All Hallows Eve

Kaili and Ellie decked the house for Halloween last week-end, and the kids carved these pumpkins last night.

Today, Ron and Adam were working, so Adam missed-out on the fun. Dax was reluctant to dress-up, so I told him he didn't have to; he could stay home when I took the girls out. He decided "the unknown comic" would be an acceptable costume. Kaili made a bat costume with a black garbage bag and ears, Ellie and I fell back on the old witch stand-by.

I took the kids to the mall where we met Ron when he got off work, this evening. The girls got quite the haul of candy again this year. When we got home, Dax took the girls around our neighborhood and got his own candy too. We had one very diminutive visitor this year, so I guess our kids still have a monopoly on this street, as far as trick or treaters go.

Oct 28, 2008

I gave my 10 minute oral presentation last night. I went pretty well, I think.

This morning I found out I did fairly well on my drawing mid-term and got an A on my portfolio. They also picked one of my projects to display in some show of student work that is coming up.

Still have lots of work piling up on me. I can't believe I have just barely a month of classes left this semester.

I talked to the academic adviser this afternoon. It seems I should just stay the course. She said I can still take any art courses I would like, and apply for a second degree later, if that is what I decide to do.

Oct 24, 2008

I have been even more distracted than usual lately. So here is the latest:

On the lab quiz last week, I did 10% better than the class average YIPPEE! The computer corrupted my only copy of the outline I was working on for Monday's presentation (which is STILL in its infancy!). I have a lot to do for my drawing course, but I feel guilty when I work on it, because drawing feels too much like playing to me. I have been really struggling with insomnia, so I am really having a tough time focusing during the daytime. I met with an academic adviser this morning, she felt I was a challenging, but interesting case. We got nothing resolved, but I have another meeting with her next week. It looks like I may have to reapply to TRU and be accepted in the B.A. program next fall. It is all pretty confusing to me, but hopefully, it will all be clarified for me with the next meeting.

Ron and the kids are all doing well and the weather has been pleasant, although it is getting dark too early these days.

Oct. 29, 2008

Today I woke-up groggy after a hard sleep last night. I had a hard time dropping off last night mulling over my upcoming English project.

The invertebrate mid-term seemed almost too easy today, so I hope I am not being over-confident and setting myself up for a fall. I have no idea what to expect for tomorrow's mid-term, so we'll have to see what happens.

I have an early day tomorrow, so that's it for today.

Oct 18, 2008

Today I studied for Monday's mid-term (well, a little) and began getting my portfolio cleaned-up and put together for Tuesday morning. I would still like to complete another couple of sketches and I need to get a "planar analysis self portrait" started. Fortunately Monday's midterm is intimately related to last Thursday's so I have gone over much of it a few times already.

Today has been another very low-energy day for me. It started sunny out, but has gotten cold and grey. Apparently, Ron's day started out very poorly for him. The kids and I are thinking of catching the bus to the other side of town and giving him a surprise visit when he gets off work. Adam gets off 1-1/2 hours later, so Ron is planning on hanging out on that side of town until then. We will probably swing by Wallyworld to pick-up some winter boots for the girls. They both have grown several shoe sizes since last year. . .again! Elizabeth totally skipped Kaili's size from last year, so hand-me-downs won't cut it this time. . .OH well!

Last night Ron and I did a few shopping errands and stopped for dinner at a little restaurant out here in Westsyde called Hermes. I had the lasagna and he had a flank steak with spaghetti. It was very good food and reasonably priced too. The portions were very generous, so the girls and I all had my left-overs for lunch today.

That's the report for today, have a wonderful Sunday tomorrow.

Oct 17, 2008

Isis sure knows her comfort. I am wishing I could be in there with her today.

Yesterday's exam wasn't stellar, but I probably passed it. The test anxiety thing is still getting the best of me.I have another mid-term on Monday, followed by one on Tuesday, so I hope can get a handle on the anxiety by then.

I have a lot of schoolwork to do and no inclination to do it at the moment. Of course, it doesn't help that one of the kids keeps luring me into debates this morning, and I am feeling just ornery enough to oblige him (even though it feels like reasoning with a box of rocks would be a better use of my time!).

The last of the 6 goldfish we "rescued" from the front pond has succumbed this morning, I guess the shock of being moved inside was just too much for them.

It is cold and grey out and I feel that way myself today. . .well, gotta go, time to get ready for the bus. Maybe the brisk walk will clear my head a bit.

Oct 15, 2008

Today was a beautiful weather day, but I had my nose in the books for most of it. I have a lab mid-term tomorrow. There is a lot of material to cover and I'm not sure what to expect.

Dad called this morning and shared his latest ER adventure. He crushed a couple of fingers in a piece of equipment yesterday, but fortunately, it sounds like he will not have any permanent damage. (Other than scars)

Not much else doin' here.

Canadian Thanksgiving (Oct 13)

We celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving with a very nice dinner and visit at Jim and Linda's.

Kaili made lemon meringue and pumpkin pies pretty-much on her own. I provided a little coaching and the crusts. She did very well, as the lemon pie can be daunting to a new cook.

While at J & L's we discovered that Linda has been playing hookie from blogland as she has discovered "Tetris" and is now hooked. I had to give her a hard time for throwing her friends over for a computer game. She also shared her new coloring with the female visitors. This new colorful version is due to her sojourn into the now filled-in hole. Kaili spent much of the evening calling Linda "Rainbow Bum".

After dinner, the kids did a great job of clean-up. They did this without being asked, no arguing and I don't think they even broke anything. It was a nice change from home. I tried to thank them, but I'm not sure they really get how much appreciated their efforts were.

I'm in for a few extra busy weeks with mid-terms and large projects.

Too good to keep to myself. . .

I don't know the origin of this, other than my e-mail, but I thought it a very good explanation-

"Once upon a time, in a village, a man appeared and announced to the villagers that he would buy monkeys for $10 each. The villagers, seeing that there were many monkeys around, went out to the forest and started catching them. The man bought thousands at $10 and, as supply started to diminish, the villagers stopped their effort. He further announced that he would now buy at $20 for a monkey. This renewed the efforts of the villagers and they started catching monkeys again. Soon the supply diminished even further and people started going back to their farms. The offer increased to $25 each, and the supply of monkeys became so small that it was an effort to even find a monkey, let alone catch it! The man now announced that he would buy monkeys at $50! However, since he had to go to the city on some business, his assistant would now buy on behalf of him. In the absence of the man, the assistant told the villagers. "Look at all these monkeys in the big cage that the man has collected. "I will sell them to you at $35, and when the man returns from the city, you can sell them to him for $50 each." The villagers rounded up all their savings and bought all the monkeys. They never saw the man nor his assistant again, only monkeys everywhere! Now you have a better understanding of how the stock market works."

Perceptions vs. Reality

Stolen from "A Slow Read" who . . .

Borrowed from it Francesca's page..and posted it because she thinks its really important...(and I concur)

If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're 'exotic, different.'

If you grow up in Alaska eating moose burgers, a quintessential American story.

If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.

Name your kids Willow, Trig, and Track, you're a maverick.

Graduate from Harvard Law School and you're unstable.

Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.

If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a constitutional law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United State Senate, representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works, and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.

If your total resume is local weather girl, 4 years on the city council, and 6 years as the mayor of a town with fewer than 7,000 people, and 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.(Albuquerque has more people than the entire state of Alaska...does that make our mayor 'qualified' to be president too?)


If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.

If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian. (or there are videos of Vice Presidential candidate getting exorcised for witchcraft, you're a fine upstanding Christian)


If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.

If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.
(Or make rape victims pay for their own rape kits, your a fiscal conservative....and don't forget, if you're a woman, and you don't buy her shit, you're an anti-feminist)


If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America 's.

If your husband is nicknamed 'First Dude,' with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and was once a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA , your family is extremely admirable.
(and who is currently a member of a radical political party, you get to hide that too)

Oct 12, 2008

Today was one of THOSE days. . .

1st, Dax was late getting going, so the other kids and I left for church without him. Ron was going to go to work directly after Sacrament meeting, so Dax was going to ride in with him. During church, Ron called and left a message, "The truck won't start, Dax is staying home, I'll take the bus to work." After 4 calls to the house Dax finally answered the phone and Ron had already gone. After another batch of calls to Ron's cell, I finally remembered he had forgotten it in his locker at work last night. After church while the kids and I were having lunch, the power went out. The girls and I decided to go catch the goldfish outside and bring them in for the winter. While goldfish wrangling, my Blackberry went for a swim. Fortunately, Ellie was quick on her feet and pulled the phone out quickly enough that I think it will be OK. I did manage to retrieve Ron from work OK this evening.

Hopefully tomorrow will go more smoothly. We will be heading to Jim and Linda's for Thanksgiving Dinner. . .YUM!

Oct 11, 2008

Last night Ron and I went to see "Appaloosa". The cast was awesome and Renee Zelweiger's character was somethin' else! There was a sprinkling of unnecessary "F" words, but on the whole, it was really quite a good movie.

Today was a study day for me. It feels as though I got next to nothing accomplished, but I worked at it most of the day. It was quite cool and cloudy outside.

Ron was at work all day again today. . .

Brrrrrrr!!! Oct 10, 2008

Westsyde had frost this morning, but was very pleasant this afternoon. It was fairly clear skies today, but there was an icy breeze on the other side of town at school. Waiting for bus connections was a bit uncomfortable, I may be digging out my "longies" soon.

Ron and Adam are both at work for the moment and the three other kids are playing Wii fit. I have a pot of tomatoes, sausage, herbs, garlic and scallops on the stove cooking down right now. We are looking forward to covering some pasta with it for dinner.

Ron has been pretty tired, so I'm not sure if we will be going out or staying in for date night tonight. We have to pick Adam up at about 11:30 tonight, whether we go out to the show or not.

I have a few things to pick up for Thanksgiving at Jim and Linda's on Monday, so maybe we will nip out to do that (maybe I'll just do it manana). It still doesn't really feel like Thanksgiving to me for several reasons. . wrong month, wrong day of the week, no extended family around and nobody really talking about holiday plans. It just doesn't seem to be as big a holiday here as it is back home.

Nothing new, terrible or exciting to report here.

October 9, 2008

Here is a sample of some of the color, uh I mean colour appearing around town now. This morning was the first time I have noticed frost so far this fall.

Today we dissected squid, then tasted some "baby cuttlefish" the lab instructor had cooked for us. It wasn't too bad, a little on the chewy side.

We are starting to come into mid-terms already, though mine seem to be spread apart fairly well this term. Not much new to report here, we are solidly in a routine for now. . .

October 8th 2008

The weather has turned here. We haven't had any frost yet, but there is a nip in the air. I got the rest of the tender plants into the house yesterday and brought the watering timers in for winter this morning.

I am still playing a bit of catch-up with school, but it feels like I am making some progress (albeit slight!). The kids still seem to be staying on track better with their schoolwork so far this year too.

The house is still in an arrested state of decay, but I am hopeful we will be able to begin making strides there in the early spring. Ron is going to be adding a new business venture to his list of "to-dos". It looks promising, and some of our friends are doing VERY well with it. With both vehicles still acting up, we will have to see what the finances dictate as far as when we will be spending money on home repair/improvement projects.

I have been adding 10-20 minutes of Wii fit exercise to my 20 minutes of walking to/from the bus each day. It is much less expensive than going to the gym and it is fun too. Time will tell if it helps my back, I think if I keep at it, I will at least drop a couple of pounds.

I still haven't managed to take the camera out and get any photos, but I will attempt to remember today. Time to head out for school. . .

Just a quickie!

It was another great conference week-end. I will post more as time permits. We spent a lot of time on Wii fit between sessions and it was rainy and cool all week-end. Everyone went to bed early last night and hopefully they will have a productive week in the schoolwork department.

I have a bunch of reading to do for school and it is almost time to catch the bus up the hill now.

October 4th 2008

Last night the boys headed off to Vernon for a youth dance. Jim and Linda came over and we walked to the local chinese restaurant with them and the girls. The weather was drizzly, the meal was huge and tasty and the company was nice. After dinner, we came home and played on the Wii fit until the wee hours (almost!).

Today was the first day of our two day General Conference for church. We watched the morning session on the internet whle eating crepes in our pajamas. The afternoon session we again watched on the internet sans PJ's and crepes. The kids did an exceptional job of paying attention and taking notes this time, even though everyone was up too late last night. We will probably do a pajama day tomorrow and watch the sessions at home again.

As always, there were some very inspirational talks given by our leadership. The building of 5 more Temples was also announced. The two most surprising for me were the Calgary, Alberta and Rome, Italy announcements. One of my favorite talks was given by Pres. Uchtdorf. He spoke of replacing fear with faith and acting with faith. There was another good talk given about the importance of hope, now that I really think about it, I enjoyed nearly all of the talks and took something of value away from each one. If you have access to BYUTV, I would encourage you to watch at least some of it tomorrow. The sessions are at 10 am MDT and 2 pm MDT. (9 and 1 for us on the west)

The weather has been on the damp side much of the day today, very much needed too!

I'm very tired and getting rummy, so I'll post something that makes more sense later!!!

October 2nd 2008

I seem to have so much more time now that organic is off my plate. I feel bad for abandoning my lab partner, but I feel so much better able to handle the rest of my coursework now. I have a bit of catching up to do (sleep and school), but I should be in decent shape by the end of next week, as far as the schoolwork situation goes.

We were given the assignment to draw at least 50 sketches of people in the next couple of weeks. . .YIKES! We will have live models in class and she wants us comfortable with the basic human shapes first. I have a LONG way to go, but it is sure fun trying.

Today was a quiz in invertebrate zoology lab I was not prepared as well as I would have liked to be, but I don't think I totally tanked! I have two weeks to prepare for the mid-term in that lab. I think I finally figured out why I enjoy bio labs and chem labs make me want to throw-up (literally); I think it has to do with the difference between replicating something (and trying to get a certain outcome) and just investigating something. There seems to be a more relaxed give-and-take in biology and much it is more regimented almost to the point of rote, (yet somehow frantic) environment in a chem lab for me.

The weather started out just gorgeous this morning, but by early afternoon it was overcast and showery, still warm, but damp.

Dinner's on, gotta go. . .

NEWS FLASH!!!!

YES!!!!

After a sleepless night and feeling nauseous at the thought of attending another Organic Chem lab today, I talked to my academic advisor. He suggested I switch from a biology major to a general science major. It won't require Org. Chem and all the courses I have now will count toward the degree. It is also a better degree for a possible wanna-be teacher, as it is less specialized. Eric (my adviser and the bio dept head) said a general science degree is more like two minors, so I will get to take something like geology to go with the bio.

I am still going to look into fine arts as a minor too. . .it is way too much fun not to play with.