This is what happens when you sign up for Facebook!

It is now April 6th, my oldest turned ten yesterday and I realized that my poor blog was getting very lonely!! I blame my lonely blog on Facebook. Yes, that's right I said Facebook. My sister was shocked and wondered how I even found the site without her assistance, but stranger things have happened. Then because I signed up I discovered all these crazy friends and relatives all had accounts and would I like to be their friend(or relative.) When I sign in to my email I find I have 30 (ok, maybe that's an exageration) friends/relatives sending smiles and birthday notices and who knows what else. Mind you, I love knowing that everyone is out there, but having recently rejoined the work force, I know be grateful and don't complain, volunteering at the kids school for at least 1 hour each day, doing homework with 3 beautiful kids, cleaning the house, oh and did I mention that I still haven't finished unpacking from moving in August my poor blog has suffered. Tom has recovered from the "incident" in December and not a moment to soon since the Lord has blessed us with a suddenly booming work load. The Tax deadline (for those who haven't extended) is looming ever so close and everyone needs their work done yesterday! I say poor Tax planning on their part should not have to constitute an emergency on my end, but no one seems to believe me. OK, I'm done whining for now.

February came and went with what all happenning I'm not sure. Tom made the girls and I matching broom stick skirts for Valentine's day and took me out to dinner at a great place called Lucille's. It's southern style cooking with a live jazz/blues band every weekend. The food is fantastic and if you don't go early there is a looong wait. When we went to Sunday School the next morning we found out that 3 other couples from our ward had gone there too but instead of the 15 minute wait we had (I had scheduled babysitter for 5pm) they had a 1 1/2 hour wait after getting there at 6:30pm. Tom spent part of February in Chicago and Dayton, OH doing site visits for work and didn't thaw out for 3 days after he got home.

March came with Tom traveling again to Ohio and adding the lovely city of Pittsburg to the list of places that he was still trying to thaw out from. He was also able to visit the Kirtland Temple and the School of the Prophets while he was out there. There are 2 different visitor centers fir the Temple and the difference between the Spirit in those buildings was remarkable. This was actually his second visit to Kirtland having had to go right by the Temple on another business trip a while ago. So for the kids spring break we went camping in the somewhat famous town of Tombstone, AZ. We spent 2 nights in a RV park called the Wells Fargo. It was a half block from the OK Corral, yes the one where Wyatt Earp had a shoot out with some other guys. There are only 2 buildings that actually date back to that time, since most of the buldings of that era were made from wood and the town has burnt down twice since that time period. One of the 2 original buildings is the theater called The Bird Cage. It still has it's original bar in the entry area and stairs that lead up to the "catwalk" where after a fine show the menfolk might get a little more entertainment in a fine "crib." The bullet holes are all still there and for a stipened you can tour the whole building. After adding up what it would cost for 2 adults and 3 kids ($44) we just went for a walk on the boardwalk. We did take a trolley ride that was a guided tour through the town and even out to Boot Hill, the resting place for a number of outlaws. Tom took the girls on a stagecoach ride and we ate ice cream everyday at one of the 30 stores that are now housed on historic Allen Street. The girls thought it was interesting that the sidewalks were made out of wood, especially when their dad told them about the plumbing from that time. Tombstone is actually a very dog friendly place to visit and Our dog was real happy that they had dog water dishes about every 6 stores or historic buildings. Dusty the dog even got to go on the trolley tour free of charge! The morning we were packing up to come home a semi-truck with a huge electric transformer on it's flatbed came in to town. We know this because either the load was too high or the telephone and cable tv lines were too low and the truck snagged the lines and pulled the pole straight out of the ground. Forget breaking the pole, the whole thing just came plum right out. The Marshal was not having a good day, but since it happened on a state highway road the Highway Patrol got to take over the scene which was just 1/4 block up from the RV park. Lucky us, we got to see the whole thing happen! Tom and I have decided that we want to go back again without dog and children (does the phrase "do we have to go in to another building? come to mind) and stay at one of the bed and breakfasts they have in town and really get to enjoy the history and architecture of the town. My dad would be so proud that at least one of his daughters has gained a love of historical and sometimes hysterical sites. We tried to get into a lower elevation campground but all were booked solid. At least we were able to call ahead and find out before we drove to them. On the way back to Mesa, I had Tom stop at Eegee's for their fresh fruit slush. Eegee's is only in the Tuscon area and they are waaay better than any other slush, slurpee, or freeze that I have ever tasted. Tom and the girls had never had one so I got one lemonaide and one fresh lime. Tom said that it reminded him of actual Hawaian shaved ice and could understand why his wife was so insitant that we stop and get some. We almost had a record on the Gambles' family road trip of no one getting car sick until we were backing the trailer in the driveway and Clairese lost it. At that point everyone but mom, who was guiding Dad, came flying out of the car for fresh air. The poor dog was stuck in his kennel but we rescued him quickly and IRON STOMACH MOM cleaned up the car. I've decided that it was a mom who invented Frebreeze just to save on all the car cleaning bills. WE have Friday off of school this week and Dad has to do a site visit in Cottonwood, AZ. There is a state park with fishing lagoons and hiking(read walking) trails there so we are off to Dead Horse State Park for Easter weekend and work. They have 107 trailer sites and 20 tent only sites so we should be good to get a spot. Let's see if maybe this trip can break the Gambles/Jesperson family travel sickness curse and I won't have to clean out the car again!