March is youth art month!

Third graders at Helke decorated table toppers in Art class.  Some of the best  toppers were chosen to be displayed at the local Friendly's restaurant in Vandalia.  Megan's was chosen so we HAD to go to Friendly's for dinner tonight to see if we could find Megan's artwork!  We did!!!

Again, pics taken with cell phone so crappy quality!

It isn't the beginning of softball...

if you aren't freezing your butt off at the first practice!  This is Emily and me at Megan's practice on Saturday. It was taken with Ron's cell phone so the quality is bad but you get the general idea of how cold we were!

Due to the cold, Emily didn't have practice with either team this weekend.  Megan says it is because the big girls are wimps!

Emily did have a pitching lesson on Saturday morning.  We LOVE this new lady!  She is fantastic!  She said Emily has more strength than any 11-year old she has ever coached.  I could tell she really meant it and wasn't saying it just to get us back.  Half way through the lesson she had Emily throwing a change up!  It is amazing!  Emily has the mechanics down pat now we just need to get her confidence where it should be and she will be UNSTOPPABLE!!!

Oh and after a winter of not touching a softball, this is Emily today (again, taken with Ron's cell phone so crappy quality).  The thing on her shoulder is a heating pad.  She is extremely thankful for ibuprofen today!

Tis the season!

Tomorrow is the first official softball practice for the 2011 season!  The forecast for tomorrow is snow flurries and the high is 37! 

Megan stays in G-ball (coach pitch this season) and Emily moves up to 12U.  Main difference for Emily is she uses a 12" ball instead of 11". 

Neither Ron or I are coaching this season.  I signed up to be assistant coach for Megan's team but am not needed.  I am sort of bummed as I really enjoyed coaching Megan's team last year but at the same time relieved because I can run back and forth between the girls games and take pictures!

I found this prayer online today and thought it was fitting:

Softball's Player Prayer

Lord, give me the strength to hit the ball

And if I do don't let me fall

Help me pick a pitch that's right

Then let me knock it out of sight!

Then let me run with deer-like grace

Don't let me miss but tag first base

Then on to second, stay with me, Lord,

Cause this one out we can't afford.

Then let me zoom like a flying bird

Right down the line and on to third

Then let me slide with feet out-thrust

Across home plate in the swishing dust

But first of all , Dear Lord, I pray

Just tell the coach to let me play!

Pigs in a Blanket

Ron bowls on Tuesday night so it is girls’ night in our house!  Yesterday Megan requested pigs in a blanket for our girls’ night dinner.  I have never eaten a pig in a blanket and the thought of making them, well, completely grosses me out!  In case you weren’t aware, I can’t stand touching raw hotdogs of any kind.  They are cold and slimy! 

Went to Kroger at lunch today to get the supplies I would need.  Imagine my surprise when I found these!

What a great idea.  Less handling of the wienies since I wouldn’t have to cut them up!  Then I got the brilliant idea of having the girls make the little piggy's!  The girls “make” crescent rolls with  Grandma Rosie every time we go to Chillicothe so I knew they would do a perfect job!  Megan went to town with it!

This is what Emily was doing while Megan worked her fingers to the bone!  Notice the cell phone in her hands!

Megan was very proud of her work and the piggy's couldn’t get done fast enough for her!

MASTERPIECE!

SUPER moon

Last night Emily and I went to the Taylorsville Dam to see the "Supermoon"!  The gates were closed so I went as far on the road as I could.  It was dark and quiet.

The weather was a little on the hazy side so I didn’t get as good of pics as I hoped. If you Google supermoon you will see some AMAZING pictures.  Was going to post some and pretend they were mine but I know you all would know better! 









When we were getting ready to leave the dam we heard a train coming.  Emily wanted me to take pictures but I didn't want to use the flash on the camera and call attention to ourselves since we were at the dam after hours!!!  I also didn't want to freak out any potential passengers on the freight train!!

Once in the van I asked Emily if she was scared since it was so dark.  She told me she was a little because she thought a wild animal was going to eat me (she stayed in the van)!  She asked me if I was scared and I said I was a little because I imagined a hobo seeing the flash from the camera and coming to take it from me!