did it flash?

Life has been Happening

2011-06-09T09:47:00.000-07:00

Life has been happening for everyone in the Ashton Family. And to find out more check out HomeHinges.com

October, come and gone!

2010-11-07T00:47:00.000-07:00

Lanie, a sheep.

October, come and gone like sheep fleeing a pasture. Or, something like that. This month is always crazy busy and always gone before I'm ready. I did manage to get some Halloween pictures though.

Ashton, the mad hatter settling in for some crazy sugar rush.

Miss Allison, Alice in Wonderland

Loryn, appropriately our white rabbit.

Miss Kristen, our red queen, or as she says "the mean queen."

Hunter went as an impatient card. Okay he's was a number 3 card, but he was impatient to get his candy.

April, the genius mother who created their many costumes.

Except of course for the Lanie Babe's costume, that was all Paula.

the end.

September 2010

2010-09-30T10:28:00.000-07:00

Life has been busy. Here's what's been going on at Casa Bungalow:

I've been working at Utah Valley University for the past month or so teaching English -- Intermediate Writing Composition -- and it seems to be going alright. This new responsibility means that Xyla and I haven't been out as much. Suddenly my days are filled with classes, and prep, and grading.

There's been some progress made on the yard too. I've been documenting the progress over at HomeHinges.com in a series called "The bungalow gets grass." The progress is a little stalled at the moment because I'm not sure what to do next. But speaking of Home Hinges,

it's moving right along. April, Brooke, Paula, Joy and I keep writing posts and are all working on figuring out this blog-beast. It's been fun to have a project with everyone.

In the backyard we chopped down the apple tree.

And in our leisure time Rachael and I have been playing some new board games, e.g., Dominion, Ticket to Ride, and Small World.

It's been good to be doing new things and working. It makes me tired, but we're getting through, and we keep taking naps.

Day Dreams

2010-09-17T00:22:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when she's bored, or lonely, or tired she props herself up on the couch and stares out the window. She can see her world passing by, see the people on the street, and the cars that speed along. Sometimes these things rile her up and she insists on going outside.

But sometimes they just lull her to sleep. And then she sleeps half standing / half laying on the couch, her head on the windowsill, her dreams stretching out beyond the glass, or the sun warming her head. And she dreams quiet and content until something rouses her, drawing her back into the world of the couch, the living room, the window.

April's Munchkins - an Update

2010-08-29T11:26:00.000-07:00

Ashton.

Allison.

Hunter.

Miss Kristen.

Miss Loryn.

These random pictures amuse me. I think each captures something about the kids individually, and yet also presents a rounded out picture of the family. Sometimes I think being an aunt is the best role in the family because I get to love and adore each of the children without the full weight of their existence resting upon my shoulders.

Hanging out with Paula

2010-08-01T22:44:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday I went down to Provo to take care of some paperwork with UVU. (I was hired there to teach 3 classes this semester! W00T! A Job.) And since I was down in Provo I thought I'd stop by Paula's house to see her and the miss Lanie. Lanie is currently teething and was less than excited to see me. See how happy she is?

We looked at Paula's crazy amazing garden, complete with peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini.

Lanie was only grumpy for a little bit; bring out a camera and she becomes a total ham. So funny!

It was great to hang out with Paula and the Lanie Baby. I hope and can see some more of them since I'll be down there twice a week.

Happy Birthday Hunter!

2010-07-29T09:13:00.000-07:00

On Monday we celebrated Hunter's 6th birthday. He is the "last" in a long line of spring and summer birthdays, but finally it was Hunter's turn for a celebration.

Happy Birthday Hunter!

Because she's DARLING!

2010-07-21T21:21:00.000-07:00

Sunday Dinner

2010-07-19T20:22:00.000-07:00

On Sunday we had dinner at April and Dave's. It was great to have a low key Sunday dinner and then play games together. Little Miss Lanie has been at Lake Powell for the past week and she came back happy and tan. I couldn't resist taking her picture.

Hunter couldn't resist being in the shot with her.

Home Hinges & Ogden Bay

2010-07-15T14:48:00.000-07:00

For the past several months my sisters and I have been thinking it would be fun to collaborate on a website. You know, post stuff about our houses, our families, our projects, our interests, etc. So we have, we made a website called HomeHinges.com and you can see the progress we're making.

Thus far we have learned some minor HTML stuff and we are working on aesthetic, concepts, and realization. You should check it out.

Part of our efforts is to each post something every week. I posted, today, all about Xyla and my adventure to Ogden Bay.

You can see the full story at Home Hinges, go check it out!

Happy Birthday Dave!

2010-07-13T23:17:00.000-07:00

Dave turned 34 yesterday and graciously had us all over to celebrate. We had dinner and then cake and ice cream.

Happy Birthday Dave!

Updates from the Ghetto

2010-07-09T13:42:00.000-07:00

I don't want to bag on my neighbors, they make it really easy to maintain the front yard. Everyone maintains the ghetto so no one has to maintain the ghetto. It's a beautiful system.

This means that no one seems to care about our yard looking like this. We are in the process of killing off the "lawn" (read "nightmare of morning glory") in preparation for a new sod lawn. It's taken a while because the morning glory has proved to be especially resilient to my tactics. We are hoping that in the next few days it will all "just DIE already!"

In the mean time our neighbors next door are frantically putting in a...wait for it...A DRIVEWAY!!!

It's been fun watching the people who rent next door rev up their engines and spew mud to get out of the yard, but I think it will be nice to have some definition between where is acceptable to park and where is "yard". I'm just saying.

Happy Friday from the ghetto.

Sparkle

2010-07-06T14:09:00.000-07:00

Last night, because Paula had to work on the 4th, we had a BBQ at April & Dave's house. It was really good. Paula and James made mint oreo ice cream, Mom made grandma Gen's ice cream, Dave cooked up some awesome steaks, and in we in general had a lovely time. And then when it got dark we did sparklers.

We hope everyone had a happy and safe holiday!

Happy Independence Day!

2010-07-04T23:25:00.000-07:00

For Posterity

2010-07-02T12:42:00.000-07:00

I would like it remembered that in the summers, when it was hot, we were outside. We were outside working on the hottest days of the year putting in sprinklers, or sod, or plantings, or gardens.

It is not always a glamorous job. Sometimes we didn't look our best.

Sometimes we were super dirty. Sometimes we looked quite bad.

Sometimes we were exhausted and angry. Or we were tired and hot.

Sometimes we had other things we wanted to be doing. Or we had friends to play with and books to read.

But we did the work and we did it together and that is worth something. That is worth more than always being remembered with a beautiful smile and our hair just so. It is worth more than remembering all the times when we were perfect. Or rather, it enriches all those times when we felt perfect because we know how it is to not be perfect. And it is worth more than than just the times when life was easy, stress free, simple, or clean.

I hope that our posterity can remember us a little bit dirty to appreciate the work it takes to be beautiful.

Baby Girls

2010-06-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

Grandpa Kirk

2010-06-29T21:58:00.000-07:00

Something in the hair, or the eyes; she looks like Grandpa Kirk.

Chocolate Smiles

2010-06-23T15:12:00.000-07:00

Course A' Lure

2010-06-21T00:21:00.000-07:00

Saturday we took Xyla to the Course A' Lure sponsored by Camp Bow Wow, her awesome doggy day care. Course A' Lure is an obstacle course with a fox tail lure to race the dogs through the obstacle course. The first run Xyla was a bit hesitant because she was trying to figure out what was going on, but as soon as she realized what to do there was no distracting her.

At the start line a small fox tail shows up and then speeds off down the course on a wire that lures the dog after it. And as soon as Xyla was off the leash she was trying to catch it.

Through tunnels:

(When she would go through them. The curtains on the side were a bit open and she usually slipped past it because she was skinny enough to.)

Flying over obstacles:

Taking corners:

And through the last hoop:

It was great to watch her run so fast and be so excited. We were there two hours watching dogs of various size and ambition chase the tail. And by the time we were ready to leave Xyla had clocked the fastest time running the course in 14.9 seconds. We took home a medal and a happy doggy.

Please excuse: Technical Difficulties

2010-06-15T09:12:00.000-07:00

At some point over last weekend my computer decided it could go on no longer. Wait, what!! It's only six months old. I know, I know but there was nothing I, nor Apple, or anyone could do for it. So now I rejoin the world of the internet-connected again with a new hard drive.
Hello world!
Hello Catherine!

Let's hope this hard drive lasts a little longer.

Of course an up side to everything: I have this blog which means not all of my pictures are lost. Plenty of really great ones are here, and I appreciate that. I also had a back up from March so phew, my thesis exists. I'm loving the little miracles.

My suggestion for all you lovers out there: back up. Right now, go and find your back up drive and back up your computer. You'll be glad you did.

Happy 26th Birthday Nielson!

2010-06-07T14:48:00.001-07:00

Sunday 6 June 2010, Nielson turned 26! We celebrated with cake (made by Ashton, Allison, and Hunter) at April and Dave's house.

The kids did a great job on the cake...this shows the spoon that was baked into it. ;)

Happy Birthday Niel.

Sunday

2010-06-07T13:01:00.000-07:00

Our Red Heads

2010-05-30T22:35:00.000-07:00

A selection of Sunday Shots

2010-05-25T22:39:00.000-07:00

Going through the pictures I took on Sunday all I can think about is how amateur most of my shots are. Okay, they are all pretty amateur but some rise to the top with a little editing. Here are some of the floaters:

Elliott! He is so cute and so mobile. I had several shots but this one was the clearest.

Kristen

Lanie, Paula, and Mom. I love how Lanie is looking at the camera with her big eyes and everyone else is looking elsewhere.

Hunter

Mom and Lanie. Mom said she didn't have any pictures with the baby blob so we took some. This one was my favorite. The lighting in some of the others was weird or fuzzy, but I thought this one captured Mom and Lanie well.

Dad and Lanie. He's so happy and has a natural smile--those can be hard to come by with him. It's a little dark but too much correction made everything either really pink or grainy.

Joy's Birthday

2010-05-19T22:51:00.000-07:00

Sunday we celebrated Joy's birthday at April and Dave's. Joy made and decorated her cake. It was great!

Xyla in three shots

2010-05-16T23:45:00.000-07:00

The Twins

2010-05-16T23:04:00.000-07:00

These two are hilarious and are developing such interesting and unique personalities. Today I thought I'd see what I could capture of each of them in the five minutes they gave me to take pictures.
Kristen is on the left in the pink dress with little eyelets, and Loryn is on the right in the pink dress with butterflies and the bow. Both are 3 years and 2 months old.

Kristen

Loryn

Preparing for Transplant

2010-05-15T19:41:00.000-07:00

This Zucchini is one of several plants preparing for transplant. They have been enjoying the ease of life under grow lights and now they will be making their way into the harsh world of the garden boxes.

Allison's Baptism

2010-05-12T20:03:00.000-07:00

On May 1, 2010, Allison was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We were all in attendance (except Jens, of course). Even Grammy and Grandpa Day made it into town to witness this momentous occasion.

Spring has come:

2010-05-03T21:24:00.000-07:00

Rachael, Xyla and I are enjoying the beauty of the season to the extent that we are able. Ah rain, and clouds, and the green those bring. Rachael has planted the starts in the garden boxes (at least the starts that can be outside). Broccoli and parsley, cauliflower, onions, peas, and radishes.
When it snowed last week we worked to keep them alive. And they seem to be doing just fine now.
And as things start to warm up we're losing these beautiful buds to leaves.

I love the changing seasons and the variety of beauty that each season brings.

South Salt Lake Spring Clean up

2010-04-27T16:41:00.000-07:00

This is the tale of a trailer. This trailer was snagged from the neighbors as they were clearing off their property. It was sitting in their yard and said "Free."
"Well what better way to get a trailer than one that is free and I can just push into our yard?" I thought. So that's what I did. With the help of our neighbor I claimed the trailer and pushed it into the yard. I figured it needed a little TLC but I could get it new wheels, and I could get it new siding, and how hard would it be to run electrical? So it sat in the drive way. But of course I didn't have time or money to give to the little trailer. Instead it sat through the fall and into the winter until spring.
This week was spring clean up for my area of South Salt Lake and that means people on the prowl for junk. A few years ago we put out our swamp cooler and it was gone in less than an hour. The year before we put out our chain link fence and it was gone before the end of the day. Same with a tin shed, old pipes, and any other number of items. So we pushed the trailer to the curb.
And before I could finish taping on the "Free" sign a couple of guys pulled up and claimed it. Rachael spoke to them in Spanish confirming it was in fact free and yes the tires were both flat, etc.
And a half hour later Xyla and I watched the trailer disappear.
And that is the end of our trailer story.

Paula Ashton Speirs, Graduate!

2010-04-26T21:17:00.000-07:00

On April 23, 2010 Paula Ashton Speirs walked for graduation. She graduated December 2009, but walked this ceremony so we could be there.
Paula graduated with a bachelor of science in Nursing with a minor in Gerontology. And she did it with flying colors, graduating Manga Cum Laude.
A very proud Lanie walked with her mother and got "pinned;" an honor for nurses started by Florence Nightingale.

CONGRATULATIONS PAULA! We are all so proud of you.

The Attack

2010-04-13T09:45:00.000-07:00

The scene:

Then: As the beast stalks its prey

it relies on the element of surprise

for it's attack!

Easter 2010: a random selection

2010-04-10T21:06:00.000-07:00

Squirrel!

2010-03-30T20:44:00.000-07:00

I posted this picture earlier in the week, Sunday, with a random assortment of photos of the family. I've been thinking about it for a while though. To say the least it amuses me.
First: April looks like some gopher or chipmunk that has sprung from behind a tree or something to be in the shot. The angle of her body looks like she is just pouncing into position. And while I know she's holding something in her hands (what I'm not sure) when I look at them they remind me of Kangaroo paws about to clean and preen her cheeks. And those cheeks, she could have a winter supply of nuts stored in there.

Second: Mom is in the back ground, with her cute arms tucked behind her and wearing her big smile. She looks like mom. She looks sweet and kind and happy. Though...I wonder if a bit of her smile is a grimace. It's like I can hear her thoughts "oh, no. Don't take a picture of ME!" Still she smile.

Third: Dave. Dave I'm sorry but your eyes are closed. That is just poor timing on my part. Regrets only.

But back to April and Mom: WOW, are they related!
The thing that I love most about the photo is how much they look alike. So often I forget that we have two parents, because when I look in the mirror all I see is my dad: round head, round face. I'm good with that. I like the way I look. And I see it in my siblings too. I see our round Ashton faces and our round Ashton heads and I hear our round Ashton humor coming from our round Ashton mouths. I see our blond hair, light complexion and blue eyes. We're little danish dough boys (and girls). But every now and again, at precious moments, I catch a glimpse of the blessing of two parents. I see broad smiles, big eyes, and a glint in those eyes that can only be from mom. There's a longer nose, big straight teeth, and an oval face. There is an expression of joy and excitement and a love for everyone.

What I love most about the picture is that it shows so clearly a mother and a daughter who look a lot alike. They look happy and cheerful and fun. And they are. They are happy and cheerful and fun.

I also appreciate that our mother, who can seem like an excited squirrel, could have little excited happy squirrels, who in turn could produce their own little happy squirrels...squirrels with a LOT of personality
SQUIRREL!

Wild life shots

2010-03-28T10:31:00.000-07:00

Random Animal pictures:

Blessings and Birthdays

2010-03-19T10:41:00.000-07:00

We've been a busy bunch and I have pictures so let me fill you in.

This baby (Lanie) was blessed sometime in February. (Paula is laughing because Lanie just had nearly the whole horse's head in her mouth...or at least the ear. If Lanie isn't sleeping she's eating. What a funny baby. And look at that expression!)
The Speirs came, Scott and Kevin joined us, and we had a party at April and Dave's house.
It just so happened to be Superbowl Sunday so some of the party was spent like this:

Birthdays: From February through July we are heavy hit with birthdays, but February and March are our biggest months.

February 8: We celebrated Xyla's 2nd birthday with a bone.

February 13: The twins turned three.
KristenLoryn

February 14: We celebrated Gypsy's adoption because we have no idea how old she is.

February 24: Mom's birthday was celebrated with Ashton's birthday (March 2). To celebrate we had dinner at Brooke's house and Aunt Paula & Uncle Mike came too.

Which brings us to March.

March 2: Ashton turned 10. A whole decade. This little guy,
This little guy,

has turned into this big guy:
Ashton has become such a sweet, smart, loving older brother. It's hard to believe he's ten already!

And last birthday until next week:

March 8: Allison turned 8. Her golden birthday. It's extra special because she will be baptized this year. (Next month when Grammy and Grandpa Day are in town.) So much excitement for one year, and already this little girl:

has become this girl:Allison has become such a spunky, funny, sweet, smart girl. We are grateful to have her in our family.

And that's the update. Blessings, birthdays...and life just keep on coming.

Random photo: the east Mountains

2010-03-16T22:17:00.000-07:00

Spring is coming

2010-03-14T21:46:00.000-07:00

and we are very excited.

Coming in

2010-03-09T20:50:00.000-08:00

Ready, Set, Go!

2010-03-04T22:23:00.000-08:00

And reset.

Jens Update

2010-02-28T00:52:00.001-08:00

Just in case anyone was worried about Jens, the Church News posted a statement that all the missionaries have checked in and are accounted for. Presumably Jens is okay. His mission is on a southern island that appears to be relatively safe. We'll let you know if there are any problems.

You can check out the Church news brief here.

Band Practice

2010-02-27T11:41:00.000-08:00

The other day Kristen (purple shirt) and Loryn (pink shirt) came over while April went to the dentist. Pretty much the moment the two arrived they wanted to play Rock Band, so we pulled it out, set things to "no fail" and went at it.

Kristen totally hammed it up for the camera and went all rock star on us.

Loryn was all business, she was there to rule the drums.

It's that time again: GARDEN Time!

2010-02-24T17:18:00.000-08:00

Rachael has been working on a germination schedule and has planted these little beauties over the past two weeks. These are the first plants that will go into rotation as soon as the last frost clears Utah.

To get started we rigged up a $10 florescent light in the basement and bought some full spectrum lights to go in it. Rachael soaked and planted the seeds. And we purchased some heating mats from IFA so the soil can be warm enough in the basement (where we don't currently have heat). There is a little bit to plant and prepare every week, but we're hoping that this year our garden will provide an abundance.

The run

2010-02-22T12:32:00.000-08:00

She's down there, at the next house, with the fuzzy black dog. She's not supposed to be down there, and now she's looking at me because I've called her name.
But she's ONLY looking at me. I know what's going through her dog brain: do I have to "come"? And then a flicker of recognition, her ears go back.
A pause, and then she comes running:
Effortlessly she stretches and draws across the white road,
athletically bounding, graceful and light,
unhindered by the breeze
blowing her jowls and ears.

(Note: She's supposed to stop here.)

But all she cares about is the delight of new friends.

House Sitting

2010-02-17T11:11:00.000-08:00

Last week while Rachael's brother was off at Disneyland with his family, we went to Park City to watch his house, and horses, and dogs, and chickens, and lizard, and cat.
Xyla loved being with so many other animals. She loved having two dogs to run around in the snow with. She loved chasing the horses, watching the horses, and feeding the chickens. She loved the open air cool air of the day, and the warm cozy fire at night.

The chickens stayed in their chicken house. Every morning we took food out to them and gathered their eggs: one green, one brown, one tan, and one white egg every day.

The horses required fresh water and new hay each morning and night. We carried water out from the house in a big five gallon jug to fill their water buckets. Because it was so cold at night we usually had to break up and remove the ice that formed on the buckets. So first I'd pitchfork their allotment over to them, and while they were busy I'd break up the ice and give them fresh water. While the horses ate the dogs watched attentively. And then the horse were let out to run through the snow and exercise while I mucked out the barn.
As the horses ran barn to pasture and back again, Xyla would chase along the foot paths, trying to keep up.

Of course the other dogs are more sedate. Notice how Sierra, the other boxer dog, did move. Chole, the small tan pug stayed at the barn to bark at the horses every time they came back. Sierra, ran half way and would wait, then back to the barn. Xyla though kept pace. I'm not sure what that says about her.

Once the horses and chickens were fed, then we'd go back inside and feed the dogs, and the cat. The lizard ate every few days and Rachael, bless her heart, took care of that. She would dump a few crickets into its cage, mist the lizard's nose with water, and call it good. The cat stayed in the laundry room, high up on the dryer because while Chole and Sierra didn't care for her one way or another, Xyla has never been able to get close to a cat. Every time the cat meowed Xyla would dash off to the laundry room door hoping to get a chance to see the cat. Not that Xyla would hurt the cat, she just wanted to play with the cat. Here at home there are a number of neighbors cats that run free and like to cross through our backyard. Xyla chases them, whines at the fence when she misses them. On more than one occasion I have gone out to find Xyla barking and wagging her tail, trying to get the cat to play, while a cat arm reaches through the fence trying to ward off, or I assume kill Xyla with its claws.

In any case, the cat and Xyla lived with little interaction.

At night, after everyone was fed and watered again, we could sit down to enjoy fresh egg omlettes, fried eggs, chicken fried rice, egg salad sandwiches, and egg salad. Then start a fire in the wood burning stove, and kick back with a book or some tv.

Diaper Drive

2010-02-10T15:12:00.000-08:00

My friend Sarah and her family are doing a diaper drive for the Little Angels Charity Organization, which supplies children’s necessities to needy families in our community. Right now they are in great need of diapers, especially in sizes 3 to 5, and diaper wipes.

If anyone is interesting in donating diapers let me know by Thursday 18 February 2010. I'll come pick them up from you, or you can drop them off at my house and then I'll take the diapers/wipes to Sarah.

There is no pressure, but if you feel like this is something you want to help out with let me know.

Personality Tests: INFP

2010-02-03T18:42:00.000-08:00

Rachael has been reading a book about "doing what you are..." or something like that. The premise is to get into careers that allow you to use your natural personality strong points. And since its also just fun to take the tests I found some free tests online.

Here are results for one test:

INFP - "Questor". High capacity for caring. Emotional face to the world. High sense of honor derived from internal values. 4.4% of total population.

Free Jung Personality Test (similar to Myers-Briggs/MBTI)

Results from a second test: INFP
# distinctively expressed introvert
# moderately expressed intuitive personality
# moderately expressed feeling personality
# moderately expressed perceiving personality
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

One of the tests suggests careers, it suggests that I go into one of the following fields:
*Counseling
*Religious Education
*EDUCATION
*HUMANITIES
*LITERATURE/WRITER
*Musician, Archeology, Psychology, Web Design

I've capped the one's that I thought were particularly perfect because...oh, that's right, that's what I am doing.

Quote of the Day

2010-02-01T09:34:00.000-08:00

“I envy paranoids: they actually feel people are paying attention to them.”
-Susan Sontag

(Quote sent by Brooke. Thank you brookie!)

I like how it's applicable to Blogs...are we paranoids, or are you really paying attention?

:)

Can Lights

2010-01-31T15:30:00.000-08:00

The kitchen continues to be a work in progress, a little done here, a little there. This week we got one more little thing done. Niel came over and in two days we had can lights.

The "square" on the ceiling is where the florescent lights used to be framed in an ugly falling apart box. Once that came down we measured, cut holes, and put in the lights. One day later Niel came over we went up into the attic to run the electrical.
Let there be light without green hues or flicker.

Next: patch and paint the ceiling.

Picture of the week: the street and cars

2010-01-26T23:14:00.000-08:00

Since the break-in we've been working on replacing our stolen stuff. One such item is a new camera. I've been playing around with the shutter speeds and aperture. These shots were taken the other night. Just thought I'd share. (Those streaks are car lights.)

Lanie has some big eyes.

2010-01-24T21:44:00.000-08:00

There are no words.

Kay's Funeral

2010-01-24T13:08:00.000-08:00

Sadie Kathleen "Kay" Smith Kirkham passed away on Monday 11 January 2010. Her Funeral was held in Chandler, AZ on that Wednesday 14 January 2010. She was Rachael's father's mother, her grandmother, and so we went down for the funeral.

With all the miles that Rachael has picked up in her job she was able to help get all her siblings to the funeral. It had been several years since they had all been together.

We stayed in town until Sunday so Rachael could visit with her cousins, aunts and uncles.

I don't want to say it was super fun, but I think everyone enjoyed being together and catching up. I think it was nice for Dave, Rachael's dad, to have his kids together. And really no one could complain about the weather.

The thing that I like about funerals is the opportunity to think about life and death. I like the quiet moments when there's time to reflect on life I'm living, and the people who have already passed away. It was nice to have time to think about Grandpa Kirk, and Grandma and Grandpa Ashton. It is surprising to me what comfort death offers, how close heaven seems. I appreciate knowing that there is life after death and having the comfort that brings.

Our Morning Walk

2010-01-11T12:42:00.000-08:00

This morning Xyla and I dropped Rachael off at the airport and then, rather than just going home, we stopped at the SLC Airport Golf Course to take our morning walk along the golf cart paths. This morning was cold and smoggy. Such a heavy haze that settles on the valley during these winter months.

The Golf course is so beautiful during this time of year. All covered in snow and ice. Its nearly enough to forget the freeway traffic over the next bunker, or the airplanes crossing overhead.

Xyla enjoyed the opportunity to explore unleashed, and the cold was biting enough that she didn't protest about wearing her coat. Poor short-haired dog. She looks awfully "tough" in her coat but it was a good deal and the only coat that had any water resistance to keep out moisture. Besides I like the way it looks like a little black dress from the back side when she sits down.

While out and about I practiced taking pictures with our new camera. We decided to go with a DSLR which allows for a lot more control, but it also means more responsibility to figure out how to use it. It helps to have a willing subject to photograph as well.

Half way through our walk these geese came sweeping up from the north, just over the airport and passed overhead. I did my best to capture a few pictures of them. Watching them rise out of the smog on the north horizon and then sweep back into the haze was beautiful and amazing. As they headed south it made me realize that winter is not about over, but still in full swing. I guess the smog is to stay with us for a while. The geese also made me think of Mary Oliver's poem "Wild Geese". I thought I would share it with you and the pictures I took of the birds flying over our heads.

Wild Geese

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting--
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

© Mary Oliver. Online Source

An overdue update

2010-01-05T23:28:00.000-08:00

First off, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Our Christmas and New Year have been busy and fun and spent well with most of you.

To the Left you will notice that Jens has made it to Chile safely and is serving safe and cold down on one of the islands off the South West Coast. (He is grateful for his Christmas slippers because that despite it being summer he feels very cold.) You can write to him at his new address. Hopefully we'll have some pictures of him to share soon.

In other news: just before Christmas we had our house broken into and my laptop along with a bunch of other stuff was stolen. This lack of computer accounts for my lack of updating over the past month or so. I am grateful that the night before the break in I listened to a little inspiration and backed up my computer. I am also grateful that despite the thief taking nearly every other electronic device in the home he (or she) left the backup hard drive that was chilling on my desk next to my computer. Its a great blessing because I didn't lose my thesis. Hallelujah. I am also grateful that Xyla was seemingly uninjured in the break in.
Due to the break in there have been few pictures taken as we are working to replace our cameras that were stolen. Hopefully pictures will return in the next post.

My final thought: It is surprising to me how events that seem horrible and overwhelming can afford us a moment of pause and reflection. Such moments can allow us to see that we can, and will, survive the challenges presented to us, and that such challenges can offer opportunities for small miracles. I also appreciate that though I didn't back up everything on my computer, I feel I got the most important parts and I feel that I can look forward without the burden of anything that was left behind. It turns out that the grinch who stole christmas at our house has left the behind some of the most useful presents of all.

Again, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May 2010 be a better year than 2009.

The front door swings again!

2009-11-22T12:08:00.000-08:00

This is our front door:Or was our front door...

Back in February, after accomplishing a lot of things that I needed to get done, I thought I'd take a peek at out front door. See we had this ugly front door that someone had attached a wooden "medallion" to, front and back, and then added shutters. The paint on the front was peeling. The stain on the back was unmatched. Our brushed nickle handle clashed with the brass knob plate. It was a mess. So one day while Rachael was out of town (because otherwise I suspect she would have stopped me) I pried off the wooden medallion on the inside of the door. I also pried off the shutters. Suddenly there was light and hope and the door didn't look too bad. There was obvious water damage being hidden by the ugly medallion but overall it looked better.

Encouraged by the inside of the door I thought I'd see what the outside of the door had hidden behind it. Here's my first real mistake. We could have lived with the back being open, a little ugly, but otherwise improved. The front of the door though-- the medallion on that side was covering a multitude of sins.

It probably would have been fine if I had stopped there, but I don't ever stop there. I had made a problem, and now I needed to fix it. So then I removed the trim around the front door, Inside and Out. Did I mention it was February? Have I mentioned this house was built before they believed in insulation? With the trim missing I suddenly had an ugly door and gaps all around the edges where the brick and the door frame don't quite meet. Wind blew into the house. Heat fled through the cracks...now I had a made enough mistakes. Now I stopped doing anything else.

And from there the transformation takes place. First I bought foam insulation and filled in all the gaps that I could. Wind and heat stopped traveling in and out so noticeably. Then I bought a new door. I bought a beautiful unfinished wooden door in a prairie/arts and crafts style. Rachael helped me stick it in the basement so I could finish it. Then nothing happened for several months.

Then I finished it. And nothing happened for several months.

And then Friday there was no reason to wait any longer. The summer has passed for another year, the cold was coming. "There's nothing to fear but fear itself" right? So Rachael helped carry the door up out of the basement. We removed the old door and did the classy thing around here-- left it on our front porch.

Then six hours later, and a little help from Brooke, we have a the new door in.

Isn't it beautiful?, especially compared to the super ugly missing medallions door? Now I just have to trim out the door and hide all the new yellow foam insulation.

Sound of Music

2009-11-17T10:47:00.000-08:00

This video was made in the Antwerp , Belgium Central (Train)
Station on the 23rd of March 2009.
. . .. with no warning to the passengers passing through the station,
at 08:00 am a recording of Julie Andrews singing 'Do, Re, Mi'
begins to play on the public address system.
As the bemused passengers watch in amazement, some
200 dancers begin to appear from the crowd and station entrances.
They created this amazing stunt with just two rehearsals!
Enjoy!

Elder Ashton's Photo Shoot -- Pre Mission

2009-11-09T18:00:00.000-08:00

These are photos taken of Jens pre-MTC and I came across them on a cd at Mom and Dad's house. I guess I miss Jens a bit so I thought I'd add them to the blog for reference. I suspect Mom will have to choose a few to be printed and what not, so I'm also going to weigh in on what I think are his best shots.
#1 Okay, to me, this looks the most like Jens. He's laughing, he's not too serious, but he looks good. This might be my favorite.
#2 I'm a fan of the textures and colors in this picture. The old fence adds such a nice backdrop, and a great solid color but also the interest of the green in the background. Jens also looks natural which makes the picture. I also like the crop. (Compare to pic.3)
#3 See what I mean about the crop? There's certainly lots of texture but Jens looks unnatural and off balance.
#4
#5
#6 Now picture Jens posed all GQ like this and having his friends drive by and honk. It makes me smile.
#7This one might be my favorite of the pictures taken at the Red House. Jens looks like Jens and he's certainly more at ease than in other shots.
#8
#9Just because I think he'd like this one.

So, what do you think? Which one do you prefer?

I met the Pioneer Woman last night

2009-11-05T10:17:00.000-08:00

The Pioneer Woman came to the King's English book store here in Salt Lake City. People lined up to meet her, and by the time I got there the line stretched around the building and up the block. I made it into the gallery though. And stood about with the hundreds of other women, and ten men, who were there to see her. Then I waited in line again so she could sign my book. From 6:00 pm to 10:30 pm I waited.
Finally she was just three people in front of me.
So I snapped a shot of her sister-in-law Missy.
Then she was just one person in front of me.

And then it was my turn. She smiled. She signed my books. "Maybe you'd like a nice football?" I nodded. Yeah, a football.
Then someone grabbed me, and threw me down a long slide. I lay at the bottom of the slide staring at the long line of eager fans for a few minutes wondering what just happened...
"No, I mean I love the cows. and the horses. and the LODGE!" But it was all too late.

Jens is off to the MTC

2009-10-30T11:46:00.000-07:00

Jens is officially a missionary. He was set apart on Tuesday night and then we dropped him off on Wednesday. I've posted his address in the left side bar in case anyone wants to send him mail. I'll keep it updated as he leaves the MTC in eight weeks and heads down to Chile. I'm sure he'd love to hear from all of you.

Jens Kirk Ashton
MTC Mailbox # 323
CHI-OSO 1229
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

(Jens and Niel showing off their Sea World Tattoos.)

Random pictures over the past two months

2009-10-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

First we have a picture of the east mountains taken while Xyla and I were on a walk at Tanner Park.
This is the most random picture because its just of the moon and I like the texture of the shot. It looks nothing like the night and the moon when the picture was shot.
And this is our new maple tree that I planted last month. We'll see how it does. Right now it is a brilliant red color. (Its an Autumn Blaze Maple.)(please ignore the dilapidated trailer...its a work in progress. :)

Mt. Nebo Scenic Loop

2009-09-30T15:58:00.000-07:00

Monday Xyla and I took a small road trip to Payson, UT and up into the Mt. Nebo Scenic Byway loop. The trees and views are amazing. There are some great hikes too.

Xyla and I had a good, peaceful time up the mountains. Sometimes its nice just to take in the views of the world that I have no control over.

Clouds

2009-09-16T12:54:00.000-07:00

The Babies: a Photo shoot

2009-09-14T13:14:00.000-07:00

A self Portrait

2009-09-14T11:19:00.000-07:00

Monday errands:
Drop off rachael at the airport: check
Get oil changed and tires rotated: check
Scoop poop in the back yard: check
Drop off Dog at daycare: check
Spray backyard with all sorts of chemicals: check
Clean truck (despite the rain storms): check
Go to laundry mat to clean all blankets: check

And now i've updated the blog: check.

The USS Midway Museum.

2009-09-08T15:24:00.000-07:00

Day Five of vacation we set out with new resolve to get things done and see as much as possible. So we woke up early to make it to the USS Midway, an air craft carrier. This was dad's favorite part of the whole trip. They gave us touring headphones and we wandered about the ship listening.
Jens and Niel insisted on trying to shove Joy into an airplane propeller/engine...thing.
Joy and Jens in the jail.
In the briefing room.
Tigers in the briefing room.

It was a huge ship. We spent all morning there and didn't see everything, but it was fun to see what we did get a chance to see. Later Dad said he would have been happy if we dropped him off and let him just stay there all day and ask questions about how things worked and what not. So, that was the highlight of Dad's vacation.

Family Vacation to San Diego

2009-09-04T10:20:00.000-07:00

So as a final hurrah before Jens leaves on his mission in October, the family planned a trip to San Diego. We used sky miles, and hotel points, and a little money to get everyone there, well all eight of us. On Sunday 9 August 2009 we flew out to San Diego.
Joy's first plane ride.

Day one we got food and settled in.
Day two we drove up to L.A. to visit uncle Scott and his house, and Drew. It was great to hang out all day with him.
Day three we went to the beach in the morning and Sea World at night. Sea world was great, and we caught the night shows.

Shamu Rocks! The night ended with us riding the water ride "Atlantis" and everyone getting soaked, even dad.

Day Four was a slow day. We went to the zoo and took the tour bus around and then went back to the hotel. We took it easy and then after dinner we went to La Jolla beach.

A day at the beach...

2009-08-28T13:16:00.000-07:00

We're back from vacation and life has started

2009-08-28T12:56:00.001-07:00

And I want to post pictures from our vacation, but right now I'm sitting in a study room in the library. I'm sitting in a glass study room in the library with other glass study rooms attached. I'm sitting here trying to study and I can't because I'm being distracted by the "study group" to my left. I think they're here to study...on a Friday afternoon...but thus far the guy has picked up his text book once (1 time) so i took a picture. I like to think of it as his first and last attempt to pretend to study with the cute-big-eyed, short-shorts, brown haired girl. Really they've chatted the whole hour or so that they've been here, except when she looks at her books, then he opens his cell phone and texts people. Oh, and except for the five minute break they took from flirting so hard. So, I present to you the high class education that we can all gain from studying in the library, in glass SEE THROUGH study rooms.

Two Portraits:

The Beginnings of our Bounty

2009-08-07T14:06:00.000-07:00

These four gorgeous cherry tomatoes came off the vine five minutes ago. Four minutes ago I ate them. They were sweet and juicy and warm. Wonderful!

Our garden is coming along. We've had some early issues figuring out how much and how often we should water, but with that sorted the garden is really thriving. The tomatoes are out of control huge and now we're just waiting for them to redden up. There is one that is almost ready. It is red most of the way except on top where it is still just a bit too green. I went out to the garden today to see if it was ready to adorn my sandwich.

It was not, just yet, but the four little cherries were and so I picked them. They didn't make it to a salad or a sandwich, I just popped them in my mouth. They were so good. I love garden harvests.

2009-07-30T11:04:00.000-07:00

Ashton is nine, Allison is seven.

July 3rd

2009-07-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

This post is a bit late but I wanted to get it posted to show the progress that Paula and James are making on their house.
Paula found an awesome deal on cherry wood laminate floors from KSL.com and was very eager to put them in. With the baby coming and the new house her "nesting instinct" is alive and well. So July 3rd a crew of Mom, Jens, Joy, Niel and I joined Paula and James to put in the floor.
Here you can see the floor halfway done. On the left you can see the green and white (yes that was once white) tile laminate flooring that April and Paula found after ripping out the carpet the day before.
The work went pretty fast, considering it was really just Niel, Jens, and James laying the floor while I cut pieces. Mom, Joy, and Paula ran errands for us and brought lunch.
And when it was done we cleaned up and put the couch in place.
But first we all took a nap. It was fast but tiring.

The backyard, again, some more...

2009-07-06T14:20:00.000-07:00

The backyard (okay all the yard) has been a work in progress since we moved into the house nearly four years ago. We moved in July 2005, so this is our 5th summer here. The first year we chopped down the hip-high weeds and called it good. The second and third year we worked to keep the weeds at bay.
Enter Xyla: Suddenly we had a small creature whose whole happiness depended upon the yard.

And so season after season we've gone through changes. We took down a tree and put up a fence. In the fall, to try and prevent a lot of muddy dog incidents, and because we weren't ready to put in anything permanent yet, I stole bags from the side of the road and spread leaves all over the yard. I think I decided to finish after six full--and I mean full to overflowing--truck loads of leaves. It wasn't quite enough, but we made due and cleaned a lot of paws.
Then this spring we moved the shed, put in sprinklers, and planted a garden. For Memorial Day the family came over and helped cover the new sprinkler lines and we thought we were ready for a yard. Of course then it rained for a month.

But the rain has stopped and the wait is over!

Two weeks ago I rented a tiller and tilled the yard, because all the bountiful rain brought a new landscape of weeds. Mom, Jens, Joy, and Niel all came over and spent a good three hours helping me rake and weed and level. The next day Mom, Jens, and Joy came back at 7 am to help with more raking, and weeding, and leveling. Then we rolled the yard: and the next thing we knew, sod had arrived. So we laid a pallet:April, the kids and Paula all came after lunch and working together we finished off seven more pallets of sod. It was hard, back breaking, finger grating, knee numbing work, but everyone worked hard and we got it all in.

The verdict:

It has all been so worth it.

Thank you to everyone who has helped with the process. Next: shrub and flower beds along the fences...guys, anyone? I love you!

Fruits of our Labor

2009-07-01T12:41:00.000-07:00

A little faith and a little fruit. Soon it will be big, red, and juicy. Then I'll cut it up and eat. Mawahhahahaha

What's been going on, an extended post

2009-06-17T11:46:00.000-07:00

I've been out of internet for a bit because in a mad cleaning spree last week I accidentally cut the phone line in our house. It was an honest mistake...I was clearing out "useless wires" from the basement, which after eighty or so years has acquired a number of useless wires. Snip, snip, pull, pull. I worked on the project for an hour or so and came away with a lot of useless wire. Apparently I also came away with one (thus far) that was doing something. But I ran new wire and we have phone and internet again, so let's catch up at casa catherine.

We've bought and planted two more trees. One in back and one in front. I'm hoping they will grow tall and provide some much needed shade. We also snagged a lot of compost and what not for our garden boxes and planted seeds/starts etc. And now we have a garden growing: corn, basil, green onions, thyme, peppers, squash, cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, sage, radishes, beans, pumpkins, watermelon, cilantro, parsley, oregano, dill, sage, and celery.

Jens graduated from Olympus High School on June 4th. Congratulations Jens! We witnessed the sit, walk, picture, bbq extravaganza.

And Nielson celebrated his 25th birthday on Saturday 6 June. Mom and dad are out of birthday candles so we improvised.

Not that we've needed them yet

2009-06-17T11:40:00.000-07:00

The sprinklers are officially in. Thank you Nielson and everyone ( or animal) who helped.

Lost and Found

2009-05-28T15:51:00.000-07:00

Miss dog escaped today, the gate wasn't latched completely and she made her way out into the neighborhood. I didn't notice because I was inside working on things and she usually spends a few hours at a time outside in the backyard. I finally did notice because I heard my neighbor yelling something that sounded like "Xyla" so I thought that she had broken through the fence. When I went to check on her I found the gate wide open.

My heart sank. I was afraid for how long she had been missing. Why hadn't I noticed? Where could she be? Was she all right?

I grabbed her collar and leash and took off to find her. Luckily my neighbor had seen her run down the street and pointed me in the right direction. She was fine, happily wandering from one yard to the next, licking everything in her path including the mailman.

Memorial Day

2009-05-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

For the holiday April and I organized a work party. The following pictures present a rather precise survey of those in attendance and the attitudes/contributions made.
Baby got sass. (Kristen)
Allison the monkey.
Working man Ashton.
Dave.
The petite dirt devil, Loryn.
Chipper April.
Pouting Brooke.
Hunter on the hunt.
Robear's element.
Joy, accounted for.
The crew in action.
Dad checking the electrical.

In the end I think the efforts to work together and produce a collective outcome is one of the most beneficial acts that we can do. Of course not all will agree with me, but to everyone who helped, I thank you!

The Sprinkler Crew

2009-05-25T22:35:00.000-07:00

Niel has worked very hard on our not-so-small yard getting in the new sprinkler system. And Xyla has been with him every step of the way. She LOVES him. So anything he does, she does.

Business in the front, party in the back.

2009-05-20T10:07:00.001-07:00

And the haircut continued, but for one brief moment, Ashton really knew how to live.

Progress Report

2009-05-17T09:26:00.000-07:00

Semester finished, check.
All classes for master's degree finished, check.
Sprinklers coming along, uh...check.
Thesis?...Thesis?...

This progress report has been brought to you by Xyla, the successful tail catching dog. And by:

This stupid expression produced by the catching of said tail, the joy of being outside, and the completion of all my classwork. No more class work! No more books. No more teacher's dirty looks!

Happy Birthday Joy

2009-05-13T07:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Joy's 12th birthday. So to celebrate we had pizza and salad and cake and ice cream. The cake is really what this post is about though. Mom and I attempted to make the Pioneer Woman's Strawberry Shortcake Cake.

Here's the verdict: Eh.

The cake, though super tasty and chewy and good, fell -- the altitude doesn't translate well and I have no idea how to fix that. The strawberries were tasty, but there needed to be a LOT more. And the frosting, while good, while cream cheesy and light, was too sweet and too much.

In the future I may attempt the cake again, but I will use plain old whip cream for the frosting and triple the strawberries. (Does that no longer make it a Strawberry Shortcake Cake?)

The Sprinkler Crew

2009-05-04T14:39:00.000-07:00

Niel has agreed to head up the sprinkler project for my front and back yard and somehow he has enticed Scott to join the fun.

Busy in the Back yard

2009-05-02T09:57:00.000-07:00

With summer fast approaching we are working to get our backyard landscaped with grass so the small dog stops treading mud into the house. This week in preparation for the landscaping (sprinklers, grass, shrub beds, garden boxes) we moved the shed.

Dad brought the backhoe over and cleared a spot for the shed at the other end of the yard, still along the south fence.

Then Niel and Dad brought the forklift over, and using some steel extensions, they got the shed airborne. Gently Dad drove it over to the spot where I wanted and we put it up on blocks.

They Let Him Graduate!

2009-04-27T10:38:00.000-07:00

Nielson graduated from BYU on Friday. He earned his BS in Biology. The following pictures document his ceremonial accomplishment.

The sensationalism of television talent shows

2009-04-24T08:37:00.000-07:00

On MSN.com the other day there was post about the Scottish woman Susan Boyle and her run on the show Britain's Got Talent. The link on her name will take you to a YouTube video of her performance on the show.

The story behind her is this: she's a 47 year old woman who is unemployed, lives alone with her cat, and never been kissed. She's a "nobody." On stage she looks unimpressive and frumpy. But when she opens her mouth to sing, she has one of the most beautiful voices. Her voice turns the audience from mockery and jeering to cheering and weeping. Its like Paul Potts all over again.

And here's my point. The sensationalism of television talent shows presents a person who goes against the socially accepted norms for society. Pick the loser in a group of people and then reveal their hidden talent, the gem hidden in the rough. What struck me while watching Susan sing is that it shouldn't be a surprise when "the least among us" is, in fact, the greatest. The shows work on human assumptions of worth and value. It fails to recognize people for their worth based upon appearances and then acts surprised. Even though I know how the story goes I am myself surprised at how her voice touches my heart. Watching her I know that she is more than she is presented to be but I am unprepared for how beautiful and wonderful and talented she really is.

How hard is it to look upon people with the eyes of Christ, loving all, expecting all? Perhaps rather than expecting nothing from people we should work to expect everything, after all, isn't that what God expects of us?

This video is of Paul Potts who won the talent show a few years ago.

Portraits of a dog's Life

2009-04-23T14:13:00.000-07:00

Julia Nunes: The Conversation, Motion City Soundtrack

2009-04-21T23:56:00.001-07:00

Up much too late listening to/watching YouTube videos. Digging this song so I thought I'd share.

2009-04-20T22:34:00.000-07:00

Xyla and I have been spending a lot of time out at the Great Salt Lake...uh, lately. (Read, on the days when the weather has been nice.) Being out near the water and walking the salty beaches makes me want to own one of these:
Its a little out of the budget at the moment. Of course budgets never stop one from dreaming right. Right? So I spent my time researching this morning, two hours. I think its out of my system for the time being.

Roaming the Great Salt Lake

2009-04-03T10:04:00.000-07:00

With all the snow, and the crazy swings in temperature its been hard to let Xyla out to get out all her wiggles. (She is a very wiggly dog.) So yesterday, before the next storm blew in, we took a drive to the Great Salt Lake. There is a lot of solitude out there and Xyla can run free of her leash without bothering anyone.
It was a beautiful time to go. The clouds were coming down in a large dark veil. Slowly, slowly the ends of the clouds reached closer to the waters. Through breaks in the incoming storm the sun shone through and reflected off the water. As the wind picked up the sun disappeared. The lake rippled, still glimmering from the what light was left. Xyla pranced along the old broken down road we were following. She pounced upon rolling tumble weeds and broken sticks. She weaved back and forth sniffing one side of the decrepit road and then the other. And we walked along: I enjoying the solitude, the peace and quiet, the dark desert storm, and she enjoying the freedom, and smells, and wind.
We tried to pose for a picture (twice) but rather than sit still Xyla licked my face several times and then jumped away and this is what we got (both times).

What was I taking?

2009-04-01T15:45:00.001-07:00

For the past two weeks I have been in various stages of sickness. There was the denial stage. The "I'm going to die from this" stage. The "I hate doctors and their lack of useful pharmaceuticals for viruses" stage. The stage of sleeping for eighteen hours, wake for three to four, then sleep for eighteen more hours. And the "I think I should post a blog" stage.
I was taking a variety of thick cough syrups. That is my explanation for my decision to post this.
What's with the "waxing poetic" about McDonald's ice cream?
Obviously I was confused.

To finish a week of bad smells

2009-03-31T13:23:00.000-07:00

Add small smelly wet dog to stinky sour cream and bad cilantro.

With all the winter weather and wind things have been blowing around in the back yard. The worst thing to bounce about and open was our "poop" garbage can where all of xyla's droppings are bagged. I haven't scooped poop in a week (snow, sickness, laziness) so the can was empty, but it still smells. Well Xyla found the can open and was really intrigued by the smells emanating from it so she thought it was a good idea to roll around in it and really cover herself in the smell.

Why? Why must dogs smell like crap? What is the appeal?

You can bet we scrubbed her down pretty quick and pretty thoroughly when she came in. And the garbage can has been put back in its place with the lid locked down tight.

(Please note that these photos are obviously not of her in the garbage can, merely her demonstrating her rolling techniques on the bed well after she's been scrubbed down and dried off.)

When green goes bad

2009-03-28T07:33:00.000-07:00

This is an amendment to the post about the sour cream yesterday: apparently it wasn't the only thing to go bad. Once I took it out I figured the kitchen needed an hour or so to clear the air so I sat down in the bedroom to write about the bad sour cream. An hour later the kitchen still smelled a bit funky but now it was stronger.

Nose to the rescue: I sniffed high and sniffed low and finally found the cilantro. Oh, poor gooey green gone bad cilantro. (I almost puked when I came upon it but I held it together long enough to get it out and in the trash. Then I was fine.)

If I thought sour cream was bad, does sour cream and cilantro seem worse?

Bad Sour Cream

2009-03-27T11:37:00.000-07:00

This morning the kitchen has had a strange smell lingering over everything. It hasn't been quite "rank" but it is sickenly sweet and sour. I sniffed around for a bit and finally found the offensive smell in the garbage can, in the old sour cream tub.

Is this the stuff we should be keeping secret?

coughing up a lung

2009-03-24T16:00:00.000-07:00

day 5: still coughing. Weird rip out your chest but not do anything else coughing.

Captain's Log

2009-03-20T09:29:00.001-07:00

Day 5 of Spring Break: the various house projects are coming along slowly and I think I've finally caught the cough that Jens, Dad, and Brooke have been sharing.

Also contemplating McDonald's Ice Cream Cone: oh the goodness. Sometimes there is nothing better than vanilla ice cream swirled softly into a cone. Ice Berg's cone is, in my opinion, one of the best (go swirl cone) but if you're out in the middle of nowhere with a McDonald's, it'll do.

A list, or what's been keeping me busy

2009-03-18T23:41:00.000-07:00

Accomplished:
*Mom's birthday
*Ashton's Birthday
*Allison's Birthday
*Painted the trim in the hallway
*working on painting the hall walls
*New hardware for the hall closet/draw/built in
*reading, reading, reading
*working on a new drawer for the hall
*procrastinating everything else
*did dishes (with a little help from the Wendy. Thanks Wendy)
*Pirates of the Caribbean Movie marathon
*tore out molding around front door
*Stained (two coats thus far) the new front door
*raked some of the leaves up from the backyard
*Hair cut
*Broke drawer 1, working on rebuilding the new drawer.
*working on sprinkler system
*working on thesis
*updated blog

Need to do:
*polyurethane new front door. Hang front door.
*Finish drawer
*Paint drawer
*finish clean up/ rake back yard
*fix fence
*build raised garden beds
*get oil changed
*read, read, read
*clean, work, etc.

Life keeps going on.

Lap dog

2009-03-15T14:56:00.000-07:00

Julia Nunes: just a girl and a uke

2009-03-11T10:28:00.001-07:00

I'm a SuperHero

2009-03-06T11:21:00.000-08:00

So I should be working on my thesis, or my reading, or cleaning the house, or getting dressed...blah blah blah. Nag, nag, nag. I have effectively ignored this voice in my head for the past little bit. You know, blogs to read, youtube to watch, hero's to create:

This is my hero. I thought it was an exceptional expression of the inner me.

You can make your own hero at THIS SITE.

Happy Friday!

(And because making one was fun I thought I'd make another: this time a guy.) So I guess if I were a man and a super hero I'd look like this:
Hilarious!

Okay, off to do my thesis, or reading, or class, or clean...