Monday, October 31, 2011

Disney Halloween

Happy Halloween from Disneyland Park



Halloween is here, and we've got a special message from some of our vile Disney Villains and some of your favorite Disney friends - in their Halloween costumes.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Bike Ride

This morning we packed up the bikes and hit the San Luis River Trail. I think we did about 7 miles (6 on the trail for sure, then a little more through the Oceanside Harbor). We decided to jump off the trail at the end and cruise around in the Harbor to see if the seals were out. Lowandbehold the were! They were sticking their tails and all of their fins in the air (like they were sunbathing them, or maybe drying out their pitties). I know it is a little hard to see, but they are in the middle of the channel, the black things waving at us. I tried to take video of them barking at the people, but every time I started the camera they stopped.







Oh yeah, and a picture of us checking out the waves before we hit the trail back home :)

Party Pictures

My aunt and uncle were are moving back to Monroe (from the Bahamas, where my uncle was working as an electrician on the base down there). It was also my uncle's birthday. Not to mention Halloween is just around the corner. They decided to throw a party (welcome home, birthday, dress-up, Halloween bash). We weren't back in Michigan for it, but we were kept up to date with cell phone pictures from my mom and dad throughout the day! Hopefully there will be some better quality shots surfacing soon, but at least we were kept in the fun with the quick paparazzi cell phone pics.

Aunt (witch from Sleeping Beauty), Uncle (pirate), and Uncle (Zorro):

Cousin's Wife (character from Harry Potter):

Grandma (blonde wig because my grandpa used to love blondes - PS she looks just like one of my aunts in this picture):

Cousin's husband (she shaved his head into a mohawk):

Uncle (pirate):

Cousin's baby (pumpkin):

Brother (white trash man):

Uncle (the man of the hour, Zorro):

Aunt (witch from Sleeping Beauty):

Cousin's daughter (garden gnome):

Senior Pics

Obviously by now you know that I like free things (if you don't, welcome to my blog, since you probably haven't been here for long :) ). Anyway, there is a coupon for a free photo shoot and $30 worth of prints for free through Sears. (It is good until November 15th, so you should do it too!). I asked Ryan if he would do the little photo shoot with me, and of course he agreed. We had to decide on a theme, which actually was harder than you would think. We have never really had professional pictures taken of us before, so we had a hard time deciding if we were going to go the silly route or the nice route. We decided on the Michigan Theme. We went over there yesterday and took a couple pictures. The process probably took about an hour in total (they took about 10 shots of us in front of maybe 3 or 4 back drops, then we had to wait for them to get the pictures ready, pick which ones we wanted, and then we will go back in a couple weeks to pick them up). I know they have the water marks on them, but you get the idea! And YES they do seem like senior pictures, but we had fun!









Pur-Don't Game

I feel like if I were to ever miss the football game, these YouTube videos would keep me fully informed! So for any of you that missed the game, or want to relive another win, here is the video of the highlights from yesterday's Homecoming win over the Boilermakers.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Fabinsky!

Fabinsky! from NWHCM on Vimeo.



We obviously think sponsorship is an important way to invest in people and help build thriving communities, but don't take our word for it! Check out this short interview with Fabinsky Joseph, one of the kids at our orphanage in Saline Mayette. He's got big dreams for himself and his friends, and sponsorship helps make it all possible!

Feel free to share!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

No Batman in Petoskey

HOW RUDE! You are going to tell a man NOT to dress up... Where have all the heros gone?!

Harbor Springs man dressed as Batman ordered not to wear costumes

A Michigan man who was arrested after being spotted atop a building while wearing a Batman costume won't be dressing up for a while.

The Petoskey News-Review reports 32-year-old Mark Williams was sentenced Monday to six months of probation. During that time, a judge says he's not allowed to wear costumes — including the Batman one he was wearing when Petoskey police picked him up in May.

The Harbor Springs man earlier pleaded guilty to attempted resisting/obstructing an officer.

Williams said he was inspired by others who dress as super heroes to prevent crime and reach out to the homeless.

Officers in Petoskey confiscated a baton-like weapon and a can of chemical irritant spray. Williams says he didn't intend to use them.


The original story here.

Pickers Legos

american pickers intro



Dedicated to the American Pickers. This is the intro of the show done in legos.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Northern Lights

Aurora Timelapse from Michigan 10-24-11



Northern Lights as seen east of Martin, Michigan on October 24 2011.

Red Car Trolley

[We are pretty pumped for this!! The park looks sort of strange right now with all the walls up, but I am pretty sure it will be TOTALLY worth it when they finish everything up!]

Red Car Trolley at Disney California Adventure Park Will be a Ride Back in Time

When Buena Vista Street opens at Disney California Adventure park next year, guests will be transported back in time to Los Angeles of the 1920s and ‘30s. This trip to the past would not be complete without one of the most beloved symbols of Los Angeles history, the Pacific Electric Red Cars. The Red Car Trolley, making its debut along with the rest of Buena Vista Street, will be inspired by this landmark transportation system.

At its peak in the mid-1920s, the Pacific Electric Railway was the largest electric railway in the world, connecting Los Angeles and the surrounding Orange, San Bernardino, Ventura and Riverside counties. Established in 1901, the Pacific Electric Railway carried passengers throughout the Southern California area for the next 60 years.


More of the article and pictures here.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Disney Passes!

Yep! We got our annual passes again! And boy does it feel like it has been FOREVER since we were at Disney. For our birthdays we asked for funds for Disney Passes and we went up and bought them yesterday. We LOVE Disney (okay, Ryan likes Disney, but because he is the best hubby ever and has a wife that loves Disney, he in-turn loves Disney :) ). We took a ton of pictures (obviously), but here are a few top choices:


Mickey pumpkin:

Jack & Sally (we had never seen them in the park before):

Sailor Mickey:

Mater & McQueen (for our nephew Matthew):

Dug (from Up) - again, never saw in the park before:

Mickey:

Ferris Wheel in CA Adventure:

World of Color (saw it for the first time):

So cool (like Bellagio on steroids):


To see the rest of the pictures, check them out here.

2011 Mules

(Funny to think my senior year we didn't win a single game...)



The 2011 Kicking Mules are headed to the MHSAA Playoffs. Here's the season that got them there - filled with heart, muscle, talent, student support and family in the stands!

Kelly on CBS



All hail king Kelly Slater

In the past two decades Kelly Slater has won the world champion surfing title ten times and now he is finding a way to build the perfect wave inside a full size surfing park he's designing. Tracy Smith reports.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Reef's Guatemala Threads

Reef's Guatemala Threads



The Reef team and a small film crew recently traveled to a lakeside village in Guatemala to document a collaboration with a special group of female artisans in the region. Reef partnered with the artisans as part of the brand's "We Heart Collection" to create the Guatemalan Threads sandal which features their colorful handcrafted chords on the strap. The film was created to communicate the benefit of partnering with artisans, as well as NEST, the Non-Profit organization that represents them, to promote worldwide ethical consumerism and trade.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Died Holding Hands

Couple Married 72 Years Dies Holding Hands

An Iowa couple who was married for 72 years died one hour apart last week in the hospital as they held hands.
Family said the story of Gordon, 94, and Norma Yeager, 90, is a real-life love story.
On the day she graduated from high school, Norma Stock said yes to Gordon Yeager's marriage proposal. The couple got married on May 26, 1939 in State Center.
"They're very old-fashioned. They believed in marriage til death do you part," said son Dennis Yeager.
"Staying together for 72 years is good, I'd say that's exceptional," said daughter Donna Sheets.
Dennis Yeager said the couple left home last Wednesday to go into town, but they didn't make it.
At the intersection of Highway 30 and Jessup Avenue just west of Marshalltown, state troopers said Gordon pulled in front of an oncoming car. The Iowa State Patrol crash report said the other driver attempted to avoid the crash but was unable to stop in time.
In the intensive care unit of Marshalltown's hospital, nurses knew not to separate Gordon and Norma.
"They brought them in the same room in intensive care and put them together -- and they were holding hands in ICU. They were not really responsive," said Dennis Yeager.
Gordon died at 3:38 p.m. holding hands with his wife as the family they built surrounded them.
"It was really strange, they were holding hands, and dad stopped breathing but I couldn't figure out what was going on because the heart monitor was still going," said Dennis Yeager. "But we were like, he isn't breathing. How does he still have a heart beat? The nurse checked and said that's because they were holding hands and it's going through them. Her heart was beating through him and picking it up."
"They were still getting her heartbeat through him," said Donna Sheets.
At 4:38 p.m., exactly one hour after Gordon died, Norma passed too.


The rest of the story (and the video news clip) can be located here.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

MI City Names Part II

How Did Michigan Names Get Their Names? Part 2

Last week, we shared the first part in our series explaining how Michigan cities were named. This week, check out part two, which shares the story of how five more states were named.

Lansing:
How the name of Michigan’s capital city came to be is a fun story. In the 1830s, two brothers from New York tried to scam their fellow statesman by going to Lansing, New York, and trying to sell plots of land in an area of Michigan that was underwater most of the year. When men who bought plots of land realized they had been scammed, they settled in the area that is now metropolitan Lansing and renamed the area “Lansing Township” as an homage to their home village in New York. In 1847, the state constitution required that the capital of Michigan be moved out of Detroit. Lansing Township was chosen out of frustration with the process. In 1848, the area was eventually given the name of Lansing. From November 9 – 17, check out the Lansing Film Festival, which will feature foreign films, documentaries and student productions from around the world.

Ann Arbor:
There are a couple theories about the origin of Ann Arbor, but the most agreed-upon theory revolves around two men named John Allen and Elisha Ramsey, two pioneers who were part of a group of settlers who set up a community by the Huron River in 1824. Both Rumsey and Allen’s wives were named Ann, and the word “arbor” means “a leafy, shady recess formed by tree branches, shrubs, etc.,” which perfectly describes the landscape of the area in 1824. Explore this city that does things a little bit differently:



Petoskey:
Surrounded in mystery and legend, Petoskey is said to be named after the son of a French fur trader and Ottawa princess. He was named Petosegay. The translation of the name is “rising sun,” “rays of dawn,” or “sunbeams of promise” due to the bright light that shone on his face near the Kalamazoo river when he was born. He was a successful merchant and trader, who also married an Ottawa princess. It’s said a small settlement was started on his land just a north of Bear Creek and was named Petoskey (an English translation) after him. Petoskey is known for its bike trails, including Little Traverse Wheelway, a 26-mile stretch that follows the shoreline from Charlevoix north to Harbor Springs.


The rest of the article here.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Pumpkin Stencils

Although the Tigers lost on Saturday WE STILL LOVE THEM! I saw this site on the Detroit Tiger's Facebook today and when I showed it to Ry he said we would HAVE to carve our pumpkins with one of these this year! [He may do a Lion's pumpkin and I may stick with the Tiger's one]




Which also reminds me, while we were at Lowes this weekend (because of course we have to look at house projects when your handy-man-dad is in town) we saw a Dremel Pumpkin Carver! Some people must be pretty extreme with their carving, huh?!

Lions Pure MI Spoof



spoof of the Pure Michigan ads, by John Kerfoot, highlighting the 2011 Detroit Lions

**If you aren't from Michigan and don't know what the Pure Michigan ads are, then this probably won't be as funny, but still entertaining :) **

Thumbs Up

I enjoy riding my bike to work (TODAY WAS DAY # 4 FOR ALL OF YOU KEEPING TRACK) - not to mention the fact that I like being environmentally friendly and getting a work out at the same time. Don't get me wrong, it is pretty tough! The hills are killer, my quads feel like rocks about half way through the journey, it hasn't been ideal weather lately (I mean, when it is ideal to workout, hehe), but I still end with a smile on my face. I love saying "Good morning" or "Good afternoon" to the folks walking their dogs, the kids waiting at the bus-stop, the fellow bike commuters, the sign-spinners, and just about anyone else that will make eye contact with me (sometimes people just won't even look at someone coming by them, so it is hard to say HI to those folks).

There are a few spots along my trek that I have to be EXTRA cautious of vehicles - especially since I still don't have a helmet and are waiting for my blinking lights to get here in the mail. Most of the trip I am riding either in bike lanes or on the sidewalk on streets that the max speed limit is 35mph (but you know people and their speed limits... most people like to push them). There is this one spot on my way home that two lanes of traffic merge together (like an upside-down Y) and I actually have to cross in-front of oncoming traffic to get over to the bike lane (none of the lanes stop, because the two lanes don't merge, they just run next to each other). Anyway, I am super careful (DON'T WORRY MOM) and today there was actually a car coming in the lane I need to cross over through. I stayed in the lane of traffic that I was in and kept looking back at the lady. She was slowing down, so I figured I would cross over. I gave a little wave when I got into the bike lane (to let her know I was in and she could speed up again). When she got up next to me I made sure to give her a big smile and a wave and mouthed the words 'Thank You'. She gave me a big thumbs up and mouthed "Way To Go".

It just made me smile! I know that when Ryan and I are driving by hills and there are folks that are trying to bike them, sometimes I will put the window down and cheer them on - saying "YOU CAN DO IT". I was just so happy that someone was that cheerleader for me :) So lady-in-the-car-on-the-101-this afternoon-about-4:45pm: THANK YOU FOR SEEING ME, LETTING ME OVER, AND BEING MY LITTLE CHEER TEAM THIS AFTERNOON!!

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Monday Night In Motown

WE STILL LOVE YOU LIONS!! YOU GO BOYS!!



Downtown Detroit transforms into a bustling metropolis in the Monday Night Football spotlight, as the Lions look to remain unbeaten against their NFC North rivals

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Finding the Right Doc

Fibromyalgia: Getting the Right Doctors on Your Side

People who have fibromyalgia face more than just severe muscle pain, unrelenting fatigue, and disturbed sleep. Because there currently are no diagnostic tests for fibromyalgia, many patients also struggle with misdiagnoses, unsympathetic physicians, and ineffective treatments. But with up to 4 percent of the population now said to be suffering from this condition, researchers are working hard to get a better handle on fibromyalgia and how to treat it.

If you have fibromyalgia, you don't have to feel buffeted by fate or suffer in silence. Here are a few essential steps you can take to get control of your situation, to find the medical help you need, and to get some relief for your symptoms.

...

Don't Lose Hope
Scientists are hard at work developing diagnostic tests for fibromyalgia and, according to Clauw, soon there may be specific tests that will help physicians determine which treatments will work best for a particular patient. In the meantime, your doctor can prescribe a multifaceted treatment program for you, including medication, exercise, stress reduction, and sleep strategies. "The pain and fibromyalgia fields are evolving very rapidly, and each month we know something new that helps us take better care of fibromyalgia patients," says Clauw. "It is important to know that there is hope."


The rest of the article here.

Barry Sanders

Well said Barry!!

Barry Sanders MNF Bears vs. Lions Open


[PS. And it was AWESOME to have a win on the first Monday Night Game in a DECADE!]

Michigan City Names

I saw this on the Pure Michigan Facebook page today and really thought it was cool.

How Did Michigan Cities Get Their Names? Part 1

Each city in Michigan has a unique history and tradition. This includes everything from when the city was created to how it was named. With that in mind, we’re creating a new feature on the Pure Michigan Connect blog where we will tell the story of how five Michigan cities earned their names. Check out the first five below and look for more in the coming weeks.

Detroit:
Let’s start with Detroit, the city with the most Michiganders and one of the oldest cities in the Midwest. The city is named after the Detroit River, which links Lake Huron and Lake Eric. The word “detroit” is French for “strait,” and the French called the river “le détroit du Lac Érié,” meaning “the strait of Lake Erie.” On July 24, 1701, a French explorer and nobleman by the name of Antoine de la Mothe, sieur de Cadillac founded Detroit. Check out the Detroit Fall Beer Festival on October 22 at Eastern Market, which will feature more than 40 Michigan craft breweries offering more than 200 different beers for sampling throughout the day.

Mackinac Island:
Like many historic places in the Great Lakes region, Mackinac Island’s name derives from a Native American language. It’s been said that Native Americans thought the shape of the island resembled a turtle, so they named it “Mitchimakinak” meaning “big turtle.” Then, the French used their own version of the original pronunciation and named it Michilimackinac. However, the English shortened it to the present name: “Mackinac.” You can check out live streaming video of Main Street on Mackinac Island here.


Check out the full article here.

TOMS on Ellen



The inspiring Blake Mycoskie stopped by to talk to Ellen about TOMS shoes and the new TOMS sunglasses. Watch here.

Monday, October 10, 2011

First Commute

Today was my first day commuting to work on my bicycle. I think it went well... It is quite the work out and I am not sure how I feel about getting sweaty on the way TO work, but I am excited to get better at it. I did walk up the last few meters on a couple of the hills on the way to work and walked up the hill to our condo on the way home, but I am pumped to get to a place (somewhere in the future) that the ride is just easy sailing. (Not to mention we get a gym membership with our new office, so I am going to start working out there a couple days a week too)

I parked my bike in the office today and my boss said that there are two things I MUST have. A helmet and blinking lights. I told him that I wasn't sure about the helmet. I feel like I just tool around and don't know if I would need one. He said that it is a MUST. It isn't so much that I would be doing crazy things, but better safe than sorry. He also said that I should get a blinking front and back light. Not so much because I will be riding at night and need light to see, but the more to warn drivers that you are there, the better. I ordered the blinking lights tonight and guess I will have to go get a helmet soon :)

Sunday, October 9, 2011

New Bicycle

This morning we bought me a new bicycle :) We are quite the bike flippers these days, hehe. We decided that I would need some gears if I wanted to bike to work (since there are a couple of fairly steep hills between here and work). The commute is only about 3 or 4 miles and I really want to be able to ride to work if I wanted. Yesterday we went around to some bike shops and we found a really cool bike at Performance Bikes in Oceanside. The one we decided on was a 2011 Schwinn Sierra 7 (it has 7 speeds). It's a hybrid bike, which means it is a mix between a cruiser (still sitting straight up with the cool features, like a wide seat and fun handlebars), but has a few speeds and thinner tires. It is "coral" in color. I really like it and all of the cool little accents (like the coral color on the handles and seat, the internal wires, the snazzy gears). The weather is supposed to be in the 70s and 80s this week, so I think it is a PERFECT week to try out the commuting.

Check out some of the pictures we have taken so far: