Principal of the Year and Dinner at Viro's!

  Wow.  I had just finished blogging about our A+ schools in the Vail School District.  And today, when I walked into the office to pick up Tonio and Autumn, ready with some off color, crazy comment to make Patti laugh, I noticed Calvin Baker, our superintendent and Debbie Hedgepath, the asst. super, in the office (luckily, I was able to refrain from making any offensive comments!)..they were there to present our principal, Deborah Bryson, with the "Principal of the Year" award!!! Never, in the 18 years I have lived in the Vail School District, have I seen a more deserving candidate!  And to be chosen to write a personal reference for Deborah, was an incredible honor.  And what a risk she took - as I had to seal the envelop and put my signature across the seal - I could have written virtually anything...!  But, she trusted me enough, to ask me to write a letter to the selection committee, as to why she was deserving of this incredible honor.  Kim would have been gushing...she absolutely loved Ms. Bryson - and what she has done for Cottonwood..
We are all so proud of Ms. Bryson and how she has shaped Cottonwood into an A+ school!

       This morning, I went to Mass at San Xavier again...for Kimmy.  It was a wonderful Mass.  The priest began the Mass, by telling the children from the San Xavier Mission school to look under their seats for a 'get out of school free' pass.  They were very excited and looking hard for their special pass, when, the priest said 'April Fools!'...  He delivered a great Mass from there - and, it was the first Mass I made it through without cyring...but, I could not help but see Kimmy, on our wedding day, turning towards me to deliver her vows...with those sparkling blue eyes...And when Kimmy was nervous and had to speak in front of people, her voice would be reduced to a hoarse whisper, nearly dissappearing...In my mind's eye, I could see her turning, turning and whispering 'I do', over and over and over...
        When Mass was ended, I took some time to speak to the father and he put some things into perspective for me....and then, I lit a candle for Kimmy, as I always do, in the main church and then over to the small chapel dedicated to Mary.  In this chapel, I dusted the photo of Kimmy that I had placed on the altar and lit her a new candle...afterwards, I hiked up the mountain, to Mary's altar and around the top...

Here is a mosaic, in the inner sanctuary, where Kimmy and I got our wedding pictures taken, of Mary of Guadalupe, a beautiful, tile piece.

      And a Saint Francis shrine...

          Brian and I got some work done on the nitcho this afternoon, pouring 5 bags of concrete into it...we're getting there!  We hit 96 degrees today, Mother Nature's April Fool's prank on us!  My sister, Laur, sent us photos of the Philadelphia area, hit today by snow, suggesting this was Mother Nature's prank...she has started a blog and will post her recipes, as well as, her experiences...let me remind you, it was me who taught Kimmy how to cook...and she used a lot of Laur's recipes!!  I have posted Laur's link with Ami, Casey and Jessica's links, down the right hand side of this blog, just above the music selection.  Check it out!
           After I picked up the bambini's from school, we headed down to Viro's to visit with Rosa and Vito and enjoy some Lenten dinner!  Amy, Tom and Alex joined us, along with Annette, Kirk and Alyssa Perrini and Lupe, Manny and Monsi Barrios.  We descended upon Viro's, and the folks there took us in, graciously, making us a long table to enjoy their food and company.

And we feasted...Amy, Tom,Manny (in deep contemplation...hmmm, I'm at an Italian restaurant...should I order the fish?), Lupe, Kirk, Annette and Antonio..

Erica, Breanna, Tatiana, Crystal, Nikki and Nick all helped make our night memorable at Viro's.  Tatiana made me a 3 espresso shot cappuccino that is keeping me up, even now, at 1 a.m.!! 

Afterwards, we headed back to my house, where the kids formed a rock band!  Janene dropped Bryson off, too, to play with the kids, while Brenden played baseball over at Purple Heart Park.  Janene just got back from Pennsylvanian, where her husband, Brad, is from, after a visit with her in-laws and brought Tonio an awesome Penn State shirt that reads; "Losing? Never heard of it!". 

It was a fun, productive day for all of us...and our friends helped make it happen...we are blessed and thankful for all of you!

When we went outside to say goodnight to Kimmy around midnight, we all noticed that the Big Dipper has shifted to the west in the sky....Antonio, proudly taught us, that with each changing season, the constellations will move!  He's pretty smart!!  And then, they all wished Kimmy a good night...

Love,

 Dave

   

A+ Schools

   As you know, our Vail School District is really something to be proud of.  I've lived out here 18 years now - Kim and I saw this school district grow, from 0 schools in Rita Ranch, to a district of 17 schools, with an 18th to be added next year, a new high school that I am blessed to be a part of the planning committee...we've been so happy with the teachers, the administrators and the over all leadership over the years.
    When Cody came close to being ready for kindergarten, we wanted the best for him.  So, we investigated the area parochial schools...and watched the construction of Cottonwood Elementary, going up just across the street from our development, in the desert where I used to run Cajun...would it provide a good enough education for our Cody?  We were skeptical.
     We attended the kindergarten round-up, thinking Cody would probably end up going to St. Joseph's school, as I was, at that time, managing the Toys R Us right across the street and we thought it was a good school and would be convenient.  Then, we met the staff and teachers at Cottonwood and we thought 'we need to give this a try' and Cody was placed in Ami Daniel's (now Bunch) class. 
      Kim would always tell me, at the first sign of trouble, she would pull Cody out of public school and home school him!  I have no doubt that she would have done a tremendous job!  She even researched websites, looked at how to get supplies, looked at the curriculum ('Yeh, I could do that', she told me), planned out where in our home she would teach Cody, etc. etc.  But, Ms. Daniels, of course, blew us away with her caring, thoughtful approach - Cody was learning so much, so rapidaly - and any thought of pulling Cody that year was also blown away...then, in first grade, we wanted Cody to have Mrs. Christensen - a highly acclaimed teacher, who we had come to know - for first grade...and he was assigned to her class!  But, the school decided to add a creative writing course called 'Blast' and Mrs. Christensen accepted the responsibility for teaching this class (and did an incredible job!!) - we were apprehensive, when a brand new teacher was assigned to take over our Cody's first grade class...'I'll pull him, if this doesn't work out!', Kimmy promised...Ms. Spencer came aboard, and in her first year, proved to be an excellent teacher (now Mrs. Stoner) and her and Cody bonded and Cody really responded to her teaching style and he flourished!!  Kim was hooked on Cottonwood from that point forward!!!  All of his teachers, the rest of the way, were incredible!  Each and every one...and the same can be said for Autumn's and Antonio's (who were blessed to get Ami's sister, Mary - what great teaching jeans in that family!!).
      How many times, have their teachers been the ones to help them through a difficult moment this year?  How many times have their teachers been able to put a smile back on their little faces?  How many times, have I dragged myself through those gates, to pick them up after fighting through my day - only to have them pick me up too??  I can't count that high...unfortunately, I was not educated in the Vail School District!
       Around this time last year, Cottonwood was going through the A+ application process.  This designation carries a lot of merit in our state and gives recognition to the administration and teachers for the outstanding teaching that they do.  And not only teaching - the committee and the process, looks for things the school does to separate it from other schools - so things like great teaching are just a piece of the equation.  The school must also provide programs above and beyond the standard.  It must be in tune with diversity and recognize that each child learns at a different pace and be able to reach each student.  It is a grueling process, involving everyone on campus.  They all work very hard to achieve this prestigious designation.
       The review committee asks to interview a cross section of parents - and Kim and I were honored to be selected to participate.  I can remember meeting with the committee, last March, in the library - they asked the question 'What sets your school apart from others?'.  And Kimmy, once shy little Kimmy, who at one time would have been happy to just be in that room listening to the feedback of others and nodding and smiling in agreement to their answers, raised her hand high...
        She joyfully and tearfully (you know Kimmy...), detailed her initial fears of public schools not living up to her high standards for her little blessings, now known as the bambini.  She spoke about how Cottonwood has grown, how our current principal, Ms. Bryson, has taken her team and turned it into a family for all of us - a family of educators, who care for our children beyond just teaching them to learn their lessons, but provide a nurturing, loving environment, where the children feel safe, and look forward to coming to school.  Ms. Bryson has put together a team of enthusiastic and creative teachers, dedicated to raising the bar.  She told them about Antonio's reading difficulties and how he was placed in the Head Sprout program (the program Kim assisted with right up until the day she was admitted to St. Joseph's, frantically reminding me to contact Ellen and Kristine to let them know she'd be back just as soon as she could to help). And how Antonio was not made to feel like he was behind or deficient in some way, but made to feel that he was part of something special and the sense of accomplishment he got when he tore through the program at an incredible pace!  Kim then related how our little Autumn, somehow cursed with a Boston accent, was caringly taking aside to speech classes - I remember, as a kid, the children who went to speech were pulled out of class, abruptly and there was a stigma attached to speech therapy - but Kimmy told the committee how at Cottonwood, this program is discreet and again, focused on reinforcing the child's sense of self-worth and how Autumn did not feel funny about receiving assistance, but, like Antonio, was proud of her accomplishments.   And I remember the rapt attention that the committee gave to Kim, as she poured her heart out, so passionately, so unabashedly shedding her tears for her love of the school and the people and the programs....
         Needless to say, Cottonwood received that A+ designation...and, it was with these memories and about 2 1/2 hours of sleep, that I headed to Cody's school, Desert Sky, to participate in that same process today, as they go for their A+ designation.  I was able to speak of the leadership, shown by Mr. Mortensen and Mr. Woolridge and how it flows down to each and every teacher - and how Cody has become so engrossed with his classes, especially art, with Mrs. Kitzmiller and the enrich programs, like History of Rock and Roll with Mrs. Silver and one on movies taught by Mr. Wauer.  I channeled Kimmy as I spoke about the passion at Desert Sky and the dedication - the interview seemed to go very well, and I was able to, afterward, relate to the committee how above and beyond Cody's teachers and the admistration have gone to assist Cody through his challenging time...he did not miss a day of school, choosing to dive right back into this wonderful environment, where he knew he was respected and loved...his teachers working extra to put his smile back on his face...I know Kimmy was with me, there today...and I'm confident Desert Sky will receive the award that Kimmy so desired for Cottonwood last year...

          After that...I was feeling a little hungry (sleep could wait...and still is!)...but, I've found that I do not like to eat alone anymore...so, I had one option...Viro's!!  All of the smiling faces that I posted the other day were there to greet me - and Erica whipped me up one of her famous cappuccino's - yeh, no Rock Star today - right away.  Vito Jr. sat down with me, while I ate and we talked - Rosa came out to visit, too.  I'm hooked on the pesto sandwhich right now - I actually looked the whole menu over, thinking I'd just get something different - but, ordered it anyway.  Danny, who makes great gelato and beautiful cakes - told me I'm losing weight - I told him I slimmed down so I could eat at Viro's more often!!  He asked where the bambini were, and I told him sadly, in school - and how I came to see all of the friendly people here - 'We're here for you, anytime, Dave' he told me.

          I ran back out to get the little ones (Mary Montes, beginning to show a little baby!!! But no so much Jenny Rienstra, yet!), got them to do their homework and off to swim lessons...they have some work to do!  Once they were done, we were able to make it back to Desert Sky to get Cody from track - just a few days conditioning and he's ready to run Saturday in his first meet of the season!  And then back to our 'hood, where I made chicken tacos for Betsey, Brian and the kids, afterwhich, we all went out front to let the kids play and Amy, Tom and Alex joined us...the sunset was spectacular...

          I surprised the kids with Redbox DVD's tonight - 'Tangled' for the little ones and 'Machete' for Cody and I.  'Machete' is another Robert Rodriquez instant classic - he is able to capture that 70's, B-movie feel, with a parody twist that makes them so entertaining. And who knew that Cheech Marin is so handy weilding a shotgun in both hands?  Danny Trejo is the hero, the legendary Machete, who gets to save the day, ride off into the sunset and gets the girl, too...
          I don't know what 'Tangled' was all about, but Autumn and Tonio seemed to enjoy it...and then we stepped out back, into the warm, star filled night, to say goodnight to Kimmy...the Big Dipper was completely upside down, the bambini's observed as they told Mama to have sweet dreams...
        
          I feel as though I've finally punched my way out of the fog that I've been trolling through the last three and a half months - induced by the fear that I felt for those two months Kimmy was in the hospital - my biggest anxiety now, is just knowing where the bambini will be, when I have to work and who they will be with...I'm working on feeling less stress about this and how I handle the stress, which is a struggle for me - and also, having faith that it will all work out...

        "Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have."
                                                                                                              Phillippians 4:11

         ...actually, I am learning to be content with what I have...
                Love,
                     Dave

Then there is Cody...

            Today, my day started at 5:30, getting the bambini's ready for school and preparing for a trip to Phoenix for a Barnes & Noble market meeting....I had to get the kids to school just a little early, so I could make the start of the meeting - Cody helped.  He's on top of so much these days and I'm always surprised and amazed...
             He helped by cleaning up laundry and the bathroom.  Then, he cleaned up the breakfast dishes and made sure the little ones were on track, while I fumbled through my morning fog...we made it out the door with time to spare - and when I dropped him off, he told me 'have a safe trip Dad, love you...'   I sat there in the parking lot of Desert Sky for a moment and watched him walk towards the gate...he'll be 14 next month...and has grown sooooo much over the last 5 months, spiritually, emotionally - I used to call him 'little man' and now, he's my young man.
            I know I've gone over this before, but, Kimmy used to always characterize my relationship with Cody as 'Mr. Fun'.  We'd throw a ball at the park. Go for bike rides. Take a swim.  When it came to homework or emotional stuff, Kim stepped in.  Her and Cody were very, very close.  She really understood him and they'd spend some time together each night, as I got Autumn and Tonio ready for bed, talking about Cody's day, his highs, his lows, his doubts and fears. 
            When Cody was born, I was very young (32...!) and had little patience.  Kim taught me the patience, over the years, so I was better prepared when Autumn and Tonio came along.  I would get so mad if Cody would not listen the first time and Kimmy would lovingly intervene 'Dave...he's only 3', she'd remind me.  And she worked with me on becoming more and more patient, to get me to where I am now (hey, I know I still have a ways to go - and I may never have the patience that Kimmy had!).
             Now, Cody and I do not butt heads when we disagree - we have no trouble talking things through.  He is so appreciative of everything, taking time to thank me throughout the day for making meals, doing wash, taking him places.  And, when he asks to run to Target for a new shirt - he tells me; "I got this Dad, I want to pay for this with my own money".  His level of responsibility has gone sky high in a matter of weeks.
          He still misses his Mom, quite a bit, but seems to have a good handle on things - his report card, we got last week, was his best of the year, straight A's and an 88 average in Algebra.  His teachers all say what a contributor he is and love to see the smile back on Cody's face.  And, he's been able to successfully transition between teachers, as Mrs. Jandorff and Mrs. Lopez left to have babies - He's done great in Mrs. Jackson's class (who took over for Mrs. Jandorff) and likes Mrs. Sarnoski, Mrs. Lopez' replacement!
           And he speaks passionately about the classes he loves: Enrich - The History of Rock and Roll -which, sadly ended with last quarter, with Mrs. Silver.  The art class with Mrs. Kitzmiller - he sure has Kimmy's talent! 

         Around the house, Cody has been a dynamo, helping clean the garage, work in the garden, he does floors, vacuuming....he has that endless supply of energy...and will ask 'is there anything else I can help you with Dad?'.  He's even getting better with the little ones, playing video games and watching t.v. with them.  And, we still like to go for bike rides, but, as you know, he drags me through Fantasy Island, with little hope of me keeping up!
        Energy is good, as he has begun Track season over at Desert Sky!  We got him a new pair of track shoes, he is so proud of and he is working hard towards his first track meet this Saturday!!  Today, after practice, our friend, Dawn, picked Cody up and took him to Carl's Jr.  I was just beginning my drive back to Tucson, around 5:15 when I got a text from Cody: "How's your day in Phx Dad?"...I quick hit him back 'K.  U have a good day?'..."Yep, Dawn's taking us to Carl's Jr., K?"..."K"..."Luv U"...He's come so far, in such a short time...I appreciate this young man so much - he has always been a blessing, but even more so now!  Of course, I do not advocate texting while driving, but I find selecting a tune on the Ipod even more distracting!!  And Cody helped me out with that last night, helping me prep a play list for the long drive up and back to Phoenix!!
      
        I got back into town around 6:30, in time for the start of my store's inventory...again, I am blessed with an extraordinary team at the store!!! Jaimelyn and the team had the store dialed in and when the count began at 7, it went very smooth!! Susie, one of our Head Cashiers, organized an incredible spread of food (everyone citing that I've lost too much weight and need to eat - I do eat, although sometimes don't get around to it, as I don't have as much time these days and boy, did Kimmy make everyday a 'food fest' or what?) including shrimp, chicken and veggie tacos with all of the toppings and so many people brough great food so I could 'graze', as one of the other managers, Jaime, told me I tend to do... Around 10:30, as I was extolling the benefits of Rock Star energy drink to Jaimelyn (I like the lemonade flavor, but what exactly is taurine and what does it do?), when in came my D.M., Tom, carrying a cola flavored Rock Star!  We exchanged Rock Star stories - maybe we could do a commercial (and, thanks to Rock Star, I am able to write this post, as I wait for the wash to get done so Cody's track clothes are ready for him today!). It sure carried us through!! And Tom continues to be so supportive of our family, it's amazing.  Meanwhile, Betsey stayed with the little ones for me until I got home around 1:45 a.m.  AND she cleaned Autumn and Antonio's room for us!!! Autumn stumbled out, bleary eyed..."Hi Dad, how was your day?  Wake you up at 6:10?"  "Yeh, thanks Aut"  "Love you Dad!"  I am blessed!  I know I only stand to get 3 hours of sleep tonight, till the laundry is done, but I've had less...much less...and after the long day today, that's ok!!
       And the thing I missed most, as I got ready to head to Phoenix, was, how sweet Kimmy was...she would always wake up early with me and make me an egg and cheese sandwhich for the ride...and on my breaks and at lunch, I'd always call her to say hi and let her know how things were going...she'd insist I give her a call when I got on the 10 and would always tell me to drive safe...

       Cody and I still relate our experience to music we listen to, enjoying much the same music - and Cody tells me, Mockingbird, by Eminem, reminds him of his Mama...

      I know sometimes things may not always make sense to you right now
     But hey, what mommy always tell you?
     Straighten up little soldier
     Stiffen up that upper lip
     What you crying about?
     You got me
  
   He told me, that Kimmy would tell him to 'straighten up little soldier' when he would cry...And...

I can see you're sad, even when you smile, even when you laugh
I can see it in your eyes, deep inside you want to cry
    He says he can relate to these lines, to...we talk it through, though and he seems to do better - but, as I said, he was closest to his Mama - and I know there are other lines in this song he identifies with - and I make sure to talk to him about them, as we listen...

    He's keeping busy, between track and keeping on the honor roll...he received 4 awards at a ceremony last week at school and gets his homework all done without me even asking...I'm pretty proud of him and I tell him his Mama would be/is proud of him, as she smiles down on him and quote a different Eminem song to him from When I'm Gone;

And when I'm gone, just carry on, don't mourn
Rejoice every time you hear the sound of my voice
Just know that I'm looking down on you smiling
And I didn't feel a thing, So baby don't feel my pain
Just smile back

    And we know Kimmy is no longer in pain...as a beautiful angel...watching over us...
In fact, I spotted a seagull, flying over the 10, near Orange Grove...reminding me of the beach, Kimmy's favorite spot...

      Love,
              Dave

An end to Spring Break...

   Ahhh Spring Break...it always goes so fast, leaving us wanting more...we used to take such fabulous roadtrips over Spring Break, mostly to San Diego...although, Kim and I used to like to get over to Disneyland on Spring Breaks, too.  These last few years, Kimmy really looked forward to these breaks, time off from work and time to spend with the bambini.  She'd fill their days with crafts and cooking.  Baking them treats and taking special little trips with them...
  ...we sure tried to keep busy this break and ended with a flourish, hitting the zoo with Amy and Betsey on Thursday, Spring Training baseball Friday, yesterday, party at Betsey and Brian's and today, Old Tucson Movie Studios, with the help of Jaimelyn and Scott Thomas (Jaimelyn and I work together at Barnes & Noble, where they have been holding down the fort for me over the last two weeks!  And Scott was a long time stunt man over at OT, until recently, but came through with some passes today!). 
     It was an incredible day, temps in the mid-70's - we started by going to church and then, what a surprise, to Viro's. 

People dine on the veranda at Viro's on an beautiful morning!

Lena, Nick, Erica and Nikki are always so friendly and helpful!  Nick is an A.C. Milan fan, but I do not hold it against him - he makes a good sandwich!  Nikki has assumed omelet duties from Christina and made some awesome omelets this morning for us - Cody had two, as usual!  Erica made me another, high octane, cappuccino!  Lena always helps clear the plethora of plates the bambini accumulate (and, she makes a great cappuccino, too!).

Asuzanna brings out more delicious food from Rosa's kitchen!  She is non-stop!!

          And what a great day for us to be at Viro's today - we got to see Vito's oldest son, Joe and his wife Deanna!  These guys are always on the go, doing exciting things.  Recently, they did a little camping up Mt. Lemmon - they camped near some rowdy guys, who actually brought televisions into the forest and were watching the NCAA tourney - now that's roughing it!

             And, of course, Vito and Rosa were there...to make our morning complete.
            I forgot to take a picture of the amazing buffett - next week!  You can catch a glimpse of their homemade gelato in the case behind Vito - You can not find it anywhere with the homemade taste that Viro's has!  And as great as the food at Viro's is, the people are what make it so special...

            With our bellies full, we picked up Betsey, Brian, Hadley, Mitch, Amy, Tom and Alex and headed to Old Tucson.

          The kids always seem to gravitate toward the motor cars - as if an invisible beam pulls them in from the park entrance - irristable!  Alex, Mitch, Cody and Tonio anxiously wait for their car as Autumn and Hadley prepare for departure.

                                          Here come Hadley and Autumn!!

                                          Tonio, barely hanging on while Mitch drives...

                                          And Cody cruised by...

                                         Followed by Alex....

                                        Alex, Tonio, Brian, Mitch and Hadley are clearly terrified as we find our way through the Haunted mine...When Kim and I first started going to Old Tucson, back in 1994, this ride featured mine cars that rode you through the mine on tracks.  Now, you walk through, led by a guide.  Our guide today, was 'Terrible Tom'..he must be in his 90's and is pretty funny!

          There's a new sheriff in town!  Tonio jails the crew and taunts them with the keys!

                        Hadley, Autumn, Alex, Cody, Tonio, Mitch, Betsey, Tom, Amy and Brian are ready for the comedy performance by the Santa Rita Mission.

         One of the stuntmen, Travis, who plays the sheriff's deputy in this skit, takes a seat next to the girls during the performance!  Autumn was just a little taken aback!

                   Autumn, Hadley, Amy, Tom, Brian and Betsey are psyched for the train ride!  We used to take Cajun on this train, when Kim and I would visit Old Tucson before having the bambini.

                     Hadley, Antonio and Autumn outside the High Chapparal t.v. show set.

                One more ride on the motor cars!  Tonio finds time to take a siesta, while keeping his vehicle on the road!!
               It was a good day...and a nice end to Spring Break...I guess all breaks must come to an end and we sure made a lot of great memories together over this break!  I return to work tomorrow, tanned, rested and ready!  Well, maybe not rested - I was telling Jaimelyn today, it is great to spend so much time with the bambini's, but, as Kim and I always used to joke - there are no breaks or lunches - it is full steam ahead from dawn to midnight!!
             But it really helped being off with these guys and thank you to all of you who made this a wonderful, healing, Spring Break for our family!!!
                      Love,
                            Dave
         
        
                             

           
       

First Reconciliation

     This morning, Tonio had his first reconcilation at Our Mother of Sorrows...he was a little apprehensive...'I don't know the prayer you say after you're done...'  he worried.  'The Act of Contrition?  Either do I Tonio - we'll bring a copy with us, to read'...'OK'  I told him to shower up, comb his hair and put on some jeans and a polo shirt.  "What's a polo shirt?"  he asked...
     We sat with our friends, Lupe and Manny Barrios and their little girl, Monsi.  Tonio and Monsi get along so well - it was great for both of their nerves!  It was a full Mass, our second day in a row!  And, once again, the Gospel and homily spoke to me...
      I remember Cody and Autumn's first reconcilation...Kimmy came to both of theirs, but had me go with them to confession...perhaps she knew my soul needed more redemption than hers...Of course, she teared up at both of theirs, so proud of them and realizing it was one more milestone in their lives, they were growing up.
      She would have been so proud of Tonio today.  He held up well, only telling me he hoped he wouldn't have to sit face-to-face with the father.  You see, there were 8 priests available, plus Monsignor Tom.  Only 2 were giving the old school, behind the wall with the sliding door, style of confession.  And Monsignor Tom was out in the open.  I told him he was a good little boy and had nothing to worry about.  Then, I leaned over to Lupe and Manny and said 'Gee, I just hope I don't get Monsignor Tom!'...it had been 3 years since my last confession, when Autumn had her first one...
       Everybody did great and they served cake and lemonade afterwards - just what Tonio needed, a huge sugar boost!!  And as Manny and I walked the kids over to the church hall, I got a good look at Tonio.  His jeans had holes in both knees.  And his polo was on inside out.  I pointed it out to Manny and told him 'I am really struggling Manny - where are my motherly skill?'.  Manny told me "Well Dave, you haven't lost any of them and you haven't set any of them on fire...I'd say you are doing a great job!'.
       We talked on the way home - 'How'd you feel after you told the father your sins?'  I asked.  "I felt really good", Antonio told me.  I told him how proud of him I was and that Mama was smiling down on him, too, I was sure she was there.

       Before we left, I decided to take another stab at Andrea's refried beans.  My first batch ended with disaster, when I took her 'put the beans in a crock pot, cover them with water and cook them' literally, leaving my beans leathery, tasteless and dry as the desert.  'Uh, fill the crock pot with more water and you can add water as needed' she gently advised me.  So, I made real bacon for the kids for breakfast (I used turkey for my last bean attempt) put in some of the grease and an uncooked slice of bacon into the crock pot with the beans (16oz dried pinto beans), filled it 3/4 of the way with water and added two, minced cloves of garlic...when we got home from church, the house smelled great!  I added a little more water.  When the timer went off (I cooked them on low for 4 hours), I drained the beans, put them in a big bowl and added a bag of shredded jack/cheddar blend of cheese and some milk, mashing them with a masher (add milk, as if you were making mashed potatoes).  Then, I put them in a large skillet (do NOT use your nice pot for this recipe, it may ruin it!), with a little olive oil, on a medium heat and cooked them until they were hot all the way through, adding salt and pepper.

              And I finally got to use one of Kimmy's casserole dishes to put them in!!  She had accumulated so many dishes and bowls that I have no idea how to use!!!

             The beans came out great!  And Lupe dropped off some tortillas and little tortilla pocket dealy's that she told me to fill with beans and some marzipan candies and chilibonchas, a mango flavored candy with a chile center (these are GREAT!) that her and Manny brought us back from their trip to El Paso.  We brought them over to Betsey and Brian's.  Betsey made chicken enchiladas, rice and brownies. Oh, and Cody made a salad, using another big bowl of Kimmy's!
 

Yes, it's from Pier 1!

            We settled in to watch the Wildcat's play UConn - it started out so promising!!  But, we were saddened when, the Cats could not sink the 3 shot with time expiring - they had a nice season - we would have liked to see them move forward, though.

          Derrick Williams, the heart and soul of this team, got into early foul trouble and disrupted his team's game.  Boy, Jesse Perry sure stepped up, but Mo Mo Jones could not hit the 3 - This team was really fun to watch - a good group of players...
            A carpet thief had stopped in and stolen Brian's carpet - which was conducive to sloppy eating for us and the bambini!  Molly tries to escape via the back door.
           I remember watching such games with Kimmy.  She would get very into the game and like to root for the Cats.  She was such a great high fiver!!  At Betsey and Brian's, we'd share one of their oversized, leather lounge chairs for a cozy game.

                    Tom, Amy, Cody, Alex, Betsey, Mitch and Brian cheer the Cats on!  But, maybe the beans were not the right game food to bring, as the Cats came so close, but could not win it.  We also were hoping for a win, so we could score some nice Final Four t-shirts tomorrow, planning to road trip down to the campus to shop for some.  By the way, what happened to all of the road side t-shirt vendors that used to show up this time of year?  I seem to remember them being as far east as Houghton and Old Spanish Trail one year and certainly at Pantano and Broadway - I asked several people who said you have to go to campus to get shirts - must be an NCAA licensing thing.  The street vendors always made this time of year seem so festive.  The year the Cats won it all, in 1997, Kim stopped at several different stands to buy us matching shirts in as many styles as she could find!  She had Cat Fever!!
                   
                     Despite the loss, we had a good time, but called it an early night around 8, our energy expended on yelling and rooting for a Wildcat victory...we tried to regroup by watching the best of Adam Sandler on SNL, but just couldn't find the same energy....the enchiladas were excellent, though and the brownies were Kimmy-like - she made some outstanding brownies!!!

                   A warm breeze greeted us as we went outside to say goodnight to Mama...'The Big Dipper's crooked tonight' Tonio observed...Sweet dreams, Mama...
                   
                     
        
            "Cheerfulness is often a cloak which hides a life a sacrifice, continual union with God, fervor, and generosity."
                                                                                               -Mother Teresa
           
          
    

San Xavier and Baseball...

          No, I do not believe San Xavier ever played baseball...San Xavier was born in Spain in 1506 and is considered one of the greatest Roman Catholic missionarys of modern times.  He traveled to India, the Malay archipelago and Japan, helping to establish Christianity. 
         The church Kim and I were married in, was named after San Xavier.  This morning, we found ourselves there to remember Kimmy and attend Mass.  The children from the attached school attended today, the feast day of the angel Gabriel, coming to let Mary know, she would give birth to Jesus.  The children did the readings and sang, adding a nice, personal touch to Mass this morning.  The homily was inspiring, as Father Stephen reminded us that God does have a plan for all of us (lately, the line from a Sum 41 song has played over and over in my head 'God has no plan for me. Well I'll tell you one thing, I don't have the patience, all of the time.  What can I say?  I'm no angel.'- so his homily really touched me, as he pointed out we have to have patience and it is up to us to answer His call. How'd he know??). 
         After Mass, we lit a candle for Kimmy in the church and then proceeded to the little chapel of Mary, right next door, where Kimmy's smiling face looked at us from the altar.  There was no dove today.

                  Autumn and Tonio getting ready to go inside for Mass - we let Cody sleep in!

                         The bambini lit the candle you can see just to the left of Tonio's head, while our Angel, Kimberly, smiled on us - her picture slightly to the right of Tonio's head.

When we were done lighting our candles, thanking God for our time with Kimmy and praying, we made the pilgramage up the little mountain next to the church.  I told the kids the story of the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary, as we stood next to the altar dedicated to her, in a grotto on the side of the mountain.  As we came around the corner, and the church came into view, Tonio sighed 'ahhh, what a beautiful view of the church...' And it is...it is an absolutely beautiful, peaceful, cleansing place - all around.  This was the 5th Mass I've attended here this month - and I am always awe struck - it has a calming affect.  Whenever I am sitting in the church, looking at the altar, our wedding day replays in my head, a perfect movie - a fairy tale wedding...

Later today, we went to see some baseball!  Spring Training, thought to be lost to Tucson, had returned, to benefit those involved in the Gabrielle Gifford's shooting on January 8th.  We were there.  Along with 10,500 spectators.  My first thought was: 'Wow. There were more people at the Red Bulls v Sporting FC soccer match held at Hi Corbett Field.'  Second, 'Doesn't anybody work in Tucson?'.

    It was a glorious day...we parked near the 10 at Kino Field (formerly known as Tucson Electric Park) and made the journey to the stadium.  In the mid-70's, no one was complaining about the heat.  As we entered the ball park, Brian asked 'Where do you want to sit?'...I told him I did not care, I was just so happy to be inside this stadium, and able to watch some baseball!!!  There is a certain feel you get when you walk into a crowded stadium...the sights, the smells, green grass, the vendors...and man, did it feel good today.  The smell of fresh cut grass wafted up to us as we looked for a place to camp out.

      As we walked through the parking lot, to the ball park, I told Cody, 'You know, your Mama has always been a Dodger fan.'...'Really?' he asked.  'Yep.  Bought her a Steve Sax jersey back in the early '80's...and remember when Chris Berman of Sports Center would say 'And Steve 'Alto' Sax just stole second!''.  We'd go to see the Dodgers play the Phils every year at Veteran's Stadium in Philly...Later, I bought her a Mike Piazza jersey.  She was a big Tommy Lasorda fan, and Piazza was Tommy's Godson...from down the street from where we grew up...Norristown, Pa.

         The grass was so green.  The breeze took any heat off of the sun, yet, the sun warmed our bodies.  We found a nice, grassy spot, on the sloped outfield near right field.  Betsey and Amy spread the blankets and the kids made themselves comfortable...for a moment....'I have to go to the bathroom.'...'Do they sell pretzels here?'...So, we made a pilgramage of a different sort....

               Ahhhh, Brian, Hadley, Tonio, Autumn, Lexy, Betsey, Amy, Cody and Alex sprawl out in the outfield grass of Kino Sports Park, or whatever they are calling it these days...it did not matter to us today, the temperature, sun, breeze, were all perfect for a little baseball!!  And the fresh air, the scent on the wind, was so relaxing...

                     Lexy, Autmn and Hadley, in pursuit of a hot pretzel, enjoy the day, as the 'boys of summer' take the field...

                                Brian's trying to get some tan on his lily white feet...no such luck today, but the rest of us added to our tan!  This was a most relaxing day, as the bambini played in the grass, and the rest of us kicked back, baked in the sun and watched some baseball!  I took a few guided tours...first with the girls to get hot pretzels and Lexy got a roasted ear of corn 'My Mom would be so happy!'  she said, as she added the chile powder to her ear...Then, I walked the boys around...a hot dog for Antonio...then, the girls again...this time, Eeegees!! 

                  What a beautiful stadium...and a beautiful day...for sun, baseball and companionship.  We all had a great time and the Diamondbacks had a late offensive surge to come from behind and win 6-3!!!
                  Kimmy and I saw many Spring Training games since we moved here in 1994.  Back then, we only had the Rockies, playing at classic Hi Corbett Field.  We'd go to see 4 or 5 games each spring, continuing the tradition after Cody was born.  The Rockies mascot, Dinger, is a triceratops and Cody would get so excited when Dinger would make his rounds.  By then, I was managing the Toys R Us on Broadway, and, as a post-Christmas 'Thank you', I would take as many employees as I could out to see a game.
                  When Tucson Electric Park opened (now inexplicably called Kino Park, which is better than a corporate name, I guess), we got the Diamondbacks and the White Sox - and there was a Spring Training game every day for the entire month of March.  My long running joke to Kimmy was, 'Guess what we are doing for your birthday?'  'What Dave?'  'I got tickets to see the Dbacks play the Angles!'  Kimmy would always giggle for me, knowing that I had other things planned for her March 1st day.
                  We used to like to go to the first day of ticket sales.  The Diamondbacks would have a few players on hand to sign autographs and there would be jumping castles, pitching games and food.  Once Autumn and Tonio came along, we stuck to buying lawn seating...they would last longer during a game if they weren't confined to seats!  Cody liked to get down as close to the field as possible and try to catch a foul ball - his best spot was all the way down the third base line.
              I'd always buy Kimmy and Autumn an ear of roasted corn.  I swear roasted corn is all Autumn would eat for a period of time once her teeth were all in!  Many great spring memories of us enjoying games at TEP and Hi Corbett....
                  Back at home...I made the girls pasta (what a lenten surprise!) and Angie stopped by to pick up Lexy later on in the evening...We tried to coerce her into staying for a beer, but she could not be corrupted!  So, we ended up at Betsey and Brian's house watching reruns of old Chris Farley Saturday Night Live episodes, cracking each other up!
                
                A good Friday...it was so nice to go to Mass at San Xavier - where Kim and I began our married lives almost 18 years ago...still fresh in my memory, and, as I've said, a fairy tale....and that ball park...Kimmy made sure, that, each Spring Training, we'd get to see at least one game...at least one...we loved the calm, soothing pace of the game, laying in the green grass and warm sunshine, washing away our cares....

              
             

        

The Zoo

           We've been zoo members here at the Reid Park Zoo since 1994.  Kim and I used to go to the Philly Zoo, often, when we lived in Pennsylvania, so when we moved to Tucson, we wanted to be a part of the zoo here, too.  It has changed a lot over the years - the habitats are so much better, we loved the big trees and lush grounds...When there was debate over whether to take away the elephant exhibit a few years back, Kim went to bat for the elephants, helping to campaign for a new exhibit for them. 
          We got to see some of the progress on the new elephant enclosure today, when we made a trip there to renew our membership, which, had expired in December - we just hadn't had a chance to renew...Kim would have loved to see the elephant's new home, which should open later this year.  She felt very passionate about zoo's and the family enjoyment they provided.  Many of our trips and dates revolved around zoo's across the country.
          There was Trexler Game Preserve, near where we grew up - the famous site of Kimmy rolling down and hill and landing in a buffalo pie!  We went there on days off, to see the animals, walk the beautiful grounds and sit next to the nearby creek.  The Preserve was situated in rolling hills, surrounded by farmland.
          The Philly Zoo, off of Gerard Avenue was another favorite. It's the oldest zoo in the country. We'd start the day, in town, grabbing a cheesesteak (Pat's? Gino's?  Who cares!?!  They are all good!) and then go to the zoo.  They had a wonderful primate section and a lot of small lakes and fountains all shaded by large trees.  Afterwards, we'd grab dinner and sometimes go see a concert at the nearby Mann Music Center.
           We'd visited the Baltimore Zoo - second oldest in the country.  This zoo is set in Druid Park and very nice, lush and green.  The architecture in the old sections of the zoo is amazing.  It is about the same size as the Philly Zoo, big, but not too big.  The Washington D.C. Zoo - big, but too much concrete.  The Denver Zoo, medium size, exhibits too stark.  Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs was a nice one - situated in the Rocky Mountain foothills, this is a smaller zoo, like Reid Park, with beautiful surroundings.
          Kim and I loved the Phoenix Zoo and would go up in the afternoon, see a ballgame or hockey game, spend the night and take the kids to the zoo in the morning.  We were members there for a few years, since it seemed we were going up there at least four times a year.  The African portion of this zoo was our favorite.  We also went to Out of Africa, up there, a natural wildlife zoo, focusing more on big cats - with live shows, featuring a trainer that would swim with a tiger!  This was a fun experience.
         Then, of course, there is the San Diego Zoo - beautiful, incredible, but just a little too big!  It would take us two days to get all the way around and we'd still be exhausted!  We never made it up to the Wild Animal Park...always telling each other 'next time'.  I'm sure Antonio does not remember the San Diego Zoo - I'll have to get him out there to see it.
         What other zoo's?  I'm sure I'm forgetting one or two or more...well, there is a variation of a zoo...the petting zoo!  Now, Kim always told me, she wanted to open up a petting zoo...seriously.  Of course, there would have to be a donkey.  And a duck (she once had a pet duck named Snoopy!).  She had this idea, that we could put a tent in our back yard...or sometimes, when we were driving, she'd point out a 'great location for a petting zoo!'...for example...when you are driving north on Kolb, just north of Speedway, on the west side of the street, there is a newer gas station (is it Q Time or something?) and newer apartments behind it...this used to be a dirt lot...and, one day, Kim excitedly yelled out 'There's where we could open our petting zoo!'.  Vail Pride Day - great petting zoo.  Pima County Fair - BIG petting zoo - one year, they even had a zebra!!

Kimmy and her donkey at the Trexler Game Preserve, 1972.  She was 7, Antonio's age...

Today, we ventured out to our Reid Park Zoo...with Betsey, Mitch, Hadley, Amy and Alex.  It was a beautiful day, and incredible temperatures.

               Autumn always has to have her picture taken on the peacock at the entrance...

           Inside the bird habitat, Autumn gets a shot of Cody, Tonio, Mitch and Alex at the infamous egg shell.  The bambini have always been attracted to this shell.  I would usually wait outside of the bird cage and Kimmy would take the kids in and they always had to play on the shell.  Today, Amy, Betsey and I all waited outside!

        We always loved the otters.  This otter put on quite a show for us today.  Swimming in spirals, getting out of the water and diving back in, so care free and happy...

             Kim's favorite at the Reid Park Zoo was the giraffes.  We saw one giving birth here at the zoo one time...

                                               Autumn and Antonio are all smiles at the zoo!

                            Hadley, Autumn, Mitch, Cody, Tonio and Alex pose by the big rock...

                              Even the big boys, Alex and Cody, appreciated the zoo today.

                               Amy got this one of all of the boys, wistfully looking out onto the sergentti...

               Later, at Rubio's (great fish taco's!!), Tonio seems to have sprouted claws...some bizarre side affect from our zoo visit today???
               And, this evening, we watched 'Dumb and Dumber' starring Jim Carrey.  After a wholesome day at the zoo, I figure I'd throw in some questionable movie to end our day!

               What a beautiful, star filled night, again - no clouds, bright stars and the Big Dipper so high over head.  Kimmy, the bambini and I had so many fun filled days at zoo's...I have so many fond memories of the various cities and zoo's we had the chance to share...
     

The Recycle Party Photos and a Garden grows...and, a Lesson in Bad Parenting...

Betsey sent me these photos of the Recycle Party she threw for Hadley, Mitch, Lexy, Breanna, Autumn and Tonio...

                     Autumn, Hadley, Breanna and Lexy enjoy beverages in the clubhouse.

                             Autumn, Mitch and Hadley eat salad and strawberries...very healthy.

                                        Tonio, Mitch and Breanna play in Mitch's room.

                                    Lexy, Autumn and Hadley eat green jelly beans and play Webkins.

                                     Mitch and Tonio enjoy grilled veggie dogs..at a green table!

              The kids made art work, reminding everyone to recycle and save the planet.  They did a recycling maze as a project and then did a scavenger hunt to find items that were recyclable.  They sure had a great time and it was so nice of Betsey and Brian to open up their home to the kids for a fun party!!

           Speaking of going green, we have slowly been transforming Kimmy's garden, in our back yard, back to the beauty that she had bestowed upon it.  It is a slow process, as we wait for consistent weather and for the right plants to come back in stock.  We were dissappointed that Target will no longer carry flowers and plants, saying there is too much competition - I know Ami Bunch reported on her blog how happy she is that Target will carry meat and produce, though and I talked to a manager there today who told me they are 9 weeks from completion on that!
           So we went to the Home Depot, looking for a lime tree to plant for Kimmy in the yard, but they have not come in yet.  We thought we'd get the veggie garden (yes vegetables!) going again, instead.  The bambini selected cherry tomatoes (Tonio), basil (Autumn) and eggplant (Cody).

                          Ahhhh sweet Autumn plants sweet basil - Kimmy's spice of choice!

                                   Bella offers a little green thumb expertise...she is a great digger!

                           Tonio adds the cherry tomatoes...saying 'This is hard work!'...

                          Autumn's basil is ready to grow!  She just needs to add water...

                No longer to bend all the way to the ground, Tonio lightly tosses handfuls of rich soil, chock full of vitamins, down to meet up with his tomato plant...still needs water too!  Cody escaped to Alex's to play video games and eat chicken and talapia tacos that Amy made for him!!
                 A nice day in the garden with the bambini - we also got to stop into Kohl's to visit Angie (incidently, my very first time I set foot into Kohl's in 6 years - I sucked it up so we could visit with the 'Shoe Queen'!) and then over to Viro's to visit with Rosa and Vito and to have some lunch - Cody and I are hooked on their pesto sandwhich!  Autumn made a huge bowl of pasta dissappear and Tonio had a hand crafted pizza pie!  And, while at Viro's, ran into Kristine Impellizzeri and her daughter Savanah (who got her driver's permit today, congrats!) who Kimmy had the opportunity to work with at Cottonwood in the Head Sprout program, helping children to read better. 
                  Kimmy loved her garden.  Keeping it green with plenty of colorful flowers was a joy for her.  She would spend as much time as possible adding, subtracting, rearranging, 'Do we have enough money for a little box of flowers, Dave?'  Of course, how could I say no to Kimmy?
                 Later, Tonio and Autumn had swim lessons.  Tonio  loves it. Autumn hates it.

                                         Tonio and Autumn await their turn to swim!

                                    Autumn's instructor, Lauren, adjusts Aut's goggles - Autumn had just swam out to her from the stairs.  They're getting there!

                Lessons in bad parenting:
              1) today, I let Cody go to Ace Hardware.  By himself.  To buy an inner tube for his bike.  I know it's only two blocks away.  And he turns 14 next week.  By the age of 14, I was riding buses all over the city.  Riding my bike 26 miles to Lake Nockamixon (there can be no right way to spell that name!).  And walking to school, 2 miles, uphill, both ways.  But the world was different back then...or was the media coverage different? 
             2) After swim lessons, we loaded up on McDonald's for a late dinner...no vegetables - unless you count pickles and fries, that is.  My cooking streak has ended.
            3) While we dined on our nutritious dinner, we watched the instant classic, Grown Ups, starring Adam Sandler and friends...and followed it with the classic Adam Sandler, The Water Boy.  High culture cinemtography.

           4)  11 p.m.  Bambini still awake, well, actually, Tonio crashed. On the floor of the Sports Room, watching SNL reruns starring Robert DeNiro...and, he was curled up with his Sprite from McD's...ahhhh, yes, just a boy and his Sprite.  And here is a girl and her pup.  Autumn has decided to pack it in.   Cody and I are going to watch 'Stranger than Fiction' starring Will Ferrell now...
  
            We did go out back just now to say goodnight to Kimmy, a nightly tradition...the Big Dipper was high over head this late and Autumn thought it seemed darker tonight...but the stars were so bright...