North American & New Jersey State Championships

This past weekend, Lee competed in the North American & New Jersey State Championships in Newark, New Jersey.  He competed in this meet last year, but the format changed a bit.  This year, Saturday was split into a morning and afternoon session, with his weight class competing in the afternoon session.  When we arrived in New Jersey on Friday afternoon, we thought that the Saturday afternoon session would begin around 1pm; on Saturday morning, they announced that it would begin at 3pm; and in reality, lifting for the afternoon session began around 5:30.  Lee himself did not take his first squat attempt until almost 7pm, and when he took his last dead lift attempt, it was after 10:30 pm.  As you might imagine, the timing of things did not play out well for him.  Although he hit a new personal best in squat of 565 lbs., he fell short of his goal in both bench press and dead lift.  Nevertheless, he beat out everyone else in his weight class and took home first place.  I am extremely proud of him for getting through what turned out to be a very difficult day and I am very grateful to the guys from The Refuge that made the trip to New Jersey with us.  Now, if we can just recover from getting home at 2am on Sunday morning....

In order to successfully complete a squat, you have to follow a strict set of rules, including breaking parallel - one of Lee's teammates (as well as the judges) are usually down near the floor, waiting for that  precise moment so that he can stand back up.  Lee went down so far on this lift (and for so long) that the judge actually tapped his teammate to let him know that he had broken parallel.  565 lbs. is an amazing squat for 197.2 bodyweight.  It's good enough to have him ranked 15th in the country.

380 lbs. bench press.

Talking strategy.

560 lbs. dead lift went up easy, but he had nothing left in the tank for the others.

Pete, Morgan, Lee and Nick.

GOOOOOOOOAAAALLLLLL!!!

Emily started playing indoor soccer three weeks ago.  She joined a team that has been playing together since the first week in November and didn't even have the chance to practice with them before her first game.  I was so proud of how she put aside her nervousness and just got out on the field and played.  Her coach is really good - he is a former professional soccer player who now runs a soccer academy in the area and coaches several teams.  In just three weeks, we have seen a huge difference in how she plays and her understanding of positioning.
On Saturday, she earned her way into the starting line-up - which was a big enough surprise.  Then, while playing left wing (she has a very good left foot, we are not quite sure how that developed), she had an opportunity to score and blasted the ball into the net.  It was so exciting!!!  Even more so because Lee usually isn't able to make the games, but he was there for this one!  We are so proud of Emily!!!

Cookies!

The girls are selling girl scout cookies again this year - Elizabeth for her Girl Scout troop and Emily for her Brownie troop.  The boxes are $4 each and all orders are due by the end of the month.  As in years past, the flavors are: Savannah Smiles, Trefoils, Do-Si-Dos, Samoas, Dulce de Leche, Thank U Berry Munch, Tagalongs, and Thin Mints.

December Odds and Ends

With so much going on last month, this might be the biggest odds and ends we've ever had!

This fashionista loves a dress down day!

Emily made this beautiful cross on her loom.  She traded it two days later for two plastic rings - I thought that was a poor trade, but she was thrilled.

My second concert with the Chorale, a 100+ person singing group.  We filled the Bushnell and got a standing ovation!

There can never be too many pictures of Emily and Baxter.

Fourth graders lead the singing at mass.

One of Elizabeth's soccer teammates had surgery so the whole team decided to pay her a visit one snowy morning.  It was so neat to see all the girls hang out without a soccer ball!

The gingerbread house Elizabeth built at school.

Gross.....

Emily, working on her first book report.

The girls, modeling their new jackets and hats from Auntie Kathy and Uncle Peter one morning.

Waiting patiently for the Holiday Cirque spectacular to begin at The Bushnell.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

After cleaning the house for several hours, Elizabeth and I organized her newest Lego set and she set to work.

Ready to head to New Hampshire on Christmas Eve.

Blinged out Julie bed....

The year of the theme case - Hunger Games, Harry Potter and Hello Kitty.  Please tell me you can guess which case goes with which girl.

Golden Snitch hair clip - huge hit.  Love etsy.

Twinning in PJs with their American Girls.

Baby, it's cold outside

We've had a stretch of bitterly cold weather, even for New England.  Although I seem to remember the temps hovering near zero for a day or two last year, this is the first time in memory that we've dropped below zero.  In fact, the first time that I can remember such temperatures since college.  Last Friday, it was about 10 below with the wind; for the first time, the girls asked to go outside and play in the snow and we said no (school was cancelled due to the snow).  When we woke up on Saturday morning, it was a cool -8, not accounting for the wind.  We had a bit of reprieve for two days, but the cold temps returned early Tuesday morning.  The girls and I were bitterly cold in negative wind chills at the bus and running on Tuesday was definitely more challenging than the Friday before.  I always try to be grateful for all of the blessings in our lives - but these last several days have reminded me to be extra thankful for our house (with all its flaws, it has a reliable a heating system), for heat, for stomachs filled with warm food, and for a wonderful husband and daughters to snuggle with on bitterly cold days.

I went running on Friday afternoon - it was slow going on the snow covered streets, but I stayed toasty warm in this get-up.

Coldest temperature I can ever recall in New England, although I'm sure it's been colder. 

-7 with the wind.  Brrrrrrrr.

2013: Year in Review

2013 was another amazing year for our family.  We went to our first Broadway show, had an amazing summer vacation, spent some wonderful time with our friends and family.  We can't wait to see what 2014 has in store for us!!!  Happy New Year!!!

Scenes from Christmas Day...

Patiently waited to be called downstairs to open gifts.

He came!

Best gift - a sweatshirt from her dance school

Best gift - a warm-up jacket with her soccer team on it - she will match all the other girls now!

A new lamb!  Straight from Iceland!

A blinged-out case for her iPod touch.

More figurines for my nativity scene.

The big gift - the impossible to find Hogwarts Castle from Lego.

Putting together the AGD beds from Aunt Denise.

Modeling their favorite gifts!