When the lights went out!

On mile 14 out of the 22 we walked on Saturday, dad called me up and told me that all of the power went out in the greater metropolitan Phoenix area (including Surprise) and would remain out until Tuesday morning!

Let me back up a bit. Last Sunday our Bishop told us that we would be having a drill on being prepared. So after the first 7 plus miles on Saturday, dad met at the church to give all of the families he was in charge of the envelope that told of the "disaster". So for three days we were all to live without using any power(Bishop did say we could use the air if it got too hot)no lights, music, t.v., computers, hair driers, oven, stove, microwaves etc. You get the idea.

When we got back to Donna's house after our walk, we told Waylon what the drill was about. He was watching Donna's boys so she could walk. Anyway, Waylon said that it was gay and he's not going to do it. Well I'm here to say that he participated 100%. The first night we had cold sandwiches and stayed up talking...yeah! talking, imagine that! When it got darker we lit some candles, and then I got our battery powered lantern. I was a little concerned about what my hair would look like on Sunday not to mention if my clothes were wrinkled. When we got to church it was so good to see so many of the women with their hair pulled up in a pony tail or still wet from the shower =) It was nice to see so many of the members participating.

After we got home from church dad made us some eggs and sausage burros using our grill out back. We took a nap and we all did a lot of reading. Later that night we got out the game of life and played that. When we were done with that game we played several games of Yahtzee. It was so much fun! I really enjoyed not having all of those distractions(t.v. computer, video games)and just being with each other. We stayed up talking until about 8:30 and then I went to bed. Dad and Waylon stayed up talking for quite a while after I went to bed. I can't remember the last time that happened. We all get so busy in our own lives and forget the important things. Last night we played more games...Phase 10 and Boggle.

I was getting ready for work this morning and dad asked me why I was using the lantern...I forgot that the drill was over.

I'm so grateful for the opportunity we had to participate in this. Not only did it help us to see what things we needed that we didn't have, but it brought us closer to each other and I will always treasure "when the lights went out"!

Walking with the boy's

Wednesday's Donna and Abe work with the youth at church, so dad and I get to watch Aidan and Tanner. I picked the boys up right after work and told Aidan that we would be walking 8 miles, he was a little bit sad so I told him that after 6 miles we would go to McDonald's and get ice cream...that cheered him up! When I was getting them in the truck I pushed my sunglasses up onto my head and Aidan said "OH...you have gray hair! are you 51?" It was so funny! I said no, just 50...then he told me that I need to get rid of it. I asked him what color and he said green. Sorry, that's not going to happen, so he said brown would be fine. Kids are so funny.

Well we took off on our walk and I forgot my camera...so after the first 4 miles I went back home while dad kept walking. We were to meet up at Litchfield and Greenway. When I got to the point I thought were going to meet, they were no where to be found. I called dad up and he told me where they were so I hung up and started running. I ran...and I mean ran for almost a mile before I caught up with them. These are the picture that I took when I finally caught my breath.
We finally got to McDonald's and bought the boys some ice cream...Aidan loved it and Tanner didn't want anything to do with it. We kept trying to give it to him, but no luck. I remember when Aidan didn't like ice cream too, so I'm sure that someday Tanner will like it as well. At one point it looked like Tanner was going to take Aidan's cone away, but Aidan was having no part of that =) When we got home Tanner kept looking for Waylon...all of my little grand babies love Waylon, they always have so much fun with him. I sure do love all of my little ones. I'm so thankful that we are such a close family and that I have so many wonderful children that have blessed dad and I with all of these grand babies.