Some older pics...

Here are some pictures from my trip to Utah in October. I went with two friends, SuGen and Elizabeth, and we went to a session of conference and then hung out with friends and family for the rest of the weekend- it was a great time!

Thanksgiving 2008

Here are a few pictures of what I did over the Thanksgiving weekend...

This is what greeted me when I got off the plane and into the car...very dramatic poses.

Here are some pictures from our outing to the train museum in Sacramento.

A Black, Black Day

Well, this past Friday was quite a day, Black Friday did indeed turn out to be quite black. Nothing seems to get us in such a frenzy as the promise of low prices. We've all heard that baseball was America's past time, but man, it sure does seem like shopping is the new American past time!

I was out there on Friday, I first braved the crowds of Wal-mart, and luckily the only misfortune that visited our store was the length of the lines (we stood in line to check out for approximately 45 minutes). Afterwards we made a quick trip (which is relative, because there was one line, and it wrapped around the perimeter of the store, almost back to the entrance!) to Target, and then on to Macy's.

The deal of the day? For my sister-in-law it was the $4 hoodies and pajamas for her kids, but for me it was a pair of Lucky pants originally $94- I got them for $15. What a deal, right? It almost makes dealing with the crazies worth it...

Anyway, I'm sure you're wondering what lesson I learned from my ventures on this, the blackest of shopping days, right? Well I can't remember right now if greed is one of the seven deadly sins, but I have a feeling that it is, and rightly so wouldn't you agree? So lesson one- don't be greedy. And lesson two- keep your distance from crazy people. I know what you're thinking, how do we know who is crazy and who isn't? Maybe you don't, but you can definitely stay away from places where the crazies are more likely to be (Wal-mart)!

Me and the terrible, no good, very bad day

A week ago I had quite the scare. I was getting ready for work in the morning; I had brought my bags into the kitchen and was going to grab some food, when out of the corner of my eye I saw something move on my shoulder. I turned my head to get a better look, and it was a spider! I freaked out- in less than 2 seconds I had grabbed the hem of the dress that I was wearing and ripped it off over my head. My mom was in the kitchen and so I tossed the dress to her while saying something like, “spider- dress, spider- on me.” So I stood there, wringing my hands, while my mom shook the spider out of my dress and then killed it. For those of you who think I am a weenie, this was a seriously large spider. It’s body was the size of a quarter. So I went to work and told some co-workers about it, and they laughed at me- of course- and then asked what I would have done if a spider crawled on me at work, would I have stripped there as well? And I don’t know what I would have done. I mean, tearing my dress off was pure reaction, so while I would hope that I wouldn’t do that, I can’t make any promises. Especially when it involves 8 legged creatures. Ick!

I scream, you scream, we all scream for...what the...???

As I was reading the news this morning I came across the following story:
http://www.wptz.com/news/17539127/detail.html
I’ve always thought that PETA was crazy, but this really tops it all. I am pretty confident that ice cream consumption would go down if Ben & Jerry’s were to follow the advice of these nuts. You can be sure that I would never eat another bite of brownie madness, or any other such flavor!

A Busy Weekend!

This past weekend was really busy for our family. There was a memorial for my Uncle Jerry at UCLA on Sunday, and so all of my siblings and their kids were able to make it except for Sonja- we missed you Sonja! My uncle was a great man, and many people were there to pay tribute to him and the wonderful life that he lived. He was the most kind-hearted man I have ever known, and we will all miss him.

Since almost all of us were together, we took the opportunity to celebrate my Dad's 60th birthday- 2 weeks early, it was a surprise. We ordered t-shirts for everyone and put random quotes on them. Mine said, "My dad once broke the land speed record on a bicycle that was missing it's chain and the back tire." One of my favorites was Alex's shirt, it said: "My grandpa is the reason Waldo is hiding." Anyway, we had a ton of fun celebrating. We went to breakfast together in Santa Monica, then played at the beach and later walked around the pier. All in all it was a fun day.



"Misma" showcasing Ryenne and her lovely face.

Brayden looking adorable as ever! He is such a good baby!

My arms are sore today from carrying this dead weight around all afternoon, but I wouldn't have traded it for anything! But really guys, next time we've got to remember the strollers!

The kids had a blast looking at all the birds, the ocean, and...everything else.

Ryan meeting his nephew Brayden for the first time. They got along great!

Elizabeth and Ryenne being silly.

Megan and her kids- they are adorable aren't they?

Here we are laughing at Justin and Megan's gift to dad, a survival guide for the elderly.

Tyler is such a little ham!

Camping!

I went camping a few months ago with some friends and have been meaning to post some pictures, but just hadn't gotten around to it. So finally, here they are- pictures from my fantastically fun camping trip!

In this picture (from left to right) Kristen, Julie, Elizabeth and SuGen are cleaning up after our delicious breakfast. I took over the ever important duty of trip photographer and so was unable to help wash the dishes. Don't worry, I did my fair share of cleaning later...


Above SuGen was making a dragon-ous monster in her shadow. Random, but I thought that it was a cool photo.

SuGen and I were all over the wood collecting for the fires. This particular piece of woodhad these humongous ants in it, and once the wood was placed on the flames the ants scampered out of that wood as fast as possible.

Here is a picture of SuGen and me standing inside one of the giant sequoia trees. We camped in the Sequoia National Forest, and it was really neat to walk around and see all of these magnificent and beautiful trees.

On our last night I started braiding SuGen's hair, and then we were all braiding each other's hair. Yeah, super cheesy, but it was fun.

This is a picture of me in an Indian bathtub. The native Americans would live in this area in the summer time.

25% Mine, Right?

The past week or so my life has been a little crazy- well, an extra amount of crazy, because my sister Elizabeth was in town with her son, Brayden, and her husband, Joseph. They left early Tuesday morning, and I am going to miss them! Brayden is so adorable! I know that there are people out there who are thinking I am just saying this because he is related to me, and so I am including some pictures to validate my claims.

See- he really is adorable! I love his chubby little cheeks and fat, chunky legs, what a cutie! A friend of mine suggested that since Elizabeth and I are twins and have some DNA in common, that Brayden is a quarter percent mine as well. What a deal!

That's Wicked!

I went to see Wicked this past weekend with a few friends and the family. For my mom's birthday I told her that I was going to buy tickets for her and my dad to see it, and so I headed down to Hollywood in the early afternoon to stand in the heat and wait for my chance to win the Wicked lottery. After putting my name down I definitely had a good feeling about my chances of winning. And after waiting a half hour they started drawing names, and I won! Hooray! So I got a pair of tickets on the front row for my parents, what a deal right? Anyway, I've seen it a few times now and it is a great show for all of you out there who haven't had a chance to see it- I definitely recommend it.

I'd Rather Dance with You...

On Monday I was in the kitchen at home, goofing around with a friend while waiting for my apple crisp to heat up in the microwave when my grandma walked in. Now, for those of you who have seen me dance, you know that I am not the best. I’m not good either. In fact, the most fitting word to describe my dancing ability is inept. Ok back to the story, I was in a silly mood and dancing around the kitchen when my grandma walked in and asked me if I’d learned a new dance move. At this point I was faced with quite the dilemma: go with an easy yes or no response, or explain to grandma that I am a terrible dancer and was just goofing around (and remember, grandma is very hard of hearing, so any explanation would have to occur at a yelling type of decibel). Needless to say, I went with a simple, “no” response, retrieved my apple crisp and went to watch The Colbert Report.

Back to the Future

Apparently old people get cold easily; really cold, really easily. I guess it is because they are losing all of their muscle, and then their skin starts hanging off of their bones. You know what I am talking about. And ladies, if you think that the “relief society arms” are bad now, just think about being 80 years old…not only will your triceps be wobbly, there will that additional layer of stretchy skin hanging from your wobbly underarm. Ah, the things we have to look forward to because of the aging process…


Another great part of aging is the deterioration of one’s hearing. Now, this affects everyone differently, my Nana is 88 years old and she can hear just fine. However, my Grandma Church, who is approximately 92 years old (I can’t get an exact age, because she doesn’t tell anyone how old she is, and if you ask…man, prepare for the lecture of a lifetime) so she can’t hear worth beans. I will get home from work, walk inside the house, the dogs will run around barking and acting all excited, and unless Grandma is facing me she won’t know that I am home. More often than not, her back will be facing me, I will say, “hello Grandma” in a loud voice, and she won’t hear me. So then if I come out of my room 15 minutes later she will think that I just got home. Ok, so that isn’t really a big deal, but just think about trying to communicate with her. If you want her to hear what you say you have to practically yell. And carrying on a conversation where you have to yell in order for the other person to hear makes the thought of conversation…not so enjoyable. Thus, I have learned to only speak to Grandma when absolutely necessary, and to respond to her in the fewest words possible; I have become quite stingy with my words. Right, so hearing loss is something you want to avoid at all costs.


One thing that is good about aging: you get to eat whatever you want to, if we are going by my Grandma’s eating habits that is. One morning a few weeks ago, Grandma was in a really crazy and foul mood, she had been yelling and such, but luckily I left to go to work, so I didn’t have to deal with it…at least not too much. In an effort to pacify her, my dad asked her if she wanted some pancakes, which he had made, for breakfast. Of course she adamantly said “no!” Then about an hour later my dad went into the kitchen to find his mother with the syrup, drinking it straight out of the bottle. In case that story wasn’t enough to convince you, here is another one. This past Sunday my parents were at church, and I was getting ready for church so my Grandma didn’t realize that I was home. As I walked down the stairs I could see that she had a bowl of cinnamon toast crunch, but instead of milk she had poured syrup and whipped cream on it. Wow, talk about a sugar high!


We hear people talk about how aging causes people to revert back to a child-like state, in that they need help with basic life sustaining behavior, as well as losing bladder control, taking naps, etc. And for my Grandma, she has reverted to the 2 or 3 year old stage and now only wants to eat sugary food. Tonight I am on “Grandma duty” so I have to make dinner. I was thinking I’d make spaghetti of some sort, but based upon this Grandma would probably be happier if I just gave her a bowl of sugar, glass of syrup, and plate of whipped cream…hmmm…it does seem like that would be easier…

Here we go again...

Well I said that I'd do updates on the Grandma Church situtation, so here it goes. Things have gone from crazy to hellish within the past week. And no, for you non-believers, I am definitely not exagerrating.


On Sunday Grandma was talking to my sister on the phone and telling her how horrible it is here, that she wants to go home, etc. The highlight of the conversation (which I was of course eavesdropping on) was when Grandma said that my father had choked her and that is why she has a cough. Oh, in case you didn't know, Grandma has a form of dementia called Lewy bodies. Basically this means she has a mixture of Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease. So when she says things like, her son choked her, that is related to the memory deterioration and delusions that she has. It is actually pretty sad. On the other hand, it makes for some...interesting stories.


Oh, another story, last night Grandma was at home and Paul was the only one who was home. I was the first to get home, around 8:00 pm and Grandma had apparently spent all evening telling Paul that she was going to call the police and her attorney (she doesn't have an attorney) because he was holding her hostage. Riggghht Grandma, Paul didn't wouldn't let you leave the house because...of your scintillating conversation? By the way, any conversation with Grandma takes place at a yell, I kid you not, because she can not hear. Well, maybe that wasn't it. Perhaps Paul wanted to take all of her money? Wait a second, she doesn't have any of that. Hmmm. Well sorry Grandma, but I just am not seeing the motivation for this "crime." Thanks for playing, why don't you try again next week, thanks.

Well I think you're crazy, think you're crazy...

My grandmother recently moved into my parent’s home because she can no longer live on her own. If this were my mother’s mom then this would not be an issue; she is a pleasant woman who is genuinely kind. However, as luck would have it, the grandma who currently inhabits la casa is my dad’s mother. This woman is a far cry from the kind-hearted, sweet and loving grandma that I previously described. Grandma Church is a cantankerous, bitter woman who seemingly enjoys causing drama, distress and all-out commotion. Yes I know, I make the situation sound very appealing don’t I? Well, the one slightly good part about this whole scenario is that Grandma Church and her ridiculous antics will be fodder for this blog. Oh the stories I will be able to tell…

I would like to begin the first in my series of “Grandma Churchisms” (which is what I have just decided to call this section of my blog). A week ago I was going to play tennis after work with my mom and a friend. Since Grandma had been cooped up in the house all day, we thought she might like to go with us, not to play- we don’t want to break the elderly, geesh!- just to watch. However, when we got to the park the tennis courts were full, so we drove off in search of another place to play. As I turned onto the main road, Grandma Church said, “Sharlene, did you notice that woman walking her dog? Her son was behind her and she wasn’t watching him. That is why parents need to use harnesses for their children. There are too many people nowadays who would take advantage of that.”

I am not joking- she thinks that children should not only be attached to leashes, but should wear a harness! Seriously? Where does she come up with stuff like that? All I can say is that the more I hear her talk, the more stories and opinions she proffers, the more I realize what a miracle it is that my dad is so normal!

The Many Faces of Brayden

Munchkin Devil

I know, that title threw you for a loop, right? Well let me explain, but first off I need to make it clear that this story is completely true and unbiased (at least as much as I can possibly make it). =)

So let me give you some details. Last night for family home evening our ward had a 3-on-3 tournament in honor of March Madness, and we invited another single's branch to participate. Each team was made up of 2 guys and 1 girl, and the guys were not allowed to shoot from inside the key. So the first game I was up against a girl who was literally 5'2"; for those of you who have forgotten how tall I am, that is approximately an 8 inch disadvantage for her. Oh, and she did not know how to play basketball.

The entire 5 minutes that our teams played she delighted in elbowing me, pushing, tripping and fouling me. Needless to say, I was not a fan. After one outrageously obvious travel I pantomimed like I was calling a travel (which I didn't actually do because it was suposed to be a friendly church game, right?) well she got in my face after she passed the ball, and with as much attitude as I've ever seen a person have, she said, "was that a travel? Really? Did I just travel?" It was all I could do to not laugh in her face, I mean imagine this miniature sized person trying to trash talk...it was amazing.

So when the game ended my team came out the victors (could there have been any doubt, really, come on!) and as I walked to the other side of the court, she glared at me so hard that I could physically feel her eyes on my back. Thus the nickname, the Munchkin Devil.

And this brings up another subject, why is is that so many short people have such a difficult time with their height? I mean really, get over yourself! You can't make up for the fact that you are under the average height and acting like a jerk, beefing up if you are a guy (or a scary woman) is not going to help you at all. Do I go around complaining about being on the taller side? Well, aside from when I can't find pants that are long enough or shoes that are big enough that is. No, I don't! So please, to all the short people out there, let it go! Accept the fact that you are short and stop pestering the rest of us!

Get out of jail free card...kind of

How much flak do Americans get for being fat? We are the butt (sorry I couldn't resist) of so many jokes, I can't even count the number of times I've heard people making fun of us. Well, today I read a story on CNN that shows that Americans aren't the only fat people out there!

There is a prisoner in Italy who was released from prison and put on house arrest because he is too fat. He weighed something like 460 lbs. and so he couldn't fit on the beds, couldn't fit into the bathrooms, and the guards had to help him get dressed etc. everyday. Apparently they were worried that if he had to get some medical treatment they wouldn't be able to fit him into the clinic, so they released him. Or maybe it is because he was a member of the Mafia and used his connections to get out.

So what can we learn from this?
1). If you are going to become a criminal make sure to gain an ungodly amount of weight.
2). Try to befriend some people in the Mafia, or any other similar organization. I belong to the Relief Society, but I'm not quite sure if that would carry the same weight in prison as the Mafia. I'll have to look into that...
3). Don't let people tell you that Americans are the fattest people in the world, I haven't heard anything about American prisoners being too fat for prison!

The Happiest Place on Earth

Yes, that is right. I went to Disneyland yesterday with my brother Justin, his wife and their kids, Ryenne and Tyler (3 year olds) and Alex (9 months old). Also my parents and other brother Paul were there, but let's be honest, it was Disneyland, it was all about the kids. :) They were so cute too, Ryenne met some princesses, whom she was enthralled with. Alex met Mickey Mouse, and he proceeded to give Mickey a kiss on the nose and grab onto his ears- it was pretty adorable. Tyler loved the Nemo submarine ride. I am posting a few pictures so you all can see how dang cute these kids really are.

Justin and his family, Tyler, Ryenne, and Megan holding Alex. Oh, and Mickey Mouse. (He's not a relation).
The kids, just hanging out.

Apparently I was as immersed in the submarine ride as Ryenne and Tyler. (Haha, get is- immersed?)

It rained in the afternoon and evening, which made for an...interesting time. In this picture Ryenne is trying to catch raindrops on her tongue. Megan tried to put a poncho on Tyler but he was not such a fan. But can you blame him- it would have covered up his cool pilot jacket!

Coming home

My sister got great news on Wednesday, she was able to take her baby home- hooray!

After driving to the hospital for practically 2 weeks, multiple times a day, she was definitely ready to bring Brayden home. He is doing well, gaining weight and he is almost back to his birth weight, so that is excellent. My mom is still in Utah helping out, and she says that Brayden has a fantastic disposition and, as you can see, he is a beautiful baby. I like the little guy. :) Here is another picture- so precious!

I was talking to my mom the other day on the phone and she said that she was having so much fun, she is loving it. Then she said, "hurry and have a baby." And I said, whoa, hold on there mama- there are a few steps I need to hit before that happens. And really, she ought to just be content with the grandkids she's got for the moment, because really, I'm not a baby making factory and I don't deliver on command.

Can't teach an old dog new tricks

There was a recent addition to our family. No, I'm not talking about my sister's baby, geesh, why does everyone assume that? I am talking about my parent's new dog, a greyhound named Hopi. (I have to put in a disclaimer at this point, I did not name this dog- she is about 4 years old, and actually raced at the tracks, so that was her racing name. In addition, I think that it is terrible to name a dog after a Native American tribe, and so I am working on a new name for her. I welcome any suggestions). Here is a picture:

I have learned so many random things about greyhounds, for instance, did you know that they don't know how to "operate" stairs? Meaning they've never used them before, and thus don't know how to walk up and down them. It took this dog a few weeks to get used to the stairs, but now she is a professional. Also, she sleeps approximately 20 hours a day. Talk about easy to take care of- no wonder people have pets and not children!

Also, and I don't know if this is true for all greyhounds or just this one, but she is a kleptomaniac. Yes, you read that correctly- she has an uncontrollable problem with stealing things. The other day there was some change on the floor in my room and she ate a quarter (literally, she swallowed it) and then she tried to eat a dime and nickel also. Another night I had a friend at the house whose keys were on the floor and Hopi came over, picked up the keys and started walking away. Then when I was doing laundry she came up to me, took the dryer sheet from my laundry basket and tried to take off. Such a foolish dog. But she is really sweet and friendly. Floyd is adjusting...slowly. He doesn't seem to amused in this photo does he?

Anyway, that is the update on the dog situation. I have to add more info about the nieces and nephews, but I will save that for another post- that is my little teaser- I've got to have some reason for you all to keep coming back!

More pictures from the hospital

Welcome Brayden James Pratt!!!

Elizabeth's baby, born January 1th, 8:18 pm. He weighed 5 lbs. 14 oz. and was 20 inches long. Considering he was born 5 weeks early, he is in great shape! Isn't he beautiful?