You Win Some and you Lose Some

Well, we got to the big show at Qualcomm Stadium (one day after the Raiders beat the Chargers...again) and that was the really fun part.  Losing hard to Oceanside, again, was the not-so-fun part.  I'm really glad we got the opportunity to at least be in the championship game and I will never forget the friends we made this year in football.  The game was televised and we watched it when we got home and I felt much better.  Hunter did many good things and he was dang hot on that huge screen.  One player from each team was given a sportmanship award and Hunter got ours.  His older brother, Jensen, got the award a few years ago when the basketball team made it to the championship game so I am very proud of my boys for that.  We didn't end how we wanted to but it was still an amazing ride and I wouldn't trade it for anything.  We are off to a basketball game tonight.  No rest for the weary.  Go Grizzlies!

WE DID IT!!!

Aaaaggghhhhh!!!

I am so nervous for tonight's game that I don't know what to do with myself so I am letting you all in on it.  It's too early to go freeze at the field but I can't seem to find anything to take my mind off of it so I'm embracing it and writing about it.  Hunter's football team is in the CIF quarterfinals tonight and we are playing Rancho Bernardo.  They have the same record as us, 8-2, and we have beaten them once this year but only by 3.  The paper predicts that we will win by 1 point.  If we lose then it's all over.  No more Friday night lights, no more running for the paper on Saturday mornings to see what they wrote about my son and no more bonding with the greatest kids and parents I've ever had the pleasure to know.  The pressure is ridiculous.  We were in this situation last year but Hunter was a junior so I knew we had a whole 'nother year to have these experiences.  Now he's a senior and this could be it.  I can't seem to wrap my mind around that fact.  3 years ago when he was a freshman he was invited to come up to the varsity team for playoffs.  We made it all the way to the championship game that year.  Unfortunately, he also got picked to be on the varsity basketball team with his senior brother and they had a big tournament on the same night as the championship football game.  Since he knew he would never have the chance to play with his brother again because of the age difference he chose to not participate in the thrill of standing on the sidelines at Qualcomm Stadium.  This is his last chance to make it to Qualcomm and I can't tell you how badly I want this for him.  If any of you read this in the next 3 hours please send a little prayer out for the Mission Hills Grizzlies and especially their quarterback, Hunter Moore.  Thanks!

Thankful

I have so many things to be thankful for.  This is a partial list:
*my incredible family
*my savior
*my strong testimony of my church
*my health
*high school football
*my free country
*my beautiful house
*Christmas decorations
*chocolate
*dear friends

Baby Grizzly

On Friday night my grandson, Landon, went to his very first football game.  He was dressed in a little grizzly bear suit with ears and a tail.  He's only 5 weeks old and very small.  Our school mascot is a grizzly bear so I asked my friend to take a picture of the big grizzly holding the baby grizzly.  The PPR (Prep Pigskin Report) cameraman from our local high school football highlight tv station saw him and took a picture of his little sleeping face with his furry grizzly ears.  When we got home and turned on our tv to watch the highlights around the county there was our little baby grizzly filling up the tv screen!  Then they showed our school highlights and they were almost all of Hunter!  The vast majority of high school football players never get featured on PPR and our super stud, Landon, did it in his very first football game:)  Hopefully, 15 years from now he will be on there every week.  Grandma was a spaz and didn't have her camera but he's wearing his "uniform" to the next game so I will be sure to add a picture to this post in just a few days:)

One Hot Patriot

Big Shoes to Fill

Yesterday Logan, Michelle and Landon came over after church and after eating lunch everyone fell asleep for a little nap.  While I was walking by I looked down and saw Landon's shoes right next to Logan's shoes.  I was thrown back in time for a minute when Logan's shoes were the little ones.  Amazing how quickly time goes by.  Now my baby has a little baby to teach and love for eternity.  What a wonderful circle of life. 

Just Win, Baby!

My team finally beat the Chargers.  I can hold my head up high for a few weeks and maybe longer if we can do it again in December.  I can't believe how good it feels!  It feels like many years ago when I lived in Raider country and used to watch games with my dad and brothers and we expected our boys to win because they usually did.  I traveled back in time and felt the joy of being with people I love, cheering for a team I love and winning!  This time I was hugging my husband and children instead of my dad and brothers but it felt just as good:)  I have loved this team my whole life and it feels great to be, if only for a moment, on the winning end again.  The autumn wind is a raider and I will be a fan until I die.  Raider Nation forever!!!

Tender Moment

Tonight my family went out to dinner for Kyle's birthday.  Logan, Michelle and Landon came with us.  In the middle of dinner Logan's twin brother, Tanner, called him just to chat.  At the end of the conversation Logan said, "I love you too".  These are 24 year old men saying "I love you" to each other.  My eyes teared up and for those of you who know me, it takes a lot for me to tear up (hee hee).  That was a great "mommy" moment for me.  I love that my kids love each other so much and aren't afraid to show it. 

I love football!

Last Friday night was the epitome of the total "competitive sports" experience.  I've decided I'm way too old for it.  Our high school went up to Orange County to play a top ten team and we aren't top anything.  We were supposed to lose.  We pretty much expected to lose.  My son came out and threw 3 interceptions in the first HALF!  He only threw 8 all of last season.  It was horrible.  We were down by 21 in the 3rd quarter.  I spent most of my time praying that my son would settle down, not give up and do his best even though he had to be disappointed by those turnovers.  Well, wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles, we won!  In double overtime.  In our county we don't even play overtime but I guess in Orange County they have the option if both coaches agree.  My son was nearly perfect in the second half and both overtimes.  No more turnovers.  Lots of passing and rushing yards.  Cool, calm and collected.  Way better than his mom, who was a nervous wreck.  I was so proud of him.  We all stormed the field and hugged and screamed and celebrated well into the night.  So, even though my blood pressure probably reached all kinds of new heights, I love this game:)

What the Weird?

The strangest thing happened today. Our neighbor's dog ran into a fire hydrant at full speed and impaled itself on one of the nozzles and died.  It was barking at the dogs behind the fence and looking at them while running along the fence and didn't see the fire hydrant I guess.  It gave the most horrifying scream of pain and then twitched around a little.  Then he hobbled across the street to his front lawn and laid down and died.  We heard the terrible howling and my husband looked out the window right as he was writhing on the ground and hobbling away.  We didn't know he had hit the fire hydrant until we heard the owner talking.  It was very sad and such a random accident. 

Sweet Baby Landon

Our sweet baby was born a month early and he is adorable.  He is 6 lb. 8 oz. and 19 inches long.  He has a full head of dark brown hair and Michelle's chin dimple. 

He is currently in the hospital with pneumonia but is responding well to antibiotics and should be home next Thursday. 

Logan and Michelle are very sad because they are home and Landon isn't.  I know exactly how they feel because my 5th son was born with pneumonia and had to be in the hospital for 10 days.  He was in there for Mother's Day and it was horrible.  It makes me very sad to see my son sad over his son. 

I love having grandchildren and can't wait to snuggle my little man.

Toughest job on earth? Parenthood

My daughter has been playing basketball for about 7 years and has only really enjoyed it for about 2.  Those 2 came right at the beginning when she was in 1st and 2nd grade.  She happens to be very naturally gifted athletically so everyone just expected her to keep playing because she is so good at it.  Being a sweet girl who likes to please everyone she just kept on playing even though it was getting increasingly hard to hide how miserable she was.  Unfortunately, she takes after her mother in the "I hate any form of confrontation" department.  Girls basketball in middle school and high school is packed with confrontation.  There are coaches, teammates, opponents, parents and refs yelling at you as well as players saying mean things and taking cheap shots at you.  It's highly competitive and very stressful.  I, of course, never stepped foot on a basketball court even though I am over 5'11" tall.  Yet, in all my wisdom, I have been forcing her to play for the past couple of years because I have always believed that all of my children should be involved in something worthwhile while they are growing up to teach them disciple, teamwork and responsibility and because I thought she was just afraid and that should never stop someone from doing what they want to do.  I thought I was helping her to overcome her fear and grow up.  I thought I was being a good parent.  Well, because of her skill level she was invited to be on the high school varsity team as a new freshman.  I'm such a great parent that her throwing up at the first practice didn't get through to me as a sign that maybe this isn't for her, I just thought she was a little nervous and out of shape.  Aftering warring with myself for a few weeks now, I finally really looked at her face and body language before her first fall league game and decided to actually BE a good parent and told her that if she really didn't want to play basketball I wouldn't make her.  She broke down and cried and hugged me and thanked me and taught me a very important lesson.  It's not her fault that she is very talented at athletics.  It shouldn't be a punishment.  If she doesn't like playing sports and enjoys writing stories instead then she should be able to write stories.  Life is too short to be miserable over dumb things.  My intentions were good but we need to know our children and there are plenty of other ways to learn responsibility and committment and lots of other good lessons than by playing varsity basketball.  I always hated watching the girls play anyway.

Sigh:(

I have decided that life can sometimes get a little overwhelming.  Especially to old ladies who have been very emotional their whole lives.  Do you know anyone like that?  Hmmm.  My dearest friend in the whole world is battling cancer and just about every complication that comes with it.  I have this helpless, empty feeling that there is nothing I can do for her.  She insists that there really is nothing I can do for her because she has someone already cleaning her house, her family takes shifts watching over her at the hospital and she says she is too worn out for visitors so I know that there is really nothing I can do but pray for her but I still feel awful.  I feel like her family must think I'm a terrible friend.  I'm a very private person and I know that if I were in her situation I would only want my family around me so why can't I believe that that is the way she feels?  Troubling. 

My mother lives by herself far away from me and every now and then I think about how lonely she must be and I think I should call her but every time I think of this I'm in the middle of something where it's impossible to call her.  Then I feel sad and guilty.  I know I should call her instead of writing this blog but the whole point of this blog is to try to sort out all the overwhelming emotions I'm feeling so I can try to feel better.

My oldest son is in the depths of despair because he lives in the worst state in the world for getting a permanent teaching job because of massive budget cuts.  He is so sad that it breaks my heart.  There is nothing I can do but pray for him but I love him so much that it hurts like crazy to see him so down.

My only teenage son is wrestling with affairs of the heart and trying to balance the temptations of the world and what his church and parents teach him.  Makes for lots of tense moments in my otherwise "heaven on earth" home.

My only grandchild left to go back to Utah last week and it killed me to say goodbye to her.  She is old enough to know me and to hold her arms out to me and not want me to put her down.  She has a little personality and I got to know her much better and I really really like her as well as love her to pieces.  Her parents also left me and I really miss having them around to play games with and laugh with.

Any kind of conflict makes me physically sick to my stomach.  I can't stand it when people are upset with me and I also can't stand to see people I know upset with each other.  I have friends and family members all over the place who are on the outs with each other and it's tearing me apart. 

I'm sure that in the morning or even later today I will get a grip and be just fine but for a few minutes I needed to sort out my thoughts and vent a little.  I have an incredible life and I don't mean to complain one bit about the hand I have been dealt because the highs so outweigh the lows that it's ridiculous.  Just once in awhile though...a little moment of reflection is needed.  Thanks for listening.

Here we go again!

It's that time again.  The night before the first football game.  I am desperately going to try to sleep tonight even though I am ridiculously nervous and excited.  I'm totally exhausted because I fed the whole varsity team tonight and there are 65 of them.  I spent all day cooking and cleaning.  I hope that is enough to tire me out and let me sleep.  This morning's paper had some very fun things.  A couple of pictures of my son and some very nice things written about him.  He is one of the "Elite Eleven" players in our county.  He is also the "face" of our football program according to our coach.  I know all parents get nervous and excited for their children in their sports but I think there is a small place in heaven reserved for quarterback parents.  The pressure is unbelievable.  Total strangers know who we are and watch us all the time.  Our son gets a ton of glory but also a ton of blame when things go wrong.  If he makes a bad pass or throws an interception we never know what happened until after the game when he tells us that the receiver ran the wrong route or that the ball was tipped by someone or that he just choked.  The people in the stands don't get that explanation so they usually just assume it was his fault.  Of course when we win though he is the town hero and everyone wants to be our friend.  I wouldn't trade this experience for anything but I may look a few years older the next time you see me from nerves and lack of sleep.  Go Grizzlies!

No More Braces!!

Today my baby girl got her braces off.  She is my 5th and last child to have braces.  No more braces for us!! Yay!!  She looks so beautiful and grown up.  Right after she got them off we drove over to the high school where she registered and got her picture taken.  Perfect timing!  I have to confess I was a little weepy at seeing her look so grown up and even though I haven't loved paying for braces for 16 years, it's another milestone in my "racing by" life.  I am down to one school, only one more year of boy sports and my baby is wearing makeup.  Everything is going by too fast.  My advice to everyone out there is not to take one minute for granted.  Enjoy every bit of the ride.  It's the most incredible time of your life.   It IS your life.

Update

Three wonderful things have happened in the last few weeks and I just felt the need to share.  First, Logan, Michelle and Landon moved in with us.  I LOVE having this little family in my home.  I can't wait until I get a chance to hold little Landon as Michelle is totally hogging him right now.  (O.K. he's still in her stomach.  Details, details)  They are on a waiting list for affordable housing and I hope it takes a really long time for their name to come up.  Second, Kyle and Logan applied to a physical therapy school right here in our town and yesterday they found out they both got in!! I am so proud of them and so glad that they will be going to school together and so close to home.  Happy, happy mom!  Third, Tanner, Alana and Ava are here for 2 weeks!!  We all went out to dinner tonight to celebrate Kyle and Logan's acceptance and had a blast.  I love my family so much.  We are almost at 13 now.  I can't believe I am a grandma and I can't believe how much fun it is.  I got to hang with Ava today and we had so much fun.  We watered flowers, played basketball, read books, played the piano and took a nap.  I love being a grandma and can't believe how blessed I am to have such a great family.  We are Forever Moore!!!!

The Boys of Fall

Kenny Chesney has a new song out called, "The Boys of Fall".  When I heard it I cried!  My youngest son is in his last season of high school football and we have had the greatest summer ever with all of his teammates over at our house.  The song talks about the wonderful comraderie of football players and how much they love each other and I am seeing it every day as these boys hang out with each other.  They are a blast.  They tease each other, wrestle around, play video games and card games (I beat them most of the time) and eat me out of house and home but I wouldn't trade it for anything.  Savannah has learned that she needs to be clothed every morning when she comes out of her room because we never know how many large teenage boy bodies will be strewn around the living room on couches or on the floor.  They treat her like a beloved little sister and since she is entering high school this year I couldn't be happier knowing that she will always be protected by her many older "brothers".  I know my son will never have any greater friends than these boys of fall.  I love them all.

Ava is 1

My sweet little Avacita is one year old.  We went to Utah to celebrate her birthday with her and she learned how to walk while we were there!  I was so happy.  She is adorable.  I love her to pieces.  We stayed for a couple of days and just played with her and gabbed with Tanner and Alana and had the best time.  I love that little family so much.  They are doing everything right and they make me so proud.  I can't wait until they live closer to us so we can play with them all the time.  Happy Birthday, Ava!

My Baby Girl

My baby, who just happens to be a girl, graduated from middle school this week.  I can't believe it.  When did she get old enough to do that?  She was so beautiful with her curls and mascara (gasp!).  She actually has eyelashes!  Who knew?  She won the American Legion Award which is the highest award given to an 8th grader and she was the only one in her class who got it.  It's for the all-around outstanding kid in the class.  She is so quiet I don't know how the teachers even thought of her to nominate and vote for her.  We were totally surprised and excited when Hunter won it 3 years ago but to have our quiet, shy little Vannie win it was unbelievable.  Of course WE know she's the greatest kid on earth but we had no idea everyone else felt that way too.  The minute she graduated she grew up.  She decided she wanted a more mature hairstyle and she might even wear mascara again.  So I have included the before and the after of her beautiful hair.  I love it but she's still trying to get used to it as it has been ridiculously long her entire life.  I love having a daughter.  We share clothes and shoes and I am having a blast watching her grow up.  She might even have a little crush going on (hee hee).  I love her to pieces.  Vannie, thanks for being such a great kid. 

Already?

Wow!  Did my youngest son really go to the prom last weekend?  My youngest?  Unbelievable.  He is adorable and I am old.

Double Whammy

Today two of the most important people in my life were born.  My mother, who gave me life and taught me how to be a wife and mother, and my husband, who made me a wife and mother.  It's kind of hard having both of their birthdays on the same day because I never feel like I give either one of them enough recognition and attention because I am always thinking of the other one a little bit.  I love both of them dearly and give them credit for making me who I am today.  My mother taught me the things that made me attractive to my husband and my husband has softened all my rough edges and loved me no matter what.  I feel bad for both of them because their birthdays fall at a tough time.  My mother's birthday is always only a few days away from Mother's Day so they just kind of get blended in together and my husband's birthday is only 3 days before one of our son's birthday so it's hard to not clump them together too.  I want both of them to know that I am very grateful that they are a part of my life and I love them with all of my heart.  Happy Birthday, Mom and Happy Birthday, Pat.  I love you both!

Too Much Information!!

On Friday afternoon I got two very important and exciting pieces of news at almost exactly the same time.  The odds of that happening are very remote but it happened anyway.  At almost exactly the same time I found out that my son, Logan, and his wife are having a baby boy AND that my wonderful niece, Sarah, is going to Belgium on her mission.  It was almost too much for my old heart.  We were in the room watching my sweet little grandson roll around in Shell's stomach while we were on speaker phone with my other daughter-in-law listening to Sarah read that she will be serving in Belgium and speaking Dutch!  Sarah actually got her call the day before but because some people had conflicts in being there to hear where she was going she postponed it to the next day at exactly the time we would be in the sonogram room meeting our new grandson.  What are the odds?  Incredibly rare!  I'm thrilled by both pieces of news.  I can't wait to meet my little grandson and Sarah is coming down this week for a visit so we can hear all about her new adventure!

What a Great Vacation!!!

We're back and we had a GREAT time.  Everything went perfectly.  The weather was terrific, the food was fabulous and we even met some new Mormon friends.  I had a rough time being in the same city as my missionary and I cried when I gave his friend his birthday goodies but it was wonderful to see some of the places where he had been and to know he was close by.  A local girl asked Hunter to take a picture with her because she thought he was so cute.  The shows on the ship were great.  We loved all of them.  Pat, Kyle and Hunter went on the zip line in Puerta Vallarta and had a blast.  Me, Savannah and Brandon just got eaten by mosquitoes, especially Savannah.  Puerta Vallarta was the prettiest with its beautiful jungles and beaches.  We ate at a local Mexican barbeque in Acapulco and its easy to see why Jensen is getting a little pooch from the amazing food.  Hunter now has a pile of new facebook friends and one of them is very close by in Encinitas (and she's Mormon :) Yay!)  I highly recommend cruises as the best form of vacation ever.  Good to be home but can't wait for the next one, whenever that is. 

CRUISE!!!

Tomorrow we go on our cruise to Mexico.  Yes, the Mexico where my son is serving a mission.  Yes, the very city where my son is serving his mission.  He will, however, be hiding from us when we get there because we all agreed it would be wayyy too hard to see each other mid-mission and then say good-bye again.  He is sending an American who lives in his ward to take us on a little mini tour and see where he actually serves.  It will be so cool but so weird to be that close to him.  There is a slight chance that he will get transferred two days before we get there.  We all love cruises and can't wait to check out the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line since we've only been on Carnival so far.  We will be gone for 10 days and are visiting 5 Mexican cities.  They are Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo and Mazatlan.  Jensen has served in Acapulco and is currently serving in Zihuatanejo.  We have been to all but Puerto Vallarta before but just love the whole cruising experience no matter where we go.  We will have another Easter on a ship and it is really cool.  We gather in our cabin and sing hymns and read the Easter story and eat our chocolates.  It's very cozy and different.  I am taking Jensen's Easter and birthday goodies to give to the American since it costs a fortune to send things and I never know if they actually are going to arrive in one piece.  I'm so excited I can hardly stand it.  Bon Voyage everyone and have a wonderful Spring Break!

Celebrity Mom

Things are starting to get a little exciting around the Moore household.  Almost every day we are getting mail and emails from colleges around the country regarding my little quarterback.  So far they are fairly generic and are just introducing him to their campus and coaches but they keep coming!  We had a highlight film made and Pat figured out how to put it on youtube.  I, of course, have no idea how to put that link on this blog but if you go to youtube and type in "Hunter Moore Mission Hills" you can watch my little hotshot playing pretty darn good football.  Just seeing him on the computer makes me nervous and proud and excited all rolled into one.  After watching "The Blind Side" I have daydreamed of coaches visiting our house and trying to recruit my son.  I have no idea if he is good enough for that but it's kind of fun to dream about it except that I am a very private and basically shy person so I'm a little nervous about the possibility of it actually happening.  For now I will just bask in the mail that keeps coming to our school and the emails on my computer addressed to Hunter Moore.  It's kind of fun basking in the light coming from my little "star".

I Win

Me and my kids have had an on-going tradition of trying to convince each other that we love each other more than the other one does.  "I love you", "I love you more", "I love you more than anyone has ever loved anyone in the history of the world" etc.   You get the picture.  Most parents and kids have some form of this so we're not real unique.  However, it was very gratifying the other night to be proven right after all these years.  I was talking to the only one of my children who has a child and he shared his recent epiphany of looking into his baby daughter's eyes and feeling the intense love that only a parent has for their child and he realized that that is how his father and I love him and he conceded defeat in the "I love you" war.  I warned his brother (who will be a father in a few months) that he was "going down" and would soon have to concede defeat also.  I love winning.

Coach Moore and Coach Moore

Kyle is coaching the 7th grade girls basketball team and Hunter is his assistant coach.  Every day Kyle comes home with hilarious stories about his team.  He has never coached girls before and according to him they are night and day to boys.  (big news flash) They have played (and won) 3 games now and according to Kyle they haven't run one play that he has taught them.  When he tells them what to do they just smile at him and then go and do whatever they want.  He says it's like talking to fence posts but he still loves them.  Luckily, they are really good athletes so they are winning all their games.  The other funny stories come from how they all have crushes on Hunter.  He has to come to practice late because he has to lift with his football team after school so the girls are always running up to Kyle at practice and saying "Where's Hunter?!"  They all want to sit by him on the bench and they always tell Kyle how cute he is.  Kyle is so patient and positive with them.  He is a great coach and I am very impressed with how quickly he has learned how to do this.  He and Hunter are having the time of their lives and they are a blast to watch.  Who knew girls basketball could be so entertaining?

She's the Man!

Savannah is in the house!  She started playing basketball again and she is awesome!  She is so fluid and graceful and a complete pleasure to watch.  She was born with an incredible amount of natural talent but she also has a great work ethic.  She is a coach's dream because she is very quiet and obedient and does whatever she's told.  She is the captain of her team and she NEVER leaves the court.  This was a little tough at first because she hasn't played in two years and all that running can really wear you down but she is slowly but surely getting back into shape and the coach needs her in there so she just keeps plugging away.  Her brother, Jensen, started a family tradition of shaking all the players hands at the beginning of the game and wishing them "good luck".  This kind of sets the tone of good sportsmanship right from the beginning and Hunter has carried on the tradition.  Their teammates picked up on their example and started shaking hands too.  Van is VERY shy so she didn't really want to carry on the tradition but I am very proud of her because she is doing it even though her teammates haven't quite caught on yet.  She has also noticed a difference in the way the opposing team treats her because of this.  They show her respect and are extra nice to her.  I absolutely love watching her play and I hope she keeps doing it through high school.  Since she is one of the tallest on her team she sometimes has to play "down low" against the other big players and it's pretty funny to watch.  The other "big men" are very physical and rough.  Van is very gentle and sweet and has a hard time mixing it up with them but when she gets mad she draws on all of her experience of being tackled by Hunter and she gives as good as she gets.  I can tell she doesn't like it though and is trying to fight back tears so I hope her friend, who is much tougher than her, gets back from vacation soon and lets Van play outside where she's comfortable.  Our team is unbeatable when they are all there so it should be a great season.  Go Bulldogs!

Spring!

Ahhh springtime!  I love spring.  This year should be a great one because of all the rain we've gotten.  I absolutely love going out in my backyard and seeing all the flowers blooming, feeling the cool breeze blowing and feeling the sun on my face.  It lifts my spirits like nothing else can.  For some reason, though, spring also makes me miss my family.  I've been thinking about Sarah, my mom, Cindy, Cathy, my kids and their wives and kids and I just wish we all lived closer.  Maybe I'm missing them because I went to Utah in the spring last year and had one of the best vacations I've ever had.  We went to lunch and shopping and I made them spring wreaths (by the way, are your wreaths up yet girls?) and we just had a great time.  All of our sports wind down in the spring and I get my family back and it's very nice to just enjoy each other's company for a few months until the craziness of school and sports start back up again. This spring we get to go on a Mexican cruise and I am very excited about that.  We love cruises.  I also turn another year older this spring and I don't even care!  I'm just happy to be alive and healthy and living through one more spring.  I recommend that you all go outside and look around at this incredible earth that God has given us and feel that wonderful sun on your face and just go and have a great day!

Waltz, anyone?

There is something about songs written in 3/4 time that just touches my soul.  Every time I hear one I start waltzing in my mind (and if I'm not in public I do it with my body).  My whole mood lifts and it just feels like I'm floating around a dance floor.  I imagine myself in the ballroom with Anastasia, spinning around in a beautiful ballgown.  For those of you who are musically challenged I will give you some examples so you know what I'm talking about.  Phil Vassar's American Child, High School Musical's Can I Have This Dance? and a brand new one by Love and Theft called Dancing in Circles.  When I hear these songs my soal just soars.  There aren't very many popular songs written in 3/4 so it's always a treat when I hear one.  Three cheers for the waltz!

We Did It!!!

Yahoo!  David slew Goliath!  The Woodland Park 7th grade Bulldogs are the Champions of middle school basketball!  We went in to the game with a 10-3 record and San Elijo went in with a 13-0 record.  The game was played at Mission Hills High School which is way bigger than the middle school courts and that proved to be no problem for Kyle's little team.  We were down by 8 at half time but came back to win by 14.  One of the players came up to me after the game and said "Coach told us to win this one for Mr. Moore because it is his birthday".  What a great family I have.  Kyle was ecstatic and told Brandon that everytime he sees that 2010 7th grade championship banner hanging in the gym he can remember his 28th birthday and that the kids won it for him :)  What a difference from the first game to the last.  This is the team that killed us in the first game and made Kyle doubt himself and his team.  What a comeback!  I vote Coach Moore the middle school coach of the year.  Who's with me?  A lovely side note is that the 8th grade team also won and that all four schools who were in the 2 championship games were from San Marcos.  I love this town!

Happy Birthday, Beer!

Today is my number one son's birthday.  He is my firstborn child and he turned out to be everything I dreamed he would be.  He is smart, funny, wise, witty, handsome, talented, righteous, kind and most importantly, he has the greatest hair ever put on a human head :)  He is in the process of finishing up the last bit of schooling he has to complete before he can be a teacher in California.  I want to go on record right here on this blog as predicting that he will one day be a California Teacher of the Year.  You heard it here first, folks.  He is the best teacher I've ever seen.  Ask any kid that he's taught in the last 3 years and they will tell you the same thing.  He is passionate about history and loves to teach it.  My dad was in education and everywhere we would go in the world, even Hawaii, we would hear "Hi, Mr. Miles!" from one of his former students.  That happens to Brandon whenever he steps foot out of our house.  We can't go anywhere without hearing very excited voices yell "Hi, Mr. Moore!"  I absolutely love being around him as he is one of the funniest guys you will ever meet.  He has made me very proud as a mother and I want him to know that I love him with all of my heart and that he can stay in my house as long as he wants (thank you, California, for having the dumbest rules ever in qualifying to teach in this state :) Happy Birthday, Beer!  (another one of Kyle's interesting nicknames)

Good day for basketball!

Wow!  The Moores had a great day yesterday.  First, Kyle's little 7th grade team won their playoff game to get into the finals.  So, tomorrow night they play in the championship game against, guess who? the first team they played this season that kicked their trash and made Kyle so worried.  Yeah, that's right, the one his mother said might be the hardest team they would face and to give his team another chance and don't give up on them.  (remember my feelings on "being right"?)  They beat him twice in the regular season but, hey, anything can happen in the playoffs.  Which brings me to my next bit of great news.  Hunter and the Mission Hills Grizzlies played their arch nemesis San Marcos Knights last night in the first game of the playoffs.  We had to play at their tiny, old, dark, ugly little gym because they were a higher seed than us.  It was standing room only and I'm sure we broke some fire codes.  They beat us in preseason in the last minute of the game.  Our two schools have never played each other in a playoff game in the history of the schools.  Hunter grew up playing WITH all of the San Marcos players on club teams and now had to play AGAINST them so he knows them all really well. I'm pretty sure I have some temporary hearing loss after that game.  Is that enough of a build-up for you?  OK... wait for it................
WEEEEEEEEE WONNNNNN!!!!!!  It was so great!  We were ahead pretty much the whole game, just like last time, but this time Hunter Moore hit some clutch free throws to ice it and our defense was smothering.  All San Marcos can shoot are threes and this time we didn't let them.  We won 57-50 and that gym exploded.  I was so proud of our little team.  They played like....Grizzlies!  Now it's on to Morse on Friday night.  We beat them in preseason but they are still favored to win.  Remember, anything can happen:)

Happy Anniversary!

Today is my 29th wedding anniversary.  Pat and I got married on the 5th anniversary of our first date so I have technically been in love with him for 34 years even though we've only been married for 29 of those.  And I am being very literal in saying that I have been in love with him since our first date.  He was 16 and I was 17 and on that first date I told him that I was going to marry him.  I knew it from the first moment.  That first moment might not have happened though.  I have a sister who is 1 1/2 years younger than I am and we frequently shared boyfriends.  This started getting a little messy so our mom made a rule that if one sister was interested in a guy then the other sister had to back off or ask permission to pursue him.  Pat is Cathy's age and so they knew each other before I really knew Pat.  I didn't want to get in trouble so I actually asked my sister's permission to love my husband.  I don't know what I would have done if she would have said "no".  Pat Moore is my match in every way.  He completes me.  He is quiet and patient when I am loud and rash.  He is wise when I am impulsive.  We have been together so long that we are now starting to think the same thoughts at the same time and are finishing each other's sentences.  He is the closest person to me and I couldn't have dreamed of a better friend and partner.  I love him more than I have ever loved anyone, EVER!  Long ago I wrote him a poem and one of the lines says it all for us: " Sometime before forever, we knew we'd be together and love each other past life's final days".  I feel like we have always been and always will be.  Thank you, Pat, for making my life Heaven on earth.  I love you MTA!  Forever Moore

Happy Birthday, Mama's Boy

Today is my little boy's 17th birthday.  I can't believe it.  Where did all that time go?  It seems like yesterday he was threatening my best friend with death if she didn't go away and leave me alone.  (He was 3) He was really the only one of my sons who was a true "Mama's boy".  He only wanted me and hung on me 24/7, driving me nuts if I didn't hold him all the time.  I didn't appreciate it then but I do now.  I love that he loves me and I love him with all my heart.  Now that his time is limited in my home I am appreciating every minute we have together and every experience he lets me share with him.  He makes me proud in so many ways.  He is a great student and athlete but even more importantly he is a great person.  He had to give a little speech to the incoming 8th graders yesterday as one of the athletes who has a high GPA (proving that you can participate in sports and still keep your grades up) and in the middle of his speech he mentioned his little sister and pointed her out.  She was very surprised and pleased and I was so proud of him for making her so happy.  He tries very hard to do what's right and he is hilarious.  He is the most unique of my cookie-cutter boys.  5 years ago I wrote his poem for him and I'm going to post it now as a tribute to a great son. 

Mama's Boy

There's something about us, you and me,
a tie that binds us, that no one can see.
Other people have friendship and love
but you and I are a step above.
You have always been my pride and joy,
a genuine, original mama's boy.

Some might say you're just one of the crew.
How can the sixth one bring anything new?
But you and I know you are one of a kind,
the best of the bunch, there's no doubt in my mind.
The love you have for me brings me great joy,
my genuine, original mama's boy.

As you go through your life and the trials come,
and as blessed as you are you will still have some,
think of our bond and this love that we share.
That no matter what, I will always be there.
You will always be my pride and joy,
I thank the Lord that you're this mama's boy.

Happy Birthday my dearest Hunchamabilia!  I love you to pieces!

Happy Birthday, Dad

Today is my dad's birthday.  He would have been 73.  He has been in Heaven for 7 years.  I don't really think of him very often but today I was.  I am the oldest of 5 children and I know my dad wanted boys.  He had 3 girls first and then 2 boys.  So, for the 7 years that he only had girls, I became his surrogate son.  He let me help him around our ranch.  I helped build fences, I held baby lambs while he cut off their tails, I watched him cut off chickens' heads and then helped clean up.  He didn't talk very much and didn't seem very comfortable around me but he made me feel useful and like he really needed my help.  My dad was hot!  He was only 21 when I was born and he always looked young.  He was my high school principal and I was very proud of that.  Everyone thought he was cool.  He had black hair and long black sideburns and even the bad kids respected him because he was always fair and kind.  He had a hard time opening up to me so we never got super close but I remember when I was a teenager we were riding in the car one day and a song came on the radio.  I said I really liked it and I really liked the words.  He asked who sang it which I thought was a little weird because he didn't really care about stuff like that so I told him.  Shortly after that it was my birthday and to my utter shock my dad had gone out and bought me the album with that song on it.  It is the only present to this day that my dad has ever gotten me and I will never forget the feeling I had knowing that he had taken the time to go out and find that album and buy it for me.  It was called "Watching Scotty Grow" and I don't even know who sang it.  How's that for a random memory?  Anyway, my dad was an awesome dad who always took care of us and gave me a wonderful childhood.  Thanks Dad!  Happy Birthday.  I love you and I'll be there soon. 

Help!

My poor little pregnant daughter-in-law is feeling like poop and I wondered if any of you young moms out there have any tips on how she can feel better?  Did anything in particular help you through your "morning" sickness? (Dumbest name ever.  Who is only sick in the morning?  Must have been a male doctor who came up with that one.) I would love to hear what worked for you.  Vitamins?  Special foods?  Drugs?  It's been a century since I was pregnant so I was hoping maybe modern medicine had come up with something that would help.  Let me know!

Grandma much?

Yahoo!  My sweet Michelle is pregnant!! I am soooo happy.  I can't believe Logan is going to be a dad when he is such a child himself:)  I can't wait to be a grandma again.  Maybe we'll get a little boy this time.  I am so glad that they get to experience the incredible love that a parent has for a child.  Thank you Lichelle for making me so happy.

Lockdown!

Yesterday my daughter's middle school went into lockdown for an hour and a half. Apparently there was an attempted house robbery nearby and the suspects jumped the fence onto the middle school property so the police ordered the school into lockdown until they could apprehend the 4 suspects. The suspects started out with a gun but lost it before they got onto the school grounds. The kids, of course, didn't know any of this. They thought it was just a drill at first but when it drug out longer and longer they started getting nervous. Information came trickling into them from their cell phones and from the teachers' computers and I started getting all kinds of texts from my daughter. First it was a pedophile, then it was two rapists and then they had guns. There were helicopters flying over the school so I knew it was real. I was delivering my Meals on Wheels and had to keep pulling over to answer my daughters texts. I knew she was O.K. deep down inside but I started thinking of all the other school disasters I'd heard about and I started getting a little nervous. It helped a little knowing that her brother was in the classroom right next to hers as a teacher. While sitting on the floor in the dark and in hushed tones for an hour and a half my daughter gained strength from texting her family that she loved them and telling them to pray for her and getting all kinds of encouraging and entertaining texts back from them. Kyle reminded her that Brandon (the teacher) was a closet Ninja and would take care of everything. Dad and Kyle were ready to storm the school and take down any and all threats to their sister and daughter. Michelle (her sister-in-law) was reminding her of past funny memories and trying to keep her spirits up. She also encouraged her to think happy thoughts like the summer release of Eclipse (Twilight). I'm not sure but I'm guessing that at one point or another every student and teacher on that campus thought about their families and wondered if they would see them again and wanted to tell them how much they loved them. Just like the people on the plane that went down on 9/ll, the thing you think about the most when you think it's the end is your family and how much you love them. I'm so glad my family knows they are loved. They say it and hear it every single day. I hope it doesn't take a possible disaster for you to let your family know how you feel about them. End of soapbox speech.

Sisters

For the first time in a very long time I miss my sisters. I have two sisters who don't live anywhere near me and who I don't really have a great relationship with. It's not that we have a bad relationship, we just don't really have a relationship at all anymore. We used to be pretty close while we were growing up. We sang together all over the place and we lived kind of out in the country, away from the rest of the town, so we didn't really have people over much. We just played with each other. We all used to live right here in North County for a short time and celebrated birthdays and other special occasions together and I really enjoyed that time. Since they moved away though we have just gotten caught up in our families and kind of let our relationship die away. One sister hates to talk on the phone and the other likes to talk for hours and I'm kind of in-between so the phone isn't really a viable option. Neither one of them knows how to work a computer so email, which is my favorite form of communication, is also not an option. We rarely see each other and never all at the same time so most of the time I just forget they are even there but sometimes, like today, I think about the fun times we've had and the silly inside jokes we have and our mutual sense of humor and I miss them. So even though they will probably never see this (note computer illiteracy) I want to give a shout out to my sisters. Cathy and Susan, I love and miss you and hope you cherish our past memories as much as I do.

Whatever it takes

Recently our family went through a minor crisis and it was brought home to me like a sledgehammer how important it is for children to have both a mother and a father. While dealing with the situation I realized that if our child only had me disciplining them they would be dead. All I could do was feel. Pain, revenge, anger, sadness, betrayal, disappointment and hopelessness. Thinking was not part of the equation, just feeling. My husband, on the other hand, while still probably feeling some of those emotions (albeit in way smaller doses) was also able to employ his brain into thinking some rational thoughts and coming up with way more realistic solutions than death. In making up with this child it was revealed that they were very thankful to have 2 parents and not just one as the balance would have been off without one or the other. Right in the middle of this fiasco I ran into an old friend who I hadn't seen in awhile. In catching up with the activities of her family she mentioned to me how hard it was to raise children while divorced even though she and her ex are on great terms. She was the one who initiated the divorce so I thought she was happy with the situation but she looked me right in the eye and said "Do whatever it takes to keep your marriage together". She was telling me that when children are involved it is way easier to be unhappy in a marriage than out of one. I think children kind of do that to a person. I think that children would rather have their mom and dad be unhappy together than to have the child be unhappy that they are apart. In a child's mind, if mom and dad are together then there is always hope that they can become happy again if they just try hard enough. Once they are apart, everyone is unhappy and hope is harder to hold onto. This is coming, of course, from a very happily married Mormon wife and mother with absolutely no training or education on this subject so you can take this whole entry with a grain of salt but for all the young mothers out there who are struggling to make a strong marriage, my unsolicited advice is "Do whatever it takes"!

Ouch! Another crack in the rock

I just got back from my walk and while I was on it I got another sliver of wisdom and understanding. Have you ever wondered why certain things happen to you? When you are in the middle of a tragedy or a triumph do you ever wonder, "Why me?"? Recently I have had to draw on feelings from past situations in my life to get me through current ones. In doing so I realized that the reason I had to go through those situations then was so that I could handle the ones now. When I was a little girl I remember vividly on several occasions when I was either getting yelled at or praised that I would think "I will never forget how I am feeling at this moment and I will either a. never do this to someone else if it was negative and hurtful or b. try hard to do this to someone else because it feels good. I'm quite sure that most of you were not nearly such odd children so you probably didn't really focus on your feelings to that extent but if you tried you could probably remember and bring back how you felt on certain occasions. It's amazing how past experiences can help you in later life. You might get a certain type of mother so you can be a different certain type of mother. You may go through the pain and jealousy of having someone close to you seem to have a glamorous and wonderful life while making wrong choices and then watch them pay dearly in later life for those choices so that you can help the next generation with their choices and help them recognize that every choice has a consequence. You may fall in love too young and face all the struggles and challenges that that brings so you can help your children avoid those challenges. To all my friends out there who are struggling with situations that are making them sad like divorce, trying to find a spouse, trying to make their mark in the world and be noticed even if it's maybe not quite the right way to be noticed, know that all this shall be for thy good and that someday you may need to draw on these experiences to help someone else, maybe even your own child. Remember how you are feeling right now and vow to help someone else to not feel that way if it looks like they might.

Mother-In-Law Epiphany #1

Every once in awhile this hard rock of a brain of mine gets a little crack and allows some wisdom and understanding to filter in. Recently I got a little crack. I was pondering the challenges of being a "mother-in-law" and it dawned on me that I was expecting my sons to do everything I would kill my husband for doing. Mothers and sons have a very unique bond that is hard for girls who don't have sons yet to understand. The mother gets to enjoy the wonderful part of male attention and adoration without the sexual friction and pressure and the son gets to be adored and thought perfect because he will never be any competition for the mom. In other words, they enjoy the perfect "opposite sex" relationship. Mothers of married sons have a hard time handing over that attention and adoration to someone else and always seem to be in competition with their son's wives. They still expect to be thought of frequently and called once a week and generally being front and center in their son's lives. Thus, the age-old reputation of "mother-in-laws". Lots of girls get along with their mother-in-laws but deep down they still wouldn't mind if they fell into a black hole and were never heard from again. (Maybe that's a little harsh but you get my meaning.) I am, of course, the farthest thing from an expert on this subject since my mother-in-law passed away very early in my marriage and I therefore haven't really had to deal with one, pretty much ever. However, I know that if my husband constantly talked about or felt the need to call and gab with his mother on a frequent basis he would pay dearly. I also know that if we had to spend equal time on vacations and holidays with a family that I did not grow up with and a woman that I didn't relate to very well and who loved my husband way before I did and just as much, there would have been contention in our home. I used to sing with my sisters and mother at weddings and parties all over the place. One song we sang a lot was called "Wedding Song". I've sung it a million times but just recently one of the lines came into my head and it was like a lightbulb going off in my brain. "Well a man shall leave his mother and a woman leave her home....". What? Isn't a man leaving his home too and a woman leaving her father and mother? NO! Men naturally want to be the head of their households and be looked to by their wives and families as the provider and hero. The hard part is leaving their mothers! But they have to do it to make their wives happy and to do their jobs. Women physically leave their homes but they never really leave their mothers. And it's O.K. Men don't feel threatened by a girl's attachment to her mother like women do with their husband's attachment to his mother. It's different. Having now had this epiphany I can more easily let go of my sons because I know if my husband's mother was trying to hold onto him like I want to hold onto my sons, I would be one unhappy girl. Just a word of advice though to all the young wives and mothers of little boys, go easy on the old broads who bore your husbands because someday you are going to be her.

I love being right:)

I went to Kyle's basketball game today and just as I predicted they won by a landslide! They played like a well-oiled machine. They were passing like crazy, making shots, playing great defense and listening to everything Coach K said. He was ecstatic and even better, Mom was right. All is right with the universe. Way to go Bulldogs!

Already?

Well, those 14 years went by in a blink! My little girl went to her first dance. She was nervous and afraid to totally let loose (she is quite a dancer) and actually slow danced with someone other than her brother. She had fun but she's not quite sure how she feels about the whole growing up thing so it might be a little while before she ventures out again. I remember my first dance like it was yesterday and I won't tell you exactly how many yesterdays it really was but for me to remember it at all after all this time is quite a feat. I was very excited and nervous. This was back in the day when you never danced in groups or by yourself. Every dance, fast or slow was with a partner and the boy always did the asking. I was almost 6 feet tall and VERY skinny. In other words, not exactly a stunner. My mother was concerned about me being disappointed so she made sure that I knew that if I didn't get asked to dance very much it would be because the boys were short and insecure with such a tall girl and that it wouldn't be because I wasn't beautiful and desirable :) Everything turned out great because I took my shoes off and there were enough fairly tall boys to dance with and I am a very exuberant dancer so I don't really need anyone else to have a good time. I came home flushed and happy and very excited for the next dance. My mother was extremely surprised and relieved. Savannah loves dancing with her family because we have no inhibitions when we dance and we get pretty crazy. Someday she will be able to enjoy the social interaction of a dance but I won't die if she takes her sweet time about it:)

I Miss My Mexican!

It was wonderful talking to my son, Jensen, on Christmas day but it made me miss him. He sounded so...Mexican. He can speak Spanish really well and has a great accent. He sounded so happy even though I knew he was homesick. We did a conference call that patched Logan and Michelle in while they were in Big Bear so we were all on the phone at the same time. Just one more Christmas without him. He's been out for about 7 1/2 months. Almost 1/3 of his total mission. The time is going by really fast but I still miss looking at his cute face and hearing his very intelligent humor. He is a great kid and I miss having him here to keep Hunter entertained and on the straight and narrow. We just booked a Mexican cruise last night that will take us right down by his mission. I hope I can feel his sweet spirit while we are that close to him and I especially hope he will be able to feel my love flowing out to him. I miss you, Fronies.

Coaching/Parenting?

Yesterday my son, Kyle, coached his first basketball game and his team got cremated. He came home so sad and depressed and...embarrassed. I listened as he explained what happened and it came to mind how close coaching and parenting are. He said that they had worked and worked on certain things in practice and that he had told them things and carefully explained other things that would help them win. When it came down to being in a real game, apparently everything they had practiced and learned went right out of their heads and they just choked. He said he felt really upset with them and embarrassed because the gym was packed and he felt like all the parents were judging him because it was his job to teach his players how to win. These boys are in 6th and 7th grade and this is their first experience on a competitive school team. Kyle has been away at school and has only been able to hold about 3 practices with them. Still, he expected more out of them and was very disappointed. He wanted to go out there and play "for" them or somehow "make" them be better. He couldn't understand how they didn't know everything he knows about basketball and managed to forget that he has been playing for 20 years. The boys got distracted by girls in the stands and their parents yelling directions at them and the other team being bigger and better than they were. All of this sounds so much like parenting. Every parent knows that whether it's right or wrong, people judge you by how your kids turn out. It's your job to teach them everything and if they screw up then it has to be your fault. You teach and explain and take them to church over and over again and still they get distracted when they get into real life situations. You don't understand why they can't see everything as crystal clear as you do even though you have lived about 30 years longer than they have. I told Kyle that to judge his team's performance on one game (their first one at that) was just plain not fair. That may very well be the best team they face all year. They may turn around and astonish him with a blow-out of their own on the next game. All he can do is be patient, point out, in detail, what each one can work on to better their game and then just practice, practice, practice and don't give up. I also told him that, yes, their performance is a direct reflection on him but that he can only teach them correct principles and then whether he likes it or not, they have their free agency and they WILL govern themselves. This is a great lesson for him and he is already trying to think of ways to help them improve and to help himself improve. Coaching, like parenting, doesn't happen overnight. It takes years of practice and humility and hard work. Hang in there, Coach Moore. Go Bulldogs!

Most Adorable Child in the World

Happy Birthday, Van!

My baby girl turned 14 yesterday. I can't believe it. She will be in high school in 9 months, she can go to dances now and she will be driving in a year and a half! She is a Mia Maid already and she just became a Beehive a few minutes ago. We've gone through one teenage year and it was absolutely heavenly. I pray the rest are just as good. I have a feeling they will be. This girl is the most perfect girl in the whole world. She is the perfect blend of boy and girl. She got all the calm, laid back qualities of my boys and just the right amount of gentleness and sensitivity of a girl. We never fight and I mean, NEVER. If we don't agree then we talk it out or just be quiet until it passes. She is very quick to apologize and helps me be the same way. She listens to the smart things I say and ignores the dumb things. We have so much in common that I love to be with her. We are both avid readers and love to be alone. Neither one of us need friends to hang with. We are perfectly happy either being with our family or alone. We like the same books and movies and we both love chocolate, her-white and me-dark. We don't love shopping and can only do it for short periods of time. I'm so glad she is my daughter and will be with me forever. I was reminded this holiday season of how much daughters love their mothers and how they stay close to them even after they are married and even though it's not very fun being on the boy end of that relationship, I am very grateful that I have one daughter who will love me forever and want to be with me occasionally even after she has her own family. Vannie, you are the light of my life and I love you with all of my heart. Happy Birthday!