Recently in Erin Category

Stay tuned . . . there's a lot more to come

The annual Cancer Gala included the annual black tie cruise. Just moments after we picked up Buzz and Jane, we felt a few raindrops. We didn't even have time to leave the pier before we were showered and soaking wet. Thanks to Steve for covering the cockpit while the rest of us ran for cover.

The first time we met Tracy's fiance, Nate, was at Eric's graduation from law school last May. We were impressed by his quiet, gentle nature and the way he took Steve aside to profess that his intentions toward Tracy were honorable. We were a little worried though, that he was a little too quiet to join such an outspoken, opinionated and frequently ostentatious family.

Worry no more. Nate has proven that he can hold his own and that we will still love and respect him when he's gone back to Georgia!

Nate's Labor Day weekend challenge began with a tour of Tippy in the Boston Whaler. The look on his face as they departed was a little uncertain, but with Captain Rachel at the helm, Sarah as First Mate and scurvy dog Shadow just along for the joy ride, somehow, he managed to return without turning green.

Next stop: Lake Tippecanoe Country Club for a round of golf. No photos available, but Eric retreated to the men's bar after only a few holes to watch football instead. Nate lost (???) the lead on the 18th hole to let his future father-in-law win. Tracy says Nate is quite the competitor, so the next match might be a bit different.

Then for the REAL challenge: coming home to a deck full of "family."

Not only did Nate have to meet the parents, but also the grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and a few extras. We even had 8 Minnesotans. (Senator Mike and Vicki, Josh and Sarah, Aubrey and her fiance Eric, Ariel and Caleb) In all, we had a quaint group of 21 for dinner the first night and the crowd just kept revolving for the rest of the weekend.

We also tubed and ate and played Nintendo Wii and ate and went to "boat church" and ate and Jet Skied and ate and even gave Nate a hair cut.

. . . and of course there were just a few photos taken.

This is one of my favorite snapshots.

Josh, however, "Jungbauered" all of us (even my father) by proving to have the biggest toy in his backpack!
(Click thumbnail below)

Nate and the rest of the clan even formed their own cheerblock for the seaon finale of The Lake City Skiers. (It probably seemed a little hokey to a landlubber like Nate, but it was best for him to see all sides of his future in-laws before he says "I do.")

Obviously, Nate is to be commended for enduring so much in just 3 days. He was thrown into the midst of our family feet first and quickly learned to swim, but he really won my heart when he learned to barefoot too!

I told Nate that I could teach him to barefoot on the first try if he could just do two things: #1) Sit in a chair (What man isn't already a pro at that?!?) and #2) Listen (Ohhhhh.......not so easy!)

Well, Nate was up and barefooting on the first attempt and if he hadn't already endeared himself into my heart already, that sealed the deal!

Nate was not the only competitor in the crowd. Bubby took the gold at sunrise.

Josh also glowed with the sunrise.

.....but nothing compares to the glow on Tracy's face.

Welcome to the family Nate.

The Lake City Skiers had their final show of the season over Labor Day weekend before an overflowing crowd. Here are some highlights of the National Championship show.

In the exhibition "junior show" before the main event, Sarah decided to jump. She had tried it 3 times, so why not?

(Hey, we're a low budget club . . . so I don't get to quit my day job!)

 

Division I, here we come!!!

About a month ago, the Lake City Skiers starred in a commercial which is now being aired on Fort Wayne's Channel 21. We don't get Channel 21 with our rabbit ears, so thank goodness for high-speed internet.

Check it out at www.lakecityskiers.org. Hit the "Promo Video" tab on the top left of the home page.

Ski ya later!

We may be back in the lowlands, but the girls and I are still on a Rocky Mountain high after spending the day barefooting with Ron Scarpa.

We got home from Colorado at about 11 pm last night so I was dreading the thought of trying to get Sarah and Rachel up this morning for the barefoot clinic with Scarpa. I was out the door before 6 am to make the first ripples in the lake, and the girls were to drive the Boston Whaler over to Little Tippy by 8:30. Amazingly, they were up and walking out the door when I made my first "wake-up call" at 8:00. (Very encouraging!)

Both girls quickly got back on their feet (literally) even though they really had not barefooted at all since Scarpa's clinic last year. They both did short-line deep-water starts off the boom and ended the day with long-line deep-water starts on shoe skis not much bigger than their own feet! The water was a little choppy, but they were fighters!

Both Sarah and Rachel even said they might practice again before Scarpa comes back next year.

Great day, but I stopped by the office . . . the mountains are calling.

School's out for summer . . . and while everyone else was enjoying 90 degree weather in Indiana, we enjoyed an unexpected winter squall on our way to Steamboat Springs, CO.

The climate (and temperament) however, quickly changed.

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Everyone says that if you love Colorado in the winter, you will love it even more in the summer.

I first fell in love with Steamboat as a teen. For almost twenty years, our family spent a week every spring skiing in and out of Townhouse 28 in Storm Meadows. We made moguls of family memories together and my dad and I celebrated many birthdays together on the mountain. Steamboat and I even shared our 40th together a few years ago --- and even though it had been almost ten years since we had been there, it still felt like home.

So . . . for a homesick, homebody like me, I was elated when our friends invited us to be their guests on Storm Mountain.

The unexpected winter weather proved to be short, but dramatic.

Our hosts, Bill and Marsha, redefined "all-inclusive" by showing us overwhelmingly genuine hospitality and 10-star accomodations. We quickly felt at home and immensely enjoyed their company over gourmet dinners, hiking, horesback riding, fishing and while simply enjoying the view. I truly believe that they enjoyed pampering us as much as we enjoyed being pampered!

Marsha and Bill in the kitchen --- one of Bill's favorite spots.

Brandy (and Rachel)

We were also blessed to share this time with my parents.

(Mac always goes on vacation with us too.)

HIKING

HORSEBACK RIDING

MORE HIKING . . . more challenging

TRADITION: Stones from June Falls

Along the way . . .

FISHING

CATCHING!!!

Life is Good!

ONTO THE NEXT ADVENTURE:

White-water rafting down Clear Creek in Idaho Springs.

Rachel had a BLAST and is ready for bigger rapids. Sarah doesn't like the wetsuits, helmuts or cold water, but still had fun too.

From Clear Creek, we headed to Longmont to visit our friends Brandon & Kim and their girls Sydney & Reagan. We were greeted with HUGE hugs and kisses from the girls even though the last time we visited, Sydney was just a baby and Reagan wasn't even a twinkle yet.

Our reception was so warm (94 degrees) that we headed to Water World for the day.

The Lazy River

The Lazy River ala Reagan & Steve

The next day was 50ish and raining --- a good day for 4-wheeling.

Steve and I chickened out when we hit these rapids the first time, but Brandon and Steve went back and powered through it.

Sarah and Rachel were content to stay on the fire trails while we chased in the Hummer.

We also amused ourselves playing Nintendo Wii on Brandon's BIG screen . . . . and playing with Sydney and Reagan.

Our last look at the Rockies: the view from Brandon and Kim's house.

Rachel recently entered an essay contest. In my opinion, she is the winner, hands down!

I get tears in my eyes every time I read this. What an awesome gift!

Sarah and I spent the weekend near Michigan City at a volleyball tournament. The girls played 8 games on Saturday and were so pooped that they could barely even shop the outlet mall. Even with three teens (Sarah, Logan and Kaila) in one hotel room, it was a quiet night.

This morning, while the girls were still sleeping, I headed to Lake Michigan for a run. I pulled into the park at Mount Baldy where I have been several times before, but was amazed at what I saw.

Full-grown trees were "swimming" in the sand. (The early morning lighting was so awesome it even made a great photo on my cell phone, but unfortunatley, I left my real camera at the hotel. I went back to Mount Baldy about an hour later, but the lighting wasn't nearly as good.)

My running trail . . . . .came to an abrupt halt.

The living dune smothers anything in its path; the shifting sand is stunningly and clearly powerful.

Don't let the 2-D photo fool you. These dunes are definitely, dwarfing 3-D!

I was surprised to discover that neither Logan or Kaila had ever been to The Dunes. I drove them by for a quick peek but I'm sure they still cannot fathom what is on the other side and beyond.

Meanwhile, Rachel stayed home so that she could go to her friend Miranda's house for the night . . . and spend the night on the town in the limo!

I left her my camera.

(There were lots more.)

Steve was left behind to do guy stuff --- clean the garage, fertilize the yard, play with fire . . . . .

Still not sure what happened, but soon after we got home tonight, the back forty was in the midst of a wildfire. The Jungbauer fire department responded promptly and decisively. No casualties or property damage other than an acre or two of burnt grass.

Ten Grand returned to Akumal, Mexico. This year we were almost at the end of the road (Akumal only has one main road) and overlooked Yal-Ku Lagoon.

There wasn't quite as much solitude as the photo would suggest, but it was still very peaceful and a pleasant change from the pounding ocean-side surf of the past two years.

During the day, the lagoon swarmed with almost as many snorkelers as fish. Whatever your pleasure, there was plenty to watch.

Our "penthouse" view of the lagoon

Guess who was usually on the sun deck

Guess who you couldn't keep out of the water

Guess who was content to enjoy the water from the distance . . .

Gramma playing Sudoku. Grampa playing on his Mac.

. . . and when we needed a break from the sun, countless games of "Golf" and "Spite & Malice."

Samantha got to SCUBA for the first time

Jeff was content to stay on the beach . . . with the babes!

One of our favorite beach bars . . .

Steve and I got the bird's eye view from La Buena Vida

. . . and the kids got a swinging view

Another fun adventure: a day on Cozumel.

Two years ago we explored Cozumel by scooter. Last year, Eric and Steve ventured back to the island to explore the aftermath of Hurricane Wilma. Not surprisingly, they rebuilt Cozumel very quickly. We were disappointed to see the quaintness of the "undeveloped" side of the island devoured by real highways heavily patroled by police.

Nonetheless, we were still carefree as we journeyed around the island topless . . .

Body surfing was great too!

A fun day . . . but we were glad to return to our placid little lagoon.

Time to go home . . .

Adios . . . . .

Auntie Carol had a momentous birthday in January.

BBB

Fifty is nifty
Because it’s the only word that rhymes,
But we still hope your birthday was happy
And filled with real good times.

Bucky’s had quite a few adventures
And made a friend or two,
But home is where the heart is
And Bucky belongs with YOU!

If you are rabid with curiosity, click HERE for more insight into our family secrets!

BIG WORLD (little me)

About a year ago, Denny Wilson, the senior pastor at WCC challenged our congregation: "Step out of your comfort zone. Stop focusing on yourself." He challenged us to look at our world and our lives from a different perspective and to help refine our focus on living a purpose-driven life --- a life with signficance.

Steve and I just returned from our first mission trip. The experience was beyond what words or pictures can describe, but it had an eternal impression on our hearts and our faith. Here is a glimpse of our week in Honduras. We extend a sincere invitation to share our experience with you personally.

First of all, since the trip involved Jungbauers, you know that there HAD to be drama. This time the drama began before we even left. One week prior to leaving, we discovered that you cannot travel to Honduras unless you have at least six months before your passport expires. I will spare all the sordid details, but after many phone calls and FED-EXs we received our passports just hours prior to departure.

We flew into San Pedro Sula, a city of 800,000 people founded in 1536. It is about ninety minutes from the northern coast of Honduras and in the lowlands surrounded by mountains and banana plantations. Temperatures never dip much below 80 degrees.

According to the guide book, it is the most dynamic business city in Honduras and and much maligned by travelers as a place to get out of as quickly as possible. It has the highest crime rate in Honduras, so armed guards seem as common as stop signs.

Forty percent of Honduras' GDP is generated in San Pedro Sula primarily from banana plantations and maquilas. Maquilas are factories that assemble clothes from fabric imported tax-free and then re-exported tax-free. Forty percent are owned by the US and indeed, many of Steve's NIKE wear was "Made in Honduras."

Local vendors and mobile vendors

Honduras is full of contrast. Modern yet primitive. New yet old. Rich but poor. Hopeful but hopeless.

Icons like Coca Cola, Pizza Hut, Wendy's, and Office Depot seem to dot every corner yet are frequently adjacent to abandoned, dilapidated shacks. Peddlers stand on street corners selling fruit or water. A Catholic church stands in the center of every town. Just a few blocks from our hotel was this Warsaw icon.

Obviously, San Pedro is not a tourist town. You won't find menus in anything other than espanol and even a NASCAR driver would be challenged to survive the roads, sidewalks and parking lots. (Headlights and tail lights are optional, drivers create their own traffic lanes and one-way streets are just a suggestion.)

We were very glad to have interpreters, taxi drivers . . . and Guardian Angels!

Trinchera, is a village about 30 minutes outside of San Pedro Sula. This is where we spent our week working. Most of us would call it a ghetto. You cannot tell where it starts or ends; it seems to go on forever, but just runs into another village that looks the same with a different name.

The houses are rarely more than a few feet apart or more than a few crowded small rooms. Most have dirt floors and are constructed from scraps of wood, metal, fabric and plastic. There are open sewers that the children cheerfully run through like mud puddles. Many cook over fire pits. Laundry is done by hand and strung anywhere to dry. Children take care of the children. Trash and chickens are everywhere and despite the primitive living conditons, most houses have a TV --- and a barbed-wire security system. The "affluent" have houses of cement (with broken glass and razor wire security systems) and maybe even have a car. Large public buses from "outside" squeeze through the moguled streets of the village multiple times daily, but for most, Trinchera is the only world they will ever know.

The streets are studded with small shops in the front part of the houses. Some sell handfuls of groceries and many sell Coca Cola or Pepsi. Some serve food or have a small selection of clothing or other small household items. In one form or another, you'll find all the modern conveniences of home like a cell phone vendor, electronics store, barber shop, bakery, billiards hall, gym and of course, an internet cafe. There is even a meeting place for AA and a strikingly new medical clinic, though it's usually closed due to lack of staffing.

You can even get ice cream and cotton candy.

Our first interaction with the people of Trinchera was in small groups walking through the streets and stopping at houses to share staples of beans, rice and prayer. No matter how meager their living status, we were always warmly welcomed inside of their homes.

Sunday night we attended one of their church services. We arrived after the service began and were escorted through the crowded congregation to reserved seats in the very front of the church. Our comfort zones shattered and we were acutley aware that we had no idea what we had gotten ourselves into. As we looked out at the congregation, however, their overwhelming love, energy and passion for worship --- their love of God --- quickly calmed our insecurities. We later discovered that they expected us to arrive late so to show us special attention and honor.

The little girl in green, Alejandra, immediately stole my heart that night. I sheepishly snapped this photo trying to capture the passion of the moment. Note how their focus is not on us or anyone other than our Almightly God.

This is the Pastor and his "Praise Team" standing on the cement-block stage in the open-air dirt-floored church. Note how crisp, clean and white everyone was despite the primitive living and sanitary conditions.

The offering baskets overflowed that night --- a fore-taste of things to come.

Monday morning we returned to Trinchera. Most of the men were on the construction team and the women, teens and a few brave men were on the children's ministry team which held a Bible School for the kids. We were told to expect about 50 kids for the first session and perhaps another 50 for the second session.

Here is the church in daylight . . . . with at least 50 kids already waiting for us the first morning.

Before long, the church was busting at its seams with at least 150 kids on the first morning.

When we returned after lunch, the church was completely empty. Our hearts sank.

A few kids started to trickle in, but then Wilmer, one of our locals, drove around town in a pickup truck playing his trumpet like the pied piper. Within minutes, we were overflowing with kids from all directions.

The following morning when we drove in, not only was the church FULL of kids waiting for us, but they loudly clapped and cheered for us as soon as they saw our van. We could barely even get to the stage because they had put their chairs right up against it.

They could never seem to get close enough to us. We felt magnetic.

During our time with the kids, we taught them songs, watched a movie about the life of Christ from a child's perspective, colored pictures, made beaded cross necklaces, played with balloons and bubbles, made a prayer tree and shared the love of God.

The kids' favorite song was Yo Tenga Un Amigo, (I Have a Friend Who Loves Me) which they also learned in English. They loved to sing and when they did, it gave all of us chills despite the blistering heat. (You HAVE to see and hear the video.)

While we were busy with the kids, Steve worked with the construction team to "remodel" a house and put a new roof on the school. He redefined dirty and smelly. In keeping with Jungbauer "traditions," he was also the only one that got injured. (He cut his finger on a piece of sheet metal so I had to glue his finger back together.)

He also spent alot of time playing ball with the kids hanging around the construction sites.

The kids loved hanging out with (and on) Steve --- especially Darcy. (Talk to Steve for details.)

At the end of the week, we were all honored with a special ceremony and meal prepared by patrons of the school.

This church on the top of the hill was irresistable, so one afternoon, the ladies and I went on an adventure hike through Trinchera (and beyond).

Along the way, we ran into a helpful teen on a bicycle that redirected us (in a safer direction) and then a little further down the road we ran into another kind soul that then become our tour guide to the top.

She even recruited her family and more umbrellas for the journey.

Atop the summit, we found these boys flying their home-made kites.

And on the way back down . . .

. . . this is what we found laying in the middle of the steep downslope.

Mingling in the streets on the way home

On Thursday, we took the day off and drove out to the beach. It rained. (My typical day off.)

On our final night in Trinchera, we held in a "Crusade" with multiple local churches. At least 2000 people attended and the locals performed in a special dance ceremony while "our kids" danced with us.

All the gringos got up on stage and sang the kids' favorite song "Yo Tenga." The crowd begged for an encore. Some of us gave personal testimonies and all of us collected countless hugs and kisses.

More special faces and memories:

Our driver Javier with his sons, Javier and Gabriel.

Steve Petty and his fiance Reina

Steve is the pulse behind our mission in Trinchera. Reina grew up along the tracks in Trinchera.

Estella and her family outside their family store

Estella was a meek teen that barely spoke a word, but graciously helped us every day during Bible school. We tried to buy something from her store, but her mother insisted on giving us something instead.

A proud mother . . . full of hope, holding her six-week old infant . . .

I'm still trying to process our experience. It seems that what we received far exceeded what we gave. I don't know what kind of lasting impact we had on their lives, but I know they made a permanent impact on our lives. We were overwhelmed by the out-pouring of love and generosity: no matter how little they had, they joyfully gave.

But there is another world in Trinchera that is easily overlooked. It is not the world we want to remember, but the world that we should remember.

They did not choose where they were born, but we can choose how to use the gifts that God has given each of us. No act of kindness is too small. To love one another is to love God --- and if we refuse to extend love and grace to one another, we refuse to love God.

Love is more than a feeling. Love is a verb.

We must all live more simply so that others may simply live . . .

No, we did not get hit by a freak snow storm.

These are the infamous Jungbauer potato dumplings --- THE most important part of a Jungbauer Thanksgiving dinner.

Father and son bond over the art of making the perfect dumpling.

On my side of the family, the only real holiday culinary tradition is trash . . .

This is the "trash" that Gramma Stands always brought to family gatherings along with her ginger-soy veggie dip. The tradition continues.

Today, however there was something even more appetizing ---- served chilled at 46 degrees but under a 60 degree sunny broiler:

Steve's brother Mike joined us from Minnesota with most of his family: Vicki, Aubrey, Ariel and Caleb. Add Eric, Angela and Gramma Bev and we had an even dozen.

Pre and post dinner entertainment.

Last weekend I taught a barefoot clinic for the Lake City Skiers.

I had a dozen footers from fourth grade to forty-something . . . I didn't make any money, but the pay-off was still great.

I had so much fun, I barely had time to get cleaned up for the 10th annual Cancer Gala.

Steve and I always go by boat and it is about the only time that I actually get in the picture!
(Who wouldn't want to be photo'd with such a handsome guy?!?)

From the Central Region Show Ski Association . . .

Lake City Skiers Win DII Nationals

The Lake City Skiers gave a stunning performance Saturday at the 2006 Nationals held at the Water Hawks show site in Evansdale, Ia.

With only two falls in their entire show the Lake City Skiers brought the crowd to their feet from the opening act as they did a barefoot pyramid slingshot around the jump. Things didn't stop there as act after act left the dock and returned to the main stage.

The Lake City Skiers won with a score of 1704. The team also took home every piece of hardware at the tournament with best male skier going to Jakim Wilson and best female skier going to Angela Malcolm. If you missed this tournament, you missed one of the best water ski shows ever performed. Congratulations to The Lake City Skiers from Warsaw, In.

The Ski Broncs finished 2nd with 1428 points and the Bayside Skiers finished 3rd with 1344 points. The Hartwick Huskies rounded out the competion with 1284 points.

Lake City Skiers Win Malibu Division 2
Show Ski National Championships

The Lake City Skiers of Warsaw, Ind., won the team title Saturday at the sixth annual Malibu Division 2 Show Ski National Championships at Eagle Lake in Evansdale, Iowa. Lake City swept all of the team box scores and tallied 1,706 points to win the title in convincing fashion. Hosted by the Waterhawks Ski Team, the tournament featured more than 300 athletes.

So . . . we didn't make the front page of the Times Union, but we will have a feature article and photos in Thursday's "Leisure" section. Stay tuned.

Details to follow tomorrow . . . . . on the front page of the Times Union!

Despite high winds, river currents, recreational boaters and a few unexpected guest appearances by the LCS swim team, the Lake City Skiers still held their reign as the Central Region Division II Champs.

Beware Rockford: The Dukes are Back!!!

Off to Regionals . . . stay tuned.

For the third year in a row, Ron Scarpa spent the week barefooting in Warsaw.

Most all of you know by now that my world revolves around Ron during the week that he is here. (I'm so glad that Steve understands.) Even Sarah and Rachel become zoned in on his every word and motion and tempoarily turn into androids! This year, Ron even got them to take the first step toward barefooting backwards --- and they loved it!

Ron reminisces over what it was like to have hair! And yes, Ron, Sarah IS taller than you.

The Dukes are back . . . . . . . Daisy is gettin' hitched . . . . . . . . . and the Lake City Skiers were back on top again this weekend in their first tournament of the season.

Not only did the Lake City Skiers take home the big trophy, but they also took home the awards for Best Barefoot Act, Best Pyramid, Best Jump Act, Best Individual Act, Best Sound Crew, Best Showmanship, Best Tow Boat Driving, Best Pick-up Boat Crew, Best Dock and Equipment Crew, and Best Overall Show.
(The only award we did not take home was for Best Ballet Line, but that won't happen again! They just had a very rare, off day.)

Since we have only run through the show a handful of times, we are off to a strong start --- and Regionals on July 8th. In the meantime, you can catch the LCS show on Hidden Lake on Tuesdays at 6 pm and Sundays at 5 pm.

You may not catch as many pictures on my blog this year though. I have been "Deputized" to join the team and I can't seem to keep my head above water!

Meanwhile, Steve is nursing his hamstring back to health and serving as the team physician --- fixing skis.

Thursday, June 1: The headlines of USA Today read:

That means the Jungbauers must be going on vacation. (And true to tradition, Steve injured himself 5 days ago. He tore a hamstring skiing with Rachel on his shoulders.)

Friday, June 2 . . . A long day of travel by airplane, taxi, ferry and finally by Jeep. Even though we were still on the same time, the sun set 2 hours earlier than at home (I hate DST!) and St. John was already asleep.

After 15 miles of steep inclines, sharp curves and rapid descents (Centerline Road alone, though only 7.5 miles long, has 179 curves!!!) we arrived at Estate Concordia on the southeast end of St. John at about 11 pm. Just like our "Cool Breeze" car rental, this was a self-serve check-in, deal-with-the-details-later island-style operation. (They don’t even leave the lights on like Motel 6 --- though they do remind you to bring your own flashlight.)

We grabbed our linen bag (no maid service) and before making the 104-step descent to our "Eco-Tent," I went to move the Jeep out of the middle of the road only to discover the transmission cable broke and wouldn't move out of Park. (Remember, it's a Jungbauer “adventure.”) The good news: at least we made it to our destination first!

Surprisingly, "Cool Breeze" had a replacement Jeep to us by mid-morning the next day and “fixed” the transmission cable with plastic wire ties before driving it back to Cruz Bay.

So WHY St. John in June? (Remember, I am a major homebody once the lake thaws!)

Last fall, Steve and I did a long get-away weekend in St. Croix. While there, Steve also did a triathlon and as the competitor that traveled the furthest, he won a one week stay on St. John. Sweet! (But it had to be used between June and September --- and it was for a campground.)

FREE is my favorite 4-letter word, so with a gift certificate for free lodging and free airline tickets (frequent-flyer miles), we ended up here, in the Concordia Eco-Tents. Fodor’s probably doesn’t give it a 5-star rating, but we gave it a 500 star rating.

The Eco-Tents are like a network of treehouses perched on the mountainside overlooking the beach and ocean. There are well over 100 steps from the top of the matrix to the bottom and once perched inside our Eco-Tent, we felt like we were on our own private island.

We had 3 bedrooms (including a loft), a private bath and shower, a kitchenette with running water and a porch. No electricity, but solar power for lights and a reservoir of solar-warmed rainwater for showers --- and for the techno-junkies among us, the office also kindly served as a charging station, if needed.

It was a vacation from the TV, phone, computer, hairdryer, traffic lights, sirens and fast food, yet we felt like we were in the lap of luxury with unlimited panoramic views, refreshing ocean breezes, pristine private beaches and casual, yet gourmet dining.

Amazingly, my very girly teenagers, who would love to be pampered all day at a spa, did not miss the modern conveniences of home either. Instead, they enjoyed old-fashioned pastimes like reading and playing cards when it was time to get out of the sun and did not complain once about our eco-primitive accommodations. They thought our “treehouse” was cool!

Four-wheel drive is essential on St. John. Even most of the paved roads require 4WD and revel any rollercoaster. The roads on the less-commercialized east end are particularly steep and winding. "They" say the reason you drive on the left side of the road in St. John is so you can see how close to the edge you are.

I won't tell you how close to the edge we were here, but it was a LONG way from everybody else! Remember, it's a Jungbauer adventure . . .

--- and we thought Sarah and Rachel needed to learn how to change a tire.

If we had paid closer attention to the signs, perhaps our fate would have been different . . .

(Duh! You dip sh.......)

This is the salt pond below our Eco-Tent. The salt content is so high that salt crystalizes along the shoreline. It is rich in the minerals of the sea and reportedly very tasty, so we harvested some salt to take home. The brown color of the salt pond is not because the water is muddy. It’s actually very clear, but gets its unusual color from red algae.

From the salt pond, we hiked over to Drunk Bay. It is covered with “bodies” and all visitors are expected to leave their mark behind. The girls made a turtle, Steve resurrected a cross, and I left behind my footprint.

We cooled off by snorkeling in Salt Pond Bay and swam with the turtles and large schools of fish.

After lunch, we went to Cinnamon Beach where I saw a 5-foot shark --- but didn't have the camera to prove it.

Cinnamon Bay was very crowded compared to all the other beaches we visted, like Hawksnest . . .

. . . and Lameshur.

We eventually returned to Cruz Bay to deal with the sharks at the rental car agency --- and left with our third Jeep in four days (and another spare tire).

Our favorite dining spot was Asolare which overlooked Cruz Bay.

Lucy's was also spectacular despite it's humble atmosphere (that didn't even warrant a photograph except for the view.)

. . . and Haagen-Dazs can always be found in even the most remote locations.

We spent one day with Captain George touring around St. John by boat. He took us to beaches and reefs that you can only access by boat. We had originally hoped to island-hop in the British Virgin Islands, but high winds and ten-foot swells kept us close to home.

Amazingly, St. John is only 9 miles long and about 5 miles across which makes it similar in size to Lake Wawasee --- but with a much greater surface area (the highest altitude is 1300 feet.) The island feels much bigger than it is because of its vast topography but is largely unspoiled since 2/3 of the island is National Park.

Ram Head is the cliff we overlooked from our treehouse. It's a safe, but spectacular hike to the top which takes you across a blue pebble beach. The rocks make a unique soundd of "applause" as the waves wash over them.

We give St. John a standing ovation and hope to do an encore soon!

This is a collage that Rachel made in school a month or two ago.
I guess she's ready for ski season!

Steve and I took our first barefoot run of the season today. The water temp was about 50 and the air temp peaked at about 63, but with the boat speed at 35 - 40 mph and a wet head, it still made for one HUGE brain freeze.

Obviously, as editor of this blog --- which I maintain purely for the pleasure of my readership (with only a pinch of parental indulgence) --- I am not immune from harsh public criticism.

If you must know, my recent silence is because I am pouting about the impending doom of Daylight Savings Time . . . plus there a thousand other things still on my To-Do List!!!

I have to admit that Steve was right . . . . . again.

Three years ago, he bought me my first digital camera. I was skeptical at first, but it was definitely one of the best gifts that I have ever received.

This year he gave me an iPod for Christmas. I had a Walkman back in high school. In fact, I still have it, but never used it much. I almost always read when I exercise, so at first I was really wondering how much I would use an iPod.

It didn't take me very long to realize just how cool it is to hold my entire collection of CDs in the palm of my hand!!! Now I take my iPod to work every day where I plug it into my JBL desktop speaker and shuffle music all day long depending on my mood.

Now it's time to start downloading photo albums onto my iPod . . . .

Thanks, Honey. I'm on the computer (again) if you need me.

O my gosh!!! My daughter will most likely threaten to disown me (again) for posting this, but how could I resist? (Please help me out and cast your vote of support by posting lots of comments.)

New Year's Eve is typically a non-event for Steve and I. (Steve can barely stay up past 9 pm on a "late night," so New Year's Eve requires an extra-rigorous training schedule of multiple naps before midnight.)

New Year's Eve IS a big deal to Sarah and Rachel. When they were younger, they loved the challenge of trying to stay awake until midnght. They quickly learned that "if you stop, you drop." Staying up past midnight is certainly not a challenge anymore -- except for Steve.

Several years ago Anna (who is also my Godchild) came over for New Year's Eve and another tradition was started. Apparently, Anna is the only one her household that likes to stay up late --- or perhaps it's just that Anna is the only one her house that doesn't need beauty sleep????

Enough rambling. Here's what I found in my camera from New Year's Eve.

(Steve was sound asleep on the couch and I was at the hospital waiting to catch the New Year's baby. I had 2 ladies close to delivery at midnight and then my colleage did a C-section to bring in the first baby of the New Year. I hate cheaters!)

Not bad for amatuers, eh?

Christmas was all about "i"s this year. iPod, idog, I Spy and mostly "I can't believe my eyes!"

Sarah and Rachel both found speakers for their iPods in the bag that Santa left by the fireplace. Rachel was even more surprised to find a Fly Pen from Santa. (She had her first serious doubts about Santa this year.)

Steve was surprised to find an iPod Nano (in his favorite color, Darth Vader black) because he had "looked everywhere" to find an iPod for me only to find them all sold out. (He went to Indy after Christmas and came home with the 30G!)

Rachel talks to her idog. (And her idog talks back and dances to the music.)

Sarah has her eyes on boys these days. (I will have hair as white as Santa's soon.) Santa left her with some wise advice on a hot pink purse. "Forget love. I'd rather fall in chocolate."

The other big hit on Christmas day was the Spy Kit we gave to my nephew Jeff. Way, way too cool Agent 007!

The biggest surprise was probably for Bubby and Sissy. They still can't believe their eyes when they look at their "little" sisters.

(If you're wondering why they are sitting on the kitchen floor, it's because it is now the best, and hottest, seat in the house since we installed heated tile.)

Bubby also brought a few house guests along. You probably wouldn't have noticed anything if I hadn't pointed it out. Kara obviously fits right in and enjoyed our girly day at the Pottery Bayou.

Here's the real apple of Bubby's eye . . .

Dakota is also growing quickly and attracting lots of eyes with her beautiful silver coat. Shadow is in love, too.

Rachel officially hit the 5 foot mark this week. (That is only a few inches away from me, you know.)

This prompted me to finally dig through all the leaves of precious grade-school memorabilia until I finally found the tidbit of trivia I was looking for: compared to Sarah at the same age, Rachel is already 4 inches taller!!! That certainly explains why my little fourth grader has already out-grown clothes that Sarah wore in sixth grade.

What was Rachel's reaction to the big news?

Where did my girls get all that height? (Sarah is now 5' 7")

Obviously, they got it from me --- that's why I'm so short!

Another tradition in the Jungbauer household is that Steve is never home for his birthday. Even though he has the much coveted age-defying genetics that help him maintain his youthful good looks and frighfully-fit forty-something figure, I think he still hates to be reminded that he, too, is getting older. OUCH!

In years (and previous jobs) past, Steve and I frequently found ourselves traveling to different destinations to celebrate his birthday. Recently, we have enjoyed celebrating together! Last year, we celebrated in Aspen. This year's destination was St. Croix.

St Croix is the largest of the US Virgin Islands, but probably the least visited. No wall-to-wall tourists or even a Wal-Mart --- which suited us just fine.

The island has a quaint and quiet personality. It is dotted with old sugar mills and decorated with wrought iron.

If you recall from last year, Steve's birthday get-away was also another good reason for a triathlon . . . . . and so another tradition was started. This year, however, instead of battling the elements of altitude, cold and snow, St. Croix challenged Steve with sand, heat and humidity.

Here is the course description: Swim over coral reefs to Cane Bay Wall (the Abyss) and back. Bike an exceptionally scenic rolling course along the shore and past the only site in the US where Columbus landed. Run a rolling course through the rainforest along the shore past the infamous "Beast" of Ironman (in)fame.

Hence the name Wall 2 Wall refering to the 1000 foot abyss and the "Beast" that would even weaken Lance Armstrong. (Fortunately, you only do the Beast in the Ironman course.) For a little more interesting twist, add narrow, pot-holed island roads that are still open to traffic AND . . . don't forget to ride on the LEFT!

The ocean swim was calm and clear and Steve came out of the water with a great time. On the bike, it looked like he even relaxed and enjoyed the ride a little bit.

Not too many other bikers back yet . . . Steve's orange Comet is already racked!

Enjoying some scenery on the home stretch.

Not only did Steve win his age group, he placed 8th overall! No trophy to show for it, but because he was the triathlete that traveled the farthest, he won a one week stay for four on St. John.

Afterwards, we took the advice of one of the locals and hiked up into the hills and back down to the beach to find the wave pools. The path was a little obscure . . . . . .

. . . . . . . but the view was awesome!

After our hike we relaxed "Off the Wall." We could have walked there, but Steve wanted to drive his JEEP.

It was great to be Off the Wall.

The von Trapp Family Singers . . . I mean The Jungbauer Family Skiers made their debut tonight at a private "celebrity" event following a 3-event ski tournament at Cindonway Shores. Accompanied by a small core of other Lake City Skiers, we put on a small showcase of barefooting, jumping and show skiing.

It was a momentous day in the history of the Jungbauer Family with all four of us on the water.

As many of you know, my passion for water and skiing quickly rubbed off on Steve when we met. When Sarah was born, she bonded with the boat as much as she did with us. (She slept soundly to the gentle rumble of the boat's motor and awoke only when the engine stopped.)

A soon as she could hold her head up, Sarah was driving the Nautique.

Her first word was "DOWN." She rarely had to use it, of course, but she was prepared if we were ever stopped by the patrol for not having an observer when we skied.

So what happened?

For YEARS we gently encouraged our girls to ski. It was fun at first, but they quickly lost interest.

Perhaps it was the early years when we had to fabricate our own equipment . . .

(Yes, Sarah is wearing snow boots inside of her water skis.)

Or maybe it was too many hours in the boat starting at 5 am . . . .

Whatever the reason, even though they both learned to ski by three, their apparently recessive "ski genes" have just now started to express themselves.

It started with Rachel this summer when she surprised us and asked to join The Lake City Skiers. At first, Sarah thought it was stupid and wanted nothing to do with it.

Well, the rest of the story is obvious. We saw the transformation coming and Sarah quickly discovered her genetics and now she is also on stage with The Lake City Skiers!

Even Steve has a renewed passion for the sport, so next year you may see some more new faces on the LCS team.

Both Eric and Tracy were able to break away from their hectic schedules for a long weekend with us before the girls start school.

Eric is getting ready to start his last year of law school in Mississippi and Tracy is still on stage at The New American Shakespeare Tavern in Atlanta.

The Jungbauer Ski Team

Sarah and Rachel both learned to slalom the day Bubby and Sissy arrived and then learned to do "cut unders."

The girls skied for hours and did not even mention the T word!!! (Tubing)

It was a Red Letter Day in many ways!!!

We celebrated our 15th anniversary today.

Keeping with tradition, we celebrated with Waterford crystal engraved with special "watermarks," filled with the finest of sparkling waters and served on one of our favorite spots on the water with the sunset.

Our secret for happiness . . . Just add water!

This is my idea of a foot spa!

Guaranteed to give you the best foot massage money can buy --- or the most reknowned barefooter in history, Ron Scarpa, wouldn't drive one!

WHOA!!!!

CAUTION!!! DANGER!!! WARNING!!!

Please sit down before you read any further!!!

If you didn't already notice, I changed religion! After years of agonizing, my Nautique freak days are over and it's Malibu instead. (I'm certain my gray hairs have doubled because of this stressful dilema.)

For those of you who are clueless as to the magnitude of my Malibu moment, it would be like the Pope changing from Catholocism to Buddhism . . . . like my dad changing from Mac to IBM . . . . like my husband changing from Nike to Addidis!!!!

NOW do you get it?!?!

So . . . . . since I made a leap of faith, I decided that I should let the Almightly Barefooter himself, help me break it in.

Ron Scarpa was here for a week-long barefooting clinic again this year.

Here he is driving my boat =:o)

. . . and being goofy with my girls . . .

Even Sarah and Rachel enjoyed the "foot spa" with Scarpa.

Here's Sarah barefooting in "the swing."

Rachel shows off her form on "shoe skis."

Relaxing (and warming up) between sets.

Now whatchya doin' Rae?!?

When we broke for lunch, Rachel decided she wanted Ron's autograph.

Rachel has barely take the shirt off since!

I guess we're all a bit goo-goo over Ron, but as tempting as it sounds, I promise I won't shave my head! (Like my buddy Bob)

I got an autograph too --- when Ron came over to personally adjust the Scarpa barefoot plate on my boat.

Now I have a Limited Edition Ron Scarpa Signature Series Malibu Response LXI.

I remember when I was 13. I still have the scar on my shin to show it. I tripped over a tent stake when the circus came to town. I remember my dad trying to convince me to stick my hand inside the circus elephant's mouth. (Why?) I sprained my ankle while vacationing at "Heil's Haven" on Lake Wawasee and had my first ER experience at KCH. Ahhh, what memories.

Now my life IS a circus, the stakes are higher and I'm still wondering why I put my hands in........... BUT I LIVE where I vacation which is just a stone's throw away from my beloved childhood memories at Heil's Haven so I can work at KCH!!! (I really had no idea where I was going when I started to write this but it's amazing where I ended up!) I never would have dreamed that my 13th year would have such an impact on my life.

I never really thought that I would be the mother of a teenager either. I know it's the obvious result after the celebration of 13 birthdays, but it's like thinking of yourself as old --- it's just not something you can fathom!

Well, the inevitable did happen: I did become the mother of a teenager --- and I enjoyed every moment of it.

Friday I drove the girls in to school. I dropped Rachel off first as usual. As I waved good-bye to Rachel, I called Sarah's friend Kaila on my cell phone. Sarah gave me the "What are you doing, Mom?" look.

"Kaila, this is Sarah's mom. Could you do me a favor and pick up Sarah's homework today?"

("Mom! What are you doing? Are we going somewhere? Are we going shopping? Are we going to Fort Wayne?")

"Is Sarah sick today?"

"No Kaila, Sarah is not sick. She and I are going to Chicago for Sarah's birthday."

("REALLY?!?!?! Oh my gosh!!! Are we really going to Chicago? Are you serious? That is SOOOO COOL! I'm going shopping in Chicago! I'm skipping school!!! I can't believe it!!!")

(Tears well up in both our eyes......)

So Sarah and I headed to the Windy City.

We went to Schaumburg first. We covered every inch of the Woodfield Mall and then a bunch of stores on the strip. (Good thing Dad wasn't with us because we didn't even have time to think about going into Dick's Sporting Goods.)

We headed back into downtown Chicago around dinnertime. Sarah got to practice some map reading and navigation skills. She turned out to be a great co-pilot.

By the time we got checked into our hotel, it was after 8 pm. (Another good thing Dad wasn't with us because otherwise we would have had to go to bed - and without dinner.) Instead, we headed out onto the town and found an Italian bistro for a light late-night dinner followed by a stroll down the Magnificent Mile. By the time we headed back into our hotel room, Sarah was begging for a piggyback ride and flip-flopped into bed. She was so tired that she fell asleep watching her favorite TV show.

Did you notice anything peculiar? Strange? Totally out of character?

Not only did Sarah shop 'til she dropped, (a RARE occurrence) but we were so busy shopping on Friday that I did not even take one photo!

The next morning, Sarah was awake well before noon! She fueled up with room service and then we headed out for another day of power shopping.

Another inevitable moment. (She knew I had to get her picture eventually.)

Gotta rest. Shopping is hard work.

(We stopped at The American Girl - but only to get something for Rachel.)

Loaded . . . . with smiles.

Flip-flopped and shopped out.

It was a quiet but dangerous drive home. Sarah got whiplash doing head-bobs!

When we got home Saturday evening, Steve and Rachel were patiently waiting for us. They, too, had been shopping and had almost everything ready for the family party on Sunday! Rachel (with only a little help from Daddy) prepared Sarah's traditional birthday dinner of poppyseed chicken.

Here is the Birthday Girl patiently waiting for the party to begin --- and modeling one of her new outfits from our shopping spree.

The traditional "bread photo." (I tried just baking plain loaves of bread once. It only works when they're 11. Otherwise, my girls insist that I make numbers with the bread. Fortunately, they're happy with the big numbers and I don't have to make breadstick numbers anytmore.)

Sarah's buddy Jeff. Wherever Sarah is, Jeff is. Superglue can't begin to compete with this bond. (Jeff will come in real handy once Sarah starts to date.)

Cousins

Sarah received a special gold coin necklace from Gramma Jane. It is a 3-dollar gold piece from 1855 that belonged to Great Gramma Stands. Sarah begged to wear it to school the next day. I think my little girl is turning into a wonderful young lady. So far, I like having a teenager.

Postscript
After Sarah's traditonal birthday feast of poppyseed chicken, noodles, peas, "number bread" and salad with poppyseed dressing, I was called out to deliver a baby. When I returned home about midnight, the party was over and the house was all clean again. I guess I need to leave more often --- and praise my wonderful hubby more often too!

I guess my fetish for red bikes dates back a few years!!!

I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY like it!!!!!

The Easter Bunny and the Birthday Bunny were in cahoots this year!

Never to be outdone by anyone, Steve put the pier in today.

Afterall, it is the first day of Spring . . . gray, windy, snow flurries and barely 35 degrees! He definitely beat everyone else. The rest of Lake Tippecanoe is still covered in ice from shore to shore.

As I watched from my cozy living room, I had to admit that even the thought of a boat ride, much less skiing, did not appeal to me at all . . .

Nope! I did not help except to lift the last pier section into place. Otherwise, Steve put the pier in all by himself. The only other assistance he had was Rachel who served as his driver.

Here are pieces of the "skeleton."

Rachel is actually an AWESOME driver. She's only 9, but she handles the JEEP and trailer like a pro. It's amazing to watch her skillfully weave between all the trees and other obstacles in the yard.

What a stud!!!

I slaved away in the kitchen while he battled the elements and rewarded him for his good deeds. (I even think I'll renew his contract again in July!)

Just got back from vacation . . .

We don't need any pity this time!!! We had plenty of warm weather, sunny skies, and a wonderful extended family of ten that we still love even after a week together under one roof.

We spent last week in Playa del Carmen, Mexico which is about 45 minutes south of Cancun and across from the small island of Cozumel. It is much more quaint and quiet than Cancun, but growing rapidly and starting to show the inevitable signs of commercialization.

Last year, Ten Grand View image spent a week together in Grand Cayman. For the first time, we enjoyed the perks of staying together in a house rather than in a hotel and feared that we had spoiled ourselves rotten. View image

Now we feel even more spoiled.

In Playa del Carmen, we stayed in a magnificent, six-bedroom, private ocean-front villa. It's in a quiet neighborhood within a short walk to 5th Avenue, the "main drag" in Playa. The living quarters and bedrooms all surround a large open courtyard with a swimming pool, lush greenery and mutliple nooks for sitting or hiding. All but one bedroom has an ocean view so we had to "suffer" with the sound of crashing waves all night long and awaken to the sunrise in our bedroom every morning. The beach was washed out by a hurricane several years ago, but there was a small beach beside our villa and plenty of beach to walk in nearby Playa.

A spiral staircase off the front porch led up to a private sundeck. From here you can peer out across the ocean or down into the courtyard.

The kids spent most of their time in the pool. Gramma & Grampa spent a lot of time beside the pool watching.

Rachel and Samantha take a brief break from the pool.

Another break for a tropical drink at a local bar.

The kids never tired of being together and are incredibly bonded to each other despite the span of years and the lack of any common gene.

Samantha and Rachel are great buddies, but Jeff and Sarah have a bond that transcends words.

Although we would have been content to spend the entire week in our villa, we did venture out to be tourists.

The ruins of Tulum.

Exploring the Xcaret eco-park where we also enjoyed snorkeling an underground river.

Snorkeling at Xel-Ha.

We took the ferry over to Cozumel and spent one day scootering the island, most of which is still undeveloped.

But no matter how hard you try, you still can't escape the "civilized" world!

Lest ye think all was perfect bliss, you should know better!
The Jungbauers never vacation without misfortune. This trip was no exception.

The first morning of our vacation, I arose with the sun and headed out for my morning run while the rest of the household slept.

Yes, I was bit by a dog!!!

It wasn't very deep, but it definitely took a chunk out of my leg. Nothing that could be stitched back together, but . . . what about rabies?!?!?

Well, at least there is no "access to care" problem here in Mexico.

. . . and it's easy to get drugs, but what about the rabies vaccine?

Despite all this, I still wasn't very eager to use the Mexican healthcare system. On the other hand, you die from rabies. Period. Hmmmmm. Not a great alternative.

So I summoned Steve to get the car so I could retrace my steps and find that dog! (There's not much logic in that since: #1) I probably wouldn't find it. #2) Even if I found it, or its owner I doubt I would trust them if they told me its shots were up-to-date.)

Despite lack of logic, we went on a dog hunt.

As we pulled up to the house where the attack happened, Steve had to slow down to avoid running over the two dogs sleeping in the middle of the street. He stopped, got out of the car, and was greeted by two very mellow, collared dogs that quietly and gently sniffed him! I opened my door and the attack dog quickly came over to me and sniffed his breakfast site on my leg!

"Oooooo, what fierce, mongrel dogs, honey!" said Steve.

So . . . even though we could not find the owners, I was reassured that my attacker was not rabid and relieved that I did not have to use the Mexican healthcare system.

Before I left, I did post a few warning signs along my running path, though.

Adios amigos.

Do you know the way to San Jose?

If we did, we would have been a lot happier . . . seems we had a little problem with our flight reservations.

When we broke the news to the girls, they wanted the good news first, so I asked:

"Where is the one place in the US that you would most like to go?"

Sarah immediately replied, "California!"

"Where in California would you like to go?"

"San Francisco!"

"Well, the good news is that we are going to San Francisco. The bad news is that we aren't going to Costa Rica with the Myers."

Because of an airline snafu, we accidentally ended up in San Jose, California rather than San Jose, Costa Rica.

BUMMER!!!

Did you hear about the record-setting rainfall in California last week?
The mud slides? The flash floods? The washed-out roads? The earthquake?

In keeping with the Jungbauer vacation "adventure" tradition, we were there!

(We don't expect sympathy --- we felt sorry enough for ourselves.)

This pretty well sums up the majority of our trip.

Did you know it was warmer in Indiana than it was in California?

Notice the flood of water that is making a 12-inch wake around the sign post.
At the coast, what was once a trickle of a stream eroded away a four-foot wall.

A refreshing wet picture.

It stopped raining just long enough for a rare family photo
at the Golden Gate Bridge.

A brief glimpse of Napa - and a brief glimpse of sunshine!

Monterey is a quiet little coastal town about 60 miles south of San Francisco. This is "home" to Cannery Row, about which the infamous novelist John Steinbeck wrote.

The infamous cypress tree of Pebble Beach.

One of my favorite parts of the trip was driving on US 1 along the coast. Unfortunately, Rachel turned green in the back seat and Sarah, like Grampa David, couldn't watch. The photos fail to do justice to the dramatic coastline drive.

Photos don't do justice to the redwoods either.

If you look, you can always find something positive.

This is another VERY LUCKY guy who has three little sisters that WORSHIP him!!!

We were fortunate to have a visit from Bubby for a few days. The girls clung to him the entire time. We all miss getting to see him more often. Ditto for Big Sissy Tracy. Unfortunately, she couldn't get away for the holidays, but at least we got to see her in Atlanta over Thanksgiving.

Rachel show off her culinary skills

You may not be able to see the details in the photo, but Rachel made "chocolate cups" by dipping balloons into melted chocolate. Once they cooled she popped the balloons and filled the cups with fresh fruit . . . and then had fun topping them with Reddi Wip and then served them to us on Christmas Eve. (She learned it all on a TV program the day before.)

You can guess what she did next . . .

Daddy helps Rachel program her personal "ATM" bank.

I guess the ole piggy bank just isn't sophisticated enough for this generation!

Who would have ever thought that we would give our pre-teen a cell phone?
What kind of precedent are we setting?
Do we really understand what we are doing????

Yep, it's all about connectivity!

(If you don't have a teen or pre-teen yet, just wait. You'll understand.)

Jeff, Penny, Rick, Samantha, Gramma Jane, Grampa David, Steve, Sarah, Erin, Rachel

It's inevitable, but that doesn't make it any easier to accept.

Steve and I probably took our last footin' runs for 2004 this morning. The air temp was a brisk 46 (Can you say brain freeze?) and the water temp was about 54 . . . The only thing that keeps you warm this time of year is the adrenaline from dodging the shots of duck hunters.

There is a reason people flock to Aspen in the autumn. Even though we missed peak Aspen color by a week or more, it was still spectacular - especially with the contrast of any early snowfall.

This is Maroon Bells . . . the most frequently photgraphed place in Colorado.

Say HELLO to Eileen, Rex and Donna who were attending the same seminar as Steve. We enjoyed several hikes and dinners together when they weren't hunting for bear.

I decided to try some mountain biking while Steve was attending a seminar. After climbing continously for about two hours, I decided to turn around. I will confess that I had to walk part of the way up, but it sure was an express trip down.

One of our newest traditions is to attend the hospital's Cancer Gala each year. It's a fund-raiser held every September at the Lake Tippecanoe Country Club. I refer to it as "Prom Night" as it is usually the only black-tie affair we attend each year. Even Steve enjoys donning his tux . . . and I adore how he looks in it!!!

The most important part of the tradition, however, is that we ALWAYS arrive at the Gala by boat. I'm sure that some people just think they have sun stroke, but others give us a toast of approval as we cruise by. Even the fishermen are briefly distracted.

The pre-Gala cruise is definitely a highlight of the evening, yet very few believe us when we tell them how we arrived, so here is the photo to prove it.

We talked our friends, Buzz and Jane Kauffman, into joining us for the pre-Gala cruise a couple of years ago . . . and they have not missed it since.

In years past, we've also had some wonderful post-Gala cruising . . . sometimes with a boat full of friends and other times just with the full moon. One year we skiied five guys in tuxes after the Gala!!! (That was before Steve bought a tux.)

Last year's Gala was memorable for a very different reason. One of the auction items was a new pontoon. We had actually been thinking of upgrading our "vintage" pontoon for something a bit more spacious, comfortable and "Shadow friendly" i.e. it had to have tan carpet to conceal our Golden Retriever/Lab's hair. The pontoon had ALL the features we were looking for. It also seemed like the perfect time to make our donation to the Cancer Care Fund as my grandmother was dying from colon cancer.

She never got to take a ride on the "Marge Barge" and died only a few weeks later on September 18th, but we all remember her fondly on every cruise we take.

Today I barefooted with Ron Scarpa. In fact, I spent the last 3 evenings sharing dinner and life with him as well.

To most of you, that means nothing. Many of you may not even know what barefoot waterskiing is . . . but it is one of my passions.

To put things into perspective, Ron Scarpa is to barefooting what Tiger Woods is to golf, what Michael Jordan is to basketball, what Jeff Gordon is to NASCAR, what . . . Do you get the picture?!?

Scarpa is THE greatest barefooter of all time and I had the privelage of just hangin' out and footin' with him.

The real credit and gratitude goes to my footin' buddy (and Scarpa look-alike) Bob Ragland who arranged for Scarpa to come up here and teach a clinic for 3 days. Unfortunately, Ron had to head back home to Florida a little early to help his wife with the aftermath of Hurricane Charlie. We all enjoyed his companionship and coaching and certainly hope to bring him back next summer. It's really inspiring to work and play with a world-class athlete.

Here are 3 of my footin' family members pictured with Scarpa: Bob Ragland, Jon Mark, and Kyle Downey. (Not pictured: Patrick Pfefferkorn) Obviously, that is me with Scarpa in the corner photo. I think it's safe to say that I am the only one that Ron kissed good-bye . . .

Steve and I took a couple of days off this week to spend with the girls before they head back to school.

My idea of summer vacation is anything and everything to do in and on the water . . . barefooting, skiing, wakeboarding, inland surfing and just being in the boat and on the water. I covet my monthly issue of Water Ski magazine and save it to read during such cherished moments.

Steve's idea of summer vacation is at least a full week of temperatures above 100 degrees, three work-outs a day, and two naps in between. Give him a Mountain Dew, a hamburger and a Rush Limbaugh broadcast at lunch and life is about as good as it gets!

Sarah and Rachel's idea of summer vacation is tubing, tubing, and tubing with a lot of shopping in between plus Thursday night at Tippecanoe Lake Country Club for BINGO.

(Sometimes it's hard to believe that we really do spend alot of time together as a family.)

Well, the weather did not cooperate for Steve or I and Gramma Bev (the BINGO queen) was out of town, so guess how we spent (part) of our summer vacation . . .

As you can tell, this is serious stuff!!!

For Steve and I, it seriously rocks our patience. (I guess we're poor losers!)

A picture is worth a thousand words but a thousand words could not begin to describe what I saw in my living room this morning at 4 AM.

Imagine 2 pre-teens girls and one wanna-be little sister who just returned from an evening of shopping . . .

They were delighted to model their bargains --- and indeed, they were frugal, not foolish in their expenditures. (Steve and I were delighted that they were finally home so that we could go to bed.)

We then agreed that they could stay up until 11 PM. (Next time I will be sure to specify in which time zone.)

By the time I realized why my sleep was so fragmented, it was 4 AM and my living room had been transformed into a fashion stage complete with runway lights and a wind machine. It was a colossal mess with clothes, furniture, clothes, food, clothes, CDs, clothes, make-up and clothes everywhere!!!

Finally at 5 AM, the girls tucked themselves into bed and Steve and I started our day. Steve went downstairs to let Shadow outside and returned. "You've got to go downstairs and see what the girls did." I cringed at the thought of the mess that was left behind despite my no-nonsense orders to clean it up.

Much to my surprise, the fashion stage was miraculously transformed back into my neat and tidy living room and despite the restless night, I still went to work refreshed and with a smile.

Anyone who knows anything about Steve and I, knows that we are active people. We encourage our children to be active as well, hoping that one day, they will also enjoy some of our hobbies. (Believe it or not, we have never owned anything like a Game Boy or Nintendo and only have rabbit ears for our TV.)

My passion, of course, is (almost) anything on the water. Unfortunately, the "tube" has poisoned our youth. They would much rather bounce mindlessly behind the boat than learn the skillful art of carving through the water on a ski ---or better yet, your feet.

Sarah learned to ski a few years ago. It was kind of like toilet training - she did it when she was ready, even though I know she was capable for a long time. For a short time, we thought we had created a monster. She would typically ski around our little lake 10 - 15 times without stopping. The next year, she wanted to ski in April when the water was still in the 60s. BRRRRRRR!!!!! She then proceded to ski around all of Big Tippy and has only skied a handful of times since.

So, I've been patiently waiting for Rachel to show some interest in something other than tubing. Finally, last year on the last day of summer vacation, Rachel finally decided that she would try to water ski. It only took a few tries and she was making us dizzy with laps around the lake too.

She was a little timid about trying it again this year, but popped right up like a pro. So how about the wakeboard, Rae? SURE!!! Two tries later she was jammin'. So how about footin' with us in the morning, Rae? (Obviously, I just couldn't resist.)

Sure enough, my girl Rae popped out of bed at 5 am the next day and the rest is history!!

Here's Rachel barefooting off the boom.

It didn't take long before she was strutting her stuff like a pro . . .

Look at me now!

OK, so maybe I got a little carried away, but I bet I fooled you for a second.

The style credit goes to Kyle Downey, who was also there to cheer Rachel (and Mommy) on.

Steve and I recently made a quick trip to Las Vegas. As anyone knows who has been there, it really stands out as you fly in. Unfortunately, most people are so bug-eyed over The Strip that sticks up out of nowhere, that they miss the vastly more impressive Red Rock Canyon.

We only had a few hours to hike the many miles of trails, but as the photos attest, the display of wildflowers was incredible! I had no idea that the desert could be so beautiful. Steve was fairly patient with my "Wait! Let me get a picture of this one too. . ." but I'm sure I missed as many flowers as I found.

We have a group of 4 couples that get together for dinner every couple of months. This month our hostess challenged our taste buds and culinary skills with an ethnic flare.

I was in charge of the appetizers . . .

This was my Mother's Day present from Rae . . . a rockin', rollin', splashin' and spinnin' ride in her new bustin' water Boston Whaler. As you can see, she is concentrating very hard to make certain that I get the best ride possible.

Thank goodness she was still sleeping when my favorite designated driver (Steve) took me for a Mother's Day footin' run down the middle of Lake Tippy at 6 am. Even the fisherman paid their respect and stayed out of my way. That's the way every day should begin!

May Day 2003

Despite the chilly water temps, Sarah and her buddies wanted to tube at Sarah's birthday party yesterday. All but one took the plunge - unintentionally. Even though they wouldn't stay in the water long enough for me to take their picture, they were good sports.

Not pictured: Erin pouting because Sarah got to"ski" before she did!

(About an hour later, I finally got my feet wet for the first time this year. It just doesn't seem right that my daughter should tube before I get to barefoot!)

I should have known better . . .

The last day of spring break was just us girls. I thought we would enjoy the fresh air and sunshine at one of our favorite spots, Jefferson Pointe. It's a place where I can sip Starbucks and meander among the flowers and music while the girls dart from store to store munching Auntie Anne's pretzels and gulping smoothies. It's a mall that doesn't maul you back.

It was a great day. My motherly mistake was that I also thought the girls would enjoy the spring show at the botanical gardens before going shopping. Wrong! What was I thinking?!? (I was thinking how nice it would be to get some photos of the girls amidst the astounding array of tulips and daffodils.) Well, I did manage to get one photo of the girls peering between the beads leading into the tropical room, but that was the extent of their patience. (Their patience and endurance for shopping, however, was something that would make Auntie Carol proud.)

Much to Rachel's surprise, things got prickley again later . . .

(Click on photo to enlarge!)

The girls were lamenting that everyone else in school had gone south for Spring Break.
So . . . on the way home from church on Sunday, we decided to head south too! I don't really think that French Lick was what they had in mind, but when I mentioned the resort had its own bowling alley, they were sold!!! (Sorry, Larry Bird just didn't have the same attraction.)

Our travels were varied: train, horse, Jaguar, golf cart, bowling shoes and rocker. (The trolley wasn't running.) Steve and I also did some trail-riding on our mountain bikes. Whew those hills are BIG!!! It gave us (me) a whole new appreciation for northern Indiana.

French Lick is definitely a town that time forgot. That's not all bad, (I've always been partial to off-beat, time-warp kind of places) but I must admit that Donald Trump and gambling may be the only way to keep this truly one-of-kind resort alive. The history of French Lick and its neighbor, West Baden, is fascinating . . . I recommend a detour, the next time you are in the area.

Backtrack to 1974 . . . not much has changed, has it?

Pretty scary, eh?