Friday, December 21, 2007

A Time To Mourn

I needed to put my sorrow out into the universe. It might help me move on. First, let me say I take every precaution to protect my laptop short of sleeping with it. Ask Tom. I am paranoid about where I leave it. So, when we rushed out of the office last Friday for a friend's Christmas party and I discovered I left the laptop at the shop, you can imagine my desire to turn right around and retrieve it. We decided the laptop was perfectly safe locked away at work, under a desk out of sight no less. So, one thing lead to another and I did not go back all weekend. Upon arrival to work Monday morning we discovered that ours and several other units had been broken into. They were looking for blank checks. They found them at several other offices. Luckily, United suffered no loss. Yes, here's where your stomach turns...

They found my laptop bag.

Here are some of the contents of my laptop bag:
1. Various important papers including some credit card statements so I had to change all my credit cards
2. BRAND NEW macbook
3. ipod video
4. wireless internet card I bought LAST WEEK!
4. Every song I've ever downloaded- I have over 50 gigs of music; (that's a lot) And all that music was purchased legally, so I'm out that money, not just time
5. Every picture I've ever taken from the beginning of my marriage in 2003; and no, they weren't backed up anywhere because I just put them all onto the computer planning to back them up on an external hard drive when I had a spare moment.

Let me just say: I know I'm extremely blessed. It's just stuff. I know that. I'm still very grateful for all the Lord's done for me. I lead a very blessed and cushioned life. It was a lot of eggs in one basket. In the end everything works out for the best. I'll probably regret this blog. Maybe if I had come Saturday night to retrieve the laptop I would have walked in on the scum and they would have shot me or something. I have all these optomistic thoughts and I'm often fine, but it still sucks!

So, that's why I've been down this week. We've made an insurance claim and you know how easy and painless they make it. Oh wait, they treat everyone like you must making a fraudulent claim. I have to provide receipts for everything that was taken. The laptop's easy, I just got that. But Tom gave me the ipod 2 years ago. The music will be a bear to find receipts for and I'm sure they won't count pictures as valueable, even though that's what eats me up the most! So, because people in the world are thieves I'm having to deal with insurance people who treat you like a thief because the same scummy types are defrauding insurance agencies as well. I haven't talked about it much because I get pretty upset every time I think about it too long.

So, I'm hoping this will be theraputic. I'm really grateful for everyone's blogs and pictures. Tomorrow is a new day and I'll post all that I'm grateful for. I know people are going hungry and homeless and presentless. I just needed to be a little down so I can appreciate the up I guess.

Thursday, December 06, 2007

Is It Kosher?



Well, I'm almost ready to celebrate. I have two more final tests, but I am officially done with homework!!! I wanted to share one assignment I am particularly proud of. I had to present information on religious customs that affect foodservice. The large focus was on kosher foods. The laws are extremely complex so I wanted to come up with a way servers could remember some guidelines to ensure they served only the best. I racked my brain for weeks. I paced the floors, stayed up hours of the night and then... genius. I feel I was truly inspired. I wanted to share it with the world. So, sing the following song to the timeless tune of "Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel."

"Kosher, Kosher, Kosher"

You can eat me if I'm cloven and chew all of my cud,
except if I'm a porker and live down in the mud.

Fish that have their fins and scales: that you can prepare.
Chicken, turkey, duck and goose are all considered fair.

Kosher, kosher, kosher; dairy I can eat.
Kosher, kosher, kosher; except when mixed with meat.

Make sure there's no blood.


It's very important as you sing the last line you shake your very best jazz hands and add a carny inflection to your voice. You may want to "ah cha cha cha" to get the full effect.

Sunday, December 02, 2007

Festival of Trees

Today was great. We woke up to a winter wonderland, 7 inches of snow! We went to the Festival of Trees. Hundreds of decorated trees are donated, then auctioned off to raise money for Primary Children's Hospital. There were so many to admire, but here are a few that stood out. Maybe they will give you some ideas for your Christmas.


Michelle Thompson's favorite- ode to Audrey Hephern



Sophia Slade's favorite- All Olivia the Pig



Tom's favorite- Arch made by two trees



My favorite- upside down tree

Christmas Greetings


Merry Christmas from the Quinns!

As you know, Grandma McGuire has opened her home to us. We were lucky enough to find these fabric jewels in her basement. I hope you study the picture closely to fully appreciate the quality photo setting.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

You Get to Decide!

Okay, I need your help. It's time for this year's CHRISTMAS GINGERBREAD HOUSE/COTTAGE/DWELLING EXTRAVAGANZA QUEST-LIKE ENDEAVOR 2007! I can't believe I can't find pictures of last year's finished product. It was a masterpiece, complete with flower vines and christmas decorations. Below are a few pictures, but they don't adequately capture the grandeur that is my gingerbread house. (And no, I'm not biased at all.)


Just so you know, I inserted lights so those butterscotch windows put off a soft glow when the lights are out, just like a real home.


Around the corner is the chocolate rock chimney.

So, here are the candidates for this year's CHRISTMAS GINGERBREAD HOUSE/COTTAGE/DWELLING EXTRAVAGANZA QUEST-LIKE ENDEAVOR 2007!


Log Cabin


Carriage


Cookies & Cream

The polls are now open. Let me know what you think. Voting will close 12:00a.m. PST December 1st. I need to get going so it doesn't become a VALENTINE'S gingerbread house/cottage/dwelling extravaganza quest-like endeaver!

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Why Captain and Chef?

Did I get two new career barbies? No! Those are just the titles we have decided to pursue...this week. Tom has flown his first solo! His instructors said he did really well. I wondered what doing well is when it's your first flight? Good job, you only scraped one building. Good job, those cows were going to be slaughtered anyway. Good job, now we can buy that new plane we've had our eye on!

Can't you see it? Here are a few pictures from our days in school.


I got some 'splaining to do! My speciality will be candied yams. I'll have the smoothest marshmellow cover in all the land!


"Love lifts us up where we belong".... Actually, Tom informs me that "Lift lifts us up where we belong." Sing that; see how it grabs ya.

Here are a few more...


The flavor is hidden in the sloppy. (P.S. It's supposed to look like that.)


This image brought to you courtesy of Tom's solo flight. That was a comforting picture to receive. Don't mind my texting... I'm just FLYING!

My Family

I've seen enough Twilight Zone episodes to know the danger technology poses. Mac has just released a camera that takes pictures. You may say to yourself, "so? That's nothing new." This is no ordinary camera. It takes pictures of the soul! That's right! You can now view the inner you. Don't be afraid. Let the world see the real you. I'm sure my sisters will thank me for showing the world their inner beauty. Good thing I live out of arm's reach!


We're no respector of persons.










You can see where we get our good looks.




It's good to be home.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

We're alive!

It's hard to write a blog when you don't have any cute baby pictures to share. I'm determined to try though. I do have one interesting thing to share....

ITALY



That's just a little teaser. I'll post an actual summary when I don't have hours of homework to finish.

But hey, at least I have a post in the year 2007!!