Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Potato Spoons
Ocean Blue (only the best frozen yogurt in Mesa) is big on recycling. One of the things they do is use recycled potato spoons.
Dan the Man (only the biggest penny saver I know in Mesa) is big on recycling. At our last visit to Ocean Blue, not only was he enamored with the recycled potato spoon. But he decided to try it.
Dan the Man (only the biggest penny saver I know in Mesa) is big on recycling. At our last visit to Ocean Blue, not only was he enamored with the recycled potato spoon. But he decided to try it.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The report was "it was bland, chewy and tasted a little like corrugated cardboard"
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
At the stop sign 1/2 mile from my house
Poor chicken owner, no eggs for breakfast. Or chicken for dinner :(Sunday, October 26, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
What is going on?
No she does not have to Pee
No she is not in Scared
No she is not in Pain
Her neck is just fine
She is wildly singing to the new High School Musical 3 CD.
Lucky Mom :/
Friday, October 24, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Grandpa's Guest Spot "What the Heck"
At Women's Marathon, fastest time didn't win
C.W. Nevius
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
There were over 20,000 competitors in Sunday's Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco.
And 24-year-old Arien O'Connell, a fifth-grade teacher from New York City, ran the fastest time of any of the women.
But she didn't win.
It doesn't get much simpler than a footrace. All it takes is a starting line, a finish line and a clock. You fire the gun and the first person to the end of the course is the winner.
However, as the marathon officials said to O'Connell - not so fast.
While O'Connell had the greatest run of her life and covered the course faster than any woman, she was told she couldn't be declared the winner because she didn't run with the "elite" group who were given a 20-minute head start.
So what could have been a lovely Cinderella story about a young woman rising above her expectations in a race that bills itself as all about empowering women turned into a strict the-rules-are-the-rules edict. That's not the image we're trying to promote here.
San Francisco has become one of those destination locations for the new breed of distance runner. Between the San Francisco Marathon in July and the Nike race - billed as the largest women's marathon in the world - over 40,000 runners will visit this year.
It is great that these events are held here, but they are also representing the city. What we are hoping is that they leave town talking about the terrific location, the great restaurants and the perfectly organized event. Instead, we look like we don't know how to operate a stopwatch.
"That's pretty weak," said Jon Hendershott, associate editor of the authoritative Track and Field News magazine, based in Mountain View. "Think of the PR they could have had with this girl coming out of nowhere. It sounds like they got caught totally off guard."
O'Connell, who describes herself as "a pretty good runner," had never managed to break three hours in five previous marathons. But as soon as she started at 7 a.m. Sunday, she knew it was her day. In fact, when she crossed the finish line 26.2 miles later, her time of 2:55:11 was so unexpectedly fast that she burst into tears.
"I ran my best time by like 12 minutes, which is insane," she said.
At the awards ceremony, the O'Connell clan looked on as the top times were announced and the "elite" female runners stepped forward to accept their trophies."They called out the third-place time and I thought, 'I was faster than that,' " she said. "Then they called out the second-place time and I was faster than that. And then they called out the first-place time (3:06), and I said, 'Heck, I'm faster than her first-place time, too.' "
Just to make sure, O'Connell strolled over to a results station and asked a race official to call up her time on the computer. There it was, some 11 minutes faster than the official winner.
"They were just flabbergasted," O'Connell said. "I don't think it ever crossed their minds."
No one seemed exactly sure what to do. The trophies had already been handed out and the official results announced. Now organizers seem to be hoping it will all go away.
"At this point," Nike media relations manager Tanya Lopez said Monday, "we've declared our winner."
O'Connell said some race officials actually implied she'd messed up the seeding by not declaring herself an "elite" runner.
"If you're feeling like you're going to be a leader," race producer Dan Hirsch said Monday, "you should be in the elite pack."
So this is her fault? O'Connell was just being modest.
"I'm a good, solid runner," she said. "I never considered myself elite."
Jim Estes, associate director of the long-distance running program for USA Track and Field, did his best to explain the ruling. He's had some practice with the issue. The Sunday before last, at the Chicago Marathon, a Kenyan named Wesley Korir pulled off a similar surprise, finishing fourth even though he wasn't in the elite group and started five minutes after the top runners.
In that situation, and in this one, Estes made the same ruling: It didn't count. O'Connell wasn't declared the winner and Korir didn't collect fourth-place prize money.
"The theory is that, because they had separate starts, they weren't in the same race," Estes said.
"The woman who is winning the elite field doesn't have the opportunity to know she was racing someone else."
Estes admits that giving the elite runners a sizable head start may not be the best policy.
"These are things this race and other races need to look at," Estes said. "It comes down to what a race is, and who is racing who."
Nonsense, said Track and Field News' Hendershott. He said O'Connell took her best shot, ran the fastest and should have won.
"What's she supposed to do, lay back because she's not an elite runner?" he asked. "If the elites are going to lay back, that's their fault."
As for O'Connell, she's not bitter. After all, she got her best time ever, had a nice weekend in San Francisco and comes home with a story.
But she didn't win. Maybe the best way to explain that is to say it is just another case of the elites in San Francisco giving the city a bad name.
C.W. Nevius
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
There were over 20,000 competitors in Sunday's Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco.
And 24-year-old Arien O'Connell, a fifth-grade teacher from New York City, ran the fastest time of any of the women.
But she didn't win.
It doesn't get much simpler than a footrace. All it takes is a starting line, a finish line and a clock. You fire the gun and the first person to the end of the course is the winner.
However, as the marathon officials said to O'Connell - not so fast.
While O'Connell had the greatest run of her life and covered the course faster than any woman, she was told she couldn't be declared the winner because she didn't run with the "elite" group who were given a 20-minute head start.
So what could have been a lovely Cinderella story about a young woman rising above her expectations in a race that bills itself as all about empowering women turned into a strict the-rules-are-the-rules edict. That's not the image we're trying to promote here.
San Francisco has become one of those destination locations for the new breed of distance runner. Between the San Francisco Marathon in July and the Nike race - billed as the largest women's marathon in the world - over 40,000 runners will visit this year.
It is great that these events are held here, but they are also representing the city. What we are hoping is that they leave town talking about the terrific location, the great restaurants and the perfectly organized event. Instead, we look like we don't know how to operate a stopwatch.
"That's pretty weak," said Jon Hendershott, associate editor of the authoritative Track and Field News magazine, based in Mountain View. "Think of the PR they could have had with this girl coming out of nowhere. It sounds like they got caught totally off guard."
O'Connell, who describes herself as "a pretty good runner," had never managed to break three hours in five previous marathons. But as soon as she started at 7 a.m. Sunday, she knew it was her day. In fact, when she crossed the finish line 26.2 miles later, her time of 2:55:11 was so unexpectedly fast that she burst into tears.
"I ran my best time by like 12 minutes, which is insane," she said.
At the awards ceremony, the O'Connell clan looked on as the top times were announced and the "elite" female runners stepped forward to accept their trophies."They called out the third-place time and I thought, 'I was faster than that,' " she said. "Then they called out the second-place time and I was faster than that. And then they called out the first-place time (3:06), and I said, 'Heck, I'm faster than her first-place time, too.' "
Just to make sure, O'Connell strolled over to a results station and asked a race official to call up her time on the computer. There it was, some 11 minutes faster than the official winner.
"They were just flabbergasted," O'Connell said. "I don't think it ever crossed their minds."
No one seemed exactly sure what to do. The trophies had already been handed out and the official results announced. Now organizers seem to be hoping it will all go away.
"At this point," Nike media relations manager Tanya Lopez said Monday, "we've declared our winner."
O'Connell said some race officials actually implied she'd messed up the seeding by not declaring herself an "elite" runner.
"If you're feeling like you're going to be a leader," race producer Dan Hirsch said Monday, "you should be in the elite pack."
So this is her fault? O'Connell was just being modest.
"I'm a good, solid runner," she said. "I never considered myself elite."
Jim Estes, associate director of the long-distance running program for USA Track and Field, did his best to explain the ruling. He's had some practice with the issue. The Sunday before last, at the Chicago Marathon, a Kenyan named Wesley Korir pulled off a similar surprise, finishing fourth even though he wasn't in the elite group and started five minutes after the top runners.
In that situation, and in this one, Estes made the same ruling: It didn't count. O'Connell wasn't declared the winner and Korir didn't collect fourth-place prize money.
"The theory is that, because they had separate starts, they weren't in the same race," Estes said.
"The woman who is winning the elite field doesn't have the opportunity to know she was racing someone else."
Estes admits that giving the elite runners a sizable head start may not be the best policy.
"These are things this race and other races need to look at," Estes said. "It comes down to what a race is, and who is racing who."
Nonsense, said Track and Field News' Hendershott. He said O'Connell took her best shot, ran the fastest and should have won.
"What's she supposed to do, lay back because she's not an elite runner?" he asked. "If the elites are going to lay back, that's their fault."
As for O'Connell, she's not bitter. After all, she got her best time ever, had a nice weekend in San Francisco and comes home with a story.
But she didn't win. Maybe the best way to explain that is to say it is just another case of the elites in San Francisco giving the city a bad name.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Now we know what fun is!
Thank you to the Braun Family (especially Jim, not pictured here because he was busy making jumbalaya to die for!)(HCBC Paula and Princess, HCBC Andrea, Christian, Coleman and Carolyn, HCBC Jane and Jessica, AND HCBC Kim and Sydney at World of Coke in Atlanta)
Friday, October 17, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Ah-So's Hair Salon
While waiting for the chef to cook, Brittney created this hair fashion on er mother.Fall Break
Take 1: Ice Skating. Terrible skates, horrible rink, too cold $28.00
Take 2: $28.00 refunded.
Take 2: $28.00 refunded. Beverly Hills Chichiua, not as painful as skates and only $29.00
Friday, October 10, 2008
The Community Quilt (circa 2004)
It was late November 2004 and I was reminded of the commitment I made to to make a hand made quilt by December 7. The quilt was for a charity auction for the Cookie Company for the first showing of the Quiltmakers Gift. Family, neighbors and kids gathered around and finished with 2 days to spare.
Talk about a miracle. We shared stories and felt the sense of community.
(And it raised $300)
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Desert Divas Chocolate Fondant Cake
For those of you that don't know: Melody and I have had this goal for years to open a restaurant called Desert Divas. Deserts are the Main Course and maybe we'll serve salads. We have been making all kinds of deserts (cupcakes will be next week).Our first attempt at a cake covered in fondant. We rolled the fondant and tried as many shapes as we could. Brittney did the circles, Melody did the rose and Maddie did the mint.
The tasting will occur in 8 hours (only because we ate to much frosting while creating)
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
We're both smiling
Look at that smile! So in her element she did excellent at the choir concert!
Look at my smile, thanks Alice for the only thing better than cinnamon bears (chocolate covered cinnamon bears delivered right when I needed them).Monday, October 6, 2008
24/Dippin' Dots
After the soccer game we went to Dippin' Dots, it must of been slow prior to our team coming because the corner table was stocked with all kinds of electronic goods. I look closer and think:
Oh, wow a Mac, by dad would love this girl.And then I look even closer and think:
Oh wow 24 DVD set.I need to invite her over for dinner
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Happy Birthday Owen!
The most handsome, brilliant, competitive, mini-Joe is 6 today!
Happy Birthday!!!
Happy Birthday!!!
What does your tooth brush look like?
I love to shop at the Goodwill, I buy all kinds of second hand items there. This weekend (right before I bought my SonicCare tooth brush). I wash examining my electric toothbrush. As I started to clean it I thought "Would I buy this"? "Would I try to clean it and make it new"? or would I just shiver in disgust and say, "That person was so gross"
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