A Surprise For My Husband...

Last Friday my husband and I celebrated 11 years of marriage in Florida. We had an amazing day and I planned on capping it off with a surprise.

Well, the surprise didn't work because I didn't know that an iPad doesn't really work like a laptop and I made a big old mess out of my blog post where I wanted to show him the surprise.

See, 11 years ago (or I guess a few months before that), we chose a photographer for our wedding that looked good in his portfolio but SUCKED when it came to capturing our big day. He was honestly the only sour point in the entire day and we had torrential downpours, an antique Rolls Royce with a fogged up windshield on the highway, rain turning to sleet and sleet turning to snow!

We have always regretted that we didn't put more effort into making sure we had the best (or at least not the worst) photographer for our wedding. We were very lucky to have family and friends with their cameras who shared their shots with us but it still felt like something was missing.

So...I asked one of my very good friends, Joy (some of you know her as my assistant coach), who is wicked good with a camera, to take photos of me in my gown so I could surprise Chris.

We set a date and made the plans to do the shots at my house and in my yard.

The morning of this date, my husband calls to tell me he is sick and is coming home from work. OH NO!!! Time for Plan B. Wait!! I don't have a Plan B!!!

I called Joy and she said, "We can figure this out." and we did! I shoved my dress in the car and headed over to her house and neighborhood (which is on the water) and got super excited that I was about to do this for Chris. Then I started to see flurries coming down. Then the DJ on the radio said it was 30 degrees and with the windchill it was down to 20 degrees.

The good news is...it was freezing cold but Joy and I got it done and we laughed the whole time.

The awesome thing is...after 11 years and 2 kids, I can still fit into my wedding gown!

This last picture may be one of my favorites. Joy wanted me to show Chris that I left my Uggs on because it was sooo cold. (Well, that and I forgot to grab heels as I made a mad dash out of the house.)

Happy Weekend Everyone! Remember to slow down and enjoy the details.

The Coaching Bug Is Quite Contagious...

For those of you that have been reading my blog for a while, you know that I caught the coaching bug and came down with it hard! It was pumping through my blood and into my heart at a rate I can't even describe. It always seems that once you have picked up that bug, you never lose it...it comes and goes with the seasons.

For those of you that are newer to my blog I chose two of my favorite posts about it to share with you. The first is how I picked up the coaching bug. Yes, I wash my hands...that's now how you get it ;-) The second is how I felt after having the bug for a whole season.

Well, it seems that coaching bug has spread and this is where the good news comes in and I get to share my awesome...my husband signed up to be the assistant coach of Bean's basketball team.

They had a record number of kids sign up for the clinic league and needed some volunteers to coach. One of my closest friends (shout out to @DvilleMelanie) got her husband to sign up as head coach and I coughed on Chris a few times and gave him the coaching bug as well. They teamed up and have been having a blast!

My husband with half of the team before their first game.
He is the one holding the basket ball and on his knees ;-)

Basketball clinic consists of boys and girls on the same team from the range of kindergarten to 2nd grade. They evaluate the kids before the teams are chosen and try to balance the skill level out. Then the teams in our town only play against each other. It is a way to prep them for when they move up to the county teams and begin to travel and play other towns.

Chris instructing from the sideline.
Our Bean (long blonde pony tail) is in perfect position.

It is not easy to coach this age range or the boy/girl team combo but our coaches have done a wonderful job so far. All of us parents on the sideline were routing and cheering like it was the Super Bowl. We had as much fun as the kids did playing! I have to say that one of my favorite parts was seeing the smiles that came across the coaches faces. I know what that feels like and I was so happy to see it in them.

The coaches led our team to a 9-9 tie for our first game. It was the perfect way to end it...not only because it isn't about winning or losing but we played a team that had two of our favorite boys on it. It just seemed fitting.

Both coaches with their team at the end of a phenomenal game!
These guys are over 6 ft tall. I love how they are always
down at the kids' level.
Way to go Gators!

So, if you should happen to pick up the coaching bug like I or my husband have...just enjoy the ride. This is one bug you won't want to shake and will most likely share with another.

Enjoy your weekend everyone!