Senior Recognition

Senior Recognition...

Another step along the journey that will lead to my first born packing his belongings and driving away...

Sigh... 

This picture amuses me...the various phases of readiness...

There that's better...I threatened them if they didn't look at my camera and smile there would be no hope of passing my class!
Not really...
But I like to pretend I have some control over them...
It's best they think I do...
Or I'm in big trouble!

So the Seniors marched...and yes, it made me think of graduation and the fact that it is so much closer!

And it made me think of the 100s! (well probably not 100s but LOTS and LOTS) of Senior Recognitions I have gone to over the years and how all those kids are long gone and grown up...just like these guys will be in a matter of months...

And I did not cry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

While I was emotional at last years graduation thinking I only had ONE YEAR LEFT! I wasn't prepared for all these other emotional events that would be ripping open my heart through the year....

Its gonna be a long year...
I better drink lots of water or I will dehydrate!







One final picture...

Do you know her?

We don't...
She literally walked into the picture as we were posing and said "I'm the grandma!"
LOL!
We didn't even get any pictures with the real grandmas!

Hug your kids!
They are growing up fast!

Frychik

I Love Fall!

I have to say it has been one of the loveliest falls I can remember and the colors are just getting started...

Last Friday was our first day of rain in 103 days!
Jeff and I have walked in the rain the past two nights...
It's a habit we picked up while living in the South...going for a walk after dinner

Even walking in the rain at night it has been warm and blustery...
I like blustery...

Sunday I "had" to go to Powell's I love it when I "have" to go to Powell's
The sky's were threatening all day but the rain was holding off
the wind was blowing the fall leaves all over the city streets
swirling up into mini tornadoes and landing on the sidewalks, cars, people...

I ordered a Chai at the SB across the street from Powells and just tried to soak it all up...
I hit the pause button
I ignored the books in my bag
I ignored my phone
I ignored the to do list
I just soaked it in...

Then I went into an import store that I have only walked past before...

Then I went home to my to do list :)


Frychik

Kodiak Attack!

Oh baby! It was an exciting weekend!
It was also bitter sweet...

Just in case you don't know -

CAA

WON THE WWU SOCCER TOURNAMENT!!!

Josh's freshman year they were 4th
Sophomore year 3rd
Junior year 4th
Senior year 1st!!!!!!!!!!!

These guys played UNBELIEVABLE soccer! It truly was amazing to watch their focus, their effort and their skill! The passing was so much fun to watch! These boys have been playing together 10 years and it shows!

The competition was stiff and I happened to be sitting right next to a dad from the opposing team...Who couldn't stop bragging about how amazing their team was and how fast his son was and how no one had beaten them and they were so amazing blah, blah, blah..............

I just smiled and nodded...

As the game continued he would comment oh #such and such is really good
and # so and so is really good...
and he just kept commenting until he had named every player on our team...
That's right because everyone of them are AWESOME!

It was a hard fought game and we started out behind...
At the half we still hadn't scored...
It was STRESSFUL!
I was terrified we would lose
Then when we tied it up I was terrified it would go to a shoot out...
Which it has every other year which is incredibly stressful!
Then with only minutes left in the game we scored!

They earned it!
It was such a joy to be part of this with them!
Possibly the most impressive accomplishment was the fact that they took first place and the sportsmanship award! Truly impressive! It has seemed in the past that the sportsmanship award is given to the teams that have no hope of winning...
Not only do our kids have AWESOME skills they are also AWESOME people who play with compassion and heart!
I could not be prouder!

I simply cannot let any of them graduate!
I have a plan...I will fail all of them in my government class... ;)

Frychik

*I was entirely too nervous to take any pictures of the championship game...
All pictures are from previous games or after the championship game.

Top 10

Yesterday I went for another solo ride...
It was windy so I really missed Jeff!
He's awesome to draft behind :)

Riding can be challenging...
It would be so much nicer if there weren't any cars...
Most drivers are nice...
Some are too nice!

Those that fall into the too nice category-

-drive really, really slow past us - please don't do that...it just prolongs the time we are together and stresses me out
-Gets so far over in the oncoming traffic lane that you risk a head on with another car - really its not necessary if you could just scooch over in the lane so you are hugging the middle line we have enough room

Other drivers are not nice!

-Honk when right next to me
-Trys to get as close to me as possible while passing at 50 miles an hour
-Shares various hand signals with me
-Shouts various words that are not at all encouraging

For the record there are many reasons why we (bikers) may not be as far over as you (drivers - although I realize none of you reading this fall into this category and for that I thank you!) would like us to be.

Top 10 Reasons Why Bikers aren't ridding on the shoulder...

10.  Cars often park on shoulders

9. Trash of all sorts - please don't be a litter bug!

8. Bushes, weeds- when your riding by at 20+ it feels like razors!

7. Pedestrians who walk on the same side as bikers we are the ones that go out into the lane...

6. Rough! The shoulder is often breaking apart or not worn down at all so its very rough to ride on.

5. Loose gravel - this can take a biker down in a hurry and its amazing how much gathers on the shoulder!

4. Dead animals and animal parts - yuck!

3. Construction signs - they fill up the entire shoulder so you have to weave out into traffic to get around.

2. Low hanging branches

1.  There is no shoulder! - Most of our roads just don't have a shoulder to ride on but we do try to stay as far over as possible.

And that's why we aren't on the shoulder :)

Frychik