Attention Erin

Erin - I know you read my blog, but I'm not so sure you read my emails. So, I'll just ask the question here. I just need to know if I should buy one way or round trip tickets for Kenai to Anchorage. Please email me which I should do so that I don't have to fret about the ticket prices possibly going up.

On a separate note - we bought a laptop last night. Yesterday we took our computer to the Geek Squad because after attempting to turn it on 30 times the night before we gave up. The Geek Squad said our mother board was shot and there is absolutely nothing we can do about it. So, we bought this laptop at a pretty great price that has a ten key (a must have to work at home when I'm sick or Halle is sick), a DVD burner, places to put various types of memory cards (like for my camera), AND a webcam. I know Erin has a web cam, so now we can converse and see each other! I'm really excited, and I'd love for Brenden to sit and read me a good book. Dustin - do you have a web cam? It will also be nice because Jared and I go on business occasionally (I get to go to Chicago in a few weeks!), and we'd like to be able to check our email and stuff while we're away. Anyway, then we got home, and just for fun decided to try our old computer one last time. Guess what, it turned on the first try. Arg. It sounded totally pathetic with this really high WHIRRRRR, but it worked. I'm afraid that was it's last hoorah though and luckily we saved a lot of stuff off of it before hand. Thanks, mom, for helping us out with it for Christmas.

Alaska, HERE WE COME!

We arrived home from Disney World one week ago today. And yet I've already planned our next vacation. I bought tickets to Alaska for the family to go visit my sister. During my lunch I was looking at airfare prices for next year trying to see how much money I would have to save to fly up there. EVERY weekend between January and September is nearly $600, and that's only for the flight to Anchorage. Then you have to either fly to Kenai (another $190) or drive (4.5 hours). I was like, $800 per person?? ARE YOU CRAZY?!?! So I was thinking, well, my mom is going in a couple of weeks, what are the prices NOW. So, I looked at delta's weekend travel (you leave Thursday, Friday, or Saturday and return Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday). Turns out the flights are $374 (again, not counting the second flight, which is also luckily on sale for $160). Jared and I talked and I called my sister and we decided we just could not pass it up at that amazing price. It's like 2 for the price of 1! Unfortunately we're not able to go with my mom for Halloween, but instead we're leaving on Thanksgiving (lucky us the U vs BYU game is on the 22nd and not the 29th or we wouldn't be going). Then we fly out of Kenai at 8:00 PM the next Tuesday, out of Anchorage at 10:45 PM, and arrive in SLC at 9:05 AM. YES - it is an 11 hour trek (Kenai is 2 hours behind Utah time) to get back with a 3 hour layover in Seattle. What to do with a two year old at 3 AM in the Seattle airport? THAT should be entertaining...or embarassing. Whatever it will be, fun most certainly won't be the word for that night. We are thoroughly excited for the rest of the vacation though. We'll be lucky if we have 6 hours of daylight each day. I've wondered what that's like. We both have always wanted to go to Alaska, but this is a great way to get there and not have to pay for room and board. Score. We're so excited to see you Doug, Erin, Brenden, Nolan, and Ethan. We love you lots. See you in exactly 8 weeks from today!

Oh yeah, and I will post Disney World stuff, but I'm just so stoked about Alaska right now. Oh, and THEN my brother AND my sister's families are coming two weeks after that for Christmas. What a great way to end 2008.

For Paulette

Here are the promised pictures of Halle in her leotard being an expert gymnast.

I think this is pretty amazing. As you can tell we are not standing by pushing her up. She pulled her feet up like this all by herself. This was the very first time she'd ever done this. I'm sure it all had to do with the leotard. Thanks Dustin and family, though I'm sure the leotard was purely Paulette's doing. I really love it and it fits Halle so perfectly. I'm sure we'll need a new one for her next birthday, so keep that in mind.

Now for a different topic. This is what my new little puppy, Patch, likes to do when we're not looking (and when we are).

Lake Powell

I figured I should blog about Lake Powell before we go to Disney World next Saturday because then I'd just be way too far behind to attempt catching up.

We tearfully left Halle behind with my parents on Thursday night and we headed out early Friday morning. To read about Halle's adventures visit my mom's blog. We went with Jared's parents (Jess and Joan), their dogs (Morrie and Dash) and Jared's oldest brother and his wife (Joel and Christy). Really sorry if I misspelled any of those names. (I know I should know how to spell my family member's names and their dogs, but I really don't.) It was a no kids weekend. Joel and I spent a LOT of time fishing, and Jared joined in most of the time. (Note: we did not kill any fish. We released all of them safely.)

We used anchovies to try and catch big fish, Stripers, along the walls...no success.In reality all we needed to use was bread right off the shore on the boat. We didn't catch any Stripers that way, but we caught lots of other stuff. I caught lots of Sun Fish and other baby stuff with this net off the back of the boat. Unfortunately Joel and Jared say this doesn't count as part of my fish catching numbers.Jared caught two catfish (and a Sun Fish which we aren't allowed to count)Joel caught two catfish.I caught two catfish and the biggest catch of the trip, this carp. He doesn't LOOK that big in the pictures, but he really is big. He was hard to reel in! Look at the pole bending.I didn't want to touch the fish, so Jared got him out and held him for the picture. He's as long as Jared's forearm.

This is Jared's Sun Fish that doesn't count.

One of Jared's catfish.

My catfish.

While we fished Joan took the pictures and everyone (and their dogs) slept.

Now comes the REALLY fun stuff...tubing and wakeboarding.

Jared wanted me to take a silly picture of him pretending to fall off the tube. He was really just off the shore while the boat was anchored.

Jared tubing.

He did some tricks which were only caught on video (which I haven't figured out how to post yet), so this is him really proud of all of his tricks.

We tubed next. Joan wanted a picture of us kissing.

This is me really proud that Jared fell off the tube and not me.

Me wake boarding. I got up the first time! My last attempt I totally face planted which gave me a HUGE headache and made me cry.

Jared wakeboarding.

We spent a lot of time reading, sleeping and chatting. It was a really relaxing trip. It was a little hard because I've never been away from Halle overnight, but I knew Grandma and Grandpa were taking good care of her and giving into her every whim.

Side note - Dustin and Paulette - if you are reading this and haven't called me yet, PLEASE call me. We can't get through to you on your cell and don't know your home number. We hope you are doing okay. (If you don't know - they live in Houston and were gearing up for the hurricane.) Also, thanks to Paulette who was ever so concerned that we took Halle to Little Gym in normal clothes that she sent us an adorable leotard. I haven't loaded those pictures yet, but last week we took Halle in the leotard she brought her toes up to the bar for the first time. It must have been the flexible clothing that allowed her to do that. So, thanks, and I do plan on posting those pictures later.

First name basis

So we've been trying so hard to teach Halle our names. At Little Gym each week they go around and ask the kids their names along with their parent's names. Halle can never answer. So now she knows our names really well and can say them, but won't at Little Gym. Anyway, last night I was cooking dinner. Halle came up behind me and said "MOMMY!" I guess I was too slow to respond because then she yelled "EMEEYA!" I must admit this it cute, but I did not expect my child to start calling me by my first name. It's better than calling me Daddy (or Dareded, Halle's way of saying Jared), which is what I typically get.

Per Erin's request...

Erin "tagged" me on her blog to complete this "Husband tag":
1. What is his name? Jared Paul Hurtado
2. Who eats more? him
3. Who said, "I love you" first? him, I think
4. Who is taller? him
5. Who is smarter? me
6. Who is more sensitive? him
7. Who does the laundry? we both do
8. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Right when you're standing looking at the bed or right when you're laying on the bed looking at the ceiling? He sleeps on the right when you're looking at the bed. ALWAYS - no exceptions.
9. Who pays the bills? Me
10. Who cooks more? Me
11. Who is more stubborn? him
12. Who is the first to admit they are wrong? Me.
13. Who has more siblings? Him (3rd of 4) Me (3rd of 3)
14. Who wears the pants in the relationship? Me
15. What do you like to do together? play with Halle, go on walks with the dogs and Halle
16. Who eats more sweets? Me
17. Guilty Pleasures? oreos and ice cream
18. How did you meet? At the U in Marching Band
19. Who asked whom out first? Uh. Long story. In August I said, "I could marry that" and talked to a friend who was in his section in the band. He said I was too skinny. Finally in December she set us up. So, I'd say I asked him out vicariously through her.
20. Who kissed whom first? He kissed me, but asked first, so it was a mutual decision.
21. Who proposed? Jared
22. His best features and qualities? Always tells me he loves me, I should say it more. (Honey, I love you lots!) Gorgeous green eyes, and dark skin (which luckily passed on to Halle - the skin, not the eyes)

I tag Loretta and mom (to see if mom can remember back to the early days)

Our Houston vacation

The grandkids. Of course we're missing Erin's kids up in Alaska. To read about them visit http://www.boehmeblog.blogspot.com/.

We went to Houston a week and a half ago and had a blast. Jared had never been to Houston and had never seen my stomping grounds. I was so thrilled to drag him around. Dustin and Paulette just had Kolton so we also got to go for his baby blessing. So, now they have Dylan, almost 6, Hayden, almost 3, and Kolton. See if you can convince them to use the blog I created for them (http://www.theflyingklinebrothers.blogspot.com/). Here are a lot of pictures from our trip.

Day 1:

I turn around and there's a hole in the wall. Did HE do it?? Actually, no. Dustin spoke lightly of creating a club house under the stairs. Then my dad got there. By the time we left the place had dry wall up and the hole was a whole lot bigger.Halle loved baby Kolton. Here she is shoving a binky in his mouth.

They covered their dining room table with paper so the kids could color. Great idea.

Day 2: MY BIRTHDAY!

Paulette needs a girl. She did this fabulous up-do for Halle.Halle on the teater totter.On the cute motorcycle. You just push a button under your right thumb and you're off! We went to the Astros game and Jared caught a foul ball. This is how this all occurred.

Emily: Sees ball high in the air quickly dropping from the sky. Starts hitting Jared and yelling, BALL BALL BALL!!

Jared: Finally looks.

Emily: Seeing Jared is paying attention, ducks in earthquake protection stance with hands over head. Hears laughing and looks up to ball in Jared's hands.

Jared: How did the ball get in my hands?

Emily: You caught it.

Turns out that the beer man was taking the ID of the people behind us and the people behind us were getting their change. Therefore, there was no struggle for anyone to get the ball. The ball bounced off of the bear man's hand and he started telling Jared that Jared had saved his life.

Anyway, then I turn to Dylan. His head is down, his cap down over his eyes, tears are streaming, and his lip is pouting. I guess this is about how this conversation went:

Dylan: But I want the ball.

Dustin: Jared caught the ball. If you caught the ball would you want to give it to Jared?

Dylan: No. But I want the ball.

Dustin: I'm sorry, buddy, but Jared caught the ball.

I think it was about then that I saw Dylan in this pathetic state. I turned to Jared, hit his arm and said, "Give Dylan the ball!" Jared was happy to give him the ball. He hadn't noticed Dylan's sadness. Dylan slept with the ball that night and the nights thereafter.

Day 3: Some of this stuff may have happened on day 3. I really only remember that Friday and Saturday were tax free weekend in Texas so we did a lot of shopping.

Day4:

Kolton was blessed.
Grandma wanted to take Halle on the motorcycle. Halle was pretty scared, but Grandma had a blast!!Then it was daddy's turn.And mommy's turn.

You know that picture with the hole in the wall? Well, Hayden didn't do that, but he DID do this. Either he was really fast unraveling all of that or nobody was watching.

Day 5:

Have you ever seen a 2 1/2 year old ride a bike? Amazing!This is the trick that Dylan and Hayden taught Halle. Jump from the coffee table to the couch. A ton of fun....she caught on quickly.

The Aftermath:

Wow, Mom. We have a coffee table too. Only problem is ours is BEHIND the couch. Problem? No, not a problem at all.