Where the H did July Go?

Well in keeping with my theme of not posting until I have too much to post - here I go. Summer updates (now that it's nearly over):

Garden is doing great. A lot of tomatoes ready to ripen, our greens -chard, collard (or colored if you're Michael on The Office - US version), lettuce have produced but are actually running a bit amuck right now. The cucs on the hill are starting to do well. The weeds are by far out performing them all though. We had to put up a rabbit fence to keep the boys out so weeding is a bit more of an acrobatic feat now.

Of course we attribute this year's success to Karl's new collection of Garden Gnomes that protect the crops from evil.

Had a nice camping trip with Butch and Cakes up to Golden Gate Canyon. Went on a hike, ate and relaxed for a couple of days. The boys enjoyed it once they got used to the fact that they were tied to a tree and could only go about 10 feet!

The rest of the month we did some yard work and put some nice lattice up on the patio and planted a vine and a clematis to grow on it (hopefully) and have been trying, to some success, to train the boys, and of course Karate. We are leaving first thing tomorrow for Vegas for the big Pacific/West Region tournament - The Duel in the Desert. Are stopping in Glenwood for few nights on the way home for some relaxation before heading back to work on the 15th (Jax goes back to school the 22nd - Outdoor Lab year - woo hoo!)

June marches on

Just got back from Hays, Kansas for a Karate tournament in which Jax took 3rd in her forms and 1st in sparring. There were 1o other kids in both divisions that she had to beat. She ended up fighting 4 fights (2 boys and 2 girls) to win the sparring. Something just clicked this time and everything fell into place. This was a NBL (National Blackbelt League) sanctioned event so there were a lot from around the region there Head kick (2 points) - this was against her friend from the dojo.

Her 3rd place trophy in forms.

Receiving her 1st place in sparring - smiles didn't stop the rest of the day!

Her next tourney is in Vegas in August (pleasant time of year to go to Vegas). She is currently training to test for her black belt later in August as well. We are just a tad proud if you can't tell!!!

And 1 more makes a family!

A dog - not a baby! We have no will power and drove back up to Wellington to look at a full size Aussie pup (blue merle like we originally wanted) and came home with Michael. An Australian Cattle Dog/Border Collie mix. He was not quite 7 weeks when we got him (June 2) and was pretty much a stomach with short little legs and a head. He's going to prove to be a brute we think.

Jackie loves him and Jethro is busy being the boss. He better enjoy it while it lasts because Mike will be bigger than him in no time! They both love lounging on their lawn chairs and this is one of the few times that they were both still enough to shoot a photo. If they are not eating and sleeping, they are usually wrestling and running around like crazy.

On another note, Karl ministered a wedding for a good friend's daughter at Mt. Vernon Country Club last Saturday - and we've spent as much time as possible since then explaining to Jax that those big expensive weddings are nice but Vegas is where it's at! I have a funny feeling that what "Daddy's girl wants, she'll get!!" (not if mommy has anything to say about it though!)

Okay now, where were we?

Okay lone blogger, here you go. Since last post:

Karate tourney in Salt Lake (Map quest lies about trip time by the way) but here's the beautiful Temple that we weren't allowed into unless we let them baptise us. Had to get back to the tourney and watch more fights anyway - no time to convert.

Another tournament (RAGE) here in town, took 2nd in sparring.

Jackie and a few classmates had the honor of singing the National Anthem at the Shriner Circus

Started the seeds for the garden - radishes, lettuce, Swiss chard, collard greens, beets, carrots, and kohlrabi. Still need to weed the other half and put the tomato and pepper plants in as well as the front yard flower bed.

Broke down and got a new puppy - Miniature Aussie - name: Jethro Gibbs Mark Schrader.

Jethro Gibbs - from NCIS (Mark Harmon's character) Mark - for Jackie's karate instructor. The next one (we're getting an Aussie/Blueheeler mix in July) will be named Michael after Wee Wee and Michael on The Office.

Jethro was a surprise for Jax. We had actually looked at him and decided to wait for Michael to be born but we caved 2 weeks later and snuck up to Ft. Collins and surprised her when she came home from school.

It's Like Spring

So the sun is shining the temp should be near 60 and I'll quit bitching about shoveling and snow in general. (although we still have about a 3' bank running down the extra driveway - but just because it doesn't get sun) Of course they keep reminding that March is our snowiest month, but enough about that - another few months and I'll be complaining about the heat!

Anyhow, life is moving on here in Arvada. Jackie is now a 2nd degree brownbelt (feb.) and has already competed in her first tourney of the year. She moved up an age division and to advanced so the competition is going to be tougher (11-12 year olds & all brown belts) She was a bit rusty but had a good fight - scored a 2 point head kick but lost. Started a new form (Unsu) and has some work to do to perfect that. She had fun though and that is the main goal! We are traveling next weekend to Salt Lake City for a tourney - as her instructor says "to go beat on some Mormons"- which is not very politically correct but humorous (even to the Mormons at the dojo) none the less.

School is going well, good marks on the last report card. She landed one of the leads in the "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" musical at school. (not Ichabod or the headless guy though). She's busy preparing a song on the piano for the school talent show as well. So the short of it, Jackie is keeping busy. Which of course means Karl & I are as well.

Basketball is over now - it was a bit brutal. Jackie scored 8 points on the season though which is about 1/3 of the team total for the whole season. It was a "learning year" for the girls. Once again she had a blast and the whole team left the court smiling and laughing because they had fun, so to me that was a successful season! We still haven't made it to the slopes but have hopes of it over Spring break. The hills finally got some more good snow this last week so hopefully it will last that long.

So life in Arvada moves along.

Still Shoveling

We are starting day 39 of more than 5" of snow on the ground. Not a record yet but with another 3" yesterday, and more forcasted for Thursday and Saturday this week, we creep ever closer to the 63 consecutive days record. We started the day at 4 degrees above 0, not that I'm complaining Pat & Michelle! Should do some melting today as we climb to 40, before the next arctic blast comes.

And last accounts of Blizzard

Arms hurt from shoveling, as well as back and legs. Would have been less of a workout if the gym had been open! In true Colorado fashion by 3:30 the snow had stopped and the sun came out and the angels sang. Okay, no angels but we came in at 1:30 and had the cocoa and schnapps and by 3:30 those could have been angels singing, we just aren't sure!

After the shoveling was done. Nothing says "job well done" like a Guiness while sitting in a snow throne! - Don't be suprised to see this as a Christmas card some day!

Sun's out and the melt begins!

We'll add a photo of the basement flooding if the sump pump can't keep up with the melt!

That's a 6' fence at the back of the picture - probably our biggest drift.

Happy Holidays to everyone!

Yes, more photos

Sounded like a fun idea to blog the blizzard - now it seems like a chore. Anyhow - never leave anything you've started unfinished - that explains the empty booze bottles! So started shoveling about 9:30, finished at 1:30 (with a few water breaks). Here you go.

Karl, looking like he's on steroids - which would have made shoveling faster!

Boris, laying in the middle of the snow - he's an odd dog
Jackie helping with task - though the snow came up to her waist in areas!
The split rail nearly hidden along the sidewalk
Mom's car - we had to put the snow somewhere!

Blizzard Day 2

Still snowing , nearly 28 hours later. Wind isn't as much, but the accumlation isn't over. Snow is coming straight down instead of sideways, although every now and again a period of sideways occurs. Have some photos from about 9pm and then some from 9am. I am currently watching the neighbor shovel out to go to work. Not very bright if you ask me. Arvada literally closed all roads last night. I'll post more from the outside when we venture out. Jackie has some serious snow angel plans!

Last night

Yes Virginia it is a Blizzard

Okay it's 3:30 and the photos are going to have a little something extra in them. Mom's car. She got stuck at 72nd and Lamar (about 1.5 miles from our house) - walked to our house in the blizzard. We finally got her car back here and her home safe and sound. So you can't gage on the fence but take my word we have drifts about 24" in the driveway. Stay tuned!

Front porch - no more steps ----------------- BBQ in drifts

Ladies and Gentleman, we have a blizzard!

Blizzard '06, December Doozy, Holiday Blizzard '06

The media has not decided what to call this one so I tried to get it all in. Yesterday morning Denver Metro area was pegged for 1-2" of snow because the "blizzard" was going to miss us. So as usual, that was wrong. Will keep an update of the blizzard as it progresses. Of course school was closed today and probably tomorrow which means with my sick day and Jackie's 2 days off (she's feeling good today) we have a long holiday break! woo hoo. Anyhow here are front & back door/window photos from 9 am and 12 noon. Hard to tell much differences but will put some up every few hours - so - if this plays out to be the storm of the century (6 years - could happen) we have a record. That and what else am I going to do. I can't go do my xmas shopping.

9am












Noon

Sick Day - Catch up on crap I never seem to have time for!

Last week of school before break, but Jax and I are home today because she has caught the crap that is going around. It's all those parents that send their kids to school sick so they can appearantly share the stress of having a sick child - they need slapped. Anyhow, I can either grade or play on the computer while she rests - so here I am.

Okay let's see, we last left you with 1 more tourney to go, 3rd place- didn't beat the kid she wanted to but finished 2nd in state in her division for sparring and 3rd in state for forms. We are very proud and she is too. No more tournaments until February if she chooses to continue down that path. She's practicing her Go ju she ho sho (that's phonetic because I don't know Japanese) in the white - it's a traditional Japanese form & gi, and G-pa & G-ma got to see her compete. It was a good day.

Jackie also had her beginning orchestra concert in cohert with the beginning band - I'm sure you can invision it. They had to select someone from the audience to teach a song to and she chose Grandpa Butch. I'm not sure you can invision this(or want to!) so I've added a small video. There is more but the camera was jiggling because I was laughing to much - and you couldn't hear the music over mom's laughter for some of it! We're Sorry Amadeus


We are all ready for Xmas - well the decorations & tree are up. There's still that shopping thing to do. But hey, we still have 7 days. School's out for break on Thursday the 21st so it will get done then. Looking forward to a few ski trips on break and doing a whole lot of nothing. If I don't get another update in, have a Merry Christmas! Maybe we can do a holiday video conference in the next few weeks. Feliz Navidad

October Wrap-up (Now that November's Nearly 1/2 Over)

Sorry Jax kept you all waiting. I assumed she updated (mainly because when I asked she said she had - ding ding.) She passed her belt test and is now a 3rd degree brown belt. She will test for 2nd in January (depending on her progress of course) and 1st degree brown sometime near March/April (if she's ready -discretion of instructor). Then the next black belt test is set for next August. If she needs more time it will be February of 2008. We are very proud of the little kicker! It is tradition to get hit by your instructor after receiving your new belt. The harder the hit, the more respect. She was tapped pretty good!

The next Saturday she competed in Oktober-fist (clever aren't they?) and placed 2nd in sparring. Losing to the same kid she always does. She is determined to beat him next week in the last tournament of the season. Next season she moves to an all girl division, plus she will fight in advanced with her new belt instead of intermediate. She she really wants to beat him because it will be her last chance. I think she just wants to say she beat a boy - it has nothing to do with the competiveness of it! Uncle Mo & Aunt Bunny came to see her fight and were quite impressed with "princess" as they refer to her.

Other October news of course was Halloween. Jackie went to 2 different parties and a trick or treat street and now we have enough candy to last us a few years. She went as a flapper (though none of her friends knew what that was - the negative side of having a mom with a history degree!)

Other than that all is normal in Arvada!

Piano Recital

Jackie had her yearly piano recital on Sunday (thank goodness Bronco's played late or she would have had to skip the recital!!!) She played Amazing Grace and played it quite brilliantly (but we're biased). Had a wee bit of a snow storm yesterday but in true Colorado fashion it is mostly melted already. Saturday is the big belt test for her 1st level of Brown belt. Other than that, life is normal here. Until later, Signing off - na noo na noo. Barb