Happy Halloween!

We are serious business for Halloween. This year we were all Pirates of the Carribbean. It took some thought to get Shayla on board. I told her how pirates had parrots for pets and that if she would be a pirate we could buy a stuffed parrot for her. She agreed and we went in search of a parrot. The only parrot we could find was huge and mechanical and 60 dollars (I don't think so). Thank goodness Uncle Dan found one at an all-a-dollar in Idaho and came to spend Halloween with us!



The cutest Jack Sparrow EVER!

TRICK OR TREAT!


We love to go trick or treating on chestnut street. Every year the kids who aren't in school parade around and trick or treat at the ritzy shops.



Shayla really wanted our pumpkin to be a spooky ghost...I tried my best. Kyler was really "helpful" when we were cleaning out the pumpkin


The San Francisco National Cemetary is by our house and I love to go there on foggy days to try and creep myself out (I know, what a weirdo). Lucky for me it was foggy today for Halloween!


This actually is creepy...a real live (or dead) pet cemetary


Mr. Twister and Rasberry must have been really loved, they have expensive headstones


Spooky dinner with Uncle Dan


We took the kids trick or treating in Sea Cliff (where the rich people live)


This is Robin Williams' house...his hired help gives out glow sticks


How perfect was the weather tonight for Halloween




A few fun pictures from the school and ward Halloween parties





Uncle Ty (who claimed to be Edward Cullen) and Aunt Court




How cute are these kids


Captain Hook, Peter Pan, Wendy, Tiger lily, and Tinkerbell (aka the Lake Family)








These two look guilty




A few pictures from the past few years...


Jack Jack and Mulan


Such a cute kitty


The punk rocker and the fairy princess


She was almost eatable as a ladybug


This was the year I dressed up as a whale for Halloween. Then I had Shayla a few days later.

We did it!...barely

After a few months of training and several setbacks (including barely making it to the race on time thanks to my incredible sense of direction), Rocia and I made it to the Napa Valley Half Marathon. Honestly, we thought the hard part was over before we'd begun. We planned on kicking some tail and finishing in less than 2 hours. We were seriously kidding ourselves. Actually, we were seriously misled. We thought "Napa...it's a valley...how bad could it be? It can't be any worse than running in this city full of hills." We knew it was a trail run and some people had described it as "rugged". "Mountainous terrain" would have been a more appropriate description. It started out on pavement, which lasted for .05 miles, and then it turned into trail. Then the trail started going up...and up and up and up. There were jagged rocks, creeks, giant boulders and fallen trees. All of which we had to run around and through and on top of. It never seemed to go down and when it did you couldn't run fast because you would fall and die (or sprain you ankle at the very least). Most of the people were like us and didn't know that the course was that insane and people were seriously upset, which actually would've been funny if I wasn't trying not to slip and fall. The half marathon was two 6.5 mile loops. Which means that all I was thinking the first 6.5 miles was "how in the world am I going to do this twice!” After Rocia got stung by a wasp (which later became infected) we were plotting how we would try and finish the first loop and then do the last 6.5 on the highway. But when it came down to it, we didn't want to quit and miss out on our sweet t-shirt (or not). The last half was actually better since we knew what to expect (and since all the wasps were gone because they had already stung half the runners). Despite the fact that it was the hardest thing I've ever done (at least during child birth you get and epidural), I'm really glad we were able to do it. Thank you Zach, Shay, and Kyler for letting me have training time and cheering me on, to my family and friends for power songs and loads moral support, and especially to Cia since I wouldn't have done this in a million years all by myself!






I've literally never been so thirsty in my life


We're laughing because we could've run the 1/2 marathon in SF the week before and got a Tiffany's necklace at the end instead of a t-shirt. Odds are there wouldn't have been a wasp nest standing in our way either.

Bull Crap

I don't even know what to say about this other than I didn't believe Regan untill I actually saw it.

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-1/qid=1193614551/ref=sr_1_1/602-3469041-2201456?ie=UTF8&index=target&asin=B000I6892C&rh=k%3Abull%20crap&page=1

If you're not sure what to do with this (Mom), just copy and paste it into your address bar.

If that doesn't work go to Target.com and search bull crap

Did you see the better together section? In case you're a couple and you both want to look like idiots. Somehow "adult" and "bull crap costume" don't seem like they belong together.

Gavin Newsom has never looked so good

Even if you don’t live in San Francisco, you are probably familiar with our liberal nut of a Mayor. You know, the womanizer/gay rights activist who gave the OK for the county to issue marriage licenses to gay couples? The noble Mayor Newsom even started performing marriages himself until the Supreme Court stepped in (which reminds me of the recent cover of Time magazine that asks “does the Supreme Court still matter?” to which I want to site this little incident and say HECK YES!) Anyhow, this city is left wing to say the least, but I have still wondered how Mr. Newsom managed to take office. He’s up for re-election this year and I’m starting to see why he got voted in in the first place: lack of a sane opponent. When I first started reading my OFFICIAL VOTER INFORMATION PAMPHLET (sent by the Department of Elections) I thought it was a joke. Then I realized we live in America where any idiot with a few bucks can run for office (a necessary evil I suppose). Maybe it’s not an evil. Maybe a Vegan Taxi Cab driver named Grasshopper is a legitimate candidate. Maybe the "showman" who calls himself Chicken John is the right choice. I don’t think so. I think George Davis is the only way to go. This is taken word for word from the official pamphlet:

GEORGE DAVIS
My occupation is: Writer/Nudist Activist.

My qualifications are:
This is a One Issue campaign which is to Make Golden Gate Park Clothing Optional like the major urban parks in Europe. For other policy issues, a well known City Manager will be appointed.

Thoughts for today:
You are free to be nude!!! You are free to wear clothing. By California case law (In Re Smith 1972 and other court decisions), you have a freedom of choice.
Nude is not lewd.
With San Francisco's ranked three choices, voting for freedom of choice is as easy as one, two, three. Give George Davis a ranked vote, preferably #1.
If anyone should think this is not a serious issue, explain why George Davis has been illegally harassed by the San Francisco Police Department with 4 full arrests (handcuffs, booking, jail) in 5 weeks of campaigning followed almost immediately with a discharge of the citations by the San Francisco District Attorney.

Voters, you have a clear choice. Do you want police harassment of a legitimate non-violent cultural movement and censorship? Or, do you want freedom of choice and civil liberties?
For more details on George Davis and this campaign, visit the blogs at: www.gonakedyoga.com Or contact George at: vote4mayorsf@yahoo.com

George Davis

Turns out there are worse things than Gavin Newsom in a position of power. Go figure.

Goodbye Crazy...I mean Silly Hillary

I don’t have all that much to say about the Bachelor this week. My blogs about the show are getting less and less exciting...kind of like the romance (or lack there of) between Brad and Bettina. I can’t help but make a few comments though. Dee Dee, your butt doesn’t look as good as you think it does in that dress. Hillary, the reason you can’t breathe isn’t just because you are having a major melt down about a guy you barely know, it’s because your dress is WAY too tight.
I thought I would just end with the sweet little poem Sheena wrote for Brad. Her reading it to him was by far the most uncomfortable moment of the night and that’s saying something considering all the uncomfortable Hillary moments...like Brad trying to let her down easy numerous times while she got that crazy look in her eye and ignored everything he said....oh and when she was talking about doing who knows what with Brad (we really don’t know...it had to be bleeped out), but in the next scene telling him he reminded her of her Dad. And how about her explanation of why she wore to her senior prom dress to the rose ceremony...because she was hoping it would remind Brad of how great she would look in a wedding dress. Hmmmm. Back to Sheena’s poem (don’t read this if you have a sensitive gag reflex...I’m actually being serious)

“I love your laugh, your smile, your touch
And the moles that run up your arm
The patch of blonde hair on your ears 
Your goals, and most of all your charm”

I’m sorry. I can’t continue...It’s just too painful. Usually I have a hard time remembering Sheena is only 23 because she looks so much older. Not last night. Last night I had a hard time believing she wasn’t in high school anymore.

Ghirardelli Square

I'm obsessed with Ghirardelli Square. Not so much the square itself, just the chocolate and ice cream. On Saturday I did a long run and decided that as a reward I would go replace every calorie I burned with a hot fudge sundae (actually not just a hot fudge sundae, a brownie hot fudge sundae with added carmel). I wanted one so badly that I was willing to go at 1:00 on a Saturday, knowing full well that it would be a complete zoo because its the busiest time of the week. No local in their right mind goes on a Saturday afternoon...that's how obsessed I am. Zach was on his motorcycle so he parked right on the street, and I had to park in the parking garage (which I hate because it's the smallest one in town and makes me claustrophobic). There was only one spot in the whole garage left...a really tight fit next to a cement wall and a mini van. I was RIGHT next to the minivan. But since it was North Dakota license plate I figured they were tourists and would be there all day, so I would be gone before they had any bad words to say about my parking job. After we ate our ice cream we pre-paid our parking (5 bucks for 40 minutes)....then we headed to the car. Zach came with to help put the kids in the car. When we got out of the elevator I saw a rather large man trying with all his might to squeeze into the van I was parked next to. We watched from afar for a two minutes while he tried from all different angles. That's when I decided to snap a picture.


The picture doesn't really show the magnitude of the situation because by the time I took this picture (Zach was really ticked that I did it of course), the man had finally found a way to get in and he was already half way in the van...dang it. I thought the drama was over and was really glad we hadn't both gone to our cars at the same time...awkward. We waited for him to pull out of the spot, but he didn't even start the car. After a few minutes went by it dawned on me that he must be waiting for someone. I refused to go get in the car because I was so embarressed. Zach refused to go pull the car out and bring it around to us because he thought it would be good for me to learn a lesson about not parking too close to people...especially if they are portly. Like I knew he was portly. After 10 minutes of negotiations (aka me resorting to bribery), Zach finally agreed to go get the car...what a knight in shining armor. By the time he pulled the car around and we were headed out of the garage, the pre-paid parking was no longer sufficient and we had to pay another 3 dollars to get out. What a joke. It was still worth it for my brownie sundae.

The Bachelor II : Is it just me or...

This week’s episode of the Bachelor was actually not all that blog worthy...definitely not worth a complete run down. I’ll just leave a few thoughts/revelations in the form of:

Is it just me or...

...is DeeAnna a lot more nasty than anyone realized. She had to have been because I didn’t like Jade from the beginning and I found myself wishing (albeit without hope) that Brad would send Deanna home instead of Jade. Not really though because it’s always lots of fun when the Bachelor is dumb enough to be duped by the house hoochie.

...is Hillary starting to seem like a crazy person. She’s a bit of a roller coaster. Hot or cold...bawling or laughing too loud. I guess I should cut her some slack, I would be crazy too if I had a pit in my stomach that made me want to throw up...maybe she should have spied on DeAnna and Brad making out in the hot tub, that would have made her up-chuck the pit for sure....I know it made me want to vomit. (She meant that she had a feeling in the pit of her stomach actually...I couldn’t let that one go).

...is Jenny’s laugh getting more and more annoying each week. Come on Jenny, try to tone it down a bit next week. And while you’re at it, stop saying “amazing” every other word...and stop with the incessant rose smelling. You may as well attach it to your nose.

...does Kristy have a mustache. No worries if you didn’t notice, she will (incredibly) be back next week...which I can only attribute to the fact that Brad was forced to give out 6 roses, when everyone (including Brad) knows he could have done with 3 (4 at the most) this week.

...are they spiking the wine with estrogen. I’m a cry baby, so I realize I shouldn’t be judging...but then again I’m not putting myself out there on national tv. Seriously though, what’s with all the crying? The only person that didn’t cry on this weeks episode was Deeanna (probably because she had to grow up so fast...did you know she started working at 14 years old? wow). Well...I don’t think Jenny cried on camera, but you know she bawled her eyes out in the bathroom after the bashing Bettina gave her.

...is next weeks outcome completely predictable. It was predictable even before they told us in the promo for next week that Hilary is leaving in “the most dramatic exit ever” (not another one of those)... and I’ll be shocked if Kristy isn’t the other gal to leave crying next week. The final four are obviously Jenny, DeAnna, Sheena, and Bettina. Then he’ll get rid of one of the blondes...probably both unless he gets smart and realizes DeAnna is the devil in disguise. But what are the odds of that happening? My guess is he’ll end up with Jenny. There’s a small possibility the producers are downplaying Sheena and he’ll end up with her but it doesn’t look promising. Time will tell.

Most of the time I feel really lucky to be living right on the ocean...and then I see a picture like this:



This picture was taken of a tidal wave in Taiwan this month. I do realize that it's clear across the world, but somehow that doesn't make me feel any better.

Bachelor Anyone?

I’ll admit it. I enjoy watching the Bachelor. Ok...enjoy is a bit of an understatement. In my defense, I don’t watch it to swoon over “the sexiest bachelor yet” which is what all 96 have them have been dubbed. I watch it for the same reason I can’t help but rubberneck while passing a horrible accident on the side of the road. That’s what each season of the Bachelor is...a perfect train wreck. Every episode provides a great range of emotions. There is always some bratty girl that makes your blood boil, someone that does something really dumb to make you roll on the ground with laughter, an awkward moment that makes you wonder if you can stomach one more episode, and my personal favorite, the “I just don’t understand what happened” soliloquy. Some soliloquies are filled with pearls of wisdom like Sarah from season 7’s unforgettable limo speech... “There is a huge prejudice and racist against beautiful people in this country...If only I had been uglier and less noticeable...” I doubt anything will be as priceless as that little pity party, but I keep watching in hopes that someday there will be. Last night was so good that I’m going to do a run down. We’ll just start with the self-proclaimed “Silly Hillary” and her one-on-one with Brad in the most beautiful city in the world (San Francisco). Silly Hillary isn’t so silly, she’s pretty smart...she figured out a game plan to ensure her a rose. She tried to be “Serious Hillary” and bawl her eyes out while she told Brad how much she wanted to be in love...and wouldn’t you know it, she wanted to be in love with him. On and on she went looking sillier and sillier. To my amazement, Brad didn’t seem all that irritated by the awkward waterworks. He ended up giving her the rose, after which the crying stopped immediately. Shocking, I know. Then they went to Ghirardelli Square (AKA my favorite place in the world) and followed up the awkward tear-fest with an awkward first kiss. Gross. The next day there is a group date where Kristy, the acupuncturist with the fake laugh, steers the sailboat with Brad...he later talks to the camera about her and uses the “F” word (Friend), so I thought she was done for. But, he ends up giving her a rose...right after Solisa (the one whose values and morals are the most important thing to her) gives Brad a lap dance.
Before the Rose Ceremony, we learn that Brad has an identical twin who is going to try and fool the girls and see who will notice that he is not Brad. I can only assume that this little fact is the whole reason that the producers chose Brad as the bachelor in the first place. They were really banking on this segment being dramatic. I thought it would end up being a bust because you can CLEARLY tell that Brad and Chad are not one and the same. They look really different for identical twins. Turns out, there were a few dummies that were actually fooled. I have to admit that it was amusing. Especially Lindsey the model...she had absolutely no clue whatsoever...even responding to him at one point “that’s what I love about you!” It was comical as it was ironic. Two of the three who didn’t recognize the difference got voted off...all three soliloquies were hilarious. Starting with Solisa’s (you know, the one with all the...morals). Not even knowing that Chad wasn’t Brad could save her this time. After she gets the boot she complains that she had a better connection with Brad than anyone and that she was open and honest because “He did see the very special parts of me because I wear those special parts on the outside...so it’s just that, those special parts weren’t parts that he was looking for unfortunately”. Sorry Solisa...maybe if those special parts were real (metaphoric or otherwise) then things would have turned out differently. Poor Sarah had to announce that she “honestly had no idea what went wrong”...this is just a wild guess Sarah, but I’m assuming it had something to do with you feeling more relaxed around Brad’s married twin brother than you did around him, and he watched it all from a van 12 yards away. Her excuse for not being able to tell Brad wasn’t Brad was that “He had his head down, I mean, he had a drink in his hand!”. Lindsey, Lindsey, Lindsey. She starts off fairly level headed stating “I’m not going to sit here and cry over something that was not there”.... then she turns from the camera and proceeds to cry her eyes out.... while I proceeded to laugh until I was crying as well. I know; I’m a horrible person. I can’t help myself.

Fine!

I don't know how to do this yet since it's SO much more complicated than my Mac website. For all you people (who I obviously love or I wouldn't care that you acutally want to see my blog but can't) I'm giving in and moving to blog spot. I can sum up the reason that your computers crash when you look on my mac website with one little phrase...My computer's better than Your computer! None the less...I will still become a blogspoter since I'm tired of all the belly aching ;) I love you all...thanks for caring.