Icey Sunset

I think I've mentioned before that I have a thing for sunsets. There's just something about them that draws me in. Maybe that's why I don't have the best vision... Anyhow, we drove out to a little scenic overlook about 5 minutes from our house to capture these pictures of the sun setting over Cook Inlet. It was so cold, but so beautiful. The ice chunks in the water were flowing by us at a pretty good clip, however it's pretty much impossible to capture the feeling with a picture.

We regularly see people ice climbing up faces like this.

I couldn't resist sharing this picture... Here's my complete sunset watching crew:

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Woodsey Sunset

We took Roma to the pup park last weekend, however she didn't last very long in 4 degrees. Roma's paws get what looks like freezer burn when she's not wearing her booties (of course we forgot 'em). But the sunset looked so pretty in the trees around the lake. We have about 6 hours of daylight now, so we gotta get outside and enjoy the sun while we can!

On another note, have you heard of Alpenglow? It refers to the pink glow on the mountains... read more about it here.

We heard a funny noise on the path and some bike riders passed us. Winter biking riding is a serious proposition in weather this cold. The mittens they wear look like potholders. And look at those tires!

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Favorite Websites

I've been making lots of lists lately... they help me keep my sanity. In the name of lists, here a some of my favorite websites. Just an FYI, this is an unpaid advertisement :)

*Zappos: Great place to buy shoes, get 'em in 2 days, can return for 365 days from purchase, free returns
*The Pioneer Woman: One of my all time favorite blogs, especially for the photography tips!
*Pink is the New Blog: Where I catch up on all my celebrity gossip, without ever having to purchase a magazine.
*GOOP: In my book, Gwyneth Paltrow can do no wrong. I think her blog is amazing. (Of course, she has a whole staff to help her out...)
*Pinterest: Not sure how to describe it, other than a photo/DIY/collage overload. I can waste hours and hours on this site, just Pinning away.
*Foodgawker: My recipe (and sometimes photography) inspiration
*Facebook: I think you all probably know what this one's about!

Happy web browsing!

My new computer is almost all set-up, then I'll be able to get back to my web browsing'n'blogging!

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MacBook #2

Well, my MacBook bit the dust. I thought my laptop would be covered by the Apple Care Protection plan, but sadly the dent on the front voided the warranty. So it goes. It's a sad story, I know. Now, for a happy story... I got a new MacBook today. Merry early Christmas? Thank you Santa.

The new computers are transferring data and have 5 hours left to go, so it's a super short post today.

I'll leave you with some pictures of the moose in our front yard that I woke up to this morning:

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Gobble Gobble

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

So much to be thankful for today! 

Hope you enjoy spending time with family/friends and eat some good food!! 

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Eye Surgery: A look Back

As many of you know, in April/May 2010 I had eye surgery (read more about my experience by typing "Eyeballs" into the search box to the right). There was an article about the surgery on CNN.com today that I thought was worth sharing with you, HERE.

After reading the article it got me thinking about my personal experience...

I still have 20/15 vision in both my eyes! I love waking up and be able to see. Words can't describe. I think about the blessing of vision, contact free, all the time-- especially on hiking trips in the woods.

Was I a 100% success story? Well, not exactly. I'm probably in the "1% that suffers from complications" In my left eye, I suffer from a slight "glare" spot in certain types of light. I actually had a second surgery to replace the left eye lens with a new one. However, there wasn't a lens defect; the glare spot is exactly the same. The doctor thinks that it's just the way my eye/shape interacts with the lens. So I was faced with the decision to live with it and possibly explore the options down the road or have the lens taken out and wear a contact in one eye. You probably know what I chose?

Do I have any regrets? Absolutely not. My "glare" is such a small inconvenience- the benefits definitely tip the scale. However, it is such a comfort to know that this surgery is reversible and at any time I could have them removed and my eyes would be right where they started before the surgery.

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Candid Camera

It can be hard to lug a camera around everywhere, especially at the beach; Sand and salt water are not kind to cameras. Restaurants are another place that can be tough. Which is why the iPhone is such a necessity for any blogger :)

So here are some iPhone pictures from Maui...

At the airport. Let's go!

Beach View at our Condo.

Lounge'In!

Thought my ring looked sparkly in the sun, so it got a picture too :)

The sunshine felt so good.

We got upgraded to a Tahoe with a great sunroof. At the end of the week we decided we're not going to buy a Tahoe in the future. A little too much like Ross's truck.

First Mai Tai of the trip.

  

Ross's BEEF.

I would eat Ahi tuna everyday if I could.

Signature Dessert: Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Ahh-mazing.

Ross's Kobe beef burger

Spicy Seafood Pasta-- our FAVORITE meal of the trip!! Too bad the picture is blurry. Scallops, salmon, tuna, lobster, crab, and mussels in a spicy tomato sauce and hint of ginger over parppardelle pasta.

Ross wanted a rootbeer float. This completely reminds me of my Dad, everytime.

First pina colada. 

"Bikini Blonde Lager: What the Sailors Really Come to Shore For" :) 

My new favorite breakfast- acai bowl. 

Vanilla Hawaiian shaved ice over caramel ice cream. 

Calamari and a Mexican Martini.

Panko crusted Ahi. YUM.

I LOVE sushi!

...So does this guy. 

Coconut water straight outta the coconut!

Best version of a Chop Salad we've had.

Ross's filet mignon. 

Apple Tart

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Things I learned in Maui

After my inaugural visit to Hawaii here's a couple things I've learned from our trip:

*Mahalo means Thank You
*Alaska Airlines give out free Mai Tai's on the "good mood" leg to Hawaii; no such cheer on the way back to Alaska.
*"Island Time" refers to the laid back lifestyle... and how folks are always late
*Hawaii is quite possibly more expensive than Alaska
*Maui Gold Pineapples are delicious
*A good Mai Tai is hard to find
*You can't bring fruit into or out of Hawaii. They actually have full x-ray scanners to make sure you comply. Yet, there are some "certified" fruit that you can buy in the airport which is acceptable and conveniently the price reflects that.
*Hawaiian shaved ice can be ordered with a scoop of ice cream on the bottom- Waaaay better served this way.
*Sunscreen is really hard to apply without leaving a little spot un-gooped. BURN!
*The sun sets at 5:45pm and the sky is completely dark shortly thereafter
*Roselani Ice Cream is the premier brand on the island (think Blue Bell), but it was $10.35 a gallon at the store. Seriously? Why don't other companies carry Kona Coffee and Macadamia Nut flavors too?
*iPad's are impossible to read in bright sunlight. I plan to investigate an iPad anti-glare screen
*Maui MUST have the highest per capita ownership of Jeeps and convertible Mustangs 
*Hawaii does NOT have good Mexican food
*Residences in Alaska AND Hawaii don't have air conditioning. Something in common!
*Also, both Alaska and Hawaii have exceptionally good coffee
*Paddle Surfing is the newest trend in water sports
*There are honeymooners EVERYWHERE
*Maui has 1 brewery and 1 winery. Ross thought the brewery was "Ok", but he had fun doing the tasting flights.
*Turtles like to feed in the shallow water. Quite funny to see their little heads poke out of the water right next to you.
*Opening coconuts are a lot of work and the coconut water inside isn't all that yummy. But it's great for a picture...
*There's not much better than falling asleep/waking up to the sound of waves crashing and palm trees blowing in the breeze

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Sights and Sounds of Maui

Here's some additional pictures from our stay in beautiful MAUI!!

There's nothing like waking up to the swooshing of the palm trees and the waves crashing along the shoreline.

Our "private" beach.

Footsteps in the sand

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