Upward Soccer Pictures

Ok, so I uploaded some to my flickr account today. If you want to take a look, go to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/melissaandluke2003/
Hopefully that will get you there. I'm off to finish up the laundry....it doesn't seem to ever end! Hopefully I'll have different pics up here soon!

Upward Soccer Saturday

Luke and I went to the soccer fields yesterday with Mom, Dad, Chris, and Charelle. We had a blast. It brought back so many memories from my childhood. There were Saturdays when we would spend all day at the field. We weren't normal like other families that just brought lawn chairs....we had a tent, yes a tent you didn't read it wrong, referee bags, soccer balls, lawn chairs, an ice chest, and maybe even a few stinkin' T-shirts...this will come into play later in my story.

We got started in soccer because Chris has a heart condition. He has aortic valve stenosis...which means a valve doesn't close correctly on his heart. It makes a clicking sound when you listen to his chest. Soccer was the only sport the Dr. wanted him to play. You don't run all the time and there isn't a fear of getting hit in the chest with a small ball like other sports. He started when he was around 5 years old and I wasn't far behind. For a long while I played on an all boys team and loved it. We went to tournaments all over the state. We ran around the hotels, stayed up late, and had a blast with our friends.

Dad eventually became the CASA (Central Arkansas Soccer Director) and Mom was Secretary. They became tournament directors over numerous tournaments. That means they had the job of taking people to the car when they became too outrageous at a game. That happened a few times! I even ran a venue at the age of 13. There was a man supposed to help me, but all he did was pick up trash. So it was all in the family....Dad was the director, Mom the secretary, Chris the player, and what did I do...SELL T-shirts. I hate T-shirts to this day. I will not under any circumstance sell another T-shirt. My favorite thing to do was count the referee money for tournaments....one time Mr. Randy Rowland and I were counting the money and realized the windows to the hotel were wide open. There was a Rider truck outside....which he made the remark, "You got a receipt for that fertilizer!!"

Well now that you know some very unwanted information, I'll get back to Upward. This is a wonderful program. Dad once again is refereeing and Chris is coaching and reffing too! We all gathered as a family to show our support. What I didn't realize was that I know a lot of these children from the preschool. It was wonderful. And can I just say I love my camera!?!

On the last field during a game....Luke had me notice a red mound in the middle of the field. At half time, he went over to put his foot on top of it. I thought they were fire ants, but they weren't. It was a gofer hill. He was pushing the dirt upwards....too funny. I even caught a few pictures!

It was a very fun day. I am now sunburned on my neck, toes, and arms. I feel like I should have a Nikon logo on my neck from my camera strap. Oh well that's what I get for being the President of Pale Kids of America...and being dumb yesterday and wearing no sunscreen! I'll never be able to tan! Oh well. Thanks for reading this LONG blog!

My Springtime Flowers

Luke brought me flowers last night too!


It was almost like there was a wall cloud forming!

These are on the front porch.



More of our backyard plants.

I decided this year I wouldn't get any flowers....and Luke knew me too well. All it took was one walk down the flower aisle and I couldn't help myself. I stuck with flowers this year that I have grown before. Petunias do great in the backyard along with Geraniums. I tried Impatients outside in the front this year since it seems to be a little shady. We'll see. Last night I also caught some pictures of the sunset...it was kinda weird looking. Enjoy!

The neighbor's Child

Well I think the water hose finally did the trick. Yesterday afternoon, after I had already put the dogs up, our doorbell rang. Normally I don't answer the door, but when I peaked outside and saw the neighbors child I couldn't help myself. He was scared to death! "I threw my ball into your yard by accident," he said never making eye contact. "Would you like it back?" I asked while holding a growling MadisonMurphy (that might have something to do with him being scared!). "Yes, please." he said finally looking at me. "OK, I don't mind getting it for you, I'll just throw it back....would that work?" "Yeah," he said....which I answered with, "Excuse me?"in a nice voice. "I mean yes-mam". "That's better." I said, "Run to your backyard and I'll throw it to you."

I found the ball and tossed it back to him. I told him that was very nice of him to come and ask me for it. He simply nodded through the cracks in the fence and ran off. I came inside and smiled at Mom. She thought it was funny. I think the water hose is a great obedience tool!

Hamburg, AR

We took a trip yesterday with Mom to Hamburg, Arkansas. We wanted to find where my great-grandparents (her grandparents) were buried. We found the cemetery and it wasn't that hard to find! We found Grandma and Grandpa Hobbs and we even found Hogan and Margarette Hobbs which would have been my Grandma Lillie Mae's brother and wife. Their son drowned while rescuing his girlfriend from a creek. I can remember Grandma telling that story and being fascinated by it. She also would tell us stories about growing up in Hamburg. Her parents (Hughey and Clara Hobbs) owned a Cafe and Hotel in Hamburg.

Grandma told me of a story about sneaking into one of the "vacant" rooms with her girlfriend. They had been out too late that night and needed to sleep somewhere. The thing they didn't know was that it had been rented out already. Grandma said they snuck in and a man came out of the bathroom. She said that scared her and her friend and they never did that again!

She would also tell me stories about decorating her bedroom using old milk crates and fabric. I'm sure it was pink...because that was her favorite color. She got an A in her Home Ec class because she was such a great seamstress. I sure do miss her stories and her voice. She is the main reason I scrapbook. She bought me my first kit and I have been hooked ever since. I like to think that our someday children will know her and my PaPa because of what I put in my scrapbooks! I had the opportunity to ask her questions about her past...and I'm so glad I wrote it down. The Lord kept pressing me to finish this heritage scrapbook about them. I did, and took it to her in the nursing home. We talked while she flipped through the pages. It wasn't 2 weeks after that she started going down hill. I would never have known that information had I not asked and written it down...what a blessing to me!

Back to our trip...we also went on a hunt for an old cemetery. Mom wanted to find where Lillie Hundling was buried. She thinks that Grandma might have been named after her. She was a school teacher back in the 1800's. Well, we found a cemetery but not hers! This cemetery is down a dirt road in Berea, AR. There is NOTHING in Berea, AR. The cemetery was sad, but I loved some of the names. I'm sure Mom will make a doll about some of the women we found in the cemetery.

It was a historic day...and I learned a lot. I saw where my Great Grandparents went to church, and the corner of the square where they sold produce. I also heard of how "You couldn't fall without falling on a Foote" is what my great grandparents said. The Foote's are a big family in Hamburg. Well, Mom didn't think she had any family history being adopted but we proved her wrong. Her family history is just as interesting as Dad's side of the family! Thanks for taking us Mom!

Scrap Mania Stupendous Saturday

Michelle won the grand prize! Thanks to Scrapbook Memories!

Kelly

Kathryn

Sandra

Andrea

Regina

Cindy

Michelle

Margaret

Wendy

Samme

Ann

Nikki

Myra

Debbi (Mom)

The snack table

The sewing demo

Our tool table

Our demo table

The sign in table with name tags

The door prizes

We had a Scrap Mania crop this past Saturday at the church. We had a wonderful time! Women gathered and brought all of their scrapbooking stuff. You could hear laughter and see scissors flying around the room throughout the day. We even had demos on Mod Podge, Sewing on Paper, and basic scrapbooking. There were door prizes and tons of food! It was a lot of work, but well worth the fellowship and fun. Thanks so much ladies! Hopefully we can do it again soon!

Big Ole Samson

Well Wednesday afternoon was an eventful one at our house. BJ and Samson got into it again. The damage: BJ one scrape on his head, Samson...a bloody eye. He went to see Dr. Mike today. His eye is fine, just needed some medicine and a shot (not in the eye....it's a Vetalog shot...steroids to help with the swelling.) We are also going to start my big boy on Fluoxetine too. So we'll have 2 on Prozac. We want his aggression to calm down some towards the others and we have to give it 30 days to tell a major difference. I don't want to get rid of him at all costs. He would be hard to find a home for anyway...#1 being he's black and they are always the last ones to find homes...#2 is that he weighs 86 lbs! So he's a big boy. He's never growled at Luke and me...so that's good. He also minds really well. We'll see how the medicine works. I know it has done wonders for ole Snoopy-Do.

Well I'm off to finish my pot roast for supper. That's my favorite meal: pot roast, mashed taters and gravy, cooked carrots, English peas, and rolls. We won't have the rolls tonight, but everything else...my stomach is already growling!

I hate children

Well not all children...children that whine, don't mind, and well...our neighbors children. These little boys are pills. I promise...I've seen my fair share of pills at the preschool, but these kids drive me nuts! First of all, they climb trees. Now normally I don't have a problem with this as I climbed trees too as a kid, BUT I climbed trees that could hold my weight and didn't climb ones in the neighbors yard! They have climbed in the bushes between our yards now twice...tearing down limbs and where do those limbs lay in our yard! The neighbors never trim those bushes and we weed eat and mow around them, so I technically consider it our bushes. Well every time I see them in there...I open the front door, use my best teacher voice and tell them to GET! This last time, the little twerp put his hands on his hips and just looked at me. I again repeated, "Get out of those bushes or I will come over there and make you." with my hands on my hips...mature I know.

Well yesterday, Luke and I laid down for our usual hour Sunday nap. Well we were no longer asleep than Samson started barking. Now I don't mind a bark or two from our dogs, but I don't let them bark very long without getting onto them. We have a game we play where all 4 of them...well really 3 since Stormy never minds...get in their doghouses...it usually works! Anyway. Luke got to looking and realized the twerp neighbor kid has his head over the fence making ours and his dogs bark at each other. Luke told him repeatedly to get down...much nicer than I would have been...once buddy I tell you and then I get your MOM!! So Luke decided to take plan B after this little punk. Yep, you guessed it, the water hose. He took it and sprayed the little boy repeatedly til he got down. Since the little punk is not smart, he got sprayed 2 more times before he went in the house. All I could do was look out the window and laugh.

Now you may be thinking, well they aren't very mature adults....and that may be true. It has come to the point where they have been throwing stuff over our fence....I'm talking a walmart sack full of junk! I just don't want our dogs to get hurt on any of that stuff and for crying out loud make your kids mind! What happened to spanking butts and being inside the house before the street lights came on??? What happened to parents making their children mind instead of thinking they are too precious to get onto. Well they may be precious to you, but they aren't that way to everyone! So, to the neighbors little punks....be ware of the Williams' because our water hose is still plugged in and we aren't afraid to use it!

Garvan Woodland Gardens

Luke and I went to Garvan Gardens today. We had so much fun. We packed a picnic lunch and ate it right in the middle of the gardens. The tulips were about bloomed out, but the azaleas were going crazy! They were beautiful. After all the rain we had the waterfalls were flowing too. I'm sure we didn't see all the park because it is so big...and we were so tired! My eyes were fine for the first 15 minutes...then the allergies hit. My Claritin did nothing...so my eyes were watering and puffy all through the park. I did get to enjoy my camera and Luke enjoyed his. We had a lot of fun! Thanks Luke.

Happy Birthday Brenda

I thought the clouds were pretty.

Frank with Jackson-his great grandson

Gayla-grandma with Jackson and Frank

Gayla, Luke, Wanda

At the sizzler!

Alan, Gayla, Steve, Jackson, Wanda, Frank, Brenda

Jeff and Robin

The sign in the front is pretty.

We went out tonight to Western Sizzlin to celebrate Brenda's birthday. Luke and I sat with Jeff and Robin and had a good time visiting. Robin ended up getting a meal to go because her steak was burnt at first. Luke got a steak and I ate his salad bar. We don't really enjoy the Sizzler that much at all. We talked about American Idol, our dogs, and Robin and Jeff's girls. I hope Brenda had a wonderful birthday! Outside after we ate we actually saw the sunshine. It's been so long since we have seen it I shot a few photos. The clouds were really pretty too. Enjoy!

I'm back in business baby!

I worked at the preschool this morning for the first time in a LONG time thanks to my ears! I so enjoyed working with Mrs. Hannah's class. We had 7 boys and only 1 girl. Today we worked mainly with scissors....they scare me! Scissors now a days are REAL not the plastic ones I used as a child. It was really a lot of fun. We also had a tornado drill. The kids loved that! So now I see if my ears held up! I sure hope they do with no infections....we'll see!

Playing in the Mud...

Our big mess

Luke's muddy boots

I'm liking the pics on an angle for some reason!

I had to take a picture of the dogwood in our backyard...and yes the yard has been mowed since these pics were taken! Just call me Mrs. Craftsman! LOL!

Our backyard around our patio is one big mud ball! It doesn't help either that it just keeps on raining....and we have 4 dogs who love the mud! Every year we work at getting grass to grow by the patio and on our hill. It's just what we do. Usually by this time of year we have a good amount growing...but with the rain we haven't even had time to plant some seed. So Monday night, Luke cleared off some of the standing water from our side patio. It helped with the standing water, but it looks like crap now. Hopefully in a few weeks it will look better. It did help with this last rain today but probably won't hold up to tomorrow's storms. We hope some grass will help fix our problem! I'm sure you all think we are nuts anyway...with the 5 dogs...well and 2 cats...and that it's almost a little white trash...but we don't care! We love our kids and do what it takes to try and have a nice backyard! So enjoy the pics!