Sunday, March 3, 2024

February 2024

  


  • "While it is February, one can taste the full joys of anticipation. Spring stands at the gate with her fingers on the latch." -- Patience Strong
Man!  While January felt like 839 days, February went by in a cold, dark, then bright, sunny, BLUR!  And we even got an extra day this year since 2024 is a Leap Year.  I went to the doctor for my annual check up that day - s I don't have to go for 4 years, right?  Ha!  I wish.  But as is usual Weaver style, we crammed in a lot of life in a very short and sweet month.  We actually even had a couple of weekends with nothing really scheduled on the calendar.  Those were nice days.  As we hurdle towards March, March Madness, Spring Break, and Spring fever, I want to dwell in the sleepy peace that was (most of) February.  The month started off with crazy winter weather, and ended with record high temperatures.  Mother Nature might be just as crazy as the Weavers...

We started off the month with Concurrent Night at Edmond North High School where we learned all about how to make sure Jake gets a transcript from Oklahoma State University!  I mean, so Jake can earn concurrent hours from an accredited college or university while still in high school.  But of course, we chose OSU!  because, DUH!  (And mom is extra and really wants all of the kids to have an OSU transcript if not a degree.  3 down...)


And then there was basketball - and lots of it! Had to have several make up games due to the bad weather at the end of January  and we have to get them all in before the end of the "season."


Finn got to meet Lindy Waters III (Norman North, OSU, OKC Thunder) for the second year in a row.  These Oklahoma Boys are tight!  Jake's AAU coach from last summer and the Associate Head Coach for his HS team are all good friends with Lindy - this makes Finn a Super Fan!)


Then we made the worlds fasted trip to Arkansas (Finn stayed with Lara) where we arrived Saturday night around 11pm, and were back on the road to home by 10:30am Sunday.  But, I got to meet Tony the Tiger, and a HUGE thing happened...






Jake was invited to a work out and try out for AAU Flight Basketball - a NXTPRO 16 Team (Puma Shoe team, fully sponsored) out of the Northwest Arkansas area.  The work out went VERY very well, and he was offered a spot on the 17U roster, and he accepted later that night.  



This is a HUGE step in his basketball journey!  And he will be playing in the BEST tournaments in front of numerous college coaches and scouts all over the country this summer.  We are beyond excited, and so proud of his hard work, determination, and GRIT to keep going and keep improving.  This is going to be an AMAZING summer! #flywithus

Proud dad moment!
 
How Jake made the trip home....  ;)

There is a documentary on YouTube about this basketball circuit:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyh7waZd47k  You can see Jake's coach, DaShaun Stark, in a lot of footage in episode 1.  Episode 2 is about one of Jake's teammates for this coming summer.

There was more basketball, and more gym time, and the regular season wrapped up.  We had a bake sale in the concession stand on Valentine's Day where I made paw print cookies and sealed each bag with a Husky sticker. (SO CUTE! And fun.).  There at then end we lost our FIRST regular season game, but we bounced back with vengeance!  




In the middle of all this, we hired a new employee at work, I got a new work laptop (which required a
LOT of configuring and figuring out - it has been weeks and I still have things not QUITE like I like them in some laces!), and the Wi-Fi router went out at our house - in the middle of my workday - and I had to run to the Cox store (33 minutes away) to get a new one.  Which changed our WiFi password - CHAOS insured!  No one was connected! Smart house was not smart.  Lights, Air Conditioner, doorbell -  all the things off line! LOL!  We survived.

And then it was Senior Night... Jake played a helluva game, keep the Bench Mob hyped, and had a great night - even with a little medical attention at half time...


 


The unmistakable best part of the night, was this play.  He got out in transition and had a MONSTER dunk - the crowd (and mom) went a little wild.  It was a night to remember!



And to keep the theme alive, we took Jake to an OSU basketball game where they were having a reunion of the 2004 Final Four Team.  He reunited with our old friend Ivan McFarlin, and got to meet the esteemed Daniel Bobik.  GREAT experience all the way around!




And then, that Sunday, it was BACK to Stillwater! Lara and I took Finn to his first ever college Wrestling match!  He had a blast, and as always - Bedlam never disappoints!  GO Freaking POKES!


 

It was fun to see Lara and Evie - and no basketball for a moment!  ;)



WHAT A WEEKEND!



Next up - end of the month shenanigans and the start of Regional Playoff as the ENHS Huskies vie for another State Championship.


Jake had a bout of strep through (we think at least 1/2 the team did!) and Chick-fil-A forgot my top bun


And I was invited to present - TWICE! - at the Slate Summit this summer!

REGIONALS!


                            Jake's locker locked and loaded, and Mom and Dad fueled by Surf Bar.



Regional Champs!



 Celebrated Leap Day with a fit check for Finn, an amazing Guthrie sunrise for my commute, and a trip to my favorite doctor.  Not too shabby for an extra day!



And in the midst of all that, I read some books!

January Reads:

"Wildfire" by Hannah Grace

"Confess" by Colleen Hoover

"Black Cake" by Charmaine Wilkerson (Hidden Oaks
Book Club Choice; A Novel Idea Bookshop Guthrie
BIPOC Authors Book Club choice)

"Holly" by Stephen King (Women of Guthrie Book Club Choice)

"I'm Glad My Mom Died" by Jennette McCurdy

"Olivia Strauss is Running Out of Time" by Angela Brown 

"The Gift" by Freida McFadden



I am already at 31% (13/42) of the GoodReads 2024 Reading challenge!  February is a short month and I still managed to finish 6 books!  January me did not think this was possible...


Find me on GoodReads:








Saturday, February 3, 2024

January 2024

 

  • "The New Year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written." -- Melody Beattie
We survived!  All 94 days of January!  We were snowed in, iced in, and slipped and slid our way to Missouri. We missed school, started school, stopped and started again.  We made schedules, scrapped schedules, and rescheduled.  We were cold.  We were hot.  We were content and worn out.  We had dull days, and exciting days; stressful days and lazy days.  I seriously think we packed a whole year into the longest month ever.  But never fear!  Weaver antics abound, and here are some of the best memories of the month. 

Kicked off the year with a little Christmas money spending, Dog sitting, and National Basketball rankings.

 


As is usual, January is a busy basketball month.  Started off with an away game in Moore, and quickly ramped up to the 39th Annual Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Springfield, MO - during a winter storm. But in between we celebrated some family milestones.

Celebrated this dude's Due Date-iversary!  TWELVE!  Insane.




And 18 years of marriage!

And then the storm rolled in...

But there was a weather reprieve as we traveled to Springfield, followed by another wave or the storm.  On Friday morning, the power went our at the ADORBALE motel we started on on Route 66.  That was not cute, but we survived.  The boys went 1-2 on the tournament - but the level of talent they were playing in a national stage was incredible.  We were so proud of them!

Introduced Finn to Will Rogers and the McDonalds over the turnpike in Vinita!

TOC Bracket = TUFF!


Photo Dump of game and arena images:


 

 


  


 

Bench Mob for the WIN!!!!!!!!!!

 

(He is signing an autograph!) And those HOPS have come a long way...



Photo Dump of touristy things:
Shoutout to Lara Beth for dog sitting the crazies babies!

Cutest little retro roadside motel ever!



(Had to by dad a coat on this trip and Joey needed an ice scraper.  We were not prepared...)

Weather cleared up and we went on a lilttle adventure to Buc-cee's Springfield (we we bought the dogs sweaters and had lunch) and the HUGE and original Bass pro Shop (all we got were some toys for the dogs - do you sense a theme? I think we missed them...)




And then in started Snowing again...

Our trip home was A LOT!  We left very early hoping to miss the storm, but we drove right through it.  Had to go to the High School when we got back as Jake chose to ride the (Cold) bus back...



Let's Go HOME!






Finn slept through most of it!  :)


And when we did make it home - the sun was back out!  (But had to leave the dogs with Lara in Stillwater another night - too icy to drive any more!)  I did the things a mom does, Britt napped, Jake slept for DAYS, and Finn went on a GRAND adventure!

 

We did finally get the pups back on Monday.  And they wore their new duds!


This week started our second 1/2 of the month.  The first1/2 was so jam packed I was looking forward to some relief.  But, now it was birthday season, and we still had basketball to play.  By this point we had 2 games that had been canceled due to weather, and they were to be rescheduled.

But I did a new thing - just for me!  There is a new book store in Downtown Guthrie (downtown is about 15 minutes form our house), and they are hosting book clubs in their space as they get ready to open in the Spring.  The very first club is the "Women of Guthrie" Book Club and the store is called "A Novel Idea Book Shop."  Women of Guthrie is a Facebook community page, and the women there are incredible.  It is not the snark and ridicule and crazy of other ages like it.  It is true and sincere and just lovely to see.  So I joined the Women's group, and  signed up for book club.  The first book was pretty good, but the community I found in the little book shop was incredible.  There was a HUGE turn out - much to the owners delight and surprise - and I will be back.  OH!  And the shop has a mascot - a 9 month old Basset Hound named Mr. Darcy.  They are hosting multiple other book clubs thee as well. Lara joined the Romance one and had a blats at her first meeting later in the month, too!









Mr. Darcy!




After Book club, Lara and I met in Edmond too see Mean Girls!

Then it was birthday season- first Grandpa (Dad), and then Jake turned 17!





And there was Edlam at Memorial when the crown chanted and Jake got in the game!



And a little dunk action later that week at Deer Creek


Ended the month with enrolling Jake for Senior year, and 2 trips to Norman just a few days apart.  The first trip we will talk about next month, and the second trip was to beat Norman North!

And in the midst of all that, I read some books!

January Reads:
No Hidden Oaks Book Club book this month due to schedules and  weather - we FINALLY got together to talk about last months book! We are back for February!

"The Lost Bookshop" by Evie Woods
Spelled my own name wrong.  It's fine!

"Token Black Girl" by Danielle Prescod

"The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery"
by Amanda Cox

"Normal People" by Sally Rooney

"I'm Glad My Mom Died" by Jennette McCurdy

"The Housemaid" by Freida McFadden (Women of Guthrie Book Club Choice)

"Yellowface" by R.F. Kuang

I am already at 17% (7/42) of the GoodReads 2024 Reading challenge!  February is a short month and I have been super busy, so I will not finish 7 books in February!


Find me on GoodReads: