Since she's feeling better, Avril decided to do some housecleaning today, and the boys, of course, wanted to help. Here are some pictures. Excuse the photo quality; these were taken with my phone:
Monday, February 23, 2009
On The Mend
It was a rough weekend. Everyone was sick except for me. Kenny got it first, then Alex and Avril fell ill. It was a pretty bad cold. Somehow, I haven't come down with it yet. It's probably holding off until I get to Edmonton later this week, as is the tradition. None of us slept well over the weekend, and there was a lot of phlegm flying around. The three of them seem to be in much better shape today, so that when I inevitably get sick, Avril can pick up the slack.
Since she's feeling better, Avril decided to do some housecleaning today, and the boys, of course, wanted to help. Here are some pictures. Excuse the photo quality; these were taken with my phone:
Since she's feeling better, Avril decided to do some housecleaning today, and the boys, of course, wanted to help. Here are some pictures. Excuse the photo quality; these were taken with my phone:
Friday, February 20, 2009
Alex Makes a Phone Call
I was sitting on the couch downstairs with Alex yesterday after work. He was having a fun time climbing and jumping around. Eventually, he saw the telephone on the back of the couch and grabbed it. I let him investigate if for a little while. Then he started pushing random buttons. I decided to take it away from him, and he put up a fight. We wrestled for it, and when I finally took it from him, I hung it up. It immediately rang. I answered it and the person on the other end said, "This is 911 emergency. We received a call from this number. Do you have an emergency?" Bad baby! Bad baby!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Long Weekend
I like Family Day for two reasons:
1. It's a holiday without pomp or ceremony. Just a nice day off of work.
2. I always forget that it's coming, so it's like a surprise long weekend.
Those are also the two reasons why I like Victoria Day.
Early last week, in discussing what we were going to do for Valentine's Day, Avril said, "Afton will watch the kids for us if we take them to her house." They were just kidding, but I took them up on the offer. After work on Friday, Avril and I loaded the boys into the Crapvalier and drove down to Lethbridge, snow be damned.
It turned out that Avril's parents watched the kids instead of Afton, but it's all the same to me. We had an early date in an effort to avoid the dinner crowd at restaurants. We had a late lunch (thus also avoiding the lunch crowd) at the Cheesecake Cafe, and then we went to watch the 4:15 showing of the movie Coraline. After that, we dropped in to visit Afton for a few minutes, and then went to Wal-Mart because we weren't ready to go home yet. I bought Avril a new cordless phone for the house (the one we had sucks) as a present while we were there. We don't usually buy each other presents on Valentine's Day, so I didn't feel bad about buying such an unromantic present.
Avril was sick on Sunday, so she stayed at her parents' house with Alex while Kenny and I headed out to Purple Springs to have family dinner with the Olers, Heningers, and Rasmussens. I had a very nice visit with them. It had been a while since I had last seen the Rasmussens. It was a very nostalgic visit. We did a lot of reminiscing.
We relaxed Monday morning. Avril's parents had two of their granddaughters, Jane and Lucy, staying with them, so Kenny had a lot of fun playing with them. In the early afternoon, we went shopping at Costco with Afton, and then we had lunch at Swiss Chalet before heading home.
I'll try to have some pictures up this evening.
1. It's a holiday without pomp or ceremony. Just a nice day off of work.
2. I always forget that it's coming, so it's like a surprise long weekend.
Those are also the two reasons why I like Victoria Day.
Early last week, in discussing what we were going to do for Valentine's Day, Avril said, "Afton will watch the kids for us if we take them to her house." They were just kidding, but I took them up on the offer. After work on Friday, Avril and I loaded the boys into the Crapvalier and drove down to Lethbridge, snow be damned.
It turned out that Avril's parents watched the kids instead of Afton, but it's all the same to me. We had an early date in an effort to avoid the dinner crowd at restaurants. We had a late lunch (thus also avoiding the lunch crowd) at the Cheesecake Cafe, and then we went to watch the 4:15 showing of the movie Coraline. After that, we dropped in to visit Afton for a few minutes, and then went to Wal-Mart because we weren't ready to go home yet. I bought Avril a new cordless phone for the house (the one we had sucks) as a present while we were there. We don't usually buy each other presents on Valentine's Day, so I didn't feel bad about buying such an unromantic present.
Avril was sick on Sunday, so she stayed at her parents' house with Alex while Kenny and I headed out to Purple Springs to have family dinner with the Olers, Heningers, and Rasmussens. I had a very nice visit with them. It had been a while since I had last seen the Rasmussens. It was a very nostalgic visit. We did a lot of reminiscing.
We relaxed Monday morning. Avril's parents had two of their granddaughters, Jane and Lucy, staying with them, so Kenny had a lot of fun playing with them. In the early afternoon, we went shopping at Costco with Afton, and then we had lunch at Swiss Chalet before heading home.
I'll try to have some pictures up this evening.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Your Memories
As most of you know, I recently did this facebook thing: "Leave one memory that you and I have together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember! Don't send a message, leave a comment on here. Next, re-post this in your notes and see how many people leave a memory about you." Here are the replies that I got:
Jenn: "When Mike was a teeny tiny boy he walked up to a sand dune in his Saskachewonian backyard, sat down in the concave side, and called it his office."
Kyle Jensen: "Do you remember when Zac and Kyler were slapping my wrists with wet wash clothes for roughly 15 minutes while you just looked on with a mix of disgust and laughter??"
Kevin Calder: "Just wanna be your teddy bear - oooohh"
Amy: "I once, accidently, stuck a hook in one of Mike's eyes -- he was surprisingly calm about it."
Heidi: "One time, I was kissing Nosh on Mike's couch and Mike high-fiived me."
Brady Cahoon: "Kyle, don't forget that I was there slapping your wrists with the wet wash cloth too!
Mike, so many glorious memories of visiting you late at night at the HOJO! Hoo Hah!!! Still remain vivid in my memory. The one time where we stayed and watched Donny Darko was nice. Lookin' for the good ones. Dorgon."
Rachel: "I remember almost getting you beat up by flagrantly throwing pickles at troubled youth. I'm still impressed with how you leapt right over that fence like it wasn't there." (Want the full story? Go here: http://hyper90s.blogspot.com/2009/02/pickle-tossing.html)
Neil: "Shopping carts thown out of the back of the truck on the highway!" (Full story here: http://hyper90s.blogspot.com/2009/02/shopping-cart-tossing.html)
David Prince: "The first thing that comes to mind is sitting in our crappy house in the jungles of the Philippines, after chasing out the rats, after a long day sweating in the 35 degree weather, watching Mike tend his ingrown toenail that had recently been operated on. Those were the days. As well as chopped up BBQ'd chicken on a stick.....mmmm.....jungle chicken."
Mum: "Ah Mike. I remember the night you were born. After three lovely girls, you were a pleasant surprise, and we finally got to use the name we had chosen for our second son before we were married. You were so cute and little...well a big baby, but a little boy. Loved you then, love you now."
Sara: "sitting in the back of the neighbours jeep with you while your face was hanging open and your jaw was broken, and jolting you awake everytime you tried to fall asleep."
Jenn: "When Mike was a teeny tiny boy he walked up to a sand dune in his Saskachewonian backyard, sat down in the concave side, and called it his office."
Kyle Jensen: "Do you remember when Zac and Kyler were slapping my wrists with wet wash clothes for roughly 15 minutes while you just looked on with a mix of disgust and laughter??"
Kevin Calder: "Just wanna be your teddy bear - oooohh"
Amy: "I once, accidently, stuck a hook in one of Mike's eyes -- he was surprisingly calm about it."
Heidi: "One time, I was kissing Nosh on Mike's couch and Mike high-fiived me."
Brady Cahoon: "Kyle, don't forget that I was there slapping your wrists with the wet wash cloth too!
Mike, so many glorious memories of visiting you late at night at the HOJO! Hoo Hah!!! Still remain vivid in my memory. The one time where we stayed and watched Donny Darko was nice. Lookin' for the good ones. Dorgon."
Rachel: "I remember almost getting you beat up by flagrantly throwing pickles at troubled youth. I'm still impressed with how you leapt right over that fence like it wasn't there." (Want the full story? Go here: http://hyper90s.blogspot.com/2009/02/pickle-tossing.html)
Neil: "Shopping carts thown out of the back of the truck on the highway!" (Full story here: http://hyper90s.blogspot.com/2009/02/shopping-cart-tossing.html)
David Prince: "The first thing that comes to mind is sitting in our crappy house in the jungles of the Philippines, after chasing out the rats, after a long day sweating in the 35 degree weather, watching Mike tend his ingrown toenail that had recently been operated on. Those were the days. As well as chopped up BBQ'd chicken on a stick.....mmmm.....jungle chicken."
Mum: "Ah Mike. I remember the night you were born. After three lovely girls, you were a pleasant surprise, and we finally got to use the name we had chosen for our second son before we were married. You were so cute and little...well a big baby, but a little boy. Loved you then, love you now."
Sara: "sitting in the back of the neighbours jeep with you while your face was hanging open and your jaw was broken, and jolting you awake everytime you tried to fall asleep."
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Memories of the 90s
Okay, I made another blog. This one is the last one for a while, I promise. It's a blog of my interesting memories from when I was a teenager. I'm making an effort to keep it light-hearted, and it will arguably be the most interesting of my three blogs. Here's the link: http://hyper90s.blogspot.com/
Monday, February 9, 2009
25 Things
Mum posted hers on her blog, so I figure I can do the same to mine. I'll also add comments or explanations on each point, just so that you aren't bored by having to read this twice.
1. I once peed on a dead monkey just so that I could say "Yes" if anyone ever asked me if I've peed on a dead monkey.
-No, nobody has ever asked me if I've peed on a dead monkey. Well, except for the companion who convinced me to do it.
2. There's a small dent on my head that I got from falling while running around a coffee table and hitting my head on the corner.
-I am now paranoid about my sons around coffee tables.
3. I had my gallbladder removed in 2004 because of gall stones, and then I had surgery to remove a kidney stone in 2005. (Not as impressive as Mary's streak of abdominal surgery, I know, but I think it's cool.)
-I never felt pain from the gallstone. When I had the kidney stone attack, I went to the doctor, who said, "Yeah, sounds like a kidney stone." However, the ultrasound didn't find a kidney stone. It did find a gallstone, though, which was far away from where the pain happened. The next year, after the gallstone was gone and I was still having stone attacks and blood in my urine, they found the kidney stone using a CT scan.
4. I've seen the inside of my own bladder.
-this was when they were trying to find out why there was blood in my urine, which eventually lead to the CT scan that discovered the kidney stone.
5. I knew Avril's brother and sister before I knew her. Also, I went to high school with one of her sisters-in-law. In fact, my cousin Neil used to date that particular sister-in-law.
-Avril is seven years younger than me. Her second brother is my age, and he is the one who married the girl that I went to high school with. That's how I met him. Her older sister was friends with Noah, and we were in the same singles ward. It is through her that I met Avril.
6. I was less confident as an attractive 18-year-old B student than I was as a fat, bespectacled 25-year-old college drop-out.
-It's amazing what a mission and an engagement (albeit a failed engagement) will do to a guy's confidence.
7. I'm the fifth child of seven, and I'm the second of two sons. Also, my father is the second of two sons. COINCIDENCE?! Yes.
-If this were a fantasy novel, Alex would have formidable magical powers.
8. I was the fourth of my siblings to get married at age 26.
-the first three: Rob, Amy, and Sara.
9. I've been to as many countries as I have States. (Five. Countries: Canada, USA, Taiwan, China, Philippines. States: Maine, Montana, California, Utah, Colorado.)
-Mary says I've been to New York state. Is that true?
10. Of the places listed in #9, I was only in the airport for the following: Taiwan, China, Colorado.
-All very nice airports.
11. By the time Kenny is three years old, he will have lived in six different places.
-Where will the sixth place be? Tune in for more details. (I hope it's Picture Butte.)
12. Someone once robbed me at gunpoint at the motel I worked at a couple of years ago.
-turned out to be a fake gun. And good news: she's probably out of prison now!
13. Someone once threatened to kill me with a ballpoint pen at the other motel I worked at a couple of years ago.
-"Did I just hear you on the radio?" was the first thing he said to me. Three months in prison.
14. I don't like working at motels.
-And not just because of the constant threats on my life.
15. I once tried to teach myself Korean because my boss kept speaking Korean. I got bored after a week.
-Anyong ha seyo.
16. I own three video game consoles. (PS2, XBox 360, Wii)
-Technically, the Wii belongs to Avril.
17. I bought a deep fat fryer and an exercise bike within weeks of each other.
-One makes me fat, the other makes me not-so-fat.
18. I've eaten more beef jerky in the last few months than I have in my whole life up until a few months ago.
-It might be true. I haven't kept detailed records of my beef jerky consumption.
19. I am sometimes prone to exaggeration.
-Like when I talk about how much beef jerky I've been eating lately.
20. I own 22 different Superman DVDs. (NOTE: Even though it follows the exaggeration comment, this one is not an exaggeration.)
-And there are lots more still to be had.
21. A mutual friend wanted Heidi Bialik (who later married my cousin/best friend) and me to date each other despite the fact that, at the time, she was 17 and I was 25.
-I had a rule in my last couple years of singlehood: no dating anyone younger than Emily.
22. I go through a beard-goatee-beardless cycle about three times a year. Right now I'm in the goatee phase.
-Avril likes my goatee face the best. If I was significantly thinner, I'd be clean-shaven all the time. Facial hair masks my double chin.
23. I didn't own a cellphone until last year.
-Useful tools, but I hate cellphone culture.
24. I had nine ingrown toenail surgeries on my mission. All on the same toe. The last one, which was also the most drastic one, was on my 22nd birthday.
-The first three surgeries were done by the mission president's wife at the back of the chapel after zone conference.
25. Once a saw a blimp.
-I don't think anyone caught this Simpsons quote. Larry Burns (voiced by Rodney Dangerfield) said it.
1. I once peed on a dead monkey just so that I could say "Yes" if anyone ever asked me if I've peed on a dead monkey.
-No, nobody has ever asked me if I've peed on a dead monkey. Well, except for the companion who convinced me to do it.
2. There's a small dent on my head that I got from falling while running around a coffee table and hitting my head on the corner.
-I am now paranoid about my sons around coffee tables.
3. I had my gallbladder removed in 2004 because of gall stones, and then I had surgery to remove a kidney stone in 2005. (Not as impressive as Mary's streak of abdominal surgery, I know, but I think it's cool.)
-I never felt pain from the gallstone. When I had the kidney stone attack, I went to the doctor, who said, "Yeah, sounds like a kidney stone." However, the ultrasound didn't find a kidney stone. It did find a gallstone, though, which was far away from where the pain happened. The next year, after the gallstone was gone and I was still having stone attacks and blood in my urine, they found the kidney stone using a CT scan.
4. I've seen the inside of my own bladder.
-this was when they were trying to find out why there was blood in my urine, which eventually lead to the CT scan that discovered the kidney stone.
5. I knew Avril's brother and sister before I knew her. Also, I went to high school with one of her sisters-in-law. In fact, my cousin Neil used to date that particular sister-in-law.
-Avril is seven years younger than me. Her second brother is my age, and he is the one who married the girl that I went to high school with. That's how I met him. Her older sister was friends with Noah, and we were in the same singles ward. It is through her that I met Avril.
6. I was less confident as an attractive 18-year-old B student than I was as a fat, bespectacled 25-year-old college drop-out.
-It's amazing what a mission and an engagement (albeit a failed engagement) will do to a guy's confidence.
7. I'm the fifth child of seven, and I'm the second of two sons. Also, my father is the second of two sons. COINCIDENCE?! Yes.
-If this were a fantasy novel, Alex would have formidable magical powers.
8. I was the fourth of my siblings to get married at age 26.
-the first three: Rob, Amy, and Sara.
9. I've been to as many countries as I have States. (Five. Countries: Canada, USA, Taiwan, China, Philippines. States: Maine, Montana, California, Utah, Colorado.)
-Mary says I've been to New York state. Is that true?
10. Of the places listed in #9, I was only in the airport for the following: Taiwan, China, Colorado.
-All very nice airports.
11. By the time Kenny is three years old, he will have lived in six different places.
-Where will the sixth place be? Tune in for more details. (I hope it's Picture Butte.)
12. Someone once robbed me at gunpoint at the motel I worked at a couple of years ago.
-turned out to be a fake gun. And good news: she's probably out of prison now!
13. Someone once threatened to kill me with a ballpoint pen at the other motel I worked at a couple of years ago.
-"Did I just hear you on the radio?" was the first thing he said to me. Three months in prison.
14. I don't like working at motels.
-And not just because of the constant threats on my life.
15. I once tried to teach myself Korean because my boss kept speaking Korean. I got bored after a week.
-Anyong ha seyo.
16. I own three video game consoles. (PS2, XBox 360, Wii)
-Technically, the Wii belongs to Avril.
17. I bought a deep fat fryer and an exercise bike within weeks of each other.
-One makes me fat, the other makes me not-so-fat.
18. I've eaten more beef jerky in the last few months than I have in my whole life up until a few months ago.
-It might be true. I haven't kept detailed records of my beef jerky consumption.
19. I am sometimes prone to exaggeration.
-Like when I talk about how much beef jerky I've been eating lately.
20. I own 22 different Superman DVDs. (NOTE: Even though it follows the exaggeration comment, this one is not an exaggeration.)
-And there are lots more still to be had.
21. A mutual friend wanted Heidi Bialik (who later married my cousin/best friend) and me to date each other despite the fact that, at the time, she was 17 and I was 25.
-I had a rule in my last couple years of singlehood: no dating anyone younger than Emily.
22. I go through a beard-goatee-beardless cycle about three times a year. Right now I'm in the goatee phase.
-Avril likes my goatee face the best. If I was significantly thinner, I'd be clean-shaven all the time. Facial hair masks my double chin.
23. I didn't own a cellphone until last year.
-Useful tools, but I hate cellphone culture.
24. I had nine ingrown toenail surgeries on my mission. All on the same toe. The last one, which was also the most drastic one, was on my 22nd birthday.
-The first three surgeries were done by the mission president's wife at the back of the chapel after zone conference.
25. Once a saw a blimp.
-I don't think anyone caught this Simpsons quote. Larry Burns (voiced by Rodney Dangerfield) said it.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Kenny the Tailor
So I was sitting on the couch playing video games last night. Alex was in bed, and Avril was on the computer. Kenny was standing on the couch beside me. He had been jumping around, which has been his favourite activity lately, much to the chagrin of his mother. He had stopped jumping, and I continued playing Soul Caliber IV. Kenny was been suspiciously quiet, and if I hadn't been distracted by the pure awesomeness that is Soul Caliber, I probably would have caught him sooner. I heard a *snip*. I looked over and saw that Kenny had found Avril's sewing scissors and had decided to modify his shirt. The one that he was wearing. My heart stopped for a second, amazed that Kenny hadn't cut his fingers or, more impressively, his belly. I took the scissors from him, put them someplace out of reach, and caught my breath.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Now Accepting Offers
With my internship coming to an end on April 30, I am officially in job hunt mode. I've updated my resume, and I've bookmarked the job posting page on AUMA's website. If anybody hears of any jobs opening up in municipal administration or some other field that might suit me (hotel management, perhaps), let me know. My mother-in-law found an ad in the Lethbridge Herald for a job in Picture Butte that wasn't listed on any of the websites I look at, so don't think you can't find anything that I can't find myself.
Also, the house that Avril and I are renting sold over the weekend, so we need our butts out of it by May 1. It would be nice to know where we're moving to before we actually vacate the premises. It only took one showing to sell that house. The first people who looked at it put in an offer. I give credit (blame?) to the awesome job Avril did at cleaning it. I helped, but she did most of the work while I was at work.
Also, the house that Avril and I are renting sold over the weekend, so we need our butts out of it by May 1. It would be nice to know where we're moving to before we actually vacate the premises. It only took one showing to sell that house. The first people who looked at it put in an offer. I give credit (blame?) to the awesome job Avril did at cleaning it. I helped, but she did most of the work while I was at work.
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