just poppin in

....to say "hello!"  We're deep in the throes of play offs...two teams down, one team to go!  Our Varsity Girls are headed to the state Semi finals...so exciting!  We wrapped up Middle School basketball last week and this weekend we finished off with Jammer's 10U team.  They both finished well....not quite what everyone wanted, but that doesn't take away from amazing seasons.

Jammer shooting free throws in round two of the playoffs.

I decided I'm done hoping for snow.  I packed away all my taunting snowmen.  They just sat there, reminding me of the fact that we haven't had any measurable snow since December.  Boo.  I've moved on.  I'm ready for daffodils and crocuses.

my old sled...on the front step....with no snow.  

My wonderful family threw me a surprise party over the weekend.  I knew about it.  (I know it's shameful)    Last week on the way to church, John asked me to send an email for him to his team.  When he handed me his iPad to send the email, and I opened up the app and there was a blank email right on top that read "Re: Lisa's Surprise Party".  Stink!  I didn't want to know that.  There is nothing harder than trying to figure out when you're going to be surprised and then how you're going to act surprised when it happens. ...but it was still an awesome party with all of my favorite people (minus a few that couldn't make it :)).  I really had a wonderful time catching up with everyone and enjoying my awesome friends and family.   My dad even made it.  He decided to skip the post game show and high tail it back to Maryland for the party.  He does the color commentary for the WVU men's basketball team and they had a game on Saturday.  He missed just for me.

flowers at the party from my mother in law....I only got pictures after the party of the decorations

Reflecting on the party, I thought I was a pretty laid back wife...you know, compliant, easy going, flexible.  But this surprise party made me realize that I'm not quite as flexible as I might like to believe.  After Jammer's morning basketball game, we came back to the house and my husband suggested that he and I go out and do some shopping.  Hello!  West Virginia was playing at 2 o'clock.  I did not want to go shopping.  I wanted to stay home and watch the game.  The girls suggested that I DVR the game.  Hello!  Who DVR's sporting events?  Not me.  Just as I was about to be stubborn, it dawned on me that it was all about getting me out of the house.  So I said "Sure!"  And off we went.  We had a great time - just the two of us.  We actually listened to the broadcast of the game as we traveled to the outlets.  It all was great (well not the game...they lost).  But I knew that if it hadn't been for my suspicion about the party, I would have been less likely to agree to this interruption in my agenda.  Ouch!  So, I'm working on it....you know, being who I thought I was!  Trying to not hold onto my agenda...to allow myself to be open to change.

party favors from my mom for everyone at the party

It's been a good week....lots of basketball, plenty of love and surprises and a bit of stretching and learning on my part!  Hope your days are filled with all that makes you smile and that along the way, you grow, learn and keep on enjoying the blessings around you!

on the other side of last week

Last week was jam packed.  If we weren't busy with a basketball game, we were hosting a party.  Out of the five games that we had, we had 4 wins and 1 loss.  Not bad for a week of basketball! Maggie hit her very first three point shot in a game last week....that was fun!  You can't really do an excessive amount of celebrating when it happens (unless you want to sit the bench) so we got this instagram shot in the car on the way home.

 In the middle of the week, Maggie invited the senior basketball players over for pizza and fun.  They worked on the banners that they'll run through on Senior night and they did some crazy skits that my John will incorporate into the end of the season video that he does for all 4 basketball teams.

  There was a lot of laughter! Some of the clips had to be done over several times.  But they were all good sports and made a lot of memories.  It poured all night and one of the girls who lives farther away, spent the night.  Nothing like getting rained in!

(instagram photo)

On Thursday, Mckenzie turned 16!!  I always call her Kenzie Love and so her birthday chalkboard had to reflect that as well.  We had classes on Thursday, but we celebrated with birthday pancakes and she got to open her gift before everyone headed out the door. 

 She'd been wanting these headphones for awhile...I think we were successful in surprising her!  They of course had to be pink so she was beyond excited about them.

On Saturday we had her sweet 16 party.  We had a photo scavenger hunt.  27 kids and 5 adults met in the parking lot of the local grocery store.  I think the manager of the store was a bit concerned about the number of kids who showed up.  (my mother in law has a picture of the group on her camera...I just can't figure out how to get it off)

 They were divided up into teams and off they went with their drivers to collect points by finding and documenting different tasks.  At the cut off time, everyone met back at the house and got to see everyone's photos on our TV screen.  It was so fun!  They got pictures with firemen on fire trucks, pictures doing a good deed for strangers, waddling across the street like a line of ducklings and tons of other crazy things.

(these girls won!  They joked that they were the under-dog team.  They were the only team without guys and they had a grandma driving them...) 

The winners ended up with the most points accumulated.  After that, the kids danced and ate and giggled their way through the evening.  We set up a candy bar and for their party favors, the kids got to fill a Chinese take out box full of candy to take home.

I made this bunting for Kenzie's party.  She wanted some zebra stripes, but since I didn't have any we went with all pinks and decided we'd leave it up for Valentine's day.  After that, she can put it in her room which is pink, pink and more pink.  It will go perfectly.

I also realized that I love how paper whites look, but I can't stand their smell.  My neighbor gave me the bulbs about a month ago and I've loved watching the progress of the plants as they were forced to life.

 But about a week ago I kept getting a whiff of something odd....I couldn't figure out what it was. As more and more blooms opened I finally realized it was the paper whites.  boo!  I guess everything can't be beautiful and smell good too...

Well, that's last week in a blur.  I hope you're enjoy the other side of last week as much as I am!  Welcome February!  Good bye paper whites!

10!

My youngest turned 10 today!  I can hardly believe it....I know, all moms say that don't we?  These past 10 years have been a blur of blessings....he's such a great kid!  He's creative, funny and helpful.  He makes me smile and brings joy to all of us....what a wonderful blessing he has been in our lives!

We're celebrating pretty low key today and have plans in the works for a 'friend' birthday party.  I realized that I just don't have the gumption to try and pull off an at home party for a bunch of boys (I'm not that brave)....we're hoping to hit the gym next weekend and wear them out with some basketball!  In the meantime, he's requested chicken enchiladas for dinner and he'll open presents after basketball practice tonight.

Back before Christmas, I made a celebration banner and his is the inaugural birthday for using it!  I followed   Jodi's tutorial and it turned out fabulously.  I used some store bought bias tape for the string.

It was the first thing John Samuel noticed when he got up this morning.  (see, I told you he's a pretty special kid!)   I've been wanting one for a while and now we'll have one to use for all the family celebrations!  Our birthday wreath is also proudly on display so that everyone knows there's a birthday to celebrate.

 We're taking it lightly with school today...another benefit of homeschooling (at least in the elementary years...your mom can take away some subjects for you on your birthday!)  Hope your days are full of celebrations as well!

hello october

I'm so happy to see October...

You see, September is a birthday busy month in our family.  This year it was loaded with big birthdays...my mom turned 70 and Maggie turned 16!  John had a special birthday in there too! To say I've been busy organizing and scheming and cleaning up would be an understatement.  Here's a glimpse at some of the celebrating we've been doing over the last 4 weeks.  (There are a lot of photos because I want you to get a real sense of my exhaustion elation!)

birthday celebration #1: friends from Kentucky and an early celebration (we had to take advantage of their visit and celebrate life long friends as they turn 16)

birthday celebration #2: surprise party for Maggie and her friend Sarah (both have birthdays in September, so we did a combo surprise party for the two of them ~ 30 teens + 10 pizzas = fun!)

birthday celebration #3: John's birthday ...outside on the deck watching the WVU/Maryland football game while picking crabs and hanging with good friends.

birthday celebration #4: Mom's birthday weekend...dinner out with her friends and then shopping all day together Saturday

birthday celebration #5: Maggie's actual birthday and family dinner

What a wonderful month it was, full of celebrating, rejoicing in milestones and making memories.  Every weekend was loaded with some sort of party or celebration. We went through 5 birthday cakes...whew.   I'm not sure what happened to all of the cakes I made for Maggie...they all cracked open.  I told Maggie it was symbolic of all the blessings that would spill into her life in the up and coming year, that there would be so many that she wouldn't be able to contain them. (but if anyone can tell me why they split...feel free to enlighten me)  So, now that September is over, I'm looking forward to enjoying the beauty of the season.  How about you, what are you looking forward to as we say hello to October? 

It's a shoe in...and swap info!

My dear friend Kristyn celebrated her birthday last week and I wanted to send something that would make her smile as she is always so good at bringing smiles to my face.  When she was here over Christmas, she mentioned that she wanted to try to make some shoe bags.  Shoe bags are great for keeping your clothes and shoes separated when you pack your suitcase. Betz White has a tutorial on her blog, so after I shopped for some fun fabrics (Kristyn's favorite color is pink)....I followed Betz's tutorial and made 4 shoe bags.  

Kristyn and her family travel mulitple times a year, so I knew these would get lots of use.  I don't have a serger but I wanted the inside seams to look nice, so I hooked up to Larissa's tutorial for making french seams.  I love how the inside seams look...so professional.  These were so fun to make and Larissa's directions were the perfect finishing touch. 

Aren't blog friends just great for tips and tricks and patterns and stuff?!?   And speaking of friends...I've emailed everyone their swap partners.  If you didn't get an email from me with your partner and their email address, please let me know.  {my email address is on my sidebar} Thank goodness it's Friday....Shoe hope you have a great weekend!  (sorry I couldn't resist)

no moaning....only celebrating!

My mother in law lives with us. (Does the idea of your mother in law living with you ellict groans?) Actually, years ago I might have groaned at the thought of living with my mother in law. (I'm just being honest...heck, she might have moaned at the thought of living with me!) But 15 years ago, on Labor day weekend, we moved into the house where my husband grew up and his mother moved into the 'in-law' apartment that is attached to the main house. Here we are 15 years later and I can honestly say that I love my mother in law today in a way that wouldn't have been possible had we not lived under the same roof. I wouldn't appreciate her the way that I do, had we not intertwined our lives the way that we have. Today is her 70th birthday and I wanted to honor her for the godly woman that she is! She has a generous and giving spirit. If anyone in the near vicinity needs a helping hand, she is there giving all that she has to help out. She faithfully gives to her church and blesses others with her ability to serve. She's been through some really tough times in her life but rather than allow them to make her bitter, she's risen above those hard circumstances and because of her faith, become one of the most forgiving individuals that I know. She is never in a hurry and has the gift of always making whomever she's talking to feel like they are the most important thing on her schedule for the day. She is an amazing woman! I love you so much Barbara and I'm so thankful that your son shared you with me through the bonds of our marriage. I am a better wife, mother, daughter and friend because of what you have sown into my life. Happy Birthday!