The One With Wrestling and Take Overs

December 7 - 11, 2018

This one extends a few days into the next week to accommodate a special event.

With Football season over for our Pioneers, it was time for Lara to exit the Football Locker Room and head over to the warm and smelly wrestling room.  After a day of cleaning and putting away football, wrestling, in all it's glory, was in full swing.  Thursday night Lara was off to Southmoore for the first away dual of the season!

But, as usual, there is no rest for the weary!  Friday morning the crew was up bright and early for a little end of semester family vacay and basketball tournament in San Antonio, Texas!  We were excited for the trip, because the weather was forecast to be really bad in Stillwater, and we didn't want any part of that.  Joke was on us for Friday, though.  Our 7 hour drive stretched well beyond ten when we were caught in torrential downpours, construction traffic, and lots and lots of wrecks.  We finally made it safely to our hotel around 7 pm that night, and all we wanted to do was SLEEP!

While in Texas and San Antonio, Lara got to do a lot of firsts.  This was her first time to see Jake play with his AET teammates.  She ate at her first In-And-Out Burger, and made her first Buc-ee's Pit Stop.  She was a super basketball sister, and Big Sister for the whole team.  she offered to run the clock, took boys drinks on the bench, and helped moms with iPhone problems!  We were so glad she took the time out of her busy schedule to come on this trip with us!

In the meantime...  Lara had been selected to be the junior class representative for Wrestling Homecoming.  Which was Tuesday after we got home from our trip LATE on Sunday night.  She found out 11 days before the event!  Luckily, she was able to borrow a BEAUTIFUL Navy and Silver dress from Emma's friend Katie, awesome earrings from my friend Jennifer, made a hair appointment with Charlene, and her friend Haydn agreed to do her make up.  WHEW!  We were ready.  Escorted by Junior Henry Warren, so she was ready to do this.  It was old hat - since she was freshman attendant last year!  She did a fantastic job, as expected, and we are so proud of her accomplishments!  Those boys really love and respect her!

We are so thankful for everyone who came out to support her at the pep rally on Tuesday afternoon, and to the Homecoming Wrestling Dual that night.  She has so many people who love her and love to cheer her on!  What a bright light she shines!

And Thank you EMMA for making the special effort to come out Tuesday night.  You girls are awesome!  Here's to another week!

The One With the Silver Ball

November 30 - December 2, 2018

This is the week we have all been waiting for.  Our Pioneers are 12-0.  We worked all the way through the playoff bracket and are playing for the Class 6A-II Championship under the Friday Night Lights in Owasso, Oklahoma against Bixby.  Lots of build up and pressure as the week progressed.  The team had their LAST Team Dinner on Thursday night.  Friday there was an amazing Pep Rally, which also kicked of Wrestling season, and a GREAT send off for the team with the whole school gathering in front of the school to sing and cheer as the buses pulled out for the 1.5 hour trip to Owasso.  So much riding on this single moment in time.

The biggest threat, however, was not necessarily the Bixby Spartans.  The Oklahoma weather was having a hard time remembering it was winter, and not Spring.  Storms were rolling through, and there was a threat of severe weather, including tornadoes!  We wanted to get to the stadium early, so the Weavers rolled out before 4pm to head over to the game.  We got there before the gates were even open!  Not too long after we settled in to our seats, there was a tornado warning and the entire stadium was evacuated.  We went to the indoor practice facility directly behind the stadium and waiting out this wave of weather.  We were in there about half an hour, and the game was set with a new kickoff time of 7:25pm.

The game was a good one.  Played close.  Defense was definitely carrying our team - we had a hard time getting anything really going on offense,.  And as expected, it was an intense time.  Both teams got sideline warnings and the fans were really into it!  The Stillwater (Away) side of the stadium was PACKED with football fans true to the bronze and blue!  It was extraordinary to see so many people roll out and make the drive in questionable weather to see the boys vie for the Championship.

THIS CREW!  So much love...

By halftime, we were behind on the scoreboard, but still fighting hard.  The pep band was there to help with the atmosphere, and the fans were still 100 percent behind these boys!  The weather was still giving us fits - occasional sprinkles and big gusts of wind.  A few minutes in to the fourth quarter, we were evacuated again,  And this was a BIG one!  As we were trying to navigate our way down the stadium stairs, we were pummeled with rain and HUGE gusts of wind.  It was a bug unnerving to say the least!  And then, getting into the indoor facility was marred by epople who went 5 feet inside the door, then STOPPED!  Luckily, the team and trainers were in another building and didn't have to deal with the fans.  We spent over 2 hours in this holding pattern.  We even went to the car, prepared to leave, when at 11:40 they announced we would resume play at MIDNIGHT!  Jake and Finn chose to stay in the car, but Mom and Dad had a game to finish.

Traditional Halftime Photo!

Ultimately, the game did not end up the way we had hoped.  It was so so late.  Everyone was wet, and cold.  We received the Silver Ball trophy, as well as a plaque for being first in Academic GPA for our class,  All things to be very proud of, but the sting of defeat is oh so real.  It was well past 2:00am when we got home, and almost 3 when Lara got home.  This one was going to take some time to heal from.  And to dry out from!

Saturday was spent recovering and resting.  Sunday, too.  Then Lara was a social butterfly and went to 2 parties.  One was a Christmas cookie decorating party and the other was a surprise 16th birthday party for a friend.  She was WORN OUT when she got home - people-ing is hard!

Hard to believe Christmas is right around the corner.  Another week in the books.  What will next weekend hold?!? (Maybe next week I won't be super late with the update.  It's already Friday night now... )

The One with Turkey and Hogs

November 22 - 25, 2018

Well, I finally did it.  I finally completely missed posting the 2020 project blog.  For 2 weeks!  Today is December 6.  Thanksgiving was 2 weeks ago today.  It was on my to-do list everyday.  For Two Weeks!  And, of course, this week I needed to catch up with TWO blogs!  Thanks giving weekend, and this past weekend.  But, LIFE!  It has been oh so busy!  Holidays!  End of semester!  State Football Playoffs games! Basketball season!  Wrestling Season!  Sick kids!  And on, and on, and on!  But, here we are!  A quick recap of the Thanksgiving holiday and the weekend that followed.

Things were pretty chill for Thanksgiving this year.  We decided to have dinner in Perkins at Nana and Grandpas.  We planned a meal with everyone's favorites.  Mom cooked some, My dad carved the bird, Britt cooked some, and Lara, Jake and I made Pioneer Woman mashed potatoes!  Emma was there, too, and it was a wonderful afternoon.  I think the highlight of the day was the canned whipped cream.  There was eating from the can, tossing of the cream, and general debauchery around the dinner table.  We took pictures in the back yard, and watched TV.  There was family here form all over, so later in the afternoon we headed to Stillwater to visit.  Emma and Lara went back to Orlando to have Thanksgiving with their family there as well.  A wonderful day!

Friday we spent the day catching up, and packing for our trip to Arkansas.  My coworker and dear friend Chelsea was getting married to the man of her dreams, Jericho, and we were off to Mount Magazine to watch it all happen.  Emma didn't make this trip,  After stressing about the weather for months, it was the PERFECT fall day in Arkansas and a beautiful wedding for Mr. and Mrs. McElroy!

We stayed Saturday night in Fort Smith, then got up Sunday morning and went to the Bentonville / Rogers area.  We attended Life Church there, had lunch at the Ozark Bagel Company, then headed back to Stillwater.

It was a wonderful holiday weekend, even if Monday did come to soon!  And the coming week is going to be a full one - we play our STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL PLAYOFF game this coming Friday night in Owasso.  Stay Tuned!