The Sideline Mom

Back from the valley of the sun.

Whew! What a trip. A good one indeed but a bit tiring. The time difference (although only two hours) nearly did me in. And the boys too. We are wiped out. but in a good way.

It rained the first day and a half we arrived. I think we brought it with us. We just pulled it behind the airplane I believe. The Arizonians were happy bout this. They like rain, unlike us here in the monsoon area of the country.

    

Especially this Arizonian. This is our cousin Bailey. She loves the rain. She said "I love the rain, thanks for bringing it." Your welcome cutie pie. Come visit us soon, ok.

 

But the sun did come out again and we got out in that very sun for the rest of teek. We also did lots of other fun stuff in the valley. We visited with lots of family and friends.

 

Played us a mean game of water volley ball.

 

Helped my Dad celebrate another year.

 

Played with ridiculously beautiful baby girls. I never get to play with baby girls. I'm surrounded by boys 97.6% of the time.  

 

 

We got to shred up some of the cool AZ skate parks.

 

It took Morgan 29 seconds to find this 15 ft. bowl and drop into it.

 

 

It took 29 hours for my heart rate to return to normal after he wiped out at the bottom of the 15 ft. bowl. He was fine. I may never be. Life goes on.

 

Aunt Jenni came with cold water. She a life saver and a wicked cool Aunt to come watch them skate. But then again, that's just her. She can't help it. She's awesome. What would we do without you Aunt Jenni? !!

 

We spent lots of time with my 94 year old grandmother who  grows more beautiful and radiant each time I see her. How does she do that? I'm amazed.

 

And we got special tickets and seats to a particular ball game. My Uncle Steve made some calls and set us up. He is always doing great stuff like that for people. Uncle Steve is the man. Thanks Uncle Steve you're the best!

 

The boys got real close to some really cool players. They thought that was... um... cool to say the least.

 

This guy threw Austin a ball. That was cool also.

So much to tell and so much to unpack so I will do more filling in of the details later.

Over and Out.

The (much more tan) Sideline mama.

 

Big ol' jet airliner.

Don't carry me to far away. Well, only as far as Phoenix. We are heading out to
Arizona to see my Dad. It's his birthday and as each year passes I realize that each is a gift not to be taken lightly. His birthday is actually on Memorial Day. He always remembers as a child having to go to the cemetery on his birthday. Kinda grim isn't it? But not this year. No, this year we are coming. No cemetery's for us.

 

We don't get to visit often. Once a year if we are lucky.

 

I know it will make him very happy. And us too.

 

We will also get to visit with lots of other family while there. This will also make me happy.

So until next week. Have wonderful Memorial Day weekend.

The SLM

My brother's keeper.

 

Brother's. Between them there is a fine line between love and hate and they cross back and forth over that very line often. It can make there mama crazy. But if truth be told, they would crumble if anything remotely horrific happened to the other and they both know it. Especially Morgan. He adores his big brother. Wants to be just like him and strives to do so on a daily basis. You can tell by the  numbers here on they're baseball jerseys. When Morgan heard Austin was #10 this year, there was no doubt that Mo wanted the same digit.  If Austin is taking up a new hobby, you can bet Morgan will want to hop on the bandwagon. Despite they're differences (and there are many) they want the best for each other and I hope it always stays that way whatever paths they so choose.

 

Now for game updates:

As for this weekend we actually got some playtime. The rain held off long enough to allow both boys to play friday night and then for Mo to get in a double header on saturday. Then the bottom fell out and Austin game was cancelled saturday evening. So we will have to make that one up. Good news is we found out yesterday that Austin's team just moved into the #1 position for the championship. The team was real excited to find that out and then realized they have some more work/playing to do.

As for Mo.

 

He's keeping the hits coming, roundin the bases like a champ, getting real dirty  and...

 

loving every minute of it! 

 At dinner the other night he said. "Mom , I LOVE baseball SO, SO much"!!! 

It's a good thing cause we still have several games to go.

I'll keep ya posted.

Much love,

The (I need more oxy-clean) Sideline Mama.

 

 

 

Can't resist.

There a few things I can't resist. 

Encouraging  a child.

Starbucks Tall Vanilla Latte (2 pump) Can't say no to these.

Real people. They intrigue me - I can spot one a mile away. You know those specific folks who are who they are no matter what or where they are. Yeah, those people. 

Affectionate people.

Time spent with my sister.

Lip gloss.

Taking pictures.

And these:

Peonies.

 

Walked into the market yesterday and there they were. Quiet, humble and so wanting me to take them home. They batted they're eyelashed a few times and FOR - GET - IT. How could I resist? 

 I had just recieved flowers for Mothers Day, and I love them. Really love them. But Lord Have Mercy, peonies have me at hello.

 

I've told you before that they were created exclusively for me. No doubt. Well,  that's what I tell myself.

 

There is a saying that whatever you resist, persists. So what's the use?

They came home with mama.

Do you blame me?

 

Have a beautiful day.

The SLM

This.

This would be a baseball game. You know that game where you take that club like thing and hit that little white ball with the red laces and you wear that big glove on your hand. I had almost forgot. All of us parents re-introduced ourselves and shook hands again. It was like a reunion. It was great. And... it was not raining. Get I get an amen and a hallelujah? 

 

This would be Morgan. Having thee best game of his season. He was IN THE ZONE! I could gut myself for not video taping it. Absolutely kick myself! (Sorry Dad) He made one particular play that stunned every eye watching. It was amazing. He made a dive for a screaming ball, stopped it and then got up and threw it to 1st base to get the out. Three words... Shock and Awe. We were all stunned. Both teams. Then he be-bopped off the field and said "was that a good play I made Mom"? As if he was not quite sure. It was great fun. He made several other really great plays.

The whole team played amazingly well. We were losing 7-0 and came back to win 13-8.  

Now we are just hoping the rain will just stay away long enough for us to finish the season. Next game I WILL VIDEO! I promise. 

Over and out.

The SLM

I'm melting.

It's suppose to rain all week. It rained all last week. And the week before. Oh and the week before that. Enough rain already ok. Thanks, mother nature, I think we are good on the whole water ratio thing. Just sayin.

Baseball for the boys may be over. If anymore games are cancelled it will be almost impossible to make them up. We may be finished. Can you believe that? Between the boys we still have about a dozen and half games.

 

Morgan is scheduled to play tonight.

 

He woke up this morning and looked out the window and began to cry. It was wet. He knew he would probably not play today.

We are learning to accept things the way they are even if it's not what we want. This is hard. Acceptance.  True dat! (as Toby Mac would say - we LOVE Toby)

On a lighter noter. Got these lovely flowers from my boys. And a couple of real funny cards. I like funny.

Mother's day was nice. Restful. Relaxing. Except for the part when I tried to find something to wear that was approporate for a Mother's Day Brunch. I was not trying to be fancy. Just wanted to look nice and wear something other than my typical workout/homeschooling mom/sideline photographer attire. I am completely honest when I say I spent 40 minutes in my closet trying to find something that would fit that was not falling off. Everything is to large now since I have been losing the unneeded weight. Not a bad situation to be in. I'm not complaining. It's just when you don't have something to put on that is comfortable well... then your uncomfortable. But it's fine.  I ended up wearing something that was to big. Later I will buy things that fit.

Earlier in the week as a early Mothers day present Austin and I went to see this.

 

Totally great show. Better than I thought it was gonna be. See, I loved Happy Days as a kid. I was a religious watcher of the show. That and Lavernge and Shirley. I love the Lavernge and Shirley theme song - it's one of my all time favs. I sing it often to cheer myself up - try it. But Happy Days was thee best! I loved Richie, the Fonz and well ... of course Chachi. *swoon* Who didn't love Chachi? If you didn't, your lying. Everyone loved Chachi. Even the grown women. Oh come on, admit it, you did. It's alright.

Anyway the musical centered on The Fonz and Pinky Tuscadero. It was a love story of course and one of belief in yourself even through weakness. It was great. Really great!

Austin loved it. Before hand we went out to eat.

 

A hip, trendy very cool place in downtown Nashville. We never do that. It was fun. He ordered the barbecue shrimp and we all jumped 5 feet in the air when this came to the table. Poor shrimp still had their eyes. As well they attenie and legs. NIIIIICEEEE!

I had fish. It did not have eyes. Thank goodness. It was all good though.

We went with friends. Lechelle and Christopher. They were the one's who invited us. We love them.

 

Christopher had the oysters. He loves them.

A wonderful Mothers Day indeed.

 

How was your Mothers Day?

Is it raining where you are?

Did you enjoy Happy Days when you were a kid?

Do you know the Lavergne and Shirley theme song?

Do shrimp have feelings?

These are the things that occupy my mind.

I know, your worried. Don't be. "We're gonna make our dreams come true" -"doing it our way"

Over and out, The SLM  (schlemeel, schamazel, hasenfeffer incorporated)

She.

She was simply incredible. My mother. She was. No other way around it. Incredible wife, mother, encourager, grandmother,daughter, listener, sister, gift giver, friend, bank teller,(her customers at the bank would stand in a line twice as long just so they could talk to her)  neighbor, and human being.  She was simply great.

She also taught me a lot.  Many really great things. Helpful things. Truths that would help any person anywhere. Things like if you are not giving to others in your life in some way, you really are not living. Or, if you are feeling bad, do something for someone else, or pass along encouragement to someone in need (and we are ALL in need of it) and all of a sudden you really don't feel all that bad anymore. She taught much to many people. Most of all love. And she did it simply by being who she was, by being herself. Yep, I must say, truth be told, if the world were filled with Lynn Austin's it would be a much better place. I am convinced of it. 

 I miss her like crazy. Especially on mothers day of course. Because out of all the roles she played I think that was the one she pulled off with the most finesse. With much grace and love abundant. And as grandmom or Grammy as the boys called her she was the best in her catagory. Hands down. So this year in light of mothers day, I am spending some extra, extra time remembering her and all she did and taught.  It's my gift to myself this year.

Here are a few others little tidbit's of wisdom she was always speaking into the lives of the ones she loved. We could all learn a bit from her random flashes of genius.

She always said "there is always and always will be more than enough room on Grammy's lap"

 

She also said "it's tremendous fun to dress like twinkies every once in ahwile." 

 

Communing with nature (while toting your grandbaby around) is a great stress reliever.

 

Climb

 

Express yourself. Whether it's Pooh or Spidey you are striving to be.

 

The bigger the hair the better. At least in the 80's.

 

Never pass up an opportunity to have a good time. (here she went two-stepping with me and about 6 of my single girlfriends when she came to Nashville to visit) She was always up for a "kick-up-your-heels" good time.

 

Always dance with the most handsome man at the party (even if it's your 4 year old grandson) Especially if it's your 4 yr old grandson! 

 

Always give your very best smile to everyone you meet, you never know who really needs to see it. 

 

And lastly, tell your mom you love her every chance you get. Especially this mothers day. 

Have a great one.

Much love,

The SLM.

 

 

Pure evil. (now in a new convenient mini size.)

 

Krispy Kreme's. You know what they are. We all do. They are little morsels of pure evil put on earth to destroy us all. That is exactly what they are. Oh yes. Don't argue with me about it. Oh and don't tell me how if eaten in moderation they are just fine to have every once in awhile and stuff. They are not! No. No way. They are in fact evil. EEEEEVILLLL I say and they must be destroyed pronto! Ok, now that I got that out of my system let me tell you a quick little story.

This morning while I was at physical therapy for my danged pinched nerve, which by the way is responding really well to treatment and I should be finished here soon with double weekly trips to have it unpinched. Sorry, I digress. Anyway while doing my exercises at the PT office I hear my phone. It would be my eldest offspring requesting (begging for) a few Krispy Kreme's. At first I said "no way Hosea" (I call him Hosea sometimes - I like to confuse him - it's fun) Then I changed my mind and said yes. I do that a lot. Change my mind that is. I am woman. It's my right.   So after my session I did  purchase a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts.  Mini's that is. Have you seen them? 

See? They are really tiny. This is a trick to make you think that they are not nearly as lethal as the regular size KK's but don't be fooled people, they are just as deadly. The reason why I am having such an adversion to them and other things of this nature is because I have lost exactly 35 pounds since the last week of January.  

 

Yes, 35 pounds people. Needless to say, Krispy Kremes have not exactly been on my list of consumed foods for the past 3 months.  I have had to literally work my hiney off to remove this 35 lbs. And while I will say it was not exactly easy to rid myself of this weight I will also admit that for the first time in my life (if I'm being really honest), it has not been all that difficult either. Nope, not really. Not in the mental sense that is. I'm not lying. Have you ever just got something? You know, like had a lightbulb moment so to speak. I guess you could say that is exactly what I had back in January when I decided once and for all that I was not going to live with the unecessary junk in my trunk. I decided I did not want to live my life with all this extra honky tonk badonka donk that had snuck it's way back onto my backside any longer. I was finished with it for good. Even though I had lost weight in the past I realized I was at last finally finished with the yo- yo weight trip I had been on for the past ten years.  Done! Then I topped it. I said not only do I want to lose the weight, I also want to be in really good shape, better even than when I was a teenager. It's possible ya know? Stranger things have happened. So I'm going for it.

That's where I am presently. I figure I'm half way to where I want to be. Who needs things that slow you down in life. I don't. The process may not be completely easy but ya know what... it's not all that hard either. It can be done. Once you set your mind to something it's not that far out of reach. Of course every once in awhile you may run into a little problem here of there or in a box.

 But it's nothing I can't handle.

I think.

Over and out.

The SLM

P.S. always remember...Krispy Kremes are evil, even the cute tiny ones. Never forget this.

Rained out.

 

Since the monsoon hit middle Tennessee late Thursday evening we had been praying. Praying that maybe just possibly it would by some strange and unexplainable miracle just suddenly stop raining. That never happened. It rained like it's never rained before. They cancelled the competition. Such is life.

The boys were mad.

 It was sad.

 They acted bad.

 Worse than they ever had.

I was not glad.

I told them they we're SO not rad.      Alright, I'm done with my stupid rhyme.

But they were very bummed. Like totally dude.   So we went here. 

It helped. The boys were glad to be moving. Even if they were not competing for any prizes. They were in motion. As long as Morgan is in motion, that child is content.

See? (*note* not new pics -These pics were taken last trip to Rockettown)

Some guy watching Morgan skate introduced himself then asked me if I was his mom. When I said yes he then asked his age. He told me he was from Bowling Green, Kentucky and was putting together a ministry based skate team. He gave me his card. Hmmmm. Not sure what I am suppose to do with that? Morgan will not be on any skate team as of yet. The kid is seven. He just got out of kindergarten last year. It will be a while before I allow him to skateboard on a team I think. But it was an interesting encounter though. Can't wait to see the the future holds. As of now he will just fly for fun.

Off to learn some new tricks

Over and out.

The SLM.