Sshh....

I'm quietly announcing that we will be expecting a new little Tipton in the middle of January 2012! Things have been quiet as I am battling the early pregnancy nausea and tiredness that will hopefully only last a few more weeks :). We do ask that you not spread the good word on Facebook for a few months as I have several friends who struggle with infertility/miscarriage challenges and it's still VERY early.

We're so excited! :D

We're Number 2!!

We did not win our first bout. (Not that you can tell from our faces...)

But, clearly, we played our hearts out!

My mama, sister, nephew, son and good friend drove hours to see this event...

And for that I am eternally grateful!

Thank you all who traveled to see the Bash Valley Clobber Girls first public appearance on the track!

Until next time...

Scrimmage Time!

As many of you know, I 'do' Roller Derby. Some might find this surprising for about five seconds, then laugh and say 'of COURSE you do roller derby'.

Full disclosure here: I'm not very good. I fall down a lot, I have poor balance, and quite honestly at the last scrimmage it became painfully obvious that I'm that girl that the other team knows they can either knock down or trap in a diamond (we call it a 'goat' in derby...). I've also taken up a horrible habit of 'lowblocking'. This means I am tripping/falling in the way of an opposing team member (it's ALWAYS an accident, but still, it's not 'legal').

But despite all this, I pop back up every time I fall. I can now skate backwards. (This is HUGE because I couldn't even MOVE backwards until recently.) I recognize as soon as I've done something wrong and try my hardest NOT to do it again. And I have a ridiculous smile on my face every time I leave practice. I love it.

This weekend is our first bout. I'm ridiculously nervous/excited/ready.

Wish us LUCK!

Hugs and Derby Love!

The Pot Party

Not THAT kind of party...

A garden pot party!

My mama brought me to Barkley Farm Nurseries north of Paris, where we dined on cheese, crackers, cookies & strawberries, sipped on wine and coffee, and picked out the lovely blue pot.

I chose Zinnia's and Lantana's for my arrangement. The staff at Barkley Farms were incredibly helpful and sooo artistic!

If this isn't optimism, then I don't know what is. Here's to keeping these alive! Happy Mother's day!