Time for an Update!

Hello All!

I owe each and every one of you a deep and sincere apology for our month + silence!  I am SORRY!!!  We’ve been so BUSY!!!  I will attempt to update you as succinctly as possible….

July…

After enjoying all the festivities in Red Lodge after the 4^th we headed home, crammed in a little work, some biking then rendezvoused with Garrett & Sarah in Chicago….we had a fabulous time seeing the sites, being directed or rather misdirected by Adam, Ryan and Garretts cousin…thanks Adam!  We took in a Cubs game at Wrigley Field, saw a comedy show at the Second City Comedy Club (where many of the SNL greats got their start), ate “real” Chicago pizza at Lou Malnatis Pizzeria (paleo diet…out the door!), explored Millennium Park and were wowed by Adams vocal skills as seen at the Blue Frog Bar & Grill…..suffice it to say…we had a BLAST!  Side note…Chicago was by far the most handicap accessible city/place we’ve been to.  Thank you city of Chicago for making our trip even EASIER! 



94th Floor of the John Hancock Observatory



Wrigley Field!!!

 

"The Bean" & the four musketeers at Millennium Park



July not only brought the glamour of Chicago, but the mud of Billings….I joined fellow gym members and convinced my dear friend Ann to wallow in the mud for the 5k Dirty Dash….we had so much fun….yes…it took days to get all the mud out…of everywhere…too much information?  Enough said….

Will totally do this again!

August….

5 years of wedded bliss rang in on the 11^th….we enjoyed a delicious dinner at the Gallatin River Lodge (thank you Dick & Karen).  Not to get all mushy mushy (I’m the first one turned off by mushy stuff and Ryan is not Mr. Romance) but I have to say that I couldn’t be happier and I couldn’t possibly be luckier…I’m glad the stars aligned, my friends ditched me, I had too much to drink and dancing on a table seemed like a good idea….Mr. Rigard was watching and the rest is history….

5 years of nothing but adventure!

Ryan and I became an Aunt & Uncle….my brother Adam and his wife Diana welcomed the most beautiful, most perfect baby girl whom we were instantly SO in love with.  Aunt Kitten & Uncle Tiger Warrior love you Adriana! 

September….

Finally to the current month and an update that I am SO excited to share with you….guess what Ryan did in 1 hour 29 minutes….????  Finished his first marathon!  Dick, Garrett, Sarah and I cheered and cheered as he crossed the finish line of the Pocatello Marathon this past Saturday the 3^rd.  He did SO great!  Everything went pretty well but we definitely learned some things for next time (which will be the Montana Marathon later this month).  Great job to all the competitors!  You guys and gals are FANTASTIC! 

Almost there...see the proud Dad in the gray jacket?

Watch out Lance...3 wheels are better than 2

 

A little cold and handsome as ever..



The first 4 finishers!!!

Last update….as some of you know, I joined a Crossfit Gym the beginning of February and have absolutely been LOVING it.  On the 17^th I will be doing a workout called Fight Gone Bad…it is a Fundraiser for Special Operations Warrior Foundation (Green Berets, 75^th Ranger Regiment, 160^th Aviation Regiment, Small Boat Teams, Navy Seals, Air Force Combat Controllers, Marine Corps, etc.), Camp Patriot (for disabled veterans) and the Infant Swimming Resource.  If you feel so inclined to donate or want to learn more, please visit my fundraising page at the following link.  

I think I’ve said enough….at least for now…again, sorry I’ve been such a slacker blogger….summer is short here in Montana and we’ve been enjoying each and every moment on the go and outside that we can….hope you all are well!

Jenn

5th Annual Ryan Rigard Golf Outing

Hello again!

Well I'm on call for work right now....putting me on a short leash from the house but providing me with ample time to do all the updates on this blog that I need to....what luck for all of us!

Last post, I alluded to the 4th of July and the Ryan Rigard Golf Outing...since we're still waiting on the few pictures from my Mom...this post will focus on the golf outing...

How It All Began...

Ryan was injured September 15, 2006....shortly after his accident Laurie McDonald, Tim Holland, Jay Barber, Kathy Egan and others from Rich's (Ryans Dad) office approached Rich with the idea of of having a golf tournament to assist our situation financially.  The first year all the funds raised went to help with Ryans medical expenses.  Since that second year, all the funds raised have gone to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation to aide in spinal cord research.

Each year more and more golfers have come out and more and more donations have been generously given.  Last year the tournament raised $10,416.00...the most it ever has.  Putting on a show this big is a ton of work so if you like to volunteer...we'll take all the help we can get...check out the flyer below for other ways to get involved.

Ryan and I have yet to make it back to Pennsylvania to join in the festivities though we have Skyped a couple of times...it is evident how much fun you guys are having...keep it up!

We are always so touched to see all of the participants who have dedicated their day to supporting this cause...we thank you all so much for your generosity and kindness these last 5 years...each one of you helps us to continue putting one foot and one hand in front of the other...you help fill our bucket of strength and determination that we carry with us everywhere we go...from the depths of our hearts and the depths of our souls we thank you.

I'm including the golf flyer that is put together every year which includes the annual update that Ryan always writes...if you feel so inclined...grab a club, grab a cart and join in the fun...I am certain you will not be disappointed!



The bike is here!!!

Good morning!

I have SO much to update you all on that I fear it may take multiple posts to do it….for any of you who truly know me…I am borderline neurotic when it comes to organizing things….that includes blog posts…scary I know…

First off, I had wanted to share a puppy picture with you…not our puppy, but my super great and amazing friend Amy and her husband became proud puppy parents not too long ago…I promised I’d post his picture after Harley and Bear got to meet one another….Harley wasn’t quite sure what to do at first but by the end of the visit they both had soggy, crusty heads and were tired and panting….thanks for visiting us! 

Two tired pups!

Next up would be the long awaited news about…..drum roll please…..Ryans new BIKE!!!  It came last Tuesday and sadly we were too busy to get out for a ride until this past weekend.  Let’s just say it’s cool and sleek and my legs have a heck of a time keeping up with Mr. Rigards arms!  I clocked him at 30mph….he was coasting and I was peddling as hard as I could in my lowest gear!  We may need to invest in additional protective equipment….for both of us…. J 

He says the bike is comfortable and really fun....but different…he says it feels like he’s using different muscles and that will just take some getting used to.  He lays down a lot lower on this bike compared to his old one….we both thought the getting on and off would be more of a challenge, but as with everything…he makes it look effortless and easy….I do help but I know he could do it all on his own, no problem. 

We biked in Red Lodge this weekend…I’ll fill you in on all the 4^th of July shenanigans in the next post…that was a shorter ride…it was REALLY hot and I think we both wanted the maiden voyage to be short…make sure he wouldn’t have a sore neck or that his positioning in generally wasn’t going to be problematic.

We got out last night after Ryan got home from work….we took out both handcycles…Ryan on the new one and I manning the old one….we both thought it may be a short little jaunt…(I usually wreck into parked objects or get stuck in gravel when I get on his bike to dink around)….lets just say I was a little leery of getting the thing out into moving traffic.  God must have spared a few angels to watch out for us…as He always does and off we went.  We rode one of our regular loops from the house…a grand total of 9 miles and we had a blast!  It was really, really fun…I told Ryan I’d be interested in riding handcycles on any of the flatter rides we do….

Check out the pictures…I’ll do another post about the 4^th…I need to get some pics from my Mom….we forgot the memory card for our camera….I was so proud that we remembered the camera….apparently I need to remember all the pieces and parts as well!  So…stay tuned for the next episode of Rigarding Our Adventure….featuring 4^th of July and information about the Ryan Rigard Golf Outing!

I call him....Knight Rider

A boy and his dog.

Mr. Muscles

Another chilly weekend

Hello everyone!  Hope you all have been doing well and that June is off to a great start...not a whole lot new to update you on....I've been working, Ryan's been working, we've been trying to bike as much as the weather will allow....Ryans new bike ships today...yeah!....so it should be here next week...both the rides with Eaglemount were cancelled this week due to rain and wind.  We are both VERY ready for some warm weather and sunshine.  It's good for the soul you know....Harley doesn't appreciate being kept indoors either...he gets very bored and gives me those puppy dog eyes...which very easily fill me with guilt....

So, to get out of the house and go do something despite the weather, we headed to Luther this past weekend in honor of Ryans upcoming birthday and Fathers day for my Dad...Dad and Ryan took a drive up the Beartooth Highway to check out the snow drifts....the pictures I'll attach don't have a point of reference, but if you so choose to believe Mr. Rigard he did say they were probably 15-20' high....brrr...Mom and I stayed home and worked on a surprise...which I'll fill you all in after next week....we ate a delicious halibut dinner...halibut caught by none other than my Dad....yum....my parents recently vacationed in Alaska and were generous enough to share the yummy catch!  Thanks you two!  Saturday evening, we headed into Red Lodge to listen to 10 Foot Tall & 80 Proof at Red Lodge Ales, the local brewery...it good cooler and cooler as the night came on so we headed to Bridge Creek for a nightcap then headed home...

On our way home we stopped in Big Timber and returned a race chair Ryan had borrowed from a friend....he tried it out and I think would have enjoyed it more if it had, had a brake and definitely if he'd had some instruction....he thought it would be a good way to train....he has ambitions of competing in a triathlon at some point...but it just wasn't working out....it was difficult to get into and out of with my assistance so it would have been difficult to get in and out of alone....he is totally independent with his handcycle which of course is more appealing to him....who knows...glad he tried it...we'll pursue it again should it come up....no rush to figure it out by any means...

We managed to get in a short bike ride (10 miles) when we got back to the house....we no sooner pulled into the garage after the ride and the rain/hail started.  We were both quite glad to not have gotten caught in it....Ryan kept a great pace the whole time and we've decided that he should start doing sprints on the handcycle....so next time we can get out together that's the plan....

It took Harles 2 days to recover from his weekend of fun at Grandmas house....my parents have 2 Airedales who are crazy dogs and they were also watching my brothers black lab mutt, Zuke...so 4 of them running around was quite the circus act...

Enjoy the pics and have a great rest of the week....one more thing....I may have mentioned it in the last post, but if I didn't....I set up a feature on this blog (at the top of the page, under the blog title) that you can sign up to receive an email whenever I write a new post....it is very easy....you just click on the link, enter your email address and then you have to open the email it sends you to confirm....then you should receive an email anytime I write....thanks for all of you who check the site!

More later!

Jenny

Greetings All!

Snow on the Beartooth Highway

Looking across the valley from Vista Pointe, Beartooth Highway

May I introduce from L to R....Gus, Harley, Zuke & Lizzie...the motley crew

Out of order, but I thought I'd say "Cheers"!

Memorial Day

Good morning everyone!

Hope you've all been well since we last chatted....Ryan, Harley and I are well...keeping busy as usual...we're both working a bunch....we're trying to bike as much as we can but the weather is making this enjoyable activity difficult to partake in....rain and snow...yes...snow...are still dominating our weather as of late...we did make it for a ride with Eaglemount yesterday evening which was very nice...it was the longest ride so far 14.25 miles and the biggest group of riders so far....5 handcyclists...the more the merrier...the crowd always grows as the weather improves....I'm certain the distance will length as well once Ryan gets his new bike in the next week or so....he's very excited...I'll definitely keep you informed about all that!

Garrett & Sarah came up this past weekend which was fabulous.  It was so great to see them....it had been WAY too long!  We celebrated Garretts bday early...ate dinner out, met friends for drinks, went to a movie, went on a drive, played Wii and laughed a ton.  Thanks you guys for coming.  It was great to see you!

The gang and the snow...at least Harley loved it

It really is the end of May...



  

Are we on to something?

Good morning!

Short post this morning, but I wanted to share this link with you all....let me preface this with saying....Ryan and I have had many, many conversations over the last 5 years about our situation and whether or not walking again is in the future or not....although walking again would be a remarkable and miraculous climax to this journey....we have always tried to be realistic and come to terms with how things are for us, right now.  Settling into a "new normal" doesn't have to be permanent, but I think there has to be a good solid check in with reality so one can get through their day and not be disappointed that things didn't change when you crawl into bed at night.  This concept is not unique to our situation and if you've ever had to deal with an obstacle in your life that was less than ideal, you know, at least to an extent, what I'm talking about. 

So....although we've come to terms (on most days) with how things are (for right now)...that doesn't mean we don't still have hope that things could change...if not for Ryan and "us" but for the other and future paraplegic/quadriplegics out there. 

This breakthrough in research is amazing...hats off and thank you to all of those people out there who are working for advances, breakthroughs, changes and making financial contributions to make things like this possible.  None of us know what's in store...we must live each day as best we can...with optimism, a smile and a rooted belief that anything is possible.  Just like I never imagined Ryan and I would be in this situation....I cannot imagine what the future may hold for us.  Our proverbial glass is well over halfway full.  Thanks for helping us get there.

SCI Breakthrough at Christopher and Dana Reeve
Another article

Our wild weekend

HELLO!

How are all of you?  We hope you're coming up with some fun summer plans and enjoying the start of warmer weather!  We've seen the sunlight a little more in the last few days but the gusty winds have made it difficult to be outside...Harley is a big dog yet I've still contemplated getting him a jacket and loading the pockets with rocks....the things we do for our children :)

Enough about the weather, let me update you on our wild weekend in Great Falls, MT...

Two summers ago I was able to take part in a nursing internship in Butte, MT.  There were only nine of us, but for 10 weeks we lived in close quarters, spent almost every moment together thus becoming close, quickly.  One of the girls in the group was getting married this weekend...in Great Falls...so off we drove...

We left Saturday afternoon....Harley had a puppy sleepover at our friends John and Ann's house...he was exhausted last night...evidence that he had a GREAT time....thanks you two for watching him!

It takes close to three hours to get there...I love getting in the car with Ryan and embarking on an adventure...some of the best memories I have of our relationship in its earlier years are of packing the car, driving and enjoying the wind in our hair...I'm so thankful this ultimately hasn't changed...after Ryan was injured there were times that packing the car was not enjoyable.  We had so much more stuff to pack, there was figuring out where we could/couldn't stay and there was the actual job of packing the car.  Wasn't that a boy job?  I did not love that it was now largely my responsibility...it was a job I wanted to give back to Ryan and one he desperately wanted to TAKE back.  So fast forward to the current road trip adventures...we've learned how to pack light and pack fast.  We know we can make any overnight accommodations work, whether or not they're ideal and I no longer mind packing the car.  In fact, packing the car clicks well with my self diagnosed OCD...I can fit all the bags in just the right spots...and packing the car makes me feel tough...girls CAN definitely do boy jobs.  I'm sure Ryan would love to re-assume his old responsibilities, but he makes the best of things and always finds ways to help out when we're getting ready to embark on an adventure...I think we're a damn good team.

Back to Great Falls...the wedding was lovely...short and sweet but lovely all the same...it was fabulous to see a dear friend on her special day...we said our goodbyes after a few hours, checked into our hotel and headed to a much recommended Great Falls hot spot.....The Sip and Dip....what a hilarious place....we sidled up to the bar, ordered up a cocktail and tried to contain our excitement...we were about to see our first, real life mermaid!  Yes, I said it MERMAID!  The wall behind the bar has two large windows that look into a pool...a beautiful mermaid swims past the window, swims through hoops, waves, smiles and poses for pictures...if ANY of you are EVER in Great Falls, MT I highly recommend checking this venue out...if the mermaid wasn't enough, our ears were entertained by the likes of "Piano Pat"....a lovely old gal singing her heart out as her fingers tap dance across the keys of her organ.

Needless to say, we had a great time on our 24 hour adventure....we made it back home, collected our doggie and ended up on the couch...no we are not old, but we don't bounce back like we used to...we watched a fun/heartwarming flick, Legendary, had a miss mash dinner and turned in early.

Thanks for reading, have a great week and enjoy the photos!


The Mermaid!



Knowing no one but the bride, we entertained ourselves with the infamous iPhone.

  

Kind of a hunky chauffeur...



So much to sniff....so little time...

You called?



Quite the trailblazer at the dog park.



Harley says hello...

Good morning everyone!

It's been a long/busy week since I've written to you...not much interesting news to update you all on...just busy, regular old life stuff...but there are definitely times in my life that I can honestly say I appreciate the routine, mundane activities that make up my day.  You can count on days like this...sometimes "uneventful" is just perfect.  Does anyone agree?  Last week was full of work for Ryan, dinner at night, exercising me, exercising the dog, going to the store, cleaning the house, working the weekend at the hospital....gag if you want after this next comment, but it has to be made...no matter how ordinary my day may be...I ALWAYS look forward to Mr. Rigard coming home at night, sitting at the table, talking about our day, making plans and just being together....I hope each of you has something like that to look forward to in your day. 

We did have our friends John and Ann over for dinner last Wednesday night...I tried out a few new "Paleo" recipes on them...overall it was good...the recipes were very yummy...next time I would perfect the appearance of the meal....hence the reason I'm not sharing any pictures with you today!  Ha ha.  We dined on:  Salisbury Steak, Garlic & Herb Mashed Cauliflower, Bacon & Dill Sweet Potato Salad and Thumbprint Cookies (with medjool date filling) for dessert.  Definitely recipes worth checking out!

Just got back from the gym...it was a grueling workout today...worth it in all ways...but grueling all the same...now that my head is cleared from the weekend at work, I feel able to reflect...I guess I'm feeling "very deep" and "philosophical" today...don't we usually only get this way after one too many beers?  Not that, that's every happened to me or you before...right?  Anyway....I recently took care of a patient who is very, very sick and it struck me how she had only 1 visitor in all the time I cared for her...it made me want to spend more time in her room, doing the little things...even if we weren't having thoughtful conversation, at least I felt I could offer her my physical presence if nothing else...it made me sad and it made me want you all to know that Ryan and I will NEVER stop appreciating all of you and your presence in our lives...in good times and especially during the bad ones...when there aren't the right words to speak, thank you all for just BEING THERE. 

To end on a light note....as I promised....Harley says hello...

My canine philosophical genius...he's the one pondering something deep...

Cloudy with a chance of....snow

Hello everyone!

Well, we made it out for a bike ride...the roads were dry but the clouds came and went...often blocking the warm sunshine we were craving...it was nice to get out together despite the fickle weather.  Ryan tried out his friend Neal's "Force R" handcycle...Ryan applied for and was awarded a grant from the Challenged Athletes Foundation...he's putting it towards a much needed and upgraded handcycle.  The one he's getting is a used "Force R" (see link for a description) but will still be a year newer than the one he rode yesterday.  He was significantly quicker (I stopped to take these pictures and couldn't catch back up to him) which, pun intended, got the gears turning about entering in some races this summer.  I will definately keep you posted on that...

Almost peeling out!

Biking Headwaters State Park near Three Forks, MT

I couldn't catch him at 20 mph!

 
Today was a lazy day...it snowed, then would get nice, then would get cold, then would get windy, then nice again....oh spring time in Montana.  Harley enjoyed a romp at the dog park and we organized the garage...now to get things ready for the work week...Check out some of the yummy things we ate today...guess I wasn't so lazy we didn't eat well :)

Bacon, coconut milk with pureed strawberries, avocado and egg muffins...
yummy breakfast!

Tuna salad with homemade mayo and guacamole on lettuce for dinner.

Presentation is everything...now that I've braved posting some food pictures I hope to make them LOOK beautiful and delicious...check out these links and the blogs that I follow...such yummy, easy, healthy meals! 

Till next time...have a fabulous week everyone!

A visit from my Mom!

Greetings...

Thought I'd update the blog while I had a minute or two....my Mom just left and I'm a bit sad....we had SO much fun together this weekend!  I wanted to document the entire visit but I, as usual, got sidetracked and only took a few photos...but for whoever is interested...here's what we did....coffee, I got a haircut (whoa is it short...), Harley went to the dog park, we visited a couple of local quilt shops (Mom and I are both fabric junkies so we had to check out the Montana Shop Hop).  We didn't do too much damage...and thanks to the snow (we weren't thankful at the time) we were stuck indoors yesterday afternoon so we made an apron and an oven mit which turned out super cute!  Ryan was more than happy to go out for a drink with the guys last night as the house had thread, needles and fabric flying all over the place...

Changing directions now...I've been working out Crossfit Bozeman and have been experimenting with making changes to my diet, Ryan is also eating this way...by default....so a couple of yummy things we ate this weekend were:  eggs in various forms, Pecan Crusted Chicken with roasted carrots and sauteed mushrooms & onions, Asian Pork Lettuce Wraps (I used chicken b/c that's what I had) and a treat last night of Laura's Amazing Cookies.  Everything was DELICIOUS!!!  Props the cooks who created these recipes...they're great and they're inspiring me to enjoy food, my kitchen and now my fabulous martini apron!  Thanks!

Thoughful or pained expression?  I'm not sure...

What a cute Mimsy with her latte.

Apron, oven mit, snow...we made the best of the weather...

More later...time for lunch...and then we're attempting a bike ride if the roads are cleared of snow....

Easter Weekend

Hello everyone!  Hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend and were able to enjoy it with family, friends and fun activities.  I unfortunately had to work all weekend but Ryan played enough for the both of us...he enjoyed one last ski outing in Big Sky for the season.  To see his smile, bit of a sunburn and watch his weary movements...it was obvious the season went out with a bang. 

Next on the list (Ryans gears are always turning)...is biking.  As he left this morning for work he said, "well, if the weather stays nice maybe we can go for a short bike ride tonight."  I'm thankful everyday for how hard it is to keep up with Mr. Rigard.  Fortunately there really are some things that never change.

The skiing pictures below aren't from this weekend but I thought you all would enjoy them anyway...the biking pictures are from some of last summers adventures.  Hope you all have a fantastic day!

P.S.  Mom, thanks for asking, the Creamy Tomato Soup turned out delicious...Ryan quite enjoyed it as well...you should probably check it out!



Skiing Bridger Bowl near Bozeman, MT




Skiing Bridger Bowl near Bozeman, MT




Biking the Beartooth Highway near Red Lodge, MT




Biking Jackson Creek Road near Bozeman, MT



4 years and 8 months....roughly

Can anyone else believe it's been that long?  I can and I can't.  Sometimes that whole horrible accident seems as fresh as the day it happened and other times, maybe when I choose to not go there in my brain it seems farther away and adequately fuzzy.  I have learned that part of moving onward and upward isn't about dwelling on things of the past and trying to have "why" questions answered....so for whoever is interested...I'll tell you what onward and upward types of things we've attempted, achieved and are still working towards in the last couple of years...

Ryan got back to work rather quickly and works full time (clarification for anyone who thinks he stays home all day) as a Project Manager at Premier Building Systems.  His co-workers and manager are fantastic...if any of you are reading this...thanks so much for things like cleaning off the car in the winter...

I got back to school and completed my BSN in Nursing last May.  Now that's one where I can't believe an entire year has elapsed already.  I passed my boards (not without destruction to my families nerves...I was kind of a wreck) and started working at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital last August.  I am currently working days on the surgical floor (not in surgery but where you would be admitted to for a few days following a surgery) and am loving it!  What a relief to know that after all that school I picked the right thing!

Ryan spends the winters skiing (I cannot be convinced to join him...what a scrooge, I know), we do a ton of bicycling in the summer.  I have entered in and completed quite a few running events (usually with one or both of the Rigard boys as a sidekick...thank you Dick and Garrett for encouraging me along).  Most recently, my brother joined Dick and I in the Run To The Pub and we had a blast.  The more the merrier! 

We bought a house a couple of years ago and are SO happy to have our little slice of the American dream.  We are in a new/quiet neighborhood with fabulous neighbors.  Thank you Dale for always clearing our sidewalks, mowing our grass and putting the trash out! 

We've done a fair amount of traveling both together as well as solo.  Ryan has flown across the country alone and driven to Washington state as a solo motorist.  His fearlessness makes me proud.  Trips to PA and NY have eased us back into traveling and figuring things out on the spur of the moment.  These trips and throwing ourselves into somewhat unknown situations have helped us become better at asking for help.  Superman is still Superman but Pittbull isn't quite as out of hand as she used to be...only when it's called for or when I haven't eaten in awhile :)

Speaking of which...I must sign off for now, this is getting to be a bit wordy anyway....time to eat, take Harley (my pride and joy of a golden retriever) to the dog park then head off to the gym.  Take care and we'll chat again really soon!

Jenn