Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Starfish Story

The Starfish Story

A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.

She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”

The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied,

“Well, I made a difference to that one!”

The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had done and said. Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved. - adapted from the Star Thrower by Loren C. Eiseley


The original post here.

10 Best Lighthouse

Ten Best Lighthouses to Sleep in

We've scoured the country for the best lighthouses from the coasts to the Great Lakes and north to Alaska—and found 10 that you simply cannot miss.

Ever dreamed of staying in a lighthouse? In America, these coastal guardians have a proud history of keeping ships out of harm’s way, and now a few will harbor you safely beneath their lanterns for the night. There are options for every budget,, from hostel accommodations to renting out an entire keeper's house.

Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel, Pescadero, California

Perched at the top of a 35-foot cliff in Pescadero, California, the Pigeon Point Lighthouse is one of the tallest in the nation. Although the tower has been closed to the public since 2002, according to general manager Jeffrey Parry, the lamp room still houses the original first-order Fresnel lens. Today, the four Coast Guard family houses, built in 1959, serve as an international hostel for budget-minded travelers.

Relax in the hostel's cliff-top hot tub after a long day of exploring nearby beaches and redwood forests. In late winter, you can watch the elephant seals mating at Ano Nuevo State Park. Accommodations include gender-specific dorm-style rooms, private single or double rooms, and private family rooms, all with shared bathrooms.

Accommodations range from $23-25 for Hostelling International members in a dorm room and up to $117 for a private family room for non-members. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, on-site parking, baggage storage, and secure lockers.

Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum, Northport, Michigan.

After being decommissioned and closing in 1972, this light station on Lake Michigan stood vacant until the Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum was formed to give it a new life. The 1858 lighthouse is now open to the public as part of a volunteer program, where you can stay in the old assistant keeper's quarters and perform duties that a keeper would have done, such as cleaning, collecting admissions, painting, and mowing the lawn. "You get to live here and be a part of history," says Keeper Program Coordinator Lisa Drummond.

There are two bedrooms in the quarters, one upstairs and one downstairs, with a shared bathroom and kitchen. During the peak season, accommodations are adults-only, but the off-season program allows families with children to share the space. The other half of the house is dedicated to the museum, which houses artifacts from the 1920s and 1930s that have been donated by the previous keeper's children.

To participate in the Keeper's Program, you must submit an application, and a fee of $195 per person per week (about $33 per night), plus a museum membership of $15-25, covers costs. Rooms may be rented separately. During the off-season, guests can stay a minimum of two nights for a fee of $100 per night for up to four people.


The rest of the article here.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Carlashes

Yes, This is Real: Carlashes

Pixar's Cars proved what most of us have known since we were little kids: the front end of a car looks a lot like a face. A company named Carlashes hopes to cash in on the whole "car as face" theme by offering big, curly headlamp eyelashes that would make Betty Boop jealous. Seriously. This aftermarket glamification is apparently available for $24.95, but that's not all! If ridiculous eyelashes aren't enough, you can add "Crystal Eyeliner" for an additional $19.95. That clear, rhinestone-style bling appears to attaches directly to the paint. Like you, we're astonished and horrified.

The rest of the article here.

Opening Emmys

Pooping Butterflies

Made My Day

Saturday Ryan and I went to the wiener dog races. Ryan had gone surfing with Kornel that morning and told him about the races. Kornel was interested so he decided to bring his family - his beautiful wife Kayla, their 2 year old daughter Danni (my best friend :) ), and their 10 month old son Matix. We all enjoyed the races. We decided to go to dinner after church later that night. Little did I know Miss Danni had been talking about 'pizza with Carlee' all day (I must be pretty cool, 2 year olds love me, hehe). Anyway, we went to church, then pizza for dinner. We all had a great time. I had posted on my Facebook that "Thinks it's funny when a two year old gets SOOOOO excited to have pizza with me :) I must be the coolest :)". So then a few people commented back. I got a comment from Kayla that just made my day - "Pizza with Carlee was the highlight of the day. U even made danni s prayer highlights. " dear Jesus thank u for pizza , Carlee, and weiner dogs."" YAY! Danni thanked Jesus for me and pizza and wiener dogs - pretty much the best things in life, huh?! HEHE!!

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Family Pics

So I am sure that my family is the only ones reading my blog, but still thought I would share these pictures. They are from the Local 671 Picnic.

My daddy-o doing the bike raffle (I think):



My padres:



My brother:

Wiener Dog Videos

Videos from the races today :)











Then we found these fun ones online :)







Scooter Video

Check it out :)

All Dressed Up

Ryan and I got snazz-i-fied last night and went out to dinner for our anniversary. It was YUM-MY! We went to Capozzoli's. We had fried provolone, garlic and mushroom pizza, and then some sort of delicious dessert (it was like a french bean vanilla gelato with a white chocolate coating - sort of like those Strawberry Short Cake popsicles that have the cake stuff on the outside). YUMMY!!! Anyway, we figured we'd take a few pictures before we left to show off our hotness :)



Friday, August 27, 2010

Vinyl Lovin'

LOVE THESE NEW VINYLS!!

I love how you see the Toy Story characters --- and you have to force yourself to see Mickey :)



And NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS!!



I LOVE THE HOLIDAY ONES!! Maybe these will be Christmas gifts :)

Another Boy

YAY! Ryan and I are going to have a second NEPHEW! Aaron and Eric found out today that their second baby is another baby boy!! Now we get to start suggesting 'fun' names again :)

1 Week Countdown!

It is down to ONE WEEK!! One week till Ryan and I are back in Michigan!! WHOOO HOOOO!! Okay, so we will only be there for a few hours (or so I am sure it will seem), but every second counts, right?! We will be flying out on a red eye Thursday night. My parents will be picking us up from the airport Friday morning - bright and early (how lucky, huh?). We will be spending the day with them in Temperance. I am sure a birthday dinner will be involved, seeing as Ryan and I's birthday are both about 2 weeks after our visit. Then Saturday we will be heading to Ann Arbor and THE BIG HOUSE for the first Michigan football game of the season! We will be meeting Ryan's parents and sister for some tailgating before the game (my parents will be driving us to Ann Arbor). Then after the game we will ride with the McClurgs up to Cheboygan (probably not getting there till Saturday evening). If we get there in time we will head over to the Rehearsal Party (and hopefully a few s'mores are in my future). Sunday is BJ & Alex's wedding - and if we are lucky we will get some time to enjoy the lake. Then we will be flying out of Pelston Monday. I am sure we will need a weekend to recover, but I am PUMPED!!!!

Red Light Cameras

Had to post this one this morning because Ryan informed me he thinks he may have been caught on camera this morning... I guess we will wait and see if something comes in the mail...

Do Red Light Cameras Reduce Accidents?

No, Red Light Cameras Don’t
Although there are no easy answers, when it comes to argument against red light cameras, the preponderance of evidence is much clearer. While cameras are often credited for reducing broadside accidents, and sometime reducing accidents between cross traffic and those making a right turn on red, they are almost universally credited for increasing rear-end accidents. You have to rummage through a lot of paperwork to find studies, like the one from Iowa State, that claim reductions in rear-end crashes at monitored intersections.

Even the government's look into the matter found that rear-end crashes go up at intersections with the cameras: A 2005 study by the Federal Highway Administration found an average increase of 15 percent in rear-end crashes after looking at 132 locations in seven areas. In the journal of the Institute of Transport Engineers, the group that studies and develops intersection standards, an article that looked at a vast number of studies trying to determine the effects of red light cameras found in almost every case that rear-end crashes increase.


The rest of the article here.

Walking for the Lions

Man Walks 425 Miles to Deliver Message of Perseverance to Lions

The Detroit News's Tim Twentyman called it a "journey of love," which probably best describes what 63-year-old Joe Paquette Jr. put himself through to honor the Detroit Lions.

Paquette walked from Munising, Michigan to the Lions headquarters in Allen Park, some 425 miles that took him 18 days. All to relay a message: "Sisu."

"It means perseverance and being able to bounce back from a difficult situation, which we all know the Lions are in," Paquette said Wednesday. "I said that's what the Lions need, they need Sisu. But how do you get it down there? Do you send them a letter that ends up in the waste basket?

"After the holidays when my weight and my cholesterol and my blood pressure all went north I said, 'Let's get into a little more committed routine of walking.' About March I said I feel good enough to bring Sisu to (the Lions)."

Twentyman writes that Paquette endured "scores of blisters an seven consecutive days of rain at one point."


The rest of the article here.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Hidden Mickeys

Ryan and I have found a few (and LOVE looking for them).

What’s Your Favorite Hidden Mickey?

Do you know what a “Hidden Mickey” is? Fellow Disney Parks blogger Thomas Smith blogs about the ones at Walt Disney World. I figured it’s time to talk about the “Hidden Mickeys” right here at the Disneyland Resort.

If you do indeed know what a “Hidden Mickey” is, then you’re smiling right now and probably proud of yourself that you’ve found a few or more. A “Hidden Mickey” is a Mickey Mouse shape that Walt Disney Imagineers have strategically placed throughout the Disneyland Resort. (They’re actually in all the resorts.) It comes in many forms, from a complete Mickey Mouse profile to the outline of his head and ears. They come in all sizes and they’re fun to “hunt.” They’re top secret too, like Area 51. Ask a Walt Disney Imagineer where the “Hidden Mickeys” are and he or she will say they don’t know what you mean. (They’ll say it with that Disney twinkle in their eye.)

My favorite “Hidden Mickey” is in Soarin’ Over California. As you “fly” over Palm Springs, look at the golf ball as it comes hurtling towards you. (Your instinct will be to shut your eyes, but keep them wide open or you’ll miss it!) There on the golf ball is a black “Hidden Mickey.”

What’s your favorite “Hidden Mickey?” Look at this video and try to guess where these little guys can be found. By the way, some people say there are nearly 200 “Hidden Mickeys” at the Disneyland Resort. (I can neither confirm nor deny.) Have fun!


Lab & Dolphin

How cute!!

The Races



San Diego Qualifier for Wiener dog races
Hot dog! It's wiener dog race time and if you have one of those cute little Dachshunds that's quick on its feet well give him a chance to show off his skills at the dog race this Saturday! Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals - San Diego Qualifier, produced by the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl happening this Saturday, August 28 from 8am - 11am at Qualcomm Stadium Rugby Fields. It is free to spectators but there is a $10 entry fee for dogs.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Sam?


I was told that I reminded someone of Sam Sparks, the weather girl from Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs. What do you think??




Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Birthday Wish

My Birthday Wish

“My birthday is on September 10th and I want to help eliminate physical and spiritual starvation by building super kitchens and spreading God's Word to those it serves along side of OUTSIDE THE BOWL.”

WHY I CARE ABOUT THIS CAUSE

Outside the Bowl is an AMAZING organization. I was lucky enough to travel to Haiti at the end of July with them to help serve the Haitian people. We went and saw the campus that the super kitchen is at and I CANNOT wait for it to be up and operational - IT IS AWESOME!!

I'm asking for $26 or whatever you can afford!

Helmets

Now that we are getting a scooter, we need helmets!! How can I choose?! There are sooo many cool ones!!



Outside The Bowl Cause

If you are my friend on Facebook than you have probably gotten this invite to join the Outside the Bowl cause, but just in case you aren't my Facebook friend (or you have ignored the invite in the pass), I wanted to post the link to JOIN THE CAUSE :)



Outside the Bowl is a non-profit organization that helps eliminate physical and spiritual starvation by building super kitchens in developing communities and showing God's love to those they serve.

There’s a global emergency that most of us don’t understand. We don’t get it because we have to decide what to make or where to meet our friends for dinner tonight. Meanwhile, one-sixth of the world’s population is going to bed hungry.

When hunger hollows out the body, disease attacks the vulnerable system. Diarrhea (which leads to dehydration), malaria and acute respiratory illness settle in. Chronic hunger means malnourished women give birth to underweight babies, resulting in high infant mortality rates. Malnourished children have weak immune systems, making them susceptible to infection. This basic need overcomes their existence.

And every five seconds, a child dies because of it.

Outside the Bowl’s mission is to acknowledge this crisis and love the people it affects by partnering with established organizations; feeding thousands, year after year; and teaching communities to care for themselves. But through it all, OTB’s greatest calling is to glorify God by serving His people.

Ryan's Sign

Last week I spent an evening making a ton of stuff on VistaPrint. They were running an AWESOME sale, most things were FREE (you just had to pay for shipping). Well, I ended up making a ton of stuff (post cards with our new address, thank you cards, a calendar, a photo album, an address stamp and a sign for Ryan's garage). Everything arrived today and I was able to surprise Ryan with his sign :). He loves it. Check out his Tumblr here. He hung it up right away in the garage.

Good Samaritans

Hospital Recognizes Good Samaritans

In recognition of their longtime support, two local couples were recently presented with Good Samaritan Awards from Cheboygan Memorial Hospital (CMH). “These awards recognize those who have made major contributions to health care and the community through service and support of the Hospital, “ according to Janet Weiss, CMH Director of Community Development. “Since 2002, the annual Good Samaritan Award winners have been selected by the committees that make up our Development Council.” Jamie and Char McClurg of Mullett Lake received their award during the CMH Business Breakfast earlier this month, while Wayne and Cherie Precord of Cheboygan were presented their award during the Annual Ice Cream Social in the Hospital cafeteria, August 18. Jamie McClurg is currently the chair of the CMH Board of Trustees. His wife, Char, is the president-elect of the CMH Auxiliary. Besides being deeply involved with the Hospital, they are also key community supporters. As a matter of fact, the McClurgs are serving as co-chairs of the upcoming Butterfly Release fundraiser for the Hospice House Community Reflection Garden Project, August 29. Cherie Precord has been an active member of the Hospital Auxiliary for many years and continues to volunteer in the Canopy Gift Shop. Wayne Precord is part of the Hospital Community Relations Committee. The Precords are also very involved with programs through the Cheboygan Catholic Community, as well as the Knights of Columbus and Daughters of Isabella. “We are so proud of the continuous support our organization has had in the community,” said Weiss, “and the Good Samaritan Awards are a great opportunity to recognize these efforts.”

Monday, August 23, 2010

Snake

Check out the HUGE snake we found last weekend while geo caching :)




Scooter

Ryan and I are going to get a scooter on Thursday. We went to check it out yesterday and we like it. Here are some pictures:











It is a 2008. 150cc Genuine Buddy.
Buddy: Pamplona
Do you want to run with the bulls? Now's your chance! The Buddy 150 "Pamplona" whisks you away to that famed Spanish city. The torquey engine will easily outrun any four legged creatures chasing you down cobblestone streets. The eye catching burgundy/crème paint job will look amazing parked outside your favorite Tapas restaurant. Tubeless whitewalls complete the visuals while the Stebel air horn will definitely grab people's attention. White pants and red sash not included.

Lion Spray

I saw this photo o the San Diego Zoo's Facebook and had to chuchle.



Probably the most photographed sign at the Zoo. You gotta hand it to lions, they got distance. Anyone ever been sprayed and lived to tell the tale?

Thursday, August 19, 2010

GHB for Fibro?

Drug Made Infamous By Date Rapes Gets Second Look For Fibromyalgia

The powerful depressant known as GHB, which was put under the strictest government regulation in 2000 after it was found to have been used as a knockout potion in sexual assaults, is getting a new lease on life.

A company called Jazz Pharmaceuticals wants to sell the stuff under the brand-name Rekinla as a treatment for fibromyalgia. A panel of experts will meet this Friday to review the evidence in support of the drug and make a recommendation to the Food and Drug Administration.

The central issue is how the company will make sure that the medicine intended to relieve the chronic pain of fibromyalgia patients doesn't find its way into the hands of creeps.


The FDA released a bunch of documents in advance of the hearing that describe the company's plans for safeguarding the supply. Essentially, only approved doctors would be allowed to prescribe the medicine. Patients' eligibility would be verified, and they'd be registered in a database. Then, according to the plan, one of 15 specially certified pharmacies would ship the stuff to them. No walk-up, retail prescriptions allowed.


The rest of the article here.

Birthday Gift

Yay! My birthday present from Ryan arrived today! I asked Ryan if I could get an AWESOME piece of luggage for my birthday - the Osprey Porter 46. Two of the people on my trip to Haiti had this bag and I really liked it. Since Ryan and I travel a good amount (whether it is back to Michigan or a McClurg family vacation, etc), so I know I will get a lot of use out of it. It meets the Carry-On requirements, which is awesome because I haven't checked a bag since moving out to California 4 years ago, and can be used as a book bag. Check out this website with the different compartments and options. I am excited to use it in a few weeks for a trip back to Michigan for a long weekend :)

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Grocery Win

Today I had the car (because I had to go to the doctors) so I decided to get groceries. I had a few coupons (since the last round of Ralph's Rewards were mailed out a few weeks ago) and there were a lot of great deals. As I was walking through the store I kept thinking that everything seemed a lot cheaper than it normally was. I got up to the check-out line and got everything on the belt. After the cashier rang up all my groceries, I handed her the coupons that I had. The cashier turned into my little cheerleader. She was so proud of all of the money I was saving. She ran my Ralph's card and more money came off, she slide the coupons and more money came off. By the time the total was up she was telling me how proud and excited she was of me and how I had done such a good job. It was so funny because I don't think I have ever been cheered for in line at the grocery store before. The receipt came out and she got a HUGE smile on her face. She told me that I had saved $107.36! She started telling other people in line about it too. It put a smile on my face (which was nice because I was not having a good day up to that point).

Monday, August 16, 2010

Wedding Blog




Since it is our anniversary I thought I would check out our old wedding blog. Check it out if you have time to waste :) or never saw it 2 PLUS YEARS AGO :)

Free 8×10 Photo Collage

I placed my order today :) You should too!!

Snapfish: Free 8×10 Photo Collage with free shipping!

Through tomorrow (August 17, 2010), you can get a completely free Photo Collage with free shipping from Snapfish! Here’s how:

::Login or sign up for a new account with Snapfish.

::Create an 8×10 Collage Print and add it to your cart.

::Use coupon code GRANDSHIP to get the collage print free plus free shipping.

It also looks like you can get free shipping on prints or other items you may have credits for in your account so long as you order the free collage as well. So be sure to check your account to see if you have any other credits. What a great deal!

Police Humor

This came from an email from my dad. I chuckled, so thought you might too!

These are actual comments made by 16 Police Officers. The comments were taken off actual police car videos around the country:

1. "You know, stop lights don't come any redder than the one you just went through."
2. "Relax, the handcuffs are tight because they're new. They'll stretch after you wear them a while."
3. "If you take your hands off the car, I'll make your birth certificate a worthless document."
4. "If you run, you'll only go to jail tired."
5. "Can you run faster than 1200 feet per second? Because that's the speed of the bullet that'll be chasing you."
6. "You don't know how fast you were going? I guess that means I can write anything I want to on the ticket, huh?"
7. "Yes, sir, you can talk to the shift supervisor, but I don't think it will help. Oh, did I mention that I'm the shift supervisor?"
8. "Warning! You want a warning? OK, I'm warning you not to do that again or I'll give you another ticket."
9. "The answer to this last question will determine whether you are drunk or not. Was Mickey Mouse a cat or a dog?"
10. "Fair? You want me to be fair? Listen, fair is a place where you go to ride on rides, eat cotton candy and corn dogs and step in monkey poop."
11. "Yeah, we have a quota. Two more tickets and my wife gets a toaster oven."
12. "In God we trust; all others we run through NCIC." ( National Crime Information Center )
13. "Just how big were those 'two beers' you say you had?"
14. "No sir, we don't have quotas anymore. We used to, but now we're allowed to write as many tickets as we can."
15. "I'm glad to hear that the Chief (of Police) is a personal friend of yours. So you know someone who can post your bail."

AND THE WINNER IS....
16. "You didn't think we give pretty women tickets? You're right, we don't .... Sign here."

More Haiti Videos

Two more videos from Haiti:

Riding along some Haitian 'roads':



The Outside the Bowl 'Rave' Party on the roof one night after devos:

More Haiti Pictures

We had a debriefing meeting yesterday and exchanged photo CDs. With that being said I am now uploading them to my Photo Gallery. Check them out if you are interested.

Bonney's Haiti Photos







Adam & Kristina's Haiti Photos






We are still missing 2 CDs, but at least there are more pictures for you to enjoy :)