Lucky Red Hen —

In Utah This Weekend

by Lucky Red Hen on December 14, 2007

Just went out to dinner with a few friends (thanks, friends) and had a marvelous time. Oh, I should start by telling you what I did YESTERDAY…

I say, let’s leave for the airport at 4:30. Ben says, it doesn’t take that long to get there so we plan to leave at 4:45 and end up leaving at 4:56. My flight (which is the last of the night) leaves at 6:20. Stuck in traffic, I keep glancing at the time as it gets past 5:20, 5:38 then 5:57. Call up Southwest and the only thing she suggests is to ask for cuts at security to catch my flight or reschedule for the morning (Tiffany and her girls are picking me up at 9:10 and my last dental appointment is 10am the next day). Get out of the car at 6:09 (oh, I should mention that I DID say a silent prayer to help me make my flight). I book it to security… lines are too bad but it’s still about 30 people and I don’t muster the courage to ask for cuts (yeah, ME). The security guy waves me through at 6:12 and I get behind a couple military boys. They’re unlacing their boots when I say that my flight is in 9 minutes and they gladly let me go ahead (and say their flight isn’t for another two hours so they have plenty of time). About to waltz through the x-ray thingy (I know it’s not an x-ray, but you know what I mean) and realize I have my hefty metal belt… rip it off in a flurry and slap it on the dealio before walking through without a beep… YAY! It’s 6:14 so I’m hurridly redressing and start hauling tail to Egypt. Because at SeaTac my gate is ALWAYS in Egypt (almost as bad as the SLC airport). The digital clocks along the way say 6:14 then 15. I have to stop running because my pants aren’t staying up (didn’t get the belt on) and I feel like I’m going to hyperventilate. Yes, now is the time I’m thinking about how out of shape I am and that I should work out… someday. I’m walking as fast as I can and pounding my chest thinking that will keep my heart beating. It’s 6:16 and four minutes from take-off when I think about how they close the doors five minutes before departure. I see Egypt… it’s the round area at the end that you can never tell where the gate is for some reason. My eyes scamper around frantic to find the gate… there it is… but there are a bunch of people standing in front of it. “Excuse me, (gasp, pant, pant) is this the Southwest flight to SLC?” Yes, it is, and they’ve delayed boarding but we don’t know why. Hallyjulia!

So I make my flight, see a buddy (Steve S. who rides a chopper) and friend (Kathy G.) then use the plane restroom because I love the flush and washing my hands (but I’m not OCD, as one attendant suggested… I just like to wash my hands, especially in public). If you’ve made it this far in the story, I commend you (and you’re probably my mother), because it’s not all that interesting and I’m not trying to be creative because I need to hit the hay. But I’ll keep going.

Tiffany and the girls pick me up, we drive through Taco Hell for a Grilled Gordita (chipotle-style, whatever that means but it was good) since I missed dinner altogether and then she shows me her new art gallery on our way to her new loft in the city. I stayed there last night then she drove me to her extra car in the morning (I’m using it while I’m here, YAY). I forgot she had cats but I didn’t have a huge reaction (slight, but I’m not complaining). Her loft is SO cute and the gallery is amazing!

We’re to this morning (I had a cup of strawberry yogurt so I wouldn’t get crap stuck in my teeth). I got my 2nd set of temporary teeth off this morning then meticulously had work done to put on my six new permanent front teeth. Dr. Hillam and my dental lab tech (Hi Craig) spent more time than normal, but they made sure I have the best dang teeth on the planet. Really. I’ll post a picture sometime (although, I just realized I don’t really have “before” pics to show the comparison, but whatever). Dr. Boehme had done the gum reconstruction surgery in August that prepared my mouth for the better, newer teeth. HE did an amazing job. All-in-all, it was an amazing transformation. I’m a big smiler, so this makes me thrilled. I spent WAY more time in that dental chair than I thought but it was all worth it in the end.

Missed lunch (in the chair) and waited ’til dinner/dessert with friends at Carrabba’s. Oh, I did have a chocolate chip cookie with McKinley and Olivia, but no milk (dangit). Saw Lauri and Perry’s new baby, Jack (I’d link but I’m tired), took a gal to see our washer and dryer for sale (she purchased them), unloaded the mail THAT’S SUPPOSED TO BE FORWARDED TO OUR NEW ADDRESS from the mailbox, swung by the Harley shop to hug Lance (he taught the Riders Edge course at the Harley dealership) and maybe pick up a shirt for Jack and Piper (2 separate ones, of course) and started on some med’s to keep my pain at a low threshold.

So, dinner. Laurie, Monica, Tillia, Cathy, Jen and Sarah made my night fun with catching up and talking deep (mostly) and shallow (not as much). Jared was our server, as I always request (dangit it’s his last week because he’s quiting to concentrate on school — yay for school, boo for when I visit). I asked him if he’d do anything I ask… he said yes (that’s a whole ‘nother story about why he’d trust me enough to answer YES before I tell him what it is). So the owner (whom I love and is my friend) came back with the container of cinnamon and a teaspoon. See, this isn’t the first time we’ve done this. Tristan was the first then a few other servers and a hostess. We told him that it’s impossible to swallow a teaspoon of cinnamon. He said, “Oh that’s easy. I can do it,” then put it in his mouth and closed it tight. First came the wide eyes then the poof of smoke from his nostrils. Then another shocked look and another nose poof then a puff out his mouth before he bee-lined to the back for water. I guess we should check to see if that’s dangerous. So far it’s just been funny. Brenen is the one that told me about it in the first place.

Anywho, I’m beat and have a busy day tomorrow with Kristy and Phil’s wedding! Hope you didn’t mind the long and boring story of my day. Peace out.

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Seattle Had Snow

by Lucky Red Hen on December 9, 2007

Operative word: had.

When it snows in the Seattle area, it doesn’t stick around for long. By the time I got my camera out and took a picture of the kids snowman, he looked like this…
Poor thing fell over and melted away before our very eyes in the pouring rain. Can you see the tiny bit of head left and the orange spot laying next to it. That’s the nose; a carrot (which a wild bunny probably ended up eating). Those two twigs flayling around (imagine it) were once arms. All the dirt and pine needles are another sign that it’s Seattle. All snowballs contain a pine needle or two.

This is probably why 1/2 our Christmas lights aren’t working. But I’m no electrician.

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The Whole Gang 2007

by Lucky Red Hen on December 7, 2007

Ben’s entire immediate family, immediately following Thanksgiving dinner (I think it took us 15 minutes start to finish) and immediately at sunset grr. He has two sisters and three brothers (two nephews and one niece with one more on the way). The last group shot we have is on the beach at the Oregon coast before Will was born (Owen wasn’t a twinkle in anyone’s eye at that point, he recently turned one). The next group shot won’t be for at least two years. I know it’s AT LEAST because it was in the low 40’s and we all were freezing. So two years from now when Bryant and Brad are back we won’t take pics during the cold weather; instead we’ll wait until summer.

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Squirting Tub Toys

by Lucky Red Hen on December 7, 2007

JUST SAY NO.

LOUDLY.

I’m serious.

They’re selling tub toys as squirters but some aren’t advertised that way and still have the squirting capability. Along with the squirting capability comes the sucking of the water into the interior of the plastic toy. Unless you’re removing every speck of water out of these critters then disinfecting the innards with bleach or rubbing alcohol or something that will get rid of the moisture, you WILL have bacteria crud growing inside.

It’s really fun to hear your 4yr old daughter shriek with fear when she squirts the leftover water from the toys and out pours flecks of black, gross crap all throughout the tub. No, it’s not, really, I was just being silly.

We do love playing with toys in the tub, so instead we encourage the non-holy types (although we consider ourselves to be religious in this house). We have some scuba diver guys with a shark cage, raft, turtles, dolphin, shark and submarine. None of which allow for water gunk.

There’s my public service announcement for a while.

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See You Later, Bryant and Brad

by Lucky Red Hen on December 5, 2007

Ben’s youngest brothers left today for Chile, South America (first they’re at the Missionary Training Center where they’ll learn Spanish and how to teach people about the gospel of Jesus Christ). They will be there for two years as missionaries for the church. Bryant (on the right) is going south and Brad (um, you should know which one he is left) is going north.

My son with his favorite uncle.

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Geography

by Lucky Red Hen on December 5, 2007

This is for my boy Colby, who makes fun of my lack of geography knowledge (seriously, I’m baaad). I didn’t know this answer, of course, but I at least knew it wasn’t what was given (no offense to Miss KP). See, Colb, we don’t have to master geography to BE someone hahaha!

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Hacienda El Carmen, Jalisco, Mexico iii part 2 of 2

by Lucky Red Hen on November 21, 2007

Happy day of thanks! I forgot to defrost the turkeys… so we’ll see how they turn out :o)

EDIT, MORE PICS: This is 4 of 4. Click here for the first, second and third of the series.

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Hacienda El Carmen, Jalisco, Mexico iii part 1 of 2

by Lucky Red Hen on November 20, 2007

Here are 1/2 of my favorite images from the model shoot at the Jose Villa Workshop. The models are from Citro Modelos and Megan Ortiz modeling agency with Mar from T.E.A.M. hair and makeup making their hair and makeup flawless.

Anna Paola is the model with the red lipstick and hair feather and Gladys is the one with longer hair and softer makeup. I loved them both… they were an absolute delight to work with and very sweet natured.

An interesting part of the shoot was finding out Mexican customs of being modest in your actions toward members of the opposite sex. There was a male model with Anna Paola that was very reserved in how he’d pose with her; no kissing or sensual poses, not even almost-kissing. I wasn’t in the group that took pictures of the couple, so I don’t have any to show you :o( But here are some of the girls…

Anna Paola was just sitting while getting her hair preped.