Keeping Busy
I got caught up with America's Next Top Model!! Now I am anxious for the new episode but it doesn't air until Nov. 5th. I started a new series...Dexter. I downloaded the complete season 1 and watched the first episode. Seems interesting and the main reason I am watching it is because Ida demanded that I do! She is obessed with the show...so I thought I would check it out. And of course I am all up to date with Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill. I LOVE THEM!! So I'm keeping REAL busy. Since we have the weekend off from basketball, this is the perfect thing to do. Relax and watch some shows!
MOVIES!!!
My plan this weekend is to watch all three movies!!! The Notebook is a classic love story that I have seen several times, but of course I need to watch again!! I hear Walle is a really cute movie with a good message! And I still have never watched Walk the Line, so I am really looking forward to that!! Wow I really look like a nerd writing a blogg about this...but since it is about my life...here's what is happening in my life! HAHA! My computer has been the best purchase of my life so far!! I love it!
The countdown begins: IN 2 WEEKS FROM TODAY COURTNEY ARRIVES IN SWEDEN!!
LATER!
HAPPY SNOWY HALLOWEEN!!
It's not that much snow, but it is still snow!! Wish I could go trick or treating tonight but I will settle for a night of Idol and relaxing! I also downloaded Walle so I think we will watch that movie tonight! Shannon and I had our fat day yesterday, so we will have to pass tonight. LAST DAY OF CAMP with the little girls!! Tomorrow Shannon, Anna, and I are going to a sauna party at our friend's Andreas house!
Hope everybody picked out some good costumes!! I am looking forward to seeing pictures :) Halloween on Friday, what fun!!! Have a good weekend everyone!!!!!!
Vi hörs!
Hollywood!!
This is a giant picture of me at the local ICA (grocery store) in the Centrum of town. Haha! I couldn't believe it! Looks like there is a new MVP in town!! :P
It snowed here yesterday in Umeå. Kind of a cold day today! We scrimmage the IKSU guys later today at practice. Only one more day left of your individual camp-clinic for the little girls. This weekend we have no practice! It will be a nice break!
Dinner last night was great. We drove about 40 kilometers out of town to Christians house. Christians son Gabriel was the cuttest thing ever. He is only 7 years old and doesnt speak a single word of english...so all he did was speak to me and Shannon in Swedish. For the most part Shannon and I had no clue what he was saying to us (which he knew) so we would just start to make faces and he would just laugh at us!! It was so great being around a family setting. I really miss that! It was a very pleasant evening. It got better when Anna, Shannon and I decided to start up our own band. He had a drum set and 2 guitars. I took the drums and acted like I knew what I was doing. But it sounded pretty bad. It was so much fun!
Well I'm gonna go take a nap before practice because I am TIRED!! Somebody woke me up early this morning begging to watch Lost. Wonder who?? It's starting to get dark early here...around 4 pm. Oh man!
LATER!
New Adventure!
Today I got a phone call from Per Källman about coaching for the National Swedish Basketball Federation for the U16 Regional Team in the North!! He asked if I would like to be the head coach and take on this duty. I told him I was strongly interested, I just need to understand and learn more about it. But it sounds like a great opportunity for me and something I should do. It might get hard playing and coaching, but I don't think I can pass on this. I mean it's becoming part of the National Basketball team in Sweden. What an amazing thing! It will be more work, but since my life is already centered around basketball anyway, what's a little more?!?! Our first camp is coming up soon. It needs to take place at the end of November. TB said he can help me organize some try-outs or camps in Umeå, which would be great so I don't have to travel so far. This is a year-round process, so I think it also means I may need to spend some of the summer in Sweden! I don't know, I need to get more educated on everything and start figuring some things out. But I am really excited right now and ready to take on the adventure!!! Bring it on!!
Today I got up REALLY early...ok early for me...I got up at 7.30am and took the car to the dealership to get snow tires put on. Then, since I had so much spare time I watched 2 episodes of Top Model season 11 (I just downloaded all those) and the newest One Tree Hill. I watched the new Gossip Girl last night and it was great!!! I then went to shoot-around, lunch and then DAY 3 of our individual clinic with the younger girls in our club. Next up, practice with the team. Later tonight Shannon, Anna and myself are going to Christains house for dinner. Christain is the guy who is in charge of Sport for Life here in Umeå and the northern part of Sweden. Sport for Life is kind of like Athletes in Action (Christian-athlete group) that puts on sporting camps for the youth while directing them towards God's path!! Something I would like to be a part of also! I think Christain and I (and maybe with the help of Shannon) would like to put on a basketball camp here in Umeå through Sport for Life! I think it would be great!! Good for our club also being associated with that! Anyway, hopefully I get more information on that later!
So a busy day yet again!! My body feels a little tired and sore today, not really sure why?? Tomorrow we are going to play the IKSU guys at practice. Our first game in over a week.
OH good news!! I passed my Level 1 Swedish Language Course!! Which means I start level 2 on Tuesday, Nov. 4th. Looking forward to. I got a little rusty these past two weeks not having class. I am excited to start it up again!! I promise I am better!! I will have to go back to writing some bloggs in swedish so you believe me :)
OH and GRATTIS Mattias on your birthday!! Welcome to the 25 club! Gotta go to practice now HEJDÅ!!!
PEACE!
Måndag...
Practice was kind of laid back today. Nothing too exciting. Just going through more offensive plays vs. zone. We are gradually getting better at it. But we need to go back to some of our other stuff just so we don't forget it. Like man to man defense. I feel like we are slacking a little bit with the defense. It will get better with time. No games this week or next weekend. Our next game isn't until Nov. 7th when we play Stockholm 08 at home. Hope we can give them a little run for their money.
Mainly a basketball blogg today. Nothing else really to report. At least what I want to report :) Hope everybody had a great weekend!! Talk to you soon!
Aim Dawg!
PARTY PICS!!
OMG!
Dang!!
Halloween Party!
Tomorrow we practice at 9.00 to 11.00. Early morning practice, that means a pretty boring night tonight. But we have a pretty eventful night planned tomorrow, which will probably result in us going out later. No practice on Sunday! Sounds like a lot of people will be out since it's the 25th of the month (pay-day in SWE).
Today at practice we worked on zone offense for about 45 minutes. Two hours tomorrow will be really good for us! Trying to put in some new plays vs. a zone defense so it's going to take some time. But it will get better!
After practice we will go watch Virtus play at 15.00 (the men's basketball team). They will then join us later at our Halloween party! I'm excited for our costumes! Anna, Shannon and me are going to be a 'themed' costume. But I can't reveal it yet....it's going to be a surprise. So keep posted. Hope everybody has a great weekend!!
BOO!
I Got a VG!!
PEACE!
BRUISES!
WANT TO SEE THE WORLD'S BIGGEST BRUISE...
By far the biggest bruise I have ever had....looks pretty sick....but I also look tough. Watch out!
Today Anna, Shannon and I did some laundry, cleaned the house, and went shoping!!! Also had a fika! Then Shannon and I went and lifted. Tonight we are just hanging out and getting fat!! Julia came over to make some apple pie....yummy my favorite!!
I LOVE MY ROOMIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Later homies...
Closer....Almost!!
Some positive things can be taken from this game though...
+We ran the ball! Our transition was great! We scored a lot off of transition and it was exactly what I told the girls we needed to do.
+Luleå couldn't stop us when we ran our man to man offense. We executed the plays, let the play develop and got 'our' shots!
+Our defense was great at times! We pressured early and they had a hard time running their play.
+Half-way through the 2nd quarter and into the 3rd quarter, we went on a 17-1 run! Which also gave us a 39-38 lead going into half-time.
+The team rose to the challenge today and fought hard! I saw something in their eyes that we have been missing the last couple of games.
+We stayed positive and fought until the end.
+Anna Österman had 18pts and 10 rebounds....Shannon had 16pts and 3 assists.
A huge plus! I came back to my old self tonight. I played hard! I had 16 pts, 8 rebounds...and the thing I am most proud of is 5 steals. That means I actually played defense (for once)! Although the girl I did guard ended up with 22pts. That isn't very good. And I KNOW I can get more rebounds! I think I did a good job of running the floor tonight. Transition was where I scored most of my points. It will get better. I must focus harder on rebounding!! You can always control your rebounding and defense, so that means it can only get better!
Things we must improve...
!! FREETHROWS...we shot 10-22. That is horrible. Friday's practice we are shooting a ton of FT's.
!! Zone offense...find a way to score when teams play us in zone.
!! Rebounding...that can always get better.
!! Fitting everything together. Putting the pieces of the puzzle together to complete and finish a game on top!
!! Win a game.
Well here it is. You can also view our box score stats at http://www.basket.se/tx.aspx?MatchId=2311700 . Now we have some time off from playing games because our next game isn't until Nov. 7th at home vs. Stockholm-08. I think this will be good for us to work on somethings at practice and get it going. Tonight's game definetly brought confidence back to the girls, so it can only get better! We will keep on working hard...I am confident and believe strongly in it!
Tomorrow we have the day off. I think we might go and get a lift in. Maybe some shopping also :) And of course a fika! Looking forward to it!
Godnatt!!
Norrlands Derby!!!
I'm SO ready for this game!!
Vi hörs!
Miss Ya!!
My best friend Janey and my "nephew" Dean!!! Miss ya guys lots!! Love ya!!!
-Game tomorrow vs. Luleå kl. 19.00! It will be interesting to see how we respond....0-2 is not how imagined us to start :( Now we have to work!! Feels SO MUCH better coaching!! The girls are responding which is great. Tomorrow is going to be a really tough match! I hope I can get out of my little slump I have been experiencing lately. Focus!!
Talk to y'all later! XOXO
PROV!!
Not much else to talk about. Basketball is basketball. Trying to still figure some things out! The good news...we can only get better!! And WE WILL!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JANEY!! My best friend Janey joined the 25 year old club today! Welcome!! It was great talking to her today!! I can't believe Dean, her son, will be 3 years old next month!! He is so cute!! And Charlotte is coming next month!! Janey is having a girl!! I can't wait to see her!! These are the type of things I miss back home!! But everybody sounds great!! I also talked to Kellie, Amie and Lindsay!! Everybody is just busy with their lives!! Soon Lindsay will be here in December right after my sister leaves. I can't wait!! Miss you friends!! I LOVE YOU!!!
This week we head to Luleå on Wednesday. Yeah that's like 3 days away! Our next game after that won't be until Nov. 7th. So we are going to have some time to practice and work on things! I think it is a good thing ;)
Well time for bed!! Nu måste jag sova! Ha en bra kvall!!
MUCH LOVE!!
When Life Gives You Lemons....
Well that's all I am going to write about that. I just got back from working a concert at Gammlia (where we train and play games) for a team fundraiser. We were in charge of coat check-in. Lot's of people! Kind of got crazy at times. But we did good. I even watched some of the concert. Too bad I really didn't understand anything. It was fun to watch some of it though.
SO that's all I got for now. I'm gonna go hangout with my roommates right now! We had a fun bonding experience last night!! Didn't want to be in complete depression last night. So I thought it would be fun to get our minds off basketball and go out and do something!! And for some reason we ended up staying up until 5 in the morning. So I'm pretty tired right now. Think I will go to bed soon!
I will leave you now with some pictures of sleeping beauty
Lights on, still in her practice gear and hasn't showered....haha! Of course we would take pictures of this!!
Talk to ya'll later...
PEACE OUT
Let's Get Ready to Rumble!!!
Första hemmamatch imorgon!
So Shannon, Anna and I are sitting on my bed right now finding songs for are warm-up CD tomorrow!! Fun times!! Tomorrow we play Sundsvall for our 2nd game of the season. This is a MUST-WIN game!!! I watched film last night of our game against Brahe. We really are not that bad of team, we just made some really stupid mistakes here and there and it cost us in the long run. I hope we have worked those "kinks" out this week in practice, and prove to be the dominant team we are tomorrow out on the court! I believe in us! We play tomorrow at 19.00 in Gammliahallen!! Should have a good crowd. My SFI comrads will be there with their SUPER FAN t-shirts and some of my classmates from the University will also be there!! I hope we get a good turnout anyway for our first game at home!! And more importantly, I really hope we give them a good show!!
Today Shannon accompanied me to my swedish class. I asked my teacher if it would be alright for her to sit through a class, he didn't care. Funny thing today, we went over body parts in class and I knew all of them already!! I learned all those last year. Then my teacher started talking about the song you can sing...and of course...I ALREADY KNEW THAT SONG. So he made me stand-up in front of class and sing it for everybody with me. "Huvud, axlar, knä, och tå.....Huvud, axlar, knä, och tå....ögon, öron, kinden klappen få....huvud axlar, knä, och tå!" HAHA! It was pretty funny and of course I dont mind doing something like that (you know making a fool of myself). So maybe sometime if you ask nicely, I will sing the song for you!! I have my level one test on monday...so tons of studying this weekend!
After school we had practice. Pretty easy practice. Just went over some of our stuff. Not too much of Sundsvall. They have a pretty good American named Stephanie Jones who was an All-American at Nebraska. She might be one of our biggest challenges. But other than that, I think we will be fine. They may play a lot of zone against us, but that doesnt scare me. We really need to focus on out-rebounding them and executing our plays! Vi får se! Hope everybody had a great day! Talk to you soon!!
Vi hörs! :)
Tjena!
Tja everyone!! Hope everybody is having a good day or night...whenever you read this thing. Today was a good day! Nothing too exciting. No school or anything. Tomorrow is my last class of Level 1 in Swedish as a Foreign Language. Level 2 begins in November so I suppose I will have a couple weeks off from my swedish course. I will have to make sure and keep up somehow. Shannon, Anna and I just hung around the house today. Did some laudry and cleaned our apartment a little bit. Anna and I went to Ersboda to recycle some bottles and cans (and get some money!!) and I also went to the University to FINALLY get my student ID. Not to mention that it cost a total of 400 SEK. What the heck?? I can't believe it cost that much. But I guess my schooling is free, so the price isn't too bad. Whatever...I live by the motto, "the point of money is to spend it!"
Practice was alright today. Not as intense as yesterday...but ok. We have a really big game on Friday so everybody has been pretty focused at practice! After practice, Julia and I went the derby innebandy match of Umeå City vs. Dalen. It was a really great game!! The score was pretty much even throughout the entire game, but Dalen had a 1 pt lead over Umeå City with about 4 mins or so to go in the game. With less than 30 seconds remaining in the game...Umeå City scored to even the score. So it resulted in overtime, or sudden death (as they call it here). Dalen ended up scoring about 3 minutes in or so. It was a really great game and I was glad to be there and experience everything. I mean Gammlia was packed!! I have never seen it like that before. People were standing around watching, people were crammed in the rows (including Julia and I), people sitting on the stairs. So many people, it was crazy! It was a lot of fun!!
Tomorrow nothing too exciting planned. Just school and then practice! I think I am going to do the unthinkable right now and watch the game from Sunday. Wish me luck. Anyway, talk to yall later! Have a nice day or night, depending when you read this! :)
Hejdå!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!
Grattis....Jag älskar dig!!!
Love you tons and I hope you have a great day!!! Wish I could be there to celebrate with you!! Miss you and love you!!
Min Första Svensk Blogg!!
Imorgon är vi lediga!! Vi ska fika för Julias födelsedag i vårt hus! Jag ska baka cupcakes och Julia ska baka äppelpaj!! Mums!!
Vädret var fint idag och solen sken!! Snart blir det kallt...inte bra :( Men jag gillar vinterväder med snö!!! Lite i alla fall! Vill ni träna svenska med mig...Jag behöver hjälp??!! Tack för ert tålamod! Jag tycker om att skriva på svenska men jag är långsam! Det är kul!!
Hejdå vänner!! (svensk vänner förstår hoppas jag!!)
KRAMAR!!!
Sidenote by Anna: Amy börjar bli riktigt duktig va!? Hon satt koncentrerad i 30 min för att få ihop den här texten. Första gången hon skrev något längre på svenska :D Jag fick sedan kolla igenom texten och rätta småfelen, vilket var mycket få!! Vi ska vara riktigt stolta över henne, och över vad hon åstadkommit på sån kort tid!
You go girl <3
Comets Mini-Olympic Day!!
Yesterday we did a team building day!!! Which included a mini-olympic event!! It was a lot of fun and I think we can all agree that we all got a little tired from all the effort we were putting into it!! The event began with each team presenting their team theme and chants! Please don't me girls for posting these pictures...but I got to :) Here were the teams and their team names!
Björklöven
Big Boobie B*****
The 80's Ladies
Björklöven won best costume. Then each group had do their team chant\cheer and that was HILARIOUS!!! Everytime they did their chant or cheer, a team would recieve one point! Those with the most points at the end won!
It was SO MUCH fun!! And the events were even more fun. The first event was that we had to place a hanger in between our legs, another one in our hands and a 5 kronor piece in your eye. Each person had to go and we all struggled with it.
Next event was you had to eat 3 crackers and then whistle. First person went, then once they whistled, the next person went. The team that could eat and whistle the fastest won!
Another event, run with a cucumber between your legs and pass it off to your teammate. I bet you could guess who won this game?!
Then we did an event where we were blindfolded and have carry an egg on the spoon and your teammates helped guide you by only being able to talk to you. That one was crazy!!
We also did some other events also that I wasn't able to capture the moment on the camera. These were eating a candy rope the fastest and some plate toss thing...but you get the picture at this point I think! To end the event, we had a talent show!! Each team had to present dance or something of talent. I recorded these so I'm FOR SURE gonna post them on YOU TUBE so ill let you know about it!! HAHA! But that was REALLY funny!!! Each team did something related to their theme...we did Just Beat It but Michael Jackson!! It was hot!! But we didn't win the talent show...:( Couldn't believe it. We had guest judges, Mia and Jonathon decide. BBB won the talent show and also had the most points in the olympics! But it was great effort by everyone!!
THANKS TEAM!!! OH and welcome to the team Shannon. What a great day to spend your first day in Sweden!!
Later-
PARTTTTTYYYYY Tomorrow!!! :)
BIG DAY TOMORROW!!!
- First Shannon arrives at 11.00! Bosse, Anna and I are going to the airport to pick her up!
- Then the Comets Mini-Olympics begin at 14.00 until 17.00 at Gammliahallen!
Following Teams
Ida Caro Me
Julia Anna O Emilie
Emma Madde Frida
Anna W Ellin (new girl) Shannon
~Each team is responsible to come in costume with a theme!! Guest judges will officiate the event. There will be about 9-10 different events that each team will have to compete in. Keep you posted on results and will explain more later!! It's going to be a great day with some key "team building." Team day!!
-And then we are having a taco dinner at our place starting at 19.00!
-And then...PARTY!!!!! Party at our place starting around 21.00'ish. Looks like some of the Viritrus boys and IKSU guys might come. The whole team will be there...a lot of the girls are bringing some of their friends! It's going to be great!!
-Last but least...GO OUT!
I'm really looking forward to this eventful day!! And some quality time spent with the team!!! Can't wait!!
Ready....BREAK!!!
MY NEW COMPUTER IS HERE!!!!!
YIPEEE a new laptop!!! :)
SNYGG!!!!!!
It better be worth the money...that's all I got to say!!! But it's an investment worth taking because my other computer was just driving me nuts!!
SO I also finally finished my paper that is due tomorrow. It is titled "The Swedish Social Welfare and Policies for Adoption". It is a total of 8 pages. It seemend like it took FOREVER to complete it. I still have to finish my powerpoint presentation, which I also have to give tomorrow. Basically present my paper to the class and talk about it for 15 minutes. Talking won't be a problem for me, so I'm too worried about that ;) Tomorrow is also the last day of that class for me!! My Swedish 2 course will begin the first week of November. I still have another 2 weeks left of my current class. I feel like I am learning a lot, I just need to do a better job of keeping up with it.
Tomorrow I have presentations from 10.00 until 15.00. Then practice from 16.00 to 17.30. Then perhaps do something in the evening!?!? Last weekend off before the season begins!! Have to do something fun!! Saturday we are having a team building day!! It's going to be a lot of fun! Ida and I put something together for the team!! A mini olympics kind of event!!! Should be TONS of FUN!!! Including a grande finale that can't be revealed until the end of the day! Looking forward to it. Shannon is arriving just in time for the event!! She will also be at practice Sunday night!! :) Can't wait to meet her! It's going to be different having another roommate around these parts....but the more the merrier!! Well I am going to go play with my computer some more...and I have a lot of reading to do on the manuals. I have a Swedish keyboard also!! :) Nu jag maste skriva i svenska mer! (?) -still on the old one right now!
CATCH YA'LL LATER! ;)
Umea Comets 08/09
AMY MOHR #4
Haha! SO tough! I know, I would be scarred also!! Check out the rest of my team at www.damligan.se and click on Umea Comets under lagen! Hopefully our team picture will be online soon!!
It's raining and pouring outside and I am sitting on my computer still trying to complete my paper which is due Friday. I might just finish it tomorrow since I will have some time to work on it. Today Anna and I went to go get our massages and they were GREAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT! It put me in a comma for the entire day. But I had to try and snap out of it for practice today. We almost have the whole squad back now. Ida and Sanna were back to practice which was great!! I have been running the practices the last couple of days because Bosse was out of town. He returns tomorrow.
Saturday Shannon arrives at 12.00!!!!!!! Shannon Daly our other american will finally be here to practice a week before our first game! I have talked to her a couple of times on the phone and she sounds great! I'm looking forward to meeting her and most of all having a point guard on the team!!! Should add another dimension to the team! The serie premier is almost here!!!!!!!!!!! 10 more days!! Well I better get back to the paper. T2UL!
Later!
/#4
