Check out the New Player for the Iowa Lightning Basketball Team - ELYSE!!!

Well, now that it has officially started, I can share our news about Elyse.  (She has been making us wait until practice was official.)  After many girls trying out (you can read about it on the website I have at the bottom), Elyse was asked to join the state AAU time called the Iowa Lightning!!!!!  We are so, so, so, so proud of her!  She had her first official practice yesterday in Des Moines, and she loved it.....worked very hard....and loves her new team.  She is on the "Red team" which are freshman and sophomores.  You will see there are other teams (white is jr. high, another is sophomores, 2 are sophomores/juniors as this is kind of done by age) when you check the site below.

She was very excited yesterday, as well as a little nervous at first, to join the many girls there for serious basketball.  She was excited as each player gets their "Lightning" practice jersey, a "Lightning" duffle bag, as well as some really cool uniforms.  She absolutely loves her new teammates, and she already "friended" some on Facebook.  Wayne and I were personnally overwhelmed at the "size" of some of these girls, especially the older ones. We will be the first to admit that we were also very overwhelmed with emotion as Elyse walked onto the court with all these strong basketball players.....there were even tears of "proud parent".....I'll admit it.  She could have asked Wayne for a new car yesterday and she could have had it!  That is how proud we were.

 Elyse may be tall but these girls have "meat" on them....wow! This is just what Elyse needs as she needs to get "mean" in the inside. The great part is the coaches consider all five teams "one team" and "one family".  We are very impressed with the program, the emails the players get for both shooting and life skills each week, as well as the communication involved.  It is a fabulous group to belong to.

A funny is we had to order "Lightning T-shirts" yesterday and turn in our order.  Our family ordered so many that you'd think Elyse was playing for the WNBA!  Elyse is even a little embarrassed and told me that I had to pick them up from the coaches next week as she was totally embarrassed!  hehehe  Her grandpa even said he might have to retire so he can be at some of the weekend tournaments!   Proud Papa!

So if you go to the website I have below, read all about the Lightning, then go to the side and click on "Red Team Profiles"......go down the team and there is Elyse!  Click on her name and you will see information as well as be able to click on her player profile.  The "player profile" just tells info extra info about her.  You can also see her schedule.....anyone free for a "roadtrip"?????

http://www.iowalightning.com

You can also select their schedule......our family theme will be "On the Road Again" as we have lots of traveling ahead of us.  Looks like we are heading to Missouri this weekend.  Besides these big tournaments, she has practice every Sunday in Des Moines until summer.  Then it is every Wednesday night.  So....sing along....."On the road Again......Just can't wait to get on the road again......."

Yeah Elyse!  We are so, so, so, so proud of you!  (Even Alex is so proud of his big sister that he had to go along yesterday and skip basketball).  He is now determined to get on a state AAU team in the future.  We know he can do it as well!  Great.......but I hope gas prices go down by then......:)

Go Iowa Lightning!!!!!!

Elyse - High School Track and Field Begins

Hard to believe with snow still on the ground (barely) that the girls would have their first track and field meet.  Thank goodness it was indoors at Luther college.  Elyse ended up doing the high jump (her favorite) and running the 4x200 and the 200.  She did great, ran well, and placed in the high jump, we just aren't sure how high she jumped.  It was fun to get "back at it".....and my butt felt like it never left the bleachers or chairs.  While I am not a fan of track meets, it is exciting to watch Elyse, her friends, and Wayne's niece, Miranda, compete.   So this is the first of many post about Elyse's track season.....stay tuned! 

I posted some pictures of her high jump....action shots....

More Pictures from Heaven - Dominican Republic

Wayne coming out of ocean

Wayne sailing with some people we met

Our room on upper florr left of corner

My Tree - I always sat in the sun on my beach chair by this tree.

Kim swimming in ocean

The resort "disco" was on this ship

jacuzi tub to our room was on veranda

A Little "R and R" in the Dominican Republic



Wayne and I had a chance to take our usual "February" trip again once basketball season was over.  We returned to the Dominican Republic but this time we went to the Punta Cana.  It turned out to be a beautiful place, and we had a wonderful time!!!! The weather was perfect, 85-88 everyday with sunshine and a breeze.  The food was fabulous, lobster for Wayne whenever he wanted it and many places to eat.  The service was outstanding, room butlers named Henry and Alexander spoiled us rotten!  The beach was beautiful and not crowded at all (which was my favorite place to be).  And the golf course was good, so I heard from Wayne as he golfed every day at 6:45 in the morning while I slept in.  It truly was paradise and we loved every minute of it. 



 

We met many wonderful people from around the world.  My favorite was an older couple from England.  We were sitting in one of the lounge areas at the resort and this older couple needed a place to sit as it was crowded.  They asked if they could join us, and of course we said yes.  I will just call her Mary Poppins....that is what she seemed like to me, only a more modern version, but she had that wonderful dialect.  They had to have been 70+ years and took a 7 (or 11, I can't remember) flight to spend 2 weeks in the Dominican.  Without going into details, it was like they were both angels that were meant to speak to me as they shared life's secrets, the importance of family and celebrating every day, and they told me that even though I have had sadness in my life lately, everything was going to be alright.  It was as if they knew things about Wayne and I before we told them.  Freaky yes.....but wonderful.....it still makes me teary eyed!  We loved our time chatting that evening and saw "Mary Poppins and her husband" many times the next few days.  The morning they were leaving, they saw us eating breakfast.  "Mary Poppins" came over to us, gave me two "English" kisses on the cheeks and said to "have a good life and be happy because that is what life is about, even though there is sometimes sadness. And that we will cross paths again someday".   They were so sweet.

Now I have had two "special" meetings in my life with people like this.  Some of you know about my little meeting with an man from Ireland when Wayne and I were in Hilton Head  years ago who had a 3 hour talk with Wayne and I about what is important in life etc.  I still remember him pointing at me as we crossed paths the next day at the airport in Savannah and he just point at me, as he boarded his plane, and said, "Remember......".  You may think I am crazy but I think that was one of those meetings that was "meant to be"....as was my run-in with "Mary Poppins".  :) 

Dominican was fabulous and we will return again!  Great memories!!!!



View from our room of ocean and beach



Great Season of AAU Basketball for Alex

Alex also wrapped up his 6th grade AAU basketball season with a big tournament win!  He had a his own cheering section as Sara brought the boys, Graham and Connor, down for the weekend as well as both his grandmas were there, his grandpa, and his uncle Randy and aunt Lori caught the end of the tournament. Lots of family there to watch.  Surprisingly, his grandpa was even quiet this time and didn't have to yell too much (hahaha Grandpa).   His team faced three really good teams and pulled out three wins with it.  Nice way to end the season!  Alex played fabulous ball all three games.  He was sad to see basketball come to an end, as were we. 

Alex continues to work out 4 days a week before and after school.  He is on a pretty busy schedule, but he doesn't realize so is everyone else  He doesn't like the morning weight lifting 2 days a week before school  simply because he doesn't like to get up.  He enjoys the after-school weight lifting 2 days a week after school because he is lifting with the high school boys in the weightroom at the high school.  After 2 weeks of lifting with them (and his cousin, Brandon, who is a senior in high school), Alex came down to my classroom sweating head to toe, feeling pretty cocky, and said, "Mom, I know I am going to have a six pack by summer time!"  I just smiled. 

So, as you can see, Alex is busy with weightlifting as well as baseball.  He has hitting and practice for baseball two days a week as well.  Never a dull moment that is for sure!

Great basketball season Alex! Can't wait to watch some baseball!

Basketball Season Came to An End

Turn around jump shot

Well....the Kerian family is still alive and has not fallen off the edge of the earth.  It's been a while since I have made a post on our family blog, I know.  It just seems like time goes by so fast and we are so busy.  Seems to be the way of the world, right?  So, sorry about not making a post in a while.  I will make it for it tonight as I have lots to post.  :)



Really?  Must you double team me on the inbounds?

 Basketball came to an end, sadly.  Elyse's team ended up doing fabulous, but they lost their last conference game.  It was a great season to watch the girls play together and continue to build their skills and teamwork.  We were sad to see it come to an end but Elyse did have a little break before track and field started (notice I said "little").

Great season of basketball Elyse!  We are very proud of you and you did FABULOUS!! (Maybe it is because she had the same jersey numbers as her mother did when she was in high school......)  hahahaha....I wish...