Well, we're back. Earlier today our water heater started leaking, but, being in Oregon, it was kinda hard to do anything about it. Our downstairs neighbor, however, dutifully reported that it was leaking (!) and the management company got a hold of us (finally, through a string of relatives) there, and they took care of it for us. When we got home, the carpet was almost all the way dry, and we are the proud renters of a new water heater! =)

Yesterday, we went to the Seattle temple and took a few photos but it started raining, so we only got a couple. We visited with family, as it was the occasion of my grandpa's 80th birthday celebration. It was great to see my cousins, some of whom I hadn't seen in over a decade!

After the party, we went sightseeing. We went to West Seattle and took some photos of grandpa's old house, and then drove past Grandma Clara's old place. We then visited the Kenney Home, where Bebops used to reside. The old familiar smell was still there, and the stop brought back some great old memories.

After that, we drove down by Alki Beach and ate at Spud's Fish and Chips. The fish was great, but I pity the poor fools that have to endure the likes of Long John Silver's...

Then we drove downtown past the docks and the ocean liners, cruise ships, barges, and tugboats. We went down to Pier 54 and browsed at Ye Olde Curiousity Shoppe. We then swung past the Space Needle on the way back to Bellevue.

Earlier in the morning, we did some quality shopping at Bellevue Square. We found some really cute maternity clothes for Misti. I quickly glanced in the Swatch store at the Internet Time watches, but they were too fat and kinda ugly... I'm glad I didn't order one online like I had wanted to.

My little sister, Bonny, says that blogging is silly. My bigger little sister, Heather, says "Helloooooooo".

Misti & I went to the Portland temple today. The flowers are sure beautiful. When I get the film developed, I'll post some of the photos here. The humidity here is something else. Yesterday, we had so much bug splat on our windshield that we could hardly see. Today, however, the rain was so heavy that it washed it all away. =)

Also, Misti put in her 2-week notice at work today, but I'll let her talk about that... =)

Today we got a little co-sleeper bassinet for Becky. It's totally rad. Wanna see it? I think it's going to work out really nicely. =)

I learned a little more last night about becoming a mother. It seems that each time I try to relax or lie down for sleep, it is play time for Rebecca. It's as if that is her cue to exercise those little legs of hers. She moves around a lot anyway, but when I lie down on my left side she tends to just have a ball kicking all over my right side. It's as if she was just joined by a new play mate and got really excited about showing off her kicking techniques to this new found friend. If she's anything like her mother, she will be very hyperactive, I'm told. According to my mom and grandmother, when I was four years old in school, I would sit in every position possible except on my head before the lesson was over. I wonder if our little one will have so much energy. She seems to already! I definitely have some sleepless nights ahead of me. And poor Richard.......

I'm very excited today. I got some free software in the mail today that I almost forgot about ordering a few weeks ago. Barbie's Ocean Discovery and Barbie's Magic Hair Styler. Sweet, huh? The funny thing is that I ordered them from Madison Direct Software, but the labels say "www.somc.com" (Software of the Month Club). Sounds a little funny, don't you think? Hmmmm.....

This past weekend, the Church announced plans to build new temples in three California cities: Sacramento, Newport Beach, and Redlands.

Precise locations and groundbreaking dates for the three temples are expected to be announced in the near future. The new temples will serve the approximately 188,000 Church members in those areas. Currently, there are temples in four other California cities: Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, and Fresno.

I've realized quite recently (and so has Misti, unfortunately...) that if I eat a lot of pistachios, I get really bad gas. Does this happen to anyone else?

Am I the only one that thinks that the street names in Reno are screwed up? The whole McCarran loop is a total fiasco. If you look on the map (below), McCarran Blvd is one big loop. Anyone that would vote to give this whole loop one street name instead of four is pretty dense, in my opinion. For those that are directionally challenged, there are four points on a compass (North, South, East, West). Likewise, there are four distinct "sides" to this loop known as McCarran Blvd. If, alas, we decide to stick with calling the whole thing McCarran (for the sake of honoring the former senator), at least have the decency to differentiate the sides by their cooresponding directions (N McCarran, S McCarran, E McCarran, and W McCarran). For those out-of-towners reading this, what we have here instead is only two (2) names: North McCarran and S McCarran. North McCarran extends from I-80 on the west side all the way around northward to I-80 again on the east side. Likewise, South McCarran extends, apparently, from I-80 looping around to I-80 again, through the south side of town. Look:



We, for example, live right off of "South McCarran", despite the fact that we're clearly on the east side of the McCarran loop. Who is responsible for this, anyway? To add further insult to injury, the signs on the interstate highway (I-80) now have been revised to say "McCarran West" and "McCarran East", which is odd because all the addresses that you'll be looking for will either be North or South, not east/west. Furthermore, once you drive about 20 feet from the off-ramp, you'll either be on said North McCarran or South McCarran (but at least you'll know which side of town you're on...)

Another mess can be found on the street signs found at certain intersections along this loop. On one corner you can find a sign proclaiming "McCarran Blvd East" and 20 feet away on the opposite pole is another with the moniker "E McCarran Blvd". Which is it? (Of course, we all know that it's really South McCarran, anyway...) A quick trip to Mapquest confirms this whole deal: a search for "E McCarran Blvd" turns up 14 maps, all of which are either North or South McCarran, but no "East", at all. Furthermore, if you look at the following map, notice that "S McCarran" is on the east side of the loop! Also notice that plain old "McCarran" (!) could be anywhere from Southwest Reno to Northwest Sparks, a distance of over 10 miles away. Can you now understand the confused looks when you ask someone for directions, and they say "we're right off of McCarran"??!! Try to find an address on this street, go ahead, I dare you...



Still not convinced? Need more screwed up street signs to make you a believer? Fine. Check out my gripes page.

Okay, for everyone that wasn't aware, here is some startling news: roosters and hens are both chickens. The rooster is the male, and the hen is the female. I repeat, they are both chickens. Why is the clarification necessary, you may ask? It has come to my attention that many are confused on this point. Don't be fooled into thinking that roosters are a separate species of animal. They are just "men" chickens, that's all.

Thus, the chicken "breast" you're eating at KFC or McDonald's may very well be a rooster, not a hen. There are no guarantees. And another thing: chickens don't have breasts, per se. For those that think that you're actually eating some sort of chicken mammary gland or something, let me tell you that you're not only wrong, but you're sick, too.

The only sense of the word "breast" that applies to chickens (and to you men out there, too -- unless you're really chubby or have some sort of glandular disorder) is "the fore or ventral part of the body between the neck and the abdomen" (provided graciously by Merriam-Webster).

Thus, a chicken breast should rightfully (and less confusingly) be called a "chicken chest". End of story. =)

Welcome to our blog (web log). It's a place for the both of us to ramble on about whatever strikes our fancy. Topics will vary and, as such, we cannot guarantee that there will be any continuity at all from day to day (or post to post, for that matter). Enjoy!