ChopStix Commercial

This was taken on April 1st.  Clark and I weren't planning on being in the commercial until the morning of.  Jonathan was starting to think that there might not be enough people coming to make the restaurant look full.  Then he was getting a bit nervous that it was only going to be older couples (who his John & Gary had invited).  He then asked me to call my sisters and come for lunch just in case.  It was just too short of notice for them.  He did get to work and there were only a few couples there.  No children and young families.  He called me and asked me to come quick.  I only had about a 20 min. notice and it takes 17 min. to get to Lethbridge.  So, I started calling a few friends here in town, but nobody was answering.  I ran to the school for Clark.  His teachers were looking a bit anxious at first because I came running in and asked if I could take him.  I soon realized what it must look like for them and quickly explained that we need to be in a commercial by 10 a.m.  They all laughed and asked if they could all come.  One of the teachers has a daughter in the class and I asked if I could borrow her (as my own beautiful tv daughter, hee, hee).  So we burned into town and had just missed the start of the commercial with the pan of the restaurant.  Oh well, or so I thought.

We were visiting with Jonathan and his dad by the food and then ordered ourselves some since we didn't need to be in the commercial anymore.  Just as we made our way to the end of the line by the cashier, the director said, "now this is our next shot".   It felt like a bit of a gut punch, and then turned quickly into hard to control giggles.  As you will see at the end of the commercial if you watch fast.  It is only 15 seconds.  

When I got home, I had a few messages from my friends asking if it was an April Fool's joke!  It was pretty funny and a fun morning for us.  The next day at Clark's school, all the girls swarmed me and said that they want to be in the commercial next time.  Maybe next April Fool's day girls!

A bit busy?!!!

Well, not quite as busy as my sister, but I got a small taste of what it might be like to have 4 kids.  The night Keri went into labor I had her three girls sleep over.  Later, I got the call that she was heading to the hospital.  My mom & my sister (who's a nurse) were both out of town which made Keri's husband a bit nervous because they had always done "that" with her, while he just loved her and held her hand for their previous three babies.  I was very excited but that made me a little nervous too because I hadn't ever done "that" role either (lived away for 10 yrs).  Fortunately, everything went wonderful.  Low key, laid back, ; ) hee, hee, no seriously, she didn't break a sweat and was all checked in minutes before midnight and the two sweet babes arrived at 3:30 a.m.  It was a pleasant experienced for all involved, even Keri.  She said she'd do it again!  ; )

We then jetted off to Texas a few days later and she brought them home while we were away.  Then my brother and his wife had their sweet little angel on St. Patrick's day,  the day we were flying home.  He arrived safely but not too excited to eat and they kept him in the NICU for a week.  I am just starting to get pictures of him & trying to match everyone's schedules is  hard.  

Two days after our trip to TX, I shot my first wedding of 2009.  It was beautiful and a great time.  It always makes me so nervous and excited at the same time that my stomach hurts.  Excited anxiety, I call it.  Since then, I haven't had a chance to sit still.  There are newborns everywhere.  They smell so yummy!  I can't wait to post their sweetness soon on my photography blog & website.  Not to mention families and grads already too!  I am having so much fun.  However, on a shoot yesterday a shotgun went off twice!!!  OK, we were trespassing.  I will elaborate on that story next post.  

My final big new is I finally have my own internet!!!  I have loved my laptop and the convenience and warmth that it gives to me.  Going to my mom's or my father in law's driveway (only late at night or just to quickly check email) was nice and welcoming, BUT there is nothing like surfing in your p.j.'s, bra-less and on your own couch, in case you fall asleep during your surf.  I think that is what is happening right now as my fingers are getting slower and my almost over the top, yet, out of my cave, description of internet access in my own home, is getting a little over done.  Maybe I should just stick to uploading pictures and keeping my word at a minimum (or at least post in daylight hours).

Nice start or what?

OK, why is this difficult for me?  I enjoy blogs and trying to journal our life a bit, because it all happens so fast and I'm a bit forgetful.  AHA!  That is the reason, maybe, because I forget, duh!

I'm still going to play catch up a bit, since Jan & Feb are months of cabin fever and a little slow in the excitement department.  However, we did celebrate a lot of birthdays in our family in January, 20 between Jonathan's family & mine and one of our little friends, Alivia who just turned 6 and recently moved to Australia.  We only have 10 this month of Feb.  That be a lot of cake!!!  

Holy New Year!!!

Family Reunion @ Aspen Grove, Utah

Seattle in June

Boston in May

Umm... I hope y'all didn't notice that almost a whole year has slipped by on this poor neglected blog.  (I just found a draft saved from August, maybe I was trying)  I have quite a few reasons, but still embarrassed that it did happen.  Always room for resolutions.  So ringing out the old, this is a bit of what we did since our last post.  ; )  Happy New Year & the very best in 2009!!!

When It Rains, We Shop!

Clark & I traveled with my in.laws to visit family in Oregon. We were gone for seven days and during those days it snowed, hailed, rained, and was sunny & gorgeous! From what I know, OR is really not that big into snow, in fact, this time of year is usually quite pleasant and very picture-esque. The blossoms on the trees were gorgeous, sometimes they were hard to see through the huge snow flakes. I was very excited to go to the tulip festival and play around. When we arrived it was snowing. I thought for sure my pics would be from inside the car, lame but proof we were there. Then as we were heading out of the grounds the sun came out. We all got out and let the kids run around while I headed into the field. I was pretty bummed as you can see, that the tulips weren't opening because of the cold front. My only trooper tulips were these red and yellow ones. How fun are they to be in line with the cute windmill too?! I'll be sure to go middle-end April next time. That is some flower power! Speaking of power, we got our shopping in with all that gloomy weather, ok, we would have done so anyway. Lindy (sis.in.law) took us up to Portland and we shopped fast and hard. Ah, all those stores, so little time! We managed our faves, of course.



all tulips out there, rain rain go away!

Sunday we drove out to the coast. It was cold and raining/snowing when we left Salem. Jonah (bro.in.law) kept teasing how it would be a "drive by shoot" for me. Not again, I thought. As we came around the corner for our first coastal view, the sun was shining and everybody was out. It was gorgeous! I love the ocean, how could it not be. It was Clark's first time seeing the ocean. He thought it was cool, but seemed to like the beach and all it's findings better. He looked for crabs, driftwood, seaweed, etc. and wouldn't do seashell patrol. Then he got his feet all soaked as the tide started coming in and caught him by surprise. He loved that! Then all the kids were doing it! I loved how he got right to work in this pic. He is always working. I have lots more pics but they need to be converted. These are the pics he took to preschool for show and tell. We had a great time and appreciated Lindy & Jonah's hospitality and their darling early birds (for me, anyway). I will post some more pics later.

A "herd", "school", "group", what have you, of sea lions just across the cove from us. They look dead, but we did see a few of them moving around and swimming in the water.

Man Rituals

I'm all for the "Man Rituals" ~testosterone in the air, sweaty men in tight pants, roughin' each other up on the fields or the courts, but when it comes to my man drawing blood or keeling over in pain from receiving a slapshot to his manhood, well my opinion changes completely. His first incident was the slapshot. He said he has never felt that kind of pain ever. He was on the ground for about five minutes. One guy said his eyes were rolling in the back of his head. He laid in the snow for about 10 minutes afterward, he needed the numbing, and still got up to play.
Last Thursday, he was being, probably, over aggressive (for his age, hee, hee) and him and another guy were going to fast and hard and straight into the net, totally NOT of their own accord. He came into the house with his hands covered in blood and said jokingly, "you should see the other guy". I then grabbed the camera to really zoom in to see the gash. We were uncertain if he needed stitches and since we live in Canada now, we were more than happy to get a professional opinion. However, Jonathan didn't want to go right then, he wanted to finish the game. While at the hospital to get his glue and bandage, he ran into a friend from high school and they laughed, compared scars and reminisced their days of intense floor hockey and after school fights. Good times for them (if only they were sweaty or in tight pants, ok, I'll leave that to the professionals as well) Jonathan is protesting wearing a helmet but will give in, because IT always happens in threes, and I think his teeth are next. He is faithfully wearing a cup, and I asked him from across the backyard during his game, "Honey, are you wearing protection?" The guys had a chuckle from that and I believe many have heeded the warning. The game must go on, no matter the scar or the age.


neighbor hood sport court in Bikman's backyard. pic was taken last summer, obviously. we are still quite brown up here.

the perfect blog?! no such thing!

Ya right!
I only titled it that way because I have been talking with people and hearing their opinions of blogs vs. facebook, yada yadas... "I don't have the time", "it's too much work", and one friend said she couldn't keep up with all the clever & creative posts and updates that she had come across, to feel that her blog would even be interesting. I said, WHATEVER, just have at it. I love reading the different personalities and thoughts and "excuses" of the slow-to-update-ers. LOVE IT! I still think this is more fun and I appreciate all the creative juice out there, sometimes it can get stifled with all the hats women wear these days. Keep it up or get one started! BLOG POWER!