Is this normal?

We went to the DI this morning to look for a few things we needed. We thought that they opened up at 9:00 AM and showed up at around 9:45. It turns out they don't open till 10:00, but there was already a crowd gathering at the doors. By the time the store finally opened, there were a good 50 people waiting to storm the doors as soon as they opened.
Wierd. We like DI as much as anyone else, but not enough to camp out to be the first ones in the store on a Saturday morning.

Star

Not much going on around the Lloyd house lately. Just settling back into the routine of school and work after the holidays. In the meantime, so that the blog doesn't feel too neglected, here is a picture of Star, one of the lesser-known members of the family:

In addition to keeping Rachel and a fish alive, we've also managed to go for almost 2 years without killing this houseplant, despite terrible neglect:

Other than this and some bamboo, we've killed every other plant that we've ever owned. This one must somehow be hardier than the rest because we've literally gone months without watering or caring for it in any way....

New Washer/Dryer

One of the many benefits of living in condo is that when your washing machine decides to blow up during the rinse cycle and spew water all over the place you get to flood your neighbors downstairs as well as your own kitchen!

(^^^Nevermind Rachel being in the washer. This was the only picture that we had of the old beast.)

Another benefit is that when it comes time to replace the old washer and dryer, you're forced to buy a stacked machine or frontloading units that cost twice as much as equivalent top-loaded machines because your laundry room is a closet.
At any rate, these certainly look fancier than what we had before and in addition to the whole not flooding the building thing, it will be nice not to have to run the dryer 3 times to get clothes dry. Anything beats searching the couch cushions for change and doing laundry at a laundromat though.

Tidbits about Tyler and Tori

My friends did this on their blogs for their husbands. We're going to do it for eachother. First-

About Tyler from Me:

1. He's sitting in front of the T.V. What is on the screen?
This Old House, almost anything on HGTV, The Office, Mythbusters, 30 Rock

2. You are out to eat. What kind of dressing does he put on his salad?
Balsamic Vingrette or Ranch

3. What is one food he doesn't like?
Eggs

4. You go out to a bar. What does he drink first?
Diet Coke

5. Where did he go to high school?
N. St. Paul, Minnesota

6. If he where to collect anything, what would it be?
Tools, home improvment stuff

7. What size shoe does he wear?
12

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich?
Turkey and Ham

9. What would he eat everyday if he could?
Popcorn (and he does eat this everyday)

10. What would he never wear?
The color peach

11. What is his favorite sports team?
not really into sports, but I'll say the Jazz

12. What is something that you do that he wishes you wouldn't do so much?
Stress (worry about getting straight As and lay-offs at work)

13. How many states has he lived in?
Idaho, Washington, Minnesota, Utah, Russia (not a state)

14. What is his heritage?
European

15. You bake him a cake for his birthday. What kind of cake would it be?
No cake--pie (anything made by his mother or Marie Callendar)

16. Did he play sports in high school?
More of a drama guy

17. What could he spend hours doing?
Home improvments

Now, about Me from Tyler:

1. She's sitting in front of the T.V. What is on the screen?
Something on the Food Network, the Gillmore Girls or re-runs of Reba.
(Seriously, the TiVo is clogged with episodes of Reba because she has a "season pass" and it comes on 50 times a day on Lifetime)

2. You are out to eat. What kind of dressing does she put on her salad?
Light Ranch

3. What is one food she doesn't like?
I made some borscht on Saturday that she hated.
She'll always say she hates bacon and refuses cook it but she'll secretly eat it if its around.

4. You go out to a bar. What does she drink first?
What are we doing at a bar? She drinks water at restaurants.

5. Where did she go to high school?
Conway, AR

6. If she where to collect anything, what would it be?
Kitchen trinkets

7. What size shoe does she wear?
Hold on, let me call one of her sisters and ask....

8. What is her favorite type of sandwich?
Vegetable

9. What would she eat everyday if she could?
Peanut butter

10. What would she never wear?
I have no idea

11. What is her favorite sports team?
ditto:
Not really into sports, but we'll sometimes watch the Jazz.

12. What is something that you do that she wishes you wouldn't do so much?
Leaving laundry on the floor.
Starting the dishwasher when its not full.

13. How many states has she lived in?
Missouri, Arkansas, Idaho, Utah

14. What is her heritage?
German

15. You bake her a cake for her birthday. What kind of cake would it be?
I'm fairly certain that Tori would not eat anything that I baked myself.

16. Did she play sports in high school?
No

17. What could she spend hours doing?
Reading, running

Where were we then...

Time again to look back at what we were up to 5 years ago this month courtesy of our old journals.

Tori was in Las Vegas waiting for a travel visa to Venezuala and Tyler was being buried alive by snow in eastern Russia:

---------------------------------

Tori-
Monday, Jan. 19, 2004

I’m in Vegas!!! I’m serving in the Las Vegas mission until my visa clears. I was sad at first, but now, it will be hard to leave. My trainer is Rebecca Brown from Texas. She is so happy. She reminds me of Rosie O’Donnell minus the whole gay part. Tomorrow marks one week in the field. I’m learning so much!!! Time is of the essence here. I already love all the people-the homeless, the gangsters, the drunks, the locos. I love the members. I want to share my message. I’m a missionary!!!
My favorite part that I’ve learned so far is praying all the time and learning to know the promptings of the Spirit. I am the Lord’s, and He tells me what to do. I have to constantly repent to be worthy of the Spirit, but I love this life.
As far as my visa, I still desire to serve in Venezuela. I know there is work for me there too, but my feelings would not be hurt to continue to serve here. However, I know my visa is coming. . . soon. I pray for it to come when the Lord sees fit. He knows the plan. I don’t’ really want to worry about it, or I may miss an opportunity here.
I hope the Lord is using me. I hope I will be humble to change and work. I know he hears my prayer. Oh, I pray for the people of Vegas!
My goals:
1-Estudio Espanol diligentemente. (Study Spanish diligently.)
2-Hablo a miembros-no duda, no miedo. (Talk to the members-no doubt, no fear.)
3-Reconoco y obedeco a el espiritu primera tiempo. (Recognize and obey the Spirit the first time.)

---------------------------------

Tyler-
Tuesday, Jan. 20th, 2004

Last Thursday and Friday the snow continued, and got so bad that we had to stay home. We did try and walk to our 2 appointments, but everything in the city was closed and so were all of the roads. It was snowing and blowing so hard as we walked that my EYES FROZE SHUT. Because of all the snow, we also weren’t able to move into the new apartment on Komsomolskaya until yesterday when things started to clear up a bit. We went to the airport and met E. Weidmann (my new greenie) and E. Neeves. E. Weidmann is 24 years old and from Switzerland. He is pretty fluent in English, and so between that and the 5 or so words that I remember from my years of high school German, we get along all right. He works and tries very hard and I am impressed with him so far.

Russia gave him a royal welcome yesterday. The airport was open again after the storm and a few of the roads were plowed, but most everything is still covered in 7 feet of fresh snow from the recent storm. This morning our upstairs neighbors flooded us and so we awoke to water pouring through the ceiling in the bathroom and kitchen. E. Weidmann and I spent his first morning study in country filling buckets with water until the city came and shut off all of the water in the building since the people with the leak weren’t home. We still don’t have any hot water and everything in the apartment is wet. I’m sure it all must be quite the shock for him, but he’s adjusting very well.

Today we had another discussion with Ira, who is leaving for the sea in 2 weeks and is pretty much gone as an investigator. We taught a man named Alexander a 1st D and it went very well. We also met with Masha and taught English club.

The bathroom...

... is done:

(Yes, it is painted a different shade of blue than it was in the previous pictures.)

Funniest Commercial Ever

If you only knew how many flax seeds, whole grains, and other natural "snacks" were in our pantry, you'd understand why this is the funniest thing ever...