Orange, Blue, White

"Orange, Blue, White. T-Birds, let's fight!"

For some reason this cheer was running through my head in the middle of the night a few weeks ago--some time close to 3 am to be more precise. I'm sure it had something to do with the fact that I have been attending about eight basketball games a week for the last two months.

Travis (#54) is on Timpview's JV and Varsity teams. JV games typically start at 3:30 while Varsity tip-off isn't until 7:00 on both Tuesday and Friday nights.

Abby (#13) is on a Bantam league with other 8th grade girls. She plays Mondays and Saturdays.

In between Travis' games we are usually watching the Varsity girls play--hopefully Abby's future team. This makes for long afternoons and evenings, but honestly, there is nothing I love more than watching my kids' games.

My photos are often blurry due to the speed of play and dim light of a high school gym. However, despite this irritation, I still appreciate the "outtakes" I found in my attempt to capture the action.

Our season is officially over now, but I suspect I will still be humming . . .

"Hey, hey you! You know what to do. You've got to rock with the orange and roll with the blue!"

for a while yet.

All Home

All were abed. All were asnooze. A sudden realization. An overwhelming peace and calm. All my precious ones were gathered home. All within reach. All safe. All here.

I wish I had the words . . .

Playing with Pins: Part 2

I've been playing with pins again. (See my first report here.)

Mod Podge pumpkins are everywhere. I wanted to give them a try ever since I saw the black and white damask ones Michelle made. This year I found the perfect napkins just like hers, but my attempt was a sorry sight--the Mod Podge bubbled and glopped. I was, however, successful with a different variety. It has temporarily replaced my musical orbs on the table near my piano--a subtle bit of Halloween for my front room. (Original pin here.)

My wallet was getting rather fat and NOT from an abundance of cash so I thought this idea was so clever. I broke my old hole punch trying to punch holes in the cards, but its replacement worked just fine. (Original pin here.)

It took Travis only a few minutes to assemble this catapult as per this pin. I suggested he use buttons as ammunition, and he successfully launched them over 20 feet. Very fun!

My creative and artsy Abby loves to peruse Pinterest as well. Once homework and practicing are done I let her start crafting. I was a bit skeptical about this plastic spoon flower, but she was insistent about giving it a try.

The plastic spoons did indeed melt, but soot soon covered Abby's hands and face.

She originally planned on spray painting her rose black, but when she discovered that we had gold spray paint, her perfect rose resulted.

She was so happy with how it turned out. I was just pleased that she had found an outlet for her teenage creativity and imagination and that the TV and computer remained OFF.

A Toy for the Scientist

Brian was absolutely no help in offering up his wish list for Christmas this year so I decided to peruse our local upscale toy store for a creative gift of some sort. I remember reading about Buckyballs on C. Jane's blog so they were on my radar of possibilities. I found Nano dots instead. (I wonder which brand is the original.) They were pricey, but I had to get SOMETHING fun for Brian to accompany the boring shirts and ties I had already purchased.

Source

Ironically, they were the very last present we opened at our house on Christmas day. They had fallen beneath a chair almost lost and forgotten. Brian opened them in the usual cheerful and grateful manner, but I sensed a bit of indifference.

The kids were the ones who found them the most entertaining over the next few weeks. I left them out on our kitchen counter to encourage creativity and to deter the kids from their usual down time activities of TV and computer games. I had a bit of success.

Among other things, Abby made a mouse

and Travis made an elephant.

One evening last week I forced the Nano dots into my husband's hands and told him to "play" while I finished up dinner.

Suddenly, his indifference turned to curiosity and amazement.

"This is really interesting!"

"The minimization of energy is so different than what I expected."

"No wonder the lattices have dislocations."

HUH?

On and on it went. I laughed at him and then wrote it all down. He was hooked. A successful gift--appreciated a few weeks late, but appreciated none the less.

I love that scientist of mine.

Playing in Hawaii

How did we play in Hawaii?

We practiced soccer.

We swam in the pool, relaxed in the hot tubs, and took a ride down the slide.

We sipped virgin pina coladas, worked on our tans, and perused our books of choice.

We brought kubb all the way from home and played in the sand.

We played volleyball, boogie-boarded, snorkeled, and built sand castles.

But, mostly we just relaxed.

Surviving Spring

We're two weeks into a broken arm.

Travis

I aged a bit.

Julie

We've been serenaded with beautiful music.

Rachel

Kellie was bitten by this dog while cycling with a friend--luckily no rabies, just a tetanus shot needed.

deceptively cute canine

We're in the midst of Soccer State Cup

Abby

and BYU intramural Ultimate Frisbee.

Brian

Kellie

A few of The Deprotonators (an intramural team consisting of chemistry students, faculty, their friends and family)

It's been quite the Spring at our house.