I Got A Piano!!!

This past week my in laws came and stayed with us. Well....on the second day of there being here they were looking in the for sale part of the newspaper. Little did I know that they were looking for a piano for us!!! They called on a few and we arranged to go and look at them. This one was the first one I saw, and I fell in love with it. No more looking for me. The man that sold it to us was a piano restorer and tuner. He had restored this 1950's Kimball Piano and it was gorgeous.

I was absolutely ecstatic over this. What a wonderful gift for our home. I have always wanted to have a piano, but with all the moving around it just wasn't conducive. Now, since we are here in Tennessee for quite a while, it can happen. I haven't played in over 15 years, ouch! So the playing part will take some time for me to remember how it all goes, but I am going to play every day. I am also excited that Tyson and Taryn now have a piano with which to learn how to play when they are old enough.

Here is my father-in-law checking out the tune of the piano. Its notes are so beautiful I almost cry every time it is played. I feel like a kid at Christmas time who got the best present of the bunch. Thank you Vaughn and Sue for the piano. We will love it!!!!

Happy Birthday Vaughn

He is finally as old as me. Vaughn is technically 2 months younger than I am, so you could say I married a younger man, but really what is 2 months. His birthday was spent at the hospital. (What a way to spend your birthday.) He worked until noon and then came home, picked up his dad, (who is visiting) and they went to the UT vs UAB game. And for once, even though Vaughn was there working at the game, he wasn't called upon to take care of the crowd. I contribute that to the fact that it was very overcast and there was a cool breeze blowing, so there wasn't the normal idiots out in the HOT sun with heat stroke or dehydration or something related to those problems. So he actually got to enjoy the game with his dad. We spent dinner at the Texas Roadhouse here in Knoxville, where his parents had the waiter and waitresses embarrass him by making him sit on a saddle, in front of the whole restaurant while they yelled "Happy Birthday" and "YEE HAW" to him. He went beat red, but was a good sport about it. I attempted to again make some kind of cheese cake for his birthday. And since last year's cheese cake was such a disaster, I tried an easier recipe. It did taste a lot better, even though it didn't look that pretty. (HEY, I get points for trying, right?)

Tyson's First Two T-Ball Games

And so we begin our saga with sports. I AM SO EXCITED!! I don't know who is more happy about this, Tyson or me. I am just thrilled that he can be involved and make new friends, and learn new skills. He likes it because he is "BIG TIME" now that he is playing in a "real" game. (He is the kid with his hands on his knees, in the blue shorts.)

The kid can hit the ball. All those days at the park paid off and he can make the ball go pretty far for a 5 year old. Here he is putting down the bat and running to first base.

He is still learning all about the fundamentals of the game, like staying in place. When the other team hits the ball, every kid on his team runs for the ball and then it is a big fight to see who can get the ball. Tyson, being the tallest kid on his team, used those long legs and was usually the one who got to the ball first. The coaches soon learned that he needed a bit more coaching. They put him on first base and told him not to run towards the ball unless it came to him. HA HA HA. It was a good lesson for him, but now he gets frustrated when the kids don't throw the ball to him fast enough. Here he is yelling to a team mate to throw him the ball. Funny kid.

Tyson, not paying attention to what is going on at the plate, but at whatever is going on towards the left of him. (He wasn't the only kid doing this. Most of the team was playing in the dirt, running towards the fence to see their moms or picking their nose). T-ball has got to be one of the funniest things I have ever experienced. And some of the parents get so mad at their kid when they are not paying attention. I just laugh!

Action shot, running towards a ball, FINALLY!

Waiting for a play.

Catching the ball to tag the runner on first base.

Here is Tyson at the plate getting a few pointers on hitting the ball and then he knocks it!

Tyson running the bases and nearly passing his team mate. We still have some basics to learn...

UT vs Florida/ Our Date

I have now been initiated into the world of "real" college football. And it reminds me of high school football, but on steroids. Every where we walked....there was an on-going sea of orange and white. Once inside of the UT stadium it was wall to wall orange and white and a few specks of the Florida blue. HOLY COW!!! I have never seen so many people in one place at the same time. It was NUTS!!!I have proof that I was really there, see.....here I am with the doc. Vaughn was working the game and missed bits and pieces of it. Luckily I wasn't alone while he was away saving the "idiots" who were dehydrated and passed out, or the other ding dongs who were so drunk they fell. There was another doctor's spouse sitting by us and so she and I became fast friends as we cheered on UT by ourselves. (and yes I was sporting the UT orange. Gotta support!)

They announced that the stadium was near capacity that day. Over 100,000 people, just for a football game. And the din in the stadium was enough to blow out my ears. I have been to quite a few rock concerts in my days, but this was twice as loud as any rock concert. Total pandemonium!

They even had a Good Year Blimp. It doesn't get any better than this.

UT's marching band was phenomenal! It was like watching a state drill team meet during the Military dance, only WAY better. I love this "T" they made. And during the opening performance they also produced a "USA" on the field and many other cool shapes. It was impressive.

This clip is of the UT football team and others running into the stadium. I thought it was pretty cool to see.

You have to watch this clip till about 30 seconds in to just hear how loud it gets in the stadium when UT is doing something well or is about to make a play. Unbelievable!!

I had such an awesome time going to this game and even though it was unreal "crazy" with people I cannot wait to go again.

Getting Geared Up For T-ball--Redneck Style

We just found out about the T-ball schedules around here and then found out that we missed registration by several months. So, Tyson was a little bummed that his friends were playing and he couldn't. Then one of the guys from church was telling us that he coaches his son's T-ball team and he asked if Tyson could be allowed to play, and the officials said yes......

The kid used the rest of his birthday money to buy him a bat, and MomaD sent some money for a helmet. Thanks MOMAD!!!!

Now it is time for a little practice. We have been teaching him how to "Pitch hit" but he didn't understand how to hit the ball off of a "Tee". So we make shifted one, ya know how us rednecks are, and began practicing out in the back yard. It took a few swings to get the hang of it, but he now can hit the ball and it goes quite far for a little guy.

His first game is next Monday and he is completely excited. So excited that it is all he can talk about.

Family Tree Project and The Glamorous Gal

My little man completed his first ever classroom project and he did about 85% of it by himself. I am one proud mama....can't you tell? He had to make a family tree with things about his family and himself. The teacher let them be creative. He came up with most of the ideas and cut out darn near everything, aside from the actual tree. I just helped where he would let me.

He was so excited to take his finished project to school. Tyson is loving Kindergarten and his teacher is outstanding. I cannot say enough good things about Mrs. Smith. She treats her kids like GOLD but is still firm enough with them that the are learning how to behave and treat each other. He has gotten over the whole "nostalgia" of getting up early to get to school; most mornings we have a little fight about getting out of bed, but once breakfast is inside the little boy monster's tummy, all is well with the world and he is ready to go to school.

Having Tyson at school has been hard on Taryn. Her playmate is gone and while mom is doing some house work, she has to entertain herself. Taryn's new game is to play I-am-going-to-hide-in-the-closet-and-you-come-find-me-while-I-scream-MOMMY! It is so funny to find her and then watch her face as I open up the door. She acts like I am the paparazzi taking her photo and she is the "movie star."

She is, however, enjoying the fact that she can watch any cartoon she wants in the morning without have to fight with Tyson over the remote. "It's the little things in life......"

Happy 5th Birthday Tyson!

5 years ago today I was in shear agony trying to have my first baby. Hours of labor was totally worth it to have my little buddy in this world. I can't imagine this life without him. I also cannot believe that it has been 5 years. WHOA! Where did the time go?

Tyson awoke early this morning, not because it was his birthday, he had to get ready for school and was a bit distraught that he couldn't open up his birthday presents and play with them. It took some reassuring on my part, but I finally convinced him that they would be there when he came home from school and I also promised that the little one, Taryn, wouldn't get into them. He was much better after that, and went to school with a smile on his face. They had a little party for him at school and sang "Happy Birthday" to him. He enjoyed that.While he was at school, mom, (that would be me) went to work on making another birthday cake. Tyson wanted a Bakugan cake. That was his theme this year, and boy did he pick a hard one. If you look at the Bakugan logo, it is nothing too easy to make a cake out of, but with a lot of luck and a little skill I pulled it off. Tyson loved it and that was all that mattered.

Make a wish buddy.

After Tyson blew out his candles, little Taryn decided that she needed to blow them out as well. Oh GREAT! Now this tradition starts. I remember my sister Danielle doing the same thing. So we lit the candles again so she could have a turn.

Tyson got to open a few presents periodically during the day, but he had to wait to open the majority of them until dad came home from the hospital. I didn't think he would be able to wait and would bombard me with the pleading of, "please can I open my presents!" But I never heard it. WOW! I was impressed at his patience.Once Vaughn got home Tyson was able to open another gift and then it was off to McDonald's for his birthday dinner. Now, we are not cheap parents--we told him he could pick any place he wanted to for his birthday dinner and he picked McDonald's. What a kid! He was thrilled and so was Taryn that they could get a happy meal, a toy and then play after dinner. Worked for me; cheap, easy and I didn't have to cook.

Once dinner was out of the way and the kids were through playing at the play area, we came home to do the most important part of a kid's birthday, THE PRESENTS! Tyson was thrilled to open his gifts. Thanks to all the family and friends who gave gifts, he loved them all and was so excited for each one.

Just look at that grin. I would say he is a happy kid. Just before going to bed he said to me, "Mom this was the best birthday ever." I was so glad. Since we don't know a lot of kids here yet, I knew having a "kid" party was out of the question, so I was hoping that a "family" party would suffice, and luckily it did.

Happy Birthday buddy. We love you so very much and are so grateful for you in our family!