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!