Carving pumpkins!

Last year we PAINTED our pumpkins!  This year...we are back to CARVING!

 

FIRST---draw what you want to carve

 

 

 

 

SECOND--get the "mess" out of the inside!

Guess who didn't like the messy inside!?

THIRD--CARVE!

Yes, Tyler and Jaden both got turns with the KNIFE!!! 

There were just a few scares of fingers coming off!

 

 

 

DONE!  Jack-o-lanterns!!!

Another FAMILY NIGHT completed!

 

Paige CHEERS!

Back in September----Paige did a morning CHEER CLINIC and then got to perform at the HALF time of the Goddard JV Football game!

 

 

The best part was hanging out with REAL Cheerleaders!

 

 

 

 

I'm not sure how many cheers they did, because I was busy snapping pictures!  Then, they did a DANCE ROUTINE and I kid you not---I got my camera turned to video, pushed play, and the "dance" was over!  The parents all laughed.  We waited nearly 2 hours for half-time and then the girls cheered for 3 minutes!  (And, NO!!!  It's not because it took me so long to change my camera setting.  It really was that short!) 

But, Paige had fun!  That's all that matters!!!

 

I don't know if Paige will be a cheer-leader, continue with dance,  play sports herself, or something different!  But, we do think it would be FUN if Paige cheer-leaded for Jaden's sports!  How FUN!!!

A few more for Jaden

A few more random football pictures of Jaden!

 

Jaden learned SO MUCH this year!  The coaches over and over said how much he learned and how much he GREW as a player!  The 3rd grade boys took Jaden under his wings and really LIKED HIM!  That was fun to see!   There were days Jaden didn't want to go to football.  Days he didn't want to play football and days he just threw fits!  We are hoping that is just "Jaden" and not actually football.  We are hoping next year will confirm that it was a GOOD decision to have him play football as a 2nd grader.  Parenting is about trial and error!  And, this is an example of trial and error!  Should we have let him play? 

 Should we have not?  Who knows!  He played.  There's nothing we can do about it now!  Steve says next year it will be good that he played this year!  WE HOPE!

Love this picture!  I wonder what Jaden was saying to him! 

Jaden's playing Football!

Jaden is in 2nd grade and playing on the 3rd Grade Goddard Lions team!

Steve had to coach in order for him to be able to play as a 2nd grader!

 

 

Lined up---ready to be announced at the beginning of the game!

 

This picture makes me smile!

Jaden is looking in the stands instead of on the field! 

 He's probably checking to see where his FANS are!!!

 

Look how little he is in that HUDDLE!!!

 

#7 is ready!!!

Jaden has been playing Tight End on Offense and Outside Linebacker on Defense!

(no, I didn't know this--I just asked Steve!!)

 

Get Em J!

After one game Jaden told me, "I got a tackle and they didn't announce my name" (the announcer's)!  How cute!!  I told him sometimes if there are a bunch of guys in the pile the announcer's can't tell who got the first or actual tackle so they don't announce it! 

 But, he told me HE GOT THE TACKLE!!

 

Jaden's FAN CLUB!!

What a treat to have Hallie, Leah, Annie, and Becky

come to the boys' first football game of the season!  The boys LOVED it!!!



Football Season

Tyler's 2nd year of football

One of my favorite things..... the boys running through the line!!!!

 

 

Tyler loves running through the line of parents and fans!!!

 

 

 

Get EM #7!!!

 

And yes!!  He got the tackle!!!!!

Good job Buddy!!!

 

Such a cute picture!!  Tyler's so happy!!!!

 

THE FANS!!!!  Of course the Grandparents!!

PLUS, Leah and Hallie came to the first game to watch "their boys!!" 

 

 This year Tyler is playing O-Line and Outside Linebacker!  He'd rather RUN THE BALL (Running Back) but Steve says he is needed on "the line" so he can BLOCK!!! 

So, Tyler (and mom) are learning that football is  TEAM SPORT!  Without Tyler  (and the O-line) BLOCKING--there would be NO TOUCHDOWNS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tyler really is AWESOME at his position!!!

 

WOW!  I learn so much...EVERY week!!!

Football is not my strength!  It just looks like a mass of boys running and piling on each other! But, I am slowly figuring it out!!!

 

Is it basketball season yet??!  HA!!!

Dance!!

Paige has tried:  ballet at the YMCA, gymnastics, and cheerleading!

Of course---she likes it ALL!

This year we are going to try "Real Dance"!

 

 

So far, I am quite impressed with the studio and the instruction!

 

AND NOW---I understand why my mom wouldn't let me take Tap, Ballet, ......AND JAZZ!!!  and Piano and basketball and everything else I did!

$$$$$$$$

 

 

Paige---September 2012---6 1/2 years old

 

 

First Day of School

 3 full months of SUMMER....over....and time for school to start again!

           Tyler--- 4th Grade                              Jaden--2nd Grade                        Paige--1st grade

Waiting patiently for the bus...

no tears the first day...for the kids

 

THEN--I jump in my car and follow the bus so I can watch the kids walk into school

on the first day and get pictures at school!

 

 

Will I get to do this next year for Tyler???  In 5th grade??  maybe not!

 

On the way to see them at school---I was tearing up! They are getting so big! Did I do a good job with them while they were home? Did I...Should I... Will they....

I love my kids! I just want the best for them! of course!!!

 



Paige walking in with Madeline! 
 Madeline is our neighbor and a new friend in her class this year!



 

Tyler and Harrison---with Jaden right behind!

Paige and Mrs. Rider
I took Paige to class first!  Her first REAL DESK
 (last year was a TABLE with other students).
Real text books. All DAY!  Lunch at school! So many new things! Wow!  So, fun!!

Jaden and Mrs. Whelan
yes, Mrs. Whelan again!  Tyler had her 2 years and now Jaden!

Jaden has already commented that 2nd grade is much more "work" than 1st grade!  He has one of his "best buds"-Caleb L-- in his class.  So, that helps a little! 
Jaden is very intelligent and will do great...even if it is a little harder
 and more WORK and LESS PLAY!!

Tyler and Mr. Kline

Tyler so badly wanted Mr. Kline (a boy teacher) for 4th grade!  I had a male teacher in 4th grade and LOVED HIM!!!  As a girl, I wasn't so sure about it at first---but, I loved Mr. Kent
 (I think that was his name!  HE HE!!)

One of Tyler's strengths is that he can and will make friends with ANYONE!  He didn't have a "best bud" in this class, but he didn't say one word about that!  He was just excited to have Mr. Kline!  In fact, he looked on the class roster list in the hall-way, saw his name under Mr. Kline and didn't even look to see what KIDS were in his class. 
 He was off to meet Mr. Kline!!!
And, of course, he already has a new buddy---Spencer!

SO---they are all in school!  I thought I would be cleaning closets, cooking, organizing, getting caught up and even shopping a bit!  But, I have found myself WORKING!  That is good too!  I have been very busy with Premier!  I am blessed that I have such an amazing job!  And, thanks to my BUSY schedule with Premier....there is still organizing to do, dinners to be cooked, chores to be done!  I find myself counting down the hours til the kids come home.  4 more hours, 3 more hours, 2 more hours....yikes, hurry, what's for dinner?  get the football clothes ready, they are almost home.  An after school snack?!  Hurry, put the brownies in the oven!  YIKES!  Times UP! 
Time to meet them at the end of the drive-way! It's 4:30!!!

And, 4:30pm MELTS MY HEART!
They usually ALL run...but at least one of them each day will...RUN from the bus to me!  They are often yelling or telling me something super imprortant from the street!  They are SO EXCITED to see me and tell me about their day!  I am THANKFUL, EVERY DAY, that I get to be home when they get home!  It's a crazy 15 minutes while all 3 want to show me (and Steve if he's home!) their papers, tell me about their day, and explain their homework!  I mean L O U D and CRAZY!  But, I am thankful I get to be a part of that!

Blessed!  Thankful!  Appreciative!  Happy!