Saunders Stories

So I have been plugging away at the pool during Aidan’s swim lesson time.  I know I am still very slow, although I am getting very comfortable in the water (no matter how cold!).  I never really understood why I am so much slower than everyone else except maybe I am just so new at it.  Well, today, I was sharing a lane with a nice woman who asked me why I was swimming and I told her about my foot being injured, and she introduced me to this:

It’s a pull buoy.  You put it between your legs and you basically float.  You don’t have to kick, you just use your arms to swim and the buoy just moves you along.  Now I always suspected that my bottom half was holding me back (I am a sinker not a floater), but now I know.  With the aid of the pull buoy, I got across the pool in half the time it took before, and I am not as exhausted!  This is great because I think all the kicking has made my foot shift again!  I can’t wait to go back tomorrow and try it some more.  It is completely helping me with my technique as well.  It feels very natural now to swim.  I will have very buff shoulders and back muscles by summer’s end!

Filed under: Mamamia on July 23rd, 2008 | 1 Comment »

So Aaron survived his three weeks at Wrestling camp.  We sent him a care package, which he received the day before he left (whew)which you will find out was very good timing.  He had such a great time at this camp and was really inspired by the coaches and counselors.  He made some really cool friends who are really into wrestling, so that got him more motivated to get better.  He was having a great time until second to the last day.  There has been some theft issues (get a bunch of teenage boys together…)  Aaron has been very careful about locking things up, and his roommate and friend who he went with is the same way, both responsible.  Well, some boy asked Aaron to hold a pair of shoes in his room for him because he was afraid they would get stolen.  Innocent enough right?  So Aaron, as gullible as they come, agreed.  Well, come to find out, that boy had stolen those shoes and set Aaron up.  So it was his word and the boy whose shoes were stolen against Aaron’s.  And since they were in Aaron’s room, he got the blame.  He denied it to the end, but they didn’t believe him.  This put a huge damper on the last day of wrestling.  Aaron did not get to wrestle in the tournament as a “repercussion”.  The counselors who loved Aaron (most adults think he is just the most awesome kid) were now giving him the “cold shoulder” as punishment.  I am so sad for my boy!

Anyway, he is pretty much over that now, and hanging out for two weeks with his original wrestling coach, and Jeremy’s friend, Aaron (HA!).  Aaron’s presence at the camp helped ease the drama for my AsianMan.  They toured Boston together and are headed to Maine for more wrestling and a tournament!  We sure miss him, but I think this has been a great growing experience for Aaron.  In fact, it’s such a growing experience that Aaron is balding…

( I would strangle him for this prank, but he is miles away!)  He shaved his head to look like a balding man!  I don’t know where he got that mustache!  Ah, the things they do when unsupervised!

Filed under: AsianMan on July 22nd, 2008 | 3 Comments »

Make Lemonade, right?  So I didn’t really want to drive to Oak Harbor to see my chiropractor, but at this point, and four doctors later, I am afraid to go to another stranger.  I fully planned on taking the kids and making a day out of it, but I talked Jeremy into an overnight camping trip out of it, he agreed! YEAH!  We ended up spending a couple hours at Double Bluff Beach, which is my favorite beach on Whidbey Island, and of course, this time of year, and with this lovely weather, all the state camp sites were full.  We lucked out though, and found a site at an island-run park, yeah!  After we had our yummy hobo dinners, we went to Fort Casey and explored the bunkers and the beautiful ocean view.  I love living in Bellingham, but I do appreciate how beautiful Whidbey is and have fond memories of living and exploring there.  Everywhere you drive, there is water, and you can hit a beach just about anywhere. Michelle and Aidan were born in Coupeville, so we had to stop by my favorite waterfront and get some ice cream too.

Kids running out to feed the geese on Great Grandma Saunders’ amazing property (she was pretty surprised to see us and is always a gracious hostess!)

A good pic of Michelle at Grandma’s pond.  We spent a great deal of time here when we lived on Whidbey.

The tide was out and the shallow water was warm…Aidan doing his favorite thing

Even Summer could not resist looking for treasures and getting her feet wet

I love how Aidan and Michelle play so hard together

Summer and I enjoying the magnificent view and were pretty entertained by Aidan and Michelle’s sand castle building.  They would build near the water and then panic as the tide crept in, move up further and repeat the same process.

Yes, our girls help with setting up tent (Aidan was playing with the fire, my excuse…someone has to take a picture!)

Me icing my foot like a good girl.  We sat on a very nice log since we forgot our comfy camping chairs!

Did you get your tickets to the gun show?

They had fun exploring all the bunkers, definitely coming back when foot is healed with Aaron to play capture the flag!

The sunset was amazing

BTW, after eight months of foot agony and trying to figure out what the heck is wrong with my foot, the problem is on it’s way to being solved!  My trusty chiropractor was so awesome, and knew immediately where I was hurting before she even touched me (from listening to my long story).  Not only were some of my foot/ankle bones out of place, but my tibula was as well.  She gently (not like the foot doc who yanked at me) put me back in place.  I am sore today, but it is a good sore.  Right after she adjusted me, I could actually put weight on my foot and walk semi-normal (I have been limping for so long, I don’t remember how to walk normal).  She agreed with the tendonitis diagnosis, who wouldn’t have tendonitis after being injured for so long, AND wearing that brace thing for so long!  Anyway, so I got fitted for orthotics there (I want to prevent this kind of thing from happening again), and will go back next week to make sure everything is still in place.  I am sure things will slip because they have been out for so long, and it will take a couple of adjustments, but…ah…that feeling of needing to be yanked is gone.  No more throbbing pain.  No more weird clicking.  I am sore from the adjustment and from walking all over creation at Fort Casey and Double Bluff (I just can’t seem to put my foot up!)

Foot problems solved, sandy beaches, camping in nature, family time.  Anyway, it was well worth the trip to Whidbey on all accounts!  So, what could have been a long tedious day turned out to be a marvelous, very fun weekend.  We love spontaneous overnighters!

Filed under: La Familia on July 20th, 2008 | 6 Comments »

Lakewood is a WWU private facility that students, alumni and their family and friends can use.  Hey, that would be me!  You can rent kayaks, wind sails, sailboats, and canoes for a very nominal fee.  We have had Summer’s birthday party there once.  It’s the most beautiful property.  The kids’ absolute most favorite thing to do there is jump off the dock, climb back in, and do it all over again.  Well, I should say, Aaron’s and Michelle’s most favorite.  Aidan has even done it a few times, and Summer likes to float on the surf boards.  For a college facility, it is usually very sparse, and very quiet (I expected loud party-goers).  I love going there, simply to check out the view.

The path down to the lake…ah…tranquility…

Michelle and friend/neighbor Syd jumping into the frigid water! (Does Michelle ever do anything halfway?  Check out the vertical!)

Syd lending a hand.  After numerous jumps and a full day of soccer camp, Michelle was getting a little tired!

Aidan posing with Jack, a Webkinz earned for memorizing six articles of faith.

I love this pic of Michelle.

Aidan’s favorite pasttime, digging and building in the sand

There is always a dog there who loves to play catch over and over.  He’s really good with kids.

This is to show how competitive Michelle is.  She is racing the dog for the ball!  And then got mad at Aidan, because the ball was always thrown on the dog’s side! It was a hoot!

This always happens, Aidan says he is just going to play in the sand, and then ends up dunking in the lake!

Filed under: La Familia on July 19th, 2008 | 1 Comment »

We drive by the most awesome skate park on our way to soccer and swim almost every day!  Aidan always asks to go, but it’s always raining when he asks.  Plus, I am not too excited about the whole idea because the crowd there is not your best (potty mouths!) and Aidan is the most uncoordinated and timid boy I know.  I didn’t think it would be a successful trip.

So I didn’t really have any excuses this week, it has been so beautiful out, and when one of my children want to go outside and do something active, I can’t say no.  So we geared up and headed out for an adventure…

It was hot out, but we are in full gear in preparation for scrapes…

This was the steepest (scary!) ramp, and Aidan loved running down into it!

Checking out all the skater dudes. Notice the shirt and helmet came off…

Notice now he’s down to shorts (I made him put the helmet back on).  Mustering up the courage to skate down the ramp on his bottom.

He enjoyed sliding down on his bum rather than the skateboard.  Next time, we need a bigger skate board, and another boy…so he can be a little braver…a little peer pressure never hurt.

Aidan lasted half hour at the park, but it was a good first attempt.  It is fun though to watch the skaters and to check out how amazing the ramps are.

Filed under: Aidyboy on July 17th, 2008 | No Comments »

Is that how that song goes?  Well, I have not kept you updated on my foot because it’s so depressing.  My new doctor, the orthopedic surgeon called me a month after he diagnosed me with tendonitis to see how things were going (a step up from the last one, who didn’t really want to even treat me at all).  I told him it still hurts a whole heck of a lot, so I went back in.  More probing and prodding (thank goodness for the nice pedicure, thanks Jenna).  MORE x-rays.  After the last x-ray, he noticed that my left heel is vertical in both x-rays he took while my right heel is normal.  “Hmm…that’s odd”.  But when he looks at my feet, nothing looks out of place.  Well, isn’t that why we take x-rays?  To look inside?  Anyway, he also heard the clicking that’s been going on.  He still thinks it’s tendonitis and suggested yet another foot brace for six weeks, rest, stretch, ice, heat.  Can I just say how tired I am of people who I have been around for the last six months ask me, “Oh, what happened to your foot?”  Like have they not seen me hobbling around this last half of a year?  It’s almost as bad as people asking the pregnant lady when she’s due.

Anyway, so I am dutifully wearing this brace, which I have to say is much more comfortable than my last one (which was supposed to be a prescription one, but they didn’t have a small, so gave me a medium, which probably added to my pain and stress.)  Jeremy is not looking forward to paying all these bills, but hey, I want to be able to walk. So I am walking around just fine, if I am in a foot brace, but I still hurt, and does the clicking and vertical heel not alarm anyone but me?  I agree I might have tendonitis, but I don’t think that’s the source of all this pain.  So I have decided I am going to go see my trusty old chiropractor in Oak Harbor, in hopes that she can fix me.  If anyone can, she can.

I have been swimming a lot lately due to the fact that Aidan has swim lessons and wants to do the child care after, so I put in a good hour.  I am getting very comfortable in the water, and my hopes are really bright for a triathlon next year…if my foot will cooperate!  Wish me luck….better yet…pray for me!

Filed under: Mamamia on July 16th, 2008 | 4 Comments »

“It’s so nice out, we have to do something outside!”–Jeremy, yes you heard right, from the mouth of my own caveman.  I think the long winter, and all the outdoor soccer games has turned him into an outdoor lover!  I love it!  That used to be me saying stuff like that. If it’s sunny, you know where to find me, but when he said it, I almost fainted!  It was great!  The irony of it all, he even got on the net to research something to do in this amazing area we live in, and suggested some fun stuff…if not for my bum foot!

Filed under: Quotable Quotes on July 15th, 2008 | No Comments »

I am like a star shining brightly, smiling for the whole world to see.  I can do and say happy things each day, for I know Heavenly Father loves me.

I love love love my calling right now.  I am the primary chorister, and I don’t know what it is, but when I am up there leading the music (and I can’t sing those high songs meant for younger children’s voices) and the kids are singing their hearts out, I just get goosebumps, and love it.  I love how some sing without abandon, and then there’s the boys in the back.  Some are too cool to sing but do anyway because secretly they want to be Super Singer, and then some really do enjoy singing and just belt it out, eyes closed, swaying like little Davie Archuleta’s, and it’s so incredibly cool to see them do that.  We combine our junior kids with the senior kids, so I have to try and capture the interest of 3 year old girls as well as 11 year old boys.  It has been quite fun though, and I love having such a big group serenading me with the sweetest songs all at once.  They are truly little angels, and I think that’s the reason why I love my calling, I just love kids.  They make me happy.

Filed under: Mamamia on July 13th, 2008 | 2 Comments »

Our second day in Idaho, we drove to Coeur de Lain to Silverwood Theme Park.  For his birthday, we decided to take Duncan along with us.  We met up with my sister in law Wendy and my cute neice Ahnna.  It was a load of fun, not too crowded like Disney, small enough so you can do it in a day (or two) and big enough to where you feel like there’s a lot to do!  The food was actually reasonably priced as well!  We spent seven hours at the park (all the kids were so well behaved, we didn’t feel like we had to leave at all) and were all exhausted on the way back.  I will go back to this one, with the teens next time!

Click here for some fun pics of our adventure!

Filed under: La Familia on July 12th, 2008 | 1 Comment »

So we took a really quick trip to Idaho (three days) to pick up Summer from girl’s camp. We talked her into going with her aunt this year in the sunshine. She has been a dutiful girl and gone to camp the last three years. Each year, it has dumped all week, and there were port-a-potties, and no showers. Miserable. Seriously, at a girl’s camp? I don’t know why I tortured her like that, (I never went to girl’s camp), and why she hasn’t put up a bigger stink. But I digress.

Anyway…while we were waiting for her to get back, we hung out at Grandma’s. Michelle and Aidan had a great time playing with little cousin, Duncan. We call him Dunkers. He is such a character. He loves loves loves his cousins and takes to them immediately, like they never left. He followed Aidan around and would just give him hugs. He chooses to crawl on Michelle’s lap to take a nap. The first day was low-key. They hung out at Grandma’s all day jumping on the tramp with the sprinkler underneath, and soaking in the little pool. They played hard all day.  It’s so weird they are cousins, I mean he is as different looking from them as they come!

Catching a power nap before he chases Aidan around some more

I didn’t know Jeremy snuck a pic, but I’m glad to have this memory

I had so much fun picking all of Laura’s raspberries (that may not sound fun to you, but it is something I enjoy doing!). I also made freezer jam (raspberry is my favorite) out of a batch and was able to freeze a whole bunch more to bring home. I also canned sugar and flour to add to food storage (they have the stake cannery in their shop). I feel so accomplished, I enjoy doing domestic stuff like that so much more around her. I think it’s because I have someone to talk to while I am working. Plus, she is such an expert at everything, it makes it easier and more motivating for me to do things. I am one of those special ed people I learned about in my program, where you have to just model and do it for me before I can learn it. I can’t just read a book and do it. I have to ask someone questions and watch them do it. I learn so much better that way. Maybe I am just getting old, but I really enjoy doing all the fun homemaking stuff.  Or maybe I just enjoy when the kids’ schedules aren’t driving me crazy!  That may not sound like much of a vacation to you, but I enjoyed it immensely!

This is a yummy cake Laura baked in honor of our raspberry pickins’, sinful!

Filed under: La Familia on July 11th, 2008 | 3 Comments »