Things really picked up this week for us…and what a special week it was! Its officially fall the kids started back to school and they all had their first fall sports games. It was an exciting week that actually started last Sunday. After only a few hours of sleep, the girls were up and primping in preparation of attending a concert up at the State Fair Grounds in Indy. They went with Amy & Baili to see the young Disney star, Selena Gomez. Abby danced to one of her songs last year (Tell me Something I dont Know???). She also stars in one of Abbys favorite Disney Channel shows – The Wizards of Waverly Place. Selena Gomez & the Scene got high reviews from Ann and several other attendees at the show (you can read more about the show, including the reviews here). The coolest moment of the show for Ann?…There was a severe heat advisory that day due to high temps and rough humidityand during her show, this teenage girl – with all her fans screaming for her – takes a moment right in the middle of her set and gets a cool, wet towel for one of her physically challenged fans in a wheel chair. Shes not a diva yet! After the show, the gals waited in line for a couple of sweaty hours to meet and get autographs from the opening boy band Days II Difference. The gals got several autographs and a couple pictures and said it was worth every drop of sweat and bitchy pre-teen hormone in that line! Abby came home with a signed shirt, signed CD and a picture with her favorite band member.
On Monday, the girls took the day off and slept in. They made it a special day by getting their hair done and doing more back-to-school shopping. That night, Matt was back on the football practice field. Ann ran Abby to her jazz class and then on to soccer practice, where Ann caught up with Lukey. I got home just in time for popcorn and bedtime. On Tuesday, Bu & Lukey went to Brandys for the final time this summer. That evening, I took them both to soccer practice. Lukes coach & team didnt show up, so I called her and found out that the practice had been moved to the night before (Monday); we didn’t know about it, since we missed practice and the first game last week while we were on vacation…so we just hung out until Bu was done. Wednesday was the first day of school for the 2010 – 2011 school year (sound weird, huh?). 🙁 Matts first day of high school went well as did the first day back for Abby in her “senior” year at the elementary school. Lukey just loves 1st grade and his teacher even though none of his close buddies are in his class this year…
On Thursday, Matt went to football practice but Matt & Abby had to miss soccer practice yet again and Bu had to miss her other dance class as well as the elementary school held their annual open house. I went with Luke and Ann went with Abby. Luke had a couple of neat pictures as he showed me all around his class and the school. Lukes teacher is Mrs. Wagner. She seems very nice. It is amazing how many people Luke knows – both kids and teachers. Abbys teacher is Ms. Emly. I have not met her yet, but Bu seems to like her very much. Abby is also very popular in that school. It was fun to see all the people out at the school but its hard to believe that it’s really school time already
On Friday evening, Matt experienced a small part of his dreams coming true I came home from work long enough to gather everyone together, grab some Wendys drive through and head up the highway to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indy for the annual Peyback Classic XI, hosted by Peyton Manning. Greensburg High School was lucky enough to gain an entry against Shelbyville in this year’s second game. The early game was Mt. Vernon vs. Kokomo, who eventually won the opener. We met Natalie and her kids up at the game (Brayton now goes to Mt. Vernon after their last move). Matt and the other freshmen actually got to dress and perform pre-game warm-ups; although they would be on the sidelines for the game. Peyton spent some time with the kids on both sides and was very cool. He was joined before the game by Colts WR Anthony Gonzales. Matt was under strict orders to pay attention to the game and not Mr. Manning; and he did a good job with that, even though Peyton passed within less than 5 feet of him! He stayed on task even though I was hoping hed jump up next to him so I could snap off a quick picture! 😉 Abby went down to the student section and helped root on the team with her long-time friend and soccer teammate Emma Hellmich. We had some killer seats 10th row, right on the 50 yard line. We couldve gotten closer but I was afraid we wouldnt be able to see everything behind the boys so we sat with the Kelsos and had a great time. Luke hung out with his girlfriend Kayla Kelso and they entertained each other through this extra long night. They were so cute together! Although Matt was really hoping for a chance to play, all the freshmen were relegated to sideline patrol even when the game was out of reach. I was calling for the coaches to play the freshmen over the last minute and a half – but to no availand wouldnt you know it; the starting running back and quarterback got hurt on the last two plays of the gamesuch as shame; not only about the players who got hurt unnecessarily during plays that would have no effect on the outcome of the ball game but also for the youger kids who would get only this one chance to play a down on the Indianapolis Colts football field a chance that will never come again in their lifetimeand for what? I thought it was a really cool move to have the kids dress but a shame that they couldnt have at least 1 play eachjust another wasted opportunity in Greensburg. The games were televised on WNDY, channel 23, in Indy. We taped the game and watched it back later seeing both Matt & Abby a few times. I took some bootleg footage of it off the TV screen, but Im trying to figure out a way to get it transferred from our DVR in a higher quality way I have a few ideas; but if anyone has any other proven ways to bring the video files from our Comcast (Insight) Motorola DVR to our laptop, please speak up! Greensburg lost 21 to 6 in the end. It was much closer than the score would indicate as Greensburg squandered away several chances. Overall it was a very cool opportunity for Greensburg and all the schools. Our heartfelt thanks go out to the generosity of Peyton Manning and his foundation for the tremendous opportunity.
After getting home very late (early) Saturday morning, we were right back at it again at sunrise on Saturday morning. Abby & I went to Sunman for her first soccer game of the year (the teams second). They played a pretty talented Sunman team that was a very entertaining and provided an evenly matched game. It went back and forth but Bus team eventually lost 3-2 to lower their record to 0-2. Abby had a couple shots on goal that just missed. She didnt see much action. The first half she played maybe 5 minutes. She was pretty pissed as was I; but I cant blame the coach she missed lots of practices and will continue to miss practices each week with her dance classes unless we can get something changed. She played defense the first half and started the second half at defense again before being pulled after playing yet another 5 minutes. Were talking about 20 minute halves, so she saw a lot of bench time. She did get back in for the final 5 or 10 minutes at midfielder and had her two shots on goal. She played very well the second half though she did look a little winded at the end. Even though she is in phenomenal shape, she still has some work to do to get in to soccer shape. Still, all things considered; she looked pretty good for a gal that has had such limited experience this year going against players that have likely double the playing / practice time as her. It was also her first game on the U-12 field (much bigger!). Luke played simultaneously here in town. He still hadnt gotten his soccer uniform yet, as he didnt see any practice time before this weeks game. He played 3 of the 4 quarters, however. He started at defense, then played goalie and finally forward. He did not make any goals but if the video Ann took is any indication of the entire game, Luke did dominate the field of play without being a ball hog. I was impressed and cant wait to watch him next week in person! His team won their second in a row this year to begin the year 2-0. We had lunch when we got home and then it was off to mow Grandma & Gigis yard and ours for the first time in two weeks. I had to pull the dogwood tree up, as it was completely dead and dry as firewood. I think the culprit was a mix between the extreme rainfall, followed by the extreme heat and finally a fungus that zapped all of its moisture. I think the same thing is happening to all our trees actually. We probably need to have a specialist take a look at them before we lose them. We also had issues with our new Whirlpool Gold refrigerator. There is no ice or water. I took the water line and plumbing all apart and discovered that the entire intake supply is running fine, so the issue must be internally with the fridge. I know that the filter needed to be changed a couple months ago, so I dont know if that is the issue or what is occurring (wouldn’t you know that we couldn’t find one locally, so we ordered one off the internet); but well need to look closer at this issue next week and probably get someone out to look at it, since it is still under warranty. Abby had Gracie over to spend the night as we had pizza and zonked out early. On Sunday, we did our weekly chores – thankfully the washer had another good week. It was very warm today so the girls played outdoors most of the morning, going for a couple bike rides and then jumping in the pool in the afternoon for a cool down swim. They got to play with the new boogie board from Mr. Surf’s Surf Shop finally! The water was fairly dirty so I vacuumed it out and rebalanced the chemicals once they got out. Grandma called and was all excited that she saw Matt & Bu on TV on Friday night! We visited with Deanna & Jamie for a little while when they came by to pick up Grace. Luke & Ann went to see Phyllis & Dick and brought home a bunch of veggies for another batch of salsa! It was a sport-less game day due to no race (I can never remember those darn Saturday night ones!) and no football (what was up with that?)…so we watched movies all day and took naps.
Here are four videos of all the action this week along with my weekly music-related one as well (what; no Zep??):
The Final Frontier – Director’s Cut
Iron Maiden | MySpace Music Videos
OK; lets take a look at some Waybac pictures. This batch will be my last. Im gonna have to dig another box out of the closet and warm up the scanner this week in order to restock my archives! 😛 Leading off this weeks early years feature we have a couple from Grandpaw Browns tour of duty in Europe during World War II in the early fifties and one of Grandmaw & Grandpaw Brown in their living room in Lafayette for some sort of anniversary date in May of 64.
The middle years of the Waybac feature has Mom & I in August of 76 at Aunt Norma & Uncle Ralphs house in the side yard in Lafayette playing jarts; Ann in her kindergarten picture in Greensburg in the fall of 76 (a couple crops); Ann with her dance partner in approximately 77 at the Dixon Dance Studios in Greensburg and Rob in Wisconsin in 89/90 after a long day on the lake catching fish!
The final section and latter years era starts with Keith and Rosie at their wedding in LaPorte with the whole wedding party in LaPorte in ’93; Dad B (or shall we say Little Winkie?) at the Sixth Annual Week 19 Bash in what I believe was May of 95 in Treasure Island, FL; Matt in our townhouse in Columbus in 1996 and Rob with our cousins Nathan & Katie and Dena Marie at Mom & Dads house in Rossville at the 97-ish Bryan Christmas.
Well, that wraps up another edition of the Scheu Family Blog. Thanks for keeping up with us this week and well catch ya up next time. Until then, have a good one.
Later, Scheu