"Memorial day remembrance..............."

Today is Memorial Day.
A day of remembrance for all that have passed.
Yesterday we decided to decorate the graves of our relatives. We went as a family and Grandma and Grandpa Mary went too. I wanted to explain to the kids that it was out of respect and remembering those that we miss so much and have passed..........We headed up to Scotts Mills where LeRoy's grandma Maxine is buried. We cleaned up her headstone and put flowers on her grave........Grandma Maxine. (Scott's Mills Cemetery).

We headed back to Lebanon. Grandma Mary (LeRoy' mom) had twin boys that died at birth. Richard and Richey. LeRoy's twin brothers. We had grandma and grandpa give our kids all the history of their family that were buried there. Alot of family on boths sides buried in IOOF in Lebanon. I know my Grandpa Mac is buried in Buena Vista, but not sure where. I need to find out so we can honor him as well.

Grandpa Stenberg in IOOF cemetery in Lebanon.

My grandma Brant and Grandad's grave. IOOF in Lebanon.

(Nicole looks all little morbid with the hood, but it started raining so I will give her a break!)

My mom and I am assuming her sisters where their earlier in the week. In true Grandma Millie style her grave was all decked out complete with twirlies!

Grandma Marge. (LeRoy's grandma). Riverside Dr.

Was a good day to reflect. About what's important, and what's not. That people come into your life but can leave someday when you're not ready.

"where's Donna?......."

Like an episode of Where's Waldo? hahahaha.........
My sister and I have become quite close in the last year. Which makes me extremely happy! And being sisters, we are WAY more alike then we would like to admit!
We think alike. Like the same foods. Have most of the same hobbies. Love a good bargain! (sometimes will buy the same greeting card in a totally different store!)
So Saturday morning goes like this............(we text each other alot....it doesn't really matter who the text is from because we both think the same!)............"Good morning"................"have you walked yet?"..........."yes, just finishing up" (this one is actually my sister cause I have rebelled and taken a week off)........."can't wait to have my coffee"........."what are your plans today?"..........."we could sort thru pictures"..........."or read".........."or go to St. Vinney's and the Goodwill."..............."and the fruit stand"................"ok, I'm easy" (that could be either one of us, lol).........."well I need to shower still"............."me too".........."but I don't want to do my hair or makeup"..............."me either, so we will get "semi" ready.".............ok, see you soon...."
And in the mean time we had a 5 hour power outage so why not go shopping!
Another weird quirk we have in common.............the way we try on clothes at Vinney's and the Goodwill.............right in the middle of the store...........over our existing clothes..........She did end up buying this shirt.......but at this moment she was trying it on!
Got some great bargain! All clothes and books were 50% at Vinneys! Between the Goodwill and Vinney's she got 4 shirts and 3 skirts for $28.................love a good bargain! *(and the next day Nicole and I went back to Vinney's and she got a pair of designer jeans, designer capris, a skirt, Under Armor workout pants, an American eagle dress, and shorts all for $31) I got a pair of Nike workout pants for $5 and we bought 7 books for $7.23)* And I thought it was funny (I think she was laughing too?) that I took pictures of her everywhere we went (weird quirk)...........Now we are at the fruit stand! That's and enjoyable place.

Made it to the Goodwill........

And I found her wandering around the Goodwill in this shirt to show me....hahahhaaa. We are weird!

More shinanigans at work last week................I'm not sure what possesses us to be so silly............it was Friday and we were all tired. And it was the afternoon........and we were just plain silly. I laugh at this pic because we do this crazy stuff when we have clients! (see Becky's client sitting patiently in her station)..........hahahhahaahhaaaa

And last night I stayed up until 2:00 am finishing my book! Have lots of new ones to read so wanted to finish it and move on to the next. It's nice to have Nicole as a reading buddy. Today she said "Mom, let's get all our chores and cleaning done so we can lay out in the back yard and read!" Now we need to get it done and the sun needs to come out........

"oh........what a day!"

Work today was so fun..................
It was like a day at school when you had a substitute teacher..............and the principle was on vacation.
All the "authority figures" and debbie downers, "answer-the-phone-on-the-first-ring, don't open the front door, it's too cold-turn off the air conditioner, who didn't fold the towels or start the washer"..........was lifted from the atmosphere today! It was just the 4 of us.
The fun girls!
We listened to loud music. Ate candy. Opened the front door. Let the answering machine pick up phone calls and took pictures of each other.........hahahaaaa.......(oh, we did a little work/hair today too........our clients just joined in the fun!) My co-workers are FUNNY! And I chopped off all of my hair again.............I was bored with it. Was a the salon from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm yesterday............(latter part of the evening I got MY hair done! was much needed! Thanks Teresa for staying late and doing it! ) {this was straightened last night, curly today............}

And my favorite girl Sophia got all her hair chopped off today! (about 7 inches). And today was her birthday!

Happy Birthday Sophia!!!!!! (I had balloons and candy in my station waiting for her, so when she got to the salon it was time to celebrate!!)

And after I worked all day.......................why not go on a 4 mile bike ride? hahahaaaa

The girls ran, I biked. We had fun!!!

(I wore my cute shoes.....) and prayed I wouldn't get hit by a car. I finally got up on the sidewalk.....the bike lane is scary!

I told the girls next time I will get a cool, bedazzeled water-bottle holder and strap that on my bike and be the water girl! hahahaa

(Teresa, Serina, Debbie)

"busy week.....with a little fun sprinkled in..."

Believe it or not........I did some fun things this week.
(after working of coarse, and trying to fit in exercise, and a visit to the chiropractor, teenage drama (Nicole and the boy broke up! you get so attatched to these kids and treat them like your own! and they are out of your life in an instant), replacing cell phones, attending softball playoffs, farmers market, trip to Salem, trip to Eugene, cooking/eating healthy (that one slipped a little this week!), finishing planting flowers, dog sitting, trip to Corvallis for supplies, all the normal daily stuff...and sometimes I try to fit sleep in there.)
So anyhoo...................Yesterday (I think that was Friday?) I did my lovely friend Erin's hair. So being the smart, intelligent, fun girls that we are..............we decided...............after hair why not go shopping in Salem? Yay!! We left town around 12:30 and the sun was shining and skies were blue! She suggested we go to lunch at a place in Salem called the French Press.
OMG..............the cutest, quaintest, yummiest place ever!!!
We sat outside on the patio. And had awesome savory crepes...........and enjoyed the sunshine and our time to visit. The food was so good! So was the sweet crepe we had for dessert! Strawberries and cream................(we split it!!!!!!! we aren't that greedy......even tho we probably could have both polished off our own desserts!) Don't judge...............

(And I need MY hair done really badly!!! Can't seem to find time to get it done, and I noticed in all pics of me recently it's pulled up (but you know I'm wearing some cute flower or accessory!) My hairstylist has been too busy too! I need to beg and plead. Or just make her look at my hair and feel sorry for me!)

I really should have taken a picture of our lovely crepes before we devoured them! But they smelled and tasted so yummy.................(I hope you can't tell that we licked the plates?) haha!

Can't wait to go back! (Donna, let me know when you are ready to try it too!)

So after we had a very lovely lunch................I could see a cute little gift type store from where I was sitting on the patio. So we strolled over to check it out. Such great stuff! Lots of bling. Pretty decor. I just wanted to move right in.

(my camera phone isn't the best.........but my new phone is sitting in the other room waiting to be activated.....I will put that on my to-do list today!)

I didn't end up purchasing anything (surprise!). Especially since everything in the store was 50% off. Erin did get a fab, sparkly braclet! And then we made our way to the mall to see what bargains we could find. Not great sales, or much to chose from. But we had fun anyways. And had frozen yogurt :)

Earlier in the week, Nicole had playoff games for softball. Monday they had a stellar game and won by a landslide, so that put them in the running. Thursday night they had a game at Churchill (they were ranked #1 in their league!). We lost but they put up a good fight and played great and only lost by 4 runs. Not to bad considering the other team was ranked so high.(since they lost....the season is now officially over!) The weather was gorgeous and I enjoyed sitting out in the sun watching the girls play. And I'm a sucker for the National Anthem before the game.......

I love the new farmers market/fruit stand we have in town! I've been there several times now and they are starting to recognize me. ha! And I love Saturday market and all..................but I don't always make it down there on a Saturday before noon (don't they know I'm busy!)......and sometimes need fruit on a Tuesday evening!

I wanted to buy every single thing on this wall.........but refrained....

I even got my man to go with me! (he carried my basket. hahahahaaa).

Everything is so pretty. And each time I go back there is different produce there. Love it!

And this morning I got up and walked 3.4 miles. Went out on my back patio and drank a cup of coffee and ate a banana. Planted the rest of my flowers (last weekend I ran out of soil and pots!)

Picked up the house. Nicole started laundry. I think the girls (Nicole and Raelynn) are finally showered and I think they are going to the mall. Weird they can just jump in her car and go. She has had a rough week so I'm giving her some time to do her own thing.

I may grab my pile of magazines and go in my backyard and read (or nap!)............(the idea is good, but probably won't happen......I see too much that needs to be done!)

"my first 5K!!!"

About a month ago........I get a text from my sister Donna.... "Do you want to do a 5k on May 7th?". I respond back "SURE! Sign me up! ". And then I figured I should ask some details. Paid my fees and told her to make sure we ordered shirts! Was held at Cheadle Lake outside of Lebanon on Saturday, May 7, 2011 at 9:00 am............... So a couple of days later my sister texts me again and says "I signed up the kids to do the 5k with us.". Great! The more the merrier!!

Of coarse I was rainy and cold on race day! We didn't mind. We made sure to get lots of pics. And of coarse the kids were whining.............."Why are you taking so many pictures?!". Our response was "because we are your mothers and that's what we do!!!" We got there around 8:15 am to pick up our race packets, shirts and numbers...........We felt so cool and official having a race number. hahaa! And had lots of time before the race so we took more pictures....hahaha

My sister is getting so skinny!!!! And she looks GREAT! Keep up the good work sista!

There were 217 racers and my sis and I came in about the middle of the pack.

And if you notice I have never said we RAN the 5k!!! We walked.....................someday we will be runners! The kids all ran it and did great! Was so much fun and we plan on doing it again next year. Just started a new tradition with the kids!

Gunner started off with us but decided we were too slow, so he took off running. Nicole and Drake took off from the start line.

Drake placed 52 nd......with a time of 31.02 (with a pace of 10.00 min. mile)

Nicole placed 56 th.......with a time of 31.17 (with a pace of 10.05 min. mile)

Gunner placed 72 nd....with a time of 34.30 (with a pace of 11.06 min. mile)

Donna and I placed 125 & 126 with times of 48.21 & 48.22 (with a pace of 15.34 min. mile) and we walked, so that's decent times!

(Drake and Nicole)

Once we rounded the corner and could see the finish line.....We stepped it up and took off running! (and I decided that we really needed to finish before the lady with the baby stroller in front of us........so we passed her!) And for some odd reason my sister told me later that she just didn't want to finish last place. Come on sista..........we would never let that happen! And we did great!

Yay!!!!!!!!!! We did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We had a great time. I'm so proud of the kids too! For participating with us and for getting great finish times!

And my darling daughter WON 1st PLACE in her age division! Good job Nicole. (she beat her 5k time from a run last year by over a minute!)

The rain held off when we first got there but by halfway thru it was pouring buckets!!!! But we didn't mind. We had some awesome family bonding that no amount of rain could put a damper on............

Good job Gunner, Nicole and Drake......(Tyler wasn't interested so we left him home in bed! lol).

We finished and got our ribbons. And they announced our names and times as we crossed the finish line. That was kind of cool.

Nicole with all the WINNERS! So proud of my girl............

So we head back to my sisters and the kids had other things to do. They were headed to a baseball tourney to do concessions. So all 3 of them piled into Nicole's car and took off.........Really???? When did that happen? So Mark and Donna took me home. All 3 of us adults were in one car and all 3 of our kids were in another car.........without us.............still so strange to me! Donna and Mark were kind of shell shocked too. How/when did OUR kids get that old? They all made it home safely so I guess that's all we can ask for.........

Well sista..............I had a great morning! Thanks for the fun and the memories (and the buttocks workout!). Maybe we will train for the next one and actually RUN IT!

My adorable (runner) friend Erin sent me a text about 1/2 hour after we finished and said "you look cute even after walking 3.1 miles in the rain." I texted her back and said "how would you know???? we just got done and I haven't posted any pics yet?" My sister had already posted a pic on facebook :) And since everyone knows I don't do facebook...........but I'm glad she posted our accomplishment.

And my adorable friend Erin is RUNNING a Half Marathon today (you go girl), so good luck to you! And when we talked Friday I told her we were only doing a 5k, she was sweet and said "you've got to start somewhere!" I see how it could become addictive. And for some reason most of the new people I have met recently are RUNNERs. I mean full on marathon runners. Crap..........am I going to have to start running? hahahaha...

Good job sister. I love ya and had a great time and can't wait to do it again!