Sunday, May 18, 2008

Lambson Family in ???

Okay, I've learned over the last 15 years that nothing is done until it is confirmed in writing and signed by everyone above you in the company. This process can take 4-18 months depending on the decision being made.

As you may know, there has been a rumor now for some time (maybe 6 months) that we will be moving. It sounds like now the rumor is becoming more real. There are no dates yet, but hopefully we have more to share this week. So, where are we going? Some hints for you to try and figure it out (if you already know, no guessing) ...


Weather (city):
Average Temperature in January 27.5 F
Average Temperature in July 65.3 F
Parcipitation in June 2.8 in

Population (city):
City 370,000
Metro Area 730,000

City Elevation 778 ft

LDS Stuff:
Members in country 1,981
Active members in country 495

Major Religions:
Atheist 39.8%
Catholic 39.2%
Protestant 4.6%
LDS 0.0193%

Other Country Facts:
  • Country borders 4 other countries
  • Fresh Water Withdrawl - 1.91 cu km/yr
  • Natural Hazard - flooding
  • Population Growth - (0.082%)
  • Fertility Rate - 1.23 children born/woman
  • Government Type - parliamentary democracy
  • GDP - $249.1 billion
  • Unemployment Rate - 6.6%
  • Agricultural Products - wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry
  • Telephone Lines - 2.9 mil
  • Cellular Phones - 12.4 mi (note: total population is 10.2 mil)
  • Airports - 122 (with paved runways - 45)
  • Illicit Drugs - transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and minor transit point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for local and regional markets; susceptible to money laundering related to drug trafficking, organized crime; significant consumer of ecstasy

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

This Just In...

I got some new info on the hair-do front. Appearently, after the first version (kevin cut just the sides and back leaving the top 'longer') Bremen went to school and told everybody to touch his head. I'm talking EVERYBODY in the school (preschool-high school). Anyone who would walk by him he would say "Touch my head!"...And they did. I guess he repeated it the next day with the total skinhead look. Yesterday one of the teachers came up to Bremen and lifted up the hat he was wearing. The mom we carpool with was picking him up. He told her he was checking to make sure it wasn't blue or anything.

Sunday, May 4, 2008

A Grand Production

Bremen's class had a production at the last assembly of the year for his school. It happened to be the day The Siblings and I left for Italy, so of course, we made a stop to watch. These first pics are of Anastazie (of Czech origin) and Eric (of the Netherlands) with B-Man.


First they sand 'Happy Birthday' to all kids who would have b-days in April, May, and June, so Bremen got to go up on stage.




Then his class performed a skit based on a book that had something to do with "I couldn't get my turtle to wake up." or something like that. I feel horrible for forgetting the name of the book. I guess I'll chalk that one up for one more reason I'm a bad mother.
Bremen played one of two goldfish swimming in a fishbowl (appropriate that Bremen and Will (USA)-the kid that takes swimming lessons with B every week- are the fishes).

Swimming over to the turtle that won't get up.




Now all the characters are surrounding the lazy turtle...









And he finally wakes up!








Next they did a song about a hole in the ground-again bad mother for not remembering the song title. Bremen was singing this song to us at home for weeks and we had no clue what he was singing. He played the hole. I believe we've found his calling.































Saturday, May 3, 2008

New Hair Cut - yet again

While Marcy toured around Europe last week with her brother and sister, I got to spend the week at home with Bremen. Even though it was only a week, the kid wore me out.

Bremen decided one evening that we should surprise mom with new haircuts when she came back. Sounds good to me. He fetched the clippers. I was expeting him to ask for a mohawk again, but no ... "I can't have a mohawk at school. I want to be bald."

Scouts honor ... I tried to protest but Bremen insisted that, "mom will really, really like it." So I started to cut. I must of looked worried because he tried to reassure me while I was cutting his hair, "don't worry daddy, momma won't kill you."

Anyway, here are the pics ...





To borrow from Sheri's 'Max Quotes', Bremen had a few funny ones today:
  • "I was born funny."
  • "The world must never know." (in response to Marcy asking why he was holding onto his foot and hiding)

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Deep Thoughts

If you don't know to the second when a drunk's gonna vomit on you, you don't survive as a strip club bouncer.
Veronica Pare and Ferrett Steinmetz, Home on the Strange, 10-02-07


The most erroneous stories are those we think we know best - and therefore never scrutinize or question.
Stephen Jay GouldUS author, naturalist, paleontologist, & popularizer of science (1941 - 2002)


I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it.
Groucho MarxUS comedian with Marx Brothers (1890 - 1977)


There is only one difference between a madman and me. I am not mad.
Salvador DaliSpanish Catalan Surrealist painter (1904 - 1989)


I think the world is run by 'C' students.
Al McGuire


I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him.
Mark TwainUS humorist, novelist, short story author, & wit (1835 - 1910)

Friday, March 28, 2008

Quotes of the Day-with reason

You can't have a light without a dark to stick it in.
Arlo GuthrieUS folksinger (1947 - )

I love Arlo Guthrie's songs. Growing up my family would sit around the record player on Thanksgiving listening to Alice's Restaurant. The Motorcycle Song is on of my favorites-I don't want a pickle.


Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.
Edgar Allan Poe, "Eleonora"US short story author, editor, & poet (1809 - 1849)

I hope to always be a dreamer/imaginer, so I never take life too seriously, or not seriously enough.


'Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.
Abraham Lincoln, (attributed)16th president of US (1809 - 1865)

I frequently feel stupid when I open my mouth, which is part of the reason I rarely open it.


Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.
Bill Watterson, cartoonistUS cartoonist (1958 - )

I believe there is life on other planets, and I happy we haven't found it-happy for that other life.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Bremen's Venice



So for Easter this year, we drove down to Venice (that's in Italy). We had wanted to go skiing, but because the weather had been so warm, we figured all the snow would be gone. The day before we left on our trip, it snowed over an inch. Luckily that had melted by the time we had to drive, but it was cold. Luckily, our online directions were slightly inaccurate and the trip took on 6 hours instead of 7.

Our hotel was on the mainland (Venice is an island with only one access bridge which only opened in 2006), so we found it and a place to get groceries and dinner before heading to bed. The next morning we drove to the pier and took a ferry-boat to the island. Bremen professed even before we got off the boat that he wanted to live in Venice and never leave. (My profession of never wanting to leave occurred in the grocery store's cheese aisle-I could just live in the store, if they'd let me, please!)

I'd done a bit of research (as I do before any trip) and the guide books recommended just wandering around the city, which is mostly what we did. We leisurely followed the signs to St. Mark's Square (St. Mark's body is at the church there-yep!) where Bremen purchased corn from a smiling old italian guy to feed the pigeons. He loved it! They didn't hop into his hand, but came dang close. They ate out of his hand, which produced one of the biggest smiles I've ever scene. he became concerned at my suggestion to run around the square, because he said he didn't want to run into the pigeons. He relaxed this stance as he watched many of the other children running around without inflicting damage to the birds. (his concern is so funny becuase i have pictures of him chasing pigeons in every country we've visited)

He loved the ferryboat ride, the gondola ride, the boat-bus ride down the Grand Canal, the pizza/pasta, ice cream, pigeons, the water everywhere, ice cream, bridges everywhere, playing tag through one of the more desterted squares, ice cream, jumping back and forth on the two beds in the hotel, watching 'the news' (we don't have television at home and one of the hotel's two channels was CNN, so we watched that), and just being with his family for four days in a row. I don't understand it, but the kid likes his parents. Go figure.

The weather held up pretty nicely for us. It was cold enough to need gloves and a hat and scarf, but the rain only came at night, and the sun came out for at least a little while every day. On the way home, as soon as we hit the mountains (Dolomites) everything was covered in snow and it started falling. A major storm had hit the mountains all weekend. I guess we could have gone skiing after all.

This trip has a the designation of being the first Bremen Photographically Documented Trip. He enjoyed taking pictures immensely. We'll have to work on patience, as many of his shots were blurred or distorted by his quickness to get everything on...can't say film anymore...pixels(?). I love his record of our trip and it surprised me how many of our pictures almost matched exactly. He made about 200 shots. These are the ones I picked to share with you. He took every one of them!

On a side note: I don't think we'll run into a problem with Bremen having confidence in life. As we were looking over his pictures on the computer (Kevin and I praising many of them), Bremen says "My pictures are cooler than yours, Mama." Of course I agreed with him.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Ode to the Mysterious Highway Inspector

If you know me well, you know of my fear of...engineering. This covers things like tall buildings, towers, carnival rides, bridges, freeway overpasses. It's not merely the height of these objects that puts the end of my life to the front of my mind, rather their stability and durability (yes, I know, I've scene too many movies). My fear worsens if you can see through the item: glass stairs, the Eiffel Tower, etc. Driving over a freeway overpass is very difficult with your eyes closed, let me tell you. each time I hear a report of a bridge collapse or a highway falling and cars being crushed my fear is reinforced. This lastest report, sadly does NOTHING to instill confidence in those bright men and women who spend their days designing death traps for the rest of us and 'weren't sure' how this could have happened. By the way, I am grateful to the ONE highway inspector who 'happened' to stop and check in this instance. He wins the gold star of the day!!! A true hero in my book. His name is sadly not mentioned in this article which appeared on AOL's news:


Emergency Repair Shuts Major Highway
By BILL BERGSTROM,
AP
Posted: 2008-03-18 12:06:45
Filed Under: Nation News
PHILADELPHIA (March 18) -- A three-mile stretch of Interstate 95 was shut down early Tuesday, backing up commuter traffic for miles, as workers began emergency repairs on a 6-foot crack in a concrete pillar supporting the major corridor through the Northeast.

The work required closure of both northbound and southbound lanes of the highway north of the city's central business district, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokesman Gene Blaum said.The fracture ranged from 2 inches to several inches wide.

"Obviously, we feel it could compromise the strength of that section of the highway," Blaum said.The section of the interstate carries about 190,000 vehicles a day, making the repair "a major undertaking," he said.Traffic rapidly snarled at exit points as police directed motorists onto detours around the damaged area.PennDOT planned to have a contractor erect four steel towers to surround and support the steel-reinforced concrete pillar before the highway could be reopened. Officials said the work would take two to four days.

On Tuesday morning, workers were clearing concrete barriers so heavy equipment could be moved closer to the damaged pillar and were starting work on the foundation for the temporary towers.

"Fortunately it was found, we're on top of it, and we're taking care of the situation," Mayor Michael Nutter said.

A crack about a half-inch wide was noticed by an inspector last fall. The same inspector happened to be in the area Monday and decided to check the cracked pillar, Blaum said."This crack has grown considerably since October," Blaum said.

"It was very fortuitous that he took that look today."Concrete at the top of the column was crumbling, leaving reinforcing rods visible from the street below, and brick-sized chunks of concrete had fallen around the base of the pillar.

Blaum said engineers weren't sure what caused the crack in the 40-year-old pillar. The column is located under an expansion joint, and it's possible the damage may have been caused by expansion and contraction of the roadway, Blaum said.
"Obviously this is certainly not something we would do unless it is absolutely necessary, to shut down the interstate, but it's going to be done," Blaum said. "Two spans of Interstate 95 basically connect right on top of that column."Blaum said the highway's other supports in the area weren't showing similar deterioration.
Several sections of I-95, including the column in question, had been scheduled for repair later this year, Blaum said. There's also a $2 billion plan in the works to replace five sections of roadway, including the area with the damaged pillar, in the next 10 to 15 years, Blaum said.AP writers JoAnn Loviglio and Randy Pennell in Philadelphia contributed to this report.


Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2008-03-18 08:57:00

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Quote of the Day

Literature is an occupation in which you have to keep proving your talent to people who have none.
Jules Renard(1864 - 1910)

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Boy Eating Cookie

Bremen asked Marcy if he could make a video using one of the cameras. What kind of video do you want to make? ... "Boy Eating Cookie". Clever boy, he knew his chances were slim of getting an additional treat that day.
.
So, here is his masterpiece ...
.
Cast:
Bremen Lambson ... Boy
Marcy Lambson ... Mom with cookie
Cookie ... Cookie
.
Crew:
Bremen Lambson ... Writer/Director/Camera Man
Kevin Lambson ... Producer (purchaser of camera)/Catering (maker of cookie)
Negative Cutter ... Mo Henry
.
MPAA: PG13 (scary cookie action and violence, peril and some thematic elements)
.
ASPCA Note: Only one cookie was harmed during the making of this film.
.
Special thanks to the people of Olympus Camera for making this possible. Shot on location in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Friday, February 29, 2008

Something to do with the Quote of the Day

I've posted my freaky rock photos on my Photo.net page: http://photo.net/photodb/folder.tcl?folder_id=812604 I figured it was better then posting them here, mainly because I there are so many of them, it'd be nearly impossible to fit them all. And also, because that way those of you who don't care to view my freaky artsy-fartsy side don't have to be unduely exposed.


I must say, however, I did enjoy putting these shots together. I actually did some 'editing' work on some of them this time (filters, soft focus, saturation, etc), which I normally don't do. I also enjoyed naming them. I think I may have been getting a little loopy with the naming game, so watch out. Something about listening to Enya and the Juno soundtrack that works wonders for your brain.

So, to those of you who make the trek, I have a request to make of you. Please let me know which are your favorites (top 5-10), if you have them. Thanks.

Here's a teaser:


And the Quote for Today:

No matter what we have come through, or how many perils we have safely passed, or how many imperfect and jagged - in some places perhaps irreparably - our life has been, we cannot in our heart of hearts imagine how it could have been different. As we look back on it, it slips in behind us in orderly array, and, with all its mistakes, acquires a sort of eternal fitness, and even, at times, of poetic glamour.
Randolph Silliman Bourne

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Quote of the Day

Someday we'll look back on this moment and plow into a parked car.
Evan Davis


Question for the ladies: Is vulnerability something you admire in a man?

Monday, February 25, 2008

Quote of the Day

I dedicate this to my husband:


I don't necessarily agree with everything I say.
Marshall McLuhanCanadian author, educator, & philosopher (1911 - 1980)

What we did this Sunday:


We love our spot on the bank of the Danube River in Austria.

I think we decided to go every Sunday, weather permitting. As you can see, the weather was beautiful yesterday-Bremen actually took his shirt off, because he said he was too warm. We got him to put it back on by threatening sunburn. He loved combing the beach for 'unique' rocks to add to his collection, tossing sticks and rocks into the water, and playing with his dad. He even took a few pictures with his camera.

Kevin enjoyed being able to relax before an extremely stressful week of work (the boss is here), being in the warm weather, collecting really excellent pebbles (he found a blue-like turq blue-one), and fighting with Bremen (with sticks).

The river is unusually low for this time of year. I guess the mild winter takes it's toll somewhere. It did allow us to see more of the bank and locate lots of interesting additions to our rock/beach glass/garbage collections. I'm the one with the beach garbage collection. And glass. I know, i'm a freak.

I spent almost the entire time with my face behind the camera shooting the beach. I'm debating posting the majority of the, shall we say, artistic attempts, mainly because they make me look like even more of a freak. I took about 200 pictures yesterday at the river, most of them are of rocks and glass.

I pondered to Kevin, "At what point does one more picture become just excess?" He couldn't answer, but I think I know what he was thinking. Crazy obsessed photographer wife.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Just in! from January



Well, for the past couple years, Kevin has been taking me on trips for my birthday (because we've been in AZ with babysitters, I assume) and this year's trip was to Tucson and San Xavier Mission outside of Tucson. Why? Because I'd never been, the mission, that is. We also spent time at the Center for Creative Photography and U of A Art Musuem. It's worth a trip for the CCP every couple years, at least. They have Ansel Adams complete archives (including negatives) which you can make an appointment and view, if you want.

Anyway, the church is beautiful and I'm glad we went.
My head hurts and I can't think of anything interesting to say, so...

Quote of the Day

How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?
Charles De Gaulle, in "Les Mots du General", 1962

A side note: I like France, so there! But this is just too funny.

Another side note: So, nobody's worried about Belgrade? Interesting.

Friday, February 15, 2008

Kim's Challenge

I did the Band Challenge Kimberly posted via Amy. Here's my results:


1st try: Band Name: Speed Bump




Album Name: I Have Of It





Album Cover:




But I prefer this for my cover, which was number 4:
















2nd try: Band Name: Mark Cohen-Cricketer





Album name: And What It Brings





Album Cover:


This was fun. I did have a problem or two-like the real picture for my second try wouldn't save to my computer, so reloaded on the same page and this fishy came up.


Here's the directions from Kim's blog if anyone's interested:

It’s the Random Album Cover Game! A great exercise in creativity.
This requires three random things. But wait, here’s what you’re supposed to do (I promise I didn’t cheat on mine):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random The first article on this page is your band name. (If it’s a real band or musician, you might want to cheat and hit refresh.)
http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3 Scroll down - the last four words of the last article are the title of your album.
http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/ Whatever the third picture is - that’s the album cover.

Thanks Kim and Amy

Random Thoughts On My Way To Pick Up My Son From School

  • Floating, swirling, angry white poofs
  • The killer in me is the killer in you
  • Policia-Oh, crap! Did I turn my headlights on? Yes-shwew!
  • Stupava-Stupida name for a town
  • Pretty cute for two ugly people
  • Where's my drink? -Darn it! Left it at home.
  • Should we get pizza for dinner tonight or have leftovers again?
  • Take a hike Mr. Winter, I'm ready for Spring!
  • I love my ipod
  • Autoskola drivers: forever to be mocked, ridiculed, and tailgated.
  • Teenaged girls are soooo annoying.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Sunday, January 13, 2008

The Last of the Cottonfields

Growing up in southern Chandler I didn't give much thought to how great I had it. I'm sure I even complained at times. My family moved to a 2.3 acre property before I entered the fifth grade. The reason: Horses; my sister and I were hopelessly addicted to horses. We raced them barebacked around our yard, weaving in and out of the trees sometimes forgetting to duck before the low-hanging branches knocked into us, well, at least me.

We made obstacle courses, and jumping courses in the arena, made up games and pretended to be in the Olympics. We jumped ditches, waded in irrigation water, and caught snakes. We used to have a Christmas tradition of going on a family trail ride. We went trail riding often, but only occasionally were we all out at the same time. We even took the dog. Horses and riders set out from our house down the dirt road, past a paved Cooper Road and onto the narrow farm lanes. Surrounded by corn, alfalfa, or cotton fields we spent hours; we rode for miles and miles.

Today those fields are full of stucco covered houses. I am told the house I grew up in has been bulldozed to make way for another. I have not gone by to see for myself.

Faced with the recent issue of 'Where to Live?', I have given considerable thought to the question 'Where do I want my children to grow up?' and 'What kind of life do I want for them?'. I would love for them to have the kind of childhood that I had. Kevin has similar stories from his youth: Irrigation football, jumping tumbleweeds, etc. I don't think he would object to my desire for a rural life, although I fear that ideal is quickly becoming impossible.

For good or ill Kevin and I pourchased a house in eastern Queen Creek (a thirty-five minute drive from Kevin's Dad's house). We thought this might be far enough out.

There will be a Fry's Marketplace opening soon not 5 minutes down the road. The Super Target and Walmart (as well as an assortment of duplicate retail chains) opening in the Spring is less than fifteen minutes from our rural oasis.

The point of this blog: The first week of my visit this December, I was elated to find a cottonfield with the cotton ready for harvest out in Queen Creek. I nearly yelled the word 'cottonfield' as I drove past with Bremen in the back seat. Duely impressed by whatever would make his "Mama" so happy, the next time (and many times after) we drove past the fireld, Bremen yelled "cottonfield". We now have an expert Cottonfield Identifier on our hands.

I forced Kevin to pull over (as I often do) so I could photograph the cotton. He and Bremen ran around as I snapped the soul of the field into the black box I held. I stood and turned as I heard Kevin say to our son "Ask Mama?" Bremen came up to me and asked, "Mama, what does cotton taste like?"

At least he knows food doesn't come from the supermarket.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Arizona Holidays
















The family took off for their annual trip to Arizona on December 9th. I joined them on the 21st. After a week of adjusting to the time zone changes, we were back to regular Arizona life. The family visits on Christmas Day was a challenge - 10am at the Grammy & Papa's, 2pm at Grandma Sandy's and 5pm at Grandma Norris. It was fun, but felt rushed as we were always running late trying to get to the next place.

Bremen raked in the gifts, as usual. Now we have to decide what stays in Arizona and what gets brought back with us to Slovakia. With a limit of two bags per person and 50 pounds per bag, some stuff is staying here.

Temperatures in Slovakia currently range from 23-28 degrees, compared to the 70 degrees we plan to hit this week here. Notice the short sleeves on Bremen at his Grandparents house. New Years Day was spent learning to clean/ride horses and playing with Arizona "snowballs".