MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR IN 2008 PART 2!

So after funning it up in Phoenix, we headed out for Pie Town, New Mexico Tuesday morning. The drive from Phoenix to New Mexico is BEAUTIFUL!! There were the "Charlie Brown" cactuses everwhere. (that's what we call them cuz they look like the cactus that Snoopy's brother Spike is always standing next too.) And it wasn't just brown, dead, flat desert like the first part of the drive. The hills were covered with different type flora and fauna we hadn't seen and volcanic rock was everywhere. We went via Globe, AZ which meant we went through all the Indian Territories. At every little town you'd see a sign that said it was established in 1880 or 1890s. It was obvious all of these towns were centered around mining. You could see old abandoned mind shafts dotting the hills with a rundown shack every now and then. You wondered what would possess someone to choose that random spot, in the middle of nowhere, to put down roots and stop digging. Did they have kids? How many actually found something? What a hard life that must have been! I would HATE being a miner.

Driving through Globe was interesting. The town was established at the turn of the century and it was obvious it was/still is a mining town. Before you drive into town you see half of the mountainside in various states of deconstruction as they are looking for what?.. I looked it up and they mind silver. Then you drive into town and a big huge mining plant is perched up atop the town itself. You can see how hard mining really is. The town looked just ragged and beaten down. Various states of disrepare but people were still hustling and bustling about. Life in the same country, but so different from ours.

Then we drove through Hell's Canyon which was just gorgeous! At first we thought it was part of the Grand Canyon but I guess not. It looked almost like that with the red & even green rock cut away by a river way down below! It was so fascinating to see the power of water and mother nature. Plus it was all Indian Country. I thought of my mom serving as a missionary somewhere around there. I'm sorry that I did not take more pictures to chronicle it all but I was busy keeping Tyson entertained and being entertained myself by the countryside.

the last part of the drive can only be described as "The Plains." I, (and my kids) come from Pioneer stock. We had ancestors on my mom & dad's sides that crossed the plains with the Mormon Pioneers in the 1840s. When I was a kid I just imagined it as this flat piece of land, not big deal. It is really easy to see why they are called "the Plains." There are no mountains really around just a random hill here and there (which some of them I really wonder what is underneath there. I truthfully would not be surprised if someone found some sort of ancient structures underneath some of those odd random hills. Really, they just poke up, all alone, out of nowhere! I think of the ancient, Book of Mormon civilizations) It kind of slopes down into the west. They are blanketed in this fluffy looking yellow prarie grass. It's very soft on the eye.

However, on closer inspection, when you look off of the nice, paved road, you see how very rocky and rough those plains are. That yes, there are no mountains but some rather long inclining UPWARD hills that are rocky and filled with brush! How did they get through it all! How very uncomfortable those wagon rides must have been, especially on those with child or just had children. My heart really swelled with gratitude to my forebears who suffered much and I am reaping the rewards!! I hope you really ponder that, my kids who come from the same stock! Fortunately, as I was reflecting upon this, I did take a pic of what some of it looked like. I hope your eyes are drawn toward it someday, Brian, and you really think on it too~

After about a 6 hour drive, we reach Aunt Darlene & Uncle Doug's ranch. It is beautiful!! I am so sorry to report that I did not take nearly as many pics of it as I intended. We just got a new video camera and I was so intent on taking videos I forgot to get out my camera enough. So I apologize in advance, that I did not get nearly enough pics of the ranch or especially of all our fam together and I missed Daren & Nikole's fam completely & Jennifer.

Oh well, we'll just concentrate on what I did get.

Here are Aunt Darlene & Uncle Doug, our gracious hosts who planned for us the PERFECT Thanksgiving, truly. We even had snow on Thansgiving day just like Uncle Doug promised. I have to admit, I was rather skeptical, especially when it started raining that morning which later turned into the promised snow. I'm embarrased to admit, my kids haven't really ever seen a real snowfall before. Living in Utah, till I was 12, I laughed at those CA kids, and now I've made some. But oh how we enjoyed the snow! I'm sorry to report I didn't get a pic but I got lots of videos. I"ll have to see if I can put that on to view.

In attendance were grandma Nancy & Grandpa Del, Jennifer - Aunt Darlene's daughter (Danny's niece) it was so good to see her! Daren & Nikole & family, Uncle Doug Lee Nick from Salt Lake City came and Aunt Debbie & Uncle Desi & family actually took the train all the way from Chicago!! It was so fun to see them. We hadn't in a couple of years. Debbie spoiled us all with her fab cooking!

Doug & Darlene were nice enough to let us bring the dirt bikes. Bradley, Nick & Uncle Doug were glued to those bikes riding around, and around, and around those 160 acres, even in the snow. Thanks Uncle Doug from Brian & Bryce for giving us rides!! Nick, Uncle Doug & Bradley

All my boys love dirtbikes. Bradley wakes up in the morning, puts his helmet & gear on and ONLY comes off to eat or when nature calls.

Bryce actually learned to ride the 90 this time. Dad & are are so proud of you! You were so proud of yourself. Brian will hitch a ride with anyone that is willing.
Doug & Brian &Dad with Tyson & Bryce standing

This was Tyson's first time really being on a dirtbike. I was sure he'd like it and boy was I right!! In fact, he liked it too much! Can you like something too much? The answer is YES! To the point of driving mom and dad crazy! As you can see, Tyson's face with dad on the bike was like, why are we stopping? This is Tyson when he had to get off...

Yes, Tyson pitches the full on, throw yourself on the floor, not caring if he hurts himself fits . This is what he was like when he had to get off the bike. For a whole 1/2 hour straight!! Grandpa Del looked at him and says "isn't there anything we can do?" Unfortunately, I am not a novice at fit pitching. Kierstin & Brian were experts at it. However, they never pitched a fit without regard to if they got hurt! Unfortunately, there really isn't anything you can do at 18 months old. They just aren't old enough to understand consequences. So he pretty much cried it out and then, when he's calm, mommy and daddy tell him that it was inappropriate and he sits in thinking time.

Needless to say, we were not looking forward to putting him on the bike the next day. It was almost worse to let him have a ride. Cuz although he would constantly nag us by saying 'ada' (motorcycle), at least he wouldn't pitch an all out fit. That and the fact it was FREEZING outside thanksgiving day, via the snow and he did not want to wear his jacket. But finally, dad knowing how fun it is to ride and not wanting to deny him, convinced him if he'd put his jacket, hat & stuff on he could ride the "ada". He rode until his cheeks were purple, again, pitched a fit and this was the end result...

Danny and I are not going to have a restful life!

We brought our trailer to stay at Doug & Darlene's. They had a houseful with Jennifer & Gpa Del & Nancy. They had a mobile home on the lot they lived in until the log cabin was done. Debbie & Daren families stayed there. We were very comfy in our trailer. Doug & Darlene have made a little trailer hitch facility where people can bring there horses and stay. So nice! They even have a small facility with a toilet, laundry hookups and a shower. I wish I would have got a pic of it. At first the boys were nervous to go potty in there since they thought they'd be seen but then they realized you can see out but no one can see in. I realized what a stroke of genius that was when I was prviliged to take a shower in there one early morning. I was able to look out into the beautiful sunrise while I was taking a shower! You almost feel a sense of gitty naughtiness!

I failed to mention their cabin. Which again, shame on me, I didn't get pics of. It's GORGEOUS! It's everything a log cabin should be with wood floors, a woodburning stove that keeps the whole house toasty and warm, a beautiful kitchen with soapstone countertops that weigh 4,000 lbs. Doug said after they put them in, they went out and came home to find the island had literally sunk into the crawlspace under the cabin. They called out the guys who jacked it up and had to reinforce it underneath! The whole ranch is meticulously kept just like their Nuevo ranch. Everything Doug & Darlene do is just tops. It was just gorgeous!

Darlne even got the horse out for the kids to ride. They LOVED it:

Tyson w/Darlene Brian w/Darlene

Bryce w/Darlene Brad trying it himself

Sadie, Deb's daughter & Austen with the forever grin!!

(she's really growing into a lovely girl!)

Darlne actually gave Bradley & Kierstin actual instruction with Kierstin getting a go at it herself. Unfortunately, I didn't get her pic. But Darlene said she was a natural!!

Kierstin, Tiki, Brad, Brian & Austin

Tyson, Brian & Austin

I'm so sad I didn't take more pics. I thought I had gotten so good. Oh well, I was having too much fun. Here are a few I managed to get:

Grandpa Del enjoying the view

One of the ways we wiled away the hours..

Uncle Desi, Gma Nancy & Aunt Darlene

A group shot (not all of us) in front of the cabin.

We planned on leaving Friday but satyed an extra day until Saturday cuz we were having so much fun. We were going to stop at John's on the way to break up the drive again but when we got to Phoenix it was 6:30 and tyson had fallen asleep. Danny wasn't tired so we decided to push on through to home. That way Tyson could sleep through it all, which he did and we were grateful for. We drove comfy in our nice van. Just a wonderful trip! Thanks to all of you who made it so. Thanks to Uncle Doug & Aunt Darlene and their hospitality!! We won't forget our wonderful 2008 Thanksgiving!