March...

It is already the middle of March. I think I've blogged twice this month. 

There are so many things that I love about this time of year. But here are the highlights for me: 

On March 13, 1999, Brad and I went on our first date. Yes. It has been 12 years. We have been together our entire adult lives. It is pretty insane when we think about that. I think it scares the hell out of both of us. :) For fun... this one takes me back... :) Hahaha! Happy Anniversary, babe. I love you so much more than I did on that first date... although, I am pretty sure that I knew without a doubt that we would be here one day. I hope you can tolerate me a little longer. lol. 

PROM 1999!

My firstborn, Bailey, was born in March. Oh, how that day will ever remain etched in my mind. Her little face, her hands, her feet... the fear, pain, and joy... all in one. I still can't believe it's been almost 6 years. It feels like yesterday. 

She was so teeny tiny. And she grew  is growing so fast. 

Basketball. I don't watch it (much) until March. And, when the Madness starts, I quickly become an expert. Haha! I love it... because there are upsets and slaughters... close ones and blow outs. You see who has heart. And, to me, that's what I enjoy seeing in sports more than anything else. Heart. Passion. A love for the game, pure and unaltered (that's also why I love youth sports - it's the innocence and passion for the sport that drives kids). Oh... and GO WVU! We really want to watch this again (although our view will be a little farther away).  

Then, there is the spring... Daylight Savings Time... and more sun. I need a tan. In a bad way. So, I really, really hope that the sun comes out and I can get that tan soon. Otherwise, I am going to have to breakdown and get a serious makeover to learn what foundation really works with my skin tone. :) 

Happy March... enjoy the Madness! 

Still here... I promise

I have a serious case of spring fever.


I have the urge to clean my windows, paint our kitchen, paint our porch, clean out our garage (AGAIN), and to go visit the local nursery for plants and flowers. I have an even stronger urge to pack a lunch, throw on the oldest, most comfy jeans I have, wear the sweatshirt with holes in it, grab a fishing pole, and head to the lake.


Am I going to do any of that? No. It will probably really be August by the time any of this happens, hehe, but I know it will all come in due time.


Instead, I am daydreaming about all the things I love about spring… all the things I love about the great outdoors… and about all the stuff that I haven’t marked off on my list. :)


I know you’ve been waiting for my post on my snowtubing trip, since I so blatantly announced that I WOULD be going. Well… life got busy… busier… and then it was 50+ degrees outside.


So, I suppose snowtubing won’t be the next thing marked off my list. Boo. :(


Hmmm.


What to do… what to do…


As if I don’t have enough going on, I am actually contemplating all this. Something is chemically wrong with my brain, isn’t it?


You can tell me… I can take it.


So, I’ve tried to figure out what will be next. And I pretty much know what it will be. But, I’ll wait to announce that until I actually do it, since last time I think I jinxed it. :)


Until then, here are some snapshots of what has been keeping me busy, what will be keeping me busy, and what will keep me from going spring cleaning crazy. :) 


We finished up our basketball season (already blogged this, I know, but promised pictures - thanks to Dawn for sharing!): 

The kids, Kathy, and I spent a day at Newport Aquarium with Jake's preschool class. 

I hung out with some of my favorite ladies celebrating the wedding shower and wedding of a childhood friend (and Cilla, Tiffany, and I had a sleepover at my house for the first time since college or high school!). 

Of course, my hot hubby was there, too. :)

Met Maria at the wedding (and loved her, thankfully, since we will be spending a weekend in Nashville, running!).

Have eaten my weight in Girl Scout cookies (and sold a few boxes too - if you ordered from Bailey, I promise your boxes will be delivered by the end of the week). 


Mentally prepared for Brad to leave on a plane... to go to Jacksonville, Florida... while we stayed here and dealt with a dusting of snow in March and Bailey with a bad cold. :(


Trained for the half and hoped to avoid more injury and obstacles. 


Started planning for two very special parties for the two most important kids in the world (my world, of course)


And, coming soon...  


T-ball. It is on. Practice has officially started. Jake is so excited that he cried when we had our team meeting last week and didn't actually play ball. Praise the Lord... he's not going to kill us this year. Hahahahaha. Yeah right. 


My best friend finds out the sex of her baby (although I already know in my mind what it is). :) 

March Madness. Download your bracket at Our Cups Runneth Over and get a 20% discount to 62Cards.


Spring Break. A short trip to Great Wolf Lodge in Ohio before the kids spend the week on mini-vacation in eastern Kentucky. 


Then, it is completely on... when I take on Nashville with my girls, run a half marathon, and enjoy my first girls' trip since my kids have been born. I know, I can't believe I typed that either. :)


Can someone please tell me where I can find sleep? :)


Oh, but I am not complaining. At all. As a matter of fact, I love it all. And, I know how blessed I am. I know that it can change in an instant. This blog reminded me of that this week. Please jump over there and read about Lucy and the fight she is having with brain cancer. She's 5... and she is an angel in need of as many prayers as she can get. I don't know her, but all I can say is that I read the blog... perused some of the pre-cancer posts made by her mother, and decided that this could have as easily been my blog or the blog of one of my friends. I simply have thought about her and her family day and night. Really. I can't stop thinking about them. And, I simply must share her story so that all of you loving and praying readers will send up your thoughts for her. I know you will all pray... and I know your prayers work. :)

The End of Basketball Season

Well, I’m not exactly looking back and laughing, like I suggested we might in this post. But, I am looking back and saying, “Man, we came a long way.”



Basketball for Bailey and Jake ended last Saturday. And, while it doesn’t disappoint me to have my Tuesdays and Saturdays back (only to give them away again in less than a month to t-ball), it is disappointing that it will be a while before we do basketball again.


The entire team made huge improvements. I can’t say it enough… they all grew as players. Brad and Dawn did a great job, especially considering that the kids’ attention spans were very short. :) Each child left having learned something. Bailey learned to play defense. She still got distracted by her loose tooth or by some kid that she saw sitting on the sideline or just by the ball itself. She scored one basket during the season – too bad it was on the wrong goal – but she shot and made it. She grew in confidence. She had fun… and she gained a love for a new game.


And, that my friends, brings me to Jake. Well, you know that I was worried about Jake. You know that he made it nearly impossible to practice and work with him. And, no, I’m not going to tell you that he came out of his shell, started dribbling like a pro and shooting the ball over his friends’ heads. That just didn’t happen. :) BUT… he did decide to stay on the court when he was needed. He followed his team up and down the court more than half of the time. Did he go after the ball? No. Did he really do anything related to actual basketball? No… unless turning your jersey around backwards counts toward an athletic achievement. :) But, he did improve at listening (some) and he did make an attempt to try (not a big attempt). So, we call that improvement. Small, tiny, baby steps.


On the other hand, Brad took Jake to a t-ball get-together last week. They passed ball and hit off the tee and all that jazz. Apparently, Jake is more interested this year in playing ball. Brad said he did a good job at listening and that he participated fully almost the entire time. I think it helps that he’s been around these kids since he was two. So, maybe he’s figuring it out… maybe we won’t have to stand in the outfield and protect him from any pop-ups this year.


Nah… I’m not holding my breath on that one. :) He’s still Jakey.

Photos to come later. I have to get them downloaded and saved. I promise... there are some really cute ones! :)

Never Grow Up...

First of all... I am feeling completely and overwhelmingly appreciative for all of you for following our new blog! Thank you for all of your love! We SO appreciate it and are SO excited to continue to develop and grow! :) If you haven't checked it out yet, go on over to www.ourcupsrunnethover.com and see what you think! :) While you are at it, sign up to follow us through e-mail subscription, on Facebook, or on Twitter and register to win a $100 AmEx card! The drawing will be on March 17th!


Anyway... it has been a very busy and very long week (and it's only Wednesday and we had Monday off - haha!) and I could curl up in a ball and sleep until Monday.


Yes, you are on the right blog... I am still me... the insomniac, but I am really just ready for some downtime tonight. :) 


But I couldn't rest without telling you all about how precious my kids are to me. Yes. Again. 


Last night, I hooked my Ipod up to my aux connection in the car (oh yeah... a perk I totally shopped for) and the kids and I jammed out to the Taylor Swift CD on our way home from our last basketball practice of the season. Bailey loves it, but hasn't listened to all of the songs, mainly because I haven't taken the time to learn how to burn CDs from my Ipod downloads (yes, this is something I'm planning to learn, among other things). Anyway, we got to a song that Taylor Swift supposedly wrote for her niece (or nephew, I can't recall). The song (lyrics to follow) is basically telling this child to never grow up, thus the title Never Grow Up. :)


As it came on, I told the kids I liked this song because it made me think of them. About halfway through the song, I look in the mirror and see my sensitive daughter wiping away tears. I didn't say anything, because I could see that she didn't want me to see her. It touches my heart so much that she is so sweet... that she is growing up so much and already understanding such emotion and love. I hope she treasures our relationship as much as I do.


Aww... how I really wish she never would have to grow up. :) 


For those of you who would like to read the lyrics, here ya go! 


Never Grow Up:


Your little hands wrapped around my finger
And it's so quiet in the world tonight
Your little eyelids flutter cause you're dreaming
So I tuck you in and turn on your favorite nightlight

To you, everything's funny
You got nothing to regret
I'd give all I have honey
If you could stay like that

(Chorus:)
Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little
Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
It could stay this simple
I won't let nobody hurt you
Wont let no one break your heart
No one will desert you
Just try to never grow up
Never grow up

You're in the car on the way to the movies
And you're mortified your mama's dropping you off
At 14, there's just so much you can't do
And you can't wait to move out
Someday and call your own shots

But don't make her drop you off around the block
Remember she's getting older too
And don't lose the way that you dance around in your PJs getting ready for school

(Chorus:)
Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little
Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

It could stay this simple
No one's ever burned
Nothing's ever left you scarred
Even though you want to, just try to never grow up

Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room
Memorize what is sounded like what your dad gets home
Remember the footsteps, remember the words said
And all your little brother's favorite songs
I just realized everything I had is someday gonna be gone

So here I am in my new apartment
In a big city, they just dropped me off
It's so much colder than I thought it would be
So I tuck myself in and turn my nightlight on

Wish I'd never grown up
I wish I'd never grown up
Oh I don't wanna grow up
Wish I'd never grown up
Could still be little
Oh I don't wanna grow up
It could still be simple

(Chorus:)
Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little
Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
It could stay this simple
Won't let nobody hurt you
Won't let no one break your heat
And even throuhg toyu want to, please try to never grow up
Don't you ever grow up
Just never grow up

An Exciting Announcement

So, I know I hinted around that there would be a great announcement soon. 

Have you been sitting on the edge of your seat? I just know you have. I just know it. :) 


Without further ado... 


Three of my best friends (see here for full description of how much I adore these ladies) and I are launching a new joint blog! What started out as a joke, to a certain extent, evolved into an idea that we fell in love with. We teased that a joint blog would be a wonderful thing for us to do together... and it became something we quickly realized we truly would have fun with... an idea that we could really pull off together. All of us have different backgrounds. We blog about different things (well, except maybe me and Dawn - we tend to blog on the same nights and sometimes about oddly similar topics - it's somewhat scary). We all love to blog. We all have full lives... and (most of the time) we wouldn't have it any other way. Living life to the fullest is something that we are all inspired by. The idea of learning and doing and enjoying everything we can in life is really what we all hope for. Thus, the name... 


Our Cups Runneth Over. 


No, we aren't talking about our breasts. Sorry for all of you male readers that were hopeful this is where that was going. :) 


Instead, we are talking about anything and everything else. We have plans to feature some incredible guest bloggers. Some of them have already submitted posts for us... they are truly wonderful. We have plans to talk about parenting. But, you don't have to be a mom or a dad to enjoy our blog. We all love our babies (present and future), but we all love having independence, too. We will talk about marriage. We will talk about arts and crafts, sports, photography, food (of course - c'mon... you know I'd have to talk about food), and fashion (don't worry - I will be the blogger that is reading this one more than writing it - hahaha!). There will be short blogs and long blogs. You might like my posts. You might not. You might find that Cilla or Dawn or Rebecca write in a way that you just can't stop reading (I know I can't). 


In any case, I think you should check it out. We are launching today. We are so excited... SO excited. :) Jump off a hay bale excited. :) 

Please cruise on over and read. And, sign up to follow us through e-mail or on Twitter or on Facebook. Do it early... we are going to give away a $100 American Express card to one person who signs up to follow us. The drawing will be held on March 17, as we culminate our "week of green" celebration for St. Patty's Day! 


As always, I love you guys and I'm so appreciative to have you reading. I'm not going to stop blogging my personal journey on here, so no worries. I'm just hoping to have fun blogging with some awesome other ladies on Our Cups Runneth Over, too! 

Please pray...

So, this will be quick. 


Please follow this link: 


http://piggfamilyblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/rounding-up-troops.html


Please read the story. 


Please pray. 


Understand that I'm asking as a friend. I'm asking as the daughter of a breast cancer survivor. I'm asking as a woman who has a HIGH risk of being in the same position - needing prayers related to breast cancer. I'm asking you to just whisper a prayer for this lady... this mom of a baby boy. 


Thank you for your prayers. :) I love you all... and know that through God we can move mountains (just another life lesson, right?!).

Life lessons...

My favorite lessons in life: 


Life isn't fair. Get over it. Totally my dad's favorite comment to me when I whined as a kid. 


When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I learned this one from Granny Dale, the eternal optimist. However, we usually made things with lots of chocolate.


It's better to be a bitch than a doormat. Haha... I think my mom actually wrote this one... and it is by far my favorite one to use. :) Just ask my poor husband. 


Time waits for no man (or woman). Deadlines taught me this one. College deadlines. Work deadlines. There is a reason they call them DEAD lines. 


Sleep is overrated. Insomnia gave me this one... as did my mom, who also believes in living life to the fullest and has boundless amounts of energy.


Plastic is NOT the same as cash. Anyone want to take a guess on how I learned this one?


Killing people with kindness works (although I have not chance at knowing that from  experience).  Cilla has this one down better than anyone I know.


Patience is a virtue (a virtue that I don't have). Hmmm... Brad, maybe? I don't want to give him too much credit, but I guess it would have to be something I could say that I admire about him. Odd that I also hate it about him, too. 


Why am I writing this? 


I don't know. It just popped into my head that I say these things all the time... usually to myself. Isn't it scary that you know the inner workings of my brain? 


:) 


I wonder why I say these things to myself all the time. I wonder if I say them to the kids... if they will learn them and repeat them to themselves later. Or will they go the opposite and hate these "lessons." 


Or will they have a list of lessons that I taught them... maybe "Nobody likes whiny babies or tattle tales."  Or my most recent favorite for Bailey... "Would you say that to a friend at school?" or "Would you talk to your teacher that way?" or "Would you treat your friends that way?" Bailey is the perfect angel to her friends and teachers at school (which I'm thrilled by), but tends to forget how to be nice when she wants something at home. 


Jake's lesson would definitely relate to threatening things. He likes to tell Bailey he will "punch her in the face" if she doesn't do what he wants. Fortunately, he hasn't performed that action (at least not when we are looking), but the threat sounds horrible. lol. Hilarious... but horrible all the same. 


What's your favorite life lesson? 

VOTE VOTE VOTE

VOTE NOW... VOTE EARLY... VOTE OFTEN!

While I normally would say something more along the lines of "Eat now, eat early, eat often" or even "Drink now, drink early, drink often," this phrase completely applies to what I'm thinking about today.

And, no it isn't politics! I won't go there, in fear that you will disagree with me and stop following. :)

I'm thinking about the Baby Bundles of Lexington Model Search contest! The contest winner in each category receives a photo shoot with my best friend, photographer, Priscilla Baierlein. Since you ALL know how much I love my best friend and her work, you MUST know that I HAD to enter this. Plus, it would be really awesome to see my little man's photos all over Lexington, promoting a great new kid's clothing shop.

So, I entered Jake. I couldn't enter Bailey because she was already out of the size range of clothes the store has to offer.

Jake is in the Boys 2T-4T category. Please go to Facebook and "like" Baby Bundles of Lexington. Then, proceed to their photos section, select the album named 2T-4T Boys Model Search, and find Jake's photo. "Like" his photo to cast your vote.

And, just so you know what photo to look for, I'm listing it here:

While you are on there, please vote for these three adorable little boys, as well...

Jackson, who is in the 4-6X Boys category:

Carson, who is in the 0-24 months Boys category:

And, Joseph, who is in the same category as Jake (2T-4T Boys):

If you need help, let me know... and if you want to forward this on to EVERYONE you know, it wouldn't hurt my feelings in the slightest! :)

Thank you and love you all!

Busy Busy Busy...

I know you have missed me. :) 


I just know it. 


And I just know you are dying to know what I've been up to... and what the rest of our clan has been doing. 


So, let me show you. 


Don't pass out... I know I haven't posted a picture in 2011, so you might actually think something crazy is going on here. 


Trust me... I think something crazy is going on here. I'm actually downloading photos. Something just isn't right in the world. 


We have played basketball... lots of basketball... at practice. At ball games. At the YMCA on nights when I need to get in a run and bribe the kids with something they enjoy. Lots and lots of basketball. And, it's paying off. Bailey is really "getting" it. She's improving each time. She still ducks or covers her head when the ball is passed to her or when she needs to be rebounding the ball, but she is not one bit scared to take the ball from another person when playing defense. 

Jake is still our tough one, but he, too, is improving. No, I'm not really referring to his ability to play basketball. Instead, I'm referring to his ability to listen to his dad and Dawn while they coach him. And, his ability to stay on the court instead of just declaring that he is done and sitting down. He even followed his teammates up and down the court in Saturday's game, which seems to indicate that he does at least know that he's supposed to follow them. haha. We are hopeful that he might attempt to get the ball at some point before the end of the season, but are very happy that he's at least just making an attempt to play. :) 

Then, there's the other thing we have dealt with this winter. A lot. 


Snow. This has pretty much been the view from our front door off and on for the past two months.
  

Leaving us with this view IN the house: 

And, then, there's the other thing we have been doing a lot of. 


Oh yeah... already talked about that... 


Basketball. :) 

Of course, there are other things included in our lives. 


Girl Scouts. Need cookies? Let me know. 


Homework. 


Play dates. Spending time with new and old friends, going to birthday parties, Super Bowl parties, etc. 


Running. Last week, I ran 8 miles for the first time. I was super-thrilled. More than halfway to that half marathon now. I'm feeling like it can be done. :) But only if I play Cake's The Distance on my iPod on repeat for the entire run. lol. 


Brad's basketball team(s). He looks like someone beat him up... bruises all over the place. But apparently, he isn't any worse than the other guys. One poor guy had a dislocated arm/shoulder because of my "sweet" husband. Nice. It wasn't his fault though... it never is. :)


And Bailey is playing tennis after school on Thursdays. She tells me, "I can't really get the hang of it. I'm horrible." 


She is. But, she enjoys trying... and I encourage her and tell her we can practice. Her response is classic Bailey, "I'm not sure it will help." :) 


Life is busy. 


And, I just have to say, it's only going to get busier. I know, is that really possible? 


I am so excited about an upcoming project. Just wait... I'll have more details on it VERY soon. Suffice it to say that I am super-excited... extremely excited... jump up and down excited.... or maybe, jump off a hay bale while trespassing on a local farm... excited. :)  Stay tuned... 

A fun play date... sans photos

I was going to start off this post with a picture of three amazing children having a blast at Monkey Joe's. Those three kids were adorably dressed (all color-coordinated in brown, all unplanned). The before picture would start out the evening with clean hair and hands. The after picture would show them sweaty and red-faced from a full evening of fun. (Add some red and blue lips from the Icees they had and you'll get a full mental image). 


There would also be a picture of me and the mother of the adorable girl, Allie (who Jake calls his girlfriend and spent the whole evening following around like a little puppy). We would be chatting it up at a table, talking about all the things that women talk about when they have kids that are around the same age, or if they've worked at the same place before, or if they know each other's families, or if they just need to laugh about something they've done or said or seen. 


Yet... something happened to prevent those photos from actually being taken.


And, no, I didn't lose my camera again. 


You know that little beautiful girl, Allie, that I was talking about? Well, her mom and I had so much fun just talking and enjoying ourselves... that we, well, completely forgot to take pictures, lost track of a couple of hours, and proceeded to practically shut Monkey Joe's down. In all seriousness, we left a good 45 minutes before they closed. So, we didn't really shut it down. I was exaggerating. :) 


My point is... I love having kids this age. I love that they are running and playing and jumping and shouting and having a blast. Meanwhile, I am talking and laughing and commiserating and catching up with one of my sweetest friends in the world. And only once or twice did we have to stop our conversation to check in on the kids. Monkey Joe's was a ghost town, with only about 5 other kids in the entire building. And Kristyn and I just got to hang out and enjoy and catch up. 


And it was fun. Lots of fun. For everyone. And my son now has his first real crush on a girl. And, I have to say, both of my children have great taste. :) Although, Kristyn and I are concerned about any future marriage... not because of the relationship that could exist, but because we know that Allie could in no way take Jake's last name. 


:) 


Unless she is a basketball star... which could totally change our perspective.

:)