AYSO, (American Youth Soccer Org) has combined with WPS, (Women's Professional Soccer), soccer stars: Mia Hamm & Brandi Chastain and MedImmune to create "Don't Play with the Flu". If you are a face book user, please log in and go to http://www.facebook.com/DontPlaywiththeFlu

MedImmune will donate $1 (up to $50,000) to Families Fighting Flu, a not-for-profit organization committed to flu prevention for each person who becomes a fan. Be sure to pass on the information on preventing the flu. Don't forget your flu vaccination!

Symptoms of H1N1 Flu in Children:
1. Rapid Breathing or difficulty in breathing
2. Grayish or bluish skin color
3. Dehydration
4. Persistent severe vomiting
5. Not able to interact properly with people, becomes irritable
6. Flu like symptoms, bad cough and fever

In Adults:
1. Shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing
2. Pain in chest or abdomen
3. Sudden dizziness or loss of energy
4. Severe or continuous vomiting
5. Flu like symptoms, bad cough and fever

Symptoms of H1N1 are similar to the ones that people get in regular, seasonal flu and so things like fever, sneezing, cough, body ache, head ache, shivering, sore throat and fatigue are common. Diarrhea and vomiting are also symptoms that have been associated with some cases of this flu, also know as Influenza A.

This information was taken from ezine @rticles
http://ezinearticles.com/?Symptoms-of-Swine_flu---Know-the-Difference-Between-H1N1-Flu-and-Regular-Flu&id=2748043

It contains excellent information on the difference between flu and Swine flu H1N1

This is my new car. It is a 2010 Kia Soul plus. I picked it up on Friday from the new Team Kia dealership in Bend. One month to the day after the insurance company closed the claim on the car I broke backing into Brother Todd's pickup. My old baby was totaled, didn't even scratch the rust on Todd's truckThis is the back end of the car
My new car and my 131/2 year old Sasha. Guess who doesn't get to ride in the new car!

Todd and I did a great deal of research, pricing and traveling to figure out which car "I" wanted. This was not the first choice, but I'm very happy with the decision. Of course, I'll have to live with it for a long time. It has really cool tech things like bluetooth giving hands free cell phone use, volume control in the steering wheel and a USB port in the dash. It came with 3 months free of Sirius Satellite radio.

So, a new link to check out if you are wanting to follow gas economy on your own vehicle:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov
You can set up an account and enter your millage, gallons and cost of gas. It tracks how you drive (stop & go vs. highway) and then you can compare how your millage compares to others. There are only 2 other Souls on it (Florida & Missouri, so it will be interesting to see how those drivers compare to me for gas usage.

Young Eagles and Soccer

We need to go back a couple weeks, to fair the first of July. Elin got the chance to be a goat milker. Somehow, I managed no to get any pictures of her ribbons. Goat milking seemed to be a lot more fun.

Elin went up in her first small aircraft today. What fun she had. This was the flight that was postponed when Grandpa Mel had his accident.

She was out and about for about 45 minutes, which was enough time to fly over our house, grammy & pappa's house and out to Ochoco Dam.

Soccer is going on, the 5, 6 & 7 year old's play for another week or two, then the older kids start up. It goes on into the middle of October. Burrr...
Its already getting chilly at night (last night was a frost warning for central Oregon). Its already getting dark as the games end. Won't be much longer till its headlight soccer.

Hope your summers went well, it went way too fast for us. Never seemed to find the time to do anything...

Its August! We have survived a week of 100 + degree days here in Prineville the last week of July and into the first couple days of August. Fantastic thunder storms with magnificent lightning and lots of small fires around central Oregon. Now the clear blue skies look dun colored with smoke.

Last week was British Soccer Camp and I spent 5 days down at the fields watching 2 coaches and 25 kids run around in the heat. They were awsome! We went through 6 cases of water.

This week is county fair. My daughter took her 3 rabbits in yesterday and then they showed them today. She got Reserve Grand Champion with Spice, and blue ribbons with Ebby. Poor Shadow was disqualified this year, so it is his last fair trip.

I'm asked a lot in my line of work, what type of camera someone should get. Now I have a great helper tool! NPR, National Public Radio has just done an article on this very subject: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106441414&ft=1&f=1019
You can also listen to the program as it aired.

Todd & Toni seem to be have a good time in Chicago and the Great Lakes area. Sent this picture of Scotty after graduation.

July Already

I haven't had a chance to post for a while. Between work and Elin being out of school early, I've been keeping busy.

We found out today that Scotty will graduate from Sailor School tomorrow! He is doing basic at Naval Station Great Lakes, just outside Chicago. Todd and Toni got there late last night to attend his graduation, but didn't know until today if he would actually pass. Other than having problems with swimming, allergies and not being able to eat enough, he has done well. Todd is suppose to send pictures of the graduation tomorrow if he gets a chance. As soon as I get them, I'll post.

Mel is doing great. We have had 3 appointments with the prosthesis people, and as soon as the insurance OK's a knee he will have his new leg.

Todd is in Lake County this week. Left yesterday at 0:dark thirty and doesn't know when he will be back, however it will be in a day or two. He is working at a courthouse with no air conditioning and the temps have been in the 90's.

Can't think of anything else right now, so will close

Well, May went by so fast that I couldn't keep up. Between April illness in Elin & I, Mel's accident and work, it just zoomed by.

By the end of May, we were ready for vacation. Elin got out of school on the 20th of May, school being closed 15 days early. We left for Bullards Beach in Bandon Oregon on the 28th. "Great fun was had by all".

The yurts were interesting, seems to have lots of wasted space because they are round and the beds are square. But, with the weather in the 60's and overcast it was nice to have the heater for the damp. Guy, Todd's brother reserved 6 yurts, for Saturday - Monday, I decided that only gave us one day on the beach, so reserved one for an extra night, so we arrived on Friday, along with Guy & Tammi, and Linda, Zach & Amber. We were able to get one for Linda and Kids Friday night. Todd, Elin & I shared one night with Mel & Dorene. On Saturday afternoon, Susan, Calib and 5 kids showed up to take their place in the group. We had a lot of fun playing. Elin had Audry & Tessa, who are younger, to play with, along with the older cousins, Zach, Devon, Darian, & Jordyan.

Todd, Elin & I decided to take an extra night on Monday and were able to move to a different yurt for Monday night.Susan & Tessa

Guy, Tammi, Zach & Amber

Jordyan

Ellen & Michael have been visiting this week. It has been great fun. We toured Breedlove Guitar Company and Deschutes Brewery. I've also driven them around to different stores and groceries. Lots of family dinners with Todd, Toni and Scott, and great food from Mike.

I take them to the airline tomorrow, so have taken the day off.

Elin made it off to out door school camp yesterday. It came down to her turning in a bunch of homework to at 7:30 in the morning for her to board the bus. She celebrated with a dance when they loaded her suitcase on the bus.

Saturday Elin had a double header here in town and Ellen and Mike got a chance to go for a few minutes. The movie below is what they got to see of her up to bat.

From jokes.com: http://www.jokes.com/funny/driving/honest-bumper-stickers

-- All men are idiots, and I married their king.
-- Your kid may be an honors student, but you're still an idiot.
-- I brake for no apparent reason.
-- Time is what keeps everything from happening all at once.
-- Out of my mind. Back in five minutes.
-- I didn't fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian.
-- Women who seek to be equal to men lack ambition.
-- Reality is a crutch for people who can't handle drugs.
-- I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
-- Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off NOW.
-- Give me ambiguity or give me something else.
-- Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else.
-- Puritanism: the haunting fear that someone somewhere may be happy.
-- Consciousness cuts into my napping.
-- Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.
-- There are 3 kinds of people: those who can count and those who can't.
-- Keep honking. I'm reloading.

First Game of Season

Elin played for the Thunder team on Saturday at their second in a double header in LaPine. Both Prineville teams were suppose to play, but due to a mix up, Elin's team the Force, didn't have any team to play after we drove down. Its just short of 70 mile one way drive. I took mom's van and rode with a class mate of Elin's on the Thunder team, so we stayed for both games and Elin was able to roster into the second game. The movie is a little slow, but worth the wait to the end.

Thunder lost their first game about 20 to 5 or there abouts. The second game they won 15 to 3.
The second game was a great deal more fun to watch!

Monday and Wednesday of this week, Force plays Thunder here in town. Then we have a home game on the following Monday and a road game to Madras on Wednesday the 29. I have soccer registration and Ellin & Mike will be here. She then has a double header on May 2nd in town. Should be a fun week!

Minds can be changed...

Elin has decided to miss a couple days with Auntie Ellen & Uncle Michael and go to 6th grade camp. She decided to go because its the only time she will get to go as a camper. I'll have to get her a couple disposable cameras to take along. I'm kinda glad she changed her mind. I remember it as being a great experience if you take out missing all day Thursday for going to an eye appointment in Portland and having your older sister on the same week as your councilor.

Oh Boy! The first week of May in the mountains. Weather is usually horrible, snow, rain, mud and gunk. Heavy coats in the morning with frozen ground, then warm sloppy afternoons and NO SWIMMING! The lake is way to cold. She ought to have a great week.

Good News/Bad News

Bad news first: School is now ending May 20th instead of the 28th. Spring sports is pay to play with the coaches volunteering. Elin is missing out on 6th grade outdoor school camp because Ellen and Michael will be here that week. Maybe I can take her up there on Tuesday and she can get in...
(Picture: Elin & Ebby)
Now the almost bad news: Elin had her 4H Rabbit/Poultry Spring Fling which is a fun day for all rabbit/poultry 4H'ers in the tri-county. Her first rabbit got a blue, her second got marked down for bad markings and her 3rd one, our darling Shadow got disqualified. Turns out he should have not passed the health check at the beginning of the fling, he has a cyst on his belly that has to be lanced. After all the bad news and disappointment, she got to go and spend the night Saturday with some friends who are also in her club.

The Good News: We got home tonight from her "all schools" choir concert. She got to play drum in one of the 6th grade choir songs, the two kids who normally do it were out sick. This was a very nice concert with members from Kindergarten to Senior in High school. It included the Crook county Boys Choir who head out to Ireland next week. Over 200 voices were raised in a song at the end of the concert. It was very nice.

Feburary is shot

With only a couple days left in February, I realized I hadn't checked in for a while. I spent Valentines weekend in Sacramento CA at my soccer Section meetings. Had a really great time. Spent about 9 hours driving down and back with 2 people on the board that I didn't know very well before we left. It was fun watching as the enthusiasm from the meetings moved into Christine and Lisa. They are so gung-ho now to do fund raising and trainings. We get started tomorrow evening at our first board meeting of the year.

The trimester is almost over for Elin. So far, 2 weeks has been cut from the end of the school year moving the last day of school from June to May 28th. The budget is at 1.1 mil in the hole so far this school year, no idea where it will end at, they are expecting to be something like 3 mil in the hole by the end of the year. Its really sad that neighboring schools are raising funds for our students to be able to have spring sports and compete. All of the coaches are going to volunteer their time for the track for both boys and girls.

Good night, sleep tight

Time Flies

Time flies when your working hard. Here it is already Feb. I leave Thursday to go to Sacramento CA for the Section 2 AYSO conferences. Section meetings are always a good way to start the soccer season. I'm driving down with 2 other women, about a 10 hour drive. Can't wait to meet up with other Oregon AYSO people who attend. The only bad thing is that the weather is not cooperating. Its started snowing all over the state again today. Driving conditions may no be very good.

We are getting ready to schedule registration dates and get the 2009 season underway. At least this year I'm not having to do all of it by my self. I've got 2 board members for treasurer and registration so I'm feeling very good with very little pressure.

I bought a new scanner yesterday. a ScanWizard5 with the slide and negative strip attachment. Played with it a while last night and scanned the picture of Elin from the 2008 season.



Haven't tried slides or strips yet, have too much going on to get ready to go. Todd left yesterday to work in Washington state. He should be home tonight. Doesn't look like I'll make the PEO meeting tonight.

Time to get E out of bed. I've called her once with only a groan. Now I'm going to have to turn on the light I won't really do it. She use to wake to excited about going to school and would have a huge smile on her face. This year, she is grumpy and lumpy and no fun till after breakfast, if then. Have a really good day today.

The snow from the end of December and the first of January is gone. The only traces left are at the top of Grizzle and Powell Butte and in the shadows on the north slopes of hills. The last few days we have been under a severe air inversion that has left much of Oregon in fog. And, of course, eastern Oregon has had freezing fog. The hoar frost in some places around Madras on Tuesday got up to about an inch long.

This morning I went out to start the car and the windshield was just wet. I climbed in to start the motor and run the wipers and darn if it wasn't patches of ice along with the wet. I got Elin to school, got home and stepped out of the car and went sliding down the drive. I had been gone about 10 minutes.

About an hour later, it wasn't any better, I was headed to Redmond and stopped to pick up Spencer. (He works at the Opportunity Foundation). He was running late and could hardly see... His glasses had gotten wet then froze while he was trying to walk to work (21 miles from where he lives). Any way, I stepped on the breaks and fish tailed to a stop at the side of the road. I then had problems getting started again down the highway after he got in because it was so slick. The really weird thing was that on top of the ice, it was very wet. Cars and trucks were throwing up muck onto windshields. (needless to say, I came home early.)

Spencer is kind of famous around central Oregon. In bad weather he walks to and from work. When the weather gets warmer and then through into fall when it gets to cold, he rides his bike. He has only missed 2 days of work in 10 some years that he has worked at OFCO. Its amazing how many people know him and are willing to pick him up to give him a ride.