oh yeah - double digits baby!!

today marks the beginning of only double digits

count down with me ...

today there are 99 days 'til Christmas!!

what i have learned ...

My Christmas of 2004 was this computer ... I say 'my' because: Andy had a laptop for work + our home computer was obsolete and old = I get a new one!
So ... fast forward to just last week. My computer had been getting slower and slower and totally annoyingly slow that I was spending more and more time sitting and waiting and less time acutally getting stuff done. Then it started to pop up crazy advertisements and pictures - aaaaah! I tried to close them and more popped up and I had to shut it off ... when I tried to bring it back up I had a desktop with no icons - you need icons if you want to do anything ... this was a problem. I called my personal computer genius' wife (who happens to be one of my best friends) and asked if I could bring my computer over to have him take a look at it. She said she'd ask him for formality sake but to go ahead and bring it over. So Thursday last week I showed up on their doorstep with my box in hand.
He hooked it up to their moniter and started going to town ... I was there until about 1AM and he said that it was going to take a while to download the 77 crucial windows updates that somehow I had missed over the 2+ years that I had not ever downloaded updates ...
Long story short - after MANY hours of manual search and destroy, he killed about 30 viruses on my computer. Some of which were 'trojan' type that allowed other people to watch my keystrokes and -if they wanted to- use my computer to do their bidding!! Bad, very bad!!

Now to what I have learned:
1) DO NOT OPEN ATTACHMENTS that people send to you! - even if your friends send them to you ... you don't know where they came from or what terrible people may have started them! also ... if you want to look at the pictures that someone sends as an attachment, ask them to make them embedded in the text of the email or upload to a reputable picture sharing site (such as Costco, Snapfish, Picasa, etc.) and send a link to the album.
2) DO NOT DOWNLOAD STUFF OFF THE INTERNET - unless it's from a reputable company like Google, Microsoft, etc.
3) DO NOT DOWNLOAD FILE SHARING SOFTWARE at all ...
4) DO NOT DOWNLOAD ACTIVEX whatever it is ... unless it's from a reputable company - if you don't know who the company is you don't need to view whatever it is that they're trying to send you!
5) DO NOT CLICK ON A LINK in an IM message unless you know exactly where it will take you - even if it is sent to you by a friend.
6) REGULARLY CHECK FOR UPDATES your computer should do this for you ... if you have it set up to do it ... but even still ... it's always a good idea!
7) WHEN IN DOUBT - don't ... (or call the computer genius and ask!!)

I put my hand to the square and swore an oath to follow the above guidelines. May we all take a lesson from my BIG UGLY MONSTER mistake and watch out for the BigBadAwfulNasty people that are out to get our computers to take over the world! (k, that's a little extreme ... but you know what I mean!)

I better give credit where credit is due ... Travis Wright is the computer genius - (he actually does work for Microsoft and knows more than the average computer genius about computers and most anything really) and his lovely wife Nicki shares his brains and time with us - she's the best! (ps- Travis is the one flexing his big ol' muscles in the pictures below!)

we did it! 3 whole days!!

after much deliberation including consulting weather.com, the weather man and 'encouragement' from our good friend Alicia - we finally decided that we would not be true seattleite-washingtonians if we never experienced a campout in the rain! I ran some errands before loading up and requested prayers for sunshine from the Conlin clan. We packed all the proper attire and necessities for protection from the LiquidSunshine (amidst intermittent showers!!) and headed to our fave campground Cascade Park! We had planned to arrive there about 5ish ... as per usual we were running late and unfortunately the Wrights were running a little later. We arrived around 7pm and hurried to set up before the sun went down ... the Wrights showed up about an hour later and we all pitched in to get their tent up in the dark! Saturday morning I expected the rain to drizzle but to my great-big-smiley-faced surprise it was sunny!! Sadly, I was so prepared for rain that I didn't put in the swimsuits!! We made due and got wet and sandy down at the river. Trav swam with the kids while the rest of the adults stood on the bank and put our feet in a little! Saturday evening the campers that had been there Friday night packed up and left. We were left with free reign of the whole campground! The missionary couples that are the caretakers came around on their 'jeeps' and gave the kids rides every once in a while - that by far was the greatest service they provided for us!! Sunday morning we woke early because Andy's battery that was running his sleep machine ran out of juice!! We got up and started the fire. Nicki came out and said that she had been wrestling with a migraine and feeling sick. She climbed in her van, turned on the heater and slept for a while - trying to sleep off the effects. The rest of us went fishing at Andy's parent's lot and when we came back she was feeling a little better - no longer thinking that she'd have to leave early. Our Sunday was pretty quiet - we didn't make it to the Ice Caves as we had planned ... but it was pleasant. Monday morning we woke to overcast skies ... just perfect so that we didn't sweat too much taking down camp. We had breakfast and then packed up while the kids played and rode the jeep with the missionaries!
All in all it was a great time had by all and we are so glad we decided to go!! I know that I would have been really upset had we decided not to go! We missed not having Alicia with us - next time! We learned a few things on this trip:
1) bring more clothes that you think you'll need
2) put in the swim suits ... even if you think it's gonna rain!
3) dinners can be simple - especially for the kids!
4) bring activities for the kids!!
and most important
5) take friday off - go up early and set up - make it a good long weekend!

We did it!!

school: our home away from home

I stepped outside this morning to fog. I took a deep breath and gave myself over to autumn. Summer is over folks ... school started today! To quote my good friend and fellow blogging mommy, Colleen, "I am no different." I have uploaded and am now going to chronicle this the first day of school - such an exciting event! I thought about the title of this blog all day and even as I upload my own pictures of the day I haven't decided ...

Abi was off to first grade and I drove her to school this morning. We located the blue helium balloon as promised from Mrs. Maule (sounds like 'molly') and a few friends and the bell rang and she was off. She was so happy to be going and I was so happy to see her so happy ... and yet I cried the whole way home. I am happy she's growing up and learning quickly, she loves school! I cry because this is the first year she is gone ALL DAY - she is getting to be so grown up and now she spends 6 hours under the influence of the world. I pray that all the love and direction we have given her will be enough. Now it's up to her to remember all the things she has learned at home and stand up for herself and her standards. I am confident she will be a great example and friend to all the kids in her class!

Elyssa started kindergarten today! She is in Ms. Smith's afternoon class and gets to ride the bus with all the other PM Kindergarteners!! She was so excited this morning that she wore her backpack all morning ... even though she didn't have school until 12:40! We went up and waited for the bus then drove to the school to make sure she got there alright ... The bus driver was new to the route and was late and so she didn't get to meet in the kindergarten corral with the rest of her class ... but she was happy to be there and said "Bye mom!" and off she went. She's going to do great! I was happy to see her so happy ... and yes ... I cried the whole way home - again.

They wanted to ride the bus home ... not my first choice but maybe it will grow on me.

My babies are growing up - my mom told me that this would happen when they were born, I would blink and they'd be off to school - I didn't want to believe her but time really is flying and Ferris is right "Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop to look around once in a while, you might miss it." (to steal another quote from Colleen - she's got a lot of good ones! It was this one or "time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana" ... Ferris was more appropo)

I am confident that they will both have a great year - we're so glad to still be at Silver Firs where we feel at home.

ps. Elyssa told me that I didn't need to come to her school tomorrow - 'I can do it mom ..."

we have a biped 1 year old at our house now!

Easton turned 1 on the 23rd and has been trying to walk since around the 12th ... he still crawls when he has somewhere to get in a hurry ... but for the most part he's a walker! he reminds me of an orangatan - balancing himself with his arms in the air ;) and he still sucks that ring finger ... funny baby!

us - simpsonized

how do you look simpsonized??

I'm NOT a big fan of Bart, Homer or any of the Simpson family ...

I don't think I ever have been a fan ...

but I saw this website - I'm a sucker for these kind of gimicks!

the difference between girls and boys ...

o what do you do in the summer time?

when all the world is green ...

do you campout with friends and pray the rain ends

and play at grandma's house outside?

is that what you do? So do I!

do you play T-ball games, shout Zingers! Hooray!

and play at the beach on a sunny day?

is that what you do? So do I!

do you learn to climb high, spend a day at low tide

accidentally bring home a hermit crab?

is that what you do? So do I!

do you walk a 10K, have a firework display

and spend hot sunny days outside?

is that what you do? So do I!

do you swim in the pool, lessons - so cool!

and ride horses in Idaho?

is that what you do? So do I!

do you find a house to buy, put your house on the market, keep it nice, spic and span

then see the market flatline, try and fail to get a loan

and then finally decide that Heavenly Father doesn't want you to move??

is that what you do? So do I!

O what do you do when the summer's done and it's time to go back to school?

do you remember the fun you had in the sun and wish it could be prolonged?

is that what you do? So do I!!

This has been a GREAT summer and we have had a lot of fun ...

but it's time to go back to school and we're READY!

I've been tagged by Colleen...

Jobs I've Had: Marketing Mail stuffer/Screen Printer at Colores International (wind sock company), Instument Girl for Dr. Johansen, DDS; Assistant interior painter; Document Control assistant at Siemens Medical; Receptionist and Admin at Chatham Technologies; and CEO/CFO/Domestic Engineer for the Andy Shaw Family

Places for a Weekend Getaway: Wow ... just about anywhere - especially if we can drive there in a few short hours. Leavenworth, Anacortes, Seattle, shoot - the nearest Marriott!!

Movies I Could Watch Over and Over: Hitch, Overboard, 13 going on 30, How to lose a guy in 10 days, Footloose, the Bourne movies, Harry Potter movies, Dirty Dancing, Step Up, I could go on ...

Guilty Pleasures: Peanut Butter M&Ms, Big Brother, The Bachelor, Surfing the Blogosphere and Taco del Mar when ever I can!

Places I've Lived: Salt Lake City, UT; Kirkland, Lynnwood, and Everett, WA; and Rexburg, ID

Places I've Been on Vacation: Utah, Idaho, Oregon, New York, Disneyland

What I First Thought When I Saw Andy: Honestly I thought he was just a nice guy, really friendly and kinda like the guys I grew up with. I met him at a Young Single Adult Dance the day after I got home from my mission. He was the one that pursued me and after the first date ... that was it - I didn't want to date anybody else.

If I am In a Jam with Andy, Tactics I Use to get out of the Dog House: We don't usually fight ... I'm a little embarrassed to say, he mostly lets me have my way. I know that he really means it when he has a contrary opinion and then I have to really work to get my way. :)

Favorite Foods: See "Guilty Pleasures" - as well as Mexican (specifically La Palmera), Red Robin Chicken Tender Salad, Olive Garden Chicken Parmigiana and my mom's cooking!

Websites I Visit Daily: blogs and email, don't even worry - I spend far too much time on my computer!

First Kiss Location: Actual first kiss - I'm SO embarrassed - standing beside the Custom Custard in my parents yard, Chad McLeod, I was 19 and he was 17, and it was the WORST kiss in the history of kissing!! I had been a proud member of the VL club all through High School and that confirmed all my fears about how GROSS kissing can be!First Andy kiss - SO MUCH BETTER than my first! We were in the stairwell of my parents house ... so sweet, just a nice kiss - I was against 'french' kissing until after marriage ... It can be done!

Places I'd Rather Be Right Now: I've never been to Mexico, Hawaii, or Europe ... I'd love to go there ... but RIGHT now - I'd love to be laying on the floor over there in the sunshine!

People I Tag: Tara, Angie, Mikey and Kelly and JennyCook (sorry friends :))

and the verdict is ...

we're staying put.

After many failed scenerios, mournful tears, and heart-felt prayers we came to the decision that it's best for our family to stay where we are for a while. Due partly to the facts: 1) we are unable to sell; 2) we can't find a bank to loan us the amount we needed at the rate and payment we can handle; 3) we are unsure what effect the recent market mayhem will have on our income; and most importantly, due to our need to 'be wise' - while we have faith that it will work out, we need to use our best judgment so that we don't put ourselves in a position that will put a strain on our family. Truth be told I really wanted the yard - a place for the 4 ping pong balls that bounce around our little townhouse to be free ... we'll just be learning to be more compatible, compassionate, contented and comfortable because as they say: Love grows best in little houses!

We went to talk to the sellers of 'the house' last night and suprisingly they weren't upset with us for not being able to buy their house. They felt bad that we weren't able to buy and were sad that our kids (who had been thru the house and picked their bedrooms and seen all the places to play) weren't going to be able to have the house. They had told the neighbors about us and mentioned how disappointed they'll be too. Overall it was a nice visit/parting with them. They sure are a nice older couple and it would have been wonderful to have that cool old house ... but it isn't meant to be.

Everett 4th Ward will have to put up with us for a little while longer, Silver Firs Elementary will have two Super Smart Shaw Students this year, and we'll be card carrying members at Imagine Children's Museum, Woodland Park Zoo, and the Seattle Aquarium to keep our little busy bodies out of trouble!!