V

. . . is for Volleyball.

From their very humble beginnings back in August, this team of 5th and 6th grade girls went from a group of squirrely girls to a team. The fifth grade girls have been playing together for three years; the fourth grade girls for two. This is the first time we've had to move a few 5th graders "up" to balance out the teams. They had great coaches who taught them play together as a team - not 5th and 6th graders. Volleyball is a great sport for girls --low impact, builds good upper body strength and as with anything with girls -- requires teamwork. I never played but now, really wish I had.

This group of girls went 8 - 2 on the season. They beat the giants in the division (the ones that practice 5 times a week, are a good 30 pounds bigger than our girls and are mean). And despite an unfavorable seed in the league tournament (where they would face the giants again) these girls were . . .

. . . victorious!!
First place; Girls Cub Gold Division

V is for Volleyball!

U

. . . is for Uniform.

Gone are the days of hand-made princess costumes for Halloween. Costuming the pre-teen girl brings a whole new level of angst for which I was ill-prepared. Seeing as I would not allow her to go to the 6th grade Halloween party at a classmate's home dressed as a bum (no creativity whatsoever) she was left to her own devices. When I failed her, she turned to Dad. He called from Target on Thursday night while they were shopping for "the costume" (the party was Friday night!) and asked if he could just leave her there. U is also for unflappable - her, not him. I had told her: "No ideas - no trips to Target!" He had not made such an announcement.

With an idea in her head, she dragged him through the aisles until he figured out what the plan was: white shirt, athletic pants, black tape, whistle. And then dad took ever. Measuring each and every line, cutting each piece of tape, placing them just so. So that every stripe was . . .

. . . U is for Uniform.

T

. . . is for tresses.

While "tresses" generally refers to long locks or curls of hair, when I've missed two appointments with my hairdresser, that's how my hair starts to feel to me. Long. And in the way. Of everything.

After two missed appointments, the tresses can also start to look like an experiment in dyeing self-striping yarn. And you all thought these tresses were naturally bright and blond. My tresses are both my favorite and least favorite feature. While they require a lot of maintenance, mostly because they are short and can't just be thrown back in a ponytail, with one trip to the salon (and a tidy sum!!) all is better with the world.

Or at least I can see it better!

T is for tresses.

S

. . . is for SMILES

Taken during yesterday's "Tell me all about your day" session. Last year this would have been like pulling teeth. Not to mention, empty photos because she wouldn't have participated in either the talk or the pictures.

Now, we spend up to an hour some days talking about her day (and mine). It's a lively and animated discourse on all sorts of topics.

One of us usually succumbs to fits of giggles over something very silly.
There is usually a proud moment or twenty which need to be recognized.

And always something gross that boys still do at this age - thankfully!
S is for SMILES!

Q

. . . is for QWERTY.

Even though I no longer "work" everyday, these keyboards are still the tools of my daily life; the portals to the world for me.

My desktop computer keyboard - my most used computer by far!

My Bluetooth cell phone/PDA/MP3 player/camera keyboard. Some women feel naked if they leave the house without lipstick. I'm a puddle without this. I can't function, commit, breathe, or complete simple tasks without this. The "D 5" button sticks so if you have one of those in your phone number or name, it'll take me a few times to get through to you!
The laptop keyboard. You can probably guess where this normally lives. Sometimes I get to use it at night in my room.
I know, it's only WERTY - but still - I use it all the time!

Q is for QWERTY.

O

O is for . . .

"O-O-O ice cold milk and an Oreo cookie;
They forever go together! What a classic combination.When a dark delicious cookie meets an icy cold sensation,
It's the one and only, creamy, crunchy, chocolate
O-R-E-O"

O-O-P-S!

O is for . . .Oreo.

N

. . . is for NOSES.

I have always had a thing for noses. All kinds of noses.

Holli's "snow nose" which turned this color during her first winter. We were told that Golden's noses turned this color in the winter and then turned back to black every summer. Never did. This nose wakes me up if I oversleep and don't feed her in time. It also rests itself on my lap when she needs to be pet or loved just a bit more. Who could resist that nose?

Most times, this is a nose only a mother could love. It is, more often than not, covered with snot. Yes, she still sneezes. Incessantly. Constantly. And when she does, we all run for cover. And then for Lysol. The vet says it is just her lot in life (being a garbage kitty child of a crack-mom that she is). But really, it's such a shiny, pretty and regal looking nose that I'm just so willing to overlook disgustingly gross tiny indiscretion. See how soft and shiny it looks?

I even love bitchy, pissy noses. Ones with uneven lines down them and small black dots that I keep trying to pick off only to get hissed at because apparently it's permanent. I can't remember everything. And see how the white around the nose part is uneven. It bugs me, but, well, it's a nose.

Seriously - I need to elaborate on this nose? Just look at how it turns up just a teensy-weensy tiny bit at the end. I always wanted that kind of nose. But alas, I just gave her the genes for it.

And this nose, recently home from London. Just about as perfect as you can get.

N is for noses.

M

. . . is for MEMENTOS.

Somehow it became a tradition to bring back a shot glass whenever we traveled anyplace new. Wouldn't it be fun, we said, to have shot glasses from all the cool, new places we traveled either separately or together.

This soon devolved. I've never been to Seattle, although I hear they have a Space Needle there. All of a sudden shot glasses became the de-facto "Crap - I need to bring something back from this trip. Oh hey - I'm at the airport, here's a shot glass. Done!" I am WAY more guilty of this than the world traveller is. Then other people would bring us back shot glasses from their travels (Yeah - I REALLY want a memento of YOUR trip!!)

So now the shot glass collection is out of control, especially for two people who really don't drink all that much and if they were going to fix a mixed drink would never dream of being limited by the boundaries imposed upon them by a shot glass. Especially one the size of Mt. Rushmore, shown here next to it's full size cousin, Wall Drug.There are some in the collection which really speak to me, such as this one which says "Perhaps this is how he got his name" or "Really - Goofy advertising booze? What's next - The Olson Twins in a sex scandal?"And then there's this really clever one. Wow! No wonder no one lives there. "Come for the shot glass; stay for the fun."

Seriously, what were the requirements for this prize?

But my all time favorite - from Jon's time at Caterpillar, in the category of "Why Bother" . . .

Most of these have very special memories for me; we can trace career paths and vacation cycles through these tiny mementos. Some have been places I've never been and some have come from places Jon & Kathryn haven't been. Maybe we'll all meet up together someplace and make some new memories.

. . . is for MEMENTOS.

L

. . . is for LOVE!

There have been seven weddings in our family (six kids, seven weddings - I had the mulligan!) Dennis and Helen's was by far, hands down, the best! Perhaps because I'm older and wiser, more likely because they are older and wiser - but this event was fabulous. Even the record breaking 115 degree heat of Calabassas, CA didn't wilt the smiles, flowers or spirits of anyone involved.

Weddings always bring out the lovely girls; these are seven of the loveliest - Dennis and Helen's combined niece set!Their dance cards were quite full most of the evening. In fact, the one in the blue dress had to be carried to the car and into bed! (As did her mother - not so much from dancin'!)

Much love poured out from the new parents-in-law who adore their new daughter-in-law and she they! Can you tell?

It was grand! I loved every minute of weekend. But who doesn't love a good wedding - especially one where your own true LOVE is the officiant and presides over the ceremony of your little brother and his true LOVE.

L is for LOVE.

K

. . . is for Kathryn.

My one. My only. My cherished and beloved daughter. There isn't a thing on this earth I could love more. She is wise beyond her years and teaches me everyday that I still have so much more to learn. It amazes me that this young lady is growing up to be confident and self-assured as these are not characteristics generally attributed to her mother while growing up. She is compassionate and caring to those around her. She shares her mother's innate sense of right and wrong and fairness - at times to a fault. Her faith is unquestioning; I'll give that a few more years but I can always hope for the best.

Clearly, I think she's perfect. And so it makes me sad to think I'll never see this smile again.

Nope - not this particular smile.

Because $6000 and two years from now, all those teeth will be straightened out and fixed up "just right."

And then I suspect I'll lose her to this group of fine young boysmen who never cared that her teeth were all over the place to begin with.

K is for my Kathryn.