RUCKUSES for life!

BYU is ridiculously freezing (well to Californian's like me :)) most of the year. Actually I take it back, we had a great fall, but spring was almost nonexistent which is kind of a bummer. My roommate, Jenae, purchased a scooter (moped) this year and was kind enough to let us ride it. We don't ride it during the winter cuz that is colder than words can explain(and if you dont believe me, ask Kelsey. Mention something about scooters and skirts and freezing and it'll sure spark her memory), but we did ride it in the spring.
My friend, Jana B, also has a scooter and I would ride on the back of hers or by myself. I started giving Jen and Valerie Nishiguchi rides and they loved it. Let me rephrase that, for Jen, riding the scooter was better than Christmas morning as a 5 year old. And for Valerie, it took a little coaxing, but then she loved it too.
One night during finals, I was totally burnt out. I decided to call Jana and see if she wanted to go for a scooter ride. She excitedly said that she was already riding her scooter and that her friend, Travis, was riding his too. I grabbed Jenae's scooter and we were about to go for a ride as a scooter gang. I remembered how bad Val and Jen were dying to go, so we gave them a call and they jumped on the back of Jana and my Scoot scoots (that's their names). Jen rides with me and Val with Jana. It works out perfectly because Jana is a Utah driver and I'm a California driver. Therefore, Jana is more cautious while I'm a little bit more aggressive. (Don't worry grandma, I'm still totally safe, and the scooters don't go more than 100 mph.) Were great matches for Val and Jen.
Jana had always wanted to have a scooter gang, so we decided now was the perfect time and the Ruckuses were born. We were quite the bunch. Jen and I on Jenae's totally decked out, motorcycle-looking scooter, Val and Jana on her smaller, sweet looking scooter that only has one mirror, and Travis on his pretty much old school 70's bike with a motor, whose breaks squeek like no tomorrow. Going up hills was prtty funny because Travis' scoot could barely make it. We were cheering him on and helping him think light thoughts so as not to weigh the scooter down. We had an initiation by riding up to stone hedge (a gorgeous place, right above the temple that looks over all of Provo). We all told our deepest, darkest secrets and poured our souls out. Okay, not really but it was fun and good bonding time. We stayed up there for quite a while and then rode home and drove into the Miller parking lot honking, screaming, and flashing our lights. A ton of people came out to see what was going on and join in the excitement. We are now officially legends and will live on in scooter history...
P.S. Jen became so obsessed with scooters that we seriously must of ridden them like 5 times in 3 days. And I thought I was obsessive. :)

My poor children

On Thursday morning, Rachelle Hanshaw went into labor. We had prearranged that I would go over and help get her kids off to school when those lovely contractions consumed her body and it was time to have the lil one. At 7:00 AM, I went over to the Hanshaw house and filled that void. We read the friend, said prayers, made lunches, and the kids did their jobs.
Surprisingly, we still had like a half an hour before they had to go to school. I decided that we should make pancakes. I consulted the children and we came to the conclusion that in honor of their new little brother, we would make chocolate chip pancakes. I am a big believer in bribery, espescially with sugar. Probably not as much with my own kids, but no big deal with someone else's kids. I don't have to worry as much about somone else's kids long term salvation, like I will with my own.
I didn't want to make a mess at Rachelle's, so I ran home and grabbed all the ingredients. I put all the liquid stuff in a bowl and then put the baking powder, sugar, and salt in a baggy and decided to just use some of Rachelle's flour. Michael was kind enough to get the grill/skillet out and start warming it up while I was gone. I grabbed some flour and added all the ingredients together. I was so excited because this was something fun that I could do with the kids that they would enjoy.
I pour out the first pancakes and Michael adds chocolate chips to them. We anxiously watch with excitement and anticipation. The pancakes aren't really looking how they look when I cook them at home. They are kinda flat and not bubbling. I decided it was because I was cooking on a skillet and I normally just use a pan at home. SLowly they started to look more weird, but I couldn't come to any coclusion besides the skillet.
I fed the kids the pancakes and they seemed totally content. I asked all 3 kids if the pancakes tasted funny, and they replied no. But lets think about this logically... Are 3 kids who are eating something that is covered in chocolate chips, butter, and loads of maple syrup, going to say that it tastes funny? I think not. I took one bite of Michael's pancake and decided to pass on my precious pancakes. I mean, they didn't taste bad, they just didn't taste good and they didn't have that pancake texture that we all love.
I sent the kids off to school and began cleaning up. We had made somewhat of a mess with the pancakes and Michael had opened a bag of crackers that exploded everywhere while helping make the kids lunches. So I started sweeeping and wiping off the counters and then I saw this little bag with white powder in it. My immediate thoughts were Tim and Rachelle were doing cocaine. But then I thought about it more logically and remembered that Rachelle was pregnant so it must just be Tim doing it. Then I really looked at the bag and just started laughing. It was the bag that had the baking powwder, salt, and sugar in it and I had forgotten to add it.
Making pancakes is honestly like a 3 step process and I hadn't been able to comlete step 2 because I'm kinda out there when it comes to common sense and just the rush of the morning. I'm always running late and consequently I'm always rushed. When I have kids and then am REALLY rushed, I'm curious as to what I'll forget. Maybe school lunches, basketball practice, or just straight up leaving one at a gas station. We'll just have to wait and see what happens to my poor children...