Isn't it Romantic?

She loved the shelves. She hasn't used them yet to my knowledge, as the crapola is still squishing out the door, but I loves me some Malaina. This photo is proof that EVERY woman looks stunning surrounded by candlelight(Malaina, you know you can't take a bad picture).

There are famous restaurants (don't know 'em, don't go, we're too cheap) that use candlelight primarily because it makes the women customers look younger and more beautiful. Do you think it is because they are too ugly by the light of day for the serving staff to stomach them? NO! I think it is because men see a beautiful woman and their pocketbooks fly open. Or, you can not be a cynic like me, and prefer to think beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The only restaurant I know that uses pure candlelight in the area, is The Tree Room up at Robert Redford's house. Okay, so I do know of that one restaurant, but to my credit we only went there because Dave was shmoozing clients on his former employer's several hundred dollars... I mean dime.

Clean Slate

The Glad Housewife, is a banner making fool. I have decided to give this blog a new look. Everyone needs change, and I am becoming something of an online minimalist. As I have toured the blogging world, I have checked and rechecked the sites that catch my eye. While I love all of them, there are a few that really look clean and crisp http://jenyu.net/blog/
is one of them, also, http://abeautifulmosaic.wordpress.com/
I am tempted to move over to WordPress because of the blogs I have see over there.

Anyway, back to the banners. I have taken so many great floral, outdoor, family photographs that I am going to try to focus more time learning how to use Photoshop. Thus you can expect to see some of the results of my trials and errors here for God and Country to see.

Confessions of the Glad Housewife

Do you know that it takes a lot of work to be married? Being "glad" all the time is pretty much impossible. Case in point; this picture is a good image of two people who were not very happy with each other that day. Can you see the strain in my face? Can you see the forced smile on Dave's face? I insisted on taking this picture here, before our beautiful clematis lost its incredible bloom, much to Dave's chagrin. Even though we took several shots this was the only decent one. I am convinced it is because we just weren't "feeling it" that day. We had a rather nasty disagreement before church, that we forgave each other for right after Sacrament, but there were obvious ripples in the water that hadn't calmed because we hadn't had the chance to talk about some of the things that were said.

As I have read many blogs, I haven't ever read a post that touches on the realness of a marriage. Real things like rotten days that every couple shares! Ugly disagreements that can foul up a day or weekend or, even in our case this time, 4 or 5 days. Real things like two people who still love each other at the end of the day and know that they have screwed up, and, have let lawns, children, laundry, money, church, neighbors and the house, come before each other for a bit too long. Life is good for us, we don't have a lot of worries, but sometimes it is "life" that gets in our way.

A successful marriage isn't one where couples don't fight, I am convinced of it. A successful marriage is one that both partners make even more incredible after the fight. Both partners have learned from the disagreement, fix the problem, thus making the marriage able to sustain the next issue it faces. And it will face issues. There is my confession, I don't have a perfect life, I don't profess to have a perfect marriage, but it is perfectly great for me, us,our family!

If I am wrong, and you and your spouse don't fight, I am so happy for you, but you are missing out on the making up part;-)

Saving Malaina

Malaina turns 20
Don'tcha just love those do-it-yourself photos? We all have them right? Just about the only picture of myself are the ones that I have taken.
But, I digress...

What do you get the person who does not need a single thing? I am thinking of a gift certificate to Itunes. It won't take up space, at least not space that I care about, and she can choose her own music. Or I was thinking about bookshelves. She can organize her multitudes of crapola that is squishing out the door.

Or I was thinking that I could take her by the hand and we could hoe through it all together and then be done with it. Wouldn't you love to have a helper come in like the fab 4 from Clean House and have them weed through it, sell it, then decorate for you? Can you think of a better gift than that?

So Dave and I went out
and bought these cute little baskets
and shelves to help her organize her
cute little self better. What great
gifts!

Michigan Gaddis'

Dave's sister Wende and her husband Curt and daughter Lily. (Blueberry farmers)
The Sixth Gaddis child and the first daughter

His mother sent me this great photo of his brother John and his son John Jr.( Journeyman -cum- all around fix and do anything guy)
This is the 4th Gaddis son and the one that most looks like Dave.

You all know that Dave hails from Western Michigan? I haven't met either of their spouses! We haven't seen them for years and years. But since I have been married to their brother for years and years, I wonder if they have many memories of their brother that don't include me? I know when Dave and I got married, Wende was barely starting Kindergarten, and John was going into 7th grade!

I'll say it again, how about a family reunion already?!

Maybe we should wait until the price of gas goes back down. But that is another story.

Moon Goddess

Did you know that my name is Greek in origin? From the Greek Mount Kynthos and also Kynthia, a name of Artemis, the Goddess of the Moon. Pretty cool, yes? Well, I was recently cataloging my photos and noticed an affinity for Moon shots. I have several cool ones. Here are a few I really like.

Sucking a Cup

You know how when you were a kid, (or adult) and you used to put a cup around your mouth and suck the air out thereby create a vacuume of suction around your cheeks? Well I hadn't done this in years (okay...months), and I felt it was time to show my family my skill.

We were sitting around the table for Family Home Evening and playing FIVE CROWNS, our favorite game. I have these great sturdy hard plastic cups that will last through a nuclear winter, and I sucked one up (no hands). Malaina made me laugh when she looked at me in absolute dismay (that she was more mature than her mother). I lowered the cup to the table..again no hands, and this duel skill caused me to laugh even harder. As the cup lost suction, due to the laughter, I hit the rim of the cup and chiped the tooth. This photo does not show the crack that runs almost the entire horizontal length of the tooth.

Textbook Gums!

I actually got up at 7:07 this morning, and called the dentist for an appointment. Look how great he fixed me up!

My dentist is the best. We have been patients of his since 1990. He was fresh out of dental school, and he had little kids like us too. We have basically grown up together. We have watched his career rise, fall, then rise again, and one thing is certain, no matter what time of day our appointment is, he has 5:00 shadow. He is a handsome guy, with dark blond hair, but his beard is black!! All the time! And it is always present.

Another thing about my dentist is his liberal use of the laughing gas.

I LOVE that GAS!

When I tell the hygenist to,"Turn it up Baby!", she never listens and she keeps it at the "safe" level.

I will whine to Gary, and he will crank that knob right up to the "danger zone".

I always seem to sing "Don't You Want Somebody to Love?", by Jefferson Airplane as I am flying high as a spaceship. It seems fitting doesn't it? It is the closest thing to dropping acid in "The Haight", that I will ever get, and still get to keep my temple recommend. Rock On.

The Cat Gets Vacuumed

Okay, I am not going to be one of those people, who all they can post about is their pet, or their kids, or their perfect life in the suburbs. Well, shoot, yes I am!And here is what Malaina posted on YouTube yesterday.

Sugar the Cat (turn up the volume)

The Glad Housewife's first lame attempt at a Slide Show.

It is time that Sugar the Cat gets her own post.
We have owned Sugar for 9 years. She has been to Malaysia, Taiwan, L.A., New Mexico, and Las Vegas. When we had a party in Penang, our friends lined up outside Jordan's door to get a peek at the freakishly large Sugar.

The Elders would come for dinner and we would shake the food can and show them how Sugar would run the 100 feet from the office to the kitchen. It was so funny to see her blubber shake from side to side. It was the highlight of any dinner party!

Sugar also got regular baths thanks to Kanthi our maid. But she gained lots of weight because of the lack of exercise. She didn't even have to clean her own butt. (she couldn't reach it either) The workers who cleaned the windows in the building would look in and see her sunning herself and her were aghast at her great girth!

Enjoy this first attempt, let me know how you like it and I will do more shows.

Y Not Mountain!

These two girls could have easily run
up the trail.






"Ain't no thang."

At the trail head, the Y is seen at the upper part of the photo. These are my children and Tiny has a friend along to help drag me up the slope.

I have lived in Provo since 1990, and never hiked to the Y? Friends from other lands...for some reason, Americans like to put school lettering on mountain sides or in the eastern half of our country where there are no mountains, they put them on great big water cisterns that dot the landscape. In my great city we have a great big Y on the mountain and it represents Brigham Young University. I might be the only person in Provo who has not done the hike! As shown in the photos we were well above the city. The lake in the background is UTAH Lake, and the sun is setting. Friends can email me and I will help you locate our home in the photo.
I gotta say it... "I Love Provo!"

Trail Statistics

Map Length: 0.99 miles / 1.59 km

Real Length: 1.01 miles / 1.62 km

Elevation Range: 5149 - 6175 feet / 1569 - 1882 meters Well above sea level!

Elevation Traveled: 1026 feet (1026 up, 0 down)

312 meters (312 up, 0 down)

Elevation per Mile: 1017 feet / 310 meters

Viva la Huelga (walk-out) or Hail Ceasar!

Having just read a favorite blog c jane enjoy it
posted: Pro Test


I was inspired to post this one. (it was a really good blog). Yes I have lots of protest experience and I would like to just remind myself and tell you about my earliest protest.

It was 1970, and I was nine or ten. Times were good at Casa de Martin. We had just moved into a new house in the "burbs", and food was plentiful at our dinner table. But Ceasar Chavez was just jailed for challenging an injunction on a boycott and was on a hunger strike. Mom (always militant) decided it was time for her suburban Chicano children to be indoctrinated into la Raza! (By the way it is Chicano, not Chicago). The migrant farm workers in California were being horribly treated by their employers and the ever nasty Teamsters Union was doing their dirty work, and Mom said, "enough was enough."

Down to the local SafeWay grocery store we went, posters and all and I watched Mom go to work. We were like, the ONLY Mexican/American family in all of GreenwoodMountain, Colorado. And we made our presence known! I never realized so many people ate lettuce! Mom stopped everyone walking into the store and asked them not to buy lettuce.
"Please support the UFA (United Farm Workers of America!)" Some people were rude, but most were just shocked that there were protesters in front of their peaceful store, and agreed to boycott. The story ends well, Ceasar Chavez was released, and the Teamsters backed off. (check out the links in red).

But, what I really remember is seeing a positive roll model in my Mom. She always made sure we understood the plight of the oppressed, and to get off our butts and do something about it. Even on Mother's Day last Sunday, we were reminded of the Native American injustices still going on today, for instance.

I too have tried to instill this attitude in my own children and look what my daughter Malaina created above. Yes she drew that picture of Ceasar Chavez as a 12 grader while at school in Malaysia. It now hangs in my home and I look at it everyday as I walk out the door, and I remember .....

UMMM Frozen Fat!!!!

My wonderful Mother's Day Present

I asked for it and I got it.
And, honestly, I am thrilled.
Who wouldn't want 265 calories
*65% of it from fat*
in only a half cup of ice cream?
16 half cups of frozen fatness in 2 quarts!
(I wanted the big machine..and does anybody stop at 1/2 a cup?)

Okay, let's get real. This machine is going to sit here for a few days until I can't stand the clutter another minute, and then in will go to Appliance Heaven (or Hell, depending on your views), downstairs in the laundry room. But, in the mean-time I am going to justify its existence in my kitchen by claiming I am only going to make fat free sorbets. Christina and I have a Luscious Lemon all figured out.

Did you know that I was at Albertson's today and ALL the cream was sold out? See, God is watching over me.

Grandpa lights the BBQ

This really could have been a disaster!

Grandpa will not let a sleeping dog lie. Instead of reading the clearly marked lighting instructions of the BBQ, (light with the lid closed, hold the ignition button down, only turn on one burner) Grandpa held his face to the grill listening for gas as he pushed the button.

Can you believe this? Thank God his eyes were closed. Grandpa doesn't need his nose hairs trimmed anymore! Look at those eyebrows.

Focus on the Family

Do you see the resemblance in these men? Up close you can sure tell that they are Gaddis'. Dave is the oldest of 7 children. He has 4 brothers and 2 sisters. These are 2 of his brothers and their wives.

I hope a good time was had by all as we visited tonight and reconnected after several years. Time has shown a few wrinkles and gray hair (mostly mine), and a few pounds (again, mostly mine), but same old good spirits.

It has been interesting to note that we may live totally different lives, but we share the same desires, worries, and interests in and about our children, spouses and their welfare. This is a shout out to the family... let's have a reunion already!

Prequel to Twinkle Twinkle

Malaina shared this darling video with me. Enjoy!

Two Girls/One Blog

How come I can't seem to get ahead in the battle of the bulge?
These goodies don't include the Key Lime pie I made yesterday.
I must confess, that I will only eat one of these bad boys. And, I don't do it often!


I love this picture of Jordan. This is a classic Jordan facial feature that is most difficult to catch on camera. She has always (since infancy) had the tendency to scowl and smile at the same time. Is she happy or sad? This is also Jordan without any make-up on at all. Pretty good, I think. Gotta love that orthodontic job too!

Toilet Wars

Don'tcha just hate it when this happens?

My last blog was all about one of my favorite things to do.
Cleaning the bathroom is my least favorite thing to do.

NO!
This is not my bathroom.

But I still hate to clean it.
When we moved back our bathroom did not look much different than this one.

What is your least favorite chore?

Confessions of a Foodie

Macey's is my favorite grocery store. It is not the most convenient though is it? I wish it could trade places with Albertson's. One of my favorite past-times is reading the food ads. I subscribe to the paper for the Macey's food ad and the coupons.(I am cleansing my soul, by finally confessing my secret addiction.) I am probably the last person to know, but I couldn't believe how easy it was this week to plan my shopping.Normally, I sit down with about a dozen of my recent favorite cookbooks and various recipes I have copied from the Internet, and then I write down the items I need to purchase for the weekly menu I have created. THIS IS ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE THINGS TO DO!! When people ask me about my hobbies, I am ashamed to admit that I love to plan menus and shopping lists, so I lie and say, "crafts". Why the heck do you think I am so fat? My life revolves around food; in every single aspect!! Reading about it, (600 cookbooks), cooking it (fancy appliances and gizmos), now I am admitting:

I love to shop for it.
(Any Grocery Store).

Somebody out there is reaching for the phone, right now, to call the mental hospital up the street to have me committed. (Ask my mother... all my life.. loved the store.) Okay, back to the shopping. You can go to maceys.com

and they will take you to a cool html of the current Provo store ad, where all you have to do is grab the item you want and it will create a shopping list for you. You can even put in any other ingredients, and you can select the coupons you want to use and they will price it for you.

Now if we can only get a Wholefood's Market in Provo....