*Snort*

 While I was getting all the pictures ready for the annual Christmas Calendar for Barb I came across so many "Goober" shots. I put together a montage for your enjoyment :)

 

The last one made the Christmas card. Rob made me do it ;)

Robotics Show Down 2012

 Robotics as defined by Wiki: Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation and application of robots ^[1] and computer systems for their control, sensory feedback, and information processing. These technologies deal with automated machines that can take the place of humans, in hazardous or manufacturing processes, or simply just resemble humans.  

My kids just like to play with lego mindstorms and try to complete the missions ;)

Jared was lucky enough to hang out for a few practices at the Kell robotics center. He will be familiar with this location if he decides to go to school there in the fall of 2013. Here is a picture of some light reading at the center. ;)

This year we had Jared on the team for Palmer Middle School (the school did not have a team for the last two years so this was Jared's first year with them) and we had Ryan on the Chalker Blockers (Jared's old team) under the direction of Ms. Taylor. They were excited to compete against each other.

 Uncle Ricky was in town along with Gran and Grandfather. Grammy and Pop Pop stopped by to enjoy the competition as well. Ryan was able to run the table all three times for her bridge program but unfortunately the robot didn't cooperate and she didn't achieve the mission. Jared never went to the table since he was behind the design of his team's robot.

 The competition was VERY close but Jared's team did advance to the Super Regionals while Ryan's team did not. Her team was able to score 95 points on their robot run but Jared's team was 235. Both teams did really well on their innovations and project design.

Here Ryan is explaining to Uncle Ricky how their invention would help out the elderly. 

Jared's team will advance to the Region competition in January 2013. Practices have already begun to get them ready for the next step. Ryan's group is done competing for the year but they still have a Spring Robotics club where she will mentor the younger kids coming up for next year's team. She wants to do it again next year so she must have really enjoyed it!

Thanksgiving Hunting trip 2012

 This is my Kevy Bu's first hunting trip. All he wanted for his birthday was to go sit in a tree and look for deer. He got his wish. We had beautiful weather for our week up at Hartwell. Rick and Daddy took Kevin out on Friday and Saturday evening to try and bag a deer. Both days they came home empty handed but on the second day they at least saw one. I know what they will be doing over the Christmas break!!

Uncle Ricky and Kevin heading out to the woods. I think Great Gramps would have gotten along really well with my Bu. :D

Kevin's 12th Birthday

 A quick birthday dinner with Gran and Grandfather on Friday Night. Can you tell these two are related? ;)

 Blowing out the candles with his friends on his birthday. Like the cheesecake?  He is his own best customer for the band dessert fundraiser. :D

 My and my Bu. 

L.O.V.E

Kevin decided that he wanted to go bowling.  I now know that it is a punishment for Rob and I to go watch our children bowl. I know they haven't done it much and I know that it's more "our" thing, but man...it's hard not to coach them when all they want to do is go out there and have fun!  Maybe Rob and I should show them a thing or two ;) Either way the kids had a great time and it was fun for them to hang with their peeps for a while. Even if they won't make the Olympics for bowling. HA!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEVIN!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BU!!

Hope you have the best year ever!!

Love you!

Mom, Dad, Jared & Ryan

Halloween 2012

 

 Our house. In the middle of Day Lily Way...looking all spooky and ready for Halloween!

Carving pumpkins!

Kitty Pumpkin by Ryan

 

Ninja Pumpkin by Kevin

 

Tux the Linux Penguin by Jared

 

 My little urchins. Kevin-the dead rat. Ryan-the vampire. Jared-Dr. Who

Hannah, Sam and Jared went out together this year. Hannah was an 80's gal, Sam was Darth Helmet and Jared was weird. Ahem, just kidding-he was Dr. Who. The 10th doctor I think...

 

This is Ryan's sad face since she has to trick-or-treat wearing her boot :( She was slow but she got tons of candy with this pathetic face ;)

Ryan's "Fall"

What do you call a girl who can't get out of her own way? Ryan Homer. This poor girl started off October with an iffy score on her eye exam at the school. Since I am one of the testers I get the results in real time and can make an eye appointment before I get the letter coming home from the school nurse saying she needs to go get checked out. This happened with Kevin and it happened with Ryan in October. She did need to get glasses but not for nearsightedness like the rest of the family. She has trouble reading things up close so studying can be hard for her. She basically got reading glasses and we were back to school by recess time. 

 Looking super cute and very PINK today :D

 Nice glasses Ryan

Less than a week later she was opening the freezer to get out her breakfast. A brand new, HUGE, can of nuts from BJ's fell off the top of the fridge and broke her foot. Ask Jared about it sometime. Basically she had what was called a "healing fracture", a deep tissue injury. She would be out of the water for about a month. Two swim meets will be missed and she was one grumpy guppy. The good news was that we had the realization that she really, I mean REALLY loves to swim. If she was that upset about having to miss a few weeks, then that is where she belongs. Some kids might have said, "yay! I don't have practice for a while and I can skip two meets", but let me tell you...the poor kid felt like she was being punished. It was awful. Not to mention she had to go trick or treating with that thing on. That's another entry though. At least her brother was REALLY nice to her for a couple weeks. :D

The following week we had yet another doctor appointment. This time we had her 5 year cardiologist followup. She had an EEG and an EKG and everything looks good. She still has the VSD and the murmur can still be heard by her pediatrician but she is released from the cardiologist. At least one thing went well and she could finally get back into a routine at school without having to leave for doctors appointments!

Kell Football 2012

 This year was Kevin's 4th season with the Kell Longhorns. He advanced from the youth to the juniors since he is in middle school. They sure do grow boys big these days!! Kevin was able to play starting center again this year. Something he really loves and is pretty good at. He could always use a little improvement, but that's what the off season is for. :D Their team did not do so well, I think they were 2-8? Not a stellar record but they learned quite a bit.

 This is a pic of my boy after they got pummeled by the Sequoya team in October. Still smiling, WTG Bu :D

 "Before" shot of his helmet. Apparently it is a B.I.G deal for him to look at all his marks. He earned every one of those gashes, dings and splotches.

 It's always a sad day when we have to turn the equipment back in. I promise it was just June and we were getting all our gear and getting so excited for another great year. The "After" shot of his helmet erases all of the hard fought battle scars. Sorry Kev. :(

Win or Lose, Good or Bad, it was another awesome season for Rob and Kevin on the fields. 

I LOVE my Longhorns!!

Hook 'em!!

This was one Saturday afternoon in September. My folks came into town to celebrate our anniversary.  What does a football player like to eat? ANYTHING! Especially a piece of pizza bigger then your head!

Pumpkin Patch 2012

 We decided to hit a corn maze this year. My folks and my brother were in town and they decided it would be fun to go with us. We had a beautiful fall day and a great time getting lost in the corn. :D

 Ryan took the lead for team Gran/Grandfather/Uncle Ricky and Mom. Daddy and the brothers were long gone...

 pretty :D

 Corn Cannon!

 Kevin took aim. I think he hit the car in the field.

Jared's shot.

Before you know it we will be putting up the Christmas tree ;)

Homerhouse Flood 2012

It was a beautiful fall day. I was out in Villa Rica with my ladies tennis team for an afternoon of fun. I didn't have to rush home to get Ryan off the bus since she had robotics practice on Thursdays. Sounds nice, right? It was the perfect morning/afternoon. I walked into the house and heard a whooshing sound like the sink was on in the basement. Hmmm :/ I immediately thought how nice it was that the boys did their chores before school. Since I had to leave for tennis before they caught the bus my mind went to them doing the downstairs litter boxes and they left the sink running in the basement. Well 1)-they don't do any chores unless I ask and 2)- they always wash their hands upstairs after throwing the trash in the dumpster in the garage. As I went doan the stairs I got a worsening sense of dread. I came around the corner and was greeted with water at my feet. Not good. My next train of thought went to the new dishwasher that Rob and I had installed on our own a few weeks prior. I envisioned that we hadn't tightened something down right and now had a leak. Nope, not the problem. I noticed the top of the hot water heater was spewing like a lawn sprinkler. Found the culprit. :( Now my mind begins racing to get this fixed, cleaned up and done. Could I just fast forward 12 hours?  I knew I was in for a long afternoon/evening.

I called my in laws, I needed help quick since Rob was out of the country. Rob's God parents, Myra and Darryl, showed up first. They came bearing shop vacs and we all got to work. Barb got Ryan from school and things were moving along quite nicely. I got all my brother's boxes moved out of the danger zone and cleared out all of the debris. The repair man came by around 9 pm and we had a plan. Rob called about 3am his time to touch base after my initial panic call. He put a call into his buddy Charles and he would be by in the morning. I cancelled the guy from the first company and by 11 am the next day I was FINALLY getting my hot shower that was due after my tennis match the day before. I literally time warped 24 hours, it was a bizarre experience that I really could have done with out. 

 

 

Between the leaky upstairs toilet, the dishwasher install with Rob (we are still happily married-thank you very much) and the hot water heater I jump anytime I hear water running. That reminds me...did I tell you the one about the ice maker that went haywire before school one morning shortly after our hot water heater burst?  Oh, yeah. That's a good campfire story as well...