Homecoming PIctures, Part 2

Homecoming PIctures, Part 1

Most of these are of Aaron. I'll get more of Nathan later today (I hope!).

Aaron and Lana after the pep rally and at halftime, as the Junior class prince and princess. (I thought this picture was appropriate since they talked the whole time they were out on the field!)

After the big win!

Don't they both clean up well? And their dates were gorgeous!

Part 2 pictures coming soon!

WOW! What a Game!

First of all, let me say that we played all four quarters! Woo-hoo! The last time we played a full game was the state championship last year, which we lost. Before that, I can't remember when our team played all four quarters!

That said, I'll give you what you've been waiting for. WE WON! The final score was 52-48, and yes, it was as close as the score would indicate. Here's my recap, with unabashed bragging on my sons!:

Our team made some changes in positions for this game and they worked out well. Also, all three of our freshman stepped up and made big plays, as well as some upperclassmen who haven't had big games before. We were firing on all cylinders, but that didn't mean it was a cake-walk. The other team had come to play!

The other team kicked off with a nasty little on-side kick that they recovered. They went on to score, although their kick failed. We were down 6-0. Nathan has the reins at quarterback now. And he was AMAZING! His poise and smarts as a freshmen were a joy to behold. Anyway, We drove downfield in fits and starts and finally Aaron scored on a 4 yard pass from our quarterback-turned-running back, Austin. Then Aaron made the kick after the score.

Second quarter, we had the ball again. This time Nathan handed off to a junior who ran in for his first touchdown since he began playing football in 6th grade! Aaron kicked again and we were up 16-6. Again, we held them and they held us. Then Nathan tossed the ball back again to Austin who threw to Aaron--a 55-yard TD! It was a beauty of a catch, too. He had to stretch for it and got it with his fingertips and ran probably 20 of the 55 yards after the catch. Amazing! After that effort is it any wonder that his kick failed? Score: 22-6. But the other team didn't give up. At halftime, we were still ahead, but only by a touchdown. We stood at 22-14.

(Homecoming halftime was fun. Pictures to follow later this weekend. My camera battery died so I'm waiting for others to send me their pictures!)

Third quarter began with the other team pooching three kickoffs and recovering them. They scored three times before our offense was able to touch the ball! By that time we were down 22-36. Could the boys recover? We didn't know. But they did. Austin ran in two touchdowns. Aaron made one kick and missed one. We were all tied up at 36 when the third quarter buzzer sounded.

Fourth quarter. I was so nervous! The other team struck first, but their kick failed. 36-42. Our new kid, who is injured but playing, scored on a short run. Aaron made the kick. We were up by 2, 44-42. The clock was winding down. Could we hold on to our lead? The other team marched down and scored, but their kick failed. 44-48. Less than two minutes to play. My stomach hurt. Either Nathan had to lead them downfield without a mistake or a last-ditch effort would have been a field goal by Aaron, which scores 4 points in 6-man. So in either scenario, my boys had to perform. Down the field we went. At one point, just over mid-field, Nathan threw a pass intended for Austin. He tipped it. Then, lo and behold, Aaron caught the tipped pass with his feet just in bounds! The drive remained alive! We'd made it to almost the ten yard line. The clock was ticking down when Nathan tossed an eleven-yard pass into the end zone to the same boy who'd scored his first touchdown ever earlier in the game. A diving catch--but he got it! Aaron nailed the kick. With 25 seconds to go we were up 52-48. The crowd was going crazy! We managed to hold them out of the end zone on the final drive, with the last tackle of the game coming on about the twenty-yard line.

Whew! If you stuck with this long post, I hope you felt some of the excitement we felt at the game. It was so, so fun! And I am so proud of our little team. They really went to a new level. They worked together. They played hard. Our two other freshman made significant contributions on defense--one in tackles and the other with an interception. And the juniors stepped up and led the team. It's a game that will be remembered for a very long time.

Another Pounding

53-6 in the 3rd quarter. It was bad. We couldn't stop them. We couldn't put the ball in the end zone. And after 2 weeks of cool, it was hot. A recipe for disaster.

Both the boys got pounded pretty hard. Nathan played quarterback most of the game and was something like 8 for 14 with no interceptions, which was okay. Aaron didn't have any receptions, although he broke up one pass and tried to block and kept getting held. He also caught a kickoff and got flattened by two of their biggest boys.

Thankfully next week is our bye week. We'll need two weeks to get our heads back up to play the homecoming game.

They Make a Good Team

Nathan is holding for Aaron's kicks this year. Aaron hasn't been as accurate this year, but he's having to adjust to playing other aspects of the game then switching his focus to kicking. And he and Nathan have had to get the timing down, since Nathan has never been a holder before. They are learning. I think they make a good team!

A Win!

I was out of town this past weekend, thus the late update.

The boys won their football game! Woo-hoo! The final score was 54-6. The game ended in the 3rd quarter. Aaron scored two touchdowns and three extra points. Nathan threw for a touchdown. I wish I could have seen it all. Hopefully the momentum will carry into next week!

Rainout

The football game last night was rained out. Apparently the field we were traveling to was flooded. On to next week . . .

Homecoming Court Prince

My sweet boy was voted Homecoming Prince by his junior class. His girlfriend was voted Princess from their class. All that means is he will escort her on the field at halftime of the homecoming game next month as part of the "court" for the seniors crowned king and queen. But it's an honor to be voted in by your classmates--even though it is a small class!

Losing with Respect

We got trounced tonight, 58-6, with the game over at halftime due to the 6-man 45-point mercy rule. But the public school team that beat us could've made it much worse--and didn't. It is a team that is really good, but doesn't use their talent to humiliate people. I appreciate that. Losing to a team you respect makes for a whole different reaction to the loss. After the game, our boys could actually think of things they had done well as a team.

Like making 3 legitimate (non-penalty) first downs. Not getting shut out. Not getting called for any penalties. And actually moving the ball forward.

And I can find even a few more: like Aaron catching 2 of 3 passes thrown to him--one for a first down, one for our only touchdown, Aaron making a great defensive play on a pass, and Nathan going in for the last series at quarterback and blocking for the running back.

This week they looked better than last, so that's good. I think by the end of the season they'll be proud at how far they've come and how hard they've worked.

The Beginning of a Long Season

We are small, slow, and inexperienced. It's hard to overcome all three. We lost the first football game of the season 56-6, the game stopping just after the beginning of the 4th quarter due to the 45-point mercy rule. There were many bleak spots for these young men, but there were a few highlights, also.

Aaron and Nathan each caught a kickoff. They didn't run far after the catch, but at least they didn't fumble! And Aaron got swung to the ground by his face mask, so with the 15 yard penalty, we started in a pretty good position on that drive.

Nathan got to play quarterback for two series. One one, he had a pass tipped and then it was intercepted. But another of his passes went 30 yards and found his brother in the end zone! Touchdown Mateer boys! That was exciting!

I think Aaron played every play of the game, except maybe on the kick blocking team. He was the second leading receiver and the leading tackler. He played center for most of the game.

We know this team needs time to click, time to figure out how to play with the big boys. They'll get there. Hopefully each game will be just a little better than the last. We'll take our lumps and ready ourselves for next week--a state-ranked public school. We'll have to look for little victories.

Scrimmage

The boys had a scrimmage tonight. They didn't do too badly, either. Nathan got to play a couple of drives at quarterback and did pretty well. Of course he had a beauty of a pass to his brother in the end zone--that Aaron dropped! Actually, Aaron dropped two passes he should have had.

However, Aaron had his own successes. He made two good solo open field tackles. He ran down one guy, taking the angle to make up for his lack of speed.

Of course adrenaline isn't quite the same during a scrimmage as it is in a real game. We're ready for the season to begin!

Leaving Middle School Behind

Nathan's first day of high school. We don't ever have to do middle school again. Yippee! It felt very strange, though, to send the two boys off in the car that has so long been Elizabeth's!

Dorm Room

Hey everyone well i am all moved in. My roommate's name is Paige she is from Thibodaux and her mom is the associate dean of the business school here at Nicholls. I put up some pictures of my dorm so yall can have an idea of what it looks like. It is really nice. Everyone here has been really helpful and nice. Well i guess that is it for now I will do my best to keep everyone updated.

Love yall

Elizabeth

Two-A-Days

And so it begins . . .

The boys are off to two-a-days. It will be a much different season this year, with a very, very young and inexperienced (playing time) team. But I'm hoping that, as often happens, the boys will play with such heart that they will rise above expectations. For now, they just have to survive the August heat!

(Don't worry. They are drinking plenty of water!)

Elizabeth in Africa

Just a few images of Elizabeth and her friends in Africa. This first is of Elizabeth and Ibrahim, a little boy she met four years ago, on her first trip. She has visited with him every year since.

This is Elizabeth with Pastor Mohammed's son, Saleem, who is 2. Apparently he follows his father everywhere!

This is Pastor Mohammed, a man who loves God and his people--and Elizabeth and Mrs. Read!

Elizabeth and her good friend Leah, who went for the first time this year.

This is Elizabeth's translator, Abucardo. He has been her translator on the past three trips.

She's Home

Elizabeth got home this afternoon. It was a long trip home and started with some confusion at the airport in Ghana because the computers for the airline were down. But they all made it on the plane, finally, and arrived here this afternoon. She had a great time, as usual, especially enjoying her time at two different orphanages and doing hut to hut evangelism in the villages. She gets a couple of days to recover, then she's off to work on Monday. I'll post some pictures soon.

Wisdom Teeth

Two down, one to go. Elizabeth had her wisdom teeth out two years ago. Today it was Aaron's turn. To be honest, I've dreaded this. Aaron has never had the tolerance for pain that Elizabeth has. (I don't think she feels any.) But he's done remarkably well. Even so, 'm glad we only have to do this with one more child!

And She's Off . . .

We got Elizabeth off to Ghana for the fourth time in four years. We're old hat at this now!

If you want to keep up with the team over there you can check out the mission team's blog. They'll arrive in Ghana tomorrow night and will be there through July 3.

John and NIcole

I know for many of you, as for us, John is like family. Here's a snapshot of his wedding day yesterday, with his sweet wife Nicole. It was lovely. I wish the picture showed her dress. It was gorgeous! We wish them many, many blessed and happy years together. (The new picture at the top of the blog was taken at the reception.)

CELEBRATE!

What an amazing day! A day of rejoicing, not a tear shed among us. We are so proud of our girl. So proud that she has made it through high school. So proud that she finished strong. So proud that she is excited about her future and ready for a new adventure. For those of you who couldn't be here, the following is a sampling of the day in pictures.

Elizabeth and the amazing graduation cake, made by the mother of another student at her school. It not only looked great, it tasted great!

Elizabeth with her good friends, Jordan, Lauren, and Jenna. They are all jun--oops, I mean seniors--so they will be staying behind to finish high school while she goes off to college. But I think there are already plans in the works for visiting Elizabeth. 

Elizabeth's memorabilia table at the reception at the school. She had quite a varied array of things to display from her growing up years.

Elizabeth with her diploma, with her senior picture on the screen in the background. This is the pose she chose for the yearbook, although I chose a more traditional picture for the one I sent to friends and family!

The happy graduate. Being on the school's Board of Trustees gave Jeff the privilege of handing the diploma to her. What a special moment. We are truly thankful for the young lady she has become and are excited to watch her grow up even more in the next few years. 

Cleaning Up

Nathan's end of the year honors recital was tonight, and he cleaned up on the awards. He came home with three trophies and two medals to add to the ribbons he's received at competitions throughout the year. He played well, too. I have it on video and hope to get it up here soon, but probably not until after I get the graduation stuff up this weekend.

We are so proud of all he has accomplished and he is excited to try out next week for the Praise Band at school. If he makes it, he will play every week at chapel. It still amazes me to watch my child excel at music. 

Pictures Promised

Here are the pictures I promised from last night's sports awards. Note: in the one with Elizabeth and Aaron, I TOLD them I wanted it with their trophies. Of course I was helping clean up the place rather than supervising the picture, so that didn't happen. But it's a cute picture anyway. The other two pictures are each of them receiving their all-district basketball medals.

Enjoy!

Bringing Home the Hardware

Spring sports awards were last night. I'll post pictures later. Elizabeth and Aaron both brought home honors in basketball. Besides their all -district selections (Elizabeth, 2nd team, Aaron, honorable mention) which we already knew about, they also received some team awards. Aaron received the Hustle Award. It is one he often gets for his effort both in practice and in games. Elizabeth was awarded Offensive Player of the Year, averaging 8 points a game, with a season high game of 18 points. 

The big surprise came in softball. This being Elizabeth's first year of varsity softball, she didn't expect any accolades. But she was named 2nd team all-district AND Newcomer of the year for the district!

A fun evening of wrapping up the year in sports.

A Fun Surprise

I had a fun surprise at secondary awards today--Aaron received medals for highest average in both English II and Spanish II! Of course I have to qualify this for you: these are the non-honors sections of those classes. Maybe 4-5 students in each? Anyway, we are proud. He has worked very hard all year to reach this pinnacle. And I'm so happy he can be successful in a regular class rather than tank in an honors one. Huge boost for the kid who thinks he has no school smarts!

Over and Done

It's official. Her high school career is over and done. Her last class was yesterday. She turns in her last paper and project this morning. We still have a week until graduation, but she is finished. It's been an amazing ride--sometimes harrowing, sometimes smooth and peaceful, but always driving us to our knees in prayer. We are so proud of her, of who she is becoming. We can't wait to celebrate the actual event!

End of an Era

The girls lost their regional playoff game today, 11-1. We gave up all the runs in the first and seventh innings. They played well in between. While we are sad, it certainly gives us some breathing room in our schedule, which is nice. But more than a loss, we realized it is the end of an era for us. No more will we watch girls' sports where we have a vested interest in the players or the outcome. It's a bittersweet ending. On the one hand, we've been watching Elizabeth play something since she was 5 years old. On the other hand, now we only have one boys' team to watch each season, which shrinks the amount of games on our calendar. 

It's been a fun ride, but we are excited to see what new things we will get to experience with our daughter!

1st playoff win

One game down, three more to go!

We honored our five senior girls before the game tonight, then we went out and tromped the other team, 12-0 in five innings. Elizabeth struck out her first at bat but had a great single over the first baseman's head that garnered an RBI. In the 7-run bottom of the 4th, she grounded out to 2nd but got an RBI on that one as well. 

One more home game next week. If we win that, it's off to the state semi-finals/finals tournament. One game at a time, but they sure are looking good!

One Place Short

Aaron finished 5th in the 3200 meter (2 mile) race at the Regional Track Meet yesterday. One place short of moving on to the state meet. But he was several seconds behind the 4th place finisher, so at least he didn't have the heartbreak of missing it by a hair! He had a good track season and can now settle in and finish his schoolwork, which has been sadly neglected over the past few weeks!

Finishing Strong

Middle School baseball ended their season on an up note, a 13-3 win! They really did play great, in spite of some questionable calls by the umps. Nathan played third base for the first two innings and pitched the last inning. At the plate, he walked, grounded out to first (although our coach swears he was safe!), and hit a TRIPLE into left field! His pitching was good, too. He gave up a couple of hits but picked off the runner on second base for the first out then struck out two batters in a row to end the game. A great ending to middle school sports!

Elizabeth's team is finishing strong, too. They are playing a few, good, larger schools to get ready for playoffs. Tonight they beat one of those teams 8-5. All we know is that she was 1 for 3 at the plate.

TRIPLE PLAY!!

In spite of our loss this afternoon, 7-4, the varsity boys executed a very exciting triple play in the field. It started with a grounder to the pitcher. He threw to home to hold the runner at third. Meanwhile, the runner on second didn't realize what had happened and was halfway to third base. The catcher threw to the shortstop covering second who tagged out the runner who had been on second. Then the runner went from third toward home. The shortstop threw home and the catcher tagged the runner out. The batter was now on his way to second. The catcher threw a bullet to second and the second baseman tagged the batter out! Amazing!

Aaron struck out once and grounded out to the second baseman. Only a couple more games to go.

District Track Meet

The District Track meet is finally over--and boy am I glad Jeff went instead of me! A long, hot day! Aaron started off well, taking FIRST PLACE in the 3200 meters (2 miles)! Woo-hoo! He shaved a minute off his time from last year and beat the second place finisher by 22 seconds!

He didn't fare as well in the 1600 meters (1 mile). He finished 5th out of a field of 11, with his slowest time thus far this season. So he'll represent us at the Regional Meet in the 3200, but not in the 1600. His team didn't place in points, either, although Aaron himself scored 12 points for the team.

Will he finish top 4 in regionals and qualify for the state meet? I don't know. Let's just say it will be a fun surprise if he does.

The Winning Pitcher

Nathan came out as the winning pitcher in tonight's middle school game. They won 8-5. He gave up a few hits, but most of the runs were from errors or walks. He made some really good plays in the field, both at pitcher and at shortstop after another boy came in to relieve him. He also scored 3 of our 8 runs after reaching base twice on walks and once on an infield grounder (the first baseman missed the throw.) All in all, a good game. And finally a baseball game in baseball weather--sunny and warm!

Extra Innings

We lost a heartbreaker in 9 innings (we usually play 7), 6-5. We tied it up 4-4 in the bottom of the 7th, held them in the 8th, gave up 2 runs in the 9th and could only find 1 run to answer, falling just short of the win. But they really did play well.

Aaron played DH again and went 0 for 4, (this picture is from a previous game), striking out the first at bat but then grounding out the other three times, usually with 2 outs. So he's getting the bat on the ball, he just keeps hitting right to the other team!

Prom

The kids had a great time at Prom last night--the only one Elizabeth and Aaron would both attend. Aaron took his friend Lana, the same girl he took to homecoming. Elizabeth went with her friend Spencer, from her class at school. The girls were beautiful. The guys were handsome. It was, of course, bittersweet for the seniors. Their last big thing together, except for their trip after graduation. And for the first time I think Elizabeth enjoyed the whole process--the shopping, the getting fixed up, everything. It was fun to watch her so grown up, so willing to enjoy being a girl! Aaron goes to these things because I make him. He's such a homebody he has to be forced to socialize, although he always has fun with his friends once he gets there.

Track Meet

We competed in a track meet on Thursday, meant as a "warm-up" for the district meet next week. Mostly bigger schools, but not that much bigger. Aaron placed 14th of the 19 in the 800 meter race, with a time of 2.33. In 1600 meters he finished 10th of 14, with a time of 5:45, almost the exact same as he ran it last time. At least he's consistent!

TWO WINS!!!!

Yes, the varsity boys team WON today!!! Woo-hoo!! They pulled out a 9-5 victory. Aaron was the DH for his friend who played 2nd base. He struck out, hit an amazing lead-off double over the head of the left fielder (and eventually scored), and hit a pop fly to shallow center field that was caught. It's the first game I've been to and it was so fun!

Elizabeth's team, of course, won again. 10-2. Elizabeth had a single and 2 RBIs and she threw a runner out at 2nd. 

A Win and A Loss

It's the usual: a win for the girls, a loss for the boys. The girls are officially District champs now, although they have one more game to play before playoffs. 

Aaron, apparently, had a walk and a strikeout. Elizabeth went 0 for 3, but made a GREAT catch in right field to stop a rally by the other team at a crucial point in the game.

A Quick Trip

Elizabeth and I took a quick trip to Louisiana so she could attend registration and orientation. It was truly a whirlwind tour, complete with back-to-back early morning flights, driving through unknown territories in a rental car (a PT cruiser--how fun!) without getting (too) lost (Thanks, Mom and Dad, for the use of the GPS!), and a one short-lived mix-up on our confirmation date of her attendance at the event! But we made it! She has a schedule and an ID and she feels "official." She caused quite the stir, being one of the few from out of state. I told her she'd be famous on campus as "that girl from Texas"! While the trip came in the midst of a very busy time, at least she doesn't have to sacrifice a day of work this summer to go do all that. She's set until we move her in the dorm on August 16! Can  you believe that's just 4 months away??

But one thing I did learn: it is not fun to go down on back--driving or flying--on consecutive days. Unless we run into an absolute necessity, it will have to always be a 2 night trip from now on!

Softball and Baseball

Elizabeth's team sewed up the district championship (even though there are 2 more games to play) with a 22-2 win. Elizabeth had 1 pop up for an out and 2 hits--both of which came in the same inning! If they keep playing like that, a run for the state championship isn't such a pipe dream.

Aaron is filling in on the varsity baseball team while they have a few ineligible players. He played 2nd base today. He walked on his one at bat but was thrown out stealing 2nd. Obviously these coaches haven't seen him much or they'd know he isn't fast enough to steal!

Something New, Something Old

Aaron went to his first track meet today. It was a track meet of mostly large private schools, so we don't expect to place, we just want our kids to get some experience and to see where they are on their times or distances.

Today Aaron did a few new things: triple jump and 800m. He also ran his old race: the 1600m (or 1 mile.) He didn't come in last in his new events and he came in above the middle of the pack in the 1600. He was pleased with his performances but is now ready to concentrate on his better events for the district meet coming up in a couple of weeks. 

The Silver Tongue

Elizabeth proved her silver tongue once more. She finished 2nd in the TAPPS State Persuasive Speaking competition. This involved pulling a random current events topic, being given a few minutes to jot notes and then giving a persuasive speech in support of the issue. She put off preparing her research until the night before and still managed to "persuade" the judges to give her 2nd place! That just shows--it isn't about the facts as much as it is your passion and ability to sway with your words. She got that ability in spades!

3-0 in District

Today, the girls showed they could overcome adversity and pull out a win. Up 6-0 in the 4th, they began to flounder. Suddenly, it was 6-6. It remained 6-6 going into the final inning. That's when our girls stepped up to the plate--literally! They scored 4 in the top of the 7th and held the other team in the bottom of the inning. They won, 10-6.

Elizabeth had two strikeouts and two singles (well, on one she reached on an error actually) and fielded one ball cleanly. 

Now we head to our home field to play three more district games before we head into the playoffs. The girls know the district title is theirs to lose. Hopefully, like today, they can dig deep and come up with victory.

Another District Win

The girls racked up 14 runs versus their district rival yesterday afternoon. They allowed only 2 runs to cross the plate for the other team. Elizabeth struck out twice but hit on her final at bat and got credited with an RBI as well. She played right field and threw out a runner going to first base! More district play later this week.

A Chilly End

We braved the 25 degree wind chill for our first game this morning, which we won 14-0. Elizabeth was hit by 2 pitches (she's okay) and hit a good double.

We knew the second game would be much harder--and we were right! We lost a heartbreaker, 3-4. Elizabeth struck out, walked and singled as well as caught 2 pop flies. We just came up a bit short. 

But all in all, they did well, playing close with the bigger schools and annihilating the schools our size. That, we hope, bodes well for district play and on into the playoffs. We'll see!

Football Weather for Softball Games

Elizabeth's team is in a softball tournament this weekend. That wouldn't be so bad except a cold front moved in this afternoon. It went from 69 to 42 in a few hours, with about 20 mph winds. Needless to say, it was not fun sitting in the cold (which most of us weren't totally prepared for) watching softball!

Here is a brief summary of the three games:

Game 1: We won, 10-0. Elizabeth had a double and a walk.

Game 2: We lost (to a bigger school), 6-9. Elizabeth had a great bunt which scored a run and she made it to 3rd on the overthrow. She scored on a passed ball. She also struck out for the final out of the game.

Gam 3: We won, 10-1. Elizabeth hit two doubles and a single, scoring each time on overthrows or passed balls.

And guess what? We get to brave the 30 degree weather in the morning to do it all again. Yea, us!

Back to the Bases

Well I really thought the games today would be rained out, but after a quick, hard shower, the sun and wind dried everything pretty quickly. Unfortunately, the games were still kind of a bust.

Elizabeth's team played a district rival--except that no umpires showed up! So they scrimmaged. They won, but it didn't count.

Nathan's team also played an area rival, but one whose "school" team is playing in a competitive league and has players (most of the good ones) that don't go to the school that is our rival. (Did you follow all that?) We got trounced 13-1. Nathan had a good stop at shortstop. Not such a great throw, but the first baseman made a good play and we got the out. He struck out once, walked once, and got thrown out at home plate. He also came in to pitch in the last inning with bases loaded and no outs. Given the situation, he did ok. He struck out one. Gave up three hits (all but one had fielding errors), fielded a ball hit back to the mound and threw out the player coming home, and caught a pop fly to end the inning. Not bad for not having thrown at all during Spring Break AND having both his Tetanus and Hep A shots this morning!

A Great Vacation

This is a view from the balcony of our hotel room at the Boardwalk Inn Resort at Walt Disney World. It's one of the reasons I love Disney vacations: when you aren't in the park, you feel like you are at some ultra relaxing resort! What we loved about this hotel (besides a fun view) was the proximity to Epcot and Hollywood Studios (both a short walk away) and the several sitting areas inside the hotel and out (including one right outside the door of our room!) where Jeff and I often took our books and read during our "down times." 

Disney's newest roller coaster is Mt. Everest, pictured above. It was very fun. In fact, while we are not known as a "roller coaster family," our motto on this trip was "everyone rides everything." Unlike our last trip to Disney (when the kids were 10, 8, and 7), they had to coax us to ride rides instead of us coaxing them! And we did. We all rode all the "big" rides. And it was fun! Of course, the kids were embarrassed when I screamed through several of them. 

And yes, we saw Mickey. This time (again, different from last time), they didn't care about seeing the characters. But we did make them stand in line to get this picture. Oh, and they willingly stood in line to have their pictures taken with Tow Mater and Lightning McQueen from Cars. All in all, it was a very fun trip. Since this was the last time we'll all have spring break together (Elizabeth's college has theirs in April and the boys' will be in March), we are happy to have good memories. 

District Play Begins

The girls began district play on Monday with a 5-4 win! Their pitching has been tremendous with fielding and batting pretty good, too. But the difference in close games comes down to our aggressive base running. They are brash in their steals, even stealing home when the ball is in the hands of the pitcher! We'll see if they can keep it up, but so far so good.

Piano and Persuasive Speaking

We had two kids competing today. Nathan did one of his piano competitions. We won't know his results for a few days, but he did not feel like he did well at all. (He apparently forgot portions of both of his pieces. I'm not sure how obvious it was, but he was not happy with himself!)

Elizabeth, on the other hand, succeeded in making the cut for the state competition in persuasive speaking. (She didn't make it in original oratory or current events.) In this event, they draw a topic then have some time to prepare with whatever materials they've brought with them. Then they have to speak on the subject for 7 minutes. Since this is a bit like debate--some preparation, much thinking on your feet--she did well. We'll see how it goes in the bigger competition. 

One more baseball game, two more softball games, and then we'll be off on Spring Break. Yeah!

A Blowout and A Squeaker

Elizabeth's team won 21-4 today. In 4 innings. Elizabeth had two singles, two RBIs and scored a run. She also hit two grounders straight to the first baseman! Because of the big score, she got to play 2nd base in the last two innings after starting in left field. Can I just say? It really isn't fun watching a blowout game like that.

Nathan's team, on the other hand, got down early, 4-0, but they battled back, starting with Nathan's double into center field. He then scored the first run on a passed ball. They had battled back, but were still losing 5-4 when Nathan came up again. This time he singled to left, stole 2nd, then 3rd, then home on another passed ball to tie the game 5-5! We scored one more run and won the game 6-5! I just wish I'd been there! He played 3rd base.

A big win

The softball team had a big win today over a bigger school. Our girls led the whole game, but the other team crept up, little by little, until, in the bottom of the 7th inning, we were only up 5-4. Now, at this level of softball, one run is not that much. Believe me, we were biting our nails in the stands!

But our team came through. The center fielder made a great catch of a big pop fly. Then our pitcher, who pitched the entire game, dug deep and struck out the last two batters! Great job, Lady Eagles!

Elizabeth had a pretty good game. She caught a fly ball in left field and had a nice hit to right. Her other two at bats she hit grounders to the second baseman and got thrown out at first. 

The Lawyer Gene

Elizabeth has been arguing with us since she learned how to talk. And she's been good at it! I've always said she got "the lawyer gene" from her dad. Due to a wonderful new drama/speech/debate teacher at our school, she finally got a chance to channel that talent in a productive way--Debate!

She went to her first (and only) debate tournament today. Out of a field of 16, she came in first place. She had seven debates--and won them all. We are so proud of her! 

Tournament Play

Elizabeth's team is playing in a tournament, although Elizabeth only played today's games since she has her first ever debate competition tomorrow. Don't know if she'll make it back to play in the championship game or not!

Yes, they won both their games and will play for the trophy tomorrow. Elizabeth played well--2 for 3 in the first game with 2 RBIs, including the one that broke the 0-0 tie and opened the floodgates so that we won 10-0. The second game she was 1 for 2, scoring and driving in runs as well. 

Jeff got to watch her play today. I'm hoping to get to go next week.

Baseball Begins

Nathan started at pitcher today. His cousin Chris caught. They make a pretty good team! The boys won 7-2. Nathan pitched three good innings. He finished with 6 strikeouts and 3 walks. He had one earned run and one unearned one. 

He didn't do badly on the other side of the ball, either. He had two at bats. On the first one, he hit a solid pop up to right field. The right fielder looked shocked--as did the fans--to find it in his glove. The second time he hit a choppy ground ball to the shortstop and barely outran it.

Their coach this year really knows what he is doing. I'm really excited about this season, as are they. 

I took this picture of Nathan pitching. Don't you love the tongue sticking out of his mouth?

The Season is Underway

Elizabeth got to play shortstop in the team's 18-12 victory this afternoon. I didn't get to go. She bunted and made it to 2nd. She also struck out, had a sacrifice bunt, and walked. She scored two runs. 

Playing Softball

Elizabeth decided to play softball as her swan song this year. In all her other years of high school, she has avoided this sport 1) because it isn't her favorite, and 2) because the constant throwing tends to hurt her shoulder and she didn't want to injure herself for the next basketball season. But she wanted to play with all her friends one last time, and since there are no more basketball seasons to "save" herself for, she decided to play.

The team participated in a two-day tournament this weekend against larger private schools and a few smaller public schools. They came away with 4th place, 3 wins and 3 losses. They kick off regular game days this week, so I'll keep you updated. As for her tournament stats--she told us she scored a few runs and stole several bases. She mostly plays right field and bunts or walks when she is up to bat! We haven't had a chance to see her play yet, but we are looking forward to it.

Paying for College . . .

Just got a bit easier! We found out today that Elizabeth was awarded scholarships at NSU which will cover all her tuition and spill over just a bit into her room and board! Woo-hoo! Way to go, Elizabeth!

The Final Games

Our three senior girls did themselves proud tonight. No, they didn't win. In fact, they lost a heartbreaker, 30-34. We might have had a chance, but with Audrey fouled out and Elizabeth with 4 fouls and none of the other girls on the court understanding the concept of fouling to get the ball back, it didn't happen. But they played with heart and hustle and were proud of themselves in the end. Elizabeth had 8 points, including the last basket at the buzzer. There were lots of tears on the bench, including myself and Audrey's mother. I will miss watching her play basketball. It was always so amazing to watch her intensity, her athleticism, and her love of the game. 

The boys lost by nearly 50, which is so much less stressful than losing by 4! But those boys played hard. They never gave up, all season long. The sophomores stepped up and did a great job tonight on both sides of the ball. Aaron had 8 points, including 2 3-pointers. Next year should be fun with both Aaron and Nathan on the team. Wow. One team to watch! That will be a shock to our systems!

So where do we go from here? Nathan starts baseball practice on Wednesday. Aaron will run the 1600 and 3200 again in track. Elizabeth is going to play softball, kind of. She really just wants to be on the team because they are pretty good and its the last sport. She might play some, but since she doesn't care if she plays or not, it makes things much less stressful from the stands! 

And as much as I will miss basketball, I'm glad its over for now.

The Latest Creations

I still can't believe that my child can make things like this. After all, the only real training she has had is trial and error, cooking shows, and the internet. The first was our victory cookie cake for the Super Bowl. We worried for a little while that we wouldn't want to eat it, but the Steelers pulled out the victory, so it was okay. The second is the cake she made for her basketball team's party. Both are amazing!!

Close to the End

The Middle School season ended today in their tournament. They played a GREAT game, we were either up or down by only 1 or 2 points the whole game--until the end. We lost 22-18. Nathan had 6 points, several steals and rebounds, and some nice passes. He can't wait until varsity next year!

The Varsity teams had a rough go of it last night. Both teams lost by 50 points, but at least the coach of the boys' opponent didn't try to humiliate them like the girls' coach did. Even knowing they would probably beat us by that score (we'd already played them once this season), the girls came out with a full court press that they didn't call off until it was around 27-0. They continued to play their starters, take three pointers and go for steals until the end of the game. Our girls were just mad. They played their hardest and deserved to lose with dignity instead of humiliation. Elizabeth only had 4 points.

The boys kept trying, too, but with one of our key players out with a broken collarbone, it just wasn't happening. Aaron scored 4 and was a dismal 1 for 10 from the free throw line. He played hard, though, scrapping for the ball as usual.

One more game and we are done. I'm so ready for some rest!

Senior Night

Senior night. The last home game of her "career." It wasn't sad, though. It was quite a joyous occasion, actually. She and her friend Audrey have played basketball together since 6th grade. Tonight, it showed. Elizabeth was obviously back in sync after the broken hand. We lost, but they played great. Elizabeth and Audrey each had 18 points. And that was it. We scored 36 points, less than 20 shy of the win. We were so proud.

The boys both lost their games. Aaron had no points, Nathan had 2. They both played hard, it just wasn't their night.

Hanging Up Her Character Shoes

Elizabeth's career on the stage came to a close this weekend. She apparently even made a retirement speech before the last performance, telling the other kids that she was hanging up her character shoes in favor of her chef's knives and that unlike Bret Favre, she would not be coming out of retirement or joining any other team in the league. 

But what a way to go! The kids did an AMAZING production of Little Women: the Broadway Musical. Elizabeth was Aunt March and she was a hoot! She definitely milked the role for all it was worth. I hated to see it end, not only because it was a great show (I cried both nights!), but also because I don't think I can talk my boys into participating in drama and there is something quite wonderful about watching your children perform like that--in a venue where no one wins or loses!

This is Elizabeth and her friend Jordan, who played Jo March superbly!

This is Ethan, who played Mr. Laurence, and Elizabeth. They had fun being "the old people" in the play.

Here's the whole cast. It was such a fun play and done so well.