It has been a couple of weeks since our trip up to Seattle and I hadn't blogged anything because we lost all of our pictures! Something had happened while downloading them and all we got were corrupted jpegs! Aaaah! So frustrating! But I did a lot of research and found that they might be able to be recovered. We called around to some computer shops here in Alb. and found one that said they could probably get them. I went the next day. This place is pretty cool. Great service and great people there, so nice. So Sandia Computers were able to get all but 20 pictures out of 300. Pretty impressive and it did not cost anything near what it costs on line! So, if you ever have that kind of problem I highly suggest this place. When I went to pick up the disc the news crew was there doing a story on the guy who did the work for me and I guess he is one of just a few in the country that can actually get the job done.

M and I are off to Seattle for a little R&R. After all of those months of craziness we decided to get away. I wanted to go somewhere where we had not been and where there was a temple. So Seattle it is. We are really excited. My mom is coming up to stay with the kids until after school and then the kids are heading down to the ranch... They are all SO excited! So Thank You, thank you mom, dad, Aunt Carrie, Aunt Mary Anne and all the cousins for taking in my crew for the weekend. I know they will have a blast!

Well, that about sums up my day yesterday! But I guess a little explanation might be in order...
Funerals...... A very good friend of our family passed away on Sunday. We knew this family all of our lives. They owned a neighboring ranch and we would go and work for them as teenagers. Whether it be cowboying or cleaning we were there. Mrs. Nunn passed away and we are all so sad. It feels like we lost a grandparent. The funeral was in Deming (4 hour drive). So two of my sisters that are up in this area and I started the drive down at 9:30 or so and picked up my parents, another sister and a niece on the way. It was a good trip and the funeral was beautiful. It was fabulous to visit with everyone.
Little dogs....... I was haunted by little dogs yesterday.... One was chasing a chicken and almost ran in front of me on the road... Ahhh! But the little guy was halfway smart and took a sharp detour when he saw my big wheels in his face. But a little while later another little pooch was right in the middle of the street and with cars on the other side of me I couldn't really jerk over. Well this little mutt ( obviously not smart) just stood there . I slammed my brakes and tried to straddle him with my wheels. Oh my gosh, I thought I had killed the little guy! But he went barking insanely off..Holding one leg up a little, so I don't know what happened because he was little and if I had hit him he would have been squished like a bug! So, I was shaking like a leaf and everyone in the car with me was hysterically laughing. I'm glad I could provide some humor on a day like that! :) (Just wish the humor hadn't really been at my expense!)
Police.... On the way down yesterday, I was very proudly saying( okay, maybe it was more like bragging) to my sisters that I had never been pulled over or had a ticket. Well, Heavenly Father has a way of humbling us when we start acting this way. After leaving the funeral, I saw lights in my rear view mirror. I immediately pull over. I rolled down my window and asked what I had done... He said, "Didn't you see those blinking lights?" I was like, "What blinking lights? Sorry we are coming from a funeral and were talking about it." Now in my defense I was in the flow of traffic. Right behind a lot of cars! And NO I really did not see the lights and NO I was not playing any card by saying we had just been to the funeral. When the cop walked back to his car my sisters were like "Great card to play". Believe me I am not that quick and I was way too scared about getting my first ticket to be thinking clear. But the nice guy didn't even write me out a warning, he just said, "Pay more attention to your surroundings and have a safe trip home." Whew, That was close!
So, once again the entertainment was provided by yours truly!
There is just something about being with your family... It was a sad day but a good day because I was still with those who I love and I was around all those who I grew up with and it reminded me of who I am and who I was brought up to be. I am so thankful for my wonderful parents and the upbringing and love they provided me with.

If any of you remember last year my kiddos and my sister and brother in law put on this huge Valentine dinner for M and I! It was fabulous! And so much fun! So this year we wanted to do the same for them...But... (Isn't there always those annoying "buts") M and I are going to be out of town the weekend that Valentines Day falls on so we decided to surprise them with a dinner a little early.