Recent Travels

So, we as a Wood family have been traveling lately. . .the pictures appear in reverse order!!!!!

Starting with the lovely St. Jorge!!!!!

Then the wounderful (V8 smelling) Yuma!!!!!

Along with the crazy "I haven't cut my hair since I was five!!!!" Hermit Man!!!

The Mexican Border

Lastly, the Beautiful Las Vegas Temple!!!!!

(Parker was really proud of this picture and wanted to share it with the whole wide world!!!!)

A quick trip to San Diego

Preston, Eddie and Hans headed out for San Diego on Tuesday at around 9:00 a.m. hoping to arrive sometime Tuesday evening.

Well, that didn't happen - the car broke down just outside of Vegas - they were stranded. What to do? Well we called Melinda to get a hold of Cory - hoping that he was still at work. He wasn't but "bless his heart" he got a trailer and went to rescue them. About 3 hours later he had them in Las Vegas getting a rental car.

They headed for Barstow - arriving at about 1:00 a.m. MST - checked into a Super 8 - spent the night - got up early and made it to San Diego at around 10:30 a.m. Preston says the weather is great - they hope to do a little sight seeing before the game - and then they get to head back tomorrow about 6:00 a.m. to catch a flight in Vegas to SLC (the rental car couldn't be returned in Utah - and to rent another was about the same as catching a flight home).

Cory hauled the car to Overton - we get to go get it this weekend!

Are we all frustrated - YES - but no one was physically hurt - and that's the most important thing!

Hopefully the 'U' won't lose - that would really suck!!!

Christmas Card Dilemma.....

My Christmas card tradition is to send a picture of my family. I do this because I send to friends and family who don't see my family on a regular basis. Unfortunately, my immediate family (who does see us on a regular basis) also receives the card - which I don't know if they like it or not - but oh well.

I have also been known from time to time to send a family update - a recap of the year - whatever you want to call it. I remember one of the first ones I sent was pretty detailed - others have been very brief - and I don't always send this part of the card to my immediate family becuase they pretty know what has been going on with us and I don't want to bore them or make them think we are really special.

So the dilemma is what to do this year.....do I send just the family photo.....include a long recap of the year....or just some of the highlights.......

Yesterday we received two contrasting cards. The first I opened was from a friend I went to the 'U' with. We had every accounting class together. I went to his wedding....he came to mine....we have seen each other at CPA functions....etc. So his card this year came with pictures of his kids....and a recap of their year. As Meranda was reading it out loud, it made us all laugh at how detailed it was....from talking about their daughter's excellent soccer and friendship bracelet making skills....to their son's hope to compete in Lacrosse his senior year without injury (torn ACL) or illness (mono)....and finally to their oldest son's battle with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and his spiritual awakening!!! It was entertaining but a little too much information.....

On the other hand, the other card was from Geniel.....cute card....cute picture of Emily....and the family update "2009 Family Highlights....I can't remember....."

I wonder.....both were entertaining.....which method will I choose???.

Kids are Great!

Meranda is helping her cousin Annie by watching the Double T's (Elliott and Wyatt) while she is working.

Elliott is 2 going on 22 and on Tuesday asked, "Meranda, how was your weekend?"

He cracks us up!!!!

Yes - I am a Diet Coke Expert!!

Every morning I stop at "Stephs's" Holiday station on 3200 West and 35th South for a Diet Coke. I guess you could say I'm a regular.

So this morning as I am filling up my 32 ounce cup, and I notice that the Diet Coke coming out does not look like Diet Coke. It is "light and foamy" - more like a REAL Coke. So I taste it and decide that this is NOT Diet Coke. I taste the real Coke and it tastes the same as the Diet Coke. BIG PROBLEM for me!!!

I ask Steph to check her tanks and sure enough there was Coke syrup hooked up to the Diet Coke dispenser. She changes it, but because it takes a while for the BAD Coke Syrup to filter out, I am stuck with choosing Diet Dr. Pepper this morning!

The good thing is that Steph paid for my drink this morning. The bad thing is that it was Diet Dr. Pepper!!!!

Editorial Comment

I was going to write a "Letter to the Editor" but have decided to write a blog post instead.

So if you read my last post, one of my comments was "Max Hall bugs me". That is now an understatement - Max Hall REALLY bugs me!

What happened to "We won the game. It was hard fought, but we won and I'm really happy about that". But Max couldn't do that - it would be too easy. He personallly attacked thousands of people with connections to the University of Utah. He offended me, my husband, and about 20 other immediate family members. As my sister Jackie pointed out, it's nothing new - those attending the U have been looked down on forever because we went to the "evil" University of Utah. Apparently if you go to the school down south, you have a stronger testimony and you get a better education. NOT!!!!

The stupid comments didn't start with Max Hall and they won't end with him. I guarantee that someone will continue the "rich BYU tradition" of making comments that put down other people and try to make themselves out to be the more worthy/blessed/deserving, etc.

Oh and one other thing - what's up with the "Beer got thrown on me/my family" folklore/myth. How many times do we have to hear that? Beer is not sold in Rice Eccles stadium and for the few that "smuggle" it in - I guess if they want to waste it on BYU fans that's their choice, as we all have agency to choose! Likewise, many a Utah fan has had things thrown on them by BYU fans - like tuna fish sandwiches, tortillias or twinkie's...but I guess that's better than "beer" - WHATEVER!!!!!

There, now I feel a little bit better.......

Random stuff

Yes - Donny won "Dancing" - I gave out a shout......


Parker and I went to McDonalds after the ortho on Tuesday, order totalled $4.94, drove up to the window to pay, handed the women my debit card and she said "From a five???" Must have been a long day!


Going to the WC (Wayne County) for Thanksgiving - cutting down Christmas tree - debating on whether to take the 4-wheeler - might be a bit too cold for that.....

Evan's birthday this weekend - a big one......

I hope the 'U' wins the football game.....Max Hall bugs me......

Meranda has the "Bruin Challenge" next week....she's the reigning bench press champ...she hopes to retain her title....

Preston has been home from the mish for 6 months...he has been out teaching with the missionaries this week and enjoyed it very much.....