I Guess the 1st Two Didn’t Count

Jeff has been with Boeing for 15 years as of May 2010.  As a result, he got to select a recognition gift from an online catalog.

He went through it several times and didn’t see anything he was dying for.  He asked me to take a look.  I guess I’m not that picky because I found several things.  However, Tyler’s birthday was coming up and he asked for a watch.  There was a nice Guess watch in the catalog (similar to this one)

and I suggested to Jeff we give it to Tyler.

In the process of ordering the watch, there was an option for engraving.  There was no additional cost, so, why not?  Jeff ordered engraving for it.

We were very surprised when the watch arrived with the following inscription:

TYLER JAMES PEACOCK

15 YEARS

2010

Woops!  We had no idea that they’d automatically put “15 years” on it!  So now, Tyler has a very nice watch inscribed “15 years” that he received on his 17th birthday… he’ll have this nice remembrance of how cheap his re-gifting parents are!

I Owe Tyler and Justin an Apology…

We moved into our current home in 1997.  It was a repossession and the landscaping was dirt in the backyard (it was grass at one time).  Justin was 6, Tyler was 3 and Bryce was an infant. 

I found these cute matching raincoats with a nice fleece lining at JC Penney and the deal was too good to pass up—like $6 each.  A real stretch since we used every dime we had to get into our house.  I bought them for Tyler and Justin. 

One day in the late summer it was raining.  Hard.  The boys asked if they could go and play out in the rain.  I said they could if they wore their raincoats. 

I went about my business.  About half an hour later I looked out and saw two little boys splashing and throwing mud at each other, their cute new raincoats caked in mud. I blew a gasket.  Seriously, after 13 years I can still remember how FURIOUS I was.  I’m not sure what I thought “playing in the rain” would entail, and why I was SO SURPRISED, but I was. (I don’t have a picture of the event—I was not that forward thinking—I borrowed this one for effect so don’t be confused if you don’t recognize this kid!!)

I yelled and washed and fumed and issued consequences pell mell. I couldn’t get over the mess, especially on those cute little raincoats (that washed up just fine, by the way.  And, being California, they were used exactly 5 more times over the next few years until Bryce grew out of the larger one).

I’m so so sorry J&T.  That was crazy of me.  Little boys SHOULD play in the mud!!!

The reason for this remembrance:  It’s all I could think about when I went to Bryce’s football game Saturday morning in the pouring rain.  The adults were all huddled under EZ Ups in the stands so that we wouldn’t get wet, but we sent our 13 year old sons out to play.  And, unlike the majority of fields we play on, this one was (and I do mean “WAS”) real grass.

So… (Bryce is #66.  Course, most of the numbers became increasingly obscured as the game wore on.)

We paid good money (and an even more expensive commodity—time) for this!  We won in overtime!

 

As if they were not muddy enough, they dove into the mud to celebrate their win!  Bryce looked to me for approval and I even encouraged it!!  (I am really, really sorry J&T!!!)

Here is the team in all their glory!

 

I wish I could go out today WITH my little boys to play in the mud (if it were raining, and if we still had dirt, and if I had a time machine).  Look at the love from THIS mom:

She knows what it’s all about!  I’ll have to pay mine forward with my grandkids!

By the Numbers

In honor of Tyler’s last football game…

6 Seasons of Football

63 Games Played

1 Trip to Urgent Care (Stitches)

1 Game Missed

1 Touchdown

575 Practices

75 Rolls of Athletic Tape

862 Bottles of Gatorade

1,900++ Hours

Oh, and…

Glory Days

If the season ended today, I think it would be a success.  Tyler had one of “those” games.  I couldn’t slow down my heartbeat for at least 24 hours after it was over!

Justin had a magical varsity experience.  It was just the right group of young men at the right time.  His senior year, his team went undefeated in league, beating Hart (first time since the 70’s) and Valencia (cross town rivals), and going deep into the playoffs (knocked out by perennial football powerhouse St. Bonaventure). 

Tyler’s first season of varsity was good for him personally, but his team stalled out and didn’t go to playoffs after losing a coin toss (there was a 3-way tie for 3rd).  I just wanted him to have that ONE game—you know, where your team overcomes and wins the game when no one thought you could.  Where the team is more than the sum of its parts. Gravy:  the opposing team is Hart or Valencia. 

This was that game. 

(Tyler is #68 in pictures, he plays center) 

Let me set the scene:  This was the 2nd league game for both teams, both coming in with 1 loss, but pretty equal pre-season records.  The local sportswriters picked Hart across the board to stomp.  Our QB had been injured the previous week and would not play.  Likewise, one of our captains, a linebacker had been taken away in an ambulance and would play, but was still compromised.

First half.  We are tearing them up defensively, but they still manage to score 14 points.  Our offense can’t get anything going.  Penalties are killing us.  Interceptions don’t help.  Not looking good.

 

Second half.  All Saugus.  The offense was amazing.  They don’t give up.  The defense keeps on keeping on, stopping Hart each time.  Their QB never knows where the blitz is coming next and gets really skittish. They hurt themselves with penalties and interceptions.

Hart gets the ball back with 3 minutes left (way too much time!  We did not come here to tie!)  But the defense does their job and more.  Too bad for Hart, it was their Homecoming!

Words can’t describe the awesomeness of this game.  As I type, it’s just not coming through.

  But Tyler knows.

 

And no one can take that away.

 

Even better that Grandpa George was there to share.

 

We won the next week too.  The Signal Headline:

“Call them contenders”

 

That’s what I’m talking about.

Yep, It’s Football Season

Exhibit “A”

Happy Birthday, Dionne!

Here we are… ready for a hot date on the town!

Football games are done for the weekend, we thought we’d hit a discotheque.

What? You didn’t know Santa Clarita had any dicos?

They do when Dionne turns 40!

  

Biehahns in vintage 70’s attire (and hair)

 

Tricia also wore vintage…this little orange number was her mother’s.

Brandon (center) also wore his dad’s clothes.  Here he is escorting his lovely wife, Jill Monroe.  Just in case you don’t remember her, here’s what Jill looked like in the 70’s:

I love this girl!  Only for her would I have gone out of the house looking like this!  Happy Birthday Dionne!

Lesson from Childhood Unlearned

Or we could entitle this post:

“I Told You So!”

or

Testosterone and Packages

I’m sure all parents can relate to this little scene…

Mom:  “[insert kid’s name here]! Stop hitting him!  Ok that’s it!  You’re in time out!”

Kid 1:  “But Mom! He hit me first!”

Kid 2":  “Did not!”

Repeat and add layers of detail, finger pointing and accusation.  The weary mother has no idea who did what but she only saw the final meltdown in Kid 1. Kid 1 gets punished while Kid 2 hides a knowing smile. 

Dad:  “You can only call what you see.  It’s always the retaliator that gets it the worst.  Know it. Learn it.”

I know you know what I’m talking about.

Now.  Go with me to a lighted football stadium full of several thousand spectators.  There are 22 of these “kids” on the field with only a few “moms” wearing zebra costumes.  Course, the “kids” are all now young men weighing between 150 and 300+ lbs. and have come padded up for a little rumble.

You’re getting the picture.   Kid 2 is smart.  He gets his licks in surreptitiously.  He pins Kid 1.  He squeezes the package.  Kid 2 lashes out to free himself.  Kicks indiscriminately.  Hits paydirt.  Gets up and walks away.  Kid 2 is alone on the field writhing in pain.

And that’s what got Tyler (Kid 1) kicked out of the game in the 3rd quarter of the game last week.  Per CIF rules he could not play last night either.  He’ll be back next week.  Fortunately, Saugus won both games as he paced and cheered on his team and lamented the unfairness of it all.

In Honor of the First Football Game of the Season

Kenny Chesney - The Boys of Fall (Official Music Video). Watch more top selected videos about: Kenny Chesney

(thanks Cindy Kramer...)

Football. Such an insular world.  Lots of good, some bad too.

I have more thoughts on football/competition...coming soon.  (I know you're on the edge of your seat now!)

But today, today...today we focus on the good--watching our son start his senior season of football after six long years.  You always begin the season with a perfect record.  And whatever happens over the course of the next few months, you're a winner every time you step on the field.  Go Cents!

Mission Accomplished

Bryce: Oh darn, I spilled milk on my shirt.

Mom:  Go dab it with water.

Bryce: No! That will make it worse!

Mom: It’s so hot it’ll dry in like 2 seconds.

Bryce: No it won’t.

Mom: Ok, whatever. You’re right and I’m wrong.

Bryce: [PAUSE] You make victory so unsatisfying.

Outdone…Again!

So I thought I’d surf a few of my favorite blogs and found that my friend Daleen had just posted her pictures from Rancho Mirage.  Check her out:

Daleen’s Blog

for a much better representation of our fun long weekend, especially the picture of Tyler in Aliza’s bonnet.  That alone makes the trip worthwhile.  Thanks D!

Essay: What We Did Over Summer Vacation

You asked for it, you got it (ok, maybe just one person asked…) Here’s what we did over our summer vacation in 60 seconds or less…

Summer began on June 4th after school dismissed.  Bryce went backpacking with his scout troop, Jeff went to Europe on business, and Tyler started football practice. Meanwhile I filled my schedule with contractors while we redid all the windows and painted the outside of the house (why is it so hard to pick out the right color?).  Justin went to the gym:)

Tyler and I went to Big Bear for youth conference…

I went to Girls’ Camp at the beach…

It always cracks me up that all notions of what is considered appropriate attire is thrown out the window when you get a bunch of girls together for an extended period of time. 

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I left Girls Camp to go to the temple with Miss Cassie…

Returned to Girls Camp…

Left Girls Camp again to attend Cassie’s wedding (who, incidentally, has got to be the most photographed bride in history)…

 

I don’t really love this last picture because I look giant next to her.  She is tiny, but obviously she’d taken her 4” heels off by this time.  That girl likes her heels.  I love that girl!

I got released as YW President and called as Stake YW President. (Just to keep things interesting)

And that concludes June.

In July, we started out by sneaking out to Rancho Mirage for some R&R with our friends the Hoskins.  We had to celebrate the first 4-day weekend of summer football in 6 years!

It was hot and crowded (4th of July weekend).  In fact the pool was so crowded at one point that you could have walked on bodies from one side to the other and never gotten wet.  Made me wonder why I wasn’t spending more staycation time at my own pool.  But then I remembered.  At my house there’s the phone and tv and computer and all of “those people” who need something.  When you’re away you give yourself more license to eat out, watch a movie, play a game, and just hang out.  (And, we don’t have fluffy white robes at home.)  It was well worth it!

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The rest of July was Justin, Justin, Justin…

Open House/Fiesta:

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Talk in Church:

(sneaked in a trip to Magic Mt. with the McGills-sh!)

Setting apart:

Off to Utah for more learning (Tyler was at EFY in Provo) gathering (“This is the Place”) and farewells:

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Dropping at the MTC:

And crashing.

August has been a month of putting it all back together…

• Starting Justin’s blog—www.elderjpeacock.blogspot.com
• Fixing all the broken stuff (pool system, tires for 2 cars, water regulator, sprinkler system brain, whole house fan, more car stuff, our checkbook…yeesh!)
• Returning to school, returning to football (Bryce too), returning to Weight Watchers! (and all that those things imply)
• Starting a new project for work
• Doctor and dentist appointments

Oh and in the midst of it all, I had decided that I thought it worthwhile for Tyler to attend as much of his YM’s river rafting activity as possible, since he’d have to be back for football prior to their scheduled return.  So we arranged for me to go pick him up about 30 hours after he left.  It was only after he had already gone that I looked up HOW REALLY REALLY FAR AWAY this place is.  6.5 hours EACH WAY not including stops.  Would have been a good thing to look up before.  Thank goodness for cute Cassandra who consented to keep me company on the way.  And, plus, she was much better at getting information/talking out of Tyler than I am.  Bonus.  OK, maybe it was worth it for just a few glimpses into that little black box we named Tyler.  Wow that was a long long way.

So now you’re all caught up.  I expect lots of comments (you know who you are!  hehe). 

My Conversation with God (or something like it)

Me: 

  “So, um, Heavenly Father….I’ve been Young Women’s President for a few (like 4) years now… I’m a little tired and my son’s about to leave on his mission.  Don’t get me wrong, I have sooooo loved serving You in this way.  I love the Young Women like they are my own daughters.  I cry when they cry, I laugh when they laugh.  I have learned much and served well.  I am not perfect, no, not by a long shot, but maybe it’s time for someone else to have this honor?  My ideas are getting a little stale and they deserve better.  There are some great ladies I could even suggest.   It would be so very nice to have a little break and not be in charge.  Do you want to hear my list of places where I could serve?  I promise I will be a very good follower.”

Heavenly Father: 

“OK.  I call you to be the Stake Young Women’s President.”

Me:

“But…”

Heavenly Father:

“Yes?”

Me:

“But…”

Heavenly Father:

“Dear [Lisa], I have your recent letter. I have only one suggestion: forget yourself and go to work.”

“Whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it” (Mark 8:35).

ok then. 

Advice to Live By

Of all the things I have learned and done in the last month, this little piece of advice garnered from Brother DeVore who spoke at our youth conference in Big Bear last month has really stuck with me:

"If you can't think of something interesting to post as your status for Facebook [or Blogger, or Twitter, etc. etc.] then go DO something interesting."

Well, I've been doing just that, interspersed with frantic periods of organizing, packing, cleaning up, worrying, praying. I will get back to posting because the record is important to me, but for now I am experiencing, surviving, living, doing.

Happy Birthday Nancy!

For my mom’s birthday in April, her only desire was to have family portraits done. After two months of hammering out the details (photographer, location, wardrobe), we met over Memorial Day weekend at the Huntington Hacienda (aka mom and dad’s house) to make it happen!

You can see that we skew heavy to the males on this side of the family--

And those boys love their birthday meema--

And of course, a manly-man shot is requisite--

Three generations--

Back where we started--

And then there’s the Peacock gallery--

Happy Birthday mom! We have to say, we were prepared to endure it all and it turned out to be soooo fun! We love you!