TOBs...

So this one time, I had car trouble. Well, it wasn't car trouble just yet. I had some seriously squeaky belts. Every time the a/c in the Sube was on, it made a horrible screeching noise under the hood. So, being a mechanic's daughter and all, I figured this to mean that I needed to have the serpentine belts in the Sube replaced. So I took it in to the Subaru shop that is literally 18 feet away from our house and asked how much it would be to change the belts.

"Well the belts are about $18 each and with about a half hour of labor...should be around $85."

Ha. I don't think so.

So I started on my own little adventure. Found a tutorial on the web (which pretty much turned out to be useless). Went to AutoZone and got the belts for a whopping total of $23. Popped the hood, disconnected the battery, marveled at my engine, and called my neighbor for assistance.

So we got to work.




Had a little trouble finding which bolts the tutorial was trying to have us loosen, which was when we decided to forget the tutorial and just do what made sense. So after the moved the alternator around a little bit, voila! The old, cracked, and split belts popped right off. One of our other neighbors walking by called us her new favorite TOBs...tough old broads. I guess I'll take that :-)

Putting the new belts back on took a few minutes. We were so excited when we got them off, we may have forgotten to look and make sure we knew how to put the new ones back on. So after a few tries, we got it. And after some tugging and pulling and grunting, we got the alternator back in place which put the right tension back in the belts. And before we knew it, we were ready to start up the engine.

And sure enough, it started. And for the moment of truth, we turned on the a/c to full blast. Without a single squeak or screech. A job well done, in my opinion. Sure it took about 2 hours when the Subaru guy said it would take him about 30 mins, but whatever. And we got to celebrate with the satisfaction of doing it ourselves. And grease on our hands. And with a couple of Root Brewskies.

I Won! I Won! I Won!!!

Remember this?

Well I won!!!!!!

Since the 1st place winner won BOTH categories (good for her, right?), they wanted to have a runner-up and I GOT IT!!!! I had the second most votes, THANKS TO YOU GUYS, so I get another ARC!!!!

EEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Honey!!!

This was from Zac's 5th birthday. 20 years ago. Too bad his siblings aren't here to re-stage the picture. That would be sweet.

Happy birthday, darling. I love you. I'm so so so glad you were born 25 years ago so that you could wander into my life when you did. You're amazing and deserve nothing less than the happiest of birthdays!!!!

Argh! Things Are Happening!!!

Ok, time for a 1:00 a.m. scatter-brained blog post.

As of late, I love the quote from 30 Rock where Liz thinks she's pregnant after eating a ton of Cheet-o type snack foods. (And NO, I am not pregnant and choosing to reveal it in the form of a 30 Rock quote.) She calls and leaves a voice mail for Jack which goes, "Hey Jack, it's Liz. Maybe you're busy spreading democracy. Anyways, give me a call. Argh! Things are HAPPENING!"

So she's freaking out over huge life happenings, but she doesn't want to blurt out said life happenings in inappropriate venues.

I get it, Liz Lemon. I truly do.

Things are HAPPENING.

Do you know how I know things are happening and it's not just me getting all caught up in my head and over-thinking things? DO YOU?


I can't stop biting my nails.

Something I only do before huge things happen.

The week before my wedding, I was at my wits end because I refused to let myself bite away my natural ready-to-be-manicured nails.

High school graduation? I chewed those suckers right off.

Moving to Utah, going to writers conferences, family planning...all big happenings. Not necessarily stressful or bad...just big. And happening. And all resulting in jagged-edged, uncomfortably (for me) short fingernails.

Sorry if this has piqued your interest and is not revealing in the slightest. But all I can say for now is that things are HAPPENING.

Vote For Mine!!!

Remember that book cover I made? Well, it's time to vote!!!! Go here. Click on "Click Here To Vote." Fill out the form. Mark "Yes" for being a blog follower. Vote for #13. Then tell your friends to do the same. It only takes like 2 seconds. 2 seconds of your time to give me ETERNAL GLORY.

Thanks!!!

Sunday Snapshots...

Zac has been spending a lot of time at the Lab as of late...seeing as how his account will expire next month. So instead of sitting around the house by myself on a sunny Sunday evening, I took the kids to the duck stream by the bell tower on campus. Of course, I forgot the camera, but I did happen to have my cell phone so I took some with that. And I have to say, these are some of my favorite pictures ever. K's face in the top one...I don't know how I managed to snap it at just the right moment, but it is HIGH-LARIOUS. And the picture of Logan hugging K...well, it's just precious. And it wasn't staged. He really loves his sister. And as long as he doesn't hug too hard or long, she sure loves him right back. They are the best siblings in the entire world. I'm convinced of it.

Logan loved feeding the ducks while Kaylee pointed and grunted at them. I also let Logan take his shoes of and wade in the water at the top of the waterfall...but it was FREEZING, so he didn't last long.

Happy Sabbath!

Another Contest...

This time, it's a creative one. I'm trying to win a cover design contest for Bree Despain's new book. Isn't it pretty???

STOMP ROCKET!!!

Logan got a "Stomp Rocket" in the mail yesterday for one of his birthday presents, and we played with it outside for well over an hour. And it's not much to blog about, but I felt like I had to share a few things. Like these pictures of Logan playing with, you guessed it, the packaging while the toy patiently waited. But isn't that always the way? The bubble wrap and boxes are almost as entertaining as the toy itself.




So once he popped all of the air bubbles, he moved on to learning how to actually launch the rockets. And of course the one launch I get on video heads right into a tree...

4th Of July Weekend...

Last 4th of July was a bust. I was 25 months pregnant, we didn't stake out seats for the parade 3 days in advance so we had to stand a block away from the route, and we barely got lucky enough to watch the Stadium of Fire fireworks...from 8 miles away. LAME.

So while I was complaining about hating Provo during the 4th festivities, one of my very favorite people in the world, Roxy Barlow, said "Why don't you come up to my parent's house in Huntsville? We camp in their yard, boat in the lake, there is a small-town parade, and one of the best fireworks shows you can imagine."


So I said, "Sign me up."

So Friday, we drove up past Ogden to the Harper's. It was pretty much a perfect 4th of July weekend (aside from my apparently terrible ragweed allergies...I couldn't breathe through my nose the entire time we were there). Starting on Friday after we set up "camp," we played volleyball on the sand court in their back yard, Logan had about a million friends to play with, snacked on tons of food, had tons of fun, and Zac had wireless access.

Then Saturday morning, we got up and got ready for the parade. There was also a breakfast in the park...it was very Bloomfield-ish and made me a bit homesick, to tell you the truth. Also, Roxy's Great-Uncle collects Civil War era things and has a group of her cousins dress up every year and march in the parade...and even fire the cannon. It was great!



After the parade, the park was filled with bounce-houses and games and vendors and all sorts of fun. Of course we didn't stay long since we had a sleepy baby, but even back at the Harper's, the fun was continuing.


That night, there was a dance-type thing back in the park prior to fireworks. We were only there for a few songs since, again, we had a sleepy baby who we were trying to make nap late so she would be not so cranky for the fireworks. So for a while, we just drove around the lake so the kids would snooze. And this was the view:


Nice, huh?

So the fireworks were a huge hit. After every blast, Kaylee would go "ooh!" or "eh!" and clap occasionally. Logan said he liked it, even though he covered his ears THE ENTIRE TIME. Silly boy.

So this year...WAY better than last year. Happy Birthday, America. Thanks for giving us an excuse to barbecue and light things on fire.

Logan's Belated Birthday Post...

So we have started a tradition for birthdays in out family. On your actual birthday, you get to go out anywhere you want (within reason) with just Mom and Dad. Then you also get a friend party that weekend (or whenever is convenient). We started this on Logan's 1st birthday mainly because his best friend James was out of town on Logan's birthday. So, that being said, here's how Logan's 3rd birthday went down:

For his "mom and Dad" celebration, we went to Pirate Island. It's a pizza place...on crack, basically. Pirates as servers, ship cannons that fire smoke rings, thunderstorms...let's just say we were impressed and Logan had a blast.




We also went to see Toy Story 3. It was fantastic. And Logan loved that, too. He even got to take his Woody doll he got from James :-)

For his "Friend Party," I believe I had a stroke of genius. Instead of having 10 three-year-olds running around my house and having very limited seating for the parents, I thought, "Hey...why don't we do it at the park down the road?" It was quite possibly the best idea ever. We snagged the pavilion in case it rained (which it didn't...it was perfect), set up hot dogs, all sorts of salads, and drinks. The kids played on the playground (and in the drink cooler of ice) while the adults all got to sit back and relax. I figure there is no point in organizing games and such at this age, so why not keep it low-key?







Logan also requested a "Cars" cake, and since I was way too busy this year to actually make one, I was happy to oblige by getting a store-bought one. He didn't seem to mind.

He made out quite well in terms of presents (THANKS to all the grandparents and aunts and uncles!!!) from family and friends and I think 3 is going to be a good year for the little guy!

Because Bree Is Awesome...

I have blogged about Bree Despain a few times on here. And you should all know by now that I want to be just like her when I grow up. So anything I can do to help her out, I do. (And winning her contests doesn't hurt, either.) So here is the trailer for her first book:



Cool, huh? I WANT TO BE HER!

Random Things (About Me) Thursday...

(Christmas 1990 with my cousin Steven)


(March 2004 in Las Vegas)

I have a lot of time to think at work. And Today I was thinking about myself and some of my quirks and little-known factoids that make up who I am. (I know, a bit self-indulgent.) But I thought I would share:

1. My first name is actually Sarah Kay. No, Kay is not part of my middle name. Sarah Kay. One name. Well, two names, but...you get it. I think the story goes that my mom liked the name Kay after one of her close friends and my dad liked Sarah for no reason in particular. So they threw them together. And very few people actually call me by my full first name. My mom would when I was in trouble. My Dad would occasionally. My Uncle Gary did all the time. My aunt Karen still does. And my cousins Cindy and Paul both still do. But that's about it.

2. I hate pancakes. I don't know if I've shared this before or not, but I HATE them. Not "would prefer not to have them for breakfast," but more like "am outraged when offered them." I don't really know why. Maybe it's the way they absorb syrup or the way people order them in huge stacks, or how some people try to make them sound more appealing by calling them "fluffy." Whatever it is, I HATE THEM. However, if in "silver dollar" form, I find them less offensive.

3. I also hate spoons. When given a food item that can be eaten with either a fork or a spoon (Mac and Cheese, mashed potatoes, etc), I will always take the fork. And when given a food item that requires a spoon (ice cream, soup, etc), I will search high and low for a disposable one. I think maybe it has something to do with the fact that the spoon has a lot of surface area that touches the inside of people's mouths. Multiple people. And that's all I can really think about when using a spoon. That someone else's ENTIRE mouth was on and around that spoon. Now the fork, on the other hand, should hardly touch the lips if used properly. That's a utensil I can eat with.

The spork? Well, it is a handy invention, I'll give them that. And more often than not, they are disposable, so they are ok by me.

4. I am writing a novel. I guess most people have figured that out by now, but there it is. I am a writer. Or, at least trying to be. My goal is to be published by the time Logan hits 3rd grade. And I'm always looking for names to give my characters. So if you ever want to be written in. let me know. However, after Julie Driscoll told me that she wanted her name in print, her character has turned into quite the beeotch. So...be forewarned.

5. I am dieting. And this is the first actual diet I have ever done in my life. And so far, it seems to be working quite well. I already hit goal number one, which was to drop below *** lbs. And I managed to do it in 4 days. So while I am hungry and can't wait to up my calorie intake again, I am getting in better shape for Zac's sister's wedding. In August.

6. I may become a resident of the state of Washington sooner rather than later. But this is a developing story with no real confirmation from the Associated Press yet. More on this later.

Well, that's all for now.

Happy Father's Day...

To this guy:


And this one:


And him, too:


...but since this blog also serves as my journal, I need a little self-indulgent moment. This is going to be an Uncle Gary post and might get sad, so feel free to stop reading.

My first Father's Day without an Uncle Gary to send a card to was really hard. I remember looking for cards in the Hallmark section of Walmart and finding the "For Uncle" slot. I freaked out and called my mom, hysterically crying. She probably had no idea what I was saying through my gasps and sobs. And I'm sure I was freaking out the other nearby Walmart shoppers. But I couldn't stop crying until I put that card in my cart. Of course, once I bought it, I had no idea what to do with it, which seemed to only make me cry more. Then the Saturday night before Father's Day, I went to the little grocery store near our apartment and bought some balloons. Sure, maybe it was corny, but I tied that card to those balloons and let it go the next morning up in the mountains, alone. There was a nice breeze, so I let go.

And the balloons dropped right to the ground. The helium seemed to have leaked out just enough that the balloons couldn't support the weight of the card. Again, I started sobbing. Even my stupid little gesture wasn't going to work. So out of frustration, with tears in my eyes, I started cutting away at the balloon ribbons with my car keys, hoping that would lighten the weight just enough. I waited for the breeze to come back, held my breath...and it worked. Slowly, the bunch of balloons drifted up, taking the card with them. I must have watched them for half an hour, until they were just a tiny little speck in the sky.

Now I'm not claiming that the card I wrote made it's way to heaven or whatever, but I don't really like to chalk things up to "just coincidence." either. And maybe it took a while for that card to reach him, but I think I got a "Thank You" tonight. I was feeling a little heart broken, wishing that I could just say "Happy Father's Day" to the person who was most like a father to me (aside from my Daddy, obviously) and a song I had never heard came on the radio. {side note: every Saturday night, I listen to "Show Tunes Tonight" on KOSY 106.5...all show tunes, all night long.} And this is the song I heard:



I had just pulled the van into our parking spot when I heard my name in song (which I love anyways). Both of the kids were sleeping, so I turned off the car and sat and listened. And I cried a little. And after I got the kids in bed, I found this video. And listened to it about a million times.

Of course, I can't find the song on iTunes or Amazon or anything, but there is this. (If you know where I can get it, let me know. It's called "Sarah" from "The Civil War" the musical.)

So...Happy Father's Day, Uncle Gary. Hope your cards have been getting to you.

Because Christine Facebooked Me And Told Me To Post...

I've been busy. I know that's not an excuse, but I find my time is better spent with my children than blogging. Case-in-point:

Instead of blogging a few weeks ago, we went to Utah Lake:







And last night, instead of blogging, we did this for about 20 minutes:



See those PJ's? Logan wore them when he was tiny. And now I make K wear them. Why? Because they remind me of the PJ's the baby in "Labyrinth." And we all know how much I love that movie. And nearly every time I put K in these jammies, we listen to this:

So what else can Miss K do these days besides bring up feelings of cheesy 80's movies? Well, like you saw briefly, she can clap. She has also learned the signs for "more," "all done," and we're working on "please." She points, waves, gives kisses, and gives hugs. She is also just barely getting out of her stranger anxiety phase. She is crawling at the speed of light, standing, and walking along furniture. She is getting so big. It's hard to believe that she will be one next month. One year old. Where did the time go?

And how about that Logan boy? Well, he will be three. On Monday. It's insane. And he will get his own post then.

So I suppose this post is a bit scatter-brained, but that's what you get when you request a post that I haven't thought through enough :-)

Sigh...

Well, at least we aren't the only ones feeling hopeless right now!

New College Graduates To Be Cryogenically Frozen Until Job Market Improves