back on a big weekend

back from brainerd and sitting here watching the closing ceremonies. we were up north for emma's hockey tournament--they didn't get a win but played several of the best teams in the state, competed well and had a good time with the great weather. emma had an assist and a penalty in one game. we also had a lot of fun playing boot hockey on the lake and winter golf (with tennis balls in the snow).

ben stayed back home and made great progress with wyatt on their history day project ("Football, Teddy Roosevelt and Muscular Americanism: The Invention of the Forward Pass"). he also played his last bball game of the year--where he actually got to start, scored a basket or two, and grabbed a handful of rebounds. He also got great news--"life changing" according to the person who gave it to him: he landed a job at Conny's Creamy Cone! He gets trained in in a week or two, as soon as the weather is good enough for customers to start wanting ice cream. Spring is definitely in the air...

since valentine's day

so here's some of what's been going on since valentine's day:

--emma was captain of her team for middle school "science bowl;" they went 1-2 while competing against teams that included 8th graders. she had a lot of fun and has a cool t-shirt with einstein sticking out his tongue to show for it;

--ben's had a bunch of bball games. his team is about .500. he's getting to play about five minutes a game and probably averaging a basketball and a couple of rebounds an outing;

--terri's leg is finally getting better. she actually went skating a bit on sunday in fact. now if she can just overcome her cough and not let it get into her chest (like last year) everyone will be happy and healthy;

--ben has been working on his history day project with his buddy wyatt johnson. the topic is innovation and their project is about the invention of the forward pass in football. it was brought in to try to save the game after a series of injuries and deaths. teddy roosevelt was involved b/c he believed football was important for turning boys into men for the country, what ben is calling 'muscular americanism;'

--doug is having fun talking about the olympics in his sport class. also the new winter issue of contexts just mailed: it has a number of pieces on aging in america in it and they are hoping to get some more media attention to it by posting those as a bundle on the website starting the first of march: go to Contexts.org to check it out;

--emma's hockey team finished out the regular season playoffs with a loss this weekend. emma had a really strong second half of the season including a couple of strong shots on goal the last couple of games. this coming weekend the team travels up to Brainard for a season-ending tournament (and probably some fun swimming and hanging out).

--ben will be staying with his friends wyatt and then nick while the rest of us are gone up north--he's got a bball game and then a concert he is planning to go to.

--oh yeah and the weather: despite some 30 degree days of melting and some birds starting to sing, we've still got a lot of snow on the ground and ice cycles like you wouldn't believe off our roof.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Celebrating Valentines with chocolate fondue and homemade cream puffs. We're all headed out for a stroll through Como Park Conservatory, hoping to see some flowers and visit the sloth. It's a nice, sunny day in MN, although temps in the 20s. Doug and Ben sang at church this morning in the "young adult" choir. Ben and his friend, Hannah, are watching Disney videos. Doug surprised Terri with some flowers. Catching some of the Olympics when we have time. Enjoyed watching Apollo Ono skate for Silver last night, and hope to watch some of the US women's hockey game today--especially excited to see some of the players we have met, including Natalie Darwitz and Gigi Marvin who coached Emma this summer at hockey camp. Several US team members came out to meet Emma's team at North Dale, so it will be fun to watch them represent the US at the Olympics. Happy Valentines to everyone!

middle of february?

how time flies--maybe just seeing snow storms and cold weather in other parts of the country is making our winter go quickly. anyway, lots going on here--bball and hockey games, both participatory and spectator, a super bowl party, and red plate accomplishments like great grades and a unanimous endorsement from the college and dean for terri's tenure.

tonite, terri, doug and emma going to gopher's women's hockey with emma's team--we're having pizza and pop in the club house suite courtesy of coach Brad Frost, the coach! ben and hannah, meantime, taking a pass on the big school dance and instead going for dinner and hanging out over in highland. tomorrow: ben has a bball game and emma will be spending the day over at St. Thomas University competing in the state science bowl as part of her school's middle school team. and we'll probably try to catch some of the Olympics too--especially with doug teaching his sport class and claiming to be an expert and all....

More Winter Fun

The Groundhog tells us that it will be sticking around for a while, but that won't stop Ben. Ben enjoys a jog on a snowy day. Actually all of us are keeping busy despite the cold temps and snow. Emma enjoyed a day of skiing with her class today. She played a great basketball game last night, and the MMSA girls fought til the end for a 2 point victory. Ben survived his first round of finals and is starting up a new semester at Como. Basketball season is still on for him, and he is thinking of joining the school Jazz band this semester. Both kids brought home outstanding report cards.

We managed to find and buy a new car on Saturday. We bought a Matrix. It looks a lot like the Vibe we lost, especially on the inside. And we were able to get it for a bit less than the money we received from the insurance company for the replacement. Terri is especially glad to have the car and to have accident is behind us. Her leg is healing, and she had her first day without a cane today. It may be a few more weeks before she can strap on the ice skates, but she is looking forward to getting on the ice again.