A Law & Order Moment

So as everyone knows, I got a speeding ticket in October. The nice officer says he caught me doing 16 mph over the limit. I was guilty. For speeding, not the 16 over. The lovely letter came at the end of November saying that I owed $315 to the East County by December 19th and on top of that I could pay for traffic school! (if I was eligible - which I was, since I haven't had a speeding ticket since 1989!)

Today I went to pay the fine and turn in my traffic school diploma. At the payment desk I mentioned to the kid (really, he looked younger than my 15 year old) that I was not in fact doing the full 16 mph over the limit for which the officer wrote the ticket. He let me know that 16 is the magic number which raises the charge for the ticket and asked if I wanted to talk to the judge (for crying out loud - DID I?!?!?) Off I went to the courtroom reserved for flagrant traffic violators, like me. (I should probably mention here that I sat outside the courtroom for 5 minutes before realizing that I was supposed to wait inside. It was a little embarrassing, but nobody knew - until now.) Luckily, they hadn't yet called my name. So I sat watching as folks plead guilty and not guilty for different offenses such as speeding, driving at night with no lights (that one was kind of interesting) no proof of insurance, driving on a suspended license....

Can I just insert here that my whole life I have LOVED the energy in a courtroom even this traffic court! My turn came, and I stood up and plead guilty but noted that I was not going 16 mph over the limit. The judge asked how fast I thought I was going and so I told him between 5 and 12 over. (truth be told, I don't think I was going more than 10 over, but I wasn't sure he'd buy it). He offered me traffic school (oops - already did it!) no problem just give the original certificate to the court clerk (maybe I should have made a copy - too late!) "Ms. Batson, since you have a clean record I will reduce the fine to $235. You have a nice day."

Okay, I know $235 is crazy!! My friend who got a ticket for going 16 over in San Diego only paid $189 and she didn't dispute anything! But it was reduced by $80 which was worth the hour that it took to take care of it and I got to spend a few minutes in a (traffic) courtroom, and talk to the judge.

I was tempted to go upstairs to the civil courtroom of my former professor, but 1. I wasn't sure he would remember me and 2. If he did, he wouldn't be able to chat with me, go figure.

Here is where I ended up (in my head) after my field trip:

I so wish that I could just take the freakin' LSAT on an A.S. degree and get into law school! One of the local schools used to allow that! and:

If I went to work at the courthouse just to be around the "environment" I would end up with a job in the back room, processing people's payment of fines. Not exactly the place I'd want to be.

******I DO owe a big, fat thanks to Justyn and her sister Erin (the best hair do-er in the world!) for prompting me to take the route of trying to get this lowered - IT WORKED!***************

Christmas Traditions Tag

1. Egg nog or Hot chocolate?
Never Nog! Hot chocolate all the way!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Just sits them under the tree. Now that my kids are ‘older’ he wraps many of them days in advance and puts them under the tree!

3. Colored lights on a tree/house or white.
I love White lights to help all the beautiful colored ornaments stand out! (I agree with Heidi – white lights on the tree. We put colored lights on the house)

4. Do I hang mistletoe?
No, but I kind of wish I did!

5. When do I put up my decorations?
We get our tree the Monday after Thanksgiving and decorate for FHE!

6. What is my favorite holiday dish?
All of the comfort foods I grew up with that I don’t get to have anymore – sausage balls for breakfast, broccoli casserole, cornbread stuffing.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child?
Being at my grandmother’s house one Christmas Eve with my Jorstad cousins and my older cousin Debbie kept looking out the window and was sure that she saw Rudolph’s red nose. Of course then we all saw it!

8. When and how did I learn the truth about Santa?
Same as my favorite holiday memory – Debbie’s little sister Julie told me there was no Santa because she had a price tag on her coloring book!

9. Do we open a Christmas gift on Christmas Eve?
I grew up with that tradition, and Doug kicked against it for years! Now, we open pajamas on Christmas eve.

10. How do I decorate our tree?
White lights – mostly red balls (sometimes red bows) a few ornaments for the years we have been married lots are those cutesy family ornaments with our names. And lots of stuff the kids made when they were younger.

11. Can I ice skate?
No, too chicken to try!

12. Can I remember my favorite gift?
Mrs. Beasley, I think I was like 2 when I got this (it was from a really popular tv show at the time and now I feel older than dirt!)

13. What is the most important thing about the holidays for me?
Family time and also service to others.

14. What is my favorite holiday dessert?
Banana split pie (holy cow!)

15. What is my favorite holiday tradition?
Baking with my family

16. What tops my tree?
Angel

17. What do I prefer - Giving or receiving?
Giving!

18. What is my favorite Christmas song?
Carol of the Bells & Angels We have heard on High



19. Candy Canes?
Yes, especially at church.



I tag... Jennifer, Candace, Danielle, Chelsea, (Heidi already got most of my friends!) Go get it Girls!

Speeding along

Well, back in October I got a speeding ticket. I wasn't even in a hurry. I was headed home after dropping the kids off at school to meet a repairman, I had plenty of time and just as I realized that I was far ahead of the rest of the traffic and began to apply pressure to the brake pedal, I saw the cop.

I hate it when I do stupid stuff.

Anyhoodle, it was the first time in 19 years that I had been pulled over. The cop was pretty nice, and said that since the holidays were coming up he would put my ticket out a while (yeah, right). It came in the mail at the end of November and is due December 19th that $300 ticket won't interfere with the holidays at all!

So, if anyone else in the Southern California region finds themselves in need of traffic school may I recommend Gototrafficschool.com? I have a referral code that will give you a discount XMB-E7D-M2B It was pretty fast and easy.

Turkey Bowl

Now: As everyone knows this was a pretty wet Thanksgiving. It was also kind of bittersweet.

When Kyle was young, probably 4 he wanted to have a Turkey bowl. So, we got together with our neighbors and as many other friends we could gather and had a huge time! Every Thanksgiving we had families with kids from 4 - adults and we played football and soccer most years we had families from out of town join us, sometimes people we knew would drive by and see us on the field and stop to participate. Boys and girls would play, I actually played a couple of times! Then 2 years ago it was our last Turkey bowl - our friends moved to Poway, and a tradition came to an end. Last year our family went on a cruise, so I didn't miss it as much as I thought I would and this year I missed it more than I thought I could.


Then:

Heidi's Shower!

so, i know as a photographer these pics are not (quality wise) ones to put in a portfolio but, we had a fun night!

hahahahahaha give it a minute to load!