I didn't tell you?

 

My husband LOVES football! In fact, he loves ALL football! During football season he is glued to the games, and plays in 3 different fantasy football leagues!

 

When we found out that Bub was a boy, I think the first word out of Casey's mouth was "football"...ok, maybe not the first word, but pretty close.  Maybe it was the second or third. ;)  Needless to say, he was excited about all the football possibilities a boy would bring.

 

As Bub grew, and boy did he grow! Casey would say, "that's my boy, he's gotta get big", "He's getting ready for an NFL contract." He even tried teaching him "touch down" for his first words!

 

Here are the boys on Bub's first Christmas.  He was 6 months old here, and already sporting an Emmit Smith jersey!

 

 

As Bub got a little older, we could tell that he had no interest in football, non at ALL. He wouldn't even watch a football game...really, he could care less. He preferred action figures, and video games, and then books to any sports. He did try baseball, basketball, and swimming, but sports really wasn't for him. He was a gentle giant, and not competitive at all. He did play golf for school all through middle school, and did really well.

 

His freshman year of high school he chose not to get involved in any sports. 

 I don't think there is a person we come across who doesn't ask, "Wow, you're big.  Do you play football?" He always shrugs and says "No, I don't play sports."  This summer Bub asked me why everyone asked him about sports. I told him that sometimes God gives us gifts that we have to utilize in order to fully become the person he wants us to be.  Maybe his size was a gift, and that he might be missing out on something special that God has planned for his life, if he doesn't use it. 

 

This year Bub is taking weight lifting that is required for sophomores.  One day while he was walking through the weight room the head Varsity coach asked him, "Son, why are you NOT playing football?"  He responded with an," I don't know, I'll ask my mom if I can."

 

ASK ME?  Seriously, ask ME?  YES!! THERE WAS NO QUESTION ABOUT IT!

 GET ON THAT FIELD!!

 

The next day Bub went to practice after school, literally not knowing ONE SINGLE THING about football.  He didn't even have a clue about what offense and defense was. ;)  The coaches have been a dream!! They lift him up each day, and they are teaching him how to be a great football player! I couldn't have asked for a better learning environment for him.  These coaches love God, and you can tell by the way they love these boys!

 

So, in the last three weeks, Bub has played in every game!  The team is undefeated, and the coaches have big plans for him!

 

Bub is also exhausted, and bruised, and HUNGRY!  He's lost 10lbs in this short amount of time! He's also made a lot of new friends, and his grades are the best they have ever been!

 

So, I didn't tell you?  Dad's dream for this boy since he was in utero has come true! :)

Our boy is playing FOOTBALL!!

 

 

Bub, "Bubba" to his team mates and coaches, has to be 6'5" by now?  My husband is 6'3", and looks a couple inches shorter than him.

 

We are so proud of Bub for so many things!  Our hearts are overflowing!

Guess who's next?

 

 

Quarterbacks are little right? ;)



I forgot...

                                                      

 ...about all the FUN things boys do!

 

Mason has learned to climb up on the ottoman.  Actually, the ottoman is now his most

 favorite place in the house.  He is constantly standing on top of it and scaring

me to death.  He's taken some big tumbles off of it, but I can't get him to stop.

 I've taught him how to get down safely, but sometimes he puts his own spin on it! ;) I have a feeling that Mason will be the child that makes my hair turn gray!

"Rooster" and "Monkey"

"Rooster" by: Trinity

 

 

"Monkey" by: Anna

Green Grass...

We found A LOT of green grass today while Anna was at tumbling! It's a sight we don't see

very often. When we do see it, we jump out and enjoy it!

Just real quick...

Here is some of this weeks fun!

 

Anna learned calligraphy as part of her study of China.

She LOVED it!  I was impressed with the little kit that included all the items she needed.  It had several brushes, a porcelain brush holder, and ink bowl.  She got to "make" her own ink from the ink stone, and it came with a stone to "seal" her artwork with. She wants to frame it, and that's exactly what we are going to do! 

 

Trin went back to her gymnastics class this week, and thought she needed to dress up a bit.  She put her pretend make up on to make her look even more beautiful! ;)

 



 

 Yes! Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, is this FUN!

 

 

Anna made the year round swim team. I was so proud watching her tryout.  This is one sport that Anna does well in.  She glides in the water, and she's so pretty to watch.

 

 

Noah's Ark was one of Trinity's Bible stories this week, and today we saw a rainbow!

 

God keeps his promises, and his promises are beautiful!

 

Gotta run...

 

As Bub said this afternoon...

All of us, in different directions, survived the first week of school!  We are learning, adjusting, changing, and growing. And, it feels good!

Bub is taking the bus to school this year.  He is just newly 15, and we are in no hurry for him to drive.  The school commute is not an easy one, and the drivers here are CRAZY! It also scares me that most everyone I drive past is texting on their phones. So so scary!

It's been nice this week to see the sun rising!  I normally can't see it peeking out until I get out of our neighborhood, but each day it takes me by surprise.  It's like....Hello Sunshine every single time.  Soon those warm rays will fade and I will be so sad.

I still can't believe that Bub is in the tenth grade!?? When did that happen?  I still remember that brave, scared little boy on the first day of Kindergarten who gave me the strongest hug and told me, "I willwe wuv you mom!"  I thought he was going to cry that day, but he never did. I was the one who left in tears. Bub has told me every school day since, that he loves me.  People think he's a great kid, and say that I'm a wonderful mom, but you know what I think?

  He made me that way!  He is gold, and I'm so glad that he is mine!

He is a MESS!!! A cute mess...No other words!!

Yes, we can school anywhere, even in the bathroom it seems.  I needed to shower, and really get ready one day this week while Mason was napping.  The girls followed and did their lesson in the bathroom. ;)

I have to share a really cute funny story from this week!

In one of Anna's school books it suggests that we take a city from the 10/40 window and pray for them each day.  Anna chose a city who's name sounded out sounds like wan-gah-doo-goo that is in Africa.  We have been praying for these people daily. 

Well, yesterday Trin decided to lead the morning prayer, and she prayed:  "Dear God, please help all the people who live in camel doo doo.  They need your help."  It was so funny, but no way could I correct her, or let her see me giggle. 

 When she talks to God she is serious, and gives it all she has.  She was proud that she remembered all of  those people in camel doo doo who have never heard of Jesus.  I was proud of her too!

First Day of Homeschool



We started school today, and I think it went really well!  It was a learning process, and there are several things that I will do differently tomorrow.

1. get Anna started on her work before I start with Trin. Trin finished all of her work way before Anna, and was upset that I did not have more for her to do.  She insisted on doing school work until Anna was finished with all of hers.  That meant she got to work on the ipad for a long time.  That made her happy.

2.  Tomorrow, Mason will not be confined to the same room that we are in.  I'm putting a gate on the stairs, and closing all the doors so that he has free roam.  He had the whole room torn apart, and the door to the play kitchen broke off in about 10 minutes.  (My girls never broke anything, and it seems my boys break/broke everything.  Why is that?)

3.  I will not decide that the game of Memory will be a good idea to break up the work schedule.  The game took forever, and we ended up not even finishing.  Trinity won, so she was just fine stopping the game. :)

4. I will pre read Anna's spelling book, so that I don't look silly when I don't understand the book at all. That way, I can make sure we finish start the lesson. ;)

Here are a few pictures from the day.  These were taken on my phone, so they are not the best quality.  The lighting in the school room doesn't photograph well.  The pink curtains throw it off.



One of my favorite moments from today:

Trinity: Miss Teacher?

Me: yes, Neen?

Anna: You don't have to call her that.  You can still call her Mom, you know.

Trinity: Well, right now she is teaching us, so I will call her Mom.

Anna: Well, she's been teaching us our whole life.  She's always been our teacher.

TRUTH...right there folks.  The kind that makes you cry!

We also all had a good laugh at lunch today when Mason tried on Anna's glasses.  Doesn't he look just like Chicken Little! Hilarious!

I hope all of your kiddos have a blessed first day of school!