First football game – Gremlin style

My Dad went to Olympus, I went to Olympus, and my brother played for OLYMPUS and coached the OLYMPUS little league for years…we are an Olympus family.  Even Josh’s ONE YEAR of football was played as an Olympus Titan.  (That was a long year…turns out Josh isn’t a fan of football).  Ryan plays for Cottonwood and always has, but that is another story all together.

So, it is with regret that I admit that my cute studly little 8 year-old nephew is playing for SKYLINE (boo hiss) and as everyone knows…SKYLINE and OLYMPUS are huge rivals.  Today was my Nephew’s first ever football game and wouldn’t you know, it was against OLYMPUS.  Go figure.

It was hard to know who to cheer for, I mean, of course we cheered for my nephew’s Skyline team, but it felt a little “off”.

Whether wearing an Olympus jersey or a Skyline jersey, the trademark Denning tongue is always sticking out.  Pure focus.

There’s been some pressure on this little guy to carry on his Dad’s football legacy, not to mention his older sister’s year as a Gremlin (also for Skyline cough).  But this kid was ready for action.  I’m told he’d been counting the days to the first game.

Fearless.  I believe this is called FACE-MASKING.  Cool.

That’s him on the bottom there.  What a stud.

This is his new SKYLINE coach…and…Dad.  WTF (why the face?)  MY BROTHER WEARING A SKYLINE JERSEY!  What next, Josh actually watching a football game all the way through?  Has the world gone mad?  I guess a parent’s love knows no bounds.  The final score?  Well, who really pays attention to the score at this age  (Olympus 1,000,000 – Skyline 7).  They’ve got a lot of work ahead.

My dog isn’t a “hater”

Despite what it looks like in this picture, Scooter is a sweetheart!  But, after two hours of being poked, prodded, pumped full of sugar, teased by 4 little kids and run ragged at our annual BBQ, Scooter had had ENOUGH.  My favorite picture of the night…look at my brother in law’s face as SCOOTER let him know that the poking and tickling must cease.

Sorry Brother-in-Law…but you know you were asking for it.

Canning tomatoes

A success, I can’t believe how easy it is to can stuff.  Why don’t they call it BOTTLE, since these are clearly bottles and not cans?  I don’t know the answer to this, but now I know how to do it.  I posted a step by step instruction guide with my recipes in case I ever forget the valuable knowledge that my MOM passed onto me today.  That sounds CORNY but it’s true, I’d never have tried this on my own.  Thanks mom!

http://msburkerecipes.wordpress.com/2009/08/01/how-to-can-tomatoes-with-bottles-not-cans-apparently/

What I’m doing this weekend…(a.k.a. loser)

This weekend I am going to try and make sundried tomatoes. Why?

Reason 1) I think I’m going to have about a hundred thousand tomatoes in my garden this year.

Reason 2) I asked for a food dehydrator for my birthday, because I anticipated that I would be in an abundant tomato situation soon.

Reason 3) I was given a lovely food dehydrator for my birthday by my BROTHER and his family. My niece asked me why I would want one.  She was of the opinion that only old ladies use them. Thanks ASHLEY, you are dead to me. (just kidding, luv ya). Her comment hit an ultra sensitive NERVE because earlier in the day someone at work asked me why I would wear an old lady sweater in the middle of summer (you know who you are and you are equally dead to me).

Anyway…

I realize I only have two sliced tomatoes here, but this is just a test. According to the instructions it is going to take 14-20 hours for them to be done. I think I’ll head to Cafe Rio, that will use up one of the hours.

I am also going to learn to “can” tomatoes, which involved “bottles” I think, not cans, but I will find out for sure.  Wish me luck.