Special Olympics

This weekend was the 2009 Summer Games for Special Olympics in Arlington, Texas. Gregg and I started volunteering as part of the Medical Team last year and have really been looking forward to this weekend! The games started Thursday afternoon and lasted through Sunday afternoon. We "worked" Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This year marked the 40th Anniversary for Special Olympics and so the weekend was really special!

Friday morning was the "Entering of the Torch" and Policemen from all over the state came into the stadium with their lights and sirens on and then all gathered onto the track to run the Texas Flame of Hope around the stadium. It was really inspiring to see all the different Police and Sheriff's Departments that were represented. Friday evening was "The Opening Ceremonies" and all the Police were there again in their uniforms to welcome each of the different teams.

Saturday was the main day of competition and the athletes completed in all kinds of events (Basketball, Cycling, Gymnastics, Soccer, Tennis, Softball Throw, Standing Long Jump, Running Long Jump, Shot Put, TurboJav, and all sorts of Track relays). We worked out on the main track and thankfully because we had such great weather this weekend we only treated minor problems.

The Medical Team on Saturday along with Chief Molina and Delia

Chief Molina speaking to us about the work of the weekend

me, Gregg, Chris and Erin

Saturday evening was the big dance! This is by far the best part of the weekend because a lot of the athletes get dressed up and everyone really has a lot of fun! It is a chance for everyone to let loose and relax (including all of us!)

Dressed up and ready to dance!

Letting loose with the athletes

The Chicken Dance

Hollywood showing us how to dance "Thriller"

Gregg attempting the "Thriller" moves that we were taught

Marlene arm wrestling (Marlene was completely red faced when this was finally over! This kid was so strong and beat everyone he challenged)

Dancing to Soldier Boy

Chris trying to follow the moves

Elvis dancing to "Jail House Rock"

Volunteering for Special Olympics has become a very special part of Gregg and I's life and something that we truly love doing. Spending time with all of these athletes, their coaches and parents has touched both of us.

"I promise to give of the time in my life so that Special Olympics athletes can have the time of their lives. I promise to support Special Olympics not just as an expression of charity, but as a form of respect for my fellow human beings. I promise to spread the word of volunteerism because, in giving, I receive so much more in return."

Dragon Boat Races

Last Sunday was the 2009 DFW Dragon Boat, Kite, and Lantern Festival on Lake Carolyn in Irving. Irving Fire Department has put together a Dragon Boat Racing Team for the festival 2 years now. Last year they were the Grand Champions of the festival (meaning they were the fastest of the 17 teams entered) and so the team went in this year even more serious and focused on keeping their title!

A dragon boat is a very long and narrow human-powered boat now used in the team paddling sport of dragon boat racing which originated in China over 2000 years ago. Each boat is 40 feet long and requires 22 people in a team—20 paddlers, one drummer, and one person to steer (essentially, the skipper). The goal is to paddle to the same beat of the drum and move in unison to achieve maximum speed. As you can imagine our Firefighters were slightly larger than what is typical for Dragon Boat Racers and all the other teams that were competing! The boys named their team "Hope We Float" last year joking that they hoped the boat would float and not sink once the boat was in the water! Because of their size Bob, the team Captain, decided to have all the guys weigh in at the beginning of the day so that he could best match the guys up and spread the weight out on the boat the best. (I told you they were serious about winning again!!!)

Gregg being weighed in

After being weighed in and a brief "strategy" meeting the guys were ready race! Their were 30 teams in the competition this year and each team got to race in 3 different heats with the best 4 teams getting to race against each other in a 4th heat. The course length for these races was 250 meters. All the teams were broken up into different categories and our team was one of 5 teams competing in the all male division. The teams raced 4 at a time and in the 1st 3 heats you raced against yourself trying to put up your best time so that you qualified for the final race.

The guys putting on their life jackets

Headed out to race

The son of one of the Firefighters was the Drummer Boy. (He didn't actually beat the drum during the races but more held on for dear life!!!)

IFD Fire Boat 8 entertaining the crowd between races

Look at the lead they have!

IFD had a GREAT day putting up times of 1:10, 1:12, and 1:07:25 in the first 3 races (beating their best time of 1:13:41 from last year!) They had the fastest time of the day and qualified for the Grand Champion Race!

In the Grand Champion Race "Hope We Float" finished the course in 1:08:21 a full 2 seconds ahead of the 2nd place team!!!

Celebrating VICTORY!!!

Chief Molina congratulating the guys!

IFD Dragon Boat team and their families

2009 Festival Grand Champions

We had so much fun being at the festival this year and watching all of the teams compete in the Dragon Boat Races! I especially enjoyed the time that was spent with so many other Firefighters and their families! The camaraderie among these guys is amazing and I am honored to be part of this family! I LOVE my Firefighter!!!

Hico Steak Cook Off

Saturday was the 6th Annual Texas Steak Cook Off in Hico, Texas. My parents LOVE to cook and watch the Food Network Channel all the time and when they learned about this cook off they decided to enter. My Dad even built (yes, Built) a new charcoal grill just for the occasion! My parents along with Seth, Bailey, Brandon, Brice and Lance all headed to Hico on Friday to set up and get ready. Gregg and I went on Saturday after he got off work. The weather was a little crummy but we had fun hanging out and cooking steak. Mom and I even got a start on our Christmas shopping from some of the craft booths that were set up!

Dad, Me, and Gregg

Bailey and Brice

Dad and Seth

My Dad's Vet Clinic sponsored the team and so our team name was the FVC (Frenship Vet Clinic) Sizzlers. This year there were 80 different teams entered in the competition (up from just 30 teams last year)! The steaks for the competition were provided so that everyone started out with the same cut of meat. We were given 2 steaks to cook and then could choose which of those 2 to submit for judging. We turned our first steak in and all sampled the other one we had and Dad was SUPER pleased with the steak! We all thought that the steak was cooked just perfectly and the seasoning was right on!!!

After all the steaks had been turned in the Top 25 teams were announced and they got to cook another steak for the judges. We were all VERY excited to hear our team called out as one of the finalist!!!

FVC Sizzlers sign with our "Top 25 Plaque"

The Chef's getting ready to turn in their final steak

We got our 2nd steak turned in and even had time to grill some vegetables to eat with our steaks for supper! The Top 25 steaks were judged and the Top 10 were placed and received $. My Dad was so excited to have made it into the Top 25 since this was his first Steak Cook Off to enter! When 10th Place was announced and out team # was called out we were all VERY surprised and so excited!!!

Dad after receiving the 10th Place Plaque

FVC Sizzlers (BT, Seth, Dad and Lance) receiving plaque from Steak Cook Off Rep

Both of our new awards!!!

We have already entered in another Steak Cook Off to be held in Mineral Wells in September and my parents have even booked their RV spot for the cook-off in Hico next year!!!

Weekend in Mena, Arkansas

Last weekend Gregg and I along with Gregg's best friend, Gary, and his wife, Macy, all went to Mena, Arkansas to go ride 4 wheelers! We left Dallas Friday morning and headed to Mena. The drive was very scenic and Gregg and I enjoyed spending time together just talking as we drove along. While in Mena we stayed at the Willow Brook Cottage which was absolutely beautiful!!! Gregg found this place for us and we were all very impressed! The cottage was very quaint and pretty but the gardens surrounding the place were amazing!!! It rained a lot over the weekend so we didn't get to spend much time outside but when we were in the cabin all of our time was spent in the garden room enjoying the views around us!


(My camera ran out of battery and so Macy took a lot more pictures of the gardens and flowers that I will upload later!)

Saturday morning we got up and made breakfast and then headed out to the Ouachita Mountains and the Wolf Pen Gap ATV Trails to ride 4 Wheelers! This was my first time to go trail riding and I have to say that I am hooked and cannot wait to go back!!! We had so much fun and the scenery was truly breathtaking! While we were out riding it started raining and so we stopped to eat lunch under a big rock by an old mine.

Gregg and I getting ready to hit the trails

Aren't we cute in our fantastic rain ponchos?!?!

Macy and Gary by the big mud puddle (the boys really wanted to go ride thru it but we wouldn't let them!)

Gary and Macy

Gregg and I poising in our matching rain gear!

After lunch the boys took Macy and I back to the trucks and they went out to play some more. Macy and I went back to the cabin, cleaned up and then headed to town to do some shopping! We were a little late getting there and so most of the shops were getting close to closing but we did manage to find a couple of things. After that we drove around town to look at the damage caused by a tornado that struck Mena on April 9. We heard from some of the locals that the tornado path was 1/2 mile wide and 14 miles long and that around 1,000 houses/ buildings in the small town were completely destroyed. It was devastating to see all the damage and reminded me again not to take anything for granted.


Saturday night we made hamburgers back at the cabin and then played "Phase 10"! (I think I have found my new favorite card game and I am really good!!!) It was so great to be able to sit around and relax while enjoying the company of good friends!


We had breakfast Sunday morning and celebrated Macy on Mother's Day and then packed our bags and headed home. It rained most of our drive (which made me very nervous) but we made it home in one piece!


Our weekend in Mena was fantastic and both Gregg and I enjoyed (and needed) the time away!!! We had an amazing time with our good friends Gary and Macy and enjoyed spending time with them! I am looking forward to all the many more trips that we will take!!!