Surprise Surprise

"I have the best surprise for you" my husband said this past Saturday. Of course, I don’t really like surprises. I like to KNOW what is going on. But for two days, he kept it a secret. All of my investigative work did not payoff.

Finally, the day of the surprise came. After work, I raced home and found my husband waiting at home. I think he was just as excited as I was. We got in the car and drove. "Close your eyes and NO peeking" he said as we began to drive out of the neighborhood. So I shut my eyes tight as we made too many turns for me to figure out where we were going.

Suddenly, the car stopped. Feeling a little carsick and with my eyes still closed, I followed Kase into a building that smelled....... like popcorn. "Are we at the movies? Are you sure this surprise is for me?" Then I heard his parents and brothers. "WHAT is going on?" I thought.

Tickets were picked up, popcorn and candy was bought, all while my eyes were STILL closed! I was finally allowed to open my eyes as we found seats in the theater. I waited for the mystery movie to begin. Was it Star Trek (again)? Was it some movie that I had never heard of? What WAS it?

The lights dimmed, but there were no previews. Odd. Then.... a familiar sound of clocks began ticking...... What was it? Why it was none other than my VERY FAVORITE MOVIE EVER:

BACK TO THE FUTURE

(Part I of course.)

The theater was playing it as part of a "Blast from the Past" summer movie event. I got to see my favorite movie on the big screen in the theater! Great Scott!!!! All because my husband rocks.

We had a great time. My husband is so sweet to work so hard to surprise me. Kase, you are my density.... I mean destiny.

Watching the movie in the theater was like going back in time to 1985. In fact, when I think about it, I am pretty sure that my parents were about my age when they saw Back to the Future for the first time in the theater. So it was like I went back in time to 1985 and saw the movie just like my parents did. Oh man.... this is heavy.

A Tale of Two Tickets

A long time ago, when Kase and I were engaged, I was following him through traffic off of an interstate exit ramp. Kase in his Saturn SC2 and I in my jeep. Normally, Kase drives very slow, sort of like a grandpa. Safety is important you know. However, on this day he went moderately down the exit ramp. Did you know they have speed limits? Apparently, you are to begin slowing down your vehicle on the interstate in front of the 70 mph tractor trailers so that your vehicle may proceed down the exit ramp at 25 mph.

As Kase and I started down the ramp, a police car came out of a hidden nook and pulled behind me. I immediately pulled over so that the officer could write me a ticket. Kase noticed that I had been pulled over, so he stopped as well. The officer asked me why I was racing another vechicle down the ramp. The officer's inquiry presents many questions: how do you "race" down a single lane exit ramp? What kind of race is it if I am directly behind the other car? If the other car was racing me, and in front of me, then wouldnt that car be going faster and shouldn't the officer have then pulled that car over instead of me? I informed him that I was not racing the other car, it was my boyfriend's car that I was following.

The officer then called another officer on his radio and proceeded to write me a ticket. The other officer showed up and then proceeded to write Kase a ticket!!! There are many issues with this: The first officer could not write Kase a ticket because you can only clock one car at a time speeding and he picked me. AND The second officer wasn't even there to witness any offenses, but wrote Kase a ticket. Do we all see the problems? Ok, good.

Kase and I had a good laugh with our tickets in hand. We were able to get the tickets dismissed which is always good. BUT the story does not end there....

A few years later (last week in fact) my mother was following my father to dinner after a long day at work. Normally, my dad drives kindof fast, sort of not like a grandpa. However, on this day, he was driving the speed limit. Just as they made it through the downtown square, my mom was pulled over for a burned out break light. The officer wrote her a ticket, and my Mom proceeded to the restaurant looking for my Dad.

Meanwhile, Dad had noticed that mom was no longer behind him. He turned around looking for her. My dad had barely made it through the downtown square, when the SAME police officer pulled him over for expired tags. My dad drives a 'new-to-him' jeep that is in the midst of being remodeled. A few weeks earlier, he had taken it to get new tags, but it had failed the emissions inspection. He was given paperwork to show that he is in the middle of making the jeep road ready and was told that this would prevent him from getting a ticket. The officer said he had never heard of such a thing, and proceeded to write my dad a ticket.

Mom and Dad had a good laugh with their tickets in hand. They will probably be able to have their tickets dismissed which is always good. I guess these sort of things run in the family.

Anyone up for a road trip?

May We Speak About May?

May was super busy with fun family events.

First, Kase's oldest brother Tommy graduated with his masters from Carson Newman. We all went to the ceremony and had a yummy dinner.

Second, Kase's youngest brother Ryan graduated from high school. I can't believe it! He is grown up! I am proud of him.

Third, my sister received her Young Women's Medallion. For those who don't know, it's a program that my church has. Girls set goals and complete different tasks. It helps them improve talents and gain skills that will help them in their lives. My sister completed the program and we had a celebration. It was fun and I am very proud of her.

Fourth, Kase's other brother Scott proposed to his girlfriend Katie! They are going to get married in September. I am excited to have Katie in the family. She is fun and sweet. I couldn't have picked a better girl to join the up and coming Clapp Trio of Sister-in-Laws.

Fifth, memorial day weekend finally arrived. Hello Summer! My parents, sister, and family dogs came to visit for the weekend. We ate out and watched Night at the Museum 2 (whatever it's called).

Kase and I had to speak in church that Sunday, which is VERY traumatic for me. The Saturday night before I seriously plotted the many ways I might be able to get out of speaking.

Such as: eating bad food that would surely make me sick, twisting my ankle, screaming loudly so I would lose my voice and not be able to speak, or paying my sister to impersonate me and read my talk for me during church. Sunday came, and in about 11 minutes my talk was done. Ohhhh what sweet relief. The rest of sunday was wonderfully relaxing, with grilled burgers and movies.

Monday, dad helped us trim the trees in our yard. We can finally see the grass!!! I had a really great weekend with my family. I love it when they visit.

Burning down the house.

Reasons Why We Are (Probably) Going to So. California for Vacation this Summer

1. Kase served a mission for our church in Long Beach, CA, and would like to go back to visit.
2. I have never been to Southern California and I love to go places I have never been before.
3. To go to the Los Angeles Temple and the San Deigo Temple.
4. To go to the beach.
5. To see tar pits and dinosaur bones. (who knew?!)
6. To go to the San Diego Zoo (maybe).
7. To check out Hollywood.
8. To see Conan O'Brien (hopefully).
9. To spend time together and have fun adventures.

I am excited. If anyone knows of any fun things to do in Southern California let me know!!!

P.S. I have lots of blogging and pictures to post from May. Coming Soon.....