Future Generations

Tonight Alicen and I realized that this generation and the next are totally going to be technologically more sophisticated then we ever could have been. I always knew it would be the human evaluation to grow, become stronger, smarter, ect. Like I said today proved that point. As we prepared for dinner. Alicen and I watched McKinley get on the computer, upload the Internet explorer, click on the Disney website icon (we put it on the tool bar), and then got into her Hanna Montana game. She then switched to a memory game and started playing. We have been trying to teach her to play memory but she just could not get it figured out. Tonight on the computer, she not only got passed the first board but got to level five before the time limit got to her. We could not believe how quick she picked it up and online never the less.
After Alicen and I were talking about how our parents did not have the Internet, let alone the computer. We learned the Internet in school and she is only three years old. She will start to school and be able to use the Internet but most likely have it as an everyday use. The sad thing is when we are old and gray, our grand-kids will laugh at us because we don't know how to use what ever future technology that might come out. They will think we are so so old because we used Internet explorer and had Google. Something crazy like that.
It was just crazy that our little girl McKinley was able to do all that with out thinking about it or a blink of an eye. She does me proud to know that she is smart and getting educated in materials that will help her in the future.

Small Ride for Big Guy

With being moved back to the Salt Lake store, I will no longer be able to drive a company vehicle. Going to Orem everyday I got to drive a white Chevy pick up on company time and money. On Friday I had to give that up and go back to driving our little Ford Escort to and from work. It was quite a shock factor to drive that car again. Not only is it a manual transmission but I forgot how low it sits on the ground. At the first of two lights to get to work (3 minute commute to work if I have to stop at lights), I had a huge truck pull up next to me. I almost felt like it would run me over. My head was right about the same height as the wheel. Its scary to go from sitting high in a truck to so low in a car. I can see why short people have that so called "short man syndrome." Looking up at something bigger could be scary!!! My only comfort is knowing I spend cents on the dollar to drive the escort, where that truck just wasted gallons of gas to move that huge motor. In that aspect- victory ME!!!

Back to the Future!!!

OK its not really back to the future, but really close. Last week while working in Orem, I was told to pack my bags. I was moving back to Estimating and Purchasing in Salt Lake. That an outside salesman would take over as Orem store manager and I would be working my way into Estimating working under Bob Honeycutt, while he works his way into Purchasing to replace Ken once he retires. I was really surprised by the move. I wasn't planning on moving from Orem for a long while. I was not really sure what to expect. I was content with Store Manager and seeing the other side of ICS but to get back into purchasing was really exciting. I was sad to leave Chase and Andy down in Orem. We all had become great friends and got a long really well. Its always hard to leave good friends.
As for Estimating, I think it will be fun. I will take over every quote from here on out. Its a lot of work and new things to learn. I am excited to try this out and see where it takes me. I will be getting pricing, quoting freight and doing mark ups to all material specially ordered. Although I don't feel at home just yet back in SLC, I am sure it will grow on me. I have only been gone for Five months but it feels longer then that. At least I get to listen to my Ipod again all day long, the radio stations where getting boring with all the commericals. Now I need to update my ipod again. They shall call me "the Estimator!!!"

Basement: update

As Alicen had been reporting on her blog about the progression of the basement, I thought I would update mine as well. Last Saturday (2/6/10), Mark and I have completed the sheet rock, taping and muding, and priming for paint. It has been a long month or so to get it all done. It looks so good now though. We textured the ceiling and I got to do that. Every one's design is a little different. Marks texture looked professional and dare I say perfect, where as mine looked like a whole bunch of Monster Energy drinks logo all over the ceiling. So once we have it done I might get a craving for a drink if i look at the ceiling. It set to paint once we get some touch up work all done. That should happen pretty soon.
Then Monday this week, I decided I did not like the bathroom floor that I stained a long time back and the toilet leaks when anyone sits on it. It needs a new seal. Well I decided that since the toilet needed work and the floor looks bad I would just re due it all. So I took out the sink, the toilet, grinded the off the sealer and stain. Now its ready to be leveled off and restained again. I am really excited for all of this to take place. I have a vision of what I am going to do, now if it just turns out like I envisioned it would. Just more dust to clean up later. That mess gets everywhere. Grinding any surface is not fun, I have decided.
We should be done within a couple more weeks. We just need to paint and get carpet in the room. Then I can start on all the other little projects that might be going on around the house. I will post some pictures once we get them loaded on the computer and once complete.

Vancouver 2010

To get onto a better subject then the health issues of the Kettenring family. I am really excited for the Winter Olympics. After the College and Pro football season this year there was nothing I was really into. For some reason I cant get into the Utah Jazz! Last year it was a smooth transition but this year just can come around to Basketball- College or Pro.
That is why I am glad this year is the Olympics. There is always a great feeling once the Olympics start. What will be fun to see, is how all the transferred snow will hold up in Vancouver. Who would believe that the places that usually have a lot of snow this time of year is having problems and back East is getting pounded with snow. I am sure DC and those places would willingly give up their snow.
But just to seen sports that take place in snow. Not just the Snowboarding, Ice Skating and Downhill Skiing, (don't get me wrong I like watching those too). But I am excited to watch Hockey, Speed Skating, Bobsledding, Skeleton, and even curling! (I know strange). But I really am excited to watch these athletes compete and actually see some sportsmanship that so many other sports seem to be missing. I am just excited to watch. I hope the USA does really well.

When it rains, it pours!!

I know that everyone knows what this saying means and feels like when it happens. This is how it has been in the Kettenring household the last couple of weeks. First off, Alicen has had her surgery on her neck and the problems associated from that. The kids got Pink eye on Super bowl Sunday and just getting over that (although some luck the fact either Alicen or I got that), and now I might have strep throat that came on this morning. Its just one thing after another. I can only imagine what is going to happen next in the Kettenring Family household. Stay tune. I am sure its not over yet!!

Surgery: Part 2

So it has been over a week now since Alicen had her cyst surgery, we thought by now the swelling would have gone down but it just got worse. Yesterday, the doctor called to check up and immediately told Alicen to come in. I guess it was infected and he should have put in a drain like he first thought. Anyway Alicen got this puss like looking fluid taken out and the doctor had to reopen the incision area. She now has an open incision in her neck where she had to put an antibiotic gauze inside the cut and then put a bandage over it. This mess is not over yet. The crazy thing is, she can do the antibiotic by herself. I will have to learn to do it for her for a while. Its going to be great. At least I can handle things like that. Its still crazy that this whole thing is not done with. Lets just hope this works and Alicen's neck can heal, and she can get back to singing and life.

Who Dat? Who Dat?

OK I have no idea what that means but I know it goes along with the New Orleans Saints. Super Bowl Sunday is a great time of year. But yesterday before the games started our Super Bowl Party plans were put on hold. We woke up to see that our kids have Pink eye. Yes the dreaded infection of the eye! I went to my Ward Council then took the kids to the kids care and to the store to get their prescription. We called my parents to tell them we were not coming to their party and that we would be staying home. The rest of the day was spent helping the kids not touch their eyes, sanitizing their little hands, and having them not touch their eyes, re-sanitizing and then making sure our hands where clean too. My hands feel like they have been put through the ringer. But we only have to go until one this afternoon before the infection is not contagious. But we still have to disinfect our house again. So much fun.
As for football, our house hold wanted the Colts to win because Austin Collie (BYU vet) plays for them. I liked both teams but I got sick of hearing how great the Saints are, and what this win would mean to New Orleans. To me, I really really hope it will help but not seeing it really doing anything to help those truly in need. But I could be wrong. The game was good and not as high powering offense as I thought there would be. It was still a good game. Too bad the Colts lost but congrats to the Saints.
Now as for the Commercials, I was kind of disappointed in them. No one really put out the money this year for memberable commercials. I have to give props for Doritos, they by far had the best, the Snickers with Betty White was funny, Dockers "No pants" was pretty good (and yes I entered for free pants, keeping my fingers crossed to win). Then the David Letterman and Jay Leno commercial was pretty good too. Kind of a big shot for Leno to be on another station. Cheap shot on NBC, I think so!! Other then that nothing to exciting. Then the whole Tim Tebow and Mom commercial, I did not see anything that caused the media frenzy that came before. I thought it was good and well put together talking about family and pro-kid families nothing more.
But that was my Sunday, I watched the super bowl with a wife that had surgery this past week, two Pink eyed kids that wanted to touch their eyes and only a seven layer dip to entertain my appetite. What a Super Bowl Sunday to remember...

Mountain Bike Iditarod

I don't know if any one else read this story on KSL but this lady who is into extreme sports, is looking to mountain bike the Iditarod trail up in Alaska with a group of people. I don't know about anyone else but seeing the trail and what the mushers and dogs look like after a couple days of the race and after the race. I think this lady and the group are nuts to take this adventure. They are going to be in the snow, out in the wilderness alone, in -30 or -40 degree weather trying to mountain bike this trail. It sounds like a great idea when your training in Utah where the coldest it gets is ZERO. But its a whole different winter up in the AK. What I thought was cool was the specialized bike she will be riding, it has a wider tire that is made to travel on snow. That is kinda cool but I am sure the price tag is extremely high as well. I wish them good luck on their adventure but think they are crazy. Its not going to be easy.

Surgery

So as most everyone knows Alicen went in for surgery on her throat. She had a thyroid cyst on her hynoid bone hynoid bone. So this last week, she went into LDS Hospital to get it removed. A two and a half hour surgery turned into an all day event. Good thing I took the whole day off rather then a half. We got to the hospital a seven am, we're prepped for surgery by eight thirty am and she did not get into surgery until ten thirty when the doctor finally arrived. I had left her side around eight thirty and had no idea that she was waiting. Once Alicen was in surgery, my mother in law Sally and I went to breakfast in the hospital cafeteria. I had an egg omelets with an apple, sally had the same with has-browns. Then we went shopping at the Gift shop. I went through the store in like 10 minutes but we spent the next 30 minutes there. Those gift shops have so much junk packed into one little 15x25 space I have ever seen. The rest of the surgery was spent in the waiting room reading magazines and trying to stay awake.

In the waiting room, a family came in a took up a whole section. They had at least 30 people there. Once their doctor came in, the whole area went quite just to see what the doctor would tell this family. One the of the ladies in that family said "So doc did the s--x change go OK?" Everyone including the doctor started to laugh. It was really funny. After that everyone who was listening in went back to their own business and the doctor updated the family. They guy had actually had some type of brain surgery. Really weird for a in/out patient.

Around two, Alicen was out of surgery. She was way out of it, lots of drugs I guess running through her. Even through all the drugs, Allie was still Allie, first things she asked for was a diet coke. We had to wait for the drugs to wear off before they could release her. We did not leave the hospital until around four that afternoon. She was a trooper through the whole surgery and has been good the last couple days as well. Now she just has bandages on her neck that she has to wear for the next week.

I would like to thank everyone that has helped out as well through this whole thing. My Mom and Dad for taking the kids on the day of the surgery, as well as the night and next day. It was really helpful to not have to worry about them as well as Alicen. For Sally, going to the hospital to support Alicen and give me someone to talk to. She will tell you it was to comfort me in a scary time but she was the only one really worried. For the neighbors for all the dinners and phone calls in support. We really appreciate each and everyone of you. thanks again.