Snow Trip

A few weeks ago we attempted a trip to the snow. It was a weekend of wild and wooly weather, but what week hasn't been wild this winter. For those of you who live in the snow this will seem so easy, get up, put your snow clothes on and walk out the door and sled down the hill right next to your house. For those of us living in sunny california it's a bit more complicated. First: find the clothes you haven't used in a year. Figure out what fits and what doesn't. Shop at the thrift stores for what you need to replace the old, too small, or worn out stuff. Next: Pack lunch, boil plenty of water for hot chocolate and cup-o-noodles and pack all into the car. Last: locate the snow discs and board that are supposed to be just inside the garage but really hide in the trailer that is parked 10 miles out of town. After several hours (and only a few bad words) later, we're off to the mountains

We have a lovely drive to the mountains in wet and stormy weather but we are not afraid because we are prepared in all ways for bad weather. Except one. We didn't pack the snow chains. No cars are allowed into the park without carrying chains even though we are assured they will not be needed. So...back down the mountain to get chains: only a half an hour down and then half an hour back. The trip back is different though. The road is completely changed. There are rocks, pine needles, dirt and branches covering the road and tons of traffic going the opposite direction. By the time we got up to the park entrance again, we were informed that the park was closing (how do you close a mountain?) because of strong winds that blew trees over and crunched cars trapping people in the park and out of it. The ranger was even blocked from his home beyond the park.

To make a short story long, that was the end of our snow trip. We drove down the mountain a ways and ate our picnic lunch in the church parking lot. Poor Joe. He had been waiting for a snow trip for two years. Poor Pookie who also loves the snow. Poor mom and dad who had put up with a long and frustrating day with no apparent reward.

Beginning of the day, so optomistic and innocent.

Gotta love the happy face in this picture!

Is there nothing I won't complain about?

So I've started a new semester that is proving to be easier than any I've experienced in a long long while and....

I'm so bored!!! I wish I had taken more units but last semester still had me twitching when I signed up for this year that I couldn't force myself to even think beyond these few credits. Now all the classes are full and I'm stuck with my easy schedule that gets me only slightly closer to the end. Auggghhhh!!!

So, I complained literally nonstop last semester because I thought I was going to die with study and homework and classwork. I even found myself complaining to strangers I got so crazy. I gave up so many activities with the family and so many weekends and nights to study and it turned out okay. Well, better than good. I got the required A's in all my classes and so I'm still eligible for the Fresno State program but it wasn't without a fairly high cost. I thought I would be so happy with a lighter schedule but now I'm bored and find myself complaining about not enough to do. Maybe I should have my head examined.

Guess who graduated last month? Don't be fooled by the shy pose---

she'd shout it from the housetops if she could.

Waiting for the fun to start in the Taylor Chapel at BYU-I

So mom and dad are pretty proud too of their newest college graduate.

Silly sisters: Although Tori's losing her best roommate.

The whole crew who watched Kacey walk:

Allan, Karen, Kacey, Tara, Dustin, Lydia and Tori

Lydia was pretty tired by the time things got going and it was fairly hot and stuffy in the room but she really perked up when the applause started. I think she thought it was all for her: her legs started kicking and her smile was a mile wide as she acknowledged all her fans who were clapping for her. So funny!

So here we are, four kids down and three to go. We are just in the middle of the ride and yet so much has been accomplished: College graduation, missions, marriage, babies, grad school and first real jobs. I can hardly wait for the next 20 years!

Thanksgiving 2009

So, I can't seem to remember to post the pictures on in reverse order (why do I have to remember that? Because I can't figure out how to move them once they are posted). So, technical difficulties aside...on with the show.

James and Monica

(what you can't see is that they are seriously investigating the variety of pie on James' plate!)

John and Annette

Tyson, haven't seen him in ages and he's looking good!,
Monday, Mike and Emily

Silly cousins! Can't tell you how many pictures like this I have of this group because they are always just a little goofy together.

Luke, Chris, Emily and Kit

Joe and AJ find a quiet corner to play

Silly sisters watching Cinderella. Princesses all.

"I went to Grandma's for thanksgiving and all I got was this small plate of food"

Interesting that a lot of the little kids hardly ate but not to worry, we adults made up for it in a big way.

What the heck is in Kacey's mind in this picture? Visions of sugar plums? Maybe just the food that's in front of her.

One very tired Grandma who insisted that she wanted to do the whole dinner. It was really a great dinner--just like when we were little. Without the pickles. Where were the pickles?

(Just thought of them right now--weird!)

More food prep although I think James just got busted snacking.

On to the Barros' (thankfully not until two days later)

Bryon and Alicia pose bequtifully for the camera.

Not sure who's more tired here: MacKenzie who just saw her Dad for the first time in nearly a month but still didn't want to leave the party or GG who got to have 'Kenzie and Megan live with her for a month.

No words: Just cuteness all over.

Joe gets taken down by the little girls. They were rough!

I think the umpire is right. That WAS a personal foul!

David

Dad, grandpa and great-grandpa just living in the moment. Seems to be enjoying the commotion all around him.

Megan and MacKenzie

But earlier in the day was the First Ward's Annual Turkey Bowl

Young Men Verses the Men but with a twist this year. There was a Women verses the Young Women game also.

Would you trust these three as umpires?

Kit at the end of the game.

Not sure if he's leading the warm-up or the ward choir.?

Kit at the beginning of the game.

Serious discussion with the ump. Always the judge, both in church and on the playing field.

Always disappointing when the young men's ringer gets injured!

Serious action. Too bad it didn't translate to the score which I won't repeat but let's just say the men won but were moving very very slowly on Sunday. Who really was the winner then?

Trunk or treating at the church. Yummy chili cookoff, trunk-or-treating, costume contests and treats.

Here's who went:

The Mad Scientist! He wouldn't take off the glasses to drive. He was a little scarey with test tubes, scarey hair, thick glasses and a brain in his pocket. Just in case I guess.

I went as Karen-the-Grouch--no costume needed, just the attitude, which I had in spades that night. It was a long and frustrating day searching for costume parts, classes at school that went worse than they should have, and not one but two batches of cornbread that went really, really wrong somehow.

Joseph was a very serious and believable Secret Service Agent. Many criminals were handcuffed that night but no arrests were made.


He had the badge, earpiece (let's hear it for all those broken earphones and computer parts), and handcuffs but once the shades went on it was all business. This is probably his favorite costume he's ever had and for me, the easiest. He really did look sharp.



Kit and her friend Paige. Not sure what they were except teenagers who wanted to trunk or treat with the rest of the kids so they threw on costumes.


Kit and Joe decorated the front of the house for Halloween, no pictures though. They did a really great job with tombstones all over and body parts and rats and a very scarey demon front door cover that scared me every time I walked by it in the night.