Basketball Advice...

Last week, Shonn's team dominated Newton, another local team, in the first round of Regionals. The best part was that Shonn coached with class, pulling off his press early and making sure to get every boy into the game with substantial playing time. They still won 46 to 3.



But as of Monday, it was official: Shonn's basketball season is over.



He has the curse of the good coach...he starts with a team that needs a lot of direction, he gives it, and they improve. Drastically. This year, his team started 2-7 and finished 11-2. They even won the consolation bracket of their conference tourney.



So why is this a curse? The beginning of the year is so stressful - long days and the burdens of crushing NBA-hopeful-dreams by picking only 5 starters for the first competitive season of these kids' lives. (I don't know that much about basketball, but I do know that there can only be 5 starters. Not all parents know this.)

So it goes - lots of stress, early morning practices (like alarm at 4AM early) and late nights, and all along, he really teaches them. So, they improve and start winning. Shonn's a very competitive guy, so when they win, it's a good night. When they don't... well... It's frustrating. But with so many wins at the end of the year, he forgets about the so many frustrations early on.

I think he's a great coach, and so do many other observers. So, should he keep coaching, or use the time for something else? He's thinking it through right now and trying to decide. I just want him to be happy!

Meanwhile, it's nice not be cursed with the 4AM alarm.

Snow Day for Charlie & Lexi

Kids love snow days! Teachers love snow days! Annnd, apparently, so do our dogs!

As you'll see, we're still working on very basic commands with Lexi. She somewhat understands "Sit," and she only vaguely grasps, "Inside," but I'm proud to report she fully knows "TREAT!" (She might not be the brightest, but she sure is cute and cuddly.) Charlie, on the other hand, fully understands "Sit," "Outside," "Come here," and "Treat," along with other things, but...he doesn't like people. I guess you can't have it all.

This is pretty low-key for them (not barking at ear-splitting decibels), and not the most exciting video (except the high-tech wind sound effects), but I was hoping there was more snow in the backyard for them to run around in. (I just got home and didn't have time to check before our movie shoot, because while everyone else loves them, Principals don't get snow days.)

Too Many Technology Updates!

Please ignore my Christmas decorations. (I'm just not ready to let go...)

The long dangling cord, however, I would like to discuss, as it is a sign of the ongoing technological updates occurring at the Hild Ranch.  Let's start by acknowleding how great technology is - it is amazing, for sure.  But when you consider this unsightly cord (that I hope believe will be hidden eventually) and all these updates, it can become a bit overwhelming for someone like me, who doesn't know the first thing about any of it.  Allow me to explain:

1) We got a new tv:
I love the fact that I can now see every basketball player's pores as they sprint up and down the court in full HD, which is part of the reason we got this new television set (that my husband and Smitty hung up there while I hid in the corner in terror of something - or someone - breaking). 

2) We added a PlayStation 3 (and we don't play video games): 
I also think it's AWESOME we can order movies and television shows directly from our computers onto the televison because the store gave us a free PlayStation 3 with the new tv (Bloggers, is a free system like this possible? My husband reported it to be so...) Anyway, free or not, because we have this video game player, Netflix allows us to somehow send tv/movie waves from our computers and they land in the PS3 and subsequently onto our tv...I don't want to know how it works, I just want to enjoy the fact that it does. 

But wait! There's more!

3) Yet another technological addition in the past month is an HD-cable-receiver-DVR-box (yes, that is the official name): 
Apparently, this updated cable box gives us the ability to see television characters so well we can not only see their pores, but also their thoughts... (Okay, not quite, but almost.)  But because HD channels and programs are so clear and life-like (and we can tape whatever we want for less than TiVo), this new cable box from Mediacom has been another positive technological addition.  (In my esteemed opinion)

What I DON'T like, though, is that this conglomoration of technology has somehow interrupted the few things I actually knew how to do with the television, like TURN IT ON.  Or tape trashy shows, like The Bachelor, which started tonight (ABC 8/7 Central, "On the Wings of Love," Go Jake!, More information forthcoming!).  I'm not obsessed or anything, but I really hope my husband comes home soon (because I miss him) so he can show me how to get DVR to tape and the TV to become watchable again!

I believe it has something to do with that cord hanging down, because it definitely isn't part of our decorating scheme...

Spaaaaaaah Day

Since I started my new job this year, I haven't been able to hang out with my friends Kristin and Jessica as much.  I love my new job, but in one of those "woe-is-me-moments" likely following a tv show with lots of girlfriends hanging out, I told Shonn how much I missed seeing them.  So, being the great guy he is, Shonn called Cory and Jay (Kristin & Jess's significant others) and arranged a spa day for the three of us as part of our Christmas presents.  It was so thoughtful and exciting when he gave it to me!

So, yesterday Jess came over and we drove down to Kristin's house in Effingham. It was especially good to have some time with Jessica because I haven't seen her in months AND she is moving to California in two weeks. I'm so excited for her because she's starting a whole new life, but I'll miss having the easy option of getting together.  California is... far.  But a very good vacay spot... Hmmm...  So, anyway, we got a chance to catch up and "girl talk" about all the exciting changes in her life.

We got to Kristin's and headed to the spa, where we each were going to get a mani, pedi, and massage.  We were the only three people there all morning, so we had the place to ourselves.  It was so much fun; we laughed and talked the whole time.

As you can see, the pedi chairs were really high - like shoe shiners' thrones - and they did some kind of roman sandal toe separator thing. I've never had that done before. (Should have taken the pic after the paint...)

The girls working there were so cute and nice. This one had especially cute hair that got Kristin in the short-hair mode again.  That is actually how Kristin's hair looked when she first got it cut.

Kristin and Jess both got dark colors on their nails and I stuck with my standard bubble-bathy color. The one I picked this time was called Cuddle by the Fire, though, which is yet another clever and cute name by those OPI folks.  What a fun job...

Kristin is wearing these awesome hand warmer things that were approximately 1000 degrees, which was okay because it was negative one outside. Not exaggerating.

California- bound! Jess got all purply colors...I think as a sign of how much she's going to miss Shelbyville Rams and making popcorn at basketball games....

That cup I'm holding is actually one of the coolest things I've seen in awhile.  You might be thinking, "It's just a disposable cup - Christy's weird." You'd only be half right! It's a reusable plastic cup made from recycled material that you can microwave AND put in the dishwasher.  Couple that with its cute design and I'm in love!  You can find them at Bed, Bath, and Beyond or at this link:

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=16746223

Anyway, we all three got massages by this little but mighty girl who reeeeeeeally got the kinks out (sore today), and then we headed to a cute coffee shop in Effingham called Joe Sippers for lunch. 

It was such a fun day and just what I needed.  Thanks, girls!  (Thanks, Shonn!) xo

My Year in Facebook

This is a really cool app from Facebook - it only selects a certain number of status updates, but it's a fun snapshot of some of my random thoughts and moments from this year.

Be sure to notice the post about Shonn's boat and the great husband he is.  The overabundance of exclamation points is a dead giveaway of who actually wrote that post.  :) 

Girls Dominate Catchphrase

These photos say it all.

Supportive Wife #1:

Supportive Wife #2:

Annnnd Supportive Wife #3:

Final Score:

Sooo...2010 looks to be a good year.

How Cute is She?

Kaylee Jo celebrated with us last night. I think she made it to about 9...Brody and Gabe were partying it up with us, too, and they made it to about 11:30...  Troopers!

What Friendship is All About

It's really cool that we spent New Year's Eve with Casey and Angie. We have been best friends since pre-school, so it makes sense that we would start a new decade together.  (Even though no one seemed to notice the ball drop last night...?)  Casey, Ang, and I knew each other through the stylishly-awkward 80s, middle school and high school in the 90s, the beginning of our independent lives in the 00s (how do you say that?), and now we start 2010 as close as we've ever been.
It's amazing how much we have lived through together, from the daily lunch at Casey's house during high school that involved an excessive amount of teenage angst and tears, through college's ups and downs, lots of relationship drama, trips, happy weddings, marriages, health trials, and now kids.  We don't see each other as much as we'd like, but I know these girls will always be there and I love them.