"Explorer Spirit…Servant Heart…"
Jun 23rd, 2018 by leigharev2
David’s mom is staying with us while she recovers from shoulder surgery. We realized physical therapy appointments would be easier to attend while staying with us.
We went to our friend’s Crystal and Erics house for a waffle breakfast. It had been a while since we’d all been together. It was nice to catch up.
Jun 23rd, 2018 by leigharev2
I hosted a light summer fare potluck with some of my friends. It was unusually windy and cool and we spent most of the night on the patio wrapped in blankets. It was a sweet evening catching up with our busy lives.
Jun 23rd, 2018 by leigharev2
The time has come. Cutie pie RyGuy will have braces for the next 18 months…
Just prior to the appointment, we picked up many of the items of food that he can’t eat once he as braces. He sat in the orthodontist’s parking lot eating licorice, jerky, popcorn, etc…
Before…
During…
After…
He also has an expander and there’s a little key that I use to adjust it for 20 days.
Jun 23rd, 2018 by leigharev2
Jun 23rd, 2018 by leigharev2
Runners who have been running/racing a while all have glory stories of races well ran, but also the occasional horror story…
Gold Country Half Marathon. My hardest half to date.
My fault though for not training well…at all…typically, you need to get a few 10 to 12 miles in within a couple weeks of the race. I think the most I had done was 8 to 10, and not much else, aside from a few five milers here and there. We had been doing a bunch of travel and I don’t like to run alone, so I didn’t.
I knew this would be a hard one. I knew it was hilly. I knew it was going to be hot. But, I have also ran many half marathon races and was a little cocky going into it. I had no plans to finish with a good time, but I knew I’d be fine finishing it fine.
Ran with Malinda and Elyse for the first 8ish Miles. We talked about family, trips, travels, runs, races, and serial killers. It was awesome!
From eight to finish, I really struggled. The hills and the heat took its toll. I had a hard time keeping my heart rate down and ended up having to walk way more than expected. I was close to throwing up as I crossed the finished line.
It was humbling and a good lesson of learning limits and to not take training for granted. Proud to add this medal to my collection and am happy to know I don’t have to run this one again!
Jun 23rd, 2018 by leigharev2
When I was in 6th grade, my favorite band was ‘Heart.’ My best friend and I would play their albums and pretend to be Ann (her) and Nancy (me) Wilson. They were the first concert I went to.
Fast forward a few decades and I learned that there was a band coming to town who has two of the original Heart members, the drummer and the bass guitarist. Heart by Heart plays the original ‘Heart’ songs and the lead singer they have sounds almost exactly like Ann Wilson. This was a terrific opportunity to introduce the boys to my first favorite band and music.
We brought my friend Kim with us and had a great night! The band was amazing. Each musician a master of their instrument(s).
Jun 23rd, 2018 by leigharev2
‘Tis the season…
Jun 23rd, 2018 by leigharev2
Ryan was not interested in attending, but Alex wanted to go, and ended up serving as the lights and sound guy for the event. This is a special end of the year party we have where we invite family and friends to come an see what we’ve been doing all year. Displays are made and placed on tables, and we have a ceremony to acknowledge the kids who go from 8th to 9th grade and those graduating high school. It was a small group this year, but it was really fun for those who attended.
Two of our good friends gave blessings and encouragement to their kids moving up to 9th grade.
Jun 23rd, 2018 by leigharev2
Driving home from Washington, we typically spend the night in Eugene, OR. This time, we decided to try some place new. I am so glad we did. I am completely enamored with this town, and can’t wait to return.
We stayed at the Ashland Springs Hotel, a historic boutique hotel in downtown Ashland. A beautiful property. We hoped to stay an extra night, but they were sold out.
I took the boys to dinner while David stayed at the hotel with the puppies. We went to the Standing Stone Brewing Company. Excellent menu and service. Alex saw on the menu the Offal Taco and decided he had to order it. He was partly disappointed and partly relieved that they were out of it!
We walked around town after. They have a public drinking fountain that contains natural spring water high in lithium oxide. It tastes and smells nasty, but we all tried it anyway.
Ten months out of the year, Ashland hosts the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. There are multiple shows and stages through the days/evenings, all within walking distance of each other. We saw school groups walking through the town and that was why our hotel was sold out on a midweek day.
Ashland also has a beautiful 100 acre park, with one of the entrances downtown. We were looking forward to walking through it, but dismayed to learn that dogs are not allowed. Apparently there’s a bit of a transient/homeless population who would not properly tend to their dogs behavior or their droppings. I was able to walk the dogs along the parks permits for a bit (a public sidewalk). I hope to someday come back without the dogs and hike through it.
A couple shots of the outer edge of Lithia Park…
The hotel had many lovely architectural details and decor. They also had a small garden. These photos don’t do it justice, but gives a hint to the beauty…
Jun 21st, 2018 by leigharev2
This is the season for weddings! Two out of state weddings within three weeks of each other! We were excited to get to witness the wedding of the daughter of our friends Scott and Liann. It was a beautiful ceremony on the dock of Ray’s Boathouse restaurant in Seattle. It was a sunset wedding and everything was perfect.
We stayed at Fabio and Esperanza’s place and got to visit my side of the family as well.
I missed getting photos of Scott and Liann! 🙁 Not a good shot of David and Rob…this is of me and Lacey…
We walked around downtown and Pike Place Market with Fabio and Esperanza. Ryan was not feeling well so David took him home and joined us later.
Some cool light structures located through Pike Place Market…
We went into a neat Spanish-French market, called the Paris-Madrid Grocery to pick up wine for dinner that night. Alex saw a tin of sardines and asked for that to be his snack while walking around. It was pretty funny to watch him eating sardines from the tin and nothing else, while walking!
Pike Place gum wall…
They have developed parts of the market closer to the viaduct. Some neat eating and drinking places with a terrific view of Elliott Bay. We stopped and refreshed ourselves at the Old Stove Brewing Company.
We visited with my aunt Dee and uncle Bob. They made an amazing salmon dinner for us. We also got to see my cousin Terry’s new boat. He is traveling all summer on it and also live on board full time. It is absolutely perfect and I am so happy for him. A special memory was made toasting with a bottle of Dom Perignon on his upper deck. The sun shining in Seattle as well. It was lovely. We also got to see my grandpa. Specia
