flight cancelled....

So, we were going to head to to SLC this evening.....but our flight was CANCELED due to the left engine's de-icer breaking and the parts to fix it were in Minneapolis and they thought they might stick them on a plane into Fargo to get them there later and fix it and the flight would only be delayed a few hours.....but the weather in Mnpls was HORRIBLE so that didn't happen and there were no other flights leaving Fargo at all after "ours" so......we're flying out so SLC early Monday morning and they bumped us up to FIRST CLASS!!! wOOt! So.....we'll see you Sabins on Monday at 7:45 AM!

2 things

a) Follow our business blog! http://queinteresante2010.blogspot.com

b) You no longer need an Etsy account to purchase Chemistry Crayon Labels. We have a website up and running. Check out Luke's design work and Char's html coding skilz! http://chemistrycrayons.com

Mushroom Burgers! Delish!

We've been experimenting with various veggie burgers since turning vegan and I believe we've come to conclude that mushroom burgers are the best. Garbanzo bean burgers were OK, but not flavorful enough. We haven't made black bean burgers at home yet, but they've been good from restaurants/frozen. While in Winnipeg this October we stumbled across Boon Burger Cafe and have since been trying their different burgers to learn what the various innards taste like. The food has only been delicious and I wish it was located in Fargo :(.
We've been working on tweaking a mushroom burger recipe based off of this one from FoodNetwork. Look at the beautiful browning as it cooks!



Here's the mushroom burger on a pita with tomatoes and sesame fries (leftovers from Boon Burger Cafe....YUM!). I'm getting hungry just thinking about this.....looks like I know what we'll be eating for supper!

No Shave Nov-scratch that. No Shave Autumn

As I write this I am realizing just how ENORMOUS my jaw and face is... well these are the results from "No-Shave November" (and October, for me.) I decided that I can't quite pull off the beard yet, which is unfortunate. I've decided that I will just rock the baby face for the rest of the year. It's all gone now. Yes, I am starting a new ritual - if I can't grow a decent beard then I will have no facial hair at all for the rest of the year. It's all or nothing for me. Amen.

QueInteresante expands

The Sabin's home business is expanding! We now have a blog and a non Etsy website where people can purchase the labels with their credit cards and don't need to set up and Etsy/Paypal account. Luke has also been doing some great design work on the logos and banners, as you can see. So follow our OTHER blog if you like and spread the webpage around!

Morning Frost

As I (Charlene) threw my apple core into my compost bucket (my students one time called me a professional hippie.....and I can't really argue against that) I saw some lovely frost!
So I took some pictures.

The pictures above are the trees at the end of our driveway and the neighbors trees and the picture below is the lilac bush "fence" between us and our neighbors.

New shoes...

Charlene has awesome new shoes.



That is all.

Soap!!!

The Sabins of Fargo can make soap! Yay for an in home application of chemistry - saponification.

...and here is the second most awkward picture ever taken of Charlene.

Charlene and her friend Kristen Jameson wanted to make soap a while back and did - it was spearmint soap.

We found out that our skin liked the homemade soap much better than the stuff we would buy from bath & body works. When we ran out of the homemade soap and switched back to the store bought stuff we were getting more blemishes and such. So, naturally, we made a bunch more soap (and I'm pretty sure it costs the same, minus the startup cost of the tools and pots and such to make it.)

This particular batch of soap is pumpkin spice soap - It has water, lye, coconut oil, olive oil, and pumpkin spice essential oil. It's a bit more complicated than just mixing the stuff together - there is precise measurements, temperatures, and chemical reactions to watch out for, and lye is dangerous to work with.

We just thought we'd share with you one of the more interesting things we do!

We've made 3 batches of soap recently - grapefruit sweet orange lemon oatmeal soap, vanilla crunch soap, and pumpkin spice soap. The latter two were as a favor for a friend who is going to buy some of them.... and Charlene loves citrus! However, the citrus oils don't keep very well so it's not something we can hold onto and use over the next two years (because there's enough to last that long if not longer!) - so, do you want to buy some soap? We cut them into normal sized bars and are going to sell them for $4 a bar + shipping. Shoot us an e-mail or make a comment about what you're interested in! All 3 scents are for sale - everything that we can't use/hold on to! They're awesome!

Kirsten's new winter clothes

Kirsten has a new winter attire! Thanks to "Grandma" Deb! Addy may also have to borrow it since I haven't made her a winter coat yet. . . (I being Charlene...Luke has yet to hone his sewing skills....all he can do is hand stitch patches on to his jeans....which is awesome! But not a winter coat for Addy...). Now that I'm finally done with my long term substitute teaching position, I may finally have time for blog updates and crafting! I've all ready made a necklace, earrings, and a bracelet with my free mornings. I'm still doing half days in my long term class until Thanksgiving so that the teacher can ease back in. Though, I think some of these high school kids are just as needy as her infant child! If not more....plus there can be an entire room full of them!

My long term Chemistry teacher positing was a lot of fun. It was at the same school where I did my student teaching so I knew a lot of the students before it even began. Some of them used to like me and now are excited that I'm leaving... What I find most interesting is that I'm teaching the same grade and class at the same school....and the students are exponentially more whinny! And they do less homework or work in class. It's pretty darn ridiculous! I've had some epically horrible scores on tests and assignments and they don't take responsibility for them. Sometimes it's 'my fault' (which it never is since I cover my tail pretty darn well to avoid problems like that) and other times they feel these things just happen to them. Such a strange and detrimental thought process... Despite all that it was a lot of fun and I'll miss it! Hopefully I get another long term position soon! Though the Spanish teacher just had a kid and I can only think of two science teachers in the entire district who MIGHT get pregnant anytime soon.

Progress

And here is our official in-store product line!

We've been hard at work on coming up with a way to put our chemistry crayon idea on the shelves of stores as more and more shops around the country have been requesting it! Exciting times, who knows what will happen next?

So here, is what it will look like (shown above.) Inside of a self-sealing plastic sleeve we now have a showcase page (the colorful sheet with all of the product information that everyone sees) along with the stickers themselves as well as a chemistry lesson. This is ready to be put in stores - and we plan on sending out our first package to "The Dandy Lion" in New Albany, Indiana. The next one will likely go to an online shop based out of Los Angeles, then hopefully ThinkGeek - that's the big one. We still have lots more work to do, especially since we plan on teaming up with "Benvelopes" to make a package deal which includes a crayon shaped card to go with our product. Pretty neat, eh?

So, to update you all on how things are going with us...

Charlene has been continuing her work at Fargo North High School long-term subbing for a chemistry teacher. She has been getting along surprisingly well with her students despite the ruthless iron fist she rules her classroom with. I guess people, I mean, kids, since they aren't yet "people"(jk), get used to the way she is and begin to see that as "normal." Weird.

She is doing fantastic despite that her husband is still wanting her to keep growing her hair out (she wanted it mentioned due to it being ridiculous in her eyes.)

She would have helped her husband write this blog but she was busy dressing up her American Girl Doll into the new clothes her mother-in-law gave her for her birthday (which was on the 18th of October.) So be on the look out for her next American Girl Doll blog post.

Luke is fantastic and is definitely in the mood to be writing about himself in the third person. He is participating whole-heartedly in "No Shave November" with a one month head start. So be on the look out towards the end of the month for his progress in that. He hopes to one day have a full majestic beard - one worthy of a viking.

Luke is no longer working at Subway - which is, according to him, one of the best things that has ever happened to him. Now he is technically employed by Charlene in the chemistry crayon business. Luke is having a difficult time writing that he is employed by his wife. Luke is currently hanging his head in shame. Luke has just remembered that with his recent earnings he has bought a Nintendo Wii with Rockband 3, complete with 2 guitars, a drum set with the cymbal expansion pack and a microphone. Not only does he remember this, but also that there is a good chance of him getting a new car in the near future. Luke doesn't feel so bad anymore. Charlene: "Luke says "Luke" a lot. *giggle*"

Tonight we are going to Mexican Village to celebrate one of our best friend's birthdays - Kiah (Paul's wife.) She is very very pregnant and looks like she is about to pop. Paul and Kiah will be having their baby at the end of the month, hurray.

Luke is also planning to sell his car of 6 years to Josh Silbernagel.

That is all for now. Peace.

The New Floor

There it is! We didn't have enough of the lighter tiles to cover the entire floor, so we had to get something to go with it and this was the best we could do. The tiles are the same height and length but not width and color....so we have stripes! The flash from the camera made it appear much more obvious that it does in real life. Today, Luke finished the trim so it is ALL DONE!

Kitchen Floor Remodeling - Pt. 1

Our end of summer project was to re-do our kitchen floor. Char's ma had bought up a bunch of vinyl tiles that mimicked wood flooring so we already had a good amount of supplies, we just needed to get to work on the labor part of it all. ..

Here you can see 3 layers of flooring that was down. The top part in the back of the pic is what we've lived with while here (and it's probably been here for 50 years...), then there's the white/rosey probably aspestos tile, then the tar it was stuck on with, then the top layer of the sub floor which was painted before it was covered in tile. It smelt great!

This part of the floor had some water damage that had caused the wood to expand so whenever we stepped there we felt like we were sinking into the floor... Apparently this is the spot where my grandma used to wash clothes every week. So over the years, water snuck down little by little and created this strange problem.

Here's the floor after we layed 1/8" plywood down on top of the sub floor since it was too much work to blow torch off the tar....plus that could have burned the house down.

Check back soon for pics of the finished floor!

The Future of Teaching

Just thought I should inform the blog side of the world that I (Charlene) have a long term subbing position lined up from Oct 1st until Thanksgiving break (maternity leave) teaching Chemistry! It's within the same department I did my student teaching with so I already know the teacher and other department members. I also will know a good chunk of the students from the Biology classes I student taught and have substituted in. I'm subbing a half day this coming Monday for this teacher while she goes to a doctor's appointment. I don't get benefits during this term and I won't get a pay bump until the 21st day of working. If something happens and it goes until 60 days then I'll get benefits! Tricky stuff. I'll be happy to have a consistent daily schedule!

3 YEARS STRONG

Yesterday Charlene and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary!!! (yes, three exclamations for three years.) We celebrated by tango dancing - Argentinian style.

Let me say, the past three years have been the best three years of my life. Living with the most beautiful, smart, adventurous, and dangerous woman I can think of has been worth every second - every smile, every kiss, every touch, as well as every cross-armed glare, every fight, and every burnt dinner.

I love you Charlene!

ALSO, Ben came and spent the week with us in Fargo. It's been a ton of fun, and we've packed it full of productivity, people, and food (our three favorite things.) Ben and I have been working on a "Adirondack Settee" which is basically a wider version of the original Adirondack chair. Ben and I have made it our project for while we're here - because it feels weird to spend too much time having fun when you don't do some work - so, we've mixed the two together.

Yes, Ben operates power tools. (ladies, take note)

Char'$ Million $ Idea

Chemistry Crayons! So that when little one's (or anyone) plays with crayons they are also learning the colors that various chemicals make/are in various states! These crayons are the culmination of my nerdiness and craftiness and I LOVE THEM! So even if I don't make millions....I appreciate my time and energy!

Here's my Etsy listing for them: http://www.etsy.com/listing/53073009/educational-chemistry-crayons-complete

Edible Arrangements

For the past two months, Charlene has been helping a student pass her online college chemistry course. It was technically a pre-pre-chem class that was only supposed to eat up 15 hours of time a week, but the instructor was ridiculous and the student usually spend at least 20 hours a week at Sylvan and then several more hours at home doing work or collecting supplies for labs. Plus what was asked of the students was much more intense and in depth than necessary for this level of chemistry. In the end, the student passed with at least a "B" and Charlene filled out a scathing course review. To show her gratitude, the student bought her an "Edible Arrangement". Not a flower arrangement....but a fruit/chocolate one! DELICIOUS!!!

Thank you Andrés Iniesta

Charlene is still very happy that Spain won. She could just watch that match over and over.... well played on both sides (minus the record number of flags)... the only thing that could have made it better is if David Villa had scored and then won the Golden Boot award! But I'll survive this way too!

Red Lentil and Cauliflower Curry

Another great recipe...

This recipe just tastes delicious. The spice level depents on which type of curry powder you use so don't worry about it being spicy unless you want it to be!



Red Lentil and Cauliflower Curry

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 piece fresh ginger, grated (about 1/2 inch big)
• 1 large parsnip, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 1/2 cups red lentils, sorted and rinsed
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 1/2-2 lbs cauliflower, trimmed and sliced into small florets (about 1 medium head)
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Directions

1. Have all the ingredients prepped and ready to go. Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook about 5-7 minutes, until translucent. Add the grated ginger and cook 1 minute. Add the spices and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, then add the parsnip and cook another minute.

2. Pour in the vegetable stock and then the lentils. Cover the pot, raise the heat to high and allow to boil for 1 minute. Stir, cover the pot and lower heat to medium-low. Simmer the lentils for 10 minutes or until yellow and mushy.

3. Add the cauliflower florets and stir to ensure they are evenly coated.

4. Partially cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until cauliflower is tender but not mushy. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro, lime juice and salt. Let the curry sit, covered, for about 15 minutes before enjoying.
   

The Cosmos

Back to Memorial Day weekend......after spending the best morning EVER at the Ingalls homestead....we kept on heading West. We stopped in Mitchell and saw the corn palace....and didn't stay long. We made it to the Black Hills just in time to convince Char's mom that taking us out to eat was a better idea than ordering in pizza. I don't remember where we ate but it was pretty darn delicious! Then we spend the rest of the evening convincing Char's mom that we should go to The Cosmos instead of Mount Rushmore (everyone had been there but Shannon - apparently Luke has been upwards of 7 times!). We succeeded in the morning and headed out on the road...

Strang pic, eh? At The Cosmos there supposedly is a unique gravitational pull that messes with your mind. When you stand up straight according to gravity your eyes tell you you're off base!

I should have fallen down if it weren't for the special gravity!

Oh Trent....still a mouth breather...

He's floating!

The three guys had been moving around on the "T" thing and their heights would vary even though it was level. This pic was taken after the last rotation where they were all obviously surprised at how things had changed!

Garbanzo Bean Burger Recipe

Carla....eat this!

Garbanzo Bean Burgers

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 1/2 cup carrots, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (or 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can, drained)
• 5 tablespoons gluten flour
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder (or just use cornstarch)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped finely
• Oil for frying

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and saute the onions, carrots, garlic, cumin, celery seed, and salt over medium heat until the onions are transparent. In a food processor, combine the nuts, and blend until 1/2 are a coarse meal and the other are just cracked. Place in a large mixing bowl and add the Sauteed vegetable mixture. Add the garbanzo beans in the processor and process the same way as the nuts. Add flour and arrowroot. Add the beans and parsley to the mixing bowl. Mix everything together well until the mixture has enough body to form a patty. If the mixture is too dry or crumbly, add a small amount of water to help the mixture bind. Form the mixture into 4 burgers. Lightly oil the frying pan and fry the burgers over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until lightly browned

Food and Seating

First of all, look at this weird strawberry. This strawberry got it all backwards - the wide part is down below and the point is at the top... yeah... that's all I have on that... so weird...

Here is an awesome veggie burger recipe. It's a garbanzo bean burger. It was fantastic. For some reason I have no clue where that recipe went and Charlene is sleeping at the moment - if we make a post on that recipe it will require her to be awake...

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I finally finished my chair, and here it is! I learned a lot making my picnic table - and I learned WAYY more making this thing. There were a lot of mistakes and gaffes along the way, but that's the best way to learn and have it stick in your brain - mistakes. Most of my problems have stemmed from using a really hard wood: red oak. I found out that you will destroy screws, blades, and tools unless you use ones meant for really hard woods. Well, at least I know it won't break anytime soon. I was planning all along to put a clear outdoor protecting finish on it but all I had was a can that stained it as well - I wasn't patient enough to wait and buy the clear stuff...

So this is what it looks like. I think it looks fine - but it's not what I intended... and now I regret it.

Nonetheless it is still fantastically comfortable in comparison to the picnic table, bench, or any of our folding chairs. Now I can enjoy my yard like it's supposed to be enjoyed. My next project is to make a love seat version of this (hopefully with ben when he visits in August) and a drink table as they are included in the plans I have. I am also thinking of making a curved ottoman that fits the style of the chair, though that would need to be designed by myself.

Laura Ingalls Wilder - Pt. 2

They had an iron cow set out so that people could practice "roping". Trent failed...

and so did Luke.

Char and Luke sitting in an old stage coach!

One of the horses there had just had a a baby - I think he was 4 days old! The mama was calm since this was her 4th cold but the baby was quite jumpy. We all were trying to get Little Jo (the colt - catch the reference?) to come up to us but Charlene was the only one who succeeded. Little Jo came up to within an inch of her hand then she just reached out to pet it's head a little bit before it scampered back to be right next to mom.

There are wagons they've converted into little camping cabins! Awesome!

Spaghetti squash Mexicana with tropical avocado salsa

Here is yet another AMAZING vegan recipe. It's fun to eat something that's part cold and part hot! I also made up 3 cups of rice to mix in with it just because I felt like rice belonged in the meal but it's fine without!

Spaghetti Squash Mexicana with Tropical Avocado Salsa Fresca

• 1 spaghetti squash (about 3 pounds)

First, bake the squash. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Fill a baking dish with about an inch of water and place the squash cut side down in the dish. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the skin is easily pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes until you can handle the squash. Shred and scoop out the flesh with a fork or spoon into a bowl. While the squash is baking, assemble the salsa and bean mixture.

Tropical Salsa Fresca

• 1 cup chopped tomato
• 1 cup chopped pineapple, mango or papaya
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped
• ¼ cup lightly-packed fresh chopped cilantro
• Juice of 1 lime

For the salsa, in a small bowl, toss all of the ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Bean and Corn mixture

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 medium-size yellow onion, diced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced small
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup red cooking wine (I just used Sangria and it was delish)
  
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn (thawed if frozen)
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Sriracha)

Prepare the bean mixture. In a large skillet, sauté the onions and jalapeno in the oil for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, all the spices, salt and the wine. Raise the heat and boil for about 2 minutes, stirring often. Lower the heat and add the black beans, corn and hot sauce. Cook for 5 more minutes until heated through. Add the squash to the bean mixture and toss to mix.
Divide among individual plates and top with salsa.

Laura Ingalls Wilder - Pt. 1

So....for Memorial Day weekend...Charlene's Mom's side of the family decided to all get together in Loveland, Colorado. Julie wanted to stop in the Black Hills along the way and visit some stuff. Charlene came up with the excellent idea to go through De Smet, SD along the way there to visit the Ingalls homestead! The prairie is Luke's to behold!

Charlene's just really like's Laura Ingalls Wilder stuff...

There's was a baby calf in the dug out which Luke got to come over! It was sucking on his hands in the picture...

I got fields to plow!!!!

The good ol piano forte!