Happy Birthday Candi!

It seems like just yesterday when mom went to the hospital when she was expecting you. It was a false alarm and they sent her home but not before I could cause some excitement at the hospital. They had a big reclining chair (like an executive chair) on wheels that I was sleeping in. I guess I leaned back too far, the wheels started rolling and the chair fell right back on the floor making a loud crash. Nurses from miles around came to see what happened and if mom was okay. (By the way - I was fine). A few days later we returned for the real event and what an exciting day that was. We welcomed you into our family - and life has been exciting ever since.

I can't believe all the pictures that Angie, Alana and Erika have already posted on their blogs today. Where do they get them all? There are some classics in their posts. I'll try to post some that haven't already been posted.

With Grandma and Grandpa T and "twin brother" Michael

Like Alana mentioned in her blog entry, Candi has always had a sense of fashion.

She was on Facebook before it was "in".

Skiing in Whitefish. Another example of that fashion sense.

She really can ski. I think Grandpa is holding her on a leash. We should have kept that leash.

She really is an outdoorsy kind of person. Fishing at Duck Lake

She loves the glamour of Hollywood. (actually at California Adventure)

The excitement of the real Hollywood. They worked as a team to get some paparazzi shots. Below is actually what they were watching.

That's really Uma Thurman and John Travolta in that car. They were filming the movie "Be Cool".

Always a good big sister. You can see how much Jenelle and Jamie enjoyed the fireworks at Disneyland. (it also looks like they are trying to look up at John Travolta)

Another fashion statement (are those your $10 glasses?)

Yet another fashion statement. She's tough enough to wear pink. (When we all worked for ENMAX)

Happy Birthday!

(at her pre-birthday celebration this week - She has to work at the hospital today - Jenelle did the lettering on the cake)

Snow day - in response to a comment in Wilma's Blog

I was reading Wilma's blog and realized that I'm one of those relatives sitting somewhere in Canada who can't empathize with her regarding the spring snow.  Its now officially spring but we woke up on Sunday morning to about 30 cm (or about a foot) of snow.  That almost broke a record for a one day snowfall in Calgary for March - the record is 38cm.   The  average snowfall for all of March is 21 cm.  And the forecast is for more snow this week.

I had early morning meetings on Sunday.  I went to my first meeting (6:30am)  and only 3 of us made it - there should have been 7.   The roads were a mess.   Just by our house the bus couldn't make it up the hill and was blocking the road.    I just about didn't make it.  I didn't make it up the last hill to the Stake Center.   I went back down to try again and got stuck.  Luckily a nice young man in a pickup truck stopped to help push me out.   We were the first ones there and there was a foot of snow on the sidewalks so our meeting consisted of shoveling snow.   We do have a snow blower at the church and I went to get it out but it was out of gas.  Luckily there was a 5 gallon gas can there - no wait - it was empty too.   We didn't want to go get gas on Sunday - plus with the roads the way they were we didn't even know if we could get out and back in our cars.    No one showed up for the 7:30 meeting because of the snow.   Some people couldn't get out of their driveways or out of their neighborhoods.   I heard of one of my friends who took 3 hours to dig out of his place.   At our 9am start time, there were about 10 people at church.   The ironic thing is that at least 3 of these were single senior sisters.   People showed up all through the meeting.  

We should have had a snow day.

I took this picture as Judy as she came home from shopping Monday afternoon.  You can see that the pile of snow on our lawn from shoveling the sidewalk and driveway is still about 4 feet high.  Its never been like that in Calgary since I can remember.  In Calgary we have chinooks - warm west winds that melts the snow in hours.   There are stories of the temperature going from -20C to +20C in an couple of hours when a chinook blows in.  The record for a one day temperature change due to a chinook is from -48C (-56F) to 9C (49F).  Usually when we get a heavy snowfall within a week or two a warm chinook will come and melt all the snow.  This year we haven't seen these extreme chinooks.   We've had snow on the ground since December.  

Just on Friday I was commenting on how the snow was finally all melted from our deck.   Here's what it looks like now.

I'm not complaining - okay maybe I am a little.   Why do we live in a place where you have to spend hours shoveling snow to get your vehicle out of your driveway only to drive somewhere that takes an hour (instead of the regular 10 minutes) only to get stuck or slide off the road so you can spend a couple more hours digging out so you can spend another hour driving back home?  

I can think of a few reasons.

1. Cockroaches and rats don't like it either so they don't hang out here.
2. We enjoy the summer more (winter is like hitting your head against the wall - it feels so good when it stops).
3. We're crazy.

On a totally different note.   People wanted to see pictures of my new glasses being modeled by me.

These are my $23 glasses (I referred to them as $27 glasses in my last blog entry, but that was with the $4 clip-on sunglasses).   I'm also wearing a Columbia shirt from NPS.  

My new glasses

    
I love a deal.  I don't like to pay more than I have to for anything.   Wilma has ruined me by introducing me to NPS in SLC.   Now I can't see paying more than $5 for a running shirt or $10 for a dress shirt or $29 for a pair of shoes (all brand name of course).  Just today I was wearing the Levi Dockers pants that I found at NPS for $4 ( they had footprints on them like they fell on the ground and were stepped on - I just washed them and they were fine).    On my feet were the $29 Rockport Shoes I found at NPS (one of the more expensive things I've purchased there)

So when Candi told me about this place where you can order eyeglasses online starting at $8 - that includes the lenses - I was interested.   She found out about the place from our friend Chris.

    

But I must admit that I was skeptical.  What kind of glasses could you get for $8.  I figured they would like the plastic sunglasses with plastic lenses you get at the dollar store.  I needed proof.  I checked the internet and there were tons of people who complained about this place and how it took forever to get the order if they even did get the order.   Based on the complaints, it didn't look good but Chris had heard good things about them.   I needed more proof before I would try them.   

    

Candi decided to order 2 pairs of glasses.  She splurged and went for a $9.95 pair and a $19.00 pair.   She figured that for $30 she couldn't go wrong.   She ordered online and about 3 weeks later they arrived in the mail.

   

Here's what she received

This is a $9.95 pair of glasses.  Comes in the cheap (but sturdy) plastic case with the cleaning cloth.
       

This is her $19 pair of glasses.

     

I must say that I was so impressed that I decided to give them a try as well.  My prescription has changed and I needed to get some new glasses anyways.   The last time I got glasses I had to go with the multi-focus lenses so that I could read.

These are my old glasses.   About 4 years ago I got these at Costco.  I shopped around and Costco was the cheapest by far.    With the progressive lenses the price really goes up.    I found the bill and these glasses cost me $416.  At that time I looked around at other places and could have easily paid $700 - $800 or more.   

So I went to the Zenni website and starting shopping.  I  found a couple pairs that were wider than most (all the specifications are listed).   You see, I have a problem when it comes to getting glasses.   I have a hard time finding ones that fit my big fat head.  And to make it worse, I have that oriental nose bridge (or lack of nose bridge) so I need glasses with nose pieces that are adjustable.   Sad but true.  In the past when ever I got new glasses it would take several adjustments to make them fit right.

Well I ordered 2 pairs to see what they would be like.  I went with one pair of single vision and one pair with progressive multifocal lenses.

People complained that the glasses were made in China.   Chances are the frames you buy locally are made in China as well.   People complained about the customer service and how long it took to get there orders.  I can't complain.   I placed the order on Feb 28.  They sent me an email when they received my order and another one when they shipped my order complete with a tracking numbers so I could see where it was.   It left China on the 11th and arrive in Vancouver on the 13th (Friday).  They arrived in Calgary on the 16th (Monday).  16 days isn't bad if I can save 85% over getting them here in a couple days.

In the package were 2 eyeglasses cases. 

    

I ordered the clip-on sunglasses as well.

  

Here is my single focus pair.   The quality seems great.   The base cost was $19 but I added the anti-glare finish and the clip on sunglasses so it came to $27.   I checked some eyeglass places around town and adding the anti-glare finish alone could cost more than that.   The amazing thing is that they fit right out of the package.  No adjustments needed.

  

These are the expensive glasses.   I went with a $27.95  base pair of glasses but I had to add $29 for the progressive lenses.  I could have stopped there but I added the anti-glare finish and the clip-ons so it came to $65.    I'm wearing these glasses right now and they are great.   The amazing thing is that they also fit with no adjustments.   Maybe its because they are designed in China where they have more fat headed orientals.

So $416 for one pair or less than $100 for 2 pairs?  

Does the bottom pair look $335 better? 

(not now - they're pretty beat up)

      

To me, if I they fit and I can see they are a good pair of glasses.  

If I didn't pay an arm and a leg for them, they are a great pair of glasses.

   

   

Happy Birthday Jamie!

   

I can't believe you're 16.  

   

Angie and Alana did some great birthday post with lots of pictures so I don't want to compete.  I'm taking a different approach.   We've gone to some neat places together over your 16 years.   (Unfortunately I only have pictures since we got our first digital camera.)

   

Thought I would share some pictures to remind you of some of these places.

  

Utah  2003

(Notice the shirt she's wearing)

    

Disneyland 2004

   

Disneyland 2004

(notice the shirt she's wearing)
      

The Calgary Stampede 2004 

(Could it be the same shirt?)

    

Banff 2004

(Notice what she's wearing)

   

The Logan's Pass in Montana (that's a huge dropoff to her right)

   

Shave Ice at Matsumoto's in Hawaii

(Pose based on picture of a famous Japanese movie star on the wall at Matsumoto's)

   

Hukilau Beach in Hawaii

    

Back to that shirt.   She did have other shirts but this seemed to be a favorite.  Here's a better picture of that shirt.  It says Basketball and it has a bunch of basketballs.   

(This picture is of Jamie and her friend Jessica at Disneyland - we just happened to run into her family there.  Another coincidence - Notice they are both wearing red shirts.  They also had matching shorts and shoes.)

  

Fast forward to Dec 2008.   Here's Jessica and Jamie at the airport going to a basketball tourney in Victoria. (Notice the matching outfits again.)

   Jamie played for the High School Jr. Girls team this year.   Her team made the Div 1 playoffs.   She did great.  I wish I had some good video of Jamie playing basketball but when I tried to video I got so much into watching the game that I would forget about the camera and would miss all the good stuff.   I have lots of video of Jamie driving or shooting but we don't see what happens.    Some time I'll have to figure out how to edit some of that video and post it so you can have a good laugh.   Here are some screen shots from the videos.

   

Jamie, you've always been original.

Love Dad