The End of the Field Hockey Season...

I have been staring at this computer screen for quite some time. I keep looking at pictures from the field hockey season instead of writing. I'm afraid that once I actually put down the words that all of the emotions will come out. I don't want to admit that the end of the field hockey season is here.

I know you are all probably sick of reading about my love of coaching this team but I had to take one more post and dedicate it to them...my team, The Yodeling Peacocks. Don't ask me how the girls game up with this name. I just know that there are three other teams in the same age division in our town that are all called the Gators and my girls wanted to be original. (I don't think you can get any more original than The Yodeling Peacocks!)

The Yodeling Peacocks before the start of a game
with sticks in for a cheer

One of the girl's parents even treated our girls to having peacock feathers in their hair for their last weekend of games. How awesome is that?! Feathers in your hair are such a big thing right now. My team was so excited and surprised when they showed up at my house for what they thought was a skills & strategy session and found a stylist waiting to clamp a peacock plume into their hair!!


LOOKS CRAZY COOL!!

 There was more fun to be had too! Another mom helped the Assistant Coach and I make signs for the girls that we hung on the fence facing the fans in the bleachers. We walked into the stadium as a team and surprised the girls when they came down the steps to the turf field. They were tickled to see their name in "lights". I also made programs with the help of Chris's sister that we handed out to the families of the girls. (I can't show you those for privacy issues but the girls loved those too!)

We made one of these for each girl in a different pattern and color

Apparently, the girls were up to their own surprises because they made signs for my Assistant Coach and I too!

How sweet is this?! LOVE IT!!!

Before the game started, my Assistant Coach and I had one more surprise for our girls. We handed out a pair of socks to each girl in order to support National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Our girls looked absolutely adorable in their black socks with pink ribbons running down the field.

Ash (#4) with one of her teammates

After the game, (which we won 2-1) the REAL fun started...

The parents made a tunnel for the girls to run through
(That is Ash heading out)

We went to a local pizza place for some food, fun &
very thoughtful presents
(The team gave my Assistant Coach & I a framed photo of the team
and all of the girls signed it)

The team waiting so patiently for their pizza.
Such a great group of girls!!!

My Assistant Coach & I telling the girls our favorite things
about them and the season



The PROUD coaches with Ash



The PROUD coaches with Lily
(Assistant Coach's daughter)

It was a wonderful day from start to finish. I could have not wished or hope for more. My girls had a blast and so did my Assistant Coach & I. There were a few tears shed but there were a lot of laughs too! 

We grew as a team this season. We grew the love of the game this season. Most importantly though...we grew the love of each other this season. 

What coach could ask for more?!

I love all of THE YODELING PEACOCKS!

Friday Feel Good...

If you are just stopping by for the first time, Friday Feel Good is where I rant, vent & complain about things that have frustrated me this week. I feel it is better to get it off my chest and start my weekend off in a good mood. You can do the same by dumping your vents in my comment section. Think of it as a cheap therapy session!

Let's get started...

1. Sales calls! I am on the DO NOT CALL list but somehow these calls keep coming. On the days when I am at home all day, I get at least six. They say they will remove me from their list but then someone calls back the next day and says the update hasn't taken effect yet. Listen, I'm happy you have a job and can support yourself/family BUT LEAVE ME ALONE!!! I do not want a lower home mortgage (well, I do but you know what I mean)! I do not want my inground pool covered (I don't have an inground pool)! I do not want my gutters cleaned (the sales person for those things that cover your gutters so that they don't need to be cleaned beat you to it)!

2. Leaving the house and forgetting everything I need to run my errands! This is happening a lot lately. I am either way too busy with too much on my mind or my mind is starting to go. I am hoping it is the first! Yesterday, I went to three different places without the items I needed to go to those places. Needless to say...it was a big waste of time. The thing I can't figure out is how I didn't look to make sure I had the things I needed after not having them at the first and second place. Okay, just writing that leads me to think that my mind is starting to go.

3. Stuffy noses! Bean has a cold. I don't like it when my little blondie isn't feeling well. I want to hear her sweet voice, not the nasal sound of some strange kid who refuses to blow her nose until she is exhausted from trying to suck it all back up into her sinus cavities. Why do kids not like to blow their nose?! They love all things that are ooey, gooey and disgusting!

4. Wet leaves! Not only are they a slip and fall hazard but they stick to everyones' shoes and come into my house. Since my regular readers know that I have shoes all over my house...they now know that I have leaves all over my house too!

5. Last week of the field hockey season! I can't even get into this one. I will start falling apart as I type. Just know that I love my team, I love coaching and that I will miss it more than those girls will ever know. One game this Saturday and one game this Sunday is all that I have left with them. I am going to try to capture every moment in my heart, mind and/or camera!

Happy Weekend Everyone!!!

I Need A Translator...

I either need a translator or someone who can help me speak so that my children not only hear me but understand what I am saying. Maybe some of you can help me out with this...

These girls look like they understand "Mom speak"
but don't let their smiles fool you!

I say - put your sneakers/cleats on
They - jam their foot into a double knotted sneaker/cleat and complain that it hurts
Do I really need to say - untie your shoelaces, loosen them up, slide foot in, tighten the laces back up and tie into a knot?

I say - brush your teeth
They - sing, dance, chase each other, play with the water in the sink while holding a toothbrush in their mouth
Do I really need to say - stand in front of your sink, don't sing, don't dance, don't chase each other, don't play with the water in the sink...just brush your teeth?

I say - brush your hair
They - pick up the brush, walk to another room, put the brush down and start doing something else
Do I really need to say - stand in front of the mirror and brush your hair so that when it is my turn to go over it you are not crying that there are knots and that it hurts?

I say - put your dishes in the dishwasher
They - put their dishes in the sink or on the counter above the dishwasher
Do I really need to say - get up from your seat, go straight to the dishwasher, open the dishwasher, put your dishes in and close the dishwasher?

I say - put your shoes away
They - put them on the steps that go upstairs to their bedrooms
Do I really need to say - pick up your shoes, walk up the stairs, go to your bedroom, open your closet door, put shoes down on the closet floor and close the closet door?

I say - put your laundry in the hamper
They - put it next to the hamper, leave it on their floor in a pile and/or hide it under their bed
Do I really need to say - carry your laundry to the hamper, open the hamper lid (on hinges, I mind you), dump clothes in and close the hamper lid?

I say - wash your hands
They - quickly rinse their hands under running water
Do I really need to say - turn on warm water, wet hands, pump soap into hands, scrub hands while singing the alphabet, rinse, turn off the water and dry hands?

I am pretty sure that I have been saying the "Do I really need to say" lines since they were little. You would think I would be able to leave out a few words here and there now.

I mean they can take Best Friends Forever and turn it into BFF without a problem!

I Miss Dating...

It's Wednesday and that means I'm linking up with Shell at Things I Can't Say today. It is time to Pour Your Heart Out!

I bet I caught your attention if you are a regular reader of mine with the title of my post, didn't I?! As you all know, I am happily married to Chris. The only problem...I miss dating him!

Chris and I used to have the best dates. Not the dates in movies where the guy shows up with flowers (he rarely does that), champagne (I'm allergic) and/or chocolates (Hey, why didn't he bring me chocolates?! I love chocolates!!).

Chris and I could have fun in a grocery store and we did. We used to laugh as we walked down the aisles together trying to find food we both agreed on to eat for lunch, dinner, snack, dessert...you get the point...we didn't have the same tastes. We used to laugh so much that we annoyed some of the people that were there because they had to be to stock up for the week for their families. (I know, how dare we have fun grocery shopping). Side note...I am now one of those people who has to go to the grocery store. If I saw anyone like Chris and I back in the day...they would annoy me too!

Chris and I used to try all kinds of restaurants and take our time eating, drinking and enjoying the atmosphere. We enjoyed hearing each other talk. We laughed a lot. Our girls are very well behaved in restaurants but they don't want to treat it as an outing. They treat it as - food in -when can we get back to playing Littlest Pet Shop - seriously, are you done eating yet because we want to go play Littlest Pet Shop? And most of the conversation is consumed with what is going on with the girls or what our girls will actually eat on the menu.

Chris and I used to go hiking, rollerblading, walking, canoeing and camping. We still do most of those things (no rollerblading...I think you get teased if you still rollerblade...just kidding...our knees just can't take it anymore). Now, we just do them with our girls. Which is great, don't get me wrong. I'm happy our girls enjoy those things and that we are all healthy enough to do all of those things.

Chris on one of our camping trips in Denali National Park
in Alaska

The point of all of this is (and I am sure most if not all of you know where I am going with this) that I miss having my hubby all to myself. I miss doing things on our time. I miss doing things our way. I miss having 100% of his attention when he gets home from work and giving him 100% of mine.

I want to laugh in the grocery store again. I want to try new restaurants and stay until the wait staff are giving us the evil eye to get out so that they can go home. I want to hike and stop high up on a mountain and rest my head in Chris's lap and enjoy the views (not be in alert mode to see if one of the girls is about to fall off the mountain). I want to walk along the GW Parkway trail, hand in hand, with time to talk only about each other and not worry if our girls will get run down by one of the many people on their bikes. I want to canoe/kayak for several miles, side by side or in tandem, and not hear the girls complaining that they are hungry, thirsty and/or tired. I want to camp and snuggle up with Chris to stay warm and feel safe and not stress out if someone is going to slice open the side of our tent and steal our children in the night (it has happened, you know!).

I want to start those things that some of you already have. I believe they are called date nights. Have you heard of them? I miss dating my husband. After almost 11 years of marriage, I think it is time we made ourselves a priority again. If you have any tips on how to bring that special time back for us, I'd love to hear them.

By the way...Chris, I love you! Sme

22 Things I Have Done...

The list below is inspired by the wonderful Mama Kat's writing workshop. I am sure I can blow through 22 things I have done but will they be lame or will I feel good about myself when I am finished? Your guess is as good as mine. Time to start sifting through this memory of mine and get typing...

1. Won my first spelling bee in 2nd grade with the word "excellent". I was awarded with a smelly sticker that smelled like chocolate. Everyone thought I was so cool. (Started this list off with a bang! I'm not lame yet...)

2. Led my 4th grade all girls team to victory in the end of the year showdown kickball game against the boys at recess. I will seriously never forget that day. It rocked!

3. Summer before 5th grade I climbed the highest tree in our neighborhood that my mom repeatedly warned me not to do because she said I was going to get hurt. She was right, I fell out and sprained my ankle after one of the rungs nailed into the tree gave way. (See that kids...always listen to your mom!)

4. Summer before 7th grade had my first real kiss. Wasn't expecting it, knee jerk reaction later & 5.  I punched the boy in the face. (How you like those apples?! Two covered in one shot) I should probably explain this a little bit. I thought it was going to be a sweet kiss not a kiss I had seen the teenagers doing in the hallways. I really didn't mean to punch him. It truly was a grossed out/knee jerk reaction. Needless to say...we were no longer girlfriend & boyfriend.

6. Started a new school in 8th grade and got lost, spilled my cafeteria lunch and got on the wrong bus on my way home on the very first day!

7. Summer before 9th grade I went to my first field hockey camp and fell in love with the game. (Still can't believe my girls got to start when they were in elementary school.)

8. At the end of 10th grade (my first year of Senior high school), was asked to go to prom by a senior.  **blush**

9. Took my driver's license test on a manual transmission and passed at 16 years old. (That seems so young as I wrote that.)

10. Fell in love with the QB of our high school.

11. Had my heart broken by the QB of our high school.

12. Went back with the QB of our high school.

13. Broke up with the QB of our high school for a boy I ended up being in love with for a very long time.

14. Went out of my comfort zone and took a job in Virginia. I was living in Maryland and had a horrible commute but I loved my job.

15. Met my now husband at a company picnic for that company above in Virginia.

16. Fell in love with Chris Higgins!

17. Searched & searched for a Puli to call our own and found Jamaica.

18. Married Chris Higgins!

19. Had the best honeymoon in Jamaica (the country...not our dog) even though I ended up getting the flu and we had a lot of rain.

20. Got pregnant & gave birth to my beautiful daughter, Ash.

21. Got pregnant & gave birth to my other beautiful daughter, Bean.

22. Keep adding to the list of things I have done...

Weekend Of Fun...

This past weekend we were so excited to have Ash & Bean's Uncle and Aunt in town for a visit. We don't get to see them very often as they live in Michigan and actually have lives of their own (How dare them?!). Because the girls don't get too spend that much time with them, they love on them from the second they walk through the door until they are packing up their car to head home.

It always makes my heart feel good when I can see the love the girls have for other people and that they are very comfortable showing it.

Thank goodness their Uncle & Aunt are fine with a jam packed schedule because this weekend was just that! We had two field hockey games, leaf pile raking & jumping and a fierce game of Apples to Apples planned. We were so happy to share the craziness we call life with them and hope it won't be that long before we get to do it again!

Bean's game (She's the #33 with the blonde pony tail)

The start of the leaf pile



Bean jumping in the leaf pile with her Aunt & Uncle

Jamaica wanted to get in on the fun leaf action too!

Then it was off to Ash's game for another victory!
(How cute are my Gator girls?! I love this team!)
Ash is far left with a huge smile.

Look at the leaf Bean found the next day...HUGE!

Ash, Bean and Jamaica folding up the tarp used to collect all
of the leaves. Great folding girls!

How was your weekend? Jam packed or lazy daisy? Any company in for a visit?

Friday Feel Good...

I was set free this week. The geothermal install was completed last Friday afternoon and I was no longer trapped to the only room in the house without installers and/or construction. I have been cleaning up and trying to get the house decorated for Halloween. I know, not much time for the decorations to even be up at this point but when you have kids I feel it is important to decorate.

This is one of my favorite decorations. It lights up!

This is what started off my frustrations this week...HALLOWEEN PREPARATIONS! Get ready! There are a few and I may tend to ramble on a bit...

1. Keeping things in a "safe place"! Why do I even think that a year later my brain will retain the information to locate this so called "safe place"?! I am a pretty organized girl but I tell you what...when it comes to our basement storage area, no matter how hard I try to keep the different holiday items grouped together somehow they disappear. I have a group of favorite items that are more on the funky side of Halloween decorations that my MIL kick started with some crazy cool Halloween candle stick holders. Unfortunately, this entire box is missing! So much for my "safe places"! So much for "obvious" places. I CAN'T FIND THIS BOX ANYWHERE!!!

2. Target - having aisle after aisle of snack size candy! First of all, I am a sucker for candy. Secondly, snack size is no good for me. One snack size is just a tease, two snack size is probably just right but let's face it...it is not and three snack size should be where I cut myself off but I usually don't. So, after four snack size I am regretting even opening the first snack size. I know what you are all are thinking, "Isn't the candy for the trick-or-treaters anyway?!" Well, in this house...NO, it is for me and the leftovers are for the trick-or-treaters.



Great variety, right?! You're coming to my house
to trick-or-treat now, aren't you?!

 3. Witches hanging in the foyer! I know, this one is ALL MY FAULT and it is a simple fix but I'm just too lazy to do anything about it. I got the great idea that it would be spooky if I hung a witch from the light in our foyer. That way when we open the door to trick-or-treaters or guests throughout the season it kind of looks like it is flying in our house. The only problem with this, I keep coming around the corner or down the steps in the evening/late night and it freaks me out! I keep scaring myself! Why don't I just take it down you ask? Ummm...remember...I'm too lazy.

I'm going to get you, my pretty!

 4. Everything being the flavor of pumpkin! Pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pie, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin whoopie pies, pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin risotto and pumpkin chai latte. This means A WHOLE LOT OF TIME DEDICATED TO EATING & DRINKING while it is in season and EVEN MORE CALORIES ON TOP OF THOSE DARN SNACK SIZE CANDIES!!!

Pumpkin Whoopies

Now, that I am hungry for all things pumpkin and some snack size yummies...it is time for you to dump what has been bothering you this week in my comments sections. Let it out! You will feel better for it and you will be able to head out into your weekend with a smile!

Thanks again for all of the comments! If you haven't signed up to be a follower yet, please do. It only takes a quick click on the right side bar where it says "Followers" and doesn't cost a penny. There's nothing like a freebie! :-)

HAPPY WEEKEND!!!

I'm linking up with Jennifer at Momma Made It Look Easy because well, it is Friday and she is sharing her AWESOME!!! Thanks again for featuring me last week!!!

Les Miserables at the Kennedy Center...

The other night, my husband treated all of his girls to a night at the theater. We went to see Les Miserables at the Kennedy Center.

Again, we forgot the real camera
and had to work with the
cell without a flash

Our girls love to sing and dance and definitely feel that their talents are worthy of being on stage. Of course, we agree...because they are ours and we think they are super cute & talented even when they are off key and make up the words! They haven't been to a play in a long time so Chris decided this would be a good start. He was right...

The play was incredible! Jean Valjean, the main character, was played by J. Mark McVey. I could honestly listen to this man sing all night. His rendition of "Bring Him Home" brought tears to my eyes. There was a brief pause after this song and the audience was cheering and clapping like he just won the Tony for his role. I love that feeling when you know that the performer knows they have done a wonderful performance. Even as he went on with the play, the next few minutes you could see that our loud cheers stayed with him.

The ceiling at The Kennedy Center.
Bean thought it was made of gold and diamonds.

And what person doesn't love the song, "I Dreamed a Dream"?! It was so hard not to sing along with that one. I am so used to blasting Lea Michelle's Glee rendition in my car and belting it out right along with her that I feel pretty confident but I am pretty sure as good as I think I sound...the rest of the audience would not agree!

Another dark picture but Ash is
smiling so I went with it ;-)

The girls stayed up for the entire show. It didn't start until 7:30PM and let's just say that with intermission it was a long night. They were on their best behavior though and we were some very proud parents! (Chris was the only one I had to scold for opening up mints during the show. It is one of the 10 Golden Rules of the theater, ya know! No opening of candy!) 

What was the last play you saw? Was it in a fancy theater, children's theater, high school or church?

The Worry Came Instantly...

I am constantly filled with worry for my oldest daughter, Ash. It all began at 20 weeks into my pregnancy when I was hospitalized and put on strict bed rest due to premature labor.

It was a very difficult pregnancy but the delivery was even worse. I won't go into details but let's just say I didn't get to hear that initial cry until after Ash was intubated and worked on for a couple minutes. She was six weeks premature (which to some people does not sound that early) and needed special care in the NICU. I was overwhelmed with worry.

Ash at 10 hours old

Ash grows with strength and beauty each year and so does my worry. Was it all kick started with that first perinatologist who asked me if I knew that I was having contractions (and I didn't...I thought it was just Ash moving around)? Or was that just a sign from above to prepare me for what was in front of us?

Ash is cautious and reserved. She is not that girl who will go first in line...even if you push her to. I worry she will miss out on things because of this.

Ash is shy and quiet. She is not that girl who will go out of her way to make friends at a park. She is content on playing alone instead of taking the risk in asking someone to play in the chance that they may tell her no. I worry that she will be lonely.

Ash is always looking for reassurance. She is not that girl who will just sign up to join the newest club or sport at school without thinking about it. She needs to hear from us (mommy & daddy) that she can do it first. I worry that she will look to the wrong people for guidance and not trust in herself.

Ash is comfortable taking out her day to day frustrations on me. She is not that girl who will misbehave in class, on a play date or during sports practice (thankfully). She is that girl who brings anything that is bothering her home and dumps it on me. I know that is what she is supposed to do but living in it every day is hard...very hard. I worry that this will only bring division between us and not closeness.

Ash on the day of her First Communion

In between the worry, I vent, I laugh, I scream, I ask to hold her hand, I cry, I watch her, but most importantly...I keep loving her with all the strength that I had on November 20th at 20 weeks when they told me I might lose her. I will keep loving her with that strength and worrying just as much until long after I take my last breath.

Ash, I fought so hard to get you here. I don't ever want to lose you...

I am once again linking up with Shell at Things I Can't Say for her wonderful Pour Your Heart Out. Stop by and read how she pours out her heart about why she doesn't like being a soccer mom. There are also other great bloggers who are linking up with her too!

The Girl Who Loves Critters...

My Bean has always loved bugs (maybe because it was the theme of her nursery room but who knows), reptiles and amphibians. She has never been afraid to get close to them or pick them up. She has always had a thirst to know every fact about each and every one she comes across.

Bean when she was 3 & 1/2 years

Bean after a butterfly seminar at age 5

Bean reading one her most favorite fact books just
a few weeks ago

We have received caterpillars in the mail and watch them turn into butterflies. We have made houses for crickets out of Barbie & Littlest Pet Shop accessories. I (yes, I) have caught a small garden snake (and yes, I screamed like a crazy person the entire time) and put it in her plastic bug habitat for an hour for her to "observe and take notes". My husband has caught blue tailed skinks (a small lizard that are a plenty around our house) for her to keep for an afternoon here or there. I really thought we had done just about everything until two Fridays ago...

This is when my husband and Bean decided it would be a good idea to build a car out of Legos and capture a Stink Bug to drive it. There was a big plastic windshield that kept him inside and there was plenty of room and air circulating through. The one piece I missed (which was incredibly important), was that Bean was worried he would starve so they put a small piece of apple in with the bug. So, for a week, Bean checked on her hard working Stink Bug behind the wheel of the Lego car until finally I said we needed to let it go and get the Legos broken down before the field hockey party.

This is when what I usually think is so cute about Bean loving every critter turned into disliking it VERY much. I picked up the Lego car and a part of it broke off...releasing a thousand fruit flies. I was freaking out! I was set to have a party in just a bit over 24 hours. I was asking myself out loud why the fruit flies were after a Stink Bug and that is when Bean told me that they had slipped in the apple so the Stink Bug wouldn't starve to death or thirst.

So, I ran outside with the ones that wouldn't leave the apple stuck in the cargo area of the Lego car, caught as many as I could between my hands (I know, totally gross!) and got to work on setting up for the party. It didn't seem so bad until the late end of the party when they started circling us like buzzards. As soon as everyone left, I set up another one of my Fruit Fly Traps and got rid of all of those party crashers!

All of those black things are fruit flies...YUCK!

This is the wreckage of the Lego car soaking
in disinfectant

Here I am a few days later finding the story of Bean slipping in that apple to take care of a fellow critter a lot more heartwarming and even quite funny! Which is exactly the way I should be feeling.

Do you have any caring for critters stories to share?

Let's Get This Party Started!!!

Friday night was ALL girls at my house. Chris was away on his annual tuna fishing trip in the Outer Banks and I decided it would be a great time to throw a party for my field hockey team. So, my Assistant Coach (and very close friend)  and I sent out the invite and started our planning and preparations.

I always have grand designs in my head for what I want but I lost my touch when I went back to work when Ash was 5 years old. I put my creative side on the back burner. Needless to say, I felt a bit rusty so I called some friends that I knew could help me do it up! I needed some help with decorations. I didn't want plain ol' decorations. I wanted something that would make our field hockey girls say, "Wow!" and they did just that.

I draped my bay window in bright blue tulle with magenta trim &
put butterfly lights behind the tulle

My friend made the centerpieces. They are branches with
butterflies that she cut and sewed.
Aren't they beautiful?!

We worked for hours decorating these
cake balls. We had chocolate melting
issues...to say the least!

I borrowed this plant stand
turned candy tower
from another friend
(Huge hit!!)

We started the evening by playing telephone. Do you remember that game? It's where you sit in a circle and one person whispers something in the person's ear that is sitting next to them and then all around the circle until it gets back to the original person. So, something like, "My purple turtle eats cotton candy." ends up being, "My sister sings like Katy Perry." It's hysterical to listen to. Just picture the original telephone message going through a lot of girls who giggled with every word they said.

While we waited for the pizza, we divided the girls into two teams and played Pictionary. Not only do I have amazing field hockey players but their art skills are way up there too! I was totally impressed.

After pizza, my Assistant Coach and I asked each girl about their favorite thing about the season so far. I was so proud of the girls' answers. "Winning" didn't even come out of their mouths until the girls were all done and then one of the added, "Hey, what about winning?!" and all of the girls jumped up and down and said, "Oh yea, WINNING!" Of course, when it was my turn...I went totally emotional and my eyes welled up. (I told you I love these girls!)

From there we moved onto the game "What's your favorite?". The girls sat in a circle and we asked them questions like, "What is your favorite color, dinner, TV show, vacation spot...etc." It was a great way for my Assistant Coach and I to get to know the girls better and for them to get to knew each other better too.

"What's your favorite?" got these girls really thinking

After that...well, that is when the party really got started! We cranked up the tunes and played Freeze Dance for a while and then we turned it into Free Dance. My Assistant Coach and I were having so much fun dancing with the girls. (I was even a little sore in the morning. Hey! Its hard keeping up with those flexible girls with enough energy to supply the entire US!)



I put the blurry photo in so you could
see what my Assistant Coach and
I had to keep up with

The party started at 6:00PM and we wrapped up around 9:30PM. My Assistant Coach and I can honestly say it is right up there with some of the best nights of our lives. These girls fill our hearts with love, our minds with memories and our spirits with pride!

GO GATORS!!!

Friday Feel Good...

I am SUPER EXCITED today!!! Good thing I jotted down some things that drove me cazy this week because something AWESOME happened that made me forget about all of them!!!

Jennifer at Momma Made It Look Easy does a feature link up every Friday that is titled "Share Your Awesome". Before she asks everyone to link up and share something "awesome", she features a blogger who caught her eye. I was shocked and so very tickled to see in my inbox that she chose ME for her post this week! So, please head on over to her blog, share some love, give her a shout out for being so AWESOME and please leave a comment...it would mean a lot to the both of us.

If you are new to my blog...WELCOME!!! Please pour yourself a cold glass of Coke Zero (my fave or whatever you fancy) and take a stroll. I hope you like what you see, will stop by often and maybe even click on the button on your right to become a follower...its free :-). I appreciate you even clicking on the link that Jennifer posted...so THANK YOU VERY MUCH for visiting!!!!

Okay, now down to business! It is time to get my stress and yours off of our shoulders and out of our kinked necks. Get it down on this blog and go get ready to have an AWESOME weekend!!!

1. People who do not use their turn indicators or put them on as they are turning! Are they trying to get someone off their tail?! Are they playing a mean game of follow the leader?! Are they trying to kill me?! What is so hard about putting it on?! I mean your hand barely has to move...that is why it is located where it is...for safety! Not putting it on is the exact opposite of safe.

2. Wait times at pharmacies! Please don't tell me that it will be 20 minutes so I think I can just hang out, stroll the magazine aisle and sip on a cold Coke Zero. I am a busy person, tell me the truth so that I can get other things done and come back. I won't mind that. The lie on the wait time...I so mind that!

3. Cell phone batteries that won't stay charged! I mean really, why can't my phone handle several hours of blog viewing & commenting, fb viewing & sharing, Twitter viewing, replying & retweeting?! Someone, please get to work on this. I do not always want to look for an outlet.

4. When someone takes the last of anything in our house and does not tell me! Do they think I will scold them for using the last bit of toilet paper, the last bag of microwave popcorn, the last Coke Zero?! Okay...they may get scolded if they drink my last Coke Zero and by they...I mean my husband. (I do not let the girls drink it, so I always know the guilty party on that one). Just tell me what it is and I will add it to my list. I do not like surprises when it comes down to things like no more toilet paper in the house.

Whew...I'm feeling better! I'm ready to get this party they call Friday started!!! I really am having a party today too! Yep, I am throwing a big ol' bash for my field hockey team. It is going to be a night of girl fun!! I can't wait...the pictures will come on Monday...YIPPEE!!

Now, get ready to dump all of your gripes and complaints from the week in my comment section. It can take it! I want you to go out and have a good time, make lots of memories, capture them with your camera and live it up. Isn't life AWESOME???!!!

My Utopia...

Ash came home from school with her latest "Fab Vocab" assignment. They are given two words each week that are not your typical words for a 4th grader. (They are sort of like those desk calendars where you learn a new word with each day...you know the ones I am talking about.) They then have to answer some very thought provoking questions about each of the two words.

One of Ash's words this week was "utopia" and she had to create what she thought would be her utopia. She was very torn about what she wanted her utopia to be. She had a million thoughts racing through her head. So, I told her to make a list and to edit out the least important things and keep the things that really make her happy...creating her utopia.

Her description of her utopia got me thinking. What would my utopia be?! So, I made a list too and here is what remains after the edit...(on the light side of things)

The sun would always shine even when raining. (grey skies are not my friend)

My husband wouldn't have to meet his carpool at o'dark thirty and would be able to see us wake seven out of seven days instead of two out of seven days. (he makes way better pancakes than I do)

My girls would wake up with glorious, knot-free hair. (as much as I love Aussie Hair Insurance leave in spray conditioner)

Laundry would not only find its way into the hamper but it would not be balled up and/or inside out and would be sorted by color. (I don't mind doing laundry if it is ready to be done...I do when it takes me 30 minutes to gather, undo it and sort it)

Jamaica, our dog, would put her toys away at night. (or at least the ones she isn't sleeping with...I trip over them in route for my midnight snack)

My car would have a self clean button. Yes, just like the one for the oven. (genius, I know)

Ice cream would be calorie free but you would not know it from the taste of it. (I've tried the low calorie version. Lower calories means I don't reach my ice cream buzz...no good!)

Coke Zero would be served at EVERY eating/drinking establishment. (I have seriously dissed some places that haven't had my cold, bubbly fix! Wake up business operators! Coke Zero is not a fad. It is here to stay!)

High heels would be comfy. (this is simple, they make your legs and bum look great but kill your feet and back.)

Charms grape flavored lollipops would grown on trees and I would have an orchard. (umm...YUMMY)

I would have a lifetime supply of design your own Nike's from NIKE ID. (I have a serious addiction to sneakers...like "I may need an intervention" serious)

My house would be decorated with the help of David Bromstad of HGTV. (at no cost, of course)

I would have the mad crafting skills of so many of the bloggers I follow. (I need help people, I lost my crafting gene somewhere...have you seen it?)

Trash wouldn't smell like trash. (I'm thinking the sweet smell of cotton candy)

That about sums up my utopia (again, on the light side of things). What would be one thing that would exist in your utopia?

I'm Learning A Lot About Myself Through 11 Field Hockey Players

I wrote a post a couple weeks ago about how I love field hockey. The more that I coach the eleven girls on my team the more I learn about myself.

On the turf before a game

I have never been the person who thought they could be a teacher. I'm not a fan of being in a room with 20 or more kids and trying to keep them focused. Not because they are just plain noisy, but because I don't think I am the person who could grab their attention, hold on to it and teach them what they need to make it to the next grade. When I was little and would play "school", I would only have one stuffed animal as my student...MAXIMUM! I can clearly remember trying to teach Mickey Mouse and finding it difficult. (Most of the time it just turned into an art class.)

Spending two evenings a week and at least one game on the weekend throughout our season has helped me feel a bit more confident though. It still surprises me when I watch one of my team members, notice what they are doing incorrectly or could use improvement on, instruct them how to correct or improve on it and then watch them carry it out. I can't believe I am the person who is helping them grow in this game I love so much.

Coaching from the sidelines

I will be very honest about another thing coaching has changed for me as well. I used to be one of those parents that would get excited when I saw rain in the forecast and would hope it would be enough to cancel practice. Not because I didn't want my girls to actually go but because I was tired and had a million and one things to do and felt relief when I didn't have to take them to practice. I know...bad mommy! But here I am to tell you that being on the coaching side of it, I see all of the positives for not only all of the girls on my team but for my daughter as well.

Not only is she getting out all of that stored up energy from a long day at school, sitting behind a desk but she is also socializing and feeling like she is a part of something. Something special that makes her very happy! I don't want to ever take that away from her just because I don't feel like driving her and giving up an hour and a half of my day. That hour and half is important to her and from the excitement on the rest of the girls' faces...I can see it is important to them too.

Lined up after a game with a smile on my face

I've also learned that my heart has so much more love to give than I ever knew was possible. Each of the eleven girls on my team have touched my heart. I can truly say that I would do anything to help any of them if they needed me. These eleven girls fill my week with happiness, laughter, craziness, chit-chat and fun.

We only have two and a half weeks left in the season and I am going to use the other lesson I have learned very wisely. I am going to slow down, enjoy the moments, take lots of photos and show these girls that I believe in them...because I do!

What have you been involved in that has helped you learn more about yourself?


I'm linking up with Shell for her Pour Your Heart Out post. If you haven't stopped by her blog...you should. Today's post gave me goosebumps!

A Stroll Down Halloween Lane...

I am finally getting excited about Halloween. I see pumpkins, mums & hay decorating yards. I see Halloween flags blowing in the cool, Autumn breeze on front porches. And finally...my girls are starting to talk about what they want to be.

It made me take a stroll down memory lane and this is what I found...(on the computer, anyway)



Ash at one of our warmest Autumn days on record
in 2005

 

Bean as a chicken & Ash as a dragon 2005




Ash as a dragon again in 2006
She loved this costume!

 

Bean at the pumpkin patch 2006





Ash & Bean at the pumpkin patch 2007




Ash as a princess & Bean as a fairy 2008




Ash as a black cat & Bean as a ladybug 2009




Ash as a dragon, yet again 2010




Bean as a fancy black cat
with a broken paw 2010
(note the blue cast on right hand)

I can't wait to find out what they want to be this year and help them get all dressed up! Seriously, I love looking through photos. They remind me of fun times we have had and make me look forward to the ones we will capture on film (well, jpeg) next!

What is your favorite costume your child has worn? Or what was your favorite costume from when you were a child? Was it homemade or store bought?