watsons

The year of the high deductible insurance

2010-09-25T00:57:00.006-06:00

Note to self: Never get high deductible insurance when you have four little (and one big) kids to deal with.

Broken teeth, broken arms, stitches, tonsils & adenoids, ADHD meds, flus, colds, not to forget allergic reactions to who knows what. Scratches, bruises, bumps, tears, Tylenol, and sleepless nights.

The last trip to Primary Children's Hospital, the admitting nurse said, "Weren't you just in here? Only this isn't the same kid?" Yes, same mother but different redhead. Me and the staff at the emergency room are TIGHT!

We met our deductible the second month. I'm hoping they're getting it all out of their systems. This is getting ridiculous!

A weekend at the lake

2010-08-23T19:37:00.027-06:00

Martin and Jenefer lead the way, getting reservations at Pineview for as many of the Wilson's who were in town. The Watsons are always fans of throwing a bunch of food in your car (or boat) and making it happen. We could probably have a caption contest with the highlights...

While Mom was away

2010-08-09T21:00:00.019-06:00

Rosanne had to go to Youth Conference and then to California to help out with her nephew Andrew's wedding reception so I had the kids for the weekend. We had Employee Appreciation day at Lagoon, where the Dorrances came in bigtime to help while I had to cook. Then work decided to get crazy so I get to thank our friends for play dates. We ended up hiking to Catherine's Pass up near Albion Basin, where the flowers are rockin' hard right now.

Diapers Done!

2009-12-03T18:18:00.005-07:00

After almost NINE years of constant diaper changing, I am DONE. Nate-the-great is in his Diego underpants full-time!

The thought crossed my mind that I might cry. Because, honestly, it's the end of an era. My baby isn't a baby anymore. He can get dressed himself (if he wants). He can wipe is own butt (if I let him). He can punch his brother hard enough to cause tears (when he thinks he can get away with it). And he knows how to use the word "actually" in full-coherent sentences. He won't even take a nap, (he gave those up a year and a half ago!)

So, I think I need to have a good cry. I loved my babies. Now they're all gone. They just aren't as cute now when they say "No" to me.

There are a lot of things to look forward to. I sure love those stinkin' kids!

You win some, you lose some.

2009-12-03T17:19:00.003-07:00

Clay had this GREAT idea. "Let's call the Dorrances and go down to IBEX and show them all the cool stuff we do down there. The weather will be great." We thought we would buy the best cheese curds in Delta, show them the lake bed & play games, go to the sand hill, search for fossils, and go to a mine shaft, among other things.

And so we went. We got down past Delta and it wasn't getting any warmer than Salt Lake (38 degrees). It wouldn't have been so bad but the wind chill factor, I swear, put it at -20.Some of us had more fun than others. (This is Jonah who, right after this picture, puked up a bunch of sand & stuff from rolling all the way down the hill. Hayden, being "the Man" held back the barf. Bravo!) The Dorrance's were troopers, especially Dad Dorrance (who had to save Nate from himself).

If nothing else, it was some quality time with all NINE of the kids strapped in their seat belts for a few hours while "Top Gun" was playing in the Dorrance-mobile and Armageddon was being PLAYED-OUT in the Watson-mobile!

I think we were all relieved when we were sitting in the Five Guys burgers & fries in Salt Lake (because the In-N-Out line was WAY too huge!).

Snowbird Tram Rides & Poky-pines!

2009-11-22T19:29:00.006-07:00

Every fall Snowbird hosts free-tram-ride days where you bring a can of food and get, you guessed it, a free tram ride. We bundled up, got our grocery bag of cans, and headed up Little Cottonwood Canyon for some good times.Here they are staring at the big motors that will pull us to the top of the world! Front-row-joe, I mean Pete! He wanted to be front and center with the wind in his hair and his spit out the window! We literally live just down the road behind us. I must say it again, we live in a fabulous place!On our way back down the canyon, Clay's keen eyes for the bizarre noticed a dead porcupine on the side of the road. We unstrapped the kids and ventured across the road to see the poor thing. Nate probably assumes it has its name because you're supposed to "poke" it, and because Pete kept calling it a poky-pine. (He still has issues saying his R's.) Never a dull moment...hehe, get it?

'Til we meet again, Dave!

2009-10-13T12:22:00.005-06:00

Where do I begin. I have never lost anyone so dear to me. I mean, when you spend every day for the past 5 1/2 years in contact ALL day, talking & serving & receiving & laughing & everything else we did with/for each other, the loss is being felt even more and more as the days pass. I feel the need to express here for my family and friends who knew him, or who didn't, what he meant to me.
My children are all home sick today with what might be the H1N1 virus, and I can't escape over to my friend's house next door to take my own "time-out". Who is going to tell me that it's going to be okay? Who is going to tell me a joke and make me smile when I don't want to? Who is going to tell me that "every mom thinks their kids are the WORST", but that even though at times they can be the worst, it will pass, and I will like them again soon? Who is going to buy me bananas, because I'm ALWAYS out of bananas? Who is going to take me for a drive and scare the CRAP out of me, because he learned how to when he was a taxi driver in New York? Who is going to tell me stories about the War and not hold anything back, even though I'm a "lady"?

How do I write about a man who I care for as dearly as my own family? It is true that we grow to love those we serve. Yes, I had the incredible opportunity to serve him and do things for him he couldn't do for himself anymore, but in doing that, I grew to love him so very much. It wasn't one-sided service. He was in constant service to me as well. He was unable to physically serve me the way he served the whole freakin' neighborhood and their kids, but he always had a treat or a kind word, or a gallon of milk or fruit, and most of all, he loved my kids even though they are CRAZY noisy and energetic. He loved me even though I'm not chatty and I don't wear make-up, and my hair is always a mess. (Quote:"You're a pretty girl, if only you would put on some lipstick and quit wearing black shirts!)

I only got about five years, but I think I got the best. I'm jealous of those who knew the robust Dave, who built a swimming pool (complete with deck and shower), subsequent trampoline, not to forget that amazing train set (with 8 + different trains and computer to organize the chaos). But, I got the Dave who was so humbled by physical limitations, and so tender and sweet and kind...most of the time!

I was pregnant with Peter when we moved into the Richard's home. When I brought him home from the hospital, I went right over to Dave's house and set that little tiny baby in his palms. Dave felt a special bond with Peter from the beginning. Maybe it was because I made Dave hold that little boy every time he was around. Maybe it was just meant to be. Either way, I knew they were kindred spirits. Peter was so tiny and sweet, and honestly, he knew Dave's name before Daddy's! As Peter is growing older, he is showing the same feisty, sensitive, proactive spirit that Dave (and Clay) possess. I just hope he learns to be as honest and forthright as they are as well!
In January a few years ago, out of the blue, he asked me what time my church was. I told him what time, and that I would be home at a certain time and that he could come over then. He said, "Would it be okay if I went with you?" I was floored. He proceeded to tell me that he wanted to have what Clay and I had. I'm not sure what he saw, but I was thrilled to have him come. It was an interesting couple of years. He would come to Sunday School class and ask very interesting questions. He was so open, and thank goodness for people like Kent Christensen & Matt Hanson, who taught the class on a weekly basis and did a great job addressing his questions. He is the kind of person who would not tell a lie, and would not do something he didn't really believe. He did what he said and said what he did, and church was nothing different. I couldn't sit with him in the class, but made Clay go in with him. There was too much contention and it upset me that he didn't get what we were trying to explain to him. He was listening, it just took a while to get it. Line upon line, right? After about two years of listening to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he decided to be baptized. He was 86. A year later, he went through the temple so he could attend Michelle Bonham's wedding. Michelle is a fine example to me of someone who is not timid about sharing the gospel. I've always been one to wait for someone to ask me the questions, but Michelle put the required pressure on Dave to progress and be baptized, or not. He changed tremendously after his baptism. His coarseness was not so profound, and he became more gentle and meek, especially when it came to spiritual things.

Memories keep flooding into my mind and I am so overwhelmed. I miss him, but I am happy for him. I mean, he is no longer held back by his broken body. He doesn't have to THINK about getting up out of his chair, but probably just does it and then runs around for a while just for the heck of it. He said that when he dies, he wants to be in service for Jesus. He wants to be one of his guards so that no one will ever hurt him again. I think Jesus would want someone like Dave on his side. I'm glad I have him on mine.

Good Times, Moab!

2009-10-05T21:30:00.006-06:00

We usually stay home conference weekend, but conference after conference of not being able to get much out of them, we decided to road-trip it and listen to it on the radio while all are strapped in their car seats.

The first item of the weekend...Fisher Towers. We hiked and hiked and had a great, whine-free time. Clay wants to climb "Ancient Art", which is the tallest point below (the top looks like a corkscrew). Looks pretty exposed for my taste, but you go!

Behind Will and Lucy is what's called the Cobra. Yea, that's what I get for marrying a crazy OCD climber-dude. He knows the names of all the rocks and what they're made of. Pretty cool, though.

We then headed down the road to this deserted "house". I guess this prospector back in the 60s was sold a fake deed to some land just outside of Moab. He spent years and years constructing this hole in the rock, and one day was found by some BLM worker, who told him to vacate the premises. Poor guy. He had this winding staircase up to a second level, with electrical outlets, water pipes, chimneys, etc. Great place for lunch and rock-throwing contest.

Lucy found a cactus and wanted Dad to suck the water out of it. Clay was game. I guess he was, as always, thirsty. Next, we went to a bouldering area where Clay, forgetting one of his climbing shoes, decided his Crocs would do just as well.
Nate was pretty serious about working in the sand with his trucks.

Peter had a blast sliding down all the boulders, with the following as proof, with his underwear looking just as fabulous!The next day, we headed out to Corona Arch where we got rained on, but still, so fun.

Persistence

2009-09-20T19:22:00.006-06:00

There isn't much that I get more excited about than when someone tries and tries and tries and doesn't give up on something that is hard, and then actually DOES it!! This is our nephew Hayden. He just wouldn't quit!

What a poser! You are a stud, Hay-doh!

Oh, and Clay let go of the rope this time. Hang ten, sweetie!

What a fun day at Pineview! Thanks, Martin, for making sure we floated! Why is it that things seem to break only when you're around? We love the Dorrances!

Why I love the Wasatch Front

2009-09-20T19:11:00.004-06:00

One end ...

And the other! This is what I get when I walk out my front door. Are you jealous? Thought so.

Dr. Jason to the rescue

2009-09-18T14:28:00.006-06:00

So, what do you do when your husband buys your six-year-old a scout knife and allowes him to whittle?

You make sure your awesome neighbor Dr. Jason is home to make emergency house calls to sew up your son. Five stitches and the knife is now stored safely in a locked closet in the basement to be used when Will is 40.

Dr. Jason is our hero!

Blame it on the Boogie!

2009-07-24T13:23:00.008-06:00

I was at Costco yesterday and had an impulse buy (I know that surprises you). I was browsing the music section and found the "Essential Michael Jackson" and as the title implies, it was essential that I buy it.

Today we had a Watson Dance party. We had to have it without daddy. (That was okay because I wouldn't want Clay's moves to rub off on ANY of his children - they have enough teasing points with the red hair and freckles!) We listened to MJ and danced all morning. I admit I used to dance every chance I could, especially when I was alone.

Here are some of Lucy's Elaine Benice moves.

The "Thriller" album really is fabulous. I can't believe I didn't have it before. Just gotta "Rock With You!"

Summer of the dead

2009-07-24T12:47:00.003-06:00

Some of you know at the beginning of the summer we decided it was time our little family got a pet. Will has been begging for years, and we finally gave in and got a RAT! Many of you are wondering why? I was asking myself that same question. But, my sister talked me into it. One of her son's elementary school teachers had a classroom pet every year, and I guess had every kind of small rodent/pet there can possibly be. Out of all of them, she liked the rats the best. They are kind to children, not nipping too much, tolerate being held, are fairly easy to keep, and actually are pretty smart and can be trained (to a point). (I wasn't paying attention when my friend Jeana told me how much poo can come out of a little thing like that.)

Well, my kids (minus Peter) were so excited and played with it all the time. After about three weeks, Lucy had it outside on the deck while I helped her clean the cage. I guess RAT took a dive off the table because all the sudden Lucy comes in the door and says "Mom, we need some tissue because the rat has a bloody nose." Uh-oh. Then she said, "Look, Mom, the rat is playing dead." Double uh-oh. I took the poor rat from her and it was convulsing and bleeding all over the place. Then, after a minute of that, it started spewing foam and stopped moving. Lucy and Will were in hysterics for what seemed like forever. I guess it is good to learn the lesson of life and death. But, even if it is just a little rat, as opposed to a family member or friend, it still SUCKS.

We buried it in a corner of our front yard and had a prayer over RAT (or "Mint" depending on who you're talking to). It was a sweet moment until Peter got up off his knees and ran off saying "I didn't like the rat anyway." I guess we show our grief in different ways, or maybe it is that the rat grossed him out like it did me.

Thanks, Amy and Lily, for bringing flowers to the grave. They are still there.

And if one dead animal wasn't enough for that spot of ground, Will found a wounded sparrow in the street and took it home to care for it. He didn't want another animal to die. But it did. Now "Spirit" (as they named it) resides besides RAT. And if that wasn't enough, Will found ANOTHER injured bird and brought it to rest in our small animal cemetery.

So, if you have a small rodent or pet you would like to dispose of, please feel free to bring it to the NE corner of our driveway. There's still some room left. We'll find a rock to place on its head and say a prayer for it (and you)!

Maybe there's hope for Clay

2009-07-24T12:22:00.003-06:00

Those of you know that the boat was my idea. Clay went along with it, reluctantly.

To encourage Clay to like the boat, we invested in a wake surfer from our friend Matt Smedley who builds his own boards in Texas. The concept behind wake surfing is that you weigh the boat down so that there is a big enough wake for you to surf on it. The videos on YouTube are pretty cool. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTY8mrwhOTQ

So, we headed out to Utah lake one Friday night to try it out.
Unfortunately, Clay tried, and tried, and tried, and messed up his back, but couldn't get up this time. Clay wasn't too discouraged, though, and said, "You know me, Rosanne. I don't give up easily on fun." Phew!

The kids had fun playing on it anyway.

And after a few tries at the end of the night, Clay got up on one ski and had a glorious run. So, maybe there's hope for Clay after all!

Contacts for Lulu

2009-06-22T13:22:00.002-06:00

A week ago, Lucy got her first pair of contacts! Can you believe the SIZE of those eyeballs!? You're beautiful, Lulu. So glad you can see your world even better!

More adventures with Dad

2009-06-22T13:02:00.005-06:00

Since I got to go to Seattle for my nephew's wedding, Clay was once again placed in charge of the chaos that is our children. You never know what he's going to come up with to get them out of the house, but as always, it was an adventure. He took them down to Rock Canyon in Provo to do a crag-clean-up-day. The kids were enthusiastically happy to clean something that was not their rooms. Lucy found a pretty (but dead) dragonfly. When they're with Dad at least I know they will always be well-fed with pb&j and gorp (granola, raisins & peanuts).A bunch of happy, dirty kids (including dad!)

Vegas, Baby!

2009-05-13T13:58:00.014-06:00

This is to all the cool girls in my neighborhood! Maybe next year we'll have to rent a bus so more can come and party with us. Sometimes peer pressure really is a GOOD thing!
Here are pictures taken by our resident super-awesome photographer, Wendy. Next year we'll be taking pics of you, too!

So, that's me...the tall one with the blue on my wetsuit in the middle of the pic. You can't tell, but I was totally in freak-out mode for my first "real" Olympic-length triathlon (1-mile swim, 20 mile bike, and 6.2 mile run).
Can you see me? I'm just about to take a huge breath and dive right into Lake Las Vegas. I was pretty stoked about not having a panic attack this time. The only beef I had with the swim was that they stuck a big yellow buoy at the turn-around point, but it was directly in front of the sun so I couldn't see it for anything. One of the kayakers, bless his soul, had to stop me and tell me I was going the wrong way.
I finally got my wetsuit off and got on my bike without falling or ANYTHING!
After a crazy hilly bike ride through the desert, I got on my running shoes and took off...
This is the embarrassing part of the whole race, but I'm gonna go public with it anyway. Many of you know that there are a few bodily casualties to child birth (besides the boobs and belly, of course). Ever since Lucy came into my life, my bladder just hasn't been the same. Running hasn't been the same. I had encountered a little bit of a problem with urinary incontinence before, but never like this. At mile four, there was this huge hill. I got up it without too much drama, but on the downhill I just lost it, and by "it" I mean all the pee in my body. No way to stop it. I tried. Really. I was just so grateful that I was relatively by myself with no one near enough to splash. I know, gross! And worse yet, I've been taking vitamins, and well, the color of vitamin-urine can be especially bright. Double gross! I was SO grateful for the remaining water stations to pour cups of water down my back to try and rinse a little of the embarrassment away.

As it turns out, I was doing better than I thought, and ended up in third place in my age group. I passed up two girls right at the end and, had I stopped to pee, I wouldn't have done as well. Pathetically competitive, I know. So, the life lesson I learned this weekend was to JUST LET IT ALL GO, BUT TRY NOT TO SPLASH YOUR NEIGHBOR IN THE PROCESS. Hey, maybe I could turn that into a parable to teach in Sunday School...yea, maybe not!:)
I am SO VERY HAPPY for EVERYONE!!!! We all did so well, and yet the very best part was hanging out and having that girl-time that is so energizing for the soul. Thanks to all for making it a weekend to remember! Big love to all you hot babes!

The Swell is swell

2009-05-11T21:41:00.024-06:00

Rosanne went to party in Vegas with all of her girlfriends so the kids decided to take Daddy camping in the San Rafel Swell and Goblin Valley. She says "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" but the woman needs to give us a little something for our efforts. The kids and I met up with our friends Page and Annie Perkins (and their parents Bryce and Corey).

We got there a little late and after sleeping in the car everyone was really excited to play. Our camp-neighbors weren't as excited about finding a toad at 12:30 in the morning as we were but it was still a lot of fun!
The next morning we found out that Lizards want to stay in their own homes.
What a bummer! "If the lizard loves us and wants to come home with us, he'll wait right on this rock for us to come back and get him...."
Then we went hiking in Little Wild Horse, a slot canyon a few miles from Goblin Valley. Mom should be so proud of her excellent hikers!

After lunch, we decided it would be a good for driving to the Muddy River and maybe catnap a little. (One hand on the wheel and another preventing whiplash)

There are all these 'painted desert' hills of Morrison Formation.
The creek was surprisingly warm and shallow. Much Happiness ensued.
The next morning we packed up and went to Goblin Valley.

We had some fun before we hit the wall and it was time to go and find Mommy so we could wish her a Happy Mother's Day!

Africa, Yo!

2009-04-26T21:09:00.007-06:00

Crosspost to a TR of my Africa trip. Many thanks to Rosanne for letting me go. And to my kids for welcoming me back with so much love.

www.claywatson.blogspot.com

LDS Humanitarian Services is the coolest organization I've ever seen. So glad to be a small part of their efforts.

Chick-fil-ugh

2009-04-09T11:33:00.004-06:00

As many of you know, Clay is in Liberia. So, since I banned all cooking while he's gone, tonight we went down to Sandy to Chick-fil-a. I had a hankering for a chicken sandwich and a little time in the car with all the kids strapped in their seat belts sounded like a good idea.

Little did I know that Wednesdays are "family night" and so all of the south valley was there with their families to get the free kids meals. (For future reference, it's one free kids meal per value meal.) It was quite the spectical, though. Not only did they get their kids meals, but they also got ice cream cones, played in the play room, and then got balloons as we went out the door. There was also a lady in charge of a "craft table". Crazy. There was also a guy handing out mints all night (Lucy's favorite), and not to forget...the cow was there in all his glory to give the kids high-fives. Gross. I wouldn't give that nasty dirty cow a high five for anything, but Nate and Pete were all over him! And I guess the germs from the cow's hands are probably nothing compared to the fact that Peter's ice-cream cone fell on the floor and he didn't think twice when he picked it up and kept on licking....and then there was Will who was licking the glass on the inside of the play place...N-A-S-T-Y. My children are nasty!

So, for future reference, "family night" at Chick-fil-a is a good time, just bring your anti-bacterial wipes and make sure your kids are on pre-emptive antibiotics. Or, jyou can always go through the drive-thru...ALWAYS a good option!

Lucy's turned 8!

2009-04-01T13:13:00.004-06:00

You only turn eight once in your life, and of course, Lucy wanted to celebrate it at the "Mayan". Over priced food and scantily-clad entertainment...my kind of place!

Lucy had her baptism on the Sunday after her birthday, and was the only one being baptized at the Stake baptism. It was awesome to not have to "share"!

Friends and family were there to support our girl and we were thrilled with her decision to "take the plunge".The water was FREEZING. I guess that's one way to make the experience memorable. Afterwards, grandma and I were helping her get dressed. I asked her how she felt. Her teeth were chattering and her white-skinned body was blue, but she said she felt "SO GOOOOOD!". Uncle Scott gave the talk on the Holy Ghost, and he talked about how the Holy Ghost can be compared to the dove that was seen at Jesus' baptism, specifically how doves can quietly coo to you as they sit on your shoulder, just as the Holy Ghost can speak quietly to your heart, but you have to be still and quiet to hear it. Hopefully, the Holy Ghost won't poop on your head. I guess that's the job of another turkey! (Was that sacrilegious?) Sorry.

What a wonderful day!

Happy 5k 2009!

2009-01-01T01:00:00.003-07:00

So, what do you do when you just ran a 5k at midnight and can't go to sleep because you're too wound-up? Blog...My friend Jess, my sister-in-law Jan, and I ran in the Sugar House 5k. It started at 11:30 p.m. and supposedly you were to finish before the new year...
If you actually did finish before midnight, you got these stupid plaques...
If you didn't, you got to get kissed by this handsome dude instead... (Picture of post-kiss...damn the stupid delay!) I think next year I'll opt-out for the kiss by my brother. Wanting to puke for half-an-hour to ring in the new year just isn't what I'd call FUN, but thanks for dragging me into it, anyway. Maybe by next year I'll forget all the pain and pukiness and try it again.

I'll tell ya, though, that sure is ONE way to get rid of all the fondue from Jen's party. I'm thinkin' next time I'll let it simmer on my ass for a while instead. Happy new year everyone, (and may all our butts be big ones!)

Merry Christmas, everyone!

2008-12-24T07:55:00.002-07:00

We hope your Christmas is full of joy!

Nate's 2-year-old well-visit

2008-12-13T21:15:00.003-07:00

So much for my "well-child"! (At least that's what they call it when you take them in to the pediatrician to check up on them and make sure they are healthy).

Four vaccination/flu shots and many elephant tears later... (shouldn't this be designated as child cruelty?) Even the Spiderman and Daffy Duck "stickers" (i.e. band-aids) didn't help. And the poor nurse botched the first shot and bled him up because he kicked harder than either of us expected him to. (He got two bloody Loony Tunes bandaids for that one.)

To make matters worse, I have this awful habit of "goosing" my kids on the thighs when I think they're are just the cutest thing ever...and for poor Nate, that happens a lot. They're all quite immune to my torture by this age, but unfortunately I kept forgetting about his injuries. I've really got to stop...but he's just so CUTE, I can't help but pinch him! Maybe by the time he's about 13 he won't be so darn cute, (and then maybe I'll quit!)

You know you've had too much candy when...

2008-11-12T21:51:00.004-07:00

......your kids start asking for carrot sticks instead of pixie sticks and you get the gitters and headaches in the morning until you get your chocolate-fix. Thank goodness Halloween and the aftermath is over...anyone want to help me out by getting the rest of the candy out of my house?
And my kids won't stop wearing their halloween costumes...and Peter found a costume of his own when he tried sniffing a permanent marker yesterday...(is that Charlie Chaplain or Hitler?)

One out of two ain't bad!

2008-11-12T19:31:00.006-07:00

Since my newly-turned 2-year-old has decided to become a parrot, I thought it was a good idea to give up some of my favorite cuss words, i.e. crap, damn it, etc...

But this weekend provided us with some comical relief. Clay was reading the newspaper and Nate jumped on his back to announce who was on the front page...we had to make sure we were hearing what he was saying...

Later, I was trying to chill him out by showing him a random book from my neighbor's house. I thought the Star Trek book would at least show some pictures that might make him stop crying
He was totally stoked with the picture of "Jesus the Klingon".

We're doing our best trying to teach him stuff, even if it turns out it isn't QUITE right sometimes.

IBEX revisited

2008-11-02T21:41:00.006-07:00

Clay decided he needed to get out of town. So, to the west desert we went...

We went to one of his favorite places to climb, Ibex. (Its about a half-hour outside of Delta.) The kids were stoked to be let free to roam and climb all the rocks and play with their trucks and just be...while Clay bouldered around and I read Harry Potter #2 (I know, I am such a looser to finally be reading them NOW!) Clay made sure to pack the kid's climbing shoes and summit the "Cow" boulder...maybe Nate will join them next year.Lucy went up the hard way! After a couple hours of that, we went over to a huge sand dune to spend some quality time getting sand in every orifice possible...Pete was the crazy boy who did lap after lap... I'm just glad the kids didn't follow Clay up this boulder.
What we like to call "sand surfing"!

Then it was on to Crystal Peak, which was this huge white mountain in the middle of all the brown ones. Clay says that the mountain sometimes shimmers if the light is just right. We then went to collect "fossils" at a secret quarry. Pretty cool. Thanks, Dad, for another great adventure! You're the best ever!

The snowball effect

2008-10-21T20:25:00.004-06:00

When you go to buy a boat, someone needs to explain to you EXACTLY what you're in for. I mean, I expected to buy some cool gear for the boat, (i.e. awesome tubes, killer slalom ski, etc.). I expected the insurance, title, a little work on the trailer, and the gas (oh, the gas!!!!). No one told me I would have to spend way too much time and money on installing a concrete pad on the side of my house so we could store the dang thing.

But, Clay recruited his climbing friend (a TRUE friend to work that hard for that little, I might add) to help us prep and lay the concrete. He even let Clay take a turn behind the wheel...what a big kid!Poor Adam was there until way after dark doing his thing and making the concrete look so pretty...He even installed a fancy FRENCH drain...(I think it would be along the lines of french fries or french dressing, or french toast...anyone for the movie "Better Off Dead"?) And who doesn't like a cold beer (of the root variety) after a hard day's work. By the way, the beer-de-root was meant to be, seeing as how we probably pulled out a truck-load of roots that day!

I cannot pay tribute to this project without a big shout-out to the coolest neighborhood kids who spent the better portion of their day off on Monday devoted to the removal of a mountain of dirt. I mean, its a lot of dirt when you have to pay eight large teenagers for four HARD hours of digging. Ya'll rock! (No pun intended)

I can't wait to bring the boat back home to sleep for the long, cold winter. Anyone up for a trip to Lake Mead?

Happy Birthday, BOYS!

2008-10-21T16:20:00.003-06:00

Some of you may be grateful that Clay and I found something ELSE to do this past February besides procreate. All three of my boys' birthdays are a week apart and it was Peter's turn for a party this year. Four BIG years old! We went down to the rec. center and had some good times in the "Splash Zone"...complete with lots of friends and a big Costco cake.
This Sunday we went to grandma's house and enjoyed another birthday bash for all the boys, complete with cousins, more presents, and more cake...
I have to explain the "big"cupcake for Nate. I forgot to give him the traditional birthday cake mess for his first birthday, so improvised for his second birthday. He would have nothing to do with the mess, but slowly dug into the cake and was irate every time dad (or mom or grandma) would steal a piece of it.

I was so proud of my creapy skull cupcakes! I'm trying my best to follow in Peggy's footsteps. She would always make elaborate cakes for Clay when he was growing up, including a large-breasted woman cake during the teen-years. (I've really got to find a picture of that one!)

So, happy birthday to the boys in my life...I would have WAY too much time on my hands and not enough love without you!

Who needs a dog...

2008-10-21T16:05:00.005-06:00

...when you have a baby brother. (Note the Millie-stick, Jess)Nate will play fetch, lick food off the floor, growl at you, snuggle on your lap, pee on the floor, track mud in the house, and even bite if you give him the chance. He doesn't have fleas, but will bring home the occasional parasite.Sometimes I wouldn't mind sticking him in a cage...(oh, wait...there's always the crib). Who wouldn't love this mutt, anyway?

Army-ready

2008-09-30T10:57:00.003-06:00

If you didn't know, we have a little devil living with us (with flames out of his head and everything). Some of you may be wondering why I would shave off all the beautiful red and brown hair of my boys...Well, Peter and Will wanted to cut up a box (just like Jason)...so I gave them some of those kid scissors...you know, the kind without the sharp edges that can hardly cut paper they are so blunt...
Peter figured out they cut HAIR just fine.

Will: "But Peter DID it."

Mom: "Why did you LET him?"

Will: "I dunno."

I wanted to scream, cry, and pull out my own hair.
But, I didn't. Instead I took out the camera and then my new Costco clippers. I'm trying to learn from my friends that I need to laugh more and anger less. It was a good day, in spite of it all. I am just so grateful Lucy was at school during the hair cutting massacre. And of course, school pictures are NEXT week.

Spiders!

2008-09-18T14:59:00.003-06:00

Tuesday night Clay went up to my sister's house in Centerville to work on the boat trailer brakes with my bro-in-law Martin. I heard Clay walk in the door so I went down stairs to see houw it went when I saw sitting on my counter in a glass bottle a HUGE tarantula. They live on the hillside and I guess they come out in droves at night this time of year. I seriously thought I would crap in my pants. Earlier in the day I had killed a black widow spider my boys were playing with so needless to say I was a little out of sorts when it comes to creapy spiders that would kill my kids. The next morning my kids were so excited and Clay thought Lucy could take it to school. I reluctantly called her teacher, and to my surprise she said she could. (Anything to get it out of the house!) Lucy was the "cool" kid for the day. I was so proud she didn't break the glass jar!

Sweet Lucy tried to make "Spooky" comfortable and so she stuffed a bunch of leaves and grass through the hole in the top of the jar to make it a bed. Too bad the spider didn't want to have anything to do with the greenery so the poor thing was stuck on the side of the jar all night. It kept slipping down into the forest below and then inching its way back up out of the mess. My neighbor totally gave me a guilt trip about not letting it die. She's an animal lover and used to have a tarantula for a pet. I didn't know they lived on crickets and I wasn't about to go out and BUY some crickets so it could live on my counter. As noisy as the crickets have been lately at night here I almost wanted to let it loose in my backyard, if only it wouldn't kill Nathan if given the chance! (I did find a praying mantis on my window today and I guess they eat crickets too, yea!)

I made Clay take it back into the wilderness to live another day. I guess it's time to call the exterminator.

Ode to the ski boat

2008-09-12T13:20:00.002-06:00

Since I don't actually have a picture of my boat, I thought I would post Lucy's rendition of it. Notice the storm trooper skiing off the back...that's supposed to be me. I wonder what that's supposed to mean!

Westwater HO!

2008-09-12T07:42:00.004-06:00

Last weekend Clay and I met some friends down at Westwater for a nice day-trip down the Colorado river. It was so fun! Pictured below Cory, Bryce, Curtis, Mike, and Clay chillin' at lunchtime. Here I am with Curtis trying to maneuver through a rapid. It's amazing we all survived going through rapids named "Skull" and "Sock-it-to-me". I was proud of myself for going all the way in the "duckie" (inflatable kayak). Its a lot more intimidating being so low in the rapids for sure. I can see the draw for white water rafting although I am completely spoiled because the first trip I took was in the Grand Canyon with the coolest rapids ever! This was pretty close because I was in an 8 foot Duckie instead of a 38 foot J-Rig! Cataract canyon was fun,but doing it 5 months pregnant wasn't so much fun.
Clay borrowed his friend's boats so he could row a few rapids. We were right behind him and watched as he flailed in a hole in Little Dolores. He was stuck and surfing for a minute but I could see the big grin on Clay's face and knew it was okay. Still, it didn't do my heart good to see Clay of all people stuck knowing that I had to go through that same rapid in a moment! It was with Andrew's boat and it took a while for Andrew to talk to Clay again. I don't think he'll let Clay take the helm of his boat 'ever again'.
Seriously so fun! It was a lot of work to get it all pulled together, but all and all it was a blast. Thanks to Mike for getting the permits and Clay was great to be master river-guide.
Picture of the canyon going back into Moab from the take-out. I forget how much I like it down in Moab. Hopefully it won't be another year before we make it down again. Anyone for another rivertrip? We'd totally do it again in a heartbeat.

Who wants to be my new best friend?

2008-09-09T09:27:00.005-06:00

So, a couple weeks ago when Clay and I took the kids to the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho for a little "vacation", we were stuck on the side of this awesome, clear lake where we watched boats fly past with their skiiers/wakeboarders cutting some awesome lines in the water. I was so frustrated. I was talking to Clay and was expressing my desire (again) to get a boat. He said (out of exasperation and exhaustion) "Well, just GET one THEN!". I looked at him, knowing that he didn't really mean it, and said "OKAY!".

We got home from the trip and I went directly to KSL Classifieds and called my bro-in-law, Martin (pictured below). He said he would take care of it if I bought it, which is a HUGE deal for me! My folks had a Nautique about 10 years ago and he took very good care of it for them. I figure if I had a mechanic on hand that I could tolerate the cash dump a little easier.

After searching on the web for a couple weeks, we found a '97 Ski Brendella for a good price and low-balled them for even less. It had been in storage for five years and they were ready to dump it. We finally took it out last Wednesday after quite a bit of work done on it (Thanks, Martin and Clay). We left the kids at Grandmas and took the older nieces and nephews out for a chilly evening at Pineview reservoir. Anyone have cute sisters/cousins/friends for cool California surfer guys/gal? The Stange's rock!

Lauren just got her braces off (finally!)...good thing after getting jostled around on the "Lift Off".

Clay took the wheel and Riley and I got on the "Lift Off". Now we know why it is called the "Lift Off". It was a great ride until we caught, I swear, 20 feet of air and poor 10-year-old Riley got the wind knocked out of her on the return trip to earth. She vowed never to get on it again. I hope she will change her mind. Clay felt horrible about it! While we were on the thing, Riley muttered to me "You married the most horrible man!" It was funny, but I hope she doesn't hold it against Clay for too long and will give it another try.

I actually had a chance to waterski for the first time in 10 years. It was awesome, although the water was choppy and cold. It took five tries, but I did it and it was glorious!

Andrew even gave the kneeboard a try.

Good times! I've heard a few different things since I bought the boat. Clay's favorite is "The two best days of owning a boat are the day you buy it and the day you sell it." I hope that isn't true. Another is "A boat is a hole that you throw money into." Well, I think that is already true. Another is "You know what's better than owning a boat? Having a friend who owns a boat." I hope that's true and that ya'll will come and have fun with us! I think I've got a good bribe for ya'll to hang out with our crazy family! (And I promise not to let Clay drive if you don't want him to!)

School begins

2008-09-08T17:46:00.003-06:00

Will started afternoon kindergarten this last week (pictured with his pal, Scotty). Two down, two to go. I am jealous of the moms who drop their kids off in the morning not to see them until 3:20, but I know, too, that this time with my kids will be very short-lived and I'm really trying to cherish the time I have with them while they still like me (sometimes) and I can make them do what I say (sometimes). I think this picture tells you what Will really thinks of all this school stuff.

Sawtooth Mountain Mania

2008-08-18T11:33:00.003-06:00

What a fabulous place to be! We headed up to Idaho and stayed at the Sawtooth Mountains for a few days to "decompress" as Clay said. Well, anyone who has tried to decompress with four little kids around hasn't decompressed. It was fun anyways. Last year Clay went climbing with some friends up there and had a fabulous time, so he thought we would enjoy it too. His plans were squashed when the hikes he wanted to do were closed due to fires. He also wanted to take the kids on a float trip down the Salmon river, but it was closed due to the spawning season. If only we had come last week! He was a little disappointed that none of his plans panned out. So, we paid 40 bucks (rip-off) to have someone drive us across the lake to hike up to another lake, but the kids were whining too much, so we gave up. We hiked 1/2 mile to Lily Pond instead. Lucy lost both her new water shoes in the muddy pond.
But we had a good time chillin' by the lake waiting for the boat to come pick us back up.
The next day, we did some more chillin' by the lake. The kids found a nice log to play with. Clay rented a boat to "raft down the lake".

Will could have stayed all week there by the lake, but the rest of my red-headed children (and husband) were sick of the sunshine and ready to hunker-down in the shade.

We ended up leaving a day or two early. It was beautiful up there, but mother nature and the fishes were conspiring against us. Next time, we'll stay on the lake, make sure there aren't fires and bring a ski boat for me! All the glassy water made me so sad as I watched the skiiers and wakeboarders fly past us. Anyone have a boat I could borrow? I promise to take good care of it!

Lagoon with Lucy

2008-08-18T11:17:00.006-06:00

Lagoon is so fun...especially with family. My sister Jennefer and her family have season passes to Lagoon this summer and so my Mom thought it would be a great idea for the cousins to meet up with them a few at a time to have fun. Well, since mom was paying, I was all over that. I dropped my boys off at Grandmas, picked up a couple cousins on the way, went to my sister's house and then headed to Lagoon. We had six cousins between the ages of 7 and 10. To quote Lucy, "That was the BEST day of my LIFE!" (Maybe not my life, but it was really fun!)

Jonah, Matilda, Leanne, Lucy, and Riley (minus cranky Mitchell).

And finally got back to Grandma's where Pete was snuggling with his favorite person in the world, cousin Sydney. Thanks so much, Grandma! You ROCK!

Slackline-in' it!

2008-08-18T09:45:00.012-06:00

Anyone have a hankerin' for a good time? Come down to our house and we'll pull out our newly purchased slackline Clay bought when he went to the Outdoor Retailers Show. Pretty fun, and I'm assuming you can actually figure it out after a while. I have a feeling the whole key to it is a low center of gravity...so Nate is our best slackliner so far.

Lucy was pretty good, too. Will and Pete didn't get it and gave up easily. I wish we had some pictures of Clay flailing. Our slackline had too much slack for our first attempt. And besides, our little tree was screaming "NO MORE TRAUMA!!!" *Julie Osborne stopped and asked if we were trying to pull the little tree out!)

Clay talked me into trying some crazy hand and foot pose, and well, this is the result. Let us know if you have a couple trees big enough so we can bring our slackline and take pictures of you looking oh so coordinated too!

Funnest Race EVER!

2008-07-28T09:27:00.008-06:00

So, after all the races I've done over the years, this was totally the FUNNEST RACE EVER! I don't know if it was because of the fact that (A) Clay and I hadn't had more than 3 hours without our children in years, or (B) that I had such cool friends doing it with me, or (C) that we got to have quazi-adult conversation with Jess and Dan on the trip, or (D) that I actually didn't want to puke the entire time but actually was relaxed and enjoyed the race that made it so fun. All I know is that I totally want to recruit the rest of our ward to head to Burley, ID next year to have as much fun as we did! This was my first Olympic length race, if I can actually count it since the swim was down-stream...AWESOME! I got in the Snake river water in my full-body wetsuit and could have floated down on my back if I wanted. 18 minutes later (1 mile swim) I got out on my bike and headed out to the fields for a 25 mile bike ride. Average 22 mph later, I hopped off, stuck on my running shoes and hat and headed out for a 6-mile run. I was excited to pull off an 8-minute mile. My time was a respectable 2 hours, 22 minutes. I think most of us said after the fact that we could have kept going. It was great weather, great friends, and it was so fun to have Clay there for the first time. Although, I just can't take him anywhere. He bumped into I swear a dozen people he hasn't seen in ages. That's my redhead for ya...once you know Clay, you don't forget him. Me, on the other hand, am utterly forgetable, which I'm okay with. I'm all for blending into the woodwork. (Jeana, I might add, is the same way...bumping into old friends everytime I'm with her!) To the right is Liz Ward and Jeana Kennon and me. We're the 5-foot-10 club.

Way to go to the rest of us...Jess, Suzanne, and Nannette! Spudman '09 here we come! Maybe some of our husbands will suck it up and join us by then!

Sparklers ARE dangerous!

2008-07-05T14:41:00.003-06:00

Happy Fourth of July, ya'll!

I always thought sparklers were "safe", but that is TOTALLY wrong. Not only were we lame parents to give our 21-month-old, Nate, a sparkler, which he did fine with until he touched the burned-out end with his finger... (Ever seen a sparkler burn twice, Dad?)

But, when Will decided he wanted to stick the sparkler in the grass instead of getting burned by the continual fire spraying off the stupid thing...All I know is that I was glad for my quick thinkin' neighbor who came running across the street and stomped out the raging fire before the rest of our pathetic lawn, let alone our house, burned to the ground.

Anyone want any left-over sparklers? (By the way, Clay's fixing the sprinklers today, too. No need for anymore brush fires in our front yard!)

We decided it would be best to leave the fireworks up to the professionals...so we invaded the party at the Tayler's, where they had 10-year-old Oscar and 12-year-old Matt White setting them off. That's the way I like to watch fireworks...a little bit of danger and a lot of fun! I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again...We've got the coolest neighborhood!

Climbing in Maple Canyon

2008-07-05T14:08:00.007-06:00

Another adventure with the Watson's. We went climbing up in Maple Canyon and had a good time with everyone. A big thanks to Bryce and Dallin for belaying my kids, and another thanks to Liz and Corrie for keeping my kids from knocking everyone out by throwing rocks down the canyon! They are becoming quite the little climbers.

I was white knuckled as I tried my first climb in three years, thanks to encouragement and belaying prowess from Liz. It was only a 5-8, but man, I got an arm-pump. It was actually fun, and (don't tell Clay), but I just might try it again before another three years passes! ROCK ON!

Here's Clay climbing on a 5.13 climb...and yes that is a cast boot on his right leg, and no, he wasn't able to flash it, or red-point it, or on-sight it, or whatever it is you climbing nerds call it. Thanks goodness for that, because then he'd REALLY be a freak and he would have to get some climbing sponsors and quit his day job.

Cabella's

2008-06-22T08:12:00.005-06:00

We took the kids to Cabella's in Lehi for the first time to see what all the hub-bub was about. Needless to say, Clay and I are not hunters or fishers so we didn't get it. Maybe with Clay being a gimp and all, he'll start up a "sport" like fishing. I mean, he does like "gear" and there sure is a lot of it to be bought, as Cabella's showed us! The kids did love the fishtanks, the large stuffed game strategically placed all the way around the store, and of course the "shooting range" in the rear, next to the restaurant?! Oh, and I did hear you can buy your wife a diamond while you're there, too. CRAZY! I was totally surprised to see one woman wearing a "Bambi" t-shirt there. Please, don't kill Bambi! (Sorry, Harlan!)

Will looks like he's been drinkin' a few too many beers and hanging with the wildlife too long

Clay the gimp

2008-06-21T22:44:00.005-06:00

Since Clay broke his ankle (Talar Dome fracture) climbing, he has to find something else to do. He can't climb, run, bike, swim, or anything basically requiring him to stand or walk without an enormous walking cast boot. We went to Timpanokee and "hiked" up a trail for about 100 feet before Clay had to sit down and "ice" his ankle in the stream. Anyone who knows Clay knows this little two-month set-back is KILLING him - I mean, the reason we live where we do is in large part because of his obsession with climbing. He calls this his "summer of my discontent". I call this "My summer of doing things my way". He may actually get some painting and some work done!

Don't get me wrong, the guy knows how to work hard, but he sure likes playing hard more. And, like the kid that he is, he likes to play first and work later. I keep telling him we need to rent a beach house and sit around, which is what you're supposed to do when you rent a beach house. He says it would kill him not to be able to play in the surf. This will be an interesting few weeks. I'll probably make him try yoga before he starts getting too stir crazy...

Provo Triathlon Slog

2008-06-21T21:42:00.004-06:00

Here's to all the awesome girls on my the block! I bet ya'll are jealous that there are so many cool girls in my neighborhood to go and do a triathlon together. There were actually five of us piled into my car at 5:00 am to go kill ourselves. (We would have made room for Liz, too!) I have to say, it was fun...except, of course, the open water swim where I was punched, slapped, and molested by my fellow athletes. All I know is that I am grateful for the full wetsuit Clay got me for my birthday so I wouldn't have another massive panic attack like last year at the Jordanelle Tri. It was awesome...I was actually floating instead of swallowing water by the gallon. Now, I hate to rub it in, but I have to, seeing as how I had a bum ankle and I am the oldest girl in our little group BY FAR...I did beat them all and won second place in my age group and I think 4th overall with the women. http://www.provotri.com/ I know, you girls are saying "if only I could be as old and mature as Rosanne"...well, someday you will...and I'm afraid my reign as top dog is going to be extremely short-lived!

The kids were so proud of me and all my gear!

Fun with the leaf blower

2008-06-16T11:54:00.005-06:00

BEWARE OF FLYING SPIT!!!

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-16T09:42:00.013-06:00

Can you ever have too much love? I think not...

So, the kids all gave Dad what they wanted him to have for Father's Day, inlcuding Lego Star Wars stuff from Will and Peter (which were quickly abducted as soon as Dad put them together).

Lucy helped wrap a much-needed razor, which she gave him announcing to all of us that "I'm giving him the biggest present because I love him the most!".

Lucy may just love him the most because she worked hard for weeks perfecting the "Star Wars Theme" on the piano to play for him. She tells Dad that he is her best friend all the time. She never tells me that. I am so glad that all the kids feel that their dad is their best friend. I'm okay being mean mom who makes them clean their rooms and pick up their toys. Clay, you ARE a great dad...and don't ever let me tell you otherwise!:)

We went to my brother's house to celebrate the evening with my father. I'm so glad the twins broke him in to holding babies. I don't think he was much into enjoing babies before he was forced into it with them, seeing as how another set of hands was always needed when they were little. Thanks, Dad, for everything! I love you!

And a big "shout out" to Ralph in Georgia, too. We love and miss you and Grandma Watson!

Memorial day "camping"

2008-05-27T12:49:00.008-06:00

Thank goodness Clay was keen on checking the weather report for the 18 of us before we headed to Kolob for the weekend - seems we would have gotten snowed-on all weekend. So, luckily "Grandma Honey" was gracious to let us come stay at her house in St. George instead. My brother Scott, sister Jen, their families and Watsons all headed down to So. Utah to have some fun. Saturday was jam packed with fun in Snow Canyon, which I highly recommend for anyone with little kids. There is so much to do! We went to the lava tubes in the morning (picture with Lucy standing in the bottom) and Clay set up a top rope for all of us to kill ourselves trying to climb. Uncle Martin was awesome to spend most of the afternoon with the littlest kids in the sand dunes. What great uncles/dads they have! I was belaying Claire for an hour, but it was totally worth it to see her make it to the top. She wasn't going to give up for anything. I wish I had that kind of tenacity!

That night we went to In-N-Out Burger, which is now open in St. George for all you So Cal peeps out there. It's as good as I remember, just not as big! You gotta get the cheese burger with the grilled onions...so good! Sunday was spent out in the middle of nowhere digging around an open gypsum mine. Pretty cool to see a shiny pile of rocks.We then went to Red Rock nature preserve where we went on a hike up a little narrow canyon. We had to carry, push and pull kids up some sketchy rocks to get to some more sketchy rocks. We all felt a little adventurous with all these little kids. We got back to Honey's house in time to make a quick trip to the new fountain in the city center to splash around in and then for some homemade lasagne from Grandma Wilson. (I think she makes it real hard to live up to the precedent she is creating by doing stuff like that - I mean, who sends dinner for 18 people to a party they can't go to? I don't think any of us could be as involved and thoughtful as she is as a grandparent! Thanks, Mom) What a fun weekend! "Camping" at Honey's house is the best!

Young for my age?

2008-05-20T12:09:00.008-06:00

Last night I went running with my friend Jess. She's 26. I'm 35. I was commenting on how I feel like I'm falling apart. I did the Salt Lake Century ride (100 mile road bike ride) with Melanie on Saturday and had a blast. I was proud that I wasn't even sore, except for some unmentionable places. But on the whole, my legs weren't really fatigued and I felt great. My ankle started hurting on Monday, however, and I was having a hard time walking, let alone running. So, as I was complaining about my ankle, Jess said, "You are one of the youngest 35-year-olds I know". Now, I know she totally meant it as a compliment, but it didn't feel necessarily like a compliment. I mean, how old am I supposed to act at 35? I had another friend ask me my age, and her reply was "You're THAT old?" Again, I think she was trying to complement me, but I AM THAT old. It is the beginning of the end, I guess. All the young kids are gonna start calling me "ma'am" and stuff. The senility is setting in and I don't know how to stop it! Hopefully with age, wisdom might show up...if I'm lucky. It is true that we think we're younger than we are. Just ask my 85-year-old neighbor. He always asks me when looking at pictures of himself, "Do I really look that old?" I guess we really do!

The End of Soccer, yea!

2008-05-18T13:49:00.000-06:00

This has been a learning experience for Clay and I. We thought it would be fun to have Will (5) and Lucy (7) in soccer this year. AYSO is a great program. It would be even greater if our kids actually LIKED playing soccer. We thought Lucy would enjoy it more the more she played. But even in the final game, she was still picking flowers and skipping up the field. C'mon where's the fire? It's all bursting out her hair instead of her feet. Will, on the other hand, has plenty of fire...it just coming out his fists. Hence, the video of Will's karate-soccer. Needless to say, Clay and I are happy to have our Saturdays to our own now.

Now I am cool too

2008-05-16T22:43:00.000-06:00

The other night I was visiting with my good friend Jan at their brand new beautiful house and she was telling me how cool I could be if I too started a blog. She was so gracious enough to help me start this. The problem is now I just have to do the hard part by keeping it up. I don't suppose that I will be witty or intellectual by doing this, but hopefully I will be able to keep in better contact with friends and family, let alone maybe keeping a journal for my own family.