Dustin Brown

yeah, I still like him! 

St. Louis fans can complain all they want, but if given the chance, they would LOVE to have him on their team! 

I heard that the Penguins wont be able to keep everyone on their roster.....hey, can the Sharks have Crosby???  Please!!!!

out to dinner

This evening William and I got to go out to dinner with my dad.  We went to Outback SteakHouse.  It was really good.  We went at a good time when it was not too crowded or noisy.  We even knew the hostess.  I didn't bring my camera, so I don't have a photo for the blog, but believe me that we looked good and were smiling!  Thanks Dad.  It was fun to not have to cook or clean and to be served, even though the waitress said she would bring me water and extra butter, but never did.  I want to go out to dinner EVERY night!  Wouldn't that be awesome!  (keep dreaming, diane!!!!!  never going to happen)

Mormon Helping Hands

Today was a day statewide and in Hawaii that Mormons do a service project called "Mormon Helping Hands".  William signed up to participate.  I choose to use my "helping hands" here at my house (it needed it a bit more than Butte College).  I told William to photo text me a picture...I'm so glad he did.  This is one of our all time favorite missionaries who keeps appearing wherever we go like Melanee's wedding, stake conference, and to this thing today.  Guess that's not "wherever" we go, but we really like him....a lot.
Someone at the Helping hands thing today called William "Elder" that was really cool, but seriously, do elders have that much beard and no name tag???  haha!  soon enough, though!  William said they filled in the low spots of the soccer field with sand.

Hockey Playoffs

Scott asked me last night which hockey team I was rooting for now that the Sharks are done for the season.  My truthful, honest answer was, "NONE of them!"  and "EWWWW".  Then he asked me who was still left and I listed a bunch of random teams people don't usually associate with the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  Then he asked me, "What about that one guy you like who you felt sorry for?"  Then I thought and said, "Well, yeah, I reallllllllly like Dustin Brown, but I CAN'T like the Kings, they are the Sharks division and cross state rival, the ENEMY."  For that same reason I can NOT root for Phoenix...even if they have ex-Sharks and super cool uniforms.  I can NOT root for the Flyers because they are so mean to Sidney Crosby.  Bradley likes the Caps cuz he has a Backstrom Capitals t shirt.  I don't like to root for the "favorite" so I'm not rooting for the Rangers.  William has a Devils t shirt, so he might like them.  St. Louis beat the Sharks, so even though many of their players helped me just about win Fantasy Hockey this year (Lost to David, if you were Wondering!) I can't root for them.  I might have started to like Nashville, because their coach looks like their Predator logo on their shirts and I like the bright yellow color scheme, but after Shea Weber destroyed a guy's head (and got away with it), I have no "like" in me for them......sooooooo, yeah, I'm rooting for the Kings.  Don't hate me for it!  Dustin Brown is just so likable, especially after the first round destruction of the Canucks!  I also don't feel any contempt towards Kopitar or Dustin Penner......Quick was my fantasy goalie, so I like him.  I do not like the mean Kings, but since they are on Dustin Brown's team, GOOOOO KINGS.  Woo Hoo. 

***(now how do I decide whether to watch the Kings game or the Earthquake game, which are on today at the same time???)

Gas Prices

Hey, look what I paid for gas today!!!!  Well, I had a discount thanks to my dad being a faithful Safeway shopper and me finally realizing to use his current phone number, not his old number from 10 years ago!!!!  I was pretty excited.  Sometimes I still wish I had that 42 gallon gas tank on my old green Suburban.  (not too often, though!) 

*hey Krisha is it painful to fill your tank up?  ***are you driving on the Shasta Caverns field trip???

Get together at Beatniks

Went out to breakfast with a bunch of ladies from work this morning....(no school today, it was "Furlough Friday, whatever that is!!!).....it was fun, but very expensive, loud, and I ended up at a part of the table surrounded by the staff from the special ed class, who I don't know and who just talked about stuff and people who I don't know. 

I'm glad I went, but next time I will make sure to bring a friend. 

Outdoor Co Ed league

The co ed league is a little tougher just because some of the opposing teams are just plain mean and William's team has too many subs.  William got taken out, pushed down, kicked, and stopped a shot as part of a wall....he wasn't too happy after the game....but they WON.

Andrew came to watch again, this time he enjoyed playing with the umbrella (it was raining) and running around in the dark....the park is probably more fun at night when Andrew is the only kid around....doesn't have to wait in line for a swing or anything.  It's funny to me that he always wants to "go watch William", but he rarely watches much of the games. 

Outdoor Men's League

William has been playing in a Men's 7 a side soccer league.  Some of the teams are very very skilled, competitive, good.....most are about equal with William's team.  Those games are more exciting.  This week's game looked like one that William's team would easily win, well, they didn't.  They were up the whole game and lost at the very end SOMEHOW. 

Bradley and Andrew came to the game with me this time.  They were semi bored with the soccer watching, but enjoyed playing on the play ground, chasing the over shot balls (that happens a lot in this league), doing cart wheels and flips, playing kick back, and just being out of the house WAY past bed time!!!!

Last Sharks game

The Sharks actually scored a goal last Saturday in their last game of the season.  The boys and Scott had been fishing all day and went very early in the morning, so Bradley was napping during the Sharks game.  He slept ALL THROUGH William's goal celebration.  How that is even possible, I do NOT know. 

:'''''''(

I'm feeling even more sad today as I sit here and TRY to watch Sacramento King basketball....it's just NOT the same as Shark hockey!  And to top off all my sadness, my second favorite NHL team, the Penguins, were knocked out of the playoffs today, too.  Even though the Sacramento Kings are winning by 20 points, this game is just not fun to watch.  I've already been forced to watch Demarcus Cousins get his league leading 13th technical foul and then argue his case that he didn't deserve it, then hug the ref.  Hey, I have an idea....how about they play basketball on ICE and while wearing SKATES, yeah, that would be fun.  Or, more realistically, how about the NBA adopt a penalty box rule, and instead of free throws, the fouling player has to sit out for two minutes and the teams play 5 on 4.  ORRRRRR, I thought of this one the other day while watching ESPN top 10 plays and MOST of them were just baseball player doing routine diving outfield catches.....let them play baseball on ICE wearing SKATES.....yeah, that would improve baseball A LOT.  (And add the penalty box rule there, too, if a player gets "out" they have to sit in the box for two minutes!!!!).

 I did think, for a SECOND last night, that I might return to my childhood fandom teams the A's and the Giants, but I guess I should just take some time off of all my sport watching and do some work around the house or play with the kids.  Nah, I think I'll watch the other NHL team's playoff series.  BUT, I am NOT going to turn into one of those fans who, less than two hours after their team gets knocked out of the playoffs, go onto NHL.com and buy a Shea Weber jersey.  I even sorta like the LA Kings, but I can not allow myself to become a LA Kings fan.  First off, they are from LA.  So Cal.  No Way!!!  I could NEVER root for any team from DOWN THERE.  AAANNNDDDD, even more importantly, I cant be a true Sharks fan if I allow myself to root for another team from the Pacific Division. 

So, I'll just be sad until September/October....... 

It's Over

The Sharks lost their playoff series, so their season is officially over.  I am sort of heartbroken, but not as much as I would have been if a lost cause by a fluke (like last year) or the year before when they were swept in the Conference Finals.  This year they were BEAT, they didn't get unlucky or choke.  Props to the St. Louis Blues. 

I am watching the Earthquakes game, so I am not going to make this super long, but I just want to say my theory of what was wrong with the Sharks this year.  Last year they were SO close.  They were SO talented.  They played a long first playoff series, then a long second series, so they got very beat up and tired along the way.  By the time they met up with the Canucks, they were hurt.  They had talent and heart, but with so many injuries....fingers, shoulders, hips, groins.....and the unlucky bounce of the stanchion and a bad icing call, the Sharks didn't make it to the Stanley Cup Finals.  I think the General Manager should have done all that he could to keep THAT team together.  But, what they did was BLOW IT UP....they gave away or traded 7 players and got in return 7 not so talented players.  It was a gamble, but it did not work.  The trades with Minnesota were ridiculous....the Sharks traded away 40-50 goals for 20.....the Colorado trade, they traded a young tough guy for a guy who had played on a bunch of teams that didn't want him and a guy who was out of favor with the coach....bad deal.  One of the defensemen they gave away became a top pairing for his new squad.  Instead we got a few guys who we didn't even really use all that much.  Shoulda kept last years team together...they had more chemistry!  They had more talent.  They were ALMOST there.  Now they are no where near there!  so saddddddddddddddddd.

fish

Haven't heard from the fishermen yet, but just opened my e mail box to find these photos, so unless they are all posing with the same fish, looks like they had a successful fishing trip.

gone fishing

got this cell phone picture this morning....Scott and the boys went fishing with a friend on the river.  They were all very excited.  They were gone before I woke up and I haven't heard from them, so I'm not sure yet what they have caught. 

Blue and Gold Dinner

The cub scout pack had their annual Blue and Gold dinner last night.  Andrew earned a few pins, so we knew that we should go and support him.  He also had to make a cake for dessert, so we really had to go so everyone there would get dessert, the best part of any church activity. 

We left the second it was over so that I could watch the Sharks game and so that Scott could go work in our garden. 

I didn't hear you

The other day, Scott was home at lunch and he wanted help loading up his truck.  He walked through the front room and said something that sounded like, "Hey, will you guys....mumble, mumble, mumble, then said the rest as he walked out the door."  A few minutes later he came back into the house and asked Andrew why he didn't get up and help him.....Andrew said, "I couldn't hear you, I was playing the Game Boy so my shoulders were covering my ears by the way I was holding it!"  If you try that you will see that it is IMPOSSIBLE for your shoulders to block your ears!  haha, Andrew, good try!!!!

outdoor soccer

yeah, lousy photograph, but William plays in an outdoor 7 v 7 league on Tuesday....hopefully one of these weeks the game will be early and there will be sunlight instead of poor overhead stadium type lights....his team LOST big time, but I think William enjoys playing!  It's funny that Scott and I go and watch the games because all the rest of the "fans" are wives, girl friends, and children!  I'm pretty sure we are the only parents there!

Hobbit Toes

Yeah, Bradley is 12 and SHOULD be able to cut his own toe nails, but after seeing the job he did, I think I should go back to trimming them for him.....I don't even want to THINK about the ingrown toe nails he may get after this nail massacre!

Swarm

This was in my backyard today.  No a fan of the bee!  Scott loves them.  He was happy to see them.  The neighbors weren't, they called 911 and a bee keeper came to capture them....too bad they were making their new home inside of one of Scott's bee boxes! 

Playoff Hockey

(They have changed Blogger AGAIN....it always takes a while to get used to the new format....and usually after I get used to it, I like it, but just right now-I DO NOT like it!)

So, that's not really want I am blogging about right now....what this post is about is the San Jose Sharks! 

I really like the Sharks.  I really like hockey.  I really want the Sharks to win games, win series, and WIN THE STANLEY CUP.  But, as of right now, they have a very SLIM chance of that happening this season.  They are down 3-1 against the Blues right now.  All the Blues have to do is win one more game.  The Sharks have to win THREE more games. 

They can do it, though.  They can!

The Sharks are NOT a bad team.  They have the skill to win, they just need to score some goals.

I also want to rant about something else----I am MAD that 5 different "reporters" felt the need to focus their "Sharks lost" articles on Patrick Marleau.  Hockey is a TEAM sport, teams win and teams lose....this is not the Master's Golf Tournaments, when those losers who lose have no one else to blame but themselves.  Sure, Patty was called for a penalty, but others took bad penalties, too.  Sure, Patty hasnt recorded a point yet in these playoffs, but neither have a lot of other Sharks.  They are wrong and RUDE to pin the loss on ONE SOLE PLAYER.  Blame all of them.  Or, better yet, credit the Blues for the win!!!!

bee swarm

Scott caught this today.

Confidence

Even though the Sharks lost last night I still think that they can win the series against the Blues!!!!  Gotta win the next one, though!!!  Andrew's cub scout pack has their annual Blue and Gold dinner on Thursday at the same time as the Sharks game.  I know I should want to go to Andrew's acivity, but I'd really rather just stay home and watch the game.  Big problem for all of you thinking that I should just TAPE the game is that we don't have a DVR and our VCR is broken! 

I used to LOVE reading Twitter and all the things the Sharks fans had to say....but now, it just gets me down.  People are so mean and negative.  It's discouraging.  I deleted many of the people I followed on Twitter for that exact reason. 

I think the Sharks have talent.  I do miss Devin Setoguchi, though.  I even miss Dany Heatley.  Someone on Youtube made a video tribute to Seto and set it to a song by Air Supply.  The song is a sad song and it's about missing someone lost.  I have it on my blog songs and I actually get emotional when I hear it...haha!!!

I don't watch the Sacramento Kings much anymore because we spend so much time watching hockey, the Kings are bad, and most of their players are UN-likable.  But I have been enjoying the LA Kings hockey team.  I know that is a anti-Sharks thing to say, but the Kings ARE beating the Canucks and we all HATE the Canucks!  (AHHHHH ha, y spell check says that "Canucks" is NOT a word!!!  lol).   I especially like (A LOT) Dustin Brown!!!!!  I'm sure I've blogged about him before, so I will spare you my blubbering about him here.  I asked a Sharks insider reporter if he would agree that Dustin Brown and Patrick Marleau are similar players and he replied with "Brown is much more passionate".  I am not one of the "Marleau is soft" "Marleau is gutless" type of people but I do think he has Passion.  Dustin Brown is AWESOME, though.....so awesome that I catch myself liking the Kings, even though they are the enemy!!!!  There is a show on the NHL channel called "36".  A camera crew goes around with a player for 36 consecutive hours.  The episode I just watched was about one of the Kings players--Mike Richards.  Whenever I watch a show like that I always instantly like the guy (those shows never make them look bad).  And even though I do think that it was actually Richards who slammed Logan Couture's face into the glass when we went to the Sharks game, I still like him!  Weird, huh????  When he goes out to ice cream, he buys him dog a bowl!  How sweet is that??!!!!!!

So, I'm still rooting for the Sharks and the Penguins to go to the Stanley Cup Finals, but if they aren't good enough.....GO KINGS!  haha!!!!   (I can't believe I just wrote that!)

Sporting News

Since I am not a writer for the Sporting News (or any other publication) and since I already have a Blog, I guess this is the best place to write about MY THOUGHTS on the NHL Playoffs.  I spent a beautiful Sunday afternoon watching hockey.  (That was probably my first mistake!)  I watched the Penguins vs. the Flyers, game #3.  (I had previously watched game #1 and 2 of the series, also, earlier in the week.)  As I'm sure you know, I am a Sidney Crosby fan.  I wouldn't EXACTLY say that I am a Penguins fan, but since Sid the Kid plays for the Penguins, sure, I follow them a bit.  (a lot).  I think they are pretty spectacular when they are on their game (their game is offense, strictly offense).  They are able to do amazing things with their sticks and the puck.....usually.  Well, their bitter cross state rival is the Philadelphia Flyers.   Guess who are opponents in the 1 round of the playoffs???  Yep, these two strong teams who HATE each other.  There are MANY examples of the bad blood between the two, but since NONE of my blog "readers" (I put quotes around "readers" because most of you just come for the pictures.)  (comment if that's NOT true, haha)

The Flyers won game 1 and 2 with awesome come back victories.  The Penguins really wanted and needed to take this game.  Well, they started off ok, but before the first period was over, they had clearly lost their heads, their edge, their game plan.  They got into petty fights, did immature things, and committed horribly blatant fouls.  And by time the game was over they lost by 4 goals.  FOUR.  Most teams dont even score four goals in a game, it's a rarity, but the Penguins let in EIGHT goals.  Who cares that they scored 4 themselves, they let in EIGHT.  Unbelievable. 

Now back to Sidney Crosby.  He is an outstanding hockey star.  I really love watching him.  He is amazing.  He is the Penguins captain.  He's only 24 years old.  Today, in the game, he was one of the players who participated in fights, he did this one thing where he hit a guy's glove away right when the player bent over to pick it up off the ice, he also spent time in the penalty box, when his team needed him out on the ice.  So, yes, people are calling him a bad leader.  I disagree.  I feel that there are MORE Sidney haters in America than supporters.  He is the one who scored the game winning goal against the US in the Olympics, of course Americans hate him.  (I don't, I was rooting for Canada!)  You know that expression,  "Haters gonna Hate", yeah, that applies here.  In their eyes, everything he does makes him a cry baby.  If he would have sat on the bench during the fights, they would have called him out for being "gutless".  If he fights, he's still referred to as a "baby". 

He is NOT gutless, he is not a baby....he is a passionate player who wants to win!  Leave him alone people in the press and the Twitterverse.

Monkey Face

Chico weather has been in the lower 70's this weekend...we were sitting on the couch thinking "we can NOT stay inside on a day like today".  So I asked William if he wanted to go for a WALK in the park (meaning lower park, the one with paths).  Andrew and Bradley decided to come and decided that the park they wanted to go to was Upper Park, the one with hills!  So we climbed to Monkey Face.  I know we do it a lot, but it is an easy (fairly easy) hike, with great views.  It was fun. 

11:25

It's almost midnight (11:25) and Scott is out capturing bees, so I'm up and still upset about the Sharks and more so about something going on at school/work.

So I have an idea for a new blog post....likes and dislikes for right now.

LIKES-
1.  the Sharks
2.  the Penguins, especially Sidney Crosby, I gotta find my Crosby shirt, maybe I'll wear it to church tomorrow (under my sweater, of course).
3.  Dustin Brown
4.  1/2 price Easter candy, (good deals, bought too much)
5.  Thrifty brand cherry chip ice cream, yum!!!!
6.  sunny days (today was the most beautiful day of 2012 so far, by far)

DISLIKES
1.  the Blues (both the sad, sad days "the blues" and the hockey team "the Blues")
2.  CHEATERS!  (people who cheat on their spouses!) 
3.  fights in hockey, just play the game.
4.  rain, when it's lunch time at school, thus forcing us to have to have "rainy day recess"
5.  grey hairs sprouting up EVERYWHERE on my head!
6.  Bradley feeling like he wants to quit scouts. 

Fort

All three boys are inside of this-->

singing "Big Time Rush" songs and the Justin Bieber Christmas song.

Sportsman Expo



they had a dog jumping contest that was pretty cool. 

I asked Andrew if he wanted to go to the "Boat Show", but what it really was was a sportsman expo, the only real difference is that there were only about 4 "boats" at this one. 

Andrew liked the toy guns that made actual gun sounds. 
Didn't buy him one, how annoying would that have been?

the chain saw carver was very talented!!!

Andrew thought there was going to be rides at the "fair", but this was the most fun "ride" we could find.  Bradley couldnt figure out why he was stuck

Adult league soccer

William has joined a 7 a side adult men's soccer league which plays on Tuesday nights.  They lost their first game, but won this week.  William does very well.  He plays defense and stops them a lot.  His team is made up of quick, awesome superstars combined with over the hill soccer wannabes, typical of the city league rosters.  I didn't get any good photos, but will try again next week.  I enjoy going to the games, even though I think I'm the only mom out there on the sidelines!

:(

The Sharks lost tonight and I did not like ANY part of that game.  I didn't like that we all know that when you play St. Louis you HAVE to score the first goal....and guess what???  The Sharks DID score the first goal....Marc Edouard Vlasic scored....but on his OWN goal.  1-0 Blues, only a few minutes into the game.  I feel SO bad for Vlasic, but I am also very mad at Niemi for letting a fairly soft shot get past him, putting Vlasic in the situation in the first place.  And I am reallllllllly mad at all the Blues players who fought the Sharks, especially the ones who seemed to fight unwilling participants...and BREAKING Dominic Moore's nose on a SUCKER PUNCH, and especially upset with the guy pounding relentlessly on Braun when it was obvious that Braun wasn't interested in continuing on.  Meanies!!!!  Punks!!!!  I want to watch hockey, not injuries!!!!

GO SHARKS!!!

AND, today, during the Earthquakes game one of their players was injured on a mean play also.  A bully from the Red Bulls, away from the ball, took him out, fell on him, full weight, and broke his collarbone, then kicked him on his way down!  All this went UNPUNISHED. 

GO QUAKES!!!!!

Sharks WIN!

I think this is the last one.....if I thought you would enjoy the rest and if I had a few more HOURS, I'd post them all.  And I wish they were in correct order....but they'll have to do.  I had a great time in San Jose and I know William did too.  I, no matter WHAT, want to and need to take Bradley to a game.  He will love every second of it, just like we did! 

Fan Favorite

Patrick Marleau was voted Fan Favorite by the fans.  Yes, I was one of those fans who voted.  Woo Hoo!  And I could totally see why he is the fans favorite.  He's just really a nice guy.  He spent almost the most time on the ice after almost all the other guys went in (I keep writing "almost" because William will correct me and say that Galiardi went in last, if I say Marleau was the last) throwing out shirts into the audience and waving to his admirers.  I really like him!  Good guy, good hockey player.

More game photos

It's 11:30 at night and there's school tomorrow, so I'm just going to post a bunch more, but if you want to see all 220....let me know...

This smoke/steam stuff appeard out of the Shark head after the goal, cool special effects!

After the Sharks scored, I got this picture, which I like because the finger doing the #1!

I just really like PATTY and couldn't get a close up shot,
so I took this picture of the jumbotron after his goal!

One of William's favorites is Greiss.  He got to play in the final period and did a great job,
 so William was happy.  Unfortunately the Greiss t shirt jerseys were $30,
cuz William really wanted one!

One of William's other favorites is Vlasic, he always plays well!!!!

I asked the girl behind us if we cold get a photo!  Love it!  At least I'm in a few!  Can you tell we were happy to be there???

celebration after the GWG!  (game winning goal)

Final score 3-2.  Sharks win in overtime!  Beat the Kings.  Go Home LA.