House Progress

Everyday well-meaning people innocently ask us about the most sensitive topic in our lives right now--The House. Asking us about the house is like walking up to a 41-week pregnant woman and saying, "So when are ya gonna have that baby? Huh? Yuk, yuk...". We don't talk about it much because it's become a little painful, but we thought we'd give you a peek at the progress as of Friday.

Yet another front view of the house, this time in afternoon sun and cloudless skies...which means it's spring, and we STILL don't live there...*sigh* 

This is our view form the front porch. The "V" in the mountains opens to Paradise Valley. Our family ranch is about 12 miles in that direction, and Yellowstone park is about 50 miles. 

Looking in from the sliding glass door and deck, the kitchen is to the right (with alcoves for fridge and pantry, and a doorway to the back bedroom), and the back door is to the right, too; to the front and left is the stairway to the basement and the door to the garage. The red box is sitting on the wall that will soon be a breakfast bar. The kitchen is laid out exactly like Jill's if you've been there...it even measures the same. 

The basement, looking to the right from the bottom of the stairs...it's the family room and the door to the master bad and bath...the laundry room is on the immediate right. 

The once and future master bathroom, complete with jacuzzi tub and tiled shower divided by a glass brick wall (at least it WILL be soon). 

The Angels Wanna Wear my Red Shoes

Poor Elvis is laid up in Boise, Idaho and he cancelled--yes, cancelled--his Bozeman show. And Poor Us, we just went to Bozeman and ran errands tonight. We took the girls to dinner at Burger King because they have a good play place, and the family next to us asked if we knew the way to the Valley Ice Garden. Rich had to tell them that if they were going to the VIG to see Elvis, the show was cancelled. They were so bummed, but we hung out for a while and they were really cool. They had come all the way from Helena and the dad had seen Elvis in San Diego back in 1982! SHUCKS.

Funny story from last week: back in 1998 when I finished college, I marched in May, but took another class that lasted until July, then quickly moved to SLC. I didn't get a diploma, but they gave me some paper that said I had completed all my graduation requirements and I would get my diploma later. Well, after Rich and I got married in 2001, I decided to check on that and someone at the U of A told me that I hadn't actually graduated. Ummm, WHAT!? I looked at the paper they had given me and knew that I had indeed graduated, but I couldn't pursue the issue from this far away. So the other day, I decided to write the graduation office again and get to the bottom of why I still don't have a diploma, 7 years later. The graduation office lady promptly wrote back and told me that my degree posted on 12/09/04.

Yep, you read that right--FIVE MONTHS AGO. She took over her job and went through some files and found my degree check, still not signed off by the college of Humanities after SEVEN YEARS. So she sent it over for signatures and processed it through the state and I JUST NOW received my official Bachelor of Arts degree (through no fault of my own). Nobody told me because they had no current contact info (nevermind that the info they had would have worked fine since it's still my grandparents' in Tucson). So my diploma is on its way. Can you even believe that? It's like somebody's recurring nightmare and it happened to me!

I suppose the theme of this post, if there is one, is "My Dumb Luck." More later...

Forever's Gonna Start Tonight

I have just witnessed what may be the funniest thing I have ever seen...The Dan Band on Jimmy Kimmel Live. How they escaped my radar I do not know, but the happy news is they have an album coming out tomorrow. And what sort of album is it? Sarcastic, sometimes potty-mouth covers of chick songs, sung by a frat boy and two Buddy Holly-ish back up singers. They are, like, living my dream. Their idea, to have a gruff party boy cover chick songs, is not unlike my penchant for karaoke-ing old hip hop (you should hear MY version of TLC's "Scrubs"--I rock) or heavy metal ballads (you'd swear I was a round, blond Axl Rose) when I am the whitest, folkiest girl EVER. The Dan Band CD and Elvis Costello in one day (tomorrow)--pinch me, people!

A Laugh a Minute

I have a lot of journally-type stuff to catch up on, but first--Addie Rose is SLAYING us today! Remember, she is just three years old!

Funny thing #1: Rich took Addie to go potty during church and while he was helping her in the stall, someone came in, got a paper towel, and left. She looked at Rich, wide-eyed, and said, “Dad, was that the Holy Ghost?”

Funny thing #2: On the way home from church Addie was showing me what she learned (it looked like things that fly because she had a butterfly and a bird) and she said, “Callapitters wrap up and grow big and big and turn into a butterfly!” I tried to correct her to say, “Caterpillars,” but she would have none of it! She kept singing a made-up song about Callapitters.

Funny thing #3: When Rich was changing out of his white shirt and tie just now, he pulled his shirt partially over his head and peeked out of the neck hole at the girls. For some reason, Addie said, “Dad, you look like a woman!” He laughed at her and told her to get dressed and she said, “I’m gonna beat you, woman!” Taken out of context, one would assume our daughter has been spending too much time over at the trailer court. She’s a hoot.

We attended a combination family reunion/ 80th birthday party for my grandfather, his only sister, and all of their offspring this past weekend in Utah. This picture is from early in the day, before Grandpa arrived (it was a surprise for him). We were all playing in the parking lot behind the church, and this is my brother Sam meeting Heidi for the first time (with me on his back). I love Sam's face in this picture--it's how we all felt being together again! (PS: I met Sam's lady, Kristen, for the first time this weekend and man, she is beautiful and so nice! If Sam doesn't marry her, we are going to cuz she is GREAT!) 

Addie likes her Aunt Lisa, and this is one of the reasons why--Aunt Lisa stuck the confetti from the party tables on her face. It says "Party." What a fun Auntie! That's Lisa's man, Chris there on the right and we think he's a keeper!