Dirty Jobs

My kids and I love to watch the show "Dirty Jobs" and it got me thinking about different jobs I've had. Actually, cheese is what really got me thinking. Cheese? Cheese makes you think about jobs? Well, I was at the grocery store the other day, buying cheese, as you probably figured. As I picked up the package I had to give it a look over before putting it in my cart. Making sure the cheese had been sealed correctly in its package and that it isn't noticeable that it was spliced together from other pieces of cheese so that it makes the correct weight. All of this comes from a result of working for 4 months in the worst job I ever had.

I've worked at a restaurant as a hostess, at an insurance company as a file clerk, I've rented cars and I've rented rooms. I've also taught 7th graders and that could be argued as a dirty job all on it's own. However, none of those required a white apron and a hair net. I also never came home from any of those other jobs smelling like cheese. I'm pretty sure that qualifies as icky. I love cheese - but I don't want to smell like it.

Have you ever had a "dirty job"? Do you still have nightmares of conveyor belts moving faster than you can work? Not in a fun "stuff your mouth full of chocolates like Lucy and Ethel" but 8 oz blocks of cheese that just keep piling up? One of those jobs that just makes you happy that you have moved on in life and you aren't stuck in a white apron and hair net?

September 11th

On September 9th I took my husband to the airport for his first international business trip. Our two boys and I walked him all the way up to the gate. We sat and watched airplanes taking off and landing as we waited for his turn to board the plane and head off across the world. The trip was scheduled for two weeks but the others that had travelled before shrugged it off saying they always came home early. He boarded the plane after hugs and kisses and was off.

Two days later as I was still in bed my phone rang. My mother simply said to turn on the tv. I watched in horror as they replayed what had happened and like much of the world sat in shock as ANOTHER plane hit right as we were watching. Neighbors came home from work. Others picked up their children from school and many travelled to be closer to family...and further away from the Air Force Base near by. Nearing afternoon I got a quick phone call from my husband. He just simply stated he was fine, they were safe. I asked if he had heard and he made no comments on the situation. Two hours later someone from his office locally called to also tell me the men overseas were all safe. I also had made several phone calls ensuring the safety of friends that live in New York. All were safe, one was even in the hospital delivering her first child.

Living in an Air Force town with an airport as well the skies are always busy. It was quiet. For days it was quiet and then one morning there was a plane. It was early and I walked outside to see the airplane flying East. As I looked down the street I could see many of my neighbors also standing silently - watching the plane fly through the beautiful blue sky. Life was slowly turning back to normal - or at least the sky was.

Six weeks after 9/11 my husband returned. As we went to the airport to pick him up there was no going to the gate. There was no sitting and watching planes land while others were taking off. We stood downstairs waiting for him to walk down the stairs. My boys were 2 and 4 and the two year old took off running at the sight of his dad. He crossed the "do not enter" area and put some security personnel in a bit of a panic. Fortunately others were very understanding that he was just a little boy who missed his daddy.

For three more years my husband travelled. He was often gone for 4-6 weeks only to come home for two weeks and be gone again. He doesn't wear a uniform. He doesn't fly airplanes or fight in battles at the front lines. He stands along side many like himself - his uniform is most often a pair of Levi jeans and an In-n-Out t-shirt. The average Engineering Geek. However, he is not average - he is clearly above average. And to him and all of the others that we do not see, do not hear about, perhaps we don't even know they exist. I say thank you!

Lame Insults

My ex sister in law sent my mother a nasty letter yesterday. She included many things that were bothering her about my mom, my brother's second wife and then she got to me. She was ironing out the "roles" she thinks that we all should be playing in her son's life. My nephew is 16. I was sort of looking forward to my name coming up in the letter. Wondering what she was going to say about me. I was sadly disappointed. This was ALL she could come up with:

Other roles that may be of concern to you:
Sandy- Aunt, not to be confused with someone who’d hand my husband dishes so he didn’t have to go back into the kitchen after he was done cleaning up. I won’t go into being a good guest, but I will say that I doubt Steve wore a butler’s uniform during your visit.

Really? The worst she could come up with was the fact I handed her husband a plate as he was headed to the kitchen? I do NOT know how I will go on in life knowing this was said about me.

I've come to the conclusion

That I love my inlaws. It's been 17 years...almost 18 and you know what? They drive me crazy. They have their quirks but I actually do love them. The picture above is Stew and his brother's and sister. There is a similar picture of the "inlaws" and I'll have to put that up here when I get a copy. But really - I love that they all get along. We went to Idaho Falls for my nephew's mission farewell. He was an awkward little boy and as he grew up he had many different illness's. We were almost not sure he would be allowed to go on a mission. Yet he is at the MTC now - on his way to the Omaha Nebraska mission. As a matter of fact this was the first baptism, baby blessing, mission farewell, or wedding that the entire family was there, except for my niece who is on a mission in England so she was given a pass. All 4 Weber kids, all 4 wives and 15 of the 16 grandkids.

So, why the proclamation of LOVE? Because I've noticed lately a few friends who actually don't like their family. Or maybe that isn't it but they certainly don't go out of their way to spend time with them. Is it that my husband likes his siblings so I go? Actually, I've gone without him before so that must not be it. So, it must be because I like them too.

You might ask...where is the picture of the "parents"? Well, we spent 3 days with them and 2 of those were in the car touring Yellowstone. My conclusion on that topic might better be saved for another day. But I will say we got told off for being at Stew's brother's where that first picture was taken and not telling them we were all there. Boohoo! ;)

And some fun pictures of our trip through Yellowstone.


My father in law took this picture. Not sure what he was looking at but I guess getting everyone's head in the photo wasn't a priority.


Just some of the beautiful landscape in Yellowstone Park


The kids in Montana - the sun shines there!


The kids on the Wyoming side - apparently there is no sun there. Maybe that's why Montana gets the Big Sky name?




One of the many Bison we saw along the trip.

phone

Just found out I can blog on my phone. Wonder if that will mean more updates? You'll probably still have to wait for me to get home from vacation.

Back to School! (And what we did this summer)

Here we are, ready for another year of school already. I can't believe Jackson is in 8th grade!

Somehow I have one in 8th Grade, one in 5th and one in 3rd!!!

I love how excited Jordan was to get to school this morning. She had to run out to the playground to find Isabelle. They acted like they hadn't seen eachother all summer long and yet they just saw eachother at church yesterday....girls!


And now that the kids are back in school I now have a minute to sit down and blog a little so you get to see some of the fun things we did.

We went to my mom's in California which isn't all that new or exciting but it was fun. Jared actually went a week before the rest of us and spent some one on one time with Grandma and Grandpa. They went ot Legoland and had a great time. Once we all arrived we met up with our friends from Tucson that were in California for a dive meet and we went to the Pier at Santa Monica. None of us had ever been before and we all had a great day.

It started out a bit overcast but it burned off and was a beautiful day.

The kids had a lot of fun on the rides at the pier.


This is my cousin Patty and my Dad. She pretty much looked like this most the day. I think she's on the phone more than a teenage girl.


We then spent the 4th of July at my moms. We were supposed to have a big bbq but things didn't turn out that way so it was just the family. We had a nice day though.


We also went to the beach. The boys and my Dad spent the day fishing and Jordan spent the day in the ocean. If you look you can see an X on her back. This was from a few weeks before when I forgot to reapply sunscreen when we were at a friends and her straps shifted and she got FRIED. I didn't take a picture of her after this beach day but let me tell you....when there are 5 adults and 3 kids you shouldn't assume that anyone else put sunscreen on the kids. My excuse is that I spent an hour looking for a parking spot while everyone else piled out of the van and went to play.


We also went to Disney's California Adventure this trip. We hadn't planned on it but my cousin and her husband came for a visit too and they wanted to go. I am just thankful for good friends that work for Disney that didn't mind getting us in that day. The first thing the kids did was Grizzly Bear Rapids. They wore ponchos the first time and came off the ride dry - Jordan wanted to go again without a poncho and this was the result:


This was also the first time Jared decided to ride the California Screamin' Roller coaster. Last time we went he stood in line with all of us and put one foot in the roller coaster and walked right out the other side.

He was really proud of himself for riding it!!!

Friends! Let's Get Together, yeah yeah yeah!

So today the kids and I were a bit crazy. My friend Ellen had a birthday yesterday and so we decided to meet for lunch. Her job has been driving her crazy so I said she should play hookie and we would go to lunch. Sounds normal until you find out that she lives 7 1/2 hours away. We met half way, spent 2 hours chatting and eating and letting the kids run around and then we both turned around and went back home.

I met Ellen while living in England. It turns out we have a mutual friend - nothing like telling a story and someone you don't know FINISHING it but that's another story. We're good friends but I think the true love affair is between our husbands. I really wish I had a picture to prove this story but you'll just have to create your own visual. We travelled down to another military base for the weekend while living there. We were at a small base and for good shopping and taco bell we would drive 3 hours and spend the weekend. (Hmm this 3 hour driving thing is sounding normal now.) Anyways. We decided to order the kids pizza one evening and to go out for dinner. We sent the men out for the pizza as we got the kids all situated. Soon Stewart walked in and I realized he had a new jacket on. Seriously, you went for pizza and you came back with a new jacket? It really isn't that cold out. And then the door opens. Greg walks in......same jacket. Like two 13 year old girls they walked in to the store, looked at jackets and bought MATCHING ones. To make it worse they proudly wore them when we would all go out.

Either way I guess I'm grateful for good friends. I'm grateful for 3 hour drives for 2 hour lunch dates. For husbands with matching jackets. And for teenage boys who pretend to despise each other yet get along a little too well at times for us to believe. And amazingly 2 little girls who wore the exact same outfit on their first day of school last year without either of us knowing.....maybe their dad's planned it behind our backs!