We're Here

I tried uploading a picture at the SLC airport but ... obviously it didn't work!  And this keyboard is tripping me out.

The flights were uneventful, if you don't count the ENTIRE cup of water I poured down myself (took two hours to dry), the orange juice on my shirt, and the bleeding.

Apparently I can't drink on planes.

So after TWENTY-FOUR HOURS of straight travel, we made it to Morioka and crashed for the night.

Now for the adventure!

Weigh In

I agonized over this all day Friday and dreamed about it for the rest of the weekend...

Today's UB Standard article is the closest thing we'll get to a debate, and I was anxious to see where the other candidates stand on the issues.
It looks like there are 2 yeses for the school proposal, 2 nos, and the swimming pool needs to be paid for by NOT the city. Hmmm.

Election's in a week!

(Still cracking up over my photo, too. Compliments of Slice.)

semi-religious festivities

Tonight was the traditional Book of Mormon party.

The family finished it again this morning, so we celebrated!

Today's the first time we've invited another family (the Masons) to join.

We sat at a low table adorned with King Benjamin's tower and lit by "glowing stones,"

costumed in robes and togas and furs - and of course Nephite head bands.

For appetizers we had cheese, grain crackers, mangoes, pomegranates, black and green olives, and baby carrots.

Dinner was Curelom and Cumom Stew with homemade whole wheat bread,

cumom milk / secret combinations juice to drink,

and REAL honeycomb on the side.

(Sorry these pictures are so terrible ... Slice had the good camera.)

After the meal we played Who am I? and Book of Mormon charades,

(such excellent actors!)

and ended the night with Tree of Life fruit pie.

Delicious.

I'm not even worried about getting mugged, or lost, or losing luggage, or having nowhere to sleep.

I've been a bit absent from my own blog lately, sorry.
I can't even promise it will change because, you know, fleeing the country and all that.
But I WILL tell you all
Some Things I Am Scared About and Consequently Not Blogging Right Now.

They are:
#1-33: Getting sick before Japan.
Getting sick now, before we go, so that we can't go, or that we get to Japan and they take our temperature and send us right back. Too many people I know are getting H1N1 or colds or one of a billion viruses, and I am semi-freaking out. Like, yesterday I had a fever all day, and I was sure I had the flu and would be in bed for the next month. I even put on a mask. (Slice made fun of me.) Fortunately, I feel fine today! Knock on wood!

#34-42: Getting sick in Japan.
What if I get terrible jet lag and need sleep all day but I can't sleep at night? What if my feet get bad again (yes I did go to the podiatrist and get inserts; my feet now hurt in a good way) and it hurts like the dickens to walk at all? What if the intense travel starts to wear on me and I start feeling like I did all last summer and I don't want to do anything, or go anywhere, I just want to sleep? That would be a total waste of a vacation!

#43-50: Getting sick because of Japan.
What if the food makes me sick and I offend some nice people we are staying with? (I can't really smuggle boxes of Cheerios over the border.) I would feel so bad. And when we come home, I really want to be healthy for Thansksgiving, because I was sick one year and it was the worst holiday EVER. Also, I'll need to get right back to work so I've got to be in tip-top shape, can't afford to lose any extra days.

It looks like I should be washing my hands 20 times a day, using hand sanitizer, drinking juice and eating oranges, and getting lots of sleep, doesn't it?

I'm not.

Not to brag or anything, but

Abe Mills (you know, Abe Mills of Jericho Road?) came to sing last night after he spoke at our Stake's youth Standards Night.

Earlier, he attended our ward meetings with his family and Slice flipped out, trying to mouth things to me across the Primary Room ... apparently I'm not the best lip-reader.
It was a big deal to Slice, I guess, because Jericho Road toured his mission, and that was A HUGE DEAL to everyone there. Any Mormon celebs in Japan are rare.
He really wanted to take pictures to show his old companions (in 10 days!) - but we decided the awkwardness probably wasn't worth the reward.

And I just laughed, because Abe was in my family's ward in SJ long before he was "Jericho Road." Back then, he was just Brent's Sunday School teacher.
Who also made Bowflex commercials.

Why I'm not answering your phone calls

Tuesday was the Region cross-country meet at Soldier Hollow outside Midway.

Not too long of a drive, so I rode with my mother out to watch Em run.

(She's running varsity as a freshman. She's so cool.)

The weather started out all right, just a little windy,

but it quickly deteriorated.

The wind turned colder and colder; we thought the rain might turn to snow.

You can't really tell how cold it was from the pictures.

Em and Audrey ran together, so after they left the starting line, we ran up the mountain to watch them come over the top. To cheer them on, you know.

I love their faces there. Relief! The rest is downhill!

It was quite a hike!

Somewhere up (or down) the mountain,

while I was running, holding the camera in one hand,

I lost my cell phone.

My one-and-only cell phone with everyone's phone numbers in it, naturally,

and texts from my single college days ...

(yes I saved some of those ...)

and also from my early Slice-dating, late Slice-engagement, etc.

During the boys' Varsity race I walked back up to the top,

Lana's phone to my ear,

holding my hood on the whole FREEZING way.

I couldn't have heard my phone ring anyway because the wind was so loud.

Coming down was slower,

zigzagging over the mountainside.

NO USE.

We were almost the last ones to leave.

When we got home I was still so cold and wet, I was shaking.

I sat on the floor of the shower and let the hot water run for a LONG time.

I didn't think it would be too bad not having a phone,

but since I have no house phone, it's pretty inconvenient, you know?

Note to self: don't let the cell phone fall out of your pocket next time.

(Note to everyone else: if you want to talk to me, try Slice's phone. It's possible that we are together.)

I dreamed an opera last night

and really, I thought it was pretty good.
Much more entertaining than the previous night's Lavell Edwards dream.
Lavell Edwards? What the?

Anyway, I'm sure it had nothing to do with this which starts tonight.

See the label? It is true.

Two Things

1. I started learning Japanese.

Slice has been insistent encouraging from the beginning – not just since we’ve been planning a trip, but really, since we got married – and for my birthday he bought me Rosetta Stone.
It’s pretty cool.

It’s especially cool because Slice is so adamant about me learning Japanese, he will do anything and everything to clear up my schedule for it … laundry, baby-sitting, cooking, dishes …
He even made bread on Sunday (almost) all by himself!
I scored on this guy, I’ll tell you what.

However, this all means that

2. The Japanese dreams have started.

My dreams had already been crazy lately, even for me. I’ve dreamed about my old Glenmoor house; cousins and friends I haven’t seen in years; Matt coming home early from his mission; Angie coming home early from Europe, surprising us all.
But last night was the worst by far. I tossed and turned all night, fighting with this maddening, recurring dream:

I was trying to learn those blasted Hiragana characters.

No more Rosetta Stone right before bed.

This was bound to happen

Slice's old flame (a good friend of mine from high school) just got a mission call last week - to Tokyo, Japan.

And he's having second thoughts about marrying me.

Good times.

New Venture --updated

For many years, the Uintah Basin extension of USU sponsored a singing/dancing performing group which several of my family members have been involved in - as both members and directors. I still think it was the best thing I could have done, as a shy awkward Junior, to break out of my shell and start performing for people.
(Also, the costumes were great.)
Many of my best high school memories are from Stagelight rehearsals and shows, naturally. But the year after I graduated, USU pulled funding from the group.

Two years ago Matt's friends put a show together, and now it's Kiana's turn...

So after months of deliberation and planning, we - Mom, Lana, and I - have put something together that should be much more manageable than Stagelight shows have been in the past.


And now I have an audience! For my lectures on posture, breathing, vowels, blending, vowels, enunciation, focus, vowels. When kids learn to sing with the radio, it's really hard to break them of lazy, bad habits. (But so rewarding.)

I'm really excited.

Update: I JUST FOUND A YOUTUBE VIDEO OF PART OF OUR '05 SPRING SHOW. Even better, it's Slice's narration!
But be ye warned - you might get squeamish, writhe in pain, and/or want to throw up a little in your mouth. I did. (Especially after watching my lurpiness dancing. )

It's HERE.

Not what you're looking for

I love how people visit my blog when I actually write stuff.

You're all probably hoping that I have something interesting to say.
Most of the time, I don't.
(Right now, for instance.)

Over the last 17 nights, I've slept in my own bed a total of 6 ...
Slice and I, the old favorite chaperones, are the new favorite baby-sitters. And I've been laying ground rules like never before. Getting ornery in my old age, probably.
The district tightened Internet Security; I can't see pictures on any blogs now. Not even my own.
And our internet stopped working at home so I couldn't upload from there either.

All of this combined has put me into a blog funk. (Or a life funk, I'm not sure which.)
At least there's always entertainment to be had in search terms that bring people to this little place.

A few of my favorites:

• "dress like girls" - from my Halloween post last year. But why?

• "the strangest things happen" - yes they do.

• "can you die from broken sternum" -YES YOU CAN, and I probably will. Even though it's unlikely (Thanks Tay!).

• "sticky notes ask boy to dance" - be prepared for disaster.

• "senior class most likely to" - live in a shoe with lots of kids? Oh, that wasn't in your yearbook?

• "vector marketing" - yeah I sold knives. And they are awesome knives, and I had the worst time EVER trying to cut cheese last night with my Aunt's non-Cutco junk. Cutco cheese knife forever.

• "why would a sore in my mouth taste irony" - this one is really funny to me. Combination of my Irony posts plus others. Random.

• "girls asking guys is always a surprise" - looking for lyrics? or genuinely surprised?

• "uchtdorf" 2 times - awesome

• "the years they pass like summer dew upon the grass" - more lyrics, but never have I ever written about Saturday's Warrior.

• "we shall lift the lamps of courage" - great song

• "rob and tressa" 2 x, and "dizzlefig" - love you all.

• "byu law" - I wish!

• "'my first place' hgtv" - someday it will pay off, and we'll buy a house. Someday.

• "swordle c" - I thought I made that word up!

• "I've been wanting to call you" - sweet, but, how in the world did that bring you here? I have been wondering about this for weeks.

And finally, my all-time favorite:

• "jean slicing games" - does anyone know about these? Because they sound totally AWESOME.

The Rest of the Story

Thursday we drove the rest of the way to Peoria by way of Mexican Hat, which was absolutely breathtaking, even in a sandstorm.

I drove for about two hours while Slice took pictures out the window and froze my exposed toes. (I was ready for the AZ heat.) That was the only driving I did all weekend.

That one was unintentional, I assure you. (It should be a picture of a tiny LDS chapel. Wheps!)

When we got to Arizona we left the cameras in the car/suitcase/backpack for the next 2.5 days.

Heather drove us to see Phoenix, the Dr.'s hospital (Mayo Clinic - very cool), Nathan's school, Kirkland's Home, and a fun Mexi restaurant, among other things. We found Coldstone all by ourselves.
Also, I took Slice to Pier 1 Imports for a bit, and he liked it.

How about those Saguaro Cacti anyway?? They take up to 75 years to grow a side arm; I think that is rad.

The children were adorable, as always, and I have said before that if any of my children turn out as cute as my sister's, I will be content. Still holds true.Sunday morning we were on the road again, which was unfortunate because we couldn't find Conference on the radio. We tried calling Matt and listening via cell-speakerphone, but the phone reception was not so great. You can imagine. So we listened when we could, popped in BYU Chorale CDs when we couldn't, took pictures, ate junk, and read Little Women. Well, I read it.

And then I fell asleep with the pillow wrapped around my head - WHY didn't I think of that before! - and Slice took more pictures as he drove. Just a little scary, if you ask me.

There I am in my pillow-cocoon. It was blissful.

Sunday night we finally arrived to a freezing, wet Roosevelt, and I was so happy to be home.
(Even though I miss Preston.)
Now it's back to the two-job, broken-internet, baby-sitting, future-planning grind.

Sigh.

*Also- I just watched Elder Holland's talk, finally, because I couldn't stand being the only one 'out of the loop.'
And WOW.

Book of Morgan Chapter 2

1. And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from the Utah Education Association that all the world should have a two-day vacation.

2. (And this vacation was to take place October 1 – 2, 2009.)

3. And all went on vacation, every one into his own place.

4. And the Morgans also went up from Roosevelt, out of the Uintah Basin, into Moab, which is on the way to Arizona; (because they took a wrong turn and drove 45 miles out of the way – into Colorado – thus adding much time to their drive)

5. To find a place to sleep. And it was past eleven o'clock at night.

6. And behold, there were nearly an hundred hotels and motels in the town of Moab; nevertheless, they were ALL FULL. BECAUSE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE IN MOAB FOR THE WEEKEND. And the Morgans stopped at hotel after hotel, searching for a "No Vacancy" sign, and asking hotel clerks for any empty rooms.

7. And they had called many hotels beforehand, asking for open rooms and prices, being unsuccessful in their endeavors.

8. And Jean was very unhappy, having not had much sleep for several consecutive days, and still being disgruntled about missing the turn-off to Moab the first time.

9. But Slice, being a good husband, and also sympathetic towards his wife (although she was not great with child) - or in other words, not wishing to bear the grumpiness of her for much longer - found a hotel with a room open; yea, and he did beg the lady at the desk to give them a discount, and she did.

10. And thus ended the month of September for the Morgans.