Jacqulin is on the Cross Country team.

Jacqulin decided to give Cross Country a try and she loves it.

And they are off!!! Thankfully, the girls get to run first. The course is 1 1/2 miles and there are about 120 girls running from 5 different middle schools.





How can a girl still be smiling and look so pretty while running. This picture was taken at about the mile marker. Amazing! I think she may have found that "thing" that she loves.



I don't know if it's fair to bring your priest to a sporting event. Does this give someone an unfair advantage?

First Day of School - sort of

It's about now that I'm feeling like a bad mom. The kids have been in school for 4 or 5 weeks and I still haven't taken that first day of school picture. I really hate it because I had a good trend going. So, Luke started high school this year. That means, including kindergarten, I have taken a first day of school picture for the last 10 years. Well, if I had taken a picture this year. It's sort of like missing Christmas morning. Who wouldn't get a picture on Christmas morning.
Jacquin started middle school this year. I finally got her picture, this was about a week after school started and I was insisting that we get a picture on the front steps -like I've done for the last 9 years. It was raining!! Nice!!! So, Jacqulin let me take her picture inside the front door. Luke decided breakfast was more important.
They are both very happy in their new schools and doing great. I wish their mom could get it together.

Aunt Sonya's @ the Shore! August 5-9,2010

The house that Sonya and Billy bought in Gulf Shores was so nice and just the perfect getaway. We were able to enjoy ourselves so much.


My beautiful Jacqulin. She is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. She is very serious, caring and sensitive and loves to help others. We have talked for a long time about what she wants to do when she grows up. The goal hasn't changed in years but is becoming more clear. She has always wanted to be a teacher but now knows she wants to work with special needs children. She reminds me of my Aunt Pat who worked with children with Down's syndrome and had unlimited patience and an encouraging spirit. I would be thrilled if she followed this dream.


Layla is my sister, Sonya's, granddaughter. Layla is 2 years old and this was her first trip to the beach. She kept throwing her little hands in the air and saying "to the beach!" This is her first venture onto the sand, however, it was so hot this is as far as we made it. We decided to go back later in the afternoon when we could enjoy it a little more.



We just finished a great lunch at Sea and Suds. Luke is proud that he is almost as tall as Uncle Billy.



My kids start school this week. It's always a little traumatic or maybe I should say dramatic, but it's a new school year and this year they both go to new schools. Jacqulin will be in 7th grade at Freedom Middle School and Luke will be a freshman at Centennial High School. Wow!! I know they are growing but to see them crammed into the back seat next to a little person really puts it all into perspective. It really does seem like yesterday when they were Layla's age. Now, no car seats, no holding their hands, no ordering from the kids menu. See, it's a little traumatic.

War at the Shore

It starts innocently enough. A little cold water from the water hose. Luke thinks he's going to teach Uncle Billy a lesson. Of course, this is pay back from the day before when Luke was enjoying a nap on a float and Billy poured ice water on Luke's belly.

Luke tries to use his words to tell Uncle Billy this doesn't have to get messy.

Layla steps in and offers to referee. The cry of war is in the air and it's a full on battle.




Uncle Billy called in the troops ... or at least the girls.... it's 3 against one, can that be fair?




Uncle Billy is relentless screaming things like "my noodle is bigger than yours," and "I have more hair on my back than you do."


Billy forces Luke out of the pool...

It's funny 'til somebody gets hurt. Luke shows how the battle became bloody.

Feeling guilty at Yankee's stadium.

Luke would have loved to go to a Yankee's game. It was really great to see the new stadium and all the players that even I know. A-Rod even hit a home run!!! Jacqulin and I had a hot dog and fries and shopped for Luke and Bert gifts. The stadium is beautiful but the Yankee's lost that night.

Guess what? Public schools in NYC don't have air conditioning.

See, it's my "happy face" again! This times behind gritted teeth saying something like "wow, I thought up north it wasn't going to be 95 degrees, do I smell because I feel like I should."
Apparently, this is the hottest summer New York has seen in 20 years. That just makes me laugh. I've never been to New York in the summer and we got the full effect.


I was in charge of craft class. I think the kids had a great time. I tried to create crafts that went along with the Bible study. Monday we painted star Christmas ornaments for the birth of Jesus. Wednesday we painted pillow cases about how special we are to go with Psalm 139 - we are fearfully and wonderfully made and God knows when you sit or stand.



In the mornings we went to PS 64 for a basketball and cheerleading camp. Jacqulin taught the tumbling class. After lunch in a different PS we went to the church for art classes. We had dance, music, art, crafts, and cooking.

More fun things we did in NYC

We arrived in NYC on Saturday around lunch. We had all of Saturday free; we went to church Sunday morning and had the rest of Sunday free. We just about exhausted ourselves trying to pack all of our sight seeing into those two days.


Fresh watermelon in the middle of Times Square. What a perfect snack on such a hot day.

The 2010 New Years ball is still in place in Times Square. I don't know when they move that thing. It's was neat to see and realize that is where all the celebrating we watch on TV actually happens.


This is a picture of me putting on my "happy face." You know how it sounds a little strained whine between my teeth probably saying something like "wow, more people to wait in line with and be shoved and push by, I love New York." Smile, smile, nod, nod.



Some of the people in our group went to Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken, NJ. There is a show about this bakery on TLC. Jacqulin really wanted to go but when we heard they waited in line for almost 3 hours we were glad we didn't. Thankfully, Ms. Norma brought Jacqulin a canolli. It was heavenly.


Bless her heart!!! She was trying to make her legs and feet stop hurting from all the walking. I think I should feel bad but I know she saw more of NYC in 2 days than some people see in a week.