We Take the Road Less Traveled

We Won't Go Down That Road Again
For months, when ever we are driving down State Road 193 at the intersection of Hill Field Road, Henry has insisted that we head South. We've explained to him over and over that by turning left, it takes longer to get home. This intersection is where we were hit a week ago and prior to that, almost hit another two times in our truck.

So now we listen to our three year old and always turn left at that intersection when coming home from that direction instead of driving straight through. Who cares if it takes an extra 7-10 minutes to get home. At least we get there, right?

New Car Features
So the insurance company of the other driver involved settled with us and totaled our beloved little commuter car. We opted for a new car with upgrades from our last car.

Our new car has a bumper.


Our new car also has four wheels.


Jeremy likes our new car.



Soapy Suds
Sunday, along with everyone else in Davis County, we decided it would be a good idea to wash our car. Henry decided it would be a good idea to help Dad. Here's evidence that Henry was a good car wash helper. However, Henry was overly concerned about getting the car wet, which kind of defeated the whole purpose.


Just to clarify too. We used the self-wash bays to clean our car, not to torture our children like some crazies do.

Managing Our Personal Crisis

In Lifestyle We Are Accustomed
So if you've been following the story of our lives, we were in a car accident over the weekend and suffered what our insurance company calls a personal crisis. We received word today that the girl involved in the other side of the accident eventually did report the collision to her insurance and she did accept fault. She was even concerned for our welfare. This makes me and Jeremy feel a whole lot better. We sent word during the wreck to make sure she wasn't harmed as well, and from all indications, she was doing fine with no injuries.

After being told it would take up to five days to get us a rental car through the other driver's insurance, our insurance ponied up and got us a car in 2 hours. They said they would secure a car that would match our lifestyle. I told Jeremy to be sure and let them know that our "lifestyle" is that of wealthy suburbanites accustomed to finer things. Apparently, they insurance company misunderstood and thought we said we were chain smokers from Idaho as we were offered a Corolla with Idaho plates and smoke stench.

Here I am getting into the Corolla for the first time.

Here I am the second time.


Here I am during happier times in our beloved Ford Focus (Rest in Peace)


Here I am thinking of happier times in the Focus while driving the smokey Corolla.
Seriously though, we are grateful to have a temporary auto until we get some things straightened out. And Henry is beside himself to be able to drive around in the blue car he wished for.

Darned Video Games
Last week, a friend at work recommended the movie King of Kong, A Fistful of Quarters to me. It's a documentary sure to interest most of you even though you don't know it yet. I ask all of you to drop whatever you are doing right this minute (including reading this blog) and run right out and rent it immediately! I am still obsessed with it.

The film follows Billy Mitchell and Steve Wiebe, the two most notable classic arcade “Donkey Kong” players ever, in their ongoing quest to dominate one another. It is a real-life tale of shady characters, heartbreak and deceit. Oh, and video games.

I have always found it amusing and so interesting when people are so consumed with their own persona and life that they are oblivious to reality and how others perceive them in their false reality. This movie gives you a glimpse of the drama involved in the classic gaming world. I was riveted! So was Jeremy!

Jeremy noticed that no Frogger Champion was ever mentioned during the film so he suggested we break out the old Atari and get practicing.

We did that for about 20 minutes and then realized we were bored. The gamer life is not for us. Watching the drama of the gaming world, however, is.

The Longest Post Ever You Guys!

March (And a Car) Hit Us Hard
So far, I could really do without March. The first day of March started out just fine (that's later in the post), but the second day and third day in March have not been kind to the Glass family. Sunday, March 2nd, the four of us were just returning from a baby blessing event in Morgan when our car was T-boned on the passenger side by a girl turning left who wasn't paying attention. She hit Henry's car door (driver's side), broke our rear axle and wheel clean off and sent us into a one and-a-half times around spin. Jeremy and I remember seeing her turn left coming from the opposite direction and we did the best we could to avoid the collision. We even veered out of her way, but her SUV managed to knock us over another lane of traffic. I recall feeling our wheel break off and seeing our wheel and axle bounce away from us. We have been told the car is most likely totaled.

Please know everyone in our car was and is safe. I can't write about specifics, because of the chance that we might need lawyers involved, but I did post a few picture of some of the damage below.


We spent well over an hour in the ambulance getting the kids checked out and waiting for family to arrive to give us a lift home. After Reesie took her bottle, she pretty much just hung out and looked cute for the EMT staff. Once Henry had calmed down, he thought he was pretty cool hanging with the policemen and firemen. He even walked away with parting gifts...


I told the EMT staff that Grandma and Grandpa Young would be on the scene. I told them to watch for a couple in a green Buick that look too young to be grandparents. I also told them that Grandma would have on glasses and be fairly frantic. Once they got there, Henry told everyone that "our wheel fell off our car and we are sad."

Lighter Moments
There were some brighter moments that came from this experience.

1. G-pa and G-ma Young bought Reese a brand new car seat and Henry had fun converting the box to a fort. (Thank you!)

2. Henry also reenacted the policeman at the crash scene taking down information. Henry issued me and Reese these citations the next day.

3. We explained to Henry that we were going to have a temporary car for awhile until they figure out what to do with our white one. Henry insisted that we get a blue car. To our surprise, the Hertz hooked us up with this sweet, blue ride. (manual locks and manual windows in the hizows!)

4. I asked Reese to give me her best "I've been through a personal tragedy, but I'm not gonna let it get me down look". This is what she gave me.

5. When the insurance agent asked Jeremy to state his relation to me he simply said "wife". I was surprised and a little hurt to hear he didn't refer to me as "soul mate".

6. Also, when recanting the story to the police officer and to the insurance agent, Jeremy peppered the conversation with "We had just returned from church" or, "We had just left a baby blessing at a church" or, "This is so crazy. One minute you're at church, then next your car is totaled." I told him to give it a rest. We went to church for the first time in over 3 years and look what happens to us.

7. We figured we are safe because we spent 30 minutes in a church that day. We figure we were in an accident because we also left church 30 minutes early. (shouldn't we have just broke even then?)

One Final Word
Thanks to all the people who helped us at the scene. You won't ever read this, but you were in our prayers that night and will be for many nights to come. So many people comforted me, my husband and my children. They offered us coats and warm cars to collect ourselves in. Thanks to the EMT staff for being patient and kind with my children and my frazzled mind. Thanks to G-ma Lauri and G-Pa Wayne for breaking the speed limit to get to us in record time. Thanks to Jake and Riley for coming so soon too. (I won't thank you for breaking the speed limit as I'm sure it's your typical practice). Thanks to my Mom and Dad for letting me just spend a few minutes crying on the phone. Thanks to angels that were watching over us and kept our family safe!

Before Our Personal Crisis (Sunday Edition)
(BTW- that's how the insurance company refers to accidents. A personal crisis)
Saturday and Early Sunday before our personal crisis, we had wonderful time. The four of us jet setted around three northern Utah counties in a day! In hind sight, I'd like to think that on some level we knew our little Ford Focus was about to meet its doom and we used that day as a "sending off" party, if you will.

Here we are at Derrick, Traci and Jocyln's baby blessing after-party just before the crash, I mean personal crisis.


Here's a deer head we looked at during the party just before our personal crisis.

Here's proud Grandpa Jake and Jocyln. Jake, look down at Jossi.

Now look at me.

Before Our Personal Crisis (Saturday Edition)
Saturday, also before the personal crisis, I took the kids to meet Zoe, Isabella, Kimberly and Crystal at the Dinosaur Park for fun, adventure and aparently rain and snow. Here are some things we learned at the Dinosar Park.

Girls have hats with two points.

Sadly, boys' hat's only have one.

Cousins are happy when they swing in unison.

Dinosaurs had bones.

Cousins are afraid to stand close together in pictures.

Two Cousins turn and face the camera please!

Now let's try it with just one Cousin facing the camera.

Cousins like to put their heads through holes.

Henry looks good even with a headwound. (more on that later)

After the Dinosaur Park, we all drove up to Grandpa Wayne's and Grandma Lauri's for pizza and more togetherness. I didn't take pictures of the pizza or the togetherness, but I did get a picture of the Grandparents and the Cousins standing as close together as they would. (It's funny, once the camera is out, the kids treat each other like they have cooties. But once the camera is put up, they're all over each other!)

See how happy everyone is just 24 hours before our personal crisis.

Before Our Personal Crisis (Dog Party Edition)
Also on Saturday, was Maxie's (black lab) birthday. I thought it would be awesome to throw him a surprise party. Jeremy insisted that any party we threw for Max would be a surprise.

Happy 6th Birthday Maxie!

Here's the cake we gave to the dogs to celebrate.

Here's the dogs celebrating and enjoying the birthday bones.

Here's the run-in with the concrete Henry suffered when he took the cake to the dogs.

Aparently, cowboy boots and icy conditions do not mix. We warned him to stay on the dry part, but Henry got excited and made a run for the dogs and didn't have his footing. He was okay and only fussed for a minute. He was more concerned about being able to make his Dinosaur Park date that day. Here's Henry after he just got the green light from Mom to go to the park.

Driving, Hats and Jeremy's Dream

The Worst Backseat Driver
This weekend as we were driving around we came up next to a car marked "Student Driver". Jeremy and I got talking and I mentioned that I thought it would be miserable to be married to a Driver's Ed teacher because he'd be critiquing you all the time on the road. You know he'd be coaching you through everything from lane changes to parallel parking. Boo. Later, our car was slowed down in traffic because of a bottleneck in the traffic. From the backseat we heard a little voice shout, "Go already, Dad. Just go!". Now who's the worst backseat driver?

Lids
Sometimes when it's a Wednesday evening and you're hanging out with Reese cleaning out the top drawer in her dresser you get an idea. Also, if you have a camera and lots of hats and all those things come together, this happens...


The Glorified Cooler
For as long as I've known Jeremy, he's always been passionate about two things: 1) Optimal gas mileage and 2) Proper hydration. Recently, he ran over to my desk all excited. In an instant I knew it must be important. He RAN for crying out loud. This never happens unless he's got urgent news or if something is on fire (I've seen him react equally to both). So as I said, when he ran over, I focused my attention on him and braced myself for what ever he had to say. Then he showed me pictures of this...

Jeremy claims this "scooler" (as he called it) is the coolest thing he's seen in almost a week. He painted a vivid picture of us at football games riding this bad boy around the parking lot while tailgating. For the record, we have not tailgated in 8 years. It turns out this contraption's official name is The Coolagan and can be yours for 10 complicated payments of $39.95 plus shipping and handling. For now, Jeremy's forgotten his dream of driving around on a cooler welded to a scooter. He did, however, take the time to show me the wagon attachment for those days when you're really, really thirsty.