The Gun Story!

 This is the gun that Shirlene had for a whopping 36 hours.  Below is the story of why she no longer has it!

Well here is a Christmas story that is going to go down in family history as "hard to beat."  It's all about Shirlene's gun and how she no longer could call it hers.  It all began when she decided to take it to Star Valley.  She wanted to show it to her dad because she knew he would think it was cool because he likes guns!

Christmas morning, before Grandpa unwrapped his gifts, he asked us if we had our gifts.  We told him that we had already opened them so that we didn't have to bring them to Star Valley.  Then I told him that I had brought one of my gifts to show him.  I preceded to go upstairs and bring down my special Smith and Wesson box.  I took out my gun and showed him.  He thought it was a very nice gun and talked about how he used to have one just like it before the house burned down.  I told him why I chose this gun, how I chose it and how I was really excited to learn how to use a gun so that I could protect myself.  I talked about how I even wanted to get a concealed carry permit so that I could bring it with me in a car and that if I wanted.  We had a great conversation about guns and he even brought out his hand pistol from Grandpa Call.  Afterwards, we brought over Grandpa's presents and he opened them.  He got a variety of socks, books, a cruise date and etc.  When he was done he said, "Wow, I don't think I've ever had a Christmas like this."  We just smiled and thought he was being very appreciative for the things he had just opened....little did we know!

About an hour later that day, Uncle Jim called and dad started to talk to him and wish him a Merry Christmas.  They chit chatted for a bit and then I overheard Dad say, "guess what Shirlene got for me...a 38 special with a laser!"  My heart instantly sank and I looked across the room at Dave and we both were stunned.  We were speechless and we did not know what to do.  So, we ran upstairs to Bo and Mariah and told them what had just happened.  We were all speechless then and Dave said, "Well I think you just gave him your gun!"

I hurried and called Joyce to tell her our dilemma and after she laughed she said, "I think you just gave him your gun."  Unfortunately that was a $750.00 gun and a much bigger present than I had intended to give him!  We chatted about how to solve the problem and decided that we would let him think it was his gun, but we would get some money to reimburse us for it.  Luckily, BethAnn and everyone else was onboard and we took care of that.  The funniest part of the whole story was telling each person about it as they arrived.  I would hurry and take them upstairs, tell them the story and then they would come downstairs to tell dad, "Merry Christmas" and then we would all just smile our smiles as dad proceeded to show them his "gun" that is sitting on the coffee table.

We will laugh about this one for a very, very long time!  And, I have already told my siblings to try to top MY present that I gave to dad!  I'm pretty sure they can't!

Room Redos

 Well Mariah is spending the holidays moving rooms so the upstairs rooms are getting makeovers.  (Well basically, we are just rearranging the old stuff to make them look cute.) 

Mariah's Adventure

 Tuesday night the roads in Roosevelt turned to ice quite suddenly.  Mariah was still convinced that she wanted to travel to her friends house to watch a movie.  She promised that she would drive very carefully. 

 About three minutes later I got a call with a crying girl saying, "Mom, I ran off the road and I can't get out of the truck."  She was panicked and so was I. 

 When Bo and I got there, a nice lady had already come and pulled open the door and helped pull Mariah out.  She was not hurt but obviously scared.  Dave soon came and so did a police officer who was just coming home after another roll over by the golf course.  We were incredibly glad that he stopped.

 It took quite a long time for the tow truck to arrive, but Palmer's came to our rescue once again.  This was kind of reminiscent of when they had to come tow Dayton's Ford Focus after he had slid into the telephone pole on the ice!

When it was all said and done, the truck got loaded up, had a little tow to Palmer's, the mechanics looked it over, fixed it, all to the tune of 1000.00.  Mariah is now in the "I wrecked a family car and now I get to pay for it party."  Dayton and Bo are proud to have her join them in that party.  Mom and Dad simply can't believe that every single car their kids have driven, has been wrecked by the aforementioned kids.  Ahhh, teenagers!

Christmas Eve Eve

 We had Christmas two days early at our house because we were heading up to Star Valley on the 24th.  So all the festivities began on the 23rd.  Dave and Bo delivered the neighborhood gifts as I cooked our "festive" supper.

 Everyone was hungry and ready to enjoy PF Changs lettuce wraps and wontons.  MMMmmm.

 Bo thought he wouldn't be in the picture if he didn't lay down on the table.  So he did.

 Our Christmas tree.  We decided to open presents on the 23rd as well so we would not have to take them up to Star Valley.

 So, Mariah and Bo did the traditional stair shot.  They even look like they just woke up.

 They came in with the "ever excited" look on their faces.

 Bo hugged the tree....just because he could.

 The anticipation almost killed them.

 Then the present unwrapping began.

 Mariah got lots of room decorations to redo Cado's room downstairs.  (He was a little surprised when we told him that on the Christmas call.)  He said, "Gee, I'm going to be home in 5 months!

 Bo got some awesome rock climbing shoes so he can climb more rocks.

 Shirlene got a fingerprint safe.  That meant that another awesome gift was coming.

 It was wrapped in a Smith and Wesson box!

 And the excited look on her face proved that she was excited to get her first gun.

 Bo, actually seemed to like the gun as much as I did.  See those cool laser beams!

 Bo and Mariah also got a few more things and Dave did too. 

Although, nothing was quite as exciting as the gun.  So, we took it to Star Valley to show grandpa Call.  Because he really likes guns!  That is where the true story begins.

Dani Made Bo's Day!

Saturday morning I called Bo and he sounded a little stressed.  Well, it is finals week so he IS stressed!  Needles to say, I was stressed that he was stressed and I wished at that moment that I could be there and do something for him.  I couldn't, but I had seen a post that Dani was shopping in Logan.  So...I texted her and asked if she would do me a HUGE favor.  She was more than willing to go to Panda Express and get Bo a super Panda meal and deliver it to him.  He was delighted and surprised at the same time and I'm sure those noodles and veggies will up his test scores at least 10%!  Thanks to Dani!

Cado Training New Missionaries

Park City Tennis

 This past weekend was the first  time hitting the realms of weekend tennis competitions.  Mariah and Brooke Kettle traveled together to participate.  We had so much fun being in Park City and watching their games.

We got to go visit Gage at Shriners.  He has been there 3 weeks and has one more week before his surgery.  He is up to 26 pounds on his head.  Wow, that is a lot of weight.  He has had all sorts of visitors from friends and family, to the BYU football team, to the Star Valley Football team and some famous Rugby players and the Green Bay Packers even sent him his own special get well package. 

 Garry has been with Gage since the beginning and spent the last week there 24/7.  He didn't even have a car.  I think he was happy for each and every visitor as well.

 Gage thought Brooke was cute and said, "I wish I was 16!"

 We ran to Gygi's to get some chocolates and found so much more.  Mariah and Brooke loved that store.

 We spent Friday night and all day Saturday at the tennis courts.

 And, we stayed at Park Plaza in Park City.  It was one of our favorite hotels to date.  We loved everything about that place.  The pool, hot tub and fireplace...

 Breakfast in bed...literally.

 I had to get the girls outside for a while because they were getting a little tired from being at the inside courts all day.  This piano was handy to play and rejuvenate their energies.

 Mariah and Brooke both had great games.  This was a terrific experience!