Huntington Beach Mishaps...

A series of unfortunate events... If it can go wrong....The Holsonbake curse... get my point? Well first I am grateful we made it home with no accident or harm, I'm supposed to be soaking in a hot bath but I must blog before I forget it all, unlikely though... We were unable to rent a tow dolley so had to get the vehicle transport, a trailer that the car rides on. We went to Walmart and bought an electric wench to help pull the car up because it won't start and just Blaine and I were able to go and knew we couldn't push it up those ramps alone. We got the trailer and off we went, smooth sailing only took less than 2 1/2 hours to get there, so far so good. Quinn was working and left the key under the mat. I got in the car and attempted to put it in neutral. We turned the key on and still no luck, then Blaine tried, no luck, figures, so I called pep boys to ask if there was a secret, (I have the number memorized, sad huh) They said there is a small hole at the base of the gear shift thingy and to put a pin in it to manually release it, we tried and tried, no luck so Blaine just broke the plastic around the hole, yes it now looks ghetto, but it worked. We got it lined up and he tried to hook up the wench, unfortunately you are supposed to hook it to the trailer hitch which the trailer was on so he tried to rig it, meanwhile Quinn's roommate Zander came out and two other guys and asked if we wanted them to just push it up. I got inside to steer and brake at the top and all four guys pushed and up it went. Then a problem, my door would not open because of the trailer wheel well cover, the window would not roll down because it is electric, luckily I steered more to my right and had about a foot opening on the passenger side, I crawled over to the passenger side and barely managed to squeeze out one inch at a time and one leg at a time. Oh no another problem, we forgot to pull the wheel straps out of the way and the car was now resting on top of them, we had about 2 feet of ramp behind the car before it would roll down, but the guys had all left, I had to get back into the car, a site to see but I made it and straddling the parking break in the middle and reaching another leg over to the brake , because I am too fat to get all the way back into the driver's seat, he tried to push, but couldn't do it himself, he thought about jacking it up but that would be dangerous, so I cracked the door as a car pulled in and a nice young man hopped out, I asked him to help push and he agreed and they pushed it back a foot, yeah! Now he could get the straps up, another problem Blaine didn't know they were supposed to work, Quinn and I had figured it out on the tow dolly, so I tried to yell to him what to do, he couldn't hear me and was getting frustrated, he said I was just going to have to get back out and show him, ugh, so here I am squeezing my way out again. I showed him how and we loosened them into position, back in the car I climbed this time I had my rhythm all figured out. Blaine told me to straighten the wheel to pull it a little more centered we got into position and he tried but could not push it back up the foot or two, the other guy had left by now. So he hooked up his electric wench and put his come along in between, I don't know exactly what he did but it pulled the car forward and I stepped on the brake, perfect! Oh no now that the car is more centered my escape route just got smaller by a few inches, I tried but got stuck, now what, I started pushing my self up higher with one leg and finally unwedged my butt and squeezed probably breaking a few ribs (not really) but made it. And finally we were off, only to hit bumper to bumper traffic all the way down the 405, it took two hours on that one stretch, but we figured that we could make it to the 5 things would be better, no so, a horrific accident involving a runaway big rig and 11 car pile up closed I 5 for 3 hours, we inched along all the way by the time we got down the grapevine going about 10 miles per hours, pep boys was going to close at 6:00 pm. We started to wonder who we could get that was skinny to get through the car when we took it off the ramp if pep boys was closed and no one there to help us, we called all around, finally got a hold of Rick Mayberry, they were on 178 heading west so they stopped by, we got to pep boys with 3 minutes to spare and Rick got out and I opened the passenger door to the 7 to 8 inch crack and his jaw dropped, "you want me to get through there, how on earth did you get out" I smiled as I limped and said you wouldn't believe it. Then the pep boys guy came out and said oh all you have to do it pull back the wheel well on the drivers side, like this, he unlatched it and pulled it down, allowing the drivers side door to open. UGH!!!! Why didn't they tell us that when we rented it!!!!! I was so stressed out and sore that Rick hopped up in and as all the pep boys guys and dad pushed it off the ramp and into the bay where they could lock it up for the night. We took the trailer back and came home by 7:30 pm. I can barely turn by body, after being a contortionist not once but a total of 6 times, now I will go soak in the tub.

More Holsonbake Boys

Micah Catie and Dylan and Uncle Lance also came over Christmas Evening, he is so sweet!

Some more pics

I have way to many to post but wanted to get some of everyone...

Christmas and Cabin

It sure was a fun Christmas! Quinn and Emilee and Gary came down and stayed at our house Christmas Eve. I didn't get to bed until 1:00 am, but it was so nice to talk and Quinn helped me fill up the stockings. Garrett called me at 6:00 am to wish us Merry Christmas and we later called him back and passsed the phone around. Christmas morning Devonn, Carla, James and Andrew joined us and we all opened presents, around 5:00 Amanda, Daniel and Kaydance her daughter and Skyler her niece came over and we had dinner and they opened presents then around 7:00 Micah, Catie and Dylan came over and visited and opened gifts. It was a memorable Christmas, with everyone getting along so well. Quinn went home that evening around 9:00 and Friday morning Emilee and gary took Jazmine with them, she gets to stay until Tuesday. Blaine and I ran off to the cabin for my birthday. There was about 3 feet of fresh powder snow and we had to shovel snow to get into the cabin. It was a 18 degrees outside and the water pipes were frozen, We finally got water in the front bathroom and the toilet worked so we were fine. We warmed up the cabin nicely with the fireplace and propane heater, we ate our sub sandwiches and watched a DVD. In the morning we had our egg muffins and Blaine hung up my coat rack for all of my snow suits, we cleaned up and refilled the wood box. It was so beautiful with all of the snow in the trees, of course I forgot my camera, :( We had a great time and when we went home Blaine took me out to La Mina for my Birthday dinner, after dinner Devonn and Carla and the boys came over and then my mom came and gave me my gifts. I had a great day!

Just can't figure him out

Blaine said no more dogs, ever.. Then today he rescues and brings home a full bred cocker spaniel pup who has been neglected. She has the sweetest temperament, doesn't bite or snap. He said she can sleep outside, but then when we got home he said well put those pads down and she can sleep inside if you make her sleep on a blanket on the floor. She layed on her blanket until we got into bed then she jumped up with us. I told her to get down and I took her back to her bed, then she came back but would not jump back up, she just layed her head on the bed and whimpered. Blaine said why isn't she jumping up on the bed, I told him because I put her down and she is smart I guess and knows she can't get up, he said oh she can sleep up her at the end of the bed as long as she sleeps, All it took was me to say OK Sammie and up she came and is quietly sleeping in between us at the end of our bed. So we'll see? She is a sweet dog and hasn't peed once in the house, we'll take her out first thing in the morning.

Only in California....

It was Sunday evening and the kids were over, we ate dinner, baked some cookies and settled down to watch America's Funniest Home videos and my 4 year old grandson James asked me, "Nana is it a no burn day" he wanted me to light a fire in the fireplace. I laughed, and no it wasn't a no burn day so we lit the fireplace.

Mowing the lawn

Andrew just loves to mow the grass with Papa. You would think he would get bored after a little while, but he sticks with it for the whole yard. It takes Papa twice as long with Andrew, lol.

Hysterical Visual Image

I've been sick with a bad head cold and I needed a good laugh, last night Blaine was cooking his homemade Clam Chowder for the Ward party, now picture this... He was in the kitchen cutting up all the onions and wearing a snorkel mask! Although he looked hysterical it actually worked, he could see what he was doing and no eye irritation. LOL

Christmas and talks

I'm excited to have almost everyone here for Christmas dinner. Quinn will be down and Emilee and Gary, Devonn, Carla and the boys and Lance and family and Micah, Catie and Dylan and Amanda called today and said she would probably stop by with Kaydance. We'll have a full house. I love Christmas time and the colder weather.
I'm not however excited that I have to give a talk in Sacrament this Sunday. I jinxed myself, three weeks ago Jazmine was asked to give a youth talk and I told her she should always say yes and that it wouldn't be so bad blah, blah blah. Well she asked when was the last time I had given a talk? I mumbled under my breath oh about 10 years, shh!! Well I guess Father above was listening because Bro. Berry approached me last week and said, I was trying to think of who to ask to speak next Sunday and your name kept popping in my head, if you don't want to it's ok. My mind recalled my words to Jazmine and I said sure. He said are you sure, it's ok if you don't want to, he said this probably due to the shocked look on my face. I thought about backing out but not after my speech to Jaz. lol. I just get so nervous and my knees shake and my voice shakes and I feel like I'm going to faint. Oh well wish me luck.

The boys are sooo funny...

We had James and Andrew spend the night so mom and dad could run away, Emilee and Gary came down for a visit too, they wanted to see Cady. We made some snowmen cookies. James came and asked about 7:30 if they could take a bath. I told them that mommy said they already had a bath before they came over and James informed me, mommy sent you an email and said that she gave us baths but that if James wanted another one it was ok. He was talking in the third person, I laughed and actually he was right, so papa took them upstairs and gave them baths on put on their PJ's. Andrew was climbing all over Gary and I took him and said it was time to go to bed upstairs and he said as I carried him away, I want Gary. Tactical diversion to going to bed, lol. Andrew slept on the couch and James in the sleeping bag on the floor. They went right to sleep. Around 7:00 am James informed me that brothr was finnaly away. James had been awake since 6:30 but was very quiet in his sleeping bag. We went down and had breakfast and after Andrew ate all his raisin bran, he said something about his mouth as he walked away, I didn't hear him and asked him what did he say? He folded his arms and said "you heard me". I never did get him to tell me what he said, lol. They came upstairs to get ready for church and papa asked Andrew if he wanted some shaving lotion on his face that smells good. Andrew told him "no papa I have allergies and it could make me go blind" LOL. I just love those boys! Devonn and Carla you are awsome parents.

This Month's Ensign

There is an excellent article by a doctor on the dangers of caffeine and all of the health conditions that can be a result. I learned things I didn't know before, like all those diet pills that are supposed to help you lose weight. Caffeine actually increases certain hormone levels that lower ones metabolism causing the body to crave carbohydrates and sugar which then causes weight gain. Those energy drinks are the worst. Also I didn't know that long term use can cause a break down in bone tissue resulting in osteoporosis. Anyway it was good and worth reading.

Christmas Tree FHE

We went to get our Christmas tree for Family Night and then we decorated the tree. I think I am going to need a bigger fireplace!

Fun Day At Knotts

The weather was perfect, around 78 during the day and sunny! We went on lots of rides, James rode his first big roller coaster, I was yelling on it with my eyes closed and James sitting next to me was saying weee... We went on the train ride and some fake train robbers came in with guns and bandannas on their faces, one pointed his pistol at James and said "got any money" James had the most stunned look on his face and put up his hands palms up and shrugged his shoulders, I wish I had a camera for the look on his face, we then explained they weren't real robbers when Andrew was about to cry. Devonn, Carla and the boys rode the log jammer while Quinn, Jazmine, Blaine and I rode the pony express coaster. We watched the Christmas Parade and had great seats on the corner, when Santa came by on his float, James yelled hi Santa and he heard him! Santa turned around and looked over at James and said "Hi son, you've gotten a lot bigger." It was so cool. Carla, Devonn and Quinn went on the new huge roller coaster with an almost complete vertical drop after it launched you 80 miles an hour straight up, it was a long line so we took the boys to Camp Snoopy. We rode the Ferris wheel, I'll tell you I can ride any roller coaster but the Ferris wheel scares me to death, I'm afraid of heights anyway. Andrew was with me and at the top I have my hands gripped to the bar and telling Andrew not to rock the seat and to lean back, once it starts going around Andrew says "nana this is really really great!" We took the boys on 5 rides while waiting. We left a little late and took Quinn home to Huntington Beach, he led the way to a Taco Bell first. Papa asked Andrew if he wanted a bite of his burrito and Andrew said "What's in it?" Blaine started laughing and said he's only two and wants to know what's in it. We didn't get home till 12:45 and had to get up the next morning for Church. Jazmine gave her first talk in Sacrament and did a good job. We had a great memorable time at Knotts!!

Ok Emilee

Here is a pic of the two of you in the early stages, like ours...lol

Come What May

I forgot how much I loved this song and it's message.... two people in a healthy, committed, married relationship that are always there through good times and bad, and never walk away.

Come What May by Air Supply

When she looks at me I know the girl sees things Nobody else can see
All of the secret fears inside and all of the craziness I hide
She looks into my soul And reads me like nobody can
And she doesn't judge the man She just takes me as I am
CHORUS
Come what may, she believes And that faith is something I've never known before
Come what may, she loves me And that love has helped me open a door
Making me love myself a little more

When I turn away She knows those are the times There's nothing left to say
Nothing that anyone can do And so she lets me live it through
And when I'm in my darkest hours of uncertainty
She just simply lets me be And goes right on loving me

CHORUS Come What may...

And when it seems my dreams Have all slipped through my fingers
When they just can't be found I turn around and there they are Shining in her eyes

CHORUS Come What may..

Will Wonders Ever Cease?

Well Jazmine is now reading the Twilite sereis. She borrowed the book from her friend after seeing the movie. I came downstairs and she had turned off the TV and was reading!!!! She read 50 pages in one night, now this is the girl that has never read a whole book much less 50 pages in one sitting.. Go Jazmine....

Time with Andrew

Andrew got to come spend the night with us while his mom and dad went to the Temple. James spent the night with his mima. James got to about 2 weeks ago. Andrew is so smart! We took him with us to Walmart and on the way as we drove past Target, he said, "nana, my mima and papa Frank took me and James to Target but you weren't there." He knew Target as we drove past, hmmm?? Then while we were in the store he kept asking for a santa hat so we went to go look at them, we tried one on him and I asked him if he was sure that mom and dad didn't already buy him one, he said "no, we looked at them in Target but mom and dad didn't get it for us" There was a lady standing right next to us and her mouth dropped open and she said "how old is he? He sure can speak well!" I told her he was only 2 and she was shocked. We played balloon ball catch, we played cars, we read books and then we got on our PJ's and popped popcorn and we all went into the living room on the blue couch and watched The Ghost Whisperer. He actually watched most of it. When the Ghost broke the window in Melinda's house he was glued to it! Then he brushed his teeth, vitamins and allergy medicine and rocked with papa, till he asked to go get in his bed. He went right to sleep. I sure love my grandbabies!!

PS to last post

They announced Cady's arrival at enrichment night!!! The new family in the ward and I spoke up and said yeah that's my daughter's best friend! Several sisters my age said oh, so that's where we have seen her before. :)

Enrichment and another surprise

Well at enrichment I learned how to make some really cute no bake decorated cookies, I made a turkey and a snowman wearing ear muffs. I think when the boys spend the night in Dec. (while their parents are at a Metallica concert) we'll make the snowmen cookies, they are adorable. Well when I came home it was quiet downstairs and I wondered where Jazmine was, so I came upstairs and she and her dad were sitting on the couch reading the scriptures for her personal progress. She would read a scripture and then they would discuss it. I think my jaw dropped open at first but I quickly made it to the bathroom as not to interupt them and washed my hair. They spent about 45 minutes reading and discussing scriptures on faith. She wants to do it again with him on Thursday. :)

Youth Fireside

I almost didn't go but I am so glad I took Jazmine. That was probably one of the most powerful, spiritual firesides I have been to in a really long time. Bishop Dunn Talked about the media, movies, music, myspace, facebook, etc. Sis. Anderson talked about modesty, very candid about checking your reflection for young women bend over in the mirror and what do you see, sit down and check to see that your dress comes down, make sure your sweater covers as you move around etc. and about boys and wearing a t-shirt, unless they are in a body of water, not sagging etc. THEN pres. Soleburg got up and said that the topic he was going to talk about wouldn't have been a topic in his day or in his children's day, he talked about same gender attraction. It was so powerful, he used som many analogies. He talked about eternal truth being different than temporary truth. It rains all the time in Seattle is a temporary truth, conditional, becasue tomorrow it might not rain. Bro. (can't remember the name) has a short let leg, but that is a temprorary truth, that is not who he is. When teen develop strong sisterhoods and a strong bond and can talkabout anything, that is normal but the world will tell you that you are developing lesbian tendancies, that is not true, etc. Why do some people have these feeling, we do not know but we do know that Heavenly Father loves us and expects everyone to keep his commandments. A single person is to obey the law of chastity, abstanance until marriage and then complete fidelity after marriage. If someone nevers marries they still must keep that commandment regardless of who hey are attracted too, he said so much more. And then President Larson spoke on the war that we are in, if youth do not have their feet cemented into the ground Satan will be able to bend them, like bending a tree to grow bent. He used Book of Mormon battles to describe the battles youth face today, he talked about the name calling bigots, intollerable and how false that is, don't lower your standards, don't let Satin bend you. His talk was very powerful too. I am so glad I took Jazmine. I wish every kid in the world could have heard the truth and the words that were spoken, the spirit was very strong.

Cabin on Veteran's Day

We had a great time, no mice, we cleaned it up real good and hooked up a propane tank and lit the pilot so we had heat all night and we got the new fireplace lit, you have to use small little split logs and we used those little fire starter logs and it burned long and hot and the blower just pumps out the warm air so we were all toasty inside. My mom, Sally and Jazmine and Tiffney played Clue after dinner than we played Disney Scene it and then we all curled up and watched Kund Fu Panda, it was funny, it was dark and Quiet!! and we all slept in and then had eggs and bacon for breakfast, the girls went hiking down to the pond while we played Gin Rummy and cleaned out the cedar closet and organized it. It was 28 for the low and 40 for the high, it was dry so we were able to drive down. We left the cabin at 3:00. We need to go up to work sometime, we need to cut and split logs for firewood and I would like to move Chris's shed over by the old outhouse on flat ground, away form the road, the road also needs to be leveled out where the water ran across it and the gutters along the road cleaned out. It was a great relaxing time!!! Looking forward to going up again in the snow!

Nursery

In nursery today Andrew was sitting quietly eating the playdough and Sis. Koonz said Andrew don't eat the playdough that's yucky, he politely said "Actually I think it tastes pretty good" She just started cracking up. We have 26 kids in nursery and lots of new babies and lots of pregnant mommy's. We are going to have a huge primary. They wear me out but they are all so precious!!!

Family 08

Here is our new family pictures and one of mom and dad. Now I really see I need to lose weight! David Bunting did a great job.

takes the prize

I love my job! I am constantly running around "fixing" printers, monitors, computers, etc. some problems are minor, some really challenging but I research and keep on till I fix it, or send it off to repair.. Sometimes it is really minor but hey keep calling me when your printer cable comes unplugged or your monitor is turned off, or you have a paper jam, job security! Well this one I have to share. A teacher was logged off his computer and didn't know how to log back on so I told him to press Ctrl Alt Del, then it will say thornert13 and ask for a password, I told him there is no password just press Ok and it will log back on. A little while later he called me into his room and said he couldn't do it, so I walked him through it, he pressed Ctrl Alt Del then it popped up Thornert13 and asked for a password, I said now press OK, he looked blankly at the keyboard and said I can't find the OK key, I politely pointed up to the screen and said click OK, he was so embarrassed. I just laughed (job security) LOL

Six Flags

We went to Magic Mountain for Emilee and Jazmine's birthdays, and we have a great time. A couple of highlights. We went on the log jammer and boy those logs seem to have gotten a lot smaller, lol. Me, Blaine Emilee and Gary squeezed into one, I think our log was dragging the bottom, on every turn water just poured into the sides and on the big drop the splash created a wave that absolutely drinched us. We looked like drowned rats. At least it was in the 80's and so we weren't too uncomfortable and dried out by the end of the day. We went on viper, revolution, batman (my favortie) althought that line was too long, Ninja, gold rusher, and others, Blaine also kept saying he wanted to go on the colossis backward, which they were doing for Halloween. (mind you he swore he'd never ride it again the last time he went on it) He kept saying it won't be so bad backward, the drop won't kill my stomach, welllll it was worse!! Going down backward wasn't so bad but then when you hit bottom and start to go back up your stomach ends up in your throat, he screamed and yelled the whole way and kept trying to look over his shoulder to see when the next drop was coming, I was laughing so hard and the guy in front of us also turned around and laughed at dad's yelling. (He kept yelling oh no, oh no, it's worse than I thought, here comes another drop.) Wish I had a picture ofhis face!!
Fun times..

This Blog Thing

I'm not really good at this yet, I have a journal that I write in almost every night when I can't sleep, but no one reads that! I guess I am a little afraid I'll say something that will offend someone or make people think I'm crazy, lol. It sure is hard to raise a teen. When they don't get their way, they "hate" you and threaten to run away, move out etc. I went through it lots of times with 7 kids. on a light note, I am ever so amazed at how nice and clean Emilee keeps her apartment, when she was a teen you'd have thought I was trying to give her poison when I asked her to clean up her room, lol. But serioulsy, sounds like she takes after me more than she knows. I don't know if that is awlays a good thing? lol. I am looking forward to going to Six Flags and hopefully Jazmine will be out of her "mood" and pouting becasue Blaine grounded her from the football game (long story from her last football game fiasco) and "oh my gosh it's homecoming and what a jerk he is" No I told her he's just a dad. What good is grounding someone from something they don't care about doing. But you know how it is we just know "so little". Ok well once I got started I guess I said a whole lot. lol I pray everything is going alright with Garrett, I haven't heard from him since he started his job. Hopefully that is a good thing. I hope Quinn is doing well, I hope he gets his car fixed! Maybe that is why I don't sleep at night, I just worry too much about all of my kids. I sure love them all. I am looking forward to the Holiday's. I love Christmas and I love the weather turning, although it's taking it's sweet time here. Guess I have to go help Blaine with dinner, the Rocks are coming over tonight.

Funny Story

Well I was going to call Carla and see how James did with his soccer game. (papa decided he was too much of a distraction for James so stayed home and took a nap instead) well I called and the answering machine came on, I thought to myself wow Carla sounds just like me, oh wait that is me, oops I called my home phone. I laughed out loud!
I am looking forward to going to Six Flags with Emilee and Gary next Sat. Just no free falling rides, that Tower of Terror at California's Adventure just about killed me. Roller coasters I love!!

So I guess I type here

This is all new to me, I don't even know what being tagged means? Anyway I think I am supposed to tell you 7 random things about myself?

1. When Blaine was on his mission I started dating and told myself it was just for fun so I wouldn't miss him sooo much and I actually had someone ask me to marry him, I was so chicken that I wrote him a letter, left it in the mailbox and ran, telling him why I couldn't marry him. I was not going to settle on anything less than a Temple marriage. Needless to say Blaine came home in June and we got married in August.

2. I started watching General Hospital when I was 18 and down for 3 months with Mono and Hepatitis. I still record it and then watch it in about 15 minutes fast forwarding through the storylines I have no interest in.

3. When I was growing up I used to go to Catalina every summer and when I was about 15 I started a tradition of hiking up to the bell tower and looking out over the ocean and thinking about what my life would be like the following year. Some memories of thoughts: next year Blaine will be gone, next year I'll be graduated from High School, next year I'll have gone to college in Idaho for a year. Next year I'll be married in the Temple. Next year I'll be here on my honeymoon. Next year I'd like to be a mom. Next year I will be a mom. Blaine and I then started going every other year so we could take other cross country trips.

4. I don't like face hair on men!!! Bad experience as a teen. So sorry Blaine, everytime you try to grow a beard I can't look you in the face, or kiss you, you finally get mad at my quirk and shave it off.

5. I hate spending money on food, I will buy groceries, but eating out or buying food of any kind seems like flushing money down the toilet. lol, no pun intended.

6. I love to lay on the beach and listen to the waves crash.

7. I used to run away up to the cabin (only got to do it maybe three times) when we had a house full of kids and stress was high. I would go up there and spend the night, I would sit in the hot tub and eat a half a tub of chocolate frosting. Then get up early and come home. (I miss that hot tub)