Savoring Our Lives

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we: Had a lot of chicken Ruth made slow cooker salsa chicken last week and killed the ceramic part of the crock pot while cleaning up. We ordered a new crock but we're not sure it fits but we're cooking some more chicken right now so we'll see if it works. [caption id="attachment_452" align="alignright" width="300"] The 19 Crimes criminals[/caption] Had a lot of wine Chad saw something on social media about 19 Crimes Wine and the augmented reality app they developed. So he volunteered to go shopping for dinner and came back with five different bottles of the wine. We had a blast using the app and watching the stories. Discussed date night A number of things changed and we're not really going out on the regular for trivia anymore. Instead, Ruth suggested trying different restaurants on Monday and making it date night. Went out with friends We had a wide open schedule this weekend and our friends Chris and Christine invited us out for margaritas at Guanajua

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we: Watched Stranger Things Spoiler-free discussion! Netflix launched season 2 of Stranger Things last week and we watched all nine episodes this week. It's been fun to see the series' take on the 1980s. It blew Chad's mind when Ruth pointed out that since the show takes place in 1983/1984, he would actually have been as old as the kids in the show. [caption id="attachment_423" align="alignright" width="300"] Salt and Pepper![/caption] Made Chicken Cordon Bleu We've been doing a lot of batch cooking so last night we made a single meal - Chicken Cordon Bleu. We've learned a lot since the first time we made a version of this meal. If there's one thing we've learned it's to salt and pepper all the things! We did find out that Ruth misheard the lyrics for "Cornflake Girl" for well over 20 years. [caption id="attachment_425" align="alignright" width="300"] Char's Potato Soup[/caption] Had Lunch With Friends  Our friend Char made her homemade Baked Potato soup

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we: [caption id="attachment_411" align="alignright" width="300"] Pairing Halloween Candy with Wine[/caption] Paired Halloween candy with wine Our fave wine bar was hosting a fun Halloween mini-event - pairing Halloween fun sized candies with different wines. We naturally experimented with the three different candies and named a winner. Because...SCIENCE! Played Cribbage We like to play cribbage. Without a deck of cards or a cribbage board last week we resorted to a multi-player app. So this week, we found real, live cribbage board at the wine bar and enjoyed a super close game. Went to a Housewarming/Halloween Party Friends of ours hosted a Halloween costume party and we needed to find a leather duster jacket so Chad could go as vampire David from The Lost Boys. We shopped at the local St. Vincent de Paul second-hand store and were really impressed with the display and curation of their inventory. At the party, we met Loki, a really well-behaved Australia

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we are: [caption id="attachment_402" align="alignright" width="225"] Minneapolis Skyway System[/caption] On Location in Minneapolis!  We really enjoy Minneapolis and somewhat regularly schedule getaway weekends there. Skyways Minneapolis has a vast network of Skyways which connect multiple buildings throughout downtown. We were able to take the Skyway from our hotel to Penny's Coffee and stay out of the rain. Friday Night We started in the restaurant in the hotel with cheese curds and a drink. Then we walked across the Mississippi River to Northeast Minneapolis to try Punch Neapolitan Pizza. Afterwards, we stopped for a glass of wine at wine bar Bardo, next door. [caption id="attachment_401" align="alignright" width="300"] Punch Pizza[/caption] [caption id="attachment_397" align="alignright" width="300"] Tiki Drinks at Suzi's[/caption] Saturday After coffee, we headed out to Chanhassen to see Paisley Park - Prince's home, studio, and performance space whi

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we talk about: Date Night Fun This past Friday we saw the Milwaukee Rep's production of Guys and Dolls. Chad always wanted to play Sky Masterson. Ruth offers some insight into the female leads in the show. And we both ponder the fact that - for good or bad - the show is a product of its time (1950). Not familiar with the show? The Wikipedia article is a good read. Before the show, we stopped in at an old favorite restaurant, The Safe House. It's seen some changes over the past two years, but it's still fun to be there. [caption id="attachment_389" align="alignright" width="300"] i3Detroit Makerspace[/caption] Chad Visits Another Makerspace  Chad was in Detroit for a client this week and even though he loves poker, he skipped the card room at the casino he was staying in and instead opted to visit i3Detroit - a community-run makerspace. [caption id="attachment_390" align="alignright" width="300"] The Johnson Creek team -October 2013.[/caption] The End of a

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we talk about: Injuries and Sickness Updates She can't even believe it, but Ruth is actually walking without a limp! It's been a long journey, but her ankle is almost healed. What a relief. Chad, however, is still fighting the plague. Eating Out With Chad's sickness, we didn't prep food for the week, so we went out to eat a few times. For the most part, we found the food to be really mediocre. Have we hit a point where we like the food we create better than restaurant food? A New Wine [caption id="attachment_379" align="alignright" width="225"] The label from our 2014 Field Recordings Cabernet[/caption] We ate at local pizza staple Pizza Man this week. In addition to the outstanding service, we enjoyed a 2014 Field Recordings Cabernet Sauvignon from the Hinterland Vineyard in San Luis Obispo. It was pretty deep, tangy, and delicious. They actually described it as "mocha, black currant, and tobacco" flavors. Flooring Dreams With a new dog comes new floorin

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we talk about: Sickness at the Lawson Ranch Chad's been sick all week with a cold/the flu. Tini wasn't feeling good, either. She ended up getting subcutaneous fluids and an anti-nausea pill. She usually does pretty well, but this time it didn't agree with her and we were all up all night. What We're Drinking Friday was National Coffee Day. Ruth enjoyed a yummy decaf from Kickapoo Coffee Roasters who roast their decaf so it's actually flavorful. Since Chad's been sick, he's been drinking a mocktail of 7-Up and Cran-Apple juice his mom used to have him drink when he was sick as a kid. But then, we kicked it up a notch when we found Hot Toddies. We found a very simple recipe on Epicurious and decided to try it (in the name of science). It tasted great and helped soothe Chad's coughing for a while. Chad came across a 2010 Cabernet called The Guardian at the grocery store. We opened it up and found it needed to breathe for a few days before it was ready to dri

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we talk about: [caption id="attachment_351" align="alignright" width="225"] Daleks![/caption] MakerFaire Milwaukee Milwaukee is hosting its 4th annual MakerFaire - "the greatest show and tell on Earth" and Chad will be presenting his "To Err Is Divine" platform today. We volunteered at registration on Saturday. And we were able to see the Tesla Coils in action, and a World Record attempt for Daleks. Food Fun We made the dump recipe "One Pan Enchilada Bake" and it was easy and delicious.  It reminded Chad of a recipe his mom used to make...but better! Wine Club Shipments We had two wine club shipments arrive this week - Ravenswood and Francis Ford Coppola. Check out our Instagram to see all the selections. Nature and Wildlife Happy Fall! Ruth encountered a hummingbird this morning and Chad admits to really liking where we live. We encounter a lot of wildlife and recently Chad found a three-week old kitten in our driveway. Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal C

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we talk about: Magic Wineza Chad was at a client near Detroit on Friday, but made it home in time for Wineza. Chad was convinced we weren't going to be able to have Wineza this weekend, but Ruth made it happen beautifully. We enjoyed a 2015 Educated  Guess Cabernet. Ruth's Mom's Birthday Dinner [caption id="attachment_340" align="alignright" width="225"] Mom's Birthday Sundae[/caption] Mom chose Outback Steakhouse for her birthday dinner. She likes going there because she chooses to eat gluten-free. We enjoyed our meals - Ruth got Alice Springs Chicken and Chad had the Cobb Salad with Steak. Chad really enjoyed the 2015 Federalist Cabernet.  Ruth thought the ice cream/hot fudge sundae was particularly delightful.   Doughnut Quest Our doughnut options have recently changed and we're not thrilled. We're trying to find really yummy doughnuts (and coffee) to enjoy before we record our podcast each week. This week we tried yet another vendor only to be disappo

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we talk about: Ruth's Ankle Update Ruth is getting out of the boot on her leg this week and is super excited about the prospect of being free. She still has some physical therapy and acupuncture to go through. [caption id="attachment_317" align="alignright" width="300"] The Pessimist Wine[/caption] Food Fest, Wine Recon, Wineza We made a ton of meals for our week on Labor Day. We made four recipes (28 servings) for just $60. Meal planning is us saving time, money, and calories. One of the recipes we really like and have tweaked to make our own is the Make Ahead Freezer Breakfast Burritos. Ruth visited the Italian restaurant Onesto with a co-worker and tried a Luccarelli Primitivo which was quite delicious. Wineza this week was an away game with a small pizza from Klasiana Pizza and a Pessimist wine at our local wine bar Vintage 38. Random RoboCop Reference Chad talked to a friend about RoboCop this week - apparently the movie is almost symmetrical. We ne

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we talk about: Mom's Health Scare We were absent last week because Ruth's mom ended up in the ER after church. She's okay, but has been diagnosed with vertigo. Chad visited Minneapolis We love Minneapolis! Chad was there last week for training and visited Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge while he was there. He also checked out maker spaces - TC Makers at the Hack Factory and Nordeast Makers. And then there was the arcade!  Chad played BattleTech at Fallout Shelter. Food and Booze We visited The Kiltie Drive-In in Oconomowoc last week and listened to Illinois Street Lounge on SomaFM. We also went to a new-to-us location of Pizza Man in Oak Creek. The staff and experience was wonderful, as always. We had a little cocktail mix-up at one of our favorite places. Abby Goes On Walkabout...Again Chad took the girls for Puppucinos at Starbucks. Abby was so excited, she decided to jump out the window! Chad chased and finally caught her. Whew! Milwaukee Maker Faire Cha

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we talk about: Travel Food Failure Chad was on the road near Ann Arbor, Michigan. And, while he always tries to eat locally at restaurants he can't find at home. He kept striking out on this trip with things like Five Guys, Chipotle, BW3, and more. But, on the bright side, Chad got to have a Captain and Pepsi (!) at the hotel. Good Food for Ruth Ruth went to Hale House for trivia Monday, then returned the next day for dinner and drinks with her cousin. Later in the week, she went out to dinner with a friend. Savor Your Life We unfortunately lost our friend Matt to an ATV accident this week. It was heartbreaking to learn about it and reinforced the idea of our entire podcast - savor your life and make the most of every day. Cheers and godspeed, Matt. Maker Works Chad got to take a tour of one of the local makerspaces in Michigan - Maker Works. He really enjoyed seeing how the space was managed. Abby's Manners Class Chad took Abby to her first manners clas

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we talk about: Wasp-pocalypse Ruth got in the way of a really angry yellow jacket. Then Abby the Beagle did. Everyone got stung on Saturday! The exterminator will be visiting this week. Ruth's Birthday For Ruth's birthday, we visited Mr. B's Steakhouse in Brookfield, Wisconsin. The steaks there are cooked in a wood-fired oven which makes them taste absolutely amazing. We chose "Saldo" to pair with the dinner - a Zinfandel county blend by The Prisoner. Anklepalooza Ruth had an MRI which was pretty inconclusive, so now she's walking in a walking boot to immobilize her ankle. Lackluster We decided a lot of the driving on Saturday was "lackluster." We were probably not using the word correctly. Makerspace in Illinois Chad visited a Makerspace in Illinois and was impressed with their rules, which included "clean your space and put your tools away." SomaFM We borrowed a friend's badge at DEFCON24 to get Ruth in to see the SomaFM DJs in the Chill Lounge. Ruth g

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we talk about: Health Ruth sprained her ankle in May and it wasn't getting better so she had an MRI and will start physical therapy this week. Chad had a client on the fourth floor of a building who did not have a functioning elevator.  He was huffing and puffing all the way up. Las Vegas DEFCON 25 happened at Caesar's Palace. Chad spent time getting an electronic badge, while Ruth went in search of fruity tropical drinks. While Chad waited, he started reading Daemon by Daniel Suarez and Ruth ended up at the Dolphin Bar at the Mirage. Eateries in Vegas we visited included LVB Burgers and Bar at the Mirage, Flour + Barley, Virgil's Real BBQ,  and our fave, Bin 702 where we hung out with our cool server, Naomi. Plus, Ruth found a typo at the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace and they very graciously corrected it and let her know via Twitter. Monday Trivia We've been playing Sporcle Live Trivia on Monday nights at the Hale House. It's been so much fun but our

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we talk about: Welcome Back We were gone for a couple weeks, but we're back! We were in Orlando for the National Speakers Association conference. In between breakout sessions, we had fun eating and drinking around the properties including the Spirit of Aloha luau and Trader Sam's Grog Grotto. Beagle Update Tini and Abby stayed with Uncle Curt and Aunt Jasmine while we were gone. And now, the girls are gettingalong and Abby is finding her place in our pack.  (L to R: Abby, Tini, Annie, Timmy) Being Social vs Doing Dishes Chad was out of town and Ruth had the opportunity to see Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) live here in Milwaukee. But first she had to battle getting up the gumption to go out and not stay home and do dishes. Meal Planning We're still batch cooking. We make Damn Delicious' One Pot Mexican Rice Casserole this week. And, man, it was damn delicious! Shakespeare in the Park We saw Optimist Theatre's performance of Shakespeare's "Much A

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we talk about: Abby The Beagle Update Abby's doing pretty well and she and Tini are playing a bit. She's become a bit of Chad's shadow and is experiencing some separation anxiety. National Mai Tai Day Friday, June 30 was National Mai Tai Day so naturally, we went out tocelebrate! There may have been extra rum. Cheesecoal and Tater Tots As part of meal prep, we are learning to be okay with failure as we go along. From homemade tater tots to charcoal tortillas, we're still learning some cooking techniques (aka learning to follow directions). Want to share your story about how you’re savoring your life? Or if you have make ahead meal recipes, tell us! Email: stories@savoringourlives.com Call: 808.42.SAVOR (808.427.2867) Twitter or Instagram: @savoringpodcast

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we talk about: Foster to Adopt We traveled to Michigan to meet Abby the Beagle. We brought her home to foster for two weeks with the option to adopt. Chad Rocketman Chad gave an astronomy presentation to about 60 three-year olds this week. He talked about planets, constellations, and the upcoming eclipse in August. Meal Prep Success We prepped 20 meals including lasagna, chicken and sweet potatoes, and breakfast burritos - all for under $3 per meal. We saved money AND calories. This week, we'll be making slow-cooker salsa chicken and tater tot casserole. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APa6KbFzvB0 Milwaukee Makerspace Our very own Makerspace was featured in the most recent issue of  M Magazine. And Chad was selected to be a speaker at Milwaukee MakerFaire this September 23 and September 24. Want to share your story about how you’re savoring your life? Or if you have make ahead meal recipes, tell us! Email: stories@savoringourlives.com Call: 808.42.SAVOR 

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we talk about: Wineza with Friends This week, we invited some friends over for wineza. We had some fun timesand some Zima (a malt beverage from the '90s)! Our friends brought their beagles, Timmy and Annie. Tini let Annie play with her (favorite) toys. Searching for Dogs We attended Fido Fest on Saturday and chatted with a behavioral specialist about Tini and her grief. We're not sure we're ready or if Tini's ready for a new dog, but we're starting the process. We contacted BREW Beagles and another rescue group to inquire about available dogs. Shopping and Meal Planning Today we went grocery shopping using a digital list in the Paprika app. Turns out Chad is a digital guy; Ruth is a pen and paper gal. We'll be prepping three make-ahead meals this Sunday. We found an easy lasagne recipe on DamnDelicious.net. Managing Our Weight We're still using the LoseIt app. Ruth realized she's consistently about 600 calories over her allotment. Chad has lost an entire

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we talk about: [caption id="attachment_230" align="alignright" width="300"] Tapas Dining[/caption] Tiki Thursday We went to the opening reception for The Tiki Art of Dave Hansen. You can find him on Instagram at @laketikiwoodcrafts or on Facebook here. Dave has been hand-carving tiki for years and it was fun to meet him and find out more about his passion. Tapas Dining Downtown Since it was Downtown Dining Week we decided to try a restaurant off the beaten path and avoid the crowds. We decided on small plate dining at La Merenda. It was the perfect choice and we'll definitely be back. [caption id="attachment_229" align="alignright" width="300"] Cheers, Dad.[/caption] Trivia or Baseball We decided to skip the Brewers game and go to Sporcle Live Trivia at The Hale House on Monday. We enjoyed an Aloha Burger - 1/2 lb burger patty topped with a grilled pineapple slice, house-smoked pork belly, and teriyaki sauce. Chad even liked it! We ordered a dry gin mart

Welcome to Savoring Our Lives! In this week's episode, we talk about: Sarah Knight TEDx Talk Ruth watched the TEDx Talk "The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck - how to stop spending time you don't have, with people you don't like, doing things you don't want to" by Sarah Knight. Sarah set a ton of boundaries is now living life on her own terms. Her story is so inspiring. Chad was part of a speaker showcase He was able to give a new version of his Origami Rocket presentation to a  group of credit union meeting planners. He also wowed his tale with a 3-D printed Fidget Spinner he made. Gravity...It's The Law Ruth missed a step and fell down the stairs and managed to sprain her left ankle. She's really bad at asking for help and is now (slowly) learning how to do it. It reminded Chad of a mug he saw at his presentation which said, "She believed she could, so she did." really inspired Chad. It's a Dog's Life A colleague sent Ruth a link to a dog available on PetFinder who looks just like Tini did when she