Junior Year Kick-Off!

The tennis season begins in early August. Here is the team in Lubbock doing their pre-tournament "MOJO Rising" chant. Photos below: Lane, Luke and I heard Jake talking to the entire team before this photo was taken. Then, we saw everyone bow and heard Jake lead a prayer. We asked him about it later. He said he asked Coach Bullard if the team could pray before each tournament. Coach said, "You bet!" Permian played two different tournaments that day, so Jake circled the team up twice and said prayers. Below prayer: Jake and Preston playing doubles, and then Jake playing singles. Yes, his tongue comes out every time he serves!

Satin Strings went on a retreat in the mountains of New Mexico. Lane chaperoned this while I stayed home and worked the tennis fund-raiser! I thought Lane did a pretty good job snapping some photos. Along with learning their new music, one of the activities is a challenge course.

 I asked Lane what Jake was doing in the photo below - he said he was yelling, "Ready!" before the giant swing took off.

I had to find at least one photo of Luke! Andrew and Luke helped me with Meals on Wheels. We noted on one of our direction sheets that one client was deaf. I watched from the car as Luke signed to her. It turned out she did not do ASL, but I was proud of him for trying.

 Satin Strings opened at the Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center. 

And finally, the first day of school! Hard to believe I have a junior in college and a junior in high school! 

New York and stuff

 It's been forever since I've blogged, so I thought I'd catch everyone up. I love the story behind the above picture. This was at the swim meet when Mark was out of town and Shelby was vomiting (she is the blue mass in the back. Abby Kate bought Toby a snow cone and it was just so sweet!

 These are the girls I have dinner with about once a month. From left: Brandee, Gerietha, Tara

 Masks creep me out, so the girls enjoyed trying these on at a party store.

 The kids and Hallie enjoying the mud in the backyard.

 Shelby used the shopping app on my phone creatively.

 "monsters"

 Mark and I had a great time in New York with our friends, the Laboons (Hallie's aunt and uncle) last weekend! We took an audio tour of the Statue of Liberty and that is really the way to tour it!

 We ate at the Stardust Diner where the waiters and waitresses are all aspiring actors/singers so they sang to us while we ate. (above)

 Wicked was sooooo good! That is Kristen and Aaron.

 Ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

 Thank you to the Crowells and Nienstadts for taking such great care of our kiddos while we were gone!

 Kristen pulling a movie star kiss out for the camera (below).

Times Square was packed all the time and we saw more naked people and characters (buzz lightyear, elmo) than we care to talk about. They were all posing for pictures with tourists for money.

 at Wicked

 The Laboons are such sweet friends! They both play in the church band and fun band with Mark.

 Here we were in Brooklyn in Little Italy. Mark was feeling particularly tough I think after we sat by the mafia guy at dinner. He's the bald guy below. I had been sitting where the guy in the yellow is sitting. If you zoom in you can see the gold jewelry and black patten shoes on this guy as he drinks the juice from the bowl that had about 25 oysters in it!  The food at La Mela was amazing! I enjoyed talking to the bus boy about life in New York. He had been homeless not too long ago. I also asked a nice lady on the subway tons of questions about her life. 

 Grand Central Station below

 Screen shot of Mark and I in Glenn Beck's audience a couple of weeks ago. We are such groupies!

 First day of school donuts! We now have 5th & 7th graders and a kindergartener!

The Blessings of Great Friends

The Wattersons invited us over for dinner tonight so they could see Mason before he leaves for College Station.  Wendi and her precious boys Jake and Zane were there too.  We always have so much fun when we get together with them.  They are friends who are really more like family to us.  When we got there we found that they had gone all out Texas A&M style.  It was such a great night filled with special touches all around.  Aren't these sweet pictures??

They all had on Texas A&M shirts.  This was a sacrifice since they don't normally bleed maroon!

I don't normally take pictures that include a toilet, but they even borrowed an A&M trashcan for the bathroom!!

 We love them all so much and are very thankful to be doing life with them!

Creed Part 2

 I took pictures with my I phone and camera...here are some from the camera
The girls had fun with this pic!

 Okay, you will see a few family shots- I just have so much fun taking these! Linda got us this rubber stand thing for Christmas- it's small, but you can put it anywhere and so family shots were easier- plus the pressing the button, then running into place is always fun!  Faith set up some shots for us, too.

 See the big pot holes? So we took the Tahoe, and went on some drives, that we couldn't have done in the van- they were Beautiful, but very bumpy.  See the patch of snow in the background (upper right)?  I think that may be the one we are standing on in the pic. below.

 Continental Divide

 So, this was Crystal Lake- it took a while to drive to it- It was so bumpy going up- I was in tears by the time we got there!  Anyway- The girls saw this patch of snow and wanted to climb up there.  So, I went with them.  They were just talking and having fun- I was so concentrating on just every step!

 Can you see the person on the rock? That's one of the three of us.  We made words in the snow, but you can't see them.

 This was an awesome hike...the girls went ahead and rested on this rock.  We could have stayed there for hours!

Faith took this one.