Spoiled girl

We had the wackiest anniversary dinner tonight. Since we'd had a lot of alone time in Chicago we decided to take the girls with us on our anniversary dinner. Ryan and I are still recovering from a week of little sleep and much walking, so we decided to just go the the Chinese restaurant in Payson. Hanna was thrilled, Grace not so much because she basically only likes white rice. I call her "The Food Bigot" because she doesn't like any sort of ethnic food. Whatever, It's my anniversary and I'm not letting this child, who is a product of this marriage, ruin my night. What made the dinner memorable was our waiter Jeffrey. I kept having flashbacks to "The Christmas Story" when they have Chinese food for Christmas dinner. He repeated "thank you very much" about 50 times during the course of our meal. He complemented the girls on their beauty and "cleaverness". Taught us a few Chinese words. Had a go around with Ryan about his name, "Brian? No Ryan. Brian? Ryan with an R, not B. Ahh Ryan! Great name, Ryan. I remember that name." At the end of our meal he wrote our names and then our Chinese names on each of our leftover boxes. He said Hanna's name was good luck, Grace's name meant Queen and told me that Shea was not a very popular Chinese name. He pointed out that one of my characters meant "spoiled girl" and Ryan readily agreed with that. Ryan and the girls thought he was awesome but I could have done with a little less waiter time. I get kind of uncomfortable with situations like that but Ryan handles it very well. He deals with crazy a lot more than I do. So if you go to Tsing Tao in Payson, UT and you don't mind an overly attentive waiter, request Jeffrey.

The Sausage King of Chicago?

Chicago was fabulous! I just love this city but mostly I love hanging out with my peeps there. I think I'll do a photo travelogue for this trip.

Ryan and I spent a big part of Wednesday at the Art Institute. I'd been before but Ryan hadn't. I had him take this picture in there because I knew it would turn out since it was light in this room. No flashes allowed!

I loved seeing Ryan's face in here. If you didn't know this, he is an artist and was an art major in University. So it was pretty thrilling for him to see all these paintings in person. This was his favourite. Van Gogh is kind of freakin me out in this painting but I can appreciate the genius. We had pizza at Uno's this day and I think Ryan would have left me for the deep dish pizza.

Wednesday night we went to the local bar in Lemont to see Christine's husband Mike play in a "band". BTW the bar was literally kitty corner from their house which I thought was pretty cool. Mike was helping out some church friends of his at open mike night. Mike didn't want me to blog about this because he was embarrassed that he was playing in such a crappy band. I'm sorry but it was a really good time even if the band was not so great. Mike was brilliant though. Oh and this picture is of Christine and I on the "L" because I didn't bring my camera to the bar.

"Mel you need to get yourself a jobby job!" We had lunch the first day at Portillo's. Great chicago style hot dogs.

Waiting on the platform for the "L". Public transportation is cool. Although where Mel and I sat smelled like urine.

I think I'm a lot more cool than I actually am. This is my Brett Michaels pose. "I'm a rocker!"

"I'm sorry Mel but I'm completely straight." All of us minus Andrea in Millennium Park. We had great weather while we were there. Good because I forgot my sweater that day. I wasn't worried about that sweater at all.

"The city looks so peaceful from up here.
Anything looks peaceful from one thousand three hundred and fifty-three feet.
I think I see my dad."
We were standing in the ladies bathroom at the top of the Hancock Building when Mel looked down and said "I think I see my dad." Good one Mel.

Christine took us to Minnies on Saturday. I'd click on the link to see but all the sandwiches are miniature. Good times were had by all. You know I'm all about the blog when I post a picture of me as sucky as this one.

Eating my miniature food. If you ever make it here I recommend the miniature cheeseburger. Also the fries and dipping sauce are amazing.

All of us at our house in Lincoln Park. We were just about to leave to see a show at The Second City which was very funny. You know that's a big endorsement from someone who loves to watch live comedy as much as I do. (That was sarcastic. I usually dread it.) I had a great time and I was glad I spent it with such good friends. Fiber pills for everyone!

"Drive to Chicago? I don't have time for that. I have to be back at work by Monday and my boss is a total jerk."

Luckily we don't have to drive to Chicago this time. Ryan and I are leaving tomorrow morning sans children! Nancy will be staying with them at her house and our house so don't think you can come burglarize the place. I want all my Wham! Cd's here when I get back. I'll be thinking of you all when I'm stuffing my face with hot dogs and pizza. Ciao!

Where is the love people?

I read this article about Dooce today and it estimated that she makes $40,000/month from ad revenue. FORTY FREAKIN THOUSAND DOLLARS! That's in a month people. We don't make much more than that a year (One of the Housewives of New York City said it's tacky to talk about money but they're horrible snobby bitches.) It kind of makes me a little nauseous but mostly I'm insanely jealous. It also makes me not want to read her blog and provide her with more money. Yes, I can be like that. Now I understand how she can live on the Salt Lake bench, buy actual art and take nice vacations every other week. Honestly when I read my blog as though I was a stranger I think it is boring so I can see why I don't get 4 million hits a month. Maybe I should bring out the real crazy.

Sergeant Van Fleet

Since Ryan now just wears street clothes to work I decided to post a picture of him in uniform. This was in May 1999 when he got his first patrol car.
Yesterday was not an easy day. I spent most of it filled with anxiety or fighting nausea. That's how I deal with stress. Aren't you glad you didn't marry me? Ryan got home from the interview around noon and we just sat around and waited for the call. His cell rang around 4:30 and my stomach jumped at the sound. I ran into the bedroom and plugged my ears because I wanted to hear it from Ryan and I'm crazy. It was obvious from the look on his face that he had been offered the job. I'm proud of him and I think he's going to be a great sergeant.

Now the bad news, we have to move. I won't get into the many emotions I feel about this but let's just say I woke up at 3 a.m. and was awake until I went to work out at 6 a.m. I came home, took a Xanax and slept for two and a half hours. The thought of leaving good friends and Nana next door are really hard for me to even think about. I'm in serious denial but reality has to be faced sometime. Hanna and Ryan are feeling better than I expected but Grace and I tend to show our emotions in the form of tears. I was talking to Hanna about it last night, trying to feel her out and she amazed me with her optimism. Once again proving that this child was switched at the hospital and somewhere there is a pessimistic, anxiety filled child that wonders why she isn't at all like her family.

"How do you feel about everything?"

"I'm really proud of Daddy for getting the job."

"What about moving?"

"I think it's going to be fun! You get to meet new people, friends and teachers. I think it's really good that Daddy got that job and I think we should move forward."

Feeling some stress

Ryan has a job interview tomorrow that could potentially change our lives. It's a sergeant position with State Bureau of Investigations but it's not the actual job that is the big deal, it's the probability that we'll have to move closer to Salt Lake if he gets it. This job has been dangled in front of us for months and I just want an answer. The last thing I want to do is move away from good friends and family but I want Ryan to be successful in his career so I'm willing to make sacrifices. Hopefully we'll know by Friday if we stay or go. Tonight might be an Ambien night.

Today after I had a great lunch/chat with Luisa I took the girls to the South Summit Aquatic & Fitness Center with Amanda and her kids. It has a really great indoor pool with slides and play areas. The girls had a great time and at the end of our swimming time both girls went off the high dive. Grace was a bit apprehensive but finally decided to do it right before we left. I could tell as she was falling that she was heading for a belly flop. She came up out of the water and started swimming toward me while her face slowly turned into a crying face. Poor kid had her first belly flop. I forgot to take my camera but I'm sure you can picture it. Kids swimming, having fun, smiling and then Grace crying. I'd never been to Kamas before so I can mark that one off.

I do have a picture to post today. Hanna and Grace slept over at the neighbors house on Monday night and told me they went to bed around midnight. Hanna was especially moody the next day and I know it was because she didn't get enough sleep. She was mad at me because I wouldn't let her do something (sleep over again?) so she refused to eat anything for dinner, then retreated to her room. I told Ryan he should go talk to her because he understands Hanna better than I do. He went into her room this is what he found...

Hanna had fallen asleep in the space between her bed and her bookcase. I don't know why the bandanna was over her face but she does take after me when it comes to placing things on one's head in order to sleep.

Hiking the Y

This has been something the girls have asked to do since they knew how to recognize the letter Y. We've been saying we're going to do it for a couple of years now but I've basically been lazy. I climbed it once when I was at BYU but I was with a boyfriend who convinced me to climb straight up instead of taking the trail. BTW he was an idiot. I had an asthma attack and that kind of ruined the whole experience for me. We have spring break this week and I told the girls we could hike the Y one day this week. They did really well and there was little complaining...from them. It's steep and I had already worked out for an hour this morning focusing on my legs. wah. It was a perfect day to hike and we made it up in good time. When we got to the top I was a bit paranoid about the girls falling and it made me wish I had a rope to connect us all together ala Amanda at Seven Peaks. I'm not a fan of heights. It was a fun time with Hanna and Grace and now they can stop bugging me.

Starting out

I'm already tired and I can still see the car.

We made it to the Y!

The view from the top.

Update

Friday night I spent with my friend Kelly and her friend Samantha both from Sutton, Massachusett. They were in Salt Lake for a math teachers conference and I met them there to give them a tour of the city. Unfortunately I'm not very familiar with Salt Lake since it always seems like someone else is driving when I go. I used Mapquest and was able to figure out how to get a few scrap book stores because Kelly said "Utah is the Mecca for scrapbookers." Samantha requested we see the temple so I did and awesome parallel parking job right by the temple and we walked around it for a few minutes. Then we went to eat at The Training Table and they liked that we ordered our food with a phone in our booth. They were really fascinated by the mountains and how close they were. Samantha used the word "wicked" a lot when referring to them and that made me happy because that's how I expect people from MA to talk. Kelly took pictures and said she'd email them to me so I'll have some to post later.

Yesterday we took the girls bowling at BYU because Hanna passed off her times tables and she had decided that bowling would be her reward. I beat everyone with an awesome 110 but I have to admit a couple of frames would have been zeros if it weren't for the bumpers. Still I won and that's what counts. The air hockey table that I was sitting on when Ryan and I met is still there and Grace asked me if that was the table and I told her that, yes, that was the sacred air hockey table.

I went to the adult session of Stake Conference last night and then after we went out to eat with friends at The One Man Band in Santaquin. I went once when we first moved here and that was enough for me. The clientele of this place is just bizarre. Most people looked homeless or slightly inbred. I was a little afraid that they were going to gather around our table chanting "one of us, one of us". It's a classy joint but it's about all Santaquin has to offer.

Next week is Spring Break and I'm planning on celebrating by doing nothing. The weather is supposed to be decent and the trampoline has been set up so the girls are taken care of. We might head to Heber to see Amanda and go swimming at a pool in Kamas. The week after that, Ryan and I will be in Chicago which both of us are looking forward to.

Doh! Part deux

It's snowing again. Winter is bitch slapping me this time. Whatever. I'm over it. It's going to be in the 70's next week for Spring Break and then Spring and I are going to gossip about how fat Winter is.

Doh!

It snowed again this morning! That's it Winter, you win. You're the best! Is that what you wanted to hear? Will you leave now? I'll do whatever you want Winter. I'll do horrible, nasty, illegal things so that you'll leave for good. Just let me know okay? Please?
Call me.

Grade ten typing class

My friend Daniela sent this to me the other day. Yes, I wrote this and yes, this is what I did in Mrs. Ruby Fletcher's typing class. It was pretty much a 45 minute period for Daniela and I to type notes (on an actual typewriter) back and forth to each other. I honestly don't remember what else was taught or done in that class but I'm a fairly decent typer so I must have learned something. After reading this poem I'm kind of amazed that I didn't go on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. I'm also kind of amazed that I had any friends because apparently I was kind of a weirdo. At least I had a friend who got me and it's been great to catch up with her.


Daniela looking good, me looking like a pure band geek. I couldn't seem to find a picture of us both looking good.

The values of The Little Mermaid are not my values

Ryan's dad took us out for dinner tonight at The Brick Oven and near the end of the meal a balloon artist asked if he could make the girls something. Hanna chose a horse and Grace wanted Ariel from The Little Mermaid. Hanna's horse was pretty awesome but Ariel exceeded my balloon art expectations. The girls couldn't stop giggling when they saw Ariel's bosoms. It reminded of a story Monti told me about a family he knew on his mission. Apparently they didn't watch The Little Mermaid because her seashell bra was too revealing. He served his mission in Utah so I got the impression that all Utahns were psycho. Yet I still chose to go to school here and then ultimately live here. Who'd have thunk? Anyway, Kristin was here last week and she told me that there were people in her branch in Missouri that also objected to The Little Mermaid's lack of modesty. Then she told me a story that is still making me laugh. Sophie (Kristin's 3 year old daughter) had a friend over and this friend wanted to take the animated movie Spirit: Stallion of Cimarron home to watch. The mother said no because "the values of Spirit are not our values." Maybe they didn't like that the horses were naked.

Naked horse and scantily clad mermaid together at last.

Happy Birthday Ryan!

Today we celebrate the birth of Ryan. Thirty-seven years ago today he was born but no believed his parents because it was April Fool's Day. I'm glad he was born because I like him a whole lot. I also love him but I think liking someone after almost 14 years is more important. Today we're going to party it up in Salt Lake City and I told him he could buy himself a little something something because that's the kind of generous wife I am.

Look at those cheeks! I just want to gobble him up.

Ello Gov'ner. That's a right jaunty cap you got there. Already developing a personal style that drives the girls crazy.