Good ol' Kansas weather made for a cold Saturday of fastpitch softball and then a windy, warm Sunday that resulted in the oddest looking farmers tan I've ever had. But enough about me, this holiday weekend was focused on Phenix softball. The girls went undefeated in Topeka on Saturday and then worked their way up the losers bracket on Sunday after losing their first game. Five back-to-back games, and seven hours later (after my skinny stud muffin hit the game winning RBI IN over-time... WITH two strikes...),*deep breath*, they were playing in the championship game. The girls were tired, hot, and every one of them was scraped up but they kept fighting and earned themselves second place and a very nice trophy.

 Not a bad finish for a team who last Fall could scarcely even win a game. This is the second weekend in a row that they have battled for first place and just barely fallen short.

Blaker's 5!

I'll do a lot of things for my nephew but getting a swimsuit anywhere near my white ass and going out in public is not one of them. Give me 30 more days and we'll talk. So, my job at Blake's first ever Friend Birthday Party at Free State High aquatic center was to take pictures while my sister did her best to stay calm and keep an eye on everyone. A task not much different than that of a cat herder. 

Fifteen minutes into the party, the lifeguards whistled for everyone to get out of the water. Uh oooooh. We all knew what that meant and sure enough, here came the haz-mat baggie and the net. So of course I did what I do best and sent a text to Gen to let her know how sorry she was going to be to be missing out on the "log ride" at the aquatic center. EWWWW!

Thirty minutes and what I hope were a few thousand pounds of chemicals later, the kids were back in the water like nothing had ever happened.

Happy Birthday B!

The most amazing tasting cookie in the whole entire universe.

Any free Saturday now is spent transforming my yard from looking like the depths of hell to our own personal oasis. We rolled non-stop only taking short water breaks until the tornado sirens went off. Then we figured we had better put the metal garden tools away so we didn’t light up the neighborhood as human lightning rods. It wasn’t even raining and the sky had darkened a little but not stormy at all. According to the news it was a slow moving storm coming our way from Topeka at 25 mph so I figured I had better grab a quick shower. You see, my yard is STILL plagued with that blankity-blank-blank poison, filth-flarn ivy.

The past month I’ve gone through two rounds of steroids, a plethora of Benadryl and calamine lotion and so if there was even the slightest possibility I could be buried in rubble for any period of time with the oncoming storm I did NOT want to be laying there itchy! For my friends who are as susceptible to this hateful devil plant as I am, I finally found a routine that (knock on wood) has been working. First of all, gloves at all times and for eff sakes, DON’T TOUCH YOUR FACE! As soon as I come into the house, shoes, clothes, gloves, everything goes into the washer. If it’s just my hands and arms I scrub with the lye soap that I got at the hippie store. If my yard involvement is shower worthy I use Jewelweed soap; a Native American remedy that is pure magic! I have no doubt it will save my life this summer.  

So, with the weather guy advising everyone to take their severe storm precautions with the incoming, uh..significant storm (that did actually produce a tornado sound of Topeka)…, we decided to not only grill but ate and had a bottle of wine outside as well. Aside from being itchy, we also did not want to be buried with a growling belly. I had to laugh when my sister said they had done the exact same thing. Genius must run in the family.

On a serious note; to my friends affected by the Joplin tornado… Things can be replaced but not people and I am so incredibly thankful that God was watching over you and that you are safe. Prayers and care packages coming your way!

This picture is for my friend who always says, "Food equals love." Gouda and mushroom stuffed chicken and stuffed jalapenos. Mmmmm, mmmmm! Can you feel the love?

Yard Art

Class of 2011

With my sister on the verge of boo hoo'ing, tonight Blake, decked out in his red cap and gown made his official transition from baby school to the much cooler biggie boy school. Of course it didn't help that I was sitting about eight rows behind her sending texts like, "12 more years and he's gone..." and "Now is the time to have another one ya know" all the while laughing my ass off when she would turn around and shoot me a glare.

Thirty-six little pre-K graduates entered to the sound of Pomp and Circumstance, said the Pledge of Allegiance, signed the alphabet, showed off their counting skills, then broke it down with a little Humpty Dumpty and Peter,Peter Pumpkin Eater.

 

They then received their diplomas while their teacher announced what they plan to be when they grow up. Their future ambitions ranged from cheerleaders to chefs to owning a McDonald's. Blake's plan is to be a professional football player.

 Blake has been with a lot of these kids nearly every week day since he was a baby. They have potty trained together, played sports together and helped celebrate each others birthdays.

We HAD to celebrate this momentous occasion with a big ooey, gooey cake. I will neither confirm or deny that six people nearly polished off an entire cake

 

Then again, it might have been this little dude. 

 

Syd had her big year end recital this weekend at the Lied Center. For some reason she was moody about the dancing part. She always seems to get a little burned out towards the end of the season and just wants to be done. Seeing this funky colored Jayhawk perked her up though and suddenly she was more than willing to strike a pose.

If rising gas prices are gettin' ya down all you need is a jump rope, a skateboard, and a really strong buddy. 

 

I am so thankful we live on a quiet street.

Polka Dot Peeper

Signs that your child may be addicted to technology.....

 Exhibit A

The Lawrence Phenix was the "team of the game" Sunday at the women's KU softball game. They got to meet the players, get autographs, and discuss important issues such as how to make the perfect ponytail for a game.  

 Gen was especially taken with Maggie Hull. Maggie is from Lawrence, played first base for the Phenix (same as Gen), and now plays left field for KU. Maybe someday that will be Gen due in part to a cold Sunday afternoon at the KU ballpark with some influential athletes.

One Year

May 3^rd, 2010 my stomach was in knots as I walked into my new building. New city, new job, new everything and I wondered how long I would survive. A year later my world has done a 180 and although no situation is ever perfect, I know I have found the next closest thing. 

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to my wonderful friends who with their thoughtfulness have successfully erased the dark memories of a year ago. You all never cease to amaze and I love ya dearly.  

Crossing Jimmy Off My Bucket List

I officially became a parrot head in the summer of 1989 at Goose Pond thanks to my Alabama friends, the Countess'. The morning was reserved for going out on their party barge while late afternoon was reserved for boiled shrimp and ice cold beer. It was here that I first heard Jimmy Buffett. To this day when I hear him sing Margaritaville I am back at Goose Pond in my flip-flops, young and without a care, eating boiled shrimp, and soaking up the sun with some blissfully crazy friends getting absolutely hooked on the sound of a steel drum. 

Seeing Jimmy in concert became a must almost immediately and over time has risen to #2 on my bucket list so when I heard he was coming to Kansas City, I flipped out! However something was keeping me from reserving tickets online and then I went through a phase where I accepted I wasn't going to get to go and was trying to be "okay" with that revelation.

Then, the afternoon of the concert, Daniel and I decided we had had such a great day, it was beautiful outside and perhaps we would just venture over to the Power and Light District in KC and enjoy the party that had been going on all day prior to the concert. Who knows; maybe we would even find tickets. My hopes were not high but Daniel insisted it would all work out. A block from the party Dan recognized a buddy from Lawrence who waved us over to his table and asked if we need tickets. Seriously? Uh, yeah! He said the tickets belonged to another guy who wasn't going to be able to go and he thought they were pretty good seats. I had the Sprint Center seating chart committed to memory as much as I had looked at it over the past few weeks so Dan had me look at them. I KNOW my eyes about bugged out of my head. Holy CRAP were they ever good seats but I stayed cool and we told him we would think about it; got his cell and walked on to the party to get some margaritas.

About five minutes after the concert started we called and made him an offer. Ten minutes later we were walking into the Sprint Center with our tickets.... that just happened to be located in, (wait for it).... The Founders Club! These seats were better than anything I could EVER have imagined and even better is we got them for a lot less than face value. 

I then had to listen to, "Didn't I TELL YOU it would all work out? Huh, didn't I?" the rest of the night but I didn't care because I was absolutely on cloud nine. It had been an exceptionally lucky day for us all day.

Yeeeeeees, you told me. Now zip it and pass me that shaker of salt.

Power and Light District meets Margaritaville.

Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band

 Saturday was a gorgeous day on the hill and for KU's 2011 Spring game. We got our football posters autographed......,

Gayle Sayers

Daniel got another football card signed.....,

John Hadl signing his San Diego Chargers football card

And we lounged in the sun in the Memorial Stadium end zone recliners....,

and tried to stay awake to watch the scrimmage. All we were missing was the cooler.

 

Gentry loved the seats but wasn't in the mood for photo ops.

Tale of the Wee Soccer Player

A defender's life can be lonely....

 

 as he patiently waits for the ball to come to him.

 Then FINALLY it does and the little defender is not lonely any more as he hears the parents screams of  "K..i...c...k the b.a.a.a.a..l.l.!

He does his best to keep his team pumped up, "Come'on Swordfish!"

 and he helps his buddy Vaughn protect the goal.

Such is the life of the wee soccer player. 

The End.