Go Devils!

Last night was the NJ Devils first win after an upsetting losing streak. I think that we had something to do with it!

Orange Belt!

Congratulations Joey!!

Red Lobster

We went to Red Lobster to celebrate Michael's 9th birthday last night. Michael went for the lobster and devoured the whole thing (and some of my french fries too). Happy Birthday, buddy!

Happy Birthday Michael!

Michael turned 9 years old (or 3,285 days as Michael informed me) today. Danielle got up this morning to make blueberry pancakes and hang streamers and balloons around the kitchen to celebrate. People always say how fast time goes by when you have kids, but it doesn't really hit home until you realize that the little person you brought home from the hospital nine years ago is now standing as high as your chin.

Food for thought

Joey: Daddy, what are cows for?
Daddy: We eat them.
Joey: No we don't.
Daddy: Yes we do. Where do you think hamburgers come from?
Joey: McDonalds?

Bayonne 5, Freeze 1

8:15 AM Bayonne NJ: The NJ Freeze lost to the Bayonne Rangers 5 to 1. Michael played right wing and got two shots on goal plus one assist, and I got a personal tour of their electric Zamboni after the game.

Press release - Danielle Kovach named Teacher of the Year!

On Friday, January 8, 2010, the Hopatcong Borough School District announced and congratulated its Hopatcong District Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Danielle Kovach. Mrs. Kovach was surprised with a bouquet of balloons delivered by school Superintendent, Dr. Charles Maranzano, Jr. Mrs. Kovach has worked for the Hopatcong School District for 10 years. She currently teaches 2nd grade at the Tulsa Trail School. She has received several grants including her most recent, a grant from Honeywell & The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which enabled her to receive a $10,0000 classroom makeover. NJEA’s Classroom Close Up Television Program will be featuring Mrs. Kovach’s Got 2 Be Safe program which netted her the award from Honeywell. Mrs. Kovach has proven to be a leader in the utilization of technology in the classroom. She was instrumental in the Tulsa Trail School being named a SMART Showcase School by SMART Technologies. Mrs. Kovach will now compete in the Sussex County Teacher of the Year competition. Good Luck, Mrs. Kovach. Pictured above are: Tulsa Trail School Principal, Mr. Jeffrey Nesnay, Mrs. Danielle Kovach, Hopatcong’s Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Charles Maranzano, and students David Bettinger, Nicholas Milan, Jesse Huapaya, Christopher Hulsman, and Sean Eckert.

Contact: JoAnne Murray 973-770-8808 at Hopatcong Borough Public Schools

Joey lost his first tooth!

The tooth fairy left him a nice note under his pillow with some money to buy some legos.

Shootin' Gallery

Here's what my wife did with a few Wal-Mart gift certificates, a couple of Nerf guns and a vacation day.

This is proof that she must be the smart one because up to this point, the kids and I were just shooting at each other.

Future Genius

Danielle and I went to Cracker Barrel for dinner the other night. On the table, behind the salt and pepper shakers, was this game made from a triangular piece of wood with golf tees stuck in it. The object of the game is to jump the golf tees over each other until there is only one left. If you can do it, you're a genius.

Well, we played it for 45 minutes but never finished with less than 3 tees. So we bought one from the gift shop and gave it to Michael to try. Would you believe he beat the game in less than ten minutes?

We've Been Elfed!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Happy Holidays!

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Coconut Bowling

Who says you can't play with your food?

Christmas Pictures

Aspen Tournament

The Freeze played well this weekend. They faced some pretty tough competition but they worked hard and managed to pull off a couple of wins. The last two games on Sunday were real nail biters for Danielle and I because Michael was in goal, but he played well considering it's been a while since he played that position. He stopped 83% of the shots on net for the first game and about 55% in the second game.

Santa Picture

Another carefully choreographed production. It's called "quick, put Ryan on Santa's lap and take the picture before he starts crying!" The plan almost worked.

Christmas Picture

This year's Christmas picture was a carefully choreographed production, complete with a Milk Bone on the lens and a candy cane in the baby's hands. Nine takes later and we had our final product.

First sleigh ride

Young Joe Satriani?

Michael's class play

Michael was the narrator in his class play. They put on a show about the story of Thanksgiving.

New belt

Joey earned his Junior Yellow belt tonight! Time to start getting ready for the Juniors class. Congratulations Joey!!!!

Little things that make you proud.

NJ Freeze vs Montclair Blues, Saturday 8:00 AM

Final score: Blues 3, Freeze 0. Michael got his first 2 minute penalty of the season for tripping. Jamie Langenbrunner's son, Landon, was playing right wing for the Blues.

Company Christmas Party #12

We went to Chateau Hathorn in Warwick, NY on Friday for my company Christmas party.

Getting the house ready for Christmas

The pumpkin

Our pumpkin is ready for the garbage. He looks like he should be in a drug awareness commercial for methamphetamine abuse.

Christmas Village

We bought this from the new Christmas store in the Rockaway Mall. The kids like watching the moving figures and lights.

Getting closer!

Joey's only a few steps away from sitting on Santa's lap this year..
With the right amount of candy canes, we may be able to bribe him to
go all the way!

Hockey in the fog - Union, NJ 6:45 AM

What happens when Gravity meets Excess Flab

Ryan's eating with a fork!

Ryan actually ate three hot dogs (no buns) the other night. But even more amazing is that he ate them with a FORK! He grunted and pointed at my fork, so I gave it to him figuring he would play with it. He picked it up, held it between his fingers, and used it to eat his dinner! Way to go, buddy!

No doubt, three kids and a full time job are making my wife tired.

Joey's hidden talent

We're shocked! Joseph scored 100% for vocals on Rock Band!! None of us have ever done that before. He must get it from Danielle because I can't carry a tune to save my life.

Boba Fett and the Ninja

Ryan the Lion

Halloween

Oreos

Now that's the right way to eat an Oreo.. twist it, lick it, throw the rest to the dog :)

Kid Updates

Michael played in a ice hockey jamboree this weekend to determine where his team stands in relation to the other teams. They lost three games and won the fourth, but Michael played very well.

Ryan added a fourth word to his vocabulary. Now he can say Mama, Dada, Michael, Joey and Hamburger. I'm so proud of my little carnivore!

Joey earned his red belt in Karate on Thursday. I believe he only has one more belt to go before he starts the junior class. His punches are definitely getting harder!

No Caption Necessary

We have words... kind of!

We went to Elizabethville, Pennsylvania last weekend to see my college roomate, Eric. Danielle and I haven't seen him since our wedding 11 years ago so it was quite a reunion. His kids played with our kids and everyone had a good time. We even learned how to country line dance.

Instead of driving home that night, Danielle and I decided to spend the night at a farm down the road from Eric. The owner converted the original farmouse into a bed and breakfast. All five of us slept in one bedroom, but it wasn't too bad (except for having to share the john down the hall).

Snow in October

It's with mixed feelings that I report it's snowing in Sparta today. Cheers for the early ski season, and jeers for the Pontiac with the broken heater. It's going to be a long, cold ride home tonight.

Conch horn?

We went to the Devils game on Saturday, and this guy in front of us was blowing on a Conch shell when they scored. I had no idea a Conch shell was so loud. Michael loved the game, and Joey loved the 8 dollar foam finger we bought for him in the gift shop.

Awesome weekend

It was 80 degrees and sunny all weekend so we took advantage of the good weather. We're sharing the same cold so we cancelled everything else we had planned for this weekend and just took it easy.

Friday - dinner and a movie night (Chinese and Meet the Robinsons).

Saturday - driveway basketball, McDonalds, biked around the neighborhood.

Sunday - Hockey, backyard football, Power Wheels, watched the Jets beat New England. Brian Kilmeade summed it up pretty well this morning. "Remember when Tom Brady used to be good?"

Updates

School - The boys are doing well in school. Michael was nominated to be his class representative for a community program that develops future leaders, and Joey got to sit in the "duck chair" on Tuesday. It's a special honor in his Kindergarten class, and he was extremely proud.

Hockey - The hockey season is almost in full swing. Practices started a few weeks ago at Aspen, and we have a tentative version of the game schedule. If anyone is interested in coming to a game or practice let me know and I will send you more information. Michael's playing center and left wing for the NJ Freeze this season so at least half of the games will be in Randolph.

Soccer - Danielle is coaching in the Roxbury Mighty Mites soccer program starting on September 26th, and I believe Joey is on her team. They play at Horseshoe Lake on Saturdays at 1:15. It's good to see Danielle carrying on the tradition her dad started (he coached Danielle when she played soccer).

Karate - Joey goes to Karate twice a week (usually Tuesday and Thursday) and he loves it. He earned his Brown Belt on Saturday. His school has seating for spectators, so if anyone is interested in watching Joey work out let me know.

Ryan - He's enjoying his time with Grandma during the week. He isn't talking yet, but he is starting to copy the sounds we make so I think he will be talking soon. I have a DVD with his first crawl and his first steps, and hopefully I will get to record his first words too.