My visiting brother brings back childhood memories

Dan the Man, also known as my brother, Daniel, and his family came into town for a week for his wife's brother's wedding.

We were so excited to see him again and spend a little time together. We didn't get to him very much, but tried to take advantage of it as much as possible.

My favorite was when Daniel was at our parents with his kids and Kirsten and I went down with Millie and Baby to get some extra visit time and my dad took us all out on a hayride. He was getting everything ready for my mom's annual Halloween Party and figured he should take Daniel and his kids out since they would be leaving home before the party.

My sister, Kirsten was there too. She is VERY pregnant and we thought for sure some of the bumps we went on would start some labor...

Popi waits in his GQ mode while grandpa gets the trailer hitched.

Lil Mr is waiting patiently

Me and Baby wanted to prove we were there too.

She loved wrapping up in the blankets on the ride.

Little bright Daniel?

It was a bit of a dusty ride... OK, that is an understatement... it was a VERY dusty ride.

Millie didn't mind.

After the hay ride Jessie showed up and we gathered in our old bedroom, which is now the toy room and we sat on the floor like we did as kids and just laughed and talked. We started to reminisce about childhood and such and then we got talking about the old piece of machinery my dad had sitting in the front yard that we used to use as a trampoline. We just had to go outside and see if it still worked. Oh, goodness we had too much fun. It worked just like I remember only on a much smaller scale than it seemed at the time. It mostly brought back fond memories and got us all giggling.

Jessie took a video of it:

I am so thankful for my happy childhood! It wasn't easy, but it really molded me and my siblings, I believe we are all grateful for that.

After "jumping" we were quite giggly and got quite the kick out of checking out some of mom's yard sale stuff/junk and really got rolling when Kirsten picked this up:

She said, "What is this? A ceramic slug?" The reason we laughed so hard is because we realized it was actually feet that had broken off of a ceramic elf... OK, maybe you just had to be there... but really, it does look like a green slug. I don't think I'll ever be able to look at elves the same way without thinking they look a little... sluggish.

Ha!!!

On Sunday evening we all got together at mom and dad's house and celebrated all the October birthdays, painted pumpkins and ate homemade pudding and popcorn. The kids had a great time painting pumpkins.

I didn't get many pictures this time, just because we didn't see them much because they were here for the wedding. But I did get a picture of Lil Mr on the infamous porch horse.

Back to the Tetons

I am so excited to be able to FINALLY tell you all about our wonderful trip to the Tetons in Wyoming!

It all started with an email that I just happened to see by accident... I have an old email address that I no longer use but for whatever reason I don't know how to delete it from my old email program I also never use... anyway I was trying to make more room on my computer for some files and noticed a red number pop up in my Mail icon on my iMac.

I wondered why there would be mail on an account I never use and why after all this time would a red number 77 appear on it. So, thinking there was some sort of malfunction (sorry, I've been watching Star Trek Enterprise with Marc every night for the past few weeks...) I clicked on the icon and saw that there were 77 new mail messages. I was about to delete them all assuming it must be junk mail since I never use that email anymore and happened to catch the name "Achim."

Achim!!

Our wonderful friend Achim! How on earth did he have my old address. We just saw him last year... it must have been in his old contact list.

Anyway, he was letting us know that he and Thomas were coming to the United States from Switzerland and Germany to take a holiday in the Tetons!

They were not going to be this close and us not go to see them! While reading Achim's email I realized that this message had been sent some time ago (about 3 weeks prior) and they were going to be here in the US in 5 days! We had to scramble to find a way to work out finances to get there and to arrange child care for the kids so that we could go and, at least spend 1 night there with them.

Because of the generosity and sincere love for us our friends and family made it possible for Marc and I to spend 3 days and 2 nights in the Tetons with our friends who are more like brothers to us.

I truly had not realized just how much Marc and I needed this getaway until we started the drive there. We had 7 hours of drive time to the Tetons and had things to talk about the whole time. It was so fun! It was like we were dating again. I cannot explain the connection we were able to have just while on the drive.

We were enjoying the views and open skies during the drive.

This mound of a mountain was cool because there was nothing but flatness around it in Cokeville, Wyoming.

Then at the end of the drive to see Achim and Thomas again after a year was a great reunion. We true love for those 2 and were so excited to be able to spend time with them.

Achim and Marc go way back. Achim came to Marc's family as a foreign exchange student during high school and built a bond with Marc's family that has never faded. They have always stayed in touch. Thomas is best friends with Achim so when Marc went to Europe after high school to visit Achim, he of course, became friends with Thomas also. Achim has always been very busy with work and Travel and Thomas owns his own business that currently works with Red Bull so they are both very, very busy... so being able to spend time with them here in the states is really a blessing.

The first night we just reconnected, had fun and went out to eat.

We are relaxing outside of Thomas and Achim's cabin. Check out the reflection of the Tetons in their window! Awesome!

This was the view from their room.

Thomas and Marc.

The beautiful Tetons. It was moments like this that I wished I had something other than my iPhone...

This was all in preparation for our big hike the next day. We hiked the Two Oceans lake hike and it was amazing. The fall colors were on, the weather was brisk, we were the only people on the trail 98% of the time... notice I said people? I say that because there was a part of the trail that we spotted and then followed bear tracks. Real, bear tracks!!! I was kind of excited freaking out! Excited because, well,   it's just cool to see an animal in the wild, in its own habitat. Freaking out because they were fresh -- like poop-on-the-trail fresh! It was pretty intense for a bit there, which totally added to the excitement! Once we got past the bear tracks and the thick brush I felt a little more safe, not saying that the 3 big men I was hiking with didn't make me feel safe.... anyway.

Achim and I documented our entire trip... mostly Achim, he had the GoCam. I really need to get his videos!

Ya, I know, I have a horse mouth... anyway... moving on.

This picture makes me laugh because Thomas' arm is framing in Achim perfectly. The reason is because Thomas had some major shoulder surgery a few weeks prior to the trip and was still healing so he would have to stretch it every so often and I just happened to click at the right time... 

Marc leading the way. 

one of the beautiful views

How cool is this! We couldn't believe how close it was letting me get to it for the picture.  We think it was frozen from the cold or something... but hey, it was cool!

Two Oceans Lake and a yellow tree

Tee hee!

so here are the bear tracks, I spared you by not taking pictures of the bear scat...

On up the hill

So we made it to the summit and it was incredible! We had a great view of the Tetons and it was just awesome having hike this beautiful and adventurous hike with my husband and our friends. It was amazing to have hiked this 8 mile hike with these mountain men and still feel like I had energy left to go on another one. It made me feel like I am not old yet. (smile)

View of the lake from the summit

That's the bear spray Achim has in his hand. Thank goodness we didn't have to use it, but we're glad we had it...

Checking the big view

The Four Musketeers

Those are the Tetons behind us. It was breathtaking. Like I said, wish I had my awesome camera at this point.

I really just came along to be their photographer... ha ha! This was at the end our hike when we finally reached home.

We got back to our lodges and quickly got ready to head back out for a night on the town at Jackson Hole where we went out to eat, checked out some shops at Jackson Hole and just had a great time laughing, joking around and listening to Johnny Cash. (Europeans know how to travel in style, you know.)

On the way to Jackson we saw a black bear just off the side of the road. That was so cool, but made me realize how close we may have been to one of those things on our hike!

I'm sorry, but furry underwear is never a good idea... even in Jackson! Ha!
Too funny! Sorry, Jessie, I couldn't help it, it's funny!
(If you look close at the label below it offers two options--with or without tail... Bwa ha ha ha!!)

Me and Thomas had fun trying on some good looking hats!

Elk are big!

I just had to give it a kiss

The famous Jackson Hole antler arch

This is the kind of underwear that would be useful while staying in Jackson!

On our last day there we went on a short walk/hike below the lodge and then went to lunch at a little bagel shop outside of the Tetons.

Another binocular picture... I love these.

A photo that Thomas took from the lodge window that morning, the moon was still up.

Our last lunch together at the bagel shop near the river. Check out the pterodactyl in the tree. Random. But, funny.

It was so hard to say goodbye, but I know that we will continue to make efforts to stay in touch and hopefully go on a trip with them again some day. I am so thankful that Achim and Thomas made it possible for Marc and I to have some time with them and with each other. We really needed it and it was so much fun to be with them again.

I am excited to get the video of all our fun posted, hopefully soon. Who knows, at the rate I am playing catch up it may be a while...

Pumpkin a la mode

Sorry if you came to this post hoping it would lead you to the latest Pinterest-worthy recipe, but this is an entirely different type of post. Though, be it as you wish, you can pin this post for the pumpkins, I won't mind.

Anyway.

I started promoting the Fragile X Parade of Pumpkins in March of this year. From the beginning I had the whole thing in mind and how big I wanted it to be. It was hard to explain the concept to other people as putting pumpkins on display for auction to benefit families affected by Fragile X without it coming across like a family Halloween party.

Anyway, I am so grateful that I was able to, in some way, help some get the dream I had in mind.

It was so amazing that at the time we officially started our event there were actually people at the door. People I didn't even know! That was, in and of itself, awesome! I thought for sure I would most likely get friends and family there. But, it was awesome to meet people who had heard about it on Facebook, the Internet, The KUTV Pay it Forward TV spot, my blog, The Down Syndrome Association Newsletter, or by word of mouth.

I know this sounds bad, being my first event and all, but I have NO idea how many people came. We were so excited to see people coming and I was so anxious to meet them all that I completely forgot to keep a head count. But I do know we had just under 100 pumpkins!

There were a lot of friends and family there too. I felt so loved and so supported. It was a great feeling to have success our first time around. This was the first of many, and at least, now I'll know what I am doing for next time.

But, that's the way we learn, right?

Trial and error.

Trial and success.

Success and improvement.

I want to thank Chelsea of Gallery Image Photography for taking the photos for our event. I am so glad that we have so many images of the fun pumpkins we had.

And I want to thank my aunt Rosanne for making a great video of the fun stuff especially the high speed video of Aaron carving his pumpkin:


I have to show a couple of my favorite memories of the event.

Jessie painting a mustache on one of the kids who came.

And my Cosmo Pumpkin along side the soccer ball that Marc painted and Jessie's Dracula. Those were my 3 favorite. (Marc also painted the baseball, football, and basketball on this same table.)

There are already families talking about what they are going to do next year and bets being placed on who will win bragging rights for bringing in the highest bid on their pumpkin. The winning pumpkin display this year was actually a trio brought in the second day and went for $250!! They were the tiny ones too!

And I want to thank Aaron for being the inspiration for this entire thing.

I feel very blessed.

I am also VERY excited that we were able to find 3 other families affected by Fragile X Syndrome that only heard our Association existed because of all the publicity from all this. And that, my friends, is on of the the great reasons I keep doing this. To reach out to other families and to advocate for our children and families.

It was so much fun to teach people who were curious about Fragile X Syndrome. I think that is also one of the things I liked so much about this particular venue was the personal basis of it all. It gave me a chance to meet so many people and help them put a face and meaning to Fragile X.

Thank you to all who made this possible:
Aaron
Jessie
Amanda
Brittany
Judy and James
Chad and Jennifer
Lindsey
Aleesa and Todd
Michelle
Alexa
Brittany
Grace
Shauna and Mike
Lynne and Gary
Heather

and all the others who donated pumpkins, money, food and decorations!

Now that my pumpkins are done, I think I will go have some ice cream.

... pumpkin...  a la mode...