I Need A Nap...Even If It's Only Ten Minutes

I am losing my mind. I am over-committed, over-worked, over-stressed and just plain over it! I would like to punch the woman in the mouth, fifty years ago, who thought women needed to be liberated! I am literally burning the candle at both ends. If I am not at work, I am working at home like a mad woman. If I am not at home, I am working late at my job. Geeze, I gotta find some balance. Basketball is right around the corner and I am wondering who will have a nervous breakdown first, me or coach. I can honestly say, I cant remember the last time either of us just "took five", seriously. Anyhoo...yeah, I know, get over it. Parenthood is exhausting, just let me lie down for ten minutes.

Hence, crazy life, I have not had a moments free time to blog. This IS my outlet and I have not had time to plug in for weeks.

Let's see in the last three weeks; I have celebrated my birthday, yep 29 again and again. Justice told me I was 112. Spent a child-less evening in St. Louis with Coach. I had a little R&R at the spa while he watched football in the hotel, then we partied like Rock Stars till the wee hours of the night. Good times! Probably the first time, in over 5 years, we let our hair down. Celebrated Cameron's birthday. More details to come. Yes, Cameron's party gets a post of its own.

I have to wonder, how do other parents do it? Coach and I give so much to our jobs and so much to our kids, when we DO get an extra moment--we just want to lie down for ten minutes! I feel guilty 24/7 about my of role in motherhood. I regularly feel nothing is ever enough. My house is a mess, well, most of the time. Laundry always needs done. I am not a very good cook. When I am home playing with my kids, I am often mentally at work. Again, balance. I am so VERY LUCKY to have a spouse that is commited to helping with any and every task needed to keep Keeneville going! I am beginning to think some of the negativity I hear ALL DAY at work is showing up in my blog tonight. Yikes. I need to adjust my attitude. I apologize. Better yet, I think I need to go to bed....

May the force be with all the mother and fathers who are trying to find a balance this week...

Are You A Baby?

Cameron Meyer Keene is pure genius. You ask why? Well, because he has already mastered 6 keys to success:

1) Persistence: he never quits. Ever. When he wants something… to be fed, to be changed, or hold a toy… he does not stop until he gets what he wants. Right now he is learning to walk… and he spends hours and hours “practicing.”

How persistent are you in getting what you want? How relentless are you in your development?


2) Communication: he speaks his mind. Granted, it’s in the form of crying, grunting, laughing, and Gibberish... but he does communicate. And he is an attentive listener. When elmo is talking, Cameron is listening! He communicates with me (the leader) and he communicates with Justice(teammate).

Does everyone on your team know their role? Their strengths and weaknesses? The team’s goals? Is this being communicated among coaches and players?

Quick side note: I am the Head Coach of our family; Coach Keene, the lowly assistant. Sorry dear, I told your secret...

3) Enthusiasm: he has a passion for everything he does! When he is happy, he bounces around and his face light up the room. When he isn't, he flail this limbs and cries like a wild hyena.

How much passion do you have for the game? Is your enthusiasm contagious? Do you raise the level of those around you?


4) Structure: he is on a schedule. He goes to sleep at the same time every night, get up at the same time every day, and eat (and nap) at scheduled intervals. He has a consistent routine.

Do you have a daily routine? Do your workouts/practices have structure or are they haphazard?


5) Uninhibited: He does not care about looking cool. He will (literally) crap his pants while staring directly at you. He don’t care if he falls on his face or vomits on my shirt. He is comfortable at being Cameron, and hes not afraid to make mistakes.

Are you worried what others will think if you make a mistake? Do you only practice the skills you are good at so you don’t look bad?


6) Imagination: Cameron thinks outside of the box. He can spend an hour playing with a ball of tissue paper. He makes the most of what he has.

How much imagination do you put in to your own workouts/practices? When you are doing drills, do you imagine there is a defender… or do you just do the drill?

So there you have it, Cameron has figured out the 6 keys to success. Now, it’s Coach Keene and my job, as parents, to make sure Justice and Cameron maintain these traits as they get older. If they go through life with persistence, can effectively communicate, have an unbridled enthusiasm, have a consistent daily schedule, aren’t afraid to make mistakes, and can think creatively… they will be successful in whatever they choose to do. So I ask, Are you a baby?

Happy Labor Day from Our Family to Yours!

The Tub People

We ARE the tub people. We buy more rubber maid tubs to store crap in than anyone in Macomb. We have every color of tub under the rainbow in our basement. Coach had a brilliant idea yesterday, to clean out our storage areas and re-organize all our crap for the winter. I was thinking on this beautiful Labor Day weekend to, ummm, RELAX? On a side bar,that is yet another thing the Keene's are terrible at, relaxing. We are high strung by nature, from daddy bear all the way to the wee little bear..anyhoo. Mission accomplished, one storage area organized, yet about 4 more to go. So what do you think the hold up was? Yes, indeed, we needed more rubber maid tubs. The entire Keene tribe made a fast trip to Wal-Mart, two carts and all, and loaded up with more flipping storage tubs. I swear we are nuts. After 12 long family hours of organizing, we threw in the towel, at least for the night. We have the basement left and my closet. Oh wait, and another closet. Good progress for 1 day, but believe it or not, we need more tubs. Good gravy...

Speaking of tubs, have you ever read the children's book, "The Tub People?" A drama in the lives of seven wooden figures: parents, grandmother, doctor, policeman, child, dog. Mostly, they stand in that order on the edge of a bathtub; sometimes they have adventures in the bath--riding on the soap, bobbing about. One day, as the others watch in helpless dismay, the child goes down the drain; the others mourn his absence till at last the drain clogs, a plumber is summoned, and the child is restored to the family--which gets a new home on a windowsill whence the vast mountains of a rumpled bed may occasionally be explored. And now, for the first time, the child quietly changes position to stand between his parents. The unspoken, unseen other story, in which a human child plays with these toys, makes this curiously intriguing. Justice really likes this book. I find it rather unusual, but it works.

Well, guess I will get my dirty little people into the tub. We had a fun day at Grams and Papa's and this momma bear could handle a few quiet minutes tonight in the tub herself...Happy Labor Day!

I Am A Purpose...

Oh, be careful little feet where you go...
Oh, be careful little feet where you go...
Because the Father up above is looking down with love,
Oh, be careful little feet where you go...

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."

Such a crazy week, this small thought today is actually a great meditation for a weekend. No matter the path, the road is already paved. Breathe, one day at a time.

P.S. I love Cameron's teeny lil' feet....dirt and all!

Cameron LOVES His John Deere's

Cameron Sharing His Binkie With Great-Grandpa Terry

JC and Great-Grandpa Terry, Waiting For The School Bus!

Pre-K or Bust~ What A Good Week At School!

There Goes My Heart.....(Sniff, Sniff)

This Picture Captures The Spirit That Cameron THINKS Hes Just As Big As Justice!

Milestones To Remember

A parenting milestone this week. Justice's first day of school.

My heart strings were being pulled emotionally in so many directions, I don't think a map would have helped. My little man put his backpack on over his crisp new shirt and many pictures were taken. Justice was a trooper. He hopped right out of the car. Shook the principal's hand upon entering MacAuthur school and announced his teacher was "MRS. CREMER." We were greeted at the classroom door, finally the point of no return. Who would cry first? Me or Justice?

The teacher said, "Tell your mom good-bye Justice. We have a great afternoon planned!" He turned around, gave me a high five, and headed into the classroom. Then, after two steps he turned, came back outside the door and says, "Mom", while giving me a big bear hug, "I love you." Here I was, on the honest verge of the total ugly cry! I scooped myself off the floor and walk out of the pre-k building with huge tears surrendering down my cheeks. It was the moment I had dreaded since he came into the world. (On a side bar, before I gave birth to Justice, I had planed to take the minimum 6 weeks off of work and put him into daycare. Career was more important. Then, Justice Cater was born, a very late March 7th. Ironically, I took 18 weeks off for maternity leave and my mother retired to babysit Justice. I could never handle a stranger influencing my baby.) And, now, I have lost my control for the first time and I hate it.

He told me today that Grandma Barb was sitting in the reading corner. (My grandmother passed away on July 20th) I said, "Justice, are you sure?" He told me, "Yeah, only two people were allowed in the kitchen area so I went to the reading corner and looked at a book with Grandma Barb." Either he has quite an imagination or she was watching over him on this life changing afternoon!

Congratulations Justice Keene, we are so proud of you this week!!

Cameron and Gan-Pa Dana.

Cameron at Bonkers!

Holy Bubbles Batman...Cameron LOVES the tub!

Be The Change

Yep, my husband has a little black book.

It's not what you might think though. He has been carrying this little piece of innovation around in his pocket for weeks now. Every time he gets a creative idea or has a spark of inspiration, he opens this book and writes.

At night, the book sleeps next to the bed. Coach is a student of life and this book is proof. (It also proves he is alittle OCD, he has placed in tabs for motivational quotes, rewards for players, ways to promote the program, and lastly, new plays/game film.Ha, sorry, dear.) I watch him read books on motivation, I encounter him studying bits of advice from coaches who have walked the walk before and I listen to him as he speaks the swagger to himself before he writes.

Coach loves to lead more than anyone I know. As we embark on the new school year, I pray for wisdom, for him to make good choices. I pray for a path that is filled with encouragement, commitment and celebration. It's often scary to think girls age 14-18 hold our future coaching goals in their hands. There is something about this year, that feels different? This is the first year in a while that the players wear their hearts on their sleeve and will do anything to keep their commitment to win. Players make a team, but heart wins championships. The leader, he committed to "being the change." Will this year's change be enough to win? Only 78 more days and the future becomes today...yes, behind the bench, season #8, ready or not...

Can't WAIT to share our new family photos...To Be Continued...

The State Fair, Our First and LAST...

Wow, it's been way to long. I have thought about the blogging world for days now, it's finding the time to type the love. Where do I even start...decision's, decision's?

Well, I must share Coach and I made a terrible parenting mistake last weekend. Two word, State-Fair! Justice kept begging to milk a cow, he grumbled, "it's allllll he ever wanted." So you know what that meant. The entire family, double stroller and all, loaded up in the 107 degree heat index and decided to embrace the 2010 State Fair. I was actually kinda looking forward to the trip. I think the last time I made an appearance at the State Fair was when I was in 4-H. Yep, I sewed an outfit and won a blue ribbon. I got to model the peach shirt and skirt set on the runway at the State Fair in like, um, 1986. Man, I am telling my age...

I knew before the Chrysler 300 pulled out of the driveway that we should just give up before we left. I made 6 trips back into the house, my already sweat beaded forehead had forgot numerous important items for two needy children. (deep breathe) We arrived at the hot, stinky dust bowl and were directed to park on the opposite side of racetrack. Ya know, only 1/2 mile from actual fair. So by the time we got to the cow milking area Justice announced, "he didn't want to milk a cow anymore!" In parent hour's, it took us way more than you can count on one hand to get the kids ready, drive to Springfield, and NOT milk the darn cow...but Justice won. He refused. So, the trip continued to go downhill from that moment on. He rode a few rides, had a major meltdown in the maze. Coach actually had to go into the kids ride and carry him out. I think Justice just might be scarred for life, when it comes to Carney rides that is. The food was highway robbery. A lemon shake-up, $6 people...geeze. We stayed two miserable hours and surrendered. Our car smelled so bad the next day from our 2 hour drive home that I actually had to febreeze and fresher the entire thing overnight. Coach and I laughed on the way home, as the kids snored in the back from heat exhaustion, we know why the tickets were FREE. You have to be a little loony to battle the fair with two kids and triple digit temperatures! Life Lesson #215, if your child wants to milk a cow, find a local farmer!

The "OH, SO FAMOUS" Butter Cow at the State Fair!

Justice Keene---TOP GUN!

NOTHING is safe at the Keene Ranch these days! Cameron is EVERYWHERE...

Coach and Justice....who is having more fun?

Justice LOVED spending the day with Harley Joe Curless and touring his air tractors!! Justice decided he wants to be a cropduster someday!

Do What Makes Your Heart Sing

"When you discover what you were made for your heart sings. It says, There's no place like this place, so this MUST be the place. Lead with your heart." This is the quote my husband text ed me the first day of work. Its been my motto for the last 9 nine days.

I think I have found my calling. The new job, makes my heart sing. Yep, its alot of work, but work that is meaningful. I watch people bloom right before my eyes. I get to reap the reward of problem solving and discover the feeling of being connected to an actually building. Grand Prairie is more than just a building, its home, on so many levels. I cant believe I drive my car now to an actual location, get out and stay all day. I have people who trust me to lead on every level of administration from the kitchen to the important task of nursing. I had to stop today, and just tell God "thank you" and say a little hello to my grandma.

Once the residents found out I could sing, boy, that opened up a can of worms! I was "afternoon entertainment" the second day. The songs requested were, You are my sunshine and Amazing Grace. I sang from my heart and had to wonder if Amazing Grace was actually a sign from God himself. I promised I was going to serve at my new career with the spirit of my grandma. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.." my grandma sang to me when I was little and came to play at her house. My mom also sang me that song. "Amazing Grace" was a hymn sang by everyone at my grandmas funeral before we said our final good-bye. Kinda gave me chills and I had to fight back a tear as I sang the final verse to all the smiling faces.

Today was a small welcome party for me. My parents attended along with Coach and the boys. Justice was very intrigued with the entire operation. He was thrilled I had an office and wondered "Just WHERE will we put some of my tractors and snacks in here!" Coach shared that once Justice got home, he ran upstairs and found two clear pipes. He stuck them up his nose. "What are you doing" Coach asked? "I am making oxygen go up my nose so I can breath better, like the people at mommy's work." Good try, Justice. I give him points for that...Cameron was a huge hit. Who don't like to see a baby crawl around and smile? He was in excellent humor today. He showed off his teeth and ate some ice cream.

I am beyond exhausted this week. I have even been to tire to blog. I think I went to bed before 9 two nights. Well, school is almost here. Coach is back, almost, into school mode. Working on his room, while the grandma's begin to phase back into the babysitting role. Justice in pre-school. That, for some reason, makes my heart sad. But, we all grow up and we all grow old. I need to remember the journey is our reward of life. Too tired. Nothing like going to work tomorrow at 5:45 AM. Yeah, 3 shifts at Grand Prairie, plan to introduce myself to shift three a wee to early for this first shift gal. Hope my alarms does not fail me tomorrow!

Ode To A Marriage, From Ashley

What is a marriage?
It's vacuuming carpets
and hammering nails.
It's saving a dollar
by shopping at sales.
It's balancing checkbooks
and paying off bills.
It's cleaning the windows
and mopping up spills.
It's doing the laundry
and matching up socks.
It's a washer that dies
when the car needs new shocks.
It's two busy schedules
but one happy life.
With each moment you share
as husband and wife.
Happy 7th Anniversary,
Love, Ashley

7 Year Itch

Lucky number 7. July 26, 2003 Coach Keene and I said "I do" at the alter of the Wesley Methodist Church in Macomb. Coach's grandfather was the minister at our wedding. It was a very touching ceremony, many laughs and a few tears. After the serious stuff was over, what a party!

I don't know how many times in the last 7 years people have said to me, "How do you live with him?" Yep, that screamer and stomp er on the sidelines is NOT the guy I know at home! If you have ever experienced Coach Keene's practice itinerary or his game day previews, you know Coach is a planner, everything is organized down to the last detail with him. (Almost needs therapy "organized") Well, my first experience of his "attention to detail" was our proposal story...


I was coaching golf at WIU. The day he proposed, not only was I hosting my home tournament with 12 teams, but it was the eve of my birthday. My stress level was MEGGA! After the tournament, He drove me home to get ready for a fun filled evening. Yeah, I am not going to lie, I was exhausted, alittle grouchy, and didn't really want to do anything except go to sleep...

He gave me my first "gift" of the evening before he left to give me some much needed downtime. It was a foot spa to rest my feet and relax after two LONG days on the links. He shared with me he would be back in a few hours to continue my evening of surprises.


Upon his arrival, we left in the car together. He asked, "can you pull down the visor"…and a golf cart key fell out. He said we had to make a stop before dinner. Yes, me being the outspoken gal I am, began gripping we were going out there. I had lived at the golf course that week..blah blah blah...We arrived at the golf course, only to find a cart that matched the key sitting next to the pro shop. In much confusion, we rode out to my favorite hole over looking the WIU campus. There was a blanket, a dozen white roses, and a bottle of wine with two glasses laid out on the green. I told my Zach, “this is a great thought, but people are golfing. We cant really have a drink on the green.” He reassured me it was fine, he had arranged for the golf course to close early. We laughed for a few minutes and it started to sprinkle. He then directed me to pull out the flag. Inside the cup was a little bag with a WIU logo ball inside. Under my breath I thought, “nice, I have 3000 logo balls.” In confusion he told me to turn the ball over. It was imprinted with the words, “Will you marry me?” After my SHOCK and then answer of YES…we went to dinner at Magnolia's. Yep, we had a special table waiting for us to celebrate.

Just when I thought the evening was coming to a close, it was time for my last surprise. Coach Keene had planned a surprise party with all our friend to finish the celebration....Yes, he got on one knee and proposed and yes, he met with my dad weeks before and asked for his permission...


I hear people get a 7 year itch when it comes to careers, marriages, houses and cars. Coach Keene and I have a relationship, that I guess to say the least, I just need to keep on scratching! When I am at my worst, he is at his best. When I am sad, he is happy. When I am worried, he is calm. When I was a giving birth, he was on his cell phone. Ha-just had to throw that in there...Coach is the best. He helps around the house and never complains. He helps with the kids and never complains. He does all the little jobs most men don't and never complains. Never a dull moment in the last 7 years and I only anticipate more excitement to come in the next 7.

Happy Anniversary! XOXO

A Life Lived In Service

Barbara Jean Hamilton, 77, of Rushville passed away at her home on Tuesday, July 20, 2010 at 3:45 p.m. She was born on August 17, 1932 near Birmingham, IL a daughter of Wanda and Chester Beckerdite. She married Alvin Hamilton on April 15, 1951 in the Rushville United Methodist Church. He survives along with four children, 7 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Barbara had a loving marriage with Alvin for 59 years and 4 months and always had a strong love of children, so she ran a home daycare for 30 years. She was always a good neighbor and friend. She was an avid Gardener and showed flowers and vegetables at the Schuyler County Fair where she won many top prizes. Barbara volunteered at the HELP Center and served on the 4H Board, when her children were members, for many years. She was selected Schuyler County Mother of the Year and was happiest when her family came to visit. She was a member of Ebenezer Methodist Church. Barbara dearly loved her dogs, gardening, chickens, raising children, going to church and especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

These are my grandmother's words. When she was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease on February 20, 2010, she wrote her own obituary. My mother found this short life story inside my grandmothers bible, at 9:00 PM the day she passed away.

We could all take a lesson from my grandmother. She led a simple life filled with giving to others, never asking anything for herself. She always spoke kind words, never gossiped. Volunteered for everything. Never judged. Always insisted on hosting holidays, even though her house was to small for our overgrown family now. She also gave everyone a gift, even though she probably couldn't afford it. She was the first person to bring me flowers when I was sick, to compliment me on a new outfit or tell me what a good mother I was. Actually, she is the only person, besides my husband, who has ever told me how proud she was of the mother I had become. Kindness spilled from this lady, even in the darkest hour of this terrible disease.

Cameron and I went to visit last week. She was so weak. In the quiet, that afternoon, I spent one hour holding her hand. Actually, used lotion to massage her crumpled up fingers to try to work the terrible knots out. She gave me, thumbs up--since ALS took her voice about 1 month ago she was signing, that it felt good. Cameron would pull himself up on her chair, and bite her foot with his two little fangs. She laughed and laughed while I held her hands. Cameron thought it was funny, so he did it again, kinda became a game. I fed her ice chips, she couldn't eat because this horrid disease even took her ability to swallow away. She was such a trooper. Hospice made her comfortable, living angels I compare this service to. My sister and my mom were with her when she passed. They both tried to find a pulse....she was with the Lord at 3:45 that day. She will be greatly missed, by many.

I start a new journey on Monday. I plan to take my grandmothers spirit with me to work. My Aunt Alice sent me this beautiful little angel, I plan to put her on my desk. Whenever I am having a bad day, or maybe need to find the bright side of life, I will look at this angel and remember my grandmother's joy. How she serviced the helpful, the helpless and the hopeless with enthusiasm. Just like Christ. And, just in case anyone needs a safe place to put a family member that needs to be cared for and loved, I am the new Administrator of the Grand Prairie Assisted Living Community in Macomb. After losing my grandmother this week, the Lord gave me 49 new grandma's to love and learn from...and just maybe, they can learn alittle something from me! ...till we meet again Grandma Barb, but until then, I will honor your spirit in my new career...

Started His Own Band At the Chicago Children's Museum Block Party!

The Chicago Children's Museum was a blast...and Justice was serving an older woman at the block party!

Holy Cow...From Harry Carey Himself!