Holiday Bowling!

Go Dawgs!!!!!

City Champs – Again!

Ian’s 14U Hillwood soccer team has repeated as City Champs.  The championship game was this last weekend, and for once, it was not raining!  (We’ve definitely had a wet December, but then, we are in Seattle.)  Ian had a nice tournament, scoring several goals and assisting on several others.

 

It was a huge accomplishment to even make it back to the final game.  We lost several key players from last year’s team, but managed to bring on some new ones that made a definite impact – it was a team victory!

 

Tanner’s team fell one game short, having lost in the 12U semi-final game.  Tanner played goalie for half of each of his team’s 4 tournament games and only gave up 2 goals!  He also scored a couple goals and had multiple assists. His team also welcomed many new players this year.

We’re sad to see soccer season come to an end, but the good news is that now we only have 2 sports going on!  (Basketball and baseball, in case you were wondering.)

Jingle Bell Run

Lane, Eric and I jingled our way through the rainy streets of Downtown Seattle yesterday morning for the Jingle Bell 5K.  Lane (and Eric) ran with the elves in the kids 1K and my friend Kathy and I did the 5K.   This was Lane’s first race and he did awesome! 

  

SNOW DAY

Seattle was hit with an early snowstorm yesterday.  The schools let out 2 hours early and by 9 pm we had 6 inches of snow and another day to play.  Long gone are the days of sitting by the radio waiting to hear the name of our school district.  Now we get automated phone calls and e-mails.  But the boys enjoyed some good old-fashioned sledding fun.

I heard on the news that this was Seattle’s earliest snow in 25 years.  I think we’re in for a wild winter this year.  We’re looking forward to it!

glassybaby

We are now the proud owners of 2 glassybaby candle holders.  In case you haven’t heard of them (they’ve been on Oprah’s list of favorite things), glassybabies are handmade glass cups, vases, candleholders – whatever you want to call them.  They are the creation of a local three-time cancer survivor who found the glassybaby light to be soothing and healing.  Each one is unique and individually beautiful.  My picture can not do them justice.

We received the eggplant colored glassybabies as a gift at King & Oliason’s 20th anniversary party last night.  We had a great celebration at Canlis and got to take these babies home at the end of the evening.  The colors are perfect for our living room.  Thanks, Norma and Karol!

PS Eggplant is the signature color of K&O.

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

I’ve heard he is making an appearance before Thanksgiving this year!  We’re getting prepared.  We whipped out the Christmas movies and music this weekend.  I’m not letting it go by so fast this year! 

It seemed like just yesterday. . .

Ian, 1997

Ian & Tanner, 2000

Ian, Tanner & Lane, 2005 

(We missed the boat on the shoes, bummer.)

 

And now for my favorite. . .

2003

Family Ties

                                   
Tanner (2010) and his Uncle Scott (circa 1982)

Looks Like Fall, Should Be Fall, But Certainly Doesn’t Feel Like Fall

Seattle hit a record high 74 degrees today – it was downright balmy!   We might have to move further north if this keeps up!

Second Graders in the Community

Lane’s class has been learning about “community.”  Yesterday, I got to join him and his classmates at Food Lifeline in Shoreline.  Food Lifeline provides food to needy people in Western Washington.  We repackaged 390 pounds of Berry Buckle cake in 2 hours!  It was a blast and a great experience for the kids – and the adults.  Love the hairnets!

Fall Update

We’re still here and busy as ever.  Here’s a recap of what we’ve been up to.

First Day of School – Ian (8th grade), Tanner (6th grade), Lane (2nd grade.)

 

Scenes from the Dawgland (Fantasy Football) Draft Party

                                      

 

Tanner’s in goal for his Hillwood Rockets U12 soccer team

 

 

Ian’s playing offense & defense for his Einstein MS football team (#20 in this photo)

 

Lane’s a soccer stud for his Hillwood Cheetah’s U8 team

 

And because one sport at a time isn’t enough, here’s Ian and his Hillwood Knights U14 soccer team and Tanner and his fall-ball baseball team

               

Near Perfect Day

Tanner was a baseball stud on the mound today.  In a combined 2 games and 5 innings, he gave up only 1 hit (questionable at best. . . I would have scored it an error, but I digress), 0 runs, 0 walks.  Tanner was on fire!!!  His Seattle Select team won both games he started today and continue play tomorrow at 10 am in Monroe and hope to finish out their season on a winning note.

End of the Run

Ian’s Juniors All-Star team finished their State Tournament play last Friday with a loss to West Valley.  (We had previously beaten them 10-0.)  Our Richmond boys earned the 3rd place title, bettering last year’s finish.

                                                                      

We lasted until Thursday in the winner’s bracket, which allowed for a lot of free-time; something we haven’t been used to in previous years.  So, in addition to playing 5 baseball games in 8 days, the boys played laser tag, played video games, went to a movie, went to the beach, and visited Silverwood, the amusement park in Idaho.

Ian, with teammates, Jake and Max, after riding the Aftershock rollercoaster.

DISTRICT 8 CHAMPS!

Ian has been one fortunate kid, having been to the State Little League Tournament 3 times in 4 years! 

His Richmond Juniors team beat Northwest for the second time in 2 nights to bring home the District 8 Championship.  They continued to crush the ball, scoring 22 runs to the NW’s 3. 

Now it’s on to State in Spokane.   GO RICHMOND!

Tanner’s in the News

Tanner’s All-Star team finished their run on Sunday with a tough loss to North Bothell.   Tanner pitched great and hit 2 awesome doubles, but we came out on the short-end 8-10.   Click on link below to read entire article.   I’ll post more pictures later.

Richmond 11 year-old Little League

Two Victories

Ian’s Juniors team got another win last night against Northwest.  (My earlier post was incorrect.)  We face them again tonight and if we win, we will be going to the State tournament in Spokane.  The final score was 13-3, which ironically, was the same score as last year when we were in the same spot, needing to beat NE two times to win District.

Ian’s Sandy Koufax team (the Sahara Bears) also got a victory last night, almost guaranteeing them a spot in the State Tournament.  We raced from the Juniors game to the Sahara game just in time for the 9 pm start.  It was supposed to start at 8:30, but the umpire was late.  I think someone was watching out for us.

And in case you were wondering, yes, we are insane.

 

Mid-game break while the sprinklers unexpectedly did their thing.  Fortunately, it did not last long; we had places to go!

Still Playing Ball

After a busy week of playing baseball, we’re still alive to talk about it.  

Ian’s Juniors team is 2 wins from State.  We play NE Seattle today, who we lost to on Tuesday.  We need to beat them today, and then again tomorrow to go to the State tournament in Spokane.   I like our chances.  Our bats have come alive, having scored 32 runs in the last 2 games.  (We only scored 1 run in the game we lost.)

Tanner’s 10/11 team lost yesterday to a tough Woodinville West team.  Tanner takes the mound today against North Bothell.  We need a win in order to face Woodinville West again in the finals.   We would have to beat them twice to go to State in Selah.

GO RICHMOND!

Baseball Mom

I saw someone wearing a tank that said this – I think I need one.  

Tanner’s 10/11 team has won 2 games and now needs 2 more wins to go to State.   As a side note, this is Tanner’s 3rd year in All-Stars.  His past 2 teams have won their first game and then lost the next 2 to be eliminated.  So this win is big!  (Not to mention that big brother Ian has been to State 2 times in 3 years.  Tanner and his 11 year-old buddies want this bad!) 

Tonight’s game was an extra inning thriller.  Fortunately, we came out ahead with a 6-5 win in the 7th.  Tanner pitched  4 “outstanding” innings (the words of the NE Seattle announcer, not Mom.)

Ian’s team was not as fortunate last night.  We now find ourselves in familiar territory – the loser’s bracket.  It was one of those nights; the other team only had 1 earned run, but came out with a 4-1 win.  Bugger!  Two questionable umpire calls squashed Richmond rallies – this is when I wish I wasn’t Baseball Mom and didn’t know what the infield fly is.  (Perhaps I would have slept better.)  But, that’s a long story we’ll save for another day.  Bottom line is; we lost.  But our resilient Richmond Juniors play again Friday night.

GO RICHMOND!

2 For 2

For the first time in 2 years, Ian and Tanner’s All-Star teams both won their first District games.  Yeah!!  

Ian’s Junior’s team plays again Tuesday night in Woodinville and Tanner’s 10/11 year-old team plays on Wednesday night in Seattle.

Go Richmond!

A Tale of Three Cities

The Oxnevads covered the state of Washington last weekend.

Saturday: Tanner played Hoopfest in Spokane with his buddy Zach and 2 of Zach’s friends from Reno.

Saturday: Carrie ran the Seattle Rock ‘n Roll Half-Marathon.

Sunday: Tanner and Eric drove across the state from Spokane to Tacoma in time for Tanner to play 3 baseball games and help bring home the 2nd place trophy.

Not bad for one weekend.

Still a CPA

I guess I won't be quitting my day job to become a blogger.  Obviously, I'm not very good at it.  Since it's been a while since I last posted anything (I'm surprised I haven't been shut down yet), here's what has happened in our household since I last wrote:

• Eric got a new job selling pharmaceuticals - yea!
• Lane lost his 2 front teeth
• Carrie survived another tax season
• Ian survived 7th grade
• Lane graduated from 1st grade and is now a GREAT reader
• Tanner is moving up to be a big 6th grader
• Tanner is 2 weeks from getting his braces off
• The boys played 86 baseball games 
• We watched 86 baseball games 
• Visited Vancouver, BC during the Olympics
• Tanner turned 11
• Lane turned 7
• Gigi & Boo turned 2
• Ian pitched a 7-inning, complete game no-hitter in his Sandy Koufax League
• Tanner hit a home-run over the fence at Shoreview (too bad it was during BP!)
• Carrie got a new iphone - LOVE IT!
• Carrie & the boys visited Grammie & Grampie in Texas
• Saw Tim McGraw & Lady Antebellum at the Key Arena
• Survived 263 days in Seattle below 75 degrees (the last warm day was 9/23/09 - 81 degrees)
• Bought Ian size 13 shoes - yikes!
• Won 2 straight games of High-Five with Becky (against Scott & Eric on Father's Day.)  Was that bad?

Progress Report

We hit 2010 running, hence the lack of recent posts, so I thought I would get everyone up to speed with what we’ve been doing.

Eric – still job searching, but has been great about shuttling the boys around and making lunches.,  Looking forward to another year coaching little league and currently enjoying his new backyard toy – a hot tub.  (More on that subject later.) 

Carrie – started my 11th year at King & Oliason, enjoyed a recent trip to Spokane for a girl’s weekend with Dora, and am officially training to run the Seattle Rock & Roll Half Marathon in June.

Ian – currently in the midst of his 7th grade AAU basketball season, and winter baseball training.  Settling in to the routine of middle school and getting up at 6:45 am (ouch!) and looking forward to a March baseball trip to Arizona.  Enjoying playing X-Box Live with friends, in his very few minutes of spare time.

Tanner – also in the midst of his 5th grade AAU basketball season, and winter baseball training.  Doing awesome in school and having lots of fun with friends.  He, too, is enjoying the X-Box Live.

Lane – currently taking swimming lessons while his brothers are at basketball practice, and is looking forward to baseball season.  Talks about taking karate someday, and is already planning his birthday party.   Working on anger management with his brothers and classmates.  Oh the joys of being the youngest boy!

2009 Highlights

I had grand plans of a “Year In Review” slideshow, but after looking through my hundreds, perhaps even a thousand photos from 2009, and selecting my favorites, 80 or so , I got a little overwhelmed. 
So here’s the shortened version. . .

Carrie’s 40th Birthday Vacation to Cancun with the Stallings & Trojanowski’s
Ian’s Richmond All-Star team winning Districts and going to State; plus a homerun ball from the District Championship game
 
Tanner’s “walk-off” double to win the championship for his Seattle Select team – can you tell it was a little hot in Medford (100+ degrees that day!)

Fun summer times
                           

New family members – Michael Oxnevad with wife Rachel and daughter Mikaela