21 Days

Until my brotherly comes HOME!

I have pondered this moment for a while now. Poor man Cam comes home to people who are perhaps a little bit frighteningly excited to see him. He knows we're excited, but really, I don't think he knows. And while he knew Harry before he left on the mish mash, Cameron will get off that plane to 2 new brothers-in-law and one chubbalicious niece that in May 2008 was but a loaf with yeasty rising.

OVERWHELM

I imagine we'll all break into sprints to hug him, Sarah will knock us all over and climb over our bodies to get to him first, Mom and Elizabeth will be overcome and sobbing, dripping all over the airport floor, my nephew will tackle him, my 1st niece will turn shy and hide behind sobbing mother, my 2nd niece will be like, "Uh, who is this nerdy boy? Does he have any treats for me?" and my Dad will scrap composure by a thread but give him a big, long, long hug with hearty pats on the back. I picture Jeff and Harry waiting patiently for the rest of us ninnies to have had our hugs before giving him their own. Jeff will probably say something like, "Hey! It's me -- your mystery relative!" to which they will chuckle.

And then we'll all look at each other and say, "Now what?!" We'll find his bags, stuff them in the car, argue over who will be escorted back to the homestead in the same car as Cameron, and after he's released, and each of his sisters and 1st niece will get cracking on baking anything to fatten him up, we'll let the cultural indoctrinating begin with the most important thing he's missed in the last 2 years:

I can NOT wait to see my brother again. To know him is to love the crap out of him.

We didn't even plan it.

And then we changed clothes.

I do exclaim!

I've come around to the idea of decorative pillows on my bed! Large and hearty, not small neener pillows that serve 0 purpose!

Tomorrow my mom and I are going to finish selecting the linens she'll stitch together for our bedding!

My mom is and was a dish!

I got a promotion!

When I'm old and sound like Joan Rivers and have spent all our pennies on plastics, this is what I'll look like when I smile!

My sister-in-law Michelle is coming in 2 weeks to visit!

We will be in our new house by then!

People keep asking what it looks like!

Jeff doodled this while we watched old episodes of The OC (or was it Felicity?!) a couple weeks ago!

Yes, Jeff does watch DVDs of The OC and Felicity with me!

"Splat!" That's what my cover-less phone did on tile floor last week! Screen shards on the floor! I felt an unwillingness to pay for a new version of something I had owned moments before! Jeff found a guy to replace my screen and his battery for about 1/5 of the Apple cost! Call me if you find yourself in a similar predicament! Now I have a case of rubber so thick I feel sure I could send it flying off the side of the Chrysler Building and it'd still receive a text! Lesson learned!

Goodnight!

Estuff

1. Went to a wedding yesterday in Oregon. Megan is now Megan Hughes. My phone died about 6 seconds after this picture,



which was about 2 minutes before the bride and groom came out. I will steal some pictures from facebook as soon as they're posted, because I assure you they were glorious things to behold.

2. It is my considered opinion that once kids lose their baby teeth they stop, appropriately, looking babyish in any way. Observe exhibit A, one of my favorite former babies:


That not un-large new tooth makes him look all sorts of grown up. But he will always be my wonderfulwonderfulwonderful 1st baby nephew.

3. Have you ever read Hazel's Amazing Mother by Rosemary Wells to your kids? It's a great book and I always would think of my mom when I read it as a child. Anyway, happy mother's day to all you mums, especially

Meri
Charissa
Elizabeth
Erica
Angie
Hilary
Margaret
Kate
Susan
Kathryn
Maria
Suzie
Erin
Melissa
Melissa
Katie


3. Confession: I have been a very bad, bad MIA friend the last few months. I just have never struggled so much with time management and have never felt so busy or exhausted. It's not a great excuse but it's basically what I've got. I'm grateful for the time I had this weekend to hang out with some old college buddies, and am really going to set out to be a better "in-touch" pal.

4. 2 weeks till closing ceremonies. The impending move is starting to feel real and we are so excited.

-- Post From My iPhone

Location:England St,Huntington Beach,United States

I just get so excited!

Tonight class was cancelled, last night we had a midterm so it only lasted about 30 minutes -- this week feels like a mental pedicure AND manicure!

So now I can do IMPORTANT things like...like...PICK A NEW TEMPLATE FOR MY BLOG! I'm almost giddy over this extra time.

And say one more thing: if it were "socially acceptable" to "wear" the "same striped t-shirt" on a "daily basis" i so totally and completely "would". Stripes have never not been great.

Things to Blog:

1. Exciting: We are in escrow (or es-ca-row to Gilmore Girls watchers)! We bought a house in Ladera Ranch and closing ceremonies are currently set to take place May 21. It doesn't feel quite real, but we are stoked over the concept and keep telling ourselves that we actually did pull the trigger! We lookedandlookedandlookedandlookedandlookedandlookedandlooked so it's also strange that we won't have to spend any more saturdays or frantically rushed lunch breaks looking at properties. Pictures forthcoming.

2. Last Saturday we went to Lake Elsinore with some friends and straight from there to a clerkship reunion for Jeffie in Pasadena so those whole things I was thinking about buying edible things with which to replenish our cupboards sort of escaped my mind along with my free time. So we ate Ebelskivers because I had a bought a mix for Easter but never made them due to the overwhelming volume of candies and sweeties floating around that day. They were pretty fantastic. Since I'm my mother's daughter, I sink into a deep well of self-loathing and anxiety if I don't eat and feed green vegetables every day of the calendar year, but Sunday, we lived dangerously.

3. Sunday night we also watched a movie. 12 Angry Men. This was a movie Jeff had picked. Often Jeff picks French films. I have a funky relationship with French films. And by funky I mean not great. I've actually seen quite a few foreign films in my day and they're all you know, different, but French films are just...more different. And then within their little pool they're almost all the same. It's like they get the same actors and they put together 2 hours of footage of "Here are some people and some things happen to them and they're mostly emotionally destructive things and very awkward things and then Le Fin!" The only French movie that made me cry tears of joy (that I can remember right this minute) is Le Chorist. Ah, Pepino! Back on point: sometimes Jeff's movie choices are not my favorites, but I watch them with him because I'm always hoping I will love them, plus is marriage not a give and take?

I loved 12 Angry Men. I loved it. I have been thinking about it so much I have a hankering to watch it again. If you have not seen it (I hear there's another version? We watched the original with Henry Fonda), do not delay. Watch it, and watch it good.

4. I'm grateful. Life is good.

Episode

All Thursday I had a funny feeling. Then Elizabeth called and said my dad was in the hospital. Long story short he was exhibiting symptoms of a stroke, which is what took my paternal grandfather at 62. A day and a half later it was resolved, no stroke, it was a bad, bad reaction to a new cholesterol mediation that my dad had been leery of taking in the first place. He is largely back to his old dad self. The good thing that we take with us from this whole ambulance episode is the touching overload of support and love that was shown to our family, most especially my parents. John Evans and Scott Muir dropped everything and zipped down to the hospital to give a priesthood blessing which gave comfort and peace. Later Doug Orme came to visit. My dad doesn't remember any of this but is extremely touched at how selflessly they came to offer their sincere services. And it flowed on from there. If any of these people for one minute question the value of their efforts, let me just squash that right now and say IT MEANS THE WORLD TO US EATONS AND WE LOVE YOU!

We are so grateful we still have Dad safe and sound. Life is precious.


-- Post From My iPhone

Location:Clay Ave,Huntington Beach,United States

Big news. BIG news.

After 7 years of a side part or bangs,

I AM BACK TO A MIDDLE PART!

Methinks it makes me look just like my mother in her hippie days. Dig.

Now are all your brains just exhausted after a disclosure of such magnitude? Sleep tight!

Thumbs up and a HIGH FIVE!

These are things in which I completely believe:

1. McDonalds Fruit & Walnut Salads.

2. Netflix. After blockbuster said, "Hey, we've got a great idea. We're going to charge you MORE money, and you don't get to keep the movie as long, and the late fees are back with vengeance! Cool!" we said, "See you never!" We get 2 at a time, usually 1 that I've chosen and 1 that Jeff's chosen (except I looked on our queue today and woops! I "forgot" to switch some things around and they're sending Felicity Season 1 Disc 3 and Did You Hear About the Morgans, which would both fall under MERZY's picks. No I really did forget though. Sorry, honey!). Netflix = low maintenance = Happy Hayesies

3. Fresh, Inc. chapstick in Sugar Rose. It's smears with its sunscreen and moisturizers just a HINT of color, which is all I've ever wanted and more from a chapstick.4. The song Hands of Time by Ron Sexsmith. I'm putting a youtube of it here because I think you might like it too. I can listen to it on repeat for hours. I don't know if I could ever have a favorite song, but on my LIST of truly beloved songs, this most certainly has a place.

5. Jeff Hayes. I know I'm a newlywed and so some of you might think, "Well duh! Of course there's gushing!" Maybe that's true, but he is one to gush about for the next millions of years. Jeff Hayes constantly finds new ways to pleasantly surprise and charm me, and keep me on my toes. Every day at work I think, "Only _ more hours until I get to go home and hang out with Jeff!" He is so good, and so good for and to me. I feel so lucky to be with someone I admire and whose company I enjoy so much. Whatever happens in life, or whatever I'm doing, as long as he's there to do and happen with me, that's what home and a happy place mean to me. I'm so grateful I married him here, because anything of a temporary link to him would not be good enough.

6. And that above there is another thing I completely believe in.

Heaven or Hana? You decide.

Most days I wish I were just back in Maui.

I didn't think I'd do a honeymoon post, because who wants a honeymoon post? But after developing the pictures (almost 3 months later!) I thought I'd share.

We had 7 days on the Hana Estate, which is infinitely better photographed here, and is infinitely more amazing than that in 3-D. We felt like The King and Queen of Sheba at Robert and Erica's Hawaii Home. Especially since I had a jacuzi on a balcony with a view for all that time, no other will ever suffice. I am hot tub ruined. But I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

We spent 3 days in Wailea, on the other side o' the island, which was busier and bustlier, but also something I could never argue with.

As I look back at these pictures I ask myself, "Did that really happen? Did we really go on a trip so perfect?"

Here are the visuals.

Venus Pools. Turquoise water.

At the Red Sand Beach -- be careful, there are nudies there, 3 of them like neked Santa Claus men who thought they were David Hasselhoff.

We hiked to the Red Sand beach, and on the way, we met a little seal on the shore who didn't like us very much. He'd bark and growl at me the closer I got, but I knew I was a lot faster on land than he, (she?) so I didn't worry about getting a LITTLE closer for a photo.

There was a day too rainy to do too much outside, so we drove the Hana Highway with all the notable stops. The uninterrupted journey will take about an hour, but we took the whole day to cruise it, stopping for all the delights. The delights were spontaneous bits of nature, like:

Tadaaaaaa!

At the Haleakala Crater, we saw our wedding sister friends! They were wearing t-shirts that said they got married the same day we did. Lovely. Now whenever we clink crystal glasses of Martinellis on future January 23s, we can assume (hope?) that 2 more people somewhere in China are also celebrating.

v

This image reminded me of "THE CLIFFS OF INSANITY!!!"

Sorry you read this post now? Or were you already remorseful?

Too bad the fellow hiker who took this picture had jiggly hands -- that was the coolest tree I've ever seen!

SNORKEL! We loooooved this. I felt like I was watching Finding Nemo up close and personal except we weren't breaking up any happy fishy homes.

And this is what I'd look like if I went the way of Anne Boleyn.

And this is what I'd look like if I ate 5,000 cadbury eggs over a 3 week period. Maybe 2 weeks.

Religion + honeymooning

I never knew the sand at the black sand beaches was actually black!

Anyway, we obviously loved it. We were extremely fortunate, and I'm a pretty lucky girl.

Thank you, and goodnight.

What We Be Up To

Besides the 9-5 (or 10), here is a smattering of up-tos:

• I'm in class 2 nights a week for my paralegal certificate. Go anteaters.
• We don't have cable, but we DO have a $20 antennae. We have given up on all channels coming in clearly but for NBC. They have never adored us as they do now, and the feeling is mutual! We'd already been big fans of the Dateline fests on Friday and Sunday, but now we're also hooked on The Marriage Ref. Of course I actually got to blogging its praises 2 days after a not-as-funny episode. We'll give it another shot next Thursday.
• We've been very lucky to migrate into The Family Ward along with 4 other couples we knew and loved in the Pierside Singles Ward. We have us a rip snorting time!
  
• We've become addicted to "Words with Friends". It's a free version of Scrabble a la iPhone. I invited my sister-in-law Erica but she hasn't taken me up on it (hint!), but I do love playing with Annie and Jeff. I really can't figure out WHY I'm so obsessed with playing it constantly, because I REGULARLY get my bootie pulverized by their landslide scores. People, WORD GAMES ARE MY THING! Or I thought they were! I'm starting to get really competitive with Jeff. This game could destroy our marriage. Eh, let's just keep playing anyway.
• A member of my former Stake Presidency in Las Vegas has been chosen to represent the state of NV in fighting the Obama-rama health care bill. Awesome.

Location:Delaware St,Huntington Beach,United States

Feaster

I'm not going to go into the gorey details, but let's just say I've heard a few people say to me at the end of whiney conversations over the last couple of weeks, "Well it's ok, MOST newlyweds put on a few pounds! It's very normal!" But who cares! That doesn't make weight gain any cooler. Starting tomorrow, and Jeff and I are in complete fervent agreement on the delicate matter, treat consumption is verboten from Monday to Saturday night at 11:59 pm. I'm thinking it wouldn't be a bad idea to buy a 2,000 lb. safe for the presently possessed treats, have a trusted, resolute neighbor set the code, and make them promise to not let us into the stash, no matter how we begged, until Sunday morning. Because you see, we are having our First Easter of Love (squeal and shriek!), and so we could not NOT give each other these treasures this morning,

plus my one true love made a tart from Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

I don't think the safe thing is going to happen, so unfortunately the leftovers will call to us from the very openable cabinets all week long.

This whole affair did cause me to remember a book read to my classmates and I in 1st grade class. It was about a man who buys piles of his favorite treat to ration throughout the year but finds his will-power failing him. He's blowin through it like water. He asks a trusted friend to hide them about her house and dole them out at previously arranged dates and times. He missed the whole "Mind Over Matter" thing and in the end rips apart his unyielding friend's house in search for the treats! I sat there in my keds and Espirit shorts and splatter paint t-shirt, shrugged and said to myself, "I'm not above that!"

So now that you're at the end here, yes, this really is the purpose of this post: to vocalize to the internets and beyond that tomorrow I'm laying the health nut smack down in hopes that Jeff and I get to live a long life together instead of dying of dual blow out sugar comas sometime in the next 3 to 6 months.

And the other purpose of this post is, in case you didn't catch on to that, I am NOT inflicted with BIEBER FEVER, the only pre-teen star I ever loved was Kevin Arnold/Fred Savage. Jeff got me, got me good. He even called him a "studly muffin-man" or something. Nice.

I've got BIEBER fever!!

i have to admit it....i have a serious case of.....

BIEBER

FEVER!!!!!!!!

i simply cannot get enough of this pre-teen studly muffin-man.

his lyrics are soooo adorabley cute: "I know you want me, I know you care, If so whatver, I will be there...."

i feel guilty being married and crushing on the Bieber-man....but I can't help it. he is my guiltiest pleasure. Please assure me you agree in my comments.........