New layout

Do you like my new layout??? I LOVE IT!! A million...no a billion thanks go to my good friend Leah. She made my banner for me, and played with the colors on my blog. It's beautiful! And she's FAST! We talked on Friday about changing stuff around. Late Saturday night I sent her some pictures, and voila! Sunday morning it's all done. She's amazing!

Coolest tent ever!!

J got an early birthday present from his folks when we went home for Easter last weekend. It's a truck tent. What's that, you may ask? Well, to be frank, it's the coolest damn tent ever invented!

We don't have a camping trip planned in the near future, but we know we will go as soon as it gets warmer. Today, we pulled the tent out to see if we could put it together. It's said that the first time will take you 45-60 minutes to figure it out, but that after that you can put it together in as little as 10 minutes.

Based on our first attempt today, I think we're looking at 15-20 minutes. But that's not bad at all!!

It went pretty smoothly overall. One of our neighbors who walks his dogs twice a day happened by and wanted to know what we were doing. He's a nice guy, and really helpful. Sometimes he's too helpful, though. I think he slowed us WAY down. But that's okay, at least we got it figured out!

Here are some step by step pics. J took a few pictures of me, but then didn't want to take more pics...so there's only a few of me. But I really did help! I stepped back when Red came around, and was able to take more pictures.

Sorry Dude

J and I went to his parents' house for Easter. His youngest sister was able to come home, and we had a great time. The weekend was WAY too short for such a long drive (it takes us three and a half hours or so to get to either his parent's house or mine)...but it was worth it after all.

Courtney and I hung out with Mom all weekend, and J and Dad went out into the wilderness to play with their handguns. (I HATE guns, but my husband doesn't...that's another story for another post later.) Court and I also did an art project. More on that later, too. This post is actually not about the weekend, but the ride home.


On our way home, I was very bored in the truck. I had my camera in my purse, so I thought I would take some pictures. Here are some of my attempts at moving-car-photography.

I quickly realized that we were moving way too fast for good pictures. So then, much to his chagrin, I turned my attention to J.

When I get bored, there's nothing I like more than to bother J. Really. You can ask him. He pretends that he doesn't like it, but he really does. I can tell. If you don't want to ask him, here's the video proof.


Here he's "ignoring" me. He's not really. It's just a game we play.

Now he's talking to me, but he makes some lame excuse about driving...pretending he's getting annoyed.

Now he's really getting into this make believe game...He pretends to be annoyed, I pretend to be innocent. It's fun, really.

Okay, does he know me or what?!?!

P.S. Sorry, Dude, but this video was TOO cute to resist!

P.P.S. Thanks for my new camera! I love it! I'll be taking it on all road trips from here on out, just in case!

Gingerbread House Build-Off 2007

I know it's late...really late...but here are the photos from the 2nd Annual Hocking Family Christmas Gingerbread House Build-Off!! Don't ask me who won...I don't know. In all honesty, it should have been H and C, but we ran out of time and didn't vote.

This year, we decided to come up with a boatload of "themes" and put them in a hat. Then, right before we started the competition, we drew one of the themes. That way nobody had the chance to scheme and plan and practice ahead of time. Well, by nobody I mean H and C...they kicked our butts last year!

We had lots of great ideas, but the one we actually drew was "Seven Wonders of the World." Everybody had thirty minutes to look stuff up on the internet and plan. Apparently, there are WAY more than seven wonders... Try looking it up on Google - you'll find all sorts of different categories of Wonders of the World.

Here we are all working. Dad's watching us...

J and I decided to incorporate three Wonders into our gingerbread sculpture. We had Stonehenge, the Great Wall of China and the Empire State Building. We even had little mini Teddy Grahams as Druid priests.

H and C did the Galapagos Islands. They even had turtles pulling Santa on a boat.

Mom and Dad did a Pyramid, complete with camels and Egyptians.

Somebody shoot me now...please...

Seriously...somebody please shoot me and put me out of my telephone misery. I HATE talking on the telephone. I do everything humanly possible to avoid 99% of the phone calls that come my way. I LOVE e-mail and text messaging. The internet is a godsend.

The telephone sucks.

Talking to customer service representatives is my own personal hell.

My debit card expires this month. My good ol' faithful debit card has reached the end of its life, and I got a bright shiny new one in the mail a few weeks ago. Today, I finally faced my fears, dug out the new card, and got to work making some phone calls. I wanted to be in bed an hour ago. No such luck.

Three of our bills come out of our checking account automatically. The only thing I hate more than the telephone is writing checks to pay the bills. I suck at it. I am often late by a day or two...or three. Okay, maybe even a week. But don't tell J.

It kills me because:

1. I am a responsible person. I don't not pay my bills. I just sometimes miss the deadline a little.

2. I have the money to pay the bills, I just hate sitting down and doing it. If only they were all due on the same day. I probably wouldn't mind it so much then. I could sit down and do it all at once. With everything staggered so much, it's like all I ever do is pay a bill.

3. There are some parts of being a grown up that suck. Paying bills and talking on the phone are two of the sucky grown up responsibilities.

Anyway, because we have automatic payments, I had to get on the phone and give all the people my new number. See, I was dumb three years ago when my last card expired. I didn't even think about it. It wasn't until a month after it expired and the cable quit working that I figured out my mistake. Oops. I wanted to avoid all of that this time, so I thought I would be proactive and call before everything expired.

I didn't realize what a serious pain in the ass it would be. I thought it would be simple. Call Sprint, tell them my new number, hang up. Well, actually, I thought I would try to do it online first. Now, I'm not stupid. In fact, I think I'm actually pretty clever. And, while I am not an expert, I can navigate a computer with ease most of the time. However, the "User Friendly" Sprint site was apparently set up to prove that I am not, in fact, clever, but dumber than a box of rocks (sorry J...I know rocks aren't dumb...sort of).

For the life of me, I could not figure out how to change my credit card information. So I picked up the phone, and got one of those HORRIBLE automated systems that wants you to say your information out loud, and choose from a list of options. Apparently my stuffed up nose (I'm sick again...this sucks!) renders me incomprehensible to the damn computer. I finally gave up and tried a trick I heard from a friend...I sat in complete silence. It worked! I outsmarted or frustrated the computer, and the digital voice went away and I got an actual, real, live person on the phone! I was ecstatic. Then reality sank in, and an ENTIRE HOUR later, I have an entirely new internet account, and new credit card information. Many thanks to the very kind lady in India who I sat in companionable silence with for approximately 50 of those 60 lovely minutes we spent together on the phone.

That accomplished, I thought I would just call Charter and get the cable bill set up. This time the process was much faster. I didn't even try to work with the nice digital lady...I tried the silent trick again, and it worked again!! The whole call only took 20 minutes from start to finish! There was only one slight miscommunication, but we resolved it rather quickly. She asked how she could help me, I told her I wanted to give her a new debit card number for my automatic payments, and she heard "credit" card. And, I told her it expired in 03/11, and she heard 01/11. Damn stuffy nose.

Anyway, it's all good now. I need to call my insurance agents in Gig Harbor tomorrow, because I really need car and house insurance. (I love Tim and Jorja Potter of State Farm Insurance!! They're wonderful. So great, in fact, that even though we live on the other side of the state, I still use them. And, when we got married, I made J call his agent and switch to mine!) I'm pretty sure their automatic payment comes from my checking account, and not my debit card, though, so I'm not worried there.

Oh, and when I call tomorrow, I know a real person is going to answer the phone...

If I get another computerized voice I'm going to cry.

Read any great books lately?

I have been reading a GREAT book with my seniors, and it has started me thinking about other great books I've read. Mostly because my kids are LOVING this book (The Kite Runner), and some of them have already finished it...several weeks early. Two of my girls and one of my boys have been asking me for book recommendations. That has been so much fun! I think, if I had it to do all over again, I would have become a librarian!

I thought I would share some of the great books I've read recently here. (There are way too many titles to list - I am an avid reader - so if you want other recommendations, please let me know! There are a few that I've read recently that I did not like, and I'm leaving them off this list. If you want to know titles to avoid, I can help you with that, too!)

Books I've read and LOVED:

The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini

This is a beautiful book about friendship, family, love, and atonement. It's set in Afghanistan, and follows the lives of two young men. Amir wanted to be loved by his father. Hassan wanted to be loved by Amir (like family, not romantic love). Amir does unspeakable damage to his relationship with Hassan, and their lives go down different paths. When Amir is an adult, married and living in America, he is afforded the chance to atone for his sins against Hassan.

A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini

I LOVED this book!! Like The Kite Runner, this book is set in Afghanistan, and follows the relationship of two characters. The two characters in this book, though, are females living under the rule of the Taliban. An unlikely friendship is formed between the two wives of a horrible man. Their friendship is what sustains them, and makes you want to keep reading.


Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett

This book is set in 1100's in England. Not the type of book I would normally read, but one of my seniors read The World Without End, and told me about it. He had also read this, and I thought it sounded interesting. This is a real page turner! The prologue begins at the gallows, where a young stranger to the town has been convicted of stealing from the monastery. When he is killed, a young pregnant girl curses the town. The story picks up several years later, and covers several generations of characters.



World Without End, by Ken Follett


This book is not a sequel to The Pillars of the Earth, but it is also set in the Kingsbridge Priory, some two hundred years later. Again, you are drawn into this period in history, and it's as if you were there living it. You follow the continued drama of the people, and learn a bit about history at the same time.



Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen

WOW!! I had heard about this book for a very long time before I actually picked it up. Every time I looked at it at Barnes and Noble, I was very cranky. It's one of those books that doesn't tell you a thing about it on the cover...just has critics reviews. Who cares what they think? I want to know what the story is about and then decide for myself. I finally had run out of other things to read, and decided to try it. I'm glad I did! It starts off in present times, with an elderly gentleman, Jacob, living in a nursing home. The circus is coming to town, and Jacob is incensed when another resident at the nursing home brags that he used to work at a circus...carrying water for elephants. Jacob gets so mad because he knows that means the other man didn't work for the circus...it's impossible to carry enough water for elephants! Jacob flashes back to his experiences working as a vet for a circus that moved from town to town by train during the Depression Era. Lots of interesting events, Rosie the Elephant, and some drama to boot!


Change of Heart, Jodi Picoult
This book makes you think. A man who is on death row awaiting his execution has decided that he wants to donate his heart after his is killed. There are several problems with this. The first is that his state executes prisoners by lethal injection, which means his heart would be useless. The second is that he wants to donate his heart to the sister of his victim. The third problem is that there are religious miracles happening in the prison where Shay Bourne is being housed. Picoult's books always make you think, and they always make me cry. This one is no exception. It's told from the point of view of several people: Shay, the prisoner; Maggie, his lawyer; Michael, his spiritual advisor; Lucius, another prisoner; and June Nealon, the mother of the victim and the little girl who now needs a heart. This is not my favorite of Picoult's books, but it's near the top of the list! (She has about fifteen books now, and I've read them all. I think my favorites are: My Sister's Keeper, The Pact, and Plain Truth.)


Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, by Lisa See

This is a great book too. It's set in 19th century China when girls had their feet bound, then spent the rest of their lives in seclusion. Much like arranged marriages, sometimes girls were matched with another girl to be friends throughout their lives. This is the story of two such girls. It's a beautiful story that follows their friendship. Be warned, though, the descriptions of foot binding are heartbreaking. And if you don't have a strong stomach, they are pretty graphic.

It's All Too Much, by Peter Walsh

BEST non-fiction self-help book I think I've ever read! If you've ever watched TLC's Clean Sweep, you know Peter Walsh. He's amazing! He helps people get to the root of their clutter issues, and gives practical, step by step instructions for getting out from underneath the mess. He inspired me to do some major cleaning last year of the game closet...and it's still clean. It's literally the only place in my house that still is. I intend to dig out his book again and get started on my bedroom and kitchen this spring break!




Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse, by Stephenie Meyer
This is technically a Young Adult trilogy, but it was pretty darn good, if I do say so myself! I don't like vampire stories as a general rule. This series is the exception to that rule! It's set in Forks, Washington, one of the grayest places in the country, which makes it perfect for a family of vampires. Bella moves to Forks to live with her dad when her mom got married. She meets Edward at school, and falls head over heels in love with him. She wants him to turn her into a vampire, and he doesn't want to do it. As far as young adult lit goes, this is pretty great stuff! It grabs you right from the start, and you have to keep reading because you want to know what is going to happen next.

If you want more YA titles, let me know! I read those ALL the time...the list is WAY too long to even begin here! I have to keep up with my kids, though, and have other titles to recommend for them.

Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert

Another fantastic non-fiction book. Elizabeth Gilbert goes through a horrific divorce, and decides that she needs to take some time for herself. She plans a trip to Italy, India and Indonesia. She eats in Italy, prays in India, and loves in Indonesia. There is so much more to her story, and it's a great book. I'm a spiritual person, but not really religious. This book talks about faith in an open an honest way. She doesn't tell you what or how to believe, but somehow, you find yourself thinking about just that. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll find yourself looking at the world through new eyes.

The Mother Tongue, by Bill Bryson

If you are an English teacher, or just interested in the origins of language, this is a great book. It's actually interesting, not dry and boring. Bryson is a journalist, and he explores the history of the English language.

On my bedside table:

A New Earth, by Eckhart TolleIt's one of Oprah's books...she's doing a whole online class and everything. I thought I might be interested, but it's taking me a bit of time to get into it. I'll let you know if I ever do read it...


The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa Gregory

This is in the theaters now, and I'm interested in seeing it. I always try to read the book before I see the movie...it's too hard to do it the other way around. I don't know much about it. I just know that it's about the Boleyn sisters who fought for the attentions of King Henry VIII.





There are still others that I would add here, but this list is already getting too long. If you are looking for a great author, especially for "chick lit" types of books, try the following authors (You'll love 'em, but your husband will most likely hate 'em!):

Jodi Piccoult
Lorna Landvik
Jennifer Weiner
Janet Evanovich
Adriana Trigiani

And many, many, many more!

Eighteen years later "it's about damn time!!"

In an earlier post I told you that my dad and Mary Ellen (Mel) have been together since I was in the 6th grade. What I didn't tell you is that it took EIGHTEEN YEARS, but they finally got married a year and a half ago!

I still remember the night I met Mary Ellen. T was in the band, and had a concert. Dad brought Mel there, and introduced her to us as his special friend. At that point, I think they had been dating for 5 or 6 months, but I honestly have no idea.

From that night forward, when we went to see Dad, Mel was usually there. After a few months, she started to spend the night when we were there, and it wasn't long before she was just part of the family. We love Mel. She is SO different from our mom, but she loves us, too.

It was because of Mel that we started to see Dad more often. He started to call more often, and he saw us much more regularly. Even after we moved 45 minutes away from Seattle, he and Mel came all the time. Mel had been married once before, but she did not have any kids. My sisters and I are her kids. (Her sister has children, too, and Mel loves them to pieces.)

After about six or seven years, my sisters and I started to bug Dad, and ask when he was going to propose to Mel. He brushed us off, and never answered the question. Then, after they had been together for twelve years, we stopped asking. We were old enough to see that their relationship worked for them the way it was. We just accepted it.

Then, out of the blue, Dad proposed. Eighteen years later, Dad and Mel were getting married and moving in together.

Did I forget to mention that?? In all those years, they never moved in together. They each have their own house.

My sisters and I were asked to stand up with them at the wedding, and Mel picked passages for us each to read. Mel's sister Eileen came from the East Coast, and we finally got to meet her. After hearing stories for most of our lives, we finally were able to put one face to one name. The rest of her family was not able to come, but we understood. Her dad is in his mid-90s, and her brother needed to stay nearby and take care of their dad. So it was just Eileen. But she was AWESOME!!

My sisters and I, J, and L's date Matt sat at a table with Eileen all night, and just laughed till it hurt!

Before the ceremony, the pastor pulled me and my sisters aside and let us know that instead of asking if people know why the couple shouldn't be together, he likes to ask why they should be together. My sisters and I knew exactly what we wanted to say, but weren't sure it would be appropriate in the eyes of the pastor. T was the brave one who asked the pastor if we could say what we wanted to say: "Because it's about damn time!" He laughed, and said it didn't bother him.

So we did. Dad and Mel laughed, so did everyone else, and then they were married.

We had a blast. We danced all night, and laughed with Eileen. J kept both of my sisters plied with alcohol, so they were a lot of fun! Mel had a wide variety of songs played, including some of Dad's "oldie but goodie" favorites. When Lionel Richie's "You Are" came on, he split the song between all three of me and my sisters. Dad loves that kind of music, and whenever I hear it, it makes me smile and think of him.


Here are some of the pictures.

Here's the Plenkovich family...finally official! (But Mel kept her last name, and mine is different now, too, but that's besides the point, right?)

The happy couple. I love those crazy kids.

Mel and her sister Eileen. Eileen is HYSTERICAL!! I want to be just like her when I grow up!

The girls. I always feel so homely next to my sisters. They're beautiful...

T, L, and me. It was HOT in that room...that's why my face is so red in all of the pictures.

P.S. Did I tell you that they are selling Mel's house, and moving into Dad's...after they remodel? At this point, the remodel is days from being done. I'm hoping to be able to go see it soon. J and I saw it in December, and it was still at no-walls-bare-studs stage...they were hanging drywall the day we went. I'm dying to see it all remodeled. It'll be strange, though. It's Dad's house but not, you know? I'll post before and after pictures at some point.