An All-Star Weekend

Over 600 miles on the road...
...And one fun-filled, exciting weekend.

We headed West Friday morning for our five hour drive...destination Lubbock.  Texas is one huge state that for sure; you drive for hours and never leave the Lone Star State.  Three cars and thirteen people, all headed to watch Brooke play in the invitational Texas 6-Man Coaches Association All Star Game which was held on Saturday at Lubbock Christian University.  Brooke had been in Lubbock since Monday meeting the coaches, other All Stars and getting ready for the East vs. West game.  Pretty exciting honor I think...being selected to represent Walnut Springs and play ball with some of the best basketball players across Texas. 

Well, after years of wearing Royal Blue on the court, Brooke represented the West wearing her white #5 on the front of a Red jersey.  And, even though it had been a while since her last basketball game, it didn't take but a half a second for Brooke to feel right at home on the court.  It also didn't take but a half a second for all of us in the stands to feel right at home cheering her on and trying to tactfully encourage the refs make the right calls.  There was quite a few of us there too (Brooke's biggest fans...Dad, Me, Colby, Cameron, Corey, Grandaddy, Mi-Mi, Memaw, Papaw, Aunt Teresa, Shelby, Mario and Desi) all dressed in our one of a kind, sapphire, All Star t-shirts, custom made to show our support. 

Brooke & her Coaches Representing the East-Side

It was a rough game.  The East girls had quite a bit of height and came out in attack mode.  A lot of the game looked more like arena football than it did a basketball game.  Brooke took a couple big hits which resulted in fouls, she gave a couple fouls, and put up 5 points for the East and her traveling fan club. Even though the West walked away with the victory, I think it was definitely an experience none of us will ever forget. 


Just part of the football, I mean basketball action

The All Star game might have been the highlight of the weekend, but it wasn't the only excitement going on in Lubbock, Texas.  Friday an electrical transformer blew up, knocking out electricity for half of Lubbock.  Apparently, Dad and I were sleeping pretty heavily, because we were the only ones who slept right through the "Big Boom", the sirens, and the heat.  This power outage, caused a city-wide "Don't drink the water - Boil notice".  This boil notice came after the men of the house had drank a pot of coffee, and several of us girls had brushed our teeth.  Eeek!  Our plans to cook a big breakfast before the game went downhill pretty fast too.   You can't make pancakes without water. 

After the All Star game on Saturday, we decided to try our skills at Indoor Cosmic Golf, Scallywag Laser Tag, and Lubbock's Fastest Go-Carts at Dave's Need 4 Speed.  We all played a pretty good game of mini-golf, but we should have known better than taking Mario, a Walnut Springs Golfing Pro with us.  Dad and Grandaddy did give him a run for his money though. 



Cosmic Golf & Scallywag Laser Tag

 After 18 holes of golf, we headed over to the Scallywag Laser Tag.  We were issued our guns, issued the rules, and scrambled in to find the best hiding place where we could get the most hits.  We were scattered throughout the barrels and crates, on top of the pirate ship, inside the pirate ship, and hidden in the dark corners.  The music came on and it was a free-for-all, we all became top-knotch marksmen, diving from one barrel to the next, ducking the laser fire from what used to be our family - they were now our sworn enemies, and we fired shots like expert snipers from the top and windows of the ship.  The music stopped, the game ended, and we proudly strutted out of the battle zone with sweat beads on our foreheads and a little-bit winded.  When it was all over, Mario mentioned to us the number one rule, which was posted on the walls and expressed to us before we ever got started....Absolutely No Running....That rule was broken as soon as the game started and broken by all of us.

Our next adventure, the go-carts....Cameron and Corey took their place in line at the road course.  This was the first time, they were both able to drive by themselves.  As soon as Corey took that step down onto the track, his game face was on.  His smile turned into a serious look of determination.  Cameron's laid back personality never missed a beat.  Cool and calm he strolled to his go-cart.  The race was on.  Corey in first place, knuckles white from the grip on the steering wheel, and Cameron cruising around the track like it was a Sunday drive in the country.

The rest of us, couldn't hardly wait to get over to the Sprint Kart, oval track with 2-ft. banked turns and get behind the wheel of the winged, Outlaw-style Sprint cars.  Doesn't that sound mean?  The light turned green and we were all professional drivers ready to make the big bucks.  Dad and Grandaddy ran wide open on the slick track, which ended up causing them both to spin out.  I think they might have done that on purpose though.  They of course wanted to win, but spinning out is a lot of fun too.  The light changed to red and the race ended, and we climbed out of the car fully expecting a call from Dale Jr. asking us to drive for him. 

I absolutely love watching Brooke play ball, and I am wishin' she had many, many more years of basketball.  I guess we have to let them grow up sometime.  For sure a great weekend filled with wonderful memories I will always cherish.

Until next time...
...We're gonna keep on doin' it Townley Style!