36 Years Ago......

I met Stephanie Booth and her two younger sisters. We lived one street apart, two houses if we cut through the yards (and we did multiple times every day!). Her mom made the absolute best chocolate chip cookies and regularly fed me and most of the neighborhood peanut butter sandwiches on her picnic style kitchen table. We played Ghost the Graveyard, Kick the Can, and drank Kool-Aid until we grew up and apart. Then, we discovered facebook and what a tool it is to reconnect and stay in touch!!!! Now, some 36 years later, Stephanie attends her first reunion, we hug for the first time since our childhood days. There were tears! Love her!

25th High School Reunion

(Dee, Beth, Me, Jenny) Although in denial that twenty five years have come and gone, I thank Julie and Tina for organizing a reason for friends to visit. It is easy to say "let's stay in touch" "I will call you" or "we need to get together more often" but then our lives get busy. I am never upset that we have not talked or seen each other in five years but disappointed about what I have missed in their lives. The memories I could have been a part of. I am grateful for my friends that do not let life get in their way (like Dee) and conciously makes the effort to reach out regularly. I appreciate her and others like her that are in my life soooo much!!!!!!!!!

Bandit Brawl

This weekend's tournament consists of 20 Indiana teams. The Bandits won 3 of 4 pool play games and following an overnight with the coach's son and family, the boys start the championship round this afternoon. Hope they got some sleep. (TJ's pick off move to third base from the mound!)

Rascals Fun Zone

Riding In Style

TJ invited some school friends for an afternoon of go-carting at Rascals. With the dilemma of transporting ten young men to Whiteland, we hired the CHICKEN LIMO as a surprise! As it approached the house clucking, the reaction was "ARE YOU SERIOUS?" "TIGHT" "AWESOME"...."CAN I RIDE SHOTGUN?".

60 Inches

TJ is offically five feet tall.

Cincinnati

We traveled to Cincy for a long weekend of baseball. TJ's team competed in the 11U Cincy Flames tourney which consisted of 28 teams traveling from as far as Wisconsin to Florida. The Bandits went 3-0 in pool play. The first game was Thursday evening against the Mustangs. Then the rain arrived so games on Friday were delayed. They played two innings against the host team with TJ on the mound. The Bandits were ahead 2-1 with TJ on first base before the game was called for Thunder. He threw the ball 7 times in the first inning and 14 in the 2nd inning. The defense was on it! On Saturday, we started the day with more rain delays but finally competed late in the afternoon against the Oakbrook team. Then they finished the game against the Flames. TJ was back on the mound. He completed the game with 86 pitches. It was the first time he pitched an entire game. It was exciting and emotional for his dad! The team qualified for the championship round as the 5th seed. Unfortunately they had to immediately play again and were eliminated. The Florida Pokers won the tourney but the Bandits were still celebrating their victory over the Flames with swimming, a pizza party, cake (from the coaches) at midnight in honor of TJ's actual birthday and Horsley Haircuts!

Happy 12th Birthday

Fun was had by all as we celebrated TJ's 12th birthday with a cookout.

Runner-Up in CITL Tournament

Round Two

Installation of round two of braces occurred on the first Monday of Summer break.

Indy 500

"Gentlemen, start your engines!" Papa invited Doug, Amanda (her first race), Todd, TJ and a friend to the race. With no baseball games on the schedule for Memorial Day weekend for the first time in several years, they were "stoked". TJ invited his friend AJ. They escaped sunburns and had a great time.