ASU Game

I got two tickets to the ASU game this Saturday and asked Penni if she wanted to go. I prepared her by saying that the tickets were in the upper deck and it was going to be hot !!!!!!!! The last couple of times that I have taken Penni to games we have sat in the louge seats - which are in the middle of the stadium where most stadiums have suites. In the louge seats you also get free food and soda. I remember that my friend's Dad had season tickets when I was in high school we loved going to get the free food. Anyway I digress - the people that sit in those seats are older professional people. Compare that to the people that sit in the upper deck - they are the ones that has helped ASU get ranked the #1 party school.

So I really expected Penni to pass and I would go with someone else. But when I expect that she will do one thing she does the exact opposite. So we went to the game - I asked her where she wanted to go eat and she picked PF Chang's. After dinner we walked over to the game and hiked up to our seats. It was hot and we watched as other people struggle to make it up to the upper desk. Now let me set the stage. The upper desk are cheaper tickets - but there are always one or two groups of the other teams fans that come and seat by me and they are always loud, drunk and obnoxious. The last time I went to a game the guy sitting next to me got tossed for fighting. So you have a little understanding. But I notice that there are no non-ASU fans around us but we did have our token drunk ASU fan. I have never seen someone do the bump and grind to the ASU fight song - until last night. His favorite move was the pelvic thrust. He also liked to show everyone his middle finger, but we were all ASU fans - so I didn't understand that one. He provided lot of entertainment, Penni told he "he can't keep it up the whole game?" oh yes he can. Then came the quote from Penni for the ages - "oh the poor girl that he is going to hook up with tonight" - what??? Where did that come from??? Then about half way thru the first quarter a group of 10 NAU fans start walking up the isle. I told Penni that "funny drunk guy" will not last until the middle of the 2nd quarter, as the group keeps walking up the isle. Guess were their seats are - yes right in front of the "funny drunk guy" - he welcomes them with the middle finger and his favorite dance move tot he back of their heads. By this time ASU was ahead by 17-0. Just then NAU make a first down and one of the guys in the group jumps up and starts pointing - not real smart when you are down by 17 point. But I will give credit to "Funny Drunk Guy" he lasted the whole game - and was kind to the NAU fans. It also helped that he was trying to pick up every girl in our section.

We made it home safe and had a great time. Until next game.

Peter Piper, wait I mean Chucky Cheese

Today was a really long day. At work I did the month end close without the help of the lady that I work with for the first time. It went great by it took all day and I was beat.

Penni called me at 5 and asked me when I was coming home. I knew that there was another job waiting for me at home. So I said that I would be leaving in an hour, I also had left my cell phone at home (Penni thinks that I do it on purpose - maybe she is right - it was a quite day). So next came the job, Nichole is babysitting, Kristine and I are going out to dinner and go shop and I need you to go to Chucky Cheese and stay with Zoe at a birthday party. Not exactly what I had planned for my night.

So at 6:15 I get a call from Penni - you haven't left yet? No, I am walking out the door right now but was stopped because someone called so I had to come back to answer the phone. Yes, the no cell phone issue came up again.

So I head to Peter Piper Pizza by our house. Did you catch that? I get there and no Zoe, then I realize that Penni really did mean Chucky Cheese. So I went home to get my cell and off to CC. I get to Chucky's and call Penni - I am here at Chucky's - you just got there - yes I first went to PPP - I told you CC - I know I thought that you didn't know what you were talking about. Are you sure that you want me to hang out here and watch Zoe - Yes I want you to go hang out with the parents until the party is over. I was hoping Penni would see that plan sucked and it was nothing that I wanted to do and instead say to me that I can leave and go home and have a nice dinner and watch some TV.

So as I headed over to the party table with all the parents - Zoe comes running up and is happy to see her Dad. Suddenly I am not so tired and I tell myself that I can make this a good night or a bad night. So it is going to be good. As Zoe goes running off with her friend I sit down at an open spot at the "parent" table. I say to myself that I am going to whip out my A+ personality and wow these people. Just then I notice that the people by me are speaking another language. Great!!! it is Russian Great!!!! As I look to the ceiling and say to myself - Heavenly Father you are killing me. I am trying to have a good time - but I don't speak Russian - come on. I finally met an English speaking dad and we get to talking - he learned all about the paint business and I learned the difference between a Nurse and a Nurse Practitioner. At one point I made one of the birthday girls uncle's have soda come out his nose from laughing and I knew that I accomplish my goal - it was a good night. I even got the father of the birthday girl in trouble with his wife because he was standing around listening to one of my stories instead of helping with the party.

So Zoe and I start walking out to the parking lot and my cell rings - mom wants to know when you guys are coming home - tell mom we will be home soon.

Now comes that best part of the night - the ride home with Zoe talking non-stop. As we get in the truck she leans back in her chair and cocks her head to the right and says - so what were you and that dude talking about. Kids are funny. Then I get to listen to all the happenings on the playground and who is getting into trouble. Zoe told me one story about a time when her class was lining up after lunch and one of the boys in her class said to Zoe - I am going to get you tomorrow (they play tag, I guess) and she said oh I bet that you don't get me tomorrow. Then she turns to one of her friends and says he does know that tomorrow is Saturday and he is not getting me on Saturday. Then she just laughs to herself. The ride home lasted way to short.

Penni's Birthday

Penni turned 29 again for the 8th time and I am glad to report that she is still smok'in hot. We celebrated the day on Sunday with a dinner that she requested and one that I can prepare. Steak perfectly prepared baked potatoes and green beans. But she still has to make her birthday dessert - Crème Brule.

It was a classic birthday for Penni and I. I talked to Penni about what she wanted for her birthday on Thursday and he only idea was too ambitious to be pulled off so I needed her to come up with plan "B". So on Saturday still no plan "B", unless you call letting her pick where she wanted to go to lunch - In and Out Burger. So by mid-afternooon the day before her birthday I finally get the dinner order for Sunday but no gift ideas. So I am on my own - which is not good for her unless she wants an endless supply of unmentionables from my favorite store - Victoria Secrets.

But she knows her husband so as I headed out to V.S. she calls and redirects me to a ribbon and lace store in downtown Mesa for some bowls and platters. As she describes what she wants she says a couple of times - oh I should just go and get it myself. The last thing I need is her telling people that I can't even get my wife a present. I have Kristine with me and she has been to the store and seen the items, plus I get a detailed description from Nichole.

So fast forward to Sunday - we are opening presents and I am pretty proud of myself. 1) Dinner was not burnt - check 2) Sees Candy - check 3) the only present she asked for - check. Wait as she is opening the present she says - this isn't the platter that I wanted. What do you mean - I went to the ribbon and lace store - I bought the only platter they had - I asked Kristine if this is the platter - Kristine made a verbal "yes" utterance. Now I see her eyes, her face and I know that it is not the platter she wanted. Like I said, another year, another birthday, another year that I got the wrong gift. Add that to the list of things she will never forget - me going to get subway when she was in labor with Nichole - I was gone 15 minutes, she still thinks I was gone an hour and a half. Yes don't ask her to tell the story. And then there was her first mother’s day after we got married and I didn't get her anything. My excuse - she wasn't a mother. This all could drive a man to drink.

Why I would never make it today in Jr. High??

I got an email on Friday from Nichole's school. The email lets you click on a link and it takes you to all of Nichole's teachers grade books. So by Friday afternoon I know Nichole's grades for the first three weeks of school. I find it interesting that the email comes Friday afternoon. So if I had a child that was not doing well in school - well their weekend just took a turn for the worst.

Penni gives me that look of disgust every time I talk about my attitude during my school days, luckily I am sitting here and Penni is nowhere in sight so here I go. My goal was to get thru school by 1) never doing homework 2) do as little as possible. With the current system - it wouldn't have been pretty at the Pickett household. But luckily I grew up in a time when this type of information was only given twice a year in the form of a report card - which meant I just had to intercept the mail and change my "D's" to a "B's". Wait a minute, who am I kidding, my resolve was so strong that I wouldn't have let the internet get in my way of supreme underachievement. I would have come up with a plan to combat this current environment. I won't let out my secrets now because I am the parent and I don't want them to learn my tricks.

Nichole's Birthday Party

Instead of Knights at the round table how about 10 teenage girls at the round table.

Playing some games - lots of talking

That says it all - Happy Birthday!!!

I know what you are probably saying - isn't Nichole's b-day in July. And you would be correct but all of her friends were on vacation in July so we waited to do a party until everyone was home and schools started. Saturday night we had her first teenage party. I was in charge of the pizza - so I did some quick math - 10 girls times 3 large pizzas = 2.4 big slices per girl - should be plenty. Then Penni pulls out a big salad and a big bowl of fruit as I going to get the pizza and I think that I have ordered too much pizza. I mean we are talking 10 young girls here not 10 grown men. So I get the pizza and then hurry back to get Kristine and Zoe so that Nichole's party won't be ruined because her little sisters are in attendance. Actually after being back at the house for less than a minute I was glad I was getting out of there because of all the teenage chatter. But Kristine was having a real hard time understanding why she couldn't say and be part of the party. So we take off and I go to get Kristine's, Zoe's and myself a pizza on our way to my parents house to watch the Olympics and eat pizza. I get our pizza and start heading to my parent and I get a call from Penni. "I am out of pizza, no one touched any of my salad or fruit." I told her that I planned on 10 young women not 10 scouts. So I head back to the pizza place for the third time, this time the manager waits on me because he thinks that I am his new best customer. I order three more medium pizzas with the deal that he gaves me and I have them delivered so that I can see the swimming finals - I have my priorities. I call Penni back and say help is on the way - Carlos is coming with more pizza. I told her that I have some raw meat in the fridge to hold them off until he gets there.



I ask Penni how the party is going - besides the lack of pizza. She said that she is upstairs because all the talking is too much to handle. Everyone is talking over each other - four girls are always talking at once. Penni had planned some games but when she goes to Nichole to ask her is she ready to play the games Nichole keeps saying "just a minute - mom" so Penni told her to come get her when they are ready. Then I tell Penni to save us three pieces of Nichole's favorite ice cream pie, her response is "yeah right". In the end Nichole was very happy with the party and it was a good night for her - and that is all that matters so it was a success. Next time we will know to order tons of pizza, lots of soda and then top the evening off with gallons of ice cream and chocolate sauce - then get out of the way.

First Day of School

Scroll down. There is a new post!!

Nichole and Kristine on the first day of school

Zoe with her pink backpack

San Diego Trip

On the first day we were at San Diego we went to the beach. I had so much fun. Grandpa had rented a boogie board for us to use. I got some really good waves. When we got there Grandpa had taken Jason's big tent. It took us about a 1/2 hour to put up. Toward the end a guy came up and asked us if we needed any help. Any ways I had so much fun.

Saturday we went to Sea World. I loved the night shows. They were probably all of our favorite shows. I loved the sea lion and otter show. We were all laughing our heads off turing that show.

On Sunday, while Grandma and Grandpa were STILL getting ready Kristine and I got bored so we decided to take pictures. Here's a FEW of them!

The one picture I told her not to be silly in she just had to be silly in!! URGGHH, sisters!!


I love this picture. It cracks me up!!

Here I was supposed to taking a picture of Kristine and I and purposly tried to cut Kristine out. I must say that I am the nicest sister ever!!

Here I did better, I only got her forehead.

Kristine of coure got mad.

Finally we headed off for the zoo.

It was one of the baby panda's 1st birthday so they had this panda come out to celebrate baby Zhen-Zhen's (prononced Chin-Chin, it means precious) bithday.

The polar bear were so close to us it was so cool. We even got to watch them eat there luch it was so cool. These polar bears were HUGE!!

The panda bears were my favorite.