Ronald Chevalier

Today in church Diane leans to me and says she just took a glance at Eric and saw Jermaine from Flight of the Conchords. I had to laugh because it's happened to me as well. Especially when Eric wears his dark rimmed glasses. Anyway, here's a link to his new movie, Gentlemen Broncos. Written and directed by Jared Hess. Thank goodness Jon Heder isn't listed as a cast member. Oh, and if you watch the clip, pay close attention to the sweet music. My dad used play it on all of our long road trips, probably to try and lull us all to sleep. Deep Breakfast, by Ray Lynch. Classic.

Are you talkin' to me?

There's something about bluetooth headsets that makes me want to punch their users in the face. I could end the post at this point, but I feel the need to elaborate.

As of July 1 of this year, California has made it mandatory for all drivers who wish to use their cell phones, must do so only through the use of bluetooth headsets. I have heard the fine is upwards of $1,000 if caught. It's almost enough to make me stop using a cell phone.

I hate the things. When I use one, I feel like I look like this guy:














I have the tiniest ears known to man which makes it hard to keep in position. I feel like I have to scream to make my voice heard, and I still have to fumble with my phone in order to push "call" so does it really make it any safer? I am thinking Gov. Arnold is making a nice piece of change for everyone of these things sold in the state thanks to his new little law.

Another reason why I can't stand the things....












Is it really necessary to wear them outside of your vehicle? The other day I was at the grocery store (buying eggs) and this guy was looking right at me while talking, but he was talking about this club he had gone to the other night and that he got some girls phone number, and I seriously thought he was talking to me until he turned his head slightly and I saw his bluetooth jerkset dangling from his ear.

That reminds me, another one of Eric's demands for a car was that it was bluetooth enabled, what a smart man I am married to.

Don't you love that new vomit smell?

Here she is, in all her glory. Two stressful weeks later and I now have a vehicle to call my own. I absolutely hated the process. How I managed to make it to age 31 without ever having to look for/buy a car is way lucky. I have been blessed with the use of hand-me-downs and inheriting the use of my husbands' nice cars.





When it came to buying this car Eric had given me strict guidelines to follow.

1. No American made cars
2. No mini-vans
3. No black cars
4. Car must have a hitch, navigation, and a DVD player
5. Must be certified (if used)
6. Can't have over 40,000 miles
7. Must seat 7

Can you imagine the difficulty? We narrowed it down pretty quickly to the new Toyota Highlander, the Honda Pilot, and the Acura MDX. Once we figured out how much these cars are new - $40,000+, that ended the new car search and removed the Highlander alltogether (like the new look, but not the old). So, since Diane & my Mom have Pilot's we set our sights on the Acura. I think I called/visited about 12 dealerships around California. At one point we were ready to buy flights to San Jose to buy it and drive home with it - that's how scarce these cars are. One dealership told us that some guy from China called the other day and bought 7 of them over the phone, without even seeing them. Supposedly, because the dollar is so weak, he is able to buy them for cheap here, pay to have them shipped to China, and still make money when he sells them there.

So...I love my new ride. The kids love the DVD player and all was well until this afternoon when Cohen vomited all over the back seat. Twice. Only TWO days after signing on the dotted line. (which never really seems to be dotted...where did that saying come from?) The seat belt strap will never smell the same. Thank goodness for leather. Can you imagine if this had been a $40,000 brand new car? That almost two-year-old would have been walking home.

To market, to market, to buy me some eggs

April 26, 2008: A price check of five Milwaukee-area supermarkets last week turned up a range for a dozen eggs from $1.27 at Woodman's Market in Oak Creek to $1.78 at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Mukwonago.

July 21, 2008: Josie visit's a Pavilions grocery store, where she pays $5.99 for 18 eggs. 18 EGGS! WTH?


I am feeling it. It has become abundantly clear to me just how expensive it is to live in Southern California. Now I know the cost of food is rising all over the nation, but S. Cal is ridiculous. It almost makes me want to move to the sticks, raise my own chickens, and wash my own laundry. Almost.

As of late I have been shopping for a car, which was resolved this past weekend. Finally. And because we have been looking to buy a car, I've also had to research car insurance because the company I had in Milwaukee does not insure motorist in the state of California. Why you ask? Well, my lawyer FIL tells me it's because they don't want to find themselves in a bunch of law suits. Which makes perfect sense. So I go looking for insurance...and it sucks. The companies who do insure people in this great state, do so at such a cost that it almost makes me want to get in an accident just so that I can see my money going somewhere.

Case in point. We insured two cars in WI, insured two people, and paid roughly $100/month. In CA, we are insuring one car, two people, and are paying $115/month. Feeling it.

So, this leads me to contemplate, ad nauseum, the reasons for moving back to CA. Eric likes to stir the pot by talking all about how comfortable we could be living back in our house on MacArthur, how great the schools are, what great neighbors we had, etc, etc... it doesn't help. But truthfully, could I really see myself living in WI the rest of my life? No. Chicago, maybe. Minneapolis, maybe. Utah, uh no. East coast, no (sorry Em). Is there any place else? Would Eric ever consider any place else, doubt it.

Fortunately, Eric is in an industry that has staying power. Unfortunately, it's an industry where you are required to stay, put that is. I (we) have to decide quick if California is the place for our family, and if so, I guess I will just have take a lesson from the MASTER HERSELF.

BED HEAD!

This is what you get after Sunday's slicked to the side look with tons of hair spray...



















...some crazy bed head. This kid needs a hair cut.

Wipeouts

I haven't had a ton of time to sit down and edit the 559 pictures I took in Tahoe, no joke, it's that darn sport mode that snaps a picture every second....the pictures really rack up. So, today I was trying to sort through them and I ended up finding some real winners. Well, they are more like flops, but they are pretty entertaining.

1. KC - that's not going to end well.














2. Molly - where's the board?














3. Molly














4. ME! - body parts everywhere!













5. KC - for a great face enlarge the photo.
















6. Eric - trying to hold on.















7. Jaren - he doesn't fall.





















8. Martha - PERFECT 10!





















9. Martha's face plant.

VOTE, because I said to

Recently, I haven't really cared what my blog page looks like because I figured everyone (like myself) was just reading it through Google Reader or similar. In which case, you don't see all the fancy backgrounds or the sidebar columns - you just see the pictures and text that I post. And that is cool with me if you read it that way because I do it too. So, this vote is to see how many really visit the page and how many use reader. Please vote!

PollPub.com Vote

How do you access my blog?

I read it through Google Reader (or similar).
I read it straight from the source (ericjosie.blogspot).




View Results

Poll powered by PollPub.com Free Polls

DR. BRIZZZOWN

Yesterday was Eric's first day at Dr. Penrod's office. As previously quoted (see sidebar) he was dreading it. Not because he was nervous, but because he officially realized his life as a student, and as of late, a full time vacationer, was O.V.E.R. Welcome to the real world Dr. Brown! Hence the face in the below picture. If I was a mind reader Eric would be saying...

1. Why are you taking my picture while I am eating breakfast?
2. Get that camera out of my face.
3. Ugh, I am going to be working for the rest of my life.
4. You women have it sooo bleeping easy.
5. When I own my own practice the hours will be Mon-Thur, 11am-5pm.
6. How is my hair?







Anyone out there in South OC need a dentist?
(the website hasn't been updated in a while FYI)

So long old blue

You were a great car. Pretty, stylish. shiny, durable, rugged, full of cargo space, and very easy to scrub after the frequent vomiting episodes. We took trips with you... many from Milwaukee to Chicago, where we bought furniture from Ikea and you carried it all the way home from us, on your roof. Though you were expensive to fix we still loved you very much. I hope you will be happy with your new owner, Saed Quitakhasam, he probably won't throw up on you.... until he goes to the gas station and sees this:


















(actual last tank purchased - it came out to an even 100$, with no top off - what are the odds?)

Born again user

Eric and I purchased the IPhone when they first came out last October. I have loved the dang thing. And I'm not even jealous of all the peeps that are buying the 3G because mine is fast enough, they look pretty much the same, and I've had the use of one for almost a year now. But, Apple never ceases to amaze me. It's pretty much like I have a new phone because of the updated software and all the add on's I can download from Itunes (for free!!!).

Today's downloads:









Express: News, Gossip, Movies, Weather, Sports and more.










Showtimes: Displays theaters, movie times, paired with Fandango Mobile for purchasing tickets, and displays the Rotten Tomatoes rating.









Jirbo Match: Keeps Ethan busy matching animal faces.









AOL AIM










Ebay window for easy searches









Restaurant Nutrition Guides for calculating Ethan's carb amount










Bubbles! Keeps Cohen busy popping bubbles instead of text messaging people









Sudoku: this one's for me

July 16th will not disappoint

You know where I will be this Wednesday...
sitting on my couch.

First on tap:

And conveniently following Project Runway....

RUN'S HOUSE!

Can't get much better than that.

It is currently 9:15pm...

...and Cohen is still jumping in his crib, unable to fall sleep. I blame myself. I think both he and Ethan are addicted to diet coke. It sounded like a good idea at the time - to let Ethan have diet drinks because they have no carbs and I wouldn't have to dose him for the high syrup fruit drinks all the other kids drink. But, the madness has to stop. Every time Cohen has a sip of the stuff he can't fall asleep until really late. He is like a little monkey in there right now. I can hear him, shaking the rails on his crib, jumping on his mattress, and pounding on the wall with his fists. I know if I went in there right now his pillow and all of his blankets would be on the floor. And it's not like he had a 32 oz Mav mug refill. He probably had about 6 ounces, at 3pm. I guess that's all it takes.

This chart freaked me out. Why on earth is there more caffeine in diet coke than in regular coke? No wonder so many people are addicted to the stuff.























Now this is something I could get on board with....






bacon, ey? Maybe it could be considered a protein.

Just ask Diane

This is Diane's latest find from QVC.

I really think she has missed watching it since we have been living here. She claims it's TV for lonely people so maybe that means she is ok with us being here, in her business 24/7, but now we don't get to benefit as much from her sweet finds.

This however, is worth a trip to qvc.com. She had me try it today and I LOVE it! The kind I have used for a while is now discontinued so I have been buying mascara every time I go to Target, hoping I would fine one I like. It hasn't worked. Seriously, this stuff is good.

Next, Tahoe

Christensen Reunion 2008

Truckee, CA

**tons of pictures to follow - I was pretty much the photographer for this trip**

Let the boating begin!
Thanks to Em & Jaren for towing their sweet boat from
Boise to CA. I don't know what we would have done without it.


Martha gettin' her surf on.

Em & Jaren's boat makes a crazy wave behind it so the pro's
could let go of the rope and just surf behind the boat until they were tired.
I, was not one of those people.

Eric (pro)


Eric surfing sans rope.

Jaren (pro) with a huge wave.

Mike & Anne - (not pro's - hence the kiddy tube)

KC (pro) jumping the wake on his wakeboard.

KC

Molly surfing

KC doing a 360 flip on the wakeboard. Show off!

Emily (pro) on her single ski.

We were pretty active this trip, which isn't very unusual for us.
There was baseball, volleyball, and tennis to be played.
Plus, tons of swimming, eating, gambling, puzzling, card playing,
laughing, Nintendoing, crafting, sleeping, and tanning.

The boy cousins with their new baseball bats.

Anne & Coco

KC & Cohen (Cohen's BFF on the trip)

Eric creating havoc at the Squaw Valley Olympic pool.
Poor Molly.

Grandma & Grandpa with all the grandkids.
Grandma's birthday was July 3rd.

Look at those hops!

Christmas card '08???

Who knew Eric was such a closet roulette lover?

My baby - the muscle man

Sisters +1

Puzzlers!

Craft for the cousins