Portland to Coast Walk

Hey I just found out our team came in 31st out of 400 walking teams. I did my first walk through Suavie Island area at a 13 min. average and then the second part was from 12:30-1:45 am-yah, the middle of the night am, 3/4 hard uphill and I still averaged 13.5 minute walks. It was a fun event with some great ladies. We were completly exausted though as we were up for about 27 hrs straight by the time we got home. I tried to take a nap on our off time, but the ladies next to us decided to pull out the barbaque and the icecream maker....ARE YOU KIDDING ME! All these people up since 3:30 in the morning and you decide to make icecream while we are trying to sleep! Then the rain starts and the other side decides they are completly incapable of putting up a tarp for over an hour, but this ineptitude does not stop them from having lengthy discussions about all the wrong ways to try and how wet their stuff is getting. So to say the least, I am still sore and tired but can't wait for next year!

Help: Crazy Neighbors

OK, I am freaking out because I was actually having a nice day today. Heaven forbid I actually try and relax and have a nice day. My kids are out in my front yard riding their bikes on the private drive. The Dog goes crazy when she is locked up and the kids are playing. I, by the way, after having a neighbor show up at my door at 1:30 in the morning when Nate is out of town to threaten me because she is barking, just went out today and bought a park collar. Now she discovers the neighbors have chickens. These are not in a pen chickens, no these are free-range chickens that are always coming in my yard, etc. So the dog, being a dog, chases said chickens and as I yell to get her back and throw her in the house the angry, scary, long haired pot smoking son starts yelling that two chickens are missing and one is badly injured. My kids are scared, he starts threatening to shoot the dog, which increases the fear factor. So now we are all hiding in our house with the doors locked and the dog inside. So much for me "good day".

Battle and grad's at the end of school

Eliza and Heidi May were on a Battle of the Books team for the 3rd graders. They took the championship for 3rd grade but lost by one question to the fifth grade team. I am so proud of her. She had to read, write a book review and then memorize the titles and authors for 20 books. It was a bit hard to watch her compared to when Becca went to regionals with her team. 3rd graders are just to bouncy and scatter brained.

We also had the graduation from Preschool for Andrew. He is officially a kindergartner and ready as well as excited. He wakes up everyday and asks does he start school today. We are trying to understand the waiting thing.

The rest of the kids are finished on Friday. We do not have a formal graduation for Eight graders but are excited Becca is moving on to High School with a solid 4.0 all through middle school. She also has made it on a local Ballroom Dance team for next year but is hoping to do track as well. Busy kids make for a busy mom but I love to see them try new things.

Are You Kidding Me?

Ok, to all of you crazy people out there who keep asking me if I have "seen" the trailer to New Moon yet-Hello, of course I have. I do have to thank my friend Darilyn for letting me know it came out and I have to confess that it was out almost 16 hours before I saw it. An insane busy life is no excuse to fall down on the necessities of feeding an obsession. I apologize to all my other crazy friends :)

The Summer Countdown

Only two weeks of school left and I am so excited to not have a schedule every day. I know, I know, come the middle of August I will be begging to have them back in school. What have we been doing here? Nate spent the day ripped out a sub frame from another car to replace his sub frame while the rest of us sat in the blistering heat for 4 hours at Becca's last band concert. She did great though and I bought plenty of water and soda in support of the band. Hot dog lunches, yum yum. We are going to try and schedule out our summers so all you friends that live to far away, this is the year to come see us. Just let me know when you want to crash at our house. You can even make us a stop on the way to something better-nice seeing you Angie.

Oh by the way, I am re elected to school board for another four years. Tomorrow is another big meeting but we are almost done until August. I only have one meeting in July! Well back to the same ol same ol.

Smith Family Keeping Busy

Well I thought I would just do a quick update and say Happy Mother's Day to all the fabulous women I know. Today was a day of achievements for the Smith household. Roz has turned 12 and is officially on her way into Young Women's. The girls came and welcomed her in this week by decorating her room with B's. It was close, but the bishop passed her off this morning and she received her certificate.

Becca had her own success today as she received her Young Women's medallion. We are very proud of her finishing it up before becoming a Mia Maid. Way to Go Becca! I am just sad to see her project of teaching Zach and Eliza piano lessons to end; now I have to do it.

I am in the middle of the Beaverton School Board elections but as I am running unopposed, I am feeling confident I will win. I am putting my election energy into getting LeeAnn Larson elected as well. State budget and elections in the next two weeks are going to be keeping me busy. Thank you to everyone for their wonderful help.

BOB Winners

Becca, Berkley, Brian, Jose, and Ryan are the Mountain View champions for Battle of the Books. Today they went to the regional competitions and placed 3rd in the first round and then lost in the semi-finals. We are so proud of them and they are right now parting it up here. They are so glad that they never have to look at those 15 books again. Thanks to Samantha for coming over as well so Becca isn't the lone girl with all the boys and the friends they brought. Becca also won first place for 8th grade in the science fair this week. Yes, my life truly is about my children.

I am running for school board and I am not excited about the campaign thing again. So far I am running unopposed, but their is still 1 week left to file. It has been a hard long battle with school board but I am fighting a good fight and we are defiantly moving forward with positive changes.

I am ready for a quiet do nothing week for spring break. Becca is getting her full braces on finally. We have been link by link dragging a tooth down for 16 months. She is finally ready for the next step. Have her give you a big smile.

OK I am back

I know I know....It's been a long time but I have decided when you have something worth writing about you are two busy to do so.

Quick update:
Go Eagles: I went to my 20 year high school reunion. We had 9 people there from my kindergarten class. It was fun to see so many people though I still am not sure what it is about having gone to school with these people, some of them my whole life, that has such the draw. What I really want is a stake reunion to visit with my old Mormon friends.

St Marten's: We actually did make it out with the crazy weather in Oregon and Chicago. We enjoyed strawberry, mango, chocolate banana and my favorite pina colado drinks (virgin of course) on the beautiful and warm beaches of the Caribbean. Losing 5 of our 7 pieces of clothing including all of our clothes except Nathans was a set back. Also the scary event of my Mother in Law Joyce having a heart attack 2 days before we left resulting in she and Paul not joining us made us sad. Becca read and tanned with her 50 sunblock on, Roz and Eliza got their hair braided enjoying freedom to snorkel, build castles and swim in the pool. The boys were beach bums in the morning, pool in the afternoon and riding on the pirate ship. Nate escaped the blackberry for a whole week and I read a friends book she is writing which is coming along awesome (you know who you are).

The beginning of a new year: Life is up and rolling in full speed now with school board budget and elections through May. We had some beautiful weather in January and now I have the itch to work in the yard. This years project is pathways around the garden.

I am off to check my facebook account now. Ah technology-it's so time consuming :)