Shad's Scare!!!

It's my lunch break right now and I had to update everyone on what happened to Shad today at work....It started with a text message from Shad at 8:23 a.m. and it said "Got in a wreck. I'm fine but they have to take me to the hospital."...and I responded..."What!" ...you don't just send your wife a text message like that (for those of you who don't know Shad works for Metro in the old down town area and he is currently on an Enduro squad - rides an off-road motorcycle) so of course I am a little freaked out. Then he sends me this pic....

With the text saying "Don't I look cool!" (typical boy right)...so now I'm not sure if he is playing a joke on me or if I should really be freaked out. So he finally asks one of the EMTs if he could call me while he was still riding in the ambulance so I don't completely have a nervous breakdown...luckily they let him call me.

So the story goes like this...Shad was being dispatched to a call where a police officer had a guy at gun point that had just stabbed another person on a bus. The officer was by himself so Shad starting rolling code (with sirens and lights) to back up the officer that was by himself. Shad was riding down the street when a car came from his left side and he wasn't sure if the car would pull all the way over to the right (which is what you are suppose to do when a emergency vehicle is behind you) or if he would pull into the closest lane which would be the far left lane. Shad said he thought if he went to his left and the car stayed in that lane he would have to go into oncoming traffic (not very safe) or he could just stay in his lane on the right side, which is what he did. The car ended up coming into Shad's lane and then stopped right in front of him. Shad said he was probably going around 50 mph and started leaning to his right and he put on his breaks to try avoided the now parked car but he clipped it with his foot and the bike went right out from under him...which he proceeded to skid across the asphalt for about 130 feet. Because he was on a motorcycle and because of the speed he was traveling, they made him take a ride in the ambulance. They even strapped him down on the gurney (see pic above).

All in all he really is fine and he only got a little road rash on his leg, a slightly swollen ankle, and tore through his riding gloves (luckily he had those on). I am so very thankful that he is ok and that Heavenly Father was watching over him today...it definitely could have been a lot worse.

XOXO Melanie

Happy Halloween

One of our good friends let us borrow this adorable costume for Kyson. We thought a puppy would be a perfect costume to fit in with his two buddies...Bo and Obi. We used washable markers for his face but when we put on his head piece he started crying and the marker ran right down his face. We took him to few houses in the Ward to go Trick-or-Treating. He loved all of the kids in the streets but I think he got worn out pretty quick. My baby sitter's kids came by the house to see Kyson's costume...aren't they the cutest kids ever. Kyson absolutely loves playing with them both! Enjoy the pics!

XOXO Melanie

Halloween Party with my Beehives!

I serve as a Beehive advisor in our Ward and I absolutely love it!! We have the biggest and the best class in our Young Women's (I'm a little bias can you tell?). Anyway, we decided to have a Halloween party for our Wednesday activity. It was so much fun!! Look how cute those rice crispy treats are that Jenn (Sister Hendricks) made. She always has such great ideas!

I made the drink out of blue-raspberry lemonade kool-aid and dry ice. I also froze little mice in ice cubes and put them in the drink...the girls loved finding the surprise!! You can see one of the little tails if you look close.

The fearless Leaders! I love serving with these ladies...they have become some of my best friends down here in Vegas. Yes we are dorks but we have so much fun together.

We played tons of games...but I loved watching them try to get those donuts off the strings. LOL!

We also played spooky musical chairs...to classic Halloween music (Thriller, Monster Mash etc.). The second picture is the first group of losers of spooky musical chairs. They are so funny!

All of the Beehives! Thanks for making it such a great night girls. Love ya tons!!

XOXO Melanie

Carving Pumpkins

I am going to try to catch up today... So wish me luck! It's so hard to keep up on a blog when you work full-time...but no excuses right! :)

It took Shad & I three days to finally get two pumpkins carved. Our lives are so crazy it was like tag team pumpkin carving. Kyson had so much fun playing in all of the goo when we were cleaning out the inside of the pumpkins. We only got to light the candles for two nights but it was still worth it!

World Series

Shad plays on a softball team with all different guys in law enforcement. They have done so well this year at their tournaments they were invited to play in the World Series of softball in Palm Springs, California on October 17th-19th. The top teams from the East Coast to the West Coast come and compete for the top prize. All of the players have to work in some form of law enforcement. I love watching Shad play in games...but this ball park is by far the best place he has ever played. The park is called "Big League Dreams" and the softball fields are constructed after the MLB fields. In the center of the field is a bar and restaurant that has tons of flat screen TVs playing all sport stations (loved Saturday so I could still watch my college football) and also has glass windows as the walls so you can watch the softball games going on outside. When it got too hot for Kyson we could still sit inside in the air conditioning and watch Shad play! It was awesome!!

His first game was on Wrigley field (pictured below) and he also played at Yankee Stadium.

This is one of Shad's good friends that he met while going through the Academy. Carpenter loves playing with Kyson...he is getting ready for his little girl to arrive (his wife is due in January).

I've mentioned in previous posts that Kyson loves playing with any kind of balls. He was content with the dirty one his Daddy gave him for a little while but then noticed the new clean game balls on the other side of the fence. He was so funny and wouldn't let them go. Silly boy!

We had a great time supporting Shad and his team. They were one game away from making it to the Final day. Shad's parents were able to come with us and we enjoyed their company. Thank you Steve and Doe for helping me entertain Kyson during the games...I couldn't have done it without you!!

XOXO Melanie

Conference Weekend

Our family is starting a new tradition. During the October General Conference weekend we will all meet at my parent's house in Ephraim and start our family calendar we give out every year for Christmas. I was so excited to finally get back home (I hadn't seen the new garage my parents had added onto their home). Of course I shouldn't be surprised that this is what greeted us on the street to my parents house! Home Sweet Home!!

When Kyson started walking Shad & I would always make a wide eyed expression and say "Oh, what a big boy"...he picked up on that expression and does it all the time. We found him in my parents sun room and I finally caught the expression on camera! What a cute boy!!

Grandma let us pick out some home-grown pumpkins to take back to Vegas with us...I definitely miss the small town. My mom was very sad when we had to leave...I thought she was going to hide Kyson so she could keep him all to herself! Love you Mom!!

Kyson is starting to give kisses to everyone...but it's an open mouth kiss. I love it! He is so cute! Good-Bye Uncle Evan!

Our last stop out of town was of course the Co-op...we found this cute hat for Kyson. Isn't it hilarious! We had a great time in Ephraim and had lots of GREAT food! Yummy home cooked meals...there is nothing quite like your Mom's cooking. Kyson was pretty tuckered out after all of that attention from my family. Thanks for everything Mom and Dad!!
XOXO Melanie

Cowboy Up!

As most of you know, my brother-in-law rodeo's pretty much all year round. Shad & I were able to go to one of his rodeo's on September 27 and we had a blast! We even put on the closest we had to rodeo gear and took off to Pahrump to support Olin, his brother Jake, and their friend Lex. We even listend to Garth Brooks "Rodeo" on the way to Pahrump to get in the zone of cheering on the cowboys. :) I never got a good picture of Olin steer wrestling that night but if you look at the picture with our sunglasses on, you can see Olin's shadow taking the picture (you can see his cowboy hat in the shadow...LOL). We also got to see the "One armed bandit" fall off of his trailer with his horse...it was pretty funny (I know it sounds cruel but ask Olin it was pretty funny).

I thought I would add some pictures that the rodeo photographers have taken of him in other rodeos cause they are pretty cool too! Anyway, this last weekend Olin won his circuit in steer wrestling!! It was his first time winning the circuit, so it was definitely a great accomplishment! Check out this sight for the official first place standing (click on steer wrestling)... http://www.prorodeo.com/standings_circuit.aspx?xu=W&year=2008

Thanks for inviting us to the rodeo Olin...make sure you let us know the next time you are close to Vegas!