Impala

Look at the coat on this beautiful impala buck...

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Waterbuck

Yep, that's a record book 31 inches. I can't take credit for shooting it, but I did shoot lots of pictures.

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Eland

Have a picture to share with y'all!

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Blog-cation

Welp, it's time for another BLOG-CATION!

I try to take a couple weeks off every now and then to gather new material and get some inspiration, which is important for me and my readers. Perhaps there will be a sporadic blog or two, but not the regular posting regime for 2 weeks or so.

I'm having separation anxiety. We'll survive. See you soon!!

Here's an old vacation picture to kick off the blog-cation:

Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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Weekend Pancake Judgement

There are waffle people. And there are pancake people. (And there are low carb/Paleo people, but we won't get into that discussion today...)

So which are you?

I think I'd say we are a pancake house, mostly because they're way less work than waffles. However, when Dad used to make Belgium Waffles on the weekends, I was a waffle person. But, no one makes me pink and green waffles anymore. So, I try to keep the creativity alive with the pancakes...

I usually make 2 kinds and then have Ross vote on his favorite.

Option 1: Apple Cinnamon

Option 2: Chocolate Chip

Verdict: "It's kinda hard to beat Chocolate Chip" - Ross

"Mom, I want to know more about pancakes too..."

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Looking the Part

Check out our Safari hats!!

Do we look official now or what? Debating whether we roll-up the sides or no?

So after running through attire with Ross, it was clear that my current wardrobe would scare off most of the animals, so we picked up a few new things at REI with our 2011 dividend check (woo!!). Drab colors (think mud) isn't my usual choice, but it's going to be totally worth it. Here Kudu, Kudu, Kudu...

1 year ago: Weekly, Top Ten
2 years ago: MS 150-- Check!

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Coupon Phenomena

Do you get daily Groupon emails? How about Living Social? I held out for awhile, but I like a good deal if it's as easy as the click of a button. They even have iPhone aps. For real. I'm a picky buyer, but I haven't been disappointed with those I've bought.

Here's a quick run down of Groupon I've bought and used:
*12 Yoga Classes at Laughing Lotus
*2 Produce boxes from Full Circle
*12 bootcamp classes at Rock Hard Fitness
*A 60 min massage
*Regal Air Flightseeing tour of a glacier field
*2 for 1 Alyeska ski resort lift ticket
*Sack's Cafe $30 coupon for $15
*Shellac Manicure at Sunrise nails

Bootcamp was my favorite... I kinda got hooked on the early morning workouts, which I still do. Hmm the massage was mediocre...the masseuse just wasn't my cup'o'tea. I was thinking about signing up for produce boxes from Full Circle, but the Groupon showed me that lots of times the goods came overly ripe and went bad after just a couple days. Nope. The flightseeing tour was hard to schedule because of weather, but totally worth it. I felt like a rockstar when I overheard the bill for the other couple that went up in the plane with us... they didn't have the Groupon! Sack's restaurant is one of my favorite Anchorage restaurants, so that one was definitely a good purchase too.

Here's a couple deals I have yet to use:
*1 hour Alaska Pet Services (a POOPER SCOOPER!!!)
*Rock Hard Fitness Bootcamp (signed up for another month)
*2 hr Cooking Class for Two
*10 Yoga Classes at Spirit Path Wellness

I'm most excited to use the 1 hour pooper scooper service. Our backyard is just awful right now, thanks to Miss Roma. All those frozen, petrified fossils turn to mush in the spring thaw. Too much detail? I agree, which is why I'll pay someone else to help out.

I'm starting to think I'm a bargain... :)

1 year ago: McHugh Lake Trail
2 years ago: Golf with Grandad

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Ladies Day Out

While the gentlemen were away doing manly things at Arctic Man 2012, Jolin and I had a pretty much fantastic day. It started with a sweat session at the gym-- sorry no pics, but I did document some of our other adventures...

Matching rings. Totally necessary to conquer the day.

  

We went to Organic Oasis for lunch. A quirky place with lots of vegan and gluten free options that men are never interested in. Instead of adding salt, they have spray salt at each table. Never seen that before.

Jolin trying out sunflower seed butter and spray salt on toast...

  

Jolin's veggie quiche.

Chicken House Salad.

 A hot towel is usually a sign of good things to come...

After a 2 hour massage, I got my haircut. 

I LOVE fresh ends!

After making dinner and watching the chick flick "Friends with Benefits", we discovered we shared a similar habit: half watching TV while cruising the internet. We also got Jolin's, err I mean Kris's,  new iPad set-up with Facetime. We had to try it out even though we were sitting right next to each other. Slumber parties are fun :)

Yes, this happened.

Fun friend weekend...

Here's the cargo we picked up late sunday evening:

 It sounded like this RV took quite a beating.

1 year ago: Broccoli'N'Cheese Soup
2 years ago: Authentic Mexican Cooking

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iPhone candids

Every couple months I actually connect my iPhone to my laptop and there's usually some fun pictures that get uploaded. Here's this round of iPhone candids:

New camera lens!

St. Patty's Day Hibachi.

Kirsty and Suzie

Brittany and Patrick.

Lovers.

Finally got a green beer.

Sweet Graphics.

Professional snowboarder friend, Kirsty.

Reward after going down a blue, sweet potato fries at Jack Sprat. So good!

Dig in Ross! 

Date night at Marx Bro Cafe started with crab cakes. 

Marx Bro Cafe Date: My Elk was very good.

Marx Bro Cafe Date: Ross had duck.

 

I made a last ditch effort to add the video to yesterdays post. Can you watch it now??!!

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Movie: Coming Home

UPDATE: NOT SURE WHY THIS VIDEO ISN'T WORKING FOR SOME PEOPLE!! BOO!

So I tried to post this video last week, but Blogger had "technical difficulties" and it wouldn't actually play for anyone. So here it is! Word of caution, if you are not a pet owner you may not understand this ritual at all.

A little background: Roma stays on a couch in the garage, with dog door access to the backyard while we're at work. So, when we open the garage in the evening there is a grey pest that runs out to greet the car. Roma's ears usually give away her mood... See how they're flopped all the way back in the video? Ok, so that might be a little hard to see.




1 year ago: Whale Watchers
2 years ago: Nacho Burgers

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Yard Moose

I got a text message from our neighbor Rebecca at 8:15 AM on a weekend day... (*gasp!*)  I was snoozing away (I don't sleep much later than 9, I promise) and the text woke me up. "This better be good!" And it was. She was letting me know there was a moose in our front yard. It never gets old. Well, until your flowers get eaten.

A little lady decided to hunker down in our yard to wait for spring. Of course I had to try out my new lens... gotta practice for the upcoming Safari!!!

Our balcony was a nice vantage point.

Moose!

1 year ago: Seward, AK (with the Mayhew's)
2 years ago:  Sunday, the Non-Lazy Kind

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Smelly Asparagus

Sometimes questions pop up into my head that Ross isn't always able to answer (crazy, I know). But, the internet is a beautiful thing and I can usually find an answer in no time flat. A quick word of caution: This does NOT apply to Web MD or other such similar self diagnosis type websites. We're going to go ahead and throw Pet MD in that mix too. I've learned from personal experience that the Dr is much more reliable (and accurate :) ).

Anyway, the random question of the day stems from my dinner- a side of roasted asparagus.... Here we go, the blog is going to a whole new level of intimacy today...

"Why does asparagus make pee pee smell so funny???? Am I crazy or is this legit??"
 
Straight from Wikipedia:
"There is debate about whether all (or only some) people produce the smell, and whether all (or only some) people identify the smell. A 2010 study found variations in both production of odorous urine and the ability to detect the odour, but that these were not tightly related. It is believed most people produce the odorous compounds after eating asparagus, but only about 22% of the population have the autosomal genes required to smell them."


Whew, I feel so much better knowing that other people have had the same question!! Apparently I have the asparagus autosomal genes-- you know something new about me. Do you have this gene too?? If you're wondering what the heck I'm talking about, congratulations you don't have the gene.

On another note, you should definitely click on the "Big Movie Premier" link below and get your daily dose of Roma-- it's a video! (be sure and pause music player at the bottom first)

1 year ago: Tree Faces
2 years ago: Roma's Big Movie Premier!

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Easter Thankfulness

Full tummies, empty eggs, beautiful weather, and a risen Lord! What a wonderful Easter!!

Kyle and Abbey hosted an awesome Easter brunch/egg hunt at their house. Here are some pictures:

Bird Nests. Had Reese's pieces eggs on half and Cadbury eggs on the other half.

  

Appetizer Cheese Trio.

Abbey and her Momma!

Ina Garten's Mac and Cheese

Pioneer Woman Green Bean Casserole

Jolin's Cornflake Potato Casserole. Maybe something like this.

Great day!

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