WARNING: Picture OVERLOAD! You know me. I just can't stop. And if you are reading this, coming to this blog address, I'm sure you seriously don't mind. Right? Keep going Kristin. Keep firing that shutter button. You go girl!

How much fun did I have last night? Huh? TONS!

Last night was really the kick-off for Homecoming Celebration! It started in the parking lot outside of Pirate Stadium. Riversmiths was feeding the masses and everyone gathered in honor of Cooper's 75 Anniversary. Lots of work went into organizing this puppy and the hard work payed off! Thank you Administration and STUCO and everyone else that came out to celebrate!

We had food, girl's basketball, good friends, cheerleaders, BAND, Homecoming Queens and Kings and plenty of laughs and even a glow in the dark THROW FEST. (more on that later)

My daughter, Kalyn is one of the Queen Candidates and it's such a treat for me to be able to photograph her excitement. She's beyond surprised, shocked, happy. When I was chatting with her last night before she climbed the firetruck to ride over to the stadium with her candidate friends, she said all this feels so girly and special. DEFINITELY not the way we normally feel before a game, no? LOL I'm happy for her.

Part of the program last night was a Cooper ISD History Movie, put together by Alan Vinson and various other Cooper peeps. It was pretty darn cool watching, as we've only been here for 6 years, so I really didn't know the history. I mean, other than hearing Marcus, Jill and Garret (Devin's cousins and alumni) chat about their experiences. A common thread throughout the presentation (and the night) was community. FAMILY. That's what I picked up from attending the celebration. Even though Devin and I did NOT attend Cooper Schools, I mean, he will always be a Slaton Tiger, and me a Stigler Panther, (yeah, look that one up), we do attend as a family. When we decided to bring our family here, as a family we are COOPER PIRATES.

And I'm proud.

Enjoy the picture show!

Kristin | Cooper Pirate

This was TONS of fun for me.

Every year the Cooper Alumni BB Players come home to Cooper to play in an Alumni Game. The Odds against the Evens. For the year you graduate. Anyone can come and watch and no they don't practise aghead of time, but HELLO! These girls got game! They get after it and get after it hard.

Most Homecoming peeps don't even know this is taking place. But last year, they broadcast the game on the BIG screen and I told myself then that I wouldn't miss it this year. So, I walked my happy self over and photographed some alumni basketball!

Oh, yeah!

Here's the EVENS.

And here's the Odds.

And I know I already facebooked this series, but HELLO! I had to blog this as well. It's Cooper girls, Ashely and Bethany! HELLO! Were they not having a total blast! But don't let these faces fool you. These girls were here to play. And play they did! I was impressed by everyone out there. They posted up, they played defense. The pressed. Fun to watch and even more fun to play.

The predictable "lets shoot ourselves photo" I've gotten pretty darn good at. This is Kalyn Marie and me before she climbed up on the fire trucks.

And the Cooper cheerleaders? They are always good for a quick mug shot. You girls NEVER disappoint!

And hey! I even got Pam in front of my lens for once. My partner in lens crime, we are getting pretty darn seasoned at tag teaming for each other at shooting events. Thank you, Pam!!!

All the fans and supporters were out in full force! Here's my favorite set of twins and a friend. Go Girls!!! I have a feeling, long after my girls are gone from Cooperville, these girls will be my main focus of shooting at Cooper. Just wait and watch.

Okay, Mr. Carpenter, below? Longest running superintedent EVER at Cooper. Pretty cool that he made the effort to be there. Thank you, Sir.

And my neighbors on the farm, Denise Shafner, below. Many times a Bednarz Farm tractor was parked in her front yard so we could even go home. We would leave our cars on her gravel and ride a tractor home because our farm road was AWFUL. I will forever be grateful to have had them as neighbors. And her front yard has this wonderful lit up cross that many times, helped me find my road home in the dark. I always used it as a land mark (still do when cruising down Woodrow Road) to find my turn home. Thank you, thank you!

Last night, her family was honored by receiving the first EVER Cooper Pirate of the Year AWARD. How cool is that? Her sisters were there and their family to receive the award in honor of their parents. Things got pretty emotional, let me tell you. And you know I'm an emotional junkie when it comes to photographing things like that. So, HELLO! I loved this part of the evening!!!

Thank you!!!

And someone reading this, please let the family know to email me at info@kristinbednarz.com and I will make sure they get copies of the photos I took.

And if I'm butchering someone's name, comment below and I will correct it. I promise!

Announcing the Queen candidates! These girls are BEAUTIFUL!!!! And I love how they all waved at the crowd!!!!

We ended the evening with a "Glow performance" by our band. All the lights at Pirate Stadium were turned off and all the glow sticks came out!!! And even after the music stopped, the glow sticks were THROWN and chunked and all you could see was glowing projectiles EVERYWHERE!!! It got a bit crazy, but no one was hurt in the process.

That I know of.