Hot here....NOT!!

Today we were blessed with early spring rains and temps in the upper 60's. They're calling for the white stuff tomorrow night, about 1-2" worth. Only in Missouri, only in Missouri. She is such a teasing state to live in. She and mother nature work overtime to keep you guessing what it will be like each and every day. I am a Missourian through and through, born in this state, eons ago, but I've decided over the last two winters that as soon as the kids graduate from high school, we're loadin' up the truck and movin' to Beverly, Hills that is, Swimmin pools, movie stars.

Well, at least to a warmer winter location. Winter never used to bother me in the least, got my 4 wheel drive truck out and away we went, all over KC. But this stinkin less than 32 degrees day in day out gets on your last nerve. I loved the rain today. Smells fresh. Calms you, soothes you, until some idiot slams on his breaks right in front of you on oily pavement. Nice going jerk. How's the weather in Hilton Head about this time of year, Raleigh? Murfreesborough? Y'all have nice drivers there? Save me a spot and leave the light on. I'm on my way.

Yoo hoo? Anybody out there know what the best remedy is for hives? I think that's what's plaguing my neck and shoulder area. It's a rash that is welty all over and itches intensely. I take Benadryl at night, but it lays me out so I can't take it during the day and that's when the itching tunes up. I know they have to run their course, but ye gads, you can only scratch so much.

Goodnight Daddy

This is the Goodnight Daddy bear hugs at our house around 8:30-9:00. As you can see, Stephanie loves her Daddy most in all the world. Ethan, the jealous one decides on occasion he needs a Daddy hug too! Apparently he forgot he's taller than his Daddy!
And his dear father won't admit it either. It's becoming a nightly ritual at our house to measure them. Stephanie will stand on a chair to see who's the tallest. DH got a hair cut today and so we had to measure. Ethan would measure taller even if they had shaved heads. Ethan is a little over 6', otherwise dh is shrinking. Dear Mama stays up too late on the computer to get a goodnight hug, so no pics of her! ttfn, bbbf's and good night all.

The Picture Above

Just a quickie post this am. Ethan off to Jeff City for 2 games today and 2 tomorrow. I couldn't go this morning :( because I have to coach Stephanies game at 11am and Greg is forever working-when doesn't he?

The picture is circa 1968'ish. It is my Aunt who is 9 years older than me and my little sister who was about 5 at the time. It must have been during the school year since I was sporting fabulous attire for the picture. Yeah, right. Look at those knobby knees. Whoa girlfriend! They're so round now you wouldn't know what shape they were.

I loved kitties ever since I can remember. I always had cats around me. I had who knows how many cuz if something happened to one of them, I just got another. We lived in a small town and there were always cats readily available at a moments notice.

Little sister? Quite the brat and that's all I have to say about that, Forrest.

'nough for now, gotta run

Winners and Losers

Did you ever feel like a loser when you were younger, growing up? I did. I always had hand me down clothes, that's what they were called back then. I never got to wear the latest fashion or the cutest styles. Mainly worn out used and faded hand me downs. If I ever did get a new item, it was because it was in the bargain bin at the dime store(remember Ben Franklins and T, G & Y's-yeah I know that really dates me, I digress).

I distinctly remember to this day the desire that consumed me in 4th grade. NO it's not what you're thinking! shame, shame! I wanted a pair of Go-Go boots just like Mary Jo had. She got everything brand spankin new!! I was always jealous of what she wore, the friends she had, everything in her represented in me what I didn't have. As a 10 year old, you haven't discerned yet that God doesn't want you to be jealous of anything or anyone. So I dreamed of having a pair of Go-Go boots. I imagined what I would look like in them, what they would feel like, the sound they would make walking down the hall way at school, the smell of the leather when I opened the box for the first time. I thought about them day and night. Consumed and jealous. My parents in their poverty couldn't afford them and I didn't have a clue that I would not get them. I asked for them on my birthday and got clothes instead. I asked for them at Christmas, believing with all my heart they would be the only thing under the tree since that's all I asked for. Again clothes, no boots. My desire for them was fading as quickly as Mary Jo's boots were wearing out. Spring, then summer came. No boots.

Finally having give up all hope of ever possessing the most stylish white boots ever, I let myself think I was never to own them. Besides, all most none of the other girls my age were wearing their's anymore since the fad had passed and it was summer after all. School was about to start and if I was lucky I would get not one but TWO new outfits to wear and if I was on the top side of extreme luck, one of my new outfits would be sent all the way from the fashionable east coast via my Aunt. About a week before school started, my Mother(God rest her soul) brought to me in our living room a brown paper sack. As I anxiously opened it to see what was inside, I was so surprised to find......you're already ahead of the game here......Go-Go Boots! Yes! but then it hit me. They were not in a box. The did not have the new smell of leather. They were not shiny brand spankin new. The heels were scuffed. They had crinkled on the side. But.....I had a pair of boots!

Fast forward to the first day of school. I was all decked out in my new duds and my so very used Go-Go boots. I went off to school proudly wearing them on my feet(after they had a coat of shoe polish) and thinking I had now joined the "club". I would be one of them. I would be "in". It didn't happen. I was not "in". I was BIG TIME "OUT". I was laughed at all day long and made fun of until I thought I would die from embarrassment. I couldn't wait for the bell to ring and run home(we walked all the way to/from back then) and get them off my feet, tears stinging my eyes all the way home.

I never knew who's hand me down boots they were. But I had a pretty good guess. My parents were friends with Mary Jo's parents. Life's not fair when you're 10. Especially when all you wanted was just a pair of NEW Go-GO boots.

As a side...Stephanie's YMCA team, coached by a wonderful Mom with a penchant for white boots, WON her game this weekend 18-4! WOO HOO TEAM DYNAMITE!!! I have awesome girls that all play well together and want to learn. We've had so much fun this season. So much so, I am going to ask to Coach a team next year too.

Uh, Ethan's travelling team lost all 3 of his tournament games. They stunk! They are all 8th graders and they were tromped by a team of 7th graders! There is heavy duty talent on his team, but lack of desire to win and play intensely from start to finish has kept them in the losers division.

Tonight, I'll end my post by asking you, which would you rather be? A winner or a loser?

I'm Baaaaaaaaaaaack!

Time for my hiatus to be over wouldn't ya think? Whew, I sure needed that!

There's no way I can catch you all up on what's been going on with us, so I'll just jump right in where we are.

Ethan is playing in a basketball tournament tomorrow about an hour away and Stephanie has a YMCA basketball game at 2pm here in town. I love basketball just as much as baseball. I ended up being the Coach for Stephanie's team. We're supposed to have some freezing drizzle tonight so we'll see how it all plays out tomorrow.

I think....tomorrow is also Valentines Day....right? Yes, I know it is. Just checking to see if you knew it or not. Got your honey anything? sweeeeeeeeeet!

I can't stop talking about the movie Fire Proof. If you've not had a chance to see it, you should. Rent it, buy it, borrow it, whatever, just watch it KO? Then buy the book if you're married. It's called the LOVE DARE.

Greg and I are taking a Dave Ramsey Financial Peace Seminar at our church and it is very enlightening. Mostly common sense practices for your money, whether you have some or not. It's a 13 week course and the videos are very entertaining. He knows how to catch and keep your attention. If you get a chance to take this seminar/class, I'd highly recommend it as well.

I know I've got a gajillion things to talk about, but seein as how we need to leave at 7ish am, I need to hit the hay stacks for now.

Glad to be back, and I'll try to get some new pictures up soon too.

Lana