Syracuse Heritage Days.

Everyone Loves A Parade....

Well everyone except my brother-in-law Jeff. And he came anyway because my sister made him.

We mostly came to see my niece Kylee, Chantel and Jeff's mom Retta who were on a float. But, it's great fun to celebrate with your community. Hometown parades show off the local businesses, schools, and give you a feeling of it's spirit and heritage. Like most Utah parades there's candy, horses, queens, and fire engines. The kids really love it.

Below is the float Chantel, Kylee, and Retta were on. Retta is walking in the green shirt.

My niece Kylee is in the center of the pic in the pink dress.

Chantel felt like a princess waiving to the crowd.

Seriously, where else can you enter your grandchildren and show um' off?

Yeah, it's Utah for sure...Everyone wave to the missionaries.

Syracuse is still a farming community. You can go to the farmers market on Saturday mornings.

This is why Corbin came...Cheerleaders. ;)

The Syracuse High Football team...Go Titans!

Hometown is all about family.

Here are Jeff and Star (my sister). Jeff hates parades if you remember.

Here are my Mom, Steve (who loves a good parade), Jeff, Star, Riley.

Darren and Corbin came to be seen.

My Mom, Star, and Riley

Friday Flashback

Here We Go Again!

Seriously, didn't I just post the last day of school like...2 weeks ago? Well, Monday was the first day of school for Chantel. It's hard to believe kids have such sort summers now. What dumb adult thought that was a good idea? Even Rick couldn't get over it.

I have to admit I did do a little cheer for John Anderson (I went to school with him, and his daughter is in the class) at Back To School Night when I realized...it would be the last time I had to go to Back To School Night...EVER! Because this is Chantel's last year of Elementary. Poor John has a lot of years left. :(

So, what's the Friday Flashback you ask? It's Corbin and Mrs. Sorte. Corbin also had Mrs. Sortie for 6th grade. Lucky for Mrs. Sorte, I don't have a 3rd son. Instead I have Channy, who I think will be much easier on the poor woman.

Here is Channy with Mrs. Sorte. She looks so much older than Corbin did. Crazy how the girls look so much older than the boys at this age.

Here are her and her friends in her class this year.

She really is a pretty little thing. Maybe I shouldn't be cheering for Elementary to end after all.....

Friday Flashback

Sisters

This is a picture of my sister, Kristi, and me taken 1974-75 ish. Kristi is about 18 months younger than I am. There isn’t much difference in age between us, but when we were growing up...I felt a lot older than her. I was 2 years ahead of her in school, and I was always a lot taller then she was. As children we looked exactly opposite. I was tall and dark and she was little and blond. Our personalities were opposite also. She was more competitive and daring, while I was complacent and timid. She was clean and I was messy. Over time, some things change and some things remain the same. I think we may look a little more alike now (we both have redish-brown hair that comes from a bottle.) I’m still a little taller, but not as much. I’m more competitive now, and she’s a little more timid. We are both clean now, unless you look at our purses, then I’m cleaner. lol.

THINGS I KNOW ABOUT MY SISTER:

She loves Mexican food especially cheese enchiladas.
She drinks Raspberry Iced Tea, and Coke
She does Yoga and Skis (well, when she gets her cast off)
She never has enough room in her closet
She reads self help books
She has one husband, one son, one dog, one bird, and a lot of fish
She loves little kids
She has horrible asthma
She is a kind person (a peace maker)
Her biggest dream is to own a home of her own.

I love you Kristi!


This is a picture of me and Kristi the other day at the park.

Rafting in Montana

Thanks to Rick’s uncle (Steve) and his family, Rick and Corb got to go rafting over the 4th of July holiday. Boy did they have fun! Corbin had never been before and he’s hooked. He just couldn’t stop telling me stories after he got home. Rick had a fun time also. They rafted down the Clark Fork River, Camped, watched fireworks, and enjoyed visiting with the family. They also did some cliff diving. I don’t have pics of that right now, so I’ll have to post that later. Anyhow, here are some pics.
Corbin and Rick are at the front of the raft.
Below, Corbin in all of his gear, as Hayliann (his second cousin), and Rick look on.

Corbin takes in the view of the river they rafted on.

This was a big group that went. I think around 70 family members. It really looks like fun....wish I would have gone. Rick and Corb were in charge of their own food...I bet it wasn't the best part of the trip. :) I'm told Corbin even ate a bug. It's a funny story you'll have to ask him about it.

Corbin is in the back of the picture helping Uncle Steve load stuff while some of the grandkids wait for their turn to raft.

The picture below is why I really don’t like to go camping.....”Super” Solar Shower...they’re kidding right?

Here is Corbin on the way home. He’s worn right out. Bet that hurt his neck. But you can see how he cradles his phone as he sleeps. I really don’t know how he made it without reception for so long.
Thank you Steve Gatten Family, you all ROCK!

A Utah Trailer

Our new TrailerI thought this was so funny. Rick and Corbin went camping/rafting over the 4th. Rick set up camp before the other members of his family got there. When everyone else got there they set up camp on the other side of the road, so the next day Rick and Corb put the tent on top of the car and moved locations.....They didn’t want to set it up again........Lazy, but funny. Corb said people stopped and asked to take their pic. So, here’s our new trailer Brenda. :)

Wasatch Back 2008 slideshow

Invitation for the 2009 Wasatch Back Team

This was the invitation sent out to the past members of One Night Stand. Our team is signed up already for next year. We will be team #239. I looked on the Ragnar webpage today and there are 269 teams signed up already. So, If you were thinking of putting a team together....better get it together soon.

Make a Smilebox postcard

House in Osburn

The House Rick Grew Up IN

Recently Rick and Corbin went on a rafting trip, and when they were done they decided to drive about an hour to see the house Rick grew up in. The house is located in Osburn, ID. Rick lived there from 1974 (he was about 9) until 1983 (age 17 when he moved away from home.) The rest of the family left around 1987-88.

The main city was Wallace. That’s where Rick went to school. It was a mining industry town that still touts its self as the “Silver Capitol of the World”. When Rick lived there he remembered the population being about 3000, but on Rick’s trip back the population was about 900. It has fallen on hard times.

I visited the area in 87 and I was amazed at what a small town it was, and I was from Kaysville, Ut. I remember they didn’t even have a 7-11 and I went into Big Gulp withdrawals. It really is a beautiful area... I can’t deny that.

Even though Wallace is much smaller than when Rick lived there, it has made progress. It no longer has 4 functioning whore houses, but you can tour one of them now.....whoohooo! I can’t wait to do that. They knocked down the old Elementary that Rick went to. Now the old Jr. High is the Elementary, and there is a new High School that houses both Jr. and Sr. High Students. They have a new trail system, and I’d really enjoy that I think. They also have this new History Museum that stands where JB’s Food City used to be. Rick worked at JB’s (a grocery store) in High School bagging and delivering groceries....even to the Whore House (Mm, Mm, Mm, Mm, Mm, what was his Mama thinkin’?)

The House in Osburn

The New History Museum

Here are some great links about Wallace. Don't miss the bottom YouTube if you plan to visit. :) There are many more YouTube.com clips to watch if you'd like. Just log on there and type in Wallace, ID.

http://www.wallaceidahochamber.com/

The Last Day of 5th Grade.

5th Grade and Mrs. Wood

Well, 5th grade is done and over. Chantel had Mrs. Wood as a 5th grade teacher. She really was a fun teacher. Chantel really enjoyed her sense of humor, and her love for cows. They listened to fun music that Chantel really enjoyed. On the other hand....I’m not sure Channy really learned that much this past year, and next year she has Mrs. Sortie...a very hard teacher. School starts up again in less than 2 weeks. Poor kids, they only get a 3 week vacation (year round school.) But, I think Chantel is in for the shock of her life. Corbin had Mrs. Sortie for 6th grade, and I’m forever grateful to her. She may have been tough on him, but she really taught him a lot. So, pretty much....the funs over.

Also fun this year for Channy was the great group of friends she had in Mrs. Woods class. We had them over a bunch and we really enjoy these darling girls. I think Sierra is the only on that will be in Channy’s class next year, But Hanna has been Channy’s friend since she was 1 ½ so I’m sure we’ll still see her a bunch.

R to L : Chantel, Andrea, Hanna, and Sierra

The Coolest Grandparents EVER!

Once upon a time. there was a little girl named Cantel and she lived in a fair land with her Father, Mother, and 2 brothers. One day her doting grandparents called and said, “Would you like to go to Disneyland?”

Chantel excitedly replied, “HECK YEAH!”

Her grandparents said, “Ok, Saturday then.”

And there were shrill screams of joy and much jumping about.


She got on a big airplane that Saturday and flew to a magical land called California. (She was airsick on the plane though)

She was taken to another land and given a magic ticket for only $132.00. With that ticket she could pass though the lands gates 2 times....but only 2 times.

With that magical ticket she passed through the gates to... a land of million dreams, and she met a large, cute, cuddly mouse named Mickey.

Chantel's “Minnie Me” cousin, Kylee, went on the long journey also, and there she met a funny dressed lady and man that danced, sang, and they said they could fly.

They rode a grand carousel together, and they smiled and laughed.


They ate luscious treats.


And rested in a colorful very plastickie home, said to be the home of of another mouse, Minnie.



They splashed and played in a magical pond. Where Kylee learned to swim.


Chantel sipped magical drinks, and lounged by the magical lake.

She was glad that this was such a peaceful land.

Her appetite was abundant and she made a ½ lb. hamburger magically disappear....On 2 different occasions.

She was then taken to feast at the home of some nobility....and they gave her this magical paper crown.
Never fear....it was only a tournament for entertainment....there was still much peace.

She wore the magnificent crown at the feast and she feasted, not only on her feast, but she ate her little cousins feast also.

She was then taken by her doting grandparents to a very strange land where the animals did tricks, and seemed to speak to humans (but only after they accidentally went to Mexico because they missed the magical exit.) She enjoyed this....even though she got sunburned.

She also rode crazy fun rides.

And fed the strange creatures slimy fish.

Strangely, they don’t look all that happy....maybe it was the trip to Mexico?

They found a land of sand and water, and frolicked and played.

All four were tired and happy at the end of their journey. And their grandparents declared that their granddaughters were the fairest of any land....magical or not.
Thank you Grandpa and Grandma for the special trip, I love you,

Love Chantel