Friday, June 22, 2012

ZigZag Afghan Continues

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HaPpY Friday!

I'm so ready for this weekend. Ha! What's new! I'm always ready for the weekend! This just seemed like a super long week for me. We don't have any plans this weekend, just hanging out at home, probably going to the pool. It's been hot as heck! And of course I will do some knitting. I'm trying to get my ZigZag afghan done by next weekend. Probably not gonna happen unless I do some marathon knitting this week! It's bigger than the picture above, but I still have a ways to go! I have a bunch of other projects (hats) I want to get working on, and 2 babydolls that got pushed to the wayside due to the ZigZag, so I really need to finish it and move on!

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Work it Girl!

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Out this evening watering my sunflowers I decided to have Ezekiel take some pics of me, you know for the blog :)  I'm hoping he's getting some decent shots when he starts acting like a real photographer, snapping away.

Ezekiel - "That's it! Work it Girl! Uh huh, just like that! Yep...work it! That's the shot! Uh huh! Nice! Work it Girl! Work it!"

Of course with him doing all that I had to play it up too, posing while I watered the sunflowers. He is such a nut and keeps us laughing!

Officially Summer!

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It's officially summer!

And boy does it feel like it! The past few days it's been in the mid 90's, and it's predicted to be that way for the next couple of days.

 The boys and Fonzy are on summer break. This is the hardest time for me! All of them are home enjoying the break, while I still have to get up and go to work everyday. Not fun! But I won't be doing it alone for long. Fonzy and Ezekiel summer break will be shorter than usual this year. Fonzy has transferred to teach at a year round school and Ezekiel will be going with him. Fonzy will start back the first week of July, Ezekiel the second. Ezekiel is not too thrilled his summer is short this year, but he'll get over it I'm sure. I think I need to plan a few days off, so I can enjoy a short summer break too!

Off to check my calendar and schedule some time off!

Monday, June 18, 2012

Slice of Life

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Looking through my phone, I noticed I didn't take many pictures this week. That's not normal for me! We are settling into our summer routine - staying up late, lounging around the house, hanging out at the pool, eating dinner later than usual - no schedule, no pressing demands, just enjoying this slower pace.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

A Man Amongst Men

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35 years ago, Alan Wynard Veale stood before the world and claimed me to be his son. He has never wavered from this claim since he made that decision three and a half decades ago. His unconditional love and teachings have given me the stability that so many adults are missing in our current society- a sense of belonging. Many do not know that he is not my biological father. In fact, many have told me that I favor him and I proudly accepted knowing that this is biologically impossible. But as I have grown older, I have learned that love triumphs all- even biological make up. I remember smiling ear to ear when a stranger said my stepson and I “looked so much alike.” I recall the look Manuel gave me knowing what I knew at least twenty years before- biologically that was impossible.

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Today, I often get wonderful compliments of how well I teach and coach kids. Gracefully I accept knowing that I have had the unfair advantage of seeing the perfect example of how a real man should treat kids. I have never received formal training of how to interact with kids (I have a business degree). But I am often reminded of the man who taught me a large percentage of all that I know when I utter the word “buddy” or when I speak in his dialect (something only one of his sons or one his many former players would recognize). My father has coached hundreds of kids on the Southside of Odessa, TX. Unlike many current recreational coaches, he coached even when he did not have a son on the team. I specifically recall the summer when he told me, then 18, that we were going to the Boys Club to recruit more black kids to play baseball. Not playing baseball is a foreign concept to my father and I. Baseball is definitely our pastime.

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Nothing brought me more joy as a boy than staying up to the early morning hours watching TV and talking sports with my dad. He told me unbelievable stories of his upbringing and how his grandfather weaved baseball into our blood. And how he and his three brothers all played on the same little league team. And how Willie “the Say Hey Kid” Mayes was his favorite player. And how he amazingly received a shot to play professional baseball from behind prison walls. This was a feat that not only required superhero-like athletic ability, but politician intellect to maneuver the prison system and media to meet his needs while incarcerated in a federal prison as a very young man. There is eyewitness testimony that my dad crushed 400 ft dingers while locked away in La Tuna and Lewisburg Correctional Institutions. When most give up and lose hope, my father was still trying to live out his dream. His confidence, courage, perseverance, and intellect are characteristics that I have tried to incorporate into my personality.

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This post would be canting if I failed to mention one of my father’s most notable characteristics. He has a giving spirit like no other. This makes him a marvelous grandfather and my mother’s worst nightmare when my siblings and I were growing up. As my sister always says, “When Dad has $20, we all have $20.” This spirit also allowed him to play with us like he was our peer at times. I remember one time he took my sister and I to Water Wonderland (a water park in Odessa) early one morning just after the park opened. It was cold as most desert mornings are and it seemed as though we were the parks only visitors. I remember being scared to slide down the park’s main attraction. My father rolled up his jeans and slid down the monsterous slide with me. Another time, we were locked out of the house on a scorching spring afternoon. We were attempting to break-in through a small bathroom window on the back porch near our kiddy pool. After several failed attempts, my dad grabbed me and forced me into the pool much to my delight. Most would have found the water unfavorable considering it had been sitting for at least a couple of days and had countless dead insects floating in it. My sister rushed to my rescue with the water hose only to receive the same verdict that I received. My dad laughed like a child that day as we attempted to seek revenge. That is most definitely a top ten event in my life (the lives of ghetto children- lol).

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On this day, I want to honor the man that saved me from a life of uncertainty. Without his love and guidance, statically I would have been a lost cause. Without his passion for sports, I and the thousands of kids that we have coached would have been without the influence of a positive male role model. Without his quiet readings, I would never have respected the bookworms of the world and would have probably not chosen teaching as my profession. Without his giving spirit, my entire family (cousins included) would have gone without Christmas and birthday gifts on many occasions. Without his addiction to horse racing tracks and gambling, I would have never noticed the beauty of a Thoroughbred horse or been willing to take risks. Great risks equals great rewards and you have to play to win are my lessons learned. Without his willingness to protect our family at all cost, my family would have constantly felt unsafe in the lifestyles we were engrossed in. I still feel safe in his presence today. Without his fight, I would not know how to stand in the face of adversity.

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When one man failed as a father, God deemed a sonless man worthy of being my daddy. Alan Wynard Veale is a man amongst men. I am honored to call him my father and will proudly carry the Veale name to my death.

Happy Father’s Day Dad!

Your Son,
Fonzy

Thursday, June 14, 2012

National Junior Honor Society - One Smart Kid!

Ezezkiel Honor society

Guess who is a National Junior Honor Society recepient - Ezekiel!

We are so proud of him!

Not only is he good kid in general - he's a smart kid too!

We couldn't ask for more!

Monday, June 11, 2012

Flowers! Flowers! Flowers!

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We have lot's of flowers sprouting up around our house. That bright orange flower is some tropicals we got at the farmers market. We were told they would spread and become quite large. They have spread, so we are happy about that. The flowers are pretty, but very thin.

We were surprised by that purple/pink flower. Fonzy didn't remember planting them last year, but here they are. There are about 4 of those plants, and we have no clue what they are.

The little purple and white flowers are the wildflowers I planted with my sunflowers. Fonzy said they look like weeds and grass. I would have to agree. Not at all like the picture on the packet. I probably won't plant the wildflowers next year.  I guess we will see what they turn up during the summer.
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The gladiolus are starting to bloom. These are by far one of my favorite flowers. Fonzy planted them last year and I'm so excited they came up again.

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On to what I'm really can't wait to see bloom - the sunflowers! The picture above are the hybrid sunflowers. They should be maroon. And all that grass looking stuff are wildflowers. Not one flower in sight yet. Oh well. As long as my sunflowers bloom I will be happy!

Below are the traditional yellow sunflowers. Do you see my little bulbs! I tell you, I can't wait for them to bloom! The anticipation is killing me!
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Weekend Recap

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This past weekend Fonzy and Elijah went on an overnight camping/fishing trip at the beach, which left Ezekiel and I on our own. Ezekiel said he would stay home with me so I wouldn't be alone. We were kinda lost without them, but made it through the night, and I was so glad he stayed home with me. I'm a scaredy cat and probably wouldn't have made it through the night had he not been there. I almost had him sleep in the room with me!
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Saturday morning we got up, had breakfast and went to the farmers market. I love going to the farmers market. So many sights, smells, and tastes! The smell of ripe peaches hung in the air. They were so sweet! The flowers were beautiful. The gladiolus and sunflowers made me so excited for my own to bloom! I can't wait!
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On the way into the Farmers Market, I saw my dream car - a mint green convertible bug! Isn't it cute! I could see myself driving that, top down, hair blowing in the wind! As I took the picture, the owner saw me and said, "taking pictures of my bug huh?" Busted! I told her it was my dream car and I couldn't help myself. She just laughed and said it was such a fun car to drive! I bet it is!

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Fried Green Tomatoes

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I'm becoming a true Southern gal!

I made fried green tomatoes today and they were YUMMY!
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By the way - have you seen the movie Fried Green Tomatoes? One of my favorite movies of all time!

"The secrets in the sauce!"

You have to watch the movie to know what that quote is referring to. If you've never seen it, it's a must see. You won't be disappointed!

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Now back to my Fried Green Tomatoes - I ate all of those by myself! Well, I did give one to Fonzy, so I didn't eat ALL of them!

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Slice of Life - according to iphone pics

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Anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE to take pictures. I take them constantly and a lot of the time I take them with my phone. Right now I have a crappy Blackberry that I'm ready to throw in the ocean, but come July I should have a nice new iphone and I can't wait! I'm sure I will go instagram crazy!

Until then, I will continue to take pics with my BB, and pretend it's an iphone - ok? Just play along with me. It will make me happy!

One Season Down

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Well, Ezekiel's baseball season is officially over.

All in all I think it was a good season. He hit better this year than any other year and even pitched. That was a first and VERY nerve racking - for me and him! Well, probably more for me. I just wanted every pitch to be perfect for him.

He's grown so much and sometimes I find it hard to believe he will be 13 in a couple of weeks. A teen-ager! I asked him if he wanted a party or BBQ to invite his friends over for this momentous even and he said no. I'm still thinking about having a BBQ and inviting his friends, but we will see. It may just be a low-key family day. We I haven't decided yet.

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