Wrestling Fun

It's been a while since I posted. Life gets too busy sometimes and I just had a week like that last week. With some activity every night last week I just didn't have the time.

Anyway...We spent the weekend at wrestling events! Payton is in second grade and goes to wrestling at his school every weekend. He likes to enter wrestling meets although his skill level is still pretty low. He has certainly made improvements over the last several years. Trilby just enters him in a few meets so he can learn, but not get burned out. He wrestled three other boys on Saturday and got third place.







Sunday he just had one boy to wrestle so they wrestled twice. This meet doesn't have winners/losers, but they all get a trophy. Travis, Kerry, Tasha, Trina, Tanner, Bud and I all went to the meet to support him. Travis gave him pointers during his matches which really helped him. Following the meet we all went to McDonald's for lunch then some of us went home and some went on to Carver-Hawkeye Arena where the Iowa wrestlers were holding a mini camp.


Each boy got a t-shirt and some mat time with one of the wrestlers. ( OKAY SO THE FOLLOWING PHOTO WOULD NOT WORK! IF YOU CLICK ON IT YOU WILL SEE THE PHOTO. CAN ANYONE HELP ME WITH THIS??? VERY FRUSTRATING!)
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They then got to stay for the Iowa/Illinois match, which of course Iowa won hands down!

Cael preferred to mop up the mat than to wrestle!


It is so much fun to watch the boys grow and develop their interests!

Fabulous Fifty, Bingo, and Fun!

We were FINALLY able to celebrate Christmas with everyone here including all of our kids, spouses, grandsons, my sister, brother-in-law, nephew, niece, her husband, and our great nephew. We had a great Mexican meal and then opened gifts. The biggest surprise was the BB gun Travis and Kerry gave Payton--much to his mother's dismay! Payton was thrilled and will keep the gun at our house to use when he is here until he gets a little older.

And all of the guys received shirts from Mom! Can you say "Redneck"!!!!

At my family Christmas it is a tradition to play bingo. Everyone brings prizes--mostly white elephant. When all prizes are given out we then can "steal" prizes before they are opened. Of course we protect the little ones so they aren't terribly disappointed! It is a silly tradition that we look forward to and save up gifts for all year!

We also celebrated my BIL's 50th birthday! He doesn't REALLY need that cane next to the chair. Cael could hardly believe he was that old!!!


We were so busy playing Wii and bingo that we didn't know there was a winter weather advisory for us. We soon found out as our niece and her family called on their way home. My sister and her crew started out and then turned back. We ended up with an unexpected houseful for the night. Travis and Kerry went to Tasha and Kyle's for the night. We broke out the pillows and blankets and everyone found a bed or cushion on which to sleep. After an enjoyable breakfast on Sunday everyone headed for home.

I know we had a great time!

Readability

As I was scrolling through my usual blogs to read I came across one that had this tempting link to check the readability of your blog.

I was curious and yes, a little hesitant to check my readability out in case my came out waaay low. And you know people have expectations of teachers! But I did check and was happy to see that my readability was this:

Most newspapers are written at a fourth grade level to get the widest audience. So I guess that means I write at least as well as the journalists!

However, I have also started a blog for our book club--Booker Babes. The readability of that site is:

Now, why would that be when I'm the one writing for both????

Well, try it on your blog and see how you rate! Just click on one of the above icons.

I hope you enjoy the slideshow of "Snowmen Around My Home"!

It is -51 degrees wind chill here today, so we are home again. Four (Thanks, Jill!)snow days to make up at this point!
Stay Warm-

Fortunately/Unfortunately

We had a great weekend! We picked Payton up Friday night during the ice/snow and he spent the night. Bud and Payton got up Saturday morning and went for an ice fishing class. UNFORTUNATELY the person (me) who told them it started at 10:00 am was WRONG!! It was actually at 1:00 pm. FORTUNATELY the DNR guy was there making the holes in the ice for the afternoon, so he gave them a private class. They fished in a little hut and used an underwater camera to find the fish. Payton caught several, but UNFORTUNATELY he is used to regular fishing and I guess it is different, so he lost a few by jerking too hard. FORTUNATELY he brought a couple home!

Trina and Tanner came to spend the night Saturday. I spent the afternoon cooking for supper and also making food for several friends. One who has just had gall bladder surgery and a FIL pass away, and one who had a baby earlier and I promised food when she got back to school. I was tuckered out after that!

Sunday Payton didn't get to wrestle as they didn't have anyone his size and experience. However, Aunt Trina did take him down and wrestle! Trilby and Payton stayed for lunch with us all. We had a nice day, but I didn't get down to my craft room, nor did I get any papers corrected. We did have yummy pie for lunch though! I had some pears that were very ripe and I didn't want them to go to waste so I made a pie.



I'm home early today because of the snow we are getting. We didn't have kids so no "official" early out, but we were told we could go if we lived a ways away. I will be working on schoolwork the rest of tonight!

Kute Koozies!

I've had some cute koozies in my head for a while. I like to use a koozie for my DP, but really most of them aren't very attractive. Yeah, they might advertise your favorite team or business, but they just aren't cute! So, down to the craft room I went. Using some fat quarters that coordinated, some insul-brite, and some miscellaneous trim I came up with a pattern and made seven of them.

I gave one to my friend and co-worker. Actually she picked a frilly one which I was surprised about.

I still want to make a couple more. I am using them as gifts and I hope to keep one for myself!


I am busy with housecleaning and grading tests today while Bud takes grandson #1 ice fishing! Brrr, better them than me! Trina and Tanner may come down tonight to stay and we're hoping to go to watch Payton wrestle tomorrow. He was supposed to wrestle at CCA, but they didn't have anyone his weight and his experience for him to wrestle, so plan B is for him to walk in at Highland and hope they have another for him to wrestle. He is at quite a disadvantage since he is a big boy, but is only in second grade.

I'm hoping to work on some other crafts so stay tuned!

This, That, and a Craft

So, I've been trying to keep up with my exercise, but it's HARD!! I hate to sweat and work out! I've been doing pretty well with my aerobics tape that UIHC has developed for back pain, but getting on the treadmill is awful. I can think of many excuses not to do it! There is stands all lonely and waiting for me to get on.

I did get hubby to do Leslie Sasone's "Walk Away the Pounds" one mile walk with me today so that's better than nothing!

Trilby, Mike, and the boys came over to watch the IOWA game on New Year's Day. The big boys were all dressed up to support the Hawks. We were thrilled with the outcome of the game and are looking forward to a great season next year.

Well, I am tired of waiting for daughter #2 to send me a photo of the apron I made her for Christmas. It was cute, if I do say so myself! I also finished embroidering some pillowcases that I started many years ago. I decided to add some tatting that my Great-Grandmother had done. They also were a Christmas gift, and I hope they will be cherished.


Well, it's back to the grind tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to seeing the kids, but I'm sure I'll be exhausted! Have a good week!

Resolutions: To Do or Not to Do????

Do you make New Year's Resolutions? Do you keep them? I usually make one or two--mostly to lose weight. And I give it a good shot and then it's back to the same ole, same ole! But I'm still going to make them--that's just being optimistic isn't it?? I thought maybe if I published them in my blog then more people would know about them and that might make me feel more inclined to keep them up! So, here goes:

1. I will lose weight this year. No, not to be a size 8--that will never happen! But to lose the weight I have gained this year from my inactivity from having back problems has caused--and maybe a little more!

2. I will be more active. This is a MUST according to the docs at UIHC Spine Rehab. I am supposed to do Cardio 4-6 times a week, weight lifting 3-4 times a week, and stretching/aerobic 7 days a week. Well, I've been out of the program for two weeks and I've managed to follow through on one week so far!

3. I will lower my stress level. This also is a MUST according to the docs. The only way I have been able to do this so far is to lower my own standards on some things and "let it go". Actually "Let it go" is my new mantra!

4. I will relax more. We have had a year of work, work, work because of this addition. And, it really isn't in our blood to just sit around and relax. But we WILL learn to do this more.

5. I will spend more time with my grandsons. I'd really like to spend time with the boys one on one. I'd like to start having them over or to do things one at a time so they can have more memories of good times with us!

I think five is plenty! Wish me luck. And what are YOUR resolutions???