Happy Birthday Steele!

Blake and Steele "Flying a Hull" in 2006!

Yesterday was Steele's birthday, and of course, his #1 birthday wish was to go sailing. Unfortunately, Bry, Bre, Nick and Chels were on the East Coast and couldn't join us...but Blake and Sean both got the day off! Steele loves this boat more than anything! Throughout the long, cold, winter he would continually brush the snow off it and say, "Pretty soon we'll be able to go sailing! Are you getting excited?"
Although, I still love sailing, I must admit as I get older I've become pickier about when I'll hop on the boat. (After all, this is just ONE of the reasons I had all boys...so they could go sailing with their dad!) In the early spring, the reservoir is is filled with the freshly melted snow, which makes for freezing water ( and you get WET on a catamaran) so I tend to stay on the shore. And sometimes, (not often) when the lake is crowded with power boats and jet skis, it takes away from the tranquility of sailing. But I ALWAYS enjoy going with the family and just taking in the atmosphere! We usually go to Pineview Reservoir. This is one of my favorite places. It is up the Ogden Canyon in a little town called "Huntsville." (Where, in a dream world, I would LOVE to build a little cabin one day.) It is a beautiful mountain lake, with sandy beaches and surrounded by green hillsides. So even when the sailing isn't perfect, the atmosphere usually is. This was the case on Tuesday! We found the perfect beach spot right beneath the shade of a huge cottonwood tree and hardly another soul in sight! I brought my camera to get some great shots of the boys "flying a hull"...but there was NO WIND! Steele was especially disappointed, because this was the first day Blake was able to get away and come, but the boys seemed to have a great time anyway. Blake throwing the frisbee.

Sean...waiting for the frisbee

They played Frisbee, swam, sailed, and dug a huge hole in the sand and filled it with red clay. Then when they were totally covered in it, they ran up and gave Steele a big Happy Birthday hug! We had a great day, we just wish ALL of the family could have been there!
Maybe next summer...

Blake and Steele "flying" a little too high...Blake's the one going in head first!

Tagged

Chelsea tagged me a while ago...I wasn't ignoring it, it just took me a long time to answer such simple questions...

3 Joys:

1. Looking forward to ONE day becoming a grandma!

2. Family Gatherings... preferably with food!

3.Roller blading along the beach in Sunny California! (While listening to my favorite tunes.)


3 Fears:

1. Tight spaces...yes I'm claustrophobic! ( When I was little, my brother and sister rolled me up in a fold away bed and it got STUCK! They had to get the neighbor to get me out!)

2. Total darkness

3. Loss of a loved one


3 Goals:

1. Completing my children's journals and getting them bound.

2. Overcoming my fear of flying. (Can I take drugs to do this?)

3. Completing my "re-certification" for teaching.



3 Obsessions:

1. "Kroger" brand sugar free vanilla pudding.

2. Getting my closets cleaned out and organized!

3. "Law and Order" (I know... but there's always at least ONE on TV)


3 Random Surprising Facts:

1. I want to write a childrens book one day...even if it is only for my grandchildren.

2.I started watching "Sex and the City" when they put the EDITED version on network TV. Even edited, I ended up changing the channel a lot...but I fell in love with the girls, their relationship with each other and the men in their lives. I haven't seen the movie, and probably never will, so someone will just have to tell me if Carrie and Big get married!

3. I recently found out that my parents thought I was the hardest child to raise! (This is understandable if you compare me to "perfect Sue"...BUT BOB?!!

I tag...Lou, Natalie, Katie, Lindsey and Nicole!

For The Young...and Young At Heart!

As I get online and check out the blogs, it occurs to me that "blogging" is really for the young! Don't get me wrong...I LOVE IT! It keeps me in touch with my family both near and far. I have better idea of what's going on in the boys lives through their wives blogs. (Boys generally don't give details unless it is car related!) I keep up with all my darling nieces and nephews and their families through their blogs and I feel MUCH MORE connected! I have even been able to stay in touch with some of my children's friends AND been able to re-connect with my dearest childhood friend! I truly do love it! I wish it had been around when I was raising my children. It is such a great way of 'journaling and scrap booking' all those precious memories...the ones you think you will never forget, but do! So, thanks to all of you! You will never know how grateful I am that you take the time to share your stories and that you allow me to be a part of them! I love you all!

Time Out!

Nick and Chelsea took a well earned "time out" from sales in New Jersey to join Chelsea's family on their family vacation to California. They had a great time and there and they were even able to spend a couple of days in Utah! Blake, Sean, and Steele all arranged to have Monday off, so we could play. To Steele's dismay, there was no sailing... (they were predicting "thunder showers") so we went bowling instead. It was a riot! I don't think any of us had been bowling for years! None of us had great form, but we sure great time!

These are our "Strike Faces!" Blake's strike face.

Sean's strike face... (Such enthusiasm!)

Chelsea's strike face

Nick's strike face! (Can you see his epiglottis?)

I look the most excited...

That's because I RARELY bowl a strike!

Where is Steele's strike face??? Steele didn't get a strike ) : BUT he did get a lot of spares and managed to beat us all in the LAST FRAME! We really had a lot of fun...mainly because we all got to be together. We are looking forward to August when Bry and Bre can join us and we will REALLY have all our family there together!