Drew came up with the best idea: strap the kayaks to the boat trailer to move them from home to the lake. Here are pics of Jim, Drew and Jeremy figuring it all out.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Kayak Storage
Drew came up with the best idea: strap the kayaks to the boat trailer to move them from home to the lake. Here are pics of Jim, Drew and Jeremy figuring it all out.
The simple joys of summer
We went swimming off the pontoon boat last nite from 6:30 to 9 pm. It was a warm, beautiful, calm nite. We brought some dinner with us and enjoyed the summer evening.
Wild Dog
Yesterday morning Jim and I took the dogs on a hike. About 30 minutes out on the trail, Ahi started to act weird. She didn't want to go on and kept stopping. Then she wouldn't go far from us. We kept going and turned around after about 45 minutes. On the way back, right where she had been acting weird, we saw a coyote on the trail about 150 feet in front of us. It had no fear of us and stood its ground watching us. We put the dogs on leashes and kept going. It trotted off ahead of us and turned off on another trail. When we passed the trail, it was about 50 feet up the trail standing there looking at us. There is no doubt that Ahi had sensed it....we thought maybe she started sensing that she might BR breakfast!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
FIRE!
We are at the cabin. We were putzing around this morning and suddenly smelled smoke! Because of the heat and dryness we were immediately concerned. We went outside and started looking around. Jim talked to a neighbor and found out that there was a fire out behind the high school this morning. They got on it right away and knocked it down really quickly. Thank goodness!
Hunter Dog
Ahi hunted up this dead baby bat. I put the tea cup next to it for scale. It was super cool to see - I think we could see an umbilical cord. We need to do some bat research to see how bats are born.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Another Powerful Person with Dyslexia
NEW YORK – Words have always been Rex Ryan's biggest challenge.
Not so much saying them, of course. The New York Jets' loquacious rookie coach has no trouble speaking his mind. Reading and writing, though, have made Ryan cringe since grade school.
That's the effect dyslexia can have, even on the most confident of NFL coaches.
"It was really frustrating," Ryan told The Associated Press. "So much of school, you have to write, but I just struggled. I couldn't help it."
Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability which affects people's abilities to read, spell, write and pronounce words. According to The International Dyslexia Association, perhaps as much as 15-20 percent of the population has symptoms of dyslexia.
Ryan, 46, knew something wasn't quite right while he was growing up, but he was diagnosed with dyslexia just a few years ago when his oldest son, Payton, was tested for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
"They gave me a test, too, and there were like 100 words, not real words, but letters just thrown out there," Ryan said. "It might've taken me, I don't know, maybe 15 minutes to read it out. They brought in my youngest son, who was maybe 10 or 12 at that time, and he read it in like a minute.
"The further we went along with it, the more I realized, 'Man, oh, man. I can see where I definitely had it.'"
It's a stunning admission by a man who has exuded so much confidence and bravado since becoming the Jets coach in January.
"It's probably pretty common for someone who has communication problems or issues to be very reserved, shy or laid back," said Jets safety Jim Leonhard, who played on Ryan's defense in Baltimore last season but only recently heard about the coach's dyslexia. "Rex is the total opposite. He's too competitive of a guy to let something like that slow him down."
That wasn't always the case. Ryan remembers the anxious moments when he was called upon to read in class and the page appeared nothing more than a muddled mess of letters. And there were all the miserable scores on spelling exams.
"It wasn't like they had spell check back in those days, so it was impossible," he said. "I was a terrible student."
It got so bad Ryan would often skip school unless floor hockey or softball games were planned.
"I never wanted to embarrass myself," he said.
Adding to Ryan's frustrations were the facts that his mother, Doris, has a doctorate in education and was a vice president of the University of New Brunswick in Canada, and his father, Buddy, was a two-time academic All-American before becoming one of the NFL's greatest defensive minds. Ryan's older brother, Jim, has an MBA and a law degree.
Even Ryan's twin brother, Rob, who is Cleveland's defensive coordinator, "was pretty decent, too," he said, laughing.
"I was like, 'What the heck's wrong with me?'"
Well, nothing when it comes to coaching. Ryan, whose Ravens defenses were among the league's best the last several years, believes his dyslexia might have even helped shape his approach.
"He's a fighter and a competitor," Leonhard said, "and you can tell he probably got some of that from having dyslexia and overcoming it."
Many coaches today use colors to code their playbooks and game plans, but it's something Ryan has been doing for as long as he can remember to make things easier to comprehend.
"We can go back as many years as you want to go and you'll see it that way," Ryan said.
One set of plays might be green, while another yellow, and so on — a colorful learning tool that amused Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, a former assistant under Ryan in Baltimore.
"It would drive him crazy," Ryan said. "He would say, 'Don't say that stands out! How can you read that better?' This was before I even knew I was dyslexic."
The Jets also help Ryan with TV and radio commercial spots by reading the copy to him and letting him repeat it before taping.
"If you talk to me, I can pick things up better than I can just off a white piece of paper and black letters," he said.
Still, being dyslexic isn't something normally associated with NFL head coaches. Ryan was open about it when he interviewed for the Jets job, as well as previous opportunities.
"I never wanted to paint a false picture of myself," he said, "because if I got that job, I wanted to be myself."
Despite the struggles, Ryan was able to earn a master's degree in physical education from Eastern Kentucky. And then there's all he has achieved in the NFL.
"For the weaknesses I have with spelling and all those other things with being dyslexic, I have a lot of other strengths also," Ryan said. "I want people to know that you can have dyslexia and still reach your goals."
Not so much saying them, of course. The New York Jets' loquacious rookie coach has no trouble speaking his mind. Reading and writing, though, have made Ryan cringe since grade school.
That's the effect dyslexia can have, even on the most confident of NFL coaches.
"It was really frustrating," Ryan told The Associated Press. "So much of school, you have to write, but I just struggled. I couldn't help it."
Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability which affects people's abilities to read, spell, write and pronounce words. According to The International Dyslexia Association, perhaps as much as 15-20 percent of the population has symptoms of dyslexia.
Ryan, 46, knew something wasn't quite right while he was growing up, but he was diagnosed with dyslexia just a few years ago when his oldest son, Payton, was tested for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
"They gave me a test, too, and there were like 100 words, not real words, but letters just thrown out there," Ryan said. "It might've taken me, I don't know, maybe 15 minutes to read it out. They brought in my youngest son, who was maybe 10 or 12 at that time, and he read it in like a minute.
"The further we went along with it, the more I realized, 'Man, oh, man. I can see where I definitely had it.'"
It's a stunning admission by a man who has exuded so much confidence and bravado since becoming the Jets coach in January.
"It's probably pretty common for someone who has communication problems or issues to be very reserved, shy or laid back," said Jets safety Jim Leonhard, who played on Ryan's defense in Baltimore last season but only recently heard about the coach's dyslexia. "Rex is the total opposite. He's too competitive of a guy to let something like that slow him down."
That wasn't always the case. Ryan remembers the anxious moments when he was called upon to read in class and the page appeared nothing more than a muddled mess of letters. And there were all the miserable scores on spelling exams.
"It wasn't like they had spell check back in those days, so it was impossible," he said. "I was a terrible student."
It got so bad Ryan would often skip school unless floor hockey or softball games were planned.
"I never wanted to embarrass myself," he said.
Adding to Ryan's frustrations were the facts that his mother, Doris, has a doctorate in education and was a vice president of the University of New Brunswick in Canada, and his father, Buddy, was a two-time academic All-American before becoming one of the NFL's greatest defensive minds. Ryan's older brother, Jim, has an MBA and a law degree.
Even Ryan's twin brother, Rob, who is Cleveland's defensive coordinator, "was pretty decent, too," he said, laughing.
"I was like, 'What the heck's wrong with me?'"
Well, nothing when it comes to coaching. Ryan, whose Ravens defenses were among the league's best the last several years, believes his dyslexia might have even helped shape his approach.
"He's a fighter and a competitor," Leonhard said, "and you can tell he probably got some of that from having dyslexia and overcoming it."
Many coaches today use colors to code their playbooks and game plans, but it's something Ryan has been doing for as long as he can remember to make things easier to comprehend.
"We can go back as many years as you want to go and you'll see it that way," Ryan said.
One set of plays might be green, while another yellow, and so on — a colorful learning tool that amused Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, a former assistant under Ryan in Baltimore.
"It would drive him crazy," Ryan said. "He would say, 'Don't say that stands out! How can you read that better?' This was before I even knew I was dyslexic."
The Jets also help Ryan with TV and radio commercial spots by reading the copy to him and letting him repeat it before taping.
"If you talk to me, I can pick things up better than I can just off a white piece of paper and black letters," he said.
Still, being dyslexic isn't something normally associated with NFL head coaches. Ryan was open about it when he interviewed for the Jets job, as well as previous opportunities.
"I never wanted to paint a false picture of myself," he said, "because if I got that job, I wanted to be myself."
Despite the struggles, Ryan was able to earn a master's degree in physical education from Eastern Kentucky. And then there's all he has achieved in the NFL.
"For the weaknesses I have with spelling and all those other things with being dyslexic, I have a lot of other strengths also," Ryan said. "I want people to know that you can have dyslexia and still reach your goals."
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Cadillac Coleman Crapper
Today, Jim built that Cadillac version of the "Coleman Crapper". Here is a pic of Gracie and her friend, Kayla, painting it....camo!
For those who don't know...the Coleman Crapper is a homemade toilet that we have out at Cherry Lake. It is made from a bucket and a toilet seat. And....painted camo. The problem is, a bucket is not very secure. So....Jim decided we needed an upgrade. Next up.... a magazine rack.
Kahlua Cake
From Heather, my friend who loves a good snack!
1 pkg Chocolate Fudge Cake mix with pudding
1/4 cup oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup Kahlua
1 pint sour cream (I use the "light" sour cream)
1 12oz bag of chocolate chips
Mix all together in one bowl. Grease bundt pan. (I spray with Pam.) Pour cake batter in and bake 40-50 minutes at 350 degrees.
The trick is to NOT overcook the cake. In my oven it bakes in 40 minutes.
1 pkg Chocolate Fudge Cake mix with pudding
1/4 cup oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup Kahlua
1 pint sour cream (I use the "light" sour cream)
1 12oz bag of chocolate chips
Mix all together in one bowl. Grease bundt pan. (I spray with Pam.) Pour cake batter in and bake 40-50 minutes at 350 degrees.
The trick is to NOT overcook the cake. In my oven it bakes in 40 minutes.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Weekend Haul
We went up to Cherry this weekend to check out the fishing as this is the best time of the year for trout fishing. And we were not dissappointed. This is the haul from Sunday morning after about an hour of fishing. And we only kept about 20% of what we caught. And they were the largest trout we have ever caught there.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Parental Expectations
My friend Missy sent me the graduation speech given by the principal of an all girls high school last week. The speech itself was great but this was my favorite line:
"we held you to high standards, not because we wanted you to suffer, but because life itself is challenging; and if you wish to prevail, not merely endure, you need to be disciplined and prepared to work hard."
This is what we all do with our kids, but I never heard it so succinctly stated.
"we held you to high standards, not because we wanted you to suffer, but because life itself is challenging; and if you wish to prevail, not merely endure, you need to be disciplined and prepared to work hard."
This is what we all do with our kids, but I never heard it so succinctly stated.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
1st day of summer
The first day of summer for Gracie and Maddie included: painting rocks, basketball with water balloons, movies on demand on netflix and lunch at Johnny Rockets! I would say that it was a good kid day!
Pic to show scale
Here is a pic of me and Drew to show how tall he is. I am in the pic to show scale! I am 5 feet 4 inches and he is a good 6 inches taller than me!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Adama Abouderman
Auntie Diana gave me the greatest birthday gift - a gift certificate to Kiva: loans that changes lives. The deal is you give a small loan to someone which allows them to start or maintain a small business. Then they repay the loan and you can give it to someone else! Here is the woman that Gracie and I chose to loan money to:
http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=115500
I love that she has a budding kitchen supply store!
http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=115500
I love that she has a budding kitchen supply store!
Swim Results
Gracie's final results from Saturday's swim meet:
2nd place - 100 Yard Medley Relay - time 1:28.72
4th place - 25 Yard Backstroke - time 23.25
And the third ribbon is a particpation ribbon.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Want one?
The dog of one of Jim's buddies had puppies late last week. They are purebred labs. All black except for one! Can't wait til we can go see them.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Swim Meet
Here are some pics from Gracie's first swim meet. I did not get any pics of her swimming because I was a timer during all her races. I also am not sure how she actually did because I was too busy timing. But as long as she found her way to the starting block and finished her races, that was good enough for me! Swim meets are total chaos and just figuring out where to be and when to be there is an accomplishment. We can work on swim times in the future!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Jury is Out....
I got my "Farm Fresh to You" order and I am not convinced that it is great. I don't feel like I got enough to make it worth the cost. This is what I got:
5 small fuji apples
blueberries
baby bok choy
lipstick peppers
broccoli
red leaf lettuce
basil
red onion
heirloom tomatoes
There was suppose to be honeydew melon but they ran out so they substituted apples.
The tomatoes were outstanding. I used the lettuce and peppers for a salad and they were good but not much different from the store. There is a recipe for roasted broccoli and lipstick peppers that I want to try.
And I have to figure out what to do with the bok choy. I love it - but never cook it!
I am going try it again in a month and see what I think.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
A conversation with Drew
I was telling Drew today about Grandpa's heart check and how good the news was. Here was our back and forth:
Me: Grandpa had his yearly heart check and everything is perfect!
Drew: That's great!
Me: Yea - isn't it?!
Drew: They really got Grandpa a perfect heart didn't they?
Me: Yea - it sure is perfect for him.
Drew: But.....maybe the new heart is what makes him so grumpy!
Me: Giggle!!!!
Me: Grandpa had his yearly heart check and everything is perfect!
Drew: That's great!
Me: Yea - isn't it?!
Drew: They really got Grandpa a perfect heart didn't they?
Me: Yea - it sure is perfect for him.
Drew: But.....maybe the new heart is what makes him so grumpy!
Me: Giggle!!!!
12 Years!
My Dad had his 12 year heart check up today and all is great! They looked at the inside of his heart and all his arteries are wide open and all his blood work is perfect.
We are truly blessed.
We are truly blessed.
Stay tuned....
Gracie has her first real swim meet this weekend. She is swimming in 4 events. Stay tuned for results next week.
She loves swimming. She left for practice yesterday alternating between singing and saying "I am an READY to swim!".
She loves swimming. She left for practice yesterday alternating between singing and saying "I am an READY to swim!".
Talent Show
Gracie's school had a talent show yesterday. Gracie's class sang two songs. One about "verbs" and one about "area". They were great!
New Shoes
It has been a little while since I have posted pics of new shoes. Aren't these cute?I am wearing them with white pants and a red sweater today - very cute!
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Banana Upside Down Cake
Pineapple upside down cake is my favorite cake! But this new recipe give that favorite a run for its money! It is really yummy! It is like banana bread on steroids.
Banana Upside-Down Cake
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large ripe bananas, sliced
1 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
2 eggs
Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 350F. Using electric mixer, cream brown sugar and butter in medium bowl until well mixed. Spread brown sugar mixture over bottom of 9-inch square baking dish with 2-inch high sides. Arrange banana slices atop brown sugar mixture, covering completely. Set cake pan aside.
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Mix mashed bananas, buttermilk and vanilla in another small bowl. Using electric mixer, cream 1 1/4 cups sugar and shortening until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add dry ingredients alternatively with buttermilk mixture, mixing until just combined. Pour batter over bananas in pan. Bake until cake pulls away from sides of pan and tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool slightly. Turn cake out onto plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Banana Upside-Down Cake
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large ripe bananas, sliced
1 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
2 eggs
Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 350F. Using electric mixer, cream brown sugar and butter in medium bowl until well mixed. Spread brown sugar mixture over bottom of 9-inch square baking dish with 2-inch high sides. Arrange banana slices atop brown sugar mixture, covering completely. Set cake pan aside.
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Mix mashed bananas, buttermilk and vanilla in another small bowl. Using electric mixer, cream 1 1/4 cups sugar and shortening until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add dry ingredients alternatively with buttermilk mixture, mixing until just combined. Pour batter over bananas in pan. Bake until cake pulls away from sides of pan and tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool slightly. Turn cake out onto plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Weekend
We spent the weekend in Sacramento for Jim's Aunt Nancy's 70th birthday. They had a really nice party at a restaurant for about 70 people. Then we went back to cousin Bean's house and had a pool party. We partied until about midnite and then I was up at 6 am for a run. Then we continued partying until 4 pm when we finally left to start the 2 1/2 hour drive home!
It was wonderful to see everyone and have the kids get to know their (2nd) cousins even more. Jim's cousin Eric and family from Oregon were here too. Their son is going to college in the fall in Oregon and will be playing football - he was a high school football star in Alaska! So I think we will be heading up to Oregon and watching him play.
Cousin Austin has a cornsnake that he fed while we were there. That is a pic of it eating a frozen baby mouse! It was horrifying and interesting at the same time!
All in all - a great weekend but I am exhausted!
PS - Fran, I am giggling at the thought of you seeing the pic of the snake and falling off your chair!
Friday, June 05, 2009
Road trip
While Daisy Mae crashes out in the front seat of my truck, Ahi perches on the folded up seat all the way in the back. If we ever stop fast, she will act like a rocket! She loves to go with us, wherever we are going!
Have I mentioned the crazy place I work?
A coworker came to work today to find his office looking like this. What a creative bunch of folks I work with!
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Grant
Last week, we had the interview for the $40k grant request for Parents Helping Parents. I think it went well. I did a one minute talk about why I championed them for a grant and then they did a 4 minute talk about what they do. And then there were 5 minutes of questions. I think they answered the questions well. We will find out tomorrow whether or not they get the grant.
If they get the grant, it will be used to do learning disability simulations and offer asssisted technology reviews.
Stay tuned for the final results tomorrow!
If they get the grant, it will be used to do learning disability simulations and offer asssisted technology reviews.
Stay tuned for the final results tomorrow!
Busy Morning
On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, I get up early and take the dogs for a run. Then I come home and get Gracie ready for ed therapy. For the 45 minutes she is in ed therapy, I walk the dogs. Today, we found another dog at the park and I let them off leash to romp around for awhile. I guess it was enough excercise for Daisy Mae because this is what she looked like on the way home in the truck!
Beats yesterday when Ahi spent and hour and a half biting me and Daisy because she was wound up and wanted to go for a walk! But....I was working!!!
Monday, June 01, 2009
Happy Birthday....to me
I am turning 42 later this month. You think that might freak me out a bit. But it doesn't. Here is my thinking. If I am 42 and I live until I am 84 (which is totally reasonable), that means I am half way thru my life. Knowing that this first half seems like it lasted for a looooong time, I am good with having the second half feel like a looooong time! This makes 84 look like a long way away!
Happy Birthday to me....and many - actually - ....42 more!
Happy Birthday to me....and many - actually - ....42 more!
Beer Margaritas
This was one of the drinks served at Girl's Weekend. I did not partake....."why", you ask? Because.....ick! (Thanks to Heather for providing this nasty drink)
Beer Margaritas
12 oz tequila
12 oz Mexican beer (I usually use Corona Light)
12 oz frozen Limeade (in a can like frozen Lemonade)
12 oz bubbly water (I use tangerine/lime water but you can use Sprite, Squirt, 7-up - anything with some carbonation)
Beer Margaritas
12 oz tequila
12 oz Mexican beer (I usually use Corona Light)
12 oz frozen Limeade (in a can like frozen Lemonade)
12 oz bubbly water (I use tangerine/lime water but you can use Sprite, Squirt, 7-up - anything with some carbonation)
Dynamic Duo
Gracie did her first swim meet this weekend. She placed first and second in all her heats but we don't have the final results on the races yet. Her best stroke so far is the backstroke - Jim says she really flys! And she will probably do the backstroke in the relay. She was disqualified from oneof the races for doing the stroke wrong! ooops!
This is her buddy Kayla - the two of them are super sporty! They play soccer together too. Total "Girl Power" at its finest!
Happy Birthday!
What an awesome way to have a birthday - on a girl's weekend at the cabin! Happy birthday Leslie!
Kayaking
Girls Weekend included kayaking. It was quite a show watching us all get the kayak on and off the roof of my truck! I think the whole beach stopped and watched us. And various men asked if we needed help. "No thanks", we said!
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