Are you ready for some football?

What do we do now that it's getting dark earlier and there is still energy abounding? Well CJ and Evan have taught Matt and Esther how to play indoor football!! The pics tell the rest of the story;O)

What are the others doing?

Last week I posted on CJ and homecoming...so here's the highlights on the rest of the crew. Matt and Ess are the ultimate spectators, as you can see here. As long as I bring great snacks, warm clothes (for football) and buy popcorn at half time they are really great with cheering on the bros and sis in football, xcountry, & soccer. Matt has his first surgery coming up soon for dental, then on to ENT, and then cleft team. Both of them are busy with preschool, speech, and lots of playing outside while the weather is still beautiful!! Ru has a couple more Saturdays of soccer games before the fall season comes to a close. She averages 1-2 goals per game now and has really improved on her offensive game. She is still a beast on defense! She has gotten into historical fiction and we have had fun reading some novels together at night time before bed. We had a girls night out the other night and went to a varsity girls soccer game. We froze and cheered together and got to watch a double over time with a shoot out at the end. Our team lost by one, but it was fun to have some time together;o)

This dude has amazed me this fall. He has run his first year of high school x-country and is probably in the best shape he has ever been. He is taking a drama class at school and will be part of the set crew for the fall play. He just joined the speech and debate team...which I'm really excited about as I told him maybe now he would be too tired to debate issues with me:O) And he is saving money by mowing lawns to be part of the ski team this winter. We are not avid skiiers any more...too much $$$. So, he has probably only gone maybe 3 times in his life...so I think it's cool he wants to try it out and have some fun! You go Evan!!

What's a Mom to do?

So, I'm sitting with my 16 year old in the van, while he is using my phone trying to find directions on Mapquest to where he is to meet his date and the rest of the group for his first homecoming formal dance. The question did cross my mind wondering if today's teenagers ever plan anything ahead of 15 minutes from now. In the age of mapquest at their fingertips and "phoning a friend" being only a text away...who needs to know where one might be meeting the 6 other couples for pictures until you get in the van, right?" Enough of my soapbox...at least now you understand the exasperated look on my face. Later, I had moments of wonder and awe as I saw my son looking so handsome and grown up with his very first formal date...but for that moment I could only throw my hands up in the air! Not many words I can say...they had a great time...they looked dashing...two great young people with much ahead of them!!

So, here are 5 of the 6 couples. One young man's uncle drove them all to dinner in the "party bus". What fun! I was really happy for CJ. It was fun to see him so excited...he even enjoyed dressing up:O) It is fun and hard to watch your kids grow up...what's a mom to do?

Day to day life with two little ones...

Fall has come in with the most beautiful days! Here are some ways we have busied ourselves and enjoyed the weather. Down by the river throwing rocks. I had to laugh because Matt would dig up the biggest rocks he could find to throw, while Esther hunted for the tiniest to throw. Do you see the form here? She is all ready throwing like a girl and Matt has the follow through...too funny:O)

Hangin' out with our friend Lucy at the fort. Lucy's Mama brought some yummy popsicles. Notice how my kids wouldn't take theirs out of their mouths even to say "cheese"?

This is with our other friend Jonathan on a little nature hike we took in a local park. Matt and Ess turned this little fort into a restaurant and kept serving us pretend food. It was too cute.

This is a new favorite game at home. They each take turns being the teacher. Here Esther is reading to Matt. They get each other to sing too. It has gotten to the point now where when I can't understand what one is saying...the other one interprets for me. It is really sweet to see how close they have gotten in a mere 3 months.

This is why they make me laugh... and poop me out by the end of the day. I do thank the Lord for these two little treasures who bring joy, laughter, and boundless energy into our home:O)

Papa's Visit

Last week was an unexpected chain of events. Rob spent all day in the ER with Papa the day after his arrival. Then I spent the following day with him while he underwent surgery. He was discharged the following day and spent the remainder of the week convelescing with us. Through these unexpected events came several blessings:

• We were able to be there for and with Papa during some hard times where he otherwise would have been without family were he back home.
• We learned from the surgeon and other docs about the severity of Papa's condition and were able to share it with him in person instead of from a distance.
• Papa was able to make it to at least 1 football game and see his grandson score his first touchdown of the season (thank you Lord).
• We were able to have a family "talk" where Papa charged the boys about lessons learned from his vast realm of experiences and where he was able to pass on vast wisdom and encouragement to our family and we were able to pray together and for him!

We thank the Lord for the time we had with him this past week. We pray for more opportunities in the future, but are so thankful for the one we just had!

Rainbows and apples...

Fall has started earlier than usual here in our fair lands...technically it's still supposed to be summer, but it sure doesn't feel like it! Matt and Esther attended their first Rainbows class at our church last night. I was the helper, which was good, as Matt needed a little extra security with 20 preschoolers busy and loud in one room:O) The theme for the month is "I have decided to follow Jesus." So, the kids were included in some foot painting to show their feet will follow Jesus. I love their expressions in these next two photos...especially the look of wonder in the one with Matt as the teacher basically blesses his feet to follow Jesus all the days of his life.

This was our rainy day set up at home as our play needed to be inside for a while. Matt and Esther call this camping after our adventures this summer. They like to set up their blankies and put their favorite toys on them and play. To spice it up a bit, I set the timer and have them trade after so many minutes. Fun to watch...and good for their sharing practice:O)

This last photo is of our starts of our own Appleooza Festival at our house on Sunday. We harvested lots of apples from our trees and did lots of coring. The kids all like to eat the apple spaghetti, they call it, which is basically the peel coming off in long strips. We had a whole apple meal: apple pork chops, apples slaw, apple sauce, and Chef Robere even made spiced apple rings for dessert...yum, yum!!

Last glimpses of August...

Matt's first experience in a playland. He was pretty overwhelmed at first...then watched Esther take a couple of rounds up and down...then he absolutely loved it!!

Esther's best buddy Lucy at Ess and Matt's party. These two have been together several days per week since they were babies...they are very sweet together:O)

Pop and Ruthie at the local county fair. It was pink night. They rodeoed, road rides, ate junk and had a great time. Nana was a trooper and rode the rides with Ru...thanks Nana and Pop!!

Hard to believe we're into Sept. now. All the kids have started the first week of school, including me. Matt now says "Mommy teacher?" I tell him yes. We are headed off to our first football game to watch CJ play...definitely signs of fall!!!