Endless Summer

One of my most favorite memories from childhood involved the Cleveland Indians! There were eight children in our family. Every Summer we would all get a chance to go with Dad to Cleveland to see the Cleveland Indians play ball at the old Municipal Stadium. Most of the time he would take two at a time. Mom would make ham and cheese sandwiches for us. She would always butter the inside of the buns...what was that about anyway?! We never went out to eat much. On occasion we would go to McDonald's and we would have to stay in the car. We were never allowed anything besides a cheeseburger, fries and a coke. If you didn't like onions...tough, take them off on your own! Well, on the Cleveland Indians trips we would hope that it was the lucky trip and we would stop at that huge fancy place Dad called, "Big Boys." We were blown away that they would come to your table and ask you what you wanted to eat!

I remember parking in these dark lots near railroad tracks. They were gravel lots. Dad would keep us close as we walked for what seemed like forever. I knew we were close when we saw the birds from Lake Erie flying around like crazy! We always sat on the third base side, upper level! My sister Karen got lucky one year and caught a fly ball! Those were great memories for me. Kara and I even got Hank Aaron's autograph one year.

When I go to a professional baseball game I always think of my dad! I remember hot days sitting on the front porch. Dad had the game on the radio! My sister Kimmy could recite the entire Cleveland roster when she was little....this was when Buddy Bell played on the team in the early seventies! Herb Score's voice was such a familiar sound to our family!

Anway, I love this time of year...especially when we know the summer is endless as long as the Cleveland Indians are still playing ball!

Go Tribe!

Football, Cheerleaders and Car Art!

For some reason the new posting of photos makes it hard for me to comment under each photo. I'm sure I could figure it out, but I worked today and I'm just too tired!

I believe the first two photos are of the girls with pain on their hands. You see, we Alexanders like to do things a bit different. Some folks like to finger paint on paper....not us. We like to fingerpaint on our car...or minivan. The girls figured out on their own that if they use the sidewalk chalk on the drive and use a lot of it, add water, you get homemade paint! They managed to put their hands in it and place their signature all over the van! I love it! It is true art. Granted, we have a 1996 Ford Windstar...if it were something newer, I may not have allowed them to be so expressive! You see a few of the photos of the artwork. There is art on all four sides of the vehicle. When I'm out and about I wonder why folks are stairing at my van. I forget that it is a masterpiece on wheels!

The next photos are from our football game tonight. Dane played and wouldn't you know I only got one photo of him...from the back! Number 23 is small, but he is MIGHTY!!!!! The majority of the stands were amazed by two little girls that decided to join the cheerleaders. I got permission from the Cheer Coach. All I can say is that they (especially Lily) absolutely loved it! Anyone that truly knows me knows that anxiety exists when I think of my girls being cheerleaders. I have always been in sports and none of the stereotypical girly stuff has ever appealed to me! I'm much rather play cornerback that cheer! Oh, what will I do? I wish my girlfriend Kathi G. lived closer. She is so into that prissy stuff. The girls have brought so much joy and change in our home! To think that most of the clothes in our house were in the range of earthtones! Now we have an assortment of colors! And what is it with lipgloss? I may live dangerous and buy some chapstick from time to time, but I have never owned lipgloss! My girls LOVE lipgloss!

I also enjoy this photo of TJ with Lily. He is actually teaching her how to box. Well, I have a new appreciation for female boxers once I saw Miss. Ali on Dancing with the Stars. I guess I'd prefer a cheerleader over a boxer!

One of these days I am going to put aside posting on the family and post some thoughts. I'm still really into the "Hiders, Hurlers and Healer" thing so I may surprise my readers one day. I'm back teaching a Bible study on Wednesday nights. We are studying, "He Speaks To Me," a study by Priscilly Shrirer. She is the daughter of Tony Evans and is a phenominal teacher of the Word! The basic lesson of the book is that we often look to others to share with us what God wants to say to us when we have every opportunity to sit at His feet and have Him speak directly to us! We just have to make the time of prayer and study of His word. I'm so glad to be back in a study! I look forward to sharing what God has to say to me in the weeks ahead. Right now He is saying, "Get those kids to bed it is way too late for them to be up!" I'll be the obedient child and put my children to bed.

Blessings to all of you that take the time to check out the Seven Alexanders!

NOTE: Sorry for the double photo of the front of the car. I had to add the side view after I realized I forgot it and doubled the other.

It's a Roller Coaster!

Memories of the Roller Coaster goes back many years as we used to watch the boys ride it at the Johnson house. When the Johnson's moved across town, they left the coaster for the girls. As you can see, the girls love it! I'm sure the folks that drive by think we are nuts...they are right!

Oh, Where O where have I been these days?

Tyler was edging and must have been concerned about his eyes so he utilized the paintball protective wear...what a smart guy!



The girls just got these huge new stuffed animals from Pastor Tim at church...they loved them!



These are my "brown-eyed girls!" This was the night before the first day of preschool. Sarah refused to take my sunglasses off! As you can see, they weren't in the best of shape!


Lily was so excited to take some school supplies on her first day! She cried at the end of the morning when she was told that she couldn't take them back home...as if we don't have tissues and ziploc bags at home!



I wanted a picture of each of the girls on the front porch on their first day of preschool, but Lily wouldn't cooperate. Sarah has my old glasses! I gave Tom a quick lesson on hair, but he flunked miserably! He was smart enough to bring a comb with him to school. I met him in the lobby so I could be part of the first day!



This is the photo of the girls and I on their first day of preschool. I was able to get out of lunch duty for a little while to meet them, fix their hair and walk them down to their classroom. They both did really well. I shouldn't be surprised since daddy works there. Mommy works there. Two brothers go to school there. We all go to church there. The only big difference is that they brough backpacks. Lily chose Cinderella and Sarah chose Spongebob.

I haven't posted much simply because we are just crazy busy with me going back to work, starting up a new Bible study, school, sports....such is life as the Seven Alexanders...the very busy seven Alexanders!