Wrestling time!

Those of you who know me - know I love sports. In fact, in some ways I am a sports fanatic. I used to love watching Doug play baseball in high school and college. I love watching sports on TV and follow it in the news. I was so looking forward to watching my kids play in school - which most of them have done. I was thinking of them playing football, baseball, softball - but I never thought of wrestling. Wrestling is a hard sport to watch as a mom. You see the intensity of the struggle, the pain that it is at times - all on their face right before you. Many times I have just wanted to bury my head in my lap and not watch. But, I have learned to really appreciate the training and the endurance that they get from this sport - more than football or baseball. Here are a few pictures of Jason from the recent freshman city-wide championships. There are 13 junior high schools in Mesa that were competing. Jason wrestled at the 140 lbs weight class. He lost twice all season - both to the same wrestler. Once during the regular season - and the other for the city championship. Jason took second. Way to go Jason. Dad and I are proud of you and your dedication and hard work all season! This is the ceremony introducing the wrestlers in th championship finals. Jason in the 5th from the left.

The championship match. Jason in the one with the darker uniform.

Jason doesn't particularly like this picture - but you can see the strength both boys have.

The awards ceremony. These boys all look worn out. This tournament started at 9 am and didn't finish until 9 pm. Even though each match only has 3 - 2 minute periods, they are very intense, draining 6 minutes of work.

This is the match which got him into the championship. He won!!

Related or what?

Lisa and I hardly ever see each other - with her living in Ohio and me in Arizona. In fact - our kids really don't know each other. But, it isn't hard to tell that some of them are related. Here is Dani and Lisa's youngest girl - Melissa with each other. We had met up at Mom's house and here are the two girls - not only looking a lot alike - but also dressing in the same color. At Jeri's funeral - they were asked many times if they were sisters. Dani is 8 and Melissa is 6. Maybe they can become as close as friends as Lisa and I are. They would be great!

Family

For the end of November and all of December, I did not keep up this blog at all - and a lot happened during that time. So, I thought I would catch you all up on a few pictures during that missed time. Here are pictures of my family when we went up to my sister's funeral Thanksgiving weekend. It was the first time we had all been together since my dad passed away nearly 11 years ago. (What a sad commentary that is about our family. Isn't it hard to be a together forever family if you never get together?!) Funerals are a hard way to have to get together - but it is a great time to catch up with family - and we all had a lot of catching up to do.
This is all of the kids with my mom. For those of you who don't know us all - let me tell you who we are. The boys across the top are: Vaughn, Kevin, Brian, Garth and Bruce. Us girls on the lower row are: Lisa, Micheline, Mom, Jeanene and Pam. Can you guess our birth order?
Here we are all again - this time with our spouses.

Now, here is a picture of all the grandkids and great-grand kids who came. There were a bunch who weren't able to be there.
Here are the all the grands - the spouses and the great-grands. What a bunch.

Merry Christmas to me!

Merry Christmas to me! This was my present from Doug. Christmas morning I opened this tiny little present. Inside was a camcorder tape case with a piece of paper in it with this picture of a 18oo (something) pump organ. At the bottom were the words: Coming to your home soon. Merry Christmas! Love Doug. Jeremy and Jo found it at a yard sale, bought it, and decided they really didn't have room for it - so Doug bought it for me. Isn't it so neat! And it really works - gives your legs a workout too!

More Christmas morning part 2

So - I kept hearing that I wasn't keeping my blog updated. Can't say that now. 4 in one day. A record for me. Are you tired of our Christmas yet?

Here is Dani with her rollarblades. Isn't that a happy smile!

Kristi is very excited to get an MP3 player - a 4 GB one.

Jason loves his paintball gun. Watch out everyone.






















Carson isn't sure what is going on - or what to look at next. He was so interested in everything going on - and into everything!

More Christmas morning

EmmaLee enjoys presents too - even wrapped ones. Just something to play with.














Kendall and Matt enjoy their morning.














Jo with a new CD!














Jeremy with his daughter and his little brother.


















Now, here is Doug enjoying being both Dad and Grandpa on Christmas morning. Aren't they cute all together! (Doug is wearing the new hat Matt gave him!)

Christmas morning part 2

When kids get older - stuff just gets too expensive, so they get less presents. Here are Mikel and Matt - sharing their gift left out under the tree from Santa, a 6 pack of IBC rootbeer!















Jeremy, Jo and EmmaLee were able to come over early that morning to open presents before getting together with her family. Santa left them a nice gift!




















One of the gifts Mikel opened was Guitar Hero 3 to go with her playstation 2. It was a hit!














Matt wanted -and got an Ipod - and even the red one he wanted.



















Most of you don't know that Doug is really funny when he watches "Deal or No Deal". He thinks the banker is always low-balling the contestants - and is always figuring out the odds of whether they should keep going or not. So, Santa left him the game to play on TV.