Ella's Poem

Ella has decided to wax poetic as well. I'm so proud.


The Dream Cycle

One thousand lives
one thousand dreams
one thousand smashed
to smitherines

One thousand here
one thousand there
one thousand lost
and are nowhere

One thousand dreams
are smashed and gone
One thousand more
are going on

Miles Wrote a Poem

The speech is long spoken
his heart is long broken
his house went up smoking
in fire and flames

and under his skin
there isn't a grin
but a look of saddness
and woe.

He sits there are cries
for he'd rather die
than endure this pain called life.

But with pain and strife
though it hurts like a knife
he'll keep on living and he'll
keep on giving to
people other than him.

The speech is long spoken
his heart is long broken
his house went up smoking
but he's a good man.

The Tooth Fairy

Charlie said, "Mom, I know the Tooth Fairy's secret identity. She's Sophia's mom." ......Sophia is apparently some sophisticated 1st grader who didn't QUITE get her point across to my naive Charlie. :)

If you've ever wondered what John would look like with Brad's haircut (circa 1993), now you know...(and the rest of us have some new looks as well)

Trinity County Trip

The Trinity River was calling my name. It happens from time to time. I don't know what it is, exactly, and I can't explain it...the way I feel when I am in that water; so clean and clear and pushing and pulling me with it's current. Seeing the beams of sun shoot through the water when I'm laying at the bottom of it, swimming with the salmon...coming out of the water and into the fresh air, with walls of pine-covered canyons shooting into the sky on either side of me...Laying on the sun-baked rocks, and listening to absolutely nothing at all except nature...It called my name...and the names of my 4 children, I'm pretty sure. So we went. 5 days of water. Whiskeytown Lake, Canyon Creek, Trinity Lake, Trinity River North Fork, and the Sacramento River. 4 nights of so many stars and the milky way jumping out at us like a ghost...just heaven...all except for the fact that My John had to stay at home and work. Almost heaven...we sure missed him. If I'm lucky, the Trinity River will call my children's names next summer and I can blame them for the expense of the 10 hour drive! Maybe we should just blame the blasted river.





To the left is Charlie and Louis in Whiskeytown Lake.







Below, Ella and I in Miner's Camp, a swimming
hole in Canyon Creek, which feeds into the
Trinity River in Junction City.















Handstands!















Mama picked a hat for Louis!




















Miner's Camp, in all it's glory.





























Picking blackberries with Papa and Nicole















Ella and Louis on Trinity Lake















Miles and Char















Ella on the kneeboard















Miles on the kneeboard















Monument Peak in the background; part of
the Trinity Alps















My friend, Catilin's property, on Canyon Creek















How we got down to Caitlin's swimming hole:
in the back of her 4x4 while she drove down
a crazy dirt road. I had to TALK the kids into
getting in the bed of a pickup. They were very
concerned about safety. City kids. :)















Canyon Creek Swimming Hole #2















All 4 kids jumped off of this rock. I only got
videos of Miles and Ella though. Char and Lou
were wearing life jackets though!



Miles Turn!



Louis in his Spidey Suit
(jumping rock in background)














Charlie in the SCARY RAPIDS!!















Char looking for fish!















Miles Rock Climbing at the North Fork















The North Fork Swimming Hole, known as:
The Rope Swing















The Rope Swing, itself.















Unfortunately, you must turn your head to
the side to view this...it's me on the rope swing.

Our Cruise

It's been awhile since we got back, but these pictures will at least allow a brief documentation that we WENT. My mom and her husband paid for my siblings and I (and step siblings) and our spouses (and no kids) to go an a 4 day cruise to Catalina and Ensenada. It was great to get away and relax and most importantly, not have ANY responsibilities.

My mom, boarding the ship



John and I on the Lido Deck (waterslide in background)



Emma and Chris (my sister and her husband)
On the way to Catalina...we anchored offshore



John Having Breakfast with a Friend















We rented bikes and rode to the Wrigley Memorial
on Catalina Island















We also had a great time snorkeling!















John, giving me a lecture on goals and object-
ives in an empty conference room we happened
upon on the ship. Very silly. Very silly.














We bought masks and slingshots for the boys
in Ensenada...and when we spotted this abandoned
boat, I had to try them out!!















Luckily, our relationship is not one of "opposites
attract."














A beach we discovered in Ensenada...and
had all to ourselves!















John did some climbing...















My brother, Paul, winning one of the two
ping pong tournies he OWNED. Won em both.















Me, busy beating the pants off of 11 year old-
boys in the Knock Out competition!














My mom and KC, and step bro, Robby at
dinner...which was the best part of the whole
cruise experience...aside from dessert!

Nicknames

Louis decided that all of us needs a nickname in the car a couple of days ago. He first informed us that nicknames are supposed to be about what people are good at...so he deemed himself, "Fast." Then he told me that my name should be "Gate"...because I am tall enough to open the gate. When we walked through the door and saw John in the kitchen, I asked Louis to think of a name for Dad and without hesitation, he replied, "Work." Needless to say, we laughed and laughed. Gate and Work. Over the next 24 hours, he thought of "Swim" for Charlie, "Art" for Ella, and "Cool" for Miles. Silly silly boy.

Square Foot Gardening

We started a garden a couple of weeks ago...Memorial Day, to be exact. John read a book called "Square Foot Gardening" and went out and bought all the materials...and we went from there.

First Step: Construct Box

4 2x6s, and one 4x4 piece of plywood for the bottom. Numerous brackets. It was John's idea to put the boxes on wheels so that they would not take up any permanent space in our yard. Ingenious.

Step 2: Construct Grid


Step 3: Add soil


We mixed equal parts of manure, compost, peat moss, and vermiculite...6 inches worth.

Step 4: Nail Down the Grid


Wow, that's pretty.

Step 5: Plant Stuff

Eggplant, corn, chard, tomatoes, sunflowers, broccoli, green beans...Here we go!!!

Oh yeah, we made 3 boxes. John and I made the first one together, then the two of us each made one. They roll around so nicely. I'm so proud of my Gardening Johnon!

In God We Trust

I keep getting forwards about the new money being printed that omits the phrase "In God We Trust" and how Pepsi is coming out with a new patriotic can that also omits this phrase. The forwards I get express the sentiment that we should not be buying this Pepsi, and that we should be signing petitions against printing the new money, etc. I have a simple thought on this subject that keeps coming to mind every time I get one of these emails. I just thought I'd share, because it seems so simple to me, and I know it's probably not if everyone seems so heated about it. So, I'd welcome people's thoughts about it if you'd like to have a little open discussion. My mind is not always as open as it should be.

1. We have no national religion. The founders were firm on the fact that we should not, because we have freedom of religion in this country. If this is the case, why would we print "In God We Trust" on anything that is meant to be patriotic? I think it may have been a mistake from the beginning. I even think that the addition of "One Nation Under Gone" to the pledge of allegiance, was a bad choice. All of you know that I love God and worship him. So many of my friends do not. Why do they have to say those words, just to pledge allegiance to their country? Why should it be on money or on a Pepsi can? Really? Why does it matter? I actually think that God would be happier if His name was removed from money all-together.

That's it. Just one point. Thoughts?

3 On 3 Tournament 2009

I travelled up to Redding this weekend to be in the 3 on 3 tournament with my sister and some friends. We did not do very well, but I was lucky enough to have an attentive Mamma there who took some videos and got some good footage. I feel kind of silly posting it, but I thought maybe my brothers-in-law would get a kick out of it. (Especially the audio track)

Birthdays

Char and Lou had birthdays recently, and I haven't gotten around to posting pictures yet. Charlie had a Super Mario Brothers cake, and Louis wanted a Twinkle Star cake (based on the way his blanky looks). They were fun days!








Sad looking cake...but at least it got made!
















Char, with Miles and some friends.















Twinkle Star Cake















Louis with his cutie pie friends.