I've been "working" a lot

By choice, I've been babysitting a lot lately.  I feel like it makes for a long work week, but when I add up the hours, I barely break 50 hours.  I don't know how people could ever work 60 or more hours a week. I'm exhausted.  

There are two things that keep me babysitting: the kids and the money. The kids, G&W, are adorable and energetic. They let me play with them. They love to scare me with crocodile toys.  The pay is good enough that I look forward to the extra spending money.  Funny that I most often see it as spending money rather than money to save.

After a long day at work, and then a long night of babysitting, I wish I had some reason for it all. I wish I had something to look forward to. I want to say: "It will all be worth it when__(fill in the blank)_," or "All that hard work and those exhausting days will have paid off once I __(insert dream job here)__."

There's a position opening up soon in my division, which will be a promotion.  I think I can do the job and it would be nice to earn more. The trouble is I don't think it will help me in figuring out what the "all roads lead to this" kind of job I want. Maybe that kind of job won't exist for me. Either way, it makes it really hard to envision what I should be doing.

This weekend should be fun.  Little Italy in Baltimore, DC Beautification Day, Mustache Party...Have a great weekend!

beck

Bryan's Home!!!

And he's already engaged.  He arrived at the Fresno airport on Wednesday, June 29.  A few weeks later on Thursday, July 21, he proposed to his girlfriend.  It was the opening night of the show he was in, Hello Dolly! They're getting married in November.  He's my younger brother and he's always been much more astute at dating and relationships.

My brother and sister-in-law surprised our family and flew out for Bryan's homecoming. It was the first time we were all together since long before Bryan's mission.  We were able to take some family photos, which I can't post yet.

It's so great that Bryan's home and so great that we were all there for it.

Me and Bryan!!!

Me, my sister and her little boy Luke

Mommy and Luke...just hanging out

My sisters, my cousins, and Serenity. Anginae has been rocking the mermaid mane with me lately. 

Serenity posing with the banner

Showing off the Texas apparel

These are the presents coming with me to Kentucky this weekend.  One for Rachel's Sweet Sixteen and one for my sweet niece Abigail.  

beck

Can't Wait 'til Christmas

I saw the X-Men Origins movie about a month ago.  Dama and I got there on time, which is my favorite thing because I love seeing the trailers for new movies. It's just one of the many reasons I love seeing movies in the theater.

This trailer got me the most excited by far. I think Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist is perfect. I loved the books and I hope I'll love the movies.



On the subject of movies...I saw Harry Potter 7: Part 2 in IMAX 3D, which is probably the best way to see it.  I'm not a huge Harry Potter fan, but I enjoyed the books and I like the movies. This was my favorite of all the movies.  It was well done and felt like a good finish.

The only other movie that I feel like I'm dying to see this summer is Winnie the Pooh. Maybe it's a sign that I've been babysitting too much. The family I babysit for had their third little one a couple of weeks ago. Needless to say they've been in greater need for an extra hand.

beck

Bryan's coming home in two days!!!

I'm flying home in two days to be there when Bryan arrives. The whole weekend is planned with fun family activities. Take a look at our what fun means for our family. I can't even wait...except I have 10 hours of IIE work, at least 3 hours of babysitting, laundry, dry cleaning, packing and getting my truck fixed before I leave on Wednesday.  Good times.

beck

Balimer

I spent the last few days in Baltimore for work.  Everyone else calls it Baltimore, but the locals call it "Balimer." And instead of water they say "wooter." It's funny.

Baltimore is called Charm City. I always thought of it as scary city. During this work trip I was able to pay more attention to the history and the food, so now I can definitely see the charm.  Actually, I am kind of thinking that I'd love to live there.  Baltimore, Chicago or Providence are on my list for the next best place to live.

Since I was going to be in Baltimore anyway, I bought tickets with my roommate to see the U2 concert.  I was soooo excited because Florence + the Machine was opening.  Sadly, due to poor planning, when the concert started I was stuck outside waiting for my roommate to arrive with the tickets.  We missed all but one song by Florence.  U2 was fun but I'm still pretty upset about missing Florence.

Come visit me and we'll definitely go to Baltimore.  It's my new favorite place.

Here are a few pics and videos for your viewing pleasure.  

Crab chair carved in Indonesia

Special tour of the Phillips Food plant. So cool. Yummy crab cakes. 

Cupola at City Hall. 

Tile under the cupola at City Hall. 

View of the Inner Harbor from the Top of the World at the Baltimore World Trade Center. 

The aquarium? I still haven't been there.  

Ah...Florence. 

I'm glistening from the humidity and I'm wearing my new concert t-shirt in this pic. 

An ad for the concert.  So fun. 

beck

This one's for the memory

This last weekend and the last few days have been jam packed with a load of events and emotions.

On Friday, I saw Woody Allen's newest movie Midnight in Paris. It was quite funny at times.  I'm forever enchanted by Marion Cotillard.  I think she's so beautiful and so fantastic.

On Saturday, I went to the batting cages with Dama and some coworkers.  I had no idea it would be so painful.  I guess softballs at a batting cage are harder, more durable than normal softballs so each hit was strenuous. We finished the night by watching The Sandlot. It was fitting.

Earlier that day, Dama introduced me to the TV show Rookie Blue. And some brilliant person put all the interactions between Officer McNally and Officer Swarek into youtube videos by episode.  It's brilliant, addicting and so bad for me.  It's like taking all the meat out of a sandwich and getting to eat it all at once. It tastes good, but it might leave you feeling a little messed up.  In one of the episodes I heard the song below by A Fine Frenzy. I'm a little bit obsessed.



Don't worry: there's more to this weekend of fun.

On Sunday, I gave a talk in our ward's Sacrament meeting.  It was on testimony. The preparation was the best part for me. I'm glad to have done it, but I'm glad that it's over.

Maggie, Melanie and I skipped out after Sunday School to attend a Memorial Day concert at the Kennedy Center.  The concert featured the U.S. Army Orchestra and was conducted by a few impressive men, including Craig Jessop.  I was not expecting to get emotional, but I found myself crying when servicemen stood up while their military theme song was played.  It got worse.  After that concert we went over to the concert on the mall and they did the same thing there--had all the servicemen stand as their theme song was being played.  It's one thing to know of the conflicts overseas and those who are generally involved.  It's another thing to see those people right in front of you--the ones who sacrificed so much and still do.

I'm almost finished with my weekend summary.  On Monday, I went shopping.  This deserves a longer post.  But I did go shopping. After 52 weeks, I finally bought new clothes.

Memorial Day happens to be the day that my Grannie died last year. I'll never be able to forget that.  Gosh, I miss her, but I know she's happier where she is now and that I'll get to be reunited with her after death. It doesn't make the sorrow or grief go away, but it's a comfort that makes it more bearable.     

The last thing I'd like to mention in this summary is that my dad's treatment ends this weekend.  After a year of awful pain and depression, he'll be able to start recovering.  In six months we'll know if he's officially cured. I'm full of hope.

How fitting that the events around Memorial Day should be so memorable.

beck

Ch ch ch changes

Actually not much has changed recently.  For or better or for worse things are about the same.  Living in the same place, working at the same organization in the same position, serving in the same church calling, still can't buy new clothes, still waiting for my brother to come home from his mission, waiting for my dad to finish his treatment, singing every week, tutoring every week, and babysitting as often as possible in between.

But two weeks ago my sister and her beau spent the week in DC.  We saw the Yankees kill the Orioles at Camden Yards. They also agreed (though I didn't really do any persuading) to come to Church on Easter Sunday. We ate and played and they left me with 18 hard boiled and yet un-dyed Easter eggs to eat on my own.  That was a fun and exhausting week.

This last weekend I danced.  Then I reauditioned for another season of NatPhilChorale.  Then I got to see the Giants beat the Nationals from box seats right above home plate.  I could see and decipher when pitches were balls or strikes.  It was incredible.  I also got to teach some four and five-year-old kids some really awesome taunting cheers.  That was an awesome day.

I was asked to give a talk in Sacrament meeting in a few weeks.  Kill me. I'm already deathly afraid.  I'm not afraid of talking.  I can talk.  I'm afraid of not doing a good job.  I really like to do things well and when I can't I'm frustrated with myself.  It might be unreasonable but I'm not swayed enough to change just yet.

beck