Loch Ness Monster

WARNING

Images below may be shocking continue at your own risk.

There were a number of sightings of a strange mass at Blue Ridge Reservoir over the weekend.  Many fisherman went away empty handed as the fish seemed to have vanished, most likely due to the splashing caused by the black mass with a pink head.  One local was able to get a picture of Blue Ridge Reservoir's own Loch Ness Monster. Oh wait, that's no monster! It's just a really bad swimmer!

So anyway, we spent the weekend at the cabin.  Not only did we need to "get away," but I needed to swim in the "open water" for my upcoming triathlon.  The cabin is pretty close to Blue Ridge Reservoir so we made two excursions for me to test out my wet suit (oh yeah, and so the kids could have some fun).   

The water was freezing, but that didn't stop the boys from jumping in.

Not the most attractive view, but this is my awesome wet suit.

I was a little nervous to jump in, but after some encouragement and taunts from my boys (including Jim) I carefully jumped in.

Okay, the wet suit is AWESOME!  I was floating in the water without doing anything - basically effortless.  And the water was actually comfortable with the wet suit on.

I gently pulled Sarah.  The water was shockingly cold for Sarah and she wasn't too happy with me, but as she  got use to the water she swam around a little bit.

The trip was extra special for Sarah, because her friend, Marissa, is staying with us for a week while her parents are on a trip.  

Tommy jumping off a cliff.

Austin's turn.

Tommy, Sammy, and Austin - we made all the kids wear life jackets.  They didn't really want to wear life jackets, but once they jumped in and realized how fun it was to just float around they never complained. 

The following pictures are of one of Austin's jumps -  

thinking...

thinking...

JUMP!

falling...

falling...

SPLASH!

This was my first "open water" swim.  My goal was to swim without stopping for 45 minutes because that is how long I estimate it will take me to swim a mile for the triathlon.  Well, after about 15 strokes on was on my back trying not to panic.  Swimming in a lake is a lot different that swimming in a pool.  The water was very cloudy so I couldn't see anything, which was probably a good thing because I probably would have really panic had I seen a fish.  I had a very difficult time swimming in a straight line, so I would look up often to make sure I wasn't going to swim into a rocky ledge, which I did once.  Anyway, I finished my 45 minutes in the water but I probably did a lot more floating that swimming.  Good thing I got my fancy wet suit which makes floating so easy.

Sarah and Marissa warming up after their cold swim.  Sarah was not a happy camper on the way back to the van.  We had to hike probably a quarter of a mile down a steep, slippery path to get down to the water....so after we were done at the lake, we had to hike back up that trail.  Sarah decided she wanted to be carried.  We were carrying other stuff so we told her she had to walk...she cried the whole way.  Marissa was a trooper though.  She happily climbed back up the mountain.

The next day, the boys really wanted to go back to Blue Ridge Reservoir because they wanted to catch more crawdads (they caught three the day before).  So I decided to give lake swimming another shot.  I really tried to relax and just swim (and I kept reminding myself that it would be very hard to drown in my wet suit because I can float in it without trying).  I'm not sure, but I think I swam about a mile in 40 minutes.  I only flipped onto my back a couple of times and the rest of the time was spent swimming.  

Austin likes jumping off the cliffs.

Tommy caught another crawdad and he caught a little fish (a minnow).  Sammy caught a butterfly.  Sarah and Marissa stayed at the cabin with Grandma and Grandma Reid to make sure Rusty was okay.  The hike was much quicker (and quieter) without them.

I Believe in the Power of Prayer

A couple of weeks ago I lost my wallet...somewhere between the Arizona Science Museum and my home.  On the way to the museum that morning, we got drinks and sausage mcmuffins from McDonald's.  I paid so I know I used my wallet at that point and we went through the drive thru so I never got out of the car.  My dad paid for our admission to the museum so I never remember seeing it while at the museum.

Fast Forward to the next morning - I was getting ready to go to the store and realized I missing my wallet.  Couldn't find it anywhere.  Assumed that I threw it in the garbage as I was cleaning out my car after the Arizona Science Museum.  Trash pick up was that morning so there was no way to check.

Soooo...I still needed to go to the store so I drove to Jim's work got his debit card went to the ATM and got cash.  As I was shopping I decided that I just needed to pray and make the best of it.  I decided to wait until the next day to cancel credit cards, etc. in hopes it would show up.

So I prayed, I asked my kids to pray, I asked my parents to pray, I asked my friends to pray that I could find my wallet.  I was very confident my wallet would show up.

Fast forward - the next morning, still no wallet.  Frankly I'm a little shocked that it hadn't turned up.  I had continued looking for it and I was praying...others were praying.  I was totally confident that my prayers would be answered and they weren't.  So I began the dreaded work of cancelling my credit cards and getting a new drivers license and I still continued to pray that my wallet would show up because there were a lot of other things in my wallet that would be very difficult to replace.

Last Friday, the miracle occurred.  It was before 9am and the phone rang.  Caller ID said Anonymous, which usually means telemarketer.  I was slightly annoyed they were calling before 9am, so I decided to answer it and ask why they were calling so early.  I use to be a telemarketer so I try to be nice but it is still annoying.

The man asks for "Jeanette" which again is a giveaway that this is a telemarketer because nobody calls me by my real name.  Then he explains he is a security officer at the Phoenix Convention Center and he has my wallet. The Phoenix Convention Center is across the street from the Arizona Science Museum, so I'm not sure what exactly happened with my wallet during those 10 days but I'm guessing it was found in the parking garage.

So obviously I'm ecstatic that my wallet was found.  Everything seems to be there...I think I may have had more cash in there than $1, but I know I didn't have more than $10.  I immediately say a prayer of thanks.  I learned so much over the week.  When I began the process I really believed I would find the wallet that day, but when I didn't I didn't lose faith.  I knew that my Heavenly Father loves me; He knew it was important to me regardless of how insignificant.  I also knew there was a possibility that it would never show up and I was okay with that, because I knew there were other lessons to be learned.  I learned that I shouldn't keep my social security card and the social security cards of all my children in my wallet.  I learned that I should make a list of what is in my wallet so it is easier to replace what needs to be replaced.  I know these are things that I've been told before but I thought "it will never happen to me..." Maybe the lesson was to be better prepare for some future event - flood, earthquake, fire - where I need to have my "stuff" in order.  Being prepared brings peace.  

Most importantly, I humbled myself.  Sometimes I think it is hard to pray about a lost item, especially when you think in the whole scheme of things it really isn't that important, but I know that Heavenly Father loves us. He knows what is important to us and He also knows the lessons we need to learn.  I'm thankful for prayer.  I'm thankful to have a way to communicate with my Heavenly Father and share my hopes, my fears, my joys, my sorrows, to have someone that loves unconditionally and is always there.  Prayer is Powerful!

Cerreta Candy Co

July 7, 2011

Cerreta Candy Co.

Sometimes it is hard to think of things to do in Phoenix during the summer that don't involve water.  We decide to go on a tour of the Cerreta Candy Co.  Sammy, Sarah and I have gone on the tour before but Tommy and Austin have wanted to do it as well.

Austin, Sarah, Logan, Max, Sammy, Tommy, Maylee, Sydnie

Sarah ready to learn how to make chocolate.

Brooke wants to eat all the chocolate.

The whole gang on the tour.

Tommy eating his white chocolate covered marshmallow.

Sammy

Sarah

The kids are ready to make their chocolate pizzas.

Sarah

Sammy

Austin, Sarah, Sammy, Logan - I just like this picture because I think it is funny that Sarah is turned around backwards.  I wonder what she was doing...

Tommy took his pizza making very seriously.

So did Sydnie.

Austin can't wait to eat it.

The Fun Continues...

July 6, 2011

Swimming & Organ Stop Pizza

Maylee, Sammy, Austin, Tommy

Sarah, Logan, Sydnie, Max

Our good friends the Vetter's visited for a few days last week.  We had a great time swimming...I'm so grateful for my wonderful neighbors who let us swim in their pool.  

Austin

Sydnie is a little older than Sarah and they were super cute together.

Maylee showing us her moves

Sammy trying on my new swim cap.

Max or Logan???

Sarah

Sammy

Sydnie, Sarah, and Maylee

For dinner we decided to go to Organ Stop Pizza. I heard about this place several months ago and I've wanted to go ever since...basically it is a pizza place and there is a guy who plays this massive organ while you eat.  It was pretty cool.

The day after Independence Day - Arizona Science Museum

July 5, 2011

Arizona Science Museum

Papa Hardy took the kids and I to the Arizona Science Museum on Tuesday, July 5. 

The telescope was pretty cool, up above there was a big screen and it showed your eye as you looked through the telescope.

We went there the Mazes exhibit.  Where we learned all about optical illusions.  The kids, especially Sarah, enjoyed the funny mirrors.

They had to find their way out of a rope maze.

Sarah building her own maze.

Tommy building his maze.

Sammy generated enough electricity to power two light bulbs.

Sarah learned all about different types of energy by calling different super heroes.

Austin, Sarah, and Sammy sitting on a replica of a day's worth of manure from one cow.  MOST INTERESTED THING I LEARNED:  Did you know that one cow can produce enough manure in one day to generate three kilowatt hours of electricity; it only takes 2.4 kilowatt hours of electricity to power a single 100-watt light bulb for one day.  

Sarah using a pulley to pull herself up.

Austin

Tommy laying on a bed of nails.

Tug of war - Sarah, Austin, Sammy, and Papa against...

...Tommy

We had a fun day at the Arizona Science Center.  

Thank you, Papa!