Kids are so neat, and they always have the best of creative ideas...and it seems that Nestle has taken that fact to the next level. I came across this neat contest...perfect for a cool summer!
From ABC News:
If kids could create their own frozen pop flavors, there is no telling what they would develop. How about butterscotch, peanut butter and jelly, maybe even cheeseburger?
Nestle is now allowing kids to become "flavorologists" with a new contest. Kids ages 6 to 12 can enter the contest until July 28 for a chance to win a trip to their own flavor lab, a $1,000 savings bond, a year's supply of Nestle Frozen snacks and an ice-cream party at their school.
Visit kids.icream.com for more information, and to see some of the flavors developed from last year's winners.
MMMMMM....I can't imagine what amazing flavors your kids have rolling around in their heads.
I have an idea! It wouldn't be for your kids so much as much as it would be for you to start your day with a cafffeine boost--a Quadruple Shot Latte Popcicle...now, that's espresso on the go!
CH
31 May 2006
30 May 2006
Summer's Here-Unofficially
What a great weekend!!!
Meredith and I traveled to Chester, VA (5 and 1/2 hours...not too bad) to surprise her uncle for his 50th birthday! His wife had been secretly planning the event for quite some time, and he was completely surprised. It was the perfect weekend for it, too, because her uncle is retired Army. Neat way to honor him and our troops....There were several of his Army friends there. He also had people from all over coming to visit him. There was family from Kansas, Colorado, SW Virginia, and of course, Tennessee.
So, Saturday was filled with meeting new people and celebrating! We stayed up late into the night talking, and playing Labyrinth...it's a Ravensburger game that they have reissued from my childhood....AWESOME!
The next day, several of us piled into the car and went to King's Dominion (www.kingsdominon.com) It is an amusement park just on the outskirts of Richmond. We had the best time, despite the 90 degree weather. There were at least eight coasters, and two of them were launch coasters, but everything we rode was pretty well liked. Three of the rides went over 70mph, and three stood out. One was the Volcano--a hanging blast coaster where you were shot through the ride, and at one point fired through the top of the volcano upside down. We rode it twice...once during the day....once at night (night was crazy!) The second ride was called the Grizzly. Meredith's uncle loved this coaster. It is a wooden coaster that beats about all I have ever seen, and it was completely surrounded by woods. So, it feels like you're going to see a Grizzly pop out. They did a great job on the ride and the environment for the ride. And finally, the third one the sticks in my head is called the Drop Zone. It's 300 ft. tall and you free fall at least 267 ft. reaching a speed of 70mph!!! We spent the whole day in the park. It was good times...even the long lines weren't bad, because we were able to enjoy talking and passing the time.
On Monday, you can imagine that we slept in! We then had breakfast and lunch with the family before we took off later that afternoon. As a matter of fact, we decided to follow/lead with her an aunt and cousin that live in SW Virginia. We ate dinner with them, and then made our way back to good ole JC.
Thanks to our friends, Mary and Reba, the puppies were well taken care of!
I hope your weekend was fun and as eventful as you wanted it to be.
CH
24 May 2006
Tina...Come Get Some Dinner!
Not Tina, the llama from good ole Napoleon Dynamite, rather it's our ferret, Tina.
I took Tina on a very quick lunch excursion today. She travelled with me to see Brenda Brittain's classroom at Mountain View Elementary School. Today was their last full day, and so the two of us were the special guests for the day.
The kids were ecstatic! I'm not sure if they knew I was coming. Many of the kids had never seen a ferret before, but there was more excitement than apprehension. Everybody sat down in a tight circle and we let Tina run around a bit. It was hilarious to hear everyone giglgle as she took her first few hops. All the kids got a turn to pet her, and many got a chance to hold her. She only escaped the circle once, and made her way into a corner behind some books, but she was quickly retrieved and placed back into her new circle of friends.
Our time was very short, but just enough time to answer some great questions about Tina from the kids. We also talked about ferrets in general, and how Tina was a special ferret, because she was adopted into our family a couple of years ago. She is a splendid pet, and she sure showed how wonderful she is today.
Thanks, Mrs. Brittain and her class...you helped make my day!
Chalmer
I took Tina on a very quick lunch excursion today. She travelled with me to see Brenda Brittain's classroom at Mountain View Elementary School. Today was their last full day, and so the two of us were the special guests for the day.
The kids were ecstatic! I'm not sure if they knew I was coming. Many of the kids had never seen a ferret before, but there was more excitement than apprehension. Everybody sat down in a tight circle and we let Tina run around a bit. It was hilarious to hear everyone giglgle as she took her first few hops. All the kids got a turn to pet her, and many got a chance to hold her. She only escaped the circle once, and made her way into a corner behind some books, but she was quickly retrieved and placed back into her new circle of friends.
Our time was very short, but just enough time to answer some great questions about Tina from the kids. We also talked about ferrets in general, and how Tina was a special ferret, because she was adopted into our family a couple of years ago. She is a splendid pet, and she sure showed how wonderful she is today.
Thanks, Mrs. Brittain and her class...you helped make my day!
Chalmer
22 May 2006
Hotdogs, Pizza, and Corgis...OH MY!
Meredith and I thought that this weekend was going to be spent mostly at home. It's funny how plans change on a moments notice, but I wouldn't have changed what we did for the life of me. It was so much fun!
Friday we got a call late in the evening to see if we could help some friends pack some boxes and move some furniture so that they would be ready for their move and their yard sale on Saturday. So, at about 9:30/10pm we drove over and did just that.
Saturday morning, Meredith and I went to see our friends Emily, Tuck, and Daniel in their last Upward Soccer game of the season. Then, after the late night on Friday, we caught the moving bug and decided to clean out our front bedroom. We took out all the furniture, papers, and whatever else we had packed away. We mopped the floor, dusted, vacuumed, and replaced things in more of an office order, instead of a bedroom order.
That afternoon we received a call to meet some friends for a snack dinner. So, we packed up the Corgis, and headed for the park to play Frisbee and have some down time.
Sunday was a bundle of joy. We had already planned on going to the Corgi Picnic in Kingsport, and so that what we did. My mom, sister, and nephew traveled up and we all met at the park. We brought Kalla (KAY-LA--Top Right Picture) and Alex (Bottom Left)--our two corgis. My Mom brought her corgi, Fraiser, and there were about 25 corgis in all. Many came from out of town. There were visitors from Chicago, Raleigh, Greensboro, and Atlanta with Corgis in tow. There was a silent auction to benefit Corgi-Aid --a rescue group for the breed--pizza, bobbing for hotdogs, a blessing of the animals (there were some honorary Corgis there,) and contests for best trick, costume, loudest bark, shortest coat, youngest and oldest corgi, best corgi mix, etc... Kalla took home honors for shortest coat, and Fraiser took home the honors for oldest and loudest corgi :)
After having such a great time time in the park, we were then invited to FORT CORGI--a wonderfully fenced in backyard for four Corgis who belong to Susie, the regional Corgi Aid director--for RC Colas and Moonpies. Not to mention some chicken cake for the corgis. All the dogs got to run free in the yard, but they didn't explore too much, because everyone had food...and corgis are notorious 'perfect begging.' When it was time to go, it was hard to say goodbye, but we all slept well last night.More pictures will be available soon of this year's Corgi Picnic at http://webpages.charter.net/noelcorgi/picnic06 and a few more at www.wcqr.org
Chalmer
18 May 2006
YAY!!!!
Congratulations to Lora Surber!
Lora was named our College Mom this morning. Before she stepped into the studio today, Lora had no idea that she was going to be the winner. The anticipation was HUGE. Then, in one quick moment everything changed to TOTAL EXCITEMENT. There was this quick pause as she realized what Mike Riddles had just said to her. Then a burst of "Oh you guys!!!! I'm so excited!"
Lora has won a full tuition scholarship to King College's BBA program, a laptop computer from Saratoga Technologies, a shopping spree from the Ft. Henry Mall, and all her books are paid for by eCampus.com.
This whole contest was amazing, and each of the finalists were so deserving. Thanks for voting, and making it really fun for the contestants, and for us too. You helped make a dream come true, and for Lora, that's one dream she has been waiting on for 22 years.
You can read more about Lora at www.wcqr.org
Have A Great Day Dream Makers!
Chalmer
17 May 2006
Talk of the Town(s)
It has been THE conversation of the week, especially after seeing Chris Daughtry leave the show.
WHO WILL BE THE NEXT AMERICAN IDOL?
It has cracked me up to hear how many times we have talked about AI this week. But it's something that we all feel strongly about. Mike Riddles (From the Family-Friendly Morning Show) and I just kind of laughed at ourselves for being so passionate about who should and would go home. Today was the same way. I even found myself looking for commentaries on last night's performances just to get an edge (and Monday night I stayed up late to catch Simon on The Tonight Show.)
You see, I was leading a Weight Watchers Meeting last night, and then went to pick up some dinner, and found myself back at the house right after Katherine sang, "Over the Rainbow" I KNOW, I KNOW!! I missed the best performance of the season (according to many)...what can you do? No Tivo...I did watch the rest of the performances and I am excited about the results show tonight.
Who do I think is going home? I'm not sure. My inkling is Taylor (esp. after last week)...but everyone says that Elliott will. I have to agree with what Simon said about Elliott's song selection not being put together well enough to make it to the next round. But I've been wrong before. I think all three have amazing talent in their own rite. So did Chris. Is the Top 10 tour coming anywhere near Johnson City?
Okay, enough...It's just fun to talk about...(after May 24th) if I can channel all this energy I have toward the show and put it toward cleaning the house, or whatever...then, my time spent on the show won't be in vain...at least that's what I keep telling myself :)
Chalmer
WHO WILL BE THE NEXT AMERICAN IDOL?
It has cracked me up to hear how many times we have talked about AI this week. But it's something that we all feel strongly about. Mike Riddles (From the Family-Friendly Morning Show) and I just kind of laughed at ourselves for being so passionate about who should and would go home. Today was the same way. I even found myself looking for commentaries on last night's performances just to get an edge (and Monday night I stayed up late to catch Simon on The Tonight Show.)
You see, I was leading a Weight Watchers Meeting last night, and then went to pick up some dinner, and found myself back at the house right after Katherine sang, "Over the Rainbow" I KNOW, I KNOW!! I missed the best performance of the season (according to many)...what can you do? No Tivo...I did watch the rest of the performances and I am excited about the results show tonight.
Who do I think is going home? I'm not sure. My inkling is Taylor (esp. after last week)...but everyone says that Elliott will. I have to agree with what Simon said about Elliott's song selection not being put together well enough to make it to the next round. But I've been wrong before. I think all three have amazing talent in their own rite. So did Chris. Is the Top 10 tour coming anywhere near Johnson City?
Okay, enough...It's just fun to talk about...(after May 24th) if I can channel all this energy I have toward the show and put it toward cleaning the house, or whatever...then, my time spent on the show won't be in vain...at least that's what I keep telling myself :)
Chalmer
16 May 2006
Ready, Set, Relax!
If you put about 100 miles on your car a day, simply because you are running back and forth to practices, functions, and groups, then perhaps it is fitting that we take a tip from a few communities that I read about at www.usatoday.com: Here's part of the article...
--For the past year, a group of citizens has lobbied leaders of a town's schools, businesses, churches and sports leagues to clear their calendars, so that on the evening of May 22, folks will be free to do, well, nothing.
No homework, no play rehearsals, no soccer games, no prayer groups, no civic meetings. Just time — 5 to 9 p.m., a window carefully chosen to allow for a few after-school activities and then for parents and children to shut down their engines and do whatever it is that people did in times gone by when The Over-Scheduled Child would have been the punch line to a joke, not a well-regarded book. --
If you think this is a great idea for our community, the article also contained these tips to help:
Make it easy for everyone to participate. To ensure the community's fullest support, select a date with as few conflicts as possible. The calendars of all key organizations (schools, sports, religious groups, town officials) should be consulted.
Resist overprogramming. Families are encouraged to just relax and enjoy being together - and they can do that in whatever way works best for them.
Generate interest with clever reminders. The more eye-catching your "Save the date" posters, the more people take notice. Consider partnering with a local marketing agency.
Keep things lighthearted. The goal isn't to teach lessons or values but to raise awareness about overscheduling and to create a dialogue about achieving balance.
For more information, visit readysetrelax.org.
CH
--For the past year, a group of citizens has lobbied leaders of a town's schools, businesses, churches and sports leagues to clear their calendars, so that on the evening of May 22, folks will be free to do, well, nothing.
No homework, no play rehearsals, no soccer games, no prayer groups, no civic meetings. Just time — 5 to 9 p.m., a window carefully chosen to allow for a few after-school activities and then for parents and children to shut down their engines and do whatever it is that people did in times gone by when The Over-Scheduled Child would have been the punch line to a joke, not a well-regarded book. --
If you think this is a great idea for our community, the article also contained these tips to help:
Make it easy for everyone to participate. To ensure the community's fullest support, select a date with as few conflicts as possible. The calendars of all key organizations (schools, sports, religious groups, town officials) should be consulted.
Resist overprogramming. Families are encouraged to just relax and enjoy being together - and they can do that in whatever way works best for them.
Generate interest with clever reminders. The more eye-catching your "Save the date" posters, the more people take notice. Consider partnering with a local marketing agency.
Keep things lighthearted. The goal isn't to teach lessons or values but to raise awareness about overscheduling and to create a dialogue about achieving balance.
For more information, visit readysetrelax.org.
CH
15 May 2006
National Cell Phone Safety Week
Cell phones are wonderful...Well, let me say this...can't live with 'em...can't live without 'em...what did we do before them? But I do think we could be a bit safer when using them in the car.
Many saftey outlets have put together a list of Cell Phone Safety Tips-Here are a few:
Get to know your phone and its features such as speed dial and redial.
Use hands free devices.
Position your phone within easy reach or let your voice mail answer it for you.
Dial sensibly and assess the traffic.
If possible, place calls when you are not moving or before pulling into traffic. .If you need to dial while driving, dial only a few numbers, check the road and your mirrors, then continue.
Use your phone to help others. It provides you a perfect opportunity to be a "good Samaritan"
For more tips visit www.morganlee.org
Happy Cellular Driving!
CH
Many saftey outlets have put together a list of Cell Phone Safety Tips-Here are a few:
Get to know your phone and its features such as speed dial and redial.
Use hands free devices.
Position your phone within easy reach or let your voice mail answer it for you.
Dial sensibly and assess the traffic.
If possible, place calls when you are not moving or before pulling into traffic. .If you need to dial while driving, dial only a few numbers, check the road and your mirrors, then continue.
Use your phone to help others. It provides you a perfect opportunity to be a "good Samaritan"
For more tips visit www.morganlee.org
Happy Cellular Driving!
CH
Ah, the weekend
Meredith and I traveled a bit this weekend. We went to Charlotte, NC/SC to see the DEAD SEA SCROLLS. We both wanted to see them since this will be the last time they will ever be in the states, and the next stop, I believe, is Seattle.
The exhibit was wonderful! The displays showed pottery, amulets, baskets, coins, and even dates (the fruit) from 2000 years ago, and then you got to the actual scrolls, and there were about 12 of them. Honestly, it made you want more, but it was simply amazing to be in the presence of such ancient documents; to think and reflect upon all the connections to our faith in the present age. It's actually quite humbling.
After the exhibit, we roamed around the museum (www.discoveryplace.org) and saw some rainforest animals, fish, eels, and an amateur radio exhibit. Then, on recommendation of the radio exhibit director (Mac), we went to see the IMAX movie called "Mystery of the Nile." If you ever get the chance, go see it! It's an amazing story of a crew that rafts the 3,000 miles of the Nile River. WHOA!
That night, we hung out with some friends in Charlotte, and then went to Carowinds (www.carowinds.com)! This would be the second weekend in a row that the two of us were to be in the park. We made the most it! We rode every "big person" coaster at least twice...in some cases three times. The park didn't have that many people there so the lines were short. The day was mostly overcast and breezy so we weren't hot and gross. We spent about five hours there, and rode more than you get to ride in two or three visits most times. If you ever go to Carowinds, the Borg Assimilator is awesome! Absolutely amazing!
Hope your weekend was wonderful, too! I really hope that your husband and kids really took care of you for Mother's Day.
Peace,
CH
PS- Music recommendations--Meredith and I really enjoyed listening to Mercy Me's new CD called, Coming Up to Breathe. Good stuff.
The exhibit was wonderful! The displays showed pottery, amulets, baskets, coins, and even dates (the fruit) from 2000 years ago, and then you got to the actual scrolls, and there were about 12 of them. Honestly, it made you want more, but it was simply amazing to be in the presence of such ancient documents; to think and reflect upon all the connections to our faith in the present age. It's actually quite humbling.
After the exhibit, we roamed around the museum (www.discoveryplace.org) and saw some rainforest animals, fish, eels, and an amateur radio exhibit. Then, on recommendation of the radio exhibit director (Mac), we went to see the IMAX movie called "Mystery of the Nile." If you ever get the chance, go see it! It's an amazing story of a crew that rafts the 3,000 miles of the Nile River. WHOA!
That night, we hung out with some friends in Charlotte, and then went to Carowinds (www.carowinds.com)! This would be the second weekend in a row that the two of us were to be in the park. We made the most it! We rode every "big person" coaster at least twice...in some cases three times. The park didn't have that many people there so the lines were short. The day was mostly overcast and breezy so we weren't hot and gross. We spent about five hours there, and rode more than you get to ride in two or three visits most times. If you ever go to Carowinds, the Borg Assimilator is awesome! Absolutely amazing!
Hope your weekend was wonderful, too! I really hope that your husband and kids really took care of you for Mother's Day.
Peace,
CH
PS- Music recommendations--Meredith and I really enjoyed listening to Mercy Me's new CD called, Coming Up to Breathe. Good stuff.
10 May 2006
The Best, The Best
I'm sure your kids know the exact count of days and minutes before they get out of school for summer. However, it always seems to be here faster than expected. On that note, if you haven't had time to really plan for a vacation take a few minutes to visit the Reader's Digest website.
Each year, Reader's Digest seeks out the most inspiring stories, the best healthy habits, the coolest gear and gadgets, the most heroic acts, the most fantastic food, the most brilliant ideas, and the biggest fun to create their America’s 100 Best list. This year's list includes a restaurant menu that's as tasty as it looks, the most perfect pair of socks, and more! Tennessee is a no show this time around, but Mount Airy, NC (Think Andy Griffith) made the list for the best buzz cuts...Visit their interactive map with all the hidden treasures at www.rd.com
One other item of random interest:
If you are looking for a creative idea for a wedding cake, a quick side dish for a pork loin, a “potluck” dessert or a sensationally sweet midnight snack, then look no further than The Twinkies Cookbook. The book has a little bit of everything culinary involving the creme-filled cakes. From Twinkie-Misu to Pigs in a Twinkie, the unusual collection features nearly 50 sweet and savory recipes invented in kitchens throughout America.
Here are what Twinkiefans fans are saying, straight from the press release:
“It’s a good thing you can always count on my having a Twinkie in the house or the glove compartment of the car.”
“an easy dessert to prepare at the end of a long day feeding livestock… ”
Ten Speed Press has published The Twinkies Cookbook and you can get it from your local book dealer or you can stroll over to www.hostesscakes.com.
SOURCE: www.prbop.com
Now, I'm hungry...
CH
09 May 2006
GOSH!
Found these fun links today at www.usatoday.com
For the true American Idol fan:
If you haven't played Taylor Hicks Pac-Man, you're really missing out ...and there are screensavers of Chris Daughtry at eonline.com
For the Napoleon Dynamite Fan:
A special edition of Napoleon Dynamite hits shelves next Tuesday. The two-disc edition comes with a bunch of deleted scenes and recent spots, such as Napoleon's appearances on TRL and the Teen Choice Awards.
Plus there is a contest that lets you submit and vote for your favorite Napoleon-inspired dances. If you enter, you could win DVDs, an iPod or an already-passe "Vote for Pedro" T-shirt.
SWEET!
CH
For the true American Idol fan:
If you haven't played Taylor Hicks Pac-Man, you're really missing out ...and there are screensavers of Chris Daughtry at eonline.com
For the Napoleon Dynamite Fan:
A special edition of Napoleon Dynamite hits shelves next Tuesday. The two-disc edition comes with a bunch of deleted scenes and recent spots, such as Napoleon's appearances on TRL and the Teen Choice Awards.
Plus there is a contest that lets you submit and vote for your favorite Napoleon-inspired dances. If you enter, you could win DVDs, an iPod or an already-passe "Vote for Pedro" T-shirt.
SWEET!
CH
08 May 2006
Save-A-Lot
You're getting a raise for all the wonderful things that you do from day to day as a mom!
As a matter of fact, if you got paid in cold hard cash for all that hard work, you would pull down $134,121 this year as a stay at home mom. That's a raise of $2,650 dollars from last year.
But if you work outside the home you would theoretically get an annual paycheck of $86,876 for the "mom" portion of your work, in addition to your actual "work job" salary. Nice!
Your job description is amazing, too. You can certainly pad any resume with these...housekeeper, day care center teacher and cook, CEO, driver, psychologist, laundry machine operator, computer operator and more!
Find out more at www.salary.com
Thanks, Mom!
CH
As a matter of fact, if you got paid in cold hard cash for all that hard work, you would pull down $134,121 this year as a stay at home mom. That's a raise of $2,650 dollars from last year.
But if you work outside the home you would theoretically get an annual paycheck of $86,876 for the "mom" portion of your work, in addition to your actual "work job" salary. Nice!
Your job description is amazing, too. You can certainly pad any resume with these...housekeeper, day care center teacher and cook, CEO, driver, psychologist, laundry machine operator, computer operator and more!
Find out more at www.salary.com
Thanks, Mom!
CH
Charleston
...Charleston! Way down in SC.
Ah, yes...I have returned from an adventure in South Carolina. Meredith and I traveled with the 8th grade class at South Central Elementary School (K-8) on their end of the year field trip. Yes, we survived, and actually, the kids were great! A little loud every once in a while, but other than that, not a problem. Thanks to Mrs. Wright and Mrs. Broyles for letting me be a chaperone.
Here a little bit about our adventures:
Meredith and I had to leave at 5:45am so that we could meet everyone to leave around 6:30.
We stopped in Erwin for breakfast, and then traveled until we got to Columbia, SC. We watched lots of movies: (School of Rock, Shrek 2, Pirates of the Caribbean, etc...) In Columbia, we ate at Sticky Fingers! YUMMY!!!! Love that place.
Then, took off for Charleston. Once we were there, we went to the Marketplace. It was flea market style with tables and booths, and they had some nice things. Meredith and I decided we would spend our money on local ice cream instead of the other things. There were so many new flavors that we had a taste test of about 7 flavors before we decided. We each had some Java. I also had Cake Batter, and Meredith added Chocolate.
After the market, we went to the hotel. Pretty nice Best Western, and then went to the beach! We swam for about 2 hours, and then off to a local restaurant called Coconut Joe's. I decided to try Shrimp and Grits, which is a local specialty. Typically, I'm not the least bit apprehensive about trying new things, but this time I was. Turns out that the meal was really great! It had shrimp, a grits cake (looked like a triangle piece of cornbread), on top of country ham, and this creamy sauce. It took all I had to finish most of it, because it was so rich, but it really did taste good.
After dinner, we went back to the hotel. The teachers taped the doors for the kids, and we bedded down for the night. The next day, we grabbed some breakfast at the hotel, and took off for Carowinds in Charlotte. Meredith and I rode plenty of roller coasters and rides. We are thrill seekers when it comes to theme parks. We were supposed to meet at 5, but around 4...it started pouring rain. WE GOT SOAKED TO THE BONE!!!! All of us. We all met early to make it to the bus, but as we went, only Mrs. Broyles had an umbrella. So, we spent about 30-45 minutes as everyone had to get some dry clothes from under the bus, and then change in the one bathroom we had on the vehicle.
The way back was pretty uneventful-more movie watching, stopped at a Western Sizzlin' for dinner, and chatting- except that another bus from the Greene Tours line carrying another group to Charleston had broken down. We were "in the middle of nowhere, NC" and stopped at a gas station as our driver helped fix the other bus. After about 30 minutes, the bus was fixed, and we followed the other bus all the way back to Washington County, TN. As you can tell, we made it back safely, and everyone had a great time. Won't forget it anytime soon.
Peace,
The Hippie
--That's what I was called on the trip by some of the students because of my long hair and my tendency to say, "Sweet."
Ah, yes...I have returned from an adventure in South Carolina. Meredith and I traveled with the 8th grade class at South Central Elementary School (K-8) on their end of the year field trip. Yes, we survived, and actually, the kids were great! A little loud every once in a while, but other than that, not a problem. Thanks to Mrs. Wright and Mrs. Broyles for letting me be a chaperone.
Here a little bit about our adventures:
Meredith and I had to leave at 5:45am so that we could meet everyone to leave around 6:30.
We stopped in Erwin for breakfast, and then traveled until we got to Columbia, SC. We watched lots of movies: (School of Rock, Shrek 2, Pirates of the Caribbean, etc...) In Columbia, we ate at Sticky Fingers! YUMMY!!!! Love that place.
Then, took off for Charleston. Once we were there, we went to the Marketplace. It was flea market style with tables and booths, and they had some nice things. Meredith and I decided we would spend our money on local ice cream instead of the other things. There were so many new flavors that we had a taste test of about 7 flavors before we decided. We each had some Java. I also had Cake Batter, and Meredith added Chocolate.
After the market, we went to the hotel. Pretty nice Best Western, and then went to the beach! We swam for about 2 hours, and then off to a local restaurant called Coconut Joe's. I decided to try Shrimp and Grits, which is a local specialty. Typically, I'm not the least bit apprehensive about trying new things, but this time I was. Turns out that the meal was really great! It had shrimp, a grits cake (looked like a triangle piece of cornbread), on top of country ham, and this creamy sauce. It took all I had to finish most of it, because it was so rich, but it really did taste good.
After dinner, we went back to the hotel. The teachers taped the doors for the kids, and we bedded down for the night. The next day, we grabbed some breakfast at the hotel, and took off for Carowinds in Charlotte. Meredith and I rode plenty of roller coasters and rides. We are thrill seekers when it comes to theme parks. We were supposed to meet at 5, but around 4...it started pouring rain. WE GOT SOAKED TO THE BONE!!!! All of us. We all met early to make it to the bus, but as we went, only Mrs. Broyles had an umbrella. So, we spent about 30-45 minutes as everyone had to get some dry clothes from under the bus, and then change in the one bathroom we had on the vehicle.
The way back was pretty uneventful-more movie watching, stopped at a Western Sizzlin' for dinner, and chatting- except that another bus from the Greene Tours line carrying another group to Charleston had broken down. We were "in the middle of nowhere, NC" and stopped at a gas station as our driver helped fix the other bus. After about 30 minutes, the bus was fixed, and we followed the other bus all the way back to Washington County, TN. As you can tell, we made it back safely, and everyone had a great time. Won't forget it anytime soon.
Peace,
The Hippie
--That's what I was called on the trip by some of the students because of my long hair and my tendency to say, "Sweet."
02 May 2006
You Can Have Your Big Mac
...and EAT IT TOO!
In the word of Napoleon Dynamite, SWEET!
If you love fast food, but you know too much of it is gonna go to waist, then you need the new book..."Fast Food Fix: 75+ Amazing Recipe Makeovers of Your Fast Food Restaurant Favorites" by Devin Alexander. Devin compiled all these alternative ways to make your favs, but healthier. Some of those include...a Big Mac Makeover, McD's French Fries, KFC's Popcorn Chicken, and even the amazing Starbucks' Grande Mocha Frappuccino (For Parks Stamper--Our Midday Gal.)
And by making it at home, you might save a bit of money and gasoline for not having to get in the drive-thru line.
An excerpt of the book (with recipes) is located at www.abcnews.com
Go to the Good Morning America page.
Chalmer
01 May 2006
The First Day--of May
I'm a poet..and didn't know it...
Had a great weekend, and actually got a chance to stay in town...There was so much going on here from the University Parkway Upward Program (Did a devotion there) to the Up and At Em kick off event, and having friends over. Didn't realize how packed the weekend was going to be, but it was wonderful!
Since Mondays are pretty random for me, I figured I'd let you know about two fairly random things that I came across today:
First--not as random as the second--
The Health Screening Center of Mountain States Health Alliance has partnered with Food City to host monthly cooking demonstrations on cooking healthy.
The first one will be on May 9th from 11:30am to 12:30pm at the Food City in Gray. Not only will there be a cooking demo, but they will also have samples, recipes and nutritional analysis of foods. Chef Greg Saunders from The Troutdale Dining Room in Bristol, Tenn., will present the demonstration.
It's FREE but seating is limited so call (423) 854-5930; or for more information on dates, locations and guest chefs, log on to the website: www.msha.com/healthscreeningcenter.
Secondly--
The second one has something to do with food, also, but is WAY more random. This food you have known since you were little. RICE KRISPIES! Someone has figured out why they talk back to you with their snap, crackle and pop when you pour milk in the bowl. Here's why thanks to an article on www.netscape.com
During cooking, exceptionally strong bonds are formed that hold the krispy together. It's during this cooking process that each piece of rice expands and a network of air-filled caves and tunnels form inside. The milk puts pressure on the air inside those caves and tunnels and pushes the air around. The air just keeps moving around against the walls of each of those little pockets until they finally shatter, like glass, at which point you hear familiar snap, crackle and pop.
Actually, if you look closely, you can see tiny air bubbles escaping to the surface. Once the milk is fully absorbed into the rice kernels and the air pockets have all burst, your cereal will get very quiet. And soggy (yuck.)
Science--making a breakfast better!
CH
Had a great weekend, and actually got a chance to stay in town...There was so much going on here from the University Parkway Upward Program (Did a devotion there) to the Up and At Em kick off event, and having friends over. Didn't realize how packed the weekend was going to be, but it was wonderful!
Since Mondays are pretty random for me, I figured I'd let you know about two fairly random things that I came across today:
First--not as random as the second--
The Health Screening Center of Mountain States Health Alliance has partnered with Food City to host monthly cooking demonstrations on cooking healthy.
The first one will be on May 9th from 11:30am to 12:30pm at the Food City in Gray. Not only will there be a cooking demo, but they will also have samples, recipes and nutritional analysis of foods. Chef Greg Saunders from The Troutdale Dining Room in Bristol, Tenn., will present the demonstration.
It's FREE but seating is limited so call (423) 854-5930; or for more information on dates, locations and guest chefs, log on to the website: www.msha.com/healthscreeningcenter.
Secondly--
The second one has something to do with food, also, but is WAY more random. This food you have known since you were little. RICE KRISPIES! Someone has figured out why they talk back to you with their snap, crackle and pop when you pour milk in the bowl. Here's why thanks to an article on www.netscape.com
During cooking, exceptionally strong bonds are formed that hold the krispy together. It's during this cooking process that each piece of rice expands and a network of air-filled caves and tunnels form inside. The milk puts pressure on the air inside those caves and tunnels and pushes the air around. The air just keeps moving around against the walls of each of those little pockets until they finally shatter, like glass, at which point you hear familiar snap, crackle and pop.
Actually, if you look closely, you can see tiny air bubbles escaping to the surface. Once the milk is fully absorbed into the rice kernels and the air pockets have all burst, your cereal will get very quiet. And soggy (yuck.)
Science--making a breakfast better!
CH
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