Just some photos I took last weekend at Cindy’s bday party. Abby at 12 weeks. She is getting so big and growing so fast already!
(why do I feel i washed these out after editing? they looked so vibrant before I uploaded. Maybe I need to re-upload)
Boxed Water is cool
Check this post out. Found it on Gizmodo – my favorite dude blog (No… not that kind of blog)
Boxed milk and juices are a supermarket staple, but one company is now selling boxed water.
Boxed Water Is Better sells water in cartons, ditching the plastic bottles while reducing the overall carbon footprint of packing and distribution by 80%.
20% of the company’s profits are passed along to reforestation (10%) and water relief (10%) while you sip on the sweet hydrogen/oxygen nectar of Minnesota and a few parts per billion of paper pulp.
But while Boxed Water is undoubtedly more sustainable than bottled water, I can’t help but think the product’s absurdity does less to open a new market than close an old one. In other words, Boxed Water is a ridiculous solution to an even more ridiculous problem—that we’d rather buy packaged water than drink it for nearly free out of the tap. [gizmodo]
Great video on our environment.
I really enjoyed this video. In 3 minutes it entertained me, while being very informative, and not at all negative. I think those are all keys to a well made film about out environment.
First Duathlon in Prescott
So If you didnt know yet, Stephanie and I have been training for an Off Road Duathlon. This a 1.5 mile run, 8.4 mile ride, and then another 2.5 mile run. All on trails and dirt. Much different than pavement. Training went pretty well, despite being sick. After pre-riding the course, Stephanie wasnt in for the biking leg. So we switched to being a relay team. Stephanie would run, Matt would ride.
are you kidding me?
this is amazing. i cant believe this guy thinks this way.
Matt's list of 5 addictions/passions
So here are my 5.
1. Biking. I mean seriously, I love riding my bike. I would go mountain biking everyday if i could. I even enjoy road biking, and my biking commute. I would rather bike than drive anywhere. I will so be that guy hauling his kids around on an xtracycle or with a trailer.
2. Talking about bikes & bike parts. Stephanie will vouch, i talk about, shop for, analyze, and dream about all things bike. parts, upgrades, fixes, lights, clothing, oddities, etc.
3. talking. i talk to much. i think i am addicted to running my mouth.
4. Work. I think its a passion. Others say addiction. I really do enjoy my work (Creative Director for my own creative / marketing firm). It has a lot of rewarding projects, and we have the coolest clients. We have clients fighting Human trafficking with fashion (from downtown London!), and others who are working on ending child prostitution in Phoenix, Our local Chamber of commerce has fun projects, and even small businesses who want to be the best at something for their customers. Seriously, I really love my job.
5. Technology. I get waaay to excited about apple products, cellphones, even new LED light bulbs. im a tech geek.
I assume those that really know me, are not shocked by any of these things.
Saturday Biking in prescott
Today, Stephanie and I went up north to prescott for some biking. We are participating in the Go Off Road Duathlon (run – bike – run) in 2 weeks, and we needed to pre ride the course. Good thing we did, because its way more hilly than anything we have here in the valley. I mean some steep, long climbs at altitude.
Stephanie and her bike.
the zoom in of what she did to her bike
Yep, she some how over shifted, and then wrapped the chain around the crank arm. I really have no idea how she did it to be honest.
Me riding through a tunnel
25 things about matt
since stephanie did it. I assume I needed to as well.
- According to some people I have too many shirts, yes 84 is a lot of t shirts. The funny thing is I still find shirts I want to buy all the time.
- I really love my wife. I think she is fun, smart, giving, loving and lets not forget hot. I enjoy hanging out with her a lot.
- I am probably addicted to biking, and bikes. I may have 4 in the garage at any given moment.
- I wake up pretty early almost every day, sans-alarm. Its kind of odd. Even on days I dont need to get up.
- I love my job. I mean really, how cool is it that I make web sites for clients across the US and now Canada and London.
- im a super mac geek. i really cant stand using PCs. but I grew up on a mac since i was a kid.
- although number 6 is true. I dont own an iphone (at&t = booo). I have a blackberry and dig it.
- I grew up playing ice hockey. A lot. I mean i dont think i figured out that i liked girls till 17 or so. I played hockey that much.
- I grew up in a small town in the mountains outside of colorado springs. Population 3k, Elevation 9k.
- I enjoy reading business and religious books, but not much in the fiction realm.
- i, like stephanie, enjoy projects at the last minute.
- i love to work out, and take on big tasks, but I have a hard time finishing things. like say… the 100 push ups deal. lets hope my duathlon training doesnt follow trend.
- I enjoy video games, but rarely play by myself.
- I am nice guy so often it gets me burned, walked on, or over committed sometimes. Its annoying.
- Shiny things distract me
- i talk. a lot. i mean a lot. I dont know why. I have to make a conscious effort to shut up.
- I have always wanted a really cool tattoo, but I have a hard time committing to anything longer than a few weeks, and I would rather spend the money on bike parts. So it will never happen. And my grandma may disown me.
- i think guys that wear v-neck shirts are weird.
- i really like cars. All kinds. I have some deep appreciation for the beauty of a nice car. Not even fancy ones sometimes.
- i think god truly loves us more than we can understand, yet we get in our own way constantly, and screw everything up on a daily basis. I do at least.
- i hear there is some sort of big football shindig on tv this weekend. but i only kind of care. I just like the junk food, and the commercials. Football, basketball, and baseball are kind of boring. Especially baseball.
- moose drool is by far my favorite beer.
- i enjoy Brinner often (breakfast for dinner if you didnt know – all the cool kids are trying it)
- i really like being outside. unless its 134° like it is here in the summer, even then I just go biking at 5 am, since I am up anyway.
- i enjoy photography. Stephanie lets me be a geek with my dSLR, and buy camera toys every now and then.
btw this list took me about 15 minutes. I could probably do 50 if I had to, but it would get pretty random.
subscribe to the white house blog
Pretty cool that now you can read news and updates from the whitehouse in a blog.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/
the feed:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/feed/blog/
Too bad the Obama Staff went from macs and cool social media toys, to ancient windows PCs.
Stephanie's favorite bike trail
Yesterday, I took stephanie out to east mesa to ride her favorite trail at Usery park. I love riding with stephanie. Yes, I ride all the time, but riding with stephanie is fun. We get to hang out, chat, and have a good time with each other in the car, on the trail, and during our little picnic after the ride.
Its always so pretty, and lush for a desert. This video doesn’t do the trail, the vegetation, or the beautiful day justice.
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas!!!
It seems the years are getting shorter. Every year christmas seems to sneak up on us. Looks like christmas will be a nice Arizona winter, 72° and sunny. Ohh wait, just woke up and now its Arizona chilly. 50° and pouring rain.
The 2008 recap:
Early 2008
• Factor 1 (matt’s design firm) Moved out of the house, and into offices (Wahoo!).
• Sent off our adoption dossier to our agency and then to Ethiopia
• We are officially on the waiting list for Siblings!
• We hired on our first employee at Factor 1
Mid 2008
Stuff happened, just nothing we can remember. Even looking back at the blog, lots of fluff posts, and conversations on waiting. lame.
• Drove out to colorado to spend time in the mountains with Matt’s family in July
• Matt went on his first epic mountain biking trip to Moab & Durango with the guys. Nothing says awesome like biking 20 miles a day at 10k feet elevation.
Late 2008
• Still waiting. Lots of waiting. But it seems we are near the top of our adoption waiting list, so things are rolling along, and looks like we will be parents in 2009. Finally.
• The gardens super-quadrupled in size. We are now growing lettuce, peas, carrots, onions, peppers, and more. Potatoes and grapes will be happening soon.
• The usual holidays happened. Great thanksgiving with Stephanie’s family.
We are looking forward to 2009 like you wouldnt believe.
Love,
Matt & Stephanie
mattandstephaniesblog.com
things tank is afraid of
Tank is our super special lab mut.
He is clearly a runt at 60 pounds. We always joke about the things he is afraid of. I decided it was time for a list.
- Sweaters
- Wool jackets
- Hats (baseball caps not included)
- Feathers (as in cat toys)
- Woven baskets (like this one that we keep his toys in)
- Simple brand shoes (how can anyone be afraid of these?)
- Mens Dress shoes
- Carter (the cat, and I guess he is quite scary.)
- Small electronics (cell phones cameras remotes)
- Leather belts
- Singing cards (any occasion)
- Skirts (denim skirts are okay though)
- Dress shirts
- Dress slacks
- Some kid toys that move on their own
Now tank didnt use to be so afraid of things. In fact, most of these fears have developed in the last year an a half maybe two years. Most started when we moved from our house in mesa, to maricopa.
BTW. He also used to be super cute. What happened?
carter – king of the christmas tree
For those of you that dont know. One of our cats, Carter, is super wild.
Carter – Seen here in his native jungle habitat.
I mean runs around the house, full speed, peeling out on tile, leaping over furniture, scaring dogs 8x his size wild. Carter LOVES christmas. I mean loves it. He loves to take the stockings down. the garland down. and normally, he just naps, and removes lights and ornaments from the tree.
Not this year. He’s working on taking the whole thing down.
Carter in action:
(sorry for the lame cell phone video. Its all i had on me in a pinch)
More nursery updates
While stephanie was busy blogging yesterday (3 in one day!!) I was painting more animals in the nursery.
We have a Family of Zebras
Some giraffes
And some elephants
The giraffes and elephants are not yet done, but coming along very cool!. I will add in some grass for all the animals to be standing in, and later some bushes, flowers and butterflies.