HOV Lane Adjustments


Glad to know the powers-that-be heard my grumblings along the 95 mid-day/late night and acquiesced.

Latest Happenings:

I don't think I ever put pictures from the Easter egg hunt on the blog.

We went to the fair. Drew loved running from ride to ride. And he didn't have very much patience, either. If he had to wait more than one turn of the ride, he jumped out of the line and ran to the next one. As the day wore on he got the hang of it and was excited to wait, and wait, and wait for the roller coster. He finally ended up as the first person at the head of the line and just stared through the bars waiting for his turn to run to a seat.

The singles ward had a talent show and Brian and Scotty were the MCs:

Brian also jammed with some fellow ward members:He always stresses that it could have been better, but I enjoyed hearing them. Although nothing compares with the one act where the girl played the harmonica with her nose.

Catherine (now Sister Higbee) spoke in sacrament meeting Sunday, and we hosted a luncheon for her afterwards:

Charlie started out the luncheon in a beautiful dress similar to this one:

I need to get a collection of t-shirts and shorts in the appropriate size. After a slight diaper mishap, all we had for her to wear was a left-over t-shirt from Jenn's room. If you're a young mother reading this and struggling getting your baby to use sign language, the trick is give them brownies! Charlie was happy to demonstrated her sign language skills asking for more.

And to end the post I have this picture:

Who would have thought a box of dishwasher soap could make me cry.

These all in one detergent/non spot packets really work the best in my dishwasher. After that my second choice is powder. Liquid dishwasher soap just doesn't work in this model for some reason. I opened a new box yesterday. I had been wondering the last two weeks while the previous box dwindled down just how long does it take for me to go through this box. So today I reached for my trusty 'ole sharpy that I keep in the kitchen. Years ago the sharpy used to write kids names on their lunch bags, but now it just sits in the pen holder for occassional uses like this. I wrote the date on it and thought to myself, "we'll just see how long it actually lasts." There's 90 tablets, so if I were to use one a day, that takes me to the end of July.

Wow, the end of July, perhaps even August or September, I don't run the dishwasher everyday any more (for the same reason I don't use the sharpy pen everyday any more.) Do you know how much my life is going to change by the end of July? By the time this box runs out Brian the squatter will have moved up to Provo to get settled in for BYU. Scott will be down in Brazil. Brad and Kara will be in San Diego.

Things will be different in my life when I open the next box of dishwasher soap.

Miss Hallie

I don't put enough pictures of Hallie on my blog! Kara does a fantastic job of updating every week what's happening with their family. I sometimes just assume everyone clicks on their link and reads about their activities and sees Hallie's cute pictures.

Just so I can grandma brag a little bit on my blog, I'm going to include some pictures of Hallie here.

What a cute Easter dress!

This girl's bow and headband collection is huge. I like how she always has a coordinating hair accessory.

And stunnar' shades

more headbands.... :)

Brad and Kara both love baseball, just different teams. Hallie has a collection of Cubs and Dodgers gear.

Brad & Hallie.

Kara & Hallie.

We miss you guys!

Scott & Devin's Excellent Adventure

The last couple of years, Scotty & Devin have shared quite a few adventures:


Adventures in being an uncle. Devin is niece/nephewless still, but Scotty has graciously shared. Devin came up with the nickname "Baby Drew" and it's stuck around here. They also teamed up to teach Baby Drew how to "Lick it and stick it."

Adventures in eatting. The Breakfast Club was this group of four seniors that showed up every other morning for breakfast. The Graff house is also famous for Taco Takedown. Sam keeps on cookin, and the boys keep on eatting.

Adventures in birthday parties. Scotty's 18th, as Devin would say, was LEGENDARY, BABY

Adventures in Runnin' Rebel Basketball

NCAA tourney '07

Adventures in graduating. At the senior BBQ.

In this pre-mission era of their life, Scott & Devin decided it was time for a new adventure. Step one, as always, The Wheels. "No problem, I'll talk to Jenn."

Jenn and Scotty have always been a duo, so Scott thought it merely a formality as he passed through the kitchen. "Hey, Jenn, can I take your car on a trip with Devin?" Jenn, "No."

This caused Scotty to stop in his tracks in the kitchen. "What do you mean?"

"I'm married now. It's not my car, it's our car." After negotiations with all parties involved in Jenn's comingled asset affairs, the car was secured.

Step Two: The Plan.

California. 6 Days. 5 Temples. a little Baseball.

After checking the map, the list of relatives in Cali, and the MLB schedule they were set.

This week's Excellent Adventure has them leaving on Monday and driving to Folsom. Tuesday morning was the Oakland Temple. Tuesday afternoon, San Francisco. Tuesday night, Giants vs. Padres.

Wednesday morning, Sacramento Temple, then they drove south to Agoura.

Thursday morning L.A. Temple. Sights and sounds of the LA area. Relocate to the next relative in Trabuco Canyon.

Friday morning Newport Beach Temple. Friday night???

Saturday morning drive south to San Diego Temple, check out Old Town/Mormon Battalion visitors center. Cruise on home.

Out of all their adventures, I think this one is AWESOME. A couple of months from now, they'll both be in foreign countries. What a great adventure for them to remember.

If Google Maps will cooperate, you can follow their path:

View Larger Map

Cool Pictures

at least I was glad to see them

The last time I saw a picture of our cousin's son, Shawn, it was in the November, 2006 Ensign. Fresh off his mission, it was cool to see him at conference and taking notes.

Since spring 2007 he's been living in Croatia, with his wife Drazenka. There are a lot of Visa problems, red tape, government agencies involved, but as of yet, they have not been able to return to the States. This week the States came to them. I have to admit, somewhere in between our Las Vegas hepatitis problem, and the dueling democrats, I heard The Pres was on a foreign trip, but I hadn't really paid attention to his itinerary. Seems he made a stop in Croatia and Shawn and Drazenka had front-of-the-crowd seats and were able to shake hands with President Bush.

It will be great when they can make their way back to the U.S.

What do you FEEL when you look at this picture?

Once a month the kids don't go to seminary, but I still do -- because it's inservice meeting. This month I was pretty excited. I knew the guest speaker coming in. I knew the topic. I wanted to go. I was even on time. Just not on time enough. The back two rows were already filled, which means I had to take a seat third from the back, but technically now the front row. I hope someone comes and sits in front of me. Nope, didn't happen. I hate being exposed, in front, out in the open. Panic time. 'calm yourself Kim. Just sit and take notes, you'll be fine.'

So the teacher gets started by pulling a picture off the wall from the group of Old Testament art, and shows it to the class and asks: What do you feel when you look at this picture?
I'm looking and my brain is totally rapid firing:

• wow, for a queen, she's not dressed up too much
• wait, you don't know she's a queen from looking at the picture, you know she's a queen because the picture's labeled Esther
• it looks like a woman standing there.
• hesistant
• no - that picture says nothing of hesitant, you think that because you know it's Esther
• it just looks like a woman standing there with her arms in front in the midst of a crowd
• is that a Minerva Teichert?
• kind of looks like the muted colors she uses
• Wow, talk about an incredible woman developing her talents. Going off to New York to study art at a young age
• Painting in the farm lands where she settled with her husband
• neat lady
• she didn't do the hands very well
• But I only know this is Esther because it's labeled. I'd never look at this painting and think, 'wow, somebody really captured the essence of Esther'
• I like the arches in the background. I wish my dining room was more enclosed in with arches like that around it. Doesn't fit with the current house, but in the future...

All this rapid fire thinking went on in a very few short miliseconds. My brain was going, I was engaged in the class. I'm surviving the front row.

The teacher didn't get a response from the class so he looks directly at me, "What do you feel when you look at this picture?" Panic sets in. I'm thinking a lot of things, but he didn't ask me what I thought, it's what I feel.

"Quick, Kim, what do you feel? Feel - that's an emotion - think of some emotions.

• Happy. No, when I looked up, it didn't really put a smile on my face, I wouldn't say happy. I didn't look at it and say "that should be in my house so I smile everytime I walk by"
• Sad. No. didn't feel sad inside me, didn't feel sad for the girl. Nothing on that picture indicates there's anything sad going on.
• Confused. No, she doesn't look confused.
• Depressed. Nope, doesn't fit.
• WHAT DOES HE WANT ME TO SAY? I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO EMOTIONAL FEELINGS TOWARDS THIS PAINTING. UGGGGHHHHH. WHAT'S THE RIGHT ANSWER?
• I'm THINKING a lot of things about this painting, but I have FELT nothing.
• WHY AM I IN THE FRONT ROW. I HATE IT.
• EVERYBODY IS STARING AT ME.
• THEY THINK I'M STUPID.
• I WANT TO TOTALLY BOLT OUT OF THE ROOM.
• IT'S 'FRICKIN 6 AM, I FEEL LIKE I STILL WANT TO BE IN BED.
• NOW I KNOW HOW MY CLASS FEELS
• YOU'VE GOT TO ANSWER, HE'S WAITING.
• but what's the answer? you're so stupid, Kim. Why don't you feel anything?
• I feel panic, that's what I feel.

So I just looked up and said, "Um......uh.....I don't really......I um......I don't feel anything. I'm not a very feeling person I guess."

45 minutes later I loved the class -- I learned, I took notes, felt my time had been well spent. But I'm still confused on how I was supposed to answer the question. And I have once again reaffirmed why I need to be early to get a seat on the back row.

Now to a picture in my guest bathroom that elicites a feeling from me. I love it. It makes me HAPPY. It makes me LAUGH. It makes me SMILE. If I had more descretionary income, I would buy up this guy's art. I love the quirky stick figures he draws. The bold colors. The statements that go with his pictures. I'm a words with pictures kind of person. He fits my style. I feel something when I look at this:

it can be found a little clearer at Storey People's website. Take some time and nose around Brian Andreas' prints.

Finally. Music. Ask me what I feel about a song, and I'll have an answer for you. I feel music. A song started on the radio this morning. From the first inkling of strings (which I think is a synthesized note) to the deep base chords starting, I have a smile on my face. I FEEL this song. I love it. The whole Album. It's on my top-5-all-time-greatest-ever-made list. It's tied for #1 with Boston. But I digress.

Sit back, enjoy, and feel:

Amanda, my niece who's blog link is off to the right under "Amanda & Taylor" enjoys finding old pictures and posting them. I thought I'd show her this one. Left to right, Lisa, Laurie (Amanda's mother), Mom (or G-rents as Amanda calls her), and Favorite Aunt Kim.

I was probably 7 or 8 in this picture, but I don't remember posing for it - I do remember that hideous sweater Lisa is wearing. I never liked it, too furry and itchy. Also, please appreciate the curls, which were achieved by sleepless nights in pink sponge curlers wound too tightly.

Happy Birthday, Charlie



You're such a cutie-patootie!

From the Great State of Texas
We had visitors this month! My brother Malcolm, sister-in-law Jennifer, and their two cutie kids Dylan and Caitlyn. It rarely happens that I have visitors from my family so this was way cool. We had plenty of fun times around the house, and they also checked out the tourist parts of Vegas as well.

• Hoover Dam tour
• Belagio dancing waters
• Two nights of walking the strip up and down checking out all the Casinos
• A sweet 8,000 penney jackpot
• Shark Reef and Mandalay Bay
• Rio Buffet
• Ethel M. Chocolate factory and cactus garden
• Family dinner at Matt & Ashley's
• Trip to the 'butterfly' park (Buffalo Dr. and Elkhorn)
• Blue Man Group show
• Tour of fire stations (o.k. maybe that's just a fellow firefighter tourist thing to do)
  

That's quite a bit for 5 days. Dylan and Caitlyn are the same ages as Drew & Charlie so we had the perfect playmates.

Dylan and Drew at the Rio Buffet.

Jennifer, Malcolm & Dylan petting sting rays.

Dylan in front of fish

Malcolm & Jennifer

Jennifer, Malcolm, Rebekah & Caitlyn

Jennifer & Charlie

Drew & Dylan. And the scoop about the table -- Dylan loves to play with the hot wheels cars. He also loved to play with them on the coffee table, (believe me - he's not the first little person visitor that thought that's what the table was for. I guess I really do have a 'grandma' house.) I felt bad asking Dylan to play with the cars on the floor all the time, and didn't want him to remember me as the mean aunt that got after him, so on a whim I decided to turn the table over. Problem solved. Dylan walked in the room, looked at it kind of funny, and played with the cars on the underneath side of the table the rest of the week. I hope it wasn't rude, but to me it was problem solved, he had a surface for the cars, I didn't worry about the top of the table being scratched. Dylan also loves Thomas The Train. I had not watched any train cartoons for 20 years, so it was nice to catch up on the adventures of Thomas the Train. Caitlyn was just trying to decide if she should take a few steps and walk or not.

Thanks for coming Malcolm & Jennifer!