Nothing New

What a great year so far for us Utah fans huh? I have to admit, I didn't think they could beat the Y. Perhaps if Hall had a better game it would have been a little closer? Anyway, someone in my neighborhood, and I have a pretty good idea who, decorated my front yard this year. This may be retribution for the times I have spray painted "U's" on their lawns? Who knows. At any rate, my yard was tagged. It provided me the opportunity to offer up burnt sacrifices prior to the game. I also had the "last laugh" by giving the suspected person my game ticket stub with the final score written on it at church the next morning. Our ward had a little football game breakfast that morning, and we were instructed to dress up in the color of the team we cheer for. I went a little overboard. I hesitate sharing these pictures, but enjoy.

A few weeks ago, at the end of September, I got in a little fender bender coming home from work, in my work truck. Minor, no injuries. Another driver tried turning left in front of me. I tried to miss her, but clipped the rear of her car. Minor damage and denting was done to both cars. West Jordan police cited her for failure to yield. As soon as she got the ticket, she tried to change her story and say that I had run the red light. I didn't. So today was the court case because she decided to fight it. I had to go in as a witness for the prosecution. I wish court was more like Night Court, but it wasn't. This was my first time in court for any reason. Anyway, so she defended herself. Her case was that I started in the right hand turn lane and then swerved over to go straight at the last minute. She also said that I must have been in a hurry because she heard me call someone and tell them I was going to be late. That someone was Rebecca because we were going to go to dinner with friends when I got home. Then the Prosecutor calls me back on the stand-I had already given my story prior to her arguments-to clarify what lane I was in. I told him I was not in the right hand turn lane because I live up the street, not only that but I come home that way everyday, so there was not confusion on my part. Anyway, the judge upholds her guilt. As she is leaving the courtroom she says to me, "Thanks a lot CHAD!" As if she knows me personally. Her tone made both me and the West Jordan officer laugh. In all honesty, I feel bad for her. She couldn't be more than 10 minutes past 16, and when the judge handed her the fine, he asked if she wanted to add it to the other fine and continue making payments. So, apparently she is a seasoned court attendee. I almost felt bad enough to just go pay her fine for her, because it was only about 110 bucks, but then I worried that may be a sign of admitting guilt or something stupid, so I just left laughing. On top of that, she is dressed in denim jeans with a hole, and not a hole from being old, but one of those stylish holes, you know? So that's my story. See, Night Court was a much more entertaining court to be arraigned in!

I also forgot to defend myself in earlier posts about proving I am more of a morning person than I ever was. Again, I remember my college days. I remember setting my alarm for 7 am and waking up at 3 pm with it still buzzing. I remember missing classes to sleep. I remember coming home from skiing 2 days in a row and sleeping for 27 consecutive hours. That is why I am amazed just like you that I am able to get up twice a week and go to the gym at 5:30 am. Dead serious. I have been doing a cycling class at that time. I wake the roosters up on my way over. It is so early, I have wondered if it would be easier for me to just stay up until 5:30 am, and sleep when I get home? So to those of you that new me well enough in high school and college, be proud of me for being able to do this okay?

The fourth picture is from the Simons family Thanksgiving that we had the other night. Simons family Thanksgivings are the best. Never mind that there is enough food for everyone to have 5 helpings, but the food is just amazing. My aunts, sister-in-laws, wife, mom, etc can all cook so good. It is also good to hang out with everyone. I rarely see my extended family, so I enjoy it when we all get together. The picture is of a few playing Scrabble. My Uncle Lin, who is our most dedicated blog follower (his comments always come via personal email), asked that I include stuff about the relatives once in a while...so there you go. I didn't get everyone, but most. Here's another picture from the party. That's Eli and his cousin Jenna (Doug's daughter) coloring. The next one is Tierra holding Jaden, Spencer's Son, while sitting on my Aunt Suzanne's lap. So there you go, I have exploited my extended family members.

As far as a quick family update: Rebecca got released from Primary after about 6 1/2 years. She was pretty sad to go. She was subsequently called into Young Women's at the same time. She is excited for her new calling. She was called as the personal progress person thingy. She is doing really good in her pregnancy stuff as well. Her garden is dead, probably due to cold weather, but there could be other factors there as well, I am still investigating. J/K.

Tierra is rumbling through preschool. She loves it. She is way too social. It is scary. She is excited for the many Holidays coming our way. She loves to draw. Almost too much. She is getting better at drawing on the papers we give her and not the toys, walls, or important documents. Instead of throwing papers in the garbage at work, I bring them home for her scratch paper. She rips through these like nothing. She gives most of them to us to keep forever, which is cute and awesome, but there are so many it gets hard to find places for them.

Eli is also in preschool and loves it. He is also a morning person. He wakes up so early every morning and asks for breakfast. Sometimes it is on weekends when we want to sleep in a little later than he does and it gets rough. This morning he woke up at about 3:30 asking for breakfast. He still loves watching movies and sings almost the entire Aristocats song. He has developed a little habit of combining lyrics from two different songs and laughing at himself. He tells me all the time that "only cats know where its at."

So there is a quick little bit about us.