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!!!

Prayer request for my friend Susan

My dear friend Susan, who is 28 weeks pregnant, was admitted to the hospital this morning. Susan has complete placenta previa (the opening of her cervix is completely covered by her placenta) and developed some complications of that last night. Susan and baby Carlee are both doing great but the doctor put Susan on complete bed rest for the duration of her pregnancy. I can only imagine how difficult this will be for Susan and her husband Craig!!! Please pray that Miss Carlee can continue to grow and develop in her Mommy's belly and that Susan and Craig will feel God's hand on them through the rest of this pregnancy.

March of Dimes Walk

Today was the March of Dimes Walk at White Rock Lake. I walked with several girls from the NNICU for Parkland's team! There were quite a few people who work in all the departments throughout Parkland who were at the park to walk today and support March of Dimes! Parkland's donation goal this year was $60,000 and so I hope that we reached and exceeded our goal. Parkland has an amazing woman from March of Dimes that works at the hospital named Dora. Dora is a true blessing for the staff of the NNICU and for all the families who have babies in the NNICU. This year Dora invited several past "NNICU graduates" to be on our team and walk with us. It was great to have those people with us reminding us exactly why it was that we were there today!

Here is a picture of all the NNICU people plus some of our graduates before the walk started

NNICU Graduate Families

Beth and I

Brooke and her husband with their baby

Danny, Cheryl and Matthew

Veronica and Julian

Amanda and Cody

Leslie was walking for Lupita (Lupita got an ear infection and couldn't be there today)

The Start/ Finish Line

Me, Veronica, and Cheryl starting the walk

On our way

Beth and Leslie

We finished!!!

After the walk was over we went back to the tent and I was surprised by the Carmona family being there! I walked today for their son Ricardo (Ricky) who was born on June 12, 2007 at 24 weeks.

Ricardo lived for 44 days and I was his Primary Nurse (meaning that everytime I worked I took care of him). I became very close to this precious boy and his family and have stayed in touch with them since. On August 26, 2008 Martin and Martha Carmona welcomed their 2nd son, Alejandro into the world. I was blessed to be in the delivery room with the Carmona's when Alejandro was born and got to celebrate with this family their new miracle. I have talked to Martha several times over the last few months checking on the family and Alejandro but have not seen any of them since they left the hospital. It was so great to see this family again! I will always remember and love Ricardo and the Carmona family. I walked today for yall and for all the other babies who won't ever walk.

Martha and me with baby Alejandro

Our weekend and Mikka's Wedding

My family was all in town this weekend for my cousin, Mikka's wedding! My parents, Seth and Bailey all drove in Friday night and spent the weekend at our house. Gregg had to work Friday and so I went and met them at Chili's for dinner once they got to town. After dinner we went back to my house for the night. This was the first time that I have seen Seth and Bailey since the divorce and so getting to spend this time with them was especially special. Saturday morning my Mom, Bailey and I got up and went to McKinney to take breakfast/ lunch to all the girls as they were getting ready. While we were doing that my Dad, Seth, Gregg, Uncle Kevin and cousin Brady all went to Bass Pro Shop in Rockwall to do some shopping. It makes me so happy that Gregg is so comfortable with my family and can hang out with them like that!

Mikka and Chris were married Saturday evening in a really sweet ceremony at Katie's Garden in McKinney! The weather was perfect for an outdoor wedding and everything was just beautiful! Mikka and Chris exchanged vows and rings with each other and Chris also exchanged vows and gave a ring to Jadyn (Mikka's 4 year old daughter). This part of the wedding was very special for them but a little hard on our family- When Seth and Brandi got married Seth exchanged vows with Bailey and also gave a ring to her. Bailey leaned over to Seth and said "I remember when you gave me my ring Daddy." That brought tears to my eyes. I pray that she knows how much Seth and our whole family love her.

Mikka and Chris exchanging vows

Jadyn Blair

The KISS!

Mr. and Mrs. Chris James

Leaving the ceremony

Jadyn was so excited about getting to ride in the carriage!!!

The reception was in the ballroom at The Grand Hotel in downtown McKinney. The hotel was beautiful and the ballroom was decorated so pretty. The food was amazing and we had a lot of fun spending time with everyone and dancing!!!

Mikka and Chris's 1st dance

Mikka and her Daddy dancing

Gregg and Bailey dancing

Seth and Mikka dancing

Mom and Dad dancing

Grammy and Gramps won the "Married Couples Dance Off". They have been married 54 years and are still going strong!!! Here they are explaining the secrets to a successful marriage!

Sunday morning we all went to breakfast together and then went to visit my Great Aunt Cleacy before everyone left town. Cleacy is 96 years old and like a 2nd Mom to my Dad. She lives in an assisted living home here in Dallas. It was lunch time when we went to visit her so we didn't stay long but I know that the time my Dad spent with her was special to him.

I could tell that Bailey was really affected by the wedding this weekend and I think that she is struggling with this divorce a lot more than any of us realize. My parents and Seth say that she often makes comments about family and love and they know that she is hurting. There was even a time this weekend when she said to my Mom and I that she "didn't know what her Mom liked anymore". It breaks my heart to hear these things from her. I know how hard Seth has been working to prove to her that he loves her and that he isn't going anywhere. I pray that this is all a phase for her and that she knows how loved she truly is.

Gregg and I had such a great time this weekend with my family and I am so glad that they were all able to come in for Mikka and Chris's wedding! We love yall and can't wait to see everyone again!!!