House Of Koenig

This past weekend my boys were clamouring for breakfast.  They wanted waffles while I was craving French toast.  I decided the best thing to do was compromise and decided to cook up some French toast waffles.  Here what you need:

Waffle Iron
Egg bath
Bread

First I made up a quick egg bath which consisted of 4 eggs, 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, 1/4 cup milk, cinnamon,  and nutmeg.  I whipped all this up so everything was mixed well.  Then I got the waffle iron all warmed up (this involved simply plugging in).  Next I gave the bread a bath in the egg mixture and laid the soaking bread in the waffle iron and closed the lid.  At this point the cooking process began.  After several minutes of cooking I removed the French toast waffle and plated it up for my kids.  They prefer them with peanut butter and syrup.  Give it a try sometime.  It’s good!

If you have been struggling with what to get for Christmas this year consider giving the gift of a lifetime through Compassion International.  If you are not familiar with Compassion International they are a Christian child advocacy group that provides kids with food, shelter, education and health care as well as Christian ministry. They help more than 1 million children on 25 countries to be released from poverty.

Here is how it works…you sign up to sponsor a child. You receive an informational package about your child. You write to your child and you receive letters from your child. You grow a relationship withyour child, get to know them, encourage them and just be a friend to them. The financial cost to you is $38 a month but the reward you gain by making a difference in the life of a child is priceless.

We have really enjoyed getting letters from our sponsored child and watching her grow over the years. It’s really been a blessing for us. So here is the pitch…if this sounds interesting to you there are plenty of unsponsored children waiting for you at Compassion International. We have been commissioned to try and find a sponsor this Christmas for a special little girl. Her name is Vanesa and she lives with her mother in Columbia. For fun she enjoys playing with dolls, hideandseek and running. If you would like to connect with Vanesa and make a difference in her life email me with your mailing address and I will send you all the information you need to get signed up with Compassion International to sponsor Vanesa. The sponsor card needs to be received by January 15th so don’t delay if you are interested.

Keep these kids in your prayers. The more we can do to help and encourage those in need the better the world will be. It’s up to each one of us to make a difference in the world.  Thanks for your time today.

On Thursday I attended the Civil War game where, the Oregon Ducks battled it out with the Oregon State Beavers to decide not only who would be PAC-10 champion and have bragging rights in the State but also for the first time ever, decide which team would be traveling to Pasadena and playing in the Rose Bowl.  I decided to walk over from the UO campus, along with hundreds of other people, mainly drunk and obnoxious college students.  The crowd grew larger and more obnoxious as we approached the stadium with taunts beginning from both sides.  Now began the ominous task of seeking out my friend who had given me a free ticket.  This turned out to be impossible as there were so many people and for whatever reason my cell phone, despite having full bars, was not working for either calls or text messaging (thank you AT&T!).  After waiting 20 minutes in line to use the bathroom (apparently the beer was catching up to most folks at that time) I decided to just head in and get to my seat as it was nearing kick-off time.  Pushing my way through the crowd toward the gate I made it inside and searched for Section 12 which turned out to be sweetly placed on the 50 yard line.  Great seats and great view.  It was a little intimidating being a Beaver fan surrounded by cheering Duck fans.  Dare I root for the Beavers in the midst of the crowd?  Would they turn on me or accept the friendly rivalry?  Thankfully I had secretly worn a green jacket under my orangish pullover just in case I was questioned.  At one point the guy next to me asked “What kind of fan are you?  I don’t see any green?”  Thankfully my hidden green jacket saved the day.

The noise inside the stadium was deafening.  I mean it actually hurt my ears at some points, especially with the guy next to me blowing into his damn duck call.  And boy was it cold out.  Temperatures in the low 30’s.  With everyone in their seats it wasn’t too bad as all the body heat from the matrix kept it feeling warm.  But at half-time when everyone made their escape to the bathroom or to get more food and drink you could really feel the coldness seep into your core.  I welcomed the return of the matrix.

The game was awesome and just what I expected from two great teams.  It was pretty evenly matched throughout the first three quarters and I am sure the Beavers gave the Ducks quite a scare as they took the lead on several occasions.  But in the fourth quarter the Ducks had some great plays and came out the better team that night.  I can’t imagine the disappointment the OSU team must have felt to have come so far and fought and worked so hard but come up 4 points short (final score was Ducks 37 Beavers 33).  We’ll get ‘em next year Beavers!  Congratulations to the Ducks and their victory to the Rose Bowl.

This morning was another typical Monday involving the morning commute to work.  I’m lucky that I only live 3 miles from my place of employment but it’s amazing what you can see along that 3 miles.  This morning in particular I noticed the hurry that people seemed to be in.  Were people really that rushed to get back into the office and into the grind after a 4 day weekend?  Apparently so as I witnessed countless acts of road rage, close calls from vehicles changing lanes abruptly and tailgating.  What’s the rush people?  Five minutes will not make a bit of difference in your day (unless of course you are an ambulance driver and then 5 minutes will definitely make a difference in someones life).  Take a deep breath and enjoy life.  Your job is not that important in the grand scheme of things and if you think it is you are seriously deluding yourself that 5 minutes makes a difference.  Then of course there are those that want to start their work day from their car along the way by texting or emailing from their phones while weaving and dodging through traffic.  Not long ago while I was walking my kid to school we were about to cross through the crosswalk and a driver blew through the intersection through a red.  I glanced up just in time to see them texting on their phone, oblivious to the carnage they came so close to causing.  Let’s get up a little earlier folks so we don’t feel the need to rush around like tomorrow will never come, because an error like running a red light may mean tomorrow never comes for a kid walking to school.

I love to read.  For quite some time I hadn’t even picked up a book but recently I have been making up for lost time by going through a book every 2 weeks.  My current topics seem to revolve around travel, vagabonding and life changes.  Here is a list of all the books I am currently either reading or have lined up to read:

Into the Wild – Jon Krakauer  This is the story of Christopher Johnson McCandless that was made into a movie of the same title.  I’m about 3/4 through the book.  I’ve really enjoyed this book so far.  McCandless led an interesting life if not a tragic life but the thing that gets me about him is that he wanted to life his life a certain way and he did exactly that.  Looking forward to reading the rest of this book.

Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel – Rolf Potts I briefly read a few chapters of this book and want to pick it up again and finish it.  I’ve got the travel bug and would love to get out and explore and photograph some parts of the world I have been itching to get to.  This book opens up possibilities to making that happen.

Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer A Man Who Would Cure the World – Tracy Kidder A few chapters into this wonderful book.  If you want to read an inspiring story of a man who has lived his life to help others, if you want to be inspired to make a difference in the world then pick this book up.  One person can make a difference in the world.

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles – Steven Pressfield Read through this book once already and want to read it again.  Good stuff on how to break free from your own thoughts that have been holding you back and keeping you from your true creativity.

Reposition Yourself: Living Life Without Limits – T.D. Jakes Been wanting to make some life changes for quite some time now.  Saw this book at a used book store and picked it up.  Seemed to be exactly what I was looking for.  Looking forward to reading this one soon.

How Not to Live Abroad – Shaun Briley This looked like a fun and interesting book about a couple who left it all behind to live in a farmhouse in Spain.  Supposed to be pretty humorous.

Walking the Bible: A Journey By Land Through the Five Books of Moses – Bruce Feiler (From the back cover) Both a heart-racing adventure and an uplifting quest, Walking the Bible describes one man’s epic odyssey – by foot, jeep, rowboat, and camel – through the greatest stories ever told.  I’m excited to start reading this one.

12,000 Miles in the Nick of Time: A SemiDysfunctional Family Circumnavigates the Globe – Mark Jacobson Had to pick this one up as this is exactly what I want to do at some point (soon).  Sell it all and travel the world.  This is supposed to be a laugh a minute travel dialog.

Besides the books I’ve listed above I am also reading some technical books on Photoshop CS4 and Lightroom 2.5.  Interesting stuff but not as fun to read.  If you have read any of the books above let me know how you liked them.  I am also open to further suggestions on additional books to read as I move through this list.  In fact I would love to hear your suggestions.

So yesterday was Black Friday.  Supposedly it is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, a day when sales abound and deals are once in a life time.  I hate everything about this day.  To me it is a symbol of the hyper-consumeristic waste that goes on every day in America.  Don’t get me wrong, I am all for a good deal but I don’t spend money just for the sake of the deal.  If I don’t really need something I’m not going to buy it just because it’s on sale and it’s a good deal.  But that seems to be exactly what people end up doing.  We buy all this cheap crap that finds it’s way into our closets and eventually the garage and finally in the landfill.

Speaking of cheap crap, what has happened to toys manufactured today (or most products for that matter)?  It seems everything is being manufactured as disposable.  It’s a cycle of buy now and then either break or become outdated by rapidly changing fashion, thereby mandating an upgrade purchase.  Manufacturers seem to be producing more and more junk that is specificlly designed to not last so that it must be purchased again.  I remember growing up with Tonka trucks that were made out of metal.  Those things were virtually indestructible.  These days they are built from flimsy cheap plastic.  My kids (who I admit are hard on toys) destroyed that cheap plastic in a matter of months.  I suspect that metal would have survived their onslaught.  It seems that there has been a conscious decision to market and produce items with a shortened lifespan (cheap quality) so that consumers must purchase more and more. 

I remember last Christmas we bought our boys more toys than we really wanted to but we were blinded by the thought of their happiness.  We fell into the trap of mistakenly believing that happiness can be bought.  What we ended up with were several cheap plastic toys that quickly broke and ended up in pieces at the bottom of the toy box after a month.  This year we plan to spend less and give more.  We will spend less money and the money we do spend will be on quality items.  How many times have we purchased items on sale, blinded by the price and not looking at the build quality.  It really is true that you get what you pay for.  I have no problems paying more for a quality item that I know will last. 

We will also give more this year.  Giving to charities as well as giving our time and energy for local causes.  Instead of focusing on gifts as we have done in years past we will instead focus on building memories with our kids.  We’ll go out to a tree farm and spend the day selecting a tree and riding on tractors, drinking hot chocolate.  We’ll go up into the mountains and tube down some slopes, have a family snowball fight and build a snow castle.  We’ll attend Christmas concerts and shows, visit Santa at the mall, cruise the city looking at all the lights and decorations.  These are the gifts that are invaluable and will be remembered much longer than the plastic junk in boxes that we wrap up and throw under the tree.

Presents are great.  Everyone loves them but let’s be smart about it.  Let’s add quality and durability to the equation and use our purchasing power to demand items that won’t break the week after Christmas.  Let’s choose to not overspend and put our-self into debt that requires the first several months of the New Year to pay off.  It’s interesting to note that the concept of the “layaway” has come back.  I think the economic crisis made people realize that the debt they are carrying is quite a burden.  More and more people are unwilling, or unable to proliferate the cycle of buy now pay later and are turning to layaway.  In case you are unfamiliar with how layaway works, you basically pick an item you want, pay an small deposit, make payments over time and pick up your item when completely paid for.  Typically layaway plans do not carry interest charges, unlike credit cards.  Not overspending and staying out of debt is the best thing any of us can do this holiday season.

So I think I’ve rambled on enough here.  The point I am trying to make is that there is more to Christmas and the holidays than gifts, especially gifts out of a perceived obligation.  This season we intend to spend less and give more, to be smart in regards to our purchases and only buy quality items that are built to last.  We intend to spend more time with family and create memories that last a lifetime, rather than purchasing cheap junk that lasts a week.  Tis’ the season for building lasting memories with family and friends.

Today was Veterans Day here in the US.  It originally started as Armistice Day as a commemoration of the end of World War I and made a national holiday in 1938 by President Woodrow Wilson.  Veterans Day is about honoring those who wore or continue to wear the uniform of our armed services.  These are the men and women who choose to serve our country.  They choose to fight for our freedoms and protect us from harm.  But while they are protecting us who is protecting them?  Who protects them from those who take advantage of their sacrifice and needlessly put them into harms way?  Much like the sidearm of a police officer our military should be used as a last resort when all diplomatic discussions have failed.  Our men and women who proudly serve should know that when they get deployed there is a damn good reason why.  I salute all the men and women serving today.  May your sacrifices not be in vain.

What a bad blogger and host I have been.  How could I not have posted anything during the entire month of October?  It’s not like there isn’t anything going on in October what with Halloween, harvest parties, the changing colors of Fall.  I gotta do better than this.  So for my first post in November I give you “Boots and Reflections”.

This is Part 3 of the Wedding Weekend series. Parts 1 and 2 can be found here and here.

So we arrived safely at Elk Lake Resort at around 3PM and the wedding ceremony was scheduled for 5PM so we had a few short hours to acclimate and get changed. We met up with family and borrowed their cabin to change into our wedding garb. By this time the jalapenos from lunch were singing a different tune and it was really off key. Needless to say this caused some concern by other family members who wanted to use the bathroom but found it unusable. But let’s not dwell on that one distasteful event. After getting dressed we headed down to where the ceremony was to take place which was right along the lake. There were log seats for everyone and a canopy setup where dinner would be served. We sat and prepared for the bride to arrive.

Finally amidst tears the bride arrived at the altar and the ceremony began.  About 1 minute into the ceremony my youngest son announced in a loud voice “I gotta go poop!!”.  Keep in mind that the altar is quite a distance from the cabins and thus anything that remotely resembles a toilet.  Since I was filming the ceremony my wife took him back to the cabin and ended up missing the entire ceremony.  There were some beautiful moments where the bride and groom shared thoughts poems and quotes with each other and then recited their own vows that each had written.  It was really touching.  It’s always uplifting to see, feel and experience the love between two people and to have those moments amidst the peacefulness of the lake and the beauty of the towering mountains was just a very special moment.

With the ceremony complete the newlyweds invited everyone to enjoy a wonderful dinner.  There was a choice of either prime rib or salmon.  I chose the salmon which was plated with a mix of potatoes, carrots and zucchini.  It was delicious as was the champagne that was flowing as free as a cascading river.  After dinner there was the cake cutting and bouquet toss.  Everyone then went back up to the cabins and changed clothes and prepared for the bonfire and s’mores (Mmmm…).  After some drinks and fun around the fire we all called it a night and retired to the cabin.  The cabin was quite rustic and smelled like you would expect an old cabin to smell.  It has a small living room, 2 very small bedrooms with beds that were apparently built for Santas elves and a cooking area.  I slept very poorly as I kept getting cold and it wasn’t until the morning light was peering through the blinds that I realized the windows were open slightly allowing cold air to seep in all night long.  It was at this time that I also discovered the thermostat for turning on the gas fireplace.  All in all it was a good weekend and a good break from the ordinary.

If you have just joined in you may want to start with the first post in this wedding weekend series, which can be found here. To recap, we arrived in Bend and enjoyed a wonderful pre-wedding family dinner. It’s now Sunday and the kids are awake and ready for the pool. But we need nourishment first and thankfully we have a free continental breakfast waiting for us courtesy of our wonderful hotel. We got downstairs before the rush of the hungry arrived and devoured everything in site. The kids got their fruity colored cereal and I got to make a couple of waffles in the cool waffle maker they had. I’m pretty sure they tasted so good because I poured and cooked them myself. After breakfast the boys were clamouring non-stop to head down to the pool. So we put on the bathing suits and headed down to the pool, which amazingly was devoid of all life. The water was really warm and the boys splashed around and indicated that they were never going to come out. Zachary, my oldest, was still having some fear about swimming and having water go over his head so we managed to coerce him into slipping on a life jacket and trying to float around a bit in the deep end a bit. After a short time he was swimming the length of the pool so we were pretty excited about seeing that. We were finally able to coax the kids out of the pool so we went back to the room and packed everything up to check out and head up to Elk Lake Resort where the wedding was to take place and where we would stay the night in some rustic cabins.

After checking out of the hotel we decided that it would be best to strap on the ol’ feedbag before heading out to the cabins, so we stopped for lunch at a place called Boston’s. It’s a gourmet pizza joint/ sports bar. The kids ordered pizza, the wife ordered an individual spicy chicken pizza and I ordered fish tacos. But before that came we enjoyed a delicious plate of nachos which was the best plate of nachos I have ever had. The jalapenos on the nachos destroyed my stomach later but looking back I still feel it was worth the suffering. Full from the meal we attempted to navigate our way out of Bend and onto the Cascade Lakes Hwy toward Elk Lake. If you have ever been to Bend you are aware that most of the intersections throughout town are actually round-abouts. Being a newb in town I had no idea how to get to the road we needed so I asked the gas station attendant if he knew. He gave me what seemed at the time fairly simple directions of going straight, turning right a Reed Market and going through and endless number of round-abouts until we were supposed to see a sign for Mt. Bachelor. We did everything as instructed except for the turn to Mt. Bachelor which resulted in us taking a 20 minute drive around Mt. Washington Road, which wasn’t too bad as we got to see a lot of Bend we hadn’t seen before. Finally after completing this large loop and ending up right back where we started we saw a sign for Mt. Bachelor and started the 40 minute drive over to Elk lake. If you have ever had the good fortune of driving this road then you are fully aware of how beautiful this drive is. I’ll conclude Part 2 with a few photos of the beauty of this area. Stay tuned for Part 3 of Wedding Weekend.