Dedicated to Coach Diane

All month the Strikers have shown their support for Coach Diane and all breast cancer survivors by wearing pink, and gathering support. On Oct. 29 the Strikers completed their projects, and while it brought loving and joyful tears to coaches eyes, all the boys and parents/families wore pink in her honor today.

On another note, Brian scored two goals in today's game! Hooray!

Here he is just before the ball went in. I was too busy jumping for joy to capture the exact moment.

Atlanta Super Regional - Bands of America

The biggest band competition of the year was yesterday in Atlanta, more specifically the Georgia Dome. Cory earned a spot to play there yesterday! This particular competition consists of the best bands in the south/southeast of the United States. For Clarksville High School Wildcat band to be invited was an honor, let alone to be able to play and compete! We were the only band in the northwest area of TN to compete! Cory said it was great to be in such a big place where folks paid to hear the bands play. What a great experience! We are so proud of you!

The Neighbors' View....October 30, 2011

I just cannot get over having petunia's still growing and showing off at the end of October...I wonder what November will hold? Hmm. Now the other night we did have a frost, and I brought the petunias in the garage and Sweetie hung them for me, but other than that, that is where they have been.

The big pumpkin? It's a forty pounder..yep! Cory picked that one up at Boyd's farm this year. Brian got the 20ish pounder next to it. I picked up the little ones. I was told the white one was called a LUNA, and are the best kind to use to make pumpkin pie. I don't know if I have the heart to carve it.

The boys have been so busy they haven't had time to pumpkin carve...Guess we will just do that tomorrow, hopefully before it gets dark.

Old Memories- rediscovered!

What do the words memories, family, weekend project, and repurposed bring to mind?

I'll tell ya!
For my birthday this year I was blessed with an amazing gift that I would receive several months later, that was covered in over 20 years worth of dirt, dust and who knows what else, and yet it is one of the most precious gifts I've ever been given?

See? This is a double glider swing hand made by Chad's Uncle Hugh back in November of 1981. Uncle Hugh owned a saw mill, as a matter of fact it was in his front yard. He liked to build things, and so that particular year he and his friend, Lowell made several of these for the family.

My memories in regard to this swing start with dating Sweetie. This swing was parked over to the left of the family home. If we could draw back the folds of time, you would see Sweetie and I swinging on it, first on opposite sides, then together on one side. Me urging it along with my short legs, Chad slowing it down with his much longer legs! And then I smile as I see his mom and myself swinging and talking.  I didn't know at the time that she was investing in the girl that would eventually become his wife. We had some good talks on that swing, and to me it symbolizes the special relationship we have today. We can still sit and talk about anything, just as we did years ago.

Over the years, his family moved to a different location on the farm and the swing was set aside in one of the barns on the property. I never forgot about that swing...

So, when I was told that was my birthday present - I was touched and thrilled. My father in law lovingly reminded me that "it had been in the barn for years and would need a lot of work." He wasn't joking! It was delivered to us several months later, and we immediatly started talking about restoring it to its original usefulness, (besides, there are girls lined up to date Cory- but that's another story!)

So, this week we started the process. First the power sprayer took off layers of dust and dirt, then the wire brushes peeled of paint layer by layer. Then we taped, then painted it red and black.

And this is the finished product!

Now it is ready for more memories!

Vitamins- Good for us yesterday, bad for us today

Apparently today the news brought yet more tidings, not of great joy, but of doubt, and panic.  Go figure.
I try to keep up with the goings on of our world today. However, most of the time the news is full of sadness and woeI can hardly stand to watch much more than the weather segment . I should have watched the news this morning, as apparently I missed that some researchers somewhere have discovered that taking a multivitamin could indeed cause more harm than good. (that vitamins could cause more harm than good)
Since I work in a doctors office we heard about this latest revelation all day long. We received many calls filling up the mailboxes of the doctors and nurses regarding whether or not the vitamins that their doctors told them to take could be dangerous. Oh my!
It amazes me as most of the folks that call are elderly. Have they forgotten how over the years the news tells us that eggs are good for us, to eat more of them in our diets, then a year or two down the road we are told that the previous story was wrong and now we must avoid eggs, or perhaps just eat the yokes, or maybe just eat egg whites? Hang around..it will change.
The answer to the stress of the day? I overheard that no vitamin should be taken in excess, as with any medication or fruit, or vegetable for that matter. Over indulgence in anything is bad for you. Folks need to relax. Talk to your doctor, your primary care physcian. The story didn't take into account the folks that really HAVE to take vitamins, or for how long, or family history of disease for one, and not another, for the folks that are overweight and those that aren't. But what the people heard was no matter what your personal issues are you may die if you continue taking something others have taken their whole lives and been better for it. Who knows what else is being reported that is not the whole truth? I know I have actually wittnessed news, was excited to watch it on TV that night, and wow the story was so loosely based on what actually happened I almost didn't recognize the story. The "what ifs" were the highlight of the story rather than the facts that it just wasn't that bad of a situation. Even the interviews were edited to make the story POP. While the sparkle of a well worded story may catch a few viewers, I would rather invest my time in the truth - even if it isn't attractive, or even what I want to hear.
How about you?

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and the STRIKERS are showing thier support to their coach, and breast cancer surviovor, Diane. They are showing their support by each player making a donation to the cause and wearing pink wrist bands, shoe laces, and socks for the month of October. We are so proud of them. 

The majority of kids on Brian's team have played together for years so they and their parents have become good friends of ours. This team has supported many causes over the years where instead of getting trophies or having a pizza party at end of season, they spend Saturdays or a day during the week collecting food/clothing for the homeless, serving in soup lines, and even doing some free yardwork for folks that cannot get out and do for themselves. Congratulations Strikers! We are so proud of you and the well rounded young men you are!

Brian in goal.  Score this week! 5 to 2. We won! yay!