It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Kristen's Santa's

Kate's snowmen

Wil's nutcrackers

Gobble Notes, 11/25/2010

Thankful holiday was awesome once again! Paula, Joey and Kristen single handedly inhaled the smashed potatoes at our table! Greg brought the monster chocolate chip cookies! Pies and kruschikies were delicious (although we missed the SW boys eating the cupcakes!) The "WE" team (Ed & Wil) cleaned up at tripoly, even though Keri and I BOTH had the queen/king of hearts TWICE and couldn't play them!! Hunter and Paul both got tripoly training. Football was watched and since Jacquie was there we didn't root against the Cowboys (but we didn't exactly root for them ;)! Hunter, Chris and John tried hard to finish the handle of jack (ouch)! Mark led the annual walk (neither snow, nor sleet nor rain rain)....Aunt Vic filed for elder abuse for being forced to go on the walk. The teens and tweens were loud and ate any extras! Nathaniel and Wil added noise and Selah entertained all with her non-stop talking (Kristen may have a new rival!). Aunt Irene made us all introduce ourselves to the new folk (even if Ed kept calling them "rent a relatives!"). Some folks napped on the chairs an couches (no names needed Sheri & Ed). Keri's Fontbonne commercial was reviewed (5 out of 5 stars;). Second round of food was served before anyone could possibly be hungry, but we all ate again anyway!! Thanksgiving ads were poured over and early a.m. plans hatched (and executed this morning at 3a.m. with texts to the Phoenix clan representing black Friday in the SW)! And of course John & Jan & girls put on an amazing spread where everyone ate too too much! Fat and happy, with family and friends that's what the holiday is all about!! Thanks J & J!!

REPEAT! City-County Champions!

The warm up...The excitement....
The fans....
The great kick up...
Shot on goal (Kate with pony in goal #25)...
Great effort...
Awesome steal...
Another steal...
Final whistle blows...
Running to congratulate other team...
The proud coaches....
Awarding of the plaques...
The first place team....
Our awesome soccer star....

Yeah...it's a big deal! And we are super proud! Watching two very competitive teams battle it out was so exciting (and nerve racking!). The other team scored first and it was so painful, at half it was still 0-1 them! The girls came out ready for a battle and scored! 1-1 tie! Just thought we would burst...then we have a goal called off...ugh! The next 20 minutes were the hardest, both teams playing so hard. The competition and talent at this level is so exciting. Lots of chances on both sides, then finally we score!! About 5 minutes left to go, the other team is soooo good, the last 60 seconds of the game our goalie was out of position and they shot, the ball trickled to our goal and one of our defenders just barely beat the other team to the ball to tap it out. Really thought it was a goal (as did the entire crowd), FINALLY the ref blew the whistle and pure joy and happiness on the girls' faces and tears and screaming from the parents! Only another parent who has been there can know how bad you want this for your kid! Kate (sick and all) did awesome, she was tough and fought hard and had 2 stellar games back to back! WTG kid, you are amazing!! Once again, another moment where you want to freeze time....

Winner

Kate's team won the semi-finals for city-county today! Tomorrow will be the city county championship game at 2:30! We will pretend again like Kate doesn't have pneumonia (what do doctor's know? And for all the Grandma's who sit and worry, she's been on meds for 3 days and she BEGGED to let me let her play :) I promise she is resting and drinking lots of fluids)! Today was a very hard fought battle, but we came out on top 2-1. Now to get Kate rest for tomorrow!