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Sunday, May 30, 2010

Oil, Oil, Go Away....

After spending nearly 10 days back home in Alabama, the kids and I met Andy in Florida for a mini family beach vacation.  Partly to break up the trip back home for me and partly to see our beautiful coast before it becomes a gunky oily mess.

The highlight our of trip was a kayak tour of St. Joe Bay.



It was so beautiful.  And so hard to look out there, knowing the danger that is lurking...threatening...looming.



We had such a wonderful time exploring the beautiful creatures here.  Both big...



...and small.



in their beautiful home....



Praying for our beloved Gulf Coast.

And leaving it with a much heavier heart than usual.

~Julie

Monday, May 24, 2010

"There's no crying in baseball"...R.I.P., Dottie!

Mommy, Esquire mourns the passing of a great American woman, Dorothy "Dottie" Kamenshek.

Dorothy Kamenshek, a star player in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League who inspired the lead character, played by Geena Davis, in the movie “A League of Their Own,” has died.  She was 84.



Dottie played first base for the Rockford (Ill.) Peaches from 1943 to 1951 and again in 1953.  She was named one of the top 100 female athletes of the century by Sports Illustrated.  She was selected to seven All-Star teams and retired in 1953.







Kamenshek’s abilities impressed a minor league men’s team in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., which offered to buy her contract in 1947, but she declined the offer.

She was a graduate of  Marquette University with a degree in physical therapy and moved to California, where she practiced.

Mommy, Esquire salutes "Dottie" and wishes we had more stories about capable women like her.  More stories about women like Dottie and fewer stories about women like Paris.  Dottie was one swell gal. R.I.P., Dottie!



Batter up! Hear that call!
The time has come for one and all
To play ball. For we're the members of the All-American League,
We come from cities near and far.
We've got Canadians, Irishmen and Swedes,
We're all for one, we're one for all,
We're All-American.

Each girl stands, her head so proudly high,
Her motto Do Or Die.
She's not the one to use or need an alibi.
Our chaperones are not too soft,
They're not too tough,
Our managers are on the ball.
We've got a president who really knows his stuff,
We're all for one, we're one for all,
We're All-Americans!




Thursday, May 13, 2010

Scavenger Hunt!

A friend here who was a first grade teacher (and who is much more creative than I!) put together a scavenger hunt for our kids at the state park.  For this I was grateful as I am running out of steam ideas as we approach the unofficial end to our unofficial trial period of homeschool kindergarten and playschool.

First of all....it's really beautiful there.



We met at the side of the lake and gathered the troops to give them instructions.  The ages of the kids ranged from about 20 months to 6 1/2.  There were 3 three-year-olds and one four-year-old so for them, this exercise was perfect.    For the almost seven-year-old, it was not as challenging.  Until we put him in charge.  Something that seven-year-olds like to be.  Or at least think they are.  Anyway....

They were given sheets with pictures of different colors, and they were to find items that matched the colors.  Lucky for my three, they had an experienced guide who could clarify any confusion they might have had.



It was fairly easy to find items that were brown, orange, and green....but they had to look long and hard to find purple.

Success!



Next it was time to look for animals.  Stuart spotted some ducks and was in his element.  This, of course, was most unfortunate for the ducks.



Obviously they didn't hear what happened to the butterfly at the hands of the Stuart.  If they knew, they would have never been this close.

Not only were there ducks....but there were donkeys.



Roosters.



And one big, ugly, smelly, dirty pig.  Boar.  Whatever.   Bless his heart.



Group shot.  Minus Stu who was probably off trying to stick his finger up the donkey's nose.  Honestly, it would have been easier to position the ducks, donkey, rooster and boar on that tiny bench than to gather these young'uns for a group picture.

See that look on Catherine's face?

That's exactly how I looked when this photo session was over.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Does this make us look fat?

We knew we needed  a new look.

We searched and searched.  Tried on lots of different outfits.  Nothing seemed to fit.  At least nothing that was already out there.

So we found someone to make us something.

We like what she did.

She's very talented.  And sweet.  And she does it all to raise money for adoption.

We really liked that.

Check her out if you get a chance.

We have lots of new stuff on the way....

Stay tuned.