The Harlin Family: Lorimer Road Rally

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Lorimer Road Rally

My family is big into the RC monster trucks. So this last Saturday, since everyone was in town, we had a big rally. It was pretty fun to watch. I am the only one without a truck but I know Shane would make me fix it myself if I got one. Hence, I don't have one. I don't want that kind of responsibility. But I got a few good pictures. They did an obstacle course, a drag race, a technical course and the jump. Only two trucks lasted until the jump. But after a couple jumps, they were done in too. It seems like they are driven until they break. But everyone had a good time.

Mom, Dad, Shane, Michelle, & Mike posing with their trucks.

The drag race.

The jump! (Shane built this for Dad for Father's Day.)

Even the kids contributed in their own little way.

Natalie staying cool in the shade.

Seryn inspecting the trucks.

Lylli, Carson, & Layla in the swimming pool.

Everyone had a good time being together.

Mom, Natalie, & Michelle watching the kids.

Dean giving Dad a hard time and Dad taking the bait.

Lylli helping Natalie down the slide.

Layla, Carson, & Lylli on the tramp.

Layla with the water cannon.

5 comments:

Melissa said...: wow, looks like you guys had a fun day!; June 25, 2008 at 12:21 PM
The Martinez Fam said...: It looks like you guys had a great time with the monster trucks!! I'll bet it was fun hangin' out with all of your fam. Your girls are adorable and it looks like they had a great time just enjoying the water!!:) Oh, by the way, congrats on your being published. That's incredible!! It's crazy because my sister is trying to get published right now too and that's the company that is most interested in her book right now! Anyway, congrats!! I'm glad all of your hard work is paying off.; June 26, 2008 at 9:36 PM
LindsC said...: How fun what a great family get together!; June 28, 2008 at 9:36 PM
Michelle said...: Man, that was fun! Carson keeps tellimg me he wants to race trucks, jump on the tramp, etc at Grandma's house. By the way, your website looks great!; July 1, 2008 at 11:57 AM
Bobbi said...: congrats on your book--I am excited to read it, especially after the little teaser! Thanks for commenting on my blog, it is so fun to see what everyone is doing. I cannot believe you guys already have three girls! How fun--hope your summer stays as fun as your pictures look!; July 3, 2008 at 11:10 AM

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A Season For Love

“Are you a daddy?” Lark asked, once they pulled into the parking lot and started to get out of the car.
“No, angel. I’m not.”
“Why not?”
“Well, I can’t be a daddy without a mommy.”
“What ‘bout Mommy?” Lavender asked. “You be a daddy with Mommy.”
Jerrick chuckled nervously but Rhianna looked over at Lark and felt concerned. The look on her oldest daughter’s face told her that a confrontation was soon at hand. Lark’s eyes were suddenly shooting daggers into the back of Jerrick’s head. Rhianna changed the subject. “What do you girls want for lunch?”
The subject was seemingly forgotten until after the waitress had taken their orders and the girls sat coloring some pictures. Lark suddenly looked up and glared at Jerrick for a few minutes. Rhianna, discussing the progress of her latest book, did not see her daughter and was caught off guard when the girl spoke.
“We already have a daddy!” Lark said definitely.
“Lark, honey.” Rhianna knew where the conversation was sure to go from here. “We’ve talked about this.”
“But I already have a daddy. I don’t want another one.”
“That’s fine, honey. No one said they wanted to take Daddy’s place.”
“But he said…” Lark began as she pointed to Jerrick and her eyes filled with tears.
“I said that I’m not a daddy, angel. That’s all,” Jerrick said understandingly. “I do have some little nieces and a nephew though. And I think one of them might be about your age.”
“My age?” Lark asked with skepticism. “Are they my friends?”
“Well, I suppose if you met them and liked them they would be your friends,” Jerrick said with a smile. Rhianna gave him a smile, relieved that he had so elegantly changed the subject and they had not created a big scene.
“Can we, Mommy? Can we play with my new friends?” Lark asked excitedly, for she called every young child her friend.
Rhianna looked first to Lark’s eager face, then to Lavender who seemed oblivious to the conversation and finally to Jerrick who looked completely amused. “Well, I…” Rhianna began.
“Actually,” Jerrick interrupted. “Perhaps now is as good of a time as any to reveal my secret motive behind asking you girls to lunch.”
“A secret motive?” Rhianna eyed him warily.
Jerrick suddenly seemed to squirm in his seat but gained composure quickly. “Well, kitten,” he began.
“Mommy’s not a kitten,” Lark said in disgust as she wrinkled her nose.
Jerrick chuckled. “No, she’s not.” Turning his attention back to Rhianna he said, “Anna, I hesitate to bring this up because I know it’s a delicate subject but…” He hesitated and Rhianna wondered what he might possibly say.
“Yes?”
“Well, this is the thing. My family has been hounding me incessantly about not having a wife or even a girlfriend.” Rhianna nodded, still unsure of his venue for conversation. “So I was wondering, if you didn’t have other plans, if you and your girls would like to accompany me to my parent’s cabin for Thanksgiving?”
“Spend Thanksgiving with you?” Rhianna asked, surprised at the suggestion.
“Me and my family, yes. Everyone is planning to be there; Joey’s family and Andy and his roommate. And I was hoping that maybe you would enjoy role playing with me. Just for the weekend. You know, to get them off my back for a while.”
“I wanna go!” Lavender smiled.
Rhianna thought for a moment. She had no family, outside of her great-aunt Sophie who was in a nursing home. Her mother-in-law lived in another state, and given Rhianna’s current mood toward the approaching holidays, she had no desire to entertain visiting her in-laws. The proposition Jerrick made was enticing. Her girls would receive a good Thanksgiving memory, and she could sit back and ignore her surroundings. Plus, she would have Jerrick to help keep her mind off past memories and the loss of her husband.
“There will be kids for the girls to play with and Joey’s wife, Mindy, will be there.”
“You want me to pretend to be your girlfriend for the weekend?” she asked after a few minutes.
"Crazy idea, huh. What do you say?"