Hobbies!

Since last year was wedding planning and this Winter didn't really offer up any hobbies that I really loved (unless you count shoveling snow...bring on the workout!) I have been itching to really get into something new. My recent hobbies are mostly fitness, smaller crafts, complaining about Winter, and cooking. But it's time for something new and bigger (and warm weather)!

 So I decided that since I have my own home now I am going to get into some gardening.

My sweet sis-in-law, Rachel, also wanted to give gardening a go so we decided to go for it! So far we have planted just about every veggie you can think of along with some herbs and flowers. It's only been a few days and the broccoli has sprouted :)

(I stole this picture from Rachel.)

We are so proud ha ha! A friend is giving us 3 raised garden beds because she no longer needs them. When it warms up more in the next couple of the months we will transfer them over. I love fresh veggies and herbs!

 At my house I am going to plant a perennial flower garden bed on the side of my house. I absolutely LOVE flowers so I am hoping that I actually have a green thumb! I also want to do some sort of cute flower bed or stone work on the sides of my front steps. Right now they are just dirt and it's very shaded so not much will grow there. I'm thinking of some sort of cool pebble designs and then having some potted flowers that I can put there and move to sunny spots when needed. 

That pretty much sums up what I have been dipping into lately. Kevin has been brewing away! He is ready to take his brewing to the next level. Once we get some things more established and do a bit more research our plan is to one day open up a brewery here in Ogden. SLC has plenty, and aside from Roosters and Ruby River, Ogden could use another one ;)

If you don't know by now, Griffins absolutely LOVE beer. No, not in the get-white-girl-wasted kind of way, or your typical Budweiser, Miller, Coors,etc. brews. Not that it's bad to like those, but they lack flavor to me. Although, I don't mind a Budweiser Lime or Corona w/lime on hot summer day! We enjoy good beer and love trying different styles when they come out. Kevin has really enjoyed brewing his own beer and is very good at it. Brewing is not easy and it takes research, patience, and a bit of chemistry to make a good batch.

Lately, he has been really trying to master making a stout that hasn't had this odd aftertaste. Just picture basically sucking on a tea bag. That too bitter taste! This has been happening because the minerals in the water throwing off the balance of the batch. I don't know all the proper terms, I'm learning still haha!

So this his kind of been his challenge to take on and solve. His other beer, a pale ale, he recently brewed is so good. It's probably my new favorite!!

Recently Kev built his own "Keezer"! We found a great deal for a chest freezer on ksl and he painted it and built the wood collar. He then put in taps and has his soda kegs (he uses them for the beer, much easier and convenient than bottling) hooked up the tap handles. Beer on tap! Now we just need to have a bbq with friends/family so people will come drink it. It's a lot of beer for just two people!

Here's a pic of the Keezer

This is the only pic I have so far available to put up. This is when he just barely got it finished. It looks so nice, and it also has some handles on the taps now.

I'm so proud of Kevin because when he gets ideas and plans, he does them! I lack motivation pretty much alllll the time. He motivates me to put my ideas into projects and goals. 

So there it is. Maybe one day you will be coming into our brewery to enjoy a nice cold beer :)