Direct Correlation? You know how much I love shoes!

And now, I wear this

Where's the heel and where's the bling? I feel inadequate in this shoe attire. 3 weeks in this shoe hell, and lots of anti-inflammatories, and NO HIGH HEELED SHOES OF ANY KIND!

Time for a pedicure?- - "After"

AAAHHHH! The happiness of having nice, unsnaggy feet. And yes, I picked the nail polish color by thinking:"What color would I wear if I was going on a cruise?" Needless to say, we are in the middle of winter here with a ton of snow, (I think the temperature is about -4 this morning) and no hope for a cruise. But, still I picked a happy orange-red color. If I look at my toenails and squint my eyes, I could picture a orange-red color sunset that I saw a few years back in Key West. I need to find that picture and show it to you. It is GORGEOUS!

Also, I was getting my hair and nails done this week, and about 4 years ago, I used to go to this lady on State Street for a pedicure, facial and massage. Then one day when I went in for my appointment, a nice Vietnamese woman welcomed me into the salon, and told me with a very broken English that her husband would be doing my pedicure. Where was LEIGH, I demanded. Sadly she didn't know (she wasn't sad, she was smiling a big toothy smile the whole time she was talking to me). I was heart-broken, and later butchered by a nice Vietnamese man who didn't even know how to use a blade. I NEED A BLADE, PEOPLE! So, I was getting my hair done by Juli, and she asked me if I remembered Leigh. Of course I remembered Leigh. Are you kidding me! That's why I quit getting pedicures because Leigh wasn't doing them anymore. Even my mother loved Leigh. So, Juli had some insider information about Leigh, and quickly gave me a phone number to call because LEIGH HAS A SPA IN HER BASEMENT! Guess who called her the minute I was done with Juli? My life, as I know it, can go on, once again. The above picture is not Leigh's work....you would know it and feel the difference if it was (Leigh knows how to use a blade). No, this work was done by a 19-year old amateur named "Shilo". I was bored talking with her. She had nothing interesting to say to me, so I turned to my book and was a total snob. 6 weeks from now, I will report on my SPA experience with Leigh. It will sure to be the most joyous occasion.

Time for a pedicure?- - "Before"

When I was slipping out of my luxurious silk satin sheets this morning, I got caught in them and snagged them badly. What might have been the reason?? And then I took a good look at my feet, and thought that I REALLY needed a pedicure. What do you think? My appointment is tomorrow, and I will then post an "after" picture. Click on this picture so you can see how totally cracked, disgusting, and dry my feet are.

Okay, okay, not really my feet, but they could be. You might have noticed that this foot belongs to a black person. As you know, I'm not partially black (Upper torso white, lower torso black), no, no, that is not the case. But to demonstrate how horrible my feet look, I thought I would use this picture because it tells the story so well. This is actually a picture of an Indian man that Rod met in October during his travel to India. He kept shooting pictures without anybody noticing, so he can prove to me that somebody else has the same "quality" feet as I do. This poor guy hasn't ever owned shoes, and has always walked barefoot everywhere. So, what's my excuse? Immense laziness? Maybe. Can't see my feet from my stomach? Not yet. Ignore them and the grossness will go away with time? Possibly.

Tune in tomorrow for a beautiful and smooth "after" picture. You will be surprised. And, by the way, I don't own silk satin sheets...are you kidding me? You believed me, that I did!! How silly of you. Don't you know me at all!!

Lost in Translation in India

I was going through Rod's pictures that he took during his last travel to India and Japan. And here are some thought-provoking signs that make you go:"Hmmm!?" (you may need to click on each picture to really see the sign).

How unfortunate!
Would you advertise and brag about this, I mean, seriously!

Is there a time you wouldn't need toilet paper?

You panties!

What are we talking about here? Locusts?

So, you are driving down the road with your mother in-law, and see this sign, would you say:"I need to get me one of those!" and then glance at your mother in-law with a meaningful look?

The Real Guitar Hero

Let's go way, way, WAY back to the 80s and 90s. If you were hip and young like we were at that time, you would remember the real guitar hero, Greg Stevenson. Those were the times when on any given Friday night, we could go to Greg's concert, and listen to him play. He had quite a following, too. A fan base of screaming girls who followed him...anywhere. Those were the times.

How about us going to Lake Powell, and Greg bringing his guitar with him. There we were, tucked nicely in a far away canyon, nothing but beautiful warm water, tall canyon walls, a nice sandy beach, and us in sleeping bags trying to sleep. That's when Greg lulled us to sleep by singing endlessly, and every once in a while, a loud echo of "IT'S SO SIMPLE TO ME" would sound and wake us up right when you were falling asleep. Good times, good times.

Greg and Kristine came to visit us this past weekend, and we actually talked Greg to play the guitar....guitar hero, that is. And Rod and I got the flashback. Unfortunately, Kristine was not part of the scene in the 80s and 90s because she was still in HIGH SCHOOL! But, for sure, she would have been one of those screaming girls, because Greg was irressistible.

Greg is truly the Guitar Hero of Provo/Orem.

Suburban firm and unflabby thoughts

I was sitting in my Suburban last night in front of Alex's Jr. High, waiting for him to finish his basketball practice, and my thoughts were whirling all over the place, mostly on food. I couldn't believe that I was only on 3rd day after New Year's and I was thinking about McDonald's fries. I NEVER think about fries, I have no need to think about fries! But for some weird reason, there it was. Then I started thinking that I need to invent a way to get my body into shape without actually going to the gym. AGAIN! I couldn't believe it. Only 3rd day, and I was going back on my promise to myself to go to the gym. Could I think about firm and unflabby thoughts, that could be beneficial to my body? Then a thought hit me..."I wonder if the "HOT" sign is on at Krispy Kreme". I mean SERIOUSLY!!! Quit already!!! Where were these thoughts coming from? Was I bored? No. Was I out of my mind? Obviously. So, to dwarf these explicit thoughts, I went shopping instead. Crisis diverted. Case closed.

Our fortunes for 2008-Cheers!

Cheers to 2008!
Here welcoming the New Year at the Williams

According to the Finnish tradition, our melted tin horse shoe fortunes for 2008 are, as interpreted by each person:

Marja: Dubai Hotel (looks like a sail of a ship, reference picture).

Rod: Segway with lots of money

Alex: African Safari: Running Rhinoceros and money

Grandma Joyce Hill: Golf clubs and bag (maybe a golf vacation)

Grandpa Herb Hill: "As long as it is not a long term care facility, I'm ok."

Katie: Wolf (then she started seeing an angel Moroni)

Steve: Motorcycle with LOTS of money in the back. He told me first that it looked like the Big Island of Hawaii. You be the judge.

Heather: Wedding vail, flower bouquet, and other wedding paraphanalia

Carsen: Wii, Basketball, Football helmet, neice/nephew (sounds like a letter to Santa, or a wish list for his birthday. Take notice, Katie and Steve)

All in all, it was a wonderful, quiet but joyous New Year's Eve with friends, laughter and lots of beans. Yeah, we felt them next day.

Here playing Mormon Bridge with the Williams Family, which of course, Marja refused to play because it is like ROOK (don't get me started). We quickly switched to "Scum", and at the end of the evening, Marja made it to the President.

Hyvää Uutta Vuotta!!!

What happens in Vegas...Las Vegas Bowl

Before Christmas we had a chance to go to the Las Vegas Bowl to watch BYU take on UCLA. We left on Friday afternoon with Carsen, Alex's best friend, in tow, and drove in blizzard conditions at times. We drove directly to Summerlin to meet up with our old friends, Jim and Wendy Jensen. Off we went to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner. We ordered 100 hot wings and we felt it the next day.


You can only jump on the beds in the hotel rooms, as Carsen and Alex prove it. This fun went on and on.

The next day we first had a great buffet breakfast with pickled herring and all the gravlax you can eat (sadly, only I understood what good breakfast is), and then hit the bowling alley at the Suncoast hotel. If you have never bowled at Suncoast, make it a priority next time. They have 64 fab lanes. We rocked to the sounds of Elvis and other favorites from the 60s.


Alex's first bowl, and he got a strike.

From Suncoast we drove to Rod's favorite all-you-can-eat Sushi place. Carsen's first bite of tamago sushi was lost in the restaurant toilet. He had more success with the California Rolls. Alex had his first spicy tuna sushi, and he liked it. And now, I won't even try to explain the joy of eating sushi. Let's just say, once again, that it is like candy to me and Rod. We could eat it all day, and never get enough.

Here Alex and Carsen are eating sushi.








Then it was off to the pre-game show.

But before we got there, Alex and Carsen HAD to entertain us with "99 bottles of beer on the wall".... Here happily singing. Us not so happily listening.








Scalp Painting, anyone?

Go BYU!

BYU, Number 1!!

Game started.
BYU scored first 3 points. Here is the field goal. Oops, the guys in front of me stood up too quickly, and I missed the kick.








This is where BYU scored their first touch down. Rod happened to be blocking the view, so I missed it too. Rats!







Then this is where BYU scored their second touch down, and I happened to be getting food with Carsen. Missed it, AGAIN!












Final score: BYU 17-UCLA 16, after UCLA's field goal was blocked by BYU.



Funniest sign we saw at the game.








Alex and Carsen with Andrew George after rushing the field.













And THIS is how cold it was in Vegas on December 22, 2007.

cookie family

Our really, really old friends in Layton are the Jennings family. We got to know them in 1991 when we moved to Orem, and started BYU. Rod was their home teacher. Quickly the home teacher visits turned into cookie nights at the Jennings. We spent hours and hours chatting with Tim and Dianne, and watched their kids grow up. When Alex was born, Dianne used to baby-sit him when I was at either work or school. Alex swears now that when his nose tickles and he rubs it, it is exactly the same way as Dianne does it. This might be true. I've seen them both do it, and it is the same rubbing motion.

So, who are the Jennings, you ask. If you have never met them, here is an intro according to me.

Tim-Father-Pepsi guru in Ogden. Funny guy. Has a nice picture on the wall when he finished a marathon. He absolutely loves his grandkids. Can do a Donald Duck voice that kids love. Introduced his kids to golf. Opens his home on Super Bowl Sunday for the Larsen's. How many years is it now? Over 15? Look out for the new trophy this year. The question is, will the Larsen's take the trophy home again this year??

Dianne-Mother-the most loveliest woman on earth. Skinny woman who runs like 30 miles a day. Won't eat meat. Saw a chicken butchered when she was young. That'll do it! Won't hug just anybody. We are some of the lucky ones she will hug. She has the most inviting home. Bakes cookies like nobody else. And now her girls do it. I love Dianne. She is one of those people that you will be friends with forever.

Hilary-(Family on the right side of the picture) Oldest child-incredible mother to 4 beautiful kids, some are read-headed. She is married to Bill. I think she bakes cookies every week. Just had some on Sunday. Delish! Hilary is beautiful. She has the most beautiful big eyes, and the longest eye lashes that make anybody jealous, especially me.

Tai-(Family on the left side of the picture) Second oldest child-another incredible mother to 3 girls, and "Alex" boy that will be born soon. Used to baby-sit Alex, and said that she would love to have a boy like Alex one day. Hey, Tai, now you can. Tai is married to the most hilarious husband-dentist Mike.

Brooke-(in the wedding gown)-Youngest daughter. Has been married since spring. She is married to Andy. No kids yet, but starting a family soon. We are so glad Brooke is married, because we noticed since the wedding, they are not sitting on the loveseat in the "loving" room anymore. There was a LOT of smootching on the couch before the wedding. Young love!

Jordan-(not in the picture)-on his mission in Florida, Jacksonville mission. Used to teach him in primary. As Intelligent as they come. Incredible DDR dancer. He comes home on March 5th. Happy day! This will be the first year ever that neither boys will be part of Super Bowl Sunday. Sad, but more chances for the Larsen's to win!!

Andrew-(the tallest one in the picture)-Leaving on his mission tomorrow to Tennessee, Knoxville mission. Gave a great talk on Sunday. He goes to the university in SLC that we can't mention in our home, for obvious reasons. GO COUGARS!

As you can see, this is a great family, and we love each and every member of that family, especially when there are cookies around.

How I really feel about winter

This is how I really feel about winter, if there was ever a doubt in your mind.

In the middle of winter, I finally realized that there was an eternal summer inside me.
-Albert Camus-

There is a winter on top of my head, but there is an eternal spring in my heart.
-Victor Hugo-

I drank summer like it was sweet wine.
-Louis Aragon-

Oh, happy is a heart
who can drink peace
and feel the happiness of a summer night
when you smell the bird-cherry trees.
-Lauri Pohjanpää-