Thursday, January 31, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Mad Scientist
WARNING: DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!
Here's Adam's latest craze! He's always intrigued by chemical reactions. This one involves The Works (a toilet bowl cleaner) and aluminum foil in a 20 oz. soda bottle. You should see a two liter bottle explode!
He went into the Dollar Store a few days ago and bought four bottles of the toilet bowl cleaner. The guy at the check-out said, 'You must be doing a lot of cleaning!' Adam looked at him and said, 'Uh, yeah...' The guy then proceeded to say, 'You know, that stuff works well to make bombs!' Adam just smiled......
(Note the laughter after the bottle explodes! )
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Replacement Found
Remember how I was going to have to find a replacement plant for on top of the piece of furniture that Kurt got me for Christmas? Well, I believe I found something better....
Scroll down.....
Keep going.....
A little further.....
Almost there....
I like it!
(Unfortunately, it's not permanent....boo!)
Saturday, January 19, 2008
New Year Fun and Friends
Sarah and Alyssa
Sarah, Alyssa and Kristin
Alyssa and Kristin
Sarah, Kristin and AlyssaFuture Roomies
Friday, January 18, 2008
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Lesson Learned?
KID UPDATES:
ADAM:
1. This week are mid-terms at school. He managed to weezle his way out of having to go into school today for his chemistry mid-term. He took his history and algebra 3 mid-terms on Monday. He finished the algebra exam in twenty minutes, then went to his chemistry teacher and asked if she would allow him to take the chemistry mid-term so he didn't have to come into school today! I think she has the word 'sucker' written on her forehead, too! So now, he has off until Tuesday...plenty of time to fix that mistake he made...LOL!! (See #2)
2. He has been bugging Kurt incessantly to schedule an appointment to get the VW inspected. This is the car we bought for him before Christmas to drive once he gets his license. He and Kurt have been working on getting it driveable. Last week Kurt had it put on our insurance, he got a license for it, and now it just needs to be inspected. He hasn't let Kurt alone....he has been bugging him constantly...."Did you call to make the appointment, did you, did you?!?!!?" So Kurt finally remembered today to schedule the appointment ...it's for this coming Friday. Well.....seems like Adam would have been better off going to school today and taking that Chemistry final!! He was trying to do something, drilled holes into something he shouldn't have, and now the car is no longer driveable and probably won't be ready for the inspection on Friday! Let it to Adam! He's a very bright kid, and has become quite mechanical, but has a very bad habit of being quite impatient, and not always listening to Kurt's recommendations. Well, he may now have learned one of those little life lessons that get thrown one's way. As I write this at 10:30 p.m., both he and Kurt are working on it out in the garage. (And any of you who know Kurt, know that this is usually nap time, not work time...LOL!!)
ALYSSA:
1. Alyssa got back to school safely on Sunday. She was quite excited to return, although she graciously pretended she was sad to leave home! (I could see right through that...LOL!) She has five classes this semester: Calculus 2, Matrices, Religious Studies, Intro to Psych and an on-line astronomy course. She found out when she met with her advisor in November that she has 14 math classes she needs to take in 6 semesters (Am I right, Alyssa??), so she'll need to take at least two math classes per semester. Guess that makes sense, beings as she IS a secondary math major!! Three days out of the week, her first class doesn't begin until 12:20 and the other two days she starts at 10:10. She's on Alyssa time...LOL!!
2. It's time to start planning for next year's housing already! (I know, I can't believe it either!) I've shown you pictures of Sarah, who she plans on rooming with next year. Well, Sarah's good friend from home, Kristin, is now up at State College, too. She transferred from another college. Alyssa met Kristin on Sunday for the first time and it seems like they made instant friends! Their plan is to request on campus housing with the hopes of getting a triple room. Sarah was hoping to get into North Halls. Alyssa kind of likes South Halls, which is where she is now. Turns out that Kristin is also in South Halls now and likes them as well. Poor Sarah is outnumbered; they have decided to request a triple in South Halls. I, too, like South Halls, as it is very close to downtown, is alongside the HUB (the student union building), and just kind of is in the middle of campus.
3. Alyssa's friend, Holly, from high school and church, is applying to PSU for music education and has her audition on Saturday. Their whole family is going, and they plan on visiting Alyssa on Saturday after the audition. Good luck Holly!! (I think you should choose PSU....bah on West Chester, Kutztown, Ithica, University of Delaware!!!)
ADAM:1. This week are mid-terms at school. He managed to weezle his way out of having to go into school today for his chemistry mid-term. He took his history and algebra 3 mid-terms on Monday. He finished the algebra exam in twenty minutes, then went to his chemistry teacher and asked if she would allow him to take the chemistry mid-term so he didn't have to come into school today! I think she has the word 'sucker' written on her forehead, too! So now, he has off until Tuesday...plenty of time to fix that mistake he made...LOL!! (See #2)
2. He has been bugging Kurt incessantly to schedule an appointment to get the VW inspected. This is the car we bought for him before Christmas to drive once he gets his license. He and Kurt have been working on getting it driveable. Last week Kurt had it put on our insurance, he got a license for it, and now it just needs to be inspected. He hasn't let Kurt alone....he has been bugging him constantly...."Did you call to make the appointment, did you, did you?!?!!?" So Kurt finally remembered today to schedule the appointment ...it's for this coming Friday. Well.....seems like Adam would have been better off going to school today and taking that Chemistry final!! He was trying to do something, drilled holes into something he shouldn't have, and now the car is no longer driveable and probably won't be ready for the inspection on Friday! Let it to Adam! He's a very bright kid, and has become quite mechanical, but has a very bad habit of being quite impatient, and not always listening to Kurt's recommendations. Well, he may now have learned one of those little life lessons that get thrown one's way. As I write this at 10:30 p.m., both he and Kurt are working on it out in the garage. (And any of you who know Kurt, know that this is usually nap time, not work time...LOL!!)
ALYSSA:1. Alyssa got back to school safely on Sunday. She was quite excited to return, although she graciously pretended she was sad to leave home! (I could see right through that...LOL!) She has five classes this semester: Calculus 2, Matrices, Religious Studies, Intro to Psych and an on-line astronomy course. She found out when she met with her advisor in November that she has 14 math classes she needs to take in 6 semesters (Am I right, Alyssa??), so she'll need to take at least two math classes per semester. Guess that makes sense, beings as she IS a secondary math major!! Three days out of the week, her first class doesn't begin until 12:20 and the other two days she starts at 10:10. She's on Alyssa time...LOL!!
2. It's time to start planning for next year's housing already! (I know, I can't believe it either!) I've shown you pictures of Sarah, who she plans on rooming with next year. Well, Sarah's good friend from home, Kristin, is now up at State College, too. She transferred from another college. Alyssa met Kristin on Sunday for the first time and it seems like they made instant friends! Their plan is to request on campus housing with the hopes of getting a triple room. Sarah was hoping to get into North Halls. Alyssa kind of likes South Halls, which is where she is now. Turns out that Kristin is also in South Halls now and likes them as well. Poor Sarah is outnumbered; they have decided to request a triple in South Halls. I, too, like South Halls, as it is very close to downtown, is alongside the HUB (the student union building), and just kind of is in the middle of campus.
3. Alyssa's friend, Holly, from high school and church, is applying to PSU for music education and has her audition on Saturday. Their whole family is going, and they plan on visiting Alyssa on Saturday after the audition. Good luck Holly!! (I think you should choose PSU....bah on West Chester, Kutztown, Ithica, University of Delaware!!!)
Friday, January 11, 2008
As Requested
From the recipe book, Six Ingredients or Less, here is the recipe for the sweet and sour chicken that Alyssa and friends made the other night:
1 chicken, cut up (they cut up chicken breasts into bite sized pieces)
1 cup ketchup
3/4 cup white vinegar (they used cider vinegar, I believe)
1 1/2 tsp. prepared mustard
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
Combine last four ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 30 mins.
Place chicken in a sprayed 9x13 baking dish. Brush generously with sauce. Bake 30 minutes; turn. Bake 20-30 minutes, basting frequently with the sauce. Makes 4 servings.
1 chicken, cut up (they cut up chicken breasts into bite sized pieces)
1 cup ketchup
3/4 cup white vinegar (they used cider vinegar, I believe)
1 1/2 tsp. prepared mustard
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
Combine last four ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 30 mins.
Place chicken in a sprayed 9x13 baking dish. Brush generously with sauce. Bake 30 minutes; turn. Bake 20-30 minutes, basting frequently with the sauce. Makes 4 servings.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
I Have A Pic
This is the cake that Jamie referred to in her most recent blog. Alyssa made it this afternoon. It is delish, just like Jamie said! We doubled the recipe, as Adam would have downed a single recipe in one fell swoop!!
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Ummm....
A little concerning.....
(We ate at this Chinese restaurant this evening....it is one of my favorite restaurants...and I don't think they really serve human beef...LOL!! I couldn't resist taking a pic, although I'm sure the waitress wondered what I was doing!!)
(We ate at this Chinese restaurant this evening....it is one of my favorite restaurants...and I don't think they really serve human beef...LOL!! I couldn't resist taking a pic, although I'm sure the waitress wondered what I was doing!!)
Saturday, January 05, 2008
The Other Side (You Decide)
I took the opportunity to email our Pastor about my previous blog entry regarding the song The Twelve Days of Christmas. He was the one who brought to my attention the web site Truthorfiction.com. He did note that this story has been circulating as long as he's been ordained, which would make it seem as though it is true. On the other hand, see what he found about this story on that web site:
TruthOrFiction.com has not found any Catholic or non-Catholic historical or
scholarly reference that supports this allegation. None of the hundreds of
emails or citations of this story on the net that we've seen includes any
credible source. Most have no source at all, but those that do most often
cite an article published on the Catholic Information Network in 1995. It
was authored by Fr. Hal Stockert of Fishnetsite and appears to be the spark
of the eRumor.
On the other hand, there are several sources that list the song as being of
probable French origin. The most notable is the prestigious New Oxford Book
of Carols which not only cites the French roots of the song, but says it is
based on a game that children would play on the Twelfth Night, the eve of
Epiphany. In the game, each child would have to try to remember and recite
the objects that were said by a previous child. If successful, the child
would add another object to the list for the next contestant to recite. If
not, the child dropped out. The game would continue until there was a
winner.
There are also other problems with the catechism theory. The assumption
behind it is that the song allowed Catholics to secretly embrace their
beliefs behind the backs of non-Catholic Christian leaders during a time
when being a practicing Catholic was against the law, for example under
Anglican rule. None of the doctrines said to be represented in the Twelve
Days of Christmas, however, was different from the beliefs of Anglicans or
even Presbyterians. There is also the question that if the song was that
important for teaching or remembering doctrine, why was it associated only
with Christmas? One final note is that the first printed version of the
song is said to be in the children's book "Mirth Without Mischief" published
in 1780 and that describes the song in similar terms as the Oxford Book of
Carols.
TruthOrFiction.com has not found any Catholic or non-Catholic historical or
scholarly reference that supports this allegation. None of the hundreds of
emails or citations of this story on the net that we've seen includes any
credible source. Most have no source at all, but those that do most often
cite an article published on the Catholic Information Network in 1995. It
was authored by Fr. Hal Stockert of Fishnetsite and appears to be the spark
of the eRumor.
On the other hand, there are several sources that list the song as being of
probable French origin. The most notable is the prestigious New Oxford Book
of Carols which not only cites the French roots of the song, but says it is
based on a game that children would play on the Twelfth Night, the eve of
Epiphany. In the game, each child would have to try to remember and recite
the objects that were said by a previous child. If successful, the child
would add another object to the list for the next contestant to recite. If
not, the child dropped out. The game would continue until there was a
winner.
There are also other problems with the catechism theory. The assumption
behind it is that the song allowed Catholics to secretly embrace their
beliefs behind the backs of non-Catholic Christian leaders during a time
when being a practicing Catholic was against the law, for example under
Anglican rule. None of the doctrines said to be represented in the Twelve
Days of Christmas, however, was different from the beliefs of Anglicans or
even Presbyterians. There is also the question that if the song was that
important for teaching or remembering doctrine, why was it associated only
with Christmas? One final note is that the first printed version of the
song is said to be in the children's book "Mirth Without Mischief" published
in 1780 and that describes the song in similar terms as the Oxford Book of
Carols.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Top (!!!) Chefs
Tonite, Sarah, Karlie and Alyssa got together at our house, picked a recipe out of one of our recipe books, went to Wegman's for their groceries, then made a gourmet meal! As of this minute (midnight), they are sitting in front of the TV playing Guitar Hero on Playstation! This is after watching the movie Rent. And they still have their dessert to eat!
Sarah at the mushrooms, Alyssa with the chicken, Karlie supervising!
From (L) to (R): Sarah, Alyssa & Karlie (it's sparkling soda...LOL!)
Clockwise from top left: Sweet and Sour Chicken, sauteed mushrooms, Jasmine rice (Not a very colorful presentation...ha ha!!)
The mess they made that I'M NOT going to clean up!
See the 'sucker' written on my forehead?!?!?
Chrismons
Several years ago, four of us from church each cross-stitched about 30 ornaments each to adorn our Christmas tree at church. These are just a few of the designs (known as Chrismons) we made. They each have a meaning. There were about eleven different ones, and we each did three of each of them. Here are just a few of the ones we did:
Brrrr....
This is what I saw on my way to work the day after Christmas! I think they must have been nuts!
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