Kids Bowl Free

I just found out about this link.... http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/index.php

There are lots of alley's in several cities/states participating. I think it could be a cool inexpensive way to get the kids out of the house this summer! They have an Adults Bowl with the kids for cheap option too. Check it out!

Josh is a scholar!!!

I got a message from Josh this morning and he was busting at the seams. Apparently he got a commended score on his Taks English test and on his essay got a 4 out of 4! He said it is extremely hard to get a perfect score on your essay and he is so proud. We don't have all the details yet, but he was told he will receive a letter jacket from the school for this! We are extremely proud of you Joshie!

Feeding Hoss...

Mom and dad have a momma cow who isn't a very good momma cow, she abandoned her calf. Another momma cow (who is a good momma cow) was feeding him, but she didn't have enough milk for her calf and this one. So, mom and dad brought him up to the house to bottle feed him. He is just the cutest lil' thing ever.


Kylie had fun feeding him this morning...

Field Trip!

Kylie's class field trip to the Dallas Arboretum got canceled twice...once for Swine Flu and once for rain. Well, the big day finally came yesterday and we headed off to spend a day looking at flowers, waterfalls and green green grass.

The day turned out to be awesome. Not too hot, a little cloud cover, a couple of bouts of sprinkles and a lot of fun. Here are just a few of the pics from the day.


Kylie forgot her sunglasses so she is wearing an old pair of mine that were in my car. So, you get to see her looking like a fly all day! ;)


They had some really pretty flowers and water features there. All of these pictures are straight from the camera, but I think some of these could be played with for some really cool photo art.

Kylie and Crystal photo shoot...

Today was such a nice day, I made a last minute decision to go play with my camera some. So Kylie and her friend Crystal and I made a trip to the creek. Which was also occupied by a small snake! After avoiding the snake, we did manage to get a few decent ones. I have to be honest, the taking pictures in the gym then leaving and going outside has really been messing me up. I am sooooo used to just using the auto setting and not having to worry about my white balance that I forget to change it. So, I am really going to have to start kicking myself into gear and get my equipment check list done at the start of each session. That being said...I got some decent ones but I had to do way too much processing to them and I am not really happy with them...so we will be doing it again next week...hopefully without an encore appearance from the snake!

No exclusion here...

I went ahead and made a mag cover for Cameron and Josh also. Actually since I had the template, I made one for all of the players on Josh and Cameron's teams. It will be a surprise for both the boys and their parents.

I am not sure that this is the final version on Cameron's. It seems I mostly have either pics of him dribbling down the court or side/back views of him taking shots. I will have to see what I end up with after his last two games. Maybe I can influence the team game plan... I need Cameron driving the lane so I can get front shots of him making baskets. Are you listening coach? Cameron? Anyone???

Basketball pictures...

The basketball league does not provide scheduled pictures during the spring season. So, Kylie's coach asked if I would mind taking pics of the team. I created a template that I will use as a Magazine Cover type photo for them if they want to order it. I used one of my action shots of Kylie to make the sample layout. I think it is kind of cool looking...

One down - two to go..

Well, Josh's team clinched first place for the high school gold division for the spring season today. The older they get the tougher the competition gets. Some how they seem to find a way to make it happen. I took several pics today as usual and just wanted to share this series with you.


I am not sure Josh will like these a much as I do....but I do! I love the intensity on his face. Though I am a little worried he might bite his tongue off!

Got keys?

Ok, before I start...just let me say that I am extremely proud of Josh recently. He has a great new attitude about his grades, (he expects to have all A's) he works hard to be a leader on his bball team by working out almost daily, and practicing ball at the rec center several days a week for several hours, he is taking vitamins each day on his own to help build muscle, he takes pride in his car, hand washing it most weekends, he took the initiative to sever ties with some friends that were making poor choices, he does his own laundry and puts it away (most of the time - well eventually). So in reality one of the few things I would have him work on is not pestering his mother quite so much!

All that being said I have to tell you what he did yesterday. He got home from school and got ready to go to the rec to work out with some friends. I get a call just before 3 asking me to bring him his extra car key when I go pick Kylie up from school. Apparently, as he got out of his car his fell out of his pocket and he didn't notice and he locked them in his car. Now if we took a poll of people who had NEVER had this happen to them I think the number would be small. So no big deal, I took him the key. He told me to call him when I get there and he would come out and get them. So I call - no answer. I call again - no answer. I thought maybe his signal was low in the building so I go in. I find him in the weight room working out. He looks up and said Did you call? Yes, I called. Oh..my phone is over there - pointing to the other side of the room. Since he always has his phone on vibrate I am not sure how he expected to hear it when I called.

Fast forward to later that evening...Josh leaves to go to bball practice. He is taking some clothes to his dad to change into because Rog was late leaving work and didn't have time to come home. At a little after 7 I get a text (not a call this time) that I need to bring him his extra key. But that I have until 9 to do it. WHAT!!!! I text back You didn't lock them in your car again did you? Reply - Unfortuantly. Ugh! That is twice in around 4 hours!!! Luckily for Josh our neighbors son is on his team and we had him take the keys to practice. But all I can say is one of Josh's favorite sayings..

Really, Josh?!?!?! Really? ;) Kids! Gotta luv em!

Ms. Bella Jade's turn!!!

I also got some pictures of Lacee and Nick little sunshine on Easter too...so here she is! I made hers just the opposite of Brighton's so they can be printed and hung together.




Don't we have gorgeous babies!

A couple more projects...

I had to wait until today to share this picture with you since it was for Mom to use in a picture frame she got Mamaw for mother's day.


Now for any of you who follow my photography blog also, you saw this one earlier. But since she is such a cutie...and family, I wanted to share it here also.

Lil Miss Brighton is our newest family addition to the Brad and Shannon Smith group..isn't she a sweetie! She was a sleepy sweetie...she slept almost the entire day on Easter. She was awake just long enough one time to get her diaper changed and was back out again soon after!



I added the individual pictures for those of you who might like to see them larger or save them to your computer. If you want me to email them to you or order you prints, just let me know.

Cover Girl..

Or Boy...

Joei and Cade are working on a scrapbook for their home school classes. I made these cover pages for them to use when they assemble them tomorrow.

Joei's


Cader Tot's



I made these quickly tonight, but I think they are quite cute!

What a week...

Isn't it strange how some weeks seem to drag on and on and then others just zip right past? This week was kind of in the middle...it didn't drag all the time but some days seemed longer than others. The rain wasn't as frequent but the humidity was brutal!

On Thursday (as Josh puts it), I was the ONLY Mom to go to the citizenship breakfast. There were a couple of others there...he just couldn't see anything but me through his embarrassment. I pointed out to him he should be glad his mom loves and is proud of him! I mean really...it isn't like I climbed up on the table to take my pictures...although that probably would have been a great angle! And I didn't get the best shots anyways...



Kylie had a special project for school this week also. They were being entrepreneurs..they had to come up with a product that they could sell to their class mates. Kylie made paper flowers and sold those.


Aren't they cute? The flowers and the girlie too!

More news from the kiddos...

Football spring practices started yesterday. Cameron had been being bounced back and forth between JV 1 and JV 2 during the previous practice sessions with his official placement being listed on JV 2. He plays middle linebacker. Yesterday was the first day of practice in full pads... Cameron came home yesterday quite pleased with how well he did. He said "Mom, I hit the starting QB really hard and hurt him." (Just some clarification - Hurt another player is a good thing, injury another play is a bad thing.) I asked him if he is supposed to be hitting the QB like that right now. He said he isn't wearing a different colored jersey (more clarification - if he was it would mean go lighter on the hits) and as long as he isn't then I am going all out.. I asked, What did your coach say? He said great hit...but the QB coach didn't like it. ;)

Today I get call from Cameron..."Mom, I got moved up to JV 1 today." (insert big toothy grin on Cameron's face - and YES, I could hear it through the phone). What a happy Laxton boy...

Notes from the teacher...

Hi Lisa,

I want to let you know that I nominated Josh for the Citizenship Award in recognition of his character and hard work. Josh always has a positive attitude, is self-motivated while completing class work, and always provides great feedback during class discussion. I have noticed that Josh is mindful of his work and puts extra effort and quality in his assignments. The school will honor him during a Citizenship breakfast this Thursday, May 7 at 9:30 in the library where he will get his certificate. Tomorrow morning, I will give him his recognition letter (although I already told him he was nominated).

It is students like Josh who make teaching such a fun, rewarding career!

Thanks,

(Name Removed for Privacy)
English III Teacher

Awww....I am so proud!

Well - report cards are in!

And I am happy to say it is another proud mommy moment! Josh has had straight A's on his last 2 report cards. Kylie has improved her grades to straight A's also. Her teacher stopped me at school to comment on how good Kylie's handwriting has gotten. It is great to see all the 100's coming home in her take home folder. Cameron is quite to straight A's but he is working on it. He has all A's and B's right now. We won't leave Chris out either...while all of his classes are Pass or Fail (no grades given) I have actually seen him read/study for some of his classes and I get to hear about him only missing a couple of questions on a test and stuff. I know he understands how each class he advances too just gets harder...he has commented a couple of times about people telling him how incredibly hard the Paramedics class can be. I am thrilled that the kids are taking pride in their grades and actually trying to do their best in all their class..you kids rock!

Helicopter ride..

Chris got to do something kind of kewl and different the other day. Apparently one of the members of the Lucas Fire Dept. is the proud owner of a Huey Helicopter. It is being stored at the station right now and several of them took it for a spin around town. I have attached a few of the pictures they took while they were out and about...


Chris sitting near the door...HANG ON CHRIS!!!!! (they were wearing seat belts)
Cool roof!
The back of the station...

Back in the station

Citizenship awards for everyone!

Sharing a proud mom moment...

All of the kids schools have citizenship awards that they give out to the kids. I think in Kylie's class it is voted on by the class. Kylie won it quite awhile back. Josh and Cameron's are awarded by the teachers. Josh has won it once (that I know of) and Cameron has been awarded it twice. It is nice to know they act better when we are not there than they do when we are there!!! lol Ok..ok..I guess they are good kids after all...

New school pictures!

You may recall that I was not totally happy with Kylie's last ones. These are soooo much better. But you know me, I can not leave well enough alone..so I had to edit this one also. I think it turned out very sweet! She looks so cute! This is a post that normally now I would have posted this on my http://memoriesbylisa.blogspot.com blog since it is about photography, but this one is family so I posted it here. I am also including the one without the comparison, because I know Nana likes to download and save the pictures we post.



The method used here was from a tutorial found here http://coffeeteaphotography.blogspot.com/