On November 10, my dad, affectionaltely referred to as "COACH', not only by his players, but also by his grandchildren, won his 700th basketball game!
My dad, Garth Pleasant, has been coaching basketball for the past 38 years. He has been the head men's basketball coach at Rochester College (formerly Michigan Christian College) since I was 5 years old!
I have wonderful memories of growing up as a "coach's kid". I have been on many looong bus trips with my dad and his teams. Whenever I smell the diesel from a big charter bus, I automatically and with great fondness think of my childhood. As weird as it is, and it is weird, I actually love the smell of sweaty uniform jerseys (totally gross, I know). Growing up, my dad was responsible for washing all of the uniforms after each game, and my bedroom happened to be right next door to the laundry room...therefore explaining how I came to love the nasty jersey smell!
I was a cheerleader for my dad's team from 1991-1993. That time in my life holds many wonderful and precious memories! I cheered with Stephanie Perry (Barry), Karla Thomas (Brent), Carla Brown, Kimarie Fry (Graham), Lesli Palmer (Raymond) to name a few. We had some really fun times! I especially remember the Dallas trip, but that is an entirely different post altogether!
I recall so many of my dads players with great fondness. I remember the "early guys", like Hank Woodmore & Marvin Mathis (these are the early guys to me anyway). I remember Wayne & Noel, two players from Antigua, who would stay at our house during all the holiday breaks. I recall William Sayles and Roderick Edmonds (my huge teenage crush). I think about Eric Vaughn, Troy Rusnell, Willie Maul, Dwayne Tubbs and Anthony Foster who played on his first national championship team in 1989. I remember Kenyatte Baylor, Scott Muska, Kelvin Brown, Ty Clark, Jason Connely, Craig Koneszka and Rueben Cordova. A few of my favs would include...Mike Robinson, Josh Graves, Terry Leaphart, who I love like a brother, Johnny Pleasant, who is my brother, and Randy Speck, who I married (excuse the major run on sentence).
Although we all have different stories, backgrounds and lives, the one thing that we all have in common is the fact that we all love a man who has influenced and changed our lives for the better. They call him Coach, and I call him Dad!
This is my dad right after he won his 700th game.
In the locker room, talking to his team after the game.
I can guarantee that he reminding them that he has never scored a basket in any of the 700 wins, and that the victory really belongs to all of them!
He is probably also telling them that although it is fun to win games, that the most important thing to him, is that they all end up in heaven someday.
Palmer w/ my dad and the "Warriors"
Palmer with his Coach, and the winning ball!
Randy, Palmer and my dad.
My dad and his two assistants Klint Pleasant (my brother) and Brian Thrift.
This year will end my dad's coaching career. He has decided that he has gone on enough long bus trips and washed enough uniforms. Fortunately, his influence will live on in the lives of so many of us. I have been so fortunate to have had a dad who chose a career that brought so much fun and excitement into my life!
We love you Coach!
LH is really into "posing" for the camera these days...cracks me up!
P, however, is getting to be "too cool" for the camera, but he lets me get a shot of him, every now and then.
I'm one proud mommy of these two scrumptious little kiddos! So thankful and blessed!
The past several years, our "Treeside" clan, has tried to celebrate Birthdays together, so...it only seemed fitting to go with a "Breakfast at Tiffany's" theme for Pina's special day!
I normally like to order from my local bakery (Sweet & Savory...so yummy), but they were out of town, so I was left to my own creativity...YIKES! I decided to try to make cupcakes that resembled the "Tiffany blue" color. I just went online and googled "Tiffany Blue Frosting". I used regular white frosting and added 4 drops blue food coloring mixed with 2 drops green food coloring. I ended up adding a few drops until I felt like I had an exact match. 
I just used decorations I found around the house to set the table. I had a couple of Tiffany boxes, and then I borrowed some from my mom and grandmother, and that is what I used on the table. I purchased a couple yards of pearl-type beads from Jo-Anns, and...WALA! It was nothing extravagant, but we had a fun time. 
Some of the lovely "Treeside Gals"
(Pina, Nancy, Renee, Mariahn, Laurie)
Imagine walking into Tiffany & Co. on 5th Ave & 57th St. in the heart of NYC, strolling around and taking in all the beauty and "fabulousness" that surrounds you! Then, as if that wouldn't be breathtaking enough, imagine that the founder approaches you and offers you his most rare and precious diamond! GASP!
Our tradition has been to decorate our tree the evening of Thanksgiving Day. This year some of my family was coming to our house for Turkey Day, and so we decorated beforehand. Also, Thanksgiving night we were all going over to my brothers house, who lives in the same neighborhood as me, to celebrate his second daughters first birthday!! 
Each ornament on our christmas tree has a special meaning. 
I couldn't get a good picture of our mantle for some reason, so this will have to do.
This is the corner of my mantle.
Beautiful bow arrangement...tied up w/ love by my neighbor, Deanna.
Love that picture in the frame? HA!
The display on top of our tv armoire.
Pic of the dining room
Close-up of the arrangement on my dining room table.
Arrangement on my kitchen table.
Just a little something in the downstairs bathroom. 
Entry way
Last, but not least, one of my favorite decorations of all....SWEETEST. THING. EVER.
This is my dad right after he won his 700th game.
In the locker room, talking to his team after the game.
Palmer w/ my dad and the "Warriors"
Palmer with his Coach, and the winning ball!
Randy, Palmer and my dad.
My dad and his two assistants Klint Pleasant (my brother) and Brian Thrift.
All of the boys took turns having their picture taken in this football cut-out. 
Boys being boys :)
They each got a t-shirt to decorate and make into a "jersey".
The food table.
The homeade football cake! 
We played several games. 
After they finished coloring their "jerseys", we painted their faces to look like football players.
