Season ends 10-1

The basketball team won 10 and lost 1 this season!  That puts them into the championships as the #1 seed.  Only 8 of the 30 teams play in this tournament.

I love this pic!  That is Grace's friend with the ball and she and Grace think they are BEASTS on the court (and everywhere else!) - so I call this pic "Beast with the Ball and the Back up Beast!"

Just bad timing!

Got a text from Drew this morning saying that a fire alarm had gone off at school and the whole school was standing out in the pouring rain --right at the time of the heaviest period of rain!  Sounds like they were out in the rain for about 30 minutes before the fire department gave the all clear.

After a lot of back and forth, they decided to cancel the high school because the kids were sopping wet.  The junior high decided to stay in session but have all the kids put on their PE clothes.

TNDC Meatloaf Nite

Meatloaf nite at TNDC was a big success.  On the menu:

Meatloaf (and a chicken in case we did not have enough)
Cheesey mashed potatoes
Scalloped potatoes
Candied carrots
Parsnips
Salad
Crack toffee
Snickerdoodles and Chocolate Chip cookies

I have to say that the funniest story of the nite was Tina telling the story of Grandma Anna doing the limbo to get thru a fenced area after the football game last weekend!

New panarama feature on my new iphone

Injury Update from Play off Game

During the CCS play off game on Saturday, a player on the other team was hit during a play that led to an interception and was left laying on the field after the play ended.  The game was delayed while an ambulance and fire truck responded with him eventually being taken off the field on a stretcher with a spinal fracture and mild concussion.  The fracture, thankfully, is also minor and will only require him to wear a neck brace for the next 6 weeks before being re-evaluated.  During the delay in the game, our players knelt in prayer for the injured player and our staff assisted in anyway they could.  

Below is a thank you from the hurt players principal (get your hanky out):

 

 VALLEY CHRISTIAN AND SOBRATO

TRUSTWORTHINESS, CARING, RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, CITIZENSHIP

With about 2:30 left in the contest, one of our players, JoJo Nunn,  went down from a hit.  Your trainer and her staff raced to our player's side and met the trainer from our side at the player.  She immediately took command of the area and ensured that JoJo's neck was stabilized and that he would not be moving.
 
She could have very easily just stepped back and let our trainer take the lead, but what comes across as genuine concern and care for all athletes would not let her do that! She remained by JoJo's side until EMS arrived on the scene.  Her staff…also remained supporting JoJo's neck until they were relieved by EMS.  I can not even begin to convey to you the level of professionalism they displayed and how they maintained a calm atmosphere which allowed the rest of us to work. 

Coach Machado!!!! WOW! Again, provided such genuine concern and care for our player.  He could have easily stepped back and just let our coaches, athletic trainer, PD, and EMS be involved.  But, Coach Machado stepped right in there, and spoke to JoJo with true concern.  He reassured JoJo, and let him know that he played a tremendous game, but what was more important than the game was JoJo's health. He let JoJo know, that every single one of his coaches and players respected the outstanding effort JoJo had put forth on the field that night and every game.  Knowing JoJo, I am sure that helped him be reassured and allowed him to relax a little bit. 

Once EMS was on the field and took over, your trainer stepped it up a notch!  She went over to JoJo's mom and explained the reason for her feeling to call over the ambulance.  She did it with such care!  She was so compassionate to JoJo's mom, and listened to a little bit of JoJo's story.  It looked like she had to hold back tears as JoJo's mom began to cry out of concern for her son.  She held on to JoJo's mom and let her know that the best thing for JoJo is to go to the hospital and get a thorough check up.  

I was proud to be on the field, standing next to such caring adults that exemplify the true meaning of "Pursuing Victory with Honor".
 
You should be proud and I commend you on assembling such a positive staff!
 
Please forward my thoughts to your Athletic Trainer.  

Kevin Miller , Assistant Principal, Sobrato High School

Leaf Heart

Grace has been more and more interested in photography.  This is a pic she took at the cabin this weekend!

Kashi Go Lean

HOLY MOLY - I just tried Kashi Go Lean cereal and it is so crunchy I was worried about breaking a tooth!  But it was quite yummy with a banana sliced on top. 

Xmas 2012

Ready for xmas already!  Lights up on the house and tree up inside.  Even got a jump on some xmas cookies and made some crack toffee!

10 gallon dog in 5 gallon bed

There were 4 dogs in the tiny cabin at Thanksgiving:  Gigi, Pepper, Daisy and Ahi.  And apparently there were not enough beds - this is Gigi laying in Peppers bed!  I don't think Pepper laid in it once because everyone else was always hogging it!

Wrestle

Look close - this is Ahi and Murray wrestling!  Ahi is between Murray's front paws- on her back, biting his face!

CCS Football

A quick football update - Drew's team has won their first 2 CCS games, so they play next Saturday for the championship!

Pierogis

When we were at the cabin for Thanksgiving, we started a new tradition - pierogi making!  The kids and I have been making them around xmas time but this time we added Sam, Jack and Mimi as manpower and they were AWESOME!  And they loved them!

For more on pierogis:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierogi

Book Review - Far from the Tree

I am currently reading a fascinating book call Far From the Tree by Andrew Solomon.  It is about families whose children who are significantly different from themselves.  The author chose to focus on the differences of:

Dwarfism
Autism
Significantly diasabled
Schizophrenia
Criminals

The book details the lives of these families, how they cope and how others treat them.

It should be a required book in school to teach tolerance, acceptance and empathy.

The resounding messages that I have learned so far is:

That these families are better, deeper and more understanding than the "normal family" and that they focus on what really matters in life - the joys.

That we need to worry less about our "average kids" because they are going to be fine no matter what we do.

This is really a great book and I would highly recommend it.  But don't go in thinking it is an easy read - it will make you think and grow....and feel uncomfortable at times.

Handsome Murray

LOVE this pic of Murray!

Blood Donor

Last Friday morning, I received an email from the local blood bank saying they had a critical shortage of o negative blood and wanted me to give. 

Normally, I only give blood at work because it just takes too much time to drive across town and give blood somewhere else.  But I got the guilts thinking I was making a decision to do yoga at lunch instead of give blood when there was such a shortage.

So I called and got an appointment for lunchtime and made the trip there in the rain.  Sitting there afterwards and seeing a bag full of my healthy blood made me sure that I made the right decision.  I hope whoever gets it likes it!

Murray Teresa

Farrah, (the lady who brought Murray to the US (from Iran)) and one of her financial supports came by to see Murray this weekend.  He was with us because his other parents are in Disneyland.   She took these great pics of him and posted them on Facebook.

Family Crab Nite

Jim went crabbing yesterday so we had my folks and Jim's Dad over for dinner (Jim's mom was at an event and couldn't make it).  Ry and Zak also joined us.  It was a feast worthy of Thanksgiving!

TNDC Thanksgiving - 2012

We had an awesome Thanksgiving edition of TNDC last nite complete with turkey, honey baked ham, green bean casserole, corn casserole, stuffing, potatoes, spinach salad, brussel sprouts, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, cranberry upside down cake and chocolate-orange pie!  It was truly a feast!

And because we are so fortunate and thankful, we all brought extra food that I will take to the Food Bank this weekend.....including 2 turkeys!

At one point, I just stepped back and watched all the people laughing, chatting, smiling and thought...."I love all these folks!"  What a wonderful, supportive, loving community we have all developed.

And a special shout out to our special guests:  Nick, Zak and Tracy and Tia Tracy!

Game 8

Still undefeated.  Won game 8 with a score of 41 to 26.  I don't have any pics because I missed most of the game helping with Grace's friend, Ry, who was hurt.  She had pain in the back of her leg that started spontaneously during the game - not fall, no collision, etc.  After getting a trainer to look at her at school, her mom took her to the ER and she was diagnosed with a glutteal tear and needs to be on crutches for a week or so.  You can imagine the jokes...."she blew her butt muscle..."

The funniest part will be hearing the stories of how Ry's 3 dopey buddies help her get around a 4 story school!  Stay tuned for that!

Game 7

Game 7 was a win - 40 to 2.  The other team was trying really hard but just could not get it in the basket.

New Bowl

Check out my cute new bowl!

Brrrr

First day of the season that Ahi needed her jacket for a walk.  She was happy to be warm.

Rescued Dogs

My friend Renee just adopted a rescued puppy.  It is a long story but the basics are the puppy was given up to a shelter that kills pups that don't come in with their mother.  So Renee's relative rescued her pup and the pup's sibling.  And then Renee got the pup and named her "Stella".

Stella

Stella came to them with a little virus that gave her the sniffles and then she gave it to their other dog, Buddy.

That got me thinking.  Often rescued dogs come with some sort of illness because of their background or just from being in a shelter.  Murray came with a terrible intestinal issue that required antibiotics.

Then I started thinking about Ahi.  She didn't come with any illnesses.....just stupidity!  At least Murray and Stella can be fixed up with antibiotics.  Stupidity in a chiweenie is lifelong!

Ahi

Trouble in Chubby Town

I have shared with you how great it is to have free food at work.  Not so much from the perspective of it being free but more from the perspective that you can get whatever you want.  Which means I go from station to station and get at the veggies.  Like today, I got a tostada and then got all fired up on my way out to see a pan full of green beans.  So I left with a tostada and a pile of green beans.

That is all well and good because I have been careful at lunch and breakfast to choose only healthy options and of a quantity that is reasonable.

But....today I came in and they changed all the coffee areas in the buildings (one on each floor) and they now have a whole double wide industrial refrigerator full of snacks and drinks and a 6 foot tall shelf full of snacks.  So now I can choose from fruit, yogurt, pudding, veggies, nuts, chips, turkey jerkey, raisins, power bars, granola bars, cereal, etc.   All without even leaving my floor.

So far all I have had is a bowl of cheerios with a banana and skim milk.  But we all know that I will probably break down by 3:30 today and go rummaging around for a snack.

Master Bath at the Cabin

Jim spent the weekend at the cabin finishing the master bath remodel.  It looks pretty good for a cabin bathroom - especially one that is so tiny.  Can't wait to see it in person.

Cabin Nov 2012

Jim is up at the cabin finishing up the master bath and this was a pic from early this morning!  The kids and I are so bitter that we are not there!  But today we have a meeting with an SAT tutor, soccer at 11 and lacrosse at 1. 

Junior Year Football

Today was the last league game of the season.  Drew got some good playing time and they won 45 to 0.  That means they move on to Championships.  First game is this Friday.  I love the pic of Drew next to his Dad and his Grandpa, but the one that I REALLY love is him with me....it reminds me of pics of me standing next to Jim in his football uniform!  Time goes so fast. Someday there might be a pic of me next to my grandson in his football uniform!

Breakfast for Dinner TNDC

Just when you think TNDC could not be more goofy, it does!  Last nite was breakfast for dinner edition. 

First, we have a spread that was crazy:  quiche, eggs benedict, fruit, little boxes of cereal, chocolate chip pancakes, crepes and bacon.  And of course, they added breakfast drinks:  brandy alexanders, mimosas and beer!

Then, everyone shows up in their jammies.

Then, Mr Screwtop goes to pick up his kid at a Christian school wearing his "Beer Prayer T-shirt":

Then three 16 year old boys start playing indoor "on your knees" football with a 10 year old.  It was HILARIOUS to watch!

Then someone gets the bright idea that they could do handstands....and that lead to a whole set of TNDC circus tricks:  walking on hands, somersaults, headstand to handstands....

By then, it was time to go home before anyone got hurt!

Game 6

Win!  42 to 21....or something like that!  Undefeated.

Strawberry Pie

It's a keeper!


1 pie crust

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup of flour
6 tablespoons butter softened

4 cups of strawberries cleaned and cut in half
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup of flour
1 tablespoon of cornstarch

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place a drip pan on lowest shelf to catch pie juices.
2. To Make Topping: In a medium bowl, mix until fluffy the 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour and butter.
3. Place cleaned strawberries in a deep bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup flour, and cornstarch. Gently coat berries with this mixture; be careful not to crush berries.
4. Pour berries into prepared pie crust mounding them in the middle; mounding is necessary as the berries will sink as they bake.  If there is flour/cornstarch/sugar mixture in bottom of bowl, don't dumb into pie - it will make a gooey gel at the bottom of the pie. Cover berries with crumb topping and top crumbs. Wrap edges of pie crust with foil to prevent burning.
5. Bake pie in preheated oven for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and bake for an additional 40 minutes. When there are 10 minutes left of baking, sprinkle a little extra sugar over crumb topping and then finish baking.

Strawberry Pie

Made a new pie tonite - strawberry.  I have never had a cooked strawberry pie.  It has a crumb type top.  Will post a review after everyone tastes it.

Basketball - game 5

Wow - what a nail biter!  VC won 28 to 27!  This was the first league game.

2012 Crab - Opening Weekend

Jim reported that the 2012 opening weekend of crab season was the best ever.  They got hundreds of crab!

Last nite we had crab dinner to celebrate the haul.

New Gear

Everyone knows how much our family loves new gear:  new sporting gear, new fishing gear, new backpacking gear....  But we also love new kitchen gear.  I went on a little spending spree and bought some new kitchen utensils.  The second one from the left is a fluffy egg scrambler.  And the pink tongs in the middle have a pig on them!   Can't wait to make some scrambled eggs on Tuesday morning!

Lettuce Head

A nite out with Marty is not complete until he does something goofy....like wear the leftover lettuce from an order of lettuce wraps on his head.  The artists in the group named this picture "Cabbage Patch Chach".

Sanborn Park Hike - part 2

Marty and I went for another hike this morning at Sanborn Park.  This was a new trail that we had never been on.  We weren't able to cover the whole trail because Marty had to go to work but we were able to hike for about an hour and a half.  After about a half to three quarters of a mile straight up, it was a nice flat, tree covered trail. 

There is nothing like a hike to make the dogs tired for the rest of the day.  This is a pic of Ahi smushed between two pillows and two blankets on the couch.

Sushi Lunch

Made a little home made sushi for lunch today.  This is about 25 dollars worth of sushi if I went out and had it at a restaurant.  It looked good and tasted yummy.....after I recovered from the burned throat that I got from way too much wasabi on the first piece.  It's two hours later and I am still coughing!

Another day...another forgotten article of clothing

Today I forgot my socks to wear with my boots. 

So I was slipping around in my boots and waiting for the company store to open so I could buy yet another pair of company branded socks. 

Then I run into a coworker who has an extra pair of socks --  Yippee!  She is an awesome coworker.  I once borrowed her boots for a business meeting because I had forgotten my shoes that day!

TNDC Wig Nite

Dude....

What would Shade's parents think?

Last nite was TNDC wig nite.  All attending had to wear a wig.  Luckily it was the day after Halloween and we got a bunch of clearance wigs.

Jim's hair was called "naughty goth.  Doug's was just creepy!

These guys look like they should be in the freak circus!

Or....people already owned random wigs.  Because you never know when you might need one.

Next up...TNDC cape night!

Mike wins the most likely to look like an 80's porn star award

These guys take the grand prize!

A family that wears wigs together....

Marty wins the prize for unique wigs....its a mop!

Basektball Update

One more win under their belts!   The won yesterday 42 to 25.  Next week the team starts league play and will begin their quest for a League Championship 3 years in a row.

Basketball update

Just a quick update on Grace's basketball team.  They have all three games so far. 

Scores:

33 to 13
45 to 9
41 to 19

The next game is today and we think the competition will be a little stronger.  Or maybe even a lot stronger.  

Boyfriend Jeans

Check out my new jeans from Eddie Bauer.  You can't tell in this pic but they have a really cute flower patch on the knee.  They are so comfy.

Halloween Haul

Look how freaky Grace and Daisy's eyes are after organizing the Halloween haul!  Must be the sugar high.  I loved that Daisy had a Kit Kat between her front paws.  She actually shows no interest in the candy.  It sat on the coffee table all nite right next to wear she slept and she didn't bother it.

Chipped

Look at my beautiful toes with a giant chip on my big toe.  My giant, big footed son stepped on and dragged his foot across the tip of my toes last nite....and he had his shoes on.  OUCH!