Bugged

I've been Bug Tagged!

We all have our pet peeves. And it must be admitted that we all do things that bug others too. It's funny to observe that most of the things that bug us are so small... small enough that most of the time they're not worth mentioning. But those little things add up, and it feels so great to let them all out, doesn't it? So, with that said, what are the little things that bug me........

1. When people leave cupboard doors open. If you can use the energy to open it, it doesn't take much more to close it again!

2. People who cut other people off in traffic - and no signaling either!

3. Dog owners who let their dogs do their duty on the stairs of our apartment building and just leave it there. SICK! How hard is it to grab the doggie doo bag that has been hung right by the stairwell just for your convenience????

4. People who always have to be right - no matter what!

5. When you have to listen to someone gluping their drink. It's just NOT attractive.

6. Open empty food wrappers on the kitchen counter. The garbage can is RIGHT THERE. Can you throw it away???

7. The fact that I can't pay my internet bill online. Our account "simply is not set up for that." Isn't there something wrong with that?

8. When my work schedule gets changed every day for the day before. Do you, miss Scheduler, understand how annoying this is? I can never make any plans because I never know how early or late or even if I'll be working!

9. Bills that are left unfiled and pile up on top of the filing cabinet.

10. Fingernail clippings left in the sink. SO GROSS! Once again, it doesn't take much to turn on the faucet and wash them down the drain!

I want to know what "BUGS" you, so I tag 10 people! Put at least 10 things and tag at least 10 more people, and there is NO "tagging everyone"! Because tagging everyone "bugs" Brittany over at These Are The Days.

1... Charlotte.
2... Lacey.
3... Diane.
4... Christina.
5... Heather.
6... Jalei.
7... Kandis.
8... Sharon.
9... Stacey.
10. Amber.

Happy Birthday Mark!

27 reasons why I love you:

1. You have a great sense of humor
2. You help me with dinner
3. You go get groceries when I run out of time
4. Snuggleing
5. You let me beat you at Nardi
6. Guess What...
7. You let me tease you
8. You have some amazing eyes....
9. You say, "Hi Hon!" every time you come home
10. You put up with my bad moods
11. We go for walks in the park
12. We don't have to do anything special to enjoy each other's company
13. You work so hard for us
14. You let me fly my own kite
15. You watch chick flicks... sometimes by yourself. :)
16. We see eye to eye on so many things
17. You use great words like "dirty" and "banshee"
18. You make the bed
19. You like to learn new things
20. You love to be surrounded by wholesome things
21. You are pure in heart
22. You encourage me to achieve my goals and dreams
23. You dream right along with me
24. You let me push you out of the bed some mornings
25. Some mornings, you push me out of the bed
26. You are so friendly to everyone
27. You are the world's best husband

Happy Birthday to My Love!

Birthday Surprise

For Mark's birthday, I decided to do a little surprise. I planned to have us meet some friends at the Cheesecake Factory, Mark's favorite restaurant, for dinner. Then I made a letter in code, reading in part:

"Dear Agent Birthday Boy:
I have been informed that the Birthday Bandit has made off with some Birthday Fun, which rightfully belongs to you. .."

I then had him follow some instructions to find clues as to the date, time, place, and what to wear. Then I went to work, and Mark had all day to figure out the clues. He's a smart one, and he was there at the appointed time. It was such a fun evening. Thanks to the Mladineos and the Adseros for helping join in the fun!

Mmm.. Cheesecake!

Blueberry cheesecake for the birthday boy .
FYI: They infuse the cheesecake with blueberries the same way they infuse gin. You learn something new from your waiter every day!

New Year's Resolutions

After some long contemplation, here is our list of resolutions for the year:

Physical: Exercise 3 times a week.

Mental: Kyra is going back to school to be ..... a teacher. I never thought I would have to eat my words, but it looks like teaching is for me after all!

Spiritual: Get into a daily scripture study routine. We've been kinda hit and miss...

Financial: Find a house that will suit our needs and be in our budget.

Ready 2009? Here we come!

Welcome 2009!

Mark's parents came to celebrate the new year in Houston on their way to Dallas to visit Mark's sister, Rachelle. Here are some highlights from their trip:

Christmas Light Gazing: We drove through River Oaks - the "vanderbilt" area of town. We discovered a new trend of Christmas Light displays in Houston. After they wrap the tree. they leave strands of lights hanging down to the ground from the branches. The effect is really cool!
San Jacinto Monument

San Jacinto Museum

NASA Space Center Houston

"Houston, we have a problem": The Control Center for NASA

Borsch: Our own little New Year Tradition. We have to have something Armenian!

2008.... Check!

Mark and Kyra's 2008 To-Do List

Finish and defend Mark’s thesis: “The Impact of Mass Mixing on the Lateral Resistance of Driven Pile Foundations”

Kyra – participate in the musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at the Center Street Musical Theatre in Provo

Find a place to live in Houston in 5 days - make sure the ward is a good one!

Mark – graduate from BYU with a master’s in civil engineering

Load all of our belongings into the back of a semi in one day to be taken to our new Houston apartment

Take a two week trip to see all of our family in Utah and Idaho

Move to Houston

Take Mark’s jeep to get fixed after it is broken into… the day before we leave for Armenia

Go on a 10-day vacation to Armenia

Mark – start work as a pipeline engineer for Exxonmobil

Get callings in our new ward – Mark as a scout leader and Kyra as a primary teacher for the CTR 7 class

Start working on food storage – this will come in handy in the not-so-distant future.

Explore Houston and visit places such as Galveston Island, Hermann Park, The Galleria, and Rice Village

Go to San Antonio for the 4^th of July – hang out at Shlitterbahn (the biggest water park in the US), Six Flags, and the Alamo.

Kyra – go on a babysitting adventure to Disneyland

Become Hurricane Ike survivors – no electricity or running water for one week. Sure glad for that food storage!!

Kyra – get a job as a sales associate at Ann Taylor Loft; start interviewing for management positions.

Go to Utah for Thanksgiving and welcome Kyra’s brother home from serving 2 years in the Korea Daejeon mission.

Spend 2 weeks at Christmas with our family and friends. Mark will get in some skiing, of course!

Merry Christmas!