Forfeit + Coin Toss + One Win = First Place!

Ainsley's T-ball team played in a tournament this weekend and won first place! It's quite a story how this came to be.

On Friday they played against the "green team" who showed up to the game with only six players. Ainsley's team won by forfeit. Friday night a huge storm rolled through leaving the fields soaked and us thinking the tournament would be canceled. Saturday morning we found out the tournament was still on - just postponed until a little later in the day so the fields could dry out a bit. We also found out that the "green team" had dropped out of the tournament due to a lack of players. That left only three teams. Our team won a coin toss which put us in the final game.     

Saturday afternoon we played the "Diamond Divas" for first place. This is a team that has driven both Chris and I crazy (along with many other parents) because their coach is a maniacal monster. This guy yells and swears during the entire game and throws bats when he gets angry which is pretty much all the time. It was no different during this game. He almost made the umpire cry and he seriously looked like he was going to explode when we took first.

It's so bad because Chris and I both just want Ainsley to have fun and think winning is just a bonus when it happens but this time we couldn't help but gloat that we beat the "Diamond Divas" coach. The irony of it all is that we only ended up playing one real game and Ainsley came home with a first place trophy. What a silly tournament!

The Word of Wisdom

Kaylee was in charge of our Family Home Evening lesson this week. Here's what she taught us about the Word of Wisdom: "The Word of Wisdom is a very special thing. It talks about really good foods to eat. I learned about it in Primary. I know I can follow the Prophet. I know strawberries are good to eat. They're my favorite food because they are healthy. My mom likes lettuce because it is healthy. My dad likes corn dogs because they are a little treaty. I see my dad drinking soda every day." After her lesson we played a game. She and Chris drew and colored things that are good for our bodies and things that aren't. We had to decide what was healthy and what wasn't (the popsicles fell into an "it depends" category). Apparently Chris really needed this lesson!

Little Picasso

Landon has become quite the artist lately. He's been using crayons for a while now but he really became interested a few weeks ago when I was teaching Kaylee's preschool group. He wanted to be a part of everything including the art projects. These are two of his most recent works of art.

In Memory of Grandma "Ding-a-ling" Bell

My grandma passed away a little over a week ago. When I got the call from my dad, I was shocked along with everyone else who knew and loved her. My grandma was always so vibrant and full of energy. She loved to crack jokes - many of which were at her own expense. She was a poet. She was loving. She was positive. She always had frozen mini candy bars (Milky Way or Snickers) in her freezer. She was very accepting of everyone. I remember at Thanksgiving one year she said she wanted to eat white meat and dark meat so she wouldn't be prejudice - and she did! She seemed to be invincible. I almost didn't believe she'd left us.

Since we've lived in Texas I've been writing to my grandma and she's written many letters in return. I'm so glad I saved them all! After I learned of her passing, I dug up the letters and began to read. I expected to feel tears of sadness but instead experienced tears of laughter. Her letters had many hilarious things in them. I thought it would be fun to share a couple of the things she wrote:

August 28, 2004 - "I am not exactly looking forward to having my hip replacement - it doesn't sound good - I really must have a 'saw bones' for my doc - I hope the new hip isn't made of wood - if it is your mom can write a sequel to the 'Wizard of Oz', titled the 'Wizened Granny from Oz.'"

February 20, 2006 - She was telling me she had been eating too many desserts and then she wrote, "I look like a blimp - it would be nice if I could fly like one - then I would soar high above the rain clouds and attempt to land in your backyard - what a story that would be! (ole great-grandma Bell flew through the soggy sky - she got soaking wet and Ainsley and Kaylee hung her out to dry)."

I'll miss my grandma, and so will everyone who knew her. I'm happy that she was able to go so peacefully - I hope it's genetic! I'm so glad to know that I'll get to see her again someday. I love it that she's been reunited with her husband, her daughter, and the many other people that went before her. President Heber J. Grant said, "To the man of faith, death is but the taking up again of the life he broke off when he came to this earth." What a wonderful and true statement!