Always Lots to Be Thankful For...

 and having all three kids back under one roof is top of the list!  What a treat to have all of our family reunited over the Thanksgiving holiday.  Our super quiet house was full of life again.  Both Karson and Isaac made it home on Tuesday.  Isaac left as soon as he got up that morning and was home before lunch.  Karson arrived a little later that afternoon.  Miles had a match in Owensboro that night against Daviess County.  We didn't really get to visit much with either because we left right after work.  Isaac had planned to go to a movie with Pap and Seth, and Karson had homework to do.  Later that night, they went to hang out with their cousins.  Isaac and Evan hadn't seen each other for months.  

I had to work on Wednesday but fortunately got off early and was able to spend the rest of the afternoon with the kids.

Prior to the break, about two weeks total, we were all cursed with Flu B.  The weekend we celebrated my mom's birthday (Nov. 13), Miles had a 102 fever that Saturday.  Since he recently got a job at the bowling alley and was supposed to start working that weekend, he powered on despite the fever (probably not the best idea).  He did not want to call in sick already.  His fever continued to Sunday, and he had to work again.  By Monday, he was exhausted and stayed home from school to recover.  His fever broke around lunchtime. When I got home that Monday night, I was very achy and having some respiratory issues.  I did Live Health Online and got albuterol called in to assist with breathing.  Miles told me on Tuesday that he needed to go to school and couldn't miss anymore.  He went Tuesday and Wednesday.  Wednesday night, he had a match in Owensboro but was having a lot of pain in his calf muscles.  We didn't think much about it. One of his teammates had a massage gun and applied some icy hot to help with the pain. He wasn’t getting any relief.  My mom rode with us to the match.  Bowling was painful the whole night, and he could barely move.  It was weird.  Matt had come home from work Wednesday and felt terrible.  However, he had the flu shot so again, we didn't think about FLU.  Miles was in so much pain that he wasn't able to go to school the next day.  Matt stayed home too.  I told Matt if he felt like it, to please take Miles to Graves Gilbert Urgent Clinic.  At this point, it was day six with symptoms of something.  Neither felt like going, and so by FORCE, I made Miles go with me when I got off work.  He knew they were going to swab him and was anxious about that.  I needed to know it was nothing major since he wasn't getting any better.  After an hour, we got the results back, and the PA said it was about the worst case of Flu B.  We all knew we'd had it by this point - each of us with different symptoms. There was nothing we could do, but wait it out. I ran to Kroger and got us some Vitamin C, fruit, and Gatorade to stay hydrated.  Miles slept for about three days straight and had to miss two bowling matches.

Happy birthday Meme, glad your present wasn't the flu.

Bowling has been such a fun, new experience.  Miles bowled his first 200 in a match and also got his new jersey.  The team ordered him another ball along with a three ball carrier.  Many bowlers travel with lots of different balls, and we are adding to his collection constantly it seems.

 

 

  Thankful he has a job where he can get all the free bowling he wants since he loves the sport so much.  He and Isaac had a ball during the break.  He even bowled a 220 one night.

 

We celebrated Thanksgiving with my family at mom's and with Matt's family at the Warehouse.  Like usual, we were completely stuffed.  It's all worth it though to get to spend time with everyone.

Paul brought his nice camera and took some family pictures.

  

Scary and sweet faces with the girls at the Warehouse. 

Like October, November is a month of birthday celebrations in our family.  We celebrated Nana on Sunday since everyone was still home.  Miles, being the worker bee, wasn't able to come to the party.  We missed him but are proud that he's committed to his new job and working hard.

 

Looking forward to having all the college kids back again soon!  Come on Christmas!!!

Mr. Spartan and New Sporting Adventures

Golf season came to a close, and we put a stamp on the 2023-2024 season Monday night with our end of the year banquet.  It was a bit challenging finding a time to meet with all the school activities at South; otherwise, we would've done it a bit closer to the end of the season.  Miles was a wee bit irritated by the October 30th date, but I will get to that a little later.  

   This year we graduated one Senior and have a lot of rising younger players who are quite talented.  South hasn't had a strong golf program for some time.  By "strong," I mean we aren't posting any scores that are competitive with other teams in our area.  Beneath our Senior are five Juniors, including Miles, who will be big contributors next year.  Miles loves the sport of golf.  This season, more than others (and because he was able to drive), he spent lots and lots and lots of time practicing and playing.  This is what it takes to be good and compete at any sport.  However, you also need a good coach and consistent lessons.  Golf requires lots of science and precision.  You have to be ALL IN or you won’t see improvement.  At the banquet, our coach challenged the parents and team to be ALL IN and invest in their personal game next season.

    Miles received the Mr. Spartan award.  We are proud of his continued achievements with golf and are looking forward to his Senior year which will begin in the blink of an eye.  

 

Why was Miles irritated with a Monday night banquet?  After the close of golf, he wanted to get a part time job and make some money, like most teenagers do.  I'd seen a Facebook post from a friend where the "orange tent" Halloween Express was needing workers.  While I knew this would be temporary, I also thought it would be a great opportunity for him.  I reached out to my friend, and he started working there almost immediately. While he's mainly covered weekends in October, this Monday and Halloween night, they needed his help.  When I mentioned the banquet, he said "what, why are we having it on a Monday?"  I said well it's pretty important and you can't miss it.  Monday after school, which for him ends at 1PM, (also banquet night) he went to work until 5:15, came home, changed, went to the banquet for two hours, and then went back to work until almost 11PM.  He also worked until 10 PM Halloween night.  I wouldn't particularly want him working on weeknights that late with school, but this is a temporary gig.

For the workplace, he needed some Halloween shirts.  I found this Goosebumps Frankenslappy at Five Below.  The other two kids loved it so much, we had to go back and get two more.  I found a fanged/Vampire SpongeBob at Old Navy. My boss loaned me his Camp Crystal Lake Counselor shirt.  And, he has an orange Halloween Express STAFF work shirt as well.  

His favorite job perk: free bowling for him and his family. The orange tent is located in the parking lot of Southern Lanes Bowling Alley.  He also gets free drinks at the snack bar, 1/2 price concessions, and a nice discount in the Pro Shop.

Miles + Free Bowling = HEAVEN

Last night at 10:30PM when he hadn't made it back home yet, I texted to check on him and he told me he was bowling.  New sporting adventures begin for Miles today.  He has officially placed his golf clubs in storage and replaced them with some Strike Force shoes and a Storm bowling ball.  The team captain at South reached out to him last week and asked him to join the bowling team.  He texted me last Friday and asked about his physical.  I told him to text his dad, eh-hem the principal, to let our athletic director Ashby know it was on file with golf.  

That Friday night we'd thrown together a small celebration for Karson's 21st, and Matt made the grandest of announcements to our family.  He said I'm not sure there has ever been a prouder moment for me as a dad, not the birth of all three of my children or their many accomplishments, but it was when my youngest son sent me a text at school to ask the athletic director to put his physical on file because he was joining the bowling team.

  Made! His! Day!

He's so funny.  Some of Matt's best memories are from his start as the first bowling coach at South when he began teaching.

A few of his favorite bowlers, Bryce and Kaleb!

Let me go on the record with this one, bowling is WAY cheaper than golf, at least in regards to the equipment needed.  I might eat my words.  I also realize we aren't all in like some bowlers which I imagine have multiple balls, shoes - take lessons, bowl in leagues and tournaments, etc.  

I ordered Miles's golf shoes off Amazon for $40.  He did need a bag and a ball.  We ventured in to the pro shop at Southern Lanes on Saturday.  The gentleman in there, Alex, could not have been any more helpful.  We told him we were newbies and knew nothing.  Miles had no idea what kind of ball he needed or how fast he could throw it.  Alex closed up the shop and came out to watch him.  Eventually he settled on a 14 pound ball which we purchased that day with his discount along with a bag.  He is still needing a spare ball.  From what I gather, you need one of those to pick up pins that your regular bowling ball won't get.  It also has three holes in it generally while the ball we purchased on got two drilled in it. I'm assuming I will learn all of this at some point.  However, I could purchase ten bowling balls for the cost of one driver and golf lessons so that's a blessing.  

Fun fact: we'd planned to do some family bowling on Sunday, but when Matt went to look for his stuff, he couldn't find it.  The only thing we could figure is that he'd left it behind at some point at the bowling alley.  He wasn't so much concerned about the ball but really wanted his skull shoes.  I told him to check in the pro shop when we got there - odds not in his favor.  Alex to the rescue.  He found it stored in the old nursery with all his stuff still in there.  Hilarious!  Matt had to have the finger holes redone and glued but was pumped by the find.

 Matches begin next week, and his first team practice is today.

Cheers 21!

 Every moment, every year, you make us proud to be your mom and dad!  We love our 21 year old!  This weekend we celebrated with hot dogs, chili and peanut butter pie!  

AND, she was able to go and get her Real I.D.

How is our child 21 when we are only 25?!?!

Yep.  Our daughter turned 21 this month.  The little 6 pound baby that we had NO clue what to do with has grown up into the most beautiful human being. It's my opinion that when your children hit adulthood (18+) and think about those next steps in their life, you're hopeful that you did things right.  They are ready to launch, do things on their own, make adult decisions, and move on from needing you as much.  I realize that means something different for everyone and every family.  Your adult kids move out, get married, get full time jobs, or decide to move forward with their education....whatever their pathway is, you want good things for them.  Child 1 for us was KARSON.  She was always a child that grew up and matured way beyond her age.  Her early years in elementary school, she excelled in every area, usually off the charts, "gifted," being a part of 212 Academy in 4th grade and a leader.  She was academic but also very athletic.  She tried out sports like dance, softball, gymnastics, volleyball, and basketball.  She was artistic.  At WKU, she participated in Super Saturdays. She tried her hand acting with PTK and Skypac summer camps. Piano lessons were part of her routine for a few years as well.  Karson was a never a kid that required a lot of social engagement but had lots of good friends, was well liked be her teachers and peers.  Conflict and drama was rare for her.  Humility was evident.  I never heard her brag to others about her grades or achievements in school or sports.  In fact, one of my favorite sports interviews she gave was her senior year in basketball where she said she was never a person that liked all the attention and never asked to be a "hero" as the only senior on the team.  

I say all this to say that we are proud of her.  College and moving away has not be easy.  Her freshman year was fresh and new and exciting.  It was rare for her to come home.  Isaac is having this current experience at EKU.  Home gets more inviting the longer you are in college.  Sometimes you just want to be taken care of and get a little extra love.  Louisville is still treating her well, but the grind of school and life gets old.  She has overcome a lot this year mainly recovering from a major surgery, a tearful breakup, and starting nursing school which is terribly difficult.  

For her 21st birthday, I wanted something extra special to make her feel loved the way that I know she is LOVED.  I solicited the help of many family and friends for this project.  My goal was to create a 21st Birthday Book filled with pictures and special messages from people who LOVE her.  

My favorite pages are those with her nursing cohort - It warmed my heart receiving all of these, and it was such a joyful moment being able to surprise her with it.

Her dad's post and notes always make me tear up.  This duo is the sweetest.

She's handled adulthood well and with dignity. I'm proud that she has joined some additional groups like CHARGG Louisville which is a workout group, and others specific to her program.  Additionally, she was hired as a PCA at Norton's hospital over the summer and enjoys the hands on experience it has brought her.  The paychecks aren't too bad either.

While she wasn't home for her birthday weekend, she did get spoiled by some friends at Big Bad Breakfast in Louisville.  She chose to wait until this weekend to come home so she could get her official new REAL ID (appointment tomorrow).  A peanut butter pie has been requested, and I am also thinking some margaritas from El Mazatlan are in the mix.

Her actual birthday week/weekend, we did some other celebrating kicking off the Tuesday prior at Mister B's Pizza celebrating Miles's 17th birthday on Tuesday, the 17th.  Matt wrote another long tear jerker note to him.  He's a gifted writer and says exactly what I think and feel as well.

Isaac came in town over the weekend.  It's always a treat seeing him, and I soak up those "adult" moments because he is growing up so quick "colleging."

Mom had planned to have everyone come over for lunch on Sunday to celebrate our Uncle Mike and Miles as well.  We love all of our fall birthday celebrations.  Up next in November is Meme, Nana and Matt!!!

    

Kegs and Eggs and a Run a State

The end of September was certainly eventful.  Miles spent much of his time practicing and preparing for his post season match at Calvert City Country Club.  Fortunately, the course where sub-State was being held was a course we'd played earlier in the season on literally the hottest week of the YEAR.  It was a shotgun start and not the best round honestly.  When he qualified for the round at region, Matt called and got him a tee time and most were full. They managed to squeeze him on with a group at 12:20 on Sunday (24th).  

 

  

September 23rd was Family Weekend in Richmond at EKU.  Originally Isaac had planned to come home but changed his mind.  Because he also decided to go to Myrtle Beach with his fraternity also meant that he wouldn't be coming home for Fall Break (this weekend) either.  We really wanted to see him and decided to make the trip early that morning.  Isaac decided to pledge Kappa Sigma this year, and the fraternity was hosting a breakfast that morning at 11AM - Kegs and Eggs.  Without going into great detail, let's just say it was nice to meet his new friends and glad he has found his "group" away from home.  Before the tailgate and eating out, we dropped a bunch of things off at his dorm for his beach trip. The football tailgate began around 1PM, and because we weren't entirely sure what that would consist of, we decided we wanted to eat.  Cane's it was!  Turns out, the tailgate had tons food - Isaac didn't really know any of the details like if we needed bring anything, etc. (we'll know next time).   It was warm but still a pleasant day.  We had no plans to go the football game unless Isaac wanted to go (he didn't).  The tickets were super cheap, but the game was later in the evening and we weren't staying the night since Miles had a practice round in Calvert City the next day.

 

Karson also had family day at UofL. Fortunately, she got to be with our extended family and enjoy time with them.

We left after school that Monday to head to Calvert City trying to arrive early enough for Miles to get some more quick chipping and putting practice in before dark.  We'd booked a room at the super fancy Quality Inn.  Matt's brother Andrew is in Benton a lot for work so we met up with he and his brother Ben at Cracker Barrel for dinner that night.

Because Miles was the only individual for our golf team who qualified, and our coach was scheduled for our work trip the day of the tournament, Matt went through the certification to become Miles's coach which allowed for them to work together on Tuesday.  Obviously, there is not a person alive that knows more about Miles's game and proclivities than Matt.  They've spent LOTS of time together on the golf course since Miles started playing competitively at a young age.  Matt loves golf and knows everything there is to know, hah!  He also coached the team in his first years at South.  They were a killer combo out there together.  It was special!  

 

I was a nervous wreck of course.  You pretty much cover every single emotion in golf when you're a player and a parent.  It's easy to tell how a golfer is doing simply based on the look of the parents.  In fact, some parents are even allowed to come watch their kids because of it.  I told Miles on the way home (after the round) how much I appreciate that he's always been okay with us being there.  He's competed in every single Varsity tournament at South since 8th grade even playing JV (every round) his 8th grade and freshman years.  He's played A LOT of golf for South.  I've probably been to 95% of the matches, not including the summer tournaments.  I love watching him.  

Golf, life, hard lessons that all work together to make this athlete a better human being.  There is nothing simple about this sport.  When it's great, it can be the most rewarding thing in the world.  When it's not, it feels like you've sunk to your lowest point and can barely make it.  For those that experience success in this sport, it because the scars have healed and their ability to persevere far outweighs their defeats.  Miles worked his a_ _ off this season.  He did what it took to be as good as he could - practice, lessons, blisters, work outs, heat, rain, long days, tiredness - his will to keep going was powerful.  I love that about him.  I know this drive will help him be a successful person overall.  

Things did not go as planned that Tuesday.  He played great and did his best - one stroke away from being in a playoff for the 15th individual spot.  His head was high, and we were proud of him and for him.  However, the event did not go without a small fiasco.  Those that are familiar with how this works know that live scoring can be tricky.  Sometimes groups don't keep the score, and sometimes it's incorrect and later has to be corrected.  In other words, it's difficult to predict where you land in the mix unless you are a winning team.  At sub state, the top three teams get to move on and the top 15 individuals not on one of those teams.  We know Miles would fall close to that cut off.  Matt had done all the configuring to see if he would be in that mix.  The numbers were tight.  He was convinced Miles would not be competing and be one stroke off.  I started hugging some of my senior mom golf friends because I knew this would be our last time seeing them.  Out of the blue, they make an announcement with the playoff on #18.  Miles and the other 78's were on that list.  We were shocked as it was unexpected.  The group of five playing for only one spot all headed down the hill to the tee box.  I didn't go the entire way (stopping halfway) because I knew they would be hitting down the fairway, and we'd be walking back up that hill. Quite frankly, I was pooped from walking 7 miles already.  It was taking forever for them to tee off, and I would see the rules official pacing the tee box.  I had no idea what was going on and figured maybe some scores were put in wrong and some other golfer belonged in this playoff.  Knowing these playoffs are not quick, it seemed like it was dragging on.  Finally the KHSAA announcer came back on the PA and basically told everyone that there was a mistake and that all of the 77's would be competing in a playoff.  Honestly, it was disappointing for BOTH groups.  Here the 78's thought they were getting a shot at state while the 77's were relieved to have made the cut - only to learn that they hadn't.  It was a weird ending to a very long day.

We were ready to get back home so didn't stick around for the playoff but got some updates from friends.  This playoff was seven golfers for five spots which was even more difficult.  We later found out that one of Miles's Owensboro summer tournament friends (a senior from Madisonville North Hopkins) was the final one cut.  These two on the way back up for Miles on  #18 and heading down embraced which was sweet.  We truly hated it for him =(.

It's nice to actually be able to enjoy fall break without the stress of golf.  Our Spartan has one more season to play, and we're excited to see what he can accomplish.  For now, we are relaxing at home for the week.  Isaac came home on Thursday with his roommate (who is also from BG and was coming to town), and it was a treat hanging out with him until Saturday morning.  We did some shopping and got him some things he needs for the fall/winter.  Karson is coming home on Thursday for a few days.  Miles is dog sitting our favorite pooch Oreo for the week and actually started working part time at Halloween Express (also known as the orange tent in these parts).

We don't have any big plans for the week.  It's hard when everyone is on a different school schedule/break, and honestly, Miles isn't a big fan of the beach.  I'm working for a few days and then gonna take off a few days.  October is a BIG month.  Miles celebrates 17 on the 17th, and Karson turns 21 on the 22nd!!!  Cheers to FALL!