JOYFUL MOMENTS

I just needed to make a list today of all the joy I have watched or had happen in the last couple of days

1) Watching as Colton & Kaeli held hands and sang silly songs together (JELLO and Veggie Tales) as they walked back to the car from Kaeli's performance today

2) Watching as Preston straddled the wagon stuffed with kiddos and stuff and roll it DOWN the hill on the sidewalk during our walk back today

3) Listening as Preston and the big girls bantered back and forth with each other

4) Watching Ky put away 3 HUGE pancakes, mac & cheese, bacon, 6oz milkshake, milk for dinner and then say "Mom, I need something to eat" when we got home and watch him eat a whole banana and some water - sheesh! He will be good to go for a few days after this...

5) Receiving an "I love you" card from Kaeli just because

6) Having Kaeli get pineapple opened for me after I woke horribly sick this morning and after peppermint "tea" and Pepcid AC still werent working....uuuggghhh - remind me it is NOT a good idea to give in to emotional eating...no matter what

7) Having torrential rain up until 1/2 hour before the parade today, having gorgeous weather for the parade and to walk in, having torrential rain start again 5 min after we arrived at performance building, and continue until about 5 min before we needed to leave again....sheesh

8) Watching Preston and the girls in the Keizer Iris Festival Parade today and getting great picts

9) Watching and listening to little people scream and point as they watched horses, cars, etc in the parade

10) Feeling a very warm fuzzy "aaawww" moment when we were getting our check tonight at dinner to find out that someone had left money anonymously for our family because Preston was there in his uniform and they wanted to say "thank you" to him for serving....

11) Listening and watching Kels sing and dance "ring around the rosies" by herself in the kitchen

12) Listening and laughing as Kels sang her ABC's and "F is for FakeBelieve" with the boys in the car while watching one of our fave movies (THANX Uncle T!)

13) Being totally blown away as Kels said her ABC's with the boys while watching same movie

14) Seeing sunbeams streaming through dark storm clouds on the drive home

15) Helping Kaeli get on her CATS costume for her performance today - she was AWESOME!

16) Watching Ceana's reaction to a new food - I asked her to try calamari without telling her what it was first. She did fine and mentioned that it tasted kind of like fish and when preston responded "it should taste like squid" she threw her hands over her mouth and literally bolted to the bathroom.....I havent laughed that hard in a long time....after that I got lots of "how could you do that to me" glares from her....it was pretty funny

17) Listening to Ceana play in her Spring band concert (she ROCKED!) and then enjoying taking picts of her and Ana and capturing their closeness and laughter after the concert. Thanx girls for letting me share that time - picts are AWESOME!

18) Watching Kels eating a mozzarella stick for the first time and laughing as she tried to bite it and the cheese stretched from her mouth across the table as she pulled her hand away

19) Feeling like I accomplished something good by working off stress and steam at the pool

20) Knowing that everyone enjoyed their dinner out tonight as most of the kids sat with that "I cant believe I ate the whole thing" look on their faces

21) Eating a free hot dog lunch while sitting on the ground and tailgate of the Beast (I was very good and didnt eat one)

22) I know there are others - my brain is just on the fritz after a 12 hr non-stop fun day...will add more soon

Triathlon FB Conversations

Triathlon FB Conversations....this stuff has just made me laugh out loud...so I thought I would keep a running journal of some interactions with the other sisters...(Apr/May 2010)

*"Over hill, over dale....poor Dale" - I just love that line from one of our Peanuts movies...poor little Re-run is destined to sit on the back of his mom's bike while she crashes and swerves and, you get the idea....that was totally me last night...BUT - Elizabeth and I DID IT!!! Woot for us! It was a slow start, but we rocked (and wobbled, and swerved, and ran stop signs...) hahaha. Actually, for a first run in the wind and rain, we didnt do bad at all. We got our 45 minutes in and we finished the job! I am feeling it now though...oh my, I didnt realize I had muscles in all those different places...LOL. We are off to a great start - thanx again Elizabeth for being my training buddy - you are the BEST!

*Must....learn....to....ride....aaaahhhh! Watch out for that tree, the gutter, that car, the curb, the garbage can....aaaaahhhh! The wheel is connected to the gear, sprocket, whats-it, huh? Pedal, steer, pay attention, oh, and ya, it might be a good idea to learn to STOP - I think my brain is going to explode.....and my backside is going to be VERY sore...

*I got some unexpected training in today - I chased a cow...literally....remind me to share the story next time we chat....(running commentary below)
Commentary 1 - hmmmm Ox in the mire sort of...or Cow on the loose....same thing......You will have to fill us in....
Commentary 2 - HOLY COW.....HAHAHAHAHAH
Commentary 3 - ...that was utterly funny on your part....
Commentary 4 (after I explained my cow story) - That is one of the best stories I have read on FB...my favorite part was visualizing you chasing a cow around (I bet you did not have a smiley face on) with a 2x4 and then a rubber hose.....Rory....how is it that we have been in the same ward all these years and I did not realize you were such a cow hater!!!!! Rory, you are the best! Good luck with your bike ride tomorrow....
Commentary 5 - The bike thing could be very scary....Preston spent a good 1/2 hr with me tonight trying to teach me to ride...it was NOT a pretty sight. I will be lucky to stay alive long enough to compete in Sept...uuuhhhhgggg!
Commentary 6 - We left the bike in 1st gear, so at least your demise won't be due to speeding. Commentary 7 - I'm not a cow hater - I LOVE cows.....well done, with a yummy marinade sauce....heaped with lettuce and tomato and a side of fries....with special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun....oh, wait, I am allergic to cheese and bread now...rats...how about falling to pieces and drowned in BBQ sauce with biscuits or corn bread? Oh yeah!

*You know how we all keep hearing about Big Foot.... but nobody REALLY believes he is real????? I'm starting to wonder if....(inserrt sister's name here) is his sister!!! I've heard all about her, there have even been sightings, but alas I have yet to capture her in my sights!(running commentary below)
Commentary 1 - BTW, the swim this a.m. was great! It was awsome to meet Rory (clearly not a big foot realtive) and practice the whole face-in-the-water thing!
Commentary 2 - ...hmmm isn't Big Foot kind of stinky too....hmmmmmm I must dispel these thoughts you have of me that I big, hairy, stinky, and running/walking/biking/swimming naked through the Northwest woods...
Commentary 3 - you must be a VERY distant cousin... that is, if you really exsist!!! LOL! Oh, and I know you're not run'n in you're b-day suit.... we already established you wear your fancy pants swirt!!!
Commentary 4 - I got to meet (sister #1) tonight!!! I am in love!!!!!! You are such a cute heart....And I love your enthusiasm and you have not even done a triathlon yet....I am excited you are doing the shirts. I will take an X-small cause no doubt that's what I will be wearing come. Sept. It was such an awsome meeting
Commentary 5 - (sister #2) is REAL!!! I just knew I was gonna luv her....I was right! And YES, I would love, love, love to go on "tour" with ya! We could go to each of the wards an tell 'em that if a 55 yr old lady and a over-weight chica-a-dee with heart problems can do this thing.... so can they!!! ...and I saw her face.....now I'm a believer...
Commentary 6 - Uh....a 55 year old who is also a chubblious babe(your forgot that part)....with white hair...Hey and my daughter lives in Pasadena...I am...The little old lady from Pasadena...sort of... Ok so what should we call our group while we are on tour the Tri-ettes... Tri-hohos Tri-Ho Tri-Ho, it's off to work we go..... Tri-fecta Tri-angle Tri-round Tri-saying that to my face sweetie...I'll send Rory after ya with a 2x4...Ok (sister #1) now you give it a tri.... : )

Maybe I DON'T Want To Be A Country Girl....

I was all excited to do a post about all the fun animals we have been asked to help care for in the last couple of months (WAY cute picts to come soon)...thinking it really would be wonderful to live in the country and have all of those animals ourselves....I was thinking that until this afternoon....

Two of our home teaching families own livestock. Occasionally we are asked to help care for animals if our friends need to be out of town. This weekend we were asked to help care for cattle and chickens. Everything has been fine, until this evening when I went up to care for all the animals.

I had checked on the chickens, and the cats (way cute picts coming of the barn kittens) and then went to get the hay for the cattle. As I was getting the hay into the feedbox I looked over and there was a COW standing in the back yard - OUTSIDE of the pasture. I just stood there and said to myself "you have got to be kidding me, how in the world did she get out?"

It was a cow on the loose....the closer I got to try to direct it towards the pasture gate...the faster she bolted in the WRONG direction. I chased the dumb thing around the house twice (with a 2x4 in my hand) and it bolted towards the road instead towards the open gates. I finally, verbally, begged to Heavenly Father to help (I was alone, with no cell signal) to tell the dumb cow where she needed to go. I chased her to the road again and flung the front pasture gate wide open and shooed her around the yard (with a piece of rubber hose in my hand this time) and she finally headed, calmly, towards the open gate and then through it and into the pasture.

I got the gate closed and locked and then spent another chunk of time walking the perimeter fences (while trying to avoid fresh cow you-know-what) to see where she had even gotten out. Oh, forgot to add that while I was doing the perimeter check I was again verbally thanking Heavenly Father for answering my prayers immediately (we had a going theme today in sacrament meeting about prayer)...How do you think this story would go over in sacrament meeting? Will have to remember to share it next fast sunday? hahaha

When I felt safe that everything was secure, I started counting heads so I could confirm #'s when I called and talked to Bro Meade...I just knew when I called that he would tell me that there was supposed to be one less and that I had herded someone else's cow into the wrong pasture....actually it WAS one of his cows and I still really have no clue where she got out, she possibly squeezed between some wide barbed wire, sounds like she has pulled this stunt before....
I was exhausted and covered in hay and yuck by the time I was done....and I confirmed with Bro Meade that I am NOT a country girl....thankfully he laughed with me....dumb cow....

A tale of two cities

Friday the final two demobilization ceremonies were held for troops from the 41st BCT. Each ceremony honored approximately 80 Soldiers, and each followed the same basic script. That was where the similarities ended.

The morning ceremony was held in an armory in Tigard, a suburb of Portland Metro. They may have been there, but I don't remember seeing any Welcome Home signs or balloons or other outward displays of appreciation. There were no event signs on the streets or long lines of "Patriot Rider" motorcyclists with US flags. When the announcement was made that the buses had arrived at the armory (somewhat late), I didn't see a SINGLE person get up out of their seats to go outside to watch and welcome and cheer. The 300-or-so participants were certainly happy to have their family members home, and we were happy to be part of the ceremony. Reactions to the speeches were polite, restrained. It was very good to see SFC McIntosh and his family, neighbors and friends we got to know before our ward split. The loudest applause came when the Democratic governor was introduced to give his speech. A search of the Oregon Public Broadcasting news website shows 6 separate stories detailing the latest lottery numbers, but nothing regarding the final demobilization of Oregon troops. In fact, the only story in the Oregon section over the weekend that appears to mention the military was an announcement that the Air Force will allow a large-scale wind farm to be built in Oregon.

Fast-forward to the afternoon ceremony in rural southern Oregon city of Roseburg. We were limited to only 6 band members because there were not any more seats available on the Army air transportation. We flew with the a 1-star general and several other high-ranking officers. The plane briefly landed in Salem to take on additional officers headed to the demob. While being transported to the high school we saw rows of yellow balloons and flags decorating even the back entrance where nobody would have seen them but the high school students. A huge flag was hung between the extended ladders of local fire district trucks. Our small band group was moved several times while trying to find any available space on the arena floor that would meet with the Fire Marshall's approval and meet emergency egress requirements of the expected crowd.

The arena was nearly filled to capacity as the 75 Soldiers paraded into and around the floor, and our attempts to play marches were drowned out by the continuous cheers of the crowd. There were so many "Patriot Riders" with their flags in the arena that they filled the end of the gymnasium and took up standing positions in the bleachers. THIS time, the longest and loudest applause came at the beginning of the ceremony when the announcer read the line we had heard at each ceremony: "Thank you for supporting your local heroes." The standing ovation would have continued if the announcer hadn't interrupted to ask everyone to please take their seats.



The only parts of the ceremony that I would term "subdued" were the moment of silence for the two fallen Soldiers, and the introduction of the Governor. (OK maybe "subdued" doesn't accurately describe the applause he received, except when compared to what he heard from the Portland-area group that morning.) The official party was comprised of more dignitaries than at any other ... thankfully they didn't all give a speech. When being driven back to the airport, the local radio station was playing contemporary patriotic country music like "I'm Proud to be an American" and "American Soldier."

I'm glad that there are still places in our state that continue to support the military and their local Soldiers the way we saw in Bend, Roseburg and Medford.

Welcome Home, 41st BCT.