Happy Little Couple

Here's the picture I'll pretend you've been waiting for:

You can't blame David. She's adorable, isn't she?

New Year's Resolutions

As you can see, the boys are off to a good start this year. My resolution last year was to take them to a dentist for the first time. It never happened. So my goal this year is to brush their teeth enough to not need to see a dentist.

David took the initiative and made resolutions for us all:
1. For Dad: to go to work, then come back home and stay home for a whole week.
2. For Mom: to take me (David) where I want to go on my schedule every day. (He is a planner like his mom and likes to write [scribble] lists of where he wants to go for the day. We are still yet to visit the bat cave or the planet Drool).
3. For Jack: to do whatever he wants to do. (wait... that's what he already does every day)
4. For David: to transform into Krypto the super dog because he wears a cape and a leash with a Superman symbol, to play with Play-Doh next week, and to learn to drive a Bonecrusher (the mere fact that he refers to his desired vehicle as a "bone crusher" is a legitimate argument against child drivers... long live the "legal driving age law").

(It just occurred to me that "Bonecrusher" is a Transformer that looks like this)

Here are some of my resolutions:

1. Spend more time upside down.
2. Make peace with our household electronic devices.
3. Replace our home phone. (Yep, for the last month, I have not had a phone because like all electronic devices I touch, it stopped working. Sadly, I don't think anyone has noticed. Or if you have noticed, sorry I never called you back. I know.. I know... this is nothing new. Sorry about that too. Oh... yeah, I guess I have a cell phone. Ok, if someone could kindly tell me what my # is and where it's been for the last few weeks, I would appreciate it. Yeah... phones are not my forte).
4. Try new cheeses (apparently there are hundreds in existence... just ask anyone from France).

5. Live in the moment, not in several different moments simultaneously that have already happened or not happened yet.
6. Stop adding ridiculous goals to my 30 year bucket list... there are only 6 months left to complete them... and they're ridiculous.
(like becoming a master chef and learning all the latin-based languages). One of my ridiculous goals was actually completed inadvertently... to write a book. As I was uploading my blog to a website that actually converts it into a book: Blurb.com, I realized... hey, this is a book, and I wrote it! Is it a book that anyone other than Rich and me will be interested in?... no, of course not. But that's not the point. So to enlighten all of my blogger friends that have at least a few months worth of posts, YOU have ALL written a book! Yea for us!

Something cool. Remember when I joined a bunch of people from Chico in dancing the "Thriller"? A picture of it ended up in Time Magazine. I thought someone was just teasing me until Rich picked up a copy and discovered it was true. Among pictures from major cities around the world in the simultaneous "Thrill the World" event was a picture of Chico, CA. Somehow our little town made the cut. It's on page 63 of this issue:

This is the picture. I hope this doesn't count as my "15 minutes of fame" as not a single stranger has pointed me out on the street. I guess that zombie make-up was just too good.  It was exciting enough, though, to warrant a dance around the living room with magazine-in-hand singing "I'm the King of New York" from the movie Newsies. "Tomorrow they may wrap fishes in it, but I was a star for one whole minute..."

Waking up in 2010 to ice cold water & a speedo...

Sound like fun? It did to Rich. On the morning of Jan. 1, 2010 Rich awoke with an epiphany. He announced, "I want to do the Polar Bear swim in a speedo!" I've lived with him long enough not to be surprised with these spontaneous ideas. In fact, I should have seen it coming. Although we had never before attended, nor considered the annual Chico New Year's Polar Bear Swim, it suddenly seemed like the perfect way to begin what is sure to be a monumental year (in some way.. isn't it always?). And of course, like his wife, he can't attend an event without dressing unusual in some way. Of course he wanted a speedo. So we quickly gathered the kids and raced to the nearest sporting goods store to find one. Not only do I approve of this behavior, I applaud it. I awake every morning with the assurance that life will never be dull. Marriage for eternity with Rich does not only seem possible but promises endless entertainment. With Rich, there will always be something new or interesting to discuss or do. Sure enough, Rich was quite the spectacle (not only because of his good looks... but because out of about 200 swimmers and even more spectators, he was one of only two who sported the speedo. Way to go hon! He was joined by his pops Rick, Aunt Susie, her daughter Maggie, cousin Chelsea and friends. Watching them emerge on the other side of "One Mile's" pool shivering and blue-lipped, I was actually relieved that keeping watch of the kids (and taking pics of the event) had prevented me from joining them. Yes... those are my excuses.

Pam helped with the kids.... yes, the kids needed BOTH of us... (David commemorates his new "Chipmunks" tee with a chipmunk face of his own)

The only other male crazy enough to wear a speedo. Whoever he is... hats off to him.

New Year's Weekend

We celebrated the New Year with our traditional homemade Cafe Rio BBQ pork burritos with the Myers & Co (that would be a good business name... think it over guys).

Cafe Rio... best thing to ever come out of Utah.. except for Rich and fry sauce. My burrito looked like this, except four times this size and smothered with enough tomatillo sauce to drown a fish.

Over the weekend, we also saw some great movies with even greater friends.... the Lugos and then the Olsons. We recommend Sherlock Holmes, Avatar and Sleep Dealer (on video). Speaking of videos, with all the money our relatives gave us for Christmas, we were able to buy a new TV that doesn't reveal everything in a faded shade of red. We are trying our hardest not to worship it.

We also attended a Sorenson family get-together filled with food and volleyball. Sorensons are known for being fans of both. Okay maybe just volleyball. I was the only one who had to sneak back into the kitchen later and re-open all the food for a third helping. And I don't even have an excuse like pregnancy. Must we really need an excuse to overeat? The highlight was watching David interact with his girlfriend. No, he's not dating a cousin. We invited the Lugos who know at least a hundred of the 1,000 Sorensons who congregate in Chico at times. Seriously... Rich's grandparents had 12 kids... you do the math. Since I didn't take any pictures and don't have any recent ones of the pair, I will refer back to a photo of them early in their almost 2 year relationship.

 

Don't worry. Since David is planning on taking her to the movies soon, I will be sure to get a more recent shot of them. What do you say Annette?

So when David arrived at the party and was waiting for Lydia, he turned to cousin Chelsea and whispered, "Don't laugh when I tell you I have a girlfriend." and then, "Don't laugh when I tell you her name... Lydia." He didn't appear as shy when she got there, making sure to announce her to all, introducing her as "my girlfriend." Her mom Annette later revealed that en route to the party she had asked, "Are David and I getting married tonight?" Even though she was told she wouldn't be marrying anyone until she was much, much older, the conversation came up at dinner. "Are we getting married?" David asked. "Not until we're big like my dad," she replied. They spent the night conversing like a seasoned couple, sharing toys and frolicking around as superheroes. At the end of the night, they embraced in a warm hug before Lydia planted a kiss right on his lips. You should have seen David grin! He looked like he'd just been given a new Transformer (I would know that look since he got a few for Christmas). We are really starting to wonder about these two...