I think this works. Sorry to take you all over the place!
This video is of our two kids dancing at my brothers wedding!
Chris
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Dancing kids!
I think this works. Sorry to take you all over the place!
This video is of our two kids dancing at my brothers wedding!
Chris
Saturday, November 15, 2008
All Day?
So today is Saturday. You know what that means? I think it means that I worked 2 Saturdays in a row. I usually try to get streaks like this going in the opposite direction. Things seem to be going well in the work category. I may be able to get everything done that I need to with my thesis. I know I have complained about my brothers timing on his wedding a few times but man this really is bad timing. I am not happy at all having to really scrape things together fast like this.
Okay most of the having to get things done fast may be my fault but lets be honest, I will be getting my thesis done almost 2 weeks early if I get it done in time to head to Texas via car.
So the moral of the story? I am getting pretty stressed out again now that I am trying to get everything done for texas. I had about a day of stress relief after doing my thesis defense thinking oh I am all done...
Well not quiet yet. I still have to be official.
Okay most of the having to get things done fast may be my fault but lets be honest, I will be getting my thesis done almost 2 weeks early if I get it done in time to head to Texas via car.
So the moral of the story? I am getting pretty stressed out again now that I am trying to get everything done for texas. I had about a day of stress relief after doing my thesis defense thinking oh I am all done...
Well not quiet yet. I still have to be official.
Friday, November 14, 2008
No Really...
Well I am getting closer each day to being done with my masters degree. I guess now you could say I unofficially have my masters degree. I didn't realize that this was the case if you pass you defense but haven't yet turned in the final thesis. Well my thesis defense went well.
For my thesis defense I was pretty nervous up to about 3 hours before. I didn't sleep really well, and I had the "pre-race" jitters that I frequently got when I did sports in high school. But a few hours before I guess a different part of me took over and I set aside the nervousness. I was one with the presentation. That was really invigorating now that I think about it. Overall my talking went well. My lovely wife was there to cheer me on. That was really helpful. That was the kind of support that I didn't think I would really desire but actually really appreciated.
Once I started the presentation as always I felt like this isn't enough information or work for my thesis to actually be done. I was worried that people would question the quality or the amount of work. Luckily I worried about that in vain. I got some questions that were really confusing because I just didn't understand the context that people were coming from but those were to bad I would say.
After general questions I got grilled by the committee and that wasn't actually to bad. Overall though it seemed that they mainly asked me really far off questions that didn't seem to actually apply directly to the thesis. Overall they wanted to be sure I was able to think on the next level not just struggle at the one I was presenting on. I understand this as well but it was weird. Some questions were totally in left field from where I did my research but those were to bad because they didn't have to be answered perfectly because they were mostly speculative.
They kicked me out and talked among themselves for a few minutes and then told me I passed and talked about some things that they wanted me to change in the thesis it self. Mostly talking about data and conclusions differently and adding some background information. This was stuff that will make it better. The problem with that is that I could make this project better and better forever. I just want to be done! Okay really now I am getting really close. Maybe next week I will be able to be totally done.
That is a really big relief. I just wish that I didn't have to go to the wedding and Texas. I will have lots fun that is for sure. But overall I don't want to have to be stressed about getting everything done. I guess that would be a perfect world. I am still enjoying this one though...
For my thesis defense I was pretty nervous up to about 3 hours before. I didn't sleep really well, and I had the "pre-race" jitters that I frequently got when I did sports in high school. But a few hours before I guess a different part of me took over and I set aside the nervousness. I was one with the presentation. That was really invigorating now that I think about it. Overall my talking went well. My lovely wife was there to cheer me on. That was really helpful. That was the kind of support that I didn't think I would really desire but actually really appreciated.
Once I started the presentation as always I felt like this isn't enough information or work for my thesis to actually be done. I was worried that people would question the quality or the amount of work. Luckily I worried about that in vain. I got some questions that were really confusing because I just didn't understand the context that people were coming from but those were to bad I would say.
After general questions I got grilled by the committee and that wasn't actually to bad. Overall though it seemed that they mainly asked me really far off questions that didn't seem to actually apply directly to the thesis. Overall they wanted to be sure I was able to think on the next level not just struggle at the one I was presenting on. I understand this as well but it was weird. Some questions were totally in left field from where I did my research but those were to bad because they didn't have to be answered perfectly because they were mostly speculative.
They kicked me out and talked among themselves for a few minutes and then told me I passed and talked about some things that they wanted me to change in the thesis it self. Mostly talking about data and conclusions differently and adding some background information. This was stuff that will make it better. The problem with that is that I could make this project better and better forever. I just want to be done! Okay really now I am getting really close. Maybe next week I will be able to be totally done.
That is a really big relief. I just wish that I didn't have to go to the wedding and Texas. I will have lots fun that is for sure. But overall I don't want to have to be stressed about getting everything done. I guess that would be a perfect world. I am still enjoying this one though...
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Things Are Good!
Well things are going well. I finished an assignment that I had due for monday that was pretty big and in the way of work that I really wanted to be working on, my thesis. So that is out of the way and freed up a few hours of time for this next week. I am afraid and excited that this next week may be the longest work week of my life. Previously the longest work week I have had was about 74 hours. So we will see if I can accomplish what I need to this week and how much time it will take. Here is a list of what I have to do.
Finish my Thesis Defense Presentation (I really have about all of it left to do...)
Read another book for my Sociology Class I am taking.
Work on my soils project at the EPA for probably at least 20 hours.
Format my thesis entirely so that it is ready to turn in with other revisions requested from my committee members.
Write my sociology paper that is due very soon after my trip to Texas.
I guess those are only a few things that I need to be doing this week. I probably won't need 70 hours. Hopefully I can finish everything up in that time. But if need be I will be putting in 80 or 90. I am determined to be worry free when I get to my brothers wedding. So I can focus on birds and the wonders therein of Texas!
Anyway the other nice thing is that the cold I previously had is about down the drain. What a relief. It was really wiping me out. Usually I crack off about 7 hours of rest and am doing well, but with this cold I was needing 10+ hours to be just a bit functional. Argh. Last week I put in about 55 hours and I was really dragging. Hopefully I can put in only 55 and not be dragging at all!
I am also enjoying the 1pm church we will be having until the end of the year. I like the long morning to eat play and do what ever with the family before we head over to church. It is really nice!
Finish my Thesis Defense Presentation (I really have about all of it left to do...)
Read another book for my Sociology Class I am taking.
Work on my soils project at the EPA for probably at least 20 hours.
Format my thesis entirely so that it is ready to turn in with other revisions requested from my committee members.
Write my sociology paper that is due very soon after my trip to Texas.
I guess those are only a few things that I need to be doing this week. I probably won't need 70 hours. Hopefully I can finish everything up in that time. But if need be I will be putting in 80 or 90. I am determined to be worry free when I get to my brothers wedding. So I can focus on birds and the wonders therein of Texas!
Anyway the other nice thing is that the cold I previously had is about down the drain. What a relief. It was really wiping me out. Usually I crack off about 7 hours of rest and am doing well, but with this cold I was needing 10+ hours to be just a bit functional. Argh. Last week I put in about 55 hours and I was really dragging. Hopefully I can put in only 55 and not be dragging at all!
I am also enjoying the 1pm church we will be having until the end of the year. I like the long morning to eat play and do what ever with the family before we head over to church. It is really nice!
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Really?
I have my thesis defense scheduled! This is really weird to actually be at this point. It has been a long time coming. I think it may have been harder to get the four professors together than to do the research and write the thesis. But I am set for my defense on the 13th of November 2008 at 2pm. I am pretty excited about this. I do have a load of work to do before then but hey that is what I do...I just wish I wasn't getting a massive cold. Argh!
Scheduling?
Well I am working on my scheduling today for my thesis defense. I have to get four really busy people all in the same room at the same time. Today I think I may have done it. But when I think I may have done it I think that I may also be finding lots of problems to deal with. Two of the people on the committee previously had said that Thursday the 13th of November was fine any time. So I set it for 2pm based on what the busiest member said. Well the original two now are saying that maybe I will have a conflict at that time. Let me check.
Argh. The worst thing is that I have to wait a bit longer to set it up. Today was almost a total anachronism in that all four members were in their offices and I was able to contact them all at once. That is really unusual. Believe me. So I am now facing potentially having to reschedule the entire thing again. Oh my.
The interesting thing is that now it is fitting together potentially and our hopeful plans for going to Texas are lining up I don't want to go at all. That may be because I am currently suffering from a bad cold and am tired of everything. I don't want to do anything right now. I don't even want to have a break is the funny thing. I can tell I need to go home and worry about this stuff tomorrow. I will be feeling better about things then. That is no guarantee though in my attendance at my brothers wedding. I am still a bit peeved that he scheduled it at the worst time in the last 3 years for me. Oh well.
Argh. The worst thing is that I have to wait a bit longer to set it up. Today was almost a total anachronism in that all four members were in their offices and I was able to contact them all at once. That is really unusual. Believe me. So I am now facing potentially having to reschedule the entire thing again. Oh my.
The interesting thing is that now it is fitting together potentially and our hopeful plans for going to Texas are lining up I don't want to go at all. That may be because I am currently suffering from a bad cold and am tired of everything. I don't want to do anything right now. I don't even want to have a break is the funny thing. I can tell I need to go home and worry about this stuff tomorrow. I will be feeling better about things then. That is no guarantee though in my attendance at my brothers wedding. I am still a bit peeved that he scheduled it at the worst time in the last 3 years for me. Oh well.
DONE!
Okay so I am almost done. I am finishing printing out my thesis for people to look at. Mainly my committee. What a relief. I am about to finish my masters! Well I am getting pretty close. I may even be able to say that I will be finished this semester. We will see. Anyway, I have spent a bit to much time today finishing up things so I am headed home.
Chow!
Chow!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Funny Kids...
So I think that my kids wake up just in time for me to leave for work. They wake up each day about the same time each day. Maybe over time I have trained them to wake up about 7 am because I make a bit of a ruckus getting my bike out to head to work. Oh well. I fell bad for my wife. She has to get up regularly at 7 am! I do it so I can have an evening of little or not work (usually this works...).
So yesterday I was told a story about my son. He woke up just after I left and came out and asked his mother if I was there. She said no daddy is already gone. He replied "aw shucks!" and went about his playing.
A while ago he got up and wanted to have me around for something and Alison said I would be home after dinner. She asked him what he wanted for breakfast and he said that he wanted her to make dinner now. That made my heart cry a little when she told me that. I love to be around my little joys in life and they certainly love me regardless, something I try to always deserve.
Anyway, I am headed to them now. Last night there where no flat tires, but I worry about today, the other tire was looking pretty sad now. I think my bike has the flat tire disease. Oh well. Better than car troubles, these are pretty easy and cheap to fix.
So yesterday I was told a story about my son. He woke up just after I left and came out and asked his mother if I was there. She said no daddy is already gone. He replied "aw shucks!" and went about his playing.
A while ago he got up and wanted to have me around for something and Alison said I would be home after dinner. She asked him what he wanted for breakfast and he said that he wanted her to make dinner now. That made my heart cry a little when she told me that. I love to be around my little joys in life and they certainly love me regardless, something I try to always deserve.
Anyway, I am headed to them now. Last night there where no flat tires, but I worry about today, the other tire was looking pretty sad now. I think my bike has the flat tire disease. Oh well. Better than car troubles, these are pretty easy and cheap to fix.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Almost There? Really?
Well I am getting closer to being done with my thesis. I can tell because I have only so much time so I actually really have to be done, and as I work on it and cross stuff of my list of todo's it is getting shorter instead of getting two or three things longer with each one that is crosses of. So things are looking pretty good.
I am also feeling pretty good about my pictures of the day website. I have had it up for almost 3 months. It is fun to see 90 or so of my pictures and what I decided to put up daily especially as I look at last weeks shots, and two months ago.
I am still a bit frustrated that my brother chose to get married the day my masters thesis is due, in Texas. So I have to have everything done much earlier. I could have it all done much earlier, except that I am dealing with four professors that don't have my thesis getting done very high on their priorities list. So basically I may have a choice to make, finish my master or go to a wedding...stay tuned!
The excitement now is whether my bike tire will be flat or not when I go outside to ride home. Two nights in a row so far it was flat. Hopefully the streak has ended!
I am also feeling pretty good about my pictures of the day website. I have had it up for almost 3 months. It is fun to see 90 or so of my pictures and what I decided to put up daily especially as I look at last weeks shots, and two months ago.
I am still a bit frustrated that my brother chose to get married the day my masters thesis is due, in Texas. So I have to have everything done much earlier. I could have it all done much earlier, except that I am dealing with four professors that don't have my thesis getting done very high on their priorities list. So basically I may have a choice to make, finish my master or go to a wedding...stay tuned!
The excitement now is whether my bike tire will be flat or not when I go outside to ride home. Two nights in a row so far it was flat. Hopefully the streak has ended!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Thesis!
Today I sat down with my professor and went over the rough draft of my thesis. It was good to hear his feedback and to get his perspective on the work I have been able to do so far. He really surprised me when he told me after we had been talking for a few minutes that the thesis in general read really nicely and it was well done. I usually just get criticism and we need to work on this and this type things. He isn't really negative, but he gets on a certain track and just doesn't see anything else sometimes and is also sometimes pretty focused on small things and doesn't give these types of complements ever (at least up to now). So that was really nice.
So after that meeting I have a lot of work to do before I can safely feel confident about my chances of getting done this semester. I will be okay but I have a lot of work to do, especially in the next week. Today was good. I got several small parts of the thesis taken care of like the abbreviations table. I had to collect all the abbreviations in the paper and locate them into a certain table. Not bad there were only 14. So I have a list about 2 pages long of one line things to fix and take care of but that is okay. I have a goal and direction. The only thing between those things now is the work to get there. I can do that. Luckily I have done a lot of work already so I am not really needing to do some serious drafting, just formatting and clarifying.
So at the end of this day I am headed to the park! That is about the best thing to cap off a day for sure.
So after that meeting I have a lot of work to do before I can safely feel confident about my chances of getting done this semester. I will be okay but I have a lot of work to do, especially in the next week. Today was good. I got several small parts of the thesis taken care of like the abbreviations table. I had to collect all the abbreviations in the paper and locate them into a certain table. Not bad there were only 14. So I have a list about 2 pages long of one line things to fix and take care of but that is okay. I have a goal and direction. The only thing between those things now is the work to get there. I can do that. Luckily I have done a lot of work already so I am not really needing to do some serious drafting, just formatting and clarifying.
So at the end of this day I am headed to the park! That is about the best thing to cap off a day for sure.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
On the Road Again...
Alison, Zach, Andrea and I are on the road again. Well in about 30 minutes from when I write this. Alison told me she was ready a bit sooner than we thought, so I am headed home to jump in the car to get on the road to Provo. I will be working while we drive. Oh the fun we have in our lives. I have seriously about 40 graphs, 30 figures and some more tables to be making. I can do that on my laptop about anywhere. Good times.
We are going to Provo to see family and fall colors as well as do some fishing. I am pretty excited. I was going to be done with work a bit sooner and have more time to play but alas work still follows me where ever I go...
Only for a while longer!
I am pretty excited for the future. My family and I have a lot in from of us that we can do.
We are going to Provo to see family and fall colors as well as do some fishing. I am pretty excited. I was going to be done with work a bit sooner and have more time to play but alas work still follows me where ever I go...
Only for a while longer!
I am pretty excited for the future. My family and I have a lot in from of us that we can do.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Friday?
So today I wish I had many more hours to work. I also wish I had no more work to do. Does that make sense? Well that is how I feel. I am also really hungry. I want to go out to eat, but I know I really shouldn't. The place I want to go eat is Buffalo Wild Wings, where I went already this week. I guess it was good and is sticking with me. Ironic. I hope we don't end up doing that. I need to be strong so that I can avoid eating out for the rest of the month. After tonight almost every Friday and Saturday are booked with things to do. So I need to make it through tonight!
We are also going to go to Barnes and Noble and check out books. That is one of our favorite things to do, but it is hard because the kids drive us crazy there. We would spend all day. The kids can only last so long. Andrea has also lately decided that her main job to maintain her status is pulling all the books off our shelves. We will see if this transfers to Barnes and Noble...
We are also going to go to Barnes and Noble and check out books. That is one of our favorite things to do, but it is hard because the kids drive us crazy there. We would spend all day. The kids can only last so long. Andrea has also lately decided that her main job to maintain her status is pulling all the books off our shelves. We will see if this transfers to Barnes and Noble...
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Homeland Security
So I work at a place called the Desert Research Institute. It is pretty cool to do some fun research, even if it is on dirt. I get to figure out how much of certain things are in stuff, and things like that. It is really cool to work months on a project and get back actual scientific data.
Today I had to go to a safety training meeting that covered lab safety and hazardous waste management. Well they talked about security and things like that. I could honestly make Meth, or other drugs, or produce chemicals that could really hurt a lot of people.
So what is the point, well security is a real issue. Generally speaking I work behind locked doors. I have to have a security card to enter my building and then only 4 people have keys to my lab. So it is kind of secure.
So after we get this lecture about safety I walk back up to my office and see that the security doors are propped open for some reason for maintenance. So all those precautions are out the door. Some things I really could never make but to buy their ingredients, which are in my lab, you have to have major clearance.
Oh well I guess...
Today I had to go to a safety training meeting that covered lab safety and hazardous waste management. Well they talked about security and things like that. I could honestly make Meth, or other drugs, or produce chemicals that could really hurt a lot of people.
So what is the point, well security is a real issue. Generally speaking I work behind locked doors. I have to have a security card to enter my building and then only 4 people have keys to my lab. So it is kind of secure.
So after we get this lecture about safety I walk back up to my office and see that the security doors are propped open for some reason for maintenance. So all those precautions are out the door. Some things I really could never make but to buy their ingredients, which are in my lab, you have to have major clearance.
Oh well I guess...
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Work and Play
Well we had a pretty great weekend. It got pretty good Friday when I realized Monday was a holiday. That was nice. So we played Saturday by going on a walk and having a good time all day long. I loved it because I basically got to hang out with my kids all day long. At the end of the day it was a bit maddening when my two year old got tired and restless and only tried to get my goat. He used good tactics like hitting his sister and doing things he wasn't supposed to do at all.
Sunday was nice to. We relaxed and had some good fun. I made two kinds of cookies with my son. Oatmeal and Peanut Butter. Zach wanted Oe cookies as he calls them and Ali wanted peanut butter. 50 minutes later all the cookies were made and cooked. It was fun.
Monday I worked for part of the day and then played with kids before our friends came over for a barbecue and swimming. We invited our old friends from the Greenbriar ward the Schotts. They have 6 kids and are so dun to hang out with. I grilled hamburgers and hot dogs along with shishkabobs with Markus and Alison played after she got everything taken care of. It was a lot of fun.
Today I am back at the grind writing and getting closer to being done with the thesis. I am very happy and excited to be getting closer daily to being done.
Tonight I am going to list some things on ebay for sale. I hope that goes smoothly enough...
Sunday was nice to. We relaxed and had some good fun. I made two kinds of cookies with my son. Oatmeal and Peanut Butter. Zach wanted Oe cookies as he calls them and Ali wanted peanut butter. 50 minutes later all the cookies were made and cooked. It was fun.
Monday I worked for part of the day and then played with kids before our friends came over for a barbecue and swimming. We invited our old friends from the Greenbriar ward the Schotts. They have 6 kids and are so dun to hang out with. I grilled hamburgers and hot dogs along with shishkabobs with Markus and Alison played after she got everything taken care of. It was a lot of fun.
Today I am back at the grind writing and getting closer to being done with the thesis. I am very happy and excited to be getting closer daily to being done.
Tonight I am going to list some things on ebay for sale. I hope that goes smoothly enough...
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Temple
So today I went to the temple before work. I caught the 5:30 session. It was nice. The only bad part was the round trip drive of about 40 minutes.
The nice part is that going to the temple to start the day is pretty invigorating and I feel like I can accomplish about anything currently. I have a lot of work to do in the next while, so I am pretty happy I feel good.
It was interesting that this morning there were about 15 men and 4 women at the temple. When my wife goes usually she tells me it is the opposite of that. Interesting how that works!
The nice part is that going to the temple to start the day is pretty invigorating and I feel like I can accomplish about anything currently. I have a lot of work to do in the next while, so I am pretty happy I feel good.
It was interesting that this morning there were about 15 men and 4 women at the temple. When my wife goes usually she tells me it is the opposite of that. Interesting how that works!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Frustration at Work
Well I am getting frustrated. Today just with trying to do some statistical analysis. The problem may be that I just can actually do it at all. I may not have the number of samples that I need to run the stats.
The frustration is starting on something that I can't figure out just before I go home. When this happens I basically think about it and get bothered by it until I can figure it out. My mind just can't let some things go. This frequently drives me bonkers.
Today I am going to solve this problem by going home and playing with cars and trucks with my kids. That should help me get the frustration out...
The frustration is starting on something that I can't figure out just before I go home. When this happens I basically think about it and get bothered by it until I can figure it out. My mind just can't let some things go. This frequently drives me bonkers.
Today I am going to solve this problem by going home and playing with cars and trucks with my kids. That should help me get the frustration out...
Friday and Hotwings
Wow! Friday at last. I am glad it is here. I have been sweating my brain out all day on my thesis and trying to figure out my data. Argh! It isn't do bad, but wow it is hard to figure out what the dirt is telling me. I generally get the message that dirt is bad for me...
I am really excited that it is friday and the end of the day because my wife and I are going for a night on the town. We are going to a wing place to watch the Olympics and eat some of our favorite critters (hot wings of course!). We even got a sitter so it is us and the kids will be at home! Anyway, things are looking good for tonight. Our baby sitter may be good enough to even have the kids in bed when we get home. That would be really awesome!
Today on the way to work I rode my bike to a park to try and photograph some birds. I didn't have a specific target, but hope for some birds in general to be available for shooting. I got a Black and White Warbler and not much else. Good times none the less. Going that route makes the ride to work 9 miles instead of 2.6. That felt good. I do kind of wish I had a road bike instead of the mountain bike. This bike is so heavy sometimes. I guess that is life...
Maybe I should eat fewer hotwings... I might start that next week!
I am really excited that it is friday and the end of the day because my wife and I are going for a night on the town. We are going to a wing place to watch the Olympics and eat some of our favorite critters (hot wings of course!). We even got a sitter so it is us and the kids will be at home! Anyway, things are looking good for tonight. Our baby sitter may be good enough to even have the kids in bed when we get home. That would be really awesome!
Today on the way to work I rode my bike to a park to try and photograph some birds. I didn't have a specific target, but hope for some birds in general to be available for shooting. I got a Black and White Warbler and not much else. Good times none the less. Going that route makes the ride to work 9 miles instead of 2.6. That felt good. I do kind of wish I had a road bike instead of the mountain bike. This bike is so heavy sometimes. I guess that is life...
Maybe I should eat fewer hotwings... I might start that next week!
Saturdays
I love Saturdays. Today we went to the park on bikes. We chose the park 5 miles away. It was a good ride pulling the kids. Alison rode it like a pro, I think I went to slow for her liking.
Then we had lunch, and haircuts. I needed it pretty bad. Zach kind of needed one so we did it. It was is best ever as far as being patient and relaxing for the entire process.
Later Alison went to the temple and I did some house work, school work and played with the kids. It was good overall. Now we are just lounging around with the kids in bed and not knowing what to do with ourselves and yes, tired!
Then we had lunch, and haircuts. I needed it pretty bad. Zach kind of needed one so we did it. It was is best ever as far as being patient and relaxing for the entire process.
Later Alison went to the temple and I did some house work, school work and played with the kids. It was good overall. Now we are just lounging around with the kids in bed and not knowing what to do with ourselves and yes, tired!
Almost done...
So I am getting closer. I have about accomplished my Laboratory work for my project. I have about finished my statistical analysis. I have done a fair bit of writing. Wow, I think this means that I am basically almost all done. I am starting to get chills up my spine! The hair is sticking up on the back of my neck! This is awesome!
Last night we went to dinner and got ice cream. It was pretty funny. We went and got Chinese and all the people that worked there were Spanish. We walked in and got the "ola!" I had to laugh. My kids had fun. Eat what they want and throw the rest on the floor. Andrea was eating about everything we offered. She had decided that for lunch she wasn't really interested in any tuna fish sandwich. Well she is one.
When we got ice cream she was so excited that she would scream and put her hand on her mouth and basically tell us to put the ice cream in there, and soon please! It was quite the scene. I enjoyed that.
Then we went to our friends the Beamers from our old ward and some of their kids had left a lot of stuff when they moved and gave it to us or DI. There were kids toys that went beyond what I would ever buy. The best part was that they came in boy and girl versions. Chairs, little carts, lots of fun things.
Zach had so much fun that he could go to sleep because he was playing constantly with new thing after new thing. He would get up to get a drink or for the bathroom and be like "oh, what a nice little toy you look like..." and be off again. Wow I am amazed he went to sleep at all!
Last night we went to dinner and got ice cream. It was pretty funny. We went and got Chinese and all the people that worked there were Spanish. We walked in and got the "ola!" I had to laugh. My kids had fun. Eat what they want and throw the rest on the floor. Andrea was eating about everything we offered. She had decided that for lunch she wasn't really interested in any tuna fish sandwich. Well she is one.
When we got ice cream she was so excited that she would scream and put her hand on her mouth and basically tell us to put the ice cream in there, and soon please! It was quite the scene. I enjoyed that.
Then we went to our friends the Beamers from our old ward and some of their kids had left a lot of stuff when they moved and gave it to us or DI. There were kids toys that went beyond what I would ever buy. The best part was that they came in boy and girl versions. Chairs, little carts, lots of fun things.
Zach had so much fun that he could go to sleep because he was playing constantly with new thing after new thing. He would get up to get a drink or for the bathroom and be like "oh, what a nice little toy you look like..." and be off again. Wow I am amazed he went to sleep at all!
Anniversary
Yesterday and my wife celebrated 4 years of marriage! Wow it was awesome. I mean the last 4 year have been awesome. Things are really good. I am glad that I have Alison. It is even more surprising to think I have actually been married for four years, have 2 children and a ton of other things have come about in my life. I am a lucky person. It is true that most of the good things that have come into my life have been because of her!
SEM
Today for my thesis I went and worked on my samples and looked at them with a scanning electron microscope. It is a fun tool to use. I magnifies things up to 300,000 times. WOW! Anyway, it is pretty awesome. Also after you look at a bunch of dirt samples, you basically have seen the interesting things and are having to do the same thing to all the samples.
One cool thing about this process is that you coat the sample with gold. Don't worry, it is about 2 atoms thick. So not much there, and almost invisible. It is fun to learn how to use all these different machines. I have used some machines that cost more than an average house, most of the time the price tag on the instrument is enough to compare to a new Mercedes (around 50K or so i guess). And they let me use these things. Fun times!
One cool thing about this process is that you coat the sample with gold. Don't worry, it is about 2 atoms thick. So not much there, and almost invisible. It is fun to learn how to use all these different machines. I have used some machines that cost more than an average house, most of the time the price tag on the instrument is enough to compare to a new Mercedes (around 50K or so i guess). And they let me use these things. Fun times!
Testing...
I have been having troubles with this blog, and am seeing if I have it fixed. Maybe this does it.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Microscope Work
Today for my thesis I went and worked on my samples and looked at them with a scanning electron microscope. It is a fun tool to use. I magnifies things up to 300,000 times. WOW! Anyway, it is pretty awesome. Also after you look at a bunch of dirt samples, you basically have seen the interesting things and are having to do the same thing to all the samples.
One cool thing about this process is that you coat the sample with gold. Don't worry, it is about 2 atoms thick. So not much there, and almost invisible. It is fun to learn how to use all these different machines. I have used some machines that cost more than an average house, most of the time the price tag on the instrument is enough to compare to a new Mercedes (around 50K or so i guess). And they let me use these things. Fun times!
One cool thing about this process is that you coat the sample with gold. Don't worry, it is about 2 atoms thick. So not much there, and almost invisible. It is fun to learn how to use all these different machines. I have used some machines that cost more than an average house, most of the time the price tag on the instrument is enough to compare to a new Mercedes (around 50K or so i guess). And they let me use these things. Fun times!
Monday, August 18, 2008
4 years...
Yesterday and my wife celebrated 4 years of marriage! Wow it was awesome. I mean the last 4 year have been awesome. Things are really good. I am glad that I have Alison. It is even more surprising to think I have actually been married for four years, have 2 children and a ton of other things have come about in my life. I am a lucky person. It is true that most of the good things that have come into my life have been because of her!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Best Day Yet...
So today, 4 years ago I was getting ready to get married. Wow.
Today I spent all day with my family. I really love Saturdays. Life is so good. I played with my kids all day. I read books, colored, ate junk food, and went swimming. What an amazing day.
Alison feels bad for me that I didn't get to do anything that I wanted to do. Well I actually got to do what I wanted. It was so nice! Today it finally seemed like my family was home from vacation. The first part of this week, I just worked a lot and the kids usually go to be about 2 hours after I get home. Which is really good and bad. I see them very little, but they actually get the rest that they need and want (though often they may not know it).
So Saturday was amazing today.
We also went to an adult meeting with Elder Hales. He is one of the apostles. We had to take the kids, but the meeting was amazing. At least what we were able to hear. The kids were pretty good, just at the end they got really restless. But they were quite. So the people around us weren't bothered, but we could pay attention much because they were "quietly" wiggling. I guess Zach as well said that unless Alison kept drawing trains with all his favorite people in them he would not be quite. Poor Alison.
It was a really good day. Except now at 10 pm, I am really hungry. Argh...
Today I spent all day with my family. I really love Saturdays. Life is so good. I played with my kids all day. I read books, colored, ate junk food, and went swimming. What an amazing day.
Alison feels bad for me that I didn't get to do anything that I wanted to do. Well I actually got to do what I wanted. It was so nice! Today it finally seemed like my family was home from vacation. The first part of this week, I just worked a lot and the kids usually go to be about 2 hours after I get home. Which is really good and bad. I see them very little, but they actually get the rest that they need and want (though often they may not know it).
So Saturday was amazing today.
We also went to an adult meeting with Elder Hales. He is one of the apostles. We had to take the kids, but the meeting was amazing. At least what we were able to hear. The kids were pretty good, just at the end they got really restless. But they were quite. So the people around us weren't bothered, but we could pay attention much because they were "quietly" wiggling. I guess Zach as well said that unless Alison kept drawing trains with all his favorite people in them he would not be quite. Poor Alison.
It was a really good day. Except now at 10 pm, I am really hungry. Argh...
Friday, August 15, 2008
Productive!
So I started keeping track of what I do each 15 minutes of the day to help increase productivity. It has opened my eyes to where my time slips by. Wow. I am really amazed. Yesterday I let an hour waste away, today I am probably going to only waste 10 minutes.
A problem with this is that there is so dawdling! The day at times takes forever to go buy and other times it seems to fly. I guess this is the world of productivity. I am experiencing what happens when you step up to the plate with the big boys!
A problem with this is that there is so dawdling! The day at times takes forever to go buy and other times it seems to fly. I guess this is the world of productivity. I am experiencing what happens when you step up to the plate with the big boys!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
What I'm Moving?
So at work we are moving offices and packing up equipment. I have talked and complained about this before. Well today there are a few people that are really being stupid about this whole situation. There is a separate branch that shares our building with us and they are trying to get us to do all their work of moving things. It is kind of pathetic. Oh well. Today I figured out how to build a box to cover one of their machines so that it will be protected while they are out of the building because they don't want to move it. Tomorrow I am going to actually build it. They wanted it today, but my branch manager said I shouldn't build it at all. Well I figured I could at least do that...plus I get to use power tools. I guess that is the real reason I am doing it. I get the pseudo manly feelings of using power tools (you don't really use muscles besides fingers really) for a day. It will be great!
I am also getting closer to getting my samples finished. I am so happy. Maybe next week I will be able to finish everything. I will try, but not hold my breath...I have learned that setbacks and problems are a constant in life!
I am also getting closer to getting my samples finished. I am so happy. Maybe next week I will be able to finish everything. I will try, but not hold my breath...I have learned that setbacks and problems are a constant in life!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Mission Anniversary...
I just realized that I have been home from my mission for 6 years now. That is a while. I thought at times the mission would never be over. I would never get married. I guess I will someday start to think that the kids will never leave the house or something like that!
Moving...
So I moved house with Alison back in April. It was a huge pain. In the end it was worth it. At the same time I started a new job with the EPA that will last for two years. Again quite interesting but the problem is I started with them right when it was time to move office because the building needed some main air system maintenance. It will take 7 months and they all have to move everything out of the building. Offices, storage, and lab equipment. Anything they want access to. So for the last few months I have spent a good portion of my time trying to get things moved rather than doing much science. This is quite annoying. Argh.
Today is one of the last days that we are in the new building and we are facing the problem that there are a few people that are basically refusing to move a few things and letting the moving coordinator try and deal with all the problems. So because of my position as a student help/intern whatever, I get to help with, guess what? Whatever. So I am getting to deal with trying to moving small miscellaneous things and cleaning up these peoples labs that just didn't do anything tell now. What a pain in the areas where pains go frequently.
With all this going on I am lucky that I am now working on a new process that will help me finish my samples and also gives me the excuse of "no sorry, I have some things I am working on. I can't Bail you out!" It is nice, and luckily not to mean...
Anyway, back to work...
Today is one of the last days that we are in the new building and we are facing the problem that there are a few people that are basically refusing to move a few things and letting the moving coordinator try and deal with all the problems. So because of my position as a student help/intern whatever, I get to help with, guess what? Whatever. So I am getting to deal with trying to moving small miscellaneous things and cleaning up these peoples labs that just didn't do anything tell now. What a pain in the areas where pains go frequently.
With all this going on I am lucky that I am now working on a new process that will help me finish my samples and also gives me the excuse of "no sorry, I have some things I am working on. I can't Bail you out!" It is nice, and luckily not to mean...
Anyway, back to work...
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
ICP-MS
So this week I am trying to learn how to use a new scientific testing machine. Thing. It is called an Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer. What does this thing do? Well it turn a noble gas into a flow of liquid plasma that heats at above 10,000 Fahrenheit and tells you what elements are in your sample down to 1 part per trillion. This is very finite.
This would mean that if you had a million ton sample of dirt it could tell you accurately how many grams of arsenic, or selenium, or whatever elements you would like to see are in it. This does of course assume that you have a homogeneous sample. Needless to say it is a complicated process that is interesting and confusing.
This other thing that I dealt with today is that when you do this process, you have to was everything quite extensively. So that you don't have a fingerprint of some teeny tiny bit of something mess up your results. So I was washing and rewashing things today for several hours. Now they are soaking in acid to get anything that might have tried to stay on the jars and bottles.
The process is interesting and I am excited about it and best of all it will help me get done very soon! I hope. I guess we will see what happens! I think it should work out, in the proper time frame is the question...
This would mean that if you had a million ton sample of dirt it could tell you accurately how many grams of arsenic, or selenium, or whatever elements you would like to see are in it. This does of course assume that you have a homogeneous sample. Needless to say it is a complicated process that is interesting and confusing.
This other thing that I dealt with today is that when you do this process, you have to was everything quite extensively. So that you don't have a fingerprint of some teeny tiny bit of something mess up your results. So I was washing and rewashing things today for several hours. Now they are soaking in acid to get anything that might have tried to stay on the jars and bottles.
The process is interesting and I am excited about it and best of all it will help me get done very soon! I hope. I guess we will see what happens! I think it should work out, in the proper time frame is the question...
Back Again...
I am back in Vegas again with my wife and kids this time. After our trip coming home without the children and wife was really surreal. It was so quite that I got very lonely. I tried not to look in the kids room because I really missed them when I saw their cute little empty beds.
Now I have them back. On the way home Zach was pretty funny. He kept saying he wanted to go to Grandma's house. I feel for him. I wanted to go back and hang out with them as well. I was feeling that so bad that I really wanted to go back to Provo and go house shopping!
I have to give myself some credit, there is a really cool house just around the corner from Alison's parents house that seems about what we want. Close to grand parents, by the river trail, but not in either of our parents wards (this helps us be our own persons). The other enticing thing is that the house has been on the market for a while now and been sold several times in the last few years. So if there is nothing wrong with the house then we would be the greatest people to get it settled down. It was also built in the last 15 years, so it isn't so old. The other part that gets me excited is that it is already basically landscaped how I would prefer it to be. There would be like no work! Holy amazing opportunity!
Okay enough with that...
The problem with that is that I would be needing a job to be able to actually buy the house. So that is the next step, a job in Provo or surrounding area somewhere. I am thinking though that is where I want to be with my family so I will move there in April next year or the year after and just work on finding a job to make things happen how we want them to. The other issue is that I would like to spend a year in Ruby Valley. I guess that is something I will have to think about...
Now I have them back. On the way home Zach was pretty funny. He kept saying he wanted to go to Grandma's house. I feel for him. I wanted to go back and hang out with them as well. I was feeling that so bad that I really wanted to go back to Provo and go house shopping!
I have to give myself some credit, there is a really cool house just around the corner from Alison's parents house that seems about what we want. Close to grand parents, by the river trail, but not in either of our parents wards (this helps us be our own persons). The other enticing thing is that the house has been on the market for a while now and been sold several times in the last few years. So if there is nothing wrong with the house then we would be the greatest people to get it settled down. It was also built in the last 15 years, so it isn't so old. The other part that gets me excited is that it is already basically landscaped how I would prefer it to be. There would be like no work! Holy amazing opportunity!
Okay enough with that...
The problem with that is that I would be needing a job to be able to actually buy the house. So that is the next step, a job in Provo or surrounding area somewhere. I am thinking though that is where I want to be with my family so I will move there in April next year or the year after and just work on finding a job to make things happen how we want them to. The other issue is that I would like to spend a year in Ruby Valley. I guess that is something I will have to think about...
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Alone...
Well I am home alone lately. Alison after being in Yosemite with me and her parents went home with her parents to hang out with them for a few weeks. She is having a good time and I am missing her. She misses me as well but gets to hang out with family and have a great time. I am having a pretty productive week hanging out and working. At first I was really having a great time with quite and being able to work on stuff. Then after 5 minutes I was basically ready to have them back. Oh well.
I am really proud of my wife though. Usually in Vegas we have about 12 weeks of weather that is just really hot. And about 6 weeks of that is really really hot! That is days are usually 110 or hotter. Nights get down to the 90's and if your lucky the 80's. She is a smooth planner and is getting to spend about 4 weeks of those 6 hot week out of town in places far more bearable...Good Job!
Anyway, I am going to get me wife and kids this weekend and drag them back to the hum drum of Vegas. Sorry!
I am really proud of my wife though. Usually in Vegas we have about 12 weeks of weather that is just really hot. And about 6 weeks of that is really really hot! That is days are usually 110 or hotter. Nights get down to the 90's and if your lucky the 80's. She is a smooth planner and is getting to spend about 4 weeks of those 6 hot week out of town in places far more bearable...Good Job!
Anyway, I am going to get me wife and kids this weekend and drag them back to the hum drum of Vegas. Sorry!
Bowling
So last night I went Bowling for a birthday party of a friends child. It was fun and brought back old memories. My buddy Carl and I seemed to do a bit of bowling, and I took a bowling class with him as well.
I also had a stark rememberence that bowling definitely will hurt my wrist. I am pretty sure I am prone to carpal tunnel problems and bowling is no help.
The funny thing about the whole night was that I bowled a 114 and had a strike and 2 spares. The funny part is that I missed 7 spares (I only had 2 or 1 pins to hit 7 times), but one of the 2 I picked up was an 8 10 split (I think that is what it is called). So not the 7-10 split, but almost as bad. I hit it like a pro. I got cocky and then missed the next 7 frames for spares. To redeem myself I hit one in the 10th. Oh well. It was fun.
This party also reminded me that Junk food is terrible because you eat it and you want to just eat more and more. It is almost as bad as popcorn. Pizza, especially junky pizza is just hard to not eat continually. Oh well...
I also had a stark rememberence that bowling definitely will hurt my wrist. I am pretty sure I am prone to carpal tunnel problems and bowling is no help.
The funny thing about the whole night was that I bowled a 114 and had a strike and 2 spares. The funny part is that I missed 7 spares (I only had 2 or 1 pins to hit 7 times), but one of the 2 I picked up was an 8 10 split (I think that is what it is called). So not the 7-10 split, but almost as bad. I hit it like a pro. I got cocky and then missed the next 7 frames for spares. To redeem myself I hit one in the 10th. Oh well. It was fun.
This party also reminded me that Junk food is terrible because you eat it and you want to just eat more and more. It is almost as bad as popcorn. Pizza, especially junky pizza is just hard to not eat continually. Oh well...
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Worlds Best Photographer?
So I went down town yesterday and photographed some of the Vegas strip. There is some cool architecture and things that can make a nice picture if you can wade through the junk. One of the pictures I took can be seen here... http://hiddenlightphotography.com/dailypicture/?p=13
Anyway, the point of this post is that when I was down town I found a photography gallery that hadn't quite noticed before. I won't mention names because I think it wasn't too impressive and here is why...
I heard and saw on signs many times "he is the best photographer on the planet"... It seemed to be the catch phrase of all the reps. That was really annoying. I mean if you have to say it is it true?
The other thing he did was with his pictures he went way overboard on the pictures post production. They say it is all natural in every way. Sadly I have used the camera, film and tripod (I am thinking even the tripod which is funny) he uses and I have never gotten results like that without heavy filtration and Photoshop work. I have as well visited locations many times to get the best photo possible so that really isn't an option to say I haven't done. So really that was disappointing.
What really was going on was way heavy marketing and sales. The sales staff were such vultures that they say me and already had several big spenders in their midst and so I nefver even got a welcome to the gallery.
The other thing that bothered my was that it looked like he was trying to copy the crocodile hunter image...argh...
Anyway, some images were good, but most were falsely dramatic because of the panoramic format he favors. It is a great format, but most people don't regularly see it so it is quite impressive when you do have it presented to you...
That is my thoughts on that...In the end though I guess I would maybe try and do the same thing as far as running the gallery. Sales need to be made...
Anyway, the point of this post is that when I was down town I found a photography gallery that hadn't quite noticed before. I won't mention names because I think it wasn't too impressive and here is why...
I heard and saw on signs many times "he is the best photographer on the planet"... It seemed to be the catch phrase of all the reps. That was really annoying. I mean if you have to say it is it true?
The other thing he did was with his pictures he went way overboard on the pictures post production. They say it is all natural in every way. Sadly I have used the camera, film and tripod (I am thinking even the tripod which is funny) he uses and I have never gotten results like that without heavy filtration and Photoshop work. I have as well visited locations many times to get the best photo possible so that really isn't an option to say I haven't done. So really that was disappointing.
What really was going on was way heavy marketing and sales. The sales staff were such vultures that they say me and already had several big spenders in their midst and so I nefver even got a welcome to the gallery.
The other thing that bothered my was that it looked like he was trying to copy the crocodile hunter image...argh...
Anyway, some images were good, but most were falsely dramatic because of the panoramic format he favors. It is a great format, but most people don't regularly see it so it is quite impressive when you do have it presented to you...
That is my thoughts on that...In the end though I guess I would maybe try and do the same thing as far as running the gallery. Sales need to be made...
Monday, August 04, 2008
Computer Woes
Well I guess my time is about due. I think that I have finally earned what is coming. For my last 6 years of active computing I have never gotten a virus, or had a computer problem. This is a big reason that I don't see what the big deal is with people being excited about apple computers. They supposedly do so much better at managing data and blah blah, but I have never really had problems. Oh well.
I guess my biggest problem currently is that I bought a new hard drive to back up what I currently had for a 13 day trip of photography. Well things went fine one the trip but now that I am coming home and trying to get the data off onto my back up drives things aren't so peachy. I can read the files and manipulate them, but I can't copy things on or off of it. Why? I am totally confused as to why. Argh! I just succeeded is getting all of my Yosemite pictures (except for about 25 of 7000) off the drive and so I can rest well in that category. But now I wonder can I do anything for the drive? Is it doomed forever? I am not understanding why some files became corrupt and others are fine. I am very frustrated.
Anyway, this issue with computers only adds to my frustration because I also am having trouble with itunes (a big reason I am not so excited about apple). For some reason it won't recognize the folder where the songs are supposed to be. Why? Who knows. Argh again. Above all this I am trying to do the statistical analysis on my thesis data and I don't understand a thing. About the statistics. I have some good people that can help me tomarrow, but that was a frustrating day trying to figure out what I am supposed to do with the data. I think that the program I have that does the data stuff is poor setup. Optimally will drive you crazy if you know what I mean!
Anyway, that is the story for now. I will see what happens tomorrow. I am headed home to go downtown and see what photographic things I may be able to find. Maybe there is something for me here in Vegas...probably not.
I guess my biggest problem currently is that I bought a new hard drive to back up what I currently had for a 13 day trip of photography. Well things went fine one the trip but now that I am coming home and trying to get the data off onto my back up drives things aren't so peachy. I can read the files and manipulate them, but I can't copy things on or off of it. Why? I am totally confused as to why. Argh! I just succeeded is getting all of my Yosemite pictures (except for about 25 of 7000) off the drive and so I can rest well in that category. But now I wonder can I do anything for the drive? Is it doomed forever? I am not understanding why some files became corrupt and others are fine. I am very frustrated.
Anyway, this issue with computers only adds to my frustration because I also am having trouble with itunes (a big reason I am not so excited about apple). For some reason it won't recognize the folder where the songs are supposed to be. Why? Who knows. Argh again. Above all this I am trying to do the statistical analysis on my thesis data and I don't understand a thing. About the statistics. I have some good people that can help me tomarrow, but that was a frustrating day trying to figure out what I am supposed to do with the data. I think that the program I have that does the data stuff is poor setup. Optimally will drive you crazy if you know what I mean!
Anyway, that is the story for now. I will see what happens tomorrow. I am headed home to go downtown and see what photographic things I may be able to find. Maybe there is something for me here in Vegas...probably not.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
I am back...
It is been a while, but I am back from vacation in Yosemite National Park. It was a good vacation. It gave a good getaway from Vegas, and a good perspective on the park and when to visit.
Above all it was really nice to be with my wife and two kids for 12 days strait, basically all day with them each day. The few times I went on a hike and they stayed at camp it seemed really weird that they weren't with me. That is really cool to feel like that.
Some things I learned were as follows (these were the biggest complaints I guess as well)
Our kids proved our theory correct as well about camping with kids. If you keep them warm, dry (for the most part, actually getting wet is okay), and fed they will be happy about anywhere. The biggest problem we had with Zach was that he started really getting his imagination going and somehow got in his head that there were monkeys trying to come out of the trees and get him. It started as "Mommy, Daddy monkeys in trees!" this helped him have fun driving everywhere. Then it turned into them coming into the tent when he was supposed to be going to sleep. But over 11 nights we had only 1 bad night and 1 iffy night. Otherwise it was as good as at home. I think the kids slept far better than us ironically!
The other thing I recommend doing is getting you kids scared of fire. Zach hated the smoke and also was scared of me lighting it any time I picked up the lighter. This was because he once was closer than his comfort level when I lit some white gas on the stove and then again on the fire. After that he was scramming every time I got close to the flame. This really helped with him wanting to do unsafe things with the fire. Unfortunately the 1 year old (almost, only 5 days or so) never got scared at all. She would have crawled into it if I had let her. Oh well.
Now I am getting ready to plan next years trip...It did take about 8 months of time planning and discussing and preparing for this trip, luckily we spread it out over that time so we were able to do things gradually as they needed to be done.
Above all it was really nice to be with my wife and two kids for 12 days strait, basically all day with them each day. The few times I went on a hike and they stayed at camp it seemed really weird that they weren't with me. That is really cool to feel like that.
Some things I learned were as follows (these were the biggest complaints I guess as well)
- Be sure to check your sleeping pads before you leave. Nice big thick pads do nothing for you if they have a hole...
- Plan on food that is bad for you as well, not just healthy food.
- Have a way to recharge you compy if you must take a lot of pictures.
- It is okay to be packed a day ahead of time, the late night prior to leaving is a better time to rest than pack.
- Arrive very early for a campsite if there is any chance it may be full (we actually we early and had no real issue getting a campsite)
- Be prepared to be in a congested campsite (more congested than my current apartment complex by the way) if you want to camp in Yosemite valley!
- Always if possible bring grandparents, they are totally awesome!
Our kids proved our theory correct as well about camping with kids. If you keep them warm, dry (for the most part, actually getting wet is okay), and fed they will be happy about anywhere. The biggest problem we had with Zach was that he started really getting his imagination going and somehow got in his head that there were monkeys trying to come out of the trees and get him. It started as "Mommy, Daddy monkeys in trees!" this helped him have fun driving everywhere. Then it turned into them coming into the tent when he was supposed to be going to sleep. But over 11 nights we had only 1 bad night and 1 iffy night. Otherwise it was as good as at home. I think the kids slept far better than us ironically!
The other thing I recommend doing is getting you kids scared of fire. Zach hated the smoke and also was scared of me lighting it any time I picked up the lighter. This was because he once was closer than his comfort level when I lit some white gas on the stove and then again on the fire. After that he was scramming every time I got close to the flame. This really helped with him wanting to do unsafe things with the fire. Unfortunately the 1 year old (almost, only 5 days or so) never got scared at all. She would have crawled into it if I had let her. Oh well.
Now I am getting ready to plan next years trip...It did take about 8 months of time planning and discussing and preparing for this trip, luckily we spread it out over that time so we were able to do things gradually as they needed to be done.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Vacation...
Well Alison, Zach, Andrea and I are headed on vacation. We play a lot, yes, but this is actually a planned and hoped for vacation. We are headed for Yosemite National Park. We are going to get a broad overview of the park visiting the valley, and the high country. Most people never visit anything besides the valley and this takes up only 7 square miles of more than a 1000 in the actual park.
Alison and I have been before together, and it was only about 3 days and we wanted to stay longer but it was a trip up the coast, not a trip up to Yosemite only. That trip was actually our longest trip yet together at about 2 weeks. It was hard because we just kept traveling the entire time. This trip will hopefully be better because we will only move camp once in the 13 days and 12 nights we will be there.
I have planned a variety of things that we can do while there and Alison has prepared very nice food that for the most part only needs to be re hydrated for cooking and that is it. This will leave us open to more playing with great food without the need to spend a good deal of time actually cooking.
This trip unlike others we have planned and prepared for actively for weeks. We have planned it for months, but the last few weeks we have been doing lots of little things that always take forever the day or so before we leave. Leaving tomorrow morning we are doing better than usual but the magnitude of the trip is catching up to us. So we will see how much work we have to do tonight...
We have also tried to prepare a head of time because tonight is ward temple night and we always try and go together to this. So we will have to be ready before then!
Alison and I have been before together, and it was only about 3 days and we wanted to stay longer but it was a trip up the coast, not a trip up to Yosemite only. That trip was actually our longest trip yet together at about 2 weeks. It was hard because we just kept traveling the entire time. This trip will hopefully be better because we will only move camp once in the 13 days and 12 nights we will be there.
I have planned a variety of things that we can do while there and Alison has prepared very nice food that for the most part only needs to be re hydrated for cooking and that is it. This will leave us open to more playing with great food without the need to spend a good deal of time actually cooking.
This trip unlike others we have planned and prepared for actively for weeks. We have planned it for months, but the last few weeks we have been doing lots of little things that always take forever the day or so before we leave. Leaving tomorrow morning we are doing better than usual but the magnitude of the trip is catching up to us. So we will see how much work we have to do tonight...
We have also tried to prepare a head of time because tonight is ward temple night and we always try and go together to this. So we will have to be ready before then!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Updates
I will try and fill in the questions you have asked...I may not send many pictures because they have wireless but it is really slow...
Okay so we got here Saturday at 4:30. It was freaking cold. High for the day was 51. Yep that was the high. We chilled with Kathy and Ben for the evening. John was working on a can smasher for Ben. The smasher is pretty cool, it makes the cans flat fast!
The sunset was pretty amazing. Possibly the best I have yet experienced in RV. Tonight may rival it however. We will see.
Sunday, I woke up at 5:10 and watched the sunrise. Again wonderful. Alison and I walked around and listened for the kids to wake up. They didn't wake up till 8:10. 3 hours of walk around time was sweet.
Sunday evening we did dishes and let Zach play outside for hours. He had so much fun he didn't know what to do with himself. The cats in the tree house are a huge temptation. He climbs up there with no problem at all, grabs a kitten or two and tosses them out of the tree house and climbs down. Give him credit, those baby kittens wiggle something fierce when you hold them by the neck.
So monday I woke up at 5:25. I walked around the house again and Alison got a great walk in. Zach got a huge bloody nose and woke up Andi at 5:45 screaming. Sadly I didn't really check on him for about 5 minutes. I photographed birds and flowers. Monday evening we helped the Neffs pack and get ready.
Tuesday morning we were going to go to the refuge but decided against it because we wanted to be there when they left. So I hiked up around the mill area looking for sparrows and photographed amazing clouds. Tuesday even we went and saw a movie. Indiana Jones 3. It was good, but parts were pretty hokey. Ben got to start 4 movies. I think we haven't heard anything else from him except that. We got taco time and blizzards at DQ. They were pretty good. That was my first trip ever to DQ.
Wednesday Morning I explored the old school house and found more wild flowers to photograph. I got up at 5:00. I took a three our nap to lunch. Today we are going camping. Later I will give you the update on that. I am working on pictures as well. They are looking dang great.
Oh yesterday We got Kailin to tend the kids. They have never been better for anyone else. I am amazed. I offered to pay her 20 dollars (we were gone 6 hours) and she and her mom said that was to much and took only 10. Oh well what can I do. I would have paid her 5 dollars an hour, but she took on 1.75.
Also I have been checking cows that are supposed to have babies any minute. So I saw a calf 3 hours old. The thing could barely stand up. It was dang cute!
Zach also got to help me feed some sick cows grain. He thought that was the most amazing thing. He also got to drive the huge truck, that was pretty fun as well.
That is it for now. I will let you know more later.
P.s. Zach and Andi love to try and eat the dog food. I understand Andi, but we feed Zach great food...
Okay so we got here Saturday at 4:30. It was freaking cold. High for the day was 51. Yep that was the high. We chilled with Kathy and Ben for the evening. John was working on a can smasher for Ben. The smasher is pretty cool, it makes the cans flat fast!
The sunset was pretty amazing. Possibly the best I have yet experienced in RV. Tonight may rival it however. We will see.
Sunday, I woke up at 5:10 and watched the sunrise. Again wonderful. Alison and I walked around and listened for the kids to wake up. They didn't wake up till 8:10. 3 hours of walk around time was sweet.
Sunday evening we did dishes and let Zach play outside for hours. He had so much fun he didn't know what to do with himself. The cats in the tree house are a huge temptation. He climbs up there with no problem at all, grabs a kitten or two and tosses them out of the tree house and climbs down. Give him credit, those baby kittens wiggle something fierce when you hold them by the neck.
So monday I woke up at 5:25. I walked around the house again and Alison got a great walk in. Zach got a huge bloody nose and woke up Andi at 5:45 screaming. Sadly I didn't really check on him for about 5 minutes. I photographed birds and flowers. Monday evening we helped the Neffs pack and get ready.
Tuesday morning we were going to go to the refuge but decided against it because we wanted to be there when they left. So I hiked up around the mill area looking for sparrows and photographed amazing clouds. Tuesday even we went and saw a movie. Indiana Jones 3. It was good, but parts were pretty hokey. Ben got to start 4 movies. I think we haven't heard anything else from him except that. We got taco time and blizzards at DQ. They were pretty good. That was my first trip ever to DQ.
Wednesday Morning I explored the old school house and found more wild flowers to photograph. I got up at 5:00. I took a three our nap to lunch. Today we are going camping. Later I will give you the update on that. I am working on pictures as well. They are looking dang great.
Oh yesterday We got Kailin to tend the kids. They have never been better for anyone else. I am amazed. I offered to pay her 20 dollars (we were gone 6 hours) and she and her mom said that was to much and took only 10. Oh well what can I do. I would have paid her 5 dollars an hour, but she took on 1.75.
Also I have been checking cows that are supposed to have babies any minute. So I saw a calf 3 hours old. The thing could barely stand up. It was dang cute!
Zach also got to help me feed some sick cows grain. He thought that was the most amazing thing. He also got to drive the huge truck, that was pretty fun as well.
That is it for now. I will let you know more later.
P.s. Zach and Andi love to try and eat the dog food. I understand Andi, but we feed Zach great food...
Thursday, June 05, 2008
On our way...
Well I have worked a good week so far and now I am heading home to head out to Great Basin National Park and eventually Ruby Valley Nevada. These two places should give us a good deal of peace and quite and some nice photos maybe. I am excited. I am always excited however to get out and photograph. Ruby Valley is possibly my favorite place to photograph. I hope that I find a plethora of new and exciting pictures out there this trip. I would move back if I could but I just can't find a real great job there. Oh well. Maybe fortune will turn our way on the Job thing out there...
Friday, May 30, 2008
The Weekend?
Well I will be honest. The weekend has come much faster than I thought that it would. Wow. I have had a good week but a bit busy.
I spent a good part of the week trying to schedule time to use instruments, track down other instruments that hopefully I can use some day and moving mine and others offices and laboratory instruments.
It has been good, but today I topped the week off by starting to build a soil drying table out of PVC pipe that took forever to get started on because I didn't have regular PVC cutters, but had to use the hand saw I had. Argh! It wasn't to bad, but I had to make about 25 cuts and it took more than an hour with the typically dull blade you find on a saw when you need it. After a while of breathing fumes I decided that I had had enough for the day and went to order some equipment for my DRI lab.
I needed to order a thermometer that wasn't filled with mercury so we can be safety compliant in our lab. It is amazing how many types of thermometers that are available for the typical scientific lab. I found hundreds and it took a while to get through to what I needed. Also it was interesting that the company we order through was a terrible website but a great catalog. That is kind of unusual in our day.
I am heading home now for the weekend. I hope that all is well there, I am sure it will be my wife is amazing. She does way better with our two kids than I could.
I spent a good part of the week trying to schedule time to use instruments, track down other instruments that hopefully I can use some day and moving mine and others offices and laboratory instruments.
It has been good, but today I topped the week off by starting to build a soil drying table out of PVC pipe that took forever to get started on because I didn't have regular PVC cutters, but had to use the hand saw I had. Argh! It wasn't to bad, but I had to make about 25 cuts and it took more than an hour with the typically dull blade you find on a saw when you need it. After a while of breathing fumes I decided that I had had enough for the day and went to order some equipment for my DRI lab.
I needed to order a thermometer that wasn't filled with mercury so we can be safety compliant in our lab. It is amazing how many types of thermometers that are available for the typical scientific lab. I found hundreds and it took a while to get through to what I needed. Also it was interesting that the company we order through was a terrible website but a great catalog. That is kind of unusual in our day.
I am heading home now for the weekend. I hope that all is well there, I am sure it will be my wife is amazing. She does way better with our two kids than I could.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
School?
Well I can say that it is weird to not have school before me. I mean specifically classes. I have lots of thesis work to do this summer, but really I am done with my classes. This is really a big relief, and a nice feeling to have overall.
The nice feeling extends to not knowing what to do with myself actually. Anyway, I have lots to do but not really many close deadlines. This is really weird. I will try and clear my mind this week...by going to Zion National Park. I am beginning to think that my wife and I really do love that place! I believe that this trip will be the 5 time in two years. It is close to us so that really isn't a problem at all.
Well I am wondering what else to write, I really am not knowing what to do with myself. I fell like I need to go home and ask my wife for some chores!
I think that is what I will do...
The nice feeling extends to not knowing what to do with myself actually. Anyway, I have lots to do but not really many close deadlines. This is really weird. I will try and clear my mind this week...by going to Zion National Park. I am beginning to think that my wife and I really do love that place! I believe that this trip will be the 5 time in two years. It is close to us so that really isn't a problem at all.
Well I am wondering what else to write, I really am not knowing what to do with myself. I fell like I need to go home and ask my wife for some chores!
I think that is what I will do...
Thursday, May 15, 2008
DONE!
Well I am about done with school. I guess that I need to finish my thesis and I will be all done. That is a real relief. I hope that day will come really soon!
Anyway, today I am going to go home and play with my kids. I might try and sell my books on the way home to reduce the load of bad books on my book shelf. I hear that the book store here next to campus pays pretty good money for textbooks...
Tomorrow I hope that I can go birding and find some really good stuff, I hear clapper rails are possible and those are ones I don't have yet...
Anyway, today I am going to go home and play with my kids. I might try and sell my books on the way home to reduce the load of bad books on my book shelf. I hear that the book store here next to campus pays pretty good money for textbooks...
Tomorrow I hope that I can go birding and find some really good stuff, I hear clapper rails are possible and those are ones I don't have yet...
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Almost done...
Well it has been a while since I typed in this journal. I regret it but also have an excuse (Yes I hate to even give them). I am finishing the last set of my classes forever. This is a nice feeling to say the least. I have currently 2 papers and a test. I am trying really hard to still do my best. I have my 4.0 on the line. If I can pull off A's this semester I will have a 4.0 for my entire masters degree. This is pretty cool from my perspective, and I am excited. If I don't get it, then oh well...
Anyway, I am writing to just let the journal know at least that I think about it constantly and want to write more. I am very excited about my new work schedule after school is out...home by 5:30 every day. My poor wife might not know what to do with me!
Anyway, I am writing to just let the journal know at least that I think about it constantly and want to write more. I am very excited about my new work schedule after school is out...home by 5:30 every day. My poor wife might not know what to do with me!
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Work and mostly school...
I am in the final stages of my classes for my masters degree. I have been fit in all my classes for my degree in only four semesters. That is if I can survive my last few weeks of classes. Argh! Well I have only 12 credits. But I am kind of stressed out about a few different papers and projects, and other similar things. I have cut my work way back to get through this all. I am a student after all. The hard part is working on several different projects and not really making much progress (at least if feels like).
Today I have done research on several aspects of recycling and have read hundreds of pages of papers and books. Wow, my brain seems like it is about to melt. Starting soon though I will be getting several big projects done and have a bit less stress on what I am trying to accomplish. Monday and Tuesday of next week I have major papers, and presentations and then I will have another week to go before my last paper and two finals come around...
I have decided that to relieve stress I am going to go and do some bird watching tomorrow morning. Anyway, that is the plan. Then hopefully I can focus a bit more on the rest of the days projects...
Today I have done research on several aspects of recycling and have read hundreds of pages of papers and books. Wow, my brain seems like it is about to melt. Starting soon though I will be getting several big projects done and have a bit less stress on what I am trying to accomplish. Monday and Tuesday of next week I have major papers, and presentations and then I will have another week to go before my last paper and two finals come around...
I have decided that to relieve stress I am going to go and do some bird watching tomorrow morning. Anyway, that is the plan. Then hopefully I can focus a bit more on the rest of the days projects...
Monday, April 28, 2008
Moving in and out...
So today my wife had to decide to work on our new residence (it is an unorganized mess, but not bad) or cleaning up our old place and checking out of there (lots of small things to clean but basically empty). I didn't envy her. I was off to work and didn't have to work on that much at all today (I will later tonight, but not much at all compared to what she will do). I feel bad. Ironically most days I feel rather guilty about just heading off to work while she fights what seem to me real battles at home.
I guess possibly the biggest product of this move and stepping into the reality of being people with jobs and not so much students is that we are considering getting a Sams club card. We may actually begin to make that worth our while. That makes me cringe actually. I guess that it is one more sign of growing up and becoming a bit more established...
I am excited about that prospect a little bit though, we can buy a few things in bulk that will be nice to get there rather than other places that are much higher priced, or worse not even available...
We are also trying to build up our food storage and there really has been a bit of a scare on the availability of flour, rice, sugar and other staples to the point that prices have really risen lately, and things aren't looking much brighter in the future. This is sad, and hopefully not a permanent thing.
I guess possibly the biggest product of this move and stepping into the reality of being people with jobs and not so much students is that we are considering getting a Sams club card. We may actually begin to make that worth our while. That makes me cringe actually. I guess that it is one more sign of growing up and becoming a bit more established...
I am excited about that prospect a little bit though, we can buy a few things in bulk that will be nice to get there rather than other places that are much higher priced, or worse not even available...
We are also trying to build up our food storage and there really has been a bit of a scare on the availability of flour, rice, sugar and other staples to the point that prices have really risen lately, and things aren't looking much brighter in the future. This is sad, and hopefully not a permanent thing.
New House!
Well I am in the new house and it is looking like I do have an internet connection that I can leech off of. That will at least hold us over until I can set up a real connection of our own if that is feasibile...
So the new house (it is technically a condo) is pretty nice. Sadly the neighbor smokes...so that will be a small thing to deal with while we are here but other than that things are good...
Robert I hear that you have a hot date on your day after I am home from the mission day. That is cool...I wish for old times sake I could double with you, that was always fun.
Things are going well, I just have a huge week of work and school this week. As well mom couldn't believe that I probably won't be there for when you get home...Just in case however what are the details? Like what flight, time and those things. So what else is up my brother? I am actually way tired. I think you are potentially in the same position so I will not complain about that.
I hope that this is the second email you read from me this week, I might be able to drop you a line monday morning.
The newest thing from the kids is that Zach goes up to Andi while she sleeps and honks her nose to beep her awake. He was doing this all the time to me before I guess he just thinks it is funny to do to her. He seriously takes away so much sleep from here...
The other thing is that we started our new ward today and in nursery (I think he actually likes it more though) he was fighting with another boy. Luckily at that age hitting is really not more than laughable. Still the intent that they have is the actual problem...
Have a good day, week cause you only have 12 more days! That is awesome and really stinks...now is the time to pull the "you need to get baptised before I leave guilt trip"...I hear that works well!
I love you brother!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Car and Barf...
Well the last few days have been interesting.
I may not have mentioned it but we are going to move come this Friday and Saturday. So I am actually pretty excited. The new place of residence is a condo that we will rent for a year or so and then see what comes next in our lives.
In getting ready to move I am getting wiped out by the work that I have to do. First of all it is the end of the semester. I am wondering why am I trying to do anything but finish my masters degree? Well I guess I wanted life to be interesting so I threw in the idea of moving, and starting a new job. This is fine and dandy except that each of these things is actually a pretty big deal in and of itself.
Really I shouldn't complain because overall none of these things would be overly difficult by itself. It is just that each of these things is really time consuming and I only have so much more time...
My wife always teases me about my new job and finances. Like "wow if you were single that would be a ton of money"... Actually for me I have never really been occupied by the money that I am supposedly giving up but rather the time that things take to be a good person for family and all that other stuff.
So before we move we really want to cover the issue of baggage that we have hanging around in our lives. I have a little truck (big baggage) that I really just need to get rid of. It has given me fits for a long time on getting repaired. I just can't figure out what the problem is. Despite that I feel a good bit of nostalgia over it. Oh well it will save me lots of money on insurance and grief seeing it daily and knowing that it still needs work (I am trying to lower the number of those things that exist in my life...).
I listed my truck on Craig's list here in vegas and got about 10 responses in less than 2 hours. Wow internet classifieds are pretty amazing. They are all trying to low ball me though, so I will have to wait a bit longer...
The other part of the title on this entry is that my daughter isn't feeling well and throwing up a lot (mainly yesterday). It is amazing how much a little body can throw up...
I may not have mentioned it but we are going to move come this Friday and Saturday. So I am actually pretty excited. The new place of residence is a condo that we will rent for a year or so and then see what comes next in our lives.
In getting ready to move I am getting wiped out by the work that I have to do. First of all it is the end of the semester. I am wondering why am I trying to do anything but finish my masters degree? Well I guess I wanted life to be interesting so I threw in the idea of moving, and starting a new job. This is fine and dandy except that each of these things is actually a pretty big deal in and of itself.
Really I shouldn't complain because overall none of these things would be overly difficult by itself. It is just that each of these things is really time consuming and I only have so much more time...
My wife always teases me about my new job and finances. Like "wow if you were single that would be a ton of money"... Actually for me I have never really been occupied by the money that I am supposedly giving up but rather the time that things take to be a good person for family and all that other stuff.
So before we move we really want to cover the issue of baggage that we have hanging around in our lives. I have a little truck (big baggage) that I really just need to get rid of. It has given me fits for a long time on getting repaired. I just can't figure out what the problem is. Despite that I feel a good bit of nostalgia over it. Oh well it will save me lots of money on insurance and grief seeing it daily and knowing that it still needs work (I am trying to lower the number of those things that exist in my life...).
I listed my truck on Craig's list here in vegas and got about 10 responses in less than 2 hours. Wow internet classifieds are pretty amazing. They are all trying to low ball me though, so I will have to wait a bit longer...
The other part of the title on this entry is that my daughter isn't feeling well and throwing up a lot (mainly yesterday). It is amazing how much a little body can throw up...
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Sick Day...
So brother,
How are you today? You didn't get sick today as well did you? I am on the verge of Ralphing and have been so all day.
I woke up at 7 (this is now sleeping in 2 hours...that is sad kind of...), and felt very sluggish. I just thought I was being a lazy bum. So I tried to get up and I was not doing well. So I got into the shower and got one bite of yogurt in and decided I needed to go back to bed. Well about 5 mintues before my meetings started I thought I can get up. I got up and immediately thought this is a mistake! But being the hard head I am got dressed and went to all the bishop meetings (for me church is 6 hours of meetings, not 3) and then church. The whole time I was wondering what was I doing. At one point I ran out of sacrament (I like to think I was being quite non-chalant) to the bathroom. I never barfed, but just felt like it all day.
The big reasons I went were that I wanted to find out how much the Young Womens bake auction made, if the help for us moving was coordinated, and it was our last sunday (and I was asked to teach Elders quorum but the Sick EQP). So I went through the day, and the times I felt best were when I was teaching and later playing with me kids. Right now though I feel really worn out and want to be asleep. Sorry if this is a bit shorter.
So before I forget, I want to explore the blue ridge mountians in Jamaica (I hope that I am pronouncing that correctly). I hear that they are way remote and many people, even Jamaicans, have never even gone into the interior. Pictures of the places inside there look like fallbacks to the 1800's...
Okay, so I hope that the videos are good. I am sorry about the not being online, my job is moving right ahead at that time of the morning. I feel really responsible at 20 dollars an hour to not slouch around...
Well I am now thinking that we may not be in provo until the 4th of July time. I don't know. Anyway, things are good here but we have lots to do, and of course money isn't unlimited. I am really thinking seroiously about the bus ticket thing. If we do that I can in good conscience spend more time playing (in cooler places as well) with you. I have a huge list of fun things to do and photograph or whatever you would want to do. We can talk about that when you get home.
So you heard that Sam is getting hitched? Good stuff for him. Hard times for Ben. He doesn't get to fly or go to Texas for the wedding. He is fascinated by the way about how he will crash the plane and wonders what the pilots will do when he does. Anyway, Kathy was trying to soften the blow by getting mom and dad to chill with him. Hard thing for them is that most all day each day only Melissa will be around. So I found this out and really quick like called kathy up and told her we heard her situation and said we would love to come and hang out with Ben and tend house. Alison was the one that talked to Kathy and when she proposed the idea she swears that she could hear angels singing in Kathy's head.
For us it would be a sweet deal, we would get to spend our vacation with ben, camping, watching videos, and I could photograph a ton at a wonderful time out there...
We asked Ben what he would thing about that and he was stoked...He was worried if we could really go camping 3 times though. I assured him we would be set and okay...
Anyway brother, that is the latest. I hope your doing well. I love you and know what your capable of. You are amazing. Continue to make the choices that magnify that in yourself!
Chris
Marathon Crawl...
This is a video of Andrea doing a long crawl to get a phone (my kids love electronics...). I hope you all enjoy...
Zach is in a full body lock on the couch to keep him from getting the phone first.
She really isn't that good at crawling in this one yet, but it is hilarious and adorable!
Zach is in a full body lock on the couch to keep him from getting the phone first.
She really isn't that good at crawling in this one yet, but it is hilarious and adorable!
Here is another video of her crawling a little bit more adeptly...
Okay one last one of Zach telling us he will be right back!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Work and Things...
Well I have started a new job, and my kids still amaze me. I currently am in a new (still additional to my DRI graduate assistantship) position with the Environmental Protection Agency. It is good already. It is interesting that there is such a comradeship there. I always imagined a government job as backbiting and infighting. Everyone I have met is enthusiastic and welcoming me to the team.
I will admit that the office I share is crappy and the computer is kind of a joke (okay, not kind of...). But the work is actually really interesting. I am working on developing methods for tracking toxic environmental compounds that are analyzed using Mass Spectrometry and Gas Chromatography techniques. We are testing if these techniques can adequately identify the pollutants.
The good about this job is that we are going to be in Las Vegas for at least another year, possibly two and we will be able to be near the places we really like to travel to and avoid the harsh winters that are located else where! :)
I am excited because the place I go to work is right in the middle of campus here at UNLV and my commute won't change at all. Well that is a Lie, we are moving closer and my commute will get shorter. This makes me happy and sad. I like the workout. However, with days like today that are really windy and I am kind of tired this is a nice prospect to be 10 or 15 minutes closer.
So some funny things my kids are up to lately. My now 8 month old baby (holy cow she is an old woman! To bad that makes me her dad still), hates applesauce but loves yogurt. Apparently Texture is not allowed in what she eats. She also really digs carrots and onions, a nice mix that Alison whips up for her.
Zach is crazy. First he is so compassionate that it blows me away. He worries about us getting what we need all the time. He also prefers Oatmeal to Waffles and Pizza. Make a note of that, cause we can only get him to consistently eat oatmeal. Argh! We are going to hold this over his head when he is older!
I will admit that the office I share is crappy and the computer is kind of a joke (okay, not kind of...). But the work is actually really interesting. I am working on developing methods for tracking toxic environmental compounds that are analyzed using Mass Spectrometry and Gas Chromatography techniques. We are testing if these techniques can adequately identify the pollutants.
The good about this job is that we are going to be in Las Vegas for at least another year, possibly two and we will be able to be near the places we really like to travel to and avoid the harsh winters that are located else where! :)
I am excited because the place I go to work is right in the middle of campus here at UNLV and my commute won't change at all. Well that is a Lie, we are moving closer and my commute will get shorter. This makes me happy and sad. I like the workout. However, with days like today that are really windy and I am kind of tired this is a nice prospect to be 10 or 15 minutes closer.
So some funny things my kids are up to lately. My now 8 month old baby (holy cow she is an old woman! To bad that makes me her dad still), hates applesauce but loves yogurt. Apparently Texture is not allowed in what she eats. She also really digs carrots and onions, a nice mix that Alison whips up for her.
Zach is crazy. First he is so compassionate that it blows me away. He worries about us getting what we need all the time. He also prefers Oatmeal to Waffles and Pizza. Make a note of that, cause we can only get him to consistently eat oatmeal. Argh! We are going to hold this over his head when he is older!
Friday, April 11, 2008
Another One Bites the Dust...
Today I was back on the ranch in Ruby Valley for a few minutes. I guess that I had some bad/good experiences with equipment breaking/dying on me and those around me.
I thought that when I got to my science lab in Vegas that I wouldn't have to deal with things like that. Well it turns out that even in the science lab you still have to fix things and get them going. I have had terrible trouble with two separate pieces of equipment here in Vegas (Atomic Absorber, and hot water bath/circulator). Both of these machines aren't cheap. They aren't as costly as tractors for farm use are but they are still up there 50,000 and 5,000.
So with the hot water bath it just had its computer system get totally fried by gaseous acid coming off a certain experiment we do. We do it a lot and well the bath died. Luckily when we dropped 5,000 on a new one we got one that had a setup protecting from the gaseous acid for this future experiments. So that wasn't to bad, it did take almost 3 months to get that taken care of however which really put me way behind schedule.
The Atomic Absorber on the other hand has been far worse a nightmare. For me it worked pretty well for several months then a coolant hose wore out on me. Well that was easy enough to fix. Then later another hose died on me. This one was deep in the instrument and so I really had to tear the machine apart to get to it. It got fixed and then putting it back together the auto sampler that picks up the samples wouldn't work for some reason. That was two months and 3,000 dollars ago.
Fast forward to today. I got the repaired auto sampler back. I get it all hooked up and things are looking like they will run well (this is when I get the old ranch feeling of this is to good to be a permanent thing). I start up the machine and I smell something faintly burning. This is a bad smell in a scientific lab. In a tractor you don't really worry, in fact it almost had to be on fire to really be worthy of a problem. Well I thought maybe some coolant that I wasn't able to get cleaned up earlier was burning or evaporating off with a bit of it burning. This was actually a faint hope, but I actually believed in it for a short time.
Well I turned it off and cleaned it up and then I started it up again. Because I had to run the thing so off it went. Good feelings were gone when the burning smell started twice as bad almost as soon as I turned the machine on after 2 hours (this means that something was burning regardless of the machine being warmed up or not :(). So I turned it off. I told my boss and he was pretty sad/mad/pissed all in one. I tell him things because he needs to know what is happening, not because he actually knows how to fix anything at all. So I called the repair rep (he gets $325 and hour if he comes out) to get an idea of what was happening. He gave me a few scenarios. Basically I needed to get out the torch and start singing that old song that goes "burn baby burn!!... Well I invited my old friend over who has had more unhappy times with the AA than even me and my professor over. We started it up and it was smoking again before it had been on for 10 seconds. That was not a good thing. So we possibly can now fix it for about $15,000 to $20,000 dollars. That is definitely an un-cheap price.
The good part was that since I had my camera I took picture of the broken thing and will send them to the Repair man to see what he thinks. Basically my professor just has to be sure of whatever it means before he can deal with the problem. I wish I could have know this would happen 5 months ago when these problems had started that this may be how the poor beast ended. In my case the hay is in the field rotten and we never even hardly got it cut...
Surprising as this sounds I am a pretty happy person today. Maybe I am just one of the odd ones that is indefatigably optimistic... It really isn't my machine and this is creating bonds with the professor that will last a really long time. He won't forget me, for good or evil. Anyway, that is what has going for me the last few days.
I guess what really made my day was coming home to hot wings and tending some pretty cute little girls with my wife. For me this was great because I didn't have time for a pity party that I wasn't interested in. Now I am excited about tomorrow. I left that junk at the office, and it will stay there until Monday.
Thinking about that, on Tuesday I think that I will head out on a little camping trip (little is only 4 or 5 days by the way). This is how I deal with stress...
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Babies...
I must say that for me one of the nicest things to see is my kids happily asleep. It is amazing to see them totally relaxed and comfortable. On the other hand if they cry themselves to sleep it is kind of sad because my kids at least whimper almost all night.
My daughter Andrea is so easy to get to sleep. She is an angel. We put her down and after a bit of rolling and playing she is usually asleep. Sometime she just lays down gives a sigh of satisfaction is instantly asleep. That blows me away. It is a blessing for me to see my children so happy. That is a huge refuge for me. Those quite moments are amazing.
I hope that they can always rest so peacefully. Sometimes it is hard with kids as they get a bit older but I think that it isn't to bad when we really help them with a good schedule and support and stability. That is something else that amazes me. My 8 month old baby knows the routine. Wake up from a good nights rest. Eat, play and then sleep. Wake up, play, eat and rest again. Do that a few times and back to bed for the night. She lets us know when something is out of line from the routine. That is amazing, the support and comfort they have from solid routine. They want to be trained into patterns. I guess this is human nature, get a good pattern and stick with it!
My daughter Andrea is so easy to get to sleep. She is an angel. We put her down and after a bit of rolling and playing she is usually asleep. Sometime she just lays down gives a sigh of satisfaction is instantly asleep. That blows me away. It is a blessing for me to see my children so happy. That is a huge refuge for me. Those quite moments are amazing.
I hope that they can always rest so peacefully. Sometimes it is hard with kids as they get a bit older but I think that it isn't to bad when we really help them with a good schedule and support and stability. That is something else that amazes me. My 8 month old baby knows the routine. Wake up from a good nights rest. Eat, play and then sleep. Wake up, play, eat and rest again. Do that a few times and back to bed for the night. She lets us know when something is out of line from the routine. That is amazing, the support and comfort they have from solid routine. They want to be trained into patterns. I guess this is human nature, get a good pattern and stick with it!
Monday, April 07, 2008
A funny memory...
So I had a fun memory the other day. I was putting shoes on my boy who is now almost 2 1/2. I remember the first time we ever put shoes on him. He was an okay walker. He thought he had everything in life under control. Then comes shoes. I think that he didn't know what to think about having shoes on his feet. The first time I put them on he was blown away. He just stood there and looked at his feet. I think the first thing that was wierd is that he couldn't feel the ground anymore!
Well the first steps in shoes were tremulous for him and for us it was hilarious. Then he had to have them on all the time. This is something that drives us crazy now!
Anyway, that was such a funny memory that I thought I would write it down before I forgot it again for another year or so...
Well the first steps in shoes were tremulous for him and for us it was hilarious. Then he had to have them on all the time. This is something that drives us crazy now!
Anyway, that was such a funny memory that I thought I would write it down before I forgot it again for another year or so...
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Home soon...
Well brother,
I must tell you that I am having the time of my life with you about to come home. Mom and Jenny are so possessive of you! I know that they love you, but they are going beyond that. Teasing is child's play and they get sucked in every time. So this is where you come in. Your job is to tell them that you have decided to take the job in Vegas and live with me, an brush it off as only for the summer. That will be so worth it to me. Just tell them you feel it is right and tell them your really excited! Please man that would be sweet...
Also I am supposed to tell you that your supposed to decide what you want to do about getting set apart. My advice is tell them what you want and then you can ignore the fact of coming home until it happens.
So on to more interesting things. I am thinking that (once again, I will admit) I want to get an 8x10 camera. The honest truth about it however is that I would only want to shoot with it once in a while (still have the Medium format, are you interested in that at all? To use more so than buy...let me know). Like when I went to Zion once a year, and a few other times. Just for that occasional option of changing pace on the photography I am doing (I guess I want that flavor of old school in my work as well)...
On this subject I am proposing an 8x10 camera time share! I imagine that you would want it rarely as well, and so we could make having this toy easier for us both. I feel like we have the same ideal on care of equipment and we could just send it back and forth to each other at predetermined times. Honestly tell me what you think, but don't think much about it until later...
So that is that. Did I tell you that I call Zach Robert all the time? I mean a lot of the time. 3 times today at least. I think about you a lot.
Well on to greener pastures...I hear AnnMarie has a boyfriend. That is awesome. She is pretty unsure about the whole deal. I remember by first flame, I was ready to put it out when I realized what was going on.
I almost forgot. I got a job this week in Las Vegas for the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). So this means that we will be staying in Las Vegas for at least a year from April. The job is working as a research scientist doing all kinds of research with water, soil, chemistry and safety guidelines. It is cool because I will have to chance to be trained on all kinds of research techniques and machinery (like having a chance to learn to use all tractors and attachments ever made). This will prepare me in a big way for a Job later that may be a career job. This job is also nice because about every serious job out there asks for education and 1 or 2 years of experience. This will be that experience. I am excited. I will get paid about $36,000 a year. So that is a pretty good start, about twice what I make now. The nice thing about it is that I will be able to arraigned my schedule to have a lot of time to focus in my photography business.
So this means that I won't be moving to Provo, for at least 2 years. This makes me sad, but I am okay with staying in Vegas for another year. The fun is good (outdoors ectera), the wards are good, and the parks are great for our kids. We live to go to the park. It is funny what you become when you are a parent. My kids are my life!
So my son is a little raccoon. He totally has to dip anything he eats into water, and wash it. Did you know raccoons do that? They wash food before they eat it. That is one reason they are always by streams. I is adorable. He just has such a happy little world that he operates in. I love to see him play and be happy. I am excited for you to see him to. He is starting to talk a lot as well. Lately he is using Daddy and Mommy all the time. It is still cute to. He says "Daddy, comere, food!" or Daddy vacum truckkk (he really drags the K out on that word). He is proud that we own the bronco and that we Vacuumed it out.
His Sister Andi is doing well. She could totally crawl but just isn't putting the separate steps together. She scoots backwards (that really confuses her, she looks like where am I going?), does the overhand reach (tries to reach out and can't quite get it and then reaches with the other arm moving forward a few inches) and she rolls around. With all these things she is all over the floor. She will crawl sometime.
Another fun thing about her (she is 8 months old now, the age that Zach was when you went on your mission) is that she loves to sit up on the counter. We just sit her up there and she can see everything. That makes her so happy. You can see the huge amount of Joy on her face! I love to see that!
Okay I forgot to mention it earlier. We have decided that we aren't going to come up for when you come home because we could only spend about a day up there before we would have to turn around and head home. So we decided that if we can only come up once in the spring that we would come up a week later when we can play and hang out for a week or so and then head back home. Your invited to ride back to Vegas with us and see what we do down here for fun and then catch a bus back, or not. That is an open invitation. I just want you to not be disappointed when we aren't there initially. Besides you don't want two little kids stealing the Robert show.
Hmmm, I am getting blanks now, so I will let you go. Your time is precious, so write mom and Jenny.
One more things. Did I tell you that I realized that you and Jenny are like you and me? Remember how we always hung out and were buds? Well now jenny had that time with you before you left and she sees it like that I think. That is really awesome. I hope that if your in Provo you always have a good time together. Our family bonds are so important to foster and protect.
I love you man! I hope that you had a great conference (we are led by an amazing prophet!), and that things are going well! I hope that you have your best month in your mission to come! You can make it that way!
Chris
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Home?
Well Alison and I are leaning towards taking the Job in Las Vegas. It makes me wonder what I am thinking about, staying in Vegas for 3 years. That isn't that long, but more than 1/10 the time I have been around. I guess it is becoming a major part of me. Wow.
So anyway, we are looking for places to live. Finding a good place to live is important and a part of deciding to stay or not. There are actually lots of good deals out there for the taking as far as houses and condos/townhouses go. I am actually excited. So is my wife. She was worried we would be in a dingy apartment for a year. Anyway, I am optimistic.
We might even be able to keep a place to live in our ward boundaries. We really like our ward and hope to stay with them if we stay here. We will see.
So anyway, we are looking for places to live. Finding a good place to live is important and a part of deciding to stay or not. There are actually lots of good deals out there for the taking as far as houses and condos/townhouses go. I am actually excited. So is my wife. She was worried we would be in a dingy apartment for a year. Anyway, I am optimistic.
We might even be able to keep a place to live in our ward boundaries. We really like our ward and hope to stay with them if we stay here. We will see.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Jobs, again...
Well I applied to a job a month or so ago and today I was notified that I was selected for it. They want to know when I can start...
I am excited but also wondering what to do. We were set to move out of Vegas in three weeks. Now we need to start hunting for a place to live in Vegas if we decide to stay. Goodness decisions come at Alison and I everyday. They aren't to big though, just little life changers...
So I am considering the implications of not taking it and taking it. I have also 2 or 3 other positions open to me if I don't take this one. Not that I have a job yet but I will be able to apply to them. One is a career job (like I could stay there until I retire...) in Idaho. Another is a temporary job in Delaware, and yet others will show their faces soon I am sure.
Today I am really thinking about where I would like my life to go, it is exciting but also kind of stressful because I will be guiding my own destiny in life to.
I am excited but also wondering what to do. We were set to move out of Vegas in three weeks. Now we need to start hunting for a place to live in Vegas if we decide to stay. Goodness decisions come at Alison and I everyday. They aren't to big though, just little life changers...
So I am considering the implications of not taking it and taking it. I have also 2 or 3 other positions open to me if I don't take this one. Not that I have a job yet but I will be able to apply to them. One is a career job (like I could stay there until I retire...) in Idaho. Another is a temporary job in Delaware, and yet others will show their faces soon I am sure.
Today I am really thinking about where I would like my life to go, it is exciting but also kind of stressful because I will be guiding my own destiny in life to.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Disappointing...
Well I found out that a job I thought was a sure thing flaked out on my because of my current employment. That is a pain. Oh well. The job was helping with bird surveys and would have been really fun, but would also have been a bit inconvenient with the workload that I am currently trying to maintain.
I am also realizing today that my month is really packed as far as work, school, and other things goes. Wow that is kind of nice but also depressing that I won't have as much time to slip in a few fun trips on the side of things. Oh well. I guess I will really have to focus on editing my pictures and thesis and getting old projects done!
I guess that is all for now, I have class to get to...
I am also realizing today that my month is really packed as far as work, school, and other things goes. Wow that is kind of nice but also depressing that I won't have as much time to slip in a few fun trips on the side of things. Oh well. I guess I will really have to focus on editing my pictures and thesis and getting old projects done!
I guess that is all for now, I have class to get to...
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Life is good...
I tell you what, each day I am enlightened and lifted up by my wife...I love her. That is why I am hoping you get a good wife in the right time frame for you. Whatever that may be. Did you know that Sam is engaged? He is over 30 and many thought he had no hope. Well I certainly believe that he is getting what he needs and desires in the proper time frame for him.
Okay, so I also need to say something about the controversy that may be presented to you about the schools you got into. I guess if you haven't heard already that in emails you are going to get along with this you got into BYU. They have the program thing that got you in. I guess that I had it out with mom over you and that program. At first she though I hated BYU (and only loved BYU-I). Well I guess I just didn't want everyone to assume that you were going to automatically go to BYU for that. It is possible that program isn't going to offer what you ultimately desire. It is also possible that it will. I guess I was just mad because everyone assumed you were going to go to BYU and do what they think they want you to do, teach wierd srt things in High School. If that is what you want then that is cool, but I think that you still have to deside what is best for you. So I was like pro-choice for Robert, and we have to accept what he decides is best for him. If he decided that Snow college was for him and not BYU's or something else, then he is doing what he needs to. We may wonder for sure, but basically it is up to you. I also want to be sure to point out (because I am biased, true) that BYU-I is actually a more spiritual place than BYU (at least when we were there) in a lot of ways. Especially in the good chicks. I mean it was good for the Reece's mom and dad, groesbecks, Me (and I am like the happiest person in the world, or possibly the universe), and many more. Also BYU-I does offer a better education in a lot of subjects. For example (one that really neither of us is connected to to be fair) Business, they are really doing better things at BYU-I. The last thing is BYU has nightmarish black hole singles wards were good people like you and me go and never escape alive with a good looking wife (often many only escape because they go to BYU-I or worse, UVSC).
Okay that aside, I am most glad that my bro has options. Now you have more choices, that is really sweet. I will still think your cool if you go to BYU...
Last thing is that I am officially inviting you on a trip with Alison, the Kids and Myself when you get home, and we are out of school. I think you might need a bit of help getting used to the bibler again... Basically the time I am inviting you for is about 10 days after your home. So basically before you get a permanent Job and can't escape again and all that. If you can I understand, but I am honestly thinking Yosemite won't work for you when we go because of work and how long we want to go, but your still invited.
I guess that is all. I have to give up this beastly computer so Ali can write her brother. Two missionaries out is really awesome!
Enjoy, I love you and hope you have a great week!
Oh one more thing. My wife is an amazing cook. She totally made up this Cheese pizza breadstick combo thing that was honestly the most amazing thing to hit the buds in a while. She has been cooking such great things for me for a long time but this was through the roof. My advise is find a girl that can't supposedly cook and then discover that she is totally amazing and reap the benefits for eternity...
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Tetons
Well today we had a good day. We started getting ready to move, and to do this one thing we did was get rid of a lot of stuff. This was not ot bad because we didn't remember having most of it. So that was actually quite liberating to do.
Later we walked to the park that we like (I hope Zach likes it, we certianly head up there frequently... The impressive thing about that is that we walked 2.2 miles to it. Each way. So we got a sweet workout and Zach got to play. This is also part of our goal to not Drive our car as much. It is really a pain to have to pay so much for gas. Argh... We left a water bottle there though so we negated the walk because we drove back to get it. Oh well...
Tonight I uploaded a ton of pictures for a request for pictures from the Grand Teton lakes. I have lots of pictures from there, and so I put up quite a few. Sadly the competition is quite fierce. There is a lot of great photography out there. I think thought that I do have some nice shots from the park and that I have a great chance for getting some shots sold.
Anyway, that is all for today...
Friday, March 28, 2008
What a day...
So I have had a good day, I got lots of work done, had a barbeque with friends and things are going along nicely...
My question in life today is why am I so totally tired? Each night at 9 I am so tired I could drop off for hours. I maybe need more exercise or something. Man I am really dragging! Maybe my kids do it to me. That would explain why Alison gets just as tired, but also that leaves something to wonder because if I took care of them all day I would be dead before the spouse ever got home! She is amazing. Must be something else...
I think I will try and work that out by sleeping on it...
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Zach's Daddy
It is funny to see the natural cycle of who I am identified as by other people. This last weekend we were in Provo, and we got to hang out with all of my Nieces (7) and Nephews (3). There are a total of 12 grand kids when you throw my two into the pen as well. Most of the kids 4 or younger, that could talk, identified me as "Zach's Daddy". I heard that only a few hundred times. I got the Zach's dad look at me, or whatever you get from little kids. It was fun to be recognized as my child's father. I really enjoyed it. The funny thing about being Zach's daddy is that all those kids new my real name. It just changed when Zach started to really play with them.
This trip home was a lot of fun because at times (including all family outside of Alison's immediate family of sisters and nieces and nephews) we had 6 babies less than 7 months, and 3 toddlers, and a total of about 20 kids running around. Wow that was a fun bit of chaos!
The hard thing was hearing when you child was the one yelling, or hitting, or being hit (this happened to me a bit), or worst of all who had the messy diaper!
Zach had a lot of fun and learned lots of new words, and made new friends. He also struggled with the issue of sharing toys (he seems to think that all toys on earth are his, or at least toys that are being used by people smaller than him). He especially hit a lot. He has one cousin that would cry and tell mom, and another that would smack him back and scream bloody murder (she has 3 older and rambunctious siblings).
It was a good trip. Coming home was nice, the kids let us drive the entire time except for our gas/pit stop. It was nice enough that I would do it again if gas wasn't so terribly high cost...
This trip home was a lot of fun because at times (including all family outside of Alison's immediate family of sisters and nieces and nephews) we had 6 babies less than 7 months, and 3 toddlers, and a total of about 20 kids running around. Wow that was a fun bit of chaos!
The hard thing was hearing when you child was the one yelling, or hitting, or being hit (this happened to me a bit), or worst of all who had the messy diaper!
Zach had a lot of fun and learned lots of new words, and made new friends. He also struggled with the issue of sharing toys (he seems to think that all toys on earth are his, or at least toys that are being used by people smaller than him). He especially hit a lot. He has one cousin that would cry and tell mom, and another that would smack him back and scream bloody murder (she has 3 older and rambunctious siblings).
It was a good trip. Coming home was nice, the kids let us drive the entire time except for our gas/pit stop. It was nice enough that I would do it again if gas wasn't so terribly high cost...
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Easter!
Well Brother,
Easter has been good to us. Zach has gotten the egg hunts down (he is kind of an egg shark!) and is quite efficient at gathering up the goods. He is quite competitive although he is sadly still just not that observant at locating the eggs unless they are just obviously in the open (do you remember the "where is the cheat? Barely occluded by the box!). It is pretty fun to see him learn so many cool new things. I have attached some pictures that show the randomness of Zach. Jenny made an incredible strawberry shortcake that rocked and we set it on the table and were talking and then we realized Zach was leaning in and taking a bite of that cake. The picture is a redo of the original, but he wasn't complaining about a redo on the freelance bite. I hope that you enjoy those. He is so awesome right now because he is so ready to learn new things. This is the awesome time of his life. He is totally learning tons of words a day, and making up sentences and ideas all the time.
So let me tell you about Jenny. She is getting to be the cook of the house! She is whipping up all kinds of delicacies. Cakes, cookies and much much more. She is awesome! I bet that I have gained some serious weight on account of her! Don't let her tell you that she can't cook! She is especially good at making new random things with strange and unfamiliar recipes. She is awesome.
I am also having a good time shooting down here. We stopped in St. George and photographed the sunrise over the valley and the temple. So that was fun and added to the stock collection. Plus we got to have fun on the way as well, not just the usual death march back and forth with no events of note. Next time we are going to stop on the way up in Bryce canyon. These stops are great because they are barely out of the way. I recommend this because you can see lots of additional cool things without having to pay for a separate trip.
Okay so this about all I have to write about...
Wait, I have one other thing. In honor of trying to increase my photographic skill I got a model for photography and trying to learn lighting. It is only Alison's sister Kaisha (although she isn't an ugly duckling to be sure, in fact I think is better than most models in how she keeps her hair and whatever), but she is excited and wants to do it. That is probably the reason that I am most excited, she is excited. It is a battle to find someone that will let you take pictures of them! So this will hopefully be good. I also asked her to invite her boyfriend (I am not really interested in only the girls to be sure).
So I think that now I am going to end in song! Okay so really pictures not song. I hope that you enjoy!
First is Zach and the cake...
Then the Easter Egg hunt...
Andrea and Cousin Hectare, she loves to roll on top of him and claw his eyes out!
Pictures from the Henderson Bird Preserve...
Pictures from Rock Canyon...
Pictures from St. George (also using the fisheye)...
And pictures from chopping a tree down with dad and the brothers...
Enjoy!
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