Thursday, November 18, 2010

WE ARE WINNERS!


As you all know, the PSESD Wellness Committee NFL (Nutrition, Fitness, Lifestyle) has recently ended. The final results were:

Joyful Techies - at the 88 yard line
Risk Management Raiders - at 84 yard line
Finance - at the 82 yard line
ECEAP Energizers - at 81 yard line
Wellness Wildcats - at the 69 yard line
HS Ravens - at the 62 yard line



Congrats to our Joyful Techies (Devone Smith, Janet Hinrichs, and Jodie Le). Good Job Team! Keep it going!

Monday, November 1, 2010

Retreat Results

Check out the survey results from this year's department retreat.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Technology Services Department Retreat

This years event will be unlike any other as we welcome a guest facilitator to help us navigate through the inevitable changes that we will all be faced with in the coming year. Join us for this thought provoking, engaging and inspiring retreat!



The Logistics:

Who: TS Staff

What: Annual Retreat

When:
October 22, 2010 / 8am-5pm

Where: Landmark Event Center
23660 Marine View Drive South
Des Moines, WA 98198

We will gather in the Garden Room for socializing and breakfast at 8am


After your belly is good and full we will head over to the Library for our meeting which starts promptly at 8:30am



Lunch will be served at 12pm in the Garden Room again. Take some time to enjoy to the view.



We have several rooms reserved for breakout sessions including the Living Room



If you have any questions please contact Terry or Devone.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Core Ideology Awards Ceremony and Potluck Luau



Special Award Winners: Tom and Monika

Jason and Monika blowing bubbles

Thank you all for attending our end of the year celebration. Fun was had by all!

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Luau Attire!!!!



It's Luau time! Do you own a Hawaiian shirt? Skirt? Outfit! Relax in your Hawaiian Attire at our Luau Potluck and Award Ceremony!
Current weather forecast is for Sunny skies and 80'degrees!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010








News Update: Some items have already been spoken for!

Kalua Pork - Jill
Sweet Potatoes - Angela
Hawaiian Luau BBQ Chips -Janet
Hawaiian Sweet bread - Janet
Banana Bread - Pam
Luau Ham and glazed Pineapple snacks - Devone
Volcanic Punch - Anne
Pineapple upside Cake or something similar - Tom
Fruit Salad - Jacob
Some type of Side Dish- Jason
Chips - Thomas
Some type of salad - Conn

We have collected some Luau recipes for our Pot-Luck Lunch to inspire you! These are just ideas, if you have your own favorite Hawaiian food recipe that you think we would love to have at the Luau, please email Jill your recipe idea and she will post it on the blog.

After selecting your recipe; EMAIL Jill and she will add your name next to the recipe so others will know it is taken. Not a cook or baker? Check the bottom of this post for other ideas of what you can bring!

The Core Ideology Committee will be supplying the plates, napkins, silverware, cups and bowls as needed. There is electricity at our off site location.

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SLOW COOKER KALUA PIG

** Jill & Bob Stone will provide this dish

Ingredients:
3 lb pork butt
1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
2 1/4 teaspoons Hawaiian salt, or sea salt, or kosher salt
Pierce pork butt all over with carving fork. Rub salt and liquid smoke into meat. Cook in slow cooker on low for 16-20 hours turning once. Remove meat, shred, and then add juices from slow cooker to shredded meat. Makes six servings.

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Luau Ham and Glazed Pineapple Snacks

** Devone will be bringing this dish.

These delicious skewers of ham and marmalade-glazed fruit are perfect for your luau party. Easy to make and looks great with a decorated toothpick (silk flowers or Luau Umbrella Parasol Picks ). Just poke them into a pineapple and this snack can double as a centerpiece and be eaten too! (Makes about 36 servings).

Recipe:
• 1 can of 15 1/4 ounce of pineapple chunks
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 6 ounces thinly sliced cooked ham, cut into 4×1/2 inch strips
• Wooden toothpicks that have decorated ends like flowers or umbrellas, or other festive theme
• 1 jar of 10 ounce maraschino cherries

Instructions:
1. In a medium bowl, toss the pineapple chunks (drained) in the orange marmalade and coat.
2. Thread a cherry (drained) through a toothpick or skewer.
3. Wrap a ham string around each pineapple chunk.
4. Then thread each wrapped pineapple on the toothpick.
Optional Step: 5. Take a pineapple to use as a base. If the pineapple is unsteady, you may need to cut 1/4 of the bottom off to create a stable base. Place pineapple onto a festive plate. Poke all skewers into the pineapple.
7. Cover and chill for up to 2 hours. Served chilled.
8. Another option: If you prefer to serve this as a warm snack, warm the skewers instead of chilling them in the oven on 325 degrees for about 30 minutes and serve immediately.
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Tropical Fruit Salad



** Jacob will be bringing this dish or some form of it.


prep time: 15 min chill: 2 hours

Ingredients:
1 medium mango, seeded peeled and cubed
11 ounces mandarin orange sections, drained
2 kiwis peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 cup tiny marshmallows
8 ounces carton vanilla yogurt
3 bananas, peeled and halved lengthwise
1/2 cup toasted coconut

Combine all the fruit in a bowl, together with the marshmallows and the yogurt. Cover and chill for 2-4 hours. When ready to serve, cut each banana half crosswise into 2 pieces. For each banana half, cut lengthwise again to split the banana. Place 2 banana pieces on a dessert plate. Stir half of the coconut into the fruit mixture. Then spoon on top of the bananas. Sprinkle the remaining coconut on top. Drizzle with honey on top. Makes 6 servings.
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SESAME CABBAGE SALAD



** __________ will be bringing this dish.





Ingredients:
1 head cabbage chopped
1 bunch green onions chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery or peppers
3 packages Ramen chicken soup (dry soup pks)
1 bag frozen peas
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 Tablespoon sugar
8oz chunk almonds, toasted
4 Tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
Mix cabbage, green onions, and celery. Break up dry Ramen noodles and toss in. Mix dressing of vinegar, oil, and soup mix. Toss dressing and toasted almonds and sesame seeds with salad mix. This yields a lot of salad and is best served same day. Serves 15-20 people.

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Aloha Sweet Potatoes


* Angela will be bringing this dish.

Ingredients
4 to 5 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup shredded coconut

Boil sweet potatoes in their jackets until tender, about 25 minutes. Let cool, then peel and cut into slices 1 1/2-inch thick. In a large skillet melt butter. Stir in brown sugar and water and cook on medium heat about 5 minutes. Reduce heat and add sweet potatoes to skillet. Cook gently; tossing lightly until sweet potatoes are glazed. Sprinkle with coconut before serving. Makes 8 servings.
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Banana Bread Like No Other

*** Pam will bring this item

This banana bread is fully loaded with taste and flavor, so moist it almost can be called a bread pudding! It does require quite a few bananas though but the results are worth it! A bread fully loaded with bananas in every bite and won’t dry out. Makes a great gift bread too.

Super Moist Banana Bread Instructions (1)
2 cup white flour, sifted.
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
7 ripe bananas, mashed (makes about 2 1/3 cups)

Super Moist Banana Bread Directions (1)

Step 1. Supplies needed for your Banana Bread – flour, baking soda, 7 mashed bananas, 1/4 oats, brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 stick butter. Optional toppings: oats, nuts and sunflower seeds.

Step 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9×5 inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Mix with a blender. Add in eggs and mashed bananas. In another bowl, add the sifted flour, baking soda and salt.

Step 3. Mix the flour mixture and the banana mixture together. Stir to just moisten and to mix. Do not over mix. Divide the mixture into the two greased bread pans.

Step 4. Bake the bread for 60 minutes on 350 F or until done (test with toothpick in the middle). Let cool for 20 minutes. Invert the bread and take out of pan to cool completely.

Step 5. Serve warm with piping hot tea! This banana bread is extremely moist but not gooey! Dense and full of banana flavor.

Step 6. Make extras and freeze for a later date, however in our household, they never make it to the freezer! Enjoy!

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BANANA-PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

**Tom will be bringing this dish.
Ingredients:
3/8 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
2 cups flower
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 mashed banana
1 cup crushed pineapple
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar


Cream together butter and sugar. Gradually add beaten egg, sift flower, baking powder and salt. Fold in mashed banana. Melt butter and sprinkle brown sugar through it on bottom of pan, 8 inches square or small angel food pan. Add well drained crushed pineapple and chopped macadamia nuts. Pour batter over this mixture and bake in pre-heated oven of 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Serves 8-10.
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VOLCANIC PUNCH

** Anne will be bringing this dish.

Ingredients:
2 cans frozen fruit punch concentrate
1 64oz-can pineapple juice
1 can cream of coconut
2 2-Liters ginger ale
ice cubes

In a large punch bowl add the 2 cans of frozen fruit punch concentrate. Keep one of the empty frozen juice cans. Fill the can with water 4 times and add to punch bowl. Add pineapple juice, one bottle of ginger ale, and ice cubes then stir. Then add as much of the 2nd bottle of ginger ale as possible leaving at least 3 inches from the rim of the punch bowl and stir again. Pour in the can of cream of coconut on top. If you want the punch to be alcoholic add vodka. Will serve 20-40 people.

** Jill has a 5 gallon water/juice cooler she can bring for this. Please let her know if you want to borrow it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Other Ideas:


Hawaiian Chips ( Sweet Maui Onion, Hawaiian Luau BBQ Potato Chips) and Mango Salsa
** Janet will bring Hawaiian Luau BBQ Chips & Thomas will also bring chips

King's Hawaiian Sweet Bread ( bring 2 packages please) - ** Janet will bring this item

Pineapple Cupcakes






Coconut Macaroons

Hawaiian Fruit Punch and 7up punch (instead of the Volcanic Punch)






Want to bring something but don't have time to cook: Check out these two Local Hawaiian restaurants right down the street from us:


L& L Hawaiian Barbecue
Renton
(SW 7th St. & Hardie Ave.)
20 SW 7th St., #H
Renton, WA 98057
Phone: (425) 227-6980
Fax: (425) 204-7988

http://hawaiianbarbecue.com/live/menu/the-ll-menu/

Aloha Hawaiian Grill (Ikea Area)
18016 71st Ave S., #102
Kent, WA 98032
Phone: 425.656.5283
Fax: 425.656.5282
Mon to Fri: 10am to 8:30pm
Sat & Sun: 11am to 8pm

http://www.alohahawaiiangrill.com/menu.html










Monday, July 26, 2010

Location of Award Ceremony & Potluck Luau

We will be going off-site to Gene Coulon Park in Renton. We have rented the North Picnic Shelter. This is located by the marina and Kidd Valley/Ivar's Restaurants. The facility has a large firepit in the center of the building.

Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park
1201 Lake Washington Boulevard North

North Shelter Amenities:
•Number of tables: Seven picnic tables under shelter, 12 tables outside the shelter
•Electricity: Yes
•Barbecues: Five
•Sink/Water: Two sinks (available March 1 to November)
•Handicap Accessible: Yes
•Baseball Diamond: No
•Volleyball Court in Area: Two courts found near the south beach area
•Maximum Occupancy: 150
•Parking: Yes. Over 30 stalls located nearby but not part of rental agreement.



Map of Park: http://rentonwa.gov/uploadedFiles/Living/CS/REC/Coulon%20Map.PDF

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Awards Ceremony - August 2, 2010

Save the Date: August 2, 2010

The Core Ideology Committee is hosting the

Technology Services

2nd Annual Award Ceremony

on

August 2, 2010

from

11:30 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.

Our theme this year is

LUAU!

Come prepared wearing your favorite Hawaiian clothes to have a lot of fun

We will have sign ups on the blog

for a Luau Styled Pot Luck Lunch.

Stay tuned for more information!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Vote



We have posted on Survey Monkey the Award Ballot for this year's Award Ceremony.

Please click on the link provided on the blog to vote. Voting will is opened now and will close on July 28, 2010 at 12:00 P.M.


Award Categories:

Theme that was most effective in "Experiencing Joy in the Workplace"

Most Creative Theme

Best in Show Activity

Best Picture Show

Best Single Player Activity

Best Group Activity
Best Use of Techie Blog


You may need to have the blog opened while voting so you can review some of the activities that have occurred over the last several months.


Techie Blog link: http://techie-joy.blogspot.com/


Voting link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/core_ideology

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Where in the World is...?

Thanks for sharing all of your vacation pictures with us! This is the last installment of TS staff members, "Where in the World is?" Take a guess where each person is and just for participating you may be a winner!

Where in the World is Thomas?

Where in the World is Jill?


Where in the World is Angela?


Where in the World is Janet & Jodie?


Where in the World is Devone?

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

TS Class of 2010

With our “Summer Break” themed month coming to an end we thought it was only appropriate to put together a TS Yearbook to remember everyone by. Remember (or not, as the case may be!) those yearbook predictions about which of your classmates were "Most Likely To Succeed" or "Most Likely To Be Famous" or "Most Likely To Be In Prison On Drug Charges Before The Age Of 25"?

WLS & ETSC is looking for a list of "TS Employees Most Likely To ..."s. The Yearbook is posted on the cube wall across from the printer counter. Please contribute by adding your own “Most Likely” caption!

Monday, June 28, 2010

MISC. SUMMER BREAK FUN!

After seemingly long and dreary winters, we always get a little excited when summer arrives with sunny, warm days. It just might be the time to venture out and try some new outdoor activities, so check out this PDF for some summer possibilities. The list includes details about:

Sunday Ice Cream Cruise on Lake Union
Friday Brown Bag Cruise and Saturday Lake Union Cruise
FREE Star Parties at Green Lake with the Seattle Astronomical Society
Seattle Audubon’s Neighborhood Bird Walk - FREE
Snoqualmie Falls Forest Theater
Auburn’s Valley 6 Drive-In Movie
Seattle’s Shakespeare in the Park - FREE
Dancing 'Til Dusk (in downtown Seattle) - FREE
Boat Rentals in the Seattle Area

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Picnic Break

Thanks to all of you who came out and enjoyed good food, good company and great weather!

Monday, June 21, 2010

SUMMER OUTDOOR CONCERTS!

To get you outside on those warm summer nights, a number of outdoor concerts are sponsored at various locations during the summer months.

The line-up of your nearby concerts includes:

Kidd Valley Concert Series at Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park, Renton
University Village Sounds of Summer Concert Series
Kent Summer Concert Series
Seattle Peace Concerts’ Free Summer Park Concert Series
Concerts at the Hiram Chittenden Locks
Burien Thursday Night Music, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
KEXP 90.3FM and Seattle Center present Concerts at the Mural

Check out this PDF for the dates and locations of these summer concerts. Some of these venues also have a dancing area!

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Where in the World is...?

Take a look at some more pictures of these TS staff members on their recent vacations. Guess where each is and a winner will be randomly selected from the participants. Good Luck!

Where in the World is Anne & Conn?

Where in the World is Hoang?

Where in the World is Tom?

Where in the World is Nola?