Wednesday, August 13, 2008
The Three PiX
Okay, i haven't yet gotten the pix uploaded to a venue to share them so I figured I would post them here and you all can tell me if you even want them. They are pretty bad. Sorry that this year's picture isn't that swell. Mostly cuz I didn't want to have to fight anyone about looking nice, being still, minding their manners. Guess when I don't be pushy we don't get a great picture. I won't let that happen again. Sorry!!!!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Ohio & the Olympics
Can you squeeze a trip to Ohio in a couple of days with 3 kids and hours of flying and still have a good time? The answer appears to be yes. We woke up very early AZ time on Wednesday and headed to the airport for our quick trip to Cleveland. Tevia and Jarek were nervous that we would not make the flight, but we did - and so did our luggage, even though the First Class line was longer and less friendly than the regular line. That teaches me to try and take advantage of my Gold status.
The plane rides (via North Carolina) went without incident and the boys were great. Upon arrival in Cleveland we were wondering if family would be waiting for us. The answer was no, but that was okay. The clan had moved on to find a place to eat. We went to our rental car place and got a nice Chrysler Aspen which was fun to drive. We then headed off to Cedar Point while we listened to the rest of the clan fight and try and decide where to eat dinner. Apparently they couldn't find any place good. On our drive in I found several places that looked great, but in the end they chose a place called "East of Chicago" which is a pizza buffet place. It was great to see the family - even though honestly I'd have rather eaten McDonald's (yes, I was no big fan of East of Chicago).
We got our hotel rooms after that and felt the great feeling of seeing Cedar Point. It brought back so many memories. I love amusement parks and Cedar Point by far surpasses any other in terms of rides and thrills. After some chatting with fam we hit the sacks and awoke the next day ready for our day at the park.
We planned the day similar to my last trip out by heading to the Millennium Force first. We ran from the 'starting line' and Tevia was so proud that she could almost run the entire way. I was proud of her, too. Our running was a little thrown off by the fact that they wouldn't let Tevia on the ride with her backpack, so she had to go back and get a locker - but that didn't put us too far behind schedule. We then headed off to the Top Thrill Dragster, which is my favorite ride. We ended up waiting a little longer than usual for this as it wasn't working at 10AM when it opened. We stayed in line however and got our reward a little bit later. A funny story about our wait in line was that there was a guy fixing something on the track. After he got down we were all excited to see if it was now going to be fixed. Then all of the sudden some kid walks to where we are standing and flips some switch on a pole right next to us. I joke to the guy and say if I had known I just had to flip that switch I would have done it earlier. Then the ride worked! It was so funny. We eventually did find out it was not the 'on' switch for the ride (which is a good thing) but rather the switch for the camera.
Tevia and I then gathered our children and we did some rides with them. We ate lunch at Johnny Rockets and in the afternoon we found a fun place where the kids prospected some dirt and found arrowheads and gems. We took Jarek on his first 'big' rollercoaster which was the Iron Dragon. He was fairly nervous and was in the car with me. This is a suspended coaster that is fairly tame. There is a second hill to climb in part of the ride and to make it more scary I told Jarek that this was a huge hill and very scary. He got nervous and all of the sudden the coaster stopped. We got stuck! Jacob Wall then added to Jarek's state by wondering out loud if the coaster behind us was going to hit us. We eventually got unstuck, but Jarek was quite nervous and this ended his coaster riding for a few hours. But eventually we got him on the Gemini - and in the end that was his favorite ride.
The evening I spent with the two older boys. Tevia took Enok back to the hotel. We had fun on some of the kiddie rides and then headed back. That night Jacob, Cari, Tom and I played Thurns and Taxis in the lobby where I barely scored a few points. The poor start has not placed it on my list of game favorites. The next day we headed to Cleveland to eat lunch with my grandfather and the Uchman's. We then had a dinner afternoon at a park with my grandmother and the Uchman's. That was a lot of fun and Kathy Uchman did a great program where she gave each person a gift and made many of us laugh and cry. That night we stayed up late watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympics and then we left early Saturday to head back to PHX.
It was a fun, quick trip. But it reinforced the love I have for my family and confirmed that any sacrifice is worth being with them. This may be the last I see Kathy, my sis, for quite a while, so it was definitely worth that.
The trip home was great and we pretty much lazed around the weekend glued to the TV. I LOVE the Olympics and enjoy watching them. The first few days have been great - with the best being last night when the US men's swim team won the 4X100 freestyle against France. That may have been the best race I have ever watched. I screamed and jumped when they won. So my weekend was full of excitement and eyes of tears and pride.
Sunday was Jarek's birthday. I will post more on that another day. I am so thrilled to have had him in my life for 9 years now.
The plane rides (via North Carolina) went without incident and the boys were great. Upon arrival in Cleveland we were wondering if family would be waiting for us. The answer was no, but that was okay. The clan had moved on to find a place to eat. We went to our rental car place and got a nice Chrysler Aspen which was fun to drive. We then headed off to Cedar Point while we listened to the rest of the clan fight and try and decide where to eat dinner. Apparently they couldn't find any place good. On our drive in I found several places that looked great, but in the end they chose a place called "East of Chicago" which is a pizza buffet place. It was great to see the family - even though honestly I'd have rather eaten McDonald's (yes, I was no big fan of East of Chicago).
We got our hotel rooms after that and felt the great feeling of seeing Cedar Point. It brought back so many memories. I love amusement parks and Cedar Point by far surpasses any other in terms of rides and thrills. After some chatting with fam we hit the sacks and awoke the next day ready for our day at the park.
We planned the day similar to my last trip out by heading to the Millennium Force first. We ran from the 'starting line' and Tevia was so proud that she could almost run the entire way. I was proud of her, too. Our running was a little thrown off by the fact that they wouldn't let Tevia on the ride with her backpack, so she had to go back and get a locker - but that didn't put us too far behind schedule. We then headed off to the Top Thrill Dragster, which is my favorite ride. We ended up waiting a little longer than usual for this as it wasn't working at 10AM when it opened. We stayed in line however and got our reward a little bit later. A funny story about our wait in line was that there was a guy fixing something on the track. After he got down we were all excited to see if it was now going to be fixed. Then all of the sudden some kid walks to where we are standing and flips some switch on a pole right next to us. I joke to the guy and say if I had known I just had to flip that switch I would have done it earlier. Then the ride worked! It was so funny. We eventually did find out it was not the 'on' switch for the ride (which is a good thing) but rather the switch for the camera.
Tevia and I then gathered our children and we did some rides with them. We ate lunch at Johnny Rockets and in the afternoon we found a fun place where the kids prospected some dirt and found arrowheads and gems. We took Jarek on his first 'big' rollercoaster which was the Iron Dragon. He was fairly nervous and was in the car with me. This is a suspended coaster that is fairly tame. There is a second hill to climb in part of the ride and to make it more scary I told Jarek that this was a huge hill and very scary. He got nervous and all of the sudden the coaster stopped. We got stuck! Jacob Wall then added to Jarek's state by wondering out loud if the coaster behind us was going to hit us. We eventually got unstuck, but Jarek was quite nervous and this ended his coaster riding for a few hours. But eventually we got him on the Gemini - and in the end that was his favorite ride.
The evening I spent with the two older boys. Tevia took Enok back to the hotel. We had fun on some of the kiddie rides and then headed back. That night Jacob, Cari, Tom and I played Thurns and Taxis in the lobby where I barely scored a few points. The poor start has not placed it on my list of game favorites. The next day we headed to Cleveland to eat lunch with my grandfather and the Uchman's. We then had a dinner afternoon at a park with my grandmother and the Uchman's. That was a lot of fun and Kathy Uchman did a great program where she gave each person a gift and made many of us laugh and cry. That night we stayed up late watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympics and then we left early Saturday to head back to PHX.
It was a fun, quick trip. But it reinforced the love I have for my family and confirmed that any sacrifice is worth being with them. This may be the last I see Kathy, my sis, for quite a while, so it was definitely worth that.
The trip home was great and we pretty much lazed around the weekend glued to the TV. I LOVE the Olympics and enjoy watching them. The first few days have been great - with the best being last night when the US men's swim team won the 4X100 freestyle against France. That may have been the best race I have ever watched. I screamed and jumped when they won. So my weekend was full of excitement and eyes of tears and pride.
Sunday was Jarek's birthday. I will post more on that another day. I am so thrilled to have had him in my life for 9 years now.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Mexico 2008
Tevia has blogged about mexico, and will most likely blog some more. But I thought I would give my perspective of the great trip and the last week.
The trip down to Rocky Point was fun. We stopped in Gila Bend and I got a "Tornado" from the gas station that was surprisingly delicious. The house we stayed at, which we had stayed at 2 years ago, was so nice and comfortable. I was surprised more construction hadn't taken place in the area - a testament to the slower economy the past couple of years. Without repeating much of what Tevia wrote, I will focus on my favorite parts.
The FOOD. Our last trip down we had a wonderful dinner at a chicken (pollo asado) place downtown. We were able to stop there again (called Pollo Lucas). Once again it did not disappoint. The outdoor (shaded with fans) seating and outstanding chicken made this another great highlight. I enjoy this restaurant so much and hope we get to go back many times. We also had other great food moments. We had some great carne asada tacos the first night from a stand on the street. Later that night we got some more tacos - this time some tacos al pastor (a marinated pork) which were amazing. We also found a great ice cream place (paletaria) with heavenly Mexican popsicles. We ended up eating here every night. Every one I tried was awesome, from the lime to the coconut to tasting Tevia's grosella. The trip there and back would have been worth the food alone.
The BEACH. I love beaches, and though this beach is not the white sand, crystal clear water we have grown to love in the caribbean, it is still a beach and was fun. The waves were great for body surfing and the water was actually almost too hot! I loved playing in the waves and seeing my kids play in the water.
The AQUARIUM. This small aquarium is so fun. Though it feels like it is in a garage and the dogfish was not quite so fun to tease this time (apparently he is old), I still loved feeding the turtles and sea lion and seeing the different fish.
The COMPANY. Our last trip was fun, but I felt that with a few less people and having Jacob and Millie there it made it even more fun. I am so glad they came down. It is also fun to be with other Spanish speakers (Jake and Tev's dad) while in Mexico. It was fun to spend time with everyone and the trip felt very "chill."
The only thing that wasn't so fun? Well, it wasn't an issue, but getting a flat tire in Mexico did raise the stress level for a little bit. After filling several times and seeing that it kept going flat Tevia's dad took things under control and took the tire off and replaced it with the spare and then with Tevia took it to a local tire shop and had them fix the tire for $5. He then replaced the tire and it all required no effort on my part. I was extremely grateful for this and how much he always just wants to help out. In the end it didn't cost us much in money or time or inconvenience.
Going back to work after vacation is never fun. It took a few days to get back into work. I have decided to try and wait it out a little at work as I am convinced we will see some big changes soon. If not, then I will hire a headhunter and move on. But for now I enjoy coming home on time every day and having a slightly different scope of responsibilities. It may not be fun or take the best advantage of my skills, but I can still bring value and do a good job and have an impact on the new system we are implementing.
The trip down to Rocky Point was fun. We stopped in Gila Bend and I got a "Tornado" from the gas station that was surprisingly delicious. The house we stayed at, which we had stayed at 2 years ago, was so nice and comfortable. I was surprised more construction hadn't taken place in the area - a testament to the slower economy the past couple of years. Without repeating much of what Tevia wrote, I will focus on my favorite parts.
The FOOD. Our last trip down we had a wonderful dinner at a chicken (pollo asado) place downtown. We were able to stop there again (called Pollo Lucas). Once again it did not disappoint. The outdoor (shaded with fans) seating and outstanding chicken made this another great highlight. I enjoy this restaurant so much and hope we get to go back many times. We also had other great food moments. We had some great carne asada tacos the first night from a stand on the street. Later that night we got some more tacos - this time some tacos al pastor (a marinated pork) which were amazing. We also found a great ice cream place (paletaria) with heavenly Mexican popsicles. We ended up eating here every night. Every one I tried was awesome, from the lime to the coconut to tasting Tevia's grosella. The trip there and back would have been worth the food alone.
The BEACH. I love beaches, and though this beach is not the white sand, crystal clear water we have grown to love in the caribbean, it is still a beach and was fun. The waves were great for body surfing and the water was actually almost too hot! I loved playing in the waves and seeing my kids play in the water.
The AQUARIUM. This small aquarium is so fun. Though it feels like it is in a garage and the dogfish was not quite so fun to tease this time (apparently he is old), I still loved feeding the turtles and sea lion and seeing the different fish.
The COMPANY. Our last trip was fun, but I felt that with a few less people and having Jacob and Millie there it made it even more fun. I am so glad they came down. It is also fun to be with other Spanish speakers (Jake and Tev's dad) while in Mexico. It was fun to spend time with everyone and the trip felt very "chill."
The only thing that wasn't so fun? Well, it wasn't an issue, but getting a flat tire in Mexico did raise the stress level for a little bit. After filling several times and seeing that it kept going flat Tevia's dad took things under control and took the tire off and replaced it with the spare and then with Tevia took it to a local tire shop and had them fix the tire for $5. He then replaced the tire and it all required no effort on my part. I was extremely grateful for this and how much he always just wants to help out. In the end it didn't cost us much in money or time or inconvenience.
Going back to work after vacation is never fun. It took a few days to get back into work. I have decided to try and wait it out a little at work as I am convinced we will see some big changes soon. If not, then I will hire a headhunter and move on. But for now I enjoy coming home on time every day and having a slightly different scope of responsibilities. It may not be fun or take the best advantage of my skills, but I can still bring value and do a good job and have an impact on the new system we are implementing.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
3 Month Update
In case people were wondering, Hazel's officially 3 months old now, so I thought I write a little update in the few extra minutes I have today. I've posted some pictures at the end of this for your enjoyment.
Hazel is doing very well. She's found her lungs and lets us know at top volume (mine, not Jacob's top volume - so she still isn't that loud) whether she's happy or sad or mad. She still doesn't fuss much, as a general rule, but she has her days when she just wants to whine for most of the afternoon, which I'm told is normal for this age. She smiles a lot now, but just not when the camera's out. I think I managed to get a couple shots in the pictures below, but I actually took about 30. She messed around with rolling over a couple weeks ago and did it several times on her own but seems to have given up for now. Her newest fun thing is when she's on the floor to crumple up enough of her blanket underneath her so that she can have one or two hands on the carpet. Then she'll either spit-up all over the carpet or stroke it with her hands for a while. I'm sure her interest in rolling over will come back once she finishes figuring out what carpet is.
Her interest in textures expands to everything in life. She likes to grab her clothes, our clothes, her blankets, my hair, her toys and pretty much anything she can keep in her grip for longer than 2 seconds. She also likes to stroke the wall by her changing table when we change her diapers - it's very cute. She also really likes to hit things, just to see if she can get them to move. It's probably a good thing we only have fish at this point - I don't know how a dog would deal with that particular exploration technique. She gets the most results out of her toy bar on her bouncy seat, so that's her favorite thing to clobber at the moment.
She's eating tons and growing tons. By my estimate (based off her last doctor's appointment 1 month ago and the WiiFit measuring system) she's now at least 24 inches long and just over 12 pounds. She's tall, skinny little thing.
Speaking of the little angel, she's calling for her breakfast. I'm really excited for everyone to get to see/meet her next week and for us to get to see you too. :-)
Hazel is doing very well. She's found her lungs and lets us know at top volume (mine, not Jacob's top volume - so she still isn't that loud) whether she's happy or sad or mad. She still doesn't fuss much, as a general rule, but she has her days when she just wants to whine for most of the afternoon, which I'm told is normal for this age. She smiles a lot now, but just not when the camera's out. I think I managed to get a couple shots in the pictures below, but I actually took about 30. She messed around with rolling over a couple weeks ago and did it several times on her own but seems to have given up for now. Her newest fun thing is when she's on the floor to crumple up enough of her blanket underneath her so that she can have one or two hands on the carpet. Then she'll either spit-up all over the carpet or stroke it with her hands for a while. I'm sure her interest in rolling over will come back once she finishes figuring out what carpet is.
Her interest in textures expands to everything in life. She likes to grab her clothes, our clothes, her blankets, my hair, her toys and pretty much anything she can keep in her grip for longer than 2 seconds. She also likes to stroke the wall by her changing table when we change her diapers - it's very cute. She also really likes to hit things, just to see if she can get them to move. It's probably a good thing we only have fish at this point - I don't know how a dog would deal with that particular exploration technique. She gets the most results out of her toy bar on her bouncy seat, so that's her favorite thing to clobber at the moment.
She's eating tons and growing tons. By my estimate (based off her last doctor's appointment 1 month ago and the WiiFit measuring system) she's now at least 24 inches long and just over 12 pounds. She's tall, skinny little thing.
Speaking of the little angel, she's calling for her breakfast. I'm really excited for everyone to get to see/meet her next week and for us to get to see you too. :-)
Friday, August 01, 2008
bret told me to
okay, bret asked me to post a little note to let you know that I blogged a little about our mexico trip on my blog. I am pretty sure most of you notice this since Bret has my blog linked to his and you can easily see on the right hand side of the screen that I just posted. :) But for anyone who doesn't pay attention to the feed on the right, there is an installment of our mexico trip to read along with pictures. it only covers the first day, since I write too much, so you can skip the words and just look at the pix if you want to.
tevs
tevs
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Must listen and Job info
This is a two part Email. First, if you haven't had a chance to listen to the lastest two podcasts you are really missing out. They are spectacular and really informative. the site is always http://www.internetsafetypodcast.com/ but please check out #15 and #16. You will not regret the time you spent.
On the job front, it looks like I will be accepting an offer tomorrow for Bloosky. They are a small company 50-100 employees and only a 10 minute commute. The job is basically a perfect match since they need an advanced database algorithms guy to do some serious rebuilding and maybe even some AI learning search nodes. They are pretty desperate and looks like they will make me a very good offer for the Provo area. I am considereing it tonight so that I have an answer for them tomorrow. I would have loved to land a job in PHX, but so far no interviews have surfaced. I figured Amazon might have pursued me, but it seems they were really only interested in tricking me into going to Washington. I'll probably post more detaisl tomorrow and whether I accepted the job.
On the job front, it looks like I will be accepting an offer tomorrow for Bloosky. They are a small company 50-100 employees and only a 10 minute commute. The job is basically a perfect match since they need an advanced database algorithms guy to do some serious rebuilding and maybe even some AI learning search nodes. They are pretty desperate and looks like they will make me a very good offer for the Provo area. I am considereing it tonight so that I have an answer for them tomorrow. I would have loved to land a job in PHX, but so far no interviews have surfaced. I figured Amazon might have pursued me, but it seems they were really only interested in tricking me into going to Washington. I'll probably post more detaisl tomorrow and whether I accepted the job.
Hey!
Look at me! I am on the blogger page. This is unusual. I actually went back a few days and read some of the recent blogs. I would have made comments there, but then who would ever know! So instead I think I will just slip in a couple comments here. Sorry for the break in efficiency and organization.
Dearest Kathy, I love you. You are beautiful inside and out. Jimmy is lucky for sure. I must agree with mom (for lots of good reasons that I will not go into) that your happiness in life will be a direct result of the choices that you make. You have made some wonderful choices and it brings you to this point in your life. With all the wonderful options and opportunities staring at you. If you continue to keep God's commandments and stay on his defined path, follow his prophets, and hold to that sure rod of iron. Then the Spirit will be your constant companion and eternal happiness your daily reward. It is a promise from God. Seems simple. It is! I wish I could figure it out. You know that I have great weaknesses. Silly stupid things that limit my happiness and opportunities. Please do not give up on me. I am trying to wipe out the bad. Mom has threatened to beat the @$%&8+ out of me and I think she means it this time. I am never going to get mad and go ballistic again! Ever! :-)
To set the record straight on the "Palmyra Tommy Experience" as it has come to be known. If..... well maybe I better leave it at that.
I am most impressed with my children. Most impressed indeed. Tickled pink. Totally topgallant. Completely satisfied. I can see very clearly how Karen has had such a great influence. I am so grateful for her being around these last 27 years. I am hoping that she continues to hang out. Lots of work left to do.
We had a great day with Tom in the temple. It was nice. I am so glad that he is going to be able to spend some temple time with his two brothers before the MTC experience begins. I know he is looking forward to this. Thanks so much to the brothers. They are the best.
Congratulations to Tom on his mission call. I think it is spectacular. If I would have known, 30 years ago (I am coming up on my 30 year mission call anniversary), that my youngest son was going to be called to serve in South America in Paraguay and learn their language and walk their streets, that thought would have been so sweet to me. It would have drowned me in peace. No explanation, but I am happy for you Tom and for me. Thanks for choosing to do it right.
Good luck to Jacob in his job search. All will be well. Hazel and Cari is all you really need, having a good job is just icing on the cake.
Thanks to Bret for being such an anchor to us all.
I have to go back to work! Love from Dad.
Dearest Kathy, I love you. You are beautiful inside and out. Jimmy is lucky for sure. I must agree with mom (for lots of good reasons that I will not go into) that your happiness in life will be a direct result of the choices that you make. You have made some wonderful choices and it brings you to this point in your life. With all the wonderful options and opportunities staring at you. If you continue to keep God's commandments and stay on his defined path, follow his prophets, and hold to that sure rod of iron. Then the Spirit will be your constant companion and eternal happiness your daily reward. It is a promise from God. Seems simple. It is! I wish I could figure it out. You know that I have great weaknesses. Silly stupid things that limit my happiness and opportunities. Please do not give up on me. I am trying to wipe out the bad. Mom has threatened to beat the @$%&8+ out of me and I think she means it this time. I am never going to get mad and go ballistic again! Ever! :-)
To set the record straight on the "Palmyra Tommy Experience" as it has come to be known. If..... well maybe I better leave it at that.
I am most impressed with my children. Most impressed indeed. Tickled pink. Totally topgallant. Completely satisfied. I can see very clearly how Karen has had such a great influence. I am so grateful for her being around these last 27 years. I am hoping that she continues to hang out. Lots of work left to do.
We had a great day with Tom in the temple. It was nice. I am so glad that he is going to be able to spend some temple time with his two brothers before the MTC experience begins. I know he is looking forward to this. Thanks so much to the brothers. They are the best.
Congratulations to Tom on his mission call. I think it is spectacular. If I would have known, 30 years ago (I am coming up on my 30 year mission call anniversary), that my youngest son was going to be called to serve in South America in Paraguay and learn their language and walk their streets, that thought would have been so sweet to me. It would have drowned me in peace. No explanation, but I am happy for you Tom and for me. Thanks for choosing to do it right.
Good luck to Jacob in his job search. All will be well. Hazel and Cari is all you really need, having a good job is just icing on the cake.
Thanks to Bret for being such an anchor to us all.
I have to go back to work! Love from Dad.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Tom and the temple
We had a wonderful evening. We arrived way early, so dad had to fork out $16. for ice cream at Hagaan Daus. We still had over an hour before we had to be there, so we went upstairs on to the 6th floor and read scriptures and talked. It was very relaxing. The Hettingers, Hawks, and Ketchesons also came. Tom seemed very prepared and handled everything well. I felt the spirit very strongly. I even learned a few more things. The temple president didn't let me in when he talked to Tom and dad, but I think that is normal.
The matron, Sister Frost, came upstairs and told Tom a wonderul story about the Paraguayan people, and one about David B. Haight, and told him to find it, print it in Spanish, memorize the additional parts she told him, and use it often on his mission. That was kind of cool. She also told us to rent the movie, "The Misson." Have any of you seen it? It is a sad story about the Paraguayan indians.
We tried to go out for pizza afterwards, and walked all the way to a place Bishop Hawks knows by where we park, but it was closed at 10! I didn't think anything in the city closed at 1o. So we ended up walking around looking for food, and found a dinky little Chinese place. I didn't like my lomein at all. They kicked us out as soon as we were done eating.
It is a wonderful feeling knowing all of you are temple worthy. It is amazing, and it is true.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Hill Cumorah Pageant
We drove up to Palmyra on Saturday to see the pageant. Upper State NY sure is beautiful! It was a nice ride, except at one point a severe storm came through and I overreacted and got scared, and poor Tom was driving. He had to pull over, it was raining so hard.
The hotel was recommended by someone in our ward, and it was a one star. It was called the Finger Lakes Inn, and from the picture and description on the website, it sounded great. It wasn't, but we just had to sleep there from midnight till morning, so we had a laugh about it and moved on. For example, the 'continental breakfast' consisted of those tiny, white powder sugar donuts and coffee, and they were out of plates. The doors had real keys, and most didn't really close. The A/C didn't work, and we never did even see the pool. :)
We did get lost on the way from the hotel to the pageant, my fault, and dad got mad, but by pageant he had already said he was sorry.
The sad thing about the pageant are the anti-mormon protesters. They had bull horns, and as all these nice families walked all the way through the parking lot, they would say things like, "All of you Mormons are going to hell", and "all your good works won't save you", etc. I felt sorry for all the little kids having to hear stuff like that. The one guy kept saying, " no one has found one sword from all the wars you said there were here in NY, so Joseph Smith has lied to you all."
Crazy.
The pageant was nice. It rained before and after, but not during. They do a beautiful job. There is fire and rain and fighting and it all looks really cool.
On the way home, every New Yorker must have been on vacation, because the roads were just bumper to bumper; RVs, campers, bikes, jeeps, boats, cars, everything that could be on the road was, so it took awhile to get home.
We went to the Cananduiga ward for sacrament meeting, and Kathy's bishop from BYU was listed as one of the missionary couples serving there! Small world, she was excited. Unfortunately, we couldn't find him.
It was a fun weekend, for the most part. The kids might have a different story....
The hotel was recommended by someone in our ward, and it was a one star. It was called the Finger Lakes Inn, and from the picture and description on the website, it sounded great. It wasn't, but we just had to sleep there from midnight till morning, so we had a laugh about it and moved on. For example, the 'continental breakfast' consisted of those tiny, white powder sugar donuts and coffee, and they were out of plates. The doors had real keys, and most didn't really close. The A/C didn't work, and we never did even see the pool. :)
We did get lost on the way from the hotel to the pageant, my fault, and dad got mad, but by pageant he had already said he was sorry.
The sad thing about the pageant are the anti-mormon protesters. They had bull horns, and as all these nice families walked all the way through the parking lot, they would say things like, "All of you Mormons are going to hell", and "all your good works won't save you", etc. I felt sorry for all the little kids having to hear stuff like that. The one guy kept saying, " no one has found one sword from all the wars you said there were here in NY, so Joseph Smith has lied to you all."
Crazy.
The pageant was nice. It rained before and after, but not during. They do a beautiful job. There is fire and rain and fighting and it all looks really cool.
On the way home, every New Yorker must have been on vacation, because the roads were just bumper to bumper; RVs, campers, bikes, jeeps, boats, cars, everything that could be on the road was, so it took awhile to get home.
We went to the Cananduiga ward for sacrament meeting, and Kathy's bishop from BYU was listed as one of the missionary couples serving there! Small world, she was excited. Unfortunately, we couldn't find him.
It was a fun weekend, for the most part. The kids might have a different story....
My early birthday present
Well, I got a nice gift certificate from Mom for finish line today and Cari had been discussing each getting running shoes so we got some! I was planning on getting my favorite A5 or A7 comfort adidas styles as I have always liked them. However finish line didn;t have them so I found myself checking out Nike instead. They didn't have the best Nike style either but they did have a few versions of the pegasus. Which was last year was Nike's top running show for pavement.
Now what makes this post interesting was I decided to try the Nike + running system that tracks your miles and time etc. I hate Apple, but I have to go buy a Nano because no other companies have cached in on this deal. Makes me sick giving this company more money, but anyways we are hoping Cari and I can share the ipod and that it can keep track of both of our running logs. Don't know yet if this will be the case.
So we will have fun tracking our running for the rest of the season and if anyone else wants in let us know. It is a little pricy, but you can buy the shoe sensor adapter($10) for any pair of shoes if you don't want to buy a pair of Nikes. The kit is only 30 bucks but you need a Ipod Nano to use it. We will let you know how effective it is and whether it is helping us with jogging. I figure any form of tracking like Wii Fit will actually get me outside running! Thanks again Mom for the present!
Now what makes this post interesting was I decided to try the Nike + running system that tracks your miles and time etc. I hate Apple, but I have to go buy a Nano because no other companies have cached in on this deal. Makes me sick giving this company more money, but anyways we are hoping Cari and I can share the ipod and that it can keep track of both of our running logs. Don't know yet if this will be the case.
So we will have fun tracking our running for the rest of the season and if anyone else wants in let us know. It is a little pricy, but you can buy the shoe sensor adapter($10) for any pair of shoes if you don't want to buy a pair of Nikes. The kit is only 30 bucks but you need a Ipod Nano to use it. We will let you know how effective it is and whether it is helping us with jogging. I figure any form of tracking like Wii Fit will actually get me outside running! Thanks again Mom for the present!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Americans driving less
http://snipurl.com/wsjdriveless
I was telling Tevia this week that I actually have noticed some changes in the way people drive due to high gas prices recently. The biggest change I noticed is how many more people are using the bus. I have worked at Prudential for 8 years and rarely saw anybody take the bus. Now I see groups of people leaving together to walk in the summer heat to the bus stop. The link above seems to prove that changes are coming.
I see this as a good thing. By watching the people just walk to the bus stop I see that more people are interacting. And not via text messaging or phone or Facebook or whatever. But actually talking to each other. I hope that this will bring back more sense of community and we can reach out to those around us. I hope we can focus less on the importance of being able to transport ourselves freely at any time and focus more on getting schedules and being home at a certain time. Wouldn’t it be great to see more people leaving work on time because they have to – otherwise they will miss their bus or carpool? This will force companies to think differently and hopefully get people to focus less on work and realize that real socialization should take place outside of your office.
I was telling Tevia this week that I actually have noticed some changes in the way people drive due to high gas prices recently. The biggest change I noticed is how many more people are using the bus. I have worked at Prudential for 8 years and rarely saw anybody take the bus. Now I see groups of people leaving together to walk in the summer heat to the bus stop. The link above seems to prove that changes are coming.
I see this as a good thing. By watching the people just walk to the bus stop I see that more people are interacting. And not via text messaging or phone or Facebook or whatever. But actually talking to each other. I hope that this will bring back more sense of community and we can reach out to those around us. I hope we can focus less on the importance of being able to transport ourselves freely at any time and focus more on getting schedules and being home at a certain time. Wouldn’t it be great to see more people leaving work on time because they have to – otherwise they will miss their bus or carpool? This will force companies to think differently and hopefully get people to focus less on work and realize that real socialization should take place outside of your office.
Monday, July 07, 2008
4th of July Weekend
This last weekend we made our way up to Lakeside to visit Tevia’s parents. I had an extra day off of work so we were able to leave on Thursday after picking up Risa. The drive up was uneventful, but fun as we got some rain. Since I rarely see rain, it was nice to drive in it and I looked forward to being in a cooler climate for a few days.
Upon arrival we met Tevia’s parents at our favorite restaurant: La Casita. This was a great start to the weekend and I enjoyed my machaca chimichanga. We played “Ticket to Ride” several times while in Lakeside. This game was introduced to us by Jacob Webb while we were in UT last. We have played it a few times online with Jacob Wall and my parents, but we finally bought the game last week and were excited to play it. Jarek loves the game and wanted to play it anytime we had a free moment. I also enjoy the game, but have to admit I am not too good at it.
On the 4th we decided to do a BBQ in the afternoon and had some good burgers and hot dogs in the new gazebo at Maison Webb. In the evening we headed over to Show Low high school to see the fireworks. We had gone here a few years before and Jarek was very young and hated the fireworks and noise. This time it was Enok who didn’t like them. He spent the entire show with his head buried in Risa’s jacket. The show was nice with one exception. A few cars over there was a guy who was either completely drunk or stoned or both. After each big firework he would scream something at the top of his lungs. At times it was just a “yahoo” or something like that. But other times he would drop the F-bomb and say crude things about Iraq. Fortunately our kids were shielded behind a truck and so you couldn’t really hear the guy. It was only near the end (and after hearing the family by us complain about him) that I realized how close the guy was. I am amazed that the people around him just let him go on. This was a family show and this poor guy was so self-absorbed that he didn’t care what was going on around him. I’m glad my kids didn’t see/hear him. But I hope that if we had I would have had courage enough to go talk to him and his group and ask them to take care as there were kids around.
The weather was gorgeous and we spent plenty of time on the lawn playing badminton or golf or volleyball or just sitting around. Tevia’s father shot off rockets which the kids loved. On Saturday we went to a party where they roasted a pig. We didn’t get much of the pig, so afterwards we rewarded ourselves with a nice trip to Dairy Queen. Tevia and I shared a Girl Scout Thin Mint Blizzard; Jarek ordered a banana split. We enjoyed the treat and compared calories as there was a list of nutritional data right by our table. Though we didn’t have Wii Fit with us, it was still always in the back of our minds.
Sunday we went to church and afterwards ate some sandwiches on the homemade bread the boys and grandma had made. The drive home was awful. The usual 3.5 to 4 hours took over 5 due to traffic. The craziest part was I have no idea why traffic was so bad. It took us about 1 hour to go 14 miles or so at one point – and then all of the sudden traffic was great again. There was no wreck, no light, no nothing. Very odd. We dropped Risa off and prepared ourselves for Monday. Yeah Monday!
Upon arrival we met Tevia’s parents at our favorite restaurant: La Casita. This was a great start to the weekend and I enjoyed my machaca chimichanga. We played “Ticket to Ride” several times while in Lakeside. This game was introduced to us by Jacob Webb while we were in UT last. We have played it a few times online with Jacob Wall and my parents, but we finally bought the game last week and were excited to play it. Jarek loves the game and wanted to play it anytime we had a free moment. I also enjoy the game, but have to admit I am not too good at it.
On the 4th we decided to do a BBQ in the afternoon and had some good burgers and hot dogs in the new gazebo at Maison Webb. In the evening we headed over to Show Low high school to see the fireworks. We had gone here a few years before and Jarek was very young and hated the fireworks and noise. This time it was Enok who didn’t like them. He spent the entire show with his head buried in Risa’s jacket. The show was nice with one exception. A few cars over there was a guy who was either completely drunk or stoned or both. After each big firework he would scream something at the top of his lungs. At times it was just a “yahoo” or something like that. But other times he would drop the F-bomb and say crude things about Iraq. Fortunately our kids were shielded behind a truck and so you couldn’t really hear the guy. It was only near the end (and after hearing the family by us complain about him) that I realized how close the guy was. I am amazed that the people around him just let him go on. This was a family show and this poor guy was so self-absorbed that he didn’t care what was going on around him. I’m glad my kids didn’t see/hear him. But I hope that if we had I would have had courage enough to go talk to him and his group and ask them to take care as there were kids around.
The weather was gorgeous and we spent plenty of time on the lawn playing badminton or golf or volleyball or just sitting around. Tevia’s father shot off rockets which the kids loved. On Saturday we went to a party where they roasted a pig. We didn’t get much of the pig, so afterwards we rewarded ourselves with a nice trip to Dairy Queen. Tevia and I shared a Girl Scout Thin Mint Blizzard; Jarek ordered a banana split. We enjoyed the treat and compared calories as there was a list of nutritional data right by our table. Though we didn’t have Wii Fit with us, it was still always in the back of our minds.
Sunday we went to church and afterwards ate some sandwiches on the homemade bread the boys and grandma had made. The drive home was awful. The usual 3.5 to 4 hours took over 5 due to traffic. The craziest part was I have no idea why traffic was so bad. It took us about 1 hour to go 14 miles or so at one point – and then all of the sudden traffic was great again. There was no wreck, no light, no nothing. Very odd. We dropped Risa off and prepared ourselves for Monday. Yeah Monday!
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
No words
Well as everyone knows I will be getting sealed in the laie temple in Hawaii on November 15, 2008 to James Cox (the sweetest guy in the world). I have wanted to blog about this for some time but they're really are no words to describe how I am feeling aka how happy I am. Even though Jimmy and I are so far apart I have never felt any kind of peace like this before in my life which is unusual for people with loved ones in Iraq because it truly is scary but I have no fear or doubt in my mind that this is right and part of God's beautiful plan for me. I also find myself feeling a remarkable sense of gratitude for my Heavenly Father, that he has given me this opportunity in my life and has given me the most incredible and noble person I have ever met to be with for all of eternity. Not every girl gets to get married in Hawaii to the best person ever, and live there for at least 2 years. I can only imagine what the next 2 years will shape us into.... probably beach bums and ocean fanatics as we will master all that we can like boating, surfing, windsurfing, kayaking, and so much more. I have such an adventurous time ahead of me! Anyways, this infinite amount of gratitude has also influenced me to read my scriptures a little longer each day and to lengthen my prayers with more meaningful and distinct conversation. This of course adds on to my happiness which is why they're really are no words to describe exactly how happy I am! I know that Jimmy will be a great husband and father and love getting lost thinking about our future. Even though we might not be the wealthiest family, I am sure that we will live life to the fullest and know that money means so much less than people think. Even I have gotten lost in the greediness of money but the more I study the scriptures and after living in a mansion daily at my nanny house the last year, being rich actually scares me. Anyways I am so glad that you can all come to my wedding. I know that by doing it in Hawaii it will cause it to be small and simple but that is the life that I want to live =). I love life and I love Jimmy. Its hard to believe that a person could feel so much for another soul and it only grows each day. I also love all of you and am so glad that you are my family and support me and Jimmy! So thanks!
Dates with my wife
For the past few weeks Tevia was kind enough to set up a recurring babysitter to come each Thursday (a habit she had gotten into the habit already due to her volleyball schedule while I was still in HK). This gave us the opportunity to go on a date every Thursday night. Our first date was a trip to the driving range where Tevia hit her first golf balls. I plan to slowly work her up to getting on a course some time this year. Each week has been fun and has truly helped us get closer as a couple. I feel this was particularly needed as we had spent so much time apart (yes, 3 months seems like a long time).
I am grateful for her willing to do this and get excited each week to go out with her. Last week we went for a hike and I absolutely loved just being with her on a surprisingly empty mountain overlooking our city of Phoenix and seeing the rain over most of the valley except where we were as my anti-rain power continues to gain strength.
Last night, though it was not a date, we went to see WALL-E for FHE. I don’t know why, but I have really been excited to see this movie. I didn’t really like Pixar’s last movie (Rat-a-whatever) and though I have loved their other movies, I never really was thrilled to see them in the theater. We loaded the kids and escaped the heat into the chilled theater with Risa in tow as well.
I found the movie wonderful and beautiful. I had read some reviews that said it was very “dark” and not really for kids, but I don’t think I would agree. It is a cute love story and one of the more touching love stories I’ve seen in recent years. I think in the first half of the movie there are probably only a handful of words spoken – and this was refreshing and showed that storytelling can happen even without words. I left with a gratitude in my heart for being married to my true love and having the ability to spend time with them on this beautiful Earth. I am very lucky.
I am grateful for her willing to do this and get excited each week to go out with her. Last week we went for a hike and I absolutely loved just being with her on a surprisingly empty mountain overlooking our city of Phoenix and seeing the rain over most of the valley except where we were as my anti-rain power continues to gain strength.
Last night, though it was not a date, we went to see WALL-E for FHE. I don’t know why, but I have really been excited to see this movie. I didn’t really like Pixar’s last movie (Rat-a-whatever) and though I have loved their other movies, I never really was thrilled to see them in the theater. We loaded the kids and escaped the heat into the chilled theater with Risa in tow as well.
I found the movie wonderful and beautiful. I had read some reviews that said it was very “dark” and not really for kids, but I don’t think I would agree. It is a cute love story and one of the more touching love stories I’ve seen in recent years. I think in the first half of the movie there are probably only a handful of words spoken – and this was refreshing and showed that storytelling can happen even without words. I left with a gratitude in my heart for being married to my true love and having the ability to spend time with them on this beautiful Earth. I am very lucky.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Wii Fit
We have had Wii Fit for nearly 3 weeks now. I must admit that it has been
a welcome addition to our home. It is very interesting to see all of your
family members using a fitness tool daily - and for quite a bit of time.
Wii has made getting a little exercise fun and competitive and easy to do
from your front room. It is easy enough for kids to do and yet challenging
enough for adults to do and even feel sore. I find myself looking forward
to doing the Wii Fit and getting new Yoga poses and getting higher reps for
the strength training. I have seen myself struggle to do some of the
trainings at first and seen large improvements in my strength and stability
in just a few short weeks (e.g. the plank!). I have found my arms sore
from doing a pushup challenge and my abs sore from increasing my reps on
the V.
But the thing I find most interesting and best about the Wii Fit is it
motivates me in other areas, too. So not only am I doing some physical
exercise on the Wii (though you could argue limited), it inspires me to do
my other exercise and to eat better. I am motivated to get my BMI down and
get excited when it does. Though more recently I have been disappointed
when it goes up, it hasn't made me give up hope entirely. And the fact
that my whole family is doing it with me keeps me going, too.
Regarding the weighing in, I have found that on days I think my weight
(BMI) will go down, it tends to go up, and vice versa. I'm not sure why
this is. In the end my BMI hasn't really decreased much (overall) since I
started nearly 3 weeks ago. But I feel like I look better. My pants
"feel" better. I am convinced that my body carries a TON of water weight
or that our carpet gives varied readings to the Wii. I have found my
weight go up nearly 7 lbs in one day. And go down just as many another
day. And these are on "normal" days - not days I have fasted or eaten a
huge meal. Saturday my weight went down nearly 5 lbs from Friday. I am
convinced this is more due to the fact that I had helped someone in the
ward move and was stuck in hot truck sweating like crazy for a couple of
hours. By Monday it was all back.
And though this blog is meant to be a positive thing on the Wii, I do find
the whole BMI a little odd. According to the Wii (and I verified online)
for my height my ideal BMI and weight would be at around 155 lbs. I
haven't weighed that since before I got married. In fact, I find it hard
to believe that I am nearly 30 lbs overweight. Of course, that is just the
"ideal" weight and on certain days I do fall into the "normal" BMI category
(like last Saturday when I lost 5 pounds!). But I think I would look
pretty scrawny losing 30 pounds. But I agree that a good 10 - 15 lbs would
do me great and I continue working toward that goal. If anything, the Wii
has brought fitness to the front of our thoughts and done it in a positive
manner. I have never felt so motivated to eat right, work hard, and get in
shape. And I love the Yoga. Who knew I would love yoga? Nintendo, who is
smashing the competition over the past year, deserves all the money they
are getting. They have truly found a way to reach out to non-gamers and
provide innovating games that are fun and, dare I say, good for you. And
remember, this is the first game of this type. Other companies can now
perfect this and make fitness games that are even more fun/challenging. I
would venture to say that Wii Fitness is worth the purchase of a Wii alone.
We have had fun with it. And while my little Mii continues to have a
little round belly, I look forward to seeing it continue to shrink.
a welcome addition to our home. It is very interesting to see all of your
family members using a fitness tool daily - and for quite a bit of time.
Wii has made getting a little exercise fun and competitive and easy to do
from your front room. It is easy enough for kids to do and yet challenging
enough for adults to do and even feel sore. I find myself looking forward
to doing the Wii Fit and getting new Yoga poses and getting higher reps for
the strength training. I have seen myself struggle to do some of the
trainings at first and seen large improvements in my strength and stability
in just a few short weeks (e.g. the plank!). I have found my arms sore
from doing a pushup challenge and my abs sore from increasing my reps on
the V.
But the thing I find most interesting and best about the Wii Fit is it
motivates me in other areas, too. So not only am I doing some physical
exercise on the Wii (though you could argue limited), it inspires me to do
my other exercise and to eat better. I am motivated to get my BMI down and
get excited when it does. Though more recently I have been disappointed
when it goes up, it hasn't made me give up hope entirely. And the fact
that my whole family is doing it with me keeps me going, too.
Regarding the weighing in, I have found that on days I think my weight
(BMI) will go down, it tends to go up, and vice versa. I'm not sure why
this is. In the end my BMI hasn't really decreased much (overall) since I
started nearly 3 weeks ago. But I feel like I look better. My pants
"feel" better. I am convinced that my body carries a TON of water weight
or that our carpet gives varied readings to the Wii. I have found my
weight go up nearly 7 lbs in one day. And go down just as many another
day. And these are on "normal" days - not days I have fasted or eaten a
huge meal. Saturday my weight went down nearly 5 lbs from Friday. I am
convinced this is more due to the fact that I had helped someone in the
ward move and was stuck in hot truck sweating like crazy for a couple of
hours. By Monday it was all back.
And though this blog is meant to be a positive thing on the Wii, I do find
the whole BMI a little odd. According to the Wii (and I verified online)
for my height my ideal BMI and weight would be at around 155 lbs. I
haven't weighed that since before I got married. In fact, I find it hard
to believe that I am nearly 30 lbs overweight. Of course, that is just the
"ideal" weight and on certain days I do fall into the "normal" BMI category
(like last Saturday when I lost 5 pounds!). But I think I would look
pretty scrawny losing 30 pounds. But I agree that a good 10 - 15 lbs would
do me great and I continue working toward that goal. If anything, the Wii
has brought fitness to the front of our thoughts and done it in a positive
manner. I have never felt so motivated to eat right, work hard, and get in
shape. And I love the Yoga. Who knew I would love yoga? Nintendo, who is
smashing the competition over the past year, deserves all the money they
are getting. They have truly found a way to reach out to non-gamers and
provide innovating games that are fun and, dare I say, good for you. And
remember, this is the first game of this type. Other companies can now
perfect this and make fitness games that are even more fun/challenging. I
would venture to say that Wii Fitness is worth the purchase of a Wii alone.
We have had fun with it. And while my little Mii continues to have a
little round belly, I look forward to seeing it continue to shrink.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Books that changed my life
Several bloggers have recently posted their list of books that changed their lives. So I thought I would think of the books that had big impacts on my life. I'd love to get lists from others as well. Here are mine:
The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien. This book is one of the few that really transported me to a new world when I read it. I was pretty young when I first tackled this trilogy and I can remember the impact certain parts had on me. Gollum to this day brings back great memories of how I imagined him and the travels of Frodo. Obviously this book is more well-known now due to the movies. And though the movies were pretty good, they can't compare to this fantasy masterpiece.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - JK Rawlings. I enjoyed the first two books immensely, but it wasn't until I read the third in the series until I realized what a genius this author was. I couldn't put this book down. It renewed my love of reading for "fun."
Aliens - Alan Dean Foster. Odd, I know. But I picked this up at around age 12 or so at the public library (Milcreek Library in Utah) because I couldn't see the movie since it was R-rated. This book opened my eyes to a different style of more adult writing and immediately led to more of Mr. Foster's books including the Spellsinger series which began a true love of reading. I had read before this book, but I recall this book opening my eyes to the value of the library to find new books.
Heir to the Empire - Timothy Zahn. Being a huge Star Wars fan, this first book after the movies (now dubbed the Expanded Universe) was wonderfully written and sucked me back into a whole new galaxy of adventures. Though I have continued to read many of the Star Wars books through the years, none really have topped this first book/trilogy.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen Covey. This book confirmed to me that the way I look at life is the best way to look at life. Whether Covey and I share a brain gene I am not sure, but whenever I read his books I feel that he thinks just like me. This book helped me to put into words habits that I had developed and made me truly focus more on important things - and not just urgent things.
Dune - Frank Herbert. I tried to read this book multiple times before I was able to actually finish it. I am glad I kept trying. This book, and its sequel Dune Messiah, emerged me into an entire political economy in a future of our species ages from now. This is one of the few books that I actually took notes and had to write down and look up words in the dictionary in order to even read it. Paul Atreides is still one of my favorite book heroes.
Book of Mormon - translated by Joseph Smith. Yes, this seems like a given, but since the other lists almost all contained the Bible, I thought I had to have a religious book that changed my life. And though I love the Bible and truly it has had an impact on my life, no book has had greater impact than the Book of Mormon. This is because I live my life according to a religion that is completely tied to the veracity of this book. My desire to pray and know for certain that this book is truly scripture from God led me to choices and a lifestyle that I continue today: a lifestyle vastly different from the majority of people. I feel that knowledge - and choice - has provided me with immense joy and happiness. Truly no book has had nearly as close an impact as this book.
There are so many other books that I have loved as I have read so many. Some honorable mentions:
Ender's Game, The Kiterunner, Interview with the Vampire, How to Win Friends and Influence People, The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, The Book of Three, 1984, Pride and Prejudice, The Davinci Code.
The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien. This book is one of the few that really transported me to a new world when I read it. I was pretty young when I first tackled this trilogy and I can remember the impact certain parts had on me. Gollum to this day brings back great memories of how I imagined him and the travels of Frodo. Obviously this book is more well-known now due to the movies. And though the movies were pretty good, they can't compare to this fantasy masterpiece.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - JK Rawlings. I enjoyed the first two books immensely, but it wasn't until I read the third in the series until I realized what a genius this author was. I couldn't put this book down. It renewed my love of reading for "fun."
Aliens - Alan Dean Foster. Odd, I know. But I picked this up at around age 12 or so at the public library (Milcreek Library in Utah) because I couldn't see the movie since it was R-rated. This book opened my eyes to a different style of more adult writing and immediately led to more of Mr. Foster's books including the Spellsinger series which began a true love of reading. I had read before this book, but I recall this book opening my eyes to the value of the library to find new books.
Heir to the Empire - Timothy Zahn. Being a huge Star Wars fan, this first book after the movies (now dubbed the Expanded Universe) was wonderfully written and sucked me back into a whole new galaxy of adventures. Though I have continued to read many of the Star Wars books through the years, none really have topped this first book/trilogy.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen Covey. This book confirmed to me that the way I look at life is the best way to look at life. Whether Covey and I share a brain gene I am not sure, but whenever I read his books I feel that he thinks just like me. This book helped me to put into words habits that I had developed and made me truly focus more on important things - and not just urgent things.
Dune - Frank Herbert. I tried to read this book multiple times before I was able to actually finish it. I am glad I kept trying. This book, and its sequel Dune Messiah, emerged me into an entire political economy in a future of our species ages from now. This is one of the few books that I actually took notes and had to write down and look up words in the dictionary in order to even read it. Paul Atreides is still one of my favorite book heroes.
Book of Mormon - translated by Joseph Smith. Yes, this seems like a given, but since the other lists almost all contained the Bible, I thought I had to have a religious book that changed my life. And though I love the Bible and truly it has had an impact on my life, no book has had greater impact than the Book of Mormon. This is because I live my life according to a religion that is completely tied to the veracity of this book. My desire to pray and know for certain that this book is truly scripture from God led me to choices and a lifestyle that I continue today: a lifestyle vastly different from the majority of people. I feel that knowledge - and choice - has provided me with immense joy and happiness. Truly no book has had nearly as close an impact as this book.
There are so many other books that I have loved as I have read so many. Some honorable mentions:
Ender's Game, The Kiterunner, Interview with the Vampire, How to Win Friends and Influence People, The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, The Book of Three, 1984, Pride and Prejudice, The Davinci Code.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Happy Birthday to Mom!!!
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear mom
Happy Birthday to you!!!!
Sorry we can't all be there to celebrate this day with you. And I still haven't mailed your gift. My brain and body are separated by about two weeks in getting things done. Someday I will have to get them in sync with each other.
I just want you to know that we all love you and hope you have a wonderful day. You are an amazing woman that leads her family in strength, by example and with a loving hand. You have raised four wonderful children who are strong in their convictions and with testimonies bright and strong. A greater example of motherhood would be very hard to find indeed. Thank you so much for giving to Bret your devotion and love, even when your life was hard, and imbuing him so thoroughly with confidence and sense of worth, and purpose in this life. Because you taught him so well, my children will also benefit from that. Thank you and again, Happy, Happy Birthday.
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear mom
Happy Birthday to you!!!!
Sorry we can't all be there to celebrate this day with you. And I still haven't mailed your gift. My brain and body are separated by about two weeks in getting things done. Someday I will have to get them in sync with each other.
I just want you to know that we all love you and hope you have a wonderful day. You are an amazing woman that leads her family in strength, by example and with a loving hand. You have raised four wonderful children who are strong in their convictions and with testimonies bright and strong. A greater example of motherhood would be very hard to find indeed. Thank you so much for giving to Bret your devotion and love, even when your life was hard, and imbuing him so thoroughly with confidence and sense of worth, and purpose in this life. Because you taught him so well, my children will also benefit from that. Thank you and again, Happy, Happy Birthday.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Bored at work
Well, I guess i have to blog now, because as I was considering it, i accidentally hit enter and created an empty blog. Anyways, I'm just at work right now bored. I finished using my tester for a certain board type at about 10, and put in for maintenance to change to another board type. Well its currently 12:30, and I've already taken my lunch to waste time and for some reason they aren't here yet. I'm guessing none of them are in today. Oh, well, what a job eh?
So I just read Tevia's blog about the trip to Ut. Which must mean I had a buncha free time, seeing as how it was so long. But it sounds like you all had a really fun time. Staying home and working that week wasnt all that fun for me. So I'm jealous I didn't get to be there. I miss living there, it was a lot of fun.
Well, wow, a maintenance guy just showed up so I guess I get to work, ending my blog.
So I just read Tevia's blog about the trip to Ut. Which must mean I had a buncha free time, seeing as how it was so long. But it sounds like you all had a really fun time. Staying home and working that week wasnt all that fun for me. So I'm jealous I didn't get to be there. I miss living there, it was a lot of fun.
Well, wow, a maintenance guy just showed up so I guess I get to work, ending my blog.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Classes over! Clean house
Well, classes are over and I finished all my projects. The last project is actually graded rather than pass fail, and I feel I did good enough on it to pass. So, what do you do when you finally get a second to breath in life? Well, I usually start by cleaning, then catch up on podcast stuff and eventually get back to waisting time playing games. Cari is at work, well kind of, she is working next to me on another new computer. We finished her new setup this morning and I think it is pretty good. She wants a better chair, so we will have to see about getting her a new one. This blog was really written for one purpose only and that was to put up a picture of our funny living room:-) I have to either rewire the house a little or get a very nice extension cord because my surge protectors are extremely unhappy with the setup and won't allow the blue ray player and a game to be played at the same time! Yeah, it's a pretty funny picture.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
An Update
Here's some of the latest pictures of Hazel:
The last six weeks have been a blur. I can't believe it's been six weeks already! Answers to the common questions I've been getting from people:
I'm grateful for the sleep I am getting (about 3-5 hour blocks at night) but honestly, I could still do with more.
She's now almost 10 pounds, I won't know how long until her next doctor's appointment in two weeks, but she's definitely getting bigger.
She is a very good baby with a very good temperament. She doesn't often cry for no discernible reason. She's very content and very happy 95% of the time. I couldn't have asked for a better baby.
Yes, she sleeps in the crib now!! At least at night. She doesn't usually make it there during the day. Either she falls asleep in her swing or on the floor and if I try to move her, she's awake before we get to the crib, or she's in her car seat because we're out on the town. But the laundry basket was officially retired almost two weeks ago.
And yes, she wears more than just her diaper more often now. Mostly that's because Jacob and I are back to just our one car (we had his sister's car at our disposable for about a month until his parents drove it back to NY) and Hazel and I give him rides to and from campus and I don't take her outside unless she's clothed.
Jacob's almost done with spring term, which leaves him just his capstone project next term and then he's done!! I'm just a little excited. :-) No decisions have been made about where he'll work or where we'll live after he graduates, so we'll keep you posted. His classes this term are going well and all of the major projects are done. Just another couple little projects and a paper or two!
So we're doing well. I'm mentally preparing myself to start working again next week. At least I'm working part-time from home and can set my own hours. But it's still going to be a sizable chunk of time scheduled when I haven't really had much of anything scheduled for over two months now. I'm actually excited to start again, weird though that is. It will be nice to have something structured to do. Not that I couldn't have come up with structured things without work. Now that I'm thinking about how to budget out that time from my normal daily routine (which is never the same from day to day - surprise), I've got all these ideas of things I could fill my time with. But those can wait or can be weekend projects. But I should be able to work during Hazel's naps, so it should work out well. Wish me luck!
The last six weeks have been a blur. I can't believe it's been six weeks already! Answers to the common questions I've been getting from people:
I'm grateful for the sleep I am getting (about 3-5 hour blocks at night) but honestly, I could still do with more.
She's now almost 10 pounds, I won't know how long until her next doctor's appointment in two weeks, but she's definitely getting bigger.
She is a very good baby with a very good temperament. She doesn't often cry for no discernible reason. She's very content and very happy 95% of the time. I couldn't have asked for a better baby.
Yes, she sleeps in the crib now!! At least at night. She doesn't usually make it there during the day. Either she falls asleep in her swing or on the floor and if I try to move her, she's awake before we get to the crib, or she's in her car seat because we're out on the town. But the laundry basket was officially retired almost two weeks ago.
And yes, she wears more than just her diaper more often now. Mostly that's because Jacob and I are back to just our one car (we had his sister's car at our disposable for about a month until his parents drove it back to NY) and Hazel and I give him rides to and from campus and I don't take her outside unless she's clothed.
Jacob's almost done with spring term, which leaves him just his capstone project next term and then he's done!! I'm just a little excited. :-) No decisions have been made about where he'll work or where we'll live after he graduates, so we'll keep you posted. His classes this term are going well and all of the major projects are done. Just another couple little projects and a paper or two!
So we're doing well. I'm mentally preparing myself to start working again next week. At least I'm working part-time from home and can set my own hours. But it's still going to be a sizable chunk of time scheduled when I haven't really had much of anything scheduled for over two months now. I'm actually excited to start again, weird though that is. It will be nice to have something structured to do. Not that I couldn't have come up with structured things without work. Now that I'm thinking about how to budget out that time from my normal daily routine (which is never the same from day to day - surprise), I've got all these ideas of things I could fill my time with. But those can wait or can be weekend projects. But I should be able to work during Hazel's naps, so it should work out well. Wish me luck!
Sunday, June 08, 2008
fly there, drive back
We are back, safe and sound! It was a wonderful trip! We were both blessed and lucky the entire trip, and except for a sore back, there were no problems at all, and I would do it again.
It is just more exciting to see the country little by little than by plane. The drive from Provo to Colorado Springs was awesome! What beautiful country! I will blog more tomorrow with details, but I have to say, it was great seeing you all! What fun! I love being with my kids and grandkids.
It is just more exciting to see the country little by little than by plane. The drive from Provo to Colorado Springs was awesome! What beautiful country! I will blog more tomorrow with details, but I have to say, it was great seeing you all! What fun! I love being with my kids and grandkids.
Friday, June 06, 2008
Paraguay, Asuncion
Well, mom and dads youngest boy finally has his mission call. They're running a little low on kids. Anyways, my mission call was sent last Friday, and arrived today, around 1:30ish. Kathy was here with me with Karen, and well, she was almost more excited than I was, and there was no way I would be not opening it until mom and dad got back. Anyways, before we opened it we did try and call them, unfortunately for them, they were in the temple at the time, and were unable to answer the phone. Anyways, I opened the call, and quickly found that I was going to the Paraguay Asuncion mission.
I am very excited and happy to have finally gotten my mission call. I can't wait to get out there, I know it'll be a great experience. One reason I know that is that I've had 2 brothers already serve missions and enjoy them and have great experiences. I want to thank you guys for being such good examples to me in my life, and good brothers.
So Tevia heard next and shortly after telling her, Bret called the house looking to talk to me, seeing as how he had heard the great news. Too bad for him though, I'll only be learning boring old Spanish and not Portuguese. Eventually I was able to get a hold of mom and dad also, and I talked to Jake too. Thanks guys for being excited for me.
I was really hoping to go foreign, and I got to, I think its great and I'm glad.
And for anyone who doesn't know and might be interested, Boomer also got his mission call, the same day as me. And he is going to the New Delhi, India mission, English speaking, and his mission president will be the Ricks Grandparents. A very interesting mission call.
I think thats it for what I imagine is the first actual blog I've written. Atleast I can't remember writing anytime before, except in comments.
I am very excited and happy to have finally gotten my mission call. I can't wait to get out there, I know it'll be a great experience. One reason I know that is that I've had 2 brothers already serve missions and enjoy them and have great experiences. I want to thank you guys for being such good examples to me in my life, and good brothers.
So Tevia heard next and shortly after telling her, Bret called the house looking to talk to me, seeing as how he had heard the great news. Too bad for him though, I'll only be learning boring old Spanish and not Portuguese. Eventually I was able to get a hold of mom and dad also, and I talked to Jake too. Thanks guys for being excited for me.
I was really hoping to go foreign, and I got to, I think its great and I'm glad.
And for anyone who doesn't know and might be interested, Boomer also got his mission call, the same day as me. And he is going to the New Delhi, India mission, English speaking, and his mission president will be the Ricks Grandparents. A very interesting mission call.
I think thats it for what I imagine is the first actual blog I've written. Atleast I can't remember writing anytime before, except in comments.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Back in the USA
I'm back. How wonderful it is to be able to cuddle with the woman I love
every night before going to bed. How great it is to see my children play,
eat and have fun while I am right there to witness their ups and downs.
Since being back in the USA I wouldn't necessarily say that I have been
home much. The first weekend we headed up to Show Low to see Tevia's
family. We were going to go camping, but the snow we encountered on the
way up to their home made us think twice about spending the night in the
cold with our Arizona tent not built for cold weather. It was a fun
weekend with memories of La Casita food, BB guns, hobo dinners (we called
these tinfoil dinners when I was young) and a fun hike on the Mogollan rim.
We were back in Phoenix for just a couple of days before driving up to Utah
to visit the Jacobs. We split the drive in two on the way up. The first
night we stopped after about 5 hours of driving in Las Vegas. We stayed at
the Westin there and I was excited for Tevia to try their wonderful beds
and showers (think family, people, we had the kids with us - this was not a
honeymoon-type stay). We also headed over to the Bellagio to see the water
fountains - the same ones I had seen a few months earlier with Tom on our
way to UT. We enjoyed the fountains, but just making our way their and
back (about a block or two) was difficult as we tried hard to distract our
kids from looking at the filth posted to signs and in bins. And by filth I
mean porn. Vegas truly is a man's town - or perhaps more specifically a
single man's town (or men who want to pretend they are single) with low
morals. I am generalizing, of course, as we were just on the strip.
Perhaps outside of this small piece of town there is a wonderful,
family-friendly environment. But we didn't see it. We had also stopped on
the Hoover Dam for a few minutes to see the wonder of this man-made wonder.
Even cooler was the bridge they are attempting to build over the valley.
The next day we headed north and stopped briefly at Jacob Wall's home to
see Hazel and play some WiiFit before heading to Jacob Webb's home to spend
the night. We had so much fun at the Webb home as the weather was
fantastic and the backyard made for fun playing with the kids. Enok had a
lot of fun with Ellery (yikes - how do you spell that?). The weekend was
spent with my parents, the Walls and the Webbs. We had fun playing soccer,
eating Mexican food, eating BBQ (Webb made some great shrimp that night,
too), drinking apple beer, playing Wii, playing in rivers, losing shoes in
canals and seeing dinosaurs at the museum. We also visited our friends the
Fosters up in SLC and enjoyed laughing with them. It made me really miss
having friends here in Phoenix. Why can't everyone in UT move down here?
Tevia is pretty adamant that we will not be moving there. The main event
was Jacob's blessing of his new daughter Hazel Marie. He did a good job
and I think he may have even choked up a little during the blessing. This
would have proven to me that he is human - but we all know Cylons have
emotions too. We got to see a few family members (Grandpa Wall, Brooke and
Carol, Bonnie and Craig, Andy, etc.) for a brief period of time. It was an
overall wonderful trip.
Tuesday we headed back and this time drove straight through. We did stop
for an hour or so at a spot I had seen when Tommy and I drove up in the
winter. It is a place in the small piece of AZ between LV and St. George
along the Virgin River. At the time we passed it on I-15 it had looked
like a great place to camp and spend time with the family. Upon stopping
there on Tuesday I was happy to see that it was a wonderful place. We had
the small path and river all to ourselves that Tuesday morning. The river
was shallow and warm. The sand was soft and warm. It was ideal and a
great place for a quick stop. The boys loved playing in the water. I
loved the water and beautiful scenery. It certainly looked like an ideal
place for a "desert trip" type camping experience with some water.
Certainly not as remote (e.g. accessible by car) which could be good and/or
bad.
We got home safe and sound and still it seems too cold to swim in our pool.
How can it be June and not be warm enough to swim?? Seems odd. Global
warming is a scam. =)
every night before going to bed. How great it is to see my children play,
eat and have fun while I am right there to witness their ups and downs.
Since being back in the USA I wouldn't necessarily say that I have been
home much. The first weekend we headed up to Show Low to see Tevia's
family. We were going to go camping, but the snow we encountered on the
way up to their home made us think twice about spending the night in the
cold with our Arizona tent not built for cold weather. It was a fun
weekend with memories of La Casita food, BB guns, hobo dinners (we called
these tinfoil dinners when I was young) and a fun hike on the Mogollan rim.
We were back in Phoenix for just a couple of days before driving up to Utah
to visit the Jacobs. We split the drive in two on the way up. The first
night we stopped after about 5 hours of driving in Las Vegas. We stayed at
the Westin there and I was excited for Tevia to try their wonderful beds
and showers (think family, people, we had the kids with us - this was not a
honeymoon-type stay). We also headed over to the Bellagio to see the water
fountains - the same ones I had seen a few months earlier with Tom on our
way to UT. We enjoyed the fountains, but just making our way their and
back (about a block or two) was difficult as we tried hard to distract our
kids from looking at the filth posted to signs and in bins. And by filth I
mean porn. Vegas truly is a man's town - or perhaps more specifically a
single man's town (or men who want to pretend they are single) with low
morals. I am generalizing, of course, as we were just on the strip.
Perhaps outside of this small piece of town there is a wonderful,
family-friendly environment. But we didn't see it. We had also stopped on
the Hoover Dam for a few minutes to see the wonder of this man-made wonder.
Even cooler was the bridge they are attempting to build over the valley.
The next day we headed north and stopped briefly at Jacob Wall's home to
see Hazel and play some WiiFit before heading to Jacob Webb's home to spend
the night. We had so much fun at the Webb home as the weather was
fantastic and the backyard made for fun playing with the kids. Enok had a
lot of fun with Ellery (yikes - how do you spell that?). The weekend was
spent with my parents, the Walls and the Webbs. We had fun playing soccer,
eating Mexican food, eating BBQ (Webb made some great shrimp that night,
too), drinking apple beer, playing Wii, playing in rivers, losing shoes in
canals and seeing dinosaurs at the museum. We also visited our friends the
Fosters up in SLC and enjoyed laughing with them. It made me really miss
having friends here in Phoenix. Why can't everyone in UT move down here?
Tevia is pretty adamant that we will not be moving there. The main event
was Jacob's blessing of his new daughter Hazel Marie. He did a good job
and I think he may have even choked up a little during the blessing. This
would have proven to me that he is human - but we all know Cylons have
emotions too. We got to see a few family members (Grandpa Wall, Brooke and
Carol, Bonnie and Craig, Andy, etc.) for a brief period of time. It was an
overall wonderful trip.
Tuesday we headed back and this time drove straight through. We did stop
for an hour or so at a spot I had seen when Tommy and I drove up in the
winter. It is a place in the small piece of AZ between LV and St. George
along the Virgin River. At the time we passed it on I-15 it had looked
like a great place to camp and spend time with the family. Upon stopping
there on Tuesday I was happy to see that it was a wonderful place. We had
the small path and river all to ourselves that Tuesday morning. The river
was shallow and warm. The sand was soft and warm. It was ideal and a
great place for a quick stop. The boys loved playing in the water. I
loved the water and beautiful scenery. It certainly looked like an ideal
place for a "desert trip" type camping experience with some water.
Certainly not as remote (e.g. accessible by car) which could be good and/or
bad.
We got home safe and sound and still it seems too cold to swim in our pool.
How can it be June and not be warm enough to swim?? Seems odd. Global
warming is a scam. =)
Friday, May 23, 2008
Tom's mission
Tom is done with his papers, and meets with the Stake president on Sunday. This went rather quickly. Tevia reminded me this morning that we should get our bets in as to where he goes. We could go back and look at what we predicted, or just re-predict what we think.
A few of the last guys we knew have gone stateside; Martin Wall to South Carolina, Brandon Prettyman to Las Vegas, Dan Morgenegg to Utah.
I am thinking he will go foreign, South America, probably Brazil. Did I say that last time? I'll have to look it up.
A few of the last guys we knew have gone stateside; Martin Wall to South Carolina, Brandon Prettyman to Las Vegas, Dan Morgenegg to Utah.
I am thinking he will go foreign, South America, probably Brazil. Did I say that last time? I'll have to look it up.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Wii fit
Dad bought me this for mother's day. I finally made a mii, named Kari. I did 17 minutes of a combination of yoga, arobics, and balancing. I am great at the yoga, terrible at the balancing. Actually, I did beat Tom in crossing over the high wire. The balancing part would be great for Jarek and Malik. Good news- it does not consider me overweight, just right on the border of being overweight. Bad news, it considers me as 73 years old! The way it measures 'real age' is a combination of weight, BMI, and balancing. I didn't understand the balance thing, so I didn't even really do it. I guess that will make it easy to improve!
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Last Days in Hong Kong
What do you do your last days in a country? Shop? Tour? Cry? I am the type of guy that likes to recreate memories. Last night I decided to go over Victoria Harbor on the Star Ferry and watch the lights on Hong Kong island. The night was fairly clear and not too hot. Since it was Friday it was crowded on the Kowloon side with many tourists and different languages being tossed about. I watched the beautiful skyline of Hong Kong island dance in the multicolored lights and lasers. On the ferry back I smelled the harbor, the fuel that powers the ferries, and enjoyed the slight breeze on my face. I then laid down on a bench and looked up at IFC tower for perhaps the last time. I have great memories of this place. And though the last few months have been marred by the fact that I have been alone for the most part, I am grateful to have had my family here.
Today there was temptation to go to Shenzhen. But the only reasons I could determine to go were to shop and fill my second slot on my China visa. I didn't NEED to buy anything, so decided not to go. Instead I headed over to Repulse Bay where we lived as a family and put my feet in the bay. I walked along the Seaside Promenade and remembered times with my family here. I came out on Deep Water Bay and grabbed the 6X bus to Causeway Bay. While there I bought a few little things with the small amount of cash I had left and had my last meal in the basement of Times Square in CitySuper. It was fun to remember the many times we ate there as a family and the kids love of Curry in a Hurry.
I am now packed up and ready to go. I will soon be on my next tiny adventure to London where I will spend a few days. At this point I wish that I had not made this trip to London, but it will be good to see our office and help me in my career if I decide to stay with Prudential. In the end it only delays seeing my family for five days. But at this point five days seem like an eternity. I look forward to seeing an old friend on Sunday. In fact, she was my first friend and mentor when I started my career at Prudential so many years ago. But most of all I look forward to getting that much closer to my wife and children.
Today there was temptation to go to Shenzhen. But the only reasons I could determine to go were to shop and fill my second slot on my China visa. I didn't NEED to buy anything, so decided not to go. Instead I headed over to Repulse Bay where we lived as a family and put my feet in the bay. I walked along the Seaside Promenade and remembered times with my family here. I came out on Deep Water Bay and grabbed the 6X bus to Causeway Bay. While there I bought a few little things with the small amount of cash I had left and had my last meal in the basement of Times Square in CitySuper. It was fun to remember the many times we ate there as a family and the kids love of Curry in a Hurry.
I am now packed up and ready to go. I will soon be on my next tiny adventure to London where I will spend a few days. At this point I wish that I had not made this trip to London, but it will be good to see our office and help me in my career if I decide to stay with Prudential. In the end it only delays seeing my family for five days. But at this point five days seem like an eternity. I look forward to seeing an old friend on Sunday. In fact, she was my first friend and mentor when I started my career at Prudential so many years ago. But most of all I look forward to getting that much closer to my wife and children.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
A Beautiful Mother's Day Poem
Jarek was sick last week and missed bringing home his mother's day gift to me. Gayla Finlayson (a member of our ward who also works up at the school) brought it to our house tonight. This was the highlight of my day, reading this poem. Jarek wrote this for me all by himself. It made my heart burn with joy and my eyes fill with tears.
MOTHER
I love you the color of
A Beautiful red flower
Growing in the meadow.
I love you the color of
The bright orange sun
Shining for the world.
I love you the color of
The nice green palo verde trees
Swaying in the desert.
I love you the color of
A sweet purple dusk
Hanging over our house.
Oh mom, I love you very much!!!
Love,
Jarek
MOTHER
I love you the color of
A Beautiful red flower
Growing in the meadow.
I love you the color of
The bright orange sun
Shining for the world.
I love you the color of
The nice green palo verde trees
Swaying in the desert.
I love you the color of
A sweet purple dusk
Hanging over our house.
Oh mom, I love you very much!!!
Love,
Jarek
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
scary and sad world
wow! that is a lot of people that were wiped out in China and in Mynamar! The numbers keep going up. 15,000 in one place, and 60,000 in another, with more to come. That simply amazes me. For journal purposes, Mynamar is a small country near India that I think used to be Burma. They had a cyclone, which is much like a hurricane with a tornado in it. China had a huge earthquake right in the middle of the country. Both of these catastrophies happened within a few days of each other.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Clue
We found a game that we don't fight about. We have tried it with all sorts of variations. The 2 we played last night were:
- put any three cards in the mystery envelope, don't use the board at all, guess any 3 guesses each turn, ( you can guess 3 people, 2 rooms and a weapon, etc), and no lies.
- put any there cards in, don't use the board, you have to guess a person, weapon, and room each time, and you can lie one time in the game.
I found them both fun, and I actually lost the second game because Kathy is a good liar. :)
- put any three cards in the mystery envelope, don't use the board at all, guess any 3 guesses each turn, ( you can guess 3 people, 2 rooms and a weapon, etc), and no lies.
- put any there cards in, don't use the board, you have to guess a person, weapon, and room each time, and you can lie one time in the game.
I found them both fun, and I actually lost the second game because Kathy is a good liar. :)
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Happy Mother's Day
Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers in my life. Today in church we had the Area President (President Garn) talk on mothers. It is always so great to hear general authorities speak. He said two things that really touched me. He said that Russell M Nelson, who was a heart surgeon, was once asked why he had chosen that career. He said that the greatest job on earth is to be a mother, but since he wasn't able to do that he thought he would try to help the sick.
President Garn then quoted from another general authority (I can't remember who) who had said that the role of men is to protect, provide for and to admire women. I thought this was very deep. Especially the "admire" part.
I want to the most important mothers in my life - my mother and the mother of my children - to know that I do admire them. I love them with all of my heart. I hope one day to be as good as they are. I hope to always make them proud. Both of them keep me on the strait and narrow. Thank you for all that you do. I love you.
President Garn then quoted from another general authority (I can't remember who) who had said that the role of men is to protect, provide for and to admire women. I thought this was very deep. Especially the "admire" part.
I want to the most important mothers in my life - my mother and the mother of my children - to know that I do admire them. I love them with all of my heart. I hope one day to be as good as they are. I hope to always make them proud. Both of them keep me on the strait and narrow. Thank you for all that you do. I love you.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Settlers
Since forever our family has been insanely competitive as everyone knows. I personally like this because I thrive on competition and I think it helps me improve myself. However, I do not think that I am going to play another game of Settlers of Catan in this family for a long time. Usually at least some one gets mad every game but lately since Tommy and I have been home, every single time we play, I think every single person has gotten frustrated to the point where it is no longer a game but a yelling session. And last night, we decided or Dad decided that we were going to be very positive and complement each other frequently through out the game. LOL. That probably lasted the first 15 minutes. However, it was still an exciting experience because in the middle of the game mom's tooth came out and I almost fainted. Anyways I love Settlers, mostly because I get lucky almost every game but its going to be awhile until I play again. It's aquire all over again!! lol Why can't our family just play a nice game together? Even though I like competition sometimes I wish it wasn't life or death in this family and Dad didn't leave ready to kill someone, Tommy didn't try to talk about it for 10 hours after the game (like Jacob) and Mom didn't say things to make it better even though she makes it worse. And I could control my frustration and want to keep playing. Maybe we'll get better but I honestly doubt it lol. And even though I say this, I bet we play another game of settlers tomorrow. =)
Temple, Iron Man, Shake 'em Fries
It is a three day weekend here and also my last. So last night I spent some time trying to figure out what to do. There are many options as there are still many things I have wanted to do since being here in Hong Kong. In the end I decided on going to the temple and seeing "Iron Man."
I woke up a little later than I had wanted to and that started the day off on the wrong foot as that meant I had to rush to the temple in order to make the session. This is never a good way to go to the temple. I did make it though. Barely. I could have used a few minutes to sit and wait and clear my mind. The session was in English, which was disappointing. I like the chinese sessions better. It was good though as I needed some peace during this stressful time of being away from my family and wondering where I will be in 6 months.
Afterwords I had a good plan to walk over to the cool theaters with the rumble seats to see Iron Man. I did not bring a map (hey, I've been here for 9 months) and this led to a bad situation. I do not like not knowing where I am. It is a weakness. And unfortunately I took it out on my wife who was waking up so anxious to talk to me. I guess the temple spirit didn't stay with me too long. I'm sorry Tevia. I eventually did get there - MUCH later than anticipated - and that through off my plans for the day.
The movie was excellent. I absolutely enjoyed it and these theaters are so fun with the rumble seats. I then did a little shopping at some of the markets and by the time I got home it was nearly 8:00PM. Another typical day in HK where I leave in the morning and don't get back until right before bed.
For dinner I just stopped at McDonalds. It is a bad habit because I am so cheap. It is so hard to justify eating at a healthy place for $10 USD when I know I can eat at McDs for $3. It is terrible I know. But, today they had a special where you could buy a Chicken McNugget combo with fries and it comes with a bag with flavored powder (think ramen noodles package). You then shake them in the bag (the nuggets and/or fries) and eat. I got the curry flavor. The nuggets were ok, but the fries were awesome. I don't even like fries! But these were great. So I expect I'll have at least one more terrible-for-me-but-extremely-cheap meal at McDonald's before I leave.
I woke up a little later than I had wanted to and that started the day off on the wrong foot as that meant I had to rush to the temple in order to make the session. This is never a good way to go to the temple. I did make it though. Barely. I could have used a few minutes to sit and wait and clear my mind. The session was in English, which was disappointing. I like the chinese sessions better. It was good though as I needed some peace during this stressful time of being away from my family and wondering where I will be in 6 months.
Afterwords I had a good plan to walk over to the cool theaters with the rumble seats to see Iron Man. I did not bring a map (hey, I've been here for 9 months) and this led to a bad situation. I do not like not knowing where I am. It is a weakness. And unfortunately I took it out on my wife who was waking up so anxious to talk to me. I guess the temple spirit didn't stay with me too long. I'm sorry Tevia. I eventually did get there - MUCH later than anticipated - and that through off my plans for the day.
The movie was excellent. I absolutely enjoyed it and these theaters are so fun with the rumble seats. I then did a little shopping at some of the markets and by the time I got home it was nearly 8:00PM. Another typical day in HK where I leave in the morning and don't get back until right before bed.
For dinner I just stopped at McDonalds. It is a bad habit because I am so cheap. It is so hard to justify eating at a healthy place for $10 USD when I know I can eat at McDs for $3. It is terrible I know. But, today they had a special where you could buy a Chicken McNugget combo with fries and it comes with a bag with flavored powder (think ramen noodles package). You then shake them in the bag (the nuggets and/or fries) and eat. I got the curry flavor. The nuggets were ok, but the fries were awesome. I don't even like fries! But these were great. So I expect I'll have at least one more terrible-for-me-but-extremely-cheap meal at McDonald's before I leave.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
wicked
The evening was beautiful. We couldn't have asked for better weather. We left early enough to have a nice drive down, but ended up a bit early, and couldn't park in our Icon parking lot until 6pm, so dad pulled up along a road and I had to stand lookout for 20 minutes for cops. I felt silly and like a spy. I would have just paid the extra money to not have to had to stand there and waste time, and we could have had a nice leisurely dinner. As it was, we had to rush down our delicious sandwiches at a deli as fast as we could and race to the theater.
The play was wonderful! It was even better than I expected. As you all know, I don't like to see movies or plays twice, so I thought I might be a bit bored. I was not! They have made some small changes since dad and I saw it last, and I understood it much better. Some of the minor connections that I must have missed the first time were clearer. The people were great, in my mind, although Kathy and dad thought Galinda has been better in the past. I thought she was great, as was Elphaba. Our seats were fine for the 56. we paid, and I hope Tom enjoyed his first Broadway play. We did get in a traffic jam on returning home, which was not the best way to end the evening, but we got home about 12:30, which wasn't too bad. Poor Kathy had to be at work at 7am, and the rest of us slept in till 8.
The play was wonderful! It was even better than I expected. As you all know, I don't like to see movies or plays twice, so I thought I might be a bit bored. I was not! They have made some small changes since dad and I saw it last, and I understood it much better. Some of the minor connections that I must have missed the first time were clearer. The people were great, in my mind, although Kathy and dad thought Galinda has been better in the past. I thought she was great, as was Elphaba. Our seats were fine for the 56. we paid, and I hope Tom enjoyed his first Broadway play. We did get in a traffic jam on returning home, which was not the best way to end the evening, but we got home about 12:30, which wasn't too bad. Poor Kathy had to be at work at 7am, and the rest of us slept in till 8.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Saturday, May 03, 2008
So...
Well, if that wasn't just the weirdest but coolest couple of days of my life!! :-)
We're now home and after a nice nap for everyone and Hazel's first at home feeding, we're all doing well. She's sleeping again and Jacob's off at the store picking up some things I didn't know we needed and some lunch.
Hazel's doing really well, though she does have some jaundice. We have to go back to the hospital in the morning for her to get a little more bloodwork done to see if it's getting better or worse. I'm just really, really glad to be home. Jacob has been absolutely wonderful. He got the house all cleaned and all of Hazel's stuff ready yesterday. Most everything was still in disarray since we weren't expecting her for another couple of days.
I'm really tired and on all kinds of fun pain medication. Jacob said the pharmacist gave him a long, long lecture when he picked up my 3 prescriptions and I got a similar lecture from the nurse before leaving. I guess neither of us realized how much of a prescription drug abuse problem there is, especially in Utah. Not that either the pharmacist or the nurse was insinuating that either of us would start abusing my medication, but there was a lot of concern about keeping the medication secure so it doesn't get stolen. Weird. Anyway, overall I'm feeling pretty good - all things considered. Just very, very tired. I may go try to sleep some more since that is what Hazel is doing right now. Seems like a good idea to me. :-)
Thanks for all of the phone calls and the prayers. I know they helped us make it through the adventure of the hospital. Love you all and we'll try to take and post some more pictures later tonight.
We're now home and after a nice nap for everyone and Hazel's first at home feeding, we're all doing well. She's sleeping again and Jacob's off at the store picking up some things I didn't know we needed and some lunch.
Hazel's doing really well, though she does have some jaundice. We have to go back to the hospital in the morning for her to get a little more bloodwork done to see if it's getting better or worse. I'm just really, really glad to be home. Jacob has been absolutely wonderful. He got the house all cleaned and all of Hazel's stuff ready yesterday. Most everything was still in disarray since we weren't expecting her for another couple of days.
I'm really tired and on all kinds of fun pain medication. Jacob said the pharmacist gave him a long, long lecture when he picked up my 3 prescriptions and I got a similar lecture from the nurse before leaving. I guess neither of us realized how much of a prescription drug abuse problem there is, especially in Utah. Not that either the pharmacist or the nurse was insinuating that either of us would start abusing my medication, but there was a lot of concern about keeping the medication secure so it doesn't get stolen. Weird. Anyway, overall I'm feeling pretty good - all things considered. Just very, very tired. I may go try to sleep some more since that is what Hazel is doing right now. Seems like a good idea to me. :-)
Thanks for all of the phone calls and the prayers. I know they helped us make it through the adventure of the hospital. Love you all and we'll try to take and post some more pictures later tonight.
Bird Park - Zoo
Thursday was a holiday here. So I had the day off. I decided I would check out the Jurong Bird Park which was highly recommended by Jemy Kannan, one of my employees. So I hopped on the MRT to the end of the line and then jumped on a bus to the park. In all it took about 40 minutes from my hotel. I have become a minimalist, so I didn't bring the usual backpack filled with water, etc. I brought myself and a camera. It is now that I would love to get a pocket camera, but for now this camera will do.
The park is the world's largest bird park with thousands of species. It was very cool. My favorite parts were the lorry loft where you could feed the lorries and the world's tallest manmade waterfall. At the lorry loft I bought some nectar and waited patiently for some birds to come by and drink out of my hands. It took some patience, but eventually they came flocking. It was fun. The waterful was gorgeous and refreshing - hard to believe it was fake. It was over 100 feet tall. I also saw one of those cool birds of paradise that do the moonwalk (have you seen that Planet Earth episode?). There were also tons of beautiful flowers, which reminded me of Tevia. She would have loved it. I wished my family could have been with me.
Today, being the weekend, I decided to spend some time out at the pool in the morning. I don't have any suntan lotion (left it in PHX) but I figured I would just chill out there for an hour and not have to worry too much. Well, I was wrong. Tonight I am pretty red on my belly and chest. I should have realized since I am probably the whitest I have ever been since being in HK. Before I realized I had fried a little I had decided to go up to the zoo. So I headed out on the MTR again and grabbed a bus there. The weather was wonderful as it was a little cloudy and not too hot. We took the boys here when we were all in Singapore and I remembered enjoying it. But I had forgot how GREAT this zoo is. It seems every animal is awake and close. And it isn't because they have small enclosures. The reality is that most have huge areas to roam around in. But I was able to see most of the animals up close and active. These were my favorites:
Komodo Dragon: we saw these last time we were here, and me being a lizard fan I was excited. But they were just sitting at the back of their pen. This time a big one walked up to the front and planted itself just a few feet in front of me.
Jaguar: I arrived at their beautiful enclosure at feeding time. This meant they were up and anxious and the trainers were throwing pieces of meat all over the place. At one point the one jaguar leaped about 10 feet from the land into the pool to catch the meat. They then played in the water for 15 minutes or so looking for meat on the bottom. I have never really seen cats swim before (in person) and it was amazing to watch. They were so beautiful.
Mountain Lion: I have seen some mountain lions in zoos in the USA, but I've never seen them move. They were moving here. Jumping, running. Amazing.
Flying Fox: this was the coolest part of the day. Flying foxes (bats) are the world's largest bat with wingspans up to 6 feet. In the zoo's rainforest enclosure they had at least a dozen of them. And most of them were feeding on fruit just inches from me! I tried to take pix with my blackberry and will try to post later. I have never seen such cool animals so close. They would hang there upside down with their claws and once in a while they would just fly away and come back. It was so cool. Oddly enough, when one decided he had to take a leak (and yes, you could tell which were boys) he changed from hanging upside down and hung rightside up in order to pee. Very smart. I loved this part of the exhibit and was so distracted by the bats that the free roaming lemurs that you could basically pet (if like me) were a little boring.
I also got to see the cheetah up close and then saw him run away. My boys would have loved that. The white tigers also were swimming. It was a great day. The park is gorgeous and it made me want to move here. I could picture the Wall family at the zoo on the weekends easily.
The park is the world's largest bird park with thousands of species. It was very cool. My favorite parts were the lorry loft where you could feed the lorries and the world's tallest manmade waterfall. At the lorry loft I bought some nectar and waited patiently for some birds to come by and drink out of my hands. It took some patience, but eventually they came flocking. It was fun. The waterful was gorgeous and refreshing - hard to believe it was fake. It was over 100 feet tall. I also saw one of those cool birds of paradise that do the moonwalk (have you seen that Planet Earth episode?). There were also tons of beautiful flowers, which reminded me of Tevia. She would have loved it. I wished my family could have been with me.
Today, being the weekend, I decided to spend some time out at the pool in the morning. I don't have any suntan lotion (left it in PHX) but I figured I would just chill out there for an hour and not have to worry too much. Well, I was wrong. Tonight I am pretty red on my belly and chest. I should have realized since I am probably the whitest I have ever been since being in HK. Before I realized I had fried a little I had decided to go up to the zoo. So I headed out on the MTR again and grabbed a bus there. The weather was wonderful as it was a little cloudy and not too hot. We took the boys here when we were all in Singapore and I remembered enjoying it. But I had forgot how GREAT this zoo is. It seems every animal is awake and close. And it isn't because they have small enclosures. The reality is that most have huge areas to roam around in. But I was able to see most of the animals up close and active. These were my favorites:
Komodo Dragon: we saw these last time we were here, and me being a lizard fan I was excited. But they were just sitting at the back of their pen. This time a big one walked up to the front and planted itself just a few feet in front of me.
Jaguar: I arrived at their beautiful enclosure at feeding time. This meant they were up and anxious and the trainers were throwing pieces of meat all over the place. At one point the one jaguar leaped about 10 feet from the land into the pool to catch the meat. They then played in the water for 15 minutes or so looking for meat on the bottom. I have never really seen cats swim before (in person) and it was amazing to watch. They were so beautiful.
Mountain Lion: I have seen some mountain lions in zoos in the USA, but I've never seen them move. They were moving here. Jumping, running. Amazing.
Flying Fox: this was the coolest part of the day. Flying foxes (bats) are the world's largest bat with wingspans up to 6 feet. In the zoo's rainforest enclosure they had at least a dozen of them. And most of them were feeding on fruit just inches from me! I tried to take pix with my blackberry and will try to post later. I have never seen such cool animals so close. They would hang there upside down with their claws and once in a while they would just fly away and come back. It was so cool. Oddly enough, when one decided he had to take a leak (and yes, you could tell which were boys) he changed from hanging upside down and hung rightside up in order to pee. Very smart. I loved this part of the exhibit and was so distracted by the bats that the free roaming lemurs that you could basically pet (if like me) were a little boring.
I also got to see the cheetah up close and then saw him run away. My boys would have loved that. The white tigers also were swimming. It was a great day. The park is gorgeous and it made me want to move here. I could picture the Wall family at the zoo on the weekends easily.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Hospital is a go
Well, it has been a long night. Long story short is Cari's headache got progressivly worse until 3am when we had to take her in. Her blood pressure is still very high 150/100. They gave her some pain medication for the splitting headache. If her vitals are good, they are going to induce her at 3cm which with the gel stuff working should be between 10am-2pm today. Overall it is good news and she seems to be doing well. We will keep you posted. Don't bother calling as no one is home. If I get bored at the hospital later today I will make some rounds with the telephone.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Singapore
How quickly I forgot how much I love Singapore. The heat, the sunshine... It reminds me of home in the USA and so maybe that is one reason. It is also so green. And by food standards I absolutely love it. Last night I had the privelege to go to No Signboard Seafood with a client and Calvin. Calvin had taken me here (though another, more local setting) last time I was here and I refuse to visit here ever again and not go to this eatery. Honestly it is one of the best meals I have eaten and last night was no disappointment. We ate so much. Our client, visiting from the US - and a very adventurous sort - loved it, too. We started with deep fried baby squid and quickly moved on to the white pepper crab. White pepper crab, which I have only seen here in Singapore, is one of my favorite foods. It is just such a refreshing taste. And to get down into the crab - you have to eat with your hands - seems like such a primitive thing that adds to the experience. We followed it up with Chili crab which is basically the national dish of Singapore. This crab is more spicy with a sort of curry, coconut, and spicy sauce. Once again we devoured the delictable dish. My meal was accompanied by coconuts which I drank in abundance while my two guests drowned themselves in beer. After dinner it was my queue to leave as they wanted to go out and drink some more and visit some "clubs." I went home like a good boy and went to bed.
Today I am switching hotels as this hotel is not that great and in a terrible spot for getting around. It is a holiday here (and in Hong Kong and most of Europe) - May Day. I think it is like labor day. I'm excited to spend the day here and will still be here for a few more days. I'll keep everyone posted on what I do. I think this afternoon I am heading to the bird park.
Today I am switching hotels as this hotel is not that great and in a terrible spot for getting around. It is a holiday here (and in Hong Kong and most of Europe) - May Day. I think it is like labor day. I'm excited to spend the day here and will still be here for a few more days. I'll keep everyone posted on what I do. I think this afternoon I am heading to the bird park.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
May 5th?
Well, the appointment today didn't go so well. Cari's high blood pressure has reached an all time high! Not sure if this was a result of me, Tommy, Andy or all of us put together. Anyway, she is sick as well and considering she has high protein, PIH etc, they are going to to check her Thursday, Sunday and induce her Monday regardless. I am sure she would like calls over the next few days to keep her in a good mood. And please yet at her to stay in bed. We have two grown men in the house and still can't seem to tie this woman down.
Gratz on finally making it home Tom! Let me know when you get Mario Kart. Tevs, if you pick up Mario Kart me and Tom can play online with the boys. I did skip a few birthdays I think, so let me know if they are not getting it soon... I will be a pain and buy it for them:-P
Gratz on finally making it home Tom! Let me know when you get Mario Kart. Tevs, if you pick up Mario Kart me and Tom can play online with the boys. I did skip a few birthdays I think, so let me know if they are not getting it soon... I will be a pain and buy it for them:-P
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Welcome to Hazel
I think we should all guess the welcome day!
She very easily can enter this world on either Rachel's, Jesse's, Mary Pylick's, or Rachel's babies birthday.
I am guessing May 6th.
any other takers?
She very easily can enter this world on either Rachel's, Jesse's, Mary Pylick's, or Rachel's babies birthday.
I am guessing May 6th.
any other takers?
Saturday, April 26, 2008
The Fear of Pain
My first week in Hong Kong this trip has gone quickly. It is hard to be away from family, but I really do like the office here and the people. It will be hard to leave them.
Yesterday during lunch I decided to look for a new place to eat. I often walk along the streets looking for interesting places to eat. While walking around I was stopped at a crosswalk with some people. All of the sudden a woman started to cross the street. The car in the nearest lane had stopped so I believe she may have thought it was safe to cross. As she quickly strolled across the street she didn't even bother to look. Many of us gasped as we knew she was in danger and I could see a van coming right for her. My reaction surprised me. I was no where close enough to grab her or even yell. But in that split second I knew she was going to get hit. And similar to a few years ago when we saw a car in front of us about to get hit - I closed my eyes. I could not watch. I didn't want that picture stained in my brain. I could hear her get hit and opened my eyes to find her on the ground. She looked in shock. She was nowhere near being fatally injured (thank goodness) but her leg looked as though it could be broken and blood was streaming down her face. She tried to stand and two, brave women ran to her and supported her to the sidewalk where they made her lie down. I was amazed that these women could be so quick to react and help. I didn't. I think I was almost in shock. It was like I wanted to be miles away. The police were instantly there running down the street and called for (I'm assuming) and ambulance. The van had stopped and you could tell they didn't know what to do. These two woman stroked the woman's hair and told her she would be okay. The rest of us barely moved and a few of us turned wondering how to dial 911 in Hong Kong (those of us that were Westerners). I eventually moved on my way having lost my appetite and decided that a small bite at McDonald's would do for lunch.
As I thought about this horrible scene I had (almost) witnessed I could only think to pray for this woman and think of my wife and kids far away. I wondered what would happen if I had been hit. Or if one of my boys had and I was miles away. I couldn't stand to think of the pain they would be in. Both physical and mental. And then I realized that my reaction was due to my aversion to pain. Not that I am afraid of pain myself, but I can't stand seeing people in pain. It almost petrifies me. I remember on my mission as APs we were asked to give shots to the missionaries. I couldn't do it. I always had my comp do it. I didn't mind getting shots and I knew it really didn't hurt much - but I couldn't imagine hurting somebody. On TV when they show reruns of people getting injured - I can't watch. Even though many times I have hurt myself the same way (a bad twisted ankle, etc.) but seeing it happen to someone else is painful to me.
I realized that, though this is probably a little extreme in my case, I think we as humans are also afraid to see people in pain. And not just physical pain. And so in a world where we have all the money and things we need, we continue to avoid pain for those we love. We don't want them to get hurt so we don't allow our kids to do the things we did in fear they might get hurt. We support them financially through college so that they don't have to feel what it is like to be desperate or hungry. We let them get away with behavior that we never would have in fear of hurting their feelings if we punish them. We've become soft. And the reality is that pain can be good for us. We can grow from it. We can provide service opportunities for others. Indeed, this seems the be one area that most men can not comprehend when it comes to God. How often do we hear the question how can God allow so much pain and suffering?
In the grand scheme of things all pain is short. In the case of this woman who got hit, the worst case scenario might be a broken leg and maybe a concussion. And though I certainly don't belittle that, we know that most likely a few weeks from now the incident will be nearly forgotten and life will go on as usual. Even if she had died eventually most people in her life will have moved on. And though there may be a longing for her to be near, they will still experience more joy - and probably even more pain. I guess we shouldn't let the fear of pain paralyze us to the point that we, or those we love, don't progress. There was one Man who took upon himself all of our pains. I think as I grow older - and especially have children - I begin to understand more the love He has for us. How many times have I wished that I had gotten the flu rather than my child? How many times had I wished I had his heart condition and not him? And yet Christ loved us enough to take them upon himself - to really feel how we feel - AND let us feel it. So as truly our brother and friend he can say that it is all for our good - and yet he can empathize with us as he did not let us suffer alone. He has felt all we have felt.
Yesterday during lunch I decided to look for a new place to eat. I often walk along the streets looking for interesting places to eat. While walking around I was stopped at a crosswalk with some people. All of the sudden a woman started to cross the street. The car in the nearest lane had stopped so I believe she may have thought it was safe to cross. As she quickly strolled across the street she didn't even bother to look. Many of us gasped as we knew she was in danger and I could see a van coming right for her. My reaction surprised me. I was no where close enough to grab her or even yell. But in that split second I knew she was going to get hit. And similar to a few years ago when we saw a car in front of us about to get hit - I closed my eyes. I could not watch. I didn't want that picture stained in my brain. I could hear her get hit and opened my eyes to find her on the ground. She looked in shock. She was nowhere near being fatally injured (thank goodness) but her leg looked as though it could be broken and blood was streaming down her face. She tried to stand and two, brave women ran to her and supported her to the sidewalk where they made her lie down. I was amazed that these women could be so quick to react and help. I didn't. I think I was almost in shock. It was like I wanted to be miles away. The police were instantly there running down the street and called for (I'm assuming) and ambulance. The van had stopped and you could tell they didn't know what to do. These two woman stroked the woman's hair and told her she would be okay. The rest of us barely moved and a few of us turned wondering how to dial 911 in Hong Kong (those of us that were Westerners). I eventually moved on my way having lost my appetite and decided that a small bite at McDonald's would do for lunch.
As I thought about this horrible scene I had (almost) witnessed I could only think to pray for this woman and think of my wife and kids far away. I wondered what would happen if I had been hit. Or if one of my boys had and I was miles away. I couldn't stand to think of the pain they would be in. Both physical and mental. And then I realized that my reaction was due to my aversion to pain. Not that I am afraid of pain myself, but I can't stand seeing people in pain. It almost petrifies me. I remember on my mission as APs we were asked to give shots to the missionaries. I couldn't do it. I always had my comp do it. I didn't mind getting shots and I knew it really didn't hurt much - but I couldn't imagine hurting somebody. On TV when they show reruns of people getting injured - I can't watch. Even though many times I have hurt myself the same way (a bad twisted ankle, etc.) but seeing it happen to someone else is painful to me.
I realized that, though this is probably a little extreme in my case, I think we as humans are also afraid to see people in pain. And not just physical pain. And so in a world where we have all the money and things we need, we continue to avoid pain for those we love. We don't want them to get hurt so we don't allow our kids to do the things we did in fear they might get hurt. We support them financially through college so that they don't have to feel what it is like to be desperate or hungry. We let them get away with behavior that we never would have in fear of hurting their feelings if we punish them. We've become soft. And the reality is that pain can be good for us. We can grow from it. We can provide service opportunities for others. Indeed, this seems the be one area that most men can not comprehend when it comes to God. How often do we hear the question how can God allow so much pain and suffering?
In the grand scheme of things all pain is short. In the case of this woman who got hit, the worst case scenario might be a broken leg and maybe a concussion. And though I certainly don't belittle that, we know that most likely a few weeks from now the incident will be nearly forgotten and life will go on as usual. Even if she had died eventually most people in her life will have moved on. And though there may be a longing for her to be near, they will still experience more joy - and probably even more pain. I guess we shouldn't let the fear of pain paralyze us to the point that we, or those we love, don't progress. There was one Man who took upon himself all of our pains. I think as I grow older - and especially have children - I begin to understand more the love He has for us. How many times have I wished that I had gotten the flu rather than my child? How many times had I wished I had his heart condition and not him? And yet Christ loved us enough to take them upon himself - to really feel how we feel - AND let us feel it. So as truly our brother and friend he can say that it is all for our good - and yet he can empathize with us as he did not let us suffer alone. He has felt all we have felt.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Just so you know
So just wanted to let you all know that mom will most likely keep blogging on my name as she has already done so. So any weird comments that don't sound like me are not me =)
I Am Legend - Alternative Ending
OK, I know I mentioned that I did not like the ending of "I Am Legend." I did not realize that on the DVD there was an alternative ending. Here it is, with some comments from a fan that are pretty good. I admit I like the alternative ending much better. And judging from the comments, the book sounds really cool. I figure it must be a good book as they've tried making this movie several times. Check it out:
http://www.firstshowing.net/2008/03/05/must-watch-i-am-legends-original-ending-this-is-amazing/
http://www.firstshowing.net/2008/03/05/must-watch-i-am-legends-original-ending-this-is-amazing/
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Quick Update
I had a doctor's appointment today. My protein levels are zero (yeah!!) but my blood pressure is way up again (142/76). So I'm under doctor's orders to keep resting and keep off my feet - same old, same old. My next appointment is in a week, so we'll see if we have any excitement before then. Jacob takes his last two finals tomorrow, so we're personally okay with Hazel showing up anytime after tomorrow. But apparently, it's not up to me...so unfair. We'll keep you posted if anything exciting happens. :-)
Sunday, April 20, 2008
De ja vu
If you want to know how I'm feeling, you pretty much can go back and read my post on March 9. I was in the exact same place I am now (the Singapore Airlines lounge in SFO). In fact, I'm almost in the same seat. I'm listening to some odd movie they have on the plasma TV on ABC Family. I am wondering why in the world am I heading out to Asia again? I am already missing the beauty of my wife's face, the eagerness in Jarek's eyes, the sound of Malik's voice, and the cuddly body of Enok. I head off once again alone in a different part of the world. To be pampered and see exotic places which will be mostly wasted on me as I just wish my family was with me. Let's just hope the time passes quickly.
I haven't had a stretch of life like this before. The past year has been such a surprise. So many things happening - so many options. I am so used to pre-seeing my life and taking the appropriate steps to get there. I had envisioned living abroad, and once that happened last summer it seems like things have been evolving so quickly. Now I sit thinking...wondering...what will life bring at me next. Well over a year ago I envisioned myself taking over the role at Prudential I interviewed for last week. Will that be my next step? Or will the Wall clan travel across another ocean and live in the Old World. Will Enok learn to speak with a British accent? Will the Walls be sprawled around the globe with Kathy in Hawaii, us in Europe, and Tommy somewhere else on the globe? Sometimes it is exciting to think of what may come. Other times it is frustrating. I am grateful that we have the Lord to help direct us and I look forward to what will come. Who knows, maybe we'll end up back in NY. As I interviewed for the job last week I was asked if I would be willing to relocate back to the East Coast.
In the meantime I will hope the next 4 weeks come and go quickly. I feel like a kid the month before Christmas as I count down the days. I wonder how effective I can be in my job role being constantly distracted and looking forward to next month. Thank goodness I was able to cut this assignment down to 3 months instead of 4. Yes, this is just a small piece of our lives that will have me separated. But so much can happen in such a small amount of time. These two weeks brought wonderful memories - like hearing Enok say "I love you dada" or seeing Jarek so excited to go to scouts. Even going to see "Joseph and the technicolor coat" with my wife was wonderful. Life is so precious. And for a few weeks I put it on hold and wait to get back into it.
I haven't had a stretch of life like this before. The past year has been such a surprise. So many things happening - so many options. I am so used to pre-seeing my life and taking the appropriate steps to get there. I had envisioned living abroad, and once that happened last summer it seems like things have been evolving so quickly. Now I sit thinking...wondering...what will life bring at me next. Well over a year ago I envisioned myself taking over the role at Prudential I interviewed for last week. Will that be my next step? Or will the Wall clan travel across another ocean and live in the Old World. Will Enok learn to speak with a British accent? Will the Walls be sprawled around the globe with Kathy in Hawaii, us in Europe, and Tommy somewhere else on the globe? Sometimes it is exciting to think of what may come. Other times it is frustrating. I am grateful that we have the Lord to help direct us and I look forward to what will come. Who knows, maybe we'll end up back in NY. As I interviewed for the job last week I was asked if I would be willing to relocate back to the East Coast.
In the meantime I will hope the next 4 weeks come and go quickly. I feel like a kid the month before Christmas as I count down the days. I wonder how effective I can be in my job role being constantly distracted and looking forward to next month. Thank goodness I was able to cut this assignment down to 3 months instead of 4. Yes, this is just a small piece of our lives that will have me separated. But so much can happen in such a small amount of time. These two weeks brought wonderful memories - like hearing Enok say "I love you dada" or seeing Jarek so excited to go to scouts. Even going to see "Joseph and the technicolor coat" with my wife was wonderful. Life is so precious. And for a few weeks I put it on hold and wait to get back into it.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Visit to Cleveland
I am extremely grateful for the opportunity I had to visit my family. I need to see how she is really doing, and I can only do that by being there for more than a quick visit. I felt honored to serve her, after all she has done for me. Life gets harder for her and Milan all the time. She can hardly shop alone, especially to try on shoes, pants, etc. They both barely cook, and are tired just after a shower. I accomplished much, and saw everyone I wanted. I got to go the cemetery with Mike, which was great. It was a sweet visit, yet, it tries one's patience, as older people are very very very set in their ways. I hope I am not like this too much when I am old. Carol had to return to the hospital because her scar became infected and they had to do more surgery. She was in the hospital when I left. For the first time ever, I thought the thought that she could die before dad. That had never entered my mind. I had lots of good thoughts, and new stories from mom, some of which I recorded. I had a nice lunch with Frank, cleaned, shopped, cooked, watched a lot of Matlock and old movies, and played Shang Hi, (I won!) She is very much excited and looking forward to seeing everyone in August. Don't forget, Rachel has invited anyone who wants to join them in an indoor bike place on that Saturday.
Movies and Books
Okay, I know you all liked Twilite, which I agree was fun to read, and I would categorize it as eye candy. I am now reading March, by Graldine Brooks. Excellent!!!!! A must read for those who liked Little Women, and also books about slavery and prejudice, (Kathy). The author writes the story about Mr. March, the girls' father, when he is away at war. Now this has romance, but depth, character detail, sadness, and a little too much blood for Kathy, probably to read. It grabs you from the first moment you start it, and it paints the picture so vividly, it takes you away and you feel like you are there smelling the smells and listening, seeing, and feeling. I love her use of vocab, and had to look up many words. I have 2 more chapters, but I am savoring them, one a night. I just love to read it, and when I find a book like this, I only read a bit a day to treasure it.
I took my mom to see 21, the movie about black jack. it was rated C in her newspaper, but she was determined to see it. she had read it was a true story about these college guys who were caught in Vegas counting cards. I haven't heard that or read that, but she wanted to see it, so we went, as she never gets to go to movies unless I am in town. we liked it. I can't say we loved it, but it is good enough to rent or netflix. It does have a few strip club scenes that are terrible, and maybe should have made this movie an R. I think dad will like it, because of how they did it. I didn't understand the principle, but I think any of you smart math guys would. I guess there may be better ways to here this story about how to count cards in Vegas, but, hey, they paid my way and we got out of the house!
I took my mom to see 21, the movie about black jack. it was rated C in her newspaper, but she was determined to see it. she had read it was a true story about these college guys who were caught in Vegas counting cards. I haven't heard that or read that, but she wanted to see it, so we went, as she never gets to go to movies unless I am in town. we liked it. I can't say we loved it, but it is good enough to rent or netflix. It does have a few strip club scenes that are terrible, and maybe should have made this movie an R. I think dad will like it, because of how they did it. I didn't understand the principle, but I think any of you smart math guys would. I guess there may be better ways to here this story about how to count cards in Vegas, but, hey, they paid my way and we got out of the house!
Scary, I know...
So, my mom expressed an interest in seeing a profile shot to get an idea of just how large I am, now at 36 weeks and an undisclosed weight. So since I'm sharing with her, I thought I'd share with all of you too! Here's a shot of my Hazel-caused belly, in all its glory. Enjoy!
Also, here's the update on my health situation: we're heading to the doctor in about an hour for my scheduled appointment. I'm now on maternity leave, which means that I lay on the couch about 8 hours a day instead of work. Oh joy. My blood pressure feels like it's getting higher (my feet are getting more swollen at any rate) but I'll leave that up to the professionals to determine in a little while. We'll keep you posted on what the doctor says and what's going on out here!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Allergic to USA - I Am Legend
So since I have been back in the States I have been miserable with allergies. Everyone is here in Phoenix, but I find it funny that I have not been sick once in Hong Kong and I have twice here in the States. What's up with the germs here? It has been nice being back. The weather is great. The family is loving.
Last night we watched "I Am Legend." I had heard various reviews about this movie - from people who hated it to people who loved it. I liked it. But I do think the movie had some flaws. I would say the first half was some of the best acting and filmwork in recent history. Will Smith was amazing at depicting a person suffering loneliness and terror and conviction. The second half seemed almost like a different film. And one thing that really annoyed me was that the "dark seekers" looked totally fake. Could they not have made them a little more "real?" Or was it just me? Every time they were on the screen it looked so animated and fake. I also thought they didn't focus enough on the "God spoke to me" theme. Why not end the film with some ambiguity (e.g. Children of Men) where the viewer is forced to decide whether God really did speak to her or not. I'd like to read the book as I wonder if it has more detail and a different ending. I know several films are based on this book so it must be pretty good.
Last night we watched "I Am Legend." I had heard various reviews about this movie - from people who hated it to people who loved it. I liked it. But I do think the movie had some flaws. I would say the first half was some of the best acting and filmwork in recent history. Will Smith was amazing at depicting a person suffering loneliness and terror and conviction. The second half seemed almost like a different film. And one thing that really annoyed me was that the "dark seekers" looked totally fake. Could they not have made them a little more "real?" Or was it just me? Every time they were on the screen it looked so animated and fake. I also thought they didn't focus enough on the "God spoke to me" theme. Why not end the film with some ambiguity (e.g. Children of Men) where the viewer is forced to decide whether God really did speak to her or not. I'd like to read the book as I wonder if it has more detail and a different ending. I know several films are based on this book so it must be pretty good.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Carol Pylick, and Cleveland
Just 2 days after my dad was allowed to start driving, Carol started not feeling well. She went 2 days, until the pain was unbearable, and dad drove her to the hospital. she had immediate surgery, and her appendix, (is that spelled right?) was removed. It had started to burst, and was perforated, so she got some poison in her system. Also, they had to make the incision larger than usual, because they started with a 2" one, but her appendix was growing up instead of down, so they kept enlarging the incision, which is now 6" long. She is resting in the same hospital my dad has spent so much time in this year. They are having a tough year. They are keeping her longer than usual, worried about infection. she is on iv antibiotics. I will likely go visit her at the hospital tomorrow. My mom should not like that....
I leave tomorrow, the 9th, early, and arrive at noon. I will be staying at my mom's, so call my cell or her phone if you need me. 440-845-1349
I am taking her shoe shopping, to see Johny's grave, teaching her some new easy meals, washing her windows, and taking her to her church. I am grateful that I don't have to work full time, so I can spend this time with her.
My brother Frank is taking us to lunch on Thursday, and Mike and I are driving to the Calvary cemetery on Saturday where I hope to get some new info on the old pylick line and see their headstones. I am hoping to get lucky, and find their father buried there. I am driven to go, and have been for 2 years, so I hope it is a spiritual direction to go there. I didn't go last year because my mom says it is a 'bad' neighborhood, and I will need a guy to protect me. :)
Call and bother dad on Sunday so he isn't too lonely.
t
I leave tomorrow, the 9th, early, and arrive at noon. I will be staying at my mom's, so call my cell or her phone if you need me. 440-845-1349
I am taking her shoe shopping, to see Johny's grave, teaching her some new easy meals, washing her windows, and taking her to her church. I am grateful that I don't have to work full time, so I can spend this time with her.
My brother Frank is taking us to lunch on Thursday, and Mike and I are driving to the Calvary cemetery on Saturday where I hope to get some new info on the old pylick line and see their headstones. I am hoping to get lucky, and find their father buried there. I am driven to go, and have been for 2 years, so I hope it is a spiritual direction to go there. I didn't go last year because my mom says it is a 'bad' neighborhood, and I will need a guy to protect me. :)
Call and bother dad on Sunday so he isn't too lonely.
t
Thursday, April 03, 2008
My Physical Problems
So here's the deal with me: at my latest OB appointment yesterday, the doctor diagnosed me with mild preclampsia (aka pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH), aka toxemia). I'd like to tell you all that it's not a big deal, but then Jacob would get on my case for lying. It's isn't a HUGE, HUGE deal, but it is a pretty big deal. Basically, my body isn't able to keep up with the extra stress of being preganant and some of my organs (specifically my liver, from what I understand) aren't completely doing their jobs because they aren't getting enough bloodflow. So for now, the doctor has me on a very strict schedule of rest, but at least it isn't complete bedrest. I have to lay down on my left side for 1 hour in the morning, 2 hours in the afternoon, and a total of 10 hours at night, including sleeping time, obviously. The rest is supposed to increase my circulation and give my liver a chance to catch up on cleaning up my blood instead of leaving nasty stuff in it like it is right now.
My employer has been very nice and flexible about all of this and is letting me work half-days at the office and then some extra hours at home so that I can get finished up the things I need to do before I go on maternity leave and also so I have something to do so I don't go nuts with waiting for something to happen. Jacob has been very good about taking care of me, making meals, making sure I'm resting as much as I should, etc. So despite the condition and what it's doing to me, I've been very blessed with everyone around me being so understanding and helpful. And the best news is that this really isn't affecting the baby very much. She's going to be just fine, though she may make her appearance earlier than anticipated. Which, as long as she's healthy, is ok with me. :-) So I'm just spending a lot of time laying down getting sick of stupid TV shows.
So that's the latest. Overall, things are pretty good. We're about ready for Hazel to get here, and it's looking like that's a good thing, considering how soon she might be here! I have a doctor's appointment next Wednesday and we'll know more what to expect after that. We'll keep you posted.
My employer has been very nice and flexible about all of this and is letting me work half-days at the office and then some extra hours at home so that I can get finished up the things I need to do before I go on maternity leave and also so I have something to do so I don't go nuts with waiting for something to happen. Jacob has been very good about taking care of me, making meals, making sure I'm resting as much as I should, etc. So despite the condition and what it's doing to me, I've been very blessed with everyone around me being so understanding and helpful. And the best news is that this really isn't affecting the baby very much. She's going to be just fine, though she may make her appearance earlier than anticipated. Which, as long as she's healthy, is ok with me. :-) So I'm just spending a lot of time laying down getting sick of stupid TV shows.
So that's the latest. Overall, things are pretty good. We're about ready for Hazel to get here, and it's looking like that's a good thing, considering how soon she might be here! I have a doctor's appointment next Wednesday and we'll know more what to expect after that. We'll keep you posted.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Family worries
"There are times when you are fearful, when the stress and busyness of
life seem to overwhelm you, when you feel adrift from the Spirit. Perhaps
you even feel as though you have been abandoned. When I encounter those
feelings, the best antidote is my memory of the moments when Christ's
peace has come to strengthen me. . . . I invite you to remember with me
what it is to feel the Lord's love in your life and to feel encircled
in His arms."
Topics: peace, Jesus Christ, love
(Kathleen H. Hughes, "Remembering the Lord's Love," Ensign, Nov. 2006, 111)
This is a great way to relieve stress. My worries as a mother are heavy today.
My oldest son is far away from his family. My next son is looking for his first
big job, trying to pass classes, and his wife is now in trouble physically. My
beautiful daughter has a love far away in Iraq, and my youngest son is preparing
for a mission, which can be a very tempting time. Cari is probably scared and
worried. Tevia is doing the work of 2 parents. Satan can surely see opportunities
here.
What can I do as a mother? Besides pray, which I do daily, twice, I will also put
Cari and Jacob's name in the temple on Friday. I put Jimmy's in last month, and Kathy's.
I put Tevia and Bret's the month they were making their decision.
What else? I encourage you all to be especially diligent at reading your Book of Mormon.
Listen to sweet songs of the Spirit, and watch as much of conference as you can.
Let us be extra careful, and keep temptations far away.
Let us be extra prayerful and thoughtful.
Oh how I wish I could put my arms around each of you right now and say, everything will
be all right.
As the little blue bird mother protects her nest from even people as large as me, I wish
I could protect all of you.
But I can't, but the Gospel can. Stay close to the Lord.
I am here for you all.
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