The Jungbauer Family Website

Happy Birthday Rachel

Can you guess how old she is?
(It's a quirky thing I started when they were small and now they won't let me stop. I used to make individual numbers rather than one big loaf, but then I learned to take the easy way out.)

Rachel's theme this year was a beach party complete with beach umbrellas, kites, shells, surf boards, etc. Since her birthday was on Thursday, we had four solid days of partying with the family finale on Sunday. We just received a great big Thank You from Florida for finally diverting the hurricanes out of their path. I'm waiting for President Bush to declare our beach a national distaster area.

SO what does a 9-year old want for her birthday????

COOL clothes, Jump 5 CDs, earrings, a latch-hook rug kit, a Notre Dame jersey, an MP3 player . . . . . . . . . . and Addy, an American Girl Doll.

She's growing up WAY too fast, but I'm glad she still has some little girl left in her.

Cast Off

Rachel got an early birthday present!

Happy Birthday Steve aka Daddy

Steve somehow manages to be out of town almost every year for his birthday, which is September 20th. As usual, we had a belated celebration.

We're glad to have you home --- Shadow too!

The Fall Chill

While in Aspen, Steve attended a week long seminar: Practice Management Intense Training. While he did spend a lot of time in the classroom that week, he also sought the opportunity to do some intense altitude training.

The week culminated with his last triathlon of the season in Loveland, Colorado. Just days earlier, on the 20th, he moved into the bottom of the next age bracket to give him more of a competitive edge. (Happy Birthday, Honey.)

He ended the season with an outstanding performance and placed THIRD in his age group!

Aspen

There is a reason people flock to Aspen in the autumn. Even though we missed peak Aspen color by a week or more, it was still spectacular - especially with the contrast of any early snowfall.

This is Maroon Bells . . . the most frequently photgraphed place in Colorado.

Say HELLO to Eileen, Rex and Donna who were attending the same seminar as Steve. We enjoyed several hikes and dinners together when they weren't hunting for bear.

I decided to try some mountain biking while Steve was attending a seminar. After climbing continously for about two hours, I decided to turn around. I will confess that I had to walk part of the way up, but it sure was an express trip down.

Gala

One of our newest traditions is to attend the hospital's Cancer Gala each year. It's a fund-raiser held every September at the Lake Tippecanoe Country Club. I refer to it as "Prom Night" as it is usually the only black-tie affair we attend each year. Even Steve enjoys donning his tux . . . and I adore how he looks in it!!!

The most important part of the tradition, however, is that we ALWAYS arrive at the Gala by boat. I'm sure that some people just think they have sun stroke, but others give us a toast of approval as we cruise by. Even the fishermen are briefly distracted.

The pre-Gala cruise is definitely a highlight of the evening, yet very few believe us when we tell them how we arrived, so here is the photo to prove it.

We talked our friends, Buzz and Jane Kauffman, into joining us for the pre-Gala cruise a couple of years ago . . . and they have not missed it since.

In years past, we've also had some wonderful post-Gala cruising . . . sometimes with a boat full of friends and other times just with the full moon. One year we skiied five guys in tuxes after the Gala!!! (That was before Steve bought a tux.)

Last year's Gala was memorable for a very different reason. One of the auction items was a new pontoon. We had actually been thinking of upgrading our "vintage" pontoon for something a bit more spacious, comfortable and "Shadow friendly" i.e. it had to have tan carpet to conceal our Golden Retriever/Lab's hair. The pontoon had ALL the features we were looking for. It also seemed like the perfect time to make our donation to the Cancer Care Fund as my grandmother was dying from colon cancer.

She never got to take a ride on the "Marge Barge" and died only a few weeks later on September 18th, but we all remember her fondly on every cruise we take.

A Fair of the Heart

Today, 9-11, took on a very special meaning for Auntie Carol.
She was at the Spencer County Fair in Iowa.

Auntie Carol wrote:

The Spencer concert was a huge success!

While walking around the fair, I met Clay's back up singers. . . got their picture and had them sign my shirt. (That sharpie I bought in Indiana came in handy! Even the singers thought it was the coolest sharpie!)

Got my audition with Jerome. It went very well. Didn't make it on stage. Some 14 year old girl who couldn't sing at all got her chance of a life time! When we got home I found out that an older woman had gotten on stage the night before. . . so as I suspected. . . it's really all in what they may be looking for that night and keeping variety. . . but I'm very proud of myself for auditioning. . . and he makes you do it right out in the middle of everywhere with so many others watching and listening. Some of the other MN Clay fans were there encouraging me on.

Next Clay event. . . there's a rumor that he's coming to the MOA for a book signing when his book comes out. I've already been contacted by some folks I've met at concerts about this one. . . they are estimating that we may have to camp out for three days prior to his appearance. . . in November. . . . .

I guess we know where to find Auntie Carol next . . .

I used to think that she was REALLY crazy until I went to a Clay concert with her last month. During the concert, a woman in her 50s was chosen to get up on stage to dance with Clay. She was wearing custom-made, twelve-inch platform shoes so that she could see better and had been to nearly 80 Clay concerts!!! Now THAT'S CLAYzy --- but really no different than following the Bulls or the Bears all the way across the country.

Check this out too: http://www.measureofafan.com/web/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=180&newlang=eng

Live strange, Live strong

The end of summer seems to bring out strange behavior in our children.

Last year, for example, Rachel decided to learn how to waterski on the last day of summer vacation. She mastered it in only a few attempts . . . and loved it like we knew she would.

This summer also ended with some strange behavior --- just look at the next photo of Rachel with her cousins Samantha and Jeff. I'm curious to know how others would caption this photo, but this is what it "said" this morning at 7:30 am.

Rachel: "I'm in the zone. You can talk to me, but I can't hear you."

Sam: "Don't take my picture! I don't want to smile and YOU can't make me!"

Jeff: "Can I go back to bed?!?"

Below is an even stranger photo: It's Samantha skiing for the first time!!! (Pretty amazing given the strong attitude above.)

I'm the boat driver who successfully pulled her up on her first try and captured this photo at the same time. (Pat, pat, pat)

So what's so strange, besides me?

Look carefully at the rare photo below which depicts Sarah awake, alert and smiling prior to noon on a weekend!!!

Stranger yet, she bragged to her cousin Sam about how fun skiing was and then Sarah actually skied for the first time this summer! (I'm sure she was just trying to provide Sam with some positive coaxing . . . or could it have been the "pier" pressure?)

So not to be outdone, Rachel showed her cousins how to wakeboard . . . in style!

This is the girl that just broke her arm 2 weeks ago and was in the hospital with a possible ruptured appendix 3 days ago.

As the yellow Lance Armstrong bracelet proclaims: LIVE STRONG!!!