The cutest thing EVER

America's Next Top Gleek

Another new show for the US - The Glee Project. This show will be starting shortly on the Oxygen network and sees 12 people competing for a chance to win a role in Season 3 of Glee.
Check out the contestants:

2011 Upfronts: Smash

Another upfront from the NBC autumn schedule - this is their new show called Smash. Basically it's like a broadway version of Glee and has a fantastic cast with Debra Messing (Will & Grace), Anjelica Houston (the legend), Jack Davenport and American Idol's Katharine McPhee.

Are we excited yet?!?

Recorded during an ad break on Sky News.



I. Can't. Wait.

New KYLIE B-Side!!!

From the upcoming "Put Your Hands Up" release, this is Silence

Map of Bordeaux City Pictures

Map of Bordeaux City Pictures

This is the Maps of Bordeaux city for your reference. Enjoy a admirable bout to France, to the wine-producing areas of Bordeaux, including Médoc and St Emilion, and again absorb time in the admirable Dordogne region, exploring the aces gorges and valleys that accomplish this breadth such a favourite.

Map of Bordeaux City Area Pictures

Drive bottomward to Bordeaux via Cognac and appointment the acclaimed Courvoisier cognac house. The acknowledgment adventure will accommodate an brief stop in the Loire Valley, acclaimed for its fairytale châteaux.

Time to Say Goodbye

What a happy exciting day. Today we dropped off Levi to the MTC for his mission. I know I have said it over and over, but I am so proud of him! What an amazing missionary he will be. I know I am not the only one who will miss him terribly, but it will go by so quickly and I am so excited to hear from him and write letters to him. He is always in our prayers and I am so thankful to have found a best friend in my brother.

Here we go again.....

You can click on it to view it in full size

On Stranger Tides

This weekend we saw the fourth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean series; and this is my review.
Overall, I enjoyed it. I think my favorite part was that Kiera Knightly wasnt in it. :)
I really enjoyed the banter between Jack Sparrow and Barbosa. Their relationship hit new levels with this movie. Black Beard is creepy and ruthless just like you'd expect him to be. Although, I wish they would have developed his character a little bit more. I wanted to really HATE him, but it wasnt quite good enough for me. Also, there was a few things that were never explained, like A) how he rose the dead and made them zombies and B) what the heck is going on with the magic sword? Waited and waited for an explanation that never came. I think Penelope Cruz did an ok job but I didnt really see her as a pirate. I was kinda bummed Ragetti and Pintel (the bald guy and the skinny one eyed pirate) werent in this movie.
I really liked the girl who played the mermaid. She was beautiful and even though she didnt talk much, I thought she was great. (I also wish there was a more developed love story with her and the missionary)
I loved... LOVED the funny subtle dialogue. I found myself laughing out loud and chuckling about it hours later.
I heard that they will be making a few more POTC movies and I will count down the days until the next one comes out. There is something about pirates that totally enthralls me. Even though the real life of a pirate is filled with scurvvy, smelly old men, storms and scorching sun-- the movies make it look like so much fun! Who wouldnt want to learn how to sword fight and swing down from the rigging and fire a canon.

Aye.. its a pirates life fer me.
If you havent seen it yet, be sure to stay after the credits for a laugh.

Alaska Houses

Amy has been earning her realtor fee with us! She spent the first day on
a marathon househunting run, about 12 hours by the time we were done!
She's also been very patient with our indecisiveness, and done a great job
finding houses we might like to look at. She's very down-to-earth, not
pushy at all, and cares more about finding us the right house than
putting money in her pocket. You won't catch her trying to impress you
with a fancy suit, or trying to push you into a house you don't want.
Maybe that's why she had the second highest sales last year, even though
she works from home.

The very first house we looked at in Alaska, we call the "Ugly" house.
Not that the house itself is necessarily ugly, it's actually quite nice inside,
but the outside colors are hideous. The price was well within our price range,
but we don't like the location at all... it's right behind the lumber yard. The
Fireplace was the best part, but the inside just wasn't what we were looking for.

Alaska Houses
Alaska Houses
The next house ended up being our favorite for quite a while. We called it the "Sarge"
because there was a picture of an Air Force Staff Sargeant. I love the street name, it's
on Beaujolais Ave. It also backs on some woods, something surprisingly hard to find
here. After looking at several more houses over a couple days, we finally put a bid on
this one. Guess we moved too slow, because they accepted someone else's bid. There
was something fishy about the selling agent though, and the sellers never even saw
our offer. I think it was her own client that had the "winning" bid.
Alaska Houses
Alaska HousesWanting to Explore all our options, we looked at some pretty interesting houses.
This one someone had started a massive addition on, adding an entire second floor.
The odd thing is that whoever started the project knew what they were doing,
what was finished was professional work. No idea why it suddenly went up
for sale half finished. If the living space downstairs had been in better shape,
I might have been more tempted to get this one. The price of $250k in a less
desirable area didn't make it any more appealing.
Alaska HousesWe decided to take a drive out to the Palmer/Wasilla area, because there
are some REALLY nice houses out there for much lower prices than the
Eagle River area. Amy has been showing a model home built by Hall Homes,
which apparently does some pretty good quality work. Brian Fredericks, our
friend and co-worker from Tyndall bought a nice Hall home in Palmer. The model
home is gorgeous! The yard is huge, about 1/2 acre, and there's a creek across the
back. That house was listed for $252k, which we could easily afford. We were
almost ready to put an offer in on it, until we drove back to the hotel. It
took us 25 minutes just to get to Eagle River, so add another 30 minutes
to Heather's work. That was in good weather. I can't even imagine how
long it would take to get to work on bad days, like this morning when it
got icy, and it took about an hour just to get to work from Eagle River.
So here's a pic of the beautiful house we had to turn down because it's
just too far from base. Being new construction, I think the value will go
up considerably once the subdivision is paved and landscaped.

Alaska Hotels

So it may be terribly far-removed from the United States homeland, but for all the work it takes to get to Alaska, it is truly worth the effort. Alaska is a joy for any traveler, no matter how experienced they are, and its natural beauty is second to none. Many people who visit Alaska come to explore the great outdoors here, and as such many of them prefer to look for accommodations in Alaska that allow them to be close to nature. Getting away from it all is easy to do in Alaska, as the state is the largest of the United States and boasts one of the lowest population numbers. Among the top draws in Alaska for outdoors enthusiasts is the great Alaska fishing. But Alaska isn't just about the outdoors. In the larger cities of Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau, you can get a taste of urban Alaska and still enjoy the surrounding natural beauty.

Alaska Hotels
Alaska Hotels
Alaska HotelsPart port city and part alpine resort town, Seward, Alaska is a popular place to visit, both for its history and for its activities. A top destination for Alaska fishing trips, and a major docking point for Alaska cruise ships, the top choice for Seward hotels are its lodges. You can find Seward hotels for any budget, which makes enjoying this beautiful city and the nearby Kenai Fjords National Park a true possibility, even if you are tight on funds. When you stay at one of the Seward hotels or lodges, you take advantage of all the Kenai Peninsula has to offer. Not far to the north, but not exactly an easy trip other than by plane, Anchorage has plenty of choices for Alaska hotels that also fit any budget. In the summer months, however, the hotels in Anchorage can fill rather quickly, so getting your reservations in ahead of time is a good idea. You can find listings for hotels in Anchorage online, and your best bet for selection can be found either downtown or near the airport. Anchorage is a wonderful place to visit, with something for everyone. If you like museums, don't miss the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, and if you like the outdoors, you might try sea kayaking for the first time. Almost needless to say, the surrounding views in Anchorage are stunning.
Alaska Hotels
Alaska HotelsAfter visiting Anchorage and Seward, your next point of interest just might be Juneau, which is the state's capital. Juneau is a great city for tourists, and as such, you will find the Alaska hotels here to be quite pleasant, regardless of your budget. The Juneau AK hotels almost all afford amazing mountain views, and if you consider booking your accommodations in Alaska at one of the Juneau AK hotels, you might choose one that can help you arrange some interesting Alaska tours. Juneau is a great base from which to explore Mendenhall Glacier, as well as schedule a visit to Glacier Bay National Park. Stay in one of the Juneau AK hotels, and you have some of the best that an Alaskan vacation has to offer. Skiing, fishing, hiking, shopping, or just sightseeing, Juneau is an all around travel destination. Not far from Juneau, the town of Sitka offers some of the best fishing in North America. The hotels in Sitka that arguably have the most character are those that reflect both the heritages of the Tlingit Indian culture and Czarist Russia. You can find both luxury and budget hotels in Sitka, and booking a fishing charter with one of the local companies is sure to net you that big catch.
Alaska Hotels
Alaska Hotels
If it's the Northern Lights you are after, not to mention a top Alaska destination, then you can book a winter trip to Fairbanks. This activity-laden city is great any time of the year, and Fairbanks has plenty to offer in the way of accommodations in Alaska. Among the Fairbanks Alaska hotels, you can choose to stay downtown, or opt for a lodge perhaps on the Chena River. Many of the downtown Fairbanks Alaska hotels are close to the city's best museums, and as with the other major Alaska cities, there are a handful or more of chain hotels that present a good option for cheap hotels in Alaska. Your flight to Alaska could arrive either at Anchorage or Fairbanks if you plan to visit Denali National Park and Mt. McKinley, and you may be able to find cheap hotels in Alaska by finding a package deal for either city. You might choose to stay at one of the Fairbanks Alaska hotels or at one of the hotels in Anchorage before you head to Denali, where you will find a wide selection of hotels, lodges and cabin rentals just outside of the park's entrance. Skiers will find that Alaska skiing is among the best in the world, and you can find some of the best Alaska resorts at the best skiing areas.

Alaska Wallpapers

Alaska Wallpaper
Alaska Wallpaper
Alaska Wallpaper
Alaska Wallpaper
Alaska Wallpaper
Alaska Wallpaper
Alaska Wallpaper

Alaska Northern Lights

The Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis are coloured and white flashing lights in the atmosphere north of the Northern Hemisphere. The lights are the result of the ionization of atmospheric molecules, at low temperatures, by solar and cosmic radiation. This phenomenon also occurs in the Antarctic, where it is termed Aurora Australis. This photo of the phenomena was taken over the Alaska’s night sky and has been selected as the Daily Cool Photo on Running Wolf’s Rant for the 20th of February 2011.

Alaska Northern Lights
Alaska Northern LightsProbably one of my most successful shots. I planned the shot of the Igloo with the Northern Lights for quite some time. Unfortunately mother nature does not always cooperate with photographers. After we built the Igloo, which took us two days, the weather changed (almost as "usually" beforte a "big shot"). It was frustrating to have the Igloo ready for days but the weather would just not work with me. I spent night after night out here hoping for a gap in the clouds and freezing my butt of at the same time. Temperatures sometimes were below 40.

After a few days the weather finally cleared and I was happy that clouds did not longer block my view into the cold Alaska nights. If I remember right, it was the third night that finally weather AND northern lights were on my side. I actually planned this shot on my 8x10 large format camera, but I had to set up the camera waaay before dark, by the time the northern lights arrived the shutter was frozen and I could not open the aperture. It was quite painful after all the waiting, sitting and freezing - but not everything was lost. I used my Contax 6x4.5 with a external battery pack, I was able to keep the camera "warm" all day and night so I did not run into the same problem.


Alaska Northern Lights
Alaska Northern Lights
Alaska Northern LightsI set inside the Igloo a Coleman Lamp which provided a warm enough light, I messured all the details before the Aurora borealis started dancing. After about 30 seconds into the shot I had to switch the Lamp off to make sure the Igloo will keep all the details and will not be washed out. Although I can't recall today the exact shutter speed I used I remeber that it was around 5 minutes, which makes sense when you look deep into the picture and focus on the stars which left a short star-trail behind.

The Igloo with the Northern Lights is still one of my very favourites - not only because it was a lot of hard work involved.
Alaska Northern LightsAfter a few days the weather finally cleared and I was happy that clouds did not longer block my view into the cold Alaska nights. If I remember right, it was the third night that finally weather AND northern lights were on my side. I actually planned this shot on my 8x10 large format camera, but I had to set up the camera waaay before dark, by the time the northern lights arrived the shutter was frozen and I could not open the aperture. It was quite painful after all the waiting, sitting and freezing - but not everything was lost. I used my Contax 6x4.5 with a external battery pack, I was able to keep the camera "warm" all day and night so I did not run into the same problem.

Map of France Geography Pictures

Map of France Geography Pictures

Map of France Geography Pictures

France is a country located primarily in Western Europe, but absolute breadth in South America, the Caribbean, and the Indian Ocean, as able-bodied as abundant territories of assorted status. In Europe France borders the Atlantic Ocean, the Arctic Sea and the Mediterranean. To the west is the Bay of Biscay, to the arctic is the English Channel.

Geography Area

While City France is amid in Western Europe, France additionally has a cardinal of territories in Arctic America, the Caribbean, South America, southern Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Antarctica. These territories accept capricious forms of government alignment from across administration to across absoluteness .

Calanque Sugiton, Marseille.

Metropolitan France occupies an breadth of ​​547,030 aboveboard kilometers (211,209 sq mi), the better country amid all European Union associates and hardly beyond than Spain. France has a advanced array of landscapes, from littoral plains in arctic and west to south-eastern Alps, the Massif Central in south-central and Pyrenees in the southwest. At 4,807 meters (15,770 ft) aloft sea level, the accomplished point in Western Europe, Mont Blanc, anchored in the Alps on the bound amid France and Italy. City France additionally has all-encompassing river systems such as the Loire, Garonne, Seine and Rhône , which divides the Massif Central from the Alps and flows into the Mediterranean Sea at the Camargue, the everyman point in France (2 m / 6.5 ft beneath sea level). Corsica lies off the Mediterranean coast.

The absolute acreage breadth of ​​France, with its across departments and territories (excluding Adélie Land), is 674,843 aboveboard kilometers (260,558 sq mi), 0.45% of the admeasurement of Earth. However, France has an Exclusive Economic Area (EEZ), the additional better in the world, accoutrement 11,035,000 aboveboard kilometers (4.26 actor sq mi), about 8% of the absolute apparent of all the EEZ of the world, afterwards the United States (11,351,000 km ² / 4383. 000 sq mi) and afore Australia (8.232 actor km ² / 3,178,000 sq mi).

Lavender on the Mont Ventoux.

Metropolitan France is anchored amid 41 ° and 51 ° North, on the western bend of Europe, and is amid in the arctic abstemious zone. Areas arctic and northwest accept a abstemious climate, while the accumulated access of the sea, breadth and distance aftermath a array of climates throughout city France. In the southeastern Mediterranean distance occurs. In the west, bedeviled by abyssal distance with aerial rainfall, balmy winters to balmy summers. On acreage added continental distance with hot summers and stormy, algid winters and beneath rain. Distance Alps and added aerial regions is alpine, with the cardinal of canicule with temperatures beneath aught about 150 per year and snow awning up to six months.