Pure Bliss!

So you know how there are certain things in life that just make you happy. Well I think these lamps are beautiful and they make me happy. I seriously smile every time I look at them. As you all know I am passionate about/love interior design and I think whom ever designed these were brilliant.

Ahhh, pure bliss, I love them!

Frustrated!

If you are not in the mood to hear me rant and rave then just go a head and skip this post.

So I bought this True Clean pet vacuum pictured below a little over a year ago. Yes it was a vacuum that cost under $100.00 bucks but really is it too much to ask that it will work for more than 6 months? Currently it doesn't work at all. I am so, so, so sick of crappy vacuums! This is not my first, actually I wish I would have kept my first vacuum. It was a low end Hoover but it did better then the next two that I have had.

I seriously have had 2 melt downs this week trying to get this thing to pick up anything! My floors look horrible. I know we are absolutely broke and can not afford a Dyson but I am getting one! I will not do this anymore! I know/hope in the long run with a Dyson it will be worth the money.

So that is it. I HATE this vacuum!!!!!!!

Easter 2010

Happy Easter

Easter this year was filled with all the usual activities. We baked sugar cookies, colored eggs and the Easter Bunny came.

Coloring Eggs

Easter Morning

The Easter Egg hunt!

Easter Basket Surprise

The Easter bunny left both the boys a mask and a snorkel. Ethan loves his and Joshua is not to sure about it. To be honest I am surprised I thought it would be the other way around. However the reason is Josh is having a hard time keeping his mouth tight around the snorkel and that is why he doesn't like it.

Too cute! What a big boy.

Eclipse

YEAH!!!!!!! SO EXCITED

Projects

I have been busy with a couple of projects lately. First the picture below is of some glasses that I etched. First you attach some vinyl to the glass. This acts like a stencil, then you paint on some etching cream. Once that has sat on as long as it should you wash off the cream and peel off the vinyl. Thats it! I love them. We sure needed new glasses we had only 7 glasses and only a couple of those were the same. But now we have 12 that I love! The picture doesn't do them justice.

Next you will see the chair my cute little Joshua is sitting in. See how gross the material is. We have had this chair since Ethan was born, so over 5 yrs now. With two boys and that much time it was just like I said gross. So I decided to reupholster it. So here is the before.

Here is the after! Not bad if I say so myself. Honestly I don't know how I did it. I really don't sew, but here it is all done. I even got the pockets back on the sides. It was a lot of work, it took me two solid days. But it was so worth it. I love it!

Happy 5th Birthday Ethan!

5 years ago on January 27th I was rudely awoken by Challene who said, "Uh, William... I think my water just broke!"

Turns out, it had!

We called our Nurse Practitioner and rushed to Lakeview Hospital (where ironically both Challene and I were born). Challene had previously decided that she wanted Ethan to be born Au' Naturale; a decision I supported. The contractions became increasingly painful for her. She ended up asking for an epidural, but was told that it was way too late for that. They gave her some Fentanyl to "take the edge off." Having been invovled with Fentanyl in my Pharmaceutical Manufacturing days, I knew that Fentanyl was a drug mostly reserved for cancer patients undergoing painful radiation therapy. A very powerful, very controlled substance. It didn't even touch her as far as taking pain away.

It was one of the hardest things in my life to see my wife go through that. But she did it.

Lots of pushing, a vacuum, a panicked call to an OB, and a pair of forceps later, Ethan was born.

A healthy 7lbs 6oz bald boy. We were scared out of our minds as to how to take care of this little person, but knew he was meant to be with us. We'd been trying for 2.5 years to become pregnant.

We had Ethan's 5 year birthday party on Jan. 30th. As with all birthday parties, Challene asks the birthday boy what kind of cake he would like and the party just develops around that. Ethan wanted a castle cake and so the midieval theme blossomed around that.

The boys in their knight costuems. The costumes turned out pretty sweet, but the sword design concept was flawed from the get-go. That's ok. While not practical in the pretend sword fighting arena, they were quick to be sheathed. And really, what more is there when playing swords beyond making that cool metal-on-metal sound when unsheathing your sword. Something the boys learned quickly.

That, plus the shot-gun pumping sound (you know the one). Two staple sound effects for any boy 3 and up.

Ethan with the castle cake. He absolutely loved the cake. Challene did awesome! Sadly, this picture does not do it justice, but Challene did amazing.

The trick candles were a hit. I just love this picture.

Of course, present time was afterward. All the kids gathered round closely and intently watched as Ethan opened the gifts. He got spoiled, once again, but he loves all his gifts equally...

All... but one...

On Wednesday, Grandma Colleen brought Ethan his gifts. Here, you can see him fresh from opening his new Super Mario Bros. Wii game. Ever since my brother brought it over he had wanted to play. Now... now that he has it. All he wants to do is play.

Seriously.

All day, everyday, "Daddy (or Mommy), can I play Super Mario Brothers Wee-hee?"

Constantly.

We've had to try to limit his time because he will literally spend hours playing. He never tires of it. He's gotten quite good at it. Josh too.

I got home from work today and saw that they weren't playing the game. "Well," I thought, "every kid losses interest in his toys eventually."

"Where are the boys?" I ask my beloved.

"Upstairs playing, "she replied kissing my cheek softly.

"Boys?"

"Yeah daddy?"

"What are you doing?"
"playing..."

"What are you playing?"

"We're pretending we're the Super Mario Brothers Wee-Hee!"

There's just no getting away from it.

All in all, a terrific party. I can't believe my little boy is 5! That means... gasp.... school!

Who's Birthday Is It Anyway?

It's my birthday on Monday. I'll be 31.

31 years old.

I don't feel 31... but I fear I'm starting to look it. Receding hair, protruding abdomen, and flecks of gray starting to congregate strategically throughout my locks. I'm done with school, I have my own business... I'm responsible for a family. I'm old! I don't feel old, but everything else in my life makes me think I should be feeling old.

31...

Just after Christmas Challene started asking me what I wanted for my birthday. I had no idea. Another sign of getting old. But really, I didn't need anything... Couldn't think of anything I wanted... I couldn't give her an answer. "A Wii game," she asks. "I haven't hardly played with the ones I've got." I reply. "Clothes?" she questions knowingly. I hate getting clothes as a present. Hate it.

Obviously frustrated, she stopped asking me.

Last week, I got a call from her while at work. "Which would you prefer," she asks, "tickets to the symphony, or an evening of hilarious improvisation with none other than Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood?"

Both of these options surprised me. The first because Challene hates "the arts". Even the Desert Star Playhouse makes her cringe. The latter surprised me because of the line-up. Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood of ABC's Who's Line Is It Anyway?

I've loved that show since its inception. I think improvisation is the purest form of comedy, not to mention the most difficult to master.

I don't think I've laughed any harder than I have with any other television show out there. Honestly, I greatly appreciate the other cast members: The quirky Ryan Stiles, and the amazingly quick witted Wayne Brady. Their both great, but Colin Mochrie has always had a very special place in my heart. I like his style of humor. I appreciate his dry wit. The Green Screen scenes are some of my favorite.

Brad was just ok in my book. Certainly no Greg Proops.

So, when I heard we could go see Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood LIVE, I jumped on the opportunity.

The event was to be held at Abravanel Hall in downtown SLC. So you know it had to be classy, right. I bet Challene before the show that there would be over 10 Mormon jokes.

We were both enjoying poking fun at Dale Chiluly's glass sculpture in the lobby when the 5 minute chime... well, it chimed.

Filled with anticipation we entered and took our seats three rows from the very back wall.

We didn't care, though. We heard the 1 minute chime and girded ourselves for hilarity.

Suddenly, the lights dimmed... then it was dark. Pitch black. We then heard the rapid crescendo of the opening to Wake Up by Rage Against The Machine.

Colin and Brad are announced and in they walk, in time to the music, and strangely similar to the '80's WWF sensation; The Bushwacker's. They did a silly choreographed bit which was funny just because Colin is so old. I knew then, that this night will be magical.

They started off by doing a classic Who's Line game where two audience members move the actors throughout an entire scene. The scene itself was probably 6-8 minutes in length, but my cheeks were very sore and I had a "laughing headache" after it. Challene was crying.

I had written this blog detailing each and every scene in their entirety when I realized that it just wasn't doing it any comedic justice. Suffice it to say that we had a fantastic time and enjoyed every minute of the show. Sure, some scene's were funnier than others, but really it was all gold.

I mentioned earlier how much respect I had for this type of comedic stylings, and I still stand by that. For this reason, I do have to mention one other scene.

It began by Colin and two stage aids placing 100 set mousetraps on the stage. Colin and Brad removed their shoes, donned blindfolds and began an opera scene about a stolen shoe. They strolled along the stage during the scene with 100 mousetraps slamming closed on their toes.

The intellectual quality lowered during that bit, while the slapstick quality rose. I still laughed. Seeing Colin and Brad revert to blindly tossing set mousetraps at each other was entertaining, yes, but it felt... a little desperate. They are better than that. Colin nailed Brad in the privates with one. The crowd went wild.

The evening ended with a hilarious parody of Frank Sinatra's My Way that summarized the night, the skits, and their time in Salt Lake City.

We left Abravanel laughing, smiling, and with memories that will last a lifetime. Plus, not one single Mormon joke.

Hands down... the BEST birthday present ever.

Thank's Challene!