Happy Halloween!!

Fall Back

Daylight Saving Time in the US begins on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November. In 2009, it therefore began on Sunday, March 8 at 2 a.m. and ends on Sunday, November 1 at 2 a.m.

Time moves ahead one hour in March, whereas it moves back one hour in November (hence the saying "Spring forward, Fall back").

In many western European countries, Daylight Saving Time begins on the last Sunday of March and concludes in October on the last Sunday of that month.

DON'T FORGET TO FALL BACK SATURDAY NIGHT!!

Mr. Kevin

Cold Waves from Kevin Tudball on Vimeo.

KEVIN YOU ROCK!!! But I've known that since going to your shows Freshman year, hehe!!

Haunted Mansion

My favorite attraction available from late September through early January is Haunted Mansion Holiday, which incorporates the story from Tim Burton’s “A Nightmare Before Christmas.” The colors are brighter, the songs are punchier, and there’s something special about an attraction that I can only see during a certain time of year.

If you haven’t had a chance to check out “Haunted Mansion Holiday” for yourself, the end of the video below will give you a sense of just how cool the experience is. We produced this video for the 40th anniversary of the attraction this past August. Check out really fun historical video of Walt Disney talking with early concept designers.



The original blog post here.

San Fran

Ryan and I booked our flight to San Fran with the $25 tickets on Southwest last night. I have never been up there so I am pretty excited. We decided that we will fly up there on a Friday morning and then fly back on the following Monday morning. That gives us all day Friday (we will be up there by about 10am), Saturday and Sunday. We will get back to Orange County by about 8am on Monday, so Ryan will be able to go to work from there. When it gets closer to the time of the trip (we are going mid-January) we will probably make a list of the places and things we would like to do when we go up there.

Do you have any suggestions of places we should go or things we should do while visiting San Francisco?

California Surf Festival

One of our friend's, Russell, will be showing one of his most recent films at the California Surf Festival on November 20th. I am sure Ryan will want to be there all weekend, hehe.

The film is called Gum For My Boat. Gum For My Boat is a story of Hope focusing on the Bangladesh Surf Club and its members. The club consists of more than 30 boys and girls and is helping to introduce surfing into a culture in a very unconventional method. Many of the children are street kids or come from very poor families. Some don't even know how to swim, but their love for surfing brings them together and into a way of life they never even knew existed. An ocean that was once deemed off limits due to fear and a very conservative Islamic culture is now becoming source of fun, escape and even a chance for a way to make a living. Follow professional surfer, Kahana Kalama (a past guest star of Fuel TV’s series On Surfari) as he works with Hawaiian-based non-profit, Surfing The Nations, and learns from these kids that sometimes, surfing involves much more than catching waves.

Nov 10th

Whooo hooo!! I just saw a commercial that Up is being released on DVD on November 10th!! WHOOO HOOOO!! We have Disney money still from our birthdays so maybe the next time we go to Disney we will pick up the new DVD!

Mummy Carlee

Here is a funny picture that Ryan took of me when we were picking out our pumpkins last weekend.

Color Update

Seems like my padres are having issues reading the red font, so I changed the color to a yellow. It seems better for my eyes, but then again I wasn't having an issue. Does this color work better for you all?! I know it isn't so Christmas-y, but I think it helps.

$25 Flights

$25 One Way Flights

According to a Southwest press release, the 72-hour "4th Quarter Sale" allows guests traveling 375 miles or less to grab tickets for just $25 one-way. For travel between 375 and 549 miles, the one-way fare is $50. For one-way travel between 550 and 999 miles, fares are $75. Any one-way flight that goes 1,000 miles will cost $100.

More of the article here. Check out the flights here.

Maybe Ryan and I will head up San Fran or over to New York for a long weekend :)

Sold

A little piece of bad news... The Razz that I was looking at getting for Christmas was SOLD. Ryan and I were going to go down to San Diego to see it on Saturday. The shop opened at 10am, so I thought we would call them right around that time and make sure that it was still there before wasting the time to drive to San Diego. I called and spoke with the employee around 10:05 and asked if it was still available. HE TOLD ME IT WAS SOLD! Sadness. I guess they didn't remove it from Craigslist, but it was sold last weekend. Oh well.

First Cache

Ryan really wanted to hide a cache this weekend, so this morning we walked up and down Michigan Street to see where it would be best... We finally find the perfect spot, so we hide the cache and then came home to make the post. It takes a couple days for them to publish the cache, but we are still quite pumped about it :) We called it GO BLUE and had to place it on Michigan Street (since it is like a half a block from our house).

Check it out here.

Jack O Lanterns

Ryan and I carved our pumpkins yesterday (and made pumpkin seeds). Check out our Halloween pictures so far :)







The rest of them are here.

Frank

Here are some pictures of Frank. We picked him up from Clay N Latte last night before we went and saw Where The Wild Things Are with a few friends. Ryan was the art director and I was the assistant. Frank was made to look like he was a brown paper bag, but we decided to make him all colorful instead of brown like a bag (but if you can see on the side shots the 'folds' are still there like a lunch bag). The inside is purple. We are planning on getting some tea lights to put inside of him and light him up (I'm pretty sure he will look VERY creepy, but that's what Ryan was going for :) ).

Filling Paradise Bay :)

Last week we told you that Paradise Bay would be filling with water very soon. We also shared the interesting environmental story about how the process works. The time has come! Check out the fun video of Mickey and Goofy lending a helping hand.



Click here if you’re interested in reading more about how we worked with the Orange County Water District to find a more environmentally conscious way to fill the lagoon.

The original blog post here.

DUI In La-Z-Boy

Wowser...

A Minnesota man has pleaded guilty to driving his motorized La-Z-Boy chair while drunk. A criminal complaint said 62-year-old Dennis LeRoy Anderson told police he left a bar in the northern Minnesota town of Proctor on his chair after drinking eight or nine beers.

Prosecutors say Anderson's blood alcohol content was 0.29, more than three times the legal limit, when he crashed into a parked vehicle in August 2008. He was not seriously injured.

Police said the chair was powered by a converted lawnmower and had a stereo and cup holders.

The original article here.

Bad News Beaver Tails

I FORGOT TO POST ABOUT THIS!!! We have suffered a tragedy in our McDot family... WE HAVE LOST RICHARD!!! I didn't post about it when it first happened because I knew that Ryan felt terrible about it, but now we think Richard is out on his next adventure... I guess it was our faults... We took him sky diving and he loved the new adventures so much that he decided to venture into the world without us... Maybe one day he will return to our family :)



You will be missed Richard, but we hope you are enjoying yourself and staying safe!!

Christmas Layout

What are your thoughts on my new Christmas background? Not too flashy, but I figure since it isn't even Halloween yet I would try and keep it a little more low key :)

Bedding Inspired By Homeless

Bedding Inspired by the Homeless

We love it when our aesthetic passions line up with a good cause. The Home Duvet from Dutch By Design, a UK-based company specializing in contemporary home goods by Dutch designers, is a product that raises money for the homeless and manages to heighten awareness for the cause in a stylish way. We could see buyers loving the cause--benefiting the less fortunate--or being turned off by what they think are offensive designs.

The duvet cover and pillowcases are decorated with a photographic print of a cardboard box, reminding the user that some people don't have a bed, let alone a home. The pattern has been so popular that Dutch By Design is introducing a second print that looks like pavement later this month.Thirty percent of the gross profits from the sale of both patterns will go to Centrepoint, a United Kingdom charity for homeless youth ages 16 to 25-years-old.

Most of the time philanthropic home goods are simply stamped with a logo, like the pink breast cancer ribbon, or the design of the item doesn't address the cause for which the product raises funds. We applaud the attractive and meaning-filled design, and hope that other charities will partner up with clever design teams in the future.

More of the article here.

What are your thoughts?

Ukulele Player

Dying Teen Records Dream Album

A teenage ukulele prodigy refused to let his battle with cancer be his legacy. Instead, he spent his final months realizing a dream of cutting an album with world-class musicians and using the money to help other kids like himself.

Just weeks before his death in August, 16-year-old Killian Mansfield of upstate New York got to hold a copy of his professional CD. "Somewhere Else" features the teen playing alongside such musical talents as Dr. John, Kate Pierson, John Sebastian, Todd Rundgren and Levon Helm.

Killian began playing instruments at age 3. He first took up the violin and then the fiddle before settling on the less common ukulele. When his family moved to the Woodstock, N.Y., area, the boy became well known as a "teenage troubadour," carrying his instrument in a neon-orange case and jamming with local musicians, New York Magazine reported.

He was diagnosed at age 11 with a rare form of synovial sarcoma, a disease that invades muscle and bone tissue. Over the next five years he endured painful treatments and surgeries, including one that removed a large portion of his jaw.

Read more of the article here.

The Lover

Looks like tonight's The Office will be a good one, like normal :)

Michael (Steve Carell) shocks Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) when he reveals that he has been dating Pam's mother, after they return from their honeymoon in Puerto Rico. Dwight (Rainn Wilson) apologizes to Jim for years of torment with a strange peace offering.

Christmas Gift?

Ryan and I are going to go look at my possible Christmas gift this weekend (if it hasn't sold by then)... Ryan thinks it will be better if I get a cheap scooter so that I can get comfortable and make sure I want one before we drop 'real' money on it. (And we can get our license with this one)



Here is the Craigslist ad about it :)

Hey now, that's a great looking pink scooter!

This little beauty is a 20-year-old two-stroke Yamaha Razz, a scooter with some awesome highlights: it's lightweight and easy to drive, it has an electric starter and a kickstart, and it has a boxy pink body that makes me want to take it out on the dance floor to watch it do back spins.

This sweet Razz is a 50cc so it'll make the perfect neighborhood cruiser, but be careful because all your friends are gonna want to ride it so its 900 miles won't stay that way for long. It's a “hit the mall with your jelly shoes and Swatch watch” kind of scooter.

Oh, the era of the Yamaha Razz, how I pine for you! If only we could keep this little scooter around as a pink mascot, if only there was room in our shop for a hot-performing piece of sublime beauty such as this. You smell, beautiful and you look glorious in my mind, just like that lifeguard I had a crush on in the sixth grade.

The Yamaha Razz is a tiny powerhouse that can be yours for only $600. It's waiting for its new owner at Motorsport Scooters, and it sheds one tiny tear at the end of every day we have to put it back into the shop.

ABC

They finally released what station will be broadcasting the game on Saturday - ABC. I like this because we get it at our house, so we don't have to go out and watch it :).

Penn St.-Michigan Preview

Michigan's home struggles in recent years might have made venturing into Ann Arbor a slightly less daunting prospect for some Big Ten opponents than it once was.

For Penn State, it still has to be pretty intimidating.

The 13th-ranked Nittany Lions haven't won at the Big House since 1996, and they'll look to put their five-game losing streak at Michigan Stadium to rest Saturday afternoon.

Penn State (6-1, 2-1) entered its matchup with Michigan (5-2, 1-2) undefeated or with one loss six times in nine games from 1997-2007, but couldn't escape with a win.

More of the preview here.

Kodak Gallery

Check out the site here to see what type of Kodak FREE GIFT you could get!!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES (D.C.) 18 YEARS AND OLDER. MUST OPT-IN TO RECEIVE FURTURE INFORMATION FROM KODAK GALLERY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Sweepstakes ends 11/13/09. Grand Prize winner will receive a trip to Los Angeles, CA to attend the taping of the Ellen Degeneres Show. Odds of winning depend upon the number of eligible entries. For Official Rules, visit http://kodak.promo.eprize.com/millionsofthanks. Sponsor: Kodak Imaging Network, Inc. 1480 64th Street, Suite 300, Emeryville. CA 94608

Pedal Boat

This morning Ryan and I went out and rented a pedal boat in the Oceanside Harbor. Ryan has wanted to do it for a while now, and since this morning was grey and foggy we figured it would be an okay day to go. We pedalled around in the harbor for about an hour. We saw the seal lions (one that we names Barky, which his picture is below), pelicans, sea gulls, junk birds, and some boats. Enjoy the pictures below and click here to see the rest (and some pictures of Ryan and Kornel surfing this afternoon).

Pelly!!

Look at our wake... We were speeding along!!

Barky!!

U Drive!!

Daddy-O's Pumpkin

Look at the Wiener Dog that Dad carved into his pumpkin. I got the picture from his cell phone in my email - the title said Pumpkins and Wieners... Maybe we should think about a better email subject (I am surprised it didn't get caught in my spam), hehe...



Way to go Daddy-O!!

Toy Story Mania

Ryan loves this ride at California Adventure. I just saw a commercial for the Wii game. I think this may just make Ryan's Christmas list :)

Inspired by the Disney/Pixar feature film, Toy Story and the 4D Toy Story Mania attraction at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, Toy Story Mania! is now headed exclusively to the Wii Video game system. In addition to galleries adapted from the attraction, the game includes new and original galleries and a series of mini games, all hosted by beloved characters from the movies. The thematically-connected levels are designed for up to four players of all ages with competitive and co-operative multiplayer options.

Toy Story Mania! also includes bonus 3D features, transforming the game experience with eye-popping visuals. Join all the classic Toy Story characters in Toy Story Mania! as Woody, Buzz and the gang stage their own zany, fun-filled carnival. Celebrate the joy of play with family and friends of all ages and face off in the ultimate living room showdown.

Key Game Features

**Engage in 10 fast-paced shooting galleries - some adapted from the theme park attraction, others brand new and original to the game.
**Includes 30 addictive mini-games.
**Experience bonus levels in 3D and compete against family and friends for top prizes.
**Team up to unlock Easter eggs (hidden game features and items) and collectibles.
**In-game tickets allows players to buy "Sticker Books" that feature different game characters that can be used to build your own in-game scenarios based on certain themes.
**Four-player game support competitive and cooperative multiplayer options.

Sweetest Day

HAPPY SWEETEST DAY TOMORROW!! So I know most of my California friends have NO idea what this is, so I have pasted the Wikipedia article about it below, hehe.

Sweetest Day is an observance celebrated primarily in the Great Lakes region and parts of the Northeast United States on the third Saturday in October. Once known as a day to spread love and cheer to the unfortunate, this popular holiday in the northern U.S. is now known as a day to show affection to the loved ones in your life. It is described by Retail Confectioners International as an "occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember not only the sick, aged and orphaned, but also friends, relatives and associates whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed." Sweetest Day has also been referred to as a "concocted promotion" created by the candy industry solely to increase sales of candy.

I know, I know, A HALLMARK (FAKE) Holiday, but I LOVE LOVE!

CONGRATS Georges!

I know, I know, it seems like everyone is having baby's, huh?! Well, here is another one! Kayla gave birth to a HEALTHY baby boy this morning - WHOOO HOOO!!! Now I know kids aren't my thing, but Danni (their daughter) is pretty awesome, so I'm sure the new little man will be just as cool :)



PS This picture is from our last Growth Group hang out last semester at the Georges... When there was only one baby in the group, now we have 3 in just a few short months! I know, I know, I really know how to ruin a picture, huh? :)

Pumpkins

I think I will go pick up my pumpkin this weekend. Ryan and I have gone to this place in San Marcos a couple times to get pumpkins, and I think I may talk him into doing it again this weekend. Last year I carved a whale into my pumpkin. The year before that I did the SD for San Diego. The year before that I did a funny alien guy that I had a cut out for. I think this year I may just go with the standard face. Maybe I will make pumpkin seeds again this year - YUM! Are you going to carve a pumpkin? If so, what will you make?!

Wings, Kings

I was watching the Red Wings game last night (the only reason it was on was because they were playing the Kings, so they were showing it on our FX Kings station). While I was watching it I thought it would be awesome to be able to go see a game this season. I looked up the schedule and it looks like the Red Wings will be coming out to LA in February (that game would work best because it is on the weekend and wouldn't have to worry about fighting the LA traffic). When Ryan got home I was telling him about how it would be fun and he said that he was actually thinking about it earlier in the week because the radio station he was listening to had mentioned the Kings game and it started him thinking. So I think we get tickets for the Kings / Red Wings game in February. It probably won't be as awesome as The Joe, but hey, I still enjoy cheering on my Wings from the other side of the country :).

Ants

Grrrrr. We have ants! They aren't too bad, but I just feel dirty when I have ants in the house. We have had a small invasion earlier in the spring, and now I guess with the changing season they are coming again. I guess I should be flattered that they want to take refuge from the cooler weather and rain in our home :). I had Ryan go through the pantry last night and make sure that everything was closed as tightly as possible, rinse out the bottles and recyclables that are still in the closet, etc. We could have it much worse (more ants, fleas (JUST KIDDING KATRINA), or NO HOUSE FOR ANTS IN INVAID). Well, anyway, I would still like them OUT.

Funny Play

Crazy finish at Michigan high school football game

Quick lesson in high school football. The game isn't over until the official blows the whistle on the final play.

Canton (Michigan) Plymouth High learned that the hard way earlier this month.

The school thought it had defeated Westland (Michigan) John Glenn when it blocked a last-second field goal attempt. But when its players ran off the field in celebration, none of the players realized that the ball hadn't crossed the line of scrimmage and was still in play.

No official had blown the ball dead.

So while Plymouth celebrated, John Glenn's Tony Wilton alertly picked up the ball and ran 33-yards for the winning score.

It's a play, Wilton will never forget. Here's how it went down.

John Glenn trailed Plymouth, 28-27, with eight seconds left when it lined up for a potential game-winning field goal.

Wilton, a senior, is also the holder for field goals.

As the play unfolded, two onrushing Plymouth defenders dove and blocked the Ryan Lopez kick, which would never cross the line of scrimmage.

The Plymouth team erupted in jubilation of the last-second heroics.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, the play was not over.

The rest of the article here.

WALK

THIS WEEKEND IS THE WALK! Please consider walking or donating. Check out my walker pager here.

http://afsp.donordrive.com/participant/mcdot

Youth TOMS

And they’re here! The long-awaited, much-anticipated TOMS Youth Collection has arrived. Although TOMS gives youth sizes during Shoe Drops, we were yet to offer them at retail. Now, Moms and Dads can outfit their kids in TOMS. Aunts and Uncles can spoil their nieces and nephews with the hippest new shoes. Big brothers and sisters can teach their younger siblings about the power of giving with One for One… and your annual family Holiday photo cards can showcase your entire family, young to old, wearing TOMS shoes.

“TOMS envisions kids sharing the One for One movement with other kids over school lunches, birthday parties where children and their friends can decorate their own pairs of TOMS, and a generation that will grow up with the idea of giving as a standard practice in everything they do.”

Original post here.

Toy Story

Ryan and I went to see the Double Feature of Toy Story and Toy Story 2 in 3D yesterday! Two movies for the price of one. Seeing them in 3D. Fun trivia and treats at the intermission. Watch the trailer here.

Of course we enjoyed ourselves :)

It is only in the theaters for the next 3 days - check it out if you have a couple hours between now and Thursday!

Weather

Wowser - It might rain this week (and they issued a Weather Alert :) )

A STRONG PACIFIC STORM MOVING THROUGH NORTHERN AND CENTRAL CALIFORNIA LATE TUESDAY THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY WILL BRING SOME IMPACTS TO EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA.

THE STORM WILL GENERATE A LARGE WEST SWELL WHICH WILL MOVE THROUGH THE COASTAL WATERS WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY BRINGING HIGH SURF TO EXPOSED WEST FACING BEACHES WITH SOME BREAKERS EXCEEDING 10 FEET POSSIBLE. THIS SURF WILL CAUSE DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS.

OTHER IMPACTS MAY EXTEND INTO NORTHERN PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE AS FAR SOUTH AS THE SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAINS AND STRONG...GUSTY WINDS POSSIBLE IN MOUNTAIN AND DESERT AREAS OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY. ANY MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL COULD CAUSE MUD AND DEBRIS FLOWS IN THE SHEEP BURN AREA. THERE IS A CHANCE OF RAIN FOR AREAS FARTHER SOUTH AND AMOUNTS IN THESE AREAS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LESS.

PRECEDING THE STRONG STORM...A WEAKER SYSTEM WILL BRING A CHANCE OF LIGHTER RAINFALL LATE TODAY THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY WITH GREATEST RAINFALL CHANCES TO THE NORTH AND LESSER CHANCES TO THE SOUTH.

Julian

Ryan and I went to Julian yesterday. We wanted to see the changing colors (since we don't get much of it living at the beach) and see about picking apples and getting pumpkins. It was a nice drive over, but the colors aren't very vibrant this year (things are either green or dead, but hey it was the thought that counts). We took some pictures, stopped at an apple orchard (but the picking season was done - so I stole a tiny apple that Ryan told me not to eat and I did anyway), did a few geo caches, Ryan ate pie and then drove back.







Check out the album here.