67-57 in OT

We hand a great opportunity to take in a basketball game over this pass weekend at Illinois Wesleyan's, to cheer on North Park.This was not just a basketball game.This was a full family event.We had family fly in from Denver to take in this last game of the season.Not to mention this was the last game for senior Jason Gordon and his team in our home town.

We all were very excited.Our seven year old told his Uncle Jason that he made 10 points in his basketball earlier that morning. He said I bet you can't make more then 10 points.

The heat was on !

On the edge of our seats for the entire game .... The crowd was restless.


67-57 in overtime.
A victory for North Park senior Jason Gordon and his team.
North Park took control immediately in overtime as Jason Gordon nailed two 3-pointers.

This was a great way to end the season, We are so glad we had the opportunity to share this exciting event with Jason and his team and our family.





Illinois Wesleyan's Sean Dwyer goes up for a shot while North Park's Nick Williams, front, and Jason Gordon, center, put their hands up on defense during Saturday night's game.

When the game was over our seven year old said,who cares if Uncle Jason made more points then I did. I will dunk on him when I get taller then him,only after my next stops hurting from looking up at Uncle Jason.

Happy Valentines Day !

Valentine's Day is another day for thinking of those who are special part of our lives and have a special place in our hearts…

That's why it's such a perfect time for thinking of you!

Happy Valentines Day !

UNDERWATER ADVENTURE

A day underwater in the Mall of America ???






Shannel,Cody and Bubba in the mouth of shark.



We came nose to nose inside the amazing glass tunnel took us 14 feet under the water's surface to witness the lakes, rivers, reefs, and deeper oceans of the world. We seen sharks, stingrays, sawfish, and endangered sea turtles in shark cove and revel in the beautiful wonders of the wild amazon along with the colorful coral gardens of rainbow reef.










Shannel,Cody and Bubba had a chance for a perfect photo shoot
with one of endangered sea turtles .








No trip to this aquarium is complete until you touch real live sharks and rays at the touch pool in circle of life!





I have to say "Minnesota's ocean" was a blast !

2008 Pine Wood Derby

Last Saturday was the big day.
The day that all Boy Scout's dream about.

At 8am the 2008 Pine Wood Derby would start.

We have worked on this project for three months now.
This is the day all the hard work could pay off.

We loaded into the jeep @ 7:30am.On the way to the jeep it was quite icy outside. The driver (Bubba the 7 year old ) of the race car slipped and fell.
To my surprise he was OK. We got in the jeep we asked him if he was OK and then asked if he had his car. With a smile from ear to ear form falling into the pile of snow he responded with a quick yes.

Off we went to the event the could change this Pine Wood Derby racers life.
We pulled up to the event,there were race car drivers every ware. Today is the day get your car and lets go race I said. I turned around to see what the 7 year old was doing.Once again to my surprise he looked and me and said I put the car on my pocket and its not anyware to be found !WHAT I SAID ? Mom ,I do not have my car !

At that moment I remembered that the car fell out of his pocket when he had slipped.That was why I asked him if he had his car when he got in. Errrr !!!

So it is now 7:45. We are about 15 minutes away from the house.Car check in is from 8am to 8:30am.We also have our 14 year old coming back from an over night ski trip @ 8:15 or so.What do we do now... I had it planed out to the minute but with no errors allowed.

On the way back to the house the phone rang. On the other end of that call was our 14year old. Mom we got back a little early can you come and pick me up? Before answering her question I thought to my self just my luck ! So we looked at the clock it is now 8:10 and she is about 10 more minutes away....

We passed the house got our 14 year old picked up from the rec center. Went by the house to drop her off and pick up the race car that was in the snow bank.

GO GO GO we are going to be late! LETS GO !!! I do not remember stopping at any lights or stop signs. Good thing I was not driving.

Finley, back on are way to the race track (One of the local church's.)We had to blow out the snow from the wheeles on the little wood car and we had to hold it up to the heater to re-dry the wood glue on the bottom.

Only 10 minutes late , thank goodness we are at the race.I guess when you put 50 little boys in the same room nothing ever starts on time.


First thing we had to get done was Drivers License Photos & Driver check in:



Tony "Bubba" Wallace
Age:7
Weight:43 lbs


Next we had to weight in.The car has to be 5.0 oz.
No more no less. Would we make it? Yes dead on 5.0 oz!
Then we had to turn the car over to the officials to place the car in pit row.





#9 was the pit that was assigned.

We took the opportunity to review the competition out there,seems to be we have a good chance.We then heard over the load speaker calling all racer ,calling all racers the race is about to begin. Racer are you ready? With 50 little boys in a room you can just imagine the sound at the race track. I thouht the jet cars with NHRA were load!

The track was loaded with three cars at a time with three heats each.



After a long morning of racing ,it was time to attend the awards ceremony.
The awards were to be giving out for five different classes
1st,2nd & 3rd and Best in show.






We did it we made it to the end .The guy next to us leans over and says I told ya you would get best in show ! I found myself chuckling and saying we will see.


Tony Wallace please come to the front.




He recived a cerfitcate participation not best in show.
He did not look happy at all.I have to say,he was not as mad as the guy next to me.





We took a den photo and talked with a few of the other racers.
We ever took a few more laps down the track and won a few.



Going to the car,I said all in all it was a fun day win or loose right ?
Yes Mom our 7 years said.Well let's go to my basketball game now, at least I will win that. I did not have the heart to tell him we missed his game two hours ago.

We just said let's go out to get a pizza !
Hey!It got his mind off the basketball game.

We will get'em next year !




Thank you to our sponsors:

Bubba Wallce:Design
Nathan:Technical support
Tom Gardas:Body
Luther Body Shop:Paint

The Big Dig

Snows have canceled classes at the schools and colleges,even has closed State Farm Insurance.(I guess we can't report any accidents today !)

I had shoveled a few time threw out the night to keep up on it.

Then I seen my neighbor this morning ...
Guess he did not need to loose any sleep knowing he had the beast
tucked away warm in his garage.

ERRRR what a #%@ !



Time to go back to bed. We can pull out the shovel in a couple of hours !!!

WE HAVE A SNOW DAY !!!!!!

Celebration

Another cyber celebration for all to enjoy!

This is a celebration for my nephew Cody !

Join us in singing a cyber tune and a slice of cyber cake.

Celebrate good times, come on! (Let's celebrate)
Celebrate good times, come on! (Let's celebrate)

There's a party goin' on right here
A celebration to last throughout the years
So bring your good times, and your laughter too
We gonna celebrate your party with you

Come on now

Celebration !
Happy 14th Birthday Cody !





All our love !

Pay back

When I was twelve years old or so,I took a trip to Florida with my brother and his girl friend at the time(now his wonderful wife). We went down to take care of my grandfather that was a bit ill at the time,while my grandmother went on a mini vacation with her girlfriends.

To make along story short.

I will draw a visual for you. My grandparents lived in a retirement community. Anyone who was anybody got around on a golf cart.How cool is was at the age of twelve to drive. Who cares if it was just a golf cart.

The day that no one will let me forget:

So from what I remember(I'm sure some of us may remember better then others)I was enjoying a great sun filled day in Florida.Heck I can even remember what I was waring. For the record ,I had my hair in a side pony tail with a white hair tie, a white t-shirt that had the logo from one of our local radio station in Minnesota (KDWB).

See I remember this like it was yesterday.

I was asked to go pick up the mail from the front office. I was out the door so fast. On the golf cart I went to get the mail.I remember stopping and talking to some of the locals on the way back.I took a bit longer then I should have.
Upon my arrival to my grandparents house I thought I would back the golf cart into it's spot.This way it may not look like I was gone so long.It would like someone else had left and came back with the golf cart other then me. So I flipped the cart around and looked behind me to my left. I was good to go. Hit the gas full blast BING, BANG, BOOM I went.
Seems to me I forgot to look over my right and I backed right into the neighbors parked car.

I remember looking at my brother that came over to see what the commotion was. Then I looked at the car ,then the neighbor of the car I hit had came out .I new I had brook something.This was not good ! I may have said something if I did I don't remember (sorry about that )and I took off crying and running to into the house.
A few things took place after that, I think I just blocked it out.

For nineteen years or so I have head about this event every chance anyone(Tommy:my brother,Lisa:my sister-in-law,even Nathan)ever gets to remind me.I have been crash the golf cart girl for years!


Well about three weeks ago that all changed.

The 27 year old(Nathan)and I had the opportunity to go snowmobiling.

Nathan has been befor on a few guided tours in Colorado.
I my self have been twice,both times I have ended up in the hospital
(not by my fault,I was not even driving).So needless to say I was a bit nervous.

Nathan, my brother and his wife talked me into it.
This time I had my own sled to drive.So I guess it could not be that bad or if it is I can only be mad at myself.

We got ready to go, my brother gave us some intense directions.
I was asking alot of questions being I have never done this befor as the driver.




Notice Nathan in this photo above(center red & black jacket),listing to how you need to lean into turns and jumps.Very critical information...

We were off ... I was still a bit nervous.



Tommy(my brother)lead the way. I was in the center and Nathan was in the back.
I was getting used to how to handle the sled, how to lean the right way with out falling. Then we hit a few trails that we were able to open them up on. I found myself smiling and hanging on for dear life to keep up to my brother. We had passed a few other groups as well as a pack of dogs hooked up to a dog sled(quite neat).I would look behind to see if I lost Nathan and most of the time I did so I would slow down and then take off again when he made it up to us.

It felt like we were going for hours but we had only traveled 5 or so miles away from the house. We stoped a local sled hang out and had a few soda's. Listing to all the locals asking where we came from and how are the trials. I guess we looked like pros. It was getting to be dusk so we decided to head back.We started our engines, flipped the lights on and we were off for part two of our adventure.

We zipped threw the trials bobbing and weaving threw the trees. We made it back to an area about a block or so from my brothers house,next here comes a sled zipping by me it was Nathan. I laughed to myself and said now he picks it up.

The next thing I new I went flying by him and I was off, I hit a hill came down a bit harder then I wanted to almost lost the sled and then I saved my landing.
I road off and was almost ready to pee my pants.

I looked back to see what I thought was Nathan... Oh it was Nathan all right ...
Off the sled on its side and him yelling at the the sled or maybe himself(still unsure what he was yelling at).He went off the same hill I did but did not land as smooth as I did.Guess he was not listing to the direction my brother gave us earlier.




After coming off the hill he hit a split rail fence and took part of it down instead of going around it.My brother came back after a few minutes of him realizing we were not behind him any longer to find that his 13 year old son's sled was totaled and Nathan was still standing.My brothers face only said one thing...

How the heck did you do that ??!







Nathan was mad! Really mad ! I have never seen this side of him befor.
All I could do was laugh(he is so cute when he get's that mad).
I gave him a kiss and express to him that I was glad he was OK .

Then laughed more.

After a few hours or so of trying to place the sled back together,we all sat down to dinner.It was quite for sometime.I was still laughing to myself(OK to everyone).Then I said it...

It only took nineteen years...
I will never have to hear about the dam golf cart again.

Ahh pay back is great !