The Gerlaks

Rough. Chapter one of Book II

2011-09-13T11:36:00.000-07:00

CHAPTER 1

No, it couldn’t be. Is that who I think it is? I thought to myself as I caught him glancing in my direction for the third time tonight.
He was leaning on the back of a barstool, across a smoke hazed room talking to a couple actors I also recognized from the production we had just come from seeing.
He visibly stood out from the rest, and had a familiarity I couldn’t place. His face was very pronounced, chiseled perfectly around his cheekbones and jaw line, with the perfect amount of five o’clock shadow to accent them. He had full pouty lips, the kind that look like they are always in a slight irresistible pucker. His hair was chin length, medium brown and wavy, finger slicked back and tucked behind his ears, enhancing his intense deep set cerulean eyes. He was quite possibly the most attractive man I thought I had ever seen.
He glanced in my direction again causing a faint tingling sensation under my skin.
I glanced sideways at him, smiled with my eyes, lingering for a half second and then casually turned to the glass I held close to my lips.
He was wearing a fitted white button down shirt, with long sleeves cuffed once at the end and pushed up his forearms. He left the top two buttons open just enough to see the beginnings of a very well sculpted torso. Together with black leather pants and silver tipped cowboy boots. A little flashy, I thought, but much the norm for this side of the world.
He gazed in my direction again, and I felt the tickle of excitement begin to sweep its way up the back of my neck.
Maybe it was just my imagination, or coincidence, or a man of his magnitude could just be scanning the room for prospects. I had certainly considered all the possibilities but more than likely it was that I looked extraordinarily good tonight! I beamed with an arrogant grin.
The dress that caught my eye for this extra special evening was a black Chantilly lace, backless cocktail number that clung needlessly to my every curve. Paired with black patent leather ankle wrap stilettos.
My hair was down, volumized somewhat by my natural curl. I threw in some strategically placed curls, back combed a little here and there, and then shook it upside down for my desired affect. It’s wild and untamed. I like the idea of being able to toss my mane shamelessly when the occasion calls for it, and I must admit, I do have the perfect coiffure for the job.
I was the epitome of everything I thought I wanted to be. Alluring, mysterious, sultry, attractive… And I had no problem flaunting it. It wasn’t the first time and I’m sure it wouldn’t be the last. He is no different than the numerous other guys I had unwittingly beguiled.
I casually, but purposely, strolled past his group to sit with my friends at a circular booth just beyond his ear shot. I wanted to see if I was truly the focus of his attention.
He seemed to notice.
Another minute went by as I chatted with my friends at the table, while my awareness of his proximity was not deterred. I could see from my peripherals that he was facing my direction again and I decided to let him get an eyeful before I looked back. I slowly ran my fingers through my hair under the back by my neck, nonchalantly shifting it so that it hung over my left shoulder. I then proceeded to twirl a ringlet that hung just behind my diamond dotted right earlobe taking full advantage of the fact that it was directly over an erogenous zone on my neck.
I could feel his gaze now heavily on me, as I slowly turned to meet it. His eyes instinctively fluttered, looked away, and then did a double take noticing that I hadn’t shifted from my stare. Yes. That’s the look I was waiting for.
I lingered, smiling flirtatiously with my eyes again, and then bit my lower lip as I turned to re-engage myself in the conversation at the table. I re-crossed my legs at the knees, slowly letting my left ankle rest over top of my right, and then ran my fingers up the back of my calf just for added measure.
From the corner of my eye, I could see that he still hadn’t veered from his preferred fixation. The fixation, of course, being me. He was now curious and wanted to play along with my little game.
My stomach began to flutter and my face flushed slightly.
From my peripherals, I could see him sporting a semi-seductive yet still bashful smile.
The corners of my mouth involuntarily curled in response.
He then, quite confidently, left his group and came to a stop at the foot of our table.
“Hello, my name is Shayne DeLuca,” he announced to everyone, purposely stealing a glance or in my direction.
Everyone replied politely, at awe as one of the lead performers stood in front of them.
“Did you all just come from the show?” He asked in a velvety smooth utterance.
Nods all around.
He then casually asked, “Could I persuade you to let me join your table?”
Everyone seemed to reply in an approving manor of some sort.
He then turned to grab a chair and set it at the end of our table. With one spin of his wrist, he swung it swiftly into place, and then sat on it next to me, all in the same motion. His eyes never left mine while doing so.
I smiled playfully, impressed with his pageantry.
“You played Joseph, didn’t you?” Stacey asked.
“Yes…” he admitted bashfully. “I did,” he sighed.
“Wow. You have a beautiful voice,” she admitted.
“Thank you,” he answered, “It helps when you have backup singers,” he winked, flashing a coy little grin back in my direction.
The group continued to ask questions and give flattery where ever possible, but after a short while they became more comfortable and conversations began to disperse in different directions. Some, hopeful of hearing tips to getting into the biz, and some deciding they wanted to dance.
“C’mon Andi, this is our song,” Stacey suggested excitedly, gesturing toward the dance floor as the DJ began the next mix.
It was a song that, in our dance class back home, the teacher would give us 10 minutes at the end for freestyle dance. Which meant we played popular music, and made up little choreographs for it. We frequently came up with combinations we liked and then used them when that particular song was playing while we were out dancing at a school event or club.
“Excuse me,” I spoke quietly to the group, but it was directed mainly toward Shayne.
“Mm hmm,” he answered as he stood, still smiling his sultry grin.
I followed Stacey looking back over my shoulder once, out of curiosity. He was still sitting at the table with the few that were left, seemingly still engaged in conversation, but watching me intently.
Dance is the one activity where I can completely lose myself. I hear the beat and in my mind I see a steady stream of movement, and my body just seems to willingly comply.
I entered the dance floor and immediately my hips began to sway. I let my hands move freely, instinctively tousling my hair as I exaggerated my steps, slowly pulsating from side to side to my desired spot on the floor.
Stacey and I flowed into count facing each other. It had been a little while, but we both knew the bit well and we always feel inclined to step it up, improvising as much as necessary in order to out do each other. Our typical routine for an evening like this, and I was fully engrossed into it.
The song ended and a slower one began. It too had a steady beat, which I couldn’t resist. We stayed on the dance floor and continued to flow effortlessly into our normal freestyle type mode.
I let my hips move in time with the music and my body habitually glided into several slow body waves. Every once in a while I would throw in a double-time head roll, tossing my hair for effect. I began a spin, snapping my head to let my hair fly, but stopped abruptly when I found myself face to face against a solid frame of a man. His hand was already on the small of my back and my long hair, because of momentum, continued its course landing perfectly on his left shoulder. He didn’t flinch.
“Would you like to dance?” Shayne’s smoky deep voice beckoned.
“Me?” I asked, surprised.
Up until now we had only exchanged flirtatious glances. Now he was actually addressing me personally, and it threw me off kilter a little.
He simply gave me his seemingly patented grin and began to move me with him to the rhythm. The way he swayed almost seemed a little to advanced for me, and I nearly stumbled more than once but he held me effortlessly in place guiding my feet as they moved.
“I’m not sure I can keep up,” I stated like a damsel in distress.
His grin turned sinister, as he spun me around twirling me away and then pulling me quickly back into a low dip.
I blinked several times trying to refocus on his intense eyes.
“I think you’ll do just fine,” He half whispered only centimeters from my face letting his seductive little grin re-appear, and then he brought me back up straight.
He moved so smoothly that I barely had to think about what I was doing. Our bodies coursed seamlessly together. He matched my every move and non-verbally challenged me to try new ones with him. I added flourishes when I could think to throw them in. He seemed to respond approvingly.
“You dance very well,” he commented in my ear as he was holding me close.
“Hmm… not as well as you,” I argued.
He chuckled, and then added, “I get by.”
“I might have to disagree with that.”
He chuckled again.
“You are in a Broadway production. Not just anyone gets a leading role in something like that. Especially as young as you are.” I defended.
He then tilted his head to look me in the eyes, seemingly confused. “How do you know my age?”
“I’m a good guesser,” I said grinning confidently, although I knew that I had looked up the actors before seeing the play, and had memorized some of the information on the ones I thought were attractive. But my confidence quickly faded at seeing his dark smoldering eyes boring directly into mine. I blinked and turned slightly toward his shoulder hoping he would think it was part of my allure. My pulse quickened at feeling his breath on my skin. He then threw me into another quick spin and snapped me back crushing our bodies together again. I had to catch my breath. I felt helpless in his hands. It was almost frightening but at the same time more exhilarating than I had ever felt.
“Impressive,” he admitted. “Usually out clubbing, my partners end up stepping on my toes several times, but you… you haven’t lost your footing once,” He affirmed.
“So far,” I added.
He chuckled.
“You’re a strong lead,” I affirmed, throwing the credit back onto him.
“You don’t seem intimidated.”
“On the contrary… you intimidate me plenty.”
He chuckled again. “But still… You have to be pretty graceful not to have stepped on my toes at least once. I’m sorry, I’m not very good at this but believe it or not I’m actually trying to give you a complement,” he admitted sheepishly.
“Oh… really,” I flirted. “You know flattery will get you…..” I paused. “Well….. I guess we’ll see,” I whispered teasingly close to his ear.
He flushed a little, and I was surprised to see it.
“Well… there is quite a bit more that I could say, but I thought I’d save it for later.”
“Assuming, of course, that I let you see me later?” I teased, pulling slightly away and then twirling, purposely suggesting that it would be a privilege if he were allowed to see me at all.
He gracefully continued guiding my spin and then spun me again faster catching both of my hands above our heads and then dropping them, still clutched, behind my back pinning me to his chest.
“Ok. At the risk of being completely embarrassed, I’ll try to give you another one right now.”
I tilted my head and smiled in anticipation.
He cleared his throat and began, “You… are definitely, the most attractive girl in this club,” he stated letting go of my hands and turning me with him slowly swaying.
“Hmm…”
“No good?” He added nonchalantly.
“Diplomatic… Not the worst I’ve heard, but given your demeanor and general appearance, not to mention your chosen profession..… I would have thought that you possessed much more thoroughly contrived flattery in reserve for such an occasion.” I sighed in jest.
“Ooooh. A challenge,” He breathed. “You know it might take me a heavy moment to surmise a sentiment worthy of someone with such exquisiteness and elegance; incandescent and delicate, with the body and face coveted by goddesses, who would find themselves inferior to a being such as yourself,” He blathered. “How was that?” He whispered, with a very boastful tone in his voice.
“Um…smooth….” I grinned and then laughed a breathy laugh in the direction of his ear. “Ya, I don’t even know what to say to that. But it does seem more your… type?” I giggled, blushing. I hoped he wouldn’t notice the sudden temperature change on my skin.
“I’ve been categorized!” He stated pretending to be shocked. “Darn! I’ll have to work on my originality.”
I laughed a trilling peal.
The song ended and we stood for a moment while the next one began.
“Would you mind if we sat somewhere?”
“Like, me and you… together?” I gestured between the two of us.
“Ya, if you want to. If you would rather be with your friends, that’s ok. I was just hoping I would get to know you a little better.”
I looked at him half smiling, while biting the side of my bottom lip. I then scanned the room and spotted a booth in the corner that was a little more secluded than the rest. He waited for my response.
“What about over there?” I pointed daintily with my newly manicured index finger.
“Perfect,” He agreed. “Let me just say goodbye to my friends really quick.”
“Ok, I’ll meet you there.”
I decided to take the opportunity to grab my clutch purse and use the ladies room to freshen my hair and makeup.
I looked in the mirror. Moisture had faded my face a bit so I quickly re-applied, taking extra care around my eyes. Smokey, I delighted as I admired myself again. I shook out my hair to re-volumize, and then spritzed my citrus based cologne in the air walking through it as I headed back out the door.
I, doing my best to keep up my aloof composure, walked in the direction of the table we chose. He was already sprawled on the seat but as I approached, he jumped up to let me in.
“You had me worried for a minute,” he stated as he smiled his seductive little grin. “I thought maybe you made a run for it.”
“Have girls ever run from you before?” I asked doubtfully.
“Um… No, not really,” he mock-shamefully, but proudly admitted.
“The question is… should they have?” I asked giving him a sly look of my own, while taking the inside seat.
“Wow… You’re… not gonna to make this easy on me are you?”
I chuckled, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”
“No… totally ok,” he held a hand up gesturing to stop me. “You should get to know someone before you can trust them.”
I smiled bashfully, looking down at the table.
Just then the waitress came over and stood in front of us.
“Hey Shayne-ie, what’s goin on?” She asked while setting two napkins and two coasters on the table.
“Good Jen, how’ve you been?”
“Better now that you’re here,” she winked at me and then asked, “What can I get you two?”
“The usual.”
“Cherry/vanilla coke for you, and what would you like sweetie?”
“I’ll have the same.”
“All right, I’ll be right back.”
“You aren’t drinking?” I asked after the waitress left.
“No… a hangover seriously hinders my performance.”
“Oh… ya. How many more performances do you have?”
“The show runs through the rest of this week,” he explained, and then returned to our previous conversation. “So what category do I fit into?”
“What?” I asked having completely forgotten.
“You said my ‘type’, I’m assuming that’s not good.”
“Oh…” I chuckled. “I’m sorry; I guess that did sound a little opinionated.”
“Please,” he waved me off. “You couldn’t begin to touch the critiques I’ve had to stomach lately.”
“Oh…” I half laughed a breathy gust. Ashamed. “I’m sorry. Now I feel really bad.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he chuckled again. “But I’m still curious.”
“About what?” I asked, still blushing.
“About how you see me. Do you see me as… bad?”
I thought about it for a moment. A few years ago, I would have known the answer to that question, having the sense and the added impressions given to me by an unknown source. But now… I had to rely purely on instinct and previous experience. It makes me feel guarded, like I can’t trust anyone.
“I’m not sure yet,” I say, giving myself some cushion.
“Ok first impression. What was it?”
“Oh geez… You’re not going to make this easy on me are you?”
“I’m sorry,” he chuckled. “You don’t have to answer, but I’ll just assume the worst if I’m left to fend for myself.”
“Ugh…” I huffed, and then began. “Okay. At first glance…” My eyes flickered to his causing me to blush, and then I gazed toward the chair where he had first been leaning. “I knew who you were because of seeing you perform. And I saw your photo online when I bought the tickets.”
“Ok… aside from that.” He dismissed as if he didn’t want the acknowledgement although I saw his face light up a bit when I said it.
“Aside from that. Okay. Well… Number one; Your hair,” I automatically reached for a strand and then catching myself, dropped my hand into my lap, stuttering, “is perfect… suggesting that you prefer to be very much in control of all the aspects of your life, even when you want it to be a little untamed. Number two; Even though you wear makeup caked on every night, your skin is flawless, which leads me to believe that you take great care to keep it that way. This, along with your…” I gulped and breathed out, “well cared for…physique… could mean high maintenance. And number three; your clothes… well there are two different things at play here. The outfit it’s self suggests that you are confident and don’t have a problem being the center of attention, which also suggests that you probably get a lot of it. Attention that is. And that’s usually a red flag. But the way you carry yourself and your body language added into the mix, kinda makes you….. irresistible, yet dangerous. So I guess my first impression of you was just that; Irresistibly-Dangerous.”
He sat frozen for a moment and then shook his head. “Are you a fortune teller or something?”
“No,” I laughed breathily. Blushing.
“Well I hope you stick around long enough that I can change your mind about some of those things.”
I chuckled again, bashful.
“Ok my turn.” He squinted as he stared into my eyes. “Your hair…” He began, imitating me I’d guessed. He ran his fingers through the side of it and it made me a little ashamed that I had chickened out of touching his when he was so comfortable touching mine. He brushed the back of his hand following my hair cascading past my shoulder to my elbow. “Is long and lush. Silky and beautiful, but wild. And your face,” he then ran a finger gingerly across my jaw line, causing my skin to ignite where he touched. “Is also flawless. Even under the surface.” His eyes followed the curves of my face and then settled, meeting my stare.
My eyelids fluttered at the action. “You’re mysterious,” he continued, “you like to leave the world behind you. Be uninhibited as evident by your appearance. You don’t like complications, but yet they seem to find you. You’re very guarded.”
I stared at him astonished. My brows creased together slightly.
“How am I doing so far?”
“Wait a minute…”
He continued while half chuckling, cutting me off mid-thought.
“You have talents that you usually keep hidden, but every so often you break out of your shell and show them off doing karaoke and impromptu competitive freestyle dance.”
I gasped. “How did you know that?” I stated.
“I was there, like nine months ago.” He chuckled.
“That only happened one time… on a dare….. and you… Oh my gosh!” I abashed. “How could you have possibly recognized me from that?”
“I saw a stunningly beautiful girl whose angelic voice mesmerized the crowd. What was the song you sang?”
“Halo, by Beyonce,” I mumbled, trying to hide my totally flushed face.
“Yes!” he agreed animatedly. “Anyway, that girl did an unforgettable body wave head roll combination that you just reproduced perfectly here on the floor. I actually wanted to meet you then but when I tried to approach you, you were already surrounded by swarms of guys dying to get a piece of you, so I chickened out.”
“You chickened out?” I asked skeptically.
“Something like that.”
“I can’t believe you were there.” I continued to blush.
“Why not? I’m human aren’t I?” He boasted. “Your name is….. Angie, right?”
“It’s Andi. Andi Young.”
“Yes! I’m sorry, it was extremely loud there.”
I groaned, covering my face with my hands. I barely remembered what happened nine weeks ago let alone nine months. I was in a self induced state of detachment for most of the past year and had all but blocked anything new from entering.
I loved to sing though, but hadn’t since high school. Dance was my chosen outlet, it just seemed like a good thing to do at the time I guess.
“You’re embarrassed!” he chuckled, looking at me with adoring eyes.
“No,” I claimed, still semi-hiding my face.
“Yes you are,” he pulled my hands away. “I’m sorry… I liked it though,” he sympathized.
“My move?” I asked grimacing.
“The move… you singing… and embarrassing you,” he inched closer bringing his hand up and cupping the side of my face. “And you,” he whispered as he moved in for a kiss.
His lips were full and warm. The way he moved them was almost rhythmic. Hypnotic. Slow and gentle, and tasting faintly of mint.
I only became aware of other people in the room when the waitress cleared her throat.
We separated and I tried to regain composure as he thanked her for the drinks.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t… usually do things like that.”
“It’s ok.”
“Your eyes drew me in… I was helpless,” he defended.
“Oh,” I chuckled suspiciously, “Good thing you informed me. I might have gotten the impression that it was not the first time.” I stated sarcastically.
“Hmm…” He snickered slightly embarrassed. “Ok I’ll be completely honest… it may have happened… before,” he admitted like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
“I see… Well, I had fun dancing with you, but I should probably get back to my friends…” I declared as I began to stand.
“Wait…” He pleaded. “Please…Stay,” he pleaded. “I was only kidding; I swear this is really not my typical behavior.”
I remained standing.
“I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression of me,” he admitted, pleading. “I really am just a nice guy from a small town in Maine.”
I slowly sat back down next to him. “Well… I didn’t hate it,” I half whispered. “And I can’t let you take all the blame. I was… kindof… sending signs,” I winced, bashfully.
He chuckled as if he knew what I was doing all along. “I honestly do want to talk more though,” he confessed. “I mean… we can do what ever you want but I do want to get to know you better,” he stared into my eyes with his wide and begging for a response.
I pretended to think about it for a moment. “Ok… when you say it with the big puppy-dog eyes… Geez,” I sighed as I crossed my legs, accidentally brushing across his in the process. I froze.
Once again he didn’t flinch. He reached down between us and slid his hand under mine, clasping as he reached his destination. He kissed my fingers slowly and then traced them softly with his lips.
My skin began to warm as I watched.
“So where are you from? Anywhere interesting?”
“Nope,” I lied, sighing as I watched his lips moving around my dainty digits. It was impossible to stay focused.
“Nope?” he kidded, raising his eyebrows once, and then grinning seductively again. “I can’t say as I’ve ever been there.”
“Flagstaff…..” I blurted, shaking myself from my trance. “It’s in Arizona.”
“Really. Wow that’s a long way.” He said between kisses on my fingers.
“Actually,” he straightened himself a little, seeming more intent on the conversation, “My dance group was traveling through the western states about a year and a half ago and we stayed in flagstaff one night,” he began. “I only remember because there was a guy who was shot at a restaurant where we had eaten that morning. We saw it on the news that night. Apparently there were some high school kids there at the time it happened.”
“Ya…..” I felt the blood suddenly rushing out of my face, and my smile became weighted to the point of non-existence. “It was a while ago,” I agreed, as I was sent spinning into a vivid memory I thought I had buried in my subconscious.
“It was kinda weird because we had just eaten there the same day it happened. Did you know anything about it?”
“Ya…” I nodded slowly. “Ya I did.”

We went to General Conference:)

2011-04-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

http://lds.org/general-conference/watch/2011/04?lang=eng&vid=895226075001

2010-12-07T09:51:00.000-08:00

So… Another year has gone by??? Really, it’s been that long!
Quite a bit has happened this year, not all at one time, but sortof in chunks. First of all, Ben and Kaylee announced in Februrary that they were Prego, and should be due sometime in November. So that was exciting that we would be grandparents. Then, I found out that my older sister was also prego, WITH TRIPLETS, and should be due in Dec. Not at all more exciting than being a grandma and being able to have a baby around again, just weird that my daughter and my OLDER sister were having babies around the same time.
Anyway, we went to Colorado over the summer and vacationed with some friends in a huge cabin and got to stomp all over the mountains on quads. That was really cool! And went river rafting where our guide got us caught up on some huge rocks and almost flipped the raft. Ha ha. By the end of the trip we had to take a couple days off to recover from all of that.

In September, Kenny turned 8 and was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church. He was pretty excited about that and LOVED the idea that he would also be able to be a Cub Scout!

Between all of these things were countless hunting and fishing trips, had by Rob and Ben.
Rob is still working at the Bank, trying to make the world a little less poverty stricken, one client at a time.
I think that ever since Rob lost weight and got healthy, he has become a "Biggest Loser" addict. He never misses an episode. This Year he has even decided to run in a marathon. Crazy! but in a good way.
Madison is in 5th grade and taking gymnastics. I haven't given up on the singing lessons thing yet. As long as i still hear her sounding like she's 20 instead of 11 years old, then ya... i'll keep trying.
Robbie is 17, drives a truck, works on cars...ALL THE TIME! But he keeps us laughing so we keep him around.
On October 28th, Kaylee had been dialated to 5 centimeters for at least the past two weeks, having contractions on a regular basis of at least every 5 min. She had been in and out of the hospital a few times thinking she was in labor. (I think it was more Ben than her.)
She and I had decided to go walking, so that’s what we did for about an hour and a half. During that time her contractions became stronger and closer. We stopped walking and decided to get some lunch, and it was when we got back to my house that she was eating and then suddenly jumped up saying “I think I just peed my pants!”
I just started laughing, because I knew exactly what it was. She went into the bathroom to check because she was not sure. I had to convince her to go to the hospital. (she didn’t want anymore false alarms) Once there, they tested the fluid and confirmed that it was indeed amniotic fluid. This all happened at about 2:30-ish. Ben was at the Grand Canyon working, and Rob was on the Navajo Reservation, hunting. Ben came flying (Driving) back and was at the hospital about an hour and a half later. All the while Kaylee kept saying, “what if they send me back home?” And I would tell her, “they can’t send you home when your water is broken.”
Tenley Kay Sandall was born 10/28/10, at 10:14pm, weighing 6lbs 10oz, and you see that her name is TEN-ley. Ha ha, we though that was kinda funny because of all the 10’s involved.
Anyway, Mommy, Daddy and baby Tenley are doing great.

Another thing that has been going on is… (wait for it) …I wrote a BOOK!
Kind of embarrassing to admit, and definitely hard to believe considering my history in school, and my serious lack of interest in reading at all. But what I discovered is that I didn’t dislike reading, I only dislike reading things that are of no interest to me and that I can't relate to. (Duh!) I didn’t really know what that was, or how to avoid it, so I simply didn’t bother. That and the fact that I did child care, in my home, for 11 years and then I also have 4 children of my own, made time a precious commodity.
The weird thing was, I never realized that I didn’t have any interests or hobbies until they called me, wanting to do a spotlight on me in church one week and asked exactly that. I had no answer. My kids were my life, as they should be, but they are not what defines me. I’m a wife and a mom… but what else???
Kaylee convinced me to read the Twilight series a couple years ago. I remember I began the first book at the beginning of December and finished the last one on New Years Day. But the entire time I was reading, I kept thinking, “I could do this.” But then I would think “What am I thinking? That is a ton to think of, and then write.” I then read “The Host” and began reading “Eragon” But nothing was keeping my attention away from this nagging feeling that I could do this. I actually found myself feeling sortof empty, and frantically in search of something, but I didn’t know what.
The following October, I decided to begin by just journaling different experiences that have happened to me over the years. I was still not convinced that I had the ability to write an entire book, but then I saw a clip from the Oprah/Stephanie Meyer interview. Stephanie told Oprah that she had always told herself stories inside of her head since she was a little girl, and thought that's what everyone did.
It never occured to me that THAT was what I was doing all these years. I knew I had ADD, but I was never hyperactive, instead I would daydream. I was a pro at that! So now, hopefully, I'm finally putting it to good use. I began writing the earliest memory that i have, and that was how my story evolved.
The first chapter in the book is a story that actually happened to me as a little girl and then the book turns into fiction from there. There has been a handfull of family and friends that have expressed interest in reading it So here is chapter 3 just as a sample. I think/hope it gives you some feel for the direction i'm going. It’s rough, and I think I can make it sound a lot better but here it is. If you should happen to feel inclined to leave a comment, PLEASE DO. I would Love to hear what you have to say.

2010-12-06T10:19:00.000-08:00

CHAPTER 3

BEEEEEEP, BEEEEEEP, BEEEEEEEP, BEEEEEEP...

Oh My Gosh! That has got to be the most irritating noise in the history of irritating noises. I hate being jolted into an upright position because of that loud, obnoxious, squawk! I could swear it pierces a hole through my brain.
But today is going to be a good day, one that I have been looking forward to, for the last 2½ months. It’s Monday, August 16th. Exactly one week until my sophomore year in high school begins.
In Flagstaff, freshman year is still combined with Jr. High. So this will actually be my first year at high School.
My parents have finally given in to the fact that I am not a “little girl” anymore and rightly so. I spent the entire summer babysitting so I could buy clothes myself instead of the usual, mom getting me generic jeans that are tight around my back side and too loose around the waist. I mean seriously, don’t these jean companies know anything about girls shapes. Some of us have hips, and a waist, both at the same time.
My mom’s solution is to sew “darts” in the back so they will fit correctly.
If you don’t know what that is; it is when you pinch the fabric together, making a gather, and sewing it to stay.
It made me have a lump on each side of my lower back, and my back pockets stick out just enough to make them look a little off.
I was completely mortified to be seen in them.
My mom was really good at making do, and tries to be as frugal as she possibly can.She takes great pride in the care of our clothes so that they can be handed down to the next child. One problem with that is that my older sister loves animals. I always have at least one t-shirt with sparkly kittens stamped on the front. Why kittens? I will never understand! I’m severely allergic to cats. I have to keep an antihistamine with me at all times, just incase. Plus, the fact that all of the hand-me-down tops, are either too baggy, (remember my “big boned” older sister) or they do fit but they are just short enough that I am fussing with it all day, trying to keep from having exposed skin. I would die of embarrassment if I were ever “coded” at school for showing a bare midrift in a kitten t-shirt!
Ugh!
No more of that for me, thank you.
Over the summer I began watching, and getting tips from one of those shows where they ambush some un-expecting person from the street, and do a complete makeover on
them. They then show them how to shop for clothes that will be the most flattering for their shape and size.
I never realized I had a shape, or size. My mom incessantly buys my clothes bigger than what I actually am. She says it gives me “room to grow.” Well I don’t plan on growing much more seeing how I have been the same height and weight for the past two years.
My plan started with a budget. I decided I would need $500 by the end of the summer and I had to strategize carefully.
First, I wanted to get at least 5 pairs of jeans that fit perfectly and don’t make my butt look too big. After that, I would see what I have left for shirts. I wasn’t too worried about shoes because my sisters and I wore the same size, so that made it easy to find a pair that would coordinate. Not that it mattered much, most of the time I just wore flip-flops.
My goal date had arrived. I had earned my money. Today was the day that I would put my newly learned fashion rules to action. Today I would get everything I needed,
then have a week to perfect my makeup-ing skills before school started.
My plan involved the entire day. I would go to the mall, shop until I found everything I set out to attain, and attempt to perform a mini makeover on myself.
I had previously shared my intentions with my mom and she thought it sounded like a good idea, plus the bonus that I would be learning to plan ahead and show my dad I could handle responsibility. I hadn’t thought about it, but this will also earn me some brownie points for when the time comes that I should be getting my drivers license.
I got dressed as fast as I could, and with the $500 in hand, ran into the kitchen to quickly grab something to eat.
As soon as my mom caught wind of my excitement, she rolled her eyes and said,
“Oh ya, today’s the big day, huh?”
“No” I defended, holding the O longer than necessary. “I’m just going school shopping, no big deal”.
“But it’s the first time without me.” She faked a pouty face.
“I’m sure you’ll live.” Heavy sarcasm.
“Ya, especially when I look in my wallet and, Oh my goodness, I still have money!” She grinned, hamming it up quite a bit.
“Ya ya whatever, Mother. Now can you pleeeeeeeese give me a ride to the mall?” I begged shamelessly, my hands clasped in front of my chest in full begging position, while batting my eyes and sticking my bottom lip out as if I would start pouting if she said no.
“Oh good grief!” She grumbled, rolling her eyes. She then grabbed her purse.
I smiled a sheepish grin back at her.
“Ok, drama queen, lets go.” She exclaimed, turning on her heels and heading for the door.
I followed quickly behind as she trudged to the drivers side of the suburban.
“Ugh!” I stopped, “do we have to go in that?”
“Um, Yaaa” emphasis on the aaa. “Unless you would rather I drive your brothers,
Monte Carlo?”
“No Thanks!” I exclaimed.
His car was a tank! It was really old and ugly.
“This will be fine I guess.” I resigned, as I begrudgingly climbed into the front seat.
“Well I’m so glad you think so” she said sarcastically.
We drove in silence for the most part, chatting here and there about nothing in
particular.
When we arrived at the front entrance to the mall, I was anxious to get out. Mom grabbed my arm just as I was about to exit the car, “here’s another $100, just in case.”
I reached in to take it when she jerked it back just barely out of my grasp.
“Now don’t spend all your money unless you have too” she stated protectively.
“O….” She stopped me mid word.
“And don’t buy anything that is so expensive, that you can’t get much else”
“I kn….” Cut off again.
“And don’t settle for things that are only ok so that you can get more, because if you do that, you won’t wear it and you’ll be mad you wasted your money.”
I waited a few seconds to see if there were any more important motherly instructions.
She handed me the money and I started to turn.
“And honey!”
“Yes, Mother?” I breathed out heavily as I turned slowly back around.
“Have fun.” She smiled as if she knew I was getting annoyed with her undecidedness and was amused by the thought.
I was almost to the door when she yelled through the open passenger window, “Call me when you’re done.”
“Ok, see you later” I hollered back, as I waved without turning to look again.
Normally, I hate going to the mall, probably because I already knew what was coming home with me. But this time, I was excited to be here.
First things first. Jeans.
I spotted the name of a trendy store- that I had heard girls, last year at school, talk about as if it was a religious experience- and made my way inside.
The loud music and heavy fragrance was very different than the stores where my mom usually took us to shop. It made me feel slightly intimidated to go in, but my
determination to find the supreme pair of jeans, pushed me forward.
I stepped in through the doorway and immediately pretended to be looking down at a table full of neatly folded and displayed, t-shirts, hoping not to be noticed right away. I let my hair fall forward slightly, hoping that it would add to my invisibility.
A tall slender girl with perfectly groomed honey blond locks, and way too much eye, and lip liner, immediately approached me blurting out,
“How’s it goin’, can I help you find something?”
I jumped. “Um, ya… I need to find some jeans.”
“No problem, come right this way”
She seemed nice enough, and genuinely wanted to help me, so I followed her closely in the direction that she led.
She proceeded to show me all of the different styles and cuts of the jeans that they offered.
“What size do you wear?” She then asked, politely.
“Uh…I’m not sure” I said in a rather sheepish tone. After all, my mom always bought my jeans and then tailored them to do what she calls “fit”.
“Ha ha, that’s ok”. She took a step back, looked me up and down like she was trying to figure out a jigsaw puzzle.
“Hmmm….” She said as she turned to look at the stacks of neatly folded jeans. I was sure it wouldn’t be easy to find a pair of jeans that fit these massive hips.
“I would say you are either a size 3 or 5”. She guessed.
That’s impossible! I know I’m not that size. My mom never got me any size that you could count to on one hand! She fumbled through the piles and continued selecting pair after pair.
Maybe there is hope, I thought as I watched her work. She seemed very confident with her assessment, and I was not about to argue.
She had heaped about seven pairs of jeans into a mound on the display table in front of her, and then I was whisked off to a fitting room to try on each pair.
The first four pairs didn’t work so well, and I was beginning to get discouraged, but the fifth pair, Yowza! They looked Hot!
I couldn’t get over how good they felt. Soft and pliable, like they were made for me.
Then I turned around to see the back, “Whoa… oh yes” I’ll take one of these in every color I thought to myself.
I managed to get out of that store with 5 pairs of jeans and 3 shirts, and still had over $200. I was on a shopping high. I then made my way to the other end of the mall to a well known department store to see if I could find a couple more shirts and maybe some makeup.
If I was going to do this, I wanted to do it all the way.
I remember on the show, they said that you want to choose an eye shadow that brings out your eye color in a way that looks natural, not harsh.
The lady behind the counter tried several colors, then a few together as well.
I really liked a shade called Bordeaux. It was sort of burgundy, but it looked more like brown on my pale skin. It made the green in my eyes, POP.
Then she showed me how to apply it in a way that contoured my eyelids nicely. It made me look older, so of course, I LOVED IT.
I was so happy and excited, that I had no problem finding some cute tops to go with my “new look”, and another little bonus, a new bra! Who knew that finding the right one of those could even make my kitten t-shirt, look good!
I was starting to wind down, content with my adventure for the day, and just finishing up at the register when I felt it…
At first it was like Goosebumps when you feel a little chill. But I wasn’t cold. In fact it was quite warm in the store, as apparent by the dew droplets on the forehead of the sales clerk in front of me. But something had caught my attention. There was a presence that almost seemed to completely change the surrounding atmosphere.
The sales clerk went about her business, ringing up all of my spoils, then folding and making a lot of crinkling noise while trying to shove the pile into a large plastic bag.
She, apparently immune to my new found tension in the air, smiled as she handed me the bag and said, “Thank you. Come again”.
I turned and started to walk away with my rewards, when the feeling started to
strengthen.
Now there was a cold tingling sensation slowly crawling up my spine. My bags were getting quite heavy and starting to slide down my arm, so I stopped to regroup.
I looked around, while trying to reposition the bags so that they didn’t cut off the blood supply to my hands, but everything appeared to be normal. I took a deep breath and shivered, unsuccessfully trying to shake the feeling, and continued walking.
“What is wrong with me?” I thought with some chagrin. I tried unconvincingly to talk myself out of the twinge of fear that was quickly settling over me, when I heard a very faint, but distantly familiar voice.
“Call your mom” It whispered.
I jerked my head toward where I thought the voice was coming from, but saw no one.
It had to be my imagination. Or possibly just a voice that, by chance, carried farther than normal during a lul in all of the surrounding voices. I couldn’t be sure, but the words were clear and I had no reason or intention to question the motives behind it right now. I didn’t care; all I could think is that it seemed to be a more than reasonable request, whether it was intended for me or not.
I fumbled through my purse trying to find my cell phone, as I began to pick up the pace toward the mall entrance.
It did give me a small measure of comfort to be out of the store, and away from where the source of the feeling of my skin crawling up my back, had occured. But I was not completely convinced that it had gone.
I one handedly, flipped my phone open, and hit the ‘favorites’ button, and then ‘home’.
Gotta love modern technology.
My mom answered on the third ring.
“Mom? I’m done, can you come get me?”
“Ya, I’ll be there in a few. Did you get some good stuff?” She asked, inquisitive.
“Ya, I think so, I’ll show you when we get home. And mom?...”
“Yes”
“Can you please hurry?” I asked.
“Sure sweetheart is everything ok?” with genuine concern in her tone.
“Ya… I just really want to get home”
“Ok… I’m backing out of the driveway right now. I’ll meet you by the entrance where you went in, so watch for me”
“Ok”
I slapped my phone shut and put it in my front pocket this time, making it a little easier to find.
“If she’s leaving right now,” I appraised, “that means she won’t be here for at least 15 minutes, and it will take me five to get to the entrance where she dropped me off.” (Sigh) Ugh!
I only have one more month until I get my drivers license, and I can’t wait! Then I won’t always have to depend on other people for a ride.
I continued walking in the direction of the center of the mall.
I wasn’t feeling goose bumps or chills anymore so I inadvertently began to slow my pace.
I spotted a bench by the huge fireplace in the center courtyard area, where I would have a clear view of the entrance to where my mom would be picking me up.
Being pretty worn out from my overlong day at the mall, that seat looked more than inviting.
I trudged over to my chosen resting place, peeled the heavy bags off my now sore arms, and let them fall to the floor as I plunked down onto the seat.
It felt so good to be sitting. I didn’t realize how much my back and neck ached until I sat down. I had been standing since I got to the mall this morning and I was so uncharacteristically happy to be shopping for myself; that I didn’t want to stop and rest.
I leaned my head on the back of the bench and closed my eyes just for a moment when…
Burrr…
Wait a minute… I opened my eyes and lifted my head.
Goosebumps again!
Why am I feeling like this? Now it was starting to make me a little angry. There has to be some reason for it… but where is it coming from?
With as much stealth as I could muster, I began scanning the area, stopping on everyone, and everything around me.
There’s a woman pushing a baby in a stroller while another child is clinging to her leg and screaming about a toy he obviously wanted, but didn’t get.
An elderly couple is sitting on the bench across from me. The man has an oxygen tank on wheels, and the woman is sitting beside him holding his hand.
A man in a business suit is maneuvering his way briskly through the foot traffic as if he is in a hurry to get somewhere more important.
Three pre-teen aged, giggling, girls are standing outside a gift store, gawking at posters of young bare chest-ed male movie stars.
A young couple is walking toward the jewelry store, the young man with his chest puffed up looking very proud, as the young woman tries to contain her excitement.
I really had no idea what I was looking for until…He caught my eye.
He was standing in front of the Knife shop and he looked like no more than an average sized man, middle 20’s to early 30’s-ish, with dark brown unkempt shoulder-length hair, and a five o’clock shadow that had skipped more than a few “five o'clock’s”.
He was wearing extremely worn looking faded jeans with holes in the knees, a long sleeved black button down shirt, and boots like the steel toed kind that construction workers usually wear.
The second I saw him, our eyes locked, and a frigid bolt shot up my back, locking me into my petrified position. He quickly looked away trying not to be obvious, while he ducked into the store.
I wasted no time collecting all my stuff and moving to a bench where, hopefully, he wouldn’t be able to see me. I could barely make out the entrance of the store through the grated fireplace guard, and trees that stood in the way, but that was good enough for me.
I sat there very still and tried to stop my bags from rustling so I could keep my focus glued to the entrance of the Knife shop.
He came back out within seconds, and then paused for a moment staring straight
ahead. He then casually hung his thumbs in his front jeans pockets and with a smug little grin he began to saunter very slowly up the walkway passing the obstacles between us as if he knew I was watching his every move.
I could feel the blood rushing into my face, as I sat there frozen.
Is he just toying with me? Is this some sick game of cat and mouse?
Whatever the case may be, he seemed to be very content with his slow lurking pace.
The only thing I could hear was the sound of my pulse pounding in my ears, because when he gets past the fireplace, I will be in clear view again.
I wanted to run, but I stayed still, not wanting to draw any attention.
What if I’m wrong? I thought, What if he doesn’t know I exist, and in my paranoid state I conjured up the whole thing?
I kept watching intently, keeping myself ready to bolt if the situation called for it.
With every step he took I could feel my heart thumping harder. There was a huge ball welling up in the top of my throat, and I was trembling as I whispered out loud, “Oh please don’t look over here”.
Step…. Step…. Step…
All of a sudden I felt my phone vibrate, and it startled me. I ripped it from my pocket with lightening speed.
“Hello!” I blurted just above a whisper.
“I thought you were going to watch for me.” My mom said disappointedly.
Oh thank goodness she’s here, I thought as I breathed out.
I hadn’t noticed that I had been holding my breath until just then.
I jumped up. “I did…uh, I was… I mean… sorry mom I’m coming out right now” I
answered, with my bags already in hand walking as fast as I possibly could toward the doors.
“Ok” she replied.
I pushed through the first set of doors and before they were fully opened, I was
already out the second. I opened the car door, got in, closed and locked the door

behind me in one fluid movement. To which my mom gave me a puzzled look and said
“What was that all about?”
“Uh…Nothing… can we just go?” I answered in an urgent tone.
“O…k…?” she resigned.
The engine revved slightly and we started to move forward. Way too slowly for me, even though I knew I was safe being back in the suburban, and being able to escape. It didn’t matter, I was anxious to see some distance between me and the mall.
We turned and drove up the isle heading in the direction of the main road. With every inch farther we moved forward, the tension released a little more from my muscles.
As we rounded the curb to the stoplight, curiosity got the best of me and I looked back over my shoulder toward the mall entrance. There, I saw the silhouette of a man walking casually in the direction of an older looking truck, waiting in the “Drop off zone”, just outside the doors I had just touched. I felt a chill again and let out an audible ‘gasp.’
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Mom asked with sincere regard, as she put her hand gently on my shoulder the way she does when she can tell there is a problem.
“Ya…. Fine.” I assured.
On the way home, I told her all about my new jeans and tops, and my new makeup. I was a little hesitant to tell her about anything else; for fear that she would never let me go again.
When we got home, mom went into the kitchen and helped my sister finish making
dinner, chicken enchiladas; I could smell them before I got to the door. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was. I was so caught up with shopping that I also forgot to eat while I was there.
But first things first. I was dying to try my new stuff all together and see how everything looked. Clothes, bra, and makeup. I wanted everyone to see the finished product at dinner.
I gathered up all of what little makeup I had been previously allowed to have. Along with the new cosmetics and clothes that I had just brought home, and dashed into my closet.
We had 3 bathrooms. One was attached to my parents’ room, and another was at the
front end of the house just off the kitchen, which was the “boys” bathroom.
The one in the middle of the hall was the one that was dominated by us “girls”. But it

never failed, as soon as I would get settled in there to do something that might take more than 15 minutes, invariably someone would knock on the door needing to come in.
Thank heavens my mom had the insight to design our room with a walk-in closet. We definitely needed the closet space but it also served as a dressing/vanity room. She made it so that the light was on the wall just above a full length mirror and it was perfect for sitting on the floor and doing my “primping”, as my dad would say.
I really hate that word.
I spread out all of the cosmetics and tried to arrange them in an order as to what I should use first.
I began trying to do exactly what the lady at the makeup counter said to do, first; foundation, that seemed easy enough. Then; loose powder all over. Then blush applied to the apple of the cheek and sweeping back, just under the cheekbone, then a little on eyelids, forehead and tip of the nose.
The next part was what made me nervous, eyeliner and eye shadow.
Up until this year I was only allowed to wear blush, mascara, and lip-gloss. It seemed very simple the way the lady at the counter described it but when I was sitting there holding a semi-sharp object in my hand, about to point it in the direction of my eye, it was a whole different story.
I chickened out.
I decided I would have to lower myself to asking my mom to help after dinner. She actually went to cosmetology school back in the day and was pretty attractive as far as moms go. I hated the idea of my makeup looking like my moms, but I thought maybe I could modify it if necessary.
After dinner I helped my mom clean up the dishes hoping not to be too obvious. She, of course, picked up on my anxiety and asked, “To what do I owe the honor?”
“Ha ha, that’s hilarious” I said sarcastically. “I have been known to help on more than one occasion”.
“Yes, I know but it’s usually because you have an ulterior motive”.
Dang. Either I’m extremely predictable or she has been reading my mind for a long time and I just didn’t know it.
“I know you pretty well.” She admitted. “So what do you need help with?”
Yep, she has been reading my mind.
“Well I was experimenting with my make-up, but I sort of got stuck at the eye make-up part, and since you have some experience in the department…” I didn’t even finish my thought when she said, with a hint of excitement in her voice, “Oooohhh…”
She threw the dishtowel in the sink, and then asked my dad to make sure the 5
youngest kids were bathed and ready for bed.
We opened the door to the closet and sat facing eachother on the floor.
Mom immediately went to work, describing every detail as she applied.
“You only need a thin line on the top and bottom lid” she said using her professional voice. “And don’t line all the way around your eye, it will make your eyes appear smaller, and squinty. You want your eyes to look open and inviting, not like some 5 year old little girl, who was turned loose with a black magic marker.”
She then picked up the eye shadow I had just purchased, and carefully traced the lines she drew under and over my eyelids, making them look softer. "This will actually help the liner not fade off as quickly, and it smudges it a little so there is not such a harsh line. Subtlety is the goal. You want to enhance what you already have, not disguise it”
She was still working intently and prattling on about “technique” and how “no two people are the same, so don’t try to compare”, when I found myself lost in my thoughts about my little scare at the mall.
I had all but dissected, the entire incident, pausing on details that I could chalk up to my imagination, or just coincidence. Especially, the fact that there was obviously someone waiting for him too.
I had resigned myself to the idea that nothing had happened and it was just my imagination. There was no justifiable reason for alarm.
“Andrea!” Mom hollered. I hadn’t realized that she stopped talking until she interrupted my
absorption.
“Hmm?” I blurted out, startled.
“Did you hear anything I just said?”
“Um… about the eyeliner?”
“No, about how you should always put mascara on last…so your newly mascara-d
lashes, don’t get covered with eye shadow…?” She said as if trying to jog my memory.
“Oh… um…ya”. She wasn’t buying it. And I didn’t blame her.
She, sensing the change in my demeanor, carefully set the cosmetics back, one by one, onto the floor. She then folded her hands in her lap, quietly scrutinizing my expression.
“So, do you want to tell me what happened at the mall?” She asked, as if she already knew there was something bad.
I started to shake my head and shift into nonchalant mode, but then decided to just come clean.
“Ok fine…Well…” I whined hesitantly. She just sat there looking at me as if intent on getting the story, one way or another.
“I’m just not sure there was anything that happened”. I said still trying to justify my earlier thoughts.
“Just tell me, and then I can tell you what I think”. She picked up the eye shadow again and started working as I began.
I told her about how everything was fine up until the end of the day, then I described the feeling and the voice.
“Wait!” She stopped me short, “You heard a voice?” Her body froze and she sounded insistent.
“I don’t know, it sounded like my voice, but more like it was me talking to myself, instead of me just having a thought”.
She continued to listen, hanging on every word.
“That’s why I say I don’t know what it was, or if there was anything other than just my imagination.”
I fully expected to hear her say that I was never allowed anywhere alone again, and get a full blown lecture on the dangers of the world, but instead she surprised me. Her face was very serious as she looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Andi, anytime you feel that sensation…” She hesitated as if searching for the right words, and then changed her approach.
“Never second guess yourself… just do exactly as the voice says… It won’t lead you astray.”
“But what if I am wrong and it was nothing?”
“Then it doesn't matter! Just trust me on this. Get out of the situation as fast as you can, you can explain yourself later if needs be, but there is a reason for what you felt, and heard”.
“Ok” I said still staring at her, and feeling a little frightened and confused at her sudden mood change.
“Just promise me that when ever you hear that prompting, or ‘voice’… that you will do exactly what it says”.
“Ok, I will”

2009-12-17T11:06:00.000-08:00

Ok… where to start… I haven’t really written anything substantial since I started this thing, so here we go. Last year at this time my youngest, Kenny had just started kindergarten and my oldest had just graduated from high school. This year… to be completely honest it’s hard to remember much that happened before the wedding. That pretty much occupied my entire summer. The year started out with Kaylee going to CCC and taking basic classes. Robbie was in his freshman year at high school. Madison was in 3rd grade in elementary school, and Kenny in kindergarten. Since then…Well Kenny is in first grade, Madison is in 4th, Robbie is a sophomore and now has his drivers licence and a truck, and Kaylee found her prince charming and married him 3 months later. Yes that is quick, but when you know it’s right… what is the point in waiting. So anyway since then it seems like it has been one hunting, or fishing trip after another, and some birthdays scattered in there every so often. haha:)

Rob and Rudy Caribou hunting in Canada

Robbie fly fishingRob also fly fishing, I have no idea where

Kenny's #7 Birthday!

Riding his new bike
riding his new scooter in the house
Then we had a party that weekend at Peter Piper Pizza

Rob and Kenny went by themselves to scout his deer hunting area

it was just north of the Grand Canyon (I think...)

Rob and Ben were guides for a guy from somewhere back east or something.(???)

Robbie's 16th B-Day!!!

Oh Geez... What a goofball

Rob and Robbie and Randy guided my Brother, Cris

and my Dad on their cow elk hunt

Kaylee Got a deer for Halloween!!!

Ben could not be outdone by his wife so he got a bigger one like a week later (haha)

Madison's 10th B-Day!!! She had a slumber party and we didn't get photos. It was a lot of princess dresses and discussing how Justin Bieber, and Taylor Lautner are H.O.T.T. CUTE!!!:D

Rob and Ben went fly fishing in an un-disclosed area, and caught these monsters But they had to let them go because it's still catch and release. boo:(

this is just me messing around with the Panoramic thingy on my camera:)

Ben and Kaylee were babysitting while we went Christmas shopping, and apparently they were playing with my camera cuz I found these the other day Awwwww...cuteness;-)

Oh yes... and we have snow!!!

Ben and Kaylee are shoveling it off the back porch.

Maggie is supervising

My tree fell over and got buried

Robbie un-burying his truck

well thats all that I can think of for now MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

The Big Day!!!

2009-10-05T12:06:00.000-07:00

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.cameronkellystudio.com%252Fslideshows%252Fgerlak-sandall&h=b51e6c79f0bcf384a161ded256e4951c&ref=mf Go to this website to see the slideshow of Ben and Kaylee's wedding photos:)

IT'S OFFICIAL!!!

2009-07-01T02:49:00.000-07:00

2009-06-26T13:06:00.000-07:00

Ben and Kaylee... just messing around... for no particular reason at all;-)

Sunday Dinner!!! :/

2009-04-20T14:14:00.000-07:00

Friday was the first day of Robbies Turkey hunt so they left right after school and came home with this...

Then, of course, we had to cook it on Sunday. Lets just say it was NOT a Butterball.

That was Rob getting all excited at the end. He said he couldn't turn the camera because he was afraid the turkey would see him. So we don't get to see that part.

babies, BaBiEs, BABIES!!!:D

2009-04-20T13:33:00.000-07:00

Well first of all... My older sister Shelley,and her husband Robert just had their first baby on Wed. and it is driving me crazy that I am not there right now, and my brother Blaine and his wife Tiffany just had their baby a few weeks ago so ya... but thats ok we're going down there this weekend. So just to warn you there could be lots of pics after this weekend. haha

Shelley and Baby Luke

Robert and Baby Luke

Little Fletcher Family:)

Baby Cameron

The Matthews Family

Kaylee and Ryan

Kaylee and Cameron

2009-02-26T15:15:00.000-08:00

Ok so I had to make a new blog because I don't know what I did to the other one but I couldn't fix it. It was QUITE frustrating. So the dates on all the posts are messed up except for this one, and I have no idea how the whole thing ended up reversed. Oh well:) Anyway the last post I had put on here was about how you can now get on Youtube and type "Mormon Messages" in the search box and see videos that, I believe have been put on there by the church. This one was not a church posted video, but whoever put it together did a very nice job. Anyway this is one of my favorite Apostles, and Kaylee was there when he gave this talk.(you might need a tissue)

2009-01-17T14:48:00.000-08:00

Rob and I and went to a Suns game last night with some friends. They lost by 2 points to Minnesota!!! but it was really cool. This was my ticket

Shaq

Yes... he was watching me take pictures of him. He's HUGE!!!

Coach Dan Majerle in the middle

The back of Bertrand Berry's head

Grant Hill

The Gorilla doing his thing!!!

The Suns Dancers. I used to be able to do that...sorta...Ok maybe not so much

2009-01-03T14:45:00.000-08:00

Back to normal life again. During the break we had lots of stuff going on... First, of course, was Christmas. It was really good:D I got a new laptop, Rob got a mountain bike, and a new watch, and the kids got a Wii with a bunch of games, along with tons of other stuff that I can't even remember now.
Rob and I went out the weekend before and tried to finish shopping. That was fun (sarcastic) but then Christmas eve I had all the stuff all over the floor in the family room, trying to wrap it and Rob had lots of stuff in our bedroom doing the same thing,so I'm thinking it's gonna take forever. Then Kaylee comes walking out of her room, looks down over the stair rail and says "oops, am I not supposed to be out here?" But I was like "well it's not like she's going to be supprised at the whole process" so I put her to work.
Rob got done with his stuff and then brought out a bone with a bow on it for Maggie, and put it under the tree. She immediatly went over to check it out but he told her "Noooo" so she layed by it for the next hour.

"Noooooo

"She's a "goooood girl"

This was the tree once we were done. It doesn't look like
very much but the tree is 12 ft. tall so it kinda makes
the presents look small.

I didn't take any pics of Christmas day, but Kaylee got this...

That would be Rob doing the Hula Hoop on the Wii. His left arm was going in circles faster than his Bum. You had to be there! ha ha

The next day we went down to Phx. to Rob's parents house and had Christmas with them.

Grandma and Grandpa with all the grandkids

Then we went to my Parents and had Christmas with them. But the main event there was that my second youngest brother Nathan, was getting married. So Sunday went to church with the family then Monday we went shopping all day then took the kids to a movie because Grandma was making the wedding cake and we wanted to keep little fingers away from it as long as possible. But of course after all that my youngest son managed to stick his finger in one of them that night anyway.The next day we went to the Mesa Temple for the ceremony...

Then the whole group went to Tia Rosa's for a luncheon then we went back to Grandma and Grandpa Matthews house and got ready for the Reception.

I took that one :) (ha ha)

SO STINKING CUTE!!!

This was Kaylee's artwork. Then they drove it to their hotel where they already had Jenny's car and Kaylee volunteered to drive this back to the Matthews house. (which meant I had to go with her) We got some funny looks that night. Gees... like they never saw a car that said "Just Married" on it. ha ha jk

Anyway we got back up here on New Years Eve (I was way too tired to stay up til midnight)But Kaylee went out and saw the pinecone drop

And then made a snowman:)

then we were all sick on New Years Day. Jan. 2nd was Kaylee's 19th birthday, so we went to Outback Steakhouse and embarassed her. Thats about all. now things are getting back to normal, thank heavens

2008-11-30T14:44:00.000-08:00

Day 1 of Snow! When we were still thinking " oh it's so pretty"

Day 2 of snow! my wreath is getting a little heavy

Our house

Day 3 of Snow! Looking out our front door

Poor trees

ENOUGH STINKING SNOW!!! this is the driveway where Kaylee has to pull her car out of the garage

Kaylee's old car (soon to be Robbie's) after Robbie un-buried it.

Taking pictures by Oak Creek

2008-11-14T14:38:00.000-08:00

2008-09-01T14:32:00.000-07:00

I'm kinda new to the whole blogging thing so I'm not sure where to start, but here we go...THIS IS US!!!:) The whole family! It's kinda hard to say what we have been up to because everyone seems to going in all different directions at once. So I'll just start with the oldest and work my way down the line. I'm the oldest:) I'm 7 months older than Rob so for 7 months he likes to let me know how old I am. There's not much going on in my life other than taking care of my kids and church stuff. It's kinda funny, a while back someone asked me what my hobbies were and I was like, "Hobbies?" I think my hobbies right now are more commonly called "children". They are pretty much what I do and I'm happy with that for now. Once they all move out then we’ll see.

Rob, on the other hand, has a hobby or two. He loves hunting, especially in Alaska, or Unit 9, Colorado, Utah, Texas, and Mexico are also places that he is quite happy to go. I guess it really doesn’t matter WHERE he goes, as long as he gets to go. He works at Alliance Bank of AZ, and I never quite know what his official title is but I know that he is a business banker and I think he is over all of Northern AZ. But don’t quote me on that.

Kaylee just graduated from High school this year and bought a new Honda Civic.Funny story... She went to a friends house one night to watch a movie, nothing out of the ordinary. The next day she gets a text with this pic...

When she parked at their house, she stopped on the tail of a Rattle Snake! so it couldn't get her, but it couldn't get away either so it died right there and she never knew it was under her car. Things like that only happen to her, I swear. Anyway, She’s working for a lady Rob works with, being a nanny, I guess you could call it, for 3 hours a day. She basically picks them up from school and takes them to whatever lessons or practices they have, then takes them home and makes sure they do their homework. She is also going to CCC and wants major in Special Education. She really does have a way with making people, but especially kids, with special needs, feel comfortable with her. They all love her, and she loves them too so I know she’ll do really well.

Robbie is now a Freshman at Flag High, and is not too interested in anything there. His real passion is anything having to do with being outside and on the move. He had a “dirt bike” (motorcycle) and it was actually a pretty decent one, but I guess that was boring so he sold it and got a Cross Country Mountain Bike (I think that’s what they call it) and is very into dirt jumping and down hill…bla bla bla. I don’t know all the terminology, but its extreme biking I guess. We’ll see how he feels when he is 15 and 7 months. (that’s 6 months from now)

Madison is in 3rd grade this year. She is at that age where school is no longer fun and it seems a lot like work. So every day I have to convince her that she has to go and her stomach does not hurt. She is also in gymnastics and I think she likes it ok but recently she discovered my baton, so I showed her a couple of basic twirls and every day she is like “mommy look what I learned to do!” so I have to come in the other room and watch, while she twirls, then drops the baton and says “ oh, wait that’s not it…” we do that about 5-10 times in a row. Haha I think every kid does that. I really want her to take voice lessons! When she’s just messing around singing, you would never know it was an 8 year old. The problem is when I say something to her about it she gets embarrassed, and when I mention voice lessons she thinks it means that she’s not very good. I try to explain to her that only the people that ARE good take lessons and it’s just so they can perfect the gift that the already have. (that could be wrong but you know what I mean) so I think I am going to encourage her to try it or at least get into choir at school.

Then there’s Kenny, he’s such a sweetheart. He is in Kindergarten this year and just turned 6! He’s so funny because he likes to hang out with his big bro and ride bikes with the big boys, dirt jumps and all (he learned to ride without training wheels when he was almost 4) he has no fear. We got a boat this year and we have been out on it quite a few times during the summer, but the first time he saw Kaylee wakeboarding, he was like “Aaaah maaaaan!!! I gotta learn to do that!” I get a little scared, but I figure there are a lot worse things he could get into than sports so I just try to keep helmets and pads on as many body parts as I can, and do the motherly “be careful! Don’t do this don’t do that” and then threaten the older one that if he gets hurt while he is with him…etc. hopefully we wont see the emergency room any time soon.

That’s about all I can think of for now, but I am going to be updating this more often since I finally figured out how to do it for the most part. It’s a work in progress.