With The Times Now

We got a new computer! And moniter! I don't which one I am more excited about! See all my exclamation points! That is how excited I am! Our old computer (and when I say old, I mean OLD) was running so slow that even though we have the super high speed internet, our computer made it run like a dial-up. I took literally 10 minutes just to open Itunes and to sync one song onto my ipod would be over a minute long. I tried a few weeks back to download a movie onto my ipod and and it was two hours to sync it. VERY ANNOYING. Anyways we decided to break down and buy a new computer before this one was completely dead. It is very shiny and pretty and has a nice red strip at the bottom. I also no longer have the gigantic moniter that was so dim I had to close the blinds and turn out the lights to see. Now I have one of those flat screen kind. It is very exciting. Sorry I can't show you any pictures of our new computer (cuz I know you are dying to see it) but I am too lazy to do that right now. Also, I would feel a little bad taking the computers picture when I haven't taken a single picture of my kids since Christmas. I got to do them first even though my computer would never talk back to me or smear poop all over the toilet seat, or make hugh messes everywhere it goes or want me to feed it at meal times. I am not saying I love my computer more than my kids, I am just saying......

And in other news, Morgan got me a puppy for Valentines day. It is sooo cute. He is a miniature schnauzer. We named him Otto. He has the schnauzer cut and is so funny. Morgan made up for the fact the he didn't really acknowledge me on Valentines Day and lectured me weeks prior about how he HATES the day by bringing him home that night. He pounces around the house and even Wolfe can't resist him. He tries to squeeze him to death. Seriously, I can't leave them alone unsupervised or else he will squeeze him to death. We still have that other dog but he is just not cute anymore compared to Otto. (J/K we still love Duke but he really isn't as cute as he used to be compared to Otto) So needless to say, Morgan has been getting away with things more now that he was the hero of Valentines Day.

And I should mention the fact the Morgan went back school in January. So far he is doing quite well. He is getting 100% on his tests (except for his music class which was the one he took for a supposedly easy A) and he is the jerk who is setting the curve in his classes. I am proud of him for doing so well. Hopefully time will fly by while he is in school.

My big annoucement though is that we are unpacking. We have lived in our house for close to 2 1/2 years now but I just really haven't felt like unpacking until now. I have found all sorts of treasures, things that I don't know how I have gone with out, like my grill cheese sandwich maker and my hand mixer and some nick nacks. I also started hanging up pictures. Hopefully those cock-eyed door to door salesmen will stop asking me if I am just moving in. It is so tacky to assume.

Ramona Quimby

Morgan got me a Pedi-egg for Christmas and my heels were feeling good until they wore out the blade. Now they are sharp as a razor again.

It Was Magical!

It really was, gize. For our Christmas present this year, my mother in law bought tickets for the entire family to ride the train up to the "North Pole" and see Santa Claus. It was super fun. As an extra little bit of magic, it ended up snowing that day just for us. That did make it a little colder than I could handle but the North Pole wouldnot have been the same without snow. The drive up took forever since our van has bald tires and no traction control but we made it. See, I told you we made it. Here we are in front of the wrong train but ours did look exactly the same. Morgan opted to not wear a coat.

We couldn't find Jesse for our earlier photo shoot and by the time he got back to the train, the other kids had scattered off. Here is Jesse in front of the same wrong train.

Wini wanted to go up to the top of the train just like on the movie "Polar Express" and was very rudely told no but the consession lady. Tractor Grandma was trying unsuccessfully to console her.

Here is most of the group. It looks like a few people's entire body didn't make it though but at least we got the concession lady in the very back.

Santa, obviously.
It was too cold for the kids to stand in line to see Santa so the adults stood in line while the kids waited on the train. The picture is actually after we saw Santa but it was a good example of how they waited on the train.

My father in law and his twin brother, Santa, as requested my Santa.

It was tons of fun and something I definitely want to do every year. Thanks Leon and Janie for such a fun day.

BFFs

Growing up, my sister Jenny had a best friend that she was inseperable with. Awhile back she did a blog post to this special, special person and then yesterday I happened across a picture of them together. I figured out how to scan (finally) so now Jenny can have this picture forever.

Her and Big Mamma were so close! We miss you Big Mamma!

Happy World Aids Day, Everyone!!!!

I am so excited that it is December! I started getting anxious and excited for Christmas back in July. Every year I say I am going to be more festive and I never do it but I think this year will be different. My kids are getting older and I am able to do more things with them without having to curl up in a ball and cry afterwards. It is also fun having a 12 year old for Christmas too (Jesse, my pcs kid is the 12 year old for those of you who didn't know). This year I am hoping to be able to ride the train upto the "North Pole" aka Horseshue Bend and see Santa Claus. I am also wanting to do fun things at home with the kids like gingerbread houses and watch Christmas movies together and maybe even go see a Christmas show with the kids. I am way excited. These are all the things I plan to do every year but when the time comes to actually go do it, it sounds to exhausting but this year will be different. Just wait and see.

I had a very fun Thanksgiving. It was my year to go to the in-laws. We took family pictures and ate a tasty meal. On my way home from the in-laws, my mom called and said she, my dad, Erin and Maddie were all going to see Twilight. Of course I wanted to go. I arrived at the theater late and thought it was a bit odd that my mom wasn't sitting next to my dad. The order went: Erin, Maddie, my mom, empty space for me, and then my dad. Hmmmmm wierd. Whatever. So the movie broke down during previews and took an hour to start up again. My mom and I decided to go to the bathroom while they were fixing it up. when we came back I offered her to sit next to dad. She acted kind of wierd and refused to sit by him but I just assumed that it was because she wanted to sit next to Maddie. When the movie started, I then realized how very wrong I was. The first time I saw the movie, when Edward makes his first appearance on the screen, I heard screaming girls. This time all I heard was my dad yelling, "Oh for crying out loud!". While it was just as funny, it was distracting. Instead of hearing giggling girls through the whole movie, I heard my dad's hysterical laughter. At times, I was laughing just as hard because laughter apparently is contagious. He kept asking why Edward was wearing lipstick and if he had autism. I see why my mom didn't want to sit next to him. Don't worry everyone, I still loved Edward and I love the movie. It was very memorable seeing it with him. In fact I even went to see it again two days later. I laughed again the third time because the acting is terrible but it doesn't matter because of Edward.

I had a great weekend with my sisters (Amy, Erin, Jenny, Katie) and the best part of it was that Morgan watched my kids for me all weekend long so I could go out stress free. The games are always fun. We played a few rounds of trivial pursuit. My team won once and the other team won once so it was pretty fair. I love it when that happens. It is so fun playing games with my family. They make me laugh pretty hard. Jenny had some pretty cool dance moves that she was doing while we listened to the Twilight soundtrack over and over and over and over. It was a good time. I hope everyone has a wonderful World Aids Day!!!! Wah waaaaaaah!!!

Twilight

Last night I went to see Twilight at midnight because I just couldn't wait any longer.


Chapter One:
The Experience.

I was more excited to see this movie than I was for my own wedding day (no offense Morgan but you said the same thing about the Fiesta Bowl so now we are even). We arrived at the movie theater an hour and a half early and there was no where to sit. There were 11 in my group and we were supposed to meet another group as well. So they let us go into another theater that had room for us. The theater filled up pretty quick and soon there was estrogen everywhere. Lots of cameras flashing, screaming, and women (not girls) running up and down stairs goofing off. I was so excited. Here we are "flanking it". It took awhile to explain how to "flank it" but after awhile people were catching on.

Of course I wore my Forks, Washington sweatshirt. People were soooo jealous of me when I told them I bought my sweatshirt in Forks.

That is my ticket. I will keep my ticket stub forever. It was the best night EVER!

Chapter Two:
The Movie.

Mt heart was pounding as I waited to see Edward face appear on the screen. Once he arrived, it did not matter that Charlie's driveway was concrete even though we all know it was made of brick or that Billy Black and Jacob did not arrive to Forks on Bella's first day of school or that Bella wore a wrinkley tan skirt to the Cullen's house not jeans or the fact that Edwards bedroom was way too small and a king size bed with feather pillows could never fit in that. All that mattered was Edward. He was so hot with his white face and poofed up hair. His buggy eyes were calling to me and suddenly I was the only person in the movie theater.

What I LOVED about the movie:

Edwards hotness. Edward was so hot.

Bella. She was very pretty. Now I understand why Edward loved her. It was because he couldn't hear her whiney and annoying thoughts and we could in the book but in the movie, we couldn't hear her thoughts either and what do you know? I liked her.

Edward and Bella together. I think they had good chemistry and I enjoyed watching the lion fall in love with the lamb.

I liked that they changed it to have James and Victoria in the movie more. It made it more action-y and also helped build their characters for future movies.

I liked that they left the end open with Victoria for the next movie.

I thought the movie in general was fun to watch and I really liked it. I am in love with Edward all over again.

Now the bad news. I hate to say this because I love him so much and I want to blame everything on Bella but Edward was a little wierd with his eyes. He had crazy eyes. He also forgot to act like a human and blink. It was okay though because he is Edward and is hot. There was one scene that I lost it and couldn't stop laughing.

This is me re-enacting that scene. As you can see I am an excellent actress and Katie is not. The part when Edward was sucking James venom out of Bella was a bit hard to watch. Bella did an excellent job with her part. I believed she was in pain and I wanted Edward to make it go away but with a better expression on his face.

He is so hot.

This is me re-enacting Edwards buggy eyes and head movements. I really should be an actress, don't you think?

So hot!! I love him!! But now I feel depressed. I have that feeling again after I read the book for the first time. Why didn't I marry a vampire??!!! I love Morgan but he has to sleep, eat, shower, and blink....oh wait, I am glad Morgan has to blink. The only way that I got over the books before was to just keep reading them over an over until that feeling went away. Is that what I need to do to get over my movie depression because that could get expensive.

Anyone want to go see it again?

Human Nature

I know ya'll are anxiously awaiting my post about Seattle but I have been muscling through a tough day of sealing the deal and sick kids. Do not worry, I will post the tomorrow. I did manage to squeeze in some time to download some Michael Jackson to my ipod. So so depressed to be home again.

Foto Friday

This is a picture from when Tom, Katie, Morgan and I got mixed up in that gang. I am not proud. Don't worry, they all got returned to their rightful owners after we recieved our ransom except for the giant squirrel which still lives with Tom and Katie.

**No lawn ornaments were harmed in the taking of this picture.

Random pictures Morgan took this morning.

Late Fav Photo set!

This is a picture of Morgan and his friend Josh from when they were in high school. Why are they in that old beat up Ford Fiesta wearing goggles and helmets?

That's right they are just driving it into the canal at 45mph for the fun of it.

I think that Morgan is still in the car in this picture!

To Add To Markie's Post

Even though I didn't read the book and didn't even know there was a character named Wanda until today, this is still what I pictured her to look like.

Don't forget to read my review below!

Smart Remarks Book Club: The Host

The Healer's name was Fords Deep Waters. Because he was a soul, by nature he was all things good: compassionate, patient, honest, virtuous, and full of love. Anxiety was an unusual emotion for Fords Deep Waters. Irritation was even rarer. However, because Fords Deep Waters lived inside a human body, irritation was sometimes inescapable.Thus begins the highly anticipated first adult novel by Stephenie Meyer. The opening scene shows a man, occupation Healer, getting ready to implant a Soul into a human being. These souls are parasitic aliens that have spread across the galaxy. They are able to take hosts--different hosts--on each planet. Our narrator is a Soul named Wanderer. She's unusual, in a way, because she has been to many planets--I can't remember if it's seven or eight or nine--and lived that many lifetimes. The souls know no death, they just move onto a new host when their host's body dies. This is Wanderer's first time on Earth, her first time in a human host. Our secondary narrator is a woman named Melanie. And you've probably guessed by now that she is the host body to Wanderer.These aliens didn't take over the world overnight. They didn't announce their arrival at all. Their goal--if they had a goal--was to assimilate quietly and peacefully with humans. It wasn't until the humans noticed that something was off that there was any resistance, any battles, any blood shed. What was off? Humans were being too nice, too perfect, too Mayberry. From the Souls' perspective, they were doing humanity a huge favor. They were turning these rowdy and unpredictable and altogether too violent and volatile humans into peace-loving, happy-go-lucky people. Souls love everybody, accept everybody, trust everybody. Except for that one teeny tiny little detail that they won't take no for an answer. All humans must be implanted. As long as their are humans without Souls then there is the potential for blood shed and loss. To "protect" themselves--or so they claim--they must either assimilate or destroy those resisting pesky humans. Those Souls that are seeking to destroy and/or assimilate humans are called Seekers.Melanie's luck has run out. Or so she thinks. On the verge of being captured, she throws herself down an elevator shaft. She thinks that she'll avoid her fate by destroying her body. But Healers are really good at repairing the human body--another so called "benefit" to this alien domination.Wanderer and Melanie are soon to be linked together for life. Not that that is the plan. Souls are supposed to erase, eradicate, the consciousness, the personality of their hosts. But Wanderer finds that Melanie will not go down without a fight. She guards her life, her secrets, closely. She will not accept the finality of the situation.Life is about to turn very interesting for this two-in-one package as they journey together into the Arizona desert to find the meaning of it all. It's a story about humanity, about sentient life forms, about right and wrong, about justice, about love, about forgiveness, and grace, and redemption. It's a novel with a lot of heart and soul and gumption.This concept isn't completely original. They're not as overtly (openly) evil as the goa'uld (go-ah-OOLD) by any means. But the concept of a parasite invading through the neck and wrapping themselves around the spine and brain and 'controlling' the human and 'erasing' the host personality has been done before. So has the concept of a human host living side-by-side compatibly with a parasite--that's a Tok'ra for you. Tok'ras are the 'good guys' in the parasite world (supposedly though Jack still calls them snakeheads) who only enter voluntary hosts. Even the concept of love can be seen to be similar to that found in Stargate--the parasite and host body falling in love with their mate's parasite and host body. Four personalities, two bodies, love all around.It was hard not to think about goa'ulds and tok'ras while reading The Host. That could be because I tend to relate all things back to Stargate eventually if at all possible. It doesn't have to be oh-so-obvious. In this case, I think if you've seen Stargate at all, you can see the connection in some ways, but not in all ways.This story has plenty to make it special all on its own. I don't want to get into the particulars but the environment was very unusual but it worked. In some very teeny tiny way it reminded me of Dune. I don't know why. I've only seen the movie once. But there were scenes from that movie that came to mind when reading the book. Maybe it's the desert environment. (There are no giant worms however.) I don't know. At this point, it's irrelevant. (Maybe also slightly Journey to the Center of the Earth). She created a world that is so strange, so different from present day life, from reality. It's a world that it's easy to get swept up into in a way. The setting, the characters. It just worked. It was very rich in detail. I thought the depths of the back-story was just really well done. (The little details that Wanderer discloses in her storytelling and her question and answer sessions.)I can't say that I fell quite in love with it as much as I did Twilight upon first reading it. But it's good. The romance, the chemistry, isn't quite as intense, quite as magical as it is for Bella/Edward/Jacob. But it isn't a romance without some merit. I personally was more into Ian than Jared, but that's just me.First sentence of chapter one: I knew it would begin with the end, and the end would look like death to these eyes. I had been warned. Not these eyes. My eyes. Mine. This was me now. (9)So I definitely recommend it. Do you have to love science fiction? It might help. But if you're not a fan, don't let the genre turn you off. This is a story about what it means to be human. (In some ways it mirrors the themes of the novel Frankenstein--what it means to be human, to live, what it means to be a monster.) It's a human-interest story therefore. It explores the depths--the good, the bad, the ugly--of humanity in general. The fact that some humans have been possessed by aliens while others haven't is just a distinction that separates it from other novels you might have read through the years. But science fiction fans, I hope, will be pleased with it as well as newbies.I would have read it anyway--it's got Stephenie Meyer's name attached to it--but it comes with a blurb from Orson Scott Card himself. So you know it has to be good.And for those that are curious, I tend to like Wanda/Melanie much much more than Bella as far as personality goes. In Twilight, Bella didn't annoy me so much. But in some of the sequels, I found myself growing more and more irked at her. Definitely to a point where I understood where all the hate was coming from saying that she was too whiny and mindless (in a way). Not that I'll ever reach a point where I'll stop reading the series. Who could stop now? (I'm on Team Jacob by the way.)


Is it plagerism to copy a book review off a total stranger's blog??? The book was so boring I couldn't even bring myself to read this review.



****This review was written by Becky Laney and was used on this posting w/o her consent.

Fave Foto(s) Friday

I was planning on a different picture for today and doing an entirely different post. As I went to download pictures off my camera, I found Wini's birthday pictures and saw pictures of these two beauties cruising around, having a good time.

For those you who don't know, my niece Violet is on the left and Wini is the driver. Those girls had so much.I love how big Violet's smile is on the bottom picture.

My Addiction

It all started about four months ago. We had a major change in our family and a teenager came to live with us. She seemed like a very nice girl and loved little kids. She had no history of aggression and was never ever mean to my kids. In fact, my kids loved her and at times preferred her over me. But at night time when I was trying to sleep, all that kept running through my head was "I have a teenager living in my house that I just got out of jail." I know it was silly of me to be so paranoid but what can I say, my dad was a worry wort and it is in my DNA. So after tossing and turning I decided to get up and get the kids and bring them in my room. I laid Teddy and Wini on a mattress on my floor and put Wolfe in bed with me. Morgan was very annoyed at my paranoia and told me he would not put up with the kids sleeping in our room every night. The next night was the same thing though. This time I waited until Morgan was asleep, then I crept out of my room, grabbed the kids, and put them in their same positions. I always made sure that Wolfe was on the end at my flanks and me in the middle so that Morgan would never find out. Morgan was usually the last one to wake up in the mornings so the kids would be out of our room and usually the evidence would be gone. I made sure that me and Wolfe snuggled up together really tight so Morgan wouldn't feel crowded. Time went on and as I got to know this teenager, I really did feel like she loved my kids but then she started to hang out with hoodlums and giving them my phone number and address. Now I was paranoid about who might be sneaking over to our house at night. So the kids still had to be brought into my room at night. Again, time went by and eventually this particular teenager ended up getting arrested and leaving our house for good. So now all my paranoid fears are gone...but I still can't sleep. There was way too much room in my bed and I needed to hear the sucking of a binki and I missed the creepy sleep talking that went on at night time. So as soon as Morgan was a sleep, I went and got the kids and brought them into my room and fell fast asleep.

Hello, my name is Sara and I am addicted to kids sleeping in my room.

I know it is not my fault. It is a disease. There is family history of paranoia and children sleeping with their parents for prolonged periods at a time. I try every night to not bring them in. I look myself in the mirror before bed and tell myself, 'I am strong and I don't need them to sleep.' But I can't do it. I need them.

I Am So Lazy!

My friend was over at my house today creating a blog and forgot to log out. I of course took the opportunity to post something on her blog (and apparently left some comments on other peoples blogs under her name. Sorry). But now I still have to post something on my blog. Oh No I Don't!! I can just copy and paste it right onto my blog. I am so smart. Alls I need to do is just add the word "flank" in a few times and change the spelling of "guys" to gize and I have got a post!


The picture you are all enjoying is me flanking my three kids. I had a forth at the time but she is not pictured and no longer lives with us (flank goodness <--J.K.). So this day started out as many of our days with the Neustaedters do, flanking at the Horse Troph, a.k.a. Golden Corral. Neustaedters like to eat at this place because all their kids eat for free and Strassers (me) like this place because of the all-you-can-eat-do-it-yourself-ice cream dispenser. Well, as soon as we are all un-satisfied but our tummies were full we left. Usually after our shmorgashborgs, we will go over to a park near someones house. So I decided not to use the germ infested public restroom and just wait until we get to one of our houses to go to the bathroom. As usual we load up our kids and then since we are too lazy to walk from one handicap parking space to the next to decided where to go now, we just drive away and call each other on the cell phones. As we are discussing where to go, Steve makes a wonderful <--being sarcastic, suggestion that we go to Jump Creek. Well of course Katie and I don't want to take 9 little kids and a teenager with a bad attitude to Jump Creek but Morgan took Steve's side and since he was driving and in the lead, that is where we went. I told Morgan I needed to go pee but he assured me that they had REAL bathrooms up there. I didn't recall there being plumbing in the middle of nowhere but if any of you know Morgan, he is always right. So I just continue to "hold it" with a very stuffed tummy for the thirty minute drive to Jump Creek. And to make matters worse, I had no cell phone coverage so I was unable to ignore Morgan the whole time while I talked to Katie. We finally get there and I can see the restroom. I quickly dash over and get inside and IT WAS A PORT-A-POTTY!!! Oh no he didn't!! Okay well I really had to pee so I tried to psych myself up for it but as I peered into the deep dark toilet, all I could imagine we a giant snake in the flanking position living down there, waiting for an unsuspecting girl to place her bare bum on the toilet seat. Snakes are such perverts. Anyways, I just couldn't do it. So I leave the bathroom and tell Morgan I need to leave but he says, "Oh stop being a baby and just take a cup, pee in it, and then dump that in the toilet." Genius! It was quite easy to find a cup since my entire car was filled with McDonalds happy meal cups. I grabbed my cup, ran to the bathroom, and started to relieve the pressure off my bladder. UH-OH! This cup isn't very big. I also didn't "prepare" my self well enough to be able to tell when I was getting close to the top of the cup. Not a big deal. I will just stop right now, empty the cup, and then finish. Well, unfortunately, I was already at the very tip top. As I VERY carefully tried to move the cup away from my clothes while still having a half full bladder, I ended up spilling most of it on my pants. Crap! Now what? Oh I tried to play it off like it was no big deal. "Oh that, it is just a little pee I spilled all over my pants. It happens." Steve took the opportunity to make fun of me as much as possible (<--hissing at Steve) but I don't think any of the 9 kids thought it was a big deal cuz "Peeing your pants is the coolest." Well, at least it was just my family and the Neustaedters who saw. Except as we hiked to the waterfall we actually saw quite a few people. I tried to make loud comments about how stupid I feel for falling into some pee smelling water so that when the strangers were wondering if I fell into some pee smelling water or if I peed my pants, they would think I just fell. I am not sure if they bought it but I like to think they did. We finally made it to a very crowded waterfall and I quickly sat down on a rock and crossed my legs for the remainder of the time, acting as though I was tired and "I will make the sacrifice of sitting here taking pictures of you gize". Once my pants were dry and I now smelled like stale urine, we pack up the kids and left. I was quite anxious to get home and take a shower. After wearing pee pants for several hours, the shower never felt better. So now I have TONS of pictures to remind me of the day that I basicly peed my pants. The moral of the story, Don't use port-a-potties. Perverted snakes live in them and they will bite your bum if you sit on one.
If you would like to read the exact same blog, feel free to visit Katie's blog. I did find a few more error in this one that I was able to fix. It may be fun for you to read both and find the errors I corrected. Maybe I will give a prize to the person who finds the most!!