No need to wait any longer friends and cyberstalkers. It's time to hear about the wonders of the Holy Land. We went overseas earlier this year, partially for work, partially for vacation.


Let's start with our flight over. It was a long one. We flew Air Cananda through Toronto. In the airport before our first flight, we met a random guy outside the ticketing area. He, like us, was waiting for the ticket counter to open. Apparently, there is such a thing as too early for your flight. We started up a conversation, and then went through security and ate Dunkin Donuts (or Einstein's, I forget) together. We swapped business cards, and generally had a pleasant wait until boarding. His stop was in Toronto, so he didn't get to experience the most exciting part of the flight.

From Toronto to Tel Aviv, we watched movies. The whole time. No sleeping for us. I do not remember everything we watched, but I do remember enjoying it. I was in the middle of the middle. But with Christopher on the aisle, it was easy enough to get up and walk around, etc. We would have liked to have had an uneventful flight, but over France we were told that we'd have to make an emergency stop at Heathrow. So, we were almost to Lyon when we had to turn around. This added about 5 hours to the already long flight. Luckily, it wasn't anything life threatening. The toilets on the plane stopped working - all of them. There is some rule about the length of flights and toilet breakage/use. So, we had no choice. I got the impression that the issue was the waste tanks were full. Pretty gross. So, we stopped and then got traveling once again. Given that and the overly chatty families to our right and front - the last part of the flight was the most exhausting.

After arriving, we were taken by taxi to our furnished rental apartment for our stay. the apartment was awesome. There was anything that we could need to settle in, including a stocked kitchen (pasta, some milk, instant coffee) and internet. Not to mention, the first level had a pool and workout area, which we used a couple times. The view out the living room window was very nice. A building next door, part of the garden area downstairs, and then out towards one of the city's parks.


The night we arrived was Independence Day Eve. There was a party in the streets, so we went out to see what was going on. It was a lively evening, generally a lot of merry making and drinking. The photo at the top of the post comes from that first night.

The next day was equally nice as the entire city was off from work and throwing barbeques. We went to a friends house for a party they were having and had some really great food. We also met very nice people. Sorry, no food pictures, but we did walk there rather than take a taxi or other method, so we were able to get some nice shots of the city between our apartments.

Here, you can see one of the city parks where families and friends had gathered to throw down their grills and picnic blankets.

Here is one of the highways as we were walking on the bridge over it.

It was kinda warm/hot that day, but I don't remember being overly sweaty or anything. And the walk took us about 45 minutes. So, I suppose the weather must have been a nice temperature. It was a really great first full day in the country.

As this has already become rather long, I think I'll break it up, and you'll have to wait a bit longer for some more info on the Dead Sea and the Old City.

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Well, nothing of super amazing note-worthiness has occurred as of late. At least nothing that the internet community at large really needs to hear. But, our run of good news and general well-being has continued; and I must say that's pretty awesome. That being said, I don't want to be gone from the blog for too long, or it's harder to start up again. So, I decided just to detail some of the usual happenings, family events, and work-related stuff that's gone on. If you like "a day-in-the-life-of" style bogging, then this one's for you.

We've been doing a lot of stuff lately with the youngsters of the family. I say a lot because almost every weekend, we've seen kids. That's not exactly normal for us; although we are close with our extended family and see them pretty often. A few weeks ago, we went to the water park with the nephews and our niece. All the kids were there with the exception of our newest, youngest nephew. We had a good time and went to CiCi's afterward for dinner with the whole family. It was definitely the best restaurant experience we've had so far with the kids. No child cried. None got upset, threw a tantrum, knocked over a glass, or anything else you might think of. Everyone was happy and hungry.... and full by the time we left.

Then a couple weeks ago (or maybe it was last week), we went to one of our nephew's 6th birthday party at Strikes (a bowling alley). He had two friends and two extended family members there to participate in the kid-fun. And of course, the adults were there as well bowling in the next lane and playing SkeeBall for tickets. Ok, so that last one was just Christopher and me. I really like SkeeBall, and the game itself is so much smaller than I remember it from when I was 7. ;) My future sister-in-law tore it up on the Wheel of Fortune game earning 400 tickets in one spin of the wheel. All tickets went back to the birthday boy who was able to get himself some cool loot at the game counter. We were also happy that our gift to the birthday boy was well-received. We got him a Captain America action figure. He's riding an ATV of some sort that has a gun that pops out from under the hood. And, of course, we had to buy the Captain America gift bag to put it in. Those ToysRUs people know what they are doing. Take a desperate and almost late aunt and uncle who've forgotten to get a gift bag, then put a rack of over-priced gift bags near the check-out counter, and you've got profits baby! But, we were happy to do it, and it did match really nicely. So, I can't complain too much about it.

Now, this weekend, we'll have a repeat b-day party for our nephew, but with the other grandparents. And this time it will be a cookout. I'm really glad that it's raining today! We grilled out last night because it was cloudy, and with the rain today, the weather tomorrow should be great for another cookout.

Also, between last post and now, Renn has had not one but two (TWO!) play dates with his surrogate little sister, Paisley, at the dog park. They are so super cute it's ridiculous. Jennifer and I both agree that they just seem to get along like litter mates. It's also funny because both of them are pretty mommy-centric and don't really venture too far away from wherever Jenn and I are standing. These last two times we were there, there was a Schnauzer who looked just like Renn! I asked its mom if it was a Schnoodle, but she said no. I'm not convinced because he and Renn look so much alike! I wanted them to be best friends and kill us with their cuteness, but alas, they weren't all that interested in each other.

Let's see, I went to a house warming at a friend's house. Their house is super-cute on the inside and really unique with a great shower. That sounds weird, I don't really know how to describe it, but their shower was my favorite feature. It had thick wood molding around the outside in the shape of an upside-down U. I also loved the flooring in the kitchen, which was a slate color. We also ate out a number of times staying pretty close to home and eating pretty cheaply. We've discovered a Chinese restaurant that we actually like and has really good food. We'd thought we found a place for Japan-like sushi, but it was a one-time experience. We went back a second time and it was a let-down.

Oh - I suppose that's all for now. It's just life as usual. :)

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The fountain of good news just keeps flowing. Three - count them - three friends/family members are getting married soon. One wedding is in December, one is in May, and one is TBD. Usually, I'm not a fan of weddings. It's ok, you can admit that you're not a fan either. We all know it. However, for these three, I'm actually very excited about them because of the brides and grooms.

If that weren't enough good news, another set of already-married friends bought a house and are having a house warming this coming weekend. I do not expect to know any of the guests there. And I'm not the world's best schmoozer, but it should be a good time nonetheless. Then, another set of married friends is having a baby in the fall, which will be here before we know it. They are very excited, naturally. Our 7th wedding anniversary is coming up in a few weeks, and my birthday is around the corner as well. Ok, it's kind of far away, but it's not too early to try to decide what I want to do for it.

I need all this good news in my life. I read the Wall Street Journal this morning with my coffee, and it was chalk full of bad news. Oslo; the budget talks break down; Borders bookstore closing; Syria not letting the US and French ambassadors leave the capital; and so on and so on.

It's so nice that my family and friends are safe and healthy. Plus, Renn has a play date in the morning with Paisley, and that'll always put a smile on my face.

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In pretty much every situation, the more puppies the merrier. We got a call asking us if we could puppy sit for a day. Renn's cousin Emma needed some tending so her owners could float the river. Emma is a non-pocket-sized Pocket Beagle. I'm not certain how many pounds she is, but she's bigger than Renn. I read that Pocket Beagles generally are supposed to only be between 7 and 15 pounds. Although Renn and Emma had never met, based on their dispositions, we were pretty sure it would work out. Emma came over around 8pm on Friday and was going to spend Friday night and Saturday with us.

Friday evening was pretty short, and the pups didn't play too much with each other. Emma spent most of the evening walking around smelling everything and then re-smelling it to see if it had changed since the last time she went by. She also enjoyed chewing on Renn's bone. Now, Renn is not too keen on sharing this particular bone. It's the one he carries around with him to each room and takes naps with. But, he was as patient as could be expected. When Emma would lose interest, he would calmly walk over and take the bone back. Luckily, Emma had brought some of her own bones over with her. She wasn't interested in them, but Renn was. So Renn got her treat-bone while Emma chewed on his.



One thing I'd forgotten about puppies (Emma is about 1yr old) is the whining. This should not have been surprising, her owners had warned us that she whines at night in her crate but responds to a stern "hush" or "no". Not to mention that Beagles, in particular, as well as some other breeds tend to get separation anxiety and enjoy being in a pack. Boy, did Emma remind me how puppies can whine! After a full night of whining in her crate (and not responding to hushes or nos), I knew what I had to do.

Walks! Renn and Emma went for about 7 or 8 walks on Saturday. Long walks in the morning, at lunch, and after dinner. Short ones in between. That'll wear a puppy out! They loved it, and so did I. I also loved the napping they did to re-energize for the next time I was going to take them out. Here they are enjoying some cuddle/nap time on the couch while I caught up on So You Think You Can Dance.



And, the walks definitely worked. Emma whined for about 2 minutes when it was time to go to bed. But then the whining completely stopped, and she just slept until her dad came to pick her up around midnight.

By the way, in that second photo if you're wondering if the couch is trying to eat me, you're right. It's one of those that you definitely sink into. Sunday, Renn was in recovery mode from all the walking and excitement that Emma brought. He was a napping-couch dog all day long.

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We've been pretty web-silent lately. I'm sure you've found yourselves with other things to do and not really missing our little blog too much. However, it is nice to read about my friends and their life-happenings. So I figured I'm past due to make it back to posting - just in case inquiring minds want to know. I've made large strides in chocolate eating as of late. I'm still not a big fan of milk chocolate or more traditional candy bars like snickers or twix. And, although I used to eat Butterfingers, I'm still pretty sure I'll never feel like having one of those again. But the list of chocolate treats that I do like continues to grow. I've made a "little" list.

Ben and Jerry's Low Fat Fro Yo Cherry Garcia
Dagoba Eclipse dark chocolate bar
Razzy's homemade fudge brownies
Godiva dark chocolate truffle
Israeli aerated dark chocolate bar
Private Selection tiramisu ice cream

At bat is the Lara Bar in Jocalat flavor. I'll let you know how that one turns out.

There are still many dessert options that I'd select over something chocolate; however, I'm very happy with my progress. Have I made you hungry? :)

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As a kid, I do not remember ever having any serious allergy issues of any kind. My parents learned when I was 2 (an age that I do not remember whatsoever) that I am allergic to cedar. Later, I learned that I was allergic to red ants (who isn't) after being stung a couple times. (Or is it bitten?) From that point on, I pretty much just stayed away from Christmas tree farms, cedar chests, and ant hills. Thankfully, I've never had to deal with a food allergy, nor have I had any major run ins with zombie cedar trees trying to attack me.

My life remained pretty allergy free until adulthood. I'm not really sure what it is about allergens that allows them to seemingly randomly wax and wane over time. I'm not mad at the trees. But, when you haven't had to deal with allergies most of your life and then you do, well that's no fun.

So, having moved back to Texas this last time, I've found that Spring is lets-line-the-pockets-of-the-Kleenex-corp time. It's also the time I get sick if it's going to happen. I got sick in Spring 2009, 2010, and I just recently go over being sick this year. My thinking is the pollens start doing their thing, my body starts acting up, and thus I am more susceptible to a cold or whatever. I have no medical degree, but that makes sense to me.

I decided to finally become knowledgeable about what I am and am not allergic to. I made an appointment and stayed off any OTC allergy medicine for about two weeks so I could get a clear panel of tests. The staff did a full verbal medical history of any time that I remember having an allergic reaction to anything. Lucky for me, that list is not all that long. But I can imagine they would really spend a lot of time with you if you had a long, broad history of allergies. Once that was over, they decided what kind of panel they were going to do. For me, it was 56 different allergens including a control positive and control negative test.

Man, I was not expecting it to be quite as painful as it was. I guess it's like a mini-tattoo since they need to break the skin with the allergen soaked needle in order for the test to work. The nurse told me how important it was that I stay still and not move, but when she was sticking little needles onto my ribcage it was very hard to comply.

I guess I did an ok job of remaining still, because she was able to read the results just fine. There was one super itchy one on my right shoulder blade. I asked her which one that was because it was driving me nuts. She said, "oh, that one's cedar." Figures.

Anyway, I am happy I did it. I think it's really important to be informed about yourself, your health especially. I was also a little surprised by the results as I found out that I have no indoor allergies whatsoever aside from one species of mold. Outdoor allergies, on the other hand, are a different story. Spring trees are my worst (no thanks to you, cedar), but I also have winter trees, plus one species of summer grass that is very common to this area.

I was prescribed some allergy meds and given two sets of instructions. One set is for off-season where I feel fine. The other set is for Spring and/or any time my allergies seem to be kicking into high gear. I do feel much better having gone and gotten this information. I also like the doctor and staff at their office, so if I need to go again, I'll definitely see them.

All in all, if you've never been to an allergist but suffer from allergies, I recommend going to see one. The information alone was worth the co-pay.

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You'll have to pardon my skipping a couple days of posting. I've been trying to keep you up to speed on our recent culinary delights. Our meals by the Locavore Chef didn't end with the Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas. Oh no, there was more to come. On Friday night, we had Tofu and Curry. Unfortunately, this photographer didn't get a good shot; and beyond that, I spent much of my weekend relaxing... not blogging. Then, Saturday we went out for dinner and had delicious Pho (think Vietnamese noodle soup if you're not familiar). Finally, tonight was the last of our personal-chef-prepared meals. We had Lentil and Black Bean Chili.


This was another moment where the warming of the food on the stove was olfactory bliss. This veg-ful, health-ful chili was seriously delicious. Plus, Melanie had prepared enough for three dinner servings worth. So, we thawed (previously frozen on the day Melanie made it), and warmed one dinner's worth. And we still have two more in the freezer for when the mood strikes. Yay!



Can you smell it? mmmmm. The beans and chunky veggies really made this a hearty chili. We added some shredded cheddar (as is our custom) and ate it with Saltine crackers (also our custom). I'm definitely looking forward to the next two times I'll be eating this in the future.

In other news, Christopher and I went to the mall this weekend. We both found a few things to bring home. I found a bathing suit. I've been searching for one for literally years. I have had the same one since ....let's see.... 2003. Wow, that's pretty sad. I won't mention the one that I bought in high school that I still wear for exercising in the pool. Ok, just mentioned it. So, yeah, I've been on the look out for a new bathing suit since 2004, pretty much. With the help of very friendly and knowledgeable sales women, I tried on about 4 or 5 different suits and chose one I really like! Woohoo!

What made buying the bathing suit even better was the bag! Check out this cute burlap reusable bag. It's really sturdy and could be used as a beach bag. I used it for some groceries at Whole Foods (a Kalamata olive loaf and organic baby carrots on sale 2 for $3!) earlier today.



I was off on a long-weekend, but have to go back to work tomorrow. Luckily, I had a really great weekend to help get me rested and well (almost all the way better now, still some coughing but much less sneezing).

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It's been a rough week at work. A few things are going on in management, it seems, that may not be popular. I have been under the weather, staying home from work on Wednesday, and not feeling like I am getting as many things done as I'd like. Home life, on the other hand has been fan-tas-tic (still sick, but at least Christopher has been taking care of me). If you haven't read the previous two posts. I invite you to do so; you may become a little spiteful of our good fortune. But that's ok, because I know the Locavore Chef, and I can get you her number.

Tonight's meal, just like Monday and Tuesday's, was written clearly on our notes posted on the fridge. Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas.



Man, doesn't that look mouth watering? All I had to do was warm it up in the oven. Melanie had made this dish using roasted dark meat chicken (which she seasoned and roasted), corn tortillas, beans, and green chili sauce (I wasn't there when she made it, not sure what's in it - but it's awesome). There's also some cheese going on, as you can see from the melted goodness on top.

To the right/above the enchiladas, is a big bowl of spinach salad with buttermilk chive dressing (homemade fresh by the one and only Locavore Chef). I added some chives to the bowl just for fun. Also, we have some leftover green onions in the fridge, and I hate to see a good green onion go to waste. This was supposed to be the arugula salad. But, if you read yesterday's post, you know that we accidentally already ate that one. oops!



Here's what it looks like on my plate. Yes, I agree, I might need a bigger plate. :) We added some lime juice over the enchiladas per Melanie's instructions. The first bite was heavenly. We both commented how we'd order this dish in a heartbeat were it on a restaurant menu. The whole cilantro-chicken-lime-corn-tortilla-little-slice-of-heaven-on-a-fork just really worked. Overall, I hesitate to call this dish "enchiladas," although that was Melanie's title, so I'll stay true to the chef. I'd call it closer to a casserole or lasagna based on the layers and that the tortillas were laid flat instead of rolled. It's definitely a modern take on the traditional enchilada, and it's an update that gets four thumbs up from the Watsons.

I'm excited, because there were leftovers. That means I get to have another taste tomorrow at lunch! Oh - and there was no coconut in this dinner whatsoever. Since we did have lime, I had the song stuck in my head.

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