holstead family album

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October 8, 2009

What Pumpkin Treat Are You?

I Am Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
You are serious and dedicated. You are a quiet person, and you're often lost in your own pursuits. To be honest, you sometimes hardly notice the changing of the seasons... except that you feel a little more calm in the fall.As the days get shorter, the nights get longer. And there's nothing you like more than a quiet night at home.And you believe a cold, rainy day is the perfect excuse to stay home all day and enjoy the quiet. Not that you need an excuse!

Take the quiz here

October 7, 2009

Fall. Just the name brings back wonderful memories. I LOVE fall. I love that it starts out with a crispness in the morning and warms to the most comfortable temperature during the day. I love that you can smell the leaves burning at the farmhouse down the street. I love that when I walk out of the house in the morning, the colorful palette of leaves line the path and crunch softly beneath my feet. I love to see the yellow, orange and red mums that were so carefully planted at the first sign of coolness and the pumpkins that sit on the porches in the neighborhood.

Of course, it is easy to love the fall season when you live in Texas because it also means that you can now do outdoor activities without having a heatstroke! One of my favorite things that we do every year is go camping. We pack up our tents, sleeping bags and warm clothes and head off to the most wonderful campsite in Oklahoma. We meet my parents, sister and her family and we spend the most glorious long weekend camping out, hiking, geocaching and visiting. I guess what I love most about fall is that it means family to me. Love. Togetherness. Happiness. We start to pull our family close, spend more time at home and out of the cold. It means the beginnings of holidays and thankfulness. The ending of a good year and a promise of a better year to come.

I LOVE FALL.......

September 26, 2009

Your Rockstar Name Is: Miss Vicious
Rock on!

September 20,2009

A Fair to Remember...

I know, its dumb, but I couldn't help myself. Growing up in Texas, it was a yearly event to go to the fair. I loved going. Not only did we have a day off of school, but the fair was a big event in Texas.

I can still remember the morning of our annual "fair day". My younger sister, Amy, and I would wake up with a great anticipation. My mother made us matching outfits and we were so excited that we could finally wear them. After a big breakfast, we would head out to the fair. I will always remember looking for Big Tex, the giant Texan who greeted all the fair goers at the gate. I can still here his voice in my head as he welcomes us to the fair and reminds us to eat a hotdog and ride the rides.

I can still feel the excitment of walking up to the ticket booth and my dad buying us a big book of tickets to use to ride the rides and play the games. As we walked through the entrance, we could smell fall in the air, popcorn and candy apples, hot dogs and cotton candy--and the faint smell of hay and animals. I could see the huge ferris wheel and we would head straight for it. Ironic now, since I can't stand heights, but I loved the ferris wheel. I always felt so free as we went around and around.

We would spend all day, riding the rides, seeing the exhibits and looking at all the animals. I can remember falling into the car and being so exhausted that I would be asleep 2 minutes after we left. Those are the memories that I want for my children too.

Although I no longer live in the Dallas area, we have our own fair here in Waco. It is a huge event that lasts for about a week. But more than the rides--they seem so cheesey and much less stable than when I was a child--we go to see the rodeo. It is an event we look forward to every year. I love to see the look of excitment on my childrens face as they watch the big bull try to throw off the rugged cowboy or their horror as he goes after the rodeo clown. We always enjoy a great laugh when we watch the little ones ride the sheep to see who can go the farthest. We have also made it a yearly event to go through EVERY camper at the show and make our dream list.

It is that time again--only a few more weeks--and we are already excited and ready to go. I can only hope that my children have as good a memories as I do about the fair, and that they, in turn, make those memories with their children.

September 11, 2009

Over the years, I haven't really LOVED sports. I mean, I sit in the same room when my husband watches them, I even--sometimes--enjoy them. I have been to baseball games--I LOATHE baseball--basketball games even a hockey game or two, but I have never really fallen in love with a sport.....until softball.

My husband is a softball coach at our local high school, and a couple of years ago, we nudged our 11 year old daughter towards softball. She instantly picked it up. She was, after all, a tomboy at heart. She could and can't get enough of it. We signed her up for our local little league and proceeded to start the season. I still remember her first tryout. It was cold and dreary and all the parents where huddled in the bleachers watching their little league hopeful. You see, Midway Little League is a dynasty. They have gone to the World Series for 11 of the past 13 years. Everyone wants to play on this team. We were not like that though. We just wanted Leah to play, have fun and learn a team sport. Learn how to be a team player. But here we were on that foggy, chilly morning, along with all the other parents, secretly hoping our child was better than atleast a few of the girls. Good enough to make the team.

When the list came out, her name was on it. That day changed the rest of our lives.

Over the last three years, we have played little league, travelled ALL OVER Texas to qualify for the World Series, travelled to Oregon to play in the Little League World Series in 2008, played in NUMEROUS tournaments with her select team, watched her hit her first homerun, a walk off gland slam that won the game for her team, and now, this Spring, she will play highschool ball. This is what we have been working so hard for. You see, she wants to play college ball. This is just the next step on the road to meet her goal. Somehow, in all the travelling, picture taking, sideline coaching and cheering, I fell in love with the game. More, I fell in love watching my daughter play the game. Some people may look at the next 4 years of games and tournaments as a hassle, but I am excited to see the possiblities. I can't wait to see her meet her goal and go on to play in college because that means I will have ATLEAST 8 more years to watch her play. If I play my cards right, and my husband gets his way, our 7 year old will be following in her big sisters footsteps. She will have some big shoes to fill, but if anyone can fill them, she can.

Random Questions

I like to take part in challenges at my favorite scrapbooking store--Sweet Shoppe Designs, and this is their blogger challenge this month. Thought is would be fun to hear what your answers are so post a comment and let me know!

Here are todays quick and quirky questions:

1. Do you wash your own car or do you go to a car wash?
Neither--it stays outside so I never really got the purpose..
2. Are you wearing socks right now?
On my way to run so...yes
3. Where were you 3 hours ago?
IN BED..and it was so nice :)
4. Do you have laundry waiting to be done?
Of course....
5. Can you pick objects up with your toes?
can't all mothers?? I thought it was a prerequisite to having children. A talent you learn
when you are so big you can't bend over...