For those ya'll that like acoustic music... and photographs.

I found this song on a blog today and didn't want to forget to point Dad in the direction of this artist... I figure the rest of you might enjoy it a little too.

Hayward Williams - Problems with Hemingway


In addition Ksenia has started her very own Blog. It is mostly a place for her to post photos and not feel like she is bogarting the "family space". She would love for you to check it out and make comments about the pictures. Be specific about what you like, the lighting or the composition... or whether Kayla's face is funny, or how you were offended to see her without her shirt on. There is a link now in the sidebar for future reference. Some of her favorites are posted from our summer fun with the nieces and nephews earlier this month, and there are more posted on the fotki site as well.

Seeing as it isn't really a blog without a picture, here is one to tide you over till you click the link.

The End of a 12-Year Old Tradition!

A week ago today was the end of a long standing tradition for 12-year olds in the Everton Family -- "The Blood of the Buffalo". Mazey is the youngest cousin in the Everton family and she was our last 12-year old to go through this "coveted" ceremony held each year at the Everton Family Reunion. Jesse's wife, Amanda, also went through it this year and we still have plenty of "in-law" members of the family that will help us keep this tradition alive, but it seemed quite strange to think we no longer have any 12-year olds left. (I know this one of our stranger traditions that those of you who have married into the family must scratch your heads and wonder a little about our sanity.) But to our strange family, this did mark a "right of passage" that was looked forward to each year.

Mallory helped organize and lead the ceremony this year and she felt strange being one of the "older" cousins to perform the ceremony because for so many years she was in the "younger" cousins group. It was a Harry Potter theme this year (since atleast half the family had been anxiously awaiting the book and had gone to purchase it at midnight the night before, and most of the day half the family was glued to that book or reading to each other from it.) Did you notice the lightening bolt and big glasses painted on their faces (with chocolate frosting) in honor of Harry? The names they were given were also very Harry Potterish.

The reunion was great this year. It seemed very bare without very many Bob Everton's or Anderson's there. It was only 4 days long also, so it went by so quickly. Our cabin we stayed in was GREAT! The weather was awesome and it was beautiful at the lake. We saw a play, "The Little Shop of Horrors" at the Pickleville Playhouse, hiked into a cave, hiked to a lake where there was a rope swing, went 4-wheeling, got raspberry shakes at La Beau's (the best shakes in the world!!!) went boating and water-skiing, played lots of games and ate lots of food. (There was no volleyball tournament this year which was a first in a long time.)

We missed having you all there. Maybe a few more of you can come next year. I have t-shirts for all if you haven't all ready gotten yours.

In Desperate Need of Blogs!

Life is busy these days... I know I know. With Travis and Margaret moving to Pennsylvania; Mom, Dad, and Mal at the Reunion; Melissa, Kimball, and Family moving into a new house; and Hailey and Drew thoroughly enjoying their fun filled rides in their new vehicle on the rugged terrain known as "the Strip"; those with time to Blog are not easily found.

I am now 6 weeks into my 12 week internship and I realize now that... time goes FAST! I'm sure that you might not want to hear too much about my job but let me at least introduce you to some of my fellow interns...

We recently took a trip down to Santa Clara for our Pro-Intel Propaganda days, where this photo was taken. From the left, and going clockwise:

• Jessica (who has a boyfriend who apparently is entertained by picking his nose and wiping it on her),
• Corey (He's 6'4"!! Your typical Accountant/Jock),
• the person we will only refer to as "the one of whom we do not speak of",
• Ann-Marie (my fellow PSUer and President of our local chapter of, as Kimball so calls it, Beta Alpha Total waste of time), and
• MV (she's 4'10"!! MV are her initials... it is really hard to pronounce her Vietnamese name)

Great group of kids. I am the oldest in the group by 4 years... i didn't think I would be that guy in college, but I guess it's started. I share my wise sagely advice with them on occasion, but nobody seems to be interested in selling their car and riding a bike to work every day... imagine that.

In other news, I hope you guys don't mind that Sylvester Stalone is part of the "Club" now. He sort of just barged his way in.

This is for Kimball!

Vegas got to us....

Well you guys, we bought a Toyota Tacoma! Or really Preventive Pest Control bought a Toyota Tocoma. The company has offered Drew a management position for next summer. We thought long and hard, prayed even harder and weighed out the pros and cons and decided to take the offer and do this again next summer. It was quite a hard decision to committ to it again because it has been the most challenging summer and its not even over yet! So to think about coming back and doing it again seemed pretty crazy to us but we're doin it! With Drew being manager next summer there are some pretty cool perks that come with it and that includes Preventive paying for a car payment.....hence the sweet sweet truck that Drew loves almost as much as me. It is a brand spankin' new 2007 Red Pearl Toyota Tacoma with the TRD offroad package, and awesome JBL sound system, 6-cd changer, etc.....

We wish we were closer so we could all go for a ride!!! We feel really blessed and are very excited...

If a man loves me...

...then for our anniversary he provides flowers, chocolate, and cleans the apartment. I didn't have the greatest day in the lab on June 27th this year, I got in trouble for something I didn't do and the rat that I was trying to sacrifice gracefully refused to hand his life to me though he no longer had his head. I ended up getting home late and when I opened the door to our apartment I must have forgotten that it was our anniversary... because when I saw the huge bouquet of roses and a variety of my favorite chocolate on the table, I was shocked. After the initial reaction wore off a little I understood the real reason for my awe. The apartment that I left irritatingly messy was now completely orderly and pleasantly clean. A clean apartment, especially one with flowers and chocolate in it, brings peace to my soul like few other things do. I hugged Zach tighter than was comfortable for him and couldn't stop smiling. "Gosh you know me well," I told him, "you know exactly what makes me happy!" Some women are swept off their feet by diamonds, some by fancy restaurants, but Ukrainians -- by cleaning men.
I got cleaned up as quickly as I could and we drove into Portland to have one of Portland's best (and maybe only) Brazilian restaurants. We had a great dinner there. The man bringing out the meat to or table completely ignored our red "stop bringing us meat"-sign and continued to slice the tender loins, turkey in bacon, and other traditional meats saying "you just gotta have some of this."

When we deemed ourselves well proteinated and received some delicious chocolate-mint sticks, we decided to take a stroll down the waterfront.

Where Zach couldn't resist joining cute, chubby kids running in the fountain. There is an unexplainable joy that comes from running into water that is squirting out of the ground. Zach is not in this picture because he is much faster than the kid and ran out of the frame.

We walked along the river as long as possible before the Target-bought heels started to devour my feet. When we stopped, I couldn't resist taking a few more pictures of Zach before the sunlight rolled to the other side of the world. I don't know what it is, but he looked way more handsome that evening than ever before and I sure hoped that phenomenon would stick around for years to come.

Eventually we tried to take a picture of ourselves with my fixed length lens... and didn't have much success getting both of our faces into the frame.





















Our first anniversary was quite different than I expected. People always say that the first year of marriage is the most difficult, so I anticipated feeling triumphant at this landmark. In reality I just wondered how anyone would choose not to get married -- it was hands down the best year of my life.










At the end of our evening, we went to my parents' house to drop off the car that they let us use for our date. My mom congratulated Zach on surviving a year with me and gave us two giant grapefruits as a gift.

It's Steamin' Hot in Portland

It's hot here in Portland. It got to 102 yesterday and is supposed to be just as hot today. Yesterday, I spent a very relaxing, quiet day, mostly in Borders Books because it is air conditioned, which felt very indulgent after the very hectic last month or so I've had with non-stop activities and preparations for those activities and spending all day Monday getting my life back under control. It felt so great just browsing and sitting in Borders in a soft chair with my feet up on one of those rolling step stools they use to get books down from a high shelf, enjoying that air conditioning. There were lots of other people around me that, I could tell, were there for the same reason I was, because they spent about the same amount of time there as I did.

I spent most of my day finishing a novel I bought several months ago that I lost half-way through reading it. It was just getting to the climax of the story when I lost it and it was kind of driving me crazy to not be able to finish. It was too new to be in the library yet and I didn't want to buy it again, so I finished it at Borders yesterday and it was a very satisfying feeling to know the end of that book. The rest of the time I spent reading a book I bought with a gift certificate I received. It's this book I want to recommend to all of you. The name of it is, "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne. I first heard about this book on Oprah, I have to admit. But I was fairly skeptical. I only half listened to the program while doing something else and it sounded kind of hokey. But I'm half-way finished with the book now and it's just common sense. It really isn't a secret. It basically comes down to the "law of attraction" that we attract what we think about. If we think about positive things, positive things will happen to us. If we think of negative things, they of course will happen. I can't say it's the cure all for our lives. It just is a great book to read and decide for yourself how you feel about it. I think a major thing the book leaves out, which is why I was skeptical about it in the first place is recognition of the Lord's hand in our lives and the inspiration we receive from the spirit, so as long as we realize that, the book is very motivating and empowering and there's only good things that come from that.

It's just a suggestion to add to your list of books to read. Check it out! (I haven't figured out how to get graphics off the internet or I would have posted a picture of the book. Sorry, so boring.) I love you all!!

A very boring two-question post

This is even more boring after Zach's post, but...

1. Garvins: What is your new mailing address?
2. What is Jane Rhodes' email address?

I type this as binkeyed Jane snoozes beside me, Super-Will sleeps in his big-boy bed, and bearded Travis has just come in from some farewell golfing with a buddy. One of our last nights in this home and then: onto the future! We had so much fun seeing you guys last week and hope YOU come see US...

Just one of THOSE mornings...

... you know the ones where you feel like you just closed your eyes, and all of a sudden it is time to wake up.

I woke up this morning clutching my alarm (cell phone) to my chest as if trying to smother all of the life out of it. I don't know when my alarm went off the first time but uncouscious me managed to press snooze for almost an hour before I was able to unshackle myself from my slumber. I was having a dream that I was running late late for work and I kept acting so nonchalant about it. I kept thinking "You are late for work and you don't even seem to care... what is wrong with you?!?"... finally i convinced myself to swim to the surface of my dream long enough to drag myself from unconsciousness and squint at my phone... which revealed that i was indeed... late for work.

I slithered from bed blurry eyed and incapable of moving faster than a slugs crawl into the bathroom. I showered as quickly as I thought I was able to... but still managed to spend 20 minutes in the shower... time is a funny thing that way. Once I finished with the bathing ritual i quickly threw on some clothes and packed up my computer and other necessary diabetic accessories, kissed my wife, and flew out the door. I was particularly stressed because I had a meeting with the controller over my section (my boss's boss) at 8:30. Leaving when i did, i might just manage to show up to the meeting on time... a sweaty mess, but on time.

As I rode my bike down the usual path (right on Shute, left on Cornell, Right on Orenco Station, cut across the MAX tracks, Right on 231st, etc.) my phone rang... i let the ringing blend in with the road noise and made a mental note to check my voicemail. Sitting at the light (231st and Baseline) it started ringing again. Thinking it might be Ksenia with some sort of emergency I reached back into the side pocket of my backpack where I thought I had placed my phone, only to find the reason why the phone was ringing in the first place... "KEYS!" Ksenia, who was also running right on the verge of lateness, was desperately trying to reach me because I had both sets of keys. After briefly imagining her trying to lock the front door and then drop from the back balcony into the freshly watered soggy grass below (as I have done a couple of times)... I stopped on the side of the road and told Ksenia I would bring the keys back shortly.

I looked at my phone - 8:20 - took a U turn and shook my head and thought of how i would be even later for my meeting. Though I was incapable of any physical self-harm at the time there was certainly a lot of mental self-butt-kicking going on. i couldn't help but think about how many times I resolved to pack my bag the night before so that I didn't end up leaving anything behind, or bringing anything i shouldn't bring. Now, not only was I late, but Ksenia would be late as well.

Just as I was at the hieght of my own self loathing the rotten cherry of my monday morning plopped itself on the top of this foamy-pile-o-morning-feces... it sounded sort of like... pshksshhoooowooo... thud thud thud thud... flat tire. Not just a flat tire... a blow out! A hole blown through not only the tube but also the tread... big enough to stick a nickle through. I don't know what caused it! There certainly isn't a more helpless feeling than knowing you want to get somewhere fast, and realizing that you are incapable of going any faster than a determined walk.

I called my wife and walked, beaten by this Monday morning, to the MAX station where I gave Ksenia her keys back, and then back to the apartment. I finally logged on to my computer to get the number and called the controller whom I was supposed to have met with 30 minutes earlier to apologize for missing the meeting. When she answered the phone i announced myself and she breathed a huge sigh of releif saying "oh my gosh we were so worried about you. There was a bike accident on 231st and Cornell (see previous reference to bike route) this morning and the bicyclist was life flighted up to OHSU! We are so glad that you are okay."

I got off the phone with the controller after giving my boss directions to my apartment so he could pick me up, and i couldn't help but think... my morning was crappy... but i guess it could've been a whole lot crappier. There are some things in life that I'm not sure if God controls or not, but you've got to wonder if bad things sometimes happen to good people just so worse things don't happen to them down the road... who knows...

10 years younger!

I wear a white polo shirt and khaki pants to work every day. I carry a clip board up to each door. I use a big long hose and spray a barrier around peoples homes to protect them from pests. I don't wear a green vest and skirt with green knee-high socks. I don't carry cookies around door to door. And I am NOT 12 years old! But as I go up to peoples doors everyday to let them know we are there to service there home I get several surprised looks and hear things like, "Oh I thought you were selling cookies." Or "How old are you, you look like your 12?"(sometimes I get 14, if I'm lucky 18) Or "You're spraying? Does your dad own the company or something?" I hear it on average about 5 to 8 times a day.
I can't say that I totally enjoy the young comments but I know down the road from now I will really appreciate them. I was thinking this week that I owe a lot to mom for me looking so young. So mom this is a blog tributed to you and your young looks. You look 10 years younger than you are! And since I was SO blessed to look just like you I am blessed to look young as well. Maybe I should have waited to do this blog on your birthday but I just wanted you to know that you look great and I think you are beautiful and you really do look 10 years younger than you are. I am glad that we have young looks in the genes. Every time I hear those comments I just think "I'm glad I look like my mom." It makes me feel better. And then I wish I had some girl scout cookies to eat. Samoas and tag-alongs make me feel better too. haha

All Hail

Funny. I end up writing about the monarchy the week that our country celebrates its severance from it. But the Windsors seem to be everywhere. William and his girlfriend just broke up (sadly for the countryside shops that had already made souvenir plates featuring their two faces), Harry's request to fight with the military was denied, Charles and Camilla visited the farmer's market in San Fransisco. Even the reclusive Queen has been out and about it public eye, giving Helen Mirren even more good material.

One sunny afternoon in Paris, I heard her give a speech. I could barely see her past all of the heads and stratus clouds of cigarette smoke, but even hearing her voice, I felt like I was listening to someone important and special. Anointed? I think it hilarious that kings throughout history have touted and depended upon a pure bloodline of ascension, yet many of the kings were, I am sorry to say the word, bastards. And throughout history, their divine and absolute rule has diminished, to the point where people wonder at them, like Travis the other day asking, "The British Monarchy. I mean, what do they actually DO now?"

Maybe it's the history nerd in me, but the English fascinate. Aside from their smashing accents, England has given us much of our motley culture: scones, tennis, sonnets, English, prams, protestantism, riding boots, to name a few. Millions of women's conception of fashion was changed forever with, among countless other images, the sight of a pregnant Di wearing a bikini. England has always been the quintessential country. And, like most things with America, we took the idea and ran. Across the Atlantic. We are, after all, England's most successfully deviant colony. Happy Independence Day, mates.

Can't wait to see you!

These guys were straight up CRAZY!

So lastnight Hailey and I went and saw The Blue Man group at the Venitian on the strip. Tickets to this show are usually 90$ a person but we made a friend selling pest control and got to go for FREE! Its really hard to explain what the show was like, but it was sooo good! It was filled with music, humor, some crazy 3D stuff, and lots of cool drumming. These three "blue" men did not say a word the whole time, and their facial expressions stayed the same for the whole 2 hours. Its just one of those things you have to actually see to understand why its so cool. You really can't explain it.
On a side note we are doing great here in Vegas. This selling thing has its ups and downs but all is going great, and we are doing better then we ever had hoped. I was able to hit my goal for these last two months for sales. Hope you all have fun this week and just know we wish we could be there too!