Rhubarb, Bleeding Heart, and Heirloom Iris

Here's the evidence that spring really is coming. It was light enough when I got home at 5:30 tonight to take a few photos in my garden. I really hate those winter days when I drive to work in the dark and come home in the dark. The rhubarb stalks have me thinking about my Grandma Beulah's famous rhubarb cake. It's made with brown sugar and buttermilk with lots of cinnamon and sugar on the top. It's my favorite cake! I'll even eat it for breakfast. I figure any pastry with cinnamon and sugar on the top qualifies as a coffee cake.

The bleeding heart plant was an accidental purchase. It started as a tiny sprig that hitchhiked it's way into my garden with another plant that has since died. When this plant is fully in bloom it's 3' tall and 4' wide. It fills the whole space under my front window.

The iris started its life in my Grandma Marie's garden in Twin Falls. When my grandparents had to move out of their house my mom saved some of the iris and gave them to me for my garden. These are very prolific iris that I've had to split several times. I have them in four different spots in my yard.

Now that I've cleared most of the winter debris my most hated chore awaits: WEEDING.

Hope for Spring

At last! Yesterday I had my first clear look at the coming of spring. The sun was out, and it was warm enough to work in the yard. I rejoiced in clearing the dead leaves and debris from winter wind storms from my flower beds to reveal the first spears of crocus, tulips, and rhubarb. I filled the yard waste bin only to find out that weekly pick up doesn't start till the first Monday of March. I guess that lets me off the hook for any more yard clean up next weekend. When I finished up it was warm enough to sit outside in the sun with a book (one of my favorite pastimes).

After the yardwork Noah had his last two regular season basketball games. His team won both and finished the season 11-4. Noah played well, he had double doubles in both games. Between games Alyssa and I checked out the bargains at Kohl's. I found $40.00 dress pants on clearance for $8.00. Alyssa found great bargains too. Then Alyssa met some friends to see the movie, "Jumper." She doesn't recommend paying $9.00 to see it. Wait till it's out on DVD.

Today our overlapping sports season started. Noah's baseball team met at the batting cages for the first time. They're getting together again on Wednesday for batting practice. Noah still has three weeks of basketball practice left because we have two more tournaments.

Warrior in Port Angeles

This past weekend saw us on the road to Port Angeles for a basketball tournament. The hotel was comfortable, the food was great and so was the company. We have a great time with the other families. But as you can see by the photos Noah got a bit beat up this trip.

The Eagles came in 3rd out of 12 teams. Along the way they won 3 games and lost 1 in overtime. One of the games was an 81 to 4 rout. It was a painful game to watch. If Noah's coach hadn't made the boys slow down they would have scored more than 100 points. Our parent group started cheering for the other team. They were completely out of place with the select AAU teams.

That overtime game gave Noah his shiner. The game was very rough. The refs were horrible and let things get out of hand. Noah caught an elbow on the cheekbone which swelled up immediately. The player who gave it to him hit one of Noah's teammates in a game a couple of weeks ago which almost escalated into a fight. Noah to his credit kept his cool and stayed in the game.

We found out that the team Noah's team beat to take 3rd place played that rough team a week ago, and they forfeited and walked off the court because the game was so rough and they didn't want their kids to get hurt.

We had lots of free time between Noah's games to watch the other Arlington team play and to take long walks around the golf course adjacent to the hotel. The weather was beautiful. Dry and sunny for a change. We even visited the waterfront with hopes of seeing the marine science center, but we got there just as it was closing. I was able to take a quick snapshot of the kids and their friends outside. Noah's final game Sunday night started at 5:45 PM. By the time the game was over and we had a bite to eat we had to take the 9:55 PM ferry home. It was nearly midnight before we got to bed. I'm so glad today was a school holiday.

Running on Fumes

I guess that title isn't quite correct because I am still functioning and performing well at my job, but I did go to bed at 8:30 last night. This past weekend was quite hectic.

Friday night was our school carnival. A great event with a Mardi Gras theme. The decorations were great, the halls were packed with kids playing games like horse shoes and wheel of fortune to win silly little plastice prizes, and the silent auction was tremendous. I got a great bargain! I walked away with a jewelry set (earrings, necklace, and bracelet) made with silver beads and fresh water pearls for $15.00. The four baskets I made sold for between $20 and $30. The PTA hasn't released the final profit numbers, but I bet they made at least $6000.00. Although my kids no longer attend this school they still love the carnival. I am always surprised by the large numbers of middle and high school kids we have in attendance every year.

Noah had two basketball games Saturday, Alyssa had a babysitting job Saturday night, and both of us girls got our hair done on Saturday. Noah's team lost both of their Saturday games. His team has become quite schizophrenic this year. We never know which team is going to show up on any given weekend. Sometimes they play tremendously well, and other times they stink up the court. The first game was close and the boys only lost by 3. In the second game Noah's team only scored 24 points to the other team's 36. Usually if we can hold a team to under 40 we win easily. Our guards couldn't make a shot to save their lives. Noah was the high scorer with 8.

On Sunday we had to drive more than an hour for a make up basketball game that was rescheduled from December. This was a much better game. All of the boys scored, and they won by 44 points. Forrest thinks that's what the boys needed to regain their confidence going into this weekend's tournament in Port Angeles. Last year we won the tournament we attended in PA and are hoping for a repeat.

Right now Forrest is on his way to a bridge inspection class. He'll be gone till Thursday. Thankfully Alyssa is available to take Noah to basketball practice for me since I have two late meeting nights this week.

I'm counting the hours till Friday. It's an inservice day so the kids will be at home all day. Forrest is getting off work early, and they're all going to pick me up at school and we'll be on our way to catch the ferry for our weekend get away. I really enjoy this tournament. We stay at the Olympic Lodge. All of the families from the team stay there, and we have a great time hanging out together between games. Last year we had snow and the kids could sled on the golf course behind the hotel. We're going to take our sleds with us just in case.

Right now I'm stuck in my room during my lunch break with some forgetful children who didn't get caught up on their math over the weekend as they were supposed to. So I made them eat in the room and work while they ate. At least I got a chance to get caught up with my blog.

Weekend Highlights

As I said in my previous post Noah's baseball try outs were supposed to be wet and cold. Boy were we surprised to wake up to bright sunshine yesterday morning. It hasn't rained at all this weekend. Forrest said Noah performed well at try outs and several coaches are interested in drafting him. Noah continued to have a great sports weekend with his basketball team winning both of their games. Noah has become a great rebounder. He leads his team in that stat category. He averages almost 8 per game, but has had more than 10 rebounds in each of his last 4 games.

Alyssa has now had several solo drives since getting her license on Friday. It was great to be able to send her to pick up Noah at his friend's house where he spent the night last night.

I put together four silent auction baskets for our school carnival this coming Friday. The parents of my students were very generous this year with their donations of shower gel, lotions, and other bath and body pampering supplies. Each basket is worth 40-50 dollars. The auction is my favorite part of the carnival. The PTA makes as much money at the auction as they do on the games and food combined.

Forrest slaved around the house today cleaning and decluttering. He said he was commiting sacrilege by working on Super Bowl Sunday, that all men should spend the day eating pork rinds and drinking beer all day. It was his idea to clean up, I didn't suggest it. Forrest has a high tolerance for clutter, but every once in awhile he gets fed up with magazines and mail and other piles of clutter and he goes on a cleaning binge. It's funny that these binges never include the bathroom.

New Driver In The Family

It's official! Alyssa has her license and she took her first drive without an adult this afternoon. She took Noah to town to get some milk. She even treated him to a donut at the grocery store. They were gone longer than I expected them to be, and I was a little worried as it was getting dark. Then Noah called from Alyssa's phone to see if I needed anything else from the store. What considerate children I have. Now we just have to wait for the verdict from the insurance company to see how much our car insurance rates will go up. Thankfully she's a girl with straight A's. That will help a lot. I don't even want to think about what we'll be paying in four years when Noah starts driving.

Tomorrow Noah has baseball tryouts. Opening day for the little league season isn't until April 19 so I'm not sure why they scheduled tryouts for February 2nd. The weather forecast is for rain mixed with snow. Tryouts are from 11:30-1:30, then two basketball games at 3:00 and 6:00. He was already on a a majors team last year so he's assured a spot, but there are so many new coaches this year that all of the boys are going back into the draft rather than staying on the teams they were on last year. I'm glad Forrest is taking him to tryouts. I definitely don't feel like standing outside in the cold and wet for two hours.

Alyssa is on her way to a sleep over, she's taking Chex Mix, our Wii, and her copy of the movie "Hairspray." Hopefully she'll get a little bit of sleep. She's a big grump monster when she's short on sleep.

So far we have no Super Bowl plans. We often get together with the neighbors and it's usually a last minute kind of thing. Maybe we'll just be sit in our PJs all day, eat junk food, and watch the game and the funny commercials.