The One Where Jen Turns 32

This isn't really a post about my birthday. Since I can't seem to post often enough to do single events, this will be an update about a myriad of things that happened over the summer, but my birthday was one of them and since this is my blog, I get to mention what I think is most important. Not to say that visiting my family and old friends, celebrating other people's birthdays, growing tomatoes for the first time, reading lots and lots of books, never going swimming or camping once all summer, etc, aren't important things to mention, and that is why I just did. I could really finish this post right now, but my mom mentioned that my Aunt Rebecca told her I should update my blog. Maybe I should change the title to "Rebecca, This One's for You," but then everything I just wrote would be irrelevant and I'd have to start over, which I'm too lazy to do. But seriously, Rebecca, this one's for you:

So, July was full of family fun! Adam and I left on the 3rd to fly to Rochester and spend a blissful twelve days away from work or cares. We took my grandma and grandpa with us, and let me just say that if you can find a pair of amiable 80-year olds to travel with, do it! You get to ride in carts, go to the front of the security line, and you even get your seats reassigned to the first row of coach, all because you're traveling with two saintly and serene-looking, white-haired individuals. We had pretty easy, uneventful flights out and arrived just in time for pizza and wings with mom and dad (I loove Buffalo Wings). Dad doesn't like going to see fireworks so we kept it low-key on the 4th of July, with the exception of the fabulous dinner of shrimp, steak, and scallops my mom made. I wish I could relive that part. Then, we did one of my favorite things to do: watched the movie 1776. I love that show - even with the cheesy music that most of the time I fast forward. I feel such a kinship with my founding fathers... Mr. Feeney from Boy Meets World when I watch it. The next day, we headed out to the pier at Charlotte Beach on Lake Ontario. The heat was intense and we didn't last long, but here are some shots of mom, grandma, and Adam at the beginning of the pier:

Adam doing his best Popeye imitation

Love the hat, grandma!

Our quiet relaxing vacation didn't last much longer because Wende, Kurt, and their four boys got back into town on Tuesday (they went away for the 4th). Then the excitement began! The next few days, involved playing with energetic little boys, sitting in the shade with grandma and grandpa, going to Sonnenberg Gardens, and eating at various burger joints. For some reason, there are a lot of them around this town. Here are some of my fav shots of the boys:

Pretty much anytime I went to take a picture of my dad, this is what I saw. :)

I met this little guy for the first time and he's just about the cutest thing ever. Check out those leg muscles!

The boys liked to steal my camera. This is Owen's picture of Connor...it's probably the best one I have of Connor aka "The Puppet Master."

This is pretty much the shot I got whenever I tried to take a picture of Owen. He has the cutest personality! And no, I'm not biased.

Aiden took this picture himself. Love that cheesy grin!

My cousin Emilie and her two darling girls came into town on Thursday to see the church sites, go to the Hill Cumorah Pageant, and see everyone. It was so fun to have so much family all together in Rochester - a rarity! Of course, the kids had a great time together and I got to take Adam to see the pageant for the first time. The little girls gave Adam and I a nice break from playing transformers non-stop with the boys, although the tables turned when, Aiden came looking for someone to be Megatron. I volunteered since everyone else was downstairs and Adam was beat. Instead of readily agreeing to this, Aiden looked at me and said, "well, I've had a lot of time with you...." He then proceeded to reject my offer and went to find Eden. Ouch. The break-up talk hurts even when it comes from your five-year old nephew.

Adam and I in our yearly photo at the Sacred Grove.

The whole gang at pageant. This was definitely a trip highlight.

I loved this pic of Wende playing with all the kids!

So, we finally get back to our house and reality and then three days later, Tianna and Liam arrived from Phoenix. They stayed with us for three weeks before we helped them move to Denver. Collin came the last week. We loved having them with us, even though it was a little crazy helping them get ready to move. Liam is quite the character. He basically had it figured out from day one that I would do whatever he wanted. He also has inherited my mom's love of shoes:

You may have to enlarge this pic to see his eyelashes! They are to die for! This kid could make millions with Latisse! We're so happy that things are going well for them in Denver. We also had a great time staying with my cousin Amber and her kids, and with Adam's grandma! Sadly, I never had my camera handy so you will have to just imagine the joy!

I'm basically out of steam for the rest of this update. Maybe my birthday, the tomatoes, etc will have to wait for a few more days. Let's see if I can get back that quickly!

Self-Improvement

Yes, we're back. All I can say is that the key to self-improvement is never giving up. I'm only a failure if I never do another blog post right? So, wow, June. It's really okay that I don't update this too much because if I did you might then see how mundane the lives of Adam and Jen really are. I know we give off the impression of glamour and high adventure - do not be fooled. So let's see....we survived a rather tempestuous spring and are now officially into summer. Oh, summer, I love you so much! I would say I wish it could be summer all year round, but being a homeowner has made me appreciate when my yard is covered in a blanket of snow and I don't have to worry about yard work. But right now, loving the sunshine, warm weather, flip flops, shorts, etc.

Adam is done with the video game programming world. There were a lot of perks to that job such as silver passes, discounts on resorts, cruises, vacations, movie sales every six months w

here you could purchase any Disney or affiliated company movie for $7.50, but his hours were so crazy that he couldn't enjoy it. Miraculously, he didn't even have to look for a new job. His old manager contacted him and offered him a permanent position with their company. He was a contractor before which is why he left in the first place. He's much happier now and gets to geek out using all sorts of obscure programming languages. No silver passes and apparently the air-conditioning makes for arctic conditions, but his vending machines take debit cards, they have a pop corn machine and a pizza-cooking vending machine and he gets every other Friday off if he chooses to do nine hour days. Nice. Plus, he doesn't have to wear nylons. Lucky!

Next - right before Adam quit, we went to the Oregon coast with his family. It was so nice to have a long weekend away! Adam's parents rented a beach house near haystack rock in Cannon Beach. It's so pretty there! We went on runs every morning, read a lot, watched movies. went to Astoria and on a nice hike, and ate lots of Tillamook cheese curds and chocolate covered pomegranates. I really wish I had some now. I already posted a bunch of pics from last year's trip and since we were at the same house, they're pretty much the same, but here are a few good ones:

I took this one on our hike. It's so much more impressive in person, but still pretty cool.

The Ard clan with the exception of Adam's dad who is taking the picture. I have great in-laws!

Adam and I on top of the Astoria Column which you'll see below. I love Adam's face - he always gets caught mid-expression in pictures. That usually happens to me, too, but I look more cartoonish when it happens, which is why those pictures never show up here.

This is the Astoria Column (?). To be honest I can't remember if that's the actual name or something I made up, but it is a column and it is also in Astoria so.....You can take stairs to the top, which reminded me of being in Italy a little. I miss Italy!

I really need to keep a travel journal! I think this is the mouth of the Columbia River with the bridge going over to Washington. At least I finally know how to pronounce Wilamette.

So, I also want to mention that Adam and I attempted a little tomato and basil container garden. Things were going great until a nice wind storm and some really cool temps almost decimated them. I'm not sure they'll make it. I'm hoping for the best. They're starting to feel like children to me, which I guess fills the void until my own finally decide to make an appearance, but kind of weirds me out. If I blog about having a nice Caprese salad later this summer, you'll know that we got at least something out of it. I just don't know!

Now I'm just looking forward to our visit to see my parents in July and when Collin and Tianna come and stay with us at the end of the month! Does anyone else want to come and stay with us? You're always welcome at Casa Ard. We'll introduce you to Friday Night Lights. We are addicted.

Quarterly Report - I know, I'm bad

Warning - this is a long post. You may want to stop reading now. I meant to blog at least a couple of times a month, but a couple of times a quarter is okay, too, right? This first quarter of 2010 is all about love and maybe birthdays, too. Love of family, friends, and yes, even a few material objects. Let's start with January:

One of the things that I'm most grateful for about going to BYU is the super, ultra, fabulous friends I made there. My French friend/roommate Rachel was in town the first week of January and I got to meet her, and her mom, and her cute kids for lunch. Rachel and I became friends in French class our Freshman year. She is partially responsible for my now horrible French pronunciation. Many years later, she was also one of my roommates in Salt Lake. She is one of the funniest and coolest cats I know. Thanks for lunch!

My cute nephew Connor and his personable dad, Kurt had birthdays! I'm so glad these two guys are part of our family. Connor can melt my mother's heart just by looking at her. I think it's the blue eyes. Really, he looks like he should be more my baby than Wende's. I offered to take him off her hands, but she said no. One of the things I like best about my brother-in-law, Kurt, is how easily he can provoke my sister - it's awesome. Sorry, Wende, but it is entertaining.

There's only one other thing that I really fell in love with in January. As part of my Christmas present to myself, I ordered a pair of leopard print heels. This is something that one has to do when one works where I do. There is a frump factor when you have to wear nylons everyday. It has to be battled diligently. These shoes really hurt after 8 hours, but the pain is worth it!

February: My dad has a birthday! I wish I could have been there for this one, too. I know that other people may argue this point, but I really do have the best dad. He's never been one of those distant father types. He tells his children he loves them all the time. That has always meant so much to me. He's fun to talk to. He used to dance around the kitchen when my mom wasn't around making up songs for us kids about the cold cereal we were eating, but he will deny it if you ask him about it. He has a stage presence and, if he chooses, a voice like thunder that has scared many a deacon in our ward. I think some of those boys are still afraid of him, but really, he's a marshmallow. The smart people figure that out. Happy birthday, Dad!

Another old friend comes to town! This time, it's Ingrid. Lis and I met her during our junior year at BYU. We bonded over the Sound of Music, slurpees, and salt and vinegar potato chips - a lasting bond. She wrote me a soliloquy once - that should really say it all. I love that girl. I love the types of friends who you don't talk to for months and months or even years, but when you see them it was like you were never apart (except for the whole two kids thing). She brought Camila and Henry with her. Oh, the eyes on these children!

Adam's grandma has her 80th birthday! Her children threw a surprise party for her and I was cursing myself for not bringing a camera. She looked so happy when she came through the door and saw everyone. On the invitation for her party, they put a lovely picture of her when she was really young. I was remarking to Adam on what a nice picture it was and then I said, "We both have such pretty grandmothers! Don't you think our grandma's are so pretty?" He said he didn't feel comfortable analyzing the attractiveness of his or my grandmother.

Then, as a symbol of our love for one another, Adam and I got iPhones at the end of February. This is a huge upgrade for Adam and I, who have often been mocked for our outdated phones. Mock not, world. I knew that Adam was the one for me when we realized we had matching Nokia brick phones in 2007. I'm now in love with my iPhone as well. Do you realize I can play the Oregon Trail on this thing!?! Love it.

March: Adam has a birthday! He doesn't like to make a big deal out of his birthdays so I had to content myself with a family party on Saturday and making him a birthday hat, which he was a good sport about wearing upon request. His actual birthday was yesterday. He's been working so much lately that Sunday's are usually the only day he has off. We had so much fun just hanging out and doing nothing...and eating the left over birthday pies. I love him the

most.

A BCW reunion! For the first weekend in March I got to hang with not one, but three of the best friends a girl can have. Lis, Kim, and Abby were my roommates my senior year at BYU. We all live close to each other except for Abby, who came into town for a week and oh, what times we had. We are older and wiser than we were (that is particularly true in my case), but I think we're just as much fun. I'm sure that Kim's baby, Lily, thought so...

Things yet to come - my sister has a birthday! Born on St Patrick's Day. It's a shame we have no Irish blood. I wish I were going to be there for her birthday, too. Why aren't NY and UT closer!? Happy Birthday, Wende. I love you, too!

Was this a little sappy? I don't think of myself as a sappy person, but really, other than the aforementioned happenings, my life during these dark, dreary months of winter is pretty boring. I am so not a winter person! The older I get, the more aware I am of how difficult life can be for me and the people around me. Isn't it lucky that there is also so much to compensate for those hard times?

Airy Voices

"He is ne'er crowned with immortality who fears to follow where airy voices lead." John Keats said that - did anyone catch the movie "Bright Star" this year? If you haven't seen it, check it out on Netflix or however you view movies. Warning: It's sad, but so, so beautiful! And if you haven't guessed yet, it's about the life of John Keats. This is not a quote from the movie, but one I actually read a long time ago that was quoted in the L.M. Montgomery novel, "Emily Climbs." If you've read any L.M. Montgomery, we'll probably be friends or at least we'll have something to talk about. Anyway, I've always been intrigued by the quote. What exactly are these airy voices? Are they the random, beautiful thoughts/inclinations that swiftly enter and leave one's mind? How do I follow them when they pass so quickly? Does this mean I need to be more spontaneous? I'm going to factor this into my new year's resolutions once I make them, which will hopefully be relatively soon as it's New Year's Day.

So, the new picture at the top of my blog is a picture of Adam and I in Siena, in the Tuscany region of Italy. We went there the first week of November in part to celebrate our second anniversary. Yes, we made it two years! Now can I start giving out marital advice or do I still ne

ed more experience? I meant to blog about this sublime, am-I-really-here trip that we took, but I got busy. Sorry - I should have a better excuse, but I don't. If you'd like to view the photos I took with my running commentary, view here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/zundelje/ItalyTripNov2009?feat=directlink

We went to Florence for four days and to Venice for two days. It was my first European experience and I loved every minute of it. The highlights for me: our nightly gelato runs, walking through the Sienese Duomo, and seeing Michelangelo's David. I loved all three cities we stopped in, and I can't wait to go back!

But this post is not about Italy. It's not even a catch-up post, really, or at least I didn't intend it to be. It's more just a friendly, "hi, it's been awhile" post. We had a great Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday run. I love Thanksgiving and Christmas! I love the long weekends and vacation days that allow me to catch my breath after busy work deadlines and Christmas parties. I have mixed feelings about Christmas parties this year, especially when I essentially had three work Christmas parties this year. Another potluck - really? I also love the feeling on New Year's Day when you realize that the holiday craziness is past and that normal routines will set in again. I like routine...For awhile. I like making new year's resolutions. Starting today, Adam and I are giving up refined sugar - again. I want to last at least a month. I'm putting this in my blog post as to document the start and create greater accountability. But I have just one question. Does today count? It is a holiday after all.

So, for Christmas this year, I got a new nephew and new experience in building snow caves. Adam is reliving his Boy Scout past this week. We've built caves in our yard and in Adam's parents' yard. The one in his parents' yard is over 6' and has not been fully excavated yet. I have a feeling I know what the rest of my day will hold. Mom and Dad, here are some pictures from the last little while:

Christmas Day 2009 - note the copious amounts of snow outside

My first gingerbread house ever - mine is the far left and also the most structurally unstable

Adam's brother, mom, and sister creating their masterpieces

Adam in the snow cave in our yard

Adam and Jen preparing to build the second snow cave - note the head flashlights, a present from Adam's mom. Adam looks like he could rob a bank

As you can see, our Christmas decorations really added something to a drab living room that I've been meaning to decorate. I'm really going to miss them!