Cowabunga Dude!!

Surf's Up!!

Saturday we became members of the Project Surf Camp family! 

I had heard about this camp from my friend Gretchen a few years ago, but never got Evan involved.  I guess I just thought it wasn’t really for Evan.  This year, I decided to call and tell them a little bit about Evan and see if it was possible for him for participate.  I explained that he could not stand and was told that was not a problem they would love to have him come out and surf!  So, I signed him up.  What was I thinking?!?  

Other family members are invited to participate and April agree to give surfing a try too!!  It made me feel better to know she was there also!  What an awesome, sister!!  

On camp day we drove up and got him signed in.  We were meet by some of the most enthusiastic positive people you could ever possibly meet!  

You need to know that Evan has lived a mile from the ocean all his life.  Surfing is kind of a way of life here!  Evan’s peers at church surfed!  A lot!  I was all of a sudden flooded with memories.  Memories of Evan being on the sidelines.  Actually, one particular event where Evan was, well, I guess you could say uninvited to his young men’s (church youth group) activity.  They were going to the beach to surf!  I just wanted Evan to be able to watch.  But, everyone wanted to be in the water and no one wanted to sit with him on the beach they all wanted to be in the water surfing.  Talk about being excluded.  

So, when Katy, Project Surf Camp director, said, “Evan WILL surf today!”  I was hit with unexpected tears.  I shared with her the experience of being left behind, and she said, “You are a part of our family now!”.  Wow! Really, a family!  Katy said, don’t worry, we cry every day here!  We are here to support you!  Really!!  

Evan was lovingly fitted with a wetsuit!  Try putting on a wetsuit in a wheelchair!  It didn’t phase these people at all!  In no time at all they had that wetsuit on him and he was ready to go.  

The plan was for Evan to sit on the surf board and someone would hold him from behind.  That was Hannah, a high school student.  (Young people sometimes get a bad rap these these days, but I want you know there was a whole slew of awesome young people volunteering their time to help people with special needs that day.)  There was also someone behind the surf board and two spotters on the side making sure the surf board stayed straight and to grab Evan in case he fell off.  April got to be one of his spotters.  By the way, Evan NEVER fell off!   

Emotions flowed watching Evan catch that first wave.  He had a great big smile on his face!  I can’t tell you how many waves he caught!  He had a blast!  And we were thrilled.  

Project Surf Camp’s motto is “changing lives”.  Thank you for changing ours.  

Surfers and Instructors in front of the famous and beautiful Morro Rock! 

Getting ready to have some fun!

Instructions and Stretching 

Look at that big smile!  Evan was completely trusting of people he barely meet! 

I was getting a little worried how far they went out, but it didn't phase Evan at all.  

Catching more waves. 

Just taking a break to warm up a bit!  That's Hannah and Caleb, I can't say enough about how awesome they were!!

  

Smiles are something you see a lot at this camp! 

Of course you can't be at the beach and not build a sand castle!  

Look Ma no hands!! 

April even got a go on the board with Evan!! 

And she got to catch some waves!

More big smiles!!  

Check out Project Surf Camp's Facebook page here.   Make sure to "like" them!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Click to make bigger.

I love this little pilgrim girl, my daughter April, drew when she was in the second grade!!   She came home from school one day and brought me the paper and said that was her picture on the front page.  At first I didn't believe it.   How could her picture be on the front page and I didn't know about it first??  Anyway, I read the caption and had to apologize.  Then I went to go admire the real thing on the window front.  After a few weeks April brought home the original. It is one of my treasured possessions!  

I am thankful for so many blessings.  I just finished reading a book about a slave called "Someone Knows My Name".  It has really made me think deeply about all the modern conveniences I take for granted.  For instance running water, and electricity.  

Wishing you all a most Blessed Thanksgiving. 

Faces really don't get any cuter than these two little ones, Thomas and Corbin do they? I love their big innocent brown eyes!

After a few days in the Redwoods, Mike and I spent some time with April and her family. 

We sure love her two little boys and enjoyed spending time with them.  We went to the park.  Can you believe little Corbin? He feel asleep on the way to the park and continued to sleep with all the noise around?  We played bocce ball, and went for walks.  We also went shopping and just hung out.  We realized a couple of things about Thomas.  He does NOT like to play Grandpa's game of wild footsies.  Mikes chases the little ones and tickles their feet.  Thomas would say "NO", if Mike pointed to his wild footsies. Then Thomas would point to his brother Corbin to let Grandpa know he had the wild footsies to chase.  Too funny!!

Early one morning Mike and I went for a walk around the Sacramento temple grounds.  We found these invaders within the temple gates.  Look at those antlers.  Those guys were hungry!!

Our July was busy and fun.  We enjoyed seeing family that we miss so much.  As they say "there is no place like home" and we were happy to come back to our home and the cool air of the Central Coast.

Last week my son-in-law Joey was at scout camp.  Perfect time,  I thought to invite Rachel to come for a visit.  When April heard she decided to come too and brought her two little ones. (Rachel hadn't met Corbin yet.)  What a fun week we had being together.  We went to the lake, the beach, walked the pier, and played together.  I love my family!!  

Enjoy these videos and pictures from our week. 

Evan loves squirt bottles and Star Wars.  But, he hates the movie "The Princess Bride". Everyone else in the family loves it.  The first thing Rachel did was to give Evan some squirt bottles.   On her last visit she gave Evan squirt bottles with Star Wars stickers.   This time was different,  they had stickers from The Princess Bride movie.  He was none to happy, as you can tell in this video.  But, it's all just fun family teasing.  (Katie is on Skype in the background with her little ones.)

 Thomas and Corbin sure do love their mommy.  Corbin especially is a mama's boy, but Thomas had his moments too when only mama would do.  

 Thomas enjoying the slide at Lopez Lake....

and the climbing structure. 

 Corbin tried to climb but didn't get to far. 

 Evan and Rachel are having fun being together.  Can you tell??

Actually they really did have fun together. 

The whole gang that went to Lopez Lake.

 Swinging with grandpa is always fun.  Mike was able to get a couple of days off while family was here, so that was great. 

 We found this great log to walk on at Biddle Park.

What is it about tire swings that make them so fun?

It was fun just to stroll the pier on a beautiful day.

Sword fighting with Thomas.  Am I a cool grandma or what??

We did some yard work together and had little helpers.  Looks like Thomas is directing the action...

and Corbin just loved wearing the glove.  I love this smile!

Corbin was comforted by stuffed animals whenever his mama walked out of the room.  He especially liked our Winnie the Pooh dressed as a bee.

Speaking of costumes, we had fun getting out the costume box. 

Looks like Thomas had something important to say.  He looks like he is acting.

Not sure what to call Thomas a cowboyclownpirate??  Whatever he is dangerous, he'll hook you, tie you up and make you laugh to death!!  What a way to die!!

Thomas got a kick out of looking at himself in the mirror!!

The week just flew by way to fast.  Now the house is quiet again.  Boo Hoo!!  But good news over the summer we will get to see everyone!! 

April Showers

I know it's only January, but our April showers were daughter April and her family showering us with laughter and smiles. They were not able to visit over the Christmas holidays. But, were down here visiting for the last week and a half. We had fun together. Here are some pictures and video!


Sweet little Corbin, loves his Mommy. He was only happy when she was around. I loved hearing his giggle when they played peek-a-boo!


At first it looks like no one is pushing Corbin. Big brother Thomas to the rescue.



April with her embroidery from Grandma Virginia


April and Matteo with more fun aprons!


Feeding Ducks at the Oceano Lagoon

It seems there were more pigeons and sea gulls than ducks.



The ever adorable face of Thomas!




Playing "Wild Footsie's" with Grandpa



Enjoying our backyard swing.



 

Yummy Popsicle

Happy Heart Attacks

  This week's Slice of Life is Happy Heart Attacks.  Have you ever given some one a happy heart attack??  It's fun to do, you make paper hearts and stick them all over someone's door with a note to say thank you for what they do.  

This week we are to tell about a time when someone said thank you to us.  I have a drawer full of thank yous from my children.  Parenting is hard work.  It is nice to know you are appreciated and it can lift a parents heart.  Here are a few that I found. (click on the letter to make it larger, if you can't read it)

Even though David was compelled by a Sunday School teacher to write this thank you, it was very heart felt and appreciated and touched my heart.

 

This is a thank you that April sent to her Daddy.  Mike would tell our children stories at night, the name "Daddy Long Stories"  stuck when we were camping and he would tell these long long stories until the everyone would fall asleep.  I know it touches his heart to know his children enjoyed the stories.

Naming children can be really hard.  I'm so happy that Katie Rose loves her name!!  Katie was our most prolific letter writer.  I would find little notes from her all over the place.  I loved it!!

By the way, I had her fooled, I was no where as near magnificent as Katie thought.  Yet, those little notes would give my heart strength. And now she is a magnificent mother in her own right.

I love all the little tips Rachel would write to me.  This letter was written when she first went off to BYU!  It is interesting how children appreciate parents more when they leave the house.

Sometimes, we get thank yous from other people too.  I found this one thank you, that touched my heart.

It's from my dear friend Diane who passed away earlier this year.  I really miss her.  I'm so glad I saved this card as a little reminder of her. She was a great example of writing people little notes to say thank you. Or calling them and singing "I Just Called to Say I Love You".  I still have one of her messages on my answering machine.  Hopefully, it will never get erased.

One of our families fun Christmas traditions was being a "Secret Elf" to a family.  We would do a 12 Days of Christmas and drop off little treats and goodies along with a piece from a nativity set for the 12 Days before Christmas.  It was very hard not to get caubeght.  We did this anonymously and worked really hard to be sneaky.  Usually, we never heard if our efforts were appreciated or not.  One year however on Christmas morning early, when dropping off our last little gift, we found this note and picture on the front porch.

It was great to know that we brought joy to this wonderful family's Christmas.  If you are reading this blog and know this family, please, please don't tell them it was us.  It's been many years and I don't think they know and we like it that way. 

Sometimes we are thanked when we are trying to thank others.  That happened to Mike and I one year.  We were volunteering at a wheelchair camp at the University of California Santa Barbara that Evan had attended for several years.  We were just trying to give back and help those who make this camp such a success.   We were surprised with the Charlotte Colton Volunteer of the Year award. This almost gave me a heart attack!  So many people work hard to make this camp successful.  It was amazing they were recognizing us.

All these thank yous and many more really do touch my heart. It's the good kind of Heart Attack!! 

You can join Slice of Life by clicking here.  By the way, a big THANK YOU to Texasblu for starting Slice of Life.