stephanie + brandon

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

a record has been broken.

The record of 1937 (58.04') is no longer a record. The river is moving swiftly at 58.25'! This picture to the right was taken yesterday I believe and it shows the boat ramp Under-the-Hill is now almost completely under water. Because I can't go get any pictures I have to rely on others so it is hard to give descriptions of what the picture is. So I will just post them for you to see.

Silver Street at its lowest dip is under 7+' of water.

United Animals Nation and the Humane Society have constructed a temporary shelter for animals affected by the flood. Is this not an awesome example of teamwork?

Monday, May 9, 2011

I...

I am: dorky
I think: happy thoughts
I know: how to knit a bib
I want: to be a mother
I have: curly hair
I dislike: mushrooms & olives!...ewwww...
I miss: my grandparents
I fear: dying during child birth
I feel: cozy
I hear: cats chasing the dog
I smell: like herbal essence
I crave: chocolate chip cookie dough
I cry: when I get upset
I search: for my jump drive...I lose it like everyday...in fact it is currently lost...
I wonder: what my future kids will be like
I regret: saying rude things
I wish: we had cable television
I love: my husband
I care: about my grades
I always: want to improve
I worry: about my family
I am not: dumb
I remember: the day I got engaged
I believe: in the biblical marriage
I sing: in my car...loudly
I don’t: like mornings...I'm really trying to improve this...it's hard!
I argue: with telephone customer service...they're idiots!
I write: neatly
I win: at Spades
I lose: my patience
I listen: to God
I don’t understand: why people do drugs
I can usually be found: at work or home
I need: attention...ha ha ;)
I forget: my point when I'm trying to make one
I am happy: with my life

Water, water everywhere.

This is not COOL! I've never experienced a flood, well I guess I have but was not aware, but to me this is sad. To think...this could be here for another Month!

One word, Fortress! I remember as a small child making a fortress with couch cushions, the idea is not the same! This is a lot of sand. We (not sure why I say "we" in reference to a river) now sit at 56.74'!
Not a lot of pictures today. See, now it is to the point where I can't go take pictures...

Maybe one more..

Want a close up?

Sometimes I wish...

...that I were a cat.

If I were a cat, then I could sleep 16 hours every day. Also, I would constantly be held, cuddled, and adored. Everyone would look at me and say, "Ohhhh, you're so cute." In fact, I would be so adorable that people would take pictures and blog about me. Life would be purrfect! (Why do I think I'm funny?!)

Note to Sammie:
I want to be you.

Note to Rachel:
I'm sorry this blog post disgusts, offends, and annoys you.

Note to Bach:
I adore your spunkiness.

Note to Bach:
I'm sorry I annoy you with taking pictures of your cuteness.

Thanks for the advice Bambi, but no thanks.

"If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all."

Really?

Hmmm...I'm not sure how I feel about that one. Don't you think that just glaring at someone or ignoring them could be worse than not saying anything at all? How about when you say "hello" to someone and they don't even have the human decency to murmur a reply? They can't say anything nice to you, so they don't say anything at all. What about those who completely avoid the people they don't like? Are they just holding their tongues and being polite? Maybe those who hold their tongue have lost their courage. Maybe they're cowards

. If you don't have anything nice to say, then it's probably because you are not a nice person. They say the tongue is more powerful than the sword, but I think silence can cut even deeper. That cold, harsh silence that slaps you right in the face and whispers: "You are not even worth the effort of speaking." That silence that looks you right in the eye and then turns away without even the faintest glimmer of acknowledgement. That is the silence that stings.

I want to march up to that silence, grab it by the chin, and spit in its face. I want to say something mean. But that wouldn't be nice. So maybe I shouldn't say anything at all.

Onions do not make me cry.

I would like to announce that I am officially a grown-up! Is it childish to say "grown up" or should I say adult? Just recently, I came to the realization that I had an unfair prejudice towards onions. I assumed that I hated onions because they looked and smelled disgusting. When I thought of onions, I would only think of a gross, crunchy interruption to a perfectly fine hamburger. For example, I remember finding the unpleasant surprise of crunchy little magot-looking onions in my McDonald's Happy Meal. That was my impression of onions: a cruncy little magot-looking slump of grossness. But, I was wrong! Onions are not disgusting; in fact, they are quite delicious. Onions just have to be cooked and smothered in butter, sugar, and olive oil. If I would of known that onions could taste like that, then I would have never been so judgmental towards them. Also, I am almost to the point where I can eat tomatoes (if they are smothered in some type of delicious sauce, of course). But, I will never, ever, E V E R change my mind about mushrooms or olives. Ewwwwww....I cannot even think about them. They look and taste exactly like beetles. But onions? Nope, not disgusting at all. I'm an adult; therefore, I can eat onions.

One-Piece Swimsuit?

Can somebody please explain to me how these swimsuits fall into the "One-Piece" category? I don't know about you guys, but I seriously burst out laughing when I saw these. I mean...are you kidding me?! I guess it is a one piece because it's all connected in one piece, but why are the sides cut out? How is this fashion? I am flabbergasted. I told myself that someday we will have a teenage girl and want her to wear modest swimsuits; however, what if this is how they define modesty? Ri-dic-u-lous.

Along that note, I'm a strong advocate for the whole "Modest is Hottest" idea. I feel modesty reflects virtue and integrity; however, let's not go too far with this. There are two types of modesty: cute and wholesome modesty or just plain hideous modesty. Look at the picture to your right. Please try not to throw up. I found this picture after googling "modest swimsuits." This is probably the ugliest article of clothing I have ever seen in my life. This is beyond modesty. It is just creepy. What do you think is more repulsive? The scandalous so-called one piece as discussed about above or the freaky alien swimsuit as seen to the right? Definitely a toss up, right?

Here is a swimsuit that I think is cute. I would say it is the happy medium between the whore-ish (sorry, but they are!) swimsuits as spoken about first and the repulsive try-not-to-throw-up swimsuit as spoken of second. This one is cute, stylish, modest, and pink. I really want it. However, it is like $100. So, I will never have it. Sad day.

100 Things I Want To Do Before I'm 100

1.) Give birth. (I could just say I want to be a mother, but I wanted to make it clear that I actually want to experience giving birth...oh, and I want to do this 2 times!)
2.) Teach someone how to knit.
3.) Teach someone about the gospel.
4.) Publish something.
5.) Learn how to play a classical song on the piano.
6.) Wear a fancy dress to a fancy play. The dress should probably be black...and sparkly!
7.) Help design and build my own home.
8.) Go to another country.
9.) Get my masters degree.
10.) Get my PhD.
11.) Have a huge party to celebrate my 75th wedding anniversary with my husband.
12.) Go on another cruise. A Norwegian cruise, preferably.
13.) Be on T.V. (Even if I'm just in the background waving!)
14.) Shake the President's hand.
15.) Ride a camel!! This idea just came to me, but it automatically became a must.)
16.) Paint a picture.
17.) Win an award or contest.
18.) Learn to sew something wearable.
19.) Visit cemeteries of my ancestors.
20.) Get a cute golden retriever puppy!
21.) Have flat abs...not like a 6 pack or anything...but something bikini-worthy! ha ha :)
22.) Hear my first child say "Mama" for the first time.
23.) Have nice furniture. I know this may sound superficial, but I just really want it!
24.) Have a library.
25.) Meet a celebrity.
26.) Get a picture of me, my husband, and all our kids in front of our own fireplace.
27.) Give a speech somewhere important.
28.) Go on a church mission trip.
29.) Pay for a random stranger's groceries or meal at a restaurant.
30.) Own more than 25 pairs of shoes.
31.) Eat dinner at the Space Needle.
32.) See the leaning tower of pisa.
33.) Spend a week in Paris!
34.) Own a dyson vacuum.
35.) Teach kindergarten.
36.) Swim with dolphins.
37.) Go to Disney World.
38.) Go to Sea World.
39.) Be on The Price is Right!
40.) Go on field trips with my kids.
41.) Own a sports car.
42.) Ride in a Nascar car.
43.) Witness a miracle.
44.) Sleep in my own hammock.
45.) Eat a fresh pineapple.
46.) Go snowboarding.
47.) Go snow skiing.
48.) Go rock climbing.
49.) Win a game of Monopoly.
50.) Bench press more than 20 pounds.
51.) Scrapbook.
52.) Grow a vegetable garden.
53.) Catch a butterfly...then set it free.
54.) Ride a roller coaster...a non-scary one preferably.
55.) Take a yoga class.
56.) Read the Bible in its entirety.
57.) Teach my cat to fetch.
58.) Live at the beach.
59.) Own a "beach house".
60.) See all my children get married.
61.) Be a grandmother.
62.) Be a great-grandmother.
63.) Live in a state where it snows.
64.) See my family genuinely happy.
65.) Stand under a natural waterfall.
66.) Have long hair again.
67.) Be an "expert" scrabble player.
68.) Learn how to bait my own hook.
69.) Have a bunch of cash and throw it up in the air. :)
70.) Kiss Brandon under the Eiffel Tower.
71.) Go to every state in the United States.
72.) Eat Italian food in Italy.
73.) Smash an old car with a big huge metal machine.
74.) Go to Bethlehem.
75.) Win a prize at the fair.
76.) Never get a speeding ticket.
77.) Go to Israel.
78.) Keep friendships with my close friends thoughout my entire lifetime.
79.) Make a difference.
80. Play the violin.
81.) Support Brandon in his goals and ambitions.
82.) Stay healthy and fit.
83.) Have more than 2 cats at one time.
84. ) Get a dozen pink roses.
85.) Be able to fit in my wedding dress after I've had all my children.
86.) Ride a tractor.
87.) Have a son and a daughter.
88.) Do fun activities with my children.
89.) Visit the San Diego zoo.
90.) Build a snowman and it last more than a day.
91.) Have straight, white teeth.
92.) Write a children's book.
93.) Design children's clothes.
94.) Build my dream kitchen.
95.) Cook fabulous meals in that dream kitchen!
96.) Have a retirement plan.
97.) Have a wrap-around porch around my very own built home.
98.) For my children to never have to worry.
99.) Contribute to world peace.
100.) Live to be a happy, active 100-year-old woman!