Car Accident

Monday night we were in a terrible car accident. I had just picked Daniel up from work to go up to Placerville to his parents to drop Marston off so that we could go to an ugly sweater party in Cameron Park. I was driving and Marston and Dan were in the back seats. We were headed up a back but very busy road when suddenly a SUV was in my lane and I T-Boned her. The van spun half a circle and the SUV flipped a couple of times. At the time I had no idea what happened. I was driving and the next thing I knew there was a car in my lane. It happened in a matter of seconds, I didn't have time to swerve or break. We hit hard. Daniel grabbed Marston and got out first and I just sat in the drivers seat covered in glass and airbags screaming. I finally came to and slowing got out to find my baby and husband. There were many people on their cell phones calling for help and the woman in the SUV was screaming for help as her car was on its side. Marston was terrified. I just wanted to comfort him but it was so hard for me to hold him. In minutes there were fire engines, ambulances and a helicopter. Dan and I had to get taken away on a stretcher. They took Marston in the ambulance in his car seat and the woman we hit got taken away in a helicopter. Marston screamed the whole way to the hospital. I think he was just so scared to see his parents strapped down an unable to hold him. I have never felt such a huge desire to hold and comfort my little boy in my life. It was awful! We got to the hospital and all 3 of us were separated. They checked us all out and we had x-rays and Dan got a CT scan but we were all okay. Daniel has a huge bruise right where the seat belt was, I have huge bruises on my hips and chest and Marston has a small bruise on his neck where the seat belt rubbed him. We were incredibly lucky! Marston is completely fine and Dan and I are fine with some aches and pains. In the ambulance I noticed the diamond in my ring was gone and the ring is a bit bent up but my hand only had a very small bruise. We were totally protected! We were blessed. I don't know why but I am extremely thankful.

Thinking about it later and putting the pieces together with the tow company and the police we have a pretty good idea what happened. There was a woman wanting to turn left into a neighborhood. This road is a busy road and there was no turning lane. She was waiting for a long line of traffic to clear when a teenaged girl driving too fast tried to go around her off the pavement and clipped her SUV hard enough to send her into my lane and I T-boned her at about 50 MPH. I pray that she is okay and that the teenage girl gets her license revoked.

Christmas Excitement

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. It was the first one we've had in our new home and it was so fun to start our new family traditions. Christmas Eve we went over to Brooke and Joe's place (Dan's sister and husband). We had yummy soup and lots of treats then went over to see the lights on Dove Court. It's a street in Orangevale that every house has a billion lights. Each house seemed to have some kind of theme too. One had Charlie Brown's Christmas theme, there was one with a giant carousel in their garage. It was amazing. Then we headed home to wait for Santa. It was so fun to bring Marston down the stairs on Christmas morning and see that Santa came. Marston got a very cute radio flyer tricycle, lots of books and puzzles, some cool balls, a little tool box and a peg and hammer toy. He loved opening the presents. I can't wait for more Christmases to come.

Christmas Tree Adventures

We went searching for a Christmas tree last Saturday. We started at a little Christmas tree farm about 10 minutes from here. It was unimpressive. We got there right when they were opening the gates (it was like 9:45am...if that was your business and you only had to welcome customers for about 4 weeks out of the year, wouldn't you get there early?) and no one said hi or welcome, here's a saw and a wagon, we stood there waiting for a few minutes then we grabbed a wagon and saw and hiked up the hill. The trees were not groomed. There were some with branches way longer than the rest of the tree. So we let Marston run around for a bit then we took off with no tree in hand. After that we decided to go to a Christmas tree lot. They had some really nice trees but they were all so expensive. We were just looking for a 6 to 7 foot tree and they were charging $80-$100. So we hopped back in the car with no tree and went to Lowes. We found a beautiful 7 foot douglas noble fur tree for $40. We love it.

Later that day we went to the Lincoln Christmas parade. It was so much fun. There were all kinds of floats, people, and animals. Really cool horses and dogs and a ton of goats. We had a really good time and are really happy we live in a small town that holds nice family friendly events.

Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving, I got to have my family come out. Well, some of my family. We had my parents, Isaac and Jenn and Bethy, plus Daniel's parents and Brooke and Joe. It was so much fun. We had a wonderful feast. The table was beautiful, the food delicious and the company even better. It truly was a wonderful day. While my family was in town I got to show them around our new town, Lincoln. I tried to get them to move to California the whole time but I don't think I've convinced them just yet but I think they really liked Lincoln. We mostly just hung out. We shopped a little, went to Grass Valley, played games, watched movies, baked and baked some more. I loved every minute of it. Now my house is quiet again and I have only a little 18 month old to talk to (which I love but is not the same). Marston loved all the attention. About a half hour after they left, Marston ran upstairs and looked in every room for his grandparents and aunts and uncle. It was really sad. But we will look forward to the next trip.

Bethy wearing my dad's very out dated glasses.

Daniel got a pack of head lamps so my dad decided to become an alien.

Beth had to throw a Greek dinner party for one of her classes. This is her preparing dinner while Isaac and Marston watch.

Thanksgiving dinner. Dig in everyone!

Would someone please say the prayer so we can eat!

Brooke keeping Marston busy.

Brooke ready for some grub!

Brooke and Joe

The roll king!

Every year we churn our own butter.

As a kid I thought it took hours but it seemed like it only took about 30 minutes and we had fresh butter.

Daniel and my mom clipping coupons for black Friday.

Beth and I ran a couple of days while she was out. We had matching shorts.

Pumpkin vase.

Beth traced Marston's hand. He loved it!

Playing with Grandpa

Daniel's parents came over for dinner last night. Marston and grandpa ran around the house chasing each other for almost 30 minutes straight. I'm not sure who was more tired at the end of the night, Marston or Grandpa, but it was sure cute to watch.

Bishop's Pumpkin Patch

There is a fantastic pumpkin patch about 15 minutes from where we just moved and so we invited some of our friends from Cameron Park to come out to see our new house and go to the pumpkin patch. This is the most incredible pumpkin patch I have ever been to. There were fields and fields dotted with orange pumpkins of all shapes and sizes. But that was not all. There is a train that takes you around the farm, a petting zoo, giant slides, corn mazes, tree forts, and tons of greasy, sugary food. Totally commercialized but really fun. It will be a family tradition to visit that place every October. I love fall!