Covered Bridges

Last Saturday we went on a little exploration. We went with some friends to Parke County, Indiana to see some covered bridges. It was a little early in the season, most of the trees still had no leaves, but it was still pretty. We started in Rockville, Indiana and picked up some brochures and a map (which is always good to have). We were all hungry by the time we got there and unfortunately, Rockville did not have many choices to eat. I can't remember the name of the restaurant we ate at, but everything was "handmade." On the menu, you could choose from "handmade" hamburger or "handmade" chicken tenderloin. I have no idea what "handmade" means. I got the "handmade" chicken sandwich. It was not that great, but it gave us the energy we needed. After lunch we were off on our adventure. Here's the first covered bridge we saw.Pretty cool, huh?

We weren't sure if we were supposed to drive through this bridge or not. The bridge says, "Cross this bridge at a walk." So we got out of the car and walked through it. :) The bridge was made in 1856!

Then came the dilemma, do we drive through this bridge or take the below alternative route...After a quick survey of the situation we decided to cross using the below route instead of the bridge. We later learned that most of the covered bridges you can drive through. The ones you're not supposed to drive through are clearly blocked. Oh well.The most famous covered bridge is in Bridgeton. It's famous because of the waterfall going under it.

There is a Mill that is near the bridge. We went inside and after eating some ice cream, we met the owner of the mill. He told us a lot about the mill, the bridge and how the town came to be. This website tells more about Bridgeton and the mill.

After explaining, how white flour is made (using bleach) the owner said his favorite saying "The whiter the bread the sooner you're dead. Eat whole wheat and stay on your feet." I don't know about you, but I think I'll try to eat more whole wheat!It was a fun trip and we only saw 4 of the 30 covered bridges. We'll have to go again soon.

It's Spring!

Happy Easter from the Nyborg's! CHEESE!

Yesterday, a couple of friends and I put together a baby shower for our friend Aleece. I think it turned out pretty well. Hilary and I made this diaper cake. The first one I've ever made. It was fun to make and Aleece loved it. (click on the picture below to make it larger)

You might be able to tell from the pictures...I cut my hair again and put in some highlights. I like it so far. It's nice and light...I forgot how enjoyable short hair can be.

We went for a walk along the canal in downtown Indy with some friends and we saw some sure signs of Spring.

Green Leaves Pink blossoms White blossoms

And flowers!

Here's a funny picture of me and Nels.

Overall, it was a great weekend and I'm looking forward to warmer weather. :)

I forgot the camera :(

Nels and I went with a group to Kabuto's Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar. It was so cool! I loved how they cooked the food right in front with you. I was so mad that I forgot my camera. The chef did some pretty cool tricks. For one of the tricks he built a tower of onions and then filled it with water and oil (I think) and then lit it on fire. So steam and flames came out the top.

I tried Sushi for the first time! I am not a fish fan so I was pretty nervous. I tried the California Roll which has seaweed and a bunch of other stuff in it. I did not like that. I gagged it down though. I also tried tuna. Completely RAW. It was actually pretty good. I was very surprised. I tried shrimp and I didn't care for that either. It was fun to try new things.

4:30 a.m. on a Saturday Morning

Amazingly, Nels woke up to the sound of shattering glass and I woke up to Nels peeking through the blinds. I wondered why Nels was checking the weather at this time in the morning. But then Nels said, "there's fire!" I jumped to the window and saw the apartment clubhouse was on fire. The fire was just a bit smaller than in the picture above when we first saw it. Nels hurried and called 911...his first time doing so. Then he ran outside (still wearing his pj's!) to get a better look.

A police car arrived first within a minute. (The police show up first to make sure that there really is a fire.) When the fire was as big as in the picture above, Nels was outside talking to the police woman. He tried to let her into the clubhouse using his electronic key, but the security system had shut down all electronic access. A few seconds later, the maintenance guy showed up and let her into the clubhouse. They found a fire extinguisher, but it was no use.

Then, 3 fire trucks came shortly after with about 20 firemen. I stayed in the aparment and watched from the window. I took a couple of pictures which turned out helpful for the apartment managers and fire investigators. Nels was asked to give his written statement about what he saw, so he was involved in the whole thing until about 7 am. It was quite an event. The apartment managers were grateful that Nels called so quickly... the damage could've been much worse!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day was great. We didn't do anything really exciting. Nels was a sweetheart and made me pancakes with strawberries and bought me flowers. Then we decided to make these heart shaped rice crispie treats for friends and neighbors. Wow, it turned out to be quite the project, but it was fun doing it together. This is how they turned out, and they tasted pretty good too, if I do say so myself. Of course not all of them turned out so unfortunately Nels and I had to eat them. :)I found the idea from this site my sister Melissa recommended. So thank you!
Hope everyone had a fun and loving Valentine's.

Great Recipe

I had been looking for a good chicken taco soup and came across this one. It takes a little bit of time, but Nels and I both loved it. It's from Betty Crocker.

Tortilla Soup
6 corn tortillas (6 inch)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped (1/3 cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium Anaheim, poblano or jalapeño chile, seeded, chopped
1 carton (32 oz) Progresso® reduced-sodium chicken broth (4 cups)
1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen® organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 teaspoon coarse (kosher or sea) salt
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 ripe medium avocado
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (2 oz)
Chopped fresh cilantro, if desired
1 lime, cut into wedges


1. Cut tortillas in half; cut halves into 1/4-inch strips. In 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook strips in oil, 1/3 at a time, until light brown and crisp. Remove from pan; drain on paper towels.


2. Heat oil remaining in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and chile; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in broth, tomatoes and salt. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes. Add chicken; heat until hot.

3. To serve, peel and pit avocado. Cut into 1-inch slices. Divide half of tortilla strips among 4 individual serving bowls. Ladle in soup. Top with avocado and cheese; garnish with remaining tortilla strips and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Makes 4 servings

Bangs

After looking online for haircuts, I decided that bangs would be a fun and different look for me. My haircut was inspired by the following pictures.

and me:

I'm still getting used to it, but I'm enjoying it so far.