OK - I should have gotten this posted much more quickly but we just got things downloaded from our camera...
Jack added to his garbage truck collection and also scored a Beanie Baby skunk - which he is reluctant to put in his bed because he things it will spray it and make it stink.
Santa seems to have established a tradition of bringing the kids Beanie Babies as last year Elle got a Dora and Jack got her nemesis Swiper the Fox. This year Elle received Peace - the bear.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Thriller - Jack's Winter Show
There were ~15 numbers and sadly Jack's was next to last. Elle made it through with a few trips outside to practice her walking...
Monday, January 23, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
Blog Contest! Win an Authentic $2 Bill
BLOG CONTEST! WIN Today!
Identify the geographic landmark featured on a recent issue of Life magazine. The first person to comment the correct answer will receive a $2 bill.
Please note: Offer only available to residents of the United States. Further, residents or former residents of the State where this landmark resides are not eligible to participate.
Identify the geographic landmark featured on a recent issue of Life magazine. The first person to comment the correct answer will receive a $2 bill.
Please note: Offer only available to residents of the United States. Further, residents or former residents of the State where this landmark resides are not eligible to participate.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Chicago Style Pizza
I love Chicago Style Pizza. Today I became inspired to try and make one at home. I researched recipes on the web. One of the most helpful things I found for general technique was Mark Malnati ( of Lou Malnati's fame) describing the process of making a Chicago pie.
For the pan I decided to use our fancy springform pan which is a whopping 3 inches deep. Lou Malnati's pie is great, but it's not thick enough for my liking. I prefer Giordano's which is the thickest in Chicago. I went up nearly the entire depth of the pan with the crust.
Next comes the cheese. Shredded mozzarella might work fine, but the authentic Chicago pies use sliced mozzarella and plenty of it. The act of putting the cheese on the bottom makes your crisp crust taste more like cheesy bread on the edges.
Next comes the toppings. I used green pepper and onion. Then comes the sauce which is packed with diced tomatoes.
I topped the whole thing with a liberal sprinkling of parmesan cheese. I cooked it for 30 minutes at 415.
Finished!
The pizza turned out great! The crust really reminded me of what you get in Chicago. I score this as a major success for my first effort!
For the pan I decided to use our fancy springform pan which is a whopping 3 inches deep. Lou Malnati's pie is great, but it's not thick enough for my liking. I prefer Giordano's which is the thickest in Chicago. I went up nearly the entire depth of the pan with the crust.
Next comes the cheese. Shredded mozzarella might work fine, but the authentic Chicago pies use sliced mozzarella and plenty of it. The act of putting the cheese on the bottom makes your crisp crust taste more like cheesy bread on the edges.
Next comes the toppings. I used green pepper and onion. Then comes the sauce which is packed with diced tomatoes.
I topped the whole thing with a liberal sprinkling of parmesan cheese. I cooked it for 30 minutes at 415.
Finished!
The pizza turned out great! The crust really reminded me of what you get in Chicago. I score this as a major success for my first effort!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Windows 8 Teaser
The first Windows 8 teaser has been released by Microsoft and it appears to have the tablet / smartphone features you would expect. The key challenge will be building in the simplicity and then coupling that with the capabilities required to manage all their legacy applications, interfaces, etc..
Monday, January 09, 2012
A Reason for Siblings!
If my brother and I weren't proof that 2 are better than 1 then this video should offer ample evidence. Jack and Elle love to ride together in the cart at Costco... Jack then provides entertainment which Elle then dances and applauds for...
Sunday, January 08, 2012
Too Many Bowl Games
Dad has frequently commented that there are too many college football bowl games. Last night's Saturday Night Live made the same observation and promoted some of the lower end games.
Saturday, January 07, 2012
Elle is Now a Toddler!
Elle stood up on her own (balanced) for the first time today and even took her first few steps. We've got a toddler on our hands!
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
Sunday, January 01, 2012
Flat Returns for 2011? That would have been nice...
The news is filled with how stocks ended the year flat.
If only that were the case for our 401k plans which ended the year down 4.6% :( Let's hope 2012 fares more favorably!
If only that were the case for our 401k plans which ended the year down 4.6% :( Let's hope 2012 fares more favorably!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Elle Walks Her Baby
Elle got a new baby stroller from her Uncle Bill and Aunt Erin for Christmas and it turns out her Baby Huggums (a previous gift from Aunt Sandy and Uncle JC) fits perfectly!
Thursday, December 29, 2011
iCade
I've been somewhat interested in the iCade since it was released last year. It's an arcade cabinet with a real joystick and real buttons that works via Bluetooth with the iPad. But at $100.00, it was just too expensive to justify. That's until I got a chance to buy it for nearly 70% off. I jumped at the chance!
It's no wonder they went on sale, the boxes are huge. A real storage hassle for retail stores.
The iCade comes unassembled out of the box. The cabinet panels and joystick feel solid and well-made.
It took about 30 minutes to assemble.
It was easy to pair with the iPad via Bluetooth. The first game I tried was Missle Command on the Atari's Greatest Hits app. It worked well. There are 100 other Atari games available.
There is a growing list of games that work with the iCade. The thing feels solid and it really does feel like playing at an old school arcade.
My favorite game for iCade so far is Super Mega Worm. It's like you're controlling the worm from the movie Tremors!
I highly recommend iCade if you like the feel of classic arcade games, and if you can find it for under $50.00.
It's no wonder they went on sale, the boxes are huge. A real storage hassle for retail stores.
The iCade comes unassembled out of the box. The cabinet panels and joystick feel solid and well-made.
It took about 30 minutes to assemble.
It was easy to pair with the iPad via Bluetooth. The first game I tried was Missle Command on the Atari's Greatest Hits app. It worked well. There are 100 other Atari games available.
There is a growing list of games that work with the iCade. The thing feels solid and it really does feel like playing at an old school arcade.
My favorite game for iCade so far is Super Mega Worm. It's like you're controlling the worm from the movie Tremors!
I highly recommend iCade if you like the feel of classic arcade games, and if you can find it for under $50.00.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Christmas 2011: A Retrospective
We had a memorable holiday season this year filled with activities with friends and our extended family sprinkled with just enough "us" time to keep us sane. Capturing it all in a blog post would be impossible so here are a few collages along with some of the greatest hits...
Cookies, reading, sisters, a beautiful baby girl, the Polar Express in 3D...
Santa (Elle didn't mind Santa at all but being more than 3 feet from Mom was tough!), tree trimming, friends, our first bath together, elf jammies and an Angry Bird hat...
Another highlight of the season was Rick DeBruyn's first pedicure!
Santa obviously had a little extra time in our house - probably due to all the food Jack put out for the reindeer this year (Rudolph even got some extra)
Another highlight of the season was Rick DeBruyn's first pedicure!
Santa obviously had a little extra time in our house - probably due to all the food Jack put out for the reindeer this year (Rudolph even got some extra)
Friday, December 23, 2011
Zoo Lights!
We went to the Folsom zoo last night and Jack ran into both Santa Paws...
and Santa Claus!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Domino's Artisan Pizza
Domino's Pizza has a new kind of pie out called the Artisan. It's a wood fired type pie that is more oval than round. There are several flavors. I tried the one with several kinds of peppers and sausage and picked most of the sausage off.
I made the above mostly as a joke since the Domino's manager failed to sign my box. In reality the pizza was very good and I would recommend it.
I made the above mostly as a joke since the Domino's manager failed to sign my box. In reality the pizza was very good and I would recommend it.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Elle's Birthday and More
Elle had a small birthday celebration as she turned one. The poor thing has been battling a nasty ear infection strain and is on her third antibiotic with the hopes that this will be the one to knock it out. She's a trooper.
We scaled down the size of her first birthday significantly compared with Jack. Why? Well - we are more seasoned as parents perhaps. Her birthday is in Winter as opposed to Summer??? It certainly isn't because we love her any less though!
In other news, Jack has learned to wolf down pasta based meals. He always starts out saying he doesn't like them... then, after a little Green Eggs and Ham talk he digs in!
In other news, Jack has learned to wolf down pasta based meals. He always starts out saying he doesn't like them... then, after a little Green Eggs and Ham talk he digs in!
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