My Real Family

There are certain things your parents do to you when you are children that are...well, cruel. (And, just so you know, I feel it is important to state I believe experiencing some sort of cruelty from your parents is a necessary evil; however, there is a line, and yes, my parents crossed it!)

So, you see, until I was 9 years-old, I truly did not believe my real dad was my real dad.

It is complicated, but the gist of the story is that my parents and their dear friends used to tell me when I would do something delightfully impressive (like sticking a sibling's head in an oven) of which they were super proud to go and tell my "real dad" what I had done. Likewise, when I wanted something extraordinarily spectacular (like a light blue silk princess gown), I handed the same line..."Go and tell your real dad!" So, confused, I would tell Mark...

With this utter confusion as to who was my real father, I decided I had a whole "other" family I needed to accept. So, in my young mind, Karen was my other mother, and Chris, Blake and Lauren were my other siblings.

And, in many respects, growing up, they were like our family, so it all seemed to "fit" in my little world.

That is until I was Mrs. Irwin's 4th grade class and I had a family tree project...I was a bright young girl, and I quickly figured out I had long been the butt of my parents' cruel joke. Further, I came to understand how families were really related...I was no longer confused. It was all very clear...and, I cursed them for their years of torment!

Yet, as the years have come and gone since the 4th grade, have decided to let go of the past and to not hold the ever so cruel things my parents did against them. More, I have decided to scrap the definitive definition of family I learned those many years ago!

You see, in the 4th grade, I was told that your family is related to you by blood...And while thus might be true in some respects, I am a bright enough old girl to know the "real" definition of family encompasses so much more.

To understand the real definition of what it means to be family, you must know that families share deep ties that only they understand. Real families understand when they need not to be understood. True families know the whole story and never pass judgment because they were a part of it. Families do not need to talk to know they are family. And, families love simply because they are family.

Thus, while Mark may not be my "real" dad, he is my real family...Cambrey and Blake...It stands to reason that you two would be the ones not here! :) That is why we love you!

All of us with our "others"...

Me and my "real" dad!

This IS funny!Me and ChrisKaren loving on Cinderella because she was so tired that she had fallen asleep standing up! HA!

Poor Uncle Justin! I bet he likes his nieces more than his crazy nephews!

Ballerina in front of Reed Arena...

This turned ugly...

G loved his uncles!

This is the funniest picture of the day...Why? Because K-Dan is the world's worst dancer! Poor Lauren!

To all my family, it was good to see you this weekend...and I look forward to next time!

Another Soccer Start

This weekend Cannon and Gunnar also kicked-off another soccer season!

Cannon and G supporting Gunnar

Ballerina with Papa Randy

Cannon after a big play

This is how the "men" watch 9-year-old soccer...I can tell they are really paying a lot of attention. I wonder what they are really talking about!

K-Dan and Ballerina

Gunnar on his way to make a play

Divided Loyalities

Since we made the decision last spring for Eric to return to coaching at the middle school level, I have known there would be one game that tear at his heartstrings...when the Rattlers came to town and took on his new alma matter!

He was insistent we get there early with the hopes of catching the teams warming up, and I will admit, had to be torn off the sidelines away from the team at halftime.
This was taken when he returned to his seat...Becky, Randy, G, Ballerina, and I watched patiently...

I was not convinced he was truly at ease with his decision until we were in the car on the way home and he commented, "You know, tonight was the first night that I went to a football game with Ballerina! I should have done this a long time ago..." So true...

A Soccer Redemption

After our parental snafu with baseball week before last, we were determined not to have a repeat with soccer! I do not think that I could bear the disappointment from a 3-year-old again!

Thus, it is with great excitement that we report that the first day of soccer for G went off without a hitch!

G and Daddy has a blast learning some of the fundamentals of soccer!








I was apprehensive about beginning our adventures in sports with G...We have known since he was just months old about his obsessions with balls and have appreciated his understanding of the games; however, we worried that his bossiness would outweigh his love. Yet, we could not have been more wrong! True, he is amazingly determined, but what impressed us the most about his participation in the soccer and baseball clinics is his patience and desire to learn! At home what Eric and I say goes on deaf ears; yet, any word Daddy spoke at soccer was golden.

We look forward next time!

Crazy Pillow Mess

I was attempting to return some phone calls this evening and was not really paying attention to what G and Ballerina were doing...One would think I would learn that it is not a good idea to try to do anything personal while they are awake; however, I just cannot seem to master this concept.

Nonetheless, when I clued in, I discovered the heap of pillows (every pillow from 4 different rooms of our house) and blankets (from the closet) all over the living room floor.

The two were quite proud of their mess and were having an absolute blast! And, I must admit, their smiles made me smile too... :)



I am off to clean the mountain...Of course they were no help doing that!

Our Routines

Each Sunday night we prepare for the week and gear up for all of our routines. Now that Eric and I are back in the same district, we are afforded the opportunity to ride together again. We always did this back in the day, and we have truly missed the time that we used to have together!

However, to be able to have this time, we are all up before dawn...because Eric's football practice is at 6 in the morning!

This means that we are up and at it by 4:45...have the car loaded with breakfast, school clothes, lunches, computers, backpacks, and sleeping KIDS by 5:30...and we are at his school no later than 6.

Soon after we get there, the lights turn on...While the kids are still sleeping, I eat my breakfast, put my makeup on, etc. However, in the process inevitably they wake up! I toss them their breakfast in a bag...We then get dressed in the back of the car...G insists on participating in football practice with Daddy, and each day he puts on his cleats and runs down the path to join the team. Ballerina and I join them too...She always has her purse...By this time the sun is usually coming up...While the sun comes up, we watch practice...Some of the boys get in trouble and end up in bridges... :)And then by 6:45, we are back in the car heading to their daycare and to my school. No later than 7:30 each of us are in our respective places for the day!

Some have said we are foolish for adhering to this routine, and perhaps we are in some ways; however, truth be known, we like it! Without it, we would have at least 1 less hour together a day, and I do not think I would trade that hour for anything!

I am off...time to prepare for the week...

Parents of the Year

This past week G had his first day of baseball!

He has been looking forward to this for MONTHS...NO LIE! Thus, the story that follows is more difficult for me to tell than words could express...

You see, Eric and I are baseball parents of the year! Each Sunday we layout the week and coordinate our plans. So, two Sundays ago we did such, and both of us agreed (after reading a letter and attending a meeting) that G's first day of baseball was on Wednesday evening. It is complicated, but when we showed to the fields on Wednesday, there was NO BASEBALL! Yep, none!

After making a few quick phone calls and digging out a letter we discovered that we had, in fact, missed G's first ever day of baseball...it had been held that previous Monday! :(

So, please call us parents of the year.

Guilt overwhelmed us, and like all other parents stricken with overwhelming guilt, we tell our three-year-old son sobbing in the backseat that just learned that his parents are idiots and missed his first day ever of baseball that he may choose to eat whatever he would like for dinner.

30 minutes later we were at McDonalds.

Yes, we ARE parents of the year...guilty parents of the year.

We finish our food at McDonalds and G and Ballerina take off on the playland. Now, I would like to get on my podium...I have a pet-peeve with parents to do not make their children adhere with to the established rules. For example, at the McDonalds playland it says that it is for children 6 and under, and the one side of the playland is specifically reserved for children 3 and under.

It was on the 3-and-under side of the playland that G and Ballerina were playing. Yet, 5 children all OVER the age of 7 or 8 were playing chase giving little to no attention to the smaller children on the play-set.

I had a bad feeling, but before I could act on my feeling the 5 older children had trampled over G and Ballerina causing Ballerina's head to be slammed into the side of a slide, her hair-bows ripped out of her hair, and her head to be stepped on several times. Screaming she tries to stand up only to be KICKED by one of the kids climbing up the wrong way on the slide. G was also kicked down and screaming at the top of his lungs, "Quit hurting my sister...You are hurting my sister!"

The older children who had run all over them NEVER STOPPED!

I was IRATE! I immediately snatched up Ballerina and G, walked over to the parents and said, "I would appreciate it next time if you and your children would adhere to the rules and have a little courtesy to at least apologize when they all but run over mine...it is just plain rude!"

We then ushered my screaming, crying kids out of McDonalds.

Yes, we are parents of the year!

So, this Monday became G's first day of baseball, and I will say that he had a wonderful time, and Eric and I were both impressed with his skills! Yea G! One of the great things about his little baseball is that the parents are asked to be involved! Eric had to leave a few minutes early to make it to a bus driver's training, but said as he left, "Man, I am having so much fun...Ireally do not want to go!"

Ballerina also had a good time exploring the playland at the park! And, this one did not have any mean older kids to tamper with her fun!


Soccer starts next week!