Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! What an awesome morning! Santa was great to the kids!
Christmas Eve... the kids made some reindeer food before dinner at the Sarazens!

Julia lost a tooth on Christmas Eve! The toothfairy rode in on the sleigh with Santa!The kids got to go and see Santa and sit on his lap at the mall!

Christmas Card Pictures!

Getting ready for Christmas! Everyone is glad the Christmas break is here! Very much needed... These are the pictures we used for the "Christmas Cards" we (Linda) is sending out! Last night while we were sitting around there was a knock on the door and when we went to answer it was about 35-40 people from a local church singing Christmas Carols! Pretty cool... when they finished here at our house we rounded the kids up with coats and shoes (surprising I know they wore shoes) and joined them in singing at other houses in the neighborhood - pretty cool!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! The kids had Wednesday off from school (day before Thanksgiving) - whoohoo! Papa called Redeemer Church and set it up so the kids could come down and be part of the feed the homeless Thanksgiving meal! Great opportunity for the kids to do some community service... when we got there we sat at a table and our first job was to wrap the forks in the napkins / put in a "tub" and place it in the serving line - we put together 400 napkins / forks! We ended up serving right at 400 people - below is a picture of the meals being prepared (hotdogs, slaw, baked beans and more to come)...The kids are in the "serving line" after the people received their "main course" we were there to hand out the napkin / fork / chips / ketchup / mustard / salt and pepper!
Great day! Another picture of the first part of the serving line (back in the kitchen)...Great day today - great opportunity for the kids to be part of something good in the community! Very tiring but hopefully very rewarding...

Dirty Spokes Series Photo / Video

Check it out - I know as computer challenged as I might be - another video... from the Dirty Spokes 12/6 Hour Mountain Bike Endurance Points Series 2008!

Fall 2008 - Raking Leaves!

Cool day out... good day to play in the yard (and watch the Bulldogs on T.V.)! Kids starting raking leaves and transporting them across the yard with the top of the green turtle and the little red wagon! Then off to the races and jumping in the leaf pile!

XTERRA Battle At Big Creek

Race number 2 of the XTERRA Georgia Series went well! Kids were up and rolling at 5:15a.m. with Linda and Chalise! I left a little before they did so I could get everything out of the trailor by the time they got there and they could just organize!

Here is a picture of the start! Absolutely georgeous course (full of rocks and roots though)... we had just a little over 300 racers!

Happy Halloween!

Kids getting ready to go "trick or treating"! Pretty fun night! We got started right at 6:00 - Linda took the kids down to Chalises house to do a "craft" and then we were off and into the night around 6:30-6:45 - kids were able to keep rolling until around 8:00 or so!

Carving The Pumpkins!

We had a team pumpkin carving day today! Kids did great! Everyone had their own pumpkin and did their own design on the pumpkins (see the picture below - I would imagine you can pick out who's is who's!)... the kids would sort through the guts and pick out the pumpkin seeds - they want to bake and eat them!

Finished Product! Flying goolish Bat on the far left, scary jack-o-lantern next over (with "dots" all over his back), the smiley face with purple ears and last but not least the tiny one!

Soccer!

Julias Soccer Game! She is taking a "Goal Kick"! They play on a smaller field and play 3 on 3 with continuous play "new ball" (coach throws in if it goes out on the side)... out on the end lines they play a "goal kick". Pretty good little league - they get alot of running around and alot of touches on the ball. Collin tell Eric to look closely at the picture in the back left - yes, those are Emory shorts (and yes, Linda did point out a hole in them today - getting closer to being retired - but please don't worry I can get some more)!Julia running towards the play! Julia did awesome! She scored 2 goals Saturday!

Blakely and Julia playing chase on an open field during Madisons game!
Madison kicking the ball during her game - playing defense and running the ball back up the sidelines!
Madison working on her skills! Her teams play 6 on 6 (including the goalie)... play on a modified (smaller field) just about all out regular game with "off sides" as one of the rules... Madison did awesome - she played defense in the first quarter / goalie in the 3rd quarter / and offense in the 4th quarter - she scored 2 goals!

More Pictures of Dirty Spokes - Conyers!

Papa and Blakely in first place in the kids race (maybe not)!

Madison getting up and out of the saddle - dusting the competition in the kids race!

Madison and Julia getting the "pre-race" instructions (from Krista Park - Pro Womens Rider)!

Blakely showing a little sportsmanship before the race (she just told the little girl she was going to wear her out)!

Julias Birthday Party...

A couple of months after the fact! Unfortunately, Linda was not able to be at the party today - but she did a great job of getting the party set up! She contacted Clay My Way (right up the street) and all we had to do today was get the capri sun's and the individual ice creams... we got there about 12:45 or so (party started at 1:00). The kids did great and I believe had an awesome time! Everyone got an opportunity to pick out and paint their own pottery piece. We go back in a week to pick the pieces up.

Dirty Spokes 12/6 Hour Series Finale Conyers...

Dirty Spokes Trailor and the results posted... Pretty Sweet Bike...

Blakely getting her shoes on ready to ride!

Captains meeting before the race.

Racers are off! We had right at 300 registered riders for the race!

Racers on the "Parade Lap" before going into the woods...

Blakely Cheering on the racers with her "Cowbell"! We have more pictures when they get here... of the kids race and some miscellaneous!

Dirty Spokes Race #3 - Series Finale!

October 10th, 2008 was the series finale for the Dirty Spokes 12/6 hour mountain bike endurance points series! The entire family made it out to this one (first time for the entire series we all made it out there!). Kids did great! We spent the night in the camper on Friday night woke up early Saturday morning and got started with registration! We had tons of help with registration (can't say it enough - Chalise is a great family friend! She came out to the race to help Linda and I - alright really Linda!)... as I have said many times once race day comes around I am no longer in charge - Linda and my Dad run the show - I just wander around and say GO! In the photo along with our family is a little girl who's daddy races in all the races - great kid - she helps with registration and handing out the winners bags at the end of the race (with Madison). The other man in the photo is named Tim he was a HUGE help with the race! There was also a "kids race" we put on (really Krista Park put it on - Pro Mountain Biker who graciously offered to do so)... I will get other pictures on here as we get them...

XTERRA Series Underway!

Race #1 Started Today - XTERRA - Georgia - Fall Fitness 5K Trail Running Race! We (Dirty Spokes Productions,LLC) are in charge of hosting the XTERRA Georgia Trail Running Series (6 races in the series).

Last night my Dad and I went to the course - Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center, Buford, Ga. and set the course up... woke up around 5:30 or so this morning and we hit the road - Linda, Madison, Dad and I got to the course - we were well prepared so didn't take too long to get registration set up. Set the tables, registration information, generator, stereo system set up, water, gatorade, gu, race numbers, prizes, on course water station, etc... we have some awesome sponsors for these races / series! We got there and it was pitch black so we did the work in the dark with flashlights! Chalise showed up a around 6:30a.m. to help with registration (Outstanding Neighbor! We owe her bigtime!). Linda, Madison, Chalise and Dad run the show on race day - I just try and stay out of their way!

Picture (above) of the Start! Our photographer wasn't there so one of our racers e-mailed this to us!

First Day Of School!

Heading to the bus! School got started today! Picture of the kids walking towards the bus stop!

Julia waiting on the bus!

Madison and Julia just getting off the bus (long tough day at the Elementary School!)...

Video From Florida!

I am good! I know (for those of you who know me) tough to believe I was able to put this video together (with music nonetheless - is that one word or three?) but able to upload the video! Incredible! Cool shots of the kids, Grammie and Papa! And to top it off cool music - about the UGA Dawgs!

Heading Home!

Vacation is over... woke up this morning around 7:00a.m. or so, got the R.V. packed up ate some breakfast and we headed back to the house! Sorry vacation is over but good to get home and get into our own beds this evening! Camping on the Gulf was awesome! Kids, Linda and I agree it is somewhere we will go back to visit! Awesome to have Grammie and Papa go along with us! They were awesome (real troopers!).

Collin if you read this please tell Eric as sad as it might seem - I have to go back to work tomorrow (yes, work I know tough to understand!). Teacher work days start tomorrow (but I did get 1 last chance to mow the grass this evening (looks more and more like Pebble Beach each time I look at it!).

Kids get 1 last week off before reality sets in for them as well!

Sand Castles and Mermaids!

That's right these are authentic "Destin Beach Florida" sand castles (referred to by the Princess as "mounds")... if you will look closely the "mound" if the large image (very creative) and to the left of the picture was the "girly princess" castle (no longer standing).

The other shot is of Madison and Blakely covered as mermaids!

Good Day At The Beach! After the beach we went to the pool, played some more shuffleboard, soft serve ice cream (Linda has been in heaven for the last 3 days getting soft serve ice cream for the last 3 days) and then came back to the R.V. to relax - Chicken Pasta for dinner (with grape Kook Aid for dinner - summertime and grape Kool Aid - not much better than that)!

Day 3 Destin Beach Florida!

Woke up and Linda and I went for a walk on the beach (me and the Little Princess!). Got back to the R.V. and made some pancakes (yes, I have been the chef the entire trip).

Hit the beach early this morning! Picture of Julia running back to the R.V. for who knows what?!?! Good shot of the R.V.'s up towards the pool area... also one of Madison, Blakely and Papa playing in the Ocean!