see pics!

a few pictures added to posts below....

plugging along

wrapping up another busy week--kids practices and games, catholic schools week (pic of Emma on "crazy hair day" on right), the full swing of things on campus. ben left for his catholic confirmation retreat last night. we, the parents, had to write a letter about how proud we are of him and all of our hopes and dreams for him to read after their worship tonite. we tried to avoid getting too mushy but it will be interesting to see what he thinks when he gets back home on sunday. speaking of sunday, it somehow turned out that we're hosting a super bowl party. the plan is for a nachos bar, do-it-yourself baked potatoes, and a raspberry chocolate cake. (doug's usual wings on the backburner due to the rumors of shortages nationwide). oh and don't forget to think (and maybe pray) for Terri tonite: she makes her debut as a hockey player at the big Mom's game at North Dale. 

day-by-day replay:

mon: emma's bball team lost 18-10 after getting behind by 10 at the start.

tues: hockey practice for emma, play practice and then jazz band for ben. (ben is sound manager for the 8th grade play, to be staged in April); also Christmas package from Aunt Julie finally arrives--we can all now sport UGA (University of Georgia) gear.

weds: ben's school team lost 46-42. (ben had 8 points but got fouled out with 5 minutes left on a couple of questionable calls)

thurs: emma's hockey game postponed--allowed her to be part of her class's Native American history skit at school open house. she dressed the part and looked great. Doug went to the Gopher's big victory over Illinois

friday: crazy dress-up day at school--emma goes all out; ben declines; after school, Ben to retreat; the rest of us to Little Szeschuan for a Chinese new year feast after hockey practice

from weekend to school week ahead

So we're not sure who was more nervous--him or the principal--but Ben eventually agreed to read his Catholic schools essay at Mass on Saturday. He did well and we think it was good of him to step up and do it. Emma's hockey team had a tough game on Sunday night (they tied when everyone thought they'd win) and her coach was pretty hard on them last night. Game this week is cancelled so maybe that'll be good...and let us focus on next Saturday's mom's game (see previous post). Big happenings this week, though, involve Catholic schools week. Lots of field trips (bowling, service projects, etc), theme days for dress (today was sports stuff, tomorrow "fancy day"), and other fun stuff. Thursday night is open house, and then on the weekend Ben has confirmation retreat. In the middle of it all, Emma is trying to wrap up her report, poster timeline, and speech on Wilma Rudolph. She has titled it: "Wilma Rudolph: From Brace to Race."

double trouble

emma here with her pal and defensive partner, Cassie Prescott at North Dale on Minnesota hockey day. They are known as the double trouble line. This coming weekend their moms, Terri and Mary (what will their nickname be?) and others will take the ice in a Mom's game. Afterwards all the girls have a sleepover at one house and the parents will eat ribs at another.

the weekend

all quiet here early saturday morning. emma at sleeping over at one of her hockey friends. the rest of us when out for thai food last night down on University Avenue. We had a red curry, a yellow curry, and a hot lemon-mushroom-coconut soup--which all really hit the spot with the weather turning cold again. (Did I mention it is -20 on our thermometer this morning? We haven't gotten above freezing all month, which hasn't happened in 30 years.) A few sporting events this weekend, and Ben's babysitting tonite. He also got asked to read a little essay he wrote for Catholic Schools week at mass on Sunday but he's not sure he wants to do it. Emma acolytes at our Lutheran church, Hope, and then there is a luncheon afterwards with families from the neighboring Catholic parish working on a 10 year plan for greater dialogue, exchange, and interaction between the two congregations and traditions, both of which has a number of Lutheran-Catholic families, or as Emma calls them "Catherans." Oh and one other thing: amidst the busy first week of classes, Terri had a paper she has been working on a while accepted for publication in a good soc journal. That makes two over the past couple of weeks. Things seem to be falling into place just in time for going up for tenure this summer.

big week

not just sports this time--though emma's bball team had two games (won one, lost one), and Ben's had one (a "W") and has a tournament coming up this weekend--but the nation's new President. We all watched the inauguration on Tuesday in our different places. Since, we've talked a little about his speech, about the crowds, the music (which we loved), and the poems (which we didn't, save the old African American preacher who gave the benediction), and a lot about the awkwardness of the oath itself. I guess we've got high hopes for our new leader but also worry about all the challenges the country currently faces.

can't keep us in

frigid temps and snow all weekend but instead of hunkering down we embraced the elements. Ben and a bunch of his buddies went up for snow shoeing and cabins at a state park up north. (This, after a rec league bball game lost by 2--though ben had 8 or 10 points.) The rest of us spent saturday celebrating Minnesota hockey day over at North Dale. Emma's team played each other is a scrimmage, while Terri and Doug sold concessions, manned the fire pits, and watched the como coaches play the vulcans. The US Olympic women's team also came and signed autographs. The day's festivities was capped off by emma hosting a dozen of her teammates for a pizza party at the house while all the parents went over to Shroeders to reflect on the day and replenish fluids.

Brutal Cold

Okay so no one else is allowed to complain about the weather: -17 yesterday morning; -6 this morning with -25 wind chill...and tomorrow supposed to the coldest day in 5 years. Supposedly a huge warmup is in store, and we'll in the 20s and 30s by the weekend--just in time for outdoor skating and a bonfire at Minnesota hockey day over at North Dale.

(Ben and Nick entertain themselves by dressing as Wayne and Garth)

snowy day

weather the word around here right now: 4 or 5 inches of snow today, and predicted highs below zero the next couple of days. didn't slow us down much, though. ben had two basketball practices, emma a basketball game and hockey practice, and the old folks spent the day working at coffee shops and getting cars tuned up. we're still working on putting some video of these activities up at some point, so stay tuned for that! other, non-sports stuff on the horizon: emma doing her 5th grade biography on Wilma Rudolph; Ben having to build a replica of a Catholic Church, and Ben choosing a high school for next year. (He is leaning strongly toward our local, neighborhood public school Como at present and hoping a few of his friends follow suit.) what else? how about thank goodness for snow blowers!

Catching Up

So after a few initial posts, we got caught up in traveling and the holidays. We had fun in LA--warm, sunny weather, outdoor basketball, waves at the beach, chinese dumplings, presents, family and friends. Came back to brutally cold weather, the restart of Ben and Emma's school, lots and lots of sports activities, and "Guitar Hero: World Tour" . Emma's hockey team doing great--7 wins, 3 losses, and 1 tie. Ben's bball has lost a couple of close ones, but is playing hard and very well together against tough competition. Hopefully, we'll be able to put up some video taken with Emma's new flip camera. All for now--just wanted to mark the fact that we are alive and well...and that more will be on the way.