The Movies

So, after a couple of good movies came up in conversation, I started thinking of the discussions Dan and I have had about these same movies. Dan loves Pulp Fiction. I love Dirty Dancing. (what girl doesn't... Oh, Johnny!) But we actually didn't choose to watch these movies for the 1st time.

When I was 7 yrs-old, I had a babysitter think that would be an appropriate choice of entertainment. My siblings were even younger than me! Oops. Dan was also shown Pulp Fiction when he was around 10-11 yrs-old. So we were kids and didn't have much choice other than to go along.

We have discussed which of us was more scarred as children. (even though we do still like these movies today) One is full of violence, blood, and the F-word. The other has a love scene, an abortion, and a lot of grinding.

Knowing us now, who was affected more? We're both a little messed up, right!? Atleast we found each other to share our madness.

Josh's 1st Plane

We got so lucky with our boy. The day we left for CO, our plane had to land just after it took off because of a cabin pressure issue. So technically we were on 2 planes in 1 day, with 2 take-offs. Josh slept during both take-offs and the hour to Denver. I don't have tons to brag about, but this is a good one. On the way home yesterday he slept again. Maybe it was the fact that we had him sleeping on the floor in the hotels and he was exhausted, but we felt very lucky and relaxed that our family was not going to cause anyone else's flight to be a negative experience.


Our hotel was right on 16th street, which is a outdoor mall (closed to traffic) that stretches quite a few blocks. Josh and I spent our days walking up and down looking at postcards in each of the little tourist traps, I mean shops. (postcards are a secret passion of mine... so send me one if you are somewhere cool!)


Josh got all lotioned up every time we went out, since it is the Mile-High city and this little boy is white as white. He is so interactive and engaging when he catches people's eyes that he stopped many people that we passed. He is a charmer just like his dad!

There are World Trade Towers in Denver. I didn't know that.

After Dan's meetings were done in Denver, we stayed in Estes Park which is the entrance to this nat'l park. This was a really neat town that sits in the valley at the base of some gorgeous mountains. Main Street is as jammed packed with tourists as the square in Jackson, WY. (just to compare) There were wild animals everywhere.

Inside the park were roads that went up as high as 12,000+ ft in elevation. There were places that overlooked many beautiful mountains and valleys. We were even higher than the clouds at some points. BUT, we live around some pretty good looking mountains here, so the mnts kinda got redundant. Dan and I felt that we would be in more awe if we had come from the midwest, or any other area without the ranges we see every day. I will say that just flying over the Rockies was really amazing. Pay attention if you ever have the chance to.

Now back to real life, and kindergarten.

Utah Pride?

For the first time ever, Dan and I state-hopped to catch a concert of a favorite artist. (Ben Harper... check him out!) Anyway, we saw him here last Tues, then flew to Denver to see him the very next night. After the concert, having enjoyed it with a totally different crowd than the night before, I have been making a few comparisons of Utahns and non-Utahns. My own results did not make Utah look very good. (I am pulling from prior experiences here and in other states.) Really, these are just my personal thoughts.

It was interesting to see how the concerts differed in each state. Ben (we are on 1st names!) played a great show here, but in Denver debuted newly written music. Oh, we were at Red Rocks in CO. Such an amazing venue! Everyone in that venue went completely silent to listen to this newer, yet slower music. I have never seen that here. We all respected Ben as an artist doing his thing. Last Fall we saw Ben here in a venue 1/3 the size of Red Rocks, and there was no respect for the music. Instead, there were stupid frat. and high school kids constantly yelling whatever, even during his quiet songs, just to hear their own voices. It was just plain rude. So of course Ben wouldn't want to share anything new with "us" here because some crowds just talk and talk and talk during what could be a great moment. (I am so moved by his music, that when it is live it is almost spiritual.)

This does not just apply concerts. Drivers here really are meaner than other states. There is confident driving and defensive driving. Utah has mean drivers. (other states really do let other drivers merge on on-ramps... I've seen it!)

I have now been to 3 different cities in the just the last couple of months where pedestrians really do have the right of way. In Estes Park, CO, there were actual signs posting the law for peds being safe in crosswalks. We almost got in an accident because of an over cautious driver dealing with the crosswalks!

So what am I saying after this long-winded blog? What makes Utah different? I don't know if I want to share those thoughts, 'cause I might offend. Okay. I think that since there are too many, dare I say, Mormons being raised to think they are better than everyone else. This would result in prideful attitudes at concerts, or wherever. This may create the terrible drivers that are not aware of anyone else on the road or pedestrians in the crosswalks.

This is NOT all of Utah Mormons. But don't we all know some who think this way? Collectively they add up, and that's too bad.

So Long Kid

One of our favorite neighbor kids is moving. He and his dad will be living somewhere else in Daybreak, but will be far enough away from my growing child. I recently had this conversation with his dad:

Me: What does [your kid] do while you work?

The Dad: He goes to daycare by my office. [My kid] has actually been kicked out of 2 daycares. I think these people overreact...

Me: What happened? (acting curious, but not being surprised at all)
(this is the same 4-yr-old kid who has tried to break in to our basement windows, runs off with the local 2-yr-old in his glorified power-wheel to the lake, and who rudely says no to every adult)

The Dad: Well, first they called to tell me that he was in line for the bathroom and pulled his "wee-wee" out. (that's really the word he used) I told them that was normal for that age, and they should just put him in time out to teach him not to. The next time they called, they said that he told another kid that he "would cut him with a knife." (sound familiar Annie... was it you who told me a story like that?) It was only the 1st time he's ever said that, so again I just told them to put him in time out.

Me: (no response)

The Dad: Obviously the head of the daycare runs it like a "Nazi Camp." (his words)

Me: (I am sitting there trying to be polite, but fearing for the people who deal with this child/time-bomb every day. And secretly glad he won't be around to cut my child with a knife.)

Colter Bay

Last night around 2:00, I guess this morning, we returned from Colter Bay, WY. It was a type of family reunion trip now that every member of my family is home. (with a few additions which created many new stories, for later) I thought I would share just a few pics...

Dan saw this one and said it looked like he was praying to the smore's god. He likes to put on a good show for my family. He is never goofy.

If I seem a bit odd, it is because this is how my dad treated all of my family. So the next generation will be "tortured" the same way. J is very strong, loves his grandpa, and trusts him completely. That's more trust than other members have for my dad's type of play.

I couldn't have posed J any better for this pic. He is just the cutest kid!

My little family bunked with my parents and brother in a tent cabin. There was quite the chorus of snoring going on, so earplugs were my best friend. Even baby J is a snorer just like his dad!

Jackson, WY and the nat'l park is one of the most gorgeous places around. It's only 4-5 hrs north and always 15 degrees cooler than here. It is my favorite place, and one day we might just end up there. For now, we camp there whenever possible.

The Truth About Bears

Dan may be getting a bit nervous about our upcoming trip, since it is in bear country:
(this conversation started out about how much Dan was eating in the morning...all healthy though)

Me: Wow, did you get enough to eat this morning?

Dan: Breakfast should be hearty. Besides the rest of the day I just graze on nuts and fruit.

Me: Oh, like bears.

Dan: No, Lindsey. Bears eat people.

Busted!

We have been wondering what J does in his spare time...

"Hmmm. Which one is the "Q"?

"Dad, why do you keep changing the password? I gotta check in with my ladies!"

The Challenge

I don't know that this is a challenge so much as who will give in first...

Dan is growing a beard. I think he thinks it will be cool, especially because we are going camping for a few days and he will have a jumpstart on the vacation from shaving. I will not give any lovin' until the sandpaper-y roughness is gone. (the lovin' hasn't been so often since a little boy takes all our time and energy, so the challenge really didn't mean anything until now) This beard has been going for a few days now, and Dan just pulled out a new trick to get me to cave in first:

He just now said that he had a "surprise" that he was going to tell me about "earlier than planned." The sly man bought tickets to the Dave Mathews concert and thought it would make me melt, or something. His tactics are good, but my will is very stubborn. He should know this.

So Dan, the answer is still NO!

Complete Honesty

Today as I was taking attendance I came to realize that we were missing one friend. (names changed) So when I asked if anyone had seen Jake, most of the kids just said no, or that he was sick. I did have one yell louder than the others, "He's barfing!"

I love kids.

Real News

I don't watch the news that often, especially because lately we are trying to go to bed early enough to be rested inspite of our son who likes to play at 2:00 am. Anyway, I guess I expect to learn something or be affected by some story when I do tune in to our media personalities. (don't ask my opinion of them...)

No. I end up listening to a story titled "texting mania." Yep, texting...on cell phones. With all the major life or death issues dealing with the teens of today, this was the topic the station felt we should all be aware of. Ooh, pretty dangerous. Our teens are spending their time texting messages to friends and family when they should be doing drugs or getting pregnant.

Watch out for those fast-moving fingers.