Snow Day 08

Mid-January and already eight snow days.  Steven and I still had work, of course, but the kids slept in and Niki and Zoe LOVED the weather!!!  I took their photo through the glass door because there was no way I was going to subject myself to those sub-freezing winds anymore than I had to.  Truth be told, they're lucky I let them in at all.  But it was fun watching them go nuts outside, playing, running around, wrestling each other, and dancing a happy dance together.

Michael and Steven have found a new, fascinating game to play - they lay down in the floor and make baskets into the goal 15 feet in the air with the Nerf basketball.

Elizabeth is so good to the puppies, always taking care of them when the rest of us are at Michael's games.  For example today Michael had two games in Lexington and Elizabeth watched the puppies for six hours.  She sent some cute photos during the games.

Here's a selfie of my good friend Laura (Languages chair) and me - please note the frozen snowflakes on my eyelash.  We are leaving the campus Departmental Fair, where we talked to prospective students and their parents about our programs.  Our smiles are frozen on our faces both from the cold and from attempting to make a friendly impression on the students and their families, ha ha.  Today was one of three days during the year when we have large groups of high school students visit in the hopes of recruiting them for next year's freshman class.  I was amazed at how many showed up, in spite of the weather.  Crazy kids.

Hope everyone else is keeping warm.
Addendum: It's a week later and the children haven't been to school yet.  Twelve days and counting.  They're getting lots of extra sleep and texting time, though.

Happy Holidays 2013

Happy holidays to all!  December was fabulous - lots of time at home, together.  As a family, we played a lot of games, including Boggle (yes!), Rummikub, and $25,000 Pyramid.  We completed a few puzzles, the first of which was the St. Louis Arch, in honor of beloved Uncle Al and Charlotte.

We had the Huffs over for a day and served lasagna, everyone's typical Christmas feast (ha ha).  Elizabeth loved receiving many itunes cards and Michael was ecstatic with his X Box acquisition!  Can you spot Zoe and Niki in the photo?

We spent an afternoon at Mom's in Clearfield, where we admired her many, many home renovations and remodeling projects.  We were so impressed with her eye for decorating and enjoyed being in her beautifully-decorated home (notice the lit greenery in the photo).  Elizabeth has used the European purse Mom gave her each day since then (notice it in the photo as well).  We look forward to seeing Mom on Monday, when she'll travel to Mt. Sterling for Michael's basketball game.  Go Titans!

Indeed, Michael kept us entertained with basketball games and tournaments.  As usual, he scores more than half his entire team's points, including a couple of game-winning free throws in Frankfort.  Rosemary, Angie, Anita, and Matthew were on hand to witness one of the Frankfort games.  Apparently they served awesome pizza.  Just ask Matthew.

For New Year's Eve we went out to eat at a new restaurant in Georgetown, Buffalo Wild Wings.  Elizabeth's friend Anderson came with us - she may look familiar because she was at our house before Elizabeth's dance.  Speaking of that dance, we met Peyton!  That's right, we finally met that cute guy.  He spent the afternoon at our house this week.  As you can imagine, I was forbidden from taking any photos.  You'll just have to take our word for it that he was polite and cute and kind.

Of course we loved being at home so we could spend lots of time with the puppies who are definitely not night owls and definitely didn't make it until midnight on December 31, 2013.

Pre-Christmas December

School is out and bad weather has arrived....must be almost Christmas in Kentucky!  I've had time to have lunch with friends, including Lisa (Eddy) and Juilee (who is GC's art historian and department chair).  My family had dinner with Lisa another night, but the photos are unusable - apparently one needs to use a flash inside a dimly-lit restaurant when it's dark outside in order to avoid demon eyes on all people in the photo.  

Can you find Elizabeth in the chorus picture?  Sorry, Peyton is not in chorus.  This year's Christmas concert was combined with a Christmas play, so we were doubly entertained.

Steven damaged his finger at work, and we are waiting to find out if there is ligament damage.  Six stitches.  Yet still, he never complains and continues to be such a workhorse around the house.  I am loving all of our Christmas decorations.

Michael clearly inherited Steven's ability to quickly and accurately build furniture, as he helped Steven put together E's Christmas gift from us.  She convinced us it was time for her to choose her own furniture and no longer be subjected to our 20+ years, "old-person" furniture.  She selected quite modern pieces and they really look beautiful.

Elizabeth and I continued our yearly tradition of attending The Nutcracker together.  She noticed how different this year's performance was compared to all previous years' performances.  I had no idea she paid so much attention, thinking she went each year just to make me happy and proceeded to zone out once the lights went out.  But maybe she is so super-happy to spend time with me she absorbs every moment of our togetherness with an uncanny memory.  Yes, I'm laughing to myself as I type that.  I know better.

We hope your holidays are beautiful and wonderful.

Thanksgiving

Please note I misspelled Peyton's name in my previous entry.  Because he is still in Elizabeth's life and she has pointed out my error twice now, I feel the need to publicly correct myself.  I will never misspell his last name, however, because I am always staring at it when looking at Elizabeth's back.  She wears his RSMS sweatshirt every (repeat: every) day.

This week Christmas break begins for Elizabeth, Michael, and myself, yet I'm reflecting back on Thanksgiving.  Every year, each of us looks forward to spending the day at the Huffs' home, where we know there will be delicious food and plenty of kindness.  Zoe and Niki actually wag their tails and make happy sounds once we hit the Shelbyville exit, because they figure out where we are going.  

 

Much of the remainder of the weekend was spent focused on Christmas - decorating the tree (oh, how I love seeing those glass hummingbird ornaments; and I love seeing the frame ornaments that have my children's faces on them even more - there is one ornament for each year of their lives), figuring out our photocard, and even braving the crowds and cold to go shopping.  We found a lot of shoes!  Elizabeth and I went to Kohl's on Black Thursday.  We were like the three men in that we were so wise: We stayed in our warm vehicle until the line that wrapped around the store's four corners dissipated, and we just walked right in.  Overall, it was relaxing, peaceful, and wonderful.  The kids had friends (no surprises here: Stephen and Emily were the overnight guests) spend the night, and life was happy.

Elizabeth and the dance

Oh, Elizabeth looked so very beautiful for her first formal dance.  She looked exactly like herself, of course, but with the added excitement of going to a dance with a guy!

Her friend Anderson came home with her to get ready.  They ate pizza in between straightening their hair and getting their fancy earrings in place.

Niki was mesmerized by Elizabeth's long flowy dress.  I think Steven's heart broke just a little bit as he watched her run toward the dance doors, so happy to meet Peyton and spend the evening with him.  I know you would like to know more about Peyton - wouldn't we all.  Elizabeth is mostly mum on the subject, although just mentioning his name does cause her to smile.  As I learn more about him, I'll let you know.  I do know where he lives, sort of.  Elizabeth promised to let me drive by his home, but suspiciously couldn't quite remember where he lives once we were in the neighborhood.  I don't know if she honestly forgot or if she didn't want her mother to engage in stalking behaviors.   

Unlike many people (including myself) at middle school dances, Elizabeth actually DID dance.  Afteward, Emily and Anderson spent the night but did not quite have a sleepover, as that would imply sleeping.  Talk about giddy all night long! 

Michael and the Titans

Michael made the middle school basketball team, the Royal Spring Titans.  Today was their first away game.  I had already committed to giving a mock lecture at the college, so I didn't get to go.  I knew Michael would be negatively affected by my absence, because I know I am always his inspiration for all things good and positive.  Well, go ahead, call me a  LIAR!  Steven texted me updates during the game, like "18-15, michael has 8", "we up 24-22, michael 12", and "we up, michael taken out of game", quickly followed by "we now down", then "m back in, we up".  Twenty-five texts later: "M hit 3 pointer in over time to get lead back" and the final text: "45-39, Michael 26".  (There are 15 people on our team, by the way.) 

THEN, when I was in Lexington with Elizabeth and Emily, shopping for dresses and jewelry for the Winter Formal next Friday evening, I receive additional texts.  Same scenario as Paragraph One above, long story short: This time Michael scored 20 and the team won the tournament championship.  Again Michael scored more than half the team's total points.

Oh, how I wish I were there.  Not just to BIRG, but to be there to celebrate the team's success. And to see my son, to give him a hug in person.  So proud of him.  Such a good little athlete.

BUT, I would not have missed being with Elizabeth at Fayette Mall.  And just wait until you see Elizabeth in her elegant dress next weekend.  Soo gorgeous.  Elizabeth, that is, not just her dress.

Fall highlights

Of course Elizabeth and Michael's fall highlight was going back to school.  Ha ha ha ha ha!  But admit it, they do look happy and wonderful on their first day back in August and continue to do remarkably well.  We are always so proud of them.

Elizabeth is featured in this year's Scott County calendar!  Who recognizes her friends Emily, Pallie, and Shelby?  I was in the newspaper for Opening Convocation holding the faculty mace, which should not be confused (although it often is) with a bedpost.  Our interim president is next to me, followed by our new president, who begins 10/21. 

September's highlights included celebrating two birthdays: Niki's 2nd at Bruster's ice cream and Rosemary's more-than-2nd in Shelbyville.  Austin's girlfriend Ally is the female next to Elizabeth. 

We recently had two very special dinners: One with Lisa Eddy and one with Granna Banana.  They are both so, so, so, so, so special to each of us.  So even though we're back to school and work, it's been goooood.