leandrahallis: 2012

Monday, 31 December 2012

Calvin and Hobbes snowmen

I love Calvin and Hobbes. I always have. I even found a Calvin and Hobbes font, and I would have used it on this blog, but I don't know how.

His snowmen are awesome. And since it actually feels like winter now, I thought I'd post some for your reading pleasure.

I've always wanted to recreate one of his twisted winter scenes, but the problem is I hate making snowmen, so I never have. But apparently other people have:

Saturday, 29 December 2012

I Choose Condor 3 Day Assault Pack (Olive Drab, 3038-Cubic Inch)

Condor 3 Day Assault Pack (Olive Drab, 3038-Cubic Inch)

Condor Outdoor Products, Inc specialize in tactical vest, plate carrier, modular pouches, packs...etc. With over 20 years of experience in the tactical/outdoor gear industry, Condor offers all the essential gear for any mission while saving you money. Read More >>

List Price: ~~$ 94.95~~

And below is why i think all of you should buy this item :

- Large load cargo capacity compartment with separate pocket to fit up to two 3L hydration bladders. - BOlive Draby contour shoulder straps with D-Ring for equipment attachment, sternum starp and waist belt. - External side compression straps.
- Heavy-Duty carry and drag handle. - Two double zipper pulls on the main compartment for easy access. - Individual foam pad back panel for extra comfort and maximum airflow. - Grommets on all compartments for drainage. - Import
Total of seven compartments: - Main Compartment with gear straps to secure gears and two extra mesh pockets. - Second Compartment contains three map/document pockets, two radio pockets, and penholders.
- Two large pockets on the back, bottom pocket (12.5" x 6" x 3") with three elastic closure mash pocket and a zipper mash pocket. - Two side pockets (9" x 5" x 2.5") one on each side. - One Compartment for hydration systems.

Special for our fellow USA citizen, get big discount and fast USA shipping for Condor 3 Day Assault Pack (Olive Drab, 3038-Cubic Inch) this month.

Friday, 28 December 2012

ACU Digital Camouflage Advanced Sling BackPack - 19 x 10 x 6 inches, Tactical Waist Pack Cool Feature

ACU Digital Camouflage Advanced Sling BackPack - 19 x 10 x 6 inches, Tactical Waist Pack

Constructed Of Rugged Tactical Polyester. Key Features Include: "Convertible System"- A Sling Pack That Easily Converts To A waist Pack In Seconds. One Large Main Compartment With Mesh Storage Pockets, Rear Hydration Compartment, Two Front Pockets, One With Universal Holster, Two Side Pockets With Exterior Quick Access Sleeves, Fully Adjustable Padded Sling Strap Can Be Used As A Padded Shoulder Strap Or Waist Strap. Heavy Duty Nylon Coil Zippers With Pull Cords And Tabs. Upper Carry Handle. Rea Read More >>

List Price: ~~$ 104.28~~

And below is why i think all of you should buy this item :

ACU Digital Camouflage Advanced Tactical Sling Pack
Constructed Of Rugged Tactical Polyester
Convertible System"- A Sling Pack That Easily Converts To Awaist Pack In Seconds. One Large Main Compartment With Mesh Storage Pockets, Rear Hydration Compartment, Two Front Pockets, One With Universal Holster.
Two Side Pockets With Exterior Quick Access Sleeves, Fully Adjustable Padded Sling Strap Can Be Used As A Padded Shoulder Strap Or Waist Strap. Heavy Duty Nylon Coil Zippers With Pull Cords And Tabs.Upper Carry Handle.Readily Acceptsmodular Components.
Size: 19" x 10" x 6" (Main Compartment) 19" x 15 1/2" x 8" (Including Exterior Pouches).

Special for our fellow USA citizen, get big discount and fast USA shipping for ACU Digital Camouflage Advanced Sling BackPack - 19 x 10 x 6 inches, Tactical Waist Pack this month.

Thursday, 27 December 2012

opinions

This girl is getting opinions. My mom gave her these little shoes that squeak when she walks and she brings them to me all the time so I can put them on her. They're her favorite. Today I pulled out this raincoat that my sister loaned me and Allie stuck her arms out so I could put it on her (which she's never done before) and would not take it off all day. Even when she played in this little pool and got the sleeves soggy wet, she wouldn't take it off. When I would start to undo it she'd throw a fit, crying and swinging her arms at me and grabbing the coat. It seems she's turning kind of bratty; she moved a little bit closer to 2 today.

Wednesday, 26 December 2012

Update

Summer is in full swing, and we are all loving it.
Jared passed the NCLEX, so he is now officially a registered nurse! YAY! Now he just needs to find a job, and we might have to actually decide if we're moving and where.

I love not waking up to an alarm clock. I love having the kids all home (for now). I got a new calling at church; I'm second counselor in the Relief Society, which means I'm in charge of activities. I'm not good at that sort of thing, so I expect it will be a learning opportunity. At least, that's what I say when I'm having a good attitude :)

Joey is taking guitar lessons, thanks to Jared's dad. He enjoys the lessons and has a great teacher, but he doesn't like practicing, of course. He moved far beyond my ability after the first lesson. Joey wishes he could spend every waking moment playing Minecraft, a new computer game he saved up for, and is now basically obsessed with. Sometimes I get annoyed that he plays it so much (when I let him) but then I remember that I probably played video games all day when I was his age. And it has totally payed off because I still ROCK at Dr. Mario.

Jason had his first day of school on Monday. Yup, poor bloke has to go to summer school. He cried the first morning, and I felt so bad for him. What a way to ruin a kid's summer! But after the first day he was fine. It's only a couple hours and it's not so bad. Do you think his teacher will teach the kids how to drive or let them recreate the Texas Chainsaw Massacre in the classroom?
(If that makes no sense to you perhaps you never saw that classic 80's flick, Summer School)

Tyler is Tyler. He plays all day with his brothers and Dougie and never seems to get bored. He's trying to learn how to ride a bike, but I can't say the lessons are going very well.

Allie is moving right along. She's walking more and more, and it just looks so cute! She'll be a year tomorrow, so I'll write more about her then. But here's a picture for today. She didn't take a very good morning nap, can you tell?

Monday, 24 December 2012

She thinks she's a big girl

She was standing today, holding onto my fingers, and then she let go of both hands and stood by herself for a couple seconds. I think she can hardly wait to start walking. But she can't crawl yet! She's got the strength, I think she just doesn't know that she has to move her hands and knees yet, and when I try to help her she gets ticked off. She's really not close to walking, but I think it would be hilarious if she did while she was still wearing size 3-month clothes.

Saturday, 22 December 2012

I Choose Jtech Gear D-2 Assault Tactical Backpack for 2 Day Tactical Molle Backpack

Jtech Gear D-2 Assault Tactical Backpack for 2 Day Tactical Molle Backpack

The D-2 Assault Backpack is a medium sized backpack designed for short range reconnaissance patrol. The D-2 Assault Pack supports hydration bladders up to 3L and is also compatible with the J-TECH compression stuff sack.

With it's large main compartment this pack accommodates a lot of gear and it's rugged design ensures that this pack will last through whatever you throw at it.

Although inspired by and for military use this backpack is also great for hiking, camping, and anyt Read More >>

List Price: ~~$ 102.00~~

And below is why i think all of you should buy this item :

Up to 15L of storage in main compartment
Made of 1000D Nylon. Japan military official issued camo
YKK Buckles and zippers
Backpack straps for out of vest use
Waist belt for a secure fit

Special for our fellow USA citizen, get big discount and fast USA shipping for Jtech Gear D-2 Assault Tactical Backpack for 2 Day Tactical Molle Backpack this month.

Diamond Tactical Backpack - Digital Desert Tan Cool Feature

Diamond Tactical Backpack - Digital Desert Tan

The Diamond Tactical Advanced Tactical backpack features two large zippered compartments with a plethora of additional compartments for your gear and item storage needs. The padded shoulder straps make this Tac backpack comfortable to carry. There are also two additional external zippered pockets providing ample storage space for all of your Airsoft needs. Overall, a great tactical backpack at an unbeatable price, with legendary Diamond Tactical quality. Read More >>

List Price: ~~$ 36.95~~

And below is why i think all of you should buy this item :

Two main compartments + two additional storage compartments
Advanced tactical design
Durable tactical nylon construction.
Heavy Duty zippers.
Heavy Duty carry straps on the top and side of the back pack.

Special for our fellow USA citizen, get big discount and fast USA shipping for Diamond Tactical Backpack - Digital Desert Tan this month.

Friday, 21 December 2012

Best Price for Timbuk2 Uptown Laptop Backpack (Black/Black/Black, One Size)

Timbuk2 Uptown Laptop Backpack (Black/Black/Black, One Size)

Just because your commute occasionally takes you cross-country instead of across town doesn't mean you need more than a backpack. The Uptown has designated spots for your laptop, iPad and peripherals as well as your non-gadgety items. Plus, it opens up to lay flat on its way through security. Read More >>

List Price: ~~$ 119.00~~

And below is why i think all of you should buy this item :

TSA compliant external laptop compartment unzips and lies flat for going through security without removing your laptop.
Padded tricot lined compartment that fits up to a 17" MacBook Pro. Padded tricot lined pocket for iPad and iPad2 (in a case or with Smart cover)
Timbuk2's trademarked Swing Around Access; grab your laptop or your iPad without taking off your pack. Huge internal volume for your gear with additional compartments and pockets for igadgets, cables etc.
Ventilated back panel to give your back breathing room. Custom-fit strap design for a truer, more comfortable fit.
Side pocket holds U-lock or water bottle Fine weave ballistic with the Timbuk2 color and durability you would expect. Vista loop for ?blinky? bike light attachment.

Special for our fellow USA citizen, get big discount and fast USA shipping for Timbuk2 Uptown Laptop Backpack (Black/Black/Black, One Size) this month.

Wednesday, 19 December 2012

Today's adventure

Joey has become a babysitter. Twice now he has tended the neighbor's kids. There is a 4 year old and a 3 year old. The first time, they were asleep so he played video games while his parents were at a meeting. The next time it was just the 5 year old and he played with him for a couple hours. Isn't it kind of funny? They live in our apartment complex, really close to us, so it's not like we were far away if he needed help (and that was the whole idea, too.) And he has earned 3 whole dollars, which is exciting to him because he really never gets money, except from Grandma and Grandpa, and Auntie Betty. It was burning a hole in his pocket tonight, so I took him to the drugstore down the street so he could get some candy. We were in there checking out the goods for probably about 3 minutes, and I started thinking that he should hurry up because I wanted to get home so I could get Allie ready for bed . . . wait a minute!!! And I remembered that we had brought her with us. And left her in the car. AAAAAHHHH!! Needless to say I tore out of the store and rescued her. She wasn't happy. She didn't want to come on the trip in the first place, and then to be left! Poor girl. I was just glad nobody saw her and called the cops. It was really only a few minutes though. So sad. But funny, too. More funny than sad, I think. Oh brain, when did you desert me?

Tuesday, 18 December 2012

9 months old

It's been 3 whole days since I've posted. Sometimes I just draw a blank. And sometimes the spirit is willing but the computer sucks. But I've got some ideas, so I'll be more consistent. I think.

I took Allie for her 9 month check up this week. She is just over 13 pounds, and the doctor said she's doing "amazing." She gets up on her knees and rocks, like a typical 9-month old. She sits really well now, rolls over, she's getting better and the pincer grasp, she smiles at people but has serious stranger anxiety. If someone holds her she goes to pieces and even when I get her back she takes a long time to calm down. She is still tiny, not even on the charts, really, but she is gaining weight steadily and is perfectly healthy. I'm so happy and relieved she's doing so well. I worry about her a lot. I'm a germophobe with her; I keep her away from shopping carts, little kids, and anyone who's sick, and I wash my hands a lot. So far, so good, though. I also worry a lot that she's not getting enough calories. Who counts calories for a baby??

Also, she drools a lot and puts everything in her mouth (including this "helicopter seed." Not an insect wing, it kind of looks like that).

I like her. I think she's a nice baby.

Sunday, 16 December 2012

The Eclipse

Did you see the eclipse? One of our neighbors had a whole bunch of solar eclipse glasses, so we all got to see it. It was so cool!

This one was taken with sunglasses over the camera lens. It got really cloudy in the middle of it, during the "ring of fire" so we didn't get to see that very well.

d this is what it looked like through the eclipse glasses, which looked like those cheap 3D glasses, but the lenses were so dark you couldn't see anything except the sun.

All the neighbors were outside, it was like a party. Our boys especially loved it because we don't let them play outside on Sundays, and they tend to get cabin fever, so it was a treat for them to run around.

They say there won't be another solar eclipse for 18 more years, and there won't be another one that we can see anywhere close to here for 360 years. So for the next one we'll have to fly to Venezuela, or Zimbabwe, or something. Actually, I hope it's the Caribbean, and we have to get there by cruise ship.

Thursday, 13 December 2012

Good Big Brother

I never imagined my boys would be so enamored with Allie. Everyone told me that they would be, that their kids were when the baby came along, and I always thought, well that's your perfect kids, you do not know what odd children I live with. But happily I was wrong. Every day they are eager to hold her and play with her and tickle her and laugh at her, and not give her one moment of peace sometimes. And this kid Joey. On Saturday morning I woke up at 9:00, and went into Allie's room thinking it strange that she was still sleeping, since she almost always wakes up at 7:00. And she wasn't in bed. I wasn't alarmed, because I knew she was downstairs with her big brother, because this has happened before. I went down, and there she is sitting beside him on the couch with a collection of toys around her, happily playing while he played the Wii. And there was an empty bottle too. He'd gotten her up and made her a bottle and fed her and gave her toys and stuff to make her happy, all while I slept in on a Saturday morning. What a great kid. What a great big brother.

We moved

It's been a crazy couple of months. We searched high and low for a house to buy, finally found one, and yesterday we moved in. It was the worst move ever! I don't know why, maybe because we have so much stuff now, and also because we weren't fully prepared even though I started packing a month ago. We have many many boxes that are just full of stuff we threw in, with no reason or order to it. We can't find anything. But we are so glad to be moved, and to have our own house again!!
I would show you pictures but the stuff I need to do that is in one of those boxes.
Now that I'm not so busy I am hoping to blog more. I feel bad about all the time I missed because this blog is like a family history for us, and I don't want things to be forgotten forever.
The boys love this house! They ran around all day exploring. They said it feels like Grandma's house because it's fun, and doesn't feel like their house. Allie can go outside all she wants now because we have a fenced backyard. This is her dream come true. She didn't seem to like the house much last night, though. She kept waking up and crying, and hopefully she gets used to it soon.
Tyler desperately wanted his own room, but still has to share with Jason. We have a really big storage closet in one of our hallways, and he spent most of the day in there, and slept in it last night. He really wants it to be his bedroom. We would be the coolest parents if we let him. Or we'd be investigated by Child Protective Services for putting our child in a closet. One or the other.
We love it here. It's no mansion, but it's ours, and we're so happy to have it.

Tuesday, 11 December 2012

5.11 Rush 72 Backpack FDE Cool Feature

5.11 Rush 72 Backpack FDE

5.11 Tactical Rush 72 Backpack Flat Dark Earth Soft 23x15x8 58602 Read More >>

List Price: ~~$ 165.51~~

And below is why i think all of you should buy this item :

Special for our fellow USA citizen, get big discount and fast USA shipping for 5.11 Rush 72 Backpack FDE this month.

Monday, 10 December 2012

Baby on the move

She's got the general idea; she gets herself forward somehow, but I think it's funny how her arms and legs shoot out. Now I need to baby-proof the house, which I have not been looking forward to. As of now she's pretty much in mortal peril.

Sunday, 12 February 2012

Bread Baked in an Iron Pot

I baked this inside a 7 quart iron dutch oven according to a recipe in Michael Ruhlman's Ruhlman's Twenty cookbook. That's smoked sea salt on the crust there.