The Week of all Weeks

What can I say...it's basketball season.

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I can also say that my eyes have been opened to high school sports in a whole new way...and not the way where you go to a football game and talk non stop until the band goes on the field.

I'm talking loud music and cheerleaders and screaming fans and did I mention cheerleaders?

Wow.

Alex had two home games this week, which also meant that I had to run the snack bar...and by run I mean purchase food, make food, schedule volunteers, set up, break down and handle all the money for.  I had no clue that it would mean a 7 hour commitment on game days.

Yowza.

But, in my life as a career volunteer, it's all just par for the course.  The people are fun and I am able to watch all of Alex's games...and after this week, I only have to run it for 4 more home games.  Not that I am counting.

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Alex has been playing well.  He's a starter and I'm pretty sure he gets his athletic ability (and height...and blondness) from me.  

Brian had his first game this week, too.  He played against his best friend and had to guard him...pretty sure they set up a play date while on the court.  So, so cute!

Matthew is still home and after these last few weeks, I am no longer shocked when he tells me he's going out at 11pm.  He's also taken to asking me where I am going and who will I be with and when will I be home everytime I leave the house.  Smart alec.  I'm going to miss him all over again.

Let's see...what else is new?  I have a bad, bad cough.  Nothing else...just a cough, which means not much sleep for me.  And no hot tea, which makes it worse...and makes me grumpy, but this too shall pass.    

Glad I shared that?

M and I went and saw Valkyrie yesterday morning, cough and all.  Just kidding...I left the cough in the car.  I think Tom Cruise is so icky now, but it was a really good story and an important one to tell...the story of the germans who were not in support of Hitler.

Having been gone everynight this week, I have no idea what most of the people in my house have eaten, which I don't like...but M was in charge and I am sure there was lots of sushi involved!  Plus, I am pretty sure my house has never been dirtier.  It is truly disgusting, but I am coughing too much to really care right now, though I would be truly thankful for a wife.  Quickly.

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Tonight I will cook and we will sit and have a meal together, though I haven't yet figured out what...probably a pot of some kind of soup.

This morning, Alex had to work our neighborhood 1/2 marathon at 5:30am and finished just as Brian had practice at 9am.  We picked up bagels and are now home until Brian needs to be picked up at 10:30am.  Alex has a shooting clinic at 2pm and M has a recital tonight...life continues to be busy and full.

The recent earthquakes weren't felt in my little neighborhood, though the water department did dig through a gas line and we smelled gas for the whole day, plus they closed the street leading to our house.  The fire department assured us that we weren't going to blow up...but I kept wondering since they stayed parked out front all afternoon.   Matthew wanted to cook...so I made sure he knew what to do in case we 'sploded:

Now, I need to stop coughing and typing and start coughing and cleaning.  Or stop coughing and start cleaning...that would be nice!

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Weekend

New Years Day lasagne.

Which we weighed, pan and all, and it came to 21 lbs.

Now THAT'S a serious lasagne.

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The next day...a basketball game conveniently located by the Rainbow sandal (flip flops) hut...which was closed!!!!...even though the sign said they should be open.  That's life on the beach, which I love...except when I need a pair of cheap Rainbows.

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So, we hit Chronic Tacos before the game because if you ever find a Chronic Tacos near you, you MUST enter and eat.  It's a MUST.

And you MUST order fish tacos.  It's a MUST.

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We then hooked up with a guy (who looked kinda homeless cuz he was dragging a suitcase!) at the game...and he came home and made us REAL hungarian goulash soup.  In our kitchen.

And chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake.  Gotta love when people come to YOUR kitchen and cook!

Thanks, Jimmy....see you in Boulder in March!  

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Pat came over too and learned that car racing is definitely in her future!

Having a college aged son home means waking up to things like this in the morning.

Cuz this is what you do when you live in a dorm and forget that you live at home during break.  Except you don't have a mother in your dorm room telling you to clean stuff up.

Sunday, Michael played for all 3 services, so the boys and I drove up for late service.  It's always at church where I realize just how giant they all are...probably because they are all standing so close to each other without touching each other and dragging each other to the ground.

Church is a 'hands free' place...and it took YEARS to master that one small detail.

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After, we gave the giant boys some money for lunch, the keys to my dented car and sent them on their way...with a warning to NOT FORGET BRIAN.  Which they didn't, so all was well.

I learned later that they bought a 10 pack of chili dogs and from the mouth of Alex, 'don't go in your car for awhile cuz it don't smell so good.'

And I don't think he was talking about chili dogs.

sigh.

Anyway, M and I drove...alone...to Belmont Shore for a visit to Le Creperie...in honor of Ingrid. (and tried, succesfully this time, to not buy a cute little house down there!  Oh my...I love cute little houses!) 

And if I had remembered my camera I would have taken lots and lots of pictures...but just know that the Crepe Madame is probably the best thing I have ever eaten.  Ever.

Ingrid....YOU are a rock star.

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We then drove home down PCH and straight to nap-ville.  Bliss.  Absolute bliss.

Monday Morning...

...and vacation is over.

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2009

2008 ended with that guy that I like so much doing almost all the cooking (and cleaning up!) for the whole day...might have to make that some sort of tradition!

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Supper was my very favorite and his speciality...dog house pasta, aka linguini with chicken, prosciutto and pasillas...plus a bunch of other really yummy stuff.  The 1st time he made it I told him that if he were to ever be in the dog house with me, make this dish and all would be forgiven.

It's THAT good.

And no, he wasn't in the doghouse last night, but I would have picked a fight just to get this stuff!

Later in the evening...homemade chocolate fondue while watching Ironman.  Oh my.  Oh my.  Oh my.

Matthew went to a party (and made it safely home after midnight...my biggest worry) and the rest of us just hung out.

Midnight came with great fanfare and one little boy blowing a trumpet.  It was so foggy that we could only make out the outline of our neighbors house...which in SoCal, where you can reach out and TOUCH your neighbors house, that was a big deal.   It was so quiet and still and beautiful...well, except for the blaring trumpet.

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This morning I slept until 10:39am.  Me.  The insomniac.  Well rested, I made panetone french toast while watching the Rose Parade.  

A pretty good way to start the New Year.

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NYE Madness...Or Not.

Last night, the Warriors won the Sonora tournament.

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We then had to drive home 5 of the most hyper boys EVER.

EVER.

No games now until Saturday...and then we'll have, on average, 3 a week until March.

Love, love, love basketball!

We all stayed up late (after arriving home after 11pm, but it IS Christmas break and poor little Brian DID go to bed) and watched an older movie....The Net, so this is a slow morning for us.  It's actually going to be a wonderfully slow day...and I am thrilled.

But 1st...sweet Maggie:

And Mollie...who is single handedly taking apart our Christmas tree.  And yes, we still have a tree and lights on our house for another week.  We celebrate Epiphany, so we have another week to go.

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As for today...it's New Years Eve and we are staying home all. night. long.  By choice.  M is making his pasta for supper (and he's making omelets right now....man, I love a prof who is on vacation!!!) and at some point after that I am going to make a huge pot of chocolate fondue.  And watch movies.  And snooze on the couch.  And watch movies.  And snooze on the couch.

The boys want to have some friends over so I am sure we will have a revolving door going on, which doesn't bother me a bit...cuz I'll be on the couch watching movies.  And snoozing.  And watching movies.  And snoozing.

And maybe playing some Animal Crossing.

Till midnight.

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Not Much...

...going on.

And I couldn't be happier.

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Last night's cocktail was an amazingly tasty amaretto sour.  With not one, but two cherries.  Which aren't supposed to really be in an amaretto sour, but I like them so that guy that I like so much always drops one in.  Or sometimes two.

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I, in turn, cooked up an incredibly yummy pasta using up all the odds and ends that were hanging around...EDIBLE odds and ends, thankyouverymuch.

So very, very yummy.

Last night was the tournaments semi-finals, which they won rather easily.  The finals are tonight at 8:45pm, so we will be heading our shortly.

In the meantime, today was a boy day.  I drove Brian out to Nico's, stayed for coffee and then brought both of them home with me.  Once home, a few neighbors came over, plus a few more friends of Bri's from school and they played outside on this beautifully sunny December day.  In the meantime, most of the basketball team was in and out, in and out...playing video games and eating.  

I love that.

Matthew, on the flip side, is bored.  Very, very bored.

I was, too...but then cleaned out the pantry (long over due), caught up on laundry and made a pot of shredded beef for tacos, which thankfully fed the masses.

Our plan is to load up my car, drive the 30 miles to the game, drop them off an hour before they play and then find a Starbucks for an extremely large caffeinated coffee....then back in time for tip off.

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Sunday

Basketball.  Basketball.  basketball.

Me loves me some basketball, especially when my #35 is on the court.  Which happens to be alot lately.

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This morning, M and Matthew played in church and I am sorry to say that I didn't take a picture of my oldest in his truly spiffy tie.

Sorry, Matthew.  But cool tie.

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I did capture Brian and Logan, though! 

I just finished watching a hallmark channel christmas movie and am going to now practice my hula hooping, tightrope walking and ski jumping on the wii fit.  

Silly, silly game.

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