I really like to try adventure sports. I've been zip lining through West Virginia and Costa Rica, ocean kayaking, cayoneering (rapeling down water falls), hiking, and climbed a mountain on a snowmobile just to name a few.
My all time favorite though is white water rafting. I took a class in college fell in love and try to go every couple of years! This was a trip where we went "surfing". I actually managed to stay in the boat.
Kendall Cliffs
I wanted to try something new and spotted this rock gym near where I was living earlier in the year. I had been once when I was in middle school and had a blast so thought it might be fun to try again. So headed out for a study break and met up with W for an adventure date night.
W and I took the Rock 101 course and got certified to belay so now we don't have to worry about finding someone to do it at the gym. Sweet! plus bonus another item off the list...go to a fun class!
another item completed
Rock Climbing was a great trust building date. You really have to believe your partner is there for you if you fall (which I did). You also have to support each other and solve problems together. I do think it's funny how I claim I'm not afraid of heights, yet every time I'm strapped into a harness and about 20 feet off the ground have that fleeting immobilizing fear until someone snaps me out of it. Thanks W for all the encouragement! It was nice to work together and step out of a comfort zone, plus it gave us some good memories to laugh at later together. We will definitely be going back soon...well after our muscles soreness wears off.
lots of walls to choose from
Kendall cliffs is attached to Appalachian Back Packers store. Kendall Cliffs is the only professionally-designed and built rock gym in Ohio. The gym has a combination of textured plywood and “natural” rock surfaces with 7,000 square feet of climbing surface with a peak height of 35 feet. The staff/instructors were super nice and it is a great facility! Lots of walls, automatic belay machines & bouldering cave. We went at 5 pm nice and slow by 7 pm the place was jam packed! There hours vary by season so check out the website for open times. Here are a few of the weekly specials: Monday Ladies Night
My original list item was to go to a midnight movie premier which surprisingly I've never done. After a grueling 2 weeks of traveling to 2 grad school interviews, 6 exams, 40 hours of work and 25+ hours of class I thought this movie would be the perfect motivation and celebration of surviving it all.
Midnight wasn't the 1st showing option so I went to the non curfew breaking 8pm Thursday night showing of the Catching Fire. Not as exciting as other movie premiers I've heard of, but it was fun to be in a full theater to see every ones reactions. There only were a few people dressed up as tributes, but the movie more than made up for lack of enthusiasm in the line.
waiting in line with all the tweens
Don't worry I won't have any spoilers in this post so fear not and read on. Catching Fire is my favorite book in the series and I've read it over 4 times. I love how the characters evolve in this story and more insight to their world is developed. I only hoped that this movie would capture the intense emotions and the simmering agitation of the population as well as in the book.
I was a bit disappointed with the first movie. I felt it lacked some depth of Katniss without hearing her inner monologue and it focused way to much on forcing a love triangle. Plus their entrance costumes were really lame. Not everything can be as great as what you imagine from the book I guess.
Catching Fire glowing embers entrance costume..much better!
I was not disappointed with this movie at all and I would even venture to say it's better than the first one. It seemed like all aspects from actors, costumes and script were really hitting their stride with this movie. If you haven't seen the first one watch it first, there is just too much to know before watching this one.
I love all of these!
The costume designer Trish Summerville totally nailed it! The costumes were one of my favorite parts. They were beautifully done and really intricate. Effie Trinket is wearing Alexander McQueen from Autumn/Winter 2012 in the above purple dress. The Monarch dress was awesome, and all her shoes don't get me started!
Those are hand painted feathers. McQueen Spring 2011
My other favorite part about this movie is that the characters all seemed to have matured and grown into thier parts. The new characters they introduced were spot on and returning characters seemed a lot more comfortable in their roles. I have know doubt that Woody Allen is the best Haymitch and President Snow I can finally detest, he was just too nice in the last one for me.
This movie follows the book very closely with a few additions like the last movie. It's mainly more development behind the scenes of game creation with President Snow and Plutarch Heavensbee. I think this addition really helps tie the story together more from an overall story line view.
Anyways this movie really is about all of the characters, not just Katniss. It was entertaining and if you liked the book I"m sure you'll love the movie. It's a bit more violent and darker than the first one so I don't think it's best to take the little ones to this. I am curious to see how the other two movies will play out.
I know...I know this wedding season is pretty much over, but the holiday will fly by and next thing you know weddings will be right around the corner. So get ready! For wedding gifts I try to stick to the registry. Why else would couples spend the time making one and who really needs 5 of the same kitchen gadgets right? But for all those other occasions surrounding the wedding celebration I like to put my own personal touch on the gifts. I was perusing magazines and saw a picture of a DIY own ring holder but no directions. I thought I can make this! So off I went to Hobby Lobby to find supplies.
This is a great little bridal shower or engagement gift. I like to send it to the bride right before the wedding as part of "the big day is almost here" package. This project is quick and easy and won't break the bank!
Supplies: small picture frame (2"X3" works well), spray adhesive, corsage pins, scissors, 3mm craft foam, fabric-satin or anything you like
* Hobby Lobby has a great selection of very elegant small frames. The frames are often on sale or there is a single item coupon you can show on your smart phone from their website.
*3mm foam is best otherwise it's too flimsy or too thick and back won't close
Step 1: Disassemble your frame, you won't need the glass at all for the project. Use the paper insert as a template for your foam shape and fabric.
*Hint I usually cut fabric a bit larger just so I know it fully covers and trim it later.
Step 2: attach fabric to foam using spray adhesive This stuff is super tacky and a little goes a long way. Be aware of where you spray it, anything that comes in contact it will be sticky for a long time. Currently I have a thumb covered in fabric fuzz ugh. Smooth out any bubbles or creases and trim fabric.
* This step is optional but I've noticed if you don't tack down fabric it can bubble a bit after putting it in frame and may not be the look you are going for.
Step 3: Put foam into frame and secure backing. Bend corsage pin near the top 1/3 into a 45 degree angle.
Step 4: Decide if you want frame to be vertical or horizontal and slide pin through fabric/foam layer leaving enough room at the top for the ring to rest comfortably.
So the man was a little blue because his whole family took a trip to Italy and due to classes could not go with them. So to cheer him up I decided to take him to Italy for a day.... First via email he was invited to a day filled with Renaissance culture, Italian cuisine, and a foreign film. To make it a bit more realistic I sent him a plane ticket. You can create your own here!
There will be more world traveling dates in our future so I printed out a passport to keep record of our adventures here.
Before the date I stopped by the library and picked up a bunch of different Italian inspired music CD's. It made it really fun to pop in a different CD throughout the date and set the mood for our Italian adventure!
testing out Bernoulli principles
For Renaissance culture I planned to visit one of our favorite things: a museum. Since DaVinci, Galileo and other well known scientists are from Italy I thought why not head to the Science center! We saw the Hidden Universe Omnimax movie and had a great time exploring the museum and acting like kids.
I made picnic for us to enjoy filled with yummy Italian treats. I packed a spread of cold cuts: capicola, salami, prosciutto, an antipasto sampler, herb infused olive dipping oil with tuscan bread and some Italian sodas. I had planned for a picnic overlooking the harbor but the weather made other plans and we had to improvise with a picnic in the car.
typical Cleveland: weather changes every 15 minutes
After lunch we weren't quite finished exploring the culture part and since the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was right next door we headed over there.
All that exploring left us famished. Luckily I was prepared with all the supplies to make our own calzones. I was a bit neverous attempting to make the dough from scratch but it was fantastic. If you want the recipe check out my previous post #3.3 homemade veggie calzones.
Ta da!
For dessert I made a peach crisp. I wish I had thought of it at the time but I would have ended the meal with gelato or made tiramisu, but he didn't seem to mind the crisp.
annihilated!
After dinner we watched an Italian foreign film. I gave W choices between Italian Job, Under Tuscan Sun, or Moonstruck. Can you guess what he picked??? There are ton more movies to pick from, these where just what I had on hand.
I also had an artwork creation and build/race mini gondolas at the beach planned but we never got to it...we just had too much fun at the museums! Even though we couldn't go to the real Italy this date was a lot of fun and great memory! Dating divas (I just love their site) helped inspire this date. Check out their bella notte date if you want some more ideas.
Dust off that Biology book to answer why leaves change color. It is the peak right now in Northeastern Ohio and the colors are just amazing. This year with the cooler temperatures have been a great set up for a wonderful palate of fall foliage! There are a ton of foliage maps to check out. I like to look at this site that has current pictures and maps to see where is peak or just turning.
do you remember those days?
First you need to know why plants are green. I'm sure we all remember from our jello model of the plant cell back in elementary school that chloroplasts make chlorophyll and this gives leaves a green color. But why? It has do with light... the little particles called photons. The wavelengths of these photons that don't absorb we see as color. Chlorophyll absorbs violets and red wavelengths and does not absorb green hence the green leaf color.
Ok but why do leaves change color? As you get further away from the equator the angle of the sun changes giving us the seasons. As we transition into fall there is less direct sunlight which which means less chlorophyll (and less photosynthesis reactions) is produced and the green color fades.
Now living things are amazing and have some back up plan. There are other pigments in the leaf called carotenoids and anthocyanins that absorb a different spectrum of wavelengths. They show up as the yellows, reds, and oranges we see in the fall. These pigments are always there but get covered up until chlorophyll fades. Why the leaves fall off after this change is a whole different discussion..if you really want to know message me.
look at all the different pigment colors!
Different trees have different varieties of pigments giving us all the beautiful fall colors. Carotenoids are not light dependent and will produce yellow color, while anthocyanins need light (and with a little chemistry) give us the nice red color. Temperature affects the rate of chemical reactions so it is also a factor in leaf color. But the number one key to fall foliage is light: sunny days provide bright colors, while lots of overcast days will lead to yellows and browns.
There it is in a super simplified nutshell is why leaves change colors....while the science behind it is super cool it's best just to get out and enjoy the show nature painted this year!
