tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70916063267819084962024-03-13T08:54:26.147-04:00Life as the PatelsAmit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.comBlogger233125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-22717637912212025452014-08-15T16:19:00.002-04:002014-08-15T16:19:37.416-04:00Our Master Suite (Finally)Has it really been a year since my last blog post? Whoops!! It's been a busy year, with lots of local hiking, some trips to visit friends, and of course, house projects. I guess now that summer has come and gone (and Ron and Mom have done their annual week of work), I should update everyone on what's happening here in Ithaca.<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Good food and relaxing on the deck are key to CrossFit recovery.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Now our rainfall showerhead is on the list, too!</span></div>
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Our bedroom has actually been finished for quite a while, I've just clearly been a slacker by not posting anything to the blog (SORRY!). Going back through our original pictures of the house is pretty crazy.<br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-size: x-small;">Our bedroom before...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-size: x-small;">Is that really the same room we have now?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-size: x-small;">I forgot how green it used to be!</span></div>
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We still have to update the inside of the closet to maximize the space, but our priority this spring was to have a fully functioning master bathroom. Technically we did a half-DIY for the bathroom, we left the plumbing, electrical, drywall, and tiling to the experts. Amit did install the shower doors, toilet, and vanity. Then we decided we needed to customize floating shelves. Now that everything is finished (aside from the backsplash), it looks fantastic!<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">It really helped that this room was a blank slate!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">It was so nice to come home to progress every day, without actually doing the work!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Amit's hard work</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We have doors!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Poor Emma!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Are you ready for the reveal??</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">And the other side...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I absolutely love how it turned out! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">It's even better than what I had pictured when we started.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">The plus side to an empty bathroom?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">It was so easy for them to give us two showerheads!</span></div>
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So there is my much overdue house update! Let's hope I can be better about updating this blog when the school year starts... </div>
Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-39347144938050985452013-08-17T14:30:00.001-04:002013-08-17T14:30:23.970-04:00Taking a Break from the DIYWe spent most of July working on the house, which was totally exhausting. Let's just say we've had a few days where neither of us wanted to do much of anything. But, if you know the two of us, you'll know we also find nature relaxing. Since we haven't had much time for a real vacation, we've been exploring the awesome hiking in Ithaca, as well as the fun summer activities here in town. As a bonus, Amit's weekday off is Wednesday, so we've been loving the fact that we get three whole days to explore together! (And Wednesdays make for some very quiet hiking, it's so nice to be able to avoid all the tourists.)<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">With three state parks all within 15 minutes, </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">we've been getting a lot of good hikes in.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">This was at Treman State Park.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We spent our Friday nights in July at Cornell, </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">listening to the free concerts.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">And eating some awesome ice cream.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">During the week, we go for our nightly walk along the inlet.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Emma loves it!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">The last time Ron and Mom were in town,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">we took a little time out to do some shopping.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Mom and I are going to do some fun decorating with these!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We took this photo on our first hike in Taughannock State Park.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We had a big storm last week, </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">and this was the same waterfall two days after the rain.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Unbelievable!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">And this was the Upper Falls in Treman this past Wednesday.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We couldn't hike along the gorge because of the damage.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">And what do we do on our Saturday mornings?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We go to the Farmer's Market, of course!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Well, after buying our eggs, meat and veggies for the week,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">we sit next to the water and enjoy some fantastic breakfast burritos!</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">(And a little sparkling, fresh orange juice with a shot of beet juice.)</span></div>
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<a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73486%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=368488;:;:348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73486%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=368488;:;:348nu0mrj" width="297" /></a></div>
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We're having a great time here in Ithaca and keep finding awesome new places to go! It's been great to have so much to do when we don't feel like painting trim.Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-56089077829414399892013-08-09T15:03:00.000-04:002013-08-09T15:03:01.928-04:00The Living Room Makeover<div>
One of the things that we liked about this house was the way the living room and dining room were open, and we knew that eventually we could knock the wall out of the kitchen and have a great space for entertaining. Since we spend most of our time in the living room, we decided that making it look presentable was a priority. Thanks to <a href="http://pinterest.com/hp620/boards/" target="_blank">Pinterest </a>and <a href="http://www.houzz.com/user/hpap620/__public" target="_blank">Houzz</a>, I had a vision for the whole house, but I'll let you decide whether or not it turned out...</div>
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I know it's been more than a month since we bought the house, but I'll fill everyone in on a few more details. After closing on the house on Thursday, we had to go back to Rochester for Amit's last day of residency (Friday). We left Rochester early Saturday morning with car loads of supplies and then we hit the ground running as soon as we made it to Ithaca. I tried to run around the house to take all of the before pictures before Amit brought all of our necessities in, but I know I missed some shots.</div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">"Before"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Dining Room on left, Living Room on right</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Another view of the living room</span></div>
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Like I said in <a href="http://lifeasthepatels.blogspot.com/2013/07/our-first-house.html" target="_blank">this post</a>, we did a ton of work with Ron and Mom. As soon as they got to town, we got right to work. Amit had torn up the carpets before they got here, so we pretty much just got to priming and painting right away. Except for those darned carpet staples. There were so many staples to pull up! Let's just say we're putting plenty of sweat equity into this house. </div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Here are some "In Progress" shots.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">After priming the walls.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We tinted the primer to a beige, but it totally dried purple-ish.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Emma ended up spending her time at the top of the stairs,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">since we were working throughout the rest of the house.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">It's starting to look a little different...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">After painting the walls - </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">While I love wood,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I love white trim more.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Now my look was really starting to come together!</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543:3%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=36777695:9348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543:3%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=36777695:9348nu0mrj" width="400" /></a></div>
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Once we had painted the living area, it was time to lay the flooring. Ron and Amit did an awesome job installing the laminate. I love my dark floors! (Next dog will need to have darker hair, though.)</div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Hooray for no more plywood floors!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Clearly Emma is happy about that.</span></div>
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Now that our furniture is in, it's really starting to look like a home. We've hung our curtains, hung a new dining room chandelier, and replaced the front door. Let's just say, it feels very good to have this room done!<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Now it feels like ours!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">(I apologize for the dark photos... It's been humid and rainy here the past few days.)</span></div>
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<a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp734;2%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3682:263%3C8348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp734;2%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3682:263%3C8348nu0mrj" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp734:9%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3682:26432348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp734:9%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3682:26432348nu0mrj" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I'll leave you with our entire living room renovation - from beginning to end!</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54367%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=36779987%3C5348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54367%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=36779987%3C5348nu0mrj" width="400" /></a></div>
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Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-76755977888606827472013-08-05T11:38:00.002-04:002013-08-05T11:38:16.461-04:00Updating Our Guest RoomsSince our house has three bedrooms, and we currently only use one (unless Amit starts causing trouble), we have two extra rooms to fill! They both will function as guest rooms, but they also serve other roles - our office, my craft room, my yoga room, and a place for Emma to hang out. (Basically we're sending the one male in the house downstairs, unless he decides to take up crafting or yoga.)<br />
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Aside from the living room, let's just say the colors in this house were bright. While I love color, they were way too loud for us and my calm, peaceful color scheme for the house.<br />
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The main guestroom is the larger of the two extra rooms and while it was my favorite color, it clearly needed to be painted. Pink walls and blue carpet just isn't my style, though I guess the blue carpet could be reminiscent of the ocean...<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Bedroom 1 - Before!</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543%3C;%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=367776;994348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543%3C;%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=367776;994348nu0mrj" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Now it functions as our guest room/office/craft room.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I have to say, the tables Amit built me look absolutely perfect in there! </span></div>
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<a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73483%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=367;9;87::348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73483%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=367;9;87::348nu0mrj" width="400" /></a></div>
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While we don't really have a lot of furniture to put in this room, it will comfortably fit the Aerobed when we have lots of guests. We did the same updates to this room (paint and carpet), even though I somehow picked a very similar wall color. We need to trim out the closets, doors, and install the baseboard trim in here, but we're making progress. We've turned it into a very serene yoga/workout room!</div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Bedroom 2 - Before!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I love how the blue looks with the white ceilings and new carpet!</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Emma loves to come in here to tan and lay on my yoga mat.</span><br />
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<a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73488%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=367;:2:469348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73488%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=367;:2:469348nu0mrj" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now that the bedrooms are nearly finished, the house is really starting to come together! We still need to finish the trim in all of the rooms, replace the current doors with some new six panel ones, and choose closet doors in the two guest rooms. Hopefully we'll have these two rooms fully finished within the next couple months! </div>
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Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-86398058774115829462013-07-23T10:59:00.002-04:002013-07-23T10:59:24.773-04:00Our First HouseIt's been almost a month since we closed on our first house! Yes, I know that this post is a little behind schedule, but let's just say we've had a lot of projects going on here in Ithaca. After working with Ron and Mom on painting, flooring, and some updating, we finally moved all of our "stuff" here two weeks ago. And as I write this, we're getting the carpet installed in the bedrooms. Slowly but surely, the house is starting to look more and more like our home. And I love it! Ever since we started the house search, we knew we wanted something that we could work on, improve, and make our own. Well... we got one! It's been a LOT of work, but it's totally been worth it.<br />
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Since the house started as a "Straight out of the 70's fixer-upper," I'll be doing more detailed room-by-room posts. There are some serious before and after shots here! Until I get to each and every room (the living room will be my first post - it's nearly there!), I'll hold all of you over with some quick pictures from our first few weeks of home ownership.<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We love our huge backyard!</span></div>
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In the first 10 days of having the house, and with Ron and Mom's help, we managed to:<br />
- Tear up the old carpet (which was in nearly every room)<br />
- Washed the walls and ceilings to prep for the painting<br />
- Prime and paint all the rooms (Turns out, I'm quite the painter!)<br />
- Paint all the ceilings - Thank you, Ron!<br />
- Install an automatic garage door opener<br />
- Replace two outside doors<br />
- Replace the toilet<br />
- Replace the faucet in the kitchen<br />
- Lay laminate flooring in the living room/dining room/kitchen<br />
- Replaced the light fixtures in the bedrooms, living room, bathroom<br />
- And finally, started to paint the trim (which we are still working on... There's so much trim!)<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Emma didn't like the fact we were working 24/7.</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543%3C7%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3677995739348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543%3C7%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3677995739348nu0mrj" width="297" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">This window in the living room overlooks the driveway.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Can you see Amit?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">This is how you know Emma saw him...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">It's one of her favorite places,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">at least when someone is outside.</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543;5%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=36777775%3C;348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543;5%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=36777775%3C;348nu0mrj" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">It's pretty cute to see her looking out the window.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Breakfast break!</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Emma loves when Pappy eats... and shares his food. </span><br />
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543%3C4%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3677994;57348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543%3C4%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3677994;57348nu0mrj" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Emma's other favorite place has been by the front door,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">where she watches her new friend, Mr. Chipmunk as he hangs out on our front steps.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">She literally watches him (and waits for him) for hours.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Although, he hasn't been around as much since he ate all the birdseed.</span></div>
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<a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73474%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3677993439348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73474%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3677993439348nu0mrj" width="297" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Dinner break at Ithaca Beer,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">such a great view!</span><br />
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<a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73479%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3677976:75348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73479%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3677976:75348nu0mrj" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">And this is how we all felt after Ron and Mom left.</span></div>
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Now that the carpet is being installed, we'll finally be getting the bedrooms unpacked and put together! It's going to be so nice to have the main floor of the house nearly finished. We definitely could not have made this much progress without Ron and Mom's help! Next up, our finished living room!Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-78184957450234495422013-07-20T21:42:00.002-04:002013-07-20T21:42:33.168-04:00Quick Visit to CooperstownAfter being home for Mike's graduation party and some family time, I headed back east with Tricia, Krissy, and Matt. Since Matt had a baseball tournament in Cooperstown, we figured we would take some time off work and go watch some baseball, since we had never been! Little did we know it would end up being one very rainy week, some of us would be fighting a stomach bug, and we would end up finding some other crazy things to do!<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Enjoying the sun and watching Matt play. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">With our baseball boy!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Cooperstown had some great views!</span><br />
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Well, since Kristyn and I can only take so much baseball, we found some other fun things to do in town. We dragged Amit to the <a href="http://www.farmersmuseum.org/" target="_blank">Farmers' Museum</a>. He, of course, tried to act like he wasn't going to enjoy himself, but then we happened to walk into the baby animals portion of the museum he perked up. </div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">These two baby goats were our best friends!</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54382%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3666%3C53973348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54382%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3666%3C53973348nu0mrj" width="297" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">They LOVED Amit!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">(And he loved them, though he'll deny it.)</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543:6%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:75::6348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543:6%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:75::6348nu0mrj" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">While we waited to be able to feed our new friends,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">we found some horses. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Krissy tried to coax one over, but he wouldn't budge.</span></div>
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<a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73485%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:75:;3348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73485%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:75:;3348nu0mrj" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">A cowboy at heart?</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54346%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:75:;6348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54346%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:75:;6348nu0mrj" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">They ended up making friends with a nicer horse.</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543;8%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:94734348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543;8%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:94734348nu0mrj" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">After rushing back to the babies, we were able to feed our little friends!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">They were hilarious!</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp83232%3Euqcshlukaxroqdfv348:=ot%3E4754=728=348=XROQDF%3E27669:5928257ot1lsi" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp83232%3Euqcshlukaxroqdfv348:=ot%3E4754=728=348=XROQDF%3E27669:5928257ot1lsi" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Amit even got in on the action - he fed one of the dairy goats.</span></div>
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<a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73499%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:94737348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73499%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:94737348nu0mrj" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">(See! He loves them!)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Before we left the farming museum,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">we rode the vintage carousel.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I rode a giant hen.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">It was awesome!</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54434%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:94743348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54434%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:94743348nu0mrj" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">What else did we do?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We stopped for ice cream, of course!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Though by this time it was starting to get chilly...</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54368%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:96889348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54368%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:96889348nu0mrj" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Then it rained. And rained. And rained.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">So without any baseball to watch, we decided to drive to <a href="http://www.howecaverns.com/" target="_blank">Howe Caverns</a> for a tour.</span></div>
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<a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73489%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:94762348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73489%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:94762348nu0mrj" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">About to go on our ride down the underground river.</span></div>
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<a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73493%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:96896348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73493%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:96896348nu0mrj" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">It was really cool -</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">the rushing water kept getting louder and louder...</span></div>
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<a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73494%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:96899348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73494%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:96899348nu0mrj" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Then we stopped at the dam.</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543%3C8%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:968:3348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543%3C8%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:968:3348nu0mrj" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Our heads were way too close to the walls.</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54364%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:968:6348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54364%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:968:6348nu0mrj" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">The tour stopped at the Bridal Altar. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We were the only ones brave enough to pose on it first. </span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54397%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675::5342348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54397%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675::5342348nu0mrj" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Krissy was NOT having it.</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54352%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:968;6348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54352%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3675:968;6348nu0mrj" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">The Winding Way was our favorite part...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">It was like we were on a different planet!</span></div>
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Phew! That was one long blog post, but we did do quite a few things over the few days we were there! It was fun to watch Matt play his baseball (before it rained) and spend some extra time with family. Thanks again to Bruce and Tricia for letting us tag along! Hopefully the next time they visit NY, we'll get some nice sunny weather!</div>
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Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-86164203304060111372013-07-15T19:57:00.003-04:002013-07-15T19:58:43.796-04:00Random Snapshots from HomeI love getting together with everyone when we come home, but my favorite pictures usually end up being the most random ones from our visit. And they usually are of Emma or Max. It's only been a month since we were home, but it seems like it's been forever. So without further ado, here are some of the smaller events from our visit -<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Proof that Nate still loves Emma,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">even if he loves Max more.</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54398%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=36639764:5348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54398%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=36639764:5348nu0mrj" width="238" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I love that Max doesn't seem 10 years old in this one!</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54436%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3666%3C576%3C:348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54436%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3666%3C576%3C:348nu0mrj" width="297" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Emma tired the poor guy out!</span><br />
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Kristyn and I got to do some fun cousin bonding while I was home. We went to go visit Coco, who I haven't seen in FOREVER and saw some other barn friends. And we tortured her pups. Literally...</div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Hi Coco!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Isn't this guy hilarious???</span></div>
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<a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp734;6%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3663758:69348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp734;6%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3663758:69348nu0mrj" width="238" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I've decided. I'm getting a pony.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">How cute is that little guy??</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543:7%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=36637389;8348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543:7%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=36637389;8348nu0mrj" width="297" /></a></div>
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While I love being on the farm, taking the dogs to the car wash was an even better idea. It's just too bad we hadn't brought Emma with! I seriously need to find one of these in NY. Washing your dog at the pet wash is way better than washing them at home.<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Squishing two dogs into the tub and washing them at the same time...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Now that's hilarious!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Our pups were NOT happy with us. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Krissy and I loved every second of it!</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543%3C2%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3663994;99348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543%3C2%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3663994;99348nu0mrj" width="320" /></a></div>
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And before I go back to work, a few more of my favorites from our favorite canines. </div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54375%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=36673696:6348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54375%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=36673696:6348nu0mrj" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Note to self: a measly little fence won't keep Emma out of my plants, </span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">especially when she gets to feel like she's hunting in the jungle. </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54363%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=36673696;8348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54363%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=36673696;8348nu0mrj" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54358%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3667389;%3C2348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54358%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3667389;%3C2348nu0mrj" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54383%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3667389;%3C9348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54383%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=3667389;%3C9348nu0mrj" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp734:9%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=366738:232348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp734:9%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=366738:232348nu0mrj" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">And her signature look - "What Mom? I'm just smelling!"</span><br />
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It's hard to believe it's been so long since we were home! It makes me feel just a little homesick, especially for Max. Thankfully Ithaca has lots of things to keep us busy... and hopefully will make me blog more for all of you. </div>
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Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-57258131004397955802013-07-07T22:31:00.003-04:002013-07-07T22:31:51.231-04:00A Summery Cousin Craft DayEver since our <a href="http://lifeasthepatels.blogspot.com/2012/12/cousin-craft-day.html" target="_blank">Christmas ornament</a> crafting extravaganza, we've been dying to schedule another craft day. Staying a little extra after Mike's party gave me the time to fit it in... And it was SO worth it!<br />
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After taking a while to narrow down our options, we basically wanted to do EVERYTHING we found on Pinterest, we found the perfect project. I saw <a href="http://this%20tutorial%20for%20wood%20canvases/" target="_blank">this tutorial for wood canvases</a>, which looked not too hard (since Ron cut all the wood for us) and fun (since everyone could do their own photos). Based on the amount of canvases we made, I think it was a hit!<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We started by painting our canvases.</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543%3C;%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=366735%3C9::348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp543%3C;%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=366735%3C9::348nu0mrj" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54368%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=366735%3C9:;348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54368%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=366735%3C9:;348nu0mrj" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Then attached the photos with diluted Mod Podge and added more to seal the top.</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54363%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=36673696::348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54363%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=36673696::348nu0mrj" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">They turned out great!</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp83232%3Euqcshlukaxroqdfv;7:5=ot%3E4754=728=348=XROQDF%3E275826;::7257ot1lsi" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp83232%3Euqcshlukaxroqdfv;7:5=ot%3E4754=728=348=XROQDF%3E275826;::7257ot1lsi" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We actually remember to take a group shot with our works of art!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I love it!</span></div>
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We also attempted to copy a bracelet tutorial, but that didn't work out so well. Hopefully I can perfect it before the next craft day. Krissy and Kelsey got to use the soldering tool anyways, so I think they were happy. </div>
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<a href="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54364%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=36673696;6348nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp54364%3Enu=5663%3E637%3E257%3EWSNRCG=36673696;6348nu0mrj" width="320" /></a></div>
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We actually did craft day part 2 later in the week, where we made some awesome <a href="http://diydamsels.blogspot.jp/2013/03/make-tank-top-from-guys-t-shirt.html" target="_blank">tank tops</a>! I didn't get any pictures of these, but I'll be wearing mine when we're working in the house, so I'll get pictures of it, eventually. Kristyn managed to use the scraps to embarrass the poor pups!<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Hilarious!</span></div>
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I had such a fun time on both of our craft days! It was great to be able to spend some quality time with the girls, since it doesn't usually happen (at least not very often). I can't wait to hang up my canvases in the new house!Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-13337681867743045922013-06-28T09:10:00.004-04:002013-06-28T09:10:41.730-04:00Celebrating Mike's GraduationThe real reason we went home at the beginning of June, was to celebrate Mike's graduation from high school. It's still hard to believe that the little guy we would visit in Louisville and Baltimore is now a college student. (Lucky for him all of my old pictures are packed right now.) But seriously, where did all that time go?<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">With our favorite graduate!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Lauren and Mike had WAY too much fun making fun of my "shortness"!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I'm 5'8"!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Gina got some great photos!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I love this one!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">And of course I had to force my immediate family to take some pictures.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">When you give the camera to Nate, they turn out a little funky...</span></div>
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To make it a REAL party, they had a giant inflatable game (I have to turn the photos into a slideshow for that one) and karaoke. We had a little too much fun with the karaoke...</div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Karaoke Time!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">After warming up the mic, Bruce and Mike did a nice little duet...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">They were intense!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Before the end of the night, we had to get a cousin group photo.</span></div>
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It was such a fun graduation party! We always have a great time when we get together, but the karaoke definitely made it even crazier! I'm very blessed to have some awesome <a href="http://lifeasthepatels.blogspot.com/2012/12/our-cousin-adoption-ceremony.html" target="_blank">cousins</a>. We're all so proud of the man Mike is becoming and can't wait to see what the future has in store for him!</div>
Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-19719465023323911592013-06-27T21:54:00.002-04:002013-06-27T21:54:19.609-04:00Florida Reunion - Part 2We've clearly been traveling too much recently. We've done so much and I haven't even blogged about any of it! I guess I need to stop being a slacker.<br />
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This spring has just been flying by! It's been over a month since we were in Orlando to visit Jeremy and Maggie. We've been crazy busy during that time, but we definitely miss hanging out... and experiencing The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Needless to say, these Harry Potter fans were VERY excited to see it in person!<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Good thing we brought our camera!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">There it is!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Then we really started acting like fans...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We loved waiting to go on the ride... </span></div>
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">It was just like being in Hogwarts!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">And while waiting in line for the Despicable Me ride, </span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">we learned something interesting.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Who would've thought that Minions have dentures?</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">It makes us love them even more!</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">(And yes, I know we're dental nerds.)</span><br />
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No trip to Florida is complete without a trip to the beach! On our last full day we headed to the coast to enjoy the sun, sand, and surf! Man, do we miss living near the beach!<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We got a lot of Vitamin D, before the storm rolled in.</span></div>
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It was such a great weekend with some very great friends. Even though it's starting to warm up in NY, we're ready for our next trip! Grayson grows up way too much while we're gone!Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-14054998341932627522013-05-19T17:37:00.001-04:002013-05-19T17:37:23.075-04:00Florida Reunion - Part 1<div>
This was the third year we went down to visit Jeremy and Maggie in Florida, but the first year that they're in Orlando. Harry Potter and Florida's warm weather? How could we turn that down? We had a great time! Ray was able to come down from Chicago, so the five of us had a great time! We have been blessed with some great friends!<br />
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It was an action-packed five days, and we had such a great time! Surprisingly, Maggie and I were both having such a good time, we really didn't take as many pictures as we should have... Lucky for all of you, I got a few great ones!</div>
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We flew down on Wednesday and spent the afternoon hanging out with Maggie and Grayson while Jeremy was at work. We had an awesome BBQ dinner at Four Rivers, since all BBQ really is better in the south. </div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">This little one has grown so much since<a href="http://lifeasthepatels.blogspot.com/2012/06/meeting-grayson.html" target="_blank"> our last visit</a>!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">The boys had so much fun with her!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">She loves to read already!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Dinner at Four Rivers was DELICIOUS!</span></div>
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On Thursday we hung out with our favorite toddler a little more, before heading to drop her off with her grandparents and enjoy a lazy afternoon tubing down a river. </div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Isn't she seriously the cutest??</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Thursday night we walked around I-Drive, the tourist strip.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Maggie and Ray went on the Human Slingshot.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">They're nuts.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Check out the fear on Ray's face.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Maybe sometime I'll figure out how to post the video Amit took. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Hilarious!</span></div>
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And those two days weren't even our busiest! Maggie's parents were great and watched Grayson for them, so that we could have two whole days to get a ton of sightseeing done... Up next, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Cocoa Beach!</div>
Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-1739808355776436542013-05-13T18:41:00.003-04:002013-05-13T18:49:01.665-04:00Our First Ithaca AdventureClearly this will be the first of many exciting experiences in Ithaca. We're slowly approaching the end of June, and our move to Ithaca can't come soon enough! We went back to Ithaca two weekends ago, so that Amit could sign his contract. Of course we made a weekend out of it. In addition to a very fun evening at the Glacier Gala, we fit in a morning hike at Buttermilk Falls.<br />
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The falls are actually about a 5 minute drive from our new house, so we'll definitely be hiking there often. I'm so excited to be living in a town that's so close to fresh produce, grass-fed meat, and most importantly, gorgeous hiking trails! They say that Ithaca is gorges, and it really is! Here are some of my favorite photos from our hike. It was so hard to decide which I liked best!<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We actually started at the top and hiked down along the water.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">On the way to the largest falls, </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">we saw a lot of beautiful, smaller ones.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">At the top of the falls...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">...and the bottom.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">The climb up was tough! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We need to start training for these gorges,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">we'll be getting some great workouts!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Last one.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I love the way the walls were carved out. </span></div>
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Oops... I lied. Here's a picture we took while sitting in the sun on Cayuga Lake on Saturday, before the gala. Yep, I think we're going to LOVE living here! Ready to visit yet?<br />
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If you wanted to see the rest of the pictures, try this link. I'm trying to decide between Snapfish and Shutterfly for storage, so I figured I would see if this works.</div>
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Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-25795568925911835792013-04-26T19:33:00.002-04:002013-04-26T19:36:46.523-04:00A Primal Anniversary (and some delicious projects)Last Tuesday we celebrated our Primal Anniversary. It's hard to believe that it's been a year since I went "primal," it's totally a part of who I am now. Over the past year, I have found so many resources and I feel like there's still so much more for me to learn. Luckily, I'm still hungry for more! Amit and I have really enjoyed finding new recipes to add to our repertoire. I think I'm finally starting to rub off on him too - my favorite dentist is doing his Grand Rounds presentation on Ancestral Diets and the benefit on oral health!<br />
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In honor of our growth over this past year, here is a sampling of what we've been up to in the kitchen! Though it's just starting to warm up, we've been grilling for a while now. Real men (and dogs) grill when it's cold.<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I'm glad I stay on this side of the glass.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Salmon and Brussels Sprouts</span></div>
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<a href="http://balancedbites.com/2013/02/easy-recipe-smoky-mexican-tortilla-less-soup.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Smoky Mexican Tortilla-Less Soup</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Venison with peppers and onions.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We've mastered the kale chip.</span><br />
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I found this recipe for <a href="http://www.unrefinedkitchen.com/2012/01/29/mint-chocolate-chip-ice-cream/" target="_blank">mint chocolate chip ice cream</a>, which was a total success! We still love walking to our Abbott's for frozen custard, but we don't feel as guilty about eating our homemade coconut milk ice cream.<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">So delicious and so good for you...</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">thanks to the added spinach (for the green color)!</span></div>
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Amit is more of a chocolate guy, so I adapted the recipe and created my own for chocolate chocolate chip ice cream. </div>
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<i>It's ridiculously easy - 1 can of coconut milk, 2 heaping tablespoons of cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and about 2-4 tablespoons of honey (sweetening to taste, I make mine less sweet). </i></div>
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<i>I put all of that in the blender, mix it up, and then add it to our ice cream maker. </i></div>
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<i>We stir in the chocolate chips (and Amit adds toffee pieces) before we let it firm up in the freezer.</i></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">This is becoming a regular treat in our house...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Too bad Amit won't let me add spinach to this one...yet.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Our Kombucha experiment continues...</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">It's almost time to taste this batch.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I'm keeping my fingers crossed!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Hello, Scoby!</span><br />
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We really have gotten more in touch with our natural side since beginning this primal journey. I make my own lotion bars, we drink herbal teas, and now we're moving to a place where we'll really be able to get in touch with our simple, primal selves. </div>
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I have some lofty goals for our second year of living Primally - begin composting, start a garden, and maybe even friend some farmers who raise local, pastured meat. We'll see what the year will have in store for us, but I know that Ithaca will be the perfect community to support my natural living adventure! </div>
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Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-24675317695009437192013-04-09T19:58:00.000-04:002013-04-09T19:58:08.677-04:00Our Latest Weekend DestinationIt's April already? Spring is here and I have barely blogged about anything. I'm sorry for slacking! As we get closer and closer to June, we just keep getting busier and busier. It's hard to believe that we're only three months away from the end of residency and the beginning of a new chapter in the Finger Lakes.<br />
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We've started to spend a lot more time in Ithaca, as we search for a place to live. I haven't been taking many pictures, but I do have a few snapshots to share. We've been having a great time getting to know Amit's new colleagues and sampling the fantastic eats in town.<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We love our drive to Ithaca, </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">it's so scenic!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Amit found this little gem.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">It's a tiny place, but makes some fantastic fortified wine.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">The port was very popular at dinner!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We've stopped at Buttermilk Falls, </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">and can't wait to hike up along the gorge!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">And of course, we must try some of the Ithaca wineries.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Especially when they are this close to Cayuga Lake!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">You know I can't help but take a few pictures of our food!</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">This was at a Mexican restaurant downtown.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Amit got tacos and I had chicken mole enchiladas. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">It was delicious!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Last weekend we had lunch at Ithaca Beer Company.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">It was great!</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We will definitely be regulars here!</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">(Would you expect anything less from Amit?)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We had some fantastic weather last weekend!</span><br />
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We are so excited to explore Ithaca! Hiking, the Farmer's Market, Cayuga Lake, restaurants, and the list goes on. It is looking like it will be one fun summer! </div>
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Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-40163146738372989282013-03-14T13:33:00.002-04:002013-03-14T13:33:17.085-04:00It's Hiking Season!Hooray! Spring is coming! And with spring comes warm, enjoyable hikes. We did spend our winter weekends hiking, but who wants to take their mittens off to take pictures? Not me! On Sunday, we went to Chimney Bluffs State Park, only an hour away, since Amit was interested in seeing the bluffs up close and in person. It was chilly and windy, but sunny, which was a welcome change to our other hikes.<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">The bluffs looked interesting even from the start of our hike.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We started in the woods, following a very random, overgrown trail.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">That was quite an adventure.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">The views were totally worth it, though!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">After our hike to the other end of the park,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">we headed down to the beach to walk back along the lake.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I definitely never though Lake Ontario had a landscape this different. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We felt like we were on a different planet!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Luckily we had some snow to walk on.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">The clay was very wet.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Our shoes were coated in mud from when we did actually walk on it.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">The bluff really do look like chimneys!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">The view was unreal!</span></div>
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We really did not expect such an impressive hike so close to Rochester. Western NY keeps surprising us with the different places we've found. We're so blessed to have been given the opportunity to continue to explore out here and in the Finger Lakes!Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-61584390989407971112013-03-10T19:26:00.002-04:002013-03-10T19:26:11.717-04:00I Love My Dehydrator!<div style="text-align: center;">
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Right now I'm finally taking a minute to blog after enjoying a sunny day outside. Finally we had a beautiful, warm (aka 40s-50s) weekend to do lots of great hiking! I apologize for the lack of posts, our lives are very uneventful at the moment, especially as we're preparing for our move. </div>
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Since I haven't posted any new food pictures recently, I figured I should share one of our crazy new adventures, cooking with my dehyrator. I couldn't really come up with any good Christmas present ideas, so Ron and Mom were nice enough to be willing to get me an Excalibur Dehydrator so Amit and I could continue our primal cooking adventures. So far we've made sweet potato and beet chips and we're working towards mastering the art of making our own jerky!</div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Our sweet potato chips!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Beet chips</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Look at us making our own jerky!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Our second attempt turned out a little better than the first.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Can't wait to try and hopefully master it the third time!</span></div>
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As for other Primal foodie ventures, we have just started to rehydrate our very first Scoby. We drink <a href="http://www.culturesforhealth.com/kombucha-yeast-bacteria" target="_blank">kombucha</a> every day and wanted to begin brewing our own batches. It takes about a month to rehydrate the Scoby, so right now we're still waiting to see if it worked. We're definitely keeping our fingers crossed that this project works!<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">You can barely see the Scoby at the bottom of the jar.</span></div>
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We've actually been cooking fiends recently and have been playing with a ton of new recipes, so I'll be sure to post details about those soon. Spring is in the air and we are getting excited for new hikes and our favorite Farmer's Markets!Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-34327355924068181272013-02-17T14:55:00.003-05:002013-02-17T14:55:44.017-05:00A Bed For EmmaI haven't been doing much crafting lately, but I did manage to make an awesome bed for Emma! We'd been looking around for beds, but we couldn't find anything that we really liked. So, I decided to get creative and use some fleece and foam from the store to make a very unique bed.<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Dylan and I found a square piece of foam at Joann's on Black Friday,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">bought some thick cotton padding,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">and made a slip cover to go over the foam.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">(Now I have a bed with covers that can be CLEANED!)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">She absolutely loves her bed.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">She doesn't even come up to sleep by our bed anymore!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Anything that is white gets dirty within a day, </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">plus Amit wanted her to have a Bears bed.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I cut out pieces of fleece and sewed them into a sort of pillowcase.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">(Emma loves playing on whatever fabric I'm trying to measure.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Yes, that's a tennis ball.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Here's my cover after piecing it all together.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">It actually fit perfectly!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Here's our lovely model showing off her new bed - </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">(Looks just like Daddy in pictures, her eyes are closed.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I love it!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Comfortable and surrounded by all her toys!</span></div>
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I'm still a little in shock that my project actually worked out, since I haven't been doing much sewing. But the bed was so easy, I have a feeling I will be making some pillows this summer to brighten up our home! I do have some big craft projects coming up, but those will have to wait for it to be a little warmer outside...Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-12868507703625864742013-02-05T16:32:00.001-05:002013-02-05T16:32:05.633-05:00Dog Days of WinterWell, it's been a while since I've updated all of you on life in NY. We've been busy, spending our weekends traveling, running errands, and trying to enjoy some cold bits of nature. While we like hiking in the snow, since it is even more effective exercise than regular hiking, it would be nice for the warm weather to come back. Since we haven't done anything that I can really write about in detail, I'll share some snapshots that we've actually taken over the last few weeks... Of course, Emma is in most of them. Alright, she's in all of them.<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">This is her "feed me" face.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I love this photo of Max and Emma.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Max just looks annoyed that she's there. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Emma is busy searching for something.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">They did manage to get along long enough to have a nice heart-to-heart with Mom.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Then Emma met Eli.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">That was crazy.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I would make the same exact face if I was stuck between Sparky and Eli.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">She did NOT know what to do!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I'm so glad those two found their way home safely after their little adventure.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Emma needs another play date!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">What?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">There's actually a human in this one!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Watching the Puppy Bowl!</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">(And crying, because she couldn't play with the puppies.)</span><br />
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So we technically have been doing other things. I have a big sewing project that I'm wrapping up right now. I got a dehydrator for Christmas, so we've been experimenting with jerky and sweet potato chip recipes. I have a big craft project in the works. Unfortunately nothing is finished yet, but hopefully they will be soon!</div>
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Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-24741723655666264462013-01-09T09:21:00.000-05:002013-01-09T09:25:01.983-05:00Some Plans for 2013Well, now that we're more than a week into 2013, I might as well post about some of our "resolutions" for the new year. Clearly, 2012 was a big year for us - school, graduation, moves, and living apart for a semester. This year, while free of school (Hallelujah!) still holds big changes in store for us. Hooray for moving, again! Even though we do not know where we will be after June, I've found a few things that I want to start this year.<br />
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1. Eat dinner at the table: </div>
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I think this is starting because we'd spend the semester apart. Oftentimes we end up eating in front of the TV, because we've had long days and need some time to unwind. </div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Mmm... Our Christmas Day dinner.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">(We don't usually take the time to take pictures of our normal meals.)</span></div>
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2. Brew our own kombucha: </div>
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Kombucha is a fermented tea that is full of probiotics (good for you bacteria). I've been reading a lot about it on the paleo blogs, so we bought some from the grocery store and tried it. We love it! It's strange, because it smells like vinegar, but tastes a little like sparkling cider. Buying bottles from the store will get expensive, so we're going to make our own! Those will be some interesting blog posts. </div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Kombucha!</span></div>
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3. Read before bed (in bed): </div>
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This is another effort to be more "primal" this year. I need to start turning off the TV early and read before I go to sleep. So far, I'm taking the time to read before bed, but I know I need to go to sleep earlier than Amit does. (I'm old.)</div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Even Emma likes to watch TV.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Here she's watching Dobby from Harry Potter.</span></div>
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4: Start a compost bin and maybe a garden: </div>
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This one is contingent on where we move in June, but I'd love to start composting to reduce our waste, as well as grow some Primal veggies. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be able to try this goal out in 2013, but we'll see what happens.<br />
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5. Complete the <a href="http://the21daysugardetox.com/" target="_blank">21 Day Sugar Detox</a><br />
I've got a good start on this one, only one little detour (wings at Buffalo Wild Wings). I'm eating lots of meat and vegetables, but have modified the program a bit for me (I'm still eating dairy). I figure this is a good way to reset after the holidays. I promise to share a wrap-up post at the end of it, to share my thoughts. </div>
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Well, those are the big goals I have for this year. Depending on where we move, I know I'll have more projects to accomplish, but I think these goals are a good start! I'll keep you posted on our progress, especially with the Kombucha! We've been using my dehydrator quite a bit, so once I master those recipes, I'll share our very primal, very natural snacks!Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-74709858869776729402013-01-05T15:41:00.004-05:002013-01-05T15:41:52.270-05:00Enjoying the SnowWell, we've been wanting good snow the last few winters, and clearly we got it! Our first winter in NY has definitely made up for the past two years of disappointing snowfall in MA. Since we have more than a foot of powdery snow, we were so ready to take out our skis last weekend.<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">It was still snowing on Saturday morning,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">so we went out and skied near some ponds close to home.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">On Sunday, since the weather was nice,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">we went skiing at Mendon Ponds Park.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">There were lots of people out skiing and sledding and snowshoeing.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Since Emma doesn't come skiing with us,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">we took her back to Mendon Ponds to hike on New Year's Day.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">What a strange dog. She likes to sniff and stick her head under the snow.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">And just for reference - </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">This was the pile of snow outside our house on New Year's Eve.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;"> We had a low-key New Year's.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We had ribs on Christmas Day (one of our new traditions), so we decided to start another rib tradition for New Year's Day.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Only problem with this plan? We had to shovel our way to the grill!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Our ribs and Brussels Sprouts and Kale salad with bacon.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">A totally primal way to start 2013!</span><br />
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Having all this snow on the ground was a great start to the New Year and thanks to one of my Christmas presents, I have even more awesome food projects to work on!</div>
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Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-29443547201114799982012-12-30T17:49:00.002-05:002012-12-30T17:49:13.037-05:00It Snowed!We have snow! Lots and lots of snow! Thanks to winter storm Euclid (Since when do they name them, anyways?), we have about 17 inches of snow on the ground right now. We left early on Christmas night so that we had plenty of time to pick up groceries and get settled before the storm hit on Wednesday afternoon/evening. The majority of the snow fell on Wednesday night, so Amit saw it before he went into work on Thursday morning.<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Amit thinks that Emma gets too cold when she's outside,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">so we bought her a jacket.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Wednesday's Snow</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Thursday's Snow</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">She likes the jacket, but wasn't a fan of the deep snow.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Trying to escape the snow.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">The mountain of snow from plowing.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">From time to time, she would sink into the snow.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">She hated that part.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">When Amit came home from work, we shoveled the driveway again.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">And he climbed the mountain.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">The best part of her jacket is that it is reflective!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Emma also tried to figure out the snow from the inside.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">She also started to lean over the snowbanks to sniff things.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Crazy dog.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Maybe there's something down there?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Time to go home!</span><br />
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What do we do when there's over a foot and a half of snow on the ground? Well, it's the perfect excuse to clean the house, try out some new Christmas presents, and eat some guacamole. Oh yeah, and we get to use our SKIS! We've used them twice already and it isn't even January yet. It's looking like New York will be a great state to live in, even in the winter!Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-23988917570812447482012-12-30T09:42:00.002-05:002012-12-30T09:42:11.085-05:00Our Cousin Adoption CeremonyThe real highlight of this year's Christmas Eve party was the Cousin Adoption Ceremony that we decided to hold in the basement. Even though we aren't cousins by blood, we've all gotten to be close and we think of each other as family. True to our crazy selves, we decided that at some point we needed to have an official ceremony so that we could legitimately call one another cousins. After discussing many crazy and intricate aspects of the ceremony, we stuck with our bags of dirt and goblet. Unfortunately, some of the "going-to-be adopted" cousins couldn't be there, so we're planning the planting portion (and possibly other crazy additions) of the ceremony during warmer weather.<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Bags of dirt ready to be poured into our vase.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We gathered around our dirt,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">then someone started singing?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Krissy was the official master of ceremonies.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Mostly due to her love of Harry Potter and ability to sound all "churchy".</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">She asked us a ton of questions. She's hilarious!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">There was conveniently a candle on the counter that we proceeded to light so we could dim the lights.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">It is very difficult to take pictures while laughing with very little light.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Each family added their dirt to the vase.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Krissy then "blessed" each of us on the top of the head, with the fly swatter,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">and we all drank from the goblet.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We added the leftover contents of the goblet to the dirt.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">COUSINS!!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">(I hope Gina got a better photo of us! It was supposed to be adult-free, but she snuck down with her camera while we were setting the timer.)</span></div>
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This was seriously the best ceremony that I have ever been a part of! I can't even really remember everything that Krissy said, but it was great! Even though everyone else will probably think we're crazy, the ceremony was awesome and now we can officially say we're cousins!</div>
Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-85384232000846681982012-12-29T09:25:00.000-05:002012-12-29T09:25:02.996-05:00Let's Party like its Christmas EveI love, love, LOVE celebrating Christmas. The decorations, the music, the snow (some years), singing Christmas carols at church, and of course, spending time with family and friends. We have lots of Christmas traditions and want to start new ones, but one of the craziest and most fun is always the big Christmas Eve party at Bruce and Tricia's. Thankfully, the camera is always out and I can capture just some of those crazy memories.<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Cousin Photo!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">(This year it is OFFICIAL!)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Random photos...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Our tenth Christmas together!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Memaw needed some Eli time!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">With the volleyball celebrity, Lauren!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">What is this?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Love it!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">This is what happens when Nate takes the camera.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Puppy kisses!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">At some point, Nate stole Eli.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">And would NOT give him up!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Then, the (Second Annual) Dance Party began!</span></div>
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Keeping with tradition, Bruce gave his usual Christmas Eve gifts. We didn't think he could top last year's beautiful Christmas frame. But he did. </div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Before this Christmas, it was just a home.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Now, it's a Love Shack!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Best gift ever!</span></div>
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It was another fantastic Christmas Eve... a fantastic Christmas altogether! There's nothing quite like an awesome party to celebrate family and Christmas! </div>
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Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-40010230520401739802012-12-28T17:20:00.002-05:002012-12-28T17:20:48.169-05:00NineNine years?! Even though it feels like we've been together for ever, it is a little crazy to think that we have been a couple for nine years already. Where does the time go? In the past nine years, we've moved multiple times within three states. We've graduated from high school, college, and graduate/dental school. No wonder time has gone by so quickly, we've been busy! Since we've spent this past semester apart and haven't really had time to celebrate an anniversary with anything more than dinner for a while, we thought we'd take a day just for ourselves.<br />
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We were actually home for our anniversary this year, but since everyone was still in school, it gave us time to go downtown for a real date. (What are those?) We spent the morning at the Shedd Aquarium and then had lunch at <a href="http://www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/grill.html" target="_blank">Rick Bayless' Frontera Grill</a>. His food always looks delicious and I love his television shows. We never went there while we lived in Chicago, so Amit didn't really have a choice about this anniversary dinner.<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Watching the Beluga check-ups and feeding.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">See the little one off to the left?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">That's the baby beluga!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Watching all that sea life made us hungry.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">The guacamole was fantastic.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We ordered margaritas.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Mine was blood orange. Delicious!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Amit's dish was the mole trio.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I ordered the mahi-mahi in apricot mole.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">The food was amazing!</span></div>
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The other highlight of our anniversary in Chicago? Spending our evening with these guys, right back where it all began. I wonder how we'll top this for our tenth?<br />
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Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091606326781908496.post-17450426688529923362012-12-27T20:49:00.005-05:002012-12-27T20:50:20.753-05:00Cousin Craft DayMost of the crafts that I've done back home were done only with Mom, but Lauren has been begging for a craft day ever since I started posting my latest projects (which also happen to be my most fun). Since most of the girls were either still in school or had plans, we kept the project simple. I had done the floor shine ornaments before, so we brought all of our supplies to Tricia's and got crafting!<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Some of our glittered ornaments.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Then we started to get creative.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I had seen painted ornaments, created by pouring paint into and draining it out of the ornament.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Major fail.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Instead, we started to mix random things with the floor shine. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Paint + Floor shine = Success!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Clear Tacky Glue + Floor shine + Beads = Awesomeness!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We also mixed different colors of glitter.</span></div>
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<a href="http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a2cc01b3127ccef1bdb2a8be5500000030O10AaNWblu3ct2QPbz4E/cC/f=0/ps=50/r=1/rx=550/ry=400/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a2cc01b3127ccef1bdb2a8be5500000030O10AaNWblu3ct2QPbz4E/cC/f=0/ps=50/r=1/rx=550/ry=400/" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">The same girls who were bad at crafts were suddenly super creative!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">Of course I can't forget the other reason we had craft day.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">We had to meet Eli, the newest four-legged addition to the family.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-size: x-small;">I love him!</span></div>
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Our cousin craft day was a huge success! I'm so glad the girls were up for it! I had such a great time hanging out (as always) and I cannot wait to plan our next one. I'm thinking something HUGE for our summer project. Time to start brainstorming!</div>
Amit and Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08395145944196387518noreply@blogger.com0