Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
I have a new love... I just hope Allison isn't a jealous woman
I must admit, I hate JavaScript. I hate coding it in. Here are some reasons:
I started a project where I needed to do a bunch of DHTML stuff, and I was really dreading it until I found my new love - jQuery. I have heard about jQuery for many years now, but never really looked into it. It addresses all the things I hate about it and really opened up my eyes to how JavaScript should be used, and what it shouldn't be used for.
It is awesome. If you are ever going to do some JavaScript work, pick up jQuery - a JavaScript framework that has tons of plugins, and support for all kinds of things. It makes the DOM model so easy to navigate and traverse through. I cannot recommend it enough.
Okay, this post is really just me publically proclaiming my love for jQuery. It has a special place in my heart next to my wonderful wife. Why she keeps putting up with me, I will never know!
- The browser (Firefox, Internet Explorer 6, Internet Explorer 7, Safari) differences and how events are handled will drive one insane trying to make them all work at the same time. I used to have long flowing locks of hair that I have pulled out in due to this madness.
- It is hard to debug.
- It is very unfriendly for rookies to pickup and write something satisfying.
- It has specific purposes, and trying to adapt it to something that it isn't made for is a bad idea. The problem is you don't often know what the best practices are.
I started a project where I needed to do a bunch of DHTML stuff, and I was really dreading it until I found my new love - jQuery. I have heard about jQuery for many years now, but never really looked into it. It addresses all the things I hate about it and really opened up my eyes to how JavaScript should be used, and what it shouldn't be used for.
It is awesome. If you are ever going to do some JavaScript work, pick up jQuery - a JavaScript framework that has tons of plugins, and support for all kinds of things. It makes the DOM model so easy to navigate and traverse through. I cannot recommend it enough.
Okay, this post is really just me publically proclaiming my love for jQuery. It has a special place in my heart next to my wonderful wife. Why she keeps putting up with me, I will never know!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
I did it. I finally did it.
Take one last look at my long, luxurious locks. Then kiss them goodbye, 'cause I finally did it.
Yep, I cut all those curls off.
Snip. Snip.
And I love it.
Yep, I cut all those curls off.
Snip. Snip.
And I love it.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Cadavers--Oh MY!
So I'm in a beginning Anatomy and Physiology (A&P)class this semester. It's a prerequisite for dental hygiene. And I am lucky enough to be going to DVC for this class. You might ask, why does that make me lucky? Well, it's because DVC is one of the only schools in California that has cadavers for A&P students! Most pre-meds don't see a cadaver until their first year of medical school, but at DVC, any dental hygiene student taking pre-reqs can dissect one! Yeah, that's pretty exciting!
Yesterday was our class' first day of dissection. I was in the first group to work on the cadaver, who we nicknamed "Scarlette". I volunteered to be in the first group of five. I think it's pretty cool to dissect living things, as long as I don't have to eat them afterward. (This is why I don't watch when Jason cuts up the free-range chickens I buy.)
The dissection wasn't really too bad. Our job yesterday was to cut very shallowly into the skin and----well, maybe I won't post it here. I don't know if anybody's squeamish. If you're curious, just ask me.
I have also recently learned that the heads of the cadavers, (which are covered while A&P students work on the bodies) are saved for dental hygiene students to pratice on. Now that is something I am not looking forward to.
Yesterday was our class' first day of dissection. I was in the first group to work on the cadaver, who we nicknamed "Scarlette". I volunteered to be in the first group of five. I think it's pretty cool to dissect living things, as long as I don't have to eat them afterward. (This is why I don't watch when Jason cuts up the free-range chickens I buy.)
The dissection wasn't really too bad. Our job yesterday was to cut very shallowly into the skin and----well, maybe I won't post it here. I don't know if anybody's squeamish. If you're curious, just ask me.
I have also recently learned that the heads of the cadavers, (which are covered while A&P students work on the bodies) are saved for dental hygiene students to pratice on. Now that is something I am not looking forward to.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Weekend Wonderland
Jason and I spent the weekend with our friends Don and Tiffany near Jenner. Some friends of theirs have a beach house, and invited Don and Tiffany to stay the weekend there. Don and Tiffany then invited us. (Whew!)
We had a great time. Tiffany is a fantastic cook, and she brought all the ingredients for homemade lasagna, cheese platters, and lots more delicious things. We pretty much spent the weekend eating.
On Sunday morning, Jason and I dashed home to make it to church so we could teach Sunday School, but Jason kept saying "There's something we were supposed to remember to do today...", but neither of us could figure out what it was. It turns out that "something" was Stake Conference, a meeting of all the congregations in the area, which meant that instead of our church meetings being held at their usual 1:00, they began at 10:00 instead. In other words, we missed church completely. Our one consolation was that at least we didn't leave our Sunday School class teacher-less, because Stake Conference doesn't have separate meetings for children. OOPS!
Also, we recently put in a bid for another house--this one is much more a fixer-upper, but again has a great, spacious lot. It's a probate sale, so it'll be a while before we hear back on our offer.
Here is the location and you can click on street view to see it. (Hint: rotate to the left a few times and you will see it.)
We had a great time. Tiffany is a fantastic cook, and she brought all the ingredients for homemade lasagna, cheese platters, and lots more delicious things. We pretty much spent the weekend eating.
On Sunday morning, Jason and I dashed home to make it to church so we could teach Sunday School, but Jason kept saying "There's something we were supposed to remember to do today...", but neither of us could figure out what it was. It turns out that "something" was Stake Conference, a meeting of all the congregations in the area, which meant that instead of our church meetings being held at their usual 1:00, they began at 10:00 instead. In other words, we missed church completely. Our one consolation was that at least we didn't leave our Sunday School class teacher-less, because Stake Conference doesn't have separate meetings for children. OOPS!
Also, we recently put in a bid for another house--this one is much more a fixer-upper, but again has a great, spacious lot. It's a probate sale, so it'll be a while before we hear back on our offer.
Here is the location and you can click on street view to see it. (Hint: rotate to the left a few times and you will see it.)
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
House Hunting
Hey Everyone! Jason and I are looking at houses again. Some of you may have heard that we'd bid on a place near DVC. Although we thought it was a sure thing, we didn't get the place, and so are "in the market" again. We are mostly looking in Pleasant Hill, although a few of our top contenders are in Martinez. I am really enjoying the process of looking---you get to see snippets of people's lives when you look at their homes.
Wish us luck!
Wish us luck!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Something To Do When Bored
Try this quiz out. You have to guess what the most common words in the English language are. I thought it was pretty fun, and on my first try got 40 out of 100. See if you can beat me!
http://codebox.no-ip.net/controller?page=misc.QuizCommonWords
http://codebox.no-ip.net/controller?page=misc.QuizCommonWords
Friday, August 15, 2008
Vacation in Mexico
After completing a suicidal six-week "Intro to Chemistry" class, Jason and I decided that we both deserved a break (the class was stressful for him too, I'm sure, because he had to pick up all the slack when my life was solely about chemistry.)
We decided to drive down to Ensenada, so we started packing and getting ready for the trip. This included digging out our passports, and buying car insurance to drive in Mexico. I went to get my oil changed the night before we had planned to leave, and was told (unexpectedly) that I needed a new radiator. I didn't believe the first shop, so I took my car to the local Big O Tires, who I've had good experiences with. They concurred with the first mechanic, and strongly tried to discourage me from driving my car to Ensenada. I stubbornly didn't want to listen, because taking a different car would mean buying new Mexican car insurance, and who knew whether we would be credited for the original policy?
But eventually the mechanics prevailed, and convinced me that topping off the radiator every few miles and driving with my fingers crossed was no way to vacation. (They were right, and we were reimbursed by the insurance company for the amount of our original policy.)
Not only that, our wonderful friend Dan Lynch offered to order the parts and replace both the radiator and a cracked fan belt while Jason and I were on vacation. What a guy, huh?
So Jason and I took off down South. We had a an uneventful trip---at least I think so, I slept through most of it. (Sorry honey!) We left at 6 am, and by 7 pm, we were pitching a tent outside of Ensenada.
Jason and I had a glorious week of doing nearly nothing--just lounging at our campsite overlooking the ocean, reading Clive Cussler novels and other books that disresemble college texts, taking walks, eating at our favorite taco stand in San Miguel, "El Trailero" (it means "The Truck Driver"), and wandering around in Ensenada.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Allison's 26th Birthday
Boy, am I behind.
Okay, for my birthday this year, instead of having a traditional birthday party, I went backpacking. This was in part because the first date I could get reservations for Point Reyes was the week of my birthday. It was also because I signed up for a 6 week summer chemistry course. What a mistake that was. The class almost killed me! I studied night and day the entire 6 weeks, and barely passed the class. But I did pass, and that's the most important part of the whole fiasco. But anyway, it meant that I did not have time to plan a get together aside from the trip I had already scheduled.
On the backpacking trip were 3 good friends of mine: my mom, Janet Nelson, and Whitney Peterson Lynch. We had a blast, and my mom and Janet somehow sneaked a cake up too, so they all sang to me and had me blow out the candles on the cake---the whole nine yards. It was a blast.
I don't have any pictures myself, but I'm hoping to be given copies by my fellow hikers. Anyone hear that?
Okay, for my birthday this year, instead of having a traditional birthday party, I went backpacking. This was in part because the first date I could get reservations for Point Reyes was the week of my birthday. It was also because I signed up for a 6 week summer chemistry course. What a mistake that was. The class almost killed me! I studied night and day the entire 6 weeks, and barely passed the class. But I did pass, and that's the most important part of the whole fiasco. But anyway, it meant that I did not have time to plan a get together aside from the trip I had already scheduled.
On the backpacking trip were 3 good friends of mine: my mom, Janet Nelson, and Whitney Peterson Lynch. We had a blast, and my mom and Janet somehow sneaked a cake up too, so they all sang to me and had me blow out the candles on the cake---the whole nine yards. It was a blast.
I don't have any pictures myself, but I'm hoping to be given copies by my fellow hikers. Anyone hear that?
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Maybe We'll Have Pictures On Our Blog Now...
Jason just got us a new digital camera. As in, one that works. Our old one has refused to focus for about six months, and we finally got fed up with it a bought a new one. Hooray! I'll probably only use it to post pictures on my recipe site, but y'all knew that already, didn't you. Maybe Jason will deign to post something now and then.
Allison
Allison
Monday, May 19, 2008
Second Day of Finals is Over
I took my first final on Friday. Today I had two more--Sociology (an essay exam totaling about 7 pages, handwritten)and my math final this afternoon, which stretched from 12:30 to 4:30. It was only supposed to be a maximum of three hours but since so many of us were still working at the end of the time limit, our teacher stayed until we all finished. I know I did better because of it, but come on! A math final that lasts four hours? I took my Soc final in under an hour. Anyway, be impressed that I survived.
I'm gonna head home now and relax a little. Jason and I have plans to watch "Death Note" a Japanese show, when Jason gets out of class tonight. (For those of you who don't know, Death Note is an addictive subtitled animated show. It's a real thriller, and full of psychological plot twists. Jason's friend Jim recommended it to us.) Our local theatre is showing a Death Note movie this Wednesday, so if we want to catch it, we'll have to watch like 4 hours of episodes over the next 2 nights to catch up. Between that and studying, we'll be pretty busy!
I'm gonna head home now and relax a little. Jason and I have plans to watch "Death Note" a Japanese show, when Jason gets out of class tonight. (For those of you who don't know, Death Note is an addictive subtitled animated show. It's a real thriller, and full of psychological plot twists. Jason's friend Jim recommended it to us.) Our local theatre is showing a Death Note movie this Wednesday, so if we want to catch it, we'll have to watch like 4 hours of episodes over the next 2 nights to catch up. Between that and studying, we'll be pretty busy!
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Yeah, It's Been A While...
Ugh. Finals again. I met with my counselor today and found out that the math class I'm taking isn't required for my course of study. That sucks. On the positive side, I found out that I can get rid of all my bad grades from when I was 18 and better at ditching than attending classes, including an gnarly F in a class titled "Study Skills". Ironic, eh? But anyway, I can do academic renewal after this semester, and get rid of all those bad grades that have been dragging my GPA down. Since I returned to school at 22 I've gotten mostly A's, and it will be nice to see my GPA reflect it.
Also, I am thrilled that my sister will be visiting soon! (I am posting this on my blog because I know Lesley is one of the three people who have ever read my blog. Hi Sis!)I also want to give her a birthday shout-out, because my phone battery died this morning before I could sing her the Birthday Song. Love ya Pook!
Also, I am thrilled that my sister will be visiting soon! (I am posting this on my blog because I know Lesley is one of the three people who have ever read my blog. Hi Sis!)I also want to give her a birthday shout-out, because my phone battery died this morning before I could sing her the Birthday Song. Love ya Pook!
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Driving to Arizona
Phew! We got through all the busyness of the last few weeks, and Jason and I have actually had time to talk to one another and eat dinner together again. It's wonderful.
On Easter weekend though, we were in different states. I went to Arizona to visit my grandparents and check out their remodel, but Jason's work schedule wouldn't permit him to come with me, so he went up to Modesto for Easter.
My mom and I drove together to see her parents, and it was a really fun road trip. On the way back, we ate soft-serve ice cream cones in Wasco, a little town that has a bunch of old fashioned hamburger and ice-cream joints, with names like Dari-Freeze and Jolly Kone. Cute, huh?
Lots of other fun stuff happened, but I'll have to tell you about it later, because dinner is done, and I'm starving!
On Easter weekend though, we were in different states. I went to Arizona to visit my grandparents and check out their remodel, but Jason's work schedule wouldn't permit him to come with me, so he went up to Modesto for Easter.
My mom and I drove together to see her parents, and it was a really fun road trip. On the way back, we ate soft-serve ice cream cones in Wasco, a little town that has a bunch of old fashioned hamburger and ice-cream joints, with names like Dari-Freeze and Jolly Kone. Cute, huh?
Lots of other fun stuff happened, but I'll have to tell you about it later, because dinner is done, and I'm starving!
Friday, March 14, 2008
A New Horizon For Allison
Jason routinely fills out these surveys that Yahoo sends to him. He's been doing it for quite a while. And apparently, they have a raffle to award prizes to people who fill out the surveys. This month, Jason won!
What did he win, you ask? A Yahoo mouse pad? A cheesy tee shirt? No, my friends, something better. Jason describes it as "less cool than a car, but better than a tee shirt."
Yahoo sent him a Playstation 3.
Now I admit, at first, I was less than thrilled. I dislike even the idea of video games. But to be completely honest, at least part of the reason I dislike them is because I am so inept at playing them.
However, Jason got some games specifically for me to try out, and I have been having a lot of fun! One of the games is "Uncharted: Drake's Fortune", a game about an Indiana Jones-type treasure hunter. And, while I'm still not a pro, I didn't suck so much that I got disinterested. In fact, I can't wait to play again.
What did he win, you ask? A Yahoo mouse pad? A cheesy tee shirt? No, my friends, something better. Jason describes it as "less cool than a car, but better than a tee shirt."
Yahoo sent him a Playstation 3.
Now I admit, at first, I was less than thrilled. I dislike even the idea of video games. But to be completely honest, at least part of the reason I dislike them is because I am so inept at playing them.
However, Jason got some games specifically for me to try out, and I have been having a lot of fun! One of the games is "Uncharted: Drake's Fortune", a game about an Indiana Jones-type treasure hunter. And, while I'm still not a pro, I didn't suck so much that I got disinterested. In fact, I can't wait to play again.
Monday, March 10, 2008
So Sue Me
I admit it. I have been terrible at this blog thing. I started out with the best of intentions, but you know, blogging is really hard. And it's very time-consuming to write an engaging, witty blog. Or at least I would assume so.
I have been looking at some more houses on redfin.com. House-hunting is my new hobby. There are now a lot of cute houses in the $350,000 and $400,000 range here. I can't wait to see how much lower house prices go!
In addition to surfing real estate websites, Jason and I have been traveling quite a bit--to San Diego a few weeks ago, and then to Mt. Hood, Oregon last weekend.
In San Diego, we enjoyed perfect, sunny, warm weather, in the midst of a gloomy Northern California February. I am convinced that San Diego is heaven on earth--how else can you explain buying 20 avocados for only 5 dollars!? We also had a wonderful time with Michael and Lindsay--they were great hosts, and let us relax completely. We enjoyed the weekend Southern California style: on the beach, and watching dolphins. Amazing!
Then last week we went up to Oregon for the wedding of Jason's niece. The ceremony was at the beautiful Timberline Lodge. Jason gave a really eloquent speech during the ceremony that made everyone tear up. During the reception it snowed, and made a perfect background to the stunning decorations. In other news, Justin, Melynda, Judy, Jason and I went to Ikea. I bought some lovely new dishes, a bath mat, and sundry other things. We also went to Multnomah Falls with Jan, our lovely hostess. The Falls are really amazing, and I'd like to go back again sometime.
Once we got back from Oregon, Jason started preparing Credit Line for their move to Pleasanton. This has used up all of Jason's free time this week, but he should be finished moving soon. He is busier than I could ever handle!
Whew! So in a nutshell, that's what we've been up to.
I have been looking at some more houses on redfin.com. House-hunting is my new hobby. There are now a lot of cute houses in the $350,000 and $400,000 range here. I can't wait to see how much lower house prices go!
In addition to surfing real estate websites, Jason and I have been traveling quite a bit--to San Diego a few weeks ago, and then to Mt. Hood, Oregon last weekend.
In San Diego, we enjoyed perfect, sunny, warm weather, in the midst of a gloomy Northern California February. I am convinced that San Diego is heaven on earth--how else can you explain buying 20 avocados for only 5 dollars!? We also had a wonderful time with Michael and Lindsay--they were great hosts, and let us relax completely. We enjoyed the weekend Southern California style: on the beach, and watching dolphins. Amazing!
Then last week we went up to Oregon for the wedding of Jason's niece. The ceremony was at the beautiful Timberline Lodge. Jason gave a really eloquent speech during the ceremony that made everyone tear up. During the reception it snowed, and made a perfect background to the stunning decorations. In other news, Justin, Melynda, Judy, Jason and I went to Ikea. I bought some lovely new dishes, a bath mat, and sundry other things. We also went to Multnomah Falls with Jan, our lovely hostess. The Falls are really amazing, and I'd like to go back again sometime.
Once we got back from Oregon, Jason started preparing Credit Line for their move to Pleasanton. This has used up all of Jason's free time this week, but he should be finished moving soon. He is busier than I could ever handle!
Whew! So in a nutshell, that's what we've been up to.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
I Need Some Techie Help...Again
Every time I try to post a link (as in the last post) it shows up fine in the draft stage, but when I post it, the link doesn't show up. Instead, there's a blank space, and if the post continues after the link, then that disappears too. What's going on?
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
I Know a Rock Star!
This is my cousin Ben's website. He played some of these songs at the last family reunion talent show (sounds like a chintzy venue until you realize how many members of my family are musically talented--the talent show is the best part of the reunion!)
Anyway, I really loved these songs that Ben played--if you like Jack Johnson and John Mayer, you'll love them too. Here's the site: jamwave.com/benhawkes
Anyway, I really loved these songs that Ben played--if you like Jack Johnson and John Mayer, you'll love them too. Here's the site: jamwave.com/benhawkes
Thursday, February 7, 2008
53 Things I Love
1. Really ripe fresh fruit
2. A beautifully made bed with freshly laundered sheets
3. The songs of redwing blackbirds and mourning doves
4. Car Trips across the Nevada desert
5. Poring over a beautifully descriptive takeout menu
6. Getting a compliment on my earrings, especially when I made them myself
7. Looking at pictures from my trip to Italy
8. Paneer Tikka Masala from Naan and Curry
9. Having a tiny arrangement of flowers on the bathroom counter
10. Hearing my grandma's windchimes ringing on my porch
11. Pruning trees
12. Drawing with oil pastels (I haven't done this one in a while)
13. Spending time in our apartment after we've had company over--it is so tidy!
14. Planning a special meal
15. Learning the name of a new bird or plant
16. Seeing a salamander!!!
17. Settling into a warm sleeping bag on a chilly night while camping
18. Watching a lightning storm
19. Office Supplies
20. Reading Scott and Lesley's Blog
21. Having an adorable nephew
22. The independence I feel when I'm riding my bike somewhere
23. Stinson Beach
24. Talking to my grandparents on the phone
25. Full moons that are so big and bright they cast shadows
26. Getting rid of clutter!
27. Finding a great new recipe and sharing it
28. Having dinner by candlelight on our patio
29. The table Jason and I upholstered with paisley fabric
30. Planning a trip
31. A hug from my husband
32. Getting caught up in a great book so much that I dream about the people in it
33. Visiting the SF Museum of Modern Art
34. My oldest, best friends Autumn and Adrianne
35. The lovely set of pearls Jason gave me for Christmas
36. Having a husband who does all the laundry
37. Fresh figs, persimmons and avocados
38. Shopping at Ethnic Grocery Stores
39. Beautiful perfume bottles, even though I'm allergic to what's in them
40. Cutting and arranging flowers from my garden
41. Driving with the windows down
42. The smell of rain on a warm day
43. Eating cheese and crackers
44. Playing games with my family
45. How fairy lights make anything look special
46. Reading my grandma's recipes
47. Singing loudly and dancing when I have the apartment to myself
48. The smell of grapefruit
49. The wonderful feeling I get from doing a good deed
50. Growing a garden
51. Browsing in college bookstores
52. Chocolate-orange chapstick
53. Making frozen yogurt
2. A beautifully made bed with freshly laundered sheets
3. The songs of redwing blackbirds and mourning doves
4. Car Trips across the Nevada desert
5. Poring over a beautifully descriptive takeout menu
6. Getting a compliment on my earrings, especially when I made them myself
7. Looking at pictures from my trip to Italy
8. Paneer Tikka Masala from Naan and Curry
9. Having a tiny arrangement of flowers on the bathroom counter
10. Hearing my grandma's windchimes ringing on my porch
11. Pruning trees
12. Drawing with oil pastels (I haven't done this one in a while)
13. Spending time in our apartment after we've had company over--it is so tidy!
14. Planning a special meal
15. Learning the name of a new bird or plant
16. Seeing a salamander!!!
17. Settling into a warm sleeping bag on a chilly night while camping
18. Watching a lightning storm
19. Office Supplies
20. Reading Scott and Lesley's Blog
21. Having an adorable nephew
22. The independence I feel when I'm riding my bike somewhere
23. Stinson Beach
24. Talking to my grandparents on the phone
25. Full moons that are so big and bright they cast shadows
26. Getting rid of clutter!
27. Finding a great new recipe and sharing it
28. Having dinner by candlelight on our patio
29. The table Jason and I upholstered with paisley fabric
30. Planning a trip
31. A hug from my husband
32. Getting caught up in a great book so much that I dream about the people in it
33. Visiting the SF Museum of Modern Art
34. My oldest, best friends Autumn and Adrianne
35. The lovely set of pearls Jason gave me for Christmas
36. Having a husband who does all the laundry
37. Fresh figs, persimmons and avocados
38. Shopping at Ethnic Grocery Stores
39. Beautiful perfume bottles, even though I'm allergic to what's in them
40. Cutting and arranging flowers from my garden
41. Driving with the windows down
42. The smell of rain on a warm day
43. Eating cheese and crackers
44. Playing games with my family
45. How fairy lights make anything look special
46. Reading my grandma's recipes
47. Singing loudly and dancing when I have the apartment to myself
48. The smell of grapefruit
49. The wonderful feeling I get from doing a good deed
50. Growing a garden
51. Browsing in college bookstores
52. Chocolate-orange chapstick
53. Making frozen yogurt
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Jedis, Meal Planning, and Sunday School
Well, I'm kind of surprised that the post including the Neti Pot didn't get any comments--if that isn't sensational reporting, I don't know what is! Don't any of you have questions/want pictures?
Last night, Jason showed me a clip from "The Making of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed". It's a video game where you get to be one of Darth Vader's buddies, and use the Force to crash through doors and stuff. You also get a light saber. Apparently, this will be coming out on the Wii later this year. Jason already wants a Wii, but this particular game put his Wii fever into overdrive. Now, he can be the Jedi he was born to be. :)
I have been working on planning meals a week at a time. This is a great way to budget, reduce food waste, and eat healthier, less-processed foods. I did this when I was a student at BYU Idaho, and got pretty good at it, but I have really let my skills atrophy. Planning meals keeps me from panicking about what to make for dinner at 8pm in a kitchen FULL of food. So we also eat at a more reasonble hour. (For anyone interested, I will be posting almost a month's worth of meal plans on my recipe blog. I am archiving them month by month, so I can use them to find recipes seasonally.)
Jason and I are still loving teaching Sunday School. For the New Year, instead of getting a new class, we moved up with our Sunbeams. They will be turning 5 this year, and they are so cute. Today Jason taught a lesson about making good choices with a lot of cool activities to illustrate his point. As class was winding down, we had the kids color pictures showing themselves choosing the right. When one of the girls swiped a boy's crayon, he retaliated by shouting "Teacher, she didn't make a good choice!" It's nice to know they're listening to the lessons. :)
Last night, Jason showed me a clip from "The Making of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed". It's a video game where you get to be one of Darth Vader's buddies, and use the Force to crash through doors and stuff. You also get a light saber. Apparently, this will be coming out on the Wii later this year. Jason already wants a Wii, but this particular game put his Wii fever into overdrive. Now, he can be the Jedi he was born to be. :)
I have been working on planning meals a week at a time. This is a great way to budget, reduce food waste, and eat healthier, less-processed foods. I did this when I was a student at BYU Idaho, and got pretty good at it, but I have really let my skills atrophy. Planning meals keeps me from panicking about what to make for dinner at 8pm in a kitchen FULL of food. So we also eat at a more reasonble hour. (For anyone interested, I will be posting almost a month's worth of meal plans on my recipe blog. I am archiving them month by month, so I can use them to find recipes seasonally.)
Jason and I are still loving teaching Sunday School. For the New Year, instead of getting a new class, we moved up with our Sunbeams. They will be turning 5 this year, and they are so cute. Today Jason taught a lesson about making good choices with a lot of cool activities to illustrate his point. As class was winding down, we had the kids color pictures showing themselves choosing the right. When one of the girls swiped a boy's crayon, he retaliated by shouting "Teacher, she didn't make a good choice!" It's nice to know they're listening to the lessons. :)
Thursday, January 31, 2008
This Means War!
Last night, Jason taught me how to play the card game "War". It's really fun, but he whupped me every round, mostly because I have so much trouble remembering the order that face cards go in--you know, like Joker, Queen, King, Ace. I am nowhere near fast enough to beat Jason, but I had a good time.
Catching Up With the Larsons
Okay--Lesley has been complaining that this blog is getting stale, even to the point of protesting on my other blog. Fine. I get the message. Here is what we have been up to lately.
Jason is taking Project Management classes two nights a week. Our friend Dan Lynch (Whitney Peterson's husband, for those of you who are from Martinez) is taking them too. The two classes they are taking total 6 units, in addition to both these guys working full time. We also went bowling with the Lynches last weeks for Family Home Evening. They are so fun.
In weird news, Jason has been using a Neti Pot daily for about a month now. "What is a Neti Pot", you ask? It is a miniature teapot that you pour into one nostril and out the other to clean out dust and pollen. If you think I'm kidding, look it up on youtube.
As for me, I am sick. I picked up a cold, probably from the six-year-old who sat behind us at church last week. She sneezed on the back on my neck upwards of three times. Somehow Jason hasn't gotten it yet, even though if there's a sneezing kid within 2 miles, the sneeze will hone in on his FACE. (This routinely happens to him while we are teaching Sunday School to our class of five-year-olds. It is so hard to be sympathetic when I'm trying not to laugh.)
We also are looking forward to getting together with friends this week and next. We are going out to dinner with our home teachers and their wives this week, and next week we are planning to get together with Jason's good friend Jo and her husband Nate.
So that's the last few weeks packed into one entry.
Jason is taking Project Management classes two nights a week. Our friend Dan Lynch (Whitney Peterson's husband, for those of you who are from Martinez) is taking them too. The two classes they are taking total 6 units, in addition to both these guys working full time. We also went bowling with the Lynches last weeks for Family Home Evening. They are so fun.
In weird news, Jason has been using a Neti Pot daily for about a month now. "What is a Neti Pot", you ask? It is a miniature teapot that you pour into one nostril and out the other to clean out dust and pollen. If you think I'm kidding, look it up on youtube.
As for me, I am sick. I picked up a cold, probably from the six-year-old who sat behind us at church last week. She sneezed on the back on my neck upwards of three times. Somehow Jason hasn't gotten it yet, even though if there's a sneezing kid within 2 miles, the sneeze will hone in on his FACE. (This routinely happens to him while we are teaching Sunday School to our class of five-year-olds. It is so hard to be sympathetic when I'm trying not to laugh.)
We also are looking forward to getting together with friends this week and next. We are going out to dinner with our home teachers and their wives this week, and next week we are planning to get together with Jason's good friend Jo and her husband Nate.
So that's the last few weeks packed into one entry.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Today Is A Good Day...
Tonight the Relief Society is having a Soup and Bread Social. I decided to contribute Potato Chowder, a crockpot recipe I haven't tried before. I started it this morning before I left for school and thus I have the wonderful feeling of knowing what's for dinner, and that it will be ready at a reasonable hour. I have really fallen hard for crockpots this winter. I've been using them once a week this month. You can cook almost anything in a crockpot, I've discovered.
Also, today is the day that Campus Police Services give away all the stuff that people lost last semester, and never claimed. I scored two pairs of nice sunglasses and a jacket. Saves me from having to buy them!
Also, today is the day that Campus Police Services give away all the stuff that people lost last semester, and never claimed. I scored two pairs of nice sunglasses and a jacket. Saves me from having to buy them!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
New Recipes!
I guess you can see which blog is my favorite--half of my posts here are about my cooking blog! This is one of those posts.
I put some more crockpot recipes on allisonsrecipes.blogspot.com this week. I also borrowed a crockpot cookbook from my old friend Adrianne Bitondo, and will be posting 10 or more recipes from it as soon as I'm able.
Jason and I spent MLK day looking at houses in Martinez. Now don't get all riled up, we are not quite ready to buy anything, but since housing prices have gone down, we wanted to see what our money would be worth. We saw a lot of dumps. :) But for the first time in years, you can buy a dump for less than $500,000! What a deal!
I put some more crockpot recipes on allisonsrecipes.blogspot.com this week. I also borrowed a crockpot cookbook from my old friend Adrianne Bitondo, and will be posting 10 or more recipes from it as soon as I'm able.
Jason and I spent MLK day looking at houses in Martinez. Now don't get all riled up, we are not quite ready to buy anything, but since housing prices have gone down, we wanted to see what our money would be worth. We saw a lot of dumps. :) But for the first time in years, you can buy a dump for less than $500,000! What a deal!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
In answer to Lesley's comment on the previous post
How to organize a syllabus in a lovely way:
--Be concise.
--Set office hours and place them at the top of the syllabus, not embedded deep within it. As to contact information, both a phone number and e-mail are necessary. While discussing the syllabus, let students know which is the best tool of contact, and how quickly they can expect a response.
--Post your exact policy for attendance, late work, and make-ups.
--Include the percentage breakdown of final grades into attendance, homework, exams, papers, final, etc.
--Include a time line with firm dates for all assignments, readings, and exams. This helps students plan their time, and asses how much effort to allot to the class.
--Do not cover all possible scenarios in the syllabus. Use bullet points for each subject likely to come up, and discuss it in class, so students can take notes on the topics most important to them, and use the bullet points for easy reference.
I really do feel strongly about this. I am much more successful in classes that are well organized, beginning with the syllabus. I changed history teachers yesterday because (in large part) of the syllabus' vague and rambling style. When the instructor refused to explain the questions I had--well, that was the death knell. Why waste my time with an instructor who irritates me on the first day?
--Be concise.
--Set office hours and place them at the top of the syllabus, not embedded deep within it. As to contact information, both a phone number and e-mail are necessary. While discussing the syllabus, let students know which is the best tool of contact, and how quickly they can expect a response.
--Post your exact policy for attendance, late work, and make-ups.
--Include the percentage breakdown of final grades into attendance, homework, exams, papers, final, etc.
--Include a time line with firm dates for all assignments, readings, and exams. This helps students plan their time, and asses how much effort to allot to the class.
--Do not cover all possible scenarios in the syllabus. Use bullet points for each subject likely to come up, and discuss it in class, so students can take notes on the topics most important to them, and use the bullet points for easy reference.
I really do feel strongly about this. I am much more successful in classes that are well organized, beginning with the syllabus. I changed history teachers yesterday because (in large part) of the syllabus' vague and rambling style. When the instructor refused to explain the questions I had--well, that was the death knell. Why waste my time with an instructor who irritates me on the first day?
Monday, January 14, 2008
A New Semester
It looks like I'll be taking History, Career Development, Speech, and Intermediate Algebra.
I'm really excited about my math class. The teacher, Karen Edwards, was recommended to me by my friend/former teacher Claudia. I tried to get into Karen's class last semester. However, she has a policy of giving former students priority on the waitlist, so I didn't make it into the class. So this year, I got on the waitlist, and somehow worked my way up to the #1 slot. When I came up to ask her whether she would have room for me, she remembered me from last semester and let me in. Karen is so cool. She concentrates on rotating the way she teaches, so people with different learning modalities all have a chance to learn in the way they understand best. She has us meditate in class, and calls people to attention by this Xena-Warrior-Princess yodel.
I'm also excited about my Speech class. It's at 8:00 A.M. (Yes, you're at the right blog, this is still Allison writing...)But the traffic is light at that hour, mornings are beautiful, and I have a peppy teacher, who organized the syllabus in a lovely way.
I'm really excited about my math class. The teacher, Karen Edwards, was recommended to me by my friend/former teacher Claudia. I tried to get into Karen's class last semester. However, she has a policy of giving former students priority on the waitlist, so I didn't make it into the class. So this year, I got on the waitlist, and somehow worked my way up to the #1 slot. When I came up to ask her whether she would have room for me, she remembered me from last semester and let me in. Karen is so cool. She concentrates on rotating the way she teaches, so people with different learning modalities all have a chance to learn in the way they understand best. She has us meditate in class, and calls people to attention by this Xena-Warrior-Princess yodel.
I'm also excited about my Speech class. It's at 8:00 A.M. (Yes, you're at the right blog, this is still Allison writing...)But the traffic is light at that hour, mornings are beautiful, and I have a peppy teacher, who organized the syllabus in a lovely way.
Friday, January 11, 2008
CERT
Jason and I just signed up last night for CERT training. CERT stands for Community Emergency Response Team. It's a government-sponsored training program, sort of an extension of first responder services (EMTs, police, firefighters), that teaches emergency responce skills to people to use in their own neighborhoods. It does not require specific contracts of service--it only teaches skill for individuals to use. Also, the program teaches you to care for your own family first, in the event of a disaster. Once they are taken care of, you can take care of neighbors, and then your community. We will learn skills like fire safety, light search and rescue, and triage.
I'm pretty excited about this. This class only meets once a week, for about a month. At the end, we have a "dry run" of an emergency. Since Jason and I have our 72 hour kits, and our month's supply, I figured this would be a great way to work on disaster preparedness. Maybe the next thing we should do is take a CPR class. I've never taken one, and Jason said he could use a refresher.
Has anyone else out there considered taking CERT training?
I'm pretty excited about this. This class only meets once a week, for about a month. At the end, we have a "dry run" of an emergency. Since Jason and I have our 72 hour kits, and our month's supply, I figured this would be a great way to work on disaster preparedness. Maybe the next thing we should do is take a CPR class. I've never taken one, and Jason said he could use a refresher.
Has anyone else out there considered taking CERT training?
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
I love having company over!
In the past 2 weeks we have had more overnight guests than in the six months previous. It was really fun. I enjoyed shopping for shampoo and soap for the guest bathroom, puttering around arranging magazines, and grocery shopping for yummy dishes to make for our guests. (A side note: I recently filled out a questionnaire that asked my hobbies. I replied that grocery shopping is a hobby of mine. Strange but true!)
Lesley and Scott agreed to come stay with us so we could have the pleasure of hosting them overnight. They stayed with us after Italy night, which in itself was a blast. We watched a movie Jason made of clips from our video camera, including snazzy chapter markers announcing which town we were in when the footage was shot.
We ate year-old fruitcake (it gets better with time) that Jason had imported from Sienna, via his luggage. In fact, I think we almost ate ourselves sick, with Italy-related foods, including pasta with pesto, and homemade pizza. No one could stomach the pannetone (an Italian bread studded with candied fruit), because we ate too much of it a year ago in Venice. We had to consume it when it would no longer fit it in our luggage, and in trying not to be wasteful, made ourselves verifiably ill.
After dinner, I gave Ian a tangerine to play with when he got fussy, and he cracked me up by squeezing it between his hands and making fierce muscle-man grunts. I am not kidding, the boy can actually pulverize a tangerine.
Mom and Dad Brown came to stay with us last week. They wanted to see our Christmas tree, and take some pictures of us. Jason introduced them to "The Office" while they were here. It was so fun to see them, and I love finding new ways to be a good hostess.
All of you who live out of town, if you're ever in our neigborhood, let us know!
Lesley and Scott agreed to come stay with us so we could have the pleasure of hosting them overnight. They stayed with us after Italy night, which in itself was a blast. We watched a movie Jason made of clips from our video camera, including snazzy chapter markers announcing which town we were in when the footage was shot.
We ate year-old fruitcake (it gets better with time) that Jason had imported from Sienna, via his luggage. In fact, I think we almost ate ourselves sick, with Italy-related foods, including pasta with pesto, and homemade pizza. No one could stomach the pannetone (an Italian bread studded with candied fruit), because we ate too much of it a year ago in Venice. We had to consume it when it would no longer fit it in our luggage, and in trying not to be wasteful, made ourselves verifiably ill.
After dinner, I gave Ian a tangerine to play with when he got fussy, and he cracked me up by squeezing it between his hands and making fierce muscle-man grunts. I am not kidding, the boy can actually pulverize a tangerine.
Mom and Dad Brown came to stay with us last week. They wanted to see our Christmas tree, and take some pictures of us. Jason introduced them to "The Office" while they were here. It was so fun to see them, and I love finding new ways to be a good hostess.
All of you who live out of town, if you're ever in our neigborhood, let us know!
She's back!
Sorry folks, I realize it has been too long since I last posted here. After enjoying time with my family over the holidays, I have been spending a good bit of my blogging time at my new annex blog: http://allisonsrecipes.blogspot.com
I love having this site! And as I begin using it to decide what to cook (I search for recipes by how much time I have to cook), and what to shop for, it just makes me think of more recipes to add. Right now I am working on crockpot recipes. Finding vegetarian crockpot recipes is surprisingly difficult, but I posted one today for crockpot mac and cheese that I think I will try tonight. It looks really easy, and only requires 3 hours of benign neglect.
I love having this site! And as I begin using it to decide what to cook (I search for recipes by how much time I have to cook), and what to shop for, it just makes me think of more recipes to add. Right now I am working on crockpot recipes. Finding vegetarian crockpot recipes is surprisingly difficult, but I posted one today for crockpot mac and cheese that I think I will try tonight. It looks really easy, and only requires 3 hours of benign neglect.
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