Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Size 10
I can put on my size 10 capris again! Oh, they are a little bit tight, but I am getting there!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Weight Watchers Success
Hi Everyone! It is my usual late night blog. During the day, forget it. Sitting at the computer just ain't happen'n. Nap time is my only quiet time, but the baby's crib is in the office and she is a light sleeper. That's ok. I don't mind these few minutes at night all to myself to unwind. The bad thing about this blogging thing is that blogging is replacing my journal writing...oops. But it is so FUN!
Can you tell I am in a good mood today? Monday is my weigh in day at Weight Watchers. I am not quite back down to my goal weight, but I am very close. I lost another pound and a half this week. With as many choco chip cookies as I ate, I am thrilled about a pound and a half. I am only 12 pounds from my realistic goal: 145 pounds. ( My unrealistic goal is 135 lbs, but I just don't know if that is something I can do with my heighth and age...Oh well, it is worth shooting for. I would rather shoot for 135 and make it to 140 than not try at all and end up 225 pounds again.)
Jordan and Duncan are camping out in the neighbors back yard so I am going to go up and spend some quality girl time with my daughters before bed. They are watching a movie up in our bonus room above the garage. Chad has already gone to bed. He rarely gets even up to five hours a sleep a night. Ok, there I go babbling again. Good night all!
Can you tell I am in a good mood today? Monday is my weigh in day at Weight Watchers. I am not quite back down to my goal weight, but I am very close. I lost another pound and a half this week. With as many choco chip cookies as I ate, I am thrilled about a pound and a half. I am only 12 pounds from my realistic goal: 145 pounds. ( My unrealistic goal is 135 lbs, but I just don't know if that is something I can do with my heighth and age...Oh well, it is worth shooting for. I would rather shoot for 135 and make it to 140 than not try at all and end up 225 pounds again.)
Jordan and Duncan are camping out in the neighbors back yard so I am going to go up and spend some quality girl time with my daughters before bed. They are watching a movie up in our bonus room above the garage. Chad has already gone to bed. He rarely gets even up to five hours a sleep a night. Ok, there I go babbling again. Good night all!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Movie Review: The Dark Knight (warning long post)
Duncan, Jordan and I had a guys’ night out and went to see "The Dark Knight".
This is, of course, the sequel to "Batman Begins" which is a re-inventing of the Batman movie series. The movie stars Christian Bale as Batman/Bruce Wayne, Heath Ledger (rest in peace) as the Joker, Morgan Freeman as Lucious Fox (the man responsible for Batmans outrageous technical equipment), Michael Cane as the lovable Alfred, and was written and directed by Christopher Nolan (who also wrote and directed "Batman Begins").
[editorial note: I am very jealous of Mr. Nolan, as I am exactly one month older than he, so by rights I should have been the writer of this film...and the guy earning millions of dollars...with the ferrari and yacht and such...oh how the fates conspire against us (through no fault of our own, I might add)!]
The very first thing I have to say is that I am very happy someone decided to roll the dice and remake these movies. The first round of Batman movies, with the ever-changing leading actor, the over-the-top-cartoonishness of the stupid villains (and I do mean stupid...if brains were dynamite they could not blow their collective noses), and the overall feel of a "hey, we got you to spend 8 bucks on this piece of crap..nanner nanner nah" bad joke being played on us all. So kudos to Nolan and the gang. They got this one right.
The biggest disappointment, and what is most often a movie-ruiner for me, is that they replaced the actress playing Bruces long-time friend and love interest, Rachel. For me, this is a big deal...not because I necessarily have fallen in love with the actresses (and/or actors...except of course for Kate Winslet in Titanic...but who didn't =), but rather for continuity's sake - in fact the original actress who played Rachel earned herself a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress. At least in this one, is a very unusual twist near the ending (the first ending, not the real ending), they do something so unexpected that I was able to forgive them for replacing Rachel. I am not telling what they did, just that it worked well for me. Go see it and you will see what I mean
In Batman Begins Rachel was played by Katie Holmes, now of TomKat fame after marrying Tom Cruise who turned out to be the psycho that jumps all over furniture on daytime TV.
This is, of course, the sequel to "Batman Begins" which is a re-inventing of the Batman movie series. The movie stars Christian Bale as Batman/Bruce Wayne, Heath Ledger (rest in peace) as the Joker, Morgan Freeman as Lucious Fox (the man responsible for Batmans outrageous technical equipment), Michael Cane as the lovable Alfred, and was written and directed by Christopher Nolan (who also wrote and directed "Batman Begins").
[editorial note: I am very jealous of Mr. Nolan, as I am exactly one month older than he, so by rights I should have been the writer of this film...and the guy earning millions of dollars...with the ferrari and yacht and such...oh how the fates conspire against us (through no fault of our own, I might add)!]
The very first thing I have to say is that I am very happy someone decided to roll the dice and remake these movies. The first round of Batman movies, with the ever-changing leading actor, the over-the-top-cartoonishness of the stupid villains (and I do mean stupid...if brains were dynamite they could not blow their collective noses), and the overall feel of a "hey, we got you to spend 8 bucks on this piece of crap..nanner nanner nah" bad joke being played on us all. So kudos to Nolan and the gang. They got this one right.
The biggest disappointment, and what is most often a movie-ruiner for me, is that they replaced the actress playing Bruces long-time friend and love interest, Rachel. For me, this is a big deal...not because I necessarily have fallen in love with the actresses (and/or actors...except of course for Kate Winslet in Titanic...but who didn't =), but rather for continuity's sake - in fact the original actress who played Rachel earned herself a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress. At least in this one, is a very unusual twist near the ending (the first ending, not the real ending), they do something so unexpected that I was able to forgive them for replacing Rachel. I am not telling what they did, just that it worked well for me. Go see it and you will see what I mean
In Batman Begins Rachel was played by Katie Holmes, now of TomKat fame after marrying Tom Cruise who turned out to be the psycho that jumps all over furniture on daytime TV.
More...
[editorial note: It is unknown (at least to this reviewer...me...who is too lazy to look much further than wikipedia for any meaningful information - hence the links in this review =) why Katie did not return. I heard somewhere that Katie had put her career on hold to carry, deliver, and nurture the offspring of herself and Mr. Cuise, which would amount to an armageddon-level combination of cuteness and psychotic sofa-bouncing, so she had to skip out on "The Dark Knight" to, in reality, save the world. Thanks Katie...we love you (and fear your husband) even more!]
Instead of Katie, Rachel was played by the far over-rated, almost cute-almost ugly, Maggie Gyllenhaal...or she-of-the-so-sultry-eyes-that-they-appear-to-be-melting-out-of-her-face.
I swear, Maggie and Kirsten Dunst are in a contest to see who can close their eyes the most, all the time, and still see enough to keep from tripping on their toy chihuahuas with the $25,000 diamond-and-actual-egyptian mummy gold-encrusted-collars. I think Kirsten is winning, and at least she is very cute. I think Maggie kind of resembles an alien at times.Sorry, back to the review.
The movie is VERY LONG, 2 1/2 hours to be exact, but actually, in the end, you are happy it is long - I actually wished it had gone on a little longer. It reaches a point where most movies would cut out...you know the "aha, so that is why this all happened" scene after which the director says "AND THAT IS ALL YOU WILL KNOW...NO MORE MOVIE FOR YOU" and you leave saying "Jeez that was a stinker, what a stupid ending"...but then, it does not end. They actually give you a little aha moment - enough of a faux ending that Jordan chose that time to go to the bathroom...more on that later - then the movie continues to a REAL ending that is, of course, setting up the next movie in the series, but at least leaves you feeling like they really ended this movie. It is satisfying.
Now, more on Jordans bathroom break. You better plan on either 1) Taking a catheter or bottle of some kind into the movie with you, or 2) Asking someone to memorize what you may miss, or 3) Just not drinking the 3 gallons of soda you get for 5 bucks in order to avoid missing out on the movie. Usually (as in the Lord of the Ring movies) I do not mind getting up in the middle of a long movie to stretch the legs and empty the...well you understand...but in this one, I did not want to miss a second.
OK...enough technical details.
I thought about giving you a running play-by-play of the film, but I have already bored you long enough. Instead, I will just tell you why I liked the film. On a scale of 1 to 65,000, I would have to rate it about a 58,517 (I guess that would be 4 1/2 stars out of 5, or something inane like that).
I think they captured the true essence of Batman as they had never done before. Batman is supposed to be a tortured soul, a regular guy like you and me, who endures something very tragic, yet finds it in himself to transcend that experience and turn his anger and agony into a force for good. He is the one superhero without modified genes, or who hails from some foreign planet, or who inherited his powers. He is the one hero who decides to be a hero. To me, that makes him one of the best heroes we have in modern literature (Iron Man is up there too...I still need to review that one too).
In this movie, Batman is put into situations that test his resolve to be the hero. He struggles to find his place, to do what he has to do, in the face of uncertainties and impossible choices. He also faces the best villain ever put on screen: The Joker.
Now, more on Jordans bathroom break. You better plan on either 1) Taking a catheter or bottle of some kind into the movie with you, or 2) Asking someone to memorize what you may miss, or 3) Just not drinking the 3 gallons of soda you get for 5 bucks in order to avoid missing out on the movie. Usually (as in the Lord of the Ring movies) I do not mind getting up in the middle of a long movie to stretch the legs and empty the...well you understand...but in this one, I did not want to miss a second.
OK...enough technical details.
I thought about giving you a running play-by-play of the film, but I have already bored you long enough. Instead, I will just tell you why I liked the film. On a scale of 1 to 65,000, I would have to rate it about a 58,517 (I guess that would be 4 1/2 stars out of 5, or something inane like that).
I think they captured the true essence of Batman as they had never done before. Batman is supposed to be a tortured soul, a regular guy like you and me, who endures something very tragic, yet finds it in himself to transcend that experience and turn his anger and agony into a force for good. He is the one superhero without modified genes, or who hails from some foreign planet, or who inherited his powers. He is the one hero who decides to be a hero. To me, that makes him one of the best heroes we have in modern literature (Iron Man is up there too...I still need to review that one too).
In this movie, Batman is put into situations that test his resolve to be the hero. He struggles to find his place, to do what he has to do, in the face of uncertainties and impossible choices. He also faces the best villain ever put on screen: The Joker.
The Joker enters as a small-time hoodlum, with a flair for the dramatic, at a time when Gothams gangs are being hounded by this new crime-fighter...Batman. As what will prove to be the most intelligent of the bad guys, the Joker quickly takes over crime in the city, and sends Gotham into total chaos. Batman is made to feel responsible for many deaths of citizens of Gotham because of his inability to stop the Joker. Indeed the Joker is always at least 2 steps ahead. Even at the penultimate moment, when the Joker seems to have been outdone, he has one more trick up his sleeve. Batman is befuddled, conflicted, and nearly hounded into quitting as Gothams only hope for release from the terrors brought about by the Joker.
I was amazed at the writing combined with Heath Ledgers performance. There is one point in the movie when you actually feel for the Joker, when you can sympathize with him. You actually feel some pity, instead of just raw hatred, of the character until he turns it all on its side later and you realize he has played YOU the same way he has been playing everyone else in Gotham. Brilliant.
Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Cane all give very good performances. I think Christian Bale is the best actor they have found for Batman. I do get somewhat irritated by his gravelly voice being overdone when he is in Batman mode, but otherwise he is the best at covering both the slick, suave billionaire and the rogue-ish, dangerous, conflicted Batman. Morgan Freeman is just good in anything he does, as is Michael Cane. Despite their excellent portrayals of their characters, Heath Ledger truly steals the show.
Oh yeah, Maggie Gyllenhaal is passable. I do not care for her as an actress to begin with, yet she manages to hold her own in most scenes. I have a hard time finding her credible. I am sure many will disagree, but I thought that for the role she was asked to play, she did fine.
The Dark Knight is decidedly dark. It is meant to reflect the conflicted soul of Bruce Wayne, who at once knows he is fighting on the side of justice, but at the same time cannot come to terms with his inability to protect everyone from harm. In short, people die, and he can't stop it, and the Joker continually rubs his face in it. You can feel his pain as he obviously remembers back to being the young boy, watching his parents be killed, helpless to do anything to stop them. This depth of feeling is invoked in this movie to great effect.
The special effects are fantastic. It is not that they are Jurassic Park/Armageddon/Lord of the Rings over the top. Most of the effects are smaller of scale, although there are a fair share of explosions and chase scenes and fights and cool pieces of equipment and technology. But the best effects are at the personal level. Heath Ledgers facial expressions, under the hideous makeup job. Little details that point to conclusions you are not expecting, and even are surprised when they happen, even though you were given a clue.
The best effect was when Batman goes weaving in and out of the wheels off a semi being driven by the Joker with a cable attached to the front of the truck. Batman also weaves in and out of some light posts, then releases the cable. When the cable pulls tight, it pulls the fron of the truck down and the entire trucks flips into the air, back-end first, and flips completely over, end of even, crashing down upside-down in the street. It was done in silence except for the sound the truck was making as it flipped and then landed. Just awesome.
The interpersonal is what really makes this movie a success. You are given characters you can relate to, that you care about (even the Joker briefly), and you are truly affected when they are hurt. At one point a key character is killed (not telling which one) and you are given a scene of friends breaking the news to his family. In spite of the potential for gooey heart-wrenching fake sobbing and such - as we see all too often in film nowadays, crying and sobbing that take the place of actual emotion - we hurt right along with the wife and son, as we are also just at that moment brought to terms with the loss.
We are also given transcendent moments of triumph, and bitter moments of loss, betrayal...in short, they do a fantastic job of recreating in us what is happening on the screen. The suspension of disbelief, which is always necessary for film to work, is almost complete. As is the palpable sense of foreboding when the film comes to its somewhat expected yet completely ominous end.
The movie is not without its flaws, but they are hard to recall because so much of it just works so well. One thing I hope they find a way to revive is the appearance of another classic Batman nemesis: Two-face. They did a very good job of building up the character, and explaining better than other films how he became the villain he is. But his screen time was almost as if they were just squeezing him in to make sure they accounted for Batmans villains, instead of taking the time to flesh out a character that truly has so much depth. I do hope to see him in the future, but I kind of doubt it.
If you enjoy super-hero movies and/or liked "Batman Begins", then I highly recommend "The Dark Knight". Heck, even if you don't care for superhero movies and did not see "Batman Begins", I still recommend this movie. It is a true reflection of what can happen when good men do nothing, to turn a phrase, and when evil goes unchecked for too long.
It is also worth the 8 bucks for Heath Ledgers final performance. The absolute best portrayal of a bad guy in film. The intelligence with which he imbues this character puts all other movie badguys to shame. Regardless of it being a bad guy, and a comic-book bad guy to boot, it just may be the best performance in a movie this year.
So go see it, just don' t take the kids. It is a bit much and, even though Duncan liked it ok, his (11 years old) would probably be the lower end of ages that could understand and deal with the thematic elements in the film in any way.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Ripstik
Ripstik is one of the best inventions in the world, aside from tv and corndogs! For more detailed info you can go to http://www.ripstikusa.com/. A ripstik is like a skateboard scooter hybrid. It has two wheels like a scooter but no handlebar.
It is made of two platforms that are connected by a spring loaded center bar. I love my ripstik and I can almost ollie on it. It’t extra hard to do tricks on, because it only has two wheels that spin around. Well that’s all I can tell you about ripstiks.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Pride, the Universal Sin
Again, it is late; not nearly as late as usual. It is only 10:45pm. Chad and I went out to dinner tonight with his parents. We try to do a "double date" with them at least once a month. It has been quite awhile because we have been so busy trying to fix up our yard this summer. I know, that is a lame excuse to not spend time with family. Anyway, we had a good time. We always do. I can honestly say, they are our best friends.
Chad is being so faithful following Weight Watchers. He has lost 20 pounds and two pants sizes. We saved all our bonus points to go out to dinner tonight. We went to Chinese. One of our favorite places is PF Changs. This was a small restaurant similar to PFChangs called the Mandarin. We love lettuce wraps...anything seafood...well, and I guess, we pretty much like it all when it comes to chinese food.
I, on the other hand, have been fairly discouraged. I have been working out so hard at the gym and following my 22 points a day faithfully...and the weight is just i-n-c-h-i-n-g off for me. I have only lost a few pounds in the time Chad has lost 20. I guess it is true what "they" say. Once you hit 40 years old, your metabolism really s-l-o-w-s down and losing weight is hard work. We'll see on Monday morning when I weight in what the true verdict is...
More...
( I want to put some of those words in bold or caps to emphasize them, but there is this lady that writes a make-believe blog to make fun of mormon women bloggers and now I am too embarrassed to blog the way I want to...Stupid, I know. Who cares what she thinks. She's being pretty cynical, if you ask me. Personally, I think if women want to talk about how wonderful their lives are and their husbands are, sobeit. There are too many out there that don't even make an effort to make their lives happy and joyful. So, kudos to all you women out there trying to be happy when life can be (and often is) so very hard.) For those of you wondering what all this jibberish is, go check out this blog site. My husband thinks it is hilarious. And, as I have so obviously stated, I disagree with him. Who knows. Maybe I am being too uptight. If so, sorry. That was just my first impression. Anyway, this is the site: seriouslysoblessed.blogspot.com
As a side note, Chad read over my 'opinion' of this make-believe blog and told me that I completely misunderstood her point. He said she is not making fun of people who are happy (or trying to be happy). He said she is making fun of people who try to one-up their neighbor. For example, you know, "Well, you think your husband is so great and successful! MY husband is a doctor, a lawyer, the bishop, AND serves as a volunteer firefighter!" So, if that is the case, I guess our pride should be made fun of. Pride is the universal sin. So, again, sorry. That was just my first impression...maybe I am the one who is cynical...hee hee. That is what 'not getting enough chocolate AND not losing weight' can do to a woman. (smile and wink) See ya'll later when I am down a few pounds and less moody. (See, I am prideful too...yurk) ha ha!
Chad is being so faithful following Weight Watchers. He has lost 20 pounds and two pants sizes. We saved all our bonus points to go out to dinner tonight. We went to Chinese. One of our favorite places is PF Changs. This was a small restaurant similar to PFChangs called the Mandarin. We love lettuce wraps...anything seafood...well, and I guess, we pretty much like it all when it comes to chinese food.
I, on the other hand, have been fairly discouraged. I have been working out so hard at the gym and following my 22 points a day faithfully...and the weight is just i-n-c-h-i-n-g off for me. I have only lost a few pounds in the time Chad has lost 20. I guess it is true what "they" say. Once you hit 40 years old, your metabolism really s-l-o-w-s down and losing weight is hard work. We'll see on Monday morning when I weight in what the true verdict is...
More...
( I want to put some of those words in bold or caps to emphasize them, but there is this lady that writes a make-believe blog to make fun of mormon women bloggers and now I am too embarrassed to blog the way I want to...Stupid, I know. Who cares what she thinks. She's being pretty cynical, if you ask me. Personally, I think if women want to talk about how wonderful their lives are and their husbands are, sobeit. There are too many out there that don't even make an effort to make their lives happy and joyful. So, kudos to all you women out there trying to be happy when life can be (and often is) so very hard.) For those of you wondering what all this jibberish is, go check out this blog site. My husband thinks it is hilarious. And, as I have so obviously stated, I disagree with him. Who knows. Maybe I am being too uptight. If so, sorry. That was just my first impression. Anyway, this is the site: seriouslysoblessed.blogspot.com
As a side note, Chad read over my 'opinion' of this make-believe blog and told me that I completely misunderstood her point. He said she is not making fun of people who are happy (or trying to be happy). He said she is making fun of people who try to one-up their neighbor. For example, you know, "Well, you think your husband is so great and successful! MY husband is a doctor, a lawyer, the bishop, AND serves as a volunteer firefighter!" So, if that is the case, I guess our pride should be made fun of. Pride is the universal sin. So, again, sorry. That was just my first impression...maybe I am the one who is cynical...hee hee. That is what 'not getting enough chocolate AND not losing weight' can do to a woman. (smile and wink) See ya'll later when I am down a few pounds and less moody. (See, I am prideful too...yurk) ha ha!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
First Videos from the new Digital Video Camera
We got a new video camera. It is a JVC Everio hard-disc-drive camera (no tapes, no disks, just download to the computer). Here are a couple of videos. I am also trying to learn how to change video size in the computer because these short videos at native resolution are over 100 mb big. Wow.
Yeah, I know...woohoo...real exciting to watch the kids sitting on the couch. Hey, give me a break! I have a new toy and MUST MUST MUST play with it. It is a compulsion. Better than shoplifting anyway.
Okay, here is another one, this one is Jordan and Glynna working on my birthday present. I INSISTED on building it myself, but they insisted even harder that they wanted to build it as it was my birthday present. I am decidedly against giving WORK for gifts!
So that is it for now. Look for more fun videos in the future, and probably a few boring ones as well. IF we ever get the house clean, we will do a video tour for everyone who has not been able (or simply DOESN'T LOVE US ENOUGH) to visit. =)
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Family
It is nearly midnight. I can hardly keep my eyes open, let alone write a blog. But, in Mormon terminology, 'my heart is full'.
We had a 'family day' today. Monday really does not work for our family. Chad works way too late for us to have a family home evening, not to mention, he and I REALLY try to make it to the gym absolutely as often as we can. So, typically, after our chores, Saturday afternoons are our family time adventures.
Today's adventure was to Salt Lake City to visit the Planetarium. We watched "The Dawning of the Space Age" in the Dome Imax. The domes are awesome! I thought it would be so boring, but it was truly fantastic. I am so thrilled to have found a love of history. I came to the realization that I actually loved history when I visited Theresa in Hopewell, Virginia several years ago and we visited several famous plantations, as well as Jamestown. (I HATED history in school...maybe it was due to the intimidating Mr. Mudra...hmmm...)
Anyway, at the Planetarium, we had popcorn and sodas, watched the show, checked out our weights on different planets, and then went out to dinner. Dinner for six, (three being growing, hearty eating teens and pre-teen), is quite spendy, but I would throw away all the money in the world for more uninterrupted, happy, relaxed TIME with my family.
More...
As the sun was setting and our day, our precious free time TOGETHER, grew closer to an end, I found myself feeling very meloncholy, if you will; almost sad. Life is too busy for people, for friends, for loved ones...or so we it seems by the choices we make. We choose BIG houses and fancy cars and gadgets...which create needs for more money...instead of choosing TIME.
Forgive me if I am offending anyone. My finger is pointing only in the mirror. I am 40. Two of my four babies are teenagers, one's teen days are just around the corner. How often I long for simpler days...days without tvs, computers, cell phones, and playstations...days without aeropostale, hollister (expensive teen favorite clothing stores), and manicures...
...Hold that thought...My six year old wants a snuggle before she heads up to bed...(yes my six year old is still up after midnight...yurk...at least our church meetings don't start until 11am...yeh!)...
...ok, snuggle time ended. She couldn't keep her eyes open any longer... (smile)
I guess what I am trying to say, is that sometimes, well maybe more often than that, I feel the words in my heart, "If only..." You know. 'If only' I had made better choices when I was younger. 'If only' I had enjoyed exercise in my teens. 'If only' I had finished college. 'If only' I had never discovered the ease and temptation of using credit cards. 'If only' I had appreciated every precious moment with my babies (before they turned into greedy, arrogant, selfish, snotty teenagers-I mean...)Scratch that last thought...he he...
I read books about the pioneers of our country, and find myself envying them. They endured so many extremely difficult hardships-very physical hardships, it is true. BUT, they were free of so many temptations of our modern society. They played outside...the WHOLE family, not just the kids. They read the Bible together. They worked hard for EVERYTHING they had...and the children were grateful...
Oh, as I have said in previous blogs, I tend to babble when I am so tired. Life is not as bad or sad as perhaps I am making it sound. It's just that sometimes, I remember to be grateful. And I am grateful for those times. Today is one of those times.
You know those water fountain things that many towns now have where the kids run around in them and the parents stand around the outside smiling and laughing and taking pictures? Our kids played in one of those today too. As I watched them, I remembered when we used to take them to a similar fountain in Reno, NV when Annie was just a baby. It was a free family activity that we all just LOVED. I loved remembering them at that age in the same setting, laughing and calling out,'Mommy! Daddy! Look at me!' (Well, Annie still does that. :) ) But I also loved watching them today, fully dressed (whereas half the tiny children out there were in their underwear. ha ha), trying to coil their way through the fountain maze without getting wet. It was cute and funny. We had a great time.
On the way home in the car we played a few word games: One game was the game where each family member says two words to create a story. It was hilarious! The wittiest one of all was the six year old! Annie had us all laughing so hard we were bauling! I won't go into details on the internet...there was a little bit of potty talk involved...he he... The other game was a memory game. Each of us had to say an item we would take on a hike in our back packs. We had to say the previous people's items before each of our own and keep getting the list bigger and bigger. To make the game a little more interesting, we used the alphabet backwords. That was hilarious too! We came up with things like, "Victor, the Underminer's, toe" and "the queen pooping octopus noodles"...
Ok, ok, don't ask.
Well, I guess I should go to bed. I have a lesson to teach tomorrow. I am teaching a very rambunchious (sp?!) group of TEN 3-year olds that families can be together forever. I think today's experience was good preparation. I am thankful for my family. I am VERY richly blessed with a husband who is loving and loyal and four children who love me despite my 'not-even-close' to perfect parenting skills. I fall down often. I am grateful to have a family to pick me up over and over again. I hope I do the same for them. For the most part, I think I am doing ok.
I love the thought of God saying, "I did not say it would be easy. I only said it would be worth it."
Good night all my friends and loved ones! May your week be filled with TIME for each other.
We had a 'family day' today. Monday really does not work for our family. Chad works way too late for us to have a family home evening, not to mention, he and I REALLY try to make it to the gym absolutely as often as we can. So, typically, after our chores, Saturday afternoons are our family time adventures.
Today's adventure was to Salt Lake City to visit the Planetarium. We watched "The Dawning of the Space Age" in the Dome Imax. The domes are awesome! I thought it would be so boring, but it was truly fantastic. I am so thrilled to have found a love of history. I came to the realization that I actually loved history when I visited Theresa in Hopewell, Virginia several years ago and we visited several famous plantations, as well as Jamestown. (I HATED history in school...maybe it was due to the intimidating Mr. Mudra...hmmm...)
Anyway, at the Planetarium, we had popcorn and sodas, watched the show, checked out our weights on different planets, and then went out to dinner. Dinner for six, (three being growing, hearty eating teens and pre-teen), is quite spendy, but I would throw away all the money in the world for more uninterrupted, happy, relaxed TIME with my family.
More...
As the sun was setting and our day, our precious free time TOGETHER, grew closer to an end, I found myself feeling very meloncholy, if you will; almost sad. Life is too busy for people, for friends, for loved ones...or so we it seems by the choices we make. We choose BIG houses and fancy cars and gadgets...which create needs for more money...instead of choosing TIME.
Forgive me if I am offending anyone. My finger is pointing only in the mirror. I am 40. Two of my four babies are teenagers, one's teen days are just around the corner. How often I long for simpler days...days without tvs, computers, cell phones, and playstations...days without aeropostale, hollister (expensive teen favorite clothing stores), and manicures...
...Hold that thought...My six year old wants a snuggle before she heads up to bed...(yes my six year old is still up after midnight...yurk...at least our church meetings don't start until 11am...yeh!)...
...ok, snuggle time ended. She couldn't keep her eyes open any longer... (smile)
I guess what I am trying to say, is that sometimes, well maybe more often than that, I feel the words in my heart, "If only..." You know. 'If only' I had made better choices when I was younger. 'If only' I had enjoyed exercise in my teens. 'If only' I had finished college. 'If only' I had never discovered the ease and temptation of using credit cards. 'If only' I had appreciated every precious moment with my babies (before they turned into greedy, arrogant, selfish, snotty teenagers-I mean...)Scratch that last thought...he he...
I read books about the pioneers of our country, and find myself envying them. They endured so many extremely difficult hardships-very physical hardships, it is true. BUT, they were free of so many temptations of our modern society. They played outside...the WHOLE family, not just the kids. They read the Bible together. They worked hard for EVERYTHING they had...and the children were grateful...
Oh, as I have said in previous blogs, I tend to babble when I am so tired. Life is not as bad or sad as perhaps I am making it sound. It's just that sometimes, I remember to be grateful. And I am grateful for those times. Today is one of those times.
You know those water fountain things that many towns now have where the kids run around in them and the parents stand around the outside smiling and laughing and taking pictures? Our kids played in one of those today too. As I watched them, I remembered when we used to take them to a similar fountain in Reno, NV when Annie was just a baby. It was a free family activity that we all just LOVED. I loved remembering them at that age in the same setting, laughing and calling out,'Mommy! Daddy! Look at me!' (Well, Annie still does that. :) ) But I also loved watching them today, fully dressed (whereas half the tiny children out there were in their underwear. ha ha), trying to coil their way through the fountain maze without getting wet. It was cute and funny. We had a great time.
On the way home in the car we played a few word games: One game was the game where each family member says two words to create a story. It was hilarious! The wittiest one of all was the six year old! Annie had us all laughing so hard we were bauling! I won't go into details on the internet...there was a little bit of potty talk involved...he he... The other game was a memory game. Each of us had to say an item we would take on a hike in our back packs. We had to say the previous people's items before each of our own and keep getting the list bigger and bigger. To make the game a little more interesting, we used the alphabet backwords. That was hilarious too! We came up with things like, "Victor, the Underminer's, toe" and "the queen pooping octopus noodles"...
Ok, ok, don't ask.
Well, I guess I should go to bed. I have a lesson to teach tomorrow. I am teaching a very rambunchious (sp?!) group of TEN 3-year olds that families can be together forever. I think today's experience was good preparation. I am thankful for my family. I am VERY richly blessed with a husband who is loving and loyal and four children who love me despite my 'not-even-close' to perfect parenting skills. I fall down often. I am grateful to have a family to pick me up over and over again. I hope I do the same for them. For the most part, I think I am doing ok.
I love the thought of God saying, "I did not say it would be easy. I only said it would be worth it."
Good night all my friends and loved ones! May your week be filled with TIME for each other.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Twilight. You'll wanna read it again, and again, and - well you get the idea
To sum up Twilight (New Moon, and Eclipse as well) in one word I'd have to say . . . . . WOW!!!! Awesome books!!!! Just as good as Maximum Ride, if not better. ;-) It's an amazing love story, with a surprizing twist! The main character, Bella, is in love with Edward, who, and I'll give you three seconds to guess. . . . . . . ooonnneee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .tttwwwooo . . . . . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. ... .... .... .... ..... tthhrree!!!! HE'S A VAMPIRE!!! He saves her on countless occasions! And, the best part is, that her blood has a better attraction for him than any other human. Every day he's with her he has to fight the OVERWHELMING urge to drink her blood, but in the end, true love conquers all!!!!! There's romance, fear, sadness, and, for you guys, a little bit (or a lot) of ACTION!!! The fourth book to the series comes out on August second, so be ready, 'cause these are gonna be snapped up!!! Oh and here's a helpful hint for you: don't pre-order it online. It's cheaper if you wait until it comes out and then buy it at Wally World. (or for you slower people, Wal-Mart) Also, be ready because the Twilight movie is coming out December 12!!! Me and my bud, Megan are going to see if we can camp out to be some of the first people to get tix! Hey thanks for reading!!! And remember, reeding maxe yoo samarterer!!!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Maximum Ride... the best books ever!
I just recently finished reading the third book in the Maximum Ride series. If you don’t already know (I assume you don’t) Maximum Ride is about six children: Max (the leader) is 14 and is a girl, Fang is the same age as Max but is a boy, Iggy is again 14 and also a boy (oh and he is blind), Nudge the motor mouth is 11, the Gasman (or Gazzy) is 8, and Angel is 6 years old and can read minds. Oh and by the way they all have wings and can fly. They each have some special powers but I won’t give away any more secrets. But one thing real quick, just so you know fang has a blog at MaximumRide.blogspot.com so visit any time.
Well where I should start. Max and the rest of the flock escaped from a science lab that they call the school, and are running from the people who work there who they call white coats. The white coats also have another human hybrid called Erasers. They are humans who can turn into werewolf like creatures, and they were trained to hunt and kill. And all of the books tell how Max and the flock are trying to stay alive and save the world.
That’s all I will tell you. If you want to know more then you have to read the books. The first is called Maximum Ride: the angel experiment. The second is called Maximum Ride: schools out forever. The third is called Maximum Ride: saving the world and other extreme sports. And the fourth is called Maximum Ride: the final warning.
Well where I should start. Max and the rest of the flock escaped from a science lab that they call the school, and are running from the people who work there who they call white coats. The white coats also have another human hybrid called Erasers. They are humans who can turn into werewolf like creatures, and they were trained to hunt and kill. And all of the books tell how Max and the flock are trying to stay alive and save the world.
That’s all I will tell you. If you want to know more then you have to read the books. The first is called Maximum Ride: the angel experiment. The second is called Maximum Ride: schools out forever. The third is called Maximum Ride: saving the world and other extreme sports. And the fourth is called Maximum Ride: the final warning.
Sigh...
Alas...My weight loss efforts are not nearly as successful as they have been in the past. Chad says I don't have the motivation I had before. (My 20 year class reunion). What he is failing to achknowledge is his wife's PRIDE. I DO have the motivation...I have a family reunion in three short weeks! hee hee. BUT, for some reason, it is not enough. I have truly given my all to this effort for two weeks and have not lost a pound.
My husband, (the creep), has lost 11 pounds (or more).
Today I walked three miles. I am training for a 5K in September with some ladies from my church. I have never done anything like that and I am kind of excited. I don't think I am interested in tackling a marathon or anything remotely close, but I can handle a 5K...hee hee.
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Chad and I work out at the gym most days, but once a week I train with the ladies in my ward. Some days I walk to our Wal-mart, buy groceries, and then Chad picks me up. Our Wal-mart is 2.7 miles away. Not too shabby.
Emily did an aerobics class with me a few days ago when Chad had to work late. It was STINK'N HARD, but I loved it. It was especially nice just spending time with my daughter doing something that is good for both us. That same day, while Em and I were exercising, the other kids were down at the pool so following our workout, I got in the pool with the other kids. I LOVE activities with my family that are active and healthy! It makes me feel good...and it is FUN.
Speaking of 'healthy and fun' family activities, today we toured Wheeler Historic Farm in Salt Lake. That was very cool. And a few weeks ago, we toured the Utah Pioneer Historical 'Village'...and loved it so much, we purchased a family pass. I will post pictures from both fun activities at a later date.
As usual, it is LATE when I am posting so I am too tired so scroll through hundreds of photos...fun, but...yurk...Too much work tonight...maybe tomorrow while kiddos nap. Well, I need to put my little darlings to bed. Duncan is spending the night with a friend. Jordan was watching TV, Annie has been at the park next door, and Emily just got home from a Raptor's baseball game.
Tomorrow and Saturday, we are rotatilling (sp?) our flower beds and our garden area. So much for a garden this year. Oh well...next year definitely.
In the words of "Bruce Almighty", LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE (to you all)...(That is one of my VERY favorite movies... maybe a little sac-religious (sp?), but PHENOMENOL message..."Be the miracle". Maybe it is from Jim Carrey's movie, "Liar, Liar"...Oh well, that is an awesome movie too. We like Jim Carrey movies for the most part.
Ok, I am rambling now. I am going to bed. Good night all.
My husband, (the creep), has lost 11 pounds (or more).
Today I walked three miles. I am training for a 5K in September with some ladies from my church. I have never done anything like that and I am kind of excited. I don't think I am interested in tackling a marathon or anything remotely close, but I can handle a 5K...hee hee.
More...
Chad and I work out at the gym most days, but once a week I train with the ladies in my ward. Some days I walk to our Wal-mart, buy groceries, and then Chad picks me up. Our Wal-mart is 2.7 miles away. Not too shabby.
Emily did an aerobics class with me a few days ago when Chad had to work late. It was STINK'N HARD, but I loved it. It was especially nice just spending time with my daughter doing something that is good for both us. That same day, while Em and I were exercising, the other kids were down at the pool so following our workout, I got in the pool with the other kids. I LOVE activities with my family that are active and healthy! It makes me feel good...and it is FUN.
Speaking of 'healthy and fun' family activities, today we toured Wheeler Historic Farm in Salt Lake. That was very cool. And a few weeks ago, we toured the Utah Pioneer Historical 'Village'...and loved it so much, we purchased a family pass. I will post pictures from both fun activities at a later date.
As usual, it is LATE when I am posting so I am too tired so scroll through hundreds of photos...fun, but...yurk...Too much work tonight...maybe tomorrow while kiddos nap. Well, I need to put my little darlings to bed. Duncan is spending the night with a friend. Jordan was watching TV, Annie has been at the park next door, and Emily just got home from a Raptor's baseball game.
Tomorrow and Saturday, we are rotatilling (sp?) our flower beds and our garden area. So much for a garden this year. Oh well...next year definitely.
In the words of "Bruce Almighty", LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE (to you all)...(That is one of my VERY favorite movies... maybe a little sac-religious (sp?), but PHENOMENOL message..."Be the miracle". Maybe it is from Jim Carrey's movie, "Liar, Liar"...Oh well, that is an awesome movie too. We like Jim Carrey movies for the most part.
Ok, I am rambling now. I am going to bed. Good night all.
Todd Family Vacation - Summer 2008 Edition
Here are some photos from our summer vacation. This year we went to Reno for a wedding (Chad was the best man at his friend's wedding), then to Vegas to try to drop the kids off the Stratosphere, then to Hoover Dam, then to the Grand Canyon, then to St. George UT for a play at Tuacahn, then back home...whew, just typing that was tiring!
So, here are the pictures:
So, here are the pictures:
Monday, July 7, 2008
For Glynna
I wanted to go on and on about my wife for a bit, if you will bear with me.
When I was courting Glynna WAAYYY back in 1991 and early 1992, I wrote her a couple of poems, cause I am just that kind of romantic guy. =)
One of them, I think, may have been inspired and definitely caught how I felt about her at the time, and still do today. It was entitled "I Wish"...and I wish I had a copy so I could post the whole thing. =)
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But one line has stuck with me till today. It goes something like this:
"I wish
that the paths we've trod,
'though divined by a loving God,
were one."
It is weird, but I honestly cannot fathom not being with her. I have a hard time remembering what it was like before. And now, I think more often of "we", instead of "me".
e.e.cummings wrote:
I carry her heart in my heart. I could, would, never do anything knowingly to hurt her, as her heart is my heart. I know that I, at times, do her harm, but I repent it immediately thereafter and it pains me for days.
I always feel like I had just stepped on a beautiful flower, and bruised its petals. I know that the word, once spoken, can never be unspoken, and I hate when I slip, and say the wrong thing, and I have to see her hurting because of me. I wish I could take them all back. I hope I am getting better.
I feel I don't deserve what she offers to me, but I accept it with humble gratitude. I owe her that, at the least.
I don't take this for granted, even though the oaf that I am, I at times fail to let her know the most important thing...and Jack Nicholson in "As Good as it Gets" said it best:
"You make me want to be a better man."
When I was courting Glynna WAAYYY back in 1991 and early 1992, I wrote her a couple of poems, cause I am just that kind of romantic guy. =)
One of them, I think, may have been inspired and definitely caught how I felt about her at the time, and still do today. It was entitled "I Wish"...and I wish I had a copy so I could post the whole thing. =)
More...
But one line has stuck with me till today. It goes something like this:
"I wish
that the paths we've trod,
'though divined by a loving God,
were one."
It is weird, but I honestly cannot fathom not being with her. I have a hard time remembering what it was like before. And now, I think more often of "we", instead of "me".
e.e.cummings wrote:
i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can
hide) and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)
I carry her heart in my heart. I could, would, never do anything knowingly to hurt her, as her heart is my heart. I know that I, at times, do her harm, but I repent it immediately thereafter and it pains me for days.
I always feel like I had just stepped on a beautiful flower, and bruised its petals. I know that the word, once spoken, can never be unspoken, and I hate when I slip, and say the wrong thing, and I have to see her hurting because of me. I wish I could take them all back. I hope I am getting better.
I feel I don't deserve what she offers to me, but I accept it with humble gratitude. I owe her that, at the least.
I don't take this for granted, even though the oaf that I am, I at times fail to let her know the most important thing...and Jack Nicholson in "As Good as it Gets" said it best:
"You make me want to be a better man."
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Nearly 2 weeks in, and I have lost....
I am coming up on 2 weeks of attempted weight loss. I have been pretty good, both in eating and exercising. I have been working on a hybrid of the Weight Watchers Points system and the Body for Life workout program, just because they are both easier for me to do at this point.
I was down 8 pounds at my last weigh-in (every Monday night), but I weighed again Thursday night and found myself down 11. Not too shabby, even though I know it is not necessarily a good thing to lose more than 1 or 2 pounds per week.
I have been going at it pretty aggressively, and, quite frankly, I am concerned about burn-out, somewhat. To help stave this off, I have planned in a couple of watermarks to shoot for. First, my wife has a family reunion in August, and I want to be down 25-30 pounds by then (4 weeks away, already 8 of it gone, another 17-22 to go). I really think I will be able to hit this one.
The other benchmark point is in September, when I may be going to the Eastern Distribution Center (I manage the Western Distribution Center for Cummins Filtration...but that is another post =) to help with a new software warehouse management system. I want to be down another 20 for that.
So I am hoping for 50 pounds by the end of September. I know, this is probably not realistic, but in the past I have not been able to maintain on the simple "2 lbs per week is pretty good" routine, so I figured it was time to shake things up a bit.
We'll see, I guess.
I was down 8 pounds at my last weigh-in (every Monday night), but I weighed again Thursday night and found myself down 11. Not too shabby, even though I know it is not necessarily a good thing to lose more than 1 or 2 pounds per week.
I have been going at it pretty aggressively, and, quite frankly, I am concerned about burn-out, somewhat. To help stave this off, I have planned in a couple of watermarks to shoot for. First, my wife has a family reunion in August, and I want to be down 25-30 pounds by then (4 weeks away, already 8 of it gone, another 17-22 to go). I really think I will be able to hit this one.
The other benchmark point is in September, when I may be going to the Eastern Distribution Center (I manage the Western Distribution Center for Cummins Filtration...but that is another post =) to help with a new software warehouse management system. I want to be down another 20 for that.
So I am hoping for 50 pounds by the end of September. I know, this is probably not realistic, but in the past I have not been able to maintain on the simple "2 lbs per week is pretty good" routine, so I figured it was time to shake things up a bit.
We'll see, I guess.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
The Cuz and her AWESOME BUDS!!!
Hey, y'all!!! Me again!!! Yeah, I know you are bored of me already but I just love blogging!!! (is that a word?) So I'm here to blog about the peoples I met at my sleepover with McCall yesterday. First, and probably most importantly, my cousin, Tara.
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She's thirteen and about a month older than me. SHE'S TOTALLY LAZY!!! And she's INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love her so much she's awesome!!!! One really unique thing about her is that she has an allergy (that I can't spell the word to) to the COLD! She gets hives. Thats what McCall meant about Tara with the whole bumps thing in my last entry. Now, on to McCall. She's probably just as insane as Tara! Maybe even more so. She is twelve but taller than me. She calls Wal-Mart Wally World!!! I think that is so fun! She loves to text!!! And, yes, she texts me all the time!!! Her mom is so AWESOME!!! (not as awesome as my momma, though.) Her dad is almost as funny as my daddy (and that's saying something). Now it's time to talk about McKenzie. She's thirteen. She has sexy fiery red hair!!! haha! I love her she's so fun! She's insane like myself, McCall, and Tara. We all speak in third person a LOT!!!!! Superstar likes speaking in third person!!! haha lol!!!!!!!! I also met a few of McCall's guy buds. There's McKay (did I spell that right?) and Mason (same question) who are brothers and they throw mean water fights!!! It's so fun!!! Then there's Tyler, who is a BIG FAT JERK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But all us girls agree, no matter how mean he is, he is HAWT!!!!!!!!!!!! There's also Tanner, who, is fourteen, and likes McCall, and he's pretty hawt himself! Well, that's it for now! See you very, very soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
More...
She's thirteen and about a month older than me. SHE'S TOTALLY LAZY!!! And she's INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love her so much she's awesome!!!! One really unique thing about her is that she has an allergy (that I can't spell the word to) to the COLD! She gets hives. Thats what McCall meant about Tara with the whole bumps thing in my last entry. Now, on to McCall. She's probably just as insane as Tara! Maybe even more so. She is twelve but taller than me. She calls Wal-Mart Wally World!!! I think that is so fun! She loves to text!!! And, yes, she texts me all the time!!! Her mom is so AWESOME!!! (not as awesome as my momma, though.) Her dad is almost as funny as my daddy (and that's saying something). Now it's time to talk about McKenzie. She's thirteen. She has sexy fiery red hair!!! haha! I love her she's so fun! She's insane like myself, McCall, and Tara. We all speak in third person a LOT!!!!! Superstar likes speaking in third person!!! haha lol!!!!!!!! I also met a few of McCall's guy buds. There's McKay (did I spell that right?) and Mason (same question) who are brothers and they throw mean water fights!!! It's so fun!!! Then there's Tyler, who is a BIG FAT JERK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But all us girls agree, no matter how mean he is, he is HAWT!!!!!!!!!!!! There's also Tanner, who, is fourteen, and likes McCall, and he's pretty hawt himself! Well, that's it for now! See you very, very soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
My own weight loss goals...
I couldn't let the Hive Queen get all the glory by showing off her weight loss, I need to get mine in there too.
I started about a week ago at 281 pounds, which is fine if you are 8 feet tall, but I am not (sadly, otherwise I would be the most famous basketball player in the world). I weighed in last night at 273, so I lost 8 pounds in my first week.
I am doing the following:
Legendary Abs routine. I have worked my way all the way up to level A if you can believe that!
Body For Life weight lifting routine. I like Legendary Abs and Body for Life because they are pretty short, but effective. And heaven knows we all have tons of time every day to put in a 4 hour workout.
Treadmill 20 min, 2X per week and 60 min, 2X per week. This is actually a modified version of the 20 min routine recommended in the Body for Life exercise regimen. I mix it up between going fast on a low incline and going relatively slow on a steep incline. I like the steep incline better as I feel it more in my glutes. HAH!
So stay tune as I recapture my girlish figure. Pictures may follow. View them at your own risk. I will probably have to post an indemnity waiver with the pics.
I started about a week ago at 281 pounds, which is fine if you are 8 feet tall, but I am not (sadly, otherwise I would be the most famous basketball player in the world). I weighed in last night at 273, so I lost 8 pounds in my first week.
I am doing the following:
Legendary Abs routine. I have worked my way all the way up to level A if you can believe that!
Body For Life weight lifting routine. I like Legendary Abs and Body for Life because they are pretty short, but effective. And heaven knows we all have tons of time every day to put in a 4 hour workout.
Treadmill 20 min, 2X per week and 60 min, 2X per week. This is actually a modified version of the 20 min routine recommended in the Body for Life exercise regimen. I mix it up between going fast on a low incline and going relatively slow on a steep incline. I like the steep incline better as I feel it more in my glutes. HAH!
So stay tune as I recapture my girlish figure. Pictures may follow. View them at your own risk. I will probably have to post an indemnity waiver with the pics.
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