In-N-Out ---- Or Not.

***DISCLAIMER: SOME READERS MIGHT FIND THE BLOG BELOW OFFENSIVE OR DISTURBING. CONTINUE AT YOUR OWN RISK***

WHO CARES??!?!?! There are two In-N-Outs (that I know of) opening in Utah County this year. Whoopidy-doo!! Shane and I were discussing this - so glad I married him :) We both agreed that we could care less and that we will not be eating at either of the "coming soon" restaurants.

It is a hamburger. Guess what.... there are about 50 other major/small chains that serve hamburgers too! And they taste just as good, if not better. Ok, I'm not saying that In-N-Out is bad at all, but come on people, it is a hamburger. It's not cooked in gold or served on silver platters. You don't get fanned with giant palm branches by goddesses draped in silk while eating there... (too far?)
To be perfectly honest, I would choose a McDonald's $.89 hamburger over any other hamburger at ANY time. I do love those golden arches.

When I lived in Logandale and would take the occasional trip into Vegas with my friends, we just HAD to stop at the INO on Tropicana --- why??? Because it is a big fat novelty from California - and because it's from California, it is "cool". Because the owner is so selective about where he will allow his stores to be, it is "special". Because their menu is so simple it's "vintage".
(I still love my friends though :) It's not their fault that they were sucked into the black-hole )

I'm not trying to stir anything up or offend any INO lovers out there - but just know this, it's not that great.

Story to tell:

My Senior year, I told one of my friends that I liked Iceberg better than In-N-Out (still true). He told me, "turn around, face the wall, and think about what you just said...". It was funny; you had to be there.
Some people reading this were there and are hopefully laughing right now

*sigh*

18 Months

OK - so Chloe had her 18 month check-up this week (no pics to put up right now). She's doing just wonderfully.

Height >>> 31.5 inches (46%)
Weight >>> 23 lbs 13 oz (42%)
Head..... 82%. My child has a gigantic head. But it doesn't look big, so that's ok :)

She totally remembered what happens at the doctor too. She did not want to sit on the scale or the table or anything. She was fine when I was holding her, but she's just a shy little thing around strangers. Anyway, she did well overall so we got her a treat after - RedVines!

I'm so glad she's not over-ly tall. People always think I'm weird, and I'm not trying to offend anyone, but I really want her to be on the shorter side. I love being short and have never wished to be taller. It's funner to be small :)

Reminiscing in the rain....

Lately, with all of this rain, I have been reminiscing about my childhood in Louisiana. When the rain came, we went outside (when I say "we", I mean my mom's piano students who I played with while they waited for their turn). We had a huge patio that stretched the length of the house and had a tin roof over top. The rain was so loud, but so relaxing. The thunder would rattle the entire house and usually we had to turn up the TV so we could hear it over the grape-sized rain drops pounding on the roof. If we got caught out in the yard, we could usually take shelter under the canopy-like trees. The yard was surrounded by HUGE oak, magnolia, and pine trees. Our "bushes" of azalea - they were enormous. So big in fact, that I would oftentimes just go into them and sit on the low lying branches - they were big... and I was small :)
>>>> and I'm pretty sure our house got rolled (T.P.'d) at least twice a year by the high school cheerleaders - Mark was "Mr. Popularity"!<<<<

I remember, after big thunderstorms, everything seemed to have a tint of orange. The frogs and locusts would go crazy - that sound is still one of my favorites; croaking frogs and chirping locusts.

I loved that house. We ONLY had one wood burning fire place in the family room to heat the entire house. My dad would get up super early and go out for logs and I would usually be awake and just watch him start the fire with his kerosene soaked kindling. In the winter, my mom would put hot coals in a pan and warm our sheets so we wouldn't immediately freeze in bed! In the summer, us younger kids would always sneak into our parents' room at night and sleep on the floor because they had the good air conditioner (only window units in this house). We didn't have central heat until the year we moved - and I'm pretty sure we only got it to help the resale value of the house.

Sometimes it seemed like we were packed into that house like sardines - I don't remember what it was like when I was REALLY little, but I remember when there were 9/10 people, 4 bedrooms, and 2 bathrooms. Most of those people were male... and they had their own bedroom and bathroom to themselves on the complete opposite side of the house from the other rooms. While it tended to be stinkier back there, they had an awesome setup. The garage was converted into a bedroom when my parents bought the house (it had to hold 7 boys). They had a weight bench, pool table, bunk beds... It was just a cool room --- with no door (they had to take out the whole frame to fit the pool table through the opening and just never put it back!).

We had an awesome backyard with a VERY nice and sturdy swing set - not like these cheap ones with the hollow metal posts and plastic, flimsy seats. Ours was great. We had a trampoline and lots of room for running. My dad's shed (or shop... depending on which kid you talk to) was like a giant shop of mysteries! We only messed around in there when he was out of town, but when we did... The scrap wood always got used!!

We had lots of rabbits for a long time. They were kind of mean, but a few were so nice and we would get them out and play with them. I got attached to a few and they were usually the ones that ended up on the dinner table :( without my knowledge!!! My brother had one rabbit that he named Jemimah. Jemimah had a baby that we named Butthead (Andrea, ask Daniel if that's right). We were kind of white-trash (not really, but it was so fun to be a Southerner!).

I only have happy memories of that house but I also remember being SO excited to move and start over somewhere else. But then sitting there, the morning we left... staring at the empty rooms - it was heartbreaking. I never realized how much I loved that place. Sometimes, when I hear certain songs, I'm taken back to my room - my walls COVERED in pictures of Hanson, N'Sync, Backstreet Boys, Leonardo DiCaprio.... sitting in my blue inflatable chair (I was 12... what do you expect?!).

I always think about going back - of course it won't be at all the same, but still....

When we moved, I was so ready to be done with the rain and for YEARS I hated it when it rained. 10 years later, I am finally starting to like it again. Funny how one small part of Mother Nature can bring back 12 years worth of memories, huh?

Cute Animals (photos courtesy of MSNBC)

One of my favorite websites to browse is MSNBC.com and then look and the "Animal Tracks" photos. They are photos taken from around the world - most are from zoos but quite a few are just taken from the streets. Its so cool to see people just randomly interacting with wild animals. Anyway, neither of the pics below are of that, just two that I really liked :)

Baby and Mommy elephants - always a classic :)

A pretty cow in the Swiss Alps
(This one looks like it belongs on the front of a greeting card -
very similar to one that has been given to me by a certain older brother....
*cough* Brian*.....)

Updates

Not a whole heck of a lot has happened over the past few weeks. I did get a new niece though :) Just check out the pics below...

On our way to visit baby Bridgette eating corn dogs.


Baby Bridgette Williamson

"talking on the phone" while Mommy and Daddy bowl :)

THE ZOO

Funky roaches at the ZOO

The elephant!!! Always a zoo favorite


Baby giraffe

Mouthful of another corn dog

TIGER

She would NOT let go of that corn dog!

One of the 3 baby tigers!!


OTHER

Pretty pears on the tree

Helpin mom in the yard

Some of our picks
Raspberries! (the white is sunburn...)

SUNDAY DRIVES

Kissin Dad
Silly little girl

Happy Anniversary!

Happy 43rd Anniversary to my Mom and Dad.
They survived us :)

#31!!!

So last night my older sister, Janell, had her baby!!!! This is Bradford Grandbaby #31 and she is just as special (if not more so) as the rest :) I can't wait to go hold her!!! Don't know the name yet (for sure) though.

The CIRCUS!

YAY!! Shane told me we could go to the circus! He really didn't want to go, but I told him that if he took us to the circus then he could get a *stupid* season pass to Sundance. Anyway, September 25 (or 26) I will be watching elephants and tigers and all sorts of other cool things!! And we even get to meet the animals beforehand :) I am so excited...

Update on the Chlo-Lo

[Name is courtesy of Aunt Janell:) ]

So my little baby is getting SO big! She is 17 months next week, but is just a genius. She says more audible words than I can count. She mimics almost everything we do and say. She knows Daddy's truck and his ringtone. She has 10 teeth! She got 4 molers last week. I would have never known - she is an absolute angel when it comes to teething. Although, a couple of nights, she has bitten down on her finger so we have had to address those few situations.

She loves to bring you a book and either says "Book" or "Story". She will grab your finger and follow along the words and pictures. She points out the different animals that she knows - cows, kitties, puppies, turtles, fishies, bears, and birdies. She can make puppy, kitty, and cow noises too. She points out water whenever she sees it and loves her teddy bears - she has 3 and loves to cuddle them. She pronounces "bear" like "beer" and it just sounds so cute in her little voice.

She knows her body parts - eyes, ears, mouth, teeth, toes, nose, belly, and bum. She lets you know when she has pooped too. I just can't get over how smart she is! Loves shoes too - she always brings them to us and says "shoes" - but says it with her lips puckered and says "shoosss". So cute!

Still not much hair, but the little bit she does have and curly and blond as can be! She still smiles with her whole face - her cheeks are so adorably chubby.

Anyway, I just had to brag for a bit! I'm hoping to take her out and do some pictures soon so you can all partake in her beauty :)

My Buddy!

I decided that I need to learn this song so I can sing it with Chloe. She really has been my little buddy lately!!