FJ sledding Videos

We finally got real snow! Not just the ice & sleet that has been pelting us for the last 24 plus hours. Big wet flakes! Not a lot, just enough to coat the ice & sleet layers on the roads up here and let us take the sled (actually it's the sand disk from White Sands but it works great for our purposes here) out behind the FJ. There are about 4 posts below with pictures of the cold, fast fun.
Here are some of the videos that I took & one that Raven took. We were out for about 45 minutes and picked up our friend Matt along the way. He went on some of the Kite buggy rides over the summer & fall behind the FJ and I seem to remember him getting hurt on those trips as well. All in good fun! Enjoy and have a good laugh on us!

well - here's one of the videos for now . .. . need to try another upload method . . . . keep posted

FJ Sleddin'

Luke

Raven & the husky Dakota that likes to come "visit" Jake

JB (notice the lack of gloves)

Matt (our friend, almost neighbor and JB's co-worker)

Elvis FJ Sleddin

Here's me in the Elvis Glasses

Raven & Luke in the Elvis Glasses

Luke Crashing! On some of his crashes Luke did "the turtle" where he was on his back on the sled but didn't let go right away.

fast freezin'

Matt about to take a big fall, I mean a big crash, right into a ditch. After that, JB & I were pretty sure that Trisha may not let Matt come play with us any more :)

Luke's last run. Faces were freezing, toes & fingers were getting numb. Good times.

Matt pulling JB - fast

Hot Dog!

Well, not exactly hot, more like not as cold and awkward when walking dog.

We think Jake liked it. I need to fashion the bottom of the shirt with some elastic to keep his back paws from getting caught.

Ice Day

The kids bundled up and enjoyed the slipping and sliding and freezing.
Oh and the bouncing. Breaking the ice was too much fun!
They used bamboo sticks to write on the pool.

Pinewood Derby Day

Luke's Den is a great group of boys. They all had fast cars, but Robby was the big winner of the Wolves.

Luke's "Cheese Wagon" won the Best Food Car. There were a number of different categories that they awarded.
Luke was very proud of his & dad's work on the cars. They learned a lot for next years derby. Everyone was impressed with the Wii remote and liked the idea and story of the Cheese Wagon.
I think that is the wheel lubricant powder on his face? who knows.

Pinewood Derby Weigh-in Night

The Wii remote car was a big hit, albeit slow. So Luke & JB decided to enter the "big cheese" into the race.
The selection of cars that the Pack entered were cool.
Here's Luke at the moment of no-return. Once he handed over the car to race, that's it. After the trial runs and the Wii remote not finishing a time or 2, the choice to enter "Cheese Wagon" was clear. Many folks thought that the reasoning for the cheese was some relation to liking the Packers, which really couldn't be further from true. Really it refers to a bus, you know "the Cheese Wagon" :)

The Tower

Well, this is Ben's Climbing Tower (might could be called The BCCT?). It's a great project and repurposing of a deer stand. JB & Ben are like monkeys on it. I, on the other hand, and still getting the "hang" of it :) Pun intended.
If you will notice, the rope from the top of the tower, around the leaning pole to JB belaying me. We decided it was a good thing I didn't take a fall. Not sure how that all would have worked out.
Also, the long shadow of the beer can may be testament of the judgment that the manner of the rigging of the ropes was a good idea. Who knows. Nonetheless, it all worked out good. The tower is fun for everyone. The girls (Raven & Delia) like the lookout aspect of it.
Looks like Delia got to add her artistic touch to the tower one nice day last week. It's a great addition, in my opinion :)

Guy's Texas Climb & Bike Trip

Recycling Symbols on Plastics - Deciphering Recycling Codes - thedailygreen.com

Recycling Symbols on Plastics - Deciphering Recycling Codes - thedailygreen.com http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/recycling-symbols-p...
theakins@sbcglobal.net sent this using ShareThis.

Cooking Lesson

Raven LOVES to be in the kitchen, especially with Papa Hurston.

This particular evening the plan was to have Meme's Fried Chicken (Yum!) - so I started prep the necessary items when I was informed by Raven that I could not do anything that had to do with the Fried Chicken. That in fact, Meme's Fried Chicken is Raven & Papa's job - only.
OK. No Problem. So I made Tender Pepper biscuits to go with the comfort food deluxe dinner at hand.
Papa took to teaching Raven the finer points of flouring, milk-bathing, dipping and frying the chicken. The following is what I picked up while Papa coached Raven.

Meme's Fried Chicken:

Ingredients ~

1 chicken with about 6 legs (or 1 whole chicken and a package of legs is a more probable find)

Vegetable oil to cover fryer pan about 3/4"
2 cups or so milk

2 cups of AP flour
with fork, stir in the following spices:
Kosher salt & ground black pepper to taste and a hand full of "special spices" that Papa finds in the spice rack. While eavesdropping, I think I heard poultry seasoning, cumin, paprika, garlic salt or powder and a little of this and little of that (we'll have to see if we can get those from Raven or Papa)

Directions ~

dredge chicken pieces lightly in flour

dip in milk

back into flour for a good dredge

into hot oil
- now, here's a good tip: strain and keep some of your frying oil from one cooking session to the next. It's best to put it into a Mason jar and keep in the fridge. Mark it as suchor someone kindly cleaning out your fridge may toss it. Also, if cooling it in a mug, please inform anyone else in the kitchen with you what the contents of the mug are, for they should not drink or toss out. (speaking from personal experience on this one. I didn't drink, but did toss one batch ONCE at Meme & Papa's house)

Frying time ~

Do not go messing with the chicken while it is cooking. Let it fry in about 1 inch or less of vegetable oil until you see the sides start to turn golden brown, turn once and allow to cook uncovered until other side is brown. This should take about 20 to 25 minutes.

Serving ~

Make your gravy after draining off most of the grease. (somewhere in there the veg oil turned into grease)
Serve with mashed potatoes & green veggie of choice (we prefer broccoli or green beans) and biscuits.

Mind you that this meal is only to be consumed upon occasion that you are prepared to work it off. There is no lack of caloric intake here :) but it sure is Yummy!

Night of Thunder

We were able to allow Raven & Luke to each take a friend with us to the Thunder game this week.

Raven picked Emmy

and Luke picked Carson

to spend the evening with us.

We took them to the Super Asian Buffet to fill up on dinner (a taste explosion in their mouths is what the kids called it) then to the game. We were there for pre-game warm-ups and they attempted to get a few autographs. I think they got 2.
It was a fun night & good game.

Here's tip-off. We had really good seats. The kids never made it on the jumbo-tron, but that didn't damper their trying! And bonus - the Thunder won!
Here's the link to the rest of the pictures: Thunder Pics 1.14.09

Bill Nye the Science Guy

I believe you have to say his name in the sing-song way - you know what I am talking about . . . Bill Nye the Science Guy . . . . anyway he has a new show on Planet Green. It is called "Stuff Happens". Check it out. There are other good shows on the channel, but Raven & Luke really enjoy this one. I think it's on Tuesdays - but I just set our DVR and it's just there when the kids want to watch it :) like magic!

Not Resolutions.

I don't like to make resolutions. It seems to me that when your “to do” list is called "resolutions" the significance seems to get lost in the expectation that they will soon be forgotten or broken - whichever the case may be.
I rather like to set goals. While working with my Brownie Troop on setting SMART goals for themselves and for cookie sells this year, I have been thinking quite a bit about the goals I want for my family and myself.
So here are some of my thoughts - I have been jotting them down on scrap paper for about 2 weeks now and need to consolidate before they get lost and fall into the resolution trap!

1. Do No Harm
2. Reduce the impact that our life has on Earth (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - sounds trite, I know, but we are really focusing and involving the whole family in the process)
3. Know where our food comes from
4. incorporate more healthful foods into my families diet (if they know it or not)
5. Enrich our kids with the means of self-sustainability - in the kitchen, outdoors, wherever and whenever possible.
6. gather all of the supplies and learn how to make cheese - good cheese
   
7. begin the process of getting our own chickens for eggs
8. set more SMART goals
9. do something healthy everyday - for self, family and earth

Now that they are in writing out in the ether - all who know can hold me accountable. That's a good thing.
Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

well, we are 4 days into 2009 and I just finished updating for 2008. Not bad.
For the Akins we are working on moving in a positive direction - in all areas of our lives. Getting healthier all the way around. I have a list of goals to post - but not today. Happy 1st Sunday of 2009!

December 26 - a good hiking day

Going up was a bit slick. The day started off foggy and humid, especially for late December in SW OK. We hit the trail about 10:30 AM - it was over cast and the granite was damp and slippery.
We managed to all make it up with out any injuries or severe tumbles.
This made a nice spot for the kids to take a quick rest.
Here's a view from the top (well almost the top - the dad's didn't feel it necessary to trek us wives and kids the rest of the way) I can't remember which this summit is called - maybe JB or Ben can help me out on this one.
After the hike we hit The Old Plantation for a late lunch. We were all really happy with our meals. Felicia & I are big fried pickle (otherwise known as "Pickle O's") fans - we split an order of wonderful fried pickles. They had a bit of spice in the batter. Lovely.
JB and I both had Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches and fried sweet potatoes - YUMMY! The sweet potatoes were crinkle cut and perfectly fried. The spicy of the sandwich and the sweet of the fries. I was a very happy girl! Everyone else liked their lunches too. It was a good day.