Weekend in Nampa

It wasn't until Tuesday night that we realized Dustin was off on Friday, Ella had no school on Friday and Dustin's birthday was Sunday.  We talked over dinner about what we should do since this didn't happen all that often.  We decided we would try to go see Dustin's brother and sister in Nampa & Boise.

So Thursday Dustin headed to work out at the site and I packed us all up.  As I was packing we squeezed in a little play date with some friends at our house and helped the kids put on snow clothes to celebrate the first snow of the season.  (I was super sad for the snow!  NOT celebrating!)

Since Dustin works an hour out on the way to Boise I just told him to take an bus to Arco and I would pick him up there.  However, I didn't realize I would be driving on these crappy roads.  So just after passing the Lost River rest stop my wiper blade got filled with slush and was not wiping my window, just rubbing it all over.  So I reached out the window and grabbed my wiper blade and flicked it as I have done many times before.  I must have flicked it a little too hard because it went flying off the window and onto the side of the road.  It took seconds for me to realize I couldn't see out my window without the aid of a wiper blade so I quickly pulled over.   My plan was to change the blade from the passengers side and put it on the drivers side until I get to a store in Arco and get a new blade.  I have never changed a wiper blade in my life and have NO clue how to even attempt it.  So I call Dustin who is sleeping on the bus to Arco and can tell he is a little confused so I tell him I'll call my dad and call him back.  So Dad gets on the phone and tries to help guide me through changing my wiper blade.  All the while it is 35 degrees outside and snowing giant flakes all over me.  Every car that passes gives me a nice wet shower of dirty road slush... too bad I chose to wear my clogs with no socks and white pants.  Every time I got showered I could hear Ella in there giggling at me.  I would bet you would be laughing too.  Here is what I was looking like.  Beauty eh?  We were in Arco and I had taken off my wet coat and changed to my dry but thin jacket.

 Anyway, Dustin calls a few minutes later and finishes explaining to me how to remove the wiper blade and replace it on the other side.  We knew we couldn't leave the passengers side without a blade or it would scrape the windshield so Dustin had a genius idea to put a sock on it.  I didn't question one bit, just threw the dumb thing on there and got in the car. 

As soon as I got in the car I could not stop laughing.  It became HILARIOUS to me to watch this stinking sock wave back and forth accross my window.   I felt like the biggest redneck ever!  I brought along with me a book Small and Simple Things by Majorie Pay Hinckley and am always inspired by one of her quotes that kept coming to my mind:   "The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it.  You either laugh or cry.  I prefer to laugh.  Crying gives me a headache." 

Pretty fun experience right there.  So we replaced the blade and got some food and then the tire pressure light was on so we found a gas station and filled up the tires with air.  A few hours later we had a close encouter with a deer in the middle of the road.  We were pretty dedicated dodging all those hurdles in getting to Nampa that night.

But, boy are we glad we did.  We had a great time staying with Pam & Alan!  My kids LOVE their kids and they had such a great time partying until they dropped each night in front of a movie.

(Look how big she is looking!)

Aren't they cute!  I just love these kids.  There are 2 more missing.

Friday afternoon my kids got SUPER lucky and dad agreed to take them to the famous Chuck E Cheese.  Even if their pizza is gross the kids love it and it's pretty inexpensive with their coupons.

Molly had a cow because the Chuck E Cheese robot was actually moving at the moment we took the picture.  She didn't want to be near him.

Saturday we went and watched Noah play flag football which was cute but hard to keep track of my kids in a big field.  After the game we had lunch at Golden Corral and got to watch Dustin squirm as the waitresses sang Happy Birthday!  :)  The kids enjoyed ice cream.. cotton candy.. chocolate fountain.. cupcakes.. soda

I absolutley LOVE this picture! Dustin's squinty face is so stinking cute!

So back at the house some neighbors came over, and friends came over, and family came over.  They are one busy household let me tell you what!  I thought that was one of the cutest things.  These 3 girls were sitting on the hood of this truck reading Junie B Jones.  Ella's always good to pose for a picture.

Grandma Beverly brought over these little puppies and Molly wasn't too much of a fan at first, but they obviously grew on her.  I wasn't expecting a french kiss or I wouldn't have let her go near that pup.

Here is the crash and burn at the end of the night.  The bigger kids all got to campout on the floor of the basement every night.  Ella loved it. 

Happy Birthday Dustin!!  Sunday was Dustin's 29th Birthday.  We celebrated by giving him a new Ipod touch and driving home from Boise. :)   

We sure do love him!