Second Grade Freebies: Silence for Sandy Hook Elementary

Second Grade Freebies: Silence for Sandy Hook Elementary

Bread

So this past Sunday I didn't actually have any school work, crazy I know, and so we (me and my cousin) spent the afternoon cleaning and baking.  The main living areas are all pretty much cleaned, and we have fresh homemade bread sitting on our counter.  I am super excited about this, because I have not had homemade bread in a long time, and with each bite it really does take me back to when my mom made it all the time.

The recipe.

Ingredients:
5 1/2 - 6 c. Water (wa
rm)
2 tbsp Brown sugar
1 c. Oatmeal
2 tbsp yeast
_______________

4 1/2 c. Whole wheat flour
2/3 c. Brown sugar or honey or applesauce
2/3 c. oil
2 tbsp. salt
5-6 c. white flour

Mix first ingredients, then add in the rest.
Kneed for about 8 min.  The dough should start to pull away from the side of the bowl, or not stick to your hands.
Put in 5 greased bread pans.
Let it raise for 30 min till it doubles in size.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.


When we made it I wasn't sure how it would turn out, because while mixing all the ingredients together it looked too soupy (i.e. the dough wasn't pulling away from the edge of the bowl).  But it baked up "Oh so good." It did all work out in the end, and it has been made up just fine before, so I don't know what happened this time to make it do that.

Translate button

So I added this button that translates the blog into another language.  It's from google translate, I think, so I'm not sure how well it translates the text.  But I thought it was kind of cool. :)  If you use it, let me know what think about it.

First month of school

Well, I have just finished my the first month of school for this year, and I must say that I am kept very busy running between work (4 jobs) and classes.  Looking at my class load, I don't really have much work to do, but they are still really busy.  This is because for one of my classes I have to get 8 observation hours, and while it is not a lot I just have to find a time in between all the other stuff that I am doing to go out and observe in a classroom.  I have really been enjoying this because I have been able to go to a 2nd grade classroom.  Another reason my schedule is kind of crazy is because I have to go in to the Writing Center and tutor there for 2 hours a week, so that takes up a couple evenings a week but it's been a little fun.  Then it's just the regular business from classes that can take up time and whatnot. 

I have been ale to get down to Southern to see my parents, and that is also really nice to see them. I have found that Southern is a really nice school, and since it is set right next to a mountain, slash right outside the mountains, it is in the perfect spot of rock climbing, caving, backpacking and whatnot.

So I got a recipe from my mom for bread, and I shall be making it soon and posting it up on here for those that like to do different recipes.


HAPPY THURSDAY!!!

To Write Love On Her Arm

Today, September 10, is national suicide awareness day.  Over the past couple of years, I have noticed the stickers that say "To Write LOVE On Her Arms."  The first time that I saw that, I thought "Well that is different" because I didn't really know what it was talking about.  But, then I realized that it was for awareness about people that have committed suicide, or attempted suicide.  Personally I am glad that they have something for this, because people that have attempted suicide or cut are seeking a way to escape from life.  Many people tend to look at those that cut or attempt suicide as outcasts from society, and most are not really accepted by people in "normal" society. 

Speaking from experience, cutting or attempting suicide does not really help the problems that we are going through.  I think that when people cut or attempt suicide they have sunk to such a low level that they don't really think anybody cares.  Many don't find/ask for help, and they don't want it.  When I had problems, I didn't talk to anybody, and the one person that I tried to talk to was busy and not able to respond, so it seemed like no one cared about what I was going through.  Looking back now, I know that if my friends knew what I was going through they would have tried to help me, but since I didn't say anything to them or my family.  Not speaking with anyone led to problems later in life, and it wasn't till I opened up and let them know what was going on (what went on) that I was able to accept that it was ok to feel like that. 

Now I know that there are different people that I can go to and talk to when I need help.  And what everybody that is cutting or thinking about suicide should have at least on person that they can be open with and talk to about everything, just to be accountable to someone. 

Saying this is easier said than done, but if you know someone that cuts or has attempted suicide or even mentions that they are thinking about suicide, even if  you get interested in their life and start to talk to them it can help a whole lot.  If each young person (which I think is the age of many of those that cut/attempt suicide) could have an adult mentor that they trust to just be open with, then it could help a lot in their outlook on life.

2 great recipes that go together.

So the other night I was sitting watching the food network, and thought to myself "I really need to find a great pita bread recipe."  And so I started looking around on foodnetwork.com for something, ran across two different recipes.  One was a great recipe for baking pita bread, and the other was a great dip

The first recipe is called "Baked Pita Bread" (go figure).

The ingredients are:

• 3 pitas, cut into 8 wedges

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, smashed

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

 And the directions are:

Preheat heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut pitas into 8 wedges. Pour olive oil into a bowl and add garlic, salt and pepper. Brush pita chips olive oil and garlic mixture. Arrange pita chips on baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

 The second recipe is a dip called "Avocado Goat Cheese dip."

The ingredients are:

• 1 package whole-wheat pita chips (cut into 6 triangles each)
• 3 ripe avocados, peeled pitted and cut into chunks
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more, if needed
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 4 ounces goat cheese

And the directions are:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread pita triangles on a sheet tray. Bake in the oven until crisp and slightly toasted. Chips will need to be rotated twice while baking.

In a bowl combine avocados, garlic, cumin and salt. Use an electric hand mixer to mix ingredients together. Add lime juice, cream cheese and goat cheese pulsing until smooth and blended well. Add a bit more salt, if necessary.

When I made the dip I used feta cheese, mainly because I thought that feta and goat cheese were the same thing, but come to find out they are not the same thing.  And I also didn't put in the cream cheese, which I'm assuming is there to make it creamier (once again, go figure).  But, it still turned out great, and tasted amazing.  The only complaint about the recipe that I have, although some won't mind it in there, I think it asks for too much garlic.  It's just two cloves, but it kinds permeated the entire thing.  So, maybe next time when I make it, I'll try it with less garlic and try to get the cream cheese in there. 

What I am wanting/planning to make.

Spending time looking at different cooking blogs really makes me wish that I cooked more, which unfortunately I don't have a whole lot of time to do.  But, in my perusing of these blogs I found some different  recipes that I want to make.  I am going to pass along the links to a couple recipes that I have found and want to make. 

The first one is a Blueberry Crisp Parfait.  Which thanks to getting out and getting blueberries and then freezing them, I am able to do.
http://thespicedlife.com/2012/07/blueberry-crisp-parfait.html#more-4818


The second one that I am going to try soon is a egg muffin, which would be a great way for a grab and go breakfast in the morning on the way to class/work. 
http://thespicedlife.com/2012/06/egg-muffins.html


When I get a chance to make them, I shall post my findings and pictures along with the recipe, so that others can have a chance to make them as well. 

So, until then (I'm only hoping a couple weeks, because school starts soon), have a great day, and enjoy cooking.

Maple Blueberry Syrup

So I found this recipe for a Maple Blueberry Syrup, and thought I'd give it a try.
Here is the recipe:

Maple Blueberry Syrup

3 cups water

1 (16-ounce) bag frozen blueberries, thawed or still frozen is fine.

juice of half a lemon

small handful of fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup maple syrup

soda water

In a saucepan, combine water, frozen blueberries, lemon juice (and why not toss in the entire half of lemon), mint leaves, and maple syrup.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl.  Using a spatula, press the blueberries into the strainer, releasing any juices.  Return the warm, strained liquid to the saucepan.  Bring to a boil once again, reduce heat and simmer for about 20-30 minutes, until syrup is reduced to 2 cups of liquid.

Place in a jar and allow to cool in the refrigerator.

To make blueberry soda, add a few tablespoons of blueberry syrup to iced soda water.  Enjoy!  

It said that it was supposed to make two cups, but when I made it I got a little more than that.  The other thing that I ran into was that it turned out to be more of a juice than a syrup.  I cooked it for an extra 15-20 minutes which did reduce it down more, but it was still pretty juicy.  So maybe it is just supposed to be like that. 


Part of the 6 pounds of blueberries that I happened to pick.  

Getting the different tools and ingredients together to make it. :)

I don't have a picture of the finished product, but since I plan on making it again I shall add it when I make more.  
There are other recipes that I want to make, and when I do I shall add them here with some pictures so that if someone decides to make it then they can kind of have an idea of what it is supposed to look like.

Long and Busy

This past month has been very long and busy, and also hot, hot, HOT!!!!!! I think the average temperature for each day was 95+ degrees F.
So, it's looking like I am able to do a post a month, or maybe that's just cause I'm a little lazy.  Anyways, so lets see.  In the beginning of the month, one of my friends got married.  She had an outside wedding, which was really beautiful, and the day was super great.  And, then I was able to head to Timber Ridge Camp in southern Indiana near Bloomington, and train one of the staff on how to run a rock wall.  This was very nice, because that meant that I was able to see a whole bunch of people that I hadn't seen for a long time.

But, before I went down there, my boss was gone for a week and asked me to go over and water their garden to make sure that it would still be alive by the time that they got back.  And about half way through the week, two of their flowers bloomed. 

I have no idea what type of flowers these are, I was told, but totally forgot the name. 

And, then for the rest of the month, I just worked and took my class.  I'm really enjoying the class, even though it takes a lot and there is a lot of work for it, it's nice to finally be able to know how to make a lesson plan, and a unit and yearly plan.  Every time that I would talk with my friends and be like "I have no idea how to do that," they would always be like "You haven't taken that class yet?"  Which was a no, and now I will totally understand what they are talking about. 

This past weekend, I was able to head to TRC again, even if it was just for a day.  I really miss seeing all the cub campers, and hanging out with them.  I want to work at camp again next summer, but I'm still not sure if I will be able to, because once again I will have a summer class, but it will be an online class so I'm not quite sure how that will play into the decision. 

This week is the 4th of July and that means that there should be fireworks and fun times, but with all this heat and stuff I'm not sure if there will be a lot of fireworks.  So, here's to crossing my fingers and hoping that there will be lots and lots of fireworks.  But if it doesn't rain then I suppose that there is nothing that I can do about it. 

This is the last week of my class, and I'm hoping that I do really good, and am able to turn everything in on time and pass with a good grade. 

Well, I started my class today.  And it will definitely keep me very busy, with all the reading and writing that I have to do.  But on the upside, I don't have to do my observation hours since there aren't really any school around that are doing summer stuff.  So that means that between work and school, I'm gonna be pretty busy for the next month. 

Plus, I found this recipe for Strawberry Zabaglione.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Strawberries-with-Zabaglione-242336

I'm not really sure what it is, but I kinda wanna try it.  Maybe one day, I'm gonna try to make it. 
But, in the mean time, I shall endeavor to make some banana bread. :)

Life

Ok, so I know it's been such a long time since I have done a new blog update.  So here is the update on what has been happening in my life.

May:
Finished school, and passed all my classes with great grades.  Started a new job on campus, working for the maintenance in the electrical department.  I get to go around campus, and change out the old lights and ballasts (it's like the battery for the light), and put in new lamps and ballasts if needed.  Lately we have been focused on going through the library and changing every single light fixture in the building.  It's been pretty rough, because normally I am the only one that is there working, and so I had to go out and borrow some audio books in order not to get super bored.  :)  On that note, I highly recommend that you read any books by Clive Cussler.  He is my favorite author by far, and the characters that he uses are very interesting and seem like real people once you get to know them.

About the middle of  May, I was able to take a trip to the Red River Gorge in Kentucky and learn how to properly set up a top rope anchor and belaying for rockclimbing. n I went down with my cousin and her boyfriend, and we all loved it and want to go out to try out what we learned in the course.  The course that I took was the Rock 101 from Fox Mountain Guides out of South Carolina.  If somebody was to take a course in order to learn how to rockclimb, then this is the company that I would recommend to them. We also learned how to "clean" a route, in order to do this you have to climb up and then hook yourself into the anchor then "clean" all the equipment off of the wall.  It's a little complicated, and I am still not sure if I totally understand how to do it correctly.  But, then I guess that is what practice is for.

June:
I am still working part-time at the day care on campus, so I am able to still see the kids over there, at least once a week. One of my friends got married, and they had such a great wedding, plus I met some really cool people there.  And a really cute girl. ;)  I just bought a new computer (this is what I am writing this blog on).
This next weekend, I am headed down to Timber Ridge Camp to train in the staff that is working on the climbing wall there, so that he knows what he is doing, and so the kids all stay safe.  I'm a little excited about his, because I wasn't sure if i was going to be able to go to camp at all, but now I will be there for at least on day (even if it is with just the camp staff).


Now that I have this new computer, which by the way is smaller and faster than my other one, maybe I will be able to keep my blog updated more often.

Staying in a Hostel.

One more thing that my friend wrote.  This is his, "6 Essential Questions to Ask Before Staying in a Hostel" article.  It is very interesting, and well written.  I just wish that I had thought of these first, but oh well.  I do agree with what he said though, and wish I had known some of this when I was in Europe. 

The hostel traveler is often one who seeks adventure, has a passion for making new friends, and desires to avoid the corporate world of hotels and resorts (either by choice or due to a collegiate budget). When deciding to go the route of the hostel, it is necessary to examine whether or not it will fit with your level of comfort – while the hosteling world is friendly, it is also a little dirtier, rougher, and less refined then traveling with Hilton.
Here are 6 questions to ask yourself before planning your hostel stay:
Question #1: What does my budget allow?
Many people stay in hostels simply because it is less expensive (although this is not as true in the United States as it is in the rest of the world). If your finances are limited to $50-$100/day in Europe or $25-$50/day in South America and Asia, then the hostel may be your best, and only, financial option.
Question #2: Can I handle roommates?
One of the greatest thrills, and fears, of hostel travel is the fact that you will be sharing a room with 3-20 other travels of either gender. This is great for people interested in meeting others, but this also means that you will have people entering and leaving the room at all hours, whispered conversations throughout the night, and alarms blaring at 5 am.
Question #3: Do I have valuables that I cannot lose?
There is a common respect between hostellers. I accidently left my passport on my bed while showering and it was still there when I returned. I have also seen iPods, phones, and cameras that people have left in the room all day – with no problem. But sadly there are still crooks. If you have large sums of cash, important documents, or equipment worth thousands of dollars, you may prefer the safety of your own room in a hotel.
Question #4: What kinds of attractions do I want to experience?
Hostelling gives you an “in” that is often missed out when staying at a resort. Most hostellers want to get past the traditional touristy activities and will talk with locals and other travellers to find venues and attractions that the family with 2.3 kids from Manhattan will miss out on. Hostels are a great place to get insights from other travelers and locals on the best places to check out in a city.
Question #5: Do I want social interaction with people outside my group?
If you are going on vacation with your family or a “clicky” group of friends, then even if you stay in hostels you may not get the full hostel experience. But if you are traveling alone, with a small group, or an incredibly social group, then hostels are perfect. Breakfast is eaten together, stories are swapped, and you find a new best friend every day.
From my personal experience, while in Rome I travelled to the Vatican with a Frenchman and a Mexican one day, went to the Coliseum with a few girls from Denmark the next day, and then spent my last day at a Mediterranean beach with an Australian and two America girls studying abroad. Hostels are great for making friends and creating stories together.
Question #6: Do I have common sense?
Those who chose to travel by hostel often have little money – which means that you will try to cut costs wherever possible. Be careful. It is common knowledge that all travelers have some money, and in some countries, a broke Westerner is still rich. Be smart, use common sense, and your trip will be memorable and enjoyable.
Do It!

Hostel travel is a blast - especially for college students. I did my first big trip before Facebook – but several trips since then I have made friends who I still keep in touch with over the internet. In fact, if you’re social enough during your travels, the next trip you go on may be to visit friends you have made through previous travels.
Backpacking Europe or Asia is something that every college student should experience. As you discover the giganticness of the world, the incredible variety of cultures and peoples, you discover the smallness of your previous world. Traveling provides you with perspective – and gaining new perspectives is invaluable in business, relationships, and success in life.

This article was written by Rob Erich.

15 things to get rid of:

So, I saw this a while ago, and then again just recently and thought I would share it.  It really makes you think about what is "needed" in your life and what makes you happy.  I thought it was really good. 




Here is a list of 15 things which, if you give up on them, will make your life a lot easier and much, much happier. We hold on to so many things that cause us a great deal of pain, stress and suffering – and instead of letting them all go, instead of allowing ourselves to be stress free and happy – we cling on to them. Not anymore. Starting today we will give up on all those things that no longer serve us, and we will embrace change. Ready? Here we go:

1. Give up your need to always be right

 There are so many of us who can’t stand the idea of being wrong – wanting to always be right – even at the risk of ending great relationships or causing a great deal of stress and pain, for us and for others. It’s just not worth it. Whenever you feel the ‘urgent’ need to jump into a fight over who is right and who is wrong, ask yourself this question: “Would I rather be right, or would I rather be kind?” Wayne Dyer. What difference will that make? Is your ego really that big?

2. Give up your need for control

Be willing to give up your need to always control everything that happens to you and around you – situations, events, people, etc. Whether they are loved ones, coworkers, or just strangers you meet on the street – just allow them to be. Allow everything and everyone to be just as they are and you will see how much better will that make you feel.

“By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond winning.” Lao Tzu

3. Give up on blame

 Give up on your need to blame others for what you have or don’t have, for what you feel or don’t feel. Stop giving your powers away and start taking responsibility for your life.

4. Give up your self-defeating self-talk

 Oh my. How many people are hurting themselves because of their negative, polluted and repetitive self-defeating mindset? Don’t believe everything that your mind is telling you – especially if it’s negative and self-defeating. You are better than that.
“The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive.” Eckhart Tolle

5. Give up your limiting beliefs

about what you can or cannot do, about what is possible or impossible. From now on, you are no longer going to allow your limiting beliefs to keep you stuck in the wrong place. Spread your wings and fly!
“A belief is not an idea held by the mind, it is an idea that holds the mind” Elly Roselle

6. Give up complaining

 Give up your constant need to complain about those many, many, maaany things – people, situations, events that make you unhappy, sad and depressed. Nobody can make you unhappy, no situation can make you sad or miserable unless you allow it to. It’s not the situation that triggers those feelings in you, but how you choose to look at it. Never underestimate the power of positive thinking.

7. Give up the luxury of criticism

Give up your need to criticize things, events or people that are different than you. We are all different, yet we are all the same. We all want to be happy, we all want to love and be loved and we all want to be understood. We all want something, and something is wished by us all.

8. Give up your need to impress others

Stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not just to make others like you. It doesn’t work this way. The moment you stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not, the moment you take off all your masks, the moment you accept and embrace the real you, you will find people will be drawn to you, effortlessly.

9. Give up your resistance to change

 Change is good. Change will help you move from A to B. Change will help you make improvements in your life and also the lives of those around you. Follow your bliss, embrace change – don’t resist it.
“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls” Joseph Campbell

10. Give up labels

 Stop labeling those things, people or events that you don’t understand as being weird or different and try opening your mind, little by little. Minds only work when open. “The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you don’t know anything about.” Wayne Dyer

11. Give up on your fears

Fear is just an illusion, it doesn’t exist – you created it. It’s all in your mind. Correct the inside and the outside will fall into place.
“The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.” Franklin D. Roosevelt

12. Give up your excuses

Send them packing and tell them they’re fired. You no longer need them. A lot of times we limit ourselves because of the many excuses we use. Instead of growing and working on improving ourselves and our lives, we get stuck, lying to ourselves, using all kind of excuses – excuses that 99.9% of the time are not even real.

13. Give up the past

I know, I know. It’s hard. Especially when the past looks so much better than the present and the future looks so frightening, but you have to take into consideration the fact that the present moment is all you have and all you will ever have. The past you are now longing for – the past that you are now dreaming about – was ignored by you when it was present. Stop deluding yourself. Be present in everything you do and enjoy life. After all life is a journey not a destination. Have a clear vision for the future, prepare yourself, but always be present in the now.

14. Give up attachment

This is a concept that, for most of us is so hard to grasp and I have to tell you that it was for me too, (it still is) but it’s not something impossible. You get better and better at with time and practice. The moment you detach yourself from all things, (and that doesn’t mean you give up your love for them – because love and attachment have nothing to do with one another,  attachment comes from a place of fear, while love… well, real love is pure, kind, and self less, where there is love there can’t be fear, and because of that, attachment and love cannot coexist) you become so peaceful, so tolerant, so kind, and so serene. You will get to a place where you will be able to understand all things without even trying. A state beyond words.

15. Give up living your life to other people’s expectations

Way too many people are living a life that is not theirs to live. They live their lives according to what others think is best for them, they live their lives according to what their parents think is best for them, to what their friends, their enemies and their teachers, their government and the media think is best for them. They ignore their inner voice, that inner calling. They are so busy with pleasing everybody, with living up to other people’s expectations, that they lose control over their lives. They forget what makes them happy, what they want, what they need….and eventually they forget about themselves.  You have one life – this one right now – you must live it, own it, and especially don’t let other people’s opinions distract you from your path.

Ok, so here are a few more pictures from over spring break. 

This is the view almost outside of my room. 

 Sunset the first night that we were there.

 And then just a couple minutes into it, and this showed up.  Amazing!

 Saw this on my little snorkel tour down on the beach in front of the resort.

 Can you see the fish??

 Pelican, going after something.  I think.

 Even the iguanas get a home.

 There is Mister Iguana right now.

Our dive masters for the trip.  Shandra and her boyfriend John.

This was a very good trip, and I would gladly go again.  But, now it is time for studying for finals. 

Spring Break 2012

Every year my friends tell me about all the awesome adventure they are going to go on for spring break, and every year I have to stay home and work.  But this year was different, I was the one who got to tell them of the awesome adventure I was headed on.  This semester I took a scuba diving class, in order to get my advanced scuba license. And for spring break the entire class went down to Cozumel, Mexico.  There was a total of 42 of us that went down there for the week. 

We left the school at 3:00am Sunday morning in order to get to Chicago by 5am, to fly out about 7am, to get to Mexico by 9am.  Then we went diving that afternoon after getting just a couple hours rest.  I did a total of 10 dives the entire week:  6 boat dives, 3 shore dives (walking in from the beach), and one night dive.
I just want to say that this is the first time that I have ever, and I mean EVER been diving in clear water.  Any of the lakes/quarries that  I have been to have had the worst visibility any where, and the water down in Cozumel was like 100 feet (or more) of visibility.  It was amazing.

Anyways, so some of the different animals that I saw down there was a Mola Mola (which is a sunfish), some sea cucumbers, star fish, 2 sea turtles, 4 octopuses, king crabs, a bunch of barracuda, some eels, lots and LOTS of coral, and a whole lot of tropical fish.
We saw the mola mola on the first boat dive that we did, and after we got back to the boat and everybody was on board, the dive master was super excited about it and freaking out and stuff, and we were all like "oh that's cool, it's a big fish."  Not realizing that they live at around 3,000 feet, and only come up to the surface every so often.  The one that we saw, must have been really big, because he was quite a ways away from us.  Oh, we also saw a bunch of lobsters on some dives.  OH!!!!  Ok, so we were nearing the end of one of our dives, and I'm at the back of the group with my dive buddy and our instructor, when I look over to my left and there is this giant ray gliding through the water.  I grabbed my buddies arm and pointed it out to him, and then waved my hands until the instructor saw it.  I guess what we saw was a giant eagle ray, and the instructor said that it was the biggest one that he has ever seen and that it was probably around 12 feet across.  Which was HUGE!!!!  I was super excited because I spotted it all by myself. :)


Here are a couple photos from one of the day's that we went out.

Here we are getting onto the boat:

This was the entire group on our boat:

My and the boat driver, Captain Chuck Norris (They said that I looked like him, mainly because of the mustache):

 Part of our group for this trip:

 ME!!!!!

This was made in my class this past semester.  I took an Introduction to Photography class,
and our final project was to make a book of our best photos, and this is my book.

New Day....Different Week by William Reichert | Make Your Own Book

New Years plans!

This is late, but then its still the New Year, so its ok. :D

So this year to celebrate the New Year, my uncle and cousins decided to start a new family tradition, that of swimming in Lake Michigan to welcome in the year.
They had it down to the second:
0:60 left ~ take off outer clothing
0:30 left ~ get out of the car
0:15 left ~ start running for the water
0:00 ~ in the water.
The plan worked out just like he said.

Well, needless to say, with going for a swim in Lake Michigan in just the swim trunks, in the middle of winter will be cold.  And believe you me: IT WAS SUPER COLD!!!!!!!  And while at the moment I say that I won't do it again, I've been told that I will do it next year or I will be forced to do it.  Now how's that for loving cousins. :)