6 Deans + a Dog

Here Goes...

1) I remember delivering fliers to earn money to go to Boston to watch my dad run the marathon when I was 9 yrs old…I got my pant leg torn off by a dog I surprised on its porch (thank heaven he was on a leash). I think my mom thought it was quite funny but it scared the living daylights out of me.

2) I remember when I was about 8 peeing in Beth Mason’s van at a baseball game and her mom got so mad, unfortunately I think I may have helped ruin the friendship between my mom and hers over that (SORRY MOM).

3) I remember sitting in the Hill’s backyard on their tramp and Debbie and Jana were telling me and Amy Richards how babies were made (I was probably about 10 and Amy was 8). I still remember that I got in trouble from Amy’s mom because they all said I told her. I was grounded from her for a week.

4) I remember when we moved to SLC from Ogden the first time I met Wayne Hill I kissed him and he ran home crying…that is pretty FUNNY!!! (I was 6 and he was 5)

5) I remember when I was a sophomore in High School I got my first job at Wendy’s (yes Wendy’s) It was so hard we had to work so late and it was super greasy…the things I would do to make a buck.

6) I remember when my Grandma Ashton came to live with us…she lived with us the last year of her life. I remember shortly after she died (when I was 6) without my mom knowing...I moved all my stuff in her old bedroom. So much for letting my mom greave…grandmas gone….oh good I think I will take her room.

7) I remember swinging on the monkey bars at recess when I was 7 and biting my tongue almost in half and it was just hanging there. I had to put salt on it and it just healed itself.

8) I remember many trips to the cabin and getting 3rd degree burns on my legs twice in the same summer from riding our motorcycle. The first of the summer the burn it was about the size of a 50 cent piece and it hurt super bad. It was almost healed and the last ride before we were going home at the end of the summer I was riding with Mel and we tipped and I burned my leg about oh size of the bottom of a 2 liter bottle (you can still see my scar today). I was taken home then Eric Andersen our neighbor across the street helped clean it. Mel stayed up at the cabin with my mom and no one knew she was burned when we left so Mom had to clean hers up at the cabin. After that I learned not to ride the motorcycle in shorts...I mean you would have thought I would have learned after the first burn...but NO!

9) I remember vacuuming for Steve and Pat Jackson (when I was about 12). They paid me $6 a time and I would vacuum for 2 hours every other week. I thought I was making some good money. (ROBBERY)

10) I never had stitches or a broken bone as a child (I never even had the chicken pox). My mom would kid around with me that the family Doctor didn’t even know I existed because I rarely got sick. I think when I had my own babies they sucked all my immunities out so I have definitely been more sick as an adult than I was as a child.

....and that my friends are some of my CRAZY childhood memories.

***I tag ANY of my blogging friends that want to go down MEMORY lane...it was actually kind of FUN!

One of my RESOLUTIONS for this New Year is to SLOW DOWN and really ENJOY life and especially our kids...because sooner than later they will be gone and onto their own individual life experiences. I was looking through my journal I have on the computer this morning and I came across a talk I gave in our ward when we moved in. It was such a great reminder for me to read and reflect on why it is important for me to slow down.

It’s Monday morning April 17^th 2006. It is a very snowy day, kids are off school for Spring break. Mom says come on guys get in the car we need to get Will to swimming lessons. Hurry because we don’t want to be late. Get your coats and shoes on and be sure to buckle up. Mom makes sure Sadie is in the car and is buckled. It seems Sadie’s coat is kind of tight with the seatbelt so the buckle that goes around the legs is bothering her. Today mom decides to put the lap belt over Sadie as well so she is very secure in the car. Something mom never does. We’re heading up 3900 south. Rachel who is almost 10 and occasionally likes to ride in the front seat says mom I think I should get in the back. OK Rachel just be sure to buckle up. Mom looks in the rear view mirror and notices Jake does not have his seatbelt on. Jake please put your belt on it is very snowy and we are getting on the freeway. We are on the freeway in between 4500 south and 6200 south on I 215 heading South. Mom decides the roads seem kind of slushy so she decides to get in the middle lane to avoid water pockets and slushy sides. When mom changes lanes to get in the middle the car hits something slippery and goes out of control. Mom puts on the breaks and the car gets pulled to the right putting us head on into the right freeway barrier wall. Mom doesn’t panic she holds it together she says oh my gosh we’re going to hit the wall and hopes when we are done everyone is OK. The car hits and bounces off causing the back right side of the car to hit the wall as well. Both airbags go off. Mom looks back and sees 8 big eyes looking at her... how glad she is no body was hurt. The children by now are over the shock and very upset screaming it smells like smoke we better get out. Mom struggles to get her door open so she has to kick it. Rachel helps Sadie out of her car seat and they all walk to the far edge of the freeway away from the car. The children are very upset. Moms purse and phone are in the car but the children don’t want her to go get it and she doesn’t want to leave them unattended on the side of the freeway. The snow is coming down quite hard. A few cars go by and don’t stop. Soon a man in his truck pulls up to the far right side of the freeway and says get in my car I will keep you and the children warm until help can get here. Mom is very upset by now because she realizes how lucky we are. She uses the mans phone and calls dad at work and says Mike I got in an accident on the freeway and I totaled the van. Dad immediately says is everyone OK. Yes we are all fine. How different his news could have been. The kids are quite shaken up but we are fine. The ambulance comes and says is everyone OK. Mom says yes we were all wearing our seatbelts and nobody was hurt. The nice man in the truck keeps telling the children you are OK now look at all the snow outside and you are in my nice warm truck. It is going to be OK. The police and dad come. The car is towed off the road and Dad takes his family home. The end of the story is we did total the car so we had to get a new car....but how lucky we were no one was hurt. How grateful mom is that the children listened and were obedient in putting their seat belts on. I am so grateful that Rachel listened to the Holy Ghost and got out of the front seat because who knows what the impact of the airbags would have done to her.

Sometimes I feel like life is leading us. We need to slow down and just enjoy life and our children. I spoke with a good friend of mine shortly after the accident and I told her how I felt I needed to enjoy life more she just had her fifth child and she said me too. She said if I want to hold my baby today and let the laundry wait until tomorrow than I am going to because soon those precious times will be gone. I know for a fact we were watched out that day because to cross the whole freeway and not be hit by another car was truly a blessing from our heavenly father. I hope this NEW YEAR brings lots of happiness and good things to all my family and friends and may we all ENJOY the little things in our life that bring us JOY.I hope we NEVER have to experience a wreck like that EVER again!!!