Exciting

photo by Lauren Blake

So the big day is here!! My little brother has moved back home or at least for now! I am super stoked for many reasons: he will be close, he can hang out with me and/or my friends, he will be at the family events, he is cool, he is funny, it will just be plain great. He is moving home with out a job - currently- however I fully believe that the Lord is going to bless him in his boldness and give him a great job right here in his home town. So please pray that his auditions he has May 1, 2, 3 all go fantastically and he will land a great acting or technically job. There is a slim chance that he would look for jobs elsewhere if he doesn't have a job when we get back from our amazing 2 week trip to Australia, New Zealand, Fuji, and Hawaii. Even if that happens I am okay with it because he will have been here for a few months. If the Lord wants him to go somewhere else for the job of his dreams I'm cool with it as long as I get my quality Markus Parkus time while he is here in KC! I love you little bro - and WELCOME HOME!

The ball is slightly rolling

Well friends I have someone who wants to buy some of my photos. Exciting! I made some greeting cards a few weeks ago, these greeting cards are blank on the inside and have some of my photos on the front. So I took them to work and have been kind of showing them to some of my co-workers and one of them wants to buy 10 however she wants it to have my name on the back (it currently has Shutterfly on it and my name handwritten on there). So I have gotten a few suggestions on how to do that now I just got to finalize on a name. Right now I am just thinking Maasen Photography, as my mom said wow that creative. So any suggestions from my readers would be beneficial.

The Summitt

This weekend I got to go to the 1st round of the women's NCAA tournament, in Tennessee home of my favorite basketball coach. The game was great the Lady Vols won 75-42, the seats were great too: mid-court 11 rows up. Company was good: my mom, peanut, mary ann, shirley, brad, elizabeth and jason. All big hoops fans. During the second half I went with Shirley to try and get right behind the Tennessee bench to take some pictures - and we did! Nobody even asked for our tickets or anything. I took lots of time out pictures. I was so close to the bench I could hear what Pat Summitt was telling her players, I don't really remember what she said because I was so excited I was shaking. I posted a few pictures for you readers to see. It was a great weekend. I almost forgot I did see myself on TV during the ESPN highlights!!!

the Tennessee court - named after Pat Summitt

the pre game dance/huddle

a timeout huddle, I heard her coaching them so awesome

I am pretty sure she is waving at me and saying "thanks maasen for driving down to watch the game. Maybe next year we can have some dinner together and talk strategy."

after the game prayer with both of the teams

Why Do I Coach

Not because I expect you to be P.E. teachers, though some of you will be.

Not because I expect you to be coaches, though some of you will be.

Not because I expect you to play in college, though some of you will.

Not because you are Olympic athletes, though some of you might be.

Not because we will always be State Champions, though we hope to be.

Not because the competition, any competition, is the big picture, or the final goal.

Not just so you can have fun, though I hope you do have fun.

Not just so you can be entertained, though we share many games and trips.

Not just to channel your excess energy, though I will.

Not just so you are out of your parents' hair for a while.

Not because of the financial empire I am accumulating.

Why Do I Coach?

Because life is more than academics, grades, and homework.

Because you are the future.

Because the season's journey is more important than the result.

To help you find self-worth and self-confidence in all you do.

To help you develop strong character and solid ethics.

To make you believe that "Together Everyone Achieves More."

To teach you that each member of the team is significant, and everyone contributes.

To watch you grow from 6th grade runts, to graduating Seniors.

So you can have something to cling to when life is turbulent.

Why Do I Coach?

So you will always remember how to dream big dreams.

So you will experience life, learn from it, and be better because of it.

So you will learn responsibility and time management.

So you will learn sportsmanship, teamwork and cooperation.

So you will learn mutual respect and courtesy.

So you will learn the importance of commitment and follow-through.

So you will learn to face failure and humility, but not crumble.

So you will learn to show pride without arrogance.

So you will learn that disappointment and success are both part of life.

So you will know it's alright to need help and to ask for help.

So you will have positive peer group and be strong enough to stay straight.

So you will learn to trust the people in your life.

Why Do I Coach?

So you will have a way to relieve anxiety, anger and stress in rough times of life.

So you will begin good habits to stay fit for life - and always be in great health.

So you will learn how to work hard, and play hard, and have fun doing both.

So you will always know there are people who love you.

Why Do I Coach?

So you will cherish each moment, and get the most life has to give.

So you can always "Do What You Love to Do."

And because your smiles and hugs are worth everything.

---------------------

So I found this poem that someone gave to me when I became a coach. I found it and I feel like it is how I truly try to coach. Here are a few other reasons that I would like to add.

Why Do I Coach?

So you can see that people other than your parents and friends love you and want what is best for you.

So I can do my best to be involved in your life so that later on we will be friends.

Its not about the scoreboard at all it's about accomplishments.

Its really about life after sports: the weddings, the phone calls, the visits.

I love coaching way more than I love to win games.

beautythrualens

Okay fellow readers the new site is up and running. Allison, Jessica, and myself have been going out and taking pictures at different locations throughout the city. We are calling this 'beautythrualens' - anyways we have a website where we are posting these photos for you to look at. We hope that you like them and can enjoy them. If you see something and would like a print or a digital copy then just email us and we can hook you up.

How to get to the website: www.beautythrualens.tumblr.com (you can also click on the link I have on the right side of my blog page) Keep in mind we are still working out the details of the website and learning how to use it to our and your advantage.

Things you may or may not know about me

So here are some random things about me that maybe you may or may not know. Enjoy!

• I know how to juggle
• My favorite athlete is Cal Ripken Jr.
• I can ride and own a unicycle
• I am 32 years old.
• My favorite color is orange - because it is so bright and bold!
• I have been a KU Jayhawk fan since the day I was born - even though I was born in Missouri. My mom grew up in Kansas and went to KU.
• My favorite ice cream is Peanut Butter and Chocolate from Baskin Robbins. Birthday Cake Remix for Cold Stone is a very close second.
• I have a younger brother who is truly amazing and thankfully we have a very close relationship - it was touch and go there for awhile when I was in middle school.
• I never really like to run until I signed up to run a marathon in 2004-2005.
• I use to work at the Cookie Factory and Baskin Robbins. So I can decorate a tad on cakes and cookies.
• I love taking pictures. It is so fun to see things in a different view.
• I will never be able to cheer for MU even if they ever make it to the national championship.
• I think it would be fun to be a personal trainer.
• I am going to Australia this summer.
• Comfort food: cookie dough and macaroni and cheese
• I enjoy coaching softball the most.
• My favorite place to visit right now is Ann Arbor Michigan - but that will change if Yoh moves.
• Favorite vacation I have been on as an adult would be Jamaica.
• Favorite vacation as a kid would be Disneyland! We got to take the airplane - pretty cool.
• I have never been water or snow skiing.
• Every Valentines Day my dad gets me something and delivers it to wherever I am that day (home or work) - I wonder what will happen when I get married? I hope it continues I like it and look forward to it.
• I helped my dad rebuild my first car - a 19701/2 Camaro - super cool and super fast.
• I get to go to the first round of the women's basketball tournament this spring in Tennessee with my mom. Check that off the 'bucket list' next is the final four for men's!:)
• I really think that I want to look into selling my pictures.
• 2 of my roommates are under the age of 5!
• Coca-cola classic = awesomeness.

Lil Char

January 22nd was my grandma's 86th birthday! This is my grandma Charlotte Marlin, I spent tons of time with her growing up and I honestly still do. Her opinion matters to me in a very big way, she is one of my heroes and probably my first hero or at least close by my to my dad - I was a daddy's little girl - (Mom no worries you are one of my heroes as well but this post is about Granny so you will have to wait your turn). Every time I hear that song by Bette Midler Wind Beneath My Wings - i think of my granny. She will always hold a special spot in my heart.

To be completely honest my grandmas birthday did make me a tad nervous, only because my grandma Maasen died on her birthday back in November. Then I just realized that I was being fearful and I should not live life like that. So anyways today I went over to her house to hang out with her for a few hours. Yep at 86 she still lives in an apartment all by herself - she is amazing and fully alert and is able to do more than me most days. We hung out and watch some basketball - I love that she watches sports - I think it is because my grandpa made her watching them when he was alive (he died when I was in 7th grade). I need to ask her though because she knows a lot about sports and watches all kinds! (She loves golf-watches it a lot, and she watches a ton of Atlanta Braves games, but that is because they are on TBS all the time). I brought lunch for me and some onion rings and a root beer for her from the famous Fritz's (the original)! It was great to just sit and talk to her about all the things that were on her mind. A few of the topics-which are always discussed-were: money, what's new with me, coaching, my trip, Melissa Yoh, and my roommates. My grandma did tell me that I should just ask Melissa really nicely to move back and maybe she would :) and she told me to get Cassie and Belle something nice for their birthdays - because everyone likes presents especially kids. I asked granny then if my present for her birthday was her favorite of course she laughed and didn't really answer but I know it was. It was coffee and coffee mate - FROM COSTCO!!

Here are some things that I will always remember about my grandma:

weekend sleepovers, oatmeal with cinnamon sugar toast, spaghetti and meatballs, swinging on her porch swing, coloring and water coloring with her, playing cards games (old maid, rummy, and the circle game), shopping trips (millions), the trip to Vegas, falling asleep on her lap on the couch, the many trips to Fritz's, watching sports, her being the 1st one to always call me on my birthday at like 7a.m. or earlier, i know that there are many more but it is making me kind of sad so I am going to stop.

Granny I love you and I am thankful you are still in my life so I can still get some quality time. Thanks for being great and loving me unconditionally. I hope that if I live to be your age that I can do things for myself and still be strong and alert like you! You make me proud to be your granddaughter.

PS. The title is Lil Char because Yoh nicknamed her that and I think that granny secretly likes it!