Cheers

Cheers. 

This took on a whole new meaning for me today. An UCA competition was not on my 2024 bingo card, but I’m here for it. I’m the newest fan of cheer competition.

I can’t define what constitutes a win; I don’t even know how scores are obtained, but Caro’s team came home with a first place win at Regionals.

I’m now awaiting the day Jamie performs the girls’ routine in the audience with the other over-the-top cheer dads. 

Family Photo

The family made a short pop-in visit this weekend after attending a funeral in Kentucky. 

And look! Daddy is smiling! It’s the only picture I have of the four of us where he looks happy to be with us. 

And I snapped a pic of the twins. 

My Kitchen is Full

I’ve had the very best start to the weekend! I’m in my kitchen surrounded by all four kids, eating homemade chocolate chip cookies, and swapping the best stories and memories. The kitchen is filled with laughter and joy; my heart is full.

We all go our separate ways tomorrow morning. Tonight’s happiness with being together again will have to tide me over until Thanksgiving. 

New Years

We are in Texas for New Years. New Years Eve we played the Saran Wrap ball game. I went to the Mecca of Dollar General stores back home and spent $20 on prizes, prizes that would work for a 17 year old male or an 8 year old female. The fight for the gum was real!

Mallory ended up with the most loot. Caroline was bummed to get word search books.

After trading all of his goods, Keagan got the coveted lemon cake, and then, after finding a hair in it, decided it wasn’t nearly as good as the lemon cake from Starbucks. 

Vikki and I laughed and laughed watching this. It will have to be a new tradition for the family.

We played a rousing game of Family Feud where Evan served as the host. Daddy gave an answer of prostitution that caused questions from the younger grands, embarrassment on Oma’s part, and laughter from the older grands. We ended the night watching football, a much safer option. 

Because we know how to live it up, we were all in bed by 1100. May 2020 be good to us all and be filled with good health, new beginnings, and joyous laughter. 

Family Wedding

We are in Alabama for the start of the boys’ fall break. Last night we celebrated the marriage of Wes’s youngest cousin, Emily.

We spent four hours at the reception eating and watching others dance. We also took plenty of pictures.

We are spending the rest of the long weekend looking at prospective colleges for this guy. I cannot believe we are actually in a place in our lives to do this, but one look at this photo, and it is very apparent. He’s grown (and so handsome). 💙

Guess Who

Evan’s playing soccer this weekend. And playing forward at that! I just can’t even process how that is a good decision.

I’m not the only one. Another parent was heard asking, “Why is the best defender in the city playing up top?”

We are in between games and trying to beat the heat, so we made a quick trip to the bookstore. Wes, Evan, and I bought these books. Nothing speaks truer to our interests and personalities.

Can you match the person to the book?

Easter Happenings

He is risen! He is risen indeed! To save time, I cut and mixed the side dishes for the Easter dinner yesterday. I put the scalloped potatoes in the oven as we left for church. Wes worried all during the service we’d come home to the house burned down. We didn’t. Lunch was perfect! I even made a killer carrot cake.

Today was the first warm and sunny day all season. I wanted to sit outside, but to enjoy the outdoors, I needed the yard cleaned of dog poop. Keagan offered. But he protested the entire time! He suggested we change Ryker’s diet. He suggested Wes take him to the doctor. He returned to the house and said, “I spoke to Dad in Bible Verse, ‘Thou shall no person haven’t deal with that.’”

No dead bunny on our porch today. Maybelle is losing her touch in her old years. 

Day #2

We began the nine degree morning with a wonderful breakfast, and it all seemed we were in the beginnings of a great day. 

When it was time for our pre-reserved wildlife tour, we were told our reservation for ten was no where to be found. For an additional $981, the company would happily escort us to see wildlife. We refused. We rented a van and took off on our own. Our first stop was to see elk. There were dozens to be seen, but none were close enough to be photographed with my phone. We were thrilled to drive right past a bald eagle roosting in a tree! 

Our second stop was the local art museum where we learned of a famous photographer who photographed animals. We also saw pieces of the outdoor sculpture garden.

Late afternoon, we drove to the marsh land to try to spot moose. We found a half dozen and then went off-roading in our ten passenger van and found bison! Our trip was made!

Tomorrow we hope to see big horn sheep. 

Dream Vacation

Wes’s dream retirement trip was a month long RV trip to the national parks. Luckily for me, there is no way you can drive a RV in November through the mountains, so we found a cabin next to Flat Creek and decided to explore Jackson Hole for a week. We were shocked to learn, after we bought non-refundable plane tickets, that the parks here are closed for most of November. We decided to make the trip anyway. The view of the mountains alone was worth it!

We spent day one soaking up the views, window shopping in the downtown area, and soaking in the hot tub. We have spotted mule deer, ducks, geese, and otters on the property. Our goal is to find moose and elk before we leave.

Friday Family Fun

We survived the first week of school. It’s Friday night and we barely have the energy to get off the couch.  Evan is already stressed about his workload. Keagan is already tired and says he misses his day naps. I’m already over cooking dinner. I came home to cheese sticks, cilantro, and one tortilla. So Wes ordered Chinese take out and then we drove to Nashville for a NSC game.

Evan talked constantly during the game about everything and anything. Did you know eating one piece of pizza is equivalent to drinking two cups of grease? Did you know the saying “using 10% of your brain” is a myth? Using 90% even means certain death. How about the myth that children don’t have a preferred learning style, or that psychology is an unscientific science but still believable? One more. Earth may really be two parallel plains instead of a sphere. I can’t forget this one. The Bible never claims that marrying a cousin is a sin but it should since you are playing Russian roulette with your offspring.

After three hours of this, Keagan completely exasperated asked, “Just how many facts do you know? And when do you find the time to learn them?” 

Then just as we were pulling off the interstate and back to the Farm, Keagan made the comment that he’s been thinking about the cause for the Hiroshima shadows ever since he learned about them last year in history class. Crickets. Evan was stumped; he could not contribute an opinion because he was not familiar with the WW2 event. Finally! Keagan couldn’t wait to pull out his phone (who am I kidding? They had to pull out Evan’s phone because Keagan’s screen is so badly cracked - again) and teach Evan something new! Evan was duly impressed. 

Who needs to watch soccer when you have these two to entertain you?

Snow Day

Two years ago we missed a week of school due to a winter storm of ice and snow. Last year we didn’t get a snowflake. I decided in December that a snow day was necessary this school year, and I would do whatever I needed to do to ensure that happened. In other words, I pretended I was seven years old  again and flushed ice cubes, wore my PJs inside out, and put a white crayon in my windowsill. 

I’m proud to say my efforts were not in vain. At 1130 on Thursday, the boys’ school system made a decision to close on Friday. At 2:30 post decided to close. We left school with a temp of 67 degrees and a hard time imagining we would awake to snow. 

We didn’t awake to snow, though, but to something even better when you are attempting to hunker down and avoid the real world - sleet! The snow began at lunch time. These boys couldn’t wait to get out and play a game of football in it.

We will be home again tomorrow. I will cook; the boys will play.

Love the snow days!

Thanksgiving Eve

Nothing says Thanksgiving like family, food, and fun. Since being in command, Wes has pulled duty on the big holidays, so his soldiers get the day with their families. For the third year in a row, my family has celebrated the holiday with us in Tennessee. I host, they drive, and all ten of us enjoy a week of togetherness. 

Today these two began Thanksgiving Eve playing a game of football with Wes’s unit. They were happy to come home with the win. 

(I’m thankful I only have to live with that ‘stach for one more week.)

These four went to the trampoline park. The unnamed adult was asking to use the tens machine after an hour of “fun.” Two other unnamed adults were smart enough to realize 40-somethings don’t need to press their luck jumping on trampolines. 

After lunch, naps, and dessert,

the entire family had a traditional dinner of Five Guys burgers and then played an Excape Game. 

We didn’t escape, but it was more fun than this picture indicates. We were probably only a minute away from winning - as usual. I’m beginning to think  this is the standard line told to all losing teams just to make sure you return again!

We would have enjoyed walking through the local Christmas light display after the game, but you can see how we are bundled for an indoor activity. These Texans were not prepared to attempt an evening stroll in 40 degree temps. A drive by sneak peek of the lights was all we could muster. 

The pies are baked. The fall themed crafts are done. The turkey is brining. Tomorrow we feast!

My Question is Answered

I figured it out! My age old question has been answered! This is what people do on the weekends when they don't play sports. 

They go to the local distillery with the family and listen to live music. 

They soak up the scenery and appreciate the simplicity of life in the country. 

They dance to the music and eat bottomless snow cones.

They watch the beautiful sunset. 

I could get used to this.

Rollin' on the River

Our summer of fun continued today with a scenic boat ride down the Cumberland River with the extended family. 

We rode along the bluffs and saw blue herons, turtles, and ospreys, but the kids were most impressed with the mallets used to crack peanuts at the snack station. 

The kids played bouncy ball games, observed birds with binoculars, and just enjoyed being together. 

What a perfect day!