Claustrophobia in Cancun...

We´re sitting in the business office in Cancun on a Saturday night. Evidently to check the BYU score in the vegas bowl ??? I might have gotten this all wrong. Also we´re trying to figure out where and what time church is tomorrow... Mostly dad´s checking the score and basically watching the game through refreshing the comments...

Then mom just walked in the door with a horrified look on her face...
Mom - guess what just happened?
Me, Maren and Dad - half paying attenting - what?
Mom - I got stuck in the elevator.

Now think about this...

HAPPY BDAY RACHEL!

Stolen Laundry! Living in a city of crime!

So yesterday Mike flew to Utah for his Uncle’s funeral in Eli, Nevada. I supposedly was going to have a large project at work so I stayed behind, but since I have time to post this blog, I probably should have gone. Anyway, he ran out of prep-time for the airport and asked if I would get his laundry out of the dryer. Well for most of you, possibly all of you, you go to the next room. Not us, we have a laundry room on the 2nd floor of the building. So far I really haven’t minded it because you can get all of your laundry done at once. Our building is locked all of the time so I feel comfortable leaving during the washing. So yesterday after I got home, I went down to get Mike’s laundry, only a few hours after he left for the airport. I felt a little nosey as I prodded through other’s laundry a bit to find Mike’s essentials. It was gone! I called Mike later just to make sure he didn’t pick it up. He did not. It was gone! Someone had stolen his laundry. We live in student housing! How could someone do that? I started to distrust the other student, and yes I became bitter! I left a note (actually a really nice one, believe it or not) in the laundry room, just in case anyone was feeling a bit guilty.

So this morning I got to work and found an email from my friend in the ward that happens to live in our same building. It read, “I am so sorry! Jeff stole your laundry!” Anyway, I guess she had sent her husband to pick up the laundry that included mostly baby clothes. Late last night she started folding her laundry and realized the items were not baby clothes but rather 26-year old clothes. Embarrassed, they thought they would just sneak it back into the laundry room, but then they found my note. So they fessed up! She was so embarrassed, but I was just so relieved!

Pictures!

Wonderful Thanksgiving!

Well, we had a wonderful time in Utah for Thanksgiving. It was so fun to be with family and catch up. It was great to see the LA Cranes on Thanksgiving day they all are so great! Baby Hudson is such a sweet addition. It was so much fun to have Victoria and Cameron and Addison together. They had so much fun. I remember one moment on Thanksgiving Day when Victoria was chasing the two with a huge fish maraca and one of them fell and she yanked and yelled at them to "get up". I worry about the new baby boy!
We have very fond memories of: warm fires, the train game, Christmas tree hunting, and many many more!
Thank you all for making it so special! We love and miss you all everyday!

So I have a few things to scream about!

So I have recently realized that I am a screamer. Today while Mike and I were down town on Michigan Avenue, the promised and predicted winter storm warning became reality. We were okay for a bit as the wind was to our back. All of a sudden, the wind changed and snow began to pelt us in the face as we ran to catch our train back to Hyde Park. I couldn't help myself but let out loud high pitched screams! It was crazy. Mike was laughing when we finally got inside again. He reminded me of my other screaming moments such as getting completely drenched on my way home from the train one day when my umbrella kept whipping in and out in the Chicago wind and the time I caught the only Crane family fish at Payson Lake's. I didn't realize in my excitement but the entire lake became aware of my great catch. What can I say, I'm a screamer!

P.S. Let's get the blog up and going again!

The CPA exam and an interesting story

Rachel, I have just loved the pictures and funny stories! This past few weeks have been a bit crazy. I took a section of the CPA exam on this past Friday. Now I am studying to take another section at the end of this month. I will be so glad when this dark cloud, called the CPA exam is no longer lingering in my life. Oh, it's not that bad!
Also, this Friday, I am helping out through my work at a Junior Achievement day which is when you go to a school in an at-risk area and teach about business or economics for a day. I was assigned to team teach the 7th graders. Should be just enough attitude and immaturity to make for a fun day! No, it should really be fun, but a bit scary too!
I also have a funny and pretty embarrassing story to share. The other evening I went visiting teaching with my new companion for our first month together. The girl we visited was great and we had a great time. When we got into the apartment I noticed a smell that led to the thought that they may have just changed their baby's diaper. The smell continued to linger as we finished our lesson and had the closing prayer. As we were leaving, I noticed that I had tracked in some mudlike substance onto their nice white carpet. Oh, I felt so bad! Luckilly, it is a rental, so it wasn't the end of the world. This is when it all gets embarrassing. Then, I began to tie the sights and the smells together. Yes, not only did I step in dog poop, but I completely tracked it into a woman's home that I am supposed to be uplifting! I haven't been so embarrased in a long time and now for some reason I am sharing it with all of you. Yes, so that is currently my life. A little bit of the CPA exam and a little big of dog poop! One in the same!

Bubbles!

One funny thing I want to remember! Victoria just got out of the tub and tutted and said, "Oh Daddy, bubbles, bubbles". I think that is a nice term for such a unfortunate event! Richard's family calls it "popping" and I guess we will call it "bubbling"!