We Love NASCAR!

For those of you who know my little family well, you know that we love NASCAR. From the opening prayer to the final interview we love it all. Although we have yet to go to an actual race, we promise that someday we will.

The most avid fan in our family is Z. He doesn't miss a race. He makes sure that he watches both the Nationwide and the Sprint Cup races. If he can talk mom and/or dad into it, he will watch the pre-race countdown as well as any NASCAR shows that may be on during the week. For the first part of the season he would even write in his notebook the results from all of the races.

As far as drivers go...



KD (dad) likes Tony Stewart. We try not to fault him too much for that.



Z started out really liking Ryan Newman. However, he seems to have taken a liking to Kyle Busch lately. We have some educating to do with him.



KT and I (mom) like Kasey Kahne. A and B have no interest at this time. We all do seem to like Dale Jr. Who doesn't like him!

There are now only four races left in the season. We will then be done until February 2009 when it all begins again at Daytona.

We say congratulations to Dale Jr. , Tony and Kyle for making it into the chase. To Ryan and Kasey, we say, good effort...next year will be a much better year.

To all the NASCAR fans out there we say...CRANK IT UP!!!

It's So Nice To Be Home

This week has been a rough week one. I left Monday morning for Boise, Idaho and returned on Wednesday evening. Now for most people that wouldn't be so bad but for me, who really hasn't spent more than one night away from my boys, it was difficult. To top it all off, I was ill the whole time.

When I arrived home on Wednesday evening Zand K were just getting home from the after school program. They both came running up to me with huge hugs. K was in tears. When I asked what was wrong he simply stated, "I missed you!" Well of course that set me off.

In the house A and B were very excited to see me. After hugs and kisses B sat on my lap and said, "You, go, work." Apparently that didn't go over very well with him.

Although there are many times that I get frustrated and wish for some time away from home when it comes right down to it, I hate it.

Thank you to my wonderful husband who spent two days with his boys by himself. Kudos my dear.

Now KD and I are off together to Lake Tahoe. It is a work conference for me and a vacation for KD. It will be a nice get-away for us. Grandma will have the pleasure of the company of the four boys. Thanks mom.

You Throw Like A Girl!!!

Growing up I spent a lot of time on the softball field. I don't remember exactly how old I was when I started playing, I just remember always playing every summer.

When we lived in Utah my coaches were my mom and her good friend Judy. I think I played just about every position. My favorite position, by far, was catcher. I LOVED trying to catch a player when they were attempting to steal any base. Let me clarify, this wasn't slow pitch softball. I could never play that game, it drove me crazy. I only played fast pitch softball. If the ball didn't come across the plate at belly level then it wasn't really softball.

When we moved to Washington mom coached me for a while. When I was in junior high school I had a coach named Ray. Hmmm...his last name just left me. Anyway, I played for him until I it came to an end. I don't remember playing while I was in high school.

I recall one time when mom was coaching I threw the ball to 2nd base trying to catch a girl at stealing the base and our 2nd baseman missed the ball completely. As I'm sure it wasn't my fault at all, I went balistic. I remember yelling and throwing a temper tantrum. And I remember mom putting a stop to it. Thanks mom for teaching me there is more to life and that softball, or any sport for that matter, is just a game.

Now when my boys play ball with their dad he always says to them, "You throw like your mom, like a girl." When grandma is around to hear that she always responds, you should have seen your mom throw the ball. It's good you throw like your mom.

I have to admit, I miss it sometimes. I haven't kept myself in shape and to play now would probably kill me. I just hope that I can teach my kids how fun sports really can be. When I hear about or see parents going crazy at their child's game I think, "Wow! What a horrible example." Too many things in this life are competitive, can't we just have fun anymore? Can't we all just play nice?

Whenever I hear the song of a bird Or look at the blue, blue sky,

Whenever I feel the rain on my face Or the wind as it rushes by,

Whenever I touch a velvet rose Or walk by a lilac tree,

I'm glad that I live in this beautiful world Heav'nly Father created for me.

He gave me my eyes that I might see

The color of butterfly wings.

He gave me ears that I might hear

The magical sound of things.

He gave me my life, my mind, my heart

I thank him rev'rently

For all his creations, of which I'm a part

Yes I know Heav'nly Father loves me.

-Clara W. McMaster

School Lunch

Today we received a phone call from the school telling us that both Z and K needed lunch money. I was sitting at my desk at work and I thought "Stupid lunch money!" Apparently I thought it verbally, my co-worker laughed.

That causes me to wonder, were school lunches really good or was I just too young to know the difference? I remember the mashed potatoes and gravy. Man they were good. I remember having rolls and more rolls. Oh, and the coleslaw..yuck then, yum now. Looking at my kid's lunch calendar I don't remember having the food that they do now-a-days.

Of course, when I was older it wasn't cool to eat school lunch but it wasn't that cool to carry a brown bag from home either. The coolest thing to do was to go off campus for lunch. Besides, I don't remember my high school having school lunch or even a cafeteria for that matter. Small town, small school.

Apparently my kids don't care too much for the school lunches either. Quite often they will ask me if they can take their own lunches. I guess it's cool in elementary school to bring your lunch from home.