Couple of TidBits.....

BASEBALL 2009 Update:

Stephen had his BEST GAME EVER yesterday!!  Truly... he has really started playing well and is quite proud!  (As are the rest of us of him!)   Knights vs. Rockhounds - In the 1st Inning, score was 0-2 in favor of the Knights, Stephen Harlow is up to bat!   He swings and misses.  Strike One.  Watches a couple of more go too high or too low as Balls.  The next pitch... WHACK - he sends one through the gap between 2nd and 3rd, the short stop misses it and it goes into center field.  Grand Slam Home Run!!  He brings in 3 runners and himself (4 Runs!).  Unfortunately, can only count the first 3 because of a 5 run limit per inning in Little League!!  But... he got them there!!!    Second AT BAT, the count is loaded at 3 Balls - 2 Strikes.  It's do or die moment.  WHACK goes a great hit over the second baseman's head into the field.  The Rockhounds field the ball quickly and Stephen gets to 1st Base.  Over the next several plays, manages to steal to 2nd, then to 3rd and then... with a helpful hit from a teammate, runs in for another score!!   In field play, he was in the Left Outfield for most of the game and then second base for the last part of the game.  The Knights won the game quite convincingly 19 - 3.     

Warning:  Mom's Highly Opinionated Editorial here .......The next part is truly just a Mom's perspective in knowing how well Stephen just played vs. how he has played before.  He has been struggling with hitting the ball and it seems he has found out how to do it really well.  The glasses seem to help him quite a bit!  He got the team 4 runs! Now, obviously to get to a final game score of 19, there was a lot of good hitting going around by all and we had several really good pitching efforts as well keeping our opponents scoring down.  At the end of the game, the Coach always has a little meeting to say a few words.  He mentioned how well everyone played and congratulated several direclty by their names and DIDN'T ONCE mention Stephen??  A Grand Slam and you don't mention him?  My mama bear hair went up just a bit - and by the way, so did Sister Bear's!. Coach gives a game ball as well each game to the player he felt contributed the most or had something really special happen that game and it did not go to Stephen... it went to the Coach's son.   Hmmm.... I'm not saying the kid didn't deserve it, because, in fairness, he had a great game as well, and really, there were many who deserved the ball that game.  And yes, the coach has to make a choice.  (But choose your own kid??....I'm just saying....).  I was more miffed that Coach didn't even mention Stephen's contribution to the team???  Just a little mention was all it would have taken while he was mentioning the others.   They don't get it yet, but this is what life is like sometimes.  Just not always fair unless your dad is the coach.   

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SEVEN SOMTHINGS ART AWARD

So, in catching up on my friend Lynn's blog, on the right sidebar ....http://musingsfromthehill.blogspot.com,

I see that she won a cool award call the Seven Somthings Art Award for her fabulous glass making!!  If you haven't seen it, you should go right on over there and take a look.  She makes some beautiful pieces!!  If I didn't already have my photography, scrapbooking, gardening, etc. type hobbies, I might try to pick that one up as well.  

The deal is you get this award and then you give it to seven other deserving bloggers.  Lynn gave me one!!  I don't think it's for the ART quality of my blog... but just cause she likes reading it!   I'm not sure what has been real artsy around my blog (or life) lately... more just about raising our family and various tidbits of life.   I really am kinda artsy sometimes, just don't have as much time to do those things in this season of life.  There will be a time I know.... 

HOWEVER......

GET READY .... because I'm starting Karen Russell's 8 (or is it 9?) week long Photographer's Course that is SOOOOO HARD to get in to!!! Took me several... several... months of waiting on the waiting list and quick fingers on registration day to get into this class that starts on Monday!!  I C.A.N.N.O.T.  W.A.I.T.!!!  So.... ARTSY here I come... :-)

So.. back to this award......

When you receive the award, you are to list seven things or people you are passionate about, give the award to seven bloggers you feel are worthy, list the person who gave you the award, and place the award logo on your blog. 

I am passionate about: 

Jesus - I haven't always been as passionate about Jesus as I am now, and some would say I could be more passionate about Him, but I've learned over my many years that He is my Guide, my Savior, my King.  I've learned to recognize the times he is telling me to wait and listen for his word or his guidance.  I've learned to take my prayers to him  - all kinds of prayers.  I've learned that I can pray anywhere and my most favorite place is in the car during my commutes in and out of downtown.  It's most often my only alone time.

My husband & children - There aren't enough words to describe how passionate I am about my husband and children (all 4 of them).  I love them so much.  I enjoy them so much.  I thank God for them every day.

Family & Close Friends - While I can't be a daily part of all of their lives, I so enjoy spending time with my parents, sisters, their families and my close friends. 

Wine & Travel - I just LOVE a wonderful glass of wine with my husband, family or with friends.  Just love it.  Place a little bit of cheese and crackers along side and I'm just in a heavenly state.  Add to it traveling to a beautiful place, and it's even better.  I love planning trips... 

Coffee ... Starbucks.... I think I could be a millionaire by now if I had invested the amount of money I've spent at Starbucks! (OK, well, maybe not right now in the market, it'd be 1/4 of value).   I love a good cup of coffee in the morning especially on a Saturday or Sunday morning out on the back porch on a lovely, cool morning.   I have a good friend who used to roast his own beans and had a really neat espresso maker!  Thought that would be a cool thing to do, but ... suppose I'm not quite that passionate quite yet.

Photography and Scrapbooking - My two favorite hobbies that go hand in hand.  I think, if truth be told, I like the photo taking and the scrapbook tools and supplies, and haven't gotten in a groove for a great deal of the actual scrapbooking part yet.

Good Mexican Food & Margaritas - grew up in Texas and we Texans love our Mexican food and a good margarita.  It's a standard Friday evening event for us.  We are picky about which restaurant we'll go to as well and there are LOTS to choose from for Mex around here.

Perceptions   When I asked my husband what he thought I was passionate about, one thing he mentioned were Perceptions.  What others think.  I'm not sure this is a positive passion - at least not all the time.  When I thought about this for awhile, I think it has to do with just making sure I don't call unwanted attention to myself in some way that isn't positive.    I don't always care that others have the same opinions as myself, although at times, I will make a passionate case for my opinion.  I learned long ago in my career that perceptions are, at times, more important that fact.  In my work world, the perception of you by others matters a great deal and can impact your career.  I've worked hard to get where I am in my career and it takes a lot of work to maintain it as well.  That carries over to my personal outward life as well in some ways.   

Career and Money - Well, he also said this was another of my passions.  It is I suppose.  I don't really think of it as a Passion in a good way.  Rather a reality and requirement of life to have the life I'd like and provide for my family/children in the way I feel I should and need to.  I've been extremely blessed in my career and I know God had a great hand in all of it.   Do I always want to go to work each day and give it my all??  No.. sometimes I don't.  But... I do.  Because that's what you do and if you want to get the good rewards, it requires hard work and it's not always fun.  I really hope my children will learn this life lesson at some point.  Life is really easy for them and society tells them it's all about instant gratification and they deserve everything without having to work for it.  When we get to a post about fears... well, that's one of them.

Well... that's actually 9.  Got a little carried away I suppose!!  

I still have to name 7 other blogs.... I'm working on that one.  Will have to come back after this LONG post....

Gotta run now.. packing for this conference for work starting later today.  A perfect example of something I'd rather not do for work, but something that is required of me as a part of my career.  Will make the best of it and enjoy some I'm sure.

Have a great weekend my friends!

MA