I Got Tagged...BUGGER

Darn it. I hate these socials posts. I really much prefer to pretend like nobody knows me and cares what I have to say. But here goes...
1. Go to your pictures file.
2. Go to the 4th file.
3. Go to the 4th picture.
4. Post it and tell the story.

This is Calebs bum. October 2006. His first 'real' Halloween. He had only been walking for maybe a week or two and was still faster at escaping on his knees. He couldn't figure out why he had weird clothes on and was even more freaked out by how his siblings looked. At this point he had given up and headed home.

I tag:
Christopher
Todd
Christy
Savannah

The 'Official' Bane of My Existance

Okay...it is absolutely official. I have found the Bane of My Existance (doesn't it seem so much more official in Capital Letters?).

On occasion I will go through previous posts (to really appreciate where I am right now)...and I have picked up on a common thread...Any Guesses? Come on, it really is pretty obvious. Plumbing and Water. DDUUUUUUUHHHHHHH.

Which brings me to todays' post. Yesterday, we decided to be completely super industrious. So we embarked on our adventure in cleaning the garage. Now that we had the shed and a place to put everything, maybe we should actually put it there.

So we get everything moved out and realized EEWWWWWWW GROSS. We moved the carpet that was by the entrance to the house and found like an inch of dirt underneath. At this point, we realized sweeping was NOT enough. All that sweeping would do is move the dust around and as soon as we turned our backs, it would settle.

As we were in such an incredible worker bee type mood, we decided to hook a hose up to the spigot in the garage...we should really thank the original owners of the house for all of the wonderful ideas they had when building the house. As usual, we had to take it one step further...we put Dawn on the garage floor so we could scrub up all of the grease and gross that was EVERYWHERE.

We go to put the hose on, and realize the little turny handle thing is gone. I am fairly certain that is disappeared right after we moved in 10 years ago and Savannah had a ball turning the water on and off. Hence, the disappearing little turny handle thing.

But, that's OK. Why? Because we have tools. Lots and lots of tools. So we find an awesome little teeny, tiny wrench that fits the little deely bobber perfectly. And we turn the hose on. GREAT...until I get drenched because somebody didn't tighten the hose to the spigot. And then we turn it off. And then we tighten it. And then we turn it on and BEGIN. We get out the brooms and methodically scrub and scrub and scrub the garage floor.

A good, solid hour later we are done. And we go to turn the water off. I said, We go to turn the water off. Ahem, excuse me...WE GO TO TURN THE WATER OFF. And it almost does, but not all the way...Naturally. So we figure, let's just replace the spigot, no big deal. I run down to the hardware store to buy a faucet while Felix is turning the water off to the house. We have no idea what size the pipe is, so we buy one of every size. I go home and we slowly unscrew the spigot and take it out of the wall...and take it out of the wall...and take it out of the wall. It was like 9 inches long...hello...what the hud is that thing. So I grab it, run back to the hardware store, find the dude that helped me before, hold up the part and say one very descriptive word, "Help."

Okay, he starts to laugh at me. So what else is new...people laughing at me has truly become an embedded part of my personality. So he says to me, that is a FREEZE PROOF spigot. At this point, I give. I explain I no longer care what anything is and please, may I just have a cap to plug up the line. I buy it and fly home (I'm pretty sure it was on my broomstick).

Once home I decide I am the Martha Stewart of plumbing and without waiting for anyone, I grab my handy plumbers tape and wrap the plug, cut a hole in the wall and put it in. I have no more time and patience. Felix turns the water on, and it is dripping....at about the same rate as the fragile pieces of my ego, delicately hitting the floor.

We turn the water off, take the plug off and put more tape on it. Put it on turn the water on and watch it continue to drip into the recesses of my homes innards...You may be asking, what do we do now? We didn't know either...we just watched it. We were waiting for the epiphany to come. It didn't.

So rather than watch the event that would cause toxic mold to over take my house, we decided to save a whole bunch of time and call a plumber.

I love the Yellow Pages. I love that the Yellow Pages has groupings by whether or not they offer 24 hour service. I begin calling. 1st call-Voicemail. 2nd call-Voicemail. 3rd call-Voicemail. 4th call-Roto Rooter and they can be here in 1 to 2 hours. Great, I knew I would only be able to get in touch with the most expensive plumber in the phone book.

Felix goes to buy a new Freeze Proof spigot, because now that we have gone through so much trouble we better be getting something long term out of the deal. Whatever...works for me. I get to stay home and wait for Roto Rooter. And what better to do that watch the water drip. FUN FOR ME. It is really like watching water boil (and as a side note, I have done that too).

Felix gets home with lunch and a faucet. We eat and we wait. Finally they show up. I am absolutely no longer in the mood to deal with anything, so I hide up in my room. Felix gets to over see the fun. He only here about 5 minutes when Felix comes up to tell me that the plumber dropped our wrench in the wall. Bummer. We no longer have a complete set of wrenches...that is going to do wonders for my OCD.

5 minutes after that, he is done. Great...nothing like being told your an idiot in less that a quarter of an hour. After he leaves, Felix says the guy said we did it all right except for the plumbers tape. Plumbers tape should not be used on 1/2 inch pipe....and it is iffy on 3/4 inch. And I know that why? Because that is why my pipe was leaking. He said we did it all right, but we had to use this special plumbing goo stuff that would expand and seal the pipe. And it only cost me $160 (we got a screaming deal...he took off 5 bucks for the wrench...lucky me).

So we now have a spigot in the garage with a handle, hidden by the water softener salt tank thing...my world is complete.

Lessons Learned
1. I am STILL NOT A PLUMBER.
2. I think it is still just money.
3. I did save LARGE amounts of stress by calling a plumber early.
4. Before I do another house project, I should really be a plumbers apprentice.
5. At least I am never bored.

YAY ME

I have a cooktop, and it is pretty. I have a cooktop, and it is working. YAY ME.

I finally received the elusive cooktop that has been plaguing my life for the last month. When it arrived I just couldn't wait for Felix to get home to put it in. No really, I couldn't wait. So I made some shims to hold up the unit so I could put the cooktop on and I installed it myself.

And everyone that knows me shouldn't be surprised by this. I have horrible patience issues, and I really do have a tendency to OVER take the initiative of the situation. But I did it, and I cannot tell you how satisfying it was to flip the breaker and turn everything on...and of course, I did it over and over and over (I may have some mild OCD tendencies).

But as I have shared my trials, tribulations and sadness, I had to share my joy. And it is JOY...YAY ME, YAY ME, YAY ME.

Lessons Learned
1. Sometimes it is worth the extra money to buy directly from the manufacturer.
2. As much I hate it, I really missed cooking real dinners.
3. If I set my mind to it, I can really do just about anything...not that I will, but I could, if I wanted to.
4.YAY ME
5. It's just money....

Smokin' on a Saturday Night

I know, just by the title you all think I've gone a little nuts and completely rebelled...NOPE. But it was fun trying to imagine me at a bar puffin' away, wasn't it?

So it more or less took me all week (and a change in prescription meds) to get my mood to improve this week...but IT FINALLY DID. And is every one in my household glad. Although, as a quick side note, they aren't cleaning up any better...but alas, it is what it is.

So after having such a difficult week with everyone trying to put up with me and my bad mood, Felix and I decided that we needed to do something fun. Yay us, we put a fire pit in the backyard.

Last year, when we did the addition on our house, we decided to have a trampoline hole dug so that the kids (especially the younger ones) could get on and off easier. The hole was dug in June, and we couldn't put the trampoline in the hole until October when everything was finished. And of course, when we put the trampoline in the hole the hole was over dug by 3 feet. Of course it was...what was I thinking...why should I have expected that it would have been dug to size. But wait...it gets better. The hole was dug at the wrong angle, and through the course of a VERY wet winter, the hole collapsed and completely covered all of the trampoline legs...GIVE ME A BREAK.

Well in early spring, we managed to get the trampoline out of the hole and beg our neighbor who was finishing up his addition to dump the dirt from his yard into our massively ugly hole. Okay, this story is getting way too long, to make a long story short (a little late, don't ya think?) as we were moving the dirt around, we decided that it would be cool to have a fire pit so we could make REAL LIVE S'MORES WHENEVER WE WANTED TO. And we did. It was a painstaking process and took way longer than it should have, but we have it, we love it and it's done. (Nice way to tell a story huh...by going around the block to get to the house next door).

Okay...so now you know how we have a fire pit...now it's time to tell about SMOKIN'. As I was saying, forever ago, we needed to lighten the mood so we decided it would be a good night for s'mores. We took the kids out to dinner (Because lest we all forget, I STILL DON'T HAVE A COOKTOP...dumb Sears), and we needed something other than the boring dinners I have been cooking in the oven.

So on the way home from dinner we tell the kids, who have naturally been bickering non-stop about the Earth's gravitational force or about the Pythagorean Theorum or something little, like breathing...AND I WAS SICK OF IT. So we decided to sweeten the pot, and tell them if they could make it all the way home (which was like three minutes), then we could do s'mores. And wouldn't you know it, World War 3 broke out in the backseat of my car. Okay fine...this was one of those, "If you can't get along, so help me I will turn this car around" moments. Except we were already going home, and that is what they wanted.

So how could I turn this little fiasco in my favor? No problema...when the house is clean, we can do s'mores. And, WOW, my house got clean fast.

Out the door for s'more we go. On the difficult side, we live in Utah, it is fall, and the ground is drenched. So with much kindling, LOTS of cardboard, and twigs galore, we managed to get the fire started.

Not exactly the raging inferno we made in the toilet (For all those who need to know, please refer to the first post on this blog). Nor was it the type of bonfire that would obliterate a marshmallow into nothingness just by thinking about it...but it was a small, cozy little fire, that would get put out if someone farted. Okey, dokey, now that none of you will ever eat s'mores again without thinking of passing gas...I'll move on.

Because it was so wet, and even though the fire was kind of small, man that puppy put out a lot of smoke. It was kind of like playing musical chairs with smoke signals. No one was ever in the same place more than 2 minutes and at one point or another, you would hear someone go, "AAAGGGGHHHH", and cover their eyes...It was kind of a Dr. Seuss moment. 'I do not like smoke in my eyes, anymore than I like flies. I do not like smoke from a train, I really think it is a pain'. Okay, I'll stop torturing you...I was having a moment, with a big red and white striped hat on my head.

So Savannah of course, had to dramatize the entire process of marshmallows, and put it off as long as possible, just because she couldn't get her 'pet stick' to catch fire. And I'm pretty sure that Caleb only managed to get one s'more before he started burning his marshmallows to a crisp and watching them explode in the fire (microwaves got nothin', nothin' I tell ya, on our fire pit). Noah, was content in his own little world melt, eat, burn...melt, eat, burn. He was working on a 1 to 1 ratio of eating versus destroying. And Baylee, well, Baylee was Baylee and was spending her time chasing people around the backyard...as usual.

We had a wonderful time, just not thinking about any of the stresses in our lives and enjoying each other and our friends that joined us. I can't wait until we do the first S'more party with snow on the ground.

Lessons Learned
1. When my kids tell me that I never let them do anything, I now have pictures that prove I let them play with fire.
2. I really enjoy my children...
3. Size (of fire) doesn't matter when it comes to making s'mores.
4. In the midst of all of the chaos in our world, it is so nice to have a place where you can spend time with those that matter most.
5. I really, really, really like toasted marshmallows...to an unhealthy point.

I Suck...'Nuff Said

I have been in an incredibly horrible and downright rotten mood...all day...and in retrospect...maybe a lot longer. Oh, but I digress.

And as an incredibly quick side note...my 8 year old son, who is apparently a fabulous over-the-shoulder reader, just pointed out that my blog would go over much better if I wrote about how incredibly wonderful my children were...

Back to the subject at hand. I suppose this is my apology blog. I don't know, not really for anything in particular, just me being short (not of stature, of patience...stay with me people). I think it all really started with my last post regarding the evil do-er that refused to fix my cooktop even though they said they would....hmmmm, don't get me started. I think I headed into a dangerous shame spiral. You know, just being mad at the world for conspiring against me. Oh, you know...you have all been there...some of us just admit it.

The last 24-48 hours have been kind of a general bummer, with bits and pieces of good flung in there somewhere.

I am not kidding, Sears threw me for a major loop...especially since I am still without a cooktop (it's on backorder and tomorrow there is going to be a phone call about me freaking out because of Thanksgiving...stay posted, I will let you know how that turns out). So while I have been trying to feed my family without a stovetop, and getting sick of the microwave meals and partials meals that can be cooked in the oven...the kitchen alone is enough to push anyone over the edge. And it did.

Okay, I will hurry and sum things up so I can get to the title of this post....

1. We got a shed....it is pretty, it is big and I am tired from moving stuff into it (and I have only made a tiny dent in the piles of crud that have to get moved in there). Unforetunately, my OCD has kicked in and there is one splotch of blue on the white and I have to get that taken care of before I blow my top. It completely freaks me out every time I go out there...I swear it is almost as if there is a giant spotlight with one of those flashing arrows pointing at the spot.

2. I found out that a combination of medication I am on can cause seizures...hmmmm, maybe not so hot for someone who already has a seizure disorder...that is on my to do list too.

3. Someone spilled red punch on the carpet, and hid it with a pillow because they wanted to make sure the stain was set. And it did...hope you're proud.

4. Post apocolyptic Halloween anxiety has hit my house way stinking hard...enough so that all of our heads have spun off, hit the ceiling and now someone has to clean up the bloody mess. Which is probably going to be me. And the chewed up pieces of gum I found couch (IN TWO PLACES)...shall I go on?

5. I have lost 15 pounds, great, right? Yeah until my friends Snickers, Butterfinger and Baby Ruth showed up on Friday...

Okay now to the title. This is actually kind of funny...well it was last night, today it just made me sad.

So we decided that since Halloween had already thrown us for a loop, and we were going out with friends, we were going to put our 'Lifestyle Change' (i.e. stupid diet) on hold and enjoy some good grub. We met our friends at Maglebys and had a wonderful dinner, except for having to keep asking for the yummy rolls because they weren't making enough. But once we got them, devoured them and begged for more, we decided that we would splurge and get dessert. Of course I was going for the chocolate cake with ice cream, DUH. This is a big deal...I haven't had cake in 2 months...I know, a record...2 months. Mind you, there were 4 of us at the table and we each had our own desert. After we were digging in for a little while the server (see how politically correct I am, I don't say waiter and waitress any more) came to check on us...he got about half way through his question, looked at my plate and said have you eaten that much by yourself? That was just you? Wow...you are good. And then there was me....Pause, smile and politely inform said server that we have all been given talents in this life, and eating was apparently mine. Stop camera, let's get the forklift and get the ol' girl out of her chair. We all had a good giggle until he came back and did it again. Okay, I am now officially in a self-esteem crisis (I need to be like my friend who is 9 months pregnant and gets hit on at the gas station...I could do with a little bit of that action). Honestly, atthis point I just wanted to get up and waddle out of the restaurant with the little dignity I had left. And I did...with my bag from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory snuggled up cozily in my purse. I really did get a good laugh, but today I felt kind of bad and think maybe I should give up food....FOREVER....WAAAAAAHHHHHH.

So then at church today (and this is really a good thing because it came from a woman, if a man had said it, he would be castrated), I was talking with my really good friend who somehow makes me feel okay enough about my life that I have a horrible tendency to dump on her. But as I was explaining everything, she realized I was PMS-ing. DUH. I haven't done that in so long I completely don't recognize the signs (and thank you, you know who you are for telling it to me straight). Not that it stopped me from being psycho when I got home from church.

So now that the 2 events that really pushed me over the edge have been published for the entire world to see (and I just turned the cookies I was making into charcoal), I suppose I owe everyone an apology for being ornery, needy, pathetic, weepy and just plain mean to my kids. A super big apology to my kids for not being very nice, but remember, if you don't start cleaning up after yourselves...so help me...and so REALLY help you.

Lessons Learned
1. The server from dinner last night really needs to get married...I mean, why didn't you just ask me how much I weigh for the love of Pete....do you want to know how old I am too? SHEESH.

2. I miss the hormone balance I got from Depo....I hope things level out soon...and so does every one else.

3. I love my friends that tell me to take my head out of my bum and deal with the fact I am PMS-ing.

4. I really need to get over the fact I feel yucky and get back on the treadmill tomorrow, because I know that will make me feel better.

5. With as impatient as I am, I realize my children must have been blessed with way more patience because they have to deal with me....

What did I ever do to Sears? And then I got transferred...

This post is simply for me to get this all off of my chest. I have no expectation of being entertaining or funny, I simply want to share my little adventure with Sears and why I will never spend another penny on appliances from them, even if I have to fix it myself or become a back woods mountain man who doesn't believe in appliances. And by the way, please be singing the Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song in your head...and you know you know it.

Lately, we have been in somewhat of a destruction spiral. Everything has broken. And I mean everything. It started with the car battery (that was defective when I had it replaced in August), then the washing machine, the DVD player, the cooktop, a crystal mug and a few other things that I have already blocked out (my therapist thinks blocking is healthy in my case).

So let's start with the washing machine, shall we? We have made all major appliance purchases through Sears. They are typically averaged price, but they have a really good Master Protection Agreement that covers darn near everything that you can renew for like ever. So here goes the saga.

The washing machine dies on Sunday night. Ordinarily this wouldn't be to big of a deal, but I was going out of town in a week and a half, and seriously needed to do laundry (with a household of 7, it tends to pile up). So I call Sears first thing Monday morning and schedule service for Saturday. Since it is Saturday, the time they give you is from 8 am to 5 pm. So I cancel everything we have going on for Saturday and deal with it.

The week more or less rolls around with only a few smaller things breaking, like the DVD player. And on Friday, at about 4:30, I get a phone call from the Sears technician telling me that they don't have enough techs and they are cancelling my appointment the next day. I told him that I was going out of town and was desperate, and needed my washer fixed ASAP. He said that he could get me in on the 21st. I was like, ummmmmmmmmmm, no. I told him he needed to get me in sooner. So he agreed to fit me in on Tuesday. I asked him how they determine who gets bumped when they are understaffed, and it apparently made him angry. He told me that it just depends, they have to pick someone and it was just me. Okay, whatever. I told him at that point that I would need to have service Tuesday morning then because of my schedule, and he agreed.

So the Saturday that I cancelled everything on happens, and so does a jar of pickles. After a trip to the grocery store, a jar of pickles met my cooktop with an unfortunate amount of force and the entire corner of my year old cooktop is shattered. AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH. So I call Sears again. I explain the entire situation with the pickles, tell them I can't find my paperwork, but want to know whether or not this type of thing is covered or if I need to buy a new cooktop. I am put on hold and after a few minutes the representative comes back to tell me that my Service Agreement is 'All Inclusive' and it is for sure covered. I ask if the entire unit is going to be replaced or if they will just swap out the top. She says they will swap out the top and we made an appointment for a week and a half later. And then I head to the laudromat.

And Monday rolls around and I get my confirmation phone call from Sears for between 1 and 5 on Tuesday for my washing machine. I explained that I was promised the morning and the Customer Service Reps response was, and I quote, "Well, that's just not going to happen now, is it?". I said it was what I was promised, and she told me that was too bad and the only way my washer was going to be fixed was if the repairman came in the afternoon. Are you kidding me? Really? Fine. So I cancel all of my afternoon plans, except for the dentist. And my grandma had to cancel her plans so she could be here just in case.

One through five comes and goes...not a phone call, not a technician. We call at about 5:15 ish to find out what is going on. We are told that the tech is about 3 stops behind and he will be at our house shortly. My question was, if I was stop number 3, how did he get 3 stops behind...had he just not started yet? The rep on the phone said that we would receive a phone call within 30 minutes. Now, mind you, it was my anniversary...it wasn't looking so hot at that point. After 45 minutes, we called Sears back and they said he was coming and he would call. I explained how many things I had cancelled and that I needed to know whether or not anybody was going to show up...I didn't have confidence at that point. She said we would get a call...hmmm....I think I heard that before. After about 45 minutes, we got a call from the tech letting us know that he would be at our house soon. So I cancel my anniversary dinner...groovy.

The technician show up at 7:30. Are you kidding me? He comes, he's crabby. And I let him go to work. After 30 minutes he is done. My husband said was it easy to fix or are you just that good? He said he fixed it the easy way so he could get out of here. Yes, that is really what he said. But hey, for our trouble we got a 15 percent off coupon that was only valid FOR THAT DAY. Thhhhaaaaaannnnnkkkkkks.

We are able to make it through the next little bit with little trouble (probably because we were on vacation). But we made it back and got ready to have the cooktop replaced.

The day before I never received a confirmation call for my appointment, so I call Sears...I'm a little wary because of the washing machine. He tells me I am still on for between one and five. Okay, fine.

The next day, one and five rolls around and then leaves. As usual, no phone call, no tech. but before I can call and be huffy, the tech shows up at 5:15. He comes in and asks what happens. I explain the whole pickle scenario, and he makes a phone call. He finishes on the phone, and tells me that it is not covered. I explained no, your CSR told me it was covered. He said no it wasn't. He gave me an 800 number, tells me that it will be $1300 and leaves. So I call, I explain the situation, and tell them that I felt like I was being punished for exercising due diligence. They said, well, you broke it. So I told Sears that I wanted to cancel my service agreements. And I got transferred.

And I explained everything AGAIN and told them that I would like to cancel. And I got transferred.

And I explained everything AGAIN and was told that she could cancel everything but that I should probably talk to the National Center before I made up my mind. I told that rep that I was looking for a reason to stay. And she said well, our Service Agreements cover everything. And I said Nuh-uh. And she said, except for that. I told her that I had a problem with giving them money to treat me badly. And then I got transferred.

The next person that I talked so said they could definitely do something for me. That I shouldn't have to bear the burden of the cost by myself since I was misinformed. She put me on hold for a few minutes, and then I got transferred.

I finally end up talked to some high up on the chain dude who is in charge of something. I tell him the entire story...again. He says, that sounds to high, I will check on it and then we can figure out how to break this all up. I am on hold. He comes back and says he needs to make another call and I am on hold again. He comes back and tells me that it will be about 975 plus labor, and since it was my fault that it got broken, they couldn't do anything to help me. But to take the sting out of the cost, they would give me a 100 dollar gift card.

So basically what it all boils down to, is that 3 weeks of my life is worth 100 dollars to Sears. I politely told him I would consider his offer and get back to him. And then I hang up and let the Turrets Syndrome in my head take over. It wasn't pretty. to get a brand new unit it was any where from 1100 to 1500. Felix and I found the part for 580 and we are going to do it ourselves.

Oh yeah, when I get my 100 gift card, I am cancelling my Service Agreements and never setting foot in their store again (except to redeem my 100 gift card). Because if I have my way about it, I will do everything in my power to make Sears feel the economic crunch.

Lessons Learned
1. Sears DOES know how to take your money.
2. Sears DOES know how to keep you money.
3. Sears DOES know how to tell you what you want to hear.
4. Sears DOES NOT care what you think.
5. Sears DOES NOT value you as a customer and thinks that you and your time are completely worthless.

I think I feel better, thanks.

Smashing Pumpkins with the Children of the Corn

I hate to travel. For reference, please see previous blogs that mention how anti-social I am. However, we just took a long, long, long overdue family vacation. We packed up the kids, the grandma and ourselves, and headed out to wonderful Ft. Collins, Colorado. My uncle, aunt, cousins and their myriad of wonderful children were our hosts for one of the best vacations ever.
After our record 7 hour, 20 minute drive we were greeted by my aunt and uncle and our two new best buddies, Evie and Alex. Evie is the adorable Doberman, with the sweetest nature you have ever seen. Alex (a girl) is the alpha male...and we love her dearly.

That night we were treated to a giant spaghetti dinner with the fam. It was so much fun to have all of the munchkins running around us, and me catching up with a few of my cousins that I hadn't seen in forever and ever.

On Friday we took a trip to Old Town, which we thoroughly enjoyed. They even had a store that sold cookie dough. They had cookies that were cooked too, but they sold cookie dough, in cups, with spoons as a snack food....that is my kind of place. then we kind of kicked it for the afternoon and got ready for the (imagine a musical crescendo) for the corn maze.

Okay, this was the coolest thing ever. The place we went to is run by individuals who have had past issues with drugs and alchohol and are trying to get their lives back together. It is a real working farm, and a fabulously inspiring place.

We started our evening at the pumpkin cannon. Yes, you are correct, I said cannon. And who was the first to try it...the three year old. And let me tell you, from my own experience with the canon. THAT WAS SO COOL.

Once we all had an opportunity to blow stuff up (nothing brings a family together like a pumpkin cannon and corn cob guns), we headed over to the pumpking smash. The kids are all natural athletes. And I am not so bad myself.

And after watching our group of 18 thoroughly enjoy hitting pumpkins to smithereens with a baseball bat, we headed off for the traditional hay ride. We went around learned about how the farm operated and how the individuals that lived/worked their managed it all.

After the hay ride, we sent the munchkins off for a barrel ride. A barrel ride is a unique invention, I don't know if it is indiginous to Colorado, or if the phenomenon has eeked it's way through the nation. Just remember, I am anti-social and hate to travel, I have a very limited amount of life experience to refer to.

A barrel ride is about 10 of the giant water barrels, with holes cut cut for you to climb in, and the entire lot is hooked up to an ATV and off you go for the four wheeling ride of your life. I didn't go, but I was waiting for someone to get thrown out and run over. But it didn't happen and they all survived, even though they are a little wind blown.

Here is the whole crew, right before the all important...PIG RACES.

In my oh so humble opinion, life is not complete until you have had a chance to observe pig racing. And with top notch contenders like Kevin Bacon, Hamgelina Jolie and Big Red who could resist?

Once we watched the champion edition of the pig races, it was time to head off to the corn maze. And you have never experienced a corn maze until you have done it with 10 kids, 6 adults (a few of which were directionally challenged), a stroller and more flashlights than we could count.

We started very enthusiastically until we realized that we were going to have to do a kid check every turn or so. But the kids were great at following directions, like the one they heard the most, "Wait here while I figure out where we are." Thank goodness for the maps that were placed every so often to tell you where you were in the giant maze.

Now, to be fair, Joe did a fabulous job leading us. Chris did an amazing job hauling all of the kids on his back when they got tired, and I did a great job hiding my claustrophobia while I was hyperventilating.

And major kudos to Savannah and her incredible sense of direction that managed to get us through the maze in a whopping 30 minutes. :D

So to try and shorten this already incredibly long blog, on Saturday we went up to Estes Park and visited the fabulous Stanley Hotel (where they filmed the Shining). However, I still think they had to have filmed the Pirate Movie there as well (you know, the one with Kristy McNichol and the dude from the Blue Lagoon).

But it was a gorgeous day and we had the most fabulous barbeque at a restaurant called Smokin' Daves. I highly recommend it if you are ever in the neighborhood.

We had another wonderful family dinner on Saturday night, brunch on Sunday morning, and a barbeque Sunday night. And for good measure, we sang Happy Birthday to Felix (a couple of days early) and had a thoroughly enjoyable time.

Thanks to all who made our trip wonderful. I can't wait to see you all again.

Lessons Learned

1. Even if you hate to travel, every mile is worth it to spend time with your family.

2. Corn mazes in the dark totally freak me out...and I loved it.

3. My kids are better behaved when they travel...still not perfect, but definitely closer.

4. I can no longer drive long distances without my eyes crossing...don't ask...it's a long story.

5. I need to check out Corn Belly's for a little bit of closer to home fun.