K-State Football

It's FOOTBALL season!   

Steve's sister and parents had extra football tickets a few weeks ago, so we got to go! 

Well, Paige stayed home (and was less than thrilled) but she had a super special day

with Grandma Roth!  Grandpa Roth rode with us to the game--that was fun!

I'm not sure why the boys have such serious faces!!

I think I might have told them NOT to smile---because I didn't want their "Cheesy" smiles!

This is Jaden yelling "AHHHHHH" to distract the other team!!

And, then the thunder rolled....

The skies got dark
and we had to take cover with 2 little boys.
We first headed to the concession stand, not thinking it was really going to be that bad.
We got hot dogs, pretzel, and drinks.
And, then it started raining HARD, so we hid out under the stadium, for a little over an hour.
Amazingly the boys did pretty well.


A few hours later we returned to the game and it ended with a WIN!!!

We cannot wait until we have season Football tickets!  
Maybe in a few years!!

Ballet

Paige has waited for the day she could take DANCE!!!

We finally got her signed up at the YMCA.

Saturday mornings, 10-10:45am

The first week, I was out of town at Premier meetings and Steve knew I was sad to miss taking her to her first ballet class.  

So--he so appreciatively emailed me a few pictures on my phone--

that made me smile!

She is so big.  I keep telling her to STOP GROWING, but she won't listen!

Week 2 -- mom took more pictures at class!

She really listens and pays close attention to her teacher, Ms. Elizabeth.

Sydney Update

I am so far behind on my blogging!  Our lives are CRAZY!!!  I was so far behind anyways and then Sydney got sick and I have not even thought about it.   So--I am going to attempt to do lots of posts this weekend!

Day 1 of being in Michigan with my niece Sydney and her family (my brother, Stacy, and Jeremy!)  Sydney and I laid on the couch a lot today and then went upstairs to take a nap in her bed.  Then, back down-stairs to the couch!  Aunt Stefanie is not a "sit on the couch" kind of girl!  But, if cuddling is what Sydney needs, then that is what she will get!!

Sydney is doing pretty good. She is not getting SICK from the chemo--she is just SUPER SUPER TIRED!  I just feel so bad for her, just laying around.  I wish I knew what was going through her mind all day.

She hates her medicine.  I think, well, I KNOW...I gave her this trait.  I used to HATE medicine.  My mom and dad had to literally SIT ON ME, to get medicine down me.  Not so good times.  So, I understand.

The Dr. said that Sydney is screaming and throwing fits about her medicine because that is the ONLY thing she can control.  Makes complete since!

We did have time to paint our nails today and Syd's toe-nails. So, that was something fun we got to do.

I love my Sydney girl so much.  But, it does make me miss my kids at home too.

So---love on your own kids extra today.   Keep praying for Sydney.  She is fighting this thing. She is doing so well.  We just want her to continue!!  The Dr. said this is the fastest they have seen someone fight off the cancer cells.  I believe it is because SO MANY people are lifting her up in prayer!

Day 2 in Michigan--Sydney was much more vibrant and alert today!  We played LOTS of games.  Well, LOTS of Skip-Bo Junior and Sorry Revenge!   They are super fun card games!  Jeremy asked if I would go to his soccer game today, so of course, I did!  That was fun.  He is an AWESOME soccer player and scored a goal for me!!

Football helmets

Jaden and Tyler have become OBSESSED with FOOTBALL, the past few months.  Football is all they want to play.  They come home from school, or from anywhere for that matter, and want to head right outside to play FOOTBALL.  TACKLE football.  They just throw each other down, it's either funny or scary, I can't decide.  Steve tries to get them to just play CATCH,

 but they don't like that.

They are always asking dad to come play football with them.  And, he usually is a good sport and plays with them.

Luckily Paige is the cheerleader, so I get to "help the cheerleader" and I don't have to play!!

So--one day, the boys decided they needed helmets for football....

and this is what they found.

Can you see it?

They are using UNDERWEAR as helmets!!
Now--that is creative!

Hilarious!!

I had to call the neighbor behind us---whom we share a backyard with-- and make her aware of this funniness that she may be seeing if she happened to look out her window. 

I shouldn't have called her---wouldn't that be funny to look out your window and see kids playing with UNDERWEAR on their heads!!  It was clean underwear!!

Hike...

Tyler for sure knows more about football than I do and Jaden is quickly catching up.

They are too funny!

We feel bad we didn't sign them up for football this year, but their LOVE for football really started after it was time to sign up.  And, we just needed a break after both boys playing baseball

 this summer.

But, basketball is getting ready to start!!  YEAH!!!!!!!

Hopefully we will soon replace football with basketball in the backyard.

Sydney Ann

Me and Sydney!!

Sydney is my Niece who does not live in Kansas! 

Yesterday Sydney, 6, was diagnosed with Leukemia.

In one day, she went to her regular physician, was diagnosed with Leukemia,

 and taken straight to a Children's Hospital.  And, tonight, 2 days later, she started Chemo. 

No one should have to go through this---but especially a 6 year old.  

Sydney is my BUDDY!!!  When we see them, she RUNS and gives me the biggest hugs.  We only see them a handful of times throughout the year, but she will sit on my lap for days, just like we're always together.

  I LOVE THAT!!!  She loves her Aunt Stef and her Aunt Stef LOVES HER DEARLY!!!!

My heart is breaking.  I just think about her, my brother, my sister (in-law) all the time.  

They said in 4 days all her hair will be gone.  SO---today I was on a mission to buy her some FUN, CUTE hats, scarfs, etc.  And, we hit the jackpot.  I am so excited for her to open her box next week and see all the SEQUINS!!! sent from her family in Kansas!  Paige picked her a hat and said,  "it looks like a Rock-Star"!!  

Perfect!!  Syd is a ROCK STAR!!!

My favorite 2 verses are---

I can do ALL things through Christ who strengths me.  Phil. 3:5

and

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  Rom 3:5

We surely cannot understand this right now and

 we surely will not get through this without God's strength and help!!  

Our immediate family has been through some JUNK this past year, but this puts things into perspective!  What is really important in life?  Money?  Things?  Vacations?  NO!!

Our family and our relationship with God.  So---these are things we will cherish!  

PLEASE PLEASE Pray for Sydney and my brother and his family.  She has a 9 year old brother Jeremy who needs prayers and love too.

2 wheels

Jaden has mastered riding his bike with 2 wheels!!

For a few weeks---all he wanted to do was "GO RIDE HIS BIKE"

The bad part---as he was learning, he could not start himself.

We had to just hold his bike steady and walk 1 step with him and then let go.

He could do the RIDING part, just not the STARTING.

He couldn't STOP either....

So he would just ride in the grass and FALL!

Well, most of the time he would make it to the grass.

It was quite funny!

Then, I'd have to get up off my chair and go to wherever he was...usually 4 houses down...

and help him get started again.

(Yes, I like to just SIT in my lawn-chair and WATCH my kids!!!)

But, yesterday we all went for a bike ride and Jaden started himself!! 

And could stop himself too---much safer now!

YEAH!!!!  It's official, he can ride a 2 wheeled bike with no help!!

And, believe me...now he does NOT want help!

Jaden

A few updates on Jaden

His new friends---Olivia, Logan, Rachel, and Dominique

*Jaden and Logan*

Logan came to play after school this week.  It was Jaden's FIRST "real play date".  I picked them up from school--we went to Pizza Hut for lunch---then they played all afternoon and Jaden got to skip a nap---pretty great day!!!

Logan played on Jaden's b-ball team last year, but I'm not sure the boys really "remember" 
each other. Jaden and Logan just ended up in Ms. William's Kindergarten class together
 and just hit it off and have become buds!!  

They are going to play basketball together again, this year!


Jaden and Clothes---
Jaden is still at the age where I can dress him "cute"!  The first 2 weeks of school they were reviewing colors, so he had to wear a certain color each day.


On Yellow day---I sort of jokingly suggested he wear his yellow sweater vest and he eagerly agreed!!! (I was caught off guard, because Tyler would have NEVER worn this to school.)

Isn't he SO cute and preppy looking!  I would have my boys looking like this EVERY day, if they would let me.  Jaden even picked out his own shoes for the day!!  

But, instead, Tyler would prefer to wear THIS!!!  
Yes, still super cute, sporty cute!  And, that's ok.
Tyler has done MUCH better this year with not throwing fits about clothes.  And, he actually doesn't wear "sport shorts" too often to school!  


But, Fall is approaching...and that means SOCKS and SHOES and FIGHTS with that!


These are new tennis shoes in the picture and it was just a small battle this morning, so maybe he is getting better....only the cold weather will tell.


Boys, Boys, BOYS!!!!!!!!!!!