Do I Hear Thunder?!

My sister's wonderful company once again allowed us the posh seats at a Thunder Hockey Game....there is just no other way to go!  Bonus feature of this trip...the Thunder won...scoring 3 in the first period!  This was a first in all of our visits!!

Donuts with Dad!

A few weeks ago, Ewalt PTO hosted Donuts with Dad!  Grady couldn't wait to take Shawn "out" for breakfast!  These two had a blast, I believe!

Snow Day!

You could hear the cheers for miles last night when we got "The Call"....SNOW DAY!  We were even able to talk Shawn into staying home with us!  This morning the boys and the birds braved the cold to play in the snow!  Shawn and I sipped our coffee from the warmth of the house and snapped some great pics!!  Enjoy the day all! 

Banding It Up!

 Within 4 days, our family had the pleasure of listening to two separate band performances!  Gabe was selected for the South Central Honors Band and participated in that on the 9th.  He arrived in Andover at 7:45 and practiced all day, ending with a fantastic concert at 4:30 that evening!  It was a full day for him, but he learns so much...it is a wonderful opportunity!  I am amazed that these 60 kids can come from different bands, practice 5 different songs over the course of 6 hours and then that evening put it all together for a wonderful concert!  These kids have some talent!
On the 12th, Gabe's Middle School Band had their Winter Concert....and it was a total listening pleasure!!  I have bragged on the Augusta bands in the past...but it is for good reason, they are absolutely amazing!  Gabe's 6th grade band performed 4 songs "Forward March", Theme from "Swan Lake", "The Addams Family", and "Rogue River Venture".  "The Addams Family" was spot on...it sounded exactly like the actual TV show!  Gabe also had a solo in "Swan Lake"....well actually a duet solo.....his good friend, Tyler, and him are both first chair in their class, so they shared the trumpet solo...and they rocked it!  Gabe was extremely nervous about the solo.....before the song, I saw him praying and right after he had finished the smile on his face was priceless!  We were so proud of him!  The next performance will be Band-O-Rama in May...and if you are in the area it is an evening of Augusta Band worth seeing!  It is a showcase of all of the bands in the Augusta school system....it's a long evening, but definitely worth every minute!

2nd Grade Program!

 On the 5th, Ewalt's 2nd and 3rd Grade had their winter program.  The theme was "Let's Play" and the songs were all oldies, but goodies!!  Grady not only sung in the program, but also was part of a group that danced during the song "Heel Toe Polka".  He did a fantastic job!  You also may notice he was wearing a suit...that was totally and completely his choice, but dang...he looked good!  He is such a cutie..and you just never know what to expect!  Along with "Heel Toe Polka", they also sang, "A Ram Sam Sam", "Jingle At The Window", "Skip To My Lou" and "You Are My Sunshine".  As a 2nd and 3rd Grade combined group they sang "Mail Myself To You" by Woody Guthrie and my personal favorite "What A Wonderful World".  I have always loved that song, but there is something about a group of sweet kiddos singing it that made it all the better! 

Happy Happy Happy 35th!

A few weeks ago....I added another wonderful year to my age!  I had an absolutely fantastic day....we actually celebrated a few days early...but that made it so I had all 3 of my fellas spoiling me ALL DAY LONG!  We went into Wichita for some shopping and lunch and back home in the evening for shrimp scampi, coffee cream cake (as Pioneer Woman put it, "for a coffee lover, it's 12 trips to heaven and back"...and I can confirm that was definitely the case!) and gifts!  On the actual day of my birth...I was spoiled all day by emails, phone calls and my co-workers!  You all really know how to make a girl feel loved!  Year 35 started off fantastically....I can't wait to see what's in store for the next 364 days!

Our Little Bach to Be!

Okay, so maybe I'm jumping the gun a bit...but Grady began piano lessons last Wednesday!  When I found out that Ms. Jayme could take him and when he would be starting...he could barely wait the week and half to begin.  Since his lesson last Wednesday, he has been practicing daily...with only a little frustration with his fingers!!  Sometimes they don't do quite what he thinks they should!  I hope he keeps with this...he is doing fantastically so far...of course, I could be a little biased!

Honors Band!

Gabe has been selected for the second year in a row for South Central Honors Band!  He will perform on Saturday, February 9 in Andover!  He also recently made 1st Chair in Trumpets in his 6th Grade Band!!  We are so proud of him!  He works very hard practicing his trumpet...usually without too much prompting from us!  Way to Go Gabe!! 

Weekends of Wrestling!

Two weekends ago, Grady headed to Goddard for wrestling.  It was a middle of the road tough tournament in which he placed 4th!  He lost his last match in overtime....it was a heartbreaker to watch!  We are so proud of his wrestling this year.  He is the youngest in a pretty tough weight group, so even though he has been coming up short on the winning side...he has been improving so much from week to week!  This weekend was the Augusta tournament.  Unfortunately, Grady doubled out, but he lost to the 2nd and 3rd placers...so not too bad if you ask me!  Again, he did some really great things....he and Shawn had worked on a couple of things from the weekend before and he was able to use some of his new moves this weekend.  He has yet to be pinned or lose by a major decision...so I think he is doing just fine!  He has such a strong personality...I guess that is the best way to put it.  He doesn't enjoy losing, but it also doesn't get him down.  He just refocuses on what he did right and wrong and builds on that...with a little prompting of course!  He is one of those that I think in the future he will be a lot of fun to watch...if he chooses to continue!  What am I saying...I mean he is already a lot of fun to watch...just more fun...how about that!  Good grief!

Been Thinking.....

We at the Fox house are back to the grind....and the grind has got me thinking....yep, you should be scared!

1.  I could totally be a hermit.  After 2 weeks off with my 3 guys...I have found that I could indeed move to a home on a 1000 acres and plop myself smack dab in the middle of the property...only leaving once a week for church and groceries. 

2.  After said hermit declaration....I want to clarify...I would be a hermit with my 3 guys.

3.  I clearly was not ready for Christmas break to be over. 

4.  I wish college football was on year round....I truly enjoy watching football....college that is.

5.  My husband is truly talented.  He finished a gun cabinet for his Dad...it is amazing.  He is now building me a bookshelf...and it too will be amazing!

6.  I love being a Mom.  After spending 2 weeks with the boys....I actually had a lumpy throat last week when I was dropping the boys off...I miss those little turkeys!  Uh-oh lumpy throat is back while thinking about those little turkeys!

7.  Grady has a way to make me laugh that noone else does.  Him and I are complete opposites...so, I don't usually get him...maybe that's why he can make me laugh.

8.  Gabe and I are twins....23 years apart.  I look at that boy and shake my head...he is me....only in boy form.

9.  Shawn and I were clearly made for each other.   I love the fact when I pick up the phone to give him a random ring in the middle of the day...the phone begins to ring and it is him.  I usually hate when people interrupt my talking...but I love when he completes my thoughts and sentences...he is probably the only one that gets to interrupt me!  I love that although we are complete opposites...he gets me and all 5 million crazy quirks that make me, me.

10.  It is a complete fact that as you age, you begin to look like your partner....I have been documenting such findings in church...clearly a fact.

11.   That said....I wonder if I will look like Shawn or him like me...interesting.  I hope he looks more like me...I really don't want to go sporting a full beard....lots of German in me though...lots of German.

12.  On the family history note, while helping Grady do some family tree homework last night...I found some family tree papers my friend Linda completed about 10 years ago.  My great-great-great-great Grandparents immigrated here from England (on my Mom's side).  I am thankful I got good teeth....sad, I don't have that accent though. Also, found some royalty back in the 1200's...Shawn called it years ago when he called me a Princess.

12.  We have a cat that wondered up starving a few months ago and has since adopted us....I refused to name him...thinking it would doom him to the highway death that most of our animals find.  I have named him...and he is still alive.  His name is Willie.  He is sweet and loves us.  He may be just the cat that will change my tune about cats.

13.  I have found a new favorite t.v. cook and cook books....Pioneer Woman.  She has been around a while...I am just now jumping on that band wagon.  We have had something from P.W. daily since Christmas...we are getting fat.

14.  I love, love, love to cook.  I hate, hate, hate to clean up after cooking.

15.  God is amazing!  He created me and my quirky thoughts.....and placed me and my quirky thoughts with 3 amazing people....and dozens and dozens of family and friends that love me for me.

There you go.  A few thoughts that were running through my head in about the last 10 minutes...it's a fun place to be...inside my head....thanks for stopping by.