Making Memories out of an Ever Changing World - The Finale

Greetings Sports Fans - This is Stacey Bolin reporting on this latest update on the amateur professional Olympics of the Bolin family during our trip to California.  As I spoke of before, it seemed like every time we turned around, something crazy and totally spontaneous was taking us upon more and more first and unexpected adventures. So in the spirit of sports here are the remaining events that we tried to medal in.

 Track and Find: In this event, the object of the sport is to place four tall people into a small rental with the following items: A map that is hard to read because the printer in the travel office was low on ink, one cell phone with a battery that is almost dead, another cell phone that doesn't get a great signal, and then an I-phone that you can map-quest your destination - but will it? What are they finding: The Hollywood Sign in LA after they enjoy some time at the Santa Monica Pier.

 

 

 

We only received the bronze medal in this event as we received a 2.0 deduction due to the fact that the I-phone could only find food locations down to the exact inch. Trying to find the Hollywood sign led us to Griffith Park, where at the time, was under a close watch because of a bobcat who had attacked a person. How did we find the sign? Driving down sunset Blvd. and just happened to look up in the hills. HELLO!!! After doing our best to read our barely printed map, we found the sign.

 

 

 

"It's A Small World" Event: This is a Self-Inflicted Boating Adventure that requires participation from all family members with a strong individual ability to keep from going to crazy.  The object of this sport is to get onto an unmanned boat and feel like you are traveling cross country in five minutes in a single building, you heard me right a single building, not a single bound,  While having to hear "It's a Small World" in a multitude of various languages playing over and over And Over, AND OVER- *&^%&%&^#^!!!! - WITHOUT GOING MADDDDDD!!!!!. One team member losing their cool could spoil the chances of winning a medal in this event. I'm sure I don't have to go into great detail as to why we didn't place in this sport. Wink. Be sure to watch the entire link...then try to imagine being on a boat, that once your on it, you have to ride it until the end.

Getting mentally ready to compete in the
"It's A Small World" event.

The building alone should indicate how crazy your about to become.
The entrance into the "Small World" event. (smile).

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APmHR2bmQgw

 

"Who's HOOTERS are who’s" Event:  Now this was the BIGGEST and most important male team event, which the 3 men of our family had been training hard for all summer so that they would be ready to compete. The object of this sport was to be able to eat your lunch, while smiling long and hard. So, why would they have a hard time eating their lunch with a smile you ask? Because this event was held at the "HOOTERS" in Hollywood, and why? because everything is bigger in Hollywood. Another rule is that you were not to be polite and look at your waitresses face when she asks if everything is good, you are supposed node your head up and down and you stare intently at her twins and the size of her cleavage. Note: No food could fall from your mouth or it would result in an immediate disqualification. I knew they could win this event hands down.  Have you ever tried to open your mouth wide to bite a burger when you have a grin that goes from ear to ear? I'm happy to say that this was only a men's event and that I was asked to be a judge. Their forms was perfect, their ability to pay attention to two large details was superb, but I know it was not easy to keep their food in their mouths each time a distraction came upon them, but somehow they managed, and in this event of our trip WE WON GOLD! Not that I am proud of this win and what it entailed, but will say we had a great time in Hollywood and  - The chicken sandwich with provolone cheese, bacon and Jalapenos is fantastic, but ask for a side of ranch dressing - that makes it flippen awesome!



My "3" Champions - You can see how happy they are.

 

The Gold Medal
 A Framed Picture that we attended
 

So over all, our trip to California was filled with every feeling a person could experience and more, with both ups and downs, but if you were to ask me if we could do it all over again - would we?  My answer is HELL YA! We had a great time with entended family members and the day trips that all of us went on together. My kids got to see what's on the other side of the USA and went to places and did things that days before, were only images from photographs that my husband and I have in photo albums. Other images before the trip were concepts they would see on race car video games.  Below is a few random pictures that I wanted to share with you. Hope you enjoyed this three part blog of how we ended our summer. Be sure to come back to see the big reveal of a cluttered home gone Spotless and a humorous story of the meatless chicken. Until next time, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I'll blog ya later.

He tries so hard to make it look like he's not having any fun -
DON'T BE FOOLED YA'LL!

FOOD WAS FANTASTIC!
A MUST TRY WHEN IN CALI!

Reese and his corndog from hell at the
Ventura County Fair

Mother (Me) and Son (Reese) footprints.
A Morning Spent at Hueneme Beach
While Ron, Ryan and Fred explored the Base

Ventura Naval Base - Formerly knows as
N.C.T.C. Seabee Base
in Port Hueneme California

Leaving the West Coast heading home. :(

 

Making Memories out of an Ever Changing World - Pt. 2.

Once again I apologize - How can you give me feed back on my blogs if I don't remember to hit - Publish.  Thanks to Lynn for letting me know you have been waiting patiently for the past twenty-four hours for yesterdays blog. 

 

I call this chapter of my story "Making Memories out of an Ever Changing World" - The Adventures of BIG Toe and his gang.  So, before I get into the story let me show you a picture of "Big Toe.

Notice the red curved brick
around the hot tub
This is very important for the rest of my story.

 

 Awe yes, in the picture above is Big Toe, soaking in the hot tub trying to feel better after an unexpected and hard to understand, accident. My husband is Big Toe and he suffered an accent while trying to attempt his version of a professional amateur Olympic maneuver into the pool at our motel in Port Hueneme California, in keeping with the spirit of the Olympic events taking place in London that same week. Big Toe was already for his performance. Had his routine all strategically organized and I think he may had even hoped to score a 9.8 or higher.  I personally think he would have gone gold in the synchronized solo event…think about it, you’ll get the joke in a bit. Wink. But instead chose the unique dive potion of the pool side sporting events and won the black and blue medal.

The plan was do a side 1/8th twist with a stomach roll belly flop wave splash that got everyone wet. It was perfect. He walked gracefully over to the side of the pool marked 5' deep. He took a breath, peered around the pool to make sure that all on lookers had their full attention on him i.e., (You know, others watching like say a few unknown bikini wearing cougars - wink) then he took in a deep breath and lunged himself towards the water and then began to scream both before and after he hit the water. That wasn’t part of the routine – A 1.5 deduction needed to be added for putting extra materials into his performance. It appeared that our homegrown athlete had suffered a major sports injury. On lookers, that were his best buddy and his family, ours kids, and I, all stood pool side waiting with anticipation of what the injury could have been. A massive wedgie? Cramps from just finishing up a ham sandwich pool side, (Mama always said, never go swimming after you eat) or worse - one of those farts that smell toxic no matter what conditions you are in. We were about to find out.

When he finally emerged from the crystal waters, a look of pain and the agony of de-feet, yes I spelt that right, it was pain from the feet that was causing his discomfort. Somehow he had jammed his big toe on the rounded raised red brick pool boarder. To all of us, he looked like a guy ready for some fun in a pool as he threw himself into the water, but the outcome was anything but cool as you can tell by the big black and blue toe, in the picture below, why he was in so much pain - he had broken it and would not go to the hospital to get it looked at.

 





Just after the accident
You should have seen it days later - Ouch Mommy.



 



Now you would think that anyone suffering from an injury that is a broken bone, and it being your foot, would make sure that walking would be at the utmost - minimum.  Not No, but HELL NO! Not "Big Toe" he went on with the rest of the Olympic events we had planned to take part in during our 12 day stay in California. Now as much as I would love to write this whole story out at once - What is a story without pictures , and my friends, the pictures help this memory making story the best it can be. But having to many pictures at once, make this blogging process as slow as snails on hot tar and it gets you nowhere.  So, going on with the next Professional Amatures Olympic Vacationing Event we have the ever popular on sight game of....

Racquet Ball Tennis - Yes folks you read that absolutely right and it is just what you’re thinking. My husband is a racquet ball king, speed is his thing and adapted this to his tennis game. Needless to say, a lot of his balls were in the parking lot instead of on the court. But for this same reason, meaning his racquet ball speed approach to the game, we discovered that balls that are hit towards a chain-link fence that is not covered with the netting, like what you see behind husband, and two boys in the pictures below, will go through it into the other court at rocket speed. As my younger son who went into the court next to us to retrieve  balls that were hit to hard by my older son (In the second photo below) and decided to heckling my husband about his superman tennis skills thinking he was safe being on the other side of the fence. Wrong!

 

 

 

Yes, it was quite an Olympic week for the Bolin family and there is much more where that came from. Join me tomorrow for more on Big Toe and his Olympic adventures such as: Taming the wild coaster, Is it really a small world? Where's the Sign? and Let's Got To HOOTERS in Hollywood!" I promise you won't be disappointed. Thanks for joining me. Blog you tomorrow.



Making New Memories in an Ever Changing World - Pt. 1

H

ello to all in blogger land. I will say it is great to be back online again, but coming off of a vacation makes it very hard to get back into the swing of things. We've been back in Maryland since August 16th, and I will be the first to fess up and say - Dang that jet lag. I feel almost zombiefied, is that a word? Oh well if it's not, but it explains my sluggish presence both physical and mentally. So where did I go on vacation you ask? Well then let me share my story with you.

It was a place that I had been reminiscing about for the last twenty years - going back to California where I started my military career.  The only thing I had was the memories that I had stored in my mind because for some unknown reason I didn't take to many photographs of my time in California, which has never made any sense to me. I have a video tape of parts of the base, which only has me thinking one thing, my mind was not on the base, it was on the atmosphere and the hot men on the base. Hey I'm a woman, and then I was single and a free agent. After Ron and I got married I had only been there a total of five days with him and we never went on the base together, we spent our time together at his apartment or watching sunsets on the rocky cliff side of Point Mugu State Park. So my base memories are mainly from my days while going to "A" school, but one thing that has changed...I'm not checking the land for hot guys. 

Now don't get me wrong, I still think men look great in their Seabee uniforms, but there is only one man for me and it doesn't matter that he no longer wears his uniform now. I remember vividly what he looked like in his original solid green Seabee Uniform and it always takes my breath away.  Then when I stop to day dream about what he'd look like in it now, well let’s just say there is not enough cold water in Maryland to cool the burn. *Wink*.  Ok, ok, I can't think and write when my mind starts driving down gutter alley, so let me get back to my story. Now the average person with a normal mentality knows that after twenty years, 9 out of 10 times, nothing stays the same. I'd like to think of myself as average, but normal - hum???? I had it all done up beautiful in my mind what the day would be like when we would once again be stepping off the plane in LA. The only thing that was missing from my unrealistic thoughts was dancing bears, balloons and Bob Barker from the Price is Right. Yes, I know he's retired, I'm not that far gone. Smile. For some dumbass reason, I honestly believed that when I left Port Hueneme on July 3, 1991, all would stay the way I had left it. Can anyone please tell me WHAT THE HELL WAS I ON? Talk about crazy thinking as if I was living in the land of glittery rainbows and unicorns.

It was a wonderful feeling to know that this time I was returning with my family. Everything was going smoothly.  We found a great place for my truck in the long term parking lot, the bus was very prompt to get us to the terminal, and the line for security was almost as quick as our trip to Estes Park in November of 2011. As we waited to board our flight, my oldest son had gotten to meet one of the actors from Nitro Circus - Hubert Rollin; I think I got that right, who was traveling out to LA on the same plane as ours.  I can't even explain the amount of disappoint both of my sons felt when a seat they had hope he would fill next to them was taken by a lady that could only say a few words in English - "You have sanitizer, baby puke on me." My oldest son was relieved to know that he was not the one in the middle, his younger brother was, and would have to smell her unique perfume for the next four hours and forty-five minutes. I guess it was a blessing that he was prepared to keep his mind occupied while my oldest son chose to sleep.

I was so excited that I was going to get to show them where their mom and dad had gone to school to become Seabees. I couldn't wait to take them on the base to show them all the places I had gone when I lived there and show them all things I had seen as well. As the plane made its decent into LA, all looked as it did when I flew in for the very first time twenty years ago; which had me even more excited for a grand adventure. 

It wasn't until we got off the plane, the horror started. When I used to fly to California, I would travel American or Delta Airlines and both had a much larger terminal and if I recall correctly is also part of the main terminal. This time we flew Southwest, so the moment I stepped off the plane my world was not what I had remembered or had tried to envision. Where were all the people dressed in a multitude of colors in outfits from far off lands? Where was the striking blue carpets and marble floors? Where were the escalators that went on for miles and miles? It was nowhere to be found. I was feeling lost, confused, and completely out of my comfort zone, but I didn't let on to my family that I was in the midst of a pending panic attack. I knew they could sense that I was distraught and somewhat nervous, but they never said anything other than, let’s go get our luggage.

The location where we picked up our luggage was small, congested and very dark feeling. They had me sit down with our carry-on items until our bags arrived. I was in a daze and this picture below is how my mind felt. (That is my husband with the glasses hanging off his t-shirt and my younger son with the red hair waiting for our things). How they remained so cool, I'll never know as my husband dislikes large crowds.

I smiled at people who I recognized from our plane and continued to take in as much of my surroundings as I could. My reasons for this - someday I am sure there will be a next time for my travels to California and I won't feel so lost, however I immediately felt myself building a new set of blueprints in my mind, but this time I would make sure I'd have big bold letters that would say - Subject to change over the course of time. Smile.  We gathered up our luggage and made the trek outside to locate the shuttle that would take us to our rental car. This too was something new to me, as I got a better deal with a company outside of the terminal than I would have gotten with Budget or Dollar Rental, two companies I had preferred years before. My kids were amazed by the noticeable difference in the temperature - a bright sunny day that was no more than 78 degrees and dry. It was heavenly. In about an hour, maybe less, we found ourselves and our luggage venturing off in our 2012 Nissan Altima (My husband’s favorite rental car) making our way onto the highway heading towards PCH (Pacific Coast Highway Route 1) on our way to Port Hueneme/Oxnard. We were on our way back to a part of our lives, for my husband and I, when we were both single and at that moment I could hear in my subconscious a voice saying - "My dear daughter, nothing stays the same."

It was at this same moment I feared my choice to come back. I worried that maybe what I thought was a great life that my husband and I have together would be tested by memories that would instill regret by choices we have made. I know it sounds crazy, but life can be crazy and we all deal with it differently. I also knew I was going back to a place that also harbored a few bad memories for me, during my single days, and I was scared to know that it was time to face the truth and let go of events beyond my control. I needed to learn that what took place It was in the past and this time I was going to leave the past behind to move forward to make new memories with my family and that is just what I chose to do, but never in my wildest imagination did I ever think our family vacation would take some of the twists and turns that it did. The best way to describe it would be blending an episode of - When Vacations Attack with a big pile of Disneyland Magic.  It was indeed an adventure that we filled with new memories and I can't wait to share the rest of my story with you.

So join me tomorrow as my story continues and I introduce you to "Big Toe" and his pool buddies and why a tennis court has netting on a chainlink fence.  Look out Clark Griswold - You've got nothing on "Big Toe."  Until tomorrow - Blog ya later.

A Little Humor for a Monday Morning.

A mother passing by her daughter's bedroom was astonished to see the bed was nicely made and everything was picked up. Then she saw an envelope propped up prominently on the center of the bed. It was addressed, "Mom." With the worst premonition, she opened the envelope and read the letter with trembling hands:

Dear Mom: It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you. I had to elope with my new boyfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with Dad and you. I've been finding real passion with Ahmed and he is so nice-even with all his piercings, tattoos, beard, and his motorcycle clothes. But it's not only the passion Mom, I'm pregnant and Ahmed said that we will be very happy. He already owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. He wants to have many more children with me and that's now one of my dreams too. Ahmed taught me that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone and we'll be growing it for us and trading it with his friends for all the cocaine and ecstasy we want. In the meantime, we'll pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Ahmed can get better; he sure deserves it!! Don't worry Mom, I'm 15 years old now and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I'm sure we'll be back to visit so you can get to know your grand children.

Your daughter, Judith

PS: Mom, none of the above is true. I'm over at the neighbor's house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than my report card that's in my desk center drawer. I love you! Call when it is safe for me to come home.

I'M BACK - DID YOU MISS ME??

Greetings to all my fellow followers in Blogger land. As the title indicated, I am back from a long vacation and have so much to share with you as another Maryland summer draws to a close. I will update you on the highs and lows on our travels and the successes and failures on my quest to become an organized individual once and for all, and the biggest event of the year...how will I survive another birthday this Saturday.  I'll have it all starting Tuesday, August 21, 2012.  Looking forward to getting back on this keyboard and riding the Internet once again. So until then - Blog ya later.

It's time for TOP 10 FRIDAY!

10 best excuses when you get caught falling asleep on your desk at work:

10. "They told me at the blood bank this might happen."

9. "This is just a 15 minute power-nap like they raved about in that time management course you sent me to."

8. "Whew! Guess I left the top off the White-Out. You probably got here just in time!"

7. "I wasn't sleeping! I was meditating on the mission statement and envisioning a new paradigm."

6. "I was testing my keyboard for drool resistance."

5. "I was doing a highly specific Yoga exercise to relieve work-related stress. Are you discriminatory toward people who practice Yoga?"

4. "Why did you interrupt me? I had almost figured out a solution to our biggest problem."

3. "The coffee machine is broken..."

2. "Someone must've put decaf in the wrong pot..."

And the #1 best thing to say if you get caught sleeping at your

desk...

 1. " ... in Jesus' name. Amen."

Sometime Life Just Hurts

I found this on a website for wives who are coping with spouses with PTSD, but realized as I read the words slowly trying to take in each meaning, and honestly thinking it was written just for me, I know it wasn’t, I found that this can be applied to anyone’s daily life and so I wanted to share this with you. It really does speak volumes.

***

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let us down probably will. You'll have your heart broken and you'll break others' hearts. You'll fight with your best friend or maybe even fall in love with them, and you'll cry because time is flying by. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, forgive freely, and love like you've never been hurt. Life comes with no guarantees, no time outs, and no second chances. You just have to live life to the fullest, tell someone what they mean to you and tell someone off, speak out, dance in the pouring rain, hold someone's hand, comfort a friend, fall asleep watching the sun come up, stay up late, be a flirt, and smile until your face hurts. Don't be afraid to take chances or fall in love and most of all; live in the moment because every second you spend angry or upset is a second of happiness you can never get back.

***

Really does speak out doesn’t it? So, upon reading this my favorite quote came to mind as well – “When life gives you lemons, make orange juice and have them all wondering how you did it.”

Hope you all have a wonderful day – Blog ya later – Stacey