Coby

Father's Day

2008-06-23T15:29:00.000-07:00

{posted by Ashlynn}

Coby travels too much ... you know how I know? He comes home & makes a buffet for breakfast like at the hotels. Cheese ... fruit ... veggies ... yogurt ... crackers ... muffins .... cereal. He cracks me up! Plus this was father's day! I am an awesome wife & didn't make him breakfast lunch or dinner. Sorry love.

Europe June 2008

2008-06-16T11:21:00.000-07:00

Bruises ...

2008-03-27T19:37:00.000-07:00

Are you Game Ready?

2008-03-26T11:02:00.000-07:00

After my fractured elbow and high ankle sprain, Chris Peterson, Ashlynn's boss, gave me the best thing possible, a Game Ready unit. This machine has been the key to my recovery with both my ankle and elbow. It works like this: You fill the machine's compartment with ice and water. Next you put a sleeve on your ankle, then you adjust the temperature and pressure dials to your liking. After that you enter your time and press start. The sleeve and machine does not allow your skin to be irritated by the cold even if the water is 37 degrees.

I have been treating my elbow for 30 minutes and my ankle for 30 minutes back and forth for hours at a time. Lucky for me I work at a desk. I am sure grateful to Chris for letting me borrow this little beauty. It has made all the difference.

Earn $25 per hour?!?

2008-03-18T14:46:00.000-07:00

The easiest money I have ever made was at BioLife Plasma Center. You can go in two times a week and get $50. That is right, you can make $200 a month by working 8 hours. You have to call in and make an appointment for a physical examination. That takes about 90 minutes. After that you can donate too. That takes another 90 minutes. So plan on three hours your first visit but after that, it only takes an hour and ten minutes on average.

I am thankful for...

2008-03-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

The baby coming at any moment.
Ashlynn carrying the baby so well.
No complications with the baby so far.
My family's excitement about the baby. She will be the first grand child in the my side.
New running shoes and Runner's World Magazine to get my butt out running.
Heavenly Father being in charge. I would make a mess of everything if it was up to me.

Food Network Recipe Box

2008-03-10T11:51:00.000-07:00

I found this nice little service today on foodnetwork.com. You can log on and make a recipe box and have folders to organize your recipes. You can select any recipe from their website and you can even add your own personal recipes too. Sharing those recipes is up to you. They are not shared and only you can decide if you will give them to others. The whole idea is clever and it is a great resource for anyone who must or likes to cook.

Counseling & Therapy

2008-03-06T09:26:00.000-08:00

My dad is a social worker and does counseling for individuals and married couples. He also does counseling for women with Postpartum Depression at an O.B. clinic in Ogden, Utah. I have grown up with counseling as a part of life just like anything else. It is normal in my eyes but I am the minority. Most people look at it as weird or only for "crazy people." I would argue that every day of the week. Therapy is not for the birds.

Ashlynn and I went to counseling during the summer of 2005 I think. We went because I was CONVINCED she was mean and rude. I was determined that the therapist would show her the error of her ways and convince her to shape up. After all, I had grown up with my dad as a councilor and surely I would know when behavior is out of line.

After our first visit I really learned something new... I WAS THE ONE WITH THE PROBLEM! How funny is that! I was the one pushing for counseling and blaming Ashlynn but turns out I was the one causing all the grief. Go figure. After four visits, the lady told us we did not need to come back. She put me in my place and to be truthful I wanted our issues to be resolved so I did what I need to do to make things better. Things have been great ever since because we learned skills on how to act when problems come so they don't become a real issue later!

We still fight and have our moments but nothing like it was. Counseling saved our marriage. My reason for this post is to say counseling is normal. It is not normal to live with an elephant in the living room and walk around it every day pretending it is not there. Counseling has also allowed us to forgive and love each other in a more intimate way. We are the better for it. The money is worth it so don't let that stand in your way if you are thinking you need counseling. I was surprised what I found after counseling and if you suspect you need it, you will never know how good marriage can be until you do it.

The picture is in Gjovik, Norway.

I am Legend

2008-03-06T08:56:00.000-08:00

I decided I wanted to go see I am Legend last night at the dollar movie. Ashlynn was going to a Relief Society Dinner and so I invited Erica, my sister-in-law and her two kids who are 11 and 10 years old. I told them the movie was not as scary as Lord of the Rings but I should have told them that it was suspenseful and startling. During the movie, Ethan went and sat by Erica because he was scared and that night both the kids slept in their mom's room. Yikes! Now I am the terrible uncle who gave them bad dreams. What the crap!

I am thankful for...

2008-03-03T08:57:00.000-08:00

Ashlynn's thoughtfulness. She made Cinnamon Rolls yesterday.
The baby moving like crazy. It is really neat to see Ashlynn's stomach move.
A good nights rest. Nothing makes you feel better when it is time to wake up.
Tanner. He is my youngest brother and he is serving a mission in Costa Rica. We write weekly.
The scooter. I fill it up with $4 and it goes for a week.
An honest fast. I am the WORST when it comes to fasting. I just never remember. Yesterday was different and it made the day wonderful.
Neighbors who came and helped us move gravel in the back yard. Yup, still pluggin' away at that pile of rocks.
Ashlynn being prepared for the baby. She has long since been ready and will do better than what she thinks at being a mom.

I need a code word?

2008-02-28T14:29:00.000-08:00

Ashlynn and I are going to have a baby in about 4 weeks. We have our disagreements from time to time and sometimes those blow up beyond that. We don't throw plates and break dishes or swear but we do get a little fired up from time to time. So I had a horrible thought today about having one of those episodes in front of the baby. I don't want that at all so we decided to make some rules.

1. We would establish a code word to avoid a fight.
2. We would both honor that code word when spoken by either party and stop in our tracks.
3. The code word is defined as follows: It means that no matter how angry, frustrated or upset we are we stop and walk away and don't say another word.
4. We must use the code word BEFORE we get to the point of boiling over so we don't get to the point of an explosion.
5. Once the code word is used we do not say one more word about the problem until we can talk about it by ourselves in a calm way to avoid any blow ups in front of the baby.
6. If we are not too upset or mad we can step into the other room and talk about it and put it to bed so we don't have to wait till later.

This is all in effort to keep a peaceful spirit in the home. The problem now is we need "Code word." Do you have any suggestions to help us pick a code word?

I am thankful for...

2008-02-25T16:41:00.000-08:00

The baby coming in four weeks.
Ashlynn doing really pretty well with being so close to giving birth.
A cold navel orange or three.
My Mountain Hard Wear jacket that has WindStopper Technology. I wear it when I ride the scooter to work in the mornings and I never feel the wind while going 40mph. It is sweet!
Blue skies.
Red mountains.
Spring knockin at my door with warm weather.
A wet winter.

To Dog or not to Dog?

2008-02-22T16:10:00.000-08:00

That really is the question. Ashlynn and I have been in our home since October. We have a fully fenced yard. We are almost done getting our backyard finished so people have been asking us if we are going to get a dog. I am in love with dogs and I do want to get one but we decided that we will not get a dog until Ashlynn is home with the baby. I do not like the idea of leaving a dog in the back yard all day while Ashlynn and I are at work. So, what to do?

Ashlynn keeps saying she does not want one even though she is going have our first baby. I keep telling her she does. What do we do?

Dog or no Dog?

I am thankful for...

2008-02-20T15:40:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking of what to blog on today and I have a lot of things going through my head. Since I cannot blog about something specific because my mind is going a hundred miles an hour I will list the things I am thankful for. I am thankful for :

My wife's thoughtfulness, virtue and desire to do the right thing.
My wife's patience and longsuffering while carrying the baby. She endures the pain well.
Our home.
My work putting me through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University.
Making the most of each paycheck by using a budget every month. We use it because of the Dave Ramsey.
Being debt free (expect for the house) because of using the budget.
Having six months of expenses saved in case of a rainy day because of using the budget.
My job and my employers.
Ashlynn's job and her employers.

All I have is not because I deserve it but because of the Goodness of the Heavens.

Mornings with Ashlynn

2008-02-19T15:06:00.000-08:00

Morning times with Ashlynn are my favorite. I love to wake up and see her eyes glowing like the Sun after a good nights sleep. It is the best to see her all smiles first thing in the morning. After she wakes me up we spend 10-15 minutes talking. I always ask her if she dreamed and if so what the dream was about. It is fun to listen to her. During all this we are playing footsie and huggin on each other. Nothing starts the day better than seeing her sweet face with the best case of Bed Head you've ever seen.

The Annual Family Visit

2008-02-18T20:24:00.001-08:00

Every year the family comes down for The Parade of Homes to see Ashlynn's projects and to spend a long weekend in the sunshine. They live in Ogden and have three feet of snow in the middle of thier yard so they really enjoyed the 60 degree weekend with blue skies.

Two of my four sisters came down with my parents and Kami has talked me into running the Ogden Half Marathon in May. I have 12 weeks to run 13.1 miles. I will keep everyone up to date on this one.

Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

2008-02-11T16:22:00.001-08:00

Don't forget the biggest dog show of the year is on tonight and Tuesday night. The Westminster Kennel Club will host this show in New York at Madison Square Garden. USA Network will show this dog show in its entirety. Normaly dog shows are edited for time but not this one. Over 150 different breeds will be shown so don't forget to set your DVR.

If you have ever wanted to get a dog you should tune in and watch because the commentators will describe each breed as they are shown and give a little insight to what it is like to own. That is very valuable information. If you want to learn more about any breed you see you can go to The American Kennel Club's Web site for more information, pictures even videos a particular breed.

I am thankful too...

2008-02-11T16:13:00.000-08:00

Ok since Ashlynn does this I suppose I should too. I am thankful for the following:

Ashlynn. I love her sweet face, her smiles, soft skin and the baby in her belly.
The house she built. I know she did not build it but she has everything to do with how it turned out and I thank the heavens for the cabinets, appliances, doors, molding and so forth that Riverwoods Mill provided.
Riverwoods Mill and their generosity.
Paul and Suzanne and family. I love them like my own and that is the truth.
My job. It has allowed me to do more than I ever dreamed. It is always different, challenging and the people are wonderful.
My family. I love them all no matter how crazy life gets.
The Lord. Everything I have is because of Him. Never am I deserving, ever is He giving.

Tyler Florence and his Mozzarella Grilled Cheese

2008-02-11T07:59:00.000-08:00

Satruday was a great day because I watched Tyler Florence cook this amazing meal that I have been thinking about ever since. Actually I have been thinking about this sandwich and I totally am going to make it. It is a Mozzarella Grilled Cheese with home made pesto on sourdough bread. Yikes this looks so good. I am going to try to make this sandwich before weeks end. He also made a pretty cool chicken noodle soup but since I love cheese I am stoked about this one.

4 slices thick-cut sourdough bread
1 ball (1 pound) fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 plum tomatoes, cut into thick slices
1 cup fresh basil pesto, recipe follows
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil

Basil pesto:
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano
2 garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

To make pesto:

Toast pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Combine pesto ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well combined but still rough-textured. If you have a panini press, turn it on to warm up; otherwise, set a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Assemble sandwich by smearing insides of bread slices with pesto. Arrange a layer of sliced tomato and season with a few turns of fresh pepper. Layer the mozzarella slices over the top and then place another piece of bread on top to make the sandwich. Drizzle olive oil over skillet's surface and place sandwiches on the hot skillet or panini press. If using a skillet, place another heavy skillet over the top to form a "press". Turn after 2 to 3 minutes and replace weight. The sandwich is ready when golden brown and mozzarella has melted around the edges.

Costco Membership Fees

2008-02-07T08:07:00.000-08:00

Ashlynn and I went to Costco last night to buy some groceries. We love Costco and I go there to shop and walk around to decompress and relax, don't ask why still can't figure it out. We went over our food budget before we had finished getting everything on our list and that put us in a foul mood. After we had loaded all our items on the checkout stand, the checker scanned my membership card and to our horror he said, "Your membership needs to be renewed for the year. It expired January 31st." With the push of one button the man added $100 to our bill. Ashlynn and I were speechless. We looked like someone had robbed us and the worst part about it was how nice and pleasant the checker was about the whole thing.

After the long walk to the truck in a haze of disbelief Ashlynn put a reminder on her phone for next January. The reminder is labeled, Costco Membership Due. Surprises like that are the worst so take it from us, write down your membership renewal date and plan for it.

Jet Lagg

2008-02-06T09:10:00.000-08:00

I have been home from Europe since Saturday night and I am still out of wack with my sleeping schedule. The last two nights I woke up at 3am. The first night I just layed there until I fell back to sleep. Last night I woke up and turns out Ashlynn was awake too. So we laid there until 3:45am and then got up to watch some TV. I know it comes as a suprise to hear that there was nothing to watch. So by default we resorted to our trusty DVR for an hour of Late Night with Conan. After that we had some breakfast.

It is now 3pm and I am doggin it bad. I am ready for a nap. I guess that is life with Jet Lagg.

Back from Europe

2008-02-05T19:22:00.000-08:00

I returned Sunday night from Europe and Russia and I was very suprised. Finland, Estonia and Latvia were wonderful as always. I lost my lugagge and was able to buy 100 Euros worth of shirts, socks and a tie.

Ukraine and Russia were interesting. They both had expensive food. They both served wonderful Borsch that is my new favorite. Cash is King in both countries and Visa does not hold a place in business there at least not in the places were I was. Russia was big, over populated and polluted. When it rained or snowed it was filled with exhaust from cars and factories and that made for dirty cars and smelly air that was so hard to breathe. My boss actually got sick while in Moscow and had to take antibiotics upon his return to the States.

Moscow's traffic is so bad that it hinders business and tourist efforts. That is just the way it is in Russia. I will probably end up going back to Moscow and St. Petersberg in May or June.

It is good to be back to see Ashlynn and feel our baby kicking as usual. I am tired but getting back to normal as far as sleep goes. I am glad to be home.

Life's Liabilities and Assets

2007-01-04T10:17:00.000-08:00

Everyone hates a liability and we try to avoid them at all costs. Conversely, we all like to have assets. Isn't the ideal situation to have as little risk as possible with each liability we have and of course limiting our liabilities to the bare minimum. As far as assets we want to have the most favorable ones possible to give us the greatest return. Doesn't this make sense.

Knowing the difference between a liability and an asset is paramount to our everyday life. Furthermore, if we can be taught which liabilities carry less risk than another and which asset will yield a better return than another we will be on a favorable path. Information on this topic is addressed by Consumer Reports. It is a monthly magazine with a comprehensive Website www.consumerreports.org.

The information on this Website deals with a wide range of topics from automotives to electronics to Travel and many topics in between. It is an independent research company that tests all kinds of items we consumers purchase. They do not advertise for any manufacturer and that gives them free rain to label any product good or bad. They have no loyalties except finding truth about the things we buy. Engineers, scientists and experts work day after day to find out which consumables are liabilities and which are assets.

If it is true that you and I want to avoid pitfalls then won't we want access to the most unbiased research possible on what cars are most reliable and which DVD players to avoid and which household items you can plan on replacing six months after you buy it. If you are considering a new plasma TV, lawnmower or mutual fund then visit the do some research and save yourself some heartburn.

Fiesta Bowl Takes the Taco!

2007-01-02T13:39:00.000-08:00

Never in my life have I seen any sporting event like this game. I have been around and seen plenty of televised sports and I must say this game was the one to watch. It was so filled with ups and downs, highs and lows and when all was said and done, the best team was standing.

Boise State University beat Oklahoma University in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl 43-42 and for those who have not seen the highlights, go to http://www.bcsfootbal.org/bcsfootball. This game was amazing.

ME

2006-12-29T10:58:00.000-08:00

Forest Gump Wanna be

2006-12-29T10:22:00.000-08:00

I want to be a runner. I need to run to save my life. My cholesterol is in the toilet and according to my doctor, I am not obese but overweight. I have accumulated more years of winter storage than I am entitled to. So the truth is this...losing 40 pounds is my objective and running and changing the way I eat are the ways I am going to shed those lbs.

Ashlynn and I have been discussing this plight and she wants in on the game too. She wants to run but we don't know how her back will react to the pounding of the pavement. Time will tell that tale, but until that time, we have decided to run in the mornings. That statement is pretty bold for us because neither of us is a morning person. We did come up with a short term plan to help us get up, start running and stay motivated while we run and keep the distance we run attainable.

We are each assigned days of the week where we are responsible to wake the other person to go running. That way if we don't run that day it is somebodies fault.
We will each get a nano or shuffle to help us stay pumped up to finish our workout.
We have established a one mile and two mile course from our front door. Yeah, I know they are baby steps, but I am fat and she has bars fused to her spine.

Hopefully this plan will do the trick and save my life. If it fails, then I will be calling my insurance agent to up my policy.