would you like to supersize your account?

Sometimes, I want to stuff all my money under my mattress. After a 2-week long frustration with our bank, I finally changed our address and ordered checks. Then, my free checks turned into $20 checks. I am not under any circumstances going to pay $20 for (ugly) checks when a) they were promised to me free and b) I could get polka dot checks for $4.99 through the mail. Don't worry, though. I marched myself straight down to the bank and (politely) qualified for free checks. The only hassle there was signing up for overdraft protection. The banker didn't believe me when I told him I never overdraw my account. I signed up to make him feel better so I didn't have to sit through his pitch. Ugh. It reminded me too much of buying a cell phone, car, hamburger, whatever. And they wonder why people bank online.

moo?

Once again, Em brings to our attention something interesting and terrifying at the same time. PETA recently encouraged Ben & Jerry's to use human breast milk instead of cow's milk to make ice cream. Hah! While there are many things that could be said about this suggestion, including the offense I take at being compared to a cow, I offer one more. The suggestion letter stated that cow's milk "in the long term, will set kids up for obesity and heart disease." I'm not sure changing the milk will help ice cream be any more healthful in terms of obesity and heart disease. Nice try, though.

where were you 3 years ago?

Three years ago today, Josh and I got married:
Two years ago today, we went to Vegas for a friend's wedding and spent the evening watching the water show:One year ago today, we started telling our parents about this:


Today, we laid around the house in our PJ's trying to recover from one of the longest nights in months with him:

Looks kind of like a piglet in this picture, doesn't he? A loud, refusing to sleep piglet wearing a hat, that is. Still, I wouldn't trade it for 20 years of sleep. It seems things just keeping getting better and better around here.

Adios, Becca

Sad for us because Becca just left. Here's a picture of us by the ugliest cactus I've ever seen:


We had a great time visiting the Gilbert riparian, riding horses with Ryan, playing Wii Fit, watching "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton", eating caramel apples, sleeping in, and putting together bookcases.

if you were a song...

I probably won't be doing much in the way of posting this week because Becca is coming to see us! However, my sister Rosalyn and I had an interesting (ok, maybe not that interesting to anyone but us) discussion the other day that I'd like some opinions on.

How do you feel about music on blogs? On the one hand, I like to see what my friends feel are their personal soundtracks. On the other hand, it sometimes is delayed and rather loud and wakes up my baby or gives me a jolt. So, yes or no to the music?

Woohoo!

Why are we so excited? Because someone is coming to visit us tomorrow:

We will be sure to take her for some Mexican food. What else?

oops...

Um, remember when I was going to read 2 books a month and tell you what I thought? Good, because I forgot until this morning. Luckily, I have been reading. Unluckily, I can't quite remember what. Here are the books that came to mind, though:

Title: Marley & Me
Author: John Grogan
Synopsis: A man and his wife buy a Labrador Retriever (thinking they'll breed him someday) only to discover they have purchased the 'world's worst dog.' I think I believe them. I have seen dogs do some pretty crazy things, but Marley sounds fantastically destructive.

As usual, no one says it quite like my dad: "If you like big dogs, you'll like this book. If you don't like big dogs, this book will reinforce every reason you don't like them." Since my dad thinks dogs should be bigger than cats, I think he might have liked it?

What's it worth?: If you like dogs, buy it. I will read it again. If you don't, I wouldn't even suggest checking it out from the library. If you aren't sure, check out the movie first.

-------

Title: The Lost Prince
Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Synopsis: From the same author that brought us The Secret Garden, The Little Princess, and Little Lord Fauntleroy (yeah, I had no idea they were by the same author) comes this forgotten gem. A boy, too poor to even have enough to eat most days, learns from his father the value of dignity. He is raised to love a country he has never seen and then in the midst of a terrible civil war, is called on to save his country.

Not surprisingly, this has the same empowering thrill as her other 3 books. The children save the day and the forgotten find homes. I loved it. While I didn't like it as much as The Little Princess, I think boys will like it more.

What's it worth?: Buy it and read it to your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews...you get the idea.

-------

Title: Breaking Dawn
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Synopsis: Last of a 4-book series about a girl who falls in love with a vampire. That's all I'm saying because you either know what I'm talking about or you don't.

The series has been wildly popular and when this last book came out, lots of people hated it. I thought the reasoning was silly because I don't think any of the books warrant being taken seriously. That said, I rather enjoyed it. Like the other books, I found the narration compelling enough to overlook the fact that I'm not in Jr. High anymore.

What's it worth?: That's really a personal call. I read mine at the library, but I wouldn't mind reading it again. I guess I just don't want to admit I'd ever buy it.

update

Has anyone been wondering about the volunteer deportation project? Just in case, let me tell you what I heard on the news last week. Turns out, after extremely limited success (as in, a grand total of eight people) the program was canceled. What a shocker.

Jonah turns 4 months old...

...10 days early. Ok, so he didn't really turn 4 months old yet, but he did have his 4-month checkup today. Poor child didn't like the shots much. He weighs 15 lb. 5 oz and is 26 inches long. What a beast! Just a few more months and he should be ready for the NBA draft.

In other news, Josh and I are experiencing Rock Band withdrawals and like to play along with songs on the radio, Josh is looking for a new job, and I am attempting to wade through the boxes we hastily packed a few weeks ago. At least I have Monk to keep me company.

the big 26

Happy Birthday, Quintin! Today is Q's birthday and although I'm really happy that he is having a great time in ID, I miss him. Quindi (therefore, for those that don't remember), this post will be rather lengthy: 26 favorite memories of my brother.

1. I ran a relay race when I was in 4th grade and Quintin brought his 6th grade friends over to cheer for our class. I felt so cool.
2. Playing the Star Wars card game (even though I usually lost interest halfway through).
3. Jumping on the trampoline.
   
4. Making 'lightsabers' with newspaper and our dad's colored electrical tape.
5. Playing 'kee-yaa!' with said lightsabers.
   
6. Ordering Lego sets.
7. Quintin's advice for me on the first day of Jr. High: "You don't even have to buy pens or pencils, Kim. You can just find them on the ground!"
   
8. Q teaching me how to drive. He must have the patience of a saint since I didn't grasp the concept easily (after all, I did freak out when the car started moving because I didn't know what idling was).
9. Sharing (and sometimes fighting over) books.
10. Staying up late at night talking about whatever.
11. When he held my board for me at my first board break.
12. Watching him flip down the football field and saying "yep, that's my brother!"
13. The night I was clearing out my junk email folder and found an email from him on his mission. This was at the very beginning of the missionaries emailing thing and we were ecstatic!
14. Wandering SLC all night when he got home.
15. Living next door in Brentwood.
    
16. The time he found a ticket on the same flight as mine to Madrid so I wouldn't be alone (and then I slept the whole way).
17. ...and then later that month when he came back to Madrid and we hung out in SPAIN!
    
18. Taking Italian together.
19. Learning how to say "ti odio".
20. Finding an awesome beach on the Atlantic ocean and then going to a crowded one so he wouldn't "get eaten by sharks."
    
21. Playing Halo all weekend over Thanksgiving break.
    
22. Late night gaming raids. 3-manning instances is way better than running with strangers.
    
23. ...and starting new characters. Only Q really appreciates with me how fun a new character is.
24. My gymnastics class at BYU. While Q was not in the class, he was in weight training at the same time and would come over and help me with my vaults. I trust him more than I trusted the instructor.
25. My nickname, "Kimba." I don't remember where it came from, but it makes me happy.
26. Quintin bringing me In-N-Out and McDonald's milkshakes in the hospital. Never have I tasted anything so delicious.

Happy Birthday, Quintin! We can't wait until you come home.

Old MacDonald had a pig

Ever had homemade bacon? I have. I had some last Thursday and it was delicious. Almost equally as tasty was the homemade sausage. I also saw my first real pig! When my parents found out I had never seen a live pig, they were mortified. They then proceeded to teach me a few pig words:

boar= male pig
sow = female pig
hog = pig over 120 lbs. Yikes!

This was not the pig we ate; this pig came from an Amish farm outside of West Union, OH. He probably will get eaten, though. Poor Wilbur!