February 2004 Pictures
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Yeah! A big ole snow storm! It just makes the
world look all clean.
Devin and Ginger walk back to the house after a jump on the tramp-o-snow. |
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Angela and Ginger warm up by a cozy fire as we take a day off and chill out. |
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Devin lost his first tooth, and as of this writing, his
second, also. He allowed me to pull out the first one with the old
dental floss tied around the tooth and yank method. After that
time, he said, "Every day I lose a tooth, I'm going to let you pull it out
that way...I didn't even feel it!" The second one was supposed to be the string and doorknob method, but the stinker was so excited to get his Tooth Fairy money, that he took a tooth that was just the smallest bit loose, and yanked it back and forth over and over, spilling large quantities of blood until he pulled it out himself. That's my boy! |
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Our church is building a new worship center. We were fortunate enough to take a tour of the new facility with the pastor. It should be ready by January 2005. |
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Super Ginger! Faster than a speeding pellet, able to leap tall kennels in a single bound, stronger than a piece of twine, fighting unhappiness wherever she might find it! |
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February was game month for Upward Basketball.
Loud thumping music, smoke and lights greet the players as they are
announced onto the court. I coached Devin's kindergarten team.
What a great experience for everyone it was. Devin scored three
baskets for this season, second most of his team.
Devin works his way into the key.
He shoots. Look at that air! |
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For the Kindergarten level, there are no referees; that
would be too traumatic for these guys. Instead, the coaches act as
referees and coaches on the court, leading the bewildered munchkins along.
The basketball is smaller and the basket is lowered to 8 feet rather than
the standard 10 feet.
Here I explain that this game isn't going so well. We've got to suck it up and get after it. Remember what you learned! Ack, it's easy to get caught up in the competition, but the league doesn't even keep score for the little guys until third grade. And the phrase, where "Every Child is a Winner" really does actually apply at this level. All of the kids left with more self esteem and feeling like they could really accomplish things if they worked at it. |
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We took Ginger to Red Kane Park where she took Angela for a
walk around the pond to chase some ducks.
It's so awesome to see her jump in the water and swim and fetch. The dog that I grew up with, a half Pekingese, half Dachshund, didn't really find fetching all that fetching, and ran at the sight of anything wet. Not that Bulltwinkle wasn't a great friend. It's just a different experience this time around. Okay, I didn't want a dog, but now that they convinced me to get one, I have to admit that Ginger really is a joy. |
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One Sunday morning at church, Caitlin raided the donut table. Geeze! Take it easy there girl. |
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My brother Randy, Elizabeth, Madeline, and Meagan and the
four of us took a Saturday and visited Old City Park in Dallas and then went to
Adventure Land to ride go-karts, play Laser Tag, games, and eat junk food.
It was really a great day.
Angela holds a saddened Devin at Old City Park after he was temporarily separated from us. You gotta keep up. |
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Ginger has a never-ending source of love to give. |
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For Caitlin's big 8th birthday, there was a full night of
events starting with getting made-up at Libby Lu's in the mall.
She and her best friend Briana ham it up for the camera. |
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Pizza and an oversized cookie birthday cake were next. |
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After a movie, it was back to the home for gifts and a sleepover. Devin and I hung out with Charles and Reagan Cross before having to get up at 6:30 for a Saturday morning basketball game. |
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Caitlin and Bailey Cross enjoyed a night of crafts. They created these lovely glass window adornments and paper guitars to jam out. |
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With the end of Upwards basketball and cheerleading, there was a huge "Awards Ceremony." with around 1500 in attendance. Angela leads her girls in a couple of crowd-rousing cheers. Caitlin starts off the girls with "Cheerleaders ready? OK." |
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Afterwards, the Crosses and we celebrated at
Chili's, where Bailey gave
us a demonstration of static electricity at work.
Reagan and Devin raise their beers in a toast to a well-played season...root beers that is. |
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Lastly, a lesson. Don't get between two leashed, hyper dogs. Reagan learned the hard way as they dog-tied him! Get along little doggies. |
