Donkey Ball

Uncle Dave called us last night asking Gabi if she would be interested in going to Elkhart Memorial High School to watch a "Donkey Ball" basketball game. All proceeds go to Memorial's Dollars for Scholars program. After many ???? and much explaining, Gabi thought it would be very interesting to go with him to watch. Gabi came home and explained the concept well. Each rider was able to get off the donkey and lead it to the basket but must be on the donkey to make a shot. She laughed as she continued to explain how everytime the shooter would get on a donkey, the donkey would lower it's top half to slide the shooter off. I guess it was a riot. She had a GREAT time. She even got to ride one of the donkeys. Thank, Uncle Dave for the pictures and for taking Gabi...she had a good time! :)

Make Ahead French Toast

Since it is IHOP's Free Pancake Day (only asking for a small donation to Children's Miracle Network) and we are SERIOUSLY thinking of going because I can just smell the syrup now and pancakes from a restaraunt are just so much better than the ones made at home...
I thought I would post a favorite breakfast recipe of mine that has become a favorite of our family ... and sooo easy!
18 slices of bread, cubed
12 eggs
10-12 oz cream cheese, low fat
1 1/4 cup low fat milk
3/4 cup syrup
Dash of cinnamon
Splash of vanilla extract
Place 9 pieces of cubed bread into a 9x13 greased pan. Add cubed cream cheese. Add remaining 9 pieces of cubed bread on top. In a bowl, whisk eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla. Pour over the bread and cream cheese. Cover dish with foil and refrigerate overnight.
Remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for another 20 minutes. Serve warm with maple syrup. DELISH!
Now...going to get ready for IHOP...Pancake lovers unite!

Health

So we have seen lots of physicians this past week...took Gabi to the doctor last Thursday and found out she had a urinary tract infection. The doctor seemed a little concerned with the protein in her sample. They sent it to the lab only to confirm the infection. We will keep her on amoxicillin and retest her when her medicine is finished. Hopefully, nothing to come of that.
Tyler just had another check up today with his orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Graham. His range of motion is excellent but will still be out of commission for another 2 months. He explained to Tyler that his tear was big, and it was right at where the bicep meets the shoulder. Thus, the reason for no bicep action at ALL. Dr. Graham stressed that even though it may feel better and healed, it is not and Tyler needs to be patient. Dr. Graham set up some more physical therapy and we will see him again in a month.
My troubles started last year...probably around October when I visited my gynecologist for my regular check up. He noted my blood pressure was high. It is no secret that my dad and plenty of his relatives have high blood pressure so I knew this would be something I could face one day. That day came. I have taken measures to keep my heart healthy by running approximately 2 1/2 miles three times per week. It was the main reason for my doing it so I was a little disappointed when my bp was high. I was in a way, mad. My doctor just suggested I make an appointment with my family doctor to discuss. Well, I put it off. So last week I was having some issues with my hands falling asleep on me in the middle of the night. I went ahead and made the appointment knowing they would discuss the bp. Sure enough, it was higher than normal 150/90 or so. The doctor kind of blew it off actually, said it wasn't a good time to check my bp considering I was there for a sick visit...(didn't understand this reasoning) but he decided to go ahead and get some blood work done after testing me for carpal tunnel syndrome. Got my blood work today. Cholesterol good, kidneys and sugar good, but triglycerides that should be below 150 was 401. This worried me.
After much discussion with the nurse, explaining that I didn't eat red meat and dairy products alot (I stick to low fat deer meat and rarely drink milk) she said it could very well just be hereditary and to start taking more precautions now since I am more at risk than normal with the family history. So, I am to cut out the sugar, continue to exercise (as soon as I get over this stupid stress fracture) and add fish oil to my diet. I will be retested in 3 months. Wish me luck.
So for today, I am doctored out...enjoyed the weekend watching the wrestling tournament. Watching the parade of champions on Friday night at Conseco actually brought tears to my eyes and I could feel a lump in my throat the size of an apple...one, the memories of Trenton and two, sadness for Tyler not being able to wrestle this year. No champions this year for Mishawaka. Hoping to bring home the team state title on Saturday.
Happy Monday.

Amber

Wishing Amber a VERY special birthday, today. So glad you are part of our family. You have brought much happiness to all of us. We love you! Enjoy your day!

Anxious

It has been just over 3 weeks since my I got my stress fracture. For a while there I really didn't think it was going to get better. I could barely walk on it for a good two weeks. It hurt. Bad. Now I can walk on it fairly well. Occasionally, I will get a shooting pain if I move it the wrong way or it will ache if I wear the wrong shoes and my foot gets squeezed into them. But it feels better. I am just sooooo wanting to get back on the treadmill. I feel worthless, like I can't really do anything and I know that is absolutely false. I could go over to the fitness center (which I have a lifetime membership and Ben reminds me alllll the time) and ride a bike or go on an elliptical, but I just have to say, I don't want to go through the hassle. Laziness on my part? Probably. I am just one who likes to work out at home. Well, I came to the conclusion that I was wearing the wrong shoe after talking to Metro Run and Walk. I purchased my original running shoes there years ago and when it was time for a new pair, I went for a pair of Saucony's from Dicks...yes, they were Saucony's (like my original pair) but they were just not the right shoe for my foot. Lesson learned, several times over. Went to Metro Run and Walk yesterday to make myself feel better and talked to them. They didn't have my size in an upgraded pair of my original Saucony's but they put me into the same type...Adidas this time. I tried a different pair of Saucony's which were more expensive than the ones I could have upgraded to but they just didn't feel right. So she brought me the Addidas SNova Glide. I was skeptical at first, but they felt good on my foot and went for it. The actual test will be when I get back on the treadmill so we will see, but for now, I feel like I am getting ready, like I am going uphill to being able to run again and I got the correct shoes this time. That's what matters. Just a couple/few more weeks to go...

Some Media Coverage

Congrats again to the CCIW Championship team-the North Central Cardinals! Here is a cool highlight video of the CCIW Championships...

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

"Love is, above all, the gift of oneself."

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trust,

always hopes, always perseveres.

Flower Girl

Yesterday was all about Gabi...she was asked to be the flower girl for Ben's cousin, David's, wedding. We have been discussing this and making plans for this day for almost a year now. Gabi has been VERY excited. She absolutely LOVES being "princess for a day." We started out the day by getting her hair done up with a tiara. Next came the church prep time and getting all dressed up. Gabi really enjoyed watching the big girls getting dressed and watching the bride and her routine. It was interesting to her, the routine, and the preparations. Gabi looked beautiful! She continually told us because this was the third wedding she has been in, she knew how to do things and needed no instruction. Obviously she didn't, because her performance went off without a hitch. After pictures, Gabi was ready to boogie at the reception. She is certainly one who LOVES to dance and have fun, so this was right up her alley. When the wedding party was asked to dance, cousin Josh (usher), grabbed her up and started out the nightly dancing. Had a wonderful time eating, hanging with family (Jeff, Pam, Dad R., etc), and even some dancing :)

By the time the night came to an end, and 32 bobby pins later, Gabi was ready for bed. Exhausted. It was a special evening and glad we had the opportunity to be a part of it!

CCIW Championship

Trenton called us on Wednesday evening and told us he was kind of stressing. Coach called him and told him he was going to wrestle in the CCIW Championships the next evening at 149 lbs. Well Trenton thought his next tournament he would be wrestling in would be on the 27th (B Team Championships) so he kind of let his weight get the better of him. He had to lose and in a hurry. Ben immediately made plans to go watch. With Gabi having basketball practice I stayed here with her and Tyler hoping to catch the final round on the internet (the computers crashed and they were never able to get it up). Ben called his dad/brother to see if they wanted to ride along and David was up for the challenge. I ran to the store to get odds and ends for Trenton that he may have needed and made him some heart cutout cookies for Valentines day, boxed it up and got all the camera equipment together before Ben left around 3:30pm or so. Ben called when he got there to inform me that Trenton was seeded 2nd and would wrestle twice (4 teams there altogether in their conference - Augustana, Elmhurst, North Central and Wheaton). Ben also said Trenton's knee was looking pretty sore and he had been having daily ultrasound to try and bust up a calcium deposit inside. He said it looked painful and Ben also shared that Trenton was throwing up a bit, not feeling the best. I was a bit worried. First up, Tyler Hernandez from Augustana. Trenton teched him 22-4. Next round would be for 1st place against Charlie Curran from Elmhurst. This would be a tough one considering his record was 23-3 and we watched Trenton wrestled him when we traveled to Elmhurst on the weeknight not too long ago. The guy is big and a good wrestler. Trenton ended up with 2nd place losing to Curran 2-14. I know the coaches were ecstatic for Trenton because he stepped it up and helped the team win the CCIW Championship for the 3rd year in a row, beating Elmhurst by only 5 points! And to top it off, Coach Kevin Bratland was named Coach of the Year! I know Trenton was glad that Ben and Dave made it to watch and support. Congrats to Trenton, North Central Wrestling team and Coach Bratland! Check out the article on the meet here!

Thank you, Jesus

...for making Bubbles better....isn't she a cutie! She is definitely feeling better than the other night...a little skinnier but she is almost two years old! She has definitely had a good little hamster life so far! And Gabi absolutely ADORES her! :)

ICE Game #4

Just got home from watching Gabi's 4th basketball game at ICE and she did AWESOME today! She is learning so much and has come so far already. We are very proud of her! Unfortunately, her team was beat today 19-29 but I can tell you, what an improvement. From what I have seen thus far, out of the four teams competing, the one we played today seemed to be the best. So, we will see how things progress. Unfortunately, next weekend Gabi is in a wedding and the following weekend is Individual Wrestling State that we plan to go to. I believe there is only one more game after that so I am glad that she did so well today. Gabi had 6 points out of the 19 they scored. She made 1 basket for 2 points and 4 free throws (out of 6) which means she was fouled three times. Ben and I laughed so hard when the game was over and she said to me and Ben, "I overexaggerated like Luke Harangody (her fav ND player) does to get more points!" And we were most impressed with how aggressive she was! The coach even said they learned a few plays but told Gabi just to go as fast as she could, that they couldn't stop her. Check out the videos below to see how quick she is as point guard. And the one where she makes 2 for 2 free throws. I have to chuckle watching Gabi run into her own team mate when she is done though. She has truly come a long way and is really enjoying basketball. I think Gabi is most excited that she is involved in a sport and loves the fact that we are supporting her now like we have been supporting the boys in wrestling and football. So very proud of my girl!

Rooting for Trenton from afar today as he is in Wisconsin at a wrestling tournament. Since he has weighed in at 149 lbs. he was unable to wrestle 141 lbs. this week and he feels like he pays for that. Because he gives up so much weight and if you see some of the guys wrestling 149 lbs. you would see exactly what I mean. He was very discouraged to tell us that he went 2 and out today. We had to reiterate to him that he is back to the bottom of the food chain again...a freshman. The experience truly does help. We told him to hang in there and continue to work hard but I think it fell on deaf ears. With the combination of his losses, not feeling well and his knee blowing up again, he just was ready to give up today. It makes me feel bad because I think he does better when we are with him to watch. I just wish I could be in several different places at one time and at the blink of an eye, but I can't and it's tough for me to digest. But, needless to say, we are always proud of Trenton and how hard he works. That stubborness is part of who he is. And as for Mishawaka...our team is advancing 13 out of 14 wrestlers to semi state. Tyler went to support his team and help coach Darius (his replacement at 145 lbs). So proud of all of them, but especially my own three children today.

Dear Jesus...

Last evening and this morning was the perfect opportunity for us to teach Gabi about God's plan for everyone. Little Bubbles (the hamster) looked very sickly last night before the wrestling meet. To be honest, Ben and I didn't think she would last and we decided to prepare Gabi for that. We talked to her about how we should pray to God and ask him to help her so we prayed a prayer. In that prayer I said "and if it is your will that Bubbles be taken to heaven with you, we pray that she is comfortable in doing so." Gabi was a bit confused by this but we used this to teach her that everything happens according to God's plan, whether it be an animal or a person, no matter the age. Sometimes it seems unfair that someone dies early or before you want them to, but God's plan is in place at all times and ultimately it is His decision and there is always a reason behind it. So we covered up little Bubbles with a towel to prevent draft and to keep her warm and comfortable and needless to say, Gabi was so happy that Bubbles seemed better this morning. I reminded her to thank Jesus in her prayers this morning and she did immediately. I was glad God gave me this opportunity to share with her...I think she will understand a bit more when it is time for Bubbles to go now.

Sweetness

Isn't this toooooo sweet! Gabi is all about making little notes now to her brothers and to her dad and to me. Along with the notes, a picture - brightly colored. Whether it be a "welcome home" picture for Trenton or just an "I love you mommy," they are all so special. This one done this past weekend to Tyler. And look how adorable my girl is when she first wakes up in the morning...still burrowed between her stuffed animals. I just love her "just woke up, warm and cozy" goodness she radiates then! And the hugs she gives first thing in the morning...wow. Love her sweetness! What a doll baby!

Home Turf

Yesterday was a special day...a good day. Tyler headed to Sectionals here at home, while my parents took Gabi to her basketball game. I am happy to report that her team score was only 4-8 and they played the first team they played again (since there are only 4 teams all together). This is a GREAT indicator that our girls are only getting better! From what I heard Gabi did great. She almost made a shot and was so proud! A HUGE thank you to my parents for keeping her for the day and getting her off to her basketball game!! Ben and I headed to North Central with David to watch Trenton wrestle at B Team Brawls. I was also excited to know it would be held in the original wrestling room. Alot of history there...and first time we have seen Trenton wrestle in there! Trenton thought he would be going with the varsity because of some injuries on the team but at the last minute the coach asked him to stay back and wrestle at the Brawls. He went 149 lbs. again. His last words after the tournament, "man, this was an awful lot of work for a B Team Brawl!" and he earned his 3rd place spot from the wrestling indeed! Not only was Trenton giving up quite a bit of weight but there were 11 wrestlers in his bracket. What made the day even more special was the fact that he asked his dad to "be in his corner" and coach him. I will never forget Ben's reaction after Trenton asked him. Ben turned to me and said, "he asked me to coach him since alot of the coaches are gone today, he must really mean it if he asked me, huh??" and as you can imagine, a HUGE grin from ear to ear. Ben was very excited. It brought back lots of memories for him and this was something he will never forget. Trenton was actually seeded 3rd at this tournament and faced a Manchester kid (Adam Ulner)first beating him 7-0. His wrestling was great and Trenton said he was going to work on his riding time. I think he got it for just about every match too. Next up, a Knox kid (DuGan O'Connor) that he beat 4-0. The next round was against the #1 seeded wrestler from Ohio Northern (Nick Hoopes). This wrestler was good, in fact, Ohio Northern is a Division 2 school. Trenton went into third OT with the score 1-1 when the Ohio Northern wrestler ended up riding him out thus winning 2-1. A heartbreaker, but a very good match. Trenton wrestled excellent. I have to admit I was a bit worried he would exit the tournament mentally after this loss but he didn't. He had to face a Whitewater Wisconsin wrestler (Adam Spatahek) to see which would be wrestling for 3rd place. Another good match and Trenton came on strong beating him 8-3. Trenton's last match was against Wabash (Garrett Payne) for third place winning over him 7-4! We were so proud of him and Ben was all smiles all day. We ended our day by taking Trenton out to Chili's for some steak and shrimp. It was a good evening with Dave, Ben and Trenton. Good wrestling, good pics, good meal and good times...couldn't ask for more. And SOOO SOOO proud of how Trenton is wrestling and how he is doing so well in school. He has adjusted very well to having wrestling and homework. Very proud. And I was excited to have captured a pic of Trenton sleeping on the mat while some matches were going on...it was actually of his headgear...his maroon and white ones. Just a subtle reminder of where he came from and loved...Mishawaka! Loved it.

Depressed

Last Friday after getting off the treadmill I noticed a pain in my foot...one that REALLY hurt when I walked. NOT HAPPY was my initial reaction. So I stretched and just kind of tried to ignore it most of the day. The weekend came and went and my foot was feeling worse. Ben was calling me "hop along" at this point so I said if it still hurt by Thursday I would see a doctor. I couldn't get into Dr. Graham (the boys' orthopedic doctor) because he was out of the office till next week so I opted for my regular physician. His immediate diagnosis was a possible stress fracture but would like me to see an orthopedic specialist right away to confirm this. So they set me up for one in Mishawaka (won't name them) for that next day (Thursday). I had remembered this doctor from taking Trenton to them when he was in elementary school. I just remember them telling me they wanted to give him inserts that cost WAAAAY too much, but I kept an open mind. My next question, should I just go to this doctor or wait for Dr. Graham to get in in Monday. Well, my regular physician wanted me to get in before Monday so I said I would go. Upon the orthopedic specialist's examination he noticed my left leg being differently shaped than my right one. He said my right knee led into my tibia in a curving manner to make my foot land flat while my left knee was straight leading my tibia to be straight as well, causing my foot to land off the left a bit. My immediate thought was "okay, here we go, he wants me to buy these overpriced inserts now" but he continued to check out my foot and he called for an x-ray thinking I may have a Jones fracture. The x-rays came back with no Jones fracture and he said I was lucky I didn't have it because of my foot and the way I was landing on it. He did notice a small area that he said was probably a small stress fracture of my fifth metatarsal but stress fractures rarely show up on x-ray. Because this was the only area, he basically told me I just needed to rest it for 3 weeks and that he would suggest (yes, this was where he went into inserts)...$400 inserts that are not covered by insurance. I am just amazed at how I have been running for the past idk like 6-7 years and I have a stress fracture and now I am in deep trouble of possibly fracturing my foot because I land wrong???? I called Dr. Graham's office after leaving and explained the situation. The nurse there suggested I wait for three weeks, get some inserts at Metro Walk and Run or even Walmart and try those. If the problem persists, maybe make an appointment with him. I am opting with this suggestion.
Sooooo, at this point. I am just not happy. Not happy that I cannot run for three more weeks, not happy that my foot hurts and is just a nuisance. It makes easy things (sweeping the floor, putting on my shoes in a hurry, etc) difficult for me and is just in the way and I don't like that. I am frustrated that I have to start all over in my running plan now...Let's hope the weekend brings some relief to my frustration.

18 Years

Ben and I are celebrating our 18th Anniversary today! I just cannot believe how the time flies!

God knew all the plans for us way back when we first started dating and I never would have imagined we would be where we are today. But I am so glad. I am so happy with where we are, where we have been and I am excited for where He will take us in the future. I am so lucky to have such a loving husband. One who would do just about anything for me and his family. Happy Anniversary, Ben! I love you!! Thank you for taking this fantastic ride with me!!!

Trenton

Trenton turns 19 today!!! At exactly 4:30 am this morning in fact. My 6 lb. 4 oz. baby has become a 149 lb. college student/wrestler. A young man. So proud of his accomplishments and very proud that he is doing so well in college. Last semester he got a 3.4 gpa and hopefully still doing as well this time around. Working to become a teacher and a wrestling coach. I can see it all in his reach. He would be an awesome teacher and an even better coach! We are so bummed that he is away today at school and really wish we could spend some time with him on his birthday but unfortunately, we can't. Trenton is reffing a little kids wrestling tournament today in Naperville....hoping and wishing he has a WONDERFUL DAY! Love you bud! HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

ICE Game #2

Gabi's team lost 5-24 but wow, what a defense we have! Because we went to watch Trenton last weekend Gabi was unable to play. Supposedly our opponents today played the team we played last week by 30 points! And our team kept it close last week. Our girls are learning more and more each week! And so proud of Gabi. Ben worked the clock and the fella that was with him even said that Gabi had good "ball handling skills." She even got one of our 5 points during a free throw! Looking forward to our dinner this evening at Das Essenhaus, just the three of us...

Elmhurst, Illinois

Some may call us crazy but we packed in the car yesterday about 5 pmish and headed out for Chi town...Elmhurst, Illinois to be exact. To surprise Trenton at his dual meet. Trenton had to go 149 lbs. this time around because of an injury to the starter. This would be a big meet for Trenton as Elmhurst was ranked #8, North Central at #12. This meet would pretty much seal the deal for CCIW champions. All of this played into Trenton's nervousness. I know 149 is not his favorite spot because he ends up giving up so much weight in the end. It is truly amazing to see how much bigger the guys are at 149 then Trenton is. But, he stepped up and did his part for the team. Trenton wrestled a senior from Elmhurst being recognized last evening during their "Senior Night" with a record of like 12-2 for the year. We knew it'd be a tough match but Trenton wrestled as well as he could have with being smaller (weighed in at 145 lbs.) and a roughed up knee (bursed bursa sac) - he lost 2-12. The team stepped it up though, and put Elmhurst in their place leaving the team score 25-14! A good win for NCC. We brought Trenton his favorite sweet tea (2 gallons worth) and I baked 2 1/2 dozen homemade chocolate chip cookies all for him because his birthday is Sunday. To see his eyes get big and light up when he saw us walk in to watch was priceless...absolutely PRICELESS. And his text to me afterwards saying "it meant alot to me that you guys came" just verified our craziness to go. It may have been midnight before we got in but it was well worth it and I would do it all over again.

Manchester Invitational

We made our way to Manchester College today to watch North Central's team and Trenton! Tyler was able to go with us, along with my parents and David. Alayna and her dad even got to come watch. With it being only over an hour away we wouldn't miss the opportunity. North Central did not bring all their starters so Trenton was able to go 141 lbs. We were a bit concerned when we first saw him. His knee had been very badly bruised and looked swollen. He explained that it happened in practice and would probably get it checked out next week. Trenton had 13 wrestlers in his weight class and would face the #2 seed first round (Matt David from CU). Trenton had a great match winning 10-7 strong. Next up, Josh Patterson from Trine. Josh was a former teammate at Penn during Trenton's freshman and sophomore year so we were no stranger to this young man. Trenton won 12-3 but the match left his knee feeling very sore. The trainer wrapped it in ice and Trenton decided to continue. He wrestled Brandon Burkett of Heidelburg Student Princes the next round. He lost 6-7. Unfortunately, Trenton was called on an illegal move right off the bat (which we blatantly saw the other kid do as well) and he was hit with 1 penalty point. Trenton ran a takedown clinic and basically Burkett stalled the entire rest of the match. With Trenton's knee feeling pretty bad at this point and the trainer again escorting him off the mat to the table, the coach decided this tournament was not worth the risk of injuring his knee anymore than what it was. Trenton would forfeit the remaining matches (two more) to finish him out at 6th place. Very proud of him today. It was so nice to see him and it made it even more hard for me to leave him knowing he was in pain. Great wrestling today. It made my day being able to watch. Let's pray for the best about his knee when he sees the trainer on Monday. North Central placed 2nd overall at the tournament!

Just Livin...

I haven't posted in a while because we haven't been doing too much around here. Basically just goin with the flow. Staying warm and just enjoying life. Gabi has had basketball practice twice a week which is not too bad. Tyler goes to wrestling practice here and there but he admits it can be tiring just sitting and watching. Took him to the doctor on Monday and he was sooo excited that he only has 10 more days of keeping it immobilized, then comes the therapy. Went to the Lakeshore vs. Mishawaka wrestling meet last night. That was a late one! I have to say the ref was the WORST I have ever, I mean EVER seen. Illegal moves allowed, points not given, pins not called...it was bad. Have to admit though, the atmosphere was GREAT! Much like team state and that is EXCITING!!!! I love that surrounding and the feeling. Mishawaka won 30-18 and both teams brought 9 ranked wrestlers to the mat. Mishawaka is ranked #1 in Indiana and #22 in the Nation! Exciting stuff. Still makes it hard to swallow knowing that Tyler is not able to be an active part of that team. But we are coping and we are still supporting our team and the wrestlers. American Idol started up this week. I always enjoy the auditions. Makes me laugh and I need that. So for now...we are just goin with the flow...

Iowa National Duals

Trenton had to make weight at 141 lbs. today. Unfortunately, he wasn't a starter at this tournament but is thankful for the opportunity to go and be at the Iowa National Duals at the Unidome where all divisions compete in the same complex! Division 1, Division 2, Division 3, NAIA and Junior Colleges - only the top 15 teams in each are invited and it is a barn burner! Trenton called after weigh ins and said we need to make the trip next year because it is just an awesome atmosphere. What a great opportunity for him!!!

First Round against #14 ranked Williams (MA) NCC over Williams 23-16

Second Round against # 2 Augsburg (MN) NCC loses to Augburg 25-12

Third Round against #11 ranked St. Johns (MN) loss by nearfall criteria! 15-15

So sad for NCC...unfortunately, they are finished and only get to watch tomorrow so it looks like Trenton will not be able to wrestle this time around. He did say he got to say hello to legendary coach Gable! Just being in that place had to be really great for him. Even though they took a hard loss, what an awesome, awesome trip for Trenton!

ICE Game #1

Gabi had her first basketball league game today at ICE Athletic Center. The coach is her friend's dad and the team is pretty much made up of all her little girlfriends from school. They all played at school also so this is going to give her and them great opportunity to take it to the next level. Unfortunately, the our team (not named yet) lost 9-17 but the girls really came together during the last couple periods. And Gabi had a great time and felt so good with us there to watch along with maw maw and paw paw and grandpa R. That's all that really matters :)

Remembering 2009

I have not really had a chance to reflect on 2009 until today as I was going through my blog and looking at all the entries. I just know on New Year's Eve I was not happy to see 2009 go away (like I was in 2008)...I was somewhat sad. 2009 had been good to us in many ways. We had more highs than we did lows that year and I pray that God blesses us as richly in 2010! So, enjoy looking back at our 2009 in this slideshow, and be sure to click on the little sound icon on the top left corner. 2009 will be a year to remember always...

Nothing

We have been doing alot of this lately. And we have been seeing alot of this. Just alot of R & R and "nothing." In between I shampooed our rugs and Ben did put down some new flooring for our bathrooms and I am in love with it. I guess a whole lot of "nothing" turned into something :)He has also been Gabi's favorite by taking her sledding over the weekend. What a great daddy he is!!!! And look what came in the mail over the weekend!! My big gift from my parents!!! My blog from the beginning through 2008! ABSOLUTELY LOVING THIS!!!! Thank you mom and dad! You have helped me preserve so many memories for my children! Now it's back to the grinding board...lots of work to do in the office and I got back on the treadmill this morning after a week off. My butt was dragging but I managed. Follow up appointment for Tyler today after school and Trenton started classes today (second trimester). Busy day.