Still on my way to Woodsfield

I've run over 1000 miles this year, and am over half way to Woodsfield, Ohio! My current progress puts me in Kansas. Hmmm... that means I'll be there in another 9 months, not by Christmas, like I wanted to. Oh well, I hear that spring is nice in Woodsfield...

Weekend Sports Report

Cheryl played on Tuesday, by the time I finished work and drove down there, the game was already in the 2nd half and Cheryl was out. Now that she plays striker, she doesn't play the whole game anymore. She's the starting striker, so I didn't get to see her play at all. Sounds like not too much happened (offensively anyway). They lost 0-5.

Her Friday game was much better. They tied 1-1. Cheryl was in and out. She has to have her quad wrapped for the game. She said the wrapping fell off just before the game started; she had to have it re-wrapped; the re-wrapping was so tight, her foot fell asleep; and had to have it wrapped again. I also missed this game because the Cross Country team was taking team photos that afternoon.... no pictures of Cheryl this week.

There were no races this week. Chris played his soccer game on Sunday, and he actually started! He assisted a goal off a corner kick, and took three shots on goal (two over and one wide). His team won 7-1! I was so excited watching the game that I forgot to take photos (I even had my camera).

So, no sports photos this week. But here's a layout of the Disneyland Half-Marathon that I did this week for a challenge at Scrapbook Deals for You.

Weekly Sports Report

Chris ran the Dana Hills Cross Country Invitational this weekend. Since the varsity runners were gone to a National meet in Oregon, he started in the front row, and finished with a NEW PR of 17:53! He came in 54th overall (so just missed getting a medal by 4 places), and came in 2nd for his school just behind the 1st place runner. He said that he and the first place runner passed each other a couple of times during the race, but the first place runner has never lost to Chris and was determined not to this time also!

That evening Chris played a game with his soccer team, and played great! He played first half as a defender and 2nd half as a mid-fielder. Towards the end of the game, he was still running the entire length of the field while everyone else was pooped... that XC training really pays off!


Cheryl seems to have cemented her new spot as a starting striker. They defeated Santa Ana in an away game 1-0 on Tuesday, and on Friday they lost to Fullerton at home 1-2. She scored her team's only goal that game (by running up on a through ball and shooting just inside the 18yd line)... her first goal of the college season.

We ended up going out for ice cream twice this weekend... on Friday night to celebrate Cheryl's first goal, and on Saturday night to celebrate Chris's new PR!

Weekly Sports Report

Chris didn't play his soccer game, because he had the Woodbridge Invitational meet in the evening. He was hoping to post a new PR. Unfortunately, he didn't have a very good race. First off there was a pile-up accidentally caused by Chris. He stepped on the heel of the runner in front of him and caused about six runners to fall. He managed to jump over and around them, but lost his focus. He ended up with a cramp in his side and finished around 19:10.

In Cheryl's game against #2 state ranked Santiago Canyon, she started as outside defender. At half time, trailing 0-3, they moved both Cheryl and the other outside defender to the midfield to add more force to the offense. It didn't work... the team ended up losing 0-8.

Cheryl's second game of the week was in Riverside. This time the coach moved her to the starting forward line. The team lost 1-5. Cheryl almost scored that goal. She was ready to shoot the ball when a player from her own player stole the ball from her and shot it.

Summer Book Review

It's been months and months since I did a book post, but that doesn't mean I haven't been reading! I've read way to many to put together a review of all of them, so here is a list of the books I read over the summer, with a few highlighted:

We've been looking forward to "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer since "Eclipse" was released. Will Bella marry Edward? Will Bella end up a vampire? I won't give anything away, but I do want to caution parents that this is not as middle school friendly as the first two books (if you can call the first two books, middle school friendly). I can't say more without spoiling the story. You will have to read it to find out!

"Here Be Monsters!" by Alan Snow was a wonderful surprise! box trolls, cabbage heads, sea cows, rabbit women, pirate rats and an young boy band together to thwart the cheese hunters. This book is fun and will delight everyone. This book would make a great read aload bedtime story. The next book in the series is called "Man in the Iron Socks." I'll be picking that one up too as soon as it hits the library.

I was prepared to like "Moloka'i" by Alan Brennert. It started off sad, and got sadder. I skipped to the end, figuring if it had a happy ending I would keep reading. The ending was sad too.... I like my books with happy endings. I guess that's why I like reading kids' books so much. I never finished reading "Moloka'i." The characters were interesting and "real." The story was well written... just be sure to have a box of tissues handy.


This is a delightful series about a young London girl, Mary. She was orphaned by the plague and taken in by a street gang. When the gang's leader is murdered, she decides to set off on her own and see the world as a boy named, Jack. The adventure starts on the high seas in "Bloody Jack," and continues in the "Curse of the Blue Tattoo." There are several more books in this series that I'll pick up and read one of these days.


Other Kids books:
This is still my favorite genre. I split the kids books I've read into kids and teens catagories.

Flora Segunda by Ysabeau S. Wilce	The Castle Corona by Sharon Creech	The Stone Fey by Robin McKinley
Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon	Horns and Wrinkles by Joseph Helgerson and Nicoletta Ceccoli	The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart and Carson Ellis
Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale	Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis and Pauline Baynes	The Revenge Of The Shadow King by Derek Benz and J. S. Lewis
House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones	The Hollow Kingdom by Clare B. Dunkle

Teen books:
These are still kids books, but may not be appropriate for young kids.

Two-way Street by Lauren Barnholdt	Austenland: A Novel by Shannon Hale	Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams
Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin Mckinley	Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley	Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

Other adult books:
I took some reading time this summer to checkout some adult authors who I've heard a lot about, but have never read...

Anyone But You by Jennifer Crusie	Smoke in Mirrors by Jayne Ann Krentz	City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
Devil May Cry by Sherrilyn Kenyon	All Night Long by Jayne Ann Krentz	Strange Candy by Laurell K. Hamilton
Morrigan's Cross by Nora Roberts	The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss	Dark Possession by Christine Feehan
Taken by Storm by Tami Hoag	Ghost Hunter by Jayne Castle

Vampire romance:
After finishing Breaking Dawn, I went into vampire romance withdrawl. As a result, I ended up reading all the vampire romance that I could find at the library.

How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks	Vamps and the City by Kerrelyn Sparks	Be Still My Vampire Heart by Kerrelyn Sparks
The Undead Next Door by Kerrelyn Sparks	Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris	Sugarplums and Scandal by Kerrelyn Sparks
Sunshine by Robin McKinley	A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole	No Rest for the Wicked by Kresley Cole