Totally wiped out from the field trips!

Hello everyone!

I know, it isn't even Christmas and I am thinking of New Year's Resolutions....my main resolution: I will update my blog...at least 3 x a week...hee hee

I promise to write more about the field trips....the hickey (not a kid in my group), the Happy Hour plans (made in about 30 minutes into the trip) and tripping over a boulder....

But, here is my Holiday letter for those of you who didn't get it....Happy Holidays everyone!
-----------------------------------
Hello Everyone! I am trying a new holiday letter format…I hope you like it!!!

At Warwick Elementary, Jordan is in the 5th grade and doing great! Neil is in the 3rd grade and reading up a storm!!!

Purrrr…this year we lost our beloved Kiku. She was a part of our family for 17 years and is dearly missed. Shaq, (her brother) misses her dearly and is also showing his 17 years…

Practice Round @ the President’s Cup --- Jeff and I were lucky enough to attend the President’s Cup @ Harding Park this fall…it was wonderful…we already have tickets for the US OPEN (Golf) at Pebble Beach in June!

Yikes! THAT’S MJ and Tiger!!! Yup…we got pictures of Michael Jordan and Tiger at the President’s Cup…it was AWESOME…(hint: you can take cameras into the tournament on PRACTICE rounds…but, not the COMPETITION rounds!!!)


HoopsCardsCrafts.blogspot.com is our Family’s BLOG…check it out to find out what is going on in the Minamide Household!

Our two boys, Jordan (10 ½) and Neil (9) are busy with basketball this year. Jordan is on a split team with the Eden organization. Neil is playing with SACBC again. Jordan is also trying out for the 5th-6th grade basketball team @ Warwick

Last Summer, we didn’t go to Hawaii…but, we were able to attend the 25 year Dana Hall (UCSD) Reunion, VIVA LAS VEGAS and catch up with the Santiago’s, Kumagawa’s, and Abang’s.

I , (Sheri) am still “working” at home. The sewing bug has really bitten me hard….I may need to upgrade my sewing machine soon!!!!

Dad, Jeffrey, is doing well at Morgan Stanley. He can’t believe he has been there for 19 years!!!

Another year has gone by, we wish you and your families, love and peace throughout 2010 and beyond!!!

Yikes! (again) Jeffrey and Sheri attended their 25 year High School Class reunions. It was wonderful to catch up with everyone….

Sheri is sorry she did this…it was harder than she thought!

Love, The Minamide Family
Jeffrey, Sheri, Jordan and Neil

Girl's Night Out!

Last night I went to a Crafty Girl's Night Out at my friend Julie's house! She is so creative and clever! When we arrived, bearing munchies and other yummy treats, she had 8 "stations" set up for the below crafts. (Can you tell she is an organized teacher?)

Starting from the top left:
We filled a glass ornament up with little strips of paper, top it off with a bow...and we have a cute little ornament!
The star box is painted and "sparkle mod podge" and topped with buttons and a little flower.

It's really scary....these ladies really liked the E6000...a smelly adhesive which we used to make a blingy ring!

Okay, now this is REALLY easy...layer some ribbon and top it off with some buttons...and you have a BEAUTIFUL bookmark! so cute and EASY!!!

The little circle is a pin...made with fabric yo-yos and a covered button.

Bottom Left:

A "jeweled" snowflake....

Another button embellished with some buttons

Last but not least....a "wooden" tree covered with scrapbook paper and embellished with "jewels"

It was a great night! Thank you Julie for spreading your creativity with us!!! You can tell she inspired me...I have been wanting to make swirled glass ornaments...everything has been sitting out forever....I did them today....can't wait until they are dry!

Need to leave for Neil's first game of the season....take care everyone! I hope I can be better at updating my BLOG...sorry....Holiday Slacker!

Ornaments, Ornaments

While I was at the Laker game, Jeff set up our tree....I grew up with LIVE trees my whole life...until I met Jeff....and had indoor cats....About 5 years ago, Jeff convinced me to get a FAKE tree. I love our tree...not only do I NOT have to crawl under the tree to water it, but, it's pre-lit...and it rotates....

I have been collecting Precious Moments Ornaments since 1988...the first Christmas after I graduated from college....Last year, Hallmark and PM started releasing Disney ornaments...Belle and Ariel were released this year. Cinderella was released last year.

The dated ornaments are below....originally I didn't care for the cardinal..but, it looks great in the tree....

The Hoover Dam ornaments are hidden in the tree...the boys picked these out on our trip to Las Vegas and Hoover Dam in August.

Shelley and I were so happy with our Macy's ornament this year...we try to get a Macy's Shopping Bag ornament as a remembrance of our SF shopping trips....one year we chose a tree...because we didn't find a Macy's ornament that we liked....this year is really cute!

I try to get the boys a special ornament...I found this basketball for them @ Macy's this year....it's really sparkly (sp?) ...they loved it!

He shoots...He SCORES!!!!

Time for some catch up....


On Friday, we attended the Notre Dame de Namur Thanksgiving Classic....a basketball tournament. It was a fun evening that started with Ramen at Santa Ramen...(yum), then the basketball game NDNU vs Cal State East Bay and it was concluded with dessert at a bakery in San Mateo. (BTW: CSEB won...71 to NDNU's 64)


I have blogged about Santa Ramen before....it reopens for dinner at 5:30 p.m. If you are NOT in line by 5:15...you risk NOT getting in. With Friday being a holiday for most people (Jeff had to work in the am), the line filled up quickly. We were the 4th party in line...so, we got in...but many people didn't...this is the line....at 5:40...

This was also a line OUTSIDE...and it was cold...when we left. One man stomped away saying "There is NO WAY noodles are THAT GOOD"...my response...um, yes it is!!!

Back to the game...during halftime, one of the coaches (Jeff's friend) told Jordan, Neil and Bradley to come down and shoot around....

Jordan's response....it's a BIG court....hee hee...

Jichan's Service and (ahem!) Cards

Today we had a short family gathering/service for Jeff's father. It has been 3 years since he has passed...and it seems like a long time. It was nice to have the family over....At most of the family get togethers...cards are involved....someone was obviously NOT checking IDs at the card table....since Jordan made it....I heard that Uncle Doug spotted him the buyin. He seems to be doing better....

...at least better than Uncle Zak. Poor Uncle Zak...

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!!!! We spent the day at my brother Dave's house. It was also Kylie's FIRST birthday!!!! She was born last year ON Thanksgiving Day.

Here she is with Jordan....
Neil is with Sage, Kylie's brother....later in the day, Jordan taught Sage how to play poker....sigh....the next generation is already being corrupted!!!

This morning the boys and I stopped at "The Flower Shop" to pick up flowers for Jichan's (Jeff's father) Memorial service that we are having at the house tomorrow. Of course we have a friend at the shop....Yuki is such an adorable dog....

almost done...and false advertising???

Well, Thanksgiving is two days away...My cards are done, addressed, glittered and stuffed. Jordan and Jeff put on the stamps and return address labels...tomorrow Neil and Jordan will seal the envelopes...phew! Now I can get back to my sewing and crocheting!!! Okay, so my rant for the night...Jeff had his chiropractic appointment today and he wanted to try the burgers at Jack's Prime Burger. They had a $10 special - burger, fries and shake. Neil didn't want the special, but he had a fantastic looking kid's grilled cheese sandwich and fries for $4.99.

I feel like I am writing a math problem: Jordan, Jeff and Sheri have the $10 special, Neil has the $4.99 kid's meal. Approximately how much should the bill be BEFORE tax?

For some reason, each meal had 51 cents added to the price....when we questioned our server, he said the tax was calculated into the tab...BUT...there was another tax line calculated against the "so-called" built in tax price....so.....someone please explain. The Manager couldn't, but he reversed it and credited us $2.50...it really should have been $2.04...hmmm...maybe they can't do math.

BTW: I liked the burger and especially the fries and shake...but, I don't know if I'll go back.