Dinos and Trains

My niece Amy and her boy (my great nephew) Garrett came up from Eugene for the day! It was lots of fun. I used the rent-a-kid service upstairs and brought David with us for a fun fun day.

We had lunch at Wendy's where 4-year-old David informed me: "I have determined that chocolate milk is very good. And so, I would like to have some." We then rode the carousal at the river. Gipper had lots of fun. He rode my favorite: the Zebra. (David was a chicken and decided to ride the covered wagon on the second time around).

We spent the rest of the day at the A.C. Gilbert house. It was super super cool. So, Garrett's favorite thing (other than learning self-defense moves with his dad) is dinosaurs. David's favorite thing is Trains. And, HOLY COW--there is a whole house at AC Gilbert's that is devoted to trains AND dinosaurs. Wow. Garrett had to help David with his Dino-names (Garrett is 6 months younger than David). There was a display where you mix and match Dino heads, bodies, and tails. After organizing his Dino, David did his very best to sound out its name: trick-er-rat. "Jen! Its name is Trick-er-rat!" Tric-er-at...ops. Triceratops. Oops!

(Oh where, oh where has my camera gone? Oh where, oh where could it be!?)

Made Just For Reading--an invitation...

One of my Spring Break tasks has been to attack the TOWERING pile of "to-be-filed" papers on my desk. I actually enjoy finding an extra long movie, plopping myself and the papers on the floor, and organizing little piles of papers to file away (and then actually filing them away!). So...I began yesterday in front of Gone With the Wind (I never tire of that movie...)

Well, near the bottom of the pile, I found the book I wrote a few years ago (has it been that long?). It is an illustrated children's book called Made Just for Reading. Only...here's the problem people. An illustrated children's book needs, well, illustrations. I have a clear idea of what the illustrations look like. But there is a disconnect between my imagination and my hand! Help!

The invitation:

I need someone who enjoys drawing and doesn't mind following my (general) ideas about what should be in the pictures. You would only need to find time enough to draw illustrations (simple, colorful, playful) for a couple of pages to start with (and then don't be crushed if I don't use your illustrations...).

Any takers? Seriously--I would scan and email the pages or snail mail them. From what I have heard about trying to get published with children's books--I certainly don't expect to get this book published by a big publishing company and make lots of money. But, I think it is a really good book and I would like to self-publish it and get it in the local schools and libraries. If nothing else, I want to make up a few bound copies for myself and my family.

Well, there it is. Let me know if you have any interest and I'll send you a copy for you to consider (=

Easter / My Dad Peed next to Donny Osmond.

Weird, but true. (Go ahead...click on the picture. I dare you. You know you want to...)

My parents went to see College Road Trip in Provo (a new slapstick family comedy with Donny costaring as an annoying family fun dad)--and Donny and his family sat behind them. After the movie, Donny Osmond peed in the urinal next to my dad. Donny said to my dad, "You meet the most interesting people in the strangest places, don't you?"

Also, I spent Easter with Hot Chicks! We went Alex's sister's house for Easter dinner (Laura and Lon). After dinner, I looked up to see Alex with a very realistic baby chick on his head.

Whoa people! It IS a real baby chick! Holy crap! I loved them. I held them and petted them and fell head over heals for them. Laura said that I could take some home and raise them until they are teenagers--and then give them back (every parent's dream!). I wasn't sure, so I passed. But I just might go pick a few up this week...

Of Mountains and Motorcycles

Surreal. Yesterday was surreal.

We found ourselves with a free Saturday (a rare thing for us). We should be recording our record (it's ALMOST done...it lacks a vocal track, mixing, and mastering) but Eric is working on a project with John Moen (of the Darma Bums and Decemberists) that is keeping him really busy. So, no recording this weekend. Not ones to waste a beautiful Spring Day, Alex and I headed up to Hoodoo at first light for some cross-country skiing.

It was a beautiful day! It was 50 degrees and sunny! I really enjoy cross-country skiing. Gliding through snowwy meadows--surrounded by silence--without the chairlift and steep hills that ignite panic throughout my entire body.

Okay, I'm a bit of a wimp. Downhill is...exciting. The panic adds to the enjoyment--when it doesn't cripple me. But, cross-country is exhilarating in its own right. When I've got a good rhythm going, the scenery is beautiful, and I know how many calories I'm burning--I get those natural highs John Denver croons about.

So, we skiied for a few hours in the morning and then stopped for lunch. There was a missed call on my cell phone--my brother Peter. (I still think it bizarre that one can make cell phone calls from the top of a mountain. On one hand, it's pretty cool. But on the other hand...is there no escape from technology!?)

Peter had bad news. I have this friend John (boyfriend in a former life). His little sister Erin and her husband were in a motorcycle accident Friday. They were on their way to sign the closing papers on their first house. They've been married less than a year. He died. They think it was instantaneous. He hit the car in front of him. It broke his ribs which speared his aorta. She has some broken bones--but was tragically awake and aware that none of the hospital staff would give her an update on her husband. John had to be the one to tell her.

The immediate grief that washed over me was such a drastic contrast to the high I had been on all morning. We did ski a bit more after a long lunch break...but it was a contemplative run rather than a thrilling one. I'm so sorry for that girl who was once like a little sister to me.

I'm particularly grateful on this Easter for our Savior's sacrifice and subsequent resurrection. I'm grateful for the bittersweet knowledge that Zack and Erin will see each other again. I'm grateful that family's cannot be torn apart by something as mortal as a motorcycle accident.

Happy Easter.

--Jen.

A Shared Experience at Taco Bell

Have you ever sang a song with complete strangers at Taco Bell?

I mean...when you are standing in line and you start to hum along with the MUZAK. Suddenly--it just happens: I, I turn the radio on, I turned the radio up, and this woman was singing my song: lover's in love, and the other's run away, lover is crying 'cause the other won't stay...

You look around the empty room. Post 3rd meal, Pre 4th meal. We are painfully aware that our two voices are not alone. Nerdy guy behind the counter looks nervous. Shoot, we'll probably never see each other again (seriously, the turn-over at that restaurant is epic)--And I thought I'd live forever, but now I'm not so sure. You try to tell me that I'm clever, but that won't take me anyhow, or anywhere with you.

He's getting into his groove now. You all know you'll regret this, but you just can't help it. You said that I was naive, and I thought that I was strong. I thought, "hey, I can leave, I can leave." Oh, but now I know that I was wrong, 'cause I missed you. Yeah, I miss you.

Dang. Where did this other guy come from?! How long has he been behind us? And, oh. Yep. He knows it too. Oh well. It's too late now. Apparently we're all going to stick this out to the end. You said, "I caught you 'cause I want you and one day I'll let you go." You try to give away a keeper, or keep me 'cause you know you're just scared to lose. And you say, "Stay."

It's almost over. Just finish it....and try to avoid eye contact. And you say I only hear what I want to....and done.

Now let's order our food and get the heck out of here.

But...seriously. That was cool.

Sorry about the Word Verification

I hate those things...but I keep getting spam comments.
I'm a bit ashamed that I am sacrificing freedom (to post comments) for security (from spam).

I'm a complete chicken

Seriously. How many people really fall and die when riding a chairlift? (If it's a lot--don't tell me. I don't want to know). The snow was slow and powdery, I was with my best friend (who was being very understanding), and I didn't fall once. So why did I sit in the lodge the rest of the day?

Humph. Because I'm a chicken.

ENCHANTING!

I just watched Disney's Enchanted at the theater pub. It was such a wonderful movie! It makes me grin just thinking about it! I loved the classic Disney animation with a slightly sarcastic (but still innocent) twist. I love the music--a bit tongue in cheek, but a classic Disney soundtrack in its own right. And I adored the actress. Her eyes really sparkled. I think she was a really real princess.

Sigh.

I think I'll get off the computer and find True Love's Kiss (=

Depot Bay

What a great weekend! (And what a terrible weekend to forget the camera...). Alex and I spent the weekend on the Oregon Coast visiting our nephew Garrett. Garrett just got the coolest new job at the Oregon Coast Aquarium (in Newport, OR). He's an IT guy--web page design, etc. The coolest (albeit smallest) part of his job: maintaining web cams. Like the web cam in the shark tank!!! He's getting SCUBA certified so that he can dive IN the tanks. So cool.

Anyway, he found himself a roomy 2 bedroom apartment in Depot Bay. ON Depot bay. His house is on the north point of the peninsula, one house back from the rocks. Wowwy Wow wow it is a great location. Not bad for a 23 (?) year-old college drop out (=

We're real proud of him and it was fun to spend the weekend with him. We also picked up his girlfriend (she lives 2 hours inland) for the weekend. We definitely remember how tough it is to date long-distance, so we were happy to help them spend the weekend together.

Highlights: De-bearding mussels that Garrett harvested near his house (yuk yuk yuk!), playing Super Mario Bros. 3, driving 20 minutes to find fast food because we turned left and not right, playing last-man-to-run-away-from-the-oncoming-waves and watching Alex get soaked to ensure a win, hopping on rocks in the early morning--hand-in-hand with my guy.