Thursday Music Video Jan 29 - Bocelli and Brightman

I have really enjoyed Sarah Brightman's music ever since hearing her as the original Christine in her ex-husband Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera. Andrea Bocelli is an amazing singer, his voice has such feeling in it. Here they are together singing "Time to Say Goodbye".

It's a girl

It's a Girl

We are so excited to announce that baby number 11 is a girl. Greg is a little worried about having 4 girls in a row when they become teenagers but luckily we have about 10 years.
I wanted to scan in the ultra sound pictures but you can't make out anything from them.

Dust Particle Man

(To the tune of "Particle Man" by They Must Be Giants, go here to see the video and hear the song)

Dust Particle Man, Dust Particle Man


Dust Particle Man meets No Pajama Top Girl


They have a fight Dust Particle Man wins


Dust Particle Man

Thursday Music Video Jan 22 - Part 2

Now on a more serious note. My father-in-law sent me a link to this video last week and we showed it to the kids for FHE on Monday night. It is an address by Elder F. Enzio Busch to BYU students the month after I graduated from the Y (May 1996).

Powerful and so positive. I loved this video.

Thursday Music Video Jan 22 - Part 1

Kenny kept me sane on Wed night. Thanks Kenny!

I was working very late, by myself, in a darkened cubicle trying to get my application ready for the mass of angry users that would see it for the first time Thursday morning. I had my laptop cranking with an eclectic mix of Alphaville, John Denver, and Kenny Rogers. It was Kenny that kept me going late into the night and helped me to finish.

First the story about my connection with Kenny.

When we were developing our website, jobs.utah.gov, a couple of years ago we had lots of links on different pages but we hadn't developed the pages behind the links. To make all of the links look normal while we developed around them we linked them to a website that we thought was hilarious - Men Who Look Like Kenny Rogers. We have laughed and laughed over that for years, it has become our default link when we develop.

Sorry, must be a computer nerd thing.

Here is a good Kenny song -

Greg and Kathryn Movie Review - Bride Wars

Here is the disclaimer-

I am a guy. Guys don't like movies about the troubles girls have before marriage and all of the follies leading up to the big day. Sure, your hair looks great. Yes, the dress is nice. Oh, that cake sounds delicious for the reception. More importantly, how much does all of this cost?

So, with that being said, Kathryn wanted me to come see this movie with her and I thought she was joking at first. She wasn't. She promised me that she would write a blog review of the movie so, trusting in that promise, I went. Heh, so much for the promise of the blog entry from Frank and for the movie too.

I was late for the movie as I had to pick up Lauren from a birthday party at 9:30 so I missed the first ten minutes of the movie. More importantly I missed the previews. I think they might have been better than the movie itself.

Guys - warning to you all - CHICK FLICK.

There were some funny scenes like the orange tanning spray on Anne Hathaway and the crazy dance instructor but that was it for me. The best actor in the movie was Anne Hathaway's father and he was only on for 5 minutes and had about 4 lines. The bachelorette party- no. My wife, sister-in-law, and nieces laughed long and hard throughout the movie while myself and the other three guys in the theater with their wife or girlfriend kept checking their cellphones to see what time it was.

At the end both of them find out they are pregnant and due on the same day.

No, please, for the love of all that is good, don't make a Bride/Baby War Part Deux.

Two thumbs down for me, at least the popcorn was decent.

PS- I watched The Dark Knight again. Still didn't like it and yes, I was fully awake this time. Batman Begins was much better.

Greg vs. TV - One Week Victory

One of my New Year's resolutions was to stop watching TV so much. I find myself staring blankly at whatever is on after the kids go to bed when I could be doing something else.

So I tried for one week. Made it. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I guess I am so used to not watching TV because I rarely had the time to do it when I served in the bishopric for 4 years. What did I do with all of the free time?

Prepared my Primary lesson.

Read.

Played my guitar.

Wrote on the blogs.

Read.

Talked to my wife - while she watched the last few recorded episodes of Seventh Heaven.

Went to choir practice on Saturday nights.

Read even more.

So how did I reward myself for this significant victory? Bought a book. What else would I do? :)

I am going to try it now for a month, I will check back in then to let you know how it goes. Try it yourself for a week, you would be amazed at how much time you have and how much better you feel.