Gymnastics

These last few months have been crazy. Even though I have been a half time teacher, working everyother day ... raising a beautiful little girl (as you all can see)... those things were and are easy compared to being a HEAD coach (yes, head coach) of a high school girls gymnastics team.

Tahoma hired me as their head coach back in November. This district has had gymnastics as a girls sport for 6 years, and it has never been bigger then 11 girls. This year, we started at 22, and at the end of the season we had 16. On top of that, practices were every morning at 5:30 - 7 am at Summit Gymnastics (a club that let us lease space since we don't have any of our own equipment other thean a spring board). Out team is even more amazing... in the 6 years, this team has never had a coach for two or more years in a row (next year will be their first year... since I am coming back along with my assisstant coach Venise)... they have always come in 13th or 14th in our league which is made up of 14 teams... and this year we came in 9th!!! Our overall GPA was an average of 3.68 (amazing since these girls get up early for practice, then go to school, then after school to either work or clup gym or they do another sport) and each girl takes at least one AP class.

Yes, I like to brag about these girls!!

We had meets every Wednesday night, which lasted till 10 pm (then practice the following morning) and some Thursday nights we had meets too. We also had to stay and help put all the equip[ment away before we could leave. Toward the end of the season, our girls had to begin qualifying to go on to meets... first was Sub-Districts (new this year) -- then districts -- if you made it here you qualified to go on to State Championships -- if you made it there then to State Finals... then you are done. We had 3 make it districts and one of those girls went to State (at the Tacoma Dome), however she didn't make it to finals. We are so proud of her to get this far...as a freshman... just imagine her next couple of years! Each of these last four meets were full day Saturdays, usually ending between 10 and 11 pm.

I would not have made it as well as I did, if it hadn't been for my assisstant coach Venise. She was/is wonderful and we worked amazingly well together. She and I picked up where we were weak and kept our girls focused with the message that this is FUN, this is high school gymastics.

Happy New Year ... 2008

Having a baby deffinately changes the way you look at New Years eve... make it an early night.

This year we spent New Years Eve and Day at my parents with Isabelle's Great Grammy... since was here visiting from So. Cali. We had a nice dinner, banged on the piano some more, wore fun hats and took lots more pictures.

The following morning we got up, watched the Rose Parade, remembered old funny stories, ate and went home to relax... We had been going for almost a week straight without sleeping in our own bed but one night. We were happy to be home... ready to start a great 2008.

New Years Morning watching the parade with Grandpa.

Wishing you a very HAPPY 2008!!!

A wonderful year for new beginnings and new memories!

Brewster

Between Christmas and New Years we headed up to a friends house out in Brewster. This is one of the best places in all of Washington... At least the people there are. This year the Morceau's (Eric, Isabelle and I) and the Roberts all headed to the Hoopers in Brewster. The drive over the passes wasn't bad at all, of course about a week after we got back, the passes were closed off and on for about a month.

Anyways, we had a blast... we went snowmobiling, sledding (with Isabelle), played tons of games, got licked by their adoarable little collie puppy, had great food and many laughs.

Even though there were many great times on this trip, the most memorable was.... that Isabelle started crawling!! Dec. 30, 2007 A perfect ending to a wonderful year.

Here is all us girls... from the bottom up... Pam, Me in the middle and Bruka.

Wow... the snow is hanging on to her head making her look like she is going grey...

Month Birthdays

8th Month birthday shot as well as a possible christmas dress shot.

9th month birthday shot

This says it all.... She is EveryWhere NOW!!

The Holidays

Our holidays were wonderful and very busy and so full of different stories and tons of pictures. I am amazed at how much one can do in the span of only two weeks.

Each episode of our time has a bi-gillion pictures

**Christmas Tea

**Three Christmas' and a White Christmas

**Brewster

**New Years

A true English Christmas Tea

Every year a bunch of girl friends and I have this most amazing English style Christmas Tea. This year my grandmother also joined us this year, up from California. Not only is the company great but the food is to die for. Homemade English scones with REAL whipped cream and fresh jam.. oh yum!!! There are also finger sandwiches, stuffed mushrooms, little smokies and of course all kinds of tea to enjoy. We also have an ornament exchange which is always fun. All the presents go in the middle and we each take one, according to our number. Each ornament can be stolen up to 3 times... that is a standing rule to the game... of course Sheryl makes up other rules as the game plays out, and those rules change every year. :)

Isabelle at the tea, opening an early christmas present.

Three Christmas' and a White Christmas

Our first Christmas with Isabelle... How wonderful it was!! Though it may have been one of our busiest ones to date. We started out with a wonderful 4 day visit from Great Grammy staying with us. She and Isabelle had a wonderful time together, bonding and playing!!

Isabelle's 1st Christmas began the day before Christmas Eve day, at our house (day1). She got to open all the presents that Eric and I got her. She had a blast tearing the paper and playing in the boxes. She really loved the 'little people' toys... which we plan on embelishing on at her 1st birthday.

We decorated Isabelle's room with her own tree and garland with lights.

I'm peeking!

Before she really got the hang of opening the presents, she tried eatting them. :)

Got one!!

Ready...

Set...

Open!!!

Christmas Eve day, we headed to my parents house in Gig Harbor (day2). We had a blast. Isabelle had tons of presents to open, she learned that a piano makes fun sounds when played with either hands or feet, and we had a wonderful, family tradition dinner of beef fondu.

My Christmas Dress

My Great Grammy made my first Christmas stocking ... needlepoint... with my name on it!

Let's play

Eatting is always so exciting... but this night I got to enjoy squash for the first time...

Christmas is a big day!!!

Too much Christmas!

Christmas morning, we awake to find that there are now 2 bottom front teeth.

See?!?!!?!

Chrsitmas morning we packed up, ready to head home to drop off our goodies from Santa, and pick up the gifts for Eric's family. On our way home, it began to snow. :) By the time we got home, there was about an inch of snow at our place. Yeah!! Baby's first snow. And even though it was a simple pit stop (drop off and repack) we HAD to get Isabelle out of the car seat, plop her in the snow for some photos.

Then we got back in the car, and headed to Eric's parents house for Christmas day.

For me??? Christmas Day at the Morceau's (day 3) was like sensory overload... so many presents. But lots of practice tearing things open.

My Snowman!

Brewster and New Years... next post

Two More Firsts

This weekend Eric and I went and bought Isabelle a new car seat... seeing that she has now out grown the one in my car... big girl. While out we enjoyed a family lunch and though it was at Red Robin, Isabelle sat in her first restaurant high chair.

On the way home we went and got our Chrsitmas Tree. I will be spending most of this week decorating it. It may take all week since half my time is now chasing a rolling baby. She can get to places so fast, and she isn't crawling yet.

Girl'sWeekend

A few weekends ago, 3 of us went up to Lyndon to visit a friend and have a girls getaway. So after a 4 hour science test (to try to get endorsed in this area, simce getting a masters in that areas wasn't good enough), I headed up north.

Besides good company, there was good wine, tea, scrapbooking and apple picking. Let's start at the beginning. I met up with the girls at a sweet Tea shop where we enjoyed some tea and shopping.

















After tea (and shopping) we headed 'home' to Elizabeth's. There we just had fun...












LOOK!! The first scrapbook page I ever did. 'Spish Splash'
















The next morning, we headed out to BelleAcres apple farm. I got to drive the golf cart around the orchard... and no, I didn't get stuck in the mud or tip us over. I did however somehow end up on a busy road and lost in a neighboring farm... but the lady told us to follow the fence and that is were it led us. In the end, I made it back to the store front and picked up a hitch-hicker on the way. The apples delicious!

































An AMAZING weekend!

In Remembrance

This last weekend Eric and I went out to find that Parrot and all the hens had been killed. Something had dug under the gate and had gotten in. Nothing was left but feathers.