The Reynoldsons' Big Adventures

PF Chang's Rock-N-Roll Marathon

2009-01-20T10:18:00.001-08:00

I felt great on Sunday morning! We got to the starting area with plenty of time, short lines at the porta-potty, sun just peeking over the horizon, 53 degrees. I took my first Gu packet, slugged down the rest of my water, and got to corral #6 with 4 minutes to go. I lined up with the 4:30 pace team, thinking that I would start with them, run with them as long as I was able, and then drop back to finish at my goal time: 4:40. During the first mile, I realized that I had to go to the bathroom – too much water in my system. I hit the porta-potty just after Mile 1 and never saw the 4:30 pace group again. I sprinted to try and catch up with them, but they must have picked up speed because they were gone. No big deal. I settled into a comfortable pace and planned to run to each mile marker and then walk 1.5 minutes…just like I had trained. My plan lasted about 2 minutes until I got a severe side stitch. I don’t get side aches when I run, so I wasn’t sure how to make it go away. I slowed down. I ran with my hands on my hips for 4 miles. When that didn’t work, I ran with my hands on top of my head. That didn’t work either. After running the first 10K with a side stitch, I literally said out loud “f*&^ this! I’m not having fun, I will not be getting a PR today, it’s going to be hot, and I’m running by myself.” I started trying to figure out how I was going to get in touch with my Dad to come pick me up. Then I thought about walking the rest of the way, but that held absolutely no appeal to me, so I decided to pray. If God wanted me to finish running the marathon, surely He could help my body relax. The side stitch got better. It never went away, but I was actually able to run with my arms by my side in a comfortable position.

I noticed that I kept meeting up with a guy at each mile marker, where he would walk for about the same amount of time as I was walking. His name is Mike, he’s from San Diego and Sunday’s run was his 10th marathon. He’d met another guy, Frank from Phoenix, who was also walking at each mile marker. It was Frank’s first marathon. While we were talking about running the next several miles together, Scott from Spokane (who is training for an Ironman and was running his 2nd marathon) also decided to join us. We ran mile 9 together…at a 9-minute mile pace. That was much faster than I wanted to be running and, quite frankly, much faster than they had been running, so we all walked at the 10-mile marker and then I let them go ahead of me because the side stitch was back with a vengeance. Frank and I met up at the miles 11 and 12, but he didn’t catch me or pass me after that. I passed Scott at mile 12.5, and didn’t see him again for the rest of the run.

I kept plodding along at a great pace (around 10:12 with the walk breaks) until the slow incline at mile 15. Luckily, Josh Turner’s “Me and God” song came on my iPod…“there ain’t nothin’ that can’t be done by me and God.” Apologies to the English majors …it was the message that I needed at the time and it was inspirational enough to help me get up the hill. I really started feeling great, until I saw Mike from San Diego with 10 miles to go. The side stitch hurt worse than ever and, despite running with my hands on my hips or my head, I could not get rid of it. So, I decided to walk all of mile 17, trying to concentrate on my breathing and trying my best to get rid of my side stitch. That was the best idea I had all day. I ran strong from mile 18 to mile 23…passing all sorts of people, feeling strong, listening to great songs on the iPod like “How Far We’ve Come” by Matchbox 20, “Survivor” by Destiny’s Child, “Yeah” by Usher…they all seemed to come on the iPod exactly when I needed a little pick-me-up. Since my right calf was starting to cramp a bit at mile 23, I took a salt packet and powered up and over the bridge at mile 24…still passing people, still singing to my iPod, still feeling strong.

After crossing the bridge, I could see ASU’s Sun Devil stadium…but it was still more than 2 miles away. Mat Kearney’s song “Undeniable” came on…“it’s undeniable how brilliant you are, in an unreliable world you shine like a star, it’s unforgettable now that we’ve come this far, it’s unmistakable that you’re undeniable.” I played the song 3 times in a row. Surely, I was going to make it to the end and I was going to beat my personal best…not the 4:40 that I originally wanted, but still a PR. That seemed like a good testament to spirit, particularly since I had all but given up 6.2 miles into the run.

For some reason, though, there was no water station between 23.5 and 25.25 on the hottest part of the course (the temperatures had warmed to nearly 77 degrees), there was no shade, and we’d just run up and over a bridge. Where the hell was the water?! I was hot, my mouth was dry and I needed water, so I walked another half-mile to the water station at 25.25. Just when I needed it to finish strong, Mary Chapin Carpenter’s song “The Hard Way” carried me over the finish line: “we’ve got two lives, one we’re given and the other one we make, the world won’t stop, and actions speak louder, listen to your heart and your heart might say, everything we got, we got the hard way.” I saw Mike from San Diego at mile 26 and he was walking. I ran up beside him and told him to get moving, and he ran the rest of the way just a couple of steps behind me. I finished in 4:51:57 and, thanks to some rule put in place by the Boston Marathon Association, I get a “gimme” on the 57 seconds, so my new PR is 4:51 (just 4 minutes faster than the old one, but a PR nonetheless).

Except for some soreness in my joints on Sunday night, I feel remarkably well…no problem with stairs or walking. I thought about going to a Spinning class last night, and then decided to take a nap. :) Looks like I’ve got another marathon in me because: (1) I’m still looking for that perfect race, (2) I know that I can reach that 4:40 goal if all of the stars and planets align on race day, and (3) my training went so well I now know that you can run a marathon without feeling like it will take a week (or a month) to recover. I'll post the photos when they are available.

Let It Snow!

2008-12-16T07:01:00.000-08:00

Hank LOVES the snow!

Just in time to feed the Christmas spirit: 6 inches of snow fell on Boise this past weekend. It was beautiful. We are expecting more snow this week, and it should all stick around for a while...high temperatures over the weekend are not forecasted to get above 12 degrees. Brrr!

Cosmo Christmas Party 2008

2008-12-16T06:53:00.001-08:00

Dinner with Sue and Know, Robin and Jim,

Kristin and Rob, and Jenifer and Mike.

Mike and Mike share the front seat of the minivan cab.

(Sure, the Basque Center is only 4 blocks away from where we had dinner...with the snow on the ground, we took a cab across town.)

Clint, Laurie and Mike

Laurie and Mike

Samia and Laurie

The McCalls and the Donaldsons

Laurie and Jenifer

Jenifer and Mike

Knox...looking very dapper and important.

Dustin, Jason, Nate and Mike.

The annual Cosmo Christmas party was held on Saturday night at the Basque Center. Cosmos and champagne flowing freely, smoking jackets galore, and live music by Smooth Old Fashion High...a great time was had by all revelers again this year!

Wines and Cheeses Around the World

2008-12-14T21:37:00.000-08:00

Joel, Teresa, Laurie and Mike.

Australia and Spain

On Thursday night, we hosted a wine and food fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters with Joel and Teresa Poppen at their home. The fundraiser was a huge success and a lot of fun! We had wines and food from Italy, Spain, Australia, Argentina and the United States. There were 2 or 3 wines per country, along with some cheese to complement each varietal. Then, the buffet table was set with empanadas, antipasti, paella, shrimp grilled on the barbi, and all sorts of other wonderful vittles from around the world. It was a great night, and we raised some good money to support BBBS, a very worthwhile cause.

Christmas at the Reynoldsons'

2008-12-07T14:43:00.000-08:00

Hank and his stocking

The Nativity scene

(minus the sheep, which Hank ate last year)

I'll snap some photos of the outdoor lights once it gets dark. Merry Christmas!

Boise State Beats Fresno State!

2008-11-28T20:41:00.001-08:00

Tailgating before the game.

Dad at the tailgate.

Heidi, Dad and Mike.

A packed house! A shot of the field during the first half.

Laurie and Mike in Section 129.

Dad and Heidi after the sun went down...chilly!

Mike, Laurie, Dad and Heidi.

Ian Johnson's record-tying touchdown run.

Boise State whomped Fresno State tonight, winning the WAC championship and capping another undefeated season. It was a beautiful day on the Blue Turf, but it got chilly very quickly after the sun went down. Ian Johnson, BSU's former Heisman trophy candidate, tied Marshall Faulk's all-time WAC touchdown record. We're hoping that he surpasses the record in a bowl game. Go Orange, Go Blue. Fight, fight, BSU.

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-11-28T09:20:00.000-08:00

Turkey Bowl 2008 - a record turnout!

Hank smells the turkey, and wants to come inside

Laurie and Dad

Another Reynoldson Thanksgiving in the books! We had a record turnout of players for the Turkey Bowl and, for the first time ever, Mike's team beat Laurie's team. (I think it was the promise of the Bloody Mary bar that brought new players out of the woodwork.) We know it was successful: Mike's got a shiner on his left eye, and Laurie's got her hand wrapped from throwing a block and Jake Locker-ing her thumb. 'Tis the season! Dinner was delicious. We hope that all of you enjoyed your day with family and friends.

Just How Good Are the Huskies?

2008-11-10T13:04:00.000-08:00

The Huskies are setting record after record this year...for one of the worst football seasons in school history. This from Saturday's Seattle Times' blog following the loss to ASU:

"RECORD-SETTING LOSS --- With this defeat, UW sets a school-record, with an 11th straight loss dating to last season. UW has also lost 18 of its last 20 games dating to the 2-0 start last season. And lastly, UW's 0-9 start ties the 1969 team for the worst in school history."

Will the Huskies be blanked this year, or is there some hope to pull out a season-ending win in Pullman at the Apple Cup? Stay tuned...

Mary's Birthday Bash Bowl-a-Rama

2008-11-08T23:19:00.000-08:00

The Birthday Girl in her 1957 Pabst Blue Ribbon Bowling Classic shirt

Laurie and Mike in our bowling shirts

Travis Bone, J Nasty and Krash Ankle

(as they are known at the Lanes)

Shelby "I Love Bowling Angels" Kerns and Mike

A group of us gathered at Twentieth Century Lanes -- "where you meet the nicest people" -- to celebrate Mary Kreizenbeck's birthday. Bowling shirts were encouraged. (You'll notice that Strike Mike went in his BSU shirt -- bowling shirt, game day shirt -- it's the same thing.) After 10:00 p.m., they turned off the lights and blared Bon Jovi, Def Leppard and other '80's tunes...kind of takes you back to a Saturday night in high school. "Ohh, we're half-way there, Ohh, we're living on a prayer..." Happiest birthday to you, Mary!

BSU Wins Big! We Watch the Game in Style...

2008-11-08T15:12:00.001-08:00

Mike and Laurie in the President's Suite.

Our normal seats are just to the right of the far right window sill

in the corner of the end zone...

so clearly, this was better.

Mike, Laurie, Mike, Barbara, John, Matt, Kathy and Bob

President Kustra, Mike, Kathy Kustra and Laurie

Notice the views from the Sky Club...beautiful!

BSU beat the Utah State Aggies 49-14 today. Mike and I were invited to watch the game in the new Steuckle Sky Club...in the President's Suite. President Bob Kustra and his adorable wife, Kathy, invited us along with several others as guests in their suite...and it was a fantastic place to watch the game! Great seats, indoors, catered lunch, a whole selection of beverages, replays on the HDTV in the suite...first class all the way...because that's how we roll, baby.

Annual Meeting of the Stained Tooth Society

2008-11-02T19:11:00.001-08:00

Mike, Laurie, Knox and Sue at Cougar Crest.

Multi-tasking by Knox: check your Blackberry and taste wine at the same time...

why else would God give you two hands?

Happy Halloween!

Knox and Mike start Saturday's tastings at Nicholas Cole.

Sue's glasses are just a bit too big for her head.

Mike does some due diligence on the wine-making process.

Board members at the annual meeting of the STS were treated to a delicious lunch,

including caramel apples for dessert.

Mike with his favorite lady at the meeting:

the woman pouring the Reserve Cab.

Laurie and Sue wait for the guys.

Repacking the trunk to make room for the 7+ cases of wine we purchased.

The Reynoldsons and the McMillans toured Walla Walla this past weekend. We were in town for the annual shareholder meeting of the Stained Tooth Society (the wine club at Dusted Valley Vineyards). Those cheeseheads at DV put on a great party (ahem, I mean hosted a great meeting): great food on the grille, advance tastings of their new wine releases, live music, a magician, a big top tent...a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Of course, a trip to Walla Walla would not be complete without some wine tastings (Mike and Knox sampled 36 different wines at 5 different wineries on Saturday) and fantastic meals at some great restaurants. Each time we visit Walla Walla, we dream about moving there, buying a vineyard and opening a winery. Seems like some of Mike's and Knox's best ideas come after visiting a couple of wineries and swilling some new releases:

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-28T16:00:00.001-07:00

Seattle to Watch the Huskies Lose Another Game

2008-10-26T17:41:00.000-07:00

Horizon's UW plane greeted us back in Boise upon our arrival home
Husky Stadium

Tailgating with the Strattons: Kelsey, Shaedon, Ryan, Mike and Laurie

Laurie and Mike

Mike and Malcolm

Saturday was also Shae's 3rd birthday...happy birthday, little guy!

Mom and I made a quick stop at Lucy on Friday afternoon

We even ran into Mike's brother, Steve, at the Boise airport on our way to Seattle.

(Steve was in town to visit Virginia, who just had her knee replaced.)

Man, the Huskies SUCK this year! We traveled to Seattle for a great weekend (except, of course, the time we spent watching them lose to Notre Dame). The term "lose" doesn't quite sum up the worst game I have ever personally witnessed in Husky Stadium. It was awful and, quite frankly, beyond depressing to watch. After starting this season 0-7, it's time for Ty to go...

Barber to Boise

2008-10-24T17:54:00.000-07:00

After the run

How Hank spent the rest of the weekend

Hank and I ran another race on October 18...and we kicked butt! Barber to Boise is the annual fall 10K in the City of Trees, and runs one of our favorite running courses. We started at the house, ran 4.5 miles to the start of the race, ran the 10K with Samia in exactly 1 hour (9:40 miles, which is great for me!), and then ran another 3 miles home. We had a great run and Hank spent the rest of the weekend sleeping...a win-win for everyone at the Reynoldson house.

Getting Older

2008-10-22T14:40:00.000-07:00

A colleague of mine snapped this photo of me today at work. (I needed a new head shot for a publication and I don't like the "official" one that was taken last year.) But I couldn't help but stare at this photo when she emailed it to me...the bags under my eyes, the wrinkle lines, and the curly gray hairs on the top of my head that cannot be tamed with smoothing serum or a flatiron. From now on, I'll be Photo-Shopping our photos before posting them to the blog. :)

Go Orange! Go Blue!

2008-10-13T07:53:00.000-07:00

The McCalls invited us over to watch the BSU/Southern Miss game on Saturday night. Mike and Conor were both sporting their BSU shirts, and the Broncos pulled off a 24-7 win...climbing to #15 in the national rankings this morning. Looks like our post-holiday week will be spent at bowl game festivities somewhere...

Elsewhere in football land, the Huskies had another BYE week, which means that our record still stands at 0-5. If you don't play, you can't lose. That may be a better game plan for them for the rest of the season.

Blessing of the Animals

2008-10-12T12:41:00.000-07:00

Pastor Sandy marks Hank's nose with the sign of the cross

(I think he thought he could eat the oil on her hands

because the snout-marking was followed by a good bit of lip-licking.)

Pastor Steve and Pastor Sandy open the service with a pet prayer
Mike and Hank before the service
Jane and Cash
Sue Myers and Dash, the Tollefsons with Chewie, Mike and Hank
Hank and Laurie with the Pet Blessing Certificate

(I wonder if we're supposed to keep this with us, like his rabies tag,

to prove that the blessing actually took place when he's being naughty?)

Today, was the annual Blessing of the Animals at church. People brought their dogs and cats to church for the yearly pet blessing. While there were a couple of snarls here and there, the animals all got along remarkably well. Hank thought the service went a little long, so he started barking after a while...why were all of those humans and dogs just standing around? Surely, there's got to be a ball around here somewhere?! Although we were hoping for a blessing and an exorcism for Hank, I think we just got the blessing. He's still got a little devil inside of him that likes to come out every now and then. (But then again, we showed up for a free blessing, so we probably get what we paid for.)

Holy Crap! Winter!

2008-10-12T07:43:00.000-07:00

After preparing for a cold and blustery fall weekend, it snowed! Most surprising and unexpected to have WINTER in October in Boise. We set a number of weather records...the last time there was measurable snow in October in the Treasure Valley was 40-60 years ago, depending on the TV meteorologist you watch. The flakes were beautiful...large, wet snowflakes...just like the "Seattle Snow" I remember as a child. I should have snapped photos of the deciduous trees, all slumping over under the weight of their leaves and the wet snow on top...or the aftermath, once the tree limbs snapped under the weight. That's just it...usually the leaves have fallen off of the trees by the time it snows and the branches are better equpped for the additional weight. Even better than watching it snow, was the fact that it all melted by Saturday night, clearing the way for a beautiful FALL in October in Boise.

4:45 on Friday Afternoon

2008-10-10T15:49:00.000-07:00

I am sitting in my office, looking out the window. It has been blustery all day, and it just started raining. The trees and grass are lovely -- vibrant greens and yellows set on a dark cloudy gray sky -- so lovely that I had to take a photo. (Please excuse the poor picture quality from my Blackberry...it must not have a Micron chip in it.)

The weather is forecasted to be cold and wet all weekend long (and it may even snow!). And, although I would much prefer it be sunny tomorrow morning when I meet my running group, and sunny tomorrow afternoon so that we could do some yardwork, I am really looking forward to our first stormy weekend of fall. Isn't that why God made warm blankets, fireplaces, soup and college football? Sounds like a great weekend! Hope yours is a happy and relaxing one.

Laurie in High School

2008-10-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

My friend, Ginger, tipped me off to this website: http://www.yearbookyourself.com/. With a quick upload of a current photo, you can "yearbook yourself" over the years...and it's a lot of fun! It definitely takes you back to all of those fond high school memories, when you were signing your BFF's yearbook with hearts over the "i's" and exclamation points at the end of each sentence! Reminiscing about how wicked cool the year has been! Anticipating how AWESOME the summer will be! And how the CLASS OF 90 ROCKS!

Mike in High School

2008-10-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sun Valley in the Fall

2008-09-29T20:28:00.000-07:00

Mike and Hank
The Family
Mike and Hank, with Baldy in the background
Hank and his stick in the Big Wood River
Hank and another stick

We spent the weekend in Sun Valley. It is hard to beat Sun Valley in the fall, when the leaves begin changing on the Aspens, the cool mornings warm to sunny days, and the summer crowds thin out. We hiked up to Proctor Mountain, one of our favorite hikes. (Notice that Hank's tongue is hanging out of his mouth in every photo from the hike? He, of course, went twice as far as Mike and I did...running up the trail and back to meet us, running down the gulch and back up to the trail. He slept for hours after we returned to the condo.) We also had dinner at the Pioneer while watching the Alabama/Georgia game. There is something very therapeutic about the Wood River Valley -- everything is a bit more relaxed up there. Unfortunately, this was our last week at the condo until next spring...maybe we'll get lucky and find a free winter weekend to head up there.

Are You Ready for Some Football?

2008-09-14T21:31:00.000-07:00

The Face Painter and Mike
Samia and Laurie

Although the Boise State football technically kicked off a couple of weeks ago, the first home game was this past Saturday. BSU was lucky to get off to a 20-0 start in the first half because they didn't score any points in the second half -- but still beat Bowling Green 20-7. We found a choice spot for tailgating, but spent most of the pre-game warm-up doing chores around the house. When we finally arrived at the game, just 45 minutes before kick-off, there was a face painter set up right in front of Mike's van. She apparently picked the spot for the shady tree overhead and the "creative vibe" the van exudes. Although she offered free face painting in exchange for a 7-Up, we declined. We may regret that -- she kept convincing us that she was going to be wildly famous someday. Good luck, face painter. And good luck to the Broncos, who travel to Oregon this weekend for a tough game.

(And, since we're wishing luck to the Broncos, please pray for my Huskies...they are in for a long, long, unsuccessful season this year. It's about time for TW to hit the road...no?)

Christmas in August

2008-08-29T21:34:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are unfamiliar with my Martha Stewart tendencies, check out this pillow I recently made for my friend's birthday. (Sure, Geri's birthday is in August and the pillow clearly has a Christmas-y feel, but she's always so generous about making things for others, that I decided to return the favor...and a Christmas pattern was what I found that I liked.) What I should be posting are the photos of me, finishing the hand-sewing in a bar while I was listening to Sharif play. My former-home-ec-teaching mother-in-law will be so proud to find out that I schlepped my fabric, embroidery floss and scissors to a bar! I mean, what else is there to do on a Wednesday night, in a bar, during a live music gig?

Sharif Plays Boise

2008-08-28T12:56:00.000-07:00

Sharif singing Tom Petty's "American Girl"
Sharif and his biggest fan --

we have no idea who this guy is, but he was really into Sharif's music

Samia and Sharif

Sharif, my friend Samia's hot musician brother, was in town this week and played a couple of gigs in Boise. Although we missed the first night he played, a group of us caught his act at the Reef last night. He's got a great voice and he is a gifted musician. He sings plenty of covers, but also writes his own stuff, too. You can check out his website here:

http://www.sharifmusic.com/

The 80's...

2008-08-26T15:23:00.000-07:00

Mike just forwarded this photo to me, and I couldn't resist posting it because I knew that you would all enjoy it, too. Apparently, Mike and his buddies were big into tie-dye in the 80's, and coordinated their clothing before cruising around town in Mike's bus, listening to Grateful Dead tunes. Check out the short-shorts on Max. Check out the big, preppy glasses on Mike. Nothing says "hot summer nights" like a bunch of 20-somethings in matching tie-dye shirts. And in the words of the Dead, these lyrics from "Ripple" seemed the appropriate response to this photo:

"God damn, well I declare, have you seen the like? "

I'll Drink to That!

2008-08-22T21:36:00.000-07:00

Our participation in the Fair ended on Friday, after the Temptations reunion concert. (And by "our participation," I mean that the Fair will contine through the weekend sans the Reynoldsons or the Berrys.) It's been a long week, with plenty of Pronto Pups and Bud Lights consumed. Here's to getting back on that diet wagon next week.

25 or 6 to 4

2008-08-20T22:01:00.000-07:00

This is not your mother's Chicago
Sue and Mike
Belinda and Clint with the band
Clint, Rick and Mike
Colleen, Zach and Martin

"Ooh, ooh, baby please don't go..."

Chicago played the Fair tonight. Although there are only a couple of original band members, the band has toured and played nonstop since its inception. Interestingly, there is one member who cannot be any older than me. Can't you just imagine him strumming his air guitar and singing "Oooh, oooh, baby please don't go" in front of his mirrored closet doors at age 10? With his youthful mullett? And his sleeveless acid-wash jean shirt? Dare to dream, big guy.

Have you ever listened closely to the words of a Chicago song? Take, for instance, "Saturday in the Park." The song starts out, "Saturday, in the park, I think it was the Fourth of July"...then it goes on to add "a man selling ice cream, singing Italian songs." Really? Do you see the irony in a man singing Italian songs on a purely American holdiay? In the park? Incidentally, it seemed more and more ironic with each beer we drank. That is some sweet song-writing there.

Speaking of song-writing, here's a little Chicago trivia for you: "25 or 6 to 4" refers to writing songs at 25 or 26 minutes to 4:00 a.m. Apparently, the best inspiration comes in the wee hours of the morning. Chicago closed tonight's show with "25 or 6 to 4" and the crowd loved it! Something tells me that Chicago will still be playing to sold-out crowds 20 years from now.

I'm Just Sitting Out Here Watching Gary Allan

2008-08-19T22:29:00.001-07:00

Laurie and Mike

Gary Allan opens the concert with his big hit, "Watching Airplanes"Bob, Clint and Mike
Clint and Belinda
Clint, Laurie and Mike

In front of more than 7,000 fans at the Western Idaho Fair, Gary Allan kicked off this year's concert series with a fantastic show. Gary refers to himself as a "rocker, who sings country songs," and he did not disappoint. He is a talented song-writer and has a great voice...not to mention he's an incredibly gifted guitarist. Rock on, Gary.

Hank Is Not a Splash Dog

2008-08-17T18:59:00.000-07:00

For the first time ever, Splash Dogs came to the Western Idaho Fair. The dogs run down a 40' dock, leap into a pool of water, and are judged by their hortizontal leap into the water. We were so excited to take Hank to the Fair! He loves the water, and loves running and playing in the water with other dogs. What we didn't take into account was the trepidation Hank would have about jumping off of the 3' dock into the water. We tried and tried to get him to jump. We even went home for several hours to let him rest, and then took him back later in the day. He sat on the sidelines and watched pup after pup jump into the water...and he barked with excitement. Yet, when it was his turn, he wanted nothing to do with jumping off of the dock. We finally did coax him into the water twice...but mostly he sat at the end of the dock and barked at his ball. So, like all good stage parents, we are withholding his food and drink until he masters jumping off of the dock.

Hanging at the Fair

2008-08-17T18:32:00.000-07:00

Mike, Glen, Bob and Clint

Sunday was our first full day at the Fair...and also the hottest day in August so far. I had my first Bonaminio's meatball sandwich of the fair season, and washed it down with a couple of cold beers while we walked the fairgrounds. We toured the Expo pavilion (it was air conditioned), where we had free spinal screenings, chatted up some guys trying to sell us a vacation (if only we would stay and listen to the 90-minute pitch) and bought a Gourmet Quick Chopper 2000 (as seen on TV, of course) after watching some guy make homemade salsa in about 2 minutes. Here, Mike and Clint hang out with Glen, a fellow Fair Board member, and Bob Batista, the Executive Director of the Fair.

No Way Jose'

2008-08-16T19:26:00.000-07:00

There was a good deal of reptile hunting at the Reynoldson house this weekend. A tree frog, which looked remarkably similar to "No Way Jose" (the frog who camped out at the O'Neill's house for a while until they accidentally squished him with the hot tub cover), climbed up our back window on Friday night. Then, the neighbor kids hunted for snakes in the yard on Saturday. The good news: the snake they found has been "transplanted" somewhere else.

If It's August in Idaho...

2008-08-14T22:47:00.001-07:00

that must mean it's time for the Caldwell Night Rodeo! Clint, Mike and I enjoyed a great evening of rodeo action at the CNR, "where the cowboys are the stars." The bareback riders were by far the best. Only a couple of bull riders made it the full 8 seconds, and very few of the ropers were able to complete their ride. Giddy up!

100 Cubic Feet Later...

2008-08-12T22:49:00.000-07:00

The hole
Part of the sprinkler system that tied into the main water line

The good news: we were only without water for 1 day, and the plumber only charged us $105 to fix the leak. The bad news: we spent hours and hours on Sunday digging the hole to reach the leak. The hole was nearly 4.5 feet deep, 4 feet wide and 6-7 feet long...and we've got terrible ground for digging...lots and lots and lots of large river rock. Turns out when they initially installed the sprinkler system in the 1950's, they tied a portion of it into our domestic water line -- and it looks like that connection ruptured a while ago...quite a while ago. Here's hoping the water bill goes down!

Call Before You Dig

2008-08-10T13:39:00.001-07:00

Mike tries to find the leak
Hank gets in on the action
When we were planning the swimming pool,

we envisioned that it would be in the backyard and not near this muddy.

Mike's tools float through the front yard

Not 20 minutes after my last post, which talked up Mike's sprinkler-maintenance prowess, the flood began. Houston, we have a problem. It seems likely that the main water line to the house was "knicked," causing a small flood in the front yard near our front door. We have now turned off all of the water to the house, and we are digging to China to find the leak. Keep your fingers crossed that we can turn on the water tonight so that we are able to brush our teeth and use the toilet before going to bed...

Mr. August in Rain Bird's "Men of Irrigation Water" Calendar

2008-08-10T12:45:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday afternoon at the Reynoldson's house, and since we are at home, that must mean that Mike is working on the sprinkler system. Today, he is tackling a leak near the front door. Turns out, it is a veritable geyser: a HUGE leak in metal pipe...some of the oldest pipes in the sprinkler system. Keep your fingers crossed that the hole he is digging doesn't need to get too much bigger to fix the leak.

Randy Travis Concert

2008-08-08T23:12:00.000-07:00

Randy belting out "Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart" during the encore
Mike in front of Randy's semi-truck
Sunset over Boise

Randy Travis visited Boise on Friday night. He played at the Idaho Botanical Gardens, which are right across the street from our house. We loaded up the low-back chairs, some cheese and salami for dinner, bug spray and a blanket and trekked up the road for the show. It was a great concert! He's a funny, funny guy that interacts a lot with the crowd. If his "Around the Bend" tour makes a stop near you this summer, you should check it out.

Friday Night Fights

2008-08-08T23:00:00.000-07:00

Security talking with the 3 women involved
Secruity escorting the women out of the concert

(In order: the Slapee, Her Friend, Security, the Slapper, and More Security)
All the while, Randy just kept singing and entertaining the crowd...

Not only did our VIP tickets get us in to see Randy Travis, we also got a freebie: choice seats to a Catfight. Two scanitlly-clothed young women ran up to the front of the stage when the concert started, and were shaking their booties to the beat of the music. Security asked them to step aside because they were blocking the view of the fans who were seated behind them. The women danced and sang on the side of the stage until it was time to go get another beer. Then, a middle-aged woman in a long dress got up, pointed her finger in the blond woman's face and started giving her the business. When the blond woman retorted, the long dress woman slapped her across the face. Are you kidding me?! With age comes maturity, right? Next thing you know, a group of women (some siding with the dancers; some siding with the long dress woman) start holding court...just a couple of feet from the stage...and we had great seats to the whole fight. Security intervened and escorted all of them out of the concert. Music and a fight...all for the price of a concert ticket! Priceless.

And the Best Part of the Concert...

2008-08-08T22:00:00.000-07:00

PEOPLE WATCHING! Oh my goodness, Friday night's concert was definitely a warm-up to this year's Western Idaho Fair, which comes to town in 2 weeks. The people watching at the concert was top-notch. I am still kicking myself that I was not able to get a photo of the woman in her 70's with the wide-brimmed hat, orange full-length prairie skirt...and the black Megadeath concert t-shirt.

Here are a couple of our other favorites:

Despite standing directly in front of the misters and sporting a flag-embellished neck cooler, notice the sweat...on the shirt, on the legs, on the back...everywhere.
I think this is a Glamour "Don't."

(And no, that is not a blade of grass that you are seeing.)
Apparently, to be a RT roadie, you must have long hair...and chain smoke.

Notice the knee-tassles on the young woman's pants.

Here, our guess is that they are discussing some crazy story from the good ol' days,

working on Journey's tour in 1983.

Meet Viv!

2008-08-07T23:00:00.000-07:00

Vivienne Sophia Hunter
The Hunter girls: Gwyn, Kelly and Baby Viv Baby Viv smiles for the camera
Gwyn, Laurie and Baby Viv
Mike, Hank and Gwyn (in her Hello Kitty nighgown)

The Hunters made a brief stop in Boise tonight. We were so happy to finally meet Baby Viv! (And, for the record, Kelly's baby Vivienne was born more than a month before the Jolie-Pitt baby Vivienne...isn't Kelly just so avant-garde?) Since Kelly hadn't shared any photos of Viv, I was beginning to think that she was an ugly baby...Kelly knows me well enough to know that I wouldn't hold back about telling her so. As it turns out, little Viv is a total sweetheart...cute little round cheeks, big blue eyes, strawberry blond hair, and the sweetest disposition. Big sister Gwyn is very proud of her little sister, and Gwyn is enjoying all of the "big girl" time she gets to spend with her parents. Pray for Kelly...she and Bill are taking the girls to Europe for 4 weeks in September.

Kevin McGowan for District 19 Representative

2008-08-06T23:16:00.000-07:00

Kevin gives his "pitch"
Dustin, Mike, Jason, Zach, Jason, Megan, Jayson and Holly
The Strattons
Kevin talks with constituents
Since Hank has already decided to cast his ballot for Kevin,

he took a moment during Kevin's speech to munch on a water bottle.

Our friend, Kevin McGowan, is running for District 19 Representative in the Idaho Legislature. On Wednesday night, we had a fundraiser for him at the house. The event was well-attended, and we raised some money to help Kevin's campaign. If you are interested in learning more about Kevin, getting involved in his campaign, or making a contribution, please visit his website: http://votemcgowan19.com/

Good luck in November, Kevin!

A Winning Combination

2008-08-05T19:50:00.000-07:00

Mike, Laurie, Mark and Dave
Mark reaches in the cup to snap out his "hole-in-one" ball
Congrats, Mark!
LeAnn and Vance Sannes, Mindy Plumlee, and Laurie

We played in the 18th Annual Ronald McDonald House Golf Tournament on Tuesday. It was a 2-man scramble, and we were paired with Mark and Dave. Mark scored a "hole-in-one" on our third hole of the day! It was a perfect shot...he placed it just four feet to the right of the cup, and the ball slowly rolled in. I'd never seen a "hole-in-one" before...VERY cool! Mike and I ended up winning low gross in our flight -- a major accomplishment considering that I "retired" from golf 2 years ago, and hadn't placed since. We took home $200 in gift certificates from Banbury Golf Club, which, unfortunately, means that I'm probably going to have to play again some time soon. The other two in our foursome, Mark and Dave, also ended up winning their flight. And, most importantly, RMH raised nearly $70,000 to help the families of critically ill and injured children.

Sun Valley with the Chinns

2008-08-02T19:44:00.000-07:00

Laurie, Hank and Mike at the top of Dollar Mountain
After risking our knees and ankles on a steep single-track trail, we found "EASIERWAYDOWN."
Ginger and Keith at Sun Valley Inn
Ginger and Keith on their bicycle built for two
A little swing-time in Hailey

Our "major partier" friends, Keith and Ginger, joined us in Sun Valley for a weekend full of fun actitivies: running, hiking, tandem-biking, wine tasting, shopping, etc. The weather was perfect, and it was great to catch up with the Chinns. Mike and Keith decided to spend Saturday afternoon with their friend Fred (from Hair of the Dog brewery), then proceeded to taste some wine, and then were over-served at the Sun Valley Inn. Needless to say, it was an early night for the boys that night. (Unfortunately, we were unable to snap a photo of their hot pink toenails before they found the polish remover.) Hopefully, we'll be able to catch up with Chinns in Walla Walla some time before the end of the year...we always have a great time with them!

Eat Local

2008-07-29T19:42:00.000-07:00

For the first time ever, I have decided to grow tomatoes this summer...little juicy cherry tomatoes. My tomato plant is just starting to go crazy, and here is a salad with the tomatoes, lettuce from our neighbors' garden, and fresh carrots grown in Emmett that I picked up from the Farmer's Market. I think this eating local thing is kind of fun. Mike's not so convinced: he found a little green worm crawling on his lettuce at dinner tonight...even though I had washed and rewashed the lettuce in hot water and put it through the salad spinner. That little green worm was a hardy little bugger! Mike put the worm and the piece of lettuce on the table, and Hank promptly gobbled up the worm. Hank didn't seem to mind a little protein with his vegetables.

Mr. and Mrs. Reynoldson Go to Washington

2008-07-29T06:59:00.001-07:00

At the White House
At the World War II Memorial

Orioles Game

Mike and I just returned from a fantastic trip to Washington, DC. He was there for work and, since I had never been there, I flew back on Wednesday to join him. What a great city! We packed as much as possible in 5 days. I cannot wait to return.

Annapolis

2008-07-28T18:49:00.000-07:00

Mike and Laurie in Annapolis
Brian, Mike, Kate, Andrew, Jack and Laurie at the pier at the Naval Academy
Jack feeding the ducks
Brian and Mike at the waterfront
The group

Our good friends, Kate and Andrew, live in Annapolis -- about 30 miles out of DC on the water. On Saturday night, Mike, Brian and I packed into the mini-van (yes, we were touring the nation's capitol in a mini-van) and headed east for a relaxing and enjoyable dinner at the Arulanandam house. On Sunday morning, we headed to downtown Annapolis, toured the US Naval Academy, and walked the streets of historic Annapolis, Maryland's capital.

The O's

2008-07-28T18:46:00.000-07:00

After an entire day of touring the sites, we drove to Baltimore to catch the Orioles/Angels baseball game. Luckily, it was floppy hat night. I used my new hat to cover up the humidity-soaked hair. Camden Yard is a great place to watch a game! The O's started a little sluggish -- down 5-1 early, then rallied back but ended up losing 6-5.

Changing of the Guard

2008-07-28T18:44:00.001-07:00

Perhaps one of the most moving experiences of the trip was the changing of the guard in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Tomb sits atop a hill in Arlington, and bears the inscription: "Here Rests in Honored Glory an American Soldier Know But to God." The Tomb is guarded by sentinels around the clock...and in the sunshine, rain and sleet...and has been guarded every second of every day since 1937. Each pass by the guarding sentinel consists of 21 steps, signifying a silent twenty-one gun salute. The sentinel then waits 21 seconds before changing rifle positions, and then proceeds to "walk the mat" back another 21 steps. All observers are asked to stand and be silent during the changing of the guard ceremony, and only the ranking officer speaks by giving certain orders to the sentinels who are changing posts. It was a fitting end to our day of sight-seeing.

Arlington National Cemetery

2008-07-28T18:36:00.001-07:00

John F. Kennedy's burial site
Looking back over the Potomac River to DC

By far, the most moving place we visited was Arlington. There are hundreds of acres of tombstones: most simple, white headstones. They stretch as far as you can see in every direction. The grounds are stunning and well-kept. When you look at the hundreds of thousands of individuals that have gone before us to make this country what it is today, you cannot help but be proud to be an American.

The Monuments, Part 2

2008-07-28T18:30:00.000-07:00

The World War II Memorial
Laurie in front of the Reflecting Pool with the Washington Monument in the background
Mike and the Lincoln Memorial
Laurie and Mike in the reflection of the names on the Vietnam Memorial
The Washington Monument and the Reflecting Pool

(Here, I couldn't help but think of "Forrest Gump": "Jennn-ay!")

The Monuments

2008-07-28T18:28:00.000-07:00

Mike and Laurie at the World War II Memorial

(with Washington Monument in the background)

At the base of the Washington Monument (looking towards the Lincoln Memorial)
Mike with the US Capitol in the background
Mike at the base of the Washington Monument
The World War II Memorial

On Friday morning, we toured the monuments -- as many as we could find in 5 hours. The World War II is my favorite. The Lincoln Memorial was incredibly moving, the Washington Monument is very impressive, and the US Capitol rises majestically over the city. You could spend days going to the monuments. Unfortunately, we didn't have that much time.

A Different Tour of DC

2008-07-28T18:27:00.000-07:00

Mike, Andrew and Laurie at Le Bar
Andrew and Mike at Lounge 21
Mike, Laurie, Brian and Andrew at the Capital Grille

Mike and I went on a tour of the US Capitol, including the House chambers, on Thursday at noon. Unfortunately, I left my camera in my purse, so we have no shots of the Capitol. What an impressive structure! Did you know that the Statute of Liberty could fit in the Capitol Rotunda? It is an exquisite structure. Google it -- you'll find much better photos than I could have taken.

While Mike worked on Thursday afternoon, our good friend, Andrew, showed me a slightly different tour of DC. We conducted a little "quality control" at some of DC's finest watering holes. Then, Brian made reservations for all of us at the Capital Grille...talk about fantastic steaks! A fun, fun day and evening! (I'll spare you the details about how we all felt the next morning at 7:30 a.m. at breakfast...)

Running with Giants

2008-07-28T18:25:00.002-07:00

On Thursday morning, I got out of bed, laced up my running shoes and headed to the Capitol Mall. What a fantastic run! I ran past the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, the Koren War Memorial, along the sides of the Reflection Pool, back around the Washington Monument to the US Capitol, and back. How inspiring! It was my first morning in DC, and I was taken by the history and patriotism everywhere. DC is clean and beautiful, and it just exudes importance. Everything happens there. There are flags everywhere. It was a great run.

Off the Record

2008-07-28T18:24:00.001-07:00

BMac and Mike
Laurie and Gretchen

After our White House tour, we strolled across the park to Off the Record, a quaint bar in the basement of the Hay-Adams Hotel to wait out the rain. It was raining so hard, and there was so much water on the bricks in the park, that I actually went barefoot through the park in the rain. Sounds like an ol' Sinatra tune, eh? We had dinner and drinks with Brian and my friend, Gretchen, who recently moved back to DC. Gretchen and I have known each other since Sixth Grade, and I had not seen her since our wedding. It was very fun to spend the evening catching up with her. (And I think she was happy to be there: her children were in bed and her husband was trying to deal with a flooding issue in their basement.)

The White House

2008-07-28T18:21:00.001-07:00

The White House
The White House lawn
Mike and Brian doing a little business on the way to the West Wing
In the rose garden -- in a thunderstorm

Our friend, Brian, was kind enough to set us up with a private tour of the West Wing of the White House. It was great. There is so much history in the White House, and it was interesting to see where everything happens. The Oval Office is smaller than it looks in photos, but meticulously appointed. Brian even invited us back for breakfast at the White House on Friday morning, and we left with souvenir menus and White House M&M's.

Weekend Yardwork

2008-07-20T20:55:00.000-07:00

Before
Before
After: planted with new perennials
Lovely lily in bloom
Boxwoods to be planted in front of deck

After praying long and hard to the lawn gods, Scotts, John Deere and Snapper, we finally were blessed with the return of our lawnmower...just in time to spend the weekend in the yard. Mike mowed the lawn, while I weeded the flower beds and planted lots of colorful perennials: daisies, black-eyed susans, pincushion flowers and day lillies. We also planted several boxwoods along the front edge of the deck, and ripped out some bushes on the side of the yard. We finished the weekend by laying nearly 100 square feet of sod. The yard looks 300% better today than it did yesterday morning, and our back muscles are wondering what in the world we put them through...and why. I'll continue to take photos of the yard as it matures this summer, but here is a sneak peak of what we have accomplished so far.

Farmer's Market

2008-07-19T20:50:00.000-07:00

I love the Capitol City Farmer's Market in the summertime! I cannot resist Apply Lucy's homemade marionberry pies, Ballard Family cheeses, freshmade Treasure Valley Salsa, and all of the yummy produce. I was lucky enough to bump into Paul, Wendi and Simon Wilch this past weekend, and get caught up on all of their summer goings-on. Here is my produce haul from my latest trip to the market -- all washed and ready to eat!

Boise River - 3, Reynoldson Raft - 0

2008-07-18T20:39:00.000-07:00

Mike and I floated the Boise River on Friday afternoon with our new friend, Angela Hart. Ang is a good friend of our good friends, Ginger and Keith, and she was spending the day in Boise before hopping a plane back to Nashville. Armed with our inflatable raft, some wine cleverly disguised as "PowerAde" and our lone wooden oar, we launched the raft at Barber Park. After hitting the first "rapids" and winding up in the brambles, we lost Ang's shorts, which were drying out on the back of the raft. Boise River - 1, Reynoldson Raft - 0. The float continued fairly uneventful for another 30 minutes or so, until we found ourselves in the brambles again. I ducked down in the raft and used my right leg to fend off the branches and trees we were floating towards...only to end up with 3 deep bruises on my right calf. Boise River - 2, Reynoldson Raft - 0. Once we cleared the trees, Ang sighed "uhhh" and, thinking that she'd lost her river sandals or sunglasses, I asked "what did we lose that time?" I'm looking all around the raft...I see that we still have the cooler, the wine glasses, my flip flops, Mike's shirt...everything seems to be accounted for and I cannot figure out what we lost in the trees, when Ang says "your husband." Sure enough, Mike had fallen out of the raft and I hadn't even noticed. Luckily, he was unharmed. Boise River - 3, Reynoldson Raft - 0.

The Jungle

2008-07-13T11:37:00.000-07:00

Our lawnmower broke down several weeks ago. It has been in the shop for over a week now, and we have been unable to mow the lawn. Consequently, we have a veritable jungle in the backyard. Here, Hank lies in the grass, waiting to pounce on his prey: unsuspecting squirrels and birds that he will never catch because he is too slow. Nonetheless, the predator is enjoying some additional cover from his prey these days...thanks to the grass...which, unlike the corn in Idaho, was knee-high-by-the-Fourth-of-July. Happy hunting, Hank!

Fourth of July - and Independence from Parking Fees

2008-07-04T18:42:00.000-07:00

Laurie and Mike at the concert
Mike, the McCalls and the Poosers
Enjoying an adult beverage -- and some strained peas -- at the concert
Samia and Conor
Dinner at Rico's

(note the very patriotic toothpick bar-drink flag in stuck in my hat...

a great fashion idea after a couple of margaritas and sangria in the warm sunshine)

We spent the Fourth of July in Ketchum. On July 3, we met Logan Smyser and her friend, who are both working in Sun Valley this summer, for dinner at the Roosevelt. After dinner, Mike and I ended up playing cards with the Keens until midnight. Instead of driving home that night, we took a cab. We were watching the local access cable show the next morning, and they were setting up for all of the Fourth of July festivities, including the Reckless Kelly concert downtown Ketchum. While they were interviewing the fire chief about fireworks and fire safety, we see my car...with a man standing next to it. It sort of looks like they are towing my car, but we cannot tell for sure. The three of us put on our running gear, and run into Ketchum from Elkhorn...and sure enough, no car. We call the towing company, but they have no record of my car. We head over to the police station, which is, of course, closed for the holiday. Finally, we see a community officer patrolling on her mountain bike. She calls a police officer, who knows exactly where our car is...just "reolcated" 2 blocks south of where we had parked it so the City could begin setting up for the concert. And the best part: we weren't even charged a towing fee! Here's a little tip for you if you're planning to spend any time in Sun Valley: if your car gets towed and you tell them that you had a little too much to drink the night before, they will waive the towing fee. There you go: my public service announcement for the day.

After the run, we had brunch back at the condo, sat in the sun on the deck, and took naps to get ready for a long afternoon of festivities. The Malmens were nice enough to invite us over for Fourth of July cocktails on Friday afternoon. Then, we walked downtown to the Reckless Kelly show with Samia and James and baby Conor. Afterwards, we hit Rico's, a local pizza place that we really like. Even after our midday naps, we were still in bed before the fireworks! Hope all of you had a great Fourth of July!

God Bless the iPod...and Christina Aguilera

2008-06-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

I always enjoy running with music, and I love my little metallic green iPod Shuffle that is 1 square inch in size and clips conveniently on to Hank's leash. Today, my appreciation for my iPod...and Christina Aguilera... went to an entirely new level. Hank and I were 9 miles into an 11-mile run. I was getting tired...it was hot...I was hungry...I just wanted to get home. Then, I had a major burst of energy...thanks to Christina Aguilera's "Fighter". I changed up the words a little to make it more appropriate for running:

Makes me that much stronger,
Makes me work a little bit harder,
Makes me that much wiser,
Thanks for making me a fighter.
Made me run a little faster,
Made my skin a little bit thicker,
Makes me that much smarter,
Thanks for making me a fighter.

I listened to it 5 times in a row, and finished the run in record time and I even ran a negative split. I've always enjoyed the song, which is why is it on my playlist to begin with, and I've heard it many, many times. But isn't it interesting how sometimes a song will hit you with a certain something and you hear it in a completely different way? Same thing happed to me during the Los Angeles marathon when my iPod began playing "The Hard Way" by Mary Chapin Carpenter. Both are great songs to pick you up when you're in a training slump. Run on...

Visit with Mom and Aunt Jackie

2008-06-20T19:03:00.000-07:00

Mom, Laurie and Aunt Jackie
Pretty pedicured tootsies

Mom and Aunt Jackie flew in for a night to attend a luncheon with me. (More on that later.) We had a great evening! Pedicures in Eagle, followed by wine and munchies for dinner on the deck. The next day, we went to the luncheon and then spent the afternoon by the pool. A quick Mexican dinner on the way to the airport, and then they flew home. Hopefully, we'll get another chance to get together soon...and we'll get a longer visit!

Accomplished Under 40

2008-06-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

Mike and I were recently honored as two recipients of this year's "Accomplished Under 40." Since the nominations were made while Mike was still technically "under 40," he made it on the list despite recently turning the big 4-0. While we were hoping to be included on People's list of the "100 Most Beautiful People," we'll settle for 40 Under 40. There's always next year to make a run at the Most Beautiful People list...

Our Boy Turns 2

2008-06-13T19:42:00.000-07:00

Hank celebrated his second birthday by heading to the local pet store and picking out a number of new toys. Here he is with all of his loot. He was like a child when we got home: he'd play with one toy for a couple of minutes, set it down and pick up another one, play with it for a couple of minutes, set it down and pick up another one...for hours. We also heard from the breeder on his birthday...Hank is definitely the leanest pup from the litter. The other two males, Dutch and Brodie, weigh in at 120 pounds and 90 pounds, respectively. Hank tops the scales at 65 pounds...must be all of that running. Happy birthday, Hank!

5 Years Ago Today...

2008-05-25T13:05:00.000-07:00

Laurie and Mike in the backyard with our Bailey dog

The wedding party at Christ Chapel:

Kelly, Clint, Laurie, Mike, Steve and Kelly

Mike and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary today: we received our anniversary blessing at church, went to Costco and ran some errands (just like every other married couple does on a Sunday), worked in the yard, and then went to the Josh Turner/Carrie Underwood concert. Here are a couple of photos from our big day in 2003.

Conor Gets Baptised!

2008-05-18T18:54:00.000-07:00

Pastor Steve and Conor

Conor with his beautiful Mom, Samia, and proud Dad, James

Pastor Sandy holds Conor while the congregation welcomes our newest brother in faith.

Samia and James' son, Conor, is now 8 months old, and was baptised on Sunday morning. I think it's funny that part of the prayer following the baptisms at our church includes: "May Conor grow up to be a great man of faith" and, at the end, "Please welcome our newest brother in faith." I don't know why that strikes me as funny, but it does. I guess it's better than saying, "Take a look at the purest little Conor may be in his whole life...from a faith perspective, it's all downhill from here." Anyway, after we welcomed Conor as our new brother in faith, we suitably celebrated with mimosas and brunch at his house while he took a nap.

Happy Birthday Sue!

2008-05-17T18:46:00.000-07:00

Sue's possible birthday wishes:

Win the lottery;

Successfully launch a "Boo for President" campaign;

Move to Napa and open a winery.

Mike opened his birthday gift, too.

Sue and Knox

Laurie and Mike

We were fortunate enough to be invited to celebrate Sue's birthday with her and Knox at Chandler's on Saturday night. It's great to have friends with whom we have so much in common, but mostly a great love for good wine and good food. Happiest birthday to you, Sue!

File This Under: "It Sounded Like a Good Idea at the Time"

2008-05-17T18:27:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Hank and I ran the Famous Idaho Potato half-marathon. I signed us up in early April, when our long weekend runs were routinely 10 miles or longer. Then, I went on vacation. I missed 3 long runs...we were in Mexico for 2 Saturdays, and then Las Vegas for a Saturday. During that 3-week period, I only ran 4 short runs in Mexico and a 3-mile run back in Boise. The temperatures on the day of the race were hot...warming to the mid-80s by the end of the run. Luckily, the run went right by our house, so I was able to drop Hank off after 9.5 miles...it was a little too warm for our pup to finish all 13 miles. My friend, Win, and I finished in 2:22. While it wasn't technically a PR, we spent over 3 minutes dropping Hank off, and his GPS clocked the race just shy of 13.4 miles...they had to reroute several portions because the Boise River has been running over its banks...so it was "kind of" a PR. I felt great on Saturday, but man, was I sore on Sunday and Monday! For my next half-marathon, I think I'll actually use a training program of, get this, RUNNING...not tequila drinking. For photos of the run, click on this link and type in my bib number: 686.

http://www.backprint.com/view_event.asp?pid=bp%18%7ED&eventid=38117

Vegas, Baby!

2008-05-12T18:38:00.000-07:00

Laurie, Mike, Knox, Sue, Wendy and John

Wendy and John at the pool

Knox and Sue at the pool

Mike in the pool...too bad that he doesn't know how to relax!

For the second time in 6 weeks, Mike and I made a quick to Las Vegas. This time, we were there to celebrate birthdays...Mike's birthday, Wendy's birthday, and Sue's birthday. We spent several hours at the pool in some great chaise lounges that were in the water. On Friday night, we attended Bon Appetit's Vegas Uncorked Sip and Stroll event at Caesar's Palace. This was the second year the food magazine sponsored an event in Las Vegas...and the Sip and Stroll was fantastic. Over 100 top-rated restaurants with delectable food samples, wine tastings, premium liquor tastings, and lots of elbow-rubbing with many of the best known chefs: Wolfgang Puck, Cat Cora, Guy Savoy, Daniel Boulud, who were all just mingling with the crowd! We may make this an annual event.

-

Trip to Zihuatanejo

2008-05-06T20:07:00.000-07:00

Mike and I just returned from an 8-day trip to sunny Zihuatanejo, Mexico. Zihua, as it is known by the locals, is situated on the Pacific Ocean between Puerto Vallarta and Acapaulco. Zihua is an old, established fishing village that has maintained a great deal of its history, character and charm, despite the more touristy Ixtapa developing just over the northern hills on the neighboring bay. The people were so friendly and helpful, and particularly accommodating when we were fumbling over our Spanish. We had a great trip!

Amuleto = Muy Bien

2008-05-06T18:55:00.000-07:00

At the Club Intrawest before leaving for dinner.

Amuleto is located on the hill in the background, just over Mike's right shoulder.

The dining room is perched above the infinity edge pool, which is perched on the side of the hill.

I have no idea what "Amuleto" actually means in Spanish, but we had a wonderful dinner there our last night in Zihua. Amuleto is a small boutique hotel and restaurant high above the Zihua harbor. There are only 6 tables in the outdoor garden setting. We watched the fishing boats return to the harbor while the sun set into the Pacific Ocean. Not only was the view spectacular, the food was amazing -- the best meal we've had in a long, long time.

It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere

2008-05-06T18:00:00.000-07:00

On the boardwalk in downtown Zihua

Cerveza in the Pool

Cerveza y margarita in the pool

In Mexico, no matter where you are, it seems as though there is always another cerveza or margarita just waiting to quench your thirst. We particularly liked the swim-up bar in the hotel's pool. They also introduced us to a new favorite summer drink: the Paloma...tequila, lime juice and Squirt. Muy satisfying!

Mike's Birthday Dinner

2008-05-06T17:55:00.000-07:00

For Mike's birthday, we went to dinner at La Casa Que Canta...the hotel where they filmed "When a Man Loves a Woman" with Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia. The restaurant was rated the best restaurant in Mexico and Central America by Conde Naste magazine. The food and the service were perfecto.

Mike Turns the Big 4-0!

2008-05-06T17:49:00.000-07:00

Miguel y Jorge, the bracelet maker

Elyon serenades Mike with "Happy Birthday" on the trumpet

Our vacation friends: Mike, Laurie, Eileen, John, Melissa and Brian

What a great way to spend a birthday! We got up, went for a run on the boardwalk, had fresh pastries and coffee in the room for breakfast, headed down to the beach to celebrate with friends, Mike had a beachside massage, and there were plenty of birthday drinks to toast Mike's Mexican-style 40th birthday.

Happy birthday, Miguel!

What Humidity?

2008-05-06T17:47:00.000-07:00

Curly hair + Humidity = You look like this in the morning...EVERY morning.

Another Low-Key Day

2008-05-06T17:40:00.001-07:00

Mike on the balcony after our morning run

View from the lounge chairs...looking into Zihua harbor

View from the lounge chairs...looking south

Mike, Luis (the jeweler) and Laurie

After I purchased a ring and Mike purchased some silver cuff links from Luis, he insisted that we get a photo in front of the picture of Sir Paul McCartney, who visited Zihua in the '70s. He is pictured behind us with Alberto, the original owner and jeweler at the store. Alberto's son now owns the business.

A Day Out of the Sun

2008-05-06T17:40:00.000-07:00

Camarones Molcajete at Bandido's

We ate molcajete shrimp or mahi mahi three times while we were in Zihua. It is SO delicious! Fresh seafood in a tomato stew with grilled peppers and onions and cheese. Muy bien.

La Comercial Mexicana: Mexico's version of Wal-Mart.

La Comercial is Zihua's "super mercado" -- you can get anything there...food, socks, shirts, generators, ladders, TVs...you name it, they will sell it to you. It's interesting to see the poverty that surrounds La Comercial and, although it is situated on the outskirts of town, the turistas and nationales alike flock to La Comercial. We visited twice to stock up on cerveza, tequila and agua purificada. The most surprising part: they sell Kirkland-brand products. It looks like Costco is expanding south of the border.

After several days in the hot sunshine and mild sunburns, Mike and I spent most of the third day shopping in downtown Zihua. We did venture out on the beach for dinner...and snapped this photo using the self-timer...only to realize about 30 minutes later that we had left the camera in the sand near the table we set it on to snap this photo. Luckily, the camera was still there when we went back to find it.

Another "Tough" Day in Mexico

2008-05-06T17:29:00.000-07:00

The Love Boat sailed in overnight and anchored in the harbor for several hours.

Love the infinity pool!

We spent so much time in the pool on the second day, we both ended up with sunburns.

Dinner at Kau Kan near our hotel.

Mike had the mahi mahi. I had the shrimp and lobster stuffed potato. Muy bien.

Welcome to Zihuatanejo!

2008-05-06T17:00:00.000-07:00

After hours and hours of traveling, we finally make it to the beach...

just in time to witness a wedding!

Dinner at Bandido's...when we discover the molcajete mahi mahi.

Club Intrawest

2008-05-06T16:30:00.000-07:00

View from the main living room
View from the main sundeck, looking north
Looking into the room from the main sundeck

The beds were decorated with flowers and "hello" messages upon our arrival.

La Cucina

We stayed at Club Intrawest on Playa La Ropa. Our room was amazing...2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a living area, kitchenette and 2 sundecks...including a hammock and dip pool on one of the sundecks. We loved the open air shower in one of the bathrooms. There are no elevators at Club Intrawest and, since it is built on the side of a hill, you need to climb stairs to get to the roadway, the pools and the beach...but it allows for a superb layout of rooms offering each room privacy with open air settings and views of the ocean. It was a great place to stay on Zihua's best beach...Playa La Ropa.

Quick Visit to Phoenix

2008-05-05T19:00:00.000-07:00

A week or two before we left for Mexico, we were contacted by US Airways...they were canceling our flight home from Mexico. While we could still get back to Phoenix, we were scheduled to make a stop in San Francisco before heading to Boise. Since they canceled the Saturday night flight between the Bay Area and Boise, they wanted us to spend the night in the San Francisco airport and fly to Boise the following day. We gave them another option: get us to Phoenix, and we would stay with my Dad and Heidi. We had a great steak dinner at their house on Saturday night before an early morning flight home on Sunday.

Mike's Birthday Party

2008-04-24T07:34:00.000-07:00

Mike turns 40 next week while we're in Mexico, so we hosted a little party for him last night at a restaurant in Boise. Here is a photo of Mike with one of his favorite gifts.

Viva Las Vegas

2008-03-31T13:57:00.000-07:00

James, Sara, Rich, Laurie and Mike at Cashman Field

Rich, Sara, James, Samia, Mike and Laurie at the Palazzo

Mike and I spent the weekend in Las Vegas with Samia and James McCall and Sara and Rich Stover. The Cubs and the Mariners were playing their final Spring Training game in Vegas, so we flew down to take in some baseball and soak up the warm sunshine. We stayed at the Palazzo -- Vegas' newest resort and casino. The accommodations were amazing. The food was outstanding. The Cubs won the game we watched. The temperatures were in the low 80's. Everyone who placed a bet won at the casinos! What more could we ask for? All in all, a great weekend.

Taxi Ride in Hell

2008-03-31T12:00:00.000-07:00

Cab lines in Vegas are long. They are long at the airport. They are long at the casinos. However, none seemed quite as long as the cab line at Cashman Field after Saturday's baseball game. So, we decided to take matters into our own hands by hoofing it up to the main road and trying to hail a cab. Unlike New York City, cabbies drive right past you. They don't even look at you unless you are in a designated cab line.

We were fortunate (and I use that term loosely) to finally flag down a cab to take 3 of us back to the hotel. Rich and I jumped in the back seat, and Sara got in the front seat. Just as she was closing the door, the cabbie looked over at her and exhaled a huge plume of smoke. Sara simply sighed "eww." The cabbie looks over at her and exclaims, "Jesus, you caught me in the middle of a f$%&ing smoke!" Sara responded, "I just didn't expect you to blow it in my face." To which the cabbied replied, "If you don't like smoke, you're in the wrong f$%&ing town." Are you kidding me? We're in the cab for less than 2 minutes and the cab driver has dropped the "f" bomb twice? For that matter, have you ever been in a cab when the cabbie has so much as uttered a foul word during the entire trip?

What followed was a trip through some of Vegas' less desirable neighborhoods, fast turns and U-turns that made the tires screech, and a lot of heavy braking so as to avoid hitting the unsuspecting pedestrians in the crosswalk. It was great. The total fare was $21.90. Sara and Rich were kind enough to tip the cabbie. If it were me, I think I would have given him $22 and told him to keep the change. As it was, I politely said, "God bless you" when exiting the cab. I am sure that the cabbie appreciated the sentiment.

Girls' Weekend

2008-02-26T19:44:00.000-08:00

Micki, Laurie and Kelly

Kelly, Kaycee and Micki snowshoeing at the Palisades

Kelly and Laurie

Post-snowshoeing shopping in Thayne

Micki and Kaycee plowing snow in the driveway

Each year, my good friends Kelly, Micki and I take a girls' trip together. This year, we headed to snowy Wyoming...to a small town named Thayne, in the Star Valley, approximately 1 hour outside of Jackson. Micki's parents were gracious enough to open up their second home to us. The "cabin" (and I use that term loosely, and only call it a "cabin" because that is how they refer to it) was built by the Kopecky family on acres and acres of land overlooking the beautiful Star Valley. It is plush...3 stories, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and a Viking range in the kitchen. We thoroughly enjoyed hanging out at the "cabin" at night, cooking dinner, sipping wine, chatting by the fireplace, watching movies and catching up. We snowshoed on Saturday during the one break in the weather we experienced the entire weekend. Other than the short break in the clouds on Saturday morning, it snowed nearly the entire time we were there. It was a fantastic getaway! Can't wait until next year's trip...

Small Town Saturday Night

2008-02-25T19:57:00.000-08:00

So, you read about the girls' trip. You know that the three of us had a great time hanging out and catching up. You know that the weather was perfect for a winter getaway. Now, here's the down and dirty on our Saturday night festivities...the story behind the story, if you will.

Thayne, as a town of just over 300 people nestled in snowy Wyoming, unfortunately has a high rate of domestic violence. Apparently, there isn't much else to do during the winter than drink a bunch of alcohol and beat your pregnant wife. Kelly is pregnant, so we toyed with the idea of drinking a bunch and then helping her have an "accidental fall down the stairs." Sort of a "when in Rome..." That idea quickly lapsed...not that Micki and I couldn't muster the stamina to drink that much; we just weren't too keen on beating up our best friend. Go figure.

In the end, we opted for a pizza dinner. On the way to Tootsie's Pizza in downtown Thayne to order our pizza, I was riding in the backseat with Kaycee when all of the sudden, Micki screams "Oh no!" and Kelly yells back "Just hit it!" I have no idea what's happening...I look up...the car swerves...we're back in our snowy lane...we're all safe. That is, all of us except the skunk we hit with the car. Yes, we were SKUNKED! The term "skunked" can mean a lot of things...this time, however, it meant that the small animal's odiferous "perfume" permeated the inside of the car so badly that we were quite concerned that the skunk was actually stuck up under the wheel well. We turned off the heat. The smell was TERRIBLE when we got out of the car. We tried to visit the car wash, but it was closed for the winter because it was snowed in. None of us were the least bit interested in getting under the car to see if the skunk was stuck there.

So, since we had 20 minutes to kill before our pizza was ready, we decided to return to the scene of the crime to see if the skunk was in the road or stuck under the car. There was great anxiety in the car as we approached the spot. No one spoke. We all leaned a little closer to the windshield. Micki turned on the bright lights and shown them on the road. Much to our great relief, the skunk was indeed intact and in the road...and not lodged up under the wheel well. That did not, however, help with the smell. Despite our attempts to drive on the snowy shoulder to cut the smell, a piece of that skunk (or, more correctly, the skunk's smell) survived the entire ride back to Salt Lake City.

May the skunk rest in peace...and may Micki's new car once again have that "new car" smell...

RMH Celebrates 20 Years

2008-02-12T10:10:00.000-08:00

The winner of the Extreme Cake Event

Decorated by Chef Vern (who also catered our wedding)

A little Ronald McDonald House

The People's Choice Winner

Ronald and a Friend

20 years ago, the Idaho Ronald McDonald House opened its doors in Boise to provide a home-away-from-home to the families of ill and critically injured children. Since that time, RMH has served thousands of families in Idaho, Nevada and Oregon. To celebrate this milestone anniversary, RMH kicked off the year with an Extreme Cake event. In Boise's version of "Iron Chef" meets "Ace of Cakes," six local pastry chefs had 1 hour to decorate and assemble a birthday cake for RMH. Here are some of the creations. If you want to learn more about RMH, or make a donation in honor of their 20th anniversary, please click on the following link: http://www.rmhidaho.org/.

Happy 94th Birthday, Poppy!

2008-02-04T10:22:00.000-08:00

Poppy Bill

Shannon, Debbie, Lynn and Carol

Laurie, Poppy Bill and Mike

February 4th is Poppy Bill's 94th birthday. To celebrate, we traveled to Bremerton for pizza with Poppy, Uncle Don and his family, Uncle Bill, Uncle Lynn and his wife Carol. After a provolone and meatball pizza (a Maiers' tradition), we went back to Poppy's house for cake and ice cream. Happy birthday, Poppy...and many more!

Superbowl Sunday

2008-02-04T08:52:00.001-08:00

While Hank spent most of the game pulling stuffing out of his toys, chewing on his tail, sleeping on the couch, and begging for food, his ears perked up when both of these commercials came on. He sat right up, and watched the TV. Therefore, we think these are Hank's favorite 2008 Superbowl ads:

http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&brand=foxsports&vid=bcf68201-9324-4d9c-9522-b632fde12c6e&from=Fox%20Sports&tab=s1201570818374

http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&brand=foxsports&vid=bf45f3cb-d9c5-415f-85c5-8caa233a7666&from=Fox%20Sports&tab=s1201570818374

On the Way Home from Costco...

2008-02-03T11:14:00.000-08:00

The snow in Boise is apparently making everyone and everything a little nuts. This family of deer was eating tree bark in the City aboretum, less than a mile from our house, and literally a block from a 4-lane road. We had to stop and shoot them...with a camera, of course.

Lunch with My Cousins

2008-02-02T10:55:00.000-08:00

The Group

Trevor and Amy

Aunt Jackie and Laurie

Sean, Amy, Trevor, McKenna, Laurie, Jackie

Today, we met my Aunt Jackie, my cousins Sean and Amy, and Amy's family for lunch. It was great to see them after so many years. Mike finally met them, as well. They are all doing very well, and the conversation was light and easy...kind of like we have lunch every month or so, and not like it had not been 10 years since we were all last together. I wish I had more photos of McKenna, but she was busy snapping photos of the rest of us!

Musings about Groundhog's Day

2008-02-02T10:50:00.000-08:00

In Boise this winter, it truly feels like we're in the movie "Groundhogs Day." It keeps snowing and snowing. We go to bed, and we wake up to more snow. And, to add insult to injury, Phil (the official groundhog in Pennsylvania) saw his shadow this morning, so that means weeks and weeks more of winter.

Today would have also been Geoff's 34th birthday. We miss him and love him. It's been 10 years since we've had a cake or a party for him, but I know that we all wish him a very happy birthday each year in our own way.

Introducing the Newest Member of the Reynoldson Household...

2008-02-01T11:06:00.000-08:00

The Snow Shovel. Although Snow Shovel has been around for many, many years (and, in fact, Snow Shovel was inherited from my Dad when he moved to sunny Phoenix and no longer need Snow Shovel), Snow Shovel typically spends the entire year relegated to the back of the garage...stuffed in a corner by the fishing poles, golf clubs and some random scraps of wood. Not this year, however! Snow Shovel proudly sits on the front porch, and gets a little exercise nearly every morning and every evening.

Dinner Out with the Hunters

2008-01-26T11:20:00.000-08:00

Picture this: Saturday night in Seattle, and Kelly and Bill have a sitter for Gwyn, their two and a half year old daughter (who, I might add, is brilliant). We have dinner and margaritas at the Cactus and, by 8:00 p.m., we're all tired and full of food. Like any respectable couple with a child and a babysitter, they decided that we couldn't go home just yet...I mean, we're talking about a Saturday night with a sitter! We left the restaurant and headed to a wine bar in Ballard for a bottle of wine and a chocolate dessert. We still only made it to 10:30 p.m...not midnight, like we told the sitter. That's the difference between living large in your 20's, and living large in your 30's.

glassybaby

2008-01-26T10:25:00.000-08:00

The line at 8:30 a.m.Laurie and Kelly
Inside the sale
Our new glassybabies

glassybabies are vibrantly colored, handblown glass candle holders. Many are opaque when unlit, and then beautifully illuminate with a candle in them. They are not cheap, but since each one is a work of art, we -- and all other glassybaby lovers -- look past the price tag. Because one can never have enough glassybabies, we traveled to their annual seconds sale. It was impressive! The sale started at 10:00 a.m., but we arrived at 8:30 and took our places as 19, 20, and 21 in line. Since Mike was feeling a little under the weather, we sent him to get coffee and breakfast, while Kelly and I braved the 30 degree weather. At 10 minutes to 10:00, with over 130 people in line and the line snaking out the front door and down an alley, they let us in. Glassybabies were everywhere! Our m.o.: grab as many as we could fit into a box, and then find a safe corner to light each one so that we could make our final decision. After 40 minutes of grabbing glassybabies, lighting them with tea lights, and grabbing more, we settled on 14 new glassybabies. Kelly grabbed 8. It was a very successful trip and, with our strategy perfected, we were already talking about the colors we plan to target at next year's sale.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2008-01-21T12:36:00.000-08:00

Birthday Cake at the Pioneer

Outside of the Sun Valley Lodge

Champagne at the Duchin Room

Today is my Mom's birthday. To celebrate, we went to Sun Valley for the weekend. The weather was great -- sunny on Friday and Saturday, and snowy on Sunday. We watched the Paul Tillotson Trio perform at the Duchin Room, had dinner at the Pioneer, and shopped around the shops in Ketchum...a true Sun Valley experience! Happy Birthday, Mom...hope it's a happy one!

Hank OD's

2008-01-20T12:53:00.000-08:00

Like any good junkie, Hank's panty addiction landed him in the hospital on Thursday. After not eating or drinking for nearly 2 days, we figured out that he must have something "stuck" in his tummy. Sure enough, the x-rays showed a mass in the lower intestine. When we checked him in, he was very dehydrated. After giving him some IV fluids and prepping Hank for surgery, he miraculously pooped out the panties. The discharge report reads: "Once intravenous fluids were administered, the patient defecated underwear." We're trying to figure out whether he needs to go to puppy rehab, or if this is an addiction that he can kick on his own.

Snow, snow and more snow!

2008-01-19T12:58:00.000-08:00

Boise has been hit with a ton of snow this winter. Here are a couple of photos from our back deck.

A Morning Run in the Sun

2008-01-15T13:08:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, I ran the P.F. Chang's Rock 'N Roll Arizona Half-Marathon. The weather was beautiful...sunny with highs in the upper 60's. My official time was 2:19...not quite as fast as I would have liked, but I was running with a broken toe and the temperatures were much warmer than the temperatures I have been running in for my training. Here is a link to some finish line photos.

http://www.asiorders.com/go.asp?28755133

Happy New Year 2008!

2008-01-02T13:27:00.000-08:00

One of our (perennial) resolutions is to lose weight, so we started off 2008 with the YMCA's New Year's Run. Mike, Hank and I ran with our friends Samia and James. It was 16 degrees outside, so we were lucky the sun was out. After the run, in an attempt to dispose of our new resolutions, we shared a pizza for lunch, had some ice cream for dessert, and then napped on the couch while watching college football games for the rest of the day. I guess there is always 2009 to tackle that "lose weight" resolution. Here's to a happy and healthy 2008!