Newest Driver in the Family

We have another driver in the family!!

Ethan got his learner's permit today. Yeah!!

Now we get to start driving around the neighborhood.

I haven't called the insurance company to see what the rate increase is going to be. Yikes!!

Speaking of driving......

Last week I was taking my neighbor's grandmother to the doctor. I drove Aaron's car because it is much more comfortable than the big SUV and the little compact car that we also have.

Next thing I know we passed a motorcycle cop. He flipped on his lights and I knew I was busted. Here is the problem: I normally don't speed. Well, I technically go five over the speed limit but never more than that. Usually. I have never driven Aaron's 425-horsepower-rides-smooth car on the toll road. I was clocked at 87 m.p.h.. That was 17 miles per hour OVER the speed limit. I had NO idea I was going that fast. Charlene (my neighbor's grandma) and I were just chatting and enjoying our time together. The police officer ruined my trip with my neighbor. It wasn't his fault that I was speeding. It wasn't my fault either. I TOTALLY blame the car. Aaron later told me that just as guns don't kill people, people kill people. Cars don't speed, people speed. I don't care, I still blame the car.

Anyway, Charlene was less fazed by the speeding ticket than I was. (Probably because she doesn't have to pay the fine). She simply said, "When things like this happen, there is always a reason for it. We probably just avoided something up ahead." Sure enough, ten miles down the road was a car accident. She was right. I was wrong. I broke the law.

This is the new workout shirt I bought since the incident.

It is a terrible thing. Hopefully Ethan doesn't follow in my footsteps. Plus, he is banned from driving Aaron's car. Forever.

Things Parents Dread

I believe, as a parent, there are certain things we all dread such as: cleaning up after a sick child, potty training, and Utah's 5th grade maturation program. What is that you ask? Well, during the 5th grade the health department and school nurses teach the students the changes that will take place in their body as they go through puberty. Parents are encouraged to attend.

During the first hour, they talked only to the parents about how best to deal with adolescents. This only horrified me. Esteban is a really good kid for the most part. I don't want him to change. Why can't he stay a little kid forever? I remember saying this to my mom when he was a baby. She told me, "They just get to be more and more fun as they get older. You and I are such great friends now, do you think I want you to go back to being a baby? Absolutely not!." I have found her words to be true.

Then, the kids joined us, and the girls and their mom's went to another room. I stayed with Esteban for the lecture to the boys. There were a few moments I felt like melting through me seat and I'm sure he did even more so. We both survived, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I'm hope I'll be saying the same thing in a few years when he's no longer a teenager.