The weekend

This weekend was busy with everyone doing their thing.
We had no races and were able to stay home but there was plenty going on that's for sure.
Both Masaru and I had an overnight campout with our perspective groups.
He was with his scout group and I was with my girl youth group. We both had a good time.
Masaru was on a fishing campout where he told me they had onion rings and some other crazy food for breakfast. I love that the scout people don't give a rip man. Here I am thinking about what kind of breakfast I should be feeding these young girls and my own son is eating onion rings for breakfast. I should've just grabbed left overs from my fridge and called it good right?
He had fun though and loves these campout things and that's all that counts right?
Dru stayed at home, got a haircut and went to soccer with the kids while tidying the house and being a productive husband.

I left at 4pm on the Friday night with all the girls. Two leaders came with me too. Rachelle Harlin came up cause she was at our girls camp and the girls enjoyed her and then Greg Ogden as he was one of our male chaperones for the weekend. Then we had another 3 girls in the car with us.
We headed up and listened to music and talked. It was nice.
Once we got there Rebecca was already there and had started a fire and gotten the place ready for us which was really nice.
We threw our tinfoil dinners on the fire and drank some hot chocolate to keep us warm. It was a little cold but at least it wasn't snowing or anything.
After we'd had dinner we made a fire outside and sat around it and hung out singing and talking. It was nice but I was right in the way of the smoke and so now my nice jacket smells like campfire. That's the only thing about campfires man, the smell afterwards.
Anyway we headed inside where some girls played monopoly while other played another game and some rested on the couch.
We all hung out for a while and then we got our beds ready for sleeping.
We decided to play a singing song where we choose a song and blindfold ourselves and then put headphones in and sang to our hearts content. It was pretty cute and pretty funny man.
I chose a Justin Beiber song. It was pretty funny and who knows whether I was good or not. It's all about song choice man, I've discovered. You gotta know you can hit those notes before you committ.
It's a pretty fun game and we had a good time trying it.
Then by 2am everyone went to bed and I had the crappiest sleep because one of the leaders is a snorer and I can't sleep with snoring man. So I felt around in the dark for some ear plugs that I brought in the knitting bag. I used those but that only helped a little bit as they were construction ones and so it was hard to sleep on the side of my head, but at least I couldn't hear the snoring man.
I need to get some squishy ones and put those in my knitting bag. I take that thing everywhere and it's saved me numerous times.

After a crap night's sleep for me we got up at 9am. That was way too late for us to be home by 2pm and I knew it. But I really wanted to girls to go on this hike so I went with it and got everyone home late. No one seemed to mind though so that's good.

We drank some hot chocolate to keep warm and had some breakfast. We had muffins and fruit, then made ourselves a sandwich for when we were at the top of the hike.
We also basically packed up all of our stuff. It worked out pretty good.

We headed in the car and followed Rebecca as she totally knew where she was going and it's kind've a tough place to find the start of.
We finally got there and headed up. I wanted to get in some exercise so led the group and I guess I must've been going fast? I ended up turning around with only two girls with me and we waited about 5-10 mins for the next people to be seen. We decided to stick with the group and it's lucky we did cause I led some girls down to a camp spot that wasn't part of the trail. Rebecca yelled out we were going the wrong way and we headed back on track.
There was snow on the trail which made it really pretty and cold. We warmed up though and by the time we made it to the top we were warm.
Here's some pic's.

Sarah and Camille hanging out in the snow.

Us eating our lunch overlooking the sweet valley view.

Getting everyone to look at me.

Me trying to get a selfie with everyone but just making everyone blurred.

View looking at boulder lake.

View of the valley

Better view of the lake.

This crazy knotted tree that grew like this. What do you think that was about?
The hike back down was way faster and we got back to the cabin faster too.
We let everyone have something else to eat and packed up and headed out. We got back by 5:30pm which was pretty late.
I got home to discover a tidy house and happy kids. Dru was sweet with me being late and seemed happy, so that's good.

These guys had been playing 'cool dudes' with their neighbour mates and their cool bikes as well. Emiko's face cracks me up man. These kids are fun.


We got some kiwi fruit and I thought this sticker was kinda funny. Kiwi kids back in NZ are kids who eat wheatbix. I guess kiwi kids in USA are kids who eat kiwi fruit. Makes sense right?

Yuki also made this invitation for Dru to attend a Daddy daughter date with Yuki's little girls group. Should be super fun for her. She loves her Dad.

Masaru had just arrived an hour before me and had had a great time.
Dru had said that Yuki's soccer game was ok and that they'd lost. From what I've heard of Yuki's soccer game she's not getting into it as much which is just fine by me. Maybe this will be our last year?
That'd be nice.
Dru and I went out to dinner on a date later on that night which was nice.

Sunday we went to church and I had meetings till dinner time basically. I tell you what, I will not miss my Sunday's being used all up when I'm released from this youth calling that's for sure. It'll be nice to have nothing going on again before or after church!!!!
We had dinner with the Braun's and hung out then went to bed.
Great weekend sort of at home.

Yuki turns 10

Yuki woke up the morning of her birthday and quickly wanted to start celebrating. Mum always sends gifts over and so it was the perfect opportunity for her to open her Grandmother's gift to her.
I always take a video so mum can see the kids opening her gifts. Mum had gotten her something when she'd come over in May and had forgotten what she'd gotten her, so was happy to see what she'd put in the gift hahahaha
Yuki loved it. Thanks Grandma.
She also got some sweet cash from her other Grandma which she loves as well and is quickly trying to figure out what she'd like to buy with is as well as more cash from her Auntie Kristin and jump ropes and drawing books from her Auntie Les. Talk about spoilt.

Here she is with all her goods on.

Earrings that mum got her.

Dru and I ended up making this cake for her. I think it turned out pretty good.

The fish was a nice addition.

She went to school then came home with all of her friends and played with them. It was raining and we'd wanted to do a sports birthday party, but with all the rain it looked like it wasn't going to work out.
She decided she wanted to open presents first though. So I figured why not right? So we opened gifts.

Popcorn maker from Harper.



Outside glow in the dark darts from Susie.

Magic 8 ball from Gavin.



Totoro toys and candy from Aria and Caleb.
She was so happy with everything, as she should be.

So we headed to the chapel and decided to play games in there. Luckily I have a key so we could just go over there.
They had a blast.

They played soccer and then ghost in the graveyard. It worked out perfectly.



Once we got home we ate pizza and brocolli and sang to her with her cake.


She ate cake and then her friends slowly started getting picked up one by one.
She'd had a great night with mates and I'm happy for her.

We then gave her our gift. It was a snowboard with bindings and boots. So she's ready to snowboard with her father and brother this next season. Good investment I think as buying the kids toys is a waste of money as they rarely play with them and I'm always giving them away.


She then lost a tooth the next day which is crazy. I kind've forget that maybe she needs to lose teeth you know. I had no idea that that one needed to be pulled out.



Then Friday she chose to have her day off with the family.
She wanted to go to Red Robin for her lunch, which was crazy as we've been there maybe twice in her whole life!! I dunno what that was about and she just ate mac and cheese? But whatever right? It's her day.
Emiko got in on some of the action out of pure, being around-ness, the lucky duck.
Then Yuki and I went to the movies.
We went and saw the new Ninjago movie and it's actually pretty funny man. I liked it.

I can't believe Yuki is 10!! Where did that time go man? I'm just like every other parent on this planet who has growing kids and is doing a reflecting moment and realizing that things are going a little too fast for my liking.
Yuki is a good girl and she likes her friends. If she could live part time with us and part time with her mates she'd be in seventh heaven. I dunno what that's saying about us but it is what it is. She's the only one that likes sleep overs and always works hard so she can play with her mates. It's interesting.
She's just like my sister in that way and maybe Dru's sister.
She's a good girl at school and never has any problems which is nice for Dru and I. She's well behaved and all her teachers really like her.
She's got good mates which is great too.
She's a little emotional which is a little scary but hopefully we'll be able to work with that as it comes. She's quite sensitive and I'm not a very good person to be sensitive around, so it forces me to try to be a little nicer. Lucky she has her father who's super nice to her, so that's at least something.
She's motivated and gets her chores done with ease. She sees the bigger picture, something I'm still not good at.
She's athletic but her last two soccer games, Dru was saying her care factor has gone down a little, so maybe this season will be her last, which is just fine by me man. I like soccer for what it is but I'm sweet as with Yuki finding other sports to be a part of you know.
She's in a running club and likes that. I mean what a gift to be a good runner. We're trying to ease her into mtb so we'll see how that goes. She can't be forced into anything though and I know that, so I need to keep my agenda at bay.
I love Yuki. She has so much potential and I'm excited to see what she'll do and become in her life. She could do it all.
So we'll see. I'm glad she's my daughter and that I get to have a front row to her life and be a part of it.
Love you pooh's.
Mum xx

Slow mo Emikoko and Masaru's MTB race #3 Sun Valley

My mate Hilary's kids go to gymnastics and she let us come for an hour and play at the place for $3. I still owe her that $3 as well. Anyway I took Emiko and she had a great time so I got some slow mo's of her jumping into the foam pit.

She had a great time and I had a great time catching up with mates.

Then that weekend we headed off to Sun Valley for Masaru's third race. We'd heard there was some sweet riding in Galena and were pumped to go and try it.
We were going to stay on the grass at a mate's mate's place. Dru contacted Dax, his highschool buddy and asked him if he had any hookups. Dax said his boss had a place in Sun Valley that all of the Pocatello team were staying at and that we were welcome to stay on the grass. We were happy with that as there was nothing else around you know.
Well we show up and the place is MASSIVE and we got our own suite to stay in. It worked out really well and we didn't have to camp outside in the cold. The guy who's place it was was SUPER nice and it was really nice to be staying in a place for free that was amazing. And we didn't have to clean anything. We had our own kitchen and bathroom and washer and dryer and they had old school arcade games and TV and internet. What a blessing.
So Dru and Masaru got up early the next day to go pre-ride the course. Dax dropped them off which was nice so I could sleep in.
We then all headed down there to support Masaru and his race.

Dru got this image of all the tents at the beginning of the race. Pretty cool.


Here he is at the beginning of the race. He's always in the back because he comes in the last 10 of the race and they place kids where they place sort of you know?


It seemed like a really nice course with a sweet DH but single track and once you were on there there wasn't really any passing which sucked. So Masaru had to race to the top. He loved it and came in 48th out of 59 or 49th out of 58. I can't remember. He's enjoying it though and wants to be able to ride better and get better. I'm so proud of him and bonus for us it was a beautiful place.
So we left the kids with Masaru and the team and Dru, Dax and I went for a ride just around where the race was happening. It was so beautiful as you can see below.


I'm just getting back into it and am un-fit but I'm loving all this riding I'm getting in all these different places. Dru is patient and doesn't mind riding with slow poke Milz and I used to be self conscious about it but after much talking over the years have realized that Dru just likes going with me no matter what and I can understand that. I like going with him too. It's good to be together experiencing this all together, I can't tell you how much I love it and him and this sport we do.

 Takeshi also wanted in on the action so rode all around the trails while we were watching the races and fell off his bike a couple of times and scraped himself up pretty good. He's crazy man. We told him to take it easy until he's riding with us, but the kid can't help himself man. Our friends patched him up and he was good to go.

We came back and had dinner and hung out and went in the hottub. It was nice to relax our muscles. Then we dropped into bed cause we were all so tired.

The next day we got up and got the kids breakfast then Dax, Dru and I headed out to do a local loop that was close while the kids had fun at the house.

 The loop was really hard and really beautiful. It reminded me of Stanley's riding. It was 2400 vertical feet of climbing so I was done like a dinner man. The DH was fun but the jury is still out on whether that climb was worth it hahahahaha

We got home and picked up the kids and took them mtb as well and did a loop with them.

I love Dru's hair after he's been busy and crazy. He has an appointment to get it cut tonight but until then, let the crazy hair days continue.

Emiko didn't want to ride and so I stayed back with her while all the boys rode the loop and then we headed back to the place, showered and packed up all of our stuff and headed home.

It was such a great time. I love these weekends. It's a little crazy though!! But what fun things to be doing as a family.

Targhee Mtb race #2

So this past weekend we attended Masaru's second race in grand targhee resort. It was quite the mess to get there though.
So our van's battery has a lot of gunk on it and it's been acting up and we should've cleaned it properly but we've been limping it along. So Dru jump started it but crossed the cables and did something to the van that it did not like.
It was freaking out and showing this VSC sign and wouldn't drive properly.
We called our mate Nat, who's got a sienna and tries some fuses but that didn't work and we had to call it and move everything into the land cruiser and use that.
Don't get me wrong, I love our landcruiser but it's double the petrol price to take anywhere than the van and with Dru and I trying to budget our money this wasn't helping at all.
I'm grateful we have the cruiser though and so we left the van on our driveway to be delt with on the Monday and headed out together.
We didn't make it to Targhee until 12:40am and dropped into bed until we had to wake up at 6am to get Masaru to his pre-ride.
Both Dru and I got up with Masaru and went with him while he checked out the race track he was going to do.
It was a mile longer and he felt ok about it. He didn't like the fact that it was a mile longer but liked that it didn't feel like it was a huge climb.

Dru and I then went back to the lodge and fed the other kids and went out on our own ride.

We wanted to do a 13 mile loop and figured it'd be awesome. It was totally cross country riding and I've realized that I"m not a cross country rider. I'm sorry cross country mountain bikers but it just doesn't do anything for me. So I gave it about a 6 out of 10 and then we had to constantly be looking at the map because there was trails all over the place and we started getting worried about getting back to Masaru's race in time. Then that stressed me out a little more, which made me not really like the ride even more and so it kinda left a bad taste in my mouth. Just give me a climb for a sweet DH. That's all I'm asking man. None of this up and down and up and down and up and down like a wave business. Straight up then straight down is how I want it. I'd also love, if I have to climb, having switchbacks man. Switchbacks are the best invention ever and I don't know why more places don't use them, like Boise. Or maybe I could just get fitter and all would be good in the world. Goals I guess.

We made it back to Masaru's race in time and that relieved me a ton. We went back and got the kids and we all went out and got ready to cheer him on. He'd made it into the A group so he was super pumped about that. Because he's one of the slower A's he was in the back of the group so started in the back. This makes it tougher to pass anyone you know, but that's the way it is.

Here he is starting the race.
I went down and found him and gave him a huge hug and got all emotional seeing my boy in this awesome mountain biking race. I mean how cool is that right? Masaru gave me the "come on mum" look and I backed away slowly and wished him the best of luck.

He did amazing. We cheered him on in three different places. First of all here at the beginning and then in the middle and then were at the finish line cheering him on.
His team mates came first sixth eleventh and fifteenth and then there was Masaru at 47th. It was pretty awesome.

He didn't come last, which is wonderful and this is what his face looked like at the end of the race. Dusty and exhausted. He gave it his all and that's what I'm the most proud of.
I loved this race. It was well organized and just wonderful. I'm excited to be a part of this world and hope my other kids race as well.
After cheering Masaru on we cheered on his B group buddies as well as our other friends in the rest of the races. The atmosphere was electric and it was a great place to be.

We then went and got something to eat, showered and headed to the pool and hot tub to relax our muscles and give the kids some fun.
Yuki went and hung out with her BFF Caleb while the rest of us went to a friends' campground and hung out with them and shared food for 2 hours. It was really nice.



We were so tired that I fell into bed, with the other kids and went to sleep in seconds. Dru had to pick Yuki up as I was outt've it. It's hard work to be a race kids mum!!

The next day Dru, Masaru and I went for some more riding and this time the climb was worth the decent. We climbed up the road 3 times and tried ot 2 trails. It was amazing and I wish we could've done more.
Dru and I really wanted to do the ski lifts and try out all the DH trails but with Masaru's race starting at noon we really couldn't justify being able to do it, then Sunday we needed to start heading home for the 6 hour drive and so only rode for 1.5 hours.
Grand Targhee makes me excited. I'd LOVE to try all of the lift DH trails man and am super bummed we didn't get to do it. But another time right?
We came home and threw everything onto the floor, ate and went to bed.
Now I'm slowly trying to clean up the mess that is called my house while dealing with the other day to day stuff as well.
I'm not doing a very good job either to be honest. I can't keep up. So my house is untidy and things still aren't unpacked and I haven't even done one load of wash at all.
I dunno what my deal is but I'm super busy and need more hours in the day.
I'm not even working people!!!
I don't know how working mother's do it man. Get a maid and a cook I guess.
Anyway it was a great weekend as a family and I'm super proud of Masaru.
What a great kid.
I love him.

Weekend at home

So this last weekend we got the chance to stay at home which is always really nice. We totally needed it. My girlfriend gave me these flowers from her garden. Aren't they so pretty? I love them. They grow wild out in her front yard. I love them so much. I need to get some.

So Saturday was go time. We had so much to do and one day to do it. Lots of people were out for the holiday weekend, having a good time with their families, which we usually do, but this weekend it was nice to stay home and get some stuff done.
So I worked on the inside of the house while Dru worked on the outside of the house and we did some much needed clean up. It was awesome.
We took Emiko in to renew her passport for our trip to NZ. This was the mug shot they decided to do. So funny.
It was a really productive day and I was really happy.
Yuki had a bday party to go to and the way the other kids did their chores they missed out on going to the afterparty. There was a movie and a game exchange that Dru and I were going to go to with the other kids, but they messed around all day and did a horrible job at getting their stuff done.
So we kept them home, went out on a date and put them to bed.
Dru and I ended up going out to dinner and coming home and watching a movie together on the couch. I love that as a date.

This quote was on my mate's blog and I loved it. Mtb is always hard, it never gets easier man. I always suck at it, but my hope is is that I'm getting stronger and stronger the more I go.

I also saw these sweet crochet pads that would save me tons of money. I tried to read the pattern and figure out how to do it and couldn't quite get it. I really wanna make a few so I don't have to keep buying those freakn pads man. Maybe I'll pay Kristin to make me some?

It was Kat's daughter's bday on the 5th and so Emiko and I sent her a message.

On Friday night we'd planned on going to the 'night glow' that Boise has every year. So they blow up all of these hot air balloons and then early the next morning the lift into the sky and they're amazing to see.
Dru and I were gonna go and meet up with two mates.
Well we left so late and then we all biked so that took even longer and our one set of mates had already gone home by the time we'd turned up. I felt bad about that man. So we met our other friend and hung out with her for a few mins. We'd turned up so late that the balloons were up for a few mins and then they started taking them down.

Oh well. The kids did wonderful biking 13.1 or 20kms into town and back. Especially Emiko man. What a little rockstar. She surprises me every time man.

 Everytime she bikes she sings this song. It's because it's the song that Llewellyn used to edit our NZ biking time when we all went mtb in roturoa. I think it's funny and really cute.

Sunday I was teaching at church and Dru and I slept in until around 10am. It was really nice.

After a meeting I came home and Takeshi and I made a banana cake and I finished baking some bread and we had a couple of our mates around for dinner. I forgot to tell our one friends we were inviting our other mates. But we all ended up getting along well with each other and having a good night together. It was good to be able to hang out and be together.

Monday Dru left for Mexico for work. He was gone Mon-Wed and so it was just me and the kids on Monday. I wanted to float the river but not by myself. Masaru got flag duty where we had to put out flags on around 12 people's front lawns for the holiday. So really that means that I got flag duty to go around and put up the flags. We all slept in and so we were a little late  getting them all up. The last house we went to was the Braun's house and so we decided to stop in and visit and ended up staying there ALL DAY.
I helped sort through some stuff with Nydia while keith took the kids away and did fun things with them by the river and bridge. It ended up being a good deal for everyone.
We had pizza for dinner then went and picked up the flags again later on that night and all came home exhausted.
I'm glad the Braun's let me stay with them for the day. It was nice.

Masaru's mtb race

So Masaru had his first race in Jug Mt a couple of weekends ago. I was sick like a dog and stayed to help my friend with her wedding, so just Dru and Masaru went up. I was sad but I knew Dru had it you know.
Here's Masaru at his race.
He did a practice run that morning and felt good, Dru said, and then got his number and prepared for the race.
They had all the kids go in 3 second increments. Dru said it worked great.
Masaru gave it his all. His goal was to do it in 22 mins and he did it in 18 mins. He was so happy.
He got 58 out of 110 and he couldn't have been happier.
I think he liked the atmosphere as well as the race itself and he said at the end of the race he couldn't talk cause he was out of breath so much.
He really put everything he had into it.
We were so proud of him. What a wonderful thing right?


All smiles and happy faces before the race.

So exciting.



He has another race this weekend and we're excited to watch him and do some mtb ourselves. It's been so smoky here we haven't been able to do any biking due to smoke in the lungs man.

Then we went on our own mtb ride together as a family. It was my first ride in a few weeks and I'm glad I went with these guys. They all had a great time and we need to do it more often.

Now that's a family car right?!!!