Holidays

The holidays are upon us. The girls and I went to my sister's in West Liberty to celebrate Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, Jeff had to work (again). I love seeing my family, and the kids think all of my sisters are fun (funny - they don't think the same about me). I don't get home as often as I should. Several of my nieces have kids of their own now, and they are growing so fast!

I was coaxed into playing a Wii dancing game. Thankfully, we don't have pictures. There is video evidence floating around on some cell phones though.

Kaylee, Whitney, and I all got up on Black Friday for some shopping. This was my first time ever doing this, and they pretty much talked me into it. We were in Fort Wayne by 4:30. We went with very low expectations, and just wanted to get the experience. It really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, although we weren't in the market for any major electronics. We actually had some decent luck!

We decorated Christmas cookies today. Yes, I cheated and bought pre-cut cookie dough. We all know the decorating is the most fun anyway.

Kaylee even ventured out of the basement to join us. We felt very honored.

We also attempted to take our Christmas card pictures. I say attempted because as is par for the course, it didn't go smoothly. So, our cards will be a little "unconventional" this year. Be on the lookout! I will leave you with one of the ones that actually turned out decent.

So Behind...

...that I'm going to post twice in one day.

Let's pick up where I left off. I think it was right before Homecoming. Here are some shots of the Powder Puff Game, and the beautiful girls in their dresses.

The juniors lost, of course - but we're chalking it up to tradition.

Whitney wrapped up a very successful cross country season. She thinks she is going to stick with this running thing, and do track in the spring instead of softball! She must be serious, because she loves softball.

This next one was taken after her awards banquet, with some of her teammates. She is holding the trophy she got for "Most Valuable Player." (Or, is it "Most Valuable Runner" in cross country?)

Oh - and Cassidy turned eleven. I can't believe my baby is eleven. Sigh. At least she is still young enough to trick-or-treat.

Cassidy was also named "Student of the Month" at the Goedde building in September. I took a picture, but now can't find it. :(

Whew...that was a really quick run down of our fall. We've moved on to basketball cheerleading for Whitney, and diving for Kaylee. Cassidy will start basketball in December. There is always something going on here.

Busy, busy

Not a lot of time to update. It seems like we have been pretty busy. School is back in session...

Kaylee and Whitney were both selected to be "Cougar Mentors" this year. Which means that they had to go to a couple of days of training before school started. They were then responsible for helping out the new kids (6th graders and Freshmen) on their first day...helping them with lockers, helping them find classes, etc.

I lied about softball being over - Whitney did end up joining a fall league in Celina. She has a double-header every Sunday.

Cassidy has started fall soccer. This is a new league for her, even though she has played soccer for about 7 years. Jeff managed to get some nice action shots a couple of weeks ago.

In addition to fall softball, Whit is also running cross country. She is doing really well, especially since she didn't run last year.

You can barely see her here, but she is passing a girl right at the finish line. She passed about 10 girls in a big kick at the end and ended up first for VW middle school. She beat this girl by .01 of a second.

Kaylee is not cheering this year. As much as I miss seeing her on the field, I don't miss the drama! However, since she's a Junior this year, she is eligible to play Powder Puff Football for Homecoming. Dad is pretty excited about that, so expect pictures next month.

In other news - we recently had visitors from Florida. Jeff's Aunt Mary and Uncle Dick were visiting in the area for awhile, so stopped by to say "hi." Shout out to Mary and Dick!! Thanks for the visit - wish it weren't so rushed. It was great to see you guys again! Next time, we'll come see you :).

We are also going to be seeing my Niece, Ashley next weekend. She's coming to Ohio from Alabama. This will be the first time we'll meet her baby - Gwenyth. The kids can't wait...we've only got to look at pictures up until now. I'm sure she's almost out of the baby stage :(. Safe travels Ashley & Gwenyth...see you soon!

What We've Been Up To

I have been neglecting this blog. I apologize to my readers - all three of them.

I can't believe summer is half over and the back to school ads are out. Each year goes by more quickly than the one before.

Since it has been awhile, I'm going to try to catch up in pictures.

Before school was out, Cassidy played Upward Soccer:

She was also part-time "coach:"

Whitney played 7th grade softball for the VW Cougars:

Then, regular season softball started. As usual, Whitney played for Convoy. Her team won the year-end tournament for four-county. They were also runners-up in their league for their season record. TWO tropheys!

Cassidy played for Ohio City. Don't ask me why my two kids play on opposite sides of the county, and not in the town we live in. It's a long story. Cassidy's Farmette team got a trophy for runners-up for season record. They lost in the first game of the tournament. I feel somewhat responsible since I let her swim TWICE that day. She was a little tired by the time she got to the game!

However, she was asked to step up to the Buckeye League OC team for their tournament. They had several girls on vacation and needed a few girls to fill in. They ended up coming in second in the tournament! Pretty good when you don't even have all of your players, and you are playing the #1 team!

The Farmette girls aren't allowed to slide. So, while she was in the Buckeye game, she took the opportunity to steal second and slide! No sliding shorts for this girl, so she had a pretty good strawberry on her "hip" when we got home!

Cassidy also made the Farmette All Star Team. They got to play at the Lambert Days Festival this past weekend.

Whitney was asked to play in a 13U tournament at Lambert Days as well. OC Green was undefeated and won the tournament! That makes three tropheys for Whitney for the softball year, and two for Cassidy.

Softball is finally over! (I think. Someone mentioned a fall league, but I'm pretending I didn't hear them.) However, no rest for the weary. Whitney has already started conditioning for Cross Country, competition dance tryouts are this week, and Cassidy's soccer coach called me yesterday to schedule practices. All we need now is homework... Ew!

Edge of Seventeen

I can't believe that my oldest daughter will be 17 in less than a month. How can that be? Where does the time go? For some reason, this is a tough one for me.


I struggled when she turned ten. That was rough. Her sisters were six and three at the time. I loved it when people would ask me, "How old are your kids?" and I could answer: "3, 6, and 9." For whatever reason, those seemed like the perfect ages. Cassidy was little enough to still be the baby, but was somewhat independent. Whitney was in Kindergarten - which is always fun. And Kaylee hadn't yet hit the double digits. So, once she turned ten, it felt like the end of an era.

I also struggled when she turned 13. Wow...a teenager. This was the beginning of something big. Everyone warns you of the tumultuous times that lie ahead, but nothing can really prepare you for it. Traditionally a "clingy" child, she slowly went from never wanting to be away from me to avoid all interaction with me. I try not to take it personally (most of the time), and tell myself she is right on schedule. She's testing boundaries and stretching her wings and learning some of life's lessons along the way. This is exactly what she is supposed to be doing to prepare us both for her eventual independence. I doubt if we are through the worst of this yet, but everyone also tells me that some day we will come out on the other side of this as friends. I am trusting them, while trying to be patient and wait it out.

Obviously, 16 was a big year, with the whole driving responsibility. But, I actually looked forward to that hurdle, since I had been shuttling three kids to a myriad of activities for many years at that point. In reality, I was more ready than she was at first, and had to nudge (push) her on more than once occasion to finally get that license in her hand.

So, you wouldn't think that 17 would be a big milestone. But, I feel like we are rapidly approaching the end of another era, and I am helpless to stop it from happening. Seventeen is only one year away from 18...the legal age of adulthood. I realize that doesn't signal the end of my parenting. We are parents forever, and the worry and stress will continue for many years to come. Also, since she started school when she was six, she will still have another year at home before she begins her journey to wherever life will lead her. But, I can't fathom being the mom of an 18-year old. I still remember leaving the hospital with her, and sitting in the back seat crying as she screamed for the entire car ride. I still remember bouncing a colicky infant for hours into the night, praying for three consecutive hours of uninterrupted sleep. I still remember pushing a stroller through department stores, eyeing the "back to school" clothes and becoming giddy at the thought of shopping for her first day of school.

First days of school, loose teeth, fights with friends, sleepovers, first dances, first boyfriends. It all happened just yesterday.

I can feel a mix of emotions well up within me. Fear that it is nearing an end. Regret over being a working mom. Anxiety that I have screwed her up for life. I should have been more/less strict. We should have taken more family vacations. I shouldn't have yelled so much.

Sigh.

At this point, I can't turn back time or un-ring that bell. So, my only choice is to look forward. Two years of high school down (almost) and two more to go. Ready or not, prom dress shopping, ACTs, and college visits are all in my near future. I resolve to make the most of these two years. They will be gone in the blink of an eye.

Trust me - I know.

Spring Has Sprung

Apparently, I'm down to posting once a month. Hopefully that will change, as the girls' schedules are picking up again.

Here are some random pictures to get us caught up to date.

Cassidy and Whitney playing in the snow. I didn't even know these were on the camera until I just now loaded them on the computer. Boy, I guess I am behind.

Kaylee had a banquet for diving.

Cassidy had a spring concert. She even landed a part in a quartet.

This is a "coil pot" that Kaylee made in ceramics class. The picture doesn't really do it justice. Ceramics was over before Christmas, but she just brought it home this week. When I asked her where it had been all this time, she said it was on display in the teacher's room. Cool.

Whitney got her braces off this week. Here is a "before" picture. I wanted to take an "after" picture on the same day. However, she was NOT in the mood. Not only did they take her braces off, but she also had some oral surgery done on her gums. They had to knock her out, and she does not get along well with the laughing gas. It has the opposite effect on her, and makes her quite grumpy. Luckily for her school was cancelled that day for fog, because she would not have been able to go to school that afternoon!

We finally got around to coloring eggs today. Just in time for the bunny.

We also woke up to a treat. Neighbors from our old house left us these cookies from Butler's on our door step. (There were more of them before we helped ourselves!) They always left something on our step for Christmas, Easter, Halloween, and the girls' birthdays. They haven't forgotten them, even though we moved! We sure miss some things about the old neighborhood!

Poor Jeff hasn't even seen them yet. He worked last weekend and this weekend. He even works tomorrow on Easter. The kids and I are going to my sister's for a cookout at the Lake. Hope the weather cooperates.

So,

So, I haven't posted for a month now. That went fast. Here is hoping March is just as quick. We've had enough of winter.

No photos with this post. I was a bad mom and didn't take the camera to Kaylee's first dance competition of the year. She did really well. She's in a duo this year, which is new. She and her partner did awesome, and placed 5th out of 14. I didn't think that was too bad for their first attempt. She was really nervous, but looked like she was in total control. I know I couldn't have done that at her age.

I had her parent-teacher conferences tonight also. As much as I complain and whine about the teenage years, she must be showing a different side to her teachers. I think among the comments I received were: "She is so fun." "She is such a sweetie." "She is really smart." and "What a great personality." All of these were from different teachers. Wow! It did me a lot of good to hear those remarks. Kind of puts my mind at ease....maybe I've done something right after all? I tend to stress over academics, but I have to be reminded that academic success doesn't necessarily lead to life success. Don't get me wrong - she is doing fine academically, but I still pressure for more. It takes more than just grades to achieve goals. More often than not, I've seen social skills beat out book learning in real life situations. I wish someone had given me the heads up on that a long time ago.

Whitney is starting softball conditioning, Kaylee claims to be going out for track (this is a new venture), and Cassidy has spring soccer coming up. Hopefully, more pictures will follow.