Tennessee

Bryan had to work in Tennessee about a week ago for a shooting competition so I decided to go with him this time. We didn't get to see very many historical, etc. sites but I really enjoyed being a spectator at the competition and watching what they do for these events. There were quite a few teams there from all over the US as well as the UK and Canada. The INL did really well and won 2 of the individual events and received 3rd place over all. Here's a couple of pics.....
The last night they had a banquet and it was held at The Museum of Appalacia. The property had a lot of original homesteads that you could walk along paths to see - It was beautiful. Also, one of the things I miss the most about living in the south are the firefly's - They were all over that evening - it was pretty cool.

I picked up Kyleigh from her Cousins in Utah and her new favorite thing to do is 'Jumpy-Jump'.

On my way to the airport I did stop and see one place in TN and that was 'The Hermitage'......Andrew Jackson's Homestead just outside of Nashville. This is a picture of the the obelisk and tombs of President Jackson and his wife.

A front view of his home - we couldn't get much closer than this to the front of the house and it was fenced off because they were doing restoration work from the recent floods. I was able to tour the inside of the house buy they wouldn't let me take pictures inside.
So that was all the history I was able to see while there :( Oh well, maybe there will be a next time.......I'd like to visit Nashville a little more the next time around.

Overall, it was a great trip!

Random pics of Kyleigh....some old some new

Helping me make cookies
Playing with jewelry (taken on a cell photo camera - don't fault me ;) )

Swinging in the trees at my friends wedding last week. I couldn't keep her from stomping through the flowers - I'm sure everyone one there was thinking......look at that lady not controlling her child ;)

When Kyleigh was in the hospital for 4 days last January. This was taken on day 3 when she was starting to become a little more alert. Poor girl - I felt so bad for her.

Okay......so this was one Sunday while we were getting ready for church and I hear from a little voice, "Mommy, I stuck" 'Help Me". I come running in and this is what I find!! (I'm just glad the whole thing didn't topple on top of her).

Memorial Day this year......

October of last year, chillin' with Grandpa Hansen.

Catch Up

Here's a little catch-up from my last post...... Maybe one of these days I'll think of something to actually write about in my blog :)

Over Easter weekend Bryan had to work in N.C. for 2 weeks so on Easter weekend he and a few of the guys he traveled with took a drive up to DC to see the sites. I am so jealous and made him promise to take me on a trip there sometime (sooner than later). It was a busy weekend because it was Easter, Spring Break & the Cherry Blossom Festival was going on as well.

This is in Kitty Hawk, N.C. at the Wrigth Brothers museum. The stones in the background show the disctances of their first few flights.

Lincoln Statue

Tomb of the Unknowns during the changing of the guards

The White House (of course)

Kyleigh in her Easter Dress

Easter Egg hunting with her cousins

Alaska Pictures

I'm still sifting through all of the pictures from our trip to Alaska and Seattle but here are a few of my favorites and some others just for fun! The whole trip was great but by far my most favorite parts were when we saw whales :)

This is a humpback whale tail


This is the lifejacket Kyleigh would've had to use....there were no arm holes and she didn't like that very much.

A Close Up of the Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau AK - The blue color in the ice is gorgeous
Another Whale's tail

I know, I'm a dork.....this is in Ketchikan AK at the totem poles.
Kyleigh was tuckered out after a day of hiking to and around the Mendenhall Glacier

Taking the train on the White Pass Railway in the Yukon Mtns.

Us at the Mendenhall Glacier

Sunset at Sea

Space Needle (obviously ;) )

My side of the family.....thank you to my parents who set this whole trip up :)
Sawyer Glacier up the Tracy Arm Fjord

Kyleigh was more excited about the sand than the glacier or waterfall

A pod of Orcas (ie: killer whales) breaching and swimming

Playing around up on Deck

Mendenhall Glacier (again)

A Humpback Whale

Kyleigh LOVED to be in the child carrier....we were afraid she would hate it but our worry was in vain.

This was the bluest iceberg we saw on our trip, it was up the Tracy Arm Fjord close to the Sawyer Glacier

Humpback Whale blowing out the water

I know most of the people out there who read my blog are friends and family so I don't have to worry about it, but just incase I get some random stragglers I must disclose:

Please note: these photos are copyrighted and it is unlawful (and not nice ;) ) to copy or reproduce any of them without specific permission - thank you.

Summer 2009....A Photo Montage

It's a long one!

We did.....
Misc outdoor stuff:
Kyleigh had her first solo sliding experience
And her Daddy did too ;) (I told Bry no one would ever see this picture...but I couldn't resist - sorry hun)

Kyleigh was tuckered out by the end of the day
Played baseball....so much fun - even though I'm not very good.

Dragged my sisters-in-law to go hiking with me (all but Jen could make it this time). We hiked Table Mountain (aka table rock)....it had been 10 years since I did it last and I forgot how tiring the last stretch can be!!
Here's the moose we almost came face to face with, as we came around a corner he was headed straight for us on the trail. We had to climb up some rocks to get around him. I took this picture and immediately afterwards he looked at me and started huffing.....I got a little nervous and had to hide behind a boulder :)

This was on the ridge just before we started back down the switch backs into the valley/bowl below.

Bryan competed in a national DOE shooting competition in Albequerque NM with his team and they did very well!

I made it through my first (sprint) triathlon - I never thought I would do one of those but am glad I did.

I'm somewhere out in the crowd of swimmers :)

Running to the bike transition area

And no, it didn't take me 3 1/2 hours to finish. My actual time was 2 hrs 15 min (there were 2-3 other groups who started before us and the clock started with them)