Other events

I was asked to be the women's basketball team's first honorary coach of the season.  I loved it!  The team was down by 15 in the first half, so I stepped right in, gave a few ideas (I had many ideas because I am married to Steven, who always has suggestions for how players can improve, trust me), and guess what?!  The team won in the last few minutes of the game.  Next time I'll charge a consulting fee.  I assume you didn't really believe me that I gave suggestions, and you should not have, but the rest is true - Steven always has excellent suggestions and the team did come back from 15 down to win. 

Our family was asked to light the Hope candle during GC's Hanging of the Green ceremony this year.  It's a long-standing tradition, involving musical organizations singing carols and leading the audience of about 800 in song.  There is a sermon.  There are four Bible passages, which are read by a staff member, the president, and two faculty, who each light the corresponding candle.  Elizabeth and Michael read the passage related to hope - they did such a beautiful job.  I was so proud of them (as always).  Several students later remarked how they could not believe their poise and lack of nervousness.  Because the Chapel is completely dark except for the stage, I don't think they realized just how many people were present.  The event definitely got us thinking about the upcoming holiday season.

Elizabeth

 As the semester ends, E&M (well, just E - how lucky M is to still be in elementary school, or so insists E) have lots of school projects and I am in the middle of finals.  One extra credit project E is working on involves mummifying a chicken over a 5-week period.  It's been spectacular fun to drain the rotting chicken and fill it up with salt each week after weighing it.  Elizabeth puts a chip clip on her nose each week, so only I must suffer the decaying dead chicken aroma.   

On a more pleasant note, E and I continued our yearly tradition of going to the Lexington Ballet's production of The Nutcracker.  I love it, she loves it, and we are beginning to remember ballerinas from one year to the next, which roles they played, and how long they've been with the troupe.  If we could watch the Sugar Plum Fairy's dance each day, we would.  Less so the Chinese dance; we don't like those pointy fingers.

Michael

Michael's class recently had a pioneer-themed choir concert.  The kids were supposed to dress up as settlers, pilgrims, farmers, etc.  Because there were no pioneers who dressed in Nike shirts and sweatpants, the pickings were slim for Michael's costume.  It was fortunate he was in the back, where few noticed his dressy blue shirt that we convinced him was appropriate for a farmer.  He did a wonderful job singing and refraining from giggling.  Whew! 

Last weekend Michael competed in a basketball tournament in Somerset.  They were undefeated (4-0) until the championship game, during which they lost to a team they had soundly defeated the night before.  I don’t think the team minded too much, though, because they got large trophies for coming in second.  Michael and I had a grand time spending the night at the hotel and completing major shopping in between games (yes, Michael had a grand time shopping - mostly because his teammates came along). 

Thanksgiving

 We had our first Thanksgiving meal with Mom on the real Thanksgiving Day.  We ate at the golf course's restaurant.  That evening we played games and ate some more and waited for Mom to wake up from her nap.  She spent the night and checked out our new Kroger the next morning.  She left right around the time we left for our second Thanksgiving celebration.

Meal II was at the Huffs, where we had a huuuuge meal.  The best part was we only had to bring apple pies!  Angie is quite the chef.  There were a couple of new faces around the buffet table this year - both Austin and Matthew's girlfriends joined us, although Matthew and his girlfriend mostly slept on the couch because they are such dedicated GC students and had been up so late the night before studying (or so they told us; Steven thinks the fact they did Black Friday shopping is actually the primary cause).  As always, Zoe and Niki were welcome in Shelbyville - you will correctly guess which relative they liked most if you look at the photos.  Angie, Elizabeth, and Michael took them on walks, and they always love chasing the Huffs' two dogs around their large yard (well, Zoe does; Niki oscillates between excitement and fear; the dogs are two to three times her size). 

Road trip!

 All of us went on a road trip this weekend.  Zoe and Niki spent two nights in Shelbyville with Rosemary, so the rest of us could go to Wise, Virginia, to visit Steven's alma mater (UVa-Wise).  Wise is a three hour drive from Georgetown, and that's the furthest we have traveled since my neck surgery more than three years ago.  Robbie Blevins (best man at our wedding, Steven's roommate throughout college) and his wife and younger daughter (of two) hung out with us all day Saturday. 

We went to the football game between UVa-Wise and #1 in the nation GC (I was forced to sit in the UVa-Wise bleachers, but you know me, always sacrificing for my husband's happiness). 

Steven, Robbie, and Cindy (who also played basketball at UVa-Wise) later gave us a tour of campus.  The campus is absolutely beautiful.  I guess that's what a campus looks like when it's well financed.  :)  The buildings, the layout, the designs - so beautiful.  There is a new athletic complex (see photo - and look really hard to see Michael near the entrance, risking his life walking on the thin wall) that seats about 6000.  Michael intends to attend college there.  Or MSU. What happened to him going to GC and taking my classes, eating lunch with me in the caf?

We ate dinner together in Wise, then the four of us drove an hour back toward Georgetown before stopping in Hazard for the night.  We had our pigfest, which was awesome.  This is when we buy whatever we want from a grocery story and eat however much of it we want.  The one rule is you aren't allowed to eat so much that you get sick.  Getting stuffed and lethargic are permissible.

The next morning, we headed back and Steven met his mom to get our little puppies back. 

It was a fun, funny weekend, and every one of us had a splendid time.  We will have to do it again before another 10 years pass. 

Happy Haunted Halloween!

 Hope you were able to spend yesterday with lots of ghouls and goons.  I was lucky enough to get to spend it with my children, puppies, and newly-hairstyled husband.  Elizabeth and three of her friends paid tribute to Dr. Seuss with their costumes, while Michael and his friends were soccer players (if Michael's costume gives you a sense of deja vu from last year, then hats off to your excellent memory).  Remnants of Superstorm Sandy's winds caused Michael to wear a sweatshirt and sweatpants over his uniform, but I doubt anyone noticed, given the dark, windy, freezing conditions.  Our puppies dressed up as beautiful puppies - oh wait, that's what they always are.

Last weekend Rosemary spent the day with us in celebration of Steven's birthday.  I am already 44 and now Steven is - Obama is the 44th president.  Therefore, it only makes logical sense that when we turn 45 next year, Obama should be the 45th president.  If that makes no sense to you, I'll give you that - but we like the logic and decided it was all the proof we needed to know that Obama will win.  Because we are so rarely wrong about anything, and because Obama and Biden's sign is hanging out in our yard and on the back of Steven's car, we pretty much are guaranteeing their re-election.  Yep, we're calling it early. 

Falling into fall

Pumpkins, mums, and mittens - must be October.  Life is well in Georgetown - the first quarter of school is over!

Michael's school recently held their Fall Festival, during which time Michael dominated the dunking booth.  Several of his soaking wet teachers threatened to change his grade if he kept dunking them.  Yet even when they made him step back to twice the normal distance from the line of throwing, he couldn't be stopped.

Elizabeth's school held their first chorus concert - they took on a daring genre for their performance … jazz!  I was impressed with their ability to swing and be-bop!

 Zoe and Niki agreed to pose for a photo session this afternoon after we (read: Steven) planted mums and Michael drew on our pumpkins.

As for me: I got to see LBJ this past Thursday on my Fall Break.  She's as supportive and empathic as ever.  Much to emulate!  AND she brought me Obama cookies from Buskens - how can one not be forever indebted?

As for Steven: After more than 20 years of my insisting we didn't need either a coffee table or a recliner, Steven convinced me we did and finally they have arrived.  We love everything about this room now!  If you can't find Steven, check the recliner.  As you can see, others hang out with him there, too.

We are counting down the days until Obama wins his second term.  Meanwhile, we are doing our part to help get a local Democrat elected.  We're being extra friendly to all neighbors, to encourage them to vote for our favorite candidate.  Hope you are, too!

Back in the swing of things

Now that summer has officially ended (I know you think there are a few more days before the fall solstice, but all seasons in our family are based on school sessions, so summer actually ended in early August), Michael's soccer has begun and Elizabeth's social calendar is eternally full.

The good news about Michael's soccer is that he is by far the best player on his team.  He has scored in every game this season (except one), and he has made every single one of his team's goals (except three).  He averages 59 of 60 minutes of playing time each game, and he plays both offense and defense positions, even goalie sometimes.  The not so good news is that his team has only won one game (don't ask how many they've played).  I'm trying to figure out whether it's best to be the notable superstar on a losing team or to be the worst player on a winning team.  Steven insists athletes just want to win, regardless of their level of contribution to the team.  Clearly I am trying to convince Michael otherwise.

The good news about Elizabeth's life is that the advent of school brought back daily contact with all of her hundreds of friends.  Which brings lots of texts and phone calls and ball games and plans.  We are contemplating taking out a home equity loan to cover the costs of all the gifts for all of the birthday parties she attends (kidding, just kidding).  I swear, that girl has so many freaking friends.  But I can see why.  She is lovely and funny and generous and smart. She also knows how to do cool things with her phone camera lighting that makes her photo look like that image on the left instead of a regular photo.

As for me and Steven, we are more than happy hanging out with the puppies and the children (not necessarily in that order, of course).  Rosemary's birthday was at the end of last month, so she and Angie's family came over to celebrate.  All is well. 

Cave Run Marina 2012

As we have done the past several years, we had our last hurrah before the new school year begins by renting a double-decker pontoon at Cave Run Lake.  Elizabeth invited 3 friends and Michael had 2 friends, not sure how that inequity happened.  It was a beautiful day with very few people on the water. 

The photos speak for themselves in terms of what the children did all day.  Mom joined us as well and once she e-mails a photo that includes her taken with her camera, it will be added to this post.  Anyone want to make a bet in terms of how long technologically-savvy Carola might take to e-mail it?

E&M's school begins Tuesday.  Sighs all around.

Holiday World 2012

The yearly trek to Holiday World in Indiana continues.  The almost 100 degree weather must have kept multitudes of visitors away from our favorite amusement and water park last week, because it was so not crowded when we were there.  Yay!  E and M's favorite ride from past years had disappeared, but they quickly found another favorite: The Raven roller coaster.  Although it took Michael some initial coaxing, he quickly became a big fan and with the short lines, E&M could finish the ride and get right back on it.

On our way to the hotel after we left the park, we loaded up on junk food (cringe).  The kids swam in the pool, and the evening ended with us gorging ourselves on chips and donuts and other foods best left forgotten while watching 'Say Yes to the Dress.'  Zoe and Niki had a splendid time with Aunt Angie and her family during the 2 days we were gone, and as we do each year, we wonder which relative's family will go with us next year, to double the fun.  Yes, folks, that was as not-so-sublte hint.  :)

Cave Run

You Californians may have the fancy Pacific Ocean and you Germans may have the Rhine, but we Kentuckians have Cave Run!  Stephen, Michael, and I went to Cave Run this weekend for the afternoon.  I don't think I have been to the "beach" part since 2003.  See precious picture from my last visit!

I have many memories of the lake, including Dad taking us on Sunday afternoons and playing the shark game with us (I've wondered from where my shark phobia stemmed) and skipping RSHS classes during both my both junior and senior years (let's be honest - my sophomore year also).

Stephen and Michael made a moat thing - it looked much cooler before all the water evaporated by the end of our visit.  They played frisbee as well as the throw-the-half-full-water-bottle-at-one-another-and-catch-it game.  They swam and splashed.  No, I do not know the in-love couple in the background.  I read and stayed on purse patrol.  When I was a young child, I thought the trek up the hill at the end of the day was arduous work, painfully tiring, because it was soooo far, but honestly, it's not far at all.  Everything's relative, I guess.

We're still missing EJM, but we look forward to hearing of all her (and Grandma's) adventures in a week.

Michael (and Elizabeth's) birthday, part 02

Elizabeth had the best time ever in California and is ready to move there, with or without us.  We were so happy to have her back we celebrated her return with another birthday party for the kids.  They each invited a friend to play laser tag in Lexington, eat at Applebee's, and spend the night.  I'll bet the mortgage you can guess which friend Michael chose (and which color shirt the friend wore); E chose Lindsay, a former soccer team friend that she's kept in touch with for years.  Because E&M told me they are done, done, done posing for pictures, I had to surreptitiously take these, although the flash during the cake photo gave me away.

Last night we went to the Scott County Fair for the first time ever - next month's mortgage regarding whom M took; E met up with Lindsay and many of her middle school friends.  You can see I was once again the stealth photographer.  The kids rode the rides while Steven and I watched many fair goers lose their money at the carnival game booths.