Wrestling Banquet 2010

Missed the handshake!

Sheepishly holding his award.

Derek and the varsity team.

After many hours of blood, sweat and tears, we are done with Derek's first year of high school wrestling! He's still freestyle wrestling at tournaments, but the school year is over for him. We went to the banquet on Tuesday for all the awards, etc. We were happy to find out that Derek had won the Freshman of the Year award. He's a little embarrassed about stuff like this, but I was pleased as punch. My camera wasn't working great at first, so I missed the coach shaking his hand. I managed to get Derek to hold the trophy and smile and that's all I could get out of him.

At the end of the evening, Derek's coach announced his retirement and word soon spread that JD had been approached about the head coaching position. So, we are now seriously considering whether this will be good for our family. We've known about it for a while now, but didn't tell anyone since we didn't (and still don't) know what he's going to do about it. Derek said he'll support his dad and so I guess we'll meet with the athletic director and mull our options. JD is a fantastic coach and the high school would be lucky to get him. Just wonder if I can live without him for a few months out of the year.

First Chair

Heard something funny?

Wanting to get up and out of there.

Hit those high notes!

Here are a few pictures of Evan's last band concert. We got there late and had to sit in the back, behind the band. Arrgh. Anyway, he is the first chair trumpet. He's very good, but detests it. This is before a haircut. The more I look at this the more I realize how shaggy he was! All you Band Bucks: Remember the "uniform" of either black pants or a black skirt? Good times...

The NEW Flying Tomato!

One of the last lifts of the day.

Beautiful sunset on Mt. Hood.

Derek learning the ropes at his lessons.

JD and Derek before the fun. (look how tall Derek is getting!)

Derek, AKA, The Flying Tomato!

Yesterday Derek cashed in his birthday gift from me and his dad of a snowboarding trip. Since JD is off on Fridays, we decided to let Derek take a day off from school and JD would take him for the entire day. Derek is still competitively freestyle wrestling through next month, so every Saturday was going to be full for him. He checked with all his teachers, took two tests early and turned in homework due that day on Thursday. His trip included two, two hour lessons and all the equipment rentals as well as unlimited lifts throughout the day. He was excited, to say the least. They left about 6:00 a.m. and arrived home at 11:30 p.m. ALL DAY at Mt. Hood (about 2 1/2 hours from us in Oregon). They both had a great time and Derek is convinced he could be really good at this if we'd just pony up the funds for a professional trainer, a $1,000 snowboard and move the entire family to a mountain with snow nine months out of the year. It goes without mentioning that we are seriously considering it. Have a look at a few pictures of the boy in the snow. Derek clearly took right to it and rarely, if ever, fell. He says that Shaun White (a famous redheaded Olympic snowboarder nicknamed the Flying Tomato, for you old people) is ready for a successor and feels he can attempt the McTwist (a flippy, twisty trick on a snowboard, geezers) on his next snowboarding trip.

JD, on the other hand, had some, err, difficulties. He hobbled in the house last night and announced that he was "broke." Not without money, but literally brokEN. This cannot be good and I inquired further as to what, specifically, might be broken. He, with his brightly sunburned nose, muttered something and wandered to the shower--ever so carefully. Last night was HORRIFIC for us both as he constantly moaned and groaned in pain. After getting out of the shower this morning, he asked whether he might be bruised. Holy moley! You wouldn't BELIEVE how BIG this bruise was on his backside! It's at least a ten inch circle and black and blue already. Poor guy. I feel terrible for him as he is obviously really hurting. I hope it's just a bruise and will heal quickly. (For those of you who see us often, you know that I broke my tailbone last summer at Wild Waves on the slides trying to keep up with Evan and his dumb 12 year old friends. Ouch! It REALLY hurts and it took over 10 months to finally stop hurting constantly). I hope it wasn't his tailbone. How cute was he to take a teenager to the mountain all day?

All and all, they had a great day and good male-bonding time. All hail to the new Flying Tomato and his gimpy sidekick, Dad!

This is Derek swooshing around an unsuspecting fellow skier.

This is Derek coming down the mountain. I thought he might hit the pole for a second there! Just getting a little jump in.

ColdStone & Katie

Katie politely reminded me last night that we never did anything special for her December report card. Her report card was all top scores and at our parents conference, the teacher said, "I don't have anything to talk about. She's perfect. Absolutely perfect. How's everything else going for the Troys?" That was the extent of our conference about her report card. We met with her privately, as we do all the kids, and told her about her marks. We said she could pick anything she wanted to do with us to celebrate.

Anyway, sometimes not remembering to celebrate a report card happens to the youngest of four. Not fair, but it happens. I always feel terrible and certain that I am setting her up for a lifetime of therapy due to my neglect when something like this is forgotten.

I apologized and asked her what she'd like to do. At the time we were driving her to basketball practice, so she suggested I take her to ColdStone for ice cream when she was finished. Sounded good to me! We were enjoying our treat later on and I said I'd like to take a quick picture of her with my cell phone since she looked so sweet sitting there nursing her chocolate ice cream with gummy bears and chatting with me. She agreed and then said, "Let me get ready though..." I thought she'd fix her hair or work on her nicest smile. Intead, she quickly smeared her mouth with chocolate ice cream. Ahh. She's a Troy Cheeseball, through and through.

I just love a little Mommy and Me time with my Katie Bug. I hope she gets a great report card again so I get an instant replay of these moments alone with her.

Derek Turns 15

Our Birthday Boy--the big 1 - 5!

Cool new shades for the slopes. Might want to remove the tag though...

All the Troy rug-rats.

Buck is just happy to be invited to the party!

My baby is growing up! Last night we celebrated Derek's 15th birthday with a few presents and cake. He'll have other celebrations in the coming weeks with his friends and other family members, but this one was just for us. His favorite presents were a black lab calendar from his dog, Buck, with Buck's birthday circled on the calendar and the snowboarding trip from Mom and Dad. Oma took him out for his birthday this weekend, and that was really special to him too. Also announced was his Driver's Education class he will be taking in April (no longer done in the schools, shoot!) As you can see, he isn't a little boy anymore. He can eat his weight in food, has to shave daily now and will be getting behind the wheel of a car, so times are a'changin! All in all, he is just a great, solid kid and a pretty darned nice person too. We are proud to have him in our family. We love you, Derek!

Poster Winner!

Alexis entered the Jump Rope For Heart poster contest at school again this year. Last year she won the grand prize and we were very excited for her as that isn't going to happy often, right? We oohed and aahed over this year's creation (as much as last year's) but tried carefully to prepare her for the chance that it was not a Repeat Year since even more kids will enter this year. Since it is a blind contest (no names on the posters), she felt like she could win it all again. Well, color us surprised when she won the grand prize AGAIN this year! As you can see, it is thick with acrylic paints and glitter. Worthy of recognition and praise. Good job, Alexis! The principal announced her as the Grand Prize winner and she got to come to the school office to claim her prize (some kind of a tennis game).

(On a side note, Katie forgot the due date for the poster and did not get one finished in time to enter the contest. Although happy for her sister, she was green with envy. Oh, those life lessons are tough!)

Worst Day E V E R!!!!!

Today was literally the worst day of my life. Okay, maybe I'm being a bit dramatic, but I'm slightly serious...

I was working downstairs and I heard Katie scream in the kitchen. I jumped up and asked her what was wrong. She said I wouldn't believe it, but it was "really bad, Mom." That's never good. I again asked what was wrong and she said the cat had brought in a mouse--ALIVE! Arrgh! I went up the stairs and saw Pepper playing with at the top of the stairs. We all know that I am TERRIFIED of mice and something happens to me when I get scared that is disturbing--I completely freak out. I start screaming, crying and hyperventilating. It's super bad. I yelled at the cat to take it outside and she promptly batted it down the stairs! The mouse was jumping and trying to get away from her and all the while headed down to ME at the bottom of the stairs.

Eventually it came to a stop about half-way up/down the stairs and balled itself up. The girls were screaming, I was screaming and Pepper just seemed to take in all the excitement as though we were loudly thanking her (repeatedly) for the wonderful "gift." I grabbed the vacuum and thought I'd suck up The Beast with the hose. No. The Beast was too FAT! The girls threw me the broom and I thought about stabbing it, but what if it charged me and I missed it?!

There were far too many variables for me to take this impossible task on alone. I told the girls to summon the next door neighbor. He was able to kill something, I knew. They quickly went across the street and brought him over. I was already a basket case and little to no help for this sweet man. He asked (and eventually got himself) some paper towels to grab the vermin. Just as he was reaching for it, the Beast ran down the stairs--RIGHT TOWARDS ME!!!! I tried to hit it with the broom, but to no avail. (Okay, you know that dream that you have sometimes where you are being chased, but can't run away? Your legs don't work? You want to run, you will your legs to run, but yet nothing happens? That was me with the broom!)

The Beast quickly darted into the guest room and ran under the bed. My neighbor began throwing the guest bed and furniture to the side looking for the Beast. It had disappeared. Not wanting it to leave, I locked my neighbor in the guest room and blocked off the door. Soon he called for "something sharp." A KNIFE! I ran to the kitchen and quickly decided which knife I was NEVER going to use again after this day. Just as I approached the guest room door, my neighbor emerged carrying a plastic bag. No need for the knife, he stabbed it with the broom. Did I mention he is my favorite neighbor--EVER?! He is, now.

After he left, I contemplated various methods of decompression and finally decided on shopping. I ran out and got dinner fixings. After I started making dinner, I thought I should put the guest room back together. About that time JD came home and was helping me put the mattress back on the bed. There was something dark in the corner. JD picked it up. He said, "It's not a mouse. It's a petrified frog." WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON IN MY HOME?! I put my head down on the mattress and looked up at JD. "Really? Really?! Are you freaking KIDDING me?" Just as I said that, my eye began to twitch--ever so slightly. JD knew that I was going to lose it. I'm still not sure I won't...

(by the way, The Beast did not look that cute...)