payton and the wii

the past couple of days payton has been playing the wii, and since i've been confined to the couch recovering i've really watched him.  he has been cracking me up.  it's come battling game on wii sports.  he gets in his sumo wrestler stance, feet apart, knees bent, squatting down.  then he takes the wii remote and swings it like it's a sword.  swinging it wildly around like a crazy person.  that is funny enough as it is, but the things he says are even better.

i'm going to defeat you.  (remember he's 5)

take that!

i don't care if i die, i care if i beat him.

then after he had played for a while and his face was red from the workout, he comes up to me and says, "my hair is wet.  it's like i took a bath with all my clothes on."  and he had worked out.  maybe i should play that game.

tara

 

 

thankful: day 30

i am thankful that i did the 30 days of thanksgiving.  all though i was not good about getting things posted on their day i did spend several times thinking about what i was thankful for.  it was a good exercise for me.  i have many blessings and like so many others i get caught up in the "wish i had's" or the "everyone else gets to's".  it was a valuable lesson for me to learn.  to take time each day and think about what i was blessed with that day. the first days were gimme days: God, lee, the boys, friends..., but as the first week passed i thought maybe i can't do this.  it was a struggle for me to think about something on some of those days.  but, then one day came and i could come up with 2 things.  it's like when you make a list of all the negative things about yourself, the list is a mile long.  then, when asked to make a list of all the positive things it takes you longer to get going.  but really once you get going you start to see the positive about yourself.  this exercise was that same thing.  i got to the point where i would think about things i was thankful for several times throughout the day.  now, if i could just do this same exercise with other areas of my life.

tara

thankful: day 29

i am thankful that lee and i are on the same page parenting-wise.  for all the big things we agree on how we want them done.  we don't fight about which way to do things when it comes to our kids and how we want to raise them.  it's funny how this has worked because we come from different places.  some of the core is the same but for the most part our lives have been very different.  it makes things run so smoothly when we both agree and i am thankful for our similar parenting styles.

tara

thankful: day 28

i am thankful for my cub scout den.  i have 19 second graders.  and while at times it seems like there are 119 second graders, i wouldn't trade them for anything.  they WANT to please me.  some days i have to remind them of that and some times it seems like i have to do it every 5 minutes, but they refocus and we get to work.  they work hard and are always eager to answer questions.  they want to do the fun stuff, so they will do the not so fun stuff.  this is my second year with them and i am thankful that all 12 from last year came back and my 7 new guys seem just as eager to come each week.  i am thankful for their parents and that they bring them to me each week.  it takes a community to raise a child and i am thankful that so many parents have entrusted me to be part of their community.

tara

thankful: day 27

i am thankful for my faith.  there are some things that have happened in my life and i could not get through them without my faith.  i lean on God for the strength that i don't have.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” – Phil 4:13

my faith has kept me moving, not always forward, but at least i was moving.  i read this once: i can't prove God exists, but you can't prove He doesn't.  i am glad i believe in Him.  i would hate to go through life and this be all there is.  all the people you meet you will never see again.  i am grateful He has given me peace knowing some of my biggest losses are not permanent.  i believe in God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and i lean on all 3.

tara

thankful: day 26

i am thankful for a family day.  we spent the day in amarillo.  we started at the movies and saw arthur christmas, which the boys and i loved.  after that the boys wanted to go to barnes and noble.  payton had earned five bucks and chose to get a book from barnes and noble.  i am also thankful that my boys like to spend their own money on books.  after barnes and noble we stopped at game stop to check things out for christmas lists.  with our final stop at chili's for a wonderful dinner.  i am thankful we enjoy spending time together.

tara

thankful: day 25

i am thankful for breakfast in bed.  lee cooked breakfast, so when i went into the kitchen payton looked at me and told me to go back to bed.  lee told me no.  payton said it again and wanted me to go back to bed.  lee finally gave in so off to bed i went.  payton came into the room and told me i had to go back to sleep so when he brought me my breakfast he would find a place to set it down and turn on the light.  then he would set it in front of me after he woke me up.  i am thankful that payton has such a wonderful imagination and that he has the whole scenario in his head a tries so hard to have it play out that way.

tara

thankful: day 24

i am thankful for a day full of blessings.  a loving Father, my freedom, spending time with lee's side of the family, great food, my husband, my children, watching my boys spend time with their cousins, having their cousins spend the night reminding me of the many times i did that as a child.  the list could go on because i am one blessed girl.  happy thanksgiving everyone!

tara

thankful: day 23

i am thankful that the boys let me sleep in..... kinda.  it was nice to not have to be any where at any specific time.

tara

thankful: day 22

today i am thankful for all the tubs of clothes i have for the boys.  right now i have a tub of clothes in all sizes 6 months to size 8-10.  well for boys anyway.  there is not telling how much money we have saved by keeping our tubs.  i have clothes that baylee wore when he was an infant and those same clothes kayson is wearing.  having a larger family means you make sacrifices.  i wear clothes that i have had well over 5 years and the boys wear hand me downs.  no one is any worse off for it.  and the funny thing is when you have 4 boys everyone must feel sorry for the baby because you get one of two gifts: diapers or clothes.  so kayson has had his fair share of new clothes.  the only downside to my tubs is making sure there is something different worn for pictures.  that way it doesn't seem like you dress your kids in the same things.

oh, and i'm also thankful that i am getting rid of my tubs.  as soon as kayson outgrows them they are out of here.

tara

thankful: day 21

today i am thankful for 2 things.

first, i am thankful that even though the volume on my phone was turned all the way down i still heard it vibrating on the table.  how i don't know because i sleep through everything!  and it was only going off for a minute before i woke up.  it's a thanksgiving miracle.  lee had to go to san antonio today and left around 4 this morning so i had to get up and get the boys to school, but usually i have lee moving around in the room as my warning that it's time to get up.  so i am thankful that i heard that phone.

secondly, i am thankful for the muirs that live down the street.  scouts is on mondays and with lee being gone i needed someone to watch kayson.  i asked katie after school and she said she'd love to.  when i dropped him off i surprised them with payton as well.  katie wasn't there but the doug and casey were.  they were just as excited to keep him as katie was.  katie kept him several times during the summer when i took the other boys to the pool.  doug has kept him once.  and they all seem to come around when kayson is there.  it is such a wonderful thing to be able to leave him somewhere and know that he is as loved there as he is at home.  kayson is so blessed to have them in his short life.  i am blessed they are around and want to keep my baby.  i am glad they are part of the village raising my boys.

tara

thankful: day 20

i am thankful that will all the changes to the mass, my kiddos are young.  in fact, baylee really is the only one that has learned the existing mass to any extent.  so i am grateful that i only have to change one of them, the rest will have to learn it as we all do.  some of these changes are good and do make sense, others seem unnecessary.  i'm sure they are changes for the better, but their purpose isn't crystal clear.  but, change is good and being able to adapt to new situations is a wonderful characteristic to have.

tara

thankful: day 19

i am thankful for the organizations the boys are involved in.  baylee is in 4h and cub scouts, and tayte is in cub scouts.  both organizations help teach the boys the value of being a positive part of society.  i believe it takes a village to raise a child and i want to make sure that the village my boys are part of contains a range of positive influences.  i want them to see there is more to life than sports.  i was an athlete in school so i'm not bashing sports.  sports are part of the extra things the boys do, i just want the to be well rounded and have lots of pieces to the puzzle that makes them, them.  as an adult leader in scouts i now get to see it from a different perspective.  i am seeing how the different things we do come together to show these boys to honor and respect God, their country, and themselves.

tara

thankful: day 18

i am thankful that my children are not picky eaters.  they will try almost anything i put in front of them.  they rarely complain about what is cooked.  plus they are really healthy eaters.  they don't really care for a lot of fried greasy food.  i am thankful that they will eat fruits and vegetables, and lately they don't have to be covered with ranch.

tara

thankful: day 17

i am thankful for the great insurance we have had.  i never really realized how great our insurance was until we had to look at the options for next year.  there are major changes to the insurance lee has had at the bank for the last 11 years.  our premiums are maybe high, i think, but i don't really have much to compare it too.  we pay about $400 a month but that's for a family of 6 so to me it's not too bad.  it starts day one paying 80% on all claims, 100% on preventative care visits.  and after reaching a $5,000 deductible for the family (i'm not sure what the individual deductible is) it's covered 100%.  well...i have had a baby by c-section: which leads to a higher service and longer hospital stay.  tayte has had an overnight stay in the pedi-icu, 2 mris, 2 eegs, 1 cat scan, 1 mra, 1 emergency room visit, and 1 ambulance ride.  plus we put tayte in speech and occupational therapy this summer.  and we have YET to meet our deductible.  and now i have to have an umbilical hernia repaired and probably still will not meet the deductible.  so next year someone please remind me that i need to be thankful for any insurance that we have because not everyone has it.

tara

thankful: day 16

i am thankful that we decided to pray each night as a family.  i say each night, but it really ends up being most nights.  we try hard to do it every night, but sometimes life gets in the way.  i know it shouldn't but, that's a whole other subject.  so i am thankful we pray as a family.  it has taken a while to get the boys to open up and pray, but now that they do they ask God for some of the sweetest, most amazing things.

 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." matthew 7:7

the door has been opened for me and these prayers give me an insight into their thinking that few things do.  to listen to them all thank God for their brothers, to ask Him to protect their brothers, shows the love they have for them.  if it wasn't for those nightly prayers i wouldn't get to hear those things.  and even though they are great kids, they don't always show just how much they love each other. God is doing wonderful things through them and i get to watch.

tara

thankful: day 15

i am thankful for the home we have.  even when we bought it, it wasn't the house i wanted.  but, it was the first house that lee wanted and i could live with.  we have been here for almost 10 years and we have made it a home.  it isn't huge and the boys share rooms, in fact until just recently all the boys shared one room.  it keeps us warm in the winter, cool in the summer and full of love.  we have a table full of food every night.  we have many things we are blessed with and much to be thankful for.  i am thankful we have made this house a home.

tara

thankful: day 14

i am thankful for the bible study group i'm in and for the renew group that just ended.  i have been wanting to grow in my religious knowledge and these two groups have been a great way to do that.  i have learned so much from both of these groups and am grateful.  many times people ask me questions, especially my own children.  it seems that for some of them if i knew the answer i have forgotten it.  and, i guess because of my age i want to be able to answer them and know that i can't use the excuse that i didn't ever learn it for long.  i have to take my education into my own hands.  and with these two groups i am doing just that.

tara

thankful: day 13

i am thankful for dr. pepper and the individual who invented it.  i have one almost daily and need it some days to get my day going.

tara

thankful: day 12

i'm thankful that my children truly love each other.  i see other kids around their siblings and the way they fight or talk to each other.  it really makes me sad.  my boys do fuss with each other and have had their fair share of fights, but not like some of these kids.  i am so blessed to have boys that love each other and don't mind hugging and kissing each other in front of other people.  of all the things this is my proudest parenting achievement.

tara

thankful: day 11

i am thankful today and everyday for our veterans.  i will never comprehend their selflessness.  i understand the desire to do anything to keep my loved ones safe, but i don't have that same feeling for complete strangers.  to choose to be in harm's way so someone i don't know can go about their life and make any choice they wish is beyond my understanding.  and for many of those people to only think about soldiers one day a year.  veterans are AMAZING people.  and for their sacrifices i am thankful.

i am also thankful for their families.  they sacrifice so much too.  to send a loved one away into harm's way and to then have to worry about them because they won't hear from them for periods of time.

i am also thankful that the boys go to school where they do.  every year there is a program that honors our local veterans.  kindergarten through fifth grade sing several songs.  all of which are so danged good.  junior high kids do a flag show and the high school band plays a couple songs.  i love the song the band plays which is a medley of all branches songs.  then when a veteran's song plays they stand and get an applause.  names of all the veterans from the county that were killed in combat are called out.  and all veterans who are present have their names called and the branch they served.  i tear up at that part every time.  i am glad this is done because it instills a sense of pride and teaches kids how to show honor to these individuals.  i had a few friends who grew up here mention that they have the respect for veterans that they do because of the school doing this.

it seems so inadequate, but THANK YOU VETERANS!
tara

thankful: day 10

it seems i have issues and can't seem to get all of my days posted on the day.  oh well, better late than never, right?

i am thankful for the opportunity to pay it forward.  every time i had a baby i would always have several people bring dinner over for my family.  it was such a Godsend for someone to take time out of their busy life to bless me and my family.  i would appreciate a warm home cooked meal that i didn't have to prepare so much.  there recently has been a family that i have been able to use to pay it forward.  i am glad that we are able to bless this family like we have been so many times.  i ran into one of the girls and she told me how much she loved the food, which just made my day.  i think it was so good because while i was making it i was praying for healing for this mother and comfort for the family.  so it was not only made with love, but prayer.

tara

thankful: day 9

i am thankful for my life and my birthday.  i have had so many people wish me well wishes today that i am truly overwhelmed.  my day has been perfect!  nothing extravagant, but absolutely perfect.  to start the day i had my 4 favorite boys wake me up and be the first ones to wish me happy birthday.  i love when they are the first ones.  i got a homemade card shaped like a heart, the rest of the paper that the heart was cut out of, and a store bought card wishing me a happy 7th birthday with 2 of tayte's friends' names in it.  "because payton wanted to give you that one."  so i am 7 with 4 boys, one of which is 10.  don't do the math on that one, it's kind of embarrassing.  then after kayson decided he was not going to go back to sleep and was fussy, i got up to start the day.  the next time someone sends my infant a memo about not being fussy and sleeping in on mommy's birthday please read it to him!  i went to amarillo for my bible study which was a great way to get my day in gear, starting with learning more about God's plan for people!  had lunch with lee and some good conversation.  came home tried to sneak in a nap, but kayson foiled that plan too.  got all my kids and the extras i pick up where they needed to be.  went back to amarillo for guitar and gymnastics.  got whataburger for dinner-my favorite fast food joint.  then it was hot tub time with some girl friends.  so i didn't get my 5 minutes of alone time, but i did get 3 hours of girl time which is so much better.  read over 100 messages on facebook throughout the day.  and the last few i got had some typos, so it makes me wonder if they were having hot tub time of their own.  :p  34 is starting out pretty dang good.

tara

p.s.  for a few years i had the before my birthday curse.  during those years something bad always happened sometime during the week before my birthday.  for the last 2 years it hasn't happened so i think the curse has ended.  and for that i am eternally grateful!

thankful: day 8

i am thankful for the small town we live in.  small towns are the best for raising kids.  there are more freedoms.  there is less violence.  small town values are the best too.  for the most part everyone has similar ideas on how things should work.  you know almost everyone or at least recognize them and if you don't know them someone within earshot does. i firmly believe it takes a community to raise a child.  i am glad we have chosen this community.  lee and i do a lot with the kids of this community and i am glad that people show that we are appreciated.

small towns are great when things are going well, but they are also amazing when you are in a dark place.  four years ago when i lost my dad i couldn't go anywhere without someone letting me know they were thinking about me and praying for peace and comfort.

in many, many, many years when lee and i are home alone without any kids i hope we still think small towns are the best.

tara

thankful: day 7

even though i didn't post this yesterday i thought about them all day.  i knew what i was thankful for just didn't have or take the time to post it.  i am thankful for my friends.  i have been blessed with many friends.  some friends are closer than others.  i have several groups that fill different needs for me.  and all of them are special to me.  i need to talk: shocking i know.  God has blessed me with friends who will lend an ear.  some even come to me for advice, crazy but true!  without these relationships i would suffer greatly.  over the last few years i have needed these friends and without always being a great friend in return they were there for me no questions asked.  i thank them for that.  my best friend, sheryl, lets me say whatever i need to say and never thinks poorly of me.  we don't get to see each other as much as we did but we always pick up right where we left off.  i am most grateful for her.

tara

thankful: day 6

i am thankful for my church.  i have been to many churches in my life, but only one other comes close to having the same tight knit feeling i get from this one.  maybe it's because so many of them are related....or, maybe it's because so many of them have a strong faith....whatever the reason i am blessed to be a part of this parish.  today we had a potluck lunch.  an elderly lady asked if she could sit at the table lee, some of the boys and i were sitting at.  she said it had been a long time since she had sat with so many "young uns."  i am glad she sat with us.  i know her from seeing her at church, but we haven't ever really talked.  just some polite small talk.  she mentioned that she knew lee's granddad howard, so she knew lee from that.  but....the best thing was she knew MY grandmother.  louise elliott.  she started telling me about my grandma when she was younger.

...she was a beautiful woman.  she had dark hair and wore it wavy.  she was a beautiful dancer, she was so talented.  she was so thin...well she gained weight but not until she was much older.  and she was popular.

i am so blessed to hear that.  i am thankful to have heard this bit about my grandma...all because of the awesome church i go to.  i have been blessed because of how this church has helped me grow in my faith.  i am  thankful for being led to this church, because it made lee feel at home too.

tara

thankful: day 5

i am thankful for my family, especially those i spent the evening with.  even though i don't have a relationship with some i am still thankful.  because if not for them and the experiences i have had i would not be who i am today.

tara

thankful: day 4

i am thankful that my boys go to a school that they love.  we never have the fight over going to school...how many days left...do i have too?  i think the things they love the most are the teachers.  they hug their teachers past and present.  the teachers know them by name.  and the best part for me is that when we say our nightly prayers one of the boys thanks God for his teachers and school almost every night.  someone is doing something right for him to be grateful for them.  the teachers go out of their way to tell me things the boys have done, or how great they are.  for my boys to be a part of a school where they are loved is a wonderful thing...maybe that's why i haven't ever cried when i sent one of them to school.  i know they will be in great hands until i pick them up.  except that one time tayte's teacher lost him....

tara

thankful: day 3

i am thankful for my boys... all five of them. the one thing i am most proud of is being a mother. in my opinion it is the one thing i have always done well. like anyone i have my moments that aren't stellar, but i come back better than before. it is one of the few things i will never quit being and i am grateful for that.

baylee: he makes me a smarter person. he has always questioned EVERYTHING. i have googled more things for him, things i have forgotten or things i never knew. he has a kind heart and tries to keep the peace. that's why so many people like him. he has taught me to have a kinder heart, and for that i am blessed.

tayte: he has the sweetest heart. i love that every teacher he has ever had he still goes out of his way to hug them. he is a head first hugger, from that you know that he wants to hug you. he has taught me unconditional love in a way no one else has. he is a thinker too, you can see in his face and the comments he makes that he thinks about things. but, most of all his sense of humor and laugh is contagious. he tells a joke and laughs before he gets the punchline out.

payton: he is strong. he sees the way things should be and he sticks with the path he thinks will lead him to his goal. he is also extremely sweet. he loves his brothers and doesn't bat an eye at showing them. he as taught me there is a balance between stubbornness and gentleness.

trayce: he is in heaven waiting for me. even though he was only in my life for a short period of time the lesson he taught me is one that i needed to learn the most. and because of him i am a stronger more empathetic person.

kayson: when we were looking for names i kept coming back to this one. and when i realized what it means i knew that was going to be the name we would use boy or girl. kayson means "healer". and in his short life he has healed me. he has made me as whole as i can possibly be. for being so small he has done such a huge job. he has taught me to slow down and to cherish the time we have together.

i am grateful to be called mom to these boys. even though they are so young they have taught me so much. and as the parent i thought i was supposed to be the teacher. funny how this whole thing works.

tara

thankful: day 2

i am thankful for lee. he is an amazing man. i am so blessed to be able to call him my best friend, my husband, and the father of my children. he works hard so i can stay home and raise the boys. he provides for all our needs. he is a wonderful role model for our boys, showing them how a man should treat his wife and raise children. the quote "my father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it."[Clarence Budington Kelland] is lee. he lives and shows these boys how to live. he is an involved dad: he coaches the boys in almost all sports, he helps with cub scouts, and in fact as i type this he is in the living room playing catch with payton and tayte. we are all better for having him in our lives. i thank God daily for giving me lee.

tara

thankful: day 1

last year i saw this and it was well into november when i finally did see it, so i said i would play along next year. well, it's next year....

i am thankful for a loving God. a God who believes in me even when i don't. a God who is my father and loves me unconditionally. He loves me so much He asked His only son to suffer for my sins. And Jesus did just that. suffered a horrendous death so that i have the chance to spend eternity with them. and the Holy Spirit to help guide me in my daily life and choices. i am blessed by Him beyond measure and for that i am grateful.

tara

payton's pre-k program

the pre-k did a pre-game signing program at the coaches vs. cancer game the other night. hence all the kids in pink. and they were stinking cute.

they did the cha cha slide (i think that's the name of the song).

clapping

hop one time

stomp one time

now cha cha

and then they sang a train song.

chugging away.

toot toot

and for their final song they did a song all about wiggles

wiggle my hands.

wiggle my hips.


wiggle my feet.

payton knew every word, every action, and he loved singing them all. we were way up in the stands and could hear him screaming the words. i am so glad we got this one on video too. yes, lee and i are "those" parents. both of us have a camera strapped to our faces. we went a long time without videoing anything and now i regret it. so we are trying to be better.

tara

tayte's first grade basketball program

so last friday we weren't just in the middle of a stock show, we had tayte's basketball program. during halftime of the varsity girl's game the first graders walk out dribbling onto the court and perform a variety of basketball skills.

throw the ball up, clap and catch it. dribble right handed. dribble left handed. dribble while getting down on one knee. rotate the ball around your head.

sit down and dribble on one side then switch to the other side. oh, and did i mention that they are all sychronized? dribble while getting down on their tummies

so they can end the show like this.

pretty impressive if you ask me. i knew girls on my varsity basketball team that couldn't do some of those things.

tara

our first stock show

baylee has been raising a pig for his first stock show. he decided he wanted a duroc, how he knew the different kinds was beyond me. but, he knew what he wanted and that is what we got. luckily for us since we were new to this whole ordeal, a guy lee works with LOVES this kinda stuff. so, tyler was on the look out for a duroc. at the end of october we became the proud owners of a pig.

a pig named doug. doug's mom weighed about 1,000 pounds. so when we got this cute little 50 pound (i think that was about his original weight) pig, i made sure that all 3 of the boys got in the pen with him so he could get used to them. there is not telling how big he could get. so the boys played with him everyday when we'd go check on him.

and doug ate a lot. and he got big. and on january 23rd baylee showed doug in their first (and for doug his last) stock show.

i never in my wildest dreams would have guessed how much work goes into showing a pig. payton and tayte had a good ol' time hanging out at the ag barn.

payton was so excited because his best friend "coltkeys" had a sister showing pigs too, so they ran all over the place in hog heaven.

tayte turned into a monkey and every time i looked at him he was climbing on the bars, just swinging away.

so, we (and by we i mean lee) moved doug from the pens to the ag barn on thursday afternoon. thursday evening we (this we is baylee and lee) had to wash doug. baylee washed his sides and that was about it. which makes me wonder how well he is bathing himself? anyway, he wouldn't really scrub anywhere else all that great, so lee grabbed the brush and got the rest of doug presentable. now, we wait so doug can be weighed.

getting 113 pigs weighed was interesting to watch. people standing arounding, people opening/closing pens for the coming and going of the pigs, others driving pigs, and pigs driving people. controlled chaos. doug weighed in at 218 pounds. and ended up in the lightweight class. he was 5 pounds shy of the heavy weights. so both classes were really close. after that it was just a waiting game.

friday they showed all other animals, so it was just a matter of making sure doug ate and had water. and then that evening they clipped him. i guess it never dawned on me that you should give a pig a haircut (there isn't a book about that, lol), but you do. and that was an experience. some people just cut their pigs hair in the pen they are in. tyler suggested we don't do that because it can poke him when he lays down and irritate his skin. we don't want to have a pig with irritated skin now do we. so we (and by we i mean lee and tyler) took doug to the cage set up for clipping. and snouted him. since, i didn't know what this meant i'm sure someone reading this won't know either. you take a rope and wrap it around the upper part of his snout, and pull real snug. then you take the other end and tie it to the end of the cage. and pigs don't really like this. so doug squealled. a lot. and finally after he calmed down some tyler cut his hair. baylee did about 2 swipes and wasn't so good at it and tyler took over again.

so, saturday morning baylee showed his pig. he walked around keeping doug moving. he did a great job. and if you were like me and have never been to a stock show you really have to pay attention to the judge because he is sneaky. he walks up to a kid and puts the number of fingers out that tells what place they got. and i'm not sure if he gets low because it's a bunch of kids but, it's almost like he is trying to hide his hands. anyway, baylee got first in his class. he was so glad. that meant he got to show again after the second class of durocs.
since he got first they put you in a holding pen like this waiting to show again. and this thing is big enough for one pig and one kid. nothing more, nothing less. and while we waited one of the pigs tried to climb out of there. i never knew pigs could climb, but they can.

baylee showed for best of breed and WON. he was grinning from ear to ear. and someone told me that the 1st place from the light weight class rarely beats the 1st place from the heavy weight class. but, really it was just 5 pounds difference between classes.

and baylee's first showing was in class 5. there were 20 classes. so now it was a waiting game again.

baylee got to show again for grand champion. well, i heard a hundred times that durocs never win grand champion, so i wasn't holding my breathe. and the judge never really even looked at doug during this round. as soon as baylee and doug got in the showing area, doug and another pig to into it. so the guys with the big red boards separated them. and it was downhill from there for baylee and doug. doug kept trying to get out of there, i don't blame him he was attacked by another pig. at least that's my version. so the guys with the red boards kept hitting him with their board and pissing him off. and poor baylee couldn't get enough strength to push him away and get him walking.

and with all those pigs it was mass chaos. everyone of them trying to get their pig over in front of the judge. looking pleadingly at him.

but, for his first show baylee did a fabulous job. and he even wants to show again next year.

i now i have 3 boys who are way to attached to this pig. friday night they all 3 were in their beds crying because they didn't want to "lose" doug. crap.

tara

family prayer time

we started praying before bed at night together as a family. i'd like to say we do it every night but, reality sets in. we are really pretty good about doing it about 5 times a week. we started a year or two ago and i am so thankful that we did. first of all the boys have learned most of the regular prayers they should know. but, to watch them grow in their praying has been the biggest blessing. when we started we would have to force tayte to pray for at least 2 things. and then we would have to force him to pray for 2 different things because he would find 2 things and stick with them for as long as possible. now he changes things up every couple of nights or so. baylee has really learned to pray for people even if he doesn't know their name. i like that he will pray for people he will never meet. i hope someone out there is praying for him too. and i'll have to admit lee and i have gotten better at praying for different things. you know the saying practice makes perfect. but, the real reason for this post is so that i can remember payton's favorite prayer for the time being:

glory be to the father, and to the son, and to the holy spirit, holy mary
mother of God world without death amen.

it cracks me up every time he says it. no matter how many times lee and i correct him this is how he says the glory be. oh well, maybe later.

tara

baylee's basketball game

today baylee had a basketball game. and this isn't an ordinary game. we were playing white deer. we had played this team earlier in the season (and by season i mean 6 weeks total) and they creamed us. we lost by 40 points. well, lee is the coach and he can be competitive. he is a really good coach and believes that all players should play and really tries hard to play all the boys equally. he doesn't find the star kid and work with them and let the others just kinda muddle through. if i have to be a coach's wife this is the kind of coach i want to be married too. at this age that is what it is about, building the kid's confidence and teaching them skills.

win some, lose some.

teach it all to the kids.

don't be out for blood.

i admire lee for this, and you can tell the kids do too. but, back to today's game. the coach for this team is the exact opposite of lee. when they were beating us he was still pushing his kids to go harder, not to slow the pace. you know like a coach with class would do. this team had beat every one of the panhandle teams. and the coach was a jerk each time. in fact, several of the other coaches gave him some version of this comment, "really coach, you're beating us by...." out for blood. don't get me wrong, i think you should push the kids and teach them that when appropriate don't let up. i do have a competitive side too, ask people i've played against. but, i also think you should teach kids how to be gracious. so, lee's competitive side really was getting to him. he wanted to beat this guy. so at practice this week lee really played up the "they've beat every one... we're going to give it our all... and some of you may not play as much... everyone on the team is here this game (one of our stronger players was out sick last game)." he pumped them up. and boy did it work.

the game starts and before i know it we are up 6-0. the whole first quarter we had the lead by no less than 5. it was intense. the second quarter starts and the boys are still on fire. they came to PLAY. remember this team beat us by 40 last time. our boys had an agenda.

then things get real interesting. halfway through the second quarter the referees switch. this never happens. our refs are volunteer high school students with a few other older people. we had 2 high schoolers, until the switch, when a girl who has been out of school maybe 4-5 years steps in. then, one of the ladies who helps run the whole show starts talking to the other coach. and then the new ref starts talking to him. he apparently is complaining about how our boys are screening and complaining the refs aren't calling fouls. the new ref informs him they aren't fouling no matter how their feet are stanced as long as they don't extend their arms and push off the kid. he keeps mouthing. lee said he told the other lady, "well i'll just have my kids push back and hurt those other kids." so, the other lady gets in his face. he is still griping. and she ejects him from the game. the ref switch was because the first ref was intimitaded by him, so the second came because she wouldn't put up with his mouth.

crazy.

this is third and fourth graders. and a coach gets ejected.

CRAZY.

one of our kid's dad is a local highway patrol. chris stood up and was ready to go help out if needed. lee told me later that when he saw chris stand up he just backed off and kept his mouth shut. i guess that is why there always are law enforcement at the games. lol.

as the coach was walking out of the gym he called another guy out of the stands to come coach. and there was mouthing from him and from the crowd. he said they weren't coming back. and there were a lot of good i hope nots.

so, we get back to playing. and, they bring the game to a tie. then, we pull ahead. the third quarter was stressful. at one point white deer had the lead by 2 points. tie...us lead...tie...white deer lead...tie...us lead...tie. the gym starts to fill up. i'm not sure if it was because of the game after ours or if word was getting around that this was an interesting game. probably a little of both (you know small towns). i am so proud of the defense the boys are playing, they are sticking with those boys like glue and you can tell it is getting to them. that team rarely misses, but they were missing shot after shot. one of their strongest players fouls out. our kid shoots his free throw and we are up by 1. there is just under 30 seconds. it is a nail biter. we head to the other end of the court and they don't get a shot in. we get the ball and head back to our end. we win by 1 point.

one.

our guys have come so far in the last few weeks. lee played every boy. some not as much as others. but, every boy played with more heart than they had all season. everyone of them will walk away as the team that beat the team that was undefeated. lee said after the game he had the boys all huddled up and every one of them had big wild eyes. eyes of pride and disbelief. this team had beat them by 40 the first time and then we beat them by 1.

lee also says he has something special planned for the boys who didn't get to play as much today. and it's a good one. you'll have to check back later after the end of the month. i don't want to ruin the surprise. and it's another reason why i love him and love him coaching.

oh, and white deer didn't come for their second game today. after the game the boys and i went to get a soda from taylors and we saw the replacement coach walking out with an 18 pack. it was a rough game. lol.

tara