Countin' our Blessings

Our Family Christmas, 2011

2011-12-29T10:31:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas, 2011. It's turned into a good year.
We feel blessed to have each other and our kids.

Danielle loves her new hat and glasses, a gift from Kyle.

Danny was surprised by his Rush poster!

hmmm? any guesses?

Bakker Christmas, 2011

2011-12-29T09:54:00.000-08:00

Jace's not too sure about Santa, but even when he pouts, he's so cute.

Jace & Bella.

A moment of prayer before our meal.

Chatting it up....

Rena, Charlie & Annetta.

My niece Kristen holding her niece, Sophia. She's not too happy with taking pictures ;)

My wonderful niece, Tami, on Santa's lap.

Mr. & Mrs. Clause

Another pretty niece, Erin.

Danielle with her Beppe.

Christmas is always a special time of year for our family. We gathered at Joseph & Alicia's home again this year and it was very special. Santa came to visit, and brought Mrs. Clause this time.

We rejoiced in the birth of our Christ, but we also silently felt the loss of a dear family member; Linda. But, I believe that God sent us another gift, a precious child; Leah. Who seemed pretty stunned with our American traditions of Santa.Merry Christmas to all.

November, 2011

2011-11-20T09:08:00.001-08:00

November has been a very full month, but oh, so enjoyable. I've attended two tax seminars with Carolyn. Now, tax seminars may sound terribly boring, but you need to understand most of the attendees are on a little break right now, getting ready for a new season, so it's time to 'party' while we learn.

The first seminar we chose was in Sacramento. Nothing like feeling like a small-town girl in the big city. It's very pretty there, and Old Town Sac was a great break the next day.

Our capital...... tax dollars at work, folks!

Strolling along the rustic wood sidewalks. Note "Danny's gifts" sign....

Great lunch at Fat City Cafe.

"Don't you want one of these happy ladies to do your taxes?"

Next week on to San Luis and the Madonna Inn hosted the next tax seminar.... you feel sorry for us, yet?

A photo of the dining room, we were passing through.

Our beautiful Ca coastline. Heading to Splash in Pismo for dinner.

Mexico Cruisen

2011-10-05T08:42:00.000-07:00

The Carnival Splendor was our home for a week.

We celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary on a Mexico Cruise.
Wow, what a fun-filled packed week of spoiling ourselves it was!

Danny found it very easy to relax, and was a little burnt after the first day.

What is it about those towel-animals that make me so darn happy?

We enjoyed dinner every night with our new friends: Andy and Anita from Thailand (we have an open invitation to their home) and Eddie and Rovino from San Diego.
We love meeting people from other countries.

Our crazy Maître d' would entertain us along with the waiters every night..... they always got us up to shake it, but it doesn't take much ;)

Don't forget to step outside and enjoy a pretty sunset. This one is leaving Cabo.

Enjoying a bottle of Opolo's cab on the deck. A gift from our friend's for our anniversary.

It was extremely hot the first day in Cabo, so we stayed on the ship.
It turned out to be a great day on board with so many people at port.
The view of the arch at breakfast.

The lost arch from our cabin window.

Second day in Cabo, heading for Cabo Wabo to see if Sammy's around.

"Si Senior, they are Cuban cigars, you can trust me"

10am and we're having shots of Cabo Wabo Blanco. Smooooth.

Peurto Vallarta on Friday. Took a wild cab ride to downtown.
Ate fabulous fish tacos at Punto V.

These two were determined to help us have a good time.

The beaches in PV are so gorgeous and I look
forward to returning to see the finished results, as they are in construction.
It's obvious they do not have CA regulations :)

Is this to code?

Note the the physical transformation that happens in Puerta Vallarta..... it's out of your control.

After strolling around the hot streets of downtown PV we head towards the port and end up at a popular cantina. More food, tequila and beer..... And yes, photo ops of Americans in Mexican sombreros.Danny made the photographer pose for him.... doesn't he look thrilled?

Yes, we even have fun in the glass elevators. We were taking pics of each other, and a man offered to take it of us.... hysterical.

This man kept bringing me food and drinks, I don't know what he's up to.

Bloody's in the morning get you right.

The happy couple.

Robert Mondavi $36 on the cruise, $8.99 at Costco, Memories.... priceless.

Watching a comedy show.

Cheers to another 25.

Cool Mom

2011-08-05T16:49:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not talking about myself. I talking about my mom..... she's a pretty cool mom. A few us girls gather at 'her place' about once a month and share a lunch on the patio. Our conversation often veers towards our issues, following the typical "how are you mom?" She always replies the same "oh, fine." Never complains or gripes, even though she's stuck in a wheelchair and needs assistance in whatever she does. We go on and on about the issues of our lives" what paint color to chose, who's having a big sale, how's work going.... and she just smiles and listens. Once in a while she spouts off some classic line from all her years of wisdom and we have a little laugh and realize that as a family we're incredibly blessed to have our elderly mother/grandmother so loved and watched over by her caregivers.

Reese, Mom & Sydney

Today Robyn, my niece, brought out her camera and she had some fun with fish eye lens.... I won't show you all of them and have paid her big butts.... oops, I mean bucks not to post them. But, truthfully I don't trust her ;)
Enjoy our mug shots.

My sister's humongous bootie.

Cheez.....My new facebook profile.

Beat the Heat, 2011

2011-05-31T21:00:00.000-07:00

The amazing ceiling in the dining hall of the mainhouse
had all the 12 saints engraved in wood.

Many beautiful views from the hill.

A spontaneous trip to the coast was needed when the temps hit over 100*. Danielle and I had a great day trip:
our list included:

Pick up some wine (for me)
Eat Clam chowder by the beath (for her)
Visit Hearst Castle (for both)

We did all 3 on our list and even had tie to roam around.

Duckies In Cayucos

posing by one of the many statues.

Mugshot..... can she ever be serious ;)

Signs of Spring

2011-04-12T07:25:00.000-07:00

Here are a few signs of Spring I wanted to share from Danielle's campus.
Photography is one of her creative passions and she was able to capture some great views just walking around her school.

First Signs of Spring

This looks like a great tree to lay under with a book.

Enjoy your Spring Day......

Old to New Project

2011-01-02T09:07:00.000-08:00

I manage a bookkeeping firm in our town, and when it's not tax season there's time to do projects around the office. So, this year, it was time for some fresh designs. I painted the back office, kitchen, and main office in a rich golden-yellow. We use to have alot of 'country-themed' decor, which I do not prefer, but most were client-gifts, so we respectfully displayed them.

But, it's just time for new!

There is wallpaper that is still in good condition, and it matches well. Also, the building is 100 years old, so we need keep in mind the colors of that era. I do not have a strong connection to antiques, so this was a bit of a challenge for me.

In my moving of furniture I found an old "Financial Planner" that was given to clients. It shows local business advertisement. There is no date on the docs, but the phone number indicates it's prior to the prefix digits. In other words, the first three numbers are letters, which we think, goes back to the 1950's. It was yellowed, stained and brittle from age. But, we needed to display it some how.

I went to the local antique store and found 2 old window frames, carefully cleaned and sanded them. I did a rough paint job and ordered some black matting. They are now hanging proudly in our client's waiting room. I just hope they get appreciated.

Here are the project photos:

sanded and washed....

Fast forward, to matted and hanging but it still needs something .... more color on the wall.

The chairs and table are also old, found at another antique shop in town.

Some of these business are still in operation; E & P tire, Lemoore Ready Mix....

I have it hanging over an orginal computer, dated 1970, and an old typwriter with carry case.

It's important to be comfortable in your workspace; this feels much better.

Bakker Family Christmas, 2010

2010-12-28T08:24:00.000-08:00

The Bakker family is growing and growing, but we still are able to get together each Christmas. We are blessed to have such a large family with the majority of us in the same county. We are missing 15-20 of our family members from this gathering, as they couldn't arrange the time to come.

Our hosts' Joseph and Alicia, just moved into a large farm house, so we had plenty of room. We were grateful for their generosity. Alicia's father is Sinterklaas (Dutch Santa)..... sshhh. With his thick Dutch accent he made the visit a huge hit with the kids, big and little.

Thanks Mr. Schuringa.

Sinterklaas gave the kids large pins for a treat, if they sat on his lap.

He had such a huge belly ;)

Ethan and Justin love to talk 'shop' with Kyle. These are knowledgeable dairy/farm boys, raised by great parents. Kyle was offered a job by the younger one :) We think he was just trying to find a way to spend more time with Kyle. Cute kids.

Holding up the kitchen counter, telling stories and sharing laughs.

A quiet moment with Beppe.

Merry Christmas to all, and Happy New Year.

Christmas Card Photo time

2010-12-20T07:50:00.000-08:00

Danielle's friend, Bridgett, took our Christmas card photo this year. She's been dabbling in the foto-craze and has been taking some great shots. You can see her blog on our site. We usually set up our camera ourselves but end up with a little attitude towards eachother at the end, since we all have ideas of our own. So, letting someone else 'stage' us was well worth the stress-free photo shoot.

Here's some of the photos from our shoot.

Aaaahhh, the kids. Danielle is 18 and Kyle is 21.
Nevermind how old we are.

She even got us up on our roof..... scary. Should've brought a broom, though :)

Love our cork tree in this shot.

But, here's the one we ultimately put on our card, since we can see Kyle's face with out his cowboy hat.

Sandpipers Holiday Home Tour, Manhatten Beach, CA

2010-12-05T08:59:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, my friend Colette and I took in a home tour put on by the Sandpipers in Hermosa Beach. Lynn, a friend, and Sandpiper member drove us around to see the homes.They do offer shuttle, since their serving Champagne, but we had our own agenda.

"Stunning Hermosa Hacienda"

The fusion of these simple design elements with exotic Moroccan, Spanish, and Asian influences become this wonderful global and chic home.

" Elegant Manhattan Hill Section Tuscan Villa"

Even though the homes were vast and stunningly decorated, we got ideas that we can take with us. Ideas for decorating our own homes, different uses for outdoor spaces, since the weather in Manhatten Beach is so mild.

That evening we got together again, and caught up over Italian meal. I do love this area, but it's a little too crowded after living in a less populated town.

What are the kids doing while we're gone.....

2010-11-07T10:26:00.001-08:00

While we went to Paso Robles and had our winery adventure the kids had their share of good times. Danielle went to Santa Barbara with her friend to visit their mutual friend who is attending film school in SB.

The atmosphere is so much more exciting down south then in Hanford, or Fresno.... so these valley girls lived it up!!! I don't know where they learn to party.... hmmm.... to be young again. I don't how much studying my girl would get down if she lived down there, so far now, I'm glad she's bored at her small university.

Weekend Getaway

2010-11-02T08:36:00.000-07:00

Our favorite weekend getaway is a trip to our beautiful California coast together.

Ventuex Winery

We chose the E46 and hit a few wineries that we haven't been to before and with the stereo off we talk and laugh all the way there. Sometimes we have the music blasting and crank it all the way up, like a couple kids.
We keep track of wineries we haven't been to before, with over 175 just within the Paso Robles area, there's plenty of stops to make. We started this little "thumbs up or down" approval method for the wineries..... anything for a little fun.

This trip we stopped at Niner Winery and Ventuex Vineyard on the first day. We loved Ventuex so much we joined the club. Niner has a wonderful new building and great place for a large gathering. Just a bit pricey for the taste. We did purchase a bottle of their Sirah, which is Danny's favorite. Ventuex has a gorgeous B & B that we vowed to stay in someday. Small winery with a knowledgeable staff and servers. Took a trip to the backroom where Todd was stomping down some Zin grapes.

We stayed in Morro Bay at the Masterpiece Motel, the name derives from the paintings hanging in the rooms and hallways of famous artists. They give you a list of the numbered painting so you can walk around and view them. Which we did with our glass of wine, as if we were apart of some grand gallery.... we get silly like this at times.

This image is of their spa. Didn't expect it to be so nice, so we left swimsuits at home.

The next day we took a drive north, to the Moonstone drive and walked around to see the lazy Sea Lions and all the wonderful living creatures in the tide pools.

Then went into West Cambria for the first time and stopped at a random namesake tasting room, which turned out to be awesome. Just love these surprises! Moonstone Cellars, where the winemaker was on hand to pour and share a ton of information regarding the process of wine making.
Thumbs UP to this winery.....

After leaving East Cambria we stopped in very small town of Harmony. This wine was recommended, but we were equally disappointed by the similarity of each varietal. Note the thumbs down in my photo.

Before heading home we ate at one of our favorite cafes in Cambria... Redwood Pine Cafe, where they pour a MEAN cup of coffee.

A trip to our California coast never disappoints us. And this was a great time of year to get away from home. Didn't have to deal with the occasional trick or treater, not in the mood for the Halloween parties and it was certainly nice to get away from the political campaigners.

New Product Launch

2010-09-19T20:10:00.000-07:00

Just launched the Mohard Racing WR/YZ 250F Radiator Guards, and the Disc Guards will not be far away from production. They will fit the years 2001-2009, but we have great customers that will help us find out if they'll fit the newer years, until we get one in our shop.
They will list for 219.95 for the non-anodized and additional $20 for Black. The blue and other colors are always an option with for those riders that inquire, we do charge $60 for any special order colors, a little costly, but some riders love that extra touch. In fact, check out this customer who ordered the Honda guards and Disc Guards for his 450X in Red. Check it out on our Mohard Talk Page and the photo Gallery.
It's been a busy month, with the new designs and the riders on the West Coast getting ready for the weather to cool down. They'll soon be getting their trailers, RV's and coaches ready to roll out to the deserts of California, Arizona and Oregon and hit the trails, desert plains and rocky hills. We look forward to the forum posts and the photos that will be included. Our favorite stories are testimonies that happen after the falls or crashes and the rider's radiators are in tact and they can ride them out. Nothing worse than being stuck 10 miles from camp and getting your buddy to tow you in or leaving your bike behind.

Please continue to let us know about your rides and post your bike's wish lists on our Blog comment section. It's aways fun to see your wish list's get filled. Glad to be apart of a great industry. Riders are the best!

Firstborn turns 21

2010-07-14T20:46:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that our son, is 21. Not to say he doesn't look it, cause he does, and he acts it.....it's just that makes us older. How'd THAT happen?

As I did for Danielle's graduation; I put together a short slideshow of Kyle growing up.

It's a bit shorter, but just fill in more photos of him on his dirtbike and that pretty much covers any gaps that seems available.

http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow/d974781k3103012o1/kyle

Happy 21st Kyle.... we love you,

Dad & Mom

Whewie, it's Over.....

2010-06-06T10:41:00.000-07:00

Danielle is ready to go the Highschool bowl

for her graduation ceremony.

Her dress was so cute, it fits her personality perfectly.

Where does the time go? One day they're playing with Barbies, then they want to be Barbie. Danielle is a great girl, we couldn't ask for more from her. She's bright, kind, honest, loyal.... all these attributes and more.

Danielle, Olivia & Lauren

Her Bff's

Danielle is holding her "fake" flowers. I thought they would be too wilted from the heat, so I didn't bring them to the ceremony. I looked around during the ceremony and saw all the parents with the flowers ready to present to the grads, and felt the guilt of a mother.... does that guilt EVER end?!?!

"Uncle" Craig said he wouldn't miss her graduation for the world....

Maddie(2009 grad), 2010 grads: Deray , Brianne and Danielle.

Kyle (her bro) & Danielle

The family
Annetta, Danielle, Danny & Kyle Stacy

Congrats Danielle !!!!

Danielle's Grad Party!!!

2010-05-31T00:42:00.000-07:00

The night was filled with the good times, food and cheer.

It was so great to gather together and cherish the memories.

These folks that came to our daughters graduation are

truly special to us and we love them all.

Roger, Len, Brenda listening to a graphic tale from Danny.

Ethan, Justin and Josh chillin on the bench.

Danielle, Rena, Kylie, Tami, Jim, Linda, Robyn & Carolyn.

Sue, Heidi, Baby Bella, Barbara and Danielle.

Highschool Graduate

2010-05-27T20:11:00.000-07:00

I put together this slideshow for Danielle's graduation. It was fun, distracting and emotional to revisit all the fun she has brought to our lives. She's both beautiful inside and out. We're so proud of her for so many things and accomplishments, but mostly because she is sure of herself and her faith.
I wish I could share the letter of recommendation her History teacher wrote for her college application. It's so wonderful to have someone see the truth in your child and to see her for the great person she is. I will miss her when she's out of the house.... not the mess in her room, but I will miss her ;)
Enjoy the slideshow.... I tried not to make it too long, but it's very difficult to leave out photos.
Here's the link:
http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow/d879022k5194675o1/danielle

Who turned up the heat?!?!

2010-05-15T16:51:00.001-07:00

Geez, I miss the spring weather. It just got hot today. Had to put on the AC and plan out my errands and park in the shade.
It's crazy how everyone makes a mad dash for the nearest OSH or Lowe's to get some pretty flowers, or to get those parts to fix the sprinklers. At least that's what we had to do.
Next weekend, I'll have be having company for Danielle's graduation party, so gotta get the lawn furniture cleaned up and maybe a new plant here and there.
I hunted around today for ideas for the decorations. I think I can make stuff.... it's easy when it's just a square for the grad hats ! I'll through them on a string and call it a streamer :) Save the money for the important things like food and wine and gifts.
Danielle's Senior prom is tonight. I'll post pictures later.
She looked so cute, I was surprised with the little Cinderella dress she chose. I love her in turquoise.

Spring is Here!

2010-04-04T19:28:00.000-07:00

We finally, finally..... got our shop built. What a fiasco that was. First we hired a builder, who we thought was a legitimate builder, but could never quite get a straight answer or deadline for delivery of the initial building. Only to find out that he was a scam artist..... really? really! Like we don't have enough to deal with.... We had our cement foundation poured and needed to get something on this slab so we could get out of our current building. We ultimately hired a great local company to put up the building in a short 2-3 week notice. and we couldn't be more pleased. It needs some landscaping and awnings, but that'll come later.
Danny Kyle have been working on new products. Got a couple new dealers, including "CRF's Only" and added Honda's CRF 250R to our product line.

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I finished up the tax year and we had out office party Friday night. It was lots of fun, and we exchanged gifts, and plan to meet each other over the summer to keep in touch. We have a great team and I'm blessed to have this job. I will be doing Payroll and bookkeeping through the off season, along with the Mohard Racing website and Customer service. So, I feel like my plate is full, just like I want it.

This is our secretaries daughter sitting with our back office manager's mother on their very cute outdoor couch....

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Our daughter, Danielle, graduates this year. She's been doing very well and now has a 4.o GPA, so we're very proud of her. She has great instincts and good morals. We're looking at Fresno Pacific, so we hope to get her accepted there.

New Year's Eve Party

2010-01-04T20:04:00.001-08:00

A small gathering of our closests friends, was a perfect way to celebrate New Year's Eve.

It was good to get together and play an old favorite "BOP-IT". We laughed allot. We use to play Bop-It out in the desert on our riding trips and Roger picked up a newer version that had "yelling" in the sequence..... hysterical. Colette let out a little "whoop" that made it sound like she was "goosed".... too fun! And the ever perfectionist, Len, couldn't stand to lose to that little plastic toy."" Come On Len, don't let that thing beat you!!!!"

Len, frustrated by the Bop-It

Here's some of the pictures from our night..... To be safe, we stayed the night and enjoyed the morning watching the parade together.

What a great way to start 2010!

Here's Wishing you all a Happy New and Better Year

Growing Family

2010-01-03T19:43:00.001-08:00

My Family is still growing. I have 4 siblings: 3 brothers and one sister. My mother has, as of the last count: 29 Grandkids and 29 Great Grandkids and 2 more on the way.

We try to get as many of us together each year for Christmas, but they're are quite a few missing this time. This year we used the church social hall to fit us all in.

2010....Two K Ten..... Two Thousand Ten....Twenty Ten.....

2010-01-03T09:43:00.000-08:00

....Taken Christmas Morning....

How ever we say the New year it's a New one alright! I don't think anyone wishes for a repeat of 2009. It's too bad, because we should be so grateful for life and all that the Lord has to bring for us. But, when we see such uncontrollable hardship all around us, it's not what we wish to repeat.

If nothing else, I do believe you'll find empathy from others, for there is not many that felt success or pleasure out of the state of our country. People understand the trials and though they can not help they certainly can pray. Maybe that's just what the Lord wants from us. To be a world on our knees.... I guess 9/11 wasn't enough to get us and keep us there.

We've been through some tough times this year. Lost 2 loved ones to disease, closed our doors to our local shop, felt the repercussions of what should have been an avoidable accident (Kyle's finger) , and saw many friends lose their jobs and businesses to the economy.

But, life goes on and we make the best of it, put on the smiles and show our kids how to handle stress and tragedy the best we can.

I'd like to see hope for the next year. I'd like to see our country and it's leaders open their eyes, and not make drastic changes that will disable our children's future, but be cautious and honest with us. If we don't admit the trouble we're in and how we got here, then we'll not find the solution. We don't need anymore bailouts, band aids or stimulators.... we need to fix this with leadership that's not afraid to call out those that did this to us. Put a stop to those that get away with fooling the trusting folks.

Now, off the political wagon..... I have seen an immediate change in people. I see a pride that has turned to humbleness. I see folks talking together and admitting defeat and asking for help and prayer. I see parents talking to kids about limits.

I've been working part time at a local church. Even though I'm leaving only after a few months to a full time position elsewhere. I believe the lord put me there to witness some generous people. They are a ever thoughtful, giving church. The pastor desires the church to grow from it's meager 80-ish members, but within that small church is a huge heart for giving. I've grown to enjoy these folks and hope to keep in touch with them.

Happy New Year to Everyone

Holiday Photo's Trial and Error

2009-12-27T09:56:00.000-08:00

Well, every year we take a family photo. It seems that more than 90% of people I know and receive cards from do this, so even though our kids are pretty grown up we still give it a try.

But, this year didn't go so well. Danielle & I (the usual instigators of these traditions) found the 'ideal' spot, downtown Hanford. But, of course things didn't go as planned. I was not happy with the results, so they didn't get sent this year..... sorry, Merry Christmas(?)

Here's just one of them..... next year we hire a pro. I saw a referral on Alicia's site... I think I'll keep her in mind :)

It appears Kyle is ready to 'backhand' his dad.... he said he was just adjusting his arm :) If you know these two, they are constantly horsing around. So I'm not surprised by this photo.

Paso, Wine Country

2009-10-18T20:05:00.000-07:00

This past week was Danny's birthday. Now, he wasn't too hot on celebrating his age, but he was ready to celebrate another project completed. He had just finished up the "Hellnback", Mohard Racing's new rear disc brake for Honda. So, Saturday morning, he said, "Pack a bag, and lets get out of here." Well, like most women, you don't need to tell me twice. Quick, before he changes his mind. Pack makeup (check), pack camera (check), pack a corkscrew (check)!

We headed West and zig zagged through Paso Robles Wine Country, stopping at a few places we never had visited: Ranchito Canyon (they need a little more time to mature, but nice people), Silver Horse, (a Favorite, where they were crushing grapes ) the last stop was Jada. They do a nice Cheese and wine pairing and we did get their "Jersey Girl."

Barrels in Ranchito Canyon

We like staying in Morro Bay, so we headed into the sunset.

Got there in time to eat a great authentic mexican dinner, I know, strange choice when we're on the beach, but we did some more drinking in the room so we had to walk to dinner.

Next morning we drove to Cambria, we have a few favorite spots there. Love the food at a simple diner, "Redwood Cafe", and strolled downtown, looking through the shops..... .....and new museum. They had a set up of a few 'famous' statues outside to humor us. Dan & Willie

Danny loves this one Glass shop, they have some beautiful artists' works, and one makes a glass putter...... go figure:)

Then back home through Wine country again, this time I just drank so he could drive. We were after some good Sirah's.... so we hit Jack Creek, where she had 4 on the taste menu. Then on to Hearthstone, where I bought a T-shirt...... what does that tell you. Last stop, just before closing, Opolo.... We gotta spend more time here next time! Great wines....nice tasting room and good service.

Interesting drive back through the windy roads, we saw at least 20 young deer and a couple road runners.... pretty cool.

Just one thing missing...... reservations for next time.

Accident, Again.....

2009-09-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

Well, we spent our weekend in the ERs. First our local ER, then Fresno's ER. It's just an hour North, but they wanted us to seek better care.

If you're apart of our kid's texting network, then you've got the scoop minute by minute. But, for those of you not in that loop here's what happened:
Danny and Kyle were working in our shop, moving a large piece of 1" metal on the plasma table. It was afternoon Sat. about 100* plus in the shop, and the metal needed to be shifted. The metal got away from the guys, coming down on Kyle's hands as he pulled away quickly his right index finger got caught underneath. He's not sure how the metal gave way to his finger, he thinks it may have 'hopped' before it landed again. But, the damage was done: it cut through Kyle's glove; breaking and severing his finger just between the lower two knuckles. Now, if you don't know what a plasma table is, the table has metal runners about 1/4" thick, so the effect of the metal on top is like a geutine to the finger when the metal came down on it...... uuugghhhh!
So, Danny hurried him to our ER, calling me on the way, and Danielle & I met up with them.
They pulled and tugged on his sore finger for x-rays and cleaning of the wound. Kyle's finger was just hanging on by about 10% of the skin. But, he had feeling in the tip of it, so they knew that the nerve was still intact. The local on-call surgeon and orthopedist wanted him to be seen by a hand specialist. So, we drove him to Fresno and had to go through the entire ER experience again.
Kyle was given Morphine in Hanford's ER, which as most of you know makes a person a little edgy..... so, Danny had to stand with him outside, as all the 'sick' people and other ER visitors were taking up room. And Kyle, normally more tolerant wanted to "tell them off."
But, soon we were seen and he had a cute nurse to care for him and give him Vicodin.
Hours later the Hand Specialist from Plastic Surgery saw him. They admitted him around 4am planning to place a pin through his finger.
In the meanwhile Danny's catching a few winks in the car, and I'm trying to sleep in a chair, then on the floor with my make-shift bed.
At 9:30 they took him to pre-op, with the final decision being to stich up his finger and place a splint on him: keeping his fingers from bending. I think Hanford's ER could've done THAT! But, hey we just hope it's good enough.
We were on our home by 1:00 which they told us was a short ER visit.... less than 24 hours was a good record for them. Apparently they wanted to get rid of us :) little tip for you all. "make them want to get rid of you" on your next ER visit.
He's in good spirits, and yesterday spent most of the evening sleeping and catching up on all his missed calls/texts. It was great to have the support we had from our family and friends. Danny's nephew and sister came to lend some support in the Fresno's ER parking lot and our friends kept checking in on us..... thanks guys :)
We have photos........... but, we'll spare you the gore. Maybe we'll send them out for Halloween. :)
just kidding.

"Soundtrack of My Life"

2009-09-08T08:23:00.000-07:00

I stumbled onto this English assignment that Danielle wrote. I hesitated to put it on my blog, for fear of embarrassing her if she ever found out that I shared it. But, then after reading through my nieces embarrassing stories about her girls, I thought, "it's fine" just because they're 3 and she's 17 what's the difference?!?!!

right....

keep in mind it's her rough draft, but as parents, it touched our hearts.

"Microphone, headphones, guitars, drums.....chaos; the soundtrack of my life. The soundtrack I've learned to love. Music is a huge part of my life, I've been surrounded by it ever since I can remember. With a music obsessed-ex-band member Dad, a church singing-piano playing mother, and with a recording studio in my backyard, I had opportunity waiting a few steps out my back door, but no nerve to take the shot. I always felt this unspoken pressure to perform, to take on music like the rest of my family, and to be the best. Growing up I never even attempted to express myself through music, for the fear of not being impressive enough. Still, I wanted to know the feeling of finishing a song, laying down a track, of just being comforted by my nail beds dragging across the strings of a guitar. Music; I saw it, heard it, I had learned it, but I wanted to feel.

I saw it; guitars hanging on the wall, the piano in my living room, the endless rows of buttons on the soundboard, but not a clue what to do with any of it. I saw my father playing his guitar on his chair in the living room, eyes close, head down. I remember wishing I could be like that. I saw my mother sit on the bench playing boring hymns, but she loved it just the same. I saw my brother dripping of sweat while pounding away on the drums. I saw my small fragile fingers struggle to stretch across the keys of a piano, but the calculated specks of black ink on wrinkle coffee stained paper, just didn't impress me. I wanted more, I wanted to find my getaway, I wanted freedom. I saw my acoustic guitar collecting dust as it hung on my wall, and decided to give it a shot.

I heard it; the "nail on the chalkboard" type of twangs of my ten year old fingers strumming across the strings of my Christmas present that year. Just like the first time I tried it, not much had changed. I knew for certain, I was no natural, but, in time I would learn. I began to practice more and more each day, learning new chords which were demonstrated on a poster found in my studio. I heard the chords come together, finally starting to sound a little like music, practicing every night as my fingertips ached while callouses were starting to form.

I had learned; I learned the chords, the scales, and how to put them together. I was becoming better at it. I began to express myself through my guitar. Writing songs; lyrics, chords, meaning. I was finally starting to understand what all this fuss was about. It was definitely starting to grow on my. I was able to turn to my guitar and music for comfort. I could play my guitar in times of struggle, insecurity, and happiness. My guitar was the ultimate way to express myself.

I feel it; I feel the freedom, the euphoria, the passion, when playing my guitar. I can't help but feel infinite while I strum the strings of my guitar. I feel the stubborn callouses on my fingertips, the chips in the wood of my guitar, the strings as they drag across my nail beds. I feel the guitar is my getaway, music is my getaway.

Music has defined me in a way. It is a part of who I am. I see the opportunity and blessings I have in my life, I see the notebook full of lyrics on my dresser, the tracks I finally got the courage to record. I hear the soundtrack that makes up my life, the songs that play n my head throughout the day, the chords as I strum my guitar. I have learned that life is short, take up opportunities while you can, it's okay to show some emotion, show that you care, express yourself. I feel the impact music has made on my life, that one decision, like one off note, can make all the difference, that I want the soundtrack of my life to be made by me, no one else."

Toyota Accident

2009-08-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

Our son, Kyle, had an accident this year in March. He was coming home from a friend's place in the country, when an oncoming vehicle, who was possibly drunk or sleepy came in and out of Kyle's lane. To avoid the vehicle Kyle had slowed down and then swirved, but got his wheels caught on the edge of the payment, you know where the road drops down to meet the dirt. He lost control of his truck causing him to roll it 2 or 3 times finally landing on the passenger side. He was able to crawl out of his front window, which had come out, and walk away. He called a friend to take him home.

He came into our bedroom to tell us what happened. He was nervous and freaked out. Nervous cause his truck that we helped him get was probably totaled and freaked out that he wasn't hurt or killed. He gently tapped me on the shoulder as he was kneeling down next to our bed, like he did when he was little. I was shocked and gave him a little hit in the arm and said "Shhh, don't wake your dad." Such a strange thing to do but, of course, I didn't know the reason. I assumed it was girlfriend issues.

So, we did wake him and made sure Kyle was ok, sat up and talked awhile to make sure he didn't have any injuries. It seems careless now that we didn't rush him to the ER, but the boy was not visible injured AT ALL! We hardly believed it happened.

Kyle's friend was planning on riding home with him, but at the last minute decided to stay later. If he would've been in the truck...... well, you can imagine. As parents, the possiblity of involving someone elses child is just so painful to think about.

I never went to see the truck, our neighbor has a towing service and he took care of the tow in the morning and I called the insurance. The other driver never stopped, and so we had nothing more to deal with. This photo was only found today on another computer. It's a little difficult to see, but the roof is smashed in at least 3-5 inches. Kyle is a big kid and sits pretty tall in this truck, and we're just seeing the hand of God got him through this.

Kyle's been a very active dirt biker since he was 4, so we've seen alot of injuries and Dr visits, but this one hits hard. Oh, yes, his seatbelt was on. Toyota makes good stuff.... but the truck was 'totaled'

Our Neighborhood

2009-08-08T07:23:00.000-07:00

The following is a story from our Local Newspaper. This young man is just 2 streets behind us, and he's an inspriation to us all. It doesn't matter what the weather is, you'll see Daniel walking and waving to everyone as he does his daily walk. The story doesn't mention, but he tries very hard to remember everyone's name and he likes to collect business cards. He's a sweet young man, and I hope you take a moment to share in his short story.

Turning lemons into lemonadeDaniel Coakley quenches the thirst and lifts the spirits of those in his Hanford neighborhood
By Heather Halseyhhalsey@HanfordSentinel.com
If life hands you lemons -- make lemonade, like Daniel Coakley has done for the last five summers.After he found out that his father, Joe, had a lemonade stand when he was a boy, Daniel started his own in 2005 and has been peddling lemonade and conversation ever since."It's fun," Daniel said. "I get to see my old friends."
The gregarious 20-year-old with Down syndrome sets up shop from Monday through Saturday at 3 p.m. on Easy Street in Hanford where he has no qualms about waving to a passing car or chatting up a neighbor or two.Liz Cleveland lives across the street from Daniel and routinely pops over for a quick chat and a cup of the sweet lemony drink that he makes from a powdered mix."We have a big jar of change that we keep for my grandkids when they come because they always want to come over here to Daniel's," Cleveland said.Just like any other shrewd businessman, Daniel has business cards to promote the stand that he made on a computer with the help of one of his seven siblings.He also keeps detailed records of his customer demographics and transactions, which show that last year he sold 43 cups of lemonade from May 27 to Oct. 29.While he runs the booth he frequently calls friends and acquaintances he's met at St. Brigid's Catholic Church to invite them over for some lemonade.He sells a large cup for 50 cents and charges 25 cents for a small or refills.The money he collects are mainly dimes and quarters, which he adds to a jar that electronically tallies the coins for him.On July 15 it was filled to the brim with coins, and the digital screen said he had $72.79, which Daniel said he probably won't spend on anything at all."He would do this for free just for the people that he meets," Joe Coakley said about his son.He said that Daniel gives a lot of his profits to church and to homeless people that he passes on the street when he makes his weekly treks to Blockbuster and back."At least half the people in town know him because he waves to everyone that passes," Joe Coakley said.It's evident that Daniel's business sense and wit never cease to amaze his father, who was surprised when he saw that his son had even dug up an old photograph of him when he was 8 years old serving lemonade in Mariposa.The Coakleys moved from Mariposa to Hanford in 1985 so that Joe could teach special education to students at Shelly Baird School while Daniel's mother, Kathy, home-schooled their eight children.When Daniel isn't sitting behind his lemonade stand he is often canvassing his neighborhood, knocking on doors to collect money for specific charities like he did last winter when he collected money for the Walk for Life in San Francisco."It's fun I got to see different cultures," Daniel said of the people he met while going door to door.Fundraising for charities is one way he works to accomplish his biggest goals, many of which are all listed in a notebook he keeps titled, "Daniel's Dream History."Of course one of the dreams he lists is to sell lemonade but he has more lofty goals, including creating homes for the homeless."I'd like to save my community," Daniel said.For now Daniel is spreading hope one cup at a time from 3 to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, before he closes up shop and heads inside to eat dinner and watch two of his favorite TV shows -- "Jeopardy" and "Wheel of Fortune."

Connection

2009-08-01T19:25:00.000-07:00

Today I realized a couple things as I was eating dinner with my 17 year old daughter. We were both thumbing through our fashion magazines, she her new "Seventeen" magazine, and I, my new Chadwick's catalog.
She was suggesting some cute stuff that I would like, and I suggested a few things out of her mag. What I realized is: We know each other really well. I agreed with her choices, and she with mine. WOW! This connection isn't very common in the teen years. Well, at least, we're told it's not, but it's something as parents we strive for. And when the moment hits, you don't want to make a big deal out of it, just let it happen. Too much excitement and you've scared them off, and then we're weird, again.
Of course, we were both just dreaming, because we're not big shoppers, but we do like to browse the mags and catalogs, and love to watch the Makeover, and 'What Not to Wear" shows. I can look through the same catalog over and over, and pretend I'll buy this dress for some special occasion, or that outfit if I worked at the bank..... I guess it's never too late to play pretend, at least I hope not. But for now, I just cherish those little moments.

Fallen Pine

2009-07-18T17:38:00.001-07:00

We have sweet older lady, recently widowed, in the house behind ours.

She had always worried about the effect that her large Pine tree might

someday have on our fence and studio, if it were to fall.

Well, it did Thursday. I was having my morning coffee on the back patio, and noticed how close the pine tree appeared. A little too close..... yikes! It fell on our studio. I investigated, but not too close, for fear that it wasn't done breaking.

I took a few pictures, because my sister, the Insurance lady, has taught me well, while Danny took a walk around to tell the owner.

She was very sorry and will have someone out in the morning.

Our studio is behind another fenced area. We did that orginally for clients and privacy.

Here I'm trying to show the very large limb that is broken.

So, 2 days later, it's still lying there. It's putting alot of pressure on our studio and storage area cover. We hope it's not doing any more damage.....

You know, it's crazy, just when you think the Lord has challenged you with all you can handle He hands you a little more. Scripture tells us to be grateful for all these struggles, as they will make us closer to Him and stronger from it.
Watch out Arnie, Superman and Hercules..... cuz, here we come!

Father's Day Fun

2009-06-22T13:14:00.000-07:00

We made a quick fun-filled trip to Shaver this weekend.

Danny's sister has a beautful vacation home in

Appleridge Meadow just before Shaver.

We took a ride with the cousins to Bald Mountain.

From there you can view Shaver lake, and the surrounding valley.

It was a rough ride up to it, but well worth it.

We didn't want to go back down.

The view from Kyle's truck, Danny's was on his KTM in between us,

but not for long, he mostly went off the trail to blaze his own track.

In fact, so much that he lost us for about an hour.

Not to worry, he had fun searching us out.

An Old lookout for forest fires. National landmark.

We went to the top, but it's not recommended.
Great view from up there.

Me, Brent, Danielle & Jared.

View of Shaver Lake from on top of Bald Mountain.

In the Studio apartment..... nice!

Back at the house, it's all about great food, drinks and RockBand!!!

They have a studio for the teens and guests above their garage (sleeps 10-12),

so the kids have their own hangout.

Happy Father's Day

A Prayer, by Antonie Vander Baan

2009-06-22T13:04:00.000-07:00

This is the prayer that Shelley's grandpa wrote and recited at her memorial. It's been requested by many, so I thought I'd post it for you. He's an elderly man with a thick Dutch accent, so keep that in mind when you read it. Tony has done this for the girls on every special occasion.

A Prayer

Dear Father, You know we are so down and so sad,

Thank you for all the years that Shelley had.

We cry and our hears feel so torn,

We know you loved her as soon as she was born.

Why did you take her, she was not that old?

Thanks for your hands which we can still hold.

She was so full of life and so much fun,

Thank you for all the times she was able to run.

When she was little, she played like a boy,

Thank you for her sunny smile, she was such a joy.

She was a great daughter, mother and sister, too.

Thank you for all she was willing and able to do.

Oh how she loved sports, like playing ball.

Did we really give enough thanks for it all?

Before her lung transplant, You decided, not yet,

Thank you for the four more years she did get.

But now we are sad and only can weep,

While we know she is in your arms forever to keep.

Dear Father, give us the comfort only you can give,

So we will be able to start each day and live.

We will miss her so, we are left with an empty space.

Help us to fill it with memories, and your wonderful grace.

It is in Jesus' name that we pray.

Amen

Good Grief

2009-06-06T10:53:00.000-07:00

Within the past 2 months we've lost 2 family members. First Danny's brother-in-law past away from Leukemia, and recently my niece passed away from Cystic Fibrosis.
The ceremonies were in some way similar as the service was as close to celebratory as possible. With the slide shows chronicling their lives and loved ones, and the gathering of family and friends with memories and stories for those mourning to enjoy.
I chose the title "Good Grief" because I 'accidentally' purchased a book titled that, and as I read it last summer I thought 'someday this will be good for someone who is hurting from a loss.' I never thought those people would be a part of our family. I have yet to give it my sister in law, but there's that ever-difficult question that we ask ourselves...."Is it appropriate?" And that's basically the idea of this book.
I don't know about you, but I wonder and ask myself what is appropriate.... should I visit or call right away or give them time? Is it ok to share a laugh with someone at a memorial? What do you say when someone says to you "sorry for your loss?" do you respond with 'thanks?' When do you disperse of some one's belongings after they're gone?
Difficult questions that no one wants to talk about. We can't avoid any of the uncomfortable stages of it, like Shelley's pastor said, "we're all going to die." what makes us think anything different. We just need to know we're ready.
The book Good Grief was about a young newly married woman who's husband gets ill and dies. She is faced with her mother-in-law pressuring her on what to do with her life, she is faced with all the 'looks' of pity that she's now getting, and she doesn't know how to handle of it appropriately...what's grief-etiquette? Maybe even writing this in a blog is totally inappropriate! I don't know, and why do we care? We must all feel this way. And if you knew Shelley, she was always concerned about what other's thought.
Like my other fellow bloggers have written, after certain memorials they make you want to hug your husband, your kids, and be a better person. I read through Shelley's Bible passages several times when I got home, she makes we want to a better Christian. I want to see His face someday, too.
Shelley's daughter, Kylie's friend wrote a beautiful song, that we will record for her. I hope to meet the challenge and post if for you all to hear. She's only 13 (guessing) and she handled herself with such poise and sang from her heart. Now that WAS appropriate.

In Loving Memory

2009-06-01T15:17:00.000-07:00

Our family lost a wonderful young lady this past week. My niece, Shelley, was in her 30's. She had a heart of gold and the smile that I'll visualize forever. She and her other 2 sisters have CF. Shelley had a lung transplant 4 years ago, and went on to work, raise her daughter, enjoy her family and friends, even visit the gym. What a trooper.

This Feb., Shelley discovered difficulty breathing and feared the worse. Not only was she rejecting her lungs but soon found she had a terrible infection. The family all gathered around to help her through, but in the end her body couldn't hold on. She no longer belongs to us, she's in the Lord's hands.

Our family has seen many miracles with these girls, and we enjoyed their beautiful souls for many years longer than we ever thought possible. Shelley will greatly be missed.

I've been around Shelley since was a baby and lived with us for a short while, I guess I feel like she was my little sister. So daily I think, if I hurt this bad, imagine how her mother, her daughter, her mother, her father, her sisters feel.... and then of course, I cry even more. I know she's in much better care now, and that has got to be our comfort.

Shelley has left behind a trail of wonderful memories and has touched everyone she met in a positive way.

Happy Anniversary

2009-05-24T07:32:00.000-07:00

We've been married 23 years! Wow, it's hard to believe now quickly the time goes. We met when I was 18 and he was 23, dated for 5 years.... so technically been together for.... (let me get out the caculator) 28 years.... yikes.

He was finishing up some work at the shop Sat. and came home mid-day. We went to the patio to catch up on our newest adventures, a little business, but not too much. Then before we knew it the wine came out and we stayed on the patio til dark.... It was actually better than we could have planned. I popped in a pizza for dinner, had some gooey cake in the freezer for our dessert and drank more wine. Happy Anniversary to us :)

May Already

2009-05-04T08:11:00.000-07:00

I took some time to catch up on my family and friends by viewing their blogs. I miss out on so much these days.

Last month my sister and her hubby celebrated their 25th Anniversary in their daughter's beautful backyard. They have 6 kids combined and the night was a true testimonial and honor to their hard work and committment to rasing their children.

They did a silly Brady Bunch skit that will truly gone down as a classic. Their son in law, Kevin palyed solumn, Jim, and daughter in law, Michelle played Rena's role as the happy little worker bee. It was spot-on and so fun.
Jeff's wife Hannah took some amazing photos and captured the evening's events. Check out the slide show link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35390530@N06/sets/72157616859272925/show/

Now to this month: yesterday was such a beautiful day, a few of us kids went to celebrate Mother's Day with mom at her 'home' She enjoys the company, but never gets too excitied about much. I think, sometimes, it's the best way for us kids to get together. Charlie's kids were there and were a joy for me to be around, since I don't see them much. Cute little blondies! We ended up sitting outside until they were done cleaning up, but we always were the last to leave a party.....why not!!?

this past week....

2009-02-15T11:55:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we went to the Crab Feed with friends. We had a couple tables of friends surrounding us, so we all get to catch up on eachothers lives. It was humbling to hear some of the events that we missed.

Valentine's day was different this year. We've been suffering a cold this week, and pushing myself to go to work all week, was just about all I could handle, so this weekend I tried to rest up.

I spent some of the day with Danielle, she and her (single) friends, planned a 'formal' evening together. So, we made dessert and goodie bags for her to take. It was fun to do the things we used to do when she was little. This is Danielle with Bridgette, who is hosting this dinner :)

We made a little discovery this past week. We have a recording studio, and Danny has taught the kids how to use all the equipment. So, they go in & record themselves, but mostly it's Kyle that does his country spin or Rap (yuck), but this time it was Danielle and her friend. They recorded themselves singing, with Danielle playing guitar. Now coming from a talent, such as Danny, we're not surprised that she can sing, but she was awesome. She just never lets us hear her. She's not too comfortable with it. But, we hope, someday, she'll break out of that shell and share her God-given gift.

New Job

2009-01-23T06:45:00.000-08:00

Yes, I started back to work...our bookkeeper asked me to 'pitch' in during Tax Season. So, I've been working for her this week. She is mobile during the rest of the year, but during tax season she is at her desk pretty much from 9am to sometimes midnight. It's a very busy office, with clients that are use to being spoiled and getting their money asap. So, it's been crazy. We work in a cute little house in the middle of town, and their are 2 other 'seasoned' tax preparers in the office, they have yet to see clients, but I was told it will get even crazier....
The biggest concern about going to work is how to get the household stuff down.... so far, so good. I have been able to get up on time, get in my workout, walk the dogs, and figure something out for dinner. I do manage to come at lunch, also, and get some laundry started. Danielle has been trying to help, but the boys....well they're not much help. spoiled :(

The boys are surviving at the shop without me, somehow :) but i do get my share of text messages and phonce calls through out the day. It's going well, though.

Last night I took Danielle to Alicia's, my niece, to get her hair lightened. She and Joseph have two little ones, so it was entertaining while she processed. They are such cute and happy kids. Danielle loves her hair. They have another baby due soon, so she's not going to be able to do hair for awhile. Too bad, she's not only good, but she's fast....

Last weekend was my birthday.... I must be getting older, very few cards this year. Danny and I went up to the 'Gateway' for an early dinner. We were tempted to spend the night, but I started my job the next morning..... not good timing. It was nice to get away and talk about something other than work and kids.....
take care to all....

Snowboarding F U N

2009-01-06T19:15:00.001-08:00

I wanted to share Danielle's photos from her 3 trips to Sierra Summt.

She and her friends, Bridgette and Chandler, had 3 really great days.

Don't they look serious?

New Years Eve was special, they participated in the Torch Parade and Night Skiing.

This is them waiting on the top. Chandler found her uncle's old-school jacket.... the girls thought it was hilarous.

Hey, I remember those colors... anyone else?

take care....stay warm.......

Blogging and meta tags.....

2008-12-30T13:55:00.000-08:00

I was thinking about this past year and all the many, many changes that I've been through, like many of us do. We have resolutions to do things better next year, and everyone gives themselves this one day to get on the starting block. Myself, I would like to NOT have anymore changes for 2009! I don't want to lose or gain any weight, I don't want to stop any bad habits ( I like my bad habits), already took care of my Starbucks-a-day habit, don't need to spend more time with family, seeing each other everyday at home and work is enough :)......
I start a new job this Jan., it's a temp job with my accountant. So I'm looking forward to that change. I think the only change would be to spend less time on the computer.
I've spent so much time on the computer that I now need reading glasses, I have a little carpal tunnel, and my ass is getting flat :) maybe that's just age.....
As I look back on 2008 I have so many new things that I'm still working on that I think I'm good for a few years: started a new business and here comes the shameless plugs: D S Advanced Engineering (http://www.dsadveng.com/) and Mohard Racing is its product line where we do Enduro parts for KTM, Kawasaki and Honda, primarily Radiator Guards,(http://www.mohardracing.com/) with my husband. These have kept us busy, stressed and tired.
The crazy thing with all this is the huge learning curve. You'd think you could throw out a few websites and the world comes a' shopping. But, the big companies have it so monopolized that we have to try these little tricks: Blogging, Craigslist, and Ebay..... just for starters. And we don't use these sites for selling but for their search engines. I think I know more about meta tags and key words that I ever cared to.
But, that's all the complaining for now. on to be better things.
It looks like we'll be working on a couple new lines; one is going to be bicycle parts and the other trailer accessories. Our friend, Chris, is interested in working with Danny to develop some cool interchangeable tire racks for the race trailers. So, keep watching back to the site, they'll be under www.Mohardracing.com. or www.Trailer-Tricks, (when I buy it)in the near future. Doesn't look like I'll be getting a break from the computer after all...... siigghhhh....

Holiday Catch up...

2008-12-28T21:21:00.001-08:00

It seems that we've been so busy, but I wanted post a few photos.

Never did get to post Danielle in her car that we got her back in Sept. It's a Mitsubishi Montero SUV. She really loves it and it fits her personallity to a T.

Christmas was really low-key this year. With the state of the economy we felt it necessary to not only conserve for ourselves, but it's a great learning experience for our kids.They hear about the recession alot and we weren't about to ignore it, and 'pretend' its not real. And we were able to truly enjoy Christmas's true meaning. We had a great time with them playing games and then later visiting my mother and Danny's family.

They both got money from Gramma and Beppe. Danielle quickly knew what she wanted.....a snowboard, while Kyle will surely put it into his truck. Danielle and I searched on Craigslist and got lucky finding a great snowboard with boots and bindings that were used one time. She went up to Sierra Summit with 2 friends on Friday..... they had a blast! I'll have her post photos later. But, for now, here's her board.....

Take care and enjoy the rest of 2008.

Family Party

2008-12-17T18:59:00.000-08:00

We had the Bakker(my side of the family) Christmas party this past Sat. What a group we've grown into. Some of us joke about needing name tags, because we lose track of the new ones. With 2 -3 births a year, it can become difficult to keep up. But, what a blessing it is to have a large family. We even had 3 of my sister's kids and their family not present, so that would add 12-14 people.

Mom did really well and enjoyed her evening. We didn't have a gift exchange this year, instead we donated to needy families and shared the experience.

This turned out to be a great photo of my mom and her family. So, I made her photo cards to send out to her family and friends. She got a great response from that, as her efforts in the past have been minimal.Here's another photo of me, my mom, my sister, and my nieces.

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T20:03:00.000-08:00

Wow..... did we eat a lot?! And the more we ate, the more we ate.... why does this happen?

We had a great visit with Danny's family in their beautiful Sierra Home. They have some fabulous cooks in that family and the quantity of food never ceases to amaze me. Tom, a cousin, and his wife recently visited Italy and he shared a simple but tasty veggie recipe with us, that I want to share.

Sicilian Carrots

Nonstick olive oil spray
2 lbs
32oz Peeled baby carrots or regular carrots - thinly sliced
1/4 cup Extra-virgin olive oil - divided
1/4 cup Dried cranberries
3 tablespoons Pine nuts
9 tablespoons Basil leaves - cut julienne strips (medium)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Recipe Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Coat two large roasting pans with olive oil spray. Arrange carrots in a single layer on the pans, mixing with 2 tablespoons of oil. Bake the carrots for 30 to 40 minutes, occasionally stirring them so they don't burn. They should become soft and start to brown. Remove and let cool.
In a bowl, mix carrots with cranberries, pine nuts, basil and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; refrigerate overnight.
To serve, let return to room temperature. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

We caught up with allot of old acquaintances and met some new realities too. We mourned one that passed on since last year, and we fear that our brother-in-law may not be with us next year. We also celebrated a 6 week old with bright auburn hair:) Such are family gatherings.... circle of life.

The teenagers took a jeep ride up to Bald mountain last night to see the valley from a lookout spot. The night was abit foggy to see, but, it was fun for them.

We hope and pray you had a blessed time with friends and family.

The Rescuer

2008-11-05T17:00:00.000-08:00

Our 16 year old, Danielle, is quite the dog lover. She went to Walgreens for something and saw a dog crossing a busy street. She watched him carefully, then followed him to the parking lot of Me N Eds Pizza. Well, the dog found the trashcan and was quite content. But, Danielle noticed it had a cute Halloween collar, and thought, "this is no stray." She called for him, and when she opened the back of her suv he jumped right in.

Danny and I had just gotten home from dinner following his golf game. When she drove up with that look of concern on her face. She told us the story, and when she opened up the trunk out jumps this small 'horse'. oh my! that's a big dog. He was very gentle and calmly walked up to us looking for 'loves.'

She knew this dog had to belong to someone, so we immediately talked about how to contact the owners. Well, with no dog tags, just that cute collar with bells, there was no way to know who's dog this was. The weather had been a little rough lately, so we imagined he got spooked either from the Halloweenish night, or the thunder.

The next morning, we put signs around the area where she found him. That was all we could do since it was Sunday.

He got along wonderfully with our 2 dogs, even liked the cats. He wanted to be in the house, and went to the door when he needed out. So, we didn't have any house training issues, he just eats and drinks a lot.
Well, not until Tuesday did Danny finally realize that this dog seemed familiar for a reason. He knows who's dog it is..... our friend, Ray, who does home repair, and takes his 2 dogs with him. In fact, these dogs are so well behaved they walk around Home Depot during his shop. So, we gave Ray a call, and he was so happy to know his dog was safe.

15 Days To go.....

2008-10-20T08:09:00.000-07:00

I think we all know what's coming..... election ! Some days I really enjoy learning about the views of candidates, and the plans they have for our country. Then I realize like most Americans.... it's a promise that neither may be able to keep. I'm frightened for our future, but mostly for my and your kids' future. I'm tired of hearing about it, I'm tired of talking about it.

SO, I think the end of this month I'll have a "Don't-You-Say-It!" party. You know, ladies, when we've gone to baby or bridal showers and you can't cross your legs or else you get the clothespin taken away and lose your chances at the gift. Well, I think a similar party but you got to stick your heard in the dunk tank or take a shot (depends on your guests) if you say anything regarding politics or the economy.
If you read my last blog you'll know where these feelings are coming from ;(

Now, I don't want to do either so I'll change the subject to happier note: My mother is in assisted living. and last week me, my sister-in-law , sister and niece took her to lunch and shopping. Now, it's something she used to do on a daily basis when she was able, so we think its a real treat for her. But, we get most of the fun out of the day. Mom is quite the character.
We ate at Red Robin and then took her down the mall. We decided that the Village East might be the store for her. Since she's been in her new home she's put on quite a few pounds, but she still visualizes her old size 4 Petite. So, when we roll into the bigger sized store, she asks me "Now, why are we in here, it's too big for me?!" Uh, oh ladies we have a problem. Now, for some reason we think we can fool my 79 year old mother, but we're the fools. We have to dance around the store pull in the sides of these shirts when we show her and pretend she's still a 4. My sister thought it would be wise to tell her..... mom, looks at her like she's nuts. "I am NOT that size" so, we go on pretending.

Is this wrong? I don't think so.... We'll be her rose colored glasses, we all need those some days. I hope my children do the same for me.

Drinking the Reserve

2008-10-15T08:10:00.000-07:00

Monday was Danny's birthday. We kept it pretty simple.

We had a busy day, so we grabbed a couple frappuccino's and watched Danielle's tennis match in the afternoon. It was good to sit down and relax for awhile. Our weather is so nice this week, you just gotta enjoy it while it's here. The coaches arranged a hot dog and burgers lunch for the team since it was their last home game. We brought down some tables and our barbecue, but they took care of everything. I just can't say enough good things about her coaches: they are just positive, enjoyable and fun guys.

I slow cooked a Teryaki Tri-Tip while we watched her game, so that was ready when we came home. Threw together some vegies and mashed potatoes, opened the reserve Pinot from Wild Horse Winery. It was so good. Sometimes those quiet evenings at home are the perfect way to celebrate. Both the kids made silly cards for him; yes they still do that at ages 16 and 19.

Tues. night, Danny's cousin came by with a bottle of wine. It didn't take us long to decide to open it. So, we found our way to the patio to enjoy it. Our evening was going well, UNTIL they started in with the politics. Their opinions are somewhat different and they do enjoy the back and forth banter. There wasn't much room for my opinion, so I ventured inside. "Way to ruin a buzz, guys."
I just hope and pray this extreme state our country is in comes to an end soon. Its very frightening to think what we're leaving for our children.

Foreigner In Concert

2008-09-20T18:12:00.000-07:00

Last night Danny and I got away to see "Foreigner" in concert. We drove up to the Chuckchansi Resort and Casino in Coarsegold, Ca. along the way stopping in at Trader Joe's to pick up our wine and snacks for the room.
We were quite taken aback when we arrived. They have a huge resort, with well organized facilities and lots of ammenites. In fact, I counted 7 or more restaurants (?) wow!! I am not much of a gambler, and rather get annoyed by the atmoshpere, so the tables and slots machines were easily passed by.
The concert was outdoors, right on schedule, the seats were good, and the weather was perfect. So, the mood was all set for a fantastic evening. Then, the band started and us being music critics, were ready to be dissapointed. BUT we weren't! They were awesome! The sound was great, the harmonies were on, and they looked good, too. Why are we surprised? well, jeez, they're suppose to be has-beens, but they are touring and making albums again. Of course, they was only one original member, but that's ok, maybe even better that way. So, we had a great time and had good fun people around us.
I don't have any photos to post, cause I didn't think I could take my camera in, so I left it behind.
We stayed in their new tower. Our room was large and the bed was the biggest we ever slept in, so that was nice. But, this morning, we only felt the need to eat and drive home. I guess we like a little different scenery, we'd rather walk on the beach or look through shops, than gamble.
But, actually, we have a lot of stuff going on with our business, some of it exciting and some just plain stressful and unpleasant. So, it was difficult to stay away any longer.

Pismo for a day

2008-09-01T07:36:00.000-07:00

Sunday, of Labor Day Weekend, we took a day trip to the coast. Pismo Beach is a regular 'hot' spot' for most Valley residents and this weekend was no exception. It was very busy, but of course, we were not surprised.

Danielle and her friend, Bridgette, were the reason we went. They had to do 'something' for Labor Day Weekend. Danny drove and I got to sit back and read my book. I read some of it aloud to him, but I was too deep into the book for him to understand. He said, "I'll just wait until the movie comes out" :) aint' that the truth!

We made a short bathroom stop at EOS winery, and took a few photos. Wineries are great pit stops, sure beats the rest stops.

.........at the beach......The girls went straight to the main strip by the pier to get their bowls of chowder, while we drove back to the new park in Shell Beach.
After an hour of relaxing by ourselves, they called to get their stuff out of the car. So, we drove to Pismo and found a great parking spot. This surprised us since it was so busy. Well, later we got another surprise a TICKET! Apparently, us non-frequent visitors didn't notice all the signs posted about paying for our parking. SO, we paid alright $40! That's a good bottle of wine. We tried not to let this bother us too much, after all it was our stupid mistake. So, off to the beach..........the girls hit the waves on their boogey boards and we had fun watching them for awhile, then we took the rest of the time to relax again on the beach. Sounds like a pattern of ours..... I do believe we are either getting old, or really needed some rest. I chose the latter. The weather was warmer than forcasted, so it was very pleasant.

We left around 5:30 and ate at Margie's Diner in Paso, if you've ever eaten there you know the portions are huge! Very good too. The rest of the trip home was very quiet, as we were all a bit tired.

Big number Birthday & Off-Road

2008-08-26T16:28:00.000-07:00

Our friend had his 50th Birthday party this past Sat. I've only been to a couple, and they were very different. My brother had his last year, and it was very social with good drinks, laughs and food. This one was more about reminiscing, and looking back on his life. It was arranged by his wife, and done very well. They had him sit through a "Roast", too. It was very tame and tasteful (much to our disappointment) but they had alot of family with children there, so the 'roasters' were reserved. Danny is quite the jokester and well-humored individual, so he took his stance next to his friend, also.

Off-Road "Locked Out"

Our son Kyle and his friend have been putting in long hours at the shop. They're making his Toyota his off-road proto-type. Bending tube and pipe to make bumpers and tire mounts. It's very creative and hard work. After their trip to the Dirt Alliance Tour down in Riverside they are truly pumped up! Soon, I'll post photos on here or our website, dsadveng.com. He's picked out a name "LOCKED-OUT". They've been doing their own marketing and design, and looking for someone to make their logo and stickers for the vehicles and products. I'll most likely be his web designer, but i know they are researching that also. But, when all the quotes come in, I'm sure it'll fall back on me, I'm free after all. :) at least for now.

Summer break is over..........

2008-08-26T09:29:00.000-07:00

Back to school this past week. I must admit I like knowing that Danielle, our 16 year old, is doing something with her days. She did have a lot of fun and free time this summer, but it's time for some learning to be done.She loves her classes, and has some great teachers. She also started her college English class on Wednesday nights. The reason she is taking college classes is 2-fold: 1) it's free while they are in High shcool and 2) it's getting some basics out of the way. And personally, I think, it gives her a good sense of what college is all about. Gains maturity, too. By the way, she's now driving....... so stay clear and report any mis-behavings to us. Kyle always loved that :)

The photos are from our trip to Shaver Lake. We rented this home in the Sierra Mts. with our friends. It took all my convincing and planning to get Danny to go. He was so involved with his shop and all his ideas that he just didn't know the 'need' for a vacation, until he got up there. Then he took him no time at all, and he was fishing each morning, and then resting in the recliner in the afternoon. It worked out best for me to take the kids out on the lake by myself. The girls just wanted to tube. We got 2 tubes so we could double them up and it was fun seeeing them slam into eachother.

I never could get my stupid ski boot on. I knew it would be difficult in the colder water, but I still thought I could do it. I nearly pulled my hamstring trying to get my foot in that boot. I must do something before next time out. " I had to think I was a pro and get double boots"..... right.I will have to post more tomorrow....... we got a lot going on this week. and this weekend is our friends' 50th birthday, so I plan to have some more to write about.

trying to get it together isn't always easy

2008-08-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

Sunday was crazy, we got ready to attend church. Then we get a phone call from Kyle, our son, he was at our shop working on his mock-up for the Toyota front bumper. He was having trouble with one of the machines. "I'll be only a minute" Danny tells me as he jets out the door. Well, an hour later, and we've missed the opening songs in church. And we hate to be the late birds, so we decide to stay home.
Danielle (our daughter)and I decide to visit my mom, who's in an assisted living home about 30 minutes from here. She was very glad to see us and any company that she gets. Her home has become increasingly quiet lately. Not sure if the cost has become a burden for some families, but it is too quiet for my mom. She's physically very dependant on them, but otherwise is doing very well and could use some excitment.

A quick trip to the mall and $100 later Danielle's got a mere 2 new jeans and we get lunch and head back to our house. We go home to change out of the 'good' clothes and put on some work clothes. Time to go to the shop. Danielle does a regular cleaning each weekend, but the task is too huge this time and we all pitch in to help out. We got a new CNC machine on Wed. and after all the wiring and arranging the shop is big mess. So, we are on our hands and knees using the wonderful product GooGone to clean up what appears to be tar. The machine was too tall for the room, so we had to modify the false ceiling to accomodate it.

Now, the TO DO's list for today:
--decide on what to put on our business attire.
--Put bids in for 5 new jobs.

And in the meanwhile, I am getting Danielle ready for her Jr. year in highschool. Not only is that a growing list, but it's one expense after another. She is also attending college, so we'll pick up the proper paperwork and sign her up today. She's got her driver's license but doesn't feel confident enough to take herself to all these new places, nor do I. Our hope is that she'll be able to earn her AA in college while she's still in highschool or at least get some pre-reqs out of the way. That'll give her a great headstart. She is getting her teeth cleaned this morning, and hair done this afternoon, so I better get this Monday rolling.