Out and About

For Cub Scouts tonight Jake's den went on a hike into the woods at Symmes Park. They discussed survival techniques... while munching on the trail mix they brought from home. They did see some deer and made walking sticks. Thank goodness for leaders who are willing to tromp around in the woods with fourth grade boys.

Dancing the Night Away

Dressed to impress, Dani and Kirk left early for the Homecoming Dance. Not being sixteen yet, Dani went with a group of her friends. They started here at our home with pictures and then went to dinner at Iron Chef, a hibatchi-style Japanese steak house. Two other moms and I had dinner at a separate table where we could supervise the goings on and make sure the bill got paid correctly. We drove Dani and her group to the dance following dinner amid lots of really loud music, windows down and screaming through the town.






Meanwhile, Kirk shaved, put on a tie and met up with his date, Morgan Williams, a sophomore and member of the girl's soccer team. They ordered dinner in with a large group of friends to Morgan's house. Kirk even cleaned out his car for the drive to the dance.

Everyone was issued glow-in-the-dark necklaces as proof that they had tickets and had signed the no-drinking rule. It allowed them to come and go from the building as it got hotter and hotter. Kirk tells me that it was so humid and sweaty at the dance that the ceiling was actually dripping...ew.

Dani was picked up promptly at midnight but we didn't see Kirk until about 1:45 am. The kid thinks he's a senior or something. Sheesh!

Four, Count 'Em FOUR Touchdowns!

Wow! The homecoming game is always fun, but this was one to remember. The game ball arrived under police escort with the Grand Marshall by helicopter on the 50 yard line.

Kirk, #28, was one of the team captains to call the coin toss. One of the perks of having nationally known Rozzi's Fireworks in your hometown is fireworks to set off the national anthem.

The guys played a great game and Kirk scored FOUR touchdowns! The crowd went crazy!

Each touchdown was punctuated with more fireworks. It's one thing to score, but to have fireworks and a marching band celebrating the fact is another. Then add to it that nearly the entire student body was there to witness the event. That makes for one heck of a moment of glory!

Kirk said his favorite moment of the night was after the crowds had started to leave. A fifth grader who plays Loveland Youth Football waited for Kirk to come out of the locker room. He was there in his jersey, #28, and wanted Kirk to know he was a running back too. Kirk was tired and sweaty and dirty and hungry and sore, but smiled from ear to ear as he took the time to chat with the future superstar who shares his jersey number.

...Meanwhile down on the sidelines... having the ball to score with means that the Offensive Coordinator was calling plays which gave Kirk the ball. Offensive Coordinator Coach "Shep" told Brian he wanted one of my cinnamon rolls for every touchdown Kirk made. (The doctor my mother used to work for peirced my ears for the price of my mom's cinnamon rolls. Who knew they were so powerful??) Brian told me of this little arrangement after the game, at 10:30 at night. So I here I sit in the middle of the night waiting for roll dough on 40 cinnamon rolls to rise. (4x10 coaches) I wanna go to bed!

Spirit Day!

I have to admit that there is something that makes me smile as I watch my kids leave the house in outfits that would be completely humiliating if it weren't "Spirit Week" at school. I've seen them embracing class colors, Nerd Day, Pajama Day and today was Spirit Day! Every class is earning points today by showing their school spirit. Our school colors are orange and black. Yes, my daughter left the house this way this morning.

Man, gotta love Homecoming!

Grovel, Grovel, Grovel...

From time immortal teens have been asking for that which they have not earned. Yes, money from dad. It seems today is the last day to buy Homecoming tickets and the teens need cash to buy their's for the dance. Why doesn't Dani have money? She spent her babysitting money on getting her nails done for the dance. Why doesn't Kirk have money to buy a ticket for the date he already has? Because he hasn't worked since last summer, something about football taking up all his time. So in the time honored tradition of teens, they came asking dad for cash. We felt that a handout was not enough. It was only right that they should beg. I think Kirk actually kissed Brian's feet. He must really like the girl he's taking.

Of course what's a little groveling when you come away with the cash?

Poor Brian.

Thursday Night Dinner!

In days gone by there was the traditional "pregame meal." Today there's so little time between school and when the players need to be on the field to get taped and dressed that there just isn't enough time for a full dinner. In the days of my own youth, we did "Game Day Breakfast". Here in Loveland they do Thursday Night Dinners. They split the team up into groups of ten or twelve and each week they rotate through the homes of different host families. Last night it was our turn and my homemade rolls had a rep to uphold. Kirk tells me there is even a certain amount of bartering and deal making that goes on in the locker room to see who will get a ticket to the Morra's dinner.

Not to disappoint, we served marinated flank steak, corn, homemade mashed potatoes, glazed green beans, AND...the rolls. Despite the warm, comfortable temperature, there was a moment when we thought it was going to rain. In a classic moment of silent male dominance, one of the seniors got up and simply moved the umbrella to the table where he was sitting. By dessert all the boys were crowded around the same table talking and laughing. Dessert? Seven-layer brownies, Bryers ice cream and homemade hot fudge sauce. My favorite part of Thursday Night Dinners is seeing the boys relaxed and rubbing their stomachs because they're so full, it hurts like Thanksgiving afternoon. One boy said, "I'm so glad I don' have any homework tonight. I don't think I could concentrate after that. I'm going home and going to bed." Indeed, that has to be considered the highest compliment from a teenage football player to the "chef."

Hint: Click on any picture for a larger view!

Dress Shopping or Slow Torture?

So I told Dani that while she can't date until she's sixteen, we would allow her to go to the homecoming dance with a group of her friends. She was on the phone before I finished my sentence putting together a group. She and about six or seven girlfriends are going to dinner at Iron Chef Japanese Steak House and then to the dance together next Saturday night. I was even invited along to dinner...to take pictures and undoubtably pay Dani's bill. I told Dani it would be fine if she wanted to have the group here to get ready together too. She liked the social aspect of that idea, but hasn't decided if she wants to share her space with anyone while she's getting ready yet. Which brings us to the dress...

We looked on-line, she asked around school, and convinced me we needed to go to Debz, a trendy store in Eastgate Mall. They seemed to me, to specialize in the trend of the hour, glitzy, cheaply made. But it's what she wanted. I don't think I've quite felt my age so much as when I was sitting there with five other moms in sweats watching our tiny size 0-2 daughters try on dress after dress and whine about the fit. We narrowed it down to three dresses. My favorite on her was on clearance for $20. Price had nothing to do with it - seriously! But she wanted blue. (She does look amazing in blue and she knows it. Girl's gotta know her strengths.) Both of the remaining two dresses were different shades of royal blue, one more navy than the other. The navy one was more modest and honestly looked better on her in my opinion, but that was the kiss of death for the dress. So we got the one she wanted most with the understanding that it was a little short, I would alter the cleavage, you couldn't call it a "neck-line" and she would keep a shrug on the entire night...even if she got sweaty hot.

Here it is unaltered and in a different shade of blue from the store's website. Heaven help me when she does turn sixteen!