Ice Time

While the last 48 hours have included routine applications of icing hubby's knee, I got some of my own ice time today. Yup. That's me and Mr. Zamboni reuniting for another season!

Our Pacelli-Assumption co-op team was hosting the Blizzard team from back home – a team of combined players from Luck, Frederic, Siren, Webster, and Grantsburg (where my cousin Tyler goes to school). Since a few of my cousins would be there, I did some wrangling with the patient care so I could be gone a few hours.

Yup, my sister-in-law agreed to Jimmy-sit for a while. Thanks, Sherry!

It was great to see Rachael and her son Luke, who goes to UW-Stevens Point and played in the pep band at the game today. Fun!

Since it was my first game of the year to shoot and I wanted to capture some players from both teams, I ended up taking about a thousand pictures. Haha. Not kidding. I'm done editing and uploading now. Here's a few of cousin Tyler ...

He looks a bit like my cousin – his Grandpa Gene!

Pacelli ended up beating them 7-2 but at least my cousins got to hang around the area for the night instead of hitting the road for that lovely 4-hour drive home. 

My time with them was short since I had to get home to my slowly-but-surely improving patient. Hopefully we'll turn a corner tonight and he'll get some sleep. I may or may not have random hockey dreams. Br-r-r-r.

Be careful out there and watch for ice!

Royal Pride and Then Some

Whirlwind day of Royal activities today as Assumption wrapped up Homecoming week with the football game and dance. But not before our Royal runners hit the links, well Ridges Golf Course, to compete in the Rapids Cross Country Invitational.

Let's just say a big shout out to Mother Nature first, for bringing out the sun on an otherwise very chilly day! It could have been worse!

Instead, I managed to stay warm enough in my winter hat and jacket to take a hundred pictures or two at cross country. Ha. Can't break the habit! Stopped home to add on another layer and charge my phone. As I grabbed it to head out the door to the football game some 15 minutes later, it was dead. I couldn't get it to turn on no matter what buttons I pressed or what charger I used. Ugh. Do I have time to deal with this?

Knowing Carter was already playing with pre-game Pep Band, I grabbed an old camera that could fit in my jacket pocket (added batteries first!) and got to the game as they finished playing their last song before the fight song and national anthem.

So at least I got one more picture of him half hidden behind that baritone! Olivia and Macie are also 2016 grads – and frankly, the ones convincing him to play. He wasn't going to respond to begging from me or the band director!

It was a very exciting game. We played Owen-Withee, who had just two conference losses, I believe. They scored on their first possession – as in returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown! Yikes. That wasn't a good way to start!

Somehow, though, we managed to keep pace with them, answering each of their scores. And, despite turning it over a few times, were able to score a winning touchdown with less than 2 minutes to go! So not only did we sort of pull off an upset with the 28-21 win, we also became "playoff eligible." Very good news with just one regular season game left!

After the game, I raced over to the Verizon store to see if I needed a new phone or what. They couldn't get it back on at first either. Then they did some magical "reboot" and it was jump-started. Whew. And I didn't lose any data, photos, anything. Another whew!

I could get on with my life!

This evening, Jim is off with some friends to prep something for their hunting land. Jim doesn't hunt but he does know how to pack a cooler! So while he is off having fun, I went on a dinner date!

Yup, finally got some time with the boy. Had a tasty meal at Tamarack's Pub and good conversation. I warned him I was going to ask about everything from the roommate to classes to food. We got it all covered, I think. And it was great. I had to congratulate him on "adulting" very well.

After dinner, we went to the Homecoming Grand March, then he went off with friends again. It's all good. I got my one-on-one time so my weekend needs are fulfilled.

As a bonus, I not only have Royal Pride but Parent Pride, too. Hopefully that comes more often than one week a school year!

And the Band Played On

With a dozen senior band members graduating last May, there sadly has not been an Assumption Pep Band appearance this year for home football or volleyball games.

Until tonight.

According to the band director, the challenge has been low numbers and no low brass. Without Carter on baritone, she now has one of her trumpet players handle the baritone, trombone, any low brass instrument while she fills in on trumpet. Not the best option, but doable.

She has an additional challenge this week for the Homecoming football game. Not enough band members for a Marching Band performance and potentially not enough for pregame entertainment. As it happens, the three trumpet players (and one of the flutists) run cross country, and they have a meet Saturday morning. The football game starts at 1 p.m. so there's no guarantee they'll make it there on time.

So as Miss Molly stated, desperate times call for desperate measures. In other words, she begged me to beg Carter to play this weekend. And I'm sure she did that with other class of 2016 musicians. Carter was pretty adamant he wasn't going to. In his words, Miss Molly says "just pregame" and that's how she lures in the alumni.

Ha. Well, it worked. Carter allegedly has agreed to it but, he says, only because some of his classmates who are home this weekend are going to play as well. Can't wait to try one more time to take his picture and have him hold up that big baritone in front of his face.

In fact, I had to text him this picture of two of his buddies (aka my other "sons") to prove that there is no shame in being cooperative for a mom with a camera!

By the way, they sounded awesome. A great way to start off another Dig Pink night at volleyball. The band did have a little help from 4 alumni who happened to be home and willing to assist. Helped round out the sound with high, medium and low. Very nice to hear again. Excellent as always.

It's comforting to know that no matter how many Royals come and go, the band plays on...

One Down; One to Go

Hit the road at 7:30 a.m. to get to Green Bay for girls state basketball. (They still play boys' state in Madison, but girls switched to GB several years ago.)

Got to the Resch Center in time to see some of the other Division 5 game between defending state champion Barneveld and Clayton, which is up in my neck of the woods. While tied at halftime, Barneveld ended up winning without any problems. 

Our game against Fall River started at 10:45 a.m. Even though it was a school day we had plenty of "excused" fans plus our band in attendance. Not to mention all of us grown-ups playing hooky.

Tried to take pictures of Carter and the whole Pep Band before the game, but you know he has the "hiding behind the big baritone" down to a science.

At least the TV guy caught him in action. I forgot to DVR the game so had to quickly watch it when I got home and take snapshots of the television screen!

In this one, you can tell he sees himself up on the megascreen!

They also flashed photos of fans taking selfies at the arena. My friend Marlene and I submitted one but I think it was too late in the game or we are just too old to be feartured. You notice we are smiling. I'll tell you why.

So Fall River had a similar record to our Lady Royals. We expected a close, tough game and that is what we got. In fact, Assumption only led by 2 points at halftime. That's nerve-wracking. Somehow, in the second half, we managed to pull away.

Our top scorer was senior Gena Grundhoffer, pictured here in this photo by my friend Jo Ann. Gena scored 35 points, shattering the Division 5 individual record for a single game in the state tournament. She also set a new Division 5 record for free throws made in a state game with 17. That pretty much clinched the deal!

We ended up winning, 63-50, and advance to the state championship game tomorrow for the 4th year in a row, against Barneveld for the 4th year in a row!

The girls celebrate their victory. Trust me, we were all pretty excited about it and relieved and proud. We know this has been a unique era, getting to state 4 straight years with this fine group of young ladies. They've worked so hard. I hope the basketball gods are smiling on them tomorrow.

We're all heading back over there in the morning, so hopefully that will help, too! Let's do this, Royals! It's our turn to come home with the gold ball!

Squeaking By in Sectionals

The Assumption girls basketball team had to pull out all the stops as they faced their toughest competition of the season tonight. They played Loyal in neutral territory at the Marshfield Fieldhouse.

When we're serious about attitude and school spirit, our stellar Pep Band has to travel along to set the stage, so to speak.

The other team did not bring their band along so it was a nice added touch for us!

The game itself was the expected nail-biter. When the teams last faced each other in November, Assumption won by a point or a basket. Both teams have been improving since then, of course. So it was a close battle throughout the game with a few lead changes but Assumption mostly staying ahead by a point or 2 or 3. Not enough of a margin to let their guard down. And not enough for us fans to quit biting our nails or chomping on our gum or grinding our teeth!

Despite the fact it felt like we were playing two teams – Loyal AND the refs – the Royals managed to squeak by and grind out a tough 54-50 win! Assumption has won six straight over Loyal (21-5) and eliminated the Greyhounds from the playoffs four straight years.

Next, our Lady Royals (22-4) will play Suring for a state berth on Saturday at Oconto Falls. I sure hope the momentum continues through to Saturday, stopping long enough Friday to help our boys' team advance in Regional Playoffs.

Exciting week to be a Royals fan!

Hail to the Chief Day

In this crazy election year (my opinion), I do not want to talk politics on Presidents' Day. Instead, I found one of my favorite photos of my mom and me... and 4 very dead presidents.

This was taken on a warm, sunny day in June of 2014 on our little vacation out west to South Dakota. What I'd give to have a sleeveless shirt on right now (not to mention, a tan!). It was a neat vacation, great to spend time with Mom and very cool to see historic monuments.

These days, Presidents' Day means two things: 1) a federal holiday so some people are off work, including mail carriers, and 2) a whole lot of presidential sales on clothes and other items not closely related to patriotism or honoring our nation's leaders.

For me, it was another day at the office, followed by an insane one-on-one kickboxing class, followed by the Assumption boys basketball game. It was senior night so I wanted to get some pictures of my friends with their sons. It also turned out to be an intense game versus Abbotsford, with our Royals falling by 3 teeny tiny points. Dang. Still a nice tribute night for the 4 seniors and their parents.

Managed to snag a photo of "my" senior, too, playing in the Pep Band. Of course, he still strategically places that big ol' baritone in front of his face when he spots me. But I got one quick frame off first.

I figured as long as I was missing the Grammys, I might as well get the next best thing!

And they did play a stellar Star-Spangled Banner so we fit that presidential patriotism after all.

Tip Off

If you count the cross country banquet last Wednesday as a season finale, Royals fans didn't quite get a week off between the end of one sports season and the start of another. But I was excited for another basketball season to tip off!

The girls' season has about a week's jump on the boys', not counting our Cranberry Classic Tournament at Assumption this weekend.

We made sure to get to the girls JV game tonight because we have some freshman girls to cheer on. One was on the cross country team and the other is the daughter of some friends of ours, who we've known since she was shorter than Carter and he could actually babysit her. Now Allie is a half-head taller than him at least! Glad we got to witness her high school debut, especially since she scored 12 of Assumption's first 12 points. Yes! Should be fun to watch this year!

It was great to see our varsity team back action, too. The challenge for fans is that when the last time you see a team play is during the state championship game, you expect them to pick up right where they left off. Unfortunately, Neillsville had other ideas. Just like last year, they handed the Lady Royals their first loss, by a measly 3 points. On a positive note, there weren't many losses that followed that one last year and, hopefully, the same will hold true this season.

Of course, the action on the sidelines is just as important. Missed hearing the Pep Band, naturally, but especially all my "social" time with the mom squad. There is a new rule in girls hoops this year that is putting a damper on that, though. High school girls now play 2 18-minute halves instead of 4 8-minute quarters. So there is no time to chit-chat between quarters – only during time outs. It's going to take some getting used to. Guess we'll have to ponder socializing off the court.

Well now that I think about it, that should be resuming, too. Hurray for hoops!