Swoosh

TJ's team's first game of the CYO 5/6 basketball tourney was Thursday night. There are 30 teams in thier bracket. There first opponent was St. Charles of Bloomington who is 6-0 in the regular season. It was close game from the start. With 5.4 seconds to go in the game, Todd called a time out to set the play. It was our possession. Great teamwork gave TJ the opportunity to take a shot - he set his feet just inside the 3 point line and as we held our breath - swoosh. We won and will play St. Barnabas next. GO TIGERS!

Herbst Appliance

On Monday, TJ starts round two of braces. This time, he will have the Herbst Appliance installed to correct his jaw aligment. The metal rods are similar to the rubber bands we endured but the treatment time is much much shorter and the rods are permanently installed so the Orthodontist makes the adjustments not the patient by changing out the bands after each meal, etc. This will be an interesting nine months.

He Did It Again!

Straight As on his report card for 2nd Quarter. He actually increased his overall percentage from 98.27% to 98.89%. We are very proud of him!

Busy Week

Whew - it has been go go go for the Mann Family:

On Tuesday, my roomie from Harlaxton College, Jennifer (JiffY) was in town hosting her All Canada Show at the Ritz in Carmel. This show of outfitters, lodge owners, and fishing trip vendors travels around the upper mid-west advertising their prime hunting/fishing locations making it easier for outdoorsmen to secure the perfect trip. Jiffy started bringing the show to Indy several years ago. I treat her to lunch on her first full day in town. It is always good to see her and catch up. Emails and Facebook are great but face to face is better!

Also on Tuesday, due to a death in the current chair's family, I was asked to facilitate the Sport Committee meeting at TJ's school. I will be the Chairperson for the 2011/2012 school year replacing long time and very dedicated Chairperson, Charlie Feeney! I have big shoes to fill and although the committee members were not very receptive to a "newby" being named Chairperson, they were very welcoming Tuesday evening.

TJ and Todd had a couple basketball practices this week and TJ started back at Acceleration Indiana. He had not been running since Thanksgiving due to a lingering cold. But he is breathing well and back on the treadmill.

The 2nd Quarter ended on Wednesday. Report cards will be distributed next week! Keep your fingers crossed, TJ was very close to earning All As again this grading period.

Friday was piano lessons and I enjoyed an evening at the movies with Melissa and Lauren. We saw True Grit. Highly recommend it.

Yesterday, TJ's school basketball team played St. Michaels and WON! This is the school has the fantastic football team so us parentals were a little nervous about their basketball team. WHEW!

Following the game, Todd ventured to Tennessee to assist his brother Bill with some electrical work on their new to them lakehouse. They are doing an addition and remodel and Bill has been putting in hours and hours down south this Winter to get it finished.

Todd missed TJ's first IBA game for the Winter II league. His team is comprised of 6of his school teammates. They played a fantastic game today against a team with 11 players with a center that was no shorter than 5'5". TJ drained 3 three pointers to get them within reach. Our team was within 6 points with 1:20 to go in the game. The team work was great but they lost 35-30. I was super proud of them. It was like they were playing two seperate teams as with each substitution the opposing team had new legs. My Dad, Diana and Devin were there to watch the game. We then went to Carrabbas for lunch. YUM.

Now TJ and I are home, Todd is on the road north and will roll in around 10 p.m. The laundry is done, the carpets are cleaned (Thanks to friend Vicky for loaning me her awesome machine), the dog is passed out on the couch (I love her pain meds - she does not snore!), and I am ready to pull up some couch myself and contemplate the Monday and week ahead. From the looks of the calendar hanging in the kitchen it will be another whirl wind of a week.

Basketball and Football All in One Day

TJ's school basketball team played St. Jude today and the Colts play tonight. Tigers lost but we are planning to cheer the Colts on to victory and advancement in the playoffs!

Lea's Surgery

Just before Christmas I noticed what appeared to be a sore in the roof of Lea's mouth. Erroneously thinking it was a splinter or something wedged there, I took her to the vet and scheduled to have her teeth cleaned and whatever it was removed. Wrong. One diagnosis and a biopsy later, she has a rare form of canine cancer. UGH.

The great Dr. Simpson researched the cancer and studied her films and determined he would attempt to remove the tumor without damage to her jaw - which the specialist highly recommended removal of her upper palate and most of her teeth and jawbone. NOT.

So Lea underwent experimental surgery yesterday. Dr. Simpson only removed two upper teeth and was able to remove "all" of the visible tumor. Lea is not happy about the cone around her head that she has wear for several weeks but I doubt she would have appreciated the alternative more. The vet is cautiously optimistic but we pray the cancer had not spread into her nasal area or jawbone.

In the meantime, she is walking mostly backwards and being hand fed her can food. She will pull on our heartstrings for a while with her sad eyes highlighted by the halo around her head.

IPAD ADDICT

Received an Ipad for Christmas and I have spent most of my free time learning to use it, downloading apps, and playing Angry Birds!!! Promise to get back on blogging asap as I have now figured out how to do it from....you guessed it ....my IPad!