tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57598858451839281512023-11-15T23:50:16.563-07:00Ball BabiesThe Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.comBlogger162125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-54423744959343054282013-08-02T13:01:00.001-06:002013-08-02T13:01:49.474-06:00Clearing things up...I didn't mean to sound like a bully. I DON'T want to punch anyone in the face. At least now that Kourtni has a clean bill of health. It's funny the emotions that you go through when a loved one is faced with a serious illness. My emotions were frustration, frustration, and more frustration, oh, and punching someone sounded nice too. (I kid!) <br />
<br />
After Kourtni's release from the hospital in December, she didn't heal. The drains that were put in to take away all the gunk from inside, did their job, but made her skin weak and it started to leak where the drain sites had been. She leaked and leaked and leaked out of those sites. We went through gauze and tape like we had stock in Johnson and Johnson. We took her to the doctor again and they tried various modalities to decrease the leaking. Finally it was determined that she would need to have another surgery to cut out the tissues that were not healing in her abdomen and place her on a wound vacuum to encourage healing of the area. <br />
<br />
She was a trooper.<br />
<br />
Another surgery and another thing to have to stick to her ravaged belly. The wound vacuum was her constant companion. It was basically a pump that had plastic tubing attached to it and it would "suck" out any of the blood, infection, or general gunk that you get after surgery out of her wound. She would carry the vacuum like a purse and the constant hum of this machine would lull anyone around her to sleep. Her wound was the size of a deodorant cap. Yep, a hole in her belly that went through multiple layers of skin and muscle. Thanks to the AWESOME people at the Elk's Rehabilitation Center, Kourtni was on the road to complete recovery. Until she developed a severe reaction to the tape that was holding the wound vacuum to her skin. She had to take a break from the vac and that meant a slow down in healing. When it was determined that she would no longer be able to use the wound vac because of her extreme sensitivity and reaction, we were advised that she would need to have another surgery to close up the wound.<br />
<br />
Another surgery.<br />
<br />
This one would be quick, easy, and done on the same day. Which it was. Kourtni was through the worst of her ordeal and, although she woke up terrified that she had another drain attached to her, this final surgery did the trick.<br />
<br />
Today Kourtni has a totally clean bill of health. She was able to catch up on all the school work she missed. She went to her senior prom. She was crowned prom queen. She graduated from high school in May. She'll be going to BYU in a couple of weeks, and she and I have matching lower belly scars, but mine are from 4 babies and hers is from a volleyball sized abscess resulting from an emergency appendectomy on 12/12/12. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTZWQqfVsTQgGN2gmhmwq9D7GcH0qCZi6eW3LFKxB4u9Vw4HHV7V9LjNiG6eHRtsuawxMcr5Y4Ka9RbHpf8rSZ8MNOwbAKkzRFHA-61zFNzMqI04SdVyweSxnUozQ66gMCluSzHQ3ELw/s1600/DSC08987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTZWQqfVsTQgGN2gmhmwq9D7GcH0qCZi6eW3LFKxB4u9Vw4HHV7V9LjNiG6eHRtsuawxMcr5Y4Ka9RbHpf8rSZ8MNOwbAKkzRFHA-61zFNzMqI04SdVyweSxnUozQ66gMCluSzHQ3ELw/s320/DSC08987.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2H_tqeRpEsiqLiwKZAjq_ToBsGjf8kQBYXHOb1fQiSPnuuqTLRGAFkQQD4X1JsKewP0vVdylMHq0Qj3EpOwIp54IwnDui4AFWd_uKiDmMyQ61IJzLyO9ZzjiPuWyOkw2zmCpiuQI4Ahk/s1600/IMG_0663.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2H_tqeRpEsiqLiwKZAjq_ToBsGjf8kQBYXHOb1fQiSPnuuqTLRGAFkQQD4X1JsKewP0vVdylMHq0Qj3EpOwIp54IwnDui4AFWd_uKiDmMyQ61IJzLyO9ZzjiPuWyOkw2zmCpiuQI4Ahk/s320/IMG_0663.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jfBpkWAq8Pg2ES6WfwXqBcfR0KeHi4yP76FmF3FJORKSxeLEwM2cnLmXD1OhsUiDMpXEropDOSvjwic0jbzUycvO729isvUrxFG0It4gvuQYTxa08lTQbazhpY0Nt5fzXXgQjUz5y4A/s1600/IMG_0680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jfBpkWAq8Pg2ES6WfwXqBcfR0KeHi4yP76FmF3FJORKSxeLEwM2cnLmXD1OhsUiDMpXEropDOSvjwic0jbzUycvO729isvUrxFG0It4gvuQYTxa08lTQbazhpY0Nt5fzXXgQjUz5y4A/s320/IMG_0680.jpg" width="170" /></a></div><br />
The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-49906450771879794062013-07-31T14:55:00.001-06:002013-07-31T14:55:52.105-06:00It's a "Waiting Game" and I don't want to play anymoreI just spent an hour recapping the ordeal Kourtni went through from December to March. But my computer - or maybe it was me - has decided to delete all that I typed. <br />
<br />
Luckily, I found this draft that pretty much summed up my feelings as we were ending our stay at the hospital over the Christmas break:<br />
<br />
Have you ever wanted to punch someone right in the face? <br />
<br />
That's how I'm feeling right now and the recipient of said punch would definitely be: "Dr. Evil". The doctor who has been "taking care" of Kourtni Rae this week.<br />
<br />
She has been about as helpful and doctorly as the guy who works at Maverick. <br />
<br />
She has the bedside manner of an awkward zookeeper.<br />
<br />
She has the communication skills of an onery baby.<br />
<br />
She has the tactfulness of, well, you get my drift.<br />
<br />
All week long we've waited for her to come in and give us an update. We've waited for her to give us some semblance of good news. We've waited for her to quit being so vague and elusive about Kourtni's progress. We've waited and waited and waited, and now, this morning, I'm ready to punch her in the face for making us WAIT.SO.LONG to get any kind of answer to our questions! <br />
<br />
Grrrrr.<br />
<br />
I'm quickly, and not so quietly, going stir crazy sitting in this hospital room waiting for the nurse to come and clean up the mess(es) she(they) have made this entire week. It's been an eye-opening experience to have your temporary home in a cramped hospital room. We've made it cozy for Kourtni. She has flowers, balloons, pictures on the door, 2 Christmas trees, a family member in the room at all times, and many, many visitors.<br />
<br />
Yep, that pretty much sums up the feelings of being in the hospital for 9 days. <br />
<br />
The only thing is, I'm over wanting to punch her in the face. I just want her to retire!<br />
<br />
More updates later man.The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-71028949056906877102012-12-25T20:14:00.001-07:002012-12-25T23:01:18.306-07:00They say things come in threes...<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It
started out as a typical Sunday: get ready for church, go to church, come home,
fix dinner, eat dinner, do homework, go to bed. For Kourtni Rae there was
a hiccup between "go to church" and "fix dinner".
Replace it with "eat a bunch on Pringles during the young women's
portion of church and feel sick for the rest of the day". She came
home, got rid of those dastardly Pringles via the porc</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">elain throne, and went to
bed for</span><span style="font-family: Times-Roman;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the rest of the day. Poor girl ~ we thought it was the flu coming
on strong. She stayed home from school on Monday and had a really bad
tummy ache. This continued Tuesday, but the pain had increased
dramatically and the only comfortable place was on the hard floor of the
bathroom. I used hot moist towels to attempt to calm the pain in her
abdomen, but it offered little relief. Ibuprofen had been her friend
since Sunday and I was really not too happy to continue to give it to her.
I did though ~ her pain was much too intense not to. Wednesday came
and I called our family doctor. We got her in that afternoon but the
doctor said her pain was very inconsistent with flu symptoms. She
gingerly pressed on Kourtni's abdomen (this HURT), she had her hop on one foot
(this HURT), and she told us that we needed to get a scan of her belly to rule
appendicitis out. </span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wow. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alarm
set in. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
thought she had the flu. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Insert
Mom of the Year award).</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times-Roman;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She
had the cat scan after downing an enormous amount of diet 7up with medicine in
it. An hour later, we were headed to the hospital to have emergency
appendectomy surgery. I was surprised at how calm I was and how
everything simply fit together to ensure my classroom and my other 2 children
were taken care of. The way people rallied together for us was phenomenal
and has taught me more about compassion and service than I thought I already
knew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At
8:30 she was taken to the O.R. and, in typical Kourtni fashion, and with a few
drugs in her system, she was joking around with the nurse anesthetist and
radiologist as we parted ways. An hour later, the surgeon came into the
waiting room and informed us that she had a perforated appendix and that it had
ruptured 2 days before. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Applause
all around for the Mom of the Year!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We
ended up staying from Wednesday to Friday in the hospital while she received
intravenous antibiotics and recovered from the trauma of a perforated appendix.
She was literally overwhelmed with the number of people who came to visit
her and deliver her goodies. It was very kind and we were very grateful
for the support shown by so many of our friends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Upon
discharge from the hospital I was shown the correct way to empty the drain tube
that was attached to her insides and carried out the gunk from her abdomen.
Piece of cake! My status of failed Mother of the Year was gradually
creeping back to a good status...But don't get excited and happy yet. (That was
an example of foreshadowing.)</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On
Tuesday, I took her to the surgeon's office where the drain was pulled.
Yep. Literally pulled out of her. Don't worry. She had
deep breaths to help her. (Yikes) We went home and Kourtni was
feeling much better to have her little "friend" safely in the garbage
can at the medical office. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCh5Q0MExCtb7ra900L97DwH3rKwLDClIVEwHZEsHx8CF2UDzTTynJtx_x3BRdNX8ZuGf00h40BqZWVtTIOC4Kct6tUEZLZ5t-zMVDhZ4VkZgJyTipmhfN-66ULugY6Do22qDQ9AkQA1g/s1600/DSC01812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCh5Q0MExCtb7ra900L97DwH3rKwLDClIVEwHZEsHx8CF2UDzTTynJtx_x3BRdNX8ZuGf00h40BqZWVtTIOC4Kct6tUEZLZ5t-zMVDhZ4VkZgJyTipmhfN-66ULugY6Do22qDQ9AkQA1g/s320/DSC01812.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On
Wednesday, I let Lindsay stay home from school to keep an eye on Kourtni.
When I got home that afternoon, what did my eyes behold, but my stove in
the middle of the garage! What the... <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
raced inside to see what was going on and a horrible smell met my nose.
It was an acrid smell of soot, ash, and burned food. I went into
panic mode (typical for me), and quickly found out that the girls were ok, but,
due to my inattention to stove cleanliness, the cookies Lindsay had been baking
had caught on fire while being baked in a dirty oven. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVEk8x7ARDid0Flev3sa9NfRORDNJXrrN9hq99TOXNb6zxrJsqhcFiGqjWiha2puKOm07AW9lnJ596sHqEStZz-taXCIapre5GJytYoHYoloo_ltMPKnyHMH9jCre-0Pm51t1gXVSzIDI/s1600/DSC01817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVEk8x7ARDid0Flev3sa9NfRORDNJXrrN9hq99TOXNb6zxrJsqhcFiGqjWiha2puKOm07AW9lnJ596sHqEStZz-taXCIapre5GJytYoHYoloo_ltMPKnyHMH9jCre-0Pm51t1gXVSzIDI/s320/DSC01817.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Not
only do I get the Mother of the Year award but Martha Stewart called and wants
me to work for her...) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
fire department had to be called and not one, but THREE fire trucks were
dispatched to our home, as well as every neighbor who was home and had ears to
hear the loud wails of the fire trucks. The girls were OK, but they were
shaken up a bit and will probably learn a valuable lesson about keeping their
future kitchens clean.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When
Alyssa came home on Thursday, Kourtni wasn't doing too well. She couldn't
keep anything down and was in severe abdominal distress. I basically told
her to suck it up and be positive about getting better. Attitude is
everything, right? (Even when you're in extreme distress and uncontrolled
pain and nausea???) She couldn't keep down her meds, didn't have any
appetite, couldn't find a comfortable position, and was basically a miserable
young lady. I made several calls to my PA brother-in-law and to the
doctor on call. My brother-in-law was helpful. The doctor on call
was definitely NOT. We got a prescription for nausea meds the next day,
but they wouldn't stay down and were of no help in Kourtni's nausea at all.
By Saturday, she was in so much pain and discomfort that we decided to
take her to the ER. Her stomach was hard and distended and she looked
like she could have been about 4 or 5 months pregnant. Right then and
there, we loaded up and headed to the hospital.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After
sitting in the hospital room on some less-than-pain-killing drugs, Kourtni had
yet another CAT scan and what the results showed definitely made me the Pullitzer
Prize winning, Nobel award recipient, Grammy nominated, Emmy Award winning
Mother of the Year! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My
dear sweet 17 year old formerly totally healthy daughter had a volleyball sized
abscess in her pelvis. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(I
would like to thank all those who made this award possible: The
inattentive doctor on call, the nurse who told Kourtni not to "chop
wood" when she went home, and the lack of information the hospital gave us
when we were released last Friday. Thank you. Thank you.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An
emergency procedure would need to be performed. One that would help drain
the huge abscess and help her feel some relief. To perform this
procedure, Kourtni would need to be inserted into the CAT scan machine while
the radiologist looked at the x-ray. He would then find an air pocket in
her belly, make an X on her skin, make an incision on the X, position the
largest tube drain he had and insert the tube into her belly. Voila!
750cc (that's a liter, people) of pus and blood immediately exited her
pelvis and gave her ravaged body a bit of relief. There was so much
infection in her belly that it had displaced her uterus and bladder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgor4rUTPxXWX1QoFVvzUjaTkiMW3n0m7L4qVUa702-w8BCcqZ-Uw2U9VA_yohYrOni8JgORfWw4AVuwVHNwog5aFzr5A-9tKvno06erOhv3PP0e6AfN-DTJHyEa6X1dYIvXABJYfpt5EQ/s1600/DSC01834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgor4rUTPxXWX1QoFVvzUjaTkiMW3n0m7L4qVUa702-w8BCcqZ-Uw2U9VA_yohYrOni8JgORfWw4AVuwVHNwog5aFzr5A-9tKvno06erOhv3PP0e6AfN-DTJHyEa6X1dYIvXABJYfpt5EQ/s320/DSC01834.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
sugicalist - that's a doctor, folks... Told us to expect her to stay in
the hospital for 5 days. That meant that we would be in the hospital
over Christmas. The kids were disappointed that their sister would have
to be away from home and that the preparations and traditions we had made for
Christmas, wouldn't be happening this year. Those feelings quickly went
away when we realized how lucky we were to have Kourtni's pain diagnosed and
hopefully fixed with her on the road to recovery.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xA0VvtdASWaGQ4O2MMpBOUJXHJRyXQ9OGhWRBXVHNmaF_03J3EixwacmcadiDGFtTLxQXAPnGIS_oWZn8fKvVXGdiKdwhxLPTPa87h_Y_VPdUZyDsPnsHbti_mppYO3fiGaULF8WSdE/s1600/DSC01835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xA0VvtdASWaGQ4O2MMpBOUJXHJRyXQ9OGhWRBXVHNmaF_03J3EixwacmcadiDGFtTLxQXAPnGIS_oWZn8fKvVXGdiKdwhxLPTPa87h_Y_VPdUZyDsPnsHbti_mppYO3fiGaULF8WSdE/s320/DSC01835.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
Christmas was a bit different than all the past 23 Christmases we've enjoyed as
a family. We made it work, however. Flying Pie delivers!
Alyssa went grocery shopping for us! Friends visited! Our
Christmas will be delayed this year until we can get Kourtni well enough to go
home. Hopefully that won't be too long now, but, appendixes are real
bitties and they leave a nasty legacy in their absence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Merry
Christmas from St. Luke's Hospital! Enjoy a few pictures of our Holiday Season:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpufx7OnD3TCyVgFVj9ajFJUXHu0escKQ0XQrHES1qB4yMF40tG7NhdcuIdXsjj7d8AJOK25JP57Y1T2-Gme_85bmpqkyb2z1nH8mF3Of2eed52HRisP7C4W1p0q6L5U448uv4w29JpI/s1600/DSC01823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpufx7OnD3TCyVgFVj9ajFJUXHu0escKQ0XQrHES1qB4yMF40tG7NhdcuIdXsjj7d8AJOK25JP57Y1T2-Gme_85bmpqkyb2z1nH8mF3Of2eed52HRisP7C4W1p0q6L5U448uv4w29JpI/s320/DSC01823.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4F0ZWii_mjNOOAujWcJU6Lj7ak5OBd60SyZGvNSDKw11rgYHrGSlctGIWIH8fJVOzS2XQmqNr0h3UnKL7AOg1NGJ5U9euBFUkFfCas1gz5MKtWM4Eyf-j7mjvyQqPbEuRgVAbsxKUrQk/s1600/DSC01824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4F0ZWii_mjNOOAujWcJU6Lj7ak5OBd60SyZGvNSDKw11rgYHrGSlctGIWIH8fJVOzS2XQmqNr0h3UnKL7AOg1NGJ5U9euBFUkFfCas1gz5MKtWM4Eyf-j7mjvyQqPbEuRgVAbsxKUrQk/s320/DSC01824.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3LdGKoqOUilr15-jmx18QN-g5Udd2zqkTMskHzN17knmULJukcNZJXuq8hTzWQKgBsD8nBxerAd8uXpIR2GphZ552MK277Cfkjv377LVmpbY4coiXybxCD352QMzVqSHuTJefxf3irQ/s1600/DSC01818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3LdGKoqOUilr15-jmx18QN-g5Udd2zqkTMskHzN17knmULJukcNZJXuq8hTzWQKgBsD8nBxerAd8uXpIR2GphZ552MK277Cfkjv377LVmpbY4coiXybxCD352QMzVqSHuTJefxf3irQ/s320/DSC01818.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVEI8CQ9iEVGgKby94EtDFa6fGErIJZgN1l9mRiCdg8dQQRHEYPc5cgrWH7CxssksztkZGLkwBjig2M3QQ7W_FzPafYbq18tTNj6cR-M78SjM0_qJUxJnNz1eIwLVBOysvzx59gzqwA8/s1600/DSC01827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVEI8CQ9iEVGgKby94EtDFa6fGErIJZgN1l9mRiCdg8dQQRHEYPc5cgrWH7CxssksztkZGLkwBjig2M3QQ7W_FzPafYbq18tTNj6cR-M78SjM0_qJUxJnNz1eIwLVBOysvzx59gzqwA8/s320/DSC01827.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAFzzw-DsXgr2MYMA8vyM69HZOMbWrzRl_09ex7o_wYj1GTS5209rRlY-6VYs5sL1S5BnVf2Iq_reQsE-wcctdeAAr-hKO1AIP4csagdguYwTvWQQE2HCEZLzmgDuSv80DFzdueDVfWk/s1600/DSC01826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAFzzw-DsXgr2MYMA8vyM69HZOMbWrzRl_09ex7o_wYj1GTS5209rRlY-6VYs5sL1S5BnVf2Iq_reQsE-wcctdeAAr-hKO1AIP4csagdguYwTvWQQE2HCEZLzmgDuSv80DFzdueDVfWk/s320/DSC01826.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRAl57FQARZBJiFoA7DcsuqjOmA8SZQG0KquluC1T5-ZJqGQURCgS7oU23CM4lmapgZA3UMO82Wm6GVkIkUrrqwDvMatbjrPHJ7itfQ6yxV9JBCja_yG1ohCw4SHNV-a8-8ulBi0steg/s1600/DSC01828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRAl57FQARZBJiFoA7DcsuqjOmA8SZQG0KquluC1T5-ZJqGQURCgS7oU23CM4lmapgZA3UMO82Wm6GVkIkUrrqwDvMatbjrPHJ7itfQ6yxV9JBCja_yG1ohCw4SHNV-a8-8ulBi0steg/s320/DSC01828.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVEI8CQ9iEVGgKby94EtDFa6fGErIJZgN1l9mRiCdg8dQQRHEYPc5cgrWH7CxssksztkZGLkwBjig2M3QQ7W_FzPafYbq18tTNj6cR-M78SjM0_qJUxJnNz1eIwLVBOysvzx59gzqwA8/s1600/DSC01827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVEI8CQ9iEVGgKby94EtDFa6fGErIJZgN1l9mRiCdg8dQQRHEYPc5cgrWH7CxssksztkZGLkwBjig2M3QQ7W_FzPafYbq18tTNj6cR-M78SjM0_qJUxJnNz1eIwLVBOysvzx59gzqwA8/s320/DSC01827.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnPez96-4DPNm20LgLATJHWC95efGf_o7VKcfsnvAPW2GRNsFkVdmK13nAdh0G3v-_f_qYXX5rJSkERsY08iJvTOQ_ZgyMxPwGUZ6GXx-f3kaw1F4SvlGGXFGeMQah7Tfb5cVsRPR3OQE/s1600/DSC01833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnPez96-4DPNm20LgLATJHWC95efGf_o7VKcfsnvAPW2GRNsFkVdmK13nAdh0G3v-_f_qYXX5rJSkERsY08iJvTOQ_ZgyMxPwGUZ6GXx-f3kaw1F4SvlGGXFGeMQah7Tfb5cVsRPR3OQE/s320/DSC01833.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->
The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-59953105349525957552012-07-22T19:44:00.000-06:002012-07-22T19:44:00.853-06:00That @#$%& Tooth!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Besides the normal fun, laziness, trips, and leisure that the summer brings with it, this summer has also been...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (cue oppressive music. DUN DUN DUN...)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The summer of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>THE TOOTH</b></span>.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My tooth.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My very back bottom molar tooth.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think the dentist likes to call it #18. I'll call her "Pearl".</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've become very attached to her and she really makes chewing food enjoyable.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You see, Pearl has a mind of her own. She has a serious condition that the dental community likes to call "Internal Resorption". </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yikes. Sounds kind of scary. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yeah, it is kind of scary. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This tooth of mine that I've had in my mouth for around 33 years has decided that she wants to "eat herself" from the inside out.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's not good, people. Not good at all. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It means that my beloved tooth will eventually be a hollow shell of herself. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And that's not good, people. Not good at all. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because, you need that very back molar. And if it's a hollow shell it's not good for much of anything. (Except for chipping and falling out of my mouth like little broken pieces of chalk.) yuck. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Cue violin music playing "My Heart Bleeds for You.")</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Long story short, I went to the dentist, had to go to an endodontist, went back to the endodontist, had a partial root canal with lots and lots of numbing novacaine, was saddened to hear that my tooth wouldn't be able to be saved (GASP), got another opinion from another dentist, and still another opinion from another dentist (Thanks, Nick :)), had my partial root canal finished, and now, I'm waiting for "Pearl" to stop being a spoiled rotten brat. Yep, she's killing me. Giving me jawaches, pain, headaches, and overall discomfort. Where.Is.The.Love? We've been together for 33 years! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll show her though. I'll go back in to the dentist, get numb AGAIN, receive my treatment, have her ground down to a nub, and get a beautiful, gleaming, shiny, porcelain crown veneer. That no one can see. Because it's in the far recesses of my mouth. Sheesh. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think I'll name her "Cubic Zirconium."</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-21581738217384961922012-06-15T22:15:00.000-06:002012-06-15T22:15:49.986-06:00Easter Ball Babies<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's just Payton and me tonight. The girls and Bill have gone to play like they are homeless about 1.5 hours away. (AKA Camping) Blechy.Yucky.No-thank-you-very-much. Oh, well, Pate and I weren't invited anyway since this camp out was only for fathers and daughters. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Typical for Payton and me when we are by ourselves, we head on over to The Sizzler and grab us up some overpriced grub. He: the steak and unlimited, deep fried, minuscule, baby shrimp complete with fries, his beloved cheese toast, and a frosty Dr. Pepper. Me: the salad bar of course. Tonight I was definitely tempted to snag an avocado or two and plant them in my purse for future guac, but I resisted and just went with my three platefuls of salad. Yep, 3 I tell you. Surprisingly delicious, this trip with minimum Nascar loving, plaid flannel shirt wearing, tattoo commenting, lumberjack looking patrons.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aaaaanyway, on with the updating. Heaven knows I'm doing this for my family's benefit so I need to keep documenting and writing my rememberings down for future Ball's!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Easter this year was a vast improvement from previous years. I actually went to the store, bought a variety of candy, purchased small gifts for each child, and put everything out for display on the kitchen table Easter morning. What? I know that's what your typical Easter entails, but for some reason, Easter always creeps up on me and before I know it, there are only circus peanuts and peachy rings as the candies of choice. And, hey, at least I didn't just buy each kid a bag of candy and call it good like in 2009. (Still trying to forget that year...)</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKVc3UteRt-LLitgSVyqvKH3OhyphenhyphenY1lbR2oFdPOo_goEaIIo7cupZgZqJRe7OVZxO0AVDg988UFR_2nen4xGp8KpAMTX30JoIPp47jZ1rlCmmlHAIUXZffwIlE0PMTM02oqIwfOg2g3IKg/s1600/DSC00433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKVc3UteRt-LLitgSVyqvKH3OhyphenhyphenY1lbR2oFdPOo_goEaIIo7cupZgZqJRe7OVZxO0AVDg988UFR_2nen4xGp8KpAMTX30JoIPp47jZ1rlCmmlHAIUXZffwIlE0PMTM02oqIwfOg2g3IKg/s320/DSC00433.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I always feel guilty taking pictures without Lyss. I hate to be Lyss-less!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeneiB-piP6K1Y24KypwCPFm2m7hh8bn-o0mQXPY5OcEnzveU9YiKlZKxh5dbxRSbiRaMV88IzaaB4vZIQuvyMTfVxahpXBDAVsbweaYlTzaueu6eZIb6_Qc4pP6wwbbKg-yl2OeCn1gA/s1600/DSC00438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeneiB-piP6K1Y24KypwCPFm2m7hh8bn-o0mQXPY5OcEnzveU9YiKlZKxh5dbxRSbiRaMV88IzaaB4vZIQuvyMTfVxahpXBDAVsbweaYlTzaueu6eZIb6_Qc4pP6wwbbKg-yl2OeCn1gA/s320/DSC00438.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Haha, not sure what we're doing in this one, but my fingers usually smell really good.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzWcSZtmi_fq_DVAgvUVahaVaPsgaBwtANOxnwx1c8pN_Ji7w3oPdDX3LWEJA_tHGwMX7yVMW2dp28eH2H06JWkQtj8kDtjvObiKRwjaEJPyblrJfQpD7tsVubFrOWjLLhVtDvwL4I_4/s1600/DSC00439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzWcSZtmi_fq_DVAgvUVahaVaPsgaBwtANOxnwx1c8pN_Ji7w3oPdDX3LWEJA_tHGwMX7yVMW2dp28eH2H06JWkQtj8kDtjvObiKRwjaEJPyblrJfQpD7tsVubFrOWjLLhVtDvwL4I_4/s320/DSC00439.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pu</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tting your hand above the subject in a photo is a an old photography trick. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Um, yeah, it really isn't.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg99ErWDvJSgN29BZmDyMEDPrIjngjpWbtd2G9rYj3w51wybbvMboJa2CDiP8Zd7QbKNzUKw8ee8ieRc_FpP8rOtHDvTuPHM-BKzYjw97BjnEQHPoBUGvYA3T5K-wzDh67RHZ3ZDjIIgWc/s1600/DSC00441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg99ErWDvJSgN29BZmDyMEDPrIjngjpWbtd2G9rYj3w51wybbvMboJa2CDiP8Zd7QbKNzUKw8ee8ieRc_FpP8rOtHDvTuPHM-BKzYjw97BjnEQHPoBUGvYA3T5K-wzDh67RHZ3ZDjIIgWc/s320/DSC00441.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kourtni and Padre.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bsoJMV0LuvyRueq0eDRcSxJtWTng88pq5p4qxbRienAEUDwSQsWQnOIsUcV2TMLl7bXAOny9T8whzn6XhLfghvxtCQE3_EqCZOMT7dLwRa_XwjlZdt7NV_CpNSweSoYOvd8h27ezkhY/s1600/DSC00442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bsoJMV0LuvyRueq0eDRcSxJtWTng88pq5p4qxbRienAEUDwSQsWQnOIsUcV2TMLl7bXAOny9T8whzn6XhLfghvxtCQE3_EqCZOMT7dLwRa_XwjlZdt7NV_CpNSweSoYOvd8h27ezkhY/s320/DSC00442.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lindsay and Daddy.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8DP38xzqQiYpiONRApNYoh3so77VHC0ailFx12nqjaBJD0YMkSI_FNxlXpQe6AB4Ncr-H62qFGZVQqNh_QCoh3xVsfbrvmF34pnWCFZZriCxeWgq8zLI8T31gSKzAT4bMO4OZgxzrXoc/s1600/DSC00443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8DP38xzqQiYpiONRApNYoh3so77VHC0ailFx12nqjaBJD0YMkSI_FNxlXpQe6AB4Ncr-H62qFGZVQqNh_QCoh3xVsfbrvmF34pnWCFZZriCxeWgq8zLI8T31gSKzAT4bMO4OZgxzrXoc/s320/DSC00443.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Payton and Dad.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a beautiful spring morning on which to remember the atonement of, and worship our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-771643026609960922012-06-14T07:12:00.001-06:002012-06-14T07:12:43.750-06:00Still Catching Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GBDUCf1vv3ufzTm6BpPVy8hLp6vZF_734VUAomQiAddHpqQYGTO-Qw90X1vG0vHQT2UF42cjv3hr44q-VxQT2LaJBf6LHezQ6SqI1QHid1j39KUG3jbop8vAdKyUTO8e9DO9_5uguq4/s1600/DSC00429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GBDUCf1vv3ufzTm6BpPVy8hLp6vZF_734VUAomQiAddHpqQYGTO-Qw90X1vG0vHQT2UF42cjv3hr44q-VxQT2LaJBf6LHezQ6SqI1QHid1j39KUG3jbop8vAdKyUTO8e9DO9_5uguq4/s320/DSC00429.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqF-weO9Ao_65bzOJxeeBpMAGV-m1RSR5r3dLKMZbCclodtVRjBOGW2oWYPQXW4HppPGQj8S7NK2m2Dc0CB_UqElnDlUqd8IlnJh1dgDgv2GaTauIxFbuyClvEMj1zAslnI9bG1-FY5x0/s1600/DSC00430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqF-weO9Ao_65bzOJxeeBpMAGV-m1RSR5r3dLKMZbCclodtVRjBOGW2oWYPQXW4HppPGQj8S7NK2m2Dc0CB_UqElnDlUqd8IlnJh1dgDgv2GaTauIxFbuyClvEMj1zAslnI9bG1-FY5x0/s320/DSC00430.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Qnkjt7E31A0lhWFfDNjyCVhL93qGFaBCPYCn8V7sRFqXtSXzAabBSgxt5bVUFZVbeMFZG23iD0WzyBEl1GAfSHO5vIZhS-1y2azEQe_zLiXeXkM2iMNnZK7nxZf-bwhVeXFfF9L0vXk/s1600/DSC00431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Qnkjt7E31A0lhWFfDNjyCVhL93qGFaBCPYCn8V7sRFqXtSXzAabBSgxt5bVUFZVbeMFZG23iD0WzyBEl1GAfSHO5vIZhS-1y2azEQe_zLiXeXkM2iMNnZK7nxZf-bwhVeXFfF9L0vXk/s320/DSC00431.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv9HQ5T4q3dKTf3Idqoox5FEY2iEbWFzhtLuBQH60rjmcswC6dnREUJnkhRQqptyYrWHy5fMCK3CcZoG676x6T-NH7DM73-rZUSwu3ItQaiS4NYQCCS_JmpFGq8ixLoAxvh7DNW5hrEOM/s1600/DSC00432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv9HQ5T4q3dKTf3Idqoox5FEY2iEbWFzhtLuBQH60rjmcswC6dnREUJnkhRQqptyYrWHy5fMCK3CcZoG676x6T-NH7DM73-rZUSwu3ItQaiS4NYQCCS_JmpFGq8ixLoAxvh7DNW5hrEOM/s320/DSC00432.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What's up with all the chairs you might wonder? Well, Bill was out of town for the week so I naturally had to do my nightly routine which included 4 kitchen chairs and most of the doors in our home. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ain't no big thang.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nervous at night much?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yep, that'd be me.</span></div>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-57540923121663225852012-06-12T23:56:00.000-06:002012-06-12T23:56:20.658-06:00What's New With The Ball Babies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been awhile since this busy momma has posted any goings on around here. Not much has happened but I guess what </span><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">has</span></b></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> happened should be documented even if I am the only one who writes and reads it. Hah. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So get ready for some plain old, hum drum, normal activities that encompass our plain old lives! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7eIui9JlP1zBK5DQLgZzi-MRk6tBqSrmLyi_kdwf8KtiNhG-2mP-i7kdYwMOeakJoHY3_U_WoFxmQ8pbWZZ5oW3yRgD_DZ3a1XqW4-dFi3cWT9dATETroQpksUUKDv11pJk_mEpli4Y/s1600/DSC00187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7eIui9JlP1zBK5DQLgZzi-MRk6tBqSrmLyi_kdwf8KtiNhG-2mP-i7kdYwMOeakJoHY3_U_WoFxmQ8pbWZZ5oW3yRgD_DZ3a1XqW4-dFi3cWT9dATETroQpksUUKDv11pJk_mEpli4Y/s320/DSC00187.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This good looking kid has a mouthful of trouble. *sigh*</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He's missing 6 permanent teeth and this brings a whole set of problems to his little old mouth. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First line of business: get braces on those chompers. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Second line of business: move his jaw forward so the little baby teeth that are still hanging on by a thread, can have less wear and tear on them.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Third line of business: Well, right now we're still on the second line. Flippers, implants, etc. will have to come later. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another *sigh*.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vhm1KTyemqowsfNzXSBOUYaDq5lnS9YkHuxEsLBimg6I2GygIZQ4beTcGNUNay1vO22JxNsT0sSNvkfeG2oLiIWUH5PRViZ-NScTRYrAVfr3aTG45GKfuoGtG1dvLcJF4LXb8EU0XxE/s1600/DSC00188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vhm1KTyemqowsfNzXSBOUYaDq5lnS9YkHuxEsLBimg6I2GygIZQ4beTcGNUNay1vO22JxNsT0sSNvkfeG2oLiIWUH5PRViZ-NScTRYrAVfr3aTG45GKfuoGtG1dvLcJF4LXb8EU0XxE/s320/DSC00188.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pretty cute still, huh?</span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCmUNuZ_iDaH7Dn70oiDiqAvwbK1UmAJ9w-syiZijp5USFfNoCmkUw0adNtPl9aoueHknSKqmij5B_uDJi8aB4Iwd3d7mAO5yl_cZnWYdlGn3VYGrE4PgqOwwtAMsTE62kZd-WXzp6fI/s1600/DSC00189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCmUNuZ_iDaH7Dn70oiDiqAvwbK1UmAJ9w-syiZijp5USFfNoCmkUw0adNtPl9aoueHknSKqmij5B_uDJi8aB4Iwd3d7mAO5yl_cZnWYdlGn3VYGrE4PgqOwwtAMsTE62kZd-WXzp6fI/s320/DSC00189.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This picture is minus the robotic arms that the ortho used to bring the lower jaw forward. Oy.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSt7YQBctJN1Oxvr_Q2FzSad8pfm09W_IxnfIuRfGLSamHYXsGGtiZOQ6AdzOQDSqYX11c1E3MZH_9O0tuo3OU_2LcpUkdMTnnd4kUwLCoppBPZXBxF5nvt9qoQl5nSDR5i7ts0JRuYQ/s1600/DSC00190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSt7YQBctJN1Oxvr_Q2FzSad8pfm09W_IxnfIuRfGLSamHYXsGGtiZOQ6AdzOQDSqYX11c1E3MZH_9O0tuo3OU_2LcpUkdMTnnd4kUwLCoppBPZXBxF5nvt9qoQl5nSDR5i7ts0JRuYQ/s320/DSC00190.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A milkshake always makes things feel better. Especially one from the Big Bun. Creamy deliciousness. I told myself I couldn't have one until I get braces!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Something else that's new: </span></b> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have a 17 year old in the house. A silly, sweet, sunny, second daughter who livens our lives and makes us smile on a daily basis. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the words of Kourtni, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Monkey!</span>"</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvSoz_odFrgEKUENlQce4sUOUYf82da94jsxD_T3-jlqwnJ_g6HbVRW9nexmmwPEaQOV-B8j8kyfSryzpxaON8I1e06DLsVlD3C9CHXyrJnMKhC7_b4EE0LXbBJUjRganVfsyWZULepU/s1600/DSC00194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvSoz_odFrgEKUENlQce4sUOUYf82da94jsxD_T3-jlqwnJ_g6HbVRW9nexmmwPEaQOV-B8j8kyfSryzpxaON8I1e06DLsVlD3C9CHXyrJnMKhC7_b4EE0LXbBJUjRganVfsyWZULepU/s320/DSC00194.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chowing down for some birthday grub at Carino's.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We left fat and happy!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQY9_ISUylRC3pJRfpzECqdM9SyWykUw1FzyfaBTByqVOzFmb8zWdzOl69nzes_qVnppCNv5rUolz23hnBoxCsil8OYr5HPOjvUFE8XmAFMtRzOJl_KHOabO8lWD9tpwmUo0Q7DtE6Ns/s1600/DSC00196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQY9_ISUylRC3pJRfpzECqdM9SyWykUw1FzyfaBTByqVOzFmb8zWdzOl69nzes_qVnppCNv5rUolz23hnBoxCsil8OYr5HPOjvUFE8XmAFMtRzOJl_KHOabO8lWD9tpwmUo0Q7DtE6Ns/s320/DSC00196.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even though Alyssa was busy being a college student and couldn't join us in person, I wore her amazing scarf she made for me so she could be in the picture in spirit.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Isn't it adorable? Can't believe she has my genes in her somewhere...</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Something else that's new:</span></b> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We went to Utah for Spring Break. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Hey, that's not new!",</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> you might be saying,</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> "You've bored us with your Spring Break posts for the past couple of years!"</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To which I reply, </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"But the kids have all gotten gigantic! That's new!"</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Weak sauce.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, well!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXasCQOK0YUOvq6uXEZDHqhSNISoq2ApqDLlRnJnME2kBw_BFHLkRKnN6UkKIFpHqbh8OVSVtujDHJThc6pOxOwTUAKx0B545rWs_LErJ-6jIjf575leEt-Y988NlIPVq-hz1Ujrvkyk/s1600/DSC00420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXasCQOK0YUOvq6uXEZDHqhSNISoq2ApqDLlRnJnME2kBw_BFHLkRKnN6UkKIFpHqbh8OVSVtujDHJThc6pOxOwTUAKx0B545rWs_LErJ-6jIjf575leEt-Y988NlIPVq-hz1Ujrvkyk/s320/DSC00420.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See what I mean about gigantic? It takes two teen agers to hold Bryton!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWpJvUBitiQrldrgQjS6Hcf4lucDePtPTncO9PHwJ2Oxm7y3j9Wwl2j5JtJgSJI-ISd5rxyC8-mLIah_BdVJuPVtCTBhUbNm1R266tIXxt3zgyWbwcRLDpNQ6tWEMgKsEXmgVven27dw/s1600/DSC00419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWpJvUBitiQrldrgQjS6Hcf4lucDePtPTncO9PHwJ2Oxm7y3j9Wwl2j5JtJgSJI-ISd5rxyC8-mLIah_BdVJuPVtCTBhUbNm1R266tIXxt3zgyWbwcRLDpNQ6tWEMgKsEXmgVven27dw/s320/DSC00419.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But only one Payton to hold him. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsVuqGSzwJnBlCv7iaDj8GrWJbJSoAJgJALiQ42zYUszWOa_kvagd81DPueCBL7iNrOvwdcGsn6dvLQS9DtkmtM69kKr8IOA4Gv3Ocl3bPqPNv31Zv5dSzxM0loIqnUNodEYbCBYdOug/s1600/DSC00408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsVuqGSzwJnBlCv7iaDj8GrWJbJSoAJgJALiQ42zYUszWOa_kvagd81DPueCBL7iNrOvwdcGsn6dvLQS9DtkmtM69kKr8IOA4Gv3Ocl3bPqPNv31Zv5dSzxM0loIqnUNodEYbCBYdOug/s320/DSC00408.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Looks of awe and amazement at the birthday cake before them!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvBI48IqPaurgSWdSymZYVl0s2a0i78kuS31BkQhytZjN-0-5l9K4CCpMlQmNCtDbFr6fjc5QVvkFb3BodCQKg1hle9kWeXjWsRocQhBxbTzp4w7CGKepurIUvDR19Nqw4JVam18G4tM/s1600/DSC00405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvBI48IqPaurgSWdSymZYVl0s2a0i78kuS31BkQhytZjN-0-5l9K4CCpMlQmNCtDbFr6fjc5QVvkFb3BodCQKg1hle9kWeXjWsRocQhBxbTzp4w7CGKepurIUvDR19Nqw4JVam18G4tM/s320/DSC00405.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSY7KsxDz4RIpqlbugl6Nw32dYPc4CbaKWBO1G4ucUAxudJ_2mT37FMVq1dC5HMSqTdgVLQQVG_NDPixWoCt2tCQYilJh0dj3Il0vNWkoVsA1MSWfaGYOpUnSipfzOazfMjRyXrekr6Rw/s1600/DSC00410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSY7KsxDz4RIpqlbugl6Nw32dYPc4CbaKWBO1G4ucUAxudJ_2mT37FMVq1dC5HMSqTdgVLQQVG_NDPixWoCt2tCQYilJh0dj3Il0vNWkoVsA1MSWfaGYOpUnSipfzOazfMjRyXrekr6Rw/s320/DSC00410.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grandma's house filled with cousins is THE BEST!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZHpJPZPaiP5FIEF9bj42kbpFPQ2GnN4bYoLidPaaHYVEnPUSAF2ADc9RK6yZ3WiEOO_JsRl1j_pLuL2Iu_87OgKnBs_22n45urHF3OVRw1uKaabsr8BEZcf4OQzGkdjdKa0rlcowNPU/s1600/DSC00411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZHpJPZPaiP5FIEF9bj42kbpFPQ2GnN4bYoLidPaaHYVEnPUSAF2ADc9RK6yZ3WiEOO_JsRl1j_pLuL2Iu_87OgKnBs_22n45urHF3OVRw1uKaabsr8BEZcf4OQzGkdjdKa0rlcowNPU/s320/DSC00411.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My little buddy!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And all my "new" wrinkles! Joy.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZpEqrTBaAcklAkBoCkCflpTEGv5NcHJJg2N429G7fWRLFix8Aua_gQEaNlTDLYa63Jho0fkb3qliGp29jGQk-IjLpIbd_Qcvva8WIvXZWsJkwWCYOD4H75I7_zCIWjwFGlpGaqAqOhd8/s1600/DSC00413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZpEqrTBaAcklAkBoCkCflpTEGv5NcHJJg2N429G7fWRLFix8Aua_gQEaNlTDLYa63Jho0fkb3qliGp29jGQk-IjLpIbd_Qcvva8WIvXZWsJkwWCYOD4H75I7_zCIWjwFGlpGaqAqOhd8/s320/DSC00413.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hadley taking after her talented mother!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi700ovy_jdu9v4wOOuO2jTEMZtQ1jS5iVAK2fMl9oFqtf8mvCkisW6y3_1AKOak6uOYxsqdWVyBiBN9_dnwGIeyCB715B5HamwmicB4AkKGToiUrIiUo78HjYEmvxmrSlUPURdooHpqK8/s1600/DSC00417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi700ovy_jdu9v4wOOuO2jTEMZtQ1jS5iVAK2fMl9oFqtf8mvCkisW6y3_1AKOak6uOYxsqdWVyBiBN9_dnwGIeyCB715B5HamwmicB4AkKGToiUrIiUo78HjYEmvxmrSlUPURdooHpqK8/s320/DSC00417.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My mother stranded on the side of the road with a huge spike lodged in her tire. Yikes. Thank goodness for the promptness of the Utah Department of Transportation!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's it for part one. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stay tuned for more plain old ordinary happenings in our life.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*Smile*</span></div>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-58452089994632404532012-02-21T17:53:00.002-07:002012-02-21T17:55:56.614-07:00Out of the mouths of first grade babes...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbim-aP7kyBheKpa0BbJuXzAgIZgCGvvLr9tqpNY2MBRIvoO-FXDIVix7Al4DlsWP9dp_zoyg-xT2NN9YYPXWjdqa2FWIInZMDcc3PdycFoDHoh-m1PYJ7F36tdPydosnSUC0k1DcGGY/s1600/Photo+on+2012-02-21+at+17.53.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbim-aP7kyBheKpa0BbJuXzAgIZgCGvvLr9tqpNY2MBRIvoO-FXDIVix7Al4DlsWP9dp_zoyg-xT2NN9YYPXWjdqa2FWIInZMDcc3PdycFoDHoh-m1PYJ7F36tdPydosnSUC0k1DcGGY/s400/Photo+on+2012-02-21+at+17.53.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711756928421575714" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">"Mrs. Ball, you look like you've been in jail for a couple of days."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Um, yeah, that's what I get for wearing stripes to school. And FYI, my little first grade babe, prisoners wear ORANGE jumpsuits, not stripes anymore. So there. </div><div style="text-align: center;">(I love him anyway.)</div>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-38431439322223248462012-01-31T20:27:00.006-07:002012-01-31T21:37:56.025-07:00Just.Can't.Delete.<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg675Obj1IqHKK0-ZxCHUDWPHu0RbBEYVEtm06o104ZPyCZNsMkBI1Zch5fcRLafMlqdF8rMKwcyhRI8aoFGxbI5Q7pStYe2no6yvcB_S9gZ1ccg1Oq1sv7KvNLLwD83WAqTBZfvG1OCM8/s1600/DSC_0799.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRb85Bljvt78NwRFTjIbgl9KOmDg4jnv9SoV9ZfYoKdDooJKaclVw8RKfRfOR3dHcvifbKVhmq0VtqyB9BiPNcGh52BXKinWV9fO8lVuCt8fSg35nSqiE3Zk60pgFeeObm59AS7ueBHk/s1600/DSC09114.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRb85Bljvt78NwRFTjIbgl9KOmDg4jnv9SoV9ZfYoKdDooJKaclVw8RKfRfOR3dHcvifbKVhmq0VtqyB9BiPNcGh52BXKinWV9fO8lVuCt8fSg35nSqiE3Zk60pgFeeObm59AS7ueBHk/s400/DSC09114.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704007113514849938" /></a><br />Why is it that I cannot bring myself to delete certain pictures off my camera? Sheesh. I go to take a picture and my crappy little camera tells me "not enough memory space". <div><br /></div><div>Well, that's a new one. Duh. </div><div><br /></div><div>There would be way more space if I'd take off my pictures of Hawaii, (especially the first class picture of Bill and me on the plane...I look so tan. Wow.) or those pics of Lindsay's birthday way back in August. Maybe if I'd download our Christmas pictures or the traditional midnight picture on New Year's Eve. Maybe if I'd get rid of all those photos of my cute little firsties from school. Hmmmm. Kourtni's birthday is next and, yep, you guessed it, still in the camera.</div><div><br /></div><div>I know, I'm a mess. A lazy yet busy mess. Too busy with school and church; then when I have some downtime I'm too lazy to do anything tech-ie but stalk some blogs and check out some statuses. I guess that could account for the lack of posting and pictur"ing" on this little blog. *sigh*</div><div><br /></div><div>For now, you can enjoy the few pictures that are actually downloaded to my computer but still enjoyed by myself when I turn on my camera. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha78GnFp-EIllkLlJDPACwtd1LOGDbGD9VuZLIP79_ebEJ-eHF3IIlgRbStiOHTeSs6KaeMH1SAz7dP6quPI9Bu726lTnXiZ9kcMgMIMOMOBVCumo9zTzgC8vnfsJaqlokngXlZ1zlUs4/s400/DSC09172.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704007122855938706" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Nope, can't let that one go to cyber heaven.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKzB88uTCFoZ35q2CQJzGwIMFzAE-CiQ47dD9Vz1PwWndaAv4876jduozvv3JInympmfh-n1YtvQJ9WaHa0tGRPdKxjDitFvfq_Aw_AK8_GfIyFfjSSYiH5Rq9IHtlmBBA5aZIcsXVp8/s400/DSC09534.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704007136463293554" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">What is it about a family of feet that I just cannot get rid of?</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-iJq7_M5Vkqju24nE3iBLu0fPkns-IO6bRR1rLQlKOHuah-CTOTfXIDgZROovPtX0A0mCTvBUlbYmiuzltNQSp0LhYdIhXTQ7kudz-uTlOS6lcy6LVk4e7PQaKkbpZ9GrQauxCW6phe0/s400/DSC09304.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704009141538241554" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Oh, yeah, and then there's Vegas. Definitely keeping-in-the-camera-worthy.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJSJbySP4-JyrWHNqFg5NoRxF6wliG5MK2yTI5eWfLDAIUE-zvvHEV-2UrTcn8U2WgLbfHXHywWpGR8GGJ27ANCiTufm0vSFAJLfW3zvDf9ppzXr3puKgE7yuFu-bx93uycyncq5jKhnI/s400/DSC09582.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704007139854087074" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Any time I can be reminded of a beach, I'm all over it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulwpJxzQvuSUiVnu0hedQc6eXeB-6CUXXa55rodTcCpXfEaSfZiPQyshKflin61tQ5plP2MRp_pQb4mItXBAj7XFjiNOv5CIQF53OcDAMsCADAa6K8OFPx49LWZefnz0rm38gLtcCgWc/s400/DSC09593.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704009165612295074" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Too cute to get rid of.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEuJvc01HqXsvfsHYVclfQKMIQPou9m-8Pv4qS6YjimdTCkK5wa4_igwceN0BlUXzy0uKeu3jICmO2UiKw7zpvC0uwCvQPxODEhMrsE7I88eWeOk0RmeXPmd2d2I9h8NXsVswV5QO-9Y/s400/DSC09650.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704009150166760690" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">See, there's proof my daughters have amazing cherry stem-tying abilities!</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-SyHXoO-rKPVtG2hPklor5yUSDBZxX7GPNktleXch_lIT61TFsdJezcU_UwDr0wBAIdjCQmROUaIA9ALwbRdIcOB3885JOOg7Omb9TLeKpsldUCwiDR09jhUcLMdTkW7QyFbvbc3KaRA/s400/DSC_0288.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704007146437223858" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Nope, can't let this one go.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5QtH8u6-TnXYrEliHcRRtGqwLXH5vrCcIIEkP2edSJo_WHueCg2lwo-dryx4L4Os6Zyk4MlRMCXd4hYLMar7DR7kIv_0p9nSENvZ14u7hOpolvBjWcvBKOuHQ85LDw74cqgovYnyz_Lg/s400/DSC_0429.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704009181813171698" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Just look at those lashes, and that profile, and those earrings, and...</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJUh_1toH5ohk_M6mHVWJwzHZAm_Sek3nDGDTlu10GVhykzUbgmiEEqu5cY3JfXH54TvfVvBCcgUC5Lpr7b6ZbFWK90NytRgQXJRCryG9q97kMXiKySqG8ngvO-jr42qc_Omh5UXHR0o/s400/DSC09768.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704009160230076210" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">She won that pie. Proud mama moment that I have to remember.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiazQCWS7_PT2GzGDP2CfMpeHiWNhFrbt4onpkiPENhdz0MUYaN8j6awtIMt3nZYsf94q8jjMTXFpJG8YD9299VvUEumiLqHYC6eYqgl9S_UQOwS60__WGhqD1rka5KrJ1ErYUf_2SrjSs/s400/DSC_0797.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704012452693015122" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">OK, so I did download a couple of Christmas pictures. That's because I only took a couple of Christmas pictures...</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRb85Bljvt78NwRFTjIbgl9KOmDg4jnv9SoV9ZfYoKdDooJKaclVw8RKfRfOR3dHcvifbKVhmq0VtqyB9BiPNcGh52BXKinWV9fO8lVuCt8fSg35nSqiE3Zk60pgFeeObm59AS7ueBHk/s400/DSC09114.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704007113514849938" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Told you it was my fave...</span></div>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-82238232957965720612012-01-04T22:31:00.005-07:002012-01-04T22:55:24.250-07:00"Moostaches" and a small snippet of Christmas<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZMbVK_mcg7Qvf9rgdiZt9OfJmwsmXMCURyNMpLrp-c56Gk0hCHTFGhmdRb_WCMJofiBUMOavpwyTjSaOAp6AaeoJCf6zyUJ5LFmfzSDK9-9oIxzP29XXLF7Rsgj0IurXPUF2T0kE68w/s1600/DSC_0814.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZMbVK_mcg7Qvf9rgdiZt9OfJmwsmXMCURyNMpLrp-c56Gk0hCHTFGhmdRb_WCMJofiBUMOavpwyTjSaOAp6AaeoJCf6zyUJ5LFmfzSDK9-9oIxzP29XXLF7Rsgj0IurXPUF2T0kE68w/s400/DSC_0814.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694018750501216162" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtgZDQp0j3IDWYgQC8PNHOVEcH2ip4QNW5OaBNgJynm1cMqSqToCwE3S-FIjSNbtmPID0n8u19U1n8058Bp3SASGSGuAkeGmXG6AtXSk3eXVy-3YdfvSIbiiS3ZRCXezN9NDbWMiBR6Wc/s1600/DSC_0788.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtgZDQp0j3IDWYgQC8PNHOVEcH2ip4QNW5OaBNgJynm1cMqSqToCwE3S-FIjSNbtmPID0n8u19U1n8058Bp3SASGSGuAkeGmXG6AtXSk3eXVy-3YdfvSIbiiS3ZRCXezN9NDbWMiBR6Wc/s400/DSC_0788.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694018743401947586" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvemjHj2dS0iyOt5ldRVCL78vgWDC0J2Qs1Q-0jYU9JOksBFVdE1Eukvl82SL_nudOsvl-sFTIvSYxOM_gd491T3kuOup93qn8zuBccbBP-DXundbnt6bqwcr3tIDu5N32NjSICddA6c/s1600/DSC_0789.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvemjHj2dS0iyOt5ldRVCL78vgWDC0J2Qs1Q-0jYU9JOksBFVdE1Eukvl82SL_nudOsvl-sFTIvSYxOM_gd491T3kuOup93qn8zuBccbBP-DXundbnt6bqwcr3tIDu5N32NjSICddA6c/s400/DSC_0789.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694018733686049986" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6Gw7rWRoSTWjM8yL5VO0a7AHtH3nmECoHZa6GhEWH6Pz_0khU6xBwG8jovmMGd7mHKkpkz-hKJDxrAA4_IaNDLzOGhgDt8CKptddHVxwdA-TOPWOy7XhJ1DpiznnBjBkmh8I9VDx7bQ/s1600/DSC_0785.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6Gw7rWRoSTWjM8yL5VO0a7AHtH3nmECoHZa6GhEWH6Pz_0khU6xBwG8jovmMGd7mHKkpkz-hKJDxrAA4_IaNDLzOGhgDt8CKptddHVxwdA-TOPWOy7XhJ1DpiznnBjBkmh8I9VDx7bQ/s400/DSC_0785.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694018719111722050" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2V_ImiAzz3u7hcYJNNZcWWazrcDKF7pqPJnEIWs-nhSmoVYRSNCITpC-zF0FGbxkruiWFZ5gAjSg5L7Mp9buBgaJ__pi6D7aHa7SemNGH4t3B4Ry8afyuB0lX1yCs4Dw-7tf0qiYRxX0/s1600/DSC_0783.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2V_ImiAzz3u7hcYJNNZcWWazrcDKF7pqPJnEIWs-nhSmoVYRSNCITpC-zF0FGbxkruiWFZ5gAjSg5L7Mp9buBgaJ__pi6D7aHa7SemNGH4t3B4Ry8afyuB0lX1yCs4Dw-7tf0qiYRxX0/s400/DSC_0783.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694018714001154242" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">This was probably the most fun gift of the day... Too bad we had to share it!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZUOonfChjkF_37eB9xD-kn9I0jFDhoc0QCqmvPj0YCyoMkkJi-lVI3ilOyWUlmisjkHQLfclajgisjHDPcxwD-HRWqwEiWDP41mHO8Fs4Ap9tQMphNgeHIFSLGsp-rbPMud99RP5Ghc/s400/DSC_0810.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694021285014258018" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">But I can't forget these hand knitted beauties. They were one of the faves as well!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfn9GxASmq1rvO_UJ3TAeWfckBZohE0GBhPcz3N8aUX8Gyf8dSjD94duDhxZ8ls8IQP6SJa0UxJX1pScN-PyPaU8LSAlII8RRCD6vEMA-c3L3EU-BWUny1A-sEA9ZlPpKg8Aakkhmvj0/s400/DSC_0866.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694021280139454802" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Knitted by none other than Lyssie Lou herself. Wish I could say I taught her those fierce knitting skills...I'll leave that to YouTube.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">...More Christmas updates to come. I know you're super excited.</span></span></div>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-70318053291188144092011-12-28T22:56:00.004-07:002011-12-28T23:22:38.811-07:00Mama Bear at the Movies<div style="text-align: left;">This holiday season has been one of shopping, eating, and movie seeing. We took the kids to a couple of movies and I really enjoyed adoring Robert Downey, Jr.'s hair, quirky personality, and wit. I also admired Tom Cruise's Ray Banned face, stunts, and smarts. Studs, I tell ya. Both of them, pure studs.</div><div><br /></div><div>Our family enjoys a good movie complete with stadium seating, gifted movie tickets, and crowds galore. </div><div><br /></div><div>What I don't enjoy is the occasional doofus who sits in front of one of my children and turns around to tell my child to quit kicking his chair. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Doofus:</b> <i>(Turning around)</i> "Quit kicking my chair."</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Me:</b> <i>(leaning over to Payton who is 3 seats away) </i> "Did you kick his chair?"</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Payton:</b> Shaking his head "no".</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Me:</b> Settling back in to enjoy Tom and his chiseledness - is that a word?</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Ten minutes later...</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Doofus:</b> <i>(Turning around)</i> "Quit kicking my chair!"</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Me:</b> <i>(Leaning over to Payton who is three seats away)</i> "Payton, are you kicking this guy's chair?"</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Payton:</b> Looking shocked and shaking his head "no".</div><div><br /></div><div>Me: <i>(to the doofus in a loud whisper) </i> "He's not kicking your chair. His legs aren't long enough to reach your chair. Leave him alone and turn around and watch the movie!"</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Doofus:</b> Turned around and watched the movie for the rest of the evening.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Me:</b> <i>(Heart pounding out of my chest leaning over to Kourtni)</i>: "Keep your legs very still, I don't want to pick another fight!"</div><div><br /></div><div>Yeah, I'm a grizzly mama bear when it comes to defending my children. Don't mess with me, especially in a dark movie theater cuz I will. take. you. on. </div><div><br /></div><div>Tom Cruise has definitely worn off on me. Sheesh.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhde4_zGunRawC0jESmP0qXeBQh23_7Tl2sNRuNIe1m6p6ee8eUnAn_XOybrRngGhQup1XwzVNsJygyvOt3UEqk4tCj98pl1y_Ayu5jHveHy_hvxerWQz7lNTsezqtMs-epoGVomaEp2c4/s400/DSC_0301.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691431491953872786" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">"Don't you be messin' wit our momma."</span></div>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-72693195521191038862011-12-23T19:34:00.002-07:002011-12-23T20:28:21.125-07:00Houston, we have a concussion...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2jmW2uX-I6AwBBEXo240SJyA5a0Q0TA5MD3baL04kL9l9WrRa58eN4qb5EOPLCwEDn91dh9uT8UROd8IEqEi7Ktlvg8v9wJ7zHSxeka2HYjbI6x2pvE0-AXOg5Ba8xJU-QmqxVrfwz4/s1600/DSC00105.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2jmW2uX-I6AwBBEXo240SJyA5a0Q0TA5MD3baL04kL9l9WrRa58eN4qb5EOPLCwEDn91dh9uT8UROd8IEqEi7Ktlvg8v9wJ7zHSxeka2HYjbI6x2pvE0-AXOg5Ba8xJU-QmqxVrfwz4/s400/DSC00105.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689531179948288258" border="0" /></a><br />A couple of weeks ago, I picked Payton and a couple of his buddies up from a jumpy-bouncy-flippy-how-can-insurance-companies-let-this-happen-place. He and I made eye contact when I walked in the door and I could tell something was wrong with his face. As I got closer to him, I realized his nose was the shape of a 'J' and his eyes were red from tears. Um, what the &*$# happened, only son with a perfect nose of mine??? Long story short, he had done a double flip (it was a <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">double flip</span>, Mom.) and his knee made contact with his little perky nose. I'm not one to remain calm when it comes to accidents happening to my kids. Nope. I scurried him to the car, got on the phone with Bill who told me to call Jeff - our brother/brother-in-law Physician Assistant. I was prepared and ready to hyperventilate as I drove toward the hospital to have his little sniffer checked out when Jeff told me not to. He would check him the next day at Thanksgiving dinner. Needless to say, I was a mess the rest of the night and kept telling Payton to come look at me. Yeah, I know, I'm a little obsessive about this only boy child of mine. He couldn't breathe very well for the next week but the swelling went down and now his little schnoz is the shape of a mild lower case 'j'... Pretty sure he didn't break it after all, but it sure got me worked up and I still ask him to come and look at me so I can determine if there is any "movement".<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Fast forward 3 weeks, new situation, new sport, different child:</span><br /><br />Bill, Pate, and I walked in to the gym to see Kourtni's basketball game, but she wasn't on the court. She had gotten a head to her nose within the first 13 seconds of the varsity game and was on the sideline with an ice pack<span style="font-weight: bold;"> ON HER NOSE</span>. Sheesh. What is it with these kids of mine and their noses??<br /><br />Engage freak out mode for this momma. Great, just great. Another possible broken nose in the Ball household. But it was worse. Much worse than a broken nose. Poor Kourt had to be escorted out of the gym by the trainer because there was evidence that she had suffered a concussion from the rock hard noggin of the player who head butted my daughter. I waited for her to come back to the gym. I waited and waited and asked Bill if I should go to her rescue...he said no. Wait, just wait. Pretty soon the Athletic Director climbed the bleachers to where we were sitting and told us I needed to come with him because our daughter had suffered a concussion. Serious stuff. Especially in the state of Idaho. Within the past couple of years there have been major steps taken to protect young athletes who have had concussions. Kourtni was put through a battery of cognitive tests while she was laying on the training table. Her pupils were tracked, questions about months of the year and scores of previous games were asked along with a myriad of other questions to test her cognition. Two weeks minimum away from playing her favorite sport. No running allowed, no "thinking" recommended, no driving, no sports watching on TV, no high school basketball game attending. All in all - a mellow weekend was prescribed for our Kourt. This was all very concerning and I was a little afraid for her well being until I heard Kourtni say, "I just want to punch the girl who did this in the face." That's my girl. I knew she was ok.<br /><br />She still isn't practicing with the team; instead doing 30 minutes of monotonous stationary bike riding until she gets the clear from our local hospital. It's been a pain for Kourtni. She wants to play. Her team has been plagued with injuries, and she wants to get in some "ballin' time"!<br /><br />Better safe than sorry though. Even though she really likes the black eye she's sporting, we want Kourtni to leave high school with as many brain cells as she had when she entered! Oh, and her nose is just as button-like as ever, by the way.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWPvQM7j8DuKGDdDn6sw2d17UEsYfZ6Zi3c0h98k9-a4wywjIRLKLm3ojeOOyivP4bUPYko6_0aPR4McVQeNG6WjiYDsomqStuV6uOH-12teX0WVoZLtdZ-k-2lTuNI0eh5WwbKK7NhU/s1600/DSC00104.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWPvQM7j8DuKGDdDn6sw2d17UEsYfZ6Zi3c0h98k9-a4wywjIRLKLm3ojeOOyivP4bUPYko6_0aPR4McVQeNG6WjiYDsomqStuV6uOH-12teX0WVoZLtdZ-k-2lTuNI0eh5WwbKK7NhU/s400/DSC00104.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689531187374400210" border="0" /></a>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-55026091690262843182011-12-22T21:25:00.004-07:002011-12-22T22:18:21.846-07:00My Yearly Addiction<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvfkg8uU3e887TyeZklM3KVZs43p4349sQGVtwx9CL57dzQCJKGoKqa0_l_-i77NXsQH2Ftz_9wWOyxQIw2DWdL_-8ACW2xqKhp0Rx-GiSV9fZqOPb_D6s-sRBMTy5rYNNwXPLkYjk8k/s1600/DSC00111.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvfkg8uU3e887TyeZklM3KVZs43p4349sQGVtwx9CL57dzQCJKGoKqa0_l_-i77NXsQH2Ftz_9wWOyxQIw2DWdL_-8ACW2xqKhp0Rx-GiSV9fZqOPb_D6s-sRBMTy5rYNNwXPLkYjk8k/s400/DSC00111.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689186178347658386" border="0" /></a>It happens once a year. I make my nemesis.<br />My "crack".<br />My addiction for a day.<br />My buttery, corn syrupy, brown sugary, molassesy (is that a word?) confection.<br /><br />Ah, yes, it is my love. It is what makes my legs squish out more when I sit down. It is what makes my belly hang over my belt with more abandon. It is what makes my face look like Alvin the Chipmunk. It is what makes the butt part of my jeans fit a little bit tighter. It is...<br /><br />the dreaded<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:180%;">C A R M E L C O R N!<br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1YFeufMXWl66K1cEsoNMCnC0p7CoINI_VbJfr0uW-AK3HeTL2-vfyn0P4lUtyCKkVpzYAnstyqgfpexmt1gPgwn5ax-OoFrHqOF0FhqPhCnyP4hPQuXwFKB4QjI1iSyI46IayDWuZc4/s1600/DSC00116.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1YFeufMXWl66K1cEsoNMCnC0p7CoINI_VbJfr0uW-AK3HeTL2-vfyn0P4lUtyCKkVpzYAnstyqgfpexmt1gPgwn5ax-OoFrHqOF0FhqPhCnyP4hPQuXwFKB4QjI1iSyI46IayDWuZc4/s400/DSC00116.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689186162493232514" border="0" /></a><br />I look forward to this treat all year. I throw all my health food crazed notions to the wind on this day, and I indulge with a capital "I". Yes, people, I am an addict of crunchy carmel crazed goodness.<br /><br />I have a great recipe and I'm not afraid to use it. At any other time of the year I would laugh hysterically if you asked me to consume even a fourth of what I ate today. I would scoff at the notion that corn syrup - alas, even the high fructose variety - would enter my body. And the butter, oh, the butter. I am not afraid of the vast amounts of butter on carmel corn day. I laugh at it in the face as I unpeel four cubes of the greasy stuff to put on the stove to melt into oblivion in my delicious concoction.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQv0jAazxSniFUyGWXDQgDq687ubAJLrdQEvC13LbaMHALKaFBh0bcVmpO4Ch_CQbneWIe5h4zBjCVhQSycUDsc7zuWOpTh2n1IYTvelcDNGuvxQN5EBCe9Akw-X_uAGMYbVqqWpXBjQ/s1600/DSC00115.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQv0jAazxSniFUyGWXDQgDq687ubAJLrdQEvC13LbaMHALKaFBh0bcVmpO4Ch_CQbneWIe5h4zBjCVhQSycUDsc7zuWOpTh2n1IYTvelcDNGuvxQN5EBCe9Akw-X_uAGMYbVqqWpXBjQ/s400/DSC00115.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689186168937396978" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The fifth, sixth, and seventh batch. I've eaten almost the whole pan with the green spoon in it...</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I'm good like that - er, actually BAD like that.</span><br /></div><br />I'll pay for it tomorrow, and the next day, and when I want to wear my skinny jeans, and especially when I get the courage to step on to the bathroom scales. BUT...I'll run harder, longer, I'll work out with more gusto, and I'll have amazing memories knowing that I had a day full of bliss with my beloved carmel corn confection.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSSOI6BT6wc5nqfgeCGRFEi4iWCH0rcJxLEbmULlxcEbIoSnRXVhHeb1cVHZ-ObAidsYhaqGCNsaRXQxgfrXgSFfBDNGLs4eGUW_SBQ1davV4jDTW6OfhSKff8Lk9TBliimxApkFXFzRw/s1600/DSC00114.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSSOI6BT6wc5nqfgeCGRFEi4iWCH0rcJxLEbmULlxcEbIoSnRXVhHeb1cVHZ-ObAidsYhaqGCNsaRXQxgfrXgSFfBDNGLs4eGUW_SBQ1davV4jDTW6OfhSKff8Lk9TBliimxApkFXFzRw/s400/DSC00114.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689186188605025026" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Payton was in his happy place while I was in mine.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEian47fBKRx22IAGr1WArSLPDt_lbCOay49fFbTZSJERIxgCXGNrXXufSNiEZtWEe59QtvQ-luqH8DQcTiGlfIe7jM8ZZ5zq7Bv7av6TwJewBq4fvqgDq59zKaHJj7fs1P2FwJVjUwi2LI/s1600/DSC00113.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEian47fBKRx22IAGr1WArSLPDt_lbCOay49fFbTZSJERIxgCXGNrXXufSNiEZtWEe59QtvQ-luqH8DQcTiGlfIe7jM8ZZ5zq7Bv7av6TwJewBq4fvqgDq59zKaHJj7fs1P2FwJVjUwi2LI/s400/DSC00113.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689186197755464322" border="0" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >I did share some of it.</span></a><br /></div>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-44265535212422516662011-12-02T21:49:00.003-07:002011-12-02T22:04:44.030-07:00Awwwww...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZhJUnX3GWpChey4PSf05o8Yo8EZ1guAntZkHHG2ZhHtl4KfjeOwpfH8aPSImlzovCpPaBRzdV8SbEzXpNpQH-kEaVx_Q3FwkizXRYQCy4MqsEHVVBxPAnpZm8Ozf2yyKi8L_IqLNVhQ/s1600/DSC09778.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZhJUnX3GWpChey4PSf05o8Yo8EZ1guAntZkHHG2ZhHtl4KfjeOwpfH8aPSImlzovCpPaBRzdV8SbEzXpNpQH-kEaVx_Q3FwkizXRYQCy4MqsEHVVBxPAnpZm8Ozf2yyKi8L_IqLNVhQ/s400/DSC09778.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681762815386384066" /></a><br /><b>Bill on the phone to Payton:</b> "It's time to come home, Payton, we're going to the Christmas party."<div><b>Payton:</b> "I really don't want to go."</div><div><b>Friends in the background:</b> "Don't go, we're not going, don't go!"</div><div><b>Payton:</b> "Do I have to go?"</div><div><b>Bill:</b> "Well, we're eating dinner there, what will you eat if you don't go?"</div><div><b>Payton:</b> "I don't know, I'll find something."</div><div><b>Bill:</b> "OK, you don't have to, you can stay home."</div><div><b>Payton:</b> "Does Mom want me to go?"</div><div><b>Bill:</b> "She'd like you to come with us."</div><div><b>Payton:</b> "OK, I'll be right there then. I'll go. Be right home."</div><div><br /></div><div>Isn't that the cutest, sweetest thing you've ever heard a son say to/about his mother? I'm so glad I have a boy - a great kid who still kisses me good-bye when I drop him off at school, in front of the jr. high, where 7th, 8th, and 9th graders are walking into the building acting all cool and whatnot. Yep, that's my Patey and I'll take as many loves as this boy is willing to shell out to his mother!</div>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-39143274016185306962011-10-29T22:49:00.009-06:002011-11-20T16:41:57.459-07:00Thanksgiving break + a little time = a new post<div>First off, the date today is really November 20...disregard the date above. I'm a computer dork and don't know how to fix it... Carry on:</div><div><br /></div><div>There comes a time each fall when most people are more thankful than at any other time of the year. You guessed it: Thanksgiving. I'm also very thankful for Thanksgiving: the food, the pumpkin desserts in abundance, the smells, the weather, the love, the (gas) fire in the (gas) fireplace, and a wonderful family whom I adore! </div><div><br /></div><div>BUT...</div><div>There is another reason I get absolutely giddy with thanks at this time of year...</div><div><br /></div><div><b>One whole week off from school! </b> </div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, my goodness, how I am thankful for this week off from the alarm clock, from planning lessons, from chaotic mornings, and from rushing here and there to find things for school. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yep, I (and every other teacher in my school district) and EXTREMELY grateful for this week of bliss and celebration! </div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, and it also gave me a little time to put some pictures on this pathetic ole blog! Enjoy! (I know I will!!)</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is a little peek of some things that have been going on this fall here at the Ball's:</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhKXCD_IPcXJTV2cQMtoBD5D9IrnQ3rWrPQ9OfBsz4fIZfXpjOc1jct4lEpyvIFHtSGNG97kzGDVEbT8eaF1ySIaCWclvzzM8a_5EMzvg3bR1Rl4wQvbAqvZyGTbbNf_bWlWLvKfSlBY/s1600/DSC09868.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhKXCD_IPcXJTV2cQMtoBD5D9IrnQ3rWrPQ9OfBsz4fIZfXpjOc1jct4lEpyvIFHtSGNG97kzGDVEbT8eaF1ySIaCWclvzzM8a_5EMzvg3bR1Rl4wQvbAqvZyGTbbNf_bWlWLvKfSlBY/s400/DSC09868.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669400742344516562" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Yep, when we get together we love to eat and be photographed enjoying the food...</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RfoKieyAaqj7DUqun3ttfgsZzYDUo90laKkmPG17YdS5_kmZATQQe1RI_zWiEfp4veWGp8howgPXT0mJzhP2hBApRPxBm8xuJbzchLJ-H0SJhm597Ew4oHczEvrs54iQhziQnnbrsFo/s1600/DSC09855.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RfoKieyAaqj7DUqun3ttfgsZzYDUo90laKkmPG17YdS5_kmZATQQe1RI_zWiEfp4veWGp8howgPXT0mJzhP2hBApRPxBm8xuJbzchLJ-H0SJhm597Ew4oHczEvrs54iQhziQnnbrsFo/s400/DSC09855.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669400728815308450" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Mr. and Mrs. Seth Roth! What a great looking couple, no?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwEut8pUHPZa2LWy1dICUozLdQTrbW3XgQQFf4frvuGhEm_ffqGELpGxNrXdIou0cqUSf2hKfx8NS4U6V-b78SgIlCKDVmhHUGzYu-CLkB0Fax-Dc4cTlmW_N2ILu8sz1PqTCsnVH9hg/s1600/DSC09842.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwEut8pUHPZa2LWy1dICUozLdQTrbW3XgQQFf4frvuGhEm_ffqGELpGxNrXdIou0cqUSf2hKfx8NS4U6V-b78SgIlCKDVmhHUGzYu-CLkB0Fax-Dc4cTlmW_N2ILu8sz1PqTCsnVH9hg/s400/DSC09842.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669400725209104194" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Four of the Ball boy cousins - Payton, Ryker, Ryan, and Preston.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCNT-H_1c1oQ8wSKP99xdjLEXWfMEK1W19qc5uPxHfUCJ7pHzh9u8AADd8f0aakQxqBVb3Avz-NBeukKpgtmgTSf2C4kH_4QNRC7IsxIZbUCN9V2ZWKt4T8xiezZKXv1_fl0Y5VUrVIg/s1600/DSC09841.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCNT-H_1c1oQ8wSKP99xdjLEXWfMEK1W19qc5uPxHfUCJ7pHzh9u8AADd8f0aakQxqBVb3Avz-NBeukKpgtmgTSf2C4kH_4QNRC7IsxIZbUCN9V2ZWKt4T8xiezZKXv1_fl0Y5VUrVIg/s400/DSC09841.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669400703876966562" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Aren't the backs of their heads ridiculous??</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDp54U4zIWFUmM0uyUFCYk1TOV8mJon9eZc4i4CLSP1Yat1z77tkcf0-YfchL11pV-V218tGBxe6CxbZIg4hKJPBC2mY21LxQ_q_XQ0QM6c47Asu13WcKqil-ww82Nb1k5Ks0kYxOF_0/s1600/DSC09835.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDp54U4zIWFUmM0uyUFCYk1TOV8mJon9eZc4i4CLSP1Yat1z77tkcf0-YfchL11pV-V218tGBxe6CxbZIg4hKJPBC2mY21LxQ_q_XQ0QM6c47Asu13WcKqil-ww82Nb1k5Ks0kYxOF_0/s400/DSC09835.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669400703175885458" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Candid shot of the very candid Ball gang.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinv-knD3Q795WQFeJr6cM7dRuu3AK8A6ONEaqhowlzN30Zg9EqYo-06357DI4yTth6ZxiUU4FDv9ku2pnn0oNIw9gkYj_7eH3aWZU-kr1ol-Ww56sXZCCP63tbcv0D06gW_yIwoZ6yTsY/s1600/DSC09824.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinv-knD3Q795WQFeJr6cM7dRuu3AK8A6ONEaqhowlzN30Zg9EqYo-06357DI4yTth6ZxiUU4FDv9ku2pnn0oNIw9gkYj_7eH3aWZU-kr1ol-Ww56sXZCCP63tbcv0D06gW_yIwoZ6yTsY/s400/DSC09824.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669398981469446034" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">We didn't even try to coordinate and look how great these gals look! Lindsay, Brynlee, Kourtni, and Alyssa.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6-1C6jzd7v0YePvRf0HxwZlGSElxo4TDBHjtKta3titN4Ql9InFHvhY2nvxlW0TmumDBNL_FtLIUe2x-afQzDCZuPQhFoDY3aF9tVXDXI0f1hUhYtosc6ESl1CVwhnzwXXVO-XhZi1lI/s1600/DSC09813.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6-1C6jzd7v0YePvRf0HxwZlGSElxo4TDBHjtKta3titN4Ql9InFHvhY2nvxlW0TmumDBNL_FtLIUe2x-afQzDCZuPQhFoDY3aF9tVXDXI0f1hUhYtosc6ESl1CVwhnzwXXVO-XhZi1lI/s400/DSC09813.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669398970587614082" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Two blue-eyed beauties - and best friends/cousins. So sweet.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCuFI2WoFIJ5U39AvLXm2DoclssoSFiOrsoVJXAz9KjJrVi-yhO5sWSnz817oo9BFp5xEKfpLdXuS8qCU06e2tVnK11DcXMXlLQuMOCqvCM5MMfrdxlO8cM1mb-rlnNcMB8tudeNeFoik/s1600/DSC09809.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCuFI2WoFIJ5U39AvLXm2DoclssoSFiOrsoVJXAz9KjJrVi-yhO5sWSnz817oo9BFp5xEKfpLdXuS8qCU06e2tVnK11DcXMXlLQuMOCqvCM5MMfrdxlO8cM1mb-rlnNcMB8tudeNeFoik/s400/DSC09809.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669398960840788834" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The family at sweet Grandma Burleigh's funeral in Evanston. What a beautiful day to celebrate her life. A wonderful program with lots of family to see and re-acquaint ourselves with.</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDdFkgiX4KAscquGu33rDErIzdeR021ZuHw2VypvYaJJiYtX3QlDKtz5_ekLSJwZFy92y7yFryZT6rxhdh-kdkBg0XhYQeGfpx3ArBs37re-oW6_3FTUXqR1TM0boovS_Ru10nyjFd2Eg/s1600/DSC09806.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDdFkgiX4KAscquGu33rDErIzdeR021ZuHw2VypvYaJJiYtX3QlDKtz5_ekLSJwZFy92y7yFryZT6rxhdh-kdkBg0XhYQeGfpx3ArBs37re-oW6_3FTUXqR1TM0boovS_Ru10nyjFd2Eg/s400/DSC09806.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669398933834612434" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Mom and her kids minus Kenyon who had to catch his flight to Hawaii.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NTNi9ZQidGQGDS3i0RbiX6BwdBoX53nVoQTSsPqfXE2PwyYN8XfIy3FIlZk7XuLD4Te66B6BHx3ZPvcSpbB1QmnhGFyxNPyvOXbeKxhexHh2rFhmyMRFPC15fL6exUPFUHzBpQVGpfE/s1600/DSC09774.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NTNi9ZQidGQGDS3i0RbiX6BwdBoX53nVoQTSsPqfXE2PwyYN8XfIy3FIlZk7XuLD4Te66B6BHx3ZPvcSpbB1QmnhGFyxNPyvOXbeKxhexHh2rFhmyMRFPC15fL6exUPFUHzBpQVGpfE/s400/DSC09774.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669397888059496930" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">A labor day bike ride - yeah, we still can't get enough of the baby of the bunch. We love to hold him whenever we can...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL21h9G4lXVyG4hd97vzZOIcpd5P1N9W4wesJk7aj-RCev-bhDFRb2l0NIgWwd3RShpbB88O4XYCz_fwShHwr18U-kl21fSfsCNVkMLtNpFuLIn0MttmFXyFps4LOSzxymHkN7Z0vdkgg/s1600/DSC09739.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL21h9G4lXVyG4hd97vzZOIcpd5P1N9W4wesJk7aj-RCev-bhDFRb2l0NIgWwd3RShpbB88O4XYCz_fwShHwr18U-kl21fSfsCNVkMLtNpFuLIn0MttmFXyFps4LOSzxymHkN7Z0vdkgg/s400/DSC09739.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669397884569159602" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Lindsay took to cross country running like a pro. She was born to run.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjQmJKk-rY-U7Sg9amPhf6T_NLGfQ4u8p5CB0i32vFNuwYttKfRHhLYIrIZ7C_EnReEppwf7EJl7guWgySKoVAKkEGm_LBGrMTFcMQLe8e8WGAD_17KD2V8JqnhpOZ-HIlxIATOLUJBo/s1600/DSC09728.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjQmJKk-rY-U7Sg9amPhf6T_NLGfQ4u8p5CB0i32vFNuwYttKfRHhLYIrIZ7C_EnReEppwf7EJl7guWgySKoVAKkEGm_LBGrMTFcMQLe8e8WGAD_17KD2V8JqnhpOZ-HIlxIATOLUJBo/s400/DSC09728.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669397880315753570" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjChuIpMuGsH6o0dn03rf-KccAP9nBZnpy-BWN4VkrbPvOK9mWGh35RfV3sDb4l_gVFAv-Zi4Km7jS9SVgk_wQHqfSLwFWB0ZQ0sGGAnwk7ADStiTNtkNUMxomz49epck_jgaDgJXKJyw/s1600/DSC09724.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjChuIpMuGsH6o0dn03rf-KccAP9nBZnpy-BWN4VkrbPvOK9mWGh35RfV3sDb4l_gVFAv-Zi4Km7jS9SVgk_wQHqfSLwFWB0ZQ0sGGAnwk7ADStiTNtkNUMxomz49epck_jgaDgJXKJyw/s400/DSC09724.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669397862964418642" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9tRVxGLDr0h9iD3wKCYZwsB5Nct_nYYEN1hQI_XcMksL9N29qzb4rGwY7lk91rposBp44j6T0PJmlhJe6Za3eKP61zEv5cvLj68NL7tOnK6bfdasd8G0OPuWk4TnEghneZyRCQV2_VE/s1600/DSC09688.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9tRVxGLDr0h9iD3wKCYZwsB5Nct_nYYEN1hQI_XcMksL9N29qzb4rGwY7lk91rposBp44j6T0PJmlhJe6Za3eKP61zEv5cvLj68NL7tOnK6bfdasd8G0OPuWk4TnEghneZyRCQV2_VE/s400/DSC09688.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669397856295799938" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">First day of 11th grade. Where has the time gone...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3LTWpWdnjnymBkHC4L8DVi515wLpHv87EXWl82R1dBj7EtqYWqwi6Py8oT0rxzv91HKzqeQ73ULkGaqbytGG8WAlWquHoVZtyaQZ_QGA9xc1yN2Z3VfP-gh6VHrav_fffWFJBhTh99Xg/s400/DSC09684.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669396670859819826" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">My newest sophomore, little Lindsay. sigh.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnawug5HzWh050hDQBnFZaPlfyA8__i9rcaRNFJ997xSEi4Tqx947w-bwlHRq_6Rc3qfzM7ZYSAvDSLUV-yb6S8Isk3F5l2eMMzjJjXwzaxG4fftCetN2J-HEqFEQ8YsPzSy4yTSpeNsE/s1600/DSC09686.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnawug5HzWh050hDQBnFZaPlfyA8__i9rcaRNFJ997xSEi4Tqx947w-bwlHRq_6Rc3qfzM7ZYSAvDSLUV-yb6S8Isk3F5l2eMMzjJjXwzaxG4fftCetN2J-HEqFEQ8YsPzSy4yTSpeNsE/s400/DSC09686.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669396679427501346" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The stud of the eighth grade...(at least in mom's eyes!)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7B7E-X68PVwweL2G2Z4VLLETlUeSfJOGTqfWTREGac9FHLQu8Hrb9FsrhyL6GZaf_5aqWkwQ5WoYxy303td-TRWpztFBFKKDuujpzGoLiK4T-x9xoE267Kuuu9bzULUppKHKkwAGzHaY/s1600/DSC09679.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7B7E-X68PVwweL2G2Z4VLLETlUeSfJOGTqfWTREGac9FHLQu8Hrb9FsrhyL6GZaf_5aqWkwQ5WoYxy303td-TRWpztFBFKKDuujpzGoLiK4T-x9xoE267Kuuu9bzULUppKHKkwAGzHaY/s400/DSC09679.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669396669686161698" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Summer lovin' (note the tans...) and summer birthdays!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0tWLmaXiZFHFATv2DXpLcjjTnrG0Xr72-iZ7ZAWF7Xqtoedvixxby34QoaxbmUofjVjJVX9FPEdOSs9iFMsNXgfOaKGkH7vCkQo0J_M6CxRz604M3tXw2SV4Pt4TNtA7ts16aW1U6q0/s400/DSC09666.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669396648914184178" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Two chocolate cream pies from the truck stop, please. Yes, it was a request and, yes, they really were from a truck stop. Delicious, too!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1eYjGhvvNtEdCGcp57mCWKwbP_jrVxjsXZozySAFjyeZokz79d0pJ4C6y_UufoAhcLN_EiTYM5_jIaNC-ZtHtF1zYZkJpeRx7Qyf84DRRZE1t59DvwPOJgSuwEpbndZSOVROGMWwdBM/s1600/DSC09663.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1eYjGhvvNtEdCGcp57mCWKwbP_jrVxjsXZozySAFjyeZokz79d0pJ4C6y_UufoAhcLN_EiTYM5_jIaNC-ZtHtF1zYZkJpeRx7Qyf84DRRZE1t59DvwPOJgSuwEpbndZSOVROGMWwdBM/s400/DSC09663.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669396651442416882" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Little trekkers off to the Owyhee desert for 3 days to get a taste of what the pioneers faced. Bill and I got a taste of what empty nesting will feel like: WIERD!!</div></div>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-50104948986000546972011-10-12T16:38:00.002-06:002011-10-12T16:57:36.135-06:00Bye bye flip phone...I have never thought twice about the coolness of cell phones. Truthfully, they are not a status symbol to me. Never have been, never will be. I didn't mind when Kourtni and Lindsay got my upgrade 2 years ago. Didn't mind when Bill and Alyssa got cool new phones WITH data plans last Christmas. Nope. It was just me and old blue - old "flipper"! <div><br /></div><div>I never thought twice about my status as a flip phone holder. Never even thought I was uncool when I answered my phone by unfolding it. I didn't even realize what I was missing when everyone around me was surfing the internet, reading the news in class, checking Facebook at church, or, heaven forbid, reading their scriptures on those little gadgets.</div><div><br /></div><div>Never thought twice about it until I pulled out my phone in a class I took with several teachers from my school.</div><div><br /></div><div>Me: Pulling out my phone to check for a lone text that one of my children didn't send me.</div><div>PE teacher: <b><i>Aghast </i></b>- YOU have a flip phone?</div><div>Me: Yeah, I do. I use it to text and call my kids and husband.</div><div>PE teacher: <b><i>Aghast</i></b> - I didn't know anyone had flip phones anymore.</div><div>Me: Well, I do, and I love it!</div><div>PE teacher: Still aghast and speechless.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was a great relationship with old "flipper". We got along well, I learned to text at lightening speed, and I could talk on that thing for hours without getting too many neck cramps. I really liked him. (Not sure if the phone was a girl or not...) </div><div><br /></div><div>I dropped old "flipper" in the parking lot a couple of weeks ago. I had done it plenty of times before so I didn't give it much thought as I bent over to pick up the three pieces that had fallen off after skidding across the blacktop. As I put the pieces together, a feeling of dread came across me. There was no life in my phone. Just a white screen. A barren white screen. No familiar picture that told me if I had texts or messages! Crap. Crap, crap, crap. A trip to the T-mobile store was in order.</div><div><br /></div><div>Fast forward to the next day. I was weak. I needed a phone and needed one pronto. I was prepared to pay $0 in the store and get myself another good old flipper. Imagine my horror when the sales guy told me that the 6 flip phones he carried were going to be obsolete in a couple of months. WHY would I NOT want a SMART phone??? Peer pressure crept over me. Panic struck at my core. I was totally missing out on something I really didn't care about - I know cuz the sales guy told me. Pressure, fatigue, desperation, and weakness set in. </div><div>I caved. </div><div>I tested.</div><div>I listened with tired ears.</div><div>I pondered.</div><div>I purchased.</div><div>I didn't spend $0. </div><div>Nope. Add about $130 to that number.</div><div><br /></div><div>What's a girl to do? Most of MY parts are becoming obsolete; I don't want my phone to become obsolete as well! </div><div><br /></div><div>Long story short, I am now the owner of a SMART phone that makes me feel very UN-SMART. In fact it makes me feel rather stupid. I miss my old phone. I miss the ease at which I could operate it. I miss the cute little envelope that told me I had texts, or a message. I miss old "flipper". </div><div><br /></div><div>May he (or she) rest in pieces...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-53817986284277277182011-09-30T11:33:00.004-06:002011-09-30T11:44:47.020-06:00Fall in the Palm of my Shirt<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AIMiypGvPGGqjzf65thNB0MCjrGFSH3l1UQ5Vhp_mHxsWws2SHxJwafBD1GppOuJ6e_avrVvgXykHlS5AXroTgtFOGXRpfQqA_zqSCxVVvHUR1qBlY32Qy2PnsjprBiCOHbm_0z59PI/s1600/DSC09811.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AIMiypGvPGGqjzf65thNB0MCjrGFSH3l1UQ5Vhp_mHxsWws2SHxJwafBD1GppOuJ6e_avrVvgXykHlS5AXroTgtFOGXRpfQqA_zqSCxVVvHUR1qBlY32Qy2PnsjprBiCOHbm_0z59PI/s400/DSC09811.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658208049757729906" /></a>Yes, that's my shirt holding all those lovely homegrown wonders...And I didn't even plant a thing this year. All those gorgeous gals are compliments of last year - volunteers who wanted to stick around for another year in my measly, pathetic weed infested, chicken loving garden. <div><br /></div><div>I'm glad they stayed. Wish they could be here 'til November when I'm REALLY craving a garden treat. *sigh*</div>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-21183874182788784572011-09-15T18:19:00.006-06:002011-09-16T17:09:23.572-06:00Happy Birthday, Mr. Ball<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOm-A5v9qYkntmXtr_xVnbV89gcpaKK4E6UqD-X8lfuFfl00TrK4fsc4kuGSdePP47tQaAKKlwz7l-DWPK0e4mIKeOa6DnNFOg5Jb4cfo9Ce6GwFa-A4UqSislkhuA27J_rLd6ywyJXi0/s1600/DSC08097.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL0ntuvxiEny803oiwoWFxc9iIq4F-aJd6GQYG_3zdPfbDySB433HeNpiK-jxGL9nPL6LnKbRmoQ_OxlmZu6pp2P3ZDlaNvN3KKldZycnISsPGGyFbQvIbAhxSA2iMpJbQsJJcXjj8Hnc/s1600/DSC08249.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL0ntuvxiEny803oiwoWFxc9iIq4F-aJd6GQYG_3zdPfbDySB433HeNpiK-jxGL9nPL6LnKbRmoQ_OxlmZu6pp2P3ZDlaNvN3KKldZycnISsPGGyFbQvIbAhxSA2iMpJbQsJJcXjj8Hnc/s320/DSC08249.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652748610363839586" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">It was his birthday yesterday.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyW-ajSm1T7pzhRK4bEC_61cIlf6n8j-l_J6mB6pSztJ-453zXUcPZ1-ALE2fXnUPQAz6XRfYPDdxkNuwrH9VEXltLf9AC9rbQRS1baLf6_ch4VqKZVgbgtPXoEA8eaNVr4cFD4pbOZTk/s1600/DSC09142.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyW-ajSm1T7pzhRK4bEC_61cIlf6n8j-l_J6mB6pSztJ-453zXUcPZ1-ALE2fXnUPQAz6XRfYPDdxkNuwrH9VEXltLf9AC9rbQRS1baLf6_ch4VqKZVgbgtPXoEA8eaNVr4cFD4pbOZTk/s320/DSC09142.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652746624840231202" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">He took me to Hawaii this summer! </div><div style="text-align: center;"> (I know it's blurry but I<b> like</b> it...)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2luiZEwSmriDaDOPCn-G6kzUpHlKd6KHpiEMXolypu-MR2CilI4nbY2eMa41bf_hsOm9JoIMZj57VD8vF6BlxI673nVYigyabrxHSPzgB6OTNK5tvFKuvMoUhWeUVC22yBdcvwV4A27E/s1600/DSC08004.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2luiZEwSmriDaDOPCn-G6kzUpHlKd6KHpiEMXolypu-MR2CilI4nbY2eMa41bf_hsOm9JoIMZj57VD8vF6BlxI673nVYigyabrxHSPzgB6OTNK5tvFKuvMoUhWeUVC22yBdcvwV4A27E/s320/DSC08004.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652746622819081474" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">He's a GREAT dad!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCJBxH9nAOitYN3F5XbCv-VJFSAH-WdYPF-fvVOMi1YyoUIapQqXfW8NyjFmesBIrjfWjg7TUKnEgOHYXHPInYpU1v7y9QxiXaJp72lIHDzGWUFD83MZhJijEkzpqOwGJSC51oVmRQFs/s1600/DSC07800.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCJBxH9nAOitYN3F5XbCv-VJFSAH-WdYPF-fvVOMi1YyoUIapQqXfW8NyjFmesBIrjfWjg7TUKnEgOHYXHPInYpU1v7y9QxiXaJp72lIHDzGWUFD83MZhJijEkzpqOwGJSC51oVmRQFs/s320/DSC07800.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652746617960646258" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Lookin' good in them glasses, boy!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipiRvIqxXNyj-6-Iu-kYiuy3LvKiBhK4GXc63z9lH0MGSCaPUVzFV-WAO8Kfe84pmg1aawm18xpAk32sEaQlQhWFzQzf6jp9TEIZcgss3ywIVYQNxGRqEq0xb6OlTq79B5ePsxv5HNQig/s1600/DSC07761.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipiRvIqxXNyj-6-Iu-kYiuy3LvKiBhK4GXc63z9lH0MGSCaPUVzFV-WAO8Kfe84pmg1aawm18xpAk32sEaQlQhWFzQzf6jp9TEIZcgss3ywIVYQNxGRqEq0xb6OlTq79B5ePsxv5HNQig/s320/DSC07761.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652746611255467042" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">His kids LOVE, LOVE, LOVE him!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOm-A5v9qYkntmXtr_xVnbV89gcpaKK4E6UqD-X8lfuFfl00TrK4fsc4kuGSdePP47tQaAKKlwz7l-DWPK0e4mIKeOa6DnNFOg5Jb4cfo9Ce6GwFa-A4UqSislkhuA27J_rLd6ywyJXi0/s320/DSC08097.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653097926258181682" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">He goes as many of the kids' events as he can, AND,</div><div style="text-align: center;">He can pull off wearing a beanie indoors!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJnIQL-3rA0rVo5jIrb2N-GCMcpqQu_z05929fUVCgSEnVkHci7tDirRebYsvfA5kjPIigtTvSETu09oUu_W02H5wBfgpktQo7LfttE5EDiCBmxFihBBX_Jg-62_Bo88iCfkhQPUxm3A/s1600/DSC07755.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJnIQL-3rA0rVo5jIrb2N-GCMcpqQu_z05929fUVCgSEnVkHci7tDirRebYsvfA5kjPIigtTvSETu09oUu_W02H5wBfgpktQo7LfttE5EDiCBmxFihBBX_Jg-62_Bo88iCfkhQPUxm3A/s320/DSC07755.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652746606581668962" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">This is where he'll spend the majority of his time during college football season...</div><div style="text-align: center;">(With that goofy kid in the background along for the ride.)</div><div style="text-align: center;">And I'm definitely OK with that.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Love you, Bill</div><div style="text-align: center;">46 never looked so good!</div>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-78649823486205423892011-08-19T17:31:00.004-06:002011-08-19T17:37:59.874-06:00Mars Midnight<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6h3SF4gnFeK3H7cMxCGSHeVz67lFWM_5pz5QZDC-PzVqli9yA8JUPdXkM9AbGXpnts_CfBKf5K62EgwCG7Q1FH_o7s6lYLdQf7obiz8Qw2OZ6vPKOuQE4NwEnmL4nLB1ot9j2E8whn4/s1600/Midnight-c_u.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6h3SF4gnFeK3H7cMxCGSHeVz67lFWM_5pz5QZDC-PzVqli9yA8JUPdXkM9AbGXpnts_CfBKf5K62EgwCG7Q1FH_o7s6lYLdQf7obiz8Qw2OZ6vPKOuQE4NwEnmL4nLB1ot9j2E8whn4/s320/Midnight-c_u.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642715448653128034" /></a>
<br />I got by with a little help from my dark chocolate, sweet carmel, delicious nougat friend. <div>
<br /><div>Yep, it was one of those days. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Look what getting ready for school does to me. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>I'm weak, I tell you. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>W.E.A.K.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>*Sigh*</div><div>
<br /></div><div>
<br /></div></div>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-66307852248649469042011-08-11T23:10:00.003-06:002011-08-11T23:42:58.033-06:00Happiest Place on Earth
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLZGSsdHULzuiROUoZOeyIeTO-oFpSbmWLRupJm4xVRpza6ZNxT7YXPQjA1XqGxcNf6HlXS5xH551r1TpFQSNCrkDrlwCKyrm_NRYnb0nKNa7O8Pi-VcOR-tUY_zKF0PsYhVZfNny7cw/s1600/DSC09343.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLZGSsdHULzuiROUoZOeyIeTO-oFpSbmWLRupJm4xVRpza6ZNxT7YXPQjA1XqGxcNf6HlXS5xH551r1TpFQSNCrkDrlwCKyrm_NRYnb0nKNa7O8Pi-VcOR-tUY_zKF0PsYhVZfNny7cw/s320/DSC09343.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639828039746981634" border="0" /></a>True Fact: In all my 43 years of living I have never been to Disneyland. That all changed in July when Bill and I took the kids (and myself) to the happiest place on earth where all your dreams come true. (And you stand and stand and stand and stand some more in mile long lines. Good thing I'm 43 years old and VERY patient.)
<br /></div>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;">We took lots of pictures. Lots of them. I could show you the pictures of us in a traffic jam from Las Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga, or I could show you pictures of the Disneyland fireworks, or the pictures of our "nasty" little motel across the road and down a ways from Disneyland, or I could post pictures of us eating lunch in the park, or having a picnic on a high school lawn, or maybe I could show you the pictures taken at the San Diego Zoo, or a picture of Shamu from Sea World, but, to tell you the truth, the funniest pictures of all
<br />were the pictures we took
<br />of the pictures the park took
<br />of our final seconds on some of the most fun rides I have ever been on.
<br />Yeah, those are definitely some of my favorites so here you go:
<br />
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bJsB8ZdK1PatQH0l6r0X7JXFT1Ktmnm0vVSl6IOi7gmpcEofy7S9OZeoEo8EgcslJhUJBvgnzA4b82S8QzJB3HPK1Zd5ugFrO_bskmqxnzU0dpOPnGuzgiCv39sVTo4FBpvJ82NuIf0/s1600/DSC09353.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bJsB8ZdK1PatQH0l6r0X7JXFT1Ktmnm0vVSl6IOi7gmpcEofy7S9OZeoEo8EgcslJhUJBvgnzA4b82S8QzJB3HPK1Zd5ugFrO_bskmqxnzU0dpOPnGuzgiCv39sVTo4FBpvJ82NuIf0/s320/DSC09353.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639828049079694146" border="0" /></a>Space Mountain - stood in line for 2 hours for this baby.
<br />Good thing we were patient and that the girls had long hair so Alyssa could practice her mad hair skills on their long locks. Lots of cool "do's" were done in that line.
<br />
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZk6BQGC0qsPmIzkr4d60ehlH3euFgqUwjxJU9zWd0EAPncp9IyGLuDCrDhTrCv0fC0epOBgLG_z40nfGCRAi9d5aUPqNxpYrfZNgMuqhZzQM888023mCUwsfv3Slhg7scNtkeP3p2iw/s1600/DSC09490.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZk6BQGC0qsPmIzkr4d60ehlH3euFgqUwjxJU9zWd0EAPncp9IyGLuDCrDhTrCv0fC0epOBgLG_z40nfGCRAi9d5aUPqNxpYrfZNgMuqhZzQM888023mCUwsfv3Slhg7scNtkeP3p2iw/s320/DSC09490.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639831425995642226" border="0" /></a>California Screamin' - 0 to 55 mph in less than 10 seconds! We were screamin'!
<br />
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBOhVESDTBM9hPP5FUEWrSwc5QJRu7C8goUcArdh9oVnPtQdPKgfNMUouQsn4lE_W8PJykd54_ThJ_rO0EuKV5X50trLS3nRvOtVMyd6Ezk_q9DNM8wmDSIzwQ0Hspr-QnTEhYRzRO7A/s1600/DSC09491.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBOhVESDTBM9hPP5FUEWrSwc5QJRu7C8goUcArdh9oVnPtQdPKgfNMUouQsn4lE_W8PJykd54_ThJ_rO0EuKV5X50trLS3nRvOtVMyd6Ezk_q9DNM8wmDSIzwQ0Hspr-QnTEhYRzRO7A/s320/DSC09491.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639831438549011314" border="0" /></a>More California Screamin' - or in Payton's case: California goofin'
<br />
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL3rp1ojllDGpGGRQNHAq2mtFgPyQLnfbaKQyk-hSzJsuJUFft4O8mJl4jaNEk24fYWLizSx-IjWywopXyjc1XugiPypR8X2obgcYso4KcfOi_ioQDP_QyHBBD8CVIJ_TCJY5wfcruoY0/s1600/DSC09508.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL3rp1ojllDGpGGRQNHAq2mtFgPyQLnfbaKQyk-hSzJsuJUFft4O8mJl4jaNEk24fYWLizSx-IjWywopXyjc1XugiPypR8X2obgcYso4KcfOi_ioQDP_QyHBBD8CVIJ_TCJY5wfcruoY0/s320/DSC09508.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639831457949184722" border="0" /></a>Now it's California sleepin'...teasin'...and mouth openin'...
<br />
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVY7k4owQ0flq7_cBYlsFqi1RD_BnIVLOvzcbBVcvLbqHXqfGrP3-BG7eI90GdBU-93opfmz1D6tkmaUzrKkm824GowKEv8MzDAwu30D6SErjvWGECsqkYdKn7Q-dJQHBYd1pN7l1mcto/s1600/DSC09489.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVY7k4owQ0flq7_cBYlsFqi1RD_BnIVLOvzcbBVcvLbqHXqfGrP3-BG7eI90GdBU-93opfmz1D6tkmaUzrKkm824GowKEv8MzDAwu30D6SErjvWGECsqkYdKn7Q-dJQHBYd1pN7l1mcto/s320/DSC09489.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639829711814228738" border="0" /></a>Tower of Terror - Absolute Favorite!
<br />(Notice Lindsay's hair!)
<br />
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhL8i3kfM05ygetSxwdEF8o1ekSfJBtRZ3mQQd6Oe-WYwCYnaYlzUC0zTKD7aOUecrrf_cAhv3FomQxoqnvMBqvQaYRYl7-yTfXPaIXwyQEzNnznfLokRtRDt03PGYGiOvGD61ddKKs8/s1600/DSC09506.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhL8i3kfM05ygetSxwdEF8o1ekSfJBtRZ3mQQd6Oe-WYwCYnaYlzUC0zTKD7aOUecrrf_cAhv3FomQxoqnvMBqvQaYRYl7-yTfXPaIXwyQEzNnznfLokRtRDt03PGYGiOvGD61ddKKs8/s320/DSC09506.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639831454771610226" border="0" /></a>It was sooooo fun, we had to do it again!
<br />
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_ZJeJfRv0B1yu2YR1yiid5hHcrhBaDvGztoe6sRPdWAG7TB_7cjy1IZs3P4VyiTYpJmeIZ-_eAFt5mn1PXPHnpAU7T90COd63ePRD96LHUtrfniM2m7uOS2-JT6iEpj69u7-8ytt1To/s1600/DSC09423.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_ZJeJfRv0B1yu2YR1yiid5hHcrhBaDvGztoe6sRPdWAG7TB_7cjy1IZs3P4VyiTYpJmeIZ-_eAFt5mn1PXPHnpAU7T90COd63ePRD96LHUtrfniM2m7uOS2-JT6iEpj69u7-8ytt1To/s320/DSC09423.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639829691127008690" border="0" /></a>The Simpson's Ride - Can you say "Doh!"
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5f9uNR0kh6nAGQuGEapKB1DXXWTnIQNZc3u9kV6_lzanWRt6ebSq_noMl3kT9vww22CD75lJVjhE1wcXmEzDC18wDHXCGm6oGjAYnzeiAtEupy92PPWWL9kas2DOI54xDmCVENte6N1w/s1600/DSC09455.JPG">
<br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg971BRQ3hpAsbF_qYrX-qGhHedzY2FlU2jvk6lwuG3I9dOb510kRVWyvnZoSXw_CrIwFOs7WTHT99IH4137rJIDUDDSY7JauWjDocY6qdIzN1BWCxVEfUPEynfvEmdj_8ruLV3GSI2Xo4/s1600/DSC09451.JPG">
<br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7u6-yUFeuErsK2hANtbezNrfo1SAOl578M_Ox_-bteeAKM5pTObooBi_-GTdA9Wk7g0k2dlUyInUhqxZQ6AY7SXvl2VrJ1B6mWa_JVzmeOn4JQ1ykxO1iHteNZHcNuTQtrxtlBj716EA/s1600/DSC09350.JPG">
<br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlMmqhQ80hzdmsQkbLd0BbCPJDuAPXrLACiFR-LDd23dca5mJYxEGLERHxRED4LlS89M_oWD4ER2vcDDInT_3MdhakoAExTBY-Fa6_pBAXJCdbnvKdvtDbtf3smfQtKsCCqAPjAYM5RQI/s1600/DSC09383.JPG">
<br /></a></div>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-49892360170211732472011-07-26T20:32:00.002-06:002011-07-26T20:47:18.941-06:00A Must Read<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcp_n_CMGB-7rltB6H8RNAplphI156Fhyphenhypheng_M1H8AHky8qyjJRHoPb67nUXINkV2Hx0rst1IKTR7RkpPX0fY-78BLOAcreEK5ZiqkFZ-AQ8X5jXupv61yolAtLPnwbQqZRXvUS_eZ96KxI/s1600/guersney_literary.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 160px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcp_n_CMGB-7rltB6H8RNAplphI156Fhyphenhypheng_M1H8AHky8qyjJRHoPb67nUXINkV2Hx0rst1IKTR7RkpPX0fY-78BLOAcreEK5ZiqkFZ-AQ8X5jXupv61yolAtLPnwbQqZRXvUS_eZ96KxI/s320/guersney_literary.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633854402576738034" /></a><br /><div>What is summer break without a good book or two to occupy your sun filled days? On our trip to California, I knew I could count on Alyssa to bring along some excellent books and she didn't disappoint me. I quickly fell in love with The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Historical fiction from post World War II and written in letter format, I was quickly sucked in with the quirky characters and funny dialogue. One minute I was laughing and chuckling, the next I was trying not to cry out loud at the sadness and human atrocities that occurred during the Nazi reign of terror. I felt a sense of urgency to get this book read so that it could be returned to Alyssa's roommate when we returned. It is an easy read with no F bombs being dropped every other sentence - what a welcome relief from the many books out there with yucky language. </div><div><br /></div><div>Read this book! </div><div>Immediately!</div><div>You'll be soooo glad you did!</div>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-14700525599765010452011-07-25T23:11:00.004-06:002011-07-25T23:51:39.616-06:00Kona, Kona, Kona, Friday bye-bye<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6KJsXHESO-SalWrYEEjRp-6rrNZDI5AqE0c1VmRInQO8lBkf7KWX74RWqkTkUTO0WMukO0qn8SehBXzbjF4STgJ4qPfp3oZwHfEYTp6UNJo9a5P2hfdanTlrgzfREzq9bO9XnsgYdNfE/s1600/DSC09258.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6KJsXHESO-SalWrYEEjRp-6rrNZDI5AqE0c1VmRInQO8lBkf7KWX74RWqkTkUTO0WMukO0qn8SehBXzbjF4STgJ4qPfp3oZwHfEYTp6UNJo9a5P2hfdanTlrgzfREzq9bO9XnsgYdNfE/s320/DSC09258.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633527019225782290" border="0" /></a>I knew that going to Hawaii meant coming home from Hawaii.<br />Bummer.<br />Sure I missed the kids, my familiar surroundings, and my house, but that was about it. Oh, well, such is the nature of a vacation, so we went to the beach and the pool one last time and called it good. One final dinner in downtown Kona, one futile attempt at a last shave ice (WHO RUNS OUT OF ICE AT A SHAVE ICE STORE???), three stuffed pretzels eaten on the trunk of the rental, a final inhale of fresh ocean air, a 5 hour flight over the dark Pacific Ocean during the middle of the night, a 1 1/2 hour flight from San Francisco, and 3 kids and a mother-in-law who were very glad to see the travelers return.<br /><br />Bye-bye for now, Kona. Maybe we'll meet again someday...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGEBBljcbZLd4_eeYUh8PbIaAgm5hCASp5A_M-tqYo7sMfUc8SySgtazzsp9oSK3RiEvf0H-ZO_8rVFZ8x-kJTpdb8qV6IDJL2yxKJx9XRkDgn8k6tBZONooBxJMnyeTcybk9NzzmE4c/s1600/DSC09270.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGEBBljcbZLd4_eeYUh8PbIaAgm5hCASp5A_M-tqYo7sMfUc8SySgtazzsp9oSK3RiEvf0H-ZO_8rVFZ8x-kJTpdb8qV6IDJL2yxKJx9XRkDgn8k6tBZONooBxJMnyeTcybk9NzzmE4c/s320/DSC09270.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633527013705208146" border="0" /></a>This bad boy fell on Bill's empty chair while we were getting lunch. Ouch.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTAYyB-oLqYzHntIxMxxfiw2KE-ncz4nGsf_0G0oV1VZFltrK-xIcsf73fEGoMZJeqKj3baT4o_n-2ZKnx8QcqnGS4MbIn3aUCTXDsSkP8OYP6ka-VJ2x4-WfQef4_vpjYjB4VBx_O9s/s1600/DSC09265.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTAYyB-oLqYzHntIxMxxfiw2KE-ncz4nGsf_0G0oV1VZFltrK-xIcsf73fEGoMZJeqKj3baT4o_n-2ZKnx8QcqnGS4MbIn3aUCTXDsSkP8OYP6ka-VJ2x4-WfQef4_vpjYjB4VBx_O9s/s320/DSC09265.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633527007388180130" border="0" /></a>The view from my lounge chair. I know, right??<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzacswbbSt1jbq_xjsWTqCKHwLvdMo1q7QTL39WXRifnvs6pK8Kiim2Si_i9bgjQfSPa8L2hyyX7rE_Qpe0ufgtwFPMDwvtBkHFnd_RNz5MxyfXl9869L48bDdzATETOd3DdblDEs2_I/s1600/DSC09253.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzacswbbSt1jbq_xjsWTqCKHwLvdMo1q7QTL39WXRifnvs6pK8Kiim2Si_i9bgjQfSPa8L2hyyX7rE_Qpe0ufgtwFPMDwvtBkHFnd_RNz5MxyfXl9869L48bDdzATETOd3DdblDEs2_I/s320/DSC09253.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633527020072516034" border="0" /></a>Part of the ocean/swimming pool.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-aaQVibllHVeXfaffNfm9h5HzjjmGh5Lu792tDjsQmAkq35Nu7o9gmhVCuIlRcERERVAAHuRo2NHA4o-2XhvaEpYjxy6CQjDFv99H8_70A5sTLVyZk6wg6K1zEy2wX1f8zKtNCBbdaQ/s1600/DSC09254.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-aaQVibllHVeXfaffNfm9h5HzjjmGh5Lu792tDjsQmAkq35Nu7o9gmhVCuIlRcERERVAAHuRo2NHA4o-2XhvaEpYjxy6CQjDFv99H8_70A5sTLVyZk6wg6K1zEy2wX1f8zKtNCBbdaQ/s320/DSC09254.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633528386625067746" border="0" /></a>Pretty windy, but beautiful still.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpI04O0KEckRJoP23n0sWfSpSSwEmCM8jVtkZHDjDvFcylV83FtrNAg76DJmV_BV0wv7uj6iTDhFVYHXoyfXTSAo1-shXYSSTWZxOYdJpZx70ddRegJYdgppNAb9dBQhTmXxyxkrvJwJ8/s1600/DSC09266.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpI04O0KEckRJoP23n0sWfSpSSwEmCM8jVtkZHDjDvFcylV83FtrNAg76DJmV_BV0wv7uj6iTDhFVYHXoyfXTSAo1-shXYSSTWZxOYdJpZx70ddRegJYdgppNAb9dBQhTmXxyxkrvJwJ8/s320/DSC09266.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633528392994408738" border="0" /></a>My view when I decided to look up from my book.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQf7hIeRbXjQU3ocWMccmDQ-XrvPH-mHWxVoNMHyEshK9rjpNXc2rRrr3IYSdJKWo6-roCOPK9dEhr5N6d8hC6VkjETVzLrKcDXW0w5vIyT_GAd1sEqpcYMjmp7ptfaJ5kpgC3yhtzhFs/s1600/DSC09261.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQf7hIeRbXjQU3ocWMccmDQ-XrvPH-mHWxVoNMHyEshK9rjpNXc2rRrr3IYSdJKWo6-roCOPK9dEhr5N6d8hC6VkjETVzLrKcDXW0w5vIyT_GAd1sEqpcYMjmp7ptfaJ5kpgC3yhtzhFs/s320/DSC09261.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633528395704673506" border="0" /></a>Yeah, I'm pretty happy around ocean, palm trees, beautiful scenery, and warm tropical breezes.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqqr7DpH57ZjhHCvqSbT8iOTgmiGIfeTao5VK_Kbokm9zN7hl55D20N42rIsaWzsGHavEnY2oQHjtBi0fPfxCx8v3cAUgt0MTQaldSYBHSpoR_Zv_j_oXJQ2338aN-YeNBJH9mhc7En4/s1600/DSC09273.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqqr7DpH57ZjhHCvqSbT8iOTgmiGIfeTao5VK_Kbokm9zN7hl55D20N42rIsaWzsGHavEnY2oQHjtBi0fPfxCx8v3cAUgt0MTQaldSYBHSpoR_Zv_j_oXJQ2338aN-YeNBJH9mhc7En4/s320/DSC09273.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633528400756846274" border="0" /></a>Yeah, I'm pretty sad when it's time to leave the ocean, palm trees, beautiful scenery, and tropical breezes.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiatn8knyDqLjig8FdcuTMM8EPiokCHNNZb1Uh4Dxkypmk8E4UhHT_iFIntjd_jWXKe_RRo2jAxMhcXY_P6SNY4Ir-_SvQJ-dAsvHowFioxchiXFRk2ItG8hIsZ-BRvESI6cSoDWGV58gc/s1600/DSC09280.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiatn8knyDqLjig8FdcuTMM8EPiokCHNNZb1Uh4Dxkypmk8E4UhHT_iFIntjd_jWXKe_RRo2jAxMhcXY_P6SNY4Ir-_SvQJ-dAsvHowFioxchiXFRk2ItG8hIsZ-BRvESI6cSoDWGV58gc/s320/DSC09280.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633527003911548818" border="0" /></a>Crazy pretzels that took the place of our shave ice. Shave ice would have been much better.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwetcvMig9eIh6qCXw8C6R5stJEElP_7cT7kJW5xlb5C-7PCs-dGF6mzpvB4m8Wt31GkwpjNSf66xmbe-Ygy6oBSoMn8XRtcDaFegAHvFzvgQ8qUS6nd1Qr8Gb0IQTC_R9kFwcY8mnwE/s1600/DSC09285.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwetcvMig9eIh6qCXw8C6R5stJEElP_7cT7kJW5xlb5C-7PCs-dGF6mzpvB4m8Wt31GkwpjNSf66xmbe-Ygy6oBSoMn8XRtcDaFegAHvFzvgQ8qUS6nd1Qr8Gb0IQTC_R9kFwcY8mnwE/s320/DSC09285.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633528404078634626" border="0" /></a>Life is good in Kona, Hawaii, but there are more people who love us in Boise, Idaho!<br /></div>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-20869926260585000182011-07-15T21:19:00.008-06:002011-07-16T00:12:16.788-06:00Kona, Kona, Kona, Thursday<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjMZaFTcfEUkVnNscuKWEYZvxPa2QrAAoTjACNflh84Xly43p7CWbw4ODfPsY6Rk-59WIcUiDMZ9BuOUo-T824vWsLfJlbJvzEUEaKft2pvsm2512J3GaW7iO4Wx0o62eWONjRTXzq94/s1600/DSC09133.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjMZaFTcfEUkVnNscuKWEYZvxPa2QrAAoTjACNflh84Xly43p7CWbw4ODfPsY6Rk-59WIcUiDMZ9BuOUo-T824vWsLfJlbJvzEUEaKft2pvsm2512J3GaW7iO4Wx0o62eWONjRTXzq94/s320/DSC09133.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629802912872061810" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >This picture is from the first day - NOT the day mentioned below... carry on.</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxxcekWz0IyR-T8JphgcfOJDcW0nN_eaoE7Yj4_ZPe02btB2XHaOkj05td0c0qCZYEesDbwZoLnviqZvcNl2WL3P4sgvkeoh1FtL_JZjRRk4Hnu1bBwEsJUHV_Ls87I8YK6YYpjRpVXs/s1600/White+rocks_Lava+rocks"><br /></a>Aw, yes, Thursday in Kona, Hawaii. Definitely not my favorite day. Definitely the day I dreaded. Definitely the day I thought for sure we would die in the open water; easy shark bait. Very easy shark bait.<br /><br />When making plans for Kona, we decided to go on a snorkeling outing. That was fine. I had snorkeled before in Mexico. I loved it! I was good at it and didn't get seasick in the least. However, this snorkeling outing was nothing like Mexico. No boat with a motor to take us out to our destination. Nope. Just KAYAKS. Yep. We would kayak 1 1/2 miles to the snorkeling sight, anchor the kayaks together, get our snorkeling gear on, snorkel for 45 minutes, climb giant 25 foot cliffs, jump off, eat snacks on the rocks, get back into the kayaks, paddle 1 1/2 miles back.<br /><br />Um.K.<br />There were definitely problems in this plan for me.<br />1. No boat with a motor.<br />2. Big ocean swells due to a storm system moving through.<br />3. A husband who gets green around the gills on any kind of boat - literally green. (He was my kayak companion. Ahem.)<br />4. Paddling out in to the DEEP water, unsure of what hungry sea animal(s) were around us.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">**OK, OK, in my defense, I had seen the movie Soul Surfer a couple of months before, and, people, she got her arm bitten off by a SHARK!!!**</span><br />5. Fear of the unknown ocean- you see, as much as I L.O.V.E. the ocean, I really, really like it from the shore. Not paddling on it.<br /><br />I was pretty scared. Not much talking on my part. Tried to stay focused on my paddling. Kept my life jacket on the entire time. Didn't really have the stomach to enjoy the snacks. Could not possibly have jumped off of the 25 foot cliff - even though Bill, John, and Stefanie did it...show offs. Was super grateful to return to where we started. The old arms got a great workout from those 3 miles of paddling. (yes!) Didn't get seasick at.all. Nuff said.<br /><br />Needless to say, I was very glad to be finished with that "adventure", get my feet on dry ground, and feel less shaken up inside.<br /><br />We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring downtown Kona complete with its flea market, quaint restaurants, excellent views of the ocean, shopping for souvenirs for the kids, DELICIOUS shave ice - dreamsicle with ice cream in the middle to be exact, and a lunch of various shrimp dishes at Bubba Gump's.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKaS_2hA8kQUse4JXQx62rkeGYB2axKGgyEJBIbklfNDc9oZz_dWLSHBouUG69R-em2mCXzJ-phN9T-8O_j3fMKenVeDfkx0BHd3jYMTmPLtTRjfYh5KS7TNjyB1pjCnjRBUyVhBQPCW8/s1600/DSC09236.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKaS_2hA8kQUse4JXQx62rkeGYB2axKGgyEJBIbklfNDc9oZz_dWLSHBouUG69R-em2mCXzJ-phN9T-8O_j3fMKenVeDfkx0BHd3jYMTmPLtTRjfYh5KS7TNjyB1pjCnjRBUyVhBQPCW8/s320/DSC09236.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629798958459147410" border="0" /></a>Yeah! Back on solid ground. Whew.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNkWp6fMD5cjuTL4UOc4kxf-BBzS3rxcebSs0mxqtRpVvBLVGH7M62EycqjAMrcWiXOuwyDM7VhBg6TfJXCnwQpZyQ9rnntnX8PwwcihyHFWQHZjv_LwJsLnSPjaP06KtlEkjxEPVkjhM/s1600/DSC09234.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNkWp6fMD5cjuTL4UOc4kxf-BBzS3rxcebSs0mxqtRpVvBLVGH7M62EycqjAMrcWiXOuwyDM7VhBg6TfJXCnwQpZyQ9rnntnX8PwwcihyHFWQHZjv_LwJsLnSPjaP06KtlEkjxEPVkjhM/s320/DSC09234.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629798955710200114" border="0" /></a>View from Bubba Gump's<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKx03arHj8OojKi1GCoEraJJr688qr9RxLU6Z3glXVfAyVLO4JxaeDrSl3_S0BJchAmVN29ddwdA_Q6mnZAZ7rKcViE9958Uqa9ySDIqdjae-tlaf_ZGv2RCNXNjo8lwCgz7R_2EKA5Mw/s1600/DSC09228.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKx03arHj8OojKi1GCoEraJJr688qr9RxLU6Z3glXVfAyVLO4JxaeDrSl3_S0BJchAmVN29ddwdA_Q6mnZAZ7rKcViE9958Uqa9ySDIqdjae-tlaf_ZGv2RCNXNjo8lwCgz7R_2EKA5Mw/s320/DSC09228.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629798945104473506" border="0" /></a>Self explanatory, no?<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdp3wgNuVnYQI6slR1mlr_IbuX5_CoDk4hx3eWPeZSpTRh4wlPaD5ZNFdQ5vXE5EIknTAuDKfF0ia7WiRMvTYzQiMUnUaaQKHd4cTpKagxTpu_8OD3qt_3L1m8TKMilgYUzRTrwdez0ME/s1600/DSC09240.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdp3wgNuVnYQI6slR1mlr_IbuX5_CoDk4hx3eWPeZSpTRh4wlPaD5ZNFdQ5vXE5EIknTAuDKfF0ia7WiRMvTYzQiMUnUaaQKHd4cTpKagxTpu_8OD3qt_3L1m8TKMilgYUzRTrwdez0ME/s320/DSC09240.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629798940726907474" border="0" /></a>Uh, John, you look a little too natural in this picture... haha<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-5ZV7qSryMDwVu4vnX_bpAP2yokWV4MM1Zv9dGHqzacPiK9HfdUSEuedm1wWAitnr0pbjBZq_Rd6nzYQdJj8c9lIsb9xr2tuo19zGFedQAlKYoAJyw13AsO32mw2evaEaasZ55wqydM/s1600/DSC09239.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-5ZV7qSryMDwVu4vnX_bpAP2yokWV4MM1Zv9dGHqzacPiK9HfdUSEuedm1wWAitnr0pbjBZq_Rd6nzYQdJj8c9lIsb9xr2tuo19zGFedQAlKYoAJyw13AsO32mw2evaEaasZ55wqydM/s320/DSC09239.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629798937860595026" border="0" /></a>Bill, you don't look natural at all.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC7HdfZ5zLhKVRGYSia93VJcJNMy8a3SfUEplvxvXKCvtrwf6uicoHooT7JdQtxyf1ZeMOjX15akQdWUb-KUeZrw537P1q0Yil5bkWDiWV977z18JzpYHMpRjDMFC3_FN5_MkTL2KWSPk/s1600/Shave+ice+store"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 316px; height: 176px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC7HdfZ5zLhKVRGYSia93VJcJNMy8a3SfUEplvxvXKCvtrwf6uicoHooT7JdQtxyf1ZeMOjX15akQdWUb-KUeZrw537P1q0Yil5bkWDiWV977z18JzpYHMpRjDMFC3_FN5_MkTL2KWSPk/s320/Shave+ice+store" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629801324698678114" border="0" /></a>Shave ice shop. Yummmmm.<br /><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcu1jEwxSfsWUMk6E06IN8jq0Xavjo49DiC496id-HPwMByDpRsY9YTFkKzimDILGEr01iKh2oJ6IBpbuo3089zs6RSPjxBPaaqpARQyQP7L6WaxeVdiT9G5vQ-f-vGCqxm1lYAf869gg/s1600/Dreamsicle+shave+ice"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcu1jEwxSfsWUMk6E06IN8jq0Xavjo49DiC496id-HPwMByDpRsY9YTFkKzimDILGEr01iKh2oJ6IBpbuo3089zs6RSPjxBPaaqpARQyQP7L6WaxeVdiT9G5vQ-f-vGCqxm1lYAf869gg/s320/Dreamsicle+shave+ice" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629797299728006946" border="0" /></a>Delicious Dreamsicle shave ice. "Shave ice" NOT "Shaved ice"--I was reminded to say it right...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhedcX7fML553Sw7Pif3mQKtXNc0i5TycKIf41aMI_MplhYnR4W9q3wQiIkVgNV7XchTX08vNWgI0Wo4lQJ7GOMR9aZDpkzd-ExoOS3rxPRnVxRQVydnMCbpIn4NPeE1nkvTfLLdIClkHw/s1600/Dude+who+made+the+shave+ice"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 142px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhedcX7fML553Sw7Pif3mQKtXNc0i5TycKIf41aMI_MplhYnR4W9q3wQiIkVgNV7XchTX08vNWgI0Wo4lQJ7GOMR9aZDpkzd-ExoOS3rxPRnVxRQVydnMCbpIn4NPeE1nkvTfLLdIClkHw/s320/Dude+who+made+the+shave+ice" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629797292072502642" border="0" /></a>Our shave ice preparer - check out those gauges! Whoa.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3diHTZGDGuNzMG1HCbi0G29XV3hfiL9FOmxF0hPBlJLEk_ylposvHHMiKiR_VUhkCzU6cZhSX2V0CFaKYVBWH4PTBMX-iZbVI1DIzKVplJf6PadFA_t2cPoSQww1hITUr7NrwFoSrTWQ/s1600/DSC09241.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3diHTZGDGuNzMG1HCbi0G29XV3hfiL9FOmxF0hPBlJLEk_ylposvHHMiKiR_VUhkCzU6cZhSX2V0CFaKYVBWH4PTBMX-iZbVI1DIzKVplJf6PadFA_t2cPoSQww1hITUr7NrwFoSrTWQ/s320/DSC09241.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629801332207661570" border="0" /></a>I loved this scooter, all decked out with boogey boards, just in case...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxxcekWz0IyR-T8JphgcfOJDcW0nN_eaoE7Yj4_ZPe02btB2XHaOkj05td0c0qCZYEesDbwZoLnviqZvcNl2WL3P4sgvkeoh1FtL_JZjRRk4Hnu1bBwEsJUHV_Ls87I8YK6YYpjRpVXs/s1600/White+rocks_Lava+rocks"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 285px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxxcekWz0IyR-T8JphgcfOJDcW0nN_eaoE7Yj4_ZPe02btB2XHaOkj05td0c0qCZYEesDbwZoLnviqZvcNl2WL3P4sgvkeoh1FtL_JZjRRk4Hnu1bBwEsJUHV_Ls87I8YK6YYpjRpVXs/s320/White+rocks_Lava+rocks" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629801330360755954" border="0" /></a>A common sight along the lava covered roadside. Take some white rocks, spell words, walah!<br /></div>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-37400577751128435302011-07-15T16:34:00.004-06:002011-07-15T17:23:23.938-06:00Kona, Kona, Kona, Wednesday<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPLOut0kSwH-RYkrlLEikQ1lVFb7e-W5E6vQhY1-_8_gzuAzXcyNIsdwjyH88NhZzQoRyO-FXaxkVuQX_yAFq7N7K92P050kLbb-T1tAVnahwT00bdFtlYiO0YJUIVUFS1QhkEwSFIs8/s1600/DSC09216.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPLOut0kSwH-RYkrlLEikQ1lVFb7e-W5E6vQhY1-_8_gzuAzXcyNIsdwjyH88NhZzQoRyO-FXaxkVuQX_yAFq7N7K92P050kLbb-T1tAVnahwT00bdFtlYiO0YJUIVUFS1QhkEwSFIs8/s320/DSC09216.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629720598974356226" border="0" /></a>Since Tuesday's beach activity was limited to public access - including various feral cats trying to be caught by the locals - we decided to venture out onto a four wheeling accessible road to hike through miles of lava fields to <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">(finally)</span> arrive at my slice of paradise! The day started out fine until I realized I hadn't brought my camera.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> Grrr.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;">It would have been nice to document the barren landscape<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(how can there possibly be a beach at the end of this road???)</span>,<br />the wild billy goats<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(with the females of the group each being chased by 8 or 9 males - sheesh)</span>,<br />the top of a bikini left behind on the trail<br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">(who leaves their top behind?)</span>,<br />the abandoned wooden resort buildings from the 50s<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(can you say From Here To Eternity?)</span>,<br />and <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">finally</span> the 3 crescent shaped beaches laid out in all their beautiful salty pale blue glory<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(the internet pictures didn't do them justice and I don't think my camera would have either!)</span>.<br /></div><br />Yes, as I mentioned before, I was like a little child at Christmas! My running/hiking shoes were immediately flung onto the beach, my socks were pulled off inside out and tossed next to the shoes, and Bill and I took.off.running. We were giddy. We were mesmerized. We were like little kids at Christmas! I asked Bill as we were running if he thought I had thrown my shoes far enough away from the surf... He didn't seem to think there was a problem so I believed him and kept running to explore those glorious sandy beaches. <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Exhileration</span> was the word of the day.<br /><br />After we decided to return to our friends, who had stayed at the first beach, we were caught up in the beauty and the delicious smell that the ocean provided for us. No cares in the world at this point, only feelings of regret that:<br />a.) we had no camera,<br />b.) we had no water or food, and<br />c.) we had no swimsuits or towels. <br />Dang blast it.<br />As we approached where our shoes and socks were laying, I noticed that my shoes had gotten closer to the water's edge. Upon further examination, I realized that I only had one sock and that one of my shoes was filled with sand and sea water. Oh.My.Gosh. How lucky was I that my shoe had not been taken out to sea along with its sock?!? I was so thankful that I had both shoes to put back on to hike across those miles of lava and rough road. I'm not sure what we would have done had I lost my shoe and sock. It would have been a nightmare indeed to walk back those 2 miles with one shoe on...Yikes. Bill's back would have been awfully sore from carrying me piggy-back!<br /><br />Later that day Bill and I ventured on a little field trip to the highest point on the island: Mauna Kea. We filled up a grocery sack with yummy junk food and drove the windy, foggy, narrow road up to the visitors' center. I never thought I would have to wear a sweatshirt in Hawaii, experience freezing toes on the side of a volcano, or feel the sweet relief of hot cocoa in July!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpis230JYBlBhasbJzaLtWOG1QhXIxmTmWv3mFmn782h2xuF_A_pSA_cpCBpxxvvTDs-MZhP9obGY1XdKsfj8mleZSMrmu7t5NcXx4kvanOAUeAt934td1_aQ31fBRRUdGqpYTetEiJg/s1600/DSC09206.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpis230JYBlBhasbJzaLtWOG1QhXIxmTmWv3mFmn782h2xuF_A_pSA_cpCBpxxvvTDs-MZhP9obGY1XdKsfj8mleZSMrmu7t5NcXx4kvanOAUeAt934td1_aQ31fBRRUdGqpYTetEiJg/s320/DSC09206.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629719611625665586" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjV8NywFYvwXnV677P5G_lMy6Dvqi98h-F4iMv5THykEXVNsV4JED4xKpJR-3fG7wvJM1hn_j6cjRRnQZxNNN8W8E2J5WMTNPg8NtlXoQyVc4o8mI3l3VYwXEIvFfMYYwLHLBnC9zj_Oc/s1600/DSC09211.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjV8NywFYvwXnV677P5G_lMy6Dvqi98h-F4iMv5THykEXVNsV4JED4xKpJR-3fG7wvJM1hn_j6cjRRnQZxNNN8W8E2J5WMTNPg8NtlXoQyVc4o8mI3l3VYwXEIvFfMYYwLHLBnC9zj_Oc/s320/DSC09211.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629719598399380882" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJIA1EmKc-z7k8bItzHfVC_5oIPUECkX0LGq7hQO4AQy5aCctqvWUzSjUadr5KJjMEUfsruqG01nzuMIpKnkNBxRzoImUS6xtWmi7BMboudMMM1f40So56kCrYrweXuVbLt1NL9vv4pEQ/s1600/DSC09221.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJIA1EmKc-z7k8bItzHfVC_5oIPUECkX0LGq7hQO4AQy5aCctqvWUzSjUadr5KJjMEUfsruqG01nzuMIpKnkNBxRzoImUS6xtWmi7BMboudMMM1f40So56kCrYrweXuVbLt1NL9vv4pEQ/s320/DSC09221.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629720602721878146" border="0" /></a> In order to ascend to the top of the mountain, you had to have a 4-wheel drive vehicle or pay big bucks to ride in one of the rigged up vans that were stationed at the visitors' center. We opted to stay at the 9,000 feet above sea level visitors' center, certain we would have become ice cubes with our lack of winter woolies. We truly enjoyed all the wind, all the driving on Mario Kart roads, all the clouds that surrounded us below, and the sunset as it went behind this 13,497 foot high sacred mountain. The history, the lore, the sacredness, and the beauty were highlights of our trip!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoedxlQ9s0Ttw-_DwGMDVJEETfc1R1CyET9stwNhiKahc_Joi6xcR1JIGzKqx67fQ6q3KegZinV4_osw1w-pVP-EXCMJWVh7OYyap_mvc44N8kB6MSy13_LQQgtDTzLsboGi5KwiBp7Ro/s1600/DSC09203.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoedxlQ9s0Ttw-_DwGMDVJEETfc1R1CyET9stwNhiKahc_Joi6xcR1JIGzKqx67fQ6q3KegZinV4_osw1w-pVP-EXCMJWVh7OYyap_mvc44N8kB6MSy13_LQQgtDTzLsboGi5KwiBp7Ro/s320/DSC09203.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629720586261013442" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAr01vTspw6FdA_BcYqa0K3uneQBjuJdLm47HYqGyz3_J4ZSyHVKcAm6ff0_UwnN3Afi9OGtAKeEBJWRrLckBVYLon8PWd4sKp-wb_7IkwxCopca0lYuOwc_BAUYFQ_hhZfnQaS5ld_gI/s1600/DSC09215.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAr01vTspw6FdA_BcYqa0K3uneQBjuJdLm47HYqGyz3_J4ZSyHVKcAm6ff0_UwnN3Afi9OGtAKeEBJWRrLckBVYLon8PWd4sKp-wb_7IkwxCopca0lYuOwc_BAUYFQ_hhZfnQaS5ld_gI/s320/DSC09215.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629719588615967362" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh7jmTohsAYKUBKC_oZXMqT9x-QscZA1xWxD38mZnmTsbQJ8m21NcgvHXNEH9VlZ1QLpj4VJ54gxuo6_4M6Oqw2YVVATbia0FMOKmw3yFRDAuYB2uVupEe8tma2UDMN66vXASQA_9ivCs/s1600/DSC09209.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh7jmTohsAYKUBKC_oZXMqT9x-QscZA1xWxD38mZnmTsbQJ8m21NcgvHXNEH9VlZ1QLpj4VJ54gxuo6_4M6Oqw2YVVATbia0FMOKmw3yFRDAuYB2uVupEe8tma2UDMN66vXASQA_9ivCs/s320/DSC09209.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629719606932399394" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCu6bwJTg0p3hETYlBMiVTUvY4Pu0-LNOKjM4LmzYYyJCEBJLrJPyGjLBvj_kacZK9N4q2JtsomT4_R2H0csF3IoemFPPhvuYT1vcFBhd8MxMk-NMEilOrSxb0UHW87_k769Bho3d7yxo/s1600/DSC09217.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCu6bwJTg0p3hETYlBMiVTUvY4Pu0-LNOKjM4LmzYYyJCEBJLrJPyGjLBvj_kacZK9N4q2JtsomT4_R2H0csF3IoemFPPhvuYT1vcFBhd8MxMk-NMEilOrSxb0UHW87_k769Bho3d7yxo/s320/DSC09217.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629719586396710290" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gaVhr4_JCxAJ-eAd26hStCNlyQ5f5Livm_6TkdLqssZ2DvzNXtHczlTS7iWg4Vyg2MHMJ8o068wGGS4SYnNmbRheeekgo5-YHqxMro3AXmkE7YzbeOQ0817qejCFuSAq0AcfO82avb0/s1600/DSC09213.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gaVhr4_JCxAJ-eAd26hStCNlyQ5f5Livm_6TkdLqssZ2DvzNXtHczlTS7iWg4Vyg2MHMJ8o068wGGS4SYnNmbRheeekgo5-YHqxMro3AXmkE7YzbeOQ0817qejCFuSAq0AcfO82avb0/s320/DSC09213.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629720595683018498" border="0" /></a>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5759885845183928151.post-90265670880851072082011-07-14T19:46:00.008-06:002011-07-14T20:39:37.442-06:00Kona, Kona, Kona, Tuesday...So when you go to Hawaii, (or at least when <span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I</span></span> go to Hawaii) I'm all about the beaches, the surf, the ocean, and the sunset. Tuesday was BEACH DAY, Baby. We were determined to find one of the beaches we had read about, the problem was, you had to walk about 2 miles through lava rock and an extremely rough road to get to the slice of paradise I had read and longed about.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuesday morning:</span> get in rented Altima. John and Bill in front.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSpfzLltWTouXZK0K_7Y7PUgoKDZHPjKcILZQ3dvSreQqrgo3nZl_fvI385ui3JIwAikjnMA9SUKDupz7sHHJJ-G9OwSBUjbKIc9ED3gTp3XbymCa3nm6Wscep1aVnVxSyDJKG6Nnd1-M/s1600/DSC09156.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSpfzLltWTouXZK0K_7Y7PUgoKDZHPjKcILZQ3dvSreQqrgo3nZl_fvI385ui3JIwAikjnMA9SUKDupz7sHHJJ-G9OwSBUjbKIc9ED3gTp3XbymCa3nm6Wscep1aVnVxSyDJKG6Nnd1-M/s320/DSC09156.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629393591591868882" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Kris and Stef in back.<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35WCHLn_lKMw9ttwM-6Ryz-PhyphenhyphenYqV4wjxBKppidAzm6tKI-svsAXHrbx7i4ASZMx4PuQJF99LweRojuuCLikwOxbEb0V4rqBMLCd09XW5nMC9Vno2y9HE0e0cXLyv0jS_rmJAyeO7MyA/s1600/DSC09157.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35WCHLn_lKMw9ttwM-6Ryz-PhyphenhyphenYqV4wjxBKppidAzm6tKI-svsAXHrbx7i4ASZMx4PuQJF99LweRojuuCLikwOxbEb0V4rqBMLCd09XW5nMC9Vno2y9HE0e0cXLyv0jS_rmJAyeO7MyA/s320/DSC09157.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629393581821687698" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Drive and drive and drive by lava fields, quaint little towns,<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjnKPuEuTJqBf5q_Fuuuuz_fLklmjsLWc7vfXO9EGRpoD3mVznOia50ta-ASdwrtA1GWdvSoBV-VkY8qGZQYrAjdkh18CYeGzedWo6HJQ0OaUyt4D94rqqnERwynCEWLNVHDIpp34Zac/s1600/DSC09158.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjnKPuEuTJqBf5q_Fuuuuz_fLklmjsLWc7vfXO9EGRpoD3mVznOia50ta-ASdwrtA1GWdvSoBV-VkY8qGZQYrAjdkh18CYeGzedWo6HJQ0OaUyt4D94rqqnERwynCEWLNVHDIpp34Zac/s320/DSC09158.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629393596845352226" border="0" /></a>the Kona Temple,<br /></div>and through extremely winding roads. Need water and snacks. Stop at a humid, muggy, nasty little Hawaiian store for over priced water, Big Hunk candy bars, coconut candy, and dried Ahi tuna jerky. Realize we need breakfast as well. Go across street to Rebel Kitchen Cafe and eat yummy breakfast burritoes. Resume driving. Realize we are miles away from the slice of paradise I so longed to be at.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiatHYCgVd4OB1vpT4pn7Ic0CEiBhphyphenhyphensS-YuOtmJeAiISOe5q-oizEyDR_RN-ieqkP04eJfiwczZVpjNfpFOFO7dFzq85eKcqbXZGqZB0f3kKZ4dVyZc1sSfCGy2ccSFa38TuOOQwkMc8/s1600/DSC09161.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiatHYCgVd4OB1vpT4pn7Ic0CEiBhphyphenhyphensS-YuOtmJeAiISOe5q-oizEyDR_RN-ieqkP04eJfiwczZVpjNfpFOFO7dFzq85eKcqbXZGqZB0f3kKZ4dVyZc1sSfCGy2ccSFa38TuOOQwkMc8/s320/DSC09161.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629393579491156898" border="0" /></a>Stop the car. Take pictures.<br /></div>Get back in car and retrace route of quaint little towns, extremely windy roads, and lots of lava fields. Realize that the slice of heaven we are looking for is less than 5 miles from our condo... hmmm. Decide we will go to public beach since it is now noon and we will leave the hike for tomorrow's adventure.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6yAozkz9mCxWNtFTTlE6m-7HbwAYkS9p9q6a80HkRSQ8mMmpRc3-pTEIpfVhrEWZhYSwJjFdlRsNC878iVNdQjhxVX2nRR1YRumEHflg9Rhwa6ExDZKzfeznTV-NIktM9MVmFNNvObA/s1600/DSC09164.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6yAozkz9mCxWNtFTTlE6m-7HbwAYkS9p9q6a80HkRSQ8mMmpRc3-pTEIpfVhrEWZhYSwJjFdlRsNC878iVNdQjhxVX2nRR1YRumEHflg9Rhwa6ExDZKzfeznTV-NIktM9MVmFNNvObA/s320/DSC09164.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629395699462174498" border="0" /></a>For so long I have wanted a picture of my toes in the sand with the beach in the background!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidYY7Bo87iLcsaMPTuvc-GiwnlE-Sf9K9eoJDgrMnlEF3Uk8hxKi1SfUg9GrbNumQQQYoruFjb3Du40QKK-FMHCJqwkUNuhIir4bq9FUv4uQVQZcJvzZXzHkltlI4Tws97zlrBE6gano/s1600/DSC09167.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidYY7Bo87iLcsaMPTuvc-GiwnlE-Sf9K9eoJDgrMnlEF3Uk8hxKi1SfUg9GrbNumQQQYoruFjb3Du40QKK-FMHCJqwkUNuhIir4bq9FUv4uQVQZcJvzZXzHkltlI4Tws97zlrBE6gano/s320/DSC09167.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629395690963574978" border="0" /></a>Lots and lots and lots of sand to clean out of our swimsuits for a couple of days! Yessss!<br />"Just hoping that the tide doesn't hit my chair..."<br />(The Zack Brown Band <span style="font-weight: bold;">totally </span>ROCKS.)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKaPrWnmW5s88FJ1sqr_WJS86MGi8lQobOVO8Sk_w95gBhEWG1WW2sUpsnnNLrC5NM_V_SR9IwmpWFvroV_q_p42owAPmWhb8FA1FueYvXVr33wuMqm8n8imtTiEMwbjWY9b-X21sPlc/s1600/DSC09168.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKaPrWnmW5s88FJ1sqr_WJS86MGi8lQobOVO8Sk_w95gBhEWG1WW2sUpsnnNLrC5NM_V_SR9IwmpWFvroV_q_p42owAPmWhb8FA1FueYvXVr33wuMqm8n8imtTiEMwbjWY9b-X21sPlc/s320/DSC09168.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629395687801503602" border="0" /></a>Gorgeous beach with clear, light blue water that was so salty it literally made your nose run like a momma who had injected saline into her baby's stuffy nose to break up the congestion.<br />(Am I the only momma who ever did that???)<br />Pretty salty.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBgEJQWrzRtXXUqIIXvIXd3aSal_rJJMBE7OrL-Cj9yedovNaDig9VOXY6EnxaT5pTIoPTLQpgR266QlfT46bmQZUuUdr0wsael1CwV7i0p0l16sPCHsBgTAz72PYT9_YOfCmRmwq7KY/s1600/DSC09172.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBgEJQWrzRtXXUqIIXvIXd3aSal_rJJMBE7OrL-Cj9yedovNaDig9VOXY6EnxaT5pTIoPTLQpgR266QlfT46bmQZUuUdr0wsael1CwV7i0p0l16sPCHsBgTAz72PYT9_YOfCmRmwq7KY/s320/DSC09172.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629394548983228562" border="0" /></a>We were full and happy with our Costco spinach salads, yummy baguette, diet Cokes all around, and shrimp cocktails. Probably my most favorite meal of the trip!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrn5r8oyFinjEP35KiM4LkPanLY5PcXFf_C_q0pq9gpTnOtOkIJdTJo9Pr20mWbp2vDTSrHgdi0DH_M7LdKzaFT3wy8c78SxYrGePRd6v3DJyXAXzB8UwwJ7n-Qiy8_OvTYFV7tKlVD8k/s1600/DSC09181.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrn5r8oyFinjEP35KiM4LkPanLY5PcXFf_C_q0pq9gpTnOtOkIJdTJo9Pr20mWbp2vDTSrHgdi0DH_M7LdKzaFT3wy8c78SxYrGePRd6v3DJyXAXzB8UwwJ7n-Qiy8_OvTYFV7tKlVD8k/s320/DSC09181.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629395685957313410" border="0" /></a>Then it came.<br />That long awaited for-haven't seen it since Mexico 8 years ago-nostalgic feeling of a beach<br />SUNSET!<br />So.Awesome.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0iVZaJMR1RbOB1b-J-A0HFiXKHlajJEbSAD8zRA7487k9qLT_LwoB6gYK7JQTsP3n1uUzADh7slmruDrAzdbv9H7FkReebr0CoIw7xLRhgyIhMFZ8PjrcymCo6oE2ukMm5K45KuT-S1M/s1600/DSC09180.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0iVZaJMR1RbOB1b-J-A0HFiXKHlajJEbSAD8zRA7487k9qLT_LwoB6gYK7JQTsP3n1uUzADh7slmruDrAzdbv9H7FkReebr0CoIw7xLRhgyIhMFZ8PjrcymCo6oE2ukMm5K45KuT-S1M/s320/DSC09180.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629395701007015762" border="0" /></a>John and Stefanie enjoyed it too so I took their picture like the creepy stalker that I am when I have a camera!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjxXb2qVDHmeiDTcSKpFM4tTmi8en_H-E3TtfnP1_4ebLfxYuDt_wZsNOV22Lun6OjTYg9VOqBFFfB0b7ZEdrwP9mVWp1g67fxvTr0AeSpJvFbIBd6PPPW_leSnCzm6GrOlXKgPszZPA/s1600/DSC09189.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjxXb2qVDHmeiDTcSKpFM4tTmi8en_H-E3TtfnP1_4ebLfxYuDt_wZsNOV22Lun6OjTYg9VOqBFFfB0b7ZEdrwP9mVWp1g67fxvTr0AeSpJvFbIBd6PPPW_leSnCzm6GrOlXKgPszZPA/s320/DSC09189.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629394537977044802" border="0" /></a>Some of the locals (or "natives" as I called them...) enjoying the sunset before acting all crazy again by running into the surf from the shore, with their boogey boards, to catch a wave and surf it in or skim the wave in. They were nuts!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizuK05IM9260Lcbhpu4u8xR3Vy4caTmg2HBhRSR12TJvJrXx8OFFA0UDUszv7nOZYaXDOgJLTaKMWpCy3GdvA04fXIdfRZJmmdTAlGOwRM_9awWW6iDKrRrc2gOjcILLjQJWCQYnf7XIg/s1600/DSC09182.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizuK05IM9260Lcbhpu4u8xR3Vy4caTmg2HBhRSR12TJvJrXx8OFFA0UDUszv7nOZYaXDOgJLTaKMWpCy3GdvA04fXIdfRZJmmdTAlGOwRM_9awWW6iDKrRrc2gOjcILLjQJWCQYnf7XIg/s320/DSC09182.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629394541529188146" border="0" /></a>Just another day in paradise!<br /></div>The Ball Babieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084620816310767870noreply@blogger.com1