my little drummer boy...

I should've known that Jaelen and Jahki's preschool Christmas program was going to be quite a production when they gave Jakhi a poem to memorize in September. "Happy I am, and happy I'll stay, 'cause I know Jesus loves me today" is what I've heard everyday for the last 3 1/2 months and will be burned in my brain for at least that many years.

Jakhi knew his poem down packed and could be heard clear as day. And Jaelen was the best drummer in his class (so I'm biased). Jaelen also sang his little heart out too and nearly jingle belled the little girl next to him in the face.

road trip!

99 South took us to SoCal to do what we do best -- watch sports! We followed our local Central Catholic HS down to Carson where the Raiders played in the state championship and lost to St. Bonaventure 35-21. One of the highligts -- besides Louis Bland running over & through their DB's -- for me was all the free giveaways! I got a football-shaped cooler bag, Clinique lip balm, and key chains. I left feeling like a winner even if our team was the loser!

Since we were down in SoCal we also got to watch O.J. (see below blog) play in a tournament championship game vs. Campbell Hall starring UCLA-bound guard Jrue Holliday. OJ D'ed him up and stole the show with 20 points and went home with the hardware including All-Tournament honors. (I think I hear the recruiters calling right now! ) Needless to say, Trae thinks he's the coolest. It was wonderful to watch OJ play and see some quality hoops for a change (we don't get that in the Central Valley).

Happy Birthday Dena!

I remember thinking she was so cool back in junior high school when I saw her doing the Reebok and the Cabbage Patch at the school dance. Now I think she is way cooler for much cooler things... like how she is great mother and role model for her three little girls, how she has a great sense of humor and how she is a woman of God. I'm blessed to be able to call her my friend. Happy Birthday Dena!

and he didn't want to play football...

This weekend the Nichols Fam (only after twisting my hubby's arm) went to the season-ending banquet for football for Trae's team, the Central Saints. We would've skipped it but "mo-ma" put her foot down and I dragged the men there. But as always, I was right -- we were glad we went. Not because it was exciting or so much fun but we would've missed out on a special recognition. As Trae was standing on the stage with the rest of his teammates getting their team trophies, the coach started talking about a particular player..."this is a player who really stepped up this year and played different positions from running back to quarterback..." Doobie and I were barely paying attention, having our own conversation just assuming Trae wasn't getting an individual award but just as we made eye contact with Trae we realized he's talking about our kid (Trae realized this too by the look on his face and his cheesy grin!). Much to our surprise, Trae earned the Offensive Player of the Year Award. This is coming from the kid that didn't even want to play football in the beginning of the year!

waiting game

Basketball season is here! And there is nothing more we like to do on the cold winter nights than going to GOOD basketball games. The Nichols Fam will be travelling near and far especially to watch cousin, Oscar (affectionately called O.J.) play for Westchester HS in SoCal for his senior year. We wish him the best as this is an important season for him as he plays a waiting game for his dream scholarship.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/highschool/11/20/bellfield1126/index.html

1st Annual Nichols Holiday Bowl

We started a new tradition this year.... Rather than sitting around after eating and letting tryptophan kick in we decided to do what we Nichols do best -- play sports! After a delicious meal by my mother-in-law, we headed to the bowling alley and competed in pairs. Needless, to say Doobie and I took home the trophy as we narrowly escaped (if let Tee and Dominque tell it) with a win by 10 points.

But the real show was put on by Aunty Dorothy whodidn't know that if you step over the line you cross into an oil slick. She found out the hard way and it was "Man down! Man down!" If we had it on camera it would of been a big hit on YouTube. Note to self: must start bringing video camera places!

It was a great Thanksgiving -- especially hanging out with Big Bo, my brother-in-law from the ATL (now) and listeing to Ma'dea's crazy stories -- we now know how the Nichols craziness originates....

Frohawk turned chichen-hawk

So our newest events revolve around the barber shop. Last week I asked Trae if he'd like to get a Mohawk in which he ecstasticly replied with a big yes but then looked skeptically at his dad. Doobie was thinking it was going to look like the old school Mr. T cut but the cut is not as severe. It's what they call a frohawk now -- which Diddy made famous -- not cut completely bald on the sides.

The frohawk has given Trae a new found confidence and appreciation for grooming. He woke up the next morning and brushed his hair with long careful strokes gazing in the mirror at every angle checking that every hair was in it's proper place and even asking me to help him "get the back for me." Our normal routine usually starts with a plea to brush his hair and then it's one stroke of the brush and he's out. This morning brought tears to our eyes -- our little man is growing up.

So now Jaelen of course wants one. "Daddy, I want to go to the barbie shop! I want a bearhawk too!" Translation: Take me to the barber shop NOW and get me a frohawk NOW. If you know Jaelen, you know he runs the show and needless to say we took him too. Only thing is that with the curls he has, it just didn't turn out the same. He just reminds me of Henery the Hawk -- Foghorn Leghorn's little sidekick. "I'm a chicken hawk and I eat chicken!"

everybody rock your body...

Get your groove on. Shake your money maker. Boogey down. It makes you feel good. My husband knows taking me dancing every once in awhile keeps a happy home. If you don't know how, take lessons. Check out where he's learned his pattoned two step move...

http://birdloversonly.blogspot.com/2007/09/may-i-have-this-dance.html

November is hot chocolate month...

It's that time of the year -- no, not Thanksgiving or Christmas. It's that time of the year that the Nichols Fam braves the cold weather to watch our local college and HS football games every Friday or Saturday night while sipping on our pipin' homemade hot chocolate from our thermos. For us it is no longer so much a luxury but more so a part of the checklist of necessities: blanket - check, stadium chairs - check, beanies - check, gloves - check, hot chocolate - check!

The best hot chocolate is made with MILK...not water! Believe me, there's nothing worse than having to buy the "brown water" at the stadium snack bar. For the best hot chocolate results, use a premium chocolate like Ghiradelli's. Shave the chocolate in the warming milk (making sure it doesn't boil). Top it off with marshmallows, shaved chocolate or whipped cream.

Happy Hot Chocolate Month!

TGIF...

I love Fridays...aka Friday Donut Days! We take the kids to donuts in the morning before we are all off to our respective schools (Dad works at Johansen HS, I work at Shackelford Elementary, Trae goes to Sonoma Elementary and Jaelen goes to SmallWorld Preschool. Nothing like starting your day off with a nutriotional breakfast! Yum Yum!

Everyday should be Halloween

After waking up from a sugar-induced comma I'm sure, my 9 year-old (step)son tells me this morning that "everyday should be Halloween." I mean, why wouldn't he want that. The great American tradition is all about everything we tell him NOT to do on a daily basis: DON'T take candy from a stranger, you CAN'T stay out after the street lights come on, you CAN'T stay up late on a school night, you CAN'T wear your pajamas out of the house (face it -- most of the costumes are glorified p.j.'s), DON'T make that scary face unless you want it to stay like that and DON'T eat too much candy! Bedlam, I tell you -- complete bedlam...

And we never lost a finger...

It's amazing how back in the days we use to carve pumpkins with REAL knives even in 3rd grade and never lost a finger. Now they've got all these cutting gadgets that can miraculously cut through three inches of pumpkin skin but not puncture our first layer of derma. And for you non-Martha Stewarts that aren't creative enough to think of your own design or talented enough to carve it, they even sell stencils to help trace a design. Not so much creative but safe and easy even for my 3 year-old nephew Jakhi and (step)son Jaelen.

First Day Jitters...

Just like the new kid at school, I'm not sure what to do, what to say. I want to look the part but I gotta check out the rest of the kids first. I'll be back -- consider this "under construction."