Catching Up

Going back a few months..... One of the most wonderful days I can recall was the day Judy and family surprised me with a visit and a happy birthday. Yes, it was 7 months ago and and why haven't I already posted about it? Don't forget, I'm the Procrastinating Laurette of all time. but the photo is now ready. Pictures take a long time to develop you know. Here's the entire first generation clan with their wonderful spouses. We're so lucky to have added such wonderful men and women to our family. We're so fortunate.
Thanks again to all. I only wish we could have done it for more time, more days. Some day, when I retire, my goal is to have another 'multi-day' reunion with Every One there! Some where Away from where we are now. Like, Hilton Head. Or even better, a cruise. Could we handle a cruise? The money ain't there no more but if everyone paid their own way with all the kids... we could handle our own way.... Just think about it. Where do we go? Doesn't really matter. The ship itself is a destination.
Love to all.
Papa, Dad, Fred

Ok, So we were ahead 28 points . . .

Another Foot ball opportunity presented itself on Tuesday. No practice since the last game. But the boys did great. Final Score 40-12. The other team only had 15 boys! They were real champions. And boy, could the little tail back run!
This time around Logan got to play some serious Defense. It's another New Ballgame.

Long Road to the River

We took a Long Road to the Tennessee River today. We're no longer in a 'boating community'. Yes the "Big Muddy", Mississippi River is only 20 miles from us, but it's no place for casual boating. And from what I've been told it's no place to take a dip in either. So, the closest place we can go boating, wake boarding, or tubing is about 100 miles to the Tennessee River! Actually we set out heading for Pickwick Lake on the Tennessee River but ended up downstream from Pickwick Dam. Don't ask. But we had fun. Logan said, "This is weird. There are no mountains around the river only high banks of sand and dirt". There were actually small sandy beaches along some parts of the river where people settled to enjoy the sun and water.

We took along a few 'fellas' who also had fun, Quintin and Nick. Both the guys got a taste of the Friday Wicked Tube Ride. But we went easy on them, at first. Nick did a great job driving the boat too. Logan was back in heaven on the tube and the wake board as you can see by the pictures.


















There are times when you've just had enough for the day and decide to go out with a splash.

Don't know when we'll make this trek again. But it was a first. The first time I spent more gas getting to the water than I did at the water. We're trying to be positive here. . . Really.
Judy enjoyed the day without 'the boys' looking at neighborhoods, beginning to form her plan of action for a new home. She's tired of our Cozy Cottage. Logan and I love it.

The 4th Quarter - Nothing More Fun . . . Nothing

MUS 8th grade football team faced Colonial Middle School where the Owls out ran, out passed and out scored the Colonial Buccaneers.

Attached video of our favorite player.Logan is #37 the tail back or running back-the guy with the ball.

You can see the Buccaneers out weighed the Owls by a far stretch. But that didn't stop the drive for yardage of the whole Second String 8th grade Owls.
This video comes with very unusual sound effects.
Now for another:



A little ahead of plan....



This is Logan's first year to ever play tackle football. He played Flag Football way back when Dad coached his team's 1-5 winning season. Logan's Mom suggested that Dad retire from football coaching, so he did.


Back to today.... We were surprised when Logan said he was going out for football. He's never had many positive things to say about football, being a avid fan and player of lacrosse. But here we are. He insisted he would practice, but no way he was going to get into any games. Hey, he didn't have a clue what to do. Well, the last couple of games have proven him wrong. His success surely comes from Dad's Football advice mentioned in the previous blog. Check it out. What a guy Dad is! We've got a few more videos but not enough time or bandwidth to get them all to this blog. If you really want to see more, send me a comment through the blog and Ill see what I can do.

Wait a minute, this formation doesn't look anything like what we've watched the starting team line up do. We better check this out first.... "Hey coach! This doesn't look right." Sometimes the coach doesn't communicate clearly. If that happens, hey... stop the game and get clarification. We don't want to have a blunder in front of all those people, do we?

There's nothing more FUN than watching your child or your grandchild play a sport or participate in a play, Nothing!

Good Night . . . 9:59 PM CST..

Update from Collierville

Hello, Hello, Hello - - Thanks for stopping by our Blog.
A few quick Updates:
QUICK UPDATE - Logan made his debut as a running back for the MUS 8th grade team Tuesday night, in a real Game! The QB handed off to Logan on a running play over the right tackle following a big fullback. Thank goodness for the big fullback. More Thursday afternoon.

1. We decided to pull up roots and move to Collierville so we could be together again. (or is it so Fred could be with Logan and Judy?)
2. Judy said, "OK Fred, you finally made up your mind. Do it we will. Are you Sure?!"
   
3. We moved some of our stuff into storage to make the house look bigger. We lost our microwave somewhere in there.
   
4. Logan attended a few Lacrosse games this summer in Memphis and got a lot of attention from the coaches.
5. Logan went to Kia Kima scout camp in Arkansas with the Collierville Troop of 12 Deacons. Hot it was.
6. Fred drove 27 round trips to Chattanooga this year at 620 miles each. Wow that's a lot of driving. He now knows everyone who lives and drives on Hwy 72 in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. And has been successful surviving big trucks, crazy cars, and loose cows. No deer though.
7. Logan attended the all LDS scout camp at Buck Tom in northern Tennessee where over 700 LDS boys enjoyed a week of scouting. Fred went for a few days too and really enjoyed the spirit of the gathering. The napping too.
8. Judy worked tirelessly getting the house in "like new" condition before putting it on the market.
   
9. We Sold Our House in Signal Mountain just 6 days after it was put on the market.
   
10. Judy did an OUTSTANDING job of 'getting it ready' like a PRO... Cause she IS a Pro! You can see it on the internet by going to http://rockydelllanehome.shutterfly.com/.
11. We moved almost all of our stuff into storage.
12. We moved the rest of our stuff, cars, & Boat to Collierville.
13. We met lots of really nice people at church. Really friendly and helpful.
    
14. Judy attended the closing and brought this Huge Check back with her. She was threatening to leave the country with it and leave me with Logan. Fred said whoever got Logan Got the Check. So she came home with the check. Fred was glad.
15. Logan started football practice and found he was as tough as any other guy on the field. Only problem, many of them (the other 8th graders that is) out weigh him by 100 or more pounds! What are they feeding these boys here?! He said it's a lot easier than lacrosse because you stand a round a lot. Especially when you're not one or the starters, or even a starters' back, backup. He's learning though.
16. Fred gave Logan valuable football playing advice: a. If you have the ball, run as if your life depended on it, because it just might. b. If the other team has the ball, run after the guy with the bal l and do what ever you have to do to make him fall down. Even try to make him loose the ball and if he does drop it, you pick it up and get ready to be pounced on.
    
17. We joined a fitness club in Collierville with all kinds of fancy stuff to ride on, pull on, push on, run or walk on, swim in, climb on, play on, play in, and to relax and cook in. And.. If we use some of this stuff, we'll be healthier for it.
18. Logan started school where he is known as the Lacrosse Player from McCallie who's playing football for the first time. He's found the teaching methods/philosophy 'a little different' than at McCallie. No further comment on this topic for fear of writing assignments.
19. Matty has disappeared. We've placed signs all around but have not heard anything. Could have something to do with the friendly lab that lives in the house in front of ours.
    
20. Logan played in his first scrimmage with another team. He plays defensive back, wide receiver, and tail back. He always uses the valuable football advice given by his dad in Item 15 above. That's all you need to know says his dad.
21. As we mentioned, our neighbor has a black lab that has a tireless desire to go after what ever you will throw for her. She meets Logan at the door every afternoon with her slobber covered ball ready to play catch. Logan tried to outsmart her one evening by turning off the porch light just as he threw the ball. It took Bell a few minutes, but after running 15 miles around the yard, she finally found the ball. She did this over and over. What fun. Logan tried to run and keep up with Bell but gave up after the first few miles.
    
22. Judy is wondering what to do with her time in our new home. She attends the health club regularly trying out all the fancy stuff you can ride on, pull on, push on, run or walk on, swim in, climb on, play on, play in, and to relax and cook in. She has even taken a Yoga class where you learn to turn your body into a pretzel. Not without pain though. I think water aerobics is her favorite class so far. Oh yeah, she also likes the lounge chair reading exercise machine too. It's by the pool with the two huge water slides. She doesn't do that though.
23. Fred gave a 25 minute talk in church last week which lasted 6 minutes. Lucky Fred. You never know what to expect as the concluding speaker.
    
24. Judy is going to give a talk next week.
    
25. We tried to store our boat at an airport hanger but the FAA, FBI, CIA, Homeland Security Agency, and who knows who else would require a complete background check , finger prints and all and a witness every time we got the boat out so we settled for a local storage facility in Collierville. We had fun flying around with our neighbor anyway.

Enough for now don't you think? To night we're off to yet another 8th grade football game that looks like a high school varsity game.