karelina917's Xanga

...the Gangstad Monster Mash...

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:26:46 GMT

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What would YOU do....?

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:27:35 GMT

You know, hypothetically.....say, you drive up to the gas pump. As you approach, you see what appears to be a folded dollar bill, lying on the ground right in front of the pump you're headed to. You get out of your vehicle, and right at your feet is a twenty dollar bill. There is only one guy at the other pump on the other side. Odds are that it isn't his. There is NO ONE else around....not even anyone driving away.

Do you....
a) ask the other guy if it's his?
b) hand it in to the cashier inside?
c) consider it fate and use it towards your tank of gas?
d) put it in your wallet and pray about it?
e) put up "lost" signs?
f) use it towards your next "date night"
g) treat yourself to something nice?
h) buy LOTTO tickets?
i) consider that "God provides" and use it toward bills?
or
j) none of the above *fill in your own*

In My Life

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:07:03 GMT

Hello Xanga! Remember me??

(posted this on Facebook "notes", but thought I'd post it here too---not sure why 'cuz I doubt anyone is even following this anymore...)

I love my husband, I really do. But, as day to day life go on--kids, jobs, house chores--you sometimes forget how much your significant other means to you. I mean, deep down, yeah, you know, but, sometimes it takes a circumstance, a struggle, a trial or even a separation to remind you. For me, this can be a weekend away with girlfriends or a class reunion.

Sometimes when I'm away, I really miss Chris. Last time, I went away for a weekend, if I thought of a joke or heard a song, it'd remind me of Chris. It's not that I couldn't have mentioned it to the girls, it's just that they wouldn't "get it" like my Chris would. So, I keep a lot of things to myself in those kinds of situations.

So, again, this past weekend as I went back to my hometown for my 20th class reunion, I was reminded of how much I appreciate Chris. He 'gets me'. He 'loves me' regardless of 'preconcieved notions' or so-called "social strata". The entire evening of my visit to my hometown, he stood by usually siliently, sometimes sat down alone and once almost fell asleep. When I went to him and apologized for how boring it was to him, he said, "It might look like I'm miserable, but I'm really not."

He is my "HOME" and I miss him when we're apart and appreciate him when I'm in situations where I feel out of place. I heard this song the other day and it made me think of Chris....

Church Secretaries

Tue, 26 May 2009 16:26:43 GMT

I thought this was pretty funny....maybe you will too, then again, maybe you won't. Maybe it's just a "church secretary thing."

Thanks Pastor Jeff for forwarding this to me!

Click HERE.

Alien Invasion

Tue, 12 May 2009 20:29:53 GMT

--uh-oh! it was only a matter of time, I guess!

(Evan's art project from school---3rd grade)

Jill & Billie Jean

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:44:36 GMT

(This one has no title...so I'm just giving it one)

"How Jill and Billie Jean Got What They Wanted" by Evan Gangstad age 9, 3rd grade

Jill and Billie Jean worked at Ace Toy Factory. Jill had long blond hair. Billie Jean had curly brown hair. She also wore earrings. Jill put a wheel on a red toy car. Billie put a wheel on a yellow car. As Jill put a wheel on the car, she wished she could be horseback riding. As Billie Jean put a wheel on a car, she wished she could be having a "thrilling" moment at the beach.

Jill said, "I wish I could be doing something else besides my job."

Billie Jean said "Like what?"

Jill said, "Horseback riding."

Billie Jean said, "Then you're experiencing the same thing as I am. I wish I could be at the beach."

Jill said, "Maybe we can get a raise and a couple of weeks off."

So Jill and Billie Jean begged their boss, "Can we get a raise and a couple of weeks off?"

Their boss said, "Sure." Jill and Billie screamed.

That is how Jill and Billie Jean got what they wanted.

......oh, if it were just that easy.......

Need for concern??

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:18:50 GMT

"Little Red Riding Hood" by Evan Gangstad, age 9, 3rd grade writing assignment

Once upon a time Little Red Riding Hood was walking to her Grandma's house out in the woods. When she opened the door her Grandma hit her in the head with a broom.

Grandma tied her up and put her in the closet. Her Grandma was not actually the wolf.

Then her Grandma brought in her pet wolf, Jaws and hid him in the bed.

After a while, Little Red broke out of the closet and laid in the bed. Jaws grabbed her and ate her. She was too big to fit down his throat, so he died.

Little Red used her missle launcher to make a hole in the wolf, so she could get out. And they lived happily ever after. Without the wolf.

Now, should I be concerned? Oh my.....

...that's my son....

Nebraska State Capitol

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 04:37:33 GMT

The kids are on Spring Break so we decided to go somewhere and do something. Let's see, what's in our price range (free) that isn't too far away? Ah! So, we drive to Lincoln where we first stopped at the Museum of Nebraska History which was very cool (and almost free---suggested donation of $2), but we didn't have enough time there to get to the third floor. We definitely could have spent more time there. This usually isn't my 'cup 'o' tea' (museums, that is), but this was about "people" and that I am interested in.

We had to get to the Capitol before the last tour of the day--which is FREE! and anyone can just walk in and start taking pictures. I probably shouldn't say this like online and all, but there was like no, none, nada security check at all to get into this place. When we went to the museum, they made me leave my bag in a locker, but nay, I could carry it wherever I went in the Capitol. It just struck me as odd in this day & age post 9-11, that's all.

Warning: this post is filled with what might potentially be very boring pictures to anyone but me, but whatever...look at them if you want, don't if you don't want to. This building is an amazing work of art and arcitecture---pictures just do not do it justice. And I could have taken about a billion more, but I also knew even as I was snapping away, that pictures of scenery, artwork, sculptures and buildings just don't come out the same as when you were there live and in person. And of course, I can't remember all the symbolism behind every light fixture, mural or pillar---but there was tons of it throughout.

Here the kids are standing in front of Abraham Lincoln--who our state capital is named after. You can't see it, but on the wall behind ole Abe is the Gettysburg Address.

There were murals throughout---each having symbolism representing every little detail of it.

See the circular light fixture (looks like Saturn?)?
It has 48 light bulbs on it, representing the 48 states at the time the capitol was built.

This is the door leading into the East Chamber. It represents Native American culture & life. The doors to the West Chamber were open so I didn't get a picture of them. And we only got to look into the room through glass doors as our Legislature is in session.

FYI: Nebraska is the only state with a unicameral legislature. Just in case you're ever on Jeopardy and need to know the answer to that one (seriously, I actually got that one right last week when I was watching Jeopardy!!)

A ceiling shot...

A floor shot....
mosaics, mosaics everywhere!!!
Thousands upon thousands-- millions --pieces of tile!!

A very bored Gillian....

I didn't add pictures of it, but we could also view out from the top of the capitol and see all of Lincoln and beyond below us (yes, Charlie..including Memorial Stadium!!). It was cold so we went back in and took these pictures (below). The next four pictures are of the central room of the 14th floor. And I'm just going to copy/paste this because I know I'll mess it up.

The central room of the 14th Floor Observation Level is the Memorial Chamber, it is "dedicated to the forms of heroism called for in the public service and in devotion to humanity". The dignity of the Chamber is derived from the monumental use of black marble--Black Belgian, Italian Porto Oro, and Vermont Verde Antique. The inscription beneath the murals is taken from Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address.

Eight murals representing "heroic enterprises associated with Nebraska history" were added to the Chamber in 1996. The murals were painted by Nebraska artist Stephen Roberts and represent four military themes and four civic themes. The dome quietly represents the evening sky, and the chandelier the stars shining in it.

Again, outside--around the entire building are all the counties in Nebraska--there we are: "Fillmore"

My 'cousin-in-law' Liz works in the capitol on the 13th floor. We met up with her and my cousin Christopher to eat at Hu Hot where we ate until we were stuffed and had a lot of laughs and very bored kids ("mo-o-o-o-m...can we go yet?"). A quick trip to the mall to basically buy nothing and let the kids go up & down the escalator a few times and we were off to the Haymarket area to have ice cream cones at Ivanna Cone where I had a waffle cone with a double scoop of double dutch chocolate and hazelnut coffee.

It was a good, good day.

Kindergarten Job Parade

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:15:08 GMT

Kindergarten Job Parade '09

Gillian dressed up as the job that she wants when she grows up.
She chose to be a veternarian.

Gillian A. Gangstad, D.V.M.

The doctor in action...

How I transformed a Fisher Price doctor kit into a Vet kit
and Evan's white dress shirt into a doctor's coat:

Dr. Seuss B-day

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:56:15 GMT

Kids got to wear their jammies to school last Friday.

They were celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday.