whatever

basketball on a sunday.

at least once a month....usually more....scott spends his weekends at basketball tournaments on various teams.
i can't always make it to his games because he is not the only kid in our family.
but sometimes it works out for all of us to go together.


 

 
the three youngest play their 3DS video games against each other for most of the time.
or run around the gym.
or draw.
or play angry birds.

i sit right next to craig and relax.
i really do enjoy our time together watching scott.  

and watching mr. duerksen watch scott.

 
we finally got to eat at a place craig had been talking about for months.
he gets to go there for lunch at work but we never have gotten to come along.

the Benton, Kansas Airport has a restaurant on the strip!
so you can watch the little planes take off and land while you eat.
it's really cool.

and it was a GORGEOUS day for it.



sometimes we let them play while we wait for food....if we are feeling nice (or tired)




i got a salad and sweet potatoe fries.


could be a new favorite photo of scott.


annie was sure she could reach the top....just sure. 

sometimes....big brothers are awesome.
:)


 
i loved this place.
i hope we go back...i bet at sunset it's amazing.

back to the gym.

just another nice family day.

he "graduates" from eighth grade tonight.
man.... growing up is just fast.
it feels so quick...he is not that old?!  
wasn't he just begging to look for tow trucks?
didn't he just learn to read?
doesn't he want to wrestle with dad?

ok....shutting down.
i don't have time to cry today so i am turning it off.

i showed a peek of my painted floor on instagram....it's pretty fun!!!
but i left my phone at home today on accident and i am at the craft house so i can't show you a picture here.
i guess that means you'll have to get on instagram.
:)
because you should be anyway because it's a very fun little place to be. 
i was worried it would be hard to figure out.....um...yeah...it's not.
super easy.
and addictive.....

 

 

 

saturday in smaaaaall town kansas.

we packed up and traveled to Little River, KS. for scott's basketball tournament this past saturday.
Little River has a population of about 500.

that is really s m a l l. 

they lost their first game.
bummer.

 
we hit their main street to find some lunch.
there were two options....a bar called Fat Boys or the grocery store.
with our time frame between games we had to choose the grocery store.


 
this picture made me smile.
it was just funny.

right next to where to talby is sitting.... 

 whaaa???



and this?  hmmmm.....

my kids' favortie part of this little store was this:

 

 
so we had sandwiches made from the deli at Heavenly Meats & Groceries.  
and they made pizza too.
annie was full of loud and silly questions for the man running the meat counter.
he let her come and see where they make the pizza.  
then she was full of even more questions!


 
you won't see this very often....me drinking pop. (do you call it pop or soda or coke?)
i used to drink pop all day everyday.
but realized about 8 years ago that it made my stomach a mess so i quit.
i have MAYBE two a year.
and i usually have a 1/4 of the can and i have had enough...i start to feel sick.
i don't miss it at all.



we headed to another gym in Windom, Kansas.
population in windom is 130.
isn't that crazy?
130 people?

they won this game.  (it's a tournament of other kansas teams....not a windom team)


 
we played at the school playground in between game 2 and 3.


 
it was hot and windy.
but i love that sunshine for march!


 

 
talby shared her iPod with annie and her friend Nash.
they were watching UP.

scott's team won their final game.
they got second in the tournament.
a successful day i think....and pretty fun for the rest of us too.

craig was teasing scott a little that he couldn't touch the rim yet....maybe someday....
so scott HAD to prove he could grab it after the game.


 
the strength shoes and hours and HOURS of practice are paying off.
he is getting there....he'll grow a few more inches and he'll be dunking....he hopes.
i love his dedication.
i am so proud of that kid.

i never thought i would like spending a day at a basketball tournement for 13 year old boys with 3 other kids along.....but it turns out they are some of my favorite saturdays.
i like being all together and watching scott in his element.

ok....gotta get moving on my first day of spring break.
keep giving ideas on the post under this one.
i like the garden planning idea!
that is exciting!

have a great day today! 

 

 

one minute.

scott does this ALL. THE. TIME.





if he is not bouncing a basketball....he is spinning it.
he threw down a challenge to his dad "i can spin it way longer than you can!"  

he made it for one minute.


then it was dad's turn....







scott won.


but....i think dad was going easy on him.

every great once in a while he does that....

 

state volleyball

last week our entire family traveled a few hours away to watch Lauren and her team compete 
for the 5A state championship.
they did AWESOME!!
it is so much fun to watch.
they are intense! 

mostly my little girls played video games or drew pictures for lauren.
they did so great for the amount of hours we were there.












they have a great crowd that cheers for them.
it's really cute.



i know... i know... WHY so short???
i am not a fan of all volleyball uniforms.
not at all.
but no one asked my opinion so i will just shut up.










in the end they got SECOND!
they played really hard against the 4 time title holders but lost.
they were a private school and our girls got to public school.


they held up #1 because they are #1 in 5A public schools.  :)




all the duerksens in one frame.
crazy.

we are super proud of her.
she did an awesome job playing hard all season.

GO RAILERS! 

soggy....

we had a rainy rainy weekend over here.








annie saw our neighbors playing in the puddles and asked to join them.  :)
oh they had so much fun getting soaked.


there was more volleyball, soccer and football this weekend too.



i was planning on going to sean's football game but it was raining.
i just dropped him off at the field and said
"honey...i love you but i can't sit in the rain and watch football....because.... i am a girl."
craig went.
but i did not.


i like this gum.


a lot.
it was on sale at our grocery store....so i just bought it all.
because it's the thing i have to have to feel ready to go somewhere.....
i think " keys? check. coffee? check.  gum? what no gum? oh no. oh no. oh no."

also deoderant.
i am a total spaz about smells.
always paranoid about B.O.
i have deodorant in my purse.

weeeeeeeeeirdo.

...............................................

umm....i started the Jenny Craig program....for reals.
come over here and read about it.  :) 

 

friday ramblings....

mmmmmmm......sweet baby emmet.
i love his name.
and he was dreamy.




have you noticed our lack of craft thursdays???
my kids have.
i realize that is a sign of having too much on my plate.
i just can't do it.
and with so many sports practices we just don't have the time.

BUT once the photo season is done for me....27 more days....i will be able to do it.
football will end.
volleyball will end.
we will have more time at home....i hope.
and craft thursdays will return.

annie just came up with her own project instead.

 
lauren's volleyball team is so much fun to watch.
they are serious.
they hit so hard....i would never stand on the other side of them!

 

there is BIG NEWS at our house.....

 
ANNIE can TIE HER SHOES!!!
she was so excited to tell me.
she kept saying "daddy is going to be so proud of me!!!"   :)
pretty darn cute.


 
she came home from school yesterday with this face.
i said "you have a moustache"   
and she smiled so big and announced "YES!!! my friend did it with marker FOR FREE!!!!"

well ok...as long as you didn't pay for it.
oh annie.

................................................. 

ok...now i want you to click over to the craft weekend blog & check out our sponsors.

Little Brown Pen has a REALLY good coupon going on.
you will love her shop.
REAL photos that she took Paris....all arranged by colors....SO BEAUTFIUL.


Crystal B has filled up her shop with lots of pretty things.
she has such a great eye for color too!
i love her jewlery.
i am wearing her brooch right now!