When life gives you lemons make lemonaid... or just buy a BIG truck

I was Christmas shopping in Bakersfield one evening, well all day. It started raining and I started heading home. I stayed off the freeway because of traffic, I should have gone on the freeway. I go through a light, everyone slams on their brake and I slide right into the car in front of me. They get out, look at my car, don't speak any English besides "OWE my neck" and "ambulance". I was going like 5 mph and didn't hardly dent the trunk of their little car. I know I sound harsh but the very nice police man even said they were seeing dollar signs.  Anyways... My car was towed and I got a ride home from my nephew and his friends. It was exciting. HAHA! My car estimate to get fixed was $3900.00. My car did what it was supposed to, crumple.

 The next day Tommie took me down to get a rental car but I had a different idea. I had been looking at a truck for Jim for Christmas so instead of waisting money on a rental I got his truck. He was happy he got it but sad I got to put 2000 miles on it the next few weeks and he only got to drive 20 miles. It's great, a 2007 Dodge, diesel, crew cab, long bed. Best feature is when you open the doors steps come down to get in but you can't see them at all when the door is shut which makes it look really tough.

see the step?

I got my car back and don't like it. I have to take it back to re-fix it. It has a huge gap between the hood and lights. They said no problem they will fix it. I just have to get it down there and the roads have all been closed. Maybe next week.

Kenny's annual song

Not a video, just audio

For the past 8 years Kenny sings in Sacrament for Christmas. He sings "Oh Holy Night". It's always amazing. For some reason I tear up every time, can't help it. I recorded it this year (ok last year too), but while I am listening to it I notice how silent the chapel goes. Babies aren't crying, and people aren't talking. He is mesmerizing to listen to. Trever has said how hearing uncle Kenny sing makes him want to cry, so he sat and stared and listened and didn't move, and at the end HE CLAPPED! We don't clap in the chapel, he knows that. He said he just got really into it and forgot. It was only like 2 claps before he caught himself but we couldn't stop laughing after that. It was truly beautiful to hear. As my friend Krissy said though, he will be struck down for not singing for us more than once a year. Jim just says God will make him pay for it.

Listen for the clap at the end, it's Trever. And it's long but worth listening to the entire song, it's truly moving.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!



Jimi's Winter Formal

This is Jimi's first winter formal at the new school. She didn't say much about it until that day. She had her friend come play dress up and find something to wear. Sometimes Jimi is so considerate. I know she would have loved to go shopping and get a new dress and shoes but she didn't even mention it. She even said she could use one from different years because nobody had seen them. (obvious to an adult, NOT to a 13 year old girl) She looked beautiful. I did her hair, straight on bottom and the top layers curled.

Tanner Jimi and Brennon (Medley)

Jimi and "The Girls"

Angel, Alex, Brennon, and Frankie (Brennons the boy)

Thanksgiving 2010

 After Disneyland we went on to Colorado to visit my family for Thanksgiving. We had a nice easy drive there and a great Thanksgiving. It was great being back in Colorado, cold. I have missed it and, dare I say it, I wouldn't mind going back to the snow. I miss Colorado but both Jim and I know that one day we will be in Cedar City Utah, we've know it from the first time we drove through when we only married a few months.

My daddy

My mom (Sandra) My dad (Wes)

Alex, my nephew Rory, and Trever

My niece Courtney

My niece Kaycee

 

My big sister Stacie and Sami

The drive home was much different. I was driving and when we got to about Green River Utah we hit a blizzard and nowhere to stop. Good thing I learned to drive in the Colorado snow. We saw at least 10 roll over accidents and over 40 cars off the road. Nothing we could do. The scariest was the fuel tanker we watched roll his back tank. I'm sure they had to probably close the highway until  haz-mat came out. It was scary. We played a fun game though, I would "guess" the people we would see off the road ahead. I was right about 95% of the time. The kids were amazed I could tell the future. Really it was that they were usually the idiots flying by. When I say flying by I mean going over 30. We got to Cedar City and took a break.  This is my family outside Denny's in Cedar City. We got stopped to eat and get gas in case we didn't have another chance.





fuel tanker



More of the fuel tanker, it was a double

looks fun huh? Almost looks like match box cars



yes I'm driving. this is outside Cedar City when it started to
get better.



We had great weather by by Mesquite Nevada we hit the only thing worse than a blizzard. Stupid people traffic! We were stuck from Mesquite Nevada to Kramer Junction. The normal 13 hour trip took us over 19 hours. Note to self- DO NOT LEAVE COLORADO ON A SUNDAY!!