Those great Danes!

My Dad, younger brother, Averie and I went to a Danish/American family reunion today, to meet the Danes that were left behind when my great grandparents came to America. It was pretty neat, and confirmed that awkward family reunions transcend international borders. I probably talked to my Danish family members (that didn't speak any English) just about as much as I talked to the ones that live here in Utah. My encounters with  Danish relatives went pretty much like this:
Me: (awkward smile and head nod) "Hi. Your viking ship looks good."
Danish cousin: (awkward smile and head nod) "Hmm.. Oh-kAY."
My encounters with distant Utah cousins whom I don't know went like this:
Me: (awkward smile and head nod) "Did you make the frog eye salad? Looks good."
Utah cousin:  (awkward smile and head nod) "Nope."
**10 second pause of not knowing anything else to say**
Me: "Hmm...Okay."

In the end, we all came together for a family session of line dancing. Further proof that my inability to dance is genetic, and that line dancing blows.

My grandma Bev (right) with her cousin Joan (top) and sister Margaret.

The children, making miniature viking ships. Can you spot the Dane in this picture?

A Danish Baby

Lars, the Danish ferry captain

Stine and Anders Neilson

Viking antics.

The Danish Q&A panel? Not sure why we made them sit like that.

The Averie Show! (episode 2)

This episode: Averie singing a medley from Annie.
Next episode: Oopma Loompas

Update

Uh oh..Just whipped up some homemade butter to go with my banana bread. Oh snap!

Domestic Sunday!

Call me Martha, because I am on a domestic kick today. I tilled, fertilized (with organic spikes--no doodoo), and planted peas in my garden. Then, I picked grape tomatoes, got the beans I picked yesterday ready to cook and made some banana bread. I even milled the flower I used for the bread (a blend of oats and flax, thank you very much). I dare any of Brigham's wives to out-homemaker me today.

Thy name be Awesome

My older sister is pretty much awesome. I have just been thinking about her awesomeness and felt like sharing the love. La Yen

Oh Baby, I can't wait until you are in my arms.

 

 

Seriously folks, this will be the first book I will buy at full price since working for Borders. That means a lot, coming from the girl that whined when books were available for purchase at ONLY 33% off (the mark up on books is not great, so 33% off of a book is quite a bit from a bookseller's P.O.V.). If you have not read The Hunger Games or it's sequel, Catching Fire, you need to.

Timpanogos Hike #1 2010

Brad and I have decided that we are going to start hiking every week. Real hikes..Ones that are at least a few miles each way. No more of the "walking to the basin of Bridal Veil and calling that a hike", hikes. For our first hike we decided to do Timpanogos Cave..It's about a mile and a half to the cave's entrance, but 1,000 ft. elevation gain in that short of a distance is pretty intense (if you are out of shape like us). Anyways, we really enjoyed the hike, and lucked out with a really good cave guide. We will be doing this again soon, but will be taking the Introduction to Caving tour where you get to wear a headlamp and venture off the tour with a guide. Anyone care to join?

The Averie Show!

My hammy, little girl.

Bloggin overhaul!

Redid da' blog. Maybe YOU will start following?

Friday's thoughts...

A world without steam in bag broccoli with cheese sauce is a world I don't want to live in.

8 things that will make your wife want to beat you up

8. Growing a mustache
7. Coming into bed after your wife is asleep and "making a move"
6. Talking about how awesome Fuddrucker's hamburgers are when your wife is on a diet
5. Trimming your beard hair and leaving it in the sink
4. Taking 45 minutes to poop
3. Starting a project, never finishing it but leaving it in the garage forever
2. Using up all the DVR memory to record basketball games you will never watch
1. Getting out of cleaning the kitchen because you promise you will do it the next day... then still not clean it.

I'm sure I could think of more than 8 things but I have to go clean the kitchen.

Waterfalls, dogs wearing bandansas and a quilt. Must be summer.

Unemployment has made me a better person. Plain and simple. I have time to do stuff like take Averie and the pups hiking, learn how to sew (thank you, sister) and pretty much hang out with my family. It's nice.
And now some pictures!