Home, painting & cleaning, and graduations!

I took a couple days off work to head home and see my nephew graduate from high school. My sisters graduation ceremony for her masters degree in nursing turned out to be the same weekend, so I could attend that as well!

Of course, I didn't know that my sister was turning her house inside out for the occasions....

Mom painting trim:

Sheri cleaning floors:

Steph dusting:

Scott fixing the hot tub:

Bryan painting:

Another bonus - my niece played in the band for the 8th grade promotion, so I was able to see her perform as well!

Steph & Sarah after the performance:

My sister's graduation included a full mass and ceremony - 3 hours long... only 15 masters candidates and 95 undergraduates, but the mass included the masters hooding ceremony and blessing of the hands. And the graduation ceremony included all graduates getting their nurses pin (which was pinned on them by someone special)

Sheri getting 'hooded':

Sheri getting 'pinned' by her husband, Scott

The Happy Graduate! - straight A's and completed the program in 2 years (usually takes 3)

The family gathered around for congratulations

Sheri & family

Now on to the next graduation! Bryan's high school graduation

The happy parents:

Getting his diploma: this graduation ceremony went much quicker!

The Happy graduate, Bryan, & Grandpa

And with grandma

Cake!

Table of Bryan's accomplishments

Finally, after 3 days of cleaning; painting; scrubbing, etc; we got to relax!

The groovy grandma, who doesn't stop!

The super sister in law:

The nicest nieces:

The down with it dads:

next in line: nephew Nick!

Scott, Claire, Steph, Nick

It was fun to be home and see the family. Time passes all too quickly though - I'm ready to go back again!

Swap Meet!

This past weekend was one of the biggest car swap meets of the year. It's close to home, so we try to make it every year. This year, we had great weather!!

There are lots of things for sale - everything you can imagine - and not just car parts...


Our friends area:

Old rusted cars for sale

and newer restored ones

A lot of swappers make a weekend of it

Chris & Dallas setting up the tables

Chris working on his purchase of the day - a '36 rear end

I enjoy watching the swappers. There are interesting people out there! And swappers use everything and anything to carry their 'buys' around...

souped up milk crates (the wheels are actually steering wheels)

modified wagons

crazy shopping carts

and basic shopping carts

and basic wagons

and last but not least - garbage cans!

Modes of transportation are always interesting too:

the golf cart

the wheel chair - electric of course!

scooters

and every kind of bicycle you can imagine

There are some people who walk too...

A very interesting way to spend a weekend morning! Not boring at all!

1st tri of the season!

Sunday morning: I got up; got dressed in my race uniform; we loaded the truck; took off for the race; and I changed my mind about racing that morning :) Chris wasn't surprised. I had been getting sick all week, and it really hit me on Friday night. I spent Saturday on the couch; forcing myself to get up every couple hours to do a little cleaning, so my blood would keep flowing. I was the victim of a terrible chest cold - terrible coughing & head congestion. Usually I only get the head congestion, but I was lucky this time & got the horrible hacking.

Chris was also registered to race and he was healthy, so we stayed on course and got to the race venue in plenty of time...to freeze! It was barely 40* and severe wind! The below picture doesn't really do the wind justice.

Trust me, the race stanchions kept constantly blowing over; and the race officials didn't put the swim buoys in the water until a couple minutes before the start. It didn't matter though, since they kept blowing off course. They sent 3 waves off before they cancelled the swim. Chris was lucky/unlucky to have gone off in the 3rd wave, so he had to deal with the waves and the cold. He said he had never been in a race where so many people were calling for help during the swim portion. And it was only a 1/4 mile swim... He said one kayak had so many athletes clinging to it that it tipped over; and an official race boat flipped as well! I was too far away to see all this madness; and I had headed back to transition to make sure I kept getting pictures...

Here is Chris getting ready for the swim.

Down at the beach waiting for the 1st wave to go.

1st wave returning.

Transition area

Chris coming back to transition after his crazy swim.

Chris getting ready for the bike ride. Transitions were long - people were putting hats; gloves; coats; pants - everything on!

Chris heading out on the bike wearing a full coat! He said he never got too warm - good thing he had it!

Other team members heading out on the bike course.

The always fun bike mounting area. Always too small/narrow; usually on a hill; and always creates havoc & wrecks!

Transition area after the team is out on the bike course

Chris off the bike & heading out onto the run course. He lost the jacket for the run; but said he still couldn't feel his feet...


After a 3.1 mile run - they are finishing!! Chris is far left.
After the race - heading for the refreshments!


Hall of Famer! K Smyers - came to this local race & won!! She's won Hawaii & is still going strong at 47!! Woop woop!! So glad I was there to take pictures :)




And another celebrity - also one of our team members. Here's a hint: He just took over Kennedy's seat & he works in Washington DC!! Here is he coming in from the swim. His wave was cancelled, so he was lucky and didn't have to endure the cold water.


Getting ready to go out on the bike.


After the hilly bike course, and heading out on the run.

and finishing!


Now after the race, they figured out who he is, and the fans start arriving...

Chris had a solid race and was happy with his performance, even though he couldn't feel his body through most of the race! He said the bike ride was hilly; rough roads; and windy. During the run, he said there were sections that the athletes had to run sideways to keep from blowing off course!! Crazy day! This small local race also made the news - and not because of the celebrities - because of the crazy wind!!!
I was a little sad that I couldn't race; but felt better when the swim was cancelled. A large part of wanting to do this race was to get an open water swim fest done. So, it worked out that I just chilled (literally) and snapped some pictures!