Christmas Tree

Big surprise, but Emily had to work today, of all days...this found me with a little extra free time on my hands, and therefore a camera in them. I thought I'd share a picture that I captured of a great tree that is decorated to the hilt with lights not far from us (nothing is done on a small scale in Texas). There are some other decent lighting displays around, and if time allows, I'll try to capture some other ones and post them for your viewing pleasure.

Hope everyone had a great X-mas!

Merry X-mas Cactus

I woke up early this morning and took Emily to work, feeling finally like it might possibly be coming up on Christmas, as it was 28 degrees out with a wind-chill in the teens. Its been hard to get in the holiday spirit with daytime highs in the low 70's and upper 60's (not that we're complaining or anything). When I got home I entertained the idea of slumbering back to bed (a very attractive option at 6:30 AM), but somehow found divine inspiration see what kind of images I could get with my macro lens (I use this lens mostly for dental photography)...and I thought what better subject matter to shoot for x-mas other than our fledgling x-mas cactus plant. I say fledging because not to long after moving down to Dallas I quickly realized that x-mas cacti don't fair to well in direct 100+ degree sunlight (you can guess what it looked like after a few days of that). So since then we've been trying to nurse it back to health, and alas, this x-mas it put out some great blossoms (see below), go figure.

So if you happen to be reading this before or on X-mas, we wish you all a great X-mas, wherever that may find you.

Chris & Emily

A video news short...by Sarah

For a while now I've been trying to figure out how to post videos of Sarah's stories, so that those of us who don't live in the Peoria area can still see some of her stories. So call this a beta test version, and let me know if you have problems viewing the file (note: it may require Real Player). Oh, and good work Sarah!

Foggy Days in Dallas

Winter...if that's what you call rainy days in the 40's with the threat of an overnight freeze...seems to be slowly settling into north Texas. As many of our friends and family back in the midwest continue to get pounded by snow and ice, or maybe both at the same time, it has not gone unnoticed by us how lucky we seem to have been this year to escape most of this. However, Chris couldn't help but feel from recent pictures he saw on the web that he was missing out on some great photography opportunities that the ice storms would bring. The last week or so has been fairly foggy and drizzly here in Dallas, conjuring up mental images ala the Pacific Northwest.

So last weekend, with the fog and drizzle in full effect, and being that it was Chris' 28th birthday (wow, how depressing), we decided to head an hour south of Dallas, out of the city, to an area near a relatively small town called Waxahachie. Chris had been there recently for an on-site CE course, and recalled to Emily how much it had reminded him of rural Iowa (which is saying a lot for Texas, as there really is nothing that closely resembles the rural midwest).

So, with both of us being a bit tired, but Chris wanting to get out of the quaint yet confining loft-apartment, we headed to Waxahachie, not sure as to what we would find.

As luck would have it, upon arriving near the city limits, we randomly chose a country road that actually turned out to be one of the most scenic areas that either of us had experienced in the DFW area. Complete with rolling hills, farms (a rarity in Texas), and trees (yes, you read that right, TREES!), we felt like we had died and returned to Iowa.

lone tree in the lone star

texas hay

After driving in the country for about an hour and a half, we decided to make our way back to Dallas and pick up some groceries at our favorite grocery store, Central Market. The birthday dinner menu for that evening included:

-Warm rosemary parmesan foccacia
-Organic spinach salad complete w/ portabella mushrooms, roma tomatoes, and feta cheese
-Salmon with pepper-blend seasoned butter
-Haricot verts (new to us, they are thinner than the classic american green been)
-Pinot Noir from Sonoma, CA

MMMM....MMMMM.....Good eatin' (that's about all we have to do down here in Dallas)

We leave you with some images of a foggy downtown Dallas, as it has been for the past week...

Ode to "The Bruce"

If you've been following the banter of the "Why Portland?" entry, you've been introduced to this entity known as "Bruce." This entry is for all of you who do not know Bruce personally (and probably wouldn't want to).

REASONS WHY BRUCE IS SO GREAT:
1. He's married to Tina
2. Baby Job
3. He wants to be a doctor...err...is a doctor
4. Radiohead
5. His taste in music in general
6. He has Chris' photography in his house
7. He likes rainbows...
8. And sunsets...
9. And waterfalls...
10. And mountain vistas...
11. And babies...ok enough already...
12. He drives a minivan
13. He makes great guacamole
14. And pancakes with blueberry syrup
15. He's married to Tina
16. His hair is graying
17. His livingroom is red, and red is rad
18. He's a Hawkeye fan
19. And a Bear's fan
20. He lives by a volcano
21. Many volcanos...
22. He has a cool camera
23. He shops at REI
24. And IKEA
25. Emily beat him at poker
26. Bruce was pissed Emily beat him at poker
27. He's married to Tina
28. He loves his daddy
29. He's great at chemistry
30. And is a genius
31. He plays tennis
32. And Chris always beats him...
33. He uses the word "Word" as an exit line (spelled Wurd by Bruce)
34. He has brown eyes
35. He lives in Portland- a cool place to visit, but not to live
36. He values the great outdoors
37. And loves to hike
38. His favorite movie is "Team America"
39. He likes brew pub beer
40. And wine
41. And vineyards in general
42. He can memorize a game's directions, while watching TV and listening to music, and yes...all at the same time
43. He's from the Quad cities
44. He loves Tina
45. His bathroom is orange
46. He has a stock fund names after him..."The Bruce"
47. He holds the world record for old-time Tetris
48. He has a wireless timer on his camera...this leads to...
49. Jumping shots
50. He's a scorpio...I think...
51. He may, in fact, actually convince Chris to move to Portland, unfortunately without his wife...this makes Bruce very happy
52. He lives near Mt. Hood, a volcano, which may someday kill him
53. Because he thinks he's great
54. Bruce is fun to argue with- try it sometime!
55. This is because he's always right...right Bruce?
56. He loves to make baby noises
57. Again...Tina makes him a better man
58. He loves old people...oops, nevermind, scratch this one...
59. He actually came to our wedding, but would otherwise never visit us
60. He will never let me have the last word
61. He's friends with us and that makes him GREAT

So, I hope this has helped to educate all of you on the topic of Bruce and his greatness. In fact, he's so great that beside the word "great" in the dictionary is a picture of Bruce. Well, not in any dictionaries I've seen, but I've heard the rumor going around. Mainly from Bruce. Well, only from Bruce.

What is it with Portland?

As the weeks have gone by, I've found myself rather perplexed with the results from our "where should we live poll." What is it with Portland? Don't get me wrong. We like Portland and wouldn't have put it on our list if it wasn't a serious contender, but I'm curious why you all like it. One voice in my head (and there are many) tells me it's just Bruce skewing the results by voting numerous times for Portland. Another tells me some of you want us as far away as possible. Another says maybe you want a cool place to come visit us since our current locale sucks. So, why Portland? I'm particularly curious because, personally, it's not MY first choice. Maybe you all know something I don't. And, in case you all are wondering, my choice is Virginia. Here are some reasons why:
1. It's beautiful, serene country
2. The Appalachian Trail would be in our backyard...lots of hiking
3. Close to all the history that only the east coast has
4. They have all 4 seasons but the winter and the summer are more moderate than the midwest.
5. Big cities nearby = culture, nightlife, great restaurants etc.

So, now I'm curious about your reasons for why you want us to live in your chosen city on the poll. Please respond at the bottom of the post by clicking on comments and letting me (Emily) know what you think. After all, we need all the help we can get!

Song of the Day: "The Underdog" by Spoon

Christmas song for my wife

Recently Bruce and Tina posted a blog entry about their lack of good Christmas music to listen to (read here). After reading their entry, I pondered for a while the Christmas music that I enjoyed...then I pondered some more, and finally realized, well, there really isn't any Christmas music that I really would be willing to seek out. However, I was reminded while pondering of a Christmas song that I had found for Emily back a few Christmas' ago when we were dating. Some of the lyrics don't apply, but mostly was fun to listen to because of the obvious (listen and watch below). Thus, in response to their search for good Christmas music, I offer up this one piece as something to add to their iPod master X-Mas mix. Enjoy.

Are you smarter than a chimp?

I saw this on the news this morning while eating breakfast and thought it was pretty amazing...and funny.

Sunny days are here again

While most of you were sitting down to your turkey and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, we were in the air flying over the Gulf of Mexico. For once, we had an on time flight with no cancellations, plus, the added bonus of a provided "lunch." Apparently the airlines treat you better if you're flying out of the country as opposed to domestically. Next stop, CANCUN! Of course we messed up our Claims and Customs form twice, but eventually we were able to correctly state that we did not in fact have live animals in our luggage.

Upon arrival in Cancun, the first thing you encounter as you attempt to leave the airport are hoards of taxi drivers trying to convince you that you do not need your prearranged shuttle and should instead share a ride in a Chevy (pronounced Tchevy) with a couple of domesticated chickens. We were lucky to avoid this scheme and found our Le Meridien shuttle representative waiting with our name on a sign (they even spelled it correctly, added bonus).

Upon arrival to our 5 star hotel we learned the following:
1. Everyone wants a tip, you tip the person driving you, the person who unloads your bag from the van, the person who takes your luggage once in side, and finally, the woman who brings you a "complimentary" mimosa upon entering.
2. It's beautiful and well worth every tip. Somethings are just worth the extra cost.
3. By simply making eye contact you can have someone at your side asking if there is anything you need. No joke.

Le Meridien

So upon arriving at Le Meridien, we found ourselves with some time on our hands since the rest of the guests were out on a day trip. Hmmmm, what to do with our time... how about a little ocean? So swim suits in hand...errr, on, we hit the beach and took in the awesome scenery.

1 & 2) Views from Le Meridien 3) On the beach 4) View from Vamsi's balcony

Around 8pm we gathered with the group and embarked on the experience of bus riding in Mexico. Which includes the sport of trying to find a seat before the driver hits the gas. Then, you get extra points if you can make it to the front of the bus to hit the button signifying you want to get off. Quite exciting, and so cheap it's the only way to truly get around.
Our evening was then spent at Senor Frogs. A crazy restaurant where they make balloon hats and have live music. Oh, and did we mention the waterslide? Ask Vamsi since he went down the thing twice! Too bad we didn't have the camera for that one since it would have made for a great blog in itself. If any of you reading have one, send it to us and we'll post it!

Friday (the wedding day) was spent at the pool and beach relaxing (Emily) and bodysurfing (Chris). Of course, the bodysurfing was less exciting after getting taken under by a big wave, getting drug against the bottom of the ocean and ultimately developing whip lash. But hey, one of your best friends is getting married today, you've got to go all out man!

An hour before dusk we gathered for the big event. They couldn't have picked a more beautiful and scenic place to get married. And to make it even better, it was short and sweet. The dinner was also fabulous and quaint. We ended the great day on a party boat on the ocean, where we passed by a few "pirate-inspired" booze cruises. Emily engaged in a drinking contest with Vamsi, but it ended when the whisky shots were getting passed around. Who wants to be burping up digested whiskey? Yuck! It was a great time (despite the whiskey shots) and totally unique (ala the grooms' parents blow job shot expose).

1) The "Aseltines" 2) Cake cutting 3) Reception 4) Post ceremony 5) Heather's bouquet

Saturday, another day with even better weather, we again basked in the sun with our SPF 30 on. We had plans for a group Jungle Tour, but the guys headed out for a little ocean jetskiing and got back a little later than planned, so we just chilled and drank pina coladas (the best damn things ever!!) at the pool. Finally, we put ourselves together and Emily went shopping with the girls while Chris went with Ryan to get tickets for Xel-ha.

A few lessons learned while shopping in Mexico:
1. Every price is negotiable. Just ask Megan, she can talk down anyone by at least $15. Incredible to watch, really, it's an art.
2. Expect to get approached by at least 4 children on every block trying to sell you a bracelet they would like you to believe they made, but was in fact made by their mother who watches from across the street, hoping that you, the stupid American, will fall for the innocence of a child.
3. People follow you all the time, trying to get you to buy their chains, see their baskets etc. They are very persistant and do not give up easily (this is probably why it's so easy to barter).

The evening was rounded up at a live lobster house with the entire group again. This was our last meal together since nearly everyone was flying back Sunday. Vamsi entertained us all by ordering the hottest habanero sauce for his shrimp. Oh, we forgot to mention it took him 10 minutes to simply order since he wanted his shrimp cooked one way, with a particular sauce, and of course, his lobster had specific instructions as well. Total, Vamsi had 2 plates and at least 3 sauces, including el habanero especial. For those of you who do not know Vamsi, he loves spicy things. Salsa on everything and the hotter the better. However, he met his match with el habanero especial. It totally kicked his ass, and he admitted it. In fact, he was so impressed by it's hottness he shared with those willing to meet his challenge. His ego suffered a blow however when 2 challengers downed huge scoops without a flinch. Alas, Vamsi's days as supremo salsa eater were henceforth over. It was wonderful having one last night with everyone and watching Vamsi get his tongue burned.

Sunday morning arrived early with a call from room service asking us to specify our cereal request. Vamsi thought he'd finally succeed in his plan to order us room service (he had previously attempted this while using our toilet phone to call in an order). Little did he know that the order wasn't specific enough and we cancelled the order when they called to confirm. HAHAHA nice try Vamsi, did you get the bills for those poolside pina coladas we charged to room 717? $9 a pop buddy!

But that 6:15am call came right on time since we were meeting another couple, Kim and Troy in the lobby to visit Xel-ha and Tulum. Finally we got our trip underway, with a brief (if 30 minutes is brief) stop at a roadside market so that we would (hopefully) buy goods from our tour guide's family. (This is an assumption of course, but when this isn't a scheduled stop and the tour guide is talking it over with the driver, things look a little bit shady.) After 3 hours (which should have taken 1 and 45 minutes) we arrive to Tulum. By the way, we should mention that this trip was a compromise on Chris' part. He wanted to rent a car (yes, this is fact) and drive into the Yucatan jungle to visit Chichen Itza, the largest Mayan ruins in the world and now a wonder of the world (we just wonder which wonder). Emily of course was scared to death to think of Chris at the wheel of a Mexican Tchevy, driving on roads marked in Spanish 3 hours into the middle of nowhere. Finally, we arrive at the decision to take a tour to Tulum, a smaller but still impressive Mayan city. The pictures basically tell the story except to say there were hundreds of lizards and Iguanas everywhere. You actually had to watch where you walked because you might run across one. But, it was great to see something so ancient and the backdrop of the sea was breathtaking.

1) Tulum Ruins 2) Our tourguides

Our tour guide then trekked us back up the coast to Xel-ha. It's a natural aquarium turned theme park where we floated in tubes and snorkled in the lagoons. Totally the best experience of the entire trip and well worth the $100 per person. If you've ever snorkled you know it's an experience unlike any other. You see the schools of fish swimming past, coral, crabs etc.
After 3 hours of water fun, it was time to meet back with the tour guide and journey back home. We changed and spent the rest of the evening shopping and dining with Troy and Kim. We were the last survivors of the trip. Overall an excellent day and a great note to leave the trip on.

1) Xel Ha natural aquarium 2) Chris' favorite Carona-esq pic

Monday, we woke up early to catch a little more sunshine before we had to leave for the airport. Chris took pictures and Emily enjoyed the sounds of the ocean and read. This was the only day where sunscreen was not applied and although it was only 9am, Emily got a little burned/tanned so that she actually looked like she'd been to Cancun. Relaxed and peaceful, we begrudgedly packed our bags and boarded our plane back to the great U.S. of A.

Note: Readers can view and/or download the full picture files (those seen on this entry and even others not shown on the blog) if they want to print/view them by clicking on the picasa insignia on the bottom right of the slideshow box. Enjoy!