Collin and Rachel

Grandma Turns 91

2010-08-31T21:35:00.003-06:00

My grandma just keeps on kicking. And we're grateful for every moment we get with her. Here we are at Sego Lily Cafe celebrating her 91st Birthday.

After a yummy lunch we drove out the Cheesecake Factory and spilt some cheescake. Delicious!

Just Add Lemonade

2010-07-19T18:42:00.004-06:00

The patio: The view to the west:
The view to the north:
Blinds down:
Many thanks to Collin and his dad for building this. I LOVE it. Collin and I spend every evening out here. It's even nicer at night when we turn on the christmas lights we hung up just under the eaves. I read while Collin strums his guitar. Or we just watch the sun go down. It's a great way to end the day.

Two More Weddings

2010-06-10T21:30:00.003-06:00

My high school friend Eric got married. I didn't get a pic of them.

But here is the next best thing.My beautiful cousin Becky got married today. Isn't she gorgeous?

Here she is with me and my cute pregnant sister (it's a girl!) Jenn.

Kate's Wedding Day

2010-06-06T21:48:00.007-06:00

The newly minted Mrs. Talbot and her dashing father. The back of her beautiful dress.
The four of us not causing trouble for once.
Kate throwing the bouquet.
Em caught it! Work it girl!

My gorgeous hair!

And I just LOVE this one.

There was a groom. I promise.

Fish Lake

2010-05-31T18:59:00.005-06:00

Collin's family has been fishing Fish Lake pretty much forever. Here is wishing we were still there. Sorry, no HUGE fish to report this year.

(We took a lot more pics last year...)

Everything is Coming Up Turquoise

2010-05-14T19:24:00.003-06:00

Turquoise is awesome. I taped some turquoise ribbon to my chocolate colored lamps.

Before I make a more permanent commitment and whip out my glue gun what do you think?

Will Someone Help Me Down?

2010-05-08T21:25:00.001-06:00

I don't have anything to post about. I'm just sick of seeing that last post and would like to step off the soapbox.

My Infertile Soap Box

2010-04-26T18:16:00.004-06:00

Did you know it's National Infertility Awareness Week? Oh, the infertility of it all.

Click

HERE

to read about etiquette

HERE

to learn about what infertility is.

And finally, click

HERE

If you want to make bracelets with me.

Thanks, it means a lot to me.

What Do You Do With Your Leftover Turquoise Paint?

2010-04-20T18:17:00.002-06:00

What else would benefit from a little touch of turquoise?

Felix and Cordelia

2010-04-16T17:24:00.005-06:00

I found these two at a consignment shop for $7.00 and instantly fell in love with them. I've been looking for something like them since I saw Ariel had one in her house (credit where credit is due). And since my grandma is still kickin' and using her figurines I bought these (I'm sure they were once owned by somebodies grandma). Anyway, I wanted to blog about them yesterday but decided to wait until I named them. I chose Felix because it's my 5th favorite boy name and having 5 kids let alone 5 boys just doesn't look like it's in the cards. And Anne (with and "e") fans will recognize the name Cordelia. I've even made up a whole Jane Austen inspired back story in my head of how they met and fell in love. As you can imagine it's a drawn out story full of walks through the parlor (I'm now calling my living room the parlor), misunderstanding, and a wait-until-the-last-page betrothal. Luckily my favorite Jane Austen is Emma so it's not a depressing story.
And now I want to play a waltz. Does anyone have any super easy waltz sheet music?

Knob Therapy.

2010-04-15T19:42:00.003-06:00

Boring old black knob. Awesome new colorful knob. Much better.

P.S. The Help was awesome. Everyone should read it.

Smell that?

2010-04-15T17:31:00.002-06:00

If this picture was scratch n' sniff it would smell like spring.* *Not responsible for any scratching damage done to your computer screen.

I ♥ New York

2010-04-15T16:58:00.003-06:00

Did you know that according to Facebook I went to New York?

When I See a White Door I Want to Paint it Turquoise

2010-04-03T09:43:00.005-06:00

I've always wanted to paint the inside of the back door. At first I wanted to paint it dark purple but that got shot down. So I suggested turquoise and to my surprise, he agreed! So now we have a turquoise back door. And I LOVE it.Collin would like to to add that he "reluctantly" agreed. And now he thinks it is "all right" and "different."

Moab.

2010-03-28T21:08:00.003-06:00

-The first time I went to Moab I was about 8. I remember having A LOT of fun with my sister and driving my parents nuts. And losing my purple canteen. I still look for it every time I go.

-The second time I went to Moab I was 13. We went with my entire extended family and I rode down in a car with my cousin Melissa who slowed our WHOLE caravan of cars down. She wouldn't pass slow moving vehicles because she was afraid of getting hit by an oncoming semi truck. I also remember us all staying in this house we rented that was so ghetto. When my cousin Matt turned the AC on ants flew out of it.

-The third time I went I was 21. I went down with my brand new husband (we'd been married a month and half). This is my blog so you are going to get my version of the events. Collin told me to pack my stuff and leave it on the kitchen table so he could pack it into the truck. I wore pink pajama pants on the way down (best way to travel). We got there just fine. My bag? Left on the kitchen table. It's still a point of contention.

-The fourth time we went down I was 25 and it was pretty uneventful. I packed my own bags.

-The fifth time we went down was last week and it rained. I also lost my purple Lipsmackers (Hmm, purple, I am sensing a trend).We had a lot of fun, though. I posted more pics on Facebook (they download faster there, what can I say?)

Tag. I'm It.

2010-03-23T18:42:00.011-06:00

The rules:
Take pictures of the following as is. NO clean up.

Favorite Room.
What can I say?
Bathroom.
Guess which side is mine.Laundry room.
Where do you keep your paper towels?

Self Portrait.
Ready for my close up.
Shoes.
Converse.

Fridge.

Outside.

Fridge.

Inside.

Closet.

Messy.

Kitchen Sink.

Not messy.
No kids.

Just dogs. I tag all my friends named Jen (or Jenn) and all my friends named Tiffany.

Girls Night at Twi-lite

2010-03-01T21:00:00.004-07:00

Desert Star Playhouse can be REALLY funny sometimes. Especially when it hits the nail on the head PERFECTLY as it did in the case of Twi-Lite: I Was a Teenage Vampire. Holy Hilarious! I loved laughing at it even as it made fun of me and the girls I love.

My wonderful mother-in-law Sharon and me. And these two crazy ladies who seem to follow me around everywhere I go. I think they are stalking me. Or maybe it's because one is my mom and the other is my sister and the love me. I had a great time! Let's do it again soon, ladies!
And to anyone else who wants to go, I'll go with you. It really was that fun.
http://www.desertstar.biz/

I Stayed Up Past My Bedtime

2010-02-06T18:47:00.004-07:00

Last night my friend Joy and I were waiting around for our other friend Kate to fly in from out of town for the weekend. To pass the time we went and saw The Young Victoria at the Broadway Theatre. What a sweet movie. It's the story of Queen Victoria and her courtship with Prince Albert. I loved it. After the movie we met up with Kate, her sister, and a few of her other friends. We managed to only take a few pictures, though. We laughed and talked until nearly 1 in the morning. I haven't stayed out that late since I can remember! Here we are around 11:30 or so. Don't you love our glossed over sleepy look? But Kate only gets a chance to visit about once a year so so we take what we can get. Love you Kate!

Kate, Me, Joy

Here is Marley Staring Out the Window...

2010-02-04T17:29:00.001-07:00

and probably wishing it was spring.I feel ya, Marley, I feel ya...

Girls night at Iggy's

2010-02-03T19:20:00.002-07:00

Girls night with my sister and mom: Take #1: Girls night with my sister and mom: Take #2:Girls night with my sister and mom: Take #3:
Did anyone else notice that I was the only one to not screw it up?

And vote in my poll on the side. Glasses or no glasses?

And just in case you forgot how cute my nephew Alex is, here he is.

7th Anniversary

2010-01-31T18:22:00.006-07:00

For our 7th anniversary Collin and I both took Friday off. Collin asked "what do you want to do?" I said "read and get out of the inversion." So naturally, we went ice fishing.

Here I am all bundled up. You can't see it but I have a book in my hands.Collin with one of the 5 or so fish he caught.
The only way I'll go is if we take this heater: and this hut:
Sky bluer than I've seen it in months didn't hurt either.

On saturday Collin actually agreed to see a romantic comedy. Usually I can't even get him to rent a romantic comedy.

After the movied we went to a neat little Italian place down town called Canellas.

Then today, to celebrate 7 years, we made dinner and ate it by candlelight. I love anniversaries.

(Don't you love how fuzzy that picture is? Although it may be hard for some of the younger people out there to believe, all our wedding pictures were taken on film. Not a digital camera in sight. My scanner isn't working so this is a picture I took with my camera out of our album.)

Christmas and Ice Fishing

2010-01-18T17:10:00.002-07:00

Christmas day we went out to visit our grandparents. This is pretty much the only picture we took all Christmas. We suck. The day after Collin and I decided it would be fun to go sit on a frozen lake and catch ONE FISH!Oh wait. I wrote that wrong. COLLIN thought it would be fun to go sit on a frozen lake and catch one fish. ONE FISH! (Notice in the bottom left hand corner I am holding a book. Reading made it bearable. The ice hut helped, too.)

28 is so Great!

2010-01-02T10:47:00.006-07:00

How I spent my 28th birthday:
-Woke up to a dozen red roses and a card from Collin.
-Got a call from my wonderful mother, sister, grandmother, and in-laws wishing me a happy birthday.
-Saw Avatar. Awesome movie.
-Ate at California Pizza Kitchen.
-Invited some old friends and new friends over for a New York New Years Eve party that ended promptly at 10. (with the exception of Jen and Zach who stayed until Central Time New Years Eve [11] to finish out one of the craziest Wii games ever. My arms STILL hurt).
-Ate some of this cake made by the lovely Jen Gibson. This picture is actually a prophetic picture. Notice the cake is right at my hips which is exactly where I'm sure it ended up once I ate it not only that night but for breakfast the next morning).

Oh, and Happy New Year!

Zoo Lights

2009-12-12T13:47:00.009-07:00

SO cold. Seriously. I remember thinking when we took this picture "I can't feel my legs."

My nephew Alex, all bundled up.

Merry Christmas!

Wish We Were Here

2009-12-09T17:25:00.001-07:00

Bass Lake in California. I can't even IMAGINE being warm right now. Sigh.

Miss Lucy

2009-12-02T19:40:00.004-07:00

Luce. Silly Luce. Miss Lucy. Lucy Goosey. Lucy Girl.

I am not usually one of those bloggers that writes about my feelings. I'm usually a picture or two and something sarcastic. But tonight, I'm feeling verbose. We got Lucy on a whim back in January. I now know that buying a dog on a whim is not a good idea. Especially when you already have two perfectly good dogs at home that you got on a whim back in 2005. Anyway, as I was saying. We bought Lucy thinking we would provide a great home for her. Big back yard, Collin likes to hunt, she could play with Marley and Oso. This plan worked for about 2 months. She quickly grew to be twice the size of Oso (and he's fat). She dominated everything and when she was left home alone for 9 hours would become destructive and do stupid things like eat rocks. Last week we finally realized that we were NOT the family for this dog. So we put an ad on KSL and a really REALLY wonderful man named Don has taken her to a far better home. He stayed in my living room for half an hour telling me all about the German Shorthairs he has had over the last 45 years. He loved every one of them. He was sweet with Lucy and played with her and talked directly to her about all the things they were going to do together. Go to Bear Lake, go on a daily walk (we sucked at that), learn how to be a real hunting dog in the fields (she loved being in the fields more than ANYTHING), play with his grandkids and sons. He just went on and on (I was kind of getting jealous of how much fun she'll have, I wonder if he would let ME come). Then I asked where she would sleep (she sleeps on our bed) and he said she would sleep in his bedroom. I about hugged him when he said that (I actually did when they left). I love that dog and it's killing me that I don't get to curl up with her tonight. But this is for the best. He's going to give her the life a German Shorthair is supposed to have. I just miss her so much.
So Luce! Here's to you. Be a good girl and love Don as much as you love us. I'll miss you and we'll always love you.

Oh Yeah! I Have a Blog...

2009-11-30T17:55:00.007-07:00

So, um, Facebook is really awesome. That's all I've got.

In other news:

We are trying to find a new home for Lucy. We really are "Dog People". It just took us a year to realize we are not "More than 2 Dog People".Anyway, if you know of a good home for a really awesome dog call me. I'm serious! Here she having fun playing in the backyard. Love her!
Collin put up the Christmas lights.

He also helped me put up the tree and string the lights. His participation from then on out was limited to "you need more stars on the left."

I love Christmas!

Here is a Question For You

2009-11-18T21:52:00.004-07:00

What has 4 legs, a cute little nose, and a penchant for chewing Nokia phones?

Rachel's phone:Collin's phone: The Culprit:

Both within THREE DAYS!!!

Like We Need Another Dog in the House

2009-11-01T15:08:00.001-07:00

I was ok with this one, though.

Thanks, Jenn, for bringing him by!

Thanksgiving Point

2009-10-24T23:24:00.003-06:00

Collin was cool enough to get a masters degree (MBA) and his parents were cool enough to buy him a really nifty new camera as a graduation gift. I'm pretty happy with it too. As you know most of my pics on this blog have been self portraits and because I don't have super long arms (as well as a limited understanding of how to use the camera timer) I have, like, 3 pictures where you can see my feet. Now I have a few more...

Don't worry Jen, he'll never replace you.

Our Good Friend Bob

2009-10-20T17:50:00.008-06:00

Last night Collin and I went and saw our good friend Bob Dylan and his Band perform out at the Great Saltair. Ok, so he he's not really our friend and we've never actually met him, but I like to tell people we were introduced by our mutual friend Bob. (In reality the mutual friend was a girl named Jill). Anyway, where was I? We went to an awesome Bob Dylan concert last night. We weren't allowed to take in cameras (or gum for some reason, they threw away a pack that was still 3/4 full, those jerks. What did they think we were going to do? Chew too loud?).So here are some random pictures found online:

Here is Bob, like, 25 years before we were born. OK. Maybe not 25. I'm guessing. Probably more like 15. This is the picture off his Blond on Blond album and I'm pretty sure it was the mid 60's. And here is the old (but awesome) fart today. He is 68. He was so spry and into it, made me think he was on something (ok, he most likely was on something. Dylan and weed pretty much go hand in hand).
It was the most random grouping of people in the audience. There was the old guy with the Santa Clause beard who asked the teeny bopper girls screaming next to him to not yell in the ear with his hearing aid. There was a group of "granolas" behind us in their NorthFace fleece jackets and Tevas. There was big burly guys who looked like mountain men standing next to yuppie looking people in sweater vests. It was awesome.

Ya Feel Better Now?

2009-10-15T17:37:00.005-06:00

You'll never guess where we found this rock. I'll give you a hint, the dog in the background has something to do with where we found it.
It was 3:30 in the morning. Collin and I were, as one would expect, fast asleep when we were suddenly awakened by the sound of a gagging dog. Collin put Lucy on the floor and she started throwing up. While she was throwing up (and with me trying my hardest not to, ew) I heard a "clunk" on the floor (the flooring in our bedroom is hardwood). Collin was gone to get towels and when he came back he said "there is a rock in here." How strange is that? The same dog we can't get to swallow a measly little pill willingly eats rocks?

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Marley and Oso were NEVER and sTILL AREN'T that much stinkin' trouble.

Long Sleeve Weather

2009-10-15T16:40:00.003-06:00

So, I really didn't need a jacket or a sweater today; but long sleeves came in handy. Just let me know when this gets annoying. I still have jackets, sweaters, gloves, coats, boots, and, as Amy pointed out today, socks. I love bundling up!

Beanie Weather

2009-10-14T21:27:00.008-06:00

I'm just going to keep going until you make fun of me. Eh, go ahead. I'll still do it even if you do.

Tomorrow: Either Jacket or Sweater Weather.

I haven't decided.

I love cold weather!

Hoodie Weather

2009-10-13T17:12:00.002-06:00

It is also hoodie weather. Lets hear it for comfy hoodies!

(Although the "hood" portion is pretty useless. This picutre may be the only time I ever pull it up)

Scarf Weather

2009-10-12T16:50:00.002-06:00

Lets hear it for scarf weather, ya'll!

NOT evil

2009-10-05T20:40:00.006-06:00

4 of you have something against Billy Mayes and/or Snuggies; 6 of you think it's OK to use one under certain circumstances; 4 of you are Slanket fans; and 2 of you didn't click on the hyperlink to find out what a Snuggie is.

Collin, however, doesn't read my blog and didn't care what any of you thought so he bought me one and left it on the kitchen table for me to find after he'd left for the deer hunt last weekend.

Hey, if it doesn't work out as a blanket with sleeves I can always join a Gospel Choir.

Moral Dilemma (As Seen on TV)

2009-09-23T12:29:00.009-06:00

Is it wrong to want a Snuggie?
Take my poll! (To the right.)

Update: It's just been brought to my attention that Slankets are real (see my poll). And here I thought it was made up by the ingenious writers behind 30 Rock...

Keep Calm and Carry On

2009-09-18T22:59:00.002-06:00

So I'd been seeing this sign everywhere it seems. Some people I work with have post card sized signs of it at there desks, I saw a guy with it on his T-shirt, I've seen it in vinyl on Etsy, I think I even saw it on a coffee mug somewhere. It's an old British sign that was distributed during WWII. Anyway, I decided to put it in my family room a few weeks ago and it's seemed to come in handy this week. So here I am sharing it with you just in case any of you need it.

Speaking of Collin...

2009-09-13T19:36:00.008-06:00

Way to go Collin!

You let that antelope know who is boss.

Does anyone have any good antelope recipes?

Hmmm.

Why doesn't that sound appetizing?

Oh, because it isn't.

Husband Appreciation Post

2009-09-11T22:11:00.006-06:00

So I have this really neat husband (that I TOTALLY love) named Collin.

A few of the reasons I think he is neat are as follows:

He plays a mean guitar.

This is his cheap "leave-it-out-to-play-during-commercial-breaks" guitar. He has a few. He would have had more but he sold a few to buy my engagement ring. What a team player.

He is pretty handy.

He installed this gate to keep the dogs out of the living room. I love it.

He stands cool.

Is that weird to love the way your husband stands? I don't know what it is about it, but I remember one of the first things I noticed when I met him was "he stands cool."

There are more. Many, many, MANY more. But those are the ones that correspond with pictures I have.

Happy Labor Day

2009-09-07T17:48:00.004-06:00

Today we went and saw 500 Days of Summer. I enjoyed it. Mostly. I'd go into it but all my criticisms would include spoilers. So, I'll just say it was good enough to see as a matinee or rent and I'll leave it at that.After the movie we stopped for lunch at Subway and then headed up to American Fork Canyon to try our hand at panning for gold. Here is a picture of Collin panning for gold:Oh wait, sorry. This is the picture of Collin panning for gold. My bad: He didn't get much, just a fleck or two. But it was fun. And as usual, this is what I did:

So it was a good day.

Swiss Dog Days of Summer

2009-09-05T19:16:00.005-06:00

Today we headed up to Midway and went to Swiss Days. They had a HUGE outdoor market that was so crazy busy, you could barely walk, food and live music. They had this group of about 6 girls dressed up in Swiss outfits singing "I'm Proud to Be An American." I wonder how many people saw the irony...

But we had a good time. When we go next year we'll have to remember to go earlier in the day.

Then we headed over to Soldier Hollow and watched the Sheepdog Championship. We watched sheepdogs herd sheep and ducks. It is AMAZING what they can get those dogs to do with just whistles. Our favorite part of the competition was the Splash Dogs competition. Some of the dogs were jumping 20-22 feet into the pool! Does anyone have a pool? I want to see how far Lucy will jump.

Is It Too Early to Decorate For Fall?

2009-09-04T21:52:00.001-06:00

Because I totally already did.

Dog Door Rush Hour Traffic

2009-08-25T17:12:00.005-06:00

Lucy has this habit of running to the dog door, sticking her head out, and then just standing there. Which makes it really inconvenient if Marley or Oso want to use the dog door. Marley and Lucy stood like this long enough for me to run into the kitchen, grab my camera, turn it on, insert the memory card, and take a picture. Marley is so patient. I'd have bitten her tail or something.

If you look really closely you can see where she ripped her drainage tube out. Yuck.

3rd Post, Same Dog

2009-08-24T20:38:00.005-06:00

We do have 2 other dogs, but they didn't pull out their drainage tubes this afternoon. Linda, you SO called it.

For Everything Else...

2009-08-24T17:51:00.009-06:00

Gas to drive Lucy to the Vet... $1.00

Vet office visit... $42.00

Antibiotic, pain reliever, and some other medicine that, um, does something...$85.00

Emergency surgery... $455.00

Watching Collin and me shove these pills:

into this dogs mouth:
and getting her to swallow them instead of hacking them up onto the kitchen floor...
Priceless.
(Scroll to the bottom of the post "What a Week" to see why we spent over $500 at the vet.)

What a Week

2009-08-23T19:39:00.014-06:00

Wednesday

I hosted a baby shower for one of my best friends, Jen. Her and Baby Abbey got a TON of adorable stuff (I heard Zach was pleased as well). We had meatballs and Jen managed to not get any marinara sauce on her belly. I've eaten lunch with her and this was quite a feat. Way to go Jen!Thursday
About 4 in the morning Collin left for the weekend for a Scout camp out with the Young Men. That night my friend Caryn and I checked out the free concert going on downtown at the Gallivan Center. We saw Iron & Wine. (I wish I could say that I had taken this picture. It was so packed I couldn't even SEE the stage.) Friday-Saturday
The plan:
Friday 4:30 pm- Get home from work and watch the Scarlet Pimpernel (Go Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman!)
7:00 pm- Read uninterrupted (Collin had Lucy on the camp out. I'd forgotten how nice it was to read and not have to play fetch every other page or so).
10:00 pm- Go to bed (at a reasonable hour for once).
Saturday 9:30ish- Wake up, organize ALL my closets and cupboards until Collin came home.

What happened:
Friday 4:30 pm- Got home from work and watched the Scarlet Pimpernel
7:00 pm- Read uninterrupted
10:00 pm- Went to bed (so far so good)
10:30 pm- Got a call from Collin saying that Lucy had been attacked by a German Sheperd and her leg was swollen to twice the size.

10:45 pm- Called the emergency vet to see what we should do. I decided that we would wait until morning and take her to our vet.

11:00 pm- Waited 2 1/2 hours for Collin to come home. May or may not have dozed off.

1:30 am- Collin came home with the most pathetic, sad looking little dog I had ever seen. Her back leg was so swollen and she wouldn't put weight on it. She just hopped around looking miserable.

2:00 am- We went to bed and put some ice on her leg. Nobody got any sleep.

Saturday 7:45 am- We took her to our vet and were pretty much turned away because they already had another emergency surgery going on.

8:00 am- Got her into the vet that is down the street from our (possibly former, they weren't very sympathetic) vet.

8:30 am- Dr. Jason Examined Lucy.

9:00 am- Lucy was taken in for surgery. They had to put her under and shave all the hair off her back leg. She had 4 puncture wounds and her leg was full of pus. They cleaned out the infection and inserted a tube drain that we have to take her back to get removed.

11:30 am- We picked Lucy up. When they brought her out she had one of those lamp shade things on her head, a bandage on her front leg from the IV, and a tube sticking out her back leg. She looked even more pathetic than she did the night before.

12:00 pm- We came home and we all watched movies and slept the rest of the day.

And here she is today. Those must be some pretty awesome pain pills. The look on her face seems to say "What? It's not normal to want to play fetch with a tube sticking out your back leg?"

Graphic Picture Alert: Here is the aforementioned tube. You can't see it in that last picture.
Needless to say, my closets and cupboards still need organizing. Maybe next weekend...

Happy 90th Birthday!

2009-08-15T20:13:00.007-06:00

Rita Willis Brown, my Grandma, will turn 90 on the 18th. We had a party for her today. Here is a picture of her when she was about my age.Grandma (on the right) and her two sisters, Earline and May.Grandma (on the right) today with her one surviving sister, May.My grandparents and their kids (my mom is the cute one in the bottom corner).Grandma and her kids (Dennis, my mom, Kelly, and Susan). Grandpa passed away 10 years ago.Me, Grandma, and my sister Jenn.

Grandma is probably the biggest Jazz fan I know. (If anyone knows of a way I could introduce her to a few of the Jazz players, let me know. She would LOVE it).
The grandkids. Well, about half of us. Some of them lived too far away to come.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Phone Tips

2009-08-12T11:54:00.002-06:00

I don't know if it's just because I'm really tired (I need to get to bed earlier) but this made a little bit of Crystal Light Natural Citrus Splash (ah, the stinging!) come out my nose:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32317163/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/

My favorite is the captions.

Glasses-less

2009-08-10T20:41:00.005-06:00

I have worn glasses for the passed 6 years. I didn't want to. My eye doctor took a topographical map of the surface of my eye and when he showed it to me he said "this is supposed to look a target with your pupil in the middle and the layers of the target are supposed to be the curve of your eye." Mine looked like a Monet. He said my contacts were changing the shape of my eye. I knew something was going on because I couldn't keep them in for longer than an hour or two. Oh well, I'm a glasses person. Tina Fey can pull it off, why can't I? But every once in a while I wonder what I look like without them. Here, my friends, is the answer:No glasses puts a serious damper on the Librarian Look. You can't even TELL that it's a Librarian Look. This look strikes fear in no one.

Maybe someday, with enough money and guts, I'll down enough valum to be able to get LASIK. Untill then I'll just have to live with the fact that guys don't make passes at girls who wear glasses. Good thing I have Collin.

I HEART READING

2009-08-06T22:17:00.005-06:00

So, I know there are other blogs out there that focus just on reading. There are even whole social networking sites set up around it such as Goodreads. But they all intimidate me so I decided to make my own little reading blog. Feel free to comment on any books you've read or to tell me about a book you'd think I'd like based on something I've already read.

my reading blog:
I HEART READING
(original, huh?)

Book Report Due Monday

2009-08-06T09:29:00.002-06:00

I finished To Kill a Mockingbird last night for the second time. The first time I read it was about ten or so years ago. My then English teacher, Mrs. Schneider, has us read it painfully slow; picking apart every chapter with worksheets and reflections and group discussions. Because of how long it took to read back then I was expecting the book to be at least 700 pages long. Imagine my surprise when I finished it in 3 afternoons? It kind of makes me want to go back and reread a few other books also dissected by Mrs. Schneider such as Raisin in the Sun, Silas Marner, Count of Monte Cristo, Rebecca, and Huckleberry Finn.
Anyway, one thing my memory did not fail on was how much I loved it (that and the ham costume, I’ll never forget the ham costume). I love Scout. She is one of my all time favorite characters. I’d forgotten what happened to Tom Robinson in the end and the part about Mrs. Dubose and Jem reading to her. Or about how Dill wanted to marry Scout when they grew up. I wonder if they did. I know they are just characters, but I kind of want to know where Jem, Scout, and Dill were 20 years later. I’ll bet they were Civil Rights Activists.
What other books did English teachers make us read? I know there are more. Wuthering Heights just came to me…

Happy 25th!

2009-08-05T12:17:00.008-06:00

My little sister Jenn (Jenny to me and everyone else who had the privilege of knowing her since she was a baby) turned 25 over the weekend. In her honor we (my mom, Jenn's son, Alex, and me) took her to the Olive Garden last night. Happy Birthday baby sister! (Although I don't see how it's possible that you're 25 because I swear I'm still only 21, 23 at the oldest...) That's her right there in a rare nonfrazzled moment. Alex must have been paying attention to the camera...

Strawberry Reservoir Forever

2009-08-03T19:55:00.019-06:00

I've been getting teased a lot about how "adventurous" Collin and I have become in our travels. Before I start bragging about the latest fun filled vacation Collin and I took this summer, I want you to know this isn't normal. Last year we got out 4 times THE ENTIRE YEAR (and two of those were only because the Gibson's took pity on us and let us come to Bear Lake with them)! Don't believe me, go read my blog from a year ago. Before this year, the number of times Collin and I went out of state was a grand total of 4 and we went on maybe 2 camping trips every summer. This was just our year to see the world (DC is the world, right?)

So, with that out of my system, please enjoy this post about the latest fun filled vacation Collin and I took this summer:

Here we are in the trailer at Strawberry Reservoir. It was really windy so we couldn't go out on the boat much the first day. So we played Skip-Bo. Collin won once and I won once so we stopped there. We are competitive and that kept the peace.
The next day we were able to get out on the boat. We found out years ago that Marley and Oso are not seafaring dogs. They prefer being on dry ground. So we left them back at camp with Grandma and Grandpa and took Lucy. Note to self: Lucy is also not a seafaring dog. I could barely read with her pressed up against me whining.
Collin, the sexiest fisherman I know.
Rachel, the sexiest reader Collin knows. Strawberry isn't too far from Sundance so we headed over there with Collin's sister, her husband, and their two boys. Here we are riding on the ski lift.
We went on a little hike with these two. These boys are SO funny. The kept us, and our dogs, entertained all weekend.
Sundance has some really great scenery. Here we are, ruining it, by insisting on standing in front of it and having our picture taken.
I finished this book (AND LOVED IT!!!!)I read this book (And also loved it. How did I go so long without knowing about the Scarlet Pimpernel? I feel kind of cheated. Stupid English teachers...)And I read this book. Were it not for the references to my all time favorite books ever (the Anne of Green Gables series) I would have not like this book at all. But, alas, any fan of Anne already has one foot in my friendship door.

Things I Have Found In This Dog's Mouth... This Week:

2009-07-28T17:49:00.012-06:00

A nickel

A penny

A chunk of 2X4 wood

A water bottle lid

An empty water bottle (sans lid)

Part of a sprinkler

A hanger

Socks

A rock

Dog food (I thought it was a chocolate chip, my bad)

A sponge

Needle nose pliers

And that's only the things I remember...

Whenever I find her with something I give her the dreaded Librarian Look. It's about as effective on Lucy as it is on Collin.

Marley and Oso were NEVER this much trouble.

Kade and Lana are in Town!

2009-07-26T20:26:00.007-06:00

My brother-in-law, Kade, and his wife, Lana, are visiting from out of state. They brought two of their kids, Jenna and Tanner. So we all got together to visit at Grandma and Grandpa's house (Collin's parents). We had a ton of fun catching up because we haven't seen them for a year. Thanks for visiting! (And thanks, Oso, for mooning the camera in the only good shot of everyone...)

The cousins playing with Play Dough (or, more accurately, a knock off version called Mega Dough).Tanner, showing them how it's done.

How We Spent Our Weekend

2009-07-25T19:26:00.011-06:00

Thursday night Collin and I took advantage of the free concerts at the Gallavin Center. We saw M. Ward (who I am now in love with). This was our view of the stage for much of the night.Friday night was the much anticipated Court of Fire. Here are some spectators in obvious awe and wonderment. A blurry picture of the fireworks. Well, the legal ones anyway. I got interrogated by a cop about the illegal ones. OK, maybe "interrogated" is too strong a word. I was "asked" about the illegal ones. Don't worry, whoever you are that brought them, your secret is safe with me (mostly because I have no idea who you are, like I would LIE to a cop.)
Me and my new best friend Tiff. (I went through all our attempts at taking pictures together and I believe this is the sexiest one. We were going for sexy, right? My eyes really DO look like I am on drugs. I'm glad it was too dark for the cop to notice...)
Saturday morning Collin and I borrowed his parents boat and headed out to Strawberry for a day of relaxing.

My idea of relaxing:

Collin's idea of relaxing:

FRIENDS and NEIGHBORS

2009-07-23T09:06:00.004-06:00

Tomorrow is the

SECOND ANNUAL WALTON COURT OF FIRE!!!!

Everyone is invited! Old neighbors, new neighbors, friends of neighbors.

Jodi and I will provide water bottles (if you want something else to drink, bring it), paper plates, plastic forks, paper towls, and ice cream sandwiches or otter pops.

We will also have condiments and about 4 grills for you to grill your meat.

Bring your blankets, chairs, something to share, and a few fireworks.

7:00 BBQ and Volley Ball

8:00 Ice Cream Sanwiches

9:00 Fireworks

If you need directions, please call me or leave a comment on my blog and I'll call you.

(I approve comments before they post and won't post any comments that have contact info in them.)

Yes, Yes...

2009-07-20T12:33:00.003-06:00

Harry Potter was just as good the second time. Who wants to go with me when I see it for the 3rd time? Anyone?

Dear Harry Potter,

2009-07-16T21:52:00.002-06:00

Thanks for not sucking! See you again tomorrow.

Still Your Biggest Fan,
Rachel

PS Thanks, Jen, for seeing it with me even if half way through you realized you never saw the 5th one.

Dear Harry Potter,

2009-07-15T08:46:00.003-06:00

I have movie tickets for both Thursday and Friday night so please don't suck.

Your Biggest Fan,
Rachel

First Kiss

2009-07-13T20:43:00.016-06:00

Short Version:

Exaclty 7 years ago today Collin and I shared our first kiss. Yeah, I'd probably do it again.

I love you Collin!

Long Version:

(if Collin is your son or little brother, promise me you won't tease him)

Collin and I were not on a date when he first kissed me. We were with a big group of friends just hanging out. Collin and I happened to be in a car alone while my sister and Collin's BFF Nate were at the door of our friend Becca's house. Keep in mind we weren't dating, we didn't even know each other's last names. He was just one of the guys we had met a week ago (see July 6 post) and happened to hang out with a second time. Actually, we wouldn't have invited them unless Jenn, my sister, made us because she had a crush on Nate (that went nowhere leaving her to marry her wonderful husband, Brett). Anyway, where was I, oh yeah, Collin and I were alone in the car, we barely knew each other, and he started listing off all the friends he had who were getting married. I said "I don't know you but I'd marry you, ask me again in a month." And he said "I didn't ask you now" and I said "Well, then ask me in a month."

Later that night when we all headed up to Sunnyside Park we happened to find ourselves alone on a blanket and that's when we kissed. It was very sweet and took us both by surprise. Neither of us planned it, it just happened.

And wouldn't you know? He DID ask me to marry him about a month later. True story.

Neighbors Beware

2009-07-12T18:35:00.013-06:00

Beware!
My brother who lives a few blocks away from us (just north of the main park) was out of town for the weekend and his home was robbed. Not just a TV or a few grab and run items; it was ransacked from TOP to BOTTOM! They got in through the sliding glass door and had to have been there for a couple hours just hauling away possessions, important paperwork, everything. They even took my sister-in-law's wedding rings. Just sad.
So please, beware!

*Neighborhood Watch has been notified. Still, tell your neighbors and spread the word to be vigilant. Also, they did not have a peice of wood at the base of the sliding glass door. They probably will now...

Farmer's Market

2009-07-12T12:59:00.004-06:00

Collin and I spent yesterday morning at the Farmer's Market down town. We bought some fancy jelly and saw a lot of things we wouldn't mind buying. Good thing the jelly was the only thing we didn't consider too big to haul around.

Who Knew?

2009-07-08T22:25:00.004-06:00

I'm not really a fan of earrings. In fact, the last time I wore any was at my sister's wedding because she made all the bridesmaids where them. I didn't even wear them at my own reception. So imagine my surprise when I bought some while I was out and about shopping today and found that I LIKED them.

Collin and I Met 7 Years Ago Today

2009-07-06T19:14:00.003-06:00

And he remembered! I love my husband.

Light Up the Sky on the 3rd of July

2009-07-04T18:45:00.006-06:00

Yesterday we headed up to my mom's house for fireworks. The golf course just up the street has them every year on the 3rd. They had music and dancing. Here is my mom dancing with my nephew Carter. And Jenny dancing/standing with her little boy, Alex.Oh yeah. I'm patriotic.

Before we walked over to the fireworks we had a BBQ in my mom's backyard.

My nephews Braxton and Carter.What happens when you agree to let Braxton and Carter take pictures of you:

And, for good measure, little Patriotic Alex.

And, yes, I did sleep in. And it was wonderful.

I'm Sleeping In.

2009-07-02T22:55:00.001-06:00

I don't have to work tomorrow so I'm staying up past 11 o'clock. Ha ha. 5 minutes to go.

A Week Ago

2009-07-01T21:42:00.005-06:00

A week ago my toes were in this lake. I got to hang out 24/7 with this guy.I got to wake up every morning to this alarm clock (so cute)...Instead of this one.I miss Yosemite.

Yo! Semite!

2009-06-28T20:58:00.028-06:00

What a week! First off, farewell to Emilie! I already miss you! This isn't the best picture I could find of us but it was the one that made me laugh the most. And if you can't laugh with your BFFs who CAN you laugh with? On to less depressing news. Collin and I spent the week in Yosemite. We stayed just outside the park at Bass Lake. It took 14 hours to drive there. We got there just before sundown but were able to get a few pictures and write our names in the sand. Day 2: Our first full day we were all really tired and getting over the long drive from the day before so we spent the day on the Bass Lake beach. Me and my sister, Jenn.Day 3: Monday we headed over to Nelder's Grove to check out the huge Sequoia trees. The pine cones were nearly as big as my head.All the grandkids were forced together at the base of one of the Sequoia tress. Maybe one day we'll contribute one... Hopefully a girl. Poor Misty.This is the top of the tree the kids were all standing next to.My mom, me, and Jenn in the burnt out center of a Sequoia tree.The whole family! We aren't leaning. I set the camera on a log.Yosemite Falls.Day 4: The stream below Bridalveil Fall.Soaking wet in front of Vernal Falls.Awhanee Hotel. Lucille Ball stayed here once!Day 5: Fire burnt right through the center of this Sequoia. It's called the Clothespin Tree. The center of this Sequoia was cut large enough for a car to drive through but it caused too much damage for cars to drive through constantly so now all you can do is walk under it. Clutzy mom. One second she was walking next to me and the next she was flat on her face. She survived. In the background to the left is Half Dome. Collin hiked it the next day.Day 6: Collin and my brother Allen were the only two tough enough to take on the Half Dome. It was 14 miles, the last 900 feet were straight up the side of the dome. They had to pull themselves up these cables. Most people do this hike in 12-14 hours but these guys did it in 8 hours! That night we had a bonfire by the lake and made s'mores. We presented Allen and Collin with shirts that said "I Made it to the Top." While we waited for the fire to die down enough to roast the marshmallows the kids all skipped rocks.This is me, Collin, and my cute little nephew Carter.

Roasting marshmallows.Day 7: The next day we headed back to the lake. Misty made a snowman surfer with a little surfboard being eaten by a shark. What an imagination! This place had some great BBQ. They had a banquet room in the back big enough to accommodate all 18 of us.Buy a Civic. They last forever. The drive was so long we got to watch the odometer on our 1998 Honda Civic flip over to 110,000 miles on the way there... and 111,000 on the way back. Don't worry, I took these pictures. Collin wasn't driving 40 or 50 mph while using the camera. Contrary to popular belief we aren't THAT crazy. Just a little crazy.

A Break From the Rain

2009-06-15T19:19:00.003-06:00

The sun finally came out. So I took some pictures of it shining on my dogs. Once Lucy realized I was out there she started galloping towards me. Before I knew it they were all at my feet.

This picture was supposed to be of just Marley... until Lucy galloped through.There is no other word for it. Lucy gallops.

Hey Baby Let's Go To Vegas!

2009-06-09T17:14:00.005-06:00

Last week we rented Bolt and there was a part in it where Bolt went to Las Vegas and I said "I want to go to Vegas." So we booked a room at the Stratosphere.

Here is a view from the top of the Stratophere. I couldn't get it to focus. It was an amazing view.I think this is inside the Bellagio Hotel. That was the neatest hotel.

Here we are driving down the strip: Take One

And Take Two

Then we bought some M&Ms and went home.

Fish Lake

2009-05-30T22:34:00.020-06:00

We went to Fish Lake last weekend. It rained.Lucy whined.Marley and Oso sulked.So we went for a drive.Lucy LOVED it.How to enthrall a Peterson:Have Collin put together Grandpa's birthday shotgun in front of them.Collin and Lucy.While fishing we saw this amazing rainbow...And the boys caught this fish...And this fish...And this fish...Oh, and this fish!Two of our nephews were on the boat when Collin caught this 25 pound Mackinaw Lake Trout. The plan was to take them out for a few minutes then drop them off back at camp so the adults could do some "real" fishing. Ha ha. Oh well.
It took him and his dad 45 minutes to haul it in.Don't they look impressed?Collin with the two best catches of his life:Collin and his mom. She was a little more willing to be close to the fish apparently. And I leave you with one more. Of the fish. And Collin.

BRILLIANT!

2009-05-29T14:07:00.001-06:00

http://runpee.com/#app=3e1a&e1bd-RunPeeID=174.203.0&1c90-selectedIndex=0

No, I am not becoming one of those bloggers who only posts neat websites every few days and calls it good. I have some really neat pictures of Fish Lake that I plan on posting soon. I promise.

So Sad, it's Funny

2009-05-20T08:44:00.002-06:00

http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/

This site is why I am thankful for photographers like Jen.

I Love Forever21

2009-05-18T14:20:00.011-06:00

Grammatical errors and all...

From: Forever21
Subject: Thanks for registering at forever21.com
To: rachel
Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2009, 11:08 AM

THANK YOU FOR REGISTERING AT Forever21.COM
Now that your registered, you'll be the first to find out about special offers and latest news from Forever21.You'll also enjoy faster checkouts and can send Wish Lists to your friends and family. Hint hint!

From: Rachel
Sent: Mon 5/18/2009 7:33 AM
To: Online
Subject: Re: Thanks for registering at forever21.com

Hello,
I noticed a grammatical error in my registration email.“Now that your registered” should read “Now that you’re registered." Here is a link illustrating the proper use of your/you’re. http://www.wikihow.com/Use-You're-and-Your

Thank you and have a nice day!

Hello Rachel -
Thank you for your comments and suggestions. We shall forward your message to the appropriate department for review and consideration. Forever 21 is always striving for excellence and a pleasant shopping experience for our customers. With your comments and suggestions, this is possible.If you have any further questions/concerns, please call our customer service line at (888) 494-3837 or by emailing us. Our representatives are available to take your calls and emails Monday through Friday, 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM, and Saturday through Sunday, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM Pacific Standard Time.
Thank you for choosing Forever21.
Sincerely,
Sal C.
Forever 21- Customer Service

3 Times Now...

2009-05-16T02:02:00.000-06:00

And counting. Am I out of my Vulcan mind?

It Wasn't Me

2009-05-14T20:26:00.004-06:00

The dogs must have gotten REALLY bored today because when I came home the the hall rug was rumpled up with dirt clods all around it. For some reason I don't think the dog pictured here is the dog responsible...

Chop Chop

2009-05-13T21:42:00.002-06:00

7 whole inches. Gone, just gone...

Get Your Spock On

2009-05-11T21:34:00.007-06:00

My Grandma, Mom, Sister,and I went and saw Star Trek for the second time. Yeah, you read that right. The Star Trek that came out last weekend, the most awesome movie I've seen in a long time (including X-Files), we've all seen it twice. And loved it.

And can I just say, I LOVED the casting. I had some doubts, but it was really fantastic. May the new franchise live long and prosper.

My Boring Life

2009-05-05T08:37:00.004-06:00

Here are the rules: Bold the things you’ve done and post on your blog!

Started your own blog
Slept under the stars
Played in a band
Visited Hawaii
Watched a meteor shower
Given more than you can afford to charity
Been to Disneyland
Climbed a mountain
Held a praying mantis
Sang a solo
Bungee jumped
Visited Paris
Watched a lightning storm at sea
Taught yourself an art from scratch
Adopted a child
Had food poisoning
Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
Grown your own vegetables
Seen the Mona Lisa in France
Slept on an overnight train
Had a pillow fight
Hitch hiked
Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
Built a snow fort
Held a lamb
Gone skinny dipping
Run a Marathon
Ridden in a gondola in Venice
Seen a total eclipse
Watched a sunrise or sunset
Hit a home run
Been on a cruise
Seen Niagara Falls in person
Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
Seen an Amish community
Taught yourself a new language
Had enough money to be truly satisfied
Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
Gone rock climbing
Seen Michelangelo’s David
Sung karaoke
Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
Visited Africa
Walked on a beach by moonlight
Been transported in an ambulance
Had your portrait painted
Gone deep sea fishing
Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
Kissed in the rain
Played in the mud
Gone to a drive-in theater
Been in a movie
Visited the Great Wall of China
Started a business
Taken a martial arts class
Visited Russia
Served at a soup kitchen
Sold Girl Scout Cookies
Gone whale watching
Got flowers for no reason
Donated blood, platelets or plasma
Gone sky diving
Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
Bounced a check
Flown in a helicopter
Saved a favorite childhood toy
Visited the Lincoln Memorial
Eaten Caviar
Pieced a quilt
Stood in Times Square
Toured the Everglades
Been fired from a job
Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
Broken a bone
Been a passenger on a motorcycle
Seen the Grand Canyon in person
Published a book
Visited the Redwoods
Bought a brand new car
Walked in Jerusalem
Had your picture in the newspaper
Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
Visited the White House
Killed and prepared an animal for eating
Had chickenpox
Saved someone’s life
Sat on a jury
Met someone famous
Joined a book club
Got a tattoo
Had a baby
Seen the Alamo in person
Swam in the Great Salt Lake
Been involved in a law suit
Owned a cell phone
Been stung by a bee

Now, go forth and prove your life is more exciting than mine...

Photo Op

2009-04-29T18:33:00.005-06:00

While happily blogging about elk (or deer) in the quiet of my new family room (see below, don't I look happy though slightly wind blown?) I realized it was a little too quiet. So I spun around in my chair and, just outside the family room in the hallway, found this: 3 little doggies lined up in a row. I couldn't have PLANNED that if I'd tried. And how lucky is it that I had my camera sitting right there?

Bunch of Turkeys

2009-04-29T17:53:00.004-06:00

Last week Collin went on the turkey hunt. He didn't get anything but he did bring back a picture on the camera. Only is isn't a picture of turkeys. It is a picture of elk.. or deer. I'm really not sure. I can never keep them straight. Gather round the kids and see if you can count how many elk/deer/possibly mountain goats are in this picture. I lost interest, er um, I mean count at 6.

Update: I have just received confirmation from a reliable source (Collin) that the animals pictured above are indeed elk. Phew. Now we know.

Twilight and Chicken Fit for a King

2009-04-25T21:30:00.010-06:00

Last night one of my BFFs Emilie came over. She brought her Twilight movie with her. Not being a huge fan of it the first time I saw it (in the theaters) I decided to give it a second chance. It wasn't as funny as the first time I saw it (seriously, I remember laughing a WHOLE lot more). And it didn't seem quite as cheesy watching it on a smaller screen (you can't see the bad makeup as well). So it was a better experience this time. And it was fun hanging out with ya Em!

Emilie, posing a few weeks ago in front of a crepe she didn't buy but really wanted to.And for you recipe lovers out there, she brought a recipe for some really yummy chicken that you HAVE to try. You will love how simple it is.

4 to 5 chicken pieces (we used breasts)

1/4 cup minced onion

1 cup BBQ sauce

1 can cranberry sauce (whole berry)

Mix the onion, BBQ sauce, and cranberry sauce together and spread over the chicken. Bake for 45 minutes at 475 degrees. Beautiful.

Now for the "king" portion I alluded to in the title of this post:

A few weeks ago Collin and I gave in and bought a king sized bed (which I LOVE) to accommodate all 5 of us (me + Collin + Marley + Lucy + Oso = 5, nothing fishy). Even on a bed that big with plenty of room for all Lucy has managed to fall off twice. Silly dog... I'll bet if Marley and Oso could they would roll their eyes at her.

Alex Vs. The Grilled Cheese Sandwich

2009-04-15T21:20:00.002-06:00

Oh yeah, Alex won. I love my nephew.

Dogs on the Loose!

2009-04-13T23:14:00.004-06:00

When I came home from work today two of my neighbors informed me that we have some backyard escape artists. Namely Marley and Lucy. Lindsey was kind enough to brave the weeds in my backyard and return them to their rightful place (THANKS LINDS!). So Collin and I spent some time reinforcing the fence to keep these little stinkers in. If, despite our fence improvement efforts, you happen to see them wandering the hood PLEASE call me! If you aren't scared of dogs (they don't bite and LOVE people) would you be so kind as to return them to my backyard? We are working on getting our fence up to maximum security standards (electric fence anyone?).

Thanks!

Rumbi's

2009-04-07T18:58:00.005-06:00

A few of my friends and I got together for some Rumbi's Grill.

Me and Em. Joy and Jill.Group photo (minus Janeen).Out side, practicing for an album cover photo shoot.Me and Em, standing in the wind. Why does her hair look perfect? The wind was out to get me.

Picture of Innocence

2009-04-01T20:41:00.002-06:00

Yeah right.

And this gate keeping her out of the living room is just for looks...

Also, you'll notice that the floors are CLEAN! I love my family room.

2009-03-28T12:54:00.001-06:00

Sorry I haven't blogged lately. We just find it very hard to leave our awesome new family room.

Birthday Boy and a Finished Basement

2009-03-23T22:11:00.003-06:00

Happy 29th Birthday Collin (last saturday)!

And here they are. Finished family room pictures.

I LOVE it!

2009-03-17T07:36:00.003-06:00

Things That Happened Last Week

2009-03-16T18:00:00.007-06:00

I took this picture of myself. Collin thinks it's funny that I take pictures of myself. Does anyone else like to take pictures of themselves?My floors got dirty... again. Stupid Operation Basement. I was asked to tree-sit. Oso lost TWO WHOLE POUNDS!!! Way to go, buddy! Lucy doubled in size and became sort of friends with Marley and Oso.

And we got a whole lot of stuff done in the family room:

Once it's done I am going to sit down on the couch, turn the TV on, and fall asleep.

Operation Family Room

2009-03-08T18:52:00.009-06:00

Most of the stuff that has been done in the family room Collin has either done himself or had his dad come help.(Thanks Gerrit!) This weekend, however, I actually proved to be quite useful. For instance, I tiled this: And held up the crown while he used the nail gun to nail it up.
I also helped put down some of the glue for the wood. Due to all the sanding our whole house was blanketed under a thick layer of dust. This is a picture of the kitchen table. No, that isn't a wood colored place mat. Check it out! You can see the little decorative cutouts! The floors were so bad that it took me hours to clean it all up. I attacked it in sections. You can see a line straight down the kitchen floor. The left side is what it is supposed to look like. I can't wait until this stinkin' family room is complete!

Before and After: My "Tina Fey" Glasses Edtion

2009-03-04T17:54:00.021-07:00

Before

AfterThey are different, I promise. And in honor of National Grammar Day I leave you with a picture of what Collin lovingly calls my "Librarian Look." He gets it a lot...

According to SPOGG.org

2009-03-04T07:17:00.009-07:00

Check it out at http://www.spogg.org/

UPDATE

To celebrate this most proper of holidays I found this website. I wish I could carry it around in my pocket. It lists common errors. For example: When to use accept vs. except.

http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html#errors

PS And yes, April, correct grammar ALL DAY LONG. Especially your kid's grammar. They'll love it.

PPS Did you know "PS" stands for "post script?" So this is a "post post script."

PPPS For those of you who think you've "caught me" using "and" at the beginning of a sentence it's not really a grammatical error. See this article:

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/Features/Columns/Default.aspx?article=ErrorsThatArent

Check back for more fun grammar stuff throughout the day! I'm off to make some dangling earrings that say "participle" on them.

Don't you just LOVE National Grammar Day?

More Before and After Pictures

2009-03-01T18:05:00.007-07:00

While flipping through the October issue of Better Homes and Gardens I landed on this page (#177) and thought "My books need a home. I want that!" I immediately ripped the picture out and put it on the fridge (hence the wrinkles). Collin looked at it, said "We'll see" and that was that.

5 months later he got to a point where he could start building. This is a picture from Friday night.

And here is a pic from yesterday. It actually took more time to caulk them than it did to build them. I love them. My books are just ITCHING to move in (after we evict those power tools and diet cokes).

When he paints the rest of the basement woodwork he is going to paint this white as well. I am so excited to have my own little library! He did a great job.

Where Did I Go?

2009-02-27T22:50:00.015-07:00

While most people who blog like to post pictures of expanding bellys, today I am doing the opposite. In the last 7 months I've managed to lose a little bit of weight. I didn't really realize just how much until I pulled out some old summer clothes (I miss you summer!).

July 4th, 2008

February 28, 2009

Oh yeah, I'm an 'after' now. I've always wanted to be an 'after."

Velocaraptor

2009-02-25T21:29:00.003-07:00

This is Lucy's "Velocaraptor" look. Doesn't it look like she is trying to figure out how to attack you?

Goods News is the Best News

2009-02-25T15:09:00.003-07:00

And JEN'S news is the BEST!