"Yatta!" ("I did it!" in Japanese thanks to Hiro on Heroes)

Good news! I was offered a job yesterday working in the marketing department at the Ogden/Weber Applied Technology College. So, I start on Wednesday next week. A lot of things just seemed to fall into place for this job opportunity to come about and Greg and I both feel like it's where I need to be. What a relief!

*Warning, this post contains random dribblings from Wendy's brain. Be afraid, be very afraid.*

What is it about blogging that makes it so, I don't know, cathartic? I think it's partly because I've always had a 'thing' for writing. Not so much that I consider myself 'good' at it but rather that I've always been drawn to it, in a sense. I guess I just like getting my thoughts on paper (the computer screen, etc.) to see if they make sense outside of my head. Writing this is making me wonder why I've never been much of a journal writer...probably because I have so much to say anytime I try that it just takes too long. Maybe that's because I tend to be detailed. I'm sure I've driven many of you who will read this crazy because I just can't seem to spit out a story without lots of unnecessary details (Sorry Greg, I know you're often the victim of this one. I love you! :)


I have an even bigger 'thing' for words than for writing in general. In fact, the improper use of a word during a Sacrament Meeting talk led to Greg's first thoughts of becoming "more than just friends" with me. Or so he claims. I know he was actually in love with me long before that (Thanks again for the over-inflated confidence Dad!). What I'm saying is this: good words used well will always win bonus points with me. One of my most prized possessions is my dictionary (set), no lie.

Another reason I enjoy writing is that I love reading. I'm currently reading (studying) Jesus the Christ and it is incredible. I'm embarrassed to admit I hadn't read it until now. Talk about a book with words I have to look up! I'm eating it up. I'll post more thoughts on this later.

I also enjoy blogging because I love reading what others are thinking about. Chances are if you're reading this, I've probably already checked to see if you've updated your blog as well--so keep it coming! :)

Bitesize Update(s)

• Leigh (Greg's oldest brother) and his wife Jamie had their baby girl (Quincy) Saturday (08.16). She's beautiful. I'm convinced the only reason she cried when I held her was because she needed a good burp :)

• We love the Olympics. But, Bela Karolyi is right-it was a "rip off" in the individual vault competition and the Chinese gymnasts are certainly not 16. As he said, "They are using half-people."

• I'm still on the hunt for a new job. I had a good interview yesterday (08.18) but the job's a bit far away. There's potential for what seems to be the best situation so far--I should hear the verdict by the end of the week.

• We love pasta salad.

• Greg's team - "Liechtenstein" - won the company Olympics at the Bank of Utah picnic Saturday (08.16). Pictures soon to come of Greg competing in such events as synchronized swimming (giggle) and sculling. He also brought home a $50 gas card from the drawing, which we promptly used. They haven't chosen the winner of the flag contest yet but someone dared to say (to our faces I might add) that Greg's masterpiece won't win. Bah!

• We love fresh vegetables from our very own little garden.

• I got stung by a bee the night of the opening ceremonies (08.08.08) and had a crazy allergic reaction. Sorry, there's no pictures but I assure you it was disgusting. The swelling didn't go away until Tuesday/Wednesday (4-5 days later). I literally couldn't fit in regular shoes come time for church that Sunday. Lovely.

• We love the show Heroes. We had never seen it until last week and now we're hooked.

• Greg is helping paint a mural for the exterior of a South Ogden preschool. Check out the progress if you're in the neighborhood (40th and Washington)! We'll post pictures soon.

• We love going for a good run right at sunset.

• Some of our basement walls are merely painted concrete which makes for a cool delight on these hot summer days. We're thinking that won't be the case come winter but we have a wood burning stove we're eager to heat up.

You need to know when to stop.

Yet another example of why the camera phone is just about the best invention ever (unfortunately we were too appalled by the situation I'm about to relate that we didn't think to use said camera phone to document the event until it was too late):

We did a little grocery shopping Monday night (nothing says F.H.E. like Macey's case lot sale-going on now!). We were just about to pay up and get out when we noticed the (in our opinion) odd choice of food items by the people in line behind us. Really it just amounts to one item over and over again considering the people were purchasing somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 tubs of margarine. (See why we needed a picture of this?!) I hesitate to ask but WHY WOULD ANYONE BUY THAT MUCH MARGARINE AT ONE TIME? Seriously. I know that you can buy certain brands that have a longer shelf-life but I don't think this was that kind of margarine. Greg was thinking maybe it was on sale and they run one of the taco stands around town so they go through a lot of margarine...who knows? YUCK.

So, if you tried to buy some margarine at the Macey's on Washington this week and found there was none to be found, we know who did it.

"Girls only want [husbands] who have great skills."

It just so happens that my husband does have great skills! As evidence I will now post a recent project he tackled, nay, mastered for an upcoming work event. Each department designed a flag to represent them and I dare say you are about to view the winner of the contest. Who knew stencils could be this cool?

Disclaimer: I didn't get any pictures of the actual making of the stencils for the flag BUT it took a good 8 hours to make them as well as 2 more hours to paint. I wasn't much help for most of it so I served as cheerleader.

And now for the flag painting... (see the slideshow below)

Impressive, eh? Good work honey!

Click here for slideshow!

"What's that got to do with this, Peach?"

If you were wondering what the last place in the world I expected to find a scripture printed was, you're in luck! It just so happens that I found it Wednesday night on a bag of hash browns. That's right, I was cooking hash browns for "breakfast for dinner" and what should I find but Isaiah 30:18 printed right there on the bag. Sooooooooo random. And no, that particular scriptural reference has nothing (as far as I can tell) to do with frozen diced potatoes. Here's the verse that was printed on the bag: Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion.

P.S. I pulled out my Bible and the verse reads as follows in the King James Version: And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God or judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.

P.S.S. Lee, you inspired me so we had waffles in your honor as well :)

P.S.S.S. I think they were Western Family hash browns.

Wedding Album

I tried to make another slideshow with more wedding photos but some of the files were too big and I'm far too lazy to shrink them all down today. But, to make up for it, I posted the album that our photographer put together (click on each image to enlarge if you so desire). We are going to swap out a few pics before it goes to print, but you get the idea :)

Correction: apparently it won't let you enlarge the pics...at least it isn't working for me.

Any takers?

We inherited this swingset with our house but won't be having much use for it for a while. Anyone want to buy it off us?

A Willis Summer (Part III)

A continuation of some summer happenings...

JULY

We took a road trip to Mesquite/Vegas over the 4th of July weekend to see Rancid at the House of Blues (because I don't have a problem with spoiling Greg :) We didn't take a bunch of pics-actually, the only ones we have are still on our phones so we'll take care of that later. It was a blast and we got to see a billion fireworks on the 4th so I was happy. I did however miss the infamous Kaysville 4th of July parade which I will somehow drag Greg to someday (he's not the parade type). All you Kaysvillians know what he's missing though, so help me out! The campaign for the Kaysville parade 2009 begins now! As long as it doesn't become lame after what happened this year...

When we got home we found that some of our baby frogs had perished in the heat :( So we decided it was time to release them back into the wild. Greg was a little sad as you will note in the first picture.

July 12th meant it was time for a second tri.

Echo Triathlon 07.12.08

This is the face of pre-race determination. Or that of freezing cold.

Finishing the swim...

Finishing on the bike...

[note the strategy of removing the shoes for a faster transition]

Refueling before the run...

And the finish.

Echo was a fun race and we got to see some friends from our old ward. Greg ended up with a good 'ol cramp in his calf though after riding a different/smaller bike (his new one hadn't arrived yet). Thanks Leigh (Greg's brother) for letting him borrow it though!


We finally fired up Greg's motorcycle and did a little off-roading.

(Wendy on 4-wheeler and Greg on motorcycle).

We didn't get any great action shots other than Wendy conquering a mountain (aka boulder) and Greg inspecting a small animal skull but we weren't afraid to get some air (I think I scared Greg, truth be told).

And now it's August. We still can't believe it either!