Practically Professional

While grabbing on to the rope to go up the slope... fell.

While standing at the top of the slope, doing absolutely nothing... fell.

While standing at the bottom of the slope, doing absolutely nothing... fell.

While actually skiing down the hill... Handled it like a pro! I was even working on turns! I didn't fall once and my bones remained perfectly intact!

Woot Woot!

I'll Try

Dear precious baby Jesus:

Please keep me safe today while I attempt skiing for the first time. Please let all of those times you have allowed me to break arms and fall down stairs and up stairs and trip when walking... just be funny jokes or coincidence and not truly an indication of how clumsy you made me!

That's My Name, Don't Wear It Out!

When I was a little girl, I totally hated my name. I think every young girl pretends that their name is something else every now and then... but I totally hated my name. I felt like it just didn't fit me... And I felt like "Tori" and "Dawn" and "Mallory" fit me so much better.

I went away to church camp when I was in like 5th grade or so. Rather than having my parents drive me and drop me off at the camp, I just went with the church group. Which gave me the opportunity to complete my own "intake" paperwork when I arrived... I can assure you, that no Charlie arrived that day. But, Tori did!

For a few years after that my parents wondered who "Tori" was and why I was so excited when we accidentally got her mail.

I went to summer festival when I was like 21 with some girlfriends and as we were walking around, one of the girls, Tiffany (a name I had often coveted), decided we should all make up fake names. I was totally down for this game and was just about to resurrect Tori when she said, "I am going to be Joey... guys names for girls is so hot"!

And with that, I decided my name was just fine!

I get asked all the time if my name is short for something or what my real name is... but today it happened like 4 times. And, each time, I proudly said, "Nope, just Charlie!" and secretly thanked my parents for a name that was just perfect for me!

Biggest Fans

This weekend was babyboycake's last basketball game of his league.

Little kids basketball is a freaking riot, first of all... Some of these little nuggets are so adorably uncoordinated and clumsy! It reminds me very much of someone..... but I just can't quite put my finger on who....

Hmmmm...

Because it was the final game, all the nuggets got to run through the smoke machine with the "get pumped up" 80's music blaring, it was pretty presh.

Boyfriend and I decided that we should participate in the festivities by creating signs. I suggested one poster board cut in half, so as not be too obnoxious, but boyfriend doesn't do things half way... so two big poster boards of GO BABYCAKES, it was!

(We put his actual name, because babycakes would have of course caused major problems for the remainder of his elementary and probably junior high careers...).

At first I think he was totally into it. But, as the game progressed and we continued to shake and hold up our signs while yelling for him each time he ran down the court, he just stopped even looking in our general direction.

After the game, I was like, "Hey! Did you like our signs?!". "Yep." he dryly responded. "Were they a little embarrassing?" "Uh, yeah. A little."

There was a line... around first quarter... and we clearly crossed it. Good thing I didn't wear my "I Heart Babycakes" button (gigantic, old school New Kids On The Block size, of course!).