Finally!

Yesterday was a big day for Darren and Alex.

Alex finally got to go to the Salt Lake Auto Auction with his Dad to find a vehicle. Ever since he was a tiny little boy he has been asking when he could go to the auction. You have to be seventeen to get an entrance pass - so he finally got one! Going to the auction was like a kid in a candy store for Alex! He loves vehicles and there were so many to choose from - except the one he fell in love with, a Dodge truck, didn't run very good so he was bummed. He ended up not even buying a truck from the auction and got one from his Grandpa Bud, but still, he finally experienced the auction!

Darren went to the dentist yesterday and found out he had his first cavity ever and had to have it filled. As he was describing the pain as he got the shot in his mouth and complaining that the whole side of his mouth was numb, I was trying not to laugh because I have a whole mouth full of fillings so I have experienced the pain more times than I like to admit. Finally he knows the pain the rest of his family has experienced over the past twenty years!

Last night Brayden hung out with some of his friends and I feel so lucky we live where we do. First they went fishing in the irrigation pond, then they went to the canal and tried to catch frogs. With no success in doing that, they got out the pellet guns to do some practice shooting on the birds that are making a mess of my driveway. They ended the night by going up to the BLM land near our house and had an air soft war in the dark. When we lived in Salt Lake, these kind of activities never happened, we are so blessed!

At noon I am going to have a teddy bear picnic with a bunch of the young women in my ward and have them help me make friendship bracelets so I can take them to Africa to hand out then we will head to Salt Lake so we can catch our flight out tomorrow early for our big adventure - Finally! I am sure I will shed a few tears saying good bye to the horses, but I will really cry when I have to say good bye to my boys I'm leaving behind. Here is a recipe for Cry Baby Gingersnaps (that really is the name, I don't have a clue why!)Maybe a batch of these will make things easier!

Cry Baby Gingersnaps

Combine 1C. sugar, 3/4C. shortening, 1 egg, 4T. molasses until smooth. Then add 2C. flour, 2t. baking soda, 2t. cinnamon, 1t. ginger and 1t. cloves. Form into balls then roll in sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350* for 8 - 10 minutes.