A Horse in the House?

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

Happy Holidays to all!  

We enjoyed having the Fishers visit, and will continue to enjoy the other side of the family after the Christmas.  We wish all of you lots of laughs and love with your families, and a very happy 2009! 

"Tis the Season!

Enjoy the moments...big and small!   

Wrestling Season Going Strong!

E enjoyed his first high school "pin" this weekend at North Montgomery.  He works hard each and every day, and it sure is great when the rewards are experienced!!  Not only is he winning on the mat, but straight A's at school, and working as a "busser" many hours a week, are all part of E's mojo right now.  Your family is proud E!

Go Boilers! Beat IU!

Three generations off to the Old Oaken Bucket 2008 Game...where they will meet up with "the boy" for a day of COLD fun!  Boiler Up!

Big Sis Little Sis

Like Father Like Daughter??

That's what some say... or maybe the photographer is just not very talented!

Fall Fun!

Thought this was a great photo in front of our of our  friend Drew's shop during Sarah's senior photo shoot with Amici Photography.  Time certainly marches on....off to college next year for this one.

25 Years Ago!

Can you guess who these two are?

Homecoming 2008

Aunt Kate gave "Moon Walk" lessons to Eric during the day, so he could bust a move at the dance.
Here are some photos that Uncle Michael so kindly took for us!  Sarah is stunning, as usual, and Andrew is a handsome lad.

BABY EVELYN VISITS!

She loves her Aunt Carolyn!

FOOTBALL!

Eric is having fun playing safety on the HS Freshman Team.  Here are a couple of him in action....

A Couple of our favorite people!

This summer we did get to catch up with these guys.  Raci and I go back 35ish years.  Wow. And I thought a new boy named Ray had just moved into Delaware Trails!  Then Chris came on the scene in 1978...can you believe it's been 30 years?  You both still look great!

End of Summer Activities

With school starting tomorrow, we have been making the best of our last few days of summer.  Sarah spent the week riding Duncan at the horse show - great job Sarah and thanks to Whitney for making him look so beautiful in the ring.  Eric was the wide receiver extraordinaire at his first freshman scrimmage, and got a few extra hours in bussing tables for pay.  We all enjoyed watching the amazing Michael Phelps, Christian Vande Velde, and various other hard working athletes compete at the Olympics. 

 

The National Holiday!

That's right.  He is the big 45!  A good day it was.  Kevie came home early just to get the mowing done (you know - he LOVES to mow!).  Chonna came over for dinner (Osso Buco) and dessert (Lemon Meringue Pie) which was very tasty if I do say so myself.  Happy Birthday and many happy returns!  We love you!

Family Time

It's always fun to be with family!

Eric's Current Role Models

Slipstream Sports was created for those cyclists wanting to race "clean" and what a good example that is for our youth.  Eric was thrilled with the chance meeting of Christian Vande Velde, the 5th place finisher of this year's Tour de France,  and Martijn Maaskant, on the street in Paris after the race.  Eric was sad that he had just changed out of his beloved Slipstream jersey he had worn to watch the race, so he didn't get signatures.  Eric will be rooting Christian on in the Olympics for sure!  Click on the title above to read more about this cool team.

She's back!

A wonderful time in France was had by all. Sarah has a new family that she loves to pieces, and vice versa. Above you see her with her French mom Marie Helene, and sisters Klervi, 15, and Sterrenn, 13. Her brother Yoann, 21, was away playing his Celtic pipes with a musical group that travels around Brittany performing at various venues.

Eric experienced the "Best Day of My Life" which included watching the Tour de France front row on the Champs Elysee by the Arc de Triomphe and then meeting Christian Vande Velde and Martijn Maaskant of the Team Chipotle. What a fun day!

Welcome Evelyn Grace!

Our newest family member is a sweet blessing straight from God! Congrats to Kate & Matt!

Cousin Eric is quite taken with his new cousin, Evelyn!  She is just precious!

Sarah's Weekly Email

This letter finds me in my last week of training in St. Brieuc. I'm feeling a little nostalgic thinking that we will leave in less than one week. It seems like I just arrived yesterday! I had a good long weekend for the national holiday on the 14 (not sure if I translated that sentence correctly). On Friday we had a half day of school and after, I went to the store. I bought jeans and a hat. Saturday was a bit sad for me, my sisters left for their father's for 14 days and I will not see them before I leave. Saturday night, I helped with a light and sound show which was very interesting, with three other trainees. After the show, there were fireworks. Sunday, I stayed at home until the evening, then we went to my friend Marie Helene's house and after we went to see Yoann play in the Fest Nox, which is a festival in Breton. It was a lot of fun and we danced from 8 o'clock until 1 o'clock in the morning! On Monday, the weather was very nice and we went to the beach, and then we ate at the house of another friend of Marie Helene (the two friends also have trainees) and then we went to the official fireworks of St. Brieuc. I am anxious to see everybody, but at the same time, I wish the training period wasn't almost finished!

A Sarah Update (very minimal!)

While we received only a two liner, Grandma & Grandpa S shared the following message they received:
Coucou!
Je suis très contente ici!!! Je m'entend bien avec ma famille d'accueil, et j'aime bien l'école et tout les profs! Je pense que le temps sont passé trop vite!! J'espère que vous allez bien en Indiana! Mes messages sont devenues plus et plus court avec chaque semaine, car je ne veux pas passer beaucoup de temps sur l'ordinateur! Je préfère d'être avec ma famille ici, car le temps que j'ai avec eux est limitée! Mais je pense à vous souvent, et j'ai beaucoup de choses à vous dire quand je reviendrai aux États Unis! Je vous aime beaucoup!!!
Translated:
Cuckoo! I am very content here!!! I m' hears well with my d' family; reception, and j' like l' school and all Profs! I think that time passed too quickly!! J' hope that you go well to Indiana! My messages became more and shorter with each week, because I do not want to spend much time on l' computer! I prefer d' to be with my family here, because time that j' have with them is limited! But I think of you often, and j' have many things to say to you when I will return to the United States! I love you much!!!

Sounds as if she is well adjusted and having a great experience. She visited Normandy last weekend, and said she took lots of photos. Hope you all are having a great week!

Sarah's town:

From the tour's webpage:

"With a population of 47,000, Saint-Brieuc lies in the most privileged of settings: a bay where the tides are the fifth largest in the world, and which has been classified as nature reserve. It is the leading scallop fishing zone in France. Renewing with its maritime vocation, Saint-Brieuc has renovated and extended Légué harbor, with great economic and commercial success, not to mention the ever-growing popularity of leisure sailing. 4th largest job basin in Brittany, Saint-Brieuc strives to develop fields of excellence: the Ploufragan Zoopôle (biotechnologies and animal health care), the Véhipôle (automobiles and the roads of tomorrow), the Batipôle (building construction). As for culture, the Art Rock festival has been held for 25 years and draws 35,000 spectators. In sports, sailing holds center stage, with yachtsman Yann Eliès leading the way, as well as Saint-Brieuc Côtes-d’Armor Volley-Ball, which plays in the French first division. Not to forget young local talents emerging in BMX, tennis and boxing. "

"Le Tour" Bike Race will be in Sarah's Town Sunday!

Eric has always followed the Tour de France Bike Race, and this year it ends Stage2 in St. Brieuc! On Sunday, click the above title and you can see the live video from Sarah''s town. We havent heard from her this week, so we assume she is having a great time!
Happy 4th to all of you!

Sarah's Weekly Email

Not much information, but she sounds good!
St. Malo et Dinan étaient bien passé, et le week-end prochaine, nous irions à Normandy et Mont St. Michael. Je vais bien. Je t'aime toujours.
Sarah

Translated: St Malo and Dinan had passed well, and the weekend next, we would go to Normandy and Mont St Michael. I am well. I t' always like.

BSA #358 AT Adventure

Enjoy some music and the views Kevie & Eric enjoyed during their trek. ,Just click on the above title and away you go!

Summertime

Oh how we love the lazy days of summer!  Hope you are enjoying your days!

Happy Birthday Lauren!

Kevie & Eric On Top of the World

The amazing AT Adventure

Sarah is Content

After a looonngg wait for any word from Sarah - here is her latest message:

I go very well to France, and I am very content! I n' did not receive the package yet, but I thank you for l' sending. j' hope for that this message is easier to translate, j' found it key for l' apostrophizes now. the keyboards here are a little odd!!! I would like that we would go with St Brieuc during a few days! You do not worry, I am very very content!!!! I always love you. Sarah

We are happy she is content, but we still wonder... what's herfamily like, what's her home like?, what's her school like?, what is she doing with her spare time?  

I guess time will tell.

SMARTIE

So we thought Sara's bass would not fit, but we were wrong!  Found this video on smartusainsider.com

 

Find more videos like this on smart USA insider

Visit smart USA insider

Sarah's Weekly Email

Sarah is allowed one hour weekly (probably Sunday evening) for reading English correspondence. We write her in English, and she writes back in French. We then put it through http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_txt
translator. It's not great english, but at least we get the context of what she is saying. So here goes....

Bonjour tout le monde!!!
I NEED EVERYONES ADDRESS!!!
Tout va bien en france! j aime beaucoup ma famille, ils sont très gentil. j aime aussi les profs et les autres stagaires a l école. Il faisait beau pour le plupart, mais il a pleut un peu toutes les jours. Je me manque de vous et je vous aime toujours! je nai pas beaucoup de temps. je pense bien à tout le monde!!!!

Translated:
Hello everyone!!! I NEED EVERYONES ADDRESS!!! All goes well to France! J loves much my family, they are very nice. J like also Profs and the others stagaires has L school. The weather was nice for the majority, but it has rains a little the every day. I miss myself you and I always love you! I nai not much of time. I think well of everyone!!!!

Let me know if you need her address or email. I tried emailing it out to most.

UPDATE: THEY SURVIVIED!

I was right when I figured they were ready to get off the trail.  Kevin and Eric hiked fast and furious so they could get to the truck one day earlier than planned!  As I write this they are in a McDonald's drive-thru ordering coke and fries, on their way to a Hilton in Knoxville.  They are giddy in anticipation of a SHOWER!  Tomorrow will be the best Father's Day!!
PS: They arrived! Nice beard, and can you tell who wore a hat and who didn't?

One More Night on the Trail

    
  

Pulling up "Tricorner Schelter AT" images on google brought up these cute little guys.  Cute, that is, if you are NOT the one SLEEPING with them!  I am sure the boys are ready to have their last night on the trail.  But it's the second to last one, and they are staying at this shelter. If you look closely maybe you can see their one set of hiking clothes STANDING outside the shelter.  I told him the hot tub would be fired up for his return, Father's Day and all, and a cold beer waiting.

News from the troop....

This is a photo from the web of the area Kevin and Eric are hiking today:



Not only did I hear from the boys, I also heard from Sarah, yeah! The boys are extremely tired and sore, have seen numerous bears, and great views!

Here's Sarah note to me sumarizing the last 22 hours since we wished her farewell:

"Everything is well here and I am tired but not too tired. I will sleep well tonight. I think thqt my fqmily liked thier gifts, so thqt is good. The house hqs qn awesome view and is full of color! The knockout roses are really pretty here as well! I love you so much and thank you for the letter!"

It sounds like she is off to a good start.  Keep her in your prayers!