California Trip

I know that this is not super recent, but I wanted to post these fun pictures. After Clint graduated, we went to California to hang out with his sister Amelia and her family. We had a blast! Here are some pics from the trip.

Airport Highlights...We have some good times at the airport

So, we found out that United has a "red carpet" for their first class passengers. Imagine this...you are waiting with a crowd of people to board a plane, and the United employee starts calling groups to go through the ticket area. "Gold Group, now boarding in our red carpet line... Silver Group, now boarding in our red line...Group A, now boarding...don't you dare try to walk in the red carpet line..." I know it's an exaggeration, but not much of one. Clint and I could not stop laughing as we watched the first class passengers walk on the two-foot-square red carpet before boarding the plane. If I were a first class passenger, I would be ticked that the extra money I paid for a plane ticket was going towards red carpets! I wish Brian Reagan was on our flight - this would definitely have given him some fuel for his next comedy act. Oh, and we tried some great sourdough bread in the San Francisco airport. Here is the baguette we got "to go" before our flight.

Amelia, Dennis, Austin, and Darby "hanging loose"

Dennis and his "baby" Mojo

These pics show a few highlights from our trip. Austin and Darby are both on swim team this year, and so we were able to watch them practice. Also, Clint had his first cavity filled by Dennis while we were there, and I got to watch the procedure. It was so cool seeing Clint's cavity up close...it was huge!

Amelia is a Young Women's leader right now, and she thought of a cool idea for a church service project - "Extreme Church Makeover", with team shirts and everything. I went to the activity, and it was alot of fun. Honestly, if you just saw these big smiles you never would guess that these kids were at a service project.

Some of the amazing food we had on this trip. Fish with shallots, beef brisket with salt lick barbeque sauce, pistachio pudding, and the best turkey, bacon, guacamole sandwich I have ever had.

Clint liked the food so much at one restaurant that he licked his plate clean, and was very disappointed when there wasn't anything left to lick.

That was our trip! Okay, and by the way, can someone tell me how to get rid of all the blank space in my posts. Sorry...I'm a little technologically challenged.

Moved...

So, we are trying to do a better job about updating our blog, so here is the latest...

WE MOVED TO MISSISSIPPI.

Busted...Okay, not really

So, I just had to write about my experience being pulled over this morning. I woke up and drove Clint over to pick up the moving truck for our move to Mississippi. On my way back home, I noticed that a cop was following me pretty closely. I checked to make sure I was going the speed limit (I was), but I still looked back to see him turn his lights on. He pulled me over, and I was a little nervous because I figured that he knew our registration just expired and was going to ticket me. (Sidenote: Clint and I also knew our registration just expired, but we are selling our car tomorrow and our friends will have to pay for registration fees again no matter what). He told me that he was checking license plates today and it came up that our registration and insurance had just expired and asked for all the paperwork. When he got my driver's license, he said, "You know, you are one of the few people who actually takes a good driver's license picture." I thanked him and wanted to laugh at the thought of being photogenic, because at the moment I was wearing sweats, striped socks, and my hair was sticking out in all directions. Anyway, when I explained the registration situation the officer was super understanding. "Of course you don't want to pay an extra $150 to the government when you're going to sell it. They'll get their money from the new people who buy it. Have a nice day!" Yeah - no tickets today! I feel very blessed!
Oh - by the way, I realize that I haven't written in months and I have so much to catch up on. Don't worry - more posts to come...soon.

My Birthday

So, about a week ago I turned 23. It was a great birthday, especially because I have such an awesome husband who made it special. I woke up to a wonderful French toast breakfast before work, and after work I came home to a clean house and an awesome homeade pizza for dinner. There was more to the day, but I just had to write to say that I have such an awesome husband! Clint is super thoughtful, not just on my birthday, and he has been so supportive of me with my job and everything else that is going on. Thanks babe!

Clint making a pizza in his "Grill Sergeant" apron Mom Asay made him for Christmas. She made me one that has a pic of an angel on it and says "Soul Food Served Here."

The finished pizza and salad

One of the gifts I got was a homeade neck scarf from Clint's mom.

Thanks Mom Asay!

A few girls from the Single's Ward found out it was my birthday and brought me cupcakes. I think I'm going to have to get that frosting recipe and post it on here for everyone! It was great!

Matchmaker, Matchmaker

So, I am looking for some advice. Since Clint is serving in the single's ward bishopric, I've been asked to be in charge of the Datebox for the ward. Basically, I plan fun group dates for people in the ward to go on. If people want to go on the date, they put their name in the Datebox. Then, I hook them up for group dates that Clint and I get to go on too. It's been really fun so far, but I need some ideas. Does anyone have any great ideas for cheap group dates you can do in the winter? Please let me know if you do.

United We Fall...

"Welcome to United Airlines..."

Our trip to California was terrific! We had a wonderful time with Amelia and Dennis, Austin and Darby, Nate and Erica - The food was excellent and the games were fun! We are so grateful to have been able to stay for 4 (+2) days! +2?! You ask... yes, PLUS 2. And not by our own design... That was all thanks to... NOEL.

Allow us to explain...

As I said the trip was wonderful! We had a BALL! And Then we TRIED to catch our plane on Sunday... But we were foiled as I said by, NOEL.

SUNDAY
We got the airport in Modesto to fly out on Sunday about 25 minutes prior to our scheduled flight time. This was normally no problem since the airport is tiny and has only one prop-job running to and fro from the San Fran. Airport all day...

Well, we walk in and find that there is no one at the ticketing desk, and the people are starting to move through security and get to where they can board the plane - Again, no real problem, the distance from the desk where we were standing to our seats on the plane was maybe 30 yards. And yet... no one was coming to help us at the desk. We got some very pleasant looks from the security officers sitting in their break-room drinking hot coacoa, but no one working for UNITED AIRLINES was around to give us our boarding passes or check our bag. So we walked over and tried to get some attention, but instead got only strange looks from the lady (NOEL) taking tickets from the now boarding passangers. So we said, "Hey! We are here! We NEED TO GET ON THAT PLANE, THE ONE SITTING RIGHT THERE ON THE TARMAK!" And she said, "Oh, too bad. You are too late." Too Late? TOO LATE?! What?! "Yes, you should have been here 40 minutes ago." (There was a sign AT THE COUNTER saying you should be there 30 minutes prior to your flight - but of course that was no where on our itinarary or anything, just at the airport.) I guess they same person who took boarding passes, also ran security, boarded passengers and flew the plane... So we watched as our plane was boarded, taxied, and took-off...

Then we waited for NOEL... ;)

Who gave us a look like, "Oh, Crap." and then ran to the Bathroom. (Where she never came out.)

So another guy came in from loading the luggage, who clearly had no idea what was going on and asked, "And how are we helping you today?" ... "You're not. We were supposed to be on that plane." "Oh..." He replied, a little taken back by the fact we were not on the plane. "Well, lets get you guys taken care of."

Oh the jokes that where shared during the ride home...

"Noel, where is your Christmas Spirit?!" "No-el, does that stand for No Love?!"

So we got scheduled for a flight the next day and enjoyed another evening with Amelia and Dennis. (When we returned, Austin informed us that Darby had been praying we would be able to stay longer... thank you Darby:)

MONDAY

We got up, and had a nice morning... until we noticed the weather outside. FOG. And not just a light cloud of condensation on the ground... it was like being inside a black thunderstorm cloud - not being able to see more than 20 feet around the house. Hoping that the fog was isolated to Amelia and Dennis' lot, we drove out the the airport to get on our flight (2 hours before it was supposed to take off). CANCELLED DUE TO FOG... There was, however, a plane coming in and preparing to return to San Francisco. So we asked when that would be leaving. "15 minutes" "Well, can we get on that one?" "Sure! We can get two of you on board." At this point, Nate looked at the sign on the wall (The big 30 minute sign) "The Irony." So while we couldn't board a plane because we were 25 minutes before it, Nate and Erica could get their tickets changed, get through security, and get boarded with time to spare! ... gr... NOEL.

Ashley and I were scheduled for the next flight, (Which was cancelled) leaving us stuck in Modesto for another day... So we enjoyed a nice evening with Amelia and Dennis until the phone rang...

It was Nate and Erica. "You are not going to believe this." "Believe what?" We asked. "We couldn't land in Idaho, it is Fogged Over..." "Well where are you?" "SALT LAKE CITY!" yes, salt lake, (Which is where Ashley and I wanted to be in the first place... and it so happened that they arrived in Salt Lake at the exact time that we were supposed to! The Irony.

They were able to get a shuttle to Ruxburg and got home about 3 am.

Meanwhile, Ashley and I were still in Modesto.

TUESDAY

We got up, saw the weather was good, and got the airport early to get on another flight. Got it, Got Out, Got to San Francisco.

Then we got to the gate for our flight to leave for Utah. They scanned our tickets. RED LIGHT. Scanned them again. RED LIGHT. By this time Ashley and I are looking at each other thinking, "No, Please! JUST GET US HOME!" Scanned again... GREEN LIGHT! We got on the flight, only to sit next to some 6 year old who gave us the storyline (His version at least) of "Snakes on a Plane." Insisting that Everyone on the plane died, except the pilot. There is a pleasant thought.

Fortunately there were no snakes on our plane, (Only the 6 year old's little sister who enjoyed the planeride like a rollar coaster and screamed the whole way).

We are home.

It is good to be home.

So, when people come to you and ask for service this holiday season, please remember Noel. And realize that your decision can have far reaching consequences. Just because you want to go home early, or be lazy is no reason to make others suffer.