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texas my texas

to get a little sentimental....(i wish the randalls were around to say TEXAS right now :)

my family is moving from flower mound, texas to washougal, wa. for reference it is apparently 20 minutes from portland airport.

we lived in texas for approximately 15 years. most of my attachment is to our house there.

- sliding down the nest stairs in plastic tubs until colton almost broke the banister.

- genny and i climbing out the window after making a rope of sheets (in which i correctly used a surgeon's knot...take that boy scouts).

- taking the blue kiddie pool into the actual pool and sinking it again and again and again.

- playing come to court and having everyone (who was not a pace) fall on the final stair because it was the only uncarpeted one.

- carefully looking through the ranch to our house to see the christmas tree while driving down wichita trail.

- having nelson take a bite out of genny's head while driving down wichita trail.

- building the tree house with dad and the todds.

- spending summers perfecting our dives into the pool.

- painting our toenails during general conference while sitting on the deck with melissa and christina.

- running through the fields before all the surrounding neighborhoods were put in.

- exploring the old beached boats just off the grapevine bike trail.

- making the raft/dock with nelson.

- taking care of the chickens while dad was away and discovering a raccoon had ripped apart about 20 of them.

- finding the awesome rope swing over a stream past the pratt and skagg's neighborhood.

- the christmas garland mom would put up on all the banisters.

- rollerblading in the abandoned ice factory before it was torn down.

- catching the cottonmouth in the garage, cutting it's head off with a shovel and leaving the twitching body in a ziplock bag for mom to find :)

- personal priesthood interviews in dad's office.

- roswell party with antennas, enchiladas and alien head balloons.

- in fact watching roswell upstairs with a blanket over us and the tv so mom wouldn't see the reflection in the windows downstairs.

- the awesome water pressure in the girls bathroom (boys we've tried to keep this a secret from you :)

- mom flooding the laundry room 2 years in a row trying to defrost the turkey.

- colton as 'mudman'

- putting up christmas lights in the dorm room (anytime of the year)

- donut palace

- walking to albertsons with christina to get girls camp candy

- camping on the ranch only to have boys come and collapse our tent twice turning the night (lauren thought the horses were attacking us :)

- seeing the dallas skyline from the top of the house before they put the roof on.

- septic sprinklers.

- running along side the truck while balancing the chicken coop.

- practicing the piano only after dinner to get out of clean up.

- pace family work projects

- lighting candles for santa and everyone sleeping the dorm room on christmas eve.

- back to the future pinball

- making lego houses and expecting that your brothers wouldn't destroy them (not rational).

- coming home from college to a waiting pot of tortilla soup.

- senior year and aussie pies.

- taking turns trying to wake up lorin.

- rope swing into the lake.

- little colton falling asleep in the family room on the floor or couch almost every night.

- eating tinfoil dinners on the trampoline.

- christina saving my foot from a leech (ugh so so so so gross).

- painting the big toy every summer.

- zip line across the lake!

- moose moose and signs.

- nelson's immaculate room (until colton :)

- the christmas we had the sister missionaries over and the lake froze over a bit.

- easter egg hunts on the ranch with metallic eggs hidden in cow pies.

- the red truck

i get to go back one last time, june 6 - 11. i plan to swim, ride the zip line, swing on the barn swing, arrange a touch football game, eat at donut palace, etc.

if you have fond memories of texas, feel free to add to my list...i will :)

gyllenhaal

ghostbusters