Steven and Stephanie

2011-09-05T23:47:00.001-04:00

Photoshoot while waiting for Dad.

Photoshoot

2011-09-05T00:37:00.003-04:00

Allegra and I took these pics when we were waiting for Dad to come home from work.

Spring has been good to us

2010-07-03T00:28:00.004-04:00

The last two months have been quite eventful. April 29th, Steven and I found out that we are having a baby!! After nearly three years of not conceiving, it finally happened for us and we couldn't be happier. We also have moved back to Scottsdale and are very glad to be back near our families and friends. I am due December 21st, which puts me at 15 weeks. I have been sneaking my own ultrasounds of our baby and today was the most exciting one. I got to see baby hiccups and thumbsucking, really how cute is that? I could not believe it. Within the next month, we could find out what we are having...but it is going to be another six months before we actually do. We will see if I can hold out for the huge surprise. All bets are against me, but I think it will be great!

Hey Pupeh

2010-04-26T19:36:00.002-04:00

This footage is from the first week had Cooper. He was eight weeks old and looooved Steven's camera.

second verse same as the first

2010-02-26T22:20:00.002-05:00

We got hit again, but it was another snow day. Hooray!

Snow Day Video

2010-02-10T21:53:00.002-05:00

Snow Day Video from steven hamberlin on Vimeo.

learning to be a lefty

2010-02-06T12:04:00.002-05:00

Seven years ago, while Steven was living in Montana, he was working out and did a pull-up with the bar behind his head, instead of in front. Turns out that this isn't the healthiest position for one's joints. Since then Steven's been dealing with a bum shoulder. But on Monday of this week he got it fixed. This entailed repairs of a rotator cuff and bicep tears. Here's a video of something similar they did to him.

They clean up the roughed-up tissue, screw an anchor into the bone and then use strong ties to fasten the torn tendons back to the bone. All through five little holes...pretty awesome.

He will be in a sling for one-two months and will have a full recovery in around six. For now he is improving quite a bit each day and enjoying a little time off of work.

A Knickerbocker: Any New Yorker

2010-01-16T11:00:00.006-05:00

Last night Steven and I got to go on an awesome date...with all the teenagers from our church, to see the NY Knicks play. The president of Madison Square Garden happens to go our church and was generous enough to give all of the teenagers and their adult leaders these:

That's right. Box seats to see the Knicks with this KILLER view:

We had a blast. Too bad they lost. Poor little Knickerbockers.

2009-12-25T19:03:00.002-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Maybe even a Fan

2009-12-20T17:36:00.006-05:00

Last night was the first big snow storm for us and I must say I have been quite elated by the whole experience. Being the good husband he is, Steven convinced me to take a drive in the thick of things last night so that he could teach me a few tips about driving in the snow, which I had never done. We went to the parking lot of our church and practiced skidding, breaking, and sliding. After I passed my driving test, we came home and watched it all come down.

It was BEAUTIFUL.

Here is what we woke up to see:

And then we went and played in it!!

My journey is over

2009-12-16T21:07:00.004-05:00

I'm looking for a domain name for my demo reel website and Stephanie suggested www.www.com.com. Godaddy got confused so I tried www.wwwdotcom.com and found this:

p.s. if anyone has any suggestions for my domain name feel free to share.

Fall Happenings

2009-12-15T17:07:00.010-05:00

This post is long overdue as we have been so busy enjoying the fall here. Our most exciting news is that we have a new four-legged edition to our little family. After months of Dexter begging us for a buddy, we finally gave in. Cooper is now five months old and has turned out to be just as much fun for us as he is for Dexter.

All four of us had an excellent Halloween. Thanks to Steven's mom, Dexter got to wear a pumpkin muscle shirt and Cooper was Frankenstein.

We were lucky enough to get to go a great costume party with our friends, the Carters, and thought that going as Flo and the Caveman was only appropriate:

For our five year anniversary we went out West to see my brother Daniel and Lelia get married. It was a beautiful day and a nice trip where we were able to see all of my family and one of my best friends.

And of course I have to brag about my newest cutest niece, Jenny.

This month I was absolutely spoiled with a perfect New York birthday. We went to the City the Saturday before my birthday where I was able to take dance classes. I had an opportunity to take a class taught by contemporary dancer, Will Wingfield, who you might know as a finalist from SYTYCD Season 3. It was awesome. After the classes, we walked around in the City's first snowfall of the season. We saw the tree at the Rockefeller Center and the windows at Macy's. Then Monday night, we spontaneously celebrated again on my actual birthday. We walked the Brooklyn Bridge and ate brick oven pizza at Grimaldi's. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday. We are now getting ready for our first snowy winter together!

We couldn't resist posting this

2009-10-07T18:45:00.001-04:00

Sunday Sunset

2009-09-22T19:12:00.005-04:00

Last weekend Steven and I went down to Liberty State Park to enjoy the beautiful evening. I took these pics of the NY skyline as the sun was setting behind us and all the city lights were turning on. It was so gorgeous that I thought I would share.

Silly Advertisers

2009-09-02T17:59:00.004-04:00

So this little sticker add showed up on our milk carton this week.

Is it just me, or does it strike you as odd to give kids vitamins by feeding them more totally processed, calorie-filled, clog-your-artaries-margarine?

I had to laugh.

Weekend Update Withdrawls

2009-08-14T19:00:00.001-04:00

Really?!

2009-07-30T16:59:00.002-04:00

I think that we might actually live in Mayberry. We love our town. It is clean, beautiful, and safe. The only down-side of living in such a great place is that the police officers do have little to do to keep busy.

Two weeks ago I was pulled over because of the tint on my front windows. The tint? We still had the AZ plates on that car, so I escaped with only a warning.

Then today I arrived at my car only to see a parking ticket on my windshield. After deciphering the scribble, I discovered that I was parked within 25 feet of a crosswalk. I would describe the situation as more like...where the sidewalk meets the street. I apparently misjudged the importance of this corner.

I must say, that if I had to hand pick a complaint to have about the town I live in, it would most definitely be: It's so quiet that the cops have to harass me for something to do. But, tint and an imaginary crosswalk...really?!

Another mention-worthy is that my car failed inspection because of the tint, so I have been driving around for a month+ with a "REJECTED" sticker on my windshield. It looks great. Needless to say, Steven and I both had the tint removed last weekend. We are very sad each time we see our poor naked windows, but at least we aren't in any danger of getting pulled over for that now.

Boston for the 4th

2009-07-12T19:24:00.003-04:00

This year we were able to celebrate the 4th in Boston. We went up with our good friends the Carters. On Friday we walked the Freedom Trail and saw many awesome historical sights. On Saturday we hung out on the Charles River and waited for the fireworks. It was a spectacular show and a great weekend!

This is a statue of Paul Revere and the church in the background where the lanterns were hung.

The small balcony of the brick building is where the Declaration of Independence was first read.

Honest Mistake

2009-06-27T12:18:00.003-04:00

This is my first student film.

hint: the husband is a spirit and none of the characters can see him

Two months too long

2009-06-08T18:50:00.003-04:00

Well I am excited to announce that I will be starting my new job on Monday!! About a month ago, I noticed a cardiovascular clinic down the street from our place and so I stopped in and dropped off my resume. After three weeks of follow-up calls and hearing no response, I lost hope of being able to WALK to work. Well, last week the office manager invited me in for an interview with her and the head vascular doc at the practice. She had said that the position would most likely be for per diem work; but I was fine with that, as my sanity has been reaching its end after two long months of not working. On Friday I got a call saying that they were excited to be able to offer me a full time position at their practice!! I went in today to finalize everything...and June 15th's my big day :)

Memorial Day in DC

2009-05-26T12:03:00.007-04:00

This weekend, Steven and I were lucky enough to be able to celebrate Memorial Day in Washington DC. We went down to see my cousin who lives there during the school year. Last summer, I posted a little bit about her. We were able to see her perform in The Kirov's spring performance and she was absolutely beautiful! I am so proud of her; for her great talent and the dedication she has to live her dream.

This is Jordan-Leigh, my aunt Sharleen, and me...with my eyes closed...I know

After the performance on Saturday, we had the rest of the weekend to enjoy all the famous sites. We visited two of the Smithsonian Museums. This quote was above the entrance to the American History Museum.

We also went to the Air and Space Museum which is totally awesome. We got to see so many different planes, from the Wright Brothers original airplane to a space shuttle. It was super cool.

This is an original outfit worn by President Washington during many photos, dinner, and special events.

For me the most touching site was the Arlington Cemetery. American flags had been placed by all the headstones. We found ourselves in many places within the cemetery where, as far as the eye could see, there were headstones marking the graves of people had had lived their lives defending our country. It was quite sobering.

Here is the Tomb of the Unknowns, which contains the remains of unknown soldiers from WWI & II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War. It is guarded 24 hours a day. The guard walks from side to side on the black carpet. He takes 21 steps and then pauses for 21 seconds, symbolizing a 21 gun salute, which is the highest military honor given. We arrived there at 7:00 pm, just in time to see the changing of the guards. The precision at which they takes their steps, handle the gun, and exchange places was impressive. In fact, all around the tomb are markings where thier steps have left perfectly straight lines and right angles in the cement.

On Sunday night, we walked the National Mall, which I think was my favorite part of the trip. Seeing the monuments lit up made them appear even more magnificent.

This is one of my favorite pics. In addition to seeing the Washington Monument in the Reflection Pool, you can also see the WWII Memorial (the faint yellow pillars, representing each of the 50 states) and the Capitol Building in the distance.

The Lincoln Memorial was my favorite thing to see. I especially liked the words engraved in the wall above him that read:

IN THIS TEMPLE
AS IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE
FOR WHOM HE SAVED THE UNION
THE MEMORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN
IS ENSHRINED FOREVER

We had such a great weekend. I think this was the best Memorial Day weekend we have had!

Dexter's Jersey Favs

2009-05-14T15:33:00.006-04:00

We're not the only ones enjoying our new life here. Dexter too has found a few things he really enjoys.

All the new wildlife...but mostly the squirrels

Going on 10 walks a day with mom

Hanging out on the new sofa

Going on way cooler walks with dad and the scooter

And most of all,
that Production Studio H has yet to film with his arch rival stand-in, Baxter.

Good Dog

Another 40 lb weight limit

2009-05-09T12:20:00.007-04:00

Steven likes to push the limits

Brooklyn Botanical Garden

2009-05-07T14:23:00.005-04:00

Since the beginning of April, I had been checking the Botanical Garden's website like a stalker waiting to find out when the cherry trees would be in blossom. Finally, last week they were in full bloom. Thursday was the only day without a rainy forecast, so I headed off to Brooklyn to see blooming cherry trees for the first time. It was so great I spent about four hours wandering the park and taking way too many pictures.

This is my favorite pic of the blossoms

I couldn't decide which I enjoyed more, the Cherry Blossoms or the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. This one was originally built in 1915 by a famous Japanese architect. I had never seen a Japanese garden before and was stunned. It was very peaceful and the whole thing was so precisely arranged with pathways, bridges, stone lanterns, and pines... I loved it!

The Lilac Garden was also great. There was every shade of purple from nearly white to dark fuschia, and surprisingly each tree had a little bit different fragrance.

It was well worth the long train ride into Brooklyn and all the online stalking.

We felt smarter just being there

2009-04-28T09:49:00.006-04:00

On Sunday, we were invited over to some friends' house for dinner and they offered to show us around Princeton. What a picturesque little town. We loved it.

We first visited the Princeton battlefield. It was beautiful as the sunlight spanned the quite field. The stillness seemed to me a great paradox. Here's a bit of its history:

On December 25th, 1776 Washington had led a victory at Trenton. Upsetting the British commander General Howe, he sent his most aggressive subordinate, Cornwallis, to continue with a subsequent attack. During the early hours of January 3, 1777 Washington fled their camp with the majority of his men. In Washington's brilliance, a few men were left behind to make noise as if they were fortifying camp. The men banged shovels and dug holes. The movement of the exiting cannon's wheels were muffled by blankets and the muddied ground was frozen that night, making for an seamless withdrawal. The stealth escape allowed Washington to surprise an attack at Princeton. The British fled for protection at the nearby Nassau Hall (later to be Princeton University). A cannon was fired on the building and legend has it that the hit damaged a portrait of George II, decapitating their tyrant . The 1777 battle at Princeton was the turning point that allowed the Americans to gain control of nearly the entire state of New Jersey. The consecutive victories also greatly encouraged France to elicit its aid to the American cause. And above all, American morale was heightened to new levels.

This is a Revolutionary hospital used by men wounded in the battle.

It was a unique experience to see inside the little hospital and imagine women caring for the suffering and dying men. Thinking of the all who gave their lives on that battlefield, and all others for that matter, to bring our country its independence was humbling.

Next, we walked around Princeton University. I couldn't have imagined a more pristine campus. The archways, statutes, brickwork, stained glass...my words can't do it justice, and neither can my pictures.

We went down to the main part of town where everyone was out enjoying the weather and perusing the boutiques. We sat on a bench, watching people walk by us. This of course led to the game of "I bet they're really smart..." It was also humbling to think of all the students and faculty there that research, teach, and contribute so much to society. We felt a little bit smarter just being there that afternoon.

Spring is here

2009-04-18T13:27:00.006-04:00

We've been here in Jersey for about a month and its been busy. Steven and I both had to return to Phoenix for two weeks the end of March. He was attending training for his job, and I was training my replacement at my job. Once I got back in town, my friend Stacie and her baby Sadie came out to visit for about a week. Now we are just trying to get settled into our new place.

We really like the town that we live in and our apartment complex is beautiful. We've gone into Manhattan nearly every weekend we've been home. Steven is liking his new job. It has been fun for me to see spring here. Its been warm the last few days and it seems like everyday there are more blooms and leaves on the trees. We are loving experiencing a new place together. More updates to come...

Oops

2009-04-18T12:56:00.004-04:00

Oven Fire...

We're ok.

Moving to the Garden State

2009-02-17T20:59:00.003-05:00

Last November we took a trip to visit our friends in Manhattan. During that week, I fell in love with the east coast. As a silly suggestion, I told Steven that we should both quit our jobs and move out there. He actually liked the idea too, and so he looked into some positions back east with his current company.

Much to our surprise, the company had a bunch of positions open in one of the branches in New Jersey. All of them however, would have to mean a big promotion for Steven. Because of the current economy, the company was very willing to promote Steven much earlier than anticipated to keep from hiring outside the company. He started the interviewing process last month, and now its official. We are moving to New Jersey!!

Steven starts next month. That leaves us with three weeks to get everything together to move out there! Its fast, but we are very excited. Steven is very happy to start a new position and we are both anticipating the adventure of a new city.

So, if you have any suggestions about moving cross-country we would love it...or any moving boxes would be appreciated! :)

Here's a little place we are thinking of renting...hahaha...sure is pretty though.

Favorite SNL Skit

2009-01-14T00:55:00.000-05:00

Exam

2008-12-05T17:34:00.007-05:00

Well I took my final exam today and passed. I am so excited to have passed it and to be done!
It's official... I have letters behind name.

In Honor of Cyber Monday

2008-12-01T20:24:00.012-05:00

Last year on Black Friday, Steven and I did no shopping, but rather contributed to the community of bargain hunters.

At about 2 am, we decided that we were really sick of the 16-year old gray leather recliner that had become so dreadfully uncomfortable over the years that its only purpose was to take up space in our bedroom. So we jimmied it into the back of Steven's car, drove it to the bus stop near our house and left it with a big sign saying, "FREE." We figured that if no one wanted it, it could at least serve as a semi-comfortable alternative to the grated bus-stop benches. Well it apparently was wanted by someone because it was gone by morning.

This year Steven and I wanted to keep up our generous tradition by placing a huge television at the bus stop. Its big, heavy, and starts to look funky after ten minutes of viewing. It is however a good thing to have for the few house guests we have on occasion. So we opted not to give it away this year. You can bet though for next year, there will be an unwanted item at the bus stop near our house!

This year we again did no Black Friday shopping. I was informed though today, by my good friend Donna, that on the Monday after Thanksgiving there are great shopping deals online. Its the equivalent of Black Friday, but from the comfort of your computer fully lacking the early morning rushes, parking problems, and tramplings.

I checked my email, only to find that I had received a notice from Lenox that one of my China pieces was on sale for 80% off. The Dessert Set was so inexpensive that I could get all the place-settings I needed for the cost of two sets at original price! I was so excited... I bought them all and spent the birthday/Christmas money I hope will becoming later this month.

So now my question is:

What Crazy Shopping Stories, Black Friday Deals, or Cyber Monday Findings do you have???

We love New York City!!!

2008-11-24T21:20:00.027-05:00

On Monday October 27th, I called Steven at work. I told him that sometime before our lives got too complicated with kids, I really wanted to go to New York and take dance classes. (typical dancer's dream) Being his spontaneous self said, "Well you have all next week off work and our anniversary is on the 10th, so make it happen." Thrilled by the idea, I jumped online and found a killer deal on tickets that I couldn't pass up. And bonus, we could stay with our good friend Addie (evidenced in our photos). She currently is living in Manhattan while her parents, Co l and Aubrey further their education. So we were off to New York City on Wednesday November 5th!

Here's a glimpse of what we did...

Walked on the Brooklyn Bridge

Took class with Alvin Ailey.
I was one of two white girls and one of four non-professional dancers.
I am proud to say I held my own, absolutely loved it, and finally put to rest my constant wonder of if I could have ever made it as a dancer in NY.

Ate at the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park

Went to Brooklyn for Luigi's
Hands down, the best street pizza we've ever had. The neighborhood we walked through was breath-taking, with its brown stone steps and tree-lined streets.
Walked Central Park in the fall...gorgeous
Experienced pizza at Lombardi's
Lombardi's was great restaraunt in Little Italy and named "Best Pizza in the World" by Zagat.

Celebrated out Anniversary at the Top of the Rock
We saw New York City by night from the Observation deck of the Rockefeller Center. It was an incredible view.
A huge "THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU...you're far too kind" to Col and Aubrey for being so hospitable. It was a blast to stay in their character-cloaked apartment, have our own personal tour guides, hop on the the A-train and go anywhere we wanted, and see the beautiful view of the GW Bridge from their neighborhood.

Up till three

2008-10-25T02:20:00.003-04:00

Just to warn you, Stephanie and I are on a music video kick.

Sadie Bell

2008-10-15T00:10:00.009-04:00

This last weekend I went to Salt Lake to see one of my best friends, Stacie. The purpose of the visit was to meet her first new baby, Sadie Bell. It was so great to be with her and to help take care of her girl. We did a lot of sleeping in, shopping, and hanging out with little ms. cutie-pants. I also got to meet up with my friend Kiri and meet her new baby boy.

love the baby bath

it snowed while I was there...i swear it follows me

Stephanie's Directorial Debut

2008-10-06T01:33:00.002-04:00

why I love my backyard

2008-10-03T22:10:00.003-04:00

A Spontaneous Suprise

2008-10-03T19:28:00.003-04:00

Last Friday I called my Dad on his birthday, only to find out that the whole family was at his house for the weekend, including my step-mom Marilyn's six kids and spouses. It was quite a house-full and I was sad to not be there. When Steven got home from work he suggested we drive through the night to go see everyone and bonus, surprise my Dad for his birthday.

We arrived the next morning at 7 am and crept in the back door and found my Dad working in the basement. He looked at Steven thinking, "Oh good you guys are up..." then took a second look and said, "What are you guys doing here!?" He was so excited to see us and it was pretty fun surprise him like that.

We had a good weekend and a great spontaneous road-trip. The only pic I ended up taking was of the new overpass they are building at the Hoover Dam. Boring, I know...

my first tag

2008-09-26T22:18:00.007-04:00

Thanks for the tag Katie. The rules: Go to your picture files. Pick the 4th file, and the fourth picture in it. Tell a little bit about the picture. Tag 4 friends.

So this picture is from Camp LoMia this summer. I got to be a cabin mom for the first year cabin, which is the 12 year olds. Oh man did I ever have fun. First of all notice how the two bunks are pushed together in the picture. This is really how they slept...five to a "bed." (Yes I am in the pic, but did have my own bed)

The first night they had a hard time getting to sleep because they would not turn off their flashlights and so thought they were being attacked by everything that could fly.

The second night was the snipe hunt and the older girls went way overboard and all of them came back to the cabin in tears...no hysterics is more accurate.

The next day was filled with exhaustion-induced balling session. Finally I pulled out the benadryl that night and we all got some great sleep.

After the girls were broken into the camp groove I had one of the funnest weeks of my life. These girls were like little stand up comics. I seriously laughed...and laughed...and laughed. It was a blast!!! Our last night there, we were told to finally go to sleep at 2 am because the men at the other end of camp were kept awake by our roaring laughter. I will never forget that year at Girls Camp.

Tag: Stacie, Liz, Katie R, and Kiri

Our Weekend Visitor

2008-09-24T23:26:00.005-04:00

Well this past weekend my friend Donna went out of town after recently bringing home a five week old Labrador puppy. So being the responsible pet owners that we are, we had little Bella stay with us. Well it is quite interesting having both carpet and a six week old puppy in the same house. During the day it was fun. She and Dexter played and I luckily averted almost every accident. But night time was a whole different story...
The difficulty came when we could not let her roam the house unattended, nor could we restrict her only to the tile because of the incessant puppy cries. And so the solution was for me, Dexter, and Bella to sleep all together, curled up by the stove on our tiled kitchen floor. We also ended up all sleeping in the tiled bathroom. Plus we played a lot of ball at 3 am. At the time I was so sleep deprived I didn't enjoy it, but looking back it was pretty funny. This week I have actually found myself missing little Bella.

Per Aubrey's Request

2008-09-15T00:12:00.004-04:00

Well I don't know if Stephanie would ever, EVER let me film her exercising in her chair...but I imagine she would probably look a little like this...but skinnier and a lot cuter, oh yeah and not a guy.

Hitting the books again...with a study budy

2008-09-13T21:32:00.002-04:00

I have started studying for the final board exam for my job...yeah!!!! My exam date is December 5th. This time around will not be as intense as the last. This exam covers only about two-thirds the amount of information as the last one and one section of it I've previously studied. Another bonus is that I am already familiar with the complex medical vocabulary that I need to know. This should significantly cut my study time, as I won't be thumbing through the ten pound medical dictionary every three words.

I am not sure what it is about the place I have chosen to study, but Dexter thinks he should be in my lap every time I get my books out, which is not really like him. So I had to make a place right next to me so that I could get to studying. I think its cute.

Well wish me luck and I will hopefully we'll be celebrating in December!

Our Apologies

2008-09-08T19:00:00.003-04:00

Sorry to any fan out there who may be hoping for a Monday video post. We were at Steven's mom's for dinner and didn't have time. We have an idea in the works...so until next time!

Scared

2008-09-01T15:10:00.006-04:00

This is the result of last night's video production. Dexter sought shelter after hearing all the commotion. The funny thing is that this cat carrier originally was in the garage. Because he wouldn't come out of it and afraid he would suffer heat stroke in our sweltering garage, the carrier traveled from room to room with us all night...poor dog.

Revenge

2008-09-01T03:34:00.001-04:00

Pirate This....Dave

2008-08-25T03:49:00.004-04:00

Bored on a Sunday Afternoon

2008-08-18T00:26:00.001-04:00

Expelling All That Bad Vista Energy

2008-08-13T23:07:00.005-04:00

The mouse on my office computer has been freezing up periodically for about a year. After its final three-day freeze about two weeks ago, I decided I needed a new pc...yes that's right a pc. Upon ordering my new Dell, Steven was upset that the only OS would be Vista and not XP. I however, was not so worried and was actually really excited to have a new computer at work.
Well, it got all set up and then the dreaded symptoms of the Vista plague hit. Seven hours, 26 upgrades, and 75 bucks later, my hp printer was finally up and running on Vista. I hate Vista. The Mac and PC ads are all the more funny to me now...in a very frustrating sort of way.
Words of Advice: Hang on to your pre-Vista pc forever...or switch to mac.

A Complex Situation

2008-08-02T18:58:00.006-04:00

Here's what happened....

I was driving home from my regularly-attended dance class when I saw a flashing light in my left peripheral vision. The pulsing light grew bigger and bigger, filling more of my field of vision. Having never seen this before, I called my mom. In the course of our ten minute conversation, my left arm and face went numb, and soon I could not think of nor form words. I called 911 and struggled to give them my address. The paramedics and Steven both arrived at the house at the same.

At this point I was really scared. Due to my job training, I am very familiar with stroke/TIA symptoms...and that night I was becoming far too familiar with them. So in great alarm, we arrived at the ER where I underwent three hours of testing...to see if I was stroking.

After coming our of my final test (MRI) I could speak again and the numbness and strobing light was replaced with a headache. The attending ER doc was in communication with the neurologist all night, who finally gave me the diagnosis of Complex Migraine with Aura. Aura is a symptom associated with migraines that mimics the neurological signs of a stroke. So though they are harmless, they are quite frightening.

Later I was feeling fine and wanted to go home, but the nurse informed me that I had earned myself a night at the hospital. After sleeping only 2 hours that night, the neurologist came to see me the next morning to confirm the diagnosis... I guess I get migraines. Who knew?

Our complex situation worked out just fine and Steven and I have discovered a deeper appreciation for each other and for our healthy minds and bodies.

Bragging Rights

2008-07-25T22:38:00.002-04:00

I just found out last week that my cousin has been accepted to the Kirov Academy of Ballet. This is the main Russian school here in the US and is arguably the best in the nation. She will be in the 9th grade and will continuing her academic and ballet training there. The most impressive part, which is also the reason I get to brag, is that over 1,000 students audition and only 75 are accepted!! One of these days Steven and I will have to fly back East to see her preform and I can't wait. I am so proud of her!

My new favorite pic

2008-07-25T20:30:00.003-04:00

In reviewing pictures on my memory card, I found this one. Just before the picture was taken, I had left my philly cheesesteak sandwich unattended. Dexter, being the obedient little dog he is, was not going to eat my dinner but only long for it in hopes that I would reward him with a bite.

The iPhone Killer

2008-07-25T18:58:00.005-04:00

~Per request of our good friends, I have decided to finally update our blog and hope to continue with more frequent posts. I admit that to the discovery that I am not a blogger at heart and so I thank Col and Aubrey for both insisting that we stop neglecting our poor blog~

As I sit here typing away on our Mac, a small part of me feels like a traitor upon reflection of our most recent and exciting purchase: the Samsung Instinct. From the time that even the concept of the iPhone was first announced in '06, Steven has been dreaming of the day he could own one. And dreaming is no exageration. Many mornings Steven has ignored his alarm so that his dream involving the iPhone could continue. Me being the frugal wife that I am, could not justify the phone, nor AT&T's expensive monthly charges.
So two weeks ago we found ourselves at the Sprint store allured by the new Instict, all of its competative features, and of course its great price. Thus, like the typical consumer who is won over by a good bargain, we both purchased our own iPhone Killer.
It has been a fun purchase for us because of all the great features like the fun-to-play-with touchscreen, GPS, email, visual voicemail, and internet. With Sprint's plan we now are getting a lot more for our money than with our old plan. The Instinct is also a good PHONE with quality sound and reception. (Its comical that I am listing the phone feature last on my list.)
Our complaints have been that it is not compatible with Apple, which means we cannot sync the phone to the computer and itunes-purchased music cannot be loaded on to it. (But I guess that is what we get for being traitors of Apple) However, the phone uses a micro SD card to store movies, pics, and music, and that is of course user friendly. All in all we are enjoying our new toys...I mean phones.

Insurance Lesson 101: Get Involved

2008-04-25T20:33:00.004-04:00

One month ago, I went to the doctor about my back pain and it was determined that I would have a steroid injection. (That's right, a long needle poked into a joint in my back) It was scheduled for the 11th of April. Because of the great relaxing drugs I would receive and recovery time needed, both Steven (my handsome chiefer) and I took the day off of work.
At 4:00 pm on the 10th of April, I received a call from the doctor's office. They informed me that the pre-authorization for the procedure takes 7-10 days. Because the office did not call the insurance company until the DAY BEFORE, I would have to reschedule. I was furious to say the least.
So I called the insurance company myself. I explained to them that this had been scheduled for over two weeks, that Steven and I have both taken time off work, and above all I was in a lot of pain and did not want to reschedule. They told me there was nothing that could be done, but I insisted that there was. I did not take no for an answer.
The next morning at 7:00am, I received a call from the insurance company that the pre-authorization had been pushed through and everything would proceed as scheduled.

LESSON 101: As the patient, get involved with the insurance company yourself when things are not happening in a manner that pleases you. I work with insurance companies every day for my job and have always known that the patient's involvement is important. I did not fully realize just how much of a difference it can make until I was the involved, persistent, and perhaps even pushy patient.

Yellow and Green

2008-04-08T00:10:00.002-04:00

After conference on Sunday, Steven and I headed up north to do some target practice with our gun. When I hit the water bottle dead on, Steven tried to tell me it was beginners luck. However, I then proceeded to hit a can, another bottle, and an old florescent light bulb all in a row...he stopped teasing me about my beginners luck.
After our bullets ran out, we drove up towards Payson. It was 6:30 as the sun was setting over the mountains and we approached this gorgeous valley full of thousands of bright green saguaro cacti. The desert was in full bloom and the California poppies were fiery yellow. It looked as if all the green cacti and shrubs were growing up out of a yellow carpet. The diffused light from the setting sun magnified every color. It was one of the most beautiful scenes I have seen in a while.
At the time, I regretted not having my camera, but now I can envision it in my memory, which always turns out better that pictures anyway.

What I came home to...

2008-04-02T22:16:00.003-04:00

Like most couples, Steven and I have certain chores that have defaulted to being "assigned" to both of us. One of my chores is the dishes. It is my most loathed chore. The irony in this, is that I am the one who told Steven I would take on this chore.
For a week now I have been slacking, and in the mean time the dishes kept piling and piling up out of the sink, onto the counter, and even onto the other counter. I said to Steven every night, "I will do them tomorrow, I swear," fully knowing it was my own fault for letting them pile up into an aweful mess. Well, what I came home to today after work was a spotless kitchen. What a nice surprise.
It is little acts of kindness like this that make me feel so great and inspire me to go beyond what is expected of me...and to do someone else's chores sometimes.

2007's Travel Log

2008-03-13T00:06:00.002-04:00

Well, because I have so recently discovered the great thrill of blogging, I would like to make a post to recap the Hamberlin's travels of 2007.

We rang in the New Year on a small tropical island of Belize. We were in Belize as the final destination of our Christmas vacation to Guatemala. We went down with my favorite blond mission comp/best friend, Stacie. My and Stacie's dream of 2003 was realized when, on December 24th, 2006, we arrived in Guatemala... together... with our great husbands. It was an unforgettable week full of adventures, a great lake at sunset, and crazy Central American highways.

Rocky Point is one of our favorite getaway places, with its taco stands, fireworks, and beautiful beach. It is also where we found ourselves for a weekend in both May and October.

We spent Labor Day weekend with my Dad, his wife Marilyn, and her kids in Flagstaff and went to the Grand Canyon. What a fun trip.

2007's Travel Log Part II

2008-03-12T23:50:00.002-04:00

In celebration of our third anniversary, we spent a couple days in Sedona and then drove home through Jerome, where Steven made friends with a very likable donkey.

The weekend before Christmas, we went to Salt Lake for a family party. I must admit that I have never liked the cold. However, while we were there a huge blizzard covered the entire city with glistening white snow and it was absolutely breathtaking...especially when I got thrown into it by my affectionate husband! But really, it was beautiful. In fact for a second, I had almost had changed my mind about cold weather...for a very short second.

That concludes the travel log!

Our weekend in Payson

2008-03-10T23:48:00.004-04:00

This weekend we went with Col and Aubrey Carter to their family's cabin in Payson. Gratefully, it was chilly up there, which allowed for one of the highlights of the weekend; sleeping all night next to a warm and surprisingly loud crackling fire. We explored some great caves, testing our limits for claustrophobia. We ended the weekend with a "better than Thanksgiving" dinner of the 90-minute rotisserie chicken , which turned out to be the moistest meat we had tasted (nice job Steven, Drew, and Col!!), and delicious farmer's market veggies. I also got to hang out with my favorite little girl, Addy Carter. Its so great to have such wonderful friends with whom we can create fun and long lasting memories! Thanks guys!