A Christmas Eve Visit From. . . the Tooth Fairy?

 

 

Yep, it was Grand Central Station at our house on Christmas Eve.  Lane got a visit from not only Santa, but the Tooth Fairy, as well.  (I bet not many kids get to say that!) 

We’re not sure exactly what caused the tooth to fall out – it hadn’t been very loose, and there was blood involved.  But, Lane came up all smiles and the dentist had told us that it was time to start “wiggling” those teeth anyway.

I think the Tooth Fairy was in the Christmas spirit because not only did she leave $5 (more than normal), but she left the tooth, too!

City Champs!

Ian’s Hillwood Soccer team, the Knights, won Seattle’s City Tournament yesterday morning.

It was a nail-biter from start to finish.  I arrived late (as has been lucky for the team. . . yeah, we’ll go with that) and Ian had already scored the first goal of the game.  Bummer to have missed it, but I was glad that we were ahead.

We managed to score another goal, a nice header from Karl, to go up 2-0.  They came back at the end of the first half, to make it a close 2-1 game.  Things got a little dicey when an ill-advised penalty “in the box” gave the other team a penalty kick, and just like that, we’re tied at 2-2.

As time was winding down, we got a free kick off a penalty, and Ian sailed a beautiful ball right into Karl’s spot, where he headed it in for another goal.  It was really cute, because prior to the kick, Ian and Karl made eye-contact and Jacob patted his head with both hands, as if to say, “Right here, Ian, right here.”

It was a total team effort, and a lot of fun to watch!

I Give You The Griswold Family Christmas Tree. . .Oxnevad Style

 

Yes, I admit it, we had a little Clark in us this year when picking out the “perfect” Christmas tree.  We slightly underestimated the size of the tree and overestimated our space.  Had there been windows. . . well, you know the story.

 

The Oxnevad Family Christmas tree is currently undecorated due to lack of time and numerous malfunctioning light strands.  We’re hoping to rectify that before December 24th! 

 

But, it sure smells good! 

 

December Soccer Update

I think I spoke too soon last week when I was complaining about the temperature. . . as this week it got worse.  The boys played a total of 3 games in the low-20’s!   Even my California kid who would wear shorts and flip-flops year-round if I let him (Lane), got too cold and had to sit in the car.   Those hand-warmers can only do so much, but thank goodness Costco sells them in bulk!

 

Tanner’s team lost their 2 games and are out of the tournament.  (Slight sigh of relief from Mom.)

 

Ian’s team won theirs, in an exciting 2-0 win over the only team that had beaten them all year!  The Knights move on to the semi-finals of the City Tournament with a game on Sunday. 

December Soccer

Is it just me, or is something wrong with this concept?  While it seems most have moved on to basketball and other winter (i.e. indoor) sports, we, however, have not. 

The Seattle City Tournament started Monday night for Tanner at 5:30 pm in 40 degree weather.  Granted, it was perfectly clear and not a raindrop (or snowflake) in sight, but it was 40 degrees nonetheless.  It was an exciting game that ended up going to penalty kicks (“PK’s” as the boys would say.)  Normally, the game would end in a tie, but since it is a tournament and all, a winner needs to be declared and on this night it was Tanner’s Hillwood Rockets team.  (Tanner made one of the 4 penalty shots made by his team.  The other team made only 3 of the 5 attempts.)

Tuesday night we did the same thing for Ian’s Hillwood team.  Once again in 40 degree weather (it might have been even colder, as I could not feel my feet by the end of the evening.)  And once again, the game went into PK’s.  And once again, we came out with a victory.  (Ian, however, missed his PK, but his team made 2 to the other team’s 1 of 5.)

Guess what?  We get to do it all again tonight and tomorrow night! 

Soccer in December. . . who would have thought? 

Giving Thanks

We are thankful today for family, friends, football, and five days off! 

Shoot-A-Thon Video

The first ever Thunderbird Select Hoops Shoot-A-Thon was a great success!  Ian and Tanner made 60 and 49 free-throws, respectively, out of 100 attempts.  In doing so, they raised over $100 to support their basketball program.  Thanks for your support!

 

Check it out. . .

 

2009 Shoot-A-Thon

Thunderbird Hoops

Ian and my basketball teams are fundraising by having a Free-Throw Shoot-A-Thon this Friday, November 6.  We have to shoot 100 free-throws and we are trying to collect pledges. You can make a flat $ pledge or a per Free-Throw pledge. If you would like to pledge please reply.  Thank you!
     
                                                                                                  -Tanner

Meridian Park Fun Run

For the second year now, Tanner has been a member of the Running Club at school.  Most mornings, he goes to school one-half hour early to run.  The “season” ends with a Fun Run race between 4 schools.  The races are by grade level, and for the second year now, Tanner has come in second place in his grade.  Great job, Tanner!

 

Just Another Saturday Night

Tanner is recovering from a sleepover the night before. This is a common scene; he is a big fan of the sleepover.

At least we got it right with one kid. . . Lane is doing the dishes.

Thanks to the stool from IKEA!

Friday Night Lights

Tanner and a couple buddies got to be ball boys at the Shorewood High School football game a couple weeks ago.

They stood on the sidelines with the team and took turns running the ball out to the referees.

Unfortunately, Shorewood isn't that good, and as result we didn't have the ball all that much. (The score was 0-27 at half-time.)

Despite the score, what could be better than a high school football game on a Friday night?

Go Thunderbirds!  (Hopefully they'll get better before our boys are in high school. . .)

Bumps or Humps?

Whatever you want to call them; we've got them. . .

After 8 long years, Eric (along with the help a few neighbors) successfully convinced the City of Shoreline to install speed "humps" on our street. 

Aren't they pretty!

Thirteen

I can't possibly be old enough to be the parent of this strapping young man - now a teenager.

But, I am, old enough, and I am, his proud mom.

And, before I embarrass him with words about girls, and zits, and other teenage things; I'll leave it at that.

I am the parent of a teenager.

Dear Lord, please help me.

Halloween Fun

Team Ox Monster Mash

Tanner's Turn

Game 2 for Tanner was held at Washington Park in the Seattle Arboretum.  I haven't driven through that area in a long time; it is so beautiful!  It brought me back to the days of heading from the UW to Hank's in Madison Park.  Hank's, home of the best caesar salad EVER, is no longer there, but the memories remain.

But, I digress. . .back to soccer.

Where's the help when you need it?

Finally, some space.

Final score:  Rockets 0, Red team 1.  Better luck next week, guys.

GOOOOOOAL!!

We're off and running.

Ian played his first soccer game in 3 years, having played football for the past 2.  I guess it's like riding a bike, because he came out swinging, uh, I mean kicking, by scoring the first goal of his team's season, and the game.  

One big difference of playing when you're 13 (well, almost 13 in Ian's case) versus 10, is that they play a "real" soccer regulation game; meaning they play two 45-minute halfs.  And Ian wasn't substituted for the entire game!  He was one tired little cookie.   He says he doesn't miss football one bit. . .

Soccer is Lane's game. 

For some reason, he seems to have embraced it more than baseball - Eric must be brainwashing him somehow.  All kidding aside, soccer is a great sport for kids, and I love how our Hillwood league starts them out.  They play 3-on-3, so they don't just look like swarm of bees running around, and you can actually follow the ball.  The "Cheetah's" were outscored today, but a great time was had by all.

Due to a scheduling confict, Tanner's game was postponed.  He did manage to get a few kicks in though.

Our Fall & Winter Hobby

When parenting magazines say that hobbies are good for kids, do you think they meant Fantasy Football?

According to one on-line article, "a hobby can teach children the skills of management, patience, determination and accomplishment." 

Well then, I would say it fits the bill perfectly.

We have successfully passed on our love (obsession) of Fantasy Football to the next generation.  After more than a decade of Dawgland, the fantasy league we co-founded in 1999, we now have 2 successful seasons of Dawgland Jr under our belts, as well. 

The 3rd season of Dawgland Jr kicked off last night, with the Big Draft - an event anticipated for months (that's the patience part.)

The 10, 11, and 12 year-olds ascended on 2 homes, one in Shoreline, WA and one in Reno, NV, armed with cheat sheets, favorite player lists, bye week lists, etc (the management part).  Some had even stayed up into the wee hours doing research.  (Talk about learning some skills here!)

And after a record-time draft of 1 hour and 10 minutes, the boys are now ready to start making line-up decisions, trades, and waiver moves with the utmost of determination to be crowned champion at the end of a 17-week season.

Good Luck Boys!

Ian and Tanner with their "keepers."  Adrian Peterson for Ian and Chris Johnson for Tanner.

The Shoreline Gang. . . (not pictured, our Boise friend, Alex.)

The Reno contingent.

Week 1 Is In the Books

We all survived the first week back at school.  Here are some thoughts on how it all went. . .

Ian - "You know, having six periods doesn't make it go by any faster."

Lane - "I have 3 new best friends." 
Mom - "What are their names?" 
Lane - "One is long, I don't know the other one, and one is Michelle."

Mom - "Tanner, how was the first week of school?"
Tanner - "I don't know." 
Mom - "You don't have anything to say about fifth grade?"
Tanner - "I'm excited about all the field trips."

And there you go.

Ahhhh. . . Quiet

I am sitting here right now in my totally silent house.  Yes, total and complete silence.  Except for the occasional stir of Gigi or Boo.  No television, no radio, no children fighting, (or giggling.)  I know that I will be ready for them to come walking through the door again at 3:30, but for right now I am enjoying this.

Ian - First Day of Middle School (7th Grade)

First Day going to school without Mom tagging along to take pictures. . .

I went only as far as the bus-stop -I just had to, this is the first time he's "gotten" to take the bus to school.

Sniff, Sniff. . .

Tanner - First Day of 5th Grade & Lane - First Day of 1st Grade 

Ms. Willis is going to have her hands full with Tanner and 4 of his best buddies.  (Ms. Willis was Ian's fifth grade teacher also.)

Lane is excited for first grade with Ms. Loes and some of his buddies from kindergarten.  (Ms. Loes was Tanner's 2nd grade teacher.)

All Grown Up

Yesterday we celebrated the marriage of Eric's nephew, Michael, and his new bride Rachel. It was a lovely wedding, but bittersweet, with the recent passing of Steve. He was there in spirit, though, dressed in his fine 1983 white tuxedo.

How quickly time flies. . . this was Michael, as ring-bearer at our wedding, almost 15 years ago.

Cowboy Take Me Away

One of my all-time favorite Dixie Chicks songs, and although my "cowboy" wasn't a cowboy at all, I could relate to the sentiment.

Fast forward 16 years, as we are about to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversay, I found the gift of a love story too good to be true, that brought me back to the memories of those first days and weeks of new love.

As the author notes, it's Harlequin Romance meets Green Acres - just up my alley. (It makes me want to pack up and head to the country with my own "Marlboro Man" and "punks.")

If you don't have a few hours to spare - I didn't, but indulged anyway - you should at least check out the photography.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/blog/category/black_heelstractor_wheels/the_night_i_met_marlboro_man

Our mini Great American Road Trip

Have any of you been watching the summer TV series "The Great American Road Trip"? Well, we have and it sure looks like a ton of fun - without the arguing, of course.

This weekend we took our own little mini roadtrip in the Stevens' family RV. We headed north up I-5 to the lovely, and conveniently close, Camano Island. The state park there is beautiful, and best of all, the camping stalls are first come, first served! No need to make reservations in January not knowing what our schedule will be in July and August.

The weather was spectacular and as I mentioned, the park and beach are gorgeous - I think Camano Island might give Lake Sylvia a run for its money.

Our friends, the Hendersons and Duthweilers, even joined us for a couple days.

The RV camping was so nice and easy, maybe next time we can venture a little further down the road!

Saying Goodbye

Thank you so much to you all for the hugs, kind words, cards and flowers sent our way in remembrance of Steve. We are blessed to have such wonderful friends and family.