Races, Birthday and House Updates

Long time no update from the J Dunlap's to the north.  Going to do an update via pictures, since everyone loves pictures and it's easier than typing everything out!

My Half IronMan:

Exiting the Swim!  Had lots of cheerleaders.

Finishing the bike course...again lots of cheerleaders--yay!

Surviving the run course.  Mom is pictured to the right.  Again, sooooo much love and support---couldn't have done it without all of you!

In short, I had an awesome swim, a REALLY rough time on the bike and a smile-filled run.  Definite SUCCESS!

Justin's 50k:

(Grr...pictures wouldn't center...sorry!)

Before his race eating a bagel.

Mile 14ish Justin's looking strong!

Mile 20-something still kicking butt!

Speedy Justin finishing STRONG!

Our spectating crew (minus Calla who I think just wanted to be in the picture)---thanks everyone sooooooooo much!  Having spectators is so motivating and really does help!

The House:

Justin and Chuck re-roofing the garage.

While my Mom and I re-painted the bathroom.

New roof on the garage!

New paint on the walls of the bathroom.

Justin's 30th Birthday:

The famous German Chocolate cake---it was good but not as good as Dad's.  I tried!

Dinner and a pile of presents what else could a 30-yr old want?!

Mom and Dad Dunlap are coming up this weekend and I think the goal is to build the garden beds for the back yard.

In short, the last month has been SUPER busy BUT awesome.

Life is grand in Portland (it's even been sunny).

Christmas List 2010

Here is the results from the first bug-free run of the program this year. Let me know if anything doesn't seem right. Gifters should not have the same giftees as they did last year, shouldn't give to their own spouses or children, etc.
Looking forward to seeing everyone soon hopefully. Also, I would love to post some pictures of happenings around here, but things are too crazily happening to get that done... Maybe when class is over in a couple of weeks. Hope you are all doing splendidly!


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@@@@@  CHRISTMAS LIST 2010 @@@@@
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***John***
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Adults: ['Jen', 'Nate']
Children: ['Amber', 'Heath']

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***Cris***
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Adults: ['Justin', 'Kathryn']
Children: ['Heath', 'Rilan']

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***Jen***
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Adults: ['Alisa', 'Jeremy']
Children: ['Rilan', 'Brianna']

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***Nate***
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Adults: ['Cris', 'John']
Children: ['Amber', 'Colby']

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***Jill***
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Adults: ['Alisa', 'Nate']
Children: ['Bronco', 'Emily']

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***Thain***
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Adults: ['John', 'Kathryn']
Children: ['Deven', 'Aiden']

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***Justin***
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Adults: ['Jen', 'Jill']
Children: ['Deven', 'Bronco']

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***Alisa***
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Adults: ['Jill', 'Jeremy']
Children: ['Brianna', 'Ben']

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***Jeremy***
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Adults: ['Thain', 'Justin']
Children: ['Emily', 'Ben']

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***Kathryn***
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Adults: ['Cris', 'Thain']
Children: ['Aiden', 'Colby']

Rilan's 1st Birthday!!

Rilan had a great first birthday!  The Blaine's came over and helped us celebrate!  Here he is early in the day excited to be one.

I made him a cake and had it already to go, as well as some cupcakes as I was going to let him enjoy his own cake.

The house was all decorated and quiet pre party :).  There's Jen and Bronco in the background though it's hard to see.  The Blaine's came and helped make it fun for Rilan.  He had a great time.

Rilan had a great time opening gifts and got so many neat fun gifts!!

His favorite one was the slide Grandma And Grandad gave him, here he is climbing up it even before it was set up.  He really loved going down it a bunch too!

   He blew out candles on his cake, I thought it would be fun to let him do as he wanted with it, well this is what he wanted to do with it............

He had a lot of fun destroying it!!  Wasn't too interested in eating it but that's ok it was his cake!  I guess he doesn't believe in having his cake and eating it too :)

  He also had a great time in his new pool, our main gift to him, we put the big slide from Grandma and Grandad well I should say thain did, in the pool and they had a great time turning it into a big water slide.

The Blaine gang kids had a blast too playing in the water and trampoline even though it was cooler.  They really made his party a lot of fun by playing and having fun with him.  

Bronco, though not getting the attention he deserved was pretty cute too, and is sure growing up fast!  :)

Can't believe this crazy little guy is already one!!  He is so much fun! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO AN AMAZING MOM!!  WE LOVE YOU!!

Thanks for a wonderful summer vacation this year too!  I will post some highlights of our trip this week.  It was very fun and memorable and special.  Thank you both for giving it to us!   HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Love you!

Lots of Ups and one Down

Hi all...been awhile since the Portlanders have posted.

I'll do highlights bulletpoint style:

-Justin had an awesome semester!  Straight A's (not that any of us thought he would get anything less) and an extremely complementary email from one of his professors about what a great student Justin was this term.  Yay Justin!

-Justin and I are house hunting!  Yes, house hunting DESPITE the rainest June on record (I am definitely ready for summer).  We are looking to set down some roots and are having a great time looking at houses.  I never knew I cared about the size of the yard or about where a bathroom is located.  When/if we find something we love, we'll keep people updated.

-Justin is still training away for his ultramarathon...running lots of hills and lots of miles.

-Here is the one "down." I crashed on my bike about 2 weeks ago.  I'm okay and thankful it wasn't more serious.  I have a large hematoma on my right leg (I call it my alien water balloon) and some bruising.  It's been a pretty big training set back but I'm powering through.  For those interested, here's a photo:

-My dad had a stellar retirement party last weekend.  I flew down for a short trip, it was great to see him and a bunch of my old teachers.  To the teachers in the family, wait til you have students come back 20 years later!

-Justin went on a fun bike camping adventure.  They parked the car somewhere and biked to the camping spot and then biked back.  Sounded like lots of fun!

I think those are the major updates.  We are really looking forward to seeing you all very soon!

Dad and Mom at play

(If you wish to see any of these pictures larger, you can click on it. I imagine you already know that but in case you didn't, ................................)
This is most of the clan out on the deck: L to R. David Jurasek and his wife Michelle (Portland), Bob Ervin (San Leandro), Sharon, Don, Bob, Brub, Ernie Rick (San Carlos), Maureen Ervin, Gary, Nancy, and husband Roger Cox (Hayfork).
My "cousin's reunion" was three weekends ago at the home of my cousin Sharon and her husband, Don, at Lake of the Pines between Auburn and Grass Valley. Marsha and Helen were the only two not in attendance. Their home over looks the lake and a path leads down to their docked boat.
Carol and Brub and I stayed in their home, as well as cousin Nancy and Roger. The others stayed at a house nearby.
Don took us out in their pontoon boat for a tour of the beautiful lake. Sharon's sister, Sandy, and her husband, Ernie, are in this picture. He has MS and is wheelchair bound.
Don and Sharon, our hosts.

Don gave Brub and me a ride to see another home.

Last week Dad and I rented Holiday Harbor's smallest boat, the Diplomat (not in the picture).
We are headed away from the marina on a wonderfully full lake.
Mt. Shasta was glorious!
Our first night we tied up in a cove in Little Squaw Creek. There seemed to be a butterfly convention going on.
Big, full-of-water, lake made it hard to find the fish! This is a little perch Dad caught and threw back! Dad did let a huge (2 1/2 foot long) catfish break his line as we didn't want it!
Early morning (6:00 am) sunrise as we drove out to his favorite fishing spot. The lake was fairly calm then; most days it was pretty windy so we did a lot of rocking and rolling.
This was early morning. Most of the time we were in swim suits but the weather and wind made it too cold to swim - I only went in once briefly!
Dad did get 3 keepers: a salmon (which I ate there!) and 2 trout.
When we got home Friday evening Cris, John, and family had a lovely surprise greeting and dinner awaiting us!

Now we're looking forward to seeing each of you in Maine and wishing you a fun and safe touring trip getting there!

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!