And Now We Know The Rest Of The Story

Over the years, our children have created lots of memories. 

Those memories are the gifts that keep on giving.

"The family" August 1996

Today I pulled out some Thanksgiving decorations.  I set my cornucopia atop the armoire in its usual place.  I've had it for years-look at that bedraggled ribbon.

Wait-I don't remember that ribbon on that cornucopia!

It really doesn't seem to match the colors of the rest of the arrangement.
 ARGH! 
Suddenly I realize what I am looking at!

Years ago, Ashley's friends got together and bought her a corn snake for her 16th birthday. The snake started out the size of a pencil and eventually grew to 3' in length The year Ashley was a Freshman in college, she came home to visit and in the ensuing chaos the snake, "Favio", escaped.  Ashley went back to college, Favio remained missing for 5 months.  Eventually we found him, burned, dehydrated and nearly dead in the storage room. (He died shortly after.) The storage room WHERE I KEEP THE THANKSGIVING CORNUCOPIA!!  YUCK!

Ashley and baby Favio, early fall 2006

 Apparently, Favio was touring the holiday decorations during his missing months.  Apparently, Favio shed during that time.  Did I say "YUCK"?

Thanks, Megan, for removing the snakeskin from my fake fruit. 

And thanks, Ashley, for making life interesting.  I will call you tonight at 2 am

when I awaken from my nightmare.

We're Chillaxin'

We had a great time having all of our kids here on the fourth.  It was SO much fun, I wish I had actually taken pictures of all of us instead of just thinking about it.

When Ashley and McKay left on Monday, they took Megan with them. 

Megan attended classes at BYU-I with Ashley, McKay, and Jessica. 

 
 
 

 

Jessica, Ashley, and McKay have Anatomy and Physiology together, and Megan had fun being in class with them.  However, I understand she was studying the inside of her eyelids during this class a little later that day:

Too much late night partying with the Pearsons, no doubt.

 

 On Wednesday, I drove down to Idaho and took Megan, the Backmans, and the Pearsons to "our" Idaho restaurant.  Too bad I didn't think to pull out my camera and take a few pictures of everyone.

 

  Ashley, Megan, and I scouted out a few potential future apartments for Megan.  I wish I had remembered to take a pictures of the ones we liked so we could remember what was nice about them.
On Thursday Megan and I headed home.

It's been a hectic year, and I'm long overdue for a break.  Fortunately, Shelly called few weeks before she got to Montana and offered to stay and watch Amy's kids so that Stan and I take some time off and go do something.  We looked at our time frame and bank account

and despite the anemic state of both, decided to take a quick cruise to the Bahamas. 

Nope.  I'm not kidding.

So if you're reading this, we've already gone.  We're probably sitting on the beach, or eating too much food on the ship, or skipping off into the sunset, carefree and childless.  I've got  my camera.  Let's hope I'm not so relaxed I forget to take some photos. 

See you on Friday!

Let the good times roll!!

My two year old dishwasher is completely kaput. These kinds of problems always manage to happen at the very most inconvenient times. Stan is replacing it today. 

Fortunately, several people showed up to help him. 

There were these two adorable girls, Jordan and Kailyn.

cute little Chase

and one shoe Krew

 Caden and a very excited Hailey

and a whole box of  Bassetts

We're going to spend the weekend celebrating,

listening,

and just hanging around.

(you know Ken was involved in this shot)

Caden and Hailey found the basketball pump

and are helpfully pumping up green tomatoes for Grandma.

Here are the "double stuff people"--all my middle children. Top cookie Scott isn't here yet and bottom cookie Megan is preparing for a 5k run.