The Challenge

No pix today. Instead, I issue a challenge to all (five?) readers of this blog. Here it is:

THE CHALLENGE
1. Post 3 things you've done that you believe nobody else reading has done. Keep it clean.
2. If anybody responds with "I've done that," you must add another thing.
3. Encourage your friends to paste this into their own journal to list the unique things they've done.

Rich's list:
1. Ridden a bicycle at 52.5 mph down a hill. (I didn't have a wife or kids then. ;-))
2. Shaken the hand of presidential candidate (then vice president) George H.W. Bush (ick).
3. Intentionally spun an airplane from 10,500 feet down to 9,000 feet. (It was a training requirement to become a flight instructor, mom. I promise.)

Stranger than fiction

You know, I was looking at this picture today, and it reminded me of another famous photo ...


Yes, I believe Sarah is a descendant of the infamous BIGFOOT!










(Photo: alleged image of Bigfoot, from the Patterson-Gimlin film)

Last day of summer

The air is getting crisper in the mornings, leading to ... a frenzied search of the outdoors for Moby the cat, who escaped this evening. While Caleb, Lucas and their friend Noah got down and dirty underneath our deck to look for our wayward cat, Moby snuck back in the house, leaving them to become ever filthier. Look at those knees!


Sarah enjoyed a late-season sandbox session.


While Harley stole the spotlight from Max, who's chewing on something in the background.


"You can't catch me, Daddy! You can't catch me!"


Gettin' ready to swing...

Look at that concentration!


Now it's time to jump on the trampoline.


"Like a diamond in the sky..."


Sarah wouldn't hold still for a group shot. Instead, she ran circles around them!


Daddy picked up a "Dora the Explorer" educational computer game for Sarah, who was mesmerized for a couple of hours at the computer this evening. She's learning to use the computer mouse to color pictures online, and she can also count to 10 in Spanish! "Uno, dos, tres, cuatro..."

Minneapolis Bike Tour

Rich met up with six bicycling friends today to ride in the second annual Minneapolis Bike Tour with some 8,000 other bike riders. Suzanne is taking the picture, so here are (from left), Laura, Steve, Rich, Bob, John and Curt. We had temperatures in the 50s all day, and the rain held off until after we were finished! We did the short 14-mile loop first, then followed up with the long 37-mile route around the beautiful Minneapolis parkways (which were blocked off to traffic).


Suz loads up on bananas.


Here we are at a rest stop near Minnehaha Falls, doing what we do best: EAT! Curt and Steve always say, "We're an eating group with a bicycling disorder."


Hmmm. I don't know ... I think Laura only claimed to be cold so the guys would gather around her.


Near the University of Minnesota, we rode past the spot where most of the steel beams from the collapsed I-35W bridge were moved. I figure this is where the NTSB is doing much of its examination of the beams.

Another view of the bridge remains. The University of Minnesota is in the background there, across the Mississippi River.


We also rode beneath the NEW I-35W bridge, which is supposed to open to traffic this coming Tuesday, only 13 months after the old bridge collapsed. Looks like they only have a bit more painting to do.


A view of the new Guthrie Theater, which was completed two or three years ago. Check out that "floating bridge" that extends across the road. There's nothing supporting it on the right side of the road ... it's completely supported by the theater building on the left side of the road.


We also rode across the Stone Arch Bridge, one of my favorite spots in Minneapolis. That's downtown Minneapolis in the background. Soon after this photo was taken, I got the first of three flat tires he suffered during the ride. No harm done, however, and Bob and Curt were there to assist.

We're baaaack!

After a month-long hiatus, our blog is back in action. (We lost the camera, and it turned up in the minivan's glove box!) Here's a shot from last month when Sarah and mommy went nuts with the Reddi-Whip.


"Greendale is a bodaciously small town, Lane. A fly speck on the map - a rest stop on the way to the ski slope. I can't even get real drugs here!" (Ellaina ... name that movie.)


On the way to the store? To pick up her brothers? Only Sarah knows...


"Cheeeeese!"


Erin finished painting Sarah's room (purple and green!) last month, and we're trying to get Sarah to start sleeping over there. Her new bed is on order, and for now she's got a mattress on the floor.

Vintage yearbook photos

Rich's friend Eric steered him to a fun website called "Yearbook Yourself." It lets you insert your photograph into some ... well ... interesting yearbook photos from the past. Here's Sarah in 1954.


Sarah in 1966. I think Grandma Gloria had a hairdo like this for a while!


Sarah in 1978. She's afro-licious!


Sarah channels Heather Locklear in 1990.

Weekend at Bowstring

With Erin working all weekend at the hospital and Noah enjoying an extra stay with his father, Rich decided to take Sarah, Lucas and Caleb north for a weekend at Roger and Gloria's house at Bowstring Lake. One of the highlights was a huge bonfire!


Bonfire-watchers.


Lucas and Sarah pretend to drive grandpa's John Deere lawn tractor.


Grandpa (Ray Charles) gave the kids a long ride around the property. Around and around they went! Lucas and Caleb kept screaming "Floor it!" and Sarah just giggled.


The kids didn't have any fun at all. Can't you tell?

Duluth Air Show

On Saturday we drove to Duluth to see the annual airshow at Duluth International Airport. This year's big attraction was the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels flight team. Their jets were pretty noisy, so daddy bought Sarah some hearing protection so she wouldn't be too scared.


Semi-cruddy Blue Angels photo.


It started to rain during the Blue Angels' performance, and they had to cut it a bit short because of the cloud cover. The rain forced Sarah, Lucas and Caleb to take cover under the canopy of Sarah's wagon.


Back at grandma and grandpa's house, Sarah persuaded daddy and Gus to take a "nap" on the floor with her. So we did.


Later, the sleep fairy caught up to Sarah while she watched the Noggin channel.

Happy Fourth!

Happy Fourth of July, family, friends and America!


With the boys at their father's this week, Sarah, mommy and daddy spent the afternoon and evening together for the Fourth of July. We drove eight miles over to Blaine for that city's fireworks display.


Blaine did a good job!


Earlier Friday, Sarah got hold of a washable blue marker while mom and dad watched a movie. She proceeded to tattoo her belly, arms and legs, and even gave her doll a mustache and one new eyebrow!


Sarah enjoys the 10-dollar Target pool daddy bought her earlier this summer.

Gordon family reunion 2008

Some 45 members of the Gordon family gathered June 20-23 at Bowstring Lake for our family reunion. Ella and Sarah started the festivities a day early with swimsuits and popsicles!


No brain freezes here!



The sun was pretty strong, so Sarah got all bundled up for her first inner-tube ride with daddy. Look at those cute feet!


Eric and David enjoyed the campfire on Friday night.


Awwww!