ELK

Each night when I leave work I make the commute home from Birdseye, Utah. I am absolutely terrified of Spanish Fork Canyon. BUT the thing is ... I worry about the sillier, less probable things that might happen to me... I panic when I drive through the ghost town that is left from the famous mudslide in Thistle. I freak out when I pass the same dog on the side of the highway that I see every night. I SWEAR the dog is a ghost. I'm always afraid that I'll get in an accident in a spot where I have NO cell service and a rapist will come kidnap me.

Well last week I was driving home with my friend Emily, who is an EMT and we came up right behind a major accident.

This was the culprit....

And this was the victim...

Actually, I think it's the other way around. That damn Elk just about killed a couple people. He was the culprit.

So here's how it all went down:
FedEx hit the elk and pulled over. A kid driving a little Honda Civic didn't see the elk in the road until it was too late... he ran right over it and nearly flipped as a result. It completely ripped up the front of his car. Poor guy was scared to death. Emily and I pulled over. She checked everyone out to make sure there were no injuries... luckily there were none. I got on the phone with Highway Patrol and then we started moving everything off of the road and onto the side. As we started talking with the kid that was driving the Honda we realized that he was driving home from work and it so happened he worked for our Boys Ranch (we work for the girls). So we stuck around to make sure everything got taken care of and then two hours later gave him a ride home.


This was the trail of blood and guts (literally. look close in the background for the piles of intestine) from when we drug the elk off the road.



the Honda's punctured front driver side tire.


the front of the Honda


the front passenger side of the Honda.. see the guts and fur?


the Honda's bumper


i may look like i have a goofy smile BUT i am totally freaking out to be anywhere near this BEAST! i kept waiting for him to wake up and attack like Tommy Boy.


Emily is not so scared...

So I guess of all the things I've been afraid might happen on my commute... I forgot to fear this. Luckily everything turned out okay. We were glad to be there to help.

Ohbitchuary

Preface to this post:
20 years ago, when Brian's parents built their current house, instead of putting in central air they installed a swamp cooler. It was made to last for 5 years, but has somehow survived 20. It does anything but cool. The last two weeks it has sounded like popcorn popping and then last night it just flat out wouldn't turn on ... Brian wanted to let the family know that the cooler died so he sent the following in an email.

Ohbitchuary

On the 28^th of July, the year of our Lord 2009, a dear member of our family returned peacefully through the veil. To some he was referred to as the “cooler”, but to most … he was anything but. For more than 20 years he was with us. Expectations were never high for this prehistoric “air conditioning” unit. For Britton, the yearly maintenance and loud roar during use was pleasure enough and “cooling” the house wasn’t important. The “cooler” is lived on by Lauren and Brian, who cared for him the best they could in his last days of life. They slept naked out of mere respect for their dear friend and family member. Most nights they did’t even sleep because the thought of his passing would not leave their minds. Just as with dumb pets, coolers come and go. Who could blame him! He was only supposed to live for 5 and we were lucky enough to have him for 20. I am sure that those who from this day forth have the opportunity to enter the Davis’ home, the loss of the “cooler” will definitely be felt. Maybe it will be the quiet silence… or the sweat from head to toe. I am sure that if the “cooler” could leave us with any final words, they would have read thus:

“You should have gone with central air.”

God, rest his soul…

DELETED!

I accidently deleted my blog list.... i added a few back already that had commented on my last post. BUT please leave your blogspot address in a comment on this post so that i can redo my bloglist! THANKS!

Weekend With R DOGG!

So my little brother Reed came to spend a few days with me & B. He came up Wednesday night all by himself on a shuttle from St. George. I think he is pretty BRAVE. We picked him up at a gas station on Center Street and just about died because he had been sitting there all alone for about 15 minutes in this creepy neighborhood (the shuttle arrived earlier then planned).

Weekend Schedule:

Wed:

-Basketball with Brian and his friends.

Thurs:

-Cocoa Puffs for breakfast.
-Hike to the Hot Springs in Spanish Fork Canyon.
We loved the hike ...
Were grossed out by the moss in the Hot Springs...
Got FREAKED out by the GIANT snake skin...
RAN the entire hike home cuz we were so scared!
-Reed taught us how to make SLOPPY joes. Mmmm.
-Bowling at FAT Cats.

Fri:

-More Cocoa Puffs.
-Roller blading in the morning... Only 1 picture because Reed
was too busy holding my hand to keep me from falling ..
-TANDEM Biking from BYU to Provo Canyon, where we met the
Staheli's for a bike ride to a park.
We stopped for some Koosh time at the park and a dip in
the stream.
-Reed taught us how to make porcupine balls (meatballs with rice).. SOO good!

Sat:

-Another ride on our tandem...
A killer climb up the hill to our home behind the temple.
-Pancakes and bacon for breakfast.
-SEVEN PEAKS for the rest of the day with the Staheli Fam!
-1 Bee sting for Reed. 1 Wasp sting for Brian.

--Lot's of Call of Duty for the boys during our chill time!

Thanks REED for a fABuLoUs weekend! Love you!

The Seer

Let me tell you about Brian's special abilities. No, not special abilities in the bedroom. . .


About 6 months ago we ordered a bookshelf that came in pieces that you have to assemble. Basically Brian just screwed some boards together and now demands the title of
Joseph the Carpenter.

Another night Brian prepared dinner while I was at work. It was delicious and fairly difficult for a beginner... it

consisted of grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, and our favorite chicken rice a roni. Now he demands to be called Master Chef.

When Brian plays Halo he

dominates... He demands
to be called Master Chief.

His latest title is Seer. Recently B decided to do push-ups everyday. (He's been doing them for about two weeks.) And the other night he had a dream...

He was walking through the halls of the Marriott School of Business wearing jeans, white pumas, his recently purchased D&G glasses, black jansport backpack, but NO SHIRT. It was no doubt a celebrity walk. People were clapping & cheering for him, he was pointing and waving to his fans. And the best part is that his 8th grade girlfriend was there and all he said to her was "hey girl, wassup?" and then he kept walking. He seems to think that this dream is a sign of what is to come... his push ups are going to make him HUGE and very
DESIRABLE.

* This is not Brian. This is a paid actor reenacting the dream. *

Hallows Reunion

In honor of this lovely lady . . .
Gladys Kay Larsen Hallows Brown

some of the cousins at the swimming pool...
we had full access to the Washington City Rec Center

Dad & Reed
playing a little basketball... i'm apparently smelling my armpits

Tio reed shootin hoops with the cuzins

The SIBS with Gammy: uncle LANE, aunt LINDA, aunt JUL, Dad

cuzin Ruby

Cedar & Creams


Jack & Allyson

Me & B & creepster Robin popping up in the back

Brian & Me

Me & Dallyn

ALWAYS a wrestling match when the Hallows get together

Bad A Kristen & Kade-o

Jon & Kade-ster playing on the SPLASH pad

GopGop Hallows GRILLIN

Shelbs & Abby

Steele, Amy & Abster

Miss Sally, Aunt Jul, and Mamasita

HOTT Kristen

Rennie & Mom



SO SAD to be driving home after our FUN weekend!