I'm having a really hard time deciding which ones to print to display in our house, and also which ones to print for grandparents, etc.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
New family pics
My friend Whitnie took some photos for us last week. She did, as always, a GREAT job. We couldn't be happier. There are so many favorites that I'm having a hard time narrowing them down. Here are just a few (okay, more than a few, but I just can't help it).
I'm having a really hard time deciding which ones to print to display in our house, and also which ones to print for grandparents, etc.
I'm having a really hard time deciding which ones to print to display in our house, and also which ones to print for grandparents, etc.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Still loving Bountiful Baskets
Check out what came in my basket this week:
1 pound strawberries
1 bundle asparagus
1 pineapple
6 cucumbers
4 zucchini
7 sweet potatoes
1 head green leaf lettuce
7 tangelos
8 apples
1 bunch bananas
1 head cauliflower
1 cantaloupe
Seriously, if you eat a lot of produce, and don't mind trying something new occasionally, do it. 30 pounds of varied produce for $16.50? ($15 + $1.50 "handling charge") You can't beat that.
1 pound strawberries
1 bundle asparagus
1 pineapple
6 cucumbers
4 zucchini
7 sweet potatoes
1 head green leaf lettuce
7 tangelos
8 apples
1 bunch bananas
1 head cauliflower
1 cantaloupe
Seriously, if you eat a lot of produce, and don't mind trying something new occasionally, do it. 30 pounds of varied produce for $16.50? ($15 + $1.50 "handling charge") You can't beat that.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Did you know... Part 2
For Nate, and anyone else who is looking for hotel discounts:
If you are a government employee (or veteran, or retired employee, or currently in the military), ask what the government rate is. Even if you aren't traveling on the government's dime, most places will give you the rate. But, don't ask what the government rate is until AFTER you've found out the regular rate. In some places, the government per diem is actually higher than what the hotel would normally charge, so you might actually end up with a higher rate. This applies to both federal and state employees. But be aware that federal and state rates may be different. And be prepared to show government ID.
Go online. Most chains have the same price online as they do for walk-ins. But try sites like travelocity and priceline. If they have a cheaper rate quoted, call the hotel directly and see if they'll honor it. It is ALWAYS beneficial for the hotel to honor that rate rather than have you book it through the third-party site. (These sites charge you one rate, but actually pay the hotel even less than that. So, for example, if you pay travelocity $65, they might only pay me $55. I'm better off honoring travelocity's $65 quote, even if that rate is lower than my regular $80 rate. Make sense?) It is also beneficial for you to book directly through the hotel rather than through the third-party site. I can't tell you how many times guests' credit cards are charged by the third-party site and also by the hotel. It shouldn't happen, and it's the hotel's fault if it does, but still, just avoid the hassle. However, be prepared to show proof of the quoted rate. People who come into my hotel and say "But I saw an ad for $49" never get a $49 rate. Know why? Because I KNOW that no such ad exists.
Take into consideration the extras the hotel offers. If you're traveling with your family, and get a killer deal at a hotel with no breakfast, then you still have to pay for breakfast for your family. You can do this pretty inexpensively, of course, by stopping at a grocery store instead of a restaurant, but still, take it into consideration. Also consider whether the hotel charges for internet access, if that's important to you.
Look for coupons. The best ones I've seen are actually in travel guides found at truck stops and rest stops. There are two different booklets I'm aware of in our area, one is called RoomSavers and the other is called Travel Coupon Guide. These have coupons for lots of hotels along the major freeway corridors across several states. But be aware that the rates on the coupons are "walk-in only" and are "based on availability." That means that the hotel might not take an advance reservation for that rate, and if the hotel is very full, they might not honor that rate at all.
And just a side note. It's really irritating when someone comes in and asks what our rates are, then when the rates I quote him (or her) are higher than the coupon, they pull it out with this triumphant little flourish and say, "But that's not what your coupon says." No kidding. It's a coupon. You don't get that rate unless you have the coupon. Don't act like you've just caught me in a lie. It's like going into the grocery store with a 50 cent-off coupon and doing the same thing. LAME!!!!
And for my friends in other states (Oregon, mostly). Yes, we are aware that in Oregon you don't pay sales tax on hotel rooms (or anything else). But even though you are citizens of that great state, when you are in my great state, you still have to pay tax. The price I quote you does not include the tax. The only place you will find the tax included in the price quoted is at the gas station. So please don't ask me to reduce your rate because you didn't know you'd have to pay tax, and you think the price I quote should be the final price. That would be nice, but it doesn't work that way. Is this really the only place you've purchased anything at all since you left Oregon? Did you try that tactic at the restaurant you ate lunch at in Idaho? Did it work? Yeah, I didn't think so.
(Can you tell what I recently experienced at work?)
Yes, back to discounts. You can also ask if there is a manager's special. Usually the manager's special will be a discount on your room rate. Sometimes it might be meal credit at the hotel restaurant. But there is usually a special of some kind. And if not, well, at least you asked.
You are much more likely to get a discount, or a free upgrade to a nicer room, if you are nice to the desk clerk. Remember, they know which rooms are recently renovated, and which rooms have leaky toilets that will likely leave you with wet feet in the middle of the night (okay, so any decent place would have a room like that out of commission, but you get the point).
If you are a government employee (or veteran, or retired employee, or currently in the military), ask what the government rate is. Even if you aren't traveling on the government's dime, most places will give you the rate. But, don't ask what the government rate is until AFTER you've found out the regular rate. In some places, the government per diem is actually higher than what the hotel would normally charge, so you might actually end up with a higher rate. This applies to both federal and state employees. But be aware that federal and state rates may be different. And be prepared to show government ID.
Go online. Most chains have the same price online as they do for walk-ins. But try sites like travelocity and priceline. If they have a cheaper rate quoted, call the hotel directly and see if they'll honor it. It is ALWAYS beneficial for the hotel to honor that rate rather than have you book it through the third-party site. (These sites charge you one rate, but actually pay the hotel even less than that. So, for example, if you pay travelocity $65, they might only pay me $55. I'm better off honoring travelocity's $65 quote, even if that rate is lower than my regular $80 rate. Make sense?) It is also beneficial for you to book directly through the hotel rather than through the third-party site. I can't tell you how many times guests' credit cards are charged by the third-party site and also by the hotel. It shouldn't happen, and it's the hotel's fault if it does, but still, just avoid the hassle. However, be prepared to show proof of the quoted rate. People who come into my hotel and say "But I saw an ad for $49" never get a $49 rate. Know why? Because I KNOW that no such ad exists.
Take into consideration the extras the hotel offers. If you're traveling with your family, and get a killer deal at a hotel with no breakfast, then you still have to pay for breakfast for your family. You can do this pretty inexpensively, of course, by stopping at a grocery store instead of a restaurant, but still, take it into consideration. Also consider whether the hotel charges for internet access, if that's important to you.
Look for coupons. The best ones I've seen are actually in travel guides found at truck stops and rest stops. There are two different booklets I'm aware of in our area, one is called RoomSavers and the other is called Travel Coupon Guide. These have coupons for lots of hotels along the major freeway corridors across several states. But be aware that the rates on the coupons are "walk-in only" and are "based on availability." That means that the hotel might not take an advance reservation for that rate, and if the hotel is very full, they might not honor that rate at all.
And just a side note. It's really irritating when someone comes in and asks what our rates are, then when the rates I quote him (or her) are higher than the coupon, they pull it out with this triumphant little flourish and say, "But that's not what your coupon says." No kidding. It's a coupon. You don't get that rate unless you have the coupon. Don't act like you've just caught me in a lie. It's like going into the grocery store with a 50 cent-off coupon and doing the same thing. LAME!!!!
And for my friends in other states (Oregon, mostly). Yes, we are aware that in Oregon you don't pay sales tax on hotel rooms (or anything else). But even though you are citizens of that great state, when you are in my great state, you still have to pay tax. The price I quote you does not include the tax. The only place you will find the tax included in the price quoted is at the gas station. So please don't ask me to reduce your rate because you didn't know you'd have to pay tax, and you think the price I quote should be the final price. That would be nice, but it doesn't work that way. Is this really the only place you've purchased anything at all since you left Oregon? Did you try that tactic at the restaurant you ate lunch at in Idaho? Did it work? Yeah, I didn't think so.
(Can you tell what I recently experienced at work?)
Yes, back to discounts. You can also ask if there is a manager's special. Usually the manager's special will be a discount on your room rate. Sometimes it might be meal credit at the hotel restaurant. But there is usually a special of some kind. And if not, well, at least you asked.
You are much more likely to get a discount, or a free upgrade to a nicer room, if you are nice to the desk clerk. Remember, they know which rooms are recently renovated, and which rooms have leaky toilets that will likely leave you with wet feet in the middle of the night (okay, so any decent place would have a room like that out of commission, but you get the point).
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Did you know...
I've had a lot of things buzzing around in my head lately. These are totally random.
Did you know:
- When a hotel clerk tells you the rate of a room, you can ask for a discount? They might tell you that that is the best they have that night, but they are often willing to give you a 10% (or more) discount when you ask.
- Instead of saying, "Will you give me a discount?" it's probably better to say, "Is that the best rate you can offer tonight?"
- You really shouldn't drink out of the glass glasses in hotels. Most of them don't have dishwashers in the building. I'll just leave it at that.
Did you know:
- People like Glenn Beck (including Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and the liberal ones too, who I can't think of right now) are NOT news reporters? They do not have any professional obligation to fact-check. They are not journalists. They are not investigative reporters. They are not reporters at all. They are COMMENTATORS. That means that the bulk of what they tell you is their opinion on the news. They do not even have to pretend to give you both sides of the story. And they don't have to apologize or retract anything when they get it wrong.
- That's why I don't listen to any of them. I prefer to get my news from - gasp - NPR and BBC. Or even CNN (who generally makes a pretty decent effort at giving different views), although I much prefer the former.
Did you know:
- The hard "handle" bar on infant car seats needs to be put down when you're driving? In case of a crash, it could break off and injure the baby (the flexible part on the sun shade can be up). Also - at least in Utah - you can get a ticket for having it up while driving.
- That means that those cute baby car seat covers that strap onto the hard handle are pretty much useless in the car.
- Also, if you use one of those bundle things that you strap into the car seat and then zip up around the baby to keep him/her warm, you might be negating your seat's warranty. If your baby is injured while in the seat and you have anything in there that wasn't made by the seat manufacturer specifically for that seat, they will deny any responsibility.
Did you know:
- For all the talk of socialism and how evil it is, that's exactly what we have in our education system? Everyone pays for public education, whether you go to school or not. Generally, I think we'd all agree that any society benefits from having it's children go to school.
- In Haiti, all education is private. Only about half of the children go to school at all. Less than 10% of children graduate from high school, much less go on to college.
Did you know:
- I love (LOVE) to debate? Some of you think I'm argumentative. Maybe I am. But I get frustrated when I think someone refuses to look at other sides of an issue. Seeing an issue through someone else's eyes and understanding how they came to their conclusions doesn't mean you have to agree with them. So if I challenge your opinion, it's not a personal attack. I will NEVER attack you personally for having a different opinion than me (and if I do, shame on me). I just want to know how and why you arrived at your opinion. And yes, I still like you even if we disagree.
- I'm also really sarcastic. I think I offend people sometimes. I'm sorry if I've offended any of you (of course, if I have, you might not read this anyway).
Did you know:
- I have recently been attacked by the urge to minimalize and get rid of all kinds of stuff. I am seriously considering removing the curtains from my living room and leaving the windows bare (with blinds).
- Anyone else have four 43x64 windows and want sheers to cover them? I have 8 white and 4 peach up for grabs.
- I am really excited for our yard sale in June.
Did you know:
- When a hotel clerk tells you the rate of a room, you can ask for a discount? They might tell you that that is the best they have that night, but they are often willing to give you a 10% (or more) discount when you ask.
- Instead of saying, "Will you give me a discount?" it's probably better to say, "Is that the best rate you can offer tonight?"
- You really shouldn't drink out of the glass glasses in hotels. Most of them don't have dishwashers in the building. I'll just leave it at that.
Did you know:
- People like Glenn Beck (including Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and the liberal ones too, who I can't think of right now) are NOT news reporters? They do not have any professional obligation to fact-check. They are not journalists. They are not investigative reporters. They are not reporters at all. They are COMMENTATORS. That means that the bulk of what they tell you is their opinion on the news. They do not even have to pretend to give you both sides of the story. And they don't have to apologize or retract anything when they get it wrong.
- That's why I don't listen to any of them. I prefer to get my news from - gasp - NPR and BBC. Or even CNN (who generally makes a pretty decent effort at giving different views), although I much prefer the former.
Did you know:
- The hard "handle" bar on infant car seats needs to be put down when you're driving? In case of a crash, it could break off and injure the baby (the flexible part on the sun shade can be up). Also - at least in Utah - you can get a ticket for having it up while driving.
- That means that those cute baby car seat covers that strap onto the hard handle are pretty much useless in the car.
- Also, if you use one of those bundle things that you strap into the car seat and then zip up around the baby to keep him/her warm, you might be negating your seat's warranty. If your baby is injured while in the seat and you have anything in there that wasn't made by the seat manufacturer specifically for that seat, they will deny any responsibility.
Did you know:
- For all the talk of socialism and how evil it is, that's exactly what we have in our education system? Everyone pays for public education, whether you go to school or not. Generally, I think we'd all agree that any society benefits from having it's children go to school.
- In Haiti, all education is private. Only about half of the children go to school at all. Less than 10% of children graduate from high school, much less go on to college.
Did you know:
- I love (LOVE) to debate? Some of you think I'm argumentative. Maybe I am. But I get frustrated when I think someone refuses to look at other sides of an issue. Seeing an issue through someone else's eyes and understanding how they came to their conclusions doesn't mean you have to agree with them. So if I challenge your opinion, it's not a personal attack. I will NEVER attack you personally for having a different opinion than me (and if I do, shame on me). I just want to know how and why you arrived at your opinion. And yes, I still like you even if we disagree.
- I'm also really sarcastic. I think I offend people sometimes. I'm sorry if I've offended any of you (of course, if I have, you might not read this anyway).
Did you know:
- I have recently been attacked by the urge to minimalize and get rid of all kinds of stuff. I am seriously considering removing the curtains from my living room and leaving the windows bare (with blinds).
- Anyone else have four 43x64 windows and want sheers to cover them? I have 8 white and 4 peach up for grabs.
- I am really excited for our yard sale in June.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Still a crazy life
What does one do with a kumquat? I know you can make marmalade or jelly or jam, but I didn't have enough kumquats to do that. I don't know what you're supposed to do with them, but I made kumquat meringue pie. Yes, like lemon meringue, but with kumquat juice. Of course, my pound of kumquats only produced 1/4 cup of juice. So I made up the difference with lemon juice. So it was kumquat-lemon meringe pie. But, I didn't really have any lemons - my juice was from a bottle. And the recipe called for grated lemon rind. I tried to grate the kumquat rinds, but that didn't work out so well. So I used an orange peel. So really, I guess we had citrus meringue pie for dessert tonight.
Oh well. Whatever you call it, it was still pretty tasty.
I had kumquats because I started participating in a produce co-op. For a $15 contribution, I got the aforementioned kumquats, a pound of strawberries, a big bunch of bananas, two mangoes, about a dozen tomatoes, a dozen apples, two heads of romaine lettuce, three bunches of green onions, two bunches of asparagus, a head of cauliflower, a stalk of celery, and a head of kale. Everything was fresh and tasty. And now I am planning a menu based around produce, which is much better than basing it around meat.
What does one do with kale?
Picking up our produce was the first thing Michael and I did on Saturday morning. Then it was home to clean the house. My friends April and Stacey and I hosted a baby shower for another friend, Elissa. We had it at my house, which was kind of stressful (because we had to clean everything), but very good (because we had to clean everything). It was nice to see SO MANY people come to congratulate her, and I think she got some great gifts that will help her out with the baby. I made a diaper cake. It was my first attempt at one, and I'm happy with the way it turned out. Thank you, Callie, for your quick over-the-phone tutorial.
I must say that diaper cakes are much cheaper, quicker, cleaner, easier, and more useful than the edible kind. They are easier to transport and easier to fix if you accidentally stick your thumb into it. I'm starting to think that instead of traditional wedding cakes, we should go to dish towel cakes. Actually, I bet that's already been done at bridal showers.
On Saturday night we took the kids to the Treehouse Children's Museum here in Ogden to see a play called "A Dragon's Tale." It was a twist on a traditional Chinese folk tale, and they did a GREAT job with it. Michael loved it - until they brought out a Chinese dragon at the end and made it dance around the stage. You know, the kind of dragon that has people under it to make it move. He kind of freaked out at first, until he realized that it was just a pretend dragon. But he still didn't want to go see it up close, and he wanted Jeff to carry him past it on the way out.
Today we visited Jeff's parents in Layton. It was nice. They shared their ravioli with us and we shared our citrus meringue pie with them. They also sent us home with lots of tools and books. All four of Jeff's grandparents have died in the last few years, with Jeff's Grandpa Sabin being the last. He died just a few months ago. His parents are still sorting through everything from BOTH houses now, as well as their own house, and they are distributing things to grandkids (us). Some of the tools and things we've received have been or will be very useful - like the circular saw, the electrical wire, and the yard tools - but others, not so much. The carpet installer knee kicker thingie comes to mind.
Tomorrow is the season opener for the Ogden Knights (Indoor Arena football team here). Jeff got season tickets for Christmas, and he and Michael are going to go. They went to one game last year, and LOVED it. It's fun for them to have some "guy time," and bonus for me - most of the game will be after the kids go to bed, so I'll get some alone time, too. That doesn't happen much.
Oh well. Whatever you call it, it was still pretty tasty.
I had kumquats because I started participating in a produce co-op. For a $15 contribution, I got the aforementioned kumquats, a pound of strawberries, a big bunch of bananas, two mangoes, about a dozen tomatoes, a dozen apples, two heads of romaine lettuce, three bunches of green onions, two bunches of asparagus, a head of cauliflower, a stalk of celery, and a head of kale. Everything was fresh and tasty. And now I am planning a menu based around produce, which is much better than basing it around meat.
What does one do with kale?
Picking up our produce was the first thing Michael and I did on Saturday morning. Then it was home to clean the house. My friends April and Stacey and I hosted a baby shower for another friend, Elissa. We had it at my house, which was kind of stressful (because we had to clean everything), but very good (because we had to clean everything). It was nice to see SO MANY people come to congratulate her, and I think she got some great gifts that will help her out with the baby. I made a diaper cake. It was my first attempt at one, and I'm happy with the way it turned out. Thank you, Callie, for your quick over-the-phone tutorial.
I must say that diaper cakes are much cheaper, quicker, cleaner, easier, and more useful than the edible kind. They are easier to transport and easier to fix if you accidentally stick your thumb into it. I'm starting to think that instead of traditional wedding cakes, we should go to dish towel cakes. Actually, I bet that's already been done at bridal showers.On Saturday night we took the kids to the Treehouse Children's Museum here in Ogden to see a play called "A Dragon's Tale." It was a twist on a traditional Chinese folk tale, and they did a GREAT job with it. Michael loved it - until they brought out a Chinese dragon at the end and made it dance around the stage. You know, the kind of dragon that has people under it to make it move. He kind of freaked out at first, until he realized that it was just a pretend dragon. But he still didn't want to go see it up close, and he wanted Jeff to carry him past it on the way out.
Today we visited Jeff's parents in Layton. It was nice. They shared their ravioli with us and we shared our citrus meringue pie with them. They also sent us home with lots of tools and books. All four of Jeff's grandparents have died in the last few years, with Jeff's Grandpa Sabin being the last. He died just a few months ago. His parents are still sorting through everything from BOTH houses now, as well as their own house, and they are distributing things to grandkids (us). Some of the tools and things we've received have been or will be very useful - like the circular saw, the electrical wire, and the yard tools - but others, not so much. The carpet installer knee kicker thingie comes to mind.
Tomorrow is the season opener for the Ogden Knights (Indoor Arena football team here). Jeff got season tickets for Christmas, and he and Michael are going to go. They went to one game last year, and LOVED it. It's fun for them to have some "guy time," and bonus for me - most of the game will be after the kids go to bed, so I'll get some alone time, too. That doesn't happen much.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Would you like some jam with your raisins?
I don't know where Faith learned this little trick. She asked for some raisins, so I gave her a box of them earlier today. When I looked at her a few minutes later, this is what she was doing.
All I can say is, she definitely didn't get it from me. Jeff?
All I can say is, she definitely didn't get it from me. Jeff?
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Blessing dress photos
I finally got around to taking and posting these photos. I made Lauren's blessing dress out of leftover fabric from the dress I made for Averie. It's almost the same pattern, but a little shorter and with different trimming.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Thankful Thursday
1. Michael's honesty. I tell him to eat 10 more bites of something while I'm feeding Lauren in the other room, and I know he'll do it. It just doesn't occur to him to lie about it. He makes up stories all the time about his imaginary friends, but so far, I've never caught him lying to me when I ask him a question.
2. Faith's sweetness. She loves loves LOVES Michael, the baby, her Daddy, me, and she gives the best hugs. She also loves flowers, and insists on wearing "pitty fowers" every day.
3. Lauren's laugh. She just started laughing in the last couple of days, and I love it.
4. Jeff's help. So he hasn't been much help lately (he has pneumonia), but when he's out of commission, it makes me really appreciate that usually, I have a very helpful husband.
5. The mommy immunity. It's a blessing that for some reason, moms generally don't get sick like everyone else. At least, that's been my experience.
2. Faith's sweetness. She loves loves LOVES Michael, the baby, her Daddy, me, and she gives the best hugs. She also loves flowers, and insists on wearing "pitty fowers" every day.
3. Lauren's laugh. She just started laughing in the last couple of days, and I love it.
4. Jeff's help. So he hasn't been much help lately (he has pneumonia), but when he's out of commission, it makes me really appreciate that usually, I have a very helpful husband.
5. The mommy immunity. It's a blessing that for some reason, moms generally don't get sick like everyone else. At least, that's been my experience.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
mais tcheu
Don't ask me why that phrase came into my head. It's a phrase they used in Cape Verde which means "more lots," which is obviously not grammatically correct in English. Actuallly, I don't think it's grammatically correct in the Cape Verdean creole, either.
Anyway, after I finished my blog post last night, I realized that I didn't write about one of the most exciting parts of the weekend. Michael ate cake! And ice cream! He only had one bite of cake, and gagged quite a bit, then later said he liked it and would eat more. Then on Monday, he ate one bite of chocolate ice cream (yes, my four-and-a-half-year-old has always refused to try ice cream). He said he liked it, but didn't want any more right then. But last night, he ate five bites of chocolate ice cream, and is going to try strawberry next.
He really is progressing. The biggest change we've seen is probably just his willingness to try new foods. We're still a long way from being able to set a peanut butter sandwich down in front of him and having him eat it, but we're very pleased with the progress he is making.
Anyway, after I finished my blog post last night, I realized that I didn't write about one of the most exciting parts of the weekend. Michael ate cake! And ice cream! He only had one bite of cake, and gagged quite a bit, then later said he liked it and would eat more. Then on Monday, he ate one bite of chocolate ice cream (yes, my four-and-a-half-year-old has always refused to try ice cream). He said he liked it, but didn't want any more right then. But last night, he ate five bites of chocolate ice cream, and is going to try strawberry next.
He really is progressing. The biggest change we've seen is probably just his willingness to try new foods. We're still a long way from being able to set a peanut butter sandwich down in front of him and having him eat it, but we're very pleased with the progress he is making.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Lots to blog about
Lauren was blessed on Sunday. I, being the ever-attentive mother that I am, neglected to get a photo of her in her blessing dress. So my goal for tomorrow is to get the dress out again and take some pictures. She was darling in it, and Jeff did a fantastic job, as always. He was so sick that he didn't even come to church until Sacrament meeting, and then he left soon after the Sacrament to go home. He couldn't even stay vertical for more than a few minutes. (He is doing much better now, in case you were wondering.)
After church most of the family came over to our house for soup and breadsticks. Thank you to all who brought food and helped out. It is MUCH appreciated. Then we had cake and ice cream for Faith's birthday, about three weeks late. Oh well. Here is a photo of her cake:
This was a really fun cake to make, and I thought it turned out pretty well.
Faith received some birthday gifts. She got a tutu from Mandi, which is one of the cutest I've ever seen. She got a Little People fairy house from Kari and Rich, and she got more dress-up clothes from Richard and Anna. Here she is with her tutu, shoes, and a billion and one necklaces on:
She has been so funny with those shoes. There are six pairs, and she LOVES to wear them. But she can't walk in them, so she sort of shuffles around very slowly. Today she was wearing them with her jeans, and it was so cute. I wish I had thought to take a picture then.
Today I had the opportunity to attend a temple session in which my friend and coworker received her endowment. It was a great experience. First, I was able to stay awake for the whole thing (I hate to admit that I have a hard time with that - once the lights go off, I'm out). But I also just felt like I needed to be in the temple today. I had some interesting impressions, and also gained a greater appreciation for some of my greatest blessings. So thanks, Audra, for inviting me.
After the temple session, I came home and got to work decorating a cake for our ward Relief Society birthday party, which was tonight. My friend April is on the Relief Society committee and asked me to do it. It isn't what I was planning to do, but I am happy with the way it turned out:
And finally, a cute one of Faith wearing my bandana and one of her tutus:
Life is crazy, but good!
After church most of the family came over to our house for soup and breadsticks. Thank you to all who brought food and helped out. It is MUCH appreciated. Then we had cake and ice cream for Faith's birthday, about three weeks late. Oh well. Here is a photo of her cake:
This was a really fun cake to make, and I thought it turned out pretty well.Faith received some birthday gifts. She got a tutu from Mandi, which is one of the cutest I've ever seen. She got a Little People fairy house from Kari and Rich, and she got more dress-up clothes from Richard and Anna. Here she is with her tutu, shoes, and a billion and one necklaces on:
She has been so funny with those shoes. There are six pairs, and she LOVES to wear them. But she can't walk in them, so she sort of shuffles around very slowly. Today she was wearing them with her jeans, and it was so cute. I wish I had thought to take a picture then.Today I had the opportunity to attend a temple session in which my friend and coworker received her endowment. It was a great experience. First, I was able to stay awake for the whole thing (I hate to admit that I have a hard time with that - once the lights go off, I'm out). But I also just felt like I needed to be in the temple today. I had some interesting impressions, and also gained a greater appreciation for some of my greatest blessings. So thanks, Audra, for inviting me.
After the temple session, I came home and got to work decorating a cake for our ward Relief Society birthday party, which was tonight. My friend April is on the Relief Society committee and asked me to do it. It isn't what I was planning to do, but I am happy with the way it turned out:
And finally, a cute one of Faith wearing my bandana and one of her tutus:
Life is crazy, but good!
Friday, March 5, 2010
Pretty
Pretty new meter, with no A/C condenser in front of it
Pretty new panel (next to the hole where the old one was)
Pretty new windows (one of five - two large and three small)
Pretty new sink in the laundry room (the sink is pretty - NOT the laundry room)
Pretty baby
Pretty new panel (next to the hole where the old one was)
Pretty new windows (one of five - two large and three small)
Pretty new sink in the laundry room (the sink is pretty - NOT the laundry room)
Pretty baby
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Seriously.....
We are having our electrical service upgraded, and as part of that process, someone from the power company had to come out and look at our meter to approve the location. Turns out, he won't approve it. Why not? Well, the bright folks who installed the central air conditioning put the condenser right in front of the meter. And that's against OSHA standards. There has to be three feet of clear access to the meter. So, in order to get the electrical service upgraded and the new meter installed, we have to pay someone to move the condenser four feet one way or the other. Seriously. I'm so bugged.
Just for the record, we are NOT the bright folks who installed it in a location that violates OSHA regulations. It was there when we moved in.
I tried to find out who installed the original system, because I was going to call the company and ask them to move it, since it was their fault it was in the wrong place. But we have no way to find out. And besides, I really doubt they'd come out to move a 10-year-old condenser four feet, for someone who didn't even buy the system from them.
Seriously. Why don't people who do this sort of thing for a living, actually do it right?
Just for the record, we are NOT the bright folks who installed it in a location that violates OSHA regulations. It was there when we moved in.
I tried to find out who installed the original system, because I was going to call the company and ask them to move it, since it was their fault it was in the wrong place. But we have no way to find out. And besides, I really doubt they'd come out to move a 10-year-old condenser four feet, for someone who didn't even buy the system from them.
Seriously. Why don't people who do this sort of thing for a living, actually do it right?
Monday, March 1, 2010
Three months!
I can't believe how fast the time is going! Lauren is three months old now. She is still a very good baby. She isn't much of a napper, but she sleeps about 10 hours at night, so I won't complain. She is just like her older siblings - bald. Bald bald bald. Someone asked me at JoAnn today how old my little boy was. There was no bow or flower on Lauren's head, and she was wearing green and blue, so I guess I can see how the lady made the mistake. I guess.
Lauren is starting to get eczema on her legs, arms, and head. Just like Michael. I guess I'm going to have to give up dairy and maybe wheat, too. Grrrrr.
She is normally very smiley. I guess she just wasn't in the mood when I was taking photos today.
Lauren is starting to get eczema on her legs, arms, and head. Just like Michael. I guess I'm going to have to give up dairy and maybe wheat, too. Grrrrr.She is normally very smiley. I guess she just wasn't in the mood when I was taking photos today.
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