Here we are again....

Is it really time yet? It cannot be. It just cannot be. But, alas, it is. Youth basketball has officially started for 2010. Didn't we just stop?

So, Mikey T is again coaching Auburn Rec basketball. He moved up an age group to be with "his boys," however, he only ended up with one "old basketball boy" on his new team. That means eight new "Bassetballboyz" for Emma Kate to fall in love with.

See, the thing is, I love basketball. I love youth sports,in general. Emma Kate has already declared that she does not want to play ball (I know, there is still time. She is only three.) rather, she wants to tumble (I do not foresee the Olympics in her future, but I can totally see her as a stunt woman.) So, I totally do not mind going to the games; in fact, I enjoy it. And it is a family affair as Unc is the assistant coach. Fun times. The thing is, Mikey T takes Auburn Recreation Youth Basketball very seriously. Don't get me wrong, he is a great coach, and parents clamor around to try and get him as their coach. He is a hot commodity in Auburn Recreation Youth Basketball. Most parents know that he also coaches the travel league basketball team, which is a bigger deal around these parts (try-outs, weekend tournaments, scouts, etc.) But to Mike, a game is a game is a game. He treats Auburn Recreation Youth Basketball just like the Raptors Travel League and the NBA. A games is a game is a game.

The 6th-7th grade Nuggets started their season with a super close game that resulted in a victory, which makes Mikey T 11-0 in Auburn Recreation Youth Basketball (if you carry over his undefeated season from last year). With every win, I can breath for a short minute before I realize that just puts that much more pressure on the next game.

I ask that you please pray for my Husband in the event that he does ever lose an Auburn Recreation Youth basketball game; I am not sure he'd recover.

Game #2 is tomorrow; I will get some pics. I forgot my camera last week. Although between Mikey T almost getting a technical called against him and the poor kid who began throwing up his dinner on the court in the middle of the second quarter, it's probably better I didn't have it with me.

Favorite

I promise to update more about Christmas, New Year's and Sissy's visit. Mostly, we just enjoyed being a whole family.

Getting Closer

One of the many things I love most about Emma Kate is that she is not a greedy child. To be "an only child" (since Sissy lives in Florida) she is very good about sharing and not asking for much. Her daily request for candy is really the only thing I get tired of.

When preparing for our many meetings with Santa, she has only requested one thing, The Hungry Hipponapotomamous game. She sees the commercial while watching the only TV that she cares about, Sprout. And that, my friends, is the one thing she has asked for for Christmas.

The other day, I was trying to pry some more things out of her, when she looked at me and said "Mom, I already told you I want the Hippo game. And maybe some new puzzles. That is it, I don't need anything else."

Wow. To be humbled by a three year old is, well, humbling. This child has everything she could possibly need or want. Not because she is spoiled (because she is not) but because she realizes what most adults, including myself, sometimes forget. It is not about wanting more stuff, but being perfectly content with what you already have.

She teaches me something new everyday.

PS....

I hope you were all blessed by a Christmas program as good as the one I went to last night at our church, AUMC. It was amazing.

Cutest. Ever.

I know I am biased, but this may be the best Santa pic ever.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

We don't do anything easy around here. We like to jam pack our every minute with at least three activities. You know, in case we ever thought we could possibly be bored. For example, Christmastime.

It probably was not necessary for me to go shopping on Black Friday, rush home, and get back to Auburn for the Iron Bowl. It was probably not necessary for me to go back out on Black Saturday to finish what I had started the previous day.

And it was probably not necessary for me to rush home last Monday, change Emma Kate, rush back to campus in the rain for her picture with Santa Claus, only to wait in line for an hour.

Like it wasn't necessary for me to rush home on Wednesday, bundle up Emma Kate, rush back to Auburn to meet up with our BFF's for the Auburn Christmas Parade, then race to the car, head to Auburn High to meet up with Mikey T to watch the high school basketball tournament, you know, just for fun.

Kindof like it was not necessary for me to plan to go to the Friday nigh Fite Christmas party (which rocked by the way!!), then Saturday to get mine and EK's hair cut (super cute) and then to Birmingham, shopping with MeMe, then to Calera where we met our BFF's again for the Polar Express, the nephew's Christmas program on Sunday (at our old church, which I still miss) and then back to Auburn that night so we could make Mike's dentist appointment on Monday and my very important work meeting Monday afternoon.

Yeah, it probably isn't necessary for me to live like this..........................

but it sure is fun.

My belated Thanksgiving Post

Since Thanksgiving was squeezed between a basketball game and a football game, we headed over to our annual Benton Thanksgiving at the Rhyne Compound. There is always good wine, then turkey, then champagne, then games, then naps. The kids always commandeer the golf cart, feed the catfish and this year even Jr. stayed awake (No, really. Rory, I promise, he was awake) to take them "arrowhead hunting."

It was a great, but short, visit.

Before Thanksgiving, MeMe and Hoppy passed through Auburn/Opelika on their way down to see Uncle Toddy and Aunt Margie in Ocala, Florida. We met them at Chic-Fil-A for lunch and a little play time.

Emma Kate had to wear her Auburn attire to show Hoppy how it is done around here.

It has been a hard year for us, to say the least. But, I know that I have so many blessings and Thanksgiving was a great time to focus on those, especially family. Oh, and by the way, did you know it was December!!!! Woohooo.

Blog Slacker

I apologize. I have been a slacker. But I have a lot to post in the next few days, so get ready. First, let's backtrack.

The pneumonia is gone. Finally.

We are still working on potty training.

Emma Kate still sings 95% of the day.

We still miss MaMa everyday, but it gets a little easier everyday, too.

Now that we have gotten caught up. Here is what we have been doing:

I was off the entire week last week, pretty much because I have the best job in the world.

So we did what people in Auburn do. We went to Auburn University events.

This is the final season of Basketball for the Beard Eaves Coliseum. So, we are going as much as possible.

Basketball Season has started and is in full swing. Mikey T is an Alabama High School Athletic Association Basketball Ref and is still coaching his boyz, so we go to a lot of basketball. You know, for research. Well, he goes for research. I go because I love it and Emma Kate goes to spend quality time with her boyfriend.

And, although it was painful Iron Bowl outcome, it was one of the best Iron Bowls I have attended. Auburn fans love their Tigers and we can be proud that we did not perform like all of the sports media thought we would. The atmosphere in that stadium was so great, especially after the first quarter. Even if I knew the outcome beforehand, I still would have gone to that game, cheered as loud as I did and stayed to sing "It's Great to Be an Auburn Tiger" to the team after the last whistle blew. Here are some pics from the day:

Emma Kate did not like it when Alabama fans somehow managed to get into the Auburn Alumni Tent. She and Mike went home to watch the game, because although Emma Kate LOVES to watch football, we knew the game would be super-crowded and she would not have much freedom to move around. They were both asleep by half-time. Unbelievable.

So, that catches us up on life in Auburn....next post, Thanksgiving!!