Overdue Halloween Pics

This year for halloween we had a blast at the Swenson's big Halloween bash! We planned our costumes way in advance this year, but then that morning at the last minute we changed our minds. And we won a prize for the most creative cotume! Here are some pics - sorry for the blurry spot - our lens had a smudge on it that we didn't notice until after the party was over! Oh well, I won't tell you wich ones we are, maybe you can guess.















The last two are work pictures when I was the un-original Sarah Palin. Oh well. It was fun!

No Soliciting!

So some of you have already heard this story, but I felt it was blogworthy, so for those of you who haven't, here goes:

I love Costco. I love the deals. I love the samples. I love the crazy moms with 2 full carts of just stuff that they must be taking to some sort of bomb shelter cuz no one can possibly have that many people to feed!

I especially love the gas prices - last time I filled up it was $2.02. Pretty sure its even lower now. But I think I may be rethinking filling up there, because

I HATE THE SOLICITORS!!!!

Has anyone else experienced these cocky, argumentative, loud-mouths in florescent yellow/green vests with their trusty clipboard who won't leave you the crap alone when all you want to do is just fill up your car in peace!?!

They try to get you to sign up for one of their Costco American Express Cards and they do this by trapping you while you fill up your car. There is no way out!!! Everyone knows you aren't supposed to get back in your car after you put the pump in because static could blow your car up, and you aren't supposed to be on the phone because that will also cause static which could once again blow up your car.

So you just sit there by the pump, totally unsuspecting vulnerable prey while they move in on you!

I have dealt with these guys politely for about, mmmm 4 months, but I am done being polite. A few weeks ago, one such solicitor decided, when I didn't want to sign up for the card, that he would harass me. Here's how it went down:

I get out of the car trying to look like a bee-otch, you know, unapproachable so they leave me alone. Nope.

This bald, 30-year-old-guy (I tell you he's balding so you can watch out for him and run in the other direction) waits for me to use my Amex Skymiles card and as soon as he sees what card I used, he pulls out his script for the Skymiles Card and starts his spiel:

Guy (in a flirty sing-song voice): "Uh-Oh. You are in trouble.
Me (pissed already): Why am I in trouble?
Guy: Because you are supposed to use the Coscto Amex Gas Card to fill up here.
Me: No I'm not. I'm supposed to use whatever card I want here.
Guy: Well, have you heard of our card?
Me: Yes I have about 20 times and I am not interested. Thank you.

-So by now he should understand that I AM NOT INTERESTED, right? Right. He is no dummy. Now he just wants to argue.-

Guy (flirty voice gone): Why are you using that Skymiles Card? There is an annual fee. Our card doesn't have an annual fee.
Me (couldn't come up with a good enough comeback so I just spit out): I like my annual fee. (I like my annual fee? Whatever.)
Guy: Well, what's the point of even having that card when you can't use your skymiles during holidays? They have all these blackout dates where you can't use your miles.
Me: No they don't.
Guy: Yes they do. I even did my research. I called Delta Skymiles and that's what they told me.
Me: You did research? Hahaha. Well then you better check to make sure you are calling the right number because whomever you talked to was feeding you a bunch of crap. If there are all these blackout dates during the holidays then how come I am flying during Christmas and not paying a cent?
Guy: Uh...well you can get up to $800 a year back if you sign up for this card.
Me (done filling up so I am walking away from him and heading back into my car): My tickets cost $2,000 buddy, plus I get free companion tickets and a 24/7 concierge (Ok, I don't really use that one, but I could if I wanted to. I'm just not that important of a person to need 24/7 service - or any concierge service for that matter)
Guy: (Inaudible arguing)
Me: Good luck with all that!

Man that guy got under my skin! After I left, I quickly came up with a solution that I put into place the next time I gassed up at Costco.

I made a large sign that said, "NO SOLICITING" and taped it right on my back while I pumped my gas.

And it worked!!! I recommend to all.

New Home Before

So most of you know what our place looks like because you have been over. Unfortunatley my family lives across the US so sorry everyone this is more for my family who live in VA than anyone else. Love you guys can't wait to see you!!!!

-Justin

Just me n' Archie

In order to regain the dwindling number of our blog followers (due to the self-admitted un-interesting-ness of our lives), I decided it was time to take drastic measures!

So to all of our 4 readers (mom, dad, and Justin's mom and dad), here is a picture of me and David Archuleta!:




Yes, I am towering over him with all my 5'5"-ness!

So the story goes: Our friends, the Woods, invited us to the Operation Kids Gala at the Grand America for a black tie event that honored John Walsh from America's Most Wanted. There were a few celebs there, including Justin's favorite - President Palmer from the first season of 24 (most people know him as the Allstate guy). He hosted the event and Colin Raye was the musical headliner with Jim Brickman and some other musical guests. Even though were were all dressed up in our stuffy clothes, we had a blast! The food was good, the music was awesome, and it was a fun date night for us.

However, the room was a little chilly and I checked my coat, so after dinner I went outside the ballroom to get my coat and there was Archie standing all by himself in the hall just hanging out in his jeans and hoodie! Now, let's make something VERY clear here, I am a David Archuleta fan, but not psychotic or anything. I just liked watching him on American Idol. Besides, I felt like such a motard asking some kid 10 years younger than me for his picture! But I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get my picture with him and have a great story to tell! So I ran back in the ballroom, borrowed our friends' camera since we left ours in the car and went back out in the hall to get my picture with David. Justin is so sweet, he followed me out to take the pic, just laughing at how excited I was that I had run into David Archuletta.

He is just as shy and small in person as he is on TV but a nice kid. Here is a pic of me and my hubby, too.

Back on the Wagon

I am back on the wagon people. Our 2 week free cable extravaganza is over. Just to clarify, we did not jimi-rig free cable or do anything illegal. We are law-abiding citizens. A cable company which shall remain anonymous because we hate them offered 2 free weeks of cable when we moved into our house. Well, the two weeks is over. One morning Matt and Meridith were on, the next, Nada. So what do we do? Rent season 2 of Heros and stay up all night gorging ourselves on popcorn and turkey jerky and watching the exciting adventures of Hiro and is buddies!

Just a couple a Utes in Cougar Country

I have been a Ute fan ever since I can remember. When I was little (I mean like 4 or 5 years old) my brothers and I used to fight with my two cousins about who was better, BYU or Utah. Their parents went to BYU, ours went to the U. So my allegiance was defined at a very young age and my cousins basically initiated any judgements I may have about stereotypical BYU fans. Over the years, I have become an even bigger U fan (even more than when I was attending the school) but I have also become tolerant of BYU fans as I have matured. Then we moved to Utah County...Dun Dun Dun!

We are nowhere NEAR Provo and we are inundated with BYU fans and their bumper stickers, flags, shirts, mugs, etc. We can't even go into the grocery store without BYU everything on display. AHHH! So, we did what any true blue (red) Utah fans would do in our situation - drove back up to Salt Lake County and purchased as much U paraphernalia as we could get our hands on to decorate ourselves, our house, and our car with.

Now we have a flag in our window (inside so no one steals it), a sticker on our car, and various red t-shirts, hats, beanies, coats, and sweatshirts all sportin' the U. Our house has yet to be egged.

NOW, we can't go to Costco with our U stuff on without 10 dirty looks AND comments from BYU fans! What the? We are proud U fans, but at least we are respectful! Occasionally we will get a random U fan pat us on the back for our bravery, but seriously folks, we are just representin'. We don't want to start anything! And now those old BYU fan stereotypes have started to creep back up. BTW, its just the BYU fans I don't know who feel the need to come up and make some snide comments that bug the crap out of me - not my good friends who happen to be BYU fans.

We were so fed up with Utah county and the BYU fans down there that we decided to go back up north and watch the Utah away game at Iggy's Sports Bar on the TV. At least we can hang with fellow utes and get a break from the crazy BYU fans, right? NO. A lady I had never met before was sitting at the table next to us while Justin and I were being seated. She was about 55 and was there with her whole family it looked like - kids, grand kids, etc. Now you tell me if you can't blame me for being a little miffed at crazy BYU fans:

Me: (seeing the lady staring at me) "Hi"

Lady: "Don't worry, we won't beat you up!"

Me: "Oh I'm not worried, lady"

Lady: "Haha...Ha....Ha......Oh...."

I think she got the point. But honestly, people. Who SAYS that?

And didn't BYU get a spanking last night from TCU?

GO UTES!!!!

Horsey Ride

A couple of weeks ago our friends intived us to go horse riding up the canyon with them. 4 hours and two bruised bums later (Justin and I aren't regular riders - I used to be when I had my own horsey, but due to an almost life-threatening accident I had to get rid of Bandit, aka "Satan"), we finally made it down the mountain. It was a blast and the fall scenery was beautiful!