10 Days in Kingsburg, CA.

For the next 10 days we attended the California State Trap Shoot. The first day I thought we would all end up in intensive care for dehydration! 105 degrees next to the King River, which was 60 degrees. The water runs straight out of the Sierra Mountains. It is like swimming in a steam of gold flakes. It is full of fools gold. It is sooo cool! It was like jumping in a glass of Ice Water! The kids couldn't stay out of it. Saije and I could only wade in it, it was freezing. Neisha and Dakota floated for hours on end. Chloe and Trace swam as if in bath water. The kids got plenty of sun and made tons of new friends. My mom Christine and I got caught up on the past 2 years and tried to sell everything she brought to sell. I love and miss you like crazy mom! We had a great 10 days! Chloe and trace became brother and sister within hours. They wore cowboy hats and ate otter pops like they were going out of style. The one thing that I took back with me to King Cove with me was my sun burn! Yipee!

Midway for 2 weeks

After saying goodbye to everyone and Trace learning how the Sacrament is given in an Elderly Ladies home, we hit the road. The next five hours did not fly by, Trace asked every 20 to 30 min. "Are we there yet?" When we did arrive, Traces uncle Adam and cousin Adalee were waiting in the drive way! From that day on the two were inseparable. They rode horses, went camping & ate dutch oven potatoes, rode bikes, built volcanoes and jumped on the trampoline. We had dentist appointments, a going away party for Saije, and floated the canal for old time sakes. I got together with a group of good friends and saw Reckless Kelly play in Park City, Ut. We hung out around bonfires ate trout tacos and got caught up on the local gossip. Marilyn and Lowell got as much of the family together as possible and we Bar-B-Q'd let the kids run, jump and play. It was good to see Ben, B'Andra, and Guidian. Oh and Jecca too. Lou and Joce came up to visit their Aunt in Provo so we met them at the mall and ate lunch. B'Andra happened to be getting her car alarm fixed in Provo also so she and Guidian joined us. Lowell works for Zermont and got us a room to stay in so we could go check out the place. Trace swam, and Nena, Bird and I layed out and got a SUN BURN!!!! Oh it hurt soooo good. Saije took off to girls camp and said good bye to all her friends. I have a feeling she will miss this place called Midway, we all will.

Day 3

We started out by eating pancakes made by Dylan. What a chef! Then headed out to visit all the family at Gordon's house. Picked up Lou and Joce then went to lunch with them and my Sister Ann. We ate way too much but had plenty left over for a late night snack. The kids went swimming, Trace started out all gangbusters and jumped in and sunk right to the bottom. It had been 2 years since his swimming lessons, and he forgot all the techniques! It didn't stop him from putting on a life vest and swimming until the wee hours of the night! Lou and Joce swam around with him, while Nena and Bird soaked up as much sun as they could! The one thing King Cove was lacking! All the boys decided to go rock climbing and All the girl cousins decided to go Bowling!! So off we went. After a couple of crazies tailgating us and 70 bucks later, we dropped everyone off and then hit the sack! Our time in St. George went way to fast!

Day 2

We woke up in Las Vegas! I got to see my dads new pad. Very close to almost everything except his job, which is a 3 hour drive to the middle of no where! I got to sleep on the most comfortable hide-a-bed in the world. Charlene customized it with a nice feather bed mattress which put Trace and I in seventh heaven! I got to catch up on a few things, but my visit to Vegas was cut short because a beautiful young lady graduating in St. George, Ut. So my dad got us up and at 'em about 10 am and we hit the highway. I headed strait to see my amazing Grandma Brooks/Phillips first! She is 85 I believe and I haven't got to see her for 2 plus years. It was such a nice surprise to see her . She was worried about the way she looked when all I cared about was just SEEING HER! I held her and cried way too long! It was also my Aunt Joey's birthday so I not only got to see my Dad & Charlene, but my Aunt Suzie& Uncle Frank and her son's Greg & Corey and his beautiful family, Aunt Dawn and her son Richard, and Aunt Joey, Happy Birthday! It was a small but adequate family reunion! I got to visit them for a few hours a day until I left to northern Utah. My Dad and I didn't get much visiting time, he was too busy getting to places on time. Thank you Dad I love you, I promise the next visit will be longer! I also got a visit from my long lost daughter Saije Marie! She was brought down by her Grandma & Grandpa Larsen that she has been living with for the past year. First they picked up my daughter Neisha at the airport in Salt Lake, she flew out 2 days before I did. It even made the family reunion that more special. After visiting we headed over to the Big Graduation of Amanda, Andy's oldest daughter.
She looked so grown up and made it hard for me to stop crying. We got invited over to her Grad party and ate some awesome food her mother prepared and watched our children all frolic! Trace spent the night at Uncle Gordon's and Aunt Debbie's with Grandma and Grandpa Larsen. I got to go stay with my wonderful Sister Ann and her family. When I arrived at her house My younger sister Jackie and her family was there waiting. I tell ya, I have the best family ever! Jackie is going to have a baby in Sept. so she was very tired and needed to get home and get some rest. I stayed up visiting with my sister Ann and enjoyed all the memories that came flooding in. I miss your guts!

Visiting the lower 48 - Day 1

Trace and I started off our trip on a small super cub, 4 seater plus luggage out of King Cove. Trace had never flown before and my arm still has finger marks on it from the return flight home. Next we got on a Saab, 30 seater out of Cold Bay. My friend Cheryl and her daughter Saskia (they used to live in KC) picked us up at the airport in Anchorage for dinner, we had a 4 hour layover. We ate at McDonalds ( Trace hasn't eaten out for 2 years, so of course it would be McDonalds for playland) We stopped off and visited the lake where all the float planes take off and land. Then on a 747 out of Anchorage to Seattle. Upon arriving we were very tired and had yet another layover of 6 hours and it was 1 am. A police officer directed us to the meditation room were it would be safe to rest. ( Definitely a good place to go, quiet with soft benches) Then.......we flew out on a slightly smaller plane which seated about 60 out of Seattle to Las Vegas. It was so good to see my dad and Charlene's face. We found them waiting patiently at the baggage claim and the car parked close by for a quick get away! Thanks Dad & Charlene! And Trace was satisfied once again to go to McDonalds, not eating a thing but going strait to playland!

Elyse, Amanda & Neisha Graduate 2007!

What an achievement! They will all be attending college this fall. May all your dreams come true!
Congratulations Girls! We Love you!

Mom's art pieces

Oil painting: Tangerine Sunset

Water color:
Sailboat Siesta

Pencil:
Native women

Senior Ball 07

The Theme was Mardi Gras which was held on Cinco De Mayo! Trace got to stay at his buddy Gary's house. Lars and I were Chaperones so we got to go on a nice date. We danced right along with all the kids, it reminded me of my prom. If I can find a picture of Lars and I, I will put it on the Blog. The first picture is of the Girls Senior Class, looking completely incredible! Elyse went to Prom with Terence and Neisha went with Mike. The Senior/Parent shot, me with a dang cold soar. They had a live band that played for Senior Ball. They were pretty good, and the food was great. Elyse and Neisha looked fabulous!

Hover Craft Cruz to Cold Bay

Well today we woke up early and hopped on the hover craft and headed to COld BaY! It took about 15 min. What a smooth ride. Trace, Lars and Timmy were kick'n back enjoying the ride. Lars got to go up in the Captain's quarters and see just what controls the hovering over the water. Trace showed off his tooth that is growing in behind his loose tooth. That is how a sharks teeth come in, Is The Muck part Shark? We tried to talk Trace into letting us tie a string around his tooth and attaching it to a door knob and he wasn't down with that. So he is going to continue to brush it along with the rest until his tooth just falls out on it's own. Next loose tooth I bet you he pulls his self!

The Rookies take 2nd at State, Again!

The girls kicked but game after game! It came down to the Championship game and the other team was a team of only five! They could shoot, dribble, pass and run like you would never beilive. They had no subs and kept up with our team the whole time. They had some good three point shooters and beat us by 7. The girls played hard and recieved highest GPA at the tournament for 2 years in a row! Elyse and Neisha had a great time being a part of a great team. THey got to travel to alot of different villages that they normaly never would have got to see. A picture of Neisha and Maria with her face painted. Congrats Rookies!

Rookies take Region and Go to State!

The Rookies did it! A picture of Neisha cutting the net. They took Region and go onto State on the 19th. State starts on the 21st so will keep you posted. Go Girls, Take State!

Senior Night

Well tonight was the girls last home basketball game and they paid tribute to all the Seniors. THey beat SandPoint and go to Region next friday. Good Luck Rookies!

Typhoon in King Cove on Jocelyns 16th Birthday!

Yesterday was a very crazy day. In the Phillipiens the would have labled it a level 3 Typhoon! The winds got up to 120 mph. in some places. Our roads got washed out and the phones were out for a few hours. Elyse and Terrence braved driving out in the storm so we could get some footage for our supporters out there, and you know who you are . People had there trucks lith their boats tied to them so they would get taken out to sea. I don't think that it was good for the truck to bein that deep salt water, ya think? The green pole that you see inn some pictures is on the land side of the road. (for CJ and Bill, It was the sign that had a bear on it.) The waves were abour 10 ft tall at least. It formed mass amounts of water in the 10 acres close to our homes. Peter Pan dock pilings were pulled out nails and all. They estimated 2 weeks of hard labor to get the dock repaired. A roof close to the school was ripped off and soared to our side of the lagoon which litters our beaches. Home windows were shattered and only have boards to keep the weather out. A teachers car hood was wipped open and shattered his window. Shingles were strewn along roads along with whatever wasn't tied down. What a doozie!
We are all safe and sound. I hope you enjoy the photos!

Happy Birthday Birdie!

It is Saije Maries 15th Birthday! I can't believe how big she is.
Today she went to dance class for tryouts for toe shoes in Ballet.
She came home and called with the news, She Made it! Congrats
baby girl! Her good friends HoneyLou, Courtny and Bianca all called
her and wished her a happy birthday. Her Grandma and Grandpa Larsen
took her out for some awesome Chinese. She had a great day with the exception
of not getting to see her family in KC. We love and miss you Bird! Keep on
Keepin' on and take care. Love Mom

Girls win against Sand Point

Well they did awesome against Sand Point! Elyse played her heart out and one time she had to take a time out because she excerted herself. She cried as a little girl came up to her and said, Elyse did you hear me yelling your name?, I was yelling for you to win! It made it all worth it to her! She has quite a following, both adults and children. We love you Weezy! Neisha played the second game and played some excellent defense. She even got a few shots in. She hates to have the town watch her play ball. She is so shy! Neisha you kick butt! They leave for a tournament in Dillingham on Jan. 23 and get back on the 27, GO get 'em girls!

Happy 17th Birthday Nena

Neisha had an awesome birthday cake made by Coralie. It had 3 different flavors on each layer. It was a hawaiian theme and they played limbo and as you can see a game where you had to put on what ever you pulled out of a garbage bag. They ate tons of food and had a great time.