Jon on the job

"I'm filming you and you're filming me!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxdfS1JK0Vg

1 minute, 29 seconds will get you Jonathan on the job.

A belated holiday scene

Kim took this picture while she and Rich were visiting Asheville. It is a view of our front porch with the Moravian star lit up at night. The other picture is of all of us in front of (well, blocking from sight entirely) the sweet little Christmas tree we had this year.

We had such a nice time in Maryland over New Year's. We especially enjoyed making soup out of a HUGE pumpkin at Grandma Carol's house, visiting the newly renovated American History Museum in DC, spending time with family, and playing Pictionary Man/Cranium at MP's house. Best wishes to everyone for a happy and healthy 2009!

Rich's Umpire Movie

So this summer Rich went up to Nampa, Idaho, to umpire, as you probably know! :-)

I got to visit one weekend (thanks again Aunt Carol!), and I took a video camera. 

I finally got around to editing the footage, so here it is... my directorial and editorial debut (please don't laugh too much, Jonathan!), and Rich's great umpiring skills.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztH7IOPGpL8

Bruno's Thanksgiving Message

Dear Dog's Best Friends,

I have my Thanksgiving Day collar on and I am just waiting for all of you to arrive. Travel safely and bring a big appetite. But don't touch MY food!

Love,

Bruno

Going to "the Prom"!

How's this for the quintessential prom pose? Scott and I attended the local hospital fundraising gala last night; the food was only fair but the band was great!

She passed!

For about a year now, I have been a volunteer tutor with the Literacy Council here in Asheville. I have been working with the same student this whole time. Her name is Maria Luisa and she is from Mexico (and living here legally). I have been helping her prepare for the US citizenship test in which you must demonstrate English language ability and knowledge of US civics and government. She took the test this morning and passed! She said the interviewer was nice, but talked fast. She was ready for that though thanks to Nate's expert impersonation of a USCIS officer last week when we did a trial run. It has been a really great experience and I'm so happy I could pop!

Halloween at 1-800-DENTIST

Ok, so Halloween at my work is... well... completely insane.  The departments get together, get a theme, and try to out-do each other. It gets a little out of hand (last year they decided to take the year off just because people were so sick of all the extra work!)

The prizes are $1000 for 1st, $500 for 2nd, and $250 for third.

This year my department (Marketing) recreated the Shining. I was in charge, I did all the sets, the writing, the costumes, etc. In the video you can't really see me because it's too dark, but I am the one who lures the audience into the shower scene before... well, just watch and see! We won second place!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkR8PBbvQ2s

Rich is in the Sales department, and they actually won first! You can watch the video, but if you're not that familiar with our company and spokesperson, it might not make sense. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Nq6UPwsH_U

Anyway, it was a crazy Halloween as usual here. 1-800 has a few too many creative people for it's own good, but we love that they let us exercise it!

I've Become An "Oyster Mom"

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My neighbor, Dee, and I attended a workshop on Oyster Gardening last Sunday. We constructed our own oyster cages and now are the Moms to about 6 thousand baby oysters! No, we won't eat our young, even when they grow to be succulent, juicy, big oysters! We give them back to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation next June, and start raising more babies next August.

Teleworking

Even though we had a lot of work to do, it was our timeshare week so Mark and I decided to go to the OBX and spend part of the time teleworking. It was wonderful to look up from our laptops and see the ocean.

Fall!

So it's been around 90 degrees for the last week here in LA, so it's hard to get inspired about Fall! No cute sweaters or light jackets. But I am attempting nonetheless. I went to the store today and got this "pumpkin tree." It's so cute! And I am about to make some pumpkin bread (I'm trying MP!)

So, what are everyone else's Fall activities? Anyone pumpkin carving? Halloween costumes in mind? Help me get in the spirit while I'm sweating from the heat out here!

Jonathan! Over 100K per year?! Steroids?!

Red Bulls' Conway, Parke suspended for drugs
3 hours ago

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Soccer has suspended New York Red Bulls goalkeeper Jon Conway and defender Jeff Parke — the first players in the league's history to be penalized for using performance-enhancing drugs.

The two players were banned Thursday for 10 league games each. They tested positive for androstatriendione and boldenone metabolites after purchasing and using an over-the-counter nutritional supplement from a vitamin store that is part of a national chain, the league said.

Each player also was fined 10 percent of his salary. Conway makes $115,000 this season, and Parke has a base salary of $57,488.

Fuller Update

Hello! We've been kind of quiet lately, so we wanted to speak (write?) up... though not too much is happening, which is a welcome change! Rich got back from Idaho in August, and after our Burning Man trip he has settled back to work in LA. He really liked the umpiring, but not the travel. He has made some new umpire connections here and is working better leagues, but so far has decided to stay and hang out with me rather than travel all over the place. I got the awesome opportunity, thanks to Aunt Carol, of visiting him in Boise and videotaped him working the big leagues. It's on my list of things to do to edit the footage together... maybe Jonathan will help me at Christmas! :-)

In addition to my day job, I recently got certified by the American Fitness Association. I've been teaching a body sculpt class on Saturdays, which is fun and a challenge. As I get paid per student, I've been working hard to promote the class! I've also still been doing a lot of fire spinning, I performed for a couple hundred people last week and I have a paying Halloween gig, so it's going well (and I'm not burned!).

Spending time with MP & Mark on our vacation was a great reminder of how fabulous our family is. Rich and I are getting a long Christmas break, so we will hopefully see everyone (well, almost) and we're taking an east coast road trip to Asheville (Anne & N8!) and Charleston to see my Dad.  Can't wait!

The Happy Fans BEFORE the Game

Yes, here we are happy and hopeful ... not like 5 hours later, after the loss to the Titans. But, as usual we had a fantastic time, and the Ravens actually didn't look that bad, just couldn't pull it out. We'll just have to see who ends up with bragging rights in the family after the Redskins/Ravens match!!!

Maya asked me to post these pictures from the game.

Hail to the Redskins

I had 3 friends come to Dallas to watch the last Redskins game at Texas Stadium. We had a great time and bonded with all of the Redskins fans in Dallas by taking an accidental victory lap (who knew we should have walked to the left when exiting the stadium instead of right). I can now continue to hold my head up high as a proud Washington fan in enemy territory.