Saturday, August 30, 2008

Espree Park, Chandler Arizona

Today I was looking for something to do that was fun and most importantly FREE! We ended up at Espree Park, a public park with a playground and small water park.








These are my somewhat 'artistic/creative' shots...


You can actually see the water droplets in these pictures, which I thought was pretty cool...click on them to enlarge and see.

Friday, August 29, 2008

Finally Figured Something Out!

I finally figured out how to add a subscription link! Thanks to Elizabeth Kartchner's Blog. I noticed her sidebar has an email subscription form, exactly what I've been wondering how to do! I subscribed and was able to see the service provider and whalah...I figured it out! I know, I'm brilliant. O.k. not really, cause I didn't figure it out by myself. I have a subscription form on my sidebar now, so sign up for an email notification whenever I update the blog! Some of you get email's already because the blog site allows me to enter 10 email addresses to send update to but I'm going to clear that out. So if you want to continue getting notifications, sign up to the right!

Monday, August 25, 2008

Hiking Zion

Just before we moved from Texas, Greg and a couple of friends had semi-planned a camping trip to Zion National Park in Utah. As it so happened, we left a truck behind in Texas so Greg asked if they would be willing to drive our truck to Arizona for us and then they could head to Utah together. They were willing and spared us from having to do that ghastly drive yet one more time. Whew!

Our friend Steve, who is a Worship Pastor, Guitar Teacher and Professional Photographer, a real slacker, took the pictures just below. I tell him all the time how awesome his pictures are and he either doesn't believe me or he's extremely modest about his giftedness.

I recommend you click on each picture to see it in detail, especially this first one, which is the guys hiking in 'The Narrows', a cavernous hike, through a river that takes about 2 days. There are people in the center of the bottom of the picture and it gives you perspective on how big the rocks are.


I believe the next 2 pictures are at the very beginning of 'The Narrows'. Greg is in the center of the picture on the left. Mike and Steve are strategically planning their steps in the picture on the right.

This one speaks for itself, the guys were dead tired. It might have been that hike on the bus trail that did them in!

The guys also did a drive-by of the Grand Canyon and here is a picture of Steve working his magic. When I looked closely at this picture, I noticed Steve was wearing what I would consider the un-safest shoes ever for traversing a placed called 'The GRAND CANYON'...well, they made it back safely so I won't squawk to loud over it.


Another breathtaking picture...well done, Steve!

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Staying COOL...

Temperatures have been averaging between 103-110 degrees but we found a way to keep cool! I recommend you click on the landscape pictures to see Nathan's facial expressions better. :)



Texas Wasn't That Bad

As much as I talk about how wonderful Arizona is, I have to admit Texas wasn't that bad. I mean face it; you can get the best barbeque there, the changing seasons are actually nice-I just hate the bitter cold in Winter, and my friend Seth lives there. My friendship with Seth and his parents was truly one of the nicest things that came out of our short time in Texas. We do miss the Horvath family, they are down to earth, honest, warm-hearted, real, hard-working, humble. I've got a lot of respect for this family, they are just.... good people. My kind of peeps, if you know what I mean. ;)

Here's my little buddy in a video saying hello all the way from Wylie, Texas. The way he pronounces Arizona is just about the cutest thing ever, it sounds like "Ari-ona". I miss your smiles, Seth.

Monday, August 18, 2008

SURPRISE!

The Blog really looks different, huh? I actually logged on tonight to get some extra work done but the application I needed to use, kept hanging, so before I knew it I was investigating new things to add to the blog.

1. Note the fancy schmancy 'Slide' application which is now scrolling pictures of Nathan and his wonder with the waterhose. I noticed this very cool do-diddy on someone else's blog, a new up and comer in the scrapbooking world, Elizabeth Kartchner, click on her name to check out her blogsite.

2. If you did check out Elizabeth's site, you may have noticed that she has pictures that are side by side. I've been wanting the ability to do this for some time, so I figured if I used the same blog template she has, I might be able to do the same. I haven't tested it yet but I'll check it out soon.

3. White Backgrounds are all the rage right now in Blog sites and I was trying to go with the flow but the pictures just didn't pop out to me, which is why I selected the Black background. But my friend Courtney's blogsite also has a black background and she may think I've copied her-well consider it flattery darnit! However, I'm wondering if this will be harder on the eyes or not as easy to read. Leave me some feedback and let me know if the Black Background makes it difficult to read the longer paragraphs of text. Maybe, I'll take a poll....

4. Don't you just love the Double-Double Entendre in my header? First let's clarify the definition of a Double Entendre. I thought it meant a double meaning, Greg thought it meant something risque. The definition is...
  • NOUN: 1. A word or phrase having a double meaning, especially when the second meaning is risqué. 2. The use of such a word or phrase; ambiguity.
We were both right! So the Double-Double Entendre in my header is this:
  1. The 1st Double Entendre is - Texas Size Hull. Play on the catch phrase Texas Size Hole, replacing Hole with our last name Hull. You probably figured that one out a while ago!
  2. The new 2nd entendre is the picture of the boat Hull and our last name being Hull.
Is that not the most clever ever? I'm so proud of myself, really I am! Well...that's my update and the reasons behind it!

Saturday, August 16, 2008

We had FUN today!

Greg left early this morning for a camping trip in Utah, so I welcomed the chance to spend time with Josh's extended family for a birthday party. It was so nice to see their familiar faces and enjoy another afternoon of passing time and eating good food with them! Nathan especially loved watching all the other children running around. Here are a few candid shots from the afternoon...

Nathan has been taking his time warming up to 'Crazy Aunt Lynn' but today he ran right to her and wanted to sit in the same chair. A Big-Deal moment!

Nathan spent alot of time playing with this balloon which was very entertaining for the adults in the room. Josh's grandparents Grandma Jo and Grandpa John are in the background.
I cut Nathan's hair this morning and this is the best picture I have right now to show how short it is in the front. We no longer have the long, wispy, Lenny-style hair coming down his forehead.
And this last picture just sums up the afternoon of a 4 year old's birthday party...
Boys walking around with eye patches, a child who asked to be hog-tied by her father and he agrees to and another child being held upside down, for what reason I can't seem to remember.

Just another afternoon with Josh's family...Fun times!

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Our new address...

...in Arizona.
Pending everything goes smoothly, this will be our new address. I got back from D.C. on Thursday night and we looked at about 5 different houses with a realtor on Friday and this was the one that we chose. We have a contract on the house and our close date is scheduled for September 25th.

Just a few pictures. Disclaimer for my professional photographer friends, pictures are low quality as they were taken with my little Canon camera.
We have a clean slate for a backyard which is actually goodness...that way we can do exactly what we want...like put in a pool!
Yes...it is a 2 story house. Yes, the laundry room is downstairs. I realized in the beginning of this process that I would probably have to deal with a 2 story in order for us to get the kind of space we want so I've talked myself into a good attitude. And I will choose not to complain about it, until at some point it won't even be a thought that crosses my mind! :)

The funny part about our subdivision, is to get to our house you would turn right on Laredo Ranch Drive, left on El Paso, right on Tumbleweed. If you pass Austin Lane, Odessa Drive or Longhorn street, then you've gone to far. Are you getting it? All the street names are Texas themed! Too funny, huh?

For those interested in additional pictures (like my father in law), about 80 more detailed pictures can be found at: http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/20310710

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Another Perfect Day

Just some pictures from hanging out with friends in the pool today!
Nathan in his pool hat.
Nathan's dunking lessons had nothing to do with the water!
Splish-splashing around.
Nathan sticking out his tongue, trying to taste or catch the water splashes.

Friday, August 8, 2008

A Few of My Favorite Things

Since I was so close to Virginia, I had the privilege of seeing my family and of course we had to uphold our standard tradition of eating at this restaurant. It's a rare combination of Korean and Japanese food, which I never seen anywhere else. I consider it the best of two worlds!Here is a picture of my plate with just a few of my favorite things; Sticky white rice, KimChi, Jap Chae, Wontons, Vegetable Sushi and Ginger. Yum, Yum!!
Another standard tradition when we get together is to take pictures and lots of them. Here's my other mom, Chapom; my brother, Daniel; my Sister, Naomi; and my sweet niece, Tatyana.

They also came to visit me at the Gaylord Resort which afforded many photo opportunities!
Here is Tatyana, mesmermized with the water fountain light show inside the Atrium of the hotel. Ironically enough our Dad was also in town even though he actually lives in Lake Havasu, Arizona!
It was so nice to see everyone and be able to visit while I was in town. I can't wait to come back in September when my brother gets married to the nicest & sweetest gal ever...wait till you see her!