The Whitman Portal

Viva Las Vegas!!

2009-02-10T12:42:00.001-08:00

On February 4th we flew to Vegas for Jake's gymnastics competition. We snuck in a few extra days for some sightseeing. We did a ton of walking and came home with sore feet. It was well worth it and everyone had a blast!

The excitement mounts as Jake gets ready to board a plane for the first time.

A view of the New York New York from our hotel room.

Emma after a visit to the arcade and M&M World.

A run in with the stone man.

Emma in front of the New York New York. Unfortunately Jake was too small to ride the roller coaster.

Emma in front of our hotel, the MGM Grand.

The Statue of Liberty at the New York New York hotel.

A view of the Excalibur at dusk.

We started our second day with a great breakfast in Boulder City and then headed to the Hoover Dam. It was amazing!

In the backdrop you will see a massive new bridge project that is underway.

Erek and I.

Erek strking a pose.

A plaque at the Dam that speaks for itself.

My Goofy family after an Ice Cream break at Ben & Jerry's in the Paris hotel.

The kids.

A shot of the waterway in the Venetian. Hopefully next time we will get a chance to ride the Gondola. This hotel was definitely one of my favorites.

Emma and one of the Venetian ladies.

A fountain at the Venetian.

Thursday night we decided to take the kids to the Rainforest cafe at the MGM. Here's Emma with her Monkey baloon. We had gone to one of these restaurants in Disneyland with Grandma and Granpa and I forgot all the ways they try to squeeze money out of you. Earlier we had a guy come to the table doing magic tricks. I guess we are just suckers....we couldn't say no.

A happy boy!

And then here we are at competition on Friday. I told you to get used to seeing a lot of these pictures. We are almost done. There is just the State meet left in March. Lookin' good on rings Jake.

Jake's floor routine.

Going up into his stalder press.

A second place team win!!! Way to go GCG!!

The boys were lucky enough after their meet to see the Men's practice session. Here is USA Olympic gymnast Jonathan Horton on rings.

Jake was so excited to have Jonathan sign his shirt. Here he stopped for a quick snapshot.

Here is another USA Olympic gymnast Justin Spring signing Jake's bag. So cool!!

The Paris hotel on a cloudy day.

Erek and I waiting with the kids for the water show at the Bellagio.

And here is a picture from the show.

We left on Saturday. It was actually raining which is a rarity in Vegas and we left some snow behind on the way out.

Hi-Tech Invite - January 10th

2009-01-12T19:36:00.001-08:00

Get prepared to see lots of gymnastics photos. This will be our life for the next two months. Here is Jake during his floor routine.

Coach Dylan has the boys visualizing their next routine.

Jake in great form on pommel.

And all that hard work paid off. We lost 1st to Peninsula gym who trains 17 hours a week...wow! Sunday, Level 4 brought home 3rd place and Level 6 brought home 2nd. Not bad for the little town of Grass Valley.

Christmas came and went....

2009-01-12T19:16:00.000-08:00

Jake didn't waste any time getting his drum solo in Christmas morning.

Santa brought Emma a cell phone...Lucky Girl!

We were so glad Gramma and Grampa could make it. Here's Gramma relaxing with Amy and reading Emma's special gift to us.

Every Grampa needs one of these.

Rusty and Dawn relaxing after Christmas Eve dinner.

Erek, Emma and Jake excited for morning to come.

A Thankful Thanksgiving

2008-12-12T19:49:00.000-08:00

Two of my best supporters, mom and brother. I am so thankful that we can lean on each other and share so openly.

Chef Erek cooking up a storm.

A small family gathering this year...but wonderful none the less. I always love getting together and telling stories and remembering those loved ones who are no longer with us.

The kids had a great time making cupcakes to devour after the feast.

Ellie Mae even enjoyed a little dessert.

Halloween Night

2008-11-19T14:27:00.001-08:00

The three BFF She-Devil's and their accomplice Prince Caspian.

Emma at school trying hard to win the mummy wrapping contest.

Devil eating dog on the loose.

Los Angeles October 20-23

2008-10-30T20:35:00.000-07:00

The kids were on Fall Break so we decided to go down to LA and hang out. Here we are at Knott's Berry Farm. The kids had a great time since it was not too busy and they got to hop on all the rides without lines.

I know Gramma won't like this picture. Emma's having a good time though!!

Hey Snoopy!! Wow, I bet Emma could wear that costume.

Posing outside of KBF. Jake waited all day for that wooden gun.

The day after Knott's we thought we would head down to Long Beach for the day. We ate some great ribs at Famous Dave's and then ended up at the beach.

Leaving our mark.

Our last night we went to Medieval Times. Mom and I had been before, but it was a whole new experience with the kids. It's so fun to see them enjoy something for the first time. Jake thought the sword fighting was way cool, and Emma was screaming her head off cheering our Knight.

Halloween's Coming....

2008-10-12T19:40:00.000-07:00

We went to the store the other day and stopped by the Halloween section. We couldn't help but try some of the masks on. I have to admit that Halloween is not one of my favorite times of year. But the kids are trying to get me in the spirit of the season.

Emma as an old wizard.

We could not let Erek walk out of the store without this mask....it was just way creeeepy!! He has already scared the crap out of us several times.

Third Grade Field Trip

2008-10-12T19:20:00.000-07:00

First stop was the Railroad Museum in Nevada City. The kids are standing in front of one of the engines that has returned home after many years in Hollywood. It was fun seeing all the old timers tinkering around in the shop and showing us their latest rebuild of a steam engine.

Next stop was the Empire Mine. Of all things to play with in the museum, here's Jake playing around with the dynamite packing machine.

The kids are having fun in one of the cars that would have taken the miners down to the tunnels for work. It would have taken some of them an hour to reach their destination. I was absolutely amazed to see how many tunnels we actually have right here underneath our feet. Jake wants to go back and spend more time at the mine, so hopefully we will go back later this month.

An old Pelton wheel is now at rest at the North Star Mine. Mr. Beahm was telling us that one of the older teachers at Alta Sierra used to ride this thing as a kid before they built around it.

What a fun day!! It was absolutely gorgeous outside and there is so much history in the area, I think some of us wanted to hang around a little longer. One of Jake's teachers, Mrs. Shureen is on the left.

Magnolia Cross-Country

2008-10-12T19:07:00.000-07:00

Emma decided to try cross-country this year, along with everything else of course. She was surprised to find out how good a lot of the girls are, but still remains very commited. I think the highlight for her has been making friends with some of the seventh and eighth grade girls which is waaaay cool.

Here she is taking the incline at Lyman Gilmore school in Grass Valley. Way to go!!!

Pizza Night

2008-09-19T18:47:00.000-07:00

So, I've been trying to nail a pizza dough for some time now and I think I have finally found it. Unfortunately my pizza stone cracked in my last attempt so I had to use a baking sheet this time instead. The crust recipe comes from Cooking Light magazine. I doubled the below recipe to make two crusts.

Basic Pizza Dough

1/2 tsp. dry yeast
6 to 7 Tbs. warm water (100 - 110 degrees), divided
4.5 ounces all purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1/2 tsp. salt
Cooking spray
1 Tbs. cornmeal

1. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes.
2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour and salt in a food processor; pulse 2 times or until blended. With processor on, slowly add yeast mixture through food chute. Add enough of remaining warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough forms a ball; process 30 seconds. Turn dough out onto a floured surface; knead lightly 4 to 5 times. Place dough in a bowl coated with cooking spray ( I used olive oil), turning to coat top of dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)
3. Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes.
4. Put baking stone in oven and set for 500 degrees.
4. Roll dough into a 10 inch circle on a lightly foured surface. Place dough on an inverted baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Add your toppings and carefully slide your dough onto the preheated baking stone. Bake for ten minutes. Yield: 1 (10-inch) crust; 8 servings.

Note: Any pizza sauce will work nicely. I decided to make homemade sauce by using a can of diced tomatoes that I mashed. Then added approximately 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, along with fresh basil, oregano, chopped garlic, onion powder, and salt and pepper to taste. I let is simmer for about ten minutes. I topped our pizza with slices of mozzarella, cheddar cheese and pepperoni. I can't wait to try some different toppings next time.

Enjoy!!

Rusty and Dawn's New Home

2008-09-19T18:37:00.000-07:00

Rusty and Dawn just closed escrow on a house in Browns Valley on five acres. We are so excited that they will only be a half hour away! Rusty has quite a vision mapped out in his head. I will update with further posts as they complete work. They plan to move sometime in October.

Backyard and site of the future pool.

Jake and Uncle Rusty looking at the Tahoe National Forest Map.

Egyptian Evening

2008-09-10T10:06:00.000-07:00

Emma's sixth grade teacher decided to kick off the year with an Egyptian Cinderalla play last night. Here is Emma with her best friends Emily and Amber. They look so grown up!! Emma said she is having so much fun this year and love's school. Let's see...Sixth grade I was in Mrs. Woods class at Donlon and was learning about sex ed. I don't remember it being fun, but I am so glad Emma has such an interactive teacher and she is expanding her horizons. Walk like an Egyptian...

Domestic Diva at Work

2008-09-04T10:36:00.000-07:00

OMG! Who would have thought I would have so much time on my hands. Being at home has been fun and quite busy. I made homemade wheat bread and it turned out fantastic. I was so excited!! Now we can eat fresh bread without all those nasty preservatives. Here's the recipe if you're feeling so inclined. It makes the house smell wonderful.

Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)

1 tablespoon milk

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons instant active dry yeast

Instructions:

1. *Combine first 6 ingredients in a large mixing bowl; stir.

2. Add flours and yeast, and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover with a clean towel and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.

3. Punch dough down; knead for a few minutes until smooth and then form into a loaf. Place in greased loaf pan and cover. Let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. If loaf starts browning too soon, lightly lay a piece of foil on top of the loaf to prevent too much darkening.

5. Remove bread from oven and allow to rest in pan for a few minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cover with a cloth. Slice and enjoy while still warm! Leftover bread can be stored in an airtight bag or frozen until needed.

Jake's 8th Birthday

2008-08-31T10:36:00.000-07:00

Wow, 8 years old....we can't believe it!! Jake decided to have a slumber party with three friends for his birthday. They ate pizza, went swimming, played video games and had a nerf gun shoot out. Everyone seemed to have a great time!! Now Erek and I are ready to go back to bed.

Peyton, Jordan and Jake zoning out on video games.

Cool a Lightsaber...Thanks, Peyton!

Duck and Cover!!...Jake and Jordan

First Day of School

2008-08-25T22:13:00.000-07:00

Emma and her best friend Amber starting 6th grade. Middle school here we come!

2008-08-25T22:11:00.000-07:00

Jake - I'm all ready for 3rd grade.

Nevada County Fair

2008-08-25T22:07:00.000-07:00

Can't you just smell the corn dogs? Mmmmm.... Nothing beats a homemade corn dog. I have to say that our fair makes the best, hands down. Jake got to partake in a little jam session. Our future musician. He wants to play guitar in his own band..sound like someone else you might know?

2008-08-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

Emma with the Draft Horses.

Opal our little bird hunter

2008-08-25T22:02:00.000-07:00

Poor Birdies..There were actually two in her mouth! She was so proud.

San Diego Vacation

2008-08-25T21:54:00.000-07:00

Here the kids are at Sea World. We headed down to San Diego for a four day vacation and also hit the beach and Legoland. We were on the go the whole time. Do you ever feel like you need a vacation after your vacation? We had a great time and took home some wonderful memories.

2008-08-25T21:49:00.000-07:00

Boogie Boarding at Mission Beach.

2008-08-25T21:48:00.001-07:00

Mom (Nana) was such a trooper on our trip. She endured two days at the beach with sand in all sorts of places and zoomed around in her scooter to keep up with us at the parks. Hope you had fun Mom!

Emma Our Star

2008-08-25T21:24:00.000-07:00

Emma was cast in a play this summer about Oliver Twist. Her role was as a pick pocket along with her friend Emily. We are glad she took the opportunity to discover this new experience and we are so proud of her! She is looking forward to the next play this Winter.

Fun at the Lake!

2008-08-25T20:39:00.000-07:00

Here's Emma and Opal floating around on Scotts Flat Lake. Since we bought our boat last year we have had a blast at the local lakes. We usually try to steal away every free weekend we get. Scotts Flat is just 25 minutes away so it makes it easy to just go hang out for the day with a picnic lunch.

2008-08-25T20:28:00.001-07:00

What a stud!