Birthday Fun Phase 1

Enox managed to survive his first year living with Jamino and I. Anyone who knows us well would understand that that's a big deal. His 1st birthday fell on Thanksgiving; lucky little tot. We didn't do anything Thanksgiving related, we chose to make it a birthday only day and celebrate Thanksgiving later. I divided up the day into 4 separate phases designed to be separate of one another and to not overwhelm Enox with a lot of presents and activities all at once.

To kick off the Birthday festivities Enox got a Balloon (well actually 7 balloons). Kind of a silly way to start the day, but not if your 1. Enox points out the balloons with wonder and excitement whenever we are at the store. He has always wanted one and I have never given him one. Once we were at Old Navy and there was one balloon left in their balloon cup in the kids section and he saw it and as I considered the ramifications of giving it to him some guy reached in snatched it up and handed it to his son. Enox looked so devastated and confused. He had pointed to it with such hope and anticipation and in an instant he had been CRUSHED. So I figured it was time for Enox to have his first balloon.

He saw the balloons right away when he came downstairs in the morning and got quite excited when we gave him one to play with. He ran with it and jumped on the couch, squealing "Bwoon! Bwoon!"

 He'd let it go and then pull it back to him and pounce on it. He played with the balloon for a solid hour, simply delighted as he tried different movements and then watched the balloon react.

Phase 1 of the Birthday, "Balloon time", was a hit.

I'm Back

Shortly after my last post I stopped living for a bit, it was kind of a dark time. And after everything was better I couldn't seem to move on in the blog without reconciling the lost time. But writing about it would be to relive it so I never returned to the blog. Well the problem with avoiding a blog is time continues to pass and then there is even more catching up to do--a vicious cycle! So a few things have happened:


After the company employing Jamino went under (rendering him unemployed), he went to Alaska to help his parents. His father needed heart surgery so his parents needed some help during his rehabilitation period. He was in Alaska for 7 months. While he was gone, my car broke down, the air conditioner in the house broke, the furnace broke, I broke a few bones in my foot and was in a cast and I put my dog, Harley, down. After Harley was gone it was suddenly open season on my house; every mouse in the neighborhood took up residency-GROSS. I was alone trying to keep up on the bills and the mortgage on a third of the income. I often went to bed hungry in a 100 degree house with all the doors and windows open. Suffice it to say I didn't really sleep. I buried myself in work and withdrew from the world.


Though difficult there were many blessings that came from this time:





The timing of Jamino losing his job right when his parents needed help. Jamino was able to reconnect with his parents during this time-before he went I would have to remind him to call his parents, which was maybe once a month; now they talk a few times a week. While in Alaska he adopted his father's new heart healthy diet and lost 60 lbs. Losing the weight completely nullified his need for Gout medication.





My car had the decency to wait until after my broken foot bones had healed; Jamino's car is a standard and I wouldn't have been able to drive it in a cast.





Jamino's parents bought us a new furnace and air conditioner. They essentially gifted us with years of comfort, sweet dreams and safety (the old furnace leaked carbon monoxide). I seriously cried the day I came home to a wonderful 72 degrees, I had forgotten the joy of crisp cool sheets-I slept for 2 days straight.





The focus on work gave me the performance ratings and experience to advance my career 2 positions to a new job that I LOVE.





After Jamino returned from Alaska in his new and improved healthy state he started looking for work and got on with FedEx. We added Radley a 7 week old Scottish Terrier to the family. (She immediately finished off all the mice). Then 8 months later we added Piper a 4 month old West Highland White Terrier. Life started getting back to normal. 2009 was my least favorite year on record. 2010 was a recovery year. It was a year full of feeling constantly behind but being so used to it that it just feels normal. I started 2011 with high hopes that it would be a year of change and improvement. I made plans/ set goals etc, all of which went out the window when I got the news that I was pregnant. Strangest, most suprising, best news ever.

On The Way Out

Jamino and I were married July 2002 so we're winding down our seventh year. Things are starting to break! I don't know what the shelf life is on big plastic spoons with glued on handles. But when they're used and run through the dishwasher at least 3 times a week their life is 7-8 years. This is the 5th spoon that has broken this year! The glue is just done. At least, like light bulbs, the spoons are courteous enough to go out one at a time so I don't have to replace them en mass.

Jamino Returns

Jamino has returned!

He's been out in Reno since June (cause he took a job out there). And though he was home once or twice a month I really did miss him. When he took this job last summer the plan was that I would stay behind pack up, finish off the projects in the house, sell the house, find a job in Reno and then move out there. Within a couple of months our home value had fallen almost 20% and there were so many homes for sale in the neighborhood we decided we would hold onto the house. The job market in Reno was awful as well-almost 10% unemployment, so we figured I would stay in Utah and we would find a cheap little condo in Reno to buy for Jamino and we would ride out the economic storm. It's a good thing we kept the house and my job! Jamino's company is no longer operating and he has returned home to look for a job. I can't say I'm sad to have him back; though he did love his job and I'm sad for his loss. We had also won a condo at auction which we had to back out of (I can barely afford our house on my salary alone)--Kind of a bummer as it had a lot of potential and the price was so low!

With Jamino back that means I'm eating good again!

(Fiesta Chicken with Cilantro Lime Rice) I love it when Jamino cooks! This is Jamino's variation of the standard crock-pot chicken (it's quick, easy and SO GOOD)
4 frozen chicken breast halves

1/2 onion-chopped

2 cans of green chile's

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

8 oz of cream cheese

one dry pkt of Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch Dip

couple sliced bell or sweet peppers (Red, orange, yellow, green--whatever)

Directions: Place chicken on the bottom in crock pot

Blend all other ingredients together (except peppers), pore over chicken

cook on low for 8 hours

add peppers on top for last hour

Serve over rice (variations add corn and beans--eat as soup with tortilla strips on top)

Congratulations!

Jamino's Cousin Patricia found her soul mate Corey, and they were married late December (the 27th--I think) Here are the photos from their open house in Utah. Above is Patricia and Corey. Below is Jamino and Patricia's Sister Claudia.
Then we have Claudia and her two adorable munchkins

The four of us-Jamino, Patricia, Corey and me (don't I look dreadful--we had been out running errands all day and the invitation said open house so I went casual)

So from what I can tell Corey is pretty awesome! I only met him in the line--Jamino was visiting with Patricia and that left Corey and I unoccupied. So Corey struck up a conversation with--"Wow I really love your handbag!" See - Awesome, that's my kind of conversation-LOL . I had noticed that in their engagement pictures he was wearing a Lacoste polo shirt and my handbag was Lacoste so we instantly had something in common--we both love Lacoste--Winner.

This is Jamino and his Aunt (I don't remember if she's Delores or Irene so I'll have to edit this later when Jamino answers his phone!)

It was great to visit with Jamino's family--we don't see them near enough--but I did make sure that I got Claudia and Patricia's phone numbers so we can plan more get together.

So this is how you repay me--

June 2006 my brother Levi came home from his mission and we invited him to come to Utah and live in our home. We figured he could save his money and complete his schooling. Jamino found him a job with a company that offered tuition reimbursement and decent starting pay. Levi accepted our offer and lived with us for 2 1/2 years while he worked and went to school. He got married last November and moved out. As I was cleaning up the room he had been given while he lived with us I came across this-- It's the bedside table and yep--that's gum. Now I understand that our house is old and falling apart and Jamino and I aren't the cleanest people in the world but--come on! I'm not easily angered or offended but ARE YOU KIDDING ME! It kinda hurt my feelings that he would have such little regard for me or my home. I'm not saying that I'm entitled to some sense of respect or gratitude for the free room and board for the last two and half years, but really it's just common courtesy to not leave your gum on other peoples furniture. I feel like Kenneth on "Can't Buy Me Love" when Ronald (Patrick Dempsey) through a bag of dog crap on his door--Betrayed! That's all I have to say on the matter--I just had to get it off my chest. Sorry to embarrass you Levi but--really what did expect would happen--you put gum on my furniture!

My Snow Saviors

As many of you know I hate cold--I don't like being cold, breathing in cold, looking at cold, thinking about cold. Don't get me wrong the snow is very pretty and the freezing cold keeps the pest population in check but really--there are maybe 10 acceptable cold things (ice cream, crisp salad, left over pizza, vintage bottled soda . . .you get the idea) And as I disdain the very concept of cold I find the idea of shoveling snow very nearly unbearable. I feel that I've sufficiently done winter that I shouldn't have to live winter any longer. I mean I've simply had my fill-

I was raised in Alaska, served my mission in Buffalo New York and now I live in Utah--really I've done my time. When Jamino and I were married one of the "deal breakers" was that he had to agree that would NEVER have to shovel snow again (unless I wanted too)

Well how convenient--this year Jamino is in Reno. I told him that I wasn't going to shovel anyway, I said I would just drive on it until it was ice and then I would crash into the garage and it would be all his fault (I know--I'm such a brat!)

So I didn't mean it of course and I bundled and try to stay on top of the shoveling. But one storm (mid December) hit hard and fast and it snowed for like 3 days. It finally stopped early on a Sunday. I bundled up after church (about noon) and started shoveling--I got the front stoop done and suddenly this SUV pulled up and Levi and his brother-n-law Jordan jumped out with a snow blower and went to work!

It usually took me about an hour and half to shovel that much snow--they had it done in 25 minutes! They even got the piles the plow had pushed to the bottom of my driveway.

Here's Levi--stocking hat and shorts--typical.

Thanks so much guys for your service!!

Christmas Story 3

I think it was during an Andersen Girls outing or perhaps I was visiting with the Gold's but I guess I had mentioned that since I had been packing up the house to eventually move out to Reno and so would not being pulling out all the Christmas decorations. A week before Christmas I got a call from Jeff saying that he was going to bring over a fresh tree! It was beautiful and smelled so good--what a treat. It inspired me to go get a few decorations.

Here's Harley in his handsome fisherman cable sweater.

I think cause we've been apart so much this last year we went over board in gifts for Christmas! Here are some of Jamino's--new luggage, Cuisinart submersible mixer/chopper (it's pretty cool) a new electric razor, golf balls and an Xbox 360 with the bluetooth headset, rechargeable battering and charger, HDMI cables and . . .

The Gold's also gave us this beautiful HUGE Poinsettia

And as far as going overboard--Jamino did it too. He got me a Wii, Mizuno golf clubs (I can't wait for summer!) a DS and games, a really cool drying rack that I had been eying for a while and . . .

We made our FIRST fire in the fireplace--it was so warm and cozy,

we kept it going most of the day.

The day was so peaceful--we slept in, then made the fire and Jamino made breakfast.

After breakfast we opened presents and watch a movie (curled up by the fire). Later Mandee and Levi came over, we exchanged gifts and went to the movies. Such a relaxing day.

Christmas Story 2

The Annual Andersen Family Christmas Eve Party It was the Gold's turn to host and our traditional white elephant gift exchange had a theme this year--things you put on. Every one grabbed a wrapped gift and the fun began--the Night Before Christmas was read in it's newer directional version--each time in the story the word right or left was said the gift was to past in that direction. when the story concluded we were to open the present and put on the item.

Then the trading began

So, in order, the pixs are: Jeff in a Gigantic dress
Barb sporting a coconut bra and fuchsia lace boy short panties
Steve is looking particularly handsome tonight sporting cat n the hat


Hilary and Mandee dazzled us with random worn tees and boxers

Nate took a turn in the dress

Kyson swam in some coveralls and Nicki patriotically donned the Pick Ralph election 08 shirt

Chris demonstrated the lack of support offered in terry tanks and why they're so hot on women over 30 Jamino and I model the other age end of the spectrum with our classic depends

Also present but not pictured were Dena, Emily, Levi, Andy, David, Jackson, Shandon and Ella

Great party--can't wait for paybacks next year!

Christmas story #1

For the last two years my work has had a formal dinner party for the holidays. I love formal parties -- there are always a few grumbles from the rank and file who hate to dress up -- but I LOVE IT! I got to break out the furs and get all sparkly. This year we did a casino night with dinner and we had a live band which was better than I expected. They were "The Cellar Dwellers" and are neighbors of my Area General Manager (which is how they got the gig). At the end of the night we took all our casino chips and cashed them in for raffle tickets which we could place in boxes for drawings. They were giving away a large LCD TV, a Wii console, a camcorder, spa packages, new cell phones, various gift baskets, and there might have been a couple other big ticket items that I've forgotten. Anyway--since I never win anything I put a couple tickets in the box for the Wii (cause I really wanted one) and then put most of my tickets in for lesser prizes--I figured I had better odds in the raffle for things others were less likely to have tried for. My strategy worked! I won two Bath and Body works baskets each with over $100 worth of product! Yea ME! I took half the stuff up to Katie's to share in the bounty.

So the party was a lot of fun--but then it was to be expected-Selina (our Admin Assistant) always does an awesome job!

Trip to Spokane for the Party

So I told you the story of how I got to Spokane but didn't say anything about the party or the visit. I had so much fun--I got to go to my favorite sandwich shop--High Nooner

Here's Candy and Jake eating with me at High Nooner--Yeah! At the Party we set up 8 tables with gold and coral linens and Cartoon maps of the world the little center pieces were country flags from around the world and green roses. Katie's kids spent most of the night hiding under the tables--just like at the dinner after the wedding.
The theme was world travels cause Mandee and Levi love to travel and are diligently working on filling their passports! My mom and her friends collected old trunks, lots of plants, travel posters and anything with a nostalgic or travel vibe.
Here they've used the trunks to hold glasses and utensils for the food.

This is the cake--amazing what one can do with fondant!

The "cake" is made of giant rice crispy treats

So it was three pixs into the night and my battery died, so that's you get! It was a lot of fun!

The Truth that Became a Lie and then the Happy Surprise

If you watch my sister's blog than you already know this story but here's my side-- Levi got married the first weekend of November and had a dinner afterward in Utah--the first weekend in December they scheduled a celebration party in Washington. Well I had given my mom the option of having Jamino and I up for Thanksgiving or for the party--we couldn't do both as they were to close to each other and I didn't have enough vacation time for both. She picked for us to come for the party. We bought our tickets and were already to go but I hadn't figured out what to do with Harley yet. I could kennel him or bring him. I decided to bring him and took him in to get his physical to fly plus his shots expired in November. Everything was fine until they checked his mouth and found a few absest teeth. So the next day we scheduled to have them pulled. While he was under the found out that he has a heart murmur and want to run tests. When all was said and done I had spent an enormous amount of money and he was on two medications and it was the day before I was supposed to fly out. Well then I read the Southwest pet policy which was--no pets! So I wasn't gonna kennel him at this point with all his meds and pains. I called my mom and said I would not be coming--Jamino would still be going (he was flying out of Reno), there was no reason for him not to go.

I was really bummed all the next day which was the day I was supposed to leave. On Wednesday afternoon I called my sister and asked if she wanted to drive up with me. Katie had decided not to go because she didn't want to drive the snowy mountain passes alone with her kids and didn't really have the money right before Christmas to spend on 5 extra tanks of gas. Well Katie was thrilled--she had really wanted to go. That night I packed up the dog and incidentals and drove up to Rexburg. The next morning we loaded up Katie's mini Van and began the 8 hour drive. The passes were clear, the kids were good and the dog eventually settle done in his seat and went to sleep.

We didn't tell anyone we were coming cause it was last minute and we had already said we weren't coming--if the passes had been closed it would have been a deeper disappointment for mu mom who would have gotten excited that we were coming--plus a surprise is always fun.

We arrived late in the evening and the house was empty. We let ourselves in and waited. My mom and her sister Candy were picking up Jamino at the airport so then Jamino text me to say they were going to the church to see how the decorating was going. (Our church has a large multipurpose room which is perfect to use for large parties especially cause it is free to use and it wasn't already booked. The party was planned so last minute that all other venues--reception halls, conference rooms and ballrooms were booked.) Katie, the boys, the dog and I, booked it up the street to the church to drop in and surprise everyone.

They were surprised.

My mom cried, Candy and Jake laughed and my dad called us all "Little Shits" (for telling my mom we weren't coming and ruining the last couple of days for all those in her vicinity). Well that's the story!

Bold Tag

I snagged this from Jennifer's blog, she had a few more than me I think but it's a respectable list:

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6.Given more than you can afford to charity
7.Been to Disneyland
8.Climbed a mountain
9.Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14.Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20.Slept on an overnight train
21.Had a pillow fight
22.Hitch hiked
23.Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24.Built a snow fort
25.Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung Karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check [not on purpose]
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

If you'd like to share, just copy the list and bold the items you've done and make all items you haven't done unbolded.

Just My Kind Of Luck

So Friday I was sitting in traffic, minding my own business, dancing to my new CD and then I noticed the driver of the car behind my with his hand on his head looking all aghast get out of his car start to approach mine, he stopped to look at the front of his car and the rear of mine. He had hit me and I hadn't really even noticed! The light had turned green, I had started to go but the car in front of me stopped so I stopped and the driver behind me did not. My rotors are so bad that I thought the hit was the part of the vibration of my car stopping!

My car has a some minor damage--the big white "Scuff" is a break in the bumper where the fiberglass is pushed in and broken on three sides but still attached on one side (like a little door) and then of course there is cracking and peeling in the paint.

His car on the other hand was totally crunched! You can see all the antifreeze flowing down the street from his punctured radiator and the big crack running from the bottom front corner of the headlight goes all the way across the car. There was a police car stuck in traffic about 3 cars behind so the responded to the accident. And now I'm playing phone tag with his insurance company--Super fun but at least no one was injured.

Monday morning I was driving to work and a rock the size of my palm flew into my windshield sending circular fissures like ripples on a pond across it. So, guess what I'm getting for Christmas-hurray and new windshield! So that's how it works with me--one thing after another!