TBT: That Time Konrad and I Went on a REALLY Fast First Date

Thanksgiving weekend, 1998. 

Konrad and I are both from the Seattle area.  He grew up in Auburn, I grew up in Renton.  However, we met at BYU when we both lived in the Southridge Apartments, just south of Campus (near the Wash Hut and Liberty Square for all you fellow Cougars).

We both went home for Thanksgiving and while we were here Konrad called me up and asked me out.  I had a boyfriend at the time, which Konrad knew, but seeing as though that boyfriend was hundreds of miles away, I decided it was okay.  Especially b/c I didn't like Konrad that way so it would just be like going out with a friend :)  Justification is awesome. 

He picked me up that Friday night, after feeling like he was driving into the boonies, and we headed into Seattle for an Improv show. 

Everything was going just fine.  Just your normal first date drive.  That is until we got near Seattle. 

Those of you who have driven to Seattle on I-90 know about the tunnels.  Most of you also know about the tunnel game.  The one in which you hold your breath while driving through the tunnel, the end goal being to make it through the entire tunnel without breathing. 

Konrad entered a tunnel and started to play the tunnel game. 

Everything, again, was going just fine.  Until he realized the tunnel still had a ways to go and he needed to take a breath.  So he sped up.  Pretty soon we are FLYING through that tunnel.  If I remember correctly, we are talking about 90 mph.  (So.  Not.  Safe.  Don't do this at home!!!)

As we exited the tunnel we notice flashing lights coming up behind us.  Oh crap. 

Konrad gets a ticket.  For reckless driving.  Expensive ticket. 

We continued on our date.  Watched a funny Improv show and then went back to my house and for some reason looked through my moms picture albums. He put his arm around me twice that night, both times I looked at him with a "I have a boyfriend glarelook".  That was then end of our date. 

The next day a big storm hits Seattle.  The airport is canceling flights and I'm worried I'm not going to be able to make my flight back to Salt Lake.  While sitting at Red Robin with my family, I realize that Konrad drove up from Utah, so I could probably drive back with him so that I wouldn't miss any classes on that Monday.  My dad looked at me like I was crazy, b/c he didn't know Konrad, and asked if he, Konrad, was a good driver. 

I almost died laughing.  So did my sister Michelle, whom I had told the story of the tunnel game to the night before. 

"Yes Dad, he is a great driver."  :)

Luckily, for my safety I was able to catch a plane and got home just fine. 

6 months later, Spring of 1999.  By this time Konrad and I are engaged (I guess I kind of did like him :)) and I am back in Renton, working for the summer.  Konrad comes up to visit and to attend his court date to see if he can get the amount of his ticket reduced. 

He picked me up from work and we headed to the courthouse.  He had told me what he was going to do, but I wasn't sure I believed he would really do it.  But he did.  This is how it went:

Judge:  Konrad, why were you going so fast?
Konrad:  Well, your honor, I was playing the tunnel game.
~Courtroom gasps and then laughs~
Judge:  The what?
Konrad:  The tunnel game.  I was holding my breath and was running out of air so I had to drive faster to get out of the tunnel.  I didn't want to lose the game. 
Judge, with a huge smile on his face:  Well this is a first.  Hmmm.  I will reduce your fine but you have to swear to never play the tunnel game again. 
Konrad;  I promise not to play the tunnel game ever again. 
~Courtroom laughs again~

And as far as I know, he has kept that promise.  Just a few weeks ago, we drove through a tunnel and Allison said "Dad, get ready here comes a tunnel" and he said "Sorry Alli, I can't play that game".

I guess he had to learn his lesson the hard way.  A life without the tunnel game.  So sad!

Kimber's 3rd Chior Concert of the Year

She wanted to take some pictures before the show.  Too many shadows, but oh well. 

This is her real choir uniform:

 They also sang and danced to songs from Grease so she borrowed a poodle skirt (thanks Mel!) for that number:

 After taking pictures across the street in our neighbors shaded yard she came and sat down and this happened:

 I asked her why she didn't smile and pose like this for the early pictures (in the neighbors yard) and she did this and said something to the effect of there are boys at the park who could see me when we did the first pictures :)

 At the concert.  This is both the 7th Grade Choir and the Show Choir

 7th Grade Choir getting ready for their Grease number:

 A and Kimber after the performance.  They had a duet together during the song "Break Away".  I'm going to try and post the video of it.  Can't figure out how...but I'll keep trying.  I'll post it on Facebook for sure. 

Listening to these two sing is one of my favorite things.  They sound wonderful together.  Wish they did it more often!

Cute Girls

We had a gorgeous day on Monday and while we were all sitting outside I decided to grab the camera and take some pictures of the girls:

 Blowing kisses:

 

TBT: The Time When Konrad Wanted a New Car

Summer of 2001.

We lived in Provo, Utah.  My family was in town and we headed to Grandma and Grandpa Riding's house in Stockton, Utah.  Konrad was working or in class and so I drove over with my parents and Konrad would come later and meet us.  The guys were going to go golfing.  Konrad was going to be using his brand new golf clubs my parents had given him for a graduation present. 

One way to get to Stockton from Provo is to go the back way.  You go through Lehi, Eagle Mountain, etc.  While driving you see nothing but desert, tumble weeds, and a few small towns (all though I know that Eagle Mountain has now grown quite a bit).  People go out there to ride dirt bikes and 4-wheelers.  Lots and lots of land, not much else. 

It got to be around the time Konrad was supposed to be there, but he hadn't arrived yet.  I tried calling his cell phone (one of the first he ever had), but he wasn't answering. 

A little while later we hear fire trucks speeding down the road, heading toward the way he should be coming from. 

My dad says his first instinct was to follow them. 

I didn't think anything of it. 

Not until the phone rang.  My Grandma's phone, I didn't have a cell phone.

"Hi, this is so and so with so and so sheriff's office.  There was a car fire.  We have your husband and he needs to be picked up".  I'm sure they said more, but I wasn't paying attention.  Just freaking out.

I hung up the phone and ran out of the house screaming for my dad.  We jumped in the car and drove toward Provo.  Eventually we see the fire trucks.  The lights.  Police cars.  Etc.  I think my dad pulled onto a little side road that ran along side the main road.  We jumped out of the car and a police woman stopped me.  Asked who I was and stuff. 

My dad, nervous that they were keeping me back b/c Konrad was hurt, rushed past us all to see what was going on before I saw what was going on.  I'm sure he was thinking he better see it first so that he could prepare me to see it. 

I remember not really thinking Konrad was hurt b/c they told me I needed to come and pick him up.  He wouldn't need a ride from me if he was hurt, right???

Eventually she let me by and I saw him. 

Standing on the side of the road holding his golf clubs.

 I glance to the left...his car is unrecognizable.  What used to be a red Acura Integra was now just a frame.  White, gray, and charred black.  There were no tires.  They melted.  There weren't any seats. The melted.  Only metal.  The road was damaged b/c of the high heat.  The dry brush all around black, but luckily no longer burning. 

This is what happened:
His car, being the old car that it was, decided it was done.  He could tell it was going to break down so he pulled over to the side of the road.  Figuring he'd just call us and have us come get him or something.  I don't think he had even turned the car off and all the sudden he sees flames.  The bottom of the car was so hot it caught the long dry weeds on fire.  The fire spread quickly. 

He jumped out of the car.  Not even having time to grab the keys (which is why I'm thinking he hadn't turned the car off yet)(we had to pay big bucks to get a replacement key to our apartment.  You'd think they'd be a little lenient on you when your car burns down! :)).  Once out of the car, realizes his golf clubs are in the back of the car.  He runs around the car, opens the passenger side door, and uses the button in the glove box to pop the trunk.  Runs to the back, grabs his clubs, darts across the street and watches his car burn. 

I believe it was a lady in a truck who was first to the scene.  Imagine driving down the road.  You see flames.  Then you see a guy standing there with golf clubs.  Had to be crazy, right?

They were in a dead-zone and cell phones wouldn't work.   So he jumped in her truck and they drove until they had service and could call 911.  By this time, the police has already been contacted by a trucker and help was on the way.  So the lady took Konrad back to the car and he waited it out. 

The policeman or fireman were so grateful that he had pulled to the right side of the road.  There happened to be a tiny dirt road about 20 feet (I'm guessing, I have no idea!) away from the main highway, as well as two little "driveways" that lead to the tiny dirt road.  Creating a rectangular dirt barrier that contained the fire.  Had he been driving the other direction and pulled over, the fire would have went forever.  A huge brush fire would have started and they would have had a really hard time stopping it. 

We don't have any pictures of the car.  We do have a video b/c my dad happened to have a video camera in the car, not of the actual burning, just of the left-over car.  If I had a VCR to play it on, I could watch it, pause it on a good scene, and take a picture with my phone.  No such luck.  You'll just have to imagine it. 

I am so grateful that Kimber and I had went up early with my family.  Kimber would have been in the back of that car.  It was a 2 door car.  So hard to get an infant car seat out of there.  He would have had to choose her or the golf clubs...but even by choosing her (which I'm sure he would have) it would have been tricky.  His eyebrows, eyelashes, and arm hair were all singed.  That's how quickly it burned. 

Lessons learned:
1.  Don't pull over onto dry grass with a hot car
2.  If you do have to pull over, make sure there are little dirt roads surrounding you
3.  When you really want a new car ignore all the above rules.  It works.  Ask Konrad.  

Lake Chelan

Konrad got a good deal on a house Lake Chelan, so we invited some friends and off we went. 
(beware...lots of picture and they were all taken by my phone, so they aren't all that great.  So sad we forgot the real camera!!!)

Luckily for us we had to drive through Wenatchee, which of course means Café Rio!!!

Then we drove for another hour to the amazing house we got to call home for a few days. 
The view from the back of the house, standing on the dock:

 The kitchen was pretty amazing.  2 refrigerators (all though both were really stinky), double oven, 2 dish washers, seating for 18, great stove top, etc. 

 1 sitting area:

 the 2nd sitting area, both in the same Great Room.  The dining room table divided them.  TV's in both rooms. Different layout, but it worked. 

 another kitchen shot.  The second fridge is back on that wall as well as the microwave.  Also, the laundry room was around the corner...2 washer and dryers.

Fun Inside:

 All ready for dinner:

 A room big enough for jump roping:

 Games:

 Talking and Basketball watching:

Outside Fun:
The kids (mostly Sam, Atalie, Colin, Gavin, and Haden) spent a ton of time "digging" a hole (by removing rock after rock after rock).  They enlisted the help of a few dads a couple times to move the big ones.  Allison, Abella, and Hannah spent their time building a kitchen.  I don't think I got a picture of that.  I think Tami did though. 

 The ducks were pretty brave, it was funny to watch them fly/hop up the steps:

 Enjoying the warm sun.  We train them young :)

 The "little" girls up on the Crabtree balcony:

 Cute Cam:

 Sunset on a lake.  Not much better than that!

 Konrad bet Tami $25 that she couldn't/wouldn't swim out to that slide.  He then made Abbie the same deal.  If they didn't make it, they had to pay him $5, if they made it, he would give them $25.  Tami, someone who won't ever let Konrad win if she can help it, did it.  It was so cold though, she could barely breathe when she got back, not from exhaustion, but from being so cold.  All the adults ended up veto-ing Abbie making an attempt, too cold and too dangerous. 

 Probably throwing rocks:

 Me in my happy place.  Sitting in the warm sun! (horrible picture, I know :))

 Camryn's favorite spot.  The rails were just the right size for her little hands.

Wish I could still wake up to this every morning.  Maybe someday....



Thanks for the fun weekend guys!  Can't wait to do it again.  Hopefully next time Darin and Hallie (Hallie had soccer) and Kimber and Alisa (at a YW retreat) can join us!