Big Ugly Women

There is an unincorporated town in West Virginia called "Big Ugly."

Surveyors for the railroad had a difficult time surveying due to the thick brush and forest, and called their job "ugly," hence giving this area its name.

It has become an honor to be from there, especially if you're a woman.

I was bestowed this honor, and recognized as an Honorary Big Ugly Woman.

This was not a free give away.

I did have to earn my title!

Columbus, Ohio

While in Columbus Ohio, Mr. Brown Sign

took Tanner to the

Jack Nicklaus Golf Museum.

Because they were thinking of Hunter.

Who likes to play golf.

Did they really need an excuse?

There were lots of good stories, like this:

Jack wore a yellow shirt so a friend's son,

suffering from leukemia, would know Jack was playing for him.

There were lots of good quotes, like this.

Can you imagine putting in an indoor driving range if your boy needed one?

There were wings for each championship he won,

such as The U.S. Amateur,

where his trophies, jackets, money clips, pictures were displayed.

One such really BIG trophy!

One such jacket!

A destination Jarrod wants to go with ME someday:
Schmidt's Fudge House!

Where my mother's day cream puffs were made.

Possibly I would have gotten dinner as well,

but it was SUPER SQUISHY crowded.

Mother's Day Treasures

I know it isn't much,

but I hope you feel my love for you.

Thank you for everything you do, including

teaching me that life's not about waiting for the storm to pass,

it's about learning to dance in the rain. Love, Hunter

Hand flowers from Miller and Sawyer!

"Guessing your favorite flower

Shouldn't be all that hard.
I'll bet they're green and yellow
And grow all over the yard.
I only pick the special ones
Because they're just for you.
They're my way of saying thanks
For everything you do!" Love, Sawyer

One of the flowers from my garden, Miller.

One of the flower from my garden, Sawyer.

One of the flowers from my garden, Cooper.

Cooper's card to me, with verse:

What!?!

I'll attribute that thought to third grade boyhood.

My husband was in Columbus yesterday.

Mr. Brown Sign has traveled there before

and loves Schmidt's Sausage House

because of their GIANT cream puffs.

Vanilla, banana cream, and the BuckEye (peanut butter cream).

Y.U.M.!
It's always about the food.

My Mother's Day

Sawyer's school had a mother's day picnic with 8 kindergarten classes this week.

It was to begin promptly at 11:30 a.m.

Somewhere between hosting guests, making a birthday cake, cleaning up from breakfast, making lunches, preparing dinner, doing laundry, and walking the dog

I thought the picnic began at 12:30 p.m.

Sawyer waited at the fence of the playground for an hour.

It was hot.

He wouldn't eat food offered by teachers

because he knew his Mom was coming.

He had told me which blanket he would like to sit on.

He helped me pack the lunch.

And then I didn't come.

It was a sad, tearful, full-of-explanations-that-didn't-sound-very-good moment.

So we ate lunch together in the car.

We were tired of glances from other Moms and children wondering why I was arriving when they were leaving.

I felt like an awful Mom.

I know in the eternal scheme of motherhood, whether or not I am a good mother is not determined by my attendance at kindergarten picnics.

Hopefully.

Sawyer was very forgiving, very comforting, and very loving.

To me, that's what defines motherhood.

Happy Mother's Day!

One Short of a Dozen

My brother's family came to visit for a day or two.

This brought the total to ELEVEN boys! and two ladies.

Playing in the field and wood pile were an important part of each day.

Affectionately known as "Cheeks," got ANY thing he wanted from me.

Two inches of water, a little plastic + silly boys = fun!

We celebrated a birthday for Gabe, turning a wise four.

Which birthday included a delicious orange-lemon cake, bite optional.

Can you believe now that they're gone, SIX boys seem quite quiet?

Play Ball Cooper!

Cooper plays for the Reds this year.

He's struggled with the coach, and being in left field.

But he's worked hard on his batting and has moved from 11th to 6th.

Play Ball Porter!

Porter's playing for the Astros this year.

He's having a fun season!

He usually plays first base, sometimes third or short, and pitches once a week.

And, he's second in the line-up.

Go Porter!

More Ball Miller

This boy loves to play baseball.

We dug and found him a uniform that fits size 3!

Anybody that comes over, or comes home, gets asked to play.

He always wants to know when he will have another practice or game.

And his baseball day begins right out of bed.

Playing HOOKEY

Hunter has a lot of friends.

This one invited him to play golf

DURING school!

(I said yes only because he has all A's!)

And he played his personal best,

and shot a 48.

Magical Moments

Miller wouldn't speak to his grandfather on the phone tonight.

Until Grampy said he was eating ice cream.

His interest peaked.

Grampy blew chocolate kisses through the phone,

and Miller could smell the chocolate!

And when this was found in the freezer,

Miller had a new best friend:

The grandfather who blew ice cream to Ohio,

all the way from Massachusetts!