Wrestling Tournament 1-2-10

Can you think of a better way to start your 2010 then with a Wrestling Tournament? I know you are most likely jealous but that is how we started our year. Really it was just Luke and I because Jeremy was hunting and Addie Jo stayed with Grandma Jan at the farm because Addie could think of a lot of other ways to start her new year.

This is how every morning starts out. A nice warm up with 400 of your closest competitors. You may think it is easy to keep an eye on your kid from the stands but let me tell you it takes an eagle eye to figure your short chunky blond headed boy from the other ten short blond headed boys in black singlets.

They did not have enough kids for the 75lb bracket so they combined the 75 and 80 lb bracket which meant Luke drew only 80lb wrestlers for they day. I decided not to tell him this bit of bad news. I decided to share with him shortly before he had to wrestle that his first match was against a girl. That did not go over well. He really has some mental barriers with wrestling girls. He lost this match. It was a kick to the ego for sure but it was early.

His next match was against Shane. He is a fellow Ray-Pec wrestler. That means no coaching for the match. Not great for Luke. What was worse is the fact Shane is 80lb and a 4 time state champ which is sort of a big deal since he started when he was 4. Luke did not get pinned so we took that as a victory even though the score did not reflect a victory for him.

Luke also considered the fact they had to stop the mach twice for a nose bleed a personal victory. This allowed his ego to come back to where it was before he started that morning.

I thought Luke was done for the day. He wanted to stay and see a friend of his finish for the day. I let him go down with one of the coaches to watch closer. What ended up happening was that Luke had one more match for the day. Since they combined the weight brackets they ditched the elimination rule. These are some of the things I do not know about wrestling. Another dad was on the mat, the dad of the kid Luke wanted to watch, he quickly took his kids headgear and shoes off when they called Lucas Long. I was looking down at the mat trying to figure out who the kid was with Keegan's head gear on and where the heck did Lucas go. All of a sudden they yell up from the floor for me to watch Luke is wrestling. Hun? What? What is going on? Oh goodness, he is wrestling. Quick grab the camera.

Luke won this match with a pen.

He ended up finishing 3rd. He has a bronze metal for the day. He received bonus points for wrestling kids a weight bracket up.

Next weekend............you guessed it........another wrestling tournament.

Princess time

Do you ever have the urge to put on your best princess dress and talk to the magical mirror? Looks like someone is brave enough to give it a try.

Addie put on her Belle dress and sat here in front of her musical vanity that Santa brought this weekend for a good hour on Sunday. She talked and played and sang and played while the rest of us cleaned.

They came

Corben and baby Nevie were able to come for Christmas from Colorado. Oh yeah, so did their mom and dad Brad and Jennie but really the kids wanted to see Corben and Baby Nevie. We were not able to see them until their last night in town but it was worth every second of our visit. We started off with Mexican at our favorite local place and then headed back to the house to visit for a while. Brad and Jeremy picked up right where they left off. Minutes later they realized it was not summer and they would soon freeze on the deck so they moved inside to continue their visiting. I love seeing Jen. We just pick right up where our last email left off and keep on going. The kids play well together. Luke and Addie even taught Corben how to search for the pickle. Too bad for Corben their was no present in the end.

I am sure Corben thinks they are nuts.

We were able to get a group picture in. Then a crazy group picture in. This happens to be my kids favorite pose.

I am not sure Corben is ever going to want to visit again. Addi is still hooked on her new best friend. She wanted Corben to have his picture taken with her. As you can see Corben is not exactly sure about it. We don't blame you Corben, we don't know what to make of her either. Can you beleive this curite will be a year in March?? She is toooooo cute!!

Snow for Christmas

It is the understatement of the year to say we have snow. We have plenty of snow. I guess after every blizzard there is lots of snow, and that is exactly what we had.....a blizzard. It is very hard to tell exactly how many inches we have because it blew and blew and there are amazing drifts everywhere. Our neighbors have half a clear driveway because it blew so hard and then over a foot of snow blocking their door. It is just crazy.

We have headed out a few times including Christmas afternoon to enjoy the snow.

Luke is more then happy to help clear the drive. He not only helped his dad but he also helped the neighbors.

Addie decided to help also. She started by clearing off the table at the front door.

Even max got in on snow fun. He loved every minute of being out.

Addie decided to start climbing the snow mountains as she calls them after Jeremy had some nice piles going from attempting to clear the driveway.

Lucas was way more into sledding the Addie was this go around because it was still snowing this weekend when we were trying to go out and play.

We had so much snow that Lucas snowboard has worked wonderfully. I am hoping to get out and get some pictures before the snow melts. ha ha. Gosh I am funny. Melting snow, we are to get more snow tomorrow night and then a tiny bit more (less then an inch) Thursday night.

I love when my wishes come true.

Sunday after church we headed over to Papa and Nana Clay's house for Christmas. It was a nice relaxing day. Uncle Jeremy and Sherry got to come down also. We all ate then had to take a rest before we could open presents. Kids do not like it when adults have to take a rest before opening presents. Their faces were so sad.

Addie put her pj's on earlier that afternoon. I think a Christmas a day for four days was starting to catch up with her.

Addie got a new tu-tu for Christmas. You should also know this is the second day in a row of wearing it. She also wore it to bed last night. I have a feeling the tu-tu will have to go missing once she gets in the bathtub tonight.

What a wonderful night of being with friends that are like family. We are so blessed to have so many wonderful people in our lives and so many people that love our kids so much.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Kids Christmas a ropin good time

PAPA (envision Addie saying this loudly, she says it loudly every time) PAPA could not make it to Kansas City for Christmas. They were snowed in at home for the weekend. We were to have Christmas with PAPA and Aunt Carrie on Saturday. We decided since Aunt Carrie could make it from the other side of Raymore we would go ahead with Christmas. We had enough food for everyone and then some and then we moved right along to presents. Oh how the kids had the hang of the entire present thing by this time. Hunter and Lucas were both excited to pass out the presents.

Lucas loves to play Santa

Here are Taralyn and Lucas checking to make sure some of the presents have their name on them.

What a cutie opening his Home Depot truck.

Lucas not believing Aunt Carrie got him TAPOUT clothes. This is a new line of clothes at Kohl's and Lucas had his heart set on getting something TAPOUT for wrestling this. Well his dream came true and he just could not believe both Grandma Jan and Char and Aunt Carrie got him something.

Hunter got the evening best present. I learned months ago that Hunter loves to tie things up, tie things together, twist things with string, carry a string. Well what better present for such a little guy then a lasso. I found one and it seemed like a fun idea. I then learned a week ago he received a riding stuffed bull for Christmas. Hey, this lasso is going to be even better I said to myself. I had no idea the night ahead..........

Hunter announced two seconds after opening it and putting it on his shoulder that it was for his bull. He then talked his mom into undoing it into a long rope. Then it was on. He started off with running it through Addie's new baby bed

He then quickly moved on to Uncle Jeremy who was laying on the floor.

It did not take long for Hunter to figure out to run it through the belt loop and then around his foot. Addie decided it was better to be on Hunter's side then her dad's. It was not looking too good for daddy.

Just like at the rodeo you have to tie up the feet.

That's right Uncle Jeremy, roll over so I can tie you all the way up.

It did not take long for the big kids to get in on the action. Luke got a rope burn in the process but recovered quickly.

I have to admit even I could not escape the lasso. Uncle Jeremy provided so extra help for this adventure but Hunter had no problem finishing me off.

It was a wonderful night with lots of fun. It is hard to think in a few short years that Hunter will be Lucas age and Addie will be the age Taralyn is now. Time seems to fly by faster and faster.

Christmas 2009

It was a beautiful white Christmas for 2009. What a year to remember. The kids slept in until a little before 8 this year. I think it was the exhausting drive home on top of two tons of excitement the night before that helped them sleep in. That is what I love at Christmas Eve at the farm it has pretty much always prevented my kids from waking up at the crack of dawn Christmas morning. Sorry for you folks that were up at 5. We were all warm and cozy in our beds with sugar plums dancing above our heads.

For some reason Santa was very good to the kids again this year. I hear it was quiet a project to get everything ready Christmas Even night but Santa always manages to pull it off!

An electric scooter for Lucas with an Under Armor pull over that was super cool looking. Addie Jo got a Disney Princess vaniety that is also musical with a keyboard, whistle, harmonica and tamborine. She also recieve a Cinderella dress that she loved very much.

Addie danced and sang and danced all around in her favorite princess outfit. She even wore it for part of the present opening later on.

Oh Grandma Ann just loves to have her picture taken. Grandma Ann was here Christmas morning because we stopped on the way home in the blizzard to pick her up. If not, who knows when Grandma Ann would have gotten out!!

Addie almost was buried in her presents.

Merry Christmas GG.



After we open presents we had a lite breakfast because we were going to have a standing rib roast, twice baked potatoes and all sort of other goodies for lunch. Daddy always makes breakfast for us Christmas morning and this year was no exception. What a way to start off the day!!

After all the presents are open there is no rush to get dressed or to rush off anywhere. Home is where we are at all day. It is awesome for the kids because they get to play with all their presents and play they did. And played. And played. And played.

This is the new Duck Hunter remote control thingy. Yes, I do think that is the official name. This robotic duck fly's around and you try to shoot it. Hey, the box says it is endorsed by the indoor hunting association, so what could be wrong with it? Oh yeah, it only fly's half the time and you kid has ruled it junk in less then an hour. Merry Christmas. By the way, what exactly is the indoor hunting association?? That just sounds wrong if you are hunting anything besides mice and spiders!

One of Addie's favorite gifts was this doll GG gave her. It had blond hair just like her and is about as tall as she is. She has called it her best friend. So much her best friend she had to have her picture taken with it.

And so did Lucas

And so did I

Then we did stockings.............which had candy.........which was gone from Addie's stocking in under a minute flat.

Lucas loves his marshmallow gun. That was a Grandma Ann special. For some reason Grandma Ann remembered to buy two extra packages of marshmallows for the gun. If I were Grandma Ann I would not worry about being toilet papered but ones yard being marshmellowed!!!

For around an hour Addie lined up her clothes, which she loves all clothes to various dolls she received for Christmas. The dolls never got to wear the clothes, they were told it was because they were Addie Jo's new clothes. Poor dolls, they did not get to wear her clothes or the clothes they came with.

Later on in the afternoon we caught the kids playing so nicely together. They were practicing singing.

We had an amazing Christmas. Our day really over flowed with joy. It is not too often we just to sit back and enjoy a day with such happy kids for such an amazing reason. We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and took time to reflect on the meaning of the season and the blessings you have in your day. It really is amazing when you sit back and take it all in.