PS The before pictures are posted last because I am too lazy to switch them right now.
Good-bye yellow painted kitchen and dining room. I can't say I will miss you.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Viewer discretion
I post this in honor of my husband finally succumbing to the lure of social networking and getting his own facebook page. After his brother's traumatic experience, he swore never to sign up. But after a friend of his from his mission in Argentina found me, and I was constantly tell JaDee that Joni was leaving him messages in Spanish for me on my wall, I convinced him to get his own page.
Teaching him how to navigate Facebook, however, this week has made me think I married an octogenarian, and not a man a mere 4 years my senior.
So when I saw a longer version of this on one of my friend's facebook posts last week it reminded me of my dear facebook challenged husband. I hesitate re-posting it on my own Facebook page because I have some friends that are too young to watch South Park and I want to protect the innocent, although seeing as how they are in middle school I am sure they hear much worse at school, I guess I just don't want them hearing it from me.
Teaching him how to navigate Facebook, however, this week has made me think I married an octogenarian, and not a man a mere 4 years my senior.
So when I saw a longer version of this on one of my friend's facebook posts last week it reminded me of my dear facebook challenged husband. I hesitate re-posting it on my own Facebook page because I have some friends that are too young to watch South Park and I want to protect the innocent, although seeing as how they are in middle school I am sure they hear much worse at school, I guess I just don't want them hearing it from me.
Monday, April 26, 2010
To whom it may concern
Yesterday I happened to notice that I went from 7 followers to 12 followers. Today I have 14 so I decided to check and see who ya'll were.
I know half of you.
And several of you are from Indonesia.
I have never been to Indonesia, but I do know someone who is there now. However, I am curious why my sudden popularity in the Far East? Could the popularity of Grams and Pinch and the mission they are serving over there really be the reason I suddenly have several Indonesian followers?
Should I be concerned? Are they stealing my kids pictures and selling them? Should I go private?
I have been reluctant to go private on this blog for a couple of reasons: First, I like that I have met a few very fun and interesting people. Elizabeth, Mormon Hermit Mom, Meredith, Jaime, to name a few. I like to think that there are more interesting people to meet and quite frankly, I like that they think I am interesting too and that someone would take the time to read what I have to say.
Second, I do primarily write this as a way to keep people up I love up on what we are doing here in Alaska. And I am afraid I would lose some of my loved ones in the process of going private or others who I link to here from Face book who are curious what the heck I am doing in Alaska!
So, if you have decided to "follow" me (jeez I sound like a cult leader on the way to some cave in the mountains) please introduce yourself!
Oh, and I am trying this new Amazon Associates Ad thing.
I got this book from one of my favorite reading buddies when we were back in Delaware. This is the first of a series by Orson Scott Card and I am on currently reading the third. They are an interesting tale of an America where all the old wives tales and superstitions are real. Likewise, there is great liberty taken with prominent historical figures like Napoleon, who shows up in Book 2 of this series as a general sent to the Canada region by the French or Ben Franklin who may or may not have been a wizard! Anyway, it is a pretty deep book with a lot of other themes and an intricate plot that I have thoroughly enjoyed!
I know half of you.
And several of you are from Indonesia.
I have never been to Indonesia, but I do know someone who is there now. However, I am curious why my sudden popularity in the Far East? Could the popularity of Grams and Pinch and the mission they are serving over there really be the reason I suddenly have several Indonesian followers?
Should I be concerned? Are they stealing my kids pictures and selling them? Should I go private?
I have been reluctant to go private on this blog for a couple of reasons: First, I like that I have met a few very fun and interesting people. Elizabeth, Mormon Hermit Mom, Meredith, Jaime, to name a few. I like to think that there are more interesting people to meet and quite frankly, I like that they think I am interesting too and that someone would take the time to read what I have to say.
Second, I do primarily write this as a way to keep people up I love up on what we are doing here in Alaska. And I am afraid I would lose some of my loved ones in the process of going private or others who I link to here from Face book who are curious what the heck I am doing in Alaska!
So, if you have decided to "follow" me (jeez I sound like a cult leader on the way to some cave in the mountains) please introduce yourself!
Oh, and I am trying this new Amazon Associates Ad thing.
I got this book from one of my favorite reading buddies when we were back in Delaware. This is the first of a series by Orson Scott Card and I am on currently reading the third. They are an interesting tale of an America where all the old wives tales and superstitions are real. Likewise, there is great liberty taken with prominent historical figures like Napoleon, who shows up in Book 2 of this series as a general sent to the Canada region by the French or Ben Franklin who may or may not have been a wizard! Anyway, it is a pretty deep book with a lot of other themes and an intricate plot that I have thoroughly enjoyed!
Friday, April 23, 2010
would you please hang up and try again
I have to take a minute to post on cell phone etiquette, or rather the lack there of. I even want to broaden the umbrella of the term "cell phone" to include any handheld electronic device. So bear with me as I set down the rules for this to be referenced by all of society from Droids and Iphones everywhere.
The first rule is if there is another human being in the room in which you are to be interacting with, you should put away your handheld device or excuse your self! This may need to extend to nature after a friend told me of her husband's obsesive posting of pictures from his iphone to Facebook on a recent family hike.
The second rule is if you are required to be at a social event (or any event) in which there are people, you should put your device away whether you are interacting or not. And furthermore, do not hole yourself away up in a room to access these devices for longer than a few minutes. This comes after our trip back east in which we told the boys that when we were in someones house, your job was to be social. We paid big bucks on airplane tickets for you to get to know a lot of these people, not have them watch you play video games.
And you can't play your game boy at the wedding.
Lastly, please do not talk LOUD in the store while you are trying to figure out which birthday present to buy your nephew. I know he likes construction equipment and your BFF saw a great set at Fred Meyers, but it is not here now and no amount of talking in your outside voice is going make it magically reappear on the clearance shelf you are digging through.
Same goes for the person in McDonalds trying to talk over the noise at the playland the other night. We know you BFF doesn't eat meat and that you are craning your neck to see through the playland windows to read the menu to find something without meat for her and keep an eye (although not an ear) on your kiddos, but for the love of Pete, please stop.
And yes, we are so proud of you for staying within your Weight Watchers points by eating the salad with half the dressing instead of whole packet. Really. We know how hard that is to be on a diet. At least we do now that you told us and whoever it was on the phone with you.
Oh yeah no texting/dialing on the phone the in the car, yadda yadda yadda...I think Oprah has that one covered.
But really, do not talk so loud.
The first rule is if there is another human being in the room in which you are to be interacting with, you should put away your handheld device or excuse your self! This may need to extend to nature after a friend told me of her husband's obsesive posting of pictures from his iphone to Facebook on a recent family hike.
The second rule is if you are required to be at a social event (or any event) in which there are people, you should put your device away whether you are interacting or not. And furthermore, do not hole yourself away up in a room to access these devices for longer than a few minutes. This comes after our trip back east in which we told the boys that when we were in someones house, your job was to be social. We paid big bucks on airplane tickets for you to get to know a lot of these people, not have them watch you play video games.
And you can't play your game boy at the wedding.
At least not until Drunk Jason is done eating dinner and his moves on the dance floor
start turning a little too PG-13 for your innocent eyes.
start turning a little too PG-13 for your innocent eyes.
Lastly, please do not talk LOUD in the store while you are trying to figure out which birthday present to buy your nephew. I know he likes construction equipment and your BFF saw a great set at Fred Meyers, but it is not here now and no amount of talking in your outside voice is going make it magically reappear on the clearance shelf you are digging through.
Same goes for the person in McDonalds trying to talk over the noise at the playland the other night. We know you BFF doesn't eat meat and that you are craning your neck to see through the playland windows to read the menu to find something without meat for her and keep an eye (although not an ear) on your kiddos, but for the love of Pete, please stop.
And yes, we are so proud of you for staying within your Weight Watchers points by eating the salad with half the dressing instead of whole packet. Really. We know how hard that is to be on a diet. At least we do now that you told us and whoever it was on the phone with you.
Oh yeah no texting/dialing on the phone the in the car, yadda yadda yadda...I think Oprah has that one covered.
But really, do not talk so loud.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Fetch
No this is not a dog post or post about a popular BYU slang term. It is about me and how I am a fetcher. I am wondering when will I ever stop being one...
I am sure my morning started out like many of yours. Fetching the lost sock, forgotten homework, lost gym clothes that were supposed to get washed this weekend but didn't, and all the special items for lunch because one kid doesn't like string cheese and the other doesn't like gogurts.
Then I had to fetch snowpants out of the dryer from our wet skiing weekend. I had to fetch a sippy cup, blanket, clean underpants, clean socks, and the BROWN SWEATER MOM, NOT THE GREEN ONE!
And the fetching continued through lunch when I sat down to my first bite of grilled cheese and had to fetch milk, and bread with plain, not melted butter. Then I fetched a tutu, ballet slippers, a checkbook, the WRONG SHOES MOM, I WANT MY RUNNING SHOES NOT BOOTS!!! and again, that dratted wrong green sweater, because today we are wearing the brown one.
I fetched frozen pork chops, BBQ sauce and a crock pot for dinner.
While I was driving I fetched a dropped cracker, a lollipop wrapper that needed thrown out, and an empty milk cup.
I fetched one child from school. One extra kid from ballet to come play. One more load of wet clothes from Saturday that magically did not get dried crammed into the dryer (why doesn't anyone but me get the concept of overloading these machines in this family??)
Every day I fetch. I run around getting things for people. I am tired. I am actually weary from all the fetching that I do.
Weary I tell you.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Think Like a Blog
Do those of you who write blogs, or FB start find yourself thinking in what I have come to termed, "blog-ese?"
Like this morning I saw 4 inches of snow and thought "Wonders when will winter be over!" as a Facebook status and immediately thought of a blog post that started something like, "Good thing my tailbone is feeling better, because I am about to hit the trails later today. Not sure how I feel about that, considering it is April."
Like this past Sunday I dropped off cupcakes to some friends of ours, who happen to be empty nesters, and I marveled at how quiet and beautiful their home was. What ran through my head? This little narration: "I know some day that I will miss them. But right now an endless string of blissfully quiet days, without the constant whining (mostly from children 1 and 3) seems like an goal I would like to attain."
And after getting toothpaste on my shirt in the exact same spot two days in a row I seriously almost ran to my Ipod on my nightstand to type: "Can't solve the mystery of the reappearing toothpaste spot on my shirt."
I refrained.
The point I am trying to make is that I think blogging has effected the way I think. First, I think it has made me more positive. Because who wants to read a downer blog or facebook post. My thoughts, thus, tend to have a positive spin on them. Second, I think it is developing my writing skills. Meaning, I think in complete sentences and can often develop a thought past just merely wondering about something.
But I forget everything that runs through my head and vaguely sounds like Sally Field. I don't write a 10th of what I blog in my head. I need a device that can just read my thoughts and type them up for me and post them with the related pictures.
I think Apple should make an app for that!
Like this morning I saw 4 inches of snow and thought "Wonders when will winter be over!" as a Facebook status and immediately thought of a blog post that started something like, "Good thing my tailbone is feeling better, because I am about to hit the trails later today. Not sure how I feel about that, considering it is April."
Like this past Sunday I dropped off cupcakes to some friends of ours, who happen to be empty nesters, and I marveled at how quiet and beautiful their home was. What ran through my head? This little narration: "I know some day that I will miss them. But right now an endless string of blissfully quiet days, without the constant whining (mostly from children 1 and 3) seems like an goal I would like to attain."
And after getting toothpaste on my shirt in the exact same spot two days in a row I seriously almost ran to my Ipod on my nightstand to type: "Can't solve the mystery of the reappearing toothpaste spot on my shirt."
I refrained.
The point I am trying to make is that I think blogging has effected the way I think. First, I think it has made me more positive. Because who wants to read a downer blog or facebook post. My thoughts, thus, tend to have a positive spin on them. Second, I think it is developing my writing skills. Meaning, I think in complete sentences and can often develop a thought past just merely wondering about something.
But I forget everything that runs through my head and vaguely sounds like Sally Field. I don't write a 10th of what I blog in my head. I need a device that can just read my thoughts and type them up for me and post them with the related pictures.
I think Apple should make an app for that!
Saturday, April 10, 2010
my secret
I was sick this week. In fact we all got it starting with Livs last Sunday, JaDee and Ethan Tuesday, Carter on Wednesday and me bringing up the rear on Thursday. We had your garden variety cold with fever. No big deal.
But this is why I like getting a cold.
I get to take NyQuil.
I love the stuff. I not only have the "Best-sleep-you-ever-had-with-a-cold" I have the best sleep ever with this stuff.
And I forgot to take it until last night! I only take it when I am really sick and since this is the first time in a year I have been sick, I have not had this magic elixir in a long time.
What is really pathetic is I could have really used it Thursday night when my worthless Advil wore off at 1 AM sending me into a frenzy of fever aches followed by a fever break two hours later that left me sweaty and uncomfortable; tangled in my sickbed sheets so that I kicked myself out and onto the couch. Which then meant that I was up from 1-5.
But I took it last night and slept for 11 straight, blissfully unawakened hours.
While I am still sick *cough* enough to take it tonight, I am pretty sure I will be well enough by tomorrow to not need NyQuil until the next illness that rolls around.
*sniff* (because I am sad, not because I have a cold this time).
But this is why I like getting a cold.
I get to take NyQuil.
I love the stuff. I not only have the "Best-sleep-you-ever-had-with-a-cold" I have the best sleep ever with this stuff.
And I forgot to take it until last night! I only take it when I am really sick and since this is the first time in a year I have been sick, I have not had this magic elixir in a long time.
What is really pathetic is I could have really used it Thursday night when my worthless Advil wore off at 1 AM sending me into a frenzy of fever aches followed by a fever break two hours later that left me sweaty and uncomfortable; tangled in my sickbed sheets so that I kicked myself out and onto the couch. Which then meant that I was up from 1-5.
But I took it last night and slept for 11 straight, blissfully unawakened hours.
While I am still sick *cough* enough to take it tonight, I am pretty sure I will be well enough by tomorrow to not need NyQuil until the next illness that rolls around.
*sniff* (because I am sad, not because I have a cold this time).
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
New York
Are you sick of my trip yet? Well I'm not and if you are then don't read anymore.
If you want another perspective on us and our adventures check out what my sister wrote and posted too, on her blog HERE. There is a great video of my boys swimming in the Atlantic Ocean and since my camcorder's software isn't working, it may be all we get.
We did 2 days in NYC after the wedding. I love New York! It is the coolest place in the whole world. I got put in charge of navigating our way around since I was the only one who had ever been on the subways before. And my experience consisted of 4 days in 2002 with my old BYU roommate who showed me the ropes back then. So with a map from Borders that I bought the day before we left and an app on my Ipod we were off.
Me and Courtney on the top of The Empire State Building. To the right, we saw clouds. To the left, we saw clouds. Behind us, we saw clouds.
It was still a great spot to steal a smooch!
The bakery that started it all. Oh and they were so good! The vanilla cupcakes were to die for.
Olivia at the yummy bakery down the street from our hotel.
St. Patricks Cathedral from the top of the Rockefeller Center
The Manhattan Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Even in the midst of the bustling Upper West side, the spirit in the vicinity of this sacred place was noticeable.
Olivia at the American Girl Store. This is her with the doll she got for Christmas. I asked Santa for the 2010 Girl, Lanie.
At the Museum of Natural history, which looks nothing like the movie.
This was one of the cute American Girl Doll beds that the hotel gave us for free! The only reason I could think of is that as the "official" American Girl doll hotel, they were celebrating the opening of a new store in Denver.
After gagging the entire time on girl fumes in the doll store, we made it to Nintendo World and the Pokemon Center.
Ethan in the subway tunnel. We loved the underground trains and nicknamed it The Labyrinth, in honor of Percy Jackson and the Olympians book #4.
Me and my sweet sister in Times Square.
If you want another perspective on us and our adventures check out what my sister wrote and posted too, on her blog HERE. There is a great video of my boys swimming in the Atlantic Ocean and since my camcorder's software isn't working, it may be all we get.
We did 2 days in NYC after the wedding. I love New York! It is the coolest place in the whole world. I got put in charge of navigating our way around since I was the only one who had ever been on the subways before. And my experience consisted of 4 days in 2002 with my old BYU roommate who showed me the ropes back then. So with a map from Borders that I bought the day before we left and an app on my Ipod we were off.
Me and Courtney on the top of The Empire State Building. To the right, we saw clouds. To the left, we saw clouds. Behind us, we saw clouds.
It was still a great spot to steal a smooch!
The bakery that started it all. Oh and they were so good! The vanilla cupcakes were to die for.
Olivia at the yummy bakery down the street from our hotel.
St. Patricks Cathedral from the top of the Rockefeller Center
The Manhattan Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Even in the midst of the bustling Upper West side, the spirit in the vicinity of this sacred place was noticeable.
Olivia at the American Girl Store. This is her with the doll she got for Christmas. I asked Santa for the 2010 Girl, Lanie.
At the Museum of Natural history, which looks nothing like the movie.
This was one of the cute American Girl Doll beds that the hotel gave us for free! The only reason I could think of is that as the "official" American Girl doll hotel, they were celebrating the opening of a new store in Denver.
After gagging the entire time on girl fumes in the doll store, we made it to Nintendo World and the Pokemon Center.
Ethan in the subway tunnel. We loved the underground trains and nicknamed it The Labyrinth, in honor of Percy Jackson and the Olympians book #4.
Me and my sweet sister in Times Square.
The Rockefeller Center. This place was my favorite. And I didn't even shop.Saturday, April 3, 2010
friends.
These are some of the awesome people we saw on our trip back east. It has been 4 years since I saw Kim and Monica and 11 since we saw Tim, Autumn, Aunt Ruth and Uncle Lou. It had also been almost 2 years since I saw my dad and Grandma, who I have been told I take after a lot.
A total of 9 babies (including mine) have been born from this group of friends since we all last saw each other. And all of our kids hit it off like cousins. We have arranged marriages for Olivia, and Carter while I think Ethan may be spoken for back in Utah.
I think heaven will be seeing these people every day.
Love you all.
ps- click hereto see more amazing photos of Ben and Katie. My favorite is the black and white one where Ben is kissing Katie's forhead and she is smiling.
A total of 9 babies (including mine) have been born from this group of friends since we all last saw each other. And all of our kids hit it off like cousins. We have arranged marriages for Olivia, and Carter while I think Ethan may be spoken for back in Utah.
I think heaven will be seeing these people every day.
Love you all.
ps- click hereto see more amazing photos of Ben and Katie. My favorite is the black and white one where Ben is kissing Katie's forhead and she is smiling.
Friday, April 2, 2010
I'm Back
We have spent the last 2 days doing homework. Carter stayed home yesterday and we wrote 6 five paragraph essays, and did a project on Hassium (some ridiculous element that these German scientists discovered and it has no known use. I know, real interesting, but the teacher wants to re-create a huge periodic table in his classroom and so they all had to be covered) Ethan is home today doing the stack of paper that was sitting for him on his desk when he got back yesterday. Never mind that I told the teacher well in advance to get the work just like the school's policy said so that I might avoid a homework overload when we got back. Never mind that everything Ethan is doing today could have been done on the 10 hour plane rides to and from New Jersey. So he is staying home today and getting it all done. Because as an added bonus his class policy is to miss recess at lunch if there is any outstanding homework and that includes absent work. So we are skipping a day to get it done.
We had a great time. Here is our itinerary from New Jersey 2010: The first column is the date, the second is our main activity for the day and the last is where we will sleep that night. I made these for the boys to avoid so many questions of, "What are we doing today?"
And here are some highlights
*Olivia telling Tom that he absolutely cannot drink his coffee in Kim's livingroom because food stays in the kitchen.
*JaDee enjoying a Philly Cheese steak from Capriatti's in Delaware at Tim and Autumn's.
*Ethan naming himself Frodo of Ben and Katie's wedding since he got to be the ring bearer and Katie's nephew "B, " was Samwise since he was the assistant.
*Carter loved the open bar at the country club. Even if it was just Cherry Coke he was getting for Grandpa.
*My tailbone hurt so bad from falling on it while X-country skiing before I left that I almost threw up and passed out every time I stood up from a sitting position
*There are 168 bunnies at Aunt Ruth's house
* There are 159 steps to the top of the Statue of Liberty's pedestal.
*Every girl under the age of 40 and even one 19 year old, whether single or not, was groped by Ben's friend Jason at the reception. I even got to slow dance with him as he slurred, "Which one is your husband again?"
*Jared's lost wallet was found on the top of the parking pass kiosk and was not on its way to parts unknown in NJ on the commuter rail from Penn Station.
*Ethan's lost DS was in his pocket the whole time and not left at the gas station
*Olivia was found in the minivan when she was not up ahead with her brothers nor was she back behind with her slow parents, who are in fact, so slow they forgot to get her unbuckled and she wet her pants in the van.
*My super cool shoes can jump to "Jump Around," by House of Pain, at a wedding reception.
*You can swim in the Atlantic when it is only 50 degrees outside when you are from Alaska.
Olivia and Tom
Flower girl Olivia
Me and JaDee after he rescued me from Drunk Jason
Yes, Katie, your sweet Mormon Sister In Laws can do tricky things too!
Frodo and Samwise
Collage a la Dad via Courtney's blog.
We had a great time. Here is our itinerary from New Jersey 2010: The first column is the date, the second is our main activity for the day and the last is where we will sleep that night. I made these for the boys to avoid so many questions of, "What are we doing today?"
| Tuesday Mar 16 | airport at midnight | on the plane | |
| Wednesday Mar 17 | land in Philadelphia | Tavin and Colin's | |
| Thursday March 18 | drive to Syracuse | Kim's | |
| Friday March 19 | Visit Sacred Grove | Kim's | |
| Saturday March 20 | Drive to Philadelphia | Tavin and Colin's | |
| Sunday March 21 | Go to Church in Delaware | Tim and Autumn's | |
| Monday March 22 | 
| Aunt Ruth and Uncle Lou | |
| Tuesday mar 23 | aquarium | Aunt Ruth and Uncle Lou | |
| Wednesday mar 24 | Statue of Liberty | Hotel | |
| Thursday march 25 |  | hotel | |
| Friday March 26 | Philadelphia, rehersal dinner | Hotel | |
| Saturday March 27 | swimming and wedding | Hotel | |
| Sunday March 28 | breakfast, whatever | Hotel | |
| Monday March 29 | NEW YORK | Hotel | |
| Tuesday March 30 | NEW YORK | Tavin and Colin's | |
| Wednesday March 31 | Fly home | HOME |
And here are some highlights
*Olivia telling Tom that he absolutely cannot drink his coffee in Kim's livingroom because food stays in the kitchen.
*JaDee enjoying a Philly Cheese steak from Capriatti's in Delaware at Tim and Autumn's.
*Ethan naming himself Frodo of Ben and Katie's wedding since he got to be the ring bearer and Katie's nephew "B, " was Samwise since he was the assistant.
*Carter loved the open bar at the country club. Even if it was just Cherry Coke he was getting for Grandpa.
*My tailbone hurt so bad from falling on it while X-country skiing before I left that I almost threw up and passed out every time I stood up from a sitting position
*There are 168 bunnies at Aunt Ruth's house
* There are 159 steps to the top of the Statue of Liberty's pedestal.
*Every girl under the age of 40 and even one 19 year old, whether single or not, was groped by Ben's friend Jason at the reception. I even got to slow dance with him as he slurred, "Which one is your husband again?"
*Jared's lost wallet was found on the top of the parking pass kiosk and was not on its way to parts unknown in NJ on the commuter rail from Penn Station.
*Ethan's lost DS was in his pocket the whole time and not left at the gas station
*Olivia was found in the minivan when she was not up ahead with her brothers nor was she back behind with her slow parents, who are in fact, so slow they forgot to get her unbuckled and she wet her pants in the van.
*My super cool shoes can jump to "Jump Around," by House of Pain, at a wedding reception.
*You can swim in the Atlantic when it is only 50 degrees outside when you are from Alaska.
Olivia and Tom
Flower girl Olivia
Me and JaDee after he rescued me from Drunk Jason
Yes, Katie, your sweet Mormon Sister In Laws can do tricky things too!
Frodo and Samwise
Collage a la Dad via Courtney's blog.
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