Hello BLog Land!

Hi friends!  It's been almost a year since I last posted on our blog...Does anyone care?  Is this reaching any living soul?? Since I don't really know where to start...I'll start with a few pictures of ME!  Taken by my littlest photographer- Cole.  You can see him and his buddy Carson in the reflection of my sunglasses :) I've recently seen the value in blogs...I have a severely damaged memory due to children, 33 years of overuse, and a huge case of "If it aint important...DELETE" Which sometimes causes important things to be deleted as well.

 

Ryan James Savard

This young man is my brother...For now and forver. 

We burried him tuesday in Arlington National Cemetary with an honor reserved for the finest of soldiers.

His accomplishments in the military are nothing in comparison to the man he was in everyday life. But none the less he is a hero of magnificent magnitude.  He fought for our freedoms and rights and sacrificed himself on more than one occasion for just that. Ultimately giving all he had.

He was loved in life and will be cherished in death. Until we meet again...

Sgt. 1st Class Ryan J. Savard was born on Feb. 27, 1983 in Salt Lake City, Utah and graduated in 2001 from Buena High School in Sierra Vista, Ariz.

He first entered the U.S. Army as a Helicopter Repairer on Aug. 29, 2001 and after completion of Initial Entry Training he was assigned to Bravo Company, 7th Battalion, 159th Aviation in Gieblstadt, Germany where he served for two years as a UH-60 Repairman. While assigned to the 159th Aviation, Savard deployed once to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In June 2004, Savard attended and graduated from the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School to become a Special Forces weapons sergeant. Upon graduating from the Special Forces Qualification Course, Savard was assigned to Company A, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C., where he served as a Special Forces Company Assistant Operations Sergeant and a Special Forces weapons sergeant. In 2008, Savard was assigned to Operations Detachment Group Support Battalion, 3rd SFG (A) where he served as a Senior Special Forces weapons sergeant. While assigned to 3rd SFG (A), Savard deployed three times to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom.

Savard was assigned in May 2010 as a Special Operations Team Member, U.S. Army Special Operations Command. For over two years he performed this duty, deploying twice in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Savard completed numerous military courses while serving in the U.S. Army to include the Warrior Leader Course, Basic Airborne Course, Survival Evasion Resistance Escape High Risk Survival Course, Special Forces Qualification Course, Advanced Leader Course, Special Operations Weapons Sergeant Course, Special Operations Language Training-French, Special Operations Target Interdiction Course, ULLS-A Course, Ranger Course, Special Forces Advanced Reconnaissance Target Exploitation Course, Advanced Land Navigation Course, Free Fall Parachutist Course, Senior Leader Course, and the Static Line Jumpmaster Course.

Savard’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (2nd Award), Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal (3rd Award), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (3rd Award), Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, U.S. Army

Good Conduct Medal (3rd Award), National Defense Service Ribbon, Kosovo Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 4 Bronze Service Stars, Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War On Terrorism Service medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 3, U.S. Army Service Ribbon, U.S. Army Overseas Service Ribbon with numeral 2, NATO Medal with Bronze Service Star, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Combat Infantryman Badge, Aviation Badge, Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge, Parachutist Badge, and five Overseas Service Bars.

Savard was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal (3rd Award), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and the Purple Heart.

Savard is survived by his spouse, Kayla Savard and parents Garett and Marie Savard.

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youngest{Mariah-Garett-Karen-Ryan-Virginia-Rebekah-Rachel-Jedidiah}oldest

My father Garett W. Savard

A mothers love... Marie L. Savard

Maui Day(s) 12-14

We got really good at doing this...Just hangin' out. 

 This was another day at our usual condo's pool...

This is the only picture of the day :)

 The next day we had a hankering for some really good snorkeling. So we drove north to Honolua-Mokuleia Bay.  The path down to the beach is pretty cool.  You emerge thourgh some trees on to a beautiful white sand beach.  Pretty awesome if you ask me!

The snorkeling was great...

...and the boogie boarding...

...and the chillin'...

...and the cave exploring...Then off to see the blow hole a bit more north.

My tough guy!

Not as impressive in a picture as it is in real life...But cool just the same!

It was pretty windy down by the blowhole.  The waves were fierce! And so was Drew's hair do!!

Maui- Day(s) 9-11

Laura and Cole were the 1st to spend the night at Gramma and Papa's Condo. 

Cole joined Papa in his morning stretches!

Gramma and Lolo re-painted their toes...I promise these are Lolo's feet! 

My girl has the best skin for tanning!  Thanks Dad :)

After some breakfast we headed out to check out Mount Haleakala.  Dale is such a goof!

It's impossible to tell just how vast this area is.  To give a small clue...from where I was standing to where the clouds touch the land far out there was 7 miles!  Yep pretty crazy how your mind stops computing distance after a few miles...

After the hike around the mountain we headed home for some AWESOME steaks prepared my my darling-Mike!  Did I mention they were AWESOME?!  Then a few friendly games of UNO and watching of the Olympics.

Sadly this is one of the only 2 pictures I got of the swap meet Laura, Christine and I went to saturday morning.  But oh the treasures we found!!!!!  Laura really just came for the Shave Ice :)

We decided to tackle the Road to Hana for the 4th time!  We're not crazy just slightly obsessive :).  These eucalyptus trees or "painted trees" are so amazing!  My camera does no justice to the colors and textures of these trees!

Probably the straightest part of the road...

I get pretty sick in cars and on boats if there's too much direction change so we stopped ALOT to ease the neasuea. No one argued...they didn't dare ha!  I did end up taking a anti-neasuea pill and it totally kicked my butt!  Talk about energy zapper!!! I'm good at muscling through so no one really had their day ruined. The kids found plenty to entertain themselves with like this vine to swing on. Even Gramma got in on the action.

The sign says it all...

Lucky for us there is an abundance of places ready to sell you all the banana bread you can eat. 

 I think we bought 6 loafs between us all!!

One of the sights I had on my list for the trip was this water fall. It's call The 3 Bears.  Dale, Drew, Christine and I hiked down to get a better look at the falls.  AMAZING! 

This is the bridge the cars cross over on...

And then we made it to Hana!  The road to Hana is the best part really. There is so many beautiful things to see and experience along the way. We try to take our time...and do since my stomach says so!

We bbq'd some hawaiian pineapple hot dogs for lunch.  They were so tasty! 

I don't think we had one bad meal the entire time we were there come to think of it!!!

After playing on the black sand beach there in Hana we traveled on to the 7 sacred pools...

We couldn't swim in the pools since they've had a few people loose their lives in flash floods lately.  Just the thought of that is enough to keep me far enough away!

And on the way home we found some Taro fields...Nasty stuff..poi :)