Oh Summer!

In the last eight days Jake and I hosted four BBQ's ( and attended a fifth) and I am confident I have met my quota of grilled meat and hot dogs for the next thirty days. I knew that BBQ I scored at Smith's for half off would get worn in quickly. I also started and completed four novels this week, the kind of novels that read quickly and didn't change my life. It really feels like summer vacation around here and I couldn't love it more. If only I had made it to the lake once or twice...

It is Official

I purchased five pounds of chicken nuggets in the shape of Dinosaurs at Costco today. I pretty sure that is my official induction into the motherhood of a toddler.

I have a new diet. Ok- really I am not the dieting type, especially fad diets... but I made this one up. It really has worked for me. I mean I have surely lost at least two pounds this week because of it. It is what I call the Ice Cream Sandwich Diet. I bought a ton of ice cream sandwiches for a BBQ we had with some ward families. We didn't end up needing them. There are 30 or so ice cream sandwiches sitting in our freezer. If there are treats in my house, I eat them. (Jake and I have embarrassingly been known to polish off an entire package of Oreos within 48 hours. We don't buy them anymore.) So I decided that if I was going to eat an ice cream sandwich, I should just eat it for lunch. I mean I am going to eat it. I am going to eat one everyday until they are gone. I might even eat two. Then it is possible I will buy more. There is no question about this. I just lack the will power to say no to a sandwich made of chocolate and ice cream. I will fill up on lunch and then just really want an ice cream sandwich. It is much easier for me to say no to a sandwich made of meat and lettuce. So I have a sandwich for lunch everyday.... an ice cream sandwich that is... and no dessert. I told Amy about this. She thinks it is brilliant.

This is not going to be pretty!

Let me start by saying I forgive you if you attended the University of Utah, if you have a love for the red and white, you may not want to read this..... or we might have a fight on our hands. Normally I reserve my mostly in fun rivalry towards the U for football season.... and even then don't really care, but I can see from this point forward I am going to be really pulling for the Cougs whenever they have a chance to smash those Utes. Yes this is going to be one of those posts mentioned in my "100th post" post...."mostly about Kate and things I am MAD about". If you live in Utah you have likely heard about the information theft that occurred with the University of Utah's medical records.... if not read about it here.
Basically somebody stole a bunch or personal information... SSN, DOB's, medical records etc from their patients. And sticking with the unlucky universe I face everyday, of course I was one of them. I was a patient there for my eye surgery last fall, not only did I end up getting some surgery that didn't work, and another specialist questioned it was even done correctly, and then when I was almost blind because of it they wouldn't call be back for weeks even though i called and left a message every day and then even though I couldn't even drive because the surgery caused so much scar tissue making things worse they wouldn't make me an appointment for three months until I practically threatened a malpractice suit.... now that one regrettable experience has turned into another. Not only is this claimingly "acclaimed" medical facility serving out unnecessary surgeries and poor customer service, now they are also serving my identity (which I work so hard to protect) to low lives and slackers ready to prey on my perfect credit score. What are they offering to correct this mistake. Well they sent me a letter dated June 16th 2008 informing me they are having a conference to discuss these issues on June 10, 2008... "information that could have been useful yesterday" and giving me credit MONITORING for a year. Thanks guys you really know how to right a wrong..... oh that is not what I meant to say... what I meant was... I think you treat your customers even worse than Home Depot.... if that is even possible.

Little Kate is teething like crazy. You can see her showing off her four little teeth in the one picture. She is cranky all the time now, not my little girl. So here is a picture to remember that she is usually a happy girl. Yesterday we got this smile with Tylenol. No not giving it to her, but letting her chew on the children's dropper. Apparently nothing beats it on swollen gums. The other picture is just typical Kate touching the camera behavior. Sometimes I fear we have more pictures of Kate's hand than her. And of course sticking her tongue out usually makes her more successful in her efforts.

Daddy Pictures

I made Jake and Kate come with me to the "old town" Heber to take some belated father's day pictures. They may have been cute except that our sometimes cooperative model was obsessed with all the rocks on the ground and would get upset whenever Jake picked her up. If you look close I am pretty sure she has at least one rock in hand in every picture I took, plus she wouldn't wear the cowboy hat I had for her... I know shocking right. I guess all the matters it that Kate has got the most wonderful, funnest, and hottest dad around.

She IS Part Canine

We all know that Kate loves dogs, and I admit to using this love to my own advantage. For example when Kate is cranky I let the dog in the house, that usually cheers her right up. I even let Cola "babysit" Now before you judge me what I mean is give Kate a handful of Chex to feed the dog through a sadly ghetto hole in the kitchen screen door while I make dinner. This wonderful parenting technique... can I call it that?... does have it side effects as it seems that hole is getting bigger and bigger and now apparently big enough to fit a 14month old human through. Yes Kate has created her own doggie door and used it today for the first time :( I ran over to stop here but she was quick as a puppy and made it all the way outside onto the deck before I could stop her so all that was left to do was take a picture. I feel like this post really highlights both my bad parenting skills and the run-down-ness of our home but I had to post it because I am pretty sure it is the funniest thing that has happened around here in days.
!!!Hilarious!!!

Junk

So this afternoon you will never guess what I did. I spent it on the phone with companies that drive me crazy with junk mail (ie, steven heneger, american express). Seriously my small mail box is full everyday with one or more ads from these people. The funny thing is that you can get a customer service rep right away, but then they transfer you to the "mail removal" department and there is a long phone wait. Don't they realize they are soliciting a little too much when they have to have an entire department for mail removal. Lets just say, I didn't even bother being polite. and when I say I was not polite I mean I told Steven Heneger that I would not longer being needing an ad a day from them as I actually had graduated from a reputable university unlike theirs, and my husband had his doctrite from a top university as well, thus no need for a fake college ...hey, its not like they are being polite. These companies send me a credit card application to my last three addresses in both my married and madien name several times a week, so they obviously dont care that I no longer live at these addresses, and haven't at some for over seven years, and they therefore obviously don't care if my identity gets stolen. At some times it was quite hilarious because the lady would ask what name I wanted removed and the address then go to say have a nice day and I would say wait there is more.... and continue with the other 6 or seven. And yes she would find six or seven on her computer. I did Jake's as well while i was at it. I have even been online to those stop junk mail sites but they don't seem to work. I am not really and environmentalist or anything, but I am pretty sure over 30 acres of the Brazilian rain forest have been sent to me piece by piece by Capital One in the last year alone. URRRR!

Pictures

On Saturday I got to go and take some engagements for Lisa and Rodney. It was really fun and easy since they are both really good looking. We did three small shoots around Provo and here is a picture from each one. Obviously some were just for fun. But I love the middle one, it reminds me of a perfume ad. I have always been into photography, but never really get a chance to do it, so it was a great opportunity to enjoy it and also learn a little.

Everyday Low Prices and a Bit of Wisdom

Yesterday Kate and I went to Wal-mart where we did indeed marvel at the everyday low prices. Smith's nor Day's our only options just can't compete with this wonder of the free market economy. While browsing the dish soap selection a young women approached me. I made a quick assessment of her based purely on her appearance. She was not threatening, cute, a little younger than I, fashionable dressed, we could possible be friends. Until she made a complete breech of the social rules to which we all adhere... you will soon see.
Her " Can I ask you a question"
Me (thinking she needs help choosing a cleaning supply) "sure"
Her "Do you like being a mother"
Me (very thrown off) "Well I like it, It is great" (what else am I suppose to share with this stranger)
Her something like "is it all you every wanted"
Me "It is great... pretty great" (nodding my head wondering what she really wants from me)
Her " I am changing roles soon and I am just curious how my life will change"
Me "Are you becoming a mother?"
Her "No I am getting married and I am just not sure about taking on this new role as a mother and wife"
Me "Well I was a wife for a few year before becoming a mother, it is all great... pretty great" (is this sufficient enough counsel to get you on your merry and strange way?)
Her "Well your daughter is cute" (Her getting I am not interested in sharing the details of my personal life with strange her in asile 16)

Perhaps our world would be a better place if we all looked for and took advice from those we meet as we run errand about our day, but to me it was a little akward, and a little sad. I hope this seemingly normal gal had somewhere else to turn for advice and life guidance than a woman shopping for dish soap. Perhaps she could get a blog where family and friends could come together and share with her, her hopes and dreams. If you are, like her, thinking of asking the next random stranger you meet whether or not you should change jobs, break up with your girlfriend, have a third child, or get a nose job don't do it. You can ask me. I know you and could offer advice- I don't know everything, but I am sure to offer something more constructive than the person behind you at the bank.