Southwest vacation in review!

What a week!!  Tyler & Brandon (my lil bro) & I took a whirlwind vacation to Vegas, Utah & Arizona Nov. 14-22. 

Vegas - This was Brandon's first over-21 trip to Vegas. It was fun to hang out with him and show him the city. He'll say it's cheesy but I know I'm really lucky to have him for a friend now that we're grown. We didn't always get along as kid but now that he's grown he's a good guy. :)  

We had actually gone to Vegas to see UFC 91 - a HUGE fight for the heavyweight belt. A legend in the sport (and one of my personal faves) Randy Couture was fighting. It was cool to be there for the fight - seemed the whole city was in on a giant inside joke. MMA brand shirts/hats EVERYWHERE. One of Tyler's friends from the gym was out there for the fights too and thanks to his friend, he was invited to Couture's pre-fight workout. Because he's a super swell guy he got us in too!!!  We got to see him, his gym, shake his hand (haven't washed hands since!) and Tyler & Mark got their photo with him. While we were there we saw Randy's wife, also a famous fighter, and the Tapout guys (a popular MMA brand led by a crazy team of guys who also have a TV show). Also, Mark found the address for the Warrior (another popular MMA brand) gym and we set out in search for it. Finally arriving, we walked in and the guy gave us a tour. On the tour we happen to notice that Tyler's favorite fighter, Forrest Griffin, is working out there!  As if that isn't cool enough, Mark decides he & I are going to stalk Forrest and get a photo with him. But Forrest heads into the bathroom at that moment and we end up loitering outside the mens' room. (I could only drink from the water fountain for so long!!!)  Dunno what he was doing in there but he finally emerged after a LOOOONG wait and by that time Mark had forgotten what we were doing and didn't say a thing when Forrest walked by!  This entire time, Tyler is so embarrassed he is standing by the gym's front door pretending he doesn't know us. hahaha.  

Anyway, UFC 91 was really fun to see even if Couture lost. The Iowa boy Jeremy Stephens won which was fun to see. The next day while wandering MGM Tyler saw another famous fighter walkin down the hall and he says "Look!! It's Thiago Alves!! *pause* It's Thiago Alves picking his nose!!!"  Then he promptly ran up to him and slapped him on the back (A few paces back I cringed as I imagined the automatic response to randomly slapping a UFC fighter!!!).  He didn't get punched, he did however shake Thiago's boogery hand and get a photo with him. Good times.  

Our room at MGM Signature was AWESOME. The MGM buffet for breakfast was AMAZING. We HAVE to find out how to make pancake casserole. mmmmmmm.  Oh yeah & we saw some SWEEEET cars:

Utah - After Vegas, we toolied off in our rented Equinox (side note: Alamo staff in Vegas = SUPER rude. would not recommend) to Kanab, Utah to visit my grandparents. They live in a tiny town surrounded by mountains. BEAUTIFUL scenery. We had a lovely visit with them. Brandon & I really enjoyed cooking with Grandma and spending quality time together in the kitchen. We played many games of 'mexican train' dominos (I even won one night) and took a trip up the Kaibab mountain to place a ham radio repeater. It really is a gorgeous country we live in. We also went out for ice cream one night - ice cream runs in our blood so it's always a good time for a cone. I do so love my grandparents and hated to leave. 

The only downside to this visit would by my grandparents' silly poodle with a broken leg. He has not been fixed and he thought Tyler's leg was attractive...  heee hee.  

Arizona - After Utah we headed south to Phoenix, dropped off the rental car and went to see Tyler's parents in Surprise, AZ. They always spoil us and dote on us and have our lil guest house ready for a stay. The first night Tyler's mom cooked up a storm and we had Thanksgiving dinner. DELISH!!!!  It's so relaxing (& warm and sunny!!) there. We toured model homes and went shopping (scored sweet shoes!) and had a blast catching up on everything. 

The 2nd night we went to Scottsdale to visit my aunt/uncle/cousins and Uncle Rick whipped up a delightful Mexican dinner. We love visiting there. Tyler felt comfortable with them from the first time he met them because my aunt is SOO like my mom, it's like being at my parents' house!  

The third night in AZ we went to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse to celebrate Tyler's birthday with a meal Tyler's been anticipating since last year's birthday dinner there. The steaks melt in the mouth and even the spinach is yummy. Brandon is doing experiments at home now to recreate the Ruth's steak deliciousness!

It was sad to leave, the time in Arizona felt short but Tom & Wanda will be back in Iowa in a few short weeks for Christmas.

LOTS of trip photos here!

Random things I learned this trip: 

Don't CHEW Jolly Ranchers. Even if they're cinnamon. They will break your teeth!

I don't like being without my dogs. It's not only that I miss them and want to hug them and get slobbery kisses. It's that a dog-free day makes me sad!!   We saw about 1 dog other than my grandparents' dog and my aunt & uncle's dogs. 

I'm allergic to desert air just like Iowa air!

*sigh of relief*

Wow. After hours at the gym + pounds of veggies & cooked chicken + LOTS of hardwork + sheer determination my best friend (ie. my husband Tyler) got in the ring Saturday for his Muay Thai debut. And let me tell ya - it was quite the show. He kicked and punched his opponent around the ring while we screamed & shouted. And he came out uninjured ('cept for a nice black eye) which I'm truly thankful for.

I'm married to one exceptional man who makes me proud on a regular basis and this was no exception. When my man sets his mind to something there is NO dissuading him. And so once he decided to train in MMA fighting, he adopted a strict diet, dropped weight and worked his tail off in the gym. I doubt many in the audience would have guessed he'd only been training in Muay Thai about 3 months.  I've only gotten to see pieces and bits of his moves and skills (usually when he's practicing holds on me or hitting pads I'm holding) so it was really fun for me to see him put it all together. Plus, he looked exceptionally hot despite those ugly green shorts!  :)

Judging from how many in the audience cheering for him, we have both been blessed with wonderful family & fiends. Thanks to all who have been so supportive!

I'm having trouble loading more pics into this blog so check out more here!

Some cool finds on Etsy

I love, love, love Etsy and buying awesome handcrafted items directly from the artists. If you don't know about Etsy, check it out!

These are my fave earrings on AlwaysAmy:

Studs:

fudgesicles

squirrels (see pic!)

Dangly:

awesome ornaments

I just bought this from Elaphannie for the 'toy room' at the end of the hall upstairs. SO excited to put it up!!

Details on the big fight!

So....my favorite person ever is going to make his public debut as a fighter on Nov. 8. A lot of people have said they'd like to be there for Tyler's fight so here's the details (You in NO way need to feel obligated to come but I'd love to have you cheering along with me.)

Nov. 8, beginning at 7:30 p.m., Val Air Ballroom. Tyler is the 4th fight. It's a Muay Thai* event - some pro bouts, some amateur. More details here.

Tickets on the ground floor cost $20, 30 or 40 apiece at a table for 10, if you buy in advance. We are planning to get a couple tables and group Tyler's fans together so let me know if you wanna go. We realize the tickets are pretty pricey and completely understand if you can't make it.

The event is put on by Tyler's coach Pete and his gym. It's an all-ages event. There will be food and drink available for sale.

* Muay Thai is a martial art from Thailand. It is not a fruity drink. (that's a Mai Tai!) A form of kickboxing, athletes use the hands, shins, elbows & knees for punching, kicking, kneeing and throwing elbows. MMA fighters (such as in the UFC) are often trained in Muay Thai for the standup portion of their sport. If you've watched 'The Contender" on Versus, you've seen Muay Thai.

I'm here, I'm here!

Ok, Tatey called me out - I've been neglecting our blog again. So, here I am with some photos I've been meaning to share...

First, some of my very favorite boys:

And here's some changes in our house - the kitchen light and art in the living room:

Get his fight on

The MMA scene is pretty big in Iowa. Here's where Tyler trains: RoundKick.

Here's an interview with the owner/muay thai coach at Roundkick:  http://vimeo.com/1782542

YAY for Emmys!

I'm not typically a girl that cares about award shows but I'm super psyched about how well '30 rock' was recognized!!  It won best comedy, Alec Baldwin got best comedy actor and Tina Fey got best comedy actress. Tina Fey won best writing for a comedy series. The show also won best casting for a comedy series.

If you haven't seen '30 rock,' you are totally missing out! Tyler & I love it. I usually laugh til I cry.

Also, props to 'Deadliest Catch' for best cinematography for nonfiction program!

Takin' his game to the ring

In an age when someone can ignore flashing lights/siren behind them, fail to produce a driver's license, slap a cop's hand, jump out of a car when told to say put and refuse to follow orders and  then file a complain on how they were treated AND get all kinds of sympathy, I give extra credit to those strong enough to be in law enforcement. Sure there are cops who use excessive force or discriminate but they're the minority and partially a result of this flawed system. But why as soon as there are allegations does everyone point fingers at the officers? There was an opinion piece in yesterday's paper pointing out that good old fashioned respect & law-following might have alleviated the situation. Whole thing pisses me off.

In other news.... Tyler is going to take his game to the ring. That is, he's going to put these months of training, dieting and hard-work on display. Nov. 8, at the Val Air Ballroom, he'll be fighting in a pro Muay Thai exhibition, RoundKick Rumble 13. He's worked really hard, his coach says he's ready and he's continuing to train hard. And so I'll be biting my nails and screaming my lungs out. Holler if you want to come see him! Also, we're working on his fighter persona...   nicknames & theme song suggestions are being sought!  Think hard so he doesn't have to be Tyler "The kitten" Tompkins with the theme song  "It's raining men." :)

In other random news.... I HATE DEALING WITH CAR INSURANCE PEOPLE. I just want my FJ fixed!!!!!  and I want her fixed NOW.

Our life, available as screenplay!

As I tailgated a limo through Missouri, past Amish buggies and through flooded, closed roads this weekend, I laughed to myself. When I sat on the side of a Missouri Interstate in my mom's car and watched the trooper who'd pulled over the limo chat up my husband, I laughed to myself HARD and thought perhaps our life should be made into a straight-to-DVD movie.... Oh wait, should I back up a bit?

Let's begin with Friday as I left work in the rain, cruisin home in a great mood, ready to head to the fights with Tyler & my brother Brandon. Great mood until some dumbass punk backed UP the interstate onramp and into my car. MY CAR! My precious FJ that I love. Said dumbass got out of car and said "Sorry. I didn't want to get on the interstate" at which point I punched his lights out. Oh wait, just kidding. I WANTED to punch his lights out. Instead I took his DL and called the cops and sat in my car until they arrived. The dumbass admitted it was his fault AND admitted he had NO insurance. So today I'm playing the insurance/rental car/repair shop phonecalls. Which is why I was driving my mom's car Saturday. As for the rest of the story....

Tyler likes to browse Ebay motors and bid on vehicles he could fix up and resell. (In his spare time!) Apparently one day while doing that he saw a 1990 limosine for sale and thought "hm, that's a good deal!" and bid on it. And WON IT. at which point he remembered that good deals are only good deals if it's something you want! All jesting aside though, he got a good price and plans to fix it up a bit and sell it for more, which looking at comparables looks like a good plan. So we now own a limo. a LOOOONG limo with red vinyl seats and carpet, crystal glasses on the bar and 2 tvs and a vhs player. I know our neighbors are scratching their heads after seeing it parked in front of our house!!

OHH, and the flooded streets.....so about 1 mile after leaving the guy's house in Nowheresville, Mo, we hit a 'road closed' sign (during torential rain) but Tyler decides we can make it if we go slow.  So, in limo, he fords the river that was a road. and then it dies. on a closed off rural road. with no cell coverage. in the rain. BUT God was looking out for us and the next truck along was a mechanic who had worked on this limo before and he pulled out his rags, dried something out and off we went!!!

And as for being pulled over....apparently you HAVE to have a license plate in Missouri but we were not far from the Iowa border so he skipped the ticket but he did ask him why he would buy a limo!!  And, super weird, he knew the twin brother of Tyler's sergeant!

Regular Day?

Ah another not exciting day.

After watching a full 4 episodes of The Office last night (I love that show), I set my alarm for 8....and I woke up around 9. I have never slept through my alarm before but toady's the day.

Went to Muay Thai class and glad I did. I meet a newer member of the class who also installs granite and tile. We had him out the other day and he swears he is going to give me the deal of a lifetime. He apparently owns a 2003 Porsche 911 twin turbo. For those of you who are car-tarded one of the fastest cars on the planet, AND HE OFFERED TO LET ME DRIVE IT when he brings it in. I guess this means regardless of what his granite price is I have to pay it to get into that car.

The rest of the day was usual fielded some calls from tenants that could not pay their rent, cleaned the carpet in 2 units with Rug Doctor. OK side note here I wanted to purchase a rug doctor as often as I use one, there are thousands of dollars. So that made up my mind...I will rent (never thought I would say that). After helped with various tenant repairs and then headed for home, and work.

Boring day but productive I suppose.

woah, woah, a new voice on our blog!

Our blog finally has 2 writers-enough to make it "ours," not "mine" which is very exciting!  As I drove home last night, Tyler said "we should blog about our everyday life" and I said "that's the idea but I don't have time!" so he said he'd give it a shot.  But not only do I not have time, sometimes I just figure I don't have anything interesting to talk about....

But later last night as I danced with a mastiff and golden*, in my pajamas, and sang "Mercy" by Duffy out loud, I thought maybe he was on to something. Our everyday life IS something to blog about. 

So here 'tis, all 4 of our readers....a renewed commitment to regular blogging!

*Tonka refuses to dance with me.

Uhh am I in the right place...

Hello all this is Tyler.. you know the webmaster/blog freaks husband. I decided to not let Courtney have all the fun and start to post.

Soooooo here we go...

We are currently in that time of the year when we want to get out of town and have some fun. This time we are putting a little bit of planning into our trip and not just booking a trip and leaving two days later ( Courtney hates that, I do not). We are headed back to Vegas for a UFC fight on Nov. 15th (and yes we both love MMA) we leave on the 14th and leave Vegas on the 17th. We then journey up to Utah and see the grandparents in the lovely and hard to find town of Kanab ( and Joyce I swear you have to go through Zion Park to get to your house). After a few days enjoying the middle of nowhere Utah we will travel back down to Arizona and see my parents for a couple of days.

You know I go on these vacations and by the end I really am ready to return home for what ever may be waiting. It is usually some property emergency that gets me all frustrated on vacations and ruins a day ( just as Courtney). It never fails by the end of the vacation I swear I am never going on vacation again.........but here we are.

I'm famous!

for looking 12.....   

If you have a dog, read this

If you have a dog, please read Chai's story and share with anyone you know who has a dog!!!

Vote for my furbabies!!!

Local weekly is having a cutest pet contest.....and we all know who has the cutest pets!  Please vote high and often for our boys!!

Tanky

Tonka

Tuck

New furniture!

Mom & I went to a huge tent sale a few weeks ago and I scored some great deals for our house. (love knowing people in high places!!) Let me know what you think!

I got this $289 chaise for $149!




The red chest/buffet is new. Instead of $299, I got it for $129! See how cute it is? Gramma, I'm going to put the silverware from you in the top 3 drawers, then I have china in the cupboard & drawers for tableclothes!

Mom found this $349 lamp for $43 AND she got in a fistfight with some weasely guy who says he saw it first. GO MOM!!!

The weirdness has been transformed!!

Remember the weirdness on our fireplace in the family room?? My siblings called it the dance floor on the wall. We just called it strange & confusing.

Then my brilliantly talented friend, Sarah Hill, (also a Grand View College grad) worked her magic to create this FIVE feet wide, FIFTEEN feet tall masterpiece!!!!

See Sarah (paid with check & beer) for size comparison to her gorgeous paintings:

So now that's another huge project off our to-do list for the house. YAY! Thanks, Sarah, for being awesome and working magic on this weird space in our house!!  It's beautiful!!

My furbabies

It's been awhile since I shared pics of my kids so here you go! Tuck hittin the bottle, Tank thrashin Tuck & Tonka meeting Bill:

I've been remiss in sharing cuteness!!

I've been so remiss in blogging! And while I don't have anything ground-breaking or super enlightening to share, you haven't been kept up to date on the amazing cuteness I've photographed lately!!!

About a month ago I shot photos of the Daniel family, Keith & Kelly have been friends of mine for years and I used to babysit cutie-pies Kirby & Kortni. Now they growing up so fast I can't keep up! Below are some photos of the adorable family - enjoy!

Aren't they all adorable?!?

And this week I took photos of Tyler's cousin Mark's family, also soooo super cute it's unreal. Enjoy:

My commercial debut

Ya don't need to be Ms. Manners to know...

It's flippin tacky to put a card in your wedding invite saying where you are registered. I have gotten two wedding invites in the last two months, both had an additional piece in them telling where to buy a gift. RUDE, people, it's rude. And tacky. And NOT DONE. I'm no Emily Post but I know this. How come so many people don't?!?

And on a similar note, sometimes I see ugly invitations and think "Wow, who would buy THAT?" and then I get them in the mail. BLECH. Use some style, people.

How dare you?

Who are the jackasses of the world that sit in their safe, dry, warm homes and point fingers, make false accusations and slander police officers? I'd like to give them a piece of my mind. Oh wait, I have a blog. Let a piece of my mind commence....

On Sunday there was a shooting in a DSM suburb. Someone died. It's a tragedy, yes. It happened at a place where fights, shootings, drugs and other crap are common. Every week in the newspaper's police reports, this address is listed. The police department reports 100+ calls in the last few months. and YET, readers of the Register read the news story (shooting at a bar unpleasantly near our quiet neighborhood) and blame police officers for not enforcing safety. ARE YOU FRICKING KIDDING ME?!?!?!

And to add to my righteous indignation, this photo shows up on the same newspaper's website: photo of Cedar Rapids flood line enforcement and people respond with comments about how horrible and uncalled for the police action was. AS IF THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. The sad part is they could probably read this story, with the actual facts: CNN actually reports what was happening in the photo and still point fingers. HE TRIED TO HIT HIM WITH HIS CAR, ASSHOLES. He needs to be arrested. Not patted on the back and consoled.

So, here's what I have to say. You ignorant, prejudice assholes who think you know better than the police need to be kicked in the nuts. You flippin SUCK. Until you have some idea of what a police officer's job entails, shut up. Unless you go to work in a vest designed to protect you from bullets likely to come your way, shut up. Unless you've been called out in the middle of the night to examine a dead body or tell a parent their child is dead, shut up. Unless you've personally interviewed victims of violence, inhaled mace or worked hour after hour to protect the innocent, shut up. Unless you've ever left your wedding ring at home so gangbangers don't know you have a family to retaliate against, you should shut the frick up.*

Police officers get dressed every day knowing someone will criticize and insult them. They wade in where nobody wants to go. They run into dangerous situations while others run out. They put themselves on the line every single day for people who would as soon spit on them as thank them.

Who drives out to help you when you're a moron and drive on the icy roads after the DOT tells you to stay home? Who checks out flooded areas for safety hazards before allowing you to hurt yourself? Who do you call when you need help? Who holds your hand when you've been traumatized? Who rescues stray animals when they've been abandoned? People in law enforcement should be thanked, respected and honored.


*this blog has been severely edited in consideration for any of my younger sibling readers. I've had much stronger language on my mind today.

linky-loos for you

It's rainy and you feel like browsing the 'net....but dunno where to go? Well, I culled a few random links from my bookmarks that should entertain you for awhile. Enjoy!

Craigslist, it's like an online garage sale/bulletin board

Free iTunes downloads each week

the best streaming, FREE radio

Mental Floss magazine

buy cute stuff here, support women in third world countries

Can't figure out what font is on your cereal box? This place will help.

The best place to buy handmade goods from the creator

Put in a word and find out what rhymes!

Nat'l Law Enforcement Officers Memorial

A mag for the married folk

Online site for married life

FUNNY shirts

She Knows, all kindsa info

Free Proctor & Gamble samples/coupons

Fat Wallet, the BEST site for sales, coupons, etc.

Grumpy Girl clothes

my mouth is watering

will blog soon about our whirlwind trip to Vegas last weekend but saw this deal and wanted to pass along....

hot summer special at Ruth's Chris

if there's a Ruth's Chris Steak House in your city, GO. ENJOY. and don't tell me about it or I'll be envious! :)

Tyler's parents took us to Ruth's for his birthday last November when we were in Arizona. SOOOOOOOO delish. And Tyler continues asking me for his food on a 500 degree plate, as if he thinks that'll make my cooking taste so good. haha, poor boy.

They have restaurants in Denver, Arizona, Kansas City, Minneapolis and many other places that are equally cool but I don't know people likely to visit them so I won't bother listing.

Vacation recap

So vacation recap: sunshine, Gulf of Mexico, luxury hotel, fresh seafood, time alone with my awesome husband. How could it BE anything but wonderful!? It was awesome.

We had a great time, slept in, ate lots of yummy food, saw dolphins up close, took a terrifying (to me) jet ski trip up around some islands north of Clearwater, went to Busch Gardens, took a dinner cruise on a huge yacht, collected seashells, drank ice cold beverages and did plenty of people-watching! The only bad parts were being homesick for our furry boys which Bri and Tate did an excellent job babysitting and getting a wee bit burned.

here's some photos

I'll add more photos online when I get our disposable, waterproof camera back from being developed. Hopefully it has some great dolphin pics!

Hogan doesn't know best

When Tyler & I were in Clearwater we drove by Hulk Hogan's house (seen in season 1 of 'Hogan Knows Best'). We liked that show when it was on but holy cow, check out this video and you won't like the Hogans so much now.
CNN video of Nick's jail convo

so cute it hurts

On the side of my blog you may have noticed the "Daily Puppy" feature. As you all probably have guessed, I'm in love with dogs and so enjoy cute photos of them. Well, today's photo is too cute to miss. Check it out:
a mini English bulldog

ONLY A FEW MORE HOURS TIL VACATION! FLORIDA, here we come!!!!!!!!!!

Back to reality Tuesday (happy birthday to me!)

Hot stuff, seniors in the city

I love taking photos. I LOVE, LOVE taking photos when the subjects are this awesome.
My handsome bro Ty and hot stuff sister Tate, along with good friend and cutie-pie Kelsey made for perfect subjects on Sunday. And of course my trusty photo assistant Riley was a huge help and made it extra fun.

Ty, Tate & Kelsey's senior pics!

BTW, I now am staking claim to these three gorgeous models. I will, however, be their photo pimp and let you borrow them for a fee. :)

happy anniversary baby

Today is a special day for Tyler & I, and not just because Tucker turns 2! Today marks our second anniversary of marriage. And what a fun, action-packed, adventure it has been.

I can't imagine anyone I'd rather have at my side than my best friend and husband. He makes me smile, makes me laugh, holds my hand, keeps me warm, arm bars and tackles me, spoils me rotten, thinks I'm cool, puts up with my corny humor, takes off the day when I'm sick, eats the crappy casseroles I make up, watches dumb TV shows with me, works hard to make a life for us and equally hard to spend time together. He even once wore the shirt I made that says "I (heart) Courtney." He's adopted my family and lets me be part of his. He knows more about every topic under the sun than anyone I've ever met and can fix absolutely anything. Plus he's an awesome doggy daddy and takes care of our boys.

He's my favorite person ever. I love you, Tyler.

grads galore

This weekend was a very busy, exciting time for our family. We celebrated my brother Brandon's graduation from Grand View and watched Tate cross the stage as a high school grad. While Ty opted outta the ceremony, he's also an awesome high school grad. We'll celebrate the two of them fully in June. My aunt from Arizona even made the trek out here as a surprise which was lots of fun. As exhausting as it is, there's nothin better than hangin with the fam. Family and friends are a great blessing and Tyler & I, (as well as Tuck, Tank and Tonka) are very blessed.

The college grad, with a few of his partners in crime:


Two awesome high school grads:


We look forward to the end of the month when Tyler's parents will be back in Iowa for the summer and all our immediate family will be nearby!

I love taking photos of pretty people!

But that's only one reason I had so much fun taking my sister's senior photos - the girl's got style, class, sophistication AND looks. Plus we goofed around and had fun - her, me and my photo assistant Riley. I'm so blessed to have cool sisters.
Check out Tate's pics in my Flickr albums

I'll be shooting my brother Tyler's senior pics on Sunday so look for them next week!

more softball pics

Tyler and I love to go to the kids' softball games - it's a break from reality, good time with family and every single week it's good for a laugh! :)
all-star kids right here

I have a case of the MUNdays

I SWEAR I did not come in to work with a bad attitude. On the contrary, I BROUGHT CINNAMON ROLLS AND BANANAS AND COFFEE CREAMER. like a nice person, rarin to go for another week. And how do I get repaid? In stupidity.
I'm ready to head back to bed and start over. why do all the stupid people magnetize to bother me on the same day?

Swing, batter, batter, swing

To see some cute kids and studly ball-players, check out the latest gallery on our Flickr. Photos by me and my brother Tyler.
Softball '08

Research says first-born kids have it toughest

no shit, sherlock:
MSNBC Health report about how younger kids get off hook

blogging like it's my job!

oh wait, it IS my job. Check out where I blog for work: myspace.com/desmoinesuniversity
I either write the blogs or edit and post student blogs.

porch dogs

Four of the world's cutest dogs + Jackson:



Mastiffs mauling Uncle Stuart with kisses:

Part of the team

One of my fave. things to cover/promote here at DMU is our simulation lab. It's so high-tech the fake patients have been known to creep out visitors. (and rightly so, if you don't expect a mannequin to blink, drool, talk or react to light) I shoot photos/write stories about the lab as much as possible. We're one of a handful of med. schools with a lab and our lab is one of the very best west of the Mississippi so it's a key talking point! :)

They're always doing something new & cool in the sim lab with awesome plans for the future. So imagine my delight when the clinical coordinator said I could HELP WITH CASES!!! WOOOHOO!! (I know, I'm a nerd!) So come June I will start learning medical cases so I can be the voice of a "patient" while students learn. To make it official, I got some gear:

Blessings abound

After two days off work I have lots to tend to this morning but wanted to take a moment to share some exciting news from our lives:

My Uncle Mike had surgery on Wednesday. The surgeon said the surgery was very successful - the cancer had not spread and he may not need any further treatment. We are SOOO thankful for this prognosis and will keep praying for a quick recovery and cancer-free future. He went home yesterday from the hospital. My Mom & I were glad we could be there. It was great to see him, my aunt April, cousin Jared and his beautiful wife and new baby. Plus, as a bonus, once I arrived and realized he was at a Mayo hospital, discovered it was the same hospital my friend Miaka works in!

Also, we are no longer the owners of an ice cream store. You can not possibly understand how exciting this is for us!!!! No more ordering and wrangling with vendors, no more scheduling and juggling requests off, no more payroll and bill paying, no more cleaning and organizing a store, no more last minute trips to Sams, early morning stops at the mall or phone calls all day long. YAY! And for those who keep asking us what we'll do with our free time - the point of selling was so we'd have more time to focus on our apartments, full-time jobs and each other!! Believe me, it will not lead to boredom and tv-watching in our underwear. ha!

Thirdly, for today at least, my little bro graduated from Grand View. He didn't want to attend the graduation ceremony and he may not want the hoopla or attention but he can't stop me from being very, very proud of him.

shhhhh. quiet in the library.

So I've been called a "visionary" when it comes to style. My husband says I am one of those people that makes passer-byers say "wow, check out THAT outfit" and not in a good way. But today, a new compliment for my stylish ways....

my eyes burn due to allergies. they itch and burn and tear every day in the spring. So today I wore glasses. To complement the glasses, I pulled my hair back neatly, threw on some dangly lime green earrings. The look I was going for was chic.

Show up to work (no parking spaces. GRR) and am immediately told "wow, you look like a librarian today!" SWEEEEET. JUST the look I was going for. Librarian. That's me. Nerdy, bookish Courtney. *sigh*

Took this photo from an angle that added to the nerd factor:



Should i give up my hope of being sexy, stylish & hot??

YAY for vacay!!!

in one month from today, Tyler and I will be on a white sand beach with drink in hand. YAY!!!! We're going to the Clearwater/St. Petersburg area of Florida, staying here: http://www.sandpearl.com. Planning to go here: http://www.frenchysonline.com/ to buy a BUCKET OF FRESH SHRIMP to eat on the beach. Wanna go on this boat: http://www.seascreamer.com/boat_rides_clearwater1.htm to see dolphins!!!! Will probably drive 10 miles to Tampa and visit Busch Gardens-Africa (http://www.buschgardens.com/BGT/default.aspx)!
let the countdown begin!!!

sometimes....

I just don't wanna.
Yeah, that's just a general statement of being. didn't wanna get up. didn't wanna get ready for work. didn't want to go out in the rain while the dogs took their sweet time choosing a place to pee. didn't wanna drive to work. didn't wanna come to work. don't wanna think. don't wanna even walk across campus to get my breakfast. blah.

I'm not depressed. just uninspired today. it's probably the rain. it inspires me to stay in bed and sleep. rain, rain, go away!!!

one thing that's keeping me from curling up in a corner for a nap - imagining sunshine. T & I are going to http://www.sandpearl.com next month. so I'm dreaming of white sand beaches, fresh seafood, sleeping in and hugging the back of my best friend while we splash around on jetskis or ride along the coast on a Harley. boy, I love vacations and one-on-one time with my husband!!

ok, see, just thinking bout that....and ignoring the dreariness outside my window.....and i'm ready to work.

Luxury, thy name is Swiffer

As I was mopping my floor last night I started thinking about incredibly American model of mop, the Swiffer. A piece of plastic with disposable covers, leading to ever-continual demand and thus supply. Nothing about it is lasting or complex. And yet, it saves so much time! I could do it the good old-fashioned way, mop and bucket, but that'd mean digging out mop & bucket and hauling around, rinsing out, etc. Plus to not spread dirt around you have to continually re-fill the bucket. So somebody, probably as lazy as I, came up with this disposable, easy version. And I love it. Not the most eco-conscious or fiscally conservative. but EASY, so easy. Plus, the kind I used last night smelled of lavender. What could be better?

p.s. yes, I know I'm a dork.

WARNING: extreme cuteness below...

I got my new camera! YAY! So I thought I'd test it out on some of my fave subjects. (Tuck was up in bed and missed the photo shoot) Enjoy:

There's a bird in your mailbox

Some people might write about their grandparents on mother's day, father's day or even grandparent's day. Not me, I prefer April fools day. :)



Ever since I could remember, I've called my grandma on April 1 to tell her there was a bird in her mailbox. When I was little, from what I hear, she'd actually play along and go check the mailbox while I giggled. Now - & perhaps this is because I've been doing it 25 years - she's doesn't have to check. ;) But I still call to tell her about the bird, every April 1, mostly to hear her laugh.

My grandparents are super cool. I can remember how excited I'd be to go to their house, as a little kid. It was always special.

Grandma was once in a biker gang and tells us stories of prison....oh, wait...that may not be true.... What is true is she takes merciless teasing and laughs right along with us. And she's passed on her sayings, looks and mannerisms to my mom, aunts, me, my sisters and cousins. We're kind of gramma-clones. And it's not a bad thing! :) When I was little, she and mom would take me shopping all over town. And she'd take me to their office and let me photocopy my hands. This is an activity I still enjoy to this day. A few years ago, I needed to illustrate a hands-on treatment called OMM, for a poster. So I photocopied my hands.

My grandpa is a brilliant engineer that understands things I can't even begin to comprehend. Plus, I will never forget the multiplication table for 9s, thanks to him. He always puts up with the silly technical questions I call and expect him to fix over the phone. My grandpa is like a computer genius and he's probably why I like to dink around on the computer, even tho I've now jumped ship to the Mac. He also instilled in me a love of flannel shirts.

Really, truly, they are cool. Super smart and super sweet. They raised four awesome kids and have a whole mess of grandkids that love them. I'm pretty sure they should live closer to me, like say in Ankeny, *hint hint* but I understand why they love their home in beautiful Utah.

shut yer trap

I HATE, hate, HATE, hate mouth noises.
mouth noises included smacking your gum, slurping, loudly chewing, jaw popping, chewing with your mouth open or any other disgusting noises that come from the mouth region.
ick.

Partially live-able!!!!

That's right, folks.... we can add another room to the list of almost-completed, live-able spaces in our house!!! The living room has been painted and tiled!! It only needs quarter round trim put down to be fully complete. We moved the couch in - a beautiful piece that had yet to be used - as well as the polka dot chairs & black table that will eventually move to the family room. We threw down a rug in the dining room and moved the table to the middle of the room. AND, get this, there's no remodeling equipment on the table! We'll need to get a nice, funky sideboard for that room, a few more chairs and lamps for the living room eventually. But for now, the rooms make me SMILE!!!!! see below:








and this photo does a better job of showing how flippin awesome the tile is:



and, of course, a token photo of 2 of my adorable boys - completely worn out by remodeling!

Proud to be the big sister

Growing up I chafed under the term "one of the Glenn kids," reveling instead in my own individuality. Now that I'm older (notice I did not say grown up!) I realize I can be both. Not only am I both but I'm exceedingly proud to be one of the Glenn kids!

My brother Brandon will join the Navy in September. Not only is he an awesome cook, he's smart enough to be accepted for a top military program where he'll learn to interpret code and protect our country.

Bri is an amazing writer. Her skill turns me green with envy. She can whip out a delightful fictional read in no time flat. I'm limited to "just the facts, ma'am!" Plus, she's nice to everyone.

Tyler is a devilish charmer and superb athlete. We're excited for his tryouts to be on the U.S. Ultimate Frisbee Team and compete at Worlds. Yeah. WORLDS!

Tate is wickedly witty and keeps me on my toes. Once a chubby toddler on my hip, she's now an awesome friend at my side.

Richard is, oh my gosh, all of a sudden not a little kid anymore. He's smart and super helpful. And as much as he pretends not to, he likes being my doggies' uncle. :)

Riley is, well, no words can explain the phenomenon that is Riley. She's a creative, chatty whirlwind that inspires me with her energy!

Stevie is hilarious. His quick comebacks keep us on our toes but he's hard pressed to hold back the grin that comes with his one-liners.

Sammy is a tender-hearted beagle daddy, eager to please.

JJ is super smart and always ready to offer a hug. He also likes to bounce around and make everyone smile.

So it's pretty clear why I'm proud to be considered one of them. And I'm not proud just because of their achievements. I'm proud to be related to such cool people.