Male snow leopard cub needs a name!

Woodland Park Zoo Blog | Naturally Inspiring: Male snow leopard cub needs a name

Yup, next Tuesday is the big naming day! There are 4 names to choose from:

- Gobi (go-bee) – named for Gobi Desert in Mongolia
- Boke (rhymes with poke) – “Strong”
- Irbis (ear-biss) – “Leopard”
- Vachir (voch-err) – “Thunderbolt”

Should I post here what I'll be choosing? I don't want to sway anyone's vote... I'm just excited that they're letting us help choose the boy snow leopard cub's name! :) (Perhaps if you ask I'll tell you in a comment...)

I'll post a reminder on Tuesday, and don't forget, you could be the lucky winner of a snow leopard adoption! Plus you could win a plush snow leopard animal, and a signed copy of "“Saving the Ghost of the Mountain: An Expedition Among Snow Leopards in Mongolia” by Sy Montgomery, not to mention a photo of the CUBS!!!! I can barely contain myself here, can you tell?

Also, don't forget that Saturday, August 15th is International Snow Leopard Day! My mom's birthday, and mother-in-law's name day. An important day for everyone! :)

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Persepolis 1: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was certainly an eye-opening experience of the Iranian War through the eyes of a child (the memories of a woman told as an adult). Marjane Satrapi's parents were very forward thinking people and resisted the oppressive leaders every step of the way. Many of their friends and family were tortured and killed for standing up for their beliefs, and I had to take a break half way through. The pictures are not not too graphic- but they get the point across in clear bold strokes. We have so many pre-conceived notions about countries in the middle east and why the women hide themselves behind the chadr, but now I know how some of them fought it and rebelled by showing strategic strands of hair and painting their nails. This black and white graphic is very powerful, and even though I did have to put it down for a little while, I still finished the book later that day. I recommend it to anyone interested in world culture and history.

View all my reviews >>

Babymouse: Heartbreaker

Babymouse: Heartbreaker by Jennifer L. Holm


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Cute book! I read this for my graphic novels class, and I can see why elementary-aged girls love this series, and the quote, "Typical."


View all my reviews >>

Woodland Park Zoo Snow Leopard Cubs Updates

Woodland Park Zoo Blog | Naturally Inspiring: Zoo vets give snow leopard cubs 6-week exam

The snow leopards cubs get their their 6 week exam- and there is a video! Never have you seen such calm sweetness~ they are trusting and loving, and growing so fast! Why did I go to library school and not to Moorpark College? Oh, yeah, 'cause I love my job. :) But I would seriously consider a switch in career choices if I knew someone would let me help take care of snow leopard kittens!

Sorry about all the !!! Can you tell I'm a little excited? Seriously. Watch the video.

Hot Cinnamon Rasin Bread

Quick Breads: 63 Recipes For Bakers In A Hurry by Beatrice Ojakangas

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I found a new love of baking several years ago, partly due to the fact that most everyone I worked with at library were superb bakers (and tasting their creations were a heavy influence!), and partly due to one of the benefits of working in a library: checking in books! Many librarians would groan when reading this, but what better way to learn your collection than to check in/out and shelve all the materials? Not only was I exposed to the new popular books and videos, but on occasion a classic would pop up too. Such as Quick Breads~ this book immediately caught my eye when someone dropped it in the box. Number one, because of the work quick, and number two, because I love baking bread the most! I love slow rising breads; getting to punch down the dough and kneed it with my hands is soothing and therapeutic. After standing there with my mouth watering for several minutes while I scanned the recipes, I decided I need to check it out immediately. When I brought it home, I tried several of the recipes which were huge success for anyone near enough to get a taste before the breads were all gone. I went into a bit of a baking frenzy that summer. :) I then bought my own copy on Amazon for $5. Deal! Last night, I tried an old recipe that I had made several times: Hot Raisin Bread! (p.67) You are supposed to make a 9x9 inch square, rolled out to one inch high, and butter the top and sprinkle a cinnamon sugar mix over it before you bake it on a cookie sheet. One of the tastiest breads I've ever had hot right out of the oven! However, last night, I was in the mood for something a little more healthy, and more in loaf form. So I substituted one of the two cups for whole wheat flour, added cinnamon, and left off the buttery cinnamon topping. Then I baked it at 350 for about 25 minutes (it was a small loaf), and voila! Perfect to go with dinner instead of after. I was afraid it would be too dense because I switched flours, but it turned out very moist and not too thick. Yes, definitely heavier than your typical white bread, but is also quit a bit more satisfying.


View all my reviews.

Amber and Kevin's 10th Anniversary

Wow. 10 years. I would say that it has gone by so fast, but that's always what we think when pondering the present. We wonder where the time went, and how quickly. But of course time has moved on in it's ever-steady pace. As I was pondering the present I was not thinking of how quickly time has gone by, but by how many things that have been accomplished and changed in this span of time.
(Okay, I don't know why there is a big gap here, but I can't fix it either. I don't have any extra breaks in my coding...)

What has changed/been accomplished?	What is still the same?
two bachelor's degrees have been earned	Still have the same kitties: Jewels & Max
two (in December for me) Master's degrees	I still play the trumpet, Kevin, everything else
I've donated my hair twice and grown(ing) it back out	I have my bedroom furniture set since I was 6 (in my office)
Kevin shaves his head	My love of roses
two professionals: a band teacher and a children's librarian	I am still in school. Ha!
Two beautiful, sweet, awkward, fast-growing identical twin boys	I've been using Elizabeth Arden moisturizer since I was in high school
OMG I can cook and bake now!	I still bite my nails when I read
Triathlons and running in competitive races!	Swimming
I've learned a little html, as you can see by this table :)	I still sing in the shower

There are SO many other things I can list here, but I'm going to stop because it's making me nostalgic. Anyway, I have some photos to share from the dinner we shared with family and friends at Louis Basque Corner:

Here are some photos of the guests-
More friends-
Jessica and Greg-
My Grandma, Aunt Linda and Uncle Paul-
Me and Ashton-
Me and Sean-

My brother Scott and his long time girlfriend Sara recently moved to Montana, so they were not able to share this evening with us. However, Sara's parents, Craig and Pam were able to come!

I did not get a good picture of either my or Kevin's parents, but they each took one of the boys and lavished attention on them during dinner. But Alice and I did get a really nice photo together-
This is my friend Sarah, who will be getting married next summer, and is going to let me plan her bachelorette party! Whoo-hoo! (Don't worry- we're going to have a ladies night of wine tasting, and then a full day at the spa in Genoa. Classy. :)
And the 4 of us~ Sean, me, Kevin and Ashton-
Of course I didn't forget the food, which was amazing! I had lamb, and it was incredibly tender, and the mussels were also very flavorful. Paired nicely with the house red wine traditionally served with dinner-
After that wonderful dinner, several followed us home, and the girls did some baking- a new recipe to me! Thanks Jess and Sarah for unwrapping all those kisses~
10 years. Kev, do you think it went by quickly? Love ya babe~

Summer Sunset

Did you catch this just a few minutes ago? I was busily typing away (working on an annotated bibliography for my web design class- I don't know why it's necessary either), when I glanced out the window. After a .05 second glimpse of the sunset in progress, I dashed outside, camera to capture this color and beauty before it was gone forever. Unless it's repeated tomorrow, since clouds and possible showers are forecasted. Let's hope so. Click on the photo and make it as big as your screen will let you! Do it now!

Okay... back to the grind~