May You Lead An Interesting Life

SOLUTION: Red X in Outlook Where Pictures Ought To Be

2011-11-22T13:07:00.003-07:00

Problem:

You haven't changed any settings in your Outlook, and for some unknown reason instead of pictures, you have red x's.
You've tried every single fix you could find on Google, including the Trust Center, deleting Outlook temp files, picture placeholders, etc. etc. etc. Nothing works.
You use a proxy server to access the internet.

Solution:

Close Outlook.
Open Notepad. Copy the following into a new text document:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Common]
"AllowImageProxyAuth"=dword:00000002

Click on File --> Save As
File name: Outlook_Fix.reg
Save as type: Change to "All Files"
Click Save.
Navigate to where you saved Outlook_Fix.reg
Double-click on the file.
Choose "Yes" when the dialog box comes up.

Re-open Outlook. When you next attempt to view an email with pictures, it will prompt you for your proxy credentials. It should work normally after that.

Conversation

2011-10-16T22:29:00.000-06:00

Conversation with Alex, the exchange student coming to live with us. We are in the paperwork process, and have to have background checks. We were talking about how we might be closet murderers or criminals, and how would he know?

Violet: But what if we're con men?
Alex (puzzled): "Con" men? What's that?
Violet: People who pretend to be good, but end up taking your money.
Alex: Oh! You mean an asshole?

Exchange Students

2011-10-13T10:20:00.000-06:00

I know I'm terrible about updating my blog on a regular basis, but I figured it was worth noting two significant events: Lu left in July to Brazil for a year as an exchange student, and we are getting an exchange student from Denmark for the school year. It will be our first time ever to have a BOY in the house. How weird is that? :)

Alex is 18, and a guitarist. He's coming to live with us because we are moving to a house near the Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts, where Violet currently attends. So we'll get singing and guitar playing happening all the time. :)

Conversation

2011-09-20T08:55:00.000-06:00

Violet (poking me with a fork): You know what this is, right?
Me: What?
Violet: You're going to hell in a handbasket and this is your welcoming committee.

Eggplant Parmesan

2011-08-01T20:46:00.000-06:00

Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients

2 eggplant, peeled and cut into ¼” slices
2 eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt and 1 Tbsp. water
2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs, mixed with ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
2 jars (32oz) spaghetti sauce
¾ to 1 lb. mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ tsp. dried basil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Sweat the sliced eggplant by sprinkling with sea salt and letting sit for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat completely dry with paper towels.
3. Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, then in bread crumbs mixed with Parmesan cheese.
4. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with olive oil. Bake for 7 minutes on each side. Remove from oven; lower temperature to 400 degrees.
5. In a 9x13 baking dish, spread one jar of spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom. Place half the eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses. Sprinkle basil on top.
6. Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted, 15-20 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Nectarine Blackberry Crisp

2011-07-17T20:21:00.003-06:00

Nectarine Blackberry Crisp

Fruit Filling:
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 6oz. package blackberries**, rinsed and drained well
6 or so nectarines, sliced, enough to fill an 8x8 baking dish

Cream Filling:
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. flour

Topping:
1 cup flour
6 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla

Place berries and nectarines in a bowl; sprinkle flour, sugar, and nutmeg over fruit. Toss to coat. Transfer to 8x8 baking dish. In another bowl, whisk eggs to blend; add sour cream, vanilla and flour. Whisk to blend, and pour evenly over fruit in baking dish. Combine topping ingredients; you will end up with a soft buttery dough. Crumble pieces of the dough over the fruit, distributing it evenly.

Bake in a 375 oven until the custard is set and topping is golden brown, about 55-60 minutes. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before serving. Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

**Raspberries also taste wonderful with this recipe!

Facebook Status

2011-03-09T12:53:00.002-07:00

Lu: I wish my homework was asexual, then it would just do itself!

Facebook Status

2011-03-05T05:11:00.001-07:00

Violet: I cannot comprehend the girls who like to get made-up, fix their hair perfectly and go somewhere, barely being able to enjoy themselves because they are worrying about how they look. I want to be the type of girl who doesn't care what she wears, or how she looks. I want to be the girl who, instead of spending money to go have a good time with their friends, puts on pajama bottoms with them, turns on a chick flick, and in the end barely watch the movie and just talk about life. Doesn't that seem a whole lot better than gossiping and sucking in your tummies?

I don't worry about what people think of me because, in the end, the only opinion that matters is my own.

Instead of my pictures making me look fake, and have me pouting like a four year old, I want a picture of who I really am: A fishing, camping, singing, hiking, laughing, crazy, strong, confident, etc. girl who isn't afraid to show who she really is. I want to be laughing, hugging, acting odd. I want to be me in my pictures. I see this in mine, and all I see in other's pictures are girls afraid to be themselves.

So please, be yourself, live your life to the fullest, brush off snide comments, and never be afraid to stand up for what you truely believe in. Stay different.

Conversation

2011-03-04T21:06:00.000-07:00

Violet: I've eaten so much candy... I'm on a sugar high! I'm gonna puke the rainbow...

Conversation

2011-03-03T15:06:00.000-07:00

Lu: A boy at school asked me what I am. I thought about it for a minute or two, and then answered, "I'm complicated."

Facebook Status

2011-02-25T11:46:00.002-07:00

Violet: And thus, on the third day, Violet created the word crapping unicorn muffins.

Conversation

2011-02-07T07:39:00.000-07:00

Violet, Lu and Nikki are eating their early Valentines' Day present-- boxes of those little conversation hearts.

Vi: Hey, mine says "hottie".
Nikki: Me, too!
Vi: Hmmm..... my next one is telling me, "just kidding".

Texting Conversation

2011-02-02T11:47:00.000-07:00

Lu, texting me from school this morning regarding other teenagers:

Lu: I hate people who think their life is so hard. They don't know what a hard life is. Maybe i don't hate them. Maybe i pity and envy them at the same time.

Texting Conversation

2011-01-19T14:44:00.000-07:00

Lu: Maybe i'm just a weird child. Actually, just scratch the maybe. I KNOW i am a weird different child in both good and bad ways :)

Texting Conversation

2010-09-22T13:23:00.003-06:00

Lu, the lone 10th grader in an 11th grade English class she is SO bored in:

Lu: Dear god mom we're learning about nouns!!
Me: Basics first. :)
Lu: I'm dying!
Me: LOL
Lu: I hate you. You being the noun.

Orange Juice-i-us

2010-09-04T17:46:00.001-06:00

Feel like drinking a creamy Orange Julius? Here's my homemade version. My family likes my tweaks better than the original. :)

Suz's Orange Juice-i-us

8 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup powdered milk
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. coconut extract
10-20 ice cubes

Add all ingredients, except ice cubes, into a blender. Mix until combined. Add in ice cubes one at a time until desired consistency is reached. Makes 4 to 4 1/2 cups of drink, depending on amount of ice used.

Conversation

2010-08-31T15:04:00.001-06:00

Lu: (handing me some sunflowers) You said that sunflowers were happiness.... so I picked you some happiness today.

Texting Conversation

2010-08-30T07:34:00.000-06:00

Lu: Aw it's on the mirror in the girl's bathroom

Texting Conversation

2010-08-26T19:27:00.010-06:00

Lu, texting me after finishing her second day of high school....

Lu: Wanna know the weirdest part? I don't have to bend over to get a drink
Me: LOL. That's because it's an old school, before ADA laws required the fountains to be lowered for wheelchair access. :)
Lu: Oh i thought it was because its a high school :) haha

Texting Conversation

2010-08-24T21:18:00.000-06:00

Violet: I woke up this morning wishing a hoping it was Friday.......Then I decided it was Wednesday. I got a sad suprise when I found out it was only TUESDAY! :'(

Conversation

2010-07-16T22:19:00.000-06:00

Talking with my doctor, at my 6 months post-ankle-surgery followup visit:

Doctor: Your ankle looks a little more swollen than I'd expect to see at this stage.
Me: Well, I just sprained it pretty good on July 4th. Since I was here last, I've sprained it at least 3 times.
Doctor (surprised): What???
Me: Hey, I can walk on it after spraining it now. The one on July 4th was bad enough that before the surgery, I would have been on crutches. Now I can walk on it after spraining it.
Doctor: So this means there's improvement?
Me: Yes, most definitely.
Doctor: That's good. The surgery can be done to help stabilize your ankle, but we unfortunately don't have a cure for your clumsiness.

Texting Conversation

2010-07-02T05:06:00.002-06:00

Nikki: how come eye lids are called eye lids if they cant come off like lids can? why not call them eye curtains or something

Overheard

2010-06-01T09:25:00.002-06:00

Violet: Gravity loves me. That's why it is always tripping me so I can fall down and give it hugs.

Violet's Talent Show Performance

2010-05-25T11:30:00.001-06:00

I just wanted to share Violet's (age 12) school talent show performance with you. She did such a great job today! This was her first solo performance in front of a large audience. When I flipped the video, it kind of squashed her, but you can still hopefully hear her ok. :)

Memo

2010-05-24T07:44:00.000-06:00

To: Mother Nature
From: Me

Dear Mother Nature:

It has possibly escaped your notice that today is the 24th of May, and therefore well into springtime. I understand that you may have procrastinated last season and didn't get out as much snow as you wanted to, but it seems that waiting until now to dump it on us is a bit much.

Please have pity on my poor garden plants and send rain instead.

Sincerely,
Me

Thirty Years Ago Today

2010-05-18T10:40:00.001-06:00

As I drove to work this morning, rain was falling from the sky. It reminded me of this exact day, 30 years ago, when something completely different fell from the sky.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a beautiful spring Sunday morning in Yakima, Washington, just like any other Sunday morning. I was happy, because on Sunday mornings, we got to eat cold cereal. When you're 9 years old, that's a Really Big Deal. I ate two bowls of cornflakes, and then quickly dressed for church.

As I sat in church, I watched how it got progressively darker and darker outside. Soon, it was as dark as bedtime. The Bishop stood up, and announced that Mount St. Helens, in eastern Washington, had erupted. Ash was starting to fall on us.

I remember someone finding newspapers for us to put over our heads as we ran to our cars. Kind gentlemen were covering others back and forth from the church to their vehicles, using rain umbrellas. And then, we started driving home.

The tenseness of the situation was palpable. We lived 15 minutes away, and the drive was long and scary. The ash was falling so thickly that you could only see a few feet in front of the headlights. Every time another car passed us, the ash would 'puff' up and make it impossible to see for about 30 seconds. The window wipers ran at full speed, pushing off a layer of ash at every swipe. My mom had a handkerchief over her nose and mouth, and was leaning out the open window to give my dad directions to stay on the road (she could barely see the white line). It was midnight in the middle of the day. It was so thickly dark that the light from the streetlamps could only be seen directly under them. The only darkness I have been in since that time that can compare is being deep inside of a cave, with lights off. You can almost touch the darkness.

We finally made it home, relieved to be safe. I remember curling up in a sleeping bag in front of the television, watching the news reports of the eruption. The devastation was immense-- I felt so sorry for those who lived along the Toutle River, which had turned into a giant boiling mudflow. People lost their lives.

The ash kept falling. And falling. And falling.

The next morning, the world was grey. Dusty, stinky grey. If you've ever been to Yellowstone, you know what strong sulfur smells like. Yellowstone is nothing in comparison to the rotten egg smell that permeated everything. It was so strong smelling outside you almost gagged. The few stores that were opened quickly sold out of protective face masks.

We had over 4 inches of ash in our yard, covering everything. I remember taking empty jam jars out of our storage room, standing by the door, taking in a HUGE breath, and running outside as fast as possible to scoop up some ash, and running back in before having to breathe again. We dumped the ash out on the table, and studied it. It was gritty, like sand, but was very, very dusty. It left dust on everything it touched. And it was still warm.

I wish I still had one of those jars of ash. I kept one for years, but then got rid of it. After all, I could go outside and dig a bit, and have all the ash I ever wanted. It was in such plentiful supply that it never occurred to me as a child that we'd "run out".

There was so much ash in our neighborhood that my dad was able to get his empty lot next to us completely filled up with the smelly, grey stuff. Cheapest fill dirt ever. They were thrilled to have somewhere to put it!

And the best part? We got two weeks off school-- and didn't have to make it up!

I wish I had been a little older at the time so I could remember more. A 9 year old's perspective is a little skewed. I do remember my parents talking about how people had problems with cars, furnaces, ash getting into their wooden shingles, attics, ruining everything it got into. Those with lung problems, including asthma, had a miserable time with the ash.

The next year, my family took a road trip to Mount St. Helens. The mountain was littered with giant-sized toothpicks, laid out flat, side by side. Trees were instantly burned and blasted down to the ground. I have, to this day, never seen such extreme devastation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When I ponder the significant events of my life so far, living through a volcanic eruption is definitely on the list. There's nothing like the raw power of Mother Nature to humble you and let you know that humans are definitely not in charge on this planet.

Texting Conversation

2010-04-27T11:31:00.000-06:00

Kayla, at school in Biology class, where they are dissecting frogs today:

Kayla: Ew im standing at a far distance
Me: LOL
Kayla: I feel nauseous
Me: At least you're not eating spaghetti for lunch.
Kayla: You are sadistic.

Conversation

2010-04-21T15:05:00.002-06:00

Kayla: I don't like this dollar bill. It's all wrinkly and not pretty.
Me: Money is money. Doesn't matter what it looks like. It all spends the same.
Kayla: But I don't like ugly things in my purse!
Lu: Wait...don't you have something in your purse with your picture on it for ID?
Me: (laughing)
Kayla: Yes, of course I do.
Lu: (laughing)
Kayla: Hey!

Good vs. Evil Jello

2010-04-15T07:26:00.002-06:00

From time to time, I pull up Google Analytics to see what keywords people google and end up on my blog.

This one made me blink a few times and wonder:

angels and demons jello

I am confuzzled. And do I *really* want to know?

Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup

2010-04-13T05:59:00.007-06:00

For those of you who live in Utah, you may have eaten at a local chain restaurant called "Zupas". And if you have, you've probably ordered (or at least tried) their "Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup". If this rings true so far, you will more than likely agree with me that the Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup is To. Die. For. Mmmmmmm....

So, of course, I had to attempt to duplicate it.

Without further ado, here is my version of Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup.

Suz's Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup

1/2 stick butter
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. chicken base (like "Better Than Bouillon")
1 head cauliflower (2 to 2.5 pounds), sectioned into smaller pieces
1 tsp. dijon mustard
3 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 oz. pepper jack cheese, shredded

In a 4 quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in milk, water, salt and chicken base. Add cauliflower and heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes. Process cauliflower, broth and mustard in blender until very smooth (be sure to remove center part of blender cover to allow steam to escape). Return cauliflower mixture to saucepan; add shredded cheeses and stir over low to medium heat until melted and smooth. Serve hot.

Note: I prefer a lighter color soup, so I use Tillamook sharp white cheddar. (And if the truth be told, I like my version better than the one at Zupas!) Zupas Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup Recipe

Overheard

2010-03-24T07:52:00.000-06:00

Lu: Snow? It's snowing??? It's supposed to be spring!
Violet: Utah is bi-polar.

Overheard

2010-03-22T07:35:00.001-06:00

Violet: I'm a weird child, and I love it!

Conversation

2010-03-21T13:41:00.001-06:00

Doing some post-ankle-surgery water walking at the local indoor pool, going around in the "Lazy River" section:

Little girl: You know, you can just float and it will move you around. You don't have to walk.
Me: Yes, I know, but I'm exercising.
Little girl: (incredulous) But you're not fat!

SOLUTION: Facebook Mobile "Sorry, an error has occurred."

2010-03-17T10:08:00.003-06:00

Problem:

You attempt to send a status update to "32665" (Facebook) from your cell phone
An error message is returned that states, "Sorry, an error has occurred."

Solution:

Change how you send status updates to Facebook.

Click on "Account" in the top right-hand corner of the Facebook main screen
Choose "Account Settings"
Click on the "Mobile" tab
Click on the "Go to Facebook Mobile" link near the top of the page
Find the "Upload via Email" section.
Your "Personal Email" will be highlighted.
Send status updates to this email instead of 32665.

Note: You do not need to have internet access on your phone for this to work. Just send a text to the email address, and it will go through fine.

Overheard

2010-03-14T13:37:00.001-06:00

Lu's uncle, naming off different makes of cars:

Uncle: Ferrari.
Lu: Ferrari.
Uncle: Porche.
Lu: (confused) Poor shit???

Snuggies For Seniors

2010-03-01T08:55:00.000-07:00

Kristina has started an internet charity drive:

While it may sound silly up front, it really is a serious effort. If anyone would like to contribute, click on the button above to help with the cause. Or please donate some Snuggies to needy nursing homes in your area.

Many thanks!

Conversation

2010-02-28T14:55:00.001-07:00

Lu: What's that smell?
Me: I farted. Sorry.
Lu: It was small and deadly... like a little ninja.

Credit Card Hell

2010-02-23T07:55:00.000-07:00

Saw this today, and wanted to share. Credit card debt is evil, folks!

I do, however, use my American Express regularly to get the rebate every year (just received a check for over $400 last week). BUT.... I pay it off every single month, without fail.

If you have credit card debt, figure out a plan to climb out of the hole ASAP. Your future financial well-being depends upon it!

Conversation

2010-02-19T07:22:00.000-07:00

Watching me make her lunch for school today...

Kayla: I'm so excited for my lunch today! All my favorite things, contained in an amazing bag of happiness.

Conversation

2010-02-17T21:43:00.001-07:00

Regarding some of the ice issues at the Vancouver Winter Olympics...

Me: One of my friends wondered if there was zamboni tampering going on.
Kayla: What's a zamboni?
Me: The machine that lays down the smooth ice for the skaters.
Kayla: Oh! I thought you were talking about a tribe or something.

Texting Conversation

2010-02-16T05:39:00.002-07:00

Lu: Mooommmmyyyy
Me: Yes? :)
Lu: Since I had an amazing practice and I made every basket but 2...can I pretty please have some ice cream because you love me
Lu: I'll only have a little :P
Me: You don't need ice cream at 10:30am. LOL
Lu: Yes i do. I'll die
Me: I'll start planning your funeral then. Obituary shall read, "Died from lack of ice cream."
Lu: It will be on your consious!! BEWARE
Lu: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH the pain! THE PAIN!!!
Violet: How do you live with yourself? How do you sleep at night? Oh by the way this is Violet cause Lu died.
Me: Ok, Violet. The ice cream is now all yours, just like we planned.

Overheard

2010-02-15T20:38:00.003-07:00

During the Olympics, a commercial is playing about visiting British Columbia:

Commercial: It's Big.
Commercial: Beautiful.
Kayla: Are they talking about my butt?
Commercial: Sophisticated.
Kayla: Yup.

Teacher FAIL

2010-02-11T05:12:00.001-07:00

Note from Lu's teacher:

"We would appreciate it if your student could bring a treat (our theme is sweets) to class tomorrow....It is not required that your student bring something, but the entire class will appreciate it if we have lots of goodies to sample....I would greatly prefer NO SODA. We can drink water; it's good for us!"

This Totally Made My Day

2010-02-10T07:57:00.002-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-03T14:02:00.000-07:00

Conversation

2010-01-21T18:49:00.001-07:00

Lu throws a gummy piece of candy across the room and Kayla catches it in her mouth...

Us: (cheering)
Violet: You'd be good at baseball.
Kayla: No, I'd be good at frisbee! (bark)

Validation

2010-01-06T10:44:00.001-07:00

If you haven't had a chance to see this yet, set aside 15 minutes of your day. You won't be sorry.

Sweet Poppy Seed Dressing

2010-01-04T20:08:00.008-07:00

My favorite commercial salad dressing is Brianna's Rich Poppy Seed Dressing. It is seriously to die for. Unfortunately, the price makes it a bit prohibitive for me to have it on a regular basis with as fast as we go through it.

So therefore, I give you my version of Brianna's Poppy Seed Dressing for your dining pleasure. It's not exactly like the original, but close enough to please most. :) recipe for brianna's poppy seed dressing

Suz's Sweet Poppy Seed Dressing recipe

1/2 cup mayonnaise
5 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/8 cup sweet white onion
2 tsp. white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds
1/4 cup canola oil

Put everything in your blender, except the poppy seeds and the canola oil. Process until the onion has been liquified. On the lowest speed of the blender, pour in the canola oil and the poppy seeds. Refrigerate and enjoy!

I highly suggest Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar, if you don't have it already. You can find it at some grocery stores, and just about all health food stores. You can also substitute agave or your sweetener of choice for the sugar, if you'd like. If you do use a liquid sweetener, omit the water.

My favorite salad to serve poppy seed dressing over:

Spinach
Mandarin Oranges
Strawberries, sliced
Granny Smith apples, diced
Dried cranberries (I prefer fruit sweetened)
Sliced almonds

Happy eating! :) Brianna's Poppy Seed Dressing Recipe

Conversation

2010-01-03T18:54:00.000-07:00

Me, explaining to Lu about a vocabulary word she heard on her video game...

Me: Mundane. It means the same old thing every day. Boring. Nothing new, just the everyday usual.
Lu: Is that why they call it Monday?

Overheard

2009-12-11T17:13:00.002-07:00

After arranging and rearranging so all the dirty dishes would fit into the dishwasher...

Lu: I like Tetris better.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-09T04:20:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-02T04:19:00.000-07:00

Conversation

2009-11-29T12:17:00.001-07:00

After being given the option of going to church or the chores she will be expected to do instead:

Lu: That's not fair!
Me: Well, you can just come to church, and you won't have to do the chores.
Lu: Fine, I think I will!
Me: Ok.
Lu: But you can't force me to pay attention!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-25T04:18:00.000-07:00

Conversation

2009-11-20T09:14:00.001-07:00

Violet: Mom, stop! You're embarrassing me.
Me: It's required of parents to embarrass their children.
Violet: No, it's not.
Me: Yes, it really is. In fact, when you decide to become a parent, you have to take a parent test. One of the last questions is, "Are you willing to embarrass your children?" If you don't answer "yes", then you don't pass the test and you can't have kids.
Violet: (pause) Really???

Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-18T04:16:00.000-07:00

A Choice Has Been Made

2009-11-12T14:29:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who left comments to help me choose one of my photos for the photography contest at work. The theme is "What I Am Thankful For", and must be accompanied by why you are thankful about what is depicted in the photograph.

I had folks in three different places list their favorites, and the winner was the leaf. The text I included with it was:

"The cycling of the seasons reminds me that there is an elegance throughout every stage of life. I am thankful that autumn leaves provide such beauty to the world, in life and in death."

I'll update you if I manage to win this year! :)

Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-11T04:15:00.000-07:00

Need Help, Please!

2009-11-10T13:25:00.002-07:00

There's a photo contest at work, and I have no clue which one I should enter. If y'all would be so kind as to help me out, please scroll down a bit until you see "Jello Flavors" on the right-hand side, and then choose "Photography" to bring up my photos. I'm trying to narrow it down to just one from all the photos I've taken since last November until now. (You'll need to click on "Older Posts" to move backwards in time.)

I'm completely indecisive about which one I should enter.

Help?

Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-04T04:12:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-28T15:54:00.002-06:00

Poindexter Award

2009-10-27T07:38:00.000-06:00

I made this for Suldog, who can do the Timewarp. Again.

Rules: You can only give it to 42 other people.

Let us all now bow in reverence to his geekiness, Suldog!

Top Ten Reasons Why I Qualify For Geek Status

2009-10-26T11:46:00.002-06:00

1. During my teenage years, my bedroom was plastered in Star Trek posters.
2. I attended science fiction conventions. And loved them.
3. I hold a degree in Computer Science.
4. Sudoku is relaxing.
5. I have a bunch of acronyms after my name.
6. I know the answer to Life, The Universe, And Everything.
7. I've used polyhedral dice to resolve random events.
8. I taught myself to program in BASIC when I was 11 years old. Over the summer. Because I was bored. And it was a Star Trek program.
9. I understand this joke (and it makes me laugh): There are 10 types of people-- those who understand binary, and those who don't.
10. Just ask my kids. They'll tell you.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-21T05:22:00.001-06:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-14T05:16:00.000-06:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-07T04:56:00.002-06:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-30T09:42:00.000-06:00

Overheard

2009-09-26T11:36:00.000-06:00

At my parent's yard sale:

Dad: (sitting in a chair looking down)
Older Man: So how do your hearing aids work?
Dad: (looking up) What's that?
Older Man: How do your hearing aids work?
Dad: Oh, really good!

Overheard

2009-09-14T14:55:00.001-06:00

When leaving an outdoor concert:

Little Boy: Is it finally over?
Mom: Yes.
Little Boy: Oh, good! My legs are SO bored!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-26T10:56:00.002-06:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-19T05:33:00.000-06:00

Google Searches

2009-08-13T09:06:00.006-06:00

I like to check every so often to see what search phrases put my blog in the Top 10 on a Google search.

You will find me if you go searching for "watermelon butts". Seriously, who knew people actually searched for this?

My current favorite search that lands you here is: "warped sense of humor". Oh, yeah baby!

And finally, my public service announcement is number two on the charts: noreply-comment@blogger.com. If you haven't already fixed your email so I can respond directly to you, I would love it if you would do so!

I'm still very busy with Real Life, but will probably be back to mere normalcy once school starts. Maybe.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-12T18:59:00.001-06:00

From My E-Mail

2009-08-07T13:10:00.002-06:00

Friend: My niece got a book about Sarah Palin for her birthday. I'm not sure, but I think it ended after two and a half chapters.

Heard At The Family Party Yesterday

2009-08-06T06:24:00.001-06:00

Q: How many flies does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: Two, but I don't know how they got in there in the first place!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-05T05:33:00.000-06:00

Overheard

2009-08-04T09:26:00.005-06:00

While shopping at Costco, near the cell phone kiosk:

Woman: I have had lots of problems with this particular phone.
Woman: (accidentally drops phone on floor)
Salesman: Seems that might be your problem right there.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-29T04:44:00.000-06:00

Conversation

2009-07-26T18:31:00.002-06:00

While hiking this morning:

Me: Now this is my kind of church!
Ron: Amen.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-22T07:38:00.000-06:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-15T06:29:00.000-06:00

Here's What I've Been Up To Lately

2009-07-13T10:43:00.001-06:00

In case you cared. :)

Letterboxing Utah

I've been spending a lot of time carving rubber stamps lately. As in I've-been-losing-sleep lots of time...

If you don't letterbox, you should. It's a really fun hobby. :)

Speaking Of Warped Senses Of Humor

2009-07-11T09:00:00.001-06:00

If you haven't seen this blog yet, you should go read:

My First Dictionary

Reason #32,566 I'm going to hell in a handbasket. I loooooooooove this blog!

I Probably Have A Warped Sense Of Humor

2009-07-10T11:47:00.002-06:00

But I found this hilariously funny yesterday.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-08T08:53:00.001-06:00

Today's Quote

2009-07-07T23:43:00.001-06:00

Kayla: If people from Utah are called "Utahns", what are people from Tampa called?

Summertime

2009-07-06T15:41:00.005-06:00

Summertime means no time to blog. Or read blogs. So as far as the blogging world goes, I suck ~~all the time~~ during the summertime.

But today I will leave you with a summertime moment in my house:

Me: (getting ready to slice the end off a watermelon)
Me: Kayla! Come here!
Kayla: (comes into the kitchen and sees what I'm doing)
Kayla: Yay! You know I love the butt of watermelons!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-01T08:52:00.001-06:00

Optical Illusion

2009-06-30T10:05:00.003-06:00

I saw this today, and thought it was freaking cool. :)

Regardless of what your brain tells you, the only colors in the following are:

Pink
Orange
Green

Don't believe me? Pull it into Photoshop and see for yourself. I'm totally geeking out over here.

Skinny Grandmas

2009-06-29T09:30:00.004-06:00

I was talking the other day with my best friend Carol. She recently had a baby, and has been losing weight and skinny-ing down very nicely as of late. We talked about weight, and how our bodies aren't so inclined to drop it easily, etc.

She was telling me about how she had put on those extra pounds to begin with-- her hubby, nice guy that he is, would bring home all kinds of yummy ice cream for her. And the weight creeped on. And it started me thinking-- my hubby does the same types of things whenever I drop weight. Ice cream. Desserts. Fattening foods.

I am wondering now if there's something unconscious in a guy's brain that wants to fluff up their women a bit.

Women, when they start to reach middle age, begin to plump out naturally. The body is trying to make more fat cells in preparation for menopause (fat cells can convert and send out estrogen to the body).

Then I realized something-- skinny grandmas look weird. Bony grandmas tend to be an anomaly. Grandmas, by nature, should have soft padding for grandbabies to snuggle up to.

Society tells us a different story. Something is wrong with you if you aren't a size 8. Trying to reach that "goal" is probably more harmful to my body than helpful at this point (low estrogen levels suck). It's much better to concentrate on eating healthy and exercising regularly, and allow my body to naturally move to where it wants to be.

So today I am happy to report that the way things are currently headed, I will NOT be a skinny grandma. :)

Overheard

2009-06-28T22:32:00.003-06:00

While getting my hair cut yesterday, a little boy (about 3 years old) was there with his daddy, getting his hair cut.

Boy: What's your name?
Hairdresser: Jane.
Boy: Why do you work here?
Hairdresser: I like cutting hair.
Boy: What's your phone number?
Hairdresser: 555-1212.
Boy: 1, 2, what again?
Daddy: Wow, you sure are a nosy boy today!
Boy: (indignant) I am NOT a pussy boy!

(all the adults burst out laughing in the salon)

Daddy: (embarrassed) I promise, he did not learn that at home!

R.I.P. Ed McMahon

2009-06-23T13:33:00.000-06:00

Random Tuesday Thoughts

2009-06-23T05:06:00.002-06:00

We're back! And very, very tired... so you're gonna get a theme meme about a theme park today.

We all got sucked into the world of Disney pin trading. I got some awesome ones, including a Toy Story Alien, the evil Malificent, and a "Do Not Disturb" door hanger for the Tower of Terror's "The Hollywood Hotel".

Here's the four girls in the theatre, waiting for the stage production of "Aladdin" to start. (And if you are ever in Disneyland/California Adventures, you HAVE to go see this...)

Overheard on the shuttle bus going to Disneyland:
Mom to 2-year old girl: Janie, would you like to come over here and sit by me?
Older sister to 2-year old girl: Don't fall for it!

Ron is 6'2", and still had to stretch to high five Sully. :)

I ran into an old friend from college while at Disneyland! We haven't seen each other in over 15 years. We found out we were both there at the same time because of our FaceBook updates. LOL!

Favorite rides at California Adventures: Tower of Terror and California Screamin'. The latter is probably the smoothest coaster I've ever ridden, and is just plain FUN to ride.

Favorite new ride: Toy Story Midway Mania! in California Adventures.

Favorite rides at Dizzyland: Splash Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, and The Haunted Mansion. I find it rather strange that Splash Mountain, one of the main ride attractions at Disney, is based off a movie you can't even get ("Song of the South"). Go figure.

We also went to the beach for an afternoon. It was Jak and Nikki's first time at the ocean! Doesn't Nikki look like she's having a blast in the waves? :)

A half hour into our long drive home, the check engine light came on. Thankfully, we were traveling back in the afternoon, and found a Jiffy Lube to diagnose the computer code for us. I googled the code on my Blackberry, and we figured out that we needed to tighten our gas cap. Yes, really. I guess if it's not on tight enough, something happens to the emission vacuum positron electron gasitron whoknowsitron thingamajig, causing an air leak. And causes you much stress until you figure out you don't need to worry about it.

Random Tuesday Thoughts

2009-06-16T07:52:00.003-06:00

I remember the first time my oldest daughter slept 6 hours at one shot during the night. I woke up in a panic, and had to check to see if she was still breathing.

Unpacking moving boxes is worse than packing them. When you unpack, you find things that make you say, "Why the heck did I pack this in the first place?!?" And you always find crap other than what you’re searching in all the boxes for, even if you do write on the outside of them what’s contained inside…

Yesterday morning, I watched a hot air balloon land in the employee parking lot at work.

I use my mom’s tactic whenever the kids say they’re bored… “Ok, if you’re bored, go clean your room.” “I have some weeding that needs done in the flower bed.” “How would you like to go mow the lawn?” They quickly learn not to whine to me about being bored.

I wish I was independently wealthy so I could travel anywhere in the world, whenever I wanted.

On Saturday, I attended a Utah Blogger Lunch hosted by Kristina. (Thanks, Kristina!) It was a lot of fun meeting new bloggers. I did get to see an old friend, Jen at Steenky Bee. Her hair preceded her up the stairs. It was awesomesauce!

And somewhere in the neighborhood of 3am tonight (tomorrow morning?), we're headed out to sunny southern California to get Disney-fied. See you next week!

38

2009-06-11T08:47:00.004-06:00

I’m 38 years old right now.

It’s a good age, I think, old enough to not make the same old mistakes (mostly), and young enough to still have many good years left (to make new mistakes). I have many plans for the future, including going back to school, traveling the world, and holding grandbabies someday.

When I was a young 20, my wonderful brother-in-law was 38. I expect he felt the same way about his life as I do now. However, at 38, he had a major challenge put in front of him-- he was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

The last time I saw Don was when the nurse shaved all the hair off his head, in preparation for the surgery to remove the invasive tumor. He never made it off the operating table alive. I would never again see his easy grin, his even easier laugh, and experience his gentle demeanor.

38.

So young.

I received word yesterday that a good friend I worked with for many years had passed away.

She was 38.

After over 10 years of sobriety, she succumbed to her alcohol addiction. Her body could no longer handle the ravages of alcoholism.

The last time I saw Jenny was while she was still sober. She had just finished with her Bachelor’s degree, had lost a significant amount of weight, and was ready to take on the world. I will never receive another hug from her, have her make me laugh until my sides hurt, or see her beautiful smile again.

38.

So young.

Today, I contemplate my 38 years. What have I done with them? What do I want to do with the years I (hopefully) have ahead of me?

Life is short.

Love.
Experience.
Give.
Receive.
Cherish.
Make a difference.
Stop to appreciate the little things.

May we all lead long and interesting lives, full of happiness and good things.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-10T05:11:00.001-06:00

Random Tuesday Thoughts

2009-06-09T07:29:00.003-06:00

My kids used to love to eat broccoli when they were little-- it wasn't until they were older that they learned the true name of the veggie they loved... up until then, they only knew it as "baby trees".

The correct way to hang toilet paper on the roller is with the paper coming OVER the top.

My work wants to turn me into a popsicle. Why on earth do they need to run the air conditioning at 65 freaking degrees??? I’m colder in the summer than I am in the winter.

I lived in a small town in Nevada that had a yearly "Cantaloupe Festival", complete with cantaloupe ice cream and a cantaloupe eating contest. However, it seems that the economy has proven to be near fatal with the festival continuing this year: Festival in Limbo This is bad news, folks…if you’ve ever lived in a small town, you understand the implications of canceling a festival of this magnitude. It’s one of the highlights of the year out in the middle of Nevada! How will people go on?

As a child, I used to be so confused when my parents would talk about how fast time came and went. How fast we were growing up. From my perspective, it was taking FOREVER to get big. Now that I'm a parent, I understand all too well how quickly time flies by. And it seems to get faster every year!

Morning Glory Natural Bridge

2009-06-04T11:44:00.008-06:00

Yesterday, I was tagged by Bex over at Adventures of the Grigg Boys. My mission was to go to my picture folder and pick the sixth picture from the sixth folder. In doing so, I found this photo from our camping trip in April:

This is the south-ish side of Morning Glory Natural Bridge near Moab, Utah, looking up from underneath. The full span of this arch is 243 feet, so that gives you an idea of why my camera could only grab part of it as I stood below.

And the other side:
One of these days, I'm gonna get me a fish-eye lens so I can take full length pictures of arches from directly underneath.

I'm supposed to tag six people to do this meme, but as usual, I'm a rebel. If you want to be tagged, go for it. Please leave me a comment if you decide to do it so I can be sure to stop by your place and take a peek.

Mission accomplished!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-03T05:09:00.001-06:00

Random Tuesday Thoughts

2009-06-02T07:03:00.003-06:00

Once, in college, we got an obscene phone call at the house. So my roomie and I grabbed a copy of "The Purity Test" and started reading the questions to him one by one. When we reached the one that read 'Have you ever made an obscene phone call?', he couldn't keep up the heavy breathing anymore and just burst out laughing.

Growing up, the only sports I regularly participated in were clumsiness and sprains. And I was GOOD.

I’ve had the same stupid song stuck in my head for almost two months. I find myself whistling it when I get up in the morning, and catch myself humming it while I work. And even when I get up in the middle of the night to pee, it’s coursing through my brain. What song is it, you ask? It’s the theme song to the animated cartoon television show “Arthur” on PBS. Please, shoot me now.

Few things satisfy like a really good poop.

The Totally Awesome Bakery should NOT be on my way to and from work. It is far too tempting to stop and get a chocolate-chip shortbread cookie made with real butter. They melt in your mouth. And they won’t give me the recipe!

Costco is seriously deadly to my paycheck. It has been my favorite store since I was a kid (I grew up in Washington). I remember when things were packaged in clear plastic bags (no retail packaging) and stacked on folding leg style tables. And when you checked out, there was a “caller” and the cashier. The caller could tell you the inventory numbers of just about everything in the store, too, right off the top of their head. (Anyone else remember those days?)

Once when I was making breakfast, 5 out of 8 of the eggs I cracked had double-yolks. Is that freaky, or what? I should have taken a picture.