Lori Morgan and Tears on Blake's Pillow-WARNING Blake, This May be Too Much to Handle!

All I know is that me and Kalee are the coolest. And our choreographed dance to "May the Best Woman Win" was absolutely stunning. We worked forever on that dance. And we even got the parents involved by preforming it probably over and over. You probably couldn't get enough of this dance! I mean, all we did was walk around in a circle and point to each other. Haha good times anyway. But let's also rememebr how Blake would cry and cry when we turned on "Tears on My Pillow"---"pain in my heart caused by you." Ha I would turn it on just to make her run and cry. Either way, Lori Morgan is awesome!

Spin Doctors

El Paso. Aunt K. Spin Doctors. For some reason I just have this memory of Dad, me, the girls and David cruising down the freeway in El Paso while jamming to the Spin Doctors. Every time I hear them, I am taken back to this moment. I don't remember much about El Paso, but I do remember spending lots of time with Aunt K. I loved her even though she mercilessly teased me about having a boyfriend. We are so lucky to have met such good people like Aunt K.

Tribute to the Truck

I love that little grey truck! I think I have a special connection with cars. I feel like a piece of me has died with this truck. Something like this might have happened when I was three--when Mom and Dad decided to make my life miserable and sell Goldie. I just cried and cried. It was a horrible day!! The truck got me all through high school, but he did kinda have a rough life. The front was all smooshed from Dad rear-ending someone. The driver's side window only rolled up if you pushed it out and up while turning the handle. The outside driver's handle was broken by Ray and Fat Curtis one day while trying to steal it. The tailgate was all skiwampus thanks to Trever when he stole it in order to ask me to Homecoming. It always reeked of gas--I swore it was leaking time after time. But the good ol boys from the shop said it was fine. The speedometer was off 5mph so I always looked like more of a dare devil than I really was:) I did however get in my first crash with this little truck. Smacked right into Mr. Udall on my first day of a legalized driver. I still claim it was his fault. Plus, he's a Udall. That equals all wrong-doing on his part. I got pulled over at least 3 more times in this little guy--once for swerving. Good thing mom was in the car. Another time for a cracked windshield. And another for a tail light or something ridiculous like that. I had my bright pink wristband around the stick shift that was part of my student council campaign for Junior year. I loved just cruising down main street, going to shortstop or romping through the golf course. I also loved jamming to Taylor Swift's "Picture to Burn" on the way to school with Rachie every day. I love you little grey truck!

3 for Pee 2 for Poo and an Inch of Water

I'll be honest I always thought it was 3 for Poo, 2 for Pee. That's probably why Dad kept on us about this rule...he knew I was using more squares of toilet paper than i "needed"!!!! I still think this is one of the funniest things ever. I will admit that toilet paper does seem like a waste of money--it's expensive--and all this money goes to something you can wipe your hiney with. I might have tried it on my roommates. Didn't work. I also remember Dad only letting us have like, what, an inch of water in the bathtub?! That ain't enough water to even begin to actually clean yourself! I just remember begging Dad to let me have just a little more water, just so it might be able to cover my toys or even float a boat. But no, we were forced to bathe in an inch of water. Those were the days. Ha, I'll admit it. While these things seem trivial, it reminds me to be careful with my money which is a worthwhile lesson. But it's still funny.

Dennis the Mennis and Pure Luck

I just love it when we can get Dad laughing. I think two of the things that make him laugh the hardest are 1) Dennis the Mennis-the Movie, when the little girl makes Dennis kiss her baby doll's rear end and then proceeds to call him a "Baby rump kisser" and 2) Pure Luck-the movie when Martin Short's face blows up after getting stung by a bee. He just has this genuine belly laugh-his head gets real red and he doesn't really breathe. Love it.

All you need are long teeth

I love how Rachel has been compared to a rodent by more than one person. All I know is that we have pure proof that she even acts like a rodent. So, we go out to the golf course one beautiful summer day to take family pictures. We're just posing in the beautiful yellow wildflowers, like people taking family pictures do...we're just taking one of us three girls. Me and Blake lean in towards each other thinking Rachel would probably follow suit...until we see the outcome of the picture. Me and Blake are all cutesy, heads tilted towards each other and everything and then there's Rachel. She's perched about 3 feet away from us, back arched and neck outstretched. She looked just like a lonely gofer...because that's what gofers do of course.

KokoMoJo

I miss Koko today. Remember how she would howl to the sound of a siren and then act real embarrassed when we laughed at her? It was like she thought she was a human, but sometimes she couldn't hold back from letting those animalistic instincts out every once in a while. Or even when she would sit outside the sliding door and just let out a moany bark like "Hey, doesn't everyone know I'm outside? It's cold out here!" I can't say that I miss her draggin her rear across the carpet, but I loved that dog!

Comfy Beds Straight from the Kitchen

So one day me and Blake were plotting against Rachel. We wanted her to fall asleep so we could stick her hand in warm water so she would pee the bed. I think I was actually in high school. We were baaaad kids, what can I say. Anyway, we decided we didn't want her to pee all over everything so we would put a bed of paper towels down under her. Honestly, I don't remember how we figured this would ever work, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. We never really did it, but I remember a few days later Mom asked me where all the paper towels were going. I immediately blurted out that me and Block had made a bed of paper towels and that we used every single one we could in the entire house. This was a lie. But mom still thinks it happened. Sometimes we ask her to remember it and she says she does. Hmm....

Learn the Story Behind the Person

I think my most favorite Christmas tradition is our Christmas tree one. I love the power that comes from praying to be able to find someone to serve. I know that in the past we have been a little late in choosing someone to serve, but it always seems to work out at just the right time. The feeling after we not just put up a Christmas tree for someone else, but as we get to know them and emulate the love of Christ, brings possibly some of the most genuine feelings I have ever had and will have...ever. I love meeting new people and learning their stories. I heard this quote once, "You will learn to love anyone, once you've heard their story" and I believe it with all my heart. I try to keep this in mind as I meet new people and especially when I struggle to connect with them. This tradition has taught me so much and I love it. I plan on doing this when I have a family of my own. It is one of my most treasured experiences.

MMMM Cheeks:)

Hey Rach, remember that one time when we were at Gumpma's and Granny Margaret's and I was in the shower? Just so ya'll know, those frosted shower doors become see through when you smoosh your cheeks up against 'em. Ha

2 Words...

Safety Pullout

That is all.

Dotted Lines and Annihilated Cars

So first off, Rachie's a genius. I love it when we have dinner discussions that are all about Rachie and her genius ideas. The other day me and Andy were talking about his first visit to Eagar and how at dinner, where he afterward yammied, we all just bashed on poor little rachie. Two stories dominated all others at the dinner table that night
1) Rach has common sense for sure. One of the jobs we have as a receptionist at the office is taking payments from the patients. After taking a payment, we hand-write a receipt for our records and tear out the white copy for the patient. Well Rach had some trouble one day. Instead of tearing out the white copy which is clearly marked as the one to tear out with visible perforated edges, Rach tries to tear out the yellow copy. And it doesn't occur to her that maybe she should try the white copy even after struggling with it-- ripping it down the middle. Maybe she just thought she was having a bad day, for after completely ripping up the receipt, she simply taped it up and handed it to the patient. And i can't lie and say I jumped in and helped her. I watched her struggle through the entire ordeal, just laughing. Afterward, I just teased her and teased her. She was just like "Ohhhhh, I thought it was harder than usual." Genius rach, genius. And it doesn't even stop there. A couple days later, or maybe it was a week later, she does the exact same thing. How do you not see those perforated edges. Hey, I think this time she might have gotten the scissors out...I pray for her.
2) We all know that Chas at the office is also pretty smart and lucky. One day while working at the office, her car got broken into and some stuff was stolen. Well after school, Rachie strolls in, probably with a number of genius ideas swirling in her head and Lori tells her about Chas' car getting broken into. Rachie starts freaking out and was like "Whoaaa, did it like split right in half?" We were all sorts of confused for a second until we realized it as just another of Rachie's moments. We love you rachie poo!
What a great impression to give to Andy. It was a great dinner that night:)