Ashe's Highlight Reel? (Lions game 2/27/2010)

Last Saturday, February 27, 2010, Ashe had a basketball game...he plays for the Lions (formerly the Chargers). He's been on this team since 2nd grade...there have been a few roster changes but not many. As with most kids, his goal for every game is to score as many points as possible. He's a good hustler, and he tends to get more rebounds than anything else. I love to watch it when he's on top of his defense (he has a near steal in the third play in the video below 0:19 seconds in). No matter how well he does defensively and helping in other ways on his team, he's disappointed with only two points a game. He had the best time scoring *eight* points :) in this game, so I put together some highlights. Ashe has #2 on his jersey - dark blue on white. Please excuse my poor camera skills!!

Finn the Bush Deer in "Anansi the Spider"

Thanks to Run for the Arts (where kids run laps for pledges per lap/or a flat amount), the boys have had some fun, art-related activities in the years at school. Most recently, Finn participated in a puppet show at school. It was on February 12, 2010. It included everything from casting, puppet-making, rehearsal, and, finally, presenting the play to family members during the school day. The video shows a clip of Finn's "part". He was a Bush Deer. There were several of each animal in the play, except for the main character Anansi the Spider (just one Anansi). The artist who helped them in the play is the voice talking throughout the clip. He thanked Run for the Arts for keeping artists like him at work.

It's sort of cute. I had a much longer clip, but truncated it a bit, just to give you a flavor. Finn is in the purple Lakers shirt, 2nd from the left.

Finn's Got a "Basketball Jones".

Finn pointing to the man he's defending. Blue shorts/yellow trim.

Finn's playing at Montavilla Community Center, through the Portland Parks, this year. His first game was Wed, February 17 at the Center. This is the first year he's actually wanted to play basketball. We only made him last year, so he could try it. We weren't going to force him again. It ends up the kid is as addicted to basketball as his brother. His dad took him to see the Lakers play the Blazers earlier this year and he came home completely obsessed. Love it!!

He's still unsure about a lot of the rules (no back court defense, for instance), but he's a hustler. He leaves it all out on the court!! So cute. Hopefully he can work on his skillz over the summer. Dribbling is difficult to for him to master. Like some kids his age: he's so focused on getting to that basket that he forgets to dribble. He gets in the zone. ;) It was fun. (no score to report - they don't keep score)

Finn with his hands up defending in middle of shot.

Harlem Globetrotters 2010

We saw the Globetrotters at the Rose Garden last night. What a fun time. The boys have seen them twice, and they still enjoy them. This time, they were sometimes riveted, with Ashe even fretting when the Washington Generals got too close to the Globetrotters in score. Do the Globetrotters ever lose? We brought Cade & Tucker with us, and that was fun...Pizza Schmizza first, then the game.

THE BOYS ENJOY THEIR VARIOUS TREATS

DENNIS HOLDS UP TUCKER TO SEE THE ACTION

THE GLOBETROTTERS AND GLOBIE CHECK THE COMPUTER FOR SOME INFORMATION

THE Y-M-C-A

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...THE HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS

GLOBEY

Maybe I'll do another blog or two before too long. We'll see. ; )

November Events: Cade & Tucker's Birthday & Thanksgiving 2009

All the boys at the head table :),
including Cade & Tucker's cousins, Jake & Max.

the ealy family - caver, sean, tucker, cade

My previous statement stands: I have been horrible about updating the blog of late...so here I am playing catch up, again.

Cade & Tucker turned eight and six, respectively, in November. Cade - Nov 21 and Tuck - Nov 26. Caver had a hilarious location for the party: Sayler's Country Kitchen, in SE Portland. I have nothing against Sayler's at all!! It's just a more "traditional" location. The clientele, even when I was a kid (1975-1985, when I frequented there with my parents), is on the mature side. Caver always loved it. She loved salads and steaks (prime rib) as a kid, so she chose it. She told Cade and Tucker of her childhood love for the place...and her childhood birthday parties there...on a recent visit with them. They decided to have their birthday party there..in the banquet room. :)

cade & tucker's uncle randy and cousin claire.

granny, cade, and tucker

Great fun was had by all. It was banquet-like, :) complete with bowls of salad dressing on the tables to spoon over your salad...everyone could also choose an ice cream flavor. There were no 72-ounce steaks attempted in this crew...we aren't that daring. In case you don't know, if you eat the 72 ouncer, and the side dishes that come with it, it is free, and you live in infamy on the walls of Sayler's.

the banquet room at the country kitchen!

Also in November...we spent Thanksgiving at Elaine & Ole's with my sister's family. Caver often goes to Grants Pass to spend that holiday with Sean's family but this year they stayed home.

A Few of My Favorite Things.

We had a mellow, mellow Christmas. Everyone was out of town, so Christmas morning Granny (Elaine) came to our house, to watch the boys open stuff. We had Christmas dinner at Granny & Grandpa's...it was so nice that Grandpa came up for dinner.

I got a Flip video camera for Christmas. I've been wanting one, because I feel like the boys' life is passing me right by. I thought the Flip would be a wonderful way to capture little snatches of it.

I asked Ashe, Granny, and Finn what their favorite gifts were. Here they are (as filmed with my new camera):

1. Ashe's favorite thing:



2. Finn's favorite thing:



3. Granny's favorite thing:

Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas!!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS. Here's our 2009. (click to make bigger)

Sorry this scanned-in version isn't as clear. I had this done in October (except for my birthday photos) and I still haven't gotten it mailed to many of you. Soon. Very Soon.