She called me Cute

Every time for as long as I can remember my grandmother (Maw Maw) would see me and say "You look cute." I would walk into her house, she would smile and say "you look cute today." I would ask her opinion on an outfit or earring choice and her answer would again be, "You look Cute."

Cute is not a bad word, I wasn't offended when she used it. I just felt I was pretty, nice looking, smart, beautiful and "above" being called cute. Maybe I related cute to being small and as a youth I didn't appreciate my size. I don't remember when or how the conversation went but at some time in my youth I told Maw Maw I didn't like the word cute.

Always pleasing others, she started telling me I was pretty or looked nice. She would call me "cute" but then correct herself and say "I know you don't like that word but it just fits you." Years later she would call Cori cute and then look at me and smile. I felt like "cute" became our word and together it made us both smile.

I called a little girl cute the other day at work and that is when this memory hit me. Some days I only think of Maw Maw in passing or in a quiet moment in the car. So when these memories come at me, its hard to hold back the tears.

The last time I saw Maw Maw she met me and the family for dinner in Atlanta. It was a quick evening with dinner and 20 people all talking in a loud restaurant. We were only to see her for a short time as the rest of the weekend was full of wedding and family time with Nate's family. Maw Maw hugged me goodbye told me I was still cute to her but also a wonderful young woman and great mom and aunt. And she loved me.

I would give anything for her to be around to tell me "you look cute today"

Cori's 1st Varsity Swim Meet - Videos

Cor's Fly 100

Cori's Anchor relay 100 free - Cori is the anchor in this race and the team that won is the best club team for Marina. I only video taped Cori's part of this race. 

Cori's Relay - They won

Swimming with Passion

Cori started her second year of swim this week. She is on the advance team which means being on the pool deck at 5am Mon, Wed, Fri plus 2 hour practices after school every day. This year Cori has added in 3 days of weight training to her schedule. Cori is keeping an A/B average in all her classes including 2 AP classes.

Last Saturday was her practice meet. This means the coach splits the team had them compete against each other. Cori dropped 2 mins off her breaststroke, won 50 fly, won 100 backstroke and breast a senior by .02 sec.

Tuesday was her first meet of the season and she dropped time in all 3 of her races.

Friday was another meet and Cori won 2 races. She won 100 im, 50 fly.

Today I'm sitting on the pool deck watching her compete again. This meet in between 5 schools. A normal meet between 2 schools lets each racer swim 4 times. In this meet, a Cori swims 4 races, takes a break, swims 2 relays and then finals. Cori is swimming 10 races today.
Cori swam fly, freestyle, kick, and 100 free. Next came a 100 im relay, which they won. Next was 4 races in the above events, as her finals and then the 200 relay medley.

We have one very tired swimmer and yet she is so excited for all that is happening in swim. We are so proud of het hard work and dedication.

Bucket List - WB Studios

FRIENDS is my all time favorite TV show and everyone who knows me, knows this. 

Nate took me on a tour of WB Studios last month and we had a blast. Each tour group is asked what are their favorite shows (I was wearing a Friends t-shirt so she knew my answer). The tour guide would take the tour through the sets that were requested. This made it more fun and interactive since we were all seeing sets and show/movie productions that we were interested in. Nate and I were the most vocal on the tour so we got to see everything we wanted. The tour guide would ask a question and the entire bus would be quiet, then Nate or I would answer. We really tried to give others a chance but if we had not spoken up, we may have not left the parking lot. 

One of the few outdoor sets still around is on the WB lot. The set is currently being used for Hart of Dixie on WB. We got to see Wade's house, the lake, the cottage, and the Rammer Jammer. This same set is used for the bar in True Blood.

We moved past the outside sets and on to the production museum for props. This is a huge building with all kinds of movie/show props used and reused. We saw this guy and immediately thought.... Goonies. Everyone else thought Pirates of the Caribbean. Both were correct we just showed our age and movie knowledge.

There is a wall of Presidential seals, all with a small error on purpose. They can not make an exact duplicate for obvious reasons. 

We saw a huge Batman exhibit with all the vehicles from all 7 movies, costumes, props ect. We saw the same type of exhibit for Harry Potter complete with the sorting hat and giant spider. 

Lastly, the reason for the tour Central Perk.

Complete with a picture of Nate and I on the actual orange couch. 

It was an awesome tour, and so fun to be only a 30 min drive away. Next is the Universal Tour and being in the audience of a show. 

 

Joel turns 13!

On Tuesday, Joel turned 13. He didn't ask for much just a Pokemon/Pikachu birthday cake and some pokemon toys/movies. Here is a couple of his toys from family and the progress of his cake.

Wrapping Joel's presents

About to open presents

Slippers from Aunt Jenny and Uncle Matt

Pikachu 

This is the first gum paste character I have ever made. I spent a few hours Friday night molding this, coloring the gum paste, and gluing him together.

The parts of Pikachu before I put him together.

The completed cake. It is suppose to be a battle area with the poke ball and Pikachu. The Poke ball is rice krispies with fondant over it. 

A few guy friends came over to enjoy sub sandwiches and cake. The cake is red velvet with buttercream icing.

Stroke, Stroke, Stroke

At the beginning of June 2013, Cori told us she wanted to start swimming at school. We started with 6 weeks, 5 days a week, 4 hours a day--swim camp. Cori was hooked after 1 week. Swim at school is a spring sport so in the fall and winter they practice during 6th period each day, for PE.

February 18th started 5:30am practices every weekday. Which is an adjustment for all of us. Getting up and having Cori at school that early every day. She has strength training after school each day too. Cori is loving every minute of this swimming sport. We are so proud of all the hard work she is putting toward this and still keeping up with her schoolwork/grades.

Stuff we all had to learn about swim... meet is a competition between 2 schools, invitational is 4-5 schools who compete at one location, frosh/soph is the name for beginners (freshman/sophmores), then JV and Varsity. Cori has worked her way up to be one of the top frosh/soph at her school.

Cori was one of 5 beginners to be asked to compete in the invitational last week. She has been chosen to swim in every meet so far in the season. Her favorite stroke is butterfly, and freestyle. She is more of a sprinter in the water. The first 100 yards are her best. Here are some of the pictures from her different meets and invitational.

Winter Wonderland

A few pictures of my family in the snow storm from a couple of weeks ago....some call it Snowmageden 2014!

My kids Elementary School

My parents house

Car wrecking/parking across the road from my parents house

My grandparents house with the frozen lake out front

Where we use to live, with more trees 

Beautiful!

Sweet Alice and her 1st snow!

Cousins playing. 

A winding road