Our Busy Life

Rock 'n Roll Marathon

2009-01-29T12:11:00.001-07:00

Well, all the training and the race has come and gone. It was a perfect day in Arizona and things went very well in the race. I ran the entire 13.1 miles (plus a few tenths due to traffic) and finished in just over 2 hours. My goal was not to walk, and I accomplished it. I think next race I well set a goal for a time of 2 hours or less. And yes, you read that right. NEXT RACE. After the race was over I really had no desire to run another one but later that night when I got my energy back, us girls began planning for the next race. We had such a great time. The race we ran was the ROCK 'N ROLL Marathon and so there were bands every mile and a huge headliner concert that night. The concert was Smash Mouth. What great performers. Us girls somehow managed to get ourselves backstage after the concert and that is when the party began. We hung out in the trailer with Smash Mouth, took pictures and really got to chat with them. I guess you would call us "Groupies" Groupies or not we had a blast. Thanks girls for so much fun, I can't wait until the next race.

The final product!

2009-01-02T14:36:00.004-07:00

At last, the garage is done! After many, many months the new garage has been completed. I think it took longer to build the garage then it did to build our home. We all know where the priority is in this household. It is so nice not to live in a construction zone anymore. I am really enjoy the peace. We had a night when the full moon was setting over the top of the garage and I had to run out with my camera. It was such a neat site, I had to capture the moment.
So here it is, enjoy!

Santa's Arrival

2008-12-04T14:22:00.000-07:00

We took the girl's up to the mall for the arrival of Santa Claus. We got there early to get a good spot and be able to see him make his grand entrance. The girls were so excited and couldn't wait for him to get there. We were so lucky that when Santa arrived he stopped and took pictures with the girls. They were thrilled! Then to top it all off the Jazz Bear picked them up and posed for a picture also. They must have been really good girls this year to be this lucky!!

Washington D.C.

2008-12-02T13:57:00.001-07:00

We decided to go to D.C. for Thanksgiving this year. We thought it would be a great historical trip for the family. The kids enjoyed the many museums and monuments throughout the city. It was a quick, fast trip. We packed it all in, missing a few things, but we really did get to experience the city. Quite the city that it is. When we checked into our hotel and there were signs telling you not to walk around after dark, this should have been our warning. But instead we went to dinner and decided that since we were only a few blocks from our hotel, we'll walk back. Well, we didn't get mugged but the kids got to experience the sites of homeless. People talking to themselves, people laying all over the sidewalk and men peeing right out on the sidewalk in front of them. Gosh, what a lovely city! And this is the place that the man who runs our country resides. If the President can't even clean up his own city, how could we expect him to clean up our country.

Needless to say when we hopped in the car and took off for Gettysburg, it was a relief. Gettysburg was a wonderful little town. Friendly people, hometown parade, and the lighting of the town Christmas tree. This town was a lot of fun. I can say that we will go back and see more of the country around Gettysburg but not so sure I want to go back to D.C. anytime soon. It was a great place to go for historical education but hopefully they can clean up the place.

Up the Canyon

2008-11-15T16:53:00.005-07:00

So I finally decided it was time to take the Jeep off-road. Martin has been wanting to go since we got it, but me on the other hand just didn't want to get that first scratch in it. So we rounded up some friends and off we went up the Canyon. The kids had a great time. The Jeep stayed fairly clean and we were able to keep it scratch free. Madison took his dune buggy that he built and tested that out. All in all it was a good day spent with family and friends.

Girls Photo Shoot

2008-11-10T13:41:00.005-07:00

When you have girls and a camera then photo shoots are a common thing. The boys rarely will let me take pictures of them. I usually have to threaten or bribe them (depending on my mood). But the girls are always begging me to get my camera out. This was not a special day, just a day the girl's decided they needed their pictures taken so out to the studio we went for some quick shots. It didn't take much to get them smiling. These two love to act like models. It comes second nature to them, they have had a camera in their faces since they were born. I'll have to take the blame for that.

Halloween 2008

2008-10-31T15:22:00.007-06:00

Okay, I am starting to get behind. I have just been way too busy. But here goes a quick minute to post a few pics. Any day in our house when Hannah Montana is on the tv or radio is a good day. Madelyn and McKenzie live, eat and breathe Hannah. So of course they had to be Hannah for Halloween. Not only did they dress up like Hannah and want their pictures taken. They performed like Hannah for the camera. The singing with a fake microphone and the dance moves they came up with were pretty entertaining.
The boys found old costumes in the basement and did their own costume designs so they were pretty easy this year. McKay decided to take off and go trick or treating on his own. His reason being "I can cover more houses on my own and faster, this amounting to more candy." And yes, a pillowcase full of candy is what he came home with. He still has the pillowcase in his room half full and nibbles on the good pieces here and there.

Ladies First

2008-10-22T19:23:00.005-06:00

Ahhh! I can now breathe. The 2008 Season is over. I had a great year and finished 2nd in the Championship. Martin on the other hand had a rough year. He finished well when he finished. Taking anywhere from 1st to 5th place out of about 35 cars. But when he didn't finish he went out with a bang. We aren't talking a small bang, more like an explosion. This didn't do well for my psyche when I would come around a turn and see my husbands car in pieces. Thankfully he was able to walk away from all the crashes. All our bad luck is behind us and we will do better next year.

I had to post this picture because I love how I am in front of him. It is rare for me to be in front of my husband and I usually don't stay there long because I end up driving, staring in my mirrors and make some foolish mistake. He then passes me and never looks back. This is the difference between a husband and a wife. The wife feels bad and worries about the husband, and the husband takes off and doesn't know where his wife is or really care during that moment.

So, as I took the stage to accept my 2nd place year end trophy, being the only female on the track I had to ask the men a question. "What ever happened to the days of ladies first?"

The men I race against make me earn everything out there on the track, including my husband!

Not very lady like!

2008-10-18T15:28:00.000-06:00

I came across this picture of a friend of mine that races in another series. It is well known that female race car drivers are a little more emotional. These emotions are expressed in different ways, but most of us ladies try to hide our feelings. Most only let our crew know what we are feeling or should I say thinking about the other drivers on the track. For this young lady she wanted everyone to know how she was feeling about this driver and so she made it seen. Or I should say a SCENE, on the front straight away where all the people could see. If you frequent the track you may have had these same feelings about this car on the track. But let it be said that although this may not be lady like at least she is not one to hide how she feels about you. With much love this picture is posted as a tribute to my friend, who shall remain nameless.

McKenzie's School Day

2008-10-12T10:11:00.000-06:00

McKenzie was so excited to start school this year. She wants to be just like her sister, so going to school is a step in the right direction. (Maddie loves school) The first day of school I get her all dressed up in her school uniform. (Thank god, they go to a private school and have to wear uniforms or it would take my girls hours in the morning to try and figure out what they want to wear. Uniforms leave them with no choice.) McKenzie's uniform is the smallest they make but she drowns in it and it nearly drags on the floor when she walks. It really is so cute! Anyway, I take her in and get her settled. No tears nothing, just wants a big hug and kiss and tells me to be on my way. I am so sad, my baby is off to school and she doesn't even care that I am going to be all alone for the next 3 hours. She is ready to go learn. (So I think.)

I pick her up a couple hours later (with a treat in hand, of course) and start quizzing her on what she did at school. Her first comment is "We didn't paint." She really likes to paint. But her second comment is "We played with play dough!" That's the next best thing to painting. Then she tells me about the books they read and the songs they sang. Then to my surprise, she is quite proud to tell me "She sat by the boys!" How can this sweet little innocent girl in the picture above even think about the gender in which she is sitting by? The tone of her voice when she so proudly confessed this to me, knowing how much it would bother me. I haven't slept in weeks, I have been up searching the Internet for the best "all girl school" around!

McKay

2008-10-09T13:39:00.003-06:00

This picture of McKay explains it all. The kid doesn't have a serious bone in his body. He is always laughing, telling jokes, and goofing off. (I feel for his school teacher.) Once we had to meet with the Dean at school, McKay would crawl under the drinking fountain and unplug and plug it in so the water would bounce up and spray the people in the face. He didn't just do this to students but all who used the fountain. At the meeting, it was really hard to keep from laughing, so I asked the teacher if "she had ever considered that he was learning about electricity." That didn't go over so well.

In today's tough world, if you can get through your days with a smile on your face, than more power to you. I wish my life was as carefree as his.

Go McKay!!

The latest on Karting

2008-10-09T13:05:00.007-06:00

Hannah and Madelyn on the front row.

At the last kart race, Madelyn got to race against her best friend at the track. They had so much fun together. Hannah , her friend, stayed in the motorhome with us at the track.

Madelyn making her move.

Job Done!! She just passed Hannah's brother. Watch out Dan!!

Madison has taken over my helmet. He thinks it is so cool to wear my pink helmet. Makes it easy to spot him on the track. Now I must go buy myself a new one, I really liked that one.

McKay in is new Birel kart. He is doing so good in it! There is fire in his eyes. Go Team Birel!

And the party begins!! That is until Martin has had enough noise and kills the power. The kids are use to this by now. Rock on!!

World's Most Expensive Dog

2008-09-25T00:18:00.003-06:00

Just because I can't sleep tonight, I thought I would let everyone meet our wonderful dog. Her name is Missy. Martin decided to surprise us at Christmas 3 years ago and bring home a dog. His friend is a vet, so after talking to him about what would make a good family dog, Martin chose a black lab. (You see I had a dog for 12 years. She was my baby, I had her before we even got married.) She died the Christmas prior to Martin's big surprise. Martin thought this would be a wonderful gift since we all missed Ginger. Even with all the kids running around, our home just didn't feel complete without a dog. So we welcomed Missy into the family. The kids just loved her. McKay even went to dog obedience class with me so we could get her trained. Well, when that didn't work, we hired a trainer to come to the house and train Missy. Missy caught on well and does many things really good. She is my best running partner. BUT!! Missy never grasped the concept of not chewing on things that didn't belong to her. And after three years Missy has chewed a lot of things. So you ask..what makes Missy the world's most expensive dog? 3 hot tub covers, 2 pool pumps, 6 sets of cushions from my patio furniture, 4 chairs, 2 ceramic outdoor lamps, 6 hoses, numerous pool toys (too many to count), most of the kids sandbox items, the cushion around the trampoline, and countless shoes. I am sure that I am missing some items but that is what makes Missy the world's most expensive dog. The trainer tells me that unless I can sit and watch her all day long and catch her in the act there is no way to get her to quit. Like I have time for that. So you now ask...why do we still have her? She is a part of our family, my kids act up but I wouldn't give them away. We have built a separate area in the backyard that she stays in unless we are outside with her. She never chews in front of us, it is only when we have our backs turned. Now that you have meet our dog, the next time you come over, don't leave your things laying around.

Big Red Jeep

2008-09-15T14:51:00.003-06:00

Let's face it, the older we get the more we want things around us that make us feel young. So for my birthday Martin bought me a Jeep. I couldn't just have a stock jeep, we had to lift it, put big tires on it, nice shiny wheels and beefy bumpers with a winch. (this will help with the young feeling) I really wanted a convertible to drive around in with my hair blowing in the wind and the music blasting. I just love it!! And, I feel young when I am driving it. Madelyn and McKenzie have their own jeep so we took a picture of our jeeps together. I feel like I am 18 again, I hope this feeling lasts a long time.

Madelyn turns 7

2008-09-12T15:22:00.000-06:00

The girls are so into Hannah Montana right now. So Madelyn wanted a Hannah Montana Birthday party. We did everything in Hannah and had all the guests wear Hannah shirts. The girls all had their hair and make-up done. Then they sang Hannah Montana songs on the Karaoke Machine and got to see themselves perform on TV. They all had a really good time. Maddie got so many Hannah Montana toys, she was really excited

Tired Out

2008-09-07T14:51:00.000-06:00

McKenzie goes until she drops. You usually know when she is asleep when she stops talking. On this day she was in the other room. I hadn't heard her for awhile so I went looking. She had laid out her Hannah Montana arm warmers and fallen asleep on the stairs. Of course she had Ellie in her arms. What is more precious then this!!!

First Day of School 2008

2008-09-02T09:51:00.000-06:00

Okay, I know I over do it a little in the photo department but I just don't want to miss anything. So every year on the first day of school I make the kids stand in the same place on the porch and take their pictures. They look so much older each year, especially dressed up in their uniforms. They all look so nice and proper! This year was hard for me since it is McKenzie's first year going to school. She only goes 3 days a week but I feel so sad seeing my baby grow up. It is so much fun picking her up from school and seeing the smile on her face. The older three ride the bus home, when they get off the bus they are full of stories from school.

Hiking the Canyons

2008-08-27T16:05:00.001-06:00

The kids really like to go Geocaching, so we try to incorporate a nice hike along with finding the cache. We went up Big Cottonwood Canyon and hiked to a waterfall finding 3 caches on the way. It was a little dirty, but really fun. Finding the geocaches makes the kids want to go on more hikes . It is like a huge treasure hunt.

Horseback Riding

2008-08-26T15:51:00.002-06:00

Madelyn has taken up horseback riding. She really enjoys it. The place where she takes it has an indoor arena and that is where she rides. The name of the horse that she rides is "Ginger." She really thinks that is neat, since our dog that died name was Ginger. I tried to warn Martin about getting her involved in horses, he could have opened the door to a really expensive hobby.

Rocking and Racing

2008-08-20T14:51:00.000-06:00

Miller Motorsports Park is so much fun for the entire family. When the kids race their go-karts, we take the motorhome out and stay the night. There are about 5 other families that do the same thing. So when night falls and the kids can't be on the track any more, the real fun begins. The kids hook up the XBox to the outside TV and play RockBand. They have so much fun together. All the kids come over and take turns rocking out. Being at the race track means spending time with our extended family. All of us really enjoy the fun we have out there.

Racing

2008-08-16T18:57:00.003-06:00

Our lives have been filled with lots of racing this year. I have had some great luck on the track, Martin can't say the same. But what this year of racing has brought us is lots of media coverage. I have been featured in 3 magazines, 2 newspapers, a German website and interviewed for television. Being the only female racing in the Porsche series and having all podium finishes, brings lots of press. I have really enjoyed being in the spot light this year. It probably won't last long, so I'll live it up while I can.

Karting

2008-08-12T19:05:00.000-06:00

Everyone in our family is into racing. It is in the family blood. The only one that doesn't race is McKenzie and she can't wait to get her chance in a kart. Madison hasn't been able to race much this summer, but the races he did do he did well in. This is Madison flying around the track.

Waterton, Canada

2008-07-13T18:52:00.001-06:00

Well, we managed to make it to Canada once this summer. The kids just love going and spending time at the cabin. We have had such a busy schedule that it is hard to find time to go. The kids could spend the entire summer there finding new adventures and making money selling lemonade. Waterton is such a great place.

Lake Powell

2008-06-20T18:05:00.000-06:00

Lake Powell is one of those trips that you want to stay on forever. It is so much fun and a great family trip to take. This year we went with the Yate's. We had the best time, the kids tried new things, the water was great and the company we were with was the best. McKay decided he was going to join the ranks of the cliff jumpers at Powell, so here he is jumping off a 30 foot cliff. The entire trip was filled with adventures like this.

Miller get together.

2008-06-15T18:43:00.000-06:00

I have been instructing at the race track this year. Miller Motorsports Park is a fun place to work. Not only do we have fun on the track but it is a great group of people to work with off the track. We had a BBQ at our house for us to get together away from the track. These are some of the crazy people I get to hang out with.

McKenzie and the camera.

2008-06-12T18:16:00.001-06:00

McKenzie loves being in front of the camera. This is good news for me because anyone that knows me knows that I am aways taking pictures. Here she is outback getting ready to go swimming. But before she jumps in we must have a photo shoot. She tilts her head, adjust her hat and wiggles her hips just right for each picture. Then she wants to see herself in the view finder afterwards. She is so much fun and pretty cute too!!

Formula 1

2008-06-07T18:33:00.002-06:00

Wow, it is hard to describe how it feels to be on an F1 track with the best of the best. Martin and I both did pretty well. Martin placed 3rd on Saturday and had a fender bender on Sunday and didn't get to finish the race. I placed 3rd both days and just loved standing on an F1 podium. This is one of those experiences I will remember forever.

McKay's Mohawk

2008-06-05T17:58:00.000-06:00

McKay decided that he was going to let his hair grow during the school year. He wanted it to grow so that he could get a Mohawk. So the week school let out my mom took him down and got him a haircut. (I was out of town) I am not sure I ever really approved of this style, but it isn't permanent so what could it hurt. He loved it, but did say it took a lot of time to do in the morning.

McKenzie and Ellie

2008-06-02T17:51:00.000-06:00

McKenzie doesn't do anything without Ellie. Her and Ellie are best friends. Not only do they sleep, play and hangout together, but she has actual conversations with Ellie. McKenzie and Ellie like to rub noses with each other. Ellie is very special in our house and everyone knows it. The boys are so good to make sure McKenzie has Ellie every night before bed. It is a special bond.

McKay turns 10!

2008-05-28T17:47:00.000-06:00

McKay had his 10th birthday. Wow, how the kids are growing up. He is really into soccer and loves playing. He wants to get on a club team rather then just a rec team, I told him he will need to practice more. So Martin and I thought that soccer goals would be a good gift for his birthday. Now he is always asking me to go out and practice with him, he is doing so well.

Scottsdale Girls Trip

2008-04-24T17:28:00.000-06:00

In April a bunch of moms from school got together and went on a trip to Arizona. It was so much fun. I got a much needed break from the kids and developed some stronger bonds with the other moms. I can't wait to plan another one.

Boys will be Boys

2008-04-16T19:17:00.000-06:00

Okay I know that saying is so typical but it is also so true. They are always getting hurt, dirty or just creating lots of havoc. Madison found himself into some trouble when he got his teeth knocked out at the kart track. You would think he crashed or something, but no. The kids at the track were all screwing around and Madison happened to come into contact with the end of a skateboard as it went flying through the air. We have had his teeth fixed three times since but they say until he is 18 there is nothing permanet they can do. He looks like a total "Hick." By the way isn't this a flattering picture of him!!

Running out of Space

2008-03-16T17:41:00.000-06:00

Martin decided that he was running out of space at the barn and needed to build a detached garage next to the house. So the project began. Plans kept changing, the garage kept getting bigger and the workers kept coming. Now six months later, the garage is still being built. I can't wait for peace and quiet to be restored at our home. It isn't much fun living in a construction zone.

Sea World

2008-01-20T17:23:00.000-07:00

We did a few of the parks when we were in San Diego. At Sea World we sat to watch the show and of course we wanted to sit in the soak zone. I was all for it, just telling the kids to beware. But Martin had other ideas. There was no way he was getting wet, so right before the show starts he comes back with cover-ups for everyone. I refused to wear one and just enjoyed the moment.

LegoLand

2008-01-18T17:16:00.000-07:00

Well, with the hectic schedule of our lives I have not found the time to catch up. Maybe once school starts and racing ends I will be able to stay on top of things. But for now this s the best I can do.

This was our trip to LegoLand in January. The kids loved it. The best part for Madison was building the lego cars and racing them down the track.

Halloween

2007-11-11T08:12:00.000-07:00

The girls love to go in the studio and have their picture taken, what better time than with their Halloween costumes on. The boys dressed up too, but they don't pose for pictures very often. Madison was a "Mac Daddy" and McKay was a "Rasta Dude, with a big afro."

Family Picture Time

2007-11-11T07:55:00.000-07:00

The kids like to go on this bike trail by our house and I happened to notice this awesome field off to the side with the mountain in the background. As a photographer of course the first thing I thought, "What a great place for a family photo!" So the next week we were up there taking a family photo.

Racing is a family affair

2007-09-29T15:49:00.000-06:00

We always said that racing was a family affair. This picture proves it. When Martin won his race out at Miller Motorsports Park the entire family joined him on the podium.

Madelyn's 6th Birthday

2007-09-29T15:20:00.000-06:00

Madelyn had so mcuh fun with her friends at her party. It was a party meant for Princess'. They all had their hair and make-up done, put on princess dresses and danced around on stage.

Madison's latest invention "Hovercraft"

2007-09-29T15:19:00.000-06:00

Madison is just like his dad, always has to stay busy. His latest busy work was inventing a hovercraft. It worked pretty good until he wore a hole in the bottom of it.

McKay

2007-09-29T15:17:00.000-06:00

McKay getting ready to get someone wet at Boondocks. This is his favorite place to hang out.

Snow Kids

2007-09-29T14:51:00.000-06:00

This is a place to come catch up with our family and watch the kids grow up. We will keep you up to date with the events that take place in our busy little world.