Christmas names

So Kendall has been bugging me for the last while to find out who has who for Christmas. So can we do that soon or if you do not want to I can make the list but anyway ...yeah. :)

Iron Man Arizona

SO I am signed up as a volunteer for Ironman Arizona this year in November 22-23? So is anyone coming with me?

Brian thought you might like this:

Updates from Elder Jamison Sheffer:

We rode the train up to ZhuBei (it takes 1 hour 30 minutes) and stayed where the cars connect. We opened up the doors and rode with the wind rushing by us and our heads out the side of the car, pulling them in for the occasional passing train!! There was never a better time of my life than sitting with 2 other Elders on the steps of the car and just watching Taiwan rush past us! It probably wasn't the safest thing, but it did get rid of EVERY bad feeling of the last 6 weeks! IT is amazing what nature can do!!

I have noticed an unfortunate downward trend in my English with very little improvement in the Chinese!! It seems that I will unfortunately come home unable to speak any language and need to communicate using a series of crude grunts and gestures!!

(This is about July 4)

It was wonderful! Unfortunately I am in the country where I could buy my weight in fireworks for around 5 American dollars, and I was unallowed to get permission to light off fireworks! Yes, I did try! I called up my Zone Leader and said, "Elder Odum, I need permission to light off fireworks please!" He said, "No", I said, "Okay" and hung up! (I really didn't think he would say yes because the white handbook specifically says NO!)
I did miss home though. I wanted hotdogs and snowcones, classic cars and bands on stage!!! I miss America!!! I thought about the park a lot that day. Just really, I am an American. I love my home and there is something special about our country.

I love being a missionary.
I love seeing the gospel change people.
I love learning about the people in the church.
I love changing myself.
I love helping people.
I love speaking Chinese.

For updates on Romney Evans you can go to elderromneyevans.blogspot.com
Chase Renick is coming home either the day before Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving day.
Anthony Jury is doing well but doesn't say much in his e-mails.

(It was missionary report Sunday)

Dear Kevin,

Ok, I will run faster, but don't run slower for me.

I love you.

Mom

P.S.  Will you bring the car around for me after I finish, there shouldn't be too many cars left at the park at that time.

Oh Man, This Countdown is Scary

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St. george Marathon

Dear Mom,  Please remember that if I try a blistering pace, I will not finish and therefore would not be able to grant your request.  I hereby resolute that I run slower and finish and you run faster and finish and we all finish with the finish line intact!

Love with much love  -Kevin

Ps  t-6 days  I'll see you soon!

Dear Kevin,

Please remember son that after you finish the St. George Marathon this year at your blistering pace (without training) that you still have one very important job to take care of; please don't let them take down the finish line till your mom crosses!!!

Thank you, I love you,

Mom

Woodbridge pictures

Redlands Terriers at Woodbridge Invitational

Kyle-bottom left     Brent-second from left top row

Kyle

Kyle

Brent

Craig's Weekend

It's a whirlwind as usual, Craig finished work early on Thursday and realized he could be home sooner if he drove than if he waited for his flight that evening, so he hops in the truck and hurries home.  After cooking breakfast for the boys Friday morning he cleaned the kitchen while I drove Brad to school and then we were off for my long run.  It was miserable!!  It was hot and just not a fun day to be getting in a twenty miler.  When we got to Loma Linda were headed back towards Redlands Craig ran ahead to the AM/PM (every running route over 10 miles should have AM/PM's or 7-11's somewhere along the way) and bought me water and dark chocolate M&M's, yum !!
I think he figured if my mouth was full he wouldn't have to listen to me complain!!!  I can't believe what he puts up with (meaning me) so that I can achieve goals that really are outside my abilities, he could be qualifying for Boston at St. George, but instead he'll be trotting alongside me encouraging me to put one foot in front of the other one more time.

Friday afternoon he went to San Onofre with Brad for a campout.  

                                                                                                             San Onofre

They decided San Onofre was too rocky for good skimboarding and boogie boarding so this morning they got up early and headed over to San Clemente.  Craig got home this afternoon pretty tired after not too much sleep in our lovely tent.  After he got back he realized he would be heading right back to Orange County for Woodbridge.  Woodbridge is a huge cross country invitational and Kyle qualified as varsity at last weeks meet so Brent and Kyle will both be running in the same race.  The race doesn't start till 9:00 pm, honest that's P.M., crazy, it will be late when they get back, I didn't go but Craig and Brad went down.  The race just finished and I have two very unhappy boys that feel they didn't run well.  My boys are hard on themselves, they ran as a rated team, with a new coach at a very, very large meet.  I am quite proud and will post some pictures when they get back.

So, anyway, Craig will be back late tonight and has to leave tomorrow.  He spent the whole weekend doing things for us.  I have great kids because they have a great dad.  I love you.

Tennis

So dad kicked my butt last night at a game of tennis.

1st Cross Country Invitational 2008 Don Bosco Tech

Jacob, Brent and Kyle Simmons waiting for the start.

Brent did well, the results aren't posted yet so I will update this when they post.

Brent ran a 16:36, he was disappointed, but it was a great time.

  Brent's last mile

                                                                       Kyle's start

Kyle's finish-Kyle placed 13th out 291

Brad--Kyle and Brent's #1 Fan
Ok, Brad read that and said it was dumb, he said it should say, "Brad, bored, wants to go to the beach."

After the meet (luckily we had two early races) they were off to the beach to celebrate Chris Sonne's homecoming (congrats Chris!!) and do a little skimboarding.

Happy Birthday Papa Lytal

The little picture is 1956

Church where Grammy and Papa were married, Carson City, Nevada 1956

1975

Kerri and Papa 1983 (?)

Cabin picture Papa with Brian and Brent (1994)

Yep Brad your Papa skis, but he really likes the snowmobiles better!!

Maybe we can update the cousin picture at Britt's wedding if we can get everyone there! Tahoe 1995

Kerri's wedding 2003

 Hope your have a great day, we all love you very much!!!

Adrenaline Junkie Theory Input Please

Can somebody please help me.  I do not understand the adrenaline junky theory, especially as it relates to child rearing.  What have I done wrong?  What have I, as a mother not provided for my children that they must seek this adrenaline rush (or whatever you want to call it, maybe it has a new name).  Case 1:

Ok, this is bouldering at Yosemite, maybe not so bad huh.

Well, what about this, hanging off the edge of Half Dome.

Not just content to summit Half Dome, after summiting Whitney the week before.

And you know, I can't nag too much about their adventures or they'll just quit telling me about them i.e. death defying night hikes, etc.
Please what concerns me is the universalness (sp? or is that even a word?) of this in all of my children, it's not just one child and even my only daughter is as much of an adrenaline junkie as her brothers, she probably has been the one that has inspired them the most. Brad (who was only 3 years old when Kerri left for college) asks all the time-"Mom, could Kerri do that?" This being said with great awe for the legendary talents of his sister.

So tell me, what does a mother do, just on Monday we were at a Labor Day party and people were commenting on Kyle and Brad barreling down a steep street on these little toys (mind you, they are now 12 and 14).  I could take away their toys but that would be quite a collection to stand guard over, skateboards, longboards, motorcycles, snowmobiles, skis, rock climbing gear, road bikes, skim boards, boogie boards etc.  Oh I suppose it is useless, even taking away all the toys they will do handstands on cliffs, and jump off the roof into/onto a pool, trampoline of whatever (that was Kyle and his friend Sam just the other night when the teachers had an activity, after everyone left they were jumping off the roof into the pool).

By now you might be thinking, she hasn't mentioned Bri, he must be the "sedater" one. NOT. Bri I won't tell the Jamison, Brittany, Focus story, but suffice it to say all the repairs the Focus needs are probably directly related to your leadfoot adventures.

Brent, longboarding down our street

Also note the lack of protection, yes hanging in our garage is a wall of helmets, you name it, we've got it, climbing, cycling, skateboard, ski/snowboard helmets, knee pads, elbow pads, safety glasses, you see I do attempt to be a good mom.   Note special sliding gloves (made from mom's cutting boards), hmmm you know your boys are up to something when you walk in the kitchen and see scraps of cutting board, you know those heavy white ones, the gloves are quite the creation.   Ok, so sometimes they do wear some protection.  Brent, I might also add that Kev says you owe him a longboard, whatever that is about, and Brad is sure that you are hiding his somewhere.  

Please children, share with me what your child-rearing philosophy will be.  

2009 Family Race Schedule

Who is doing what?

Tradition...

JEX BOYS 2008