The Farming McAfee's: Kickin' it old school

After my riveting post last week on all of Brad's hobbies, he lovingly reminded me of one that I left out. I can't believe I forget it 'cuz it's the one that's getting ready to start!

Wakeboarding & Boating! Maybe I forgot this one because it's the one hobby of his that I'm allowed to join in on. The other ones are purely for selfish purposes!

This is our ski boat. Brad hearts it..like in the way you heart something, but want to change it. Nothing else would do after we bought it than for him to spend around $300 to get the big pole sticking up out of it so they could "get higher jumps" off the wake. Blah, blah, blah. NOW (this is gonna be a big surprise) he wants something else for it. A tower (which is like the pole, but it holds their boards, etc.). Yes, it would be excellent to have one because we usually have a gazillion people in it & all their boards, ropes, etc get in the way. Those things are like $1000. He's gonna have to save a little bit of moola before we fork out for that!

His dad got scuba certified a few years ago...& you guessed it...Brad wants to get certified as well. I've had quite a bit of luck at holding that one at bay...but who knows for how long? You have to buy your own equipment & that stuff's hella expensive too.

For now, he mooches his dad's equipment when we're @ the lake (I've taught him well...).

I threw this one in for good measure. I had just gotten a new 35mm camera that had...a timer! This is my attempt @ practicing w/ it! I think the date says 1998...

Back to me. Finally! Ok, so I was a bander. I've told you this before & you better not judge me. I can't help it I was hella talented! It all started @ the tender age of 5 (yes that's right) when my mother drug me to piano lessons. I took lessons w/ that teacher until I was a freshman in high school. Then the teacher told my mom that she had taught me everything she could & that I needed to go to a different teacher (told ya I was good...). But the worst part of the aforementioned piano lessons is that I had to do recitals. And I was fuh-reakishly shy. And I hated it!

On a side note-'cuz I KNOW you're curious - I took lessons from a nazi piano teacher in Corydon for 2 years. If you haven't figured it out - I didn't LIKE to play the piano. MOM liked me to play the piano. She'd pick me up after school for my lessons & one time I forgot to not get on the bus & my mom was P-I-S-S-E-D! She thought I did it on purpose. But I didn't, it must've been my subconscious talking. This teacher was a hard ass! She would scold me: "Your nails are too long!" "You need to practice more." "You need to memorize your recital pieces!" WHA? Memorize them when I'm fuh-reakishly shy & just getting in front of people to play is a form of water boarding torture to me? Don't think so! So I finally begged & cried & complained enough that mom signed my pardon. No more piano lessons for me! (Let me also mention that the teacher was NOT cheap. It also saved her money by me quitting!) -Yup, I'm a giver!

But back to the bander thang. I played flute in the band from 6th -12th grades. I didn't quit that. Never wanted to. I was part of a bigger picture. Not the focus. Perfect for shy lil' ole me!

In 1991 we went to the Smokey Mountains for a competition. I am in the front row, 2nd from the right.

And we won! This is me & a couple of friends w/ our rad trophy!

The senior group in 1994 was pretty big. This is all of us @ the band banquet. I am in the front row, 3rd from the left.

Senior banders again. I'm like 4th from the left. Right behind Chad. I will also say that looking back now, we had so much fun! Now that I've been out of school for (gulp) 15 years, it's sad that once everyone graduated, they moved on & moved away & started their lives & made new friends.

In 1992 we made it to the State Marching Band Competition. It's a VERY big deal...to banders. Do ya see the Colts helmet? Yes, I was on their turf! It was the RCA Dome way back then! Our show was songs from "West Side Story". We made this heart @ the end. I can't remember where the heck I was in the heart!

Before the competition:

I had some wild bangs!

I thought this one was funny! I collect Barbie's. And I love the movie "Gone With the Wind". There was never a happier day in my life when they made Barbie into Scarlett O'Hara. This is me getting one of them for Christmas!

Self portraits w/ our dog, Peanut! These are probably 1993-1994...

We went to Florida in 1999 for our honeymoon. We stayed @ Brad's grandma's house. We went to Orlando for a few days & one of the places we went to was "Sea World". This is after the Shamu show...