We had the awesome opportunity of going to a good friend's wedding reception on Saturday. It reminded me of the day Brandon and I were married. So to spare you the details, I just realized how lucky I was to have the husband that I have!
In the Deaf Community, it is always good to go to receptions and things like that, because you are able to catch up with people that are all somehow connected to the same friend in some way. So it is always this big social event when people who haven't seen each other in a long time come together and linger longer than most people. I love that!
So if you were there and I was able to catch up with you, thanks for letting us catch up and spend a few wonderful minutes with you! They are precious indeed!
Sunday, July 29
Wednesday, July 25
CAR CURSED!
Words don't do our situation with cars any justice! So to put it mildly, we are CAR CURSED!
We just got back from Idaho and from visiting Brandon's parents for the weekend, and the trip was really long in getting there. Allow me to explain.
We found out last Wednesday that we have to have the Neon's main computer replaced! Our ac on the Neon hadn't been working, and with this hotter than you know where temperatures it has been awful trying to drive anywhere! It turned out that while we thought it was the ac needing a charge, we went and got it charged and as soon as I drove it off the lot, for about 15 minutes all seemed well, but then it started blowing hot again! So I called and they said to bring it in again the next day and they did some further investigative work, and found out that is was the main computer's part that sends a charge to the ac in order to tell it to come on and stay cool, it wasn't working the way it should! So they said that it really needed to be replaced! ARGH!
So needless once again to say, we have not been happy about this! Oh well, it will all work out! Just gotta keep the faith!
This last weekend was fun! We went to Joseph, Oregon where we had lunch by the beautiful lake, and looked around the little street of shops. It was a really cute and serene place to visit! It was a little cooler there than it was in Cambridge where Brandon grew up in Idaho. We drove the 3 hours over the GORGEOUS mountains to get there, and then drove back later that day! It was in the wind and sunshine, but there was also lots of smoke from the fires in close proximity to where Brandon is from! We drove to a look-out of Hells Canyon where Brandon grew up water skiing on the Snake River, and there were two different fires that we could see huge clouds of smoke! It was so sad but cool to see those.
Monday we went to the lake in Hells Canyon, and water skied (sp?) and hung out in the sun. It was a nice day. Then Tuesday morning, we went to a lower dam in the canyon and picked lots and lots of wild blackberries! They were sooo good. But be careful, here's my warning from experience... don't eat a lot of them at once or you'll get sick! I ate and ate them off the bushes (all of us did really) and we all got sick! The only qualms I had about picking them were the HUGE and DISGUSTING spiders that made their home in the bushes and vines of blackberries! You could have peeled me off the side of the boat when I saw some of those spiders! The other not so fun part of picking berries is that they have thorns galore! Every time you went to pick a berry, you had a good chance of pricking your finger! YIKES! IT REALLY HURT! But all in all, we brought home more than enough berries that we froze to use in future jams and black berry cobbler recipes! (If any of you have a good recipe for either, just send me one!)
Well it seems like that is really all that is new with us, sorry to bore you with the details! But as always, take care everyone! I love you all!
We just got back from Idaho and from visiting Brandon's parents for the weekend, and the trip was really long in getting there. Allow me to explain.
We found out last Wednesday that we have to have the Neon's main computer replaced! Our ac on the Neon hadn't been working, and with this hotter than you know where temperatures it has been awful trying to drive anywhere! It turned out that while we thought it was the ac needing a charge, we went and got it charged and as soon as I drove it off the lot, for about 15 minutes all seemed well, but then it started blowing hot again! So I called and they said to bring it in again the next day and they did some further investigative work, and found out that is was the main computer's part that sends a charge to the ac in order to tell it to come on and stay cool, it wasn't working the way it should! So they said that it really needed to be replaced! ARGH!
So needless once again to say, we have not been happy about this! Oh well, it will all work out! Just gotta keep the faith!
This last weekend was fun! We went to Joseph, Oregon where we had lunch by the beautiful lake, and looked around the little street of shops. It was a really cute and serene place to visit! It was a little cooler there than it was in Cambridge where Brandon grew up in Idaho. We drove the 3 hours over the GORGEOUS mountains to get there, and then drove back later that day! It was in the wind and sunshine, but there was also lots of smoke from the fires in close proximity to where Brandon is from! We drove to a look-out of Hells Canyon where Brandon grew up water skiing on the Snake River, and there were two different fires that we could see huge clouds of smoke! It was so sad but cool to see those.
Monday we went to the lake in Hells Canyon, and water skied (sp?) and hung out in the sun. It was a nice day. Then Tuesday morning, we went to a lower dam in the canyon and picked lots and lots of wild blackberries! They were sooo good. But be careful, here's my warning from experience... don't eat a lot of them at once or you'll get sick! I ate and ate them off the bushes (all of us did really) and we all got sick! The only qualms I had about picking them were the HUGE and DISGUSTING spiders that made their home in the bushes and vines of blackberries! You could have peeled me off the side of the boat when I saw some of those spiders! The other not so fun part of picking berries is that they have thorns galore! Every time you went to pick a berry, you had a good chance of pricking your finger! YIKES! IT REALLY HURT! But all in all, we brought home more than enough berries that we froze to use in future jams and black berry cobbler recipes! (If any of you have a good recipe for either, just send me one!)
Well it seems like that is really all that is new with us, sorry to bore you with the details! But as always, take care everyone! I love you all!
Thursday, July 19
Happy Birthday!!
Well... it's official! I am now OLD! I am 24! I can't believe it! (hehe, enjoyed making Brandon feel really old when I teased him about being 25 or otherwise 1/4 of a century old!)
This week has been eventful! I neglected to mention in my last blog that we sold the stupid car that gave us all that grief on the trip to San Diego, and just a few days after we got home from our So Cal trip, as the heat started getting worse here in Utah, our air conditioning in our Neon went out! How fantastic is that??? Let's just say that when it rains, it POURS! We were not too fond of this happening, and when we went to visit my sister's friends house, the husband said that it might be something as costly as the compressor, but it turned out to be something much worse as we discovered this week. So we spent a week waiting to go back to this friends house, but it turned out that he had to go out of town on business, and we wanted to go to Idaho for Pioneer day weekend. So we went to Firestone near our house, and we got some maintenance done, and then we discovered that they main computer in our car isn't sending the appropriate charge to the ac in order for it to run properly, so much to our dismay, we are going to have to fork out MORE money on our car! So Happy Birthday to me!
Today as my birthday was spent working this morning and early afternoon, and then this evening was great with friends from Orem driving all the friggin way here to go to dinner with Brandon and I. They were so nice in bringing a gift, they had been planning to come to dinner maybe last night, but tonight was a better night, so it was all the more the merrier for my birthday dinner! It was a blast having them come with us. Always good times with Nielsen and Kami! I mainly got cards for my birthday so thank you to all of those who were so thoughtful to remember me on my birthday! Our friends were thoughtful and brought me some Bath and Body Works stuff, and then Brandon bought me a really special gift! He bought me one of those Willow Tree things (figurines??) and I think that they are beautiful! They are what I call simply understated. There are no faces to them, the message they send are told through the body language and poses of the figures. I think that this might turn into a collection thing, who knows, I would have to find the space for all of them first! Also I was given money from generous family members, so shopping mall or outlets in Park City, HERE I COME! My mom was here earlier in the month and went with me to the outlets, and bought my husband and I some nice clothes for our birthdays! THANKS MOM!
The thing about shopping is that I have the mindset of an interpreter... I will explain to all you non-interpreters. The ideal interpreting clothes are dark colors that contrast with one's skin in order to make it easier for the Deaf consumer to see your hands in order to understand you better, and it's easier on the eyes. So when I go shopping, all I buy are solid colored blues, blacks, and dark purples. So lately I am having to step out of my usual interpreter motif and buy some fun clothes! Clothes colors that I used to wear! Reds! Pinks! Yellows! I have forgotten how fun these colors are! (for my fellow interpreters, I know you understand my joy!)
So tomorrow, we are going to make the fun 6 hour drive with no ac to Idaho, but thankfully we are going later in the day as it starts to somewhat cool down! It has been in the near 100's if not in the 100's this week. And the good news about today being my birthday, I was able to come home to a fixed air conditioner! We had been without air conditioning for about 3 weeks! So when other people have complained about it being cold in a building, I am just thanking my lucky stars that I am not sweating for a change! So this is a special treat! YAY!
Well before I keep going without stopping, I shall bid you all adieu and good night!
Have a great weekend, because I know we will!
Love to y'all!
Lisa
This week has been eventful! I neglected to mention in my last blog that we sold the stupid car that gave us all that grief on the trip to San Diego, and just a few days after we got home from our So Cal trip, as the heat started getting worse here in Utah, our air conditioning in our Neon went out! How fantastic is that??? Let's just say that when it rains, it POURS! We were not too fond of this happening, and when we went to visit my sister's friends house, the husband said that it might be something as costly as the compressor, but it turned out to be something much worse as we discovered this week. So we spent a week waiting to go back to this friends house, but it turned out that he had to go out of town on business, and we wanted to go to Idaho for Pioneer day weekend. So we went to Firestone near our house, and we got some maintenance done, and then we discovered that they main computer in our car isn't sending the appropriate charge to the ac in order for it to run properly, so much to our dismay, we are going to have to fork out MORE money on our car! So Happy Birthday to me!
Today as my birthday was spent working this morning and early afternoon, and then this evening was great with friends from Orem driving all the friggin way here to go to dinner with Brandon and I. They were so nice in bringing a gift, they had been planning to come to dinner maybe last night, but tonight was a better night, so it was all the more the merrier for my birthday dinner! It was a blast having them come with us. Always good times with Nielsen and Kami! I mainly got cards for my birthday so thank you to all of those who were so thoughtful to remember me on my birthday! Our friends were thoughtful and brought me some Bath and Body Works stuff, and then Brandon bought me a really special gift! He bought me one of those Willow Tree things (figurines??) and I think that they are beautiful! They are what I call simply understated. There are no faces to them, the message they send are told through the body language and poses of the figures. I think that this might turn into a collection thing, who knows, I would have to find the space for all of them first! Also I was given money from generous family members, so shopping mall or outlets in Park City, HERE I COME! My mom was here earlier in the month and went with me to the outlets, and bought my husband and I some nice clothes for our birthdays! THANKS MOM!
The thing about shopping is that I have the mindset of an interpreter... I will explain to all you non-interpreters. The ideal interpreting clothes are dark colors that contrast with one's skin in order to make it easier for the Deaf consumer to see your hands in order to understand you better, and it's easier on the eyes. So when I go shopping, all I buy are solid colored blues, blacks, and dark purples. So lately I am having to step out of my usual interpreter motif and buy some fun clothes! Clothes colors that I used to wear! Reds! Pinks! Yellows! I have forgotten how fun these colors are! (for my fellow interpreters, I know you understand my joy!)
So tomorrow, we are going to make the fun 6 hour drive with no ac to Idaho, but thankfully we are going later in the day as it starts to somewhat cool down! It has been in the near 100's if not in the 100's this week. And the good news about today being my birthday, I was able to come home to a fixed air conditioner! We had been without air conditioning for about 3 weeks! So when other people have complained about it being cold in a building, I am just thanking my lucky stars that I am not sweating for a change! So this is a special treat! YAY!
Well before I keep going without stopping, I shall bid you all adieu and good night!
Have a great weekend, because I know we will!
Love to y'all!
Lisa
Tuesday, July 17
Which one are you?
| You Are a Believer |
 You definitely believe in God - and you're very unwavering in your religious beliefs. In fact, religion and spirituality are definitely big parts of your life. Religion shapes how you view right and wrong, as well as the decisions you make. It's hard for you to imagine how your life would be without your beliefs. |
Monday, July 16
Long time NO BLOG!!
HE HE, catchy title eh?
Well, it has been ridiculously too long since I last posted any semblance of a decent message to let you in to our lives!
Brandon and I had quite the adventure on our vacation to San Diego! Hmmm, let's see, where in the heck should I start??
We made plans months ago about how and when we would get there. We decided that we would leave Saturday morning since my mom was in town, and then get there Saturday night in order to make it to the Deaf Branch in San Diego on Sunday morning. We planned to stay with Brandon's cousins and their family for a couple of nights, then check in to our timeshare hotel on Monday afternoon. But remember, that WAS the plan.
So Saturday morning, we started on our fun filled journey of driving down to San Diego. We made it to Provo, to drop Lexi off with Brandon's brother who would later drive back up to our house to take care of things while we were gone. We decided to have the car checked for something at an Auto Zone, (do NOT go there!) where they did a free diagnostic on our car and said that the battery and alternator were fine. So we continued on our merry sojourn to central UT when our car started to fail. The controls in the dash board started to fail, and the car coasted to a stop off the exit in Scipio, UT (the middle of nowhere,... no REALLY, I mean hicksville!) and a guy took a look at our car and charged the battery, free of charge (no pun intended) and we once again were on our merry way. Once again, in the middle of the desert, we barely made it off the interstate when we coasted off the exit at Cove Fort, Utah. Luckily we were able to walk ourselves to the closest gas station (a half mile away) that would cost us 120 bucks to get the car towed and have the alternator replaced which cost an arm and a leg (a total of 750 schmakaroos). We were stuck there for at least 3 1/2 hours, and then later had to stop in Cedar City where we had the alternator replaced again because the first one was faulty. We stayed overnight in an interesting hotel. The next morning we had some other issues addressed with the owner of the shop, and then went on our way. We didn't experience any problems until we arrived in the lovely blue collar town of Barstow CA where we were lucky to meet someone at the local Ford Dealership and they said they couldn't look at the car until Monday morning. By this time, our trip was already much more expensive than we had planned, and we were frustrated beyond measure. So we spent yet another night in a strange and undesirable place, though the hotel Holiday Inn Express was fabulous! I am now a walking advertisement for them by the way. Anyways, they told us after 3 hours of waiting and charging us $130 just to tell us that nothing was wrong with the car. So once AGAIN, we drove and made it all the way to San Diego, and luckily it was in one piece! Later that day we tried to go to the beach, and while we were trying to make it, the gauges on the dashboard of the car were acting really strange. The speedometer and the other gauges would go all the way to their max, or they wouldn't show how fast we were going at all. They looked like windshield wipers! It was the weirdest thing!
SO then a couple of days later we took the car to a Firestone within walking distance from our hotel, and they said that the alternator was bad! I mean, how many friggin alternators can one go through in a week? SO we left the car with them overnight, and then got it back the next morning. And with that alternator we made it all the way home which was A MIRACLE after the week we had experienced with our stupid car!
Other than that, Tuesday of that week, we went to the San Diego zoo! had lots of fun there, and then Wednesday we went to Sea World! That was a lot of fun too!
As it turned out, Thursday was the day we had planned for our trolley day, where we would explore the vast system of trolley ways in San Diego! That was the day we left the car at Firestone. We first traveled to Tijuana, Mexico, and I started not feeling really well when we were traveling on the way there. By the time we actually made it to Tijuana, I was really in a bad way. I tried to suck it up because I wanted to say that I had been to Mexico, but in the heat, and with the added luxury of the smell of the famous TJ river of human waste, I had just about had it. Brandon got hungry and ate some genuine Mexican food, and I sat there and just stared blankly at the food. I made it back to the bridge that goes over the TJ river of waste, and after one more whiff of that exotic aroma of poo, I spilled my cookies in the garden next to the bridge. I was so sick! The people that were walking by probably thought that I had had too much to drink, because that is what people do when they go to TJ! But needless to say I felt much better and my experience in TJ was unforgettable to say in the least!
The rest of our time in San Diego was great. I didn't have much of an appetite for a few days, but it was memorable and fun. We were able to go to some tide pools, and see the beautiful Cali coast!
Well I have yet to figure out how to post some of our pictures, but hey, I will do it as I have promised in past posts!
Other than that, other exciting news is that I have been offered a job with an interpreting agency for the fall! I am excited to get this news, because a position that I was considering at my former place of employment fell through. So yay! I am thrilled that what I have been involved in this summer has turned into a job! I am very blessed!
Oh and in regards to my family, I was able to see my parents for the first time in over a year, and hang out with family that I haven't seen in a while! We went to my sister's house and lit fireworks!
My oldest sister Jenny just found out that she is pregnant with twins! YAY! So I will try to make it for sure up to Seattle to help her out!
And I just became an Aunt again earlier last week with a new nephew from Brandon's oldest sister! So there are babies abound!
And congratulations to my friend Shelly! I am so excited for you being pregnant again! YAY! And also to my friend Kathryn who just recently had her little boy!
I am starting to feel very old now that everyone I know is either getting married, or are starting their families! It's exciting and wonderful!
I love and miss so many of you, please know that though I am lousy at keeping in touch with many of you, I think of many of you often, and hope and pray that all is well with you! Each of you have a special place in my heart!
Take care and stay tuned for the next episode of DOPFDETAILS!
Lisa
Well, it has been ridiculously too long since I last posted any semblance of a decent message to let you in to our lives!
Brandon and I had quite the adventure on our vacation to San Diego! Hmmm, let's see, where in the heck should I start??
We made plans months ago about how and when we would get there. We decided that we would leave Saturday morning since my mom was in town, and then get there Saturday night in order to make it to the Deaf Branch in San Diego on Sunday morning. We planned to stay with Brandon's cousins and their family for a couple of nights, then check in to our timeshare hotel on Monday afternoon. But remember, that WAS the plan.
So Saturday morning, we started on our fun filled journey of driving down to San Diego. We made it to Provo, to drop Lexi off with Brandon's brother who would later drive back up to our house to take care of things while we were gone. We decided to have the car checked for something at an Auto Zone, (do NOT go there!) where they did a free diagnostic on our car and said that the battery and alternator were fine. So we continued on our merry sojourn to central UT when our car started to fail. The controls in the dash board started to fail, and the car coasted to a stop off the exit in Scipio, UT (the middle of nowhere,... no REALLY, I mean hicksville!) and a guy took a look at our car and charged the battery, free of charge (no pun intended) and we once again were on our merry way. Once again, in the middle of the desert, we barely made it off the interstate when we coasted off the exit at Cove Fort, Utah. Luckily we were able to walk ourselves to the closest gas station (a half mile away) that would cost us 120 bucks to get the car towed and have the alternator replaced which cost an arm and a leg (a total of 750 schmakaroos). We were stuck there for at least 3 1/2 hours, and then later had to stop in Cedar City where we had the alternator replaced again because the first one was faulty. We stayed overnight in an interesting hotel. The next morning we had some other issues addressed with the owner of the shop, and then went on our way. We didn't experience any problems until we arrived in the lovely blue collar town of Barstow CA where we were lucky to meet someone at the local Ford Dealership and they said they couldn't look at the car until Monday morning. By this time, our trip was already much more expensive than we had planned, and we were frustrated beyond measure. So we spent yet another night in a strange and undesirable place, though the hotel Holiday Inn Express was fabulous! I am now a walking advertisement for them by the way. Anyways, they told us after 3 hours of waiting and charging us $130 just to tell us that nothing was wrong with the car. So once AGAIN, we drove and made it all the way to San Diego, and luckily it was in one piece! Later that day we tried to go to the beach, and while we were trying to make it, the gauges on the dashboard of the car were acting really strange. The speedometer and the other gauges would go all the way to their max, or they wouldn't show how fast we were going at all. They looked like windshield wipers! It was the weirdest thing!
SO then a couple of days later we took the car to a Firestone within walking distance from our hotel, and they said that the alternator was bad! I mean, how many friggin alternators can one go through in a week? SO we left the car with them overnight, and then got it back the next morning. And with that alternator we made it all the way home which was A MIRACLE after the week we had experienced with our stupid car!
Other than that, Tuesday of that week, we went to the San Diego zoo! had lots of fun there, and then Wednesday we went to Sea World! That was a lot of fun too!
As it turned out, Thursday was the day we had planned for our trolley day, where we would explore the vast system of trolley ways in San Diego! That was the day we left the car at Firestone. We first traveled to Tijuana, Mexico, and I started not feeling really well when we were traveling on the way there. By the time we actually made it to Tijuana, I was really in a bad way. I tried to suck it up because I wanted to say that I had been to Mexico, but in the heat, and with the added luxury of the smell of the famous TJ river of human waste, I had just about had it. Brandon got hungry and ate some genuine Mexican food, and I sat there and just stared blankly at the food. I made it back to the bridge that goes over the TJ river of waste, and after one more whiff of that exotic aroma of poo, I spilled my cookies in the garden next to the bridge. I was so sick! The people that were walking by probably thought that I had had too much to drink, because that is what people do when they go to TJ! But needless to say I felt much better and my experience in TJ was unforgettable to say in the least!
The rest of our time in San Diego was great. I didn't have much of an appetite for a few days, but it was memorable and fun. We were able to go to some tide pools, and see the beautiful Cali coast!
Well I have yet to figure out how to post some of our pictures, but hey, I will do it as I have promised in past posts!
Other than that, other exciting news is that I have been offered a job with an interpreting agency for the fall! I am excited to get this news, because a position that I was considering at my former place of employment fell through. So yay! I am thrilled that what I have been involved in this summer has turned into a job! I am very blessed!
Oh and in regards to my family, I was able to see my parents for the first time in over a year, and hang out with family that I haven't seen in a while! We went to my sister's house and lit fireworks!
My oldest sister Jenny just found out that she is pregnant with twins! YAY! So I will try to make it for sure up to Seattle to help her out!
And I just became an Aunt again earlier last week with a new nephew from Brandon's oldest sister! So there are babies abound!
And congratulations to my friend Shelly! I am so excited for you being pregnant again! YAY! And also to my friend Kathryn who just recently had her little boy!
I am starting to feel very old now that everyone I know is either getting married, or are starting their families! It's exciting and wonderful!
I love and miss so many of you, please know that though I am lousy at keeping in touch with many of you, I think of many of you often, and hope and pray that all is well with you! Each of you have a special place in my heart!
Take care and stay tuned for the next episode of DOPFDETAILS!
Lisa
Thursday, July 12
What type of Soda are you??
| You Are Diet Coke |
 You are energy in its purest form. No need to complicate things with sweetness. And while people may hate your aftertaste, you are seen as a necessary evil. Your best soda match: 7 Up Stay away from: Coke |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)