Worth a Thousand Words

Look Closely

2008-08-19T18:11:00.001-07:00

So, the sun is setting. We are camping. Eating some fish we caught. I wanted to ake a pic, but I had my zoom lens on and I was walking back from the potty. I just randomly snap what I could, getting a nothing shot. Nice memory of the moment you know. Nothing award worthy, just get the pic, it will be too late to switch lenses kind of thing. I look at the tiny thumbnail, and save it for posterity. What in the hell is Hank up to? Seriously, Grant is serving dinner (probably to himself), Patrick is eating, Zac's on his way for some chow, Willie is texting. Who exactly is Hank aiming his gesture at? Or is this a random moment in "Hank World"?

I almost asked him.

Wow...

2008-08-19T18:06:00.000-07:00

I found this one. Our weekly load of 13 half gallons of milk. Willie decided he is lactose intolerant, Hank decided it is too healthy...and you know everything else. We are down to about 2 gallons a week. Did you know they make 3/4 gallons now?Genius. Why did that take all this time????

Well I guess if you come in second...

2008-08-19T18:01:00.000-07:00

you might as well jump in the team photo with the first place finishers. There they are..... Dane and Scooter on the end, with the second place trophy. It was pretty funny actually.

Some Slideshows

2008-08-16T08:20:00.000-07:00

They are generic but whatever. Here they are

http://www.slide.com/r/0Rpdb5_b5j_ktUxZpzKozkifCnZYv6Wo?previous_view=lt_embedded_url

http://www.slide.com/r/FNJLIOwTwj-GGacknytJ7PEt44m-TBGW?previous_view=lt_embedded_url

http://www.slide.com/r/eJfResopsT8d8XUH3bWFLk7awOAI6GOx?previous_view=lt_embedded_url

The Lost Files

2008-08-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

I have decided that I will randomly be posting images that I have run across, but have probably never been seen before. I just thought I would share.......

Happy Birthday Teegie Weegie!!!

2008-08-03T07:41:00.000-07:00

Today is Teegan's 4th Birthday. We have now officially celebrated the same number of birthdays with her, as without. With a sucky day in store, there were many good things that happened....

TEXAS SCRAPFEST RAISED OVER $1,000.00 FOR HER FUND YESTERDAY!!!

Can you freakin believe that?? Holy Cow. A special thank you to all involved, the ladies who bought raffle tickets, and the vendors and people who provided prizes for the raffle. ((((( MAJOR HUGS AND TEARS))))

The Rules of Water Baseball

2008-07-23T12:57:00.000-07:00

Playing baseball in 104 degree heat for 5 days simply is not enough. In the few short off hours they play water baseball ( Thank you Dollar General for clearancing out the hard foam bats and hard foam balls). I have been watching this game evolve for years and have decided to jot down some of the rules in case any parent may attempt to understand the game:

1.) Teams may be divided evenly or unevenly depending on who happens to be in charge for the day.

2.) It is possible to switch teams, without reporting to anyone.

3.) The bases can actually move. Sometimes they can move from inning to inning, sometimes from play to play, and sometimes without prior notice.

4.) Foul territory, automatic out territory, and automatic home run territory can, in fact, move. Sometimes moving from inning to inning, sometimes from play to play.

5.) Dunking is not only allowed, but highly encouraged. This has absolutely nothing to do with what team you are on or outs, but for some reason there is a need. It must be included in the game even if parents and or/ hotel staff threaten players with pool removal. It's role in the game is a vital one, even though there is no real purpose.

6.) The batter, at any time, can get/catch the ball - even in mid pitch- and throw out their own teammate by hitting any part of their body. No extra bases or runs are earned, however, hitting the head is highly encouraged.

7.) If, and only if, there are small children in the pool, a flotation device may be used to expedite travel to bases and or opponent; however, such device must be stolen first from said small child.

Flotation devices are also allowed to be used as weapons EVEN if it is against your own teammates. Flotation devices may be used to interrupt runner's ability to gain base, or as a target for random acts of diving.

8.) If "foul" or " automatic out" territory is permanently/temporarily including the area that any player's parent is sitting; and a ball, if hit or thrown, hits the parent anywhere on the body, both teams score bonus points. If ball hits the head, or hits hard enough to get someone in trouble, bonus points are given to each team. The ball is neither foul, nor gets batter out. Play resumes.

9.) One bat or multiple bats may be used at anytime for non batting purposes, especially if a "bat war" breaks out. The outcome of the "bat war" has no bearing on the score of the game.

10.) Water pistols may be used by smaller players if they are unable to engage in the dunking portion of the game, however unspoken law prohibits any smaller player from gaining any advantage by shooting someone with a water pistol. Older siblings may change this rule only if they are feeling nice.
11.) The game is over if and only if all small children, all other hotel guests, and all player's parents have exited the pool area and are clean and dry

12.) At no time may any smaller child make a new rule, or ammend a rule.

13.) The rules are only mere suggestions and may change at any time and with or without notice.

Game One - Greenfield

2008-07-19T01:00:00.000-07:00

Everyone is up and ready to go. Even Dick. There he is, out in the weeds waiting to collect the homerun balls. The game went pretty smooth... they did their thing, and we win 13-0 in 5 innings. Robby did get hit in the ear/jaw. That was pretty scary and sorry, no pics of that. Jesse lightened the atmosphere while he was in "the hole", spins and yells to the the dugout, " ..and was gonna bat right and go easy on 'em...pshaw dude I'm so goin left!"

Times are good at the hotel, loud but good. Why do all the hotels with indoor pools insist on setting the pool area temp to like 109 degrees? I hate that. Oh well, it gave us all a reason to make a new sittin spot ( we make one everywhere).

The Welcome at the Hotel

2008-07-18T23:26:00.000-07:00

So as we travel to Corydon for the State Finals of the 13 year old Babe Ruth All Stars I am wondering how the weekend will go, what funny stories I will retell, which stories I will not retell and such. Hank and I rode with my in laws and Grant took the twins earlier in the day. They had checked in a good 4 hours before our arrival so they were already at the field when we arrived. Apparently 4 hours was long enough.
We pull in the typical horseshoe check - in thingy. I get out, stretch my butt, take a breath of hot sticky air and hear from above, " Hey O'Neal's!". I look up and see the same opposing team member that is high fiving the boys from the district championship hanging out a window flapping his arms.
I'm like "uhm.....heYYY?! What's goin on boys, you all got the party room or what?!"
This kid shakes his head and he goes...." uhm no..... ((laughing)) uhm..... the party room is your room! It's so cool, you ended up with a suite! We got the X Box in there, all the food out and guess what ? THEY HAVE A COFFEE BAR THAT'S FREE AND OUT ALL THE TIME! THEY DON'T EVEN CARE IF US KIDS DRINK ALL WE WANT!"
Seriously.... that is the last time I send my hubby and kids up early.

Tabs for Teegan

2008-07-18T08:18:00.000-07:00

A special Thank You for Stacy Manifredi, whom I have never met in person. She made these images for use on collection containers to collect Pop Tabs for Teegan's Fund. She is not even living in the States! We are using the proceeds for gas cards for children from our community who have to travel for medical care. The help will be immediate and local. Erybody from bars to schools have helped with the collection to meet our goal of a truckload by her brithday, which is August 2nd. So far, we have about half of what we need. We got two weeks so call me i you have tabs you want me to get!

Also, I would like to thank 5 year old Baylee Snyder who is a complete stranger. Our local paper ran a story on her collecting tabs for Teegie. They featured a picture of her sitting on Teegan's Memorial Bench with her cans. Sooo cute!

One of Dane and Willie's friends dropped by a shopping bag full of them. It was massive and I bet it weighed twenty pounds! Thank you Whitney!!

To all our beer drinking firends who drink for the sole purpose of claiming the tab...you rock. :)

Also, another stranger to me, but friend of the in-laws; Mrs. Broccoli I believe, gave us a BUCKET of them. I think she is over 80. I wonder if she collected them off her own cans?? That's a lot of soda...or beer. I bet she had some help ;). Either way...YOU GO GIRL.

There has been a lot, so I will keep "poppin" in from time to time to run a list of Thank You's.

All Star Fever

2008-07-18T07:20:00.000-07:00

Well we are at it again. This weekend we will go to the state tournament where the boys will try to reclaim their title from Union County. The upset last year was their first second place finish in state since they were 8 years old. In district they beat them 8-1 in a near perfect game pitched by Caleb. Just one hit and one run. Both teams go to the state and I guess we are chillin in the same hotel...which the boys are excited about. They respect each other and have made many friendships. Even Hank lol. Only his friends tend to be the opposite sex.

Notice the new pics? That is how he entertained himself and the 13 year old ladies during last weeks game. At one point he was in the middle of 13 of them. How lucky for him? Thirteen 13 year old chics bargaining with him for hugs. They lost. He wasn't given em for free. Just only fashion advice. For ex: He settled a debate between Alexis and Robbie B. regarding her new sparkle dark aqua eye liner extending way out beyond her lid. Robbie said it was gay or something like that and she asked Hank. His relpy, "Oh yea baby, its a go. It kinda looks Egyptian like Cleopatra!" Who can argue with that? Certainly Robbie didn't. Anyway back to my point. Somehow Hank convinced most of the sweeties to kindly get on their knees so he could ride their backs all evening. If it was a little lighter I am sure I could have had more pics for the collection. We still haven't figured if the girls come to watch their respective boyfriends play, or to hang with Hank. Oh yea... that is Willie's girlfriend taking pics of Hank.

Hank's Question of the Day

2008-07-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

Did Dolly Parton's face used to look better before?

Life in the dugout...

2008-07-14T12:52:00.000-07:00

Dane and Willie have made it to the State, which will be a good three hour trip. I am thinking this is worth it since its a good twenty minutes to the riverboat, although that DIDN't work out too well last year. We are hoping for drama free ball....here's to hopin'. I guess that is part of it. My predictions:

1.) At least one player will quit about playing time
2.) At least one player will quit due to coaching conflicts of interest
3.) At least three players will threaten to quit
4.) We will get kicked out of a hotel
5.) A coach will get tossed from a game
6.) Three parents will come home not speaking to each other
7.) Someone will get some sort of blood action
8.) Three homeoruns will be hit
9.) One no-hitter will be thrown
10.) We will place in the top three
11.) And I will be a big winner at the Riverboat. One worthy of a cheap 8x10 with my name on it.

Hank has given up his "pimp seat" on the bench to be a spectator, or an official non-performing bat boy and or official lego playing, doll dressing, action figure blanket player.