The Cruise ~ Days 1 & 2

So some of you may not know, but Jay and I decided to go on one last trip before we became old and had to grow up...like the ripe old age of 30. So we went on a Norwegian ship to the Western Caribbean. It was nice to leave the frigid North to go to the tropics.

What is the first thing you have to do on a cruise? Emergency prep. I think they started this right after the Titanic. Here we are in our stylish life vests...

We left from Miami (my first time to Florida). Here are some pics as we were sailing away.

This is Miami Beach...we have more pictures from the last day, but it did not look this inviting. We had few days of sunshine, but at least no Hurricane.

Here is the second day. It was a day at sea, so we really don't have a lot of pictures except for wide open ocean and food.

As you may know, food is one of the top three reasons people go on a cruise. I think the other two are playing Bingo, and seeing the towel figures the staff make in your room each night.

A nice easy day at sea.

Siriana and Jeremy

This blessed event happened way back in August, so now I can finally report on it since we are computerized again. My little sister, Siriana, married Jeremy Christensen in Logan, Utah.

It was fun to go home (our first time since we have lived in NYC). Here is my family including my mother's mother and my father's father.

In between the wedding and the reception, Jay and I had the chance to try our own wedding cake that my parents had frozen. We missed our year anniversary, but a year and a half isn't too bad. It tasted pretty good, surprisingly...

The reception was held in my parents yard in McCammon, Idaho. We worked so hard to get it all ready! And the day of it was rainy and windy and there was even a tornado warning! But it all settled miraculously just before the reception.

Poor Jeremy's car! I wonder if he didn't realize the family he was marrying into were all troublemakers (his car was VERY accesible to evil-doers).

It was a lovely day!

Happy Halloween

Well here I am sitting at the new Mac and feeling all kinds of pressure to get a blog out. I suppose this is my first official time in creating a blog. I have played a much more secondary role in all previous posts (i.e. I have brought Kjerstina a drink of water when she is posting, or I have removed lint from the mouse roll ball when needed). So here is goes.

As one can tell from the pictures below I was also tasked with the job of cleaning out the Halloween pumpkin. There is nothing quite like putting your hand in squishy pumpkin innards and making sure the jack-o-lantern has no visible hanging "participles".


The artist at rest after a grueling 4 hour carving session of "Jack." The large object in Jack's mouth is of course the candle, however it looks like Jack may have something the size of a can of soup stuck in his esophagus. Don't worry he hacked it up a little later.



This is Jack with the lights off (or rather with the lights dimmed). Jack was not very visible with the lights off (that have may have more to do with our camera than his photogenic ability). Anyway does Jack resemble anything or anyone? Think Jim Henson for those who need a little help.


We also had the opportunity to attend a Halloween Party with members from our ward. Numerous people showed up and here is just a sampling of some of those who attended. The Morley's (Jon and Erin) were dressed up as a Republican and a Democrat.


The Delellis's (Nico, Kriston and Matis) were cave people, I believe from the Mesozoic time period. Matis (little guy in front) was an avid hunter and gather (I think he almost collected the most cotton balls of all the other children). The cotton ball game was designed in the late 1800's, which consists of dumping cotton balls on the ground and letting small children dressed in costumes they didn't pick, nor would they wear if it were up to them - and then letting them collect as many cotton balls as they can before they lose interest and want to get into the garbage. The game was played only by the children which I missed due to being at a baptism.


The party planners were the Kings (Erin, Hudson and Cameron) although I don't know how much credit can be given to Hudson for the planning, but certainly he can obtain most of the credit for entertaining us all and is in the running for the best costume (Nacho Libre)



We also went in costume although it was what's commonly refereed to as a "strategic costume." Kjerstina went as "Mildred Hyde" the 1995 winner of the Publishers Clearing House 1 million dollar superprize, from Chattam New Jersey. I went as Ed McCman without his glasses - enough said - and was the presenter of such a fine winning. The costume was only half of it, for the props, and presentation make up the other half. The demonstration came off without a hitch and all at the party felt as if indeed this truly was the actual event of Mildred Hyde winner her money. It worked out well and all were happy, or at least that's what I thought.

Note: The strategic part of the event was when I slipped out to go to a baptism already dressed in appropriate attire.

The Party was fun and all in attendance had a great time (yes, yes, I know, I can speak for everyone on this). Thanks so much Kings and Dixon's.


Well there you go, my first blog is complete. I don't know how it will actually look when posted but if I maintain my healthy rate of blogging, my next blog should be out in July of 2008. Chow for now.