saying something. I've only seen it in passing a couple times, but it just takes a second to get the gist. I'm not recommending you watch, I just mention it by way of saying this: I think everyone hoards something.

I started thinking about this last week when I flew to Minneapolis. I walked to my gate at the airport and had about 30 minutes to kill before boarding, so I started pacing the gate area looking for a seat near a power outlet. Hi, my name's Gregg, and I hoard electricity. In my bag, both my phone and computer were fully charged - 100% - and I know they can each be used for at least 4-5 hours before needing another charge. It's an 80-minute flight. But what if we're stuck on the tarmac for 8 hours like those people on the news? Once the battery indicator gets below 70%, I start sweating. Luckily I made it to Amanda's house without dipping below an 85% charge in both devices...whew - close one.

Vacation time is another problem for me. I hoard my vacation and personal time at work all year, then scramble to "burn" it before losing it on my anniversary date. As of right now, I've got 62 hours of vacation to take in the next 5 weeks or I lose it.

I don't ONLY spend my time and energy hoarding time and energy. I also have a stack of about 15-20 unused sketchbooks. Some were gifts, but most I've bought myself - there's something promising about an untouched sketchbook. I have another 5-7 with only the first few pages used - but they seem somehow tainted. I can't start a new project in a 100 pg. sketchbook that has doodles on the first 3 pages!

When I find a shirt I like, I tend to buy 2 or 3 different colors. What if I never find a shirt that fits like this again, and this one gets a bad stain?

Anyfilth, just because there aren't switchback trails through our living room doesn't mean I don't fight hoarding tendencies. But it feels good to purge them as well. Allison and I rented a dumpster a couple months ago and felt GREAT after filling it with accumulated junk from our loft and garage (pic above = halfway point). Not having an attic or basement has kept us from indulging in our tendencies to keep stuff "just in case."

Last week at Mom's house I realized I come by this trait honestly...under the bed there is every issue of Martha Stewart Living every printed. I'm serious. Every issue - stacked by year.

Allison may have her own struggles, but I won't call her out in this forum. coughYARNcough.

A New Journey

2010-07-14T13:13:00.007-05:00

With much gratefulness in our hearts we want to share our wonderful news...we will be 9 weeks pregnant this Friday. Amazing. Shocking.

We had joyfully accepted our path towards adoption and felt privileged that God had chosen that for us. The sequence of events these past two months has been wild, to say the least. The very day our adoption agency had called to tell us that the potential birth mom had chosen us, we got a positive pregnancy result.

Of course, as we have mentioned, a week later, she changed her mind. But for a week, we thought we would have two babies within 8 months. A scary, but very exciting thought. Our pregnancy news certainly helped to soften the blow of losing the adoption match. Though, we will always wonder about the little boy who was almost ours.

At our first appointment this week, things looked great. A very strong heartbeat and normal measurements. We are excited to share this new journey with you all.

Back in Business

2010-06-28T15:37:00.003-05:00

Gregg got both of our bikes up to speed last week, including purchasing me a lovely little basket that I've been longing for.

We put our bikes and the basket to good use Saturday morning and headed to meet my parents at OPH (Original Pancake House) for breakfast, and then we rode on to hit the Fishers Farmers Market.

You can see from my basket that we brought home a good haul: the season's first corn (from less than 30 minutes away), a pint of white cherries, and a couple of strip steaks from Royer Farms.

Love my spiffed up bike and looking forward to many more morning rides to the market!

~allison

Haven't Met You Yet...

2010-06-24T19:59:00.003-05:00

...And I know someday that it'll all turn out
You'll make me work, so we can work to work it out
And I promise you, kid, that I give so much more than I get
I just haven't met you yet

I might have to wait, I'll never give up
I guess it's half timing, and the other half's luck
Wherever you are, whenever it's right
You'll come out of nowhere and into my life

And I know that we can be so amazing
And, baby, your love is gonna change me
And now I can see every possibility

And somehow I know that it'll all turn out
You'll make me work, so we can work to work it out
And I promise you, kid, I give so much more than I get
I just haven't met you yet...

"Haven't Met You Yet"
- Michael Bublé

Adoption Update

2010-06-23T07:23:00.002-05:00

Because we are just days away from the original due date, we felt we should update everyone in the blog world who doesn't already know, our match has fallen through. The birth mom has decided to parent (aka the politically correct way to say she's keeping the baby).

We trust that this is what is meant to be and we wish her and the child all the best.

Ahhh June!

2010-06-21T15:28:00.004-05:00

(me, Taylor, Mom)
The month of June has always brought many many birthdays to celebrate in our family. I was born on June 19, 1976, which I believe was Father's Day that year. It was also my maternal grandfather's birthday, and my cousin Katye's birthday. Many other people who are special to me have been born in June as well. It's always a month for celebrating.

This year felt very different for me. It was crazy and fun to watch my baby sister, Taylor, turn 21, which we celebrated with a night out for Italian...but when it came to my own birthday, I just didn't feel like celebrating me, but celebrating life. I felt such joy thinking about the true meaning of a BIRTHday and how much love surrounds a new person coming into the world and I love that we get together and celebrate that special day every year for the rest of our lives.

So as we held hands and watched the sun set over the stage at Symphony on the Prairie, I couldn't help but feeling overwhelmed with joy for the gift of everyone's BIRTHday.

~allison

We've Been Matched

2010-06-16T14:30:00.007-05:00

News. News. News. We have been matched with a birth mother and with this comes extreme joy and extreme anxiety. The statistics are that 20% of birth moms will have a change of heart at delivery, so that makes the attachment difficult on our end. The good news is that after having met with her, she seems very clear headed and not the type to be "wishy-washy," but who knows what a baby in her arms and a fresh dose of hormones will do?

So, we are guardedly excited. As far as our adoption agency is concerned, we are matched and off the list. Lucky for us, the wait to see how this turns out won't be long...she's due on June 29th and it's a boy! That's right, mere days away. But the nursery is coming along and we've never felt more ready to bring our little one home.

Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
-- Psalm 30:5

Market Discovery

2010-06-14T18:11:00.002-05:00

We hit the Fishers Farmer's Market this past weekend and bought the most creative item...a lettuce basket! For just $10 we have a basket full of a variety of lettuces to tear off and enjoy whenever we please.

They are planted in soil and can be kept high above ground level and away from those pesky rabbits. Low maintenance and it looks super cute. What a fantastic idea!

~allison

Race Day

2010-06-01T11:23:00.009-05:00

We were lucky enough to attend this year's Indianapolis 500 Race the only way bearable (IMHO): in an air-conditioned suite right on pit row. It was the hottest race day on record and we were thankful we didn't have to spend 5 hours in the 95-degree bleachers. The suite's location was incredible...right at the start/finish line, about 20 feet behind the pits. In a place that seats 300,000, this was quite a treat.

(view from our suite in Gasoline Alley)
As a part of the suite package, we had access to bleacher seats outside as well, so we got to experience the load roar of the cars...these things are so loud, most people wear earplugs.

Jewel sang the national anthem, Florence Henderson (aka: Mrs. Brady) butchered 'God Bless America', Jack Nicholson waved the green flag, and Mark Wahlberg (aka: you'll-always-be-Marky Mark-to-me) drove the starting lap.

(exhibit A)
While the race brings in all walks of life, it is mostly just a big alcohol-fueled party for many shirtless hoosiers (male and female). We had a great time, however I don't think either one of us it ready to tattoo ourselves to spread the word! (see exhibit A)

(all class)
This is an event that everyone around here has told us that we had to go to at least once. Not being big motorsports fans, though, it was not high on our list. However, after experiencing the rumble and roar of 33 indy cars flying by at 223 mph, it's clear why this is called "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."

The Reserve is Off!

2010-05-22T17:51:00.008-05:00

What started out as a joke between the two of us has become an actual interest of sorts. It started a few months ago- when trying to decide which television show to watch on weekend evenings, Gregg would just turn the channel to the Mecum car auction, broadcast live in HD from a new location across the country every weekend, purely as a joke. Then we started to get sucked in and while "making fun" of the car auction, would find ourselves oo-ing and ah-hing cars, an hour into the show. Guess that means it isn't a joke anymore...we actually enjoy watching these fantastic classic cars get auctioned!

So naturally when we learned that the largest classic car collection auction in the US, put on by Mecum, is held every year in Indy, we knew we had to check this out live. What a morning!

(actual restored gas pumps)

(Harley Earl, designer of the Corvette, his personal car sold today for $975,000!)

(This 1957 Cadillac Eldorado was my absolute favorite of the day out of the thousands we looked at--white with mint green interior)
Thirty five million dollars worth of cars sold over the four day Indianapolis auction, I've still got my eye on the Eldorado, which as of press time, hasn't sold yet...luckily it has a link to follow here. [UPDATE: Sold for $280,000 - slightly out of our price range]

In the words of one of today's car owners as we walked by admiring one of the cars, "If he really loved you, he'd buy you this car."

Another Perspective...

2010-05-10T08:50:00.004-05:00

Of course we are reading everything we can get our hands on to prepare for our upcoming adoption. Things are always more interesting when the subject is featured in the popular media. All the Sandra Bullock trans-racial adoption stories have been everywhere in the past few weeks and just this weekend this NY Times piece on open adoption brought to mind so many emotions that are in our very near future.

Adoption these days is done differently than in decades past and it has been found that an open adoption, in most situations, is best for all parties involved. Our agency told us up front that in working with them, we are required to raise our child to know that he/she is adopted from the very beginning. As the child's comprehension develops, the discussions get more involved. This will be an open dialog and something that will be known, never a secret. We plan on making it a positive aspect, a celebration of the way we came together. The level of openness with the birth mom is to be determined, but at a minimum, we will provide updates via letters and pictures every few months for the first few years of life.

The article linked above is from the birth mom's perspective and reminds me that the absolute joy we anticipate with bringing home our baby, also brings a devastating sorrow to another family, which is described by the author.

My biggest fear in all of this, is the moment we have to leave the hospital and say goodbye to her. How will I be able to look her in the eyes as I walk out of the door with the baby she has just carried for 9 months? I can only trust that this is the Lord's will for all of us. He will have to carry me through that moment, I won't be able to do it on my own.

~allison

Joining the Dark(roast) Side

2010-04-28T11:55:00.003-05:00

So seriously, why didn't anyone tell me how good coffee is? I've been rambling on about green tea for years, trying to get yous guys to give it a shot, and you've just smiled and nodded. Ok, I give - coffee is great.

The reason I haven't been a coffee drinker is that it has always torn up my stomach. One cup and I've got a tight gut and the sweats. I love the smell of coffee and toast in the morning, and coffee ice cream is at the top of my (long) list of favorite treats. But the stomach aches suck, and I really like the taste of green tea, so I've stuck to it.

Well, once upon a time (a few months ago), Allison brewed up a strong batch of decaf on a cold night. I had a small cup with cream and a generous scoop of dark chocolate cocoa mix. It was great, and no sore stomach. The next night I had two. Then I cut the chocolate. Then the cream. One cup...two cups.

I started drinking a little coffee at work in the morning. Then I started drinking a lot of coffee at work in the morning. After a few days of drinking too much and getting jumpy and wild-eyed, I decided to start cutting my morning dark roast with some decaf - 4 cups of half-caff means more coffee, less jitters.

A few evenings I caught myself thinking, "The sooner I go to bed, the sooner I can go to work and drink coffee...[yawn]...[stretch]...'Hey, Al, you about ready for bed?' WHO HAVE I BECOME?"

Anyjava, go ahead - lemme have it. Scream "I TOLD YOU SO" in the comments...I don't care. Venti story tall: I love coffee.

Passing the Time

2010-04-26T10:07:00.004-05:00

The agency who provided our Home Study, Adoptions of Indiana, facilitates an informal get together for a very specific group, moms and moms-to-be who knit!

The group was started by a woman who was adopting internationally from Guatemala. With these types of adoptions, parents will get to go visit their child once or twice in their home country, but will have to return back to the US and wait, sometimes for a very long time- 1 or 2 years! I can't imagine how agonizing that wait must be, knowing your child is in an orphanage, while you've got a warm, loving home waiting for them.

This particular woman happened to be a knitter and in between her first and second visit to Guatemala, knitted a blanket to help pass the time. When she visited her child, she gave him the blanket she made for him and told him it was his Mama Love for him to hold on to until he was able to come home. Hence, the name of the knitting group, Mama Love.

I've been invited to join by our social worker, who knew I was a knitter. What a great way to connect with both, other waiting moms and moms who have just adopted, to share our thoughts, stories, and knitting projects! I have decided to go, my first meeting will be next week and I've decided to knit a fairly mindless blanket, so I can sit and enjoy the conversations.

~allison

Final Meeting

2010-04-21T09:10:00.004-05:00

This evening we will have our final home study at our house. We feel comfortable that everything will go well.

Tonight's agenda will consist of discussions about: our "Adult Histories", relationships with our parents and extended families, racial and cultural issues that we will face with a child of color, and our parenting philosophies. And then, we wait...

Ephesians 1:4-5 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—

Say Cheese!

2010-04-20T10:23:00.004-05:00

I was embarrased when I got to work today and realized that my meals for the day consist of:

~A banana for breakfast

~A spinach salad with grilled chicken, raspberries, and blue cheese for lunch, along with a side of cottage cheese with mandarin oranges

~And for my 3 o'clock snack? You guessed it, a hunk of Vermont sharp cheddar cheese

Are you seeing a pattern here?

~allison

Ady's Soccer Debut

2010-04-18T17:35:00.004-05:00

Our niece, Ady, had her first soccer game on Sunday afternoon, and what fun! Watching a herd of 4-year old girls all chasing the ball was so cute. And actually, we were really impressed with how good a lot of them already are, Ady included. She scored her team's only goal and was having the time of her life out there. (Ady in purple)

She had a huge cheering section, aunts, uncles, grandmas & grandpa! And of course, proud mom and dad!

Go Daffodils!

Home Tour...Full Success

2010-04-17T17:34:00.004-05:00

Yesterday's Home Study meeting at our house went swimmingly. So well, in fact, that our social worker is going to go ahead with our approval letter and send it to our adoption agency on Monday. Good news that she feels confident enough to do this even before we have our third and final meeting with her next week. Now that the agency will have our approval letter, our information will now be sent out to potential birth moms for a match!

For those curious, Rufus and Irma were on their best behavior and, after greeting our visitor, slept the whole time she was here. (Caveat: the 2-mile morning jog Gregg took Rufus on didn't hurt matters)

Moving right along!

Our Adoption Journey Begins...

2010-04-16T11:48:00.006-05:00

If you are reading this blog, you may already know bits and pieces of our story and our journey to begin our family. But for those of you far away and not in on our daily lives, we thought you may want to be a part of it in some way and we'd like to share the upcoming journey with you.

In November 2009, after years of "trying" and months of fertility treatments, we knew the time had come to get a bit more serious about adoption. Since we came together as a couple twelve years ago, we have always talked about adoption, even before we knew that getting pregnant would be a challenge for us. Adoption has always been in our conversations and on our hearts. Therefore, after much research, we decided to look into a well-known, local adoption law firm and sent in a request for an informational DVD, all the while continuing the fertility treatments.

In January, while anticipating a second round of drugs and a bit more invasive of a fertility procedure, it was discovered that (because of an ovarian cyst) that month was off and we'd have to take a cycle of birth control pills and try again in about 45-50 days. We knew then that these efforts seemed silly when it was on our hearts to adopt all these years.

We met with the adoption agency in late January and they directed us to begin our Home Study process, which allows us to become approved for adoption. The Home Study consists of: three meetings with a social worker, the completion of our autobiographies (which turned out to be about 20 pages each!), background checks (including getting fingerprinted at the local police station), lots of paperwork, and tomorrow's event...a tour of our home with the social worker. You can imagine that we will be on all fours scrubbing baseboards and corners all night tonight.

After Saturday's meeting, we will have one more sit down conversation with the social worker, these are really more like counseling sessions than anything else, and then we're "live"!

We have already begun praying for that special woman who may be out there now, struggling with making the most difficult decision she's ever made. We pray that she will make healthy decisions during her pregnancy, and that she will feel the grace of God's hand in our coming together. We pray that she knows that we already love this child.

Are You a (gasp) Cilantrophobe?

2010-04-14T09:02:00.015-05:00

I meet people who love Cilantro, and others who despise it. How can an herb evoke such extreme preferences? Well, according to the NY Times article I read yesterday...it's science!

While I've discussed this before, the article struck a chord with me because I'm a staunch anti-cilantrophobe, in fact, I'm a downright enthusiast. I could load piles and piles of the stuff on ANY mexican dish. However, I suppose that may be where I draw the line, as I can't say I've had it any anything else.

Some find it terribly soapy tasting, and I just don't get that flavor at all. No comprende! It is certainly unique in flavor, but I welcome it.

I'll say it again and again...a true taco is simply: pulled pork (carnitas), a bit of pico de gallo, a pinch of cilantro, and a squeeze of lime, all on a CORN tortilla of course!

I'd love to hear some feedback from our readers. Do you love it or hate it? If you can suggest any non-mexican dishes for me to try that require cilantro, I'm all ears!

(my perfectly made taco at Taste of Chicago a couple of years ago)

(I still maintain that the booth where we purchased above taco is one of the best I've ever tasted...we have to hit the actual restaurant next time we're in Chicago!)

(me, stuffing my face with said taco)

~allison

Bonge's Tavern with The Falders

2010-04-13T11:24:00.004-05:00

Last weekend we had the pleasure of spending an evening with friends at a really cool spot in the middle of nowhere (NE of Indy). We met the Falders for "tailgating" and dinner at Bonge's Tavern. We've seen this place on a few local foodie blogs and it's been on our short list for a while...but it looked like a fun place for a group instead of just the two of us.

Bonge's Tavern looks like a filthy old barn from the outside, but on the inside, it...um...also looks like a filthy old barn. It's about an hour northeast of Indy, and about 40 minutes from our house. We rolled up and the Falders were already there (this may be because we were 25 minutes from our house when I realized I had to go back for my wallet). One of the cool things about Bonge's Tavern is that they allow (even encourage) tailgating in the parking lot. You give your name to the hostess along with your parking spot number, and they come out and get you when you're table is ready. There are probably only about 20 tables in the joint, so the wait can be long. But the parking lot is full of lawn chairs, coolers, and snacks.

Along with their great beer list, we were expecting burgers, sandwiches, salads, and "pub food" - so we were a little surprised when the menu was just a chalkboard of specials...all north of $20. You pick your main dish, then everyone gets the same sides - tomato soup or a wedge salad, veggies, potatoes, and jalapeno corn bread. The food was all fantastic. I loved my steak, Allison's grouper was awesome, and the wedge salads, sides, and cornbread were all really good.

It was a great experience - I'd recommend it to anyone dining in a group. It's truly a tavern: casual, dark, and loud. We were practically yelling across the table all night - but we had a wonderful time with Alex and Tricia. The tailgating is a great way to enjoy the wait, and the food was as good as any I've had in restaurants that have valet parking and would've kicked me out for wearing shorts. At first blush, it seemed too spendy for a dive, but the food was worth it, and I'd happily pay to be allowed to go without a sportcoat to other places that charge $30 for a steak.

Check it out if you ever find yourself halfway between Upland and Indianapolis with a cooler full of beer, 3 hours to kill, $100 burning a hole in your pocket, and a hankerin' for great food.

Flying Cupcake/ SupaStah

2010-04-01T12:36:00.004-05:00

Allison and I have a Valentine's Day tradition (previous post) of enjoying a few cupcakes from a place called the Flying Cupcake located near her work. Allison usually stops by and brings home 4 cupcakes and we try to strike a balance between scarfing them down like a couple of savages and enjoying them like good foodies. They're always fabulous. We tried cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery in Manhattan (credited with launching the recent cupcake mania) last summer after hearing great things about it, but we were sorely disappointed. Not even close to the flavor and texture of Flying Cupcake.

Last month, Allison was in the Flying Cupcake picking up our Valentine's Day treat and they were filming a piece for the local news. She mentioned it to me in passing, but didn't think much of it. Well...the video is now online, and Allison is featured prominently (back of her head, for 1.5 seconds) perusing the display case. Here's the video (watch for her and the leather carry-on duffel she calls her purse at the 27-second mark):

Pittsburgh Weekend

2010-03-29T11:03:00.014-05:00

We spent the weekend in Pittsburgh with Tom & Alicia. Though the main attraction was an NHL game...Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia, we enjoyed visiting the city.

We started the road trip with the requisite stop at the very first Tim Hortons we came to and were served doughnuts on a silver platter. At which point we could have turned around and gone home...so worth the 100 miles for these!

Everyone we talked with had recommended we try a filthy awesome sandwich at Primanti Brothers, and they were unreal. The standard fixings on the sandwich are coleslaw and french fries with options to add things like, a fried egg...yes please. I had the salami, Gregg had the pastrami. The latter was the clear winner, though everything was delicious.

We woke up bright and early on Saturday morning to take the Mt. Washington Incline up to take in the morning Pittsburgh skyline. We took a walk while at the top of the incline and found a nice little diner for breakfast.

And for the main event, we were able to see the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Philadelphia Flyers in the historic Mellon Arena, aka The Igloo. This will be the Pens last season in this arena and we were super excited to have gotten to experience it.

Thanks to T & A for a fantastic weekend in PittPa!

You can see the entire album here.

BookBook

2010-03-20T12:53:00.005-05:00

This is the really great birthday present I got from Allison last week. At first glance, it looks like a big antique book - but it's a laptop case made specifically for my computer. It has a hard protective cover, and padding inside. The outside is leather that has been "aged," and the stitching and binding look really cool. The double zipper around the outside looks like a bookmark when it's closed.

We saw these online a few months ago, then forgot about them. What a great surprise present! Something I already wanted, but had totally forgotten about. Thanks again, honey!

9 Wonderful Years!

2010-03-19T07:38:00.001-05:00

Birthday Celebration

2010-03-14T18:43:00.004-05:00

We went ahead and celebrated Gregg's 34th birthday for the entire weekend...why the heck not?

We started Friday night with what was supposed to be a surprise night out to The Jazz Kitchen for a show, but because either:
a) I'm terribly predictable
or
2)Gregg knows me so well

(I'm hoping it's the latter)...it wasn't exactly a surprise. Apparently he knew where we were headed the whole time.

Nevertheless, we had a great night out and were introduced to a guitarist that neither of us had ever heard of, Fareed Haque. We enjoyed crab cakes, blackened tilapia, red wine, a shared slice of Carnegie Deli cheesecake, and several cups of decaf while tapping our feet to the funky guitar, jazz piano, sitar, and drums of Fareed and his band.

We woke up Saturday morning and made a Dutch Baby German Pancake - a baked, flaky pancake the size of a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Shube, Gregg's mom, had given us this treat for Christmas and this was our first attempt.

We were really pleased with how they turned out. Not as puffy as the OPH's version, but delicious, and the lemon garnish gave them the tart flavor that goes so well with the sweetness of the syrup and powdered sugar.

I topped off the birthday celebration by giving Gregg an awesome gift...but I'll let him tell you about that in a subsequent blog!

Buncha Hosers, Eh?

2010-03-11T05:40:00.003-06:00

After spending an inappropriate amount of time watching TV coverage of the Olympic Games last month, I've since been experiencing some mild symptoms of withdrawal. Somebody really needs to look into putting Curling on TV during primetime - I'm sure it would be a huge hit (mmmmright). I don't know that I can wait for the next Winter Games in four years for the next televised round of this addictive sport. Bocce-on-ice, how could that NOT be great!?

And while I have my regular NHL hockey to watch, with the playoffs starting in a month, the intensity of Olympic hockey is tough to beat. Every game felt like a game 7 in the Stanley Cup Finals. Alas, it doesn't look like my Minnesota Wild will be making the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season, so I'll settle for choosing sides based on hockey beard quality.

AnyHAAAAARRRDDD (sorry...curling joke), I saw the chart above in this story about the effect that the gold medal USA vs. Canada hockey game had on water usage (read: toilet usage) in Edmonton, Canada. Now that is dedication to the national pastime!

Amish Sunday

2010-02-28T19:05:00.009-06:00

I traveled with my parents, sister, and niece south to Montgomery, Indiana today to celebrate my Grandma's 75th birthday at the Gasthof Amish Village Restaurant. The comfort food was worth the drive, and of course being with Grandma today was special.

Taylor and I enjoyed the many Amish wares in the gift shop while waiting for our table.

The requisite Amish bonnets, extra creepy Amish dolls...

And what Amish store is complete without your official 'Amish Country' shot glass???

We hit the attached bakery and made some very necessary purchases: a fresh loaf of white bread and apple butter. I did pass on the shot glass...I'll probably be regretting that when next weekend rolls around.

Great trip with the extended family...Happy Birthday Grandma!

~allison

Christmas Recap

2010-02-24T10:03:00.001-06:00

(Our niece Molly made everyone brownies!)

Better late than never? Does that hold true for Christmas pictures as well? Well nevertheless, two months later, here is a link to our pictures from Christmas break spent with our family in Minnesota. This year was extra special, as we were able to be there for our niece, Lucy Ruth's birth.

(800) 588-2300...Empire

2010-02-21T18:14:00.011-06:00

Our carpet has needed to be replaced since we moved in to our house five years ago. Looking back, we probably should have negotiated smarter and pushed for it. We've been living with it, hating every second of it. We would spend weekends cleaning the house top to bottom and not understand why it still felt dirty...it was, indeed, the carpet.

We're still unsure why we let it go so long...laziness? Maybe. Now that it's done, we cannot believe what we were waiting for. It is like we have a brand new home. We now walk around barefoot and smiling!

Enjoy the pics below and please don't mind the PictureHound who chased the lens the whole time. Normally camera-shy, Rufus surprised us by following Allison around and positioning himself in every frame. (Also, yes, the Olympics have been on nonstop since the Opening Ceremonies.)

For Posterity's Sake

2010-02-10T06:03:00.001-06:00

Charity (Chicago)
Andrew (Los Angeles)
Lacey (Atlanta)
DeeDee (Los Angeles)

Healthcare Epidemic

2010-02-03T09:57:00.005-06:00

WAIT! Before you assume I'm going to rail against Socialized Healthcare, relax...read on. This is a plea regarding a much more pressing matter concerning our collective health. Allison and I have commented on this to each other for years, and it only seems to be getting worse. The issue at hand is this: scrubs in public.

Surely, you've seen 'em. Nurses at the grocery store in their scrubs. Doctors out to lunch in their scrubs. Dentists on the bus in their...well, I'll let the dentists slide because at least they don't wear Crocs in public.

Don't get me wrong; I understand that most people aren't expected to show up at work, change out of their "civvies," wade through herds of sickies for 8+ hours, then change back into their normalpeople clothes to commute home. HOWEVER, most of us don't spend our days dressing gaping wounds, dodging flying fluids, and spelunking for stool samples.

Isn't the whole point of scrubs to minimize contamination between the healthcare environment and the outside world? Two way street: keep public germs out of the hospital, keep hospital germs out of public. Nurse, I'm sure you're quite proud of your new SpongeBob scrubs, but I don't want your e-coli jumping on me in the produce department anymore than your next patient wants to see toilet paper from Applebee's stuck to the bottom of your yellow Croc.

I used to think that they were doing this just so everyone would know how awesome they were. But I never see lawyers on the subway with the scales of justice around their neck, or Colts cheerleaders wearing their chaps to the mall (unfortch).

According the the chart on my scrub-clad doctor's wall, this issue causes me this much discomfort:

Anybiohazard, I know I'm not alone on this. Apparently this issue has caused many hospitals to review their policy about letting their employees roam among the unwashed masses in the same threads they cozy up to the sick in. Am I crazy/overreacting? If the scrubs aren't serving their sanitary purpose anymore, we might as well drop the pretense and cut healthcare costs by allowing my doctor to poke and prod me while rocking the sweatpants and mesh tanktop he wore to Hardee's and CVS on his way to work, no?