Long Time, No Blog

Hello, Blog.  Nice to see you, it's been a while.  We've had a busy but fun last three weeks, filled with school, sports, birthdays and family.  

Let's see...where to begin.  The kids made it through their first week of school, and that weekend it was time to celebrate Tanner's and Bruce's birthdays.  Their parties fell on the same night at the same time so John and I headed to Bruce's and Lawrence and Sarah headed to Tanner's.  Since I had the camera, Bruce's party is the only one I got pictures of!

Happy Birthday Bruce!

Bruce gets a hug from Gram while sporting his new
embroidered Louisville hat

This 11 year old boy is loved!

Although I didn't get a picture of Tanner blowing out his candles, I did get this awesome picture via a text on the morning of his 16th birthday.  Look out Louisville, there's a new driver on the road!

Best birthday gift ever

Another fun thing that happened that week is that Lawrence and I got to go to the opening night of the Kentucky State Fair with our friends, Trip and Corrine Fetter.  Corrine pretty much runs the state fair, and she invited us to be their guests at the Hank Williams, Jr. concert, and we got to go the opening reception for the fair board and ride around on her golf cart like we were important.  This was a fun night.

Ready for some fair fun!

That weekend John and Lawrence tried their hand at the Parent/Child golf tournament up at Hurstbourne, and I think John told me they came in second to dead last.  It didn't seem to bother them though, and I had to snap a picture of them hanging out on the deck after they got home in their matching golf shirts (John insisted they match!).  

Maybe they didn't play well, but they looked good.

That next week if was time for John's class to lead chapel at school.  The classes take turns leading each week, and John just hates to be up in front of everyone (sarcasm inserted here).

Leading worship

Over Labor Day weekend we went to Danville to watch John play (and Lawrence coach!) football.  They played a team from Paris, Kentucky and won by quite a lot.  This was such a fun day for the team.  They rode a bus up there and after the game we went to a local restaurant for a big team dinner.  

#99 is ready!

Block!

You can't get to my quarterback! 

Coach Young with two of his best offensive linemen,
John and Austin 

My favorite guys

Rebel Bowl Champions

On Sunday of Labor Day weekend Lawrence headed to the UK vs UL football game and got to relive his glory days on the sidelines, except this time he was wearing blue and was surrounded by dance team girls instead of cheerleaders.  No matter the color, this guy knows how to party.

While he was at the game, the kids went to Rich, Lori's, Taylor's and Tanner's for a cousin sleepover before Taylor headed back to Romania for his second year of school.  The babies are all so big!  Sydney turned 14 a few days later and Taylor is now back in Bucharest.  

Lori posted this picture of them on Facebook

On September 5th I turned 43 (what??), and I had such a great day, start to finish.  The day started off with taking Sarah to get her braces off after three LONG years.  I was looking through my pictures, and I found this picture I took of her with my phone the day we went in to Dr. Tran's office to get them on.  This was in October 2009.  I also took a picture of her last week right when she got in the car after getting them off.  What a difference three years makes!  Check out the before and after.

BEFORE - AGE 11

AFTER - AGE 14

Dr. Tran wasn't kidding when he told me at the beginning of the process that she was going to look like a totally different person when he was done!

When I got to work my office was decorated and a yummy homemade lemon pound cake was on my desk.  I had a great lunch with my friends (thank you Loren and Brittany!) and then that night the kids, Lawrence and I headed to Ruth's Chris for dinner.  All in all, a lovely day.

Throughout the last few weeks we've also been popping in on Mom and Dad's progress on their new house.  They've been stripping wall paper, ordering hardwood floors, meeting with kitchen planners and having an all around blast getting ready for moving day.  They move in this next week and then close on their old house a few weeks later.  A little bittersweet, but my mom says whenever she's at the new house she feels nothing but excitement, so she knows they are making the right move.  

Tag team wall paper stripping

That wallpaper looks like it's been up
there a looooong time!

September is flying by, and the calendar is filled with football and field hockey.  Cooler temperatures prevailed this weekend, reminding us that fall is around the corner.  Can't wait!