More On Ski Gear

We took A’s skis in to Henderson’s for a tune-up, they’re having a fall special on them, so we scored a good deal. We ended up getting N some new goggles, and he was excited about that, mainly because they are cool and he really likes them. I was pleased by the fact that they weren’t that expensive because, as I’ve mentioned, kid’s stuff costs less, and Henderson’s has great deals.

A, on the other hand, wants over the glasses goggle, which are more of specialized item, and costs a bit more. However, as I’ve also mentioned, I’m all for her wearing her glasses when she skis, so I’m going to shop around a bit and find her a pair she likes, or at least likes enough to wear. We can’t afford to be too fancy and picky over here, or rather, we find that mindset misguided.

On the whole, we’re still getting our acts together for winter, slowly putting all the pieces together. Granted, we have time, but it’s nice to deal with it now rather than scrambling once the snow falls to be ready. Plus, when you have some time, you increase your changes of finding good deals, even used stuff at the Listen, and I’m all for that.

We’re still pondering the whole season pass thing. It’s a lot of money to ski in one place, and we like variety, so it may not happen. We’re exploring some options, so stay tuned for more.

Until then, thanks for reading, and thanks to Bjarte Kvinge Tvedt for the pic.

Final Local Market

Last week was the final local market, and though it’s always sad to close the chapter on something, it does sort of simplify our lives. I’m bummed because the kids do have fun at the market, but the crowds have been sparse, and it ends up being a really long day/evening, and I spend all this money on food and assorted items in an effort to support the local economy. It does get me out of having to make supper, which I’m not complaining about.

I’m not sure what the fate of the local market is going to be. Attendance really dropped off in terms of vendors and customers. They feed off one another, and this could spell trouble for next year. In reality, it may be too much to think a small town like ours can sustain a market. As conscientious as people are around here, the fact of the matter is that people are just not coming. I’ve spoken to a number of friends and neighbors who have never even made it to the market this year, so it’s not simply of question of not having enough food vendors. People just aren’t coming. It’s just another case of a good idea that doesn’t really pan out in practice.

It’s a shame, because it’s such a nice scene. Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to elke oerter for the pic.

More Performances

When we were speaking to JB about various musical occurrences, it came up that there was going to be a school performance by the school chorus. The light bulb immeditately went on in my head, and I asked A if she was interested (she was), and then JB if A could join in (she could). Good news, because this means she gets to hang with her buddies and do what she loves, which is to sing on stage.

She had her first rehearsal the other day, and the other kids were two rehearsals into it, but that’s fine, because it’s a kid’s chorus. She can always hide out in the other voices. Besides, A is quick at learning songs, so she’ll be fine. Most importantly, she’ll have lots of fun.

It makes for a busy day, but that’s how we like it, right? At least sometimes.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to Juan Croatto for the pic.

Sixteenth Market and Light at the End of the Tunnel

Two more markets left to go. No complaints on this end. Well, there’s always something for dad to complain about (why not one instead of two?), but I’ll keep it under wraps for now.

The previous week that we missed was a busy one, so we were told, and we figured as much. It was the first week with the students back full time, and it was the one day where the weather was beautiful, so it makes perfect sense. We couldn’t make it for various familial obligations, but we weren’t complaining. Time off from dumplings is like time off for good behavior.

Everyone figured that the next week was going to be a busy one, us included. We even got an email from the manager saying that it was busy and that people were asking about our dumplings. I.e., get to work and be there for the market. Even the weather cooperated on some level, and it stopped raining.

Even in light of all that, the overall market seemed a bit slow. Even S stopped by and commented on how slow it was, and it seemed to have all this potential. When we arrived, there were about six or seven tour buses parked along the street, and people figured that meant more business. There were lots of people milling about, but they all disappeared once the market started, and it was a pretty light day. Sure, there were the usual moments of busy-ness, but in the end, it was slow.

I’m fairly ambivalent about it all, what we didn’t sell we can carry over to the next week, which means that there are fewer dumplings to make for the next market. I personally think the big city market should have ended in September, but that’s just my bad attitude talking.

Now I have to make dumplings, and I am not excited about it, but I figure two more weeks to go, and then I can live the fabulous life of leisure that I long for.

Until then, thanks for reading, and thanks to John Nyberg for the pic.

My Memories Digital Scrapbooking Software

I just tried out some awesome digital scrapbooking software and so far it’s been a blast working with it. In the coming days, I’ll have a copy to give away to one of the lucky readers of this blog, so stay tuned for more information.

This software is called My Memories Suite, and it is nothing short of amazing, especially if you love to take pictures and share them in a fun and creative way. There are so many features that we’ve barely scratched the surface of what we can do. Needless to say, the kids and I are going to be having some serious fun archiving our pictures, being the picture-happy family that we are. This is a collage we made of our trip to Arizona.

Because this scrapbook software is so powerful, it is worth it to take the time to learn about the wonderful features, of which there are more than you can imagine . For this reason, we found the best thing to do is start simple and then toy with things until we felt comfortable being more ambitious.

Starting out is really easy - you can either use one of their ready made templates that are included with the program, or you can access numerous other choices online. If you’re feeling really creative, you can even create your own template from scratch.

We made this other collage of our flight in grandad's plane with Uncle P. What an amazing experience.

Best of all, the program is simple to use. It’s as easy as dragging the photos onto the template, and the software does the rest for you. You can decide how pictures go on each page, add captions or any sort of text, and there are background, font, and color choices. You can also re-size the pictures and rotate them directly on the template and then save the changes. The end result is a beautiful photo album of your best loved pictures, all custom designed by you, the artist.

The software is designed for making albums or scrap books, and there are options to add narration, music, and even videos and multimedia presentations for iPods or to make DVDs. You can also modify the file size and format in order to share your work with family, friends, or the blogosphere.

AND, as I mentioned, I will have a copy to give away, so check back early next week.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to the good folks at My Memories for introducing me to their software.

Fall is the Air

Talk about signs that fall is in the air. N decided that enough leaves had fallen in the yard to warrant some raking. He asked A is she was interested, but she wasn’t. Undeterred, he broke out the rake and wheelbarrow and got to work. His goal, of course, is to get a pile going that we can all jump into.

It’s a bit early, so he’s got a ways to go, but you gotta love his enthusiasm. Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to Elliot Jordan for the pic.

Final Lesson with EE, Walking the Dog, and Preparing for Snow

We did our final guitar lesson with EE, and it’s sort of sad saying goodbye, especially since he’s such a great teacher and an amazingly nice guy. I don’t think it’s farewell forever, it’s just that we are delving into new areas. EE was really cool about it, and said to KIT when A’s ready to start up again. He said he’d also keep us informed of any recital possibilities or performances. Nice guy, that EE.

I will say that I won’t miss driving to the big city every week, and at such a busy hour. We hit the town right at rush hour and when the schools let out. That means we have to contend with traffic and crowds of restless teenagers. Their good kids, it’s just that there are so many of them, and teens become different people when they congregate in groups. It makes me a little uncomfortable when things get rowdy.

Before our lesson, we walked our friend’s dog, and that’s always fun. We love dogs, and it’s nice to have a chance to play with the pup and help out at the same time. It’s never a chore. Plus, it was a beautiful day. After our walk, we headed over to the best ski shop ever, Henderson’s, to see if our skis were ready. They were, and N was visibly excited to get his hands on his twin tip skis. I’m excited for him, they look cool. My skis were also ready, all repaired and tuned up, so we are moving along on this end.

A is all set for her ski equipment, and the one last thing the kids need are goggles. N’s goggles are falling apart, the foam is coming off, and A mentioned that she’d like to get some goggles that fit over her glasses. I’m all for that, though glasses under your goggles presents it’s own problems. Nonetheless, she skis without her glasses, and I’d rather she had them on. We were over at Paradise Sports to get a new inner tube for my bike, and they had some leftover goggles from last year, one of which looked good for A. They didn’t have their winter stuff in yet. At Henderson’s, we found a pair that N liked that wasn’t too expensive (kid’s stuff is cheaper), and a pair that A liked that was expensive. Granted, there are goggles that are much more expensive, you could spend well over $100 on a pair, which I find incredible.

Either way, the pair that A liked was not that bad, but still more than I’d like to pay so we’ll keep our eyes open on that front. It’s only September, so it’s not a rush, but the days have a way of slipping by faster than you think. The last thing is to get A’s skis tuned up, and we are ready for some snow.

Until then, thanks for reading, and thanks to Mattox for the pic.