Speed Channel Celebrity

Last weekend, Bill and Matthew took their annual trip to the Monster Jam World Finals in Las Vegas. They have been doing this with my brother-in-law and nephew for the last five years and it has become a tradition they look forward to each year. The trip plays out the same each time. They leave at the crack of dawn on Thursday morning. Sometimes they swim or see a show when they arrive in Vegas on Thursday afternoon. Friday is spent at the Monster Jam all day checking out the track, meeting the drivers, seeing the competing trucks, and watching the qualifying race. Saturday they play at the amusement park in Circus Circus and then head to the big Monster Jam event that evening. Then they head home on Sunday. This year, however, there was a little addition to the trip. While seeing the Safe Auto Minimizer truck, Matthew was asked to interview the driver for The Speed Channel. At first he wasn't really sure what to ask the man, so they told him to ask about his truck. Matthew took the microphone and asked the question. What most people don't know about Matthew is that he LOVES holding a microphone in front a large groups of people. Once he asked the first question, he had no trouble coming up with many more. He was a natural! Notice the camera on the right side on the pictures along with the SPEED microphone. Matthew can't wait until they air the race on TV to see if he made the cut. We'll let you know if Matthew becomes a Speed Channel celebrity...

...Beautiful Drew

Caring, Compassionate, Silly, Fun, Curious, Radiant, Clever, Joyous, Intelligent, Artistic, Talented, Polite, Reliable, Giving, Amiable, Thoughtful, Unselfish, Special, Funny, Sincere, Pleasant, Sociable, Friendly, Proud, Original, Extraordinary, Witty, Genuine, Cute, Happy, Precious, Lovely, Affable, Superstar, Warm-Hearted, Individual, Helpful, Cheerful, Inquisitive, Good, Gentle, Beautiful Drew.

My Hockey Player!

Matthew Loves Hockey! He watches it constantly on TV. He knows all the teams and players and is always up on the standings. When we heard they were building a roller hockey arena near by, I called and signed him up for the league right away. Only problem was that he had never roller skated before, and had tried ice skating only once this winter. Not only was he starting from scratch, the league started in just two weeks. I went right out and bought him skates. He was so enthusiastic, he "trained" on his skates daily. If it was raining, he was in the garage. I am sure he would have worn them inside if I allowed him to do so. The next week, the arena doors opened and Matthew started practicing daily at the rink. A week after that, Matthew played in his first game. He is on the Sharks team with a good mix of beginners and seasoned players. So far, his team hasn't lost which excites Matthew to no end. He insists on going to the rink everyday we are available to practice more. He is out there for up to three hours at a time, and when he is done he is soaked with sweat from head to toe. I have never seen him happier or more dedicated to anything like this before. He is eating better, sleeping better, and even doing his school work better. I took these photos last week during practice. I'll take more when he receives his official jersey at his next game. Because this will be a year round league, Matthew is sure to be skating along with the pros in no time. GO SHARKS!!!

Ski Trip

Yesterday, we packed the family up and went to Dodge Ridge Ski Resort for the day. The weather was beautiful - sunny and warm! Spring skiing is my favorite! Matthew and I took a snow board lesson while Bill and the snow bunnies played in the snow. Matthew was frustrated at first, but after about 45 minutes something clicked and he did GREAT!!! I, on the other hand, didn't do so well. I fell pretty hard several times and am lucky to be walking today. I think I'll stick to skiing. We are already talking about our next trip. Rebecca says she is ready to give it a try. Matthew said he will teach her:).

Pouty Face

Look at this pouty face. This is a face I see all too often. The head tilts down and the lips puff out. Normally it is accompanied by a moan or a grunt. But this is a fake pout - almost Rebecca's way of holding back a smile. She's just trying to get me to crack. Sometimes her plan works. Most of the time it just makes me laugh. Either way, I love this photo.

Snow Ball Fight!

A few weeks ago we loaded up the minivan and headed up to the family cabin in Placerville. There had been a storm the week before and the snow was still scattered around the property. The sun was shining bright; the weather was so warm we didn't even wear jackets. It was perfect for a good snow ball fight. The kids got into the spirit immediately, and in no time they were soaked. Their screams of delight and giggles echoed through the forest. Before we knew it, we were joined by our deer family - the same 5 deer that visit us each day we are there throughout the year. The mother and her three babies came right to the snow line to watch us play. We had such a fabulous time! The next day it began to rain. The remaining snow melted away as we packed the car to come home. We all hope there is another good snow storm before the season is over!