Emma's Triumph

Each year my cousin puts together an NCAA bracket contest for the family through yahoo.  My granddad offers $100 to the winner.  It is lots of fun as there is a message board and we can look to see who is winning and make comments back and forth despite being scattered around.  This was Emma's first year to participate.  I let her choose her own winners, and she was able to do so completely on her own because all she had to do was point and click.

After choosing the first couple, she said, "I'm just going to choose the one with the lowest number."  And with a few exceptions (UK, Davidson, and WKU mainly and just for the first or second rounds)  that is what she did.  Well, in a year where all four number ones make it to the final four, that is going to bode pretty well.  Emma beat everyone else, and was pretty happy to hear about all the people who she chose better than. (Especially Uncle Doug)

Anyway, she received her $100 presented by my granddad a few nights ago.  My grandmother took pictures, and I am so glad that she did.  Emma had lots of fun with this, and I'm sure will look forward to this again next year because any kind of competition in our house is a big deal.

Congratulations!

If you know our family, you know that my husband works extremely hard.  His three jobs require a lot of time, but he enjoys them all and gives of himself freely.  Next week he will be honored at a banquet at the state athletic directors' conference.  He has been nominated and is a finalist for Athletic Director of the Year.  I am so proud of him.  In a profession that often goes with little gratitude, it is nice to receive recognition--and his is certainly well-deserved.  (I have no idea why my picture is posting sideways; it is not like that in my file.  Oh well!)

Little Things

Isn't it sometimes the little things that make life the most fun?  I just have a couple of cute stories about my girls to share.  A couple of weeks ago, the four of us went shopping.  We met DeeDee and Josh to eat (which was lots of fun) and then headed over to the mall.  Annie told us that she wants an airbrushed t-shirt with a basketball going through a net on it.  How cute is it that she had thought it through like that?  Then she told us she was starving.  The girl has a hollow leg.  Tim took her to get a sandwich at Subway, and Emma and I went to Old Navy.

As we walked into the store we had the funniest conversation.  Here's how it went:

Emma:  I like shirts with no sleeves.

Me:  Yhea, but they don't work out too well for school.

Emma:  Do they work out well for a date?

Me:  What did you say?

Emma:  Do they work out well for a date?

Me:  Well, yes, I guess they do.  Are you planning on going on one?

Emma:  Nooooo.  (Said like you silly, I just wanted to know for future reference.)

This is information that I'm afraid she will be far too ready to use before I am even close for her to need it.  Ugh.  Oh, and I hope that you noticed that while Emma is admiring sleeveless shirts Annie is hoping for an airbrushed t-shirt and eating her *second* supper.  Too funny!

Another funny thing tonight.  Emma fell asleep on the couch just before supper, so we decided just to let her sleep.  The three of us at together, and Annie thoroughly enjoyed our undivided attention.  When we finished, Tim asked her how she would like to go for a bike ride.  That sweet little face just lit up!  She was so excited to go do something like that--just her and her Daddy.  Aren't little things amazing blessings?