What Do YOU Think?

Okay I need some opinions on my new blog look.

What do YOU think?


Is it a keeper (for now)?

Under Construction

My blog will be under construction for the next few days. It will still be available but it might not be as pretty and organized as usual!

Vegas Night

Around 7:00 I received an email from Jeff Lee. He's passing through town, staying at the MGM tonight and wanted to do something. We were going to try out the ice-skating rink at the mall. It's in the middle of the parking lot (only in Vegas...). But after observing two 7 year olds pirouette around the ice like they were floating we decided we didn't feel like being laughed at.

So we went to the place in Vegas where no matter how much you stand out, you blend in: The Strip.

Jeff (after 45 minutes of debating) bought a hat in the Miracle Mile shops in Planet Hollywood.

For more pics, click here.

New Blog Element

Check out "News I'm Reading" under my links on the right side of the page.

One Picture

...Of the sunset. Before the internet kicks of me off again.

Havasu and the Bridge Built on Sand

My first impression of Havasu was windy, dusty, dry and nothing to do. Yesterday was kind of a hard day despite it being Christmas. It took us 2 hours to drive up here and for some reason I felt carsick the whole way. (I never get car sick.)
After we arrived it was too windy and gross outside to really do anything so we sat in the room and fought with the wireless internet (which tends to cut in and out). Mom, Dad and I brought gifts to open here and I basically fought tears the whole time because I kept thinking of how my Christmas ended up being in a place completely opposite from where I had originally planned to spend it. It was really nice to be with Mom and Dad though and I know if I were 5,000 miles away I would have missed my family terribly over Christmas.
My perspective changed a lot today. The wind calmed overnight and today is beautiful... Warm and sunny and blue skies all around. We walked down by the lake and spent a few minutes relaxing by the water. Havasu is known for its London Bridge, the very one from the song "London Bridge is falling down". It was built in 1831 and really was falling down over the Thames River in London (1/8 of an inch a year) so it was sold for about 2.4 million dollars, dismantled in a 3 year process and shipped (and trucked) to the middle of the desert. It was the only bridge ever to be built on dry land. The river was later built under the bridge and the original peninsula here was made into an island.
For more on the bridge click here and for more on how it was purchased and shipped click here.
I'll have pictures to put up later.

Christmas Eve

I added a player below if you want to listen to some festive music while you browse... Not sure if it works well but it's temporary...

Bree asked for a "pictew wit Annie Kawi". (Picture with Auntie Kari.) She loves to have her picture taken with a digital camera and runs over to see it on the screen after it's taken. She also wanted a picture with "Unc Ken" (Uncle Kevin)...And "Gate-gamma"! (Great-grandma) Waiting while the pile of presents in front of each person grew... I have NO idea what Kevin was saying here but it looks funny! Mom passed out the presents... We sat in a circle and each person would open a present in turn. Bree loved her presents and could hardly wait for her turn! Mom and Dad Jess's parents Jess, Kev and Darren Bry, Shannon and Jess Jessica opening a present to Baby.

We really missed having Jeff, Renee, Carter and Camden with us!!! I hope you guys had fun and I can't wait to see you!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Songs

I made this music player at MyFlashFetish.com.

Gordon Lightfoot - Song For a Winter's Night

The Weekend

We're home... for a short time. We had wonderful special mtgs! Brought a sister back with us who is staying a night with Grandma... We stopped once we got into town for dinner. Dad was telling her about conventions in Ireland and the funny customs they have as far as meals go. He says, "They have NO NAPKINS on the table!!!" Two minutes later our waitress comes with an annoyed look on her face and plops a massive pile of napkins right in front of Dad and leaves again without a word. The funny thing is the bill was already paid and we were finished eating.

We all had a good laugh over that. (Well... all of us except the waitress.)

Sooo here are some pictures from the weekend:

Driving through Virgin River Canyon...

View coming into St. George... note the white mormon temple near the bottom.

Grandma set stuff up in the kitchen, Mom and Dad unloaded the car and I documented all the hard work.

The palm trees all comfy-cozy, hibernating for the winter!

Saturday we mostly-drove, partly-hiked up to this canyon where there was a beautiful view for the city and surrounding mountains. Here is Dad peeking into the canyon...

And me...

And the view!

We drove home through a bit of snow. I don't get to see snow often so I snapped as many pictures as you can snap from a moving car.

We met Aunt Glenna and Uncle Errol in Mesquite for our traditional Starbucks stop.Home sweet Nevada!

Here's a picture of the sun setting as we were driving into Vegas. It's also a picture of our bug-splattered windshield.

So now we are home long enough to unpack, do some laundry and spend Christmas eve with the fam. before we are off again!

Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend!!

First Day of Winter

Hope everyone keeps warm! I'm looking forward to the days getting a little longer...

Utah

St. George is so cold you walk outside and get brain freeze. The low tonight is 8 degrees! After two hours on the road and a stop in Mesquite for Starbucks we arrived (although it was actually three hours later because of the time difference).
Our room is nice and big with a kitchen, a fireplace, a barbeque, one room for mom and dad, a murphy bed for Grandma and a couch for me.
Grandma brought steaks and Dad braved the cold and wind to barbeque them.
The scenery is beautiful with the red rocks in front and the snow covered mountains behind... You can see Zion from here.
We sat in the hottub to warm up and bundled up afterwards to go down and check out the game room. They have pool and ping-pong.
I've taken some pictures but forgot my camera cord... Oh, well.
Happy Weekend!

【Trans-Siberian Orchestra】Christmas Eve Sarejevo

I'm adding this again 'cause I like it! :)

Cleaning the Cat

It may be a bit early for spring cleaning but I started this morning by butchering my cat. It happened with a brush, a pair of scissors and some shampoo... A deadly combination.

Now, my cat has not had an easy life. She came to us when we lived on our property in Washington. She was about 2 months old and was dropped off by some uncaring, unfeeling human being onto the side of the road and was subsequently treed by a Jack Russell terror. I say "terror" and not "terrier" because when you are a two month old kitten that's exactly what a Jack Russell is to you. (Nowadays Snickers could take down a Jack Russell like a pest control could take down a fly with 5 gallons of bug spray and a swatter.... If only she had the energy...)

The neighbor who owned the Jack Russell approached my parents one morning with this kitten and stated that, "Because you guys have so many animals already, I thought of you first. What's one more?" My parents were not happy to say the least. We already owned one dog, one cat, one turtle, two birds, nine rabbits and an assortment of fish. (Thanks to me.)

So we left the little kitten to spend the night up our willow tree.

I felt desperately sorry for her and the next morning I sat in the driveway, ate a Snickers ice cream bar, and sang "Do Your Ears Hang Low" (when my mouth wasn't full). I was at "like a Continental Soldier", when something crashed into my lap. At first I thought I'd been hit by a motor boat but it was just her. I named her Snickers (because of the ice cream bar).

Once you feed AND name a cat, it tends to stay. We never locked her up but she stayed, even when Dad ran over her tail with the car and she hid down a wild-rabbit hole for 2 days. She even stayed when we moved to an apartment and she had to live at my aunt and uncle's with 9 other cats. (Well, we thought for awhile that she didn't stay; she disappeared for 2 weeks. But as soon as I went to the edge of the woods and sang she came running, skin and bones.) She stayed when we sneaked her into the apartment and took her out on walks with a leash. She even pretended to enjoy it.

Then she endured riding in a moving van for 22 hours, with her on my lap and my bird on my shoulder.

However, since we moved to Nevada, Snickers has become Mrs. Howard Hughes. She may be a genius but she's a top-order recluse. During the summer we get her shaved to keep her cool and comfortable but in the winter time....

Weeell this morning she looked something like this:

Yes, that is dandruff and matted fur, no we are not cat abusers and yes, it IS gross.
After much yowling, screaming, scratching, hissing, and bleeding (on my part), she looks something like this:

There's still work to do but it IS an improvement. Despite her wet fur and a very annoyed expression, who knew a butchered animal could look so pretty?

Elf

Okay Jessica had this idea but it was so hilarious I had to try it! Click the link and see!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1552896803

Roads and Planes

So you know when you come to a fork in the road and you go one way but you still sometimes wonder where the other fork would have led you?

My other fork would have me sitting on a Virgin Atlantic flight an hour and a half on my way to London at the moment.

Needless to say that is not happening.

Oddly enough I'm happy to be at home. :)

New forks lead to new opportunities.

Talking about forks is making me hungry.

I can not wait until new years eve day and road trips!

Football

Bad news for football today.... Seahawks lost to the Panthers AND the dolphins won a game.

Cousin Conspiracy I: it's a big world outside

Cousin Conspiracy II coming soon!

Hey, Carter, come check out this dog!Uh, oh... don't look now but I think Auntie Kari's got a camera!Where? Maybe she'll help us open the door!Look, Carter! There's a whole big world out that door.Well, I'm gonna go play!I wonder what's out there...Auntie Kari, will you help me?Finally!On second thought, that's a pretty big dog... I'm getting out of here!He just wanted to give you kisses, Carter!I'd rather eat!