Making the Rounds

One of the main reasons I wanted to go home was so everyone could meet Miles before he was six months old. I know that babies aren't very exciting when they are so new, but they are so cute! Me and the boys spent a lot of time on the road during our stay. We went between Fort Macleod, Lethbridge, Stirling, Taber, and Barnwell hitting each town on more than one occasion. Busy, Busy.

I would love to blog all about our trip and the time we spent with everyone but I am getting so far behind I just need to get it done. This post is going to be a quick summary of our family fun while up in our home and native land.

Most of you know about Grandpa Dick and the amazing man that he is. When I am down in Portland he is one of the people I miss the most and find myself wishing I could visit. It wasn't until we lost Grandma that I realized what an incredible woman she was and the vast amount of knowledge she had to share. Looking back I wish that I would have taken the time to learn more about her and the stories of her life. Now that I understand how much our Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, etc. have to share with us I want to learn as much as I can from them while I still have the chance.

We made sure to see Grandpa Dick on a few different occasions and always had a great time. I can see him slowly becoming a hero to AJ just like he is to me, which means everything to me.
This is the best we could do with no one else around to take our picture, NOT GREAT LACE!


Next up was the Poytress family. Grandma and Grandpa Poytress are two of the most loving people I have ever met. I still remember the first day I met them almost 5 years ago. It was Christmas Day and Aaron had invited me to their family dinner even though we had only been dating a month. I was a little nervous, especially when I saw 6 foot 7" grandpa Chuck coming over to great us, but nerves were forgotten as he scooped me up in a big hug and welcomed me in. After dinner the boys were playing basketball and I was standing around feeling awkward when Grandma came up, put her arm around my waist and said, "why don't you join us in the kitchen, dear?" She saved me! I was so grateful for the way they made me feel right at home and I have felt that way ever since. Love you guys!!

Grandma was happy to play host to all the Aunts and Uncles so that they could see us too. It was so great be home with our family again. I had a friend tell me what a good wife I was to go spend time with my husband's side of the family without him, but honestly I feel just as comfortable with them as I do with my own family. I love the Poytress Family and can't remember what it was like to not be a part of them.




We also spent some time out at Aunt Dixie's and Uncle Rick's. I didn't take any pictures with them, because I apparently went brain dead, but I did take some pictures of AJ after Uncle Rick took him out to explore the farm. He had a blast! Not only did he see the cows and feed the horses but he also got to play on one of the tractors.
WHAT A MESSY LITTLE BOY!




I already blogged about my time with the Fairbanks family, which was also amazing! I love that we have such a great extended family. I have always been very close with my mom's side of the family, Dixie is basically a second Mom to me, and over the past few years we have just become closer and closer with the Nelson's as well. Anyways this is getting really long so here are a few pictures I got while hanging with the fam!

Moter Bike!

Since AJ's second street wheelers weekend, the first he was old enough to remember, he has been obsessed with Motor bikes. It's kind of sad, since it was decided long before he was even born, that he will never own or even ride on one for that matter. Ha ha ha.

They seriously scare me and I can't imagine the anxity it would cause me to know that one of my family members was out on one. Anyway's while were where in Canada AJ was able to get an up close look at uncle Shaw's bike with Grandpa Poytress.



At first he was a little nervous but he got over that real quick and was lovin' it. Grandpa showed him all the bells and whistles and then they started it up so Age could hear how loud it was. It was so much fun to watch him and Grandpa bonding over something he loves so much!

Baby Bree.

I can't remember if I blogged about my Aunt Lana, but she and I were pregnant at the same time and ended up having the same due date! Crazy eh?! Anyways she had a beautiful baby girl on June 20th named Bree Marcel Johnson. She is gorgeous and I just couldn't wait to get up there and get a few pictures of her and Miles. Unfortunately Miles was not in the mood for a photo shoot so we didn't get to many of them together but Bree was a real trooper!






After getting all these shots Bree was pretty done with the whole situation and Miles was just gearing up to go. I know these aren't great but it was the best we could do with such little time and Two babies on opposite schedules!

Fort MacLeod Triathlon

This year was the 7th annual Fort Macleod Triathlon. Don’t go getting any funny ideas, I was not (nor have I ever been) a participant in the triathlon, but this was my 3rd year volunteering.

My Father-in-Law loves training for and taking part in any triathlon he can find, the problem is the majority of them run on Sundays. So 7 years ago he decided that he would organize his own triathlon right in Fort Macleod on a Saturday. He, however, is not alone in his love of Triathlons and after only 2 years realized that when you are the one running the show you can not be running in the event! For any of you who don't know a triathlon consists of...

Swimming

Biking

and Running

Year after year Al and Lorraine spend countless hours planning, organizing, setting up, and taking down the Triathlon. It is a major undertaking but every year has been extremely successful and the numbers just keep getting bigger and bigger. Although we might not be ready to take part in the Triathlon, Aaron and I have always made it a priority to get out each year and volunteer along the course.

We have been sign holders, direction givers, pylon placers, lap counters, people markers, and sandwich passer outers. One day a year, from the crack of dawn until we are told to leave, we are at Al’s beck-and-call, so to speak. This year Aaron was unable to make it home and AJ was a little to much for me to handle while volunteering but Miles and I were up and out the door by 8:15 to get in on all the action.

After a fairly miserable week it was suppose to be scattered clouds and +10 degrees, which is pretty perfect weather for this particular event. Unfortunately the clouds decided to settle right over Fort McLeod making it cold and rainy all morning. Oh well!!! The racers where still out and ready to go with smiles on their faces as well as the, slightly more bundled up, volunteers.




Since everyone is pretty busy with their various jobs I decided that I would take it upon myself to photograph the event and help out anywhere I could. I was especially excited about the race this year since my Dad, Steele, has been training for the past year to do his first ever Olympic length Triathlon. The Olympic consits of 1.5km Swim, 40km Bike, and a 10km Run! All I can say is OUCH! When I think of my Dad I think of many thinks but, no offence, one of them is not fitness. When he first told me he had signed up for the Olympic triathlon I though, "Yeah right!" but he put his mind to it and spent the last year working his butt off (quite literally) to reach his goal. I know it was not an easy raod but he never gave up and in the end it all payed off.




Congrats Dad! I am so proud of you for achiving this goal and makinhg such heathly life style changes.

Another exciting twist this year was Chelsie, Jared, and Anthony decided that they would challenge Jorpo (a triathlon veteran) to a race in the sprint category. Talk about ambitious!

Chelsie was first up in the pool.

How can she not give it her all with such a cute cheering section, that's right Jeff we're talkin' about you!

But Jorpo wasn't far behind!

Here they are looking neck-in-neck! In reality Chelsie was already a lap up!

A flawless switch gets Jared out on the course a good 3 minutes befor Jorpo hits the transition.


But Jorpo wasn't discouraged, honestly I don't know how anyone could feel down it that hat!


On to the run! Jared arrived with Jorpo hot on his heels. Jorpo made up sometime on the bike but could he catch Anthony!?!


In the end Anthony came in about a minute before Jorpo but it all comes down to the overall time, since Jorpo had to do all his own tansitions. And the winner is......


Team JAC! They came in with an overall time of 1:09:58.4 Congrats!!! Jordan's overall time was 1:12:24.5, just 3:26.9 behind his competitors. And he did all three legs of the race himself!!! Good work Jorpo, you almost had them.