Senior Night at Wresting

 It was Senior Night on the Trail.  Colin wrestled really well, even got his first Varsity Pin!  We were super excited.  I like the above photo, because you can see all of us sitting in the stands if you look close.  (Colin is the guy in blue).

 Madison and her friend took photos for me tonight.  They did great!

 We are super proud of Colin!  He is doing an awesome job!

 Cam had a basketball game tonight, but I didn't get to go because I had to set up a potato bar for the girls band, so I just stayed to watch Colin wrestle.  Jim went over to watch Cam.  Their team took another hit.

 My mom stopped by today to deliver some of the potatoes that we had to bake for the band potato bar....she helped me bake them because I had a lot to bake and, sadly, only one oven!  Saige confiscated her gloves!  She is such a little turkey!  Thanks for the baking help grandma!  :)

We had the VA appraisal on the house today.  We don't really know how it went, as they didn't give us a report today, but it is the getting close to the last official hoop to jump through on the house sale.  The inspections are mostly done and looking pretty good.  We are starting to think this deal may go through.  We think we found a house to rent for a while...not a small job considering how many people have to live in the rental house!  Not to mention that there just aren't all that many rental properties in Overbrook.  I feel some relief in knowing that we now have a bit of a plan!  Homelessness is just not for cold wimps like myself!  We still have a ways to go though, with not closing until early March, I am still not holding my breath!  

Is it spring yet?

 If Harper can wear a stocking hat everywhere, then so can Saige!  Although, next time, maybe she should pick out one which Harper is less fond of!  :)

 Our new ride.  We got a check from the insurance company and had to turn in the rental van.  The kids were really, really sad....after all the seats were very soft and cushy and there were all sorts of cool buttons to push.  I was not sad, and am happy that a co-worker of Jim's sold us his wife's van.  The van has a few little quirks, but overall, seems to run pretty well.  We are working on getting the smoky smell out.  I think it will be good for now.  I still covet a big 12 passenger van.  Unfortunately, Jim does not!  :)  This van is definitely a boy, so we have named him Vincent Van-Go.  I hope that he does go for a long time!

 We got the new van just in time to go to more basketball games.  Preston and Quincy seem to be enjoying their little co-rec basketball team. 

 And Cameron, although he loves basketball, is a little discouraged that his team has not been doing better.  They have had some pretty severe losses. 

 Mallory went with me this week, and she took these photos with her cell phone.  I am not completely sold on cell phone photography, but I was pleased that there are no photos of referee's butts this time! 

Colin wrestled this week in 2 duals.  He is doing pretty well, and is having a ton of fun. 

I have decided that the cold weather can go ahead and head back north where it belongs.  I am done with the cold.  I suppose it has been fairly nice, but I am still tired of feeling cold.  Spring should be getting here any day now, right?

More basketball

 We went to watch Cameron's basketball team last night.  The photos I took didn't turn out very good.

 The pictures I took of Saige did though!

 She is so rotten ornery!

And true to her nature, your highness had to be photographed as well!  :) 

Cam's team is not having a very good season, but they did manage to score in the double digit range last night.  Colin wrestled in Council Grove.  He didn't think he would have any matches because they didn't think there was a 120 pound kid from CG, however he was wrong, and he did wrestle.  We felt bad for missing it.  He won his match!  There are plenty more wrestling meets where that one came from!  :) 

CRC basketball

 Preston and Quincy started Carbondale Rec Basketball this morning.  We lucked out and they are on the same team!  Also good, their age group doesn't start until noon, so sleeping in is still possible! 

 Happy before the game, sad because we changed seats during the game.  HOW COULD WE CHANGE SEATS?  WHY DIDN'T WE THINK ABOUT HER FEELINGS?????  Never mind that the kids played on a different court than the one we had been sitting by.....NO changing seats!  EVER!

The coach wants to be called the Shockers.  I think Preston was not too excited about this, but he played pretty good anyhow!  Quincy was upset because at the end of the game the score board said 0 to 0, but their team scored a couple of baskets.  I tried to explain that in their age group, nobody keeps score.  She has too many older brothers for this to work in her mind!  What is the point of playing if nobody wins?  Ha ha!

Colin wrestled last night in Holton.  He did a great job.  He won 3 of his 4 matches.  I really had a lot of fun watching him. 

I picked up a rental van.  It is way, way too fancy and stresses me out because of all the buttons and gizmos.  My kids are having a blast riding around in all its fanciness though!  I hope they don't get too used to it, we won't be buying one like it.  I teased Jim today, saying we could get a 2013 van in the year 2023.  :) 

We are spending the rest of the weekend getting ready for the whole home inspection on Monday and trying to catch up laundry.  I swear it multiplies when we are not home! 

Roller Coaster

 I posted a few days back about how I was unimpressed with 2013 so far.  Well, it has been a roller coaster for sure.  As a matter of fact, I am not sure how much roller coaster riding that Jim and I should be doing at our ages!  :)  Harper gave herself a haircut.  The more I tried to "fix" it, the more horrifying it became.  It will grow back is our new mantra.  We got an offer on our house.  This was a really high point.  We are cautiously optimistic.  The loan for the buyers is through the VA, and we are not really sure what we have gotten into....there is a whole house inspection on Monday.  I am praying and trying to leave this in God's hands.  It is really out of our control anyhow.  The unfortunate part of this is that I have really never been good at letting things go.  I have an obsessive compulsive brain and a real desire to play and replay all the "what if" scenarios.  Needless to say, Jim is as always the voice of reason.  

 This morning, as I was taking Preston and Quincy to school, a lady ran through a yield sign and smashed into my van.  I am sad about this, as it appears that my beloved van is totaled, but we are feeling blessed and thankful that nobody (including the lady or her small daughter) was hurt.  Scared, bumped around and disappointed that we have to say goodbye to our Vannah, but glad too because it could have been so much worse.  The accident was not my fault, and we will be getting a rental van, and hopefully a check for my green girl soon. 

 I always like to say we drive them until the wheels fall off.  I never meant it literally!

Things I learned today:

1.  Singing the State Farm jingle does NOT make the State Farm agent show up at the accident scene, no matter what the TV says.

2.  Enterprise Rental does not "pick you up" if you live in Overbrook.

3.  Having kids in the car when you are in an accident, plus having the accident inside the small, small city limits means that everyone in town will know about it, and you will spend an incredible amount of time on the phone retelling what happened.

4.  My husband can flat move his butt if he thinks his wife or kids are in any type of danger.  Sorry I made you run again Jim!  (He was 2 blocks away at City Hall when I called and asked him to come over because I was waiting on the police accident report and didn't want the little girls to wait outside-- a lot of people saw him running from city hall!). 

More 7th grade basketball

 Cam (#31 in white) had a game tonight.  Madison didn't have to work, and isn't sure how many of his games she will make it to, so she rode along with me and the little ones.  She even helped me in the photography department.  Mallory truly has a great eye for photography -- and is great at catching action shots despite my sad little camera.  Madison.....well these photos speak for themselves.

 Cam went 0/4 on the line tonight - he did have some points on the board, however his team did not win.

 Side note -- Saige turned 14 months old today!

Thank you for the photos Madison!  :)