More stuff.

Every single day there is a little voice in my office at some point says "take my picture."   I am already aware that this phase doesn't last long enough.  I just smile and comply.  

Slice is a parrot.  Or at least he seems to want to be one. 

Cameron's basketball season is in its final week.  He is playing really awesomely.  His team has been on a 5 game winning streak in league games.  

And as much as I should probably not admit this, it is way more fun to watch them win!  

A little Sunday catch up.

It has been a winter filled with a lot of sports.  I try hard to get to the kid's games, but sometimes things overlap.  This was the case on Friday when we watched Colin wrestle, it meant missing a game for Preston.  I appreciate grandma helping us out, and I appreciate her snapping a few photos as well.  Preston was disappointed that his team didn't win though. 

My religion Ed class made Zaccheus in a tree, they loved this, and it is a lesson I hope to repeat next year. We had a good lesson and the kids loved the activity.  They would not sing the song my mom taught me as a child however.  I think that both the kids, and my assistant teacher are convinced that I am insane!  

Lizard bath night.  Harper got bath duty while Preston and Quincy cleaned the cage. 

I am not sure who took these photos on my phone, but there are around 50 more that are similar.  ;)

This week at school, Harper and Quincy got to do the body walk.   Harper went on and on because she got to sit on a tooth!   She talked about it nonstop for a couple of days.  Which I took to mean that she had enjoyed it a lot.  I was sort of tickled about the photo her teacher posted which made her look anything but happy.  

Cameron is convinced he is over 6 feet tall now.  I am convinced they didn't have this hung up quite right.  

Quincy got sent to the office this week.  Fortunately for her duck, it was a positive office referral for being especially good.  

Slice is working into our hearts.  He has already brought a lot of joy to a bunch of girls.  The boys say he cries at night and keeps them awake.  I think I discovered why he can't sleep at night....he misses Saige.  

Regionals

Colin spent the last 2 days at his regional tournament.  This is the tourney which the top 4 kids go to state from.  He won his first match with a pin.  He went on to lose his second match in points.  He could not lose again.  He pinned his third opponent.  

Today, he had to win two matches to place.  He pinned a kid from Ottawa fairly quickly.   

His fan club was ready!   He had a match against a kid from Tonganoxie.  He looked really good to start the match.  

Then some illegal move happened and he was hurt.   He recovered.  But the next thing I knew, he had gotten pinned.  And just like that, Colin's high wrestling career is finished.   I would not be very honest if I said I didn't shed a few tears.  He wrestled so well.  He has had a great career and it was definitely not the way any of us wanted to see it end.  I could not be prouder of this kid.  So many years, so many great moments and memories.  We have met a lot of amazing people and learned so much along the way.  When Colin started wrestling as a little bitty boy, I could never have dreamed of the blessings it would bring us.  

Santa Fe Trail was the regional team champions.  Coach Erickson was named the regional coach of the year.  They are sending 8 kids to state next week.  I am proud of all of them and happy to  be Trail fan!  

Slice

It is no secret that we have had a bad run of luck with kittens.  I actually swore we weren't going to bring any more home because it was so depressing.  But today, I looked at facebook when Saige was sitting beside me.  A friend had some kitties to give away.  

Saige immediately decided she needed this cute little white kitty with orange ears.  When we saw Jim at lunch time, she put on her best polite begging eyes.  Jim can't resist the begging eyes.  Jim said sure.  

Saige and I went to get her new kitty.  Except when we got there, she latched on to this little orange sweet thing. We talked about what to name it and Saige decided Slice was a good name.  We usually name our cats after serial killers, but Slice fits in with our theme.  

I can tell he hasn't been carried around a lot.  He is super friendly and sweet though!  I got a big kick out of Saige yelling "surprise" at everyone when they walked in.  Now I just hope we can keep him alive!  

I really have missed having a TV watching snuggle buddy!  

Me again....with more basketball photos!

Cameron had a game last night at Central Heights. His team played great and they did come out with a win!  Cameron played fantastically too!  

It is fun to see them win.  This was my first time inside Central Heights school....interesting design, including circular gym.  I wondered if it would throw off their shooting but it didn't seem like it! 

Captured the moment that Cameron's free throw got stuck on the rim. 

He is pretty tricky!  

What we do for Valentine's Day weekend

The holiday of love.  We have never really been big celebrators of it.  Mostly because it seems like it is smack in the  middle of cold and flu season and everyone is always sick. This year, we weren't sick but the whole weekend was absconded by basketball.  Friday evening, I got asked if I could either work at the after prom dinner, or provide a dessert for it. Since I wanted to watch Cameron play, and knew Preston had a game immediately afterward, I chose to make a dessert.  Saige and I had a great time baking Valentine sugar cookies.  She thinks she is a chef like Madison now!  

Cameron's team won their Friday night game against Osawatomie.  Cameron had a great game.  

From Cameron's game, we ran to Topeka to watch Preston.  His team has a lot of heart and a lot of hustle, but not a very good shooting percentage.  

Preston played well, but they came up short on points.  

Harper had a great time on Friday at her class party!  I love the rabbit Valentine bags!  

Saturday, Jim and I went to Royal Valley to watch a basketball tournament that Cameron's team was playing in.  Grace....I looked for your sister, but never saw her.  I also didn't get a chance to watch your neice or nephew play.  

Cameron's first game was against Rock Creek.  He had probably one of the best games I have ever seen him play.  I think he had 15 points, several steals, some amazing rebounds.  The boy was awesome.  The team didn't win, but this team beat them handily in the summer league, so I can tell that Cameron's team has improved a lot this season. 

In the second game, they played against St. Mary's.  It was a pretty ugly game and I am not sure too many positive things happened during it.  

It was a fun day, and I enjoyed having some time to hang out with Jim and watch Cameron play.  We also had a nice lunch together.  

Crazy kid had a game today.  She is really getting the hang of some of the plays as well as continuing to be pretty impressive on defense.  I have to say that I got a huge kick out of her boxing out a girl hard enough that the girl got called for traveling.  Maybe it isn't actually funny, but I have watched a lot of basketball and never really seen that happen.  

I have had the same Valentine since the early 90's. We may not have the most romantic things planned for Valentine's Day, but I wouldn't change a thing.  Life's little moments become the best memories.  I am a lucky girl.