We Take a Road Trip

I had to feel bad for putting my parents through, after enduring one myself as an adult, the dreaded family road trip!

Well, actually it wasn't that bad, I mean nobody actually died or was harmed in the making of the road trip. Although, I'm pretty sure threats of bodily harm were involved at some point.

I helped Lori and her three kids drive from La Grande Oregon to Payson Arizona. Two days of driving in the hot, hot sun especially in Utah. I forgot that to me, as a mature adult, five minutes is just five minutes, but to a child under the age of 10 five minutes might as well be five years. I think that's why every five minutes Wesley would ask, "are we there yet?" Oh, to be a kid again and have absolutely no sense of time!

We had bouts of cranky, sick, hungry, potty emergencies and thoroughly bored kids at one time or other or all at the same time. To quote one of my favorite philosophers, Nacho Libre, "It was fantastic!"

Chaz turned out to be a one man comedy tour. He kept cracking jokes when he was at that deliriously tired stage. Chaz was the only one who understood and laughed at his jokes, but the process of cracking himself up made Lori and I laugh to the point of tears which only encouraged him to make more jokes...in short it was a vicious laughing cycle.

When we finally stopped the first day to go to sleep the kids were so excited to get OUT OF THE CAR they were literally bouncing off the walls, beds, bathtub, you name it they bounced off it. This, I'm sure, endeared us to our next door neighbors.

The next day was much better. I think somewhere the kids realized or at least accepted the fact that being in the car was a fact that they weren't going to escape anytime soon and kept the fighting to a mere minimum, except the whole "I'm pretending to be a vampire" incident. We were able to see parts of Lake Powell, drive over a freakishly high bridge, and get Burger King without anyone crying. We stopped at a rest area/information center that had metal sculptures of dinosaurs (genius for a rest stop visited by children).

We finally made it to Payson and enjoyed sitting down on something that wasn't moving. The kids seemed excited to be at home with their dad and I could tell that the natural rhythms that flow through a family's existence was beginning to get in sync.

It was sad to say goodbye to the kids after a summer of seeing them everyday. It was lonely going home and not be able to run over and go hang out with my sister, but at least I have that memory of driving down to Arizona with them, that is until I forget about it.

I take for granted

NUMBER ONE THING I TAKE FOR GRANTED (at least right now): Hooks to hang stuff on!!!!

Why is that my number one thing? Well, my lucky little friend let me explain this to you... I am right now stuck in the airport in Reno, NV. I am stuck between the excitement of being in the the world's biggest little town and my desired destination...Boise. I am being reminded constantly of the thrill of gambling with slot machines within 10 paces in every direction and poker chip keychains that read Reno Nevada.

I find it funny that in front of the gate terminal where you have to wait for your airplane there are signs that state, "it is against the law for those under 21 to loiter near gambling areas," Hmm. Maybe they should put the slot machines somewhere besides a designated loitering area, I mean isn't that what the gate is for: an accepted form of loitering (waiting)for your flight. Then, how are they supposed to enforce that. I mean if I were a determined to loiter around slot machines and happened to be under the gambling legal age limit and some one were to accuse me of loitering, I would totally say, "Hey I'm waiting for my flight." There really would be no way to disprove that. (Ha! That's right, evil genius at work.)

Anyway, I'm off the mark with the whole hook thing... I had to go to the bathroom and of course that like anybody else in an airport I have bags being toted around like an annoying Siamese twin that can't even carry on a conversation to help pass the boring time in a shopping deprived terminal. (insert breath here) I shut the stall turn around expecting the necessity of every airport hopper... a hook to put my portable companion aka ... my backpack. Alas, I saw the evidence that at one time there had been a hook there, but some heavy laden bag, in league with the laws of gravity, ripped the damn thing off before I got here. "Oh, my kingdom for a hook!" So, there I was in a tiny stall, hoping to all that was holy that the suspicious floor was Ebola virus free, trying to set my bag down in a severely space deprived lavatory cubicle! I had to wedge my bag between the door and my knees while in the sitting position which made me nervous that if someone had installed one of those perverted video cameras, then I truly felt sorry for him when he checked this footage. I at least had one comfort, if someone tried to bust in on me there was no way he was going to be able to get the door open.

That's when the thought occurred to me, I really take hooks for granted! They hang out all day and I just expect them to be there when I need them. Then, I thought it's probably a good thing hooks were invented before this day and age of extreme capitalism or we would have to deposit 50 cents before using them and really in a bathroom emergency, lets face it that would suck!

So, I officially thank the inventor of the hook! Thanks for thinking, "I should make something to hang stuff on."

Once again silliness finds me...

I found this and just thought it was silly in a funny kinda way...I hope it brings a smile to your face! If not...lighten up, geez!

Christmas in July

I found this picture from the movie Elf and thought, "Can I enjoy something so simple as a revolving door with child like enthusiasm?" Then, I thought about trying to keep the Christmas spirit all year round. This all lead me to remembering the advice the savior gave, "...Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3.

So, what does this all have with Elf and a revolving door? I'm not quite sure, but I think I made the connection of trying to find and enjoy fully the happiness the plan of salvation provides. Perhaps, we hear about the plan so often we forget how truly amazing it is. The challenge is trying to keep that pure joy that children have when they really feel happy. The plan of salvation is often called the great plan of happines.

Now, I'm not so dumb as to think that everyone has to be happy all the time, that really isn't realistic. (Well, at least not for me.) I guess I mean we (meaning me) need to take the time to sit back and see how blessed we (I) are (am). Then, let that feeling fill every molecule of our body and cheer (if you want to) or smile as big as you feel like.

See, what happens when you aren't looking for a spiritual connection and you find one that is so random it's cool.

A doe a deer a female deer

Hah! I actually had my camera and was able to capture the eating habits of a deer! (They eat grass...who knew! Just kidding, I knew they ate grass) I felt very safari. Lori was driving, the window was rolling down and snap, snap, snap...Got ya! I've seen tons of deer before and at very close range. (If you can avoid it...don't take your dog for a late night run through Eastern Oregon University Campus in the middle of deer season...believe me, you can't run fast enough to keep up with a wantabe deer hunter on four legs! I had the scrapes and bruises to prove it!) But, I've never had a camera with me to capture what my eyes have seen before. I hope you enjoy the pics...they're very Bambi's momesque.

OK Just some Random Shots

See, dogs smile.

I accidentally took this picture and thought it was so cute. Dosie is just being pure happiness. I wish I could do that. (I'm a little obsessed with my dog, sorry.)

Only one 4wheeler! No prob!

I saw my cousin coming around the corner and thought it was so funny. I was glad I had my camera!

So, my boots are pink. Got a problem with that?

Chaz didn't care how he was going to do it, but he was going to get outside! He found these Disney princess snowboots and shoved them over his PJ's and out the door he went!

Something's not right here!

My uncle parked his snowmobile in an old cabin on my dad's land. The snow melted before he was able to move it and I thought it looked funny... again lucky I had the camera!

The 4th of July...And I'm Freezing.

Well, it's another 4th of July and the air conditioner is on full blast and I can't figure out how to turn it down. It's 95 degrees outside and it's about 69 inside. I'm wrapped up in a fuzzy blanket contiplating making a cup of hot chocolate and wondering if we have marshmellows.

Why am I inside on such a wonderful holiday and missing the BBQ's and sunburns associated with this holiday? The answer is pretty simple, my dog has been barking, at every single pop, bang, explosion that has been going off every few seconds. If that's not enough she actually moved her dog house (weighing about 200 lbs) about a 1 1/2 ft after I chained her to it. I was afraid she was going to attack the back door. So, I relented and let her come in the house but, only after an intense bath (she has a habit of smelling like a dog).

We did go on the mountain earlier today and drove four wheelers and watch my dad work on tearing down the old shed on his land. Dosie caught a mouse and chased every red digger (a red digger is basically a squirrel on steroids) that she saw. All this running around in mud and guck practicing her ancestoral art of hunting is another reason for the bath with our fire hose.

Anyway, I have plans to enjoy the quiet and the possibility of snow this fourth of July. (I still can't figure out the AC and how to prevent a miniture ice age in the house).

Hope you all have a good fourth and I'll be enjoying my hot cocoa.