January Photo 3

Here's B doing a layup, I guess! Larry took her to a basketball clinic with the #3 ranked Lady Aggie basketball team. I think this is in the new practice gyms in the new part of Reed Arena.

August Photo 7

Here's B measuring a javelin throw. We used a straw for this one. The discus was a paper plate.

J was very intent on finding the true "winner" of the events, so he was my record-keeper.

And when you use things like cotton balls and paper plates and straws, anyone might be the winner. Levels the playing ground to have such lightweight things. One boy was the stand-out winner in races, though. We handed out little gold medals to all the kids at the end of the day.

June Photo 27

This happened on Thursday night---we went to a Rangers game at Minute Maid Park in Houston playing the Astros. A lot of people would just say we went to an Astros game, but we were there for the Rangers. I like this one because you can see so much of the stadium---and Larry!

June Photo 26

Here's another track meet day, and another stop action shot. I am getting good using my camera settings. I usually get one shot of the takeoff, on of her in the air (like this), and one more in the sand using the quick three-shots-in-a-row setting (whatever it's called).

June Photo 12

Here's B in the air on her longest jump. It was 8 feet, 6 inches. Pretty good for a little girl! She wasn't able to jump over 8 feet last summer at all. Unfortunately, B didn't place this meet. The girl who won---the girl who got first place in every event she tried----jumped over twelve feet. She's an amazing athlete. I hope we can be cheering her on as the girls go on through school together.

B did get a FIRST PLACE ribbon in the 800 meter run. She found her pace (despite and untied shoe), and finished strong.

May Photo 31

We're done playing games this season! Time to pack it up and go home (and get out of the heat).

April Photo 25

Another Friday night, another softball game. This is Larry, coaching first base. B is not the girl on first! I just liked the symmetry of their stances.

April Photo 18

It's softball night, and the Blast lost again. :-( This is B's second at bat, and this particular shot was foul. I was glad she was making contact with the ball. Small victories. She got an RBI (the only score of the game) a couple of pitches later, but was tagged out before she got to first base.

April Photo 12

Saturday was all about the softball.
Larry and B are in orange, on the left.
Once again, it was a cool morning for opening day at our little league park. All the teams marched out to the announcement of their team managers, coaches, and team Moms. And then all those kids sat on the field while they had the drawings for the raffle tickets the kids sold. Whew!

April Photo 8

Here's B's uniform for this softball season. They had their first game tonight---and lost. :-(

But she's cute!

February photo 20

I went with B and her friend to a Aggie women's basketball game. It was Girl Scout night, so the girls and immediate families got in for free. This is a distance shot with no flash, so it's pretty good!

Day 306---Saturday

I pick this one as the official picture of the day---B got to be a "ball kid" for the A&M women's team. This really meant she was a sweat-wiper-upper on the court.

But she enjoyed it, and got her face up on the big screen that day.

But also of note was who we were playing---the Chinese National Team. You can't tell really well from the picture, but these are some tall women! Imagine how they would stand out in their country!

In the end, the Aggies won. Whoop!

Day 233---Thursday

We went skating this afternoon. I don't know what I was thinking---it was too hot!!

Maybe we'll commit to skate more in the fall when it's cooler.

Day 213---Friday

Yes, my husband is up in a cage, sitting on two chairs.

The National ASA (Softball) 18 and under tournament is in town, and Larry is scorekeeping for extra dough. He likes this; even said he'd do this all the time if he could. The kids and I visited him this evening. He will score-keep for any of the many tournaments that come to town, girls, men, co-ed, whatever. This time, he was announcing the games, too. Ahh . . . his voice all over the park!

Day 207---Saturday

The moment you've all been waiting for: The Games of Texas! The State Meet!

(Okay, maybe you haven't been waiting for this, but we sure have!)

B did her event at 10:45 or so. We had been waiting around a long time by then sonce we got there early for her 10:00 event. Ah, but such are the ways of Track Meets, I am finding out. So she was a bit tired already, and it was hot, and humid, but whatever. It's July and we knew it would be this way (not the huimid part).

B 13th in the state in her shot put event. Her best throw that day was 9 feet, 4 inches, a personal best in competition. Since everyone asks, the shot at her level is 6 pounds! :-)

Day 193---Saturday

This is B and her gold medal she got at the Regional track meet in Waco. She's also holding her 7th place ribbon---for running 1600 meters=1mile! Her time on the mile was 9:39. Her gold medal is in shot put! (She was actually the only girl in her age group to try it, but she was out there doing it!) She also did long jump but didn't place. She was very proud of her gold medal. :-) I am really proud of her running a mile! I'm proud of her for many other reasons, too.

Day 177---Thursday

We were at the last track meet for Summer track camp. Larry went to work at noon this day, so he got to come for the meet in the morning. I am glad all this is over, I think, but I will miss all the walking just already built into my personal schedule. B is resting in hte shade before another running race. She came home with two more ribons this meet---but she was disappointed in not getting more!

Day 170---Thursday

B got to run in the 4x100 relay today, thank goodness. We've had some sports disappointments this week, and I thought she needed this or she might just quit. Her team got 4th place ribbons for their efforts this day. She got a ribbon for every event that she did this day. (Last week---no ribbons!) She had a good day.

I took this picture of B's friend from school, and her baby sister. This is the same friend who's in Girl Scouts with her, and I put pictures of the baby on the blog before! She's growing up, but she's still only 2 and a half months old.

Day 168---Tuesday

I have to reveal what the mystery art substance was in my "Day 159" post.

It was crunched up Froot Loops! (store brand, I think.) Fellow 365 blogger Marianne got it the closest, with a guess of cornflakes. ;-)

I took this picture in case I need to teach drawing perspective to anyone. I'm at track practice this morning, it's 8:30 and 80 degrees. Our high school track is really nice. Down at the other end of the track is B's group, form running. J is walking with me, and he had to stop at one mile because he was getting a blister on his heel. I did another 3 laps today----which is a mile and 3 quarters for me!

Day 164---Friday

This is softball from a Mom's perspective, always behind the chain-link fence. We had closing ceremonies for our league, and this is a picture of B's age group All-Stars team. We had 8 girls from our team and 4 from another. We have to turn around an dplay this coming Monday---no time to get to know the new girls! Larry is the tall guy in the center. He'll be their manager through the tournament.

I like this one because of all the colors on the shirts.

Here they are wearing their All-Star cap/visors. (B is on the left, of course, with her Daddy and friend.) We had a friend come spend the night, and it was so fun. :-)