Funny, Scary and Interesting

Every once in a while it's intriguing to look up the silliness, craziness, and tragedy that's floating out there on the information highway all of which, of course, reflects what's going on in the very real, wide world around us. Here are a few fun things I've found recently that range from pure fun to dead serious.

FUN
Funny Food. Click on the images to see all of the rest of the collection.

Crazy
Colorado men settle parking dispute with a Taser duel
Associated Press

BOULDER, Colo. — It wasn't exactly pistols at 30 paces, but police say a security company supervisor and a restaurateur shot each other with Tasers in a "bonehead" confrontation over parking.

Officers said neither man needed medical attention after the Saturday confrontation, but Harvey Epstein, co-owner of Mamacitas restaurant, was arrested on suspicion of felony menacing and using a stun gun.

Epstein, 36, didn't immediately respond to messages seeking comment left at the restaurant and his Longmont home Sunday by The Associated Press.

A police report said Epstein and Casey M. Dane, a supervisor for Colorado Security Services Inc., were arguing over a metal boot that one of Dane's guards had clamped on a wheel of a van parked behind Mamacitas.

Dane told police he was afraid Epstein was going to hit him with a 2-foot-long pair of bolt cutters. Epstein told police he had only tried to remove the boot with the bolt cutters and hadn't threatened anyone with them.

Epstein told police Dane put his hand on a holstered pistol and threatened to shoot him. Dane told The Associated Press by telephone that he did put his hand on the holstered pistol but never threatened to shoot Epstein.

Both men drew Tasers.

"They shot each other," Police Sgt. Pat Wyton told the Camera newspaper. "It was just kind of a bonehead deal."

The guard claimed the van, owned by a Mamacitas employee, was on property he was hired to patrol. The van owner denied that.

Tragic (and Scary!)

ALBANY, New York (CNN) -- At the age of 21, Christopher Jenkins appeared to have everything going for him. The University of Minnesota senior was good-looking, had a near perfect grade-point average and had a future in business.

Christopher Jenkins, 21, vanished on Halloween 2002. Four years later, police ruled his death a homicide.

Then, suddenly, he vanished.

He was last seen celebrating Halloween at a bar in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2002. Jenkins' friends said he left about midnight. Four months later, his body was found in the Mississippi River, still wearing his Halloween costume.

Minneapolis police classified the drowning as accidental.

Jenkins' blood-alcohol level was well above the legal limit, and police told his parents that he'd probably had too much to drink after bar -hopping with friends. They thought he'd fallen into the river.

Despite a lack of evidence, his parents, Steve and Jan Jenkins, insisted that there had been foul play.

Continue article here.

Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Robert Carter

We had a fantastic wedding weekend in San Diego for Robbie and Laura's wedding! The week prior, we were shopping for shoes for Carter and discussing Uncle Robbie's wedding, when Carter politely reminded me that "you have to say 'wedding hotel' when you say wedding." Needless to say he was VERY excited about staying in a hotel and swimming in the pool. We stayed in a fun hotel in Old Town with my parents, grandparents, brothers, Jake and Amy, three aunts & uncles and a set of cousins! I love being together with family so that was my favorite part. On Friday morning, Jake and Amy were gracious enough to watch our children as soon as they flew in so we could go to the temple with Laura for her first time. We walked around Old Town that afternoon and thankfully, Carter took a nap, because he was so exhausted for swimming twice already that day and staying up to late the night before. The rehersal dinner was at Casa Guadalaraja's in Old Town and it was some of the best Mexican food I've had in long time! They make their own tortillas and serve way too big of portions. Saturday started with a run with Jake and Amy for me and then swimming (again) with the kids. Claire was so tired she passed out in her swimming suit.
Then we got ready and headed to the temple for the wedding. Carter and Claire looked adorable in their outfits and once again we were grateful for my brothers and significant others taking care of them. Robbie and Laura looked amazing and we were so happy to be there for it. We took a few pictures after, went to eat a Jewish deli called Elijah's right by the San Diego temple and then headed to the reception. Unfortunately, we had a little scare because we did the slide show for the reception but failed to plan the intricate details on how it was going to be shown. Thankfully, after a trip to Radio Shack and very helpful brothers, dad, Laura's uncle Mark and finally the photographer we got it to work! The reception was beautiful. It was at a place called Tom Ham's Lighthouse on the SD Harbor. Carter was the star of the dance floor and thought the whole thing was great...including his Shirley Temple, that he spilled on the floor. Here are some more pictures and for those who are interested the link from Rob & Laura's photographer: www.printroom.com/pro/crphotos.

Preschool fun

For the last year, I have been doing a preschool exchange (joy school) with Carter and 4 good friends and their children. We buy the curriculum online and take turns having preschool at our house for two days of the week. Carter has absolutely loved it and I have enjoyed the break and seeing my friends too. It is in the process of ending though, as Brayden is going to kindergarten and some of the other kids are going to a "real" preschool:) Carter will being going to First United Methodist Preschool in the fall (FUMPS) here in Riverside. He is going twice a week and I am looking forward to him having a professional schooling experience.

One of the most difficult things about the preschool we've been doing is that he is generally rotten when it is at my house. Last week I had it and it was really fun day. Avery and Averie have taught Carter to love dress-up 9he was made fun of the few times he wore the princess dresses at their houses). Anyhow, only 3 of the 5 kids were there last week and here are some cute pictures from the dress-up extravaganza. Thanks to Amber, Anya, Megan and Sheri for being great teachers and friends and making the last year so fun!!
















Spiderman Carter, Thomas Avery & Superman Sam


















Chinese Pirate Carter, Thomas Sam, Superman Avery

Busy family news

We will soon have up pictures from my little brother's wedding...it was a fun filled but exhausting wedding weekend in San Diego! We generally feel like we have a lot going on and last Sunday we received a new opportunity to serve...Danny was put in as 2nd counselor in our bishopric! We are excited and he is just figuring out was this will all entail. Other big news for Danny--he walks next Thursday for his master's even though he doesn't finish school until July--but, we just found out he was nominated and selected as Masters of Arts in Education student of the year! We are so happy for him!! Look soon for pictures of the wedding and other events:)

Carter requires animal control

It's the first time but maybe not the last time:

Carter was over at his babysitter's house when he apparently stumbled upon a baby possum. He promptly picked it up, presented it to the babysitter who shrieked and told him to drop it which he did. Animal control was called and Carter now tells everyone, "You can't pick up a possum because it could bite BUT you can pick up chinchillas cause they don't bite."

Photographic evidence of the incident:

Claire's first word!

Claire recently spoke her first word: "Carter." It sounds more like "tartar," however. It happened last week; I think it was Friday...Sarah knows the exact moment I'm sure. She actually said it on Thursday I believe, but Sarah wasn't sure if it was just a coincidence but, when she repeated it the next day a number of times as she pointed at Carter, we knew it was the "real deal." We've always thought Carter is a sharp little guy, but Claire is speaking a good three months before Carter uttered his first word which was "hot" (he'd touched the oven a few times the week before he said that). I guess girls are smarter than boys!

I also think Claire said "Dadda" today quite a few times when she saw me after work, so we'll see if she repeats that in the next few days. Language, and the human mind, are truly amazing and it's breathtaking at times to watch children learn and grow.

We hope you all have a great Monday!

Funny Stuff

Sometimes images are worth a thousand words and a thousand laughs. OK, that was the cheesiest line, but it's what came to mind, ok! Check this out:

I thought this was funny...I mean jeez, you'd think the dude in red is the only one who knows the balloon is filled with liquid death or something! After seeing this image, a cowboy came up behind me and, in a thick, slow southern drawl said, "Hey partna', give the guy a break, you gotta' admit that balloon does look like it's going to pop when it's caught what with it's oblong shape and all." I looked back, concurred, and he sauntered away.

The joys of car trouble...and do you name your vehicle?

We all have to go to the doctor once in a while for a check up or for medicine. We all must occasionally purchase a new dishwasher, new clothes, new glasses, and so forth. So why is it when the car breaks down and requires a repair does it feel like the world is going to end? I suppose the primary difference is that when the car breaks down, you cannot drive it and, therefore, you're out a ride unless you have a back up car (Riste).

About two weeks ago our old Ford Focus, aka: Farina, broke down. She'd been sputtering and producing all sort of strange noises for months, even years, so we knew this was coming. She required about a thousand dollars worth of work; the timing belt and its components needed to be replaced along with the water pump, spark plugs, radiator hoses, and a few other things. Although we should have had the maintenance done on the car ages ago, I'm sure it would have cost a lot more than $1K to get the services done, especially at the dealer, than it did to get the car fixed recently. If it hadn't been for Sarah's parents letting us borrow their car, things would have been very difficult, so thanks Jeff and Susan!

The break down, however, couldn't have come at a worse moment. Sarah and I were heading over to church to take part in a program when the call from April came in: she was stuck in the car with Carter and Claire in a dangerous spot on the 60 freeway. I immediately changed courses, met them there, got them shuffled off in a different card (thanks for helping Wes!), and got the car towed (thanks Mom). If it hadn't been for my mom and Matt Yacubic letting us use their AAA cards, it would have ended up costing us even more. I payed $82 to get the car diagnosed at a service station and then ended up getting it towed over to ProTrans in Riverside. They did the work relatively cheaply, BUT it took 9 days total (5 work days) and only called us to give us the status update once, all the other times we had to call them. Furthermore, I noticed on the invoice that the tech said that I gave him a verbal OK on the labor at a given price point when I did not, but I suppose those kinds of things happen when they're trying to get the job done (but I was at my cell the whole time waiting for the call).

Bottom line: we have Farina back and she's running as good as an 8 year old American ex-rental car that hasn't been maintained well can run. Did I mention I get the particular pleasure of rolling this ride? Sarah and the kids use the newer Honda Accord. We just need to come up with a name for the Accord. Any ideas? (She's a 2004 bluish/gray v-6 sedan). I think all cars deserve a name (trucks are usually masculine, cars feminine). Do you have a name for your car(s)? If so, what are they?