Valentine’s weekend

Ahhh Valentine’s Day.  A day or weekend  for romantic get aways, candlelit dinners, flowers and hearts. Unless you have kids.  This year is an improvement over what usually happens (think cold and flu season).  This year, I drove a bus to basketball to watch Preston’s team take on Osawatomie.  The weather was so cold that we could not shut off the buses for fear of them gelling up and not getting home.   I am on record with saying that somehow leaving a bus running while I watched a game made me nervous.  I guess all those lectures about responsibility when I was a kid are still in there.   I watched Preston and the girls game and then I couldn’t stand it any longer, so I sat on the bus and  read a book.  We made it home and I was very glad.  Polar vortex  weather and diesel vehicles are just not a good mixture.  

Lack of concessions at a lot of the places (due to covid) means packing dinner.  I discovered my new favorite snack.  I’m sure they aren’t healthy, but they are easy to transport.  

Preston (#10 in blue) has a hard time seeing the good he does, and instead focuses on how he messed up.  That is just his nature.  He played well though and I am not just saying that because I’m his mom!  I’m glad I got to watch him! 

Saige and Harper were excited to spend the night at grandma’s house.  They were hoping to help with calves.  It has been a terrible time to have babies, and grandma has been very busy blow drying babies before they go back with their moms.  They were not disappointed and they even gave a new calf a name I was told.  I wish this weather would go away. It’s too hard on everything. 

Colin and Spencer cancelled their trip up this weekend.  I am sad not to see them, but happy not to have to worry about them traveling.  I hope I get to meet Cash before he’s a full grown doggy!  

Quincy had regional wrestling yesterday.  It was the first time this season that Jim and I got to both go at the same time.  Quincy wrestled hard and ended up in 3rd place.  She is learning and  getting better all the time.  She is also pretty hard on herself.  She advances to sub-state next week. We are tickled for her.  

Where there was not any real romance, we are extremely blessed.  I am surrounded by the best Valentines all the time.  

Mallory and Madison are 25!

Today is Mallory and Madison’s 25th birthday.  Mallory has followed her dreams into teaching and I am consistently told what an amazing teacher she is.  She is good with the kids, genuinely loves teaching, and has a passion for doing it well.  It is really amazing to watch her in her dream job.  Madison is rocking wife/motherhood and although I don’t think lunch lady was her dream job, she does take great pride in making good food for people.  She is always looking for ways to do things better, and I know she works very hard because I am told that she is a great asset to the school.  I love that they get to spend their days working in the same place.  

These girls have always made my life easy.  They were good kids and now they are good adults.  I love them both so much and am very blessed to have them as my daughters.  

They were both hoping for a snow day today.  That didn’t happen.  Although I wish it would have.  Today was not, by far the worst road day I have ever had.  It was absolutely terrible anyway.  There was freezing drizzle.  The bus heaters, defrosters, fans all blowing as high and as hot as I could set them did not even come close to keeping the windshield cleared off.  I had a hard time seeing.  At one point, I got out of the bus, and since I can’t reach the windshield I used my broom to shake the wipers loose of their ice. Unfortunately, the driver’s side wiper flew off.  Luckily, I was only a mile or so from home when this happened.   I just turned in our driveway, took the kids on a small detour and  begged Jim for help.  Thank God for giving me a tall husband!!   Jim got me back together and I was only about 5 minutes later than normal. It all worked out, but I hope I never have another day like it.  

Sorry you didn’t get you snow day girls.  Happy birthday anyway.  

Super Bowl weekend

GG got a new puppy.  After she lost Reggie, she wasn’t sure she wanted another dog, but when she found out that there was a litter of siblings, and she saw this face, she couldn’t resist.  Of course, my dad is a breed snob, so this is a full blooded Aussie.   His name is Rusty, and we are all in love already!   He’s so cute.  

Friday evening, Quincy had district wrestling.  We are to the place in the season where she has to win to move in.  Her entire team (all 5 girls) all placed, so they all live to sub-districts this week.    Quincy got second.  I was thankful that it wasn’t far, and Jim was able to go cheer her on!   

Saturday, Preston’s team had a tournament in Burlingame.  I drove the bus and was happy to spend the day with Preston.  They ended up taking second place. 

When I came out of the basketball tournament to warm up the bus, the weather had changed.  It was snowing the most perfect little snow flakes.  I am no fan of the snow, but in this part of the country we rarely get anything that isn’t just wet blobs.  I had to take a picture!  Or several.  

It is Saige’s month to be the sacristan at church.  After we finished, the girls had to stop and snuggle Rusty!  He seemed like he was excited about it.  

We were so happy to have all the kids home for the super bowl, except for Spencer.  Colin is doing an apprentice class this week in Topeka, so he came by himself since he was staying.  The super bowl didn’t go as we would have liked, however the food was good and the company was great!  

We even got to meet Lauren’s new dog, Bella. She’s a gentle giant and we all love her!  

I felt extremely blessed this weekend.  Seeing my people, loving on the grandkid, and watching folks do the stuff they like.  

How? Why???

Friday night, Preston had a game in Osage City.  I drove the bus, and was happy to finally get to see him play again.  His team had a rather rough night, and he played some, but not a lot.  I don't think he is really enjoying the season, and it makes me a little sad.  He still works hard, and I am proud of him for it. 

Madison and Andrew had a little get away to KC, so Evelyn spent the night with Aunt Mal.  I got a kick out of the crazy bath/hair photos that Mallory was sending while I was watching basketball!  

Saturday we had zero plans, zero events to attend, zero commitments, and it sort of translated into zero ambition as well.  I got up and made sure Preston and Quincy got off for work, and then crawled back in bed.  We slept in, I read a book, Jim watched Hulu, and the little girls did a whole lot of nothing.  IT WAS DELIGHTFUL!  Seriously one of the best Saturdays we have had in a long time!  

Of course, a lazy Saturday turns in to a busy Sunday, because it just isn't realistic to think we can go a whole weekend without cleaning, cooking, planning, and laundry.  When we were in church, I looked down and noticed that I could see all of Harper's toes.  As in she had split out the fronts of both of her shoes.  She never said a word to me.  For the record, she does own other footwear, but said she didn't think these were "that bad" and didn't feel like wearing boots.  Needless to say, shoe shopping became necessary.  I didn't really have time to go shopping.  Luckily, Preston volunteered to take her.  So I threw him my debit card and he loaded her up and took her to find a new pair.  I have a tremendous love/hate with my kids learning to drive.  I did appreciate him taking her, and it only cost me getting to stop off for pizza for lunch!  I did get a lot done while they were gone, and I didn't have to cook lunch!  :)  

We had Sunday dinner, which I have grown to really look forward to and love doing....but the problem is that it is a signal that the weekend has flown by again.  When you live for weekends, it is always sad to see them end.  This week is another busy one, and while I am thankful that we are able to do all this stuff, I do love a low key day to just be still.