The Wright team, and Right Coach

Former Cardinal Player (sorry I didn't get his name), Coach Alex Jacobson and Toby Wright
Coach and Linda Murphy talking with players and parents

Thank you Toby for coming back and inspiring our kids! Dobson is his home, he told me.

Timing is everything, and luck, too. We asked him before he agreed to help at Hamilton

(they asked him and would pay him, those evil, breaking-AIA rules sharks)!

Coach Jacobson, his wife, Brie, Garrett, and Kyle. They are so awesome.

We are glad that they are going to move to Arizona

Our Boosters - Alyssa Hardman, Linda Sachs, Lori Avena, me, Michelle DeMetz,

Tamara Salinas, Linda Murphy, Jonelle Johnson--what a night!

Football season is going to start again. This will be my third year of helping with the Booster club. I really enjoying being part of something and trying to make it a better experience for the boys and for our Dobson Community. I have worked many hours launching a Golf Tournament, getting colored programs started, like other schools, getting banners, working with the marching band, too (Amanda is in that)and copying ideas from other Booster Presidents who have a great system. Thanks to Kristi Brake for all of her great ideas that we are using next Fall.

Tonight was an amazing turn-out for our new season. The reason it is new is because we have a new head coach from Utah, Alex Jacobson. He was the head coach of Jordan High, and is now moving with his family to Arizona. He is so motivating and is bringing hope, commitment, and a complete sense of community to our area. Many families have moved and have lost faith in our system. He is not only incorporating football, but also service that these players are going to do. In Utah the players read to the Elementary kids, and cleaned up their stadium after a game

He went to one of our Jr. high's, Hendrix, and invited them to come. They said that they have never had a Dobson Coach visit them! They have always felt like the forgotten step-child of Dobson, and they are closer to Dobson, then Rhodes Jr.

We had the best turn-out ever at our Kick-off meeting. I met a former Dobson High Football player, Toby Wright, who has played Pro Football and has his own gym. He is awesome and I asked him if he would come back and help our boys, and he is!

Our booster team is awesome. They are organized, and have made our transition great.

These moms are not afraid to speak out, and get the job done, and they have!

Look out Dobson, here we come!!!!

Want-to-be-a-red-head?

I'm trying a new hair color-red. Of course, it's not a true red. I tried , dark brown, and light brown, then after my hair breaking off, I can now put color over my black hair. My kids don't like it, my husband didn't really notice and doesn't care, and doesn't want to hear about it. A few people commented positively and others say nothing- which means-yuck!!! What do you think?

Star Struck

When I was out getting sponsors for all of the Golf Tournament I'm launching, I met up with athe manager of Chandler Harkins. (He and a friend in our ward have created "Locker 13" which is a series of short films. They are soon to release one, Staring Ricky Schroeder). He gave me a pass to go see a movie that has not been released at the Phoenix Film Festival. David and I went last year with his group. It is fun seeing movies and seeing all of the aspiring people trying to get into the filming industry. Many actors like doing independent movies because there is more freedom to do a film that they want to do, less pressure, They may read a script that maybe a non-famous person sends in and they agree to do it.Anyway, David and I went to "Love and Dancing," which will be released in May 2009. The theature was packed and before the show started two of the writers, producers and actors of the show introduced themselves, and sat in the audience. I didn't recognize them. They were wearing hats to protect their identity? It was a great movie and how cool was it that they were in the audience! Well, afterwards, we were invited to come back and listen to their question and answer session for the aspiring hopefulls.
I was star struck!!! Just like Lucille Ball, in an episode of "I Love Lucy," I had to get closer. His co-star in this movie is Billy Zane, who has been in over 75 movies and tv shows. He was even in Back to the Future. I know him most from his leading role in Titanic, as the mean fiance, Caledon Hockley, of Rose! I sat in the front row and took tons of photos. Then afterwards, asked a manager if I could take a photo with him. They said he was done with photos. Knowing how well I take no for an answer, I gave David the camera and we followed him and I asked him for a picture and he agreed! Here it is!

I put my arm around his waist and he put his arm around mine, and here's our picture!

Billy Zane talking to the audience about how to get started
He was so casual, and funny, and never mentioned any of his many lead roles in movies

Tim Malloy wrote the script for "Love and Dancing"

He has been in tv series, but this is his first big movie

He played an awesome role as a swing dance instructor.

He can really dance. If you like "Dancing with the Stars" you will love this movie.

In this movie he was playing a casual, goofy, cute, guy obsessed with his career,

who didn't want to spend time with his fiance.

In most of his movies, he the bad guy trying to kill someone,

or hunted for something. He is making several movies soon to be released.

No More "Brace Face"

Finally, today, March 31, 2009, I get these off
No more 'metal mouth'

After 5 years of braces, we can now see her beautiful smile!

Zachary's first pinewood derby

This was Zachary's first and our fourth, Matthew did three when he was younger. Zachary drew out his design, David had cut it on Sunday, two days before the race. He didn't want to ask to borrow anything, so he took a sharp knife and just did it and then smoothed it out for Zachary. I went to Michaels and Zachary picked out the paint color and stickers. Luckily, I bought weights, because it weighed only 3.5 ounces, and was suppose to be five ounces. He was proud of it and raced against 30 kids. The unexpected part he took second place out of all of the racers! Way to go for your first race!

Role

Matthew has mowed our lawn for five years without pay! Some may think it is cruel, not to pay a child to do chores. After seeing programs about chores, and copying David's sister's family's patterns, David and I decided not to pay for chores. He has hardly missed a Saturday, and has even learned how to edge and trim, which is awesome, too. We give him money for things that he needs and wants, so he is not deprived. Several Saturday's ago, I heard him telling Zachary, that he needs how to learn how to mow the grass really soon, since it will be his turn. Matthew will be leaving in a few years, and here he is showing Zachary how to mow the grass, how awesome is this!!! I appreciate him teaching his younger brother responsiblity. Zachary actually enjoyed pushing the lawn mower.

President Obama visiting in my neighborhood

My mom called Sunday night and told me that Obama was coming to Dobson Highschool, which is where my son, Matthew attends. The school is only two blocks from my house. We drove by the school around 9:00pm and there were tons of people camping out. I thought about camping out but was not able to pull it off. I read that only 400 tickets were going to be given out and by seeing the crowd, chances were slim. So, Monday morning, I got up early, like I always do, put on my running stuff and ran over to the school to check out the scene, I'm always curious. I stood in the back of the line around 5:30am. By 6:00 am, there were another 100 people. I didn't think I even had a chance and wasn't sure if it was worth it. I wasn't planning on staying, but made friends in line, they saved my place while I ran home and brought a chair for a person sitting on the ground. I gave my cell phone number for a lady to call while I ran home, changed and got into warmer clothes. I had to figure out how I was going to manage the kids while I waited. Matthew had wrestling, Amanda went to the temple with her class, Zachary and friends were invited to go to Phoenix MBA Jamz, and Jeremy would have to wait with me. We waited until almost 12:00 pm. They gave Jeremy a ticket with our address on it. David was so lucky I had Jeremy with me. They only gave out 20 more tickets to the people behind me My friend was intending on picking him up last minute, but couldn't. I felt so guilty when friends called and asked why I didn't call them to let them know. They would have waited with me! I've called them for dumb things like waiting in line to catch a deal after Thanksgiving. I felt like everything was crazy and happening at once. I still have horrible guilt and hopefully someday will be able to find out something interesting first and make it up to them.

His plane landed (photo from the paper)



S Security was everywhere

Our school!!! So unreal that Dobson was picked out of the other highschools. It might be because Harry Mitchell is in our district (head of the Democratic party), also it could have been that our school buildings set back around 50 yards from the street and our school can be completly secured without cutting off all of the access roads, or it could have been that our school colors are blue, Matthew says that is a democrat color and wore red in protest. Mr. Gehrman our principal, asked all students on Tuesday to not park on campus, busses will be provided, and to wear blue, to show our school spirit for the potential Media, or could it just be that our school rocks!! I bragged about our school to Tim and Willey on the radio.

Here is the all of the escorting done on Alma School Road. Conservative talk radio said he was a coward, by not driving south on Dobson, where thousands of protestors were lined up. The Democrats praised him for being safe and driving south down the unexpected street, Alma School. What do you think? It was cool, that our local Street, Rogers, made the paper.

Entering into our parking lot, on the East side by our football field

They had security scan everything, and didn't allow anything that couldn't fit inside a pocket. Everyone, including us, had to lock up our camcorder, bummer

The crowd that had tickets and camped out Tuesday night right by the stoplight on Longmore and Dobson. They had to sleep on the sidewalk, since no one was allowed to set foot on the campus. I'm sure the grass would have been much nicer. My husband, David,

around 8:oopm went out to the crowd and met the lady who made the news

for being the first in line to be seated.

Protestors on the corner of Longmore and Guadalupe.

I took a picture of them while I was walking home

Wow, George W. Bush was present, too?

I did vote for him last time and did vote for McCain,

for those who are worried that I'm becoming Democrat

The paper took this, it was my friend's favorite

The people who hate Sherrif Joe, who has been elected for the fourth time.

Guess he's doing something right? We met him at our church's 4th of July breakfast.

He is quite hillarious and has reduced our crime rate.

Jan Brewer our Govenor, that replace Janet Napolotano.

We thought we had bad seats, sitting on the top row looking at the right side of Obama's face, but the flag was a great picture for the paper, and here we are trying to get seated.

Our tranformed Gymnasium. It use to smell with nasty bathrooms. It's amazing on how much money was spent cleaning and fixing the bathrooms, and making it look spotless. I couldn't find any dust, anywhere. Who paid for that? We even had sod rolled out over most of the gravel, making our school look spotless for the most famous person to ever visit.

He read the Pledge of Alligence

She had an amazing voice. She is blind, but could sing the Star Spangled Banner like no other.

Dobson Dacapo, the highest acapella choir were chosen to sing for the event.

We know half of the students, one got to shake Obama's hand

The picture we took with our camera.

The media got this when he said "Welcome Arizona"

We were sitting directly under the stars. I'm sitting by the guy standing up,

and the person in front of me has their flash on. Not bad seats.

A Football Booster mom, Linda Murphy and I posing.

She and her entire family camped out to get tickets.

The seal was placed on the front of the podium after the invocation.

The crowd roared in excitement when it is placed. About 10 minutes after he spoke it was removed. Isn't it awesome?

What a week for our principal, Mr.Matt Gehrman! Here he is with his wife and two girls and David and I. We had a football 'met the new coach' meeting the previous Friday and talked with Mr. Gehrman until 8:30 pm. Apparently, he was called at 10:00 pm and told that Dobson will be the site. His wife said he was so busy pulling this huge event off. A week ago, he was first on an accident scene, and broke the window of a car that had driven into the canal, then this!! He is such a great principal, full of spirit and really cares about his students

David and I talking a picture by the podium after he spoke.

She MadeIt!!!

Amanda tried out for High School Regionals and competed against 45 other Alto Saxophone players and made the 6th and last spot. A friend called at 10:30pm, telling me her son made it and I asked her to check to see if Amanda was on the list, not expecting her to be, and she was!! I was so amazed. I didn't want to wake her up since we have early church in the morning, but when her Marching Band Section Leader called at 12:00 am, I let him tell her. She was so happy, practically screaming. I had to take her into the laundry room, while she calmed down.

She MadeIt!!!

Just Horsing Around

I took Jeremy, Kelsey and Brenlie Wiles over to Cindy Tucker's to see all of her animals. She has two horses, two dogs, had a cool cat, chickens, had a goose, birds, fish and a ferret? and the cutest new puppy. They all held the new puppy and were impressed with the horses. Brenlie didn't want to get too close. Kelsey and Jeremy climbed up on the fence to pet one of them and Jeremy was picking out junk from the Horse's eye! It was gross but he said "The horse had stuff in his eye" He loves animals! They were all so cute--thanks Cindy!