Much Love from the Largins

We're alive!

2010-11-04T23:08:00.003-06:00

Just so you're aware, we are still fully intact and doing well.

Patrick started his own business in the middle of July. He is focusing mainly on British motorcycle repair and custom work. He, of course, is also doing anything needed on any kinds of motorcycles, as well as vehicle repair. He has remained busy from the very start! I love how happy Patrick is as his own boss. :) My friends really enjoy having a good connection to get their vehicles in working order, too.

In August, I was promoted to Assistant Manager at Thaifoon. The last few months have FLOWN by!!! It has been very rewarding and full of opportunities for growth. I'm learning a lot and having fun doing it.

We signed another 12-month lease at our apartment in September, so we'll be here for awhile.

The kitties are also doing well. We haven't had any kitties climbing in swamp coolers, sneaking out in the rain, etc., so it's been quiet for the most part. They are getting along better and better, and keeping us entertained with their playing. Lunch is infatuated with dumping water out of their bowl. It doesn't matter what kind of container we use, she insists that the kitchen floor be wet. Mopping it up with her fur didn't do anything... She's adorable, though, so I forgive her.

I hope you all are doing very well!!!

Awesome and QUICK meal!

2010-07-18T17:36:00.003-06:00

I was lucky enough to get to keep leftover homemade bruschetta (made by my friend Rochelle), and I put together a really tasty and creative meal. I had a hamburger to cook, but no buns!! So...I used an english muffin instead. Here's what all I threw together:

english muffin
hamburger patty
bruschetta
cheese (colby & monterey jack is what I had on hand)
lettuce

I opened up the english muffin and stacked grated cheese on one of the halves, placed them both in the oven for a bit to melt the cheese and warm the muffin.

I threw the hamburger patty on the Foreman and cooked that sucker!

Put cooked burger on cheesy half of muffin, topped with bruschetta and lettuce, topped with other half of the muffin.

YUM, YUM, and YUUUMMM!!!

Patrick loved it too. :) So, I'll have to make this again! Maybe next time I'll take a picture before I devour the whole thing...

Friendship

2010-06-06T19:43:00.005-06:00

Among intelligent people the surest basis for marriage is friendship - the sharing of real interests - the ability to fight out ideas together and understand each other's thoughts and dreams.

~Kahlil Gibran, quoted from MaryHaskell's journal, dated 26th May 1923

I really like this quote. I registered on scribd and searched out Paulo Coelho and Kahlil Gibran, two of my favorite authors. I found Kahlil Gibran's Love Letters and started reading. He says things in such a beautiful way.

Family Visit in February

2010-03-02T16:27:00.004-07:00

I'm playing catch-up on the blog today.

In Febraury, my parents, my sis, and her boyfriend came to visit us for a weekend. It was nice to have family visit.

My Mom and Dad hanging out on our couch just after arriving.

Par for the Mecham Course, we ate a lot. We had Indian food one night, my dad filled my fridge with groceries, we snacked, I introduced my mom and sis to Costa Vida, we all ate at Thaifoon, etc. Soooo much food.

On Friday and Saturday that weekend, we girls went up to Ogden to Time Out For Women. Patrick's mom was able to attend the event as well, and we stayed the night at her house. It always amazes me how hard it is to be away from Patrick overnight. Even when it's just one little night. What can I say? I love snuggling with him!

Time Out For Women was amazing. I know I got a lot out of it, and I hope everyone else did to.

My dad and Kosette's boyfriend, Matt, went skiing on Friday and toured around Salt Lake City on Saturday. Patrick unfortunately had to work during both days.

On Sunday, Patrick and I spent some time with my parents, and we went to the library so my dad could take some architectural photographs. I love watching my dad look at awesome architecture. It's when I see the passion for what he does for a living, rather than the day-to-day lethargy that we all kind of develop towards our careers. My dad is a great architect.

The view from the top of the Salt Lake City Public Library.

I've lived in Utah for almost 8 years, and I finally got a library card. :)

My parents at the top of the library. It was a bright and windy day!

These little books are hung in the shape of a head in the library. It made me think of the tv show, Reading Rainbow that I watched allllll the time as a kid. And then the song was stuck in my head for the remainder of the day.

There you go...now it can be stuck in your head all day. :)

Kosette and Matt (sitting in a tree...K-I-S-S-I-N-G...)

The last night we were together, my sis and her boyfriend made a vegetarian feast for us. I think they thought we were feeding 10 more people. I had leftovers for a week! It was a great meal, though. I really enjoyed sitting around the dinner table and just enjoying conversation and time together as a family.

Thanks, Mom, Dad, Kosette, and Matt for visiting and staying with us. I'm so grateful for a wonderful family!!!

Playing with food

2010-03-02T15:46:00.002-07:00

The kitties have been at it again:

What talented kitties we have!!! :)

Dear Phoenix, You Are So Beautiful!

2010-01-12T00:24:00.002-07:00

Patrick and I just returned from a much needed vacation to Phoenix, where most of my family lives. It was almost 5 days of beautiful sunny weather and fun times spent with family (and quality do-nothing time).

We flew in on Thursday and did a whole bunch of nothing. We watched movies and spent the day with my mom, Philip, and my dad when he got home from work.

On Friday, we went shopping with my mom and Philip and got the ingredients for the amazing feast that Patrick and I prepared with the help of the fam. We made shrimp summer rolls as an appetizer, and Patrick made a pork dumpling soup that was absolutely delicious. We ate entirely too much that night! :)

Saturday, we went to the open house for the new water treatment plant where Jeremiah is the Superintendent. It's a really nice facility. We went with my dad and my grandparents, Grandpa Jones and Verla. It's so strange to see my grandpa aging. He's 90 years old now, but when I think of Grandpa Jones, I think of an ornery old fart who is a gruff teddy bear, full of life. In my mind, my grandpas will always be around, since they always have been. I've had 7 grandmas, so it really is strange to see my grandpas getting oooolllldddd.

After the open house, we went on a double-date with my brother, Jonathan, and his wife, Ashlee. We went bowling and ate pizza. I was bowling left-handed quite a bit to be nice to my right arm (old injury from July), and still bowled mostly over 100. Not too shabby! Patrick and Jonathan were the star bowlers of the night, and Ashlee consistently kicked my butt, too.

That night, we hung out with Jeremiah and his kids, then stayed up way too late talking with Jeremiah and Christy. They were sweet enough to stay up past their normal bedtime to hang out with us. Unfortunately, their daughter got sick that night, so they didn't get much sleep.

Sunday was more family time. Jonathan's family came over to my parents' house for dinner, and it is always fun to spend time with them. Grandpa Mecham came over, too. I'm glad we got to see him on this trip. My mom's friend, Susan, came over for dinner, too, and she let Patrick take her Harley for a ride. I loved the grin on his face when he came back in the house. I could tell he needed and appreciated that little bit of therapy.

Today, we spent the morning hanging out at my parents' house. We spent some good time sitting on the porch swing soaking in the sun. It felt so amazing to have some warmth, knowing we'd be coming back to nasty freezing temperatures in a matter of hours. We also had sushi for lunch. My dad met us at the restaurant, and we ate again, entirely too much. It was so good!

My friend, Jenny, picked us up and took us to the airport. I try to visit her when we go down to Phoenix, so even though it was a short visit, it was entertaining and quite nice. That girl can talk!

And it was 28˚ when we arrived in Salt Lake City. Yuck.

We're contemplating moving down to Phoenix. Year round motorcycle and softball weather is very appealing.

Thanks for the great visit, my wonderful family!!! I love you all, and I love seeing how much your kids have grown.

Back to my roots

2010-01-02T13:52:00.003-07:00

Ah, the new year...

Weight to lose, debt to eliminate, trips to go on, money to make, etc., etc. It is a little bit overwhelming to think about all that I would like to do this year. And all that Patrick would like to do. And of course there is also the list of things we want to do together.

So, I will return to my roots and find comfort in food. :) I found some great lists of recipes that are healthy (a lot of them, anyway), and quite affordable.

Slow Cooker Recipes

Low Fat, Low Cost Freezer Cookbook

Did you know baking was so sexy? :)

I really like the idea of getting a meal going in my crock pot before I go to work and voila!, dinner is ready when I get home. And I love the idea of making great recipes, freezing servings, and having meals ready to be heated up and devoured at any given time. Do you know how many unnecessary trips to Taco Bell, McDonalds, the grocery store, and the number of frozen pizzas we eat will be vastly reduced?!?!

This would be a great transition to make in our kitchen at home. It will save us time and money, and help us trim our waistlines too! Apparently one of our Christmas gifts was an extra inch or so in the belly-area. I'm not so happy about that, and would love to exchange it for a better gift...

Happy Anniversary

2009-12-22T23:12:00.003-07:00

Today is our 2 year anniversary. In some ways, it has gone so incredibly fast! In other ways, it seems like it's been 5 years. :) We spent the day working at our jobs, doing side jobs, working on Mary Kay, making banana bread, doing laundry, and the night is still young. It hasn't been the most romantic day, yet it has been full of love and gratitude. How I love hearing my hubby tell me how much he loves me and that I make his heart beat kind of funny!

Here is our list of the top 10 things we've experienced, learned, etc. in the past 2 years of marriage:

1. "They" were right...LOVE DOES CONQUER ALL!!!
2. When God is involved, life is so much easier, and love is so much better.
3. Having 3 kitties really is like having 2 kids. Sometimes 1...sometimes 4. Depends on the day.
4. Sometimes the littlest things make the biggest difference.
5. Patrick makes the BEST biscuits and gravy. Ever.
6. If you need something fixed, something heavy picked up, or a wise-crack, just call Patrick.
7. Alison can communicate with ducks via fart. And she gets Patrick. Both very rare skills.
8. We love Redbox.
9. Dreams keep you moving. We both have big dreams, and truly support each other in reaching those dreams.
10. Two years is just the beginning. We're looking forward to the rest of our lives and eternity together.

We want to thank our family and friends for their support over the last almost 3 years of knowing each other. Through thick and thin, your support has helped us to grow, and for that we are grateful!

The Spirit of CHRISTmas

2009-12-12T11:49:00.003-07:00

We've had some great in-depth conversations about Christmas in our home lately.

Patrick has fond memories of Christmas as a young child, when the simplest things captured his imagination.

I have fond memories of delivering boxes of little presents, a turkey, other fun food items including baked goods my mom helped us make, leaving them on the doorstep of a family that needed a little extra something, knocking on their door on Christmas Eve, and running away before we could be discovered.

Christmas has its own unique memories and feelings for every individual, and quite often, as adults, the commercial gift-giving aspect of Christmas can taint what this holiday is all about. It begins with all of the stores setting up their Christmas displays in the middle of November, if not earlier, and continues on through Christmas Day with the frustrating traffic and business at stores, the impatience of other shoppers, the list of presents to give that cost more than the allotted budget, thousands of commercials telling us to buy-buy-buy, etc. Christmas can easily become a huge list of wants presented to Santa accompanied by the expectations of society, the media, our social network, and our family. The simple need of feeling and expressing pure love to everyone we encounter is often overlooked, or overshadowed by the superficial flurry.

As a young couple planning on starting a family very soon, we have discussed what we would like Christmas to be all about in our home. Our hope is to make sure that the Spirit of Christ is greater than the Spirit of Christmas. Simplicity and Service will be our focus.

I've heard some great ideas over the last month from other families and my own in how to refocus Christmas.

My parents have expressed that they would like their children and grandchildren to come up with some act of service and love to do for someone this season and to write them a letter expressing what we did and how we feel about the experience. I love this idea, although it can be a challenge to choose what we want to do. :)

An older couple from church shared that this year they aren't giving gifts to their children or grandchildren, and aren't accepting gifts from them either. As a family, they are going to pick names from and Angel Tree, find gifts for those individuals who are in need, and give as a family to someone else.

A guy who eats at the restaurant where I work has 2 little boys, and he and his wife have taught their boys that Santa isn't a person; Santa is the Spirit of Giving. So, the boys can make a list of 3 things that they want, and they broke it down into categories that I can't remember. I think it was something along the lines of a necessity, something bigger that they really want, and something educational. They also make sure they participate in volunteering at a homeless shelter, donating food to the food banks, and anything else like that. He did say that in theory it sounds simple and easy, but in practice, it can be a challenge. Especially when the grandparents want to spoil the kids rotten. :)

Patrick and I talked about limiting the number of gifts that our kids can ask for as well. I think of the first Harry Potter movie where on Dudley's birthday, he gets upset that he has one less gift than the huge number of gifts he received the previous birthday, so his parents tell him they'll get him 2 more gifts that day. Frivolity. At its worst. And I'm pretty sure we all laughed and thought, "what a spoiled little shit!" Yet, for just about everyone, it's easy to have that same attitude without even realizing it. You can say, "Nuh-uhhh!" but chances are, you probably enable that attitude in someone else, too. :)

My ex-husband was alllll about getting a lot of gifts. I'd end up buying a lot of little gifts for him so he would feel good about unwrapping a lot of presents. Why did I enable that attitude??

When I was a kid, I remember asking Santa for a pink bike with a white basket and ribbons hanging off the handle bars. I was actually pissed that the bike I did get was purple, and I can't even remember if it had a basket or ribbons. So silly.

I heard a story years ago about a family that would open their presents Christmas morning, and each of the children would choose one of their brand new presents to give to a family in need. They would wrap them back up and deliver a box full of presents to a family with kids that wouldn't otherwise get much. I love that idea!

So, this year, we may or may not get a tree, and we probably won't exchange presents as a couple. We'll focus on giving to others, especially giving our love, time, service, and anything else that we can give.

Recently Patrick and I read in The Book of Mormon, Mosiah chapter 4, which talks about giving. Verse 26 always stands out to me:

Mosiah - Chapter 4

26 And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you—that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God—I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants.

What a beautiful reminder. :)

I am so grateful for the comfortable life that Patrick and I are able to live. We have most of our needs met, and we try to be aware of our many blessings and that the origin of our blessings is unquestionably our Heavenly Father. Without Him, we would have nothing; be nothing. Fortunately, He is a loving god, and everything about us is evidence of that.

I hope you all have a special Christmas and that you feel the Spirit of Christ, not just this month, but hopefully daily. Life is beautiful, and there's plenty of wonder and goodness to go all around!

xoxo

Review of Food Storage Analyzer

2009-10-25T19:55:00.003-06:00

I was raised in a family where food storage was important, and not only did we have food storage, we used it in preparing our meals for a large family of seven. As an adult, I haven't been the greatest about building up my own supply of food storage. It's been on my to-do list...a very neglected to-do list.

I played around with Emergency Essentials Food Storage Analyzer, selecting items that I think Patrick and I would actually eat, and it was a lot of fun! It really wouldn't cost toooo much money to have a 30-day supply of food, but the plan is to buy something every week and transition into having a decent food storage supply on hand.

If food storage is something you are interested in, or are already doing, you should check out the analyzer and see the exact content and nutritional value, as well as how long it will feed you. Pretty stinkin' awesome! Have fun!!

$10 Gift Card Giveaway for Emergency Essentials

2009-09-28T09:52:00.003-06:00

Just add one of their buttons to you blog/website and they'll send you a $10 gift card. Easy.

The deadline is Sept. 30th, this Wednesday, so don't delay!!!

Here's the LINK.

Our recent adventures

2009-09-16T09:43:00.005-06:00

Patrick and I have been spending a lot more quality time together. Sure, we still sit in front of the boob tube WAAAAY too much, but at least we're getting outdoors more often and going on actual dates where we try to look hot for each other. It's been great. Here are a few of our "outings" lately:

BOWLING

My fractured elbow is still pretty sensitive, so I had to bowl left handed. Well, it turned out surprisingly well. I bowled 98 the first game!!! And kicked Patrick's butt! (I made him bowl the first game left handed, too.)

Alison: 98, Patrick: 76 or something

Don't mind my big bootie - the picture is of my terrible form bowling left handed.

Patrick was challenging himself to beat his speed. I can't remember if he hit 24 mph or 27 mph, but it was funny how sore he was the next day!

TEMPLE QUARRY

We spent a few hours hiking around. There's usually a river there, but it was all dry. We hiked downstream a bit and found WATER! It was freezing cold, but we got in up to our knees anyway. It was a fun day hopping around from rock to rock.

Isn't he handsome??!

THE RESERVOIR UP PARLEY'S CANYON
We rode Patrick's Triumph up Parley's Canyon, which was fun all by itself! Then we went to the reservoir and hiked around. We had a contest throwing rocks at a big log in the water. Patrick won. :) We had a boat race with pieces of bark, tried to catch a trout, and had a lot of laughs. It was a lot of fun.

ANTELOPE ISLAND
We drove up to Antelope Island on a drizzly day. I had never been there before. We drove around the north part of the island, then took the east coast road down to the ranch that is still there. We both enjoy walking around historical sites and checking out all of the old stuff. Patrick got devoured by some bugs. Either I'm not as sweet as he is, or wearing pants and shoes rather than shorts and sandals was a smart move. :) We drove back up to the north part of the island and walked out to the water, skipped rocks, and caught brine shrimp. Other than the wind, rain, and my allergies, it was a great time. Carl's Jr. afterward was pretty great, too.

Patrick looking for more rocks to skip.

I've been taking pictures with my phone, since I can't find the battery charger for my camera. They're not the greatest pictures, but they'll do. And since I'm the one taking the pictures, they're all of Patrick. :)

But here's one of me before a date where we ate at an amazing Mexican restaurant in Murray then wandered around a bit.

Going on dates and spending active quality time together has been such a blessing for us in strengthening our relationship. I highly recommend it! :)

Presents

2009-09-16T09:36:00.004-06:00

The cats keep putting their toys in their food dishes. It's pretty strange, yet incredibly adorable and funny.

I'd like to think it's their way of saying, "Thank you for feeding us. You are the best parents of 3 kitties ever!!!"

***I forgot I had already posted about this, but I did have 2 new pictures...they keep doing it!!! So, repeat posting with some updated photos. Sorry. :)***

Thank you for the yummy food!

2009-08-19T10:42:00.003-06:00

I keep finding our kitty toys in the food bowl and finally decided to take a picture. I can't figure out which of our cats is doing this, but I think it's pretty stinkin' funny!

Mmm, bread.

2009-06-28T23:31:00.002-06:00

Here is a picture of the bread I made a week or so ago. It's not my favorite white bread recipe I've ever used, but it was easy. I thought about making bread again this last week, but it is a bit time consuming. I think I'll add bread to our grocery list and make this a monthly habit to make home made bread. I need to get the few ingredients I didn't have to make the recipe my mom always used. It's much more moist.

We're Home!

2009-06-04T13:21:00.001-06:00

Patrick and I have officially moved! We are now in a 4-plex a few miles from our old place, still in the Liberty Park/Sugarhouse area in Salt Lake City. I love this area.

We finally got our kitchen put away last night. That cleared up a TON of space to have everything put away in a cupboard or drawer. Patrick is hilarious...he would tell everyone, "There are 25 cupboards and 10 drawers!!" When I first heard him say that, I didn't even doubt for a second that he had really counted. And now that everything is put away, we still have empty cupboards and drawers. Awesome, really.

The bathroom is put away, too. We have a ton of storage in our hallway, so the bathroom is clutter free. Also, the bedroom has a vanity area where I will do my hair and makeup, so that stuff isn't in the way in the bathroom, either. It's a good thing - the bathroom isn't very big.

I have an office, too, which will also double as a craft room. There are 2 windows, one which is quite large, so the room is well lit. I love it! It's not even close to being organized or unpacked, though.

The bedroom is almost done being put away. We have a walk-in closet and a ton of storage space around the vanity area, so we don't even need a dresser. I love it.

The living room will be the final mess to clean up. It is still FULL of boxes, decorations, stuff that will go in the garage, and who knows what else. Which reminds me, Patrick has a one-car garage at his disposal! That means all things vehicular (as well as our camping gear) will be out of the house. YEAH!!!! :) Can you tell that makes me happy???

So, it's wonderful to have a new place with plenty of room for all of our randomness. I'm sure we'll have to purge and reorganize if we ever decide to have a baby. Where will my office go? Or we'll just have to move to a 3-bedroom place. I hear homes are pretty cheap in Arizona. :)

My next assignment is changing our address with every account we have, so I better get on to it...

Updates

2009-05-25T21:38:00.003-06:00

Our yard sale Saturday was a success. We made about $250, which was awesome. I had to go to work, so Patrick was the lucky guy who got to put out the FREE sign, get rid of more stuff, then take the rest to DI. It feels AMAZING to have all that clutter out of our house...yet it is still a little cluttered, or just messy from trying to pack.

We have decided that we are not moving into the house we were going to move into. Too many not-cool things have been already happening with the landlord, so we'll just bypass what could be a year or more of irritation. Now we're looking for another place. It might be this month or next that we move, but it's all up in the air right now. This causes much anxiety for me. Especially because we gave our couch away, so it is not comfy AT ALL to be in the living room watching TV. Bummer. Tomorrow I'll be doing a lot of cleaning to make our half-packed home feel a little more livable, since it may be another month in this place.

Maybe we should just pack it all and go to Denver and live by Kosette. :)

Frogs Legs for Memorial Day

2009-05-25T21:34:00.002-06:00

Patrick had me try frogs legs tonight. :) We decided to go to the grocery store to grill some grub, and we decided on frogs legs, shark, and scallops. Oh, and portabella mushrooms with spinach and mozzarella cheese. It was a fine feast, and I actually liked the frogs legs. They have a chicken-seafood-ness to them. Interesting.

Now we need ice cream cones.

Change

2009-05-20T22:48:00.002-06:00

The books are all packed, our stuff is sorted for the yard sale Saturday, and I bought paper plates and plastic utensils so we can start packing up the kitchen. It's slowly coming along, and I am hoping that we can start moving stuff into the new place in the next few days.

When Patrick and I first lived together, we used plastic utensils and paper plates allllll the time. It took a lot of work to convince Patrick that we should use normal plates and utensils, and not having a dishwasher for the last year has almost made me regret making that change. Fortunately, the new place has a dishwasher. Yeah!!!

I just want to settle in. I feel so unsettled and chaotic right now with everything turned upside down in the house, all of our sweet decorations off the wall, and a big change ahead of us.

Photos from our stop in Boulder City, NV

2009-05-07T22:05:00.004-06:00

My handsome hubby with deep dam thoughts...

Wild desert flowers. I figured out how to use the super macro setting on my camera! :)

More desert flowers

and more

and a desert plant in bloom.
I'm so happy I got to see some desert plants/flowers at their prettiest stage.

Our stop in Boulder City was really nice.
We stayed at La Hacienda for $20, went 4-wheeling in Patrick's Jeep,
ate a lot of food, explored the dam and nature,
got a shower and some good (much needed) sleep.
It was our first time staying in a hotel
AND
doing a random little adventure together.
Crazy, huh?

It was way overdue. :)

It's Official!!!

2009-05-06T19:56:00.002-06:00

We're moving!!!

Now before any of you living in Utah panic, we're not moving far at all.

Those of you in Phoenix (or anywhere outside of Utah), we're not moving there. Sorry.

We're going down to 27th South & State Street area into a nicer 5-bedroom house. Patrick's friend, Chris, is moving in with us, so we'll all be saving a bit of money. I'm excited to plant flowers, a garden next year, decorate, and use a dishwasher again. Ahhhhh.

I'll send an email with the new address when I figure out what it is. ;) We'll officially be in our new place on June 1st.

Big TWO SEVEN

2009-04-27T10:19:00.004-06:00

Happy Birthday to Patrick yesterday!!!

Patrick is a spoiled man! His mom is supporting his hot rod habit with a generous donation to the cause. He got taken out to 2 sushi dinners, got breakfast made for him, went out with friends (and me) to see a band play, watched a movie of his choice, Quarantine, (I thought it had a stupid ending, but I guess I just like happy endings...), and is getting the vast majority of our tax return to devote to getting all of the parts together for his hot rod. I'm excited to see this car brought to life. So, overall, my sweet hubby had a great birthday.

And, he trimmed up his beard...he's so handsome! I'll have to sneak a picture of him soon.

Grosgrain: Swanki Hats GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-04-25T15:25:00.000-06:00

Grosgrain: Swanki Hats GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

I think Patrick would drool, seeing me in one of these cute hats! :) Check it out and maybe you will win a Swanki Hat!!!

DORK

2009-04-19T13:39:00.003-06:00

Yes. I am. But so is Patrick. :) We had biscuits and gravy this morning. I was on biscuit-patrol and Patrick was on gravy-duty. He makes the best gravy!! So, I made some biscuits and put a little creativity into it:

And he called me a dork. :) Well, I'll be as dorky as possible if it tastes this yummy!!!

Whoa...

2009-04-12T12:53:00.005-06:00

Before I forget, I wanted to post a picture of Patrick's car that he (THANK GOODNESS) sold a month or so ago. He is now the proud owner of a '89 Jeep Cherokee Pioneer. It's much nicer, and we can go 4-wheeling and camp in difficult to reach places. Yeah! :)

In case you can't read it, it says "General Wee" above the passenger side doors. Patrick's buddy, Dirty, spray painted it one day. Needless to say, our neighbors don't like us much. Oh well. :)

The guy that bought the car from Patrick said he liked the paint job, and "any girl that won't ride in it isn't the girl for me." While I think that is adorable...I wouldn't ride in it post-paint job. I'm all about being an individual, but that was a little too much for me. Patrick sure got a kick out of that car, though, and that's what matters.

My baby

2009-04-12T11:43:00.003-06:00

Here is the picture of Patrick before he rode off in the rain on his motorcycle last Thursday. Isn't he cute with a plastic diaper?? :)

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T03:10:00.002-06:00

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Easter! Patrick is currently in Las Vegas for the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Car Show. He's having a blast, and I'm sure he's loving the warmer weather. He's so crazy, he left with a caravan of hot rods Thursday morning. Patrick was riding his Triumph, and it was raining....HARD. So, my darling manly husband put a black plastic garbage bag on like a diaper to keep his butt and crotch dry, since his chaps don't cover those areas. I'll update this post with a picture, because, YES, I did take a picture. :) I'm so nice, I know. He said it was a cold ride in the rain, especially on his hands, but it was a fun adventure, which he greatly needed. He'll be back sometime Monday, so in the meantime, the kitties and I have the house to ourselves. :) Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh. It's so quiet!

Anyway, my Easter will consist of lots and lots of homework. I might make a nice dinner for myself, but we'll see if I get that far. It is 3 am, after all.

So, all the rest of you with normal schedules and such, have a wonderful, peaceful Easter.

Love ya!

Spring is awesome

2009-04-09T15:05:00.002-06:00

I don't know if the green moss will show up very well,
but It's absolutely gorgeous on a tree in front of our house.
Super vibrant green, especially with the rain We're having.
Love it.

Come What May

2009-03-31T23:59:00.002-06:00

I had wonderful conversations with family members today, and got to spend some time with Patrick's mom on Saturday. I love times in life when I can bond with family and share growing experiences with them. What a blessing our family is to us!

The Stable Bow

2009-03-26T16:32:00.004-06:00

I just wanted to share my sister-in-law with the other readers of this blog. She's freaking amazing in so many ways. She just posted some great thoughts on her family blog, Outnumbered 4 to 2. You should check them out. :)

Somehow, I lucked out and I have the greatest siblings ever. Jeremiah and Jonathan have married remarkable women who are the greatest moms ever. They both have the most adorable families ever.

My parents did a great job raising us. I know they're not always happy with our choices, but I hope they go to sleep at night knowing that they taught us well. As one of my favorite authors, Kahlil Gibran said in his book, The Prophet:

And a woman who held a babe against
her bosom said, Speak to us of Children.
And he said:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's
longing for itself.
They come through you but not from
you,
And though they are with you yet they
belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not
your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not
their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of to-
morrow, which you cannot visit, not even
in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek
not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries
with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your chil-
dren as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path
of the infinite, and He bends you with His
might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand
be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Thank you Mom and Dad.

an overdue update...

2009-03-14T00:36:00.004-06:00

It has been far too long since I last posted something on here...

Patrick's dad, Ken, and his wife, Paula, came into town for Patrick's sister, Lissy, and her husband, Dan's going away festivities. Wow, that was one CONFUSING sentence! Lissy and Dan went to Mexico for the Peace Corps. Ken and Paula make it out to Utah once or twice a year, so they came out for the party. They stayed with us for over a week while Patrick did some work on their RV. It was absolutely wonderful to spend that much time with them! I am so blessed to have amazing in-laws!! So, needless to say, I didn't do ANY blogging during that time. I pretty much sat around, ate the bountious amounts of food that Ken cooked for us, and listened to Paula do the dishes. This was a daily routine. And I loved it. :) I miss them already.

So, I guess we're back to normal life. I've been fighting a cold. Patrick is selling his little beater (anyone want an old Corolla that runs well???) and getting an old Jeep Grand Cherokee that we can use to go 4-wheeling and camping. Yeah! The weather is finally warming up a bit, and I can't wait to start planting flowers, tomatoes, and anything else that suits my fancy. Patrick can't wait to ride his motorcycle without getting all decked out in his leather.

We're both caught up on LOST. That's pretty cool, because now we can watch it together and talk about it without blowing anything cool that happened. :) Silly, I know, but it's still an update.

How Do I Love Thee?

2009-02-23T22:17:00.002-07:00

Just a little (yet vastly important) thought:

What great food for thought. :)

Smiles

2009-01-25T13:23:00.001-07:00

This picture makes me happy. Patrick is so handsome, and I love his smile. Whenever I need a bright little "pick-me-up" I look at this picture.

I love you babe!

Alison's Work Christmas Party

2009-01-25T13:13:00.003-07:00

It's hard to type with a kitty sleeping on my lap...oops, she woke up and is off to find a more accommodating pillow.

It's snowing again. This is a double-sided coin. I miss the beautiful white coat over everything and the clean air. I don't miss driving in it or being cold all the time. Still...it's winter, and it's cold. Therefore, there better be snow to make me feel like I'm freezing for a reason!

I thought I'd post some pictures of Patrick and me from my work Christmas party a couple weeks ago:

Apparently we blinked at the wrong time....both of us! :) I cut Patrick's hair. Doesn't he look fabulous?? Okay, hot is a better word.

Better picture. (other than my blasted double chin!)

It was a fun party. We held it at Sky Box at the Gateway, and everyone got a $50 card to play games in there arcade. That was a blast. We ate pizza and nachos and some awards were given out. I love the people I work with. I think that's why I still enjoy my job after 1 1/2 years. And Patrick gets along with all of them, so it's great.

Yummy hubby!

2009-01-05T23:44:00.003-07:00

What a sweetheart...

I came home from work a little early tonight, and Patrick was in the middle of making a surprise for me...

He made some AWESOME chocolate chip cookies. I ate 2 (I want another one!) and they were delicious!

Isn't that sweet of him?!?!

Our Happy Family

2009-01-01T15:04:00.001-07:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Another FABULOUS present

2008-12-29T14:18:00.002-07:00

Patrick's mom and step-dad gave this to us for Christmas. We've been needing a little bit more storage and counter-space in our little kitchen. This is the perfect solution to both needs!

THANK YOU Jana!!!!! :)

Our Christmas

2008-12-27T13:01:00.004-07:00

We had a lovely Christmas Day. Patrick brought me with him to the shop where he works so he could finish making his mom's present. He hand-made a trough bird feeder that will be mounted under her kitchen window so she can watch the birds come eat. Ever little fold, bend, twist, etc. was done by Patrick. He's so talented! It was fun to watch him weld and grind his creation.

...something about my man with a welding mask, working on hot metal....mmmm.....

This is the finished product. Jana might paint it, and she might leave it as raw metal. Either way, there are some cool details. And it only took Patrick a handful of hours to make.

Jana LOVES it. :)

This is Patrick's Grandma Claire, his mom, Jana, and his step-dad, Jerry.

Patrick's sister, Lissy and her husband, Dan.
Very cute picture.

This is what we had to drive home in. It was a long and not-so-fun ride home from Brigham City.

After we got home, we decided we should shovel the walks since it was still snowing pretty hard. It's easier to shovel less snow twice than a huge amount once. So, I grabbed our neighbor's shovel, Patrick grabbed ours, and we went to town. I shoveled the neighbor's walk and by their car to be nice, and in front of another neighbor's house. This picture was taken after we were "done."

As you can see, it kept snowing, and there was already a new layer of snow when we walked into the house. When we got up the next morning, you couldn't even tell that we had shoveled anywhere. Our neighbor, Shay was out shoveling the sidewalk, so Patrick got out there and shoveled our walkway again. (And he got all the snow off of my car...what a sweetheart!)

It snowed about 12 inches on Christmas day, on top of a previous 2 weeks of snowing every day. I was gone for most of the two weeks, thank goodness. My body was not meant to live in the snow. By far, this was the whitest Christmas I've ever experienced.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T10:44:00.002-07:00

We've been having a great week...

I got back from Denver on Sunday, and Patrick picked me up from the airport. He greeted me with a rose and a CD of love songs by the Rat Pack. He can be such a romantic sweetheart. When we got home, Patrick ran downstairs and started up our new dryer...a Christmas surprise for me. Yeah!!! I am so excited to have a dryer again!

The 22nd was our 1 year Anniversary. We went to a little dinner at Noodles & Co., saw RocknRolla, then came home to enjoy the evening together. It was nice to spend an evening focused on each other and our relationship.

Last night, the 23rd, I finished Christmas shopping, and when I got home, I was super antsy to give Patrick his presents. He had mentioned that he had one more gift for me, besides the dryer. So, I set up his presents on the dining room table, near the little blue Christmas tree I bought to take with me to Denver. He came into the room, and we exchanged gifts.

I got him a Simpsons 2009 calendar, the book 101 Nights of Romance (we need a little spice), a frame for a sweet picture he bought at Speed Week, a jar of pickled herring from Ikea, jam, juices, and soda from Ikea, and I have another gift of the vintage and vehicular nature that isn't quite finished. Also on the list to do as soon as possible is heated gloves so his hands don't freeze while he's riding his Triumph throughout the winter.

Patrick pulled out a 4GB memory card and handed it to me. Funny...my camera is dead... Then he pulled out a box that has a new camera!!!!!!!!! It's a really nice camera. Really, really, really nice. I am so excited to start taking pictures again. Sunday night we watched a movie, and Patrick had stuck the box with the camera with all of our DVDs and VHS. It blended in so well that I didn't even give it a thought. He wanted me to see it and ask about it, but I didn't even give it a look. Turns out, his sister and brother-in-law bought us the dryer for Christmas. They're going to Mexico for the Peace Corp, so they wanted to to do a bigger present to make up for the next couple of years that they won't be here.

What a great Christmas! I know we did presents way early, but we were both too excited to spoil each other. Tonight we're going to make dinner with a bag of Ikea meatballs I bought, and we'll probably rent a movie, read Luke 2, and enjoy a nice quiet Christmas Eve. Christmas morning, we're driving up to Brigham City to spend the day with Patrick's mom and step-dad, sister and brother-in-law, and maybe his step-dad's kids.

It's been snowing for 2 weeks here in Utah. It is most definitely a White Christmas. I love it. I really don't love the snow, but I love how it makes it feel like Christmas. Some years in Phoenix, we'd play outdoor racquetball on Christmas day and it was WARM. That can make it feel less like a wintery snowy holiday. :) So, I feel blessed to be spending the last handful of Christmases in Utah where it really feels different.

One thing we did during Christmas when I was a kid was tons and tons of service projects. We baked for neighbors, did 12 Days of Christmas for older single people at church, dropped off boxes of Christmas goodies, food, and presents to families that needed a little help, and just gave when and where we could. I am so grateful for parents that raised me that way.

This year, my mom and dad asked that instead of giving them a present, we do some sort of service and tell them about it. Yesterday when I was at Barnes & Noble, they were doing a book drive for the Sandy Boys & Girls Club. So, I bought a few books for them to donate. I think donating something like a book is a valuable gift. Reading is such an important part of life, so I was happy to participate in the book drive. Patrick thought it was pretty cool, too. :)

Well, Merry Christmas everyone! Enjoy life's blessings, show gratitude, and bless the lives of others. :)

Sweetheart

2008-12-10T01:54:00.003-07:00

Patrick,

I just wanted to let you know how much I love you. Denver is great, and I'm having fun with this new experience opening up the restaurant, but I miss being with you. I miss snuggling up next to you when we go to bed. Extra pillows could never replace your warm embrace. I think about you throughout the whole day, wondering what you are doing and hoping that you are happy with whatever you are working on. (dishes??) :D I'll see you soon, but not soon enough.

All of my love,

Alison

A Day in the Park

2008-12-01T23:26:00.003-07:00

Here are some pictures that my sis-in-law took when we were visiting them the day after Thanksgiving:

Here is my dad with Braedi and Kendall. He is such a cute grandpa, especially when it comes to being a total sweetheart with his granddaughters.

Something about being in the Arizona sun again... That was a great nap!!
And thank you, Christy, for the candid shot. :)

We were playing Keep Away with a kick ball, which was fun. The kids loved it until their turn in the middle took too long. Then you had to kick it close enough that they could get it and get out of the middle.

Thanksgiving in Phoenix

2008-12-01T18:29:00.002-07:00

I am grateful for family!!

This Thanksgiving we spent with my family in Phoenix. We haven't been down to visit since last Christmas, so this visit was overdue!

Before we left, we desperately needed to get new front tires on my car. Patrick found a pair at the shop where he works and put them on the car. I needed to get them balanced before the long drive, so on Tuesday before Turkey Day, I went to Discount. They balanced one tire, then pulled the other one off and noticed a huge bubble. They wanted to charge us $190 for one pair of new tires, so we left and Patrick put on a new-old tire at the shop. Wednesday morning, he went to Big O Tires and bought 4 new tires for a much better deal. So, YEAH!!!, I have all new tires on my car!! This winter will be so much more pleasant with some traction.

It was so rainy on Wednesday. 2/3 of our trip was in rain. We opted to drive through Vegas to have nicer roads to tolerate the weather. We stopped in Mesquite to eat a $4.99 Prime Rib meal only to find out that the super sweet deal started at 4pm. Well, it was only 2:30pm in Nevada. We still ate pretty good food, though.

We stopped and bought some firecrackers. :) Fun!

We waited patiently through rush hour in Las Vegas. Not fun.

And we pulled in around 11:30pm at my parents' house in Phoenix.

Patrick was starting to feel like he was getting sick at the beginning of the drive, and by the time we got to Phoenix, he was definitely sick. Poor guy had to deal with that during the whole vacation. It stinks to be sick at someone else's house. It's so much nicer to lay on your own couch, use your own toilet, and leave your tissues on your own floor. :) Fortunately, we stayed in my parents' pop-up trailer in the driveway, so we had privacy and space as needed.

My mom made an awesome Thanksgiving meal. We had sweet potatoes, stuffing, peas, mashed potatoes (that my dad makes, and they are awesome), turkey, my mom's heavenly rolls, a big veggie tray with some veggies from their garden, cranberry sauce, pumpkin-cream cheese pie, pecan pie, and a butterscotch pie and chocolate pie that my brother made with silken tofu.

I ate waaaaaaay to much!

Friday, we went to one of my brother's house in Surprise. We ate lunch at his place with my parents, Patrick and me, my brother Jeremiah's family, and my brother Jonathan's family. The grandkids made a couple bottle rockets, and we went to the park to launch them and play. It was a fun day. One of the things I hate the most about living a state away from a majority of the family is missing out on the grandkids growing up. They are so incredibly cute.

After the park, we went back to Jeremiah's, ate dinner, put on a movie for the kids, and we adults played a game. It was so fun to hang out with my brothers and their wives and my parents. We had a riot playing the game.

Saturday, my parents, my brother Philip, Patrick and I went to the cafe where Philip works and ate lunch. It's a vegetarian and vegan place called Chakra 4 Herb & Tea House. I LOVED the food. The herb selection is huge, and it's just a great place with great energy. (That's the hippie in me!)

We spent the evening with Jonathan and Ashlee. We ate dinner over there, played with the kids for a tiny bit, had family prayer with them, then watched The Bucket List and drank mate. I seriously LOVE my family to death!!

After that, we went over to my good friend Jenny's house and spent a couple hours with her, catching up and sharing a ton of laughs.

Sunday, we packed up our stuff, ate my mom's yummy cinnamon rolls, and left Phoenix around 11:30am. Later than we wanted to leave, but it was good to not be rushed.

We drove to Winslow to try to find an old friend of Patrick's. We couldn't find her, which is a bummer, but the drive was beautiful. Then we headed to Flagstaff to get on the 89, which we took to Page, then drove to Kanab, then up the 89 to the 40 or 70...I'm not sure as I was dead asleep. Then over to I-15 and home to SLC!! We rolled in around 2:30am. What a long day. I love my car, but I'm currently quite sick of her. :)

So, that was our trip. Patrick's health is much better, and my body was able to fight off his cold until the drive home. Now I'm congested and dealing with sinus pressure. I wish sharing colds was more difficult. Smooching a sick hubby doesn't help, I'm sure.

Now, for December and Christmas...

1990...What the....??

2008-11-11T12:46:00.005-07:00

So by now you might understand that Patrick is a total hot-rodder. Any vehicle less than 25 years old is new by his standards, and nearly a sin for him to drive. It pains him that I own and he has to sometimes drive my 1998 Accord. It would kill him if I earned the Pontiac Vibe or G6 through Mary Kay and actually took the car instead of the cash ($375/month) which could be wisely invested in fixing up a proper hot rod that could be painted an appropriate shade of pink.

Anyway, the point is that my grease-monkey-hot-rodding-hubby is the proud (??) new owner of a 1990 Corolla.

I have to pause for a minute so I can have a good chuckle!

Okay, chuckling has subsided. His boss sold him the car for $100 to use on days he can't ride his Triumph to work during the winter. It needs a few inexpensive repairs, so it's really a great deal. Sure it's a hunka junk, but it drives.

I followed Patrick to the place where he was doing emissions on the Corolla, and it was just odd to see him driving that itty bitty car. He swears it will be a total of 2 weeks that he might drive the car during the winter. And quite naturally, he'll make sure it has a loud exhaust, shoots out firebombs out the back, and a questionable paint job. Just 'cause. (shaking my head...)

P.S. There's an awesome camera on a super sale that I want to get. If that pans out, you better believe I'll get some pictures up here of the new beauty!!

New Background & Picture

2008-11-11T12:44:00.003-07:00

I updated our background for this season of Thanksgiving and changed the picture to one that has appropriate colors. I don't love this picture of us, but it'll do. One thing I want to do in the next month or so is to get some pictures taken of us by someone who knows what they are doing. Maybe I'll hit up my sister-in-law while we're in Phoenix for Thanksgiving. She has a knack for photography. Their family blog is full of super cute family and kid pictures. If/When it happens, I'll be sure to post them!

My Grease Monkey is Back!!!!! And I LOVE It !!!!!

2008-11-01T18:18:00.004-06:00

And I guess I should post about Patrick's new job!! :) I have feeling this one is going to stick. He's working at

Scott's Auto & Clutch & Towing

as a mechanic. He's so great as a mechanic. He's got his tools at the shop and is working hard. His boss, Scott, loves his work. We are so grateful that he found a great job!!

So, if anyone in or around Salt Lake City needs any work done on their car or needs to be towed, here's their information:

Scott's Auto & Clutch & Towing

144 W Crystal Ave
Salt Lake City, UT 84115

(801) 485-4089‎

Patrick has had a side job this week, too...being my personal nurse. Let me tell you, he's good as a nurse! I'm grateful he was able to be home a bit more this week to help take care of me. I was having really high fevers, inflammation in my joints, headaches, and a strange rash on my arms, neck/chest, and legs. I'm rehydrated now because of Patrick giving me everything from the gentle glance to the stern stare until I drink more fluids. What a great guy.

Two of Patrick's FAVORITE Shows

2008-11-01T18:09:00.004-06:00

The Simpsons...love the human-like characterization done by this artist (Spacecoyote)! It almost creeps me out. And at the same time, I think it would be brilliant if they did an episode with all the characters looking like this! Seriously, he did a fabulous job. :)

Futurama, also done by Spacecoyote. I love this one as well. We're sad Futurama is over, as far as new episodes and seasons. Thank goodness for tv on DVD!!!

New Helmet

2008-10-14T18:07:00.008-06:00

Patrick got his new helmet in the mail today. It's a pilot's helmet from.... Fill in the blanks. :) You either know and recognize it or you don't.

Already???

2008-10-12T08:23:00.004-06:00

This is what
I woke up to
this morning.
The first
real snow of
the year. 
I'm freezing
just thinking
about it! I
hear It's
around seventy
in phoenix...
lucky people.:)

Patrick's New Job

2008-10-06T16:01:00.003-06:00

Patrick started a new job today as a waiter at Acme Burger in Salt Lake City. We're super excited for him to have a job!!!

Patrick's Baby

2008-10-06T15:24:00.005-06:00

On August 12th (we think), Patrick got his Triumph Bonneville. It was seriously like taking a kid to a toy store to pick out a toy he's been drooling over for months. Something along the lines of Ralphie dreaming about getting a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas. Here are a few pictures from the exciting occasion:

Waiting to sign the paperwork.
A supportive wife. :)
Patrick sitting on the Triumph Thruxton...he wanted that one, but it just wasn't as comfortable as the Bonneville.
The salesman brought out Patrick's Bonneville.

Patrick's first perch on his new girlfriend.

The close-up. Look at that grin!

The beautiful and sexy Triumph Bonneville.

Patrick brought her outside, ready to ride off into the sunset.

And off into the sunset he rides...

Table Cloth Skirt and Dinner Party Top GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

2008-09-03T19:57:00.001-06:00

Table Cloth Skirt and Dinner Party Top GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Although I don't have any children of my own, I have nieces. So, when I see the adorable clothes on the Grosgrain blog, I think of how cute they would look on my sweet nieces. So, I'm participating in this giveaway by posting a link here on my blog. Check it out...the clothing creations are to die for!

***Normally I would post this type of post on my personal blog, but it ended up on my family blog.***

Speed Week!

2008-08-27T18:22:00.006-06:00

This photo is from www.kiwiasalt.blogspot.com

The picture was taken just after I was born in 1979...what a good year!!!

Wow, I can't believe I haven't posted anything for a month!! Bad Alison!!! :)

The biggest highlight of the last month is Speed Week out at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Patrick spent a week camping out there, relishing the history of the event that gave birth to his motorcycle. (I'm trying to get him to post on this blog, too...I'd love to have his perspective on here.)

I went out for the day on Tuesday, the 19th. It was hot and extremely beautiful. The salt looked just like snow all over the ground. I got out there just after 1pm and met up with Patrick and his friends from the H.A.M.B. They're a fabulous group of people!

Next we went to the starting line to watch and listen to the cars as they took off. The louder, the better, right? Yes!

We walked around the lines of cars waiting for their turn to run and checked them out. There were some awesome vehicles!!

The people watching was just about as entertaining as looking at the cars. If I had a discreet way of taking random people's pictures (and if my batteries hadn't died), I would have gotten some hilarious shots.

There was a woman with a see-through white shirt on, little khaki shorts, white tube socks with red trim, up to her knees, and a trucker hat that was too big, sitting atop her head. The see through shirt was funny...I pointed it out to Patrick before he even had a chance to notice!

There were a handful of women who came all decked out in their vintage-hot-rod-chick outfits, topped off with beautiful red lipstick. I was baptized by salt that day, into the sexy red lips club. :)

There were also some entertaining dudes to look at...big 'ole bellies, topless, itty bitty shorts, etc. I absolutely LOVE people watching. The cars were cool too, don't let me take away from that!!

We went and ate a late lunch/early dinner at the Salt Flats Cafe (I think that's the name), and ate way too much food. Good stuff, though.

Next we walked around the pits. It was late enough in the day that most people were packed up, but I did get pictures of a rubber band powered car. That was pretty amazing. I also got to meet some of the Old Crow crew. I swear, the guys out at Speed Week are some of the nicest people I've met.

After that we went to the Hop Up party and checked out a sweet car show. Cars that were running out on the flats for Speed Week, as well as sweet cars that people have "loved to life" were lined up everywhere. It reminded me of my Junior High and High School years when I would go to car shows in Phoenix with my brother, Jeremiah, and his friend, Jeff. I thought I was so cool because I was at a car show with my older brother. :) I love those memories. Anyway, the car show and party was awesome. I wish I would have taken pictures, but I was feeling camera shy.

We went back to Patrick's campsite and hung out there until a wind storm got so bad that I decided to start my drive home. My hair, ears, clothes, skin, everything was covered in salt. It was awesome.

Patrick took a lot of pictures, so when we get them developed (yes, I said developed...he's anti-digital) I'll post those on here.

That's my share of the experience. We'll see if I can get Patrick to share as well. :)

Yard Sale!!!

2008-07-28T15:28:00.002-06:00

Yep, we're having another Yard Sale! This time Patrick's sister and brother-in-law are participating as well. Here are the details:

Saturday August 2nd
8am to whenever

640 S 900 E
SLC, UT

couch
desk
vintage toaster
home decorations
kitchen stuff
auto parts and accesories
and who knows what else....anyone want a 1950's Gyno chair????? :) Just kidding. Patrick would be really upset if we got rid of it. Although, for the right price....

Model A Sittin' Pretty!

2008-07-28T15:20:00.004-06:00

Hello!!! I am happy to announce that there has been significant progress made in the hot rod department!

Patrick, his friend, Tom, and Tom's son, Dyllan, helped move the body into the correct position on the frame. They did some cutting of metal with a plasma cutter. The circuit/breaker kept shorting, so when I was out there I wasn't able to try out the plasma cutter. Bummer. Most of the day I just kept hopping up to switch the breaker.

It is nice to see some progress, though! Here are some pictures:

Triumph

2008-07-22T00:19:00.000-06:00

Patrick started a new job last week as a Pool Technician for Captain Chemical. Yeah for new jobs!!! It's a part time job with great pay, so we're exited about it.

The other night, Patrick was telling me that he is thinking about getting a Triumph bike, something newer and more reliable.

Keeping in mind that he already has 4 other bikes and a hot rod to build, as well as knowing that he wants to build the hot rod before we start a family, this just frustrated the hell out of me. We had a great conversation about "here and now" things vs. "eternal" things, and I think we finally got on the same page. I'm ready to start a family, damnit! :) I honestly feel that no one is "ready" to start a family, or financially prepared. But, when the time comes, you have to be willing to make that choice to further your purpose in life. There are so many great things in store for us as a family, and I hate putting it off.

So, we're still looking into a Truimph, but Patrick knows that he needs a reliable job with steady income for that to be a possibility. He's also looking into getting a job with benefits. Wow, that would be amazing!

I was looking at Health Insurance online last night, and some companies require a waiting period before you get pregnant. What kind of crap is that??? I hate insurance companies.

Anyway, progress on the homefront...we're on the same page as far as eternal vs. temporal progress, which means we're on the same page on starting a family sometime soon.

I'm working on getting on the "get a Triumph bike" page, but pending a few prerequisites, I'll get there.

I just want a cute little baby Largin. Can you blame me?? Our kids are going to be adorable!!!

YARD SALE!!!

2008-07-09T22:03:00.000-06:00

We're having a HUGE Yard Sale this Saturday, the 12th. It's at 9 am. We'll have a lot of stuff, since we just emptied out our storage unit. Come check it out!

640 S 900 E
SLC

Lunch needs a new home

2008-07-05T08:10:00.002-06:00

For the very few people who actually read my blog, I wanted to let you know that Lunch needs a new home. If you know of anyone who wants a kitty (even people who may not know that they want a kitty...), please pass the word along.

Lunch is a really sweet cuddly kitty. She is super playful, energetic, and a lot of fun. She is a bit mischievous as well. :) She is a polydactyl and looks like she has mittens on her front feet. The extra "thumb" has been declawed on each side. She has been spayed as well.

We have 3 cats right now, and it's just not quite working out. The personalities of the kitties don't always mesh too well, and it feels like I'm doing more cleanup and de-escalating than simply loving the kitties. I really think Lunch would do well as an only-child kitty. I think kids would be great for her, because they would give her a lot of attention and make good use of her energy level.

Lunch has been an indoor kitty, though she has expressed some talent for being an escape artist. Personally, I've had horrible luck with outdoor kitties, so I like to keep them inside. That being said, I'm pretty sure that Lunch would do well outside. The birds would keep her busy. :)

***UPDATE 10/6/08***
We've decided to keep Lunch. We had someone express interest in adopting her, but it fell through. Oddly enough, after that, she started blending in better and better with the other kitties. She's still a lot of trouble, but we love her. Patrick plays with her a LOT, so I think she's melted his heart. She's staying.

Feline Herpes and Yard Sales...what more could you ask for?

2008-06-24T22:34:00.000-06:00

This is turning into a blog about our kitties....

Jinx developed feline herpes (common cold for kitties) after her incident. Basically, one eye seeped clear fluid non-stop, her hear itched, and she sneezed constantly. I could tell it was miserable. Fortunately, it has passed.

Unfortunately, it is contagious among kitties, and now Lunch is sneezing. Another weird behavioral symptom of the kitty cold is that they hide and sleep a lot. I know, I know...they're cats. They sleep a lot and in weird locations. However, when Jinx was sick, she'd pick places she wouldn't normally take a cat nap. (Haha...I'm funny...cat nap...) Lunch is now doing that as well. Hopefully her cold doesn't progress as far as Jinx's cold did. And hopefully Spaz avoids it altogether.

Spaz is Daddy's Little Girl

Also, we are in the process of moving our stuff out of our storage unit. Yesterday it took 3 car loads to get all of the boxes and miscellaneous stuff out. All that is left is my queen sized mattress, box spring, frame, a grill, an amplifier, and a handful of car stuff. Patrick rebuilt most of his big block engine in that storage unit...shh, don't tell anyone. It was seriously against the rules.

Now my living room and dining room have turned into a storage unit. It's an overwhelming amount of boxes to go through. Most of it is mine, so I've got to go through each one, put Yard Sale items downstairs in our Yard Sale Room (yep, there's a room set aside for the purging of our STUFF), and then figure out where to put everything else. I have a ton of books and no bookshelves. And before my first marriage, I had a Pampered Chef bridal shower, so I have an entire kitchen's worth of Pampered Chef stuff. This is awesome, yes, however I have to empty out the kitchen to get all this stuff to fit. And we desperately need some shelves/storage space in our kitchen. So much to do...most of which costs a bit of money, i.e. bookshelves and kitchen storage.

We've set a date for our Yard Sale, though, which is awesome. July 12th!!! Our neighbors are doing it with us, so it should be a big awesome sale.

As soon as it's done, I'm going to turn into an interior decorator. Or I might call one. We've got to get this place turned into a functioning, comfortable home.

not again...

2008-06-10T09:41:00.000-06:00

Right now I'm thinking about The Secret and Mary Kay Ash saying, "What you think about, you bring about." Then I sigh, wondering if Patrick and I are "bringing about" all the feline mayhem in our home??

The story continues...

This morning I was up at 6am on a scheduled conference call. Toward the end of the call, I hear some ruckus coming from ...you guessed it!...the swamp cooler. Now, mind you, the cover to the swamp cooler had been replaced and wedged into place pretty securely. So I wander over, thinking to myself, "Didn't stupid little Lunch learn her lesson?? Surely she didn't get herself stuck in there again!!"

So, looking into the swamp cooler, fully expecting to see Lunch, I see Jinx's frantic face peeking up. She's trapped and can't pull herself out since the fan is rotating toward her as she tries to climb out. For the love of peace and sanity in a home!!! I rotate the fan toward me and Jinx is able to get out, thank goodness. She looked pretty unharmed, so I grabbed her by the back of the neck and tossed her out onto the dining room floor and replaced the cover to the cooler.

Jinx was all wet, under the belly, all over the legs, soaked tail, and even up onto her lower back. She pissed herself. *Side note: I am writing "she" and "her," but Jinx is really a boy.* So it's smelly boy cat pee. The really nasty stuff. Why is it that male pee has to be so freaking stinky? Whether it's a cat or a man, they are fully loaded to mark their territory. Yuck. Anyway, pee everywhere on Jinx.

Then I notice Jinx's behavior. She's kinda hunched, tail tucked, and walking funny. So, I look closer (getting nasty cat pee all over my hands) and her hind feet are kind of raw, the heels are very raw, the pads on her back paws are raw and some are blistered open, all claws on all 4 feet are mangled to the quick, splintered like crazy. There's blood around the claws on all 4 feet. And good hell, she stinks!

This picture doesn't show the raw heels very well, but her pads are a bit tender.

So, I go downstairs and wake Patrick up to, "Honey?? I need you..." Unfortunately for him it wasn't the good kind of needing. So, he fed the cats, showered (so he'd get hot water before we used it all on Jinx), and then we endured giving Jinx a bath. Let me tell you...dirty pee water is nasty stuff.

Jinx is now clean, we put hydrogen peroxide solution on her feet, and she's hiding in the corner of a closet...obviously not feeling well, and probably a bit humiliated for wetting her pants. Gross.

Meanwhile...Spaz has decided to let the other two cats constantly know of her disdain for them. I'm not sure if it is their bad behavior or their new weakness, but she's capitalizing the opportunity to mark her place as the stronger and better behaved child in the family. It's so annoying to hear her hiss at the other two all day. So, she gets swatted every time she does it.

Lunch is looking better every day...she's starting to scab up and there's no major infection, so that's good.

"Leave me alone already!!!" Lunch hates her frequent "treatments," but what can you do?
Nothing but put on more hydrogen peroxide solution and ointment...
then hold her for 10 min so she doesn't lick it all off.
Fun.

And another naughty kitty story...

2008-06-08T18:17:00.000-06:00

After the night of the kitties' escape, Lunch, Spaz, and Jinx are craving the outside world.

Two days ago, when I got home from work, right as I opened the door to come inside, Lunch and Jinx were waiting for their golden opportunity. Both of them bolted for the opening. I was able to stop Jinx, but Lunch went sailing by, right over my foot. I threw my stuff down, yelled a few choice words, and ran after her.

Have you ever seen a greased pig catching contest? I haven't. But I'm pretty sure how it would go. Something like:

Lunch sprints along the front of the duplex, Alison follows a fair distance behind. Lunch runs up the neighbors stairs onto their front porch and stops, a look of panic on her face...where can I go now? As Alison rounds the corner and approaches the stairs, Lunch gets ready to jump off the porch into the lawn. Alison apparently sees this next move and strategically runs back around the corner into the lawn. Oh, the strategy was actually on Lunch's part! She runs down the stairs and around to the back of the duplex! Boy is she fast!! Alison follows behind. Lunch decides the back yard is a dead end and turns, facing Alison, running straight toward her. As Lunch shoots past, Alison dives onto the grass, attempting to catch the little bugger! Ouch, that was painful! Lunch runs back across the front of the duplex, and down the small road. Patrick has joined the contest and shoo-es Alison to stay back. Dejected, Alison gives up her failed attempts and returns home. Patrick is gone for a few minutes, returns to grab the bag of kitty treats, goes back outside and returns shortly with a mischievous cat.

Man, Lunch is one devil of a kitty!!!

And as if that story isn't enough, last night topped it off. I'm talking, seriously topped it off.

I got home from work close to 11pm. My neighbors were out on their porch, so I talked to them for several minutes and shared the afore mentioned story. While sharing this story, I could hear some intent kitty mewes. See, I told them, they are desperate to get outside again! Those are their I WANT OUT cries!

We have a swamp cooler in one of the windows of our dining room. Unfortunately, this swamp cooler doesn't work. Patrick had taken the cover off both inside and outside to see if he could fix it, so it had been a playground for the kitties to breathe the outside air and listen to the birds.

After talking to the neighbors for several minutes, I was pretty sure the mewes were coming from the swamp cooler. Naughty little kitties, I thought! After a couple more minutes, the mewes became more frequent, panicked, and needing attention. Jokingly I said, I better go make sure no one is stuck in there! So, I head over to my place to scope it out.

I walk in the front door and turn the corner into the dining room. Jinx is on the table staring at the swamp cooler. Spaz is in the cooler, looking very intently into it, then looking at me, then back into the cooler. Where is Lunch? The mewes resume. Lunch is IN the cooler. I take a closer look, and somehow (and I still don't know how), Lunch is between the circular fan and the housing for the fan. She is pancaked in there and very unhappy about it. Very unhappy.

I have no idea how swamp coolers are put together, and I really don't know how to get her out. So, I go back outside and call for the neighbors to help. While the Mrs. is inside looking into the cooler, Mr. is outside yanking the belt off of the fan. Lunch is crying the whole time, poor baby. Mr. was able to turn the fan, unsure if it was hurting Lunch worse, but it spun her out into Mrs. arms. We run inside and Mrs. says, it's bad, Alison, she's bleeding on her leg! So, we get the cat carrier and call around for an animal hospital.

I'm still in my work clothes, so I run downstairs to change, call Patrick, and he asks me to wait for him to get home from his friend's house before we go anywhere. I had only seen one side of Lunch, and her knee area was rubbed completely raw. It was bright red, a little bloody, and the hair was all gone...all over the dining room floor, actually. I just wanted to cry for her.

I got online to Google tetanus and cats, and fortunately it is really hard for cats to get tetanus. I got her out of the carrier and upon inspection, both of her knees were rubbed raw. One side had all the hair and the first layer of skin removed. The other side was into at least 2 layers of skin. Oh, poor poor Lunch!

After calling the animal hospital again, Patrick felt comfortable keeping her at home and using an anti-bacterial ointment that we had for Jinx a few months ago. (Jinx had adult kitty acne...how cute.) We gave Lunch a bath which turned her white again and the bathtub black, then put 50/50 hydrogen peroxide and water on her wounds. It had to hurt, she was hollering like you wouldn't believe. Then we put the ointment on and held her close so she wouldn't lick it off. That poor little baby...I brushed out her wet tangled hair and petted her for an hour.

She's super soft and beautiful today, and the wounds are looking better already. I feel so sad for her every time we clean it up with the hydrogen peroxide solution and put ointment on. I know it hurts. She's moving around just fine, is eating well, and purring, so she's okay.

She is seriously one mischievous, naughty little cat! A couple weeks ago she shoved herself through a small opening under a window we had propped open. Patrick grabbed her tail just in time to yank her back in. She's driving us nuts! I knew she was an escape artist, but good grief!!

So, we're hoping our hell-week with the kitties is coming to an end. Spaz is jealous of the attention Lunch is getting and has started hissing at her if she gets within 3 feet of her.

And to think...we want children?!?! :)

NAUGHTY Gato and Gatas!!!

2008-06-05T21:52:00.000-06:00

Last night our door somehow didn't close all the way, and by the time I noticed it, all 3 of our kitties were GONE. Fortunately it was raining pretty good last night, so Lunch and Spaz (the two gatas) were shivering in the flowers by the door. Patrick grabbed Lunch, and Spaz ran straight for the door, anxious to get inside.

Unfortunately, Jinx (naughty little gato!!) was nowhere to be found. Patrick and I walked all around our neighborhood calling out for Jinx. I had on slippers which were soaking wet, and my sweatshirt was getting soaked as well. We would split directions, meet back at the house, and go again. The last trip out, Patrick grabbed our flashlights and left some kitty treats at the door. We left again to circle another block. A couple times we heard a familiar meow or a jingle of a bell (on all of our kitties' collars), but no Jinx.

We sadly made our way back home and noticed wet kitty prints on the concrete in front of the door and most of the kitty treats eaten. It HAD to be Jinx!! So, we split up again, and Patrick found Jinx around the side of the house. When he called for him, Jinx ran straight to him...soooo cold, wet, and super fluffy, as a scared kitty would be.

Those naughty little cats! Today Jinx has been roaming the house mewing for some playful action, looking listlessly outside the windows...longing for another moment of independence. That little shit.

It was not fun to see Patrick so upset. It would have destroyed him if we hadn't found all three.

...and more projects :)

2008-06-05T21:27:00.000-06:00

Guess what?!?! Patrick acquired a motorcycle for me. It's a 1971 Honda something-or-other that has been turned into a bobber. I really don't know a whole helluva lot about what that means, but it's a cute little bike. It needs some work (umm...does that put it into the "project" category??), so it'll be a while before I'm riding around. Patrick says this doesn't get him in trouble for picking up a new project because it didn't cost him anything. That's like me buying 2 pairs of shoes because if I bought one, the other was free. :)

Patrick is also doing some trade work for a custom chopper from his friend, Dirty. In the meantime, he'll get his current motorcycle running so he can sell it.

Also, Patrick found a Model A body for his hot rod. He was feeling unsure about the Diamond T and found the Model A body. So, if anyone wants a Diamond T body, send me a message. He's selling that now.

As for me, I'm working really hard on earning my free car with Mary Kay. So, any time I'm not at the restaurant working, I'm doing Mary Kay stuff. June is always an exciting month in Mary Kay, since the end of our fiscal year is June 30th. So...lots going on there!

That's our up-to-date list of what we're working on! :)

Love is...

2008-05-09T08:24:00.000-06:00

...when you kiss your husband goodbye in the morning and he tells you that your breath reeks of death and not to breathe on the kitties.

Yup, true love right there! ;)

"Magical" Birthday???

2008-04-27T16:36:00.000-06:00

Patrick's 26th Birthday was yesterday. His mom says that when you turn the age of the day of your birthday (i.e. turning 26 on April 26th) it is your "Magical" Birthday. Cute, huh? To be honest, Patrick and I were both skeptics about this "Magical" thing.

So, yesterday morning we woke up and decided to go have breakfast somewhere. I was thinking of going to The Original House of Pancakes (sounds like IHOP's name, but they are very different) in Salt Lake City....incredibly big and delicious breakfast there! So, we got in the car and noticed a sign on a light post in front of our house, "Estate Sale." I asked Patrick if he wanted to go, and of course he said YES.

There were soooooo many cute dishes, teapots, saucers, teacups, etc. Some guy had bought all of the old furniture and they were loading it up into a truck. Patrick found an old drink thermos that is super retro and in great condition. He also fell in love with a vintage laundry basket...wicker with a cool looking top. I'll admit, I rolled my eyes at that purchase, but it was his birthday. Then I found a cool planter that is a tower with eight or so arms that hold little pots. A pot sits on the bottom for any crawling plants. So it was a really fun stop for us.

We got back in the car and started heading south again and saw a Yard Sale sign. So, we stopped there. Patrick found 4 Beatles albums in vinyl. The albums are: Hey Jude, Let it Be, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Magical Mystery Tour with a 24-page full color picture book. The story of the Magical Mystery Tour is cute, funny, and odd. Great pictures and designs, too. Anyway, lucky Patrick...these vinyls are worth more than the DOLLAR he paid! Patrick found some books, too, and I found 4 mirrors with black frames. The frames have a floral design in silver on them...something to put in the living room, maybe. :)

Off we were to find another stop... we drove by a Scandinavian restaurant and bakery shop and decided to stop there for breakfast/brunch. We had omelets with cream cheese and smoked salmon and potatoes. The baked goods looked fantastic, but for some crazy reason we didn't indulge. Little side note...they have marzipan cakes! MMMMmmmm...I will try one of those someday.

We stopped at a few more Yard Sales and found more books, a little military looking lock box, a bag of polyester fiber-fill for my crafts, and the BEST BEST, MOST MAGICAL FIND of the day was an ENTIRE dark room set-up for $75. Every little thing Patrick needs to start developing his mountain of rolls of film was included. Seriously. Every little thing. And to top that off, the guy who was getting rid of all this equipment used it to develop pictures for an article about termites in the April 1978 National Geographic, titled Termites: Dwellers in the Dark. His name is Glenn D. Prestwich. Patrick is a huge fan of National Geographic, so that just added mounds of sentiment to his super deal.

So...perhaps the whole "Magical" Birthday is real?? Patrick says I'm his good luck charm, but he did find all this great stuff ON his special birthday. Either way...I'm only 2 years older than him right now, which makes me feel a little less old. :)

**I would have posted pictures, but my camera doesn't like me today. Stupid camera.

New Project

2008-04-20T17:54:00.000-06:00

Around the time of my last post, I remember telling Patrick, NO NEW PROJECTS for awhile!!! Well, that lasted a few days. Patrick found a frame for his hot rod. :) I'd try to hit all the details and years, but I know I'd get it wrong, so I'll have to come back and update that info. However, I DO have pictures:

My favorite part of the frame is the wheels. The wood inside the metal looks sooo awesome! I think they would make a sweet table somehow, but Patrick is giving those back to the guy that sold the frame to him. Apparently the hub part is still good and can be sold to another customer. Oh well.

Patrick and his buddy, Tom have already started tearing apart the frame, and Patrick has made several purchases of the necessary parts to get this thing legally on the road. I will document the process...because it's fun to see the whole journey. Wish us luck!

****UPDATE****
It's a 1928 Buick frame, and the truck going on it is a 1941 Diamond T. There's some detail for you that I otherwise would be clueless about!!

The latest...

2008-04-10T14:42:00.000-06:00

It seems like life has been pretty routine, so not much new has happened.

Patrick bought a new bike...I'm sure I'd get all the details wrong, so I won't try too hard. I think it's a 1971 Kawasaki. It works for off and on road. Patrick is putting some work into it, of course. I'm hoping it will be running beautifully asap so he can go on some good rides. I think he needs long rides like I need hikes in the wilderness. Part of us is just missing since we haven't been on any rides or hikes. Thank goodness Spring is coming!

I made a cute little "Love Ribbon" and put it up in our living room. I feel like it's good energy to have our love hanging over our heads. :)

Family Photos

2008-03-19T11:07:00.000-06:00

On Christmas Eve, my family had a little photo session. The pictures turned out really well.

Grandpa & Grandma Jones

Mom, Dad, their kids & spouses, and all the cute grandkids

I wish Grandpa Mecham was there so we could have pictures of him too...and a picture with all of us and Grandpa & Grandma Jones would have been cool. Oh well...it's nice to have a current picture of my sweet grandpa. He's the best!

Patrick and I need to get some more pictures done of us. I know a few people around here who do photography professionally or as a hobby, so we just need to get it arranged.

There are a TON more of our family pictures, so if you want to see them, check out the album.

On Marriage and Compassion

2008-03-19T10:49:00.000-06:00

This is a story from Paulo Coelho...

Accepting compassion

'How can we purify the world?' asked a disciple.

Ibn al-Husayn replied:

'There was once a sheik in Damascus called Abu Musa al-Qumasi. Everyone respected him because of his wisdom, but no one knew for certain that he was a good man.

One evening, the house where the sheik and his wife lived collapsed, apparently because of some fault in the construction. The neighbours began desperately digging amongst the rubble. At one point, they managed to find the sheik's wife.

She said: "Don't bother about me. Save my husband first, he was sitting more or less over there."

The neighbours shifted the rubble in the place she had indicated and found the sheik. He said: "Don't worry about me. Save my wife first, she was lying more or less over there."

When people act as that couple did, they are purifying the whole world.

I love Paulo Coelho...he is definitely one of my top 5 favorite authors. I really like this story. I hope that Patrick and I can always remember to act like this couple...showing compassion toward each other, loving the other first, concerned with the other's well being, flooding our words and actions with kindness and love.

The past couple weeks

2008-03-16T12:37:00.001-06:00

It has been far too long since I posted on this blog! Patrick and I are mostly settled into our new home. We LOVE it! And the kitties love it too!

~~~~

Last week some of my family came into town from Phoenix and Denver to attend my cousin's funeral. Here's his obituary:

Kurt Van Wiley
Kurt Van Wiley 1986 ~ 2008 Kurt passed away March 5, 2008 in Riverton. He was born November 5, 1986 in Ozark, Alabama to Kenneth Ray and Peggy Jones Wiley.Survived by his parents, siblings Erin, Chris and Shawn Wiley, grandparents Doris Wiley and Emerson Jones. He also left behind a niece, Kelsi and a nephew, Cohen. Preceded in death by grandparents, Manning Ray Wiley and Virgie Payne Jones. There will be a viewing held Monday, March 10, 2008 from 6-8 p.m. at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 E. 10600 So. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, March 11 at 10:00 a.m. in the Redwood Ward, 12070 So. 1515 W., Riverton. An additional viewing will be held one hour prior to services. Online condolences may be made at www.larkincares.com Published in the Salt Lake Tribune on 3/9/2008.

It's strange how it takes something huge, like a funeral, to get family together. I got to see relatives on my mom's side of the family that I haven't seen for a couple years. It's always fun to get together with the Jones' side...we're a rowdy bunch! The circumstances for our gathering is most unfortunate. Kurt was only 21 years old...such a kind and happy guy. It was nice to see just how many friends he had...a LOT of them attended the viewing, and a good number came to the funeral too. I was glad that his parents had one of his friends talk about him at the service, sharing stories from their group of friends about Kurt and what a good guy he is. And I really liked that the friend mentioned that although Kurt didn't make the best choices toward the end of his life, it's important that we all remember all of his positive attributes and what a great person he is.

Patrick was able to come to the viewing and funeral with me, which was nice, because he hadn't met my mom's side of the family yet. He got along with everyone really well...especially Uncle Norman. Who doesn't get along with Uncle Norman, though??

One unusual thing for me with the funeral is that I didn't cry. I'm like the rest of the women in my family...extremely emotional. So it really is strange that the tear ducts weren't flowing. I suppose it's still in there, waiting for the moment to release.

~~~~

On Wednesday, the 12th, my mom, sister, and I went to Primary Children's Hospital to visit my cousin Chris, his wife, Ashley, and their little boy, Cohen who is being treated for cancer. Cohen is such a little sweetheart. I need to be a better cousin and visit more often. It's amazing to see Chris as an adult...he is so handsome, and Ashley is beautiful. They've had huge medical problems with both of their children, and they have been so strong through it all. I'm sure they've had their weak moments, but from my perspective, they are two of the strongest and most amazing people out there. They are in my prayers as they care for their sweet little ones.

~~~~

So, while all the family was in town, my sister, Kosette, and brother, Philip, stayed with us. It's stressful to have family staying with us! :) Kosette left Friday, so on Thursday we played "House" and got some furniture and boxes moved around. I am sooooo glad she had the interest and energy to help me out with this...it looks SOOOOO much better in here! There are a few piles of boxes left, but they are all in categorized stacks, ready to sort through.

The Gyno chair is tucked away in the office with my printer on it. That dang chair. Patrick wants it in the living room...I don't. ;) I'll have to post a picture of it on here so you all can appreciate it for its full glory. Our old stereo/record player is in the dining room and looks fabulous in there. I need to find some rugs to warm up the place and figure out what to put where on the walls.

~~~~

Patrick just got a new Smart Phone (TMobile) and is like a little boy with a new toy. It's adorable. It really is an awesome phone. I'm jealous. I wish I had a better phone and wasn't with Sprint.

~~~~

I think that's the full update for now. A lot has been going on. I keep waiting for life to settle down, but it never does. I've just got to manage it better, I guess. :)

Update on moving

2008-02-24T23:30:00.000-07:00

Today Patrick and I went and looked at the inside of Shay's apartment and through the windows into our future (I hope!) apartment. It looks wonderful! The only bad thing about it is that the stove is electric and not gas. Gas is sooooo much better. Oh well. It's a sacrifice worth making. Hopefully we'll get together with the landlord in the next day or so to seal the deal, then we'll move as soon as we can. We don't want to leave our current apartment complex hanging, so it may be a few weeks, but I'm sooooo ready to move tomorrow. This new place has a lot of character. We can really see ourselves living here for a couple years.

Goodbye Little Tijuana!

2008-02-17T02:22:00.000-07:00

Patrick and I have been looking for a new place for quite some time now. A girl I work with just informed me that the apartment next to hers is now available for pretty much the same rent we're paying here, AND it has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms!!! AND washer & dryer hookups! AND it's a lot closer to my work!!! AND I'd be neighbors with Shay!!!!! :) We're going to go check it out, and hopefully we'll be able to say "Goodbye and Good Riddance" to our quaint Little Tijuana.

Do You Read Me??

2008-02-03T22:32:00.001-07:00

Patrick, sweetheart that he is, got me a cute and appropriate present just for fun. He got me a copy of Blame it on the Dog: A Modern History of the Fart by Jim Dawson, author of Who Cut the Cheese?

I've read the Introduction and the first chapter, and it is GREAT!!! I'll admit it, I'm not the classiest lady out there. I'm full of gas, and lots of it. I'm just glad that Patrick knew that before he married me, so at least it isn't a big unpleasant surprise. It's still unpleasant, but not so much of a surprise. Unless I sneak one on him when we're in bed snuggling before sleep. :) I'll blame my crassness on having 3 older brothers and gassy parents...yes, even you, Mom. :D

Subject change... ;)

I'm also reading Atonement by Ian McEwan. Loved the movie, so I figured I would read the book too.

Patrick got a couple new books at Barnes & Noble...

Brother Odd by Dean Koontz, which he's already halfway through,

and Treasure of Khan by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler.

I've read The Face by Dean Koontz, and it was a really interesting book. I don't recall a single point where I was bored with the text...it sucked me in, and even though I took awhile to read it, I was hooked. Excellent book.

Anyway, that's what we are reading right now. I love being married to a guy who likes to read and discuss what we're reading. We're keeping our minds sharp. :)

Our Babies

2008-02-01T12:04:00.001-07:00

We do have 3 little ones, running around and keeping the apartment messy, teaching us tolerance, patience, and love for when we create our own little masterpiece. :)

Ms. Jinx

We recently found out that Ms. Jinx (aka Jinx) is truly a boy. Yet we still call him a her, a she. It feels wrong, either way, to refer to Jinx as a boy or a girl. Jinx loves to be pet, except for on her back, belly, love spot, or tail. And it's always on her terms or you'll get the growl of contempt. Weighing in at about 13 lbs and the oldest of the 3, Jinx is our big daddy...or mommy...I'm still confused.

Patrick acquired Jinx outside his friend Richie's house. Jinx just walked up to him and started rubbing up on his ankles. Could be that he has furry ankles... :) Jinx was a skinny little cat at that point and has eaten very well as an indoor cat.

Spaz

Spaz is my favorite, I'll be honest. :) As I speak/type, she is laying across my arms and belly, which makes typing a little challenging. Somehow she tolerates the little movements as I reach up to hit numbers or the "p" and "y" keys. :) She's a cute little 8 pounder who is very independent, pretty docile when it comes to man-handling her, and a true sweetheart who will kick the other cats' butts if needed. She's pretty even-keeled.

Patrick found her a little over a year ago in a tree, wayyyy up high. He borrowed a ladder, got her down, and she instantly declared herself Daddy's Little Girl. Nothing has changed. When I moved in, Spaz was pretty upset, because I took her spot cuddling in front of Patrick on the bed. It took her over a month to even remotely warm up to me. We've gotten past that now, but she still prefers Patrick's lovin' over mine. Daddy's Little Girl.

Lunch

Lunch is our newest addition to the family. My friend Leila moved to Hawaii, and Lunch evaded her new owner and another person, and ended up with us so we could take care of her while a new owner was found. Well...we bought a food dish and ended up adopting her. She is definitely the baby of the family who constantly provokes the other two cats. She scratches, chews, pulls, plays, and conjures mischief 24/7. She's pulled over our kitchen garbage, constantly empties the bathroom garbage looking for q-tips, keeps the bathmat and kitchen mat disheveled, pulls down the curtains, chews up the cord for the blinds, comes into the bathroom every time I sit on the pot, hogs the laser pointer, and drives us nuts. At the same time, she is so soft and cuddly, purrs so beautifully, is a bundle of entertainment, and keeps us humble and oh, so patient. I swear she is preparing us for children. If our kids are anything like Patrick as a child/adolescent, Lunch is going to seem like a walk in the park. :) Hopefully our kids aren't like me as a young adult, either! Anyway, we love Lunch. Sometimes I want to lock her in the bathroom (the other kitties too), but she's fun.

Those are our babies. We love them dearly.

One Year

2008-02-01T10:38:00.000-07:00

Wednesday was our 1 year Anniversary of meeting each other. I can't believe a year has gone by already! It's gone so fast...most likely due to how wonderful it has been.

To celebrate, we went to dinner at Chili's and rented Donnie Darko...everyone kept telling me that I needed to watch it. I really enjoyed the movie. How the whole story tied together was really thought provoking...I can't quite wrap my head around it completely to explain my thoughts, but I'll get there eventually.

Patrick and I were talking about the last year...it really has moved quickly. We had a fairly quick start...okay, it was really quick, yet we both were at a point in our lives when we met where we weren't "ready" to be in a serious relationship. He had just gotten out of a 2 year relationship and I was still pretty fresh out of my previous 3 year marriage. Regardless, our hearts had an undeniable connection. It just took a month or so for us to admit it. :) Then the rest of the time flew by quickly.

We're super happy...life is good. We're a great pair. A grease monkey and a Mary Kay lady. :)

One of our One Year Anniversaries

2008-01-15T21:49:00.000-07:00

January 30th is our One Year Anniversary of our First Date. So, it is only appropriate that I share how we met.

Patrick and I met on Hotornot.com. Yep...on that superficial dating website. Haha! He clicked on my picture to send me a message that he wanted to meet or send messages via the website. I checked out his profile and gave the go-ahead. He seemed like a fairly normal guy. He had pictures on his profile with his cats, which I thought was a little odd, and odd appealed to me. Gotta keep it mixed up, right?

So, we talked online for a couple days and decided to meet in person. I invited Patrick to my apartment to watch a movie with my roommate and me. We hit it off right from the start. We were so comfortable around each other and the conversation flowed naturally.

Since we were so comfortable together, our relationship progressed very quickly, though we both resisted settling down into a serious commitment. Life has a funny way of pushing you along, though. In April we moved in together, and in July we got engaged.

I'm so glad I met Patrick. I've found the greatest guy for me. I know he feels the same.

Now we need to figure out what we are doing for our anniversary. :)

Spreading the good word

2008-01-13T00:51:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow night (technically tonight) we are telling Patrick's mom and step-dad that we got married! We wanted to wait and tell them in person...that was really important to Patrick. I'm excited. His mom is wonderful. She's super nice and extremely supportive. I couldn't be marrying into a better family. His dad and step-mom were very excited for us when we told them. I love that about his family.

Now...what are we going to do for dinner?!?! :)

Engagement and Wedding

2008-01-09T22:49:00.000-07:00

Rather than dealing with retyping our engagement and wedding stories or copy/pasting any of them, here are the links to a couple of our lovely stories:

Our Engagement Story

Our Wedding Story

Next I'll work on our meeting and dating story.

The Beginning

2008-01-06T12:21:00.000-07:00

I'll post our story of meeting, dating, engagement, and wedding at another time, but for now, here is our wedding picture.

Mr. & Mrs. Largin

December 22nd was a special day for us! Now we are married and extremely excited about our future together!