T-Day

What a way to spend Thanksgiving.

That is Mom and I in Costa Maya with the beautiful Splendour of the Seas in the background.

For her 60th birthday present, I took my mom on a cruise aboard the Splendour of the Seas for turkey day.

Here are a few photos.

Here we are on formal night.

Below is a photo of Mom and I cooking in Cozumel. We visited a beach resort and prepared a 4 course meal for ourselves. If you know my mom, you know that this was right up her alley.

More later.

Toothless

I have been neglecting the blog as I have been sewing for Oklahoma with all my free time.

I did want to take a moment to share Katie's big news.

She lost her first tooth today.

I don't think she has every been so excited about anything in her life.

You may also notice that she has her ears pierced last weekend.

She is really growing up.

Halloween Party

Monster Mash

The highlight of the weekend was Mama Josie's 6th annual Halloween party. It was great.

With some last minute alterations I finished the kids costumes just in the nick of time. There were so many fantastic photos from the party. I am posting a few. The dancing skeleton was a big hit with Kellen.

Above- Katie is training Kellen on the skills needed to be a good Vampire.

Kellen is dancing the Monster Mash.

As soon as he was caped, Kellen ran right for his bike. He is a cool dude low rider.

Pumpkin Carvers

Marshall and the Kids worked on the Jack-O-Lantern.

Mom's 60th

My mother turned 60 this week.

She has made so many friends in her 20 years of teaching a guest list was pretty easy to create for the surprise bash.

About 30 people turned out to eat fajitas and celebrate.

The crowd






Me and Mom and Kellen

Kellen Helps Nannie with her Hat- Grady Holding Kellen

ooo cary (a quote from Kellen)

Here are some photos of what I have been working on this weekend.


Katie wanted vampire costumes for herself and Kellen.

I'm a self taught seamstress, but I think I am really coming along.

I plan on adding the vests and the jabot.

I don't think I will make Katie the skirt or Kellen the pants.

For a look at another mom's Halloween preparations check out Kendell's Blog

AARRGH

Now that's a costume!

Pushing and Tongue Biting

Soccer Update-

Not the greatest day for the Cyclones.
We played a team with 2 girls that really pushed us around.
Katie was literally pushed to the ground.
At the break between quarters I to the chance to refresh my girl's memories on the body pushing technique. We have practiced body pushing (legally moving the opponent off the ball without using arms or elbows), and I needed to tell my girls to use the move. Turns out my team needs a little more practice with the technique so that they are body pushing and not body checking. The other team did not really appreciate it.

I had great difficulty biting my tongue as our girls were pushed around. Then I also had difficulty not cheering too loudly when they pushed back.

Multiple choice:

Choose your favorite thought for the day

A. Maybe nice people don't play soccer.
B. It is really just about having fun.. I hope you can have fun when other girls are pushing you around.
C. Body checks have their place in soccer... but maybe not in soccer for 6 year olds.
D. Oh-well, chalk this one up to a chance for the coach to grow as a person.. hopefully no 6 year olds will be scarred for life.

Ode to Black Out Shades

Marshall and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary (a little bit early) yesterday by spending the night at the Hotel Icon.

We stayed in the "premium guest room". Check out the photo of the bathroom in the gallery section of the webpage. It is the most fantastic design. It has a little shutter that slide open so you can soak in the fabulous tub while watching TV or chatting with dear husband in the bed. It also has a great glass shower.

What was most fabulous is the black out shades. I did not believe it possible, but I slept from midnight to 10AM.

Other highlights were dinner at Sambuca and lunch at Goode and Company Seafood.

Proud Coach

Great Job Cyclones!

Yesterday, after a week of rained out practices my team took the field.
They were fantastic.
I was so proud.
They passed the ball!
They communicated and moved the ball toward the goal.
My own child took the ball end to end (but missed the goal at the end).

Katie making a run for the goal. Her ball handling skills are really improving!

Here's a picture of me while I survey Katie playing defense. My crazy team loves to play defense. What ever happened to wanting to score goals?

Here's my team trying to get the ball in the goal.

Katie is running towards the ball.... this constitutes a huge improvement during the past 2 weeks!

Katie on defense, about to begin her run for the goal.

more blessings

I am also blessed to be able to enjoy the outdoor nearly year round.

Every time I get the chance to spend an evening at the beach or to go out for an evening in the boat I am amazed that I get to be such a lucky girl. I try to instill this in Katie as well. How many 6 year olds get to take the boat out with dad and have dolphins frolic behind the boat? How many 6 year olds can feel the sea breeze in their hair while riding through the bay country to meet a beautiful sunset. We are lucky people.

Above is a photo of my lucky children and their dad after a very successful fishing trip.

babes in the bug

OK-

I really am a very blessed woman.... I hope this will be the new theme of this blog. I hope that it will not bore my non-existent visitors :).

Here are a few photos of my beautiful babies in the convertible.

Although many people might think the purchase of the convertible was a selfish act by my husband, to me it is actually a reminder to me of how he is always thinking about our family and making every attempt to fit the wants and needs of our family with his own wants and needs. I am a very lucky woman to be loved by such a man.

Marshall loves cars. He loves to work on cars. He has worked on bugs in the past and has wanted a project car during our entire marriage. The fact that he bought this car speaks volumes as to how much he loves our family. To begin with this project car is a nearly completed project so it allows for some tinkering, but does not keep him so busy he can not help with the parenting of our kids.

Secondly, this car has a Porsche engine, but is not a 2 seater car that would mean that just Marshall is enjoying this car. This car is for the enjoyment of the family, and we are really enjoying it. I think I might enjoy the sunset cruise more than anyone. I am so glad that my thoughtful husband bought a car that allows the entire family to get out for a little cruise.

Better Today

Things are looking up today.
Marshall cooked dinner, and is bathing the baby.
Katie has been working hard to earn her no back talk sticker.
Currently she is practicing her piano and there is no screaming or crying from either of us.

I guess I should think of some goals for myself and try to earn a sticker too.
Maybe I should work on no nagging, no back talk, or no staying up past my bedtime.

Better yet... I should work on a meaty entry for the weekend that includes photos and info about the kids to share with my visitors.

Then I should go about getting some visitors. :)

Bad Day :(

So dearest husband is not pulling his weight today... and I don't know how single manage all that needs to be done.

It is 8 o'clock and my little people are finally in bed.


Troubles today-

1. Katie is such a sassy backtalker. I am at my wits end. She sassed me something fierce at soccer practice today. I wanted to crawl under a rock as the other parents watched her behave so badly. After practice, we (Katie and I) decided that as punishment when she talks back she will get 6 minutes in the corner. As a reward, everyday that she does not talk back she will get a sticker on her chart. After 5 sticker she will get a quarter (cheap I know, but her idea).

2. I am having trouble controlling my urge to snack. After do a great job of sticking to my dietary guns for 24 days, I am off the wagon. I don't keep decent snacks in the house so I was forced to indulge in a ridiculous number of Nilla Wafers.

Positives

1. Katie did a great job of practicing her piano. She played 5 songs 3 times each and we didn't have a single argument and no tears were shed.

2. I didn't kill Marshall.

I'm going to take a page from Scarlet O'Hara, head to bed and hope that when I awake tomorrow will be a better day.

I think I might be a Soccer Mom

I think I might be a Soccer Mom I am not quite sure how this has happened but I have become a soccer mom.How did this happen?

Fall in love.
Get Married.
Decide to start a family.
Move to "a great place to raise kids"
Produce 2 beautiful children.
Beautiful Child #1 starts kindergarden, then moves on to first grade.

Symptoms of the disease
Living in "a great place to raise kids"
Driving a SUV which is nearly always filled with kids or the things that kids need.
Rushing around to get kids to where they need to be.
Creating check lists, check lists, and more check lists
Living by a calendar posted to the fridge

Hey everoyone.... It's Valerie, mother of 2, Katie and Kellen. I have finally gone and done it. I am coaching Katie's soccer team. The girls are great and hopefully having lots of fun. I can't wait to see all the improvement a season's worth of practice and games will bring.Hopefully more posts and pictures will follow as I look forward to reconnecting with friends and family through this blog.