I am a member of our local Rotary club and every year we host a two weekend Pancake Breakfast at our community center. It's a huge event - on average we see over 750 people in a seven hour span!
This year they added a new attraction to garner even more interest - the 1st Annual Pancake Eating Contest!
The event was to be held at 3pm. At 2:45 there were only three teams of 3 entered - two of them belong to Cameron's Pony baseball team! The boy's thought they had the $100 prize money in the bag...
Unfortunately - 6 more teams entered under the wire - three of those composed of rival high school athletes.
Even more unfortunate was the fact that 13 and 14 year old boys think it's REALLY funny to stuff 10 pancakes in your face in three minutes. 
In fact, between fits of laughter, our boys probably managed to stuff only four or five pancakes into their mouths.
The winners? One kid ate his ten...and two more of his teammate's.
But you can't say that Cameron didn't make a valiant attempt in the end!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Pancakes...Where's The Syrup?
Thursday, March 27, 2008
My Morning Surprise...
As I was making coffee this morning, after pleasantly sleeping in for an extra hour (kids are on spring break...), I looked out my kitchen window and saw something unfamiliar.
We have a very large pool in our yard and therefore, we also have no trees so as not to deal with the leaf issue in our filter.
But today - we have a tree...in our backyard...right across the roof of our shed!
It's been a very wet winter and we had strong winds on Tuesday but yesterday was sunny, warm, and beautiful! I guess the tree had just had enough of Mother Nature pounding it.
So good-bye old tree - we will enjoy our new view and remember your sacrifice...
Monday, March 24, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
The Joy of the Easter Egg Hunt
I'm really not sure who enjoys Easter more...the kids, who were all up before 7 this morning for the annual Easter Egg Haul (I mean Hunt!)
...or John, who delights in finding the most ridiculous hiding places!
My favorite part? Celebrating our Risen Lord at church with applause and praise!
Oh yeah...and taking our annual family Easter picture and marveling at the beautiful gift God gave us in our children...
Happy Easter Everyone...
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Draft Day
No I'm not talking about the NFL draft (although that's as big a day in our house as the SuperBowl)...
Today, Jackson and Caeden will be drafted onto their respective teams for the upcoming Little League baseball season!
Tensions are high...will they be East or West division...will their coach be returning or new...will they have their best-friend on their team...This last question is really the only one either of the boys care about!
The answers to these and other questions of the universe will be settled tonight!
Well, actually, in Caeden's case we already know. You see this year, for the first time in four years, John will be a Manager - one of the huge bonuses that came with him getting a job close to home.
And...Caeden's best friend will indeed be on his team. His Dad is the Coach!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
The Biggest St. Patrick's Day Parade
The town we live in does not have a lot to brag about. Located in the middle of the rust-belt, this one-time thriving metropolis is a shadow of its former self - many still believing that the resurgence will begin when the labor unions save the day and bring back the steel mills.
The newbies to the area know nothing of this - we simply moved here to take advantage of the lowest cost of living in the nation, and the BEST environment to raise children.
Probably the most anticipated event of the year, for both old and new Valley residents, is the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade - dubbed the largest in the eastern half of the United States.
When I say largest, I don't necessarily mean large floats or bands. I mean large in length - over two hours featuring every politician, mom and pop business and previously unknown organization - parading and promoting.
Everyone becomes Irish on this day. In this area of ethnic diversity - it was fun to watch all the Italian names going from "gallito and traficanti" to "o-gallito and O-traficanti". Even the biggest success to come out of the Valley in years, our own Middle Weight Boxing Champion of the World has the first name "Kelly"!
So today, we brag and celebrate. We may not live in the most glamorous or thriving part of our nation - but we do know how to throw a good party!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Theme Thursday - Change
My teenage son was asked to give the invocation last night at his wrestling banquet.
When he was asked to do the same last year his words went something like this, "Thank you God for food and wrestling..Amen"
Last night I watched my young man stand in front of his peers and say something like this, "Father God, you are truly awesome and powerful and you have blessed us beyond what we could ever imagine. I thank you that you brought us together as a team. That you gave us strength and friendship and that you helped us persevere through trials. Be with each one of us, this team, as we enjoy this time and your food together...In CHRIST'S name...Amen!"
Holy Cow - talk about change!!!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Why Didn't You Tell Me?
Now that I've come back to my blog, I have a plethora of stories to tell about the past week...the best of which occurred today...
Jackson came home from school in his usual docile mood. Nothing seemed amiss until he went for his usual bathroom break.
Upon his exit he exclaimed..."Oh yeah Mummy...why didn't you tell me my pants were on backwards today?"
I turned to see that my eleven year old son had indeed gone to school and worn his trendy Gap khakis completely backwards for the entire day.
Between fits of hidden laughter I asked how he didn't notice...
"I noticed...but I'm not going to go into that gross school bathroom and take off my pants"!
I guess it was better to walk around the entire day with the zipper in the back...
Cameron and I decided that, should anyone challenge him on his clothing misstep, he should respond by telling them that he is a fashion trendsetter...
Ughh...Be Careful What You Wish For!
I disappeared again.
Not that I haven't been inspired to write. Quite the contrary...I have been writing for everyone but me!
I have been writing proposals, marketing plans, brochures, press releases, website pages and mission statements. All part of my grand plan to start my own marketing firm.
Be careful what you wish for because it could come true!
When I come up for air, I promise I will re-connect the world to the SportsMum clan!
As a teaser...Caeden and Jackson had baseball try-outs last weekend...Cameron is still recovering from his injured knee (one more week!)...Jackson entered a wrestling tournament and was eliminated in two rounds...Caeden was asked to consider joining a competitive soccer team for next fall...and John's team is out of the hockey play-offs and he is now polishing his golf clubs for the Ohio PPGA (Pretty Pathetic Golf Association)tour...
