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Fri, 31 Oct 2008
Ocotober 2008 Photos
Eliana's October 2008 Gallery ... (4 years, 7 months old) Olivia's October 2008 Gallery ... (2 years, 3 month old)
Halloween in Chula Vista
Today we spent the morning and early afternoon at La Jolla on the beach, then we returned to Grandma/Grandpa Sorenson's house for some dinner and playtime.
After dinner we went trick or treating around the neighborhood.
Many more pictures that I took today are available here.
:: Posted by rus on Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:38 pm
:: Filed under /daily_journal/2008, /media/galleries/2008, /vacations/2008/chula_vista Thu, 30 Oct 2008
Home Renovation Project: Back Patio Deck: Family Room Beam Wrap Progress
Tue, 28 Oct 2008
Welcome Home Daddy
Trunk or Treat
Mon, 27 Oct 2008
Halloween Costume Trial Run
Restaurant Review: Red Rock Brewpub
My Dad and I met at Red Rock this evening for some dinner. I eat at Red Rock whenever I get the chance; it is one of my favorite places to eat in SLC. This isn't even the first time I've eaten at Red Rock with my Dad. Dad and I ate there a few years back - with all the boys iirc - for some occasion that escapes me now (Dad's birthday?). Anyway... Red Rock does not disappoint. They have a good solid menu of your standard brewpub fare... sandwiches, salads, pizza, and a tasty selection of dinner entrées. Dad ordered up the Red Rock burger: a ¼-lb patty of beef served with melted swiss cheese and grilled red onion in a wood-fired pocket. I had the 10-oz flat iron steak. We both ordered up some of the fabulous Red Rock root beer... which is made fresh on site daily. Our meals were very good; the root beer was exceptional. But more than the food... it was nice tonight, though, to just relax and hang out with Dad, talk about his volleyball team, talk about his grand kids, my recent trip to Colorado, and anything else that came to mind. We ate slowly, nursed our root beers, and then left. I'll be going back the next chance I get.
Sun, 26 Oct 2008
Back in SLC
Sat, 25 Oct 2008
Nathan's Birthday Party
Grandma's Cedaredge Ranch Painting Project: Second Coat
I wasn't able to hang the rain gutter back on the garage. It is a two-person job. Dad/Mark/Brent/Bryan will have to take care of that at a later date.
Fri, 24 Oct 2008
Sleepover with the Thurmonds
Grandma's Cedaredge Ranch Painting Project: First Coat
Thu, 23 Oct 2008
Eliana at the Harvest Festival
Grandma's Cedaredge Ranch Painting Project: Scraping/Caulking
Now that I'm just sitting here surfing the net (and managing my recently restarted fantasy basketball leagues), I can feel my leg, arm, and back muscles stiffening up. I'm getting old.
Wed, 22 Oct 2008
Grandma Kiser After the Stroke
She still is a sweet Grandma though. She always says "Thank You" after we help her in and out of a chair, her bed, or the toilet. She enjoys the company she keeps. On both of the days I've been here, she has had at least 5 social visitors each day (but that may be due to the fact that she is leaving for California for the winter next week). Grandma also has professional caregivers that stop by for her physical and speech therapy sessions. She stays quite busy for someone that spends much of the day in one place. Grandma is optimistic that she'll walk again, but frankly... I don't see it happening. She was given a sling to wear on Monday to keep her right arm tight against her body. The physical therapist did this because the dead weight of her arm has been slowly pulling her arm out of her shoulder socket; her atrophied shoulder muscles are unable to keep it in place. Not a good sign. Next week my Aunt Anadeane will take Grandma to the SF area for the winter. The climate is much milder there than here. Anadeane's oldest daughter Audrey (Grandma's oldest grandchild) lives with Anadeane. Another two of Anadeane's kids (e.g. my cousins) live in the SF area; so there will be plenty of folks there to wait on Grandma hand and foot and about a dozen great grandkids to keep her on her toes. Since Grandma is leaving the ranch and may not be coming back (depending on her health). I have been meandering around the ranch as time permits and thinking about all of the time I spent here as a young boy... both by myself, with Grandpa, and with my brothers. This may be one of the last times I spend any length of time here. Frankly, I don't see my parents moving here after Grandma goes the way of the earth. Mom would fit right in here, but Dad is too much of a "city boy" to move to this small town (and I can't say I blame him really). Furthermore, the state of the structures on the ranch are - how should I put this? - not pristine. Maybe ownership of the ranch - if it stays in the family at all - will skip a generation (to, say, Bryan and Jess). Or it may all be a moot point. Health care costs may require Grandma to sell the ranch to pay for her on-going therapy, prescriptions, etc. In any case, I've been walking around remembering all of the little adventures I've had here... the frog catching, the fishing, the rock jumping, the fantastic (and imaginative) exploring for pirate treasure on this huge private ranch, etc. It wasn't all play. There was also some hard work to do... getting up early with Grandpa to manage the pasture watering, cutting/bailing/loading hay, gardening, etc. All told it was a great place to come and play as a little boy. Great memories. I'll miss it when it's gone.
Tue, 21 Oct 2008
Restaurant Review: Hwy 65 Burgers
At the very southern edge of the small town of Cedaredge (where my Grandma lives) is a restaurant located on the highway (Highway 65) called "Hwy 65 Burgers". I visited the establishment today with a pretty good appetite. The burger size was not advertised but the prices were and my first thought when I saw the $4-$6 burger prices was "these burgers are kind of pricey". Unlike most burger barn chains, there were no combinations offered at Hwy 65 Burgers... everything was a la carte. I ordered a bacon burger, a side of onion rings, and a Dr. Pepper. I did get what I paid for... a huge two-handed burger that was hard for me to finish, even with my healthy appetite. The burger was very tasty... not too greasy, the lettuce was crisp, the thick tomato slice was firm, and the bun was soft and fresh. There are a lot of cattle ranches around here, so it would not surprise me if the meat in my hamburger was alive and walking around yesterday. The onion rings were above average... thick slices of onion, not too much breading, and not too oily. I was planning on getting a shake to go when I walked in the restaurant, but I was so full after my meal that I passed. Summary: The best burger in the town of Cedaredge. Perhaps the only burger in town... but the best nonetheless!
Grandma's Cedaredge Ranch Painting Project: Pressure Washing
While I was working my Mom snapped a few pictures of the progress:
It took about 4 hours to accomplish. I started at about 10am and worked until 2pm. Due to a small leak in the connection between the hose and the wand, the front side of my pants were soaked by the time I was done. Climbing up and down the ladder umpteen times and using my arms so much to push against the backwards force created by the water left my entire body completed exhausted. After I returned the pressure washer to Ace, I drove over to Hwy 65 Burgers and grabbed a bite.
Mon, 20 Oct 2008
At the Ranch in Colorado
During the drive I listened to the first 4 aired episodes of the CBS Radio Mystery Theater ("The Old Ones are Hard to Kill", "The Return of the Morsebys", "The Bullet", and "Lost Dog"). All were entertaining. I loved listening to them and can't wait until the next opportunity to listen to more (on the drive back to Utah next week). The mp3 versions of the episodes that I downloaded included the headline news blurbs and commercials from back in the day (January 1974). It is interesting to note that at the time these episodes original aired, the US Congress was holding hearings about whether or not oil companies were artificially inflating gasoline prices... the parallel to current events was uncanny. It was also interesting to listen to the news summaries of the then ongoing investigation into the Watergate scandal. The old commercials were just as entertaining and included spots for the LDS Church ("The Mormons"), Kellogg's Special K (the "ball and chain" series), and Budweiser ("When you say Budweiser, you've said it all!"). Listening to the old programs made the trip fly by.
Sun, 19 Oct 2008
Sourdough Pancakes with Bryon!
Dad stopped by on his way back from Colorado to pick me up and take me to stay at their place for tonight. I'll be heading out to Colorado tomorrow for a week and spend some time with my Mom and my Grandma Kiser. Grandma recently had a stroke and is unable to care for herself. I'll help Mom with Grandma while I'm there and I've been tasked to repaint some structures on Grandma's ranch. More later.
Sat, 18 Oct 2008
Theater Review: Saint Heaven
The story of Saint Heaven begins in a Baptist church in the town of Saint Heaven, Kentucky in the 1950s. Dr. Thom Rivers has begrudgingly returned to his hometown to settle the affairs of his recently deceased father (who was the town's only doctor). As Thom enters the town's church he sees a young African-American woman, Eshie Willington, lose control of her body (in an epileptic fit) which the local Pastor calls a "gift" and "translates" the epileptic mumblings she mutters as if Eshie was speaking in tongues. Dr. Thom Rivers is a young white, single, bachelor that much prefers the big city life and makes sure everyone is aware that he is not happy to be back home. He reaquints himself with those he had left behind years earlier, including the girlfriend he left behind (Maggie Hartford) and his former best friend (Garrison Martin). He soon announces that he plans to close down his father's medical practice, leaving the town without a doctor. His friends try to convince him to stay. Meanwhile, Eshie comes to Thom to seek medical attention for the severe epileptic spells she continues to have. Thom is struck by her beauty and demeanor. Over time their relationship grows, much to the chagrin of Pastor Joe Bertram, and soon they must choose if they will continue their courtship. The choice, of course, will have impact on the entire town. I liked the story and the gospel-inspired music... well, all of it with the exception of that which was sung my the male lead (Thom). He had, by far, the worst voice talent of the cast and his pairing with the female playing Eshie just didn't work... at all. Summary: Disappointing.
Tue, 14 Oct 2008
I am trying to remember if I have seen a movie that is more pathetic than The Love Guru. I can't come up with one. I guess that makes The Love Guru the worst movie I have ever seen. Seriously.
Mon, 13 Oct 2008
Home Renovation Project: Back Patio Deck: Stairs and Railing Installed
In order to install the stairs and railing, we had to rent a crane to drop it into place. I was a bit worried about this, since the road behind our house is a private road owned by the home on the lake front and the crane would occupy the entire width of the road and would prohibit traffic flow for a couple of hours. However, after talking with my lake front neighbors (and explaining the entire project to each of them - at length), we were able to secure permission to use the road. Originally, the plan was to just carry the stairs around the side of the house, but since we used solid-core material for the stairs (with the exception of the center support) the weight required the use of the crane. If your are wondering, the cost to rent such a crane for half a day runs about $600. Ouch. Here are some pictures of the crane while lifting the spiral stairs into place:
And the subsequent install of the stairs and railing:
Here is a picture of the footing that was installed at the bottom of the stairs... some 18 bags of concrete were used (each bag weighs 80 lbs iirc):
And pictures of the final product:
Looks fantastic!
Sat, 11 Oct 2008
TV Series Review: Planet Earth
Immediately after our home theater was installed, I made a trip to visit my local Costco and purchase "Planet Earth" on Blu-Ray to show off the capabilities of the 1080p TV. This was nearly 8 months ago now. The documentary runs 11 hours and spans 4 Blu-Ray DVDs. 40 camera teams were shooting at over 200 different locations all over the world for more than 5 years to get the pictures seen in the series. The result is an incredible series both from a visual standpoint (this is a "must have" on Blu-Ray) and also from an educational standpoint. The episodes are jam packed full of fascinating stories about the natural environments from the Poles to the Shallow Seas to the Caves (my favorite episode is "Caves"). Summary: A must have.
The Possessiveness of Chuck E. Cheese's
"Dad, can we go to Chuck E. Cheese's", Berkeley will plead. Well, that "another day" came today. I have three rules about Chuck E. Cheese's:
Tonight (on a weekend night no less) I took my three kids plus one of Berkeley's friends to Chuck E. Cheese's; breaking the first two of my Chuck E. Cheese's rules. But the coupons softened the blow considerably. And how do I know about the coupons? Because I've been to Chuck E. Cheese's enough times to know that the place is a complete scam without them. But, you know, the kids love going there and they won't love going there forever. It is enjoyable to watch them have so much fun in a nice confined space where I can keep my eye on all of them at one time... even if we are confined in the same space with about three hundred other persons.
Saturday Morning Cartoons
Fri, 10 Oct 2008
Have Materials? Take Them to Second Use!
Thu, 09 Oct 2008
Sick Kids
Here is another picture of my sick girl.
Wed, 08 Oct 2008
Restaurant Review: Shanghai Garden
We met Kristy after work at the Shanghai Garden in downtown Issaquah. Yesterday we escaped the house (because of paint fumes) and went out for Mexican food at nearby La Casita. Eliana was making a case for Chinese food last night, but her arguments didn't prevail. But she did manage to negotiate a settlement wherein we promised to go for Chinese food tonight. I love Chinese food, so she didn't have to push too hard to win me over. We have been to Shangai Garden before a couple of times, with the latest visit not too long ago actually. I'm surprised I have not yet put a review here on the blog. *shrug* Must have slipped my mind I guess. We ordered five dishes tonight, which was probably twice as much food as we could eat. Everything looks so good that it's easy to get carried away. We ordered the pan friend steamed meat dumplings, sweet & sour boneless spareribs, crispy orange chicken, dry sauteed green beans, and the hand shaven fried noodles with shrimp. Of the dishes, I'd have to say that the crispy orange chicken and the noodles were definitely the best. The noodles were especially excellent. Berkeley loves sweet and sour pork, he asks for that everytime we go out to Chinese. I thought the pork was a bit tough. The green beans were disappointing. I remember that now from the last time we ate there, but lacking the documentation to remind me not to order them again... well, I ordered them again. The steamed dumpling were just so-so.
Tue, 07 Oct 2008
Home Renovation Project: Back Patio Deck: Interior Painting
As can be seen, we emptied the family room and our master bedroom of the furniture (Kristy and I have been sleeping in the Murphy bed for the past week and our bedroom dressers are lined up in the upstairs hallways). I'll move the furniture back in tomorrow.
Mon, 06 Oct 2008
Product Review: Frog Tape
We used an entire roll of blue tape up while doing the walls, so I returned to the hardware store for more. But instead of blue tape, I saw this roll of green tape called Frog Tape. The packaging promises "Perfect Paint Lines" and it seems to have delivered. I've been pulling off the tape in a few places and there doesn't appear to have been any paint bleeding. But the green stuff still did pull up some old paint in a few places. Summary: Worth an extra buck to upgrade from blue.
Sat, 04 Oct 2008
On one of these laundry/movie nights that Kristy and I do, we'll stumble on a movie that is actually riveting enough that we won't be able to multi-task and will be forced to devote our time wholly to the task of watching the movie. The light and fluffy Baby Mama is not a movie that demands attention. Kate (Tina Fey, a former SNL regular) is an executive VP at her company and has been hard at work for a decade or more climbing the corporate ladder. However, she realizes that she is just a few cycles away from turning 40 and so she decides to put her personal life as first priority. She attempts to have a baby (via insemination and adoption) but it doesn't work out. So she decides to use a surrogate mother instead. After an exhaustive search of one candidate, the surrogate mother (Amy Pohler, another SNL alum) she chooses is *ahem* much less refined than she is. And the gags/movie falls from there; much of which includes Pohler and Fey sharing the screen with each other doing "expectant-mother" things. Oh, and Greg Kinear shows up with a smoothie store and romantic interests. Ho hum. This is the third romantic comedy in a row we have watched in the last 10 days and this was probably the worst of the bunch. The movie is not typical SNL-awful (it could have been a whole lot worse), but it is still unimpressive - mediocre at best.
Primary Music at Conference
(Update Mon Oct 6 07:32:50 PDT 2008 // morning -> afternoon) Fri, 03 Oct 2008
Home Renovation Project: Attic Conversion: Playhouse Interior Paint (Revisited)
That was taken on October 5th, 2007. Fast forward, one year later and here is what the playhouse interior looks like on the outside:
And on the inside:
You'll notice that Kristy has included close-ups of the fireplace, potted, plant, and bookshelf she painted. Nicely done!
(Update Wed Oct 15 06:51:45 PDT 2008 // added exterior shot of playhouse)
Home Renovation Project: Back Patio Deck: Family Room Opening Cased
Thu, 02 Oct 2008
Earlier this year, my wife saw 27 Dresses in the theater (with her sisters); she humored me and she watched it again (with me) tonight. The film is a romantic comedy based on the the expression "always a bridesmaid but never a bride". The main character, Jane, has been a bridesmaid 27 times but never a bride. She is a part-time wedding planning and a full-time executive assistant. She has a secret crush on her boss, and has done nothing about it for some time (like a decade I think). When Jane's sister arrives unexpectedly in town and successfully woos/seduces Jane's boss, becoming engaged in the process. Jane's staid and conservative take-one-for-the-team demeanor is pushed to the breaking point. Meanwhile, Jane is being chased by a reporter on the local wedding circuit seeking a story documenting Jane's sad tale of bridesmaid-dom. Jane is repulsed at first, but then (of course) Jane and the reporter end up falling in love, split up over a misunderstanding, reunite, and then live happily ever after. The End. Summary: As one reviewer appropriately noted... "If there's a romantic comedy cliché missed in 27 Dresses, I'm not sure what it is." Indeed.
Portrait Photos of Eliana and Olivia
:: Posted by rus on Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:49 pm
:: Filed under /daily_journal/2008, /media/portraits/kids Wed, 01 Oct 2008
Mimi's Office
As I was driving home with the kids in the back seat (quietly dozing off after the long night), I thought of how fortunate they are to have Kristy as their mother. I'm quite proud of Kristy and her accomplishments; she is a great mother and caregiver, she served an LDS mission with honor, has three college degrees hanging on the wall (BS/MS/PhD), and (from what I understand) is an excellent therapist (she is regularly booked out several months in advance). I don't think the kids quite appreciate how respected Kristy is in all spheres of her life: professionally, ecclesiastically, and personally... she is just "Mom" to them for now and that is good enough. But in 10, 15, or perhaps 20 years they'll likely figure it out. Berkeley will probably gauge his expectations for the women he dates and the woman he will eventually marry using the high standard that his mother has set (and he'll be all the better for it), and Eliana and Olivia have an excellent example to emulate. I couldn't ask for much more.
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