Jessica Kopp

EL stands for Extra Long

Sorry my blog has been a little all over the place lately. One day it is current and the next it is in the past. I'm just trying to get everything recorded. This post is from the past again. The first week of August to be exact....the Pacifica was just towed.

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Exactly what we didn't want to happen happened...the engine in the Pacifica was destroyed. Ruined. Dead. Gone. Fried. I'm still in shock and sad about the phone call with the horrible news. The mechanic said something about low coolant....mountain slope....new engine...$8000. We had to make a tough decision. Do we pay the money to get the car fixed and then we are totally and completely upside down?? Or do we cut our losses, sell it for scrap metal and move on?

Personally I wanted to keep the Pacific. I loved the Pacifica. It was a great car. We hadn't had any major mechanical issues on it (up to this point). It was a perfect size, not to big and not to small. It drove great in the snow. It was great for freeway driving, getting me back and forth from work. And to top it off it was totally loaded with leather, heated seats, navigation system, cd changer and dvd. But we finally decided that keeping it was not a smart decision. It would basically be throwing good money after bad. I was very sad.

In the end we called in a friend of a friend favor and finally found someone who was willing to give us a little bit of money for it. Of course, not as much as our outstanding loan, but enough to make me not want to throw-up every time someone asked me about the situation. But with the favor came the stipulation of buying 1 of the 6 vehicles the dealer had on his lot that were close to what we were looking for. It was the strangest car buying experience I've ever had. Without really doing any research or shopping around, we went to the car lot, drove 4 vehicles and then picked which one we liked the best. And drove it home.

We are now the proud owners of the 2009 Ford Expedition EL. The EL stands for Extra Long. Meaning we literally had to get out a measuring tape and make sure it would even fit inside our garage. 

  

It has taken a lot of getting used to but I'm slowing starting to like this car. I don't know what it is but I feel very grown up when I'm driving it. It still feels like a tank and I always park in the back of all parking lots, but we have used it on a couple of family trips and it is a nice smooth ride. And with the EL storage space, we actually have room to bring along all our crap!!

   

First Black Eye

 

Saturday at 2:00 Evan smacked his eye into a cinderblock. We had family pictures with my whole family scheduled for 4:00. Perfect timing! 

My parents are building a Grandkids' Playhouse in their backyard and the girls were out hammering in nails and, of course, Evan decided he wanted to help. While investigating his hand slipped off a board and his head hit a cinderblock. He instantly got a giant goose egg under his eye and refused to let us put any ice on it. I was really worried it was going to look terrible, but by the time pictures rolled around the swelling was about gone and it was just colorful. I'm hoping we can work a little photoshop magic and get things fixed up a little before Grandma gets the pictures printed and up on her wall.

Today it is entering the green and purple faze. I'm sure this is just the first of many black eyes in his future.

Heber Valley Camp

Yesterday afternoon we gathered the kids in the car and snuck away from homework and work to drive up Provo Canyon. It was an amazing drive. The weather was perfect and the leaves are starting to turn so there was beautiful color everywhere. At first the girls were missing everything with their eyes glued on ipods.....but as soon as I started pointing out waterfalls and fly fisherman I was delighted to see them put them away and enjoy the view with Derek and me.

My aunt and uncle have spent the last 6 months in Heber at the Heber Valley Girl's Camp working as Missionaries. Now that all the YW Camps are over, they were having a little family camp-out with their kids and because we are "honorary members" they invited us to come along. I was sad we weren't able to sleep over, but hanging out around a camp fire with hot dogs and smores was perfect on a Tuesday night. We had a blast laughing, eating and going on the zip-line. I love being a part of the Miller family. We spent the night planning out next adventure......IMAX Harry Potter in November. I think if Derek would of had cell service he would have bought the tickets on the spot.

I'm sad I wasn't able to get any shots of the amazing scenery, because of course I showed up with 2 dead batteries....but I was able to sneak a couple shots of us in the super stylish red hat on the zip line before I lost all power.

I was laughing so hard the whole time. It was hilarious watching everyones reactions as they climbed the rope, walked along the suspension bridge and then scream as they jumped off the end. Everyone was a little freaked out about hitting the tree at the end... but of course we found out later that has never ever happened before. Sydney wasn't interest AT ALL in the zip line. She was happy to play with Evan and Gracie in the sandbox, but at the end they convinced her climb up half way and swing from the rope. She was brave and gave it a shot...but was ready to be done after a couple of seconds.

Evan: 14 Months

Look at those cheeks. Don't you just want to pinch them? 

Evan is growing up more and more everyday. He is constantly on the go... exploring, destroying, splashing, eating, giggling and now he is walking. He is still a little wobbly and still spends a fair amount of time on his knees, but he is getting faster, more steady and walking farther everyday. He has the cutest little walk that involved A LOT of side stepping. 

We are having a blast watching him grow and develop. I know I've said it before (and I'm sure I'll say it again) but I'm so glad he is part of our family.

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Here is a little info about him right now:

• Still takes 2 naps a day. In the morning around 11:00 for a couple of hours and then a little short one around 4:00 to get us through to bedtime at 8:30.

• Loves apple juice and HATES cold milk.

• Blows kisses every time someone is leaving or when he is ready to leave.

• Knows what eyes are and is constantly poking himself and Derek in the eyes.

• When you say "how big is Evan?" he throws both his arms in the air over his head.

• After every drink he says "AHHHHHH!"

• Loves to jump in his bed. And is jumping every morning when I get him up.

• Likes sour stuff... but doesn't like minty things.

• Always putting everyone's shoes on his feet and trying to walk.

• Stands and climbs on EVERYTHING. The coffee table, the kitchen table, his train, his rocking bull... to him everything is a stool to something higher.

• Loves to drive cars around and knows the sounds they make.

• Cries outside Abby's and Syd's doors when they lock him out. He loves to rearrange their shelves and they hate it.

• Knows exactly where all the toys are downstairs and is always sneaking down there.

• Favorite fruit: red grapes cut in half.

• Derek is always playfully biting Evan's toes, so he has taken to biting his sister's toes ... REALLY HARD.