A week ago we got a new computer.
"Yeehaw!" you might say. I did at first. It's got a quad processor and a monster wide screen that seems even bigger than our TV. (It's not, it's just really huge right in front of your face!)
But then we started noticing some things. Like the speaker system STINKS and we can't attach our old speakers to it. (Our computer serves as our at-home stereo, so mediocre sound quality is not really an option.)
Then after we finished transferring the programs and files from our old computer, we noticed they started disappearing, and we couldn't find them. Strange and annoying.
Finally Eric gave up trying to figure it out. He wiped out the drive and took the computer back to Costco. He came home with a new one, hopeful that it would work better.
So far we don't have all my beautiful-and-necessary-to-my-existence programs loaded onto this one. I think he's afraid to try, or at least just putting off the inevitable headache.
Now I hace a new complaint....its about the keyboard. For th first part of this post I painstakingly wet back through and corrected all my typos, but fr here I will leve as it is to show mt utter frutratong with this keyboard! It only regiters about a thirfof the keys I hit, so I have about a million typs. Typos ar one of my biggest pet peeves!!!! Plus the keys are positioned just differnst enough that i sonetimes hit the wrong ones by mistake. now when i try to typw a message quickly , it is so messed up I can hardly read it. And ittakes forever to fix it!
Im thinking i will be looking or a ew keyboard. Realy soon....
Monday, October 26, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Happy Birthday, Eric!
Friday was Eric's birthday, the big 38!
To celebrate we went to Famous Dave's Barbeque and pigged out on barbeque ribs and chicken. Here is the evidence of our messy meal:
(No, Ethan did not have ribs....he had mini-corn dogs. Go figure!)
About an entire roll of paper towels later.....JPG)
We went home and had birthday cake! Eric requested I make a gingerbread cake for him this year. It was an unusual request, since it is only the second time I've made it. The smell sure got us ready to be in the holiday spirit! I decorated his cake with golf balls and tees. It was a fun cake. Erica loved looking at the lit candles.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Ode to Eric
You are the....
apple to my pie
butter to my bread
sail to my boat
sun to my flower
snow to my flake
monkey to my wrench
sweet to my tooth
bear to my hug
******
Thanks for making my life a whole lot sweeter and totally complete!
Happy Birthday, Babe!
I love you!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
How to Annoy Your Dental Hygienist
I find it entertaining, in an exasperating sort of way, how patients can have such similar illogical reactions to things in a dental chair. I will give three examples of patients that anyone who works in the dental field sees on a regular basis.... at least once a day.
Patient A is great at stating the obvious. "This front tooth here, (pointing to the hideously discolored monstrosity in front of their face, complete with the grey metal margin gleefully exposed for all the world to see) is a fake, so be careful with it. I try not to touch it so it doesn't fall out." They then proceed to wince and gasp at any sort of movement my instruments do in its near proximity. Patient A is also very good at pointing out a hairline flaw or stain that bothers them, when it is surrounded by five different colors of filling material on their patchwork-piece of a tooth.
Patient B finds it impossible to swallow their own saliva, when that is all they do every other day of their life. They don't seem to notice how much of the appointment time I waste putting everything down so they can spit into the little vacuum. And if I don't do it often enough, they frantically point to their mouth and make "ah ah aha aaah" sounds.
Patient C cannot lay back in the chair at less than a 45 degree angle to the floor. They are approaching 60 degrees and "Whoaaa!!! I'm going to slide out of the chair!" Trust me, I explain. I haven't lost a single patient yet. I then proceed to dump them on the floor....just kidding! I just wonder how they go to bed at night. Surely they aren't all sleeping in recliners! As I continue to press the down-and-back-button, I usually make some little joke about "That's how I get my tips"....You know, loose change falling from their pockets....Yes, it's lame. We all have to entertain ourselves somehow, though.
Patient A is great at stating the obvious. "This front tooth here, (pointing to the hideously discolored monstrosity in front of their face, complete with the grey metal margin gleefully exposed for all the world to see) is a fake, so be careful with it. I try not to touch it so it doesn't fall out." They then proceed to wince and gasp at any sort of movement my instruments do in its near proximity. Patient A is also very good at pointing out a hairline flaw or stain that bothers them, when it is surrounded by five different colors of filling material on their patchwork-piece of a tooth.
Patient B finds it impossible to swallow their own saliva, when that is all they do every other day of their life. They don't seem to notice how much of the appointment time I waste putting everything down so they can spit into the little vacuum. And if I don't do it often enough, they frantically point to their mouth and make "ah ah aha aaah" sounds.
Patient C cannot lay back in the chair at less than a 45 degree angle to the floor. They are approaching 60 degrees and "Whoaaa!!! I'm going to slide out of the chair!" Trust me, I explain. I haven't lost a single patient yet. I then proceed to dump them on the floor....just kidding! I just wonder how they go to bed at night. Surely they aren't all sleeping in recliners! As I continue to press the down-and-back-button, I usually make some little joke about "That's how I get my tips"....You know, loose change falling from their pockets....Yes, it's lame. We all have to entertain ourselves somehow, though.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
DIET is a Four Letter Word
For those of you who don't know, I am on a diet.
Yes, it's one of the dreaded four-letter words. And I am willingly subjecting myself to the torture.
Actually, it's been a while in coming.....or very much needed....however you want to say it. I've gradually, over the years of child-bearing, accumulated the extra weight equivalent to a small person. Or a large pumpkin, as Valerie Bertonelli would illustrate to her television audience. So now I am attempting to whiddle away some of that pumpkin flesh, and hopefully find a new me on the other side.
So, why am I telling you all about this? Well, truthfully, I have been on this diet since September 10th, but I was afraid of announcing it at the beginning in fear of it being a total bust. However, I have been seeing some positive results and now have the courage to announce it to the world.
Now it's done. I am officially accountable. All of you will know what I'm doing if you see me sneaking a brownie, so now I have to be good.
So here's the tally:
Day: 24
Pounds Lost: 12
Only about three zuchinni squashes to go!!!
Yes, it's one of the dreaded four-letter words. And I am willingly subjecting myself to the torture.
Actually, it's been a while in coming.....or very much needed....however you want to say it. I've gradually, over the years of child-bearing, accumulated the extra weight equivalent to a small person. Or a large pumpkin, as Valerie Bertonelli would illustrate to her television audience. So now I am attempting to whiddle away some of that pumpkin flesh, and hopefully find a new me on the other side.
So, why am I telling you all about this? Well, truthfully, I have been on this diet since September 10th, but I was afraid of announcing it at the beginning in fear of it being a total bust. However, I have been seeing some positive results and now have the courage to announce it to the world.
Now it's done. I am officially accountable. All of you will know what I'm doing if you see me sneaking a brownie, so now I have to be good.
So here's the tally:
Day: 24
Pounds Lost: 12
Only about three zuchinni squashes to go!!!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Tour de Whidbey
On Saturday we made a trek out to Whidbey Island for the annual Tour de Whidbey bike race. Eric's work sponsored him to ride in it this year. Since kids can enter for free, Heidi and Ethan also rode with him. They had the options of riding 10, 28, 40, or 100 miles. Since he had the kids, Eric chose to do the 10-miler.
Let the race begin!!
Here I am following them along the road, trying to take pictures while I was driving. I don't really recommend doing that. It was a tad bit dangerous. I couldn't really look through the lens to get the pictures lined up, so I lucked out that one of the shots turned out half-way decent.
At the three-mile point, the trail passed Fort Casey, where they were holding a kite festival. The girls and I met the bikers there to watch all the neat kites. There was a chorded off section where some really talented guys danced their trick kites around to music. It was pretty amazing! It had Eric and Ethan salivating for one of those kites!
The girls also enjoyed watching the kites!
Here they come around the home stretch! It only took them about an hour to do the whole course. Both Eric and Ethan lamented over not having done a longer race....Heidi was just relieved to be done! Next year will be the 28-miler for sure, at least for the boys! :)Sunday, September 20, 2009
Erica and the Beast
On Saturday night Eric and I went to a party hosted by one of Eric's co-workers. She lives in a gorgeous mid-century bungalo converted to an ultra-modern house in the middle of downtown Bellevue. The entire back of the house is made up of huge glass sliding doors, so it can all be opened up to the beautiful yard. The house is so beautiful, it was even featured in several design and architecture magazines.
Anyway, they own a humungous Great Dane, named Babar. Yes, as in Babar the Elephant. Since we took Erica along with us to the party, our hosts were concerned that she might be afraid of the dog. I would be! He's huge! They were very reassuring of how gentle and docile he is.
It didn't take long to figure out that he had a lot more to be afraid of her! Actually, he wasn't, of course. He was very tolerant of her following him around. She kept trying to pet him and talk to him. It was so funny! He looks like a horse standing next to her! I love this quick picture we were able to snap on our phone's camera! You can tell how much she likes him and is curious about him with that smile on her face!
What a fearless child! Everyone got a big kick over how she followed him around!
(Sorry- I have NO idea what happened to the sound on these videos! That really wasn't the music that was playing at the party! Ha ha)
Anyway, they own a humungous Great Dane, named Babar. Yes, as in Babar the Elephant. Since we took Erica along with us to the party, our hosts were concerned that she might be afraid of the dog. I would be! He's huge! They were very reassuring of how gentle and docile he is.
It didn't take long to figure out that he had a lot more to be afraid of her! Actually, he wasn't, of course. He was very tolerant of her following him around. She kept trying to pet him and talk to him. It was so funny! He looks like a horse standing next to her! I love this quick picture we were able to snap on our phone's camera! You can tell how much she likes him and is curious about him with that smile on her face!
What a fearless child! Everyone got a big kick over how she followed him around!(Sorry- I have NO idea what happened to the sound on these videos! That really wasn't the music that was playing at the party! Ha ha)
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Thirteen Articles of Mormon Culture
My friend Audrey sent this little number to me in an email. It made me laugh, so I wanted to share! For those of my non-LDS friends, please bear with me, some of the allusions you may or may not get! We Mormons enjoy celebrating and/or ridiculing our own peculiar Mormon culture! If you know us well, you will probably recognize most of it!!
*******
1. We believe in SUVs and minivans, as the form of transportation, and in knee length shorts, which are always nice, and in the multilevel marking.
******
2. We believe that church ball players should be punished for their own fouls, and not for unsportsmanlike aggression.
******
3. We believe that through bread crumbs, cheese, creamy soups, and rice all casseroles can be saved through obedience to ward cookbooks and creativity in the mixing bowl.
******
4. We believe that the first layers and ingredients of the Dip are: first, beans; second, cheese; third, chopped tomatoes; fourth, the gift of sour cream; fifth, olives; sixth, salsa; seventh, guacamole, that is, if you have it.
******
5. We believe that a Mormon should have a distinguished or a cute name, that it is appropriate to name a child after a church leader or a historical figure including an ancestor, that alternative spellings and French prefixes only add to a name, and that when referring to the names of General Authorities, middle initials should be a part thereof.
******
6. We believe in the same wall decor that exists in many Mormon homes, namely, framed family proclamations, vinyl lettering, inspirational word signs, family photos, pictures of temples and Jesus, and so forth.
******
7. We believe in the gift of the re-gift, church books, crafts, family photos, baked goods, emergency supply kits, and so forth.
******
8. We believe in sparkling grape juice so long as it is nonalcoholic; we also believe in bringing root beer and sprite to ward parties.
*******
9. We believe in all that we have scrapbooked, all that we will now scrapbook, and we believe that we will yet scrapbook many great and important things pertaining to our family, friends, pets, and vacations.
******
10. We believe in the literal mixing of ketchup and mayo and in the generous application of ranch dressing; that CBAs (church-based acronyms) will be used to describe YM/YW, PEC, the Y, NCMO, and CTR; that Mitt Romney will get Mormons to vote for him any time he runs; and, that the Mormons will enjoy reading Twilight and The Work and the Glory.
******
11. We claim the privilege of trying to identify common acquaintances with any visitor at church, and allow all other people at church the same privilege, and let them name drop the names of Famous and general authorities how, where, or what they may.
******
12. We believe in being subject to scoutmasters, pampered chef hostesses, and the writers of the U.S. News and World Report Rankings for professional schools, and in obeying, honoring, and sustaining Glenn Beck.
******
13. We believe in being above average, good at crafts, optimistic, and being fifteen minutes late everywhere we go. Indeed, we may say that we follow BYU football. We believe rumors about famous people joining the church, we hope to meet the three Nephites, we have endured many pyramid schemes, and hope to be able to endure all pyramid schemes. If there is anything cheap, free, sold in bulk, or given away when somebody is moving, we seek after these things.
*******
1. We believe in SUVs and minivans, as the form of transportation, and in knee length shorts, which are always nice, and in the multilevel marking.
******
2. We believe that church ball players should be punished for their own fouls, and not for unsportsmanlike aggression.
******
3. We believe that through bread crumbs, cheese, creamy soups, and rice all casseroles can be saved through obedience to ward cookbooks and creativity in the mixing bowl.
******
4. We believe that the first layers and ingredients of the Dip are: first, beans; second, cheese; third, chopped tomatoes; fourth, the gift of sour cream; fifth, olives; sixth, salsa; seventh, guacamole, that is, if you have it.
******
5. We believe that a Mormon should have a distinguished or a cute name, that it is appropriate to name a child after a church leader or a historical figure including an ancestor, that alternative spellings and French prefixes only add to a name, and that when referring to the names of General Authorities, middle initials should be a part thereof.
******
6. We believe in the same wall decor that exists in many Mormon homes, namely, framed family proclamations, vinyl lettering, inspirational word signs, family photos, pictures of temples and Jesus, and so forth.
******
7. We believe in the gift of the re-gift, church books, crafts, family photos, baked goods, emergency supply kits, and so forth.
******
8. We believe in sparkling grape juice so long as it is nonalcoholic; we also believe in bringing root beer and sprite to ward parties.
*******
9. We believe in all that we have scrapbooked, all that we will now scrapbook, and we believe that we will yet scrapbook many great and important things pertaining to our family, friends, pets, and vacations.
******
10. We believe in the literal mixing of ketchup and mayo and in the generous application of ranch dressing; that CBAs (church-based acronyms) will be used to describe YM/YW, PEC, the Y, NCMO, and CTR; that Mitt Romney will get Mormons to vote for him any time he runs; and, that the Mormons will enjoy reading Twilight and The Work and the Glory.
******
11. We claim the privilege of trying to identify common acquaintances with any visitor at church, and allow all other people at church the same privilege, and let them name drop the names of Famous and general authorities how, where, or what they may.
******
12. We believe in being subject to scoutmasters, pampered chef hostesses, and the writers of the U.S. News and World Report Rankings for professional schools, and in obeying, honoring, and sustaining Glenn Beck.
******
13. We believe in being above average, good at crafts, optimistic, and being fifteen minutes late everywhere we go. Indeed, we may say that we follow BYU football. We believe rumors about famous people joining the church, we hope to meet the three Nephites, we have endured many pyramid schemes, and hope to be able to endure all pyramid schemes. If there is anything cheap, free, sold in bulk, or given away when somebody is moving, we seek after these things.
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