May 8, 2011

Lots of Travel

Tuff headed home in mid April for a week long visit with friends and family.  He had a fantastic time and each day was filled to capacity.

Tuff and kids at a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Tuff's dad put together.


Tuff's nieces Shawnee and Amara.


Tuff's niece Kaydee.


Tuff's mom hard at work for the after school program.


A reservation staple: Indian Tacos.  Auntie Roberta made these special one night while Tuff was visiting.



After Montana, Tuff met up with me in Portland, Oregon.  We went there over Easter weekend to visit our friend Jeff.

When we got to Portland Jeff picked us up and showed us around some great recreation areas.  First was the Vista House in the gorge.


Then still driving along the gorge area, we visited a few of the many waterfalls.  Behind us in the picture below is a wall of moss.  Moss is everywhere because of the constant moisture.






Tuff snapped a picture of this car in Portland.  It reminded us of our times in Missoula.  A lot of hippies around.

 
Tuff loves to imitate things.


One of the days in our trip we had a meeting with Sam McCracken at Nike World Headquarters.  Tuff met about possibly being an ambassador to the Nike N7 program/products.  They are interested in having him as an ambassador but first he needs an endorsement from Nike and before that a contract with a team.  One thing at a time.


Sam showed us around the Nike campus, which was amazing.  Everything is state-of-the-art and available to the employees and their families.  Below is a playground on campus which has a floor made of recycled Nike shoes.  And the basketball court in the picture above is also made from recycled shoes.


Walking around Nike campus.


Bill Bowerman, co-founder of Nike Inc., made the shoe soles in the picture below using his wife's waffle iron.
He revolutionized running shoes.


The waffle iron.


The last day in Portland, Jeff took us to an extreme go kart place.  After one race I had my fill, but Tuff and Jeff completed four races.

Jeff won everytime.


We flew back to Pittsburgh on the redeye and the next day flew to New York City.  This trip was for the 20/20 program Tuff is a part of.  It also coincided with the 2011 NFL Draft so we were able to participate in a lot of the happenings revolving around the draft. 

They put us up in the W Hotel in Time Square.  Early our first morning there we heard loud roars out our window....the royal wedding was showing on the big screen in Time Square.


When Tuff got some free time, we took the subway to lower Manhattan and hopped on the free Stanton Island Ferry ride.


The wait for the ferry ride.


Statue of Liberty from the ferry.


Tuff and I making our way back to lower Manhattan on the ferry.


Lots of deals and fun things around the city.  Five dollars?


Why not?!


More five dollar items.


One of our open nights, we went to the observatory tower in the Empire State Building.

The view from the 86th floor.


They let you walk down six flights of stairs.


The $20 photo we did not buy.


On the last day there we took a bike ride through Central Park.  I highly recommend this.  Done very leisurely it takes about an hour and a half.



Where's Waldo?


No matter where you go in Manhattan there will be thousands of people.


After our bike ride we made a trip to China town.


While in China town we accidentally discovered Little Italy.


The last night there we attended the 2011 NFLPA Rookie Debut.  Tuff got to walk the red carpet for picture opportunities along with all the first round draft pics of the 2011 draft, current and former players, and Miss USA to name a few.   At the end of the night, Snoop Dog preformed. 


Picture of Tuff on red carpet:
http://www.contactmusic.com/photos.nsf/main/tuff-harris-nfl-players-association-rookie-debut-one-team-celebration_5646338  

Senior Pic Remake
Please scroll down to view the senior pic and the senior pic remake.

  

Yes we tried to get a caricature artist to draw Tuff's senior pic remake but he would not draw the hand and drew the picture below instead.  Haha.


April 15, 2011

A Chocolate Day

Recently Tuff and I got to tour the Edward Marc (also known as Sherm Edwards) chocolate factory.  We have blogged pictures from the store in the south side but never did we go to where the chocolate is made.  Mark and Meaghan walked us through the process.



Meaghan and I standing by a giant batch of swirling chocolate


Mark explains the chocolate line in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wLZE3VtFGE

Freshly made terrapins and terrapin video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzNBQae6UlA

Mr. Muckle, the new Master Chocolatier, and Mark, General Manager of Pittsburgh Operations/old Master Chocolatier (always the Master Chocolatier in our hearts!).  They are pouring caramel for the terrapins. 


Wall of chocolate molds, including giant chocolate bunny



Mark shows us their oldest chocolate machine


Tuff does a hillarious impersonation of the giant bunny mold


All of us in the cooler!  Tuff forgot to look at the camera.


Overall picture of the factory and chocolatiers


Shipping center


Chocolates to be shipped




They have a store attached to the factory.  The store pictured below is not the same as the store in the south side, which has the Milkshake Factory, but instead has bunches of fun molded chocolates and lots more.



 Some of the chocolate shapes include the giraffe, pictured below.


Handcuffs


Sea shells


Golf balls!


Cake toppers


Adorable monkeys


And finally what would a trip to the chocolate factory be without a . . .

Senior Pic Remake
Please scroll down to view the Senior Pic Remake and the senior pic.




Other than eating lots of chocolate Tuff and I are really enjoying our time in Pittsburgh.  Starting last Friday, Tuff played basketball with the Steelers traveling basketball team.  They have been playing games all over western Pennsylvania since March and just asked Tuff to join in on the fun. 

Warm-ups.  There team name is the Footballers.  And just like the website has Tuff's number wrong, so does the basketball team.  Maybe #37 was meant to be?  Its really #31.


Benched for the first quarter.


Pregame huddle.  Tuff is in there amongst those huge guys.


Our small group came to support Tuff.  They are the best!


Tuff did get a few dunks, including a sweet one arm slam assisted by Ben, but I failed to capture them on camera.  I was having a hard time in the gym getting good pictures.  I have a few videos.  They are from the end of the game; at this point no one is really playing basketball:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNmFIXUXPL8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wLZE3VtFGE