2nd part of day one

Ok, it was Sunday, and I found it interesting that I would find this pine tree growing a section that looked like a cross.

Here is the helicopter, which also had a camera guy "hanging" out of the door. (Is he crazy?)

Everything was raced, here is a motorcycle with a side car. They also raced motorcycles without the side car and semicabs too!

At the end of the race, all the racers came down off the mountain and were greeted by fans. I enjoyed watching the racers give lots of attention to the children in the group.

It was a beautiful day on Pikes Peak. We were on the mountain from 6:00 a.m until 5:00 p.m.

Day 1 of our vacation

On Sunday, July 20th, we went to the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb where cars race up Pikes Peak. Pikes Peak is by Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is where we vacationed last year and decided then to watch the race in 2008. We had to be in our "place" before 8:00 a.m. So, we left our hotel around 5:00 a.m. There were a lot of people on the mountain by the time we arrived.

Below, is the first picture I took that morning. It is the start line of the race.

Next is a view of our "place" where we camped for the rest of the day. What a view! At one point, we had a deer peek her head up from the other side of the road and decided it was too risky to run across the road. I was hoping she wasn't planning to run, instead she left!

And they are off! Only 1 car started at a time and the officials would make sure the car was at the summit before starting another car. The cars were trying to break the record of 10 minutes and 1 second up the mountain. When we drove up the mountain last year, it took us 1 hour! I can't imagine going up in only 10 minutes. For the racers the officials knew were going to be fast up the mountain, they had a helicopter follow to make sure the drivers didn't get into any problems.

Last year was when the record of 10.1 was made. The man was trying to break his own record this year, but came up short. His time was 10 minutes and 17 seconds.

Here are a few vintage cars that were racing.

Heading for Band Practice

Youngest son was loading up his car for band practice. The amp weighs about 60 pounds, so big brother was holding the front door open so younger brother could get out with the amp. Boomer decides to make a run for the front door and jumps into younger brother's car, ready to go to band practice.Boomer decides the car is too hot and decides not to go to band practice and heads back to the front door and air conditioning!

SILLY BOOMER!

Deleted

How about a recipe

Here goes my try at entering a recipe...

Background history on this recipe. I got the original recipe from a friend at work. She got it from Campbell's Soup daily emails. It originally calls for rice, but being the crazy person I am and not writing things down correctly on my memo list, I bought penne pasta instead of brown rice. So everything is the same except I used pasta and that is how I am going to write the recipe with using pasta. (and instead of cooking cut up chicken breast in butter, I chose to use Oscar Meyer Grilled Chicken, love the stuff)

Chicken and Roasted Garlic Pasta

1 small package Oscar Meyer Grilled Chicken
1 can Campbells Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Campbell's Condensed Cream of Mushroom with Roasted Garlic Soup
2 cups water
1 box penne pasta
1 cup green peppers or red peppers and sauteed in butter or frozen peas and carrots (your choice) (I prefer green and red peppers)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Place in an oven safe dish. Mix soups and sauteed vegetables together with water and pour over pasta and mix together. Cook in oven until heated through.

Enjoy...

Birthday Cards

On top of celebrating Independence Day, our family also celebrated 2 birthdays. Our oldest niece on my husband's side of the family turned 20. This is the card I did for her. I got this idea from here. It is cute but very simple - just my style.





We also celebrated my sister-in-law's birthday (my husband younger sister). This is the card I made for her. I also made this card for my sister, which was in May, but only took a picture of the front of the card and forgot to take a picture of the "Happy Birthday" banner. I will probably make this card again for several of my friends (hope they are not following my blog).

I "cased" this idea from here.



I had to lay the inside of the card down because the banner kept turning around. Fortunately, when she opened the card, all the banners flipped the right way.

Celebrating Our Country's Birthday

It is July 4th again! We always get together with my husband's side of the family. Either our house, my brother-in-law's house or sister-in-law's house - somewhere with a pool. This year we went to my brother-in-law's house. Pictured below is my dog nephew Bailey. He loves the water. He needs to teach his cousin Boomer to like swimming.

After swimming and eating hamburgers, hot dogs and all the traditional summer cookout foods, we go to my in-laws to set off fireworks. They live out in the country so we can shoot off fireworks legally.

Kind of a bad action shot of my hubby enjoying fireworks.

This is my youngest son and youngest nephew using the air cannon my youngest son made in physics class this year. It uses tennis balls.

My 2 boys throwing firecrackers. (more action pictures)

My youngest son's friend holding a parachute from a firework that was blown up. I find it interesting that for our nation's birthday that we even sell fireworks that have 3 flags on it. The first being China's flag, followed by Japan's and then ours. What's the deal?

I told one of my relatives that I don't like taking pictures on the 4th of July because everybody has their backs turned to you and you can't get any faces.

But everybody had a good time and we enjoyed 4 flavors of homemade ice cream! Yum!

The Audition

Our youngest son has been taking guitar lessons for 6 years. For his birthday he wanted a new amp. With his birthday money and his hard earned money from his job, he bought his new amp. I don't know if he is wanting to start a "band", but he already had someone audition, just in case he does decide to start a band. Please listen and decide if this singer has the right stuff to be lead. I think she will work.

Actually, he is in a youth church band.

What you are seeing in the background is all the furnishing from the playroom pushed in the corner. When we had our bathroom flood, the carpet in the playroom was soaked and the restoration company pulled out the pad so the carpet would dry. To get the carpet restretched, all the furniture had to be pushed into that corner. You see the air hockey table upside down and on top of the pool table. This is only part of the house that is not back the way it was before the accident. The pool table takes about 6 people to move.

I've Been Tagged

What is being "tagged" mean? Well, my 2peas friend Brenda was tagged and she answered some questions and then she "tagged" me, meaning I am to answer the questions and then send them to another blogging buddy. So, here goes nothing....

1. What was I doing 10 years ago? About the same thing I am doing now, working for attorneys, raising boys, yet they are 10 years older, so they would have been 11 and 7 and they are now 21 and 17. I am in a different house than 10 years ago and at that point would have never dreamed I would be in a house like this.

2. Five things on today's to do list. Who makes to do lists? Me? They are in my head and not on a list. In my head...1) go to post office 2) last day of month, must get car tag for the old green truck 3) go to work 4) fix something for supper 5) finish the few 4th of July cards I am making for family members - may post tomorrow (but don't look if you are a family member!)

3. Snacks - Peanut M&M's, Cheetoes, Dr. Pepper

4. Things I would do if I were a millionaire - not work (sorry Kelly, & I can say that because I know you don't follow my blog!) like Brenda, give 10% to my church or more, payoff my house and help some to family and friends (that includes you Gena - my bff) oh, and payoff my oldest son's college loans and save for little brother's which starts in 2009 (SCREAM)

5. Places that I have lived. Now this is going to be a long list (of towns that start with B's) Bartlesville, Bixby and Broken Arrow. Oh, and 10 months we lived in Tulsa in our first (and only) apartment.

Now I am to tag someone (drum roll please) --- I only have 1 person to tag and that is my email buddy Amy. (Amy & I met on 2peas and quickly became friends - it seems we have a lot in common) Brenda picked everyone else, I am glad I have Amy to tag or it would have stopped with me....... Oh, by the way Brenda, thank you for voting in my poll (I guessed it was you that voted. Am I right?)

Amy, you are next (http://laughingwiththestahls.blogspot.com/)

Celebrating Independence Day

A church that is close to our house has a firework display every year on the Sunday before the 4th of July. This year, it was nice and cool outside, perfect for enjoying the show.