Thanksgiving

We traveled to Jim's folks place in Coeur d'Alene, ID (actually Hayden Lake) for our annual Thanksgiving trip. We almost didn't make it as Jim and Levi both woke up on Wed morning with a sort throat and fever. We had planned to leave at 6am on Wed, but we had them sleep in to see if they would get any better. We just didn't want to take any flu bug up to Jim' parents.

As it turned out, they did get feeling better, we pumped them up with drugs and we were on our way. It was a great visit with everyone.

Ben and Amy's fam came up, but had to get Syd back for basketball practices, so we kept Jake and Sammy (our kids were elated!). Of course we hit BLACK FRIDAY. I don't know why they call it black friday, it should be RED friday, b/c that is what happens to your accounts! They go into the RED! Amy BETH's Family was in town (Deenie's) and so Westin came shopping with us. Very cool kid. Great family.

We also got to visit with John and Angela Geddes and family. It was great - as usual - to see them again. We really enjoy being around them and their family. The also have a great family. Jim and John are planning a CAT skiing trip since they have talked about it since apparently HS. John looked at me and said, "Alisa, are you okay with this?". Are you kididng? I'm so happy that he has a passion! He supports me in all mine!!! GO FOR IT!

We played a LOT of games, ate a LOT of food, spent a LOT of money and all in all had a great time. Here is a slide show of some of the pics.

Vipers Last Season Game (Phew)

Micah had his last "season" game. But really..that doesn't mean much! Now, his team does indoor soccer, still practices and then in Jan starts a "PDL" season, followed by "State Cup". So, this is by no means the end for us. BUT...it has been good for him and he is getting better all the time. Elders Olson, Rendon, Reyes and Gabor (Left to Right with Micah in the middle) all came to see his game on this day. Micah loves it when they come to watch him. I think it adds a bit more adrenaline to his game.

It is funny b/c one night, the elders were coming to our home. We had to pick up Micah from practice at 8pm from WHS Stadium. The missionaries live right by there, so they offered to get Micah on the way to our house (HUGE HELP!). Well, they were in their long trench coats, suit, ties, etc. They came to the field and the coaches thought they were from the District and apologized that they ran their practice late, said they would be done right away, etc. They said, "No, we are just here to get Micah". Then they must've thought they were with the FBI! :) hahaa. It was pretty good.

Mudday, Tuesday, or P-day?

L-R: Elder Duncan, Keegan, Alisa, Elder Olson, Brock (in front), Micah, Elder Lavin, Levi, Elder Reyes, Elder Gabor, Stockton, Elder Rendon, Teal.

Today was Veteran's Day! God Bless the Vets!!! So, we had school off and it was the missionaries P-Day! So, we had a day of soccer and fun!! We actually were going to take them up the Columbia Gorge hiking on the beautiful trails of the scenic NW, but the night before, I was checking the weather forecast and there was a RED FLAG on the website that said, "NATIONAL WEATHER FORECAST ALERT". Uh-Oh, that can't be good. I clicked on it and there was a huge storm coming in off the coast, supposed to dump 3 inches of rain on us and bring 40-70 mph winds. Well, these trails were on cliffs. They had cables along them, but nonetheless could be dangerous in bad conditions. The last thing we wanted was to have to call the mission president and tell him we lost a missionary off a cliff :) So, we decided for an "Plan B".

So...this is a pic after a game that we played vs. a girls U-13 team. It's a team coached by a guy in another ward - Tom. It was RAINY (as stated above) and the field was a MESS! Micah's friend Teal and Stockton's friend Brock joined us for this as well. We had 8 missionaries there and some off the mish's did not have cleats or even turf shoes, just running shoes, it was hilarious trying to watch them run! I ended up on my backside a few times and once you did....you just didn't care :) We started out scoring several goals and girls were timid. We decided to play a bit more easy on them to let them score. They did, and then myself and Nicole (not pictured) switched to the girls team so it was all girls vs. all guys...and then we ROCKED!!! It was great! The girls started scoring like crazy. Elder Reyes is crazy good. At one time I took a shot and he dove right in the mud for a save. I jumped on him and squished him in the mud and told him to "stay down" and god him really muddy. Later, I was guarding him and he juked me so bad that I slid and fell right on my "@#%#$"...everyone was like, "AAaaawwweeee"...he came back and jumped on my and said, "AND STAY DOWN" and rubbed mud in my face..it was pretty funny! We tried to take a pic on the field, but it was too muddy...so we came back to our house..this is in our "court" downstairs. So we are missing the Briggs in this pic.

Afterwards, Elder Rendon, Olson and Keegan all stayed for dinner and we all layed around whining about our sore backs :). All in all a great time.

Monkey Butt Scrambles

Okay, so this is from an older race we did in Eastern Oregon somewhere??? But it was a BLAST! It was a poker ride/scrambles?? and Teagen's friend, Austin, was with as (as he usually was :). It was a pretty "wide open" course (we prefer the woods)...but it was still pretty fun...esp the "jump section". It got to be pretty long and hard on the backside - thus the title!!, but all in all was a fun day! Enjoy the pics!

Hood to Coast Relay 2008

Okay, so this is my junk! I have run this relay now for....I lost count....well, since 95, and I only missed one year I believe to surgery to my ankle! So, 13 years!?

Anyway, for any of you who may not know WHAT it is...it is 196 miles of CRAZY! This pic is at the top of Mt. Hood, the start of the relay. If you want to see the terrain and legs, go to www.hoodtocoast.com and check it. It's GREAT!

Anyhow, this is a fun team. I captained a "BYUsedToBees" team for 3 years in which we finished in the top 6 each yeat. That was great fun to see former athletes and reunite with them, etc...but it was a lot of work to get mormon women here to run! (always pregnant!!!). It was a lot of work, so I decided I needed to just run with a "fun" team.

This year was a great time. My first leg was short and FAST! My middle leg was LONG and BORING! My last leg was long as well...and my team stopped 2 miles into a 6.8 mile run for support. My friend came to give me water. She asked, "Why do you have blood all over your shirt?". WHAT? I looked down and sure enough, there was blood all over my tank b/c I will sometimes use it to wipe my face/nose. I fought the next 4 miles with a bloody nose - which I later found out was indicative of dehydration. EEK! I have had heat exhaustion before (ended up in ER with IV's in my arm for a couple hours)...it was NOT good, so I'm a bit paranoid about it.

Anyhow, your team finishes in Seaside, OR for a PARTY ON THE BEACH! That is the funnest part of the run! Here, I'm dancing to a live band (okay, I'm swaying, after 18 miles of hell, it's hard to dance :)

Anyway, it was great fun! My fave story is this: It was a mormon team...my dentist is on it and a bishop. Well, the bishop is in my van and at one leg, this team was going around asking us all if we would like jello shooters. She went to Rick and said, "would you like a jello shooter?". He said, "Yeah, i would like one". I looked at him and said, "YOU WOULD???". I was confused! hahaa!!! I told him it had vodka in it, then he quickly changed his mind!!!! It was hilarious!

This is my leg in the mountains...BRUTAL! Everyone should have to run this leg once! :) But all in all, it is a GREAT run that requires good training and mental toughness!

If you haven't run it yet, you should!

Halloween

"Why so SERIOUS?"...Micah LOVES Dark Night and the joker. We wouldn't let him "trick or treat" this year, but he had a great time scaring little kids at the door. My poor little niece - who usually loves Micah, wouldn't hvae anything to do with him. He has got a great impression of him too (that is the actor in him).

The "little" boys dressed up as "gangsters". But it is funny...their idea of "gangsters" is not the mobster type gangster..is it more the ghetto, rapster gangster. They basically wanted to do as little as possible to just go out and get as much as possible. ha! But this year they were in heaven! We gave them a cell phone and sent them on their way! They checked in every so often and then hit the road with pillow cases in hand!

The rest of us just hung at my brother in laws house and watched some movies and at entirely too much candy. Tally (my niece), was so cute. She made it 2 houses before she was done with "carey people". Gotta love that age!

Levi, Micah and Stockton all stayed the night at their cuz's house and Levi drove them all home the next day in time for their soccer games and reffing duties....then drove them back up for the rest of the day. It was BLISS for Jim and I...a day of "empty next syndrom"! (I don't get what is so bad about it???). The bad thing is..my house was STILL a mess!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN...now BRING ON THANKSGIVING!