how the West was NOT won

This was the plan: Matthias had an interview scheduled in Las Vegas (his 3rd one with the firm I might add) the day before my brother's wedding. I was to fly out with the kids and my inlaws to Utah while Matthias and his bro, Zacc, were to drive west to LV and then North to Salt Lake so we could all participate in the wedding celebration--this scheme would avoid four days of roadtripping with two, likely, very unhappy boys in the back seat. Turns out the only two unhappy boys in the car were in the front seats.

So while enroute, crossing into Texas from Oklahoma, imagine, to Matthias' shock and chagrine, receiving a phone call from the firm, "Hello Matthias, we wanted to catch you before you left for the interview and let you know that, blah blah blah economy blah blah blah sorry, blah blah blah we are poor planners blah blah blah, interview cancelled blah blah blah." Uhhhhhh. What? A thirty second phone call was all it took to realize that our strategic planning, mentioned above, was all for nothing, while I and the littlle guys certainly appreciated the much speedier transit in the air, the unfriendly cost of wings over wheels could have and would have been avoided had the interview's ultimate nonexisitence been known to us, uhh maybe a little sooner then 35 hours prior to the actual interview. Lame-O. When Matthias called and filled me in on the news, I thought he was kidding, turns out he wasn't… too bad, would have been better as a joke.

So to make most of the rest of their road trip, they visited the Four Corners,

plotted their revenge on the good for nothing firm,

carried out their plans,

and enjoyed the scenic view of the land without water

***Special note for browsing federal agents: the boys' plans for revenge did not actually involve fiery doom, Matthias is too much of a nice guy too wish fiery doom on anyone.***

tracks

What do you know? Another post about . . . snow!

The boys spotted some fresh tracks out in the snow today and wanted to pursue the animal and capture it! Ty thought it was a baby alligator. They were hot on its trail when suddenly. . .

. . . they spotted a different track! I told Ty it was a deer - he was certain that the deer had captured the baby alligator and eaten it all up! I didn't want to crush his excitement by telling him that deer are herbivores and that if there was any eating going on, it would be . . .

. . . Bex eating the falling snow!

what to do on a thursday night

A video of our Thursday night dance club! Who wants to join us next time?

On Thursday we took the boys camping. We tried to convince some of our friends to come with us, but either the Thursday-ness or the 40 degree cold temp at night scared them away. It was short but sweet excursion. The only things the boys required were flashlights, roasting mallows, and having pancakes for breakfast. Check Check and Check. Pretty easy to please, and easily entertained I must say! I knew it was going to be cold, but after a long summer, I forgot what 40 degree weather felt like. The boys were bundled and buried in blankets, but Matthias and I only brought our bags. I froze all night until I woke up to Beckham in the middle of the night saying that he was cold, so Matt turned on the flashlight and found him standing in the middle of the tent, shirtless. Poor baby. I think he kicked his blankets off, got cold, and knowing that he needed to do something to make him warm again, got confused and did the opposite of what he should have done. So I grabbed him, shirted him, and stuffed him in my sleeping bag. He slept solid the rest of the night, both of us warm.

We went on a little hike to Wolf Cave that was quite the adventure. Lucky for me, Matthias led the way through the cave. At the same time, unfortunately for me, I was in the back, and forced myself to think happy thoughts so my mind wouldn't wander to the darkness behind me and what was possibly lurking in it. Wolf Cave is a winding rock cave that opens to another side... the side that we never got to... the hole got so small that Matthias couldn't fit (partly because he was holding Becks), so we had to turn around. I was lucky to get some shots of the boys in the pitch black darkness of the cave!

the country road that did not take us home

Have you heard of Sandstone Mountain? Probably not. Well, we have. It is about 10 miles east of Beckley, WV on I-64. Sandstone Mountain will forever be in our memory as the last place and time that our 2000 Plymouth Breeze turned its crankshaft, that it fired its last spark, that it's valves last opened. Thats right, halfway up the mountain on our way home, the timing belt snapped and the engine . . . well it stopped and consequently so did we...

on the side of a mountain road during a nice rainstorm. To put it mildly, we were somewhat at a loss as what to do! We tried calling the incident management / courtesy patrol, but they needed to know where we were. Uhh, West Virginia? That wasn't precise enough so Matthias got out and ran down the mountain to find the last mile marker. Some clever WVites pulled over and asked him if he needed help, when Matthias told them that he just needed to know where he was so that he could inform the incident management / courtesy patrol, they helpfully informed him that he was on I-64 west bound - and that he should find the nearest mile marker a little ways down the mountain. Very good idea, wish we would have thought of that! Anyway, the courtesy patrol folks showed up followed by a tow-truck. They towed the Breeze to a real nice place in Beckley. Actually . . . it wasn't a real nice place. It was a rather unreal unnice place. We waited in their 12 x 12 room for about 4 hours while the mechanic made his way back to the shop. He finally came and tried to convince Matthias that, since the belt was broken and there was likely to be significant engine damage, he should light the car on fire and collect the insurance payment. Or, if Matthias preferred, the fellow would show him a place on the river where he could dump the car, and "Make sure you don't get everything out of the car," as that might look suspicious. The two mechanics then disputed for a minute if the car would be found in the river or not. In stead of the river, we asked them to take the car to a different shop. On the way to the new shop they dropped us off at the Holiday Inn. A very nice Holiday Inn I might add. Brand new, smelled clean, looked clean, in fact I would not have minded staying there a few days were it not that we were in Beckley, WV without a car.

Anyways, the next morning, Sunday that is, we found the number to and called the local LDS church. They kindly sent someone over who gave us a ride to the meetinghouse. Once there we were overcome by kindness and generosity. About 4 people invited us to stay at their home if we had to stay another night. Another couple apologized that they could not invite us over for dinner because they already had someone coming over and they slipped $25 in Matthais' pocket. Furthermore, the Bishop ended up driving us from Beckley to his home where his wife put together some lunches and snacks for our trip back to Indiana. From there he drove us to Charleston so we could rent a car and get back on the road. WOW, as I indicated we were overcome with the charity of these wonderful people. Whatever negative opinion we hold of Beckley as a place, we hold an equally strong positive opinion of the people we encountered at church in Beckley.

So back on the road, sans the Breeze. It stayed behind. After speaking to the mechanics there today, it appears very likely that the Breeze will remain indefinitely in Beckley, WV. I am actually kind of scared for the Breeze. I would hate to be left behind in such a place. Anyways, we are currently automobileless and thus helping to fight global warming. We think it is the socially responsible thing to do, stop emitting so much CO2 that is, and we recommend to everyone that they join us and leave your cars somewhere. Maybe Beckley? Just follow the I-64 east past Charleston and you will find yourself there. If you do make it that way, please leave your car somewhere near the Breeze as it is probably really scared and confused. 

So now you know about Sandstone Mountain and Beckley, WV, but have you heard of Dawson, WV? Again, probably not. That is the place, about 20 miles east of Beckley, where Matthias remarked on the wonderful luck we had had so far with the Breeze. Seven years and no major problems, 160,000 miles without major repairs, besides regular oil changes and the like. "Pretty lucky" said Matthias. Right, very lucky indeed. That was a very expensive jinx.