We're Cheap.

So, Matt and Kim asked us to do their wedding pictures.

Yikes!

Talk about pressure.  A wedding only happens once.  And we really don't have the equipment to do everything I'd like - we don't even own a decent flash, for heaven's sake, thus far we've shot only with natural light - so, it will be quite a challenge.  I'm excited but also SUPER nervous.

Last weekend we took some engagements, and you can go check them out here (there are two posts).  If you want to.

Okay.

These Droid commercials creep. me. out. Anyone else?

Creeeeeepy.

For Leia

Now, I know that names are a completely personal thing. You may love something that I think is totally absurd. That's just how it goes.

But can't we come to some kind of collective understanding? That some names are just unacceptable? Like, for example, the high school kid named Dam'n (pronounced Damon). Funny, parents, very funny.

Here are a few of the names I saw last week, categorized as well as I could categorize them ... meaning, many of them fit in more than one category. See for yourself.

Attack of the Ys:

Jadynn

Randyn

Sharyse

Aydrianna

Bryne

Rylan

Caydon

Shaylei

Grayci

Kamryn

Bryony

Jerysa

Kaylum

Taiya
Coyt

Names I think I know, but spelled so wrong I'm not sure:

Macee

Makayela

Jocilyn

Landyn

Kelci

Kenadie

Lexxee

Myka

Ostyn

Haven't heard/seen this before, were your parents going for "unique"?

Castin

Questen

Drevan

Quade

Treven

Cashten

Raiden

Galven

Serenaty

Meradee

Haygen

Genika

Jerret

Jate

I have no clue what this is and I'm afraid to read it out loud*:

Koufax

Beanden

Leighan

Aaralyn

Neva

Taelarose

Cyler

Kieran

Jaevan

Kiya

Zhaylil

Rahannon

Jaly

Delci

Ela Dion

Nevaeh

Amonnie

Denile

Cragun

Nika

* I tried to keep the ethnic names off this list

I did not make any of these up.

Discuss.

Stirring

The weekend was great. I cleaned at home and Slice went to work, while we both battled jet lag. We're almost back to normal, I think.

Friday I took pictures for some friends (I have no idea how they found out I could...) and they kept me laughing the entire time.

Saturday we watched THE football game on delay: homemade pizza + DVR + starting the game 2 hrs. late = the only way to go. You can skip all the commercials and boring stuff. Slice rooted for the U while I rooted for the Y, which I thought was awesome.
And Max Hall, blah blah blah, I don't really want to talk about it.
That pot has been stirred enough.

Sunday we had a super-packed sacrament meeting with one missionary leaving and another coming home. The one coming home asked me to sing "When All is Said and Done," a song I performed a few times right after I graduated from high school. Emotionally charged doesn't even begin to describe the experience ...
It wasn't my best performance ever.

Now some things are happening here in the Roos that have a direct influence on my life, my Slice, our not-so-distant future. I could easily say it will determine our future.

We just keep stirring....

a word about the food - video added

I'm not sure what I was expecting before I came to Japan.

Maybe something like what I experienced in Europe - food similar to what I am used to, prepared differently but at least recognizable; distant relatives of food I know and love. Plus a few totally weird things.

Oh how wrong I was.

As I said before, everything here is different. And not different in a "hmm, they eat rice for breakfast? and tofu in their soup?" way, either.

I don't recognize anything. When Slice tries to explain to me what it is or what's in it, I don't understand him. It is all strange roots and vegetables, overgrown fruits, spices I can't describe, weird fish cooked weird ways. Also octopus and eel.

And that is all.

I'm trying to be good and open-minded; to try things, not judge by their looks. And I have truly liked several of the things I have tried. But if you picked it up in my last post, you know that I have finished ONE Japanese meal so far. In a week. Not a great track record.

In Europe, whenever I saw McDonald's I would get a little pang in my heart. Do we have to be everywhere?! Homogenizing the world with our cheap fake burgers and fries?? Those blasted golden arches, I thought.

Now all I can say is - what's the problem with that anyway? People like it, obviously. And if I see those golden arches and I know there's a clean free bathroom with soap inside, and food that I can eat without first asking what it is, what is the problem with that?

God bless the U.S.A.

And McDonald's cinnamon melts.

I didn't even have to wait that long

Ang started her new blog already! We will now be able to track her across the country (and the world....). I'm so happy.

Go HERE.


P.S. Thank you all for the birthday wishes. It was a lovely birthday. But I have yet to "enjoy" Slice's "gift" to me, which is a "date" of NIGHT GOLFING. Tonight. With another ward's Elder's Quorum.

Er, Fig? What do I do? I'm not really looking forward to the humiliation.

before the haircut

In the Meantime

SO we did a little house-hunting after our offer on a certain house fell through.

(Fell through ... crashed and burned ... same thing.)

Nothing has caught our eye yet, so we decided to sit and wait for a bit. Like, until at least October. That way we can save up more for a down payment - and hopefully house prices in town will drop a little more between now and then.

For now, we are rearranging everything downstairs: closets, bedroom, living room, patio, shed. Not so good with the oh-so-sore muscles and sunburn acquired Saturday. We also are in the process of building a little screen to "hide" the dressers in our living room. It's the first such project we have undertaken, and I'm hoping that works out.

If not, at least we tried.

How I celebrated our first Anniversary

Saturday marked a YEAR since we walked out of the temple, bright-eyed and ecstatic.

And what better way to celebrate than to watch a dear friend be sealed in the same temple on the same day? (The best part is - she picked the date for us in the first place.) None, you say. Well ... the problem was, Slice wasn't able to make it.

He was stuck manning one of the biggest golf tournaments of the year.

SO - I went by myself. Yes I did. I drove out to Salt Lake, watched Shawna get hitched, ate and visited at her luncheon, and drove home. It was totally worth it.

While I sat in the sealing room and waited and watched, I remembered all those late-night conversations we had about our future families. Shawna's a true kindred spirit. We talked about future husbands and family values; beautiful relationships and how being poor is the best thing ever. We sat on our beds and strummed guitars, singing to boys who didn't know what they wanted.

Most of all, we talked about being happy. I love that girl. And I'm so happy to see her so happy.

I'm also glad to be a year into this adventure!

After the luncheon I drove home, despite flash flood warnings for Salt Lake and surrounding counties. As soon as I hit Parley's Canyon I knew why.

It was the most terrifying ride of my life.

We've been needing new tires for months now, planning to buy them at the end of summer. Of course, Utah summers are not usually like LIVING IN A RAINFOREST.

I drove through this storm, the likes of which I have never seen. The roads were rivers - every so often I'd hit a lake, and the tires would search for traction and the car would jerk out of my control. I kept a white-knuckle grip on the wheel as I crept up the mountain, praying that I would make it home alive. I was hydroplaning everywhere.

I thought Parley's was bad, but when I hit Heber the downpour got even worse. My wipers were on full-speed, and I still couldn't see through the windshield. This was all I could see:

(I took a risk by taking one hand off the wheel for pictures, but I knew no one would believe me otherwise. Wipers full-speed!)

From Heber I called my Dad in near-hysteria, hoping he would tell me that the road would get better. I was ready to pull off and spend the night alone in a hotel room, I was so scared. But he seemed to think I would make it all right. So I kept driving - with the stipulation that if he didn't hear from me within an hour, he should send a search party out for me.

Obviously I made it.

Good thing, too, because when I (finally!) got home there were six long-stemmed roses on my pillow that needed to be put in water. I also had to hide this:

under my husband's pillow before he got home. But I did have several hours to do that.

Aren't most young couples supposed to have lots of time but no money?

Looks like we hit middle-age early.

And in case you're wondering...new tires tomorrow!

Everything I DON'T need to know I learned in High School

The correct way to greet someone is ‘HEY.’ If you are unfamiliar with the person, use ‘Hey Teacher,’ ‘Hey Person,’ or possibly ‘Hey 12-year old teacher.’ Even a simple ‘I need some copies’ or ‘I need change’ will work. You must not, in any circumstances, use polite language to catch someone's attention. And don’t even think about asking the person’s name.

Do not walk anywhere quickly. In fact, don’t do anything quickly, except maybe drive.

Speak loudly and carry a big drink.

School rules – especially dress codes – are more like guidelines. Keep them only if you want to.

When a teacher sends you to the library to take a test, that is the perfect time to cheat. Because the library aide would NEVER turn you in!

Spelling (correctly) is not important.

Always park between parking rows, not in them. That way no one can get out or around your fat ugly truck.

Dirty dancing is so fun!

Reading is lame, and politics are for the simple-minded.

Say “like” as much as possible, like, every other word, like, if you can. Even in interviews.

Also in interviews: swearing makes a great first impression. Before introducing yourself, make sure to let a couple cusswords loose. This shows how intelligent you are.

YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT YOUR CELL PHONE. NOT EVEN FOR FIVE MINUTES. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT ULTRA-IMPORTANT TEXTS YOU MIGHT MISS.

Procrastination is the only way to go.

When it’s the end of the year and you can’t check out books anymore, just take them! No one's watching you (not even the cameras), so you can totally get away with it.

High School is so hard.

“Life’s all about fun! Rock on!
But don't try streaking through the school, I tried it and it didn't really work.”
-next year's Student Body Secretary

(See how much I’ve learned already the second time around?)

Dear Reader,

A position for full-time history teacher just opened up at the Junior High.

Please tell me to apply.