It's been a week now since Samantha passed away. It's been a very difficult week to say the least. I can't stop thinking about her and I miss her so much. The energy in the house is different, Sterling is very sad and the boys keep saying they miss her and they want her back on earth. They know she went to heaven. Heaven to them is where grandpa and Roxx (my brother's cat) and Jesus live. Samantha has now joined them in heaven. Each of the boys received a balloon on Curtis' birthday at the restaurant we went to. When we got home, we released the balloons up in the sky so Samantha, Roxx and grandpa each could have a balloon. It was very sweet.
Some of you have asked how she passed away. I am still shaking my head as how this could have happened. Maybe it was something we hadn't known about for awhile or maybe it was a sudden illness. I guess we'll never know. It started Saturday morning when I noticed she was breathing kind of rapidly. She really didn't want to get up and move around either. We had a family function that day and didn't return until later that night. We got home around 9pm that night to find her in the boys bathroom (where she never lays) and wouldn't get up. Curtis and I both knew something was wrong. He took her to the ER vet and they said she was in critical condition. Her heart rate was really high, her blood pressure was low and her red blood cell count was really low. They started her on an IV to hydrate her and started antibiotics. She had an ultrasound and chest x-ray done but nothing showed a mass or pooling of blood that they could see. The next morning I went to the vet to see her. She was still breathing heavy and didn't have much energy. The doctor explained that she thought she had an auto immune disease called Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia. Basically her white blood cells were attacking her red blood cells. They also thought she had Immune Mediated Thrombocytopenia which is where her white cells were also attacking her platelets. Not good. I went back Sunday morning and she looked worse. Her skin started bruising (side effect of the low platelet count) and her red cell count had gone down. We made the decision to do a blood transfusion to help get her to a better place of recovery, if possible. They started her on a steroid and several other medicines. We needed to get her body to stop attacking itself for any hope of survival. The next morning her red cell count went up which was good but she still wasn't at a level that was normal. The blood test also showed her body was making new red cells which was also good. I had hope as of Monday. We decided to bring her home Monday morning with medication and prayers in our hearts.
In the beginning of the week she didn't get better but she didn't get worse. She didn't have much energy and not really an appetite. As the week progressed she started refusing to eat. I talked to the vet about that and she suggested we back off on one of the medicines in the hopes that her appetite would come back. Saturday we had an appointment to recheck her red cell count. That night we got the results that her numbers were improving. More hope but a cautious hope because she seemed to be getting worse. Sunday her right eye turned a light green color with some red spots on the iris. She was starting to vomit as well so we made an appointment for her on Monday afternoon. Monday she got worse. Curtis had to carry her to the car because she wouldn't get up. We both knew it wasn't good. We had the boys say goodbye to her because that was probably the last time they were going to see her.
I got to the vets office full of tears and unable to get the words out that I needed help getting her out of the car. They brought us right away into a room and I sat down on the floor with her. I couldn't stop crying. The vet came in and looked at Samantha. We both knew that there was nothing we could do to help her at this point. She thinks that there was a tumor somewhere in her body that was starting to bleed out. She said I would be doing the most selfless thing by letting her go. I wanted to be selfish. I wanted her here with me. That's where she had been for the last 11 years. But, I didn't want her to suffer and I knew it was the right thing to do for her. I can't explain the feeling of signing a paper that says, yes, put my dog to sleep. Horrible. I wanted to stay for every last minute with her. They came in and started an IV. They gave me some more time alone with her. Then the vet came in and administered the medicine to put her to sleep. She's gone. Forever. How did this happen? Why? That's all I kept thinking about. They took a paw imprint for me to have. They gave me as much time with her as I wanted. I laid on the floor next to her and held her in my arms. I told her how much I loved her and how much we will miss her. Every time I thought about leaving, I just didn't want to go. It was the last time that I would ever see her again. I finally decided to leave with an empty collar and leash in hand. Goodbye Samantha.
She was the best dog and most lovable dog you could imagine. Everyone who met her loved her. She was sweet, friendly and loved her belly to be rubbed. Every night at bedtime she would come lay with me in the bed and we would hang out and watch a bit of tv before I went to sleep. Every time I would put her in the car on the passenger side, she would climb over and sit in the driver side seat. I'd tell her "schoochie poochie" and she'd move back to the passenger side. During my single years, we would take daily walks, we would go to the dog park and we would go hiking. She was always there at the door when I walked in the empty house. It was comfort to know she was there and happy to see me. She was not just a dog to me. She was my companion and my friend.
I know time will heal the pain and sadness that I feel right now. I'll just remember all the great times we had together. I'll remember how much she loved us and how much she was loved.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Mt. Rushmore & Yellowstone National Park Vacation
It took a lot of planning, packing and patience to pull off our 16 day vacation during the summer. We drove a total of 3,842 miles and Curtis drove about 3,800 of those miles. As the co-pilot, I was the snack getter, movie player, referee, map reader, sandwich maker, cocktail waitress, and book reader on this trip. I have to hand it to Curtis, he did a fantastic job getting us safe and sound to our destinations. If it meant driving for 14 hours into the wee hours of the morning, he did it. As Jack said "Dad, without you we could have not gone on vacation. Mom doesn't know how to pull the bus."
We all were so excited to go on vacation that we wound up leaving a day early. I had always wanted to see Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone and Curtis had great memories of the time he had gone as a kid. Our plan was to do most of the driving at night because, well let's face it, it's better for everyone when the kids are sleeping and you don't have to listen to "He touched me, are we there yet?, I have to pee" etc.
The first day we decided to drive to Las Vegas to stop and have dinner and show the boys the lights of the city. We decided we were going to have dinner at the NASCAR Cafe that night. The boys favorite drivers are number 24, 48 and 88. Looking at their website on the way to the restaurant, it looked like fun but when we got there it was just kind of eeh and there wasn't a kids menu. Go figure. It was getting late so we ditched that plan, made sandwiches in the trailer and headed back out on the road. We drove down the strip so the boys could see the lights. They kept asking "Is that the real (fill in the blank)". Our next stop was a Wal-Mart somewhere in Utah.
It was HOT in Utah even at 3 a.m. when we pulled in. The next morning we got up, did a bit of shopping (Wal-Mart has it all figured out. You can sleep in their parking lot for free because they know you will spend your money at their store in the morning.) and headed out on the road. We stopped at Union Station where they had 3 different museums we wanted to visit. First and foremost Curtis wanted to see the John Browning Firearms Museum. Giddy is an understatement on how he felt about visiting the museum. After that we saw the Car Museum and then the Railroad Museum. They were small but still a fun time for the boys. We had lunch and headed out to our next destination, Casper Wyoming.
Again, another late night of driving and sleeping in a Wal-Mart parking lot. The next day was a lot of driving to Hill City, South Dakota where we would camp for 3 days. We arrived at the KOA forgetting that we had left a day early in our trip and our reservations weren't until the next day. Oops! Thankfully they were able to find a spot for us that night or we probably would have had another night at Wal-Mart. That night I was reading a brochure and it said Mt. Rushmore is lit up at night and they do a special presentation at 9pm. I thought it would be awesome to see Mt. Rushmore lit up at night and boy was I right. It was fantastic! It was so good that we never wound up going back during the day to see it. The next day we went to Custer State Park for some wildlife viewing. One of the unexpected animals we saw were two burrows in the middle of the road. We pulled over and got out of the truck to get a closer look. The boys pet them and the burrows kept going from car to car to get fed the random cracker or whatever else someone happened to be eating at the time. Come to find out, the dark brown one was pregnant. She probably enjoyed that fig newton! Later in the day we headed to Thunderhead Falls which was a cave that had a waterfall at the end of it. We enjoyed the cool temperature inside the cave because it was another hot day. We headed back to camp that night for a dip in the pool. Curtis took an unexpected dip in the pool because one of the boys accidentally came out of their floaties. He jumped in fully dressed without hesitation. That's my man! The next day was our last day in South Dakota. We went took a ride on the 1880's train through the Black Hills of South Dakota. It was nice and relaxing and we got to see the beautiful countryside. South Dakota was so enjoyable but it was time to leave for Cody Wyoming and another night at Wal-Mart.
We decided to stop at Bear Country USA and Old McDonald's Farm on our way out of South Dakota. Bear Country USA is the place to see wildlife. We saw lions, bears, antelope, goats, raccoons, and sheep. I think the guy told us there were 52 bears at the place. Then we stopped at Old McDonald's Farm to feed the animals. The boys got to feed baby goats and sheep and take a horse ride. We watched the pig races and goats doing a high wire act. Well it looked like a high wire act but it was some type of platform they got to walk across to get some hay. Then we got back on the road....
The drive to Cody was quite an experience. The road to Cody was under construction and it was quite the off road experience in a 36ft trailer. We were driving at night again so it was dark, the road was narrow and very bumpy. Curtis had noticed a small bulge in one of the trailer tires before we left South Dakota and and all I kept thinking is that we were going to get a flat in the middle of nowhere with no cell service and get stuck out there. Thankfully we made it to the Cody Wal-Mart in the wee hours of the morning without a flat. So that next morning we headed to a tire shop to have the tire replaced. We grabbed a pizza, had a picnic and then took off for West Yellowstone Montana.
On our drive to Yellowstone to our KOA just outside the west entrance, we decided to stop by Old Faithful Geyser. Goodness gracious there were a lot of people there! We still had our trailer with us and that was "fun" to find a parking spot. We just missed the last eruption so we had about an hour to kill before the next eruption. We walked around to the other geysers in the area. For some reason, Nolan loved the smell of the sulphur that came out of them. I got nothing but a headache from them. We got to see Old Faithful erupt which was very cool. We headed out and needed to check into our KOA for the week. We set up camp that night and looked forward to the next week of exploring Yellowstone. The first couple of days we visited a lot of geysers. I think one of the highlights was the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Wow, was it beautiful! We decided to hike down to the place where the waterfall goes over the edge. Now, had I known there was going to be a wind and hailstorm during the 600 foot descent, I wouldn't have gone but who knew! Yeah it was kind of cloudy when we got out of the truck but a little drizzle never hurt anybody. And hey, it was warm outside so we didn't bother bringing a jacket either. By the time we got to the end of the trail and the overlook of the waterfall we were drenched. I think we spent about a minute looking at it and then headed back up. Straight up. I was so proud of the boys. They didn't whine or cry at all. They saw it as an adventure. And wouldn't you know it, by the time we got back up, the rain stopped and the sun started to come out.
Some of the highlights during our stay in Yellowstone was seeing a family of bison most days on the road to wherever we were going. One day they decided to run down the middle of the road. It's not like you can go around them or anything because everyone is stopped in both lanes of traffic to watch them. We planned a scenic float down the Yellowstone River in Gardiner Montana. The water was pretty low so the class of rapids weren't very high. I had regretted not doing the actual whitewater rafting trip after that trip. We had an awesome guide and it was just our family on the boat. Jack kept yelling "HEADS UP" when he would see just a bit of whitewater. We had a chance to get out of the raft and jump in the water. It was a hot day so I thought, sure! Oh my gosh that water was sooooo cold. The guide got in and helped the boys dip themselves in the water too. I guess my blue lips deterred Curtis from getting in that day. On the drive home Curtis talked about going again but this time with more whitewater. We had talked to the guide about it and said that the boys would be safe and it wouldn't be that bad. So 2 days later we went again and asked for the same guide. This time we had 2 other families with us. The boys kept everyone laughing with their reaction to getting hit by waves of water. I am glad we went back so they could experience the true whitewater rafting experience.
Our time went by so fast in Yellowstone. We decided to drive through the Grand Tetons and Jackson Hole on our way back home. The Tetons were so beautiful. Jackson Hole was a quaint little town with some great ice cream. Our last destination before home was Cedar City Utah. We stopped at the Dinosaur Discovery Site in St. George. They have the largest single block of dinosaur tracks in a museum anywhere in the world.
We arrived home full of memories that will last a lifetime and dirty laundry that seemed to never end. I am thankful to Curtis for his sacrifice of time in the office to take us on this great vacation. We sure enjoyed it!
Of course, pictures! Grab a cup of coffee. There are 200+ pictures.
We all were so excited to go on vacation that we wound up leaving a day early. I had always wanted to see Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone and Curtis had great memories of the time he had gone as a kid. Our plan was to do most of the driving at night because, well let's face it, it's better for everyone when the kids are sleeping and you don't have to listen to "He touched me, are we there yet?, I have to pee" etc.
The first day we decided to drive to Las Vegas to stop and have dinner and show the boys the lights of the city. We decided we were going to have dinner at the NASCAR Cafe that night. The boys favorite drivers are number 24, 48 and 88. Looking at their website on the way to the restaurant, it looked like fun but when we got there it was just kind of eeh and there wasn't a kids menu. Go figure. It was getting late so we ditched that plan, made sandwiches in the trailer and headed back out on the road. We drove down the strip so the boys could see the lights. They kept asking "Is that the real (fill in the blank)". Our next stop was a Wal-Mart somewhere in Utah.
It was HOT in Utah even at 3 a.m. when we pulled in. The next morning we got up, did a bit of shopping (Wal-Mart has it all figured out. You can sleep in their parking lot for free because they know you will spend your money at their store in the morning.) and headed out on the road. We stopped at Union Station where they had 3 different museums we wanted to visit. First and foremost Curtis wanted to see the John Browning Firearms Museum. Giddy is an understatement on how he felt about visiting the museum. After that we saw the Car Museum and then the Railroad Museum. They were small but still a fun time for the boys. We had lunch and headed out to our next destination, Casper Wyoming.
Again, another late night of driving and sleeping in a Wal-Mart parking lot. The next day was a lot of driving to Hill City, South Dakota where we would camp for 3 days. We arrived at the KOA forgetting that we had left a day early in our trip and our reservations weren't until the next day. Oops! Thankfully they were able to find a spot for us that night or we probably would have had another night at Wal-Mart. That night I was reading a brochure and it said Mt. Rushmore is lit up at night and they do a special presentation at 9pm. I thought it would be awesome to see Mt. Rushmore lit up at night and boy was I right. It was fantastic! It was so good that we never wound up going back during the day to see it. The next day we went to Custer State Park for some wildlife viewing. One of the unexpected animals we saw were two burrows in the middle of the road. We pulled over and got out of the truck to get a closer look. The boys pet them and the burrows kept going from car to car to get fed the random cracker or whatever else someone happened to be eating at the time. Come to find out, the dark brown one was pregnant. She probably enjoyed that fig newton! Later in the day we headed to Thunderhead Falls which was a cave that had a waterfall at the end of it. We enjoyed the cool temperature inside the cave because it was another hot day. We headed back to camp that night for a dip in the pool. Curtis took an unexpected dip in the pool because one of the boys accidentally came out of their floaties. He jumped in fully dressed without hesitation. That's my man! The next day was our last day in South Dakota. We went took a ride on the 1880's train through the Black Hills of South Dakota. It was nice and relaxing and we got to see the beautiful countryside. South Dakota was so enjoyable but it was time to leave for Cody Wyoming and another night at Wal-Mart.
We decided to stop at Bear Country USA and Old McDonald's Farm on our way out of South Dakota. Bear Country USA is the place to see wildlife. We saw lions, bears, antelope, goats, raccoons, and sheep. I think the guy told us there were 52 bears at the place. Then we stopped at Old McDonald's Farm to feed the animals. The boys got to feed baby goats and sheep and take a horse ride. We watched the pig races and goats doing a high wire act. Well it looked like a high wire act but it was some type of platform they got to walk across to get some hay. Then we got back on the road....
The drive to Cody was quite an experience. The road to Cody was under construction and it was quite the off road experience in a 36ft trailer. We were driving at night again so it was dark, the road was narrow and very bumpy. Curtis had noticed a small bulge in one of the trailer tires before we left South Dakota and and all I kept thinking is that we were going to get a flat in the middle of nowhere with no cell service and get stuck out there. Thankfully we made it to the Cody Wal-Mart in the wee hours of the morning without a flat. So that next morning we headed to a tire shop to have the tire replaced. We grabbed a pizza, had a picnic and then took off for West Yellowstone Montana.
On our drive to Yellowstone to our KOA just outside the west entrance, we decided to stop by Old Faithful Geyser. Goodness gracious there were a lot of people there! We still had our trailer with us and that was "fun" to find a parking spot. We just missed the last eruption so we had about an hour to kill before the next eruption. We walked around to the other geysers in the area. For some reason, Nolan loved the smell of the sulphur that came out of them. I got nothing but a headache from them. We got to see Old Faithful erupt which was very cool. We headed out and needed to check into our KOA for the week. We set up camp that night and looked forward to the next week of exploring Yellowstone. The first couple of days we visited a lot of geysers. I think one of the highlights was the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Wow, was it beautiful! We decided to hike down to the place where the waterfall goes over the edge. Now, had I known there was going to be a wind and hailstorm during the 600 foot descent, I wouldn't have gone but who knew! Yeah it was kind of cloudy when we got out of the truck but a little drizzle never hurt anybody. And hey, it was warm outside so we didn't bother bringing a jacket either. By the time we got to the end of the trail and the overlook of the waterfall we were drenched. I think we spent about a minute looking at it and then headed back up. Straight up. I was so proud of the boys. They didn't whine or cry at all. They saw it as an adventure. And wouldn't you know it, by the time we got back up, the rain stopped and the sun started to come out.
Some of the highlights during our stay in Yellowstone was seeing a family of bison most days on the road to wherever we were going. One day they decided to run down the middle of the road. It's not like you can go around them or anything because everyone is stopped in both lanes of traffic to watch them. We planned a scenic float down the Yellowstone River in Gardiner Montana. The water was pretty low so the class of rapids weren't very high. I had regretted not doing the actual whitewater rafting trip after that trip. We had an awesome guide and it was just our family on the boat. Jack kept yelling "HEADS UP" when he would see just a bit of whitewater. We had a chance to get out of the raft and jump in the water. It was a hot day so I thought, sure! Oh my gosh that water was sooooo cold. The guide got in and helped the boys dip themselves in the water too. I guess my blue lips deterred Curtis from getting in that day. On the drive home Curtis talked about going again but this time with more whitewater. We had talked to the guide about it and said that the boys would be safe and it wouldn't be that bad. So 2 days later we went again and asked for the same guide. This time we had 2 other families with us. The boys kept everyone laughing with their reaction to getting hit by waves of water. I am glad we went back so they could experience the true whitewater rafting experience.
Our time went by so fast in Yellowstone. We decided to drive through the Grand Tetons and Jackson Hole on our way back home. The Tetons were so beautiful. Jackson Hole was a quaint little town with some great ice cream. Our last destination before home was Cedar City Utah. We stopped at the Dinosaur Discovery Site in St. George. They have the largest single block of dinosaur tracks in a museum anywhere in the world.
We arrived home full of memories that will last a lifetime and dirty laundry that seemed to never end. I am thankful to Curtis for his sacrifice of time in the office to take us on this great vacation. We sure enjoyed it!
Of course, pictures! Grab a cup of coffee. There are 200+ pictures.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The Boys Birthday Bash
We had a fantastic time celebrating the boys 6th birthday this year. It was the first year that the boys had a classroom celebration for their special day. I baked some cupcakes and hung out in their class for half of the day. The boys had a special birthday song sung to them by their classmates. It was such a cute song about the angels singing on the day they were born. After school my mom came over to celebrate their birthday with them. Curtis came home early and we opened some presents and had some cake. I had baked them an individual cake for their birthday. Their request was for me to make a race car cake for each of them. Hum...I gave it a shot. Thankfully we had gone to a cake shop to pick up a box for the cupcakes the day before and the owner of the cake shop gave me a picture of a race car cake that would be "easy" to make. Uh huh....I think it took me 7 hours to make those 3 cakes but it was fun. The boys picked out their own color of car and the number that they wanted on it. While we were celebrating with cake, my brother Paul called from Chicago. We used his video conferencing tool from his business to get on the computer so that he could wish the boys a happy birthday. During the video conferencing, the boys got to open the presents that Paul and Andrew had sent to them. So even though Paul wasn't here physically, he still got to see them open their presents. That was pretty cool! Then we headed to dinner at Red Robin which is the boys favorite restaurant to eat at. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the staff know us there since we probably go once a month. They got their favorite mac and cheese and a birthday sundae at the end. At the end of the day when I tucked them in, I still couldn't believe that they are now 6.
Sunday we had a big celebration at the house. Saturday night it felt like Christmas Eve here because the boys were SO excited about their party. We had a slot car race track and a giant slide for the kids to enjoy. Unfortunately the weather wasn't cooperating with us and it was very cold and sprinkled at times. The kids didn't care but the adults were frozen. The boys got some great gifts and we had cake and ice cream. Little did I know that the blue frosting on the cake was going to turn everyone into the Blue Man Group. Most people who had cake also had blue teeth and fingers if they touched it. Sorry! We also celebrated their cousin Chloe's birthday and their friend Kasey's birthday which fell on that Sunday. We also had a "surprise" guest show up at the party. The owner of the slot car track and slide also keeps a puppy dog costume in his truck?! He offered to dress up as the puppy to entertain the kids and I thought "okay....". Honestly I was thinking "Is this going to cost me more money?!" He came out in his costume and the room got quiet and the kids kind of sat there speachless. O'well.... Then we headed out to take a swing at the pinata. It was mayhem when the candy poured out of it onto the concrete. Man those kids love their candy! It was getting late and people headed home to defrost.
We were so thankful for everyone coming out and celebrating their special day with them!
Sunday we had a big celebration at the house. Saturday night it felt like Christmas Eve here because the boys were SO excited about their party. We had a slot car race track and a giant slide for the kids to enjoy. Unfortunately the weather wasn't cooperating with us and it was very cold and sprinkled at times. The kids didn't care but the adults were frozen. The boys got some great gifts and we had cake and ice cream. Little did I know that the blue frosting on the cake was going to turn everyone into the Blue Man Group. Most people who had cake also had blue teeth and fingers if they touched it. Sorry! We also celebrated their cousin Chloe's birthday and their friend Kasey's birthday which fell on that Sunday. We also had a "surprise" guest show up at the party. The owner of the slot car track and slide also keeps a puppy dog costume in his truck?! He offered to dress up as the puppy to entertain the kids and I thought "okay....". Honestly I was thinking "Is this going to cost me more money?!" He came out in his costume and the room got quiet and the kids kind of sat there speachless. O'well.... Then we headed out to take a swing at the pinata. It was mayhem when the candy poured out of it onto the concrete. Man those kids love their candy! It was getting late and people headed home to defrost.
We were so thankful for everyone coming out and celebrating their special day with them!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Still on a Nitro High
It was the 50th Anniversary of the Winternationals at Pomona for the NHRA. In my lifetime I have probably been to 15-20 of those races with my dad. We would start off the morning by having breakfast at Coco's and heading to the races. We would spend most of the day there and come home with a nitro high. On the eve of my dad's 4 year anniversary of passing, I find myself on that nitro high again. Funny how life comes full circle sometimes.
We started the day off by stopping by Fast Jack Beckman's pit. We got to see the new body that the Valvoline car is running this year. It is awesome! Later we came back to say good luck to him and get a picture with the boys. We headed back to the stands and Curtis told me that I was going to have the chance to ride in the tow vehicle when Jack was going to race. WHAT?! Jack and his wife Jenna invited me to ride in the tow vehicle! Wow....what a dream come true! After a few races I headed back down to their pit and got in the tow vehicle. I was sitting in the tow vehicle in complete awe. To the left of us was Cory Mac getting ready to race, John Force was in the furthest lane and to the right was Jack's competitor Gary Densham. I kept thinking my dad would have loved this. I know he was looking down on me Friday but I sure wish he would have been there to experience it with me. It was a whole different racing experience from down on the track. It was awesome to see the crew get Jack's car ready to race and see Jack pull up to the light tree. The tow vehicle raced down the track to retrieve the car and pick Jack up. On the drive back to the pit, Jack hangs out of the window of the tow vehicle and waves to all his fans. That was pretty cool to watch all the fans cheer Jack on.
After we get back to the pit, I got fired. Yep, I was bad luck apparently. We laughed it off and I watched the crew disassemble the car. It was amazing to see how fast these guys can take apart a car. The clutch pressure plate was still smoking when they took it off! The boys and Curtis came down from the stands to meet me back in the pit. After many autographs by Jack, he gave us a tour of his rig, actually it's 2 rigs connected together. Again, wow. We saw so many cool things in there and 2 of his other cars that are stored up top. One of Jack's crew members gave the boys a clutch wrench (I think that's what it is) and Jack signed it for them. It was the end of the day and Jack was packing his parachutes back onto his car. Curtis got recruited to help Jack pack them back up. I told Jack that Curtis wouldn't be able to sleep until those parachutes were out safely the next day!
The day was turning into night and it was time to go. I left the track on cloud nine smelling like I dipped myself in nitro. Poor Curtis, he couldn't shut me up on the way home. It was such an awesome experience. I'll never be able to convey my appreciation to Jack and Jenna for what they did. Not only was it a cool experience but it was something that was close to my heart that I shared with my dad.
Here are some pictures from the day
We started the day off by stopping by Fast Jack Beckman's pit. We got to see the new body that the Valvoline car is running this year. It is awesome! Later we came back to say good luck to him and get a picture with the boys. We headed back to the stands and Curtis told me that I was going to have the chance to ride in the tow vehicle when Jack was going to race. WHAT?! Jack and his wife Jenna invited me to ride in the tow vehicle! Wow....what a dream come true! After a few races I headed back down to their pit and got in the tow vehicle. I was sitting in the tow vehicle in complete awe. To the left of us was Cory Mac getting ready to race, John Force was in the furthest lane and to the right was Jack's competitor Gary Densham. I kept thinking my dad would have loved this. I know he was looking down on me Friday but I sure wish he would have been there to experience it with me. It was a whole different racing experience from down on the track. It was awesome to see the crew get Jack's car ready to race and see Jack pull up to the light tree. The tow vehicle raced down the track to retrieve the car and pick Jack up. On the drive back to the pit, Jack hangs out of the window of the tow vehicle and waves to all his fans. That was pretty cool to watch all the fans cheer Jack on.
After we get back to the pit, I got fired. Yep, I was bad luck apparently. We laughed it off and I watched the crew disassemble the car. It was amazing to see how fast these guys can take apart a car. The clutch pressure plate was still smoking when they took it off! The boys and Curtis came down from the stands to meet me back in the pit. After many autographs by Jack, he gave us a tour of his rig, actually it's 2 rigs connected together. Again, wow. We saw so many cool things in there and 2 of his other cars that are stored up top. One of Jack's crew members gave the boys a clutch wrench (I think that's what it is) and Jack signed it for them. It was the end of the day and Jack was packing his parachutes back onto his car. Curtis got recruited to help Jack pack them back up. I told Jack that Curtis wouldn't be able to sleep until those parachutes were out safely the next day!
The day was turning into night and it was time to go. I left the track on cloud nine smelling like I dipped myself in nitro. Poor Curtis, he couldn't shut me up on the way home. It was such an awesome experience. I'll never be able to convey my appreciation to Jack and Jenna for what they did. Not only was it a cool experience but it was something that was close to my heart that I shared with my dad.
Here are some pictures from the day
Friday, February 5, 2010
Feeling Nostalgic
February. So many memories are bundled up in this one month. One of the most significant events is the birth of the boys. February 18th, 2004 almost around midnight, our beautiful boys were born. Each moment of that day is etched in my mind forever. I can remember when the nurse came in and said I was having too many contractions. I can remember the panicked phone call to Curtis saying that the doctors wanted to start me on a stronger medicine to help stop the contractions. I remember when the doctors realized that the contractions weren't going to subside and they needed to make a plan to deliver them. My boys weren't going to wait for the next day to be delivered like the doctors planned. I remember my mom, dad, Curtis' parents, his 2 sisters and my nephew coming to the hospital to be there when the boys were born. Oh yeah, and the Discovery Health Channel film crew to catch it all on tape as well! I can remember hearing Grant cry for the first time. What joy to my ears. Next came Jack and then Nolan. I can remember seeing their faces for the first time and thanking God that our boys were healthy.
Now we are getting ready to celebrate their 6th birthday in a couple of weeks. How did my little babies grow up so fast! It seems like yesterday we were celebrating their first birthday. I am so blessed that God gave me these boys and I couldn't be more proud of them. This year they really have grown up a lot. Even though they still don't like to be apart, they are now becoming more independent with their own likes and dislikes. I hope they continue to be best friends and love each other but I am excited to see where life takes them individually. I can see Grant playing every sport out there and wanting to win every game by at least 10 points. I can see Jack playing any musical instrument in the band and in his free time painting an elaborate picture. I can see Nolan sitting in front of a tv playing video games all day. Oh wait, I see that now! That boy loves his Wii race car/monster truck video games! Whoever they decide to be or whatever they decide to like, I know that I will always feel blessed that they call me mom.
Now we are getting ready to celebrate their 6th birthday in a couple of weeks. How did my little babies grow up so fast! It seems like yesterday we were celebrating their first birthday. I am so blessed that God gave me these boys and I couldn't be more proud of them. This year they really have grown up a lot. Even though they still don't like to be apart, they are now becoming more independent with their own likes and dislikes. I hope they continue to be best friends and love each other but I am excited to see where life takes them individually. I can see Grant playing every sport out there and wanting to win every game by at least 10 points. I can see Jack playing any musical instrument in the band and in his free time painting an elaborate picture. I can see Nolan sitting in front of a tv playing video games all day. Oh wait, I see that now! That boy loves his Wii race car/monster truck video games! Whoever they decide to be or whatever they decide to like, I know that I will always feel blessed that they call me mom.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Last Entry for 2009
I can't believe that we are in the last hours of 2009. This year went by so fast! I think the biggest event of the year was that the boys started Kindergarten. We are so blessed to have such an awesome teacher and a great group of classmates to play with. As an end of the year gift, the boys and I made glitter ornaments for the class along with a Christmas tree box filled with candy. The boys passed out their gifts to the class after their end of the year play which was Goldilocks and the 3 Bears.
The boys teacher wanted them to each learn a line from the story and say it during the play. Well, that didn't happen. She was ok with that but she was hoping that they would sing along during certain parts of the story. Uh, that didn't happen either. The boys "performance" included Grant putting his hands in the back of his pants and letting the entire audience see him do this. Um, Nolan putting his hands in the front of his pants and letting the entire audience see him do this. Oh yeah, and then he also decided to fall backwards out of his chair! Jack didn't do anything as embarrassing as his other brothers but he kept talking to Nolan during the play. That's my boys!
We had fun decorating the house and enjoying all that is Christmas. I took the boys to Disneyland to see all of the Christmas decorations and enjoy the parade. I also took them to visit Santa and poor Santa....I think he was a bit overwhelmed with 3 boys coming at him! They primarily wanted remote control race cars for Christmas. Santa came through with that wish!
Our family went to my mom's house for Christmas Eve. It was the first time since my dad passed that we celebrated Christmas at their house. I could feel my dad's presence at the table as we ate dinner. Earlier in the week the boys and I went to the cemetery to bring flowers to honor and remember my dad during this time of year. As we were getting back into my van Grant said "Mom, I'll be right back." I watched him as he went over to my dad's grave and kissed one of the roses in the flower bunch we brought. When he came back he said "I miss Grandpa." Me too Grant, me too.
Christmas day started EARLY as in 3am early. Nope, we couldn't get the boys back to bed so we decided to give in and open presents. As they get older, it is so much fun to see their reactions to things. Christmas Eve they were concerned that Santa wouldn't be able to fit down the chimney. They opened up the fireplace and looked into it to check it out. We assured them that yes, Santa would be able to fit down the chimney. One of the great traditions we started was to jingle bells outside their bedroom window before they go to bed. The reaction to hearing the "sleigh bells" is priceless. They can't close their eyes fast enough because they think Santa is on top of our house! After spending a few hours playing with toys, we headed to Curtis' parents house. The boys got to play with some of their cousins and meet their new cousin Riley. We ended the day with Grandma's pumpkin pie. It was a long day but a very fun day too.
The day after Christmas we took the boys to the park and set up the soccer net and brought Grant's new soccer ball, football and basketball. He seems to be the most interested in sports and more athletic than his brothers. It was fun playing a bit of soccer and throwing the football around. I think they were more interested in playing on the playground than throwing or kicking a ball around. O'well....
Before this entry runs into 2010, I will end with a fun fishing trip that Curtis took the boys on. We have been fishing several times but have never actually caught a fish. Well Curtis and his friend Andy took the boys fishing. And guess what.....they each caught a fish!!!! Nolan wasn't too keen on holding his fish but Grant and Jack were ok with it.
Enjoy some of the pictures from the last month. I wish everyone a very Happy and Healthy New Year!
The boys teacher wanted them to each learn a line from the story and say it during the play. Well, that didn't happen. She was ok with that but she was hoping that they would sing along during certain parts of the story. Uh, that didn't happen either. The boys "performance" included Grant putting his hands in the back of his pants and letting the entire audience see him do this. Um, Nolan putting his hands in the front of his pants and letting the entire audience see him do this. Oh yeah, and then he also decided to fall backwards out of his chair! Jack didn't do anything as embarrassing as his other brothers but he kept talking to Nolan during the play. That's my boys!
We had fun decorating the house and enjoying all that is Christmas. I took the boys to Disneyland to see all of the Christmas decorations and enjoy the parade. I also took them to visit Santa and poor Santa....I think he was a bit overwhelmed with 3 boys coming at him! They primarily wanted remote control race cars for Christmas. Santa came through with that wish!
Our family went to my mom's house for Christmas Eve. It was the first time since my dad passed that we celebrated Christmas at their house. I could feel my dad's presence at the table as we ate dinner. Earlier in the week the boys and I went to the cemetery to bring flowers to honor and remember my dad during this time of year. As we were getting back into my van Grant said "Mom, I'll be right back." I watched him as he went over to my dad's grave and kissed one of the roses in the flower bunch we brought. When he came back he said "I miss Grandpa." Me too Grant, me too.
Christmas day started EARLY as in 3am early. Nope, we couldn't get the boys back to bed so we decided to give in and open presents. As they get older, it is so much fun to see their reactions to things. Christmas Eve they were concerned that Santa wouldn't be able to fit down the chimney. They opened up the fireplace and looked into it to check it out. We assured them that yes, Santa would be able to fit down the chimney. One of the great traditions we started was to jingle bells outside their bedroom window before they go to bed. The reaction to hearing the "sleigh bells" is priceless. They can't close their eyes fast enough because they think Santa is on top of our house! After spending a few hours playing with toys, we headed to Curtis' parents house. The boys got to play with some of their cousins and meet their new cousin Riley. We ended the day with Grandma's pumpkin pie. It was a long day but a very fun day too.
The day after Christmas we took the boys to the park and set up the soccer net and brought Grant's new soccer ball, football and basketball. He seems to be the most interested in sports and more athletic than his brothers. It was fun playing a bit of soccer and throwing the football around. I think they were more interested in playing on the playground than throwing or kicking a ball around. O'well....
Before this entry runs into 2010, I will end with a fun fishing trip that Curtis took the boys on. We have been fishing several times but have never actually caught a fish. Well Curtis and his friend Andy took the boys fishing. And guess what.....they each caught a fish!!!! Nolan wasn't too keen on holding his fish but Grant and Jack were ok with it.
Enjoy some of the pictures from the last month. I wish everyone a very Happy and Healthy New Year!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Random Act of Kindness Warms My Heart
Today after school I took the boys to see Santa. The place I took them also runs a small train around the center of the outdoor mall. Of course they were really excited to ride the train as well as seeing Santa. We hit the train station first. The boys were jumping around and yelling "TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN!!!" So I went in the little kiosk to buy them their tickets. As I am reaching in my wallet, this woman behind me says "Your boys are so adorable and I would love to buy them a train ride" and then sets down $10 on the counter. I was in shock but so touched that someone would do this for my boys. I told her she didn't have to do that but she insisted. I thanked her with tears in my eyes and she walked away. I looked for her the rest of the afternoon but I never did see her again.
God must have known that I needed this encounter today. It was like an angel sent from heaven. It restored a bit of faith in the human spirit for me. It's the little things in life that go so far. So to this lady who was so kind and generous to think of my boys, thank you. You made my day.
God must have known that I needed this encounter today. It was like an angel sent from heaven. It restored a bit of faith in the human spirit for me. It's the little things in life that go so far. So to this lady who was so kind and generous to think of my boys, thank you. You made my day.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
The Elf on the Shelf
I heard of this book last year at Christmastime and I was never able to find it. This year I was determined to get it for the boys. The story is about an elf who is sent down from the North Pole by Santa. The elf arrives at your house and is there to watch and observe your child's behavior and then report back to Santa at night. The elf sits in one place during the day and must not be touched or his magic might go. The next morning the elf arrives back at the house from the North Pole and sits in a different place than the previous day. The elf is also there for the kids to tell him what they want for Christmas so that the elf can tell Santa at night. It is also very important that your child names the elf too! The book and the elf come together in a very cute box set.
The elf showed up at our house Monday night. He was sat on a shelf in the hallway during the day but the boys never saw him. So after we got done decorating, I was "surprised" at what I found on the shelf. The boys were speechless when they saw him. Curtis brought the book and the elf over to the couch and read them the book. At first I wasn't sure if they were on board with the idea but it got more real to them after they heard the story. They named him Mr. Elf. As they were headed to bed, each of them went over to Mr. Elf, now on the mantel, to tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Heck, even Curtis and I took a turn talking to Mr. Elf! So that night after they went to bed, Mr. Elf found a new shelf to sit on.
So for the next 22 nights, Mr. Elf will find his way around our house watching and reporting back to Santa Clause!
The elf showed up at our house Monday night. He was sat on a shelf in the hallway during the day but the boys never saw him. So after we got done decorating, I was "surprised" at what I found on the shelf. The boys were speechless when they saw him. Curtis brought the book and the elf over to the couch and read them the book. At first I wasn't sure if they were on board with the idea but it got more real to them after they heard the story. They named him Mr. Elf. As they were headed to bed, each of them went over to Mr. Elf, now on the mantel, to tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Heck, even Curtis and I took a turn talking to Mr. Elf! So that night after they went to bed, Mr. Elf found a new shelf to sit on.
So for the next 22 nights, Mr. Elf will find his way around our house watching and reporting back to Santa Clause!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Pomona Drag Races
Curtis and I took the boys to their first NHRA drag race on Friday. It was a very emotional day for me because my dad and I went to the drags every year before he got sick. The last time I had been to the drags was February 12, 2006, 4 days before my dad passed away. My dad and I went together that day and had a fantastic time. We had not been in many years because of his health but for some reason, he decided to go with me that year. Well now I know why. It was the last time we would ever go to the drags together.
As we drove into the parking lot and I saw the stands, I could feel my dad's presence there. I could sense the happiness that he would have seeing Curtis and I bringing the boys to the track for the first time. He would have LOVED to be there with us, and he was in a way. I looked up into the sky and just gave him a big smile.
The boys were so excited to go to the races. They weren't only excited to go but also to cheer on Fast Jack Beckman. Several months ago Jack Beckman and his family moved into a house down the street. Jack drives a funny car for the NHRA. We visited his pit but he wasn't there at the time we stopped by. We found ourselves sitting in the same spot that my dad and I had sat when we went to the races back in 2006. I love watching the races. I always wanted to be Shirley Muldowney when I was little. Who knows, maybe someday the boys will race themselves! A mom can dream......NASCAR, NHRA, whatever.
I'll always remember this day and hopefully so will the boys.
As we drove into the parking lot and I saw the stands, I could feel my dad's presence there. I could sense the happiness that he would have seeing Curtis and I bringing the boys to the track for the first time. He would have LOVED to be there with us, and he was in a way. I looked up into the sky and just gave him a big smile.
The boys were so excited to go to the races. They weren't only excited to go but also to cheer on Fast Jack Beckman. Several months ago Jack Beckman and his family moved into a house down the street. Jack drives a funny car for the NHRA. We visited his pit but he wasn't there at the time we stopped by. We found ourselves sitting in the same spot that my dad and I had sat when we went to the races back in 2006. I love watching the races. I always wanted to be Shirley Muldowney when I was little. Who knows, maybe someday the boys will race themselves! A mom can dream......NASCAR, NHRA, whatever.
I'll always remember this day and hopefully so will the boys.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Fall Fun!!!
We have definitely been enjoying ourselves getting ready for Halloween this year. This time next week I am sure Curtis and I will be hounded every second to go trick or treating. Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year. I know one of the reasons is because it was my dad's favorite time of the year. He loved to hand out candy to the kids and see all of the Halloween costumes. I remember the first time we went trick or treating, we went to my parents house and visited a couple neighbors of theirs. It is one of the fondest memories I have of the boys and my dad together.
Curtis and I took the boys to a pumpkin patch close to the house to pick out some pumpkins. When we were kids, I think we just went down to the corner store and got a pumpkin for less than 5 bucks. These days every holiday is an event! Not only was it a pumpkin patch but it also had huge slides, mazes, bungees, tractor rides, face painting, etc....I'll remember next year to set some savings aside for all this fun! Of course the boys wanted to ride the tractors, over and over and over again. They also rode the ATV's which were attached to the larger ATV that was pulling them along. They slid down the fire truck slide and went through the rat race maze. At the end, we picked some pumpkins and headed home.
Of course the boys wanted to carve the pumpkins right when we got home. The boys each picked a large pumpkin and then they picked a pumpkin for Curtis and I. They also got small pumpkins from their pumpkin patch field trip from school so we had a total of 8 pumpkins to carve. Yes, 8. Needless to say, I was drowning in pumpkin goop for the rest of the evening. We had a lot of fun carving the pumpkins. The boys wanted me to carve a spider on mine and Curtis carved a grumpy face on his. The boys wanted good old fashioned pumpkin faces on their big pumpkins. On the smaller pumpkins, Jack wanted a car, Grant wanted a bat and Nolan wanted a kitty. At the end of the night we lit them all up in the garage and ooh and aaahhhh'd over them.
Friday is the boys Halloween party at school. There will be a costume parade and then some yummy treats after that. I am definitely looking forward to seeing all the kids dressed up. I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween!
Curtis and I took the boys to a pumpkin patch close to the house to pick out some pumpkins. When we were kids, I think we just went down to the corner store and got a pumpkin for less than 5 bucks. These days every holiday is an event! Not only was it a pumpkin patch but it also had huge slides, mazes, bungees, tractor rides, face painting, etc....I'll remember next year to set some savings aside for all this fun! Of course the boys wanted to ride the tractors, over and over and over again. They also rode the ATV's which were attached to the larger ATV that was pulling them along. They slid down the fire truck slide and went through the rat race maze. At the end, we picked some pumpkins and headed home.
Of course the boys wanted to carve the pumpkins right when we got home. The boys each picked a large pumpkin and then they picked a pumpkin for Curtis and I. They also got small pumpkins from their pumpkin patch field trip from school so we had a total of 8 pumpkins to carve. Yes, 8. Needless to say, I was drowning in pumpkin goop for the rest of the evening. We had a lot of fun carving the pumpkins. The boys wanted me to carve a spider on mine and Curtis carved a grumpy face on his. The boys wanted good old fashioned pumpkin faces on their big pumpkins. On the smaller pumpkins, Jack wanted a car, Grant wanted a bat and Nolan wanted a kitty. At the end of the night we lit them all up in the garage and ooh and aaahhhh'd over them.
Friday is the boys Halloween party at school. There will be a costume parade and then some yummy treats after that. I am definitely looking forward to seeing all the kids dressed up. I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
A Bit Too Close For Comfort
Fire! Fire! Where is the fire?! That was the big question at noon yesterday. I went to pick up the boys from school and once I got out of my car, I immediately smelled smoke. I turned around to face the parking lot and saw that a hill near the golf course was on fire. There was a big plume of smoke but from where I was standing I couldn't tell whether or not it was near our house. I called my neighbor who is a fire fighter and asked him if he saw the fire. Yep, he saw it but it wasn't too close to our house. It was on the north side of the golf course and we are on the south side of the golf course. Whew! (or so I thought)
I got the boys in the car and was telling them where I thought the fire was. I said "The fire is over by the park I take you to". The next thing I heard was Grant yelling "Our park is on fire!" I chuckled and assured him that the park wasn't on fire. We drove over to the other side of the golf course to see where it was and there was a lot of smoke. I couldn't see any fire because at that time it was on the other side of the hill. We went home and turned the tv on and I kept my eyes glued out the window to our backyard. At times it seemed that it was going to be put out quickly but just as I said that to myself, I would see another big black plume of smoke. I was on the phone with my friend who was on the phone with her husband (the fire fighter) getting the details of what was going on. I was assured that it wasn't likely that the fire would get to our house but it was pretty scary seeing flames shooting up off the hill behind your house! Watching the fire was pretty nerve racking but it was also pretty awesome to watch the fire fighting efforts. These planes and helicopters flying so low that you think you can touch them. It was amazing.
The fire had initially started on the north side of the golf course and then moved it's way to the south side where we live. There are two hills we can see from our backyard and both of them were on fire. The wind kept pushing the fire south and last I heard, no homes or structures where burned. After dinner we walked up to the end of the cul-de-sac to see what was going on up there. There were 2 fire trucks, a sheriff and 2 Channel 7 news vans covering the fire. We watched the helicopters dropping water on the hot spots on the hill. It was pretty cool!
So that was the excitement for the day! Here are some pictures and 2 videos from the day.
I got the boys in the car and was telling them where I thought the fire was. I said "The fire is over by the park I take you to". The next thing I heard was Grant yelling "Our park is on fire!" I chuckled and assured him that the park wasn't on fire. We drove over to the other side of the golf course to see where it was and there was a lot of smoke. I couldn't see any fire because at that time it was on the other side of the hill. We went home and turned the tv on and I kept my eyes glued out the window to our backyard. At times it seemed that it was going to be put out quickly but just as I said that to myself, I would see another big black plume of smoke. I was on the phone with my friend who was on the phone with her husband (the fire fighter) getting the details of what was going on. I was assured that it wasn't likely that the fire would get to our house but it was pretty scary seeing flames shooting up off the hill behind your house! Watching the fire was pretty nerve racking but it was also pretty awesome to watch the fire fighting efforts. These planes and helicopters flying so low that you think you can touch them. It was amazing.
The fire had initially started on the north side of the golf course and then moved it's way to the south side where we live. There are two hills we can see from our backyard and both of them were on fire. The wind kept pushing the fire south and last I heard, no homes or structures where burned. After dinner we walked up to the end of the cul-de-sac to see what was going on up there. There were 2 fire trucks, a sheriff and 2 Channel 7 news vans covering the fire. We watched the helicopters dropping water on the hot spots on the hill. It was pretty cool!
So that was the excitement for the day! Here are some pictures and 2 videos from the day.
Monday, August 10, 2009
The Big Day - Kindergarten!
Excited does not adequately describe how the boys felt about going to Kindergarten. Saturday I broke out their new backpacks and school supplies that they would need for school. Ever since then, they would ask about every hour if they were going to school yet. Today could have not gotten here fast enough for them. But for me, I wanted to hold onto every last minute before we took this big step into Kindergarten. Last night they kept asking me "Are you going to miss us very much mom?" Yep, I sure will.
We got into their classroom this morning and they got a name tag to wear for this first week of school. It will be interesting to see next week if the teacher can tell who is who without their name tags. The teacher and I talked about their differences and maybe how to tell them apart but most people who ask me that still get them wrong. Today was a minimum day at school. It was only supposed to be an hour but it lasted about 2 hours. The parents talked to the teacher while the kids went outside and played on the playground a bit. Then the kids came back in the room and took some time to explore the room. They had several projects to make and also just play in different learning areas of the classroom. As we were getting in the car to leave Jack asked "Mom, why did you stay with us?" Ouch! I had talked to them about how mom's and dad's don't stay at school but that they will be with their teacher during the day. I guess they didn't want me there today :( Like I said, they are ready, I'm not.
Did you know that in Kindergarten you get homework?! It seems kind of crazy but it is true. We get a packet every Monday and that packet needs to be done by the end of the week. So this afternoon we broke out the homework. That was just weird to say the least. My babies are doing homework and they love it! Grant almost did his whole packet and that was supposed to last him the whole week. It's kind of chaotic trying to help 3 kids at once with their homework. "Mom, what about this? How do I do that? What's the next page?" Then if their brother is doing a page they already did, they try to help him out. It's pretty funny. I want them to learn on their own at their own pace. The school also has you commit to reading a book everyday for at least 15 minutes. You have to log the book on a sheet they give you and turn it in at the end of the month. So of course our book choices were "My Truck is Stuck", "If I Could Drive a Tanker Truck" and "If I Could Drive a Crane".
It was a fantastic day. They are looking forward to tomorrow and I guess I am too. It will be my first day with 4 hours to myself! What will I do......
I've had this song stuck in my head for the last week. It's a song that I used when I did a photo montage for the boys 4th birthday. The words are so appropriate for how I feel right now. The song is called "Let Them Be Little" by Billy Dean.
I can remember when you fit in the palm of my hand.
You felt so good in it; no bigger than a minute.
How it amazes me you're changin' with every blink.
Faster than a flower blooms, they grow up all too soon.
So let them be little,
'Cause they're only that way for a while.
Give 'em hope, give them praise,
Give them love every day.
Let 'em cry, let 'em giggle,
Let 'em sleep in the middle,
Oh, but let them be little.
I never felt so much in one little tender touch.
I live for those kisses, your prayers an' your wishes.
An' now you're teachin' me how only a child can see.
Tonight, while we're on our knees, all I ask is:
Please, let them be little,
'Cause they're only that way for a while.
Give them hope, give them praise,
Give them love every day.
Let 'em cry, let 'em giggle,
Let 'em sleep in the middle,
Oh, but let them be little.
The so innocent, precious soul:
You turn around, an' it's time to let them go.
So let them be little,
'Cause they're only that way for a while.
Give them hope, give 'em praise,
Give them love every day.
Let 'em cry, let 'em giggle,
Let them sleep in the middle,
Oh, but let them be little.
Let them be little
We got into their classroom this morning and they got a name tag to wear for this first week of school. It will be interesting to see next week if the teacher can tell who is who without their name tags. The teacher and I talked about their differences and maybe how to tell them apart but most people who ask me that still get them wrong. Today was a minimum day at school. It was only supposed to be an hour but it lasted about 2 hours. The parents talked to the teacher while the kids went outside and played on the playground a bit. Then the kids came back in the room and took some time to explore the room. They had several projects to make and also just play in different learning areas of the classroom. As we were getting in the car to leave Jack asked "Mom, why did you stay with us?" Ouch! I had talked to them about how mom's and dad's don't stay at school but that they will be with their teacher during the day. I guess they didn't want me there today :( Like I said, they are ready, I'm not.
Did you know that in Kindergarten you get homework?! It seems kind of crazy but it is true. We get a packet every Monday and that packet needs to be done by the end of the week. So this afternoon we broke out the homework. That was just weird to say the least. My babies are doing homework and they love it! Grant almost did his whole packet and that was supposed to last him the whole week. It's kind of chaotic trying to help 3 kids at once with their homework. "Mom, what about this? How do I do that? What's the next page?" Then if their brother is doing a page they already did, they try to help him out. It's pretty funny. I want them to learn on their own at their own pace. The school also has you commit to reading a book everyday for at least 15 minutes. You have to log the book on a sheet they give you and turn it in at the end of the month. So of course our book choices were "My Truck is Stuck", "If I Could Drive a Tanker Truck" and "If I Could Drive a Crane".
It was a fantastic day. They are looking forward to tomorrow and I guess I am too. It will be my first day with 4 hours to myself! What will I do......
I've had this song stuck in my head for the last week. It's a song that I used when I did a photo montage for the boys 4th birthday. The words are so appropriate for how I feel right now. The song is called "Let Them Be Little" by Billy Dean.
I can remember when you fit in the palm of my hand.
You felt so good in it; no bigger than a minute.
How it amazes me you're changin' with every blink.
Faster than a flower blooms, they grow up all too soon.
So let them be little,
'Cause they're only that way for a while.
Give 'em hope, give them praise,
Give them love every day.
Let 'em cry, let 'em giggle,
Let 'em sleep in the middle,
Oh, but let them be little.
I never felt so much in one little tender touch.
I live for those kisses, your prayers an' your wishes.
An' now you're teachin' me how only a child can see.
Tonight, while we're on our knees, all I ask is:
Please, let them be little,
'Cause they're only that way for a while.
Give them hope, give them praise,
Give them love every day.
Let 'em cry, let 'em giggle,
Let 'em sleep in the middle,
Oh, but let them be little.
The so innocent, precious soul:
You turn around, an' it's time to let them go.
So let them be little,
'Cause they're only that way for a while.
Give them hope, give 'em praise,
Give them love every day.
Let 'em cry, let 'em giggle,
Let them sleep in the middle,
Oh, but let them be little.
Let them be little
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Super Fair = Super Time!
Yesterday Curtis and I took the boys to the Orange County Fair. There were many "firsts" which were really unexpected. The first "first" was that we went without a stroller! The only time we use our jogging stroller is when we take the boys to Disneyland, and I really do think they are getting too big for it. But, it's a way to keep them all together and from not getting so tired walking around all day. Curtis and I were really impressed with how well they did. It was pretty hot and we walked around quite a bit.
We entered the gate where all the rides and games were. The boys wanted to play the games but didn't want the prizes at first (I know, weird!). I have to say that the people working at the booths and rides were really generous to us. They would give us extra darts, rings, rides, etc. for no extra charge. So it was a "first" to play carnival games. Another "first" was riding the carnival rides. To my amazement, they rode a roller coaster by themselves! It was hilarious. I think Grant really liked it but Nolan and Jack had enough by the first couple times around. One of their favorite rides of the day was the mini bumper cars. I think we must have rode that ride 10 times. Jack really just wanted to drive around and not bump into anyone. He was very serious and determined to drive the car around. Grant loved to bump into people (definitely his personality trait coming out!) and Nolan liked to drive around and bump into people. The boys also rode bumper boats which was fun but not as exciting as the bumper cars. The last ride they rode was the big slide that you ride down on a potato sack. Nolan kept asking to ride the slide but I wasn't sure about it. It was really high! I let my motherly fears go and sent Curtis and the boys off to ride the slide. There were 3 lanes so each of the boys had their own lane. I watched them go down so fast and I couldn't stop smiling. I was so proud of them.
Later we went to the kid zone where they had a reptile display. If you know me, you know I don't like reptiles! They had huge snakes and geckos on display. Then they also had a place where you could take a picture with a huge snake. Curtis encouraged them to take a picture with the snake so up they went to sit by the snake. The handlers started to wrap the snake around their neck and they kind of freaked out (or maybe that was me!). Then they tried to lay the snake in their lap but Nolan started yelling "get me out of here!" and then Grant started to freak out too. I got both of them down but Jack hung back. He was up there petting the snake and making friends with it! It was hilarious. We also watched the pig races earlier in the day. At the end of the show the boys took a picture with "Strawberry" the swine.
We stopped and watched the family circus they had. I couldn't encourage them enough to ride on the elephant. They liked the juggling, disappearing of birds, and they especially liked watching the ring master stack up 7-8 chairs and doing a handstand on top of them. We talked with him after the show and the guy told us that triplets (especially identical ones) can make a good living in the circus. I guess they will always have something to fall back on?!
At the end of the evening we watched the BMX riders. I love watching the stunts these kids come up with. The youngest rider was 15! It was around 9pm by this time and the boys were getting tired. We had never intended on staying that long but we were having a blast. After another round on the bumper cars we headed home.
One very sweet moment we had early in the day. We met this group of seniors who were having a day out at the fair. A lady stopped us and asked us if the boys were triplets. Then she introduced the lady that she was pushing around in a wheelchair. Her name was Alice. Alice was 103 years old! She had the biggest smile on her face looking at the boys. The boys introduced themselves and we chatted for a bit. It was just an awesome moment.
So here are some pictures from the day. Unfortunately they were all taken on my camera phone so the quality is a bit lacking. The darn battery on my camera was dead!
We entered the gate where all the rides and games were. The boys wanted to play the games but didn't want the prizes at first (I know, weird!). I have to say that the people working at the booths and rides were really generous to us. They would give us extra darts, rings, rides, etc. for no extra charge. So it was a "first" to play carnival games. Another "first" was riding the carnival rides. To my amazement, they rode a roller coaster by themselves! It was hilarious. I think Grant really liked it but Nolan and Jack had enough by the first couple times around. One of their favorite rides of the day was the mini bumper cars. I think we must have rode that ride 10 times. Jack really just wanted to drive around and not bump into anyone. He was very serious and determined to drive the car around. Grant loved to bump into people (definitely his personality trait coming out!) and Nolan liked to drive around and bump into people. The boys also rode bumper boats which was fun but not as exciting as the bumper cars. The last ride they rode was the big slide that you ride down on a potato sack. Nolan kept asking to ride the slide but I wasn't sure about it. It was really high! I let my motherly fears go and sent Curtis and the boys off to ride the slide. There were 3 lanes so each of the boys had their own lane. I watched them go down so fast and I couldn't stop smiling. I was so proud of them.
Later we went to the kid zone where they had a reptile display. If you know me, you know I don't like reptiles! They had huge snakes and geckos on display. Then they also had a place where you could take a picture with a huge snake. Curtis encouraged them to take a picture with the snake so up they went to sit by the snake. The handlers started to wrap the snake around their neck and they kind of freaked out (or maybe that was me!). Then they tried to lay the snake in their lap but Nolan started yelling "get me out of here!" and then Grant started to freak out too. I got both of them down but Jack hung back. He was up there petting the snake and making friends with it! It was hilarious. We also watched the pig races earlier in the day. At the end of the show the boys took a picture with "Strawberry" the swine.
We stopped and watched the family circus they had. I couldn't encourage them enough to ride on the elephant. They liked the juggling, disappearing of birds, and they especially liked watching the ring master stack up 7-8 chairs and doing a handstand on top of them. We talked with him after the show and the guy told us that triplets (especially identical ones) can make a good living in the circus. I guess they will always have something to fall back on?!
At the end of the evening we watched the BMX riders. I love watching the stunts these kids come up with. The youngest rider was 15! It was around 9pm by this time and the boys were getting tired. We had never intended on staying that long but we were having a blast. After another round on the bumper cars we headed home.
One very sweet moment we had early in the day. We met this group of seniors who were having a day out at the fair. A lady stopped us and asked us if the boys were triplets. Then she introduced the lady that she was pushing around in a wheelchair. Her name was Alice. Alice was 103 years old! She had the biggest smile on her face looking at the boys. The boys introduced themselves and we chatted for a bit. It was just an awesome moment.
So here are some pictures from the day. Unfortunately they were all taken on my camera phone so the quality is a bit lacking. The darn battery on my camera was dead!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Our First Camping Trip of the Season - Solvang!
We finally made it out camping this year! We had several trips planned but they either got canceled because of weather or someone feeling under the weather.
We headed out to Buellton/Solvang which is approximately 4 hours from home. As most of you know it has been in the 95-100's here but up north it was really nice in the 80's. The first full day we spent, of course, in the pool. My fishes (the boys) love the water. There was a small jacuzzi next to the pool and the boys wanted to go in it. They had never been in a jacuzzi before so it was pretty exciting for them. They loved the warm water and the ability to stand up without the water being over their head. Even better was when we turned on the jacuzzi bubbles. Oh, that was so cool for them. After the jacuzzi the boys wanted to go back in the pool. Have you ever been in a jacuzzi then jumped into a pool right after? BURRRRR....After the pool we headed back to the trailer, changed and went to go feed the ostriches. There is a place called Ostrich Land which is a ostrich farm where you can feed ostriches and emus. It's lots of fun and the boys have a blast. Those ostriches are crazy!
We met up with our friends and neighbors , The Kohl's, on their last leg of their 2 week trip up and down the coast. Their girls and our boys play together a lot. Curtis made a fantastic spaghetti dinner for all of us to enjoy.
The next day we headed to the pool early before it got crowded. After the pool we ate lunch and then headed to town for some ice cream. After cooling off with some ice cream, we headed back to our trailer to hang out for awhile. The boys and the girls rode bikes and flew a kite. Then all 11 of us headed to dinner at the very famous Pea Soup Anderson's. I hear the pea soup is great but you aren't going to get me to try it! After dinner, the kids rode bikes again and the adults were recouperating from dinner. We ended the night with margaritas and poker! Apparently when you have 3 of a kind and 2 of a kind, it's a full house :)
The next morning we headed back home. The boys didn't want to leave but it was time to go. Once we got home, Jack hugged the wall and said "I missed our house!" It was very cute. Of course the dogs were very happy to see us. They were well taken care of by Grandma and Papa.
Oh, we also made a quick trip to Neverland. The only thing you could see was the entrance but it was filled with flowers, letters, posters and balloons. On the way to Neverland we saw a church banner that said "Foreverland". I got a big chuckle out of it.
We have another trip planned in a couple weeks in San Diego. It will be our last trip before the boys start Kindergarten!
Here are some pictures from our trip!
We headed out to Buellton/Solvang which is approximately 4 hours from home. As most of you know it has been in the 95-100's here but up north it was really nice in the 80's. The first full day we spent, of course, in the pool. My fishes (the boys) love the water. There was a small jacuzzi next to the pool and the boys wanted to go in it. They had never been in a jacuzzi before so it was pretty exciting for them. They loved the warm water and the ability to stand up without the water being over their head. Even better was when we turned on the jacuzzi bubbles. Oh, that was so cool for them. After the jacuzzi the boys wanted to go back in the pool. Have you ever been in a jacuzzi then jumped into a pool right after? BURRRRR....After the pool we headed back to the trailer, changed and went to go feed the ostriches. There is a place called Ostrich Land which is a ostrich farm where you can feed ostriches and emus. It's lots of fun and the boys have a blast. Those ostriches are crazy!
We met up with our friends and neighbors , The Kohl's, on their last leg of their 2 week trip up and down the coast. Their girls and our boys play together a lot. Curtis made a fantastic spaghetti dinner for all of us to enjoy.
The next day we headed to the pool early before it got crowded. After the pool we ate lunch and then headed to town for some ice cream. After cooling off with some ice cream, we headed back to our trailer to hang out for awhile. The boys and the girls rode bikes and flew a kite. Then all 11 of us headed to dinner at the very famous Pea Soup Anderson's. I hear the pea soup is great but you aren't going to get me to try it! After dinner, the kids rode bikes again and the adults were recouperating from dinner. We ended the night with margaritas and poker! Apparently when you have 3 of a kind and 2 of a kind, it's a full house :)
The next morning we headed back home. The boys didn't want to leave but it was time to go. Once we got home, Jack hugged the wall and said "I missed our house!" It was very cute. Of course the dogs were very happy to see us. They were well taken care of by Grandma and Papa.
Oh, we also made a quick trip to Neverland. The only thing you could see was the entrance but it was filled with flowers, letters, posters and balloons. On the way to Neverland we saw a church banner that said "Foreverland". I got a big chuckle out of it.
We have another trip planned in a couple weeks in San Diego. It will be our last trip before the boys start Kindergarten!
Here are some pictures from our trip!
Monday, July 6, 2009
The 4th of July
We had a really fun 4th of July this year. We headed to the park for a picnic with the entire Coombs family. There was a lot of food, fun, parade and water balloon fight. Ah, one of the best water balloon fights yet! I think the boys enjoyed the water balloon fight the most. Someone had brought a couple of plastic balls and bats to the park and the boys really took to them. Nolan kept throwing the ball in the air and was hitting it a fair amount of the time. I was really impressed with them because they had never picked up a baseball and bat before. After the picnic we went home and rested for awhile. About 8:30 p.m. we headed out to the Norco Community Park for a fireworks display. We were really close to the fireworks. You could see them shooting off from the ground. The boys were oohing and ahhhing at them but it was a bit loud for their liking.
All in all, it was a great holiday. Here are some pictures from the day.
All in all, it was a great holiday. Here are some pictures from the day.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Father's Day Weekend
We needed more than a day to celebrate Curtis this year! We decided to take the boys to their first ever racing event at Perris Speedway on Saturday night. We got there when the gates opened at 5pm but the races didn't start until 7pm. We had a chance to watch a motorcycle and ATV exhibition which the boys really liked. We also watched the qualifying races before the actual races started. Each of the boys would pick their favorite car or truck for a particular race and cheered them on. My favorite race was when the 8-12 year olds came out in their little trucks that went 50 mph. Those kids were awesome! I love that there were girls also racing along with the boys. We had a fantastic time and would definitely go back.
Sunday was Father's Day and we started the morning off with some homemade gifts and breakfast. Then we decided to go to Papa and Grandma's house to celebrate Father's Day with Papa. The boys and I made cupcakes for Papa and enjoyed the special treat with him. We came home and I cooked dinner for everyone (that's a special treat in itself!) and then Curtis and I ended the night with some ice cream from Dairy Queen.
We had a great weekend celebrating Father's Day. It's a very special day to celebrate Dad's. Our weekend was filled with things that I knew my dad would enjoy. It made me miss him even more this weekend. He would have loved to go to the races with us and would have gotten a kick out of the boys watching the races. He would have enjoyed the tacos I made for dinner because that was his favorite meal to eat. I was able to visit the cemetery last weekend to honor him for Father's Day. I miss you dad.
I hope everyone enjoyed their special day with their dad's!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Four Score and Seven Years Ago...We Were Married!
June 9th, 2002 at 4pm in the afternoon Curtis and I were married! It was one of the most memorable and special days of my life. I had found my prince charming and married him 4 months after we met. And now here we are 7 years later and life has been crazy for us. We have lived in 3 houses, had 3 kids at the same time, added 2 more dogs to our family, lost several loved ones along the way, businesses closing and opening, a near death experience, extended stays in the hospital, a flood in our house and back surgery. I am hoping the next 7 years aren't so eventful but I guess with the boys growing up I can expect more of the same?!
I wouldn't want to share these experiences with anyone other than Curtis. His calm, supportive and loving attitude has gotten me through all of those experiences. He is a wonderful person and I can't imagine life without him. I am proud of the family and life we have created for ourselves and hope that the love and bond grow stronger each and everyday.
This morning he came home with flowers from the boys (sunflowers which are my favorite) and a gift from him. It's funny because typically a man would get the electronics and the woman would get the pots & pans but in our family it's the other way around!
So Curtis, I love you. I know you are reading this. Happy 7th Wedding Anniversary!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
A Little Boys Dream Come True
I think every little boy at one time or another wants to be a fireman. They dream of riding on that big, bright red, shinny fire truck. Well today we were invited to go to a fire station for a party. Our neighbor and friend David is a firefighter. He once worked at the Watts fire station where the party was being held. I will have to admit, I was a little excited about going too.
As we were driving up to the station, the fire truck was leaving to go on a call. After awhile the fire truck hadn't come back and the boys kept asking me when they were going to see it again. Thankfully it wasn't too long and the fire truck backed up a bit into the station. There were a total of 2 engines, 1 truck and an ambulance on site. The calls were coming in and it was quite exciting to see the firemen get into their gear "aka their turnouts" and get on the big trucks. A big treat was that the boys got to sit inside the fire truck. A call came in as we were sitting in the fire truck and we had to hurry and get on out so they could go on the call.
The boys got to play on the handball court for a little while. The firemen were having a handball tournament going on during the party. Lunch was served and then it was time for us to go. Everyone was so nice and enjoyed seeing the boys in their "LA City Fire Department in Training" shirts.
Thanks again to David and his family for inviting us along. It was great!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Sand and Water
It's been pretty hot here lately so the boys and I have been trying to keep cool. I saw a triple lane slip n slide at the store and knew that the boys would have a blast with it. I have really fond memories of when I was a kid and my brother and I would spend hours playing with our slip n slide. Needless to say, I was excited for the boys to try it out.
Jack got the hang of it pretty quick. He was sliding from one end to the other pretty easily. Nolan and Grant would run up to it, stop and then try to slide on the little body board that it came with. That was fine with them as long as they were wet! Curtis even got in on the action which was pretty hilarious.
Last Sunday we headed to the beach when we heard that the weather was going to be 93 degrees here. We have a spot in Newport Beach in Balboa that we really like to go to. It was overcast and a bit chilly at 10am. We spent several hours there making sand castles, running in the water and Curtis terrorizing me and the boys with sand crabs. I think most mom's will do anything for their kids. Well I decided I would hold a handful of sand crabs to show the boys how "brave" I was. Yeah, I dropped them like a hot potato and ran screaming like a little girl! The boys got a kick out of it but I think Curtis got the last laugh on that one.
There is a new video with the boys trying out their slip n slide on youtube. Look on the right hand side of the blog for a link to the video if you want to see it.
Jack got the hang of it pretty quick. He was sliding from one end to the other pretty easily. Nolan and Grant would run up to it, stop and then try to slide on the little body board that it came with. That was fine with them as long as they were wet! Curtis even got in on the action which was pretty hilarious.
Last Sunday we headed to the beach when we heard that the weather was going to be 93 degrees here. We have a spot in Newport Beach in Balboa that we really like to go to. It was overcast and a bit chilly at 10am. We spent several hours there making sand castles, running in the water and Curtis terrorizing me and the boys with sand crabs. I think most mom's will do anything for their kids. Well I decided I would hold a handful of sand crabs to show the boys how "brave" I was. Yeah, I dropped them like a hot potato and ran screaming like a little girl! The boys got a kick out of it but I think Curtis got the last laugh on that one.
There is a new video with the boys trying out their slip n slide on youtube. Look on the right hand side of the blog for a link to the video if you want to see it.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
A Happy Mother's Day
I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day today! I am so blessed to have 3 healthy and happy boys who are the loves of my life. I feel so blessed and thankful for such a great family.
I kind of celebrated Mother's Day all weekend which was really nice. On Saturday I was told to leave the house for awhile because Curtis, his dad and the boys were going to make me something for Mother's Day. Awesome! My friend Nancy and I decided to have a girls day out. Even more awesome! We started with a massage which was fantastic. Then we moved onto a mexican lunch which also included a big margarita. Nancy was lucky enough to get an extra shot of tequila in her margarita because the waitress didn't get my sarcasm fast enough. Our final stop was at the nail shop to get a pedicure. Ahhhhhh......we were so relaxed when we got home. What a fantastic day with a great friend.
The boys and Curtis were excited to show me what they had made when I got home. I initially thought it might be a bird house but I was totally wrong! They made me this great shelving system to hold some of my scrapbook paper. What a fantastic surprise! I am so lucky to have such a thoughtful husband. I absolutely love it!
Today the Kohl family came over for brunch cooked by none other than Curtis. We had some extra excitement when Brandi and Sterling (the dogs) caught a huge rat. UGH....it was so gross. Later in the afternoon I headed up to my scrap area upstairs and did some re-arranging. I love it! I spent a couple of hours scrapbooking in my new space.
Curtis is putting the boys to bed and then we will have dinner and watch the season finale of the Amazing Race. What a perfect weekend!
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