Spring Hockey - Game 2

Yesterday Andrew started playing in a spring hockey league. He and a couple other boys from the Strongsville Mustangs peewee team were recruited to play for the Parma Flyers team. Andrew missed game 1 (there are 8 games total) because we were in Panama for Spring Break (they lost 2-4). After about a 2 month hiatus, Andrew had to get his skating legs back today (also sick). With only 9 skaters, the shifts were long, and Andrew was definitely winded. In the end, the Parma team lost 5-6 in a crazy game against the Kent Cyclones. Andrew didn't score any goals, but he came close on a couple. Game 3 is in a couple weeks (after Easter).

Irish Dance Update

Today Abby competed in the Buckeye State Feis in Columbus, OH. There were about 30 girls in her age group for preliminary championship level. She finished fourth which was another great accomplishment - and the trophy was nice too (unfortunately, no sash though). Way to go Abby! Speaking of Irish Dance, I forgot to post a short video clip from the O'Hare School of Irish Dance year-end revue that was last week Sunday. Abby was the drunken sailor for the Drunken Sailor dance. Here are a few highlights.

Dance Out at Sully's

Tonight Abby and some of the O'Hare Irish Dancers performed at the Sully's Irish Pub in Medina. Sully's is always a fun and interesting venue because of the limited dancing space and the very festive crowd. What was special about tonight's performance was that Abby - and her friend Jacqueline - were entirely responsible for organizing the dances and dancers for the performance (since their instructors was not able to attend).

Panama Vacation - Days 8 and 9

On Day 8 we left our beach house in Coronado and headed back for Panama City where we stayed at the Marriott Courtyard. While the moms and older girls shopped, Dad, Andrew, Greg, Graham and Camille headed out for adventure ... and that is just what we got. We headed for Gamboa where we were going to catch a boat tour to Monkey Island. However, we decided to take the cheap route and catch a ride with some folks at the local marina (long story). Needless to say, we did not end up on Monkey Island; but we did have a painfully long visit on a small island with the Wounaan Village tribe. This "National Geographic" moment, led to another boat ride to the nearest shore and then a bus ride back to our van. On the way back to the city, we stopped and viewed the Panama Canal.

Day 9 was just the Hollywood Four (our friends left home for Denver one day earlier). After some morning pool time, we took a cab to the Casco Viejo area so we could take Abby shopping for a few small gifts for her birthday (she picked out a bracelet, shoes and couple other small items). We finished off our vacation with a nice dinner at the Market restaurant. The next morning we caught our flight back home. The end.

Panama Vacation - Day 7

On day 7 of our vacation we decided to head back for El Valle for horseback riding, mud baths, and the El Nispero Zoo. Then we returned to our beach house in Coronado where we had an awesome birthday barbeque in celebration of Abby's 15th birthday (a couple days early). To top off our crazy day, we jotted down the road to a local outdoor pub - the Picasso Bar & Restaurante - where the girls sang karaoke and danced (yes, we were bad parents that night).

Panama Vacation - Day 6

On Day 6 of our Panama vacation, Dad and Greg drove to La Pintada in the morning so they could visit the only Panamanian cigar factory - Cigarros Joyas de Panama. After a quick tour, including watching a couple men roll cigars for a few minutes, we bought a few cigars and then headed back for Coronado. On the way we stopped at the beach of Santa Clara where we had a great seafood lunch at Cabanas Las Veraneras. Meanwhile, the girls and kids were performing yoga on the beaches of Coronado. After that they went into to town so the girls could all get manicures. To end our day, we had a very Panamanian dinner out at an open-air restaurant where we all ate the Central American specialty: Paella.

Panama Vacation - Day 5 (part 2)

For the second half of our Day 5 adventure, we ate lunch at a little restaurant in downtown El Valle run by a nice old lady. This authentic Panamanian restaurant had a full menu, a cat, a dog, a parrot and plenty of ants. After that we ventured out trying to find some Square Trees and we ended up on some steep mountain roads in the Altos del Maria area - they were so steep, that our mini-van couldn't even make it up the road (despite Greg's determination to do so). In fact, we were all a little scared that the mini-van might slide off the hill on the loose gravel. In the end, we all stayed safe and it was a fun adventure.