Big Game

“Red, nineteen! Set, hike!”
Jon took the snap, and scrambled out. I stood there, on defense watching Jon and his offense run around the field. One of the receivers, Frankie, ran out deep for a pass. He was fast, and I watched him run right past me. As he ran past me, I froze. Eventually, I realized he was running deep, and I had to catch him. The cold air made it even harder. Frankie was a few feet ahead of me. I wasn’t even looking at Jon throw the ball; I was just looking at Frankie as his speed got the best of me. I noticed him look up. With that, I knew the ball was coming. Frankie started to slow down, so I knew Jon under threw the ball. I decided to use all the power I could to catch up to Frankie. He stopped trying to catch the ball, and he was a good six feet from me. Prancing vigorously, I managed to catch up to him and swat the ball. I managed to push him over, and he tried to pull me over. Falling over, I managed to reach for the ball. The ball was just in my reach, and I grabbed with one of the tightest grips I ever had. I successfully held on to an important interception.

                It was December 24th, 2009. I was at my aunt and uncle’s neighborhood, with many kids. There were sixteen kids around this neighborhood, all ages from ten-fourteen. They have eight one eight teams in football, and they take it very seriously. They have a large field, with people who ref, and even their own field goals and scoreboards. It’s amazing, and it’s almost perfect. They have strict rules and very strict game play. I admired it completely. I went to my aunt’s for Christmas Eve, and they asked me to play since I’ve played with them before and they knew of my love for sports.  I was pretty excited, and I was pumped up with the cold weather. It was snowing lightly, roughly twenty degrees. After my interception, my team got the ball back. The current score was seven-seven with five minutes left in the fourth quarter. As my team prepared for an offensive drive, we discussed the play. Soon, we lined up in a single running back formation (me at running back), and four receivers. Collin, our quarterback called for the ball, and our center, Greg, snapped the ball to him. I ran toward Collin prepared to take a handoff. One of the defenders, Eric, ran after me. He tried to tackle me, but Collin faked the handoff, so Greg released me and tried to run after Collin. Collin then threw a short pass to me. I caught it easily, and ran. Frankie, who was playing defensive-back on defense, ran after me with his speed. I saw him coming, and tried to shake him off. However, it was to no use. Frankie got me down pretty easily. Still, with being down, I gained a solid nine yards. My team called a timeout to discuss our strategy, as I was wondering how to get score

                With the clock running and less than four and a half minutes left in the game with a tie score, we set up for a play. I was lined up at slot receiver. Collin called hiked, and I ran my route. I took three steps, then ran to the right. Collin through a bullet pass to Lenny, a receiver. Lenny caught it, and ran. Lenny’s not very fast, but he’s big, so he didn’t get far. The clock continued to run, but we didn’t run too fast. After more plays going by, the clock hit two minutes and counting. We had ten yards to end zone, and Collin got the ball. I ran around four yards to end zone, and caught a short pass. As I ran to end zone, Frankie ran to my knees and tackled me down. As I started to come down, I felt the ball come loose. I knew what was coming. The ball came out of my hands, and I landed on the ground. I didn’t have possession of the ball. I tried to find it, but Frankie already got it. He started to run. He ran fast, and no one could get him. He ran back and forth trying to avoid people. All his shaking allowed me to catch up to him. I managed to tackle him thirty yards from the end zone. I felt so stupid. I fumbled the ball two yards from the end zone. I could tell the rest of the kids on my team were mad, but I had to get over it.

                I lined up at defense, in a deep coverage set up. Jon called for the ball, there was thirty seconds left. I was deeper than usual, watching out for Frankie. As I expected, Jon threw to Frankie. The ball was high in the air, and I don’t think Frankie realized I was right there. As Frankie grabbed the ball, I pushed him over, and he bobbled the ball. I managed the intercept the ball. I had to run. I ran as fast as I could. I ran past five other people, and had two kids to beat. I was ten yards from the end zone. Jon tried to pull me down, but I shook him off. I ran to end zone, and I got the touchdown. I had successfully made up for my mistake, and gotten the pick-six. There was six seconds remaining once we kicked off, and we eventually won the game. I had won the game for my team, and they were so proud of what I had done. I was proud too.

Not So Bad After All- Maggie Law

The day before Christmas, spent in the hospital. It doesn’t seem like such a great thing does it? It wasn’t actually me that was in the hospital though. My brother John and I were sledding and he always seemed to take things too far. It went too far when he decided to go down an enormous hill, head first. John was soaring down the hill, fast as lightning. Suddenly he went flying off an unexpected ramp that some hooligans had built, and just like you expected, he smashed his face so hard into a tree I swear I heard thunder crack. So this sounds like a horrible accident, right? It was for a while, when I sat in the hospital for hours waiting for results from the excessive amount of tests the doctors were taking. Eventually my parents took me to my grandparent’s house, where I had hot cocoa and watched television with them. It seemed like dandy time while I was at their house; I was getting backrubs and being treated like a princess. After a couple of hours I started to get worried. I was only six, but I still had my worries. I loved my brother a lot, and it seemed like nothing could ever happen to him, because he was my brother. Finally, after almost three hours of being uninformed, I got the news. John had to stay in the hospital for the night. Our dad volunteered to stay with him, so he wouldn’t be alone. John had jammed up his neck and damaged his spine. I was worried sick, I wanted to see him so badly and make sure he still looked like my brave, fearless brother. I was sad for him that he had to wake up in the hospital on Christmas. Although this sounds horrible, it ended up being one of my favorite Christmas’ yet. To see my brother’s beaten up face when he came home made me feel warm inside. Not that I like seeing him bruised and weak, but to see him alive. I was a young kid, so of course I thought he wouldn’t make it. I exaggerated the injury and worried more than I should have; but I was reassured when I saw his face. It was the best present I could’ve ever asked for. If I couldn’t have spent Christmas with John, I could never spend Christmas the same.

Jenna Burton- christmas cookies

No Christmas can be complete without the smell of Christmas cookies fresh out of the oven.  On December 23 the house is filled with the scent of sugar cookies, peppermint and a dozen other sweet treats.  These all are soon to be wrapped up in with big red bows and placed aside to be delivered around the neighborhood.  My brothers and I bundle up with our thick mittens and puffy coats and set out on this always cold afternoon.  For as long as I can remember, our neighbors have exchanged little candies and sweets at Christmas time.  Even this small act of kindness really brings out the holiday spirit and happiness bound to come around this time of year.  We are given specific instructions, Carefully carry these cookies to Mrs. Naubert’s house, walk very slowly to be sure and not spill and don’t forget to be extra careful not slip on any patches of ice, the repetitive warning we have heard every year.  We smile and nod along only half listening to this overused warning. 

My brothers and I set out into the snowy neighborhood and go from house to house exchanging smiles and sweet treats with some our closest friends.  After no more than ten minutes the warnings given by our mom have been half forgotten and I am scrambling to keep up.  The weight of my snow boots and the hat falling into my eyes adds a sure challenge to this otherwise simple task.  Getting to the door a mere fifteen seconds after the boys, I count this trip as a success.  The process of gathering up treats and racing around the houses is repeated many times until dark is settling in and everybody is chilly and tired.  We are greeted at the door by a gust of warm air and hot chocolate ready to be sipped.  Looking back I can only smile because I know how lucky I am to have great memories like this. 

It Was Paradise

It Was Paradise 

For me, the best childhood memory I have is going to San Antonio, Texas. Almost my whole family went. Kaila, Cassie, Kara, Camryn, my mom, dad and I packed our bags and got headed to the airport. My dad had gone on many work trips to Texas before and decided it was a great place to spend Easter with the family. My brother, of course didn’t want to come so he spent the two week at home with my aunts and uncles checking up on him periodically.

We got on a plane together in the spring of 2004. I remember sitting next to my little sister Camryn. It was her first time on a plane and she looked nervous. I handed her a piece of gum so her ears wouldn’t pop. After liftoff she was fine; we colored some pictures together and watched a movie. That plane ride seemed like the longest trip in the world! I couldn’t sit still I was so anxious for the sunny Texas weather. Once we landed, I remember getting our rental car. The man handed us two sets of keys for two Jeeps, one orange and one lime green. My dad hated it and wanted to get a new one but us girls wouldn’t let him. He drove the lime green one, my sister, who recently got her license, drove with my mom in the orange car to the hotel. Our hotel was more like a resort. The hotel was only three levels, but it went in a “u” shape. There were three walls of the hotel surrounding the outdoor pool area.  There was a bit of open land, a path, some benches and a play ground around the building as well. Right near the pool was our rooms. There was a sliding glass door to the outside area, making it easy to go from the pool back to our room. We spent a lot of our time over the next two weeks going back and forth from room to room playing in the pools and having fun.  A week into our trip my Uncle Denis and his family joined us. They got a room only two down from ours and we spent a lot of our time annoying our neighbors hanging out together in each other’s rooms. Every night after the pool closed we would play cards and occasionally order pizza. We had a great time spending time together. Over the two weeks we spent in paradise we spent every waking hour together. My family will never forget this trip when my family got closer than ever before. 

Snowballs, Chaos, and the Imaginary Medal of Honor

 Ahh, the feeling of winter as a child. It’s fun, exhilarating, but most of all peaceful. Then there’s that one little burst of madness when you seem to be enjoying yourself, then a flying white ball smacks you in the face. Whether you’re a kid or an adult, none of that can fly. You pack a ball with your gloves, you ready your weapon, aim, fire and then it’s war. Rewinding a few years back, the only thing I had to look forward to in winter was grabbing my sled, going to the highest hill in the creek, and driving down it. I had only seen snowball fights in cartoons, so naturally I wanted to be a part of one. When I was about six or seven, my brother Jack was about five and we were outside in the backyard with my dad, enjoying the winter breeze. Then three medium sized kids in winter coats, hats and gloves emerged from the other side of the creek and threw snowballs at us. I knew that at last I would experience a true snowball fight, so we took up the challenge and fired back.

     It was total chaos and we loved every minute of it, I dodged every snowball that whizzed past my head while my dad provided ammo for Jack and I as pandemonium was insured. However, while Jack and I kept firing and hitting our targets, there was one particular enemy that wouldn’t give up. He had hit us with his seemingly unlimited ammunition of snow, he had hit Dad with plenty, which limited our ammo, and I was with my last snowball. I looked at my target as he kept rushing to the left as I arched my arm and then I threw with all of the power in my arm. The snowball flew with so much speed and velocity and crashed into my target’s face! I felt like I had won the Medal of Honor, my heart jumped for joy and my mind was filled with exhilaration as the enemy retreated. We had won our first snowball fight, and the happiness was well deserved for such a great victory. 

Snow ball Fight!

When I was a kid, I remember my siblings and I going outside on a snow day. Bundled up in our warm clothes, we went out to play in the snow. Snow ball fights, building snowmen, snow angels, and even playing games where we had to dig into the snow to make a fort. But my favorite thing about a snow day was after the outdoor fun. We would go inside, put on warm clothes, drink hot chocolate and watch television. Sometimes our parents would join us and we’d spend all day watching Christmas movies. My favorite movie we watch was "A Christmas Story." Later, after we’ve had our fill of movies and hot chocolate, we all helped our mom make dinner. Then after dinner, we would all sit by a fire and talk. If we were lucky, there was another Christmas movie coming. All of these activities are my favorite thing about the holidays. Being with family, decorating, watching the snow fall at night, and playing in it the next day. Sadly, all of us are too old and no longer fit in our “snow clothes.” I still do the same things with my family, but not as much and often as we used to.

Winter Wonderland

It was a gloomy, cold winter day. The wind was blowing against the trees and the snow was glistening on the frozen ground. My dad had just gotten home from my grandma’s house and he was in a better mood than usual. It was making me a little nervous because he never acts like that. He called my brother and I into the family room and he asked us if we wanted to go the Red Wings game that night. Of course we said yes! I mean who wouldn’t want to spend the night downtown at The Joe. It made it even better because it was New Years Eve. Everyone would be downtown at parties waiting for the ball to drop and the New Year to begin. It was 4:00 and the game was set to begin at 7:00. I rushed up the stairs to get ready. I put on my black skinny jeans, my grey tank top with my red wings zip up hoodie with my grey boots. I was all ready to go when my uncle stopped by. I didn’t know that he was going to come with us to the game. We got into the car and we left Livonia and for the busy city of Detroit. When we got to the arena, we parked the car and went inside. This was my brothers first time to a Red Wings game so it was really special for him. When we found our seats my brother got even more excited because we were two rows away from the glass. He sprinted down the steps and watched in awe the players as they skated for warm-up. The crowd went wild when the puck was dropped by a former red Wing Chris Chelios to start the game. It was about five minutes into the first period when the wings scored the first goal. My brother stood up and just started screaming as loud as he could. In the second period they scored again and another right after the third period began. We left the game a little early but the wings won the game 3-0 and jimmy Howard got the shutout. We got home just in time for the ball to drop and the New Year to begin. I will never forget that New Years Eve and I know my little brother won’t either.