Work? What's Work?

While my co-workers were spending their fall break vacation in Mexico, France, and Italy, I've had a riveting week taking the cat to the vet, cleaning out closets, fixing a leaking faucet, and cleaning toilets. I've picked up the foster from detention, scheduled counseling sessions, and had a P/T phone conference about skipped classes and missing assignments. I've taken E to multiple sports practices, a physical appointment, two football games, and a soccer match. I've carted K to agility training, helped him study for four tests, fixed his cellphone after he deleted his keypad, and I tried to give him a haircut the night before picture day. I've retaught conjugating the verb ser, solving inequalities, and the major battles of the Civil War. I've hosted a spouse brunch and organized our unit's holiday parties. I've never been more busy, and I'm left wondering. How do I ever manage to fit in a ten hour work day?

I'm really jealous right now of everyone that has this as their view during fall break.

After this week, I'm in need of a vacation

Homecoming Friday

In middle school, homecoming weekend means you ride in the highschool parade, and if you are lucky enough to get a ticket, you watch the highschool football game.

And that's it. No dance. No shopping for new clothes. No dates. No midnight pick-ups.

And if it's raining, you skip the game and hang out on the living room sofa. 

UT - It Doesn't Mean the Same Here

When we moved to Tennessee two years ago, I wondered why so many people were UT fans. Hundreds of miles from Texas, and yet I seriously thought they were referring to the Longhorns. One day I finally realized there were two UTs, and my new friends were not wanna-be Texans. They bled orange but for a different school. 

These same friends have a deep passion for their own UT and are doing everything in their power to convert Keagan.

This weekend he went to the UT football game with one of his best friends.

Keagan reported the fans were amazing, the stadium was impressive, and the excitement "catching". 

I have one thing to say. Hurry up November and the A&M game we have tickets to see!

Hard Work

I'm exhausted! It's hard work cheering on the sidelines - especially when you have seven games in a weekend - and a brute for a son that loves contact. Evan was lucky this weekend. He only had two fouls called on him - one of them resulting in a bogus yellow card. Since arguing and questioning the referees is a no-go with our coach,  I made sure to make my disagreement known in the most diplomatic way I knew how by saying, "It's okay, Ref, you can make a better call next time."

There's no doubt we deserved a weekend of wins and a championship, but sometimes the Soccer Gods don't see it that way. I'm glad they agreed with us this weekend because the boys looked great! 

Winners in Every Way

Few things bring me more joy than this.

This weekend we finally won first place in the Decatur tournament. After finishing as finalists, two times in a row, it was real sweet to walk away today as winners. I will be the first to admit that it was not well-received by the other team when Keagan stood tall on the winner's stage and yelled, "We conquered Alabama!"

 

I considered it icing on the cake to be able to watch the games in near perfect weather with out a cloud in the sky. Previous visits to Decatur have not faired nearly as well. I have the mud stains to prove it.

 

My friends at work say I'm crazy; they don't understand how I could possibly fill my weekends with multiple games and long drives to tournaments. I don't know how they fill their time without any sporting events to attend. There's just so many craft fairs and apple orchards I can visit in the fall before I get homesick for my place on the sidelines.

 

Fun Run

Today was the school's fun run, a new fundraiser organized by the PTO. I was at work and not able to cheer Keagan on in person, but one of my friends took a few pictures and said Keagan was running so fast, she couldn't get a picture of his face. He was beet red and drenched in sweat after finishing 42 laps. I bet those PTO moms were really upset when they realized the kid with the most laps didn't have one pledge!

Thursday Night Lights

Few things make me happier than this. We kicked off the new football season tonight with a win over our rival school. The final score was 19 to 15. I would be proud if all Evan did was kick off the first play of the game because it was a beautiful high kick!

 

 

However, he also plays linebacker, and he tackled the other team's star running back on the thirty yard line as he ran for the in zone. On third down, Evan did it again near the twenty yard line, and those two tackles ensured our win. 

 

 

 

 

I'm on pins and needles and awaiting his first interception.