Trent's first 'TOUCHDOWN'

Trent running for yardage.

He also plays defense - Take him down hard.............

What a great one handed catch.......

After the catch he takes off for the GOAL LINE.

Almost across the GL --- That guy behind me is to close for comfort.

He tackles me but I drag him over the GOAL LINE.

Here is tough DUDE.

My team celebrates with me.

Us "OKLAHOMA BOYS" Love Football :)

Austin is Home!

Austin arrived today. I had no difficulty getting to the airport since I left Tacoma around 10:30, right after I dropped Paige off for her late start at school. (way early but I wanted to be sure to allow lots of time in case there were travelling issues like they kept reporting on the AM news)

His plane was 35 mins late (DB was there and able to greet him at the gate as he got off the plane) and then the drive home was CRAZY!!! It had been snowing the entire time with the temp dropping. The roads were icy and snowy and very, very slick. The traffic was extremely heavy trying to get in and out of the airport. The airport started cancelling flights and we made it home in about 2 hours (when it normally takes about 30 mins). We made it home just in time to drop off his suitcase, say hi to mom and dad, grab a freshly baked cookie my dad made for Austin's arrival, and then off to drive in the dangerous roads to pick up Paige.

We headed straight home, where we were safe and warm.

Austin then proceeded to show us some of his wrestling moves. Having been the recipient of wrestling moves from both the kids' dad, Eric, and my brother, Eric, I declined. (those moves can hurt and I am not as young as I used to be!)

So, Austin decided to wrestle Paige.

In the kitchen.

With Meg not quite understanding what was going on.

At first it was all fun and games...

Then her head was slammed into the floor.

Then she was put into hold,

After hold,
Until she was pinned.

We then had a tasty dinner of King Crab Chowder in sourdough bread bowls (one of Austin's favs). We sat around with 3 of the 4 candles lit in the Advent wreath and had great conversation.

Then the kids decided to go out and play in the snow. Remember, it gets dark here about 4:30 in the winter time. It is still very difficult to get used to. Probably one reason I will never move to Alaska- too far north and the days are way too short in the winter.

Anyway, here are some photos of the kids playing in the snow.....

And for all of you who really know my kids, yes they are BOTH in their own jackets~!

Austin has decided that he needs to wear a jacket in the windy, bitter cold of the Texas panhandle winter and Grammy searched the entire city of Tacoma and found the perfect jacket for Paige- one that she likes and will actually wear!

Now it can stay in the 20's all week and my kids will not only be stylish, but warm!!! :)

Happy Birthday Austin

Happy 14th Birthday to my son.

I am glad that you are doing well in Texas- taking down barbed wire fences.
I am glad that you have Sharon to make you a birthday cake and dinner.
I am glad you and your dad are battling over the ceiling fan being on. (that means you are getting to know each other)

I am glad you are my son.

I miss you more than you will ever know.

I love you the mostest.

Realization

I just realized (yesterday afternoon) that Paige only has 1 more week of school.
Wow.
Talking with her this moring she said that this past year has flown by. I agree. She will start 7th grade in the fall.
Wow.
I am thinking that maybe it is this unseasonably cool and rainy weather we have been having that makes me feel that is cannot possibly be June.

I also realized that Austin only has 2 weeks left living here before he makes the move to Texas to live with his dad.
I knew it was coming, but I did not realize it was so close. It is becoming more of a reality.
Mixed emotions on that one.

Well, today is another lovely overcast/rainy Saturday.
yay.

I am not dead.

I know, I know, it has been FOREVER since my last post. It has been called to my attention, most recently by someone whom we shall call "SUE". :)

So, here is an update:

I am in my first 10 week internship, clinical affiliation, whatever you would like to call it. It is much different than seeing patients in our onsite clinic. It is also much different because it is in the land of the VA (Veterans Administration) and that really isn't the real world when it comes to health care. It is not better nor worse, it is just different.
I am learning.
Learning lots
and that is good.

My daughter is at science camp for 3 days with a bunch of other 6th grades from other schools. As we pulled up to school this morning one of her friends came running up to the car frantically making hand gestures and mouthing words. As Paige opened the car door, Stephanie said "we are in the same cabin!!!" They both did a little hug/jumpy/screamie thing and then began to unload Paige's gear from the car. Ah, to be 12 again and have such simple things bring us such joy.

Austin is, well, pretty much on house arrest again. The most recent event went something like this.....
Austin is in his room with the door closed.
Mom smells a strange smell and hears the smoke detector beeping.
Mom opens the door.
Austin is standing looking down at his bed.
He turns to mom and says, "I am in trouble"
They both look at the burned sheets.

Yes, son, you are in trouble.

Most of you may not know that Austin has decided to move down with his dad for at least the next year, which will be his 1st year of high school. His dad still lives in Amarillo TX. His current step mom lives in Dallas and will be there until next May. This will give Austin and his dad plenty of time to get to know each other and figure out their relationship before adding a constant third party.
It was a difficult decision, but after much discussion, yelling, tears, and prayers, I came to the realization that Austin needs his dad. He needs to know who his dad is on a daily basis for longer than a couple of weeks and they need to salvage whatever they can. I hope that Austin will find what he is looking for in a relationship with his dad.
The funny thing about this, if it can be called funny at all, is the major reason contributing to the demise of our 11 year marriage was his inability to spend time with the family, especially the kids. And now, with our son almost 14 years old, Eric will have a chance to get to bond with him. Not at all what I had planned when we started this family, but it is the way that it is.
He leaves around June 21st. It will be strange. For the first time in Austin's life I will not be raising him. I will miss him terribly, but I know this is what needs to happen.
He will have a minimum of 1 year down there. Then he can stay longer if he wants or come back home to his sister and I.

Mom and dad are good. They are looking forward to their 2 grandsons (my nephews) from Oklahoma coming for a 2 week visit staring June 21. Dad is planning all sorts of stuff for them to do.

OK, so I will attempt to post more frequently.

Oh, and a belated super duper happy birthday to shelley et al!

A Celebration

Paige celebrated her birthday last weekend with her friends because most of them are going to be gone for Spring Break on her actual day....... tomorrow. So, here are some fun shots from the Bowling Extraveganza held at Chalet Bowl last friday..............

To begin, the super fabulous cake I made.

Some very happenin' friends.
More friends and the birthday girl.

(Notice the bowling pin on the table. Chalet Bowl gives those to the birthday person and everyone gets to sign it. It has balloons on it and everything. SOME people are very jealous of this pin........)
The grandparents just chillin.
Nothing can beat a little Macarena amongst friends!

Everyone happy with the cake- that is except for the boys.

The brother is not smiling- why should he? It is not his birthday celebration and I made him stay and help me. The other 2 boys who were invited guests may or may not be smiling. Acutally, who knows because they have ducked down behind all the girls- they don't want their picture taken.

Boys. What else can I say.

One happy Birthday Girl.

Happy Birthday Celebration Paiger! I love you!

Snow

We were at the farm yesterday helping Shelley and Jonathan. After a beautiful sunny morning, the clouds rolled and and the sky opened up to big fluffy flakes. (I "borrowed" these shots from Shelley's site)

Kids and Maggie having fun....

King of the Well House

Kids have a 2 hour late start for school today. I love the snow!!!

You Work it Girl!

Got some new makeup from my favorite place- Sephora. Paige was not feeling well, so I took full advantage of that and had her try on some of the makeup. For those of you who know Paige, she is not a girly girl and usually scoffs at even the thought of makeup. She usually just goes for lip gloss.

Anyway, I put some makeup on her and got out the camera and took some shots. Here she is working it!


Austin, looking on, thoroughly immersed in the entire situation.............

T9word

So I get this call from Lon tonight telling me about how to use the T9word function on the cell.
I am happy.

Yes, I text.

No, I have never been able to figure it out.

Yes, I am excited. It is so much easier........

So, I start to share my new found knowledge with Austin. He knows. In fact it was more like "I knoowwwww moooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmm." Complete with eye rolls.

Hmmm. So why didn't he share with me? He thought I already knew.

Just like Paige is going to show me how to do those fancy fade in and outs with a power point presentation.

These kids are pretty handy sometimes.

I am still pretty excited about the T9word. Now if I can only figure out how to spell words that it won't spell automatically.... like "smarty".

the creative genius of the paiger

This is what Paige does now that she has a cell phone (from her dad for Christmas).

Enjoy.

Of Christmas Trees

Check out Shelley's site for some photos of us on the farm.

If you look real close at the photos of Austin and I you can see the snow blowing fast and sideways! It was really windy. And really fun.


Tonight I took a break from studying for my 2 exams on weds to decorate the tree. We had the Cristmas music blasting and had a blast unwrapping ornaments from the past.

Usually every year we have a mishap or two. This year we were fortunate. The mishaps were not due to human hands, they were due to the passage of time...................

the little wooden mushroom's hook hanger thingie fell out leaving nothing to hang it from.

then Hallmark Barbie's dressed in pink body fell off.

so we threw her body away and left her head hanging on the tree.

then her head fell from the tree.

so we threw that away too.

good bye Barbie.

Second Shot

Here is the link to Lisette who also took some shots of us!

Fun in the Sun

Click here to see the sun fun from yesterday.

Pumpkin Tme

What a great carving. OK - Whats u looking at.........

I goofed up a little.

This one is for Shelley..R best friend..
The greatest pumpkin of all will be carved by Gramps......Soon to be posted..

HALLOWEEN AT ST CHARLES - Paige "My First Dance"

Being in the 6th grade and on the Junior High Side has been a big step this year. Her greatest fear was that she would get trampled in the hall between classes. But all has turned out well. There has been no trampling of anyone in the halls at SC.

Last night was the first Jr High dance of the year, and the 6th graders were invited. It was a Halloween dance and so costumes and a can of food for the food bank were required. Paige reminded mom and I that she needed a costume last sunday. Since I had midterms, mom took Paige costume shopping at JoAnns. After choosing a pattern and fabric, mom went to work. Of course, she is her mother's daughter, and she asked grammy to make a "few" adjustments to the final product. And grammy being grammy obliged. Needless to say, grammy did an outstanding job, as usual, and Paige had a stunning Pumpkin Princess costume in just a few days.

Last night, after doing hair, and running over to our ever fabulous neighbor, Shelley, to borrow exciting makeup colors, Paige was ready to go. Gramps then stepped in and proceeded with a photo shoot of the Pumpkin Princess Paige. Here are some of those photos................

Paige had fun and she danced so much that her feet hurt!

Picking Blackberries......

We went picking wild trailing blackberries (not to be confused with the Himalaya blackberries that grow everywhere here in the great PNW) last month. They are deliciously tasty little buggers! Yum! Of course I was still on crutches at the time so I was not much of a help.

Austin berry picking

Lon hiding

Paige not berry picking

The fruits of Austin's and Lon's labor

A forced pose of fake happiness- can't you just feel the love?