Thursday, July 31, 2008

Steve Miller Concert

Last night we went to the Steve Miller Band Concert with Trudy, Lon, lonnie and Carl. We had a great time. One of the highlights of the night was the grandma walking around with feathers on her eyelashes. Lonnie is so funny she decided she wanted a picture with her, she went up and asked. The lady obliged and even took her teeth out (which Lonnie had to pay the price for my a kiss on the cheek-although I am sure the lady wanted to kiss her on the lips, lucky that Lonnie turned just enough). She also had quite the mouth: "I am the old fu&*^%$ grandma, I'm fu$%^#$ crazy, and people fu$%^&* know me everywhere." She also works at the blue boutique and promised us if we went in and told them the old grandma sent us, we would get a discount. I can assure you that I am going to test that.

I am pretty sure she thinks Lonnie is her girlfriend. Get it Lonnie!


The concert was good too, we had a good time. Joe Cocker was awesome as well.

I also saw this cool story. Check out this guy Karl Meltzer who is planning to run the appilacian Trail (not even sure I can spell it, let alone run it). I am going to keep an eye on his progress. It is awesome.



Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Washington DC

So for the last week I have been in hot muggy, yet so fun Washington DC. I have some great pictures and stories to share.

Starting with day 1. I arrived in Washington DC, so excited about taking the Subway, finding my hotel and starting to see the sites. I quickly found the correct color of the Subway I needed and the right direction (Thanks New York-so much the same) I got on the subway so excited to finally be there. I pulled out the directions to my hotel, making sure that as I got off of the metro, I would know just where to go. I arrived at my station (after switing colors only once) and exited up the long escalator to the street above. (seriously long escalator, like if it wasn't working, I would stay in the hole in the ground, because I would refuse to walk up the steps). I get to the street above and see no mention on any of the signs the correct road that I am looking for, so I take a guess and start walking. As most guesses go when you are a tourist in a strange place, I guessed wrong and ended up on some corner surrounded by the world embassy's (is this a sign?) I called the hotel, asked a stranger, and finally got the right direction to go. I walked another few blocks and finally find my hotel. I go to check in and as I am standing at the front desk, hot and sweating because of the humidity, I realize that there is this aweful smell. I assume it is the lady checking me in and I can't get away from her quick enough. I quickly check in to my old fashined really small room and head out the door again (after dropping socks in the toilet-its hard to explain but it happened). I really want to get to the National Zoo which is just up the road, and I am not sure I will have the chance again. So I start walking. I finally get to the zoo, walk through the zoo, and what do I see?????? Nothing-that's right, no animals (well unless a groundhog and a dragonfly count) All of the rest of the animals are somewhere else busy and hiding. I did however see some amazing statues of animals, I am not sure are quite appropriate for a public zoo, but all of the cages had some sort of (could be portrayed) as pornographic animal statues (No Trudy, it is not April). See below.

Get It Gorilla!!





The next day though I did get to see some great things. I ran an 8k in Rockville MD. It was so hot and humid they had to postpone it until 9:30 PM. It was a lot of fun, but really really hot. I also got to see the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unkown soldier. What a great experience.




I also got to see the national monument. You can easily see the change of the color of the stone, after they had to wait to complete the project. Pretty cool.



And Lincoln. This was my favorite part. I also saw the Air and Space Museum, National Archives, White House, Capital, and Jim Hensons tribute at the Gallery of Art.


During our conference I got my picture with Nick Cannon (married to Mariah Carey) who does a lot of youth programs. Okay I look like a dork, and probably can't cause scandal in his marriage by claiming I was dating him in Cosmo Magazine, but still, I got a picture.



Hilary even stopped by. She was actually really great. She is a huge supporter of education, so it was cool to have her there.


Overall it was a lot of fun. I also got my Cast of yesterday and get to wear a removable one so I can take it off for the wedding. Can't wait!
Elessa is 38 weeks now, can't wait for that Baby!

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Janitor Battle

So no really exciting news, but I thought I would share this.

Today I got into a fight with a janitor. No really I did. We have an event to be held here at the school tonight, but somehow he didn't get the memo and I had to ruin is parade and make him stay to cater to the event. He thinks it was my fault that the paper got lost on his desk and that I should have the common courtesy to call. I think it is his fault because he lost the paper in the first place, and if I follow all of the procedures the school has to take care of the event, it should happen that way. Apparently though, I can use the excuse in the future that the mounting piles of paperwork on my desk, ate the one piece of paper that you turned in and now it is your fault. I am so excited to try that one out! You should have seen the janitor. He had long shaggy gray hair, wearing a dirty (I think it was once white) baseball hat that he took off to scratch his balding head (why do people have long hair when it is bald on top? I don't get it) anyways he has this big plump belly, and blue dirty t-shirt and those old jeans that are so baggy they look like they are going to fall off-no kidding he was the perfect picture of a high school janitor that are often made fun of in books and such. I could have died. Either way-I won and he has to stay. (I actually do kind of feel bad about that-but a little less so, because he said that the human thing to do was to call him?-Does that mean I am not human?) So many questions.

Tomorrow I leave for Washington DC. I can't wait. Although I wish someone was going with me, I think I will still enjoy it. I will put pictures on next week.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Hogle Zoo!

So this weekend, wasn't quite as exciting as in the past, but it was actually quite nice. I spent Saturday with Tacey and Mari at the mall, which was a lot of fun. We then had our neighbors, Lonni and Carl, and Trudy and Lon over that night for a barbeque. Lonni's Layla was really sick so they left early. We played cards for a while before Lon and Trudy left and then talk about over staying your welcome. The neighbors were at our House until 2:30 in the morning. What do you do about that, Honestly? I have no idea, but I can tell you I was really tired. The next day they blamed us for being bad influences because they missed their church meeting. Please tell me they are kidding. They are such rebels:)
The next day I went with the fam to the hogle zoo, We had a lot of fun. The kids crack me up, they are too much fun. I even got to see the white Aligator-I mean this trip was definitely for the kids and they got to see the White Aligator. That night we had a Barbeque with my Dad. He is the best. He called to inform us that he had fresh mutton and "once in a lifetime Ronnie Krause Chili Verde" It was awesome. We ended with Better than Sex Cake where my Dad informed each of us individually it wasn't better than the sex he gets. Gross Dad-you're kids are here. Mary finally told him to knock it off, it was a lot of fun. We also got to tease Crystal a little because she fell and pulled a ligament in her ankle. I feel really bad, but of course she got all the jokes.

It was a good weekend overall, back to work, wishing for one more day!

Elessa is 36 weeks, getting closer! Come on Baby!

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

My Cast

So I thought I would share with you this picture, just in case you won't get to see it before I get it off, or change colors. Here is my beautiful purple cast. I broke the scaphoid bone in my wrist see:
Really fun.
I didn't even know it was broken, I thought I had just sprained it playing basketball, but no! After five weeks of pain (no swelling or brusing) I finally went in and found out that it was broken. On the 29th I will find out how it is doing and we can go from there. For now I just get to wear the cast and just feel hot all day. It really isn't good.
I went to the childrens museum at the discovery gateway today to take pictures of my of my students and it was awesome. I almost asked if I could join the play dough making party, but I thought they might think I was crazy so instead I just watched for a minute. If you have kids I highly recommend it. It was kind of a happy imagination zone! Awesome!

Monday, July 7, 2008

Happy Fourth of July Weekend!!

What a busy weekend, and yet so much fun!





It all started on Thursday night with a very strenuous competition with my video game apponents on Wii American Idol. I would like to announce that I, MeriAnn Ellett of Magna Utah, am your next American Idol!! I was crowned after hearing comments from:


Randy: yo yo you check it check it out, that was hot!


Paula: If you looked up the word star in the Dictionary it would have your name!


Simon: Brilliant!





So with that, I would like to encourage all of you to stay on my good side as there is obviously a bright future ahead for me and apparently a huge record deal. We'll see though, I may decide not to take it as it would be just so time consuming.





Then on Friday, I started bright and early with the Local Magnatude 5k run in honor of this little old man that runs around our neighborhood every day. He is 86 years old and probably runs around 10 miles a day. He looks great with his teal tight biker shorts under a short pair of bright multicolored running shorts, a tshirt and hat. What a great guy! I idolize the fact that he is out there every day and just happy. He must be an early riser. At the end of the run, we were greated with a hot pancake breakfast! Go Lions Club!





Magna does things a little slower than any other place I know, and around 12, they finally started the local parade. It was a fantastic display of patriotism with around 100 floats with a small town feel. The local bar was even open letting people in to buy drinks to take back to the street to watch the floats. It was seriously a lot of fun.



We then had some people over for a barbeque, our neighbors probably loved us as we played Rock Band on the back patio to almost ten at night, just in time to walk over to watch the local fireworks. I am sure the other spectators were so happy to have us there, as we were the loudest of the groups. The fieworks were great though and evidentally started a fire on the hillside. I don't know which was better to watch the fireworks or the actual fire as it rose on the mountain in the distance, just an overall great day (thankfully nobody was hurt). Special thanks on this day to Frank, JJ, Nick, and all others who are serving for us over seas!



Then on Saturday we did some shopping and then went to my cousin Lonnie's house for dinner and a night of games. We ultimately lost in Farmers Rummy to Trudy who stole the show. We had a great conversation about corn hole and man boobs, you'll just have to ask. If I explain it here, it will take away all of the fun-honestly those converstation topics are really making you think right now I am sure. The night ended splendidly with the female opponents beating the male opponents in Catch Phrase 2 out of 3 times. Thanks Lon for helping us out so much! Rematch next Saturday.



Sunday was a great relaxing day, getting things ready for the wedding and playing cards on the patio. We love the patio and hang out there quite often. I read my book, and Art manicures our lawn to perfection-love my park!



Now I am back at work, slaving away, wishing for one more day of weekend. On the bright side, Elessa is 35 weeks today and our little baby is getting fatter, less wrinkly, and his lungs are getting stronger. Can't Wait!

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Ode to Early Risers

So today I had to get up early so I could ride with Art because I had to take my car in to get fixed (no not from the other day, from before I even got it) Still no call by the way from the lady in the other car. Yes! I hate having to get up so early in the morning-I'm still tired. In light of that, here is my Ode to Early Risers (this is for you Bob and Donna)

To rise early in the morning and wake before the sun
Is the goal each night and it sounds like so much fun
To read the paper, drink my coffee, and enjoy just spending my time
resting and thinking with nothing to do , a moment that is only mine.
Then off for the day, lets start with a walk, to get ourselves into the mood
To talk to the people we'll meet as we go, oh quick lets grab fruit for food
We'll always be skinny and healthy, of course and smile every day
Because we rise early, we have time for ourselves we see life in a better way!

Because I don't get up early it means that I will always be just a little grumpy for a while in the mornings, but I always wish I were that person that got up early to sit on the porch and read the paper, how nice. Especially in this weather!

Today, thats not me yet, and I am still tired and it is almost time to go home. My car isn't even fixed yet, I'm blaming it on me having to get up early. What a day!

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Starting Out

Today is my first blog, so many friends "Tacey" had blogs and encouraged me to do so that I thought I would try it out. Although I don't have kids to talk about I figure that my life is somewhat humourous and may be worth sharing, for example, five weeks ago I broke my wrist playing basketball and instead of going to the doctor, I choose to "wait it out". I thought it was only a sprain that would surely go away. Five weeks later I sit in an orthopedic's office with a broken wrist watching the Doctor shake his head and surely laughing in his head about my stupidy. Then on top of things just yesterday I was driving down the freeway, staying between the lines with my one arm when out of nowhere a huge semi pulled quickly into my lane and I had to swerve over onto the soft shoulder of the freeway. My blood pressure sky rocketed and I was shaking no doubt. I pulled off the freeway where I stopped at the off ramp. I reached over to pick up my bag off of the floor and apparently I can't multitask very well (at least not in a car) and my foot slides off the break. I slowly roll into the car in front of me. How exciting, my first little slip in my new car. Luckily there wasn't damage and the woman in the other car took my number. So far I haven't heard from her and I am keeping my fingers crossed. See life can be funny. It is a good thing I have good people to surround me so I can laugh a lot! I'll try to make things more interesting in the future, but for today, I am just thankful that Art is so patient!! D@#*@% I keep hitting the windows button and it keeps opening the start menu. Stupid Cast. I guess that is enough for today.