December 2010

In Mid-December we must make a trip to the mountains to find the Hoke family Christmas tree. Even though this is only the second year, I think it is now tradition. We also attempt to take some family photos for our holiday card. Below are a few we didn't use.

This is one of my favorites.

This is one of the photos we agreed on and used in our electronic version of the card.

But....the more important part of this trip is the tree. Wow, it took a long time to find the right one this year.



Then it is Layne's job to do the cutting...since she only cuts a tree down once a year, she isn't getting much better. It is fun to watch, though.



And it is quite a mess when she is done.

So, we get the tree in the house and have to make some cuts to get to look nicer...Heath just throws them on Sully and he just lays there with the branches all over him.  You will see in another photo below that this isn't unusual for him.

December went fast, as it usually does. The club was going full speed ahead and then all the holiday stuff. We had another holiday party at out house. I remember being very stressed about squeezing it in, but it was really worth it. It is so nice to gather with friends and just have a good time. I think it is needed more.

So, I will start off with a great pictures of the girls...I really think they enjoy getting their picture taken!

Me and June.

Sonia, Colleen and Jess.

Joe and Nela.

Me and Layne...super cool.

Next up was our USAV holiday party, also another great time to spend with co-workers outside the office. This year it was held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and was very nice.

Me without Heath...I think we had to meet there because he was busy doing something? Club probably.

He did arrive.

Heath and I by the beautiful tree in the lobby.

So...all of that brings us to Christmas morning. We, again, decided to stay in Colorado Springs for the holidays and not travel. Heath needed to be in town for the USAV High Performance Holiday came that starts the day after Christmas. It is kinda weird and lonely staying home, but the time off is very nice.

Layne and her surprise...she still doesn't get up on her own.

Pedro hanging out by the fireplace on Christmas morning.

Me and my snow shoes. The only sad thing about this is I haven't even used them yet (I am writing this on March 30.)

We went with the REI gift card for Heath...you can never go wrong with that.

Layne was kinda confused at first by this gift but very excited once she figured it out.

We were all going to Hawaii in March!!

Like I just mentioned, it is currently the end of March and hard to believe that our trip came and went.

At Christmas it felt so far away!!

We tried our annual holiday photo with Layne and the dogs...it took many tries and still this was about the best one we got. It was a good time with lots of laughing and yelling.

I don't have many pictures of our holiday meal....in fact it was just a lot of little things all day. As I noted at Thanksgiving, we no longer eat meat and our Christmas meal included no meat. I can't complain and I didn't feel awful after I was done.

This photo was taken the day we were removing the Christmas tree from the house. Sully was just laying in our way and ended up with a bunch of pine needles on him, so Heath just started vacuuming him up. He just laid there and let it happen....crazy dog.



I try each year to make the holidays less about the gifts and more about the people in your life. I think I am doing better about creating memories and such, but still buying too many gifts. I will keep at it.

Team Colorado Volleyball

I guess I did leave out a pretty big development in our lives that happened later last year....Heath is now the Executive Director of Team Colorado Volleyball Club. In a joint effort with two others, he decided to take this on. My version is that he started meeting with the group and before I knew it he was in charge. I am sure it isn't exactly like that....but that is my story. I was certainly concerned, he already had too much to do. After many meetings, late night planning...the club was born. It has a very solid base and Heath continues to impress me with his professionalism and integrity. I have no idea how he does it.

Tryouts were in October and we start the season with 14 teams, including a satellite team in Pueblo. This is a pretty huge start for a club. I was very pleased with Layne's team and coaches and finally, in club volleyball here, things felt right.

I have always been concerned with Heath's work-load, but he has lots of help. I have noticed something that I didn't expect, he seems to spend less time at work. Now, he really likes his job but we all know that you can easily get burnt-out. So, he still does a wonderful job at USAV but now has something to divide his time and I think that is a good thing. He also really enjoys the relationships and satisfaction from coaching and teaching volleyball. I still don't know how he does it, but it all seems to be working out well.

GO TEAM COLORADO!!

October/November 2010 Update

The Palmer Volleyball season went by fast. Although the girls had some really great matches, they didn't finish the season strong. Layne is looking forward to next season. We have many kids playing club now and that should bring up the collective level of the team. I think Layne did great and I am so proud of her playing Varsity as a freshman. She did receive her Varsity letter, now we just need to order that jacket!!

Palmer Homecoming 2010. This is Layne's first semi-formal event and we had a good time picking a dress, shoes and accessories. I think she looks to old!

Thanksgiving 2010 was a little different for us, we did stay home again, but we had dramatically changed our eating habits (which I will dedicate an entire blog to very soon). Thanksgiving was 99% Vegan meaning no meat or dairy. I did have a bit of trouble thinking about Thanksgiving without turkey but in the end, it was so much easier and not missed at all.

Heath enjoying his meatless Thanksgiving meal.

Today is March 19, 2011 and I am updating the blog from last October/November...I know it is sad. My goal this weekend is to get up to date and here is my first step. Stay tuned for more!! I may get them all written but will probably just post one a day...don't want to do too much. :)

Palmer Volleyball

Last night we headed up to Monument to watch Palmer play Palmer Ridge.  Up to this point, the JV team has been quite successful but the Varsity has been struggling a bit.  Layne played both JV and Varsity last night again and it was a long night.  Seems like the matches were behind schedule...a lot.  JV did a fabulous job and won in 2 sets!!  I do believe that all Palmer teams got W's last night.

Varsity easily won the first set and we were so excited!!  The next 3 sets were all won by 2 points...and after set four, each team had 2 set wins.  We really took control in set 5 and were ahead 6-1.  Palmer Ridge had never let us feel comfortable in our leads and quickly caught back up.  We ended up with the set and match win 15-11!!  We left the gym at 10:00pm last night...what a night!!

25-17, 26-28, 24-26, 38-26, 15-11

My good friend and co-worker, Bill Kauffman when a long with us last night and took some amazing shots of Layne.  He really has no idea how much I love these pictures!!  Video is great but there is just something about an action shot!!  Thanks so much Bill.  I also told Bill he was good luck and would have to attend the rest of the season matches!!  His work is below.

I think this photo turned out great and I will cherish this one!!

August/September 2010

School and high school volleyball are in full swing.  We are busy, as everyone is, but enjoying the busy.  It is fun to see all the new things that Layne is experiences and driving her where she needs to be.

We have had a few successes in the garden....here is our broccoli!!  We almost had some really great peppers but they disappeared.  The plant was not hurt but one day the peppers were just gone.  We think that it was Sully, but not sure!!  We have many tomatoes but they are still green.

Layne learned how to mow the yard.  She wasn't super excited but was very proud of her work once she was done.

The past weekend was the balloon festival and we kept thinking we should go down and check it out since we never have.  We just enjoy the balloons in the air.  This year they didn't really come close to our house but caught a few going to Leadville on Saturday morning.  They just make me happy.

Layne's JV team is doing well.  They had their first match last Thursday and won...she played great.  On Friday the varsity coach asked her to come to varsity practice on Monday, along with two other JV players.  We were excited!!

Saturday, JV had a tournament in Leadville...Heath and I were anxious to see Leadville, it is a place we had not been to yet.  It is a neat little town.  This was a Varsity tournament but Palmer sent their JV team, which was great!  Layne's team didn't do too well, only winning one match.......

but Layne was chosen as the Best Tournament Player!!  It was so great and we were so proud of her!!

So, after Layne had practiced with Varsity on Monday...coach made it clear that he didn't know what he would do exactly but wouldn't make any changes for last nights match.  Well....after JV (which won) Layne was given a Varsity jersey and had to suit up!!  She was quite surprised.  So, with only a moments' notice, being a freshman, only practicing with them once and playing a different back-row position...she got some playing time.  All that is enough to give you some nervousness but she went out there and did great!  Once again, we were so proud.  I was particularly happy because they gave her #13 and that was my number for high school and college...so cool.  Palmer plays again tonight and she thinks she will get some more Varsity time!!  I have been nervous all day......it is hard being a parent.

Go Brown!!!

August 2010

I didn't realize it had been so long since my last post!!  Guess we have been busy and now it is already mid-August.  WOW!

Here are a couple of updated photos of the garden...from late July.  Everything is doing well....if the dogs don't happen to step on something.

The tomatoes are going crazy, but still nothing to eat yet.

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On August 4th, Heath's dad came for his yearly visit.  The first weekend of his trip we headed to Winter Park for the weekend.  It was a place that none of us had been to and it was really beautiful!!

We arrived on Friday evening and on Saturday morning we headed to Grand Lake, CO to find a hike.  Below, Heath and his dad prepare--they are booth very serious.

Grand Lake is a town and also a lake.  It was a very beautiful area, but very touristy.

We found a hike, but it was very busy.

Yep, that is Layne....still texting.

The first major attraction on the trail is Adams Falls.

The rest of the trail was very nice and this valley opened to a beautiful view of the mountains.

We tried to get to the first lake, but is was 5.5 miles...one way.  We didn't make it.

Group shot.

Layne and I being silly, we were outside the bike shop while Heath and Steve were chatting with the owner.

Steve and the cowboy statue.  I am sure this is someone I should know and there is probably a story for it....but I never looked, sorry.

On the drive home, we decided to take the long way.  This meant a shopping stop in Breckenridge.

Steve stayed with us until August 15th.  We did a couple of other hikes (pictures on Layne's camera), but mostly the two boys spend a great deal of time working on Heath's Land Cruiser.  The good news is that they did get it fixed!!  Heath and his dad had a nice morning of golf and a visit to the Garden of the God's.  I will try to post again with Layne's pictures!!

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Our funny garden story....we bought these two plants and their labels said cabbage.  They are not in fact cabbage, but broccoli.  The one on the left grew faster and we never cut it in time...cause we thought it was cabbage.

The tomatoes getting bigger and bigger.

We finally got a yellow squash!!  I think we actually have two now.

And green peppers!

Here is one of our cute little tomatoes.

Then, this morning was the first day of school.  Layne started High School today...yep, it is hard to believe.  I am holding it together, but a break down could come at any moment.  I can't help but to look at her with pride and excitement as she starts this new chapter of her life.  She is an amazing kid and I know she will have fun (and study hard).  We should also have HS volleyball tryout updates for you very soon.

For you...Layne

“We grow neither better nor worse as we get old, but more like ourselves”  ~May Lamberton Becker