The Moore Family wishes you a joyful 2010!
Steve and I are very thankful for all the friends and family that bring us joy throughout the year. Our 2009 was filled with wondrous moments starting with New Year’s Eve in Telluride when we all went to bed by 10pm. Maybe we were just tired from skiing and snowboarding or maybe we needed a good night’s rest for the year to come.
Steve kicked off the year by winning 2nd place in a 100K (62mile) trail run in Bandera, Texas. It was his first race of such distance and only the beginning of his pursuit of ultra-running happiness (interpreted by others as pure insanity).
The travel bug hit us this year. For Spring Break, we drove to visit Steve's brother and his
family in Charleston, S.C. A giant rain cloud followed our car all the way from Texas through 5 other states. The skies parted as soon as we hit Charleston. We enjoyed meeting David and Dawn's friends and Sierra and Calvin had fun with their cousins. The trip was well worth suffering a drive home on I-20 with one flat tire and several miserable mystery traffic jams. This was the trip when the kids started asking why we don't just fly.
In May, my deadhead husband swept me off to Northern California for a Dead show at Shoreline. Interpretation for those non-deadheads: The Dead is the remaining members of the Grateful Dead - pretty simple. Anyway, we met other like-minded-deadhead friends out there and entertained ourselves for a couple of days before the show. We enjoyed a fun day-trip to Big Basin State Park. We admired the giant redwoods, cruised into San Francisco for a quick beer, went to Santa Cruz and visited a Japanese garden. The Dead show was just icing on the cake after that. It was fun to be surrounded by happy hippies of all ages, shapes and sizes. We were surprised that they played our favorite tunes right off the bat so we just sat back and enjoyed the scene. We were also surprised by the steep cost of foamy beverages in California - 9 bucks for a 12 ounce beer. Even we won't pay that.
In June, my mom and step-father treated us to an unforgettable trip to Costa Rica (home of a much more affordable beer - Imperial). We stayed in a fabulous villa overlooking the Pacific ocean. We were a varied and curious party of thirteen ages 9 years to 60-something. By day, the wild called to us and we found ourselves ziplining through the jungle (upside down and rightside up), soaking in volcanic mud and hot springs, and cruising a river populated with the likes of Jesus lizards, herons, crocodiles and white-faced monkeys. We swam, we surfed, we shopped. The girls snorkeled and relaxed on a private beach while the manly men caught fish...big fish, of course. Steve will probably want me to tell you about the Mahi Mahi he caught. Our chef prepared it for dinner and lunch the next day. Yum. By night we found ourselves sitting at the p
ool bar with our lovely hostess, Dayana, our friendly bartender, Christian (he was my personal favorite) and our talented chef, Luis. It was great fun to be with our extended family members in such a beautiful country.
All glorious vacations have their endings. But, the Moore family will not be found sitting around. Once we were back in the US, we traveled to the lovely Texas town of Palestine where we convened with friends and family. We kayaked and jet skied on Lake Mary. The rest of the summer in Texas was a scorcher. While the lake system was quickly evaporating and the Texas ground was cracking, the kids fled to Telluride, CO for cousins camp. They always have a fabulous time hiking, riding horses, playing in their log fort and being adored by their Granny and Grandad.
The kids eased right into school. Sierra is a full-fledged 6th-grader. Here's my chance to brag. She is quickly mastering the flute. I always knew she'd have the lungs for a wind instrument. She continues to enjoy dance. She was nominated by her Spanish teacher as a Scottie Star (a student who has excelled in some way) the first 6 weeks. She is making straight A's and seems to be enjoying her experience overall. She is growing up quickly and has the personal electronic devices to prove it. If you ever have any questions about Facebook, gmail, text messaging, etc., she's your girl.
Calvin is finding out that fourth grade is a little more serious than the previous years. He also makes good grades and thoroughly enjoys the social scene. For the last two years, he has read all 18 Bluebonnet books and is great friends with his librarian (she just happens to be a sports fan, too). Speaking of sports, that is what Calvin lives and breathes. If you have ever tried to email him, don't expect a speedy response, because he is too busy tossing the football or shooting hoops. He played Spring baseball and loved playing 1st base and catcher, too. He kicked soccer around again this Fall and is now playing basketball for the first time this Winter. His mother thinks he is a very talented athlete. But, she is mostly proud that he is a good sport - win or lose. If you haven't lived in the same house with a nine year-old boy, I suggest you try it. You just never know what they might do or say next. He (and his nine-year old friends) keep me laughing.
Steve maintained his sanity over the summer with long runs including a series of three 30K trail runs (while I ran the 10K portion). At the end of August, the kids and I joined him at Inks Lake for a 60K night run. We set up camp before the run started. The kids had a blast providing support. Every time Steve finished a lap, his crew would hand him towels and drinks and general cheers and hoorays. He ended up with first place in that race and we all went to our tents (at 2am) feeling like winners.
Steve allowed me the use of his support crew for my first Olympic-distance triathlon (called the Dude Girl Triathlon) in September. I figured since I had been running 10K trail runs this summer, that it was time for me to step up my triathlon game. So, I convinced my friend, Megan to join me. Steve was kayak support for the swim. Calvin and Sierra handed out water bottles and towels at the end of the race. Boy, did that cold towel feel good after running that 6 miles, after biking that 25 miles, after "mostly" swimming that 1 mile. My other friends, Patrice, Lori and Calianne were there providing good cheer and cold things, too. It was fun to have my family and friends to cheer me on.
In October, we took our annual trip with 40 of our closest friends to Port Aransas, Texas. This tradition started about 4 years ago when our friends got married in Port A. After that, we deemed it necessary to celebrate their anniversary and now it is a critical part of our lives. This year, the wind was cold and the skies were gray. But we managed to still swim, body surf and play volleyball all the same.
By now, most of you (if anyone is still reading this epilogue) have heard what happened next. Steve returned to Bandera to run (brace yourself) one-hundred miles. The kids and I were there to witness it and partially participate in it. Gramma and Papa were there as well. Our friends were there to help him along. It is difficult to sum it all up. He does have a blog if you would like details. But, I would say it was amazing. He managed to trek 100 miles in roughly 24 hours with only a few minor ailments. He wasn't much use around the house for a couple of days. Calvin had a hard time understanding why Steve wasn't ready to toss the football with him about three hours after he crossed the finish line. ha ha ha
We finished out the year with trips around Texas - Wimberly, Granbury and Fredericksburg. Back in February we also trekked to Texarkana to honor the passing of my step-grandfather, Ted Thomas, lovingly known as Papaw. With thousands of car miles behind them, the kids are reluctant to even get in the car to go to the grocery store. The poor dogs never know whether they are invited or not. However, I think the kids realize how rich their lives are with friends, family and abundant opportunities. I certainly do.
I believe my little attempt to update the family blog turned into an epiblog. It sounds like we are just running around having fun all the time, but Steve and I continue to be happily employed - just for the record.
Happy 2010!
love,
Sandi, Steve, Sierra and Calvin Moore
and Luna and Steeler , too
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