Getting back into the swing....

Well, I guess we're back into the swing of things around here. Seems like they've already been in school forever. ha!

We spend time every week watching the Addison and Abigail cheer.

They put a lot of work into it and Thursdays make for very long days. Have to be at the school by 7am to get ready for the pep rally and then two games that evening to cheer at. There first time to cheer this season, there were FOUR games that night. Fortunately it started to storm so the games got called. And I say fortunately because it was on many fronts. We desperately need the rain around here, nobody wanted to stay through four games and the girls certainly didn't want to cheer that long (Addison was already losing her voice after just the game and a quarter that they did cheer), and lastly, our team was getting their butts kicked. Calling the games stopped the pain.

I still can't get over how much they've grown up. Wyatt has started shaving already. Granted, he only has to do it about once a month right now, but still, I'm just not ready. He asked a girl to the homecoming dance. That took a lot of guts and we're proud of him for doing it. She said no, but it's completely understandable. Her parents are getting a divorce and she's having a really hard time coping with it. There are too often parents that are so wrapped up in what's going on with them and they forget how divorce affects the kids. Their whole world gets turned upside down and the kids have no part in it except to figure out how to cope.

Progress reports came out last week and everyone is doing a good job. So far this school year has started off with much less stress than the last one. We're hoping to continue down that path.

Update.....

The symphony band received 1st Division at the band competition. Wyatt was pretty excited about getting 1st, but not excited enough to change his mind about being in band next year. Oh well.


Cheerleader try-outs were last Friday. Addison and Abigail both made cheerleader again. Kirsten didn't. I so did not want that to happen. She handled it quite well even though she was broken hearted about it. She climbed up beside me in bed and I just held her while she cried. For me it was just awful that I couldn't do anything to 'fix' it.

But, like I said, she handled it very well. She's an amazing young lady.

Now they are out of school on spring break and have headed off to spend the week with their grandparents. They've been looking so forward to it. I'm sure they'll have a great time being spoiled by both pairs of grandparents.

Recovery Week.......but not really

This week we're trying to recover from the chaos that was last week.


Only, it's still chaotic!!


Last week Wyatt went for his follow up appointment and to have the stitches removed. The doctor said that things are looking good. He gave Wyatt some new exercises to add to the ones he was already doing. He goes back in two weeks for a check up. If, after six weeks, his muscles are showing enough improvement then there won't have to be any physical therapy.

We've got our fingers crossed.


Dax spent the better part of the week in bed with the flu.....despite getting a flu shot months ago.


It was terrible! The first day he got sick he could barely be out of bed without passing out. I was afraid to leave him alone for even a little bit of time. And since we're full-on into tax season right now, it was a terrible time for him to have to be out of the office.

Thankfully, he's feeling much better now.

This week, in addition to the usual activities, we've had to add in cheer practice every day because try-outs are on Friday. All three girls are trying out this year.

Wyatt has had band practice because he made the band that go to UIL competition tomorrow.

Kirsten and Addison signed up for tennis last week. Addison already quit. Before the first practice even. Tennis practice is almost every day after school.

Now that they have things going on after school that means that we're going to have to rearrange our mornings so that they can get to school even earlier so that they can go to morning tutorials.

That hasn't happened yet because my alarm clock died and I haven't gotten up early enough. But, never fear, I got a new one today.

If we actually survive this week, next week is spring break and the kids will be heading to spend the week with their grandparents.

Two bits, four bits......

The girls got to cheer at their first football game on Thursday. Actually, they cheered at two games (8th grade A & B teams.)

They really had fun doing it.

Addison at the top of the pyramid.

Abigail

They did say that their legs and feet were sore after it was all over.

Unfortunately, the cheers didn't help the football teams at all. They both lost.


On Friday night Dax had to head out for his State Guard weekend.

As usual, something out of the ordinary happened while he was gone.

This time our outside cat (Ms. Kitty) wandered into the back yard and the dogs attacked her.

Luckily we heard all the commotion out there and got outside in time to stop it before she got hurt. I was worried about her because she's getting pretty old and she seamed to be really confused.

But, she's back to her same old grouchy self now so I guess she's feeling fine.

Dax may not be able to leave anymore if this kind of craziness keeps up.

What do cheerleaders have?

Pep!!


Or at least pep rallies.


Thursday was the first pep rally.

Abigail is on the far left. (Don't be fooled, Abigail is not that 'tiny'. The girl on the right is really tall for a 12 year old. I thinks she's taller than me and I haven't seen 12 in a long, long time.)

The girls were so excited about the pep rally. (I couldn't get any pictures of Addison because she's in the back row on the other side of the gym.)

Wyatt was pretty excited too because it was his first time to perform in the band at a pep rally. Poor Abigail had to run back and forth from cheer leading to play in the band. (I couldn't get any pictures of Wyatt because he was hidden behind a music stand.)

It was really kind of sad though, because they were supposed to play against Smithville. However, Smithville is one of the areas that is on fire here in central Texas so the games were cancelled. I heard this morning that the fires are about 60% contained and well over 1500 homes have been destroyed. It's just heart breaking! The High School had a scrimmage game. They collected items needed by both families and fire fighters and all proceeds went to help those affected.....especially in Smithville. It was very touching indeed.

But they thoroughly enjoyed the pep rally. I obviously attended since I took pictures, but they spent the whole week practicing it in the kitchen while I cooked dinner. I swear I fell asleep every night with those cheers going through my head. I felt like I already new the pep rally without having to actually be there.

Cheer camp day 3

Final day....

 The shorts with these camp close have their names on the butt......I hate that.....well, with names like Addison and Abigail all those letters won't fit onto those skinny little butts so their's have nicknames, but still.....


Anyway, at the end of day three the cheerleaders had a performance to show the parents what they learned.

I took lots of pictures but none really turned out good. Here's one of Abigail that wasn't too bad.

This is the whole group of cheerleaders with the two girls that ran the camp. They're college girls that work for the UCA (United Cheer Association -- I think) doing these camps during the summer.

 The girls had a really good time, but I'm not sure what they really learned.


I mean look at this outfit Addison was sporting later that night...

And what's even worse than that?



She actually let me take a picture! And posed for it!!!

They're glad to get to sleep in now, though.

Cheer camp day 2

Do they look like their muscles are sore?

Because they sure complained about when  I woke them up.


Even early in the morning it's hard to get them to be serious.....

Down by the river.....

Dax and I are so grateful to my parents. Thanks to them we were able to get away for the weekend for some much needed time together and time to just kick back and relax a little.

They came on Thursday night to stay with the kids so we headed down to the River Walk in San Antonio on Friday morning after breakfast.

The hotel was nice and our room had a balcony which was nice, even if the view wasn't so great....

This trip wasn't about the view, so it didn't matter.

It was about this....

We hung out in the room (even took a nap! *gasp*) and hung out down at the River Walk. 

That's pretty much it.

On Saturday night we stopped at a sport's bar to watch the hockey game. I managed to get some action shots while we were there.

Chips and queso...

 Uh oh....this is the look that means he's about to get me if I don't quit taking his picture.

Wiping his hands, he's getting serious about it now....guess I'd better stop snapping pictures.

It was a great weekend and it sure makes it hard to head back to work and the regular grind.

In other news, Addison and Abigail have cheer camp this week.

Day One:

End of the year......

It's almost the end of the school year. The kids are done at noon on Thursday.


That means that things get even crazier around here!


On Friday the kids had a field trip to Fiesta Texas for their part in helping to raise money for St. Jude's Chirldren's Hospital. They had fun, and since they didn't get back until early evening, Dax & I got to take a nap. Woohoo!!!  It was supposed to be bad weather all day on Friday, but fortunately that storms held off until after they got home safe and sound.


On Saturday Abigail and Addison had their Spring Show for cheerleading.

They were nervous but they did an excellent job.....especially for their first time performing.


Poor Addison tripped and fell down on their way out to the floor, but she was able to shake it off when they started perfoming.

There is a set of identical twins on the outgoing 8th grade squad and I could hear the man behind me telling his wife about the twins on that squad and ANOTHER set of twins on the incoming 7th grade squad. He was telling her how it was hart to tell that they were twins out on the floor because they were spread so far apart.


Aaaahhhh, if only he knew the real story. LOL

While I was at the grocery store on Saturday morning, Dax decided it was time to clean out our closet. OMG!!!! Who knew you could get so much crap crammed into one space?! When I got home he had everything pulled out and all over the bedroom. I almost passed out when I saw it!  But, hey, the closet is looking much better now and we have a whole lot of stuff to pass on to charity to boot.

That's a good thing, right?

They made it!!

We have been busy around here for the past week getting ready for cheerleader try-outs. Addison and Abigail had decided to try out.

They had practice every evening with the try outs yesterday after school.

It seemed like it took them forever to get the names of the new cheerleaders posted!!!


And I'm pretty sure I was more nervous than the girls were. I mean, think about, what if they didn't make it after they had worked so hard? (Seriously, I am so sick of watching cartwheels and I fell asleep every night with the cheer running through my head.) But even more nerve wracking, what if only one of them made the squad? Gaaahhhhh!

See what I mean?

Anyway, we finally go tired of waiting and left to go to dinner. I called Dax to let him know we were on our way because he was going to meet us there. He checked the school district's website while we were on the phone, so he got to be the one to let the girls know that they both made it! They're soooooooo excited!!!



While we were at try-outs yesterday Abigail and I had an interesting conversation.

Abigail: Mom, this girl that gets in trouble all the time said a word today and I think it's a bad word but I'm not sure.

Me: What did she say?

Abigail: -rick

Me: Brick? That's not a bad word.

Abigail: No. PRICK!

Me: What?!! Yes that's a bad word. Dear God, don't say that! I thought you said brick. You know, the things you build houses with.

Then they called the girls into the other room. Thank goodness so I didn't have to explain what it meant. Sheesh!!

And, Addison's team won their first soccer game of the season. They played really well as a team today.

Ready......Okay......

Addison and Abigail both came home with one of these.

I'm not sure I'm ready.