Hoops, Hollywood and Hines

All is good in our world. Despite gross Ohio weather, we're having fun right now. Mike had a particularly good week last week as his basketball team went 3-0 (beat a conference rival Tuesday, an undefeated team Friday and a defending district champ at OSU Saturday). Then, of course, the Steelers put a butt-whoppin' on the Chargers Sunday to advance to the AFC championship game (with home field advantage, I might add. Titans, thank you very much for choking.) Mike and Jason will be headed back to Heinz Field to watch Hines and Ben take care of business Sunday.



Mike's hoops team is now 9-0 and ranked fifth in the state in the latest AP poll. They've been pretty impressive! Saturday was a lot of fun. We got to Ohio State a little early and I took the kids over to the Scholar house to show them where Mommy lived for five years. It was 11:30 a.m., but we had trouble getting in because everyone was still asleep. Some things never change, haha. Finally, a kid with tossled hair stumbled out with his dog (I assume the dog's bathroom needs were the only reason the guy was awake and moving) and let us into the building. Taylor thought it was pretty cool to see my old abode, even though it was really messy and kind of stunk. According to one of the nice Scholars that emerged from his room (wearing just PJ pants), they had hosted a party the night before. Plus, they've just built a new building a few blocks away and are preparing to move. I told him no need to apologize - I was there once, too.


Taylor and Michael posing on the bar in the Scholar rec room. Neither wanted to sit up there (Michael is whining and Taylor is faking it), but I couldn't pass up the opportunity.)

The game was fun and I almost forgot how AMAZING (that's for you Lauri) the Schottenstein Center is. Both kids were on the big screen several times. One of the local photographers took a picture of Taylor on the big screen and it was in today's Wilmington paper. Too funny. She's a little celebrity. I keep calling her Hollywood. You can check it out at http://www.wnewsj.com/. Click on Electronic Edition on the left side and go to page B8. If will be there on Tuesday and you can still find it after that by clicking on archives (after clicking Electronic Edition).

People always comment on how good my kids are at the games. I have one word: snacks.



He's not really eating them; just holding them.



Don't you love his little shirt? Side note: he doesn't drink out of a bottle during the day anymore, but I left his sippy at home. That's one of the bottles Taylor uses for her dolls and it was in the backpack.

Not much else going on. I feel like Michael went through a time warp the last few weeks. He takes several steps now, eats almost all table food now, is off the formula ($$$$$) and is starting to become more verbal. He said "cookie" tonight while he was eating an animal cracker. Taylor and I had fun painting Valentines today (yes, in the middle of winter with nothing else to do, you start with the Valentine activities a month early). She is such a good little artist. I showed her one time how to make a heart and she was drawing them like a pro. She made an awesome Valentine for me and a Valentine with a picture of Hines (her idea) for Mike. Cute, cute, cute.

Alright, back to mommy time. Michael is sitting on my lap right now and I fear for the safety of the keyboard.



Until next time,



Mommy Kel