Basketball has come to an end

This season Beau played basketball for the Kansas Hoopsters. Coach Wilkes was head coach and Brian was the assistant.

I loved every minute of Beau's basketball season.  Well, not every minute. We had some poor officiating, but I loved how well the boys progressed.  They are such good kids. And I loved watching my boy play ball.  He has come so far over the past few years.  I love how aggressive he can be.  His shot has gotten so much better (just ask him about the 3 point shot he made in the last basketball game!). It was a just a fun season even though we came up in 2nd place in every tournament we played in. Boo!  But the boys had great spirits and sportsmanship about the whole thing. So proud of them and their coaches.

Got his arm around a teammate. Love his sportsmanship.  So supportive.

Get your butt on him, boy!  

Familiar scene this season. On the floor. Fighting for a loose ball. MY. FAVORITE.PART.  Loved when he got in "Beast" mode!

Shooting free throws. Shot quite a few this season.

And another one.

This is his Dad yelling at a YMCA Director. Nice one, Dad. Only two technical fouls this season? You don't say.

Last game. Boo Hoo.

The boys. Front row left to right. Jaden, Tyler, Keegan, Josh, Micah, Austin. Back row. Coach Brian, David, Keeton, Beau, and Coach Dwight.

The Hoopsters biggest fan, Brenley May, loving on her Daddy.

My two basketball stars.

Twin's Turn Two!

Our nephews, Brandon and Tyler, turned 2! I can't believe they are already two and are certainly every bit of a toddler - moving and grooving. They had a Sesame Street birthday party where their Mom and Dad went all out. It was a fun time, and I think they should be set for outside fun this spring and summer.

Their party was Saturday in McPherson in Trinity Hall, so it was a great place for big and little kids to eat and play!

Seth checking out the present. My two kids eager to see too!

Boys and their Daddy playing with the new toys.

Their Mom and Dad are having fun opening gifts!

My sweet pea

Dad is tired in the background, while Mom tries glasses on Tyler.

My favorite picture all day. My girl fighting for her ball back. Who is this kid anyway to take my girl's ball!?

This is what we got them. A Teeter Totter!  Tyler wasn't so sure about this because brother liked the middle seat and he knew that is not how you teeter totter!

Their Mom and Dad knew just what they wanted. New Trikes!

Just one of the two cakes that Grandma Ek made along with the cute cupcakes. So special.

Happy, happy boy on his new trike.

Bren and her Daddy playing catch with her new favorite ball.

This boy. Will.  So photogenic. So ornery. Love his smile.

March 1st

See? Here we are again, a short 28 days later. It is already March 1st!!

February flew by with Bren's BD, Valentine's day, basketball games and lots of travel for Mom.

March doesn't appear to slow down. We just transition from basketball to baseball. Beau has state assessment tests. There is spring break, March madness basketball, Daylight Savings, a weekend of out of town baseball, St. Patrick's day, our basketball party, and of course our twin nephew's birthday party tomorrow!

So before too much time gets away, we got to celebrate Beau's exemplary rating in his last year state assessment test in reading at his school on Thursday. Proud parents!

And from there ..... Here we go! Happy March!

Snow Daze....

So here we are.....Day 4 of no school.  Another official "snow day."

Last Wednesday both kids got let out of school early for snow. Mom was stuck in SW Oklahoma where ironically there was no snow.  I drove home Thursday to my hubby and kids who were on their first snow day, and when I reached Wichita, it was like driving into a snow globe. Craziness. SO.MUCH.SNOW.

But a Mom on a mission? Don't get in her way.  I got home. Of course I did.  Got home to fix my family a nice meal, make snow ice cream, and bask in the warmth of our home with my family.

Random picture, but I love it.  New canvas prints in our dining room.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

Friday turned into another snow day, but to the point weather wise Friday night where we could get out and grab food at the deli for dinner. Cabin fever? Check.

Bren giving her Dad some much needed chapstick

Saturday we went to Halsted, Kansas for our last MAYB basketball tourney of the season.  Boys played well, and on Sunday after two more games, they ended up taking second in their bracket.  Should have won. Oh well. I'm sure everyone says that.

Warming Up

Second place finish

Luckily I had managed to hit the grocery store before Sunday's basketball games, because the Blizzard of Oz was expected to hit Sunday night.  It didn't, but of course Sunday night they announced "no school" on the off chance it was going to hit.  Instead it snowed in the afternoon, and then really came down hard Monday night while we slept. So of course at 5:40AM this morning, both my phone and house phone went off with the messages of "No School" on Tuesday.

Playing Bakery to pass the time

If you all know me at all.....I am a creature of routine and schedule. I like it. Keeps the world going round.  While I've done just fine here at home with my sweet kids who literally entertain themselves, I'm ready to get back in the groove of things. I have a hard enough time in the summers with the freedom of no schedule, let alone when I can't get out of the house. And literally, we are stuck here because Brian drove my car to work (AWD), and I don't like driving his truck on a sunny day let alone on a snow day - not that I would go any where anyway, it's just that thing that sits in the back of your head.

I think she is tired of me snapping pic's at her

And for heaven sake, I work out of the home most days, although, this would have been the week where I wrapped up the long overnight travel - at least for the next few months. But alas, that too will get rescheduled.  But even when I work out of the home, I usually make a Diet Dr. Pepper run to Sonic just to see the sunshine.  (Sigh) But not yesterday or today - drinking soda out of a can. Hrrmmmpph.

So I'll get the crock pot fired back up, and we'll at least enjoy the sunshine streaming through the windows, glinting off the beautiful white snow.  It certainly has been a beautiful sight, and we definitely needed the glorious moisture this storm has brought.  AND, I've got to be with my kids, who make me laugh and pull my hair out - all at the same time.  Precious kids who really could not have been any better through all of this.

This is the day that the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Valentine's Day Love!

I am busy in February!  If I didn't love Valentine's Day so much, it would probably be easier for me, but I love doing things for the kids, and adding that little extra touch.

This year, I put a heart on their door every night between February 1st and 14th telling them different things that I love about them. They really seemed to enjoy and look forward to those notes. That made it all worth it.

They also both had to have Valentine's boxes for school, and of course, I don't buy store bought Valentine's for my kids to pass out. Sorry. Don't mean to be a snob, but those to me are just so thoughtless, and Valentines should have more meaning.

So here we go...... Valentine's Day creations and kids school parties!  Yeah!  Lovely, happy Day!~

Here is a video of my cutie pie and her class singing a Valentine's Day song.

Decorating her cookie

Party time with classmates

Sweet faces

Mom awarded herself  "Best Valentine's Day Box!"  ha ha

And here is Beau and his class....

His baseball, football Valentine box and his Blake Griffin jersey (a Valentine present from us)

Showing love with his friends

My babe and her box after she helped me make it.  We had Dad cut a whole in the front (later) for all her actual Valentine's cards.

This is what Brenley handed out. I didn't snap a pic of Beau's, but I made an M&M love note thing and we attached it to a bag of M&M's (not my idea, but at least the card wasn't store bought!).

Treats for Latchkey

Me and one of my Valentines

And now turning my attention toward Easter decorating! ha ha I made this the day after Valentine's Day!  It is never too early! :)

The actual BD has finally arrived!

If Bren is anything like her Mama (which signs are pointing to the fact that she is), then she will ALWAYS love and look forward to her birthday. For birthday #5, she certainly didn't disappoint. She was super excited.

Excited to share donuts with her friends at school for breakfast snack (pink with pink frosting and sprinkles). She was excited to eat cake balls for dessert after lunch (which she helped me make with MORE sprinkles).

She came home that evening after we finished dinner at her favorite deli, to ice cream cupcakes and more presents. I think my princess had a special day. I know we loved helping her celebrate!

This is my favorite picture of her.

The simple things in life - a new umbrella!

Pretty

Happy Birthday, Brenley May. Enjoy year 5!