More PPP

Here is some pictures of my Pole Pedal Paddle team.
This is Lisa (front) and I (back). I am surprised they were able to get a picture of us, cause we were going so fast. lol.
This is both bank teams hangin out after the race. The peanuts gallery and the Oompa Loompas.

Pole Pedal Paddle

This last weekend was the annual Pole Pedal Paddle. This was the third year I have participated. I always do the Paddle portion of the race, cause I am not running or biking and definitely not skiing! This year we wanted to improve our time and of course, beat the other bank team. We did both. Our time to beat was 2 hours and 56 minutes and we did it in 2:54! I hope to post a team picture as soon as I get one...

The following day was the Kids' Mini Pole Pedal Paddle. Jayden has been wanting to do this for several years and I always forgot until it was too late. Not this year! Jayden and 5 of his friends got together as team: Jake's Diner: Legend of Super Chicken Samurai. Obviously-Dad sponsored. All the boys had cool tees made up w/ their team name on it.

Left to right: Jayden, Kal-El, Reese, Parker, Kellon, and Luke. What a good lookin' team!

The race started w/ the raft leg in the Deschutes River. Our boys had a rough start as several of them were still standing on the beach when the starting horn blew. They then had to paddle down river a ways. Hope to post a video of the team paddling down the river soon.

Jayden had to jump out of the boat first and sprint to his bike to do the bike leg.

Then he ran to his team and...
...Kellon ran the obstacle course...

... Kal-El ran the obstacle course...
...Luke...
...Reese...
...and Parker ran the final leg to the finish.

At the awards ceremony, the team all yelled "Eat at Jake's".
So where do you suppose the team goes to celebrate? Brownie Sundaes to end the day!

Thank you Dad for sponsoring the team. You do so much for us and we don't tell you enough how much we appreciate it. We love you!

Free Zeus and some chocolate

I usually have the Today show on when I am getting ready in the morning. This morning I just happen to hear them say a Manta Ray was going to be released back into the ocean. I ran to the TV to see if it was my Zeus. It was. Watch this.

Trinity and I went to the Bahamas last May and stayed at Atlantis resort. We found Zeus our first day there. We were shocked by his hugeness. We had to stop and say hi to him everyday. He was just so amazing! Here are the photos I took of him one year ago.

Good Luck Zeus!

And this week was Teacher Appreciation Week and we made this candy letter for Mrs. Buehler.

It reads: To an EXTRA special teacher, the NUTRAGEOUS Mrs. Buehler, We wanta say thank you for all you do for us. You do GOOD & PLENTY around here. You help us by giving up MOUNDS of homework to make us SMARTIES and not AIRHEADS. U-NO the lessons you have taught us will help us both NOW AND LATER in life. Sometimes we can make you HOT TAMALES but we know you love us to REESE'S PIECES even when we act like NERDS. We wish we could give you 100 GRAND on PAYDAY but you'll have to settle for hugs and KISSES and a SYMPHONY of thank you's. Love your SWEETARTS and BIG HUNKs

ps: ABBA-ZABA

Casey's moving

Tonight we had a family BBQ because Casey and Jessica are moving to Alaska. They will be working/living at the Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge. They will both be working in the restaurant, Jessica as a server and Casey as a busser. They will be there until September and then they'll be off to the next place (hopefully Hawaii, then I can come visit!!!)

Attention: Allergy sufferers

Are you tired of the constant runny nose? Do you have piles of used Kleenex everywhere you look? Well Jayden has invented the hands-free snot stopper. This boy cracks me up. He was miserable the other night because his allergies are so bad. There was no relief for the constant drippy nose, so he tore off two pieces of tissue and scotch taped them to his nose.

Coast trip

Last week was our annual coast trip, I look forward to this trip all year long. This is the house in Lincoln City that we've stayed at the last two years we've gone. We love the big windows, the short staircase to the beach and the hot tub on the deck. Here is a link to the Rental company we use, http://www.a1beachrentals.com/

This is the life!

Jay and Papa picked up a cool kite. Only $1.50 for what would have been hours of fun, but it was freezing down on the beach.
The guys go exploring
I know where he gets it.

I love being together with my whole family! I think that is what makes this trip so special. Trinity lives in Portland and Casey is moving to Alaska next month. So I cherish this.
Cape Perpetua
I played with color and exposure on this photo. Still learning.

A night he'll never forget

Jayden was invited by the Portland Trail Blazers to come to a game as a special guest of the team. We were instructed to come in thru the media entrance and a rep met us and gave Jayden a goodie bag and we all got Locker Room passes. The rep, Chris, gave us a tour of the locker rooms and took us out onto the court.
We got to sit on the Blazers' bench while the team was warming up. That was so cool!

Jay got to meet lots of players and get autographs. Channing Fry, Brandon Roy, Travis Outlaw and Aaron Brooks were just a few.

When Jay was told he was going to be introduced to Brandon Roy, he made the cutest nervous giggle sound and told me he was getting butterflies in his stomach. How sweet is he?

Even though the Blazers lost the game, it was still an unforgettable night.