Jack D. was in Washington, DC this week for the Juvenile Diabetes Children’s Congress, drumming up support for the cause. In a last minute change to the agenda, Jack and the entire Congress got to visit the White House, get a photo with the President himself

Here’s jack, just behind Nick Jonas (sweet!):

And here’s the President Obama (with Jack to the left):

Speaking of celebrity encounters, while certainly not on the same level as meeting two icons, Ron, Dad and I got to meet Detroit Lion’s head coach Jim Schwartz and Channel 7 Sports Director Don Shane this week at the JDRF Fore the Kids Golf Outing. Here’s a photo of the gang:

Check out these Red Wing Matryoshka dolls, purchased in St. Petersburg, Russia yesterday for 27 Euros by my folks. Per a text from my dad, they even have names on the back.

In order by height (biggest to smallest): Holmstrom, Draper, Zetterberg, Samuelsson, and the little feller? Chelios, of course.

No Lidstrom?

A few pics from Memorial Day weekend up in Onekama on the Lake. It was great weather, still a little too cool for swimming and boating, but we enjoyed some great food, golf, beach time/campfire, shopping and exercise.

Abby and Michael have enjoyed playing some soccer this spring, including the ‘official’ time Saturday morning at Saline High, and of course the occasional practice in the yard. Abby scored three goals this morning! Enjoy a few photos:

Wow, a few photos from Game 7 of the Ducks-Wings series. I joined Lew, Mike Faulkner and K’s down at the Joe where Lew scored tickets in the corner, row three a couple days prior to the game. Outstanding time was had by all, and three studs even made it on the scoreboard:

A few pics from before and after Abby’s recent dance show, where she performed two red, white and blue-themed numbers: one with tap shoes, one with ballet slippers. She did awesome:

We’ll be remembering the life of Hazel tomorrow, here’s a little about Hazel and additional details on the services tomorrow:

Hazel Jean Trask, loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away quietly in her home in Washington, MI on April 19. Hazel left us as she had lived her days: surrounded by the family she cherished and who loved her immeasurably.

She will be rejoined with her beloved husband of 68 years, John ‘Happy’ Trask, who left us in 2004. They loved to dance, and found each other one evening at the Bluebird Gardens Dance Hall in Romeo. Hazel and Happy were wed on New Year’s Day in 1937 and lived their entire lives in their Washington home.

For twenty-two years Hazel proudly served her community as a dispatcher for the Romeo Police Department. After retirement Hazel’s passion was her family and her beautiful cottage overlooking the Au Sable River near Hale, Michigan. Even in her nineties, Hazel was one of the last in the family to retire to bed after a late evening around the campfire.

She was preceded in death by her parents John and Genieve Watterson, her sister Dorothy Guerin and her brother Maynard Watterson. Hazel is survived by her brother and sister-in-law Willard and Doris Watterson, her daughters Jonnie Trask and Jill Brown, and son-in-law Gerald Brown. Her six grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren miss her deeply and will never forget her love.

A service to remember Hazel will be held on April 22nd at the Roth-Muir Funeral Home at 296 S. Main Street in Romeo. A viewing for family and friends will start at 10am followed by a memorial service at 1pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you consider a donation to the group that helped Hazel and her family get through her final days: Angela Hospice Care Inc., 14100 Newburgh Road, Livonia, MI 48154, www.angelahospice.org.

Mikey D. and Elle Riegler celebrated their third birthday this weekend in Muskegon, and we got to see baby Will as well. Enjoy a few photos from the big day:

Enjoy a few photos from around Easter, including decorating some eggs earlier this week, finding eggs and baskets at home, and finally up in Okemos, for more festivities. We also have a sneak peek at Michael’s big #3, with some cake and a new toy:

Her bracket is 98.5 percentile on ESPN. One more than Obama! Not too shabby.

Congrats to Jack D. and his team for taking the Kenny Goldman 8-9 year old basketball title yesterday. They doubled up their opponents 16-8 in a tightly contested match. Enjoy a few photos from the big game:

The team excited after the big win, holding their trophies

Free throws are critical down the stretch in big games

Jackie talking things over with his compatriot, it was a long road to the title

You can’t stop this!

Where Jack honed his skills: the Beach House basement!