Ya know... I have some time.....

..... so I thought I'd maybe introduce the main characters that will be making appearances (probably often) in this blog. And then, if we have some extra time, boys and girls, I'll introduce the periodic players as well!

First, and probably one of the most important (simply because without him I never would have sharpened my sarcastic wit!) would be the Love of My Life. I've decided to christen him Coach. Why, you might ask? Well, its what he does. Simple. Oh, not in his grown up day job. No, for that one he's more commonly known as the Road Warrior. No... coaching is his where-he's-happiest-at, volunteer job. Although.... (and I'm trying to word this as diplomatically as possible, since he's really probably the only one reading this for the first few days... Hi Honey!!) coaching seems to be his life's calling. He's forever trying to teach one of us the "correct" way of doing something. Anything. Really.... doesn't matter what it is, he can probably do it better. Just ask him. :) That being said.... he does it all with love, so its ok. We let him think he's guiding us along, with occasional head nods and plenty of thank yous!

Now, party people, let me introduce you to Jock and The Bug! Our sons. Gee, don't those names sound wonderful? You have no idea how I've labored over what to call them here! It finally sunk in that no matter what I chose, they'd hate it. So this is what they're stuck with!

Jock: He's our oldest, at 14. He's currently a freshman in high school, and is into (and by "into" you know I mean "consumed by", right?) football and baseball. Ok, well, technically he's been into those for a while. It just seemed to become a bit more overwhelming once he hit high school. Fortunately, he's actually quite good at both sports! No, its not just the Mama talking here, people! He really is good at them! Now, when not doing or thinking something sports related, he's taken to obsessing about cars. Specifically, what he thinks he's going to get for his first car. In two years. Assuming he gets one. Heck, assuming he makes it to his 16th birthday! Oh... and did I mention that apparently in two years Coach and I will have won the lottery so we'll be able to make all of his vehicular dreams come true? No? Huh.... must be 'cuz the shock of it all hasn't sunk in yet.... you know, the massive landslide of money that has already been spent for us.

The Bug: He's our youngest (oh yeah--- I'm apparently the Queen of Obvious). He's 9, and in the 4th grade. Where (thankfully) girls still are ok as long as they like sports and cars, because then they are really just boys in disguise and not someone we have to make sure we always wear deodorant and body spray for, like our older brothers think. (Oops.... sorry about that. Bit of a manic-mama moment there!) Don't ask how he got the name Bug. We honestly don't know. Its just something I've always called him. Coach thinks we should blame it on the fact that Bug is scared of bugs. All. Of. Them. Doesn't matter how many legs. Poisonous or not. Flying or crawling. He's petrified. Which naturally is a source of endless entertainment for Jock. As you can imagine.

And these are the boys, no--men, in my life. I love 'em. But they certainly help me understand the mating and maternal habits of the praying mantis.