Rock Climbing - I Think I Can ...... I Think I Can......

We have been wanting to post this experience for some time. After Christmas Chad, Angela and a few of our homies went to the quarry for a workout. We really had fun watching the kids climb.

Here Rachel and Richie are racing to the top. Richie has not climbed before so he fell behind to the spider women also called Ray Ray.

It was fun to watch Chad teach everyone how to climb. He is a great climbing coach.

Rachel is helping Angela reach the top. Angela was fearless as she climbed the wall. I don't think as an old person I have the courage or stgrenth to climb like this. We had no such gyms in our younger years.

Rachel can be seen making a jump to some hand holds. Way to go Shi Shi. As you may know Rachel has many nick names.... all stemming from her volleyball teammates.

The master from the Pacific Northwest put on a clinic for the younger climbers.

Chad and Rachel climb together. Chads upper body strength and high levels of testosterone makes him a serious climbing specimen. Rachel, I was impressed with your fearless climbing curiosity.

Chad takes a moment to teach Richie some knot tieing skills. Of course if you are going to rock climb, knot tieing is as important as feathers are to birds (without they would fall to the ground.... get it). I know an interesting comparision but it works for me.

Impressive Angela, great foot placement and concentration.

Angela shows here upper body strength as she pulls her self up and navigates through a few difficult hand holds.

I think I can I think I can......... go spaz.

Richie negotiates a difficult outcrop but soon succumbs to lactic acid build up in his forarm.

The frog technique can only be performed by an elite soccer player like shaggy.

Come on Richie pull.....you can do it.

Oops ..... watch out below.

Chad made quick work of this outcrop and was on his way up to the top. This climb was rated as a very dificult series of hand holds. One thing I observed was the problem solving that goes into a climb. Chad stopped various times to survay his future holds. The strategy of the climb was fluid and not neccesarily predetermined but constently in flux basied on his ability to stay focused even though he was extremely fatigued.

Rachel also tried this extreme climb and made it towards the first outcrop.

Here she survays her future hand holds but soon determines she has had enough. Next time lets try the hard stuff first. I believe you can make it next time Rachel.

Chad continues upward towards the summit and successfully reaches one of the hardest parts of the climb. His body is burning as he anerobiclly recharges energy storing compounds to power his flexing muscles.

Getting around this point was an awesome combination of upper and lower body strength.

Once past the extreme outcrop, Chad makes his way up to the top. He can see the top as his eyes gazed up the side of the cliff.

Just a few more red hand and foot holds and he has it. The top.....

Almost there Chad, you are doing great. All of us are watching him and cheering Chad on.

The top is now only inches away. The pain of exerting his muscles at such a high level of intensity is starting to be more than he can bear. He continues as Angela incourages him to press on but the inevidable occurs and his mortal body can no longer maintain grip on the little red synthetic pegs protruding from the cliff.

Chad plummets to the ground in a controlled descent as we congradulate him on a climb well done.

Angela helps Chad get out of his gear and we look on with admaration. Thank you all for a wonderful activity. We need to do this again. In all seriousness I have an intense apprecation for the physical prowess that is needed for rock climbing. Ok Dan we need to get you come and show off your skills next time. Thanks Chad, Angela, Rachel and Richie for a wonderful afternoon. We love you all, Mom and Dad

Glassford Family

We went out in the crazy cold weather for some family pictures!! Grandpa shaved, Daddy combed, Richie took a shower... and Rachel and Heather did nothing but wake up and get in the car... they look fabulous! It was so cold and we were very lucky to have Stephanie taking pictures for us. Everyone looks great, even though Mom is the only one in brown... its still looks pretty!
This is Mom and Dad... mom is looking a little cold, but no worries.. Dad and his massive beard is there to warm her up.....

We were very lucky to have Grandma and Grandpa G. come up from Vegas for Christmas... they look just like a couple of young cute teenagers!!!!!

Here we have the Glassford children.. they are so perdy!

In this picture ... well i am really not sure whats going on.
Angie and Chad came to visit from Washington, when we were taking pictures of them it seemed like their engagement pictures all over again... we cant wait for Angie and Chad to visit again!!

These are the only children that are yet to be married... so far... Rachel's getting close daddy!!!
EWWWWWW!!! Please save it...
4 Girls and 1 Guy... its great!

Now, we really don't know what was going through Richards mind in this picture... it was just a sper-at-the-moment type of thing... And we try not to ask questions with mom..

Wow, do we look like sisters or what?!?!?!?

Chad decided that he wanted to climb the tree, and he was trying to pull Angie up with him being the muscular man he is...

Our Pretty Family, you did a great job raising us kids Mom and Dad.. so far!

Christmas Eve Night

We always go down to Dave and Gina's home for Christmas Eve. We were blessed to have Grandma and Grandpa G as well as Chad, Angie and Grandma Hawkins also.

We ate lots of pizza!!

and lots of other goodies too!

We loved having Chad and Angie there.

Grandma with Tyler. Tyler is a senior now, and will be leaving on his mission next year. They grow up way too Fast!

Luke took the responsibility to take care of Jacob! It was just too cute!

The ping pong games started... but we all found out who the best player was.. Heather!

This was Richard hitting the ping pong ball... Good job Rich!

Dad here thinks he is a pro, and as you can see he is defiantly pro worthy. As he stretches his long muscular-less arms and slices the paddle under the ball, it give the ball a spinning effect that he thinks a personal accomplishment... Good Job Dad!!!

Angie has real skill while she plays ping pong, she also poses for the camera.. what an inspiration!

Dad here is trying to show Angie one of his many talents!

Angie is focusing hard...
I am not really sure what Chad is doing...

They all did amazing at ping pong, but they did not want Heather on their teams for some reason, I am not sure why. Heather is the most amazing person and she is so amazing at everything she does. Everyone was so scared to play Heather and she had to admit that she was an intimidating person and her skills are hard to compete against. She is just such a humble person, and so many people look up to her. With everything Heather does, she tries hard to keep everyone happy so she volunteered to not play ping pong to save the feelings of the people around her.. how great is she?!?!?!

The Ambush

My kids have always liked a good snowball fight. Chad and Angie got ambushed on one of the first nights back in happy valley. I think it was Jessica and Dan who spear headed the idea. If there is any retaliation, you know who deserves it. I was walking on the battle ground trying to document the years of built-up aggression towards their siblings. Luckily, my camera and I avoided collateral snowballs.

Richie unloads on Chad and Angela while Heather clears her head and hair of unwanted snow. Jessica happily avoided a direct hit.
Dan and Rachel took position behind the boat and had plenty of fresh snow avaiable on the boat and underneath the tree behind them. They had many attempts on their fortress but little damage was done.
Dan was using his wicked baseball arm and Rachel employed some modern technology (plastic kid snowball thrower).
Heather was using a dangerous weapon / snow launcher to attack Angela. Must be a lot of hidden aggression there Heather.
While Heather reloaded Angela was quick to turn with a snowball of her own.
Heather winds up her secret weapon but.....
Chad rushes with massive speed lunging for the hand held catapult. Heather drops her weapon and screams in terror.
Chad grabs Heathers weapon and goes chases after Heather. Richie wisely flees in search for safety and more fresh snow.
As Jimmy and Chad regroup, a snowball was launched and the deadly weapon now became a shield and with skill only wielded by northwestern mountain climber Chad protects him self and Jimmy from a certain plaster.
Angie quickly runs to Chad for protection and again he protects his fair maiden. Snowballs splinter in all directions some hitting Richie as he runs from the white onslaught.
Dan or Rachel propeled a snow ball at Jimmy.
Heather somehow got a hold of the weapon and heaved a large snow mass towards Rachel and Dan. The only problem..... she could not hit the broad side of a barn.
Jessica gets hit in the arm as Jimmy and Heather reload.
This last image is very disturbing......out the corner of my eye I see Heather hugging someone in the darkness. A secret admirer perhaps. I think we all know who this was (P.S.). Also notice Heather was hit in the buttocks by a stray snow ball. Ha! Thanks you all for a great snowball fight. It would have never happend without Chad and Angela coming for a visit. Thanks you guys.