January 20, 2007

Saturday was our third quiz meet of the year. It felt tougher this time but it could just be that I was feeling a little too competetive. I told the kids that it was so much easier when they were right in the middle of the pack- at the first meet, they came in a solid 6th out of 12 teams. Then they had to go and work really hard and take 2nd place at the second meet. It just feels wrong to me to want to win so badly at Bible quizzing!!! Each round, I found myself praying that we would win, that the other team would get an error, or better yet, would error out! I would stop myself mid-prayer and piously pray that everyone would do well, but I didn't mean it. I don't think of myself as a competetive person, but I'm sure my blood pressure was way up there. I kept telling the kids not to think about beating the other team but to concentrate on doing their best. I'm sure I meant it on some level, but I was a little shocked at my own deep-seated feelings of wanting to wipe the rest of them off the map. Maybe I should reconsider this coaching thing!! I managed to get through the day without having a heart attack and at the awards ceremony, the team took second and Zach took second individually. They did really well and it was because they had an interest in the material and it showed in the way they studied. The next meet is in March and I'll need a reminder to take my blood pressure meds.

My good friend Gregg Koskela took this picture and posted it along with more quizzing stuff on his blog: http://greggsgambles.com/

Zach lost his 1st place standing from the last meet to Talli Koskela. . . I was very proud of Talli and we didn't mind at all that she took 1st place-honest.

Gregg and Gary. . .

These next photos were taken on Kristin's Mac- it's a great program that takes distorted pictures through a camera in the monitor. The kids always have a great time playing with it and seeing how crazy they can make themselves look.

Gloria had a fun time while I was gone and didn't really have a chance to miss me. M's birthday was on the 18th so the girls celebrated on Friday. Kristin took them to the Y to swim, out to dinner, and then home for a slumber party. Gloria isn't a great sleeper at any time and has an especially hard time at over-nighters, but she did great. Kristin knows Gloria and all of her little quirks well and she very patiently takes care of her. My sister's family picked Gloria up the next day and took her to lunch with my mom and dad at Red Robin. She spent the rest of the afternoon with Shelly and my nephew Ethan while Rob and Dale ran sound for a band at the Fiesta Bowl parade. When Dale and Rob picked her up in the evening, they took her to dinner AND a movie- what a treat!! Rob and Gloria had plenty of daddy/daughter time on Sunday and (in their words) did all the things I dislike doing- sleeping 'til noon, going to the mall, browsing through Costco, and going from store to store looking for a pair of skate shoes. I hope they got it out of their systems. . .

Gloria January 20, 2007

This was taken on Kristin's Mac. . . it was the most "normal" so I'll post it as Gloria's daily picture!!

Zach January 20, 2007

(Taken at Sherwood Friends Church)