Adventures of December 20th

What is this?

...something people are always telling you not to do.

A clue...

That's right.... I didn't even touch the glue with that hand... though obviously somehow I did.

New Favorite Band

and by new favorite, I don't mean they've replaced my dido, but that they are new to my list of favorites. I've only gotten a handful of songs so far, but I like 'em in their chillin' mellow way.

They actually do their tour by bicycle and haul all their equipment behind them on little bike trailers. How sweet is that. LINK

Quote of the day

Brett: For 11 thousand dollars each we can go to Antarctica
Charlotte: I'm pretty sure I can condemn our souls for free hun, so we're kinda set.

Merry Christmas

Because this is how we pop it.

It has been a while,

So I decided I could post another picture of my dog.


I swear I'm not totally obsessed... it is just that I have no friends :)

And to give myself the appearance of mental Stability, here is an Outhier Fam photo from Thanksgiving

Following the Leader

I'm not sure what purpose the "followers" really has other than helping people visualize your entourage, but I am trying it out. Maybe it has a practical purpose. I am going to test it out... since I have two followers anyway, I may as well show them off.

PG

It has come to my attention, that everyone is pregnant. So, if you are preggers, and haven't told me yet, you might as well announce it, because I already know... because everyone is pregnant. The sooner you tell me, the better chance you have of me making you something crappy that you have to pretend to like. Get it over with so that you have time to loose said item before the baby is actually born. Oops.

too cute

A co worker sent me the link for this. I love nerdy puns.

Tis the Season to be Purple

Deep Purple.

There are two things I have been somewhat obsessively interested in lately. One is Purple Tops and dresses, the other is cheek & lip stain.

I won a "color season" consultation with an 80ish year old womann at a Relief Society service auction. I never win anything nearly as cool as I've donated, so bid this just cause it was funny (and cute). Lucky me. The lady had brought a 30 year old color analysis book with her so we could get all excited about it.

Well, she decided I was a "Winter." This is probably the last season I would have guessed, and am not yet convinced; however, f I am a winter, these would be my colors"

So more or less out of curiosity (and denial) I played with what little purple make up I had, found that purple lip gloss looked surprisingly not purple on my cheeks, put on my dark purple tank top (my only purple clothing item... only wore once or twice) and decided that purple is in deed my power color. Not my Favorite color, mind you (I still see purple clothes and think "ick"... can't quite picture my self putting them on) but I really like how it looks on me.

Moral of this story is that now I want this purple wine lip and cheek stain at Sephoria fairly badly (and highly tempted by the berry tarte one too)... as well as the clinique black honey purplish lipstick (though since it isn't know to stay, not so much. But must excersize self control because I haven't even tested it out on my skin yet AND because I am saving up so that in January I can take belly dancing or tennis classes through the community, unlike last time when I wanted to but couldn't because I was too poor.

Oh so pretty

I told my desktop to center the image, and now this is my new Desktop.
Isn't he a fox?

Tee he he.

Remember miss baby hungry?, Well, I just found out that she is 5 months pregnant, which means within a month of that conversation we had...

Office

Brett needed a desk so that we would have more room to put the printers, etc, and he got a new chair (Because both the office chairs we had were cruddy ones someone else was throwing away), So we decided to move up to dad's office. Yea for sharing. This means we might move our bedroom into the previous "office/bedroom," and make our bedroom into a more useful bedroom for when siblings come down for christmas (if they end up coming). We also ended up getting me an actual desk.. so that is how we spent some of the money Brett got pre paid for one of his projects.

And is also how we spent T.G. Weekend aside from the 2 thanksgivings. Pictures

Mom said she wouldn't move until I took a picture, I was obedient.
Wall #1
wall#2, Dad's Corner/"U"
Wall#2 and 3- Brett's Corner

Wall # 3, I don't get no corner.
Wall less balcony and all the Junk we are supposed to move by wednesday afternoon. Also, Po's Buttox.



In the old office, Po Slept at my feet under the dresser I used for a desk, Now He has a bunk-bed on Brett's old Leg unfriendly desk.. the new printer desk.
Now you want a bunk bed tooo.

worth the wait

I'ts been a while, but believe me, this post is worth it.

Although I doubt that I will get a new bike for christmas, I am hoping enough that I've been researching so that I can go into stores and know better what to look for. Good news is, that as long as my parents are willing to spent $13000, I need not look any further.

Introducing the conference bike (I'm holding out for a mountain bike model... I hope they come out with one soon.

and incase some one argues with me, I know it is technically a tricycle.

Happy Thanksgiving.

I made an mini apple pie last night, but didn't eat any of it. I was told it was good enough for me to make for 2nd Thanksgiving on Saturday. For those of you on my mother's side of the family, lets hope it wasn't a lie.

Spent the day with Brett's mom at B's uncles house. It would have been a lot more fun if Polo had behaved so oddly. Mom and Dad were going to be out and didn't think we should leave poor Po locked up, so we brought him with us. Even though he got along fine with their dogs, and wagged his tail happily indoors with the people, he spent the first 3 hours whining none stop. I don't know if he was simply over stimulated, or what.

Any how, I am sad to report their were no inconvenient or interesting adventures today.

Notice to Public

Adendum to park rules:

1. When a PUBLIC park says it closes at 10 pm, that does not mean that between the hours of 9 pm and 10 pm you are the only one allowed to use it-even if you really really like the parks quarter mile paved loop.

2. Lets say boy and a girl in their mid 20's arrive and, holding hands, they walk their dog around the same loop you are walking (because, well, the loop pretty much is the park). Lets say the couple started out about an 8th of a mile behind you, but is walking slightly faster than you and eventually begins to lap you. THERE IS A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE THEY ARE SIMPLY THEIR TO WALK THEIR DOG, AND ARE NOT THERE TO STALK YOU.

3. If you desire some privacy with your precious phone you have (at least)three choices:

1. Yell and scream at aforementioned couple so that they take off their headphones in time to hear you say "can't I have 5 f'n minutes to my self blah blah blah blah." This option may succeed in getting under someone's skin, but it will also make you look stupid and enhance negative stereotypes you may already be subject to.
2. You can recognize they have headphones and probably don't really care to listen in to your drama, drug dealings, or what have you.
3. You can wave your hand and make eye contact to get their attention, and then kindly explain to them that you recognize their right to be their but were hoping for some time alone. Suggest to boy and girl that both parties speed up when they are crossing paths. Say please and thank you, and present your emotional age to be at least equal to your physical age.

It's just that nothing gets my knickers in a twist quite like people who think they can accomplish things by being rude and who assume you do things simply to P them off (hence the craigslist rant months ago).

"Oh brett, wouldn't it be fun if we went to the park and just followed _____ people around to make them uncomfortable?" (at the risk of sounding stupid) PUH-LEASE, people-As if.

puberty

So, I had this weird dream were I was supposed to visit (V.T.) all the girls at church who were pregnant, and give them a baby doll so that they could practice. Practice what? I really don't know what they were supposed to practice. I suppose it was something like holding them or not forgetting where they put the baby. 

So I get to the last one I am supposed to check on, and realize I look really stupid carrying in the baby doll because she had her baby a few days ago and I just didn't have time to visit her earlier (too many prego's). What would a girl with a real baby do with a practice baby. Lame. I also felt a bit out of place because this girl lives with her parents in their huge mansion... like horses running free huge.

Oh yah, and the new mommy was 8--as in 8 years old.  Dreams are weird, especially when you wake up and realize that they aren't all that imposible.  There are a few 8 year olds out there who have reached puberty and could, in fact, get pregnant. 

Good news is that the little girl had already managed to get her figure back.

Grossest Ice Cream Cake Ever.

Baskin' Robbins just sent me an email announcing there new thanksgiving ice cream cake. A shiny turkey shaped ice cream cake... That is like "Conversation Heart Candy" molded meat loaf... the two just don't go together and would just totally confuse the senses. They couldn't possibly have run this by a focus group.

My Dog Says You're In Heat

When I think of all the things dogs can be trained to do, I almost feel like it is a waste just to have one as a pet. I saw this bed bug thing once where a dog was trained to sniff out bed bugs and could identify them where the infestation was too young for the experts to identify. Dogs can also tell when other dogs are in heat... so I keep thinking of all the cool things I could train Polo to do.

1. Sniff out Ant Hills (so we can kill 'em where it counts)
2. Identify when a woman is at her most fertile (think of the dinner parties! Oh Sue, IF you and Eddy are trying to get pregnant, you may want to leave our shindig a little early!) People would come to me from around the world so that they could save 10 bucks on ovulation predictor kits.

oh ya, that website

So in my strive for perfection, my insistance on designing my web page from scratch, and my inneficient use of time, it has been a long long time since I have worked on my web stuff. I technically do not use my time well enough to do much asside to my magazine work, but I still feel like I should be working on this. I own my web page name, but am not paying for a server at the moment, so nothing is actually up... but here is what I have been working on into the wee hours of the morning.

So, I've decided my home page will rotate between these 3 set ups....either by flash, or by a different page loads everytime some one hits the site... not sure which.





And now that I have a cell phone, I feel like I could actually get a business card... I should get the web page up though so that I can get a Myname@secretwebsite.com email address.... which I forgot to put on that card. oops.

Health care

I don't have health care. I can't afford health care, and the funny thing about that is...

...that I don't think I am entitled to health care just because other people can afford it.

I also think that there is a large portion of people who could afford health care if they prioritized it over eating out, getting wii's, buying dvds, etc. I only eat out maybe 12 times a year, own a relatively small number of dvds, and have bought most of my music and clothes with birthday money; however we did adopt a dog, get me a new computer, occasionally splurge on junk food, and buy a 2nd vehicle (the motorcycle). I'm sure I could have gotten health care instead-it just wasn't my priority


Yesterday I went with my husband as he wen't to help with some computer issues for a friend of my family's. These people have an extremely nice house with two fancy dishwashers, a very large yard, a nice tennis court, framed art every where, etc. I suppose I could have thought "this is not fair. I live with my parents. I think I should give one of her dishwashers to someone even less fortunate than I.

Here is the thing I don't think people understand. Rich people do a lot. This family I mentioned above does soooooo much for other people without expecting anything back. I once knew a single mother of 3 that they put through school-because goodness knows it is hard to go to school, make money to support 3 kids, and watch all of those kids simultaneously.

This family lets others use there lovely backyard for weddings free of charge, and I am not kidding when I say that they probably have at least 10 weddings at their home every summer.

These are the people that finance community playhouses and do not turn a profit.

These are people who donate numerous hours of their free time to the community.

These are people I respect and admire for their selfless service

So when I hear people talk about redistributing the wealth it makes me sad. I worry that when we take money away from people forcibly and give it to someone else, we are depriving that person of a chance to share their money freely. Attitude is everything... the whole spirit of giving and serving is lost. People become bitter about sharing as opposed to excited. And instead of grateful, those who receive become entitled.

and instead of charity and gratitude we are left with bitterness and selfishness.

I do hope to one day be rich. Who doesn't? and, if I ever am, I want to be the type of upper class that has the opportunity to struggle with the choice of more luxury vs. helping others.... I want that choice because I want to prove to myself that I can do the right thing--and that I can set that example for hundreds of others who will grow up to be wealthy.

souflé (olé)

I was sooo domestic this week. This could be becoming a weekend habit.

I think it has been quite the month actually: one Sunday pumpkin pie, the next lavender ice cream and meringue cookies, and this weekend? Well, yesterday I made cute (and deliciously spiced) mini-turkey burgers. Today I marinaded Carné Asada, made spanish rice, and MY VERY FIRST (chocolate) SOUFLÉ.

It was a bit confusing simply because I have never even eaten a souflé before...so I didn't know things like how the inside texture is supposed to be moist almost like aerated pudding, or that you have to eat it in the first few crucial minutes before it falls. To the best of my knowledge it came out perfect. Luck I tell you.

Before baking... a bit marbled because I was afraid of over folding the egg whites.

And brett picks his out. He is the first to experiment with the moist possibly undercooked center that turned out to be cooked.

nose jewels

Sooooooooo... I was Christmas SHopping online (which by the way, I am almost done with, because I am that awesome) and in this jewelry place I came across fabulous ear Jems and nose "jewels" (and I call them jems and jewels because they are clearly roughs in the diamonds).

EXHIBIT A: Ax to baby's head earrings

Okay, so they say those are rabbits, but I am convinced it is part of the Planned Parenthood uniform.


EXHIBIT B:You know, For kids!
This was listed as a nose ring...sooo, when your 5 year old boy wants to bling it up with airplaines



EXHIBIT C: Just what I want on my nose

Someone buy me stuff

No occasion, you can just buy it for me.

I long ago grew tired of all my shade shirts because, well, in utah they were everywhere and it made me look lazy. Also I never liked cap sleeves, and I don't like the neckline they usually use. I do however, still like my long tummy covering tank tops. They have this square neck wide strap tank on sale, and I want it.

I wish I could see the crochet detail at the top, but nonetheless, I think it would be great for layering. I sometimes wish my tanks had something more than a speghetti strap and, well, I look much much better in square necks.

I wish they had more views of of this new piece because I think I might like it, but it is too much monies.


And then there is this. this looks nice. I gave up on button ups long ago... they weren't comfy or wrinkled or something. This though, makes me want to give them another try. I need dress up my wardrobe a bit.
Okay, now that I got that out of my system, no one has to buy me anything.

Pickles in Moderation

Okay, okay. I don't order fast food all that often, but I did today because I was having a good day for prop shopping and didn't want to loose my last hour of shopping to go home and eat.

Here is the thing: for the second time in a row, I've asked for extra pickles on my hamburger (at different chains with the same results). I thought that meant a few more pickles. Turns out it means an ADDITIONAL 1/3 cup of pickles.

Please people, I am not that odd. I don't even like pickles by themselves.

indecent proposals

So at the halloween party tonight, where I was repeating last years flapper costume (yeah for moving) an "arab" (aka costume) told me he liked my costume and was looking for another wife. Asked how I felt about the desert. Told him I could deal with as long as he bought me a white arabian horse.

This all would be creepy if I didn't know who he was and know he was joking. I never really did well with crappy pick up lines.

various blog changes

I added a twitter feed on the left, if anyone is into that. It is always worth trying, I suppose.

I also tried doing a slideshow instead of simply posting a bunch of pictures on this post linked here, but personally I think I prefer scrolling down and looking through peeps pics one by one. Let me know whatcha think of these things.

Twitter seems like begging for stalkers, which I am not really afraid of, but still seems like an odd concept. I see the point for other people, like high schoolers who wanna meet up with eachoter every where, but my friends are spread around the globe (okay I'm not that cool... just spread around the US), so it is not like we are going to meet up after hearing the other is going to a par-tay. I'm also married to the love of my life, who happens to be the boring programing type... good thing I didn't mary him for his spontaneity and inhibition or I'd feel duped long ago.

First P Pie

Look, I made a pumpkin pie from scratch. Real sugar pumpkin and all... okay, not all-We used a pre-made crust. Plisa and I made them on Sunday.


It was ok. I don't actually like pumkin pie though. I'm not a huge custard person...except for Coney's Vanilla Frozen Custard. mmmm

Happy Ballot day

So immediately after B's mom voted for Reagan, she went to the hospital and pulled a Brett from her oven. Okay, not pulled, but who really pushes things from their oven.

Moral of this story is I wonder if I should have an electorally themed b-day party for Brett, and what things I can do to theme-i-fy it.

Then I wonder if there are enough people that would come to my theme party down here.


or I could theme it to other things that he likes, like guns or camping.

First Politic

Brett and I just made our very first political contribution. It was quite odd to realize afterwards that I dropped that much money on something abstract... a political belief, and not something concrete like clothes, makeup, guns....

Turns out I took the "which male character are you" quiz

I had choosing because I liked multiple answers, so I took it twice. Now if only I'd read the books.


Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!


Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!

Lombardi Ranch!

This morning Brett went out shootin" with Matt (my friend Lisa's Boyfriend), Mel (aforementioned Lisa's dad), and a few others (from Lisa's ward). Except for Brett, every one in their group was either in the Police force or had not at some point been a part of the military. He was flattered when someone asked if he was in the military (because he is that good, baby). He also won a pool of 6 bucks (they each put in, that is right, a buck) when they had a little shooting competition. High five, baby! You da won!

Afterwards Matt and Brett cleaned their guns, then Lisa came over and we all headed out to Lombardi ranch. It is the kind of place that makes you wish you had kids, because kids would go nuts at this place.

Twibright

Okay, I haven't read any of the books, but I figured that is the best time to take these quizzes, because it is usually really obvious which answers refer to which characters

So I will eventually read the books and find out wether or not I like the answer I came up with. Until then, I'll just keep trying to figure out from the picture if Jasper is a boy or a girl.


Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!

Oh... I think I spoted an adams apple

Attn: Blog addicts

I just wasted some time putting labels on the last 75 of my 305 blog posts. Now, I like doing it because it gives me satisfaction to organize, but I don't even have a Labels list on my blog. My question is, do you ever use those?


I used it once for the first time about a week ago when I found the blog for the wife of a guy I used to have a crush on...She blogs about everyday, and I used it as a shortcut to read about their adoption process and such... so in that case it was handy... but when it comes to people that you know read your blog, and already follow it, does it really help to have a labels list?

I need to work: part 18

Another case of putting of work supper blogging.


Anyhow not to sound crazy, but while I am hopping not to bore you with dog stuff, having my first dog has oppened my eyes to many things I have never noticed before, such as how my dog and babies/toddlers (from my babysitting experience) are alike:

1. They sleep most the day
2. puppy whines when he has to potty, babies grunt.
3. They are always hungry
4. The both like to eat my hair.
5. They explore new textures by putting them in their mouth
6. They both cry when you leave them behind
7. Fetch is not instinctual, both the babies I've dealt with and my dog needed be taught to go chase the ball
8. You have to baby proof the house
9. They both get destructive when they are bored.
10. They both need to get proper exercise or they can tear up the house.

Felon

I just did this felon search thing, and decided to compare where I live with where my siblings live, my in-laws live, etc. I discovered the following:

There are about the same concentration of felons every where (Nanial had a slight advantage here-advantage as in less felons- but there is also a lot of empty land around there too. )

There is only one convicted stalker out there... except in Corky's neigborhood where there are about 5. His area also had more fire arm felons...but get this, less child sexual crimes...is there a link there?

overall most are sexual crimes of some sort, only a few robberies... but that could also depend on what qualifies as a felony as oppossed to other.

Dear Mom

I cleaned the kitchen for the very first time since you have been away, and oddly, We have not seen a single ant in there this whole time. I think they just hate you

Dear Carrisa

Check out the cake I found.

Songs you should like

For one reason or another.

I wanted to add a few more,but they aren't available on the player, so sad.

New Shows

Sometimes when I am working at my computer color correcting or renaming files, or playing with page layouts, I watch TV shows online. Since I don't actually follow many shows, I quickly ran out of episodes.

Though they are not necessarily my favorites, I have discovered few shows I like that I didn't watch before.


1. Ghost Whisperer: I'd seen a few, so thought I might like it. I've now watched them all. sometimes is a bit cheesy, but at least it is clean and interesting.


2. Monk: I watched all of the seasons thus far, except a few that were missing. Good clean fun. The seam to get a bit sloppy with character consistency in the later shows though. I'm rather fond of the main actor.



3. Ugly Betty: I'd watched a few and didn't really care for it, but watching from the beginning has helped a lot. Does have some innuendo humor from time to time, which I'd rather it didn't. One of the most amazing dumb blond character's I have ever seen-not as overplayed dumb as usual... obvious but a fresh approach... as for Betty herself, I think America Ferrera does a lovely job, and I might even give "Real women have curves" a try, just for her.



Well, I am almost out of Ugly Betty episodes, so I welcome suggestions for new shows to try. Please nothing super raunchy or with tons of bad language.