This has been a crazy and very $$$$$$ month. First I am finally done with this semester of school, YES only 2 more. Now I am going to relax (hopefully) for all of Aug. Now about the $$$$. Before the story we have 2 cars a green and a red one. I usually drive the green. Now to the story. One day I had to take the boys to the store in the red car, every time I pushed on the brakes it mad a funny sound, so later after I got home I asked Michelle how long that was going on for?? She said "Oh it has been going on for a bit now". :o was my reaction. So I had her take it to get the brakes fixed. Well since it had been going on for a bit it was metal on metal grinding and by doing that it was warping the router (not sure how to spell it) so that cost us $400, then a few days after the car was dieing on Michelle so she took it in and they found that it needed new spark plugs. Cost $300. Then the next day Michelle was up in Lehi and it was doing some crazy stuff so when she was on her way home (her uncle was following) there was some smoke and burning plastic and about a mile away from our Apt the car would not go over 40 mph. So the next day I took it in and they found that the coils that give the spark plugs the spark had short circuited and fried the ignition modulator (the computer that tells when to spark and when not to) So for this fix they had to get a new IM, housing for the coils, new coils, new spark plugs (we did not have to pay for the spark plugs), and some other odds and ends. This cost us $800. So within a few days the care cost us over $1500. Which is not to bad since I have had it for 8 years and this is the only problem I have had with it. Also it was mine and Rob's birthday this month and he came over and we had a fun time with the game he got me. Then the next day I went to the Tool concert with a couple of my friends, it was fun. I am now more of a Tool fan. The boys are doing great and they are growing up to fast. Well that is about it. Talk to you all later.
The Hopes
Monday, August 3, 2009
2009 July: Bates
We had a very celebratory month. Orianna turned 1, I'm now 26, Jason soon followed (accompanied by a delicious Crab/Lobster dinner... mmm I bet you're all jealous you don't live closer to Jason), Tamara's mom had a BDay, Tamara's sister got married (and we reception-ed in both Idaho and Utah), and we celebrated Pioneer Day... ok, so we really didn't celebrate Pioneer Day- but we mentioned that it was Pioneer Day.
Mostly we were focused on helping out with the double reception, so that took a lot of our time this month. I was the DJ. I found and had a friend help me rehabilitate an old pair of huge-speakers and a mixing board. I had a lot of fun doing it, but figured that it was a sign that it wasn't my calling when the powere went out in the middle of reception right before the dance. Not cool. Luckily it was only out for about 15 minutes.
For my BDay Marnee spoiled me rotten and got me a Nintendo Wii, so I have wasted pretty much all of my spare time from that moment on playing Mario Kart, and Super Mario Galaxy. Orianna really likes to drive with the Steering Wheel controller while we use the wii-motes.
Orianna started walking this month. She's been taking a few steps here and there for a while now, but never walked. Then on Pioneer Day we were at my folk's home in Idaho, and she picked up a diaper and carried it across the room to show it to my mom. So, my mom was pretty pleased to be there for the first time she'd ever walked. She continued to walk all the time while we were in Idaho, and then we got home and she hasn't done it since. So, apparently Idaho has some baby-enabling chemical in the water (or just the opposite: just wait- it's gonna be the next big conspiracy: 49 states found to but baby-hindering chemicals in the water to induce childhood obesity and addiction to artificial sweetening, j/k).
Lastly, I found out that putting a billboard in your backyard is really hard: especially when you live in Lehi. Lehi city has decreed that there shall be no more new billboards... ever. Doesn't matter where, who owns the land, or how much nepotism with the current billboard owners is going on. Oh well... I either have to become a full time lobbyist, or hire an attourney, and both sound really hard. The whole beauty of the idea was earning money while being lazy- and this just ruined it. How can they ruin the American Dream of Laziness so brashly?!?! Haha, I guess I'll have to get a new dream- but that's just so tiring.
Well, I think that does it for July's escapades,
-The Bateses
Mostly we were focused on helping out with the double reception, so that took a lot of our time this month. I was the DJ. I found and had a friend help me rehabilitate an old pair of huge-speakers and a mixing board. I had a lot of fun doing it, but figured that it was a sign that it wasn't my calling when the powere went out in the middle of reception right before the dance. Not cool. Luckily it was only out for about 15 minutes.
For my BDay Marnee spoiled me rotten and got me a Nintendo Wii, so I have wasted pretty much all of my spare time from that moment on playing Mario Kart, and Super Mario Galaxy. Orianna really likes to drive with the Steering Wheel controller while we use the wii-motes.
Orianna started walking this month. She's been taking a few steps here and there for a while now, but never walked. Then on Pioneer Day we were at my folk's home in Idaho, and she picked up a diaper and carried it across the room to show it to my mom. So, my mom was pretty pleased to be there for the first time she'd ever walked. She continued to walk all the time while we were in Idaho, and then we got home and she hasn't done it since. So, apparently Idaho has some baby-enabling chemical in the water (or just the opposite: just wait- it's gonna be the next big conspiracy: 49 states found to but baby-hindering chemicals in the water to induce childhood obesity and addiction to artificial sweetening, j/k).
Lastly, I found out that putting a billboard in your backyard is really hard: especially when you live in Lehi. Lehi city has decreed that there shall be no more new billboards... ever. Doesn't matter where, who owns the land, or how much nepotism with the current billboard owners is going on. Oh well... I either have to become a full time lobbyist, or hire an attourney, and both sound really hard. The whole beauty of the idea was earning money while being lazy- and this just ruined it. How can they ruin the American Dream of Laziness so brashly?!?! Haha, I guess I'll have to get a new dream- but that's just so tiring.
Well, I think that does it for July's escapades,
-The Bateses
2009 July: North
I'm writing this from a public library in Lewisburg West Virginia. Last week Becky and I packed up our things, said tearful good-byes to friends and family and drove to West Virginia. We left Monday morning at around 11:00. We drove through Utah and Wyoming on the first day and slept in Ft. Collins Colorado. We got to Denver during the morning lull,traffic was light; it was a perfect time to get through. We spent the rest of the day crossing Kansas. Kansas is very long. An hour of driving equates to like an inch on the map. But we finally made it through. We drove through Kansas City late in the evening and spent the night just East of there. We wanted to stop and see the Church history sites, but we didn't want to try to see them in a big truck with a car-trailor in tow. So we will have to stop on another trip across the country. The next morning we crossed Missouri, arriving in St. Louis after lunch. We crossed the Mississippi. I couldn't believe how wide it is. I've never seen it before. That day we drove through parts of Illinois and Indiana and slept in Kentucky. On Thursday morning we drove through the rest of Kentucky and most of West Virginia, arriving at our appartment at about 2:30. Historic Lewisburg is very narrow. It was built shortly after our nation was founded. The city planners did not have moving trucks with car-trailors in mind when they designed the streets. If I hadn't had years of experience driving a bus I'm not sure I would have made it. But we did in fact make it. We had a few members of the elder's quorum come over and help us unload. We have made friends with another young couple in the ward. He is also starting his first year of med school. They had us over to play games last night. It's nice to find like-minded people in unexpected places.
West Virginia is beautiful, green, and wild. Trees grow everywhere. There is a feeling that nature is pushing back; that if given a chance it would retake all of the space that people have domesticated. Many of the homes are very large, very elegant, and very old. I feel like I'm stepping back in time when I drive down some of the streets. Lewisburg is a beautiful place to spend a few years of our lives.
Our appartment is close to the school. I will use a bycicle to get to and from school, leaving Becky use of the car. School starts one week from today. We extend an open invitation to any who want to come and visit. We are about 4 hours from Washington D.C.
Stewart and Becky
West Virginia is beautiful, green, and wild. Trees grow everywhere. There is a feeling that nature is pushing back; that if given a chance it would retake all of the space that people have domesticated. Many of the homes are very large, very elegant, and very old. I feel like I'm stepping back in time when I drive down some of the streets. Lewisburg is a beautiful place to spend a few years of our lives.
Our appartment is close to the school. I will use a bycicle to get to and from school, leaving Becky use of the car. School starts one week from today. We extend an open invitation to any who want to come and visit. We are about 4 hours from Washington D.C.
Stewart and Becky
2009 July: Robertson
Hello Everyone,
July has slipped by us really fast. It seems that it just started. We started the month with Birthday parties for Morgan’s grandpa and a cousin and Fourth of July celebrations in Rochester. We were able to go to the large fireworks show that they had there. It was pretty good.
I had a brief meeting with one of my professors on campus to get ready for my comprehensive exams next February. No time to start preparing like the present, I guess. I was also able to take the young men camping again so they could work on their cooking merit badge. They had to cook a soup, two vegetables, a meat, and a dessert from scratch using only camp stoves, the fire, and a dutch oven. They did fairly well with their cooking.
The rest of my month was spent getting ready for our Stake Youth Conference. Trying to get a response from the inquiries I was making for our group was causing me a fair amount of stress. When I thought that I had things mostly taken care of, the Stake Presidency gave me new qualifications for my project which required some quick fixes and some changes in plans. I think though that everything about youth conference was a success. We were able to write letters to active service men and women and three beautifying projects in the community. Now that it is over, I can have my summer back – what’s left of it.
Morgan’s month consisted of doctor’s visits, presidency meetings, and primary activity days. She also gave a talk in Sacrament meeting; she is averaging one talk every three months in our branch. To her consternation I am averaging one talk every year. Morgan also celebrated her 25th birthday this month. The girls and I took her out to lunch at a local Mexican place and made her a birthday dinner of gyros. She received some scrapbooking supplies and a necklace that she seems to like. She then had a baby shower in conjunction with her cousin the next day. There was a good turn out at the party. We received a lot of boy clothes. Probably a good thing since we didn’t have much boy clothes.
The girls are doing really well. The become more independent and destructive day by day. In all fairness, they are also getting cuter as well. They do have their moments of being really sweet right next to the moments of being devils. I guess that is what comes with being two. They are starting to understand that there is baby around. If someone asks them where the baby is, they will try to lift up Morgan’s shirt to point to her tummy. I think that covers most of what we did this month minus some picnics and barbeques that we attended. We hope that everyone is doing well. We think and pray about all of you often.
With love,
Derik, Kyla, Morgan, Daria, and li’l boy
July has slipped by us really fast. It seems that it just started. We started the month with Birthday parties for Morgan’s grandpa and a cousin and Fourth of July celebrations in Rochester. We were able to go to the large fireworks show that they had there. It was pretty good.
I had a brief meeting with one of my professors on campus to get ready for my comprehensive exams next February. No time to start preparing like the present, I guess. I was also able to take the young men camping again so they could work on their cooking merit badge. They had to cook a soup, two vegetables, a meat, and a dessert from scratch using only camp stoves, the fire, and a dutch oven. They did fairly well with their cooking.
The rest of my month was spent getting ready for our Stake Youth Conference. Trying to get a response from the inquiries I was making for our group was causing me a fair amount of stress. When I thought that I had things mostly taken care of, the Stake Presidency gave me new qualifications for my project which required some quick fixes and some changes in plans. I think though that everything about youth conference was a success. We were able to write letters to active service men and women and three beautifying projects in the community. Now that it is over, I can have my summer back – what’s left of it.
Morgan’s month consisted of doctor’s visits, presidency meetings, and primary activity days. She also gave a talk in Sacrament meeting; she is averaging one talk every three months in our branch. To her consternation I am averaging one talk every year. Morgan also celebrated her 25th birthday this month. The girls and I took her out to lunch at a local Mexican place and made her a birthday dinner of gyros. She received some scrapbooking supplies and a necklace that she seems to like. She then had a baby shower in conjunction with her cousin the next day. There was a good turn out at the party. We received a lot of boy clothes. Probably a good thing since we didn’t have much boy clothes.
The girls are doing really well. The become more independent and destructive day by day. In all fairness, they are also getting cuter as well. They do have their moments of being really sweet right next to the moments of being devils. I guess that is what comes with being two. They are starting to understand that there is baby around. If someone asks them where the baby is, they will try to lift up Morgan’s shirt to point to her tummy. I think that covers most of what we did this month minus some picnics and barbeques that we attended. We hope that everyone is doing well. We think and pray about all of you often.
With love,
Derik, Kyla, Morgan, Daria, and li’l boy
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