Check Mate

Hollywood smoked the competition at his first chess tourney of the 2010-11 school year. Obe, the chess instructor, has 36 kids on his team this year, far larger than the other schools teams. 23 of them played at the Four Winds tournament yesterday. Hollywood has been honing his skills and looked at each game with a systematic plan. Far more mature and patient than the last two years when he rushed through and made bad moves because he would get stuck on the defense and end up in stale mate or worse.

So first tourney of the year and he won all 3 of the games!!! Great job little buddy! I love you and I'm so proud!

4th Grade

Don't those boys look handsome?! Blondy is in 2nd, Hollywood in 4th!

Hollywood turns 9

Little League

It's that time of year again. Hollywood started Baseball today. Opening ceremonies and the first game was this morning. We got up bright and early to make it to the field my 7:45 and then the game was at 9. Hollywood did great! Blondy had a hard time but luckily one of the players brothers let him watch movies on his Nintendo DS. Coach Stirling is raising some great kids. I'm glad Dante is on our team again. I'll post pictures soon. I didn't get good ones today since we were playing on the softball field and there are too many fences between us and them.

Hollywood hit the ball on the first pitch the first inning and hit the ball within the first three pitches the next 4 innings. I'm so proud of him! He did some outfield work today and just needs a little more hustle when the ball comes his way but he's getting there. A little more practice and he'll be in good shape. We have another game Monday. I hope to get some good pictures then.

Chess mania

Hollywood won this round but lost the next two. He still took home a silver medal and the team placed 7th overall! Great job for having only three tourny's under their belts. Great Coaching Mr. Obe!

and he is so smart!

I am so amazed by my son. He amazes me every day, several times a day. He's doing WONDERFUL at guitar lessons. He is participating in the chess club in school, participating in his first class wide tournament next week. Both his guitar instructor and the teacher in charge or the chess club are amazed by him. Things come naturally to him. School is just hard enough with the challenging teachers he has that he stays interested and looking for more. He still loves baseball, fighter jets and video games. He wants to be like his daddy, but without the guts and gore of a firefighter paramedic. He sleeps with his dog, who's twice as big as he is. He plays with Lego's and acts goofy. He crosses his eyes and sticks out his tongue when the camera comes out. He makes up his own knock knock jokes. He believes in Santa and the spirit of my grandpa (Poppy) and his dads grandpa (Derril).

Last week he said:

"Two wrongs don't make a right but three rights make a left"

too true, and so smart. My little boy is a bit of a genius

gotta cup 'O' Joe?

Hollywood did so good at his baseball game today. For those of you not Little League savvy, when they hit Farm League they are the step up from T-ball. They only get 5 pitches since most of them swing for a good or bad pitch they generally will strike out if they don't watch the ball. they are being pitched to by one of their coaches. Hollywood did so good today. He had a couple warm up pitches then hit them HARD AND FAST every contact. Great Job buddy.

Now for the funny stuff. Hollywood tried out the catching position again today. All geared up and ready to play he went out and did his job. When I checked on him after the inning I asked him how he felt about it. He answered, "I did good but my cup slipped down all the way down my pants leg." I had the think about that for a half a second... being a girl and all. "Um, honey? You are supposed to put the cup INSIDE your underwear." He throws his head back and laughs. "That makes sense!" OHH BOY... the things you learn being the mommy of boys. That and that tadpoles and live indefinitely in the bucket outside your house. We're at 3+ weeks now.

Put me in Coach

FFP has been able to help out with Hollywoods Little League team this year. Their team is the Giants and they are playing farm so no more T's. They get pitched to by coach. Wyatt is doing pretty good, a little more confident each game. I love how they are figuring out the legistics of the game, you know like where to throw to first depending on who is on what base. That sort of thing. You can just see the wheels turning in their head. Hollywood tried catcher the first full game but the ball hit him in the upper thigh and that was that. He's back to being out in the field. He did great on Second today and has been doing a good job hitting the ball when its a good pitch.

we all put our pants on one leg at a time

Poor Hollywood. We bought him 3 pairs of new pants for Christmas (when they were way too big) and this morning he put a pair of his wranglers on and couldn't button them and they totally looked like high waters. He went from one of the shortest boys in the class before Christmas to one of the tallest in two and a half months. Now I know where all that food went. When he woke up this morning saying that his legs hurt I just cringed thinking about the food bill. At least we are getting close to shorts weather... and of course he needs those and t-shirts and new shoes. and a whole new baseball uniform and probably a bat too. LOL.

I know Karate

Hollywood started into the big kids karate class this last month. There is a lot more going on and he will have much more responsibility. As he moves through the belts he will get to learn about weapons and self defence. He will have harder and longer forms to preform and he loves every minute of it. I'll have to take the camera to class this week to post. He's not the big kid anymore. He still has his black belt from lil' dragons until his yellow belt come in but he is so excited to be moving onto more difficult and rewarding class.

Since we don't have enough to do... Hollywood starts Little League baseball this week. His first practice is on Wednesday then they move to Mondays. He is in Farm League this year which is where the batting machine pitches to you. FFP took Hollywood and his buddy David out to the batting cages this weekend to practice and we will probably need to go a few more times before his first game but he can't wait. He made it onto Coach Damon's team again this year. I just can't wait for those hot days out at the ball field with no time between baseball and swimming this year these kids should be beat.

Chit Chat

As Hollywood's teacher would say, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree". Hollywood has been talking in class. OK I should really say he is excessively talking to a point that he has had a note or two or ... uhem... three home just since winter brake has been over. We have taken all the things that he treasures most away, computer time, best friend time, PlayStation 2 time... After a long talk with his teacher (who has known my FFP for a very long time), we have come to the conclusion that maybe he needs to be removed from the rest of his group (no it does not matter who he sits with, he will talk to ANYONE who just might listen). Maybe that will make an impression on not just him but the rest of the class too, that just might get his attention. I told her not to give him warnings today, since all the other warnings didn't work he's used them all up. Just move him. We will see. Although it has gone on all year its been pretty controllable as long as I remind him in the morning before he gets out of the car to have a good day and not to talk in class. Not only does he talk in class but he also has a smart alec response to serious questions about how to get his behavior to change. One more way he's just like his daddy, lighten the mood with a laugh. But when Mommy and Daddy are mad, that doesn't really work.

Hollywood and FFP are two peas in a pod. Funny and engaging, smart and sarcastic ... I just wish they had a volume down button or a mute button at the pertinent times, like in the classroom, or a restaurant per say.

Say CHEESE... not CHEESY

Daddy Did WHAT?

Uncle Brian with the boys last summer. Uncle Brian, Brown... Hollywood and Blondy, White LOL

The other night my darling FFP shaves my children's heads into MOWHAKS before completely shaving their heads. I know they wanted to be bald like Uncle Brian who is serving his time in Iraq but that is a lot of baldness for one family, let me tell you. They did look adorable though and my Hollywood sure can Ham it up.

The next morning FFP pulls out clothes for Hollywood and so he's in Jeans and his Army tshirt from the PX. He says, " I look like Uncle Brian, only I'm not brown." LOL. I need to post a pic of Uncle Brian on here to compare. Sorry boys no latino blood in you to make you brown.

Fishin on the River

Hollywood, Blondy, FFP, Gpa Dennis and I went out on Gpa's boat yesterday to do some salmon and striper fishing. We didn't catch anything worth keeping but we had fun anyhow. Hollywood did his homework on the boat while we "waited" for the fish to bite. He helped reel in a baby striper on Gpa's line. We had a fun day!

my baby is Upward bound

Hollywood wanted to be like his buddy down the street and try basketball. David had always done Basketball through the EV Free church. there is a devotional time and since we go to church (or we try anyway) I'm fine with this. I'm not sure how FFP who is not religious in the least, will feel about it but its a little to late for that now. We talk openly about what the boys feel that God is and where his presence is all the time. This is just one more outlet for that.

Hollywood's first Basketball game is Saturday. I'm not sure how the pictures will turn out in that dark gym so I may just have to take a picture of him in his uniform before the game with a BBall outside before hand. He is good at shooting and getting baskets (a lot better than I ever was, just ask my cousin Allen). He is not so sure about going after the ball or even passing yet. I hope that there is a big difference between now and November when the end of the season is. I'm proud of him for trying something different. We will have real baseball where a ball is pitched by a machine next year. I hope this gives him the courage and self confidence to take control. We will see. There will be pix this week.

I'm Movin on UP

Hollywood with his Second Grade Teacher

Hollywood is being moved up to the next level of reading. I broke down and asked. I feel guilty, like I'm bothering Anne with these things. I mean if she has something to tell me, she would send a note home or email me right. But when I asked she said that she needed to talk to me about that anyway. Mrs. K thought he should move up to Mrs. O's literature group because his reading was very good. I am excited and nervous. Hollywood likes nice short sweet answers. Not always what the teacher had in mind. I hope this move motivates him. He starts over there next Tuesday. He is having some trouble with time management though. He is not so excited about math so he takes his time... lots of time... sometimes way too much time. So that is also something we need to work on. I'm just not sure how to keep him motivated while he's at school. I will be working in the classroom on Monday afternoons, so that might help. I will be able to see what he is and isn't getting done because that is when they have extra time to finish anything from earlier that they may not have been able to accomplish. We will see. I really like Anne and I think she is the perfect teacher for my Hollywood, strict and loving all at the same time.

Ride Like the Wind

Hollywood learned to ride his bike without training wheels today. Although I felt like he could do it for a while... he was pretty aprehensive. Today we just said..."Listen, we are taking the extra wheels off and going to the park to learn to ride." He replied, "OK"


(sorry its blurry... it was dark and the kid was moving pretty fast by this point)


With very little practice and lots of guidance from his dad he was off and flying, making trips around the trail at the park. I am so proud of him. Of course Blondy thinks that its his turn. I think I'll let Hollywood have the glory for a while then work on the little guy. Gma K and Gpa D came out to see him ride. It was a great night! We are so lucky to live where we do, so close to the grandparents and aunts and uncles, for many other reasons than the free babysitting of course.

Wordless Wednesday

My very cool Hollywood on his first Day of Second Grade.

Yes, This is definitely a typical facial expression. When the camera comes out so does the clown in him. He does have beautiful brown eyes though doesn't he....

Sleep Over

Hollywood had his first sleepover (you know without Mom and Dad ) at a friends house *Just Because* last night and I am under the assumption that he got to sleep WAY TOO LATE since he took a nap today for the first time in months. My Little boy is growing up so fast...

7 Things I love about Hollywood

1. He is so smart... he loves to learn new things and is driving to find answers to the unknown. First Grade show and tell he told about ... The Bermuda Triangle. That's my boy.

2. He has never been a huge cuddle bug but sometimes when he's tired he just curls up and leans on me lets me hold him. I so treasure these moments.

3. He loves to read and be read to. We are starting the Harry Potter series and he is so enthralled. He can't wait for me to change the page or the next thing to happen.

4. He loves video games. If you know Hollywood you know I must PRY him away from his games. He's really good at them and is learning that just because you can't pass a level yet you keep trying and you'll make it. It's kinda like everything in life but it doesn't hurt or bleed as much when your character falls and you have to try again.

5. He guards his words but gives out love and truths about you when you least expect it... like last night.

6. He dreams and imagines BIG all the time. He loves to not just be in first but to WIN with a vengeance. He is very competitive.

7. I see so much seriousness and frustration just under the surface and I feel for you but you are figuring things out yourself and finding answers along the way. You are my independent one and though I miss the hugs and kisses I treasure the big boy you are growing into.