Happy Birthday, Clark!!

 

Clark-
you probably read too much, you're extremely opinionated and maybe a little too political.  But we all totally love ya anyway... because: you're an over-the-top loving husband and father.  You Can Cook, really. You're a good man to know (once we've broke into your inner-circle) and ...
You're a seriously Good Time. 
Once we get you out: You love to smile, you laugh large and are never (ever) ready to quit early. Coach is ALWAYS quick to RSVP to a Clark-planned party.
I hope you enjoyed your week-end long birthday. Celebrating with friends, family and your beautiful wife.  You're a lucky man.  Livin the Life. I wish you another year, of exactly the happy that you have already been enjoying. 
Love ya, man.
(I love yer beard...)

Check Yes... or No???

Apparently, there is a new tradition amongst high school kids, to ask their dates to accompany them to dances in an unique manner.  Jumbo Joe and his girlfriend The Cute Girl, have been dating for some time and it was VERY much assumed they were already promised to attend the Homecoming Dance with each other... but that didn't stop Jumbo Joe from seeking out help to plan the perfect 'proposal'.

 

First: Little Tink hand wrote the invitation, in school colors (Green and White).  Tink was VERY nuuuurvouuusss about giving The Cute Girl the option to say 'No'.  (Tink must be concerned her big cousin is dating above his pay scale.)

Coco and I, then worked on creating the perfect envelope. (The picture is Coco's drawing of what The Cute Girl will look like in a fancy homecoming dress.)

I then pulled Coco out of Pre-K (Yes. You heard that correctly, I took my child out of school for a dance proposal...)  She geared up with one white rose, decorated with a Sweet Shop Homecoming sucker.

With the help of a very game and excited principal and the permission of The Teacher, Coco made her way up the stairs and down the hall to The Cute Girl.

She entered the classroom (cute as can be)

 And delivered the special envelope...

And despite Tink's concerns...
She said YES!
And the classroom 'awed...' in unison.

Beyond adorable.
One thousand times cuter than my wedding proposal..
(And Coco was returned to school, after missing only 17 total minutes of learning. No worries.)

Happy Birthday Sunshine!

Very appropriately blog nick-named Bondi Beach, for her sunshiney warm, inviting personality.  Our little blond middle cousin, is pure light. 

 

Bondi Beach, is bright in style... bright in intelligence... bright in sparkling smiles.  Her presence in any room, makes others instantly more happy.  She has a warm, gooey comforting center (from her mommy) which draws people to her.
Bondi is both quiet and enthusiastic.  Calming and exciting.  Soft-spoken and fabulously competitive.  She is a little mother and exceptional aunt, in training.  The little gang of mini-cousins, immediately flock to Bondi Beach.

We adore you Bondi. 
So happy we got the opportunity to wish you a Happy Birthday, in person.  Too bad your brother's Purple couldn't gift you a win! (They were sooooo close!)
Have an amazing last year, before you are a big Junior High Girl!! But you'll always be that little Blondie princess with bangs, to me.

Harvest Days.

A Fall Festival Photo Recap:

 

 Cheerleaders in the Sweet Shop Kiddie Parade.

I Used to be a Hooker's little Baton Twirler, may have stolen the show... (which was impressive with those cute cheerleaders following her.)

 Jumbo Joe and One are inside the costumes!  Aren't they the sweetest big kids eva??

 

 Tink the Tiger

 The Kid's airbrushed Tat.

 

Cousin's watching the parade.

 

Harvest Days 2013 complete.

And this house is exhausted.

Maybe the Best Story, Eva:

Set Scene:
It's Harvest Days Weekend,
Town-wide Carnival Wrist Band Night.
Carnival night?  Not my bag.  Coach has/is and will always be, in charge of carnival night.  I had a yoga class and then walked up to the carnival for maybe 45 minutes.  Chatted with each kid, smiled and waved as they circled around and around on a couple rides... and then I began to walk home.
I called my mom: I detest carnival night!  The crowds, the noise, the giant extension cords on the ground.  There was a man, wearing jeans and combat boots and NO shirt... and he was carrying a baby maybe 2 weeks old, like a football in one arm.  Just walking around like that.  WHY? ....etc

I continue to chat with her about the conundrums of small town American carnivals, until I reach my home.  My doors are all locked (... carnies are in town) and I am trying to find my keys.  I go to unlock the door but I can't see anything, just then I see what I think is a huge spider, making a web on my door.

I say to mom: I can't see anything... stupid having to lock my door... and I think there is a spider in the doorway... I need my flashlite app... but I can't find anything in my purse..

I'm digging around, moving my wallet.. nothing.  I start throwing items from my purse on a chair.  I say the following out loud and also in my head: I can't find my phone any where!  I know I had it at the carnival, I called Coach to find him... it's so dark out here... why do I have to much stuff in my purse!
My mom is helping: Did you leave your phone at the yoga studio?  ... Blah Blah
Me (super frustrated): no, I know I called Coach.  Where the heck is it??

I turn my purse upside down, it's completely empty... What the heck??
Then, after several minutes, I shout out: OH MY ###!!  I can't find my phone because I am TALKING to you on my PHONE!!!

My mom starts dying laughing, like she can't breathe.
I hang up, use the flashlite app.  Identify a HUGE spider making a web...kill it, enter my home...

Later, I recount this story to Coach, exactly like this.  He's listening with intrigue, he even furrows his brow over where my phone could be, seems kinda worried for me... He also, never saw the punchline coming.
I'm getting old. Or maybe, even just 45 minutes at a carnival can make you dumb(er).

The Big Kids

The Big kids are keeping me ridiculously busy.  I've turned into one of those obnoxious blogger moms, who's children are in a million activities, while I adorably wear a seasonal apron I have sewn myself, in between trips to milk the goat..

Tink's evenings are busy with: Piano lessons, Hip hop class, CCD and Children's Yoga.  For a couple evenings, she was able to fit in a cheer leading camp and performance at the Varsity Football game. And that experience, taught me this:

 

I'm completely unprepared to be a cheerleader's mother. It's against every fiber of my being.
I had to lame text other mothers to ask: shorts, skirt or leggings?? How early is too early to drop off?
Inner debates: make-up??  How much lip stick?  Isn't there something about wearing more stage make-up to see in crowds?  Is football cheer leading hair big?  Ponytail?? Pigtails are probably out... I just DON'T KNOW THESE THINGS!!  I'm out of my element!!

And then crazy stuff starts to happen to me... I'm cheering FOR a cheerleader.. I'm getting excited for how hard she snaps her arms. I love her tiny fists on her hips.  I'm annoyed they didn't teach her MORE cheers in the short 3 hour workshop.  I'm suddenly addicted to MORE cheering!
I can't believe she takes that huge football field, without a trace of hesitation.  She's got so much guts in that little body.

And the Biggest Kid?

In his first year of Junior High school baseball, The Kid slowly became a little star.  And my nerves can not handle it. 

Stealing bases:

It's sorta his thing.  His dad will stand up behind me, spreading his arms wider and wider, urging The Kid to take a bigger lead. Then I yank Coach into his chair, because the super wide lead makes my belly hurt.

The Kid's smile after stealing Second, then stealing Third and then finally stealing Home, looks like this:

And that smile is awesome.
But the real test to my nerves?? The Kid is becoming a pitcher.  And a pretty darned good one.

(PS- I'm only allowed to snap pics while he warms up, otherwise it may spook him...)
After each inning concludes, I am suddenly stricken with a throbbing headache, from holding my breath during the entire duration of each batter.  I'm a wreck.  He makes me want to drink.

Cute father and son moment, eye-black application before the game.

I'm super crazy proud of both Big Kids.  They have really surprised me.  It appears, I am kinda raising pretty awesome people... right now... hopefully that didn't jinx anything..
And Coco??
She doesn't dig, the big kids draining all the attention.
As you can imagine.

The Dinner Table.

We're all calmly eating.  The table is quiet and full of food.  All of a sudden, Coco flings her body back into her chair.  She seems genuinely upset and flips both hands onto the back of her head. 

She loudly exclaims: When am I going to DIE??!

 

The Kid loses it: WHAT?!  WHAT did she say?!

(The Kid is drama.)

 

Me: Coco, why did you say that?  You're not going to die for a very very long time.

Coco is now bending over, rubbing her face.

Tink could care less, she continues to eat.

 

Coach: Coco, what's going on?

 

Coco: When am I going to DIE??!

 

The Kid: Why does she keep saying THAT? What's wrong with her?!

 

Me: Coco, why are you asking about dying?

 

Coco (super dramatically): Because my life is sooo boring!  This is all berry boring here.  When am I going to die from everything boring??

 

Me (eye rolling to Coach): Really??  She's already so bored, she could die??  I can't handle her.

Tink knowingly giggles and nods.

Glen Allen. Big Timer.

Happy (Belated) Birthday, Glen Allen!
Since you are a baseball super star phenom... hopefully you are able to understand that being a parent to a baseball player (who's not yet a phenom but he's workin on it!!)... consumes your every second.  So while I am too busy to blog, I am not too busy to hear all about how you are the Main Topic of conversation in the Barbershop.  Apparently, watching ESPN is so boooring, when there is a real-life baseball stud in the family.  A (the) Starting Catcher.  Big Time. Congrats on being amazing.
Happy Birthday, I hope your day was awesome.  You are a great kid (aka not really a kid but more a full-on teenager) you are adorable with your little girlie cousins and maybe the best big brotha ever.  You are bright, magnetic and everything your parents dreamed of (slash/ molded you into!).
And this may be my favorite picture of you. 
Your smile is fantastically electric!
All our love, from way up North.

My Girls like to Pose.

In addition to the Children's Yoga class, offered at the sTudio (Thursdays 5:00-5:45pm) we are now very excited to have an instructor teaching a Children's Hip Hop dance class (Tuesdays 5:00-5:45pm).  My girls were beyond hyper to get to Hip Hop yesterday. 

They ran right into the house after school and jumped into a couple hand-me-down dance outfits. (which seem a wee bit snug...) We arrived to the sTudio early, to snap a couple New to Dance Class Pics.  I wasn't too thrilled with Tink's selfie style...

 

What's happening with her lips?? 

Though, these could almost be a couple pics of me and Flag Girl, around 11:52pm on Relay Dance Night...

Oh little Tink... Stop growing up.