Celebrate!

Last Sunday was Little Gymnast's last gymnastics meet at her current level. Her cheering section included her parents, brother, Grandma S and one of her teachers from preschool & 4K. She said having a teacher there made her nervous. (the rest of us were chopped liver, I guess...)

It was her best meet to date...she scored 1st in all events and in the all-around competition.

She has worked so hard this season and learned alot. She grew with a coach with high expectations, strict discipline and a strong work ethic.

There were days when she never thought she would learn a new skill, but she never gave up...she practiced both in the gym and at home...

She sat in the stands and cheered, encouraged and celebrated her teammates when her turn to perform was over...

She watched the "big girls" (higher level gymnasts) and admired them...following them around some days like a little puppy...

She did more sit-ups, planks, stretches, frog leaps, v-ups, splits, push-ups, pull-ups, and drills than we can count...

She is blessed with physical talent that has nothing to do with us...but we are so blessed to watch her develop her talents...

So, what better way to celebrate your wins with your Dad and a can of whipped cream!?

Who needs hot chocolate as a vehicle for your whipped cream when your Dad just shoots it right in?

She's begging for just a little more...can you say no to that look?

Her Dad could not say no...he folded like origami...

Congratulations, Peanut! You worked hard and we are so proud of you!

First Travel Meet

Last weekend we traveled as a family to Little Gymnast's first "away" meet. We decided it would be fun to spend a weekend together in Indianapolis a few weeks prior to the Superbowl.

Much to Little Dude's delight, our 17th floor hotel room overlooked Lucas Oil Field. He pronounced it, "The best room ever!" He also suggested that we ought to just live in that hotel room forever! Who wouldn't want a great view, a pool,an amazing workout room and a maid everyday? I think he is on to something...

Runner Boy and Little Dude settled right in.

Runner Boy decided to photo bomb our picture...

We were at a gymnastics meet when a track meet broke out...she's got quite a kick at the end of a sprint. Clearly she needed to work out some energy after we arrived in Indy.

We had time to explore the hotel, downtown and a lovely church before competition...

It's important to nourish yourself properly prior to competition. So she perched on a stool overlooking the $tarbuck's barista waiting for her chocolate milk.

With so many gymnasts at the meet, we had great opportunities to watch different levels compete, cheer on her teammates and meet new friends.

Little Gymnast was so excited to see her beloved Aunt & Uncle there, too.

Every time she goes out to compete, we ask her to do two things:
1) do your best
2) have fun

She did both of those things in Indy. We are proud of your effort, your medals and your sportsmanship!

Little Dude, you are now part of the fraternity of brothers who have endured such competition!

Your sister will have to attend your activities with grace...she owes you one!

monster

wpclipart.com

It appears the green-eyed monster has moved in.  He reared his ugly head briefly this morning and then showed up tonight.


Little Dude had his room painted and his bed was lofted over the Christmas break.  This morning Older sister said, "Daddy, I am mad.  Little Dude has a better bed than me...now Neighbor Pal will like his bed the BEST!"  


After reading our Bible story up in the loft tonight, Older Sister climbed down from the loft and said over her shoulder....


"Have a good time in the FUN bed that I DON'T have!...I mean...I am really grateful for the bed I have...but I wish I had his...but I am thankful..."  (Note tug of good and evil in this sentence...)


the Monster roars softly...

As we begin 2012...it is time to take a moment or two to look back on 2011...

January 2011...the Packers won the Super Bowl and Bucky...did not fare so well at the Rose Bowl...come to think of it...Bucky didn't do so well in 2012 at the Rose Bowl either...

February...a Valentine Princess...

March...2011 was a bad year to be a crocus

April...blowing bubbles on Easter...

...always wear "eye black" while coloring eggs...you never know when a football game will break out...

May...hockey?!

June 2011...training for the Tour de Tundra starts young...

July...the birthday boy celebrates with a cowboy party...

August...summer comes to an end and school is on the horizon...little dude is thrilled...

September...celebrating her birthday with a family night...

October...a cute kitty gets to trick or treat with *Charles Woodson*!

We celebrated Turkey Day with our family and K got to go down the slide with her littlest cousin...

December 2011...after watching HGTV, they decorated their own gingerbread houses.

So thankful for the blessings of 2011...grateful to God...shaped by the challenges of the year past.

On to 2012...

Gotcha Day!

There are few days in our lives that can be as special as the arrival of a child. Regardless of the way a child joins a family, it is an amazing, life-changing experience. Little Gymnast joined our family in December of 2005. One thing that I particularly cherish about that day is that we were able to share it with three other families. We all had precious girls placed in our arms that day. We shared the joy, wiped tears from little eyes, tried to get their little lips to turn to a smile, and took many pictures. Each of us started a journey to a little girl from a different place and we all ended the paper chase that day.


We have a tradition of Runner Boy taking a photo with our little girl on the anniversary of that Day...

Gotcha Day 2006 and 2007 photos appear to be an a file that I have temporarily misplaced...oops:

So imagine pictures of cute guy and little kid here....I gotta find that file.

Gotcha Day 2008...it was snowing that day...

Gotcha Day 2009...in our new house...

Gotcha Day 2010...

Gotcha Day 2011...

As she grows older, her thoughts about her history will evolve. May she come to a deep understanding of the depth of our love and of her heavenly Father.

Gotcha Day is a day to celebrate her adoption into our family and the gift that she is to our family.

pre occupied

Dear Occupy Wall Street People,


I have been thinking about some different things that you could occupy...besides private parks and protests around the country.  I'll start with simple ideas and then try to take suggestions to the next level.


1)  A job.  These are rewarding activities that pay you.  Apparently there is a shortage of these, so if you don't find one, try starting a business.  Occupy the end of a dog leash, lawnmower, snow plow (snow is coming soon), or just think up your own idea.  Steve Jobs started one and it worked out well for him.  Don't give up if the first one fails either.  Also, you can have more than one business if necessary.  If it freaks you out to work for a large corporation, stick with something small.  


2)  A volunteer position.  Take that energy used to protest and actively make the world a better place.  If you put that protest sign down and picked up a paint brush, gathered donations or sat with a family in a trauma center, then you would be making an immediate difference in the world around you.  Food pantries, hospitals, Habitat for Humanity, Red Cross, rescue missions, humane societies~they are all looking for help.  You would feel better about yourself, too.  Maybe then you wouldn't be so angry about your life...you would realize some people have it worse than you.


3)  The library.  Start reading.  It's been said you'll be the same person in 5 years except for the people you know and the books you read. Read the country's founding fathers, classic Greek literature or something about really successful people who started from nothing or a biography or two.  Libraries are free, too.  


4)  A shower.  Some of you need to clean up.  It's hard to respect people who don't appreciate the cleaning power shampoo.  Don't worry, people won't mistake you for a successful banker if you are clean.


5)  A music class.  Clearly you drummers were not members of any quality marching band nor were you the top of your percussion section in school.


6)  Etiquette class.  When you take over other individual private property, leave a mess behind you, shout at people, disrupt people's daily lives, you are perceived as rude.  If you can't afford a class (because you don't have #1), then go to #3. 


7)  Go on a retreat...by yourself.  Ask yourself the following question:  do I want to be remembered because I sat down and occupied or because I got up and did something that actively changed the lives of those in need around me?

Meet Prep...

Leotard, warm up pants, team jersey, hair scrunchy, comb, bobby pins, hair bands, water bottle, organic chocolate milk, apple, cheesy crackers, hair spray...

...and nerves of steel...

...and guts...

...and little cute smiles...

ready, set, go Team go!!!