Going back is hard...

Another thing that took place in 2012 that I haven’t mentioned already is that we moved my little sister Kasia’s remains and headstone to be beside mom and dad’s graves.  Jacob dedicated her gravesite. 

In September, Katie, Sandra, and I flew to Las Vegas to go see Wicked with Kate’s friend Denise and her husband.  While there, we walked the new bridge at Hoover Dam, Sandra and I went to the Las Vegas Temple, and we walked the strip one night—6 miles! 

Katie, Denise, and Sandra on the Hoover Dam Bridge

Me at the Las Vegas Temple

  During our harvest break, we took our annual golf trip with the Johnsons.  This time the guys golfed around SLC area and MaryAnn and I went to Gardiner Village and Thanksgiving Point.  On the last course, Hobble Creek, we rode with the guys and it was a beautiful fall day.

November: I picked up dad to take him to vote at the courthouse so he wouldn’t be driving himself on Election Day, and a woman ran a stop sign and hit us.  I saw her and hit my brakes (there were no brake marks from her car), but I knew there was no way we would avoid a collision.  Dad had NOT buckled up, and in the process of my car being spun around, he (and his dog Snoopy) broke through and flew out the passenger window and landed about 15 feet out on a lawn.  I must have blacked out, but when I opened my eyes, the airbag had already deflated on the steering wheel and I couldn’t see dad.  I had to go out the broken window to reach him.  He was unconscious too, but came around as I was laying on the ground speaking to him.  People showed up almost immediately.  Luckily, I had my cell phone in my pant’s pocket and as I was attempting to dial 911, a lady took it from me and called in.  It really didn’t seem too long before the EMTs were there.  Dad kept trying to get up and I kept trying to keep him down.  He was having trouble breathing and they called in a helicopter to life flight him to Pocatello.  During this time, Sarah Wray showed up and she was very helpful to call Quinn from my phone, gather stuff off the lawn, and check on me and dad.  Q came shortly after the helicopter left.  They wanted to know if I wanted to be taken in an ambulance, but I didn’t feel that bad.  I was pretty sore where the seat belt restrained me and Quinn convinced me to go the ER just to be sure I didn’t have a broken collarbone, which I didn’t, but boy did I develop some awesome bruises.  

Goodbye Vue

I don’t remember who called Kim and Kara, but they both headed to Pocatello to be with dad.  I got a call later that night that they were unsure if dad would survive the night, so Quinn and I headed up.  I guess they didn’t know just how tough dad was, because he did survive and eventually ended up at The Gables.  He never returned to his home, which was a blessing in disguise because I don’t believe we could have convinced him to leave his home any other way.  The end of the year found him living in the rehabilitation center of the Bingham Memorial Hospital.

After the drama of November, the girls and I made a trip to St. George to attend Puff’s wedding.  I had to rent a suburban to drive us all, but we had a great time and the girls got to do a lot of swimming in the indoor and outdoor pools and playing on the hotel slide.  Q and I purchased a new red Kia for me (which I quite enjoy) and Q bought himself a Ford F1-50 pickup.  I made the girls matching Christmas dresses (now I can’t find the picture) and some I Spy bags.  

I made a lion for Rylee, a turtle for Adi, and an owl for Regan.  Guess I didn’t take a picture of the owl.  Ring out 2012.

Fast forward, forward, forward

     It has been so long since I last posted, I couldn't even remember how to do it or where my blog was.  Now that is sad.  So much has happened, I've decided to start with what's been happening recently and then go back and fill in all the empty space.  As of today, here is how things stand: I am a 3rd grade teacher, we lost dad over two years ago, Katie is a wife to Matt and mother to Dax, Audrey is no longer married to Justin but married to Beau and she has a new baby McCrae, and Quinn and I truly have an empty nest.
     I will begin with August.  On the 4th of August, Audrey and Beau called early in the morning to tell me they had arrived at the hospital and the baby would be born soon.  I went over and got to be present when McCrae Beaujames came into the world.  What a wonderful event-my first delivery where I was not the one in pain.  McCrae is growing and putting on a little fat.  He was blessed in Sept. and I made his blessing outfit.  The vest is suppose to resemble a fishing vest.

        I started my third year of teaching 3rd grade.  It still feels new to me, but I am learning to adjust.  I have 23 kids in my class and they are one chatty bunch of kids.  My days are SO hectic, they really do fly by.  I always feel like there are a million things I should be doing.  Just finished up Parent/Teacher conferences last week, so that is a big relief.  Also in August, Quinn and I traveled to Boise to buy a Corvette!!  It is something Quinn has talked about doing for as long as I've known him.  He started having buyer's remorse the very next morning, but by then I was loving it and decided if we were ever going to do it, it had to be now while we were still young enough to really enjoy it.  It has been so fun to drive.

     When harvest came this year, I first went to St. George with Sandra, Katie, and Dax.  We got to visit with Chad, do a little shopping, visit family, and just relax.  This is me with Dax when I got a pedicure.

     The last week of harvest break, Quinn and I went to North Carolina.  Quinn wanted to golf Pinehurst #2.  I got to ride along with him and it was a beautiful day.  From there, we went to the Duke and North Carolina State campuses, had dinner with Jim Kendrick and his family, stayed at the Outer Banks and walked in the Atlantic Ocean (even Quinn and he hates water), saw Kitty Hawk and Bodie Lighthouse, and then drove back across NC to do a half marathon in Greensboro called the Cannonball Run.  The weather for the run was perfect-cool and shady-even if it was my worst time to date.  Then we flew home.  A VERY busy break, but a perfect vacation.

     Another new status since I last posted is I belong to a book club.  My friend MaryAnn invited me and I have been going for about a year now.  It is a fun bunch of ladies and in October we all went to Witchapaloosa at Gardner Village in SLC.  It was a fun trip.  

     When Halloween came, I dressed as Luke Skywalker (Vicki suggested we all come as a superhero since that is her theme this year and I didn't want to be a typical one).  It just so happened, the Murdock clan decided to dress as Star Wars characters too.  Sandra and I went to dinner at Audrey's while Quinn manned the trunk-or-treat that was out in front of our house.  That night during Dax's visit, he got to laughing SO hard it was adorable.  I wish I could post the sound of his laughter.

     That gets things caught up to November.  We have already had our Thanksgiving dinner.  All were here but Sandra and Chad.  Chad did stop in for a brief visit last week.  Quinn and I plan to head to warmer weather during the long Thanksgiving weekend and hopefully drive the Vet.  Though it is a little short on trunk space it makes up for it by just looking so good going down the road.