HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUSHY!!

Hello! Nobody wished Joshua Happy Birthday on the blog yesterday! I bet he cried! (Okay, so he probably did cry at some point yesterday but probably not because he didn't get happy birthdayed on the blog.) Mindy and I actually called and sang to him via Amanda's answering machine. I hope he got to hear that. It was actually a group of people that we had over for dinner... I'm not sure who was here at the time... but I believe it was Annie (Parker) and Bryce Cox, Jenna (Saunders) and Josh Meeks, Julie Saunders, and Stephanie (McGougan) and Ellie Brown.

Anyway, In other news, Mindy got here safely on Saturday night.... and then we woke up Sunday morning to snow on the ground. We haven't had snow on the ground in a month... and I'm not very happy with it's return, because I was SO happy to see it gone.... but Mindy is enjoying seeing it. She didn't have to live through two months where it just kept accumulating and accumulating. And it is still here today, but it is supposed to warm up a bit tomorrow so hopefully it will all melt and be gone soon!

Hope everyone else is doing well.
Tawnia

On the verge...

Hi all,

So last night we had a good-bye party at our friends Tony and Christine's house, and today we're speaking in church. Right after sacrament meeting I'll be driving to Monterey. I'll have a lot of time to sit and drive and think...

We're on the verge of a whole new adventure.

I'll probably be offline for a week or two, so give me a call on my cell if you want to get ahold of me.

I love you all and I'll be reporting on all our exciting new adventures soon.

Love, Eric

Happy Birthday, Tawnia

First of all, happy thirtieth, Tawnia.

Second, I love the pictures of the snake.

Third, I just finished my senior exam; my right hand is aching, but that's finally done. And my teacher was nice and gave me an extension on my paper, since he knew I'd be busy. But I'm still a bit behind in German, but I should catch up tomorrow. Provided, of course, I don't decide to take a nice break after that exam today.

Fourth, I'm not working as much -- I worked only one day this week. And I cashed my last paycheck, since it wasn't really big, just under sixty dollars. I still have enough money saved up that I'm not about to starve to death.

Fifth, that reminds me that I need to go shopping sometimes soon.

Pictures from Clarissa

... are now up on her page.

Oh, and Happy Birthday Tawnia!

happy happy!

Happy birthday, Tawnia!

Welcome to the BIG THREE milestone! I hope that age 30 is as awesome for you as it was for me. I did a lot of cool things in my 20s but honestly, the year I was 30 was the best year for me. I knew what I wanted out of life and I was at peace with myself more than I'd ever been before. I hope for that for you.

I would call you, except today I can't talk at all. My voice is completely gone. So I'll call you later in the week when you'd actually be able to hear me.

Love, Trina

Happy Easter

Happy Easter, everyone! We hope you're having a good day. We had a really nice Easter program in sacrament meeting similar to Christmas with narrators reading from the scriptures and a lot of singing. I was very impressed. One of these days I'll be able to be in the choir again, but for now, Rosemary still has me leaving the chapel for at least part of sacrament meeting. We're now at home making deviled eggs (yummm) and then we're going to Beth's for dinner with the missionaries.

The quote of the day was from a 4-year-old in Primary. The Primary president was talking about various spring things (blossoming plants, baby chicks, etc) and how they remind us of Christ's Resurrection. One of the items was a plastic butterfly, and she talked about how the cocoon of a caterpillar is like the tomb, and Jesus came out of the tomb ... the 4-year-old cut her off with a shocked tone. "And Jesus was a butterfly?"

Idiot

You know, we all have moments when in that "Napoleon Dynamite" voice we want to say to ourselves, "IDIOT!" Yeah, I just had one of those moments. I got a package all ready and mailed it off to Clarissa today. It had some Easter candy, some bookmarks, a puzzle letter and a CD. It was a great package. So then today I came home from dying Easter eggs at my friend Sarah's and sat down at the computer and my computer was reading a CD. I thought, "hmmm... I wonder what CD is in there." So I opened the disc drive and lo and behold it was the CD that was supposed to be in the package on its way to Florida. When I realized I yelled, "Noooooooooooo!"

So then I decided to post about it. My friend Tiffany called while I was in the middle of writing the post and I told her about it. We had a good laugh. And then I came up with a marvelous idea. It's almost April Fool's Day... and that is probably about the time Clarissa will get the package. It's perfect! I'll send another package explaining everything to Cris and, of course, including the CD in a different case.

BYU-Idaho

I FINALLY got an answer from BYU-Idaho in regards of when I'm to arrive. I heard 2 weeks ago that I was accepted, at which time they said they would have the track assignment done by the 16th. I called on the 18th and they didn't have it done. I called them again this afternoon, and they told me I'm on the Summer-Fall track, and I start this fall. Which is exactly what I was hoping for! Woohoo! At this point, I'm not sure if I'll just stay in Idaho year round, or come home for the winter, but I've got plenty of time to decide. In other news, I head out to Utah a week from Saturday, and I'm very excited.

Useless Information

I sent the last couple of hours coming up with the information for Tawnia. I heard of the US Camel Corps on the History channel this morning. Here is some more "useless information" for you....

The son of one of the 8 camel driver needed to handle the camel. Plutarco Elias Calles became the President of Mexico in the 1920's. (I haven't checked this out if it is true yet)


Love you all :p)

letters to Clarissa

I was going to put this in the comments on Tawnia's post, but it was getting a bit long for going there. So it is now its own post ...

I sent Clarissa addressed and stamped stationery for all of the siblings in her birthday box, so everyone should get at least ONE handwritten letter from her. Nathan got his - at first, he thought it was from me because he recognized my handwriting on the envelope. But I haven't heard directly from her either. My plan is to send her a fill-in-the-blank letter as soon as I get around to making it. That should be easier for her to answer. Maybe you could try something like that, Tawnia, or send her an email asking if she's at least gotten them or something. In her email this week, she said something about responding to emails.

In Clarissa's defense - when I was on my mission, I had to write only 2 letters for the family. Eric was the only one not living at home. If Clarissa wrote to everyone every week, that would be 8 separate letters. And it doesn't look like they have a lot of time - the way I read this week's email, it sounded like they had appointments during the day even though it was P-day. That limits her time even more. Yes, it frequently seems like you're sending missionary letters into a black hole - I've been there with a number of friends I've written to. But having been on the other end as well - trust me, you're not.

And speaking of Clarissa - I noticed that this week was the first time she signed her letter "Sister Palmer" and left her first name out of it entirely. I take that as a good sign that she's getting into things.

Just a little pic from Google Earth of our new neighborhood... tomorrow's my last day at WaMu. Ten days after that I'll be driving up to Monterey for the first time. Good stuff.

Questions

Did Emily ever get responses to her question about preparing for the temple? Is she still excepting answers? Has ANYONE gotten a hand-written letter from Clarissa? I am starting to wonder why I write these long exciting letters and send them off into a black hole where they are neither answered or even acknowledged. Eric, did you receive the temple slip in the mail? Jared, did Brooke get her blanket? Trina - I am now working on Summer's blanket... just so you don't feel like I've forgotten her. I have all the yarn for all of the blankets... I just have to get them made. I haven't had TIME to work on them in quite awhile. Hopefully I'll get a lot done over Spring Break.

Emily, I have one thing to say... and it's something that President Hinckley said a lot, "accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, and don't mess with mr. inbetween."

Mindy- have you heard back about when you are going to BYU-I yet?

I like to read Nate'n'Manda'n'Mushy's blogs and also Jared's blogs (my favorite is the bedtime story blog.)

Mom- how are you feeling? I hope that you are getting better.
Dad - any tidbits of useless information?

Love you all
T

Go Georgetown!

Yesterday, Adam was watching the Georgetown basketball game on the internet (conference championships to decide who goes to the NCAA finals) and taught Summer how to say "Go Georgetown!" She does it pretty well - she doesn't quite get the R, but the rest of it is clear. Later, Adam was watching TV and channel surfing, and came across another basketball game. We paused to see who was playing (Georgia Tech and Duke), and Summer immediately started yelling "Go Georgetown!!" over and over. I tried it again earlier today - turned on the TV to watch some basketball and yep, Summer started yelling "Go Georgetown!" as soon as she saw it was basketball. The Georgetown championship game is on right now and we're watching it on the internet again (not sure why this one isn't on regular TV because it's the Big East final - only ESPN), and Georgetown is down by 1 against Pittsburgh with 5 minutes to go in the first half. The 2 teams are switching back and forth on the lead right now, shot for shot. Summer and Rosemary are both watching the game with Adam - yes, actually looking at it.

Adam had his moot court tournament this weekend - he and his partner had a round Thursday afternoon, another Friday afternoon, and a 3rd this morning. They won 2 and lost 1. The one they lost was by less than 1 point, so they made it into the elimination rounds. They debated 2 more times this afternoon, and got to the final 8. Of those, 4 go to Nationals in Chicago - Adam did not make the final 4. So he's done with moot court completely. Since he's graduating in December, he will not be on the team for next year so he doesn't have to go to any of the final meetings this semester to plan for next year. It was a good experience, and now it's time to move on and focus on other things. And man alive, he's certainly not hurting for things to do.

The Boston Trip

Saturday: We met out in front of Main Hall. Yes, we had to meet at 2:30 so we could head out by 3 or we'd not get to see Emily Dickinson's house. It wasn't worth it.

Sunday: Due to trusting a GPS system, we ended up totally lost and were forty minutes late for church. We also left before Sunday School. We saw Walden pond and Thoreau's dinky cabin. I got a couple of pictures of me with Thoreau, including posing like the statue and giving the statue bunny ears. There was ice on the pond. Then we went to a fireside and found out about the Boston temple. And it was right there.

BUT THEY NEVER LET ME GO!!

I needed to go, but then they wouldn't let me. I had no partner; the one other student who was endowed hadn't planned on going. (I don't think I like her very much for other reasons as well.) I was extremely devastated.

We were on the same plot of ground, and I couldn't go. Every day, that was our base of operations. And they didn't let me go. Even getting permission to take pictures of the temple was like pulling teeth. We needed a consensus. And that was the only freakin' time that the teachers asked the students for a single opinion. I have never been more ashamed of my school than by the fact that they seemed to want to avoid the temple.

The only reason I was able to get through the rest of the trip was that one of my friends said we'll go up to the D. C. temple next Saturday.

Anyway, Monday: We went to Concord and toured the Old Manse. Fortunately, enough different people lived there that it was somewhat interesting. We saw the bridge in Concord, though the meadow was flooded. We also went to the Alcott home -- this house did inspire the book, and a lot of the personality of the family came across. For example, one daughter drew pictures all over the walls. That was one of the better houses we visited. (I saw a thimble with the house on it and thought Tawnia would like it, but I didn't really do a lot of souvenir shopping, mostly postcards and a book.)

Then we drove down to Lexington, where I had to practically drag someone by the hair just to get a picture of the Green while there was still some daylight. I was rather proud of my picture of the minuteman statue there. Of course, I was with literary people, not historians.

Tuesday: We went to Longfellow's house, which was by far the best house we visited. This was also Washington's headquarters at the start of the Revolution. Our guide recited poetry along the way. He apologized for being overly romantic, but considering that the group consisted mainly of young women, we all loved it. We could take some pictures but without the flash. I got a couple of good ones.

Then we went to this fancy art museum that was laid out by this one woman (Isabelle Gardner, I think was her name). I was in and out in an hour. Then we headed to Boston and saw the State House, a couple of cemeteries, and wandered as far as the Old North Church. Julianna and I ran into other members of our group at a pastry shop. Really good Boston cream puffs.

Wednesday: This was the day we got to go up to take pictures of the temple. It was raining. But we had to head into Boston. No choice. What we did there was up to us. So I went to the South Church. Sure, there wasn't a whole lot to see and we were overcharged, but I was still giddy at the thought that this was where the meeting before the Boston Tea Party was held.

Then we went to the Old State House museum. This was actually worth paying to see. Some of the artifacts were quite fascinating. Tea from boots after the Boston Tea Party, a recording of a witness of the Boston Massacre (of course a reenactment, but I think they used the actual testimony), and this was where the Declaration of Independence was first read to the people. This was probably the best place I visited all week.

Alas, I never got up to Bunker Hill. I had hoped to do so, and if we had gotten the itinerary more than a few hours in advance, I might have been able to find the way up there. Rather disappointing.

We also went to Boston Museum of Fine Arts. I really liked the hilts of Japanese knives. And the kimonos. And they had some Egyptian art and other things that were somewhat interesting. But since I've been studying Japanese art this semester, that exhibit really caught my eye.

Thursday: We went to Salem, and got lost again. We toured the House of the Seven Gables, and only the fact that our guide was cracking stupid jokes the only time made it worth my while. We also saw a boat -- the Friendship -- and one of the teachers went on and on and on and on. I found a hammock after a while and just sat there. And we saw the Customs house, which some people want to make a shrine to Hawthorne.

We all wanted to leave, but the teachers said we'd meet at seven and head out. It was freezing, nothing was open, and it was quite boring. I do not plan to visit Salem, Massachusetts again.

Friday: I was told I'd be left at the hotel if I didn't head out in two minutes. I should have taken them up on the offer. We visited Melville's house. The guide was a guide, not a historian or scholar. The tour was extremely boring. The supposedly famous view of the hill was obscured by clouds. We all wanted to go.

But no! There was another house that was supposed to be pretty and famous, and I can't even recall who built it. And it was closed anyway, but we had to stop and take pictures. At this point, I waited in the car.

Then we spent the rest of the afternoon and evening driving, and we didn't get back until 1:30 in the morning.

Well, the trip was free. And I'm so glad I didn't have to throw away money on it.

Question

This question is for Eric mainly, but I figure the rest of you can chime in if you have an opinion.

I went to the temple and had the sealing slip for Grandma and Grandpa reprinted. I was wondering if you wanted me to mail it to you (Eric) still or if you wanted me to hold on to it and mail it to you after you move? OR I could mail it to one of the other married couples in the family in order for them to do this work. OR I could just keep it and get it done myself. Yeah, so there are many options. Someone please let me know what you want me to do ASAP so this work can get done.

I love you all. (And I'll post something more latter when I have more time.)

BIG CHANGES for the Eric & Laurel family

Yesterday morning I accepted a job with a company based in Southern Virginia with a contract in Monterey California. I've put in my two weeks notice at my current job, and we'll be moving up to Monterey in the next month. It wasn't an easy decision to make, but I'm confident that it was the right decision for our family right now. We don't know exact timelines for the move yet, except that I'll be reporting to work on March 31, which is in three weeks.

Our friends in the ward and Laurel's sister are sad to see us go, and uprooting after seven years in one place is a little heartwrenching, but we're ready for our next adventure!

Give me a call or send me an email (new address: my first name, a dot, my middle initial, another dot, and then my last name, at gmail.com) to get more info, etc.

our 1 day of spring break

Today was the one day that we get of Adam's spring break - he has to work and will be at his moot court competition for the rest of the week. So we went downtown. First we went to the National Portrait Gallery, one of the Smithsonians, to see Stephen Colbert's portrait. It's there as a joke to go along with the show, and hung in a little alcove with the restrooms and the drinking fountain. We got a kick out of that. We walked through the Hall of the Presidents, where they have a portrait of every president through Bill Clinton (Bush 2 will be added after he leaves office). There was a lot more to see, but it was a silent-as-a-tomb art gallery and Summer liked to scream to hear the echo. So we pretty much carried her around the whole time saying "Shh!" and booked it out of there right quick. Rosemary was sleeping in the stroller the whole time.

Then we went over to the Natural History museum where Summer could be as loud as she wanted. Our bishop's wife volunteers there and is Summer's "adopted grandma," and as luck would have it, she was there when I called her cell phone. So she took us through a number of the exhibit sections - mammals to see all the animals, insects, ocean life, the dinosaurs, and the gemstones to see the Hope Diamond.

Summer and Rosemary's new month pictures are up on our page - they were just taken yesterday. Thanks tons, Mindy!

New Letter from Clarissa

video and picture update

I put a video on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQC2hXbw2TI

I also added new pictures on the Joshua Calendar.

I also changed my index page, so you have to go there now to get to our blogs.

Mom Update

1. Mom had been moved to a new room. check your email for the phone number.

2. The earliest she will be released is Tuesday.

3. Please do the Easter write-up Mom has requested. She wanted me to send out a reminder.

Mom is doing better this time and is eating well. But we're not out of the woods yet. Let's keep her in our thoughts and prayers.

Getting ready to go

Hi, all. I'm getting ready to go to Boston. Trying to figure out how to get from point A to point Z. I still need to pack, but I'll travel light -- one pair of pants (maybe I'll bring my jeans for the last couple of days because they're really not going to let us actually wear jeans or anything -- people are apparently snobs in Boston and we must make a good impression and be snobs too, even if this means wearing the same outfit for a week -- and no, we can't do laundry), one skirt, a couple of shirts, one sweater, one jacket, one coat, one hat, two or three pairs of shoes (like I'll go hiking all across Boston in my Sunday shoes!) . . . I wonder how my slacks would look with my sneakers.

I'm trying to get some homework done ahead of time so when I get back all I'll have to completely stress out over is the senior exam. And then a paper due. And then more tests. And then actually figuring out what to do with my life afterwards.

Well, I'd better get going. We're supposed to have everything ready to go so we can leave in the middle of the night just to visit Emily Dickenson's museum.

I may hate literary works (and literary snobbery) even more by the time this trip is done.

On the other hand, I do fully intend to visit all the historical sites that I can. I was just trying to determine the best route between the Old North Church Museum of Fine Arts. Fortunately, the museum appears to be on a train line.

email

Clarissa's email for the week is up on her page. She's getting a little more wordy, perhaps she's settling in to being a missionary.

Also, thank you Emily for being the only one, so far, to write about Easter. I really appreciate it. And I look forward to hearing from everyone else.

Love ya,
MOM

Hello from Emily

This weekend has been wonderful. I went to Orson Scott Card's writing workshop. Yes, I've heard a lot of what he's said before, but we also heard from other speakers, such as one man, Jake Black, who writes the backs of trading cards. We did one exercise called a Thousand Ideas session, where we had a man . . . age 35 . . . who lives with a jealous . . . pet . . . chinchilla. Everyone would call out suggestions, and he'd write them down, and I laughed so hard that my stomach hurt. Then we had him living in his parent's basement . . . no, room over the garage . . . no, a shed in the back yard. Does this give you an idea of what it was like?

We also learned about the publishing market and revising. It was very interesting and I believe that it was worth my time.

Concerning Mom posing the question, that is fine with me. If you'd like something to e-mail to me -- though it would have to be here by Friday since on Saturday I'm leaving for Boston and won't be back for a week -- I did have a theme that I thought of during our Relief Society lesson.
The theme is temples. Here is a question you may want to ponder: How did you prepare yourself to enter the temple? If you can e-mail me the response before Friday, I will mail it to Clarissa.

I love you all!