Vail Pride Day

     Vail Pride Day is a magnet for bad weather...and today did not dissappoint!  The winds were fierce, knifing across the Pima County Fair grounds, carrying more dust than seemed possible.  But, at least it wasn't raining!
     Kim loved this event, as I've told you.  She just thought Vail School District was fantastic to host a day to celebrate our children and all of their academic accomplishments.  So, as you can imagine, she worked hard helping to plan, organize and work where ever she was needed the day of the event.  Last year, we helped sell pizzas with the PTSA.  The stand was situated next to a doorway, and a portable pizza oven in a truck was parked just outside making fresh pies!  The rain was coming down sideways and we were soon standing ankle deep in water and it was rising.  I was running the cash register and Kim was frantically trying to get me away from it, fearing I would get electrocuted.  I finally fished the extension cord out of the water and strung it high along the wall, so she could relax and enjoy her work!  We ended up having to put sand bags around the entrance, as the water got deeper and deeper.  But, we sure sold a lot of pizzas!

                                      Mary Montes gets help from her niece  (sister, Ami's, daughter), Hunter, running the cash register!  If you haven't visited Ami's blog about her triplets (!), you need to check out her last post in which Hunter is the super hero 'Statica Electrica' - cute photos! (I have the link to her website posted down the right hand side of Kimmy's blog). And Sherri Rodriquez and her son Caleb sell beverages.

                          Alyssa Perrini, Mrs. Murphy, Jenn Bell, Tammy LaPlant and Annette Perrini sell pizzas!  A little ironic for the Perrini's, as they brought pizza to our house last night after we went to see Gulliver's Travels (a classic Jack Black movie!  The kids enjoyed it, and of course, plenty of laughs for us grown ups!).

                         I had the honor of helping judge the Math Bowl, thanks Mr. Edwards!  Along with super volunteer/mom/education advocate, Kristi Hill and Mark Breen, who Kim worked with over at Rincon Vista.  Kristi reminded me that she met Kimmy way back when she was pregnant with Autumn and Kristi was pregnant with her second child.  Cody and Kristi's first child were in swim lessons together.  Mark reminded me that he saw Kim and I at Daglio's (best cheesesteaks in town!) just two days before Kim went into St. Joe's.  He was there with his family enjoying cheesesteaks.  While I was judging and to stave off total anarchy, Ms. Bryson (Cottonwood's prinicpal) sagely snagged the bambini's and took them all around the fair grounds, buying them snacks and treating them to a fantastic time!

                                 Ms. Bryson let the kids play in the playground bus....

And bought Tonio a chicken!  Oh, no, he tells me she did not buy it, but let him hold it...

               When I was done with the Math Bowl, she brought them back and they took me to proudly show me their art work...another Kimmy favorite.  Kim always loved Mrs. Peck, our art teacher at Cottonwood, and all of the technique she took time to teach the kids and her use of various mediums.  She'd always tell me, 'Mrs. Peck is such a treasure for our children...she actually teaches them so much about art, instead of just doing crafts'.  She loved Mrs. Peck's teaching style and the patience she had with the children.  Cody, Autumn and Tonio thrived in her class and would always be excited when it was their day for art class!

                                  Autumn's dolphin graces the 'peaceful' waves...we'd often see dolphins off the shore in San Diego and Laguna, and Kim and I saw them at Long Beach Island, NJ and in Florida, too.

                            Tonio's assignment was to scribble, and then 'find' animals within the scribbles and bring them out...

                             The bambini's are obviously excited with their work, especially Cody!

                   And he should be, here's some of his work, showcased......I know Kimmy's proud - he is definitely following in her artistic footsteps!

                  It was pretty crowded today, as Vail parents came out in throngs to see their children's work.  I remember that Kim used to get a little overwhelmed, and sometimes tried to melt into the background or just want to leave...of course, we'd want to say hi to everyone, but she'd call me the 'friendly bastard', because I'd just keep chatting...today, though, I was getting a little overwhelmed...but had no one to bail me out, so, I turned to Cody...'Cody, I need to leave, I can't breath...find the exit and get us there!'....And I'm sorry if I didn't get to talk to you, I wanted to...We beat a hasty retreat out of the building and towards the fair ground's exit....where we were literally stopped dead in our tracks...

       Oh, how pleased Kim must be...to have finally got to say thank you to many, many of you who helped us...and that sweet, smile on her face...we ran through the debris filled wind tunnel that was the parking lot to the safety of our car, Kim's Expedition.  Cody quickly cranked up some tunes, as we could not talk...and we hurried home.
        Cody went to Alex's to watch the Arizona Wildcats game (they won again!!) and I made rolled chicken tacos (thanks Andrea, although I could not keep mine from falling apart!)...Tonio and Autumn were soon turning the living room into a battle ground...so, pulling out another Andreaism, I left the room...to relax and find soothing thoughts, to avoid exploding...caught the exciting end of the Cats game and then found some Super Liga soccer - Guadalajra Chivas versus Atletica Pachuca...soon, Autumn snuck in to sit and watch with me...followed by Antonio....GOOOOAAALLLLLLL!!!!!!!!  Famous announcer, Pablo Ramirez intoned, to the delight of the kids.  Chivas won easily 4-1...and I had regained my mojo, without raising my voice.  Kimtastic.

          "You touched my heart, you touched my soul.
           You changed my life and all my goals..."
                                                           -James Blunt

Love,
            Dave

 

         

Vail School District Volunteer Appreciation Lunch

      This weekend is a big event for the Vail School District...the district sets up all of the student's art work, science fair projects, hosts musical events, trivia and math contests, there is a book fair, food, games, rides, jumping castles, taking up a large portion of the Pima County Fairgrounds and calls the event 'Vail Pride Day'.  This is an event that made Kim and I absolutely love the Vail School District, as they showcase the talents of their students and the passion of their teachers.  The bambini's have loved to attend this event every year.  Kim loved to attend, to help run the book fair and to sell pizzas for the PTSA, but mostly to see the kids art work on display.  It made her so proud of them to see it and Mrs. Peck, our art teacher, has done such a fantastic job over the years to prepare for Vail Pride Day.

      Today, officially kicked off the start of Vail Pride Day with the volunteer appreciation lunch.  The volunteer coordinators work very hard over several months to plan a nice lunch and decorate one of the halls for the volunteers to enjoy a meal.  Kim worked to chair this event last year and started the planning for this year's event, before she got sick.  I remember how nervous she was about having to speak in front of several hundred volunteers, peers and administrators.  She looked so nice in her suit and derby hat and spoke so well, her soft, angelic voice was a pleasure to listen to.  And she worked the crowd like a pro, going from table to table, greeting each volunteer personally and thanking them for their help over the year.
      This year, was a beautiful event.  The volunteer coordinators had the hall looking so nice and a buffet meal for us.  Rebecca Manoleas gave a moving testimony for Kimmy - talking about what a pleasure she was to be around and what a hard worker she was.  Many volunteer coordinators and administrators came up to me to tell me what they liked best about working with Kim and getting to know her and see her passion for our school district...They had a nice picture of Kim and I on the big screen...she looked so incredibly beautiful...and then, I was floored as they announced each school's volunteer of the year, and Melissa Grossheim, Cottonwood Elementary's volunteer coordinator, said that the school's volunteer of the year were Kim and Dave Conca...and patiently waited for me to digest what she said...and Ms. Bryson, our principal, gently encouraged me to stand up and walk up for the beautiful plaque that Melissa was waiting to present...I floated to the front and Melissa gave me a hug (held me up is more like it!)...this school district has been so overwhelmingly supportive!

Here's a shot of the beautiful center pieces on all of the tables (Kim loved hot air balloons!  We'd often go to balloon shows and she took me on a hot air balloon ride for my 21st birthday.)  Ms. Bryson made sure that I got my table's centerpiece, telling me to give the M&M's to the bambini's.

I can't thank Vail, the school district, the volunteer coordinators and everyone at Cottonwood who made this special event happen for us, enough!  And the final, special touch...everyone received a rice krispie treat!  Kim loved rice krispie treat...Angie and her daughters, Andrea, Janene, Kristie and Kim, would make various shapes and colored rice krispie treats to hand out after every birthday or holiday, always making sure to send us home with a couple extra... : ) Kim enjoyed them and always thought they made such a nice 'party favor', so it was a fitting parting tribute today. 

I forgot, when I blogged about Barnes & Noble, to include a shot of my desk...complete with many photos of the bambini and Kimmy...the obligatory Cafe Americano, ready for action on my desk, flanked by an iced tea...just in case.  The Trader Joe's bag is chock full of goodness from Lola, the patron saint of our book store.  She always brings us snacks from Trader Joe's!!!

   ....And, somehow, I neglected to put this on Sunday's post!  Cody, Tonio, Autumn and Lexy enjoy the kaliedescope of food on Viro's breakfast buffet (and, I had the delicious cappuccino pictured!)...we'll be looking forward to going there again Sunday after church!

      Anyway, I was, once again, so proud of Kimmy today...and all of the lives that she touched...the memories shared...and the work she did for our schools and our children, whether helping kids to read in the Head Sprout program, or passionately trying to get a garden built for the inclusion kids, or helping with PTSA functions or fundraisers...Kim absolutely LOVED our schools and wanted to give back - our kids are so well cared for...thank you teachers, for your long hours and dedication and the nurturing environment you create...thank you administrators for your hard work and leadership...thank you to all of the parents, who tirelessly, come out to support school events and help in the classrooms!!  We are truly blessed in the Vail School District...

"Smile five times a day at someone you don't really want to smile at - do it for peace"
                                                                                                - Mother Teresa

Love,
             Dave

Barnes & Noble

   My Barnes & Noble @ Foothills Mall

       Kim and I spent many hours at Barnes & Noble over the years...we loved to go to the Foothalls Mall location, a big, two story spacious building...it started out as a Goldwater's Department store, then was a Dillard's.  Kim and I would get a cup of coffee and sit and talk in the cafe, or stroll around the stacks looking for something that interested us.  It was always calm and relaxing.

      When I worked at Toys R Us on Broadway and Craycroft, the Barnes & Noble used to be right across the street on the southwest corner, where Kinko's is now.  I'd get off of work, and we go over to Barnes & Noble and hang out until they closed.

       Once we had kids, we loved to take them to the wonderful children's section, and sit with them on the stage that they have and read to them.  The kids have always loved books.  When I saw that Barnes & Noble was looking for a store manager for the Foothills location, Kim and I looked at each other and said, I can't believe I never thought to apply there earlier in my career!

       Obviously, I feel blessed that I am with Barnes & Noble - they have taken such good care of me and my family...this week, I started back to work and the store looked great and felt great.  Everyone was excited to show me their departments and what they have been doing to drive sales.

             We begin our day by having a morning meeting.  Here's Jaimelyn, getting everyone fired up for their day!

          I always start my day with a Cafe Americano - Chris makes an excellent one (and later made me a great venti black iced tea, with two pumps of sugar!).  It sure is convenient having the cafe right in our building!  Our cafe ranks in the top 10 busiest in the country!  The team, led by cafe manager, Jon, does a super job.

        Next, we get the books to the shelves!  Jaimelyn is working on putting out all of the new releases.  I love Tuesday, new release day, it's neat to see what new is coming out.  Jaimelyn creates a visually impactful display to attract passerbys.

             Paul, Devon and Susie are poised to assist customers find the books they are looking for.

              The escalator to the second floor!  Always reminds me of the 80's band Robert Hazard and the Heroes, who were a one hit wonder with 'Escalator of Life'.

               Dan diligently shelves books...notice his technique.  He is a book ninja!

                  My District Manager, Tom, came down to spend some quality time with us today!  He's crunching numbers with our Receiving Manager, Devon and Eric.  Jaimelyn and Mary are engaged in serious book discussion...

                               There are three, big windows on the second floor....

And here is the view of the mountains looking out of them.  It is so incredible during monsoon, as the black clouds and lightning come over the mountains.

              Elizabeth (on left), the Children's Lead, provides expert advise to a customer.  She was instrumental in selecting books for the bambini's to read while I was out on leave.
              It is good to be back, with the great people that I am blessed to work with and I appreciate all that they did for me and the family!!!

            On the way to work, I noticed a stray Christmas tree sitting, lonely and abandoned, in front of the Good Will on Valencia Rd.  There is some unwritten law, that, this is where you come to dump your dead Christmas tree.  Kim and I would pass by and rubber neck, with fascination, over the mounds of trees that would accumulate beginning 12/26.  When the mound got high enough, the city would come by and take them away.  The very next day, the pile would commence growing again...as if by some sentinel force.  It was eerie.
            Just the other day, Cody and I were passing that spot and I commented 'I keep looking for another tree to show up'.  Cody thought it was way too late for that to happen...and yet, when I passed this morning, there it was!  I quickly texted Cody 'Dude, passing Good Will and there is a lone, stray tree in front!  Love U'  He hit me back: 'Awesome! Love u too. Bye!'...he's a sweet kid.

               Not a great shot, but, a Christmas tree, nonetheless...treat yourself and drive by, before it's gone!

             The bambini's had a good day in school...and talked me into In & Out Burger for dinner...I remember, when I busted Kim out of the hospital one time, all she wanted was to stop there and eat.  We went through the drive thru and sat together in the parking lot enjoying our burgers and each others company...I'll always have a fond spot in my heart for In & Out Burger...

                Love,
                         Dave
                

  

St. Valentine

   Happy Valentine's Day!  Today, I read Robert Sabuda's retelling of the story of St. Valentine, the priest from ancient Rome, who was also a physician, to the bambini's.  St. Valentine treated a young girl, who had been born blind and restored her sight.  He was soon after sentenced to death for being a christian by the emperor.

    As you might imagine...Kimmy made our Valentine's Days pretty special.  She would always send the bambini to school with delightful treats, like cream cheese brownies!!  I did manage to have them fill out a Valentine for each child in their classroom (thanks Mrs. Schrantz and Mrs. Rudzena for making this easy on us parents by providing the names of the children in your class!) and a small something for each teacher.  And Mary and Emilio Montes just reminded me of the chocolate covered strawberries Kimmy would make...everyone LOVED those!!
   And, Kimmy always got each child a nice Valentine and a special gift - this I remembered...and she helped the kids buy us something too...oops, didn't think of that!  But, Andrea picked up the slack, helping the kids put together Valentine's for me and some cashews and Tazo Awake tea bags, so I can make my favorite iced tea and some new frames for my desks with photos of our family.  Let me tell you, they were just beaming this morning when they could present their gifts to me!  I probably could have not gotten them anything, they just felt so good about being able to give me gifts - it made them feel special
    For dinner, Kim would typically make us shrimp scampi or linguini with clam sauce....it was a toss up, but we decided we would try the scampi!

   Here is how Kim used to make this scrumptious dish:

                      Melt 2 tlbs spoons of butter in a sauce pan with 4 tlbs of olive oil.
                      Once white froth of butter starts to burn off, add 3 minced garlic cloves.
                      Let these simmer a few moments, but not brown.
                      Add 1 cup of your favorite pinot grigio.
                      Add shrimp and turn up heat.
                      As shrimp become pink, turn them over.
                      Add 3 or 4 sprigs of diced Italian parsley.
                      And some diced green onion, to taste.
                      As you are doing this, boil water for angel hair and prepare the pasta.
                      Once the shrimp is pink, mix in the pasta and serve!  Like this:

                                      After school, Autumn, Tonio, Lexy and Breanna exchanged Valentine's (look at the cute shirt that Lexy got Aut!!) and ran around crazy.  Cody took advantage of the 80 degree weather and rode bikes with Alex.  My neighbor, Tom and I had Peroni birra for a Valentine's Day treat while the kids played.

                  Unbeknownst to us, while we enjoyed our frosty beverages, Bella, sensing the time for revolution was right, armed herself...joining the regime of my sister, Sherri's, dog, the nefarious Mause, the Jihad expert.  There will be no sleep here tonight...

                  Today, I ventured back to work, after a 4 1/2 month hiatus...that team over at Barnes & Noble took such good care of me - the store looked fantastic, like I was never gone!  It was good to be back and to see everyone and to drink Cafe' Americanos and black iced tea with two pumps of sugar!  The Foothills Mall Barnes & Noble is such a fantastic building.  One of the largest in the company, it is two stories and has majestic views of Pusch Ridge out of the second floor windows.  And the team had done some great displays and were proud to show me all that they had accomplished over the weeks.  And I still got out early enough to go get Cody!
              During dinner, sweet little Tonio asked 'Dada, why did Mama have to die so young?'...I explained to him, that God needed Mama in Heaven...and told him how Mama knew she was very sick and was going to go to Heaven soon, and was not afraid, in fact, she was happy.  We talked about how she was no longer in pain and she did not have cancer anymore.  Autumn chimed in with a memory - one time, we were playing a game called 'Family Dinner - box of questions', a game that Mary, at Barnes & Noble got our family last year for Christmas and the kids love to play - the question 'What are you afraid of?' came up...we went around the table with our answers, and Cody said 'I'm afraid of dying'...Kimmy told him, ' I can understand that, and I hope I go peacefully, in my sleep, but you guys know, you will go to Heaven and there is nothing to be afraid of'...Autumn remembered that and commented 'Mama did go in her sleep, just like she wanted to!'.  Just like that, Tonio ran from the table, grabbed the game and we started to play.  Tonio asked the question 'Which teacher or coach has had the most impact on you?'  Tonio quickly answers "Mrs. Schrantz!  She is so nice to me every day!"...Autumn says "Mom and Dad - they have taught me so much", sweet right?  Prompting Tonio to change his answer, "oh, yeh, me too! Mom and Dad!", to which sweet little Autumn replies "hey...stop stealing my answers or I'll throw my fork in your eye!"...and so it goes....
       And I quote to the bambini:
         "Everybody come take my hand.   We'll walk this road together, through the storm.
          Whatever weather, cold or warm.
           Just lettin you know, you're not alone..."
                                            -Eminem

Love,
       Dave

PS  What was my answer to the question at dinner?  Jesus Christ.  Taught me that I am not alone, and to love my neighbor and to be a better person and gave me the ultimate sacrifice, reminding me, that whatever pain I might feel, it is nothing compared to what he suffered...and gives me strength to be there for the bambinis...and Tonio said 'wow, that's a great answer...'
                     


                  
                 

      

The 13th...

  On October 1st, 2003, Kim made this entry in her journal:

       "Just shy of 3 months old, Antonio rolled over today!  He pulled his leg as high as he could, crossed it over his body and he began to turn!  He was so proud, he smiled!  What a proud moment.  I'm so glad he started my day that way :)." 

        And her little ones continued to make her so proud, with whatever they did...I remember, she would call me at work, so excited that one of the bambini had smiled, or crawled, or walked a few steps.  Later, it would be tied their shoe, pedaled their bike,etc.  We were blessed to be able to have Kim be a stay at home mom for twelve, wonderful years.  She got to be there and experience every moment of her children's accomplishments and cherished each one.  I know that I'd often tell her, that she had a much harder job than any that I've ever had.  There were no breaks.  No lunches.  No vacations.  And no paycheck.  But, I'd always let her know, that you could not put a monetary value on the work she did.  Kimmy truly nurtured and shaped Cody, Autumn and Antonio into the remarkable children that they are today.  She would not have traded that for the world.  There would be moms that told her 'I don't know how you do it, I need my 'career''.  Or, 'you need to get a babysitter for yourself or put them in pre-school'.  Kim would just smile and nod, knowing that she got such satisfaction over what she was able to do and would not have passed that responsibility on to anyone, let alone a stranger at a daycare.  She'd also point out, that, any earnings she made would go right to paying for that childcare anyway...
      And they have been so resilient...we got to go to Mass as a family today, at Our Mother of Sorrows.  Monsignor Tom held a special Mass for the religious education classes in the church's hall, so he could explain the different parts and their importance.  Afterwards, we took Lexy with us to Viro's (to quote the immortal Brian Duffy 'what a surprise!') and all of the kids ate incredible amounts of food - where do they put it?  Rosa and Vito had a huge breakfast crowd today, but, as always, took time to visit with us all.
       Then, it was back to Fantasy Island!  We took Cody's buddy Ryan, our neighbor, Alex and Mario and David, while Andrea stayed back to watch Lexy, Breanna, Autumn and Tonio at our house.  Cody set a scorching pace for everyone...it was a fantastic afternoon in the mid-70's as we took our ride.  Mario, David and I did the 7 mile course and Cody, Ryan and Alex did the 10 mile ride...I opted not to go through the Elbow Jammer this week...It was a great ride!  Meanwhile, Andrea worked on Valentine prep with the bambini, read the St. Valentine's story by Robert Sabuda to them and cleaned!!! 
        Cody ended up going to Alex's to play video games and Amy made them spaghetti! 
        For dinner, I made chicken with rice, a recipe that Andrea had given to Kim many years ago and I know the kids will always eat.  Can't remember if I've shared it or not, but just in case, here it is:

         I usually buy one of the roasted chickens at the super market and shred the meat.
         Then, make some white rice.
         While that is cooking, put some olive oil in a pan, heat it up.
          Once heated, add a clove of garlic, minced and a 1/2 cup of chopped onion.
         Allow this to begin to brown, and scramble two eggs in.
         Once the eggs have cooked, add 1/2 bag of frozen peas/carrot mix.
         Allow that to heat up and stir in some green onion, to taste and then the chicken.
         Mix that all up good and when everything is warm, stir in rice and add soy sauce to taste.
         I like to add a healthy amount of pepper, too!

            And Bella, she had a fun weekend, too!  Andrea's son, David, cleaned out his room and generously gave Tonio some of his Nerf guns...a few of which have lasers.  Well, the kids quickly figured out that Bella will chase the lasers for hours...they had her turning on and off lights, by pointing the laser at the light switch and jumping high off the ground as she would try to chase the light up the wall!

                                          Here she is, stalking a laser beam now....
                  We ended our day with yet another movie night (our friends, Kirk, Annette and Alyssa, brought us over a huge basket of movie snacks - thanks guys!), watching 'The Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole'.  Autumn is a huge owl fan and this was an early Valentine's Day present...yep, I remembered that Kimmy always got the kids a card and a little something special...I will write their cards out once Cody gets to bed!  Although, Autumn pointed out to me, as she sleepily marched off to bed tonight, that I had forgotten to get out the Valentine's decorations this year...

         Love,
                    Dave

           "Better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all"
                                                                    -St. Augustine

Old Tucson

      Saturday...the bambini's slept in...Autumn until 7:30, Tonio until 8 and Cody, who slept at Jesus' (yes, we missed him!), texted me at 10 to say he had just woken up!  We had decided to go to Old Tucson today...Jaimelyn's (Barnes & Noble) husband, Scott, had been a stunt man there for many years and they have graciously hooked us up over the years with free passes.  Scott recently found a better job, as an sculptor and gave us the last of his passes :(  
         And what a gorgeous day for it!  We hit a high of 80 today, blue skies, no clouds.  We picked up Lexy and headed out (minus Cody, who opted to stay with Jesus today).  It is a beautiful drive to Old Tucson, through the towering saguaro cacti, thick as a forest as far as the eye can see...The Tucson mountains are pretty, too, many of them showing up in old westerns that were filmed at Old Tucson.
        As we approached, I remembered our wedding day...when we took our wedding party to Old Tucson after the ceremony at San Xavier Mission.  It was much hotter that day...and Old Tucson looked significantly different...a few years after our wedding, most of Old Tucson burned to the ground.  The night we heard it was burning, Kim and I drove out there, parked in the desert and watched it burn, in each others arms, tears streaming down Kimmy's cheeks..."we were there on our wedding day..." she cried.  And many others, too, as we had quickly become members and went often.
       They did not have adequate water on site to battle the blaze...it took several years to rebuild Old Tucson, but, the owners had a decision to make.  Should they rebuild as a movie studios, or a theme park.  Unfortunately, they chose theme park and rebuilt using a lot of cement, instead of the old wood planking that gave the original Old Tucson the old west charm and authenticity.  They also reduced the number of shows, and pretty much eliminated the audience participation.  Kim and I had been selected for many shows when we'd go out and they'd have you go into wardrobe to put on old west clothes.  Kim was in a great skit on Main St. one year, where she got to throw a big punch and knock a bad guy off his feet (I'm sure it was a thrill for the stunt man to take a dive for Kimmy!). They also had a movie set inside, where you could watch shows and participate, too.  I once was in the production of  'The Good, the Bad and the Dumb' and still have the VHS that Kim had bought of the skit to surprise me.
       Sometimes, after work, Kim would pack us a dinner and we'd head out to Old Tucson with Cajun, our lab/border collie pup. 

    We would sit at this very picnic table, in the shade of this mesquite and eat.  I remember one time, she packed spaghetti in some sort of warming bag.  We'd put Cajun right up on the table, so she wouldn't run off and wouldn't get bitten by ants (she suffered a few red ant bites on time on a hike we took in Avra Valley along some water they have down there) and we'd share our dinner with her.  Afterward, we'd all ride the train.  You can't take pets there anymore, sadly.  We found out the hard way, shortly after we got Bella, we went out to enjoy the park and they wouldn't let her in!  The kids were so dissappointed, so Kimmy stayed in the car with Bella, so I could run through a few rides with the kids - that was Kimmy, always sacrificing for our family.
     One year, we had Cody's birthday party at Old Tucson.  He had a huge Scooby Doo pinata that we hung from a large tree for his friends to hit.  We had food and the cake in one of the restaraunts there that had been named after 'The Three Amigos' ('80's film starring Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin Short that was filmed at Old Tucson and is a Conca family favorite!), that is now called Vaqueros.
      Old Tucson hosted concerts for awhile.  We went to see Blue Oyster Cult there one time and Eddie Money (not sure why, but we had fun!), who was pretty funny, although I'm not sure if he was trying to be.  Cody must have been one or two for that concert and seemed to enjoy the music.  We saw America and Three Dog Night there, too - I guess on of the guys from Three Dog Night lives in Tucson.  And they also used to hold rodeos there - we saw several, including a college one.  Good times...
      Now, most of the old rides are closed or have been altered.  Like the Iron Door Mine, used to have mine cars that took you through a haunted mine.  Now, you walk through with a guide.  Lexy, Autumn and Tonio enjoyed it today, our guide had some good stories and the kids had a couple of scares, too.

          Without a doubt, their favorite ride was the motor cars.  There were no lines, so they would ride, get off and run back to the front to ride again...this was Tonio's first time he was tall enough to ride himself...so I got plenty of photos, as I know Kimmy would have - she would have teared up to see our little one finally able to ride alone...

          And we road the train...it circles the perimeter of the park and the mountain views are stunning...

            This locomotive was a real working train built in 1897 and carried presidents and celebrities.  It has shown up in 100 movies, including Joe Kidd (classic Clint!) and Tombstone.  The kids were able to climb up into it and had fun playing with all of the controls.  We saw a couple of good gunfights, locked the kids up in jail and checked out every inch of that place!

         Finally, it was time to leave...we were there about four hours!  I took the road through Gates Pass on the way out and the kids thought it was so beautiful, twisting up through the Tucson Mountains.  And, we were pretty hungry!  Being on that side of town, I thought I'd take the kids to El Rio bakery for some food.

           Ahh, some great food!!!  Everyone ate a ton (Lexy had carne asade, Aut a chicken tostada, Tonio a bean and cheese burrito bigger than his head and I had the chile relleno) and they all saved room for desert!

          As we drove down Speedway towards home, I realized that I had made a location error a few blogs ago...Rosie's Cantina had been on the corner of Speedway and 6th, not Euclid...now there is a preschool there...so where Kim and I once dined and dance, toddlers are crawling across that very floor...

          We stopped at a Redbox on the way home and the kids picked out a movie to watch tonight...but now, Lexy and Autumn are having a 'dance party' in our hallway!  They choreograph dances to their favorite songs and put up posters advertising their big show...pretty cute. 

          We sure had fun at Old Tucson today and it brought back good memories.  We had actually made it out there as a family back in early October, just before Kim went into St. Joseph's...Tonio brought it up as we explored the set of High Chapparal, the '60's t.v. show filmed there.  He suddenly said, 'Dad, we were just here right before Mama went into the hospital, I remember her talking to a lady who had known some of the t.v. stars..'.  He was right.  There had been a lady on one of the sets who fondly remembered working with the cast of the show while it was being filmed and Kim had been fascinated...

          'Nother good day, ending a pretty darn good week...next week:  Back to work!

         Love,

                 Dave

      

Parent/Teacher Conferences...

    Parent/Teacher conferences were this week...I always feel bad for the teachers.  They cram in 25 + visits, usually over two or three days, and they must be exhausted.  I love the parents who go in and are surprised with how their kids are doing...or one set today, who's child wasn't doing so good, asked the teacher what she intended to do to make her child understand better.  So, yes, I empathize with these teachers, at this time of year - they work hard, take care of our kids for 6 1/2 hours a day and still face parent who have no idea of what is going on...
    This was one of Kim's favorite times of the school year.  She always made sure to bring in some sort of treat, to show our appreciation for the teacher's hard work (especially the poor teacher who had to handle Antonio!).  I wanted to do something like she would have done....but I choked, but did manage to bring Mrs. Schrantz a coke and Mrs. Rudzena and iced tea...
     All of the teachers knew, to have plenty of tissues on hand for Kimmy.  The teachers would be telling us all of our kid's accomplishments and saying nice things and Kimmy's heart would fill up, so proud and thankful for their hard work and the tears would flow...everytime...it was very sweet.  I actually made it through five teachers and my final teacher, Mrs. Lopez, Cody's algebra teacher, cracked me.  I quickly thanked her, gave her a big hug and ran out the door...
      But honestly, these teachers have not only been there academically for the bambini, but emotionally, as well, as they transition to our new journey.  Mrs. Schrantz has consistently been in tune with Tonio's sadness level, giving him jobs to do and making him feel special to keep his mind off of things.  Mrs. Rudzena, has shared her own loss of her father with Autumn, becoming almost a big sister to Autumn and filling her with confidence.  Cody's teachers, Mrs. Archuletta, Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Payton and Mrs. Lopez, have all taken Cody aside to let him know they are there for him and have worked with him on his studies.  All of the kids have great grades!  We are so blessed to have these teachers!!  I'm not sure where we'd be without their dedication and compassion.
       After these conferences, I was completely blown up, emotionally spent. So proud of the kids, but wishing Kimmy could have been here with me to hear the praises, although I know she heard it all.  I did it solo. And I went home and pulled out another Andreaism...the ocean sound machine.  When Kimmy first got sick, Andrea bought her one of the Homedic sound machines.  Kim loved to fall asleep with 'white noise'. We've always had a fan or air purifier to lend that soothing sound to fall asleep to.  Kim loved the setting with the waves hitting the beach and used it nightly in the hospital and when she was home...When I have a tough moment, I will put on the beach sounds and just empty my mind...and it always helps.  Antonio loves it too, and turns it on every night before we go to sleep!
   After school, Lupe and Manny, who's daughter, Monsi, is in Tonio's class took Autumn and Tonio to Peter Piper Pizza, right after school and then back to their house to play.  They had so much fun.  Cody's friend, Jesus, invited Cody over for a sleep over.  After I got my bearings, I managed to make it over to Jesus' house to hang out with Monique and Joe for awhile, leaving to pick up Aut and Tonio and hanging out with Lupe and Manny for awhile (at least one beer) and then back to Monique and Joe's for pizza (and another beer).  We miss Cody already...
      It rounded out the week nicely - the kids all having great weeks - me too, except for falling down a little today.  We're getting there, one day at a time...

          Love,
               Dave
PS Mrs. Schrantz had her kids write a letter to their parents about what they think she will say about them...
Here's Tonio's:
       "Dear Mom and Dad,
                    My 2nd grade year has been unusually good!  I think Mrs. Schrantz will tell you that I'm doing fantastic.
                                                                                         Love,
                                                                                                   Antonio"

Memories...

   You know, somebody commented to me recently over what a great memory that I have, to be able to write about all that Kimmy and I were blessed to do together...yes, I have so many great memories, but, it is amazing, day to day, what triggers them.  It's not as if all of them are right there on the surface, although, of course there are a lot there - keeping me going...but, simple things during the course of my day will help a hidden gem to come uncovered...
     Super Bowl Sunday, as I headed to 'Uncle Art's' for his Super Bowl party...we took I-10, and, as we passed the 22nd street exit, I caught a glimpse of the Howard Johnson's just west of the exit...and, just like that, I was awash in some great memories...
     I-10 and 22nd street is no place you ever want to stay, if you are visiting Tucson - my friend, Joe, who works for the Fire Department, says this is an excellent place to get mugged, or worse.  As an EMT, he has seen some hairy action in this vicinity.  And my friend, Brad, who works for the Tucson Police Department, says it is an excellent place to get killed, or worse.  I believe them now, but, Kim and I had spent our share of time in Philly, and when you are in a bad neighborhood there, it is very apparent...Tucson is different, the bad areas just don't seem bad..
      And the nightly rate was $18.99!  That sounded good.  We loved that there was a Waffle House right across the street and ate there each morning (scrambled eggs w/ cheese and raisin toast! Kimmy's favorite!!).  We get up early, around 11 a.m., and head over there and plan our day...a little hiking (who cared that it was August?) and then, we'd find a place for dinner and some nightlife.  We knew where the University of Arizona was, so we'd just head down I-10, take the Speedway exit and look for a joint.  We ended up finding an all time favorite on the corner of Speedway and Euclid...Rosie's Cantina - at the Super Bowl party, I struggled to find the name of this place, but Janene remembered it and once she said Rosie's, I remembered we even had bought shirts there to commemorate our good times there!  They had great Mexican food and beer specials and the people working there were so friendly (well, our relatives who came out in December, all commented on how friendly people here in Tucson are - and why not, it is an incredible place to live!).  We danced and ate and had beers with limes in them and danced.  It was a great place.  By the time we moved here in 1994, it had been transformed into 'Cluck U Chicken'...we tried it, but it was not the same...I can't even think of what is on that corner now (southeast corner of Speedway and Euclid)...
         A favorite dinner spot was all the way down on Tanque Verde and Sabino Canyon, in the shopping plaza on the southwest corner - it was called Jerome's and was just a beautiful place with great food - it was still there, briefly, when we moved back, living just up the street in apartments at Tanque Verde and Dos Hombres, and we went there a few times.
        So just driving by HoJo's, brought back the flood of great memories and vivid detail of our vacations here in Tucson all those years ago...that's how it happens!
        
        Well, we are nearing the weekend, and I'm so glad the bambinis all had a great week!  Today, was a half day and I picked up Tonio and Autumn first.  Mrs. Schrantz had been kind enough to allow Tonio to bring in his latest Lego creation to class today.  He was so proud - he chose the set himself and paid for it with his own money!  When we got home, he sat down, pulled out the directions and went to work building the dragon exactly as pictured...all by himself!

        Then, we ran over to Desert Willow and picked up Lexy and next, over to Desert Sky and grabbed Cody...we were off for a nutritious lunch at...In and Out Burger!!  We scarfed down burgers and fries and headed over to the 'cheap theaters', formally known as the dollar theaters, to see Megamind...this is a must see!  Will Farrell place the villian and Brad Pitt the hero...everyone loved it and we gorged on popcorn and candy.  The soundtrack was pretty good too, with some AC DC, Guns and Roses and ELO...anyone remember them?  They played "Mr. Bluesky", which was Kim's and my favorite off of 'Out of the Blue'...it took me right back to Nitschmann Junior High and the times we shared there. On the way home, we stopped at Circle K for drinks - I told Andrea, we had stuffed her poor daughter with a bunch of garbage all day!  But, we'd make up for it at dinner, serving up some...you guessed it!  Pasta!!  They had worked off the day's debauchery with a brisk run with Bella around the neighborhood.  Bella loves company.  The kids have taught her to play 'hide and seek'.  They throw her ball down the hallway and scatter to hide.  Bella will patiently hunt each kid down.  It is amazing and she has so much fun!
        We still had vodka sauce left, so we were able to treat everybody ('cept Breanna, who said she was too tired to eat, poor girl) to some angel hair.  Autumn and Lexy can really put away the pasta!  Does my heart good to see people enjoy pasta...The girls even eat big salads, too!
        Cody missed the pasta, having gone to Alex's house - Amy and Tom were nice enough to take him for some Mexican food down the road at the Rita Ranch Market and then they played video games for awhile...
       The stars had so much clarity tonight, when we stepped out to say goodnight - you do have to bundle up - I put on my cozy Italia hoodie and Tonio will leap right up into my arms and tell me he'll keep me warm if I carry him!  The moon is up to a half smile now, and we had a great view of the Big Dipper as we wished Mama a good night...


Hey there misses blue
We're so pleased to be with you
Look around see what you do
Ev'rybody smiles at you

Misses blue, you did it right
But soon comes mister night creepin' over
Now his hand is on your shoulder
Never mind I'll remember you this
I'll remember you this way
                           -ELO

Yes, I changed mister into misses in these lyrics...fits better...

Love,
     Dave

      

Vodka Sauce

     Kimmy made a killer vodka sauce...she typically like to make the butterfly pasta to put it over - she felt the larger pastas held the sauce better.  Today, feeling ambitious, I thought I'd make the sauce...I spent at least an hour searching for the recipe...all the while, a nagging memory of a dog eared recipe card, well loved, well used, in the back of my mind.  You see, she loved the recipe so much and made it for us so often, she had simply worn the card out, but, had it memorized!
     So, I got in touch with my sister, Lauren, who's recipe it was - she had shared it with Kim many years ago.  Laur came through and I was in business!
     Ok, so here it is, as Laur gave it to me:

             Heat sauce pot
             Put 2 TBSP of olive oil in pan and get that heated up
             Add 6-8 cloves of garlic, minced into oil and sautee (yes, 6-8 - look, if you don't think you can handle that much garlic, make something else, OK?  Kim's philosphy was 'if you can't stand the garlic, stay out of the kitchen!'
            Add 1/2 cup of Vodka (now, people will ask me 'Vodka? will I get drunk?  Well, the alcohol does burn off, unfortunately, during the cooking process, so if that is going to be a problem for you, just drink directly from the bottle as you are cooking to gain desired effect.) and bring to a simmer.
           Add 1 cup of heavy cream and bring to a boil, stir it!
           Add a 28 oz can of tomatoes (Laur recommends crushed ones, as it gets 'saucier')
           Season with basil, salt and pepper.

           Kimmy would always double this recipe, so we had extra - it freezes well, or it will last in fridge for about a week.  Also, Kim would add 1/2 cup of grated parm at the end and stir it in.  She always used fresh basil, 4-6 leaves when doubling the recipe and two bay leaves (remove before serving).
           Ok, there was a cooking show that Kim absolutely loved, called 'Sam the Cooking Guy'.  Sam was great, because he wasn't a 'foodee' or whatever the Food Network chef's call themselves.  He was down to earth, did the show out of his kitchen and was on PBS or the local network.  He was 'one of us', using common ingredients he already had around the house.  Kim loved when he was cooking a recipe and would say 'hey, could you add some corn to this recipe?', or some other ingredient.  She would often quote Sam.  So, in this spirit, I say "could you add some shallots to this recipe?"  Absolutely.  Two to three, chopped shallots taste pretty good in this recipe!  Kim would always run the batch through her blender to make it all smooth and 'saucier'.  There's a photo of Sam's cookbook above - watch for him! 
             The sauce is pretty easy to make and fast.  But, would it pass the scrutiny of the bambini??

Yes!  Bene!!  The bambini approved of the Vodka Sauce!!

              These guys love their pasta!!  They all ate two bowls and then I got them out front to burn off some of their energy and they played with Mitch, Hadley and Alex.  And now, Cody is at Alex's playing some video games...

             Tonio brought home some nice pieces he's been working on in Art class at school:

            This is a Warhol-esque self portrait he did (I know it is hard to see, but he is wearing a Philadelphia Flyers shirt!).  It looks as if all three kids have been blessed with Kimmy's artistic abilities!!

            The other day, Brian and I took Cody out through Fantasy Island.  Cody has so much energy, it is so good for him to get out and do some desert biking.  When we got there, Cody quickly talked Brian and I into going on a new trail he had done with Tom and his friend Dale, last time we went through.  We agreed and Cody led us through with his usual torrid pace.  He has one speed.  Fast. 
           And as we went through, I remembered the beautiful day I had the chance to take Kimmy through...as we passed through a Mesquite grove, I remember her saying how pretty it was...as we approached the huge Palo Verde tree further down the path, I remember there was a huge, black bull just beneath it, about three feet from the path...and Kimmy never saw it!  I remember her saying that she could not keep her eyes off of the mountain views, how incredible they looked!  And I warned her not to look for too long, or she'd be wearing some cholla or prickly pair!
           Then, Cody led us down the new path - the Fire Trail.   He narrated each new dip and turn, telling us all about the Field Goal as we approached.  It was a scenic, down hill, with a quick rise through two, perfectly placed saguaro cacti...no problem.  Next, we approached the Elbow Jammer...an almost straight down drop, that had two quick hills at the bottom.  Cody shot down the hill at break neck speed, negotiating the transition at the bottom and easing over both smaller hills at the bottom.  Brian navigated the drop without a problem...I almost made it.  As I hit the bottom, my left foot slipped and I instantly renamed the Elbow Jammer for a different part of my anatomy that I had jammed!  As I regained my footing, I hit the first hill and instantly blew out my back tire. I wasn't mad or dissappointed, I was feeling pretty happy that I had survived!  There was no way to repair my tire, so I gave my truck keys to Brian and told him and Cody to finish the trail and I'd hike out to Houghton road and meet them there.
             I hiked out to the road and remembered...they had just installed a brand new, barbed wire fence.  There sure is a lot of barbed wire out here - is Arizona the barbed wire state?  There would be no climbing through it.  I started following it until I came to a culvert and was able to slip beneath it.  Rather than sitting and waiting, I started walking south on Houghton to meet up with Brian and Cody...Dan, I was thinking of you as I slipped beneath the fence, I spotted an old Mets scarf stuck in the barbed wire - I was tempted to salvage it, wash it and mail it to you in Iowa...!  I hiked about 2 miles up Houghton and the guys picked me up...we'll try it again this weekend!

       Tonight, the bambini's want to watch 'The Incredibles'!  So we'll settle in soon to do that...another day has past - these guys seem to be doing better each day...school helps.  Antonio and Autumn stayed after school today and Mrs. Schrantz and Mrs. Rudzena helped them catch up their homework - they always leave happy and feeling a sense of accomplishment....

        And I tell them:

               " God gave you shoes to fit you.
                 So put them on and wear them.
                 Be yourself, be proud of who you are!
                 Even if it sounds corny,
                 Don't let anyone tell you you aren't beautiful"
                                                         - Eminem

Love,
     Dave
 







Hair bands

   I noticed yesterday, when my Yahoo! home page popped up, that actress Tura Satana had passed away at the age of 72.  Her claim to fame was a cult classic by Russ Meyer called "Faster, Pussycat, Kill! Kill!", which was made back in 1965.  Now, I had never heard of her, or the movie, but, my curiosity was piqued, as there is the hair band, Faster Pussycat...so, I googled them, and sure enough, they named themselves after that movie!
   Faster Pussycat was best known for their 1989 hit "House of Pain".  I was talking to Mario about this, as he put in a new stereo in my truck (my old one gave up on me) this morning...and he immediately said 'yeh, I have that one on my I-pod'.  So do I now, along with a couple of their other 'classics'.  They had kind of a raw Aerosmith sound about them, with a funky bass line going on.  Kim and I bought tickets to see them, on one of their resurrection tours, back in 1995.  The night before the performance, their lead singer, Taime Downe, o.d.'d on heroin...he didn't die, just sick enough that he could not be here to entertain us...
    This led Mario and I to discuss other 'hair bands' that we've seen.  I mentioned that Kim and I had seen Britny Fox and Jackyl at a bar called 'The Cell Block' in Ben Salem, Pa.  It was right off of Rt. 1, and, as the name implies, a pretty tough joint.  We had a blast.  Kim caught a guitar pic thrown by one of Britny Fox's guitarists and after the show, I was able to get the band members of Jackyl to autograph my copy of their new CD...a landmark moment in my life and, as Kim used to like to joke, a great resume builder...Mario talked about seeing Tesla and Great White.  Oh yes, saw Tesla at The Trocadero in Philly (go to thetroc.com and click on venue, history - this place was built in 1870!).  It turned out to be the night they recorded a live CD.  Saw Great White at Red Rocks ampitheatre in Colorado - probably the greatest concert venue I've been too.  So beautiful, cut right out of the red rocks in the Rocky Mountain foothills just west of Denver.  They played with the Scorpions and Mr. Big - it poured so hard while the Scorpions were playing, but it did not stop them.  I think I've said this before, but Kim's all time favorite hair band was Cinderella, a Philly band made big by Jon Bon Jovi.  We saw them twice.
        Certain songs bring back vivid memories...is it that way for you too?  Some that bring back old memories of Kim and I are 'Learning to Fly' by Pink Floyd of a special time we shared at Kutztown University...'Amanda' by Boston, a song we'd pull over and slow dance to, where ever we happened to be...Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion" remind me of times we reconnected in 8th grade and 11th grade...Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl" bring back memories of the beach, in the mid-80's..."Radar Love" by Golden Earring of speeding through Canada on our long tour of the northeast...David Bowie...gosh, just about any David Bowie brings back memories of the times we saw him, going to the Lehigh Parkway...Some of Kim's recent favorite bands were Neon Trees, Train, Anberlin, Blue October, Paper Tongues, One Republic and the Script...and now, whenever I hear any of these bands...I can remember Kimmy enjoying their songs and smiling (but she'd never sing in front of me..).

          Earlier today, we took Kimmy's truck back and rolled up the banner.  What a nice tribute Sean and the Toros made for Kim - she got her chance to say thank you...Sean and I talked about how dissappointing it was that we would not have baseball in Tucson this year...Come on Tucson, if we can't compete in Spring Training, at least let us have some AAA baseball again!  Pitchers and catchers report next week already...But I am so grateful to Sean for not only engineering Kim's banner and truck, but financing it, too.  Again, this wonderful community we live in just keeps on giving.
         The bambini's did well in school today.  Mrs. Schrantz reported that Tonio got an E+ on a paper he wrote about why it would be so cool to have a penguin as a pet...one who could catch its own tilapia.  Cody brought his friend Alec over and they played Wii and jumped their bikes out front with our neighbor, Alex.  Later, we settled in to watch one of Kim's favorites, The Wedding Singer, starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore (she absolutely loved their chemistry, especially in 50 First Dates)...
         ...and as I tried to find the once again elusive sleep, I thought of one of the Andreaisms I've adopted - there are so many others out there worse off then me, facing similiar challenges - in fact, when people say 'I can't believe how well you are doing', I tell them about the less fortunate.  Andrea and Mario recently ran across an old classmate, who has fallen on hard times, raising several children as a single mom, living in a crime ridden apartment complex and battling depression, barely able to take care of her kids, living in squalor... we all have our ups and downs to deal with...so rather than laying in bed at night and weeping about it, I count my blessings and think about all that I am thankful for...
Love,
    Dave

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33