Please check out my web site

Please check out my web site, I am trying to build a portfolio to apply for a new job. This is the first in a couple of web site that I will be making.

It is only a mock up and not a real business site.

Comments on color, layout, content, etc would be helpful.

Thanks,

http://ajclifford.tri-citytitle.com/dance/dancesite/index.html

Oregon Trip

mikes icecream and wind surfing! it doesn't look like we're going that fast at all but then again you need to take in consideration the camera point of view and the zoom in factor- and figure in the low wind and the place were were surfing. we were in a "baby pool" teaching area and not out in the treacherous Columbia gorge. we probably would have died if we were out on the river!



My Grandpa's old orchard.
the owner now had a lot of good things to say about him. He said my Grandpa was burly man with the biggest biceps he's ever seen.

yay for more home videos!

Treson's birthday party bits at lats!!!! I hope you all enjoy!

musical tubs!



Tub races!- Treson got scared and started crying- sad but still kinda funny




birthday cake time!!!

easter EGG HUNT

There's a picture of me when I was about 7 months old (mom please correct me if I'm wrong)where I'm in a cute spring outfit with a little bonnet crawling in the grass with a pretty plastic egg in hand. The epitome of Easter morning. So I couldn't help myself when I dressed Treson up and scourered the internet for places and times for easter egg hunts around town. I was so excited to get pictures of him bending over and delicately picking up a plastic egg and putting it in our little baggie- we even practiced in our living room before we left!

When we got there, the green field in my fantasy was replaced by a roller skating rink... surrounded by a swarm of closely packed parents. we stood waiting in the appropriate section (0-3 yr olds) behind heads of other parents for about 15 minutes. There must have been a 1:32 still on the clock when the circle collapsed in and the mad rush started. I guess a toddler was too jazzed by their parents pep talk that they ran in and started grabbing- other parents ran in themselves clawing at the floor. I was trying to carefully get into the rink to set Treson down somewhere to pick up an egg, but the ground was sprawled with mothers with baskets already half full. I saw a father coming back from the middle and with a disappointed look on his face and say "it looks like they are all gone." I kinda sighed and reciprocated a weary smile understanding that his kid didn't get any eggs either.

well to say the least- I was disappointed. More in the mothers than with the situation. It took me awhile to get over my childish disappointment and be comforted by the fact that Treson wasn't upset and didn't know (or care) what he missed. I know my husbands going to hate me for my charity, but I started giving these mothers the benefit of the doubt. Maybe this was the only Easter they could provide for their kids and they wanted to reuse the eggs for tomorrow morning.
.... I'm still trying to think of something positive that I got out of being there but it's hard to find. bit of wasted time I guess, and it wasn't pleasant to be in a mob of desperate parents. I guess we'll stick to hunting in our own yard tomorrow; we'll post some of those Kodak moment photos along with video of birthday party tomorrow.

yum

I JUST finished a scrumptious dinner (I'm still licking my lips!!!) and HAD to post the recipe.

it's Mac and cheese!
I bet you all think that's the only thing we eat around here...

well I actually got this recipe from a (must I say High Class) restaurant that I used to work at back East. The Fat Canary- and do they know what they're doing or what!!

sauce:
2 1/2 T butter
3 1/2 T flour
2 C half and half (divided)
2 C aged cheddar grated (I used regular med. cheddar and it was still delicious!)
1/2 t salt
grinds of pepper
1 C chopped scallion (again I substituted with shallots)

start the macaroni (2 cups) in salted boiling water and move on to another sauce pot for the ruex.
start off with the butter in sauce pot on moderate heat until bubbly, add the flour and whisk well. cook off the flour until foaming (2-3 minutes). Remove from heat and add 1 1/2 C of half and half whisking vigorously until there are no lumps. Return to the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes- thinning the sauce every now and then with a dribble of half and half when it gets thick. Whisk in the salt and pepper and remove from heat. Incorporate the cheddar and whisk until smooth. Drain the pasta and fold into the sauce along with the scallions.

and you thought this couldn't get any better! Ha! just wait!!!!

take a rimmed baking sheet and toss some shrimp and cherry tomatoes in some olive oil and set the oven for broil under 400 degrees. keep the shrimp shells on and season with salt or old bay seasoning and broil for 5 minutes- or until the tomatoes have burst. turn the shrimp over about half way through. it makes such a huge difference when the shrimp shells stay on- oh wow! and it's worth every slight delay shelling them when your eating!

Even though Treson couldn't have shrimp- he sure loved the tomatoes with this creamy version of a favorite!


I hope you enjoy!

maybe this will wet your appetie.... for mac and cheese

so it kinda bums me out that not a lot of people have been commenting on our blog lately- even when I throw free stuff at you all, no one seems too enthusiastic to catch it :(
Maybe you guys were all scared of commitment or it could be that you don't have a blog to "pay it forward" on.... either way I should get over it...

So what better medium to get lost in when you're down than your children?!? I did promise cute videos did I not?













hope you enjoy!!!


oh and please leave a comment!

Pay it Forward

great movie is it not? made me cry.

well this is something a bit different, the concept is there, but it's between me and the first three that comment on this blog post.

here's what you're in for- the first three people that comment on this post will receive a cute hand-mad craft (i.e. bracelet, earrings, scarf, mitten- the cutest mittens you ever saw!- etc...) then those individuals will "pay it forward" on their blogs. there is a general one month rule though- you must make the gift and pass it on within a month of committing.


so time starts now!

hurry!

go go go!