The First One Where They Were Seventeen

May 17-19, 2019

It's been raining.  For weeks.  This has been the wettest Spring ever.  But that didn't stop the Twisters, Emma and Lara, from turning seventeen on Tuesday, May 14th!  This one hit pretty hard.  Junior year is winding down.  Emma finishes high school at Mulhall-Orlando this week.  One more week at Meridian.  And Lara has one more week at Stillwater.  Then Junior year is COMPLETELY over.  HOW?!?

Friday night, the 2 of them were actually in the same place at the same time!  They were both at their Dad's house in Orlando, and they went to the movies to see "Hustle."  The rest of the weekend, Emma went to Newkirk to help clean up from the tornado/wind/rain mess that destroyed part of Grandpa Bruce's NAPA store up there.  Lara had to come back to Stillwater for a babysitting gig on Saturday evening.  Sunday, Lara went with us to OKC to watch her "little" brother Jake play in a big basketball tournament.  His AET 2025 team won their division - we are so glad Lara gets to come along to some of these moments!  She is a great supporter of Jake and the things he does.  We RUCHED back to Stillwater Sunday evening for a quick trip to the SHS Pioneer Baseball Banquet.  She left after the managers/trainers were recognized so she could get home to finish homework.  Little did she know, school would be canceled for the next 2 days due to storm warnings, tornadoes, and flooding all over our town.

No pictures form this weekend, but we are in the middle of selling Pioneer Football cards, so I made this little graphic for her:

There were no pictures from the baseball banquet since we weren't there very long, but I did take this picture of the program...

Until next week...

The One Where Things Got Too Busy

May 3 - 5, 2019

I have no idea where this weekend went!  And this post is out of order because I forgot about this weekend.  From the calendar, it looks like there was a WHOLE LOT OF PIONEER BASEBALL!  And it probably rained. I was super busy with end of semester projects, Jake had a basketball tournament, and I tried to keep up with baseball  Stillwater hosted the regional here at Couch Park, which was super cool!  And we won and were off to State the next week!  Emma spent the weekend in Perkins with Nana and Grandpa in Perkins.  We also said our "Good-Byes" to Westwood elementary school as they prepare to tear it down and open the new school at the end of the summer. Here are pictures I found, though:

Mom and Finn supporting Lara at baseball

Lara found old friends in a Westwood yearbook

My kids say goodbye to their school

Lara - marking the spot of where she got hit by a car in 2nd grade

I have to get back on top of this blog as the summer starts!  I promise to not skip any more weekends!

The Last One Where They Were Sixteen

May 10 - 12, 2019

Now, this was a memorable weekend.  Last weekend that Emma and Lara were 16.  Mother's Day.  Celebrated a dual 17th birthday a little early.  And we lived it up - made lots of new memories.

Somewhat shockingly, we all had a free Friday night.  So, it was time for an adventure.  Lara was done with baseball and did not have to be back at Football until Monday, Emma was in Payne County for the weekend staying with Nana and Grandpa in Perkins.  Boys were all busy getting Jake to and from the last middle school dance of the year.  So, an adventure was born!

For her 17th birthday, Emma wanted to get a second piercing in each ear lobe.  After we got Jake off to his last 6th grade dance, it was time to make birthday dreams come true.

She had looked up pricing at the chain jewelry stores (Claire's), but I knew there were better options out there.  I know she was coming to town on Friday night to do this, so I found out what it took as far as money and paperwork to get it done at a local tattoo parlor.  She did not know we were going to the tattoo parlor; she assumed we were off to the jewelry store!  Nana was with us, too.  She was in for quite a surprise.

So, we went to Tomahawk Tattoo where Amber, who is an RN, does the piercings.  I was ready for Emma to get the additional hole in each of her lobes, but she also opted for her tragus in one ear as well.  Here are pictures from our evening:

Here we are at the tattoo parlor!  Emma, Nana, Lara

Getting Ready

One done

New holes - 2 on this side

one new hole on this side

Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Last picture of Emma and Lara as 16 year olds

Saturday was a "non-day" for me as I was on Campus from 7:30am to 8:30 pm to work all 4 undergraduate commencement ceremonies.  I know the girls did things, but I have no idea what they did!  I do know Lara was with Dad and the boys when they picked me up after the last ceremony and we went to grab dinner!

Sunday.  Mother's Day!  I was spoiled by m family!  But I think the coolest gift was the hand made metal rose Emma made for me in her metal fab/welding class at Meridian Tech.  I love handmade gifts, and this one is pretty special.  Lara painted me a picture as well.  It's a small cactus on a canvas, and I love it!  My creative girls, and the rest of my family, made it a GREAT Mother's Day!

Mother's Day 2019

After Mother's Day festivities, we decided to go ahead and celebrate Lara's birthday with her gifts as well.  All she had wanted for a long time was a Victrola records player.  So, she got that, some Bluetooth over the ear headphones, and LOTS AND LOTS of vinyl records!  She is in her heaven!

Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Their actual birthday is Tuesday.  Seventeen.  Dancing Queens.  I cannot believe it,

The One All The Decisions

April 26-28, 2019

Seems like as we hurl towards the end of the junior year, we are bombarded with decisions about senior year!  Both girls have had a lot of things to think about over the past few weeks, and now is the time some decisions had to be made!

As for Lara, she had to finish her OSU Concurrent enrollment process.  She also has to set up a time to meet with the Concurrent enrollment specialist at OSU next week.  We hope to get her in a couple of classes each semester.  We will see how that goes in a few weeks.

Emma had to decide if she was going to finish her second year of Metal Fabrication at Meridian, plus how she was going to round out her Senior year at Mulhall-Orlando.  She filled out paperwork to take concurrent classes at Redlands Community College, as well. 

HOW IS THIS ALL POSSIBLE?!?

Meanwhile, they each had a "weekend" in there, too.  Lara has Baseball with the Pioneers Friday night and Saturday morning.  Then on Saturday night, she and I went to the High School for their Spring musical performance of "Crazy About You."  We had a really good time and truly enjoyed the performance.  Stillwater's Got Talent!

On Sunday, we had a "family date," and the 5 of us went to the last Avengers movie: End Game.  It was crowded, and cold, and log - but so worth it!  We all enjoyed it!

We ended Sunday night with church and a family meeting.  Ready to start a new week!

Emma spent the weekend at her Nana and Grandpa's house in Perkins.  I know she had some Sarah H. time in there as well, but again, I don't really know how it all goes!  Just glad she has a soft place to land a family that cares for her.

We have less than 3 weeks left of the school year!  Here we GO!