Twilight...

My mom has been saying for a few years..."Chivaun I have this really good book about Vampires you need to read." I love vampire folklore...dunno why...my favorite show last season was this show called, "moonlight"...yeah, it was about Vampires...

So, I few years later...Laurie finally snags the books...Yesterday I had this feeling that I was going to be bored at work, so I snagged the first book in the series, "Twilight." I get to Rhoda's and behold, Her son, Mark, was there...which meant, I stayed in the Living room the whole time he was there...therefore, I was bored. Glad I brought a book. I was immediately enthralled. It was easy to read, not a ton of complicated stories to set up. Sometimes, I'm ok with this kind of book.

I read it in less than 24 hours...no, it's not my mom posting this...(she can read huge novels in hours)...and, now, I am bringing the second book to work...it's thursday, nothing exciting happens on thursday...

No, I'm not a Twilight freak. Don't worry, Tara...and don't tell Charlie on me. =)

Guy friends..

So...I have had a fabulous day! I decided to take the day off...you need one every once and a while...right? I was supposed to have a training meeting super early this morning, but alas...there must have been a typo on the date. Whatever...ugh. 6am in Mt. Vernon, there shouldn't have been a typo. But my day got better!

Thus the reason for the title...I got to see two of my bestest guy friends...

This afternoon, my friend, Brian, was in Marysville. We went to "bob's burgers" and it was soooo good. I am amazed how much food you get for the price. It was awesome! He's getting ready to go to Turkey for a couple of months with the Air National Guard. My mom sent some home-made jam for him and his mom...he loved it, Mom.. ;) This is Brian...and me. ;)


After lunch, I drove down to Seattle, and visited Charlie Schmidtlein at Harborview. I saw him last thursday, and it is absolutely amazing how much better he's doing. I think he's overwhelmed with all the things that he thinks has to happen...but he's got like 20 steps, and he's on like step 3 or 4. We had a really good time...I was so glad to see him, and I'm glad I waited, he doesn't remember much before yesterday. Laurie saw him on Saturday, and he doesn't remember. So, I got to stay for like 5 hours...it was great! We walked around the hospital, and talked and told stories, and joked. I'm glad my friend is doing so good. He's going to a different floor for therapy tomorrow...which is awesome! It was absolutely surreal to see him talking and joking, after what the horrible accident he was in...There is power in prayer, and in the Priesthood, and the Lord really is our Savior...I know it's because of His protection that Charlie is doing as well as he is.

What a nutsoid week...

So, at the beginning of the week, my bestest friend, Charlie Schimdtlein got in a really bad car accident, and it's been a pins and needles week, waiting for him to wake up, and making sure he's ok. It was a rough week...but now he's doing better, I hear...Thanks Tara. It's really a miracle that he's alive, and there is no doubt in my mind that the Lord was watching over him...and has all week! He's progressed this week rather quickly...tho' for those of us waiting it seemed like forever...thank goodness hindsight is 20/20. ;)

On a side note...Mike Schmidtlein came over this evening and we jammed on Guitar...we decided to learn a Weezer song...he had my bass and I was fumbling through guitar, so we switched...then Laurie came out and said, "Umm, I wanna play bass..." So, I taught her the bass line, which was relatively easy...she learned it really quick. And there we were, jammin. It was really fun!

Friends, like family, are forever...

I have lived in the area for 28 years...that's right, my whole life. I've met a lot of people, especially through the YSA ward in our Stake. A lot have come and gone, and come and gone again. Some have gotten married and even had or are having kids. It's awesome! Especially when we get together and have some good ol' fashioned fun. My friend Ty came up yesterday, and we bbq'd and had some other people come over...Bryce & Lindsay(sp?) Jensen, Katie Ellis, Andrew Packard & Charlie Schmidtlein and of course, Laurie...it was so fun...we talked and talked and talked some more...shared hilarious stories and laughed our heads off. I'm so glad for friends. True friends, can make our lives more blissful and enrich and enhance our experiences in this life. One of my favorite quotes of Elder Neal A. Maxwell is..."Friends, like family, are forever." It's from his book, "All these things shall give thee experience."

My cousin's wedding

So, my cousin, Robert, got married this weekend. Here are some random pictures from the event. :)

Torrie & Breona

Charlie, Lilly, Breona, Torrie

My mom and the girls...Torrie wouldn't stay focused for 1 second!

Our family friend, Scott

My cousin Robert is on the far left, and my bro, Charlie is in the middle.

The Nieces

I have two nieces...Breona & Torrie (Torralee sp?) They are the cutest little girls. Breona turned 6 on June 25th & Torrie turned 3 on March 23rd. :)

This is Breona with Auntie Laurie

This is the girls picking Apples

And this is Torrie

Guitar Lessons

I bought a guitar a couple months ago...it was a big ordeal that involved a back ordered guitar, that came in right as I was going to buy a different one. I love music...it's literally in my blood. My Mom's dad was the kind of musician that could pick up anything and play it. His favorites were guitar and drums. So...of course I became a drummer in Band...and now I am learning to play Guitar. Plus, I have a bass guitar...I am my own Rhythm section. :) Started guitar lessons last night...and I think it's going to go quicker than my teacher thinks it will. I don't need help with rhythms or beats...just technique and cheats. :) Today, my fingers hurt...I pretty much played all day at Rhoda's. :)

Fog

I know it's supposed to be a super hot day today...if 80+ degrees counts...but, this morning, when I got up to let Finley out, there was this amazing Fog that smelled like the sea. It was fantastic! Most people would say, "Chivaun, that's wierd." To them I say...."Well, I'm weird" I grew up on this fancy little island...and it brings back childhood memories with my Nana & Auntie Wes Morning Ferry trips are the BEST! This one time we took the Port Townsend Ferry from Coupeville, and it was early-ish...still foggy...my cousins/siblings & I stood out side on the observation deck, trying to see anything through the fog...before we knew it, we had little icicles like fuzz on our faces. I'll never forget that trip!

The Thistle from Arizona

In front of The Hill Sister Cottage...there are some flower beds. And we have done nothing with them this year. Laurie is really the master mind...my idea of gardening involves yard power tools. ;)

She tackled the flower beds today...we had this NASTY thistle right as you walk up to our door.
Here's Laurie with the nasty beast...

Thunder and Lightning!!

So, when I was a kid, I hated thunder and lightning storms...and the part that scared me, was the part that couldn't even hurt us...the thunder.

Tonight, right smack dab in front of my house, there was the cooolest T&L storm...literally it was right in front of me...sometimes over my head. SCARY...I went inside after that. But it was cool to see the storm pass in front of me...I actually took some pictures...now, they aren't great, because well I am not a photographer...


There was one thundering that almost knocked me off my feet, it was so loud. whew...That one picture looks like it hit the house...crazy!