Big Week

Reggie started Kindergarten on Monday!!! His teacher is Mrs. Pierson and it seems like she will be a perfect fit for Reggie. He was already raising his hand during circle time and got some sort of prize for running laps. Who is this kid? His teacher volunteered at VBS this summer, so he recognized her and I think that helped. He also has a buddy from pre-school in his class, so they’ve been playing a lot together. I’ve already met several parents and one was Ainsley’s Sunday School Teacher. School is about a mile from the house, so we’ve been riding bikes :o). Ryan took off Reggie’s training wheels on Sunday, so he was a little hesitant, but now he’s great. He just needs to figure out how to start. Every Wed., he starts at 8:10, so that will be a little bit of a challenge! Ainsley will start pre-school after Labor Day, so we’ll be up and out by 9. So much for enjoying our slow mornings :o(. I guess we’ll have Monday and Friday :o). It is so interesting that I’ve been waiting for the day Reggie goes to school because then I’ll finally get a break, but now, I’m a little sad. We are losing our freedom and are going to be bound by school schedules. Not only that, but we’re losing a lot of play time, which again, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but when are we going to play??? I’m sure we’ll figure it out.

Ryan survived his softball game, but was very glad his teammates were yelling, "don't run!" over and over. He managed to hit a double, so you can just imagine how far he must have hit the ball! His team lost, so no more worries until next spring :o).

Update on Ryan-2 months post surgery

Last night was the first night I saw Ryan walking and could hardly tell anything happened. He wasn’t even limping!!! He has physical therapy twice a week and is making great progress. We were talking about softball the other night because his team is in the playoffs and one of the guys is on vacation and they are in need of another player. So, he decided to ask his physical therapist what she thought, expecting her to say no way! But, instead, she said, “Let’s take a look at your swing.” Kinda weird they have a bat there, but whatever. I guess he swung so hard something flew off of it and bounced all over the gym, hitting one of the trainers, so she said he could hit, but to not even think about even walking fast. Is that crazy or what? He plays tonight and hopefully, nothing exciting happens!
He also went for his first real bike ride (not at the gym) a few nights ago and was excited to really be able to work up a sweat. Unfortunately, it will be awhile until he is able to anything but the bike. He is still frustrated that it swells and is very stiff in the morning, but overall, he is making a great recovery.

We have a swimmer!!!

I can’t believe it…I took the kids to the pool a couple days ago and Reggie found the deepest place he could and started to swim. He immediately went underwater, which usually results in serious freaking out, but not that day. He got right back up and was so proud that he held his breath. I think he quickly figured out that he’s much heavier without his life jacket, so he just worked a little harder. He was swimming half the length of the kiddy pool over and over. It was amazing!!! To watch the video, go to http://www.arrtwade.blogspot.com/:

Then, Ainsley decided she wanted to go down the slide in the water. I couldn’t get her to do it before we left. She went once and that was it…she kept going and going, probably 25 times. We had such a fun day at the pool :o)!
I have to share a funny little story. Reggie and I were playing motorcycles outside and I was jumping off of our porch box, trying to land upright. We did this for a good 10 minutes, so probably 20 times and then Reggie said a little prayer, “God, can you make this motorcycle land upright?” Of course I was thinking and wondering if I should tell Reggie that God isn’t super concerned about whether your motorcycle lands upright or not, but I decided to remain silent. I haven’t heard him say a prayer before, so I didn’t want to crush his hopes. Sure enough, the next jump, the motorcycle landed upright. To which Reggie said with a big smile on his face, “Hmmm, I guess my prayer worked!” God never ceases to amaze me…there’s nothing too small for him to be concerned about. It is also a good reminder that when we pray and truly believe something will happen, it will!!! If we could all be like children……

First week back

We had a busy week unpacking, shopping and trying to get life back in order. Reggie had a golf camp every morning, so that kept us busy too. I don't think he's going to be the next tiger woods:

We visited with the Bliss family everyday because the golf course was right by there house. Reggie got his Michael fix and Ainsley and Sam actually started playing together, so that was fun to see. Sarah and I got caught up on life and that was good too :o). The kids have enjoyed their rooms, toys and the bounce house...it is always a bit like Christmas when we come home.
Reggie does a very good job of being happy where he is and understanding that grandma and grandpa and our friends there are too far away to play with, but Ainsley is having a harder time. She has asked for Grandma several times and wants to play with Maggie. I'm glad they are coming for a visit, so we can tell her they'll be here soon!

It was very, very hot and I think it felt hotter than it actually was because we didn't have a lake to swim in! My tan is already starting to fade :o(. The evenings are great because it is still 80, so being outside in the evening is very pleasant. We went to the market and had our usual snow cone and kettle corn and stocked up on fruit for the week. Ryan has discovered pluots and really enjoys them :o). We've also been eating grapes from our backyard and they are delicious!

I had my rhuematology appointment and he confirmed I have Ankylosing Spondylitis, but he was surprised that my x-rays looked so good and since I wasn't having pain that day, he really didn't do much for me. So, I might just do physical therapy on my own and see if I can see a Naturopath to give me some ideas on how to slow the process and have pain relief when things flare up. A little frustrating that you have to figure these things out for yourself...what is the point in going to the doctor these days???

Summer summed up in a loooong post....

Wow, a lot has happened since our last post.....we've had nothing but sunshine, even 100 degree weather a few days!!! Didn't we leave Livermore to avoid the heat???? At least we had the lake to cool off in :o). Time has really gone fast :o(. I can't believe our time at the lake came and went. It was so wonderful to spend so much time with family and enjoy the lake and the peacefulness of being there. There's not much better than sitting and looking at the lake in the morning, just relaxing (it didn't happen that often!).

Ryan came for a short 4 day visit. It was great to have him here and he was off his crutches and into his boot, so he made some great progress, so great that no one wanted to tell him what he could/couldn't do because they didn't want to be liable if something happened. He was a bit frustrated and ended up walking a bit without his boot. We didn't do too much while he was here, except went to his birthday dinner with his mom/brothers at Skipper's. Mmmm, how I love their clam chowder :o). We swam a lot and Ryan found that it really helped his Achilles feel better. Then we had birthday dinner at the lake and Ryan chose his usual, lasagna and banana cream pie. He was supposed to fly out early Monday morning, but he had to make a last minute trip to Little Rock, Arkansas, so we got to spend a little extra time with him. We had plans to visit Sarah/Ashen/Torin that morning, so he came along. Ainsley was a little clingy, but Reggie had a blast. It was a hot day, so they played in the pool :o). I also had a great visit with Sarah. As chaotic as it is when we are in town, it has been great to see friends and catch up.
We spent a few days at Liha/Wade/Maggie's and enjoyed the Mukilteo beaches and parks. We went to the water park near their house again this year and the kids had a great time. It doesn't seem to matter where they are...they have a good time, just hanging out and playing. They love to explore the yard and play with all Maggie's toys. Reggie and Maggie have become quite the playmates :o). They've also been to the lake a lot and for some reason Maggie and Ainsley are better playmates at the lake. Reggie is very good about watching out for Ainsley and Maggie, so they go off and play for long periods of time and Reggie intervenes when they are struggling and I have heard him problem solve with them and it is just great!

There's a Kangaroo farm in Arlington that we visited one Sat. morning. We met up with Jenisa, Lacey and the kids, Aunt Pam and the Rinehardt's. We saw all kinds of animals...ostrich, lemur, kangaroos, pony's, goats, llama's and alpaca, turkey's (no, not the kids!). It was a very interesting place and the kids had a great time. Reggie had his first experience on a tree swing and we got some big smiles from him.

We also spent lots of time on the party boat. Reggie asked if we could build a lake in California, so we could have a party boat too. Hmm....If it were only that easy! Reggie and Ainsley love to drive the boat and Ainsley dances to the music and waves to all the people on shore. We rescued a piece of wood and a tennis ball from the lake and they were our treasures :o). We also took several rides in the canoe and went down the outlet, all the way to the log jam. We didn't see any beavers, but we saw plenty of beaver trails. They got a lot more comfortable being in a rocking boat. We spent hours everyday, building in the sand and swimming in the lake. About 2 weeks before we left, Reggie decided he wanted to swim. We put a life jacket on him and off he went, swimming for hours at a time. There's was a trampoline about 100 feet out from the beach and he had no problem going out there and circling it, even though it was over his head. We played the "ball" game, where I would throw the ball and he would swim to get it or we would race to get it. I think we're going to start serious swim lessons soon. He told my mom he never wanted to leave the water! What a difference a year makes. Ainsley made slower progress, floating in her life jacket. She would giggle and laugh hysterically trying to keep her face out of the water. She loved the shallow water and would "swim" and dance and jump around, splashing and throwing herself all over the place :o). The beach/water was a big hit with all of our visiting friends. My friend from high school, Megan, came up with her kids and Reggie had so much fun playing with the boys. He was doing stuff I never thought he would do. Amazing what can happen when they see other kids doing things. Kellen and Abby and their families also came to the lake for a visit and the kids had a ball, playing in the sand and water. Again, it was so nice to visit with friends :o).

Grandma Peggy came to the lake for a visit and played with the kids all day! They had a great time (after Ainsley finally warmed up-she can be a stinker sometimes!). Reggie was very happy to skip quiet time and read books with Grandma! A couple weeks later, she took them to the movies. I never got the full story, but in Ainsley's words, "Weggie was hiding undew the chair and it was weally woud!" They just don't seem to be movie theatre kids....maybe someday. They left early and went to McDonald's and that was a big hit. Being at my parents, 1/2 hour from anything doesn't make it easy to go out to dinner! They even got a toy and had ice cream, so all was good :o).

We missed the fair this year in Pleasanton and they moved the Skagit fair out a week, so I was very sad because it looked like we weren't going to get to go to a fair. Then, we saw in the paper that Stanwood/Camano was having a fair, so we HAD to go. It was a very small fair, but perfect for the kids. They had a stage and had different performers every hour. When we got there, a country singer and his daughter were performing and grandma, maggie and ainsley were very excited to dance. Ainsley just kept going and he asked her to go up on stage and then she freaked out and ran away. The girls rode some rides by themselves and Reggie went on his first roller coaster by himself. It was a very exciting day. Later, we went and watched some tap dancers and they were great. The last group we watched was a bunch of kids, from age 8-16, who were dancing and singing. Ainlsey was watching and mimicking their dance moves. I think it is time to get her into dance!!! Reggie was soooo bored and just wanted to go on the rides! It will be interesting to try to keep them both happy at that kind of event. We did manage to find a pirate show and boat building station and Reggie could have stayed there all day!!!

Ryan arrived that week on Wednesday and we were all very happy to see him. He did, however, bring the cloudy weather. Poor guy didn't get to enjoy the sunshine at all! I think he was happy to be there no matter what the weather. That Friday, we went to my mom's work picnic. Ryan enjoyed the food, the kids enjoyed the bounce house and face painting and winning prizes and Ainsley enjoyed dancing to the music. Maggie was once again the only brave one who would ride a pony...someday! We did get a big laugh watching Reggie and Ainsley do the wheelbarrow race :o).

On Sat. the 8th, we had Ainsley's birthday party. I packed up quite a bit Friday and Sat. morning, so I was feeling pretty good about the trip home, which made her party much more enjoyable. We had such a nice time visiting with family and friends one last time (until Christmas). As you'll notice from the cake, Ainsley is really into shoes. Since we've been home, I've had to argue with her everyday about the shoes Grandma Peggy got her-they are too big and she wants to wear them out of the house. Is this just the beginning? After an early BBQ dinner and cake, we headed over to the firehall for the dance where Ainsley admired her sparkling shoes all evening. Ainsley, Maggie, Cadia, Grandma Irene and Grandma Pam boogeyed, while Charlie and Reggie threw rocks in a hole outside. Could boys and girls be anymore different!

We woke up early the next morning and were on the road by 8:30! I was sad to go, but also excited to get back. We had such a wonderful summer and it did go too fast, but school starts for Reggie in a week and a half, so we couldn't have stayed longer, even if we wanted to! A big thanks to mom and dad who put up with us all summer. Thank you for letting them come up and snuggle with you in bed every morning (like you had a choice!), so I could sleep a little longer :o). They will have wonderful memories of their summers at the lake.We had a nice drive back, stopped for lunch and dinner and ran around a bit. The kids were so good in the car and we didn't have to turn on a movie until after dinner! We arrived at home at 12:07 (Ryan won our ETA bet-he guessed exactly), so we made great time.

Fun times....

We've had quite a mix of weather, some wind/rain and some beautiful sunshine :o). Rain or shine, we've been enjoying the lake and family and friends! Reggie and Ainsley are much more into the water and sand this year and have stayed out for several hours at a time :o). Grandma has got them out in the deep water, attempting to work on their swimming skills! We've also explored the woods and went to the creek to make a boat, but it was dried up, so we walked down it and they went through a "tunnel" under the road. They thought that was really cool. Reggie always has ideas of things he wants to build and do and we happened to see a tree house and now he wants to build one of those (the problem is we end up doing all the work!) Let's just say they are REALLY tired at night!

"Helping" grandpa with his back exercises:

Yesterday afternoon, we visited Jane, Lilli and Amelia. It was great to catch up and see how the kids have grown. Amelia was 3 months old last time we saw her, so she has really changed! As usual, the kids had lots of fun and we had a nice time visiting :o). It is amazing how kids pick up right where they leave off (I guess we aren't much different). He's played with all of his friends as if no time has passed! Kellen, Abby, his second cousin, Sarah-they all just love to play.

We stayed at Liha and Wade's last night and the kids are having lots of fun. We took advantage of the high speed internet and video chatted with Ryan this morning. It was good to see his face and Ainsley was in heaven! Yesterday, it was drizzling and they wanted to play in the yard, so we put on their raincoats and Reggie was directing everyone where to go and what to do. They had so much fun and we had so much fun watching them. What goes on in those little minds????? Today, they decided to go "sledding"!

Sledding video: go to arrtwade.blogspot.com if you get this by e-mail

Reggie helping the girls get dressed up:

We are heading to grandma and grandpa's tonight for some more fun with them :o).

Trip back home

Well we made the trek back home all 900 miles worth.... We left on July 2nd around 11:15am and arrived at the Lake around 2:15am the following morning.. The kids were great and they only asked "are we there yet" 50 times or so.. But, really, they did wonderful and we only had to turn on the DVD one time which was right before bed time. We only stopped a few times for much needed gas and also once for dinner. After we got through the mountain pass (Mt. Shasta was so beautiful) we stopped in a small town for dinner.

McDonald's was the choice and the kids were happy to receive their happy meals with their toys.. After dinner Trina took them for a walk/run around the mini mall that we were in to burn off some cooped up energy. I would have joined them but I'm still nursing my torn Achilles.. After dinner the kids put on their pajamas and settled in for a long ride.. From that point the trip went pretty quickly and at 9:30PM they finally went to sleep.. Around 1:00AM we stopped at the 164th street exit just south of Everett to get gas. Of course, both of the kids woke up due to the bright lights in the gas station. They were so excited they stayed awake until we arrived at the Lake. Once we arrived, we hurried into the house threw the kids in bed and went to sleep... JULY 3rd - It was wonderful as we were able to sleep in thanks to Grandma and Grandpa. Aunt Liha and Uncle Wade arrived that morning and cousin Maggie and the kids were so excited to see each other. The 3rd was the day to clean up the house and get ready for the 4th of July party. Everyone was hussling getting things ready except for me as I was still handicapped.

JULY 4th - The Lake was buzzing, the weather was wonderful and we were expecting 50+ people to join us for a great celebration... After we got up and around it was time to go to the Lake Cavanaugh Parade.. Ainsley decided to walk through the parade with her cousin Maggie and Reggie decorated his bike and peddled through...

After the parade the kids got to see their friends as both Cathy and Laura (friends from Kirkland) decided to make the trek up to the lake. Laura just had twins, so to have her up at the lake was special. Reggie got to hang out with Kellen and Abby and Ainsley got to hang out with the twin babies... After a long day of playing in the beautiful weather it was time to hunker down and watch the fireworks show... This year was different for me as I'm usually the one putting on the show. But, because of my situation, I was sitting down watching the show this year. I must say it was great... A big thanks to Keith and Wade!!!! Attached is a video showing the grand finale...

Achilles surgery pic's-not for weak stomach's

Before......

After.....Aren't doctors, along with technology and medicine just amazing!!!

What a week!

Our week started out pretty normal. Reggie participated in a sports camp every morning for 2 hours. They played hockey, soccer, t-ball and basketball. He was very surprised that he enjoyed himself so much. We were watching his friend Hannah and her brother Asher Tues. and Wed. morning and I was thinking it was going to be a big fight to get him to go, but he was fine with it. They are moving back to Virginia and we'll miss them lots :o(.

Tues. night we headed to Bill and Stacey's house for dinner. Summer has finally arrived here and it was in the 90's most of last week and 108 today!!! So, it was very nice to be able to go in their pool. We had a very nice dinner and visit. Ainsley was spoiled by all 3 girls and she ate it up! Reggie had fun in the pool with Donovan (Ryan's co-worker/friend's little one).

Wed. we went back to San Ramon for Ryan's softball game with his work buddies. That was when the week took a turn for the worse. The game was almost over and Ryan hit the ball way out in center field and he was rounding 3rd, going for a home run when he fell down. He was crawling/rolling to get past home plate, but the Umpire called him out. He was not happy about this and said he got hit by the ball, but the catcher was holding the ball. There was a bit of confusion, but Ryan finally realized he hurt his leg. It was really quite comical. They all carried him to the car and I think everyone knew this might end his season. We went home and iced it and I looked at the back of his leg and touched it and it was very soft. I couldn't feel his Achilles tendon at all, so we decided he needed to go to the Emergency Room. The doctor there confirmed that he had ruptured it. The doctor was a bit perplexed because where it attaches at the bottom didn't hurt and Ryan wasn't in very much pain. He recommended Ryan see an Orthopeodic Surgeon right away. So, Thursday morning, he headed to the clinic where the Oakland Athletics go. The doctor had never seen anything like it. Usually when the Achilles snaps, it is from the bottom or top, but his tore apart in the middle. He had an MRI because the doctor wanted to see what it looked like before he recommended treatment. Unfortunately, he recommended surgery. Ryan pushed back a little because we are supposed to leave for Washington on Thursday and he didn't want to change that. I guess he showed the MRI to all the doctors in the clinic and they all agreed he needed the surgery. So, that is what we did on Friday. It all happened so fast and I felt really out of the info. loop. I couldn't even go back with him before his surgery to get any info. about what was going to happen. So, I had to kill some time. It was lunch time, so I went to get a sandwich at Safeway and they were having a blood drive for a woman who worked at Home Depot. She is a single mom of a 16 year old and has terminal cancer and needs several transfusions to extend her life :o(. Made me feel a little better about my situation. I gave blood and then headed back. I met some really interesting people in the waiting room. One lady's son was the chef for Tom Hanks. She had lots of stories :o). It made the time go a little faster.

Dr. Sal finally came out and gave me an update. He said everything went really well and was very glad we did things so quickly because sometimes the dangling tendons don't have good blood flow and they have trouble reattaching them or they have to cut the dead part off. He was pleased that he could use the entire tendon. Then the nurse came and got me, so I got to go back and see Ryan. He looked tired, but seemed to be in good spirits. The nurse took pictures per Ryan's request, so that was super interesting to look at. Hopefully, she'll send them and I'll post them on the blog. We went home about 1/2 hour later. How crazy is that??!!

They put a block in his nerve, so he didn't feel anything in his leg until about 2 a.m. and then he was in PAIN. Yesterday he had to lay down and elevate his leg most of the day because it hurt so bad. Today, he has made progress and has been up and around a little more and had a lot less pain. He stopped taking the prescription pain killers and has been doing tylenol/advil. Hopefully, we'll still make it out of here in 4 short days!

I keep telling Trina that we will be making it out of here in 4 days but we'll see what my post opp appointment reveals on Wednesday as we'll be talking with the doctor... Wow is all I can say to describe these last few days... I started the game going 3 for 3 with a bomb, double, and single and was having a great time... When I was up to the plate I decided to slap one out to right center as they we're playing me deep.. The outfielder dove and over shot it and that's when I turned the wheels I have on.. looking back I should have held up at 3rd but I was listening to my base coach waiving me in.. That's when it happend. Planted my left foot as I made the turn and felt the "ball" hit me in the back of the leg. Trying to take a few more steps, I fell and rolled the rest of the way to home plate thinking I still had a chance.. Now thinking back, I'm not sure how I even took a couple of more steps/yuck.. Here my achilles is snapped in half and I'm still trying to run. What's done is done and now I have to move on and take care of this unfortunate circumstance.. I've been asking God why this had to happen. The church sermon was about slowing down and taking care of what is important.. We are always moving to fast in life and as I was rounding 3rd I was moving to fast for my own good. This is a lesson that I will learn from. I can't be a "Super Hero" all of the time and especially for my wife and kids I need to know my boundaries. This experience has made me realize that I need to take care of myself, so that I can take care of them long term.. My wife has gone above and beyond the call of duty and I want everyone that reads this to know that she is such a special person.. She's waited on me hand and foot, gotten my ice, fed me breakfast, lunch, and dinner, made sure I'm taking my pills, washed my back, and most of all shown me that she loves me and would do anything for me... As a family, we know that God will not give us anything that we can't handle and with this experience we will continue to grow in the Lord and in each other... I love my wife and kids and I wouldn't be me without them...P.S - I have to give a shout out to my little boy Reg... He's been daddy's little helper when Mommy's not around. Reggie has gotten me pillows, breakfast, and handed me my crutches and many other things. He's a good little boy and Daddy loves him dearly.. Thanks everyone for your prayer's and thoughts and I'll see many of you in a few days.. Wish us luck on our way home..

Hmmm…..Camping

That was a lot of work for one night. I’d say that next time we should make it worth all the work and stay longer, but I think the only one on board would be Reggie. Ainsley was asking to go home before dinner (we didn’t even get there until 3!) and Ryan was probably ready then too! I’d forgotten how dirty camping is. Ainsley was filthy after the first 10 minutes and we were trying to figure out what happened to her. There’s just so much dust :o(. We had an awesome dinner and of course, the kids enjoyed smores! The weather was great, not too hot, not too cold (except it was in the 40’s at night). We were nice and cozy in our tent and everyone slept pretty good :o). My back was acting up in the middle of the night, so I got up to get some medicine and took a walk to the bathroom. It was a beautiful night and lots of stars were out…reminded me that I need to stop and look around more often and just enjoy my surroundings. We get so consumed with getting from here to there and I know I miss out on a lot of enjoyment, so although it was a long, gimpy walk to the bathroom, it was good :o). The Bliss boys woke up at sunrise (5:45) and thankfully our kiddos slept until 6:45. It was surprising that they slept because I could hear everything that was going on outside our tent. We had a nice father’s day breakfast, chocolate chip pancakes, eggs and fruit :o). I think both Dads were ready to take a nap by 9 o’clock! Ryan took a snooze for a few hours later in the day, so he did have a nice Father’s day. We went to Sweet Tomatoes for dinner, so he was in heaven :o).

Reggie's first squirt gun....that was a big hit!Happy Father's Day!!! What makes Ryan such a great dad:
He plays with the kids-take-out is a favorite
He gives them all of his attention

Even though he's tired at the end of the day, he gives them 110% when he gets home
He tell them crazy stories at bedtime
He jumps in when I’m out of gas
He gives them baths and brushes their teeth
His face lights up when he comes home and is greeted by them
He loves to please them
He works so hard to provide for them
He wants to give them the best of everything
He loves to hear about their day
He makes them laugh a lot :o)

Vacation Bible School

Reggie went to VBS all week last week and had a great time. Ainsley missed the age cut-off by about a month :o(. It was interesting just having her, we were really productive and she was able to do things that Reggie usually does, like push her mini shopping cart at Trader Joe’s. Turns out she is a good helper too!!!
Reggie had a great time and we stayed for the first ½ hour for songs and returned early for the wrap-up. Ainsley participated much more than Reggie. There personalities are so funny :o).
Wednesday night we went to watch Ryan play softball with his work team. I was thinking I’d be chasing them the entire time, but they played on the bleachers and were very manageable, so I actually got to visit and watch the game. How great is that! The kids were very excited to see Dad play :o). There team wasn’t good last year, so they decided to go up a couple divisions and play some better teams…hmm. For whatever reason, it seems to have worked. They scored 23 runs in the first inning. Ryan hit for the cycle and was running pretty hard. He was a little sore, but not as bad as I thought he’d be!
We’ve also been enjoying some awesome fruit! We got a half flat of organic raspberries for $6 last week at the market and an entire flat of raspberries/blackberries for $10 this week. We are all in fruit heaven. And we’ve eaten a few plums from our tree :o). I’m very excited for August because we have a whole bunch of grapes coming in. Last year we didn’t have any and someone told me this year to trim them back and they are already getting big!!! We also might be getting a second round of oranges. We have a lot more than this winter…I hope they actually grow big and juicy!

Rodeo!

Cute picture at the zoo:

The rodeo is “the” event in Livermore, so we had to participate in all we could. We went to the parade on Sat. morning and saw horses, high school bands, cool cars/motorcycles and that was about it. It was very similar to the Christmas parade we went to, so I think we’ll only go to one next year.

I love the rodeo!!! Last Sunday we went to the rodeo and it was so much fun. I used to watch it late in the evenings when I was younger (only had a few stations at the lake and it was Denver t.v., but for some reason it seemed like the rodeo was always on!). So, it was great to see it live! They had the barrel racing, bull riding, bronco riding, cow milking, roping and steer wrestling. We laughed a lot :o). Here’s some pic’s and video.

A relative in the lead......

The bull rider is from Ellensburg and he was 1 of 3 who actually stayed on the bull the entire time….go Washington!