Gotta Love Family

Memorial Weekend Ernest and I went to visit my family down south. We visited with Dad & Mom for a couple of days and then headed over to see Trebor's family. Nicholann is talking non-stop now, and will tell you story after story. She is also very cuddly. Ernest and I slept on an air mattress in their living room. Nicholann wanted to come sleep with us, and when she couldn't do that, she came and jumped into bed with me each morning we were there. She is definitely Trebor's daughter! She's got a stubborn streak a mile wide. We really had a lot of fun visiting and playing with her. Aleana is almost a year old (June!) and cute as a bug's ear. She looks like both Trebor and Liz, but every time I see her I see my Mom. Kind of funny, since I wasn't around when my Mom was a baby and I haven't seen many pictures. But my impression is that Aleana looks just like her. Aleana isn't talking yet, but she does like to interact with people. My favorite game to play with her was just to get her to smile. She has the same expression on her face most of the time, so it is a challenge to get her to crack a smile.

Anyway. While we were visiting we went fishing. I caught 3 branches, a whole tree, and Ernest. I'm still not sure how I caught him, but luckily it was just his shirt. Liz caught several bluegill which were promptly used as bait for bigger fish (unsuccessfully). Ernest was the only other person to catch something. He also caught a bluegill. The picture has NOT been photoshopped (though Ernest really wishes I did something to it).

Also saw a new form of entertainment while we were there. The spokes attached to this tree spin freely, and each spoke has an ear of corn on it. The idea is that a squirrel comes to try and get the corn. He climbs up the spoke, balances precariously for a moment, and then his added weight makes the spoke cycle down to the bottom, and he falls off. Unfortunately we didn't get to see this thing in action, but Trebor swears that the squirrels fall for it. I just think it is hilarious. Trebor also showed Ernest how easy (yeah, right) it is to split wood with a single blow. Ernest never did quite get the hang of it, while Trebor made it look like the axe was going through melted butter. I've got a video of it on Facebook if you want to see (both Ernest AND Trebor).

We also went to Mammoth Spring in Arkansas (beautiful!) and then on down to Hardy, AR to go through their historic downtown. We got some locally made fudge - very good but still not as good as Nauvoo Fudge - and visited some antique stores.

It was so much fun to see everyone again and relax a bit. Oh, to top off our visit, on our last night, there was a spectacular rainbow. It was a double rainbow, and I've never seen one so bright. It was stunning.

Go look at my other pictures and videos on my facebook site!

Worlds of Fun

So, Lori managed to snag us a couple of tickets to her company picnic - at Worlds of Fun - a couple of weeks ago. It is amazing how different amusement parks seem between childhood and adulthood. I still enjoy going, but on this trip I managed to ride only one ride - the train that takes you around the park. Ernest rode the roller coaster - in the kids section. Before you think that he's a chicken, it's okay - he was riding it with Sydney. We wandered around with Lori, Lucas, and Sydney, letting the cutie pie ride some rides. Ernest stopped at one of the carnival games. You got three golf balls and you tried to get a hole-in-one. The hole that you made it in determined what size prize you got. His first shot he made it in the most difficult one, so got a huge stuffed caterpillar for Syd. So this trip was nothing like how I remember trips to Worlds of Fun being (we actually left before the park closed!) but it was still a great time. I love spring time evenings in Kansas.

Springtime in Kansas!

I love it here! We've had some cooler days, some warmer days, some windy days (hello tornado warnings), and some rainy days. But they are all so nice. We've had the chance to watch Morgan several times. She is such a good little girl. Several months we ended up watching her unexpectedly and I was in the middle of cleaning the bathroom. I told her she could help: took over he shoes/socks, rolled up her pants and sleeves, gave her a sponge, and stuck her in the tub. She helped me wash the tub and the tile walls. So, now when she comes over, I usually her (in a very serious voice), "I need to clean your bathroom." Anyway, so you don't think I'm a task master, let me explain that she doesn't usually do this :) We'll take her for walks in the park that is near our house or play in the yard.

Last week we went to the petting zoo, but I forgot my camera. She had so much fun though. I picked up Sophie, so it was the three of us girls. We met my friends Lori & Lucas with their little girl, Sydney, there as well. You know Kansas storms though....it threatened for a while and then all of a sudden the torrent let loose. We didn't get too wet (I'm pretending to be a Mom, and remembered to bring umbrellas) but it did cut our afternoon short.

A couple of weeks ago Ernest went to his first Major League baseball game. It was the Royals versus......someone. I enjoy baseball, but I don't follow it all that closely. We went to the game since some friends of mine were coming in from out of town to go to the game, and invited us to go as well. It was freezing! But so fun. Hot dogs never taste as good outside of a ball park. Anyway, the Royals ended up winning, and there were fireworks after the game. I can't wait to go again. Although I wouldn't mind it being a little warmer next time!

More pictures and a video on my facebook page!

Nauvoo the Beautiful

Ernest and I went to Nauvoo in April for a quick weekend getaway. We planned it on a Thursday and then left Friday after work. I misread the temple schedule, so it was closed for maintenance. That meant the entire town was incredibly quiet. I've never seen it quite that slow. But we had a great time. We walked around the downtown part and did some shopping. Hit the Nauvoo Fudge Factory (a MUST every time you go). My new favorite is either Peanut Butter Fudge or Mint Fudge. Both were incredibly good. We visited the Community of Christ section (RLDS) and toured their sites - the Red Brick Store, Nauvoo Hotel, Joseph Smith's Home, etc. Ernest really enjoyed it. We've been reading The Work and the Glory series when we go on road trips, so it fit in really well with what we've been reading about. We only got to see a few of the LDS historical sites since it was such a short trip. We did, however, make it Carthage, which was amazing. And we saw the Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo musical that the senior missionaries put on. It was so fun. We're heading back in August for the pageant, and a little bit longer of a stay so that we can go through more of the historical sites.

More pictures on my facebook page!

Easter!

Ernest and I went down to my parent's place the weekend before Easter. It also ended up that Rob's family and Gary's family also went down, so it was quite crowded! Mom's chihuahua had puppies so we got to play with them and just hang out with the family.

It was Nicholann's 4th birthday (I can't believe she is that old!!!) She was so excited for the cake and ice cream, and then, of course, the presents afterward. She blew out the candles with some help from Jane and then sat waiting for the cake to be brought back. She is so funny.

The same night as Nicholann's birthday celebration, we did an Easter egg hunt for all of the kids. Nicholann had never been to one before, so she was quite excited. She also was one of the best hunters! Jane was sitting in the living room and placed a bright pink egg on her head. No one but me seemed to notice, until Nicholann came in and looked up at Jane. She was very proud of herself.

Aleana is about 9 months old, so a bit small to do more than try to eat the plastic eggs. Kira is a bit older, but still didn't get very involved in the hunt. They both seemed to enjoy the excitement though.

It is absolutely beautiful in southern Missouri, and the place that my parents have is really secluded and quiet. Ernest went outside with Ashley and Eric to explore where the spring comes out. They had some mild adventures trying to cross the creek without falling in, but they stayed mostly dry.

It was great to see Dad and Mom and Trebor & Liz and the kids. We don't all get together very often since some of us are rather spread apart. I can't wait to spend some more time down there this summer!

There are more pictures and videos on my facebook page, so go check them out!

Sunny San Diego

So, I'm here in sunny San Diego, CA this week for work. I flew out Monday morning - the flight was a little long for my tastes. Getting off the plane was great though. We've had 70 degree weather, clear skies, and the best part....I am near the ocean. Gorgeous! I had to drive from the airport to my office in Otay Mesa, CA, but I took a couple of detours so I could go by the beach (specifically, Coronado, CA, which is located on an island near the San Diego Bay). Just for your information, Otay Mesa is near the Mexican border. My office is on the last US exit - the next hill over is Mexico, and Tijuana. I don't have my passport, or I would probably venture down south a bit. Here are some pictures and a video (not quite in order).

Extra points if you can guess what was on my TV last night when I fell asleep! (yeah yeah, pathetic, but I really hate hotel rooms when I'm alone)

Gorgeous flowers outside of my office. I was locked out this morning, so had some time to kill before I could get inside and work. I used the time to appreciate nature :)

We got to go on board an actual submarine. This is looking at San Diego Harbor through the periscope. There is actually a live battleship in the distance. Kind of hard to see in the still frame. If I get my computer to be a bit quicker, I'll load the video so you can see the real thing.

Looking back at the San Diego harbor from one of the ships pictured below.

The Maritime Museum. You are looking at a replica British frigate. This one was actually used in the movie Master and Commander. We got to tour three ships on our own - the coolest!

A B39 Russian submarine, that was in service until 1994. We got to tour this one too. I think it was my favorite!

Yes, I am "driving" the ship.

Sunset looking out to Coronado.
Driving through Coronado, looking back towards the mainland.

Hotel del Coronado.  Gorgeous.

Hotel del Coronado beach.  I want to come stay just for one night.

 La Jolla.  My favorite.

Found the temple on accident.  Driving north on the interstate, went around a corner, and there it was.  Amazing.

 The biggest snail I have ever seen.

San Diego is officially one of my favorite places.

San Diego - part 1

So, I'm here in sunny San Diego this week for work! Well, actually Otay Mesa. Just south and east of San Diego. Nearly to the border - my office is maybe 2 blocks from the border patrol. It is so nice to be warm, and have the breezes and birds around. If you want to see more pictures, visit my site on facebook.com. I stopped on my way from the airport into work at Coronado - which is an island in the San Diego bay. I found a parking spot and wandered around the beach for a few minutes. The water is freezing, but great! My boss, Adam, is also in town with me and he has been here before. We went to the Maritime Museum (thus the picture of the boat) where we got to wander around 2 ships and a b39 Russian Submarine. Too cool!!! The sub was my favorite.

Palm trees everywhere and it is so warm. Anyone in Utah, Colorado, Kansas, or Missouri can appreciate why I keep mentioning how warm it is! I want to do more sight-seeing, and I will try to get out more tonight and get more pictures too. Unfortunately, I still have to work while I'm here, so that cuts into my fun time. And the plane ride isn't so nice - nearly 4 hours.

Speaking of work, I should do some more of that. I'll put more on here later, and don't forget to look at my other pictures (and a couple of videos)!

Lunar Eclipse, 2008!

So, on February 20th the Earth's shadow passed over the full moon, causing a total lunar eclipse! Ernest and I got a few pictures from our back porch (explanation for the tree branches you can see), right around 9:45 pm. You know how bright a full moon is in winter, especially when there is snow on the ground. Everything is luminous. It is amazing how the darkness changes and becomes more intense so quickly during an eclipse. Even cooler with a solar eclipse, but still pretty amazing with the focus on the moon.

I have a small telescope, that unfortuantely hasn't been set up since we moved into our house. This spring it is going to become an accessory to the dining room. Since it wasn't set up, Ernest sat on the floor near the back door (it was freezing outside!!!) and tried to hold the telescope in his hands to look at the moon. This actually wasn't such a bad idea, and we got some beautiful views briefly. I don't have a camera that will work with a telescope (or a telescope that will work with a camera, for that matter), so we tried to just hold the camera up to the lense and see if it would see what we see. We'll have to try this again later as clouds rolled in, and nothing could be seen through them.

Parkville, MO....who knew?

So, Ernest loves to look at antiques. Especially antique marbles and glass. He likes other stuff too, but those are what he looks for specifically. I love old books, sheet music, cookie cutters, and furniture. For Valentine's Day, I arranged to surprise Ernest with a trip to a couple local Antique stores. We went up to Parkville, MO on Monday and spend several hours going through their Antique Mall and a couple other small stores. I recommend the Antique Mall to anyone who is intersted in antiques! We spent all of $3 - I got a really cool cookie cutter that is a rocking horse and several old books that I read when I was a kid (they were copryrighted in the 50's).

My computer had died a week ago, so we also went looking at the other end of the spectrum - for a top of the line laptop. Well, maybe not top of the line, but decent enough. And I am online again! Though I am now trying to recover all of my old files, pictures, and music from the old hard drive. Anyway, Parkville was awesome, and we are planning on going back this spring/summer for their Blues and Jazz festival. Never know what you are going to find in these little all American towns!

Yesterday was my Grandpa's 87th birthday. Can you believe it?! We went out to visit for a bit today, and make some more memories. I appreciate my family more and more as I get older, and I want to try and take advantage of spending time with them! Granpda always has a message for us each time we visit. He also always asks if we would like a "traveling prayer" before we leave. He is always thinking of our safety and happiness and trying to help us along.

We chatted with Grandpa about the music that he and Grandma used to listen to, and explained what "Canteen Music" was. We learned that when he was a kid, the grocery stores were stocked with groceries by a horse and wagon. And yes, they did have automobiles then! Even after he and Grandma were married milk, cottage cheese, and the like was delivered right to their door each week.

I find it amazing that times change the way they do. I asked about some of the games that he used to play when he was a kid. He mentioned marbles. But that they played "stealies." I may need to verify, but it sounds like the gist of it was that their shooters were able to get anyone else's marbles outside of the circle, you got to keep them. They also used cigar boxes to store the marbles, and put a hole in the middle of the lid. You'd hold your marble over the cigar box (which was on the ground) and try to drop your marble into the hole. If you made it, you got two marbles - for keeps - from inside the box. If you missed, then your marble went into the box, and the owner of the box just got a new addition. The second game that was mentioned was called "Mumble-peg" (I need to verify). You took your pocket knife and opened it to a V position. You would hold the knife in different positions, such as hanging from the tip of your nose, or "swinging" it on your chin. When you let the knife go, it had to "stick" into the ground and not just fall flat. If it stuck, you got to keep going with more and more elaborate releases until your knife didn't stick. Then it was the next kid's turn. I was sure that some kids had to be missing some toes, but Grandpa assured me that no one lost anything, and he doesn't even remember anyone even getting cut. Sounds like their games were pretty serious though!

My Aunt Lucille lives with Grandpa, and they help watch out for each other. I'm glad she's there. I enjoyed our discussion and look forward to more of them in the future!

In the beginning....

So, this is my first attempt at blogging. Done more so that we can more easily keep up with friends and family that we don't get to see as often as we'd like. I'm not exactly sure what will be on here yet, but hey, the only way to get into something is to actually start, right? Feel free to check back and I'll try to update this fairly often. Buh-bye!