Special Olympics....

We had the privilege this last week of attending the

Blue Ridge special Olympics this last Friday.

Every Year our school holds their own special Olympics

before the district special Olympics.

Our school has a student club that organizes and puts the event together.

And our track team gets to help out by

being Buddy's for our Special Olympics Athletes.

Austin and Quade got to participate as athletes

and Taylor got to be a "Buddy"

Our school shows such awesome support at this event.

All the classes come out to watch.

They even bus students over from the other school in the district.

Its so awesome that it just makes me tear up to see all the support

this is our parade of athletes

Austin and His buddy

Quade and his buddy

Taylor and her buddy

Quade getting his medal in the 100m dash.
He also competed in the 4x100 relay and the softball throw


Austin getting his medal in the 100m dash.
He also competed in the 4x100, the softball throw and the long jump

Here is the whole group

Next...I want to tell you about the "Bee" incident...some of you know that Quade has a fear of "Dave" Dave is a big inflatable (9ft tall) fireman that the fire dept uses for promotions and such. Quade is very scared of Dave and is always ALWAYS saying....
"Scared Dave"

Well the school has this SMALL inflatable Yellow Jacket. Quade was sooo distracted through the whole event with this little Yellow insect that he could think of NOTHING else....if you notice in the video of him running he is looking at the Yellow Jacket on the side as he runs. Every picture i have practically he is looking for or at the Yellow Jacket...he was sooo scared to go anywhere near him. It was all kinds of amusing..
so finally toward the end of the two hour even I went over and gave the yellow Jacket a hug and stood next to him and told Quade it was all right...finally....FINALLY he came closer...and closer....then ran away. Then it all started again. We went through this several times before he finally came close and stood by him....then touched him....then shook his hand...then would NOT leave him alone!!! Followed him around for the whole rest of the time we were there.

A Mother's Worst Nighmare...revisited!

only this one is worse....it runs!

Wishing you all a Happy Easter....

Birthday fun.....

Ok, So Noah and Sawyers birthday surprise was a trip to Disneyland...

We flew out on Monday (their first time on an airplane)

At the end they said that flying on an airplane

was equally as fun and exciting as Disneyland was!

Just before spring break they boys got a letter from their cousin Dylan. His School class was sending out "flat Stanley" to spend a week with someone and then write back and report his adventures. Flat Stanley went with us....

Pirate Adventure

Monday, After we arrived in California we checked into our hotel and then headed over to a dinner theater called "Pirate Adventures" It was alot of fun and because we were there on a Monday night, it was not crowded and the boys got picked to be in every opportunity that the kids were given to participate.

This first video is of our Pirate Ben Blue fighting for the princess





These next two are of Noah taking the Pirates Oath



This is of Sawyer getting to row a boat around the big shiphe is the one in the front with the black pirate vest on



They got to dress up at the end and overtake the pirate ship

This was the ships captain and his wench....

This was the princess and "our" Benjamin Blue (we sat in his section and got to cheer for him)

he won over the princess in the end

so it was a happy ending!

Disneyland

Our second day we spent at Disneyland

with the passes we had we were able to get in an hour early (and it WAS early, 7am)

but because of this we were able to hit ALL the big rides with NO lines...

it was nice to get those out of the way and then be able to take our time and relax the rest of the day...going on everything else and getting fast passes to ride the big rides again that we liked the most...

The boys both had Birthday buttons on and everywhere we went the employees would call them by name and say HAPPY BIRTHDAY! that was sooo cool and they really loved that~!

Tons of fun on the tea cups

Noah was not enjoying having his picture taken

Indiana Jones

This was Noah's Favorite Ride

Sawyers favorite was Big Thunder railroad (Rich's too)

Sawyer's second favorite was Autotopia

Finding Nemo Submarine

Looking for Nemo

A little toon town action.....

California Adventure

On the third and final day of our adventure we went to California Adventure..

We had a lot of fun there too....we all really enjoyed the the toy story ride which was super cool and we also loved the big water rapids ride and soaring over California.

Noah and Rich went on this "fun" ride, as well as California Screamin'(2nd video), and tower of terror....Sawyer and I opted out of those three. I have been on them before but Sawyer was alittle nervous so I sat out with him.

Rich and Noah are in the second to the last car

This was a super fun time with just our little boys and we are so glad we did it!

Help a girl out....

I happened on a site today where the blogger is doing a thesis on Blogging. she is looking for participants to fill out a questioner about their blogging experience. If you fill it out you will be put into a drawing for one two $100 target gift cards...check it out
http://www.thekingandiblog.com/2010/02/king-and-i-need-you.html

Here is the Surprise they got for their Birthday!

Turn up the volume so you can hear the converstion

Will post pictures when we get back on Wednesday

SEEEEE YAAAAAA!!

Double Digits.....

Happy 10th Birthday to my Baby Boys!!!!

tune in later for their big surprise!!

Thanks EF....

For a fun "Hollywood" weekend in LA!

Do you see what I see?

A little baby comparison....

Brittnee at 12 months
Brynlee at 9 months
Kinda freaky huh?

Host?

I'm sure, to some of you that read this, I sound like a broken record!

But i know there are others that read this that have no idea what We do...

Rich and I are coordinators for EF Foundation for Foreign Study.

We have been with the program for nearly 20 years.

We hosted our first student in 1992 and became local coordinators 8 years ago

then took on the roll of regional coordinators last year.

We love this program and we love working with the kids!

We are currently looking for host families for the White Mountain High Schools.

We are also able to take information for anyone anywhere in Arizona or anywhere in the US that would be interested in hosting.

If you think this might be something you would like more information about please let me know.

It is a great experience for any family...young, old, single, married, with children, without children.

It just takes someone like YOU to step up and take the challenge!

A doggy and a KIKI....

Yes, Sawyer...this is what Pepper does with your Kiki while you are at school!

They say its your birthday......

Is it REALLY possible that I have three kids over 2o now???

Have a Great Birthday my boy....

It is the first one in 20 years that I have not spent with you

so with that in mind....

this ones for you.....

Call from Hayden....

Hayden is in the Valley this week, spending his birthday doing "grown up" things....

so a bit ago I get a call from him and Ethan (our other "son")

Hayden: Hey MOMMMMM

Me: Hi Hayden....what are you up too?

Hayden: Were goin' ice skating!

Me: cool....was this Olympic induced?

Hayden: Ya Maybe, were gonna ice dance!

Me: oh really, your scaring me!

Hayden: Ya we have our iPods all synced up and everything

Me: oh yeah?

Hayden: Yep, to Lady Gaga!

Me: oh ok...well you have fun with that....

oh and send me pictures!

Ethan
Hayden

I'm Scared!

Track...

Taylor has gone out for track again this year

she has been having some knee issues but

just could not bring herself to not participate

so she is doing Shot and Discus

they had their first track meet today in Flagstaff

she said she did not do very well

but....

she had fun!

Ohhh Canada.....

Loved the closing ceremonies! Loved watching the last two weeks of awesomeness, through triumphs and tragedy, I was inspired. Thank you Canada! Well done!