Road Trip Day 2: Ticking off Travelers in Iowa Territory

Ahh. I am sitting here in what feels like the Hilton compared to last night's motel. It's called Circle S and I am not sure if it is classified as a hotel or motel. But it has TWO bars of soap and lotion! What more could a girl in Cozey, Nebraska ask for? Today was pretty uneventful except for our time in Iowa. Tressa Rode with me in my car today and Sarah was with Eldon. First let me rant a little about the invention of GPS units.


I can understand the need for a machine to tell you each turn you need to make for people who get lost coming home from their own high school (Eldon) or church (Tressa). To my siblings that little garmin gives freedom, to me it takes it. I have found myself aimlessly following the pink line on the screen and my brother to the point that I'm just driving and have no idea where I really am. Ironic isn't it? I am much more an old fashion map and signs girl. It is more practical and gives me the control. Back to excitement in Iowa.



Well I mentioned earlier that I am following Eldon. It is much easier to follow him then lead him so that is the way it has been the whole trip. Today I found myself driving along when some one cuts me off and starts tailing my little brother. Well I wasn't going to take that sitting down and let him drive about a foot away from Eldon's bumper at high speeds. I did a few things any got him off Eld's tail. Victory! Well kind of. I looked in my rear view mirror and saw a line of cars behind me on the two lane highway. No joke- it was about 30 cars long! I looked in front of me and Eldon was the only car to be seen for miles. Oh and I forgot to mention we were in the left lane. Well my dear brother refuses to go more then 70 miles per hour and 75 at the most. Many safe drivers out there maybe thinking "way to go! He's so responsible." To you saying that I say, "do not be mislead. He is not in your club." It is purely for Gas mileage. The speed limit was 70 miles per hour and if it was just me driving we all know how fast I would be going. (only a little over that. wink) But here is my question to you? Is it worth saving a few bucks if you are ticking 100 people in Iowa off in the process? Which is really safer? Just think about that.

Well I am off to bed to try my best to get up early this time. Oh and no caffeine for me today. I learned my lesson. LOL

Road Trip Day 1: Rain, detours, and hotel breaks

Well, we have finished our first day of road tripping it. We decided it would be best if we didn't try to push it and we stopped for the night to get some rest. Everyone else is asleep, but because I was so "smart" when we stopped for dinner I rebelled and added a shot of Mountian dew to my gadoraide to make sure I stayed awake while Sarah slept next. Who's Idea was that? I get a buzz from medicine with the slightest Caffeine. Oh well. It gives me a chance to write down a few things about our first day of travel. Things today started out great! We decided not to leave early in the morning which gave me time to get enough sleep to last me all day!! We left the house at about 11:45 am and stopped off to see some very important people. 8 to be exact. After passing out candy to 6 little boys, quick goodbyes, and an oil change we were on the road by 1:30.







The start was a little later then expected but we still were doing ok. I let Eldon take the lead so he could use his new GPS without having to follow his big sister. What an adventure that was. There we were driving down the 70 when he gets off and decides to take us through towns and neighborhoods. At first I was a little annoyed by the detour but was soon pacified by the amazing scenery. Maryland really is a beautiful place.

We drove for a while and stopped at a gas station/subway to get some food. Poor Eldon had been driving all day with bad sinus pressure and no tissues. I bought his some Meds and tissues and made him take them right there in the gas station. (don't worry I made sure it was non drowsy) Tressa then took the reins of their car and we were off again. That's when the ridiculous rain hit. This is my 8th time making this drive and it never fails that there is hazardous weather that makes you scared for your life. Really out of no where the heavens opened and I was worried about a reenactment of Noah's arc. You couldn't see out your window because the windshield wipers don't move fast enough to clear the water even on the highest level. I was fine driving through it because again, on almost every trip there is weather like this but I was so worried for Tress. She is a very capable driver but I am still very protective when it comes to my siblings. Yeah, I didn't like that they were both in the car behind me and I couldn't do any thing about it if something really bad were to happen. But we are safe and that's all that matters.

Now we are in the sketchiest motel ever. HA I mean I have been in nicer places when I stayed in hostels in El Salvador. Okay, that is a bit of an over statement, but at least the toilets in El Sal worked. But when I called around to find a place to go this guy gave me a "break" on the price because it was raining pretty hard outside. HA I bet I could have haggled him down 20 buck more if I would have seen the room before hand. Oh well. I'll push those dateline specials on the nastiness of hotel rooms to the back of my mind tonight, man up and sleep on the sheets.

The fall fluttered by fast

Um, can you believe how FAST the fall flew by, cuz I can't! WOW. I thought this was going to be the longest fall ever and I planned on getting so much done. I am proud to say infact, I did get a lot done. However, I didn't complete a single goal I had planned. I even wrote them down!

Let's see, I planned on training for a marathon.

Well I did really well with that one until the sports bra fiasco.. I hate to admit this but I still haven't finished it. I found my old sports bra and let the new one take up residence in my pile of projects to finish. in efforts to accomplish this goal I got a pretty blonde running partner who planned to help motivate me to run every morning at 6 am after family prayer. After Tressa and I got up for prayer and day after day and looked at each other with that question in our eye about whether we were going to run or not we would shake our heads at the same time and walk back up to our beds to spend some more happy time asleep. But hey, sleep is just as important to my health as running is right?

Next we have the humanitarian kits for the church.

All I have to say is I have nothing to say about this one. I did other humanitarian work this fall. Stuff more local.

Third was to save money to get through the whole school year.

Well, I have decided to join the popular crowd and blame the economy and the lack of hours in the retail world. But really, blaming others is not like me and I take full responsibility for my actions and my amazing new purple blouse.

If I haven't done any of the things listed above then what have I been up to for the last 5 months? Well let me tell you....

I have begun decorating my room (yet another projects for the pile)
I have worked
I have danced
I haven't gotten enough sleep
I have helped a friend with a life changing change
I have gotten to much sleep.
I have voulenteered at LDS family services
I had my "hot summer romance" Catherine wanted me to have so very badly. (I've had more exciting ones but now at least I can say.....well at least I can tell Catherine she can be happy)
I have taught primary
I have babysat
I moved rooms AGAIN! (this is the 2nd time since I got home. But I like my roommate)
And I have finally decided to change my major. To what, I don't know but I am working on figuring that out.

All in all I think I was very busy and have had some really good experiences. And honestly I think bailing on the marathon idea helped me live a little longer because if I have to much physical activity the blood clot in my leg I keep telling Tressa that I have may reach my heart. See so all in all things have just been a huge blessing. HA

My Marvelous Mother

I was looking through the archives of my half written posts and I found this one. I thought it would be a good one to finish and post. It was a thankful Thrusday post I got pulled away from before I could finnish. Enjoy!


Well, it is Thursday again and I am having a hard time thinking of something to write. Lately instead of my mind being filled with gratitude it has been occupied more often with worry. Mostly about how I am going to pay for school and the new tires I need and the other things in life. Ohy. But I am going to think of a happy thought if it kills me.....

I am grateful for the fact that I know the "things" in this life are not important. I am grateful that I know I have everything I really do need. I am grateful for my amazing family who have put up with me.

I was sitting here in my mother's office trying to think of something to write about and I turned and asked my mom who was in her room, "what am I grateful for?" Her instant response was "Me!" It is very true. I have one of the best mothers ever called mother. Many people have said that but I am actually telling the truth. She has taught me so much and is an expert at many things.

Things my mother taught me:

1. Don't take yourself to seriously.
I can't even count the times I have come home distraught because I did something dumb or some one insulted me and my mother found a way to lighten things up for me. She is the queen of not taking yourself to seriously. She has taught me to laugh about things if I make a mistake or a wrong turn.

2. When something happens you can either laugh or cry.
I am so grateful for this philosophy of my mother's. I guess it is very similar to the one above. But when some thing would happen that I wasn't to thrilled about my mother would make jokes about it. Some times I would laugh and some times I would give her the "mom this is NOT funny look." then i would hear, "Deborah, you can either laugh or cry. Why not laugh?"
One time I found my self in a very less then desirable situation. It was actually pretty serious but I said something about it and my friend and I started laughing our heads off. Another person with us asked how I could laugh at this I turned to her and said "Well I can either laugh or cry about it. I choose to laugh." What an I am turning into my mother moment, but really I didn't mind.

3. Puddles are made to splash in
I grew up in the high desert of California. I LOVED rain. Mainly because my mother loved rain and taught us how much fun it was. When the raindrops strated falling and the other mothers pulled their children inside the house, my mother would push her's out. We were allowed and encouraged to run around it in and splash in the puddles. HOw much fun is that for a 10 years old?!?! After rain there also were HUGE, and I mean huge! mud holes in the desert behind our housing complex. We LOVED playing in those. We would be up to our waists in mud and come home dripping. gross I know but really I never remember my mother getting upset at us. Maybe the most she did was roll her eyes but I remember she could tell how much fun we were having and let us do it.

4. We serve in the church because we are asked to and we love our Savior.
I can't count the times I heard this. My mother would say we are doing this because we were asked to. She taught me that obedience was the highest law. She would say, "Deborah, you may not always know why we are asked to do things but you do them anyway and then you will be blessed." I am so grateful my parents taught me this principle of service.

5. We Go to church activities because we support our leaders.
Growing up the Allreds were at EVERYTHING. Any church activity there was the Allreds were there. there were sometimes I would have rather played dolls or slept in, but yes any saturday morning there was a pine wood derby or service activity I would be woken up early to be there by 9 am or what ever ridiculous hour it started. I did help that the church was right behind our house. Oh I miss those days!

6. Don't judge others until you know the whole story.
When I hear something from a friend or some thing happens I am ususally the first get fired up about it and I am ready to run in there with a good tounge lashing for any who has offended my love ones. My mother often has remeinded me, "Deborah you don't know the whole story. Calm down there." As much as I hate it I take a step back and hold off on my storming the castle with bows and arrows. It probably has saved me a lot of needless battles or confrontations.

7. Choose you battles wisely
My mother is very good at this. She doesn't get into a fight unless it really means something to her and she is going to win. If it isn't important she'll just let it go. What an example to me. Growning up I would fight you at the drop of the hat if it got me fired up or I didn't agree. She often would remind me that I needed to work on choosing my battles better and that some things just don't matter. She is so right.

My mother is a very smart woman and I am so grateful to have her as my mother. I don't know what I would do without her!

Thanksgiving through the eyes of a 9 year old

Boy am I blessed! Where ever I have been for Thanksgiving I have ALWAYS been with people I love. What more could I ask for? So this thanksgiving was a blast. I love taking pictures because then it actually gives me something to post about on my blog! Well this year I handed my camera over to a nine year old and played with the adults (for the most part).

This year we had 24 people eating at our house. I love having a ton of people at our house! Well, I guess I will just post some pictures I found on my camera after it was handed back to me. I only deleted 200 of the 400 that were taken. HA I think some of them are pretty hilarious!

These first ones were taken by either me or Rachel. We were getting our little friend Anita ready for dinner. Her mother was having trouble getting her to shower and so we promised that we'd put her hair in curlers if she washed it. HA then we couldn't get her to wait! She is such a sweet heart.





Here is where the fun begins and my young friend took over the photography for the day.

This is when we were trying to get all the kids to sit at the kid table. Ha moses really didn't like that idea and it wasn't until Tressa came and sat at the table did Issiah agree to sit there to.

I love these boys!!

This was Tressa's favorite time of the whole day!






Oh and there are more pictures:







My mother has the most beautiful Smile!



And for your viewing pleasure, my favorite pictures. I thought it was SO funny to find these in the middle of thanksgiving pictures. I guess this is what you get when you hand your camera over to a little boy. (warning....these pictures are not for the squimish)












HAHAHA. I am still laughing about this!! That's potty humor for you.

I hope everyone's thanksgivings were as amazing as mine!

"There were never such devoted sisters"

There is a saying that describes my feelings toward my sisters so well.

It goes like this: "I smile because you are my sister, I laugh because there is nothing you can do about it!"

I have the most amazing family ever. And yes I could not live with out my Brother and parents but I wanted to write a little bit about 3 of my very best friends. (get comfy because I am not sure how long this will take)

Elizabeth.....Or should I say Micky

"An older sister is a friend and defender - a listener, conspirator, a counsellor and a sharer of delights. And sorrows too."

-- Pam Brown


This woman is my roll model and hero and example. She always has the answers I need when I come to her for advice. She is so smart! Growing up she still had most of the answers but I was a scrawny little sister who didn't take advice well. I love being with her! She really is so much fun and is so good to me. When we were younger I used to want to go every where she went and do everything she would do. I know it wasn't easy for her but she still let me tag along and had an awesome childhood. I looked up to her so much and I still do!

She is so patient! Ok so here is a secret that may shock you. You should probably sit down for this. ....I was not the easiest person to grow up with. In fact I could be down right horrible. There was a time I torn all the heads off Liz's barbies because I was mad she wouldn't let me play with them. Despite my shortcomings and the rough years I created for her, Liz has been so patient and loving and I adore her!

She also is so much fun. I know that if I want to have a good time then all I need to do is hang out with my big sis and we can talk and laugh about nothing for hours! I am just as happy to sit in the middle of no where with her then I would be if I was doing the most exciting thing with anyone else.

Tressa Lee

"A sister smiles when one tells one's stories - for she knows where the decoration has been added."  ~Chris Montaigne



When Tressa was little I took good care of her. Protecting her from being teased by our brother, letting her sleep in my bed at night, and doing just about anything else she needed. But now I don't know how I would live with out her taking care of me! HA my mother calls her my personal assistant. She truly is so good to me. When I am late to work (and I often am) I say "Tress! Can you grab me something to wear and make sure it's ironed while I get in the shower?" Then after I am out of the shower I find this:

How lucky am I?

Really the only way to describe her is good. There is no one I know who has more Christ like love then Tressa. Some times I get a little jealous because I am not as good as this girl is. Oh well every one is different and needed in their own way I guess. And Tressa is definitely needed a lot in our family. This is truly an amazing and special girl as she stays up with me night after night listening to all my pointless stories about the day. I don't know what our family did to deserve a girl like this but I'm not gonna say a thing!

Rachel!!!

"It was nice growing up with someone like you - someone to lean on, someone to count on... someone to tell on!"
 ~Author Unknown



This girl is so much fun am amazes me EVERY SINGLE DAY!!! She has always been my mirror. Our own mother has trouble telling our baby pictures apart. And now she likes to do so many things that I do. She is 14 soon to be 15 and is turning into to quite the young woman. She is one of the smartest people I know and can quote a movie after seeing it only once!!! (It takes me about 20 times and then maybe I can paraphrase)

I love how she gets so into her books and shows that when there is an exciting part she HAS to share it with you even if you have never heard of the book and don't know what is going on.

She is so good at serving others. She is the youngest of 5 and puts up with A LOT! She bares it well though and is amazing. I love her to pieces and couldn't imagine life without her. I am always so excited when she decides to put down her book and come play with me!! I love it and it is one of my favorite times ever!!!!




"Our siblings push buttons that cast us in roles we felt sure we had let go of long ago - the baby, the peacekeeper, the caretaker, the avoider.... It doesn't seem to matter how much time has elapsed or how far we've traveled."  ~Jane Mersky Leder



Yep...I love my sisters! I know my life wouldn't be as great without them. Whenever I need anything they are always there for me! Just like the song says "there were never such devoted sisters". I am so lucky to have three best friends so close to me and who are my same size!!!