Life Lessons Learned From My Dog (231/366)

TIME: 7:08 pm
PLACE: Back yard
SUBJECT: Scully

*~*~*

Sometimes you catch the ball....

Sometimes you don't....

And sometimes you end up with a completely different ball than what you started out with.

And you enjoyed every minute of it!

 

Chewed (197/366)

TIME: 8:34 pm

PLACE: My desk
SUBJECT: Squeeky ball (what's left of it)

*~*~*

Miss Scully likes to chew.

This squeeky ball came from the inside of a soft toy (which she also mutilated).

It didn't stand a chance.

Keeping It In Bounds (244/365)

TIME: 5:17 PM
PLACE: Collinsville High School
SUBJECT: James

Soccer season is back in full swing.
James is playing on the Junior-Varsity team.
He’s a Defender (of truth, justice and the American way…)

Vertical Flight (304/366)

TIME:  7:33 PM
PLACE:  Junior High gym
SUBJECT:  MonkeyBoy – jumping

Wow.  That boy can jump.

(He didn’t block the shot, but his opponent didn’t make the basket either)

I Love That Face (267/366)

“There was a time when people said, 'Jim, if you keep on making faces, your face will freeze like that.' Now they just say, 'Pay him!' “

James Eugene "Jim" Carrey (Canadian and American actor, comedian, and producer, b1962)

TIME:  2:09 PM
PLACE:  Soccer fields
SUBJECT:  MonkeyBoy
(Too bad this wasn’t in better focus.)

He makes some of the greatest expressions while playing soccer.  I just love that boy and all of his faces.

Goal Kick (260/366)

“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”

Bruce Lee (American Actor and martial arts expert. Born in San Francisco, California, USA 1940-1973)

TIME:  12:40 PM
PLACE:  Soccer fields
SUBJECT:  MonkeyBoy

It was soccer Sunday.  StellaDella at noon and MB at 12:15.  (Hooray for being the same fields!)  Here’s MB taking a goal kick.  I love the look of concentration on his face.  Only one goal got by him today – over his head and out of reach – but that was all the other team needed.  We lost 1-0.

It’s Tutu Time (243/366)

“I wanted so badly to study ballet, but it was really all about wearing the tutu.”

Elle Macpherson (Australian Model and Actress. b.1964 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)

TIME:  7:05 PM
PLACE:  Grade school soccer field
SUBJECT:  Tutus at soccer practice (StellaDella is at far right)

SD’s soccer team had the idea that tonight’s practice needed a little bit of gussying up – it was decided that tutus would do the trick.  Very stylish.

Soccer Begins (220/366)

Dr. Forrester: Well, Joel, this invention is based on the old slinky train toy I had as a kid. It allows me to be in two places at once, connected by the special bio-tube. Well, it's much too complicated; it would take a scientist to explain it, and I'm simply too mad.

Mystery Science Theater 3000, Comedy Central, HBO (1988–1999)

TIME:  7:10 PM
PLACE:  School fields
SUBJECT:  StellaDella

Practice has begun for the fall soccer leagues. 
(Un)lucky us, both SD and MonkeyBoy have practice on the same nights, ending at the same time – at schools on the opposite ends of town. 
And HH (after dropping MB off) had a meeting out of town.
I need to be in two places at once. 
I hate to say this, but I’m almost looking forward to having DramaQueen driving.   
Sometimes, like tonight, it could be very useful.
I know I will probably regret this yearning later.

Be The Ball (167/366)

Ty Webb: Just be the ball, be the ball, be the ball. You're not being the ball Danny.
Danny Noonan: It's hard when you're talking like that

Caddyshack, Harold Ramis dir, Orion Pictures Corporation, 1980

TIME:  7:35 PM
PLACE:  Par 3 golf course
SUBJECT:  Nitro 2 golf ball

So my cousin talked me into playing in a fundraiser for her boy’s grade school.  Can I tell you the number of times that I have played “real” golf in my life?  Counting tonight it is [drumroll]….4!  All I can say is thank god it was best ball.  I did make a couple of putts and once? We even ended up using my drive. <= that’s sad.

Setting (146/365)

“Can you see the sunset real good on the West side? You can see it on the East side too.”

S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders

TIME:  8:01 PM
PLACE:  Shopping center
SUBJECT:  Sun

Not much time to take a photo today.  But I loved the color of the sky and the big yellow sun as it was setting this evening, so I quickly took this before we walked into the store to buy MonkeyBoy a new pair of swim trunks.  The pool opens up this holiday weekend – summer is starting!

Tiny (096/366)

“Sometimes you can tell a large story with a tiny subject.”

Eliot Porter (1901-1990), U.S. photographer. Quoted in Guardian (London, November 6, 1990).

TIME:  10:13 PM
PLACE:  Kitchen
SUBJECT:  Nonpareils sprinkles

I took an inventory of cookie decorating items in anticipation of a Saturday baking session.  Gosh, the sprinkles are really tiny, aren’t they?  And, the horror!  My finger is really wrinkly, isn’t it?.

Annoyances At The B-Ball Game (319/365)

“Those of you who think you know everything are very annoying to those of us who do.”

Unknown

TIME:  6:49 PM
PLACE:  Junior high gym
SUBJECT:  MonkeyBoy

MB’s team suffered a loss tonight.  I have to admit, our opponents were a better team tonight.  My only complaint is about one of the visitors sitting behind us on the bleachers.  Let’s call her “Over-Aggressive-Basketball-Mom” or OABM for short.  OABM was loud and a tad bit over-enthusiastic about any and all plays made by her son/team on the court.  In addition, OABM was constantly trying to beat the ref on any fouls called against our team and getting upset if she thought there was a foul and it wasn’t called.  Funny, when the fouling situation was reversed, OABM would not say a word.  After the 7th grade game, MB wanted to stay a little bit and watch the 1st half of the 8th grade game.  I was wary about it because I didn’t want to have to listen to her for another game.  I’m glad we did though.  Our boys were really kicking butt and taking names and it was nice to note that it caused OABM to finally lose her voice.  Too bad.

Soccer Goalie (232/365)

"Behind every good man is an empty net"

Unknown

TIME:  12:48 PM
PLACE:  Soccer fields
SUBJECT:  Monkeyboy

Today was the first soccer games for MB and StellaDella.  Well, for MB anyway.  SD’s game was rained out this morning.  But, it cleared up enough to get MB’s game in.  This was his first time ever playing an official soccer game.  They put him in as goalie.  He did good though…they ended up in a tie.  Now, if this is his permanent position on the team, I am going to have some really bad grey hair by the time it’s all over.  Oy vey!  The pressure of being the mom of a soccer goalie.
~*~*~
And I want to clarify something…I am NOT a “soccer mom”…#1-I don’t have that kind of personality and #2-I can’t figure out the rules of the darn game to save my life.

Egg Sacs (058/365)

Wilbur: Templeton, if you weren't so dopey, you'd notice that Charlotte has made an egg sac.
[Templeton gazes toward the ceiling and sees Charlotte's egg sac]
Templeton: [hiccups] Hooray for Charlotte.
Wilbur: She's going to become a mother. For your information, there are 514 eggs in that peachy, little sac.
Templeton: This has been a night.

Gibson, Henry, and Paul Lynde, perf. Charlotte's Web. Dir. Charles A. Nichols and Iwao Takamoto. 1973. Hanna-Barbera Productions

TIME:  2:33 PM
PLACE:  Yard waste container
SUBJECT:  Spider egg sacs

It actually became warm enough outside to get some yard work done this afternoon.  The HandsomeHusband and I pruned our trees…we still have some larger branches to take off, but the chainsaw is at the shop getting sharpened, so they will have to wait until Wednesday when it is ready.  I also cleared out the front flower beds of dead vegetation and leaves.  When I grabbed one of our plastic trash cans we use as a yard waste container, I saw these spider egg sacs attached to the inside walls.  From what I’ve read, each sac contains several hundred eggs, so there is probably a potential of around a thousand spiders in this photo.  As long as they stay outside, I’m good with that.

Frozen Peas (003/365)

Orson Wells: Yes, Rosebud Frozen Peas. Full of country goodness and green pea-ness. Wait, that's terrible.  I quit... Just a handful for the road.
[takes a handful of peas and walks away whilst munching loudly]

"Eyes on the Prize." The Critic. Perf. Maurice LaMarche. 2 Mar. 1994. Television.

TIME:  5:09 PM
PLACE:  Kitchen
SUBJECT:  Frozen peas

So I don’t have to rack my brain all the time for subject ideas, I downloaded the 53 Weekly Themes list from the Digital Photography School website.  This week the theme is “Cold” - and what would be a better subject than a bowlful of frozen peas, complete with ice crystals, sitting and waiting to be microwaved for supper?  Well, I’m sure there are colder things out there, but this is all I could come up with today.

Soccer Practice (251/365)

 
“Football is all very well a good game for rough girls, but not for delicate boys.”

Oscar Wilde (Irish Poet, Novelist, Dramatist and Critic, 1854-1900)

TIME:  6:31 PM
PLACE:  YMCA Outdoor Center
SUBJECT:  StellaDella

We signed SD up for a seven-week soccer fundamentals course through the local YMCA.  They will start out with drills and work their way up to scrimmages.  She’s never played before and this should be a good introduction to the game for her.  She had her first session this evening and she loved it.

The Release (152/365)

 
“Having children is like having a bowling alley installed in your brain”

Martin Mull (American Actor. b.1943, Chicago, Illinois, USA)

TIME:  10:12 AM
PLACE:  Bowling Alley
SUBJECT:  StellaDella

I signed the kids up at www.kidsbowlfree.com.  We live pretty close to the bowling alley so I figured this would be an inexpensive thing to do this summer.  We only have to pay for shoe rental.  (When did THAT go up to $3.00 a pair?)  DramaQueen became frustrated because she kept making gutter balls, and groused that SD only did well because SHE had the bumpers when she bowled.  I pointed out that SD was 6 and when DQ was 6, SHE used the bumpers as well.  Also, it had been some time since she bowled and with this program, she should get better at it each time we went.  DQ then sulked that she didn’t want to bowl anymore because “it’s too hard.”  Too bad, girlie, I told her, we’re going bowling this summer *and* she and MonkeyBoy are going to learn how to manually keep score.  It’s good math practice and knowing how to figure a bowling score is something everyone should know how to do.  I got the old eye rolls from DQ when I announced this.  I’m such a mean mom who likes to torture her children.  I live for it.

Swimming Pool (148/365)

 
“Blue skies with no clouds,
Hot afternoons can get you down and make you sweaty.
Mid-summer sun bake,
I know exactly what we should do and I think you're ready.
Gonna stay cool, cool, cool at the swimming pool.
Gonna stay cool, cool, cool at the swimming pool.”

Trout Fishing In America. "Swimming Pool." *Mine!*. By Keith Grimwood and Ezra Idlet. Trout Records, 1994. CD.

TIME:  3:40 PM
PLACE:  Back yard
SUBJECT:  StellaDella in the pool

I caved and purchased an 8-foot quick set pool on Tuesday and HandsomeHusband helped me set it up yesterday.  It’s been a big hit, not only with my kids but many others in the neighborhood.  I knew that it would draw children like a magnet.  I am going to be the wicked witch of R--- Avenue and limit the number of guests allowed in the pool.  I feel bad telling the neighborhood kids “No” (I’m pretty sure that many are home by themselves all day due to working parents and are bored and looking for something to do), but I am not operating a swimming/latch-key establishment for the neighborhood this summer.  Did I just sound like my mother?  I believe I did.  I guess it’s appropriate being that it would have been her 68th birthday today. 

Ball Pit (138/365)

 
“Life is just a bowl of pits.”

Rodney Dangerfield (American Comedian, 1921-2004)

TIME:  12:36 PM
PLACE:  St. Louis City Museum
SUBJECT:  Ball pit

It was school picnic and parade time today and like last year, we opted out of participating.  The kids decided that they wanted to go to the City Museum instead.  Except for MonkeyBoy losing his wallet while crawling around the tunnels (and the $22 he had in it!!!) it was a good day.  We paid the additional fee to go onto the roof and enjoyed the gorgeous weather we had today.  The kids also loved playing in the ball pits on the ground level which were filled with kick ball sized rubber spheres.  While I sat and let the kids run like wild monkeys, the sun was casting shadows from the bars of the cage over the balls in the 6 year old and under pit, which was surprisingly unoccupied at the time.

Baseball Basket (122/365)

“Every duty which is bidden to wait returns with seven fresh duties at its back.” 

Charles Kingsley (English clergyman, university professor, historian, and novelist, 1819–1875)

TIME:  7:21 PM
PLACE:  Front porch
SUBJECT:  Basket filled with baseballs

There are so many things that need to be cleaned up around here.  But I’m tired and all I really wanted to do today was nap.  I couldn’t because we had Sunday School, a trip to Costco, painting woodwork in DramaQueen’s room, laundry, StellaDella’s T-ball game and more laundry on the agenda today.  These baseballs have been sitting on my front porch for quite some time now and should be put away properly.  I took a picture of them instead.