Mom Gets a New Do

Okay, I know it's been a long while. I have even survived another knee surgery. Doing well and getting stronger each day. The kids both got great marks ontheir report cards - all A's (or S's in Garrett's case). Eric has been busy workign on planes, shutdown at work and trying to keep up around the house. Garrett participted in a judo tournament this past weekend and ended up 4th out of 6 in his class. Had a short 3 second win and 2 tough losses.

Now on to the newest news at our home - I donated 10" (the minimum) of my hair to LOCKS OF LOVE. I have to say I was quite nervous and Kaylynn did not want me to do it. However, what a great cause and a fun new style. See the before, during and after photos below. Keep in mind they were taken with my phone by the kids. Hope everyone is well and gearing up for the holidays!

Before

Right before

Just after

Getting a new style

Finished style

Recovering

Thought I would do a short update - amazing that it is such a short time since the last one! Surgery on my left knee went well Tuesday. Starting to put some weight on it and hoping the swelling keeps going down. Kids have been great - wanting to get me anything I need. Too bad it isn't that way all the time!


Kids have both had soccer games so far this week and have played well. Both lost but their teams have made great improvements.


We are gearing up for this weekend - BOILER UP!

Another Soccer Weekend

We have survived another weekend of soccer - Garrett on Saturday and Kaylynn on Sunday. Garrett played goalie his whole game and was quite busy. We did learn we need to tie his shoes tighter as each time he punted it, he also punted his shoe off! His teammates would run it back to him as he would run back to get into the goal to stop any attempts the opponent may take!

Kaylynn's travel team played at Fishers this Sunday. Aunt Stephanie, Uncle Andy, Olivia, Nana and Papa got to come and watch this game. She was excited about that. She played well, even with some heel pain. Later we found a small blister on the lower part of her heel-ankle area. We lost 5 to 3 - same score as last weekend. However, we had some awesome plays and seemed to hold our positions on the field much better. Kaylynn even had a kick on goal that was just to the right of the goal. Had it been a little to the left, it would have been too high for their goalie to stop - DARN IT!

That is all the news for now. I headed to bed as it was a busy weekend. Surgery is Tuesday morning. I'm sure it will go smoothly.

I leave you with some photos of the kids and I enjoying our short visit with Olivia.

Guess Olivia was tired of pictures!

Dribble - Kick - Score!

School is in full swing and as tradition has it, I take pictures of the kids the first day. The pictures above are some of those pictures - my how they change in a years time!

The title of this entry has become our motto as of late. Most week nights and weekend days find us at a soccer game. Garrett is playing PAL soccer and unfortunately his team has not won or even had a score yet this season. However, they are playing better and yesterday we even had some attempts on goal. Huge improvement. Garrett has played half back a lot - which covers both ends of the field and thus is always running. He has also played goalie as of late and loves to do it. The goal is pretty big but he does his best to cover it.

Kaylynn is playing PAL scocer and Marion Lightning Soccer which is a travel team that is playing weekend games against club teams from around the Indianapolis area. The Lightning team is a girls only 11 & under team. We are 1-3 but look pretty good against these large city teams. We have played Centerville once (south of Muncie near Richmond) - our win, Carmel twice and Fishers once. In PAL Kaylynn plays a half back position often and even does some time at goalie. On Tuesday last week, she played goalie for her PAL team the second half of the game and was amazing! She plays half back (we also call it MAD DOG) for her Lightning team most of the time and gets very little rest. She had a great game today despite our loss.

Judo has been on break but started up last Thursday and we are working to mix it in with soccer. We have some competitions coming up for Judo in the near future and have to get back at it.

Well, I better get the kids started with baths and packing up gear for tomorrow. By the way, I went to a sports doctor in Indy on Friday and will be having "clean up" surgery on my left knee on Tuesday, Sept. 22nd. It will be done arthoscopically and as outpatient. I will be on crutches for a few days and then have therapy. Once the left one heals, we will go back in and do the right one. This is to help get rid of the "popping bubble wrap" sound when I bend and help with the pain associated with it. They will be cleaning out scar tissue. Should buy me 5 to 10 years before I may have to have more surgery to reposition my knee cap, which is crooked and off center. Wish us luck!

Kaylynn fits for the ball against Carmel on Saturday, 9/12.

Kaylynn's Marion Lightning U11 Team

Kaylynn races the Fishers player to the ball on Sunday, 9/13.

Garrett charges toward the goal at his game on Saturday, 9/12.

Garrett does a corner kick Saturday, 9/12.

Kaylynn fights for position on Wednesday, 9/2.

Garrett punts the saved ball away on Wednesday, 9/2.

Garrett, the attentive goalie on Wednesday, 9/2. Note that this is the first time he has played goalie this season and did it with a swollen hand from a bee sting earlier in the day at school.

It's August!

Has it really been that long ago that I updated our blog? So much for that New Year's resolution!

The summer has flown by and now the kids are back to school tomorrow - amazing! We spent some end of the summer fun together at the Indiana State Fair this past week. We had a great time showing pigs, seeing the sites of teh fair, attending a concert and spending time with Kelly's parents.

The State Fair was good to us this year in the pig showing area - with Kaylynn getting 3rd out of 15 in Berkshire Junior Showmanship, a 2nd place with her Chester White barrow, a 3rd place with her Berkshire gilt, a 6th with her Yorkshore barrow and 7th with her Crossbred gilt. Not bad for a first year 4-Her at the State Fair! Tuesday was Open Barrow Show day and what a great day it was. With 7 pigs to show, we kept busy. The kids (and their Papa) showed all of them and never was below 8th place! Garrett showed a Hampshire barrow and won CHAMPION! He was definitely on cloud 9! In the Grand Champion drive, we know that his pig was in consideration for the Grand or Reserve Grand awards as the judge kept looking at it again and again and again. He did not win it, but what a great job of showing he did!

Now it is back to school and soccer gets into full swing! Never a dull moment around here! Enjoy the pictures!

Monday Was A Great Day!

I think the pictures from Sunday and Monday tell it all!

Fair IS Under Way

Well, fair time is well under way with the pigs going to the fair on Saturday. All the people there think we are nuts for having 9 pigs for 1 4-H member! We found out that day that all gilts show as both market gilts and breeding gilts - meaning we had more pigs than we probably did need but oh well - the judge will definitely know who Kaylynn is!

On Sunday, Garrett showed pigs for mini 4-H and boy did he ever do a wonderful job! He kept Porky Pig,a s he named him, in the center of the ring and answered the judge's questions with ease! The judge even recognized him many hours later after he had changed clothes and told him that he did a great job! We are proud of you Garrett! His fair experience is not over as he gets to help in the barn to get Kaylynn's pigs to and from the arena today. Also on Friday, he will show Sylvester, his cat, in the mini 4-H cat show. He is excited!

Last night 4-Her's received awards for their efforts in non-livestock projects. Our new 4-H club did well with 5 members being awarded top prizes! Kaylynn has 7 non-livestock projects and we are proud to report that she got a blue ribbon on all of them! She was named Reserve Champion of the Beginner division of Aerospace (rockets), Champion of Beginner Farm Toy Scene and Best of Show (Grand Champion ) of all Aviation projects! Awesome job Kaylynn! Papa said he wasn't sure if the pigs would be able to keep up with her amazing job so far at the fair!

After the awards, Kaylynn participated in the 4-H Olympics - teams competing against one another in 4 events. Her team came in 3rd out of 12! I believe she had a great time.

I owe you pictures as the camera got left in the show box last night when we headed home late - sorry!

Well, today is pig show day and Papa and Eric have already left for the fairgrounds. I am suppose to be making donation signs for the 4-H Council but am procrastinating and thought I would give everyone an update. Kids are still sleeping - they sure need it! Wish us luck today as it is to be humid and 91 degrees! We will let you know how it goes later this week!

Is It Already the Middle of June?

It has only been about 2 weeks since our last update and so much has happened! The soccer games went well with the Marion Ligthning team ending the first game June 6th with a tie and losing by 1 in the second game. The girls really made large strides in improvements this spring -we could not be more proud of them!

With the start of county fair only a couple days away, all but one project has been turned in! AAAHH! Pigs head to the fair tomorrow and show on Monday. We will try to post pictures from Garrett's mini shows on Sunday and Friday and Kaylynn's show on Monday as soon as possible.

Well, I should get back to trying to finish last minute things and getting the house picked up. Hope this finds everyone doing well and finding ways to stay cool!

Summer Has Begun

I know, I know - it's been 2 months. What can I say - busy lives I guess.

School is now out and we are in full 4-H mode trying to get projects done since they are to be turned in June 17th! Twice daily feeding of the newest arrivals to our home - with exercising daily. We have been joined by 8 pigs at our place. So far all has gone well. I have to say I am quite jealous of the digs these pigs get compared to when I was a 4-Her. Pictures say enough!

Moving in day

Marshmallows for the first time.

Check out these digs!

As I type, we are heading to South Bend for our final soccer games of this season. 2 games this afternoon and we are done. Hopefully that will mean some boating time is in the near future.

Quite the fierce fighter face!

Garrett had his first piano recital last weekend and was one of the few who played with no mistakes! He is still taking lessons over the summer - he asked to!




Pictures below show the kids in early May at the State Judo Tournament. Garrett faught hard and had some tough matches. His bracket pairings sere not quite fair but he did some great fighting! Kaylynn is now a 3 time state champion. She did great!

Garrett attempts a throw.

Kaylynn tries a throw!

3 time State Champion!

Although we have not officially received grades, we now have a 4th grader and a 2nd grader! We are told that Garrett got all high marks and that Kaylynn has again earned High Honor Roll wth straight A's! This would be her third times on the High Honor Roll in as many opportunities! We are proud of both of them for their hard work!

On a sad note, we had to put Jake down a few weeks ago. He had developed a bacterial infection in his lungs and it was terrible to see how he was struggling just to breathe. Was not easy, but we know that it was the right thing to do.

I expect that the next post will include 4-H news and the news reporting the safe and healthy arrival of a new niece! Stephanie and Andy - we are thinking of you and anxious when the phone rings! We can't wait to see pictures and know that everyone is doing well!


Well, that is about it for now. I could go on and on but I know how precious everyone's time and besides, I might actually have time to read a book for a a little bit before we get to the soccer field if I end this now!