Supercross 2011

This is Kevin Windham #14 Honda Rider -MY FAVORITE!!

Ah Supercross! Our one and only sport! The only time announcers are heard loud and proud in our house while us viewers watch in quiet reverence. Ok not reverence. More like lots of "Whoa! Wipe out!" or "Wait I missed it where's the replay?" or "Down goes Stewart again! How come Windham doesn't take them all out????" And so on.



Maybe if you're lucky I'll do a post on Windham and why he's such a crowd pleaser!

 The races start in January and always end in May in Las Vegas. This Saturday at 8pm is the final race! Last Saturday we actually went to the race in Salt Lake -it's always a good one because it's right before the final race and each race points are added up according to where the riders place.  This ultimately determines the winner of the Supercross Title in Vegas. We went  to the Vegas race every year until they started coming to Salt Lake. Now we don't make the trek down there but I wish we would! Ok so that's a quick run down of how it works.

We were sooooo excited for the race in SLC this year! We always go with Greg's brother Neil and his awesome wife Aimee (who live in Heber).

They have 4 kids who are also die hards!

The ONLY downside to the SLC races is that it has been cold and rainy EVERY year since they brought it back a few years ago! Last year it was so bad we were all wearing ponchos, it was just pouring down!



Yes, this was last year -we crazy!

 I had to rescue Zach and me from the freezing wet temps and left before the race was over. No good! But we did have fun in the pits before the race. All the fans go to "the pits" during the day where the riding teams have tents and trailers out for the riders to give autographs. There are lots of vendors and sponsors -music, giveaways, lots of stuff to buy -like a fairground for Supercross fans. :) Here are a couple of my favorites pics from the pits last year...

Greg and Neil

Greg and Zach at the Honda tent

Me and My boy!

This year I started watching the weather 10 days out. And every day it got closer the temp for that day dropped a degree or two. Finally the day of I was just so ornary! It was going to be another cold race! I even threatened I wasn't going to go but when it came right down to it I started getting excited again and prepared for the cold with  my kids. But guess what??? It wasn't all that bad! Probably the warmest race we've had. Alright it was definitely cold when the sun went down. But it was so worth it! The secret that made it so much better is that this year Neil brought down his toy hauler and we tail gated in the parking lot! It was so great! We barbequed and had some great friends join us and I even saw the guys invite over some complete strangers to eat with us (and they did)!

The thing about Supercross fans is that they are all cool. I've been to a Nascar race and I'll never go again. The fans are (to me) just awful. I won't use the words we use but trust me. Supercross is young and hip and family oriented -oh so different! I seriously hope everyone has something they love to do as much as we love Supercross! Here are some pics from the day....


You think I bundled up Allie enough? :)



My friend Lateesha and me tailgating!



Aimee and Me in our seats.

Autograph after the race with a racer I don't know! Lol! They were waiting for the points leader, Ryan Villipoto but he wouldn't come out of his trailer. That's ok though cuz we have an in to "RV" now with some friends. Yay!

The day after...a perma grin with his new hat!

And finally, my favorite pic of the day......

Happy campers on the #14! Watch out -this may be our Chrismas picture!

And I'm out!

Easter

I love holidays. No that is not a redundant phrase. That's like saying kids like candy I know. But in case you don't actually know me that well, my basement is FULL of pretty much nothing more than boxes and boxes of holiday, um, stuff, (there have been 5 days in our marraige that Greg has called my precious holiday decor something else but we shall not speak the word because those were each of the 5 moving days we have had in 7 years so they don't count)! Anyway! I love holidays for many reasons. I remember as a young girl going to my calendar after each holiday past and sadly wondering if there was anything left worth living for since Halloween (or the 4th of July or Christmas) was now over. I was always so delighted that it was never very long before the next holiday would come. I loved the changing of the seasons, which always brought something new to celebrate. Basically I just love to celebrate. So pretty much if you even half way mention a party or an event to me you will not have to do any convincing here. I'm in.

So now the ground work is layed and you can expect a blog on every holiday this year and my feelings about it. In 2 days it will be Easter. I've had my decorations out since the night of St. Patrick's day although the only reason for that is because this year there was actually a decent gap between the two. I love everything about Spring and all the renewal it brings. Winter always seems so long although I admit to looking forward to it every year in November. By the time Christmas is over I grit my teeth during January, February I'm in a denial of depression, and March I'm sure I've forgotten what summer feels like. So April with it's teasing warm days mixed with cold rainy ones is such a wonderful reminder of the days ahead.

But it's Easter that is the ultimate sign of Spring. Not only is it full of new life, fresh starts and smiles all around, but it brings a reverence that can only be had when you think of Jesus Christ making the ultimate sacrifice...for me. I sometimes wonder if I was the only other spirit offspring of God would Christ still go through the terrible last days of his life and actually sacrifice himself for me? It's humbling to ponder and in my heart I believe He would. So I try to think about that often during Easter week. Whether it was for the untold number of the inhabitants of the earth or just for little imperfect me, He would suffer and die so I might repent and live. For this I am grateful.

My son Zach is 4 years old. This year I am acutely aware that he is pretty much only wanting candy and a fabulous Easter basket and would skip going to church altogether. It's kind of funny that it bothers me since I'm pretty sure I only cared about the egg hunts and candy and baskets until I was much older than he is. The true meaning of the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ didn't really dawn on me until I was about 12. My sister Julie heard me complaining this week about how kids don't realize what Easter is really about and she suggested I just keep telling the stories of the true meaning over and over and as the years go by our kids will get it. Ah the wise words! I will do that. It makes me feel better to know I am at least teaching my children the things that matter. It is a responsibility I take very seriously.

In the meantime, I'll be the first to admit I want to make Easter as fun as possible too! On Tuesday we made and decorated sugar cookies at Julie's house with all our kids and Lori and Makenze.

Today I boiled a dozen eggs and Zach was in hog heaven when we started dying them. We also filled about 30 eggs with candy. My poor poor son! I'm afraid he's already got the holiday bug. He literally knows every holiday in the right order and where the boxes are in my basement for each. And he's starting to teach Allie. My life is complete.

Here are a few pics from Easter last year. My brother James and his awesome wife Lyndi came over and we had a great time doin' it right!

Decorating da eggs...

Oh they are so ready to hunt!!

It's finally time!

Very busy children!

Big kids like to hunt too.

Ok so we did have to help them a bit...

The spoils!

I taught Sunbeams last year and of course they were forced to eat messy sugar cookies.

Drawing an Easter picture. I heart these kids!

May you all remember what Easter is REALLY about and may you also be the fastest on your feet to get them eggs!!!

HAPPY EASTER!!!!

Pity Party?

For those of you who don't know, my husband Greg works in Wyoming during the week, sometimes through a weekend making it 2 weeks. This has been our life for 5 of our 7 married years. He leaves Sunday night and comes home Thursday or Friday night. So I'm a single mom during the week. Now you read this and most likely you think one of two things -either you make a face and say, "How do you do it," or you shrug your shoulders and say, "Big deal".

The only reason I bring this up and write about it is because it IS a big deal. And I get all kinds of reactions, mostly from women whose husbands almost never leave them with the kids overnight. There are actually a lot of women in my boat. In my ward alone I can count 5 off the top of my head whose husbands are gone during the week. Maybe more. That's kind of a lot. I didn't know that until just recently when I was with a fellow loner mom and she was telling me how many of us there are and how we should do dinner rounds during the week since we all live in the same neighborhood and we all have to make dinner for our kids anyway -why not each of us do one big dinner a week? It doesn't sound all bad.

But for as many of us loner moms as we are, it still is not the norm. When Greg decided to start his own oil and gas company and the trek up to Wyoming (from Las Vegas where we lived at the time) began, I was a little shocked. Actually I was aghast. He was driving 12-13 hours just to go to work and he would be gone for 10-14 days at a time! That was just crazy to me! I cried a lot when he would leave. But I was quickly initiated into the no pity troup of loner women. Let me explain.

My mother-in-law, Carol, is the queen of doing it all by yourself. She and Lorne had 8 kids and lived on a farm outside of Calgary, Alberta. She would often be alone for weeks and months at a time. In fact it was quite the norm. She operated heavy equipment, ran that farm, had an incredible garden, cows (probably other animals I'm forgetting) and all those kids and she did it all by herself. She also cleaned and cooked like crazy -to this day she can "whip up" meals on end from scratch. I'm not joking when I say she can pretty much do anything when it comes to house and home. Greg and I always tell her we just need her and our food storage and we can handle any disaster. She's that knowledgeable.

This is Carol and 5 of her boys this past Christmas!


The ONLY downside to that is that she simply has no use for offering sympathy to someone like me. I have it pretty easy if you ask her. And when I think about what she went through to keep things going at home so Lorne could provide for his family and all the women in the early days of the church whose husbands left on missions for years at a time or the women throughout history whose husbands led the nation to battle or in politics and left their wives and children for long periods of time...I realize it's a cake walk at my house.

Greg has told me countless times how surprised he is I don't complain very much about his being gone and how much he appreciates it. But after hearing his mom's stories for many years and how she goes nuts inside when women complain their husbands are going on a business trip for a few days, and how terrible it is they are going to have to be alone, I know better! It's just one of those things she will not tolerate -a pity party for being alone.

So now I've got mixed feelings when I hear women complain about the same thing. Over the years I've hardened (toughened?) up a bit too. I've got some Carol in me now! But at the same time I know how hard it has been for me and the kids and that makes me feel some serious compassion for anyone in my boat.

The thing that helps the most is knowing that it's hard for Greg too. He can't stand being gone for more than a few days now. The kids are getting older and he always tells me he refuses to let them grow up without him. Yay for me! He's got some things in the works that will change all this being gone nonsense -it might get worse before it gets better -but it WILL get better and for the most part will end long before I ever reach Carol's record number of years doing it all alone. It has certainly made me appreciate the time we do get to spend all together. And it has made me appreciate Carol that much more too. If she hadn't have done all that work, if she had given up because it was just too hard, I might not have been lucky enough to be part of her family...and that would be a shame!

So if I happen to hear a woman talk about how their husband works out of town during the week, I listen up -plenty o' compassion comin her way! Let's be friends! How 'bout you come for dinner tomorrow night? Bring your kids!

On the other hand, if someone complains about a couple of DAYS of having to take care of their kids without daddy, I'll try really hard to put on my pity face. But it might end up looking like I just ate a sour grape. Sorry.

Writing -A Lost Art!

I must be getting old. I feel it. The preachy thing is coming on. I'm trying to hold back. Really. But I...just...have....to say something! Here it is......I really feel bad that people don't know how to write. Now I'm not talking about being perfect and spelling every word correctly or never making the grammatical mistakes in your writing because that's not me. I make those same mistakes and I majored in English! I don't judge people by that in the least. If you know my husband you understand. No no I'm talking about the lost art of writing itself!

Years ago I tossed out a garbage bag I had kept for years and years. It was actually very difficult to throw away. It was full of the "notes" my friends and I passed around during all of our junior high classes. It was probably a good 2-3 years worth of hundreds of precious little notes we wrote each other. Actually many of them were quite elaborate with drawings, skeches, color schemes, you name it! Oh the things we shared in those notes! It made me think of the pre-television, pre-computer era when people actually wrote letters frequently. I bet some interesting back and forths have been written through the generations by pen!

As I studied English in college and read so many books I always thought it was incredible what good writers people were back then. Some of those women were so skilled at saying just what they wanted in ways no one could even touch right now. Oh we can talk these days -we do a lot of jabbering. But to sit down and actually write out our thoughts, feelings, or just tell a story? Maybe, but not usually with as much skill.

I love to see people write. I love all the blogging being done and even from time to time there are emails in my family that are very expressive. Love love it! It's the people who don't write at all I worry about. I mean, what better way to really express the depths of your soul or your wit or your opinion than by the written word? It really is quite different from speaking. Some people are talented at that which is great. I just wish we all did a little more sitting down and putting thought to paper (or computer even). Our great technology era has provided us with so many short cuts. It's kind of sad that "thank you" cards aren't written any more. Instead we get a quick text? No no not the same! I recently got a thank you card from my sister in law for the gifts I gave her for her new baby girl. It was a sweet card and meant more to me than if she had sent me a text or email.

I want to instill in my kids a love of writing. I want to teach them that they CAN write and write well -start by having them tell me stories, or repeat back to me the things they do at pre-school or daycare. And as they learn their letters I want to make sure they practice writing all kinds of things. I know I'm a good writer because I've written so much -it breeds confidence. As with all things, the more you practice the better you are at it. I want my kids to feel confident they can write a letter or an email or an important document for a job and know they can do it well. This just goes so far in life and I think it's an enviable quality. Trust me, I want them to be good at everything -but if I had to choose, writing would be at least in my top 5!

May we all write and write often. Don't let technology short cut us from staying connected. Nothing quite compares to saying what you mean by writing it!

The Year I Stalked the Girl Scouts

(Originally written February 1, 2009 when I thought for sure I would start blogging)

It’s that time of year again folks –yep! Them girl scouts are out knocking on doors, setting up stands selling those delicious cookies!

I have always loved them, and when I was little I wanted to be one of them. For some reason, I never was, although I envied their cute uniforms and their comradery. I heard on the radio last week that it’s time to place your orders. I swear I always laugh to myself now when I hear that! I haven’t bought a box of cookies in 7 years. Here’s why!

In 2001 I was living in Cedar City, Utah. I had just left my wonderful Salt Lake City and all my after college-we-don’t-know-what-to-do-with-our-lives friends to join my brother in his real estate company, the infamous Fales Group Real Estate. I had just gotten my real estate license, I was teachable, motivated, and hungry!

I found myself craving girl scout cookies. Not just craving, I was REALLY looking forward to those delectable things! So I waited. And waited. And waited. Where could they be? I swear every year they parade the grocery store parking lots. Every year you can see them going door to door asking for your money in return for peanut butter bliss! But this year, nothing! So I tried to be patient. I thought of all the different ones I would get. Somoas...

               Thin Mint...

               Shortbread –I love the shortbread!

In the midst of my real estate prospecting and listing appointments I would casually look for any sign of a booth at Linn’s Marketplace, Smith’s, Albertson’s?

                
Nothing! Rats!

I tried to be patient again. I looked them up in the phone book. Nothing. I somehow found them online. This was before the Google craze where today you don’t dream of asking anyone anything when you can just Google it. I think I Asked Jeeves. It was March now. I was told that the time to place orders was over. Didn’t someone come to my door? NO! No one came to my door –I was watching! The lady on the phone said I should check a grocery store. They usually set up a booth and sell cookies there. Right. Thanks. I’ll do that.

I became obsessed. I asked everyone I knew. Have you seen the girl scouts? How old is your daughter? Is she a girl scout? What? You already ordered and it’s too late? Why didn’t you ask ME if I wanted to order? SERIOUSLY PEOPLE!!!! I really tried to be non-chalant about it. After all, I WAS on a diet and kind of on a roll. But I couldn’t get those damn cookies out of my head! The harder I looked the more desperate I became.

I started giving up. I bought some Keebler mint cookies to pacify myself. But they just didn’t quite cut it.

Until one day.

I saw them.

Out in the Wal-mart parking lot.

I parked my car and practically ran to them. The hop skip thing. I breathlessly asked how many boxes they had left. 17. Great! I bought them all. Yes, ALL!

I found them! I found them! I didn’t care about hiding my anxiousness any more. Where have you been? I asked the little girl disapprovingly. Her leader tried to tell me they’d come there every day this week. I shot a glance at her and looked at the little girl again, smiled, and snatched the big box that was now mine to gorge on.

I even gave her a tip. After all, I HAD been stalking her…she just didn’t know it.

Why I Love to Ride (Part 2)

Ok let's see if I can finish this so I can post all the other things I've been thinking about! There are actually 2 parts to this post (on why I love to ride). The first being what it does for ME. I have a long history of loving the outdoors and I can honestly say it comes 100% because of my dad!

Here he is the handsome devil! This was on Labor Day weekend last year at our Fales Family campout!  It was defenitely my dad who instilled in me a love for nature and being outside. I remember many many Saturdays when he would wake us kids up early and get us going to do chores -house work and yard work. It seemed like we did it all day with him but I think that's my child brain remembering that. We did lots of yard work -mowing the lawn, sweeping the patios, raking leaves, weeding, and many times he would fix something or make something in his shop. These are all memories at our house in Las Vegas on Paso De Oro. Sometimes he would have me, Lori, Jimmy, and Gary with him in his shop and just watch him. He would try to teach us how the machinery worked and explain what he was doing along the way. Sometimes I was genuinely interested. Most of the time not. But it was nice being close to dad. We would play around him working.

Dad also took us camping a lot. This is where I remember my mom's influence on me too. They both loved to take us kids out camping. The horses were always with us and we camped in a big blue tent. I still remember watching dad and the boys set it up, sweep it out, etc. We spent lots of summer nights sleeping in that blue tent, learning what it's like to have to entertain ourselves (which always came easy after we grumbled about it). Good times!

I also have special memories of going on horse packing trips with my dad when I was in college and after. Once we went just us 3 girls and dad.

Here we are in 2008 at a 4th of July picnic on Cedar Mountain. I'll have to dig up those old pictures!

Most of the time it was Julie and me and dad. I will have to post about these character building trips later. Suffice it to say that my dad had a huge influence on my love of the outdoors!

So riding makes me nostolgic of my childhood and makes me feel connected to my roots. I've always loved hearing the stories of my ancestors and their hardships & accomplishments in Wyoming and Nevada. I want my kids to love their stories too and remember how their dad and I taught them to love and appreciate the out doors.

This is us at the Sand Dunes last Memorial Day and our beloved toy hauler in the background.

All hail the toy hauler!

This leads me to my final reason for loving the ride! It's what it does for my kids! I admit that as my 4 1/2 yr old son Zach has gotten older and really started begging us to go camping and riding, it has solidified our family as die hards.

When I see Zach discovering all the fun things about a campfire, playing with sticks, rocks and dirt, and turning his head when he hears the sound of his dad's 4 stroke dirt bike and running to see him, my heart melts.

Zach playing in the dirt (2008)

Last summer Allie who had just turned 1 started doing all the same things Zach used to do at that age...playing in the dirt...smiling when she hears the bike engines and putting her arms out wanting to go on a ride -all the same things. I realize we are hooked!

 

Allie playing in the dirt (2010)

This was September 2010 close to Cascade Springs

 Beautiful Country!

It's only going to get worse from here! Just wait until Zach can actually help his dad back up the toy hauler instead of Greg having to do it himself (since I'm a terrible signaler) Just wait until he can hold his own on the single track trails his dad rides and really do the kind of fast riding that keeps his adrenaline going! And the day Allie reminds me to buy enough marshmallows for smores and can help me peel the potatoes for the dutch oven, I think I will be in heaven! And who knows what other munchkins will join us in the near future!

So there it is! We love to ride! We have also found over the years that we love going alone and with people -family and friends -it doesn't matter! So if you ever have to wonder what we're doing on any given Saturday from April to October, I'll be a little disappointed! You should know better.