Victoria's first game!

It was an exciting night....Victoria had her very first softball game...and they won, a double treat! She's a funny kid:) I like those game playing kids that make me smile, lol, and Tori does that (intentionally or not!).

Traveling with Chelsea and Bo

This weekend Chelsea and Bo are going to be in Tennessee, actually at Country Place with their Youth Group. One of the neat things about having a big sister who is a youth ministers wife is the neat places they go and IF you are well behaved, respectful and trustworthy, you are invited along! This weekend Mercedez and MaryLita are going. They stayed home yesterday (as I headed to the ball field). They had the list I made in hand and were packing their things. They're ready to go! I sure wish I could be with them! We have Opening Day at the Little League field, a Softball tournament in Collinwood, and Friends and Family Day at my dad's church. But, I am glad the girls can be with Chelsea! Big sisters and brothers are such blessings. Even though Chelsea is a state away I love that these little opportunities arise and little sisters can be there:)

I took my picture with the girls this morning...for those who actually notice, my hair is now dark:) I went to get my hair colored, which I laugh when Ellen (my beautician) says I am not washing the grey out….I am adding “natural” back in! lol:) That’s what grey headed people apparently tell themselves! I am not sure I have any “natural” left…but what I have looks natural enough to fool most people. Although I do have what Ellen calls “unruly” greys….meaning they don’t mind and color like they are suppose to….so I still have grey. Only now those few unruly hairs look like my “only grey”. How confusing getting old is...lol:) I suppose I should be ever grateful that my hair is only turning grey and not turning loose! I had it thinned a bunch yesterday. I get all that grey from my dad, I had more grey hair at 30 than my mom had when she died, well I may have had more grey at 20 than she did!

big days..

Big days. I am not sure why I say it was a BIG day, it didn't last any longer than every other day:) It was a busy day. I proctored for my last day today. I really have enjoyed being at the school. What fun. The kids are funny (except for the ones who aren't)..I love teachers!

After school Bella had a dentist appointment, she wasn't able to get braces because she has not lost all her baby teeth, they might need help.

Tasha had Softball practice:)

I had to go by the bowling alley to pick up Tori's shirt and schedule. And have a serious talk to my children. I have pet peeves. I suppose everyone does, but I have a few about names. I named my children (lol...well, most)...but there are names I like and don't like. I intend (like most mommas) that my kids be called by things I like....well, to the extent of my control. I don't mind Daniels name being shortened to Dan, but I don't care for Danny. I don't mind Samuel's name being shortened to Sam, but I don't care for Sammy. I don't shorten Michael's at all and really don't care for Mickie. I don't mind shortening Victoria's name to Tori, but I do not care for Vicky. I picked up Victoria's shirt, It was a sleeveless adult small and she is a girls size 12/14...with the sleeveless part you can see from one arm to another. And it has the name Vicky on the back! I do not care that the coach calls her Vicky, but have NO desire to have it plastered across the back of her shirt and everyone calling her that. So, I called the sporting good store and ordered another one, the right size and name. I then had the talk with my kids. Last year some of my girls played ball with a coach that nicknamed all the girls ridiculous names...like teddy bear, and monkey and goofy stuff. Then I paid to have that goofy name put on the shirt(unknowingly). This year I will order new shirts if the names are wrong and I will charge those who agreed to such names. Emphasizing that if there is any doubt they might think about asking mom. lol:) Obviously I was mad. I will now step down from my soapbox and continue.

Seth had a scrimmage. We went to the field, lawn chairs and snacks in hand:) What a great scrimmage. Seth did great!! He loves baseball, he loves all ball. He says football is his favorite, but he sure does excel at baseball. Time will tell.

After two hours at the field I sent Sarah to buy corn dogs and pizza stix for dinner, we had only 30 minutes til time to leave for church. I had all my Indians help put tables in my classroom(for ladies class). Everyone wants something to put their bibles and books on:)

After church a sweet little girl was baptized and we were not home until after 9...super late. I waited on people to head to bed and thought I was ready until I remembered my 690 pictures I took at Seth's game...I needed to load them to Walgreen's. So in the midst of my waiting for the to load I wondered here.

My week should slow down now, although that is a silly thing to say when I know tomorrow afternoon I have two softball games (one in Savannah and one in Adamsville) and one baseball scrimmage....all at the SAME times! The crazy season has began:)

Big weeks...

Big weeks like this one throw me off. I have proctored every day this week at the middle school. Games and practices at night. Life flies by. Scott is traveling this week, which always puts me a little behind. He is so good to get the kitchen in order before bed (meaning he cleans up all the pots and the left over things that did not fit in the dishwasher). I miss him...lol...for a whole lot of reasons! I am ever thankful for cell phones. It is nice to have him at my fingertips:)

I stayed today and ate lunch with Mary after TCap testing. I have said it before and I will again, Mary is such a neat girl. She has sweet friends. She is well-liked. I am ever so grateful for this child, for her sweet spirit. This week all the kids I have talked to say, "Are you Mary's mom?", when I say yes they smile and tell me "She is really nice....She is my best friend....She's funny"....or they laugh and try to tell me she is " sooooo mean". Mary? She just smiles. What a fun kid. I sat and laughed with the sweet girls she "always" sits with. They told Mary stories and I smiled. She is not boy crazy, but she has the respect of boys, an impressive feat for a 12 year old. I listened today as 12 year old boys talked about "gross" girls. I am so thankful that Mary is not listed among the gross.

For years I have threatened anyone to break my good kids. By good I mean "plain old well adjusted cute kids". Mary is just that.

I have some classes I never want to proctor in ....lol....not all my children fit in so well, not all are so sweet and respectful. Such is life....all are different. But just like the flowers I love so much, children all have unique qualities. I just wish they all got credit, positive credit, for that uniqueness.

I heard someone once say about weeds, "They're plants that they haven't found a use for yet!" I have some children who are like weeds. They are searching for their places, their use. I do work hard on my "children gardening skills", I cannot afford to loss control of that garden!

I love this time of year!!

I love Spring! I love the flowers, but not the pollen. I love the ballgames, but not the mosquito's. The good and bad of each season is always something we enjoy, yet to me, this season just offers more:)

I seriously have a black thumb but these beautiful flowers have overcome my plant killing nature and endured....more than that, they have thrived!!

This first goofy green velvet thingy had overtaken my flower bed...that is a good thing! Any plant that I don't kill is welcome to go crazy:) It has!





I love the color and smells of Spring:)

Our Anniversary

I woke Sunday to these beautiful flowers on the table. It was mine and Scott's 23rd anniversary:) That is 8395 days, 201,480 hours, 12,088,800 minutes....hummm...that's a lot longer than it was a year ago! Time sure does fly when you're having fun, it also flies when you're busy....we've been both.

Over the weekend Paden and Sarah babysat while Scott and I went out to dinner and a movie. Dinner was awesome, not sure we have ever eaten all you can eat crab legs and the whole meal (for both of us) been on $25. Thank you Jacob for sharing your favorite place with us!

Afterwards we watched the silly movie "Date Night". Yesterday Scott and I talked some about the false images TV and movies give out. In this movie some of the couples friends were divorcing because they were, "only perfect roommates" and since they didn't have any spark(my word) they decided to divorce. The question in the movie seemed to resound, "Are we only good roommates?"

I do dislike Hollywood for this kind of image. I really believe the perfect roommate was AS IT SHOULD BE. As husbands and wives we should be awesome roommates. We should know each others wants and thoughts, we should respect each other and we should be the best of friends....That spark should be there but it cannot be the focus of the marriage....it can't be the whole.

If sex is all there is to marriage then everyone is in trouble! There are times, in sickness and other times and other circumstances that sex will be compromised....due to "life". I agree sparks can be the beginning of relationships, they can also be fleeting, they can burn out. There better the some real flames...in the heart and soul(through commitment and love)! When struggles come, when you feel all is lost, your husband/wife should be there with you, for the right reasons.

Stuart Briscoe said.....

Human love says "I love you if....."
Gods love says "I love you even if..."

As married couples we must strive to be like Christ, to love like Christ loves and loved. With that should be the "I love you even if...." for each other. Human love is NOT enough for us in this worldly time. We must strive to be what God intends for us to be for each other...helpmates:) There were no guidelines to that ...so I am assuming God meant in all things!

I am, as I begin my 24th year of marriage, so very thankful for the wonderful Godly man my Lord blessed me with:)

Gone Fishing!

We took the kids fishing last night, meeting Michael and our sweet friend Gail (who were already fishing at the lake). For me it was countless picture opportunities..lol:) For Scott, Michael and Gail it was constant "I need help" calls. Seth, at one point even spelled it, " Help...H...E...L...P!" Someone was stuck, needed bait, couldn't put on a weight, couldn't get a fish off the hook...it was pretty endless (with a whole lot of fun in the middle!). Mercedez was the funniest (to me), she gagged watching the worm be put on the hook and cast the line while chanting "Please don't catch a fish, please don't catch a fish, please don't catch a fish...." lol:) She did catch a couple. I was standing taking her picture as she got the first one. She immediately said, "Mommy! Help me!" I was have really been funny (or maybe not as much so) if the fish had been more than 3 inches long!

Ms Gail brought firewood and we had a wonderful fire and roasted marshmallows after dark. I never mind putting away my camera to toast my marshmallows:) I do love them toasted, not the flaming charbroiled way my kids eat them!

We were pretty late getting home. I am so thankful Ms Gail loves to fillet the fish...and that she is so great at it! But even with her wonderful help I was rinsing fish in the sink at nearly midnight. We were all late to bed...you would think that means everyone slept in right? haha...All you mom's know the answer to that is NOPE! I am thankful Scott let me sleep in....all the way to nearly 8:)

For lunch today? Fish:)