First Day of School -- 2012

I'm still a slacker, but determined to get some things accounted for and on this blog.  So, first day of school arrived bright and early, one fine Monday morning.  Ugh, Mondays, Mornings...blah. But, when the excitement of a new year is upon us and the thrill of being reunited with all your friends and classmates that have been absent during summer is in place....well, it makes for some happy kiddos here at the House of Bowling. Of course, such happiness can only last so long before it turns back into the drudgery of near dragging them from their slumbers each school morning. Apparently there is a magnetic force between their slender frames and the mattress.  

Oh, look!  They are FAR past the age where I would lay out clothes for their first day in hopes of playing all matchy matchy....but look what happened when they choose their attire...and they didn't even notice...and I was certain not to even breathe a word of it once I noticed it during the photo op.  They sort of look all matchy matchy, which makes my heart smile inside. 

Baby Girl will experience the joy of being BIG DOG (if you can call it that when you are the skinniest thing in class)  on campus this year as she embarks on her final year at her school.  The boys should take this time to enjoy their last year of freedom as well....next year, she'll be in high school as my inside informant!! :) 

With the help of some cute pinterest finds, some Golden Eagle treats and the dollar bins at Target, Baby Girl was ready to greet her new teacher. I'm just glad she still enjoys helping out making these and delivering them....I don't know what I will do when she quits on me....

As tolerant as she is, there are those times when I know to just pull back a little...even when it's killing me inside.  So, you will notice the lower part of the child proof window showing as I drove off from car line to document this LAST EVER, FIRST DAY walk into the building. 

I am happy to report everyone had a great first day. And I survived as well.

Indeed, homemade is FAR better than delivery or digornio.

For starters, you get to make it with your friends.....

and create wonderful, cheesy,

swirly masterpieces....

even a smiley face, complete with eyebrows and hair.....

and then you get to eat it....fresh, piping hot from the oven.

Baby Girl turns another year older!

The older they get, the less of a themed production they require.  However, I just can't help myself when it comes to birthdays, I have to make a little bit of a showcase, despite their aging years! :)   We did keep it low key this year.  A few gym friends for a sleepover after practice, mudpuddles to splash away the afternoon, homemade pizza for the evening, and a good ol' summer thunderstorm to end the night, and buckets of fun for parting gifts. These days are a fleeting, I soak it all up as best I can.

Happy Birthday sweet Baby Girl!!  You are the smile in my heart.

The homemade slip and slide was all fun and games, until somebody lost their bathing suit.

And clearly, he wasn't even too concerned. Which caused everyone to become a bit tickled.

Which, in turn, led to this little lady having an accident of her own.  

Which, in turn, prompted this handsome guy to take a bathroom break himself, indoors. 

All in all, it was the most fun you can have

with a sheet of black heavy duty plastic and a waterhose. 

And with a little chew of grass thrown in for extra fiber. 

A very happy Granny.

And even the handsome guy was grinning wide. 

Memories. For. A. Lifetime.

Slacker.

If you looked up this word in a blog dictionary it would have my picture beside it FOR SURE.
However, I do hope to rectify that problem soon.  Preferably, before they come out with the Merriam-Webster Blog Edition. :)

I don't really know how the summer just gets away from me so quickly.  The days have the same amount of hours in them in July as in October or February.  Many House of Bowling posts are hopefully soon to come.

Thanks for hanging around anyway.

Focus. The Prize is near.

Are y'all as excited as I am when the Olympics roll around? 

     

 Oh, my, I just love to watch all the athletes hailing from countries small and large, far and near, to represent their homeland on the world stage. I enjoy the competitive side as well as the human interest stories behind the scenes. 

 And each day I see these Olympians and wonder just what road they've been down to get here. 

I can assure you that no one's road has been easy.  They have each sacrificed much, some more than others. 

 

They have trained for countless hours, until their bodies were screaming for a break, only to push even farther, even harder, even faster, even stronger.  All because they knew this day would come.

Their would be a time when they would have the opportunity of gaining this prize....sure it's icing on the cake to go home with a medal around your neck....but the prize of reaching this spot.   

This very spot which is only reserved for the best, not just the best in your school, in your park league, in your neighborhood, in your city, in your state, in your county, heck, not even in your continent....but these folks are the BEST IN THE WORLD.

They have perserved, they have fought to get here.  They have remained focused when others have tried to tear them down, told them they would never be good enough., told them to just give up....

And guess what, they don't give up, or give in, they just keep pushing harder to reach that goal.  They kept believing in their abilities, their coach, their supporters, their dream.

And do you know when they begin that journey? Is it the day before their event? The week they won their qualifying meet back home? Last summer?  No.  They train years in advance, for some, they train a lifetime for this moment.  Oh, how I love the Olympics.

So, with all these thoughts in mind, I couldn't think of a more fitting verse to memorize this month: 

"I have fought the good fight.

I have finished the race.

I have kept the faith." 

Yes, indeed we should focus on this path, we should continue our daily training, we should keep the faith....

"I have fought the good fight,

 I have finished the race,

I have kept the faith."

~2 Timothy 4:7

No greater friend...

**I apologize....I've had this verse in mind for July for many months now....and I thought I had it scheduled to post automatically....but I was wrong! Sorry!


Have you ever seen those bumper stickers that say "only two people have ever given their life for you, the American soldier and Jesus Christ"?  Or something like that. 

Anyway, this time of year, everyone becomes a little more patriotic in appreciation of our Armed Forces.  And it makes me stop and think, we have many family members and friends (as does everyone) who have served and are currently serving our country.  But the handful I could name do not hold a candle to the immeasurable sacrifice many have given.....and I don't even know their names.  But they gave their life for our freedoms.  The freedom for me to have this silly blog and write whatever I want here, because I can, because of them.  Soldiers who fight and those who died fighting in wars before I was even a twinkle in my mama's eye....because they had a deep love for their country, their fellow soldiers, their families waiting back home, etc.

To them and all members serving in any capacity I offer my deepest gratitude, knowing I am not worthy of their sacrifices daily at home and abroad, but am so thankful anyway.  And that brings me to the verse this month:

"Greater love has no man than this,

that a man lay down his life for his friends."

~John 15:13

Now what about Jesus laying down his life....for you and for me?  Could you have down as this verse suggests, shown that love, by sacrificing your life?

Would you have given your life so Hitler could live? What about Osama bin Laden?

Would you lay down your life for the people you dislike the most? The people who rape children, who steal from your family, who are serial killers, who prey on the innocence of our youth, who gossip about everything and everybody, who bully your kids, etc.etc.etc.-- insert whatever evil and vile action or display you can think of, that has offended you, has betrayed you,  has mocked you in some way. 

Well, would you?  Could you? Lay down your life in exchange for theirs, despite their blaring faults?

I will be honest, I can't.  I wouldn't.  But I tell you what I would do, what would be an easy way for me to honor this verse....I TOTALLY would and could lay down my life for my children.  You better beleive I'd jump in front of that bus or bullet or cancer or famine or whatever was bestowed on them that intended harm, or death.....I'm there, with my big mama bear pants on.  As most parents would say, certainly I would give my life in exchange for my children's, any day of the week.   But I don't think I could give my life for your children, as much as I love you, my family and friends, and your children, would I really do that if asked?  A pint of blood, some bone marrow, a kidney....sure, but not my life.

Which brings me to the realization that I definitely wouldn't sacrifice my firstborn son (or my middle child or my baby girl) for all those bad, bad people in the world.  But God did.  And to me that is so hard to swallow sometimes when I sit and think about it.  Jesus died for Hitler. And Osama bin Laden.  And Charles Manson. And Jerry Sandusky. And the girl who stole your boyfriend. And the kid who makes fun of your child's features. And their mother. And the co-worker who takes ALL the credit but gave forth none of the work. Yep. Every one of them.

You. Me. We are on the list too. We are a sinner.  We deserve death. But Jesus calls us his friend, and he gave us life, in exchange for his own. 

Light up your sparkler and celebrate, be thankful for our great nation, but be even more thankful for Jesus.   

Just another weekend of fun down on the PLAINS...

Recently we went here:

and the kids played in the indoor practice facility like it was their backyard 

but, really we were there to watch 

this guy 

do his thing

 TOUCHDOWN AUBURN!

Of course, we saw these guys too... 

and Baby Girl analyzed enough practice runs

until she could not only mimic the proper stretch for the ball....

but also coach up the younger players as well...

watch out guys...she's a woman in charge!  

Really, there's nothing finer than a weekend in Auburn! 

War Eagle!!

....football season is just a couple of months away!!