[Worley Family Blog] Catching up...

[Donna Worley]

Once again I have allowed an enormous amount of time to lapse since my last post. I've been holding pictures to post since June, so this is going to be a catch up blog!

First I'll give you a quick update on our lives...

Austin is in his first year of middle school and is doing GREAT! He is in the percussion section of the band and is doing quite well. Most of the time he maintains the first chair position. Coaches are planning for him to play football next year and so far he seams to want to. He has also gotten back into Boy Scouts this year and really enjoys all of the camping, etc. that goes on with that. He is very active in the youth group at church and has something almost every week with that. Baseball sign ups are in a couple of weeks and he is very excited about that... Roy and I are looking for our excitement... we'll let you know when we find it.

Bryce is in fourth grade. We moved him to a new school about six weeks into the year and he is doing better than he ever has. He has joined Cub Scouts for the first time this year (Austin is his Den Leader). He is playing Basketball right now and is also toying with the idea of Baseball again. The difference in Basketball and Baseball is about 4 practices a week and games during the week that don't end until 10pm or later. This is the reason we don't look forward to Baseball.

Roy thought he would slow down a bit after finishing graduate school last May, but he's just as busy - just a different kind of busy. He is the Assistant Athletic Director (voluntarily in addition to overseeing the resident hall and apartments), so he has to be at every home game to keep stats, etc. He is also an assistant coach for the Softball team under Larry Hays. He will be going to some of the out of town games with the team. During Spring Break they will be playing in a tournament in Tucson, Arizona and our family is going to ride the bus with the team to be there for a few days. I, personally, am looking forward to the warmth!

As for me, I have decided to continue my education, so tomorrow I am starting 9 hours of classes. I had already decided to do this and registered when another person at work was laid off and I acquired yet more responsibilities... but I can do it!! The only travel planned for the year is to New York in May or June and possibly to Istanbul, Turkey at some point. For today, I am playing catch up with all of the things I have left undone (hence the catch up blog).

Now for the pictures I've been hanging on to:

My boss and dear friend has a pond on her farm that is a fun little swimming hole during the hot months. There is a hammock hanging between two big 'ol trees and a barn that has been converted into a guest house. With no cell phone service and no internet, it is a perfect place to get away and relax! The kids enjoy driving the Ausa - makes me a nervous wreck... but she keeps offering for them to drive it (better than a tractor I suppose).

Each year the local organic cotton coop has a "Farm Field Day" event where buyers from brands and other interested parties can come in and learn about the process of Organic Cotton. Roy got to go with me - we started at the composting plant and went to a couple of farms to see harvesting in action. We then went to the gin and the USDA grading center. Our evening ended at a local farmers home - they grow organic cotton and have an organic vineyard. Their 11 children performed their musical instruments and entertained all evening (very talented family).

Above: Organic can't be stripped until after the first freeze and as of this day (Nov 5) we had not had a freeze yet so these Cotton Pickers were brought in from Arkansas to get the cotton out before it ruined from moisture. To the right is Roy and the USDA inspector from Nashville.

Me and my colleagues (we are the only ones from Lubbock) - we have a lot of fun working together!

Yes, this is Roy...

And yes, he did loose a bet! I don't remember the exact details, but he did say he would wear a UT hat for one day if some certain thing didn't happen during the UT vs. TTU game. He did opt to buy a hat that he could remove the bandanna from and keep the straw hat. And, not too long after this picture was taken he took the bandanna off and turned it upside down to wear the rest of the day. But naturally, I felt the need to post it :).

This is from Austin's first band concert - playing the marimba (I think)!

Every Halloween Roy and his RA's dress up and help the girls dorm with their Halloween party. Roy is the Hippie, 2nd from the left. I wish I had gotten a picture of him in those stretchy, tie dye, hippie pants... because I'm sure he will NEVER wear them again.

Nope, this is not Halloween - this is a Happy Meal toy that we decided would give to our cousin Brooke... but not before trying them on.

As mentioned above, Austin is enjoying Boy Scouts and has gotten to participate in a couple of Eagle Ceremonies. This photo was from an award ceremony where he helped with the colors (I probably referred to that wrongly, but the flag ceremony anyway...)

For Thanksgiving we went to Carlsbad to be with Granny and Grandad. Nathan and his family were also able to be there. It was such a blessing to get to spend time with everyone!

For Christmas we went to Durango. The day we got there the kids started sledding down the hill next to the house. I just knew we would come one with at least one broken bone, but we didn't... kids are tough!

Mom's new child, Ms. Kitty. To the right, she is also with her Granddogs, Rigo and Gus.



Above, right: Cole thinks it's pretty cool to have older cousins to play Horsey with... or as he says to "pay Yah!" with.

This picture is actually relatively current, Bryce is playing basketball right now and is really doing well. I could tell you he moves so fast with the ball that I couldn't get a good picture, but the truth is I was trying to do it with my camera in between heads. Perhaps I'll get some good pics in the coming weeks to post.

I'll try to keep in touch more often. On one hand I feel like we are too busy to blog very often and on the other hand I realize we should have an awful lot to blog about!

I hope your new year is off to a great start and that we get to see you real soon!

Donna

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Posted By Donna Worley to Worley Family Blog at 1/18/2010 10:53:00 AM