video games and blood diamonds

It is amazing how little we know about the impact our consumer driven society has on the rest of the world. I saw this article the other day an I was a little disturbed by it. It frustrates me a little bit because there is not much I can do to change it -- unless maybe I do extensive research on anything I want to buy. The only thing I can think of that I can do in my day to day life is to buy things locally. I personally don't know of any Sony playstation makers. . . but I think I would have to drag this enormous ball of guilt around if I didn't feel like I was at least trying to do my part. Let me know if you have any other ideas.

Here are another couple of links to a wal mart documentary. They are over dramatized and a little ridiculous at times. You have to keep in mind that it is just one side of the story, but there is so much that can't be ignored. For the most part wal mart isn't a bunch of law breakers. They do what they have the right to do. I just believe that just because you can doesn't mean you should. One of the clips is about wal mart's health plan and the other is about their humane and charitable influence.

dollar movie night

I took Pinky and Victoria out to a dollar movie tonight. We saw Prince Caspian. I liked it so much more than the first one. It's been a while since I have seen the first one but it seems like they down played the Christian tones too much in it. It was more clear in Prince Caspian that Aslan is a representation of Christ. The chronicles of Narnia are my favorite books. Maybe I like them so much because my brain has a hard time wrapping itself around deep doctrine or maybe it's because I just relate well to talking animals. Either way, reading them is like going to church and I get all filled with warm fuzzies.

good nights and good byes

Cory has been working really hard the last few months. He works 13.5 hour days (minimum) and then comes home to take care of his church responsibilities. By the end of week he is pooped!!! The photo is from 10:00 p.m. Friday -- he probably could have slept like that all night if I hadn't forced him from his coma to get into bed.

On Saturday night we said our farewells to the Bensons. They are headed to the land of my people -- the good ol' midwest. Tay is starting law school at Creighton next month and we wish him all the best. It's too bad Teigan and I won't be able to be single wives together.

no one does fireworks like we do

We do fireworks right! Cory and I watched the the fireworks in San Diego on the 4th and they just can't compare to Salt Lake's! We live 2 blocks away from where they light them off so we get great seats in the middle of 13th south and don't have to deal with traffic or parking. Each year they introduce something new. The white snow storm looking ones were this years big hit. I am not that into fireworks but . . . WOW.

moving up

Happy 24th!!!! (Utah holiday)

Cory and I have begun to realize that our apartment is just a little too small, so we are moving up. Here is a photo of the new home we are thinking of buying. It is a 4 story with a pond. I think it should suit our needs.

lists

If you know me at all, you know I am motivated by lists. There is just something gratifying about crossing things off. Even if I do something that wasn't written on my list, I will add it just so I can cross it off. Ahh, the simple pleasures in life.

I don't even know what to say about this

the dark knight

I just have to say I miss Heath. We saw The Dark Knight last night and I am amazed at what an extraordinary actor he was. The movie was great -- there were a few holes that really bugged me but that happens in all huge blockbuster movies. I recommend seeing it even if it is just so you can witness the brilliance of Heath Ledger. The media says that Heath got too into his character -- who am I to say if that is true or not. I just know I would rather believe that he was just a guy dealing with the same problems we all have and that the media needed to provide the world an explanation for his death -- the Joker stealing his soul was the best they could come up with. True or not, I respect his talent and his ability to survive Hollywood as long as he did.

something to get your weekend started right

on holiday

It has been a busy time for Cory and I. Here are some photos of what we've been up to (the most recent being first). I don't have much time to fill in the details but I think you'll get the idea.

Steve and Cascia Lutes were in town for a few days. It was fun catching up with them -- and Sawyer and Cooper are soooo cute.


I thought it was time to come clean about what a dork I am. I can't really blame Cory -- It was my idea to lounge around the apartment dressed as twins.


Here are a couple of cute pics of my sister-in-law Charity. She always keeps things entertaining.

If you don't already know, Abby and I are now cousin-in-laws. Cory and her husband Mark are first cousins. We got to see them at the annual 4th of July Bar-B-Q at uncle Ray's in San Diego.

Cory is holding Abby and Mark's son Jack. He's a keeper!


We spent the 4th watching fireworks at the beach in La Jolla Cali. The top photo of of Grandpa Wallace and his wife Janee. We spent the week with the rest of the Carpenter clan at their beach house. Is there a way to live in the mountains and at the beach?



These photos are from our anniversary. We stayed in San Diego's Gas Lamp District at a pretty sweet hotel (that we got for cheap on priceline). We started the day with Cory being stung in the toe by a stingray at the beach. Luckily he fared better than the crocodile hunter. Forty minuets in hot water is all it took. . .the problem was just finding the hot water. The La Jolla Shores life guard station just happened to be out.

After Cory was all patched up and the poison has dissipated through his body, we headed to the hotel and out to dinner. We had Sushi for the main course and then off to our favorite ice cream shop Ghiradelli's for dessert.



The night before we left we went to an organ concert in Balboa Park. I haven't quite learned to appreciate the organ yet. The highlight was Charity (cory's down syndrome sister) booing and giving a thumbs down after the first song. Ahh, her honesty is refreshing.


Here are a couple of pics from the Arts Festival. We caught up with Heidi, Greg and Erika to take in a few minuets of the Disco Drippers. I am still waiting for my hearing to recover.


For Cory's Birthday we camping and biking up in American Fork canyon. We took our pimped out Element up there which was probably not the best idea but we made it. It was soo beautiful. I can't wait to do more camping this summer!


Here are some photos of the tail end of our trip to Brian Head. We showed off our stuff on Navajo Lake. We made those canoes look goood. . . . or maybe it was the other way around?

from may to june. . .

Sorry that we are awful bloggers. Life gets a little crazy for us. Today I have the luxury of sitting in the lobby of our condo in Brian Head. The rest of our family has headed off to Zions but Cory has a lot of work to do so I decided to stay behind with him to enjoy the rare opportunity of doing nothing.

Over the last few months a lot has happened. Cory has a new job working for a startup company in Provo called Entice Labs. He is a Business Developer and he loves it. He rides the bus two hours there and two hours back, but with gas and traffic it is worth it. Plus he always has stuff to do on the ride. I am still hanging out at Bad Dog and loving it. I just finished another quarter of school. Luckily I have a supportive husband because I am sure I was difficult to live with over the last 10 weeks. I am taking the summer off so no more school for me until October -- Hooray!

In April we went back to Iowa for a Hansen Family reunion. All three of my families are from the Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska corner of the midwest so we spent a lot of time traveling from family to family.

My grandma Hansen turned 88 so the whole clan got together -- 4.5 generations in all.

After the reunion we stopped by to see my Grandpa Berry. We took him to dinner and looked through all of the old family photos of him and Grandma back in the 50's


We also took a trip to visit the Hoebelheinrichs (AKA my biological father's side of the family). It was the fist time I had met my biological grandparents and some of my aunts and uncles. I get so much anxiety in situations like that so I am so glad I had Cory there. He is so good diffusing my panic. It was so exciting to see a little bit of my ancestry. The Hoebelheinirichs have lived on the same two farms since they came from Germany and Homesteaded in Nebraska. We went to see the local cemetery where they are all buried. I have no connections to any of my ancestors on my mothers side so it was very meaningful for me.

This is me, Cory, my biological father, and my aunt Karla's foreign exchange daughter from Germany.


This is Cory and I with my biological dad Warren, brother Tyler, and grandparents Elizabeth and Reynold.



In other exciting news, Megan graduated from High School! She has been through a lot and I am proud of her for always making school a priority.Currently we are in Brian Head for a family reunion on Cory's mom's side. We went to see Othello at the Shakespearean Festival on Friday. It was sooooo good. I have never been before and Cory and I both loved it. We are headed back home tomorrow but it was nice to get away for a couple of days. We head to San Diego next week for another reunion vacation.

This is Cory and I at the intermission of Othello


We took a drive out to Cedar Breaks with the whole family on Saturday. It is so amazing!


Okay, that's all for now!

Ps

Oh yeah, the ol' ibook finally took her last breath after four years so I HAD to upgrade. I have a sweet new MacBook and I LOVE it =)

catchup

Sorry that our posts are few and far between . . . and sorry there aren't many photos. I got a sweet little camera for Christmas but I lost the battery charger. My other camera is too big to just drag it with me all the time.

Anyway, Cory and I are doing very well. Cory is looking for new job opportunities -- and he's looking everywhere so we may end up moving out out of state or country. I am excited for something new, though it would be really hard to leave friends, family, and Bad Dog.

We spent last weekend in Vegas watching the Mountain West tournament. I just have to say that UNLV fans are INSANE!! I was honestly scared both friday night when they played the U, and saturday night when they played BYU. Aside from that it was a great trip. We hitched a ride with Cory's dad and took over his hotel room. Classes ended for me last week so it was a much needed break!

Today we took Cory's sister Charity to see Horton Hears a Who. The theater was full of handicap kids -- it was sooooo much fun (Charity has down syndrome). I hate to talk about how good movies are because then when other people see them they always end up being a let down, so i will just casually say that I was pleased with the film =)

Okay back to dinner and laundry

Dropping Anchor

Life is so busy and it happens so fast. There's hardly enough time to live it, let alone write about it. Anyways, yesterday I met with some people who were interested in acquiring my little company. Ever since my first partner and I decided that it was best to part ways, I had been holding out for the small possibility that I might find a more suitable financial partner in time to keep the company going without too much of a knock. However, after my meeting yesterday, the people that would have made this possible informed me that this is not likely to happen with their involvement. After a little discussion, it was apparent that the option to stop operations and take the next five to six months to finish putting puzzle pieces into place and to tighten up our costs would be in everybody's best interest. In the long run, it will be better for our clients, better for the businesses that we work with, better for my employees, better for my investors and better for me because the company will not be so thrown together. Instead, it will be well thought out, well financed and ready for a true grand opening. That being said, such an abrupt, life altering decision like this takes a very recognizable toll on me: it makes me want to just be a blob. I guess the idea of going from full steam ahead to full halt is hard for me to absorb; even though it's just a brain thing, the rest of my body puts up the white flag during the interim. But, slowing to a full halt doesn't just happen...it is up to me to start selling off what I know we won't use in the future and informing involved parties of the postponement. I need to shed myself of the blobbishness and get moving.

happy new year a little late

We had a great New Years Eve. We spent the first part of the night hanging out with the Bennetts. The top photo is Abby, her girls and I. Abby and I have been close friends for 12 years or so. Abby's husband and Cory are first cousins so I got to hang out with a great friend and Cory got to visit his aunts, uncles and cousins. He made the mistake of peeking in on the kids playing in the basement. He got pummeled with pillows and had a tough time escaping.

We spent the rest of the evening with more friends watching movies and playing Mad Gab. I am pretty much the worst Mad Gab player ever!