Cowgirl and catch up pics

I was looking at this old blog tonight and realized i have not posted many pics of the kids lately. They are growing faster than I can comprehend. So here is are a few stills of our not so still kids!




Napolean want to be Kolby's friend.


The quitesential 7 year old.

Sibs

Ice skaters
Kolby loves ice skating and wishes I would drive her to Austin for lessons every week. Not.

Ready to hit the ice. Brave for my vertically challenged son!

EK thinks that she can do anything they can do... And she usually can, even though it doesn't always turn out so well!



Rhett looks so much older than he did when school started last August!


The Cowgirl!

At Last...

THE STATE OF TEXAS
VS.
MATTHEW DEE BAKER

PRIMARY OFFENSE: MURDER
1st DEGREE FELONY

IN THE NAME AND BY AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

THE GRAND JURY, for the County of McLennan, State of Texas, duly selected, empaneled, sworn, charged and organized as such at the March Term, A.D., 2009, of the 54th Judicial District Court for said County, upon their oaths present in and to said Court at said term that MATT DEE BAKER, hereinafter styled Defendant, heretofore on or about the 7th day of April, A.D. 2006, and before the presentment of this indictment, in the County and State aforesaid, did then and there intentionally or knowingly case the death of an individual, namely, KARI LYNN BAKER, by administering drugs to her and suffocating her with a pillow and in a manner and means to the grand jury unknown,
.......AGAINST THE PEACE AND DIGNITY OF THE STATE.

Signed by the Grand Jury Foreman

(For more into Click the Justice For Kari button to the right.)

Thank you dear Lord for letting this day dawn. May justice finally show her face on this awful tragedy!

So it's March already!

Well February was a blur.
The last two weekends I have uncharacteristically been out of town. I feel a bit out of it. No a lot out of it. For the last three weeks Rob has been keeping crazy late hours. (He is at work as I type this at 9:15PM) I have been completely consumed with getting this outdoor classroom built and the absolute needless drama that surrounds trying to do anything this big with a PTA, this PTA anyway. (I'll spare you the boring drama queen details. You're welcome.) And then there are these three kids....

Speaking of, I got to spend two nights in Dallas with Kolby this weekend, just the two of us! We were there for Kolby's first Jazz Team Dance Contest. We went a night early and got to see our sweet friends the Lee's and meet baby Merritt. Love them! Lauren and Kolby were best friends from birth until we moved away. They still have a great time together whenever we get to see them. Kristi taught me how to be a mommy. Really she did. Even though she is younger, she had a three year old and a two month old when I had Kolby. She had also grown up in Keller. I was new to NE Tarrant County and definitely new to mommy-hood. I watched Kristi to learn. God knew I needed her! Love that Lee family!

While in the metro-plex we "shopped out" Kolby's birthday money and gift cards. Why are clothes cuter in other towns? She is set for Spring! AND thanks to Priceline we had the best hotel! We liked it so much the first night that we extended our stay. After 11 hours in a high school gym, it was wonderful to just drive 20 minutes and have big fluffy white beds, takeout, popcorn, and pay-per-view movies just waiting for us! (Tale of Desprx. and Twilight...two OK movies based on GREAT books that further prove the theory that while movies are fun, THE BOOK IS ALWAYS BETTER!) Loved our weekend! Kolby is the best little traveler. I love taking her to new places because she just ewe's and ah's!

Kolby's little dance team of 4th, 5th & 6th graders, most of whom had never been in a competition before, won every award they could have won! The girls were so excited! They didn't know what they were wining but their faces lit up and they screamed with glee each time their team name was called out. It was a loud, but fun experience! Kolby has been in dance with some of these girls since pre-school. It was fun to hang out with the Moms and catch up. It was a great all around girls weekend.

Back at the Ranch...
Rob held down the fort and managed to stay well this weekend. Ella Kate said "Oh Mommy, I missed you so much!" when I got home Sunday. Such a big girl! I brought her back some clothes and a Diego Shake and Go car. She thought it came with a book and was sad to find out that was just the package. The girl loves books more than any 2 year old I have ever met! Next time I will forget the toys and just grab a book!

Rhett was bummed that he didn't get to stay in the hotel though I think the day in the gym watching dances for 10 hours would have killed him. That truly would have been 7 year old boy torture! But he so loves hotels... So I got him a surprise Wii game he has wanted that was 1/2 price in Arlington. He was more than happy with the trade off and said it was fun being the oldest with just dad.

Rob took pity on me while I was away and cleaned up a bit. Always nice to come home to a house cleaner than it was when you left. Maybe I should go away more!

And just for me so I remember this time in the life of my kids, a quick update... (feel free to skip)
Kolby is on the threshold of entering that "teen" zone, but not too quickly. She is still my little girl in so many ways. At church there was a Wednesday Night class for parents about talking to your kids about s e x I'm not afraid. I swear I'm not! But still I think too much too young is not good. I sorta brought up the subject several times this weekend. I don't think Kolby knows as much as some other kids do according to their parents. I think it's because none of her best little friends are very into boys yet. They are just boys. Not much "going with" going on yet in that group. But still we talked about it a little bit and I told her to please come to me first if she gets curious. Cop out? Maybe. I think the time is coming that I will have to explain more, but she truly did not want to know anything this weekend. She said she still thinks kissing looks gross. She thought Twilight was boring at the end. Yay Kolby!!! Moving on... Kolby has further developed her love of reading. No one would ever suspect she still has dyslexic issues until they see her spelling/writing. BLESS HER HEART! But she is doing pretty well grade-wise and rarely studies at home. She loves her teachers and never wants to miss school. She loves to talk to us about our growing up days and talks a blue streak if you let her. She isn't as sure of herself with friends like she used to be. That's hard to watch as a Mom, but it's part of growing up. Kolby prays for a best, best friend. I pray that for her too. :)

Rhett is growing like a weed. Everything about him seems to be growing faster and faster. He is getting his permanent teeth faster than his jaw can grow to make space, his hair grows so fast it needs to be cut every other week and his jeans from Fall are already starting to have that high water look! It's like the kid eats Miracle Grow! He is such a boys boy. He is happiest outside playing or whooping up on Wii. He begs to bring friends home from school everyday now though our schedule rarely allows it. He still loves to cuddle with his Mama, though he won't admit it. He is the best brother. He watches Ella Kate better than I do I think. So protective. And he instantly forgives Kolby when she is a bossy mean big sister. He has no problems with school other than he says he gets bored from time to time. His teacher is letting him read on his level now so that is getting better. He goes through a Magic Tree House book every other day now. Good thing there are so many of them! He still has some melt down times. I think his emotions run deeper than what his years can handle. But he wants very badly to be good and do what is right and will apologize immediately when he regains control. He really is a sweet kid. Love that boy!

Then there is little Miss Tooty Pants! Oh that girl! What a mess! She keeps me on my toes and tired. But she also makes me laugh about 20 times a day. Maybe I am just getting older and more lax (ok I know I am!) BUT I am constantly fighting back laughter when I know I should be furious with her. She is a stinker but not a malicious one. She just thinks she is a big kid and she is just 2! But my what that 2 year old can do! She is even getting better at the whole potty training thing. Of course in true Ella Kate style, she sometimes decides she doesn't need a diaper which can make things a bit messy when I don't realize she has taken her diaper off. I'll spare you the gory details but, I have slid from one "accident" and landed in "another" many times this month. WAY. TOO. MANY. TIMES!!!! Motherhood is hard.

And then there is that other baby... AKA The Panther Patch! Never have I wanted to quit something so many times, yet I can not keep from working on it. I do love it, but it is hard on so many different levels. I think I could become "Outdoor Classroom Contractor Certified" if there is such a beast. My "Panther Posse" helps keep me sane. Love those girls! None of us had a clue how much time, thought and energy this would take. But it's gonna be great... or so I hope! :)

Well my husband just walked in (10:15 now) so I best get off and say HI before he collapses! Next week is Spring Break! Yippy, Skippy! (I think. :) Pictures and editing to come later! :) Night!

Happy Birthday Kolby!!!

My baby girl is 11 years old today. Wow! 11 years. She has brought so much joy to my life. I love you Kolby Sue!Here are some random shots from the last 11 years....

Very Sad News

Laura Lee Myers died at noon today. Please pray for her family.

For more on this see this article.
http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/39408242.html

Please Pray For Laura Lee Myers!

Laura Lee Myers is a wife and mom to two girls who is currently in the ICU at Providence Hospital on a respirator fighting pneumonia caused by a strep bacteria. Her kidneys have also stopped functioning. She needs a miracle to live. This Mom from Teague Texas had the flu this week. She started feeling awful and experiencing great pain Saturday night. By Sunday morning (yesterday) she was in ICU on a respirator and the prognosis is not good. PLEASE, PLEASE Pray for her and her family!

Laura Lee is the wife of my cousin David's life long friend Brett Myers. David and Ashley asked me to post this on Facebook and on my blog. Your prayers are so needed and appreciated!

I miss this blog

Really I do. I keep thinking of things to post but I haven't actually sat down to type them out since Facebook came along. I'm praying for my soul to still. I have been sorta on edge since summer and I can't pinpoint why. But all really is well. Busy. Overwhelmingly busy at times, but in a good way, if there is a good way to be overwhelmingly busy! :)

I have spent a lot of time outside Spring Valley planning and working on the out door classroom lately. I would not describe myself as an outdoor person, but I do love being outside in those still moments when it's just you and the wind and the pile of dirt you're working with. It seems to center me. I can see why Jesus went to the Garden in Gethsemene. It is easier for me to feel God when I am out in nature.

Sadly the sidelines of a soccer game or the front pick-up line at school don't give me that same feel. Those are my only regular outside times these days. I am ready for Spring. Not Summer. Just Spring. To bad you can't get one without eventually getting the other! :)

I also miss recording more day to day things about my kids on this blog. When I look back over the last 5 years of blogging (5 Years! Can you believe that?) those are the post I most enjoy. So I hope to do better at that someday soon.

I'm a bit curious though... If you blog, what are your favorite things you have blogged about over the years. If you don't blog, what are some of you favorite things that you have read and remembered on blogs? Just wondering....

Random unrelated thoughts for a Wednesday

1. It is not nice to make fun of the President, no matter who he is. It just isn't.
(P.S. This is not directed at anyone I know, just at this wacko on the radio this morning who made me embarrassed to be a Republican for few minutes. He. Is. Our. President. Respect the office!)

2. I think I could spend $5000 in Sam's in one trip and not buy one single food item. (OK. Maybe a diet coke and a pretzel.)

3. Pink eye in blue eyes looks much worse than it does in brown eyes.

4. If school started at 10AM everyday kids and parents would like it better, but only if it still got out at 3:20pm.

5. Sometimes life is not fair, and it stinks, and it hurts... but you still have to be nice. You just do.

6. Ice covered trees are BEAUTIFUL in the sunlight.

7. My clutter tolerance has grown exponentially over the last year.

8. Potty training is not for the faint of heart.

9. I sorta liked my big 80's hair. Do people still get perms?

10. It is not fair to have to fight acne and wrinkles at the same time.

11. This was a bad week for the garage door opener to break.

12. Girl Scout cookies are an endangered species in my pantry.

13. Any day that starts with pancakes, eggs and bacon is going to be a good day.

14. God made two-years-olds so cute because He knew how hard they could be to deal with.

15. I miss my far away friends so much some days, but Face book helps.

16. THEY MAKE A HOT CHOCOLATE MAKER! and I think I want one.

17. The busier life gets, the harder it is to remember why I do what I do.

18. The Lord's prayer is always appropriate.

19. Those "green bags" don't work if you never take them out of the box and use them. UUUGGGG! More waisted spinach.

20. When faced with mountain of laundry and a dirty kitchen, I can type about nothing for ten minutes and really enjoy myself. :)

Happy Wednesday!

What's up?

All three of you have probably noticed that I haven't been too good at keeping up with this blog lately. There is a reason for that. I've been immersed in a PTA project that quite frankly has taken more time and energy than I ever imagined. BUT it is coming together and I am so excited about it! If you are really interested you can visit my current project's blog at svegreenpanther on blogspot. (I'm not linking to it here but you can find it if you really want to! :)

Other than that, we are busy as usual... actually more than usual it seems! Is it too early for me to say I am ready for Spring Break, or Summer even? :) Not really. We are looking forward to Kolby turning 11 next month. We hope to get some things done outside and in the kitchen this Spring and I'm itching to travel. Not sure exactly where we will go but I am looking forward to a good road trip this Spring or Summer. Other than that, I don't have much to report.

See why I don't update more often? :)
Hope you are all enjoying 2009!

I used to blog...

Then there was Facebook. :)

Well the first week of 2009 has come and gone. The older kids are back in school, Ella Kate and I are REALLY READY for her school to start next week, Rob's grad classes start next week and PTA deadlines are breathing down my neck. It seems like with PTA, no matter how early I start, it should have been started earlier. But it will all get done eventually, I HOPE!

I am going to try to flex my boundaries a bit more this year and not let any one thing take all my time. Balance is hard for me. I'm usually an "all or nothing" kind of girl. While that has worked to my advantage several times in life, in the day to day, a more structured or divided system works best. If I have a resolution for 2009, it is to be more deliberate in structuring my commitments and time.

I also thought I might get back to scrap booking this year. I found some high school and college albums in dire shape. So instead of traditional scrap booking, I thought "I'll just scan them all in and digitally scrapbook." If I only had a few dozen pictures, that would have been a great idea. However, I have a few hundred pictures! SIGH. This project is gonna take a while. But I have had fun re-living the past through pictures the last few days.

That has me thinking.
I love re-uniting with old friends. I love looking at old pictures. (I have spent hours doing both on Facebook this week!) I always think of Heaven as being one big reunion. The thought of being with God and all those loved ones who have gone is so sweet.

However, I was re-reading The Shack the other day and came across this section (page 141, if you really want to know) where Jesus asked Mack where he spends most of his time in his mind and imagination, in the past, the present or the future? Mack answers how I would have. Then Jesus says

(You're) Not unlike most people. When I dwell with you, I do so in the present-I live in the present. Not the past, although much can be remembered and learned by looking back, but only for a visit, not an extended stay.

Now I realize this is not really Jesus talking. It's just what the author thinks Jesus would say. But God does say he is the great "I Am". He did not say he is the great "I Was" or " I Am Going To Be"... God is definitely the God of the present moment. So in reference to Heaven, I wonder if my reunion vision will hold true for long. When you have eternity to live, what do you do?

Just wondering...

Happy New Year

I thought I'd end 2008 on a good note with a big smile! This picture makes me laugh every time I see it! It was not posed. EK ran off when we were changing her last night and this is how we found her. So much like her Mommy!

Happy New Year!

Ready for a New Year

I don't know why but for some reason I'm almost happy to see Christmas 2008 go, almost in that "don't let the door hit you on the way out!" kind of way. Not that it was a bad Christmas. It was actually a great Christmas! I loved our Christmas with our families... but it's over and I'm ready to move on. I have to admit though that this year I couldn't get all into Christmas like I usually do. In fact I didn't even put up 1/2 of our Christmas decorations and, I didn't miss them.

Maybe it was because I was sick and had no energy. Maybe it was because the season seemed so much shorter with Thanksgiving being late. Maybe it was because over the years Christmas has become less about the decorations, parties and shopping for me. Maybe it's a bit of all the above

I do however want to savor the next week. I love having Rob and the kids home for a few days. I don't want to do anything much. Just stay home in our sweats, clean out stuff, watch movies and play Wii. So that's the plan. I'm so excited about it! Is it weird that I am so excited about doing nothing much?
Does this mean I am getting old?
It does?
Oh well!
If my excitement over nothing means I'm getting old, I might as well enjoy it!

Hope you had a great holiday and are looking forward to a New Year.

Merry Christmas

I wrote a Christmas letter this year. Sadly, I never had it printed and actually put in the Christmas cards. So I'm posting it here to make myself feel better! Merry Christmas!

Dearest Friends and Family,

Can you believe Christmas is upon us and it is almost 2009? The last time we sent a Christmas letter we were telling the world that we were expecting our third baby. Ella Kate is now two and half years old and we have almost adjusted! So it’s time for another Christmas letter. No big announcements this time though!

Actually that could be the theme of this letter, no big changes. We still live in the same house, across the street from my parents and my sister Sari (when she isn’t working an auto show or visiting Jim in Atlanta, which is less than one week per month!) My Mom still can’t decide if she wants to retire again. She really loves her kids at school. Dad loves being retired, but fell in November cracking his hip joint and has been in the hospital or a rehab facility ever since. He is getting stronger and doing better everyday. We are hopeful that he will be able come home during the holidays! Rob’s parents are still in Denison and celebrated their 45th anniversary last February.

Rob is still crunching numbers for L-3 Communications while going to grad school for his MBA on the side. He still coaches Rhett’s soccer, baseball and basketball teams. Rob retired from refereeing High School basketball last winter to allow for a long overdo shoulder surgery. Even though he did not enjoy the three month recovery period, he is happy to have a shoulder that does not hurt when he lobs a softball. Rob is a busy guy.

Our oldest daughter Kolby will be eleven in February. Kolby left elementary school behind to start intermediate school last Fall. As is usually the case, she took to the change faster than her Mom did! After a few weeks she was fine with being in school with 950 other 5th & 6th graders, changing classes, and having 8 different teachers every day. She loves it! Kolby is in her 6th year of dance and is on a Junior Jazz Dance Competition team. She is playing basketball for her third year. Kolby loves our church youth group and thinks of church summer camp as the highlight of her year. This summer she plans to head to ACU for leadership camp and can’t wait for that adventure! Being the oldest of three suits Kolby well. She has the helpful older sister role down pat and is a big help.

Rhett turned seven in September. Rhett is all boy. He loves any type game. He seems to share his Dad’s love of baseball but has his own passion for soccer. Basketball fits in there too somewhere. Rhett wants to play football but Mom’s “one sport at a time” rule has not allowed him to play yet. (We’ll see how long Mom’s rule last against Rhett’s and Dad’s love of football!) Rhett is an easy kid. He likes school, loves to read, likes most any kid he meets, likes to keep his room clean, and has yet to find a game or sport he doesn’t enjoy. He is also a very good brother to his sisters, taking care of the little one and keeping up with the big one. He likes to say he is the meat in a sister sandwich! The boy cracks us up!

Ella Kate plays her roll as the baby perfectly! She is a mess. She loves to “read” books, do “homework” like her siblings, and adores babies both real and pretend. She seldom lets her 2.5 years keep her from attempting the things her brother and sister do. She truly thinks she is big enough to do anything. Amazingly, she is right 85% of the time. EK keeps me on my toes! She loves going to Mother’s Day Out at church twice a week and loves church and bible class. Ella Kate is extremely loving, social, and talks non-stop. (Don’t know where she gets that!☺) Ella Kate makes sure we all get at least one good belly laugh in a day with her antics. I can’t believe how fast she is growing! Where do the days go?

As for me, I am knee deep in PTA at Rhett’s school. I hadn’t planned on so much of my time and energy going to SVE PTA, but it has! However, I have made great friends and am truly enjoying every minute I spend there. Being at SVE so much has made me wonder if teaching there could be in my future? Maybe when Ella Kate starts kindergarten? I am in a home re-decorating phase and love all things HGTV. Hopefully this phase will be over by summer. My main focus right now is keeping my family on task and getting everyone where they need to be, when they need to be there, with what they need to have with them. In my spare time (HA!) I blog, read, and have become addicted to Facebook! Rob also has a Facebook page so, it you haven’t already, come find us!

If you happen to be traveling through Central Texas, we live just a mile or so off I-35 about half way between Austin and Dallas, aka the perfect spot for a bathroom break! You are welcome to use our house for a pit stop, just give us a call and pull in for a visit! We would love to see you! Until then, we hope you and yours are enjoying a happy and healthy Holiday season. May God bless and keep you close in 2009!
Sincerely,
Rob, Stephanie, Kolby, Rhett and Ella Kate

I truly hope you and yours have an excellent Christmas!
PS If you have moved in the last 18 months and think I have your old adresss, could you send me your new address?

Hero in the Grocery Store

Here's an article that Twilight author Stephenie Meyer wrote for Ensign magazine. It may surprise some of you that a "vampire writer" would write this type article. But for those of you who love the fictional world Mrs. Meyer created for us in Forks, you will have no problem recognizing the heart behind the pen. Enjoy!

Christmas stories happen in the most everyday places. I was part of one not long ago at the grocery store. I hope I never forget it, though the memory is bittersweet.

I had been shopping for almost an hour by the time I got to the checkout lines. My two youngest sons were with me, the four-year-old refusing to hold onto the cart, the two-year-old trying to climb out of the basket and jump down to play with his brother. Both got progressively whinier and louder as I tried to keep them under control, so I was looking for the fastest lane possible. I had two choices. In the first line were three customers, and they all had just a few purchases. In the second line was only one man, a harried young father with his own crying baby, but his cart was overflowing with groceries.

I quickly looked over the three-person line again. The woman in the front was very elderly, white haired and rail thin, and her hands were shaking as she tried unsuccessfully to unlatch her big purse. In the other line, the young father was throwing his food onto the conveyor belt with superhuman speed. I got in line behind him.

It was the right choice. I was able to start unloading my groceries before the elderly woman was even finished paying. My four-year-old was pulling candy from the shelf, and my little one was trying to help by lobbing cans of soup at me. I felt I couldn’t get out of the store fast enough.

And then, over the sound of the store’s cheery holiday music, I heard the checker in the other line talking loudly, too loudly. I glanced over as my hands kept working.

“No, I’m sorry,” the checker was almost shouting at the old woman, who didn’t seem to understand. “That card won’t work. You are past your limit. Do you have another way to pay?” The tiny old woman blinked at the checker with a confused expression. Not only were her hands shaking now, but her shoulders too. The teenage bagger rolled her eyes and sighed.

As I caught a soup can just before it hit my face, I thought to myself: “Boy, did I choose the right line! Those three are going to be there forever.” My mood was positively smug as my checker began scanning my food.

But the smiling woman directly in line behind the elderly lady had a different reaction. Quietly, with no fanfare, she moved to the older woman’s side and ran her own credit card through the reader.

“Merry Christmas,” she said softly, still smiling.

And then everyone was quiet. Even my rowdy children paused, feeling the change in the atmosphere.

It took a minute for the older woman to understand what had happened. The checker, her face thoughtful, hesitated with the receipt in her hand, not sure whom to give it to. The smiling woman took it and tucked it into the elderly woman’s bag.

“I can’t accept …” the older woman began to protest, with tears forming in her eyes.

The smiling woman interrupted her. “I can afford to do it. What I can’t afford is not to do it.”

“Let me help you out,” the suddenly respectful bagger insisted, taking the basket and also taking the old woman’s arm, the way she might have helped her own grandmother.

I watched the checker in my line pause before she pressed the total key to dab at the corner of her eyes with a tissue.

Paying for my groceries and gathering my children, I made it out of the store before the smiling woman. I had made the right choice of lanes, it seemed.

But as I walked out into the bright December sunshine, I was not thinking about my luck but about what I could not afford.

I could not afford my current, self-absorbed frame of mind.

I could not afford to have my children learn lessons of compassion only from strangers.

I could not afford to be so distant from the spirit of Christ at any time of the year—especially during this great season of giving.

I could not afford to let another stranger, another brother or sister, cross my path in need of help without doing something about it.

And that is why I hope never to forget the Christmas hero in the grocery store. The next time I have a chance to be that kind of a hero, I can’t afford to miss it.

Stephenie Meyer

39

It sounds so much older than 38! And so much older than I feel! But here I am. 39.
This may be the last year I admit to my age openly!
I have been sick and still am, so I haven't thought much about today. But as I sit here now reflecting on this birthday, my favorite new-to-me Christmas song keeps playing in my head. (If you have your volume up, you're hearing it now too.) It's called "Thankful" by Josh Groban.

Some days we forget
To look around us
Some days we can't see
The joy that surrounds us
So caught up inside ourselves
We take when we should give.

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be.
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see.
It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for.

How do I feel today?
Thankful for all that my life has been.
Challenged by what all I want my life to be.
Cherished by a loving God who is especially fond of me.
Loved by my sweet family and friends.
Hopeful for what lies ahead.
And Ready.
Ready for this 39th year of life and all it has in store for me!

Just 7 more days bloggies.... Have a great one for me!

We saw Santa!

Now to get the 199 other things checked off my Christmas to-do list! In the meantime enjoy the "Christmas Card Attempts" show below. Someday I'm going to get brave and send one of these as our real card! Still not sure I have picked this year's picture yet... Ooops! Make that 200 things to do again! Off I go!

We love the Panthers!

Last Saturday our family joined 1000's of other Midway Panther Fans in Texas Stadium to cheer on our team. Our little family, or at least parts of it, have been to almost all the the Midway football games this year. Rob has a passion for High School football so having "a home team" again has been really fun for him, and for all of us. When we found out the panthers were playing in Texas Stadium, there was no doubt that we would go.
We decided to get a hotel room Saturday night since the game didn't start until 8pm and make a weekend out of it. The game was not so great for us the first half, but we were still in it! It was a total thrill just to be watching our Panthers play in the home of the Cowboys! Texas Stadium has been the "Mecca" of Texas football for as long as I can remember. While High School playoffs will most likely continue to be played there for years to come, this is the last year it will be the official home of the Dallas Cowboys so it's even more special that Midway got to play there!





Halftime!
Look at those cute Santa Panther-ettes! They were so fun to watch this year!

After the half Midway came ROARING back! It was such an intense last two quarters that I don't know that we sat down much. EK kept me running in and out but still it was such a great half! The game ended in a tie. 35-35!
In Texas High School football when your just two games from state, there are no ties. So Midway was given the first chance to score from the 25.

They DID!
And kicked the extra point!
But then the Lobos ran it in...
And decided to go for 2.
This is where it gets dicey.
The Lobos quarterback was taken down short of the goal line, but his hands stretched out and went to if not over the line. That is exactly what he should have done. Any good football player would have done the same whether he was down or not. It's just basic instinct, or it should be. However if his knees were down before the ball crossed the line it should not have counted. There are even those who say the ball didn't cross the line until it was out of his hands. The Midway guys thought the Lobos quarterback's knees were down so they were waving it off. The line judge was running from the side to see. By the time he got there the Lobos were jumping up and down and saying they won. The ref agreed. It was a very controversial call and an awful way to end such an incredible season! As the wife of a former High School basketball referee, I know it's easy to blame the ref. Refs are just human and that guy had to make the call the way he saw it. Still, I felt a little cheated for Midway!

Here is the KWTX story that shows video of that last play.

It would have been easier to loose by 14 than to have come so close. But that's just it, it was so close that it easily could have gone either way, and this time it went the other guy's way. OUCH! It was just heartbreaking for our boys in red and blue! I hate that it ended that way for them.
But they had gave us a great season! Thank you Panthers! You guys are a class act! The Seniors can be so proud of their work this season! We can't wait to follow the Panthers again next year! :)

After we drove to our hotel in Grapevine and collapsed from the exhaustion and the excitement of the game, we all slept really well!

On Sunday we saw Santa and attempted Christmas card pictures in church clothes at the Gaylord Texan. The Gaylord is always decorated so incredibly this time of year. I only wish we could have been there for pictures at night. The lights are just breathtaking! Santa was fun. The picture taking... not so much! I'll post pictures from that later.

When I was sure we would not be able to coax one more pose or smile out of Ella Kate and crew, we loaded up and headed to Rob's sisters in Bells, Texas for Rob's niece Katie's birthday party.


We rarely make it up there so it was fun to see Rob's family and let the kids play with their cousins. Needless to say we were absolutely pooped when we finally made it home late Sunday night around 10:00pm!

I don't know how I made it through Monday. I "hosted' a fundraiser reward day of inflatable parties and money machine grabs at Rhett's school all. day. long! 240 kids participated. After coordinating the schedule to get the prize winners from 5 grades in and out of their party without disrupting the whole school or loosing anyone in the process was just crazy! And it was so LOUD!!!! But it was a fun day and I think the kids really enjoyed it. That is what I think PTA is for.. to help our kids make the memories you can only make while in elementary school.

I had so much great help from my PTA sisters Monday that actually my job was pretty easy! There is a small group of regulars that always help, God love them! I'm afraid they are going to all be worn out and despise PTA by the end of the year though. But we are having fun and making great friends in the process while the kids are benefiting... Which is the point! So I guess I'm saying it is worth the long hours and craziness. At least I try to convince myself of that!

As for my poor house... well our Christmas tree is up, but not decorated. It's been so crazy the last 9 or so days that I literally have not been able to find the time or energy to get Christmas going over here. So I really have to quit this blogging business and get with it. But I wanted to record a little of this crazy fun because these are the days....
Yes.
These are the days!