September 2009 – David & LaReita Berky

World of Speed on the Bonneville Salt Flats

Sometimes I look through the “Hometown Mailer” that has coupons, etc. They recently added a calendar section which listed the World of Speed 2009 on the Salt Flats. I thought that would be a really fun activity to do with the boys. Since it would take 3 hours to drive there, we decided to make it worth our while and make it a Friday activity (since Sat was a shortened day). And yes, we did take the boys out of school, and Dave did his Friday workday on Saturday. Fortunately we borrowed the Lewis truck so we could haul all the stuff needed to make it a fun day on the salt; Bikes, trailer, Sun Oven, coolers, shade tent, water.

We wanted to leave at 5am to be there by the 8 am record races (those that had the highest from the previous day). But we didn’t get away until about 6:30am. We had so much fun talking and imagining what it would be like and telling stories. We arrived right at 9:30am. The boys were so excited when we reached the entrance, they were hanging out the window like little puppy dogs. (We did bring Ruxpin with us, but he didn’t have as much fun as we did.)

We passed the pits and got set up 1/4 mile away at the spectator parking. The boys got out of the truck and said, “This is salt?!? It looks like snow, but it’s hard!” Anthony even tasted it. He said that it was REALLY salty. 🙂

Streamliner - one of many that we saw. This picture is actually cropped, so it appears closer than it really was.

When we first arrived and watched the cars zooming out on the ‘track’, I had a big smile, excited to be there watching this fun event and sharing it with my boys. I started crying because I could tell that my dad was there too, smiling along with me!

The boys immediately wanted to start riding their bikes around, but we still had to set up the shade so we didn’t fry. (Which wasn’t too bad, but that was because we were in the shade in the heat of the day!)

Thanks to the Lewis' for use of their truck. And also thanks to the Leavitt communal property for the shade tent!

We brought quite a few chairs, but really only needed 1 out because the rest of the time kids were either biking, or just sitting in the truck bed. It was a pretty good set-up. A note on the hat Dave is wearing – it says, “Pushing 40 is exercise enough”. James really wanted his dad to wear it, so he did. What a good sport Dave is by driving 3 hours to a really dirty, grimy place to please his wife and wow his children. 3 cheers for Dave!

Anthony’s ‘new’ bike needed the back tire replaced, so today was a perfect day to work on that. Once Dave got the rusty bolt budged, it didn’t take too long to finish the job, and then Anthony was off!

Dave getting his exercise in for the week :) — Dave getting his exercise in for the week 🙂

Once we got the bikes fixed and the lasagna in the Sun Oven, Dave took the boys to the pits and the starting line to see the cars. Anthony said that he pumped up the tires in my (grown-up) bike, and in the kid trailer. So Dave took off with all the kids (and Ruxpin), while I stayed back to nurse Jacob, and get him to take a nap.

When the others got back, Dave told me that the tires weren’t really pumped up. So he nearly passed out biking 1/4 mile with 80 pounds of kids (plus his own weight) doubled by the weight of the flat tires! Poor guy!

Samuel liked playing in the salt while waiting

I decided I wanted to go check out what they just saw, and took Samuel with me. Everyone we saw was so friendly and loved to answer questions. Samuel mostly liked playing in the salt, especially while we were waiting for a launch to take place. There was at times some downtime while either course (there were 2 courses) had to be cleared when vehicles leaked oil, or dropped something. When we were at the starting line waiting for an Aston Healy to take off, this was the case. We waited about 20 minutes.

It was fun listening to the announcer – I heard one car, driven by a husband/wife team, with their kids as the pit crew, that it was “sponsored by Mastercard and Social Security”. Dave and I chuckled over that one.

While biking back to our camp spot, my cell phone rang twice in a row. I didn’t answer since I was biking, and wondered what the big emergency was. Found out that James had chipped a tooth, and was in severe pain. I had brought a few of my oils, but didn’t bring Clove to help deaden the pain. I gave him the choice of trying Basil, which does take away ‘stinging’ pain, but he whimpered and whined instead, and begged (!) for a dentist. We called Julles to see if she could look up a dentist inWendover, NV (just 5 miles away). We found one that could see him. However, James decided after about 30 minutes that he was ok, and could wait until we saw our regular dentist. (Which is a good thing, for many reasons!) I think he was also pretty hungry which made him even more whiny. So we ate our now finished lasagna, courtesy of the sun and the Sun Oven. Pretty yummy! (Though next time I will be sure to rotate the pan every 30 minutes or so.) And we even cooked some Toll House cookies on it. Though not very many, as Dave was ready to go and wanted to pack up.

We said good-bye to our next door neighbors, whom our boys became friends with their 5 year old boy named Hunter. He was pretty sad to see us go and take our bikes and scooters. (Benjamin did get some bike practice in.) I also talked to his dad about his foot-glove shoes he was wearing. Very interesting!!! I might see if I can find a similar pair to help me with my sore right foot.

We left around 4:30. Which it was a good thing we did leave earlier than expected, because by the time we got home and got everything unloaded, washed/scrubbed off, and kids (and adults) showered, it was 10:00 pm, and we were exhausted!!!

Though it was a really fun day and we are definitely making this a bi-annual event. Anyone want to join us?

Aston Healy – one of the first to race here 50 years ago

The Purple Buffalo being towed back to the starting line.

A street legal car, a bit souped up. This is what I want to do!

Watching a streamliner get pulled back from the wonderful shade of our tent

‘Smoking Dragon’ because it really pushed out the smoke when racing!

Human Speed Luge – went 208mph. Talk about a rush!

Murray Park and the Greek Festival

After cleaning and straightening up the house, we drove up to Murray to a park near Grandpa Smith and Aunt Marie’s home. The extended Smith family was holding a reunion gathering and luncheon. We arrived in time to see several cousins, Grandpa Smith and Aunt Marie.

The boys enjoyed playing on the playground and rolling down the hills. James worked on some requirements for the Athlete activity badge in Webelos. Benjamin, Samuel and Anthony also enjoyed running around the park and helping shag loose soccer balls as two teams prepared for a game.

After playing at the park we drove to Grandpa Smith’s home and had a nice visit. LaReita, Marie and the boys picked some peaches. The boys played with the bats, balls and cars while the adults visited. We signed a large poster that showed the family connections though Grandpa Smith’s grandpa.

After a nice visit we drove up State Street to the Greek Festival in Salt Lake City. It is held at the Greek Orthodox Church on 200 South and about 300 West.

We were able to tour a beautiful church with amazing stained glass windows built in 1924. The boys were intrigued with both the adult baptismal font and baby “font” which looked like a large metal vase, both of which were in the front corner of the chapel.

The boys also liked looking at the kneeling benches, decorative woodwork, stone pillars and the choir loft above and behind the main chapel area. It was very different compared to the stark somewhat less decorative chapels in LDS churches.

Anthony and James looking at a lamb on a spit

We walked outside and went to look at the displays, smell the delicious foods cooking and mingle with the 100s of people in attendance. We watched some Greek dancers on a stage and went out back to see the carnival rides. The boys were able to do one ride each.

Samuel and Benjamin choose to go in an inflatable bouncing tent. James and Anthony choose the bungee stretch where they were harnessed to a bungee chord and tried to make it from one end to the other. We then went to try out some of the great food.

We purchased two lamb dinners with feta cheese, Mediterranean olives, Greek salad and a dinner roll. We found a table and began eating. LaReita then went to purchase some bottles of water, a gyro, some baklava and other Greek pastries. Samuel really liked the Feta cheese! Benjamin finally tried some, but didn’t like it so much. Anthony…well, he ate all the dessert that looked/tasted like scones. Think he did try at least one bite of lamb.

Sam holding out the feta cheese for Ben to try.

As we were eating James took a few bites of the gyro and said “I still don’t like them, but this is the best gyro I’ve ever had!” Later after trying some more Greek food he said he hopes he gets called to go to Greece on his mission.

James played a dart game on the Midway and won a poster that says “No Parents Allowed”. He says he is going to hang it on his door. Then Anthony, Benjamin and Samuel wanted to play a game. They won a small stuffed animal and some dragon and eagle tattoos.

Mom feeding Jacob some greek food. He liked it!

Jacob also really liked the feta cheese with the cucumber and tomato. He has very grown-up tastes for a 10 month old!

As we were leaving Samuel decided he wanted to do one more thing, we insisted on leaving and he threw a massive tantrum. David had to carry him kicking, hitting and screaming out of the festival and to the car.

We got all the boys loaded and headed home tired but well fed.

Samuel’s first day of “preschool”

Well, it really isn’t preschool, just a playgroup between 5 moms on Tues/Thursdays. We’ll take a turn hosting at each of our houses. Anthony is really excited that I’m going to be a preschool teacher (as he always talks about how this is what he wants to do).

The first “official” day of the playgroup (August 25th), I wasn’t even able to be there (I was at another funeral). But my sister Lynette dropped him off for me. He did really well! Marched right into the house with no shyness. He knew at least one of the other kids there, so it was no problem. This picture was taken the 2nd week, at another house. But same friends! This 2nd week, he even wrote some of his name! That was VERY exciting, and he was quite pleased with himself too!

We are calling this his preschool because he has just been so lonely for his brothers when they are all of at their school. Last year he would run crying after James and Anthony when they would leave in the morning for school. One time Samuel even got his backpack on and started going out the door as well. That time I indulged him and we went and sat in the back of James’ class for about 15 minutes and read stories. When I told him it was time to go, he began to get very distressed. He wanted to be with his brothers! Fortunately the teacher intervened and gave him some crayons and paper to put in his backpack for ‘homework’. But it didn’t appease him enough. I still had to carry Samuel out of the school, nearly kicking and screaming.

Oh how I hope that he will continue to want to be in school once he gets there! Though it really is his love of his brothers. He wakes up in the morning saying, “where’s guys?” or “Where are my brothers?” Today in the store he began freaking out because dad went down another aisle, and Samuel couldn’t see him. Oh, how he loves his dad and brothers!