Tiffany turns 28!

My sis Tiffany turned 28 a few weeks ago...I know, I know...I'm way behind but I just got a few pics from my mom so I wanted to add them in. My family always does get togethers for birthdays at home and below are a few pics from Tiff's b-day celebration. I wasn't able to be there :( but I was there in spirit for my sister!

I don't know how my sister does it all. Tiff is a mother of 3 now and you may hear me talk about her kiddos sometimes, ok all the time! Adysen and Bayleigh are 4 yrs. old now and little, or should I say BIG now, Parker is 3 months old. (Maybe I will do a special niece/nephew post later with new pics). She is the Colville High School Dance Team Coach and has a team of 22 (I think) this year. She also works for my Dad a few days a week in the office. I don't know about you but just having 3 kids sounds like a full schedule to me! She always impresses me by being able to handle it all and be a GREAT mother, wife, sister, daughter and I'm sure many other things to other people.

It's hard to believe that my sister is 28! I mean, that's SO old. haha, just kidding. I'm catching right up with her now. It seems like just yesterday we were playing barbies, running our own bank with the big keyboards dad brought home for us, playing restaurant or being store owners in the basement. We would lay our clothes out or movies or whatever we could find and then take turns shopping and buying stuff from each others stores. Even back then we loved shopping :)

Well, even though it's extra late on my blog, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Tiff. I hope this year finds you more happiness than the one before. I love you so much and I am always proud of you.

Mom and Tiff at the house for the P-A-R-T-Y! Getting a little help with her candles from the girlies. That seems to be the usual when it comes to anyone's birthday :) Wish I could have been there!

good times...funny pics

I was going through old pictures and came across an album of pics from our rehearsal dinner for our wedding. I was getting married in about 24 hours, was with amazing family and my best friends in the entire world and was laughing so hard I could barely breath. We jumped on the trampoline for what seemed like hours (taking turns doing tricks and silly jumps - see below..haha) and made up a routine in the back yard. This has to be one of my favorite memories with all of my friends. Here are a few pics from the silly evening: Me and Meg striking a pose! I was so impressed we got both of our faces in this one. See next....

This actually turned out to be one of my favorites!The whole gang :) Trying to do a simultaneous jump....yeah right!Me and Jackie....just a little hip bump :) I wish it showed the trampoline below us! Can't you tell we were working hard?

The dancing in the back yard. I think we were doing the move from "Can't buy my love." Oldie but a goodie!You know when you are little and you wish that you could fly? I tried! I'm just glad my dress didn't fly up! I should probably mention that right after this, Ryan and I were jumping together and he bounced me up so high that I came back down and fell on him and we bumped heads really bad. It could have been a catastrophe! But, after a few minutes and everyone freaking out at Ryan for maybe breaking my face the day before our wedding and me thinking that I might have broke my arm, we were back to having fun...haha. Good memory!

TAKE THAT cancer...!

I am happy to share good news this morning. Two people that are very close to both sides of our families have received great news in the past few days in regards to cancer. I would like to share a little about each of them.

Many of you have heard me talk about Lorie. Lorie has been an additional member of my family for many years, I can't even remember how long it's been now. She has been fighting with different types and areas of cancer in her body for more than a few years now. She is a fighter, she is strong and I am very proud of her. She has taken what has happened to her and allowed it to give her a whole new outlook on life. A positive outlook. Yesterday she received her results from her latest bone scan and below is a little of what she shared on her blog. I love you Lorie and I couldn't be happier to help share your good news. I always keep you in my prayers.

"My cancer is regressing which means where active cancer cells once appeared. . . there are places where they are no longer there!!! I am going to continue to get healthy in every way. I am continuing to focus on my health. I am even motivated now. I am grateful for the news and feel it has been a long time coming. I still have a journey ahead of me, but today I was rejuvenated in this fight. I am hopeful. I am more confident. It is forward movement and I will take it."

Also, back in June I shared news of Ryan's 19 year old cousin, Kyle, being diagnosed with Diffused Large B Cell Lymphoma, at a stage 3. We were able to see him a few weeks back and he seems to be holding up very well! He has had excellent spirits throughout this whole process and it was so good to see him smiling and laughing and know he is still doing ok through all of this. Kyle's Dad, Uncle Steve, is really good about keeping everyone updated through e-mail and we are always anxious to hear what is happening. We are always thinking good thoughts for you Kyle, and for the whole family! Kyle recently had surgery to remove a tumor and here is some of Steve's update from today:

"Some of you have heard and some haven't so let me get right to it: NO CANCER IN THE BIOPSIED TISSUE! His doctor called at around 4:00ish with the good news. She said something like Kyle had made a great decision and that he will be facing one more round of the chemo he had last time and then we will have a meeting early next week to map out what will happen in the future. He is relieved as all of us are. Kyle is doing well; he was moving around better today than yesterday and if everything goes well he will be home Tuesday. While he is not totally out of the woods yet (it will take years to hit that point) he is clearly at the edge of the forest!"

SO.......TAKE THAT cancer! :) This isn't over yet for either of our family members, but this is a definite step in a positive direction and I couldn't be happier to share it! If you have a spare minute, please keep them in your prayers. Thanks!

Friday's 20

1. I like tomatoes and ketchup but I can't eat the two at the same time...like a tomato on a hamburger that has ketchup on it. I will take the tomato off and eat it separately.

2. Ever since I was a little girl I have been terrified of walking up the stairs when the lights are off. To this day, I still run up the stairs in my own house because I'm afraid someone is going to grab my ankles. Ryan gets such a kick out of this, let me tell ya.

3. I would give anything to know how to play the violin.

4. If I write something on a piece of paper and it is wrong and should be scribbled out (like most normal people would do), I will have to get an entire new piece and re-write whatever was on the paper - no matter how long. This made note taking in class a nightmare for me.

5. Lately I can't read enough. I have finished 5 books in the last 2 months (and 2 of them were big ones, the kind I used to shy away from). I don't know what's happened to me! On this same subject, I often start multiple books at the same time and go back to finishing them at different times. I guess I get bored easily.

6. I have a knack for the drums in the game Rock Band. I don't know how it happened, but it just clicked on the first day we bought it. I think my husband is jealous :) hehe...

7. I went through a period when I was younger when I was dead set on getting an iguana. I researched what kind I wanted and we even went and looked at them several times. Truth is, I can't even hold small reptile like animals in my hand without freaking out. Good thing I got a dog instead.

8. I LOVE pickles and have decided they are one of my favorite foods. Ry and I have a rule, if we eat at a restaurant and he gets a pickle with his meal and I don't, he has to share half with me. Also, if he orders french fries and I don't, he has to give me 2 fries. Can you tell whose idea these were?? :)

9. I am terrible at drawing. To this day, I can't draw a realistic person or animal without it looking deformed or scary. Trust me, my nieces have pointed out that they are better than me numerous times. It's always good for a laugh.

10. We still have Halloween candy in a huge bowl on top of our refrigerator from last year. Anyone craving a tootsie roll? Stop on by :)

11. I have never met anyone that spells their name the same as mine is spelled. Dayna yes, Deyna no. I know they are out there, but I have never met one in person.

12. A few mornings ago I was told by my niece Adysen that her sister Bayleigh...and I quote..."doesn't want to talk to you on the phone for a whole year." I have never been so sad :)

14. In the beginning I was against getting a DVR...now I think it is the greatest invention of all time. Especially because my bedtime is getting increasingly earlier and earlier and all the good shows aren't over until 10pm. I'm old.

15. After over a year since I changed my name, I finally have a mailbox at work that says "Brown" instead of "Tripp". Yay it's official!

16. I love musicals. I could go to one every weekend and never get bored. If I thought I had any ability to act, that is what I would want to do with my life.

17. I have to chew more than 1 piece of gum at a time...2 pieces usually. I don't know what it is, but I can't help but swallow it if there is only 1. I go through packs of gum pretty quickly!

18. I love the sound of dirt/garbage/stuff being sucked up in the vacuum cleaner. It just makes it seem like you are really getting good cleaning done! This might be my weirdest one of the day.

19. Every now and then I find little things left behind by the people who lived in our house before us. It was a family of four with 2 adorable little girls and the other day I found an old maid card tucked under the refrigerator. It made me smile.

20. I hate to be cold, but I love the smell and feeling of crisp fall and winter air. I always tell Ryan "It smells like Christmas." And of course he proceeds to look at me like I'm crazy because it's only October. It's just a feeling I guess. Plus, cold air means cute scarves and hats :)

Sad to see friends go...

I just wanted to write a little post to say Good Luck and See you Later (I'm not a fan of "goodbye") to the Herrin Family! I have worked with Scott for over 2 years at my current job and last week he moved his family down to San Diego. Both him and his wife, Bridget, got job offers in CA and this combined with Bridget's entire family living there (including her twin sister about to have a baby), plus having a new baby that can be spoiled by his grandparents on a daily basis - made for an easy decision. It was a quick transition and they were on the road last Thursday.

I couldn't be happier for them because ever since I have known them their main goal has been to get closer to family, especially once they had their first child this May. Gavin is the cutest little man (pictures below) and I got the opportunity to meet him on his first day at the hospital. Us ladies in the office also got to spend lots of time with him every afternoon after day care. Yes, we were spoiled here in the office to get to play with a baby everyday. He was just starting to really smile and laugh and is getting so big!

Scott was my co-worker but also a good friend to me and someone that I could talk to whenever I needed an ear to listen. I will definitely miss that around here. I will also miss his sense of humor because no matter what, he was always the one who could bring a little humor to an otherwise stressful situation. His enthusiasm and passion for his job is something that everyone could learn from.

Bridget is one of the sweetest people I know and we have a lot in common. No matter what, we always had fun together whether it was at a work function, football game or meeting for dinner...she was just a fun girl. The saddest thing to me is that we were just getting to hang out more often and then it was time for them to go!

I know I will always keep in touch with them. Like Ryan said the other night, "They are just good people. People that you want to be friends with for a long time." I wish them nothing but good luck in their new jobs as well as making the transition to sunny weather on a year round basis....yeah, like that's going to be hard! Send some of that our way this winter, would ya?

Gavin Westley Herrin...see what I mean about a cutie! Look at those eyelashes!

Scott, Bridget & Gavin. We will miss you!

i LOVE family visits

My mom, sister Tiffany, nieces Adysen and Bayleigh (4yrs) and new nephew Parker (8wks) were in town last week for a nice long visit! I can't believe we were lucky enough to have them for an entire week, actually a few days longer than that too. We were able to do lots of fun things and just spend some much needed quality time together. My mom and sister did far too much cleaning and laundry as usual, and I am so thankful for all of their help with everything. I can't thank them enough for coming and for doing all that they do. I hope they know how much I appreciate them being here at just the right time.

The kiddos are getting SO big. Parker is the happiest little guy and his smile brightens up every room. All you have to do is talk to him and he coos and smiles at you like you are about to give him a cookie :) Ok, a little early for cookies I know, but you get the idea. He is such a talker.

The girlies are getting so grown up. They LOVE their baby brother so much and they are so cute with him, always wanting to give him little kisses and hugs. They are so very creative and their imaginations continue to amaze me. They are still very connected to each other and I'm sure this will always be the case. Adysen and Bayleigh had a big part in my birthday party and I will post more on this soon!

One of my favorite moments of the entire week was the 1st morning they were here. I got out of bed for a few minutes early in the morning before Ry and I had to get up and when I came back Adysen and Bayleigh were crawling in bed with us. Bayleigh decided not to stay because she couldn't get the spot that she wanted, but Adysen snuggled with us for about 30 minutes before Ry had to get up. When he was about to leave he came in to give us each a kiss and when he hugged her she said, "don't forget to go give Bayleigh a kiss too." It was the sweetest thing. Ahh twins...

I was so sad to see them go when it was time (I always have the worst time with goodbyes) but I feel so very lucky that they were able to come and that my dad and brother in law are very understanding men to let me keep their wives and kids/grandkids for so long! I love you guys...all of you!

Oregon Coast Weekend with the fam

A few weeks ago my mom, dad and little brother took a trip to the Oregon Coast for my dad's 51st birthday! I had to work Saturday so Ryan and I joined the fam Saturday evening in Seaside. It was Labor Day weekend so we were able to stay until Monday evening and we had such a great time. My parents rented an awesome townhouse a few blocks from downtown Seaside and we went to the arcade, went out for a great dinner, went surfing, BBQ'd steaks, spent the afternoon walking around Cannon Beach and had wonderful Tillamook ice cream cones and strolled along the beach checking out possible rental spots for next year!

Here are a few pics from the weekend!

Posing in fun and funky hats at the hat store! The feather was my favorite :)

The hubby and brother, TJ, toasting their raw oysters. This was TJ's first experience with uncooked oysters and he said, I quote "It tasted like I just swallowed a big loogie." It was pretty cute.

Me and the parents at dinner. I know mom doesn't like this picture, but we actually got a big SMILE on dad so I had to throw it in! Mom and I enjoying the weather on the last day at the beach house. Can't wait to go back!

another Colville wedding...catching up!

A girlfriend of mine that I went to pre-school on through high school with in Colville got married a few weeks ago. It was something that I knew I needed to go home for and I am so glad that I was able to. I saw many friends that I grew up with and met their significant others, wives/husbands and even a few kiddos. It is so fun to see how everyone is growing up! Ryan couldn't go with me so I was bummed that he didn't get to meet some of my old friends, not to mention I was minus a dance partner :( but luckily he has met most of them by now!

BrieAnne and Josh have a sweet story. They have known each other since they were little kids because Josh and her brother, Brent, are best friends. She always ran around with those older boys growing up, but we would never have imagined they would end up together...after all Josh was one of the gross boys that was always playing tricks on us girls, and to them BrieAnne fit right in as one of the guys :) Then, I think it was our sophomore year of college, things changed and they started to realize that they had grown up and actually enjoyed spending time together...Josh wasn't quite so annoying to her anymore and Josh noticed that BrieAnne had turned into quite the lady :) To say the least, it wasn't hard for them to fall in love because they already knew everything about each other. My favorite part of the whole story is that when they told their families that they were dating after all this time, BrieAnne's dad said..."Now don't go rushing into anything, you've only known each other for about 14 years." And they were married a few short years later....

During the ceremony they poured soil and water into their "Unity Tree" that they are going to plant at their new home...I loved this - such a cute idea.

Me & Mal...my oldest friend from home - I think her wedding will be next! Singing karaoke with the all the girls...I think we sang almost every female country song we could think of. Just when we would take a break, they would get every girl back up there! It was fun!Me and Kelly Brown. Another friend I went through 12 years of school with! Ry and I went to Kelly and Leia's wedding last summer in Seattle. They were married a few weeks after Ry and I in August. Me & the Bride. It was a 40's themed wedding and they totally pulled off a fun garden party. The wedding was in a secluded meadow by a creek and a really cool old log cabin. They played old music and all of the dresses and decorations fit the theme. She used rainbow colors...the bridesmaids each wore a different color - red, purple, yellow and orange. The also had skittles on each of the tables...it fit perfectly and I think I ate our whole bowl...or to be honest, maybe just the red ones - a bad habit of mine :) We always have so much fun spending time with these two. Leia and I are both Mrs.Brown! We always take a "Mrs. Brown" picture together every time we hang out. Good times had by all.

quote I love...believe...

"Alice laughed. 'There's no use trying,' she said. 'One can't believe impossible things.' 'I daresay you haven't had much practice,' said the Queen. 'When I was your age, I always did it half an hour a day. Why, sometimes, I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.'"
- Lewis Carroll, Alice In Wonderland

best, last, currently, true or false, random

Best...
Male friend: Ry
Female friend: I'm lucky to have more than one
Things to do: take a bath, finish a book, talk to an old friend, SEE FAMILY, have a clean house (not necessarily the process that goes with that though)
Day of the week: I would have to say Friday, best day of the work week by far...casual Friday :)
Food: pasta of any kind, lately all I want to eat is salad too!
Website: too many blogs to count

Last...
Talked to on the phone: Jackie
Text: Mom
What are you doing now: blogging, watching tv, eating salad...multi-tasking
Was today better than yesterday? I suppose, I'm working on it
Plans? going to the beach with my fam this weekend
Meal? Actually haven't even thought about dinner yet, so I guess my lunch today...salad :)

Currently...
Missing: family, as usual...and good friends
Wanting: A massage, a big bowl of ice cream and someone to put my laundry away for me! Is that too much to ask? :)
Watching: Law & Order SVU
Working on: a wedding album for a family member, writing, tons of graphic design projects at work...the fun stuff!

True or False:
I am a cuddler...the best, their is no getting away!
I am a morning person...anyone who knows me could answer this one - NO! that means don't wake me up at 8am on a Saturday morning Dad!! haha
I am a perfectionist...I wish I could say no, but with some things yes
I am currently in pajamas...yep, every day when I get off work
I like country music...couldn't live without it
I enjoy talking on the phone...of course!
I have a hidden talent...I can curl my tongue twice (hard to explain but it's weird)
I have all my grandparents...very thankful to answer yes to this. I LOVE my grandparents.
I have been told that I have a good sense of humor...I guess so :)
I have or had broken a bone...broken arm in gymnastics, broken wrist in a car accident... I guess you could say I'm a little accident prone..hehe
I have changed a lot over the past year...I think so, lots of big things going on

Random...
What are you most scared of this second? being disappointed
Do you like being around people? always, as long as I get time to myself when I need it
Song stuck in your head? "All I Wanna Do" by Sugarland, ever since Mom came down I can't get it out of my head because it was stuck in her head the whole time!
Ever been on the Radio/TV? had a radio show in high school to report on our high school sports..."The Dane and Deyna Show"...haha, wow hadn't thought about that in a while
What's your favorite show? Grey's, Brothers & Sisters, Law & Order (any of them)
Who was the last person to hug you? JoAnna
What is your current mood? anxious, tired
Have you ever sang in front of a large crowd? Yep, can be a little nerveracking, but I love it
Do you watch kiddy movies or TV shows? sometimes with the girlies, also for some reason Ry and I always end up watching Hannah Montana when it's on...which is odd because she drives me nuts!
Name something that happened to you today? Ry made me breakfast in bed :) I got to talk to my neices on the phone...silly girls
Do you speak any other languages? rusty spanish...recuerdo video juegos Meg??

a little prayer help

I woke up this morning feeling a little overwhelmed with everything going on in our families right now. So, I have decided to ask for help. What better way to spread the word than on the internet, right?

First Request:
I know I just introduced my new nephew, but I would like to ask for some additional help praying for Parker to get healthy. He is 15 days old and has spent the last 4 days in the hospital in Spokane with a bacterial infection in his bloodstream. We were able to visit him on Monday and he is being such a trooper. I never knew so many machines could be hooked up to someone so little. They have been running so many tests and he has gone through a lot in the last few days. He is constantly running a fever and we know he is a sick little guy, but he still looks so wonderful to me. My sister and her husband are hanging in there and my mom and dad and family are trying to help in any way possible. Ryan and I spent the weekend helping with the girls after they had to take him in, and I am very glad that I was able to be there. He is estimated to be in Sacred Heart Hospital for 14-21 more days but has wonderful nurses and a great doctor that my sister is very pleased with. So, all in all the situation is under control, just something that was not expected and they are taking it one day at a time.

Second Request: This past weekend was a rough one for both my family and Ryan's family. We were at our family reunion in Deep Lake in WA on Friday when we found out that my 3 year old cousin, Payton (their family could not make it to the reunion), passed away in a drowning accident in Sumas, WA that day. We didn't get many details and still don't know much, but she leaves behind a mom and dad, older step-brother, older sister, one little brother and many, many grandparents, cousins and friends that loved her a great deal. I can't even begin to know what my cousin and her husband are going through and I just pray that somehow they find a way to get through this. The funeral is this Thursday and I pray for safe travels for my family getting to and from Sumas and that together they can help each other.

Third Request: Ryan's first cousin, Kyle Brennan that lives in Tigard, OR was diagnosed a few weeks ago with cancer - Diffused Large B Cell Lymphoma, at a stage 3. He is 19 years old and this was completely unexpected, as he had just left for Florida to take on an awesome job at Disneyworld and seemed to be feeling great. About a week after he had left, he was in the hospital in Florida finding out he has a tumor in his ribcage right next to his heart and is now back home in the hospital getting ready for surgery and undergoing chemo therapy in Portland. We haven't been able to see him yet, but I just got an e-mail update from his dad, Uncle Steve, today and he said that Kyle seems to be handling everything very well and they are moving right along with treatment. He also said that Kyle has been singing karaoke with the nurses and trying to keep everyone in good spirits. He is just beginning to experience some side effects of the medications and will get to go home over the weekend before he is back in next week for another round. Ryan and I hope to be able to visit him soon. I have been amazed lately at how common cancer is becoming and how many people around me is it currently affecting or has affected in the past. I have so many prayers for so many people going through a lot right now and I just hope that I can do at least a little to help.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Have a great day.

Our new little man

I realize I am WAY behind on keeping everyone updated. Their have been so many things going on, so I apologize for the lateness. Our first nephew, Parker Irwin (named after his daddy's middle name) Darnold was born on July 8th at 12:32 in the afternoon at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, WA. He weighed in at 7 lbs. 11oz. and was 20 1/2 in. long. He looks a lot like his big sisters and they are SO proud to show him off to everyone. He is the perfect little mix of Tripp's and Darnolds and has beautiful olive skin. I was fortunate to be there when he was born and spent his first few days with everyone in Colville loving on him and the girlies. Here are a few pictures of him from his first few days....many more to come.

Monday morning in my old room...

I woke up in my bed in my old room at my parent's house this morning and it really got me thinking. WOW things have changed since I moved out of here 6 years ago! Not in the physical look of my room and the way things have been re-arranged and painted, but in me. Before I moved to Portland, I was a high school graduate that was nervous about moving to the "big city" where I didn't know anyone, not even my soon to be roommate who I had only spoken with on the phone. I remember trainging so hard before I left because I knew that at my very best I could hang in there in the biggest meets in Washington, but wasn't sure my best would even allow me to compete in Portland or in track and field at all at a collegiate level. Although I was nervous about moving away from family and stepping out of my comfort zone in a major way, a part of it was exciting to me to experience something new. I wasn't sure how I would feel about it when I got there and my parents had to go. It was extremely hard to watch them drive away, knowing they wouldn't be a few minutes or even a few hours away, thinking that I might have made a big mistake, but I got through it.

Getting through it has made me a stronger person than I was when I used to sleep in this room 6 years ago. It would have been easy to go to Montana where I knew people that went to school there and would have probably ran against a lot of the same people I did in high school. But in moving to Portland I have met so many new people with such different backgrounds, life stories, ethnicities and values that have taught me more than I could have ever imagined. I have allowed myself to experience diversity and have embraced it more than I had before. I have new friends that I know I will have for a lifetime and have kept friends from home that have stuck with me even though we have lived miles apart.

All of these things have helped me become who I am today and have helped me face adversity going through things that I couldn't have aniticipated dealing with in years past. It has also made me realize even more what a strong support system I have with my family (new and old), friends and this guy named Ryan that I am so excited to share my 1st wedding anniversary with next month! I have to say that by far, he has been the highlight of my choice to move to Portland. What would I have done without this guy? We always joke that our second school choice for both of us was Montana, so who knows...maybe we would have found each other there too :) Moral of the post, I have changed since I used to lay my head here. Not that I didn't like who I was before. I loved the experiences I had growing up here, but I think no matter who you are their is always room for growth and I am glad to say that I am continuing to allow myself to do that. My outlook on life is something that I thank my family, my friends and my experiences for everyday.

Portland Livestrong Challenge Continued

Here are a few more pictures from the weekend...

Lorie and I at the dinner.

Lance speaking at the Livestrong dinner. We thought the yellow paper chains in the background was a really cute decorating idea. It's something so simple, but it symbolized the yellow Livestrong wrist bands. Neat idea.
Lorie in front of her name on the powerpoint for raising over $5,000!
The riders....see what I mean about looking official?

Lorie giving Lance a little smooch...don't get jealous Matt :)

Matt's sign for Lorie.

Portland Livestrong Challenge

Last weekend my very good friend Lorie and her boyfriend, Matt, came down to Portland to ride in the Livestrong Challenge. They stayed at our house, which worked out perfect because the dinner and the start/finish of the ride took place at Nike. In order to ride in the 40, 70, or 100 mile ride each participant had to raise at least $250 to go to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Lorie raised $5,075 and also wrote a grant and they will be matching the amount she raised - bringing her total to $10, 150!! Isn't that incredible?!

Lorie has been battling cancer in many different forms for more than a few years. She has been a champion and has stayed very strong for her 4 kids throughout everything. I was fortunate enough to attend the Livestrong dinner at Nike on Saturday evening with Lorie, Matt, Dave and Debra..another amazing couple that raised money and rode in the race - Debra is a cancer survivor as well. It was a dinner with Lance Armstrong honoring the people who raised over $3,000, Lorie definitely being one of those people. Lance spoke, as well as a few others who raised record amounts for the cause. Sitting there next to her made me so very proud of her for doing what she can to help others while she is going through such a difficult time in her life. Hearing stories about other people made me want to jump out of my chair and tell everyone her story and the story of other cancer survivors that I know that I think are amazing, like my Mom. To me, these women embody what it means to "Livestrong" and have been an inspiration to me. I hope I tell them that enough.

Lorie was determined to ride in the 40 mile race on Sunday. She hasn't been feeling quite up to par, so first Matt agreed to ride next to her. As it got closer to the ride, we were all a little worried about her and were happy to hear when they decided to ride a tandom bike - and I have to say that they were by far the cutest couple I saw on the course - And I was very proud of Matt for hanging in there :) He informed a few of us later that he hadn't rode a bike in a while...apparently no training was required for him ! Dave, Debra, Lorie and Matt all wore Livestrong riding tops and they looked awesome - so official!

All in all it was a great weekend and I am so glad that I was able to be a part of it! Here are a few pics. I'm hoping to get a copy of Lorie's pictures as well, so hopefully I can add more soon. Check out Lorie's blog for more pictures - I'm sure they will be up soon :) www.lorieandcompany.blogspot.com

At the Livestrong Dinner.Lance Armstrong speaking after the race was over. It was pretty cool to get to be that close to someone like him! He's a looker :)
The foursome coming through the finish!!

My favorite picture - after the finish they had a bubble machine that everyone rode through.
The Rarricks (minus the little one). Their boys were SO excited!
Matt and Lorie after 40 miles. I can tell you that I would look a heck of a lot worse than that!Happy to be done!
A bicycle made for two...perfect!