Megan Dancing the Mambo

Megan is the understudy for the main girl in the mambo dance. On Saturday, she got to take the lead role since the regular girl couldn't do it. She is so cute. By the way, they were dancing at a nursing home, so the "stage" was a little smaller than usual.

Family Pictures

As you can tell, I'm not that great at getting our family picture taken, but I decided it has been several years since we've all gotten one taken (with Alex) and we have a new family member who is in her cute phase so I scheduled an appointment. Here are the results.

For more pictures, go to http://www.smilesbywire.com/ and type in access code LTPP0100117040JCP and my name

Monster Truck Jam

Alex took the boys to a Monster Truck Jam last night. They had a blast. It was loud and dirty.

Their favorite was the Grave Digger. We got to see it up close at the Chicago Natural History Museum a few years ago. Hunter brought his matchbox version of it to the event. Hunter took this picture.

They went with some friends of ours. As you can see, it was pretty loud.

They didn't mention to me that Friday night a 6-year-old high up in the stands was hit by a frisbee sized piece of metal that flew off one of the trucks. He died of his injuries. That would have made me a bit nervous. They pulled that particular truck from the show though, and they had a moment of silence for the boy.

Is it in you?

A friend sent me this cute video. Enjoy.

Survival Kit for Washington

My dear brother, Mike, is graduating from MIT this semester. He was offered a job in Cleveland. After this winter, he told me he is planning on buying the following survival kit for his new life in the Midwest:

1. Back up Generator
2. All Wheel Drive family transportation
3. Emergency Propane Heaters
4. Snow Blower
5. Several Hundred Dollars worth of down coats for everyone.

After careful consideration, I decided to put together my own survival kit for Washington State. (Although I admit several of the above items would have been nice a couple of weeks ago.)

1. Good windshield wipers. I cannot stress this enough.
2. Rain gear. A really heavy duty umbrella--You know the huge ones with the wind flaps. I think most Seattl-ites don't bother with umbrellas since the less than heavy-duty ones are pretty much disposable. Rain boots. Rain Slicker.
3. Dawn simulator. I got mine last year and it is indispensable. The natural tendency here is to hibernate all winter. My regular alarm was so painful to wake. This alarm starts about 15 minutes before I want to wake up to slowly get lighter. It hits full light at the time I want to wake up and has a nice pleasant beep. With my other alarm I was startled awake every morning and would spend the next 15 minutes shaking.
4. Along those same lines, a light box has been very helpful. It simulates the sun on a very bright day. I sit under it and read for 30 minutes a day and it helps my mood. I used it when we lived in Indiana too.
5. Caffeinated Beverages. (Being LDS, the choices for this option are very limited. Although I must admit, its position on this list is tentative. I have actually stopped drinking caffeinated beverages after reading an article in the Ensign. I am proud to say that I have been "clean and sober" for 3 weeks now. But I seriously need to find an alternative for this option. I've been recommended a variety of herbal remedies and I understand diet and exercise might be a good replacement. Jury is still out on this one.)
6. (optional) After the amount of rain we had gotten in the last week, I think I might have to add a boat to the list.
   

A Seattle Rockin' New Year

Paul Allen's Sci Fi/Rock Museum, the Experience Music Project is free to the public the first Thursday of each month. This happened to fall on New Year's Day this year, so we decided to check it out. They even had live music. It was a happening place. The museum has the most bizzare architecture I've ever seen, but the exhibits were pretty cool. We loved the Science Fiction part, but they wouldn't let us take pictures. Even hunter enjoyed it. They had a replica of the Iron Giant.

Dylan standing by a picture of Bob Dylan and not looking happy.


This sculpture is huge--maybe 40 or 50 feet tall--all made from musical instruments--mostly guitars. It's called Roots and Branches.


I think it was Eric Miller playing that night.

A Wright Family Wreunion

Saturday, Todd and Lisa, Travis and Nikki, Brenda and Gene and all the kids got together. It was a lot of fun.

Rock Bank junkies.




The three amigos all have birthdays within a year of each other. They played the Wii together really well.

First Tooth

Lily finally cut her first tooth. It's a tiny one on the bottom right. After 10 1/2 months, she is quite proud of herself.