Kaitlynn's Busy Winter

Connor wasn't the only one who was keeping a busy schedule during the winter months. Kaitlynn's commitments across her various sports and activities often took on a life of their own. As both a cheerleader and athlete at her 7th grade basketball games, she often had to bring 2 sets of uniforms in order to perform and play on the same night. As her basketball season came to a close, she had enjoyed the experience with her teammates so much - much more even than she had enjoyed her winter season of cheer. With Connor juggling his own busy schedule, he only managed to attend 1 of Kaitlynn's tournaments toward the end of the season. When Kaitlynn saw him in the crowd, she rushed over to give him a huge hug exclaiming, "Connor! You're here!" It was such a sweet moment but also one that made big brother feel a bit guilty for being absent at most of her games. These two and their over-commitments are something else!

To celebrate the end of their fantastic season of basketball, the 7th and 8th grade girls were able to exchange gifts with their big and little "sisters" at the end of season party at school. 

At the same time as junior high basketball and cheer, Kaitlynn was also involved in the winter activities for National Charity League, requiring many volunteer hours and league meetings to fulfill the chapter requirements. 

But perhaps the biggest time commitment of her busy winter season was her upcoming season of all-star cheer. We were about to hit a stretch of competitions that would really test our ability to multi-task and prioritize across an intense schedule of games, practices, and events. And all the while, this busy girl was in the midst of a growth spurt - growing both taller and more mature with every new day. Time, slow down!!

Connor's Busy Winter

With the new year in full swing, Connor's winter was just as busy as the preceding seasons. Along with maintaining his tough school curriculum, Connor continued to juggle a heavy schedule for basketball as well as ongoing workouts and preparation for the upcoming spring season of Katy Tiger baseball. At Connor's last home game for his sophomore season of basketball, the athletes presented their parents with a sweet handwritten message on a take-home keepsake basketball. It was bittersweet to see the season come to a close!

Before basketball season had even concluded, Connor was already participating in baseball events and workouts leading up to the spring tryout in late January. The baseball tryout consisted of a full weekend of skills, workouts, and scrimmages. There were a ton of boys trying out and they were all hopeful to gain a spot on the team.

Connor was beyond thrilled when his name was on the list for the spring baseball team! He was hoping for a better season than last year, but he would have to wait to find out which team - Sophomore, JV, or Varsity - he would be placed on. There were about 3 weeks of overlap between basketball and baseball season, and Connor had permission from both sets of coaches to participate in both sports during the overlap period. Those 3 weeks were likely the toughest for Connor throughout his entire sophomore year. With early morning basketball practice, a full day of classes, after-school baseball workouts that lasted well into the nighttime hours, followed by an intense workload of homework and studying - Connor was beyond exhausted and barely making it through the long days. The amount of clothing and equipment he had to pack each morning at 5 a.m. was tough to keep up with, and we often had trouble keeping up with the schedule to figure out where Connor needed to be, at what time, and how to prioritize when there were conflicts. Many days you could find Connor taking some practice swings with the bat right before a basketball game or shooting some hoops before heading off to a baseball tournament. By the same token, we would sometimes start the day wearing our basketball spirit shirts only to end the day by changing into baseball. Such was the life in support of this busy kid!

We were so proud of Connor for working so hard toward his goals of playing both sports he loved while maintaining his great grades at the same time. We were all running ragged with this crazy schedule of ours, but we tried to recognize his efforts with a little treat every now and then. 

Another Dismal Texans Season

Amidst our busy fall and winter schedules, the new NFL season came and went with less of a bang and more of a whimper. With a team of questionable leadership, hardly any recognizable names or standup players, and a disgraced quarterback nowhere to be found, it was admittedly tough to cheer on our Texans for yet another disappointing season. Nevertheless, the Courtright family managed to attend the games week after week in a desperate attempt to find some fun and enjoyment in our long beloved Texans traditions. There were weeks when we couldn't even pay people to use our tickets, but our team managed to pull out a few wins despite the embarrassingly empty parking lots. Jeff enjoyed the time together with the kids and their friends, and they still managed to make some fun memories and take some good photos throughout the season.

As for myself, I had a hard time summoning up the excitement or energy to cheer on these Texans. It seems like decades ago when I lived for these NFL moments and could think of nothing more fun than watching our team every week in hopes of that next win or momentous play. Jeff managed to talk me into attending one of the last games of the season. It was shocking to see the difference in the team support from just a couple years ago. No doubt other Texans fans were feeling just as disenchanted as myself. I was stunned at the massive parking lot, completely empty except for us. Thank goodness Jeff brought his 2 bags of peanuts for a proper tailgate. HA!

Although it was definitely not high on my to-do list, I really enjoyed our time together attending the game, cheering for the underdogs, and soaking in the fun stadium environment. Our family has so many amazing memories with this Texans team, and it's hard to overlook the nostalgia from the fun and togetherness we've experienced with this team for almost 2 decades. Here's hoping that future seasons have more fun than frustration for our Courtright fam!