Getting There is Half the Fun

2009-05-05T18:32:00.000-07:00

2009-05-05T18:30:00.000-07:00

2009-05-05T18:28:00.000-07:00

2009-05-05T17:42:00.000-07:00

Hey it's Brad updating my mom's blog. It's been a while since we've updated the blog so I have a lot to say. In February we went to Florida with Eddie and his family, Shelley and her girls, and Fudge, Grandma, and Gavin. We went to see great-grandpa Lindbloom because Tanner, Anna and I have not met him before. While we were in Florida we got to play at the beach, go parasailing, see grandpa Lindbloom, and a lot more. We convinced my mom and Shelley to go parasailing even though they were scared out of their wits. Seeing grandpa Lindbloom was great. We got a lot of awesome pics and a great family one. Playing at the beach was really fun. The water was warm and the waves were big. The only problem was that I was sick the first couple of days. After a little rest and puking I was feeling a lot better and I got to enjoy the rest of the trip. We got to visit Kennedy Space Center and tour around. We saw lots of alligators and tropical birds. We even got to go on a flight simulator ride. It was very realistic!
In March, we had spring break and my mom took us kids and three friends to Sunriver. We got to go ice-skating, get milkshakes, ride bikes, and play black jack and Texas Hold’Em. It was really fun. We played Texas Hold’Em with candy as chips. The last night Tanner got hit in the eye so he went to bed early. We headed home wanting more but, we had to get back to school. The third quarter ended and all of us kids had exceptional grades. We are now half way through the fourth quarter and summer is on the way. I am going to be in the musical “The Wizard of Oz” for my Ensemble at my school. I am going to be the Tin Man. In my journalism class my teacher is having us make our own newspapers all by ourselves. They have to be at least four pages long. I am really excited. Anna is half way through her soccer season and her team is still undefeated as my mom as the assistant coach. Dad works hard at work and at home. He is always helping us and our family out. Mom always works hard at home cleaning house and taking care of us kids. Tanner is busy working on his school work getting awesome grades. Our family is very blessed to have the life that we have. Oops! Time for dinner. I’ll talk to you all soon!

Busy, Busy

2009-02-03T11:44:00.000-08:00

Brad made it back from the inauguration after many a plane delay. He had a great time and met some new friends that he is still in contact with. Check out the link to the right for his pictures. It’s great that he can take so many pictures, but keep in mind that he is a 13 year old boy, so they may not be the best pictures to capture the moment. Anna has had a couple of basketball games on Saturdays. Her games are actually really good. I think she understands the whole offense/defense thing, rebounding, and making good plays because she has watched the boys play for so long. She has rarely missed one of their games. She usually just brings a bag with Polly Pockets or something to color and spends hours watching basketball. It’s paying off now for her. She is really good. I like it when she gets to do something well and is recognized for it because she is so good at tagging along with the boys to their various activities. this picture is of her friend, Corinne, and Anna after a game. I can't seem to get a good picture of her playing. My camera is picking up the warm colors making everything orange and fuzzy. I'll look at the settings and try to get something to post later. We are almost half way through an every Saturday ski season. The kids are really progressing. The boys can not only ski every run, but are now working on skiing every run backwards. I saw them in practice last weekend skiing backwards down Comer. It was pretty funny. Tanner ended up needing new twin-tip skis this year. He chose red (his favorite color since birthJ) and can really cruise on them. We are getting a little exhausted with the busy schedule. Luckily the school ski program ended last week so we are now only at the mountain once or twice each week. Good thing we like it! We are headed to Florida next week to see my grandparents. I have wanted Chris and the kids to meet them for so long and we just had to make the commitment to go visit them. It is so wrong that they have never met. My grandpa has such a wonderful life story and I want Chris and the kids to meet him before it’s too late. We can go to Hawaii anytime, but grandparents won’t be there forever. We plan on seeing the shuttle lift off on the 12th. If all goes as planned, we hope to be visiting Kennedy Space Center the day of lift-off. The weather is really iffy in February in Florida, so we’ll see how it goes. I just need some sun!

Brad in DC 5

2009-01-22T10:46:00.000-08:00

Brad had a full and eventful last day in DC. They ended being able to go to the National Museum of American History. He got to see all kids of artifacts that have contributed to the history of the United States like the first American flag, the original Kermit the Frog and Oscar the Grouch, the Ruby Slippers, and an entire exhibit about Abraham Lincoln. He learned so much about President Lincoln, his wife, and life. They also made it to Ford’s Theater to learn even more. He gained a new perspective and more respect for our 16th president. They then went to the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. The National Portrait Gallery has a portrait of each US President and a portrait of them with their dog. He really liked seeing the portraits and likes Ronald Regan’s dog the best. J They then got to vote on which dog the Obama’s should get, so of course, he voted for the dog from a shelter. They ate breakfast and lunch at the Ronald Regan Building again. He says he is about done with food courts. Dinner was going to be at his hotel so they could get their things together for the trip home. He is really excited to get back. As of last night, he had taken about 300 pictures. That’s my boy! He doesn’t want to get any emails of addresses of his roommates because he thinks they are juvenile. It bothered him when they would just go on and on about “lame stuff,” and try to pull pranks on the other delegates. He said it was funny at first, but got old. They are in 6th grade and the age difference was just enough to keep Brad happy for the week, but no longer. He met some other great people to correspond with and made some great memories while he was there. He wants to go back with family and show us around. Maybe next year...

Brad in DC 4

2009-01-21T11:22:00.001-08:00

Brad called just after lunch this morning just to check in. They had just come out of a performance of “Sheer Madness” at the Kennedy Center. The play is an interactive murder-mystery. He thought it was really good. They had breakfast a t 6:45 this morning before heading out. They went to the News Museum first thing. After that, they went to the Kennedy Center. They ate lunch there and were going to the Spy Museum next. He is really looking forward to seeing all the Spy Museum has to offer. He’s planning on getting Anna and Tanner some cool gifts there. I can see exactly what he’s thinking: spy glasses and a watch that shoots darts. They were planning on a trip to the White House after that. Dinner tonight is at their hotel and then they are going to get their bags together for the trip home tomorrow. He said it’s colder today than it was yesterday because of the wind. He said he would check in after they got home tonight. It sounds like another busy and fun day for him.

Brad in DC 3

2009-01-20T21:21:00.000-08:00

We have been waiting and waiting all day when Brad finally called tonight. We were at the South game so I took his call in the lobby. It was still loud, but I think I got the most of what he said. His roommates and he were supposed to be on the bus by 5:30 this morning and they woke up at 5:14. None of them heard the wake-up call so they had to scramble to get ready. They made it on time though. Brad almost forgot his phone and camera but his leader let him go back up to his room and get them. He then realized he forgot his lanyard which has all of his own personal information and his PTP info. He was too embarrassed to ask to go up to his room a second time so he went without it. He skipped breakfast because they were serving blueberry yogurt and little pastries that he didn’t care for. He thought they would have a chance to get something to eat a little later in the morning. The bus took them within a mile of the National Mall where they had to get out and walk the rest of the way. His group of 12 ended up about half-way between the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building, near 7th Street. They had a great view of all the festivities. He took pictures of all the celebrities he saw: Steve Carell, Jamie Foxx, Aretha Franklin, Josh Groban, Shakira, to name a few, plus all of the political celebrities. He thought George H.W. Bush and Mrs. Bush were very attractive in their matching outfits. To entertain guests before the inauguration began, some singers gave concerts at the Lincoln Memorial and the National Monument. He saw and heard Josh Groban and Aretha Franklin sing a duet. When the inauguration was over, he got separated from his group. They had a plan in place in case anyone got lost so he didn’t panic. He said there were about 100 people in a 10’x5’ space with him, going in the opposite direction that he wanted to go. There was no way he could keep with his group. It took about 2 hours for the group of 12 kids and their leader to find each other and re-group. They didn’t stick around to watch the parade knowing it would take a while to get back to the hotel. They needed to be to their ball on time. The got back to the hotel at around 4:30 where he finally got to eat lunch. He was famished. The ball was from 6:30 – 10:00 at their hotel. He ended up asking, Hailey, a girl from Texas, to the ball. I asked if she was a Bush fan but he didn’t ask her. He didn’t want to make it awkward if she wasn’t. But he did win the contest for the cutest girl. He said the ball was so fun and they danced the whole night. There was a live band that was really good but he couldn’t remember their name. He really liked the ball and getting dressed up. He called me on his way to bed knowing I had called him a few times wondering what was going on. We just wanted to hear from him and know everything was ok. We knew he was fine, but it’s always good to hear it first-hand. They are going out again first thing in the morning to visit the Spy Museum, which he is really excited to see, the White House grounds, the National Air and Space Museum, and ending the day with a play at the Kennedy Center – another full day. He should be thoroughly exhausted when he comes home on Thursday. It was so good to hear from him. He sounded really light. He was in good spirits and obviously had a great day.

Brad in DC 2

2009-01-19T20:13:00.000-08:00

Brad called again tonight, tired and anxious for tomorrow. He had a very full and exciting day. They started off by going to Arlington National Cemetery. He was there when they had the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. He wanted to know if we had ever heard of it! We laughed out loud at that. That was funny to me because I remember having a conversation with him about it when Stephanie and Jeremy went there last year. I guess he didn’t pay much attention back then. He thought it was really cool how the attending soldier walks 21 steps in each direction back and forth until their hour-long guard is over and the next solider begins. He kind of ‘got’ the revered responsibility of the guards and really respected their job. He saw Robert F. Kennedy and JFK’s graves and eternal flame. Buried next to JFK is, of course his wife, but I didn’t know they had 2 children that died in infancy that are buried there as well. JFK and President Taft are the only 2 presidents buried there. All others, except Woodrow Wilson are buried in their own home states. They went to the Ronald Regan Building and International Trade Center for lunch. After lunch, they went to Mt. Vernon. He loved seeing George Washington’s home. There were about 25,000 people there when he was there today. His leaders aren’t really worried about their security, only about the crowds. They went to Mt. Vernon as a test of sorts. Everything went well. He saw George Washington’s dentures. They aren’t actually made of wood, but human and animal teeth. The group spent most of their time in the museum because of the crowds. They then went to see all of the presidential monuments and war memorials. He got a picture and a pencil rubbing of a Charles Lindbloom. I’m sure we are related somewhere. While at the Lincoln Memorial, which they could only see from a distance because it is closed for the inauguration, they saw Bono from U2 giving a “very loud” concert. He heard that Josh Groban was on stage but didn’t see him. He knew I would like a picture of him, so he really searched, but couldn’t find him. Guess we’ll have to just go to a concert. He saw the CIA Building, the Pentagon, and the White House. He is looking forward to going to the Spy Museum and touring the White House grounds. There aren’t any tours of the inside of the White House this week, so the grounds will suffice. He got into a slight argument with a girl over Sarah Palin. The girl didn’t like Sarah and had a bunch of nasty things to say about her, calling her stupid, irresponsible, etc. He said he had enough of the girl and told her that if Sarah was really that stupid, why could she continue and finish her speech even after a teleprompter had shut down. I had totally forgotten about that. It sounded like his opinions were backed with intelligent answers. I told him not to argue with anyone anymore because emotions are high right now and people like that will go on and on – don’t waste his breath on lame girls that just say what they have just heard their parents say. He agreed with a “humph.” He is excited for the Inaugural Ball tomorrow night. He and his roommates have a bet going to see who can take the cutest girl as their date – he won’t be asking the Palin hater. We went over all of the reminders of being a gentleman. He is taking his phone with him so he can send a picture message to us. He really loves the whole experience and sounds so excited for the next adventure. We miss him of course, but know the things he is learning cannot be taught in school. He is witnessing history first hand. Good for him to embrace it all.

Brad in DC 1

2009-01-18T12:32:00.000-08:00

These pictures are of Brad in his suit that he is wearing to an Inaugural Ball on Tuesday night. I wanted to take his picture to make sure we got to see him dressed up. He wasn’t so up for it. He can tie his own tie and everything. Now if his luggage will just get there. His luggage got sent on a different plane than he was on. That plane got diverted to Las Vegas because of mechanical problems. It is supposed to arrive today. He has called a few times to check in. This morning, they went to listen to a speech given by Mary Eisenhower and another by Ken Walsh, the editor of US News. Brad called when they were on their way to Union Station for lunch. After lunch, they were going to the Vietnam Memorial and Arlington. He said it is very cold with snow on the ground. He took his ski coat so he is keeping warm. One of his roommates is from Florida and the other from Wisconsin. He said they are nice but a like to bend the rules just a little; that’s good for him. He says DC is just like any other big city. They aren’t supposed to be on their cell phones, so he had to go really quick when his leader came walking down the bus aisle. He’ll call again tonight.

A Four Hour Tour

2009-01-18T12:05:00.000-08:00

With some controlled chaos, Brad has finally landed in Washington D.C. A few days before he left, we weren’t quite sure how he would get there. The 6:00 am flights out of Medford had been cancelled for the last few mornings because of weather. I went to the airport in Wednesday to get some ideas on how to deal with that prospect because Brad and Sara (another girl from Medford that was going with him) needed to be there by 5:00 pm on Saturday. The agent at the counter told me that we couldn’t really do anything about it until his flight actually got cancelled. So we decided to deal with it ourselves. Chris and Linda were going to drive Brad and Sara to San Francisco on Friday night and just get them on the connecting flight they were scheduled for anyway. This way we could ensure the arrival time in DC and all would be great. We had gone skiing on Friday night and left the mountain at about 8:00. Sara is a cheerleader for South which had an away game at Grants Pass. This meant that Chris and Linda couldn’t leave for San Francisco until each of them got back from their commitments. They finally hit the road at about 10:30. I stayed back with Tanner and Anna because they each had to be to church by 7:30 am to go on their weekend trips – Tanner skiing at Mt. Bachelor and Anna to a kid’s camp in Glendale. They wanted me to see them off, so I planned on staying back with them. I got all of the last minute things done for them and was in bed when I thought I should call United to let them know that Brad and Sara would not be on the flight out of Medford. I thought I was being courteous. I said that if the plane did leave that they could sell those 2 seats, but Brad and Sara would be on the flight to Washington D.C. Well apparently, if a person does not check in for their flights on the first leg of the trip, they will not let them on for any other part of the trip, including the return. Thus, they could not board in San Francisco. So, here’s Chris and Linda, 2 hours into the drive to San Fran and I get told that the kids will not be allowed on the plane when they get there. The agents I spoke to on the phone have probably never heard such a change and range in emotion so fast in a customer. I thought I was being nice when I first made the call. I went from that, to angry, crying, begging, and speaking softly, to finally letting them know that the poor customer service is the reason why they are going bankrupt and they deserve it. The customer service is located in India and so I told them that “I know you do not understand the weather patterns of Southern Oregon and you probably don’t realize the importance of my son getting to Washington on time,” and on and on. I was not nice at all. Of course I didn’t mean most of it, J but I was so mad at the policy. I was being a problem solver and ensuring they made the connecting flight. I still don’t see why it was a problem. Chris and Linda turned around south of Dunsmuir; a four hour detour for fun. The plane did leave the next morning and they made it to DC on time.

The Tillamook Tribe

2009-01-18T11:39:00.000-08:00

The Social Studies part of 4th grade is learning all about the history of Oregon and the Oregon Trail. After learning about all the mountain ranges, major lakes and rivers, and the regional areas in Oregon – she quizzed us in the hot tub one night to see if we could name all the regions in Oregon and name all the mountain ranges - her class has been studying the Native American tribes from Oregon. For Anna’s final assignment, she chose to study the Tillamook Tribe of Native Americans (she has repeatedly told us they do not like to be called Indians). The final project was to make an environment that her tribe would live in. These pictures show what she took an entire school day to make. They lived by the ocean and their houses faced the water. The Tillamook’s lived in plank houses with dirt floors and a hole in the roof to let out smoke from the indoor fire pit. They hung fish and dried meat from the roof in their houses. They slept on bunk beds and stored fire wood under them. They hunted, fished, ate berries, and wore shells for jewelry. They also traded shells for other goods. There is so much more she learned about them; too much to write. She is very proud of her environment and has it displayed at home at the centerpiece on the dining room table.

End of 2008 - Christmas

2009-01-04T15:40:00.001-08:00

Christmas & New Years

2009-01-04T13:29:00.000-08:00

We had a very fun and busy end-of-2008. We enjoyed a very merry Christmas and an early-to-bed New Year’s. The kids are at an age where Christmas comes with meaning, so we are/were able to talk about what really matters to us as a family and as individuals. We love that they are compassionate, responsible, kind, happy, and funny people. Getting good grades is a plus. One of our goals for 2009 is for each of us to write in a gratitude journal each Sunday. We will have our own notebook and remember five things from the previous week that we are thankful for and then write a short paragraph on each item. We think this will help each of them stay secure in themselves as we really get into the volatile teen-age years. It’s just an idea – we’ll see how it goes. We were very proud of them as they each had a part in the Christmas play at church. Brad played an especially regal King Herod. Tanner was the prophet Isaiah and Anna sang in the choir. They all did great! School is about to start and we will once again be on the roller coaster called life. The boys were very nervous for the first day of practice of MARA, yesterday, but got along beautifully and learned a ton. Their coaches know their Uncle Doug. His reputation on the mountain could be something for the boys to follow – they will have to work very hard. One of the coaches told us that Doug is one of the best freestyle skiers to ski at Ashland. So Brad & Tanner have big shoes to fill – they can do it! Starting this week, Anna skis on Wednesday after school, Brad & Tanner ski on Fridays after school, and then the boys have MARA on Saturdays. The after-school ski program is for the month of January, but MARA goes until the end of March. We should be thoroughly sick if skiing after ski season ends. The kids really love it. We went skiing on New Year’s Day and then again on the 3rd and we basically had to drag the kids off the mountain. We spent a lot of time with the Lindbloom family over the break. Ken & Monica came out from Denver. They stayed with us and we had tons of fun. Chris & Kenny talked National Guard stories and laughed a ton at the pranks they used to pull on the infantry guys. We all just played a ton of cards and even played Xbox Scene It online with the family in Utah. We are starting a Scene It game night on the first and third Sundays so we can all play at the same time. We need to brush up on our movie trivia. We can tell you anything you want to know about Zac & Cody, The Incredibles, or anything off Sports Center – not so much about scary movies or B movies from the 70s. Where are the questions about Caddy Shack or anything Pixar?

Let it Snow!

2008-12-24T10:05:00.000-08:00

-This is a picture of the pool out back during the onset of the snow fall. The kids are crazy for jumping on the trampoline in their PJ’s first thing in the morning. They loved it!- We are enjoying the Arctic Blast of '08, the Arctic Baby Boom of '08 (not around here!), the Winter Storm of '08, or the Winter Storm That Matched the Hype of '08 - take your pick. I can't remember this much snow ever falling in the Rogue Valley. It isn't the amount of snow that is falling, it is the frequency of the snow. It just isn't sticking like we think it should to get more things cancelled. But at least Mt. Ashland opened. The boys are part of the Mt. Ashland Racing Association (MARA) on the Freestyle team. The focus this year is learning how to ski backwards. That's important for taking the big jumps. After all, they can't always be expected to land facing forward. They are expected to enter a couple Freestyle competitions throughout the year, but aren't very excited for that part of the program. They both have the attitude "Why should I have to compete to prove I can ski better than someone? Who cares?" That is soooo Chris! Before the Christmas break from school we had a few days of delayed school and two days of cancelled school. Chris really wanted to call in sick to work but Harry & David is in “season” and it is crazy busy down there (for a guy that NEVER calls in sick to work, sick or not, that would have been huge). He is working long hours and seems a little worn out. In lieu of raises or bonuses this year, Harry & David is giving Fridays off from January through October. We would prefer that anyway – more time off. Maybe we can sneak in more trips to Sunriver this winter and Shasta this summer. We only went to each once last year – let’s hope for more this year. We love the snow and everything else the Christmas season brings. I think Dr. Seuss says it best: “And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” We count our family, friends, relationships, and faith as our Christmas blessings every year, this year included. Thanks for blessing us this year! Have a Merry Christmas. XOXO

Civil War Pictures

2008-12-04T11:04:00.001-08:00

Ed never changes...

Civil War Pictures

2008-12-04T10:55:00.000-08:00

That Football Game

2008-12-04T10:14:00.001-08:00

We don't really talk about it here with the mourning and all. We don't want to upset Brad in his fragile state. The Civil War. It was more like a civil punishment. How did Oregon State lose so badly? They are supposed to be having the season to remember. We will remember this game for a long time. I'm sure the Wards will see to that. We had a small Civil War party. The Wards, Tanner, & Bethany are Oregon fans and the rest of us are Oregon State fans. Tanner is grounded over it. We dressed up in our school colors (as you can tell from the pics, Chris was happily playing along) to watch the game, trash talk, and eventually, cry. When it was all said and done, William and Zac pinned down Curtis and took his Oregon State shirt right off him. Bullies! All of a sudden, we have found ourselves rooting for UCLA. That alone is something that should have never, ever, ever, ever have happened. That just makes it all worse. Now all we can say about it is, "Go UCLA!"

Thanksgiving Day

2008-12-04T09:52:00.000-08:00

Talk about a fun time! Steph's family came down for Thanksgiving, which added to the locals, we had 21 over for Thanksgiving. It was so much fun! Of course, we had way too much food. I think Mom brought 6 pies - who can eat 6 pies? That is in addition to the other delicious desserts that Bethany brought. I did the turkey, my version of sweet potatoes, & spinach salad. I feel like I got the easy part of everything. Shelley, Stephanie, & Bethany brought the rest. The kids requested their favorites so we had a few versions of the traditional foods - potatoes served 4 different ways, etc. Can we say "major leftovers?" The guys cleaned up the kitchen - I call it Choreplay - and it is welcome anytime. The tryptophan kicked in and everyone got quiet for a while. William even caught a nap. This picture of Chris & Jeremy cleaning up the kitchen is one of the few I took actually on Thanksgiving Day. I don't know why I do this. I have a perfectly nice camera, know how to use it, upload, and know I should be taking more pictures. Why don't I just take more??? OK, my goal for 2009 will be to take more pictures.

2008-11-14T16:33:00.001-08:00

It has been forever since I have updated our blog I realize, but life gets busy and things get put on the back burner. Here’s the short and sweet version of what’s been happening since the summer. The kids are all doing really great. In September, Brad started 8th grade, Tanner 7th grade, and Anna 4th grade. This whole 8th grade thing is freaking us out! Not that he’s making poor decisions or something now, but that just means high school is next year. Brad is actually even more responsible, if you can imagine that happening, than he was last year. He has a tough load of core classes and is taking Spanish, Yearbook, Chorus, and Ensemble for his electives. He had to be invited to the yearbook class, so that’s a huge honor for him. Tanner is taking the “technology wheel” in addition to his core classes. He is learning CAD right now and will be building a wooden airplane according to his own design. Totally his thing! He is taking a hard load of core classes as well. He is still called the “Human Calculator” and loves it. Both boys got straight A’s for the first quarter and 3s & 4s in citizenship. Way to go guys!! They each also have teachers that continually email us to let us know what great kids they are to have in class. I guess the bribes (or threats) are working. Brad and Tanner played football for MAC and are now playing basketball. Their games are so fun to watch. Go #77 and #62! Anna is doing awesome in 4th grade. She was in a 4/5 blended class, but her school got a new teacher and she was moved to a straight 4th. She was looking forward to hanging with the big kids all day, but can still see them in math. She, like the boys, is doing great in school – all E’s. She played soccer in the fall where her team hasn’t lost a game in 2 years. Go Strikers! She is really into reading the Sister’s Grimm book series. She has read each one 5 times!

2008-11-14T10:23:00.000-08:00

Where, oh where, has time gone? Is it already close to Thanksgiving? Brad is not eternally in Europe. He had an incredible time and got home with so many stories about his travels. Thank you all so much for your support and kind words of encouragement. I will attempt to post the current and not-so current happenings of our family, pictures included. ***Check out the link to the right for Europe pics.***

Brad in Europe - 8

2008-07-18T12:35:00.000-07:00

I called Brad at his hotel in Greece at 12:15 our time today. They are 10 hours ahead so it's about bed time there. He sounded incredibly better and happy. There was no sadness in his voice at all. He was really having a great time and was just enjoying the last of his trip. What a relief!!! They had just got in from a day sight seeing around Athens and visiting Acropolis. This evening, after dinner, they took traditional Greek dance lessons. He thought the dancing was very fun - this is so Brad. They went to the Olympic sights. At the entrance to the stadium is a warning for cheaters. In ancient Greece, cheaters were hung on poles to die. The poles are still there, which like any boy, he thought was really cool. I asked about the homesickness and he said it passed a few days ago. I was so glad to hear that!! We hadn't heard from him since Rome (his leaders wouldn't let him call, thank goodness) and he has done a lot since then. In Rome, they split into groups of 6, no leader, and had a scavenger hunt around the city. That's right, no leader and 6 kids roaming around in a foreign city. Glad we found out after the fact! His group came in 2nd place. I told him that I guess it would be OK for him to go into Jacksonville with friends now. He agreed. After Rome, they went to Naples, where he loved the pizza. He ordered the margarita like some friends from home told him to. He was surprised when it was just a really delicious cheese pizza. I didn't ask what he was expecting - we can guess. He said the crust is really thin but so tasty. They then took a ferry across to Greece for the remainder of the trip. He took pictures of the railings on the ferry so we wouldn't be scared to take a cruise. Maybe we'll have to come up with another excuse. He got sea-sick on the ferry, which I had to laugh at. Even after all of his time on the houseboat, driving across the lake in choppy water, he still got sea-sick. He was surprised by that too. He said the ocean waves were just so big and he couldn't get his footing to steady himself. It was an overnight ferry and when he woke up in the morning, he felt better. They did a service project with sea turtles. Greece has a turtle sanctuary where turtles are hatched and released and wild turtles are rehabilitated and then released again into the wild. They went to Hard Rock where he ordered a cheeseburger and fries. He said he was craving it and it was the best cheeseburger ever. This is so funny because I cannot even remember the last time he had a cheeseburger or fries - that isn't something he would usually order. I think it must have been the smell or the familiarity of home when he ordered it. He said he is missing popcorn, macaroni and cheese, and teriyaki chicken with rice. He wants to go to Bonsai Teriyaki for dinner the day he gets home. When he woke up this morning, he said he felt really dehydrated. He drank a full water bottle and then a leader gave him a couple of pills. He didn't know what the pills were, but he said they worked and he feels great now. We can just say there are things he is experiencing that, obviously, he wouldn't have the chance to at home. More though, the independence and maturity he has had to show for this experience to work is incredible. I can hear it in his voice. The words he chooses, his attitude, his appreciation for his life in America. He has changed. He even told me to tell Tanner and Anna that he loves and misses them. He usually only tells them that when they have fought and he has to write a paper of great things about them and then read it to them (usually ending up laughing with the others, forgetting about the fight). He can't wait to get home and see everyone. We won't get to speak to him again because they are leaving Athens on Sunday at around noon. With the time difference, his July 20th will actually be 34 hours long. He arrives in Portland on Sunday night at 9:45 or so. They couldn't get a flight that late for such a big group so they are taking a charter bus to Medford where we get to pick him up at 4am in town. Can't wait!

Tanner's Tennis Tournament

2008-07-14T12:06:00.000-07:00

Tanner had a tennis tournament this past weekend. He played outdoor in Ashland (over 100º) on Saturday, his 12th birthday, and indoor in Medford on Sunday. He played both days in a rookies/challengers division. Saturday was a doubles and mixed doubles day while Sunday was all singles. He played so well. He serves really well, rarely faulting. I don't think he double faulted his serves all weekend - not an easy feat for 12 matches. His rallying just went on and on. He told us his strategy was to just rally well and let his opponent make the mistake. It worked great! Sunday was a tougher day because he played some kids that we trying to move up to the next level and had win the bracket in order to move on. So, it was a harder day for competition, but he played even better. He loves to play and it shows!

Brad in Europe - 7

2008-07-14T11:03:00.001-07:00

We had a very busy weekend at Tanner's tennis tournament and didn't get a chance to post an update about Brad. He is loving Italy. He is spending the last day before he leaves to Greece tonight, in Naples. He called Linda from the Holiday Inn in Florence on Thursday and got to speak to her for a few minutes. He said he loved Pisa and got the picture of him holding up the tower. He also said that he lost 40 Euros and was a little sad. She told him not to worry about it. I think he was doing the math and realizes that it was about $65 he lost and about how long it took him to earn that money. Oh well. It could have been his debit card that was lost and then he would really be in a pickle. She reminded him that it happens sometimes and hopefully whoever found it really needed it. That seemed to make it a little better for him. He was excited to go to Rome. They didn't get to talk long , but it was good they got to hear each other. I know how much Linda misses him and Brad asks about her every time he calls.
His leaders called that afternoon to let us know that we could call our kids Friday. They were at a nice hotel in Rome with great phone service. Of course, I called the second we got the chance. When I got him on the phone, he just sounded so sad. He said that about an hour before I called, he got sick in the bathroom from homesickness. He wanted to know about absolutely everything we were doing, cousins, friends, family, random people - everyone! He asked about some people I hadn't thought of in weeks. He had so much to say. I won't list it all here as it would take me hours to write it all. He mentioned that his translator that travels with them throughout the entire trip, Magdalena, is Italian, 25 years old, has long brown hair, big brown eyes, and is a "total fox." I had to laugh at that! It's so funny that he described her that way. I told him to get a picture with her so he can always remember Magdalena. He also talked about a girl from Wisconsin that is with them. He and his friends named her the "Barbie Girl" because she is tall, tan, long blond hair, really nice, and "would be the perfect girl, except that her parents won't let her shave her legs until she's in high school." That really had us laughing, but more, I think her parents could be onto something. If it worked for the "Barbie Girl," will it work for Anna? Brad now calls her the "Hairy Barbie Girl." They had some classes on Friday about conquering fear and overcoming obstacles. The teachers were actors from around the world. His favorite class was taught by an actress from Lord of the Rings, but he couldn't remember her name. He got a picture with her so hopefully we can figure out who she is when he gets home. To go along with the theme of the day, they repelled down a 800 year old, 200 feet high castle. He said it was really scary to hang himself out over the edge, but really fun on the way down. We were on the phone for over an hour. I knew that was a long time, but every time I thought about hanging up so he could get to bed, he would ask something else or tell me something else. He sounded so lonely that I wanted him to say he needed to go.
His leader called me on Saturday with a couple of concerns about Brad. She said that after each meal, he goes into the restroom and throws-up his food. She also said that he has been hanging around her and the other leader for the past few days, not with the kids. I mentioned that he sounded really homesick and told her about him getting sick before I called. She said she would deal with it. I asked her if I should call him and tell him to talk to her about it, but she said she would handle it and call if she needed help. I said that him throwing up his food is most likely related, but asked what he has been eating. She said he is great about trying the food, unusual or not, and then drinking Coke. I knew that could be part of the problem. Brad hardly ever drinks anything besides water. If he is drinking Coke with every meal, that cannot be good for his system. I'm not sure if he's ever even had it before now. He really drinks only water and a lot of it. Then the food he is eating is different. I'm sure combo of the different foods and drinks with the homesickness is what's making him sick. She said she would take away all drinks but water and order him bland food. I hope it helps. It makes us sad that he's suffering without us. I really hope this feeling passes soon for him. His leader said she would keep an eye on him and talk to him about missing us. I know he's excited to go to Greece. Maybe that will perk him up. He won't call again until the 16th or 18th. If it helps him forget about being homesick, he doesn't have to call at all. Maybe the few days without calling home will be enough to turn his thoughts back to what he's doing over there. We miss him so much. There's an inescapable void around here, just hanging around. I know how hard it has been for us, so I can't imagine how it had been for a 13 year old boy. A friend emailed me reminding me this...character building, character building, character building.

Brad in Europe - 6

2008-07-08T16:12:00.001-07:00

Wow, the calls keep coming. I was at the store today, looking at spray paint (long, frustrating pool story) when Brad called from Venice. His tone when he said, "Mom," made me immediately think something was wrong. I asked if everything was OK and he said it was, but you know how it is. He was saying more by saying less. He said the train to Venice wasn't as fun as he had hoped. His roommates wanted to talk and play cards all night. So instead of getting some desperately needed sleep, he played cards and tried to force his eyes to stay open. I think the idea was that the kids would be able to get good sleep while on the train to refresh themselves for the schedule in Italy. After all, there was no where to go, it was nighttime, nothing to see in the dark, so sleep was on the menu. It didn't happen for Brad and I think the lack of sleep and the time away could have him thinking. They went on a gondola ride, which he loved, then to a glass factory in Murano and watched the glass-making process, start to finish. He said a sculptor there made a horse from glass in about one minute. He then shattered it to use the glass to start another sculpture. I asked about the food he was eating to see if he had tried anything new. He tried quiche and liked it. I had to laugh at his response. That isn't a new or strange dish to most, but he's a chicken & rice guy (for every meal if he had his way). He rarely tries new foods, so this is huge for him. He said the food is really good and it is easy to find something he likes. He had chicken and pasta for dinner tonight - perfect for him. They got free-time this afternoon so, like my son that he is, he visited the shops along the canals. He said he spent more Euros today than he had the entire trip. He had to rush off the phone and I told him that maybe his grandparents would appreciate a call sometime also. He said he'd try, but I am beginning to think he is calling too much and that could be the reason the homesickness is starting to set in. I was really sad for him when we hung up. He just sounded down. I won't call any of my sisters for a few hours or until this feeling wears a little - they could set me off. I told him to enjoy Pisa tomorrow and ended the call with a joke from Tanner about his smelly feet. At least he hung up laughing, right? I really hope he gets good sleep tonight and will bounce back tomorrow.

Brad in Europe - 5

2008-07-07T12:43:00.001-07:00

Brad called again today. He borrowed a friend's cell phone so he could call from the train. It's funny to me that he is in Europe, seeing some of the most amazing sights in the world, yet the train ride is one of the things he was most looking forward to. He said he just had to call from the train. He is in a 6-bunk room, and "called" the bottom bunk before they even got there. He is sharing the compartment with 5 other boys, all from Wisconsin & Michigan. He said he made a good friend, Vince (I think), and that Vince is very funny and nice. They had a talent show last night where he was in 2 skits. A group of them danced to the Cha Cha Slide. Then Brad, Morgan & Lauren (2 girls from Jacksonville) did a skit to Barbie Girl where Brad was Ken. Someone video taped it so we can watch it when he gets home. I asked about his laundry. He said he washed one of his uniform shirts in the sink and hung it to dry for 2 nights and it dried great. He also mentioned that they can't ship anything from Italy because of a theft problem in their postal service. I guess a postal worker was taking packages, addressed to the USA, home with him to sell and make a few bucks on the side. They found the man's garage full of packages. It just happened a couple of weeks ago and the enormity of the theft is still being considered. To protect the kids' purchases, they just asked them not to ship from Italy. I asked him if he had heard anything about Wimbledon because Federer is from Switzerland, just outside of France, and Nadal is a Spaniard. He hasn't heard anything - language barrier and all - but when I told him about how long the match was (which like the rest of us, surprised Brad as well) and the great, great play of both guys, he said he would ask the locals about it. He loved France, but is looking forward to Italy. He has so much to say about the history of the places he is visiting and learning about. Italy should be no disappointment for him! We ended the call talking about the kittens and how they woke Chris up during the night. He thought that was really funny and got a good chuckle out of it. He could just imagine Chris throwing a fit, half asleep, stumbling around, looking for the kittens to put in another room. Maybe Chris has done that before??? He said he'd call again from Venice or Pisa. I feel spoiled getting to hear from him so much, but I am not complaining!

Here's the Cha Cha slide if you don't know what it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nbMLOr0tHU

Check out our slideshow

2008-07-07T00:16:00.001-07:00

Brad in Europe - 4

2008-07-06T12:16:00.000-07:00

We were on our way out the door to church this morning when Brad's leader, Riki, called to check in. We were surprised to hear from her knowing they would be in Italy in a couple of days and thought she would call us then. She said that the kids are doing great. They are having so much fun and have such activity packed days that there isn't time for homesickness. They are all healthy, getting lots of sleep, and getting along great. They had gone on a scavenger hunt on Sunday where their French friends took close-up pictures of monuments and wrote a brief description on why it was famous. Our group had to research each monument from the description and walk to it where they would find the next clue. I guess a lot of stairs were involved in the long day of walking. His leader said her hips hurt from the walking and stair climbing. She said that on Monday, they are going to Montmartre and Basilique du Sacre Coeur before taking an over night train to Venice, Italy. They will take a art class while in Montmartre and then shop in the local markets for treasures. She said the kids are really well behaved and "outshine the other groups." She mentioned they have had no problems with discipline or inappropriate behavior. I knew it wouldn't be a problem for Brad, but it's still nice to hear! She said they will check in again from Italy.

No kidding - 2 minutes after we hung up with Riki, Brad called! We thought that because she called, we wouldn't hear from him for another few days. This time, Chris and I were both on the phone so Chris could get to talk to him before the work week. Chris was pretty down about going back to work after having the week off thinking he would miss Brad's next call. Needless to say, Chris was elated when he got to talk to Brad! We asked about the day of walking and he said the only problem he had was smelly feet. He's such a boy! So he washed his feet in the sink and was good to go. I'm sure his roommates appreciated that. They have been staying in the guesthouse for 3 nights and are leaving in the morning. The guesthouse is more of a huge house with a lot of bedrooms and a cafeteria. He said it is usually reserved for international sports teams. He has 3 roommates and they share a bathroom. They use the cafeteria for breakfast and dinner. They went to the International Stained Glass Factory where he watched them make stained glass and then made a small window. He made it as a gift for someone so I won't say more about it. They visited Palais des Tuileries, the palace home of Marie Antoinette. They went inside her room where he took a lot of pictures. I think it made it real for him having learned about Marie Antoinette in 6th grade. He is excited for the train to Italy. They will have compartments of 6 bunks in each - 3 per side. He said he would call mid-week to check in again.

Brad in Europe - 3

2008-07-04T11:30:00.000-07:00

I just called some friends whose son is also in Europe to see if he had called yet because we haven't heard from Brad. About 1/2 hour later, Brad finally called!! We are so relieved, but miss him even more now. He said he did not take the Advil PM we gave him for sleep, but he still got 15 minutes of sleep - like it's OK that he only got 15 minutes. He is a little jet-lagged but insists he is fine. He loved the Eiffel Tower. He said he has tons of souvenirs and pictures. He mailed all of his post cards yesterday from Paris. They toured the Champs-Elysees where he bought some more souvenirs. He thought the Louvre was "amazing." The Notre Dame Cathedral was "really beautiful," but his camera died right before they went in. So he has some great pictures of the outside. I hope he is remembering to get someone else to take the pictures with his camera so he will be in some of them. He wanted to know about the new kittens. I told him to log-on to the blog leave a message if he had time or access and he could see the kittens there. He is at the home stay now, somewhere outside of Paris. He said it isn't an actual home stay, like with a French family, but in a hotel with French students. They are doing a service project together for the next couple of days. He is having a great time. He was excited to leave for Italy on the 7th. I think it's more because of the train ride. He is picturing himself like Harry Potter on the Hogwarts Express. He said he got to call again on the 7th or 8th to check in again. His call only lasted 3 minutes, which really seemed like about 30 seconds, because other kids had to use the phone. Chris and the kids did not get to talk because of the time limit, so Chris gets to take the next call. We feel like we can breathe a little easier hearing from him, but still miss him so much. Three weeks could be a lot longer than we anticipated.

Brad in Europe - 2 ** No News is Good News

2008-07-03T21:15:00.001-07:00

One of Brad's leaders called me on Tuesday night to let me know they made it to Paris. I am the first on the phone tree so she called me and I passed on the word of their safe arrival to the next families on the list. She said the kids all got some great sleep between Atlanta and Paris. I know I gave Brad an Advil PM to take "the second" he got on the plane. Because of the time difference for us, when they landed in Paris, it was 7:30 am there and 10:30pm here. This meant he was missing a night for sleep. They landed 1/2 hour early (which we already knew because thanks to Peyton, the airplane master, we knew how to track his flight online) and were just waiting for an available gate when she called. Once they departed the plane, they were headed straight to the Eiffel Tower and around downtown Paris. We have not heard from him at all yet and just hope he is having a great time. I guess, no news is good news, right?

New Kitties

2008-07-03T19:29:00.001-07:00

Our beloved cat, Katie, went missing a couple of months ago. We suspect coyotes. We heard them just outside our bedroom windows a couple nights after she disappeared. It is very sad! We told the kids we could get a new kitten to replace her after we came home from Shasta. We have always felt a little - emphasize little - bad that we aren't dog people because we really think it benefits kids having the responsibility of taking care of a pet. We have compromised with the cat. But now that we are looking for a kitten, who can just get one? We have to have two. They can keep each other company and have a wrestle buddy. We finally got to pick up the long-awaited kittens from their shelter. Brad picked them out before he left and was sad not to be home when we brought them home. Here's a picture of Jane, the gray and white female, and Apolo, the black and white male. Apolo is named after Apolo Anton Ono, the speed skater, because of his black chin puff.

Brad in Europe - 1

2008-07-03T19:12:00.000-07:00

Brad left on Tuesday, July 1st at 6:20 in the morning. We had to have him to the airport at 4am (!) to get checked in. Brad set his alarm for 2:30am and we set ours for 3:15am. Do you think he was excited? His bags had been packed for 3 days and were in the mud room waiting to go. I have been sick with a cough/sore throat for a few days. I got into a horrible coughing fit at around 3:15am that morning and just couldn't stop coughing. I finally decided to check the clock thinking that the reason I couldn't go back to sleep was because I needed to get up - it was a sign or something. I looked at my cell phone and it said 3:41. We had 20 minutes to make it to the airport! We scrambled out of bed and made it at 4:10. Brad did not panic, get angry, try to rush us, etc. That was very kind of him! When we got to the airport (we were not the last ones there) his leaders were going over their checklist for each delegate. We probably could have slept another 15 minutes and been OK. The whole goodbye thing was very business-like. The delegates had been to 6 months of classes to prepare them for this. The parents took a class on saying goodbye and phone etiquette for while their sons/daughters are away. I was prepared for a few tears from someone - NOTHING! Brad tried to one-arm hug us. I got more out of him when I swooped in for a kiss and was denied. I told him it was either a full hug or the kiss. The leaders lined them all up in pairs and they walked off to the check-in. The whole process was so anti-climactic. It was over in about 20 minutes and we left. We just get to wait to hear from him now. Here is a picture of the 3 kids just before he left.

Shasta Lake

2008-06-29T13:46:00.000-07:00

We wanted to spend some time down at the houseboat before Brad heads off to Europe so we planned a trip and went last week. We let him invite 3 friends and we invited 2 other families – all with kids our kids’ ages. There were 18 of us for 4 days! We had so much fun and the weather (mostly) cooperated. The kids wanted to spend all of their time tubing instead of the usual wake boarding and knee boarding. We have a flat tube that is about 8 feet in diameter. The kids can pile on that thing! Some friends brought another big tube that holds 3 so of course, we pulled both tubes together. Here are some pictures of the kids (Chris included) riding the tubes.

Tanner

2008-06-29T13:15:00.000-07:00

Tanner graduated from 6th grade in June and will be moving on to middle school in the fall. The elementary school years are over for him! He looks most forward to playing sports for his middle school. He just wants to put on that football uniform and go for it. His elementary school held a recognition ceremony where the kids were honored for achievements throughout 6th grade. Tanner got recognized for being the student-of –the-month for February and gave a speech about what the 6th graders were doing in February. He also got recognized for participating and earning a silver pin in Math Olympiad. Needless to say, we are very proud of him! Here is a picture of him receiving a Math Olympiad certificate from his teacher. He has been playing a lot of tennis and swimming with friends. He and his friends, Cooper and Logan, rode bikes into Jacksonville last week. That was huge for us to let him go with only friends. He was very responsible and called just to check in more often that I asked. He has a 2-day tennis tournament coming up on July 12-13 where he will be playing singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. He can’t wait! He also play ed majors baseball for the Mariners through the spring. He pitched, played right field, and 1st base. In his first game, a ball was hit out to right field and he ran for it, dove to catch it, throwing in a somersault, and came up with the catch. It was hysterical!! Here are a couple of pics of him pitching. He was also in the school play, The History of Rock and Roll, as a KISS band member. He is the one with the star on his face. The make-up took about 1 1/2 hours to put on all the boys. They had 3 shows to perform. The 1st show was for their own school. The 2nd show was for other elementary schools in the area, performing in front of about 2000. The last show was the evening performance in front of about 3000. He wasn't nervous though because no one could tell who he was through all of the make-up.

End of the Year

2008-06-29T12:54:00.000-07:00

I will attempt to use this post to update what we did this spring to keep us so busy. The kids all had a successful school year and ended on a great note. Brad is going to be in 8th grade next year, Tanner in 7th, and Anna in 4th. Weren’t we just in 8th grade? Brad reminds us often that he will only be at home for another 5 years and then he’ll be off to college at Duke (he’s aiming high) or Oregon State. Tanner swears he is never moving out. We are actually hoping they will be roommates at Oregon State (sorry duck fans) but Tanner really likes Oregon. Either way, we love the idea of in-state tuition. Anna had a great year. She was in the spelling bee and did really well. Here is a picture of her writing the word “believe.” She also had to give an oral book report with a power point presentation to the primary grades. She chose to read and report on Nancy Drew and the Case of the Artful Crime. She drew and colored all of the pictures for the power point presentation, scanned them, and then put the presentation together. She had to dress like a character from the book and have the whole thing memorized. She was awesome! Here she is dressed like Nancy Drew. Anna has also been playing soccer and tennis. She is the "rock solid" defender, as we call her, that doesn't let anything by her. We usually have talks about technique and tactics while I am doing her hair to get ready for the games. It was sort of our routine. She did get to play left forward for one game and scored a goal in the second half. We love to watch her games, especially now that she is getting to the age where the game has strategy and the players are using skill. It's so exciting to watch. She still loves tennis and will say it is her favorite sport. She is getting very good and has been working on her serves.

Down Time

2008-06-29T12:25:00.000-07:00

We finally have some semi-down time to catch-up on a few things we have been neglecting around the house. I thought I would take some time to update the ever neglected blog as well. Most important and pressing - the yard. We have been working hard getting the sprinklers and ground ready in the middle of the driveway to plant. We initially wanted to plant grass in the circle, but thought better of it. We have been in the house for 4 years now which was plenty of time to realize that we are not in need of more grass. So we are going to plant a grove of trees and plants instead and call it good. The boys will appreciate not having to mow that area. It already takes them about 1 1/2 hours to mow the front yard on the riding mower - great for a soccer game - not for maintaining the park like feel we were going for. The rock wall along the back fence is also calling our names. We had it in last year but had to take it out to put in the pool. We are using a new and improved design when we put it in this time - hopefully more conducive to plants and trees. It is all just so slow and such hard work. We haven't even looked at the south side of the house to see what we will do over there. For now, we are maintaining the weeds. At least they have pretty purple flowers on them.

School's Out For Summer!

2008-06-16T16:32:00.001-07:00

So it's been a while since I have updated my blog, as you can all tell. My, my how we have been busy! I plan on updating in a couple of days - once again, no time today. The past few months have been so full and fun. Give me some time to get my act together and then check back for new pictures and entries!

Spring (Non)Break

2008-04-07T12:59:00.000-07:00

You know when life gets so busy and you just want to take a break? Maybe get away for a little while. Not worry about laundry, work, school, or anything else really. Spend some time in the sun and relax. We did just that.........2 years ago. This spring break was spent at home with some unexpected surprises and tons of fun! I was on the phone with Sydney, Stacey, Shelley, and Stephanie (we do this crazy little party-line thing where we are all on one phone call at the same time a couple times a week. It's hard to get a word in!) the Monday morning of spring break. I just mentioned to Syd and Stacey that they should come out for the week because the kids were all out of school. Next thing we know, Sydney, Stacey, and 5 kids under the age of 6 are in town for a 5 day visit. Who could ask for a better spring break than that? Sydney and her kids stayed up at Shelley's for the first 4 nights and spent the last night here. Stacey and her kids stayed here the entire time. Once again, the kids just played, made messes, played, made more messes, and played again. I have never seen so many kids on the trampoline at once. The big kids were extra careful of the little ones. Blond hair was flying everywhere! At one time, Brad even found his way into the pool. We all went bowling one evening. I have a hurt shoulder from tennis (see the update at the end) so I had to bowl a funny way. I ended up getting the highest score that I have ever gotten! I was only beat by Chris, Sydney (who bowled with Mason on her hip), and Bailey. The kids ended up in the arcade where they all won some very scary teeth. Aren't they cute?! The week ended with Grandma coming over to play a mean game of kick-the-can and then having a birthday party for Jocelynn and Hayden. It was so adorable to see them hide (in plain sight) and then run with all their might to try to kick the can before Grandma could catch them. Andrew even tried to "slide tackle" the can but ended up sliding between Grandma's legs where she caught him. Grandma has a new technique, some may call it cheating, where she carries the can with her while she's looking for the kids. She drops it and jumps over it when she sees the kids hiding. I'm not sure, but I can't remember her doing that a few years ago. It could have something to do with her birthdays.

*Tennis update: As I mentioned a couple months ago, I quit my tennis team because I wasn't all that interested in the whole competition thing. Well, I guess I really did want to play because since then, I have played in two matches. It is just so fun. I have a great partner, Anna, that feels the same way I do; play for fun and winning is a bonus. But my shoulder did get hurt. I'm just taking some meds before I play. If it really lingers, I guess I'll have it looked at.

Easter Fun

2008-04-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

Tanner is home sick from school today so I cancelled my appointments for the day to stay with him. So thanks to Tanner's tummy ache, I get to catch up on the blog. :) Easter and spring break came and went. Goodnight, that was a fast few weeks!! We had mom, Eddie's family, Shelley's family, and Robert and Gavin over for dinner and an Easter egg hunt. They kids loved playing with the cousins. It always cracks us up at how they just act like brothers and sisters. The boys just wrestle the entire time!! I do not know how they come away without any broken bones, scrapes, tears, or blood. The second the front door opens and Andrew, Curtis, Gavin, Zac, Brad, & Tanner see each other, the games begin. Of course, the girls play together also, but it is a little more tame. Sometimes Natalie will jump on top of the dog pile, but she also walks away unscathed. The parents all played speed scrabble for what seemed like 10 minutes, but from how the house looked when we took a break, we must have played for over an hour. We think Natalie had the most fun of any of us.

Brad is Our Student Ambassador

2008-03-05T10:47:00.000-08:00

Brad got nominated to go to Europe for 3 weeks as a student ambassador representing the United States. He's totally excited to go and has done some fundraising to help pay for his trip and still needs to do more. Check out the web site of People to People Student Ambassadors. http://www.studentambassadors.org/
He is going on the European Odyssey which will take him to Italy, France, and Greece. He is taking my dream vacation, but no big deal. I'll just look at his pictures when he gets back and look forward to the day when we go. He keeps reminding me of how long it is until he leaves, so I gave him a countdown clock to keep track. I am not nervous about him traveling so far, but more about him being away for 3 whole weeks! I remember when Chris was in the Army and would go to AT for 2 weeks in the summer and how hard that was. I can hardly stand thinking about it. But he'll get to call a couple times each week and email. Maybe that will take the edge off.

**Update 4/7/08 - Brad has been actively fundraising to go. He is so responsible about his budget. He has to present a project about Greek food to his delegation mid-month. He'll need to finish the research and display board for that and offer them a sample of his findings. Are there any local Greek restaurants????

**Update 4/28/08 - Fundraising is still going strong. Thank you very much to all who have supported him. We had a meeting yesterday where he presented his display on Greek Food. He made a cheese/red pepper dip for pita chips and served it to anyone who was brave enough to try it. We have a ton left! In his presentation, he said, "When it comes to eating the unusual food we have to try, it is really mind over matter." I will be sure to remind him of this as he calls home starving. We also got his flight schedule. He leaves Medford on July 1 at 6:15 am. He flies to Salt Lake and then on to Atlanta. He then flies from Atlanta to Paris. He arrives in Paris at 8 am on July 2nd, ready for his first full day of activities. For the trip home, he leaves Athens on July 21st and flies to Atlanta, Atlanta to Portland, and Portland to Medford, arriving on July22nd. Needless to say, he now has a Delta frequent flier number.

**Update 6/29/08 - Here we are packing to go. He seems very calm as he goes through the list of things he needs to pack and have prepared. We are getting anxious about sending him off. It isn’t that we are afraid for his safety, but we are thinking about the unexpected or the things he is unprepared for that may occur. I asked one of his delegation leaders (who was also Chris’ 2nd grade teacher) about some of our concerns. She assured me that Brad would not be running around in dirty clothes, he would take tons of pictures, and no matter what comes his way, she will be there to help him. We are relieved that his 2 leaders are friends of ours and we know each very well. We couldn’t ask for better people to send him with. Check out his schedule of activities and his accommodations at these links:

http://www.peopletopeople.com/site/ScheduleAndAccomodationDocLib/TJ0701108.pdf

http://www.peopletopeople.com/site/ScheduleActivity/TJ0701108.pdf

I will keep his travels updated as he calls and emails so check back often. Thank you all so much for your support of him. We really appreciate all of your kindness and generosity. xoxo

A Much Needed Break

2008-03-03T10:31:00.000-08:00

Finally (oops, did I say that out loud?), basketball ended on Saturday (can we get a woo woo) and we now go from rushing from 4 practices 2 nights each week (!) to just tennis on Mondays and Wednesdays. What will we do with all of our spare time? All I know is that those bedrooms better be clean! I told Chris that we need to re-introduce the kids to their skis. Brad got new ski boots for Christmas last year and he has only worn them a few times. That is just plain wrong! Anna asked Chris if she can "just try" going down the hill on her own before she has to take lessons again. I really hope she picks it up because she was just getting good enough to get off the bunny hill. It would be a bummer to lose that! She is convinced that she can hit Dilly-Dally Ally on Bachelor with the boys. Good for her, right? I mean, I won't do it, but if she can, go for it. Tanner wants to try snowboarding this year. We had a rule that the kids had to be great skiers before they could pick up a snowboard. That way, they could go back and forth. I know the kids can all wakeboard, so we think the snowboarding should be somewhat easy for them. Plus, Tanner rides the Wave ( a 2-wheeled skateboard) really well. So he's got that going for him. We are all still playing tennis a lot. I actually quit my tennis team. I know, I know, quitting is wrong. It's just that I don't like competing. Weird, huh?! I really just want to play for fun. I told them I could be a sub for home matches, but to travel and be all competitive and stuff, not for me. The boys love to play as a doubles team and also against each other; they are very good. Anna still takes lessons and all 3 of them are so fun to watch. There's a rookies tennis team that the boys want to play on for the summer. Anna is still too young for competition. She'll get to play when she turns 10. Aye, aye, aye, here we go again!!

Student of the Month

2008-01-24T10:37:00.001-08:00

Brad was awarded as the December Student of the Month at his middle school. He got honored at the City Council Meeting in January. He had to meet certain requirements to get nominated and then the teachers get together to talk about each student they have recommended for the award. He came out on top. Woo Hoo, Brad!

The Science Fair

2008-01-24T10:33:00.000-08:00

Tanner had to participate in the science fair as part of his 6th grade science grade. After looking at many projects, he decided to go with Popcorn Frenzy. He wanted to find out how the storage temperature at which we keep our microwave popcorn affects how many kernels are popped. The result? Room temp stored popcorn produces 3x more popcorn than refrigerator or freezer stored popcorn. Go Tan-man!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-24T09:49:00.001-08:00

2008! Can you believe it? We had a great new year's vacation up in Pacific City with Chris' family. We rented a house for a few nights to celebrate a late Christmas and spent time at the beach. We flew a kite, played baseball, threw a frisbee, & climbed a huge sand dune. And the water? Freezing cold! The boys tried to sneak in, but we were on to them. After 4 days and a great time, we headed home. School was starting up again and Chris had to get back to work. We had a really great time. When is spring break?

Merry Christmas

2007-12-26T19:26:00.000-08:00

Greetings from the Johnsons! We are so glad that you have checked out our new blog! Thanks for spending a few minutes with us. Here is our 2007 Christams letter that should have been mailed a few weeks ago, but of course we got busy and so on and so on. No excuses, we know, but look for those Valentine's day cards from us!

The year 2007 was so much like 2006, it was hard at times to tell the difference. It all started with January, just like the year before. And before we knew it, February came along, and then March. Our brilliant, gifted, and talented children soon recognized the pattern, and were able to confidently predict April and May. It was all downhill after that, barely even a challenge. Then they predicted that Christmas would fall in December this year, and sure enough, here I am, sitting here, writing to you, and it WILL be Christmas soon.

We of course, are wondering where the time has gone. Weekends were spent working in the yard (we now admit to ourselves that landscaping the entire property was not such a great idea) and watching the kids play sports. Our children have excelled at absolutely everything this year, embarrassing themselves (and everyone else) with their extraordinary abilities. Fortunately they have level headed and objective parents who maintain their feet firmly on the ground. We do, however, have them attend etiquette classes in preparation for the various prize and award ceremonies we anticipate they will have to attend over their lifetimes. They have been enrolled in Swedish language classes for some time, because, after all, we would hate for them to be at a disadvantage when they travel to accept their Nobel prizes!

Brad started 7th grade in the fall and played football and basketball for his middle school team – Go Bulldogs! He has decided that he wants to be called Brad instead of Bradly. We usually honor his request, until we mean business! He plays tennis with Tanner and they make a great doubles team. Both boys are now playing AAU basketball for South Medford. Tanner didn’t get to play a fall sport because he got severe pneumonia just before school started. He ended up in the hospital for 6 days and wasn’t able to start 6th grade on time. He is almost completely healthy now and we count his recovery as one of the highlights of the year. Anna is still taking tennis lessons and playing soccer. She loves to craft and bead. She opens her restaurant, Hearts, Hearts, & More Hearts, for us in the evenings. She also sells bead jewelery with her cousin, Camille. We all appreciate that she is a very kind and responsible 3rd grader.

With the year nearly finished and our lives continuing to get busier and busier as the kids all get older, we are more aware of the things that are truly important; Our faith, our family, relationships, kindness, love, and counting you all as friends and family.
We hope 2008 finds you all with health and happiness. Merry Christmas!

Chris, Sara, Brad(ly), Tanner, and Anna