Hank DIESEL Jr.

We FINALLY got our Corgi. We've wanted one for well, ever since we've been married but we were trying to be responsible and make sure we were really ready to own a pet. I can't believe we waited as long as we did. He is the best puppy EVER. He's great at playing, snuggling, and being crazy. We got him a few days shy of 8 weeks. I didn't want to get him so young but our breeder was going out of town on buisness and thought it best for him to come home. As of this past Thursday he was is 11 weeks. He'll be going to his 2nd vet check-up on Tuesday and we are extremely excited about it because it will mark him being FULLY vaccinated and ready to party in public! It's really hard making sure he doesn't get into ANYTHING and making sure he doesn't meet strange dogs. As of now he knows his name very well, come, sit, down, fetch, and leave it. We don't care so much about stupid "tricks" as we do that he is a good "canine citizen." His best friends (besides his mommy) are Lexi the german short hair pointer of my brother, and Raymond a boxer.

This is Diesel at 8 weeks. He still has his blue eyes. His ears are even bigger and batty-er!

At 10 weeks. He has fallen into the lake three times but just can't get enough of his favorite Aunties house! We love going there because he always comes home hungry and pooped!

Lexi isn't allowed off-leash do to a joint surgery so Diesel took her for a walk!

The classic Corgi pose. It's a corgi thing to lay on thier back and sleep. I think it's because of thier low stocky body style!

We took him to the beach today for the first time and he loved it! He is 11 weeks and 2 days.

And finally, we have a stick/diggin dog. Oh joy. :)

Messy Interpreter Biz

Random interpreting story for the day:

So I was interpreting for a Deaf client today and they started to talk about the movie "DOOM." Sad day for me because it's one movie I have NEVER seen nor heard of. So the person was rambling on about it and then started talking about this one part where a character "ate a rose." Just bit the head clean off the ROSE!The person kept going on to say that thier mother was super grossed out by that part and blah blah blah. Me being the interpreter I am thought it was interesting but I still didn't think much of it...I mean, after all maybe the mom was a tree-hugger or something? Come to find out I had miss interpreted the whole thing...the person was signing RAT not ROSE. I felt kinda silly to say the least but I patched up my mistake and move on. It still doens't make a ton of sense that a character would eat a RAT either (or a ROSE). Finally the person got the reaction they wanted out of the story. It's pretty gross to eat a RAT and just kinda wierd to eat a ROSE. Two major different reactions with one simple mistake! Try telling someone in English that you bit of a roses head...they'll be confused... then tell them you bit of a rat's head and VOILA the grossed out "that's the nastiest thing ever" reaction you were looking for!

And trust me...

if you'd have been the interpreter you would've thought rose too.

Science Center sucks at Science

Here's a story for you:

Last Friday night David and I decided to take my parents to go see Avatar in IMAX 3-D! We've all wanted to but I refused to pay $13 dollars for each of the tickets, $2.50 for a convience fee PER ticket, and another $3.00 just for using the site. I kept telling myself I would just go into Seattle a purchase the tickets but I never got around to it. Finall I bit the bullet and bought the tickets for my parents' birthdays. We went to the late late showing by the way, so we were all jacked up on Mt. Dew so we could make it through the 3 hour ordeal.
 We go to Seattle by 10.
We were in line at 10:10
We had GREAT seats at 10:45

then...

something wasn't quite right...

The man came on and explained how great IMAX was blah blah blah. The screen started to play but shut off almost immediatly. WHAT THE? The projector was only running on half the voltage it needed. We were told that without 10% power the colors weren't going to be as bright and there would be a awkward lag time. BOOOOO

We waited...

"Just a few more minutes folks."

and waited....

"the tech girl should be here soon."

and waited...

"if you want to leave we understand, go to the front for ticket exchange."

and waited!!!

FINALLY at midnight the man came on and told us,

"Sorry everybody the projector is broke, you can get your money back"

So now it's midnight, we are in Seattle waiting in a long line to get my $13 dollars for each ticket, $2.50 for a convience fee PER ticket, and another $3.00 from the site. We got up to the poor guy whom was at the front desk. David and I had agreed that we'd be as nice as possible because let's face it, that guy was hating his life right about then. He said we were allowed a full refund of $52...GREAT! .... wait... 52? that only covers my $13 per ticket...not havin' it. We asked the poor fellow if we could please have our $13 service charge money back and he told us no in the meanest way possible! How rude? NO WHERE on the Pacific Science Center website does it say that if THEY cancel a show that you won't get your money back...ALL OF IT! I was very angry at this man but we walked away because clearly he wasn't going to help.
David called thier hotline that night, or should I say that morning, and said
"my name is David, my number is blah blah blah, 1-I want a phone call back, 2-i want ALL of my money back, 3-Jim needs to be nicer next time."

We figured they wouldn't call us back and we'd have to hound them for my service fees BUT the PSC is awesome let me tell you! They called us the very next day (a Saturday, too!) and gave us ALL our mooolaaa back AND free tickets to the center AND we got our apology (even though Jim should have been the one to say it).

Apparently we are just not meant to see Avatar in IMAX 3-D .

Dumb.

I still really want to.

Open letter to a cousin friend

My best friends are all scattered around the United States. It's actually really sad for me but great at the same time because I have excuses to travel just to see my wonderful BFF's.

Today I would like to write about my best friend from Arizona. She happens to be my twin sister whom was born 6 years before me and to my mother's sister. That doesn't stop me from calling her SIS!


Lea is pretty much the coolest person you will ever meet. Ever since I was born I've looked up to her. She is so confident and beautiful both on the inside and out. I believe that everyone she meets she has an impact on. She showers people with kindness, make people look (and feel) fabulous, sings to anyone, and is just all around bubbly!

I was going to publish an Ode to Lea today (as my title suggests) but I've decided to write all the reasons (that I can think of on a Wednesday) why I love her so much in the form of an open letter.


Dear Cousin/Friend Lea,

I don't know if you realize how amazing you are. This letter is to help you understand why this world would suck without you and to show you how important you are to me.


Ever since day one I have looked up to you. When I was a wee-little girl my favorite trips were the ones where I got to spend 6 hours in a car just to come down and see you in a school play. I would sit in the audience of that small Glide gym awe struck by the best performance ever. I would leave from Aunties house thinking to myself "when I'm finally in high school I'm going to be JUST LIKE LEA." I was jealous of all the things you knew how to do; tap dancing, singing, piano, drama, the list just goes on!

When you got older you started to come up and visit my family alone on your spring break. I was always so mad that I had to be in school while you were here. How dare they make me go to jail when I could have been hanging on your super cool every word!

When you graduated I got to hear you sing Sarah McLachlan’s famous departing words "Don't let your life pass you by." To this day I can't hear that song and not think of you. Your beautiful voice is etched into my memory (and your bittersweet tears as you sang those words).

When I was in seventh grade you got married to Mr. Perfect. I was so excited to be in your wedding party (it was the first and now only wedding I have even been in where I wasn't a flower girl). I remember the night before your wedding hanging out in Grandpa's old trailer giggling about really stupid things that I don't even remember and being excited to finally be "one of the girls" with you. I always was 'the younger girl cousin.' Isn't it ironic that you felt that same way when my brothers would hang out with Mike? Your wedding day was perfect, nothing out of place. I was yet again rather jealous of how cool you were.


Finally I reached high school and sadly so you were a lot farther away from me than a 6 hour car ride. I figured my super cool cousin was just a long lost thing. Lucky for me you moved to the baseball Mecca of the states and I was OBSESSED. It was a perfect shoe in to put you back on my super cool cousin radar. I loved coming and visiting you even though I still felt like "the younger girl cousin." I didn't care.

At the time I started college we still weren't best friends, just cousins. It's not a bad thing but being your friend is way better than being JUST cousins.

As my second year in college rolled around you already two babies down (two yet to come) and not that much closer to us being BFF. Who would have guessed that something so tragic would have made something so wonderful too? As you called me day after day to hound me it was the start of the greatest friendship ever. From then on I lost my super cool cousin I was always jealous of and gained a super cool cousin best friend that could never be replaced.

We talked for hours on the phone laughing and crying over every little thing that was happening in the world. You helped me through my husband’s mission, my oldest friend dying, my college career, my family life, my dumb girl drama and everything else.

When I had the opportunity to choose my internship anywhere in the US I thought of all the wonderful places I wanted to go. Secretly though I wanted to go to Arizona the whole time. Where else was my best friend? Living in the desert not so paradise was 3 of the best months ever! We watched tons of pointless tv shows, loved on the cutest babies EVER, had so much great girl time and I learned about a million things from you!


You're the best mother I've ever seen (besides my own of course (: ). Your kids are the sweetest pumpkins ever! You treat your husband with such respect as does he to you. I think everyone could learn a lesson or two from you guys. You're not afraid to do things even though you are really scared of them. You still go after your passions in life and love every minute of it! You're the best friend I've always needed. You've never wronged me. You've put me before you countless times. You've put me in my place when I needed a good talking to. You've introduced me to Everclear and Moulin Rouge. You made me try things I wasn't excited to but am now glad you did. You've stood up to my mother when I was afraid to. You made me look beautiful again and again at no charge even on the most important day of my life. Most of all YOU are one of the most Christ-like people I know.



I just hope you always know you're amazing.

And my best friend.

And my role model.



Love always,

Your Sister that was born 6 years after you to a different mother

Revenge of a high school student

Are you serious?!?
Do I LOOK like a high school student?
I have been working here for FIVE MONTHS!

How embarressing for me? wait. How embarressing for me!!! I went to check out a book at the library for prep work for the new semester (because I'm a good interpreter!) and the lovely woman behind the counter pulled up my account and i just happened to peer over the counter and see that it stated RUNNING START as my status...not STAFF as it should. Why in the world am I still listed as a student when I have been working for this district for two friggin' years!?!
Anyway, it all worked out for the best. I have a grown up account now and my other one is listed as inactive.
The new semester started today. I have Pre-AP science TWICE and a super fun English class where I get to do tons of fun "prep work." <---aka reading books that the kids read

Science = Icky
 English = WOOHOO!

P.S. if you when to FWPS you probably still have an account as well...they don't go away, they don't delete them, and remember that lovely student I.D. number that was your slave number? Yeah, it's still yours and only yours.

High School me for your enjoyment:

9.

Today is the last day of first semester in the high schools.
Today is my last day interpreting in my Engineering Design class.
Today is my last day spending 2 1/2 hours each morning with 20 guys and no girls.

Today happens to be a "leadership activity" day. What the heck does that mean?
The boys play Halo, Modern Warfare, watch the movie 9, and eat pizza at 8am.
Could my last day on this job be any cooler?

Tonight My Love and I will be joining my family of rednecks at the Sportsman's show in Puyallup. Why I am going to endure fishing poles, stinky deer bait junk, and lots of stuff I don't understand?

This is why:

This prize jewel is so glorious I can't help but drool over it! I first laid my eyes on it when I was bored one day at my parents house so I decided to open up the cabela's magazine. I'm not normally a one who really cares about specific guns...but this one...I love. It is my inner pirate wanting to come out. AND it's practical, we could turkey and grouse hunt with it. I think I could do in a bird with this gun.

Does that make me slightly redneck too?

grumpy on the inside

I have a lot to whine about.

As I started to type it out I realized how dumb it sounded.

So, I'm not going to whine.

I'm just going to let it fume inside of me until it burns out...

It probably won't burn out anytime soon, Dang.


On a brighter note:

1. David's new job happens to be 5 minutes from our Castelletto. Really exciting if you ask me. His hours are 7-3:30 and mine are 7:05-2:05/3:30. Don't they just fit nice together? We aren't the kind of couple who would survive very long with having schedules that don't coincide.

2. I have a three day weekend starting on Friday. I have a four day weekend Valentines Day weekend. It keeps me going knowing that summer is coming too. High School kids just burn me out.

3. We're debating joining the 21st century again. The internet set up at our home kinda sounds nice. If we did so it would mean more pictures up here and WAY more posts. (I always feel guilty for the lack there of)

4. We are trying to decide between growing up or staying carefree. We want a new SUV to tow all our toys but we also REAALLLLYYY like taking tons of vacations. Is it time to give up our vacations every six months for a swanky new "G" ride?

5. Is it summer yet?