Medal of Valor

At the Sheriff's Office 2011 Recognition Banquet on Wednesday, May 18, Dave was given the Medal of Valor.  I would like to paraphrase what the Sheriff read but I couldn't do it justice.  Plus, I want it for my journal so I'll go ahead and type what was said:

"The Medal of Valor is given for outstanding service and conspicuous bravery in the line of duty, wherein the employee risks loss of life with knowledge of the danger involved.

On July 4, 2010, deputies were dispatched to an emergency call of traumatic injury involving a citizen and a boat propeller at Hyrum Dam Reservoir.  Several members of the sheriff's Office and allied first responders were sent to the scene including Deputies Welker and Hansen.  On arrival, Deputies Welker and Hansen removed their uniform gear, received a ride on a private boat to the incident location, and found the victim pinned in the propeller of the boat.  Without hesitation, with risk to their own lives, Deputies Welker and Hansen went into the water.  They took turns keeping the victim's head above water while trying to free the victim from the propeller.  Welker and Hansen worked repeatedly to cut clothing and free the victim's legs that were tangled in the propeller.  After being freed from the boat and with the assistance of other first responders and citizens, the victim was loaded into a private boat and transported to medical providers at the Hyrum Dam Boat Dock.

With this demonstration of bravery and unselfish act of putting his own life at great risk, it is with a great deal of pleasure I award this medal, the Medal of Valor, to Deputy Welker."

When this incident occurred, Dave was actually riding his motorcycle.  For him to drop is duty gear took more then just removing his duty belt.  He had to take of his knee-high motorcycle boots.  Now let me say that it's no easy task removing these things.  Without Dave's boot "horse shoe" to help remove the boots, it turns into a two man job between us to pull those things off.  I guess it's amazing what adrenaline can do because he doesn't remember there being a struggle to remove the boots by himself.

Also, this is the night that Dave spent some time at the ER getting stitches in his finger.  While he was trying to cut the man lose from the propeller, he sliced his finger open.

Things like this make your heart swell and can bring a tear or two to your eye.  What an amazing person Dave is.  I am so lucky to have him in my life and in the life of our girls.

Congratulations Dave!

Hogle Zoo

Dave and I surprised the girls on Friday and took them to Hogle Zoo.  With Dave now on swing shifts and not having Saturday and Sunday off, we have to plan our "weekends" together.  I think the girls were surprised.  Hannah kept thinking we were taking her to school late and she kept begging to have a "fun" day instead of going to school.  So I think she was pretty happy when the van headed south.

We got to the zoo and were greeted by about 10 school buses.  I thought we'd be safe where it was a Friday.  That's what I get for thinking on my own.  It didn't seem too crowded though.  We didn't have to wait in line for the carousel or the train.  Nice!

We did see Jacob (nephew) which was fun for the girls.  He was down with his class from Cache Valley.  We also ran into someone from Mendon.  What are the odds of that?

The temperature was hot.  It ended up being around 80, which was plenty warm.  About 5-10 degrees cooler would have been prime.  We enjoyed the 8 bottles of water, the sunscreen, and the hats.

Our favorite part was the bird show.  We were about three rows back and when the birds would fly over our heads you could feel the wind from their wings.  It was a very interactive show and the girls really enjoyed it.  If you look closely in this picture you can actually see the owl flying right at the camera.  He's brown so you have to look close.  Look between the middle and right pole just above the little boy's head.  In fact, the owl's wing looks like its' going to touch the little boy's head.

It's not the zoo unless you ride on the carousel....

The train (waiting for it to arrive).....nice bubble blowing Ashley......

Get your picture taken at all he cool statues......

and see some animals......

Above picture: so this isn't a real animal but there were a bunch of these robot dinosaurs all over the zoo.  They were pretty cool.  A couple of them even sprayed water.

Hannah took this picture....didn't know she was so "up close and personal".

After the zoo, we headed to Layton and had lunch/dinner at Red Robbin.  Yummy!  We arrived back home around 6 p.m.  The kids ran right outside to jump on the trampoline and Dave and I collapsed on the couch!

What a fun day!!



May Day in Mendon

Saturday, May 7 brought the 149th annual May Day Celebration in Mendon.  For us, it brought the second year of braiding the May Pole.

It's quite the "thing" in Mendon....the May Day celebration that is.  On March 27, Hannah and I attending the May Pole meeting where they "reveal" the dress and give the instructions.

Practices started on Monday, March 28 and carried through until the performance.  The girls practice three days a week (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday) to learn the steps and the songs.

The first week of practice is basically getting the girls paired up with partners.  I received a call from Dave while I was getting my hair done that Hannah called and they were short "little girls" and so they volunteered Ashley to braid the May Pole.  The girls invited to braid the May Pole are in grades 1-5.  Where they were short a few "little girls", they needed to pull a few kindergartners.  Thus, Ashley became a part of the celebration.  She was stoked!  At first you could tell she was a bit envious of Hannah because she couldn't participate so it actually worked out good.

It was interesting for those weeks to coordinate getting the girls picked up from school at 2:45 and out to May Day practice by 3:25.  A HUGE thanks to Dave and Grandma Peterson for making this work.  I couldn't have done it without them.

The most stressful part of the celebration for me is that you have to make the dresses.  The problem you ask.......I DON'T SEW!!!  Not only do I have to have two dresses made this year but I need to find someone to make them.  Hannah really wanted Traci to make them so we called and thank goodness she was happy to help us out.  Phew!  Huge stress relief.

I do have to say that it is NOT cheaper to make your own clothes.  By the time I bought the material for both of the dresses I was in over $50.  But hey.....it's all about tradition so we carried on.

At least this year the weather cooperated and the girls didn't get rained out or rained on.  Our first year in Mendon we went and watched.  It was moved to the Stake Center due to the rain.  Last year, the girls were able to braid the May Pole but then right after it down poured hail.  This year.....the weather was amazing.  In fact, amazing enough that I didn't think about sun screen and both Nicole and I paid the price.

Thanks Traci......the dresses were great!

Thanks Hannah and Ashley for being willing to participate.  You girls did a great job!!

The girls ended up being partners, which was nice because then they were for sure at the same pole.

Here's the girls with the happy dress maker! 

Great job girls!!

A Little Catching Up

Happy Anniversary
Monday, April 25 marked 13 years that Dave and I have been married.  Wahoo!

Dave actually left on Monday the 25th for the entire week to attend SWAT training in Wendover, NV.  Before he left he brought me some beautiful roses at work.  The arrangement of flowers consisted of 13 red roses; one for each year of marriage and three white roses; one for each of our girls.  Now that's impressive!  There was definitely some thought that went into these roses.

I have to say I'm pretty spoiled!!!

Happy Birthday Ashley
On Wednesday, April 27, Ashley turned six!  Let's have another wahoo for that one!!! 

With Dave being out of town, we talked Ashley into waiting for the main festivities until he returned and could enjoy it with us.  So, we did our regular routine of TaVaci and then headed to Mendon for Ashley's soccer game at 5:30.  Once the game was over, we headed to town and had a birthday dinner at Texas Roadhouse.  Ashley's choice.  It's all about sitting in the saddle!

What are the two thoughts stand out the most at this dinner?

1- The girls were standing in the aisle watching the waitresses/waiters line dance when all of a sudden comes a THUD! A little boy probably about 18 months old came backward into our booth from the other booth behind us and smacked his head on our table.  Ouch!  I'm not sure how he actually came over backward.  I can see frontward if he was leaning over the bench but he wasn't.

2- We were sitting at the table waiting for our food when all of the sudden it dawns on me that I have forgotten to take Hannah to her piano lesson.  Between Dave being gone and trying to coordinate TaVaci, soccer and a birthday dinner I totally spaced off that Hannah needed to be at piano during Ashley's soccer game.  I had forgotten my cell phone at home so it wasn't until 9:30 that I could call her teacher with multiple apologies.

Ashley's VIP Poster
Picture this in your mind with me......it's Monday night.  This is the first of four nights/five days that Dave is gone.  Ashley comes up to me as she's heading to bed and says, "Mom, my birthday is on Wednesday.  Have you made my VEI poster for school?"  In my shocked but trying not to be shocked voice, I say, "No.  Am I suppose to make you a poster?"  Ashley - "Yes.  When it's your birthday, your mom makes a poster about you and then brings it to share in class."  Me - "Oh....well.....I haven't heard from your teacher so I'll send her an e-mail tonight and see what I'm suppose to do."

The next morning when I get to work, I check my e-mail and see that I am suppose to create a "VIP" poster on Ashley.  The e-mail says that if I'd like to come and share the poster on Wednesday that would be great but if that's too soon I can wait and come on Thursday.    Hmmm.....let's think about this for a moment.  I can't do anything until I'm off work on Tuesday and then I have to get Hannah to TaVaci at 4pm then to a soccer game at 5:30.  When am I suppose to buy the poster paper and find the pictures to have the poster ready for presentation by Wednesday?  I replied that Thursday would work fine.  I would need the extra day to pull it together.

Tuesday during TaVaci I was able to take Ashley to purchase the poster paper and she picked the "rainbow" paper.  She's such a color girl.  Tuesday night I stayed up until almost midnight finding pictures and then Wednesday night I pulled it all together.  I then made it for the end of class Thursday for the presentation and the handing out of cupcakes to celebrate Ashley's birthday.

Here's the final product:

Ashley's Birthday Party
This year it was Ashley's turn for the "friend" birthday party.  She was adamant that she needed a skating party at the Fun Park.  So....that's what she got.  We held the festivities on Monday, May 2.  It worked out great because I had taken the day off work and it was Dave's regular scheduled day off.

There ended up being 15 girls for the party.  This included Hannah, Nicole and Hannah's friend.  Can I just say.....that's a lot of little girls to coordinate!  Especially where only 4 could skate!!!  I was sweating by the time the pizza was ready!!!

It turned out to be a fun party and I think everyone had a great time.  I asked Ashley on the way home if she had fun but she told me no.  I guess that's what I get for asking when she's exhausted because the next morning it was the best party she'd ever had!  Probably because it was only her second one!

However, she did say that where she invited all girls this year she would like to invite all boys next time.  Oh dear!  I guess we'll see if that changes when she's in 2nd grade!

She was so cute!  She sang to herself the whole time everyone was singing Happy Birthday!

She hit the goldmine in the present department!  You could tell that all of the girls had her pegged.  They all gave her some sort of art supply/kit.  She was in total heaven!

According to Ashley, her favorite present was the remote controlled puppy from Mom and Dad!

Happy Birthday Ashley!  We love you!!