Waffleizer

/ Shane / Leave a comment

I just want to point out a great new website, waffleizer.com, which answers the important question, “Will it waffle?”

Basically it is just step-by-step instructions with beautiful pictures on how to make different recipes using a waffle iron. My favorite are the Smoreffles.

If you have to have a mission in life, I think exploring the possibilities of the waffle iron are a great one. I know we have one that we’ve used maybe twice (and not because I don’t like waffles, I assure you!). We just don’t think about it much. All of that untapped potential, just sitting there. And people like waffle fries, why not waffle smores? Or waffle cheeseburgers? Or waffle anything else?

So Waffleizer, I salute you.

Mommies get short shrift

/ Shane / 5 Comments

Evie: “I can be on the edge, and baby brother can be in the middle, and daddy can be on the other side. And we can make a smooch sandwich.”
Sara: “And where will I be?”
Evie: “You’ll be in the baby’s room, picking up.”
Sara: “But where would I sleep?”
Evie: “On the blankets.”
Sara: “What blankets?”
Evie: “By our foots.”

“One day, when you’re bigger, you’ll probably need a new car seat.”
“I want a pink seat.”
“We’ll talk about it and decide.”
“I already decided.”

“Last night I had a dream. Nala was on a leash, and I took her outside and was flying her.”
“You were flying?”
“Nala was flying, I was walking.”
I don’t know why I am endlessly fascinated by her dreams, but every time she tells me one I am enthralled. I think they’re great. Like, I know that she has dreams, just like anyone else does, but somehow I’m always surprised when she tells me one.

“You ate a lot of good things for lunch, I bet you grew two feet!”
“I already have two feet.”

“More Pinocchio please!” <– Evie’s way of asking for more gnocchi.

Bacon Soap

/ Shane / 1 Comment

For Christmas, I got my brother an extra special gift, that only he could truly appreciate. I had soap custom-made to smell like bacon. And further more, this wasn’t just any old soap, but special oatmeal goat’s milk honey soap to help with dry skin.

It was pretty awesome, when I got the package in the mail, you could smell the bacon-smell rolling off of it. I don’t know if he’s tried them yet or not, maybe he can answer in the comments.

So anyway, if you need any custom-made soaps or body products, especially those that smell like bacon, you can check out the Natural Soap Shanty. I can vouch for both the products and the owner! 🙂 (She’s Sara’s cousin, but more importantly, she’s both a reader and commenter on this blog!)

New Board Games

/ Shane / 7 Comments

For Christmas and my birthday, I received a few new board games, some of which I asked for, and some of which I had never heard of. By and large, these games were amazing, and have really brought on a renaissance of game playing in our house. So, in no particular order (other than the order I received them in):

Ticket to Ride (Europe)

This is probably the most universally liked of the new games. Basically, you draw destination cards, and you must build trains linking those destinations (although obviously it’s a little more complicated than that). Although you play with several people, you’re not competing directly with them per say, although sometimes people build on a route you’d like to build on. It makes you think, but just enough; it’s not nearly as thinking-intensive as, say, Acquire. This also works really well as a 2 person game, which is something Sara and I are always looking for. I don’t think anybody who has played this one doesn’t like it. The downside is that games can be long, especially with a lot of people.

Palazzo

In this game, each player tries to build the biggest, most beautiful Italian palace. What makes this game interesting is that the bricks for the buildings are usually auctioned off to the highest bidder. So you are directly competing with the other players, free market style. This game has been pretty popular as well. I personally prefer Ticket to Ride, but I think at least 2 people prefer Palazzo. The other nice thing is that games are always pretty short. Sometimes you just have time for a quick game, and if so, this one’s for you.

Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot

Okay, I loved this game, but some people have expressed a strong dislike for it (although, I should point out that those people did not actually play the game). Basically, the point of the game is to try to keep your bunnies alive, while killing all of your opponents bunnies with things like flame throwers, black holes, and flying razor spatulas. I once killed two bunnies by having a clumsy bunny of mine open a pack of razor sharp melba toast, sending them flying. Oh yeah, and don’t forget to purchase your magic carrots. This game is hilarious and silly and a lot of fun, though maybe confusing on the surface. This game is also better with more people playing. I’ll be looking for people to play this with.

The Settlers of Catan

This is the only game I haven’t had a chance to play yet, but it is the game I am most excited about. Unfortunately you cannot play it with only 2 players. I found some various rules online that can allow you to play with only 2, but we figured we shouldn’t do that for the first time we play. So I’m still waiting. I have, however, read through the rules, so I think I have an understanding of things. Basically you build towns in strategic areas to collect resources to build more things. That probably doesn’t make sense, but suffice it to say, it is a strategy game that I think will require a lot of thinking. I wanted to hold off on this blog post until I could play this one, but it doesn’t look like it is happening any time soon.

One side story, my mom saw this box and mistakenly thought it said, “Settlers of Satan”, which I think sounds like a WAAAAY more awesome game that I should totally make. The box cover could look almost the same, with a few subtle modifications (that scythe could look a little more grim-reaper-y, maybe give the guy with the ax some glowing red eyes…). So anyway, look for the Settlers of Satan, coming soon to a gaming store near you!

Avatar

/ Shane / 4 Comments

Go see this movie.

Sure, the plot is pretty predictable. I know you’ve seen it before. But believe me, it is well worth the price of admission. I look at this movie more like an amusement park ride than a movie, where you pay your money, enjoy the ride, and then go back to the real world.

Sara and I don’t see many movies these days. This is only the 3rd movie we’ve seen in the theater since Evie was born. I really wanted to see this one in it’s full 3D glory, rather than waiting for it on DVD. The movie is truly breathtaking.

I haven’t been to many 3D movies. At the beginning of this one, I was rolling my eyes a little bit. I thought, “Oh boy, the traditional putting-a-golf-ball-toward-the-audience shot. How cliché.” But pretty soon those fell by the wayside as the movie really got cranked up. The 3D became a lot more subtle as the movie went on, to where you weren’t really noticing it. This is when it was at its best, when I wanted to swat aside a mosquito that was buzzing by my face. At one point I even flinched away from something that was falling, and then looked around sheepishly to see if anybody noticed.

Of course the Internet is crawling with people hating this movie. Ignore those people. I can’t imagine anybody with an open mind not enjoying this movie (meaning, people who aren’t looking to find problems with it, or going into it hating it because it is popular). Very cool.