Enjoying Vegas

Neil and I got to take a couples trip to Las Vegas in April. Neil was part of a relay race in the Nevada mountains. The race was called Baker to Vegas and the teams were made up of law enforcement from all over the world, although mostly CA agencies. Neil and some of his coworkers were asked to be runners on the Modesto team. It was such a joy to see Neil work hard and train for this competition. His dedication to the run and team was awesome. He is looking forward to being asked back as part of the team for next years run. Although he said it was very hard he would do it again in a heart beat!

Turlock PDs Open House

Neil participated in the PDs 3rd annual open house a couple of weeks ago. He did 2 demos with Mike S. along side. This was much better than last years because he has had lots of practice and has attended 2 competitions.

September, 10 years ago.....

10 years ago....a decade ago(as Neil likes to say), was when we started dating. Oh, the memories. Can it really be that long ago? But yes, sad to say it's true. Sad is the wrong word to use. A ten year journey that started on the Internet. Neil and I met on AOL Personal Dating Ads and from the 1st date on we were stuck together like glue. We've had a wonderful 10 years, some more memorable than others. Like the years our children were born - couple vacations - family vacations - living in Napa, CA - the Airforce - buying a house - my grandparents passing - Neil working toward his bachelor degree - police academy - Alex being sick and in the hospital - me working at Safeway - Neil's job. And through it all, Neil has been my best friend, lover, goof ball, provider, and sweetheart. He has definitely earned the title of "The Best Husband in the whole wide World." I love you honey.

Alex's first kite flight

This is Neil on Kellie's blog. She felt it was better for me to write about Alex's kite flying adventure, since I was there. I'll warn you, I bit more lengthy than my lovely wife. Well...here it goes.
Alex got a Spiderman kite from our friends', Greg and Melissa, for his birthday. He had been hounding me about flying it every five minutes. I kept telling him, "Son, it has to be windy to fly a kite." The Central Valley bakes like an oven in the summer, usually with little to no wind. Tuesday, however, was beautiful. There was enough wind to make my flag flap. Kellie and Samantha were both gone, so I told Alex, "Get your shoes son. We're gonna go fly your kite."
Alex could barely contain himself on the way over. When we got to the park, which is a large grassy drainage basin, we found it nearly empty. The wind had picked up considerably, as if in answer to my son's prayers. I explained to Alex how you have to keep the string tight and to always hang on tight. I told him if the string went slack, the kite would fall. We went over the launch procedures. I knew he wanted to hold the kite, so I was dreading the "kite launching run" I would have to do at 95 degrees. I noticed the kite was getting a little temperamental in the wind. I held it above my head and it launched!! Not one strained step did I have to take!! I let the string out about 10 yards and handed it off to Alex.
He was beaming.
He watched it as it flew about with the glorious red plastic tail flapping in the wind. It would dip and turn and dance in the air.
After about 10 minutes (an eternity for a five-year-old), Alex tired of our location in the middle of the park. I let out the string all the way. The kite soared at 50 feet. I'm sure Alex was hoping that it would have a near miss with an airplane as high as it was.
We began to move forward to a small hill flanked by trees. We sat down in the shade and watched his kite. Alex was getting a little bored. I believe the magic of flying a kite had worn off and now he was just thinking about the playground behind us. Just then, the string went slack and the kite plummeted 10 feet. As I yanked the string tight, the red and blue Spiderman wedge lept high completing a full loop!! Alex wanted to see it do a loop again. As I reached for the string to pull it slightly, Alex let go of the handle. The wind pulled the kite away with the handle dragging on the ground. I said, "Go get it Al!" He ran with all his might. He caught up to the handle twice. But as young ones are, they can't run and grab at the same time. He would stop, then try to reach for the handle. The wind harrassed my son as each time the handle would jump away. They were now about 60 yards away from me and I slowly realized this kite was not going to fall to the ground without string tension. It was approaching a major 4 lane roadway and took chase. You have to understand, I've been a motorcop for a year and a half now. We generally don't get in foot pursuits, so I'm a little out of practice. But I gave it my all. I passed Alex and lunged for the handle. Now the wind had a more formidable opponent - me. Unfortunately Mother Nature was the better. A large gust of wind blew the kite up and away entangling the handle on a tree branch about 8 feet off the ground. I was looking and planning how I was going to get the kite down as I heard my son wailing behind me. His cheeks were wet with big fat tears as his lips quivered. "My kiiiiiiiiiite!" he screamed. I got down on a knee and hugged him. I told him we could get it back and that I could climb up just a little bit and get it back. Alex calmed down and I turned around to the tree. To my dismay, the lower branch released its hold on the kite. The kite flew higher and caught on a branch about 20 feet above us.
I shook the tree. I kicked the tree. I hung from a lower branch and pulled vigorously. Nothing. It was stuck. The kite was flying strong about 70 feet in the air for all the passing motorists to gawk at.
We walked home, hand in hand, with my son's head hanging low. I told him we could get another kite, but he wanted his kite. We were home for about a half an hour when I remembered I had a collapsible pole used for changing lightbulbs on our high ceilings. I said, "Get your shoes on son." We drove my truck to the scene. I had planned on trying to reach it with the pole. If it wasn't high enough, I was prepared to drive my truck into the park and stand on the roof to get my son's kite back. As we got closer, we saw his kite. Still flying high. However, when we got up to it, we discovered that it had untangled itself from the high branch and the handle was stuck in another tree - about six feet off the ground. I simply reached up and freed it. We brought Alex's kite down with him jumping and dancing about. My son was thrilled. How many lessons did a five-year-old learn that day? I'll probably never know.

Motor Competition in Oakland

Neil had a motorcycle competition this past Sat. in Oakland. He and another officer rode together and I took the kids and his wife and arrived right before it started. It took place at the Harley dealership in Oakland and they had Neil did fantastic for his first competition placing 4th out of 28 contestants. It was such an adrenalin rush to watch him ride the cone patterns. His best time was 1:31. 1st place time was 1:27 so he wasn't far behind. Samantha and Alex were so proud of their Daddy and can't wait to go to the next meet. It will be in Elk Grove in Aug. We will be his little competition groupies.

Home from Camp

(Waiting with friends before taking off to camp)

Samantha came home from camp on Saturday afternoon(by the way, I didn't have to drive all the way to Hume to pick her up) looking a little older and tanner to me. They swim everyday while they are there (one of her favorite things to do). She had such a wonderful time and talked non stop about it the rest of the day. Sunday was spent catching up on her homework and she still didn't get the weeks work done. She'll need an extention of one more day to finish it.

Neil had a nice fathers day. He had bought his own present the weekend before - a new 40" TV. I finally gave in after a long year of his research and constant talking of the "new TV". Best Buy had a special of 3 years no interest so I said lets do it. I cooked a yummy breakfast of sausage and waffles, we watched reruns of Top Chef, he mowed the lawns then packed for his week-long school in Sacramento. I really don't like it when he's gone! But we don't have a choice and these classes help his career.

Happy Anniversay to Us!

9 years of marital bliss! We did it. Actually, the last couple of years have been the easiest and the best. 3 years ago, I quit working fulltime and became a fulltime stay-at-home mom. Since my change in job title, our home has become much more peaceful and joyful. Neil and I have a wonderful friendship and I think we will always be goofballs at heart. We compliment each other so well. I feel more in love with my hubby every passing year.

So, we haven't yet celebrated our anniversary since it fell on Mother's Day this year. But I've already benefited. Neil gave me a beautiful card and this gorgeous necklace

Recap of Weekly Events

I thought I would recap the events for the week to keep all of our family and friends informed.

- Samantha had one of her baby molers removed. It was hollow and dead and started giving her pain. She was a trooper with the Noviacane shots and went back to school after a short nap and lunch.

- Samantha went to a play, Straw into Gold, at University Stanislaus, with her class on Thurs.

- Alex had Pajama Day at school. I was really glad it wasn't my day to work in his class. The excitement level was exceptionally high that day.

- Neil went on a motorcycle ride with 2 friends. They toured down to the Santa Cruz mountains.

- I completed a couple of knitting and craft projects.

- I went over to Rachelle's house for dinner with our book club then to a movie. We saw Juno (I ate 2 candy bars...thanks Rachelle!) and laughed our buns off.

- Neil and I went on a date Sat. eveing and saw the movie I am Legend. Really awesome movie.

Rain, Rain, Go away...

Come again, tomorrow? Yes. It's raining cats and dogs here in our part of the land and will continue through next week. Neil was stuck in the house most of the day doing house work (painting, cleaning, playing games on the computer), so he decided that he needed a little fresh air, take a walk, commune with nature. (I think he just wanted an excuse to get wet). He said the gutters needed to be unplugged and 4 gutter drains, a neighbors blown over fence, clogged house gutters, and an hour later, he comes slopping in the house looking like a drowned cat. Awh, my Hero!


Everything except his Bohemian booty was wet.

All I want for Christmas is...

A new stove!! Neil came home last night from what I thought was a quick trip to OSH for a new filter and light cover for the range hood. I'm sitting at the computer and I hear some racket behind me. It's Neil carrying a big box with a new stainless steel hood. He explained that because our stove was so old they didn't make that filter size anymore so he had to by a new hood. And he picked stainless steel because he thought it would look nice....and he thought it would look good with the new stove that was sitting in the back of his truck! WHAT!! So, I'm so surprised but my first thoughts are "How much money was this new stove, and we still need to pay our property tax." But keeping my comments to my self, I excitedly go outside to see my beautiful new flat top stove. And as the story unfolds from Neil, come to find out it was a mad deal. Now I'm in love. Not only with my stove, but with my husband as well. Because you see folks, he's been eyeballing a new TV for the front room. I'm talking every night online researching what he wants. But he overhears me complaining in the kitchen yesterday about the burners on my stove being off balanced. That's what marriage is all about. And Neil has been like this from day one of our almost 9 years. He is so unselfish and loving to me. I love you Babe and thank you for my fabulous Christmas gift!!

Neil's Christmas Party

Last night Neil and I attended the TAPO Christmas Party. The Senior Center was decorated beautifully with bright pink, green and blue bulbs, lights and candles. We had a yummy country style dinner of tritip and chicken, then enjoyed a raffle and auction. Neil had worked hard soliciting donations for the party all month. He acquired a case of Crown Royal, 2 kegs of Beer, and a $200 bottle of Grand Patron Plantinum tequila (all for free)from a friend of his that owns a liquor store in town. It was the big hit of the evening. I donated a gift basket filled with my caramels, caramel popcorn and peppermint bark for the auction. It went for $80 dollars!! It was a nice evening without the kids. They went to Lyndee's grandpa Bill's house and were very well behaved.

(This is our 2006 Christmas Party. Notice the change of hair for Neil and I)

Headline: Grandfather Left to sit for hours at Airport..

due to his son forgetting which day he was flying in! Grandpa Ron came to visit us in sunny California last Tues. and stay with us until Sunday evening. We had a wonderful time visiting and seeing the local sites. Grandpa was even able to attend Alex's Santa Celebration, visit with Cousin Bev, and take the kids Christmas shopping. Samantha picked out a pair of purple roller blades (which she has practiced using every day since acquiring them) and a family game set. Alex choose an electric guitar and bathtub shaving set so he can shave his head like is Dad's.


(Alex and the girls squatting by Santa Claus)

This is what Neil wants for Christmas.

That is, this is what Neil would like me, his loving bride, to wear for Christmas (or Christmas evening!!) But unfortunately I would need a ton of masking tape to hold up the boobs in this get-up! Thank goodness he loves me regardless of my looks. This would be a dream come true for him though!

The bald man replaced Dad!!

Neil shaved his head today in honor of his Sergeant's wife Robin. Robin is going through chemo so everyone in the Traffic Unit is shaving their heads. The children didn't know that dad was getting a hair cut so when he came home Alex wasn't quite sure what to think. After he touched Daddy's head he decided he wanted a shaved head as well. We picked Samantha up from a birthday party she attended and as she opened the car door it took her a couple of seconds to notice Dad and his shiny new head. She was so shocked she left the door opened. The kids asked him why he did it and he said it was to keep lice away (we've recently had an outbreak at nursery school)