Category Archives: sports

Volun-cheer

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Once upon a time, long, long ago….I volunteered.  A lot. ” Pre-kids”  volunteering  in the Junior League, up to 2 kids and still the league and then onto the schools.  I enjoyed it.  Stepping out of my “box”, helping, guiding, building, painting, serving, I really enjoyed it.  Then, along came a couple more kiddos and back to working outside the home and ‘POOF’ went the volunteering (although I did get some kindergarten hours in for each kiddie).

Life was so busy I never missed it.  Who had time??  To tell the truth, I don’t even feel guilty anymore when there’s a table of volunteer sheets waiting to be filled, I just glance and walk on by.  This season of my life “no” is acceptable.  It is a word I’ve grown used to using.

When our daughter’s cheer competition was a couple of weeks away I had a lapse in reality and agreed to help out at the all-day event.  (The added bonus of not only being able to interact with our girl throughout the day, but getting in for free, free reign of the whole place,  and FREE food–breakfast, coffee, lunch and beverages–SCORE!)  What can I say, I’m a sucker for FREE (and my girl).

The downside of this volunteer role:  having to be at the civic center @ 6:15 a.m.  On a Sunday no less.  It’s a 20-25 minute ride.  However, apparently all the lights are on sensor triggers at that time because we had nothing but green the whole way.  Putting me there right on time since I left at my usual 15 minutes later than planned.

The cool side of this volunteer role:  I forgot how much volunteers contribute to making things run.  Holy moly.  It was fun to see all the different jobs taking place, but I absolutely had the best one…..”Tour Guide,/Line Leader” for the cheer squads.  Bringing our daughter’s squad to book check, pictures, stretch, warm up and then the hallway of hell prior to watching them perform from the floor was the best.  Encouraging these girls who’ve worked so hard for months, calming nerves, handing out hugs and celebrating after a great performance was just too rich.  Escorting two other groups through, one squad of 1st graders and another of high schoolers was less-emotionally involved but no less heart-warming and fun with the silliness of 6 year olds and 16 year olds.

At the end of the day, my ears definitely lost a few decibels of range and I really, reaLLY, REALLY don’t need to hear Katy Perry “Roar” any time soon, but it was good.  Very good.  I’m not saying I’ll be Mrs. Volunteer of the Year anytime soon, but I may actually linger a little longer over those volunteer papers next time.  Maybe.  Just maybe.

2 Corinthians 9:7

Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Don’t blink

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Rain.

Holyyyyyyy COW.  We need it.  (we always need it, it seems)  Man, did it set my morning back.  We had a cheer (football) game 1.5  hours away and I wanted/needed to get the grocery shopping done before we left…..because I knew I wouldn’t want to do it AFTER we got home and certainly not on Sunday.

Anyhooo.  90 minutes.  In the rain.  On, off.  On, off.  Brutal, I tell you.

Crappy drive. Crappy radar. Pumpkin spice latte and hot chocolate and all is well.

Crappy drive. Crappy radar. Pumpkin spice latte and hot chocolate and all is well.

To watch this girl cheer.

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These are the days.  We won’t ever get them back.  Making the effort to make the most of every minute.  Don’t sweat the little things.  One day we will miss this.  Don’t blink.

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True.  True.  True.  True.

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Time flies

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School is back in and HOLEEEEE. CRAP.  Summer done washed away my memories of how freakin’ busy the fall is.  Lord, have mercy.

We are starting to hit our rhythm now that we are done with Labor Day’s brief respite and it’s starting to come back to me.  Plan.  Plan.  Planplanplanplanplan.  Ahead.  The planner aheader gets the easier night.   Truth.  Young mamas, take note.

Last night I had the amazing GRACE of our 16 yo son calling me at work to see what he could do to help with dinner.  Be still my heart.  The boy got those meatballs simmering and then whipped up the awesomely hugemongous spinach salad to go with the Angel hair past and meatballs.  WinNING!!!  He also chauffeured me to me grandmother’s to pick up some family tree papers to add to our 11 yo’s family tree project .  A sweet treat.

Then taking our almost 14 yo to his French horn practice we had a raucous discussion on men’s hairdos (the  boy is FINALLY going short–fingers crossed and double crossed, I think the Bieber look is on the way out!!) and somehow we were rolling on a drag queen discussion–don’t even ask–and Mama made a huge funny because that kid was almost hyperventilating he was laughing so much.  Mark another “W” in the column.  A banner evening.  Topped off only by waiting for the horn prodigy for a mere 30 minutes in which I was able to read, get caught up on some emails and do a chapter in my study with my awesome friend.

Tonight I got a great walk in while our youngest was at cheer practice and came home to chicken and dumplings in the crock pot which EVERYONE loved….seriously, do you know how hard it is to find a meal that they ALL love???!!!!?  Insanity.  Hubs and the 16 yo enjoyed watching the World Cup Qualifying Final with the US and Mexico, I kicked the 13 yo off the computer and made time to blog.

I should stop while I’m ahead.  It’s only Tuesday.

Rude gets rewarded

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Last night it was raining, not thundering and lightning, just raining.  There were still sports practices in session despite the wet stuff.  On the way to DD1’s soccer practice, Hubby and I had a discussion and I ended up deciding not to have her go.  It was wet, the fields were gross, we’ve had strep throat in the house, I was grumpy from a late patient at work and I was happy with my decision.  As we left the field (I had to pay the coach’s fee and let them know she wouldn’t be there) and drove to DD2’s cheer practice, it was raining pretty good so I made sure to MERELY travel the posted speed limit.  Apparently, there was a jeep behind me that disliked my choice and was impatient with my other choice of not moving to the right lane (since I didn’t feel I could safely move over with a car so close to blind spot) and he promptly sped past at first opportunity……FLIPPING ME THE FINGER the whole way.  First I was mad…..a)it’s raining and b)I choose to drive safely WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR.  Idiot.  And then, I laughed.  As I continued traveling the posted speed limit, about 10.5 seconds later I saw that he beat me to the red light.  I did my pointing-oh-you-beat-me-to-the-red-light-dance and made sure he saw it.  If it weren’t still raining, I would have made sure he heard my lyrics.  With a smile on my face, he got the picture.  And he added more hand gestures.  Whatev, babes.  At least I don’t work in the ER anymore to deal with your whiney self coming in on the backboard crying because you have to pee and you’re strapped down in a neck collar….all because you were in a hurry on a rainy night…to beat me to a red light.

Vent over…..be careful out there people.  An extra 10 seconds behind a careful Mama isn’t going to ruin your day.  For realz.  Blessings!

Sick days bite!

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Our youngest had another little sore throat sneak up this weekend and being a veteran of strep throat for far too many episodes, I absolutely believe her self diagnosis as she is SPOT ON.  EVERY.  TIME.

I went ahead and called in to my work yesterday so they’d have time to get coverage and hopefully not shaft my friend and co-worker in my absence..I think it worked out and was far less stressful on me having to jump ship to get our girl to her doctor appointment AND figure out who’d watch her today.  It all worked out.  In the end, her appointment was at 2 in the afternoon so I had a lot of free time on my hands as a result.  Sadly I can’t just chill, nap and read (though I’d LIKE to!) so I tackled some tedious little tasks I’ve been “meaning to get to” forEVAH…

And the cat was truly enjoying snuggling up on humans all day….after he slept off his all-night out and about the neighborhood, that is…

Sleeping off his big night out

he’s snuggling me or my laptop…either way it’s really hard to type like this.

 

  • We had several bags of clothes to donate to our churches thrift store, so I went through my closet and dresser and added several more  bags AND….delivered them.  To the thrift store.  I know, right?  The delivery is key to purging, otherwise it’s just moving it all around.
  • I had so much room on my side of the closet so…….I reorganized and color grouped my shirts and blouses.  I’m a nerd.  I know.  However, it looks really good.  I might actually be able to FIND something when I need it!!
  • I did my Abs and Arms routine, 3 sets each.  I’ll be walking while our oldest daughter has soccer practice, therefore that makes a good start to Week 2 for Peak 313‘s 5 week challenge.  And I DID eat and log my food today which, BTW, is a huge struggle, especially while at home tempted by all the choices.  Add a little restlessness in and it’s a potential recipe for disaster.  I made it through.  Phew!
  • A month ago we had to cut down a magnolia tree in our backyard (it was diseased and dying) and had to replace it with a new tree.  We did that yesterday with an elm in the front yard.  I called the city to come inspect it and check us off the list.  I hate those silly phone calls.  It’s done.
  • Deleted MANY, MANY duplicate albums clogging up my iPhoto library.  Still lots more to do, but I made a HUGE dent today.  Tedious, tedious, tedious..Don’t even ask how it happened…it’s still a mystery!!
  • Then I took the girl to the office and dropped off her antibiotics and then since I was home….the taxi was in full motion…pick up older daughter, pick up youngest son, pick up antibiotics, now to get dinner going and then off to soccer…dang, I need a nap!!
  • I did manage to give myself and my girl a pedicure….garnet and gold toes for my ‘Noles and pink for her.

Peace out, peeps.  We’re off to soccer!