Surprise surprise . . look at me!

Okay, so for those of you that know me I have a strong dislike for guns. . . over the years I have told Micah I have a strict no gun policy in my house.

I bent a few years ago and it was a fun trick to play on a friend of ours. See I sent Micah shopping for his shot gun with a friend from CA who knew I disliked guns. Needless to say when he told Jason that he bought the gun no matter what I thought - the joke was on Jason since I told Micah to go buy it with Jason. Shortly thereafter, he bought a gun to go hunting with, then for his birthday my mom bought him a hand gun. Just a few weeks ago Micah bought a 22 rfile.

Well this weekend, my borther and sister in law went to Idaho for a job interview and made their first trip to Utah. So while I was off working Friday afternoon, Micah took Kenneth shooting for the first time. So the plan the next morning was that the four of us would go back up to the shoting range. Oh what fun!?!? Yea, I was thinking I would rather spend countless hours having my hands dipped in hot wax.

I went along with the plan - at least I was spending time with my brother and sister in law! To make a long story short and after having been there for a few hours I let them talk me into shooting Micah's 22 rifle. Afterall, I had just watched Megan pop off with Micah's 40 cal. handgun and made it look like another day at the range with the boys.

Peer preasure is an awful thing. I was done after the bullets ran out!

I can't say I will be back again . . . or that I want to venture out to the hot sun, in 100 degree weather, aiming a gun at a target two miles away and hope that I hit something. You know to make it feel like it wasn't a wasted trip - - - - -> and I will never get back that three hours of my life that I just lost!?!?!?!?

It's Finally Done . . .

Doesn't it look great!?!?

Micah was able to complete the bed this weekend, and good thing . . . our metal bedframe broke and the center of the bed was becoming a a meeting place for anyone or anything that entered.

So with my help and Micah's patiecenes we were able to move the bed into the house this afternoon. Of course as you can see the rest of the funiture is not complete, but it is a project in the making!

I can hear it already, "NICE PICTURE MICAH", but here is my thinking on that . . if he is silly enough to pose and silly enough to ask for his picture to be taken like this then I am smart enough to know to post it for the world to see! His response: "I dig it!"

Micah's Project!

I nearly forgot why I was online today . . . Micah's latest project? Several months ago Micah came to me with this idea in his head to build me a bedframe for our new matresses we got a few months ago.

Of course, I added that to the list of projects he would start and not be able to finish for one reason or another . . . we are 50% completed in our Family Room in the basement, he is working on building me a larger desk/table for the computer and scrapbooking, the deck still needs to be sealed, and the last of the dirt in our backyard is screaming out for pavers or flagstone. (The list goes on, but I only named the few items I am concerned with at this moment.)

So when he came to me with this drawing and idea I just nodded my head and said ok sure thing. I was shocked when I came home to the pile of wood in the garage a few days later. Then a few weeks later I had my accident and then we were on the go for so many weeks.

I am proud to say this weekend Micah has made some real progress. We have a very talented neighbor, Jared who has been assiting Micah along the way and has encouraged Micah with this project. This weekend the bed came to life and hopefully by weeks end we will be able to paint, finish and assemble the bedframe in our room.

Just a few details of the project, Micah mande the bed out of pine, the head board and foot board have a decorative bead board, the cap of the posts were made by Micah and Jared out of 1 x 8's and Micah's newest power tool; the DeWalt 3-piece combo Router kit ($279.00 at your local Home Depot, if you don't know the local DeWalt Sales Rep.).

I was not able to get a good picture of the posts, there is a very nice groove along the posts to give it a more finished or polished look. It is amazing to see in person and I am so very proud of Micah. I am also looking forward to being able to check out the Masterbedroom as a completed project. :)

Once I am able to get it painted, sanded and finished I will post the finished project. Just a note to those of you who would like one; he said buy the lumber and send your husband over - he would be thrilled to show them how he did it.

It's Already July . . . .

Here is it the first week of July . . . Micah and I had a great 4th of July.

Well, if you ask Micah spending the 4th of July painting our bedroom was not that great. However, the next morning when he woke up he dd comment that it was a nice thing to wake up to.

Earlier that morning the neighborhood started the first 4th of July - Annual Breakfast. Several of the neighbors got together to start the morning with a nice potluck breakfast. While the kids were enjoying the morning the adults sat around around chatting.

The afternoon was suppose to be around 102, but it ended up being in the mid-90's with hot breeze. I figured if it was going to be so hot Micah and my time would be better spent inside painting our bedroom. After all, I have had the paint for nearly a year and a half. It took us about 5 hours to finish the project; more like that was the only time Micah was going to give me before he was done! I still need to paint the doors and the trim along the baseboards, ceiling and door ways.

Later that evening around 9:30 we ventured outside with Micah's friend Nick and his wife, Candi for the neighborhood firework display. For those of that you recall . . Micah is slowly working his way through the fireworks he brought home from his Mission in 2001!

The following afternoon Micah and I enjoyed the quite time in the neighborhood. Micah went outside to work on his latest project in the garage - while I was inside with the air conditioning. Later that evening we joined several of the neighbors for a summer get together. After eating dinner we played a game Boys vs. Girls - the object? To throw six sticks and knock over the five large pegs something like 20 feet away standing in the grass.

We ended the night with the first neighborhood fire of the season. This went on until 12:30 the next morning. There is something about sitting among friends in a simple setting, talking about ideas, events, movies or just listening to the silences of the night. It is times like that that Micah and I miss our friends and family back home in California, but are soooo grateful for the neighborhood and friends we have gained here in Utah.

Just in case your wondering, the photos are from our yard. Micah and I thought it would be a great expermient to plant seeds this year rather then spending $100's of dollars on flowers at the Home Depot.

So along the back yard and the back of the house I planted several types of sunflowers, zinnia, cosmos, and wildflowers.

It is a nice surprise each day to see what has come to life.

Meet the Newest Additions to the Family . . .

This young lady is one of the older nieces I have. Alexis is my brothers second oldest. The last time I saw her, well she was just a sweet little girl. Now she is a beautiful young lady. When she stands next to me she nearly towers over me. I was waiting for her to come to my brothers house that morning and when she finally woke up she walked by the bedroom door I was sitting at three times before she figured out I was there! Alexis was just a few weeks shy of turning 11 years old. It is hard to belive that she is the same little girl who use to run around with her crazy wild blonde curls, a tweety bink and following her dad everywhere he went. Next thing I know she will be telling me about some cute boy at school . . .

Yes, I know she does not look like a newborn, but this was the first time I had the chance to meet her. This is my youngest niece Mia, she was born in October 2007. What a happy little girl she was to let me tell you! While I was visiting with her mom in the kitchen she sat so nicely with us in her chair. She has the biggest blue eyes with dark curly hair.

This cute little guy is my youngest nephew, RJ! He turned two in June 2008. He could just make me smiley all day! We had to show Micah and I each of his new toys he got for his birthday that weekend, I think there was some bubble machine, some trucks, and a Mr Potato head. Then he would move over to the toy room. . . . showing us each toy her shared with his siblings!

This handsome young man is my oldest nephew, Kenneth Dwayne Hill III. He turned six in April 2008. Of course the last time I saw him he was learning to walk and talk. . . . He is so diffrent from the rest of the bunch very shy, polite and keeps to himself.

Here is Carlos and RJ. Carlos also celebrated his brithday the day before we arrived. He is also six years old. If I remeber correctly my sister in law has both JR and Carlos in the same class since they are the same age. ( Jr is just a few weeks older then Carlos) Funny thing the morning we are getting ready toleave to come back home - Carlos tell his mom that he wants to come home with Micah and I. We all met for the first time the afternoon before.

We had a good visit with the kids, and I always enjoy spend time with my brother. This was also the first time I had a chance to sit down and get to know my new sister in law, Megan. Ok so she's not a new new sister is law they have been married for nearly two years! Sorry the picture is so small, no matter how many times I tell them I need a family photo . . . .

Finally Mr and Mrs McDermott!

So Micah and I went to California the first week of June for my friend Danielle's wedding . . . Oh what a pretty day 06/07/08 turned out to to in sunny California too!

Danielle and Neil were married at the Monday Club in San Luis Obispo and were married out in the garden patio under a gazebo that Neil's grand mother decorated with bells of Ireland, star gazer lilies, German status and roses . . the smell was memorizing.

The groom was handsome as ever,and the Bride was breathtaking . . . Danielle was so funny while she as getting ready she looked around at everyone and asked "Why am I not nervous yet? I am about to get married!" Anyone that knows - knows that this match was meant to be!

Back when Danielle and I were roommates in Grover Beach she mention several times this guy named Neil that she thought was just so cute! And for whatever reasons back then and for the next few years the two of them always ran into one another.

So after I moved to Utah; I get a call from Danielle asking me if I ever remembered her mentioning a guy named Neil. Oh but of course I did! So a few months later Danielle came out to Utah for a visit and the moment I saw her eyes when she talked about him I knew that this one was a keeper!

Since that time I had the pleasure of meeting Neil when I came to town for a visit and Danielle, Neil, Micah and I would get together whenver possible!

The most exciting news came last February when Danielle called to tell me THEY WERE ENGAGED and planning to be married the following summer. :)

To make a long story even shorter there are some of the pictures from the wedding of the newly married Mr and Mrs Neil McDermott!

The Happy couple honeymooned in Hawaii

Rolled my Tahoe 05/01/08

For those of you that have not already heard I rolled my Tahoe on May 1st in downtown Salt Lake City.

I had left work and was driving downtown at North and West Temple when I realized I was going to go through a red light. (Yes, the accident is my own fault! I was on my cell phone talking with my Mom when I realized what was about to happen.)

Once the car coming South bound made contact with the passanger side doors the next thing I recall is the truck tipping on the driver side and slide . . . all I could hear was what reminded me of a soda can being crushed bare handed. Just about the time I thought I was dreaming I started to open my eyes and that is about the time the truck tipped on it's top and slide somemore.

When the truck came to a stop I openned my eyes and within a few mintues I had an off duty Firefighter talking to me through the passenger side door. I know this is an an awful thing to thing of first hand after having this accident, but my first reactions was to tell the Firefighter to please call my mom. All I could image is the thoughts going through her head during, after or perhaps at the time of the accident.

Considering what I had done to myself, to the other people in the near by automoblies . . . I did not worry about myself or the injuries I could of caused myself. Maybe that is why it took me a few moments before I realized that I was bleeding so heavily from the left arm. (This photo was taken the following day, I had ten stiched in the the elbow and another 5 in a small cut just above the elbow.)

I guess I was still in a stage of shock that when I heard the firefighters who arrived within mintues of the accident tell me that they were going to have to cut me out of the truck; my first reaction was selfish! I thought to myself "No, you can't do that! I worked so hard for this truck, it's my baby!" This was my FIRST accident, what would be my FIRST ambulance ride, my FIRST trip into an emergency room and hear I am hanging up side down in my truck thinking please don't cut the truck! I am more embrassed to say is that the following moments once I realized no one was hurt including myself was that my arm was going to be ugly for Danielle's wedding in June!

I know I didn't touch on all the details, but in all fairness I have been working on putting it behind me. The first three of four days I was not able to sleep, anytime I spent alone or was unable to keep my mind of what happend sent me into uncontrolable crying. The one thing I refused to do since I had put myself into this situation was to to sit around and feel sorry for myself. I next day I put myself together with the help of Micah to brush my hair and I went to the holding lot to view the damage; that was the most difficult thing for me. Not only was this 'my baby' but I was able to look at it and say "you were able to walk away, ALIVE . . and the worst thing to happen to you was some stiches and bruises . . . be grateful you are ALIVE today!"