Jeff's First Triathalon

Jeff along with 4 of our good friends from Celebration(Al, Rodger, Heather and Tim) competed in the Athletes for a Cure Triathalon benefiting the Prostate Cancer Foundation this Sunday Sept. 20, 2008. Jeff was running for all the loved ones we know who have had to battle cancer.

Jeff started training in early August for this event and really put a lot of effort into it the last few weeks of training. He competed in an olympic length Triathalon which was apparently a pretty big feat for a first timer (most people compete in a shorter distance tri their first time). The race consisted of a 1.5K swim in a lake, biking a 40K and a 10K run. Owen and Grant saw Jeff coming towards the end of the race and ran the last few yards with him across the finish line. It was a great moment! Jeff finished in 3 hours and 17 minutes and was feeling pretty good! His only comment was that his feet were killing him! Everyone had a great race and I think they all enjoyed training for this "together."

Storm VS. Harmony- Game #4

We had the 4th game of Pop Warner Football Season at Harmony this Saturday morning. It is our last "away" game this season and we are all looking forward to playing on our home turf next week!

The Tiny Mites played their hearts our again this week but unfortunately came up short with another loss. Owen had another good game with about 30 yards rushing and Coach put him in on 2 defensive plays this game. He really liked being in on defense and said he loved tackling!!

We are so proud of him and love how hard he works and how serious he is about the game. The announcer even said Owen was like the "workhorse" of the team! Go Owen & Go storm!

Grant's 1st T-Ball Game of Season 9-08

This past Friday night was Grant's first big game of T-Ball season this year. Grant plays for the "Diamond Jaxx" T-Ball team with Coach Scott and Daddy as assistant Coach again. Grant has several friends who are on his team too that help make it really fun. Drew, Chase, Aiden and Grant all had a great first game and had lots of fun. Keep checking our blog for future game progress! Here's a video of Grant's first hit this season...enjoy!

Our first touchdown!!!!!!!!!

(click on the collage to see Owen's face up close)

This Saturday Sept. 13, 2008 Owen made the team's first touchdown of the season!!! He had said for the last several days that he was going to score a touchdown and boy was he serious because he did!!! Owen broke free from the mighty Bulldog defense and had about a 50-60 yard run and was then tackled on the 2 yard line. On the next play he took the ball off the right tackle and went in standing up for the touchdown! Our good friend, Caroline Kane took these great pictures and sent them to us which I am so grateful for because I was video taping the event and missed taking any still shots. Thanks to Caroline I can put pictures in the blog to show his big day to all of you who weren't there! I think she did a great job totally capturing the excitement!
Our crowd at the stands went crazy and even chanted--Ow-en, Ow-en, Ow-en...We all knew that this was a great moment for our team and for our season. Each week we get a little better and this was a great confidence booster to everyone! It takes teamwork that is for sure!
Way to go Storm and way to go Owen!

Fun Evening at Disney's Boardwalk

We had a relaxing Friday night eating and walking around the Boardwalk this weekend. I thought this picture was cute of the 2 boys and I wanted to post it. There is only a short amount of time until our 3rd Pifer boy will be added to the picture! Oh what fun he will add!!!

Storm's 2nd Football Game- The Storm VS. Umatilla Bulldogs

(Owen is #50)

September 6th Owen's Tiny Mite team played against the Umatilla Bulldogs. It was about an hour and a half drive to get there and Owen's weigh in was at 7:45am. Needless to say we had a very early morning that day!

Our team appeared much improved this week and we actually had 4 or 5 first downs! Owen did a great job this week rushing for 50 or 60 yards according to Daddy! He really looked determined and stayed focused this game. The team really put forth a great effort but we still lost (by a lot) the game but I think everyone walked away feeling like we really did something this game!

Way to go Storm and way to go Owen!

Owen's Surgery

Owen had some in office surgery to perform a phrenectomy on his upper lip September 2, 2008 by Dr. John Hardeman. He needed to have that piece of skin/gum removed in order for his braces to move his 2 front teeth together. Owen was a great patient and was very brave because Mommy was not allowed in the room while he had the procedure done. He received 4 shots and a dose of "laughing gas" and then the Dr. removed the skin/gum by a laser beam.

Owen came home to recover afterwards and was in a bit of pain but a little dose of Motrin seemed to do the trick for him. He was able to eat a soft diet that night for dinner and then ate a normal breakfast the next morning. He had to be sidelined for the next 2 football practices because he couldn't put the mouthguard in his mouth but he still went and watched his team. Way to be brave Owen!

Mommalissa meets John Mayer!!

Last Saturday night my friend Kathy Arce surprised me with a generous invitation to go to a John Mayer Concert that night with the possibility of backstage passes. Of course I accepted and we took off with a few of her friends for the Ford Ampitheatre in Lakeland FL. Kathy's friend, Susan, knew John's stage manager/accountant(Ina) who granted us with the total VIP treatment that night!!!

Well, needless to say we did get backstage and even onstage (in the background for 2 songs) while he played with his band!!! It was a really thrilling night and almost unbelievable that we had such access to the activity that happened backstage. We got to meet and have our pictures with a few of the band members and of course John himself! Thanks Kathy (Susan & Ida) for an incredible experience that I will never forget!!!

PS I look sooo pregnant in these pictures!!

Celebration Tiny Mites Play their 1st Game

Saturday Aug. 30, 2008 was the first football game for Owen's team "The Storm." We played a team that has been in the league for years, The South Lake Eagels, and it showed. We are a brand new league this year and it was very apparent at this first game that we have a little growing to do. We were very proud of our team for the effort they put forth that morning but we still lost 5-0 (There is supposed to be no scoring in the game.) Our guys did the best they could against probably the best team in the league. Owen did a great job blocking and was a leading rusher the team--5 yards! We can't wait to see how much the whole team learned from this experience next week! Go Storm!!!
PS Sorry that the pictures are so far away--I really need to get a zoom lens for sports. If you look closely Owen is #50 (full back)

Owen gets Braces!!

Here is Owen getting his braces put on for the first time and the after shot with the completed set on. Owen did really well with getting the braces put on and is doing well taking care of them. My only complaint is that he looks so much older with them on!

First Day back to Montessori School 2008

Owen and Grant happily returned to the Montessori School of Celebration Friday August 22, 2008. Both boys were excited to be in the same classrooms as last year but now as a kindergartner and a 2nd grader! Grant especially thinks he is big stuff this year and can't wait to help "all the little kids" in his class this year.

The Storm's new player

Here is a picture of Owen the day after he received his new football uniform for football. Owen was so excited that he even claimed that he slept in his helmet that night(I did not see it but I believe it!) The next day Owen wore his uniform all day and even ate breakfast and lunch with his full uniform on...including his helmet!!! The Storm has no idea about what kind of player they're going to get!!! Here's to a great season!