Splash - March 2017

March's splash picture is just a simple depiction of my kids with the naturalized daffodils which grow in a fallow field down the road from our house.  The blooms only last about a week and I made the kids go sit among them, and smile.  You can't really tell from this angle, but, the daffodil to Josephine's left is not on a stalk; it's tucked behind her ear.  Arkansas is a beautiful place to live and raise a family.  It still has its problems, but, the natural state is sure pretty.

Josephine, Samantha, JMichael

Rachel, Charlotte

Just as a sidebar - here they are in 2009 - eight years earlier, in the same field.  

Rachel, Charlotte

Samantha JMichael Josephine

Time flies.

Huskies - Soccer 2017

Yes, it's that time again!  Soccer.  JMichael is playing for the same coach and has about half of his team as returning players.  We expect big things this season from the Huskies.  Coach James works hard on field shape, strong passes and footwork.  JMichael loves it and we love watching him love soccer.  Go Huskies!

Rachel is Nineteen

 Rachel is nineteen now.  Nineteen.  Wow.  She is pictured here with her pecan pie for pi day, and for her birthday.  She is working full time at tasty freeze and going to school at Arkansas State University, Beebe.  She will finish her freshman year in May and so far her grades are outstanding.  She says every day that she wants to quit her job.  Working full time, especially at a shake and burger joint, is tough while going to school and attempting to have a social life, too.  Rachel may live in her own apartment and have her own way of doing things, but, I talk to her every day and she is always there for her family.  Independent, yes, but, still our little lady.

For Rachel's birthday, we took her to the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock.  That's not too exciting, huh?  But the reason we took her is:  the Beatles exhibit. 

James played on Ringo's drum kit - he can hear it through the headphones.

We re-created Abby Road:

Rachel is George, I am Paul, James is Ringo and Evan is John.

 The instruments from the Fab Four:

 Evan and Rachel with the Beatles - walking on water.

 And James and me, too.  The library is cool the way it sticks out over the Arkansas River.

We didn't just see the Beatles exhibit; we also walked quickly through the Clinton exhibits - you kinda have to to get out of the building....anyway, we saw a recreation of Bill's oval office, lots of gifts from his travels and tons of letters and documents concerning his presidency.  I did learn something:  Chelsea Clinton, Bill and Hillary's daughter, was born in the gubernatorial mansion in Arkansas and then moved to the White House with her father's election to the presidency.  Wow.  Get that kid a double wide - she needs a little reality check.

James is pictured here with this seventh great uncle - George Washington.  They have the same nose.

 After the Beatles, pizza with these two.  Happy Nineteen, Rachel!

Are YOU trippin?

This was Samantha's outfit for school today.  I had never seen this shirt before so I said, Hey, nice shirt.  Where did it come from?  She says, Funny story, Mom.

A guy in her first period class was wearing this shirt and she genuinely commented that she liked his shirt.  He said thanks and they went about their lives.  This guy was just described as a guy in her first period class.  Not someone she's known since third grade, not a friend, not even a friend of a friend.  Just a guy from her first period class.

Now the detail of first period is an important one.  Samantha does not attend her first period class on a regular basis.  We are have serious getting up and out the door on time issues and she says even her first period teacher is astonished on the off chance she is actually there, physically in the classroom before the bell rings.

So the next time she graced her first period peers with her presence, this "guy in her first period class" pulls from his backpack the very shirt Samantha commented on and is sporting today.  He said, here.  I bought you a shirt.  I carried it around until you came to class again.  He probably had big puppy dog eyes and a lost expression on his face.

On the way home from school today, she was telling her dad his story.  I said Samantha, repeat after me, "I like your car...."  Beware the big brown eyes, boys.  They will cast their spell.

Bear Cub

 JMichael is now nine and has been a part of scouting for about a year.  He just recently had a Blue and Gold Banquet, with awards, and games and Hawaiian haystacks for supper.  Delicious.  He is in a great group of boys - seven in his pack.  In the bottom picture, of the four to the right who are looking at the camera, we have Derek, Israel, JMichael and Brigham.  The three looking away, on the left side, are Walker, Timothy and Hugh.  Big campouts and adventures are coming for this high energy group of bear cubs!