The three days of Christmas

Dave and I cleverly decided to tell the family we were pregnant by disguising the announcement of our first child as a Christmas gift. Dave created an announcement including a picture of our first sonogram. We hand picked frames for each family and put the announcement in the frame. I then wrapped each in a box with ribbons and bows, and labeled each one for every family. Ha ha, We're so crafty!

In the first of three days we'll spend with various family members, we shared our news with Dave's dad's side of the family. This included Mither & Grandad, Dad (Richard) & Tisha, Dan & Kelley and Mike, Janet, Shannon & Betsy. We waited until after everyone visited and ate lunch. When it seemed everyone was starting on their way out the door, we thought it was a good time to pass out our "gifts". Everyone got together with their respective household members at our suggestion, and then opened the boxes simultaneously while Dave and I waited eagerly for each person to figure out exactly what was in the picture frame. We heard a "that's nice you guys" (as in, "nice picture frame") and a lot of reading aloud of the words in the announcement. I made eye contact with Daniel and he seemed to be the first to get it with wide, surprised eyes. Then Tisha turned around and said, "Are you pregnant?!!" and I answered with a nod and we hugged. Many hugs resumed around the room with a roar of excitement. I could hardly wait for the next two days of announcements.

On the second day of Christmas, or as most would say Christmas Eve, we were invited to brunch at Dan and Kelley's house. Since Dan and Kelley had seen the announcement, they were ordered to keep mum until we could give the specially wrapped boxes to Dave's mom's side of the family. On Christmas Eve, we were joined by Dan, Kelley & Andrew, Dave's mom, Nancy, Gramps & Grandma and Kelley's family. We started out with visiting and eating once again, then Kelley's family left for their next Christmas Eve party. The family then commenced to opening gifts around the tree. Andrew had a great time opening each of his gifts, excited about playing with each one. When our cleverly disguised gifts were to be unwrapped, the order went out that each family should open their gift together and everyone was to open at the same time. Dan seemed to open his gift slowly, to give the others a chance at seeing it first (very nice of you Dan :-)). As in the first day, we heard another "oh that's nice", as in nice frame. Following that remark closely, was one of much animation from Nancy with wide eyes and the question "Are you pregnant?". Everyone stood and hugged as in the day before. Later, Liz came to pick up Andrew and Dave and I shared the news with her as well. She's genuinely excited, as is everyone. So far announcing this way has promised much surprise!

On the third day of Christmas, Christmas day, we were to share our news with my side of the family. Dave and I shared breakfast with Jeff and Leanna first, then we were on our way to my parents house. Leanna needed to make a detour stop and take her kitty, Billy, to the emergency vet because he wasn't feeling well. (Billy is doing much better now.) Then we all met up again with my family, including Mom & Dad, Michael & Amanda and Bill and Lois. With the eight of us all sitting around the room opening gifts, it seemed to take forever. But we eventually got down to our special gifts to hand out to each family household. We asked that everyone open at the same time because they were all the same. As opening began, it seemed like everything was in slow motion and no one could open their gift fast enough. I could see that my parents and my sister weren't opening at the same speed, and I thought that one would surely figure it out before the other. But, as it turned out they figured it out basically at the same time. I caught my sisters eye first and she looked astonished. I think she then floated from her chair over to me to give me a hug. She couldn't really speak out of shock, and I think everyone else was pretty much speechless as well. Mom asked "Are you pregnant?" and then many hugs began. In the meantime, Lindsay, Mat and Jeff (a.k.a. Hector) walked in to the end of our gift giving. They were caught in the surprise and the well wishes, too. I'm so glad you were there to share.
Quote of the night goes to Uncle Bill: "So you've got a baby under construction in there, huh?"

Speaking for myself and Dave, we're so thankful to have such loving, supportive families that make sharing this news so fun and thrilling. It was pure agony waiting to tell everyone, but I have to say it was well worth the wait to see the looks of joy and surprise on each of your faces. We're looking forward to sharing the journey together, and with all of you. Much love, from the three of us!

SJ Sharks vs. Calgary Flames - 12/23/06

Shawnna and I were at one of our Christmas parties when she got a call from Leanna saying that her boss had Sharks tickets for tonight's game that he wasn't going to use, so if we wanted them, we could have them. Shawnna didn't want to go, but I figured I could find someone to go, so we took them and that's how I ended up going to the game with Dan - Thanks Mike!

The first period wasn't particularly good for either team, but the Flames struck first when Andrew Ference flipped the puck to Matthew Lombardi who shot it past Nabokov to put the Flames up 1-0 with 2 minutes left in the first. The worst part about that for the Sharks was the fact that the Flames were shorthanded at the time - not a good way to finish a period.

The second period went much better for the Sharks as Marcel Goc scored the tying goal 7 minutes into the period and Milan Michalek followed that up with a power play goal 3 minutes later to put the Sharks up 2-1. The third period was more of the same for the Sharks as Mark Smith scored 3 minutes in to put the Sharks up 3-1. It stayed that way until Scott Hannon scored his first goal of the season into the empty net that Kiprusoff had vacated with 1 minute left to play to give Calgary an extra attacker. Obviously, that tactic didn't work and the Sharks won 4-1.

Despite giving up a shorthanded goal in the first period, the Sharks really had control of the game all the way through. They outshot Calgary 31-22, dominated in the faceoff circle (40-23) and were only called for one penalty compared with 6 for the Flames. All in all, it was a dominating victory, we sat in great seats (8 rows from the ice) and had a fabulous time. Thanks again Mike!

Score: W 4-1
1st Period
Flames - Matthew Lombardi(SH) (Andrew Ference, Kristian Huselius)
2nd Period
SJ - Marcel Goc (Curtis Brown, Mark Smith)
SJ - Milan Michalek(PP) (Matt Carle, Joe Thornton)
3rd Period
SJ - Mark Smith (Curtis Brown)
SJ - Scott Hannan(EN)

SJ SOG: 31
Flames SOG: 22
Winning Goalie: Evgeni Nabokov
Losing Goalie: Miikka Kiprusoff

Tickets: Section 107 Row 8

Southern California Trip - December 16-22, 2006

View more photos from the trip here and click on Slideshow to view them all with descriptions.

Shawnna and I had never been to Disneyland during the Christmas holiday and really wanted to see the park all decked out, hence the trip to Southern California right before Christmas. To make it a little more interesting, we purchased a Southern California CityPass which included admission to SeaWorld San Diego, San Diego Zoo, Disneyland / California Adventure and Universal Studios Hollywood.

We decided to drive all the way down to San Diego first and then work our way back up. On Saturday, we hit a little bit of rain and traffic on the way down, but made it to our hotel safely - Bay Inn and Suites SeaWorld. When I was searching for a hotel in San Diego, I wanted one that was clean and close to SeaWorld and the zoo so the Bay Inn met that criteria. However, when we arrived at the hotel, I realized that their website failed to mention one minor detail - it was located across the street from Larry Flynt's Hustler Club. As we drove around the area, we kept seeing more and more gentleman's clubs and it didn't really click until we saw some Navy guys walking around and realized that we were near a Navy port and it finally made perfect sense. Anyway, the room was clean and we felt perfectly safe, so it was fine.

On Sunday, we went to SeaWorld. The weather had cleared up, the sun was shining and it was a great day to explore the park. There were a couple of water rides that I rode (pretty lame), but the main attractions were the animal shows. We saw 4 very good shows:
1. Dolphin Discovery - This show featured bottlenose dolphins and pilot whales doing jumps, spins, back flips, etc.
2. Shamu Show - Shamu and other killer whales were featured jumping, splashing and posing for pictures.
3. Clyde and Seamore's Risky Rescue - Sea lions were featured in this comedy filled wet adventure.
4. Pet's Rule! - This show featured many tricks from several different pets (dogs, cats, pigs, birds, ducks)
In addition, we explored the aquariums where we saw sharks, beluga whales, a polar bear, manatees, stingrays and a bunch of other fish. Not as good as the Monterey Bay Aquarium, but the shows were worth the price of admission.

We went to the San Diego Zoo on Monday. The first thing we did when we got there was take the guided bus tour. This was a 45 minute trip around 75% of the zoo with a guide pointing out the animals as we went. That was a great way to get a taste of the zoo and determine what we wanted to go back and see. I can't possibly list all of the animals we saw, but chances are, if you can name it, it was there. The highlights for me were the monkey habitats that included gorillas, mandrills, baboons, chimps, etc. as well as the bear exhibits where we saw a sun bear playing with a suspended plastic tube. I have to mention the boa constrictor we saw in the reptile exhibit that was having an afternoon snack of a white rat - nice! We ended the day with a sea lion show (not as good as the SeaWorld version) and then left San Diego and headed to Anaheim where we stayed at the Travelodge Anaheim International Inn (no strip clubs in sight :-)

We went to Disneyland & California Adventure on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. We were expecting large crowds and long lines since it was so close to Christmas, but it turned out to be some of the least crowded days we have ever seen. The longest line I waited in was about 20 minutes, but most of the time, I walked right on (I actually had FastPasses that I didn't even use). Needless to say, I went on all of the good rides multiple times (Tower of Terror 7 times).

The decorations around the park were awesome. There was a huge tree at the end of Main Street with ornaments, lights, wreaths and presents spread throughout both parks. It's a Small World was decorated inside and out with holiday garb, but most impressive was the Haunted Mansion ride. They must have spent several weeks redecorating the ride as it was completely different than normal and was decorated based on Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" - if you haven't seen that movie, check it out. There was also a holiday parade and fireworks that were also impressive.

Of course, we also saw the electrical light parade, Fantasmic and ate at the Blue Bayou - always a standard. We had a great time as usual and will be ready to go back when we get the itch again.

Friday morning, we drove to Universal Studios for our last day of this trip. We got there when it opened and I rode most of the rides at the park before lunchtime since there were no lines. The best ride there is the studio tour which is a 45 minute tram ride around the backlot area where movies and TV shows are (and have been) filmed. Since I had done everything there was to do and it was really windy and cold, we decided to leave at about 1:30pm. The drive home was uneventful except for the Grapevine where we encountered lots of fog and near-freezing temperatures. But, we made it home safe and really enjoyed the trip. Until next time...

View more photos from the trip here and click on Slideshow to view them all with descriptions.

SJ Sharks vs. Colorado Avalanche - 11/7/06

I took Dan to this game for his birthday since he's an Avalanche fan and this was the first time the Sharks played the Avs at the Tank this year. He wore all his Avalanche garb and I warned him that if the Sharks went up big, I wasn't responsible for what the Sharks fans would do (or say) to him :-) Unfortunately, that wasn't meant to be, but at least Dan was able to see a good game by the Avalanche.

The first half of the game was very even. The Avalanche struck first when Brett Clark scored 11:10 into the first period. The Sharks answered back 2 minutes later when Jonathan Cheechoo scored on a power-play to tie it up. The second period started with Joe Sakic scoring from the goal crease 4 minutes in to put the Avs up by one. Four minutes later, Joe Thornton scored on a long shot to even it up at 2-2. From that point on, it was all Avs.

Brett McLean scored at 14:02 of the second to put the Avs up 3-2. Five minutes later, Brett Clark scored his second goal of the game (third of the season) to increase the Avs lead 4-2 and that's how the second period ended. In the third period, the Sharks had several chances to get back into the game (including a 5 on 3 power-play), but failed to score as Jose Theodore stood strong to get the victory. Joe Sakic provided one last goal as he scored for the second time in the game on the power-play at 7:34 to give the Avs a 5-2 victory.

After that last goal, the crowd was very silent for the rest of the game and a lot of fans started to leave with 10 minutes left. Since the Sharks have been playing great and winning this season, it was a strange sight to see the arena empty at the end instead of celebrating another win. Oh well, you can't win them all and the Sharks were definitely outplayed by the Avs in this one. Happy Birthday Bro!

Score: L 5-2
1st Period
Avs - Brett Clark (Joe Sakic, Wojtek Wolski)
SJ - Jonathan Cheechoo(PP) (Joe Thornton, Milan Michalek)
2nd Period
Avs - Joe Sakic (John-Michael Liles)
SJ - Joe Thornton (Rob Davison, Marc-Edouard Vlasic)
Avs - Brett McLean (Tyler Arnason, Brett Clark)
Avs - Brett Clark (Wojtek Wolski, Andrew Brunette)
3rd Period
Avs - Joe Sakic(PP) (Patrice Brisebois)

SJ SOG: 30
Avalanche SOG: 25
Winning Goalie: Jose Theodore
Losing Goalie: Vesa Toskala

Tickets: Section 211 Row 5

Mommy's First Blog

As I write the subject of my blog today, I realize that I'm writing Mommy. From now on, that's what I'll be known as to another human being. Yes. I'm ready for this. :-)

We found out on Sunday, October 29th that we were indeed pregnant. Dave and I had been hoping for a positive, but I have to admit I was shocked. I wasn't feeling pregnant, and the previous test we took at the doctors office less than two weeks before, was negative. Wow! I was at the doctors office again later in the week and it was confirmed. The first round of tests were taken and everything was great...still is!

What can I tell you now, other than I'm beside myself with excitement! Beyond the nausea, exhaustion, twinges and cravings/aversions, there's nothing more than elation. (Although, Dave might add that I'm cranky and moody, too.) I'm thankful that I've been able to hide my symptoms from everyone, because Dave and I aren't ready to give the good news out quite yet. We're waiting until after the proverbial safe 12 week mark.

Today, our little one is 10 weeks old. It's a truly marvelous feeling and experience so far. I'm looking forward to meeting our miracle in 30 weeks! I'm also looking forward to telling everyone in the family, all of our friends and co-workers about the news. Christmas is the big day to let the family know. I don't know any better way to announce a baby than at Christmas.

One more thing! Last week I was at the doctors office and had an ultrasound. Each time I visit, the doctor checks for fetal tones, which means she's looking for the heart beat on the monitor. The machine she has in her office doesn't actually pick up the heart beat sound, but in a few weeks I'll go back and the doctor will be able to hear the heart beat through a special stethoscope. But I'm getting ahead of myself here. What was so amazing about my visit last week, was I actually saw the baby's heart beat AND I saw it move! Yes, it actually twitched. Now that was amazing!

SJ Sharks vs. New Jersey Devils - 11/25/06

Shawnna and I attended this match-up between two teams who haven't faced each other in 3 years. Being a fan of Devil's goalie Martin Brodeur, I still wanted the Sharks to win, but I would have been happy with a 1-0 victory instead of running up the score on Brodeur. The Devils are a very defensive-minded team and that set the tone for the game.

The first two periods were very similar in style and outcome. There were a lot of sloppy passes, a good amount of play in the neutral zone, a few good scoring chances for each team, brilliant saves from the goaltenders, very few penalties and no scoring. Through the first 2 periods, each team were called for 2 penalties and the Sharks had the shot advantage 16-14, but the score was 0-0.

The third period was more of the same with one notable exception. At 8:49, Joe Thornton jumped on the ice when it wasn't his shift, intercepted a New Jersey pass and fired a bullet from the left faceoff circle past Brodeur to put the Sharks up 1-0. After that, the Devils really tried to keep the pressure on the Sharks and got a boost when the Sharks were called for a penalty with 1:30 remaining. The Devils pulled Brodeur for an extra attacker, so they essentially had a 2 man advantage. However, Nabokov stood on his head to keep the Devils off the scoreboard and Mike Grier scored a shorthanded, empty net goal from the Sharks zone with 8 seconds remaining to put the game on ice 2-0.

This game was Nabokov's 3rd shutout this season and 30th of his career. Brodeur also had a great game and only gave up 1 goal on 26 shots, but the Devils couldn't solve Nabokov. It was a great defensive game and proved the Sharks can match up well against any of the top teams in the league.

Score: W 2-0
1st Period
None
2nd Period
None
3rd Period
SJ - Joe Thornton (unassisted)
SJ - Mike Grier(SH, EN) (Marc-Edouard Vlasic)

SJ SOG: 27
Devils SOG: 24
Winning Goalie: Evgeni Nabokov
Losing Goalie: Martin Brodeur

Tickets: Section 220 Row 4

SJ Sharks vs. Los Angeles Kings - 11/22/06

Shawnna and I went to this game with Angie and Sulak (friends we met on our trip to Hawaii). They had never been to a hockey game before, so we thought it would be fun to introduce them to the greatest sport on the planet. This was a great Sharks game to attend since it was against the interstate rival Kings and it was a "family four pack" game which means the tickets included a hot dog, soda and bag of chips - what a deal! It ended up being a great game for other reasons as well.

The first period got off to a shaky start as the Kings struck first with a soft goal from Scott Thornton (former Shark) that "unintentionally" went in off his skate. However, the Sharks struck back 2 minutes later when Marc-Edouard Vlasic scored his first NHL goal on the power-play by directing a Joe Thornton pass past Dan Cloutier to tie it up at 1. The rest of the period was uneventful with the Sharks registering only 4 shots in the first 20 minutes.

The second period was completely dominated by the Sharks. Just 39 seconds into the period, Steve Bernier scored on the power-play to put the Sharks up 2-1. Joe Thornton kept the momentum going by scoring 1:20 later to increase the Sharks lead to 3-1. Just 58 seconds later, Patrick Marleau added another goal to push the dagger in deeper. More importantly, that was Marleau's 200th goal of his NHL career. The Sharks weren't finished yet - Marcel Goc scored 6 minutes later to put the Sharks up 5-1. To this point, the Sharks had scored 5 goals on 12 shots midway through the second period and that was good enough (or bad enough, depending on your perspective) for the Kings to replace Dan Cloutier in net with Mathieu Garon. That seemed to stop the hemorrhage as there was no more scoring for the rest of the period.

The third period was very similar to the first in that the Kings started it off with a soft goal from Dustin Brown 6 minutes in to cut the lead 5-2. The Sharks struck back a few minutes later when Joe Pavelski scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game to increase the lead 6-2. After that, the Sharks just coasted through to the end and only registered 5 shots in the period. The Kings got their only quality goal of the game when Lubomir Visnovsky converted a Derek Armstrong pass across the crease to cut the lead 6-3, which is how it ended.

Overall, it was a great game and had so many exciting moments that is was perfect for Angie and Sulak's first time. It was fun to experience it with them as it reminded me of when I first saw a hockey game and became hooked on the action, power and speed. I'm not sure if they'll become as fanatical as I am, but at least they've now been introduced to the greatest game on ice - the rest is up to them... There will be a test on the rules we covered in two weeks :-)

Score: W 6-3
1st Period
Kings - Scott Thornton (Kevin Dallman, Derek Armstrong)
SJ - Marc-Edouard Vlasic(PP) (Joe Thornton)
2nd Period
SJ - Steve Bernier(PP) (Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau)
SJ - Joe Thornton (Mark Smith, Mike Grier)
SJ - Patrick Marleau (Steve Bernier, Marc-Edouard Vlasic)
SJ - Marcel Goc (Scott Hannan, Mark Bell)
3rd Period
Kings - Dustin Brown (Peter Harrold, Michael Cammalleri)
SJ - Joe Pavelski (Scott Hannan, Patrick Marleau)
Kings - Lubomir Visnovsky (Derek Armstrong, Michael Cammalleri)

SJ SOG: 20
Kings SOG: 27
Winning Goalie: Vesa Toskala
Losing Goalie: Dan Cloutier

Tickets: Section 219 Row 7

SJ Sharks vs. Philadelphia Flyers - 11/18/06

Dan and I attend this game to check out the Flyers who have plenty of big name players, but for some reason, haven't had much luck winning many games. Of course, the fact that the Flyers are one of the worst teams this year meant that the Sharks had a good chance of winning big - which they proceeded to do.

Right off the bat, the Sharks wasted no time in setting the pace of the game as Patrick Rissmiller scored 2:30 in and 2 minutes later, Milan Michalek tapped in a nice pass from Joe Thornton to put the Sharks up 2-0. The Flyers took their timeout to try to slow things down and it seemed to work as Geoff Sanderson scored on the power-play 5 minutes later to cut the lead to 2-1. The Sharks got back on track 2 minutes later when Mike Grier scored a short-handed goal to close out the period with the Sharks leading 3-1.

The second period was filled with lots of penalties and a few Sharks goals. Kyle McLaren kicked things off with a power-play goal 4 minutes in to increase the lead to 4-1. Five minutes later, Ryane Clowe got into the action when he scored on a pass from Patrick Marleau. Just 3 minutes after that, Curtis Brown put the exclamation mark on a game that was being dominated by the Sharks 6-1. After that goal, the Flyers figured Robert Esche had seen enough (he gave up 6 goals on 18 shots) and pulled him in favor of Antero Niittymaki. That move worked (or the Sharks stopped trying) as the Sharks didn't score for the rest of the game.

The third period was very boring. There wasn't any scoring and there were no penalties called. The Sharks had only 6 shots in the entire period as they were clearly just trying to run out the clock and finish a game that was completely out of reach for the Flyers. The crowd even started to leave mid-way through the period and by the end, the arena was only half full. I guess that's what happens when there's no suspense. Overall, the Sharks played a great game, scored early and often, took advantage of the Flyers weaknesses, won a couple of fights and put on a great show for the fans. It was the perfect game if you were a Sharks fan.

Score: W 6-1
1st Period
SJ - Patrick Rissmiller (Ville Nieminen, Marcel Goc)
SJ - Milan Michalek (Joe Thornton, Kyle McLaren)
Flyers - Geoff Sanderson(PP) (Mike Richards, Randy Robitaille)
SJ - Mike Grier(SH) (Curtis Brown)
2nd Period
SJ - Kyle McLaren(PP) (Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Patrick Rissmiller)
SJ - Ryane Clowe (Patrick Marleau, Steve Bernier)
SJ - Curtis Brown (Ryane Clowe)
3rd Period
None

SJ SOG: 25
Flyers SOG: 18
Winning Goalie: Vesa Toskala
Losing Goalie: Robert Esche

Tickets: Section 221 Row 3

First Ultrasound

After visiting the ob/gyn to confirm the pregnancy and begin a series of regular checkups, the doctor ordered an ultrasound to determine the age of the embryo which would define the due date. At the hospital, Shawnna got jellied up and the physician ran the transducer probe across her belly to view the fetus on the screen. There wasn't a whole lot to see, but the yolk sac and embryo were small, yet clearly visible. Then an amazing thing happened - since the heart is one of the first things to develop, the heartbeat was audible through the ultrasound machine. Hearing the beating heart of our future baby was incredible and surreal. Ultimately, it really helped sink in the fact that we're going to be parents.

The physician took several pictures and measurements of the embryo to make sure all was well - which it was. Based on his calculations, the embryo was 6 weeks along at this point which makes the due date July 3, 2007. It's a bit of coincidence that I was due on July 4th, but popped out June 18th - I couldn't wait to see the world. I wonder how close to my birthday our child will be born.

SJ Sharks vs. Pittsburgh Penguins - 11/4/06

Dan and I went to the game and were ready to see what the hype surrounding Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin was all about. The arena was packed and there was a huge line outside waiting to see if any extra tickets went on sale. The buzz was electric as the game began.

The first period began on a sour note as Jonathan Cheechoo was ejected 1 minute in when he ran Mark Eaton into the boards and was called for boarding and a game misconduct. That set the tone for the entire period as the teams rarely played 5 on 5 while 10 penalties were called. Even with all of the power plays, nobody scored and the period ended with each team totaling 8 shots on goal.

The second period started much better when Kyle McLaren scored on a Joe Thornton rebound to put the Sharks up 1-0. Six minutes later, Pittsburgh tied it up on Michel Oullet's breakaway goal and the game was on. Just two minutes later, Matt Carle scored on the power play and the period ended with the Sharks up 2-1.

The Sharks started the third period with a bang as Mike Grier scored 33 second in, but Dominic Moore answered for the Penguins 1 minute later to keep it a 1 goal game. The rest of the game was a nail biter as the Penguins kept Crosby and Malkin on the ice as much as possible to try to tie it up. With 1 minute left, they pulled their goalie for an extra attacker to put the pressure on the Sharks. Toskala held strong in net and didn't allow anything get by during the final push and the Sharks won 3-2.

In the end, the Sharks held Crosby shotless and Malkin, while taking 3 shots on goal, was held scoreless for the first time in his 7 game career (he was trying to set a record for the most consecutive games with a goal to start a career). Joe Thornton had three assists and the Sharks looked much better than they did against the Rangers on Thursday. All in all, it was a fun game to attend, the crowd had a ton of energy and it was nice to see the Sharks back on track.

Score: W 3-2
1st Period
None
2nd Period
SJ - Kyle McLaren (Joe Thornton, Patrick Rissmiller)
Penguins - Michel Ouellet (Josef Melichar)
SJ - Matt Carle(PP) (Milan Michalek, Joe Thornton)
3rd Period
SJ - Mike Grier (Joe Thornton, Kyle McLaren)
Penguins - Dominic Moore (John LeClair, Michel Ouellet)

SJ SOG: 34
Penguins SOG: 27
Winning Goalie: Vesa Toskala
Losing Goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury

Tickets: Section 223 Row 3

SJ Sharks vs. NY Rangers - 11/2/06

Shawnna and I went to the game after feasting at the Sonoma Chicken Coop - good food, big portions, decent prices - Inexpensive Excellence :) It was a rainy, drab night which was an indicator of things to come.

The Sharks were home after a 5 game road trip and the Rangers were playing for the 2nd consecutive night after beating the Ducks in overtime on Wednesday. Needless to say, both teams looked tired and sluggish during the game. The Sharks seemed to dominate the first period, finishing with a 9-4 shot advantage. However, the Rangers final shot of the period was a breakaway goal by Matt Cullen with .7 seconds left on the clock. Not a good way to end the period.

The second period was more of the same. The Sharks dominated in every way except where it counts. Despite a 12-9 shot advantage, the Rangers got the only goal of the period as Martin Straka knocked in a rebound to put the Rangers up 2-0. By the third period, the crowd seemed to literally be asleep and the players weren't far behind. Nothing happened of note until 2.5 minutes left in the game when Kyle McLaren fired a long shot that made its way past Kevin Weekes for the Sharks only goal of the game. After the goal went in, there was a delay of about 5 seconds before the crowd started to cheer - very strange. After that, the Sharks finally seemed to have a fire in their belly and had a couple of great chances to tie it up, but Weekes was too strong in net. The game ended after Brendan Shanahan threw the puck down the ice to clear the zone and it went in the Sharks empty net with 3.6 seconds left giving the Rangers a 3-1 victory.

Overall, it was a pretty boring game and the Sharks power play (the best in the NHL) looked horrible as they went 0 for 5 with the man advantage. It was good to see Jaromir Jagr who, despite not getting on the scoreboard, is a threat anytime he touches the puck and had 3 good shots that were stopped by Nabokov. Next up are the Penguins where the Sharks will have their hands full with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin who are on their way to being the next superstars. The Sharks better wake up or it's going to be another long season.

Score: L 3-1
1st Period
Rangers - Matt Cullen (Petr Prucha, Brendan Shanahan)
2nd Period
Rangers - Martin Straka (Michael Nylander, Fedor Tyutin)
3rd Period
SJ - Kyle McLaren (Mike Grier)
Rangers - Brendan Shanahan(EN) (unassisted)

SJ SOG: 30
Rangers SOG: 19
Winning Goalie: Kevin Weekes
Losing Goalie: Evgeni Nabokov

Tickets: Section 219 Row 5

We're Pregnant!

As shocking as that might sound to our family, Shawnna and I have actually been talking about starting a family for close to a year. After years of telling everyone that we weren't going to have kids, we began discussing the desire to start a family toward the end of 2005. For me, I was never really opposed to having kids, but when asked by family and friends, I said I didn't want kids so it wouldn't become a repeat question (i.e. I wanted to avoid the badgering that many couples face from their families as they progress through their relationship, especially after marriage). I figured that deciding if (and when) I wanted to have kids should be a personal choice, free from outside pressure and that's exactly how it played out.

I knew that if I was going to have kids, I wanted to make sure I would be able to provide for them financially and emotionally. By the end of 2005, Shawnna and I had put ourselves in a great position from that standpoint and decided that if we were going to do it, now would be the optimal time. We spent months discussing the next steps and, without boring you with the details, we began practicing.

Fast forward to Sunday, October 29, 2006 - we had been trying to conceive for a little while and Shawnna hadn't had her period for the month, so we thought it was time to take a pregnancy test. It was 6:30am and we found ourselves pacing around the bedroom for 3 minutes while the test was determining our future. When the wait was up, we crept toward the applicator and stared at our fate - PREGNANT! After a double-take, we shared the moment realizing we were actually going to be parents. The emotions were many, but the dominant feeling was extreme joy with a pinch of fear (and a touch of "I'm the man" :-). It still hasn't totally sunk in, but it's becoming more real as time passes.

SJ Sharks vs. St. Louis Blues - 10/5/06

Shawnna and I went to this game which was opening night. After some grub at the Old Spaghetti Factory, it was game on at the tank. The give-away was a poster featuring Jonathan Cheechoo (winner of the Maurice Richard Trophy as top goal scorer) and Joe Thornton (winner of the Art Ross Trophy as top point scorer and the Hart Trophy as league MVP). The trophies were on display in the arena as well. The biggest changes from last season seamed to be an increased ability to project images on the ice during the build-up to the opening faceoff and the change in the song that is played when the Sharks score - it's "Holiday" from Green Day.

Opening night got off on the wrong foot as Dan Hinote scored 36 seconds into the game to give the Blues a 1-0 lead. Matt Carle tied it with a goal 2 minutes later, but that was short lived as Jamal Mayers struck back 1 minute later. Things settled down after that initial flurry and the period ended with the Blues up 2-1.

The 2nd period saw the Blues spending a lot of time in the penalty box and the Sharks took advantage with Milan Michalek storing 2 goals 46 seconds apart - both on 5-on-3 power plays. That put the Sharks up 3-2, but the Blues tied it up when Lee Stempniak deflected a Bill Guerin shot past Vesa Toskala.

The 3rd period featured a lot more than goals as a referee had to leave the game after being hit in the eye by a shot from Milan Michalek. Also, the game was delayed for 20 minutes while the maintenance crew repaired a hole in the boards caused when Jonathan Cheechoo crashed into them. Amongst all that, Mark Bell scored his first goal as a Shark to give them a 1 goal lead with 5 minutes to play. Just when it seemed the Sharks had it in the bag, Bill Guerin scored with 6 seconds to play in the game after the Blues pulled their goalie, sending the game to overtime.

The overtime period was owned by the Sharks. They held the Blues without a shot and Curtis Brown scored on a deflection halfway through the period to ensure the Sharks started the season off on the right foot with a 5-4 victory. Hockey's back!

Score: W 5-4 OT
1st Period
Blues - Dan Hinote (Jamal Mayers, Dallas Drake)
SJ - Matt Carle (Mark Smith, Marcel Goc)
Blues - Jamal Mayers (Dan Hinote)
2nd Period
SJ - Milan Michalek(PP) (Joe Thornton, Jonathan Cheechoo)
SJ - Milan Michalek(PP) (Joe Thornton, Steve Bernier)
Blues - Lee Stempniak (Bill Guerin, Eric Brewer)
3rd Period
SJ - Mark Bell (Jonathan Cheechoo, Joe Thornton)
Blues - Bill Guerin (Keith Tkachuk, Martin Rucinsky)
Overtime
SJ - Curtis Brown (Matt Carle, Steve Bernier)

SJ SOG: 35
Blues SOG: 35
Winning Goalie: Vesa Toskala
Losing Goalie: Manny Legace

Tickets: Section 205 Row 12

Kauai Trip - August 27 - September 3, 2006

View more photos from the trip here and click on Slideshow to view them all with descriptions.

To view a large map of Kauai marked with many of the locations I mention in this post, click the image below

Kauai is the Hawaiian island known as the Garden Isle and it's easy to see why. Lush, tropical landscapes, cascading waterfalls and towering green mountains are what make this island the best in the Hawaiian chain. I was there in 1995, but Shawnna had never been, so we decided to make the trip so she could witness the beauty firsthand.

Day 1 - Sunday, August 27th
After a 5 hour flight from San Jose to Honolulu and a 2 hour layover, we finally landed in Lihue, Kauai at 1:40pm. We immediately picked up our rental car (silver Chevy Malibu) and headed to our condo. We stayed at the Banyan Harbor Resort which is located just a couple of miles from the airport in Lihue. A friend of a friend has a timeshare there and graciously allowed us to use it for the week. After getting settled in, we were off to explore and find something to eat. The first place we stopped was Coconut Marketplace in Wailua (East Kauai) which is a shopping center and we ate at a little outdoor fish grill where Shawnna had a tuna salad and I went with the fish & chips. Next, we kept driving up the East coast and stopped in Princeville (North Kauai) which is where I stayed last time I was here. However, I wasn't able to find the exact condo where I stayed since there was so much new construction over the last 11 years. We got back on the road and drove to Haena Beach Park which is almost where the road stops on the North side. We walked on the beach and went into the water to test it out (about 75°). After enjoying the moment, we drove back to the East side of the island and ate dinner at Bubba's Burgers in Kapa'a before heading back to the room for some much needed sleep.

Day 2 - Monday, August 28th
We attended an island orientation presentation at the resort which consisted of a bunch of spokespeople for various activities available around the island giving their sales pitch. The best part was that we won the door prize of a 2 for 1 coupon for the Kilihana Luau (we booked it for Thursday). After that, we drove South along the highway (there's one major highway on the island) and stopped in Poipu. We ate lunch at Brennecke Beach Broiler which is across the street from Poipu Beach. After enjoying our BBQ Kalua Pork Sandwiches, we kept driving West on the highway, stopping at the Kauai Kookie Kompany and finally ended up at the end of the road which was the Kalalau Lookout. This lookout provided great views of Waimea Canyon which is nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. It is 10 miles long, 1 mile wide and 3,500 feet deep which was carved over thousands years by the rivers and floods that flowed from Mount Wai'ale'ale (the world's wettest spot with annual rainfall averaging 460 inches). After taking pictures and marveling at the beauty, we headed back and stopped at the Kauai Coffee Company to sample some island brew on the way. For dinner, we drove back to Kapa'a to eat at Coconuts Island Style Grill where Shawnna had the Mahi Mahi and I feasted on Teriyaki Salmon. For dessert, we shared a piece of Banana Cream Pie - the food was so good here, highly recommended.

Day 3 - Tuesday, August 29th
Today we took a 7 hour catamaran trip to the Na Pali Coast and Niihau with Holo Holo Charters. We left from Port Allen which is in Hanapepe Bay on the South side of the island. The catamaran was a 65 foot power catamaran and took about 35 people on the trip. After leaving the harbor, we headed for the Na Pali Coast on Western Kauai and saw a ton of flying fish on the way as well as some playful spinner dolphins that hung around the boat and even a couple of sea turtles. The Na Pali Coast was awesome to see from the boat with its sheer cliffs, cascading waterfalls, white sand beaches and many sea caves - the catamaran sailed into one of the caves and we were able to look up through the skylight at the top of the cave. Next, we sailed 17 miles across the channel to Niihau (The Forbidden Island where you must be full blooded Hawaiian to live) and snorkeled off the coast next to a small island called Lehua. While snorkeling, we saw a monk seal, manta ray and a bunch of other tropical fish. After snorkeling, we ate lunch, sailed down the coast of Niihau and headed back to the harbor. On the way back, we saw more dolphins and a school of tuna feeding with a shark taking his share as well. We went back to the room and ate dinner there - Shawnna had leftovers from Coconuts and I got a bacon cheeseburger from JJ's Broiler. We finished the day with chocolate truffles from the Kauai Chocolate Company.

Day 4 - Wednesday, August 30th
We started the day with breakfast at Eggbert's in Kapa'a where I enjoyed the banana pancakes and Shawnna had a veggie omelet. Next, we drove up North to the end of the road at Ke'e Beach which is where the Kalalau Trail starts. This trail winds along the lush, green cliffs of the Na Pali Coast and ends 11 miles later at Kalalau Beach. However, we only hiked 2 miles on the trail and ended up at Hanakapi'ai Beach with only a few other people. The hike is very difficult since it is steep, rocky, slippery and muddy, but since it's the only land access to this part of the coast, it's worth the effort to see the amazing views of the towering sea cliffs and lush valleys (we even saw a couple centipedes). After hiking 2 miles back, we were hungry for lunch, so we drove to Hanalei and ate at the Hanalei Dolphin Restaurant (Shawnna had the opah fish salad and I had fish & chips). We sat at a table right next to the Hanalei River and had a great view of several waterfalls in the mountains. Next, we went to the Kilauea Lighthouse which was built in 1913 and is the northernmost point on the island with great views of the coast and the Kilauea Point Wildlife Refuge where we saw a couple of monk seals resting on the shore. After that, we stopped at the Guava Kai Plantation and headed back to Lihue for Dinner at Duke's. The restaurant is located on Kalapaki Beach and we had a great ocean view while Shawnna enjoyed her ono fish and I dined on mahi mahi. We finished it off with hula pie which is macadamia nut ice cream with oreo crust, hot fudge and whip cream on top - yum!

Day 5 - Thursday, August 31st
Ready for another adventure, we headed to Ali'i Kayaks for a kayak & hike trip. We started at the mouth of the Wailua River and paddled 2 miles up the North Fork where we beached our kayaks and began a 1 mile hike through a tropical rainforest to the Secret Falls. This area was once reserved for Hawaiian royalty and the guide told us the history and legends of the area throughout the trip. After eating lunch at the falls, we took a quick dip (it was cold!) and hiked and paddled back to the marina. In the evening, we attended the Kilohana Luau at the Kilohana Plantation (a sugar plantation where the biggest house ever built on Kauai is located) where we received a wagon ride pulled by Clydesdale horses around the property prior to the start of the festivities. The luau was the typical Hawaiian luau with hula dancers, fire dancers, live music and of course, the feast. The buffet included kalua pig, lomi lomi salmon, fresh fruit, mahi mahi, teriyaki beef, stir fry, fried rice, taro rolls, rice pudding, carrot cake and passion fruit cheesecake among other things. Needless to say, we were stuffed when it was over as we waddled back to our car and drove back to the room.

Day 6 - Friday, September 1st
This was the day I was waiting for and Shawnna was fearing - the helicopter ride around the island with Will Squyres Helicopter Tours. We lifted off from Lihue airport at 7:30am on what turned out to be the clearest day that we could have possibly asked for. We went clockwise around the island and were able to see all of the major attractions from the air including Waimea Canyon, Mount Waialeale, Wailua Falls (the falls shown in the opening credits of Fantasy Island) and the Na Pali Coast. Since it was so clear, we actually flew inside of a volcanic crater (not active) to see all of the waterfalls cascading down the sides. This whole ride was a truly amazing experience and allowed us to see things that you aren't able to see any other way. By the end, Shawnna wanted to go "five more times." After that, we drove to Wailua Falls lookout to see the "Fantasy Island" falls from ground level. We ate lunch at Brick Oven Pizza in Kalaheo and our next destination was Barking Sands Beach at the far Southeast end of the island. The paved road ends 4 miles before you get to the beach and then you are forced to drive on a dirt road that is extremely bumpy and car rental companies tell you not to go. After driving on the dirt road for a couple of miles, we decided to turn back since the car was vibrating so much (and so were we) that we felt there were other beaches we could visit that were much easier to get to. On the way back, we stopped at the National Tropical Botanical Gardens and the Gay & Robinson Sugar Plantation. For dinner, we ate at the Bull Shed which is a steakhouse located right on the water in Kapa'a. Shawnna had the filet mignon with cracked pepper and I had the teriyaki top sirloin - my steak was good and the view of the ocean was even better.

Day 7 - Saturday, September 2nd
We rented some snorkel gear and drove to the end of the road on the North side to do some snorkeling at Ke'e Beach. We got there early to avoid the crowds, picked our spot on the beach and jumped in the water. The reef off the shore was teeming with various types of fish and the water was a perfect 75°. After a couple hours of snorkeling and sunbathing, it was time for lunch, so we drove to Lighthouse Bistro which was down the street from the Kilauea Lighthouse. I had a cheeseburger and Shawnna had the fish tacos (food was good, service was bad). Next, we drove back down the coast and went to the Opaeka'a Falls lookout in Wailua. After putzing around for a while, we went to dinner at Wahoo Seafood Grill & Bar in Kapa'a. Apparently, we saved the best for last as the entrees we ordered (Kona fish and Seabass) looked like art on the plate and tasted even better. For dessert, we shared the bananas and cream with caramel topping that was delicious. Couple great food with a tropical setting next to the coconut palm grove and you have a winning recipe for a very enjoyable dinner - highly recommended. That was a great way to spend our last night in Kauai.

Day 8 - Sunday, September 3rd
All good things have to come to an end and today was the day. At 10:20am, we flew out of Kauai and travelled back to reality.

View more photos from the trip here and click on Slideshow to view them all with descriptions.

Oakland Athletics vs. Seattle Mariners - 8/16/06

August 16th was Fremont Day at the Oakland A's game. Not sure what that really means, but I got discounted tickets, so I went to the game with Shawnna and her family. It was the perfect night for a game - not too hot, not too cold and a sold out stadium. It was also a good game to see since their opponent was the Seattle Mariners who the A's have beat 14 straight times.

The A's didn't waste much time getting on the board when Mark Ellis (who was batting in the number 9 spot) hit a 3 run homer in the 2nd inning which scored Nick Swisher and Marco Scutaro. Two innings later, Nick Swisher scored again; this time on a balk by Gil Meche which allowed Swisher to walk home. That was all of the runs that were scored as the A's went on to win the game 4-0. Dan Haren was the winning pitcher giving up 7 hits, striking out 8 and not allowing a run in 6 innings. This win tied a Major League record for the longest winning streak against a division opponent (15). It also solidified my view that going to a baseball game has little to do with watching the "action" on the field and is more about socializing with the people in the stands. Can't wait for hockey... Go Shaaaaaarks!

Dave Piloted an Airplane - July 30, 2006

On July 30th, I was fortunate enough to receive a free flying lesson from Bill Komanetsky with Shawnna as the passenger/photographer. Bill is the neighbor of a friend we met on the ACE Train (Mike Seymour) and just so happens to be a flight instructor. We were at Mike's house for a get together a few weeks ago and I started to talk to Bill about flying and he generously offered to take Shawnna and I up in his plane for a tour of the San Francisco Bay - and try to reel me in as a student :-) When he said that he would let me fly, I figured he meant that he would give me the wheel for a few minutes as a token gesture. Boy, was I wrong...

At 9:45am, we met Bill at the Livermore Airport and drove out to the hangar where his plane is stored. We pulled the plane out and that's when Bill opened the left cockpit door, showing me all of the instruments on the panel in front of the pilot's seat and told me that's where I would be sitting to pilot the plane. My first thought was that he was kidding, but he wasn't, so Shawnna got in the back, I sat in the pilot's seat and Bill sat in the co-pilot's seat. I looked at the instrument panel completely baffled, but Bill walked through each gauge and explained its purpose. After an initial safety check, we taxied to the runway, performed a further safety check and got ready for takeoff.

Oh, did I mention that I was going to be the one taking off? That's right, Bill gave me the instructions on what to do and we went full throttle down the runway, I pulled back on the yoke and we lifted off - what a rush. Not only did I take off, but I also flew the entire time we were up in the air. I ascended to 3,000 feet and we headed toward Benicia to see all the battleships in the water. Then, we headed south toward San Francisco to get some great views of the Golden Gate Bridge from the air. After circling the bridge and checking out Alcatraz, we headed east to Point Reyes, checked out the lighthouse on the point and flew up the coast directly over the beach. Then, I ascended to 5,500 feet and we headed back to Livermore.

Of course, that was a very quick synopsys of what we did, but the time really seemed to go by fast. The weather was perfect - just a few clouds, but mostly sunny even over San Francisco. While in the air, I had to pay attention to the instrument panel to make sure everything was OK, but I was able to look out the windows quite a bit and take in the sights. Since landing the plane is probably the most challenging part flying, I handed control back over to Bill so he could get us safely on the ground - which he did very smoothly. Finally, we taxied back to the hangar, put the plane away and drove home (not as fun as flying).

When all was said and done, the flight took about 2 hours and I had control of the plane the entire time except for the landing. We flew at various altitudes, but never went higher than 5,500 feet and cruised at about 120 Knots (138 MPH). The airplane was a 2002 Cessna 182T in great condition and most importantly, it was a complete blast to fly. Thanks again Bill! It was awesome and if anyone is interested, here is Bill's website with lots of info about flying: www.komanetskyaviation.com

Click on any picture to enlarge. The map below highlights the general area where I flew.

Slayer & Lamb of God in Concert - July 19, 2006

On July 19th, Mike and I went to the "Unholy Alliance" tour which consisted of Slayer, Lamb of God, Mastodon, Children of Bodom and Thine Eyes Bleed. The show was at the HP Pavilion in San Jose and started at 6pm. After a days work, Mike picked me up and we ate at In-N-Out Burger before the show.

Once at the arena, we picked our spots to stand on the floor about 30 feet from the stage on the right side next to the "moshing barrier." Thine Eyes Bleed was first up and they were what you would expect from an opening band - nothing too special, but provided 30 minutes of warmup metal. Children of Bodom was next and I was very impressed with what I saw and heard. They had some nice, heavy tunes and the keyboard player kicked ass. He had what amounted to a whammy bar on his keyboard and played some solos that you wouldn't be able to differentiate from guitar solos if you weren't watching him smoke that keyboard - awesome. Next, Mastodon took the stage and were a bit of a let down after watching of Children of Bodom. They had a lot of energy on stage, but their material wasn't up to par.

At about 9:00pm, Lamb of God took the stage. It was obvious that this is what the fans were waiting for. The mosh pits were huge and the band was feeding off the energy of the crowd (and vise versa). For the entire 1 hour set, they held the crowd captive with their complex guitar riffs, deep, screaming vocals and bass heavy drum beats. Here's their set list:

Ruin
Hourglass
Laid To Rest
Now You've Got Something To Die For
11th Hour
Purified
As The Palaces Burn
The Faded Line
Vigil
Redneck
Black Label

Finally, at 10:15pm, Slayer was on stage and ready to rock the audience. While the crowd was rockin', it wasn't quite the same energy I felt when Lamb of God was on the stage. Maybe everyone was getting tired at that point, but it was still a great show. I was standing if front of Kerry King the whole time and was able to watch him rip some great solos on his guitar. It was nice to see that Slayer can still thrash with the best of 'em and their 1 hour 15 minute set contained some of the best, early, influential metal that paved the way for all the bands that opened for them. Here's their set list:

South of Heaven
Silent Scream
War Ensemble
Blood Red
Cult
Disciple
Mandatory Suicide
Seasons in the Abyss
Chemical Warfare
Dead Skin Mask
Hell Awaits
Raining Blood
Antichrist
Angel of Death

Overall, I had a great time and am glad I was able to see a combination of established metal bands as well as up and coming bands in the same show. My only regret is that I didn't get one of the signs in front of the stage that said, in big black letters, "BEWARE, moshing may occur."

Counting Crows & Goo Goo Dolls in Concert - June 27, 2006

On June 27th, Shawnna, Dan and myself attended the Counting Crows & Goo Goo Dolls concert at Shoreline Amphitheater. We met for dinner at Fiesta Del Mar before the show, but after placing our order and munching on chips and salsa, we were informed that they ran out of gas, so we ended up eating at The Sports Page - not the same quality, but good none the less. After dinner, we headed to the show (our seats were in Section 101, Row K).

We were early enough to see the opening band, Augustana, which was a mellow rock band that reminded me a little of The Black Crows. They were surprisingly good during their 30 minute set and were very musically talented. They were obviously thrilled to have the opportunity to open for two great bands and really held their own.

Next up were the Goo Goo Dolls. They played a 75 minute set of some of their greatest hits including Give a Little Bit, Slide, Black Balloon, Name, Iris, Broadway and Better Days. They pretty much played each song straight up like it sounds on the album without much deviation for "live effect." It sounded pretty good, but when Robby Takac (bassist) sang a few songs, it was extremely difficult to hear him. The set design was pretty minimal with just a few risers on the stage for the keyboardist, guitarist and drummer. They seemed to be having a good time and played well with the audience.

The Counting Crows finished off the evening with a 75 minute set on their own. In contrast to the Goo Goo Dolls, the Counting Crows didn't just play their songs as if they pushed play on their CD player. Instead, each song was a journey through their musical works with Adam Duritz as the conductor. He was deeply in tune with the music and it was obvious that he lived each song and felt each note. It reminded me more of a jazz concert than rock show - if you wanted to sing along, forget about it. They played most of their hits including Mr. Jones, Round Here, Rain King, A Long December and Mrs. Potter's Lullaby which satisfied my craving for Counting Crows in concert.

Overall, I had a good time at the show, but was really surprised at how sparse the audience was. Due to fact there were so few people, it wasn't as loud as it could have been and the excitement wasn't there. The "encores" for each band were really just part of the set and not a result of the crowd cheering so loudly that the bands came back on. Anyway, I'm glad I went, but probably won't go to see either band again (I've seen the Goo Goo Dolls twice before in 1996).

Half Dome Hike - June 24, 2006

View the photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/52995831@N00/sets/72157594178530235/

On Friday, June 23rd, myself, Shawnna, Dan, Kelley and Dad set off for Yosemite with the intention of hiking Half Dome (Shawnna decided to stay in Yosemite Valley and do some smaller hikes - Lower Yosemite Falls and Mirror Lake - while practicing her photography skills). We stayed in tent cabins at Curry Village which is about a half mile from the trailhead. After checking in at about 5pm, we got situated, ate dinner, showered and played Uno before getting some sleep prior to our big hike.

We woke up early on Saturday, ate a little breakfast, got our packs in order and drove to the closest parking lot to the trailhead (every bit helps :) By 6:30am we were on the trail making some progress. The temperature was in the upper 60s with the projected high in the mid 90s, so we wanted to get as far as we could before the afternoon sun started to beat down on us. We made good time hiking over the Vernal Falls bridge and up to the junction where we had to decide if we wanted to hike the next couple of miles up the Mist Trail or John Muir Trail. The Mist Trail (which runs right next to Vernal Falls so the trail is perpetually wet from the mist) is a little shorter, but much steeper due to the fact it consists mostly of stairs. The John Muir Trail is a bit longer, easier and not as scenic. Dan, Kelley and I chose the Mist Trail while Dad decided to go up the John Muir Trail. We agreed to meet at the top of Nevada falls where the trails intersect, so we went our separate ways.

The Mist Trail was especially wet since there was a ton of water in the falls, so we were soaked most of the way up. I was savoring the coolness since I knew how hot it was going to get later in the day. By 8:30am we were at the intersection of the two trails waiting for Dad to meet us. As time passed, we wondered how slow he was going, if he was waiting at the Nevada Falls bridge (.2 miles down from where we were) or if he beat us to this point and kept hiking. After 40 minutes of waiting, Dan hiked down to the bridge to see if he was there, but there was no sign of him. We decided that since we had been waiting for 1 hour at that point (and we had no way of contacting him; he didn't have a cell phone and service was spotty at best anyway), we would carry on without him and hopefully meet him at the top. So, at 9:30am we continued our hike.

Being an hour behind, we could feel the heat intensifying as we hiked through Little Yosemite Valley (a relatively flat stretch where there is a campground). Next, it was back up the mountain for a few miles of relatively steep switchbacks. There was some relief as we passed a few small streams and were able to cool off a bit. We made it to the lookout point where we were able to see our final destination as well as the large amount of granite stairs and steel cables that were still to come.

A short time later, we were at the bottom of the stairs preparing ourselves for the most grueling part of the hike - climbing literally hundreds of very large stairs carved into the granite. After hydrating and re-applying sun block, we started up the granite steps. After several short breaks to catch our breath and drink more water, we made our way up the stairs and stood at the bottom of the cables looking up at a long stream of people holding on to the cables that stretched from the top of the dome all the way down to where we were standing and there was actually a line of about 15 people waiting for their turn to climb to the top. The cables are a pair of 900 ft long steel cables spaced 4 feet apart and held 4 feet off the granite by metal posts which are spaced about 8 feet apart. Typically, people climb in between the two cables so they can hold on with both hands, but after seeing the line of people and estimating it would take about 45 minutes to reach the top, I went to the outside of the right cable and climbed up using only one cable and reaching over the other hands that were already holding on. By doing it that way, it only took me 10-15 minutes and I was on top of the dome by 1pm - Dan & Kelley made it 20 minutes later after following me part of the way, then getting back in between the two cables for the last portion.

At the top of Half Dome, we ate our lunch, nursed Kelley's cramping muscles and Dan popped the question (Kelley said, "Yes!"). We walked around for a while up on top taking pictures and video of the awesome view and Dan & I had a snowball fight - yes, there was snow on the top of Half Dome. At 2pm, we decided it was time to head back, so we made our way back to the cables which were still crowded with people and grabbed the outside of the right cable to slide down to the bottom. At the bottom of the cables, we started to hear thunder and see lightning off in the distance, so it was good timing to be off of the cables which would be great conductors of electricity if they were struck with lightning. Next, we navigated down the granite stairs from hell and continued all the way down to Nevada falls without much excitement except for the fact Dan didn't bring enough water, so I gave him some of mine. At Nevada Falls, we took off our shoes and socks so we could put our feet in the water - the water was SO COLD, but felt SO GOOD on our aching feet.

At this point, we decided to go down the John Muir Trail (as opposed to the Mist Trail we took to come up) because we didn't know if our knees could take all of the stairs and we thought we might see Dad on the side of the trail on the way down :) The trail down was hot, dry and dusty, but the end was in sight, so we just plugged along. When we made it down to the Vernal Falls Bridge (about a mile from the end where the only water station on the entire hike is located), Dan & Kelley filled up their Camelbacks and indulged in some cold water. Then, we hiked the last mile back to the trailhead where Shawnna and Dad were waiting to greet us at 6:30pm. So, we hiked 17 miles with 4,800' elevation gain in 12 hours (including the time we spent hanging out on top and the hour we waited for Dad to show up).

Apparently Dad thought we were going to meet at the Nevada Falls bridge .2 miles from where we thought, so he waited for 40 minutes before hiking down a different trail at the time Dan went to where Dad had been waiting (they missed each other by a couple of minutes). Dad decided to hike down the Mist Trail in case something happened to one of us, so he didn't get to the top of Half Dome this time (he's done it 8 times previously). Oh well, you live and learn.

Lessons Learned:
- If you split up, be very specific about where to meet
- Bring walkie talkies
- Carry more water than you think you need (4+ liters if it's hot)
- Bring band-aids, moleskin or athletic tape for blisters
- Bring an extra pair of socks
- Bring work gloves with full fingers for the cables
- Make sure you have plenty of sunscreen

After the hike, we ate dinner, showered and crashed for the night before driving home the next day. Will I hike it again? I'm sure I will. It's a great workout, fun to do with family/friends, provides awesome views of the park and I need to catch up with the number of times Dad has hiked to the top :-) Here's the stats:

Dad - 8
Dave - 4
Dan - 2
Kelley - 1
Shawnna - 1 (on a previous trip)

View the photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/52995831@N00/sets/72157594178530235/

Skydiving - June 18, 2006

View the skydiving photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/52995831@N00/sets/72157594173173476/

Today is my 30th birthday and I decided to go skydiving to mark the occasion. Joining me was Dan and Kelley (Dan's girlfriend). Shawnna decided to watch from the ground since she thought she might have a heart attack on the way down :-)

We arrived at Bay Area Skydiving (located in Byron, CA) at about 8:30am to start the experience. After signing our life away (at least our right to sue if our life was taken away), we watched a 15 minute video about the dangers and thrills of skydiving. Next, we met with our instructors who gave us more instruction while we were suiting up - Dan got paired up with a very small, female instructor (Connie); she was the most experienced with over 6,000 jumps! Kelley was paired with a slightly taller man (Vic) and I was paired with the big guy (Keith). Then, it was time to board the plane.

Besides the 3 of us (and our instructors), there were 7 others who were diving solo. We all crammed into the small plane for the 15 minute ride up to 14,000 feet. Despite being a little cramped, it was a fairly uneventful ascent. After reaching altitude, the solo jumpers dove first, then Dan, Kelley and finally me.

When I reached the plane door, I waved to the camera and dove into the big, blue abyss - or maybe I was pushed by the instructor. Per my request, the first thing we did was a backflip exiting the plane. After about 5 seconds, we had reached terminal velocity (120 mph) and continued to freefall for about 9,000 feet (1.7 miles) which took about 50 seconds. While freefalling, I really didn't have the sensation that I was falling like when riding a roller coaster at an amusement park. I suppose it was because I was so high up that nothing was racing past me so my perspective was changed. The only way I could tell I was falling was the sound of air rushing past my ears. We did some turns to the right and left while looking down at all of the farmland, freeway, windmills on the Altamont Pass, etc. - then the parachute opened.

Once the parachute opened, we went from 120 mph to 10 mph in about 2 seconds. It wasn't as jarring as you might think - just a rapid deceleration. The next 5,000 feet took 3-4 minutes and was just a very slow, leisurely descent. Without the wind whipping past our faces, the instructor and I were able to talk about the jump and he gave me some landing instructions. At this point, I was able to look down and watch Dan & Kelley's parachutes floating toward the ground. The instructor guided us toward the landing zone and we made a very smooth, safe landing.

Once on the ground, Dan, Kelley and I posed for a victory picture and walked back to the hangar to de-gear, meet back up with Shawnna and collect the video and pictures of the jump. The big question is: Would I do it again? Yes, I would (and will) do it again. It was unlike anything I have ever experienced in my life and definitely provided enough of a rush to want to do it again. Let me know if you're interested and maybe I'll go with you.

View the skydiving photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/52995831@N00/sets/72157594173173476/

We Got a Patio Cover!

It was actually put up on Monday, but I just got around to taking a picture. It's insulated aluminum and keeps the back side of the house noticeably cooler.
We love it!

Monterey / Carmel Trip - March 25-26, 2006

Shawnna and I made plans for a trip to Monterey and Carmel on March 25-26 as it had been several months since we made it down there and we love to stroll through the quaint streets, look at the world-renowned art galleries and shop till we drop - all in the vicinity of the soothing ocean. Once down there, however, it struck me that our main purpose for visiting isn't really the things I mentioned above; no, the real reason we love to go is to eat at some of the best restaurants and indulge in fabulous food. With that realization, it was much easier to plan our days around which restaurants we wanted to try and weren't worried about all the other fluff ;-)

We drove down the morning of the 25th and were at our hotel by 11:30am. We stayed at the Monterey Beach Resort which is owned by Best Western. Our room was an ocean view room on the top floor which provided a great view of Monterey and the sound of crashing waves made it easy to fall asleep - but we're getting ahead of ourselves. After checking in, we headed over to Carmel to have lunch at Tutto Mondo Trattoria. We had eaten there before and obviously liked it enough to return. I ate the Lasagne Della Casa which is served with bolognese sauce and covered with cheese. Shawnna had the Pollo Alla Griglia Panini which is made up of a marinade grilled chicken breast, roasted garlic, fresh tomatoes and melted mozzarella. Both were excellent as expected and was a great start to the weekend.

Next, we poked around Carmel, working off lunch and looking at the shops and galleries. At 2pm we had reservations for a Carmel walking tour - Carmel Walks. Even though we have been to Carmel plenty of times, the tour sounded interesting and promised to provide an insight into some things we might not have known without a knowledgeable guide. The tour started at one of the hotels in Carmel-by-the-Sea and proceeded through much of the "downtown" area for 2 hours. There were about 10 people on the walk and 3 dogs. I'm not sure if it was because of the dogs, but a lot of the tour focused on everything that was dog friendly - hotels, restaurants, B&Bs, church... Not my idea of an enlightening experience, but I did learn some cool facts, walked through some "secret" passageways I didn't even know were there and got a great recommendation for the restaurant where we ate dinner - so, not a total wash.

After the tour, we continued walking around Carmel-by-the-Sea until dinner time. For dinner, we decided to go with the recommendation of the walking tour guide and eat at Grasing's. Grasing's is an award winning restaurant that serves "coastal cuisine" which just means they use fresh ingredients from California's coast. The atmosphere is intimate and elegant and the food is enticing and flavorful. We started with a Four-Onion Tart with grilled fennel sauce & balsamic glaze. I know, it doesn't sound good and I was leery at first, but it was so good that I ended up eating half instead of the bite I promised Shawnna. For the main course, I ate the Grilled "Painted Hills" New York Steak, with onion rings, roasted potatoes and sauteed spinach; Shawnna had the fish special which was Halibut Cheeks (yes, meat from the head of the fish) with white beans, roasted tomatoes, hickory smoked bacon, chantrelle mushrooms and spinach. For dessert, we shared the Strawberry and Rhubarb Cobbler with vanilla ice cream. Everything was excellent and highly recommended. It wasn't cheap, but well worth it. After stuffing our faces, we headed back to the hotel to watch a movie (Derailed) and get some rest.

On the 26th, we woke up, lounged around for a bit and then took a walk on the beach in front of the hotel. After cleaning up and getting the sand out of our shoes, we checked out and headed to Cannery Row for some more walking and shopping; the Tin Cannery is looking pretty abandoned with lots of empty store fronts. Next, we drove along the coast toward Pacific Grove to our destination for lunch - Fishwife.

The Fishwife is an award winning seafood restaurant that serves California cuisine with a Carribean flavor. This is a casual restaurant that serves good food at a reasonable price. I ate the Grilled Salmon Fillet with rice, black beans and garlic bread. Shawnna had the Grilled Fillet of Sole Garden Salad with garlic bread. The flavors in the food was subtle and subdued, but nonetheless pretty good. I think the highlight was the little old lady who apparently has worked there forever and walked around the restaurant talking to all of the customers and making sure everyone had what they needed.

After lunch, we decided to head back home. On the way, we stopped at the Gilroy outlets since we didn't get enough walking and shopping done in Monterey & Carmel. All-in-all, it was a great weekend and should tide us over until we feel the itch again (or get hungry :-)

Stockton Thunder vs. Dayton Bombers - 3/4/06

March 4th was ACE Train night at the Stockton Thunder game and I won the tickets on the train by answering the question, "What is the 5 hole?" Any hockey fan would know the answer and I was the quickest one on the train to answer. The new Stockton Arena was very nice, but there doesn't seem to be enough parking. We parked in the garage next to the arena and they closed it a few cars after we got in because it was full - and we were 20 minutes early. The arena holds about 10,000 and was about 1,500 from capacity.

The quality of hockey was about what you would expect from the ECHL - the minor, minor league. It wasn't horrible, but noticeably slower with sloppier passing. The crowd was pretty well into the game and cheered when the Thunder scored, but the loudest cheers were saved for the "Chuck-A-Puck" game during the intermission - you could buy a plastic puck for $1 and try to hit the target on the ice during intermission to win cash. Anyway, Shawnna and I had a good time, but I don't think we'll be buying season tickets anytime soon. Although, the Thunder won for the first time at home in about 3 months, so we might be good luck :-)

Score: W 5-2
1st Period
Stockton - Havern (Lalonde; Metcalfe)
Dayton - Teplitsky (unassisted)
2nd Period
Stockton - Ziedins (Stork; Irwin)
Stockton - Ziedins (PP) (Irwin; Martz)
Stockton - Foster (PP) (Irwin; Martz)
3rd Period
Stockton - Havern (Gardner; Ziedins)
Dayton - Kelly 10 (Teplitsky; Tennant)

Stockton SOG: 36
Dayton SOG: 40
Winning Goalie: Jake Moreland
Losing Goalie: David Currie

Tickets: Section 210 Row 25

Mt. Shasta Skiing - March 1-2, 2006

Dan and I drove up to Dad's house in Cottonwood to hang out and go skiing at Mt. Shasta which is just over an hour drive from his house. The mountain got about 6 inches of snow the day before our first day of skiing - March 1st. Dan, Dad, Tisha and I drove to the ski park and were on the slopes by 9:45am. After the nice snowfall, it was a great day for skiing on fresh powder. The temp was in the mid 30s and it was a bit overcast, but the great snow made up for the semi-crummy weather. We made the first run down an easy hill to get our ski legs ready and Dan took the first (and only) spill of the day while standing still :-) After digging him out of the huge snow cave he made, we continued to make 18 runs down the mountain until 4pm when it was time to leave for the day.


That night, it snowed 12 more inches, so the following day (March 2nd) was looking to be another great powder day. Dad and Tisha were too tired (out of shape :) to ski for a second day in a row, so Dan and I hit the slopes by ourselves. We made our first run at 9:30am and continued skiing for another full day. The weather was a bit colder (low 30s) and more overcast than the previous day, but the powder was awesome and made it worth adding an extra layer of clothing to stay warm. Without the old folks to slow us down, we made 23 runs down the mountain until closing time of 4pm. Then it was time to go back home and get some much needed R&R. What a blast...!

Bon Jovi in Concert - Feb. 27, 2006

On Monday, Feb. 27th, Shawnna and I went to the Bon Jovi concert with Dan and Kelley at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. We met for dinner at the Spaghetti Factory prior to the show and the headed to the arena for some 80s rock.

Shawnna and I sat in section 201, row 9 and Dan & Kelley sat on the floor seats, 4 rows from the stage. The stage setup was typical for the HP Pavilion - on one end of the arena with all of the fans in front of the stage and black drapes down the back. The unique part was the giant screen behind the stage that moved around (tilted forward, backward and moved up and down) throughout the set.


The performance itself was pretty good, but not great. Of course, the fact that it was a Monday night and I was sitting in the second deck probably had an effect on my opinion. The crowd was fairly into it and seemed to know the lyrics to most of the popular songs. I wasn't impressed with the acoustic songs they sang as they were too sappy and were obviously geared toward the female persuasion. I also didn't know some of the songs they played from their new album. However, they played most of their greatest hits which were high energy and kept my attention. I must say that Bon Jovi can still rock - for a bunch of 40 year olds ;-)


SET LIST
LAST MAN STANDING
YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME
COMPLICATED
BORN TO BE MY BABY
STORY OF MY LIFE
I'LL SLEEP WHEN I'M DEAD JUST OLDER
IN THESE ARMS
I WON'T BACK DOWN (as intro to...)
HAVE A NICE DAY
WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T GO HOME
IT'S MY LIFE
I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU (acoustic)
BLAZE OF GLORY (acoustic)
BED OF ROSES (acoustic)
BAD MEDICINE
RAISE YOUR HANDS
LIVIN' ON A PRAYER

encores:
WELCOME TO WHEREVER YOU ARE
EVERYDAY
BLOOD ON BLOOD
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE