I have a 16 year old!

How did this happen? HOW?  Emilia is 16.  She finished up her driver ed driving hours during Spring Break and passed her test just before her birthday.   She wanted to go to the DMV on her birthday and get her license.  (GASP! CHOKE!)  She can't be old enough to drive.  This is one of the scariest things as a parent.  Giving your own (young and inexperienced) flesh and blood keys to the car and letting them go out ALONE!  How do people get through this???  I'm sure she will be a good driver. It's just a whole new level of trust and freedom and it's hard to let go of this.  Growing up is normal and good.  It's just really hard and scary sometimes (especially for the parents!).

But anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my lovely and talented EMILIA!!!

The "Pick-UP"

After years of waiting, Kent finally has his new pick-up.  We looked at trucks listed on KSL and decided to go up north to look for trucks since there weren't very many available down here.   We took Ian with us and went up on  Friday night, with the intent to look at trucks on Saturday.   We ended up at a used lot in Bountiful with very sly and persuasive salespeople and came home with this blue beauty.  We don't regret the purchase, you just think about the whole transaction and realize all the tricks and tactics that were used on you.  It kind of makes you mad.  Like the fact that there are all these hidden fees tacked on the end of the purchase.  We felt like that was kind of sprung on us.  We tried going in there cautiously, and with our responsible buyer sense, but they are so sneakily manipulative that it is easy to commit to something before you have all the info and before you are totally ready.  So, overall we are happy with the vehicle, but we do feel like we were manipulated by the dealers, and that never feels good.  There is a reason why used car salesmen have the reputation they have.  Lessons learned.

Eating at 5 Guys in Bountiful

40

Yeah, I'm 40.

The Passing of the Granny Gear

 Traditionally, when one of the sisters had their 40th birthday we have showered them with gifts fit for a granny.  All sorts of stuff that people tend to need as they age.  Denture cream, prunes, granny panties, cat sweatshirts, etc.  As the youngest sister it was always very fun and enjoyable to be on the giving end of such presents.  Unfortunately my time for receiving has come.  The last day of my spring break we met in SL and had dinner at Cheesecake Factory (and experienced the worst and slowest service I have ever, ever, ever seen).  The food was good and the cheesecake was amazing, even if it did take about 2 hours for dinner.   Yohanna brought us all squeaky cheese and Gossner milk from Logan.  That was definitely the highlight of the trip! After dinner we went to the hotel and I was bequeathed the traditional granny panties and cat sweatshirt, along with a few other great and exciting gifts such prunes, Depends, Altoids, and of course a lovely turban, fit for a bald granny.  The weekend was fun but really quite a whirlwind.  I dragged Amy up with me for my torture birthday party.  Amy had come to visit us during our spring break and stayed for several days.  This granny party was kind of organized quickly and at the last minute.  I hope she didn't mind too much being a witness to this crazy tradition.  One thing that was different this time though was the lightening speed photo uploads to Facebook.  I'm pretty sure some of the pics of  Carol made it to Facebook, and maybe Linda, but mine were literally uploaded within like, 20 seconds of being taken. I was trying to be a good sport about it but, honestly, it is definitely more fun to be the disher and not the taker.

ACCEPTED!

The letter came today.   When we filled out applications they said that we could expect to hear whether we got in by the end of March.  I was surprised to find this letter in my mailbox!  I guess they wanted to get the letters out on the first day of spring break so they don't get bombarded with questions and complaints of people who didn't get in.  The applicants can have a week to process things and stop freaking out before they can go talk to the people in the nursing office...  But, I'm in!  YAY!  All that work to get to this point has paid off.  I'm so excited to be in!  (Now I keep thinking, oh great, I'm committed now!  Is it too late to change my mind?)  I want to do this, it's just kind of overwhelming to think about what it is going to be like.  I just have to keep telling myself what I told myself at the beginning:  I don't have to do it all in one day.  I just have to do today what I need to do today and try not tot worry about what is coming up tomorrow, next week or next month.  If I do everyday what I need to do that day, pretty soon I will be done.  I have been following that mantra and look, I'm almost done with prereqs, I am done with 3 semesters of work and I have been accepted into the nursing program. I have 2 more years, but that is a lot less than the 3 1/2 I started with.  I can do this.  I can do this.  (I need more money to do this, but I can do this!)