Merry Christmas and things I'm thankful for...

It has been an amazing holiday season away from our extended family.  I have absolutely LOVED spending all my time with my children and husband instead of heading from one family party to another.  Now, don't get me wrong.  I enjoy spending time with my family but it often feels like we squeeze it in to such a small space during this season.  My favorite things are camping out with the Barton family near Bear Lake or up above Ogden. 

I honestly didn't think I could make Christmas happen at our home this year.  Money has been a big deal since we moved.  I took over a $14,000 cut in pay and became an nontenured teacher once again.  It's OK.  I need to prove myself to people who don't know a thing about me.  I will and money will be easier to come by.  I got paid on the 20th of this month and Lynn and I did some power shopping.  I actually think I like putting off my shopping.  It was a lot less crazy.

We spent Christmas day at home together.  We got to go to just Sacrament meeting on Sunday.  Lynn is all for turning into the rest of the Christian world and making it a Sunday tradition to just do Sacrament meeting.

Later, we had a guy from our ward who lives alone and our the missionaries assigned to our ward over for dinner.  We played some board games and can I just say...fun, fun, fun.

Thanks to many a Nerf gun fight in our tiny duplex my Christmas tree is broken on the bottom.  However, my kids will tell you this was the best Christmas EVER!

Bring on the Turkey!

Quote from Abby on Facebook, yesterday, "Oh finnaly Thanksgiving break. I can sleep in for 5 days straight.Then there is the food part don't get me started on that. Even though I won't eat it at grandma's doesn't mean I won't eat it. P.S I like music on I-pods mom so get me on for christmas."   Is the kid mine through and through or what?  Love my girl!

Here's her post today, "I'm going to be on my mom all day tomarrow until she gets the cranberry relish done. I love my grandma Evan's cranberry relish so my mom better make it. I only get it one day a year so it better be good. I hope thanksgiving dinner will be good at my neighbors house the Snarrs house. Actully I hope it will be GREAT!"  funny baby!

What are We doing in Missouri?

I had forgotten what it's like to teach a new grade. Oh, how I'd forgotten. It's been 9 years since I had to learn a new set of standards for a grade, the way the students act, etc. etc. etc. Put on top of it all a new school district and a new state. I feel like I've been trying to drink from a fire hose. I'm finally becoming successful in abating my thirst. One thing I'm finding out is how much I really enjoy teaching. It's true. I do. I think I'm finally at a place where I think it's fun to teach. It only took 18 years to get here, but I'm here.

The kids LOVE Missouri. Brayden is a Hornet at Fulton Middle School. He's an 8th grader in a small town middle school. He gets to play the trumpet with the High School Band at the Homecoming Game this month. He also gets to go to school on A and B days like we did when I was in school. He's bringing home better grades, YAY!

The twins go to school across the hall from me. They enjoy hanging out in my room after school playing on my SMART board. I like the fact they play on my SMART board. Then they can teach me how to use it.

Lynn hangs out at Mizzou in the anatomy lab. He spends quality time with his dog and his cat and tiny little cells in the micro anatomy lab. So far, he's doing well and we are VERY proud of him.

Maybe my fire hose will quit spraying up my nose and I will be able to post a bit more often!

Moving to Missouri

We miraculously made it to Missouri. I'm not quite sure how. As we headed into Wyoming Lynn's truck did what is known as a "Death Wobble". It means the front track bar became loose and the truck literally wobbles. The occupants get shaken to death. I watched the truck shake and jump in my rear-view mirror. I knew my son, husband and the horse trailer complete with Hank and Henrietta were all dead. Lynn was able to pull the truck to the side and all was well. With some "rigging" we limped into Evanston with no trouble.

A quick fix and we were on our way, right? Until we drove into Nebraska. We stopped for dinner and as we pulled out from the KFC a storm was blowing in. We still had a few hours until we reached North Platte. I was following Lynn. As anyone savvy to the Midwest knows: when the radio beeps three times and tells you to seek shelter...TORNADO!!! The radio beeped. Abby was hysterically crying. We said a prayer and she calmed down. I couldn't reach Lynn on his cell phone to tell him to pull over. He was jamming to his i-pod and didn't hear the three beeps. So...I flashed my brights to get him to pull over. He, well, he doesn't pay attention. So all I could do was ride his tail and drive like the wind. And the thunder rolled! Soon we were out of the tornado warning area and spotted no tornadoes. PHEW! We made it to North Platte and all was well.

Weigh station in the AM...The kind police officer warned us the bridges into Missouri crossing the Missouri River just east of Lincoln, NB were closed due to flooding. We would have to change our route. Doesn't this trip just get better? We could go South through Kansas or North through Iowa. We went North and decided to take an extra day and visit Winter Quarters.

Dum, Dum, Dum, Dum... DEATH WOBBLE!!!! Coming around a bend in Omaha. I was behind Lynn this time. Our quick truck fix made in Evanston went out. Lynn was in the center lane sandwiched between two semi trucks. At the same time the realtor from the rental place for our duplex called my cell wondering why we weren't in town. She was concerned we were going to leave her empty handed with an empty duplex and we were yanking her around. The check for our deposit hadn't made it to her yet. Needless to say I began to talk out loud about Lynn's truck and ignore what she was saying. Yep, hard to concentrate on her while watching Lynn Death Wobble. This time I was losing, Elise, Lynn, the horses and our house to be. We were near the Winter Quarter's Visitor's Center's door step. We pulled into the parking lot and the missionaries were very helpful. They watched the kids while Lynn and I went to a parts store and picked up a new track bar. Lynn fixed it in the parking lot and we went on to Des Moines. We got to spend some much needed time in a cool air conditioned building and gain a new respect for our ancestors. Lynn called the Realtors and everything was back on track. The realtor was full of sympathy when we explained our situation.

Finally, the next morning we were able to drive into Fulton! Hot and tired we made it. We had to wait 4 days for ABF to deliver the moving truck and temperature was 105 with humidity! But, we're here and we're settling in. We have each other and we love our new ward!

Here's to Missouri and moving cross country!

P.S. Did I mention the 5 gallon bucket with our fish in it? Oh, yes. We hauled our fish across the country. Bob is still alive and kicking his fins. You'll remember at one time my family was taking bets on how long he would last with my fish killing abilities. Not only did he survive the last 3 years, but our cross country trek along with Alice the Algae eater, Foo (who under stress lost his tail fins but they are growing back), and Small Fry (the feeder fish Elise brought home for Foo and Bob to eat but they haven't yet). Not too bad eh?

P.P.S. We left Bullseye with my Mom, To keep her company and so she'd have something to mother. So far, so good. :)

Louis Evans Obituary

LOUIS EVANS | Visit Guest Book
Louis Llewellyn Evans 1935 ~ 2011 Our gentle, quiet, husband, father, and grandfather passed away quietly and peacefully as he lived; surrounded by his wife and children on Friday, June 24, 2011. He was born October 7, 1935 in Ogden, Utah to Darrell Elijah and Margaret Berghout Evans. Louis was the third of seven children. He spent his early years growing up in Mount Emmons, Utah and the family later relocated to Salt Lake City, Utah where he attended school and graduated from West High School as a member of the ROTC. Louis was active in the LDS church serving a mission in the Netherlands, home of his maternal ancestry. He later enlisted in the Utah National Guard being called to active duty for the Berlin Crisis. He was sealed to his eternal love, Ruth LaVon Sowards in the Salt Lake Temple on November 19, 1964. They raised five children and he served in many callings in the church, the greatest of which was patriarch to his family. He was, is, and always will be a true father; you will always be with us. Louis began work early in life and worked hard to provide for his family and retired from Meadow Gold Dairies in 2000. Later in life, he enjoyed being an ordinance worker in the Jordan River Temple. He is survived by his wife, Ruth and four children: David (Elizabeth) Evans, Becky (Lynn) Barton, Irene (Ken) Brown, and Elizabeth (Mark) Hodges, son-in-law, Lynn (Kristi) Langford and 17 grandchildren, siblings: James Evans, Marva Calton, Newell (Jan) Evans, Charles (Kathy) Evans, and Ben (Karen) Evans. He was preceded in death by his daughter Margaret Ann Langford, his parents Darrell and Margaret Evans, and sister Cora Franke. In lieu of flowers, donate to Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (www.lls.org). Funeral services will be held Thursday, June 30th, 11:00 a.m. at the Hunter 9th Ward, 3450 So. 6400 W. A viewing will be held Wednesday evening from 6 - 8 p.m. at Redwood Memorial Mortuary, 6500 So. Redwood Rd. and one hour prior to services at the church. Online condolences may be left at www.memorialutah.com.

Published in Deseret News on June 26, 2011

For those of you who missed it...

Lynn finally got a BS degree to go with all that BS he's been blowing for the last 38 years. He graduated from Utah State University on May 7th in Logan, Utah with a degree of Bio-veterinary science, an absolutely worthless degree unless you take it to vet school. YAY! He is! He graduated Magna Cum Laude. We are so proud of him our buttons are bursting! Way to put the AG...in Aggie! "Make me a True blooded Aggie where the sage brush grows!"

17 Years and Counting!

We did it! We made 17 years. Lynn likes to tell people this little story. When we were first engaged and went to visit our University ward Bishop. The Bishop said, "I didn't see this one coming. This is like hitching a mule to a thorough bred." Lynn pipes up and says, "Don't call my fiance a mule!" Classic Lynn.

Looking back, it feels more like a well matched pair work horse pulling team. I have this theory. Marriage isn't about finding the "one". It's about finding one you like/love and working your guts out to make it work. 1% stars in the eyes 99% work and tolerance.

Through the years we've been through a few storms: infertility, (if you can weather that one and stay married the rest is easy); twins; building houses; losing a dear sister; two Bachelor's degrees and one Master's; building and then losing a business; a son with NLD; entrance to vet school; AND trying to move our family to Missouri.

Through the years we've been through some MAJOR triumphs: overcoming infertility twice and being doubly blessed once; building our dream house and then not caring much when we had to sell it; two Bachelor's degrees and on Master's; earning a General Contractor's license, Getting into 5 vet schools; keeping the faith through it all.

Yes, a well matched team of work horses who trade off being the mule at times.