Skate Exhibition

Saturday was Cam's skateboard exhibition at Desert Devils ... the facility he takes his lessons from. He did FANTASTIC! He has really been looking forward to it. As promised, here are some pictures from the event!

Cameron getting ready to show us his stuff!

Here he is on the mini-ramp catching some more air!

Okay, so this next picture would be the Mega-Ramp. And for good reason. You'll notice how high up they are (hence the flight of stairs to the right?) Cam is the one on the far right, and this is his FIRST attempt at this thing. I wanted to vomit. He practiced a couple of times with the mat and nailed them both times!



After that, the coach told him he was ready to go without the mat. You can't see it in the picture, but once he drops in, (they've got some pretty good speed) he'll hit the other side which is like the half-pipe in our yard and somewhat of another ramp, that takes them into a big foam pit.And here he is ready to go! (Like I said, no picture of the end result and dismount. The photographer was trying to self-administer CPR.)

Apparently Cameron didn't think it was as funny as Bryan and I did. I snuck in behind him and Bryan took the picture. I don't know, maybe we embarrassed him or something? Nah, that couldn't be it ...

And here is with his trophy! He received it for trying the Mega Ramp and succeeding! He was so excited ... I promise. (Take a look at the next picture! ) The seemingly lack of interest and focus elsewhere was due to the fact that he was STAAAARRRRVING. He was scoping out the BBQ burgers and hot dogs ...

This was after we got home - about four hours later. He was STILL smiling and oh so proud of that trophy - now can you tell? :)

Air Cam

Hi everyone! Thought I'd post a quick update of Cam's skateboarding, of course! :) This picture was taken last night at his lesson - he's catching some pretty good air! This is the first time he's done this in class. And let me tell you - he is STILL pumped up about it. Just can't believe this is my little boy. (He asked me this morning on the way to school - because he was talking about it again - if he "did a good enough jump for me on my birthday." So I guess that one was for mom! :)

His skate facility, along with Red Bull is hosting a Skateboard Demo on Saturday, which is comparable to a dance recital, I suppose. It gives the kids the opportunity to perform the skills that they have been working on in class. The demo consists of three different shows, one for each of the skill levels. Each class skates for about an hour. Cam's in the top of these three classes, the Shredders, which means we don't have to be there before daybreak. He is so excited to do this. They have an awards ceremony and BBQ afterward, with trophies, huge bonus for Cam. Of course I'll post pictures of that. :)

Elton John

Right now, as I'm typing this, I'm listening to Elton John ... Live! Mom and dad are at his concert in Vegas, mom called me from her cell and set it down for me to enjoy! So far I've heard about 50 minutes of the concert. It gives me the chills to know that the songs I'm hearing are sung live! He's singing one of my favorite songs, Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me, right now, so this is the highlight of my day! Just wanted to pass along! Thanks for bringing the concert to me mom! (Now he's on to Candle in the Wind ... ). Hope everyone is having a great day! (Quick update: I listened to 1 hour and 24 minutes of Elton John. I figured I'd only missed a song or two ... asked mom if he opened with Crocodile Rock... she said no, Bennie and the Jets was my next guess. Right on! And apparently I only missed the first song before Dad suggested to mom that she call me. I love him!)

One year ago today

In the one year since Grandpa's death, there are numerous times I have found myself actually forgetting for a moment that he is gone. I thought this weird at first, but then decided that I was (and am) so truly blessed with his presence - that he is never really gone. I think about him ALL the time. There is no time frame for mourning, and there is no right or wrong way to do it. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. And just because the mourning ends, doesn't mean you've forgotten. Grief ends when you resolve that you can live again; when you can focus your get-up-and-go on your life as a whole, and not on the hurt, or guilt, or pain.

I’ve stopped focusing on the what-ifs and should have’s and could have’s. They will always be there. Replacing them with gratefulness is so much easier and happier! When Cameron was born, Grandpa told me that he couldn’t wait to take him fishing. He never got the chance, but there were so many other incredible memories that did take place! He was here for my wedding and he was here for the birth of his first great-grandchild. Cameron was lucky enough to know his great-grandpa and have that special relationship Grandpa shared with all his grandkids. I also know that there is nothing I would change about the weekend he passed away. Being in Seaside for the funeral prompted so many “I’m sorry you couldn't be here, or I wish you could have been at the hospital.” The picture below was taken the last time I saw him - Dan & Kim's wedding, which was a week before our 7-year wedding anniversary and about a month before he passed. I cannot imagine this image being any different. I would not have wanted it any other way.

A great amount of love and family support is happening today ... just wanted to say that I'm thinking about all of you and sending big hugs and kisses your way! I want to take this opportunity to tell you all how proud I am to be part of this family and grateful to have you all in my life! Since it is supposed to be around 83 degrees here today, I thought I'd post a pic of Theresa and Big Al showing the GPM support. It was from last May, and we certainaly honored Grandpa on the Lake. (Or was that obvious??) :) Here's to Grandpa!

You can shed tears that he is gone
or you can smile
because he has lived.
You can close your eyes
and wish that he'll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all he's left.
You can remember him
and only that he's gone
or you can cherish his memory
and let it live on.

Love you all!

Alicia

Backyard Landscaping

Spring is here, and most people are busy landscaping the yard, planting flowers, digging up dead bushes, throwing down some new rock, etc. Bryan and Cam have a different idea as to what makes a backyard appealing. It should be obvious by now that skateboarding is a serious shared passion. I think Bryan likes to relive his skating days (when he used to skate for Vans) through Cameron but every once in a while does an ollie or kick flip of his own. (I'm slowly catching on to the lingo). This weekend proved to be the icing on the cake. Bryan comes back from Home Depot on Saturday with a truck full wood. Now let me preface this by saying we had "talked" about this, but I honestly never thought it would be done. Duh. You would think I'd know by now. The passion has now carried over into our backyard with the addition of a half pipe. Yes, a half pipe. Please refer to the picture below:

THE half pipe

Now it's ironic (or funny/scary, it depends on how you look at it) because before Bryan got home, I was talking to my girlfriend Heather on the phone, and commented on how well Cameron was doing with his skateboarding. He told me I should take a picture of his battle wounds to show her. So I did:



Nothing major. These I can handle. The strawberry on his leg was actually from the grip tape (the sandpaper-like stuff on the surface of his skateboard) on his board and not from a fall. I thought the timing was pretty good on the phone call and the arrival of Bob Villa. I'm actually okay with it. I did get a mom of the year nomination from Cameron for allowing it to be built. And the biggest freakin' smile I have ever seen on his face was enough for me. It can be torn down - we do have a fire pit - so there is nothing permanent about it. This works for me. Our next door neighbor and one of Cam's skateboarding friends' dad helped Bryan out. If there is such a thing as a "nice" half pipe, well this would certainly be it. I was off school this week, so I spent yesterday sitting my but in a chaise lounge, consuming a few coronas, supervising the project and documenting the various stages of the build. Here they are:

Cameron and his friend Trey out front - trying to "stay out of the way" :)

And so it begins ...


We teased him for a little while ... he didn't get sunburned so I suppose there was a bonus to the strawberry pickin' hat.

Waiting patiently ...

This is out of the way, right?




Helmets are on and they are ready to go!


These next few aren't great - it wasn't until after downloading that I realized I need to clean off the lens a bit. But you get the idea ... Cam and Trey trying it out for the first time!!


Cam "dropping in" ...



Evidence of (3) thirsty carpenters and (1) thirsty photographer.




While it may have been in the high 80's today, you couldn't PAY me to jump in that pool. Apparently skateboarding was tough today, and a dip in the pool was necessary. Cam said it was about 70. If that's what you need to tell yourself to get through it, so be it. However I looked at the thermometer a couple of days ago and it was about 64. Hell no!!!


So that about wraps up our weekend. For those of you interested who come to visit, you are more than welcome to utilize the half pipe, but helmets are required. You can borrow Bryan's.