Sunday, February 24, 2013

Gonzaga Bulldog Basketball

Steve and Jennifer Doolittle invited us to the Gonzaga basketball game last night.  Tickets are precious so we were thrilled.  We had a great time!  I am not a huge basketball fan but watching these guys live was go good.  So so good.  What at team!  Most of the pictures are fan pictures because the movement of the players gets blurry.
You are looking at the student section.
 The tip off to start the game!
 Mike and Steve.
 Jackie, Jennifer, Mike and Steve
 The halftime show.  Not quite Beyonce but really good!

 This is the first time I have tried to use the panorama setting on my camera.  Not bad!
 I always wonder how they get these giant faces of the players.  I thought perhaps I could make one of myself and take it to my classroom.  :-)

Monday, February 18, 2013

49 Degrees North Skiing with the Girls

















It was a ski day for the girls on Monday.  I drove to Kristin's house and we loaded in her car and took off.  On the ride up the mountain Kristin commented about skiing in the sunshine.  It was sunny at that point.  Layne said it would be sunny on the mountain for sure.  I asked her how she knew that and she said she prayed to God for a sunny day the night before.  Faith, childlike faith!  We should all have it.  Love these girls.



Here we go.  Getting all geared up.  I was riding the chair with Layne.  She was nervous about it.  I think she knew how sick I had been and was worried something would happen to me.  I am A OK Layne and after one ride up so was she.
To tell you the truth I was a bit nervous being in charge of the chairlift ride too but everything was good.  I even put my poles in front of her like her dad does. Gotta keep the little ones safe!








Lucy and Kristin are at the top of the picture and Layne is at the bottom.  Lucy is three and Layne is seven.  They will be great skiers like their mom and dad for sure.  They are fearless.  What a perfect day.  Do you see anyone else on the hill? There were others but no crowd!


The bell.  You have read about the bell before and how it is a requirement to ring it.  Lucy hasn't been able to reach it but guess what!!!  We got her first bell ring on film.  Way to go Lucy!
Kristin and Lucy.  What a blessing to have a family that skis!  Lucy and Layne both ski in the trees on the edge of the runs.  They even get a bit of air off the bumps.  I couldn't believe how good they were skiing.
Off they go!
I got Photoshop software for movies and pictures.  I have gone through most of the instructions for the picture software but not the movie.  I am a technology geck so I figured I would work on the movies and edit, clip etc.  No problem. NOT.  I decided  just to upload the movies like I always do and actually read how to use the movie software.  Next time they will be fabulous.  


Lunch time!  Lucy is our family daredevil.  At home she stood on the deck railing and spread her arms and jumped down 5 to 6 feet.  Her dad, Justin, ran out to get her and she said, " I fine...that was fun."  AHHHH!  She will have to be monitored on the ski hill like I had to watch after Kristin.  Kristin had no fear and would do jumps off rocks, ledges, etc. without knowing what was on the other side.

That is Kristin's sweetness face.
John is part of the family.  Justin's nephew.  Layne and I had an interesting conversation at lunch.  She asked me if I wanted some candy and I said I wasn't eating candy, cookies, or cake.   For about 4 months after my aneurysm nothing tasted good.  When my taste buds were restored they were really restored and I was eating way too much junk.  I told Layne I gave it up for Lent.  Not a huge sacrifice I know but it has put me on the straight and narrow.  Can't break a promise to God.   She asked me what Lent was and I told her that Jesus went into the desert for 40 days and only had water and sacrificed for us.  Layne asked if she went to the desert if she could see Jesus.  I said no but Jesus was everywhere not just in the desert.  She said is He here and pointed and I said yes, and she pointed again and I said yes.  I said the Holy Spirit is actually everywhere.  Here we go! You can't see the Holy Spirit but you can feel the Holy Spirit.  Layne said she couldn't feel anything.  I told her when she feels happy, safe, loved, and calm that is the Holy Spirit helping her and taking care of her.  When you are hurting the Holy Spirit will help you too.  Oh! she said.  The conversation ended there.  Sort of tough to explain that to a seven year old but I think she was satisfied.
After lunch Lucy wanted to go on the animal run.  It is a wide trail on the side of the bunny hill.  I stopped to take pictures as usual and the gang was at the bottom of the hill thinking something bad happened to me because they waited so long.  Takes a while to get the gloves off and camera out. They were about ready to ride the chair up to come get me and rescue me when I popped out.  Kristin still worries about me a lot.  She is sweet.





I turned around on the chairlift to take this picture and Kristin yelled, "Layne that is exactly what you are not supposed to do on the chairlift."  Grandma setting a bad example!
Layne and I were a bit ahead of Lucy and Kristin because we are fireballs down the mountain.  Pretty sure you could see a path of melted snow behind us.  Layne decided to take a rest.  If I laid down like that I would probably need help up.  
The girls!

Now for the silliness moments.  I had my neck gator on my head and I started something.





I so love these girls.  All three of them.  All of my family blesses me everyday!  God is great and he has taken good care of my family!

New hat!  Yes, I know I have plenty of 49 Degrees North stuff but I wanted a hat.  Joe you can borrow it anytime.
AHHH!
HMMMM!
I have looked for this bear every time I have gone up to 49 this year!  I can never find it.  It is on the way up or down the mountain depending on which way you are driving.  I thought it must have moved.  Guess whose little eyes spotted it!  Layne's!  On the way home I stopped for a picture.  At Christmas he has a Santa hat on.  I am sure he is decorated for the seasons all the time.  So glad he didn't move. Pretty sure wooden bears don't travel much.
Joy, a day filled with joy! That is it!  Joyful!

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Going Backwards in Time

Every once in a while I discover a picture that has to be shared.  This was right after my ruptured brain aneurysm and I was still in the hospital.  My friends organized this benefit walk for me and raised thousands of dollars for medical bills.  This is in Medical Lake, WA where I teach.  What a blessed person I am to have such wonderful friends and family!  The community was there to help me.  Love you all.  This was in early July I believe!  


Saturday, February 9, 2013

The Start of 1/2 Marathon Training

So it begins!  1/2 marathon training for the Windermere 1/2 marathon in May.  The day before my 60th birthday.  What a celebration that will be.  I did a virtual 5K today called the Heart Throb.  The event was in Colorado and they offered registration and shirts virtually.  The group did theirs in Colorado and I did mine in Spokane, WA. Getting it done and never giving up!  It's good to be alive!