Artsy Fartsy Weekend

With our record nearly ready to press, it was album-art crunch-time. So, we packed up bags and bags of supplies and Garrett's girlfriend Kelly, and headed to Depoe bay for an all-weekend art party! (Garrett is our nephew who now lives at the coast)

Crayons
Charcoal
Graphite
Markers
Colored Pencils
Watercolors
Acrylics
Gouache (rhymes with Squash)
Paper
Glue
Modge Podge
Canvas
Photo Shop
Scanner/Printer
Crate full of 7-inch records
Record player (plugged into guitar amp--mono)

Grilled Mahi-Mahi sandwich @ the stoplight in Depoe Bay
Fish taco drowned in cilantro @ Local Seafood in Newport
Kettle Chips

Watching Garrett and Kelly fish for Rock Fish and Ling Cod in the calm surf (one bite, no harvest).

Marvelling at the bed of purple sea urchins on the shelf (revealed at low tide).

Encouraging rouge sea lions to push The Old Fat Snoring One off the dock.

Creating the perfect art for our record cover!!! (I'll post it soon!)

Mixed Up

Last night we (finally) completed the mixing for the first Kalaloch record! Though we only nearly avoided disaster! Eric was burning us a reference CD (we need to choose which 2 of the 3 songs will go on the record). He had to fast forward the reel to the mix that we decided to use. Suddenly, the decades-old machine rebelled and snapped our tape in half! We were super lucky--it broke during the last 10 seconds of a mix we weren't going to use.

Phew!

Tagged

All right, I give. I'll play too (=

5 Things on my To Do List this week:

1. Mix songs for our 7" (yes...we're still working on it)
2. Take a Chemistry Exam
3. Go Visiting Teaching (1 down, 2 to go)
4. Watch 2 episodes of "Friends" (we've been working our way through the series @ 2 episodes/week)
5. Up the weight in my strength training routine (Relief Society arms...see you later!)

5 Snacks that I enjoy:

1. Apples or Bananas w/Reduced Fat Peanut Butter
2. Crackers and Laughing Cow Swiss Wedges
3. Minute Maid Pomegranate Blueberry 100% Juice (Yum yum yum)
4. Popcorn and Frank's RedHot
5. Chocolate

If I were suddenly a Billionaire?

1. Invest and live off the interest (which leads to...)
2. Quit our jobs and become full-time musicians
3. Buy property in Kalaloch and build a house
4. Travel (especially to visit friends/family and play music!) and/or fly friends/family out to our beach house (see #3)
5. Go Shopping!

5 Places I have lived

1. Payson, UT

One of my all-time favorite places I have lived. Memories: Kindergarten & 1st Grade, my best friend was Jessie Bushman, big backyard, my dog Taffy, a horse pasture behind the house, Fat Jack's Pizza.

2. Orem East Stake (Utah).

I've been in and out of this Stake more times than I can count! Grandma's basement (more than once), house across from Anna's, and The Blue House. Memories: lots of childhood friends (Anna, Rachel, Sarah, Chris(tine), Megan, John, Mike, and Dave), High School, walking to the fruit stand, Stake Dances, many pets.

3. Provo (by the State St. Albertson's) with my best friend Anna

I lived here for such a short time, but it was my first time away from home, so it is memorable. Memories: sharing a room with Anna--my best friend since 4th grade, Nadine, Ed Pinegar was our stake president.

4. "The Patio"

A house in Provo off of Freedom Blvd where I lived with 6 awesome girls including my room-ROOM mate Julie. Our BYU singles ward was our house, and the Moonriver Apts. Memories: The first time I noticed how cute Alex Carmichael was in his .45s hat and "T" shirt, playing MarioKart64 with David Shelley and Alex, turning down Ontario for a date, learning a little Korean, Gomex, late nights at the hot tub, Mystery Science Theater 3000

5. "Heather House"

This is where I currently live in Salem, Oregon. This tiny 1 bedroom basement apartment (the entire apartment is smaller than a billboard) is the first (and only) place Alex & I have lived. Our upstairs neighbors Brian & Becky have lived here there entire marriage--and they got married about 6 mos. before we did. We have been here for 6 years. We've really outgrown our little apartment--but we love our neighbors! Their son David is 4 years old and we've lived here his entire life. I can't imagine NOT being here! As our family grows it will get more and more difficult to stay...but we aren't making any plans to leave yet.

5 Jobs I have had

1. Burger King! My first real job. I worked there with my boyfriend John and with our good friends Dave & Susan (who are now married and expecting their 2nd kid!)
2. Payless Shoesource. I LOVED this job. I bought a new pair of shoes (or 5) every paycheck!
3. Private Math Tutor. Awesome job. I charge what I want and set my own hours.
4. Math Instructor (Part-time) @ a community college. This job was way fun--and WAY stressful. I love teaching--I just don't love grading homework...
5. Math/Science Instructional Specialist (aka tutor and student-tutor supervisor). I love my job. Plus also, I love Spring Break.

5 Things People may not know about me

1. Um...I listen to Dr. Laura. And I really like her. I read her
   books and find that my life and marriage run so smoothly when I follow her
   advice.

2. I've been going to Weight Watchers since January and I've lost 15 pounds.

3. I really like action-packed-shoot-'em-up movies. One of our favorite dates is "Taco Bell and an action movie"

4. My perpetual bad habit is biting my fingernails. It may appear that I have broken that habit...I have had 9 really long nails for a long time. But I still bite my right thumb nail.

5. My husband makes fun of me because every time I put on music, I cycle through these same few CDs (even though we own over 500 albums):

• Rainer Maria (Better Version of Me)
• Suzanne Vega (Songs in Red and Black)
• Death Cab for Cutie (Transatlanticism)
• Cat Power (The Greatest)
• Built to Spill (Ancient Melodies of the Future)
• Jen Wood (Getting Past the Static)
• Mates of State (Team Boo)
• Low (Trust)
• Ida (10 small paces)

Whew! That was a long posting! If you made it to the end, I tag Stefanie, Anna, Julie, Melissa Shelley and David Shelley.

Snow & Sunshine

Bizarre Weather! A week ago it was 85 degrees and sunny. Yesterday we had freezing temperatures, sun, rain, hail, and snow! I had to work--but Alex took himself skiing (downhill) at Hoodoo. He said it was mid-winter conditions. They had 4 new inches of snow overnight--and accumulated about 2 inches through out the day.

The sunshine/snow mixture reminded me of my first cross-country skiing. We still can't find our camera, but our friend Vince brought a disposable that I just got around to developing.

X-country skiing is gangs and gangs of fun! My first trip was cut a little short...

I didn't fall the entire time...almost. I was feeling pretty good about myself. Alex had fallen a few times--but not me!

But Beware! The Prideful shall Fall!

And fall I did! Unfortunately, I managed to break my bindings! So, Alex and Vince embarked on a rescue mission. Alex constructed a makeshift carrier for my busted skis and Vince donned multiple packs. They left me on the trail and skied back to the cars.

The plan: Alex would return with Vince's skis in his carrier and the two of us would ski back out.

I had a great time out their by myself. It was such a sunny day (I think it got up to nearly 60 degrees!) that the snow was very soft and melty. This made it impossible to step on the snow without sinking in thigh-deep! So I sat on my behind, in my snow pants, and poled my way down (-and up) the trail. It was a great upper-body work-out!

Alex's Manifesto

Hello. This is Alex, Jen's husband speaking.

I don't have my own blog because I don't ever have anything to say to the world. Ever.

Okay, well here are two things that have been on my mind for a while that I think people need to hear:


1. Reduced Fat Peanut butter = Peanut Butter + Awesome.
The Reduced Fat peanut butter takes real peanut butter, removes 1/3 of the fat, and replaces it with high fructose corn syrup a.k.a. "the nectar of aphrodite". Seriously, it's awesome.

2. Off-brand tuna fish is WAY better than name-brand
Yeah. Better quality meat-- it resembles real fish as opposed to fish smoothie. Buy two cans and open them up if you don't believe me.

That is all.

Snack Ahoy!

"I am SO hungry. I would like something crunchy with a Captain in it."

--David

Last night David (our 4-year-old neighbor and rent-a-kid) was downstairs visiting. He saw the box of Cap'n Crunch and decided he was really hungry for a bed-time snack. Clever child. He can read any word, but often asks indirect questions. I guess this was his round-about way of requesting Cap'n Crunch--but making me think that it was my idea.

Oh! Crunchy AND Captain?! I have JUST the snack for you!

Ugh.

Ugh. (Perhaps I overuse that word). As I am preparing an Articles of Faith scavenger hunt for our FIGS (Faith in God) activity, an important realization came to me:

Our meeting starts in 25 minutes, and I am the only one who knows about it.

Whoops. I suppose it stems from some combination of missing a week at church (for general conference), being sick last week, and being irresponsible in general. I called no one. I sent out no reminders.

Actually, now that I see it in print--it's actually pretty funny! I was feeling horrible moments ago, but--seriously--how funny would it have been if I went to the meeting and I was the only one there!

Ugh!

Well...I'll be well prepared for next week's activity!

April Fool's!

My mother-in-law's favorite holiday is April Fool's Day. Really! When her kids were younger, she explored all of the possibilities of this silly day. My favorites: she hid toothpicks in pancakes (yikes!), baked cotton balls in biscuits, and swapped out apple juice with apple cider vinegar (YUK!).

Rather than being afraid of this day, Alex relishes the opportunity to show off his devious and creative side. So, I try to be alert come April first. But, but, but...

I am getting a little sick (I guess that is my excuse). It's Spring, blossoms are blooming, and my allergies are engaged! Not only was I feeling out of sorts this morning, but I was also feeling very determined--a combination that put me off my guard. Just this week I have started a new morning routine. I'm now leaving for the gym at 5:20 instead of 6:30 am. So, when I woke up this morning feeling EXHAUSTED and SICK, I was bound and determined to get my butt out of bed and go to the gym!

Which is probably why I missed all of the signs.

I was not surprised enough at the lack of cars in the gym parking lot. (Wow, everyone slept it! I was proud of myself for getting up!)
I ignored the strange looks I got from the two employees at the gym (who were cleaning equipment)--incidentally, they were the only other people in the gym.
I did notice that the TVs were all showing infomercials, but I figured they were not on their regular channels.
I felt greatly fatigued...but I chalked that up to being under-the-weather.

But it was tough to ignore the signs when I saw the biggest one of all: with 2 minutes left to go on my timer, both clocks in the gym read 2:58.

At first, I wasn't certain who had pulled the prank--was it Alex or Gold's Gym? It took a few minutes for the above signs to replay in my mind. It took me a while, but I got there.

Alex had set the clocks back.

I went to the gym at 2:30 am.

Ugh.