Money Matters . . .

Just posted a comment on my friend Sans Auto's blog after reading his post "The All Mighty Dollar".
I just read a book that talks a lot about living simply and saving money. The authors are very much not into the stock market, and instead favor fixed-rate investments (CDs, quality bonds, etc.) and frugality. It makes for a potentially lower return over time, but also a lot less stress and worry. They don't say "never buy anything", but they do say "only buy things that really add meaning to your life".
I think that one of the most awesome feelings I could have in this life would be to save enough (and simplify enough) that I no longer HAVE TO work. It would feel like when you were a kid and summer break was just starting. With cars/house/student loan paid off and enough money saved to get by on the interest, a person can work as much or as little as they feel like. Just as important, a person would be less-compelled to compromise their principles for that "all mighty" dollar.
I watched a couple things lately that really motivated me to get as financially secure as possible. On the National Geographic Channel they were interviewing a poor lady (one of many) in India who sold one of her kidneys on the black market (to be subsequently placed in the child of a wealthy foreigner) for about $700. She had been told she'd receive $3500, of course, but that didn't happen. That same night, we also finished watching a documentary called "Deep Water". It's about a British man who entered a sailing competition to circle the globe without ever stopping in port. He had very little experience but acted like he did, spent a LOT of time by himself out there in the ocean, faked his progress over the radio, basically went crazy (partly driven by having to own up to his dishonesty on returning to port), and committed suicide. He needed the money too.
So all I can say is, be smart about what you buy, get out of debt, and make your money serve you (and not the other way around).

Bike Train!

Thanks to Dave, whose kids have outgrown the Gary Fisher Freeloader Trailer Bike, we were able to realize my dream of the "Bike Train"!  W and E really enjoy it, and both of them like being the biker.

Fun on five wheels!  We recently pedaled it on over to the new stretch of the Warrenton trail from Tansy Point to the Baptist Church.  It's super smooth and paved now, and I'm going to use it on my way to work from now on.  It'll be SO nice to get away from traffic, gravel, chunky pavement, etc.

Utah Trip: Heading Home

We stopped at Shoshone Falls near Twin Falls on the way home. It was a really long day of driving but definitely worth the stop!


They have effective guardrails with beautiful views.


Our little dude got VERY tired of his carseat!


The scene over my shoulder between Baker City and LaGrande. We were REALLY tired!


Mount Emily, near LaGrande. Also, the back of a semi. Everything was surprisingly green out that way. I think I'll move to North Powder. :-)

Utah Trip: Friends and Fun

We paid a visit to my old friend Ernie (who hasn't aged a day!), one of my college roommates. He lives in Lindon, UT, programs computers, and has goats, chickens, and kids.


And here's Jeremy. He's the guy the bank pays to do repo stuff on houses so, as you might imagine, he's pretty busy these days. I hadn't seen him since my church mission about 12 years ago. We worked together in Arizona, and it was great to catch up. He's doing well and is married and has a son and lots of RC cars (his favorite hobby).


We took the kids to Thanksgiving Point, where W, Lindsay, E, and Will got to ride a (fake) cow!


Let's hope this is as close as we ever get to owning a horse. :-)


We enjoyed a fine traditional Provo meal at Los Hermanos. W and E ate a LOT of chips and salsa and the service was excellent!

Utah Trip: Discovery Gateway

We went to Discovery Gateway in Salt Lake and the kids had a great time!

W was the master of the water area.  Turn that wheel!

E did some "shopping" . . . imagine that!  :-)

They had a LifeFlight-type helicopter out on the roof with realistic noises.  W hopped right in and then started getting pretty distraught trying to get me to jump in (while I was mostly interested in snapping pictures).  I then realized he was convinced he was about to get to go for a ride and he wanted me to come.  The little girl's expression shows she knows something he doesn't.  :-)

They had a large wall with magnetic letters.  W loved that, of course!

He used EVERY suitable piece in the bin to build his masterpiece as high as possible.

Utah Trip: Salt Lake City

We took a fun day trip up to Salt Lake basically to see the Conference Center.  It's an amazing place and a worthy use of my tithing dollars.  I guess the Tabernacle organ has more pipes, actually.  W kept saying "There's 6100 seats" . . . the place seats about 21,000.  Then I got to thinking, maybe he's just counting one of the three levels.  

A First Vision statue that I thought was really cool.  They have tons of great artwork in the areas around the auditorium including the Friberg originals that are now in the Book of Mormon.

E with the Salt Lake Temple behind her.

The top of the Conference Center is a huge terraced garden with fountains and stuff.  Our fifth member was dozing in a stroller nearby . . .

Utah Trip: Byu Visit p. 2

BYU is awesome . . . some of the posters you see up around campus are a little different though . . . the "police beat" in the school paper is similarly funny.  Anyway, I guess some of those clever BYU ladies were trying to outsmart the Honor Code.  Nice try.

The pain came back just looking at Organic Chemistry test answers!  Man I hated that stuff.

I spent some quality time in some dorms called Deseret Towers, which are now apparently Deseret Dirt.  They're making way for new housing that will be more apartment-like.  To think some poor future students will miss out on the important experience of a whole floor of guys trying to get showers in before church on Sundays.  One piece of advice:  get up EARLY! 

Utah Trip: BYU Visit

I took W along and we went to visit my alma mater.  It was the first time I'd been back there since about '99 I think.  Some things were different, and many were the same (the landscaping is still amazing and the bathrooms are very very clean).  

A funny boy and a funny sculpture in the Lee Library.  As we went in many buildings, he commented, "Daddy has 30 schools!"  and "Are we going to see your teacher?"

We went to see my pseudonymous friend Sans Auto and his fun toys like this Bod Pod. 

Mr. Sans and his beloved "fixie", which is so called because it has a fixed gear.  So, you don't shift, and if you want to slow down you provide the resistance yourself (no coaster brake even!).  He's also set with a generating hub, so his lights will run on his own power as well.  And if you saw his calves you'd know he's got plenty of that!

BYU recently built an indoor training facility.  That's sure got to be handy when it's either blazing hot outside or freezing cold.  Helps to have wealthy alumni!  :-)

Utah Trip: Zundel Reunion

L's people had a big shindig in Willard, UT.  Here are her bro Jeff and his wife Dana.  They were borrowing our son A.  They look so comfy, especially considering it was about 95 degrees out.  We coastal Oregonians pretty much melted!

Food, sprinklers, races, wiffle ball bats, footballs, toys . . . I know, let's play in the mud!  This appears to be E and her cousins Will and Talon.

3 of L's 4 bros, Jeff, Brian, and Jordan (in the super 80's shades)

L's sister Kim and their newest Adam, Dana (borrowing ours), Nancy (sis in law), and L, again looking remarkably well considering the heat.

Nightmare Inbox

L wanted to be able to search her Gmail on our Mail application.  That's because she belonged to a email list related to Gluten/Casein-free eating and wants to find info.  So, we downloaded all the mail, about 200 at a time.  It was running a LOT in the background.  Now it's all done, and seeing that number gives me a glimpse of what it must be like to be famous.  I will now click the "mark all as read" and see if the computer overheats.  :-)

Photo Booth is FUN!

One good way to get W to ham it up (and me too, for that matter) is to put a camera in front of us.  This was the first time we've tried Photo Booth.  I'm finding so much to love on the Mac!

My Naughty Little Clicky Girl

(Regarding the above . . . I just had to play with the Photo Booth App)

So I went to the mailbox today and found these surprises.  Now, I like to get stuff from Netflix, but these were in the hard DVD cases, which means somebody at my house has been buying used DVDs.  I came in and told my wife, "Please tell me you've purchased some used movies from Netflix."  Nope, she hadn't.  Not knowing what they were for sure, and not wanting to void my chances of being able to return them, I checked my account online.  I had received Disturbia, Superbad, and Surf's Up!.  Well, 1 out of 3 ain't bad (we actually thought Surf's Up was pretty good . . . it's got Napoleon's voice, which is flippin' sweet!).  Superbad is too super-bad for my viewing pleasure . . . not too stoked on Disturbia either.

So anyway, how did this happen?  Well, Netflix has a cool thing (sort of?) where you can watch lots of movies online.  I hooked up one of our computers to a TV and E likes to watch cheesy Scooby Doo and animated Zelda episodes that way.  Evidently, she's become a little click happy, and since you have to be logged in to Netflix to use the view-on-demand, she had the ability to buy things.  I should have seen this coming . . . we already recently discovered that the Spongebob Squarepants Movie had mysteriously appeared at the top of our Queue.  

So I called Netflix about it.  I got a real person in the United States within about 5 minutes, and she was very helpful.  I told her we were cool with paying and just keeping Surf's Up (it was 6 bucks) but that I'd like to return the other 2 (unopened).  She said they'll actually just let me keep the other two, so they get credit from me for good customer service.  Not quite as good as Apple, but still I'm pleased.  Anybody want a copy of Superbad or Disturbia?

So, obviously we need to be more vigilant now that E has had some online shenanigans.  Immediately, we will turn off/unplug the monitor as the streaming cartoons are playing, but longer-term she will figure that out.  Suggestions are welcome!

North Head Lighthouse

This is the best I could get asking her to smile nicely. Not bad . . .


The lighthouse is in pretty rough shape when you get up close, but the texture is cool. It was a really pretty day.


It'll always be my favorite lighthouse because I asked L to marry me in its top.


I liked the way the light, shadows, colors, and perspective work together in this one.

My kids do things . . .

The joys of potty training! L found her like this the other day . . .


W is not impressed . . . and he's waaaaay into 80's fashion. Little Pat(rick) Benatar or something.

He's Growin' Up!

Takin' a snooze.


Sister with little bro.


It's hard to get him to smile, but she's workin' hard at it.


Sometimes I get to hold him too! He's my little cuddle friend.