Super Saturday Snapshots - March 22, 2014

Today we are linking up with Melinda at West Metro Mommy for Super Saturday Snapshots.

Tomorrow is our 12th wedding anniversary so to celebrate we wanted to share some of the photos from our wedding. Many of our new friends have not seen the photos so this is the perfect opportunity to share them on the blog.

A family photo of Amanda, her sister and her parents before the wedding.

 We had the ceremony outside by the intracoastal waterway. It was a great location for the photographs but it was a little chilly due to the winds.

Sean and his new family (Amanda's grandmother, parents, sister and her brother-in-law)

Amanda's bouquet and our new wedding rings.

The food at the wedding reception. When I was asked what food I wanted all I said is that I wanted a Chick-Fil-A nugget tray. Luckily my lovely mother in law got one for us.

Cutting the wedding cake. The baker who made our cake also made the wedding cake for Dale and Theresa Earnhardt's wedding.

Time to feed each other cake. (We were nice.)

This has to be one of my favourite photos from the reception. Amanda's cat Stripes had fallen asleep from all of the excitement. One of our guests staged this photo by placing an empty beer can on the cat's belly. How Stripes did not notice someone placing a can on his belly is beyond me, since cats are normally so acutely aware of their surroundings even when they are asleep.

Tonight we are going out to one of our favourite restaurants to celebrate since they are closed tomorrow. Tomorrow we will relax and just enjoy each other's company. A low-key anniversary is just what we need/want right now.

Do you have any fun wedding stories?

His and Her Fuel Your Faith, Week 7

It's Friday and what a LOOOOOOONG week it has been. *phew* We are so glad the week is coming to an end and that we can have some R&R time this weekend. Today, we are linking up with Jessica at Joy in the Journey for her Fuel Your Faith linkup. 

What verse has been speaking to you this week?


Happy Friday,

Her Students' Bookmarks

Our state wide writing test is over!! *happy dance*

The students are excited! I am excited!! We are all excited!!!

But now that the writing test is behind us, we have to turn our attention back to reading. The kids will have another state wide test in May - a reading one this time. To get them back into the reading mind and to thank them for all the hard work they did preparing for the writing test, I made them some bookmarks. My hope is that they will use them during our SSR (sustained silent reading) time and remember how proud I am of them and how grateful I am for all their hard work.

 

I think they turned out great!

Here's how I made them...
I used this product from Teachers Pay Teachers. She has all different templates for bookmarks in the one download.
I put the students' names on the front of the bookmark...

 

Each student will get a personalized bookmark.

...and a quote about reading on the back. The quotes and students were matched at random.

 

I love Dr. Seuss!!

Here are the quotes that I used:
"If you are going to get anywhere in life you had to read a lot of books." ~Roald Dahl
"So please, oh PLEASE, we beg, we pray, Go throw your TV set away, And in its place you can install, A lovely bookshelf on the wall." ~Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
"I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library." ~Jorge Luis Borges
"There are perhaps no days of our childhood we lived so fully as those we spent with a favorite book." ~Marcel Proust
"You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend." ~Paul Sweeney
"The more you read, the more things you know, the more that you learn, the more places you'll go." ~Dr. Seuss
"Anyone who says they only have one life to live must not know how to read a book." ~Author Unknown
"It is what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it." ~Oscar Wilde
"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island." ~Walt Disney
"I cannot live without books." ~Thomas Jefferson
"I've never known any trouble that an hour's reading didn't assuage (fix)." ~Charles De Secondat
"Books can be dangerous. The best ones should be labeled, "This could change your life.'" ~Helen Exley
"Never judge a book by its movie." ~J.W. Eagan
"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one." ~George R.R. Martin
"Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are." ~Mason Cooley
"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body." ~Sir Richard Steele
"There is no friend as loyal as a book." ~R. G. Collingwood
"Books are a uniquely portable magic." ~Stephen King
"Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them." ~Lemony Snicket, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid
"If a book is well-written, I always find it too short." ~Jane Austen

I laminated the bookmarks for durability and hole punched the top so the ribbon could go through.

 

Laminated, hole punched, and waiting for ribbon.

I chose Dr. Seuss ribbon that I found at a Joann's Fabrics store nearby. I think the students will like that choice. Dr. Seuss is also gender neutral which is nice. 

I cut each strip 12 inches long. That seemed like the perfect length.

To add the ribbon to the bookmark, I first folded the ribbon in half and threaded it through the holes I had punched.

 

The loop was in the front of the bookmark.

Then I put the ends through the loop in the ribbon.

How much fun is Cat in the Hat ribbon?

Finally, I pulled tight and twisted the ends so that both "fronts" were facing the same direction.

Ta-Da! Each one took me only about a minute so they went very fast.

Here they are - ready to be delivered as both a "thank you" gift and a "let's get ready for another test" gift. I hope the students like them!

"I do not like Green Eggs and Ham. I do not like them Sam I Am."

Do you do little things like this for your students or kids when they have a big test coming?  I would love some ideas as that reading test gets closer and closer.

Happy Reading,

His and Her ...if You Knew You Could Not Fail?

Last week as I was reading through some blogs, I found this great post from Jordan at All the Small Things. She posed a question I had seen before but had not stopped to actually answer. I asked Sean about it and he said the same thing. I asked Jordan's permission to steal her blog post idea and now, here we are. I don't know what Sean will write and he does not know what I will write. We are in the dark, like you all. 

Here is the question...

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Here are our answers...

Sean:
- I would open a restuarant that served Australian style food like meat pies, sausage rolls, pavlova, lamb roast etc. It would be true blue Australian tucker. 

- In addition to the Aussie resturant I would open a Chicago deep dish pizzeria in our area.

- I would enter an Ironman competition (2.4mile/3.8km swim,  112mile/180km bike ride and 26.2mile/42km run).

- I would also enter the Pikes Peak Half Marathon that goes from Manitou Springs and goes all the way up Pikes Peak. This race is brutal due to the elevation gain. The elevation gain (start to summit) is 7,815' (2,382 meters); the start is at 6,300' (1,920m) and the summit is 14,115' (4,302m)

- I would travel around the world and being able to afford to - experiencing new cultures and doing volunteer work at each location that I visited. 

Amanda:
-I would go back to school for my Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. It's not that I feel that I would fail the classes or program if I went back to school. I feel like I would fail at life - juggling full time teaching and a Master's program.

-I would open a bakery. Don't get me wrong, I love teaching and would miss it horribly if I was to quit. But the idea of opening a bakery and being able to spend all day baking and developing recipes sounds like an awesome adventure.

-I would write a Young Adult novel. I have had a few ideas over the years that I thought would make good books, but I have never had the ability to sit down and get started.

-I would lose the weight I have been trying to lose. Self sabotage is a powerful thing. Knowing I couldn't fail would quiet those nagging voices in my head.

-I would try IVF. The expense is too much for us to handle so we know that this is not an option for us down the line, but if I knew that I would become a mom, I would sign up tomorrow.


What a very powerful question, hiding in just one short sentence. What would some of your answers be? Join in the conversation below or on Facebook.


Happy Wednesday,

His Living in America: An Australian Brekkie

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A few weeks ago I wrote about the breakfast experience in America and the almost endless options available to you. If you missed that post you can read about it here. This week I am writing about breakfast in Australia and the foods that are commonly consumed. Although there are noticeably less options for breakfast on Australian menus when compared to American menus there are still plenty of options. 

Here are just some of them:

Vegemite on toast: This is one probably best left to the locals as most visitors can not stand the taste of Vegemite. Amanda's family has many colourful names for it including "road tar" and "axle grease". Vegemite is a yeast extract and has a unique taste. It is hard to explain exactly what it tastes like except to say it is salty. It is normally eaten thinly spread on buttered toast and is a popular option for those looking for a light meal or something that can be prepared quickly.
 

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 Baked Beans on Toast: Baked beans on toast is another popular option for those who are looking for a light breakfast or something that can be prepared quickly. Most baked beans in Australia are in a tomato sauce rather than the bbq sauce that is common in baked beans in America. Baked Beans on toast is served mostly at peoples home but can be found on some menus at cafes, motels and other locations.

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Australian Bacon: In my post about American breakfasts I briefly talked about the differences between the bacon served in America and Australia. American bacon is probably equal parts fat and meat. Australian bacon is mostly meat with very little fat and has a different taste to American bacon. This is because the bacon in Australia is cut from the back of the pig and the American bacon is cut from the side of the pig. Australian bacon is similar to Canadian bacon but is just a little bit different. You may be able to find American style bacon in Australia but it won't be easy to find.

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 McCafe: Most McDonalds locations in America have McCafe now but they are nothing like their Australian counterparts. McCafe was first introduced around 20 years ago and have been wildly successful. Not only do they have just about every type of hot drink imaginable, they also have dozens of food options including slices of cake, macaroons, banana-cinnamon breads, and other light fare. In most McDonalds in Australia the McCafe is a separate counter from the regular restaurant which made ordering much easier. It was like having a Starbucks and a McDonalds under one roof and made grabbing breakfast for the whole family easy even if everyone had a different taste. 
My favorite McCafe order is a Double Chocolate Muffin and a Cappucino. That was a very yummy breakfast last summer when we were down in Oz.

 These are just some of the more interesting options for brekkie (What many Australian call breakfast). Which of these would you be willing to try?

His and Her Travel Review: Le Village Buffet - Paris Casino - Las Vegas

Just part of the serving stations at the buffet.

Las Vegas is best known for its various entertainment options including the gambling, the shows and many other attractions they have to offer. Each of these attractions bring in thousands of patrons each day and they all seem to come hungry. In addition to the shows and gambling, Las Vegas is well known for its buffet choices and those can be quite overwhelming. We had done some research on some of the buffets before landing in Las Vegas in August of last year, including the "Buffet of Buffets" pass that allows you to eat at 7 different buffets in a 24 hour period for about $50 a person. While this option would have controlled our food costs for our stay, we ultimately decided against it as many reviews warned that the lines for the buffets can be quite long. We still wanted to try one of the buffets, so we did some more research on the breakfast buffet choices and decided to try the "Le Village" buffet at the Paris casino.

The line for the Le Village Buffet.

    We wanted to try and beat the crowds but after traveling the previous day from Sydney, Australia we slept in a little bit and arrived at the buffet at 9am. There was a pretty long line, but we decided to wait it out as it had such good reviews and we had our hearts set on a good breakfast. We figured that a good breakfast would carry us through almost to dinner, with maybe a small snack around mid afternoon. We waited in line for about 45 minutes and were shown to our seats. The first thing I noticed was how well the buffet was decorated. I have never been to France, but I could imagine that a food court in a old French town would have looked very similar to this which is much nicer than the bland decor of most buffets you visit.
   

The dining area and some of the serving stations at the buffet.

The reviews we read promised a wide variety of food options and they didn't disappoint. There were several different serving stations that had just about every type of breakfast food imaginable (with the exception of Vegemite on toast -- thank goodness!!). Even though there were a lot of people in the buffet there were hardly any lines to get your food. The only place that had a long line was for getting a custom crepe. I thought about getting a crepe but I didn't feel like standing in line again after waiting so long just to get inside. Plus I had so many other delicous foods that I probably wouldn't have had room in my tummy. The food was very tasty and was as good as any restuarant I had been to. It was well worth the money I paid and I would go back again.

   
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and after doing a little research we discovered that all the reviews said that the Paris casino was the best breakfast in Vegas. After waiting 45 minutes, I figured it had to be good. The layout was incredible - no lines and no bumping into people everywhere you went. The waitresses were refilling drinks quickly and they all had great attitudes and senses of humor. They had to be tired because the restaurant was so busy, but you couldn't tell. The variety of food was impressive. They seemed to have one of everything and all of it was good! When Sean and I go back to Las Vegas, I plan to eat breakfast at the Le Village most days. Worth the wait - great food - super nice staff - well laid out floor plan - it's pretty close to perfection!


Have you been to the Paris casino and tried Le Village? What was your experience?


Happy Traveling (and Eating),

 

His and Her Sunday Social, Week 93

It is another Sunday and you know what that means. It is time for ---

 

1. How much time do you spend on Social Media a day?...be honest

Amanda - If you include Bloglovin' as "Social Media" then it's probably close to 2-3 hours (on a weekday, longer on a weekend).

Sean -About an hour or so a day. I like to see what my friends and family are up to and since many of them live on the other side of the world this is the easiest way to keep up with everyone.

  

2. How long were you reading blogs before you started a blog?

Amanda - Over a year. I couldn't decide on what I wanted my blog to be about.

Sean - I didn't really read blogs before I started blogging with Amanda. She brought up the idea of blogging together and that is how I got into it.

  

3. What is your favorite kind of cupcake?

Amanda - Cupcake Espresso - in Newcastle, Australia - makes a Triple Chocolate Cupcake - a chocolate cake, chocolate filling, and the best chocolate icing ever. I miss them! Since Australia is pretty far away, I will take a Panera chocolate cupcake in it's place.

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Sean - I am also a Cupcake Expresso fan. They have so many good flavours but the Vanilla bean is my favourite.

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4. Do you eat fast food? If so whats your favorite?

Amanda - I love, love, love Zaxby's. It is both awesome and dangerous that a new store opened 15 minutes from my home.

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Sean - My favourites are Chick-Fil-A and Zaxby's. Chick-Fil-A has the best sandwiches and nuggets and Zaxby's has the best strips including the nibblers which are strips in a little bun with some secret sauce. Yum Yum!

  

5. What is the most random thing someone would find in your purse/wallet?

Amanda - A bottle of lime green nail polish. I got it in a Birchbox last summer and was going to ask the salon to use it during a pedicure. I forgot and never took the polish out.

Sean - For some reason I have not cleaned out the foreign currency that is in my wallet. There is a Canadian $2 coin and $15 in Australian bank notes. 

 

6. What is the weirdest TV show you watch?

Amanda - I don't know that I watch anything "weird". I like a lot of Food Network's shows and Bravo TV's shows, but nothing I would deem out of the ordinary.

Sean - NetFlix has introduced me to many weird and wonderful TV shows. I am currently watching "The 4400" but the weirdest one would probably be "An Idiot Abroad". It is about a British guy who is sent to all different places around the world to experience the culture of each country. He is very much out of his comfort zone and his commentary is hilarious. You need to check this series out when you get a chance!

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Our favorite question this week was #3 - who doesn't love a good cupcake? Tell us where you find your favorite. Hopefully a few will be in our area so we can have our own little taste test.

Happy Sunday,