FOOTBALL...in MARCH???

As of this evening, my boys are now enrolled to participate their 5th sport. We've done wrestling (one season and they don't show any interest in returning now), baseball (will reprise this summer we hope), basketball (just finished first season), karate (in second season now) and, for the fall...

FOOTBALL

I'm not sure why, but the Kaw Valley football league out here in KS has sign ups for fall ball in March. Yeah, crazy, but there you go. We had to convince the boys that they weren't PLAYING football yet, just that if they want to in 1st grade they had to sign up now. It took a good 30 minutes of explaining and cajoling to convince them to go sign up. *Sigh*

For those of you who don't know, my husband is a Texan - born and bred. That's football country folks. And he was born in DALLAS - THE Football town. And he of course cheers on God's team - the 'Boys (at least he's religious about SOMETHING!!!) For 14 years he coached these little league football teams and he only gave it up when his job required work on Saturdays. However, he has volunteered to be a coach should they need one. Whoa. I know the boys will be taught right, but not sure how his patience will work with them long-term like that. But, if it works and brings them closer, well...can I get a HALLELUJAH??

Anyway, I'll post more about football in the fall. I'm not ready for that insanity yet!

Inspiring others leaves me inspired

I started a blog after reading my coworker Ramsey's blog (www.acrosstheboardblog.com) and wanting do something a little more "positive". [No offense meant Ramz! I love your blog, there's just some 'controversial' items on there that got me wanting to throw out something more positive to counter-balance occasionally!]

I currently get further inspiration from Amanda for my health and mental state (runtothefinish.blogspot.com - look for her 'attitude of gratitude' thoughts!), from Cara for looking at kids and life in a POSITIVE light (allaboutthelittlethings.blogspot.com - I love the little "What Tassie ate today" bits) as well as well as from the insanely up-to-date world of Heidi (www.heidichronicles.com - be sure to read backwards sometimes as she WILL back-blog to keep things up to date!). I also just found a bevy of blogs from the moms at my church that I am finding SOO informative, enlightening and just down-right funny (look on my blog for the list of "mommy blogs I read" if you want all their links).

Now, originally, my blog was just going to be my world and a private "journal" type thing. I honestly didn't think I'd ever really share it or have *gasp* followers. But, I DO! 17 at least, according to my feedburner thingy. WOW - who ARE you people?? :)

And, because of my accountability blog (2008accountability.blogspot.com) I have apparently inspired two close friends of mine to blog as well! Not just as team members on the accountability blog, but also on their own, about their kids, hubbies, job and lives. WOW! So, I gotta give call-outs to them here:

Teri (theknedlerclan.blogspot.com) is my oldest friend. I don't mean she's old (she's my age, sheesh!) but that we've known each other for a VERY long time - since 2nd grade (that's 26 years for those who want to know). We've been through SO MUCH in those years, and I'm sure you'll hear more about them here and there through these blogs and posts from both of us. We did lose contact for a good 10 years between high school and growing up (that's an even LONGER story) but she found me and we've been close again ever since! It only bums me out that she lives all the way in Ohio and we NEVER get to see each other!

Kim (berlygirl.blogspot.com) is one of my dearest friends - one of those friends you may not talk to for long periods of time, but as soon as either of you really need someone, they're there. We've been friends since we worked at Mac Tools in '94, so 14 years. (just did that math for the first time and WOW!). She was my maid-of-honor and was stunning in black and I got to wear a yellow dress down the aisle for her (SOOOOOO not my color, but anything for the bride). I will state that I taught her all she knows about customer service and phone support. (j/k) and she taught me how to eat pretzels and people watch at the mall. (that one's true!) That Ohio living thing gets in the way with this friendship as well. :(

[OH - BY THE WAY GIRLS - I'M COMING HOME IN JUNE FOR MY COUSIN'S WEDDING - WE NEED TO PLAN SOMETHING!!!]

Now that I have these gals blogging I feel like I have to keep up and keep writing about my mundane life. I have no fascinating journey as Kim will hopefully be sharing with everyone nor do I possess a truly graceful wit like Teri. Yet I have followers and friends. So, for those who are living vicariously through me, I truly wonder about you, but I will try to keep you entertained. Please LEAVE A COMMENT and tell me who you are and WHY you read this blog, so that I can continue to feel inspired! Know that I appreciate each and every one of you and I'll try to be more fun from now on! ;)

duck, duck, GOOSE

Yesterday was an amazing day at the Babcock household - and in Kansas in general. Somehow, for the first weekend in March, we had beautiful 75 degree weather. Yes, 75. That's not a typo or written in some weird non-Fahrenheit degree or anything. 75 degrees! As Jim Carey said "b-e-a-uuuu-tiful!"

To truly enjoy this weather, we all had to get our butts dressed and out the door. Not so hard for yours truly, as I had already been up at 7, up to the church by 8:45 (late again!), singing and shaking my booty at 10:15 for KidStuf and through a great church service at 11:15. I picked up lunch on the way home (sometimes I feel like a bad mom for this one, but it makes everyone happy when I do it, so maybe it's not that bad!) and back home 1pm. After we ate I told Joe - "we need to get outside and moving before the rain hits or I'm taking a nap." - knowing that this would leave him in full stead of the insane tornadoes, he got everyone dressed and out the door by 2pm!

We went to SMP (Shawnee Mission Park) and tootled around there until we found the geese. There's always some there, we just had to find the right little pond. With a bag of stale hamburger buns (why do we buys these? we never eat them!) we headed in for the boys' first (memorable) endeavor with these goofy geese.

I showed them how to tear up the buns and throw them out into the pond. It went on as expected - geese fighting over the pieces,pieces not quite making it to the pond, etc. Then, the geese got bold...

Em & Joe were at one side of me and the boys to the other. The geese came up by Joe and walked around behind me to the boys. I was trapped - and laughing hysterically. Thomas kept backing up, saying "I don't have anymore bread gooses. Go away. Don't eat ME!" and Travis just had big "deer-in-the-headlight" eyes. We convinced the boys not to run away, the geese don't eat little boys and just to keep throwing the bread. Travis tried to recover a piece from the ground a goose let him know it was HIS by throwing out his wings and squawking. Travis just stared at him and backed up. Joe & I were still laughing. Emily was flashing back to her own first time and getting chased by a goose - who was trying to get her butt.

Eventually of course, we ran out of bread and the boys were a little worried. Once the geese saw we were done however, they started back into the water. We wandered off, the boys taking a big lead, butting lots of ground between them and the geese. Joe snuck up on them and pinched a fanny - I've never seen Travis jump so high! For the rest of the day, we kept trying to see who could "goose" each other.

After the geese, we wandered over to the "beach" and threw rocks into the water- I think Emily actually held the distance record and I threw out my LEFT arm since I couldn't grip with my right hand. [I hate getting old!]

We got back in the car to go home just as the rain started. We drove around in the rain, just enjoying the semi-quiet and non-fighting that was occurring. We drove to McDonald's and got shakes for the kids and cones for the parents - I forgot just how yummy Mickey D's ice cream is! Also, it was much cheaper than Sonic, Dairy Queen or Sheridan's!

When we got back home, Travis decided he HAD to take a nap and wanted me to lay down with him. Since Em & Joe were watching another of her CSI: Miami Season 4 DVDs, we laid down on the family room floor with pillows and blankets. Tom joined us and was the only one to actually take a nap [after insisting he didn't need one!].

We topped it off with a dinner of hot dogs and mac & cheese (seriously, sometimes the easiest things really ARE the best!) and some serious snuggling/reading before bedtime.

All in all - it was a good day to be us. And now, it's back to winter with 35 degree weather. (sigh...)

Moments for Myself - 26 February

God is waiting for you. He looks over your shoulder waiting for you to get off the ohone, finish the business meeting, drive the carpool rounds, color your hair. Many mornings He is still there waiting for you after you stood Him up the day before. He'll always be there. Waiting. Stop for a moment and let Him know what that means to you.

- Moments for Myself, Daily Inspiration Calendar

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Thank you Lord, for waiting for me. For those days where I forget to say "Thank you" at the beginning AND at the end. For those days where I rush ahead with "grand ideas" and "big projects" before consulting you - and for Your patience when I come back to you, tail between my legs, wondering where I went wrong. Thank you for "mommy sandwich" mornings with my boys, for cuddle times at night and all the family times in-between. For the job that keeps me busy, and sometimes even engaged! For the spouse that keeps me on my toes and always wondering just what the heck he's going to do next! Thank you, most of all, for calling me by name and being there when I need you - even when I forget to say "Hi".

Handbag Hygiene

I got an email from my grandfather and thought this might be a good way to pass on the information to other women, mommies and concerned people. Apparently the original story came out awhile back from a news station in Utah but it's the first time I've seen this (email I got was pretty much the news story with some personal "additions" from various senders over time). Be sure to follow the link and read the story (or the rest of this won't make much sense)!

Please think of this not only for purses, but also for backpacks, gym bags, briefcases and laptop bags. Also, they never mention putting diaper bags on changing tables - that one always bugged me when the boys were babies!

And please, don't get me started on cell phones. I ran across a bunch of those stories as well and I just can't bear to think of it...

It's all really gross if you stop and think about it -- which I'm trying hard NOT to do! Please excuse me while I go find the Lysol wipes...
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Here's one way to keep it off the floor and the tables: Get a "Purse Hook". I'm thinking they'll make great Christmas presents for everyone I know this year (last year was Key Finders...)!
http://www.pursesitter.com/ (moderate selection, around $18 each)
http://www.hot-hang-ups.com/ (large selection, around $20 each)
http://www.purse-pal.com/ (moderate, higher "quality" selection, $30 - 75 each)
http://www.pursehook.net/ (small selection, $24 to 43 each)
...and other sites - just search for "purse hooks".

I'm still looking for a "suction cup" version for use in most restrooms without hooks - if you find one, let me know where! i know they won't work in ones where the doors are wooden, but in most malls, movie theatres, etc. the doors and or walls are metals or tile and suction cups should work!

Any thoughts on keeping things like this in our lives cleaner - and therefore ourselves and our loved ones as well - please feel free to share them in the comments!