Andy and Lana

Andy and Lana have a great new trailer on andy's blog. We are VERY excited about it.
www.aerieproductions.blogspot.com.

update

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Not that anybody really cares, but I hate to waste someone's time who travels all the way to our website and gets no new info.

The 1st semester of school is over. We just finished Erin's grades last night. I help her put the stuff in the computer and grade a little. It's always a stressful time for her. We're still learning to grow up and still procrastinate. We just need to become better procrastinators. Accept the fact that we put things off and adjust for it. Erin is even more frustrated with her principal. Continue to pray for him and the situation at Davis Middle School.

I am thinking about taking a part time job after soccer is done (maybe even full time?). I'm still having a fairly good time with soccer, but it is work to go to practice every day and try to motivate the kids. We don't win that many games because we are in a tough league and its my first year coaching. The kids are great but a little flaky sometimes. I have a different lineup almost every game, and am juggling about 26 players. I've realized that I don't really like dealing with discipline very much. I don't know if I'll coach again. I could learn it but do I want to learn it? Especially with what coaching pays.

Ella is talking more and more. She is starting to repeat everything. Spanish or English. She is ready for a little day care I think, she loves it when I go to the gym and she can play with other kids.

Grampie Great

Here is just a nice moment I caught with Grampie Great and Ella. We are so fortunate to have Grampie Wintz stay with us every other week. He never asks for anything and always brings food and things to give us. He loves to see his great granddaughter and she loves to see him.

Prayer

Ella bows her head at the table mumbles a few words quietly "omm-gi-gow tch-gai" and shouts AMEN!! very quickly. Most of our table prayers are augmented by a few 'amens'. She says it very passionately. Its fine at home and at church, but for Christmas eve we went to Erin's parent's church and she was shouting it in the middle of Opa's prayer right after a very beautiful 'Silent Night' out on the patio holding candles. It was pretty funny.

Diva

Ella got a new cell phone and a lot of new clothes for Christmas. If anyone sees a shirt with "diva" on it, don't get it. We won't let her wear it.

Arnold Returns!!

He's back!! The handsome head of Arnold Schwarzenegger is back in circulation! This wonderful white elephant gift of a real, authentic, one of a kind Arnold death mask, has finally reappeared.

It is a long and twisted tale, but someone has to tell it. Once upon a time Christopher Mark Batstone found this Arnold death mask under questionable circumstances. He brought it to a Wintz family celebration and pawned it off to the family who fought over the item ruthlessly. Grammie coveted it for her garden, and it has exchanged many hands in the past several years.
Suddenly one of the Wintz Christmases was infiltrated by one Mark "sticky fingas" Batstone who carted the head off to his desk and used it to attract college girls to his dormroom. The humungous head was not heard from for many moons, and was almost forgotten among many of the younger generation.
However, at this historic christmas of 2006, it has reappeared, and has been acquired by one Sally Apffel through her skill of manipulating the rules of the Wintz white elephant game. It is once again certain that the head will be gracing celebrations in years to come. This comes as a great relief to those connected to the Wintz family considering the loss of the mounted cat-head-plate, which was a favorite for so many years. This is truly a special, and serendipitous christmas. !Gloria a Sacra mento!(which translated means 'praise sacred memorabilia')

More Wintz Christmas

We had fun doing a white elephant gift exchange. Eric got a beautiful Tazmanian devil hat, tre-cool sunglasses, and a glowing casper necklace. Chris received a pig tie, some sexy underwear, and perfume that claims to attract the opposite sex. Elise recieved a decadent wedding photo frame and a striking metal flower. A bass fishing Monopoly appeared, some chartreuse shoes and... a very prized white elephant gift made a serendipitous appearance...

Christmas @ the Wintz Ranch

We drove up to the Wintz ranch on Christmas Day and stayed there 2 nights. It's always like vacation going out there. The beautiful view, beautiful house, and room to run. Something every kid should have. And I'm a big kid.

We had fun playing wiffle ball on the lawn. If you hit it over the cliff it was a home run.