February Surprises and Love

The month of love has kept us busy.  Besides the actual day of St. Valentine, we celebrated the 100th day of school, watched the greatest Superbowl comeback of all time, and enjoyed a four day weekend thanks to our past Presidents.  In between skiing/boarding and tending to projects around the house, the month has sped by.

Bradley and I enjoyed a weekend away with friends.  We realized that it was the first time we had actually ridden a chairlift together in years.  Our local chairlifts don't fit four and we are often paired off between kids.  Just sitting next to each other in solitude for six to eight minutes was all we needed to get in the Valentine spirit.

The boys and I have made great use out of our season passes to Mt. Shasta.  The snow has been consistent and terrific.  Bradley and I have also gotten to spend solo days on Cecilville with friends.  Fresh snow and turns contribute greatly to a positive mindset.  Our family enjoyed one day on Mt. Shasta together.  

The boys made their own Valentines for school.  Carter chose to gift a SF Giants baseball card to each classmate and Miles opted for a Nose pencil sharpener.  "Everyone Nose, I'd pick you Valentine!".  Their choices were extremely characteristic of their personalities.

I made great efforts to plan special surprises around Valentine's Day.  The kids awoke to a fully decorated table with gifts, and I made them pink heart shaped pancakes with sprinkles and strawberries cut into the shapes of hearts.  Not so special you say?  It was on a school day morning.  Extra credit points for me.  However, the best surprise for Valentine's Day came from our boys.  They had both made Valentines for each other, Bradley, me, and even our dog Mary.  The best part was that they hid them around the house and the surprises lasted all day because they couldn't recall their hiding spots.

The boys have hearts of gold and we are so blessed that they are our sons.

This weekend has been a mixture of snow, rain, and sunshine.  In between skiing/boarding, playing baseball with friends, and tending to chores around the property, it's been delightful to be at home.  It was a weekend of work and play, and the work would not have gotten done without the help of Carter.  This soon to be eight year old used the four-wheeler to pick up the leftovers from fruit tree pruning, grape cuttings, and weeds.  He used it to help clean out the chicken coop, hauled a load of wood to the porch, and transported scrap wood to the burn pile.  If he wasn't on the four-wheeler he was out throwing a baseball to a rebound net, his brother, his dad, or a friend.  Miles had a fever for part of the weekend, but truthfully his work ethic lacks in comparison to his brother.  He did vacuum my car, wash my mats off, and assist with the chicken coop.  Even if he's not the worker, he was the ringleader in the surprise Valentine's and genuinely aspires to do everything his brother does.  Let's hope that he was watching closely to all of the work that his brother accomplished.   I do know that he observes all that goes on around him.  This morning he came running to the house to hand me two eggs from the coop and exclaimed, "Nice and warm momma, fresh right outta the chicken's booty!".  At least he didn't choose to hide that surprise around the house and then forget where he hid it.

Here's to the coming of baseball season.  May we love even more, work even harder, and never forget where we leave our surprises.

Welcome 2017!

To all ten of my faithful blog followers I know that you must be anxious as to why I didn't make a blogpost for November OORRRR December.  I've had a steady once a month production for quite awhile now.  I'm a creature of habit, and when there's a kink in the system it can throw me off.  I typically upload my photos from my phone once a month to iPhoto via my nine year old MacBook.  Back around Thanksgiving I found out that iPhoto will no longer talk to my phone, technically iPhoto is now dead, and the fact that my computer is still alive is a miracle.  I was put into a complete tailspin.  What do I do with the years and years and years of photos I have on iPhoto and backed up to a hard drive?  What am I now going to "store" all of my photos on?  Will I make a break with iPhoto from my last  backup and simply start storing photos somewhere else?  What the hell is iCloud?  How do I access iCloud?  What about Google Photos?  I'm telling you what.  While most folks were dealing with the fall out and shock from the election, I was over here reeling from a monumental and seemingly overwhelming dilemma.  I still haven't quite solved my problem, but I'm making headway.  My plan is to back every piece of our digital history and anything new to Google Photos .  As I was making sense of this change and adapting to the new routine, the boys got a GoPro from my mom for Christmas and then I was sent into another mini-tailspin.  I don't do well with new technology.  .  .

To rewind and recap the last two months brings tears of happiness to my eyes.  Both boys were Citizens of the month at school and the teachers spoke about their responsibility, but more importantly the kindness they show to others.  Maybe not to each other, but to others.  .  .  yes.  Thanksgiving was grand.  Another successful Turkey Trot and both boys ran the three mile race.  Carter placed in his age group.
We gathered with family and were truly thankful.








That weekend we made our annual trek to get Christmas trees with the Hiltons and it was, as usual, quite the adventure.

School resumed for a few more weeks and the kids participated in various holiday activities including writing their letters to Santa, building Gingerbread houses, donating toys, performing in the bell choir in the annual Fort Jones Christmas parade (FJE got first place three years running - whoot, whoot) and the school production.  Mom and dad hosted a staff Ugly Sweater Party and then attended one in which Joy placed second in the sharpshooter BB gun ornament shooting contest.

The boys kicked off break by participating in the Ugly Sweater two mile run.  Their legs were warmed up and ready for four days of skiing/boarding during break.  We baked and decorated Christmas cookies, and enjoyed a fancy holiday meal in Ashland followed up by touring fantastic light displays in upscale neighborhoods, Christmas was celebrated with friends, cousins, the Isbell family, and a day at home with my mom.   Thinking we had accomplished it all, we made a last minute trip to the Medford Mall to meet up with Santa at Miles' request.

I truly don't think that we could have packed any more Christmas activities into the season.  While I was secretly high-fiving myself and patting my own back with each event and memory created (all while keeping my cool without copious amount of alcohol or Xanax), the most treasured moments of the season came without my prompting or planning.

On Christmas Eve the boys received a box of individually wrapped and decorated Christmas sugar cookies.  Instead of digging into them, the boys independently came up with a plan to leave the box of cookies on the porch for the FedEx and UPS drivers.  They even wrote a kind note on the top of the box thanking the drivers for all of their hard work.  Another day they continuously created gifts for each other, wrapped them up, and placed them under the tree.  Gifted brother trinkets included hand drawn SF Giants logos cut out and colored, Lego creations, and random items found around the house.  A little Aunt Bethany of them, but they wanted to give and give they did.  No amount of synchronized holiday activities, or matching holiday pajamas, could compare to the Christmas spirit shown to others.

We rang in 2017 with good friends and our families complete with pyrotechnics and a 35 pound fair turkey.  The first day of the year we spent as a family of four shredding the deep and powdery slopes of Mt. Ashland.

As we look ahead to 2017, I always like to celebrate the milestones and achievements of the last year.  In no particular order, but equally celebrated here goes:
- Bradley's planning, design, and construction of our backyard swimming pool.

- All of us enjoying the Giant's postseason, 14 inning win, over the Chicago Cubs IN PERSON!

- Carter being bat boy for his cousin's baseball team, water boy at any EHS football game they'd let him, and rocking second grade.

- Our family spring break trip to Cabo San Lucas!

- Joy traveling to Alaska to run the Skagway Marathon and placing as the top overall female finisher. (She also did her relay and a 30K)
- Miles entering Kindergarten, winning over the hearts of many, and steadily mastering his sight words.
- Joy, Miles, and Carter adventuring to Silver Bay to spend a glorious week with the Stockmeyer clan.
- Bradley catching many beautiful local fish in scenic spots with friends and family.
- Carter and Miles attending summer day camp for the first time.
- Bradley shooting another monster mountain buck and stocking our freezer with meat.

- Carter and/or Miles joining mom in running her annual runs: the Mike Schweitzer, Turkey Trot, Ugly Sweater, YMCA Cross Country Series, Mt. Shasta Fourth of July, Ugly Sweater Run, and the Mt. Ashland Hill Climb run.
- Bradley planting heritage grape plants which will yield Tempranillo grapes in the years to come.


In summary, 2016 was another great year for our family.  We are healthy, eager for adventure, love each other, and are happy, even when our photo documentation process takes a detour.  Luckily, 2017 has already proven to be a year full of resolutions.  Thank you Google.  

Orange October

We've been BeliEVEN this October.  Carter's beloved SF Giants beat the NY Mets and earned a wild card slot and some post season play.  Carter adores the Giants.  He knows the history, the stats, the players, the manager, he really knows and loves the game of baseball.  Bumgarner, Posey, Pence and after the 2016 post season.  .  .  Gilsaspie and Span.  He spread the love throughout the school and even the cook brought in her SF Giants wreath to display during the week of play.  Even Mr. Merrihew, the token primary grade's male teacher who despises the Giants rooted for the Orange and Black in part due to Carter.

We bought some tickets to the third game of the five game series against the Cubs, skipped two days of school, and had a fabulous getaway as a family.  Our entrance into the Bay was marked by a timely venture over the Bay Bridge in which we were greeted by the Blue Angels darting around the city skyline and through the bridge.  For once, traffic was perfect.  Bradley booked a great rate at a place downtown.  We feasted on delicious food, ventured into Union Square for some shopping, swam at the pool, slept in, and enjoyed a slow pace together.  One of the highlights of the weekend was that Miles walked the whole time!  One day Bradley's phone recorded over eight miles so that was quite a feat.

The game itself was nothing short or remarkable.  Every seat was taken and we had four to ourselves in a small corner.  This eliminated the need to bother anyone to get out to use the bathroom or purchase another beverage.  They battled for 13 innings.  That's almost a second game after they close the concessions.  Play after play and the energy just kept getting more intense.  We began to make friends with strangers.  Rally rags were flying and the yelling began to take its toll on our voices.  Finally, we won.  I can't really even begin to describe Carter's reaction, let alone the intense adrenaline rush echoed throughout AT&T park.  It's something that can only be described as once in a lifetime.  We hugged strangers turned friends and one guy even told me he loved us.  As we walked nearly two miles back to the hotel we were powered purely on happiness.  We were BeliEVEN and it worked.  With every true love comes the possibility of heartbreak and sadly the Giants lost the next game and their 2016 season ended.  Carter went to bed that night with large tears of sadness.  Sadness for his team and for his dreams.  True heartbreak and it was heartbreaking to watch.

Aside from BeliEVEN in baseball we also set out to believe in true love by celebrating John and Marcia's 40th wedding anniversary.  We had a life size cutout of the happy couple, recreated their tragic wedding cake, and managed to surprise Marcia with family and close friends.  Raylene and I managed to work together with Jess and Bradley and we pulled off the whole shindig in less than a week. Marcia is the true party planner/decorator and it's no small feat to match up to her skills.

The morning of the party Mason, Shelby, Carter, and Miles worked alongside the four of us, Uncle Jim and Aunt Sherma in order to pick up leaves and spruce the place up.  We of course threw a party for them at their own house because it's the best place we know of to throw a party.  In the midst of cleaning leaves the neighbors, who happen to be Greek Orthodox Nuns, let their small pony out.  Carter and Miles were joking about riding the pony when it turned quicker than a rattlesnake, bit Carter on the chest, threw him to the ground and started stomping on him.  As Miles put it, "That horse was a real little turd mom!".  We don't talk like that at home, I guess he must have picked that up from the Cubs fans at that ballpark.

In sports news, I ran a 30K trail race and placed first in my age group and Carter was the water boy at the last EHS home football game.  Miles has been playing soccer two nights a week and Carter has been on the flag football field two nights as well.

As this Orange October winds down we are BeliEVEN in the fun of Halloween.  Last weekend we decorated a Haunted House with our friends.  Carter is dressing up as Hunter Pence and Miles decided on being a mummy.  I am at this very moment undecided.  I loved the days when I decided on themed costumes for our family, but when you're five and seven I guess you're BeliEVEN in independent choices.  I wake up each day grateful for the life I lead and for the three boys I am blessed to share it with.  That's something I can BeLIEVE in forever.

In a Hurry With No Reason Why

"I rush and rush just to get things done, oh, I rush and rush until life's no fun.  All I really gotta do is live and die, I'm in a hurry and don't know why.  .  ."

Perhaps I've slaughtered the lyrics to this beloved country song, but every time it comes on the radio I tear up.  I constantly feel the rushing.  Hurry to eat, hurry to make it out the door, rush to get to soccer or flag football, rush to get home, dinner, bath, bed, and then all over again.  I DON'T like feeling this way, I don't like recreating the hectic scene from Home Alone where the entire family is sprinting through O'Hare in time to catch the plane.  Does every working parent live this dream?

I'm committing.  I'm committing to slowing it all down, to live in the moment more.  They are so blessed to live where they do, to have the school that they do, to experience the teachers that we have.  I want them to enjoy each moment in the moment and I need to model that more for them.

This weekend I went for a long run and the boys used the entire time to clean out the chicken coop.  Should it have taken as long as a 12 mile run?  Could they have done it quicker.  Yes, they could have, but they enjoyed the time with each other.  They were even complimenting each other on their chicken coop cleaning skills by the time I returned.    (Rest assured their doting father was within earshot of their efforts.)

I'm a worrier.  I worry about everything.  Ever since we've buried a child it's gotten even worse for me. You know what Carter worries about?  Picture day.  Yup.  "I've got a zit in my eyebrow.  Picture day is on Tuesday.  It's the important one, the one that goes in the yearbook, that people see forever."  He also worries about the best dove hunting locations. You know what Miles worries about?  How kids treat each other on the playground, what we packed for snack, or getting his sweatshirt over his head on his own.  I pray their worries are never bigger than these.

When my kids think about me I want them to know that what was most important to me was our family.  They always list our family as what they are most thankful for and what they love the most in our evening prayers.  I hope that's a reflection of what I show to them.

We've been rushing all summer, rushing to finish our backyard pool and it's pretty awesome.  Our plans in the future include more sitting and being by the pool, summer after summer, after summer.

Bradley was able to escape into the mountains on an annual Isbell hunt.  The hunt was grueling, but patience was needed.  No matter the speed of the hike, it was all in the patience of the eye and the mind.  He was tremendously successful.

I harvested and canned tomatoes on the same weekend.  I tried to rush the process and it ended up being an activity I despised until I slowed down and realized that my impatience and quick speed was only causing frustration and not changing the outcome.  So here's to fall.  To unrushed hunting, to school, to cozy dinners around the table, to evenings by the pool.  To slowing down and knowing we don't have to be in a hurry, even if we think that there is a reason why.

Silver Bay - 2016

When I try to describe Silver Bay to people who have no context, I generally pull from the setting of Dirty Dancing.  It's an inclusive resort with no television, AC, and until this year - cellular phone service.  It's a place where generationally there is little change, where groups of people or families unite, where the shared experience is what bonds generations year after year.  Silver Bay isn't luxurious.  The food resembles dorm food at best, the beds are firm, and without A/C sleep is often impossible.  However, Silver Bay has a way of making the heart sad when it's time to say goodbye at the end of the week.  Some activities are the same from year to year.  You can always count on the clout shoot, shuffleboard tournaments, trivia night, dodgeball, square dancing, and ice cream at the store.

Shuffleboard six years apart.  .  .

The experiences change from year to year and the ties become strengthened.  This year was the first year that my kids experienced the same sadness I do when I have to say goodbye to Silver Bay and my extended family.  Carter bonded over baseball with both family members and other guests.  He got up the courage to join an adult softball game.  After an extended session of catch he proved himself and was allowed to play.  He got two hits, no errors, and even fielded a ball to make a play.  It was pretty cool seeing him interact with grown men throughout the rest of the week who all acknowledged him by name when they ran into him.  He also bonded with family members as well.  Not because of team affiliation, but because of a shared love for the game.  Archery was a new found favorite for him and he also aced the climbing wall.  Independence was given in allowing him to walk to archery on his own and swimming out to the raft independently.  I don't think there was a single activity that he didn't participate in.

Miles enjoyed a lot of shuffleboard and sandcastles.  He also took his artistic talents to the craft shop and made many fine pieces.  A cousin even commissioned his work.  He was still too young for many activities, but his youth was to his advantage in the dodgeball games as he was often the last one in.  I was proud of him for attempting the rock wall time and time again.  Each round he made progress.  His little legs logged well over 12,000 steps a day and he only had to be carried a few times.

My morning runs with cousins were outstanding and allowed for many meaningful conversations.  More than anything, I enjoyed watching my boys soak in all that Silver Bay is.  They were the epitome of the resort in the bay.  I was a solo parent for the week because Bradley had to tend to matters at home, but the boys were golden travelers and we enjoyed our exhaustively rejuvenating days together.  You know it's been a good vacation when the worst thing that happens is that is has to end.  (In reality, the worst thing that happened was our return travel schedules, but I'm not going to let that overshadow our trip.)

We live close to Bradley's family and make a point of visiting with the extended cousins at least once a year.  My extended family meets every three years, and each time I am reminded of what an awesome family I have.  It's pretty amazing to think that it all started because two people fell in love in 1933.  Words can't express how thankful I am for the week I spent at Silver Bay.  This has been the best year to date, but that's what we say every year.

Summer Smiles and Six Packs

It's summer vacation and the Isbells are eating it up.  Runs, hikes, day trip adventures, backyard projects, visits with cousins, play dates with friends, and a week long day camp.  Still to come are swim lessons, day raft trip, a trip to Silver Bay in upstate NY, more hikes, backyard campouts, two waterslide parks, and endless adventures.

Fitness has been a big theme this summer.  Those of you that know me are probably guessing that I've pounded the mantra into the family complete with excel spreadsheets and fitness apps.  You'd be wrong.

In addition to school fitness and the completion of the quarter mile decomposed granite running/walking track which repurposed the back field of Fort Jones Elementary school, my boys have worked on a fitness project of their own.  Their bods.  In fact, my three boys have (independent of me) all committed to a routine of push ups and sit ups every day.  They knock them out together and usually follow up each session by commenting on how big each other's guns are getting.  It's a little frustrating how easily each of their six packs have gained definition in the last few weeks.  I've busted my ass for sixteen years and haven't seen that definition yet.  

In addition to their daily routine, the boys have competed in the local YMCA running series, Carter ran the Mt. Shasta 4th of July Run and placed fourth in his age group, and he joined me for America's Friendliest 5K in which we raced to the top of Mt. Ashland and back.  He was the first finisher under the age of 18.

The boys have also hiked into lakes and enjoyed bike rides while I run.  While the boys were at day camp for a week, I enjoyed four hours to myself each day.  I relieved my child-free days and enjoyed trail runs into mountain lakes and bike rides up local summits.  I did manage to throw my neck out of whack (possibly from taking euphoric running selfies), but it's nothing that the neighbor veterinarian couldn't fix with his laser treatments, inversion chair, and homeopathic antiinflammatory meds.

We enjoyed a visit from the southern CA cousins on Marcia's side earlier this month.  A ride on the jet boats and some family bonding over hiking and BINGO made three days go by very quickly.  It is so rewarding to see the friendships between family members pick up from year to year.

Once the Southern CA cousins left, it was time for the Northern CA cousins to take over the local day camp at Kidder Creek.  Six Isbell boys at a local Christian based camp?  You're darn right I was a little nervous.  After the first day I lost my given name.  I became known as "Smilin' Miles's Mom".  The small statured, quick witted, raspy voiced five year old won over the junior counselors.   Four days into the camp and much praise about him later, I figured that perhaps the Christian based premise had truly indoctrinated our fun-loving boy.

Don't get me wrong, he's a very good boy, but as his mother we do engage in the occasional (every day) power struggle.  I attended the last day performance for parents and listened to the group of campers sing "Deuteronomy 6:5.  .  .  Love the Lord your God with.  .  ."  I was now positive that Miles must have really soaked up the lessons in scripture.  Later that night I heard him singing the same tune, but with the words "Do you wanna be.  .  .  6, 5????".   I'm sure he grasped some of the lessons, but he's still the same Smilin' Miles.  Such a sweet hearted boy with a passion for fun.  Case in point, yesterday evening, after a night of not feeling well, he made sure to ask me how my toe was feeling before he went to bed.  Thank you for your kind heart my little man.

We're about halfway through our summer.  We're building memories, six-packs, a backyard pool, and family bonds.  Let's just hope mom doesn't throw her neck out of whack and dad keeps his back in check.  If not, we can run down to the vet for some laser treatments and can count on sympathy from Smilin' Miles.