Small Miracles on the River

Ok so we left off last week with my mom and sisters paddling and giggling and having a great time. We were all floating down the river and having tons of fun. Dad and I had the canoe with all the food and the book bag that had my dad’s wallet in it and the camera. My dad and I were always ahead of my mom and sisters canoe. We rounded the bend in the river and saw that our car was parked along the bank coming up which was our signal that we needed to get over to the bank and get the canoe out. Apparently I did not listen very well to the canoeing instructors when they were giving us instructions on how to get the canoe out of the water. My dad and I got the canoe over to the bank where we needed to get out of it. He told me to jump out and then pull the canoe up. So I jumped out of the canoe and proceeded to pull/ drag the canoe up the steep bank…vertically. I got the canoe with my dad and everything in it half way up the bank and thought in my head there is no possible way I am going to be able to pull all of this the rest of the way up this stinkin’ bank. I looked up just as my dad called my name and just in time to see the whole canoe with dad and its entire contents tip into the river. He came up from the water and gave me that “If you weren’t my favorite daughter look, I’d kill you.” I was trying really, super hard not to laugh as I was telling him I was so sorry when I heard my mom and sisters laughing. They had come around the bend just in time to see the whole thing take place. They were all laughing, but Donna was laughing so hard she was lying down with her ore out of the water. My dad grabbed the rest of the stuff out of the river and started to stalk up out of the water. I kept saying I was sorry, but at this point I was laughing because he had tried so hard to stay completely dry the whole trip down the river and now he was dripping wet and the wettest out of all of us. As we drove back to the cabin I was shunned to the back the car. When we got into the cabin we examined what damaged had been done to his wallet. Everything was completely soaked except for his temple recommend. It was bone dry. It was an adventure that makes all of us laugh every time we hear it.

Rowing on the River!

Mom is telling this part of the story and I will finish it next week! Just to hold the suspense... I'll give you a little clue...I tend to be in the middle of many accidents. For Dad's 50th birthday I decided to surprise him with a little get away. I called his boss and arranged for a couple of days off from work. Megan was out visiting Donna in Idaho so when she came back she was coming into the Columbus airport and I bought a ticket for Donna to come back home with her. I sent Dad into the airport to get Megan and SURPRISE Donna was there too, he wasn't real sure what was going on so when he got back into the car I let him know that he had a few days off from work and we where going to a cabin I had rented in southern ohio. I think the cabin's name was Moose Lodge. It was sooooo far off the beaten path but it was really nice and cute. There was a patio with a grill and hot tub, 2 bedrooms and a great room with a nice kitchen. I had bought steaks from Marshalville for his birthday dinner and the day of his birthday we went on a canoe trip. The river was really too low but we didn't know that until they had dropped us off and left. Soooo Dad and Kelli went in one canoe and Mom, Donna, and Lindsey in another one. Megan stayed in the cabin. Well you and Dad did just fine we on the other hand not so good. I actually got out of the canoe and pushed and pulled it most of the way! Great fun I must say. As you and Dad where paddling along we were getting stuck on logs, rocks, pebbles you name it. We were having a hilariously fun time. There was one corner we rounded everyone in a canoe and there it was a log across the river, you and Dad had already got around it and were standing on top of it to help us. You two were as dry as a bone we were soaked especially me, not just soaked but my shoes where soggy and wet. You and Dad helped us get around the log without getting any wetter and you two were still as dry as a bone. So off we went finally the river was deeper and we were paddling and giggling having a great time then........ Story to be continued next week...

GPS

I read this email and it made me laugh! My mom (love her to death) has not one single sense of direction. It's been a joke in my family for the longest time that if mom says to go one way we go the other and we get there. I also love to find things. I don't know why but I do. My mom wrote this about me: Did you know that Kelli has an inborn (vs. on board) GPS. She can find anything! A lost button, ear ring, small stone, address! Whenever we drop anything we call Kelli to find it and she always does, always has and hopefully always will! When you girls where little you never wanted to go look at Christmas lights with mom because you were afraid we would get lost and rightly so. But now that you are older we can go and if you or Dad are in the car we won't ever get lost. It is a wonderful talent you have!

I was a bossy little thing

Story told by Aunt Karen: Being the only girl in our family, it was a joy having my nieces around. Kelli has always been a sweet and gentle person. She was always helping us do things in the kitchen. One day, Kelli and her mother and sisters came to my house to help me make some nut rolls for Christmas. I made the dough and needed to make the nut filling next. Kelli was waiting patiently to do her job of rolling the nut roll in sugar and putting it on the cookie sheet before baking. I went to the cabinet to get the food processor to chop the nuts and I knocked over the deep fryer that was filled with oil. Oil went all over the floor and made a huge mess. When everything was cleaned up and we were finally ready to get started, Kelli put her hand on her hip and said, “Aunt Karen don’t you ever do that again!” We could not quit laughing. I was being scolded by a 4 year old.

Uncle Rich's and Aunt Karen's Story

Uncle Rich and Aunt Karen’s Story as told by Aunt Karen: I can’t remember the first time I met my husband, I probably was only 5 years old. I married the boy who lived across the street. We started dating, when I was 13. He seemed like he really liked me and he had a good sense of humor and could always make laugh. Rich was two years ahead of me in school, but we planned to get married as soon as I graduated. Those plans changed suddenly when he was drafted on April fool’s day 1968. He had already tested for each branch of the service and he decided to join the Marine Corp because they guaranteed him electronic schools if he signed for 4 years. After basic training and his basic electronic school, he came home at Christmas and we were married on December 28th 1968 in a small chapel at the foot of the mountains in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. The chapel was decorated with red poinsettia plants, I wore my wedding gown and he wore his dress green uniform. He had to leave to go back for two radio repair schools and I was able to join him in San Diego, California. We went to North Carolina than he was sent to Viet Nam for one year. When he left I was 2 months pregnant with our first son. I was able to meet Rich in Hawaii for R+R and he got to meet our three month old son. After serving in Viet Nam we went to Virginia until Rich was discharged in May 1972. We moved to Ohio, had another son and 39 years later we still call Ohio home. We just celebrated our 41st anniversary and our love for each other is still strong.

I was/am a Clumsy Child!!!

The night we were banned from Ponderosa: as told by Mom. It was a Friday night Dad and I had worked all week and decided to take you girls out to dinner. I’m not sure why we choose Ponderosa I suppose it was because of the price; in hindsight it probably wasn’t the best choice with 4 small children. Ponderosa was a buffet restaurant you ordered your steak and while it cooked you went to the salad and potato bar. Well the first disaster of the evening was while at the salad bar you dropped a plate which broke and cut Megan’s foot, we shuffled you all back to the table with Megan crying and went up one at a time. Disaster number two, you were rocking back and forth in your booster chair , I caught you out of the corner of my eye and before I could tell you to stop you rocked the chair over into a fake tree, more crying I can’t remember if it was you or me. There also was a pretty nasty look from an older couple sitting next to us. We ate fast and left, Dad said that was it, no more out to dinner and we were going straight home. Being the eternal optimist that I am I convinced your dad that we should not bag the night but go on a walk in the Metro Parks. Disaster number three, we parked the car and all got out Dad warned everyone to be careful and no goofing around we walked for a very short while when you and Lindsey started skipping and again before I could say anything you wiped out. Skinned bloody knees and all, we got back in the car after not even 5 minutes and headed back home. It was such a ridiculous night Dad and I couldn’t do anything but laugh by now and tease that we were banned from Ponderosa. I have to say we never have been back since. AAHH the things memories are made of!!

These are the Moments...

I have always been the type of girl who once I figure out what I want to do I will always find a way to get. I try my hardest and put my whole heart into whatever it is I am trying to achieve. Deciding on which college to go to was no different. I came to Rexburg, Idaho for the first time when my family took my sister Donna out to college at BYU-I. I remember the university was just transitioning from a two year college to a four year college. As we were walking to get my sister’s books for her classes we walked in the middle of campus. At that moment I remember feeling as if this place and I had a history together. Strange I know. But the feeling was so strong that I could never doubt it and from that moment on I just knew that Brigham Young University- Idaho was the college that I would go to. When it came time for me to apply for colleges I knew that I only needed to apply for one and so I did. BYU-I was the only college that I turned an application into. I do not remember waiting with anxiety to hear if I had been accepted or not. I was stressed out as I always am with a huge decision, but I still always knew that I would be at this college. This is the place where I have learned so much and had so many amazing things happen that would not have happened anywhere else. Here I have witnessed divine moments. These are the moments that are shaping the rest of my life.