Life is to short for ordinary food. ~ unknown

    Imagine this: 13 Traegers (smokers), 13 teams of people cooking... and 12 of the teams are fire fighters.  Yes, girls you read that right. 12 teams of fire fighters.  So who was the odd team? Me and my friend Stacy (and our mascot, Kenzie).  The annual Traegerfest is put on by one of our Captains and you must be an employee of the fire district in order to compete.  Stacy and I work for the fire district thus making us eligible to compete.
 
  

I hate to cook.  However, there is a difference however between cooking and BBQing.  Usually Matt does all the BBQing, but since last weekend was a duty weekend for the air base here, that left me to compete in the annual Traegerfest.  Me and Stacy that is (and kenzie).

    This year there was no "theme" and we were open to cook (smoke) whatever we wanted! We chose to do wings!

During practice (into the wee hours of the morning) it took us 3 hours to make these little beauties... however, when the temperature is tipping into the 90 degrees during the middle of the day, this apparently makes these tiny wonderful meaty greatness cook a little faster... like 2 hours faster! oops.  They were a little dry, but they still packed a pretty good punch... besides we were there for the best dressed anyways....did you see our half naked fire fighter aprons? hee hee.
we didn't win (meatloaf did), however from what we understand, we placed in the top 5!!! not too shabby for a couple of girls competing against a bunch of fire fighters - who should know their smoke...get it? smoke? fire fighters? ha! I kill me.  

What's a good blog post without a cute photo of Kenzie?

Camping: The art of getting closer to nature while getting farther away from the nearest cold beverage, hot shower and flush toilet. ~Author Unknown

This last weekend we took Kenzie on her first camping trip (out of the womb that is)! She absolutely loved playing in the dirt, eating junk food, going to the "pool" (this is what she called the lake), and fishing with her daddy (also a first).  I however was a nervous wreck! What Kenzie saw as a huge playground, I saw as danger.  A Fire pit, moving vehicles,  a hot BBQ, rocks, the lake, strangers, fish hooks and cold nights.                                                                                                                                                                              I am a bit of a worry wort anyways, but put my daughter in the mix with all the factors listed above and it made for an "on the edge of my seat" weekend! There was little-to-no relaxing, yet I had a very good time! I loved watching my daughter experience all the new things - pine cones, a fish on the hook, a camp fire, not having to take a bath for 2 nights, smores, and sleeping in a sleeping bag in the tent!  Isn't it amazing how as an adult  we take so many things for granted? But when you are able to look at things from the eyes of child - you begin to notice things you never really noticed before.  Like how does tree bark feel in your hand, the warmth of a fire, the gooeyness of a roasted marshmallow, and the sound of the wind and rain falling thru the branches of the forest.

   We look forward to heading out to the forest/lakes many more times this summer! We've organized our camping stuff a little better for the next time... like packing a can opener- so that we don't have to ask our neighbors (and then break it) for one! So if you're in our neck of the woods (pun intended) give us a ring,    We're ready to go!

The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart. ~Elisabeth Foley

    Last weekend we headed north to go to one of my dear friend's welcoming BBQ for her new baby girl, Kaylee.  It just so happens that my brother and his wife and their children were also going to be in the area at the same time.  So we all met up at my parents house for lunch before he and his family had to be at other places and we needed to get to the meet and greet. It sure is nice to see Makenzie interact with her cousins and its always fun to see how big they are getting! We hadn't seen Jeff, Jodee, Carter and Sydnee since we went to Mexico last spring! It had been way too long, but that's the price you pay when you live about 6 hours from each other.

   Off to the BBQ we went, it was such a treat to get to see three of my best girls, Julie, Jenny and Jen! I am never surprised and always delighted when I get to spend time with my besties, and always think that even tho it had been a very long time since I had seen Julie and Jenny it as if no time had lapsed... Do you have friends like that reader? Friends who are so near and dear to your heart and even tho seasons and distance keep you apart you are able to pick up right where you had left off the last time? Julie and Jenny both have 2 little girls, and I often wonder that over the years if our girls will become as close as their mommies?

Here is the gift I made for baby Kaylee... the "cupcakes" are rolled wash clothes, which were rolled around onesies, which were rolled around Pampers which were then rolled in ribbon - and topped of by hair bows.

H2O: two parts Heart and one part Obsession. ~Author Unknown

Yesterday I made mention that Makenzie had just finished 2 weeks of swim lessons, so I thought I would share with you all about that tonight.  Really I am trying to make up for lost time (2 months! - you know you missed me!)

   We decided that as soon as possible we would get Kenzie in swim lessons.  Water safety is very important to me and my husband!  For me it's because of my love of swimming and for Matt its because of his fear of open waters.   Last summer she was just too itty-bitty - even tho she was 7-8-9 months old she was just still so tiny and I couldn't picture her taking lessons just yet - and really didn't think it would be beneficial for a little one just learning how to crawl, let alone swim!  As I am sure you remember, we went to Mexico this spring and Kenzie absolutely loved the time in the pool... and that's when we knew she was ready! We enrolled her in swim lessons soon after we returned, only to find out that she was the only one registered for the class and so it was cancelled.  We had to wait a few more weeks for the next session to begin.  Matt really wanted to be the one to take her to the parent/baby classes - which meant the only class that would work for his schedule was 10 am... this proved to be quite a feat to get Matt and Makenzie to class on time! You have to understand that my husband works nights and so he sleeps a funny schedule, and because of this, so does Makenzie.  They both don't usually wake up until 10!  Because the class fell during MY work schedule, I was lucky enough to have a kick ass boss (who is reading this by the way!) allow me to take a half hour out of my day (using my vacation time of course) so that I could attend each class!

   The parent/toddler classes at our local YMCA is basically just to get the child used to water.  They sang songs at the beginning and end of each of the eight sessions.  The songs were very interactive - teaching the kidlets to jump off the side of the pool into their parent's arms, blowing bubbles, putting the sides of their faces in the water and teaching to kick and splash.  After the first set of songs and before the last, the teachers passed out toys to the three students to play with... Makenzie always chose two balls. (girl after my own heart - not like that you lil' sicko - I collect decorative spheres that I keep in my special display case).

Both Makenzie and Matt really enjoyed their lessons... and I enjoyed watching the bonding and the trust my daughter has for her daddy.  I know the lessons have paid off for Kenzie... just tonight during bath she was dunking the sides of her face and blowing bubbles in the water... all while I sang "buh-dupe went the little green frog one day, buh-dupe went the little green frog. Buh-dupe went the little green frog one day, and he jumped up way up high (or splashed way up high, or blew bubbles way up high)

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. ~ Elmer Davis

You know the saying "fair weather friend"? well I'm kinda like that only the complete opposite.  I am a "bad weather friend"! I am soo sorry it's been so long since I've written... the only excuse I have is that the wonderful weather keeps us very very busy!

   I don't even know where to start to get you all up to speed... Do I start from my last blog and move forward or start from this week and move backwards? I guess I will go with the latter...
    Last weekend was Independence Day weekend! I love a good 4th of July... especially when it allows us a three day weekend! YAY!!!

My best friend, Reanna, and her husband, Kevin, came down for the weekend! I miss them sooo much and I know Matt misses his broseph too!!! And then there is Kenzie and how much she misses and adores her God Parents!

Rea and Kevin got here around 11:30 Saturday night, which enabled us to get some yard work done before they got here... I was pretty exhausted by the time they came, but as soon as I was able to give my bestie a great big hug I was rejuvenated and got my second wind.  We sat around our fire pit (which I had just finished re-vamping!) until around 2 am when Mr. Sandman came back for seconds!!! 

             Sunday morning we went out to breakfast and then while the boys went to get fireworks Reanna, Makenzie and I decided to try out our new "Octagonal Family Pool" (this became a joke thru out the weekend when Reanna would call our blow  up pool a "baby pool"!) Makenzie had just wrapped up two weeks of swim lessons with her daddy so she of course was an old pro! It got up to around 90 degrees all weekend so the "octagonal Family Pool" was a nice treat to cool off!!! Sunday night we let off some of the newly acquired fireworks and again sat around the fire pit until Sunday turned to Monday!

Monday was the holiday and we pretty much leisured around and swam most of the day until it was time to go to the parade downtown! Before the parade kicked off people were handing out little plastic American flags and soon Makenzie was the proud owner of three of them! - Mommy and Reanna couldn't say no to our proud lil' American!
 After the parade we went to Auntie Wendy's house for a BBQ and fireworks! The spread was pretty fantastic and the fireworks even more so!
   By the time we got home and finally in bed it was one in the morning and we all had to get up very early! Reanna and Kevin had to drive back home (2.5 hours) and I had to be at work at 8:00.  Next year I think I'll take the 5th of July off too!!!

When people go to work, they shouldn't have to leave their hearts at home. ~ Betty Bender

wow, I have been so busy at work lately! I love when it's like that! It sure makes the day go by super fast!
  Last week I gave you a little teaser about what I was up to... and here's the full story!

   Stacy (have you visited her blog yet?) from work and I were part of a big secret! We were part of a team of people that put on a presentation to 1100 local high school kids about drinking and driving as well as texting and driving, called Operation Prom Night.  It was a reenactment of an accident involving a car full of high school students on their prom night versus a car with a local high school teacher and his 12 year old nephew.
    What was my roll you ask - I was the "Official Tarp Puller Offer" and "Official Headstone Putter Upper".  It's ok to tell me you're impressed.   I made the news.
(see this video footage:  http://www.heraldandnews.com/#vmix_media_id=71119631)

                                    If you are at all squeamish please quickly scroll down:
                                 And I again want to remind you this is a REENACTMENT!

 

The driver of the above car, a teenager, had been drinking.  He was not hurt in the accident - but spent 25 years in jail for his roll in the deaths of 3 people and for making his buddy a paraplegic.

 

I love those guys.  It is a huge honor to work with firefighters.  

 

The driver, a high school teacher, of the car on the right was killed (he had been texting)

We can only hope that this event impacted the students enough that they make wise decisions.  It was said that if we saved ONE life by putting on this reenactment, we did our job, and did it well.


  Another biggie in the world of working for the fire district as an Admin Assistant is being able to go to the scene of a fire.  I've been to a couple Burn to Learns but never an actual real life and devastating fire.  My job was to take food to the crews... I shall call this new title "Official Food Taker Outter" and I also played the roll of photographer - sounds too uppity so I shall call this "Official Taker of Pictures".  The fire was horrible... a total loss. I feel for the family.

Last weekend was BEAUTIFUL!!! We spent most of the time outside working in the flower gardens... and from these photos you know that Kenzie enjoyed her time in the sun too!

 

Always make time to give your daddy a hug.