I ROCK!

Yesterday our phone and internet decided to go out after several hours -- I called their customer no service department. I was put through to their very hard of hearing automated voice response system. Many of the questions were easily answered yes or no (as in yes I have unplugged and replugged and no I still don't have a dial tone) but some of the responses required the word "continue" Apparently Betty no brains automated did not understand when Tim said "continue", so then I had to say it and when I wasn't understood Regan yelled "con -- tin --- ue" syllable by sluggish syllable finally getting a "thank you let's move on"

When the automated system proved unsuccessful we were advanced to the phone queue listening to what sounded like previews for nickelodeon TV. Someone came on the line said they'd be able to get someone right out ... on Friday (as in Oct 3rd Friday) and would I prefer morning or afternoon? My reply -- "How about tomorrow?" Coincidentally, they just happened to have a open slot -- what do you know??

The best part of the story is the guy who came to do the repair -- We'll just call him Mr. Tattooed, Baggy Pants, underwear hanging out, don't knock just come right in, didn't act like he had a clue what to do Guy (for short). McKay and I watched him the entire time all the while McKay was grimacing and mouthing the words "Somethings not right about him."

(Look his underwear is hanging out now.)

He completely wiped out all my router settings, erased the WEP key and deleted all the IP settings then plugged the computer right into the modem and announced "it works" well duh... but what was wrong? He shrugs his shoulders gives me a cord he got off the floor and said it was hooked up wrong. (Sort of like the old -- "It's complicated Ma'am, it was the o-n-o-f-f switch) I've got a LOT of confidence in this guy by now so I am not heartbroken to see him exit. I guess that's what the $3.99 a month inside wire maintainence insurance gets you.

So I spent the next several HOURS resetting up the router and securing the wireless networks. (admittedly not having much clue about what I was doing) and trying to figure out how it was set up in the beginning before Mr you know who touched it and getting pretty ticked off in the process -- I was ready to call ANYONE to come fix it -- when all of the sudden I got it. That's it -- I JUST ROCK!

TIM x 2 FLY FISHING

Here's Tim and his friend Tim Hamil tricking more fish with homemade flies.

WHEN KNOWING YOUR BUGS PAYS OFF

Yesterday Tim and Tim went fly fishing again. (okay I will admit that my entire life up until just a few months ago I didn't realize there were different types of fishing -- a fish is a fish is a fish right?)

I can't really even explain it today but fly fishing is different than the worm on hook kind of fishing. In fly fishing the fish are smarter and snootier. They only prefer certain kinds of bugs and if you tie a bug to the end of your line that is the wrong kind the fish will swim by and snub your bait.

So yesterday Tim (my Tim) was fishing with Tim Hamil and they were catching nothing. So my Tim started looking closely at the bugs flying around the area and near the surface of the water and then he went to his collection of flies and found the one that looked most similar. He tied it on and low and behold he got one.

Depending on where you go the bugs are different and so in turn the "trick" ones you tie on the end of your line have to look the same so as to fool the fish. Take a look at one that got tricked.

THAT BREAD BAKIN' TIME OF YEAR

Everyone in my family loves homemade bread but for some reason the only time I feel like making it is when the weather is already cold or just about to turn that way. So yesterday after I put on socks for only the second time this year, I suddenly had the thought -- mmm, some homemade bread would be nice.

Modern convenience ensures my grainy desires are satisfied so much sooner than when my mother was needing dough for what seemed like hours. I love that Bosch!

In my opinion the best bread ever obeys the following rules:

You must use hard WHITE wheat -- not the hard red kind like I have in my long term years supply storage (I will eat it only if I'm desperate)

You must add a handful of plump pitted dates to part of the water in the recipe and blend it to a slurry smoothness before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. Please make sure you check each and every date in case even a single pit remains (want to know why I know this?)

You must use good yeast (not the old box your grandma gave you -- yeast does not keep forever you know) and it must be stored in the freezer

You must use gluten (I store mine in the freezer right next to the yeast) I don't use any fancy smancy dough enhancers -- not worth the expense in my opinion.

My other secret is I use my mom's old seasoned bread pans -- I hope she's not still looking for them.

And last but not least -- you MUST slice and eat at least one piece within 10 minutes from the time the bread finishes baking. Honey butter optional.

FLASHBACK ON REGAN

In 2000 we went to visit the Gardners in San Diego. It was my 20th high school reunion (remind me again WHY I wanted to go to such an affair) anyway, we took the whole family and one night we did karaoke (sp?) right in the Gardners living room. This is Regan performing her number as I recall it was a song from the Dixie Chicks. Man, how I wish this was a video clip instead of just a photo.

HOMECOMING 1978

The 70's version of the blue shiny silky homecoming dress sewn by yours truly. I actually looked in the mirror that day and thought I looked good. Actually... we planned to match his shirt with my dress but we didn't plan the matching hair.

STICK UP

Here's a poster I made from one of McKay's Homecoming Pictures. *

* -- corny? possibly. still cute??? oh yes!

FUN FIRST DATE! Kamiakin Homecoming 2008

McKay went on her first "official" date to Kamiakin's Homecoming Dance last Saturday Night. Her date was Josh Flint -- a friend from school and church. (What a nice kid!) A couple weeks before he asked McKay to the dance, he called and asked Tim if it would be okay if he asked her. (brownie point #1)

(See an earlier post on how he asked her and how she responded)

So once the asking and the answering was completed -- the "get ready for the dance to do list" was created.

What should I wear???

And... how should I fix my hair?? Makeup??? Nails (both finger and toe)??? Dinner??? Pictures???

It was a large list but we were up for it. ( Remember -- I said --- take one thing at a time and "eat the elephant" so to speak -- one bite at a time.)

The first "to do" was FINDING A DRESS. With the word put out -- several good friends like Pam Halgren and Judy Curnutt offered to let McKay borrow dresses worn by their daughters. Whitney Halverson brought over her dresses to try as well. It was a several day fashion show and McKay had quite a time trying on all the fancy styles.

In the end, Judy Curnutt gave McKay several dresses from her daughter. All of them were beautiful but none of them were modest enough for McKay to wear. Not to worry, Jacque Madison, a dear friend, said she would alter the dress of McKay's choice and make it "modest ready" for the dance. (Okay this is the unbelievable part to me -- she totally transformed the dress -- wait and see)

HERE ARE SOME BEFORE PICTURES

McKay's BEFORE hair

McKay's BEFORE dress

McKay and Josh went on several pre-date outings (to get flowers ordered, to try on suits, buy shiny shoes and to match the color of her dress to the color of his shirt) and each time he was a perfect gentleman -- opening doors and driving safely (brownie point #2)

The day of the dance McKay spent time at Sarah Moody's getting her hair done.

Wow -- nice job Sarah!!! THANKS!!!

Then she went to Marianne Larsen's for an expert makeup job.




Beautiful! THANKS Marianne!!!

Well... are you ready??????


Here's our little curly haired baby all ready for the dance......

At around 5:00 pm McKay and seven of her friends (including her date Josh) came over and we took some snapshots of them all dressed up.

Here's the group.

Here's McKay and Josh all ready for the dance. Is this not the MOST FABULOUS alteration of a dress you've ever seen??? Mercy... it looks great!!! THANKS Jacque!!!!!

Now here's the part where Josh earned 4000 brownie points.... He said to her at the dance ... "I want to thank you for dressing modestly." CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT???? I just want to kiss him -- well not actually kiss him, you know it was just music to my ears. What a nice thing to say!!! (I think McKay poked him at that point and asked --- "Are you a real boy???) Thanks Josh -- you're a good seed.

Dry fly with a Wet Fly dropper

A few basics. A dry fly floats. A wet fly sinks. Most of the time, you fish one or the other. Sometimes you fish two flies at once. The second fly is called the "dropper". See the picture.


In this set-up, I was using a tan elk hair caddis dry fly as my strike indicator (think bobber) and a olive bead-headed hare's ear wet fly in the dropper position. The two flies where separated by about 15 inches of line. Fishing this set-up allows for two things. First, you figure out twice as fast what the fish are looking for. Second, the wet fly goes down to where the bigger fish are. Trout bigger then 10 inches are pretty wary.

This was my first time using a wet fly. I was happy with the results. I caught an 11 inch rainbow on the hare's ear.

I've got a lot to learn. Maybe I'll take up tying my own flies. That would be cool to catch a fish on a fly I tied myself.

HOMECOMING 2008

Here's a preview of McKay's First Date/Homecoming Dance Pictures.

Stay tuned...

JENSEN STOPPING TRAFFIC

This year Jensen has volunteered to go to school a little earlier on Fridays to work as a school crossing guard. Don't you just love boys in uniform??

HAPPY 20TH BIRTHDAY...

... tiny little super guy.

EVERY KID SHOULD OWN ONE

Emma and Andrew, our cousins in Florida just got their first car. When I saw the picture, it looked kinda familiar. So I shuffled through the Greenstreet picture archive and low and behold we owned a similar car once too. Some things never go out of style!

Emma and Andrew's 2008 model

McKay's 1995 model

What a "fortunate" birthday

Last night to celebrate my birthday, we all went to our FAVORITE Chinese Restaurant -- Mandarin House. It has THE BEST Mongolian Beef anywhere -- WAY better than PF Changs! Look what we ordered.




Here's the rule about reading your fortune in our family: You read your fortune and add the words, "on the toilet" to the end of the fortune. It's so much funnier that way!

READY... AIM...

Tonight Tim and Jensen went out to the desert for a little target practice. Jensen likes to shoot the 22 that Grandpa Greenstreet sent but he REALLY likes to fire mom's glock 26.

He's a pretty good shot.

I think this guy might need stitches.

IT'S FRIDAY...WHAT'S FOR BREAKFAST?

Tim works 4 - 10 hour days (Monday - Thursday) and has Fridays off. On Friday he likes to channel Grandpa Harry and cook breakfast. Tim makes THE BEST scrambled eggs and has the cutest little smile on his face as he is delivering the meal. Everyone loves his breakfasts.

THESE SHOES WERE MADE FOR WALKIN.....

Here's a blast from the past -- me as a missionary in Tuscany in 1984. I went through so many shoes in those days, it wasn't even funny. Here I am displaying some of my worn out creations. (Check out the BYU Bouf Hair -- so 80's!)

THE UNIFORM

Man. Those were the days... =]
I swear I wore that outfit more than I wore regular clothes.
We referred to this little ensemble as my "uniform."
Why? I do not know.
It was just how it was.
Same outfit. Every day.
Then along came Abercrombie.
80 bucks for a pair of jeans.
Ridiculous.

overandout.

THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE MY 1ST BIRTHDAY

I remember having the distinct opinion (as a teenager) that someone over 25 was OLD and I was certain if they lived to 40 it was pablum from then on. Well ... I have outlived my aging predictions and the only oatmeal in my diet is in cookies.

In fact 46 does not seem old at all to me -- although my body might beg to differ. I have pretty much decided I like myself and I don't get too wrapped around the axle about the age thing. (Check back when I turn 70)

Birthdays are just another reason to eat out and celebrate. Forty Six is going to be a fun year -- I'm looking forward to it.

ADNERB!

46 years ago...on this very day...my mother was brought into this world.

AND THANK GOODNESS SHE WAS!! =]

I LOVE MOMSMITH!

HOOKED ON REGAN

Regan went fishing with her Dad on Saturday
as a wrap up to Tim's 10 day mini staycation (that's a vacation where you stay home)

CAN YOU SEE IT?

Okay so I made a background for the blog and on my end it looks like it works but then BF told me it's not completely visible --- so if you will, tell me if when you go to our blog you see the entire background layout including the cork board and the pics of the kids? Are you seeing all of it on screen or is part of it cut off???

SPRING BREAK '08

Regan and I had the opportunity to go visit Grandma and Grandpa G in April of this year. Here are some of our favorite pictures from the trip.

Veteran's Memorial Wall

Todd.

Todd. Again.

Whitmer Farm

Ft. McHenry

D.C.

At the IMAX

Hanging out in D.C.

Grandpa...=]

Lincoln Memorial

Capital Building

D.C.

D.C.

Right outside the Capital Building

Whattablast.

WORD.
-mckay

McKay's Homecoming Answer

Yesterday morning on the way out to take McKay to school there were glow in the dark stars on the car window that said, "I wish on all the stars that you'd go to homecoming with me." That was McKay's cue to come up with a clever response.

Here's the best part (from a parents perspective) -- The boy asking McKay to the dance phoned two weeks prior and asked Tim's permission to ask McKay to Homecoming. Brownie points for him. He said they'd be going with a group of 3 other couples. Tim inquired who the driver would be and invited him to look at his Glock on the night of the dance (just kidding about the Glock part)

So McKay decided she would like to go with him to the dance and went to seminary early to decorate his desk with her answer.

This was on the front door of the seminary building

and this is his desk.

Stay tuned for more pictures the night of the dance.