The Screwy Life of a Grewe

Motto

2012-02-01T23:34:00.000-07:00

This is our family motto.

A good way to live life.

High Enough to Kiss Heaven

2012-01-28T16:42:00.001-07:00

A beautiful day on Mt Hood.

Portland with the kiddos

2012-01-22T19:58:00.001-07:00

That night it snowed, I found these three cuddled in my bed.

Snow

2012-01-15T12:55:00.004-07:00

Woke up this morning to snow falling.

Finally feels like winter in January.

We've Got Company

2012-01-13T14:37:00.002-07:00

We were pleasantly surprised when Duke's sister Mary told us Monday that they were coming to stay with us for the weekend. We are so excited to ski TLine with them and take them into Portland.
This did force us to whip our guest room into shape. Our basement has been a storage facility since we moved in, so we got a mattress from Duke's work and put the Jensen's room together.

We also painted the bottom of our coffee table to lighten up our living room.

You can see the before in this picture.

After

So our house is up and ready for some party time this weekend.

Campaign 2012

2012-01-07T23:47:00.003-07:00

If we were to run...

Who would you vote for?
I personally think Duke looks like political eye candy...

10 of '11 Grewe Style

2012-01-03T22:26:00.005-07:00

10. Punchbowl Falls. Best hike ever.

9. Beaching. I build my life around being in beautiful places. Utah, New England, The Tetons and now Oregon. The Oregon coast is second to none. Betsy and I enjoyed several trips with friends and family out to the beach this year I even got a couple night stay in Lincoln City with the Jensens.

8. Church. Betsy and I get to work with the youth at church. Its our job to give the kids reasons to do the right thing and hope to heaven they do. I am surprised how much more difficult being a teenager in Sandy, Oregon in 2011 is than being one in Logan ten years ago. These kids are tempted with things I never even dreamed about and they usually only speak in text message language. These kids are top notch.

7. Work. Betsy and I no longer need birth control now that she spends her days at the Mt Hood Athletic Club day care. That being said, we are grateful that in the era of 10% unemployment that she has a job. (Insert rant about a do-nothing congress here.)

6. Seattle. You know that look that little kids get when they walk in the gate of Disneyland and see the castle and lose their frickin' mind with excitement? That happened to Betsy at Pike's Place Market. Never had she seen such a cornucopia of flowers, fruit and weird crafty things. 5 hours later it happened to me at Safeco field. I love going to baseball games. I love eating ball park food. Seattle was awesome.

5. Two birds. One stone. We had the most family packed week of our lives in Utah one weekend when we got to see both the Williams clan and the Grewes. We ate lots of food and turns out, when you're the aunt and uncle they only see once a year, you're kind of a big deal.

4. 2lips. Or is it tulips? We went to the wooden shoe tulip farm in may. I'll let the pictures do the talkin.

3. Apple cider and pig meat. Parkdale, Oregon has got 3 things going for it.

1. More fresh fruit then you can shake a stick at. (who made up that saying?)

2. A really big volcano.
3. the best $6 BBQ sandwich. Ever. Seriously.

2. Skiing. I skied in every month of 2011. By definition that makes me cool. The late Shane McConkey said, “If you're doing what you love every day... you're happy all the time..... that doesn't suck.” That sums up life for me working on the mountain.

1. Moving. We don't have much to complain about but for a while in 2011, we had neighbors that were worthy of our whining. We heard them laugh, cry, watch movies and well..... other stuff. So in November, we started renting an awesome house here in Sandy. Our TV is loud, our dancing is frequent and we absolutely love it. Win.

Try that on for size 2012

What are you doing New Years Eve?

2011-12-30T11:29:00.002-07:00

Who knew Joseph Gordon-Levitt had pipes of gold?

Enjoy.

2 Posts in one day

2011-12-29T17:15:00.005-07:00

With a new year approaching, I took down my Christmas decorations and got my new house in order.

Come see us soon.

Post Christmas

2011-12-29T16:44:00.000-07:00

Duke ordered my favorite caramels from
Pagosa Springs, CO

This is what Duke had me open on Christmas Eve

Our beautiful Christmas morning

Facetime with our family all Christmas long.

Until next year.

Atta boy Clarence

2011-12-25T21:52:00.011-07:00

Hope everyone had a very very merry Christmas! We had a festive day filled with music, food, naps, holiday movies and games.

The lovely Jimmy Stewart in "It's a Wonderful Life"

Here's hoping we all remember it's a wonderful life we live. May we all keep the spirit of Christmas year 'round.

Sneaking a peek...

2011-12-23T15:03:00.001-07:00

Duke couldn't handle it anymore and convinced me to open my big gift early. Best-Christmas-Ever.

I'm so so so excited and had no idea it was coming. I've spent the last 18 hours reading manuals and taking pictures of our house.

Merry Christmas Eve Eve.

Pine Cones and Halle Berry.

2011-12-18T18:58:00.001-07:00

You know that Christmas song that sings, "pine cones and holly berries..."... well Duke's been singing the lyrics with "Halle Berry" and "Katy Perry" all day.

We are really excited for Christmas, and I can't believe it's only a week away. This week, I will be cooking a lot for the holidays and thought I would share one of out new favorite winter meals.

Have you ever had Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana? Well this recipe is better than theirs. I found it on Pinterest here and it's delicious. I love it with spicy sausage, Duke likes the mild-- for kids, I would definitely do mild.

Zuppa Toscana

4 slices bacon, diced
1 lb ground Italian sausage
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups (32 oz) chicken stock
3 cups russet potatoes, cubed
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups kale, in bite size pieces
1 cup heavy whipping cream
parmesan cheese, grated

In a large pot, cook the bacon until crispy. Drain the grease. Add the sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks. Once sausage is browned and crumbled, drain off grease leaving a tbsp to saute the onion.

Push the sausage and bacon to the edge of the pot and add the onion to the center; saute until translucent; add garlic; saute until fragrant.

Stir in the stock and potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Add kale and heavy whipping cream. Bring to a simmer. Top with parmesan cheese, when serving.

It's delicious and we are having it tonight for dinner. For dessert we are enjoying using one of our favorite wedding gifts. The mouthwatering Coco Latte Machine.

You may think that's milk in those mugs, nope it's the froth on top of the coco. Delish! Duke is a big fan...

I'm on the ball and the gifts are all wrapped, the cards are sent out and I have my menu for Christmas Eve and Christmas all planned out.

I've been in the Christmas spirit since Halloween, but it's finally close enough that I can wear my festive attire.

While I make the Coco Latte (watch the machine do it's magic), Duke lovingly looks after the fire. I think he's falling in love with the wood burning stove.

We are watching Prep & Landing tonight by the fire and maybe the Holiday, if I can convince Duke.

Pine cones and holly berries

Popcorn for you, apples for me

Red striped candy, nut cracker handy

Kettle a-bubbling hot as can be.

Snow clouds hang low and threatening

Maybe it won't, praying it may

The brightest fireplace glows in every face

Waiting for Christmas Day.

Love, the Grewe's

2011-12-11T23:25:00.002-07:00

Photos by Melanie Atkinson

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2011-12-10T15:11:00.003-07:00

First turkey in a new kitchen

2011-11-29T18:47:00.004-07:00

Thanksgiving came and went. We had our first Thanksgiving away from family with some friends. I made my first turkey-- a 17 pounder! I was so nervous to do it, but thanks to my mom's step by step instructions, we managed really well.

I'm getting used to our new kitchen, it's smaller than our apartment, but I'm finding storage wherever I can.

You may notice our cow towel holder-- best $2 I ever spent!

Now that the house is in order, Duke has been trying to get me up to the mountain to ski. Today was my first day back of the season.

It was a beautiful clear day above the fog and we had the mountain to ourselves. It was a fabulous day.

Our New Digs

2011-11-20T17:38:00.003-07:00

As requested...

Still much to do, but we are excited and happy to be here in our new home.

P.S. Only 34 days to Christmas.

Swedish Meatballs

2011-11-11T22:23:00.001-07:00

We racked up $28 worth of free food at IKEA tonight.

Two words: Belly ache.

Home is where the neighbors aren't.

2011-11-06T21:07:00.000-07:00

We are moving!

Whoo hoo. We found a house 2 minutes from our apartment for rent. It's a 3 bedroom/2 bath home with garage and huge deck. It's surrounded by trees in a very quiet neighborhood. We are excited to retire from apartment living, especially because our neighbors love to party and pump up the bass.

The only downside is my kitchen will be about 1/2 the size as mine right now, but that won't stop me from cooking a huge Thanksgiving feast with friends this year.

We start moving the 16th and I'm counting down the days.

Oh, and the best part, it has a wood burning stove-- I'm in love!

Christmas came early!

2011-10-30T18:31:00.000-07:00

I just love my husband's job. He gets loads of free stuff and sometimes shares with me. Tonight we looked at the Dakine website and I got to pick out some "early christmas presents".

Hooray for all things free!

As two lumberjacks would say...

2011-10-29T10:32:00.001-07:00

Have a Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-11T14:37:00.005-07:00

We picked out our pumpkins yesterday at a farm about 15 minutes from our house. We practically had the whole place to ourselves.

We came home with these beauties-

We also picked up some Halloween candy on the way home... Duke sure enjoyed it.

The Latest

2011-10-05T13:33:00.000-07:00

I made this banner last night while Duke was at a scouting meeting.

I had the linen, twine and paint so it was completely FREE- which is my favorite price.

This is what's cooking.

2011-09-28T22:02:00.001-07:00

Seems like Fall has inspired me to spend lots of time in the kitchen.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Apple & Pear Pie

Almond Granola

Canned Peaches

I even made homemade lasagna last night, zucchini spice bread and a kick-butt pumpkin black bean bake I posted about here.

Tomorrow's menu consists of pumpkin ricotta stuffed shells (can you tell yet that I'm a pumpkin junkie).

It might be a crazy phase but I don't hear Duke complaining.

A Fall Hurrah!

2011-09-24T18:58:00.003-07:00

This is how our morning started.
A ride up the Magic Mile to the top of Mt. Hood

The ride down was beautiful, perhaps a little scary- but mostly beautiful.

We headed over to Parkdale for some Fruit Loop awesomeness.
We made a stop at Apple Valley BBQ.
*I am from Texas so I give myself authority to say what is good BBQ, and this was definitely good BBQ. Really really good BBQ. The sauce was made with apple cider-- yeah, chew on that for a minute.

Then we headed to Kiyokawa Family Orchards-- our main reason for the trip.

We made quite the haul -- apples, pears, baby pumpkins and cider. We got everything we set out to get.

My apples match my mixer so well, don't you think? Hehe

Last night I found this beauty at the goodwill--

an antique dough bowl

I used my baby pumpkins to spice it up for a bit of fall decor.

I made some homemade granola this afternoon-- something I've been putting off all week. It made the house smell so delightful. Imagine the smells of Vanilla, and almond extract- ohhhh ahhhh.

If you are a fan of Pinterest, you may have seen TP roll art floating around. I tried my hand at it and made this little beauty. She is hanging in our bedroom while I debate whether to paint her or not.

Anywho, tomorrow I'm making an apple pie from the apples I got today and Roasted Tomato and Basil soup. Since it is officially Fall, I'm fully jumping in-- in case you haven't noticed...

Hurrah!

Pumpkin Black Bean Bake

2011-09-20T11:46:00.000-07:00

We made this last night for dinner and it was delicious. It's a perfect Fall meal.

Makes: 6 servings

Prep: 30 minutesBake: 20 minutes 400 degrees F

ingredients

1
lb. ground beef
2
cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled pumpkin or winter squash
1
medium onion, coarsely chopped
1
15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1
cup frozen whole kernel corn
1
4-oz. can diced green chiles
1/2
tsp. salt
1/2
cup lower-sodium beef broth
1
3-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1
8-1/2-oz. pkg. corn muffing mix
1
egg, lightly beaten
1/3
cup milk
1/3
cup Pumpkin Puree, or canned pumpkin
Jalapeño-Olive Relish (optional)

directions

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In large skillet cook ground beef, pumpkin, and onion over medium heat until meat is browned and onion tender, breaking up ground beef with spoon; drain fat. Stir in black beans, corn, chiles, and salt. Heat through. Stir in broth and cream cheese until blended. Transfer mixture to 2-1/2-quart baking dish.

2.In medium bowl stir together corn muffin mix, egg, milk, and Pumpkin Puree until just combined. Spoon over beef mixture.

3.Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into topper comes out clean. Serve with Jalapeño-Olive Relish.

4.Jalapeño-Olive Relish: In small bowl combine 1/4 cup halved pitted green olives; 1 to 2 jalapeño peppers,* sliced; 6 cherry tomatoes, quartered; and 1 to 2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro. Makes 6 servings.

ENJOY!

Seattle in September

2011-09-18T20:11:00.001-07:00

This weekend we headed to see some old friends, the Bills, in nearby Washington. We enjoyed our first day around Gig Harbor. The downtown was adorable and we loved walking the docks.

We took the ferry from Bremerton to Seattle and I couldn't believe how beautiful the Seattle skyline is. The ferry ride took an hour and dropped us about 3 blocks from Pike St.

We hit up Pike Place, one of my new favorite places.

These guys are the famous fish flyers.

We got apple cider, some of the juiciest nectarines and pumpkin butter that I'm loving.

We had lunch at Beecher's for their world famous mac'n'cheese.

We even hit up a Mariner's game against the Rangers. Duke was so convinced he would catch a ball. We enjoyed fabulous seats (thanks Bills!) and delicious food. Ivar's famous fish and chips and chocolate covered strawberries were among the list.

We had so much fun with the Bills and in Seattle- I can't wait to go back!

A day in the life- the Coast

2011-09-10T19:44:00.002-07:00

We woke up early this morning and headed to Cannon Beach.

Our morning started out with a crepe-- might I say it was a delicious crepe.

Then we headed to our favorite dive for lunch.

Pacific Cod and Fries

Clam Chowder in a Bread Bowl

We chilled by haystack rock for a while...

Then headed to Astoria and crossed the freaking long bridge to Washington.

I watched my favorite animals, the pelicans, dive for their food-- it looks like they have gotten shot and they dive straight into the water. It's incredible.

Then we headed to Astoria Column for some spectacular views,

and a crazy climb up a spiral staircase.

We loved the coast today and are headed to Seattle for our next adventure. Much love.

this-n-that

2011-09-05T13:35:00.002-07:00

Ever notice what flowers can do for your home? While at the Farmer's Market Saturday, I picked up these babies, some raspberries and some honey.

While at the Farmer's Market, my ears were pleased to hear this band:

10 oldies playing their hearts out. I love this place.

Anywho, I'm itching for Fall, which is why we had chicken and dumplings last night and I'm off to make these pumpkin cookies. They are my fave.

Enjoy the cooler weather!

Random Paragraphs.

2011-09-02T22:51:00.000-07:00

1 year later, we are still in oregon. It's been said that oregon is “where young people go to retire” and while we definitely aren't retired it sometimes feels like it. For 2 years I worked more than full time with a full school load. Now having only one focus has allowed me to step back and appreciate the things I really love. Betsy and I spend more time together than any married couple I've ever known and we love (most) every minute of it. I get to golf a lot. I get to ski year round. I still love to learn, and I love it even more now that I can learn about whatever I want. ( I am going to be the first person ever to read all of wikipedia.) I love my job, and I pretty darn good at it most of the time. So yes, we are happy.

I listen to 2 talk radio stations. One is conservative the other is progressive neither of them are right. I don't remember the 60's or the 1850's or the 1770's but I suspect that the political climate then felt a lot like it does now. We have elected leaders stifling our progress as a people in order to make the other guys look bad. Others are making ridiculous statements to the press just to get notice. We are expecting unreasonable people to make reasonable decisions. It simply won't happen and sadly 4 years of Barack Obama or Rick Perry or Mitt Romney and a dysfunctional congress isn't going to change that. As with the aforementioned times, I suspect some sort of revolution (hopefully a peaceful one) will have to take place before much gets done in the way of solving our problems. I am completely disenfranchised by both major parties.

I took a ski lesson today. I have not thought about how to make a ski turn.....ever. I was blessed to learn to ski before my memory kicked in. It was like someone trying to teach me how to walk, my muscle memory is so engrained that trying to tell them to behave differently caused them to roll their eyes at me and say 'we know how to do this already, stop bugging us'. It like my legs are teenagers: they think they know everything and get pissed by the suggestion of a new way of looking at things.

I read a novel this week. I don't usually read fiction. This one was called Abraham lincoln: vampire hunter. It was part lincoln biography part B movie monster thriller. I enjoyed it. It correctly represented vampires as soulless monsters that want to kill people and drink their blood not as good looking angst ridden teenagers who struggle necking their girlfriends. Its about time we got back to some good old monsters.

I miss the cabin. A few years back I wrote a blog post about my happy places. One of them is henry's lake idaho at 'Grewe station' . That place brings out that carefree attitude I had as a six year old better than any other place in the world. Sadly, being so far away, I didn't make it there this summer. That needs to change.

I don't fear food anymore. I can eat tomatoes now. I don't even cringe. I tried salmon the other day. I don't care if betsy puts onions in our meals. We even eat some meals with out meat. Thats a huge change for me. For the better I guess.

If your still reading, I am surprised. Isn't it weird how we all use the internet to peak in on the lives of people we don't see very often. Think about all of your facebook style friends. How much do you know about their current life? How many pictures of their kids have you seen this month? How often do you start sentences with “ I saw on facebook that.....” I do that a lot. Now how often do you actually speak to this person... mono-e-mono. Isn't that weird? Actually, when was the last time you and I talked? Are you just one of my wife's friends that blog stalks us? That really weird. But, that's cool with me I guess. I hope that didn't make you uncomfortable. Seems like we know everything about everyone with out having to put the effort into actually talking to them. I am not sure if this is good or bad. It's probably both.

Good night!

-duke

ps. I am not spell checking this.

Minute to Win It

2011-08-24T14:16:00.003-07:00

Have you ever watched that show? It's awesome and the challenges are stuff you can do at home.
One such challenge involves balancing a cookie on your forehead and getting it into your mouth only using your face.

Give it a try, it's not as easy as it looks.

This other video should win most licks in a minute. My little niece Lucy.

Drumroll....

2011-08-20T17:43:00.000-07:00

Here she is in all her glory.

Cookies last night, bread tonight.

Endless possibilities.

Hither and Thither

2011-08-17T19:46:00.003-07:00

Hither:

Last weekend our pals Bennett and Katie invited us to camp up by Hood. We headed up to Zig Zag and drove to our campsite off Lolo Pass. It was secluded and serene.

Katie had a book of questions that we answered sitting around the fire.

We love camping and it was awesome to have super soft mossy ground to lay on. Thanks Johnsons for inviting us!

Thither:
After Duke got off work today we visited Sandy Farms to pick some berries for some cobbler.

All berries were a buck a pound.

Some of the berries were huge!

Our fingers did get a little cut up from the boysenberry bushes.

Delish!
We just love being Oregonians.

Not intended for internet junkies

2011-08-16T19:48:00.003-07:00

Time magazine announced the 50 best websites of 2011.

I found these interesting.

Dear Photograph
The idea is take a snapshot and hold it against the original setting. Looking at family photos of strangers has never been so transfixing.

Howcast
Basically any how-to video out there.

Proust
An online scrapbook. You answer the questions it asks with text, photos and video. Little by little, you reconstruct the story of your life.

Wonderopolis
How does an eraser work? You can find that out and millions of other fun facts. PS people used rolled up pieces of break to remove pencil marks before the eraser was invented...

GetHuman
Opens the thousands of companies that are in hiding with an actual phone numbers to talk to a human. Never again will you have to hear that damn recorded voice.

Science Daily
Who knew scientists were discovering things everyday. Doctors are making medical breakthroughs. This website gives you all science related info in an eye opening way.

DuckDuckGo
Like early google. Straight forward search engine with a no nonsense privacy policy. Also has only one full time employee.

Hipmunk
Never has booking a flight been so easy. Hipmunk searches all major airlines and has a cool flying squirrel on the front page.

Pinterest
One of my personal favorite sites, lets you organize things you like in categories. You can follow friends and get direct links to the source of all pictures.

Freerice
Answer the multiple choice question correctly and sponsors will donate 10 grains of rice to the U.N. World Food Programme.

Open Yale Courses
Want to go to Yale but don't have the cash or brains? This site gives you 35 full blown online free courses from the prestigious school.

It's not like I didn't already spend too much time on the computer...

I hate hummus.

2011-08-15T23:26:00.002-07:00

I find a recipe for a greek salad.

Hummus is in the recipe.

I grocery shop.

The checker at Fred Meyer price checks it.

Standing and waiting 10 minutes.

Get home.

Spend 20 minutes slicing:

Roma Tomatoes,

Kalamata Olives,

Cucumber,

Red Pepper

Green onion.

Mix in the hummus and greek yogurt.

I taste.

I trash.

DiGiorno for dinner.

I hate hummus.

Over the river and through the woods...

2011-08-11T15:24:00.003-07:00

We have had a great summer so far. Pleasant weather and good company has kept us busy outside and sightseeing. The Maughan's came for a visit a few weeks ago and we got to show them Portland for the first time. We took them to the Spaghetti Factory along the river.

Duke and Blair had fun playing with her balloon.

We also took them to Cannon Beach so Blair could see the ocean.

She was a big fan!

We played in the water, had fish and chips and went to the candy shop. It was extremely productive.

We went to Boise for Loren's baptism last weekend and had a blast. Uncharacteristic of me I only took one picture:

But, that about sums up the trip.

We celebrated Duke's 25th birthday while in Boise. He got a plethora of giftcards, so once we got home we had a day of shopping at Home Depot, Golfsmith, and Target. I'm especially excited for his choice in Community season 2 from Target (thanks mom and dad).

PS guess what I just ordered:

I'm thrilled beyond belief, and can't wait.

Productivity

2011-07-30T15:57:00.010-07:00

having the power of producing; generative; creative: a productive effort.

We made sling bags with the YW this morning. I used some old blue and white tiny pinstripe fabric.

Has inner and outer pocket.

Notice the tan-ness. Yes, tan-ness

And...

Made my mom's salsa recipe.

Also, I have not cut my hair this summer. I'm quite proud of myself.

I experienced my first spray tan which was quite the experience-- I felt ridiculous posing to be sprayed, thank heavens no one can see you-- right? right?

Lack of productivity:

Farewell.

Being a skiers wife has it's perks.

2011-07-20T15:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Duke called me and told me to pick out Smith sunglasses we were going to get for free.

Duke and I both liked these, so we will share- cough cough

This one is Duke's pick

These are my new beauties

In the mail and on their way.

On an unrelated note-- I killed Duke's macbook, so we are currently shopping for a new laptop. So until then, we are on my old Dell desktop (ugh). Hope to have a new one soon.

I'm in love, I'm in love and I don't care who knows it!"

2011-07-14T22:08:00.002-07:00

We first fell for Zooey Deschanel in Elf, the depressed Gimbels worker that sang loud for all to hear. Then she charmed us in [500] Days of Summer (well- maybe the 2nd time you watched it).

Well with broadcast networks debuting more than 30 new shows this fall, I am assuming I will like at least one.

This is my pick.

I have high expectations.

If all else fails, I'll just sit and admire the hair that mine is destined never to look like.

*Title quote from Buddy the Elf, in case you're wondering how it relates.

22 hour car ride + 2 hour plane ride

2011-07-12T17:12:00.004-07:00

That's what my parents endured to get to Portland. They flew into Portland last week from SLC for a quick trip before we all headed down to Utah. Introducing them to our home was tons of fun and my parents officially fell in love with Oregon.

We celebrated the 4th of July by hiking through the Gorge and looking for waterfalls. (notice the patriotic outfits)

Crowne Point- Columbia River Gorge

Our town of Sandy even put on an impressive fireworks show which we enjoyed-- and added to.

Sparkler Fun outside our apartment

We went downtown and ate at the Spaghetti Factory. My mom was impressed by their gluten free menu- and the view of the river was phenomenal. We then showed them the majestic Rose Garden.

Mt Hood from the Rose Garden

My mom in her cute new Anthropologie hat.

On our way out of town, I drove Mom and Dad up to Timberline to pick up Duke. When Mom was here last, it was blizzarding and you couldn't see the mountain. This day was the complete opposite- the sun was shining and Mt Jefferson was clearly visible.

Raven's Nest

After we picked up Duke, the 4 of us packed in our Toyota and headed to Utah. There, we spent tons of time with Blair and Lucy.

Casey and Duke trying to teach my dad to play Goldeneye.

Blair jumping out of the bath to see a rainbow

The gentlemen at the blessing

Lucy with Aunt B

It was a great trip, but we are glad to be home enjoying the beautiful weather Oregon has to offer. So long.

A hop, skip and a jump

2011-06-30T13:30:00.000-07:00

Duke and I hiked into punchbowl falls this morning. It was a beautiful morning, 65 degree weather and occasional misting. It was the most beautiful place I've ever been.

Duke was especially excited.

Over the hump.

2011-06-26T22:01:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we celebrated the halfway mark to Christmas with some holiday festivities.

We made some sugar cookies in winter shapes


Not sure why this cookie appears to be glowing...

We even took $10 to Freddy's and bought each other gifts. Placed in the picture under our tree(which was surprisingly accessible).

Duke, like any kid, ate his candy too quick and his sugar high didn't last long.

Then finished the night with a viewing of "the Family Stone".

Merry Half Christmas!

Santa says...

2011-06-25T10:26:00.000-07:00

6 months to Christmas folks.

Gearing up for the 4th.

2011-06-23T15:23:00.000-07:00

So I realized yeaterday that the 4th of July is just around the corner. I'm not much of a seasonal decorater. I go all out for Christmas, and a bit for Halloween, but that's about it.

I used this picture from Country Living as my inspiration.

And made this baby:

It's fun to have something a bit patriotic-

Hopefully we can see the fireworks from our balcony this year.

Bets

"Hey you guys!!"

2011-06-19T12:30:00.008-07:00

What's better than the Goonies on the big screen?

Absolutely nothing. The theater was packed and when we left there were trash, recycling, deposit and compost bins for our convenience.

Gotta love Portland.

I also finally got a raincoat with the help of a friend. After living here 7 months, I think it was finally time.

Also, on an unrelated but extremely important note- Happy Father's Day to our Dads, one currently fishing in Canada, the other down south in Texas.
We love you both!

Happy Dad's day to Casey, Eric, Jim and Pitt also.

A post by the wife

2011-06-11T14:49:00.001-07:00

Duke laughs when I write posts like these. But here's what we've been up to.

On Duke's day off we headed to Portland for some shopping and a peek at the Rose garden.

Here's what I've been up to.

My $5 Goodwill mirror turned out to be a nice addition- post makeover.

My antiquing is coming along nicely. I recently scored this super cute tray.

We are enjoying the beautiful weather and love exploring our beautiful state.

The produce is amazing and I'm trying my hand at rhubarb for the first time this summer.

Here's to an amazing June. Hope everyone else is doing great!

Bets

That's what I call an egg-splosion!

2011-06-08T21:15:00.002-07:00

"Did you know that an egg won't break in one bare hand?" --
That's what started it all.
One question to my husband.

We took this:

Then his determination did this:

When that didn't work he used both hands and did this:

Cheaters never prosper.

Perception

2011-06-01T22:33:00.002-07:00

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children.. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly..

45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
Do we stop to appreciate it?
Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.

How many other things are we missing?

http://www.jeffbridges.com/perception.html

The Job.

2011-06-01T08:31:00.002-07:00

In the movie 'Office Space', Peter is asked "what is it you'd say ya do here?" After 9 months here in Oregon some of you are still asking us that question so here is a blog that explains it.

I work for Timberline Lodge & Ski Area on Mount Hood. The heart of our company is the National Historic Landmark Timberline Lodge.

The Lodge was built in 1938 as by the government as WPA project to keep people working during the depression. By 1939 they had opened the second chairlift in the US, "The Magic Mile". The company I work for has operated the lodge and ski area since 1955 although the lodge itself is still owned by the government.

In the 70's they constructed a chair lift that goes about 3/4 of the way up the mountain (about even with the highest point of the lodge in the photo) on a glacier making it the only ski area in the US that operates every month of the year (we take a 2 week break in september) .

In the winter it is a very average size family friendly resort (7 lifts and mostly intermediate terrain). In the summer we become the epicenter of the Ski industry, hundreds of racers and pro freestyle skiers show up to keep their seasons alive in June, July and August. It is a unique place, rich in history, with deeper snow than I have ever seen (still 16 ft of snow on the ground right now).

So my job title is "Rental and Repair Manager". My basic responsibilities:

-Hire train and manage a staff of about 20

-Buy all the skis, boards and helmets for the resort (after extensive personal testing)

- Find ways to help 1st time skiers and boarders become lifelong riders.

-ski. often.

It's not a fancy job, but I am not a fancy guy. Since I was 15 I have been a gear nerd. I love to talk about skis, fix skis and stare at skis. In this job, I get paid to spend someone else's money on skis. Then I get to talk to people from all of the world about what ski is right for them. I am blessed to do something I love.

I am even more blessed by a really awesome group of coworkers.

Duke

Anyone else feeling it?

2011-05-30T15:35:00.001-07:00

It is just me or does it feel like "haircutting" time. I look around and see all sorts of cute pixies and I get the itch. I have cut my hair every summer since I left home. This year, I am sticking to my guns, so instead of a haircut, I bought a 3 barrel for my hair.

I'm happy with it, so hopefully my hair stays long this summer. We shall see...

Flowers are to Happy, as Pen Ink is to Sad.

2011-05-21T20:32:00.000-07:00

I bought this bouquet at the farmer's market this morning and it was a good thing considering I was scrubbing pen out of my dryer all afternoon. It reminded me to be happy. I love my husband... i love my husband.... i love my husband.

What do you do on a day off in Oregon?

2011-05-19T22:27:00.006-07:00

The Sandy river is a short 15 minute drive.

Mt St Helens is about 2 hours.

We visited the volcano today and it was absolutely breathtaking.

We stopped for some homemade cobbler and

beer battered fries in the middle of nowhere.

Delish!

Yes, that is a river. The view from the porch was incredible!

So that was our week. Headed to the Rose Festival and Punchbowl Waterfall in the next few weeks. Loving life.

**All pictures taken with my phone. Sorry for the bad quality

Wish Listing...

2011-05-09T21:58:00.003-07:00

Since getting a job in Oregon, Duke and I have been able to put together a budget that suites our lifestyle. We want to save as much as possible without going crazy. This being said, I get a little bit each paycheck to spend on whatever I want. Frames, kitchen, clothes...ect. It's fun having this "allowance"- I sit down and look at my wish lists and decide what I really want. These are some of the things I'm crushing on.

Anthropologie:

Sur La Table:

Pottery Barn:

Lucy Goosey and a Vintage Cupcake

2011-05-05T18:39:00.008-07:00

Our family welcomed Lucy on April 22 in Utah. I was privileged enough to go down and help Nan with the transition of having two little girls. We had tons of fun and Lucy is just a doll!

Nan looked great only days after labor.

She is such a good baby.

Blair is such a great big sister.

Blair looked all grown up next to her sister.

Her favorite auntie.

Already a jokester.

At Vintage Cupcake on 24th Street.

Such a cute little shop.

Timid at first...

Then dove right in.

It's always great to be around family, and I certainly miss Utah, however, it feels good to be home in Portland. Hope all is well.

Do you have that Wooden Shoe in a size 7?

2011-04-20T16:01:00.003-07:00

Today we went to the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm in Molalla.

It was incredible-- I just love Oregon!

This is what it would look like on a clear day with Mt Hood. Amazing right?!

One Day in the Future...

2011-04-19T19:38:00.000-07:00

I'm going to have


room and organization

Lots of windows to show the foliage outside.

A farm style bed like this one. With a puppy on it too.

A huge antique kitchen.

tons of baskets

flowers and wood furniture.

a nursery

an inviting living room.

More food in my kitchen than I can image.

Outdoor parties in my big backyard

A huge island in my kitchen.

Cubbies for my kids

A mudroom.


Maybe even a house like this, but much smaller. :)

Until then, I enjoy our 2 bedroom apartment with neighbors on 3 sides.

Can't wait though!

Photos from Emerson Home, Country Living, Home and Harmony, Family Stone, Pottery Barn and Martha Stewart.

Do Go Chasing Waterfalls...

2011-04-15T13:57:00.002-07:00

On Duke's day off, his favorite thing to do is go search for waterfalls along the Gorge.We enjoy taking the Columbia Historic Highway up to Crown Pointe.

Then the highway curves to this amazing waterfall. The moss on the rock is incredible!

The bridge on the highway is so unique. And keep in mind, we are 20 minutes from our house. Crazy right?!

These falls are bridal veil falls. It's crazy because you can hear them on the trail down, but can't see them until they are right in front of you.

Some of the Farmer's Markets are opening and the trees are in full bloom. Spring in Oregon is upon us which means lots of flowers for really cheap. Duke surprised me with my favorite yesterday since I was sick.

I have some great projects planned for this Spring/Summer. We have been looking for a desk since we moved here, and haven't been able to find one. So we decided to make one! I'm also going to make some chunky wood frames for Nan's baby #2 and am constantly on the lookout for vintage milk crates to make a shelving unit.

Anyway, life for us is good while we await Maughan baby #2, and Duke is loving his job with more than 200 base inches of snow.
Hoping all is well with all our friends!

A Family Affair

2011-03-31T18:54:00.003-07:00

This made me miss home a little bit. Half of my time working there was spent listening to ted tell stories.
I loved every minute of it.

Oregon Coast Post

2011-03-27T19:47:00.002-07:00

Oregon Coast

March 25, 2011

One in the Same

2011-03-16T21:40:00.000-07:00

For anyone that read our previous epically long post, you know my mother was just here visiting. I realized one thing while she was here. I'm turning into my mother. We agree and have the same taste for just about everything. We both love antiques, and both bought antique canning jars while she was here. We both would die for an antique dough bowl. We both love healthy food- i.e. veggies, fruit, herbal tea... etc. We both love the farmhouse look. We both would love to can just about anything and have sewing weekends. We both love a good book.

I'm turning into my mother. And I'm ok with it.

Oregon's Finest

2011-03-15T13:50:00.008-07:00

Yikes! I don't even know where to begin. The Grewe household had an amazing week while my mom came to visit.

Duke wanted to show my mom where he worked so we took the drive up to Timberline on his day off. It was a snowy day and once we got up there the winds picked up and it started pounding. Mom was a good sport though and was so delighted by all the snow!

She even looked Adorable in my ski coat. Everyone said she looked 35, so I'm feeling good about my genes.
We also had to introduce mom to T-Line's mascot Heidi- Who was feeling pretty lazy that day.

St Bernard's are so cute!

Mom fell in love and wouldn't let go. Really.

We visited Multnomah Falls that same afternoon and my mom fell in love with the Gorge! The Falls had already thawed from our last visit and the moss was crazy. The spray from the falls was freezing and we didn't stay long...

Here's a video at the falls:

(Sorry it's shaky)

Duke and Mom on the hike to the Multnomah bridge

This tree even made it's own water supply

While Duke worked, my mom and I stayed busy having lunch at cute little cafe's, going antiquing and exploring.
I showed her our favorite spot in Sandy at the lookout.

Hood was actually out

Our last journey before my mom flew out this morning was hitting the coast. None of us had seen the Oregon coast yet, so it was breathtaking for everyone.

First stop: Canon Beach and Haystack Rock

Duke exploring

My mom tried very hard to stay warm

It was raining pretty hard and the wind off the ocean was freezing! But it was still totally worth seeing and so beautiful! My mom and I agreed we preferred this beach to any we had seen before.

Everything was soaked, but it was worth it!

We stopped at the Driftwood and had Clam Chowder. Icing on the cake.
We hit the candy store then continued on. Mom of course had to grab some licorice taffy.

She didn't have to share with us with that flavor.

Next Stop: Take the 101 down the coast and stop at every lookout to marvel at the beauty.

We stopped at the Tillamook Cheese Factory for some fun facts and of course cheese curd. Delish!

"I'll be the cow!" "Duh"

This is what happens when a stranger takes your picture.

Next stop: Cape Meares and the Lighthouse.
We took a road that was pretty rough about 4 miles down the bay to this place. Gorgeous!

Here's another video showing the waves:

Across the road from the lighthouse was the Octopus Tree:

This lookout with the best views yet.

Not too busy

(Shaky hands again)

It was so beautiful and words definitely can't describe. We had a blast, and the drive was so beautiful going and coming from the coast.

It was a great week and I'm looking forward to having both my folks up next time for another great adventure.

A Night In our life

2011-03-04T22:16:00.001-07:00

5:30: I arrive home from work with stories of another exciting day in the exotic world of ski rental. We embrace and discuss our plans for the night. We decide we would like to catch a movie.

6:00 Shower time, my hair feels great after being caressed with suave conditioner.

6:30 I am not feeling so good after my shower..... uh oh, I knew those chicken strips and mozz sticks were a bad idea. They were even worse the second time.

6:32 By the third time, they are darn near toxic.

7:00 By now I have nothing left in me we decide maybe a movie isn't in the cards.

7:05 I say something stupid. A small disagrement ensues.

7:10 As happens with couples after a disagreement we both go into separate rooms waiting for our spouse to apologize

7:30 Wallowing in my pity by totally owning at angry birds, I've made up my mind I am not going to apologize and maybe Ill just go to bed.

7:40 God intervenes with a knock on or door. " Hi we're missionaries with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" The elders accidentally tracted into our very secluded apartment. We put on a happy face and talk to the elders. Once they leave we are left with a gentle reminder from heaven that we were both being stupid.

8:00 Team Air guitaring to "she's just the girl i'm looking for" by the click five. A perfectly ridiculous song that takes us back to high school. Also kick butt orange passion mango soda. It's going to be a great night after all

-duke

One Fish, Two Fish. Yellow Fish, Blue Fish

2011-03-01T16:57:00.004-07:00

So it snowed ALL day yesterday: it's really cold here. For example, this picture was taken at Multnomah Falls in November.

Here they are just 2 days ago:

yikes! We are trying to stay warm with lots of layers:

but the snow here is so much wetter than in Utah and our driveway is a windy steep death trap in slush. So I've been stuck here while my husband takes the 4-wheel drive to the mountain.

So, what does that leave me with? Crafts of course.

I love the colors and have been trying to incorporate more colors into my home. This was my inspiration:

My husband bought me beautiful tulips (my favorite flower) for my birthday, and I loved how bright they were in my living room. Since we moved here, it seems we always have some sort of flowers in our home to brighten things up. Joy.

So anyway, I'm trying to get my house cute for when my mom comes on the 8th to visit, and my inlaws a few weeks after that. I'm hoping it warms up soon, but until then, I'm just trying to stay busy.

Hope all is well.

pleasant surprise

2011-02-26T10:48:00.002-07:00

I share a birthday with these people:

Buffalo Bill Cody

Johnny Cash

Teresa Palmer

Michael Bolton

I am pleased.

The Dream of the 90's is alive in Portland

2011-02-20T22:18:00.000-07:00

"In Portland you can put a bird on something and call it art."

Lack of rain may cause idiocracy.

2011-02-15T23:40:00.006-07:00

Our three week stretch of no rain ended, and looks like the sun won't be seen for a while.
People did however have fun in the rain's absence.

Exhibit A:

Even with the rain back, Duke and I are going to seize his day off tomorrow by heading into Portland. We are going to check out Powell Books which is the largest biggest bookstore in the world (It's a whole city block- 58,000 square feet) . We will run by Ikea (they have the best salad bar- I know it sounds crazy) and also check out H&M (I'll think of you Becky). We found these camera's from Duke's youth and plan to buy film for the first time in years and look at Portland through it's lenses.

Much love from the PNW.

Put a Bird on It.

2011-02-11T21:43:00.004-07:00

I love this spoof on the bird decorating trend.

Bieber Fever?

2011-02-08T22:16:00.011-07:00

Anyone else feeling it?

My Young Women love him, and even referenced him in our lesson on what we are grateful for. I figured in an effort to get closer to them I would check him out.

It was easy considering he is everywhere... SNL, commercials with Ozzy, magazines... ect.

His movie comes out on Feb 11. My YW are all seeing it.

I would say I'll never see it, but as JB would say,
"Never Say Never".

That is all.

Oh, to be a bride.

2011-02-05T00:18:00.002-07:00

Duke worked late tonight, so while I packed for our trip to Boise, I watched "Say Yes to the Dress" for the first time. It was quite entertaining and humorous. These girls freak out if their dress isn't absolutely perfect and are willing to pay up to $30,000! Incredible! I didn't even go dress shopping for my wedding. I wore my sister's gown, and never even thought about doing different.

While I was watching, I did find one dress that I fell in love with.

It's hard to tell but it's tiny dotted organza.

How beautiful. Well maybe someday I can renew my vows and buy my very own dress.

For now, I'll just watch the TLC show.

Friday Night Lights- For Realsies.

2011-02-01T22:22:00.001-07:00

This article appeared in the NY times about my High School.

A $60 Million Palace for Texas High School Football

By GREG BISHOP Published: January 29, 2011

ALLEN, Tex. — From his office window, Steve Williams surveyed the chaos of construction. His view consisted of rocks and dirt beneath bulldozers and cranes, but where others might see excess, he saw something brazen, bold and gloriously Texan.

Allen High School, which won its first Texas state title under Coach Tom Westerberg in 2008, is building a $60 million, 18,000-seat football stadium.

The current stadium, Allen Eagle Stadium, with its faded artificial turf and portable bleachers, seats 14,200. It was built in 1976.

The athletic director of Allen High, Steve Williams, right, said the bond project that is highlighted by the new stadium, which is scheduled to open in 2012, “is about much more than football.”

The project also includes an auditorium and a service center for the district.

The $60 million football stadium at Allen High School, where Williams is the district athletic director, was starting to take shape.

This is no ordinary stadium, in no ordinary state, where football ranks near faith and family. Super Bowl XLV will take place a short drive southwest next Sunday at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, but while the “big game” will repeatedly highlight football’s oversize importance in Texas, the folks in Allen need no reminders. Here, every game is big.

Williams — Bubba to his friends — arrived long before the boom, when Allen was more speck than sprawl, and now he cannot fathom all the fuss over this stadium, the calls from England, the Pacific Northwest, New York.

“Well, I’ll tell you,” Williams said Friday. “We got a lot more interest than we thought we would.”

To the residents, who voted 63 percent in favor of a $119 million bond in May 2009, this project, which includes the stadium, an auditorium for fine arts and a service center for the district, is designed to scale. Their scale just happens to be larger than most.

Allen is the third-biggest high school in both Texas and in its area, which includes two larger schools in nearby Plano. It has more than 5,000 students in grades 9 to 12, more than 600 members in the nation’s largest high school band and a campus that spreads across 650,000 square feet.

On football Friday nights, the lucky ones fill the bleachers at the current stadium. Cars park for miles down the street, where the aroma of barbecue is the local perfume. The scene is straight from “Friday Night Lights,” the overcrowded version. Tom Westerberg, who became Allen’s head coach in 2004, said he could remember only four home defeats in his tenure.

“It’s controlled chaos,” said Anthony Gibson, the school’s fine arts director. “There’s an energy you can’t describe. When they say football is like religion in Texas, it’s true. From little kids all the way to the Super Bowl, we do football right.”

This big town started small, with one street, Main Street, and an annual parade that marched up, turned around and marched back. Bob Curtis, who recently retired as the district’s facilities director, was born in Allen, lived here all his life. As a teenager, he delivered groceries, and the customers left their doors unlocked and money on the kitchen counter. He stocked the cupboards and left change.

When Curtis played football in the early 1960s, Allen’s population hovered around 650, 18 of whom were in his high school graduating class. Williams arrived soon after and found a small community that farmed cotton and was centered on the high school.

On at least two occasions, the school district nearly closed for lack of students, of all reasons. When the community rallied, it learned important lessons, and Williams believes that those lessons allowed Allen to retain its small-town feel even as it grew to a population of more than 85,000. The world’s largest small town, Gibson called it.

These days, Allen is a relatively affluent suburb north of Dallas, with a professional hockey team (the Americans of the Central Hockey League), a church seemingly on every corner, several strip malls and rows and rows of brick houses, which line the subdivisions that dominate the landscape.

The high school, which more closely resembles a small college, remains the centerpiece. Its athletic center contains the football team’s offices, an indoor practice field, a weight room, a film room and separate locker rooms for football, soccer, basketball and track. A picture on the wall near the expansive trophy case features the students who accepted college athletic scholarships last year — 44 of them.

Chances are, most of them frequented Eagle Designs, a souvenir shop owned by Chris Tripucka, a transplanted Jets fan from New Jersey. His brother Kelly played in the N.B.A. Their father, Frank, played in the N.F.L. Chris played football at Boston College, and wears a Cotton Bowl ring as proof.

His shop overflowed with T-shirts, hats, helmets, jackets and pajama pants, all in the high school colors, blue and red. If his store is not a testament to the power of football in Texas, the fact that two other similar stores exist in Allen is.

“I’ve been around sports all my life,” Tripucka said. “You can’t explain it to people who don’t live here. You have to experience it.”

Since 1976, the experience took place at 601 East Main Street. Allen Eagle Stadium, with its faded artificial turf and portable bleachers that bring its capacity to 14,200, sits there, near a restaurant called Bar-B-Cutie. For years, administrators wanted to build a larger stadium, but first they constructed schools to keep pace with the growth. Curtis, the facilities director for 32 years, said, “The stadium is long overdue.”

Parking and season tickets rank as the current stadium’s biggest challenges. The builders could have never anticipated Allen’s growth, the 8,000 fans who travel to away games, the 3,000 students who participate in home games, in football, in band, as spectators.

Some families have held season tickets for 25 or 30 years. Their children graduated, moved, had their own children, but the families kept the tickets for the town’s marquee Friday night events. New residents scramble for season tickets. Before this season, roughly 400 families entered a lottery for 70 available seats.

Even parents of band members complain about the seating. About 100 of them are volunteers, in part because they receive sideline access for games. And the team, the band, the spectators continue to grow. Band members alone consume 2,000 bottles of water every game. Imagine the bathroom lines that result.
Williams believes the new stadium will solve those issues. It will hold 18,000 spectators in a sunken bowl designed to improve sightlines. The stadium will include a two-tier press box, an indoor golf practice area, a high-definition video scoreboard, a practice room for wrestling, and enough parking for every car in Dallas, or close.
“Look, football has always been a big deal here,” Williams said. “This is Texas. But this bond project is about much more than football. It’s about our school, our community.”

“It’s about tra-di-tion,” he added, accentuating the syllables.

Inside the athletic center, the trophy case includes the centerpiece plaque from the 2008 Class 5A football championship, as well as awards for other sports like wrestling and girls’ golf. That speaks to Williams’s point, and Allen ranks among the state’s top academic schools. To some, however, the stadium project will always embody excess simply because of its size and cost. In fact, with significant education cuts looming across the state, Allen anticipates an increasingly negative reaction as the stadium nears completion, with its first game scheduled for August 2012. Yet Tim Carroll, a district spokesman, said he had received few calls critical of the project. He expects that to change, if only somewhat.

Most here are Cowboys fans who plan to participate in the Super Bowl festivities, if only because this is football, and this is Texas. Their monument to their favorite sport is a smaller version of the Jerry Jones-built palace that will host the Super Bowl next Sunday between Pittsburgh and Green Bay.

Up the road, in a state known for and defined by size, Allen is building perhaps the most impressive high school stadium. But it will not be the state’s biggest. At least four high school stadiums are larger.

Which makes perfect sense, at least in Texas.

A version of this article appeared in print on January 30, 2011, on page SP1 of the New York edition.

$60 Million Stadium for Allen High School

what is the internet?

2011-01-31T21:12:00.003-07:00

Check out this video from 1994.