Carly performs at Showcase

Dutchtown Sound - blurry picture....I wasn't supposed to be taking pictures, so I couldn't use the flash...

Carly's marching season is coming to an end (for this year at least). She's had an awesome year and I think she's really had fun marching with her High School band. They are amazing and I'm so proud of her. I struggled with being a Band Mom, but it all seemed to work out in the end. If she marches next year, I might even volunteer to work concessions....

Pictures from last night at Cajun Field, Lafayette, LA....

Me and Carly before they performed

Carly's best friend, Lily

Carly and her boyfriend, Philip

What keeps me busy...

I guess it's not enough that school is back in session and I'm back at work, but the kids all have extra curricular activities. That's what keeps me busy.

Samantha goes half days and works at a local bakery to gain hours in her field of interest. Some days I get the amazing priviledge to pick her up from school and take her home. I cherish that time with her! She makes me smile.

Me dropping Sam off at work (on her birthday....this pic is a little old)

Carly has marching band practice Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday after school until 5:30pm and Navy JROTC marching practice BEFORE band practice on Tuesdays. Then Friday evenings are high school football games until late. She's very busy but thrives on chaos, so it works for her.

Philip and Carly after an away game

Carly in her summer JROTC uniform

CJ is playing football and loving every minute of it. He's starting to figure out that if you hit them it doesn't hurt as bad as if they hit you. He's a huge fan of scoring touchdowns so he does that as much as possible and it seems to work. Saturday he recovered a fumble and ran it 80 yds for the td. Then scored on a trick play which he is still talking about. Sunday he repeated his 80 yd run to score. Monday started the "extension" where they get some training in specific areas and not just an overall concept of the game.

CJ #20

Mike works alot and travels alot so I'm busy with juggling the kids schedule and making sure the house is taken care of. Especially the dogs....

Moose, so proud of himself for destroying a pillow from one of the chairs outside..

I'm looking forward to seeing the family at Thanksgiving and spending time at home with my Mom and sister. My brothers are cool, but I miss my Mom and sis the most. They are awesome!

I'll try to post more pics of Carly and Sam later. They both have some competitions coming up....until then.....much love!

Carly's band hosts the marching festival

The Dutchtown Sound....Dutchtown High School Marching Band - hosts the 2009 Marching festival at their high school field and it's Carly's first experience at festival. She helped all day, picking up trash, taking care of all sorts of things and then performing at the end of the night. They did an amazing job! Here's their performance from Youtube....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04zLa49lZoc

Carly's in there somewhere...she can't even pick herself out, but I'm still proud of her!

CJ's first football game this season!

CJ sports the #20 for the Allstars.....his first game was football from beginning to end! It started out muddy and the kids were playing hard, then shortly after half time, it started to rain....That's when the fun started!

CJ's coach told CJ it was football that he wasn't supposed to smile. CJ replied, "I know, Coach, but I'm having fun!"

Thumbs up for the second half! He loves football!

Samantha gets her license

Today, I took Sam to the Office of Motor Vehicles to get her drivers license. We were both SO nervous. She was nervous that the instructor would be mean and she wouldn't pass the test. I was nervous that she was so nervous she was going to wreck my car! Neither of which happened and we walked, achem...I mean, drove away with an Official Drivers License.

So proud of her!

CJ spent the night with a friend. It rained the whole time, so they decided to bake a cake. His mom helped them bake two layers. CJ got one to decorate and his friend got the other. This was CJ's. It's chocolate cake with chocolate icing, sprinkles, and an umbrella. He calls it "Hawaii's natural disaster". He says the chocolate chunks on top are lava rocks! I'm proud of him, too! Watch out Ace of Cakes!

Carly's first Homecoming

This weekend was a milestone for our home. Carly went to her first homecoming dance.

It took weeks to prepare, searching for the perfect dress, the perfect shoe, hair, makeup, nails....but it was well worth it. She looked amazing, her boyfriend, Philip, looked handsome and they had so much fun....

Philip picked her up here and we took pictures. They went back to his parents house and took pictures there, then went to a friend's house that was hosting a 'Pre-party' and then later an 'After-party'.

The weather was humid, but turned out perfect (considering all the rain during the week and that morning). Pictures to share...

Carly and CJ

Happy Birthday, Carly!

I can't believe it, but today Carly turns 15! We have so much to be thankful for this year. This same time, last year, we were sitting in the dark with a yard full of shingles and eating a cake that my friend Paula brought back from Arkansas for Carly's birthday. All thanks to Gustav. It's been an awesome year and she's such an amazing young lady! She's a good student in school, plays clarinet in the marching band, in the Naval JROTC program at her school, active in the church and is an awesome daughter! I am so proud of her and all she has become. I can't wait to see what else God has in store for her! Love you, Carly!