Exactly What It Should Be

I so absolutely love our little town--the one we were all raised in, same as our dad, same as his dad...and so on.  A small rural town surrounded by grassfields, cornfields, blueberries, hazelnuts (or filberts, depending on who you talk to), cows, Christmas Trees and million dollar views.  We're nestled in the gorgeous countryside between the state capital and the state's largest city--just far enough away from the 'city' to be arrogantly relieved but close enough for things like Costco and state-of-the-art healthcare and airports.  The ocean is a mere hour and a half drive, the desert two, and the mountains one. 

And it's exactly what it should be.

On Friday nights the pizza places are jammed before and after the football game.

We rally behind the family who loses a home to fire.

A bond enables the high school to be a safe, stunning, and educational work of art.

The local FFA hosts a 'drive your tractor to school' day and the town itself has a Poetry Festival, Fine Arts Festival, Founder's Festival, Strawberry Festival, a Pet Parade and truly believes and celebrates that Santa lives in our town.  

Our families boast astronauts, state legislators, NFL players, and internationally renowned doctors, researchers, and writers.  We have food carts and are the gateway to two of Oregon's top tourist attractions. 

And yet we're still exactly what we should be.  

With penny parking meters, antique stores, and a Homecoming Parade that shuts down two state highways.

We're proud of our town.  Believe it's the best.  And wouldn't trade it for anything.

This last weekend when my little family and I were sitting at a wooden picnic table at one of the festivals, eating a Hawaiian Chicken Bowl, Elephant Ear, and Root Beer Float, one of the food carts was blaring a country song that made me look at the moment through a different set of eyes and whether it was the pregnancy hormones, or the picture I'd seen on the news of a father using his body to protect his infant son when the bomb sirens screamed over his Israeli town, I was incredibly overwhelmed with gratitude for how lucky our family and our little town are. 

And so I teared up (re: sobbed) and my husband freaked and we got another elephant ear and that country song played in my head the rest of the night as images from the day constantly replayed in my head.

 When you hear twin fiddles and a steel guitar
You're listenin' to the sound of the American heart
And opry music on a Saturday night
Brings a smile to your face and a tear to your eye

Sing the rain on the roof on a summer night
Where they still know wrong from right
Sing a song about the Heartland
Sing a song about my life

Sing a song about the Heartland
The only place I feel at home
Sing about the way a good man
Works until the daylight's gone

Sing the rain on the roof on a summer night
Where they still know wrong from right
Sing a song about the Heartland
Sing a song about my life

~Lyrics compliment of Gentleman George

Road Race Rivalry Renewed! ~submitted by Tony

Annual autumn festivities unearthed the embers of enduring rivalries that had most recently taken the form of the Oktoberfest Road Race.  The prior contest had seen one head held high in euphoric triumph, while others exhibited the tightly set jaws and narrowed eyes of the determined defeated.  The battleground was revisited by returning veteran combatants set on proving themselves through blood, sweat and tears…okay, mainly just lots of sweat!  The tales of heroism and conquest drew in new volunteers, eager to take part in the 5000 meter struggle and slice off a piece of victory pie.  This day would be remembered forever by the inhabitants of Mt. Angel as the day the Fenn Clan overwhelmed the road race participants by force of numbers and the indomitable spirit which binds us together and spurs us on to greatness.

This season’s contest would prove to be a Vegas bookie’s nightmare as the favorites fell short of pre-race hype.  No amount of facial hair or spandex garments would avail this year, as Gabe’s warrior spirit shined through, burning pavement on the home stretch to leave Paddy in his wake.  Greg and Tony were front row witnesses and saw the whole thing from just a wee bit further back… Before we could even finish catching our breath, Mighty Mo was making short work of the women’s division with Therese just seconds behind her. Naturally, the rest of us stood by the finish line to declare our support with roaring cheers loud enough to drown out the timekeepers! 

 

The post-race water squirting race:

 And the post-race brother-mounting and nope, not gang-signs flashing but race completion documentation sign flashing:

Heck of a group effort.  Let’s see how we can top this one…

Nostalgic

Once upon a time everyone was home.  All the time.  Still crazy busy.  But home.

It seems just like yesterday but in reality has been...been...well years, to be exact.  And for some reason tonight I felt the need to look back to those times and look at what summer fun I discovered!

1. We were still crazy.  Likely always will be. 
2. We were still cute.
3. We had a lot of fun together.  Likely always will.
4. There are some crazy-ass girlfriends in some of those pictures...bro, what were you thinking???

And now for some of that blast-from-the-past-cuteness:

And of course, a group shot (not sure where Gabe is in this one?):

So there ya go, happy nostalgic summer!

So Much Summer

We're still shy of being halfway through the sunny season and yet we've already had SO MUCH SUMMER!  May just want to call us Fenns the 'Packers' because of all the crazy fun we've packed into June!

There was a zoo trip with Uncle Paddy and Kat, Uncle Gabe and cousins Cyril and Alana!  Anyone want to pet a giant cockroach?

A wedding...

Birthdays (one real and one contrived)!

Fishing at GPA's pond (who're you calling a fish-kisser?):

Um...Uncle Tony and Auntie Momo?

A brother!!!

And, finally, it ain't summer unless we get a couple family pics...

So July, how're ya gonna top that???

For the Two Who Missed the Party for Two

We celebrated our little darling's birthday today, even though she's not two for another week (in fact, in 15 minutes it will be EXACTLY one week from her birth time!) and it was a wonderful morning birthday brunch with family (some from far away--thanks Uncle Tony!) and cinnamon rolls and fun gifts!

You may have noticed that Alana has started returning to her roots.  What does that mean, you ask?  Well when she was a wee babe we called her  Alana the Pirate Princess because she frequently had only one eye open.  

Now two years later when we tell our Princess to smile, we get a one-eyed grimace that renders visions of stomach cramps, not pure birthday joy.  

That's okay, we still think she's adorable.

I stressed and fretted, and maybe even sweated, over what to have her birthday cake be.  
Cake and ice cream at a brunch?   Seemed odd.
Coffee cake as a 2-year-old's birthday cake?  Seemed inappropriate.
Just have muffins?  Well she really likes muffins...but still not feeling it.  I had envisioned something with frosting.

And finally, 1 1/2 days before the party, GG (Great Grandma) said, "Go with cinnamon rolls" and suddenly it was so simple!  Of course!  It was sweet, met the brunch theme criteria, had frosting, and everyone likes them!  Winner winner!

And on a whim I sprinkled hers with M&Ms (or m's, as she calls them)...her cousins and uncles also followed suit.  

We had to blow the candles out as a family, but that was okay, she pulled the wax stick out after and licked off the frosting so we're not completely inept as parents.

And then there were gifts and even a cousin to help open them!

And help play with them!  Note the Grimace Grin that only family can truly love.

Then it's time to share our toys with our cousins!  And yes, apparently the close-eyed 'smile' is hereditary.  Please also note that this time she's holding on to her cousin's shoulders instead of his neck.  Hey, we're a big 2-year old now, right?

The gift that keeps on giving: once Alana gets on her new trampoline she can't help but sing (shout!) loudly the song 'No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed' while she hop-hop-hops.  Even after five minutes and she's panting from exhaustion, girlfriend doesn't give up!  Someone's gonna have a 24" vertical by Kindergarten.

And one last gorgeous picture of our Pirate Princess.  Happy Birthday!

And So It Goes

And suddenly April is gone and I just downloaded 212 pictures from my camera.  I would have imported at LEAST that many from my stupid iPad.  However, it was being stupid, as I previously mentioned.  It even made my PC shut down in protest.  That level of stupidity is impressive because my PC is one tough biotch.

Anyway, here are a few things from this last month.  Or so.

Grandpa's 80th Birthday Party!
So many people that the only parking spots left were in the garden...

Easter!

Birthday  Brunch for April Birthdays (only the April birthdays ended up not showing--funny story!) 

80+ (some even say--gasp--90!) degree weather in April.  In Oregon.  No kiddin'.
 

A Graduation

The youngest (note I did not say the littlest) of us did it.  She graduated from something other than high school.  

Several grueling interview steps followed by months of training, topped off with a challenging two-week course at DPSST (Department of Public Safety Standards and Training) and voila!  She's now a Basic Telecommunications Officer. 

Way to go, Mo!