Because we're gluttons

So I already posted that Anna's fall ball season was over, right?

Well...apparently there were things like withdrawal symptoms coming from Billy and Anna kinda missed it to. SO...she agreed to pick up with another team for their world series... Yes.. we are gluttons for punishment. As in sitting in the freezing cold for a 3 day tournament punishment.

This team was her age group and she LOVED it. Her response "It's so not complicated like 10U is...there  wasn't ANY signs". Oh...bless your heart Anna...the signs will be back when you're pitching, stealing and bunting again. :) but she enjoyed it. After all..she was playing ball again.

and obviously I did too.

When Billy said "since you'll be home first...get everything ready so we can leave when I get home".

Apparently "getting everything ready" doesn't mean making a red glitter headband, making a zebra print hairbow on a ponytail holder, and putting her hair in hotsticks. Who knew?

I posted the iphone pic on FB and said some mom's get beauty pageants and dance recitals (sniff..I already miss it) and I get softball games. I don't think it came out how I meant it. I meant it as some mom's get to make their little girls up for dance recitals and beauty pageants. I get to make mine up for softball games. I have absolutely no compliants on what this beautiful little girl chooses to do, she should know no matter what it is..there will be giant bows and curls as long as she'll let me!
Anyway..these are blurry and crappy because I wasn't ready and they are through the fence. But I wanted to capture this because Anna is #20. They are doing their little pregame chant on the pitchers mound and if you didn't know, you'd think she's been with this team all along. She just joined right in.

and little Anna rocked it on the pitchers mound as usual, only she wasn't pitching since it was coach pitch.

This one sucks too..but it's the only one I got of her batting. (they had ALL night games..give me a break)

The coaches are all super happy here because we're coming off a butt stomping..only it was our rear that was handed to us. But Anna's face totally cracks me up.

My baby viper..for the weekend anyway. After seeing Saydee's 12U Viper team..Anna's team looked like babies.

and just so you can see how that sparkly headband sparkles under those lights

Perfect! (yes..I know that pic sucks too..it's all grainy and the white balance is off..but she's still cute & sparkly. Wild hair & all)

I did crack up that Anna said on Friday night after I curled her hair that people would think she was a mini Jennie Finch...yes ma'am..we'll take that role model. :)

Happy Birthday sweet Hudson

So...if I thought your 2nd birthday sucked well, I never thought your 3rd birthday would be worse. It was. I'm sorry.

Your actual birthday way on a Friday. I did send cupcakes (HOMEMADE..from a Betty Crocker box. That's as close to homemade that you're going to get from me) to your preschool. Nina & Pops came over and gave you your birthday gift and we stuck a candle in a leftover cupcake and sang happy birthday.

How pathetic is that? At least last year with the ugly cake he had clothes on.

Do I mention that I ran out of eggs while making cupcakes? Apparently eggs make cake kind of stay together and not get all crumbly. Who knew? But hey...he still ate them. Like 3 of them.

We were planning on having a typical family gathering Saturday night. Well....early Saturday morning I wake up not feeling so well. Feeling so bad that Billy had to take all 3 children to get hair cuts. Alone. Which is scary. Anyway..that started the great pukathon of 2011. I started 1st. Fortunately though, after one time I felt better. Puny, weak and sleepy but my stomach didn't hurt. Next was Hudson....then Anna. Theirs was a all day/night marathon Saturday & Sunday. Needless to say, no family gathering that weekend.

We were lame enough to put a candle in a cake at Thanksgiving and have everyone sing "Happy Birthday" then. I could have sworn I took pictures but they aren't on my camera? weird?

Oh and I did make you a birthday shirt.

Happy Birthday sweet boy. I hope you don't think that your celebration of your birthdays are a reflection of how much we love you. Because we really do love you.

I completely almost missed Fall

Between football games and softball games..I almost completely missed it.

We had our annual weinie roast in the woods behind our house

My dad and his nephew from CA

Anna's bff and parents joined us

A.D.D. moment ahead.

Which by the way I totally relate to Jenny Lawson :  I don’t actually have “severe, crippling ADD”, but I do have mild ADD and access to the internet, and that’s pretty much the same thing.  People with severe, crippling ADD might disagree, but luckily they’re too easily distracted to write hate mail. <-that's ME!

Anyway..back to my A.D.D. moment. Have I ever told you that Anna is writing a book? If I haven't she is... I posted this on fb a few weeks ago that said "My sweet little nerd child that takes books and reads every where we go. The binder underneath is the book she's writing..and we're just going to Hobby Lobby"

All that to say.."the book" was dragged to the woods. :)

along with some fake glasses so she can look like "a writer". lol Typical 3rd grader? Oh..and the clothes that Gracie has on are Anna's..apparently they went to Anna's room after she got here so she could have on Halloween clothes at the campsite. She is my child huh? I can't blame her I may have a small love affair with Halloween clothes too!

Mark, pictured above got Tatum a banjo. She was THRILLED (not that she knows how to play a banjo..but she wanted one).

I will tell you the last thing you want to hear when you're in the woods is a song on a banjo...especially deliverence.

I love these girls...they aren't afraid to have a good time.

They are so much fun (most of the time)

I love my little family

I love my mom & dad

A couple of boys from the down the street came to join us and Hudson enjoyed having boys to throw the football with.

Here is Billy's mom reading Anna's "book".

We had a great time grilling hot dogs, roasting marshmallows, and just being together. While we missed Gatlinburg for the first time in the last 10 years, we sure did have a great time being together.

Good-bye football season. Good-bye Mikal Ann.

I've really enjoyed watching Tatum and her cheer squad cheer during football season. Our season came to a end Friday night when we lost during round 1 of the state playoffs.

Here are some photos from various football games:

Sept 29th game

Hudson is such a little trooper to hang in there during these games. They are over so late!

October 3rd JV game where the little girls that participated in the cheer clinic got to cheer with the cheerleaders.

Anna thought she was da bomb!

although she still insists she wasn't want to be a cheerleader when she gets to jr. high.

after all..according to her she's a real athlete and wants to play real sports like softball, basketball, volleyball and run track. I have no idea (Billy) where she came up with the face that cheerleaders aren't athletes, I, and Tatum beg to differ.

October 7th game (that was located in a town in the middle of no where. Seriously, two hours to NO WHERE).

I left my camera in my car Oct 21st! I KNOW!

Oct 27th
Pep Rally

This past Friday night we went to the State Playoffs, round 1. The game was 2 hrs away. The afternoon started off good..my dad & I drove together, the cheerleaders and football players went on a chartered bus. My dad and I stopped at the Dutch Oven bakery on the way. A bakery owned my Mennonites. and my lord those bavarian creme turn overs may have met me in my dreams a few times since I met them.

Anyway..we lost the game. Wasn't surprised. The only touchdown was a pass caught by Nick Webb, a senior and a field goal by the fabulous (seriously...I witnessed him kicking a 52 yd field goal this season. Alabama needs him. Especially after Saturday!) Troy Elliott.

Most cheerleaders had the option to ride home with their parents but they chose to ride the chartered bus home together and watch a movie. They arrived back at the school around 12:30am.

The next morning I get a call from Kaeli's mom that one of our cheerleaders, 17 year old junior, Mikal Ann, little sister of Nick,  had a car accident and passed away. After getting back to school on the bus she got in her car and drove a friend home. After dropping him off, she hit a tree. Nobody knows why or how or what happened and we probably never will.

Instantly I am thrown back into July 15, 2000. I can not stop thinking about Nick. It's his last football game as a senior. He's the star, making the only touchdown of the game. The same night, his baby sister of 11 months passes away. I know that one thing I struggled with after Haley passed away was that I didn't know life without her. I was 3 when she was born and I remember my grandmother holding me up to the glass so I could see her but I don't remember much else before she was born. Nick on the other hand was 11 months old. He has no memories, I'm sure, of life without Mikal Ann. My heart goes out to him as I was in his shoes. He's the middle child, but now he'll be the youngest child of the family. A shift in the family dynamic that nobody, but me will understand the struggle of. I know that he and his family are thinking and remembering that last day, that last game, that last conversation in their minds..and they will a million times. Wondering what they could've done, what they should've said, what could have changed the outcome. They will go to sleep only because their bodies' are so physically and mentally exhausted that they can't keep going and they will wake up with that moment of normalcy then the pange of reality hits.

I'm so sorry Webb family. I'm so sorry you're going through this. I, have been standing in our shoes, still don't know what to say or do to make your hurt less. I'm so sorry cheerleaders and cheer sponsors..I'm so sorry that you have to face her spot will be empty and her smiling face is missing. I love you girls like you're mine and I wish I could take the hurt and pain away. Teachers & principals at Tatum's school..may the Lord guide you to be able to say the right things and help our hurting kids.

Mikal Ann...I will miss your smiling face and taking pictures of you for Tatum to post on fb. (She said she hated that I was always taking pics of Tatum and I caught her making the craziest faces). I'm so glad to have those crazy face pictures right now.

Mikal Ann is the red head to the left (You may remember these pictures from My Life is a Field)

She's on the front right in this one by the megaphone

on the front right here from Meet the Jackets

In front of Tatum

Tatum & Mikal Ann at camp on beach party day

Please keep our students, teachers and Mikal Ann's family in your prayers as her funeral is Wednesday.

Good-bye Tatum's freshman football season. Good-bye Mikal Ann. You will certainly be missed.