HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, MA AND PA!!!

It's that time of year again. Time to wish mom and dad a day full of joy and togetherness. I hope that you guys get to go out or do something worth your while today. Thirty-seven years of marriage bliss. Congratulations and keep the running total running. However you have had 34 years of having kids in your house. When is that going to end? Clarissa is getting ready to leave just in time for Eric to move back in with you. Well good job on being married for a long time. The ride's not over yet. See you this weekend for Thanksgiving.

Love,
Nathan

back from Utah

Well, Summer and I had a very nice visit with Tawnia and Mindy in Utah. We did a session in the Jordan River Temple (my friend Alisha babysat Summer) and got our hair cut (but not Summer - her's isn't long enough yet) and played games and watched movies and Summer and I visited them at the school a couple of times. We met all of Tawnia's class and they sang the Utah State Song for us, which, to be perfectly blunt, was more than a little scary. The "hooray for Utah, the Promised Land" promotion was rather extreme. It explains a lot into the Utah Mormon stereotype of the "Utah is the best and every other place in the world is the Mission Field" mentality, since this is what they're taught this they're children. Anyway, it was a great visit with Tawnia and Mindy. I wish we could visit more often and/or more easily.

And now we're back and getting ready for the holidays. I need to get cracking on all the family Christmas gifts. I'm making the same thing for every family and I'm still in the beginning stages of the project. I need to get at least the first one done by next week to send to Adam's brother Joe in Iraq. His wife told us that the box has to be out by Dec. 1 for him to get it in time. I'm very excited for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year because I do NOT have to deal with a work conference in the middle of the holidays. Yay!! I can BAKE this year!! I'm in charge of all things Christmas for the moment, because Adam got his schedule for his finals. His last one is on Fri. Dec. 15 in the afternoon, and we'll have our Christmas party that night. I want to do a cookie exchange with some friends, and maybe go Christmas caroling. I haven't ever gone caroling out here in DC.

I'm still working on my medical transcription studying, and I just started working part time for our bishop's wife. It's grocery shopping and cooking dinner a couple of days a week. Yes indeed, at long last, I am finally learning how to cook. And I'm not doing too bad at it either - just ask Adam. I also clean house for another lady in the ward every other week. So it's a little bit more money flowing through the system, which is good since Financial Aid is STILL yanking us around on student loans. I won't get into all that because I could go for DAYS, but I am seriously ready to grab someone by the throat over there. It's the week before FINALS of the first semester and they STILL don't have it figured out. We already know we're screwed for January because classes don't start until the 8th ... and that's IF we get the 2nd semester check on time ... because that could get dragged into February or March.

And now that I've worked myself into a ticked off mood ... I'm going to go study because SOMEBODY has to make some money around here because the &%^$#$& school sure isn't going to help.

Pure Chaos .com

No, I didn't buy another url for the movie page.  It's still in the same place.  But it's not quite finished yet!  I still need a few things from some people.

From the Caudle family, I need acting histories for each member of your family.  I also need a "backstory" for Invisible Girl - but the same deal as last time still applies, that is, if you want I can make something up for your approval.

From the Palmer family - the one in California - I need acting histories from Eric and Stevie, as well as backstories for Egbert and Super Runner (same deal I offered Trina above), Eric's thoughts as Producer of the movie, a "final script" (as in, what was actually said on film as opposed to what was written), and a copy of the movie itself.  I also need my crew list to be corrected and updated (the one on the "Under the Set" page).

From the Palmer family - the one in Salem OR - I need Amanda's acting history, and character stories on Skip and Havoc.

From the Palmer family - the one that is just Clarissa - I need your acting history, Kurai-dono's story, and a picture of the elusive Shadow Twins.

I've posted everything else I have!  Oh, and if you know of anyone else who has seen the movie (like Amanda's mom, or anyone from the WA reunion...) encourage them to tell us what they thought!  Uncle Gary is getting lonely on that page...

And the boys have it!!!

I see that most of you guessed the lastest addition to Insanity Inc would be a girl. However, most of you are wrong. The latest addition will in fact be a boy. The technician put his weight at 14 oz and estimated his length to be at 13 inches. I got to see his heart beating, his legs twitching, the umbilical cord pumping, and his brain. We got two funny pictures of him and a cute one. It is amazing what technology can do these days.

I have to go make my boy proud by doing my homework. thank you for all your prayers and cares. Keep it up 'cause we're only half way there.

Nathan

Well wishing

Hope you ultrasound is the picture of health. Maybe it will reveal a lot about the baby, like this picture.

Place your bets...

Alright, I hope that all your bets are in because this is your last chance to guess whether our creation is a boy or a girl. We won't be calling anyone until everyone guesses and posts it on the blog. Or we'll just call everyone anyways. Besides, our kid is probably a little embarrassed and will be covering him/herself up tomorrow when we go in for the ultrasound.

Nathan and Amanda

Trivial Pursuit from Tartarus

And what is Tartarus, you might ask? Besides one of the answers to the questions in the Quiz Bowl Tournament (which no one got), it is the lowest circle of the Greek underworld. I hope this will describe to you what it is like to participate in a Quiz Bowl tournament.

The questions are almost all impossibly difficult -- questions about physics, chemistry, paintings, literature, terrorist groups, Croatian history (no, we didn't get that one), ancient history, astronomy (I did get the one on Pluto's moon), current politics, and African geography, to name a few of the topics.

And we played ten separate rounds against ten teams from schools such as VMI, William and Mary, and Roanoke. Twenty questions per round, plus bonus questions for those teams who get the toss-up questions. So we had to try to answer hundreds of questions. This takes approximately all day -- I got here a little after 8:30 in the morning to set up and we finally finished around 5:00.

So, how did my team do? First of all, understand that SVU had two teams -- one made up of the veterans, the others of rookies -- it was our first tournament. I hope that I remember everything correctly, but if not -- it was a long day.

Our first game: we lost terribly. I don't even remember if I answered any questions. Our second game: lost again. Third game: closer than the other ones, but still a loss. That was where I got the question on Pluto's moon. And the Great Wall of China. And I got the bonus question on Uncle Tom's Cabin. Fourth game: we played the other SVU team, and I managed to answer the only toss-up our team got the entire game. (Berlin Wall.) But we lost terribly. Fifth game: I was so weary with listening to questions that I missed the question on Mt. St. Helens! I almost up and quit right then, I was so frustrated. This was not fun at all. Fortunately, it was time for lunch, and someone brought pizza. So we ate and we got ready to go at it again. I stuck around (but let me tell you it was a very close thing).

The next round was a loss. Seventh round: I believe that was William and Mary, one of the best teams here. (I think they came in second over all.) But we did score fairly well. Eighth round: I had to keep reminding the reader to hit the clear button. It was close, down to the final question, but we lost. Ninth round: no one was scoring very much, but I did get 30 points for knowing landmarks in the U.S. And we won! We actually one a round! Sure it was only by about 15 points, down to the last question, but we won! Tenth round: We drove the poor VMI players crazy by getting the bonus questions on military groups and helicopter crashes. But I did get a power (that means I hit the buzzer quickly and got five extra points) on the question about Yosemite (I know where Hetch-Hetchy is). And I got the question on Brigham Young.

Over all, our team tied for ninth out of the eleven teams that were playing. And of course, the other SVU team won.

Will I continue to play? We'll see. If this affects my grades (meaning if I get a B in performing arts or astronomy), I may have to quit. I also might ask them to mix the teams up a little more, put the rookies and the experienced players together. So I don't know.

And if I thought today was rough, what is the next week going to be like?

Hello, family

Well, this week is rather hectic. But today, class was rather easy. For one thing, I only had one class today -- German. And we spent the whole time singing. It was rather fun. In other news, I'll be playing in the Quiz Bowl tournament on Saturday. My first tournament.

And I'm about halfway done with my Am Civ paper. It's due on the fifteenth, which is the same day I have to turn in a report to my astronomy class and take an astronomy test. So I suggested to my roommate that we go out to eat next Wednesday. I think I'll need a break. And I still have a week after that to finish my performing arts paper, and thankfully my Civil War paper is now due after Thanksgiving break. But I still need to have it pretty well written before that. I am very much looking forward to Thanksgiving and seeing Trina and Adam and Summer.

If I survive that long, that is.

Hair Cuts

My hair is very short today. I wanted it to my shoulders and instead it is to my chin, but I'm dealing with it.

It is really nice to have Trina and Summer here. I have been leaving work and not worrying about it. Today is Summer's 6 month birthday! Hooray for Summer. I think we need to have some cake to celebrate. I was thinking of Carrot Cake, since carrots are Summer's favorite baby food so far.

Work is going well. I got my grades done and actually met with all but four of my students parents. One student I had an IEP with recently, so her mom isn't worried about it, one student is currently in Guatemala so I'll have to meet with them after Thanksgiving; one student is brand new; and then there's the one that I need to call her parents and set an appointment with. I did not have any bad experiences with my conferences. In fact I think they were really quite productive. I even got some tutoring jobs for Mindy out of them.

Today we're going to have our book reports and then make trace fossils. It should be fun.

-Tawnia

the original

Mom found me the very first sister picture, from 1986, so I added it to the sisters pictures page, even without my computer. I'm at the school, finishing up my homework for the week, and just about to head home, but I wanted to let everyone know that I added the picture, and hope you enjoy it.

support the troops

I meant to tell you this before - Adam's brother Joe was deployed to Iraq last week and is in Baghdad. He's gone for a year, so his wife (of 1 year) has moved back in with her parents. It would be really nice if you could remember him in your prayers occasionally. Thanks! Love you all!

An Autumn Day

Fall reminds me of school. We saw a school bus while driving home last night and it reminded me of the first time I rode a bus in kindergarten and how big it seemed. It was green inside. That was the Fall of 1979. That memory goes along with memories of moving to Oregon that summer. I think that's when we got those puppets, the alligator, the dog, the monkey... there was another one too. Anyway, a Fall day...

I don't know how much I really like Fall. Maybe it's because it reminds me of school. Fall mornings are exciting and a little frightening. There are things I love about school and learning, but also some things I don't like. Homework, for one thing. But I have fond memories of being at Ricks College in the Fall. The Fall of 1996. Tawnia was there too. The air on Fall mornings reminds me of substitute teaching in Long Beach. Getting up early and meeting a new classroom of students. It was a very adventurous job.

I think I idealize the Fall sometimes because it reminds me of sweater advertisments. It makes me want to wear tweed and go to Harvard and read poetry while the leaves fall outside the window. It makes me want to get an expensive haircut and contemplate profound things such as what to buy people for Christmas, and whether I should start getting in shape for football on Thanksgiving morning.

Now I live in a place where Fall is subtle. It cools down, but the Winter it leads to is very mild compared with other places I've been. It's nice though, to realize that though the nights are getting longer and colder, it's not going to freeze.

When I was in New York in October, I talked to Laurel on the phone while leaves fell outside my hotel window. The sun was setting and the falling leaves cast shadows on the curtains.

Last year I spent a Fall night in Oregon with Nathan and Amanda. We were woken up at 3 AM by a fire alarm, so Nathan and I walked around Salem in our PJ's and blankets for a few minutes. It was pretty cold out.

And that's the perfect Fall day. A combination of all that. The cool morning air, school, work, reading, talking, and being woken up by a fire alarm.

an autumn day

I will now limn an autumn day. It is usually started out with a hymn. There is a column of leaves falling from the trees. Autumn days cause solemn ways. The weather can condemn us to indoor activities sometimes. Oft times the weather will contemn us. But that is nothing compared to how we seem to bedamn the environment. I don't know if I used those words correct and I don't know how to use dislimn.

Nathamn

and then .... I died.

Okay, so I didn't, but my computer did! (If you didn't catch it, the title is a quote from Harry Potter.) So I was going to move some pictures from my camera to my computer on Friday (soon after making all those little changes), and somehow managed to surge my computer to death. It won't even turn on anymore. So I'm back to going to the library all the time. It's really frustrating, because we only just finally got the internet, so we're paying for something that we can't use! Ahhh! A guy from church is supposed to be coming over sometime soon, to see if he can revive the poor machine, and if not, I'm going to buy something new. I can still do my homework at the library (it just means coming here a lot more often), except for my photoshop class, because no other machines have the program. I could probably put the software onto Tawnia's computer at work, but hopefully I'll get my own computer back up and running, and I'll ask the teacher for an extension on any late assignments. Wish me luck!

As for a beautiful fall day, today is a good example of one. All the leaves are colorful - lots of reds and oranges - it's sunny out, so it isn't as cold as it has been - warm enough for just a jacket. The air is crisp, and when you walk you get to crunch all the leaves on the ground. Here in Utah we're surrounded by mountains, and they have a light dusting of snow over them, making them very pretty too (at least less ugly than the summertime).

A fall day

Today would be a good example of a beautiful fall day -- not to cold or windy, a clear sky, and the leaves are absolutely beautiful here. I've never seen such colors. A nice day for a walk -- but the only walking I'll be doing is to and from campus.

Life is extremely busy for me, and I will have a lot to do in the next few weeks. Over the weekend, I went to a party one of my friends was having, and we played Imagineiff using the names of people in our D&D group. Sunday was my one day of rest after a rather hectic week, and this week will be even crazier.

Why did my roommate and I decide this would be the perfect time to write novels?

-- Emily

???New Question???

I know everyone is busy with school and various projects but I thought I'd try to wake the Blog up a little anyway. So before Winter comes I wanted to ask the question "What is a favorite Autumn Day like for you?" Do you have memories of favorite fall activities or anything?

Has everyone visited Nathan's site lately? If not you should take a peak over there. I keep checking everyone's pages to see what's new on them. I enjoyed your changes Mindy, but I have one question. Are you still going to call your blog the BBC? Just curious. I also understand that the brothers have a blog, too. Can we get a link to that or is it a BIG secret?

Hope you are all healthy and happy.

Love ya,
MOM

ME TOO!! ME TOO!!

I tried calling you Trina and left messages on both of your phones, but just so I don't miss out on wishing you a Happy Birthday I'll do it here. It was a very hectic day at work and I got home a little late. I have a Stake meeting tonight so if you're out I might miss your return call. I think it's great that you're going to Utah, wish I could come, too, but I have to work for another year and can't just run off when I feel like it. Soon, I'll be able to, if I can afford it. Meanwhile I'm keeping busy. I'm making Christmas presents, too, and having lots of fun with it.

Love to you all,
MOM

more happy

Happy birthday Trina. I'm looking forward to you coming out to see me and Tawnina, and of course to see Summer, when she is older and even more fun to play with. We can finally get the webpage updated, so everyone can see how cute she is.

I'm busy with work and homework and dancing and drawing .. as stressed as I am sometimes, I'd much rather be busy than not (since I know how that feels too!).

Another birthday wish

Happy birthday, Trina! Have a wonderful day, and have a good time with Tawnia and Mindy when you go to Utah.

I've been extremely busy studying this week. One teacher assigned us a book to have read by next Monday (I spent about six hours on it Tuesday evening), and I have to find primary sources for my history paper. I think I've got a good focus for it -- Sherman and guerrillas. Sounds like fun, right? Not to mention astronomy observations and magazine article summaries and history tests. So I will be very, very busy between now and Thanksgiving.

-- Emily

Happy Birthday Trina!

You've had quite a year this time around the sun. Congrats on everything, especially beautiful Baby Summer.

Enjoy the leaves changing and all that fun.

Love,

Eric and Laurel and Stevie