Corvettes

Vicki on Graduation 5/28/82
My Grandpa Larsen's Anniversary Pace Car...
what a sweet car!

My Cousins... Shane and Nadene
My Uncle Larry and Aunt LeAnn had 2 orange Corvettes at the same time
The only difference was... one had a luggage rack!

My Uncle Larry and Aunt LeAnn and Nadene
These two pictures show them being parked "nose to nose"

This one is my Uncle Larry's sweet ride!

What do you say when your son tells you... "Mom, I'm going to sell the Corvette". Wow... I never thought I would hear those words out of his mouth at all. Since he found out that the "car" was his he wanted to bring it home! (my Uncle Larry believes that a Corvette is never to be called a "car") First off, he had to figure out how to get it home and I must say.... when he finally makes up his mind... there is no going back! 26 Hours beginning to end! However, I am such a Corvette fan... it kills me to know that it will be gone! My Grandpa Larsen and Uncle Larry have had several Corvettes through the years. Randy even had a Corvette when we started dating (that must have been what got my attention :-)

Every July when the "Cruise In" is here in town... I love seeing and hearing the Corvettes as they pass on the street! Josh I know you made the right choice... but your Grandma and I will always have the "Corvette Love"... I'm so glad you didn't!

Twin Falls Temple

Front of the building - on driveway

North side view from street

Front view from car on 4 lane road

Back view from the southwest corner

I decided to jump off the freeway and head into Twin Falls and see the Temple. This was the first time I had been in the area since it was completed. It was hard to take a good picture since there is a 4 lane road in front and no parking... it was just beginning to sprinkle when I took these pictures. What a beautiful Temple!

Lucky Peak

The Beach below Lucky Peak

The Lucky Peak Monster?

My Grandpa Larsen took us boating a few times at Lucky Peak. He used to tease me and call it "Leaky Peak" because of the water coming out of the spillway. I haven't been there in 30 years... so I decided to take a little detour and check it out. It's still just like I remember it... the water looked so inviting! I don't remember there being a "beach" section below the lake, but from the squeals and laughter it sounded like everyone was having a blast! My next trip to Boise... I'm going to have to check it out!

Race Night

Brinley - Uncle Larry - Natasha - Kylie
What a cute picture!

Kylie and Brinley having a race!

My Uncle Larry had invited me over to "hang out" with he and the girls, I spent 45 minutes trying to find his house. (I can find the major streets... but the cul-de-sacs... forget it!) Uncle Larry to the rescue! I raced with the girls a few times and watched some fun "race videos" I'm so glad I got to spend that time with my family! Thanks everyone!

Rainbows and Roses

The trees have gotten so big...

The roses...

Funky rainbow...

I finally arrived in Nampa at 3pm... After 3 hours of "fun" at the office, I checked into the hotel...dang nice... and brand spank me new... then off to dinner with Uncle Larry, Ann ( Larry's woman-friend), Shane (my cousin) and his 3 cute girls. It was great getting to visit with everyone. After dinner I decided to go for a drive and see if I could find my Grandpa Larsen house. It's been 14 years since he passed. I was so excited... I drove right to it! My Grandpa always had the most beautiful roses in his front court yard... they are looking a little straggly now! While I was on my adventure... this beautiful rainbow appeared!

The Rest Of The Story...

The "new" hot rod... It's pretty sweet!

Amp... Dale Junior #88 and I are very proud...
Josh said they bought it because it was on sale!

The look.... it's almost over!

You can see.. not much leg room!
The crate and the pillow...ouch...!
The back of the U-Haul... now the fun begins!

What happens when you put a "mom" in charge of ordering the U-Haul?
1... You don't get a bench seat... and
2... You don't get ramps!

Oh my hanna! I feel so bad... Every U-Haul truck I have ever seen has a bench seat... and ramps! I didn't even think to ask them if they were included. So the boys took turn sitting on the floor... mind you Payden is 6'4". I don't really know where he tucked his legs. After they cleaned out the storage unit, they found a crate and thought that would help them sit up a little higher in the cab... a few blocks later they stopped at Walmart and bought a pillow for a softer "ride" for the drive home. The boys would not let dad sit on the crate for fear if they had to stop real fast...dad would go flying and hurt his shoulder so he stayed in the passenger seat. Josh and Payden took turns driving. Papa was a little cranky that he didn't get his turn to drive... but the boys made the right choice! Dad did stay awake the whole night and made sure to keep the boys awake while they were driving. Josh said Papa didn't doze off once! Josh pulled in the drive way at 7:30am... all three of them were home safe and sound! Thank goodness! Dad took a 90 minute "nap"... Josh slept until about 6pm and Payden until 7pm. Now the next fun part begins... finding a place for all of the "things".

Thanks Dad and Payden for being such troopers and being so willing to have an "adventure to remember"! I'm off to Boise for 3 days... I'm so excited! Now begins my adventure!

Oregon...Here They Come!

Today is the big Oregon trip for Josh, Payden and my Dad... we left at 6am and headed to the airport. They arrived in Portland at 10:20 and were off to pick up the U-Haul. After they got the truck picked up they drove for the Nike Store... It's such a guy thing! Then off to McMinnville to pack up the storage unit. They got everything packed and headed back to pick up the car...somehow when they were all pushing the car up on to the car carrier, dad slipped and fell... dislocating his right shoulder. You know... they just don't make men like my dad anymore! Even at 72 he's still trying to do what those two 22 year old boys were doing. Josh called and said Amy was taking dad to the hospital and they would follow in the truck... This is where the details are "fuzzy"... due to boys giving me the details. They ended up getting dad's shoulder put back into place and they were off to get pain meds. Wal-Mart they told him it would be over an hour to fill the prescription, dad said "bag it... we need to get on the road" and off they drove! Dad said his "duty" is to keep the boys awake since they won't let him drive now. I'll update tomorrow about the "rest of the trip"...

Busy Week

This week is going to be great! Josh, Payden and Papa are headed to Portland to FINALLY pick up the car and other items that he inherited from his dad. I'm so proud of him for getting this mess put behind him. I'm sure he will feel much better about things when it is all over. The boys are flying out of Salt Lake into Portland on Tuesday morning at 8:30... then getting the U-haul and heading to McMinnville to get packed and head back home. We are thinking it should take them about 11 hours once they are on the road... talk about a quick trip! Josh and Joey will be heading down to Spanish Fork on Thursday to shoot the Fireworks show for the 24th... busy... busy...

I get a "vacation" too... kinda... I'm leaving Thursday morning to go to Nampa for some training on our new computer system we are getting at work. I'm sooo excited! I haven't been anywhere over night for over 4 years... so I'm looking forward to it. I love Boise... hopefully I will still be able to find my way around. I'm planning on having dinner Thursday night with my Uncle Larry.

Hopefully there will be a race at one of the local tracks I can go to on Friday night. Then some shopping on Saturday... and head for home. Look out Boise... here I come!

Johnson Family Reunion

Dad - Mom - Vicki - Josh

Josh and Vicki - In our matching purple!

Karen Olsen and her sweet mother, Clea Coburn

My cute cousin, Karla see... it's a Johnson thing...
We all love olives... one for each finger!

Uncle Ace and his precious granddaughter Gracie

Debbie - Cindy - Joy Clark and Vonna Morgan

Aunt Charlene - Uncle Darrell and Aunt Luella

By the look on Uncle Ace's face... you can tell this picture has a story! My Uncle Darrell put his arm around Aunt Sis...and I made the comment... aahhh that looks so sweet! My dad... without missing a beat... put his arm around Uncle Ace... we all broke out laughing!

Uncle Darrell - Aunt Luella
My Dad - Blaine and Uncle Ace
Humm...
which brother spends more time in the sun?

I have to admit... I enjoy going to the Johnson Family Reunion every summer. Probably because it is more like the "Art and Clara (my grandpa and grandma) Reunion". It's my uncles, aunts and cousins are the ones who gather for this fun event! This year it was held at Willow Park. This was the first year that Josh and I got "skunked" in the raffle drawing. Usually we are the lucky ones... not so much this year! Looks like we have some "planning" to do... I am in charge of the Johnson Family Reunion next year... hummmm...ideas anyone?

Green Thumb

My mom and dad have the most beautiful rose bushes... 

and flowers in their yard

Cache Valley Cruise In

The Cruise In all started the year that I graduated... 1982... My Grandpa Larsen loved to come down from Boise and see all the"sweet" cars at the Fairgrounds. On Saturday night after the three days of hoopla is completed, the cars from the Cruise In "drag Main"... I love seeing the muscle cars and my dad telling me what he did on his cars to make them each an "original". How awesome would it be to have one of those cars now! I had to smile when a few of the drivers of the "muscle cars" where guys I went to school with... back then, the car was just transportation... they looked and ran pretty rough... but I'm guessing they are having the last laugh now!

Fireworks

I love fireworks! They are one of my very favorite things. When I was growing up in River Heights I used to babysit for the owners of Fireworks West (then it was Ralph and Mary Ann Degn). I loved going into the stadium and watching all of the special "boards" they had set up in the stands and on the field. Fast forward 25 years and now Josh is good friends with the owners and have been able to work for Al and Laurie Burns for the past 8 summers (minus the 2 he was in New Mexico on his LDS mission). It makes me proud to know that Josh has had a small part of making the fireworks that are being shot off at Romney Stadium and other venues across America to celebrate our FREEDOM! What an awesome show Fireworks West put on this year... they just keep getting better and better. I love how the fireworks are now set to music... my very favorite was when Al put Ring Of Fire by Johnny Cash into the mix. Whenever the words would say... I fell into a burning ring of fire... rings of fireworks lit up the night sky...it was amazing!