Ten on Thursday? :)

Sorry I've been MIA lately... Just really busy! I'll try to give you the recap of the last couple of weeks, although nothing too exciting has happened. Just life.

1. Projects, projects, projects. Right now, I'm covered up with projects!! I'm madly working on the monstrosity known as the 5th grade video, programs for the Jr/Sr banquet at church, proofing 2 shoots, posters for the vb team--yes I brought that one on myself!, Bunko at MY house next week, changing some stuff on our computer, and probably something else... It feels like I'm overrun right now!

2. Easter was nice. We spent it at Anita's. She cooked a great meal for us and let the kids dye eggs at HER house. :) Not as big a deal since they're older, but still! The pictures for today's post are all from there. And, Tyler wants you all to know that we posed several of those pictures--just in case you thought he really hunted eggs. :)

3. Hadley played vb last weekend in Clovis. Her team was up against 14, 15 and 16 year olds. They actually did well and ended up winning the silver (aka: loser) bracket. All the girls were present and attitudes were somewhat improved. Yay!

4. She plays again this weekend--also against older girls. We'll see how they hold up.

5. The kids enjoyed their spring break. We did a lot of hanging out with friends. They like to stay up late and sleep in, so that's what they did. Poor David had to keep his regular schedule most of the week, though. I think we wore him out!

6. Gas is up to $3.25 $3.29 here. We may have to leave that Suburban in the garage permanently... Hard to believe a couple of years ago I freaked out when it started nearing $2.

7. Lance is devouring a book series by James Patterson. It's a youth series spin-off of one of his adult books about kids who can fly. The fourth one came out last week. We reserved it at the library and were the first to get it. It's sweet to see him loving it so much! I may have to pick them up one of these days and give 'em a try. Tyler read them, too, but I don't think he's loved them as much as Lance.

8. Remember the poster of Hadley I posted on my POTD blog? I had that one and one of Lance playing football against that really big boy printed up. They are pretty cool. Lance's is already hanging in his room--Hadley hasn't decided where to put hers yet. Neat!
9. Clyde II died. I'm thinking it might have something to do with the name.

10. Bunko next week will be themed "movie night". I printed up tickets as invitations and plan to use some cute popcorn boxes, etc. for snacks. I think it'll be fun. Of course, the prizes will be movie tickets! :)
Well, I'm sure I've left some super interesting tidbits out... Ha! Anyway, hope your week is going well.

Ten on Tuesday

1. It's great to be home! Hadley and I spent the last four days in Denver. We left early Friday morning and came back last night. The flights were uneventful--yay!, the hotel was awesome--right across the street from the convention center. The blue bear in the picture is the entrance to the cc--it was taken from our room window. The volleyball was just mediocre--ugh and the weather was terrific.


2. We loved downtown Denver! (a lot of these ten things will be about our trip--sorry) It has so much charm and so much going on. Lots of weirdos, too. Hadley got a big kick out of the street musicians. Her favorite was a harmonica player. She even tipped him. :)

3. LOVED spending the day with Bj and Ginny on Saturday. They came to watch Hadley play, then chauffeured us around. We ate at PF Chang's, visited a really cool REI store, and went to the big mall together. Nice!
4. Our flights, the hotels all around us and the convention center were filled with people we knew. Weird! Tons of hometown people were there. I was even approached about a volunteer job for next year. I'm 500 miles from home and I still can't get away. Go figure.

5. I have never seen as many volleyball courts in one place in my life. There were 72 in the same 'room'. 72!!

6. Saw two Tibetan Monks--best guess anyway-- on the streets of Denver. One of them was taking a picture of a guy with a platinum blonde, spikey mohawk---and lots of piercings and tattoos. It was hysterical! Mohawk guy was posing for them. Sure wish I'd had my camera out and ready for that one. Ha!

7. Our elevator at the Hyatt was one of those super fast ones. Hadley and I went to the top floor--37 and rode it from there to the first floor in app. 25-27 seconds. Probably 5 of those seconds were for slowing down on the last 3 floors. Zoom!

8. Ate at lots of fun places. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co was one of them. Run, Forrest, run!
9. Hadley is hooked on Starbuck's. We ended up there every day--I think they have one on every corner. Her drink is a hazelnut cream frapuccino.

10. Lance got to go paintballing and fishing while we were gone. Tyler did a little work and hanging out. They cooked steaks at least once. Sounds like they enjoyed their time, too.

Well, you have the brief re-cap of the weekend. As for the volleyball results, we did well on Saturday, but not at all on Sunday or Monday. Our team is struggling with some attitude problems--with both parents and girls. Not fun! It's so bad that I'm not even sure we'll be able to make it through the season together. Time will tell, I guess.

Hope you're having a wonderful week!

Check out this cutie!

Ten on Tuesday

1. We've had one fish casualty--Clyde. Funny how attached Lance was to him already, if you can be "attached" to a fish--we almost had tears! But he is now replaced with Clyde II and all is well on the waterfront.

2. Hadley and I fly out on Friday morning for a volleyball tournament. She's totally pumped about flying because she does not remember being on a commercial airliner, so it's kinda new and exciting. Me, not so much. I think I'd rather drive. Ah well. Peer pressure. I think the entire team is flying, most of us on the same flights. How could we possibly differ? We'll come home on Monday night. (Yes, she's missing two days of school!) Please pray for safe flights and good weather that weekend--we will be on foot the whole time-- our hotel is about a block from where we play. We're hoping there will be plenty of things to do/restaurants nearby as well. And, if we're lucky, we'll get to see Bj and Ginny! :)

3. The boys will probably live it up while we're gone--lots of meat, farting and video games. Almost makes me wish I could stay home.

4. Lance took off his undershirt and threw it in the wash last Wed. or Thurs. No fanfare---I didn't even realize at first. Still don't know what that was all about.

5. Girls night last night!! I went out with Debra, Debbie and Jayme. We ate at this cute little bistro, then had coffee and dessert at Starbucks. We laughed and talked and just had a great time. We've been able to get together pretty often since Debra moved back. I truly enjoy it---it so easy and fun to be together. Love those girls!!

6. Tomorrow is the dreaded TAKS test... The kids don't stress as much as they used to--thank goodness. But there is still a lot of pressure involved. I'm just ready for this one to be over. Next one in April, I think.

7. I think I'd like to appear on the show "How to Look Good Naked". Any ideas on how to get on? Speaking of, check THIS out. (Beware--naked adult bum, so watch at your own risk. It's pretty amazing, though, so I say GO FOR IT.)

8. Got our CBH confirmation packets a couple of days ago. T and H are going at the SAME TIME!! They'll both go 4th session. Upside--not as many trips back and forth and not as many weeks committed in the summer. Downside--Lance is gonna be bored out of his mind!

9. I think track is stressing Hadley a bit. The coach is making her work out with the relays--as the anchor, triple jump AND long jump. (even commented that she thinks Hadley has great potential at triple jump) She was working out with the hurdles group, too, but that was too many events and she chose to get out of it. I think the coach would have Hadley doing every event if possible.We're thinking of letting her drop out. They say you must do track, but one of the girls on our vb team successfully dropped out--using club volleyball as an excuse. If that worked, playing club soccer and club volleyball ought to, don't you think? It's just been hard for her to work out until 5:00 and then go on to other practices. No time for homework or downtime. We'll see. It's really hard to quit something, especially when I know she'd be so good at it. Hadley is also worried about letting her coach down. Ever the pleaser. And fickle. One day she hates it and wants to drop, the next she loves it and can't wait for the first meet. I'll let you know what we end up doing...

10. Tyler has his eye on a new jeep. He really wants a black one, and I think he needs one that's in a little better shape. Right now, I think every existing warning light on the dashboard is on. He's been checking ebay--even bid on one. (We were high bidder but the reserve was not met, so no dice.) So if you see any super cheap, like new black jeeps out there, let us know! :)

Wish my dog could do tricks. I visit a blog that always has the most interesting dog pictures--the dog wearing funny hats, balancing various fruits and vegetables on his nose, smiling for the camera. Good stuff! Especially handy for times your KIDS won't cooperate. I'm lucky to get Max (or the kids) to look at me while I'm holding the camera. He usually comes running straight at me if he notices I'm giving him even the slightest attention. After about 10 tries, though, I got this one. Guess he figured out I didn't want to pet him...

Not a whole lot going on right now. Just the ordinary stuff. Hadley and David are driving back from Midland as I write. She had her first soccer games there this weekend. The weather has been horrendous today----sooooooo windy. They say we might get snow. Combine that with the wind and it could be very nasty. I'm ready for them to be home, safe and sound. David said she did well---scored the first goal of the season. They won the first game and tied the second. Megan--the friend who's dad died a few months ago---rode with them. Ty thatched most of the day yesterday. It's that time of year, I guess. Dirty work, but he sure does make a lot of money! Lance has been out with friends today. His posse gathers at the park almost every day. Love that!

So, not a lot to report. Just wanted to say hello! And, for anyone interested, I'm trying to post on my POTD blog again. I'm not participating in the challenge---don't have time to visit fifty or sixty blogs a day---but I think I'll try to keep it up just for fun. Be prepared for some riveting photography... Especially today's.

Have a great week!

ten on tuesday... man! tuesday rolls around fast!

1. David is completely relieved that he was NOT chosen for the Capital Murder jury! He was interviewed for a couple of hours on Friday. He felt pretty beaten up when he was done. They retained him until Monday when they decided to release him. Anyway, he's off the hook and VERY glad!

2. Watched "No Reservations" last night after the kids went to bed. Pretty disappointing, if you want my opinion... Much heavier and sadder than the ads. I thought it was going to be a light-hearted comedy/romance. Hmmm, not so much...

3. Soccer season is here... We just found out that our first games are this weekend--a full MONTH earlier than usual. Needless to say, we aren't prepared! It's going to be interesting to see how it works with volleyball...

4. Speaking of sports... check out Hadley's schedule today. School begins at 8:10 or so--first period is conditioning for track--mostly speed/agility drills. After school is out at 3:30, she works out for track until 5:00. Soccer practice is from 5:30-7:00 and volleyball is from 7:00-9:00. Can you believe that? That kind of workout schedule would do me in for sure! Fortunately, we only have volleyball practice one night a week right now. Soccer is 3 times, track is 5. Cool thing is--she doesn't mind at all. What a girl!

5. Lance has worn the same sleeveless under-shirt since Friday. I don't know why he decided to do it, but he thinks it's cool. I think it's gross and the minute he starts smelling, it's coming off! Ha!

6. Tyler has become a human vacuum cleaner. Any kind of food or drink left around here is fair game and usually disappears within minutes. Big packages of stuff, even. It's crazy! I'll buy something at the store thinking we might enjoy it later in the week and it's gone the day I bring it home. The same could be said for toilet paper... Ay yi yi! 'Course, he's not the only one using that.

7. I've continued subbing a lot---it seems like everyone is sick. Last Thursday, TWO kids threw up in my class. Thankfully, I did not catch that bug. I did get a cold or something, though... A fairly mild one, but it still means germs in our house. :( Yesterday was kindergarten. I just love kindergarteners... They all think you're beautiful and give you lots of hugs. I'll never forget one kind. boy (who had a mild crush on me) from my student teaching days. He said, "Teacher, you're pretty all over." Oh if only the world viewed everything as they did... Ha!

8. You probably already know this one, but we did NOT win the necklace contest. 0 for 2. Sad day... Maybe that's why I don't usually enter contests. I did print that picture, though, and we're enjoying it on the nightstand for now. At least the contest got us out and shooting. Right?

9. Still not sure what to do with my canvas... I really like it--such an artsy way to display a photo. If you know my house and have a suggestion, I'd love to hear 'em!

10. More good news from the doctor front... It seems Dr.N charges for phone calls, which of course isn't covered by insurance. We just got a big 'ole bill with charges from way back in Oct. through Jan. Nice.

So, I really didn't mean to end the 'ten' on such a downer, but that's just the way it worked out. Sorry! Hope the rest of your week is a great one!

Meet our newest pets

Here's Bonnie and Clyde
Picasso
The 3 stooges---Larry, Moe and Curly
Bertha and Spot

He's so excited! Hopefully the water is fine and all will survive the transition. Keep your fingers crossed...

The contest is ON again....

Ok. We made it to the top 10. Now, the picture with the most votes wins. Each person/computer can only vote once. I'd love it if you'd give us a click.

Vote HERE. There is a polling area on the right-hand side of the screen. We're picture #1.

Thanks!

Ten on Tuesday

1. Tyler's working hard on a physics project. They have to do something with marbles---not really sure of all the details. I only know that his group's project is going to be so big, they plan to use our utility trailer to get it to school. I'm sure there will be photos to share. Things sure have changed since I was in school... Or maybe it's just because I never took honors physics! :)

2. iPods are the coolest--even my non-touchscreen version. I listened to Carrie and part of No Place Like Home on the way to and from Fort Worth this weekend. The drive would have been much harder without it. Hadley slept a lot of the way and watched movies, so she wasn't any help. You know me--I really prefer to get a little nap on the way, but my chauffeur had to stay home with the boys.

3. Hadley's team finally hit some real competition in the gold bracket playoffs on Sunday. I think it totally freaked them out---not many teams had returned their spikes, etc. They ended up going to 3 games and losing by 2 points. It was close. We really should have won, but I'm almost glad they lost. That was our first loss ever. I think they needed humbling a bit. Maybe if we can play some teams like that more often, we'll start to see some improvement. The lighting in the gym was TERRIBLE and we were restricted in where we could stand/sit, so I didn't take many pictures. Here are a couple. Check out how far above the net her hands are!! She missed that block, but I just had to show you how awesome she 's doing. Long arms and a good vertical jump come in handy for volleyball. And dumpster diving. (wit inserted so y'all would come back.)
4. Lance is excited. We moved the aquarium back into his room and are in the process of getting it set up again. Some of the parts needed to be replaced, etc. We should have fish in it by the weekend. I saw him just sitting and staring at the empty tank this morning. He had the sweetest little grin on his face. Love that! I also think he missed me this weekend... :)
5. David got called for jury duty last week. Capital Murder! He made it through the first cut--a 21 page questionnaire and basic/group interview-- and is now waiting to go for his personal interview by each of the sides. It would be a real pain to miss the estimated 6-10 days of work, but I also think it would be very interesting. I'll let you know if he is selected. He has never served before. Might as well go big, right?

6. It just dawned on me. I used to refer to Hadley and Lance as "the kids". (When I said that, I usually did not mean Tyler. He was too big to call "kid".) I don't group them like that much anymore because now Hadley is too big to call "kid". (5' 2 3/4 " tall as of yesterday--I think she has passed Ginny) Waaaaahhhhh. Where is the time going??

7. The second photo contest I entered sort of fizzled. She is supposed to go ahead and go through with it, notifying the finalists tonight. If the contest happens, and if we make it, I'll be asking for votes! :)

8. We're trying to convince Ty to go on a college excursion weekend to Harding with some of the juniors and seniors from church but for some reason, he doesn't want to go. They leave Friday and will return on Sunday. I think it would be eye-opening. Maybe he would even start to think ahead a bit. Yikes. I can't believe college is right around the corner for him.

9. I have good coffee again! Yay! Thanks, Mom and Dad!!!!! I mean, I was glad to see you and all, Dad. But, I'm blogging about the COFFEE!

10. You know the twins who sit with me during church on Sundays? One of them, Matson, was disturbed by the fact that David was sitting in the pew without him on Sunday, so he crawled on down to be with David. Do I hear the collective "awwwwwwwwwww"? They are just the sweetest kids... And, of course, their big brother and parents, too! This is a picture I took of them for their Christmas cards. A beautiful family! Hopefully they won't mind me sharing this picture... A couple of weeks ago, their mom told us of a conversation they had. The boys were discussing their girlfriends. Greyson named someone. Matson said that I was his girlfriend, and David was his boyfriend. Ha! :)

K. Think that does it for today. Hope you're having a great week!

He is sooooooooo grounded

Found on the science classroom chalkboard today.

We didn't win. :(

ten on tuesday

1. The canvas CAME TODAY! I think it's really nice---the only things I don't like about it were in the original picture... I had accepted those imperfections.... It's EXACTLY like that picture, so I 'm thrilled! Now, where to hang it??


2. Went go-carting/dirt-bike riding on Sunday with friends. Had a great time. Lance can still ride his 50cc--it's a little small, but ridable. Riding our friends' go-cart just made everyone want one even more, of course!

3. Entered TWO contests with the same picture. One, I already told you about. The second is for a photo necklace. I find out on Thursday if we made the cut. If we do, then I'll need your vote. (Voting from Thursday to Sunday. I *think* only one vote allowed per person.) Fun! I don't know why the sudden urge to enter contests.... feeling lucky, maybe?

4. This week has been pretty dull, apparently. I've already stalled on #4! ...so I read through the list and realized I hadn't mentioned Ty. You should see the guns on that kid. Seriously. He's getting really big!

5. I have been subbing about 3 days a week. A little more than I'd like, but ok. Most of that time has been in the autistic classroom. Never a dull moment in there and every day is DIFFERENT! Kinda like the "box of chocolates" from Forrest Gump. :)

6. We're doing custom valentines for Lance this year. Saw some cute ideas and decided to give it a try. Beats spongebob anyday, I say! :)


7. Hadley is playing volleyball in Fort Worth this weekend. Still not sure which adult will go and which one will stay home. I hope there will be some good competition there---of course, I still want them to come out on top! Wouldn't you know we're expecting snow...

8. Our last elementary school valentine party is Thursday... :( I can't believe it!

9. 6 weeks test week. Enough said.

10. I did a one-year old photoshoot today for my first ever official customer--thanks to Jen. (I did their newborn pics.) Seems like a lifetime ago...

Hope your week is a great one!

It's contest time!

Ok. So there's this contest with our local paper. Enter a picture of your "perfect kiss" and win stuff. We decided to try and win! :) This is our picture. Anyway, the way it works is the top ten pictures with the most "views" make it to the finals. From there, the newspaper staff decides on the big winners.

If you'd like to help us out, we'd love the votes. I know it's tempting to click on other pics, but that's the same as voting for them. If you want us to win----no clicky on other pictures til after the contest is over. Thanks for your votes! The more clicks the better. :)

Also, I'm not sure my link will take you straight to the contest. It seems you might have a username to view it. Not sure.... 'Course it's easy and free...


**Voting ends at noon on 2/13. Right now, we're in spot #5 for views. Fantastic!! Thanks for your help. I only care that we remain in the top ten so we have a chance at being chosen.

Tyler went to the store the other day to stock his fridge. Cute, huh?? I was actually impressed with his choices---green tea, bananas, clementines, yogurt, low calorie snacks and some other canned drinks. :) He swiped the water from our stash.

Hadley finished up bball today. They lost in the semi finals to Sam Houston. Houston went on to beat Crockett in the finals for the championship. Hadley's game was ROUGH. I was afraid someone was really gonna get hurt. Thankfully it ended without any major casualties.

Otherwise, not a lot going on. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Gambler's Anonymous?

So, the doorbell rings today. It's Andrew, one of Lance's friends. He's holding a 6 pack of IBC cream soda. My first thought is," Awwww. How sweet! He brought Lance a treat because he's been sick!"

I'm afraid it wasn't quite that innocent... Apparently Lance and Andrew had a bet about the Super Bowl. Winner gets a 6 pack of IBC soda---root beer for Andrew, cream soda for Lance. Yikes! Seriously??? He didn't mention a word... I think he knew we wouldn't approve! Anyway, I took pics of him with his booty. Might as well blog about it, right?

And, Hadley played her last regular season game today. They finished first place in their conference. (The city is divided into two conferences.) Tournament play starts tomorrow. So, here's a shot of her throwing the ball in...

Ten on Tuesday

Saw "ten on tuesday" on some other blog and thought it was a good idea. No pics to post today, so you just get my 10 things. 10 really random things!

1. Talked to the canvas people... And they are still giving me the discount! Yay! :) It'll probably be here in about a week to ten days. I can't wait to see it!

2. Lance is a little sick. He started coughing on the weekend. Started an antibiotic yesterday. Sounded really harsh last night, stayed home today to rest and do extra treatments. Beginning to sound a little better---not to mention better rested. He slept until almost eleven this a.m.!!

3. Middle school basketball ends this week. Last game tomorrow, city tournament on Thursday and Saturday. Next comes track and field. Hadley's never done track before, but as fast as she is, I imagine it will be a successful season for her. She's kind of excited to try something new!

4. One of the newborns I photographed wants pics at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months and a storyboard with one from each. That's 4 more shoots just from them! :)

5. Tyler got his mini-fridge up and running finally yesterday. He LOVES it and thinks we picked out a really cool one. At least we did something right! Hmmmm. Where's that "tongue-sticking-out smiley" when you need it!

6. It is COOOOOOOLLLLLDDDDD today. And it's TACO TUESDAY at Rosa's. :)

7. Lance has decided he wants to play the saxophone in the band next year.

8. Hmmmm..... I've stalled at #8. Did I mention it's COLD today? Brrrrrrr..... Came back to this one. I can't let that be number 8....I think that would be cheating! Let's see--Oh. Can't believe I didn't think of it right off. I heard from my friend Jayme (Horne) Bandy today. They have decided to discontinue chemo and start hospice for her mom. The cancer is in her liver and there isn't a chemo that will help. She is having lots of fluid build-up in her abdomen and they have to drain it pretty often. I'm just so sad for all of them. The rest of this list is pretty petty in comparison...

9. I just finished listening to A Thousand Splendid Suns on my iPod. It wasn't as good as The Kite Runner, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

10. Went to the Johnston's for the Super Bowl... The boys enjoyed seeing the game on a HUGE screen from the comfort of leather recliners in the theater room, while the girls had a nice visit in the living room and kitchen-right by the food, of course! :) When we found out we were headed over there for the game, Lance started mentally choosing his seat and was ready to lay claim the minute we got there. Funny kid!

Ok. So there's the good, bad and ugly from this week. Hope you're having a great one!

Quest for the Perfect Family Picture... Does it ever end??

A while back, I received a coupon code for a "free" canvas that expired today. (Meaning they take one of my photographs and put it on a canvas, gallery wrapped, ready to hang on the wall. **An $84 value! So, I've tried several times to get the picture. First time out, David and I didn't even make it into the shots because we were so frustrated with our bratty kids. Second time out, I tried to use my new remote and forgot that it refocuses each time, so none of the pics were focused properly. Third time out---today---I gave up and am going with this one. What do you think?

We spent a good part of the day over at Anita's having our final Christmas celebration. I know, I know. It's FEBRUARY! But, this was the first time David's sister and her husband could make it over. So, as soon as I got home tonight, I went to work trying to get the picture ready and the canvas ordered... I finished about 4 minutes til midnight. Guess what?? The coupon code didn't work. :( I sent an email in the hopes they'll have pity on me and let me order anyway... I'm so excited to try this. I don't know if I ever would any other way---it would be an expensive mistake if I wasn't happy with it. So, y'all cross your fingers that I get to give this a try!

*ETA: I plan to get it in 14x20 if it works out. Not really sure where I'll put it. Some empty wall somewhere... :)

Just a lil update...

Yes, we've been busy! Sorry, though, nothing too exciting. Today, Hadley played basketball for school--and won. The girl she's guarding here was their "star" but Hadley had her handled. Love how she is soooo fast and can guard so well. Lance has flag duty this week. So far, the wind has made it a challenging job. I think he does this for about 2 or 3 weeks. Fun! So, that's what I've been taking pics of...

Oh, and notice the beautiful blue sky in the flag pics?? About 30 minutes after I took those, the sky was clouded over--they say we might get snow. We'll see, I guess!

Champs, Part Deux

Well, they did it again! We hoped to play up this weekend, but for some reason, we were placed back in our regular division. Most of the teams we played were not as skilled and it made for a disappointing day. The girls really goofed off and still won easily. (That didn't help us or the girls we played against.) Hadley was a little off--she made some silly mistakes like many of the other girls. It's hard to stay on your toes when it's like that, though...But, I guess a win is a win!!

I thought I'd share a few pictures. The one with them huddled together in the middle of the court is the way they begin the game. Most of the teams have a chant or something they yell to start off the game. Our girls are so quiet--they huddle like this then swirl out and go to their spots. We finally asked Hadley what they talk about in the huddle. She said that they prayed! We had no idea... Very cool, eh? The one of them lined up side-by-side is the way they stand while the other team warms up serving. When they got all set--they yelled, "PICTURE!" Think they kinda like being in the spotlight... :) Can you believe Hadley is the shortest on the team? I thought #6 might be shorter, but in this picture, she's just a tad taller. The one right next to her isn't standing up straight, but she's not too far off either. On her soccer team, she's one of the tallest girls. Go figure.

We are the Champions, my friend.....Sing it with me!

Yesterday, we got to see if Hadley's new volleyball team really is ALL THAT. Guess what? THEY ARE! We played a one day, local tournament and won the whole thing. No losses all day! I didn't get to watch everything--only the championship game, but I was pretty impressed with what I saw. Don't get me wrong---they made plenty of mistakes, but you sure could see the potential out there. A few of the girls are either hot or cold, so that may give us some trouble down the road. Hadley is pretty consistent--not flashy or anything, but very solid. She was VERY excited for that win. It was especially sweet because we played the championship game against some fellow school mates. Neener, neener! :)

I love volleyball and really enjoyed seeing a higher level of play from these girls. It's amazing what 7th graders can do these days. When I was a 7th grader, we were learning to play volleyball for the first time. It definitely didn't look anything like what I saw yesterday... that's for sure!

Anyway, just wanted to share these pictures with you. Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Dear friends...

Yeah... I softened the heck out of these pics trying to appear a little younger... No wonder I prefer being BEHIND the lens instead of in front of it! Yikes!

Anyway, this is me and my dear friend, Jennifer. We met way back in those newlywed days... We hit it off right away and she has remained one of my best friends for all these years. They moved away about 17 and a half years ago. Now y'all know from experience! how bad I am about keeping in touch with anyone outside the city limits... She doesn't care and loves me anyway! :)

Her sweet kids decided to give her a trip to visit me for her 40th birthday. We chose this past weekend. While we didn't do anything exciting, it was just so nice to be together. We dragged her to a soccer game, football banquet, church and life group. We went to see a movie, went to the mall, got brave and had one of those aqua massages--you know, the ones in the MIDDLE of the mall where everyone can walk by and see you!, ate out a lot and did lots of talking. It was great to spend time with her--I hope she went away more relaxed than she came... (Not sure because she DID have to sleep in a lime green room. Ha!)

Hope you are all having a great week!

Happy New Year everyone!

I posted this pic on my POTD blog, so for those that check it--sorry for the duplication! (You should take a peek at the pic for the last day of the year. The kids are just too funny! Well, it's funny now, but it wasn't funny when I was trying to get a shot. Ha!) Gonna give POTD a try again this year. I'm sure I won't have a post EVERY day, but hopefully often enough. I hope this year is a wonderful year for all!!

**This is sparkling grape juice in plastic cups... Just in case you were wonderin'...

Trying soooo hard to get some frame-worthy pics...

So what do you think? You know, it's never quite how you picture it in your head.

**edited to add: We just got word that one of Hadley's soccer teammates' father passed away tonight. He was the one who needed a liver transplant. His own liver just wouldn't sustain him long enough to get a new one. His daughter,Megan, is one of Hadley's best friends from the team. They are a super nice family. We carpool with them occasionally on soccer trips. Just so hard to believe...