Change....I hate it!

For explanation of why these pics are here, read on!
Above, San Francisco's Orpheum theater where we have seen some of our favorite Broadway Musicals.
Below:The El tracks in Chicago

A few weeks ago the kids got a virus on my computer. I was devastated.

I use my computer all. the. time.

When I need my mood picked up I go through photos, I digi-scrap, I mess around with things in Photoshop and last but not least I surf the web and shop!

Paul was trying to fix it and then HP took over and sent the computer back to the way it was right out of the box. I was able to keep all of my files (for that I am grateful) but I lost all of my programs.

That night Paul announced that he bought me a new, beautiful, Mac. It is suppose to be the greatest thing for photo work and designing. In theory that sounded great!

Well to say that the transition has been hard is an understatement. I am now trying to figure out where all my files are, trying to learn PS CS4 (there are some tiny little changes from PS CS that drive me nuts) and trying to decide if I really wanted a Mac. I am leaning toward no. I am a creature of habit and nothing is the same.

I did find a file on one of my externals that had some of my favorite photos in it from our trips and favorite places. Last night I added to it (an excuse for me to learn a bit about iPhoto)

So in an effort to see what I have figured out, I am posting a ton of my favorite photos. Some of these look better in color, but then I wouldn’t have had as much to play with, would I?

See now I have already run into problems. I can't move the order of my photos. Growl, hiss, spat!!! I also seem to have lost my cursor. Wait, now it is back. I also thought everything was going to be underlined but I got that worked out miraculously. I don't know how I did it though.

It might be a while before I post pics from our most recent Disneyland trip.......

Manti, Utah
Disneyland Castle dressed for Christmas
Salt Lake City, Utah
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas, Nevada
Seattle, Washington
San Francisco, Ca.
Santa Cruz, Ca.
Space Needle in Seattle, Washington
Delicate Arch in Arches National Park: Moab, Ut.
San Fransisco, Ca.
Salt Lake Temple
The temple and the capitol building
The Chicago Theater
Details of the theater
Yosemite, Ca.
It's a Small World
The "Golden Gate Bridge"
Disneyland Castle
PiPi's in Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Valarta, Mexico
Manti, Utah
The streets of San Fransisco
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Half Dome in Yosemite
Chicago Skyline
Postcard Row in San Francisco
The Hancock Building
From the bay, Puerto Vallarta
The Castle Again
Fisherman's Warf
Las Vegas, Nevada
Manti, Utah
Stolkholm Sweden. We were there in 2000 before we went digital so my photos from this trip are all on film. This is the only one I have scanned.
Day out with Thomas in Heber, Utah
Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada

BYU vs. San Diego State

We had a great time today at the BYU game. It was the first for the kids and they loved it. We got there early so they were able to play games at the tale gate party and win some free stuff. We also got to see the band perform before they entered the stadium and Emma got to meet some of the flag girls. We knew our friends were going to be at the same game but had NO clue that they would be two rows in front of us!BYU won 41-12. Go Cougars!

Take Two!

If you had driven past my house tonight you probably would have thought we had all lost our ever loving minds. Yes, we were in our front yard, on Nov. 7th, dressed to the nines, for Halloween!

It wasn't until too late on Friday the 31st that I realized I hadn't gotten any pictures of the kids alone in their costumes. I really wanted a do over so a week later we did it all again. We did the hair, the make-up and the costumes. Paul even came home early to take the pictures of us before it got too dark. He is such a great guy. He will go to great lengths to make me happy.

The kids were so embarrassed each time a car drove by but they were still troopers and didn't hardly complain. I am so glad that we did this. Now I can let Halloween go for this year. Do you think I obsess way too much?

This is Halloween

Halloween 2008 has come and gone.

My parents and I went to the school to watch the kids in their parade. I was in full my Cruella DeVille costume and even got offered three quarters by one of the bishopric members to wear it to church!

After the parade I went to Emma's class and I hosted the mummy wrap game. We had two teams compete against each other. One-two kids wrap toilet paper around another kid and who ever got done first won. We played Halloween music for the whole class. I had Triller, Dead Mans Party, This is Halloween (both the movie version and the Marilyn Manson version) and Ghostbusters rockin' on my Ipod. We even danced a little when the game ended too soon.

Once school was over we came home and waited. We had a really yummy dinner of Pumpkin shaped pizza, homemade breadsticks (sooo good) and salad. Once we were done with dinner it was time to get ready.
I don't know if people started early this year of if we were just really late, either way we were rushed. As soon as everyone was ready it started to sprinkle. The pictures were cut short (I am 100% seriousl about dressing all of us again and trying for more shots) and so was the trick or treating. What is weird is that Paul said we got more people at our house than in years past. I can't figure that out.

The kids ended up with more than enough candy but it just wasn't the same. There weren't the streets full of excited kids running crazy through our neighborhood. We all had a good time though.

Can you believe people asked if I was wearing a wig!?!

I can now start thinking about what we will be next year......

I'm So Excited and I Just Can't Hide It!

I can't wait for Friday. In honor of Halloween I decided to round up pictures of Halloween past.
This is Paul and I on our first Halloween as a married couple (1996). I had gotten this faux fur from a neighbor. She bought it to make a giant teddy bear but never got around to it. She would probably die if she knew I made it into a caveman costume. Somehow I convinced him that it would be a good idea to dress up. I don't think that he has worn a costume since.

Emma was right at five weeks for her first Halloween. I made a dalmatian costume out of felt and one of her sleepers. She was so cute in her tail and floppy ears but everyone kept calling her a cow.
The next year I made Emma into an M&M(1999). This was a pretty easy costume to make and she stayed nice and warm. We spent that Halloween in Utah visiting her twin cousins who were just two months old.

This was the last year (2000) that I made a homemade costume. I was pregnant with Andrew and once he came there was no time left for sewing. I am still not sure how I managed to make this. I don't think that I have sewn anything requiring a pattern since.

This was Andrew's first Halloween. (2001)I loved the idea of having the kids in themed costumes. He was right at six month and was just learning to sit on his own. If we didn't have him propped up just right he would fall over and his padded belly would stick up. He looked like a bug stuck on its back. Paul and I couldn't help but crack up laughing at him. The next year we stuck with the Disney theme. Andrew was mobile at this point making it almost impossible to get a photo of both of the kids together. (2002)This was our first Halloween living in Utah. (2003) Look at all of that wretched white stuff. Barf! It was sooo cold that night that Emma started crying that she was freezing to death and all of her green make-up streaked down her face. Poor little thing. Welcome to Utah.

The weather was much better this year. (2004)We had a toasty warm unicorn and Frankenstein. This was also Emma's first year at public school where she got to do the school parade. I went to help out in her class room feeling very festive in my orange shirt and Halloween argyle socks. When I got there I was shocked at how many parents came in costume. It was on. From that point forward I started dressing up again. This year (2005) I was an Elizabethan Queen, Andrew was Darth Vader and Emma was a butterfly (She isn't a regular fly, I swear!) I loved this costume. It was so much fun dressing up again. We had a great time that year.In 2006 Emma was a geisha, Andrew was a dinosaur and I was a red and black devil thing. This was the first year that they kids just went and went and went. It take a lot of energy to trick or treat this neighborhood with all the hills but they just kept plugging along. They got so much candy that they had to empty their bags and then they went out for more.

In 2007 and we were all spooky gouls. Emma and I (you can see me in costume in older posts) were Spider Web Ghosts and Andrew was the Guaze Reaper.

Have I mentioned that I am excited for Friday? Hip Hip Hooray for Halloween!

The Pumpkin Patch

We went to Harward Farms' Pumpkin Patch in Springville tonight for family home evening. I enjoyed every minute of it. The kids had a great time too. Paul was a good sport but was pretty much just along for the ride. There was an amazing sunset that made the night very special.
Geez I thought these pictures would show up better. I will be working on them over the next day or so.

So I decided to leave the others but add some of my favorites full sized (well as full sized as you can get on here)

Baby Girl and Mommy

Think this would be too big?

Me and my babiesDaddy and the babiesAndrew and MommyPaul and his pumpkinThe kids in the sunset

I was Tagged by Rees

Thanks Rees! A List of Eights

8 TV Shows I Love to Watch (if I have time)
I love to watch
1) Days of our Lives (hangs head in shame)
2) Project Runway
3) America’s Next Top Model (hanging head again)
4) Survivor (I even gamble on this one, I won once!)
5) Lipstick Jungle
6) Dancing with the Stars
7) So You Think You Can Dance (there will never be another Neil)
8) Amazing Race ( Do you think Paul and I would make a good bickering couple?)

8 Things that Happened Yesterday
1) I got up early to let Steve in to finish my house
2) I read several chapters in my book
3) I took a nap
4) I went on a date with my hubby
5) I got two meals at Noodles (they screwed up my order, told me to start eating the wrong one while they made the right one and then felt like a pig when I had two full sized bowls of food in front of me)
6) I got depressed while shopping at the mall (I’m not ready to be an old lady yet, but I feel too mature for the junior stuff. Where are 30 year olds suppose to shop?)
7) Went to Kneaders for turtle cheesecake and a caramel apple (dessert always helps)
8) Went to Macey’s to get Candy Corn Kisses and Yogurt (did you know that the grocery store is dead on a Friday night?)

8 Favorite Places to Eat
1) Las Tarascas
2) Mama Chu’s
3) Café Rio
4) Baja Fresh
5) Favela’s (Can you tell I like Mexican?)
6) Claim Jumper
7) Zachary’s Pizza in Berkley, Ca.
8) Cattleman’s Steak House


8 Things I Look Forward To
1) Days that I can sleep in
2) Halloween (it is my #1 favorite holiday)
3) Vacations (I like the little short ones with few expectations. They rejuvenate me)
4) My house being back to normal (hopefully this week!!!)
5) Paul graduating (who knows if I will ever see the day…sigh…)
6) Valentine’s Day (I love the traditions that we have. It makes it so fun to look forward to. I also know that after mid-Feb. my world will start to be in color again very soon. I hate winter)
7) Spring
8) The holiday sales (Paul and I try to do most of our Christmas shopping on Black Friday and we also like to go out after Christmas)

8 Things on my Wish List
My material wish list
1) A new setting for my wedding ring
2) A great haircut (why is this sooo hard?)
3) A new fancy sewing machine, no wait, a new buffet and hutch
4) A boob job and tummy tuck
My Spiritual Wish list
5) A way to avoid all temptation
6) Celestial Glory for me and all of my loved ones
7) The ability to do all the things I am asked to do, you know, service stuff (LOL!)
8) More knowledge in this life

Eight people I tag:
Unfortunately I don't know eight bloggers (that haven't already been tagged)
If you read my blog, you have been tagged!!!