Summer has begun!

I feel like summer has officially begun, even though it seems Spring barely made a showing. But I guess that's what happens when you have a water-balloon fight and grill Brats out on the deck. :)

Abby liked the silly ones with "babies" on them.
This one had a particularly big baby.
So cuddly. :)

We each had one of each color. We decided to play catch instead of fighting. Violence is never the answer. I wasn't very good at catching, so I broke the most, and had the most break on me. Oh well, I probably needed the shower.
Here are some older pictures of Abby teaching her friends Mattie and Anna how to make earrings.

Spring! Glorious Spring!

This is my "Ode to Spring". I took all of the pictures before the one of Temple Square in Utah, but I included all the rest because I thought they were so pretty, and wanted it to be longer so I could listen to Vivaldi's "Spring" a little longer.

Science Fair!!!

Abby, with help setting up from her friend, Violet, entered the science fair. They decided to do an Earthquake simulator.

It consisted of a large cardboard box that used to house a wardrobe donated by the furniture store, a vibrating massage chair, and some energetic little "box wobblers" named Abby and Violet. They even randomly dropped empty grocery bags on the "victim" so simulate debris.
Here is a shot through the peephole before it was covered to keep all curious kids from spoiling the experience.

Dubbed "Earthquake Terror" with the disclaimer: 5 yrs and up, unless not easily scared.

Eager participants lined up to wait their turn and read facts about earthquakes to pass the time. Her exhibit was a total hit! Good job Abby!

this is abby i am having so much fun with jessica. And i hope she can stay longer then she is assigned to. She is such a delight. She is the best live in nanny i could ever have because she teaches you new things and she loves to do art and so do i. She is the best!!!!!!!:)

Lifetime Customer of Discount Tires

Today of all days, I got a flat tire. I drove over a nail quite a way away from home. And it is the day Janet is in Chicago, of all days. By the time I realized it, I just happened to be 1 block from Tires Plus. I called, but they wanted $20 to come check it out. So, figuring the tire was a goner anyhow since I had been driving on it, I drove the block to their store. They still wanted $20 just to help put on my spare. I wanted them to help put on the spare so I could go to Discount Tire Co. where I got the tire originally. They then tried convincing me and pressuring me that Discount wouldn't have my records and that I should give them $101 for a new tire, which they said was $3 off the price at Discount. Uh huh, right. So I made a phone call, and Discount said basically, "Duh. We have the internet. We have your record. Pay the lazy bums to put on your spare, come here, and we'll refund it." So that's what I did, since I already didn't trust these guys. Sure enough, with my road hazard certificate it only cost $9.50 and they gave me CASH BACK to refund the fee at Tires Plus!!! Plus it took them WAY less time!!! And they were much nicer. The guy at the desk at Tires Plus ignored me twice for a phone call and to give someone advice about their wireless plan. ?!?! I will be a lifetime customer of Discount Tire.

Minnesota=The Good Life

Hello, All!

I promise, I didn't fall off the face of the Earth! I am in Minneapolis, MN. Actually, it's a little suburb of Minneapolis, called St. Louis Park.

The drive out here was pretty uneventful- just how it ought to be! I stayed in a little hotel in the little town of Cozad, Nebraska- "Home of the Haymakers"- population 4,181. They boast a plant that manufactures shock absorbers, employing a whopping total of 700 people, and a plastic plant that manufactures privacy fencing. Woot woot! Other attractions mentioned in the one paragraph about the town on www.CozadNebraska.com are: horseshoe pits, playground equipment, and an outdoor walking track.

So far, Andrew and I have made Greek Yogurt (is it still Greek if it was made in America by Americans, with American ingredients and equipment?), walked around a few lakes, celebrated Easter with his family (including an Easter egg hunt in which I was the youngest participant), attended my new ward, and played games like Scrabble and Book of Mormon Golf on his iPod touch, and Blokus.

I haven't gotten lost too much, thanks to help from Andrew's GPS, and Google Maps. I babysat for a woman named Stephanie twice. Her two little girls are so cute! Danica- 3 and 1/2 and Carly- 7 months.

I'm loving my home here with Janet and Abby. They are both really nice, and Abby is so funny! Her laugh is totally contagious. She is very active- performing a contortionist act for the circus, soccer, fund-raisers, science fair, etc. Janet got me in to a special showing of "I Am" at the Uptown theater. It was packed because the producer (also star of the documentary) was there, and Oprah had had him on her show, so word got out. Janet's friend had something to do with sponsoring the event. It was very good, and I think everyone should see it. They made a nice room for me that has 3 windows, with a lovely view of their awesome yard. I was surprised to wake up to snow one morning, and two deer in the yard were surprised to see me a few days ago.

Oscar has made me feel pretty welcome, too.

I have yet to catch this crazy cat in his "sitting like a human" pose, but when I do, I'll definitely post it.

My friend Amber is awesome! She's working for a company that helps people sell their products online, and recently sent me a link on how to make an inexpensive "Light Tent" so I can take better pictures of my jewelry. I love it so much! It's even inspiring me to make more jewelry, just so I have more subject matter to photograph! Thanks again, Amber!

These are some of my first tries. Click on the link in the right-hand sidebar for the rest of my updated gallery.