The Beast is Back

Remember last year when I was here?

Ulcerative colitis landed me a week long stay in the hospital.

This year...

IT'S BACK!!

Damn it!!

I am determined to keep myself OUT of the hospital.

Today I started the 7 week course of truck loads of steroids.

Ya know I want to live when I'm begging my Doctor for steroids!

Don't want to be sick, don't want to be sick.

Another One For My Girl

Opened the paper today and saw this...

Totally forgot to mention that not ONLY did Ari get the coaches award but she was also picked

for the "all county" team. This team is comprised of 16 girls from the entire county and FOUR of them were from our team. That's HUGE!!

Ari's team was also given the "all county" award for "sportsmanship".

We are raising some pretty damn good kids down here  in the Deep South.

Yep that's me bragging on my girl.

Sorry... can't help it.

My Girl

My girl finished her volleyball season a month ago. We just had their end of season banquet. The banquet is a nice way to finish off the season and give out some accolades and awards to some of the players.

We had a nice "Southern style" dinner followed by an awesome slide show put together by tours truly, another VB mom and one of our videographer dads.

After the show the coaches got up and said a little something about each girl and then gave her a certificate and her Varsity letter and gold bar. I wish my girl wanted a Letterman's jacket. When I was in high school all the athletes wore their Letterman's jackets adorned with all of their accomplishments.

The coaches said a little something nice and sweet about each Varsity player and then gave out several awards for stats. Ari didn't top the list of highest stats but she had a great season and played better than she ever has.

The final awards were the "Coaches Awards". The coach started out by saying the the two players who were receiving these awards were the 2 players that have a stellar work ethic, always show up with a "can do" attitude and have the MOST positive attitude. They have leadership skills that motivate the team and have NEVER EVER complained. She went on to say that these awards were the most important awards in her mind because they were given out to a person of good character and work ethic. The whole time the coach was talking about these two girls I was thinking... " God I wish she was talking about Ari." I just wanted someone to speak about my child the way she went on to talk about the recipients of this award.

It turns out she was...

My beautiful baby girl was one of the recipients of this award. I burst into tears. I was so proud. I only wished I had video taped the coaches speech about these two girls because you would cry too.

I don't want to make it about me or Ted but It's so gratifying for someone to acknowledge that the way you parent your kids is actually WORKING!!

I have never been so proud of my girl.

Little miss thing can't get close enough to her big sis.

Couldn't keep her away for the awards table either.

Ari's broken thumb is healing up nicely.

Ashlyn was the other recipient of the Coaches award.

Yep... that's my girl.

the two bronze plates on the table are the coach's awards. They are very cool.

Congrats Arianna on your "Coaches Award" !!

We love you and are so incredibly proud!

When In Rome...

Ted and Alex went up to Steve and Erin's Hunt camp a couple of weeks ago. They were getting all set up for the opening of gun season. It's very exciting around here this time of year. Everywhere you go you see some guy all dressed up in his camo hunting clothes. They're like little kids... except they're not.

Guess who got to fire his first gun?? Yep that's my beautiful bouncing baby boy... with a 22 in his hand.

NEVER thought I'd see the day.

Check out his boots. Those are mine. I have had them for over 20 years and I wear them every time we go camping. I think he loved wearing them...

Not a bad shot for a rookie.

Yep... still more

Didn't notice them the first day we were in Aruba but the next day they were everywhere.

 Every shade of green and teal. Yes teal lizards.

We went snorkeling around a sunken WWII ship. That's Ted down there diving down like 30 feet. He's been doing this since our honeymoon. I think he's crazy. I asked him NOT to go into the ship and get himself lost. 

I stayed near the water surface where all the pretty little fish were.

Tried to take a picture of myself. Ted LOVED this photo. I think he made it his screen saver. Can't even see my face. Not sure he cares.

I love the color of the water. YUM

Yep yum

The last night was dinner at a night club that was rented out just for our group. We started with cocktails and orderves on the beach at sunset.

It was a magical evening that finished with a fabulous dinner inside and a great Carnivale show.

 We had a little peeping tom while we enjoyed our last meal on Aruba. He was really cute.

 We spent lots of time laying on  loungs , reading and looking at the ocean.

My self portraits are getting a little better.

me amusing myself while My super sexy husband checks us out.

Thanks Honey for the MOST wonderful time!!

I love you.

OK a Few More

Awoke in Aruba the first morning and looked out our door to this...

In my dreams, this is what my happy place looks like.

The downtown shopping district is quite colorful. We only bought souvenirs for the kids and then raced back to our paradise.

 Ted's company hosted a great evening on the beach. Beautifully set tables set on the beach for a sunset dinner.

More Aruba Pictures

While traveling to Aruba, I was amused by the fact that Ted was so worried about the dogs. My mother flew out to take care of the little punks and the dogs. I of course knew that all were in good hands and that they would be well fed and well taken care of while we were gone.

Ted was more worried about my Mom letting the dogs do naughty things. I knew that the worst that would happen was that Gramma Kitty would do things like let them drink out of the bathtub faucet ( the dogs not the kids) or let them sleep on the sofa. 

The lobby of our hotel was all open to the outside. The iron work on the wall in the background had  small mother of pearl tiles behind it.

the view from the lobby was amazing. lots of lush greenery and then that turquoise blue water!

Our hotel room before we trashed it up with our luggage.

The sunset view out of our room.

we took a little short walk on the beach the first evening before dinner.

Had the BEST time with my super sexy husband.

Had dinner on the beach under one of these huts next to the ocean. The food was fabulous and it was amazing being able to kick our shoes off while enjoying our wonderful meal.

Dinner on the sand.

That's what the tables look like for dinner on the beach.

Best seafood ever!!!