Swelbow

This week Tennison was in a skateboard camp. He had a blast and got himself a swelbow. A swelbow you ask? Well I went to my trusty Urban Dictionary to help define it... 

• an elbow that is always swollen, due to constant crashes. be it skateboarding, bmxing, etc...
• dude did you see my swelbow? I overrotated on my 720 and landed on my elbow.

Tennison's first swelbow!

It has come down a little, but it sure was the talk of the week. He learned how to drop in too. If that doesn't ring a bell to you without a skater in your life, it is the move that gives us moms a heartattack... he stands on the rim with his board and goes straight down.

Here are some other highlights!

My favorite skater dude EVER!

Tennison had a great week and couldn't wait to go and learn more. He has gotten so much better and seems to have no fear. He is getting closer on the ollie too. An ollie you ask? Sorry, I have no words to define that one. But Ten would love to show you.

I think what this week reminded me is that our kids are going to find things they love, even if it doesn't exactly line up with what we love. Not only did Tennison's skateboard camp remind me of this, but Reagan too. Finding what they want to do that aligns with their talents isn't always easy, but it is worth the work it may take to help them find it.

Rain and Hail

It has been two full weeks since the High Park Fire started. I somewhat feel like the plume of smoke coming out of our mountains will be there forever. I know that it won't really, but when the fire stands at 83,205 acres and remains 45% contained, you start to wonder. It is reported that 248 structures have burned and 2,037 personnel are battling the blaze. I wonder how they feel.

We continue to wake up with smoke in the air, like waking up at camp. Then one day the sky will be clear, the mountain looks normal and by the afternoon it all changes. The biggest enemy seems to be the weather, high winds and record heat. It was 104 yesterday, 104. The last time it was that high was in 1954... a record we didn't want to beat.

Feeling tired and mellow I went to church. (I was solo because Scott planned the last four days for his annual golf trip. I was thinking he might melt in the heat... two rounds of golf in one day of 104.) Our Pastor was telling us we can pray for rain even though there is no rain in the forecast, our God is bigger than that. After 4 services this weekend, guess what?! It started to rain... and hail. HAIL!! I started hollering Hail!! in my best Southern twang. That hail is gonna stomp out that fire!!! I really doubt it did but how cool is that!? Can't wait to hear what the news says about it! I'm sure they'll thank Mother Nature. I thank GOD!

Happy First Day of Summer, Tree

Being that it is summer and all, I decided to enlist some help with my June tree photo. I'm not sure it completely worked as I had envisioned, but we had fun.

Ok, that isn't quite right.

Maybe that isn't it either.

Now that's what I'm looking for!!

A break to catch a grasshopper...

See!! Huh?

Got another one. Looks like a baby.

Back to the tree...

This reminds me of He's got the whole world, in His hands.

Happy first day of Summer everyone.

Even to the tree.

We Have a Birthday Here!!

June 13th never comes soon enough in the birthday celebrations! When your little brother and older sister both have birthdays, then you wait another 2 months... it can  be tough. But let me tell you, we don't just flippantly say, "Hey kid, happy birthday!" We CELEBRATE! Because of this it is now June 15th and the partying hasn't stopped. Whitney's party with friends is tonight, thus the reason I haven't posted. Let me give you a little snapshot at the celebrating she has done so far!

A Birthday donut! We sent her off on a sugar rush to volleyball camp!

I surprised her at the camp with cupcakes!!

Whitney was super happy to have Reagan home for her birthday.

We picked her up from her European adventure, then to a birthday dinner at Red Robin.

Whitney loves giraffes! She got an Eiffel Tower giraffe from Paris.

Tennison "got" Whitney a flat screen TV for her birthday!

It had one of her fave shows on, Geek Charming.

It even has a power button & a wish for a Happley birthday!!

June 14th included a family BBQ!

She asked for a carrot cake, YUM!!

The celebrating will continue tonight! Can't wait Whitney!!

We LOVE you so much!

Next year is the doozie.

She will be 13, on June 13th, in 2013...

her golden birthday in her golden year!

41,000 acres, zero containment...

The High Park fire is now "56 square miles, or roughly the size of Pittsburgh." That is a horrible description. However, the fire fighters said they are making progress and now "feel like we are players and not opponents".

Sunday morning.

Sunday afternoon from our house.

Sunday night in Old Town at the Taste of Fort Collins.

The ever changing smoke clouds...

In the midst of it all we went to the Taste to see Mat Kearney in concert.

It felt weird to go when you knew what was going on behind you.

It was crazy having ash fall in our laps.

48 hours after the fire started (by lightning) I was at the pool for Tennison's swim lesson, dusting ash off a lounge chair. There was only a hint of smoke in the air. The winds, still blowing, died significantly. The smoke clouds barely visible. When we saw the smoke coming "down the mountain" we began to wonder what was happening. Unfortunately it is heading closer to the Horsetooth area. The sunset was more normal than it has been the last couple of days. It has only been close to three days, it feels like a week.

Tonight we spent time with the Sky Corral owner and his crew. We were able to put together a weeks worth of meals for them in a matter of no time. I love being part of a community that joins in so quickly. The ranch has been spared so far, news we are all so happy to hear. 100+ structures have been destroyed, one life lost. The end is no where in sight. Continue to pray for all who are effected.

High Park Fire

Northern Colorado has had an unusual amount of fires this Spring. Again today we have another one. As Whitney and I were driving out of our neighborhood we spotted a billowing cloud above Horsetooth Rock. As the day went on, and that billowing cloud grew, we got more details. It is in an area called High Park, which is near Sky Corral, the family camp we attended last summer. We are planning to go again in July.

This is the lodge we did all of our fun activities with the camp staff.

The beautiful surroundings.

The horses were transferred to stables at The Ranch

- the evacuation location for the large animals in the area.

The Happy Campers who are praying for safety as well.

View from our driveway of the smoke this afternoon.

This is my tree... boy was it crazy big at this point.

Coming home from Windsor tonight we saw the sun setting behind the smoke.

It looked like a red ball of fire. So eerie and sad.

As the horses get tucked into their new surroundings tonight, our hearts go out to the firefighters who are tackling yet another large, out of control fire. We are praying for the families in the area who have been evacuated and for their homes. Mostly our hearts are heavy for Kelly & his family, who run Sky Corral. What an overwhelming experience for them as they evacuate a camp, get the animals to safety, and care for the staff who are mostly college students. Jesus bring them peace tonight.

Parisian Prep

I learned from my Mom how to send a kid away from home in style. I was the Queen of Homesickness and needed the love from home. (I couldn't hardly make it a full night at a sleepover until high school.) For longer stays she never let me go without a note or 12 tucked in my suitcase. Every note had a piece of Freedent gum. How funny is that? That gum will always have a special place in my heart. So I ran to the store to grab some of our favorite snacks, Nibs (bite size Twizzlers) and put some in a baggy instead of Freedent. Reagan is always telling Scott & I that she loves us more than... So there she has it! I love her more than... I bet those were devoured before she landed.

                           

Then I enlisted Scott to help me write a notecard a day from both of us.

Whitney and Tennison added more notes to that.

If you can tell what that is... it is the "Ifall Tower".

Hoping nobody falls from the Eifel Tower!!

When the kids had breakfast on departure day they were surprised with crepes!

Nutella filled, banana filled, powdered sugar topped!

Not sure the powdered sugar is Parisian, but Ten towered it high!

 

I know the kids love the extra time we take to make their time away not so hard. I know the notes will help Reagan in those few moments of homesickness. They always helped me.

Love, The Homesick Queen

Bon Voyage!

It has been a year or so in the making, and the day is finally here. Reagan left for her Parisian adventures an hour ago. We have been hustling around shopping for last minute items and for sure...

... going to She She nail salon to get her nails done.

This was an 8th grade graduation gift - shellac nails.

She even found a super cute carry on bag!

The piles were high and the list was long.

But the suitcase had room to spare... good for storing treasures.

If you can't read the purple, it says,

"Oh my goodness! 93% excited 7% scared"

Gathered in front of the school, ready to load up!

Reagan and her best friend Mykaila!

She is going to be missed.

And she'll miss us... a little bit!

Have a blast Reagan!

We'll miss you!!

A huge Thank You to all of our friends and family who helped Reagan get to Paris and Barcelona. Through your support - wethere it was buying Pizza Palz, giving us cans to recycle, having her babysitt to make a few bucks... - wow, my eyes are tearing up. It is a blessing to have you all support her like this!! 

To be continued...