create the life you love

Lax Action

 

pre-game warm up

 

 

penelty box ;0 

fans :)

 

Team Captain

So proud of VGC .. choosen as a JV Lacrosse Captain.

The season is under way .. first 2 games this past weekend, both big wins!

#10 ..'stick man'

starting line up

 

LOTS more photos to come

Mother - Son Weekend!

I just returned home from spending a long weekend in Oxford with C Cal, just the 2 of us ..

well, many of his guy friends too and a few girls.

So much fun!!

We ate at our favorite restaurants .. Lorena's, Big Bad Breakfast, Snack Bar, Boure, The City Grocery.

Also visited a few bars .. Burgandy Room, Proud Larrys, The Library (doesn't every college town have a 'library' bar??)

Ah .. college life!

And .. although it looks like all we did was hang out at bars, not so! Just good photo opportunities!

 

Saturday morning breakfast at BBB 

Saturday afternoon happy hour at the Burgandy Room on the Square .. bloody mary bar

 

Terrible photo .. but wanted to include it. With my good friend's daughter who is a student at Ole Miss also.

The next time I see Connor will be in May .. at his graduation!

Hotty Toddy!!

 

** more Ole Miss posts here, here, here and here!

Soccer!

Griff played on the JV team .. the season just ended, but I wanted to record a few pictures .. actually, the only TWO photos I took and bad ones at that!

#11

 

 

He has moved right on to his #1 sport, lacrosse, with training all this week and tryouts next .. although he has been playing club lax (weekend tournaments) year round.

And btw, my 'baby' boy is now 6'1"! 

HOTTY TODDY!!

Such a wonderful four days spent in Oxford, MS with our entire family! 

Bear flew in on Friday afternoon, a day after us, due to work, but he had such a great time .. his first visit to Ole Miss.

We rented the same house as last year and had a tent and food all ready for us in The Grove for game day. Of course, the game was - dare I say - pitiful! But, as the saying goes, Ole Miss never loses a party. SO much fun in The Grove!

Thursday lunch at Ajax Diner and shopping on The Square

Griff's lunch .. fried catfish (their specialty), fries, mac & cheese and corn bread 

Connor's house .. so nice, just a block behind The Square and actually neat & clean!!

Love the dining room 'table'

And, um .. the next day after a party. The house not so neat and clean

We walked to the cemetery, for a little field trip to see Faulkner's grave where there is always a bottle of Jack Daniel's or two

Also took Griff to see Rowen Oak (Faulkner's Home). I have been on a previous trip, but since Griff was playing 'hooky' from school, another field trip was in order.

He was thrilled ;)

Dinner at The City Grocery .. Our Anniversary (27 years!) Cheers!

Griff and 2 of Connor's friends that joined us for dinner

On to Friday ... breakfast at Big Bad Breakfast. SO good - Oxford has the best restaurants.

One of Connor's roommates joined us.

A cool morning .. Connor in his ear warmers!

 

Dinner at The Ravine Friday evening.

May just be one of the best restaurants I have ever eaten at. So good and another fun evening!

With ALL my boys ...

Our friends from Nashville. Katie goes to Ole Miss and her dad went to UF with Dan

Katie, her boyfriend Michael, friend Allie and parents

Two of a kind!

At Boure on The Square after dinner

A new store opened on the Square, Pink & Proper .. a Lilly Store!

Connor was excited about it (well, not exaclty, but knew that I would be!)

And .. Christie Leigh Mueller was there on Saturday morning signing her new book, Gridiron Saturdays!

My lucky day .. I was planning on purchasing this book and how fabulous that I was able to meet the author - she is darling! - and get a signed copy. 

I had to include all our teams

On to THE GROVE!

LSU fans .. all were so nice and quite 'colorful'!

 

Look who I found .. Col Reb is alive and well!

Griff with LSU fans .. such handsome, nice boys!

NO Bear sightings at all in The Grove .. The Colonel has risen again!

 

Dan & B with a former player, Marcus Allen, I think?

Someone else took this picture with Dan's phone - too bad it is so blurry

And we actually went to the game and had great seats , about 10 rows up on the 50 yard line. Of course the game was painful to watch .. we only stayed for the first half.

Halloween Past ..

My little 'punkins'

Barret - Connor - Griff

 

Bear Boy ..

Connor ..

B & C ..

arrr .. some mean pirates (and a sweet little penguin) ..

and the next year .. Connor wears the 'fro' (this was a favorite of all 3 for many years)

Griff ..

 

Catching Up

I bit behind here .. just not sure how I can be so busy with just one son at home these days, but busy I am!

Pumpkin Shootout Lacrosse Tournament a few weekends ago ..

 

 

 

 

One more fall, club lacrosse tournament and then HS soccer season - Griff is playing on the JV team!

UF/LSU Game

Ole Miss had a bye this past Saturday which worked out perfect for Connor. He traveled to New Orleans for the weekend .. meeting up with lots of friends. I begged (always have to text him asking pleeease!) to take and send me some pictures .. sweet boy delivered!

Connor and Ben

(not sure about those wacky glasses?)

Ben, Connor, Kurt .. and I'm not sure who the last boy is

Fall Lax

The first of 4 or 5 weekend club lacrosse tournaments. 

This was just a 1 day tournament played in Wellington, FL and Griff's team (Braveheart) won 3 out of 4 games.

 

Once Upon a Time I was a Scrap Booker ..

It's been years now that I have done a single scrapbook page and I miss it so. For many years  - I started this hobby when my youngest, Griff was one year old - I scrapped almost every day.  My little hobby turned into being published in a few different scrap booking magazines,  being a 'Garden Girl' at Two Peas in a Bucket for many years, becoming a Creating Keepsakes Hall of Famer, participating on a few design teams, and even traveling to various shows/conventions/crops. (Please know that I am not bragging here .. seriously, it is no big deal.. it's only scrap booking!)

 

Then .. I added card making to my scrap booking and somehow this turned into a little business. This 'little' business has kept me very busy over the past few years and now, instead of scrapping every day, I work almost every day. Don't get me wrong .. I really do love it and it is a way to still be creative and make a little money to help support my Lilly addiction  ;) .

I do miss my scrap booking days though and hope to some day (I keep telling myself this), be able to find the time to get back to it again. I still have a closet filled with supplies and still like to buy them. Maybe if I just set a goal of 1 layout per week .. although, I am the slowest scrapper on earth.  

I spent well over an hour this morning going through a big, rubbermaid bin full of completed layouts, all in page protectors but not yet in albums (need to do this, I even have the albums). Shed a few tears too .. just looking back a few years to the different stages of my boy's lives. Time passes way tooo fast.

A few of my oldest son, Bear ..

 

This just cracks me up. He was in the 8th grade play, Wizard of Oz and played one of those weird monkeys! One of my very favorite memories, being that this was such a departure from my usual life of boy sports and I loved seeing a different side of him. Bear did confess that he only tried out for the play so that he could miss classes ;)

 

He is just a little older than Griff here ... my first to drive and her I am all these years later doing it again.

Again .. Griff's age!

On the weight lifting team too! He played 3 sports his freshman year.

 

~ This post reminiscing about days past has encouraged me .. I just re-subscribed to Creating Keepsakes Magazine ~ :)

Game Day!

 

Last Night Home

Connor is back in Oxford ... I took him to the airport (making sure he was ON TIME, unlike his flight home) on Friday afternoon. His 3 weeks home went by way too quickly.

Dinner at ICC

Earlier in the week .. dinner at Wazzabi

 

{ Once again, these photos are awful quality. Taken with my Canon point and shoot, which takes terrible indoor photos. So unhappy with this little camera, but I don't dare lung my srl with me. Hard enough trying to get a single photo with these boys. }

High Schooler!

How this this happen so quickly .. my little pre-schooler is a high schooler!

Happy to pose for his momma!

 

9th grader ..

not at all happy to pose for photos

 

America's Coolest College Towns

Ole Miss . .. Oxford, MS!

             America's Coolest College Towns- Page 2 - Articles | Travel + Leisure

Driver's Permit!

YIKES ...

 

Son #3 is behind the wheel!

 
 

Team Flo

We traveled to Gettysburg, PA last weekend for a lacrosse tournament.

Griff's U15 team won the championship!

Such a beautiful campus ..

 

dorm room ..

The champs ...

 

 We did a car tour of the Gettysburg Battlefields ..

Griff fell asleep about half way through ;) ..

And .. it just so happened to be bikers weekend in Gettysburg!

Harleys galore!!!

 

More Lacrosse

Our summer is filed with lacrosse once again. Last weekend we were down south in Wellington for the first of 3 weekends in a row.

It was so hot and steamy, with and occasional, slight breeze that carried a whiff of horsey-ness (the games were played on the polo club fields).

 

Memorial Day Weekend

We traveled to Baltimore this past weekend for our annual trip to the Men's NCAA Lacrosse Championships. 

While my older boys do not attend anymore, Griff brought 2 friends .. some things never change .. me and 3 boys!

A great time. 3 days of lacrosse games and a quick trip to Annapolis. SO hot in Baltimore - hotter temps than here in Florida, but were fortunate to have a suite at the stadium.

As usual with boys as unwilling subjects, not the best photos.

Griff, Kyle, Reid ..

Crazy Griff passed out .. or actually not wanting his picture taken ...

 

 

And yet again another day ..

 

Working on his whistle ..

And, here is a great picture of my unwilling son ...

A 

 

 

A trip to the Naval Academy ..

A 

 

 

Look what I found ..

L 

 

 

Elite!

 
So proud of Griff ... he was chosen for the Team Florida Elite Lacrosse Team!

Team Flo

We traveled down south to Jupiter this past weekend for the Team Florida lacrosse tryouts. This trip was with two of my girl friends and their sons .. so a real mother/son weekend. Of course, that's my life, where as the other two have daughters also ;). Fun time!

 

wild boys

Love these boys

No photos of them actually playing. These were tryouts and I stayed back and out of the way .. like a good momma.

 

Field Trip!

We sent Griff off bright and early - 5am Monday morning with his 8th grade class. They are in the Black Mountains of NC all week, returning on Saturday evening. White water rafting, hiking, climbing, horseback riding. A fun and fabulous trip for sure. He has been able to call home at night and is having an awesome time. He sounds so excited and completely out of breath! 

End of the Season

 

 

Griff's lacrosse season has come to an end (high school JV team). He will go on to play club lacrosse starting the first of May.

LHP had a great season, winning all but one game. The varsity team is still playing (district playoffs start this week)

Last Saturday the team travel down to Ft. Lauderdale with a big win for their last game.

This one's for you .. REID!

It seems that Griff's friends have found my blog - much to Griff's dismay (he would rather not be the main 'star' of the blog) ..

But .. his good friend, Reid asked me to 'feature' him - so here your are, REID!!

 

Reid is a super star lacrosse player (#6 middie), a sweet and handsome young man!

 { at Griff's birthday dinner }

 

 
  I also had the honor of taking prom pictures of Reid's gorgeous sister Katie (here with their beautiful mom) ..

 

{ Griff and Katie ;) }

Boys

Griff's JV lacrosse team continues to be undefeated.

Won against Olympia 11-0

and The First Academy 19-1

***

Connor made it back to Oxford and classes at Ole Miss after his week long spring break at Destin beach. Always a huge sigh of relief when spring break is over for the college boys and they are back to school safely.

***

Barret started is new job today ... an incredible job opportunity for him and so very proud of all the work and effort he put into landing this job after many months of interviews. Another big sigh of relief, my boy has grown up and is now in the real world!!

 

***

With 2 of my favorite guys ..

 

 

Pants on the Ground!

Another lax game and win/shutout

LHP vs Dr. Phillips (14-0)

 

Griff had a little mishap ... was tripped or pushed and went flying on the field.

..and he lost his pants!

At least he was wearing his preppy, Vineyard Vines boxers.

Not sure why he didn't have on the black sliders I pack for him.

Lots of laughs in the stands, especially from my sweet friend, Casey ..

A First!

 

Another win from the LHP JV  lacrosse team.

6-7 against St. Andrews

And, I have to add .. Griff has something BIG over his two older brothers. 

St. Andrews has been the #1 Florida high school lacrosse team for many years (17+)?

Both Bear & Connor's high school team lost against them every single game and were 2nd in the state championships (with St. Andrews 1st) for 5 of the 6 years of both of their high school lacrosse years. I may add that Connor tore his ACL during his senior year playing against this team .. so sad memories of this game especially, and the real end to his lacrosse 'career'.

 

This is one lacrosse mom who is very use to losing to this team!

Although this was a JV win .. still huge and so exciting.

 

 

Win!

LHP vs Freedom

 

Another Win

LH Prep vs Windermere Prep

14-0

And, I have to include my girl friends!. Sweet Casey brings different dolls to the games for me to play with!

LOVE!!

How precious is she?!!

And the Season Begins ...

The first game of high school lacrosse this past Tuesday evening.

Since Griff is playing on the JV team and is an 8th grader, that means 5 years of high lacrosse in my future!

LHPS vs Oviedo .. Big win 14-2

Did not do well with photos this game!

 

***

Also .. many, many thanks for the kind words and prayers for my dear friend.

May God's comfort and peace be with her ..

JV Lax!

A bit of bragging on my boy ..

Griff made the LHP JV Lacrosse team!

 

He is an 8th grader, so we are especially proud of him.

Here's to 5 more years of high school lacrosse!

 

 

Cast Free ..

Soccer

Long time, no post. 

Busy, busy here with my little business ..'tis the season!

{ getting the last cast off }

• Griff finally got his cast off this past Wednesday. 3 casts and 8 weeks later. 
• He also tried out for his school soccer team a few weeks ago (the doctor approved this) and made the team
• He hasn't played soccer since 2nd grade!
• He was playing goalie (the doctor did not approve this) during try outs and broke his cast
• Got a new cast (the 3rd) and no more goalie position for him this year
• He played his first 'cast-less' game on Wednesday night ... wore a brace though and I am praying for no more injuries (most of you all know we've had lots over the years with my boys)

 

 

 

Ugh ..

 I had a post all ready to go on my trip and lost it!

Will try again tomorrow, but will post these iphone pictures of Griff getting his second cast today. It is actually red (school /team color) but looks orange in the picture. So big and heavy on his long, skinny arms. He has to wear this for 2 weeks then hopefully move into a much smaller wrist cast.

Can You Stand It ... Yet More Lacrosse!

Wounded Warrior lacrosse Tournament - Jacksonville, FL

        

Old South

My Connor at the KA Old South weekend in Charleston this past weekend. This was the first year (I believe) in the history of the KA Old South weekend that the guys were not allowed to wear Confederate uniforms. They sported the 'Colonel Sanders' look instead (with a Polo shirt for Connor?!). He also grew the beard/mustache for just the weekend.

So excited that I actually got some photos. I begged and pleaded and my sweet boy came though for his momma.

        

Thanksgiving Weekend

Such a fun weekend with all my boys. Barret and Connor were both home Thanksgiving day and then all of us traveled up to Gainesville for the weekend and the big UF/FSU game.

 

Celebrating Barret's birthday Friday night at MT Chop House. Terrible photo - the waiter had a bit of a problem with it!

 

 

 
Bear and his new friend ... dare I say girlfriend? She is just darling and sooo sweet!

 

Partying Brothers at Connor's house. Barret is sitting down, he is not that short, actually almost 6'3" and Connor ... um, he is actually that big! ;) 

Some new 'rules' posted outside at Connor's house. Glad that these guys are at least trying, but you could have fooled me. I cleaned for 2 hours (around lots of half asleep bodies - all those FSU friends 'sleeping over), Saturday morning before the pre-game party. In case you are wondering, we did not stay at Connor's. Ah ... thank goodness for the Hilton :)

Connor and his 'friend'. They went to the senior prom together, and last spring to the KA Old South weekend together, but ... 'just friends'!? Also, she is a 'Nole - Maybe that's the problem.

My Die Hard Seminole Fan. Lots of bickering going on over the Gators & Noles!

 

****

I failed to take any Thanksgiving photos, except for a photo of one of my desserts. I was a bit busy in the kitchen, as well as chasing a bad Westie boy who decided to run away from home (don't even ask where all the guys were), and then while finally back in the kitchen after my marathon dog-chasing run, I see a big, nasty, black snake right outside the kitchen window (of course, my screaming disturbed the guys and their football watching/napping) ... and to top it off,  I managed to almost cut my thumb off while chopping ham for a breakfast casserole to take to Connor's the next day for all those college kids at his 'sleep over'!

All just normal family life for this mom of boys! ;)

Still ... I LOVE having my boys home and our family together. Wouldn't change a thing for the world. I am blessed!

 

 
  
  

Lacrosse Tournament

This past weekend we travel to Palm Coast for the Veteran's Cup lacrosse tournament. Griff's U13 team placed 3rd, although I am not sure how this worked out when the team won all but 1 game (4 out of a total of 5 games). Fun weekend and beautiful weather - in the 70's. So nice!

 
{ love the hair }

 

 

 Cute boys - Some of the team at the Ginn Hammond Beach Club pool after Saturday's games. That's Griff looking like he is asleep ... or dead.

{ muscle man! }

Lilly Photo of the Week!

The lovely Miss Janice featured me again on her blog, Etiquette With Miss Janice. This time, Griff was the 'star' (the first guy, I believe) of 'The Lilly Photo of the Week'! Way to go Griff ;). Ha, like he had anything to do with it, and I don't dare show him the post.  But ... being such a Lilly lover myself, with no daughters, I can't tell you how happy it makes me that my football/lacrosse player son to wears Lilly :)

 

 

Thanks so much, Miss Janice for your wonderful post and kind comments. Both Giff and I appreciate it! ;) You all be sure to visit her fabulous blog!

And, speaking of Lilly. I just happened to luck out yesterday morning when I received the email about the big Lilly Jubilee sale. I was late to my pilates class, due to my unexpected on line shopping! The sale sold out in no time (hours), but I managed to score the lovely Seamus dress and this beautiful clutch. I have coveted the dress for months now and it was an amazing deal!

Fall Lax

Griff's fall season (7th & 8th grade youth league) has ended and his team had an undefeated season! He moves right on to more lacrosse, playing on a select travel team. Two tournaments coming up, next weekend and the following.

 

Playing against one of his coaches ...

 

  

  

 Love the hair sticking out (and he plays both #16 and #63, depending on the game and jersey color) ...
 
 
 
  

Junior Cotillion

Griff was not exactly thrilled to be attending the 7th and 8th grade Fall Junior Cotillion dance this evening. I am sure he is having a great time though, being the 'social butterfly' he is (he would hate me calling him that!).  It's more about the dressing up that he has a fit over (that and the picture taking). Nothing new to me, I've been through this with the two older boys when they were this age.

I managed to get a smile out of him ..

and a laugh ...

 

 
 
  

Chinese Cupping

Griff is taking Madarin Chinese this year in 7th grade and absolutely loves it ... SO much so that he volunteered in class to be 'cupped', not just once but SIX times! I was a bit surprised (more liked shocked!) when I picked him up at school last Friday and he lifted his shirt to show me his cup marks, while I was driving no less! His teacher has assured me that the Chinese Cupping practice is very safe and it has been practiced for over a thousand years in China.The marks have all finally started to fade away (after 5 days) and Griff insists that he feels 'healthier' since he has rid his body of so many toxins. His teacher, who was born in Beijing, has cupping done on her back every 2 weeks, she also informed me that 'Griff is definitely a great volunteer. He always participates enthusiastically and behaves very well in my class. His handwriting of Chinese characters is absolutely beautiful, one of the best I’ve seen! He is a great young man!'

Always nice for a mother to hear positive things about her boy!

 

*Tanya, I know you'll love this post - or not! ;) I wish you lived closer - Griff could help Khloe be bilingual, speaking both English and Chinese!! ;). He actually mentioned to me last year, when he decided to switch his language class from Spanish to Chinese that it was too bad we never got our little China girl since he could speak with her in Chinese now. Ahh.

UF Homecoming

Another great weekend, back to orange & blue and The Gators. Beautiful weather, so nice and cool. And ... what a game!

 
 room mates

 
  
 
 

FSU Parent's Weekend

A fun weekend with our oldest at Florida State parent's weekend. It has been months since Barret has been home - busy with school and job - at least that's his story ;), so it was SO good spending the weekend together. Unfortunately, the Noles lost to Georgia Tech, but a great time non the less. We are a 'divided household', and being UF alum, we are season ticket holders, Bull Gators, and go to many more Gator games than Seminole games. I always feel bad about this, but it doesn't seem to bother Bear one bit. He loves his Noles!!

William, Barret and Sam

Barret & Davis

 

Me and the girls!

And I had to add this photo of Mike's Beer Barn, a very popular spot in Tally. Check out the 'parent's weekend' sign!

 

Homecoming Dance

It was homecoming this past weekend at Griff's school. The 7th & 8th graders had their own little dance. No dates, no dinners, no flowers, no limos ... but the girls certainly were all dressed up. I wish I could have seen more of them, but only was able to get a glimpse of a few in the car line when I was dropping and picking up. The boys had to wear dress shirts, long pants and ties. I had a nice Brooks Brothers tie and white polo shirt picked out for Griff, but he chose to wear his 'spring/summer' dress clothes. A pink polo and Lilly tie :)

Of course, I had to beg and plead for these photos, which are not the best, since I had my camera settings all wrong due to the rush to get a shot!

 

 
  
  
   

LHP Football

Another big win for Griff's team, I believe the score was 36-0.

Next week LHP team plays for the championship.

 

 

 
  

 

More Sports

It seems like most of my posts of late alternate between sports and pinkness ... with a bit more of sports! Ah, such is my life with boys.

Griff is a busy boy these days. Playing both football and lacrosse this fall. Football games on Thursday evenings and 2 lacrosse games on Saturday. Practices every day after school and lacrosse conditioning/training on Sundays. Then there are the 'viewing' of games; his school's high school home games on Friday nights and of course the Gators on Saturdays. And I have to mention FSU too, although Griff is NOT a fan, his big brother certainly is.

  

Skinny, skinny legs! He is trying so hard to get past 100lbs!

Highlander's Win

Another win for Griff's team. This Thursday evening they played an away game against his old 'alta mater', The Master's Academy (he started in kindergarten and attended for a few years). Great game for Griff - a few big tackles and an interception.

 

 

{cheerleader's backpacks - cute!}

 

 

{Griff and Mr. B, the director of LHP middle school - he is the greatest!}

After the game, these girls (former classmates) kept calling out Griff's name across the field. I finally went up to Griff and made him walk across to say hi. I think he was 'pretending' not to hear them. They certainly remembered him from back when he went to school at TMA, but Griff had no idea who they were! Typical teenage boy (at least with my 3).

 I had to 'sneak' this photo and do it quickly - luckily, I had my zoom lens on.

 

College Life

"Welcome!"

Another Gator game this weekend and while I love going, I am just fine with the next few games being away!

 

We spent a little time at C's house before the game and then on to the frat house - not sure which is worse! But, I always have so much fun :)

Colin, Griff and Reid - still in their lax shorts, before changing into their Gator gear. Griff's friends that come to the games with us are getting quite an 'education' on the life of college boys.

The 'pool bus' next door ... and yet another bus that pulled up to party.

Go for a swim in the bus and then climb up on top to sun!

(I had to hide behind a car to take this picture - I certainly didn't want the college kids to see me)

Big Win

Another win for the Highlanders Thursday evening against their big rivals, TPS. 28-8

I only took a few photos and bad ones at that.

Griff and one of his best buds, Reid. Numbers 16 & 17

 

 

It's Great to be a Florida Gator

We left bright and early Saturday morning (7am) for a trip up to Gainesville and UF game. Griff invited a friend, Adam and two of his other friends and dads joined us also. We ended up with all 4 boys in our car, while the other 2 dads drove separately and caravaned.

We met at Connor's house for a little pre-game breakfast tailgating, I made a breakfast casserole and cinnamon rolls and we picked up a tray of chicken biscuits from Chick-fil-a, Connor and his room mates were so kind to provide the 'adult' beverages, including mimosas, bloody mary's, and 'shazams'  - I guess a college 'specialty' drink?!, I stuck with the mimosas :)

Room mates - Michael, Kurt and Connor 

Michael and Connor have been going to school together since kindergarten!

All the guys - I was the only girl there (story of my life!)

A little vingnette in the college house - nice decorating touch!

The famous 'pool' bus is still next door. Looks like they are trying to drain the pool as instructed by the city(there was a hose), but not much water has been removed.

  

Gator Bate?!

The Swamp

 

Father and son relaxing after the game (watching more football) in a 'fancy' double recliner (that has seen better days) in the 'solarium/bar' ;). Connor says he likes to start his mornings here with a cup of coffee before heading out to class.

And, not bragging or anything, but talk about being a good sport ... I attended 3 different football games, 3 days in a row this week - Griff's LHPS game, LHPS high school game and the Gator game. Yea me ;)