When Mindy was little, we made up a little exercise we called Mindy-lifts. On Thanksgiving night (probably to work off some of the feast), some of our clan did Jessie-lifts, Joey-lifts and Angela-lifts. You'll have to watch to see who won the contest.
Don't you agree that being normal is boring? Being weird is much more fun!!
Monday, December 15, 2008
(late) Thanksgiving Fun
We had all of our family home for Thanksgiving this year. We had a great time!
Mindy, Jessie, Joey and Angela waiting for food...and little Andrew sitting in the middle.
Megan waiting for the food.
Joey and Jessica waiting for the food.
Andrew is getting very bored.
Angela, Ryan and Andrew waiting for food.
TJ and Mike waiting for food.
Me making the feast.
Mindy, Jessie, Joey and Angela waiting for food...and little Andrew sitting in the middle.
Megan waiting for the food.
Joey and Jessica waiting for the food.
Andrew is getting very bored.
Angela, Ryan and Andrew waiting for food.
TJ and Mike waiting for food.
Me making the feast.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Rest in Peace, del Sol
Thursday, Mindy and I met up for lunch. We had a nice time and then parted ways at the stop light at the new Walmart. We waved to each other, then I turned left and she kept going west. As I pulled into Walmart parking lot, my cell phone rang and Mindy said, "Mom, I just got into a wreck. I'm at the next stop light." I pulled back out of the parking lot and turned west. The traffic was already backed up all the way to my intersection and I couldn't get through; traffic was at a standstill. I could see in the distance a big truck and police lights. I started to get very scared, but I knew she had to be okay, since I had just talked to her. I finally moved forward enough to get on the frontage road and get to where Mindy was. I was terrified to see her tiny little del Sol, crunched, and a HUGE tanker truck (Mike says it's a bobtail truck) next to it with a little dent in the front bumper and red paint. Mindy was standing next to her car and she was fine, but I couldn't stop shaking, and neither could she. What had happened was this: Mindy was heading west in front of the truck when the light ahead of her turned yellow. She stopped. She saw in her rear-view mirror this huge truck barrelling down on her and she started to scream. The driver of the truck then slammed on his brakes and swerved to the right, then hit her passenger-side rear and sent her spinning into the on-coming lane (thank heavens the light was red by then, so traffic was stopped from that direction). Mindy came to a stop facing east in the east-bound lane. She pulled her car up (out of the traffic lane) and then called me. She is not hurt and the other driver was obviously not hurt but we were both very shook up.
I am absolutely convinced that Mindy has guardian angels watching over her and that she has a purpose in this life to fulfill because when I stood next to her tiny little car and that huge truck and thought of what could have happened, I just bawled. I'm so thankful to Heavenly Father for always watching over my little girl.
Here are some pictures.
Loading up her car to take it to the car graveyard (facing east).
What used to be Mindy's trunk.
The entire rear end of the car was just gone.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Joey's First Pack Meeting
We went to Joey's first pack meeting. I can't believe how fast he is growing up!
Playing a relay game.
Joey's big brother Ryan is the leader. He does such a great job!
Joey and Lance Palmer.
Joey loves cub scouts! He took his scout shirt to school for show-n-tell and told the kids what all the patches meant. He is so excited to finally be old enough to participate.
Playing a relay game.
Joey's big brother Ryan is the leader. He does such a great job! 
Joey and Lance Palmer.
Joey loves cub scouts! He took his scout shirt to school for show-n-tell and told the kids what all the patches meant. He is so excited to finally be old enough to participate.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Halloween
Mike and I were Frankenstein and the Bride of Frankenstein for Halloween. It was fun, but I had a heck of a time washing out the hairspray and black and white color from my hair. I think I pulled out half of my hair! Good thing baby Andrew still liked his granny.
I found the wedding gown and the tuxedo (with appropriately too-short sleeves) at the thrift shop and they were perfect.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
100 Random Kathy Facts
Okay, since everyone's doing 100 random things, I'll try it, too. Here's a hundred mundane things about Kathy that you never wanted to know (is anybody reading this?):
1. My entire legal name is Kathy; no middle name, no Kathryn, just boring ol' Kathy.
2. When I was a little girl I told people my middle name was Jane because I was embarrassed to not have one and Jane was the first name I thought of.
3. Now I tell people my middle name is Elizabeth because I'm embarrassed to not have one and I love that name.
4. I'm not really embarrassed to not have a middle name.
5. I am 46 years old.
6. I am a Gemini but I don't really believe in that stuff.
7. When I was a child I wanted to be a hermit;
8. Or a scientist;
9. Or a writer.
10. I still want to be a hermit.
11. When I dreamed of being a hermit, I imagined myself living in the mountains in a log cabin with a pet deer.
12. I hate doing my hair and make-up.
13. I can put make-up on in about two minutes flat.
14. I hate the haircut I have right now.
15. I would like to lose 10 pounds.
16. I like food way too much.
17. I'm going to be the bride of Frankenstein for Halloween.
18. I would rather be nurse to a Hispanic pregnant woman than a White one (Hispanic women are really good at labor; they wait until their labor is well advanced before they come to the hospital, they don't carry on like hyenas, they just get down to work and get the job done).
19. I love my family more than anything else in the entire world.
20. I have the best kids who have ever lived or who will ever live on this planet.
21. I have the cutest and best grand kids who will ever live on this planet.
22. I am so proud of and thankful for Mike.
23. I love strawberry shortcake.
24. I could eat pizza every day of the week.
25. I REALLY hate eggs.
26. I am allergic to cats. They make me get blisters on the whites of my eyes.
27. I would rather have a cat around than a stupid mouse any day.
28. I wish Heavenly Father had not created mice, crickets, grasshoppers, mosquitoes and flies.
29. I am really picky about spelling and grammar.
30. Joey's teacher sends notes home with spelling and grammar mistakes and it drives me crazy!
31. I think I'll only wear Crocs shoes from now on. I have 4 pair now.
32. I hate high heels (I love how they look, but they're not worth the pain).
33. I have already started listening to Christmas music.
34. I think our family knew Mike & Mary in the pre-existence.
35. I am proud that I graduated college magna cum laude.
36. I am interested in Family History and would like to have more time to work on it.
37. I hate my double chin (which seems to be getting worse the older I get).
38. I love my mommy and my daddy.
39. I had the best family growing up, better than any other family in the entire world.
40. I have a migraine every month with my period.
41. I can't wait until menopause.
42. I love Thanksgiving.
43. I love Christmas.
44. I love holidays in general.
45. Lasik surgery was one of the best things I ever did. I'm convinced that Jesus healed my blindness with a laser, just like He used mud in the old days.
46. I'm having a hard time thinking of things to write.
47. I have written half of a novel; I wonder if I'll ever finish it.
48. I have always known that Heavenly Father lives and that Jesus is my savior and that they love me.
49. I do a lot of things, but not very well, y'know, jack of all trades but master of none.
50. I can't believe I'm only half way through this list.
51. I went parasailing and I loved it. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
52. I always wanted to go sky diving, but I've kind of decided I don't want to anymore.
53. I love to snorkel, even though I can't swim.
54. I can't keep water out of my nose when I try to swim and I can't tread water.
55. I hate my ugly feet.
56. Sometimes when I look in the mirror, I see one of my sisters.
57. I'm going to vote for McCain/Palin.
58. I want a whole bunch of grandchildren.
59. I'd much rather be called Granny than Grandma.
60. I hate the telephone.
61. I miss the days when my girls were little.
62. Sometimes I feel like a teenager inside a 46-year-old body.
63. When I was little, other kids didn't believe that I had 7 grandmas and 3 grandpas, but I did (two grandmas, two grandpas, one great-grandpa, 4 great-grandmas, 1 step great-grandma).
64. When I was little, I couldn't tell my great-grandma Ernstsen from my great-grandma Ellett.
65. When I was little, I thought there were only two religions in the world: Mormon and Catholic.
66. Sometimes I wonder why I am me.
67. I hate that I act so ditzy and stupid sometimes.
68. I wish I had short-term memory.
69. I love autumn. It's my favorite season.
70. I hate being hot, but I also hate being cold. I want to live somewhere where it's 75 degrees all year.
71. At work, I have been parking in the patient parking area for over a year and haven't gotten a ticket. When I get a ticket, I'll start parking legally.
72. I dig sticking needles into people.
73. I have a secret desire to be in the witness protection program and invent a new identity for myself.
74. I don't want a new identity because I love my family and love being part of them.
75. Every Sunday I mess up on the organ at least once.
76. I love the improvements we have made to our house. I am once again in love with my house.
77. I want to live in the Caribbean.
78. I want to go on a cruise about six times a year.
79. I love going out to eat.
80. I want to see the Phantom in Las Vegas again.
81. I like nerdy music that no one else likes.
82. I never send Christmas cards.
83. I hate Christmas shopping.
84. I wish I had no hair on my body from the neck down.
85. It's not a death-wish, but I look forward to dying as my next great adventure. I want someone to put "I'm off on my next adventure" on my tombstone.
86. I love to keep a vegetable garden and I love to eat vegetables (except onions).
87. I would like to live in a huge ancient castle.
88. After my brother died, I was afraid of the dark for about a year.
89. I love the yearly camp-out with all the Albrecht family. I can't wait until next year's!
90. My favorite thing to do ever is to dance.
91. I would like to live back in Utah someday.
92. I love to read.
93. Once I went door-to-door all over a neighborhood in SLC to retrieve a stolen pair of shoes for my little girl; I did get them.
94. I can do anything I really believe I can do.
95. Teeth and mouths gross me out.
96. I would like to be less gossipy.
97. I can't stand the feel of nail files.
98. I have probably been in every public restroom between Denver and Salt Lake.
99. I got a flu shot today.
100. Mike is my best friend.
1. My entire legal name is Kathy; no middle name, no Kathryn, just boring ol' Kathy.
2. When I was a little girl I told people my middle name was Jane because I was embarrassed to not have one and Jane was the first name I thought of.
3. Now I tell people my middle name is Elizabeth because I'm embarrassed to not have one and I love that name.
4. I'm not really embarrassed to not have a middle name.
5. I am 46 years old.
6. I am a Gemini but I don't really believe in that stuff.
7. When I was a child I wanted to be a hermit;
8. Or a scientist;
9. Or a writer.
10. I still want to be a hermit.
11. When I dreamed of being a hermit, I imagined myself living in the mountains in a log cabin with a pet deer.
12. I hate doing my hair and make-up.
13. I can put make-up on in about two minutes flat.
14. I hate the haircut I have right now.
15. I would like to lose 10 pounds.
16. I like food way too much.
17. I'm going to be the bride of Frankenstein for Halloween.
18. I would rather be nurse to a Hispanic pregnant woman than a White one (Hispanic women are really good at labor; they wait until their labor is well advanced before they come to the hospital, they don't carry on like hyenas, they just get down to work and get the job done).
19. I love my family more than anything else in the entire world.
20. I have the best kids who have ever lived or who will ever live on this planet.
21. I have the cutest and best grand kids who will ever live on this planet.
22. I am so proud of and thankful for Mike.
23. I love strawberry shortcake.
24. I could eat pizza every day of the week.
25. I REALLY hate eggs.
26. I am allergic to cats. They make me get blisters on the whites of my eyes.
27. I would rather have a cat around than a stupid mouse any day.
28. I wish Heavenly Father had not created mice, crickets, grasshoppers, mosquitoes and flies.
29. I am really picky about spelling and grammar.
30. Joey's teacher sends notes home with spelling and grammar mistakes and it drives me crazy!
31. I think I'll only wear Crocs shoes from now on. I have 4 pair now.
32. I hate high heels (I love how they look, but they're not worth the pain).
33. I have already started listening to Christmas music.
34. I think our family knew Mike & Mary in the pre-existence.
35. I am proud that I graduated college magna cum laude.
36. I am interested in Family History and would like to have more time to work on it.
37. I hate my double chin (which seems to be getting worse the older I get).
38. I love my mommy and my daddy.
39. I had the best family growing up, better than any other family in the entire world.
40. I have a migraine every month with my period.
41. I can't wait until menopause.
42. I love Thanksgiving.
43. I love Christmas.
44. I love holidays in general.
45. Lasik surgery was one of the best things I ever did. I'm convinced that Jesus healed my blindness with a laser, just like He used mud in the old days.
46. I'm having a hard time thinking of things to write.
47. I have written half of a novel; I wonder if I'll ever finish it.
48. I have always known that Heavenly Father lives and that Jesus is my savior and that they love me.
49. I do a lot of things, but not very well, y'know, jack of all trades but master of none.
50. I can't believe I'm only half way through this list.
51. I went parasailing and I loved it. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
52. I always wanted to go sky diving, but I've kind of decided I don't want to anymore.
53. I love to snorkel, even though I can't swim.
54. I can't keep water out of my nose when I try to swim and I can't tread water.
55. I hate my ugly feet.
56. Sometimes when I look in the mirror, I see one of my sisters.
57. I'm going to vote for McCain/Palin.
58. I want a whole bunch of grandchildren.
59. I'd much rather be called Granny than Grandma.
60. I hate the telephone.
61. I miss the days when my girls were little.
62. Sometimes I feel like a teenager inside a 46-year-old body.
63. When I was little, other kids didn't believe that I had 7 grandmas and 3 grandpas, but I did (two grandmas, two grandpas, one great-grandpa, 4 great-grandmas, 1 step great-grandma).
64. When I was little, I couldn't tell my great-grandma Ernstsen from my great-grandma Ellett.
65. When I was little, I thought there were only two religions in the world: Mormon and Catholic.
66. Sometimes I wonder why I am me.
67. I hate that I act so ditzy and stupid sometimes.
68. I wish I had short-term memory.
69. I love autumn. It's my favorite season.
70. I hate being hot, but I also hate being cold. I want to live somewhere where it's 75 degrees all year.
71. At work, I have been parking in the patient parking area for over a year and haven't gotten a ticket. When I get a ticket, I'll start parking legally.
72. I dig sticking needles into people.
73. I have a secret desire to be in the witness protection program and invent a new identity for myself.
74. I don't want a new identity because I love my family and love being part of them.
75. Every Sunday I mess up on the organ at least once.
76. I love the improvements we have made to our house. I am once again in love with my house.
77. I want to live in the Caribbean.
78. I want to go on a cruise about six times a year.
79. I love going out to eat.
80. I want to see the Phantom in Las Vegas again.
81. I like nerdy music that no one else likes.
82. I never send Christmas cards.
83. I hate Christmas shopping.
84. I wish I had no hair on my body from the neck down.
85. It's not a death-wish, but I look forward to dying as my next great adventure. I want someone to put "I'm off on my next adventure" on my tombstone.
86. I love to keep a vegetable garden and I love to eat vegetables (except onions).
87. I would like to live in a huge ancient castle.
88. After my brother died, I was afraid of the dark for about a year.
89. I love the yearly camp-out with all the Albrecht family. I can't wait until next year's!
90. My favorite thing to do ever is to dance.
91. I would like to live back in Utah someday.
92. I love to read.
93. Once I went door-to-door all over a neighborhood in SLC to retrieve a stolen pair of shoes for my little girl; I did get them.
94. I can do anything I really believe I can do.
95. Teeth and mouths gross me out.
96. I would like to be less gossipy.
97. I can't stand the feel of nail files.
98. I have probably been in every public restroom between Denver and Salt Lake.
99. I got a flu shot today.
100. Mike is my best friend.
Friday, October 17, 2008
More pictures of the house
Before the carpet was put in.
Oops! I should have rotated this one. Turn your head sideways to look at it :)
The House Work is Finished (For Now)
The kitchen tile is finished. The painting is finished. The carpet is finished! It looks beautiful and we plan to sit home all winter and enjoy it.
This picture shows the faux painting on the walls, along with a picture of Megan and Andrew. Check out his grin.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
House Work Continues...and Rachel visits!
The kitchen floor is done and looks beautiful. Now this year's episode of This Old House continues. Mike and Joey tore all the old wallpaper off in the dining room to get it ready to paint. Underneath the wallpaper was a stenciled border that I'm guessing was done in the nineteen-teens. 
On the west wall there is also a window that's been cemented over. On the other side of the wall is the bathroom, so I'm guessing the window was there before someone added indoor plumbing.RACHEL CAME TO VISIT (with Mike & Mary, of course!) We had such a fun weekend with them, as we always do. The are such great people. I truly feel that we have just extended our family more to add the three of them. People keeps asking me things like, "Did Mindy get to see her baby?" and, "Do you ever hear how she's doing?" This adoption is very open and we LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!!!
Mindy's boyfriend, Jake, met Rachel for the first time. Aren't they cute? She sure looked tiny in his arms!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Guest in the garden
So, you may know that I love to keep a vegetable garden in the summer. The other day I found a little friend in my tomatoes. I think this is called a "cat-face" spider. It's pretty impressive if you zoom in on it's cat face, which is actually its bottom.
I took this picture from the other side. It's harder to see because the sun was in my eyes when facing this direction, but the spider is in the top right corner.
Our house is always a work in progress!
So now we are working on the house again. We are replacing the kitchen floor with tile. It's going to be so pretty! We are also going to get new carpet downstairs, which means I want to re-paint the walls, too. One project always leads to another! I'm hoping to have it all done by Thanksgiving.
This is what the floor looked like for a day or so. Lovely. It always looks worse before it looks better.In the center picture you can see the old linoleum from the 1930s. It was underneath the new floor that was done in 1983 and then the one that was done in 1998.
Okay, I can't figure out how to move the pictures to where I want them, but in the top picture (which I want at the bottom!) you can see the new tile going in. Quite a difference!
Someone please comment and tell me how to move pictures around when I'm posting.
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