tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9757916388818001452024-03-05T21:00:28.624-08:00Life on the Z teamAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09315832182436970435noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-975791638881800145.post-69267162933230149562013-10-23T16:43:00.002-07:002013-10-23T16:43:18.279-07:00She's Crafty: Outdoor Chair Revival!A couple of months ago I was realizing that our outdoor plastic chairs were looking pretty bad. No matter the amount of cleaning, they were just worse for the wear. I searched around for some solutions and found a few other <strike>cheap</strike> inventive people out there who had spray painted their furniture with pretty amazing results. So I decided to try spray painting ours to give them a few more summers of use before we actually needed new ones.<br />
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I read some reviews of different brands and types of paint and decided to try the Krylon Fusion brand because it had the best reviews for this type of plastic painting. As a bonus, this paint requires no prep work like sanding or priming, just a clean dry chair is all you need. I went with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Krylon-2341-Fusion-Plastic-Watermelon/sim/B0077RH9BC/2" target="_blank">"Watermelon"</a> for our shabby-looking plastic Adorndack-type chair and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Krylon-K02329000-Plastic-12-Ounce-Patriotic/dp/B000YQMA0I/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_0_1" target="_blank">"Patriotic Blue"</a> for our regular chairs that started out <strike>white</strike> dirty-grayish-white. Here are what the chairs looked like before and after:<br />
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Overall I am really happy with the results! What do you think? </div>
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Although I linked you to Amazon to show you the colors, I got my paint at Wal-Mart for about $4 a can. Each chair took about 2 cans so total was $8 per chair. Not a huge bargain but saved us a few bucks and now we have brightly colored seating. </div>
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PS. Still have no idea why the pics are blurry and/or have to be super-small in order to not be blurry. I have not changed how I upload them or add them to the blog. I have searched on the help boards but can't seem to find an answer....anyone else with a blog that can help? </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09315832182436970435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-975791638881800145.post-47000280113686677662013-09-21T15:58:00.001-07:002013-09-21T15:58:51.321-07:00Legally Wed!Although Noell and I held a wedding ceremony last year, we technically were not "married" in any legal way. We knew what the climate was for gay marriage and we felt strongly that the current fight going on would end in our favor......at least eventually. We decided to skip the whole Domestic Partnership thing and hold out for the real deal. We wanted the for-sure, can-leave-money-to-my-wife-without-unfair-taxes, visit-each-other-in-the-hospital, can-file-for-taxes-jointly, SS-benefit-receiving, forever-legally-binding type of marriage. <br />
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And we got it!<br />
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In June, 2013, (a little over a year after our original ceremony) the Supreme Court made two historic rulings regarding same-sex marriage. One was the denial to hear the case of the upholding of Prop 8 in CA. The other was the striking down of DOMA. If you are not familiar with these rulings, feel free to Google any of them or check out <a href="http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/26/19151971-supreme-court-strikes-down-defense-of-marriage-act-paves-way-for-gay-marriage-to-resume-in-california?lite" target="_blank">this article.</a><br />
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We quickly decided that we needed to act sooner rather than later. Several of our friends were married 5 years ago when it was legal in CA but some had missed the window of legality back then, and they regretted it. We didn't want to take any chances in case this was not a "forever" decision in the state of CA. Luckily for us, this time it seems to be sticking and there is little serious talk of overturning anything in CA at present. <br />
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We wanted a small, simple ceremony since both of us considered our wedding a year ago to be the "real" wedding. We asked our friend Thyme to marry us as she is licensed to do so in CA. We invited just a handful of people out to Sunset Cliffs and had a quicky wedding. Followed by pizza and beer. 'Cause that's how we roll. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ceremony.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Z-team.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wedding group.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the official kiss.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cutest baby, Noa. (Thyme and Adria's daughter)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lot of love on that cliff. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pizza and beer.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thyme signing the official paperwork.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheers!</td></tr>
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Thank you to everyone who came and celebrated with us. Special thank you to Thyme for being our officiant and writing meaningful and personal vows for us. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09315832182436970435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-975791638881800145.post-23815708720275128132013-07-27T17:39:00.002-07:002013-07-27T17:40:23.326-07:00Tile revivalOur bathroom tile was looking very dingy. I would scrub it with tile cleaner, bleach, soft scrub, etc. You name it....I tried it. Despite all this our bathroom tile looked like this:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yuck #1</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXNUMSFWC-oCIOtvxBXYie069o5WNzjGWjatkTn4zXWRwMQcZqrh-3ed-bJduCWQHfG6IYfLjZEtzqxD9L8FFTtX5-25cItSpg-LccgnStPiObvVjjvGWijwBFbkl4Kgf2mIWIp5vx0Q/s1600/large+tile+before.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXNUMSFWC-oCIOtvxBXYie069o5WNzjGWjatkTn4zXWRwMQcZqrh-3ed-bJduCWQHfG6IYfLjZEtzqxD9L8FFTtX5-25cItSpg-LccgnStPiObvVjjvGWijwBFbkl4Kgf2mIWIp5vx0Q/s400/large+tile+before.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yuck #2</td></tr>
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Then last week as I was reading one of the blogs in my regular rotation, <a href="http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/page/2/" target="_blank">The Frugal Girl</a>, I saw she tried and reviewed this product called Polyblend Grout Renew. I had never heard of this type of grout product before. It worked for her and was inexpensive (I believe it was about $10) so I decided to give it a try and....<br />
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OH. MY. WORD. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-0whdxrW7PjIuBuBvNliRk9kqeTY50_nRbu67OWnj-4gwwins2GmY-PhBo7RGK2g_kOxq68mMCPySMqtGQ_lPCFxNriyvveCKTF3MyTQgbcpDeYnTv4VcIHxYyKLL5fEE9eszTblRSg/s1600/large+after+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-0whdxrW7PjIuBuBvNliRk9kqeTY50_nRbu67OWnj-4gwwins2GmY-PhBo7RGK2g_kOxq68mMCPySMqtGQ_lPCFxNriyvveCKTF3MyTQgbcpDeYnTv4VcIHxYyKLL5fEE9eszTblRSg/s400/large+after+2.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So white!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqgc5-P_etJmPwseHFRSIjP9RI70VqZfu-C2_erNd4FRIYvHKyTNzK3mFZhcCwj3cj0hiuHnvgTs2vN1_xevDI2T7Mt4BluksIRwr4yUp9BBvYbgMtnYdvzVXX2pf6CaIUg8OnJWeL8I/s1600/large+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqgc5-P_etJmPwseHFRSIjP9RI70VqZfu-C2_erNd4FRIYvHKyTNzK3mFZhcCwj3cj0hiuHnvgTs2vN1_xevDI2T7Mt4BluksIRwr4yUp9BBvYbgMtnYdvzVXX2pf6CaIUg8OnJWeL8I/s400/large+after.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So bright!</td></tr>
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It's like we have a new shower. <br />
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So if you have tile grout that you clean and clean and it still looks dirty, try this stuff, it's awesome!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">PS. I have no idea why the pictures are a little blurry in this post....I can't figure out why.</span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09315832182436970435noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-975791638881800145.post-84570113117253245852013-06-08T17:27:00.002-07:002013-06-08T22:21:02.740-07:00In which one niece loves me and one niece doesn't About 2 months ago I was finishing up my clinical hours for my nurse practitioner program and I had to take a practice test for my comprehensive exam to graduate from school. I studied and felt ready and so I took the test....I barely passed. It was by such a slim percent that I passed that it scared the crap out of me to think about the real comprehensive exam and my board certification test. <br />
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I panicked and decided RIGHT THEN that I needed to take a review course for my boards. I figured it would help on both exams. The comps exam is supposed to test my knowledge of all (3 years) of my masters education and my masters education is what is supposedly preparing my to be a NP. So, it made sense, taking a review course was just the ticket. <br />
<br />
So I searched and searched and there were no review courses in San Diego for the next 6 months or so. I contemplated heading over to Phoenix for a course, which would have added the cost of driving, hotel rental, and food, but it seemed like a good option considering that it was the closest review to SD. Then, I had a brilliant idea...maybe there is a review course in St. Louis sometime soon? Yep, turns out it was timed perfectly for my studying and test schedule and also was a course that a fellow classmate had recommended. Perfect! I signed up for the course and booked a flight. Of course with some extra time to hang with the family. <br />
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Even luckier for me was the fact that my brother and sister-in-law had recently sold their condo and were in the process of looking for a new house so they were staying with mom and dad too. When I travel to St. Louis I usually get to see my nieces and nephew in little spurts, but this time it was non-stop. I loved it. My sister also drove home and spent some time with me which was great. She used to blog too and I think she should re-up <a href="http://vilseckvagabond.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">this space</a> and entertain us with her tales of teaching.<br />
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To introduce the cast of nieces and nephew.....Benjamin (Ben, Benny, Buddy, Benji, etc.) is 3, and the girls, Elisabeth (Biffy) and Alaythea (Laythie bear), are 18 months old. Ben and Alaythea were open and excited to have a new person around to play with, read with, and cuddle with.<br />
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But that Elisabeth. She wanted nothing to do with me. At all. For the entire week. At first my mere presence in the same room with her would cause an outbreak of tears. By the second day, it moved to standing in the same room was ok, as long as I didn't make eye contact. By day 3-4 a little eye contact was tolerated but careful...not for too long! Finally by day 5-6, I could make eye contact and even play silly games and make faces across the room. Even got a few smiles out of her. I thought I was doing great and I should definitely be able to play next to her or even hold her--NOPE! She was not having any of that! It was actually quite comical. I will admit that on the last day, literally as I was saying goodbye to them, she tolerated me holding her and there was a photo snapped of it for proof. Here are some pics of these cuties:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIXPEuh6YQSLXiVXTlQJvr7QX1f326l-tdSOLWg_flCdiYZP-chwgcCjRmXsBXITWX0pT5ELTyP8PMPB-KtSyfKr5fq3j-4S5Z5W2AEu3QVvYdBZS2yap_nncaDuvAdOQdz9s2gBGGZeA/s1600/IMG_0244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIXPEuh6YQSLXiVXTlQJvr7QX1f326l-tdSOLWg_flCdiYZP-chwgcCjRmXsBXITWX0pT5ELTyP8PMPB-KtSyfKr5fq3j-4S5Z5W2AEu3QVvYdBZS2yap_nncaDuvAdOQdz9s2gBGGZeA/s640/IMG_0244.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alaythea</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeAcePs11CWubjxCv4wKgEDpnHBa0dwd5p4efy4FVJhQLiOkcn_pAQqCTE2CLiALvEPZ8cNc-n3baqEbV6TvzedO8Kedc7D_Uym2tUky-sHWMZZ_9hqlSBmqTkQOG9D-mzCpqzRjcGiTs/s1600/IMG_0253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeAcePs11CWubjxCv4wKgEDpnHBa0dwd5p4efy4FVJhQLiOkcn_pAQqCTE2CLiALvEPZ8cNc-n3baqEbV6TvzedO8Kedc7D_Uym2tUky-sHWMZZ_9hqlSBmqTkQOG9D-mzCpqzRjcGiTs/s640/IMG_0253.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laythie bear bed head</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDg5ZgNkEZ-Qay5U4KJZMEBsHkTJVkJ71S2yU6iMnevby2HdyDLel6e8UqdDInatiqgORPyStmuzw5lkyt0MY8OFGgy-rbbhOAVuy9CVwlaa8ykqJtdpdmEai99ECK7861vaQQwdSONdM/s1600/IMG_0254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDg5ZgNkEZ-Qay5U4KJZMEBsHkTJVkJ71S2yU6iMnevby2HdyDLel6e8UqdDInatiqgORPyStmuzw5lkyt0MY8OFGgy-rbbhOAVuy9CVwlaa8ykqJtdpdmEai99ECK7861vaQQwdSONdM/s640/IMG_0254.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big brother Ben</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The girls in their seats</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A small smile from the elusive Biff</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIDzcHz95lDshyphenhyphen1McbVRgcAKPM0RUiIYSe6YmSUYOwPPAEmeZLwEfzG2oR8POjUoFIkJvYlGAQ_F_ZbspGSe2lYDbJLpPcDtRHpTbaXlfBJpQQGJka6WRvo8ucYVkZCLRLilbMsQPERs/s1600/IMG_0273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIDzcHz95lDshyphenhyphen1McbVRgcAKPM0RUiIYSe6YmSUYOwPPAEmeZLwEfzG2oR8POjUoFIkJvYlGAQ_F_ZbspGSe2lYDbJLpPcDtRHpTbaXlfBJpQQGJka6WRvo8ucYVkZCLRLilbMsQPERs/s640/IMG_0273.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Benny helping papa fix the umbrella</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAQisbYh2Ahgkl6plPRTklQnmjtWCsPaGicGf7AWUqtqWHqK02Jb3Bb2u5eUX67oPZ-SHU2GsAo_KiXpfKP8L6oaZHl-lHEVOuhvi5ni3UZuORH1XZ6ke718ThXDnrwoG3QEfakNsc-M/s1600/IMG_0270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAQisbYh2Ahgkl6plPRTklQnmjtWCsPaGicGf7AWUqtqWHqK02Jb3Bb2u5eUX67oPZ-SHU2GsAo_KiXpfKP8L6oaZHl-lHEVOuhvi5ni3UZuORH1XZ6ke718ThXDnrwoG3QEfakNsc-M/s640/IMG_0270.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smiley Lathie</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Benjamin and I having s'mores by the fire</td></tr>
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And I did do some other things while I was in the Lou. My parents took my sister and I to a Cardinals game. It was a good game, and we won! Great seats too! Thanks Mom and Dad!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you see the arch cit into the grass?</td></tr>
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See you on the flip side St. Louie.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09315832182436970435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-975791638881800145.post-12945337558559568382013-05-15T09:58:00.000-07:002013-05-15T09:58:02.392-07:00Hump Day Nuggets: a little bit of this, a little bit of that<br />
<i style="color: #100309; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hump day nuggets: bits of the season in photos and words*</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*The hump day nuggets series is the brainchild of Nici Holt Cline who blogs over at <a href="http://www.digthischickmt.com/" target="_blank">dig this chick. </a> You should check out her <a href="http://www.digthischickmt.com/" target="_blank">blog </a>or her <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/digthischick?ref=si_shop" target="_blank">etsy shop,</a> to see the full extent of her talent and creativity. Thanks Nici!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let's get the least pleasant out of the way first. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">::Gum graft surgery. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Apparently even though I am a (fairly) young lady, I have receding gums. Yes I brush and yes I floss. I even got rid of my fancy, super-awesome-electronic-made-my mouth-feel-so-clean toothbrush considering brushing "too hard" could have been contributing to this receding. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To no avail, I needed gum graft surgery. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once your gum tissue is gone, it's gone, there is no way to re-generate it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I had this <strike>wonderful</strike> procedure done yesterday. They say that some people opt for local anesthetic only (you know just a little numbing medicine injected directly into your hard palate)....no thank you. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wanted to remember nothing, so I went f</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">or the big guns...conscious sedation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course my nursey-nurse self, went to the consultation with a laundry list of questions including "what medicine do you use for conscious sedation?" and "do you have a crash cart here/where is it?" Man, nurses really do make the worst patients. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>If you don't want to read about a medical procedure (you must be chicken, it's not that bad) skip this next paragraph. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So the way they do the procedure is that they take a graft from the roof of your mouth and use it to cover the area where the recession is happening. For me, the recession was on two lower front teeth. They stitch the graft into place and let the tissue heal and grow into the existing tissue. For my graft site, they make a flap, take tissue from under the flap and then re attach the flap...so stitches there too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hard to really take a photo of this but here you can see the stitches where the graft is in place: </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See those little black stitches? also: ignore the pig-nose-angle of the camera.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After being driven home after the surgery, I slept most of the day and evening. I slept all last night and most of this morning too! I am definitely sore, but the recovery is not as bad as I was expecting; at least so far. I think I can attribute that to the percocet and great nursing care I am receiving form my wife. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And who can complain when your diet is mainly these foods. Especially after my typical Paleo diet lately.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very non-paleo</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">:: Mother's Day</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope all of my friend and family who are mom's had a great day on Sunday! I got to celebrate on Saturday with my aunt Mary who was in CA for business and was able to spend a night in San Diego with us. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aunt Mary and me</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I received some flowers from my <strike>wife</strike> animals as well. Well technically the card stated that the flowers were from the dogs. The flowers were Stargazer Lilies, which smell amazing but are poisonous to cats. According to my wife the dogs did that on purpose. Either way, they are pretty and smell great! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">:: The cutest little cactus.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I went to an small local art fair at a nursery near my house a few weeks ago. It is the same art fair I have previously participated in by selling my handmade cards. I went for birthday gifts for friends and family members who have birthdays coming up soon, and succeeded in finding some gifts. BUT! I had to have this tiny crocheted cactus for myself. I have no idea why, but I fell in love with this little guy. I brought him home and now he lives on my bathroom shelf where i can stare at him each and every day. Check him out: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">:: Saving the best for last....I am no longer taking Diflucan! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> After 4+ years of taking a crazy high dose every day to combat that <a href="http://zteamlife.blogspot.com/2012/10/fungal-meningitis-my-story.html" target="_blank">pesky fungus</a>, my blood work is showing no cryptococcus in my system! yay! It is really strange to not have meds to take everyday; I would always take me meds with dinner and it still feels like I am forgetting something around dinnertime each day. I will be having lab work done on a few weeks to re-check and make sure I continue to be clear of fungus, but for now, I am celebrating. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What's going on with you? </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09315832182436970435noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-975791638881800145.post-47430330099657248202013-04-01T19:49:00.000-07:002013-04-08T22:03:09.159-07:00Easter at the Beach Well, it has been quite a while.....I have lots of blog post ideas but no time to write them! I have been busy finishing up my master's program at school and I am almost finished with my clinical hours. Soon I will be taking a couple big tests and looking for a job as an NP! The end is in sight!<br />
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I took the day off on Easter and the wife and I decided to take the doggles to the beach. It was a beautiful and clear day. Elka is now 10 months old and she is so smart and sweet. At one point she got distracted and lost where we were standing (we were watching her and saw she lost us) and we waited to see what she would do. This little smarty pants went over to where we had set our bag and sat her butt down to keep looking! So smart! She kept looking around from that spot and we called her name and she came right over. <br />
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Here are the goods:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nala left: Elka right</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kain front: Elka back</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bear and her frisbee</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_kFSKv25Jjr0Ppch-XD2wnif4b9XeqRYl_L2Er2CwgPQmmD5QyTkXTsP5zMZoIqgTGbIRBx1wXKpty9JMHgAiXOTEItZ3icdTQaSUeHxVldGo2YDOXb84kchfdsRSnjlqbRbhXulL3qc/s1600/IMG_0208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_kFSKv25Jjr0Ppch-XD2wnif4b9XeqRYl_L2Er2CwgPQmmD5QyTkXTsP5zMZoIqgTGbIRBx1wXKpty9JMHgAiXOTEItZ3icdTQaSUeHxVldGo2YDOXb84kchfdsRSnjlqbRbhXulL3qc/s640/IMG_0208.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up of the Bean</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7SYeUXhJpUJkXO-8X41p4VnpT0UgjoVr9K9f_o7LwvNGfsqNjkqnj15t_U_w1SlmDdmqs6h_qRqnUF93wktJ_Bc_E1JkYL9aEvmXWuhMSpMcxMmLgf2BDHg4TyE4en2Cg84CsM4WNts/s1600/IMG_0209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7SYeUXhJpUJkXO-8X41p4VnpT0UgjoVr9K9f_o7LwvNGfsqNjkqnj15t_U_w1SlmDdmqs6h_qRqnUF93wktJ_Bc_E1JkYL9aEvmXWuhMSpMcxMmLgf2BDHg4TyE4en2Cg84CsM4WNts/s640/IMG_0209.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kain getting in the water!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwgL0a3X0r_D7qTFl0jzHCKmoAuaZbyLwcLPy0xRGs3QDMBhIh9l6T_lXlHCAsTG60kRd8trHZrAo88Ez9DooH2JnCHODFzD1S5ofOo5-VNjZyailUh5ii5uRZM13xhmYtL5WrACPpYI0/s1600/IMG_0222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwgL0a3X0r_D7qTFl0jzHCKmoAuaZbyLwcLPy0xRGs3QDMBhIh9l6T_lXlHCAsTG60kRd8trHZrAo88Ez9DooH2JnCHODFzD1S5ofOo5-VNjZyailUh5ii5uRZM13xhmYtL5WrACPpYI0/s640/IMG_0222.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nala swimming, Elka running</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBHLanVy0otQ1miXT0_kVjC3S8Zj5Iepc7EdPNsUbwb0_3NIhcwijZt1xtwnL9mgF87E187tvTRglLJs41j-YnbZsyKeX1OpnX-zMC1eusC4mr9tRCwv-OetAKKYO8I3KboCzh5Mk4F2s/s1600/IMG_0221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBHLanVy0otQ1miXT0_kVjC3S8Zj5Iepc7EdPNsUbwb0_3NIhcwijZt1xtwnL9mgF87E187tvTRglLJs41j-YnbZsyKeX1OpnX-zMC1eusC4mr9tRCwv-OetAKKYO8I3KboCzh5Mk4F2s/s640/IMG_0221.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two Germans</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1pRv6MQpC7xZh4-q7Bz8NA6m73-JBYWryLAvK2nUWkhO3PwzJxm5tq2JMADeRcj8D5-6aG0rIB09FwPo9huQN3SBkelQWD_m2Sp-Qsiap2Z6VVd89Yz0ZER0W86_8tOp70Cu4XYO9zc/s1600/IMG_0215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1pRv6MQpC7xZh4-q7Bz8NA6m73-JBYWryLAvK2nUWkhO3PwzJxm5tq2JMADeRcj8D5-6aG0rIB09FwPo9huQN3SBkelQWD_m2Sp-Qsiap2Z6VVd89Yz0ZER0W86_8tOp70Cu4XYO9zc/s640/IMG_0215.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nala Bear</td></tr>
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Happy Easter!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09315832182436970435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-975791638881800145.post-1551931554384555162013-02-03T16:05:00.003-08:002013-02-03T16:05:43.697-08:00Whole 30 challengeOn December 31st, I was browsing around on facebook and noticed that my cousin Sarah, (yes <a href="http://zteamlife.blogspot.com/2012/10/hump-day-nuggets-happenings-as-of-late.html" target="_blank">the same cousin from this post!</a>) and my aunt Katy, were talking about their prep for the whole30 challenge. I was intrigued, and asked some questions and was given the shopping list for the challenge. I thought about it and talked to Noell and we decided to take on the challenge. We decided to start on Jan 2nd so that we could prepare by shopping and prepping food on the 1st (plus we were on our way out the door to a NYE party and couldn't be bothered with small details like being prepared for this challenge). <div>
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So for those of you who are curious, here's the gist...eat whole foods for 30 days. So really what does that mean you ask? Let me use this picture to describe:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXfIIs55P17xhyphenhyphen9UOi3vdc55EEZDOAbJOHrmQ9rl4Q-6FK6lBem9oFc-uihsSCWcqXeF0xRPIyvcb2mBmTm5lKWWxSveyDVweIiIpVLW1jokAYMOHcInsX48VLS03qzfGR_k-gC1mA4U/s1600/w30+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXfIIs55P17xhyphenhyphen9UOi3vdc55EEZDOAbJOHrmQ9rl4Q-6FK6lBem9oFc-uihsSCWcqXeF0xRPIyvcb2mBmTm5lKWWxSveyDVweIiIpVLW1jokAYMOHcInsX48VLS03qzfGR_k-gC1mA4U/s640/w30+pic.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Quite a challenge for most people I would think, especially for me. I love desserts, cheese, yogurt, bread, and my beloved diet soda. All would be banished for this month. I was really unsure of how this would work...</div>
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So Jan 1st we cleaned out our cupboards, fridge, and freezer of off-limit items. We gave some things away, moved off-limit items to our garage freezer and moved allowed items to our regular refrigerator/freezer in the kitchen. I went to Sprouts and bought a gigantic amount of fruits, veggies, and organic meats. And we were off, diving into the whole30 challenge!</div>
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For me, it went really well. I didn't really feel too many cravings, nor did I feel hungry throughout the month. It was hard to give up the diet soda. Whole30 allows for plain black coffee or tea without sweetener, so I basically substituted tea for soda. After a couple of weeks people at work began to comment that I looked thinner. That was nice to hear but I didn't really feel thinner (i.e. my clothes did really fit any differently). But during the second 2 weeks, I noticed the change myself. I felt that my clothes were fitting much better and some were becoming too big! </div>
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Luckily for me, I am married to a great cook and she came up with some great meals that didn't feel like "diet" meals. I took pictures of my dinners each night and posted them on instagram (I'm <a href="http://instagram.com/kainpunk/" target="_blank">kainpunk</a> if you want to follow me). Here are a few of the dinners over the month:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUyf-UQ8zzYm0blY-uk8LlcsHNsDIMSMknnF7StGJXoep8nuPu2augVJvF1CzUzqhI-ZUoob8XBvtoxSG22Irau5Z84ddTfF8siQTB8HZcZSRG-anFnlfOeINXM83qp4ZOiFTv9mv27A/s1600/whole30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUyf-UQ8zzYm0blY-uk8LlcsHNsDIMSMknnF7StGJXoep8nuPu2augVJvF1CzUzqhI-ZUoob8XBvtoxSG22Irau5Z84ddTfF8siQTB8HZcZSRG-anFnlfOeINXM83qp4ZOiFTv9mv27A/s640/whole30.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Top row: Greek salad with grilled chicken, no feta, no pita; fried eggs and sausage.</div>
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2nd row: Cobb salad and chicken wings with whole30 buffalo sauce; left overs thrown into a bowl (chicken, beef, veggies, spaghetti squash), apple and almond butter; spaghetti squash with tomato sauce and turkey meatballs, salad.</div>
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3rd row: Curry soup and salad; tacos with lettuce as shell; artichokes, lettuce wraps, salad.</div>
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4th row: Grilled chicken, salad, and artichokes.</div>
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Noell made the whole30 mayo from the recipe in the book, and we used that as a base for sauces and dressings as needed. I also used a lot of olive oil and lemon for dressings to my salads. </div>
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So Jan 31st was the last day of the challenge, In total I lost 8 pounds! That was surprising to me because it didn't really feel like I had lost that much weight. I was expecting a few pounds at most. </div>
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Noell has felt AMAZING throughout the month and plans to continue to eat like this indefinitely. I felt good, but not amazing like she has experienced. I did get better sleep, on some days I had more energy than average, but not everyday. </div>
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I plan to keep the amount of "whole30 off limit" items to a low minimum but I do not plan to be so strict that I can never have cheese or dessert. What I really liked about this challenge was that my awareness has increased significantly surrounding what ingredients are in food and therefore I am paying much more attention to what I am putting into my body. </div>
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That's my whole30 story.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09315832182436970435noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-975791638881800145.post-20883883887289277822013-01-18T20:27:00.003-08:002013-01-18T20:27:59.382-08:00Dog Vocabulary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our dogs know a few words, but I doubt they know 165 words as claimed by <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/personal/08/07/smart.dogs/index.html" target="_blank">this article</a>, even considering that German Shepards are on the top 5 smartest list. But they do seem to differentiate between places we go regularly. Now, Elka is still young and she really doesn't seem to understand where we are going until we arrive; but Kain and Nala, they know what's what.<br />
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Of course they know all the regular words that most dogs know; sit, stay, come, hungry, treat, walk etc. But they have definitely picked up some additional vocabulary. If I say the word "beach", "mountain", or "island" they get really excited. Even without a word though, Kain and Nala get excited as we get close to the places in the car. How do they do that? Is it the landscape, the familiar turns? Who knows?<br />
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Now 'beach' is pretty self-explanatory, but 'mountain' and 'island' could use some elaboration. There is a mountain about 10-15 minutes from our house that we like to hike located within <a href="http://www.mtrp.org/" target="_blank">Mission Trails Park.</a> it's called Cowles Mountain. We usually hike up the back side on the fire road to avoid any congestion of people, but the whole thing is dog-friendly and our kids love it. <br />
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Now, onto the island. In Mission Bay, there is a little island called Fiesta Island. It is about 4.5 miles around, there are beaches and places to have bonfires, but the best part is....wait for it....a leash free dog park! With access to the bay!<br />
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Not only do the dogs love it but it is great for Noell and I too because one person can take all 3 dogs, and you don't have to hold 3 leashes. The dog park is on one end of Fiesta Island and is surrounded on 3 sides by water and one side is fenced. It is little over 1.5 miles around and it makes it perfect to do a quick 3-4.5 mile run. Over the many, many times we have been there, our dogs have (mostly) learned to stay out of the water unless we give them permission. But every once in a while, just when I get into a good running groove, I look over and there is one of my dogs heading for the water....That makes for some entertaining yelling on my part. <br />
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So last week I ended up with an unexpected day off and headed to the island, with 3 dogs in tow. I brought my camera along for the ride and here is what our trip was like.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-XMnbeDJmI58dYD2U8FZErWbDjHiQ-PqiPRLMJWgjo9hzM5VLvnS2HcVMKevRrDcfDCfiGK-hnxcjiRKuUAnHeh7CK9JNnLInlB_75qhs4j00SnNVf_raB7BmZZHplqsJlqvdU3_mT4Q/s1600/IMG_0152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-XMnbeDJmI58dYD2U8FZErWbDjHiQ-PqiPRLMJWgjo9hzM5VLvnS2HcVMKevRrDcfDCfiGK-hnxcjiRKuUAnHeh7CK9JNnLInlB_75qhs4j00SnNVf_raB7BmZZHplqsJlqvdU3_mT4Q/s640/IMG_0152.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elka is excited, even though she has no idea where we are going!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdvhUYKk4AKrN2xOyjiHF3SBF9rBh8ZPwy9EeMPPTKaoOB9mEQW-ksGImPf1Tw7wOwLFjOPskRITGCd28MLi_dWrnKwDApLH_yBf_Y16GrkLwLRBVjJc5SwPo1eO6wTDl0OCslEdnydEc/s1600/IMG_0163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdvhUYKk4AKrN2xOyjiHF3SBF9rBh8ZPwy9EeMPPTKaoOB9mEQW-ksGImPf1Tw7wOwLFjOPskRITGCd28MLi_dWrnKwDApLH_yBf_Y16GrkLwLRBVjJc5SwPo1eO6wTDl0OCslEdnydEc/s640/IMG_0163.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking things out when we first arrive.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc9ufbzfKEnFK4-H6USxLwUK67WUuR4CQfefCbWVn3xZbmy6XNM4-Mn8-hQBWHWK4T1KF1u02zjbXfv-jSYgtM30md2H1-lRvpF7uVnI19BoQbSA_yiKZqbNlvn9QD4k6Jf94D5N3KQDY/s1600/IMG_0162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc9ufbzfKEnFK4-H6USxLwUK67WUuR4CQfefCbWVn3xZbmy6XNM4-Mn8-hQBWHWK4T1KF1u02zjbXfv-jSYgtM30md2H1-lRvpF7uVnI19BoQbSA_yiKZqbNlvn9QD4k6Jf94D5N3KQDY/s640/IMG_0162.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Practicing a few 'call backs' at the beginning to make sure the doggles have on their listening hats.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUtq4XuUA6ucvuU7f3yZ1RTHGGLhXKuGNxT0nM1GE5IMCJm247oyUQbSxUoj-BIXyLU711uCugwDVmFDMEUYsZXmaQdx34SWy3SpafiaHOKxu0QQP-CQZD-wayHyJ2JQP86zYunRNF-g/s1600/IMG_0166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUtq4XuUA6ucvuU7f3yZ1RTHGGLhXKuGNxT0nM1GE5IMCJm247oyUQbSxUoj-BIXyLU711uCugwDVmFDMEUYsZXmaQdx34SWy3SpafiaHOKxu0QQP-CQZD-wayHyJ2JQP86zYunRNF-g/s640/IMG_0166.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up on the rim, over that edge is a hill that leads to the beach/water.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0G3umIeCTvUy5UJoNXhPh5DNEg1gfxxvOdon-I7c5GaRNhliEIbL3iWSVXaQLk6heV7jMmUinj34X0SDHGECUJIgPO6uRIOQGsSNU1Etwt8Ur6Id1sxlHNplZQpavOEFScybYkBtRfc/s1600/IMG_0167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0G3umIeCTvUy5UJoNXhPh5DNEg1gfxxvOdon-I7c5GaRNhliEIbL3iWSVXaQLk6heV7jMmUinj34X0SDHGECUJIgPO6uRIOQGsSNU1Etwt8Ur6Id1sxlHNplZQpavOEFScybYkBtRfc/s640/IMG_0167.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks like the Germans are interested in the water. Sorry girls, not today.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAbQgsN501lH-mM8x6btIdYnQLwu8bdwUeUO2YPNsPVHmmF0ugqAibnpWsqpTKmoHuqIVIpZ-VXgG0Cnhs0CbpNsLTuOOLOK4filw_GWojik_qAFhgbapeys0l_QbRwT6QxboSy9ooJA/s1600/IMG_0172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAbQgsN501lH-mM8x6btIdYnQLwu8bdwUeUO2YPNsPVHmmF0ugqAibnpWsqpTKmoHuqIVIpZ-VXgG0Cnhs0CbpNsLTuOOLOK4filw_GWojik_qAFhgbapeys0l_QbRwT6QxboSy9ooJA/s640/IMG_0172.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful day.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgitjxZHJK0-Eb8UDiY1dyciAyyIj6O8if4F04CGuxLA499gu4BJJNoTC_boUGzqvKXS9_djZVb22_mm76mUFnxstupFEJ3BhbkJHrabXMZ4UK8CJrLV1M44VobbNiq6zh3337V6F7iI/s1600/IMG_0184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgitjxZHJK0-Eb8UDiY1dyciAyyIj6O8if4F04CGuxLA499gu4BJJNoTC_boUGzqvKXS9_djZVb22_mm76mUFnxstupFEJ3BhbkJHrabXMZ4UK8CJrLV1M44VobbNiq6zh3337V6F7iI/s640/IMG_0184.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kain runs ahead, Nala stays close to me, and Elka Bean can never decide what to do, so she alternates running with Kain and hanging back with Nala. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCyO6edfiSUJ7VpbOUi2O38Nrjj82deV6UCIXyCIgzv0uKFQQVInuYjh01_g-QokpTPg-mF3MqDrLIZliObzLMjh-IctFkhR1CZrXZFS7c3EB9DbYfzWOkCTsZaKBzvb8O5qGshckBqa0/s1600/IMG_0170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCyO6edfiSUJ7VpbOUi2O38Nrjj82deV6UCIXyCIgzv0uKFQQVInuYjh01_g-QokpTPg-mF3MqDrLIZliObzLMjh-IctFkhR1CZrXZFS7c3EB9DbYfzWOkCTsZaKBzvb8O5qGshckBqa0/s640/IMG_0170.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">FINALLY! A decent picture with all three butts.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkd5myDYsLMhlmNNucqH10zdNlPe1R9hf3S8VO2MxUh0Iym1qjmTDDxK6s9NfuV4LAYUrk9u8mdBwa9kS5Y17o_ymVQWNhadV3mtIzfD7fGNhBYey9a-8Tx3Igl9R6DR_cdmvkNMUABB4/s1600/IMG_0175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkd5myDYsLMhlmNNucqH10zdNlPe1R9hf3S8VO2MxUh0Iym1qjmTDDxK6s9NfuV4LAYUrk9u8mdBwa9kS5Y17o_ymVQWNhadV3mtIzfD7fGNhBYey9a-8Tx3Igl9R6DR_cdmvkNMUABB4/s640/IMG_0175.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Follow the leader.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirfeaFYWhTSJwAPEvLVjIWVx44p7IJeZcJGLpJ98ojr9QIOc5iA0EhGP3xz44jV9_f1lHOy2kQd_6dbsEnATs7OWxIHIVB31hmJ5xLd3dSf8OpVs1XAxGh8i2L_m9GntBJDcbdddq0Nyo/s1600/IMG_0177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirfeaFYWhTSJwAPEvLVjIWVx44p7IJeZcJGLpJ98ojr9QIOc5iA0EhGP3xz44jV9_f1lHOy2kQd_6dbsEnATs7OWxIHIVB31hmJ5xLd3dSf8OpVs1XAxGh8i2L_m9GntBJDcbdddq0Nyo/s640/IMG_0177.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kain in front, Elka sprinting to catch up, and Nala hanging with me. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7D9PDhvx0vVccjM4GO54oG7afT0b5wNEFSKMtRTEnuSne0ug6w9M3PujjE-QhL_KLMKA_R2X9whYxfisz_1xsXb8aqKfk5NphcH-PkGPUDG4wSSrxrbXufpDFP2bVpeqyI16MM_H7Kc/s1600/IMG_0176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7D9PDhvx0vVccjM4GO54oG7afT0b5wNEFSKMtRTEnuSne0ug6w9M3PujjE-QhL_KLMKA_R2X9whYxfisz_1xsXb8aqKfk5NphcH-PkGPUDG4wSSrxrbXufpDFP2bVpeqyI16MM_H7Kc/s640/IMG_0176.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nala Bear, 8 years</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDJkB9FwahFXg9sfae0dG4GgcK9OET_-eqPjkkBokTgo_UgpBDw7cySbmnz4lHdwWT-j6j0elbKJCT1Qv8liNX0Ee8xPtbQUY3rUO_RM9esn77AD2CfjPVSJpqeyDdCu-t7lEPWkrolQ/s1600/IMG_0179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDJkB9FwahFXg9sfae0dG4GgcK9OET_-eqPjkkBokTgo_UgpBDw7cySbmnz4lHdwWT-j6j0elbKJCT1Qv8liNX0Ee8xPtbQUY3rUO_RM9esn77AD2CfjPVSJpqeyDdCu-t7lEPWkrolQ/s640/IMG_0179.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elka June, 7.5 months</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKaOtU6N1l7h7ivRVJnccGvfKhx_bkdF4KRVe5Z5YzjH5Q3JuReBNfndlZDh8jYiDhmmHj5-Dv-KAeW9gAhXaGRZNzZGHjSScpmOFCxqsVTB9ghlY0yqy3BrZDprC-vR3TnGpFERPMjBY/s1600/IMG_0183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKaOtU6N1l7h7ivRVJnccGvfKhx_bkdF4KRVe5Z5YzjH5Q3JuReBNfndlZDh8jYiDhmmHj5-Dv-KAeW9gAhXaGRZNzZGHjSScpmOFCxqsVTB9ghlY0yqy3BrZDprC-vR3TnGpFERPMjBY/s640/IMG_0183.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sweet bo-beet, 9 years</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09315832182436970435noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-975791638881800145.post-66136363393294179082013-01-06T16:14:00.002-08:002013-01-06T16:15:45.991-08:00Christmas 2012Today will be few words and many pictures.<br />
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I was lucky enough to marry into a family that has an amazing talent for cooking, baking and everything to do with food. My mother-in-law, Carol, makes amazing hand-dipped Christmas candy and she had taught me how to do it! But! This year for Christmas she was in town and we were able to make the candies together. It's always more fun with a buddy.<br />
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First you make the centers....<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrs6iDy_Yx1WK0h4j1deMJNJRQWzXPOHLkl7UzzI9F-VviTD56FMyrsG23XRYN-erKTt65nZ0Z7tFc8mXwc7r8OrobXtnmRqzZGc_kQ8EHttwgx-L61EoJYiLojiVYfGWGtYLa8lbXIoE/s1600/IMG_0072+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrs6iDy_Yx1WK0h4j1deMJNJRQWzXPOHLkl7UzzI9F-VviTD56FMyrsG23XRYN-erKTt65nZ0Z7tFc8mXwc7r8OrobXtnmRqzZGc_kQ8EHttwgx-L61EoJYiLojiVYfGWGtYLa8lbXIoE/s640/IMG_0072+-+Copy.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coconut centers</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgDisisglvbXy72bFunQi7bs9XA8fIrPbhJDVa0KnFq-jwx0kJ8uk6GLORKAk21meV3y7l8ssbAgUb3w4ciIYP9oYiQkOo88xkBNGtXln1Me1798ChZ1w-rHpMqYDsTMiuaFXu189R-FY/s1600/IMG_0074+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgDisisglvbXy72bFunQi7bs9XA8fIrPbhJDVa0KnFq-jwx0kJ8uk6GLORKAk21meV3y7l8ssbAgUb3w4ciIYP9oYiQkOo88xkBNGtXln1Me1798ChZ1w-rHpMqYDsTMiuaFXu189R-FY/s640/IMG_0074+-+Copy.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caramel centers</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsCuk9_Ze95iGx3RsQZ7cYUg0B6DX4QkjDkw7rbwaFq__YDBk7NnPXiS9qVpc5eeb1csg_LH1TgKz0o9LjKS922r23L4OZq0pChMAniAgAk5Y2yiOMk6sgkKDgWhckv_8PRjaYoEfPpQ8/s1600/IMG_0075+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsCuk9_Ze95iGx3RsQZ7cYUg0B6DX4QkjDkw7rbwaFq__YDBk7NnPXiS9qVpc5eeb1csg_LH1TgKz0o9LjKS922r23L4OZq0pChMAniAgAk5Y2yiOMk6sgkKDgWhckv_8PRjaYoEfPpQ8/s640/IMG_0075+-+Copy.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marshmallow centers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZOrQJfqBZePKSxMhVwXySmcLa5Zu9zVqdVDHqhgauvVXSbJ63pToWo9xegusbaIjHaCHiqDMS6j-gX8Rl2tm-8rDVAr395pLHc9JJpcsj0kszFtYxKwsaC5jtyw_2gRvwaWH0a5qy-k/s1600/IMG_0088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZOrQJfqBZePKSxMhVwXySmcLa5Zu9zVqdVDHqhgauvVXSbJ63pToWo9xegusbaIjHaCHiqDMS6j-gX8Rl2tm-8rDVAr395pLHc9JJpcsj0kszFtYxKwsaC5jtyw_2gRvwaWH0a5qy-k/s640/IMG_0088.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Step 1 of butter-cream centers</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrlCUsLeYXa_uC0qBfuoNlcDLf40F0_VkthbPHVyrkTUEC-s7_8RUJKZ00rHkvyNdXVbYr_Uc_Us0GpAXOSSFjkBNTEx7U1QVo741kFkyeNQd7M-gYLH4oPtAdCHuiz6wrdoGdS1-2Tw/s1600/IMG_0092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrlCUsLeYXa_uC0qBfuoNlcDLf40F0_VkthbPHVyrkTUEC-s7_8RUJKZ00rHkvyNdXVbYr_Uc_Us0GpAXOSSFjkBNTEx7U1QVo741kFkyeNQd7M-gYLH4oPtAdCHuiz6wrdoGdS1-2Tw/s640/IMG_0092.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Step 2 of butter-cream centers</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMdmNjH0sjJUZrdh0Dux590TweU4oG78saaVKk2n_FSgM2AagROlufXceOq5taMJvvLiFBIXnT6bgC8zmpRlQDolqwW_BztfiBeakScO9XEj-VkjwS5afag2IllBzHyFJzfku1XBl960U/s1600/IMG_0095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMdmNjH0sjJUZrdh0Dux590TweU4oG78saaVKk2n_FSgM2AagROlufXceOq5taMJvvLiFBIXnT6bgC8zmpRlQDolqwW_BztfiBeakScO9XEj-VkjwS5afag2IllBzHyFJzfku1XBl960U/s640/IMG_0095.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Step 3 of butter-cream centers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QzjtG0F85n17XDHYapXoD5nSpMy3QgJOtqrPF01rohqtu8gV-C4z2cfV3-2wXEAOIWsBLl1lC6M3x_3zSV8ohKe-Dm6OG5CTNBqRQC_pV14PoIb9jh5uyOVeKBbkBuhzw9Ue7My-Vs4/s1600/IMG_0096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QzjtG0F85n17XDHYapXoD5nSpMy3QgJOtqrPF01rohqtu8gV-C4z2cfV3-2wXEAOIWsBLl1lC6M3x_3zSV8ohKe-Dm6OG5CTNBqRQC_pV14PoIb9jh5uyOVeKBbkBuhzw9Ue7My-Vs4/s640/IMG_0096.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final step of butter-cream centers</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpAQxGUQOAXCiZ26KxS1dA3IGPg7tfS04cbiAcuDCdunFl_u7KmvrM3o0kpI-wVz2cW8Zh18Mq5_xRFA_YxpWlY5hsfY-jzJfCCM_pGHP-opa9fsECkiTPGl72sHo9ubqYCfDSQcVdag/s1600/IMG_0099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpAQxGUQOAXCiZ26KxS1dA3IGPg7tfS04cbiAcuDCdunFl_u7KmvrM3o0kpI-wVz2cW8Zh18Mq5_xRFA_YxpWlY5hsfY-jzJfCCM_pGHP-opa9fsECkiTPGl72sHo9ubqYCfDSQcVdag/s640/IMG_0099.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peanut-butter centers and butter-cream centers</td></tr>
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And then there is chocolate....It starts like this, the biggest candy bar you have ever seen!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsOw4uT_GPWfpkk0CSBoBuYtRqB7yNKQcZXCUkSIp6IpEozu6F0OF8ma4VONPpoeMj6ixlCi-SZTBGd_BZYkN0WbVq-40BytWPXEMSypb_3WpjLObNTj2AblgOe4rMfBR8P1koz4mdFw/s1600/candy+making+2012+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsOw4uT_GPWfpkk0CSBoBuYtRqB7yNKQcZXCUkSIp6IpEozu6F0OF8ma4VONPpoeMj6ixlCi-SZTBGd_BZYkN0WbVq-40BytWPXEMSypb_3WpjLObNTj2AblgOe4rMfBR8P1koz4mdFw/s640/candy+making+2012+-+Copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hello, welcome to the kitchen</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkG_e0177NDk9yBp7FHJ80P1gFA6rinbNIK1EJXPL202bHaDqukf1riuxOCbJp0YTNQ8R1c7hfzK9umb6AnWiOYWy0SV2ujHgZqCS3Pkk7KewoH3Rj7aiUQntQYH489euuzFU9qhkcKP4/s1600/IMG_0073+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkG_e0177NDk9yBp7FHJ80P1gFA6rinbNIK1EJXPL202bHaDqukf1riuxOCbJp0YTNQ8R1c7hfzK9umb6AnWiOYWy0SV2ujHgZqCS3Pkk7KewoH3Rj7aiUQntQYH489euuzFU9qhkcKP4/s640/IMG_0073+-+Copy.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melting</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1ozhhdqaBVDlSTVOvDwuk6Pk2AdsqVw1y-pZ5BM6N1A9EHx9L03ymlW35w3aI0omI2GUC4acQr0ItPPqzTSOhi7lgrNBDAHgIgKaC4g8jJnXLTAYjn4vHufrd38xpwQh7bOtq_RtJo0/s1600/IMG_0077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1ozhhdqaBVDlSTVOvDwuk6Pk2AdsqVw1y-pZ5BM6N1A9EHx9L03ymlW35w3aI0omI2GUC4acQr0ItPPqzTSOhi7lgrNBDAHgIgKaC4g8jJnXLTAYjn4vHufrd38xpwQh7bOtq_RtJo0/s640/IMG_0077.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tempering (bringing the chocolate down to the right temp for dipping and ending up with a shiny pretty finish)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgyGuV7KFRMeHK8DOsKOjTO5u9SwckCqfnPTptg5_JpTyEhDnU9uSMw47QyV-m5y45pswMEVZSzFitZhoNzdb81_D_LK7Mcb4xZA_RZiEUrxur3VoUR6NNvDR06mPNNhcN8ZxazFMKfU/s1600/IMG_0079+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgyGuV7KFRMeHK8DOsKOjTO5u9SwckCqfnPTptg5_JpTyEhDnU9uSMw47QyV-m5y45pswMEVZSzFitZhoNzdb81_D_LK7Mcb4xZA_RZiEUrxur3VoUR6NNvDR06mPNNhcN8ZxazFMKfU/s640/IMG_0079+-+Copy.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sea salt caramels</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNf6tI3hhI2-Sord6v00JjXzXBLOWUJQd5myIBrSdPtlNZY8ND-0hyeAp1y6i7faH86fWHaZhMTjdZtOVhS_UtrCivSQyuo9EkUamwGe1tmJ3_4oxXI4uXS4mheOt_V7ZHgBFjj7dNVqo/s1600/IMG_0080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNf6tI3hhI2-Sord6v00JjXzXBLOWUJQd5myIBrSdPtlNZY8ND-0hyeAp1y6i7faH86fWHaZhMTjdZtOVhS_UtrCivSQyuo9EkUamwGe1tmJ3_4oxXI4uXS4mheOt_V7ZHgBFjj7dNVqo/s640/IMG_0080.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mallows</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikT1GnK-qttPUMkiyiRCqtXuHrlLIIdjQ0VZx0mzFelIo_EDKJjMluhhD7Zxl3bUKCevf0sMb2yM4XYTMqXzkFCArgCg2aKLfmBxUoBBR4sZdsq00rbaSw9sIMatLYbZpauPcxTW8-iv4/s1600/IMG_0100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikT1GnK-qttPUMkiyiRCqtXuHrlLIIdjQ0VZx0mzFelIo_EDKJjMluhhD7Zxl3bUKCevf0sMb2yM4XYTMqXzkFCArgCg2aKLfmBxUoBBR4sZdsq00rbaSw9sIMatLYbZpauPcxTW8-iv4/s640/IMG_0100.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peanut butter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6sPmZghz2msFKSm_8Gqj0GCvBBsb405iFp1v5lNacZB0MAdrQkrGJqZy-HuYVWwEpNl4Jd2KCUryXMmlF7lib7vdVN-mbUiN-JlBrcace_P9e-odxQc5tYjYBa0OB7xHYxcC_JteT_JM/s1600/IMG_0101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6sPmZghz2msFKSm_8Gqj0GCvBBsb405iFp1v5lNacZB0MAdrQkrGJqZy-HuYVWwEpNl4Jd2KCUryXMmlF7lib7vdVN-mbUiN-JlBrcace_P9e-odxQc5tYjYBa0OB7xHYxcC_JteT_JM/s640/IMG_0101.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peanuts in milk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNK9yWfV1uQAWOopc7b4zDbRaFQXTDgO8qZiwmyoqkxT2WuBjDq8xinEd1nv7l-Sy5D_nShlyHtfvm196eHv9LUHHxdYaGhcIuYc2Tac7Bq3f9qiBlJgLf_qSNZe7M4RZ5OidQ3BenC2c/s1600/IMG_0078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNK9yWfV1uQAWOopc7b4zDbRaFQXTDgO8qZiwmyoqkxT2WuBjDq8xinEd1nv7l-Sy5D_nShlyHtfvm196eHv9LUHHxdYaGhcIuYc2Tac7Bq3f9qiBlJgLf_qSNZe7M4RZ5OidQ3BenC2c/s640/IMG_0078.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butter -creams all ready to go!</td></tr>
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We didn't get any pictures of us dipping due to the fact that we were both covered in chocolate and unable to handle the camera. <br />
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Christmas Eve is Carol's birthday so we celebrate it as a birthday party instead of Christmas. Jennifer and Kip made a wonderful dinner and we had food, drinks, family, and friends. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNYX-X0rGaaYyejaZ7TVdCXiBCE3O8G_aipD3mZDqsaMvig2exypgM4Xb2ONgAT535FtX51573qmMo0US3LJjwRB18gSyH2hIjQTVxCG7CrjY5g_3NhKBRqCH7BfHHBvclnwscmSO0fs/s1600/IMG_0102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNYX-X0rGaaYyejaZ7TVdCXiBCE3O8G_aipD3mZDqsaMvig2exypgM4Xb2ONgAT535FtX51573qmMo0US3LJjwRB18gSyH2hIjQTVxCG7CrjY5g_3NhKBRqCH7BfHHBvclnwscmSO0fs/s640/IMG_0102.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Appetizers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2C_oNJtoNoLXsHGGGtMdWR-FylEMi9pV4RYNTyyqI3Kb9ZzDwvpb3N7HjTEk6TzS14fH_WQoTzqWuagcxsL8K6pxHqGe65F2DTw7RtBYWo5tklfqz2LGLOQNYle1EqjP6Oxr-k_0z42I/s1600/IMG_0103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2C_oNJtoNoLXsHGGGtMdWR-FylEMi9pV4RYNTyyqI3Kb9ZzDwvpb3N7HjTEk6TzS14fH_WQoTzqWuagcxsL8K6pxHqGe65F2DTw7RtBYWo5tklfqz2LGLOQNYle1EqjP6Oxr-k_0z42I/s640/IMG_0103.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris and Otis</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivGly12eZJKNvL-PHYv2VjUYS-7jjr7bssgGf070qnkaxkvfJy2bC4e2l6OqaLndllM6HhPWNSllL8HLNF4bYV6jxJDWQGuEuP51tZ7mnbPRqW3t0hTAJe47it5QLxI1nvKVa4CRJke4/s1600/IMG_0106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivGly12eZJKNvL-PHYv2VjUYS-7jjr7bssgGf070qnkaxkvfJy2bC4e2l6OqaLndllM6HhPWNSllL8HLNF4bYV6jxJDWQGuEuP51tZ7mnbPRqW3t0hTAJe47it5QLxI1nvKVa4CRJke4/s640/IMG_0106.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left: John, Otis, Carol and me</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGCzNGBOdN2sEQ-YKp-Cg4fUZyaOv8BfNdAc9ggIbfHpsLkihd0tEfXukMvqfCU8NfSFg22yhgummlWcthk5Ei4OCGYgOiAZVfUyNpzzkO0M6XJc8xak1YT7e5W5_VwJTBOqAOfKUVAY/s1600/IMG_0108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGCzNGBOdN2sEQ-YKp-Cg4fUZyaOv8BfNdAc9ggIbfHpsLkihd0tEfXukMvqfCU8NfSFg22yhgummlWcthk5Ei4OCGYgOiAZVfUyNpzzkO0M6XJc8xak1YT7e5W5_VwJTBOqAOfKUVAY/s640/IMG_0108.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly and Chris</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLhwCWKVioyRod2_asuD1OT61PgbC2FgQ3qadJ1Etqcen-yGuzZxwubg3DABtKBTDeabOTFSWOAgE-KMtfapvl4oIHgloDdE8Tw1lBWZlBowocNiGXxpNdZ02e6xAvnW8Lgkx1XxF5PEU/s1600/IMG_0124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLhwCWKVioyRod2_asuD1OT61PgbC2FgQ3qadJ1Etqcen-yGuzZxwubg3DABtKBTDeabOTFSWOAgE-KMtfapvl4oIHgloDdE8Tw1lBWZlBowocNiGXxpNdZ02e6xAvnW8Lgkx1XxF5PEU/s640/IMG_0124.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Birthday Cheesecake</td></tr>
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Christmas day we celebrated at our house with gifts, and brunch. Later we went my my aunt and uncles home for dinner (and to Skype-open presents with my parents!) but I forgot my camera for that. Bummer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6Y9iQJL119YQq6Ha3F2HesFjNylX3ZpHHVoytq3KufFwnP_foGayM6pS8r7blPweElr5i5gLgfQVGAS4MupxfunHIQFLsyb7PG9ms4mdoHJyXiJr3TFchji2cL0IoZHYCOf5gIPZSyc/s1600/IMG_0139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6Y9iQJL119YQq6Ha3F2HesFjNylX3ZpHHVoytq3KufFwnP_foGayM6pS8r7blPweElr5i5gLgfQVGAS4MupxfunHIQFLsyb7PG9ms4mdoHJyXiJr3TFchji2cL0IoZHYCOf5gIPZSyc/s640/IMG_0139.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzZ5AxqEv23ZOoUrJriyMhRommd0Wa46Fwa6KmUg9kCJk9n_azsmm_g_FVetLwv3JHkJIAzIkyc5Zeb3MmImSf1bWXlp_LKWgOkt31ZOUweF5d6EQSqOcz53slrYzvxE5IuFa1hGoVBs/s1600/IMG_0140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzZ5AxqEv23ZOoUrJriyMhRommd0Wa46Fwa6KmUg9kCJk9n_azsmm_g_FVetLwv3JHkJIAzIkyc5Zeb3MmImSf1bWXlp_LKWgOkt31ZOUweF5d6EQSqOcz53slrYzvxE5IuFa1hGoVBs/s640/IMG_0140.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone is excited to open presents! (Check out Elka taking a sneak peek!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SixdiGePlONWtpog5iYlrndkPutbbh7oPakX1owGxyxV-sm4rZhKo3zZXuK-EJmbiCj_RNfJOOsLKxJ0uq0VpJpE_hWHdtZfoH9vDReGEJTPCzSe_8MiDKzLlPKr07UV2H6IKjnqvNY/s1600/IMG_0143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SixdiGePlONWtpog5iYlrndkPutbbh7oPakX1owGxyxV-sm4rZhKo3zZXuK-EJmbiCj_RNfJOOsLKxJ0uq0VpJpE_hWHdtZfoH9vDReGEJTPCzSe_8MiDKzLlPKr07UV2H6IKjnqvNY/s640/IMG_0143.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nana, Papa, and John</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17BuhSf1OBVrpWfXOuHp_jCrksjhGOIn0DWaQ1doMAqjd2T-ZGeEr5b_FFBtFgCpcbGf1ZbD516DEE6yzYn44DCHgghFfn7g7EizHpGoxeo3C-6JlOaHFmIXKmchWGqko7fxgDjrKCAo/s1600/IMG_0130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17BuhSf1OBVrpWfXOuHp_jCrksjhGOIn0DWaQ1doMAqjd2T-ZGeEr5b_FFBtFgCpcbGf1ZbD516DEE6yzYn44DCHgghFfn7g7EizHpGoxeo3C-6JlOaHFmIXKmchWGqko7fxgDjrKCAo/s640/IMG_0130.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deedle deet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-3VL7Yyz_mMRS9Fw225R6Rtmn1nC_t6gRkLeiEteaikAMo6ZNsUw2Y04FxDI0NT4g2uadb9TjfMOzVbE2VIxq3JX15N2vKX0d8_lq8b2gBqc9t26_asbHMbeRbVA1zX6jH0UBk78FSU/s1600/IMG_0128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-3VL7Yyz_mMRS9Fw225R6Rtmn1nC_t6gRkLeiEteaikAMo6ZNsUw2Y04FxDI0NT4g2uadb9TjfMOzVbE2VIxq3JX15N2vKX0d8_lq8b2gBqc9t26_asbHMbeRbVA1zX6jH0UBk78FSU/s640/IMG_0128.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kain</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9NfrFOjhyrotj1bAuAb0-qrvx2093DDUkv3mr-tKOTKUVczF7MDpbFYYoXOzLAPeIPVHgMClNZolmekyckye9feIivm3CpKvhk-dpz16AZOQdvqXULPBK80UKbh-FhSaocSkEyk9J6I/s1600/IMG_0126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9NfrFOjhyrotj1bAuAb0-qrvx2093DDUkv3mr-tKOTKUVczF7MDpbFYYoXOzLAPeIPVHgMClNZolmekyckye9feIivm3CpKvhk-dpz16AZOQdvqXULPBK80UKbh-FhSaocSkEyk9J6I/s640/IMG_0126.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nala Bear</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWKqwymFySJdhUeVeEhivkcN_12MjzElEPXR_-GKWa-aRACZkCUeZ3HjRTdSKZqg5p3Ayp80qmwfDUquqXo2z809k1U5uTyd8zmGzxEbbmv9mR925TOztW8osM5mHst8JqGWpiK53LChI/s1600/IMG_0133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWKqwymFySJdhUeVeEhivkcN_12MjzElEPXR_-GKWa-aRACZkCUeZ3HjRTdSKZqg5p3Ayp80qmwfDUquqXo2z809k1U5uTyd8zmGzxEbbmv9mR925TOztW8osM5mHst8JqGWpiK53LChI/s640/IMG_0133.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elka Bean</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8bDl8ZNuY7wuwqj8MQZsLYG1vqZN72AIAe7SGqvE4A5B8sSBwqkvnmez_UMbnQCZih6LEm4aEKjIiv5ScSU64XpyVmlRaXU3YWdHakHTAS2BLbmm9Gx1HbGzWf43W8fjS0lEe_SUTds/s1600/IMG_0144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8bDl8ZNuY7wuwqj8MQZsLYG1vqZN72AIAe7SGqvE4A5B8sSBwqkvnmez_UMbnQCZih6LEm4aEKjIiv5ScSU64XpyVmlRaXU3YWdHakHTAS2BLbmm9Gx1HbGzWf43W8fjS0lEe_SUTds/s640/IMG_0144.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deet likes the hut</td></tr>
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I got kind of involved in Christmas and stopped taking pictures once the open of gifts started. I just wanted to enjoy the time and not worry about getting good shots of everyone. Hope you all had a magical Christmas and are off to a great start this new year!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09315832182436970435noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-975791638881800145.post-15001690866139987572012-12-23T14:03:00.000-08:002012-12-23T14:12:14.163-08:00Island time...Noell and I have birthdays that are close together (me 11/27 and her 12/10; go ahead and start planning what to get us next year). For our birthdays this year, we decided to go on a little trip to celebrate together and we planned it for the first weekend in December. Thanks to it being the off-season for Catallina, we decided we would take advantage and head to the island. Noell found a screaming deal on Groupon and we booked the weekend. <br />
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The week leading up to the trip we were both really stressed and busy. It really didn't seem like we had time to go away for one of the few precious weekends left before Christmas. I was thinking of all that needed to be done to prepare for Christmas, to finish for school, and prepare for Noell's parents to come for the holidays. Noell was busy with her new business space and her clientele was increasing by the day. We didn't really talk about these feelings beforehand but we both felt it. The tension in the house was obvious to both of us.<br />
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During the drive up to Dana Point, we already started to decompress. We actually had time to chat and catch up on things that we were so busy we had glossed over lately. We got on the ferry to head to Catalina and about one hour later, this is what we saw...<br />
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It was beautiful. The fog was just lifting, the cute little town of Avalon built into the side of the island was so cool to see as we pulled up. We got picked up by the hotel shuttle and settled into our room. We checked out the happy hour at the restaurant bar in the hotel and then headed into town to check it out. We got some Chinese food the first night, and walked around enjoying the Christmas lights and decorations. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot and sour soup.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avalon at night.</td></tr>
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The next day we got up and went for a hike. We walked over to the Conservancy on the island and got a map of hiking and camping spots for future use. We walked up to the botanical garden and the <a href="http://www.catalinaconservancy.org/index.php?s=visit&p=wrigley_memorial_and_botanic_garden" target="_blank">Wrigley Memorial</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fuzzy cactus.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the top of the memorial monument.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Us at the top.</td></tr>
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We had a nice dinner that night, and then headed over to a different restaurant for a nightcap. We played cards in our hotel room both nights, this isn't the first vacation that we have played games. We seem to be in the mood to just spend some quality time together while we are away. We don't always seem to find the time for that at home. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nightcap: Cider for me, whiskey for her. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cozy bar seating.</td></tr>
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The next morning we got up and had breakfast at our hotel, it was delicious! French toast and omelets, yum! Then we headed back down to catch the ferry back to the mainland. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for the ferry.</td></tr>
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At first this trip seemed more like a hassle than a getaway but in the end it was really a great time for us to relax and re-connect right before the holiday busyness.<br />
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And here is a little <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/moments-that-restored-our-faith-in-humanity-this-y" target="_blank">holiday goodness</a> for you to enjoy if you haven't already seen it!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09315832182436970435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-975791638881800145.post-42085047179162347012012-11-27T14:02:00.000-08:002012-11-27T21:06:34.175-08:00Politics and kiddos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;">I am here in St. Louis with my family typing this post. I have had so many thoughts and ideas over this past month to write about but I haven't found the time to put together any posts. When I got my ticket to come home this trip I was very aware of the dates of travel and that it would be very soon after the election. This is interesting because my parents and I are on very opposite sides of the political issues. I tend to think about politics as a spectrum versus just democrat or republican; each person falls somewhere, but it not always easy to see where they fit just by looking. For example, my parents support me in my marriage and came to celebrate with my wife and I this summer as we married; however they would not vote to allow legal same sex marriage. To see them at my wedding, you would probably assume that they were liberal (ish), or at least moderate on at least social issues. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLOQRFppHEIz2T9pS2gLiJc236nL-vrdM6jIXY3QgID4nPZWEFqkMRaAEAZdPD9IjwrW3dunDyNRrWeGnF_CFr3P5tDNggwmM_CV0QZmCbX37wYq0uc0eWgNwoIFTjExBoYOeWC3Kn1I/s1600/wedding+pics+from+michael+698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLOQRFppHEIz2T9pS2gLiJc236nL-vrdM6jIXY3QgID4nPZWEFqkMRaAEAZdPD9IjwrW3dunDyNRrWeGnF_CFr3P5tDNggwmM_CV0QZmCbX37wYq0uc0eWgNwoIFTjExBoYOeWC3Kn1I/s640/wedding+pics+from+michael+698.JPG" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beginning of the Z team!</td></tr>
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<br />
It is definitely weird, confusing, and sometimes hurtful, but really, if a gay daughter that they happily support (emotionally and financially) in a marriage ceremony, doesn't change their political views on the topic, I don't know what would. <br />
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To clear things up (in case there was ever a question) I want to say that I am so Proud (yes with a capital P) that we, as a country, made the choice we did on November 6th. Nice job America, well done.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_v318Y6XFpjbjdq63jQuX_sfo-Ibw_TlIRmIhr6k1pZZ035vpr4ms07m9lWHf2qz0CfnTNGGGPsObR3y72UxLG8TCcIHy_ixo6xWSyvNPeAoh1sYFBOWEsCgimyXU-X8A9SWwpWb7eK8/s1600/IMG_20121006_190459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_v318Y6XFpjbjdq63jQuX_sfo-Ibw_TlIRmIhr6k1pZZ035vpr4ms07m9lWHf2qz0CfnTNGGGPsObR3y72UxLG8TCcIHy_ixo6xWSyvNPeAoh1sYFBOWEsCgimyXU-X8A9SWwpWb7eK8/s400/IMG_20121006_190459.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Supportin' my man. #barackobama</td></tr>
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I just had a big long explanation typed about reasons that I voted the way I did (complete with youtube clips :)) and why it is important to me, I but deleted it, realizing that the election is over, my guy won, and I am happy and very thankful for that, so why stir the pot? <br />
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: :<br />
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In other St. Louis happenings, my mom, sister, (who blogs over <a href="http://vilseckvagabond.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">here</a>) and I ran in a 5K on Thanksgiving day. It was an out-and-back style run, which I prefer to a loop, but I had no idea of that when we started. To be honest, once we started and we went down a few steep hills right off the bat, I was hoping for a course that was a circle! Kaitlyn and I painted our faces and I got several comments on my "war paint". <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2LCnB6GxVCaH7xr2AIs1-1F56ei5mdJ8RrrlO-lIV_0RsWSUdqWOctqGMZ1FpB_ZpNHW2stgcOKU9fD543xLoE2bKN1vEjU2x-WtQu8X84Q_J2vUJ7dYpoXvpg1Zgpkeae6nBjSVELE/s1600/IMG_20121122_074117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2LCnB6GxVCaH7xr2AIs1-1F56ei5mdJ8RrrlO-lIV_0RsWSUdqWOctqGMZ1FpB_ZpNHW2stgcOKU9fD543xLoE2bKN1vEjU2x-WtQu8X84Q_J2vUJ7dYpoXvpg1Zgpkeae6nBjSVELE/s400/IMG_20121122_074117.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right as the pic is snapped, Kait says "I'm not gonna smile". Cracked me up!</td></tr>
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: :<br />
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I soaked up as much of these kids as I could until today when I woke up with a sore throat and headache. I love being an aunt and seeing these kiddos grow.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR7rxJegNqtlMqHvhxDxwRZg1Iu4FNJ5iCC-yi4CGMUsADk8gCvzRXH-26_QeVozyZmnedj1Ryx0tTFjCXQseZChsMzWagVWhIX4zUsatHK_LrN-UOvNry0VQPeIDgPMnJ2pz18PF-U4k/s1600/IMG_20121126_152912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR7rxJegNqtlMqHvhxDxwRZg1Iu4FNJ5iCC-yi4CGMUsADk8gCvzRXH-26_QeVozyZmnedj1Ryx0tTFjCXQseZChsMzWagVWhIX4zUsatHK_LrN-UOvNry0VQPeIDgPMnJ2pz18PF-U4k/s400/IMG_20121126_152912.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elisabeth and Alaythea, 11 months</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlz8hWcAhJxQIkW_TOb2Yl09QkqXYmWsj-EZvNCN0yyj_raiPN8QEZsm32fAYlESXpt6jT4h9G5KHC50HmXFhE5UuBYOjz9HLxQYSdW2GMZUaAYjffUy640WzcoUgIvFJk5ZisbWCVSpk/s1600/SAM_0074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlz8hWcAhJxQIkW_TOb2Yl09QkqXYmWsj-EZvNCN0yyj_raiPN8QEZsm32fAYlESXpt6jT4h9G5KHC50HmXFhE5UuBYOjz9HLxQYSdW2GMZUaAYjffUy640WzcoUgIvFJk5ZisbWCVSpk/s400/SAM_0074.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Benjamin and Paw-paw</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYOmKKPYVP5Suj4qa8T3jfYUxTroMZbFMG1GEEU2k5NUGbjV7xqZTyf4AmPIYnJVcyBuBemv2mK1Ei6WSariWkPP1t502g40ImNjUPEzNQE6bxTN1dc93_t7JnR7SagVqCkfEE6BvBws/s1600/SAM_0062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYOmKKPYVP5Suj4qa8T3jfYUxTroMZbFMG1GEEU2k5NUGbjV7xqZTyf4AmPIYnJVcyBuBemv2mK1Ei6WSariWkPP1t502g40ImNjUPEzNQE6bxTN1dc93_t7JnR7SagVqCkfEE6BvBws/s400/SAM_0062.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Benny, 2.5 years</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSI9YgI30m8VUp2QMWJxl6HMSdWYZaLmWIUYr3AJwB7_6uHun8N9A9bECgme6i0ASuQ1grem0jcNRlLuj00gYOqUaxL8V5m_DjzsN0VvAMbPi4g1PhWjirYUUHUcLTb1rL8DAdIsxFbQ/s1600/SAM_0092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSI9YgI30m8VUp2QMWJxl6HMSdWYZaLmWIUYr3AJwB7_6uHun8N9A9bECgme6i0ASuQ1grem0jcNRlLuj00gYOqUaxL8V5m_DjzsN0VvAMbPi4g1PhWjirYUUHUcLTb1rL8DAdIsxFbQ/s400/SAM_0092.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silly Laythie</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmvqdx0bbdNRmC-RH3K2aXHbVbnAeG0Ag5UtIJclfiZmT-c-0sLndwTop7f1KE5s2hojRUNKaYm5OQCMMnva0jZ5t-iEGtKIRfeUSs__mdhX-GFxNs7AfRw6YB0XNxLRkCLLb4dM5Q4Bs/s1600/SAM_0093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmvqdx0bbdNRmC-RH3K2aXHbVbnAeG0Ag5UtIJclfiZmT-c-0sLndwTop7f1KE5s2hojRUNKaYm5OQCMMnva0jZ5t-iEGtKIRfeUSs__mdhX-GFxNs7AfRw6YB0XNxLRkCLLb4dM5Q4Bs/s400/SAM_0093.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alaythea</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4BkY_MN74LMgsMc_hA9LhcscmgbyYzZcsaLN0yctqlujr7hnnhEShEPkoNDinFtyGvE83Rz0xIoaPAH7K_AjbJzcLkZUAwFoMm-dB2FQJEJyEV26LzUwUm2C3rh2Ted2z6Ft8ZqAxFA/s1600/SAM_0101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4BkY_MN74LMgsMc_hA9LhcscmgbyYzZcsaLN0yctqlujr7hnnhEShEPkoNDinFtyGvE83Rz0xIoaPAH7K_AjbJzcLkZUAwFoMm-dB2FQJEJyEV26LzUwUm2C3rh2Ted2z6Ft8ZqAxFA/s400/SAM_0101.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elisabeth only wanted mom or dad, she wasn't feeling well, hence my current sickness. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOlD3hTUDhrQUjFpGvsj9XO8rI77n0t-daMEaL6lS7eJ9UEh3u7J8c_y6QiWEVNex6llzbNVEBOMV_VXCUcf5XDOVuiCF-H_8jNS3D-OP7G188ChpY5GuZDDj3P7Gx44K7g1f9R0cCOE/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOlD3hTUDhrQUjFpGvsj9XO8rI77n0t-daMEaL6lS7eJ9UEh3u7J8c_y6QiWEVNex6llzbNVEBOMV_VXCUcf5XDOVuiCF-H_8jNS3D-OP7G188ChpY5GuZDDj3P7Gx44K7g1f9R0cCOE/s400/1.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family picture day. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkV4iB_uRft5enbgPwVDi8enz1qf55A6IM7_56KxrspUf8ig1lIZY5XgaktTXprc513c2QK0YLw1r1m-2TUh-XAt66AACZncgbZvh1Ruz6VJqnpzIOrqD22IneURGHA3d2JTYeWtF2NVo/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkV4iB_uRft5enbgPwVDi8enz1qf55A6IM7_56KxrspUf8ig1lIZY5XgaktTXprc513c2QK0YLw1r1m-2TUh-XAt66AACZncgbZvh1Ruz6VJqnpzIOrqD22IneURGHA3d2JTYeWtF2NVo/s400/3.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sick but smiling Lizzie.</td></tr>
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I also did some visiting with my BFF Kristin, and her cute squishy son. He has the biggest blue eyes, and was so happy the whole time I was there. It is really awesome to see my friend transition into a mom and how she has done so well with it. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm8x63IJUNjxLjOhiQpErzNli3j8FW2M_R5SdaqCIs1BP1JxWhNmFZP7n71R9DcTI5LKOUHVowEboz05B7YImWMiu7gYmVAmi94V36XZBNQpstpacR6YKI8XNRMRwZN5TqSjuxzuPjtpA/s1600/SAM_0130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm8x63IJUNjxLjOhiQpErzNli3j8FW2M_R5SdaqCIs1BP1JxWhNmFZP7n71R9DcTI5LKOUHVowEboz05B7YImWMiu7gYmVAmi94V36XZBNQpstpacR6YKI8XNRMRwZN5TqSjuxzuPjtpA/s400/SAM_0130.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">kinda blurry, but the only smile I caught, he's fast!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkB4Dv_AgraLghyphenhyphenMwy1juL7iXqN22GZSKyFqrrViDcfKCuISMH_-mVXPHJbtqsrS2GY85oB_2CKOCN48WWLqijWEb5L6uMNLMM9bOyw5bJ27SHan4e0fWqvO_T5CzVCXavbF-71Guo8Cw/s1600/SAM_0137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkB4Dv_AgraLghyphenhyphenMwy1juL7iXqN22GZSKyFqrrViDcfKCuISMH_-mVXPHJbtqsrS2GY85oB_2CKOCN48WWLqijWEb5L6uMNLMM9bOyw5bJ27SHan4e0fWqvO_T5CzVCXavbF-71Guo8Cw/s400/SAM_0137.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Havin' fun.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQheZMi-HZoAVv0g1x53sCm9OH75HFqG_BWuIXadLoJ4WpwuGyA5Mh1N08z1_nLfzv7Gvp73UBaqb_vqGToWER4WFxDwxHf7QZrdF1dUNiay_Dimc5zMBDDzMmm9xZ5zfLNB6-AMdgqc/s1600/SAM_0149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQheZMi-HZoAVv0g1x53sCm9OH75HFqG_BWuIXadLoJ4WpwuGyA5Mh1N08z1_nLfzv7Gvp73UBaqb_vqGToWER4WFxDwxHf7QZrdF1dUNiay_Dimc5zMBDDzMmm9xZ5zfLNB6-AMdgqc/s400/SAM_0149.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-nap, cute little bed head. </td></tr>
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: : <br />
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I spent more time with other family, but forgot my camera :/ I did get my wrapping done for the gifts I brought home in my suitcase. I loved the wrapping done <a href="http://www.kellehampton.com/2012/11/the-first-gift-magic-cabin-giveaway.html" target="_blank">by kelle</a>, and so I copied it and added a little something of my own, a bell.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAaSG66vZKDm3rZAqNvP4B1SjezUHSXkdyC7BDnQoel9NmbHjsyiLd7DLS5wAbCQya6EICws3LaMwiMb3PZpfOIDmJuUaKD-ruOfGfme1Q_7BJvitKW2ODXQS_KUVjyjSD9NjglItqzQ/s1600/IMG_20121124_134607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAaSG66vZKDm3rZAqNvP4B1SjezUHSXkdyC7BDnQoel9NmbHjsyiLd7DLS5wAbCQya6EICws3LaMwiMb3PZpfOIDmJuUaKD-ruOfGfme1Q_7BJvitKW2ODXQS_KUVjyjSD9NjglItqzQ/s400/IMG_20121124_134607.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I also caught this sunset while driving home one evening, it's pretty here with all the leaves falling and bare trees. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM040rK19i3Mu8JCNrHEfuSJWSxax67MM1afQhyNiE1NI5zNsBhjFC5cx5IqwA7TKjtq7yrYjgzQyzHv7U7UPulgEKlM3xduSbhJCfxnTU5TNVJK99cH0RtOLd85v0QlP14n7-JbL546s/s1600/IMG_20121123_170656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM040rK19i3Mu8JCNrHEfuSJWSxax67MM1afQhyNiE1NI5zNsBhjFC5cx5IqwA7TKjtq7yrYjgzQyzHv7U7UPulgEKlM3xduSbhJCfxnTU5TNVJK99cH0RtOLd85v0QlP14n7-JbL546s/s400/IMG_20121123_170656.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving, I did for sure. I have so much more to say but my throat- comfort tea and a comfy bed is calling my name. Goodnight from St. Louis.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09315832182436970435noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-975791638881800145.post-61709961408210719012012-11-01T17:20:00.000-07:002012-11-01T17:20:32.625-07:00Laundry, Costumes, and DirtI do all the laundry at my house. Noell and I have a deal to trade certain chores that we don't like to do. I do the laundry (wash, dry, fold) and she takes out the trash (empty cans, new bags, cans to curb). Lately the laundry has been a little different than the norm. Noell's laundry offerings haven't changed at all, but my laundry provisions have included mainly pj's and work clothes. Very few workout clothes, going out to dinner clothes, or relaxing clothes from my closet. It's funny that this is what made me notice how much I am working. Obviously I realized that my schedule was non-stop lately, but I was on auto-pilot, just waking up going to the prescribed place for that day (clinical site or work), coming home, working out when time allowed, all without giving it much thought.<br />
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I am off today (1st time in 10 days) and I am really enjoying it. Even more so than when I get regular days off each week. I actually was looking forward to doing my errands and workout. Funny how a busy schedule gives me a change in perspective and a gratefulness for the everyday routine. Does that happen to you?<br />
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Yesterday at work we had an event that takes place twice each year for nurses. It is a meeting with guest speakers and we receive some continuing education units (CEUs); but the committee who organizes it always tries to make it fun too. Because it was Halloween, we had a costume contest. Our region of San Diego dressed up as "mixed nuts". We all had different nut costumes and our supervisor made a can for us to all stand inside. We tied for 1st place. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUFaFTEntNgXHB-PoFVndO-3cHHw3VghjG2UmijvKEjuxAJL0_4DH-ktnapfuISkP22M2sGEdD4RsijRz7EduVN9c_Icl8mH3-MmZI8aOQRuHg81TKvMYK7RIQRg1JH-K0c0UahYZHVE/s1600/peanut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUFaFTEntNgXHB-PoFVndO-3cHHw3VghjG2UmijvKEjuxAJL0_4DH-ktnapfuISkP22M2sGEdD4RsijRz7EduVN9c_Icl8mH3-MmZI8aOQRuHg81TKvMYK7RIQRg1JH-K0c0UahYZHVE/s1600/peanut.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peanut</td></tr>
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My super-cute nephew John dressed up as a pirate this year. Unlike last year, he was able to muster up a few words such as "trick-or-treat" or "thank you" without <i>too </i>much prompting. When I was growing up in St. Louis, we had to tell a joke or do a trick to get our candy. We couldn't just merely say "trick or treat"; we had to have something to offer. John would have never survived it, even saying "trick or treat" was quite a task for this little one. Isn't he cute though?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZY7dJGVbrA5hbWZTQGdQk98zx7qmjUGLVpY8Ctan2mlHr8E_EckX-mdX5HfO_RIekKeYzxH1Gk2KhKvk9CaLeEnsbaPfodccmRcAd1_QLQ83FuASooRnl_KTPthwsEg5NkCJvlLOJ9f4/s1600/download+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZY7dJGVbrA5hbWZTQGdQk98zx7qmjUGLVpY8Ctan2mlHr8E_EckX-mdX5HfO_RIekKeYzxH1Gk2KhKvk9CaLeEnsbaPfodccmRcAd1_QLQ83FuASooRnl_KTPthwsEg5NkCJvlLOJ9f4/s1600/download+(1).jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arrrrggg!</td></tr>
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In other news on the Z team, I have struggled with <a href="http://zteamlife.blogspot.com/2012/10/introducing-elka-june.html" target="_blank">Elka</a> digging up my flower bed. It started out of nowhere, the flower bed is not new, it has always been there. I guess she just hadn't discovered it yet. Here is the first day she figured out that she likes to dig:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgesqcKk60rcQKYqwKwrdsX3MNEjCU4lcbLmSlDnVpT75LvvDqmQD9HgUyLbTqyiRxJmBWao2LYUxO-wgR5CW1E5zkaJjPb8daTWJ7lIsJ_RyawmOGn5BPTkYqI9nrARIOV-O810Opz3H0/s1600/2012-10-20+08.35.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgesqcKk60rcQKYqwKwrdsX3MNEjCU4lcbLmSlDnVpT75LvvDqmQD9HgUyLbTqyiRxJmBWao2LYUxO-wgR5CW1E5zkaJjPb8daTWJ7lIsJ_RyawmOGn5BPTkYqI9nrARIOV-O810Opz3H0/s400/2012-10-20+08.35.13.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where's the sidewalk?<br /><br /></td></tr>
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Then I found the broom that we keep outside to sweep the patio had been reduced to this:<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0U7MISbrueOaEbaIo44xvGuO3-0gM50Xr8GE1ErHDflih8sElDo29qfJ6JHS7l2paUuyDcBaaOvDVx0QOpeqdD35src9CzJrJ85wE-Zx-p-K9i3nNaW7usawC2ROZErcidkRXVETkVjM/s1600/2012-11-01+15.58.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0U7MISbrueOaEbaIo44xvGuO3-0gM50Xr8GE1ErHDflih8sElDo29qfJ6JHS7l2paUuyDcBaaOvDVx0QOpeqdD35src9CzJrJ85wE-Zx-p-K9i3nNaW7usawC2ROZErcidkRXVETkVjM/s400/2012-11-01+15.58.08.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poor little broom</td></tr>
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So here is my remedy to that situation, using old paver blocks that we already had. Turned out pretty good I thought:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXiYOgQuM9e9jE4R48jbAkK9r5MKuG4U8xjZaFivjHu7IJljr7Blc8seQOFNz-5Z3fWkxXoVe2jpzOGm3cgkkk3hFKUwucE0MM3ilxFHx9P4Rjb93_uBuBkBMG8C4XHHMIacYc83asCI/s1600/2012-10-31+18.09.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXiYOgQuM9e9jE4R48jbAkK9r5MKuG4U8xjZaFivjHu7IJljr7Blc8seQOFNz-5Z3fWkxXoVe2jpzOGm3cgkkk3hFKUwucE0MM3ilxFHx9P4Rjb93_uBuBkBMG8C4XHHMIacYc83asCI/s400/2012-10-31+18.09.42.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not too shabby</td></tr>
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Elka apparently disagreed and I found this earlier today:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqIlly4lYCo1H5fs4Sog3ZqeX2AtlZrkaX1-G_eykFYFp9WquXG4fIM5OQiKU3yK3gGodaUz67D9loNcmYMwm8fVcoOqU8rHVYJ5QJ04DRq2sFCdClEDElkKr9Zu8MRT_AnrVIxyF-tfo/s1600/2012-11-01+15.47.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqIlly4lYCo1H5fs4Sog3ZqeX2AtlZrkaX1-G_eykFYFp9WquXG4fIM5OQiKU3yK3gGodaUz67D9loNcmYMwm8fVcoOqU8rHVYJ5QJ04DRq2sFCdClEDElkKr9Zu8MRT_AnrVIxyF-tfo/s400/2012-11-01+15.47.19.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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So after consulting with my wife who is much more knowledgeable about how to deter dogs from digging, I headed to Home Depot to gather the recommended supplies. Here is what we have now: <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7COPphC7Uz_JNqOK4Oy7DxGb1iI1kU877XUPmXU2pF57vxtyRGmDJoDuaKba39EW4qdmhi8WFht7QDZpp8XMiFkjwsMWNFkR63CNwZh8cXX_w6UV2ervA5spwVPmDunUtTfi0qV7UH1M/s1600/2012-11-01+16.00.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7COPphC7Uz_JNqOK4Oy7DxGb1iI1kU877XUPmXU2pF57vxtyRGmDJoDuaKba39EW4qdmhi8WFht7QDZpp8XMiFkjwsMWNFkR63CNwZh8cXX_w6UV2ervA5spwVPmDunUtTfi0qV7UH1M/s400/2012-11-01+16.00.59.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not very pretty, but it's working so far....</td></tr>
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I am hoping this digging phase is over by the time I want to plant my yearly sweet peas in this spot. I love sweet peas:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjip3frtf2YYGBVaOBu2Y1e22l4SihEJZRgI9La-oLY_CkjFvD_aLNw8ZjIHqCOZ6ccMU-77znGd-ApjNkRo_MP5U_DRAXoCgnXiiKzw019LmfgauljoTWCKaAXhahz3JcDx-AMJA6TEnY/s1600/054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjip3frtf2YYGBVaOBu2Y1e22l4SihEJZRgI9La-oLY_CkjFvD_aLNw8ZjIHqCOZ6ccMU-77znGd-ApjNkRo_MP5U_DRAXoCgnXiiKzw019LmfgauljoTWCKaAXhahz3JcDx-AMJA6TEnY/s400/054.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet peas 2010</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09315832182436970435noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-975791638881800145.post-91497227414955663792012-10-24T11:06:00.000-07:002012-10-24T11:06:03.776-07:00Hump Day Nuggets: Happenings as of Late<i style="color: #100309; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hump day nuggets: bits of the season in photos and words*</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*The hump day nuggets series is the brainchild of Nici Holt Cline who blogs over at <a href="http://www.digthischickmt.com/" target="_blank">dig this chick. </a> You should check out her <a href="http://www.digthischickmt.com/" target="_blank">blog </a>or her <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/digthischick?ref=si_shop" target="_blank">etsy shop,</a> to see the full extent of her talent and creativity. Thanks Nici!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">:: Brunching at our neighbors. Great food, great company, and celebrated a friend's birthday. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw-V3XUcIv2zd_satuKz97Jdsk3JBUAFKQ6wLTGPqKLuQEJPMSEVHNIjGGD_WMsITgixfcgMVGKH8231cE1vP4iUQOPTqLSoE-EGZ5mlrgyLtmsSZGawKdCIdGWcF5rch1p86R41fkXlE/s1600/100_2656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw-V3XUcIv2zd_satuKz97Jdsk3JBUAFKQ6wLTGPqKLuQEJPMSEVHNIjGGD_WMsITgixfcgMVGKH8231cE1vP4iUQOPTqLSoE-EGZ5mlrgyLtmsSZGawKdCIdGWcF5rch1p86R41fkXlE/s640/100_2656.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me (in my favorite fall shirt), and Noell (in a shirt from her favorite bar). </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVSPgpMNUWCUO8a03_ahigpd6oPpolOW_IaMtLRxOOSH9hCwcXDOJHd7-4oBAhJk4Lkxd17t9n-eX8hwT2h2OjA0Z5Eq__BkCDAhryGPyNWI8oCXmRTiYGzPcO1FfHcHtQKD5GnfJRqU/s1600/100_2659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVSPgpMNUWCUO8a03_ahigpd6oPpolOW_IaMtLRxOOSH9hCwcXDOJHd7-4oBAhJk4Lkxd17t9n-eX8hwT2h2OjA0Z5Eq__BkCDAhryGPyNWI8oCXmRTiYGzPcO1FfHcHtQKD5GnfJRqU/s640/100_2659.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Otis and Simon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpsLWX5hzGt7Ns8ziVeQQMLBCfOhYAJFHHITUAsufhAU6YW9T-IMmwkat4HhY-e0p9DMaLHTATUC4kLIP1uzLKQwkleUkecdUeblG80_encLEqTsRe3GhEqe65Svvm2V9XqJQtmuFTC5Q/s1600/100_2660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpsLWX5hzGt7Ns8ziVeQQMLBCfOhYAJFHHITUAsufhAU6YW9T-IMmwkat4HhY-e0p9DMaLHTATUC4kLIP1uzLKQwkleUkecdUeblG80_encLEqTsRe3GhEqe65Svvm2V9XqJQtmuFTC5Q/s640/100_2660.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly and Chris</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Otis and Joy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhor509gSpO2YbsHdRP0bkv1b66y0pOITPcZewKJbLsspOyuZsWhT-ZGZ9fSAlRDekW6GhwTlzV8z5eCcfh38cl6tjb_hWnIGGDA3Zq2et1HxfNUKbY0PZ0HUF2hQbJ-6YoRBKcMAxmMyI/s1600/100_2658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhor509gSpO2YbsHdRP0bkv1b66y0pOITPcZewKJbLsspOyuZsWhT-ZGZ9fSAlRDekW6GhwTlzV8z5eCcfh38cl6tjb_hWnIGGDA3Zq2et1HxfNUKbY0PZ0HUF2hQbJ-6YoRBKcMAxmMyI/s640/100_2658.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday girl is on the right! Happy Birthday Cindi!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">:: Attended my first ever book signing. got to hear the wonderful Kelle Hampton read from her <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bloom-Finding-Beauty-Unexpected--A-Memoir/dp/0062045032/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350863189&sr=8-1&keywords=bloom+by+kelle+hampton" target="_blank">memoir,</a> and then meet her and have her sign my book! Kelle writes a blog over at <a href="http://www.kellehampton.com/" target="_blank">Enjoying the Small Things.</a> Her story is inspiring and I love looking at her photos. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNs22QBnRZDjNDDWs3UtDukMtgGctbiDMqpH6eTkh_RIPWX_629ye4hPDSYRg4DYP7pKuR6XKyBYQr2TqcyjCkFLdd6kMOIYini6lw14JSTj-Z0FKjm5nEFMmi8mqSCzkXGq_CiDeI7X8/s1600/100_2672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNs22QBnRZDjNDDWs3UtDukMtgGctbiDMqpH6eTkh_RIPWX_629ye4hPDSYRg4DYP7pKuR6XKyBYQr2TqcyjCkFLdd6kMOIYini6lw14JSTj-Z0FKjm5nEFMmi8mqSCzkXGq_CiDeI7X8/s640/100_2672.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kelle and Me!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">:: I received a curious package in the mail the other day. Too early for my birthday....WAY too early for Christmas, what could it be? </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRqm_dZat4Q6xstQKr857BBdGrZ6aLIccsXA3QT6yTsp_4Yt-ealPj7CGyH53rBA5HgDDAUEVhVL38_jXccZXO89ySs3RNBN4Xbs7Sp4Qi7v4GAU7mfMKM8FxjewA7P9n6Z3_gWXm42I/s1600/100_2675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRqm_dZat4Q6xstQKr857BBdGrZ6aLIccsXA3QT6yTsp_4Yt-ealPj7CGyH53rBA5HgDDAUEVhVL38_jXccZXO89ySs3RNBN4Xbs7Sp4Qi7v4GAU7mfMKM8FxjewA7P9n6Z3_gWXm42I/s400/100_2675.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">So I opened it up and it was the sweetest request from my cousin Sarah...she stood up for me as my bridesmaid this past June and I am so excited to be able to do the same for her! Congratulations Sarah and Adam!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjOSOcN2VLGPFUgC0mYdKdJWp1RokjUcCNpnWfTO4VUGFFS3LLYK0OJEsdFDxGN0a2h0LWazdOk4aScBhVT4TA0nCIfM6Zau3aI2TBuJWhNP5VLqaGTa5CgxGX-rS06GVpXzwk7MxxB4/s1600/100_2674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjOSOcN2VLGPFUgC0mYdKdJWp1RokjUcCNpnWfTO4VUGFFS3LLYK0OJEsdFDxGN0a2h0LWazdOk4aScBhVT4TA0nCIfM6Zau3aI2TBuJWhNP5VLqaGTa5CgxGX-rS06GVpXzwk7MxxB4/s640/100_2674.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "ring" was a ring pop candy that she had propped up to look like an engagement ring.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglADSjt0h0pH0e1EkxlLM53WMBET1Dp3DZ4MaBNej1SIJHbv92Y5BMIcPvZ6HNxCMiuVqvAWlVfAUZmd7FYWpDyp5VQhDigIWRww0AKgzxhsXiTdXOPkV2lxTZOHKrcXgf5Aa-FDO8jU4/s1600/sarah+adam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglADSjt0h0pH0e1EkxlLM53WMBET1Dp3DZ4MaBNej1SIJHbv92Y5BMIcPvZ6HNxCMiuVqvAWlVfAUZmd7FYWpDyp5VQhDigIWRww0AKgzxhsXiTdXOPkV2lxTZOHKrcXgf5Aa-FDO8jU4/s640/sarah+adam.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The happy couple! </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">:: Happy Hump Day! </span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09315832182436970435noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-975791638881800145.post-81964314651560252362012-10-21T14:33:00.000-07:002013-10-23T16:43:35.022-07:00She's Crafty: Clothespin framesI have been scouring Goodwill for high quality wooden frames to complete a photo project similar to <a href="http://storagegeek.tumblr.com/post/3670265532/photo-frame-for-several-photos-shelterness-i" target="_blank">this one</a> that I found through <a href="http://pinterest.com/" target="_blank">Pinterest.</a> I found a few frames lately and have been saving them for a crafty-feeling day which happened to be yesterday after I completed a bunch of homework. In total, this project cost less than $5 total and took me about an hour to complete! <br />
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Fast, cheap, and something I would hang on my walls = my kind of project. <br />
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Here is my completed version of the clothespin frames...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVW81uCgFWSgVauyeBwdFefVUAjMPVdVOtD9mmvRYxjI_uhSw8xYlRD9wPo_d0_EgYE9cIkMuWWM0v3OBPmsiczR9v17xYyaL1_FBxBUU-mQXCxja4Awy6AxkvRUXS9GGel1aqUuptxFE/s1600/100_2701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVW81uCgFWSgVauyeBwdFefVUAjMPVdVOtD9mmvRYxjI_uhSw8xYlRD9wPo_d0_EgYE9cIkMuWWM0v3OBPmsiczR9v17xYyaL1_FBxBUU-mQXCxja4Awy6AxkvRUXS9GGel1aqUuptxFE/s640/100_2701.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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I recently found the frames below at Goodwill for $2.99 each, but lucky for me, it was 50% off day and so each frame was only $1.50. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUKVrwYr48SWht-D7yRTTAQolbr0FYqU15T9DtWlOwQb1Q1-LdZyF7HAOlSiZR4nZojBoRLUGD4P-ck6c_aPlfhqXRE15UbsLK1-pxZ-p1xuCORCXcTvZPADqEBhYZdI0TRB2h6oRlDxk/s1600/100_2677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUKVrwYr48SWht-D7yRTTAQolbr0FYqU15T9DtWlOwQb1Q1-LdZyF7HAOlSiZR4nZojBoRLUGD4P-ck6c_aPlfhqXRE15UbsLK1-pxZ-p1xuCORCXcTvZPADqEBhYZdI0TRB2h6oRlDxk/s640/100_2677.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ugly prints but good quality well made frames.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I peeled off the paper backing, took out the glass along with the little diamond-shaped daggers of metal that were holding it in all around the edges. (During this process I was freaking out at the dogs because they were running around trying to play and I was afraid they would step on of the the daggers and cut their feet.) After this was complete, I was left with empty frames.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbNbUWtmbjm3ib998xlHV-L04L39m6lsJRIwd1ee1bViFJ5pH7F7Dc2rmM9ORdk74TfI-dGOeuly-fIJsaV4pqy1VOi29T2oezagONzp1n1VRXUhmrxLx0MMbSDCEIj-jeKn2X-cOePiY/s1600/100_2678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbNbUWtmbjm3ib998xlHV-L04L39m6lsJRIwd1ee1bViFJ5pH7F7Dc2rmM9ORdk74TfI-dGOeuly-fIJsaV4pqy1VOi29T2oezagONzp1n1VRXUhmrxLx0MMbSDCEIj-jeKn2X-cOePiY/s400/100_2678.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0bySNEs1YQKwvwuUSLQCWmiowQXFrkV6efVVBZKyzeZjWjd8JjCzgDJR1McIwVSLKxlyQ0hIdVCVSi1-eNTfyxeXgL4_LXWzJzxNUmNcimPwrnii19tbTpvEHdZdIje6_-Rzp5Kg4qoY/s1600/100_2683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0bySNEs1YQKwvwuUSLQCWmiowQXFrkV6efVVBZKyzeZjWjd8JjCzgDJR1McIwVSLKxlyQ0hIdVCVSi1-eNTfyxeXgL4_LXWzJzxNUmNcimPwrnii19tbTpvEHdZdIje6_-Rzp5Kg4qoY/s400/100_2683.JPG" width="395" /></a></div>
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Sturdy frames.</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Next I measured out a guesstimate of how far apart I would want the twine to be to accommodate my 4 x 4 inch pictures. I used mini-nails that I already had on hand and nailed them in most of the way but leaving enough room for the twine to be tied around the nails. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs47IIksKVWuidfE7F1TTQmX7whnoOJYSs5HSmE5pXB62MXv3wL7UD4FPpHswu_sHvi0u8iFhuAIeHEUJ97Nvhk5F2JKkRAPKx5ZrEEIbMKhIkH8R1vKkqOXih2UMSWvlqAo0uv0XAO_Q/s1600/100_2691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs47IIksKVWuidfE7F1TTQmX7whnoOJYSs5HSmE5pXB62MXv3wL7UD4FPpHswu_sHvi0u8iFhuAIeHEUJ97Nvhk5F2JKkRAPKx5ZrEEIbMKhIkH8R1vKkqOXih2UMSWvlqAo0uv0XAO_Q/s640/100_2691.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Then I wrapped the twine around the nails and tied it securely. (I also already owned the twine.) After the twine is tied, I hammered the nails down over the knots to secure the twine even more.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9LOLmV7Ci4ramVLEAVSOxviNo5CuukyvhOeMPnU-W9Qn_PfQOXVjRLvXuFm7oTpmRxN3RTqnMBZ9hTBIcP5AYiVooy42x-2nlHhVSdfBDRoJxGpOMGohd0KZHm9-NxwnudPlKhPQcIM/s1600/100_2693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9LOLmV7Ci4ramVLEAVSOxviNo5CuukyvhOeMPnU-W9Qn_PfQOXVjRLvXuFm7oTpmRxN3RTqnMBZ9hTBIcP5AYiVooy42x-2nlHhVSdfBDRoJxGpOMGohd0KZHm9-NxwnudPlKhPQcIM/s640/100_2693.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Without the pictures added it looks like this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwzZwgHG6r2T4l9X3_Pe67OL3Jx3yUK-cEsKsvXvNASG1LufbtAEqViQBbbibraTAf2DvA8crLQVXgC1XWbSX7UyvjlEMmO310Gy0LRxF2I5XGmQXH-RvmhN1OGoYPCHhLLoK8p7anJB0/s1600/100_2694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwzZwgHG6r2T4l9X3_Pe67OL3Jx3yUK-cEsKsvXvNASG1LufbtAEqViQBbbibraTAf2DvA8crLQVXgC1XWbSX7UyvjlEMmO310Gy0LRxF2I5XGmQXH-RvmhN1OGoYPCHhLLoK8p7anJB0/s400/100_2694.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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I had already ordered my prints from Walgreens because they let you select the 4 x 4 inch size which is what I wanted for my frames. I ordered several extra prints so that I can change them out whenever the mood strikes :)<br />
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I ordered the mini-clothespins from amazon because I was ordering other things and it was easier to add them onto the order than go to a craft store for them. I have been to Michael's though, and they do have mini-clothespins there. <br />
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I attached the prints with the clothespins and there you have it. Clothespin frames. It's that easy.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clockwise from top-left: Noell and I, Christmas 2010; Nala wearing my glasses; <br />
Kain after a long run; Benjamin my sweet nephew.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice professor Nala Bear in the upper-right :)<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09315832182436970435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-975791638881800145.post-91479519995840781092012-10-13T16:22:00.001-07:002012-10-14T21:34:32.577-07:00Fungal Meningitis: My Story<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">With all the news about the contaminated steroids that have been causing many <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/05/meningitis-outbreak-2012_n_1944179.html" target="_blank">deaths and fungal meningitis infections,</a> I have been thinking often of my experience with fungal meningitis and realizing just how lucky I am to be here today. This is an illness that kills quickly if it is not caught and treated and I have been feeling very grateful for my life lately. This is my story...</span></div>
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Around Valentine's Day of 2009, I started to feel funny. I would get dizzy, have bad headaches and just generally did not feel well. </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> Noell and I went out for drinks with some friends on Friday of Valentine's weekend and I had this really bad headache that wouldn't go away. I tried everything over the counter I could think of, tried sleeping it off, tried cool compresses, and nothing helped. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Saturday we were preparing Noell's house for her family's upcoming visit, I was cleaning the bathroom, and my headache was so bad I had to stop and lay down. Noell took me to urgent care that afternoon. The MD thought this could possibly be my first migraine or sinus headache pressure. So they took an x-ray of my sinuses, which were clear, and the MD sent me home with Vicodin and instructions to go to the ER if it worsened or if I began to vomit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I took the Vicodin and was able to sleep for a few hours but then I awoke and the pain was much worse and the vomiting began. For some reason I was against going to the ER; I think I was feeling so terrible that the thought of getting in a car and riding when I felt so sick and nauseous and then waiting in an uncomfortable waiting room for hours was too much for me to handle. Noell was really worried and she called my aunt Lisa (who is a nurse practitioner) who said I needed to IMMEDIATELY go to the ER because she suspected I had meningitis. (See, that's why I'm becoming an NP, they are awesome, diagnosing meningitis over the phone!) My aunt said if no spinal tap was offered to me, I needed to ask for one. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Well I think "spinal tap" was all Noell needed to hear and I was in the car heading to the ER. Waited a little while but not as long as I expected. I got an IV for fluids and meds (pain, nausea, and antibiotics), blood work, a CT scan, and a spinal tap. I stayed in the ER over night getting fluids and meds and they sent me home in the morning with more medicine (anti-nausea and pain). At that point I was feeling pretty good after being hydrated, and having my headache and nausea under control. Thought I was on the mend. Little did I know this was just the beginning...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I was back to the ER that evening, I couldn't keep anything down, including the anti-nausea and pain meds, I was back to the same (if not worse) pain than the night before. That second night in the ER was not quite so speedy. I believe we waited 3 hours to be seen. I spent the entire time hanging over the toilet in the bathroom of the waiting room, all by myself because Noell had to sit out in the waiting room to listen for my name. People would come and go into the bathroom and hear me crying and hurling and ask if I was OK.</span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> Noell tells me that people kept coming out of the bathroom to tell the triage nurse that "someone is really, really sick in the bathroom". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I was in so much pain that night, the heaving motion from constantly being nauseated made my head hurt so much worse, so when they finally called my name and I was being assessed, I <strike>asked </strike> begged to be admitted for pain and nausea control. So they admitted me, and the following morning, my admitting doctor and an infectious disease MD came and told me that the culture had grown fungus, not bacteria. I was diagnosed with <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/fungal.html" target="_blank">cryptococcal meningitis </a>. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggm66BQDQRFupm6Gpe-yI9dKIeZU8dIt-5FwynPN0NKvn5EPgmrNyejgSiihTW7iImmvEwsnttXoQ6rlCR9NzmmMiX4mNeNA80aQ2VjoUvjaifgFnxw82BgZhaIlve8vnRSvoOzpBMwYQ/s1600/sick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggm66BQDQRFupm6Gpe-yI9dKIeZU8dIt-5FwynPN0NKvn5EPgmrNyejgSiihTW7iImmvEwsnttXoQ6rlCR9NzmmMiX4mNeNA80aQ2VjoUvjaifgFnxw82BgZhaIlve8vnRSvoOzpBMwYQ/s400/sick.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Before the nicer room and the pain control doctor. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">At that point my aunt Lisa was with Noell and I and she asked if wanted my mom to come and I said YES! My mom was on a plane and was in my hospital room that afternoon. They explained that I would need to be in the hospital for weeks receiving a strong anti-fungal medicine. After that, I would need to be on oral anti-fungals for several months. My headache pain was off the charts so they sent in a pain control doctor to try to help get my pain under control. I had a PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter) placed, to ease the administration of the anti-fungal and pain meds. I also had an MRI to look at my brain to get a baseline of the lesion's size and location to compare to later. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJIqpCm3qOBGYxBD9hyC2WcN8cuZ2vsa8W0TGShk3ccZRMWUi9RcX3ErUIEiyKkr-w3OGbOGXw41-S4KG_5slGYSht6-4KGfFQmdM56jRjM84uwctvwLX2O9eJLMSWvHBaJLXsD9EtAU/s1600/Sick+page+%25230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJIqpCm3qOBGYxBD9hyC2WcN8cuZ2vsa8W0TGShk3ccZRMWUi9RcX3ErUIEiyKkr-w3OGbOGXw41-S4KG_5slGYSht6-4KGfFQmdM56jRjM84uwctvwLX2O9eJLMSWvHBaJLXsD9EtAU/s640/Sick+page+%25230.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My PICC line</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I was moved to a more comfortable room (i.e. not in the outpatient wing where they first put me), and we set up camp for the next three weeks. My mom stayed with me basically 24/7 and Noell was at the hospital everyday as much as she could be while taking care of both of our houses (we didn't live together then), our pets, all while working full time. I have no idea how she did it. My mom slept on the uncomfortable pull out chair/bed for the entire stay and assisted me all day every day with everything. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLld8yBsIKcA1oZtPmwTHjoyKOMoahGTA1J5y7YUn7LNn5SUW73Czh1pLeV4qhd4topswREilnCPCofSKZJs6Yk9KME8TGRejvhZDZUfyI8C0nOXsMLFM_gW6VJTpoIc1sgWbmyc8DJ8/s1600/all.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLld8yBsIKcA1oZtPmwTHjoyKOMoahGTA1J5y7YUn7LNn5SUW73Czh1pLeV4qhd4topswREilnCPCofSKZJs6Yk9KME8TGRejvhZDZUfyI8C0nOXsMLFM_gW6VJTpoIc1sgWbmyc8DJ8/s400/all.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">From Left behind me: Carol and Mary (Noell's mom and aunt), Sue and Lisa (my mom and aunt)<br />Front: Noell and I </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">The medicine I was on was </span><a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a682643.html" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">amphotericin B</a><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">, and I received it everyday at noon. It was a bright neon yellow color in an IV bag. It was the.most.awful.thing.ever. I was in enough pain with the headaches from the meningitis but the ampho caused SEVERE nausea and vomiting; I'm talking I threw up 4-5 times a day for a month. All the heaving and movement and pressure from vomiting just increased my head pain. It was really miserable. I was on several other meds throughout the day to combat the nausea and other side effects of the amphotericin. It was quite a cocktail of drugs to try to achieve and maintain some sort of tolerable routine. I was on a lot of morphine and consequently had lots of hallucinations that I do not remember but my mom, Noell, and aunt Lisa are more than happy to tell me about now :) Apparently I was quite entertaining on morphine. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTWZlXH9a_oUvBNaqCXTGgNXCqMB8ZmmP1cHlzAwrNuXyaRu_EoVUJKg05K7CHf7xvh8QKs31swjwSivGgz8WLC3xIIINq2YI8-HSYaUwYJt4_1L9jQgAWWfWyHIFPHjQxao-PIFXV8Ak/s1600/eating.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTWZlXH9a_oUvBNaqCXTGgNXCqMB8ZmmP1cHlzAwrNuXyaRu_EoVUJKg05K7CHf7xvh8QKs31swjwSivGgz8WLC3xIIINq2YI8-HSYaUwYJt4_1L9jQgAWWfWyHIFPHjQxao-PIFXV8Ak/s400/eating.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eating....I was hungry, just couldn't keep anything down.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhskdL8cwzeERyQyftgTwD6eupGayWN4C57L4LLeEd2SaDx82fCD5Yel3Y6g6PYsSA0GuqCcdHZUQ7JgtX7BUo17gbf4fv7F0WruUj3XIUoGRvyVu8NMohfCoGUhIPKVQQJlmTkNfm0Azg/s1600/sick+kain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhskdL8cwzeERyQyftgTwD6eupGayWN4C57L4LLeEd2SaDx82fCD5Yel3Y6g6PYsSA0GuqCcdHZUQ7JgtX7BUo17gbf4fv7F0WruUj3XIUoGRvyVu8NMohfCoGUhIPKVQQJlmTkNfm0Azg/s400/sick+kain.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Noell brought Kain up to visit me a few times. I rode in a wheelchair to a bench <br />right outside the door to the hospital. <br />He wanted to sit on my lap. I love that dog. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Looking back the hospital time seems like two sides of the same coin. What I mean is this: I feel that it was all mashed together as one long day because the same things happened every day and it is hard for me to distinguish one day from another; and at the same time, it seems like I was in the hospital for so long, months instead of weeks. It's hard to explain. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Upon getting released from the hospital I was still pretty sick for the first few weeks at home but I was SO happy to be home. I had lost 20 pounds in the hospital and still continued to lose weight for a week or so at home. I was put on Diflucan and today, 3 years later, I am <b>still </b>taking Diflucan and a pretty high dose. I get my labs done every 3-6 months and will continue to do that until my blood shows no detectable signs of cryptcococcus. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">At that point I will be able to stop the Diflucan and space my blood work to every 6 months to a year. I will have to be follow this throughout my life though, as fungus is not like bacteria that can be eliminated form your body. Now that I have been infected, the fungus just lays in wait and can decide to try to grow again at any time (typically in times of severe immune compromise). </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I was <u>so very lucky</u> that the MD in the ER was checking for fungus, or else I could have been mis-diagnosed and this could have been fatal. I went back </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">toward</span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> the end of my hospital stay to thank him for his care. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I have had some lasting effects from my experience which include trouble with my balance, memory problems, and headaches. Once I had gotten my strength back I began to go running for short distances and I would trip and fall or run into things really often. I became so used to it that I had perfected my fall to be a "fall and roll and get back up" without missing a beat. Also, my memory is really spotty. I recently connected with another <a href="http://www.katieswanberg.com/" target="_blank">blogger, (Katie)</a> who had meningitis about the same time I did (although she had bacterial), and she described our memory problems perfectly. She said "</span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I feel like all this stuff is locked in cabinets that I don't have the keys to anymore, so it's there, just not available". </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">So that is my story. Whew. My thoughts are with all the families that are travelling through this right now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b>Onto the most asked questions I receive when people hear about this:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Everyone's first question: "How did you get it?" </span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Your guess is as good as mine. Cryptococcus is found in soil everywhere, people are exposed to it all time. Typically, fungal </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">meningitis</span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> affects people with compromised immune systems (HIV, cancer, etc). There is no explanation why my body didn't fight it off and no rhyme or reason to why it affected me versus any other health person. </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Next question everyone asks: " Is it (or was it) contagious?" or "Can you pass it to a baby?"</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> Nope and nope. Fungal </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">meningitis</span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> is not contagious and cannot be passed down from mother to child. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">*These pictures are all taken of printed pictures, hence the terrible quality; all that I have are prints from what my mom took, no digital copies. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09315832182436970435noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-975791638881800145.post-37237857139039334462012-10-06T12:56:00.000-07:002012-10-09T21:28:50.947-07:00Introducing Elka June!We had planned to add another young German Shepard to our brood of animals which consisted of 2 dogs (Nala and Kain) and 2 cats (Punky and Deedle Deet) for a while. We were casually browsing rescue sites and looking for a German Shepard that would catch our eye and fit into our family. We saw a few here and there that looked interesting, but none of them really stood out. Noell (the wife), received a text from a friend of ours about a police officer she knows whose dog had an accidental litter of puppies before getting spayed, and did we want to adopt a puppy or adopt the mama-pup? We agreed to meet the German family with the intent of adopting the mama (who was only one year old).<br />
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The owner brought Mama German and her 4 puppies that were available, over to meet our animals. Mama German didn't really jive with Nala Bear (our female german), plus she also chased our cats. :/ No deal on Mama German.<br />
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Of course the puppies were very sweet and Noell liked one in particular who followed Nala around like a teeny shadow. After some discussion, we decided adopt one of the puppies. Honestly, I couldn't tell them apart that day, but Noell knew exactly which one was ours. We found out that the puppies had been born on 6/2/12, which was a super awesome to find out because that is the day that Noell and I were married!<br />
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We adopted Elka June on 7/26/12. Elka was a name that we had seen on one of the rescue sites and remembered, plus as a bonus it sounds like a german name. Her middle name is June in honor of her birthday month and extra meaning of her birthday being our wedding day.<br />
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Meet Elka, this was her first day with us.<br />
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<a href="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-07-26-21-07-42.jpg"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-19 " height="225" src="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-07-26-21-07-42.jpg?w=300" title="2012-07-26 21.07.42" width="300" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-07-26-21-07-07.jpg"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-18" height="225" src="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-07-26-21-07-07.jpg?w=300" title="2012-07-26 21.07.07" width="300" /></a> About to get a bath!<br />
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She has grown like a weed ever since that day. She was house trained really quickly...I'm talking 3-4 days! This girl is smart!<br />
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<a href="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-08-12-10-11-05.jpg"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-22" height="300" src="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-08-12-10-11-05.jpg?w=225" title="2012-08-12 10.11.05" width="225" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-07-28-11-33-551.jpg"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-21" height="213" src="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-07-28-11-33-551.jpg?w=300" title="2012-07-28 11.33.55" width="284" /></a> Ears are still floppy.<a href="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-08-26-21-09-34.jpg"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-24" height="225" src="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-08-26-21-09-34.jpg?w=300" title="2012-08-26 21.09.34" width="300" /></a> Let's play!<br />
<a href="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-08-26-21-06-59-1-2.jpg"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-23" height="300" src="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-08-26-21-06-59-1-2.jpg?w=276" title="2012-08-26 21.06.59-1 (2)" width="276" /></a> Ears are up! 8/26/12<br />
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She fits in really well with our family. Kain took a little time to warm up, but he has come around. Nala and Kain are happy to have a new play mate. They both are really helpful in occupying her when we are trying to get things done!<br />
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<a href="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-09-05-16-59-13.jpg"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-26" height="225" src="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-09-05-16-59-13.jpg?w=300" title="2012-09-05 16.59.13" width="300" /></a> We are buddies.<br />
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<a href="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-10-03-17-42-33.jpg"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-27" height="300" src="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-10-03-17-42-33.jpg?w=225" title="2012-10-03 17.42.33" width="225" /></a> Waiting for me to give the "go ahead" to eat their dinner which is on the floor in front of them.<br />
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Elka is growing so fast, she was 33 pounds on 10/3/12 and today, 10/6/12, she went back for a rabies shot and she was 35 pounds...that's 2 pounds in 3 days folks!<br />
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We love our new girl so much!<br />
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<a href="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-08-26-21-09-341.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-28" height="225" src="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-08-26-21-09-341.jpg?w=300" title="2012-08-26 21.09.34" width="300" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-09-16-18-18-48.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-29" height="300" src="http://zmeaghan.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-09-16-18-18-48.jpg?w=225" title="2012-09-16 18.18.48" width="225" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09315832182436970435noreply@blogger.com11