#46 Tire Swinging

While in San Fran today I also got to cross another item off of my list - #46 Ride a Tire Swing.  Earlier in the day I was unsuccessful in writing my name in the cement of some random persons garage floor which was newly painted but then as luck would have it we stumbled upon a park near the Metro which had a tire swing.  I had to wait patiently among the kids to get my turn but alas another thing crossed off. And yes that's right folks I am in fact wearing black shoes and white socks just like Michael Jackson because that's how I roll. 

One Last Ferris Wheel in 2010 (#17)

I went to ride one last ferris wheel for 2010 the other day which is #17 on my list.  Seems Aunt Thea is not so crazy about the ferris wheels, of course it was windy and cold and I rocked the car a little bit.  But it was fun to ride a ferris wheel in another part of the country.

Muir Woods National Monument

I'm on the west coast for a little vacation and the other day I went with my cousins and Aunt Thea to Muir Woods National Monument and we went for a hike on the Ocean View/Lost Trail.  It was very beautiful even though it was rainy in the woods.  The photos from my iPhone don't really do it justice I'll have to share some from the SLR soon. 

Muir Woods is near San Francisco so we drove thru the city and over the golden gate to get there. 

A view of the City.

Muir Woods is home to many 600+ year old redwoods that are 30 feet wide and 300+ feet high you need a super wide angle to really capture it. 

I took a few photobooth photos while we were there.

This is a Burl - it grows on the base of the tree and holds "seedlings" that will plant should there be a flood or forest fire and it naturally replants the forest.  These sprouts have a better chance of next to the parent tree. 

Happy Birthday Grandpa Kelly!

Today's my Grandpa Kelly's Birthday! He gets to share it with Jesus which I think is pretty rad. Hope you have a great day and see you when I get to CA.

10 Days of Christmas - Merry Christmas!

Day 10 - We've already been celebrating Christmas - I love these people!  Merry Christmas everyone. 

Non-Holiday Post - Italian Meatball Soup

Lita has gone to mom's for the Christmas break and Jono and I are enjoying fixing all the things she doesn't like to eat - like for example SOUP.  We LOVE LOVE LOVE soup - Lita thinks it comes in a can by Campbells. I chalk that up to her being young and not having a pallet for good things yet  - she also thought our sugar cookies weren't sweet enough - but they grew on her.

Anyhow I digress, we decided to make Italian Meatball Soup the other day we used Pioneer Women's recipe because she knows what's up and we like to see pictures first and she takes lots o'pics.The soup was lovely the Pioneer Women did NOT let us down.  We did so enjoy the meatball aspect to it and Jono will concede that it was good to make them smaller than he intended. 

Tonight I'm going to make my own recipe up with chicken, wild rice and lentils!

10 Days of Christmas - Jones and Co Christmas Cards - Day 8

 Day 8 - HOLY COW Christmas almost here!  I think most people have already gotten their Christmas Cards so I can share some of the photos from our card shoot.   If you didn't stop SCROLLING NOW!  I wanted desperately to take them outside but when all of us were able to take them it was snowy or dark outside.  So instead we took them with our tree.  Our tree which I absolutely love, turning the lights on every day is just so magical -  I do NOT like that angle on top she's so 1994 and not in a good way, but not one of my 4 stars would fit on top of a real tree they were designed for fakies.  Anyhow our photo-shoot was funny to say the least and we didn't get a perfect photos but I loved them all because they are so us - imperfect and yet still fun.  Anyhow here are some of our photos!

10 Days of Christmas - Tuesday Tutorial on Marshmallow Making - Day 7

 Day 7 - It's Tuesday!  And this will probably be the last Tuesday Tutorial I post this year.  Anyhow I've been making marshmallows for Christmas presents and I thought I'd share with you my process.

1.Put on your apron and pearls!  (okay so these aren't real pearls but I found them and thought it would be fun to wear.  The apron however is a must because marshmallow will attack you.

2. Follow this recipe - Yes I know it's Martha Stewart but it's the bomb I tried three different ones and this was by far the best.  When it says to spray with Pam I recommend highly that you find the the Baking Kind of Pam.  If you have never used this stuff - it's awesome works like Pam smells like baking bread - I love it. Also you'll want to spray your mixer with Pam being careful not to spray any inside just lightly coat the bottom.

3. If you follow that recipe you will find yourself boiling water, sugar and corn syrup and mixing it with a squid whisk until it boils.  You should really follow that recipe to a T. 

4. Your mixer will start to get marshmallow consistency in the beaters. And then the marshmallow will ATTACK your mixer and short it out.  (this actually did happen to me, but don't fear mixers are like $10 and new ones can be procured).

5. When it's in the pan ready to be covered with saran wrap I recommend adding some chocolate chips.

6. Somewhere in that recipe you cut your marshmallows - I put mine in a big pryex bowl while I created packaging.

6. To create packaging gather some stamps, ink, and scrap white cardstock.  Stamp on your design in a assembly line fashion. I chose to call my marshmallows "Jones & Co Mellows" because well I thought it was clever.

 7. Add marshmallows to cellophane bags and fold over then staple shut.  Ta Da!  Marshmallow perfect for your friends and family.

10 Days of Christmas - Photographing Christmas - Day 6

Day 6 - Oh boy Christmas is almost here!!!  With my iPhone I find myself photographing more random things lately although I could kick myself for not taking photos tonight with my friends. Anyhow I have been taking random shots of Christmas things so I thought I would share.  

I really liked this knocking cat poster from the post office I think I'm going to get myself a knocking cat for New Years.

 I also loved this poster at the book store.

 And aren't sparkly butterflies pretty?  That is the ornament I got for my tree this year - although not these ones.

 These looked like ones you could make yourself they were like foam painted and then dipped in resin.

 And another poster from someplace.