Columbus Club Tournament

 Erica and her 7th Grade friends were back in the gym last weekend for a club basketball tournament in Columbus. 

 With six teams in the 7th Grade division, the teams were divided into two brackets of three teams.  You played the teams in your pool and then you played one team in the same place coming out of the other pool

 The girls won the first game against Columbus Scotus and then lost to York in game two.  Each team in our pool split games; therefore, they had to determine points allowed to determine who played for what place.

 By one point, our Lady Knights ended up in the championship game against a select team from Grand Island.  We got killed!  No other way to put it!  The other team was taller and played way better ball than our girls.

 But, a second place medal is still something to smile about!  Plus, she talked me into a trip to Pizza Ranch after the last game with some other families which added to her smile!

Take care,
Michelle

Christmas 2015

Yes, I am way behind on blogging, but I will get caught up.  Christmas morning we started unwrapping gifts around 8 am. 

 Erica's Christmas list was by far the longest with 28 things on it.  No, she did not get everything, but she did get a portable speaker, Vans, clothes, etc.  Erica is growing and she had a huge need for some new clothing.  She was so happy that she is officially in junior sizing and can now shop at the same stores as Cara.

 Ashlin's list may have been the shortest.  She condensed everything into clothes, Legos and socks.  She did get a few new outfits, Legos and socks.  But, she also got a Wii game, a CD, a movie, and the first season of "Pretty Little Liars".  The kids are obsessed with the show!

 Justin received some new clothes, socks (his always have holes in them), and a few new Lego sets.  He did get a few Wii games and movies also.

 Cara refused to have her photo taken, but her list was pretty teenage looking.  She asked for new clothes, Converse shoes, perfume, boots, etc. 

 Then the kids moved downstairs where Santa had left a big box.  The big box turned out to be a ping pong table which got used by the kids over the break from school.  A few neighbor kids came over and a few tournaments occurred.

Another big box sat in the living room and they had no idea what it was!  Santa brought the four of them a motorized Mo-ped.  It is battery operated and is black.  It can hold up to 170 lbs. They had to wait until some snow melted to try it out, but it has been seen speeding around the neighborhood.

Unfortunately shortly after opening our presents, I received a phone call that my Dad was in the ICU unit at the hospital with heart problems.  Dad was having pains in his left arm and his heart rate was at 36 when he was admitted.  After running some tests, the cardiologist determined that Dad needed a pacemaker to get his heart beating faster.  Dr. Kim told us that Dad has lived with a low heart rate for probably over a year, but he learned to adapt his lifestyle to his heart rate.  But, he did not have a heart attack or blockages.  To say the least, I was very upset and worried.  I spent many hours at the hospital with Dad.  The doctor would have let him go home on Christmas Day, but Mom and I were not comfortable with that.  Dad had been hiding symptoms from Mom and that made me very upset.  By being at the hospital quite a bit, I was able to hear what the doctors, nurses, physician assistants, etc. all had to say about his condition and process.  We also got to watch one of his favorite shows together, "The Andy Griffith Show".  They were running a marathon one day.  We will need to make some changes to life on the farm for him to handle the pacemaker, but it will work. 

 Therefore, Christmas was celebrated at the farm without Grandpa Bob.  He insisted that we go on and have it.  But, no family photo this year without Grandpa there.  Plus, with my Dad in the hospital I did not attend the Leader Christmas in Bloomfield; so, I have not photos to share from that fun day.  Dad received his pacemaker the Monday after Christmas and his heart rate was immediately 30 beats faster.  After six days in the hospital, he went home with some physical restrictions, but feeling much better.

Take care,
Michelle

Christmas Music Programs

This year we have a new choir teacher and a new band teacher at school.  Mrs. Sehi and Mrs. Hahn have been working hard with the students for weeks getting ready for the Christmas Music Programs.

 This year both the elementary and the high school programs were held on the same day with about an hour break in between performances. 

 The elementary school students presented "Twas One Crazy Night Before Christmas".  Justin was in a group of 1st & 2nd graders that sang "Slippers Again for Christmas" and "Holly Jolly Christmas".  They had to wear robes and slippers for the performance.  Justin does not have a robe or slippers; therefore, he wore Ashlin's.  He could have cared less, but his sisters informed him it was embarrassing.

 Ashlin performed with the 5th & 6th Graders, "Touchdown in the Kitchen" and "Something to Believe In".  Ashlin's group could either dress up or wear football jerseys.

 The musical play was very entertaining and it was evident that the students were having a good time performing for the crowd.

 The Junior High 7th Graders sang "Rockin' Down the Chimney Tonight!" and "Unto You This Night".

Take care,
Michelle

4-on-4 2nd Grade Basketball

 Justin has started playing basketball games last week.  He plays every Saturday a game at the YMCA.  2nd Grade league is 4-on-4 still with no refs.  The coaches call the game with very few fouls and no violation calls either.

You can't see the basketball, but he made this shot for the first two points of the game.

 Justin didn't really want to play, but we told him that he was playing.  He is not very patiently waiting for wrestling season to begin.  We reminded him that wrestling does not start until January and that he needed to work on some basketball skills for now.

 Justin is a shooter and needs to be better about passing the ball to open teammates. 

 Justin's team won the game and he finished with 8 points on the day.  Yes, he is the shortest kid on his team too.

Take care,
Michelle

A Little Christmas Music

Ashlin had her Christmas piano concert last week at The Meadows.  I love this concert because it is so relaxing.  With all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it is an hour to just sit, relax, and listen to a little Christmas music.

 Ashlin played "Whirling Leaves" and "Do You Hear What I Hear?" for our listening pleasure.  Also, she was pretty proud of herself and how far she has come in her piano lessons.  Mrs. Nissen arranges the program from least proficient to most proficient and Ashlin was number 11 out of 15 students.  I was pretty proud of her too!  She has come a long way from just plinking with one hand/one finger. 

Take care,
Michelle

Cookie Extravaganza

 During the month of December, the students at school work on service projects for the Advent Season.  The classrooms discuss those less fortunate than themselves.  One of the service projects was completed on Wednesday morning when the 2nd and 6th Grade students frosted and decorated 750-800 cut-out sugar cookies.  A lady in our parish bakes the cookies as her personal Advent service project and she has the students finish the job.  The cookies are donated to the Soup Kitchen to be served with a meal or two.

 Just like his three sisters, this was Justin's year to complete the project.  I was the Mom in charge when Cara, Erica, and Ashlin were each in 2nd Grade taking a year off between each one.  But since Ashlin has been in 2nd Grade, I have not had a year off and run the project each year at school.  I direct the other parents as we set up, clean up, figure out what supplies we need each year, and how much frosting needs to be made.  The project runs smoothly and doesn't take the students very long to complete.  It takes us longer to set up than it does for the students to frost.

Some other projects going on around school include:  collecting food for the food bank, adopting a few families in the parish and providing the family with gifts for the holidays, collecting cleaning supplies for Bright Horizons, collecting toiletry items for Bright Horizons, collecting books for Bright Horizons, collecting pairs of pajamas for the Salvation Army, etc.  Each grade completes a project during the month.  Justin's 2nd grade along with the 6th Grade have adopted two families in the parish.  Justin donated a t-shirt along with a fleece jacket for each mother.  Ashlin's 5th Grade is donating toiletry items to Bright Horizons.  Ashlin donated four sets of shampoo/conditioner sets.  Cara and Erica haven't shared what their homerooms are doing yet for projects.  In years past, the high school students also adopt families in the parish.

I even wore my Santa apron for the cookie decorating.  Not sure why I didn't think to take a photo with each of the girls when they did this project.  Oh well, at least I remembered with one of them.

Take care,
Michelle

7th Grade Basketball

 Since volleyball ended, Erica has been in the gym practicing and playing a few games of basketball before the Thanksgiving break. 

 Junior high girls basketball is a short and fast playing season.  They will be done with games before the Christmas break.

 The girls have travelled to O'Neill and to Boone Central for games before Thanksgiving.  After two games the 7th Grade girls are 1-1 and the 8th Grade girls are 2-0.

 The 7th Grade girls have 12 girls out for the sport.  Against O'Neill Erica scored 2 points in the "A" game and 2 points in the "B" game.

 Erica scored 6 points in the "A" game against Boone Central and 4 points in the "B" game at Boone Central.  Erica is not afraid to shoot the ball.  She plays either a post or center depending on what girls are on the floor.  She doesn't play very many minutes in the "A" game, but she makes the most out of them.

 The smile on her face when she scores is priceless! 

Cara has decided not to play basketball anymore.  Ashlin will not start until after Christmas and Justin will start practices this week.  We are gearing up for more time in the gym.

Take care,
Michelle