Quick Note...

If you get a chance, check out my previous post. It doesn't show up unless you click on the "play" arrow. The picture doesn't show up anymore {weird} and the background is black, as well as my background, so it looks like I totally messed up. Except I didn't. And it's sweet.

A Sweet Little Somethin'...

My Head Is Spinning...{out of control}

Johnny went a courtin' and he did ride..mmm hmm.

Not really sure why that song popped into my head and especially right now.  I'm currently getting super irritated that I keep typing but the letters keep not showing up.  I am sooo sick of hackers.  S'pose I should be grateful that someone actually wants to know so much about me.  Um, no.  I cannot tell you how often I am in my email stuff and I am asked to sign in again.  And again.  After three times or so, I now know to get off the internet and get back on or soon enough I will be logged in as someone else.   What a bunch of JACKS.

Holy moly.  The play was forever ago and I haven't updated since.  My winter schedule sure is hairy.  Ha.  I find that funny.  Who made that up?  AAAAAHHHHHHH...I should be to the middle of the page by now.  I keep typing and retyping.  This is gonna get old fast.

This past weekend we made our annual trek to Traverse City for midwinter break.  The plan was to leave Friday morning but, alas, a ball game was scheduled for Friday night so Andrew rode up with one family and Caleb rode up with another family and the rest of us heded up after my game.  At one point, while sitting in the backseat with Kyle and singing a song, I looked at the spedometer and reminded Keith that deer are still around and maybe he wouldn't mind slowing down a bit.  I think I got the last word out of my mouth before I heard a siren, but I'm not positive.  Yeah, we got pulled over.  It was super easy, though.  The really nice cop {no, I'm not saying that because we didn't get a ticket} walked up and asked Keith if he was a cop and for what department.  Then he told us to have a good night.  Aww.  Super nice guy.  Ok, so I am saying it here with all reading as my witness{es}...I am sorry, Keith.  See, I was instantly angered over the fact that we were getting pulled over and it was Keith's fault, AND that my insurance was about to go up.  For 3 years.  False alarm, honey.  Love you.

{Hey, I think the hacker took a break}  I think somebody missed me a tinge because first I received a text from Andrew asking me where we were and then when we arrived, I saw 4 little eyes peering out of the lobby window and they were quite familiar.  What a sweetie.  He does love me.

We spent the next day shooping our brains out.  The big group {6 adults and 8 kids} shopped for a few hours together and then the small group {3 wives} shopped a few more.  Happy days.  Seriously, Old Navy was having a deal of all deals.  I don't shop there often because of the whole logo-across-the-chest thing but, seriously, everything in the store was 40. %. OFF!!!  Dude.  How could I not?  The boys also spent major money.  Kyle was so excited to spend his.  He would find somefin' sooo cooo and would want to get the wallet out.  Don't feel bad for him.  He made up for it with a pair of shoes sooo not on the shopping list that we bought for him.  Correction...Keith bought for him. {keith was making a purchase for himself and I jumped right out of that line!}  Keith also bought me a new winter coat big enough for big yummy hoodies to fit underneath.  **Funny story about that...I wore it to the game last night.  A varsity girl came over to me and said she was laughing at me with someone on the other side of the gym because I 'Looked all ghetto."  Oh.  She said the fur around the hood made me look that way, then checked to see if I was wearing hoop earrings {which I was} and heels. {which I was}  So, in the future, you may refer to me as "ghetto" but only if all 3 criteria are met.  I'm just sayin'.

We had a great time with friends.  It's always so nice to get away for a bit, and it didn't hurt that we came back home to a clean house!!!  I think it was a first.  It is especially grand to go away right in the middle of a busy season.  Double fun.

Oh, and I forgot that there were these cool ice sculptures being...sculpted and there was one of paricular interest...

...so we couldn't pass up a photo op.

And here, my friends, is the future of Viking football...

Speaking of my busy season, it is wrapping up.  No more games this week.  Just cupcake baking and a team sleepover.  Next week a practice and 3 games then done.  Oh, I volunteered for 2 concessions the week after for districts but that's all fun and games.  And just in case someone thinks I'm not at all busy and our lives are not all that chaotic, Keith is doing the weight room 2 mornings a week before work {not working out} and so is Caleb, except he is at night and he is working out.  Wednesdays are particularly crazy because K gets out of work at 4, gets to Kristin's for Kyle by 4:30, stokes the fire, drives Caleb to the gym by 5, goes home for a half hour to eat, goes back to pick Caleb up at 6, drops both him and Kyle off to me at my mom's and goes to the gym for "dad" basketball at 6:15.  Meanwhile, I take the boys to church for midweek school and confirmation.  I think I held my breath the entire time I typed that.  Whew.  I'm certainly not complaining.  It's all good.  Wednesdays are just busy.  Keith thought about not playing ball because of the running back and forth.  Yes, I get it.  4 days a week Kristin and I do the back and forth running for preschool.  Back and forth.  Back and forth.

Now speaking of back and forth, we will be doing so much more of that come spring.  We are heading into semi foreign territory.  All 3 boys are playing spring sports and they are all doing something new.  Caleb's first sport was soccer.  He has played every spring since then, except for last year.  He didn't want to travel. {?}  He has decided to play baseball.  He made the decision last year and asked Keith to make him play.  By that I mean that even if Caleb questions his decision, Keith is supposed to keep him on the baseball path.  No waivering.  Never having played before, I am nervous for him.  No t-ball.  Nothing.  No he'll be playing in the big-time.  I don't even know what he's playing. {not my favorite sport}  Is it still minors or is it majors now?  Even still, I'm looking forward to watching him play.  And socializing with friends.  Even if he doesn't play on the same team as friends, I know I will still get to sit in my chair and chat with my girls when our sons are playing against each other.  Ah, now I see why baseball is the american pasttime and why baseball signifies spring.  I cannot wait to hang with my ladies at the ballgames, with my flip flops kicked off, enjoying the green grass and all that jazz.

Andrew is also trying something new.  Kind of.  He is playing soccer again this spring, but he's old enough for travel soccer.  I think it's cool to see what other talent is out there, beyond Whitehall's borders.  With AYBT, we were blown away by the talent in other schools.  That's unfortunately a negative about playing against your own classmates in basketball and micro soccer.  Since I already enjoy being a soccer spectator, I can only imagine how much more I will get out of these away games.  And Andrew couldn't be more thrilled since instead of getting a t-shirt called a jersey, he actually gets a jersey.  WOOT!

Baby Kyle is also playing soccer this spring.  He isn't old enough to play t-ball until next spring.  He was so angry recently because  he didn't want to play soccer in the basement anymore because he doesn't like soccer anymore.  Uh oh.  Santa brought him shin gurads, Umbros and socks for Christmas and we paid $40 $45 for a tee, socks and his name.  He's playing.  Well, I think he's excited because he already knows he wants to play goalie.  Hopefully that works out for him.  4 year olds are funny to watch because they kick the ball the wrong way down the field and really want to play in the dirt.  I hope these new teams are all ready for Kyle Stratton.  He's gonna give some kids a run for their money.  I think he'll do really well.  The problem is that so does he.  We'll leave the soccer coaching to the soccer coach. We'll be coaching humbleness at our house.  Heaven help us.

Soccer games will be tricky.  We'll probably be splitting our time.  It's a bummer but it'll still be so fun.  Definitely looking forward to it all. {and baseball too}

                                            

Ahh.  The play is done.  It was an amazing experience for Andrew.  We ran around like crazy yesterday getting autographs from cast memebers prior to the cast party.  They all signed his Oz tee. Andrew was in heaven.  He had a horrible time last night, though.  He kept crying about the whole thing being over.  He wasn't crying like a baby.  He was just really, really overwhelmed by his emotions.  He even told me he hated school and that he wished he could just keep acting in the play.  Obviously a very emotional time for him.  He normally really enjoys school.  I've never heard him talk like that before. Caleb got out of bed last night to ask me if he could sleep someplace else because Andrew was sobbing.  What a sweetie. {Andrew}  His heart was definitely into the play and is definitely into acting.

We got home from the party around 7:30.  Showers and lounging were in order.  We watched the grammys for a bit.  We aquired a new phrase at our house, originally pertaining to Pink, that we will be able to use again and again...Talentedly Awesome!  I think we all feel that way about her in our household. ;)  Some of that award stuff makes me crazy so I no longer watch it.  Like, for instance, Taylor Swift.  I am not a fan.  I really don't see how she can win so many awards over so many people  who are waaaay out of her league.  Her stuff all sounds the same.  I get the wins during teen choice and all that, but please...and to pair her with Stevie Nicks?  I thought she {TS} sounded flat at times and sharp at other times.  Ew.  And to think that Stevie had to sing about high school...she has always been too cool for that.  I'm just sayin'...

My girls have 3 home games this week.  We haven't had a gym to use since we got the dance together and now the only gym time will be game time.  I gave up my gym spot on Wednesday for guys basketball night...hopefully it doesn't end up biting me in the butt.  There's something wrong with the counts in this dance.  I cannot quite put my finger on it.  It started out okay but now it isn't.  How does that happen?  The girls finish a beat or two before the song's final note.  Very frustrating!!!!  Eh.  Wish me luck. {and the girls too}

Caleb has started lifting weights with other junior high boys twice a week.  It's a lot of fundamental stuff.  I think this is great.  Once a week it happens to happen an hour before basketball practice.  Hopefully he can fine tune because I'd hate to see him give it up.

Kyle started going to preschool 4 days a week last week.  I think I really like it.  He now has homework every night, which is fun.  I really like taking a step back every now and then and slowing down long enough to be the mom of a preschooler.  K and I get so caught up in life and the bigs that we kind of forget sometimes that we have a 4 year old.  We are all so used to Kyle keeping up with his brothers and their friends that we have to make a real attempt to keep him grounded.  He has learned so much hanging with the older kids, but he has so much to learn about being his own age.  Now the question of what to do about next year...

Hey, speaking of K, I CANNOT BELIEVE I never mentioned this...Keith was offered a job assisting the Whitehall varsity football team!  WOOT!!  I wasn't sure it would ever happen but he is leaving Catholic Central's jv team.  I am sooo happy for him.  I am sooo happy for our family.  I am sooo happy for the future of Whitehall's football program.  He is so good with kids and even though he is tough, he is always the players' biggest cheerleader!!  I LOVE IT!!   I am so proud of him for making such an impression on not only Dan Holden, but on the many people who have given their personal input to aid the situation.  Thank you to all of you. :)  Now to talk K into retiring his green and gold in favor of red and black!!  {could I be any more sick of red and black right now?? 3 games this week= lots of it.}

In closing...{Andrew and Alyssa with the main characters}

{Andrew with 3 of my girls}

{and 3 more of my girls}