Words

I've always been an avid reader. My mother started the tradition with Jack and I at a very young age. In our minds, it allowed us to steal an extra 30-minutes before lights out. In my mom's wisdom, she knew that reading every night would help us develop a life-long love of books.

Lately, I've been picking up old, out-of-print books. It's almost a guarantee that I will have an interesting read. I am simply trying to get my fill of as many good books sans the modern twist of violence, gore, sex and graphic language as I can. In truth, I can barely endure the harsh reality real-life events in the world without reading about them too. So, I choose to choose carefully.

One recent book, Eagle In The Sky by F. vanWyck Mason (copyright 1948) is a novel about archaic medicine in the Medical Department of the Continental Army of the United States in the 1780s. It is fascinating and almost frightening at the same time. Back then you might be suffering from Canine Madness, Flux of Humor, Green Sickness or Screws. At that time your physician would probably be called a Chirurgeon, Sawbones or Pull-Guts. And sentences like, "Crimanently! The prodigality of that trencherman in his puruke." really makes me chuckle. Can you believe the crazy words they used? Yes, language has come a long way - perhaps not the right way but certainly a long way. It makes me wonder if in 100 years people will laugh out loud at our words - Like you know, Crunk, Sudoku, Supersize, Smackdown and Unibrow.

Hair Chronicles

As far back as I can recall I've had this wonderful thick, coarse, wiry, porous, wavy mop of hair - I've tried just about everything to tame the mane. In my most desperate days I've tried to cut and process my way to something manageable. The worst idea was always a perm. Think Gilda Radner if you're over 40 and Carrot Top if you are younger. And don't even get me started on the modified crew cut that I was talked into in 1985. You know, I nearly wept with joy when I purchased my first-ever flat iron. But wait, there is something better! My daughter Andrea, the lovely and talented cosmetologist, recently gave me a Brazilian Keratin Treatment - I prefer to call it a Hair Smoothie. What a revelation. I have this smooth, shiny hair that dries quickly and needs little work with a flat iron. The process only lasts about 4 months and when Andrea uses the flat iron to seal in the keratin it smokes up a room in nothing flat plus I can't wash my hair for 4 dreadful days. Still I love the Hair Smoothie - thanks Andrea!

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye." - Miss Piggy

Ethan Beefan is 27!!!

Ethan turned 27 on January 12 and he is finally on his way to figuring out life. Ethan started school at Salt Lake Community College (Slick to the locals) this month and plans to start with a degree in Personal Training and possibly move on to a Physical Therapy degree with an emphasis in Sports Medicine. Good luck on your new journey Ethan!

Tip for ice cream cake lovers: Baskin Robbins' Brownie Cake is killer.

Before and After Ski Day

Started out fun ended up a little rough! In case you can't tell - those are big alligator tears!

Levi - Too Cute for Words

Really cute. Okay make that two words. No wait, now it's eleven words. Oh no...

Cat Tormenter

Carly and Winnie have a love-hate relationship. Carly torments the cat and the cat comes back again and again for more. This is a recent example of Winnie with hair.

Boxing Day

We tried something a little different this year for Christmas. Instead of the pressure of trying to be at so many places at the same we decided to celebrate with a family Christmas get together on December 26 - Boxing Day.

We enjoyed homemade soup, breadsticks and many, many sugar cookies (right Kyle?)! All in all it was a time of laughs, naps, movies, games and wonderful memories.