Scouting for Food

We worked in front of Safeway for a couple of hours this morning passing out flyers and encouraging shoppers to buy pre-packed $10 bags of food to donate to the Contra Costa Food Bank.  Unfortunately, none of the other boys showed up, so we were on our own.  Race actually did all the work, passing out over 150 flyers, and the barrels and tables in the front of the store were piled with donations by the time we left.  We're so proud of him.

Santa

There was no line for Santa today at Sunvalley Mall.  Race decided to go ahead and have a chat with him and get his picture taken.  He actually sat and chatted with Santa for about 10 minutes while the photo's were developed.  He won't tell us what they talked about.  We're just thrilled to get one more Santa picture!

Race and the Cub Scouts were invited to trampoline at Sky High with a local Boy Scout troop tonight. Of course, there's an ulterior motive, the troop wants them to join when they bridge out of Cub Scouts this February.

Annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch

We took Race and Aurora to the pumpkin patch for their yearly height gauging.  They've both grown and here's the proof.

Pasta Sauce Challenge

Race entered this years Concord Lion Club Pasta Sauce Challenge.  Here he is stirring his Alfredo Sauce.  He didn't win, but it was a close contest.  His edge, he's ten.  Who can resist a ten year old chef?

Camp Concord

We were able to go up to Camp Concord on Lake Tahoe's south shore and close the camp for the winter again this year.  While Race played with the kids, Elizabeth and I put a sub floor in a bathroom, ripped old amphitheater benches out of the ground and repaired the Cushman cart which hadn't ran all summer.  We can hardly wait for next year.

BINGO

Bingo night at Kings Valley Christian School.  Here's Race with some of his 5th grade classmates.

Elizabeth Cofer Day

Today, September 25th, 2012, was Elizabeth Cofer Day in Concord.  No, really!  You can read the proclamation yourself.  Here Elizabeth gets her proclamation from Mayor Ron Leone.

This makes 2 car crashes and he's only 10. We're doomed!

Race, complete with ice pack, taking chocolate cake to the neighbor to apologize for running into his truck on the electric scooter. He pretty much destroyed the scooter and actually dented the trucks bumper.  Here's the first car crash: Crash Link  Check out the picture of the handlebar tube; it used to be straight and didn't have that kink in just below the world "ZIP."

5th Grade Chapel

Here are a few videos from today's 5th Grade Chapel.

Meet Spreckles

This is Race's new kitten, Spreckles.  We stopped by Rhoadies in Clayton for chicken feed and they had two kittens, sisters, from the pound.  They were fixed and microchipped and on sale for half the normal adoption fee.  We picked Astraia and debated a new name on the way home.  We finally settled on Spreckles as a play on Freckles, Speckles, and Spreckels (the sugar company because she's so sweet).  Boots hates her, Indy wants to lick her and all the kids love her.

Mom and Son weekend at Camp Concord

Elizabeth and Race went to Camp Concord with our friends Tisha and Tyler for Mom and Son weekend.  As you can see from the pictures they had a great time relaxing and playing.  It was the first time any of us had been to Camp Concord for anything but a work party weekend.

Mustang Club picnic

We cooked hot dogs and hamburgers for the Diablo Valley Mustang Association Officer Installation picnic.  For the first time in 12 years, neither Dean or Elizabeth have taken a role on the club board.  Here are a couple of pictures that Race took.

Race Cofer, Superhero

Race has been busy inserting himself into the body's of the Avengers.  Here are a few examples.

Fire and Indy Car test day at Sears Point. 8/17

Indy Car test day at Sears Point was exciting, mainly, for the grass fire that started across the highway from the track.  Check out the cool video Race took of the Fire Bombers.

Hurrah, Race harvested his first carrot

SF Bay Cruise

Leland Defrates and his family joined us for a Bay cruise.  Our neighbors, the Van Dyk's also came along.  We had a great trip out under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz before lunching at Beaudin Bread.  The restored WW II Libety Ship, SS Jeremiah O'Brien, was out on the bay along with some of the America's Cup catamarans.  It was a great day.

Cub Scout Day Camp

Here's are a couple of pictures of Race on the BB gun range at Cub Scout Day Camp.  Dean spent the week as BB Gun Rangemaster and Race spent the week doing crafts, shooting BB Guns, Archery, Swimming, etc.

Race and Dave's Great Zipline Adventure

Way back when, during our Alaska cruise, Race and our friend Dave Trieschman got the wild idea that dangling from a string above the Alaska forest would be fun.  So, they abandoned the rest of us in Skagway and took a bus trip out to the local Zipline Course.  After a quick lesson and a few moments of girding up their loins, they were prepared.  Race was a little trepidatious at first, but with a little encouragement from his fellow adventurers, he made his leap of faith.  Yes, the zipline held; Yes, the lanyard held; Yes, the harness held; Yes, this is fun! Here's a short video of Race showing how easy it is to master the zipline.  A very nice man from the midwest took this video and sent it to Dave.

Relay for Life--Concord

We're home now after a busy weekend at the American Cancer Society Relay for Life in Concord.  Race, Elizabeth and our friend Tisha all made the local news blog, www.claycord.com, check out their pictures at the links below.

Claycord Relay for Life Coverage

Race's Picture

Elizabeth's Picture

Tisha and Tyler's Picture

Relay for Life

Relay for Life

Click on the link above and donate to support Dean and Elizabeth's efforts to raise money for the American Cancer Society.  As a survivor, battling cancer is a very important to Elizabeth and every dollar raised is a step to defeating cancer for all time.  Thank you. -Dean

Boots the Siamese fire chief

Race crashed the race car!

Race was steering as Elizabeth pushed our 24 Hours of Lemons Rabbit out of the trailer.  He over-corrected and drove the front of the car off the ramp.  Once he realized he was OK and the car wasn't hurt badly he decided it was pretty cool that he had crashed his first race car.  You can see the damage to the front air dam.

KKDV Coffee Break

Elizabeth won a coffee break from local radio station KKDV, so Race and Dean stopped by for coffee and pastry's.  Elizabeth did a live spot on the air as part of the Coffee Break.

Golden Gate Mustang National

We survived 4 days at Buchanan Airfield and the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Race and Dean worked security and Elizabeth was her usual whirling dervish of a self and worked almost everything.  We had just over 200 Mustangs show up to the show.  Here are a couple of pictures.

EAA Young Eagles

Race just took off for his round trip flight to Rio Vista.  Young Eagles is a great EAA program to give kids free flights in private aircraft.