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SUNDAY, JANUARY 25th - 2009

This is what we found when we left the house to go to church this morning:

It made us later than we usually are.  It was shot out by a bb gun.  Apparently someone had some fun last night.  As Brian was outside sweeping up the mess, a police car drove by and asked him some questions.  There were more than 30 reported cases of vandalism last night in our neighborhood and the one next to ours.  And those were just the ones that reported.  It's frustrating.  On the bright side - Brian says we'll have to go back to Mission Beach soon to get another sticker for the car.  I'm all for that.  

On a happier note - mom is home from China - woo hoo!  Brian went and picked her up from the airport late last night.   So, even though it's not the first Sunday of the month, we went to Mom and Dad's for family home evening tonight and she handed out souvenirs.  

These are the Terracotta of Qin Dynasty:
The Terracotta soldiers were found in the Tomb of Emperor Shi of Qin Dynasty in 1974.  About 8000 of these were found.  It is said that each of them is unique and different.  They are thought to be about 2000 years old.  

The girls also got pretty silk scarves: 

The boys got silk ties and chopsticks (of course).  Joe can't wait to wear his panda tie to church next week.

The grandkids also got individual gifts. Here are Michael and Joe showing off their new Oakley's.  Apparently you can get them REALLY cheap in China.  Especially if you have a friend like my mom's friend Kay who went with her.  She really knows how to haggle.  

The little guys got these Panda hat's.  It was hard to get a picture of the two of them together.  They are always on the move.  Joshua was especially happy to get his Kung Fu Panda hat.  He really loves that movie right now.

It was fun to have mom back.  10 days was too long for her to be gone.  Thanks for all of the awesome gifts mom!  

Also mom, I know you haven't blogged since October, but I fully expect to see your pictures of China up on your blog soon.  Especially the Great Wall.  I'll be checking, so hurry up.

Inkheart

SATURDAY, JANUARY 24th - 2009

Today was a busy day.  Brian and Joe had a merit badge round up for scouts today.  They were there from about 6:45 until noon.  Then Joe had a friend over to play some rock band (of course).  

Also, Brian, Joe and I went to see this with Sheri's family:

Joe and I were A LOT skeptical to say the least.  Inkheart is one of my all time favorite books ever.  Joe likes it too.  And anytime a good book is made into a movie, they pretty much butcher it.  They change story lines, add things that aren't supposed to be there etc.  It's very frustrating for me.  It's ruined a lot of movies for me that I think I would have otherwise liked had I not read the book first.  

We could tell from the commercials that they took A LOT of liberties with it and added a whole bunch and changed a lot.  However, my favorite character in the book - Dustfinger -  is also played by one of my favorite actors - Paul Bettany.  I don't think they could have cast that any better.  

So, I told Joe, just pretend you haven't read the book and don't go in there expecting anything.  So we went.  I look over him after the first 5 minutes and he is already shaking his head because it's not following the book very closely.   It turns out that when I ended up liking the movie.  Of course, it was no where near as good as the book, but if you haven't read it, then you won't know what you are missing.  And, Paul Bettany as Dustfinger made the whole show.  He was fantastic.  I didn't like the casting for Basta.  He is another of my favorite characters and they really chose poorly for him.  Oh well.  

I wasn't really keen on Brendan Fraser as Mo either.  I thought it was weird that the story takes place in Europe and all of the characters had European accents except for Mo - even though his daughter DID have an accent.  But, apparently the author Cornelia Funke really likes Brendan Fraser.  She even has a dedication to him in the second book of the series, Inkspell.  "To Brendan Fraser, whose voice is the heart of this book.  Thanks for inspiration and enchantment.  Mo wouldn't have stepped into my writing room without you, and this story would never have been told."  He also voiced 2 of her books on tape: Inkspell and Dragon Rider.

Anyway, It was fun to get out of the house for a while.

What's your favorite recipe?

FRIDAY, JANUARY 23rd - 2009

Today I spent the morning at the doctor's office.  That's always fun.  I had to get blood drawn.  They filled 3 vials.  I'm getting tested for all kinds of things.  Maybe they will FINALLY be able to figure out what's wrong with me.

On a side note.  I am sick to death of everything I have in here:

I need some new recipes and some new ideas for dinners.  What do you make for your family that they love?  

Help!

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22nd - 2009

Tonight Joe and I went to orientation for Junior High School.  WHAT?  How did this happen?  How did he get to be old enough to be in junior high school?  I'm freaking out here.  Also, I need help.  I don't know which school to choose.  Right now I have 3 different schools in mind and I have pro's and con's for each one, but I really can't decide.

So, I need some advice for anyone who has already been through this.  How did you pick a school?  Which school did you pick?  Did you like it?  If so, why?  I can't wait much longer to decide.  All of the schools are registering now.  Like I said.  I'm freaking out.  Any advice would be much appreciated.  

midnight rain

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21st - 2009

So this photo-a-day thing is kind of annoying sometimes.  I mean most days it's more of the same - bills, cleaning, ironing, helping Joe with homework, etc.  Nothing much exciting to write home about.  Often at the end of the day I find myself thinking "oh crap, I didn't take a dang picture of the day today."  What would there have been to take a picture of anyway?  

 

Today was one of those days.  I realized pretty late on that I hadn't taken a photo.  Thankfully, around midnight it started raining, and you all know how much I love the rain, so that's what your getting.

It's hard to take a picture in the dark.  I couldn't really tell what I was taking a picture of, I just wanted to capture some rain.  There are a couple of little dot's on there, but you can't really tell its raining.

So, I took this picture too:  
Here you can actually see the rain dots on the sidewalk.  Then, I hurried and put my camera away and I went and stood outside in the rain for about 10 minutes.  It smelled so good - the wet dirt mixed with pine tree smell.  It was fabulous to stand outside and smell the rain and feel it on my face.  It really made my day. 

 It's all about the little things in life that make you happy, right?

Tarterrior

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20th - 2009

Today I am writing about my nephew Adam.  As Sheri has him listed on her blog list, he is a LITERARY GENIUS.  As soon as I figure out how to add him to my list I will (Brian, this means you need to add him to my list).  He is my eldest nephew - 18 years old.  My mom and dad's first grandkid.  Adam is incredibly talented.  I've written about him on my blog before.  Usually I am referring to his acting ability.  I've seen all of his high school plays.  Today I am referring to his talent at writing.  

He is currently in the process of writing a book series.  Yeah, not just a book, but a whole series of books, all centered around this world he has created.  To quote from his blog:  The Tarterrior series is an eight part story in which the origin and the lives of dragons are related.  The story follows - for the most part Wreaknatter Drudlok and his two threats to power, Alsenoth Ongeller and Markus Lumengar.  The story, told through a narrative switch style, is the rise and fall of Wreaknatter, the evil lord of Carthraith and how his actions effect the world of Tarterrior."

The 8 book series spans 112 years.  I am just so in awe of his mind.  He has created this whole other world with places and characters that are amazing.  I have read the first 8 chapters of book 1 and I've seen his outlines for books 1-3.  And, I've read the final scene of the series.  So, yeah, I know how it ends and it's pretty cool.  He has really thought this all through and has created a complex and interesting world of fantasy.  

I love to read, especially fantasy adventure books, so this is right up my alley.  For any of you who also love to read, I encourage you to check out his blog.  It is tarterrior.blogspot.com.  He shares bits and pieces of his chapters, artwork from the book and has even added some fun quizzes.  He would love to know what you think - leave him a comment.  

Here is the sketch for his first book cover - Tarterrior: The Rise of the Sixth Kingdom.

Can't wait for this to be published.  It's going to be awesome.  Joseph is totally into it too - a fantasy book about dragons - how could he not be?

zoo day

MONDAY, JANUARY 19th - 2009

Since there was no school today, Sheri and I decided to take the kids to the zoo.  Apparently everyone else on the planet had the same idea.  It was pretty crowded.  However, the nice thing about the zoo is that there are no lines to wait in, and the kids can pretty much weasel their way to the front so they can see the animals.  I was frustrated with the blazing sunlight today, it really is not conducive to picture taking.  Here are a few from the day:

Every time I see the little owl's, I suddenly want to watch the movie "Hoot".  They are so adorable.

Gotta love the giraffe's.  They are so cool looking and plus they are super tall and easy to see over the crowd's heads.  
Isn't this the cutest bunch of monkeys you've ever seen?
My favorite picture of the day:

Joe and Max.  Two of my favorite boys.  They are wearing the same shirt today, as well as the same expression on their faces.

Took tons of more photo's of course, but don't want to post them all here.  You've been to the zoo.  You know what it's like.

We spent the most time watching the otters.  They are Joseph's favorite.  What is your favorite animal at the zoo?

Joe's room

SUNDAY, JANUARY 18th - 2009

Now that we get home from church at noon on Sundays, the day seems to drag on and on.  By late afternoon Joe and I are bored.  I'm thinking what can I possibly take for my picture of the day today?  It's just a lazy Sunday.  Nothing special.  So, Joe and I decide to take pictures of his room.   Here are a few:

The skeleton pirate that guards the entrance:

One of the MANY dragons that guard the inside:
His favorite superhero action figure:

And, his most prized possessions  - his guitar and his kitty (that is Shadow's favorite chair to sit in).

We somehow neglected to take a picture of his 2nd most prized possession - his books.

What are some of your prized possessions (try and keep it clean this time Sheri - jk)?

Saturday in numbers

SATURDAY, JANUARY 17th - 2009

The number of miles I did at the gym today. For those of you avid exercisers out there, this may not seem like a lot, but for me, it was the most I've done in a long long time.

The number of miles Joe did on his scout hike today (add a .3 to that).  Good considering he really didn't want to go.

The number of boys Brian took to the movies this afternoon.

The number of hours I had all to myself.

The number of hours I spent on the couch doing absolutely nothing.  It was great! Hey, I had to have some recovery time from my morning at the gym.  

music therapy

FRIDAY, JANUARY 16TH - 2009

So, I've had a severe case of the grouchies for about 2 days now.  I don't know what my problem is, I've just been in a BAD mood.  No particular reason.  Today was not looking up.  I had a TON of errands to run, and I really dislike running errands.  The only benefit of being in the car all day is that I get to listen to music - and I LOVE music.  So, to make the errands more enjoyable I popped in a cd, rolled down the windows and sang along really loudly.  My music of choice?  The All American Rejects.  They are my current favorite.  I can't get enough of them.

I was feeling much better in no time.  It's funny how music does that to me.  It makes everything better.  Even 5 hours of errands (I'm NOT even joking - I was in the car for about 5 hours today).   The only problem is that now I am dying to see them in concert.

What is your therapy?  What makes you feel better when you are down?

missing mom

THURSDAY, JANUARY 15th - 2009

When I went to my mom's today, this is what I saw:

This is the chair where mom is usually sitting when I come in the house.  She left for China yesterday and won't be back for 11 days.  I miss her already.

On a side note, Joe and I went to Target after school today and we saw something we NEVER want to see again.  As we were walking into the store we couldn't help but notice that the lady in front of us was wearing what seemed to be a pair of cut off tights as shorts.  And no, they were NOT spandex, which would have been bad enough.  They were truly tight tights.  Let me just say that this is a crime against nature.  When the sun hit her backside I saw things that I should never have to see in public.  I could totally see through them, and on this trip she apparently decided to go sans underwear.  We saw peach color through those black skin tight shorts - I think Joe may be scarred for life.

A word of warning to any of you out there who may, for whatever crazy reason, get the urge to wear your tights as pants - they may seem black when you are indoors, but as soon as the light hits those things, they are totally see-through.  Please please please don't ever make this mistake.  

de-mantling

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14th - 2009

Why is it so much more fun to put up the Christmas decorations than it is to take them down?   

Is it just me, or does it seem like a lot more work putting everything away?

Oranges

TUESDAY, JANUARY 13th - 2009

Here is a highlight of my day:

It doesn't necessarily mean I had a bad day, it just means that the orange I had this afternoon was REALLY good.  

One of my favorite parts about winter time (there are a lot) is the fact that the citrus fruit is ripe and ready to be eaten.  I wait all year for this.  And the orange I had today was fabulous - I think I may have another.

What things do you look forward to?  

Happy

MONDAY, JANUARY 12th - 2009

This morning I got a call from my mom telling me that Addy & Ro were there.   So of course, I rushed right over.  I love hanging out with these kids.  Addy and I went downstairs to play dolls.  Joshua and Rowan came downstairs to play too.  Don't worry Darrel, Ro didn't play dolls with us.  He just stole mine out of my hands and ran for it.  That's why he looks so happy here, he thinks he got away with it.  

Speaking of happy - Ro is one of the happiest people I know.  His smile just lights up a room.  Just look at it (go on and take another look at the picture, I'll wait).  And, just about everything makes him happy.  I love his playful personality and his cute smile.  It's contagious.  I just dare you to try being in a bad mood when your around a kid with a smile like his.  

Today was a happy day.  

FHE

SUNDAY, JANUARY 11th - 2009

So we are having family home evening on Sunday and I look over at Brian and this is what I see:

Glad to know he was paying attention.

Isn't he cute all bundled up in his blankets?  I think he was cold.  I do avoid turning on the heat if at all possible.

Having a Day

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10th - 2009

Last night Brian says to me: "Let's have a day tomorrow".   I know when I hear "Let's have a day", that Brian wants to go DO something, be out and about.  Being the homebody that I am, I don't usually feel the need to be out and about, but I know it makes him happy, so I agree.

So, we had a day.  First we went to lunch with my mom and dad.  We went to Cheesecake Factory.  

Then we went to Sam's club to look at a table.  We desperately need a new kitchen table and set of chairs.

That was enough out and abouting for me, but Brian wasn't done having a day yet.  He and Joe went to Tilly's to spend their Christmas gift cards.
And, as Brian pointed out, he can't be THAT close to Gelato Premio and not go in for some gelato.  He brought me home peppermint - yum!

When he got home, he quickly took down the Christmas lights from off the house.  Then, he parked it on the couch and watched some football.

Sounds like he had a day to me.

What do you like to do when you "have a day"?

good friends

FRIDAY, JANUARY 9th - 2009

Joe had a couple of friends come over after school today.  

I am really happy that my son has made such good friends.  He had a good time.  When he is happy, then I am happy.

My date with Evan

THURSDAY, JANUARY 8th - 2009

Today I had a date with a REALLY cute boy!

He drives a HOT car.

He was a little shy at first, I couldn't hardly get him to look at me.
Then, his friend tagged along, and everything was ok.
We played cars.
We played Buzz Lightyear.

Then, we watched Buzz Lightyear.
We played on the swings for a while.
And then, we went for a walk.
We checked the trees for birdies.
We explored some wilderness.
We stopped in the grass a while.
Then we went down to the end of the road and watched the cars.  Evan really liked the trucks.
We had a good time.
It was a great date.  I'd do it again any time.  However, only 2 of the 3 musketeers were there.  Next time we need Rowan there for sure.

Joe's cute face

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7th - 2009

So, It's late and Joe is getting ready for bed and I realized that I hadn't taken a picture of the day, so I ask Joe:  " I didn't take my picture of the day yet, what should I take a picture of?"  And he replies: "My cute face."  And so I did.