SAM - 2008 Home My Site Map



JANUARY - Finally the new year has begun. So far things have been o.k. There has been a really bad flu going around the country and Sam and I decided to get it fairly early. First we had a series of sinus infections and ear infections, and then we were both down for the count about mid month with congestion of the chest and coughing. We slowly came out of that in time to go outside when it snowed and build a snowman. It was so very cold this month, he lasted a good two weeks before a warm spell came and melted part of him. Finally, near the end of the month we went to see the long awaited Walking with Dinosaurs show at the World Arena. WHAT A SHOW. Sam absolutely loved it and the dinosaurs were incredible. Unfortunately in the middle of the show they experienced a blow fuse!! Can you believe it!! For a few minutes we thought it was part of the show and then someone came on the loudspeaker and let us know what happened!!
FEBRUARY - The month has been thankfully very quiet. We have spent time doing house duties and Cub Scout activities. Sam has also been playing basketball again and is showing very good progress. His ball-handling, passing, and shooting are all getting much better. Mommy has had to up the ante for him to earn a prize to 10 baskets!! So far he has earned 2 prizes!!
MARCH - This was a busy month for Sam. First we went to the St. Patrick's Day parade in downtown Colorado Springs. Sam had several friends there with him and this made it a great day. Second in the month was the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby for Pack 1. Sam had a great time and won second place in time for his den. Easter was early again this year and the Easter bunny brought lots of great things for Sam in his basket. Finally, during Spring Break, Mommy and Sam went to Snow Mountain Ranch near Winter Park Colorado to have some fun in the snow. We went cross-country skiing, snowshoed, roller-skating, swimming, and just generally had a good time!!
APRIL - April is Sam's big birthday month. he turn 8 years old this year and wanted his birthday at Chuckie Cheeses. We had about 10 boys there and all had a great time playing in the games area. I had to make Sam take a picture with Chuckie! A couple other events happened this month. Sam had his big piano recital again and played the theme from Disney's Alley Cat. He still says he hates learning piano but he is improving and I continue to make him play. Our Wolves den also decided to go roller-skating this month to earn a belt-loop. All the boys hada great time and thank goodness for youth because they fell down so often I was afraid we were going to get another broken bone.
MAY - May came very quickly this year. Sam participated in the Skyway Marathon where he ran 26 miles over the course of several months. He was one of the few kids to reach the goal early and actually surpassed it by doing 29 miles!! In May, the school went over to the High School and ran the last mile on the track while the whole school and parents cheered them on!! Next, Sam celebrated his end-of-year party with Scouting at the bowling alley where he was awarded highest scorer!! Sam's cousin Haley graduated from high school this year in Greeley. The family went up to Greeley to participate; however a tornado had hit the town the day previous so they postponed the graduation until the next day. GEEZ! Unforunately Sam and Mommy were on a plane the next morning to go to Indiana so we had to miss this once-in-a-lifetime event!! In Indiana, Mommy and Sam took a little mini vacation to King's Island and the Air Force Museum which are both near Dayton, OH.
JUNE - Things finally slowed down in June for Mommy and Sam. We quietly celebrated Father's Day with grampy, went to the Olympic Training Center which was preparing for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and participated in the Honeywell Summer Picnic.
JULY - And again, more slowness in July which was great for our family. After having such a frenetic year we really enjoyed just doing small things and going around town. In July we went downtown to Memorial Park for the big Fireworks show with some friends. We visited Prospect Lake for a day of fun in the sand and sun. We went went to Teddy Bear days at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo where Sharky had to have his teeth repaired, Stripes had his tail put in a sling, and Whaley had a stitch put in his side seam which was coming undone! At the Zoo we saw the new Rocky Mountain Exhibit which was AWESOME! and rode the new Mountaineer Sky Ride up to the top of the zoo (What a view!!) At the end of the month Sam and Grampy and Mommy went to the famous Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo attending first the parade and then the actual rodeo at the Penrose stadium. Sam loved the bull-riding, barrel-racing and the rodeo clown who ended up doing some motorcycle stunts!!

AUGUST - School begins for another year. Sam is in 3rd grade this year and his teacher is Mrs. Eberle. This is a big year as gifted and talented testing occurs this year and CSAP testing also occurs. We'll see how this all goes. Sam, Ryan, Mommy, Ms. Erin, and Ms. Erin's mom all went the annual Colorado Balloon Classic in Memorial park. This year we tried the evening balloon glow which was spectacular and of course mixing boys, darkness, and fire is always a fun combination! Finally, near the end of the month the same group of us (without Ms Erin's mom this time) went to the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo Colorado. Of course, missing boys, tigers, cotton candy, and fair rides is again another guaranteed success!!
SEPTEMBER - Yea, Sam attends his first overnight Cub Scout event at Camp Alexander which is by Lake George just past Florissant Colorado. We spent 2 nights camping and 3 days doing great activities. Sam got to shoot BB's, arrows, crafts, a skit, and just have generally great fun with a few of his fellow scouts!! Near the middle of the month Sam and his class were able to take a field trip to beautiful North Cheyenne Canon park and study the Ute Indians method of erecting a tipi and how they lived in this area hundreds of years ago. Sam and Mommy also took the opportunity to go around the city center and photograph the butterflies that had been created by several artists in town and were to be auctioned off by the Rotary Club to help raise money for the art program at Queen Palmer school. Near the end of September Sam had two great Cub Scout events. The first was to attend the Air Force Falcons football game against Utah. Unfortunately the Falcons lost the game but the boys were REALLY into the game. They just loved to root for their team. Finally right at the end of the month Sam and Ben from cub scouts went on a tour of the Pueblo Fish Hatchery which was an incredibly interesting outing.
OCTOBER - Sam and I took a short trip into the mountains to see the changing of the leaves. Our mutt Buster came with us. Sam also decided he wanted to play footbal. I signed him up for flag football at the YMCA. He liked it but during one game it was sleeting and the boys got a real taste of football weather. Sam had his fall piano recital and he played the song Alley Cat. He was a hit. Finally at the end of the month was the annual Skyway Fall Festival, pumpkin carving, and finally Halloween. This year Sam's friend Ryan joined him downtown and they went farther, and got more candy, than he has ever gotten.
NOVEMBER - Thanksgiving was nice and quiet for the Derrickson clan (for once). Sam played basketball and hockey during this month and school was in full swing.
DECEMBER - Sam had a nice quiet December too. Basketball and hockey ended. Sam gave his friend Autumn (she is in second grade) a nice gift for Christmas. Cub Scouts had a great ice cream party for their popcorn sales. Sam saw Santa at the gazebo at Steele Elementary and asked for a High Definition television for his Wii he is earning for his birthday, a bike, and a special kind of Bakugan. Surprise, surpise, Sam made it onto the good list and Santa brought him everything he asked for, and more!! Finally, at the end of the month Sam and family made their annual trek to Casa Bonita for our family Christmas get-together with Auntie Anna and her family.
More miscellaneous pictures of Sam in 2008: Sam 2008

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