tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73634226282877424952024-02-07T05:46:03.286-06:00The Merriman FamilyAshley Merrimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02914435601807390444noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-25612866558150282822010-10-02T16:49:00.003-05:002010-10-02T17:21:54.523-05:00Catch The Ball<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.fanbase.com/media.fanbase.com/8/8874/8e86fb85af2e1581f1cebba9bc3afc89ae8e82da.jpg?x=250&y=162&sig=5392925a943321b23cb533fe4853b25d"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 162px;" src="http://img.fanbase.com/media.fanbase.com/8/8874/8e86fb85af2e1581f1cebba9bc3afc89ae8e82da.jpg?x=250&y=162&sig=5392925a943321b23cb533fe4853b25d" alt="" border="0" /></a><p>Dear BYU receiver corps:</p><p>This is Eric Drage. This is the only image I was able to find of Drage in the amount of time I had, which is both sad and illuminating.</p><p>I guess I can't blame the Internet for not remembering Eric Drage. He was 6'0", 185 lbs. He wasn't considered fast enough to play at his hometown school, the University of Arizona. He didn't have a professional football career. Even in this picture, he just looks like another small, skinny, slow white kid playing football at BYU.</p><p>But this is why the Internet is completely mistaken for not remembering Eric Drage. During his three years of starting at BYU, he caught 162 passes for 3065 yards and 29 touchdowns. He would throw his undersized frame at every pass thrown his way, catchable or not. In high school, he played with broken fingers. At BYU, he played with broken ribs. Eric Drage gave absolutely everything he had on every single play. He NEVER dropped a pass. EVER. He caught every catchable ball thrown his way, and a bunch of the ones that weren't. I have never seen as many sick, disgusting, and amazing catches out of one player than I saw from Drage. Most players would give up on the balls he caught. I watched him have to juggle a high pass three or four times before reeling it in for a TD. I saw him drag himself on the ground underneath a safety to catch a tipped pass. He went after high passes over the middle. He went after passes that would be hopelessly out of bounds or too far ahead of him for mere mortals to catch.</p><p>Eric Drage was the epitome of a BYU receiver: slow, undersized, overachieving, determined, fiery, precise, resourceful, and intelligent. And over all else, he <span style="font-style: italic;">caught the freaking ball</span>. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. There's two parts to the equation of Quarterback U. We know plenty about the first part, the quarterback. But equally important in that equation are the receivers, and BYU has always had fantastic receivers. Nothing flashy about them - they just caught the ball, no matter where it was, or whether they were technically a running back, fullback, tight end, or receiver. Too many to name in one post. Guys like Matt Bellini, Ben Cahoon, Kaipo McGuire, Chad Lewis, Itula Mili, Chris Smith, Gordon Hudson, Glen Kozlowski, Tyler Anderson, Reno Mahe, Curtis Brown, and on and on.</p><p>Anyway, you who are getting a free college education playing a skill position at BYU would do well to emulate Eric Drage. You have the physical tools to be better than he was. You just need to get your heart and mind into it, on and off the field. And catch the freaking ball.</p><p>That is all.<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-67760867787655586212010-08-04T13:06:00.000-05:002010-08-04T13:06:21.491-05:00Silhouette Giveaway!Want to win a silhouette? Here are the details <a href="http://www.sugardoodle.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6344">http://www.sugardoodle.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6344</a><br />
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I've been using Sugardoodle to prepare for my primary lessons and I stumbled upon this. Good luck!Ashley Merrimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02914435601807390444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-91495340324603998282010-05-04T21:19:00.002-05:002010-05-04T21:27:36.576-05:00Ashley's Disorder<p>My friends, Ashley has a disorder. She is incapable of drinking an entire glass - be it milk, water, coke, hot chocolate, she doesn't finish. You can always tell which glass is hers after dinner, because there is about a half inch of liquid in the bottom of the glass. (Therefore, I try to find them fast, because when it was milk she was drinking... Nasty.)</p><p>This all came to a head last night. She had some root beer, and I was stealing a drink here and there as we were watching House. She got to the point where she was done, and the usual amount was left in the glass. I picked it up to drink a little - I didn't finish it, just in case she wanted more. She was like, "Wait, was there still some in there?" "Yeah." "I swear, I finished it! I swear!" "Nope - you left the usual amount in there. I didn't even finish it, you can check for yourself." To her surprise, there was. She was convinced she had finished it, and even laughed to herself that I was going to be disappointed when I picked up an empty glass.</p><p>Even though she is conscious of it, it happened again tonight. It's hilarious! But our question is, is there anyone else out there like this? Or is Ashley the first one with this strange disorder? Let us know!<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-88158719599325487102010-04-04T15:16:00.015-05:002010-04-04T16:18:48.338-05:00HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9k63NKKZKs5ZwU8I4OG_Msci7Qv8LJ07AbPeOwajqUTFfbzuF3cFXrhY3WB1kVShGYxDYxjHlwkd0FGmeJLT5kANertI9e4vrYsVYwZvBbFQLPbomZ9M360J86Sy-lznqGJPVm4ou_Nc/s1600/IMAG0166.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9k63NKKZKs5ZwU8I4OG_Msci7Qv8LJ07AbPeOwajqUTFfbzuF3cFXrhY3WB1kVShGYxDYxjHlwkd0FGmeJLT5kANertI9e4vrYsVYwZvBbFQLPbomZ9M360J86Sy-lznqGJPVm4ou_Nc/s320/IMAG0166.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456379189335465170" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />David's birthday was back in March. The big 27!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-HQ4W7W-t_W0JVhPo6wiqw-5_uzDCbrfqSjKm4BClc9KvnKsRmUO3otOkiVUzuAD2UEDtIZdHl-sfVRKcOFOiXinaAvbbiGpRct1nV8vZgDROthLL1tL5-B6I8A6FMalKKQHNt5LI9g/s1600/IMAG0179.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-HQ4W7W-t_W0JVhPo6wiqw-5_uzDCbrfqSjKm4BClc9KvnKsRmUO3otOkiVUzuAD2UEDtIZdHl-sfVRKcOFOiXinaAvbbiGpRct1nV8vZgDROthLL1tL5-B6I8A6FMalKKQHNt5LI9g/s320/IMAG0179.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456383940462264514" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />He kept saying "Oh, I don't need anything." and "Don't worry about me, just focus on school."<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7pe1SzhIx-RzrMPvfo5YQ-iyQbYU_eFlKQRSMNxV91QOwy6nKfwklXMdirpl0YTf-o3I0YXhcc-Q12Gn6fDBNZBbJnRS8U2-Uonmu_fj7FMrRBmTOmjRR5PSxSIWeqLqgu_daPunggN8/s1600/IMAG0170.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7pe1SzhIx-RzrMPvfo5YQ-iyQbYU_eFlKQRSMNxV91QOwy6nKfwklXMdirpl0YTf-o3I0YXhcc-Q12Gn6fDBNZBbJnRS8U2-Uonmu_fj7FMrRBmTOmjRR5PSxSIWeqLqgu_daPunggN8/s320/IMAG0170.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456381073512420226" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />So, I planned a surprise party for him. :)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdlVcYyZns9yHrb7Jld4WZzQTaiQjU5WVhwCNm2XpeWLJyKEPXd0ToKI1i7UpG8JYeXjNzk4KXbgUaIr1UmAiJ_OwiKKlgv9cb_dHFuGMeF-tZ7iSh-DcEaBDBHydON5erZkPtbaQpGpQ/s1600/IMAG0176.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdlVcYyZns9yHrb7Jld4WZzQTaiQjU5WVhwCNm2XpeWLJyKEPXd0ToKI1i7UpG8JYeXjNzk4KXbgUaIr1UmAiJ_OwiKKlgv9cb_dHFuGMeF-tZ7iSh-DcEaBDBHydON5erZkPtbaQpGpQ/s320/IMAG0176.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456383048929379122" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />We are so blessed to have good friends from church.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_woKo_xx7N-7SKgLe2x_l2NzUC3Q0DJMgUFtBNzwoUfS8LTMr5K6EHJpsCMEf_UV9nLNv89rSLpkNZtusWFC-9KSJ_ugose0tcLyokpQB-kYmGfeZxlF357GQMrkzAJ5B8qrAYzk1K8/s1600/IMAG0175.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_woKo_xx7N-7SKgLe2x_l2NzUC3Q0DJMgUFtBNzwoUfS8LTMr5K6EHJpsCMEf_UV9nLNv89rSLpkNZtusWFC-9KSJ_ugose0tcLyokpQB-kYmGfeZxlF357GQMrkzAJ5B8qrAYzk1K8/s320/IMAG0175.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456382717176216306" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />We have great neighbors across the street who we've become good friends with.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLSDzuiP8H6p6l-PzHWxE92f6660iFXorow9YOzg7_Ruh2NWCUoDRNYEtjQqn9Jz4RAj5SJbcroMRgDEmhabIu9M1Vq7VR36y6nPOBsm5e4ARV6eytr9PzIjciZkuKaBZE8zyxXTuw9E/s1600/IMAG0174.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLSDzuiP8H6p6l-PzHWxE92f6660iFXorow9YOzg7_Ruh2NWCUoDRNYEtjQqn9Jz4RAj5SJbcroMRgDEmhabIu9M1Vq7VR36y6nPOBsm5e4ARV6eytr9PzIjciZkuKaBZE8zyxXTuw9E/s320/IMAG0174.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456382426814514674" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I made everybody wear a party hat and play pin the tail on the donkey. lol We had a lot of fun.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF2SlAOjfmMAnXdo4wGOmD4vNgbZ-O1K4A_4Molm79_z7WTg7l5wAmZ4Jcl-52Tsnb-19sjFtbShvWFsXE1eTeJaBww5q_irsCI7Dy49jTeC0d2rAXOQ8acLJgHm3HCULVCX6QzaqQO0I/s1600/IMAG0172.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF2SlAOjfmMAnXdo4wGOmD4vNgbZ-O1K4A_4Molm79_z7WTg7l5wAmZ4Jcl-52Tsnb-19sjFtbShvWFsXE1eTeJaBww5q_irsCI7Dy49jTeC0d2rAXOQ8acLJgHm3HCULVCX6QzaqQO0I/s320/IMAG0172.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456382181114054274" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXLPYE_Jtj8hJABryi0e6xN_sQf74W5NPbVmlXbLu6Nku7496TErO2tjqzhUF7sxECK2KFQWqNJruSEL8HzCDaR4IuAi-wYOKLV7xIZUyJkfUSkNPX-Qh4nlC1IMvWlL3iTELFt5LOGQ/s1600/IMAG0171.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXLPYE_Jtj8hJABryi0e6xN_sQf74W5NPbVmlXbLu6Nku7496TErO2tjqzhUF7sxECK2KFQWqNJruSEL8HzCDaR4IuAi-wYOKLV7xIZUyJkfUSkNPX-Qh4nlC1IMvWlL3iTELFt5LOGQ/s320/IMAG0171.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456381396008058834" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I made Four Cheese Tortellini Shrimp Alfredo. Sounds gross, I know. So I also made Spaghetti with Gnocchis for those with good taste :P It was yummy! We had garlic bread and salad, and then German Chocolate Cake with coconut frosting for dessert.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpBvR4bikSvle6zJPvb_TcZpUW4cV3Nwpd8pNGcpgIQksiR4-2Do7WYq7mJhJn4BYt5i78VCGjQEX9ylnVc-kPFypKsdIJWwRAL9uhbJ_TGUIaUC5iFkPZ8jLMeBZ05WI887VwMYGw2M/s1600/IMAG0168.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpBvR4bikSvle6zJPvb_TcZpUW4cV3Nwpd8pNGcpgIQksiR4-2Do7WYq7mJhJn4BYt5i78VCGjQEX9ylnVc-kPFypKsdIJWwRAL9uhbJ_TGUIaUC5iFkPZ8jLMeBZ05WI887VwMYGw2M/s320/IMAG0168.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456380012553248642" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPtXjE2afTr1QzXK7_E9r9dtZHN6kZ3zVciI7WtNYsFFYUNKeo7raU7nO-DieY3lrV2Nbz36QLJJIQ209cAAwyq5-VpZKhcWIrUx5GoIocUOC2Ax_wHsYkRxn2HJWb1gZxOT5minXjVc/s1600/IMAG0169.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPtXjE2afTr1QzXK7_E9r9dtZHN6kZ3zVciI7WtNYsFFYUNKeo7raU7nO-DieY3lrV2Nbz36QLJJIQ209cAAwyq5-VpZKhcWIrUx5GoIocUOC2Ax_wHsYkRxn2HJWb1gZxOT5minXjVc/s320/IMAG0169.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456380808845993010" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKr2n6ayRmfFZpRKEj-ULL02L0oNz4RhRIadUGU7Zxk9Hk5PupMInvstueHuFR5CwS-6_b-AL545_hRMdq2QfYC376nR9WQACHB9-uEhWbjrvvJqBIt0RPdMKyhVQfLd4nc9fXB1n95YQ/s1600/IMAG0180.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKr2n6ayRmfFZpRKEj-ULL02L0oNz4RhRIadUGU7Zxk9Hk5PupMInvstueHuFR5CwS-6_b-AL545_hRMdq2QfYC376nR9WQACHB9-uEhWbjrvvJqBIt0RPdMKyhVQfLd4nc9fXB1n95YQ/s320/IMAG0180.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456383337625210114" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEnqd61DT5LhKD4jl7NVfxUwkxvhz8spbImEwy-p1XQa5ojuf-b0S8ceqHtzz2pnMP7iORPRXr2spjp7YviD6-6uEqDOK6Q0rzjjBifRIh4sS-1UQXTvQ1_tpjYR8F9berUt8Lb7QzXk/s1600/IMAG0167.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEnqd61DT5LhKD4jl7NVfxUwkxvhz8spbImEwy-p1XQa5ojuf-b0S8ceqHtzz2pnMP7iORPRXr2spjp7YviD6-6uEqDOK6Q0rzjjBifRIh4sS-1UQXTvQ1_tpjYR8F9berUt8Lb7QzXk/s320/IMAG0167.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456379653978425842" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />David won the game! Happy Birthday David. I love you so much!!! (even in your old age...you can't help it) :PAshley Merrimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02914435601807390444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-74306315161286791512010-04-04T12:27:00.015-05:002010-04-04T13:10:12.535-05:00Snow Day!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispMcCDOiCoYsyaQP5zJE1YZ4sPIp2vtWa4xzcWH-IuhkmofOJsns62XXqy6AQMBzHK7lxX1072okJuPERnxksJqbHa2AEfH55cG29iB54whPC2jwUAoIp8q9I7KgjheSF3YAo992bqq4/s1600/IMAG0159.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispMcCDOiCoYsyaQP5zJE1YZ4sPIp2vtWa4xzcWH-IuhkmofOJsns62XXqy6AQMBzHK7lxX1072okJuPERnxksJqbHa2AEfH55cG29iB54whPC2jwUAoIp8q9I7KgjheSF3YAo992bqq4/s320/IMAG0159.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456336251922251698" border="0" /></a>Wow! What a crazy semester it's been! I have a bit of catching up to do. I have been too busy to even think about our blog. The last week of February, it snowed in Texas! It was crazy! I had to go to clinical that day, so David had to teach me how to drive in the snow.<br /><br />This is from our front porch, looking at the front yard.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNg6wUT2wE91Ml455WB5th0yT5BGf5vIV_LNffqUpGZDTN8aL0Ql93bk0BghLKg_nK7K03uvB97bBA1RFLZetGgXlGzBQKyy1uL2tdomStR2FMDDIoaop-MYDXayNjcN09oZTc3M3RDVM/s1600/IMAG0158.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNg6wUT2wE91Ml455WB5th0yT5BGf5vIV_LNffqUpGZDTN8aL0Ql93bk0BghLKg_nK7K03uvB97bBA1RFLZetGgXlGzBQKyy1uL2tdomStR2FMDDIoaop-MYDXayNjcN09oZTc3M3RDVM/s320/IMAG0158.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456337385639363842" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />This is from standing in the loft, looking out the window at our backyard.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWs1UWwWvn2Afsw20KeQaClAYzTFnAqe0IbNZGx-ucVTmk9EZOydTRtWs44_agbj4T0dZgy3VWAMjaXDHOH6-SOSXQdfnGFDgi0avl4n06gbY-4s9hQA0f-vpAXx-Bfc8QEJuN1RQ8vI/s1600/IMAG0157.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWs1UWwWvn2Afsw20KeQaClAYzTFnAqe0IbNZGx-ucVTmk9EZOydTRtWs44_agbj4T0dZgy3VWAMjaXDHOH6-SOSXQdfnGFDgi0avl4n06gbY-4s9hQA0f-vpAXx-Bfc8QEJuN1RQ8vI/s320/IMAG0157.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456337760426112130" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />The snow flakes were huge! It looked like snow balls falling from the sky!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXIO8qJ0Z_N66tDXiwrYAKPbbAFNLAwgMQAZ2KGscUW16iv4BLeIq57Qk2qiaMpvYl-0b4xn6jGytT2n0r7FPDNqybSZ1T1FsJsTbGwMdDSqgCWW4YlYLfK15vuqvLQVSqdAFPazK4VI/s1600/IMAG0156.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXIO8qJ0Z_N66tDXiwrYAKPbbAFNLAwgMQAZ2KGscUW16iv4BLeIq57Qk2qiaMpvYl-0b4xn6jGytT2n0r7FPDNqybSZ1T1FsJsTbGwMdDSqgCWW4YlYLfK15vuqvLQVSqdAFPazK4VI/s320/IMAG0156.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456338197697913858" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1ft6H99PypwRWYCmX3ZZufVBA35_VnFrGrrGpJuoKLd0oR2Bi9GgoaI5uw3RrLal21OxX-qY2mtdq50ZifuaQqpRgNbTKCB6fYxZjWiZTS7l2fD43_9WCirvWyirO0I_NksNnUlDqwY/s1600/IMAG0155.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1ft6H99PypwRWYCmX3ZZufVBA35_VnFrGrrGpJuoKLd0oR2Bi9GgoaI5uw3RrLal21OxX-qY2mtdq50ZifuaQqpRgNbTKCB6fYxZjWiZTS7l2fD43_9WCirvWyirO0I_NksNnUlDqwY/s320/IMAG0155.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456338437599681906" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This is from one of the bedrooms, looking at the front yard.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinR4qNeFybxlmGK65-SSJLpwBYGYUPl2fY0lon_BWjkAx_bz_17gx3ix9xiVGDwnBiBcTFGqtPiRPHG6VNRlBvyyvoq0r_W8OE0Ameo_fJepmgwBI8yZj68hEFXqxhoUG5CSdBXXzASK8/s1600/IMAG0153.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinR4qNeFybxlmGK65-SSJLpwBYGYUPl2fY0lon_BWjkAx_bz_17gx3ix9xiVGDwnBiBcTFGqtPiRPHG6VNRlBvyyvoq0r_W8OE0Ameo_fJepmgwBI8yZj68hEFXqxhoUG5CSdBXXzASK8/s320/IMAG0153.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456338651615534786" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This is when I was driving to the hospital.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_Oicf1PFxm_YnPe3YVo8y8nWz2WsPzroiU_dwg-_xmqysy88ekBDHplFdH6oTP8z5f6dWankNdHOBP0Tu7ypEI9Z6aukKR_Mh26ChVB3ISbrHNtqrx52uq5KfD3wk9WDuU5MHaHbmpo/s1600/IMAG0154.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_Oicf1PFxm_YnPe3YVo8y8nWz2WsPzroiU_dwg-_xmqysy88ekBDHplFdH6oTP8z5f6dWankNdHOBP0Tu7ypEI9Z6aukKR_Mh26ChVB3ISbrHNtqrx52uq5KfD3wk9WDuU5MHaHbmpo/s320/IMAG0154.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456338844720132114" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Don't worry, I was being safe! :P<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcANlu1_klpA3XTavVXspX3g9Y0Kqcje73fg07oGHrI-NXbg9uN3igdlvTnZ4HZX6qXGDR6aT7tGsljWwsC4I9Y8nQMopr9L2DpvYP0tb6ZN5QP87fuWACYwDTo1ayKL-cld0K18qvpcg/s1600/IMAG0152.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcANlu1_klpA3XTavVXspX3g9Y0Kqcje73fg07oGHrI-NXbg9uN3igdlvTnZ4HZX6qXGDR6aT7tGsljWwsC4I9Y8nQMopr9L2DpvYP0tb6ZN5QP87fuWACYwDTo1ayKL-cld0K18qvpcg/s320/IMAG0152.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456339061564088834" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />David and Bella had fun playing in the snow together. Bella was so freaked out by it. I think she enjoyed it though. :)<br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwF0NbQVluz6GS9M1whYnO87tEizqJaFtZrGztI-T7JNb8wBAJXSEKoG26EpexlRzhv5kkJtixkfcE23twMDA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Ashley Merrimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02914435601807390444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-10523687368643579422010-03-22T11:53:00.002-05:002010-03-22T12:15:13.871-05:00RIP, American Dream<p>It was nice knowing you. I had 27 good years with you, when I believed that I could achieve anything I wanted, as long as I worked hard enough to get there. I could make choices about my education, my health care, and my money. I got an education. I got a job. I got married. I bought two cars and a house. I put away money for a rainy day. And I felt good about my country and the freedoms I enjoy here that allowed me to do all of those things.</p><p>But now you're gone. Now, more than ever, we will subsidize failure and punish success. Now, we will cut down excellence in order to guarantee mediocrity for all. Now, we will move out of the shining city on a hill and back in with the huddled masses, yearning to breathe free, and the wretched refuse of the teeming shores from whence we came. So, forget about that hard work stuff. Forget about your dreams of making it. Forget about being successful. Forget about working hard for what you want. It isn't right for you to dream, or succeed, or want. Just sit back and take what Uncle Sam gives you. He'll make sure it's fair. Sit back in your doubly mortgaged house that the bank can no longer foreclose on you. (What, you were making your payments? Silly you! Go spend that on brand new hybrid or some solar panels, instead!) Enjoy the furniture you bought with the credit card you defaulted on. Pour yourself a beverage you purchased with the food stamps or unemployment checks you've been getting for the last two years. And don't worry about going to the doctor about that chest pain you've been having - he doesn't have an opening until 2011, and by then he'll be out of business. Are you worried about losing your job with your newfound urge to slack off? Join a union - your union boss will have your back, and make sure you don't get fired. Or, if you do, you'll have a sweet severance package. Don't worry about any of that. Don't lift a finger! Uncle Sam will now guarantee you have your house, your health care, your food, and everything else he decides you need. He doesn't guarantee they won't suck; all he guarantees is that your hard-working neighbor's will suck just as bad as yours. So relax - or don't, whatever. The outcome will be pretty much the same either way.</p><p>Life is mediocre again in America - just like every other social democracy in Europe.</p><p>It used to be excellent, but I guess mediocrity is okay. It's not like we have any other choice anymore.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-70497010109418693932010-03-15T00:46:00.001-05:002010-03-15T00:46:25.691-05:00Beans, beans, the musical fruit......the more you eat, the more you toot. And in Ashley's case, it *was* musical tonight - a perfect C. I called it, too. Ashley guessed a B, so we tested it on the keyboard, and I was right on. So I have perfect pitch, and so does Ashley. Or, part of her anyway... ;pUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-82660684861125746632010-03-02T12:19:00.002-06:002010-03-02T12:44:35.880-06:00March 2<p>Did you know that Texas and I were both born on March 2? Pretty cool, huh?</p><p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Declaration_of_Independence">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Declaration_of_Independence</a></p><p>Happy Birthday, Texas! Thanks for giving me a place to live and work with no income taxes. :D</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-57855643040770790222010-02-22T15:12:00.002-06:002010-02-22T15:57:24.702-06:002/22Heelllllllllllooooooooooooooooo! Happy 222 Day, everyone! LA La la...<p></p>For those of you who don't know why or how we celebrate 222 day, that's probably because you're just not cool enough. That's unfortunate, but I'm not too worried about it.<p></p><p>For those who do, break out your prankin' hats, lobster pots, and simulated fecal matter. Or take a couch nap after watching The Skulls or playing some Tamale Loco (yes, it's <a href="http://www.shockwave.com/gamelanding/tamalerumble2.js">still out there</a>.) Or have a blues night about the fact that you can't get 1/2 price Papa John's or remember who GNO and GNT are and which one - if any - was the Burger Queen. Or whatever - as far as holidays go, it's just capricious and arbitrary. Maybe you say those things are played. Soooooo played. But are they, people? Are they?</p><p>About as played as a purple slurpie.</p><p>Ahoy hoy!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-19046983819788084722010-02-18T09:47:00.002-06:002010-02-18T09:49:52.496-06:00Nursing School<p>So, Ashley has now begun nursing school. She's doing well, and had her first clinical yesterday. We're alive, but very busy. </p><p>See you in a couple years. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-91196625505429755892009-12-29T12:55:00.002-06:002009-12-29T13:33:27.290-06:00'Twas the night before Christmas...<p>...and all through the House, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.</p><p>Unfortunately, over in the Senate, things were a wee bit different, and they passed their own version of a "health care reform bill," which in reality is a bill that does NOT fix any problems in health care, is mostly unknown to the Senators that voted for it, pushes our country deeper into socialism,<a href="http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/september_2009/health_care_reform"> is opposed by a majority of Americans</a>, hurts small businesses, and is probably unconstitutional. I'm really hoping that, if this becomes law, the Supreme Court can pull their head out and say, "No, you can't just throw down a tax on people that do things in a way you don't like." Like a tax of $1,500 on anyone choosing not to carry health insurance. That's insane. The tax code is for generating revenue, it's not a punitive weapon.</p><p>They needed 60 votes to do it. In order to get the 60 votes, they added special languages to the bill for Mary Landrieu's state, Louisiana, and Bill Nelson's state, Nebraska. Essentially, these are several hundred million dollar bribes, paid for by the American people. Nebraskans don't seem to be too happy about it, despite the windfall. Senator Nelson has an <a href="http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2012/nebraska/election_2012_nebraska_senate">uphill battle</a> ahead of him in 2012 for his shenanigans.</p><p>I'll have a definitive rant (for those of you weirdos that come to our blog to hear me rant) about health care sometime later this week. But, barring some kind of miracle, we're probably hosed.</p><p>Merry Christmas!</p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-3136933065178673072009-12-14T10:29:00.002-06:002009-12-14T10:37:03.489-06:00The Writing Is On The Wall<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.rasmussenreports.com/var/plain/storage/images/media/obama_index_graphics/december_2009/obama_approval_index_december_14_2009/271567-1-eng-US/obama_approval_index_december_14_2009.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://www.rasmussenreports.com/var/plain/storage/images/media/obama_index_graphics/december_2009/obama_approval_index_december_14_2009/271567-1-eng-US/obama_approval_index_december_14_2009.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><p>I think once you do some linear regressions on this, identify the trends, and all the other statistical mumbo jumbo you normally do to a data set, this will actually spell out the word FAIL. ;-)</p><p>Of course, maybe he's trying to follow golf great Tiger Woods' lead and get ridiculously low scores. Someone should tell him that low scores in this game are <i>bad</i>. Also, if he's following Tiger, he's gonna end up a lot more like Clinton than Lincoln.</p><p>I don't see that happening though. It's hard to sneak a teleprompter into a hotel without anybody noticing.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-30399118577372338972009-12-06T22:21:00.002-06:002009-12-06T22:49:12.466-06:00Inside Jokes<p>Inside jokes are the glue that hold a relationship together. And the more you have, the better. Well, actually, there's probably an upper limit beyond which your relationship becomes a gooey mess. But I haven't reached it yet.</p><p>With that, here are a few of our inside jokes we want to share - mostly so we don't forget them.</p><p style="font-weight: bold;">"Forgive me please!"</p><p>It was late at night, and Ashley did something she felt the need to apologize for. Most likely, it was something insignificant. But, since it was late, she skipped the apology and went straight on into getting forgiveness, and with a huge smile yelled "Forgive me please!" It stuck. :)</p><p style="font-weight: bold;">"I've taken a dagger to the butt!"</p><p>Apparently, I'm not as good a masseuse as I think I am... ;)</p><p style="font-weight: bold;">"You're cute!" *smack*</p><p>So, another late night some time ago, Ashley told me that I was cute. Then she pushed my forehead backwards for no reason. So I did it right back to her. And now, whenever we tell each other that we're cute, the smack inevitably follows. Sometimes, we even do it over instant messages.<br /></p><p style="font-weight: bold;">"You're taking away my agency!"</p><p>So, during a trip to Houston, I did a lot of studying and thinking about the idea of agency, and Ashley and I talked about it all the way home. I think that's where it came from, anyway. A week or two later, we started saying things to each other like "Why are you taking away my agency?" "I'm taking away your agency." "May I take away your agency?" whenever there's some sort of persuasion / compulsion / whatever going on. The latest was this exchange:</p><p>Ashley: "You're taking away my agency!"</p><p>David: "And you're taking away my agency to take away your agency!"<br /></p><p style="font-weight: bold;">"What else can I take?"</p><p>One night after Ashley's hip injury, she had to take like 6 different types of medicine. Pain medication, muscle relaxant, allergy medication, NyQuil, birth control, and maybe something else. She was nearly asleep on the couch, and after I brought her all her medicine, she was like, "What else can I take?" Instant classic.<br /></p><p style="font-weight: bold;">"Note to self: no more curry vomit box."</p><p>This one comes from last night. We were on a date, including dinner at the China Cafe, followed by <span style="font-style: italic;">The Blind Side</span>. Both are excellent, and I highly recommend them. Anyway, I had the curry chicken (which is fantastic), but couldn't finish. With these portion sizes, few people could. Anyway, we left our boxes in the car, and when we got back in after the movie, the car smelled like curry. I didn't mind. Ashley said she was going to vomit, several times. So, I attempted to say something to the effect of, "Okay, I won't get a box when I have curry anymore." Somehow, the word "takeout" turned into "vomit." We laughed all the way home.</p><p>"I'm too tired for my body!"</p><p>I'm not at liberty to discuss this one right now. Maybe if you all put some pressure on Ashley, I can divulge some information. :) It's good.</p><p>Anyway, that's all! Stay tuned for Christmas pictures!<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-49433648826590028602009-11-30T10:53:00.004-06:002009-11-30T13:22:10.585-06:00George Is Still Running<p>For all you disappointed fans in red out there:</p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh310/snarrwars_album/GeorgeWDC.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 300px;" src="http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh310/snarrwars_album/GeorgeWDC.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh310/snarrwars_album/GeorgeChina.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 282px;" src="http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh310/snarrwars_album/GeorgeChina.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh310/snarrwars_album/GeorgeMars.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 288px;" src="http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh310/snarrwars_album/GeorgeMars.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh310/snarrwars_album/Stillrunning.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 375px; height: 300px;" src="http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh310/snarrwars_album/Stillrunning.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><p>You lost. Get over it. And even if you had won, you wouldn't be any closer to digging yourself out of the shambles of a life that has you cheering for a pathetic bunch of sackless sissies as a defense mechanism.</p><p>Remember, repentance is a true principle, even for you guys. It's hard, but it always feels better when it's complete.</p><p>Now, as for these guys...</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh02n9Dj8xgg6okOt58rBs6eKyYO9_y0NNDNu05gva42L4-T8D1KJ4SnuQ-GKDRqyKClGySpHBNW82XPX950-8fwXb86nnuwM2ybn-3Ehy9-hYcG84c-b2uUJqq2XBZPJL618JH8MjokXE/s1600/Tackling.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 285px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh02n9Dj8xgg6okOt58rBs6eKyYO9_y0NNDNu05gva42L4-T8D1KJ4SnuQ-GKDRqyKClGySpHBNW82XPX950-8fwXb86nnuwM2ybn-3Ehy9-hYcG84c-b2uUJqq2XBZPJL618JH8MjokXE/s320/Tackling.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409978988255265394" /></a></p><p>..there may be no hope, except to wind up on a poster sometime soon. At least in 2006, the hapless defenders had the good sense to get completely out of the picture.</p><p>Thanks to the Photoshop Laureate of BYU, <a href="http://s259.photobucket.com/albums/hh310/snarrwars_album/?">SnarrWars</a>, for the "still running" images.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-67446960149058934592009-11-06T16:42:00.006-06:002009-11-08T18:21:08.188-06:00Videos of BellaHere are SEVERAL videos that we have taken in the past several weeks. We're finally getting around to posting them! ;P<br /><br />Bella vs. Tail<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxheQuIh5QviVxqUjGlVJasQP6FcbZ6zGDs-tLMC_jjS15MJ64flj7kYKX2BqdrshUBAqaOkLHMCWzgpVixUw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />Bella's reaction to her new hand-me-down clothes.<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyL3qUsKV9tf8oqrvuzbGbmlnVKhNS7qgvRQMVVkQgvLty2JPDyGLIilSEA2t7cXPYvVhQTs-yDwqUQdwDN' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />Bella vs. Ice cube<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw2xRSUNzzjaUNDvEfluzZ31aNF2Gb9EfiSi82RPS-Pg_M7_Ju_P47jWRig1PlluewCNQlqThqSQAV9axJ4Zg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />David trying to get her to dance. (stand on her back legs...idk, he thinks it's cool) lol<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy_lbZZVoj-aYu-HEjubh8Rvhwv6veZrXhP6LZRU4Z0O0CnzYkxx1_sc913H9D_IRPt5xQrFkI9CJ3YmAZ0' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />Looking for the lost bone buried in the couch.<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxjYo0o1kP7m5lI5JSxSGk6bodN24geKmsclnZX6Q8DyJY7_XlHQTZAb9tfgVkO1X0zLrYn_ObBnVjXxplYSQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />Sorry if I bored you will all these videos...she's just so darn cute!!!Ashley Merrimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02914435601807390444noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-10251433190615854332009-10-26T21:30:00.005-05:002009-10-26T21:53:46.823-05:00BellaI've taken a million pics of Bella in the past couple weeks. I just haven't had time to post them :P Here are some that I tried to take with the computer. Not many came out cute. lol I kept getting butthole in every shot ;D More to come later. Anyway, enjoy!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5LiYEbYLe0zK8ZZUqMazuY28UFGFzYnxcLnp56SJtQdNezRp16HlCp5x6XzE74mBB2260WueNDTSUKOx2K7-UsmiBqppCD4PO6KRGss0bdhyWyaFQIHKBwCoBb5S9bxQjVmzDNxPCmy0/s1600-h/Photo+810.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5LiYEbYLe0zK8ZZUqMazuY28UFGFzYnxcLnp56SJtQdNezRp16HlCp5x6XzE74mBB2260WueNDTSUKOx2K7-UsmiBqppCD4PO6KRGss0bdhyWyaFQIHKBwCoBb5S9bxQjVmzDNxPCmy0/s320/Photo+810.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397104137072558130" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZ_uxeXDmvk5sdgdYzhaKIk8sweesn3lNpizn3CAE1VS32VUZ8NnG-gEH0RrVheanDUk2b05T1_gRoEGRkCuTU-YQ0lJnumFOU5C9EuKGDmU1yVOTsh8gwu2XsOK8zMKDHYq-rAkqxd0/s1600-h/Photo+696.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZ_uxeXDmvk5sdgdYzhaKIk8sweesn3lNpizn3CAE1VS32VUZ8NnG-gEH0RrVheanDUk2b05T1_gRoEGRkCuTU-YQ0lJnumFOU5C9EuKGDmU1yVOTsh8gwu2XsOK8zMKDHYq-rAkqxd0/s320/Photo+696.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397101810820852770" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZKjisLMnErsOHwwCSkiwlVy7J5j2p7YH5CUCMj46FEjg4L7mI9KU-G6XQG96IZi0B6iDmnQ0vdPzxylL-mULuZ2LqTlPQ_23lDfnQF1jvUnQ8BPjbBlgYDHxStSLhg1Wh7K-rlyPIMZA/s1600-h/Photo+815.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZKjisLMnErsOHwwCSkiwlVy7J5j2p7YH5CUCMj46FEjg4L7mI9KU-G6XQG96IZi0B6iDmnQ0vdPzxylL-mULuZ2LqTlPQ_23lDfnQF1jvUnQ8BPjbBlgYDHxStSLhg1Wh7K-rlyPIMZA/s320/Photo+815.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397104133280368514" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmOf9_zBTMruk1ho3vJj2s5IwD603CMp2qSSzx7nGQtB-uxpGJTTOywr8gJ4Kzdj5o1gFaKdKBO2b0ZLg8YFxlwKglnyr1i_RPa3Ijv4ys6SezOxjTUpdZHPUJBF3AhbQ1_TNizz4Pfw/s1600-h/Photo+820.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmOf9_zBTMruk1ho3vJj2s5IwD603CMp2qSSzx7nGQtB-uxpGJTTOywr8gJ4Kzdj5o1gFaKdKBO2b0ZLg8YFxlwKglnyr1i_RPa3Ijv4ys6SezOxjTUpdZHPUJBF3AhbQ1_TNizz4Pfw/s320/Photo+820.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397104132732388002" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg259FREFDzExO1o7CMKZZhx5Cs8HsmUvkbV6eppZwfHH60jGsAK-tu-NQ2CSUcBZ5wW5Eex-Jo_dJRIvYu1Z1Zx-I7_h-pvihkzXU2H9mr8TxBtVoRGg9MKrJWIfg_wTY_RmBm7lOSJq0/s1600-h/Photo+818.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg259FREFDzExO1o7CMKZZhx5Cs8HsmUvkbV6eppZwfHH60jGsAK-tu-NQ2CSUcBZ5wW5Eex-Jo_dJRIvYu1Z1Zx-I7_h-pvihkzXU2H9mr8TxBtVoRGg9MKrJWIfg_wTY_RmBm7lOSJq0/s320/Photo+818.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397104128877213522" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSVpRR2kVB2-w5MlVJ-CVlW8FimPr_qo9YMuOeHc22IYScIUyZ9Ls57QQ3SNWChWCMCxMlfGsl1ArRPLIFpURAZdorvQ28zUwHo8Dxzj3Lj9_Wo9N77fR2lxJDA2Wtp62rNtlj0FE3BX4/s1600-h/Photo+737.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSVpRR2kVB2-w5MlVJ-CVlW8FimPr_qo9YMuOeHc22IYScIUyZ9Ls57QQ3SNWChWCMCxMlfGsl1ArRPLIFpURAZdorvQ28zUwHo8Dxzj3Lj9_Wo9N77fR2lxJDA2Wtp62rNtlj0FE3BX4/s320/Photo+737.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397102673122405170" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSeSqAbsyKHzQ3YqUJJKPhKr7GEt1Biia5Rv_9CfZdNR-rQAOqVyPmyjTJmnL0J2W7GBjhko5vpYQx6U5gZOckgrWi33oPWoG3uXFl5lqhUenwa12b5YYDTgP9kAPTmcXnfZRa1l_hcU/s1600-h/Photo+792.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSeSqAbsyKHzQ3YqUJJKPhKr7GEt1Biia5Rv_9CfZdNR-rQAOqVyPmyjTJmnL0J2W7GBjhko5vpYQx6U5gZOckgrWi33oPWoG3uXFl5lqhUenwa12b5YYDTgP9kAPTmcXnfZRa1l_hcU/s320/Photo+792.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397102668610136802" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKiOboQFbCdgNJ1cDhMhN_gHVY6mbaJy-0QjsyvKUKIc3uPXSlM5uX9ptLIz8Yls8sC-5jHA23rhA22UocRIJPN-yDmE7yhDQBBIV-Ct125XfWru3FFTNiZ9lfjXBvUWFXUJB8RD5cVg/s1600-h/Photo+790.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKiOboQFbCdgNJ1cDhMhN_gHVY6mbaJy-0QjsyvKUKIc3uPXSlM5uX9ptLIz8Yls8sC-5jHA23rhA22UocRIJPN-yDmE7yhDQBBIV-Ct125XfWru3FFTNiZ9lfjXBvUWFXUJB8RD5cVg/s320/Photo+790.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397102665159224114" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggORByuVNy4HAhML0fjf4EcbBD_b5jYsNIDSqANcqVWeQ8nXqzYVikMK-bFjHUoPV90DnGCMAoIL4hWfqsNj6w2nQbv4RFvdKej3XLXubNVwwn6sjc7fV7wRe6FHYVEk5dfSFGGQfs15o/s1600-h/Photo+776.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggORByuVNy4HAhML0fjf4EcbBD_b5jYsNIDSqANcqVWeQ8nXqzYVikMK-bFjHUoPV90DnGCMAoIL4hWfqsNj6w2nQbv4RFvdKej3XLXubNVwwn6sjc7fV7wRe6FHYVEk5dfSFGGQfs15o/s320/Photo+776.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397102662765355250" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4LzxOnhwxET2NNoDf6CMOsGMi0ZkSNOkWl9eHZrU5pRfwycxPyXy2QtPDd3nwZBHX3SqzQx24ANj7aVX8ZRqkMjHu4iZUKr9plBo4k6vipI2zrtDJjuXulWB4V4IltmbZowdWbygQVTc/s1600-h/Photo+750.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4LzxOnhwxET2NNoDf6CMOsGMi0ZkSNOkWl9eHZrU5pRfwycxPyXy2QtPDd3nwZBHX3SqzQx24ANj7aVX8ZRqkMjHu4iZUKr9plBo4k6vipI2zrtDJjuXulWB4V4IltmbZowdWbygQVTc/s320/Photo+750.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397106799461432562" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtuhAuidEHAdo9gJYesBA0s7Vy9i2SC-XIktjEWKI2XfRcxvVGrT3yruQDNjrFcKHQTpg6cagLP3lo77fgtquyTSS4n-NHRppMHHQsqwL_gqduWrpzRMVmiEKImYwhCI1245YFdjUh-c/s1600-h/Photo+749.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtuhAuidEHAdo9gJYesBA0s7Vy9i2SC-XIktjEWKI2XfRcxvVGrT3yruQDNjrFcKHQTpg6cagLP3lo77fgtquyTSS4n-NHRppMHHQsqwL_gqduWrpzRMVmiEKImYwhCI1245YFdjUh-c/s320/Photo+749.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397106793816064818" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisbm3r1dx__fZpESbML8SGZKf0Qvt3Ox0Zzo_Asl_Wa2SW5AvEnuNl5fkguvwcjgivKtjTuDjg0YorSq4_h5OM2LRUBqsS9SEfnCKDh7ggLguiu7rDbgsu72bdoAjM41YtON9Z9C2kcsg/s1600-h/Photo+748.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisbm3r1dx__fZpESbML8SGZKf0Qvt3Ox0Zzo_Asl_Wa2SW5AvEnuNl5fkguvwcjgivKtjTuDjg0YorSq4_h5OM2LRUBqsS9SEfnCKDh7ggLguiu7rDbgsu72bdoAjM41YtON9Z9C2kcsg/s320/Photo+748.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397106792245318306" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnsNyefebPC_wjK3A_fwqAYq-FGkuEYpp5qjC1hI-7guSMgJaed-vhT8LAXSPBX94EtkPqeEownaV5XDXb2AFl0wAKOp2IJbr0K60Ygo-fcf81avok8GWuNRp4TrgnuEAwsgdQCLMMmbY/s1600-h/Photo+729.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnsNyefebPC_wjK3A_fwqAYq-FGkuEYpp5qjC1hI-7guSMgJaed-vhT8LAXSPBX94EtkPqeEownaV5XDXb2AFl0wAKOp2IJbr0K60Ygo-fcf81avok8GWuNRp4TrgnuEAwsgdQCLMMmbY/s320/Photo+729.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397106788064935490" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQJ1TxYKkmEPt2vFx8J7Gf20SBM5JGuw4nKcCcNgL9ny_0ufnPsZdvG9_dAHXFiOh73pogmsPGXCYqaXj8Oq1cBTJO7EmhsyKBrwzm39tZZs_WSOaaUbbObqojIOeryK4azcPHVFQ7IY/s1600-h/Photo+717.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQJ1TxYKkmEPt2vFx8J7Gf20SBM5JGuw4nKcCcNgL9ny_0ufnPsZdvG9_dAHXFiOh73pogmsPGXCYqaXj8Oq1cBTJO7EmhsyKBrwzm39tZZs_WSOaaUbbObqojIOeryK4azcPHVFQ7IY/s320/Photo+717.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397106784641549778" border="0" /></a><br />P.S. After a lot of hard work and many accidents we are finally starting to see some results with the potty training. ;DAshley Merrimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02914435601807390444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-43765170974581235612009-10-26T11:37:00.006-05:002009-11-04T18:32:41.062-06:00Tagged...?<p>So, we've been tagged by Ryan and Mandy. I don't know what this means, other than that the person that tags you thinks by virtue of the fact that they can type "I tag So and So" on their blog, they can compel them to answer random and trivial questions on their own blog. The unmitigated gall...</p><p>Well...</p><p>In the mashed-up words of an impersonated Sean Connery, "I'll play your game, you rogue..." but "...I'll not pay this fine, you curd, it's unjust!"</p><p><b>1. Name three types of people who should qualify for forced labor camps.</b></p><p>David: 1) Communists/Marxists/Stalinists/Maoists. You live your dream, let me live mine. 2) Fashion designers. One of the most despicable lies perpetrated on our society is the one that gets people to choose a $500 pair of pants over a $10 pair. 3) BCS apologists. The BCS is ruining a sport that, if it had a playoff, would be pure, perfect, and sacred, and you are in favor of this? It's the gulag for you!</p><p>Ashley: I don't care</p><p>(Ashley had a much funnier answer that was inappropriate to post)</p><p>Bella: 1) The inventor of the kennel, 2) The vet, 3) The blanket David keeps trapping me in<br /></p><p><b>2. What was the last thing you ate?</b></p><p>David: 6 vanilla cream cookies</p><p>Ashley: Ice</p><p>Bella: A doggy treat<br /></p><p><b>3. What’s a goal you have?</b></p><p>David: Create an economic simulator that simulates a large number of short-sighted agents acting on microeconomic rules, which demonstrates emergent macroeconomic behavior for the whole that is similar to what leading macroeconomic theory would predict.</p><p>Ashley: Graduate nursing school.</p><p>Bella: Go a whole day without peeing in my kennel.<br /></p><p><b>4. What do you think of entertainment awards shows?</b></p><p>David: <vomit></p><p>Ashley: Cute to watch people's outfits, but I don't care about the awards.</p><p>Bella: As long as I can snuggle, I like to watch them.<br /></p><p><b>5. How do you want to die?</b></p><p>David: After Ashley, so she doesn't get mad that I left her. ;)</p><p>Ashley: In bed, peacefully, holding David's hand.</p><p>Bella: With a treat in my mouth.<br /></p><p><b>6. What is your favorite vacation/get-away spot? Where will you be traveling next?</b></p><p>David: Vacation/get-away: Thanksgiving Day turkey bowls. Next: Commuting home.</p><p>Ashley: Vacation/get-away: New Zealand. Next: To school to pay a parking ticket.<br /></p><p>Bella: Vacation/get-away: The guest bedroom. Next: The back yard.<br /></p><p><b>7. How do you pronounce “gyro?”</b></p><p>David: Euro. Very tasty when done right. :)</p><p>Ashley: Jai-ro? Guy-ro? I guess guy-ro? How are you supposed to pronounce it?<br /></p><p>Bella: Ruff!<br /></p><p><b>8. What have you found entertaining lately?</b></p><p>David: This.</p><p>Ashley: Bella and <span style="font-style: italic;">Everyone Loves Raymond</span>. Or Happy Aquarium? Can I put all three?</p><p>Bella: Licking Ashley's face.<br /></p><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/4727a250e66f9723/4ae5db709e4e6cb8/4741e3c5156499a7/86ef302f/-cpid/cba715ffd5e27477" id="W4727a250e66f97234ae5db709e4e6cb8" height="283" width="384"><param name="movie" value="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/4727a250e66f9723/4ae5db709e4e6cb8/4741e3c5156499a7/86ef302f/-cpid/cba715ffd5e27477"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></object><p><b>9. Do you follow any blogs of nondescript people who you don't know? Why do you follow those blogs?</b></p><p>David: No. I barely have time to follow my own.</p><p>Ashley: Yes. Diabetes Sweeties. I have a 2-year-old cousin that's diabetic, and I want to see if there is any helpful information.</p><p>Bella: Sorry, I don't have opposable thumbs.<br /></p><p><b>10. What would you use a time machine for?</b></p><p>David: Arbitrary time travel is impossible. Assuming, however, that it is possible and avoids all of the obvious problems inherent in time travel, I'd go back in time I tell myself that dating during my time at BYU would be a completely pointless and unrewarding experience and to just skip it and get the most out of my education. That, or I'd kill my younger self so I could see what a temporal paradox looks like.</p><p>Ashley: To go back and be nicer to David.</p><p>Bella: To get Ashley and David home from work faster.<br /></p><p><b>11. What are your favorite restaurants?</b></p><p>David: Tucanos, Olive Garden, Arby's.</p><p>Ashley: Taco Cabana, Wok-aholic, Gatti's Pizza, Pancho's.<br /></p><p>Bella: Ashley's Pantry Buffet.<br /></p><p><b>12. What actors should be barred from acting?</b></p><p>David: Hayden Christensen and everyone that had any role in <i>Big Trouble in Little China Town</i>. Oh, and Drew Barrymore, definitely.<br /></p><p>Ashley: Miley Cyrus, and Barack Obama, because all he does is act.</p><p>Bella: Taco Bell Chihuahua - he's got nothing on me!<br /></p><p><b>13. What’s the last book you read?</b></p><p>David: Glenn Beck's <i>Arguing with Idiots</i>.</p><p>Ashley: <span style="font-style: italic;">The Book of Mormon.</span></p><p>Bella: <span style="font-style: italic;">War and Peace.</span><br /></p><p><b>14. What’s the last movie you enjoyed?</b></p><p>David: Enjoyed? Meaning what, saw? Over the Hedge. Thought was worth the money? Up. Thought was freaking awesome? The Dark Knight. Laughed myself silly at? Spider-man 3. (The Boy and I saw that one together, and with our long history of emo-bashing, it was just perfect comedy for us. Wow.) You have to specify.</p><p>Ashley: <span style="font-style: italic;">Twitches</span>.<br /></p><p>Bella: Also <span style="font-style: italic;">Twitches.</span><br /></p><p><b>15. Reveal something that really bothers you.</b></p><p>David: People who feel entitled to a share of my time and/or money. Right now, the homeowner's association comes to mind. I pay you $35 a month to tell me how to cut my grass and what I can do with my property? Wow, what a privilege. This is the United freaking States of America. Step off. I'm also in freaking Texas, so... Step off or I'll blow you away.</p><p>Ashley: When I have to give report IN THE PATIENT'S ROOM!<br /></p><p>Bella: Being locked in the kennel.<br /></p><p><b>16. What will it say on your gravestone?</b></p><p>David: Get off my lawn.</p><p>Ashley: If the grave is a rockin', don't come a knockin'!</p><p>Bella: Best Dog Ever.<br /></p><p><b>17. Put your iPod on shuffle and list the first three songs that come up, then explain yourself.</b></p><p>David: I don't have an iPod, but if I did... 1. The Greatest Man That Ever Lived, Weezer. 2. The Greatest Man That Ever Lived, Weezer. 3. The Greatest Man That Ever Lived, Weezer. No explanation needed.<br /></p><p>Ashley: I don't have an iPod either, but I can tell you what's stuck in my head. 1. Party in the USA, Miley Cyrus. 2. Hide and Seek, Imogen Heap. 3. Replay, IYAZ feat. Sean Kingston. They're catchy.</p><p>Bella: Which one's the shuffle button?<br /></p><p><b>18. What is the biggest mistake you have ever made?</b></p><p>David: I don't make mistakes. But if I did... ;) It would be dating at BYU. Complete waste of time and effort. I had midterm exams FAR more enjoyable than that.</p><p>Ashley: I cannot disclose that information.</p><p>Bella: Farting in Ashley's ear a couple of minutes ago.<br /></p><p><b>19. What kind of toppings do you generally request for your pizza?</b></p><p>David: Double pineapple.</p><p>Ashley: Pepperoni and extra cheese.</p><p>Bella: Kibble?<br /></p><p><b>20. Who/what would you love to have complete control over?</b></p><p>David: The passage of time.</p><p>Ashley: The way the healthcare system is run.<br /></p><p>Bella: My bladder.<br /></p><p><b>21. What does your ideal Saturday consist of?</b></p><p>David: Nothing but college football; BYU victory required.</p><p>Ashley: No alarm clock, sleeping in, the house being perfectly clean, cuddling, and watching movies.</p><p>Bella: Chasing my tug toy round and round and round, and sleeping.<br /></p><p><b>22. What is one skill you lack completely but wish you could master with the snap of your fingers?</b></p><p>David: Hmmm... Either car repair or guitar shredding. Depends if I'm feeling practical or not.</p><p>Ashley: Cooking. (Not going to the bathroom every 20 minutes was a close second.)</p><p>Bella: Again, the bladder control thing... I'm working on it!<br /></p><p><b>23. What's something you live in constant fear of?</b></p><p>David: Nothing. Fear lives in constant fear of me.</p><p>Ashley: Ghosts.</p><p>Bella: Loud noises.<br /></p><p><b>24. What was the first album you listened to non-stop, over and over again?</b></p><p>David: Nine Days, <i>The Madding Crowd</i>.</p><p>Ashley: Britney Spears, <span style="font-style: italic;">Baby One More Time</span>.</p><p>Bella: I'm 3 months old, I haven't had a chance for that yet!<br /></p><p><b>25. Have you ever seen a live, wild rat? How about a dead one?</b></p><p>David: Yes and yes. I lived in Uruguay for two years, I've seen a lot of things live and wild and dead. And rotting.</p><p>Ashley: Yes. Yes.</p><p>Bella: No. No.<br /></p><p><b>26. What thing have you most aggressively promoted?</b></p><p>David: Common sense and the 9/12 Project.</p><p>Ashley: I don't really promote anything (except continence in my patients).<br /></p><p>Bella: PETA. ;)<br /></p><p><b>27. Is there a band or musical trend you would love to see erased completely?</b></p><p>David: EFY music.<br /></p><p>Ashley: Devil Rock music.<br /></p><p>Bella: Those ultrasonic whistles? Not funny, people. Not funny.<br /></p><p><b>28. If you had to describe yourself using 3 words, what would they be?</b></p><p>David: Smartest. Man. Ever. ;) Just kidding. I feel no need to describe myself. Either you know me and need no description, or don't and no description will suffice. The greatest of men simply do their best and leave the descriptions to history, and I find that kind of humility inspiring.</p><p>Ashley: Loving, honest, fun.</p><p>Bella: Brown, small, chihuahua.<br /></p><p><b>29. Where is the last place that you'd see yourself living?</b></p><p>David: America's cesspool, Washington, D.C.</p><p>Ashley: With Northerners.</p><p>Bella: Upstairs (they never let me up there).<br /></p><p><b>30. What was the last video you enjoyed on the internet?</b></p><p>David: See question 8 above.</p><p>Ashley: Same as David.</p><p>Bella: Same as Ashley.<br /></p><p><b>31. What is your favorite smoothie combination?</b></p><p>David: Jamba Juice's Coldbuster. Nothing like 3100% RDA of Vitamin C to ward off a cold, or give you a boost of energy. That was my coffee in college. :)</p><p>Ashley: Columbian jugo de fresa.<br /></p><p>Bella: Sometimes I mix my food with my water... Mmmm!<br /></p><p><b>32. What is the worst thing that has ever happened to your car?</b></p><p>David: Failed master cylinder for the clutch right before a test in a blizzard. I'm not sure how I got that car to campus and back, because shifting gears was nearly impossible and involved pumping the clutch pedal repeatedly, but I did. Cost over $900 to fix.</p><p>Ashley: There are two. First, I lost my brakes completely while I was lost downtown and had to run stop signs. Second, I had a short in my horn, so it would randomly honk and people would look at me funny.<br /></p><p>Bella: I can't even get a license...<br /></p><p><b>33. What album have you been listening to most?</b></p><p>David: Weezer, <i>self-titled Red Album</i>.</p><p>Ashley: I just listen to the radio on the way to work, 96.7 FM.<br /></p><p>Bella: Whatever Ashley listens to.<br /></p><p><b>34. What clues you into a person's idiocy?</b></p><p>David: Texans for Obama bumper stickers. If you have the good sense and luck to actually live in Texas, you shouldn't blow it all to heck by supporting Obama.<br /></p><p>Ashley: When they talk slowly. Or when they drive slowly. Basically, just doing things slowly.<br /></p><p>Bella: When people talk to me like I can understand them. I just look at them in a way that says, "I'm a dog. I don't get your funny human language."<br /></p><p><b>35. What is your favorite store to wander through?</b></p><p>David: newegg.com. All the toys I want, and I don't have to actually wander through the freaking store. If you want a brick and mortar store, it's Fry's Electronics.</p><p>Ashley: Kohl's, Target, or Hannah D's.<br /></p><p>Bella: Petco.</p><p>Ashley tags her mom and her friend Mindy.</p><p>David tags nobody.</p><p>Bella tags the dog next door that always barks when she tries to take a dump.<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-31283543682339452132009-10-19T16:25:00.006-05:002009-10-19T18:00:30.876-05:00White House Urges Other Networks to Disregard Fox News - Political News - FOXNews.com<a href="http://shar.es/1i12U">White House Urges Other Networks to Disregard Fox News - Political News - FOXNews.com </a><br /><br />Posted using <a href="http://sharethis.com/">ShareThis</a><br /><br /><p>Dear friends and family,</p><p>I know this is a family blog, and I probably put too much politically oriented stuff on here as it is. When I do, I try to present the facts as I know them and believe them to be true, and maybe provide you with tools to act accordingly if you so choose. I don't try to push an opinion on you, compel you to action, or anything of the sort. After all, this is a blog - what power do I really have?</p><p>Well, today it's different. I'm wishing I had more power than this simple blog gives me, because something evil is happening as I write, and I need your help. It's probably been going on for a long time, but where it used to be moving along at the pace of a fat guy on a tricycle, it's now accelerated to that of a fat guy on a tricycle with a rocket strapped to his back. It's fast, it's wild, it's uncontrollable, it's unpredictable, and it's wrong on so many levels. (Will somebody PLEASE think of the poor fat guy?!?) Hopefully it's not unstoppable, because we need to stop it immediately.</p><p>Here's the problem, which you can read about in the article I posted above. Over the weekend, the White House began singling out FOX News, claiming they are an organ of the Republican party. They then began encouraging other news outlets (who, in my humble opinion and in that of the <a href="http://www.journalism.org/analysis_report/obamas_first_100_days">Pew Research Center</a>, could be accused of the same thing for the Democrats) to isolate and alienate FOX News. Sounds like no big deal, right?</p><p>Well, it's not. It is a huge deal. The freedom of the press to report what it wants, however it wants to, is fundamental to the maintenance of our freedoms and our republic. It is preserved as the First Amendment to the Constitution. Without a free press that does its job, the citizenry has no mechanism to find out what their representatives are doing and hold them accountable for it. Past administrations and legislatures have been annoyed with the scrutiny they receive from the press, but have never stooped to this level. President George W. Bush had some of the worst press coverage I have ever seen or read about, and rarely even attempted to defend himself from their allegations, let alone go on the offensive. That's because George W. Bush respected the office of the Presidency and the dignity that comes with it, as well as the importance of the free press and the role they play in a free society. Say what you will about Bush, but the man was dedicated to freedom, both here and abroad.</p><p>In contrast, the Obama administration seems to be attacking a news organization on the sole basis that he doesn't like what their editorial staff is producing, and is not only trying to claim they are not a news organization, but is also trying to get their peers to turn on them. (This will no doubt please Keith Olbermann, who claims that he has the highest rated cable news show - as long as you exclude every single program on FOX News.) It would be funny, if it weren't so frightening and downright dangerous, and this is why - when the government can give orders to the press, and the press follows them, your freedom is already dead.</p><p>Let me repeat that.</p><p><b>When the government can give orders to the press, and the press follows them, your freedom is already dead.</b></p><p>I understand this is just the very beginning (well, I hope it is, anyway, though I fear it isn't), and none of the news outlets have indicated a willingness to participate yet, and I hold out hope that they don't. But the consequences of something like this being allowed by the American people are extremely grave. I recommend George Orwell's <i>1984 </i>as an excellent illustration of the extremes that a government that owns the media can go to, and pretty much without opposition. However, we don't even have to go into the realm of fiction to see the results of state-run media. The Soviet Union and their party-run newspaper, Pravda, worked in tandem. Indeed, Pravda was central in Stalin's creation of a cult of personality, which, among other things, enabled him to execute millions of people without a challenge to his power. China's state-run media and internet censorship perform a similar role for the communist party there. Iran also enjoys the benefits of state-controlled media. How else do you get an entire population to hate the United States - the most charitable nation on the face of the planet - besides propaganda? Hitler's rise to power was achieved using his speeches and the media to gin up anti-Semitic fervor, and utilized his Brown Shirts to intimidate and repress political parties, dissenting views, and "inferior" races. Hugo Chavez has used his power to destroy media outlets that he doesn't like, in his own pursuit of a socialist utopia. Totalitarian regimes are never established without either the complete support of the military or the press, and usually require both.</p><p>That's the very danger we are in right now if we don't do something. "Are you saying that Obama wants to set himself up as a dictator?! That's crazy!" You know what? I hope it is crazy. I hope it's the most ridiculous claim in the history of the world, because I love this country and the freedom it grants to its citizens and the force for good it is throughout the entire world. I want there to be another explanation for this series of moves, but I can't think of one, and that's what's scary. Here's some more pieces of the puzzle, incase you think I'm being an alarmist on this one:</p><p>1) Why does Obama need a civilian defense force, as well funded as the military? What are they going to protect us from? FOX News? </p><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gwaAVJITx1Y&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gwaAVJITx1Y&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><p>2) Mark Lloyd, Obama's appointee to the FCC, which regulates the airwaves, approves of Chavez' repression of the media in Venezuela. Why? And why did the Senate confirm him? If he believes these things, why is he in charge of the FCC? </p><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wF2C235fD7o&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wF2C235fD7o&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><p>3) If FOX News' reporting is not accurate, why does the White House need help from other news organizations to silence them? Why can they not simply refute whatever untruths are being spread via their website, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, The New York Times, or The Washington Post? Especially when Anita Dunn, part of the White House, claims that they control the media?</p><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TLR5jHlytRg&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TLR5jHlytRg&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><p>Now, here's what I ask. Please read the article, and watch the two videos. You can mute Glenn Beck's analysis on the second one if you don't like him, just read the words Mark Lloyd says in the beginning. Now, if you enjoy freedom, I'm guessing that, with those things combined, you're either scared or angry - or possibly both. I know I am. I have been for a while, but for me, this was just the icing on the cake. I love my country and my freedom, and I have to do what little I can do to help preserve them both, and I hope you will, too. Once you know the information, and are aware of the imminent danger, please:</p><p>1) Come back here and prove me wrong if you can. I want to be wrong. I really do.</p><p>2) Pass this on to everyone you know. You don't need to use my words or link to my blog or give me credit in any way. But get this information on your blog, your Facebook, your Twitter, and your Myspace. Email it to everyone you know. Text it to everyone you know. Knock doors in your neighborhood. Everyone needs to know what's going on.</p><p>3) Act! The time has come for us all to be a lot more involved in politics. I know you don't want to be - I sure don't. It's nasty stuff. But our government has assumed powers it was never meant to have, and as we can see that has become dangerous. It nearly brought down our economy, and it could yet bring down our economy, our individual freedom, and even our national sovereignty. (You didn't hear about that? Seems like something a state-run press would be reluctant to tell you...) We need to elect people at all levels of government who will be willing to nothing other than trim this beast back to the limits the Constitution set forth. And to do that, you need to be involved at the primary election and caucus level. By the time it gets to the general election, and you have to choose between two equally bad candidates, it's too late.</p><p>4) Organize! This needs to be a united effort, and there are several organizations out there that are starting to come together to help make our voices known. Get involved with your local tea party group. Join a group like the 9/12 Project or Resistnet.com, and be involved locally.</p><p>5) Stay informed! This is hard with a state-controlled media, but there are ways. I encourage everyone to listen to, watch, or read Glenn Beck. He is leading the charge, and I believe him to be the most honest source of information out there. He never asks you to trust him, and provides sources for everything - if he can't, he won't report it. He admits when he is wrong. He is trustworthy, and it shows in his ratings, because I know America is sick of being lied to.</p><p>Thanks for your help and understanding,</p><p>David</p><p>P.S. Stay tuned for your regularly scheduled program, complete with cute puppy pictures and funny stories.</p><p>P.P.S. If this blog disappears, or you don't hear from me for awhile, then we have all the more reason to worry. Google, which runs Blogger, is a very left-leaning organization, and if my worst fears are true, will be doing as much as they can to further a left-leaning agenda as they can without being noticed.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-52977347211960851712009-10-03T16:43:00.009-05:002009-10-03T19:06:47.518-05:00BellaHere is the newest member of the Merriman family! :) Her name is Bella. She will be 8 weeks old on Sunday. She is a sweety. She loves to cuddle and chase David around the house. Here are a couple pics of the car ride home...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSBTBDM55jPaYTX9JX0vasXtOzUX2nrNW9Pt04c7biFkv03zo7udBELoefamSBf91sNNFPrMDCP6H8k1AESRgbyY8XR7RkRH2kVoKBU-BVBk8tFlpNkO2RWHEWxQEv89f7aWAvVDOJC4/s1600-h/1003090840.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSBTBDM55jPaYTX9JX0vasXtOzUX2nrNW9Pt04c7biFkv03zo7udBELoefamSBf91sNNFPrMDCP6H8k1AESRgbyY8XR7RkRH2kVoKBU-BVBk8tFlpNkO2RWHEWxQEv89f7aWAvVDOJC4/s320/1003090840.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388492839734311842" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehiu8HNy1B8AgNeCz1o7Xr11joYuPs_Z_t539MFSUmMxtAqT2zrGkbGjnQHgu-17J9-veYZzf26Yd6RR4VOSfDlnuD5cRDNNRVhtkM2GBexzJ-n_0qCSufpdiK0bW78k2I_trCieEJUo/s1600-h/1003090845.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehiu8HNy1B8AgNeCz1o7Xr11joYuPs_Z_t539MFSUmMxtAqT2zrGkbGjnQHgu-17J9-veYZzf26Yd6RR4VOSfDlnuD5cRDNNRVhtkM2GBexzJ-n_0qCSufpdiK0bW78k2I_trCieEJUo/s320/1003090845.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388492932263868066" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzJn-S5HAWwlT4hhl1e8PHImvZ2BYa6IPWerdZQRix44fbFrPGKxTw6JLknl7CAzpHesT63Ao08v5UhSeEsoXe2RCtPfX5VH1pI_UVwyfKTBLQ6FDr6NxTRUF-HqVhhr7MBe1d-r0qRQ/s1600-h/1003090853.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzJn-S5HAWwlT4hhl1e8PHImvZ2BYa6IPWerdZQRix44fbFrPGKxTw6JLknl7CAzpHesT63Ao08v5UhSeEsoXe2RCtPfX5VH1pI_UVwyfKTBLQ6FDr6NxTRUF-HqVhhr7MBe1d-r0qRQ/s320/1003090853.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388493004212224626" border="0" /></a>David and Bella falling asleep during conference.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_GLWJapeFEuubntoR2xBohPufxLS1ZIdq0BJ0A3kK1an0RjJeBSJS7k0hPy9m9iueG9IeSBsCydYh99t-j_y1BL_APRjwX3UF3CV-hC16dcLu7-K0aUck7AB9SDMU9R5FHgPTokZ4-4/s1600-h/1003091603.jpg"> <img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_GLWJapeFEuubntoR2xBohPufxLS1ZIdq0BJ0A3kK1an0RjJeBSJS7k0hPy9m9iueG9IeSBsCydYh99t-j_y1BL_APRjwX3UF3CV-hC16dcLu7-K0aUck7AB9SDMU9R5FHgPTokZ4-4/s320/1003091603.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388494122555379378" border="0" /></a> Her new bedroom...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw3TzqVEPhqTeUQh5-7VPZoYtT6c9mnvo6o5XM1aOrDqtY47_o7lrlM2oeiTXMQeQWiosMOrt1Ppp0A8YF3ThZGToYH8nLpFrZCwF4uCab0CxCKEddvJhtR4OYSH0a4Agb9PS-DPdzlAw/s1600-h/1003091426.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw3TzqVEPhqTeUQh5-7VPZoYtT6c9mnvo6o5XM1aOrDqtY47_o7lrlM2oeiTXMQeQWiosMOrt1Ppp0A8YF3ThZGToYH8nLpFrZCwF4uCab0CxCKEddvJhtR4OYSH0a4Agb9PS-DPdzlAw/s320/1003091426.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388494111173714482" border="0" /></a>Attacking her new bed... ;P Cute!!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2NuNOprzPyQo1iRIUmneu2AGoUDYfjB_JQ0h3189e16EjkR8K0D3UzhPac7NRCB6MzD3KgYFLUwmopHcokPun-4udw0pHW7zF0jTrXpDK-0d_YLCRaQ4QbAZD_DjDsqJrtnJt2OkB3yg/s1600-h/1003091425.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2NuNOprzPyQo1iRIUmneu2AGoUDYfjB_JQ0h3189e16EjkR8K0D3UzhPac7NRCB6MzD3KgYFLUwmopHcokPun-4udw0pHW7zF0jTrXpDK-0d_YLCRaQ4QbAZD_DjDsqJrtnJt2OkB3yg/s320/1003091425.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388494108819374818" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXu109JddCFr9M6I7gjpLKUjdhgJRGU_gHEl36fgxWaShwL5I_ZQPwRBjpUqDM-_zu1SHkotODoB_TTE9RZAy66l7TqnxJB_N7Faifq1dqcyKA3blrjFaYKUrvwjMR63Y86XLShON0_iM/s1600-h/1003091424.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXu109JddCFr9M6I7gjpLKUjdhgJRGU_gHEl36fgxWaShwL5I_ZQPwRBjpUqDM-_zu1SHkotODoB_TTE9RZAy66l7TqnxJB_N7Faifq1dqcyKA3blrjFaYKUrvwjMR63Y86XLShON0_iM/s320/1003091424.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388493802734241874" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7KwrbQlw6W9f6UH5QL2FXBKhAhUuY1x-rYPaO5yaVKqKNadpPRVv1wqwkTSn3GGiVUOxdiyVME7oh6Hslb0RNnkPJFYTh1p68a581GhnikYNmR-8ZrFZ4YTWrHpWkuY7AzuDWW7PfhPc/s1600-h/1003091422.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7KwrbQlw6W9f6UH5QL2FXBKhAhUuY1x-rYPaO5yaVKqKNadpPRVv1wqwkTSn3GGiVUOxdiyVME7oh6Hslb0RNnkPJFYTh1p68a581GhnikYNmR-8ZrFZ4YTWrHpWkuY7AzuDWW7PfhPc/s320/1003091422.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388493795747737858" border="0" /></a>David put her right to sleep...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1oFUKCXkEqqMaZ99FY5l0dutCGGQVEAa8qC8EkEW3wlFiAS60ktHDUcMONZQ49xGxrWbNT1Sd7V7TG6PmKkqLqf2bjFyjOAHGc3wp9nG7IhvOz6QVHKjBq9uwQgS6BgohXi0coxvfGH0/s1600-h/1003091015.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1oFUKCXkEqqMaZ99FY5l0dutCGGQVEAa8qC8EkEW3wlFiAS60ktHDUcMONZQ49xGxrWbNT1Sd7V7TG6PmKkqLqf2bjFyjOAHGc3wp9nG7IhvOz6QVHKjBq9uwQgS6BgohXi0coxvfGH0/s320/1003091015.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388493789847936258" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aP4iuel17nmCoHxNjOIIN4r3NVzL-vAoP1xerZguU6lyTjfzC6OKFrd_dbtV3QSMIVF7KVmTZ6-V0wBNJ73jwDXsyOlP0abQAMziSxivAQaokj2C84pHdIEjEvREGF6Qc5SQAOyRz3Y/s1600-h/1003091014a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aP4iuel17nmCoHxNjOIIN4r3NVzL-vAoP1xerZguU6lyTjfzC6OKFrd_dbtV3QSMIVF7KVmTZ6-V0wBNJ73jwDXsyOlP0abQAMziSxivAQaokj2C84pHdIEjEvREGF6Qc5SQAOyRz3Y/s320/1003091014a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388493784548350466" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7iy8FuM3GW4-HC0IbtC8HzrKIRwiVQ_VKEr6gtP2Zb9WjoCWJ0IAsHI0IukUeYQijl6KoMmoBdGJnKF6xuYq_7h5PgFXHySqU8RJJp93LWhJPyXzbJt2FoXHyhPb_kev4fs0-47l6jAs/s1600-h/1003091005.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7iy8FuM3GW4-HC0IbtC8HzrKIRwiVQ_VKEr6gtP2Zb9WjoCWJ0IAsHI0IukUeYQijl6KoMmoBdGJnKF6xuYq_7h5PgFXHySqU8RJJp93LWhJPyXzbJt2FoXHyhPb_kev4fs0-47l6jAs/s320/1003091005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388493778686955250" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpuPJrznCtGvEGUAq5caisDfexbU9aWZb0ew763UBZ7Irx_Y8ZHnudS5QAOq9d1-k5gKaRlAYUCqQjYOkJOUlW4EhcE2FC_-qC3wpYhVd70bcjgqokFwf71G7kkDD9pYYxthZStQVeQ5o/s1600-h/1003091004a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpuPJrznCtGvEGUAq5caisDfexbU9aWZb0ew763UBZ7Irx_Y8ZHnudS5QAOq9d1-k5gKaRlAYUCqQjYOkJOUlW4EhcE2FC_-qC3wpYhVd70bcjgqokFwf71G7kkDD9pYYxthZStQVeQ5o/s320/1003091004a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388493310913154082" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqgck1y3MAj4Cto08dZ9pxtWU9gqMfWGlkOcZdzdpm2ts-VH5q41tTZrN83hhAIYBEHuKAnwqKFmAF441hvJahLykzh_1TLQqWxF6q0PsoeCfxFvpA7R48XpPYI_51qXy4wCzlwQW6Fc/s1600-h/1003091004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqgck1y3MAj4Cto08dZ9pxtWU9gqMfWGlkOcZdzdpm2ts-VH5q41tTZrN83hhAIYBEHuKAnwqKFmAF441hvJahLykzh_1TLQqWxF6q0PsoeCfxFvpA7R48XpPYI_51qXy4wCzlwQW6Fc/s320/1003091004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388493224515500882" border="0" /></a>Ashley Merrimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02914435601807390444noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-24469539872014034982009-09-22T11:10:00.002-05:002009-09-22T11:28:06.538-05:00Late Show With David Merriman!<p>What, you were expecting Letterman? ;)</p><p>Here's the highlights from last night:</p><p>David: That's what I love about you, Ashley - if you don't get a joke, you just make up your own and laugh at that!</p><p>Ashley: [hysterical laughter, for a good 30 seconds] That's funny!</p><p>David: Yes, but do you know why?</p><p>Ashley: [hysterical laughter, for a good minute or two]</p><p>And she never answered the question. I promise you this: marry someone with ADD, and you will never have a dull moment.</p><p>And now for tonight's Top Ten List! Tonight, it's "Top Ten Things Ashley Might Have Been Laughing About Last Night"</p><p>10. The half-episode of House she just watched</p><p>9. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWbRuUE5E9M">Birthday music from India</a></p><p>8. My claim to be on the bleeding edge of fashion</p><p>7. <a href="http://www.fart-sounds.net">fart-sounds.net</a></p><p>6. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.phonezoo.com%2Fgame%2Fwd25yxrop7bocfrb4pnrgmxerq%2Fmonster-truck-maniac.htm&h=87a50d09905a2074a39b2687186b3c86">Flash games</a></p><p>5. Fatigue</p><p>4. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrbL0GrBpOc">Chingo bling</a></p><p>3. Air</p><p>2. The fact that she had just hugged me and got toothpaste on my chest</p><p>1. Absolutely nothing</p><p>That's it! Goodnight everybody!</p><p>P.S. Everything on that list is something that she has actually laughed at recently, except maybe air. No, wait. She's definitely done that one. Nevermind. ;)</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-14413939387582755132009-08-27T21:14:00.002-05:002009-08-27T21:21:39.131-05:00Ashley's Weather ForecastI tell you what, when I'm sleepy I tell the best jokes! Well, technically it didn't start out as a joke. I was pondering out loud before falling asleep, "I wonder what the weather will be like during the Second Coming...probably partly cloudy..." Then I got it! Get it?! PARTLY CLOUDY?! MEANING THE CLOUDS WILL PART?!!??!?! I'm freaking amazing you guys!!! I crack myself up! You can't tell me that wasn't good! lol David doesn't think it is, but I know that he's just mad because he didn't think of it first! I love me. ;P (David is still just shaking his head right now) <div><br /></div><div>Thank you, and goodnight ladies and gentleman. hahahhahahahah! (yes, I am sleep deprived)</div>Ashley Merrimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02914435601807390444noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-66745544420667644292009-08-23T16:42:00.000-05:002009-08-23T16:26:00.336-05:00I DID IT!!!<div>For those of you who don't know me, I have belonephobia (fear of needles....a word I just learned). :P It's not so much the needle I'm afraid of, because I'm okay with shots, it's the thought of a needle being inside my vein. Anyway, lately I've been more and more curious about how to start an IV and how to draw blood. I've watched both a million times at work. When I actually caught myself WANTING to try it, I freaked out! That is a huge step for me!!! So I decided I needed to act on that, before I change my mind lol, and take a phlebotomy class. So, I did this weekend. It was a 16 hour class, so we started poking on the first day! Talk about crash course! At the beginning of the first day of class, we had to sign a consent form that stated we would draw other peoples blood and allow others to draw our blood <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">AN UNLIMITED AMOUNT OF TIMES</span></span> for the purpose of learning. As I was signing this form, my neighbors were chuckling because I was shaking my head and mumbling "I can't believe I'm doing this...." lol I still kinda in shock that I took the class.... Anyway, I survived and only had to be poked 3 times. I am a pretty easy stick because I'm so white, I'm clear! lol Here's a pic of what my arms look like two days later. (they looked worse yesterday) </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje48E0paouQ01PSCEr3hL8XbKgq-bDdHQPdZSdwynlGMuX7Jx4QquS-cFPn10MfLiRrSZtIaaGm6LluGGD_rqNB0SKObWrSKIPNI4whzOKunwCYy3GLQ4xL1fK6uuKudwra3LoTqkTSMo/s1600-h/427766600_1485564165_0.jpg"><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje48E0paouQ01PSCEr3hL8XbKgq-bDdHQPdZSdwynlGMuX7Jx4QquS-cFPn10MfLiRrSZtIaaGm6LluGGD_rqNB0SKObWrSKIPNI4whzOKunwCYy3GLQ4xL1fK6uuKudwra3LoTqkTSMo/s320/427766600_1485564165_0.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373262607663173378" border="0" /></a>The bruise on MY left arm (right in the pic) was a lot worse. The next day the teacher walked around making sure everybody's arms were okay and documented who had bruises etc. She announced to the class that my arm was the worst. lol So everybody had to come over to me and check out my arms lol. I felt bad because usually that is a sign that the "poker" did a bad job, but the girl who poked me didn't do too bad. She just went in way too slow, so blood squirted in the air. :P I was just worried someone was would either blow my vein or go fishing for it-which is a no no. There were a couple people that I watched that got nervous in the middle of the stick and let go of the needle (which is super bad) and who went in at one angle and then changed angles while the needle was still inside (also super super bad). Several more people got nervous and pulled the needle out before taking off the tourniquet, which results in blood squirting or gushing out. Another problem people had was pushing the needle a little further in or out while trying to change the vials to collect the blood. This can also make the blood squirt or worse, It can blow the vein. I accidently went in a little when I did it the first time, which was uncomfortable for the person I stuck, but I didn't blow the vein or squirt. Thank goodness... The class was fun though. It felt SO good when I successfully got blood on my first poke!!! Not to brag or anything, but David is making me add that I got a perfect score on the written exam. :) I was surprised I did so well because we had to memorize so much. Like all the different types of tubes with different colored caps which meant different additives in them which means they are for performing different tests...AND the order of draw- meaning which tubes of blood have to be filled first so they don't contaminate each other. I think my fear of needles is almost gone! I can't lie and say that I like getting poked, but I sure do like poking other people! ;DAshley Merrimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02914435601807390444noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-26803041908826117582009-08-23T16:21:00.002-05:002009-08-23T16:25:38.883-05:00No End In SightSo, something short, but really funny happened the other night as we were having our family prayer, and I had to share.<br /><br />As I was getting towards the end of my prayer, Ashley lets go of my hand and turns away. I knew she was really tired, but that was still weird, so after I finished I asked her what was up. She tells me, "There was just no end in sight..." She, of course, remembers none of this. But it was hilarious. :-)<br /><br />Also, I should note that yesterday, when she was blessing the food, she prayed for rain. Two hours later, a thunderstorm appeared out of nowhere, drenched our neighborhood, and disappeared. Now I'm going to have her pray that we win the lottery. :DUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-16467025216677475942009-08-23T15:48:00.005-05:002009-08-23T16:19:05.317-05:00NEW CAR!!!So, this is about a week late, but we bought a new car! And by new, I mean NEW new. Brand spankin' new. It had 5 miles on it when we drove it off the lot. :-) It's a 2009 Honda Fit, BYU Blue, and it's awesome. Ashley thinks it's really cute. And with her granddaddy helping us during the negotiations in Houston, we got it pretty much at the invoice price. <br /><br />Part of the reason we did it now was because the one car thing was just getting ridiculous, with the forgetting of shoes and all... ;-) But really, it is such a nice car, and it has already been so helpful and so useful in helping us get more done, especially when Ashley has to work. I can be home 4 hours before her, clean the house, and have dinner ready when she walks in the door. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgErtdcexwR8yZjbps7Vddz9mVZdPwRXiHvx6uILAtJQgRK6PxefBq-bak6rPpWv5mvj3resRDkF3boo2ffkFerLtHbnfF1YDKsL6WnvOON9JuocVHp9o5TCg0Dk-wbF2el-znZOAbzo5Y/s1600-h/Car1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgErtdcexwR8yZjbps7Vddz9mVZdPwRXiHvx6uILAtJQgRK6PxefBq-bak6rPpWv5mvj3resRDkF3boo2ffkFerLtHbnfF1YDKsL6WnvOON9JuocVHp9o5TCg0Dk-wbF2el-znZOAbzo5Y/s320/Car1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373264883203143138" border="0" /></a><br />This is our first picture with the car after we bought it, out in front of Ashley's family's house. Don't you just love that huge smile on her face? I love it! And I love her! And therefore she has a new car. :D<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUG7tdI1q5yNtBQ5gcMfT5IVr3QTn3pvtPb7I_wbApMaFY9snxU3P3cF_lmJQoQ_ynIkxhTtManwd4LtFM6cXKbRPCz5iTTj0LUbUGHCo7hRPNpjphXTiazE4ddgbb2AamrlWy9Ms4Sk/s1600-h/Car2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUG7tdI1q5yNtBQ5gcMfT5IVr3QTn3pvtPb7I_wbApMaFY9snxU3P3cF_lmJQoQ_ynIkxhTtManwd4LtFM6cXKbRPCz5iTTj0LUbUGHCo7hRPNpjphXTiazE4ddgbb2AamrlWy9Ms4Sk/s320/Car2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373264877691318610" border="0" /></a><br />Here's an action photo taken by Ashley's mom as we drove back to Austin on I-10. Don't worry, we went slowly and carefully.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4w1FcdVvK-g65wmq1jlenLpAnoQ0-vh5Lvbb0YAmPsh94R_X9ucF0v6dagDiT8bisCoIscIhmTk-XVHAN5FpW64LeOskXOMJy0x8ySQVKzWvDhil_8mcOHsBc_sf7dHGDgb5ydbYccM/s1600-h/Car3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4w1FcdVvK-g65wmq1jlenLpAnoQ0-vh5Lvbb0YAmPsh94R_X9ucF0v6dagDiT8bisCoIscIhmTk-XVHAN5FpW64LeOskXOMJy0x8ySQVKzWvDhil_8mcOHsBc_sf7dHGDgb5ydbYccM/s320/Car3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373264866166176498" border="0" /></a><br />Here it is in the garage, from the front...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgew6-ouERUkEg1KtuW8kcfFxwQNxGqPVI5mM7xolSPjZH4B8IEBV40YzezIqvbpLnCFMPJPaa6taGjQx7Wl4hiEVvaraJlMFyTPwTAOPLmZDirThVqmur4stDPAlSEwtzDfX4Q9DF9cSo/s1600-h/Car4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgew6-ouERUkEg1KtuW8kcfFxwQNxGqPVI5mM7xolSPjZH4B8IEBV40YzezIqvbpLnCFMPJPaa6taGjQx7Wl4hiEVvaraJlMFyTPwTAOPLmZDirThVqmur4stDPAlSEwtzDfX4Q9DF9cSo/s320/Car4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373264672171353810" border="0" /></a><br />...and from the side...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhie-3zWw6zSlyEQF3MGkIcUeIQ7TKeBjgZK9ceKRaRGClADe5FQqxk64iHttpbJGLMWH4fNcLQchmSc31oY5fuw7AVHtUGCCtlBqCCUqI2pgafxxXsOgVs7H6d5DF9teylTQSmHbzrdI4/s1600-h/Car5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhie-3zWw6zSlyEQF3MGkIcUeIQ7TKeBjgZK9ceKRaRGClADe5FQqxk64iHttpbJGLMWH4fNcLQchmSc31oY5fuw7AVHtUGCCtlBqCCUqI2pgafxxXsOgVs7H6d5DF9teylTQSmHbzrdI4/s320/Car5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373264663122448434" border="0" /></a><br />...and in the driveway...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmNtlbNWEBdbe6MNbRt4hJzbEMC1e_Va_bqHTuKcIfmW36MlVuYeRh8pj0JdOnxqx7-LEMRiA_o6O-eCW8rgHmQpweckWbrz9Zm9kcvEv29IWtIhVM0lkk1JkEEGKhvz-7dGF2eOCio8/s1600-h/Car6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmNtlbNWEBdbe6MNbRt4hJzbEMC1e_Va_bqHTuKcIfmW36MlVuYeRh8pj0JdOnxqx7-LEMRiA_o6O-eCW8rgHmQpweckWbrz9Zm9kcvEv29IWtIhVM0lkk1JkEEGKhvz-7dGF2eOCio8/s320/Car6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373264657136313506" border="0" /></a><br />Here we have our two cars. Poor Groundskeeper Willy 2 (that's the Camry) is going to have to give up his spot in the garage, but hopefully he'll get along with his new, nameless friend. I'm trying to get Ashley to name the Fit, but she claims girls don't name cars.<br /><br />Whatever. ;-)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJlPz0Qg0HSfXJNDNMDDS_QFKQm-URbJelsEfQ1ogN7-7q484bMvvB4PzlYOB0uCH4fBr6oqKvySoYwQ4A90vDhrZ_UWgHUnFj_fF73lDzUSv7HkppcBNm9RESAhat7MvMnmSzEaMw0U/s1600-h/Car7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJlPz0Qg0HSfXJNDNMDDS_QFKQm-URbJelsEfQ1ogN7-7q484bMvvB4PzlYOB0uCH4fBr6oqKvySoYwQ4A90vDhrZ_UWgHUnFj_fF73lDzUSv7HkppcBNm9RESAhat7MvMnmSzEaMw0U/s320/Car7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373264646104024434" border="0" /></a>Here's the front seat. It's a small car, but it's amazing how much room is inside.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgymMOf6MlCIxnWb-exIq7Jz7JwpUheEwtdZsB7noa7TKf6RUNp-_N_imJtPXVSvKcVvkGmEHF6xxZSQ8TmhfjqJsdugVk9J08XAdNF7O79DIfWd_kHZihNbUpqHdF0p6rUMUDGDZCDLc/s1600-h/Car8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgymMOf6MlCIxnWb-exIq7Jz7JwpUheEwtdZsB7noa7TKf6RUNp-_N_imJtPXVSvKcVvkGmEHF6xxZSQ8TmhfjqJsdugVk9J08XAdNF7O79DIfWd_kHZihNbUpqHdF0p6rUMUDGDZCDLc/s320/Car8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373264644389849634" border="0" /></a><br />Here's the steering wheel and dash. It's awesome. It looks like a Star Trek bridge, only cooler. The gauges light up all blue and the needle glows red. It's nice. Also, you can't see them too well, but there are paddle shifters on the steering column. That means, you can drive it like an automatic if you want. If you don't, you can put it in "Sport" mode, and shift manually with the paddles. But you don't have to worry about the clutch; it's all handled electronically! Too bad it's only got a 4-cylinder engine - a V6 would be freaking AWESOME with that. Also, the radio has a display that tells you what station you're on, what song is playing, and who sings it, for any FM radio station. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL99S4fKRus3_JX0OEYDPWUHm3lZH8b8mW0JhwR17wVNUd6UYzSUlwUhDtMN5GCE2CTgRSTVP4TAlFy6a90gc63w8gRo7pTtEhgpBaSINCgATxR04lATm9XYfq5dQeCDkHH-TRb7f76CY/s1600-h/Car9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL99S4fKRus3_JX0OEYDPWUHm3lZH8b8mW0JhwR17wVNUd6UYzSUlwUhDtMN5GCE2CTgRSTVP4TAlFy6a90gc63w8gRo7pTtEhgpBaSINCgATxR04lATm9XYfq5dQeCDkHH-TRb7f76CY/s320/Car9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373264323452639970" border="0" /></a>Despite being a small car, the back seat actually has a lot of room! I can sit back there comfortably. But that's not all...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJVrdkwlRrrgtcNFiiCXZku-q1sbd0gAPBJmvZHTdlVSJmkNVBiXGZ9ZjKzwcnXbX9WoNK_pZ7L7iHvwzEJ8H6v_UmFryD9ONwoAPtijJoj1HPBOLb0vOvBXT13n5gWZ9y4Zlv3RhvY8/s1600-h/Car10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJVrdkwlRrrgtcNFiiCXZku-q1sbd0gAPBJmvZHTdlVSJmkNVBiXGZ9ZjKzwcnXbX9WoNK_pZ7L7iHvwzEJ8H6v_UmFryD9ONwoAPtijJoj1HPBOLb0vOvBXT13n5gWZ9y4Zlv3RhvY8/s320/Car10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373264316011671890" border="0" /></a>You can also fold the seat bottoms up, if you need to put something tall in there. The seats also have storage underneath them, too. There's a crazy amount of storage space in this thing! But wait! There's more!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6LYquCbbUUfRKZKd6AwpjuOlXny8HAvDYXZX7spOZsVkGiv6-vFX9J_srjCuBWylI3ne4Y4u7bFx6K4XZY0w7agXAFv0JxwJZolx5JlqeY_OTyrUt_jJxr0BWceohHbo8e2mT9jzdYaQ/s1600-h/Car11.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6LYquCbbUUfRKZKd6AwpjuOlXny8HAvDYXZX7spOZsVkGiv6-vFX9J_srjCuBWylI3ne4Y4u7bFx6K4XZY0w7agXAFv0JxwJZolx5JlqeY_OTyrUt_jJxr0BWceohHbo8e2mT9jzdYaQ/s320/Car11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373264310576138370" border="0" /></a><br />The seats also fold down flat with the deck! Like this, there's a lot more storage space, especially for something bulky, than we have in the Camry, which is a much bigger car.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUHgFKyquS2mJnfs-cx0m0-K73I_jlTCkXTpfJcdXoVMMaVCWfJWDimKI0TNBZx6mNV1vuPBUp2tVtLmklxPEUNDSp9-o3jbi5EyPTwIawGmlMxOkbcuHW6dHeUgbQbcX8lMqPECqXFU/s1600-h/Car12.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUHgFKyquS2mJnfs-cx0m0-K73I_jlTCkXTpfJcdXoVMMaVCWfJWDimKI0TNBZx6mNV1vuPBUp2tVtLmklxPEUNDSp9-o3jbi5EyPTwIawGmlMxOkbcuHW6dHeUgbQbcX8lMqPECqXFU/s320/Car12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373264295462879266" border="0" /></a>And now for the obligatory picture of me posing with the car...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9aJxksuA0oQWxvBYhLjf16dnBuwy8H7KaB2DjtG-3zukk4XIOQ8oderbekGe-aG-OSE-aDKO3bPb69hCgjdp8LKVdIni8p-HnKiqKVwkdZK88BnRmIr5z9XdxPYwWaoTH9B-occ7_9J8/s1600-h/Car13.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9aJxksuA0oQWxvBYhLjf16dnBuwy8H7KaB2DjtG-3zukk4XIOQ8oderbekGe-aG-OSE-aDKO3bPb69hCgjdp8LKVdIni8p-HnKiqKVwkdZK88BnRmIr5z9XdxPYwWaoTH9B-occ7_9J8/s320/Car13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373264285976519202" border="0" /></a>And look at this hottie posing with it! :D I have to admit, she looks WAY better in my pajamas than I do. <br /><br />Anyway, that's our new Honda Fit, and we love it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363422628287742495.post-74743398149918993392009-08-20T15:11:00.001-05:002009-08-23T16:33:38.489-05:00Call CPSSo, today we had to have the water softener people come over to check our water softener out, because our water wasn't soft anymore. When I open the door, he says to me, "Are your parents home?" I kinda blinked a couple times, and I was like, "Ummm... no... I'm the owner of this house..." He didn't apologize or anything, he just said, "Oh." I should have said, "No, are yours?" Or, "I don't know, they live in Houston, do you want me to check?" When I told David what happened, he said, "Great, he's going to call CPS and they're going to take my WIFE away." The rest of the time he was here he didn't say anything, and it was really awkward. lol Do I really look that young?Ashley Merrimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02914435601807390444noreply@blogger.com0