Christmas Week

In the previous post are pics of the cookie exchange ... here are a few vignettes of the house this holiday season... Merry Christmas ....

Cookie Time in the hood

Last week we had our 2nd annual cookie exchange in "the hood"-- - - this one is of Traci, Lynn and Me - I was doing that photo thing where I hold the camera at arm's length and click ! Sort of like those photo stands they have where you're in a tiny booth ...

A few shots of the ingredients for the cookies I made this year : Spicy Cocoa Snaps
The usual ingredients...

... the mix in process...

The "spicy" in Spicy Cocoa Snaps, not shown, the special ingredient "Captain Morgan's Spicy Rum"

Happy Thanksgiving...

We're off to the East for a few days .... from our house to yours....all the best.

This bald faced hornet nest showed itself once the leaves of the maple tree dropped...it was located near the front entrance of our sub hanging from a tree near the wetlands....it's about the size of two footballs! Perspective on how big the nest is...

November happenings...

Happy Birthday to my MOM - I meant to post this yesterday on her birthday.
Love you, Sherry

Ryan - went to see the orthopedic surgeon and we have a secondary diagnosis of iliotibial band syndrome on the same knee - in layman's terms - knee tendinitis. The OCD lesion might have exacerbated the issue. So, on to physical therapy for a few weeks - if that doesn't improve the situation, then back to the orthopedic surgeon and perhaps surgery. Surgery would be done to survey the bone, maybe drill for some blood flow to the area - but, Ryan would be on crutches for 9 weeks, and 3 of those would be with no weight on the knee. Only time will tell !!

It's over.....

The end of the season and the JV team posted a 3-6 overall record. The last game, Ypsilanti - was a win. Although the record doesn't speak - they had two other games which were a touchdown away from a win - it was a tough, hard season emotionally for them. The Freshman ended their season 4-5 and the Varsity were 1-8.

The pic below - after the last game as the boys are fed a post game meal.....next on the agenda - Ryan will be seeing the orthopedic surgeon on 10/31/08 and we hope to have surgery soon. He's already back in the weight room post season to work out.
This pic below is again, not my camera's best shot - I have got to fix the zoom issue I'm having - but what this shows is that at the end of each winning game the boys sing the Dexter fight song to the parents - it's always a bittersweet shot.

Ryan's here in this shot - the blurry face in the top portion..... Lots of love to the JV team of 2008.

Fall

Turned Fall rather quickly here - we had our first hard frost in October - killed my annuals, but my two lonely pear tomato plants are still producing!
Yummy rasperries from the local u-pick farm down the road - pumpkins and gourds from another local farm.
I'm a week late posting "Happy Birthday" greetings to Pete's dad, Charlie, who turned 80 and my Grandma who turned 90 - both of them celebrated late September birthdays.
Some of her grandchildren - Jeffery, Grandma, Ryan and Adam

Me and my grandma - how can she be 90??

Record 1-4, but still playing football

Been a tough season for our boys. Ryan continues to be on the field for every offensive play - here he is below on 9/11 at the Huron game. ( remember, he's the one with the black knee brace ) pictured below in the lower right near the Huron player in the corner...
#71 Ryan
Right here, he's the one on the far right corner
Next game - tonight - 7pm @ Pioneer and it's truly a Fall weather like day ~~