Jiggety, jig...

I'm home again - worn out from over 1500 miles of driving - but full up of good stories! I'll post more when I'm...less...tired...

A week gone by...

So hard to believe that a week has gone by - and I've logged just about 1000 miles in the car since Friday. For anyone interested, I did get my research work done and turned in and then I packed my bags and left for a Spring Break road trip. I've spent a few days with my aunt and uncle in Boise - having a perfect picnic lunch at the auction and lots of visiting with all the fam there.

Then on Sunday afternoon I blazed my way across Idaho to my Grandma and Grandpa's house in Idaho Falls - again more really good food and visiting. I also got to go to "Club" with my Grandma. This is a group of ladies that have been friends and officially meeting once a month for over fifty years. Yes, 5-0 years. And it was a really big deal to be invited to Club. There will be a separate Club posting. I also got to go to the Idaho Falls Temple with my Grandma at her usual time: Tuesdays at 8:00 a.m. It was a really nice session - and even better to be there with my Grandma and all of her temple-going friends.

Yesterday I drove from Idaho Falls to Perry, Utah to deliver a package from one of our missionaries to his family there. The sad thing is: I don't think it was a very exciting package for his family to receive but it was packed in a Coors Light box...so that's good! It was cool to see where Elder Wyatt came from and meet his mom.

Then from Perry down to Layton, where I'll spend a few days visiting with the Malleys and having a dinner with the Binghams. I do wish I was able to stay longer - but I'm headed back to Boise on Friday for the Crockpot's 50th Birthday!! Then back to Portland for a day of rest and then the Spring Term begins. Yee-Haw.

In really big trouble...

So I'm sitting here - doing everything I can to avoid this final project. It's a few short essays about the different parts of my Gilbert and Sullivan research project - which will be continuing into next quarter. But I couldn't be less interested if I tried. Obviously my blogs are up to date, my purse is organized, I've taken a trip to the D.I. truck with things...I've straightened my hair. People - it's bad. If my fingers didn't hurt so bad from last night, I would finish the crocheted edge on a baby blanket I'm working on for the Relief Society.

Yes the papers are due tomorrow - and no...I just don't care.

Basics made so easy...

My newest love is ReadTheScriptures.com. It is such a fun way to read the scriptures each day - you should check it out. I have never been more fastidious in my daily scripture reading than when it's delivered to my e-mail box each day! I also love listening to the audio scriptures while I do laundry...yeah. I'm that guy, huh?

PostSecret.com

My friend, Reyna, told me about the PostSecret project about a month ago. A man asked people to mail their secrets - something they'd never told anyone before. They should be the size of a postcard and he has them mailed to his home. He reads them, and posts just 20 of the hundreds he receives each week on his website. He's also put together three books, with a fourth on the way, of some of the postcards. He also travels with the postcards as an art exhibit. After one visit to the website, I became obsessed. If you're not familiar - and you already have enough hobbies and time occupiers in your life - don't get the books or link to the website. It is so addictive. You've been warned: PostSecret.com . The secrets and postcards that people send in can be funny or heartbreaking and some may find a few of them shocking. But I've always felt compassion for the authors of these secrets. It's an amazing effect that this project and these postcards have.

Today the project creator, Frank Warren, had an appearance here in Portland at Powell's City of Books on Burnside. I'd put it on the calendar and invited my mom to come with me. We drove down and then rode the street car over to Powell's. This was a first for us - we'd never been to a book reading or any kind of an event like this. When we got to the Pearl Room where the reading was being held, the place was packed. All the seats filled and people were standing and gathering in aisles. It was very cool. Even cooler was our author/creator. He is an average, normal guy. Not too artsy, not full of angst or too full of himself. And he is an amazing storyteller. We stood in an aisle for an hour listening to him talk about the project, how it started and what has become of it since it's inception in 2004. It was fascinating and riveting and good report and praiseworthy. We even got a pre-addressed postcard so that we could send in our own secrets. I wrote mine at lunch afterward. If I see it on his site, I'll let you know.

Deceptive weather...

The weather outside has been steadily growing warmer and dryer - well, at least for our neck of the woods. Today the sun is out and so are all the people. And I "forgot" to bring a jacket with me today. And sadly, it's still only 64 degrees outside...too cold for being out in short sleeves and skirt, man! But it looks so pretty - and it's still too cold. Ah, well. Spring will come.


In other updates: Tomorrow is the last day of classes - and then next week is finals week. I've got obligations on campus up to next Wednesday - then it's SPRING BREAK, BABY!!!

Getting mail...

I've always been a mail junkie - I love sending it, I love getting it - but now with Geoff on a mission, I'm a fiend when it comes to checking the mail! And man did it pay off yesterday!! He sent home pictures - and this is one of my faves...

Elder Taylor and Elder Thompson

If you'd like to see more, visit his website at Making It Look Good.

Should the rules be spoken?

I've sat through many meetings and classes where people bring food and snacks. But seriously, do people not understand that a bag of chips and an apple are absolutely the loudest foods to eat in a classroom?

I'll admit, I already have a really hard time listening to other people eat. I'm fine during a meal, where we're all eating - or snacking during a movie or something...but man oh man...if we're not ALL eating - it's beyond gross. The sounds drive mercy out of my heart.

But two days ago I was sitting RIGHT NEXT TO a girl who was munching on an apple...and this isn't a boisterous class where your chewing and crunching can be masked. And she was RIGHT NEXT TO ME! I'm currently sitting in a class next to a guy who is alternating between eating the crunchiest bag of chips known to man and hocking up loogies. Delightful. No jury would convict me...

Crazy cravings...

For whatever reason - my body has gone into panic mode - if I don't get steak fries...I might have a collapse...or hurt someone.

The Work Weekend...

Dad and I went up to Camp Namanu this past Saturday. It was the Spring work weekend - and we had a lot of fun. Geoff had one final request before he left for his mission: please burn my old work clothes.

Working at Haggen, Geoff had to wear a white shirt and tie and black slacks every day. And he didn't invest a lot in those shirts, because they got so gross and dirty during each shift. Once he had finally quit his job he put all of the clothes in a pile - and hoped that one day a large fire would appear that would allow for the proper retirement of the items.

It's as if you were burning them yourself, isn't it?

Spring: I honor thee

In a bizarre twist of meteorology we've had a 66 degree day here in Portland. It has been glorious. And to honor the warm and the sun and Springness I did the following:

I wore a short sleeved shirt and no jacket

I had a personal picnic in the Park Blocks at PSU, sitting at an outdoor table and being amazed/scared by the street corner preacher who was arguing more than preaching

I had a venti Tangerine frappuccino. If you haven't had one, you should...right now. It means Spring is here!! (FACT: they sell tangerine frappuccino's all year round)

I went out of my way to share the sunshine in my soul with those around me

I sat and listened to the lawn mower symphony in my neighborhood.

Folks it's a good day. Tomorrow will bring more rain and that can be a good day too. But you could really tell that today was a good day!

I'm down to a week and a half of this winter quarter - so crazy to think that it was just Christmas...it WAS just Christmas, right?

Now it's time to start getting a Spring wardrobe together...

Fastest week ever...

It's crazy to think that a week ago we were flying to Utah and now we're back and I've got a cold. YEAH! If you want to stay caught up with Elder Taylor, go to his mission blog

Not a lot of news or anything really going on here in Beaverton. The Oscars were fine - more fun because Eric was over at the house watching them with us. We're finally getting back into a routine. Being sick doesn't bode well for a normal week - especially because I've called in sick today!

I'm sad because Studio 60 is on a very sketchy hiatus which looks like the show's been sent to a farm where it can play with other shows just like it. I am way behind in my TV watching and with all my school reading - don't think I'll be caught up any time soon.

It's been snowing here today - but still to wet and just warm enough for it not to stick. I'm going to have to venture to the store for a keg of orange juice.

It's a done deal!

Oh - I cannot tell you how relieved I am to be at this end of the day! So much worry about so many things - and now we're all done and the relief is amazing!! We had such a great experience dropping Geoff off at the MTC today. We got to the MTC about a half an hour early and got to enjoy their well oiled machine. The great parking guys helped with getting the bags unloaded and then into the lobby, to get the meal card and have Mom put his name tag on for the first time. (Someone should have warned us about THAT!!)Actually, this is loading the luggage from at the hotel...

Getting an explanation about how the meal ticket works and wearing the orange dot...

The sister with the seam rippers - opening the pockets of hundreds of new suits

He's official now!!

After a few final pictures, we walked down the hall and found our assembly room and sat and waited. Man, does the MTC crowd love their LDS "Isn't it about time" commercials, which is what they show while you wait. Then the meeting began with one of the fastest renditions of "Called to Serve" I've ever heard. It would have been great if I could have sung - but the tears were too much! Ah well. After the Mission President and his wife spoke, they showed us the "Called to Serve" video, which is 20 years old, but still a tear jerker. Then a prayer was said, and we said our final good-byes. Tears were shed, but we were not sad or wishing we could take him home with us. He's where he's supposed to be and is going to be awesome.

Of course we're still worried that he is eating well and sleeping well and that he's got a good companion and...and....and...but we're good. And I'm sure he's good too.

This is it...

The morning has arrived - and we're in Provo...we've had breakfast and are slowly getting ready for the day. Taking our boy to the MTC today will be quite a challenging experience. Our travel thus far has been great. 1:00 p.m. is the final moment...and then...that's all she wrote!

Pack it up, move it out!

We are just about there. The farewell is done. The open house is done. We've washed one gazillion white shirts. Good-byes and well wishes have poured into our home. Monday is the day of last minute shopping and then at 9:00 p.m. he will be officially set apart. (Which means we won't be able to watch Studio 60 until we get home from Utah.)

We love our boy and are so excited for this next adventure for him and for us! It's hard to think that at 3:00 a.m. he won't be up playing golf video games or coming home late from work. Wednesday will be rough - but we know how great these next two years will be.

How's the serenity?

I've seen a lot of graphic design and a lot of really cool websites...but my new favorite is Jonathan Yuen's. Wow. The music is serene and his graphic narrative is short and elegant. I would love to steal a picture from his site to display here, but it's all part of the effect on his site, so go...go there now!

A new love for Valentine's Day

My newest love is StumbleUpon. This cool program adds a button to your browser tool bar and based on your preferences will find great websites they think they'll enjoy. This button brings a whole new level to killing time surfing the Interweb. I love finding new websites - things I never would have searched for.

Now of course adding the StumbleUpon button to my toolbar meant getting a new tool bar. I am also SO in love with Firefox because it actually works with Blogger like nobody's business. I am so grateful for Design Mom who so willingly shared her tech savvy with her faithful readers. I don't think I would have had the courage to update my computer on my own without her tech guide. Yes, you should totally get them.

Costello, the reflexologist

This morning I went to my friend Carene's foot reflexologist, Costello. We've heard a lot about Costello over the past few years, but it's always seemed like voo-d00 witchdoctory and so we've always just listened and that was the end of it. But at my dad's birthday party last week, we were talking about different physical problems and things, and I decided to make an appointment with Costello.


Some things you should know about Costello:
- he is from Romania
- he sounds like he is after moose and squirrel
- he lives on Sundew Drive
- he can rub and hold your feet and tell you all kinds of amazing things about your body

I got to his house and was put into his anti-gravity chair and he started working on my feet. He worked on all kinds of points and pushed more blood through all the systems of my body. He worked on my feet for almost two hours and it wasn't any kind of foot massage. I was very impressed and it was not any kind of voo-doo. He is very logical and explained that every problem in our bodies is just an imbalance and a problem with a blockage in some part of a bodily system. It was awesome. And my back doesn't hurt anymore. YEAH!

The Not-Farewell Farewell...

This weekend some of our dear family came and visited to attend the Sacrament meeting where Geoffrey would speak for the final time before his mission.

My Grandma and Grandpa Siple. Aunt Connie and Uncle Don Berg, and Brent and MaryKate Berg arrived on Saturday and we stopped at Lloyd Center to visit Dad and play a little "jewelry store." Then we trekked home and had a nice lunch and spent the rest of the evening visiting and eating and visiting and snacking. Eventually the out-of-towners headed over to the Marriott Courtyard for the night.

That evening, back at our house, there was some pretty intense discussion (while I was trying to watch a DVD and/or sleep). For details of that discussion talk with Geoff and Mark. All's I'll say here is that it was a powerful and life-changing experience. I was also very grumpy that they had to keep talking SO LOUD from 10pm to at least 12:30am. I was grumpy.

The next morning we all had a wonderful breakfast of pancakes and bacon and Lil' Smokies and cinnamon rolls and chocolate dipped strawberries (a gift from our visiting teacher!). Stuffed beyond reason we lounged until our family photo shoot. Here are a few highlights:







Then on to church - we had quite a crowd of just our own family and then plenty of other folks who came from other wards. The rest hymn was provided by my senior Primary kids who sang an arrangement of "I Hope They Call Me on a Mission" and "Army of Helaman" written and performed by Eric D. Snider. The kids sang great and Eric played beautifully. After that number, Geoff began his talk and it was wonderful...but again - for details you'll have to talk to someone who was there. But I will say this: Geoffrey is going to be a wonderful missionary.

We're now down to being a week away from the MTC...

Sweet Little Buttercup...

Oh Valentine's Day...hooray!

This was the ad placed in the Portland Mercury by my valentine...

♥ Boobs; mother-in-law Dear Judy: Our fake marriage was the greatest 6 months of my life! Bottoms up! Love, Jackie

Has anyone been more wooed?