Animals, all over the place

It may not be public knowledge, but there are two things that have largely impacted our lives lately. One is the red panda at the Hogle Zoo. The other is Unknown Anthem, featuring Jameson Jackson on the drums.

First the zoo. We went to the zoo. For me, it was a first time experience. I have a feeling members of my family will disagree. For the record, squirrels squished flat on the road in Yellowstone don't count, Mother. I got to see tigers and snakes (safely behind glass that I wasn't even thinking of trying to make disappear a la Harry Potter). I even got to pet a large lizard. It pretty much rocked my world. The giraffes mostly slept standing up. The monkeys were sleepy as well. The large cats stalked small children behind their glass enclosures. I also got a snow cone AND icecream. My life took one small step for a spider monkey, but one giant leap toward life experiences.

Second, I missed Jameson's concert because I was working. But I did watch most of the Atari's concert. Anyway, to tell you more about that, here is Jameson:

The concert went great! We went on stage around 6:45 p.m and had a half hour set. We had a good turn out of 50 people or so and a lot of compliments after. It was good to play a show again since our last show was just over a year ago. Pictures of the show will be available shortly, I had one of my good friends Alex take photos.

So there you go. Animals on stage and in cages . . . get it?

Great author that I love: Kaye Gibbons

Lucky Lander Land Fourth of July

So this year Jameson got the FULL Lander fourth of July experience, from the Bills fireworks to the war zone that becomes Lander. Anyway, it was a blast (literally) and once the festivities were over, we hiked up to the falls. It was a little too crazy to go off the falls right now, especially with the wild run-off that Lander had this year. But there were some pretty amazing views that reminded me just how much I love this place.

Anyway, it was great to see family. Even if my Mama wasn't there. We have some great pictures and great memories. We got to shoot off some fireworks with the whole block of kids. We had bottlerockets, and none of them did. Their mothers had to drag them back to their houses. The boy next door, Riley, hung out with us all day, and thought he was a pyrotechnic professional by the end of the night.

Good Music: Unknown Anthem (Jameson's band that is opening for the Ataris in Salt Lake at Kilby Court on the 29th of July!)

New Horizons

This week I got a new job, well sort of. I will be working for venerable Zions Bank still, but I will be in a more permanent location doing the same thing. I was hired as a teller at the Taylorsville branch. I am excited and nervous. Lots of new things have happened and changed my life recently, and I am just barely starting to adjust to those changes. This should be a good thing because I can take classes in the morning and get my nursing degree.

Among other great things, Jameson has finally decided that he will go to get his MBA right after graduation. Hopefully in the fall following his graduation in December. Of course, this direction is always subject to change. It seems that important decisions constantly need us to to make them. That time of life and all that rot. Anyway, nothing particularly exciting to report. And for that, I am grateful.

Great new recipe:

www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Red--White-and-Blue-Dessert

I made it the other night -- exciting :)

The Stye -- No, Not Our Room

That is beside the point. The important thing here is what thrilling thing happened this week: not much. I worked all weekend. Good for fundage, not fun for me to work 13 hours one day and teach nursery the next day at church. Especially when we have biters. Darn cute little biters.

Work was pretty cool just because I got to be part of a proposal. Not at Zions Bank, but at Nickelmania. I saw Billy Winter (who is recently engaged) at Nickelmania the other day when I was working (not my finest hour, I might add). Anyway, she called me at work and asked if I could help her friend with a proposal. I guess that they had their first date at Nickelmania, and wanted my help so that they could 'trade in their tickets for the ring'. He had this really cute teddybear (that would be worth like 1300 tickets) and he tied the ring to the bear, then asked what we had up on the wall for 83 tickets. I gave him the teddy bear and he proposed. I got all giddy and excited. I am such a girl. It wasn't the best of proposals, but who am I to complain?

I almost forgot: The stye. The stye in the eye. Jameson woke up looking like I had done some serious beating in my sleep. We waited for it to calm down, thinking it was a spider bite (I found an angry looking red spider the night before and in my fear perhaps threw it across the room instead of smashing it dead) or perhaps allergies. Turns out it was a stye. A stye is when a tear duct gets clogged (not unlike a nasty zit -- only you can't pop it) this clogged duct gets immediately infected and becomes swollen. After LOTS of antibiotics, he just looks like he's been smoking lots o the mary jane. But he hasn't been, Dad.




Fun book that I bought Jameson: Utah Curiosities -- I figure we don't have much money to go anywhere, so expect lots of photos from Utah's largest ball of cheese.

Down the Rabbit Hole, To the Right

Okay, so much has happened in the last few weeks, and I am learning that I simply can't blog about all of it. So instead, I will just write a few words about the Family Reunion that we went to, since it is mostly only family that reads this blog. In fact, I think that it may be only my mom. So she will most want to hear about the family reunion.

Jameson pretty much dominated in every sport that was played, earning him a man-crush from almost every one of my cousins. It helps that he loves to shoot, hike, play drums, and soccer. For me, it was mostly fun to see everyone that I don't get to see every day. It was so good to see all of my cousins and their kids. They are all growing up so fast. It turns out that my cousin Troy is in the same program that Jameson is in at the same school. I am sure that they will see each other much more often in the halls now. They might even say hello to one another. My other cousins all seem to be in a good place, or at least on their way there. It is such a treat to see family. There is something about returning to one's roots that is strengthening and uplifting. I know that there are many wise words describing this very thing, but I was listening to a country music song (yes, a country music song) that discussed this, and the 'house that built me'. "I thought if I could touch this place or feel it, This emptiness inside me might start healin', Out here it's like I'm someone else, I thought that maybe I could find myself, If I could just come in, I swear I'll leave, Won't take nothin but a memory from the house that built me . . . "

Just something that has been on my mind lately.

Good Books to read: The Percy Jackson Series -- I finally broke down and bought the last book. It was worth it.

Mother's Day and Nathan and Keiko's Wedding

My life is filled with adventures. First we are going to discuss my wonderful husband and the adventure that was visited my mama for mother's day. Second we will discuss by cousin Nathan's wedding.

First, my sweet husband. I really wanted to visit with my mother for mother's day. However, as time approached, it became evident that this was simply not to be the case. I worked all weekend (except Sunday) and it just didn't seem quite feasable. Then my delightful boy toy suggested that we drive down and back in the same day! Done and done. The look on my mother's face as we surprised her by walking into church was priceless.


Second, I accompanied my mother to my cousin Nathan's wedding. It was in the morning at the God-awful hour of 8:15, of course, we had to be there at 7:45. So I ended up staying the night with my mother in the hotel room after gorging myself at Village Inn (really? I couldn't pick a better place?) Anyway, I said my name after my prayer, so my mom would know I was done praying. She as she and her sister Rhonda used to do as children. It made my Mom laugh in the middle of her prayer. But I think that God got the joke and was laughing too. Then we went to a lovely sealing ceremony and the couple looks like they are off to a great start.



Books I have read recently: The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon Very good, but very dark and a little disturbing.

Great website for cajun cooking recipes: cajunbytes.com

Hair Cuts and Back Pain and New Phones

So this week has been largely uneventful. However, I did get my hair cut. However, I don't have any recent pictures, and it was just a trim, so not so very different. However, I recently read an article regarding how pretty people make more money than ugly people. I think I was just trying to increase our income by getting my hair cut. About my face, I don't think I am ready for drastic surgery yet, but I might be willing to get a facial.

Also, I hurt my back. This has provided me with the prime opportunity to use the heating pads that I bought a year or two ago,and have languished in storage. It turns out the Israeli guy I got them from (don't judge, he told me I was pretty, see comments above) was in fact right; they smell good (unlike Jameson's Grandmother's bean one, which smells shockingly of burned beans), and seem to make it so that I can move my head in both directions.

Last but not least, Jameson's TV phone finally died. He has been eyeing the new droid for the last year. I just didn't have the moral fortitude to tell him no. Since then, I have to go to drastic measures to get my husband's attention from his phone and all the new apps he has aquired in just two short days.

Books I have read recently: The Sweetness At the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley (highly recommend) and Asta in the Wings by an author whose name I am at a loss for.