Happy Halloween!

By golly I took a lot of photos between Halloween parade and parties at school and trick or treating, so someone needs to see them! Perhaps because so many years we had activities on Trick or Treat and had to rush, but this year we really let the children just have fun doing the whole door to door thing! Last year we did not even go because we had AWANA and Collin did not want to go before dark. This was Makenzie and Morgyns first night here in KS so we stopped by to say HI. They don't do Halloween so we actually trick or treated with our friends the Rusts Even the grown ups had fun (except I had a cold and by the end of the evening my runny nose was driving me crazy!)

Here are a few photos... outside Mom Mom and Pop Pops with Mak and Morgyn

Hans a confederate soldier and his friend EliAlan the cutest cowboy ever!Erin and Sydney were gymnists...Our principal was the man with the yellow hat from Curious George! LOL!!!

Here they are picking up some candy and a final trip to Bill and Paula's! That's one good end to the night!

Choir Concert

This was Erin's first 5-12 Choral Concert, thus Collin's 2nd. Mr. Comley is the director and he always does a fabulous job! Here are some photos, we were so far back that the video I took would make you queasy! The theme was Africa, so many of the songs either had an African rhythym or were not in English! My mother was in town and was very impressed. I remember choir concerts when I was in 5 & 6th grade not being so good! Here are a few photos.

The first number involved both HS, JrH and 5 & 6th:

And some pictures... Collin makes a tackle

Can you tell by my absence that the craziness has continued! Two more weeks of football (well today and then championships are next weekend) and then a break right? Wrong! Then we can start the pre-Holiday busyness! I'll do some football updates, first.
Collin has really enjoyed football and I thank his coach for that! His attitude is stellar and he just pours his heart into those boys! Some teams have 3-5 parents coaching, AB does almost all of it alone and I have never heard him mouth off inappropriately to those boys. It has taken Collin a while to accept that he is not a star on the team and he does not often get to "touch" the ball. He is learning to be a team player and use his body for a tackle! Here is one of those exciting times he got the ball. Unfortunately, he did not get to hold it long!

That's a Wump!

Many of you know that Alan's nick name is Wumpy. Well, he did it again. He would not approve of me posting this because it really upset him. However, I just have to share and save the evidence of this... the worst black eye I've ever seen! He was just getting paper from downstairs and came running (cough cough) upstairs, tripped and hit the stair edge right on the outside rim of his eye. I was nauseated when I saw it and had to have my neighbor feel for "broken" areas. Thankfully, he is fine, but what a shiner!

He is not winking! This is just how swollen it was that first morning.

This was later that day...

and then the deep purples were day 2 after the crash. He is happy here, because he is heading to the field to harvest corn with daddy!

Third Day

This is Friday, my day off and this song keeps going around in my head! We have been so busy the past few weeks and the end of this phase is not until October. I have learned that I am an introverted person that really needs down time, more than just an hour or so at the end of a day. Lately, it feels like things are very out of control... so help me God! Please!!!

Slow Fade repost: the other site dropped us!

Kick off Return

Twelve years ago...we started a journey... parenthood!

Collin turned 12 on 9/22/08, how does this happen? It just dumbfounds me, how can he be 12 years old, that means 12 years has passed since I first laid eyes on my first born. Enough nostalgia, I'm sure I'll revisit this as we hit the teenage milestones. For now let me recap the birthday weekend highlights!

Saturday: Game day. Collin's football team played Anthony in Kingman and they won 27-0. Go Bearcubs! Collin was a little down that he did not get any receptions, but his spirit lifted when he realized I got a video clip of him returning the opening kickoff. (You know if it's on film it really happened!). He is thoroughly enjoying this football thing and I am glad we gave it a go!

Collin actually spent some time on the offensive line, this is him going low to try to keep this guy from getting through!

Collin returning the kick off pass.

Sunday: collin had some friends over for a birthday party. I was a bit nervous having a bunch of tweener boys at our house, but they were so good... they went outside and played war. Beforehand he was getting a bunch of toy guns out and I said, "are those guys really going to want to play with a bunch of plastic toy guns...yup!) I had to nag them to come in and eat (well come in anyone, once in they ate plenty!). They had a good time and Collin really enjoyed it.

Then, we went to Bill and Paula's for the family party. The boys & Paula shot their 22's and then we grilled some burgers, opened more presents, had more cake and went home! Alan unfortunately got sick. He complained of a headache when we finally got to sit down to dinner and then complained that it was even worse... then he threw up! Good thing he did not eat dinner!

Monday: Rootbeer floats for the 6th grade class and again I am amazed at just how sweet the kids were. Other than teasing me for being short (as if I've never heard that before!) they were a great group of 11- 12 year olds!

Happy birthday COLLIN!

Football 9/13/08

Well, the boys first game was lost 25-0 against Nickerson.

Today they lost again but it was 25-6 against Halstead. They were missing some key players and our coach has no volunteer dads helping so he is trying to run the game on his own. He is doing a great job, but it is clear to me now that is a lot to try to manage! I managed to get a few pictures of Collin's action! He seemed to have an off day so I had put the camera down... right before he manages to get an open field tackle:

One of our players with a decent carry

Collin's game face!

How do busy parents do it??????????


As our children were babies/toddlers/ preschoolers Chris and I made a committment to not get too busy with activities! We were intent on only letting each child chose one thing outside of school and church (AWANA) that they would do. Colling: piano, Erin: gymnastics and Hans: baseball and Alan: still undecided. Little things would be added along the way like a basketball camp here or cheerleading camp there. And then we decided to let Collin join the 5/6th grade football through the Rec Com and Erin is competing with her gymnastics. We'd like to get Hans started on the guitar and Alan maybe piano. OK so now it's Monday: piano, Tuesday: football and gymnastics, Wednesday: AWANA; Thursday: football; Friday: now Erin wants to add sign language lessons; Saturday: gymnastics team practice and football games. YIKES We've done it!!! We can't even find time to go to the State Fair because we are activitied out! This is reminding me of how we swore our kids would not have pacifiers when they were 3 or use bottles until 3 or not be potty trained until 3.

Yet, football has been awesome for Collin and he is so gifted at the piano...
Erin love the gymnastics but the sign language is such a neat thing...
And Hans and Alan should get those opportunities too, right????
If anyone has any answers let me know. Otherwise, I'm just holding on for a wild ride!
One sport/ one musical interest and that's it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Shall I keep my humble pie fork for later?

Sterling Bear Cubs taken by Moi!

the hat maker

We had a computer crash last week and I thought I'd lost this. Now it's safe! This is one of our favorite stories read by my hunny!

"I never finish anyth..."

What an awesome testimony. Mark Hall shared his struggles with both dyslexia and attention deficit disorder. (Notice his tshirt?) He is a very talented songwriter and yet he describes frustrating struggles with remembering his own lyrics during concerts and not being able to read the lyrics on the telepromter. In fact these struggles inspired the songs "Voice of Truth" and "East to West". Voice of Truth is not such a stretch. The lyrics describe having the courage like David in the bible story David and Goliath or the courage of Peter to get out of the boat onto the water and follow Jesus. With the band's success, he supposes that most of us think that he is all "fired up" before a concert when he is actually quite fearful wondering where/ when the train wreck will occur. "These are lyrics I've written", he exclaimed!! Truth be told he forgot the lyrics to songs 4 times during our concert and by then end he seemed a bit disturbed by it, but it really only added to the truth of his testimony. On East to West he shares how like, Paul who had a 'thorn in his side' he has asked the Lord to help him and take this all away, but the Lord has allowed it to stay. We do not have to be perfect to earn God's love, but rather we need to see our weaknesses as a time to draw near and cling to him. East to West: "I know you've watched me whine, turned my darkness into light. I need Your truth to get me through, to get me through this time. I can't live by what I feel, but by the truth Your word reveals.

I'm not holding onto you, but you're holding onto me! Jesus you know just how far the east is to the west.... one scarred hand to the other!"

I want to go back....

Slow Fade

Casting Crowns voice of truth

Another fabulous concert!

OK, I need to add "going to concerts" to my list of fav things to do! In the past 3 years, 3 of our fav Christian bands have come to KS! In 2007 it was Mercy Me, in 2008 Third Day and now Casting Crowns! All I can say is, if Casting Crowns comes to a town near you... GO! Talk about encouraging and fun!

The lead singer Mark Hall is a youth minister at his home church and an amazing speaker! His talking in between songs was as good as his singing and that's saying something! I'll need to jot those down because it was just so good!

For the record, here's the concert day run down!

We left early so we could get in line (General admission is not my favorite way to see a concert, in fact I may avoid it in the future! I'm too old for that kind of stress!) There were not many people there when we got there and I was expecting front row baby! Then 2-3 teenagers got ahead of us running into the arena and saved the 2nd-5th rows! And I let them, we sat in the 5th. (it is a Christian concert, right? Someone has to do what Jesus would do!) It is hard to be gracious when you are short, I paid the price when a +6 ft young man sat directly in front of me!

Who cares! Row 6 center was still very good and the conert was just so encouraging!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of course can Chris and I come up with serious photo...? Nah!

Friend Christi from SC and SEBC, she got to endure us alllll afternoon and evening!Lead singer Mark Hall!Megan Garrett piano and background vocals Stage right: Melodee and Juan DevVevo: she plays an amazing fiddle and his guitar is fine!Hector Cervantes plays a wicked guitar! Rocked our faces off a bit... made the teenagers scream too! The drummer Andy Williams played one of the longest drum solo's I've ever heard. This man is amazing! In his office cubicle as they called it! Guitarist Chris Huffman was right where my 6 ft neighbor was so i do not have many photos of him.

Here's one! We had a nightmarish time finding someplace to eat in Dodge City. Restaraunts were less than competent! We finally, after 2 hours of trying ate at Burger King. Sigh, a whopper has never tasted so good! TFL! (thanks for looking!)

24 Hours and counting.....

Not a lot happens in our neck of the woods. I spend entirely too many weekends doing absolutely nothing! So we get a nice letter from a Chrisitan radio station that Casting Crowns is coming to our area and we buy tickets. Then Collin's coach plans a scrimage and then a neighbor (I'm loooong over due visiting) invites me to a jewlery party.

Collin insisted that we go to the concert (esp since we saw him scrimmage last week), so we will be surrounded by awesome music this time Saturday night. Our friend Christi is coming with us and I will have camera in hand. It's general admission so we are going early, but I'm not sure how early is early enough for good seats so we'll have to see what we get! We're excited!

Scrimmage

Now it's not only official, it's real... my first "baby" has now played his first scrimmage. (is that 1 m or 2?) He did OK, but I sense that he was a bit uneasy on the field and he seemed hesitant. Chris gave him a big pep talk about how that really looked "lazy" or uncaring. Collin was bummed because he did not get to play as much as he'd hoped and he did/could not catch the only pass that was thrown to him. Here they are, the last time before official uniforms on Saturday.

We need one of these hitting bags at home!!!!!!!!

A football player in the house....

We are now entering the realm of contact sports...eek! Collin has been begging to play football since 3rd grade, but we said NO! Well, when he started campaigning last year we decided maybe it was time. We like the coach, we have time, the younger kids are old enough.... so here he is in his practice jersey and shoulder pads. He had Hans help him "run his routes" this weekend and Chris threw some passes so he could practice catching with his hands (as opposed to his body).

I was pleased with Colling between regular practice and a camp the Rec put on he practiced every day and some times 2x a day last week and he did not complain once! Now it was only 80 degrees, so they were not dying in the heat which I am sure helped.

They start full pads this week... gulp!

Lacey was keeping the pressure on! It was rather amusing!

And they're off....

August 14th seems awfully early to begin school, but here in the midwest it seems to be the norm! We had a mad dash to get things caught up after Colorado, but here they are: ready for the bus. Alan is not happy. He is repeating kindergarten and is a bit pouty still.

We were ready so early there was time to be silly....

And then Erin and Hans realized they forgot something, so they made a mad dash inside and barely got back in time..

Abby and I were just so sad that we were in such a quiet house all alone...

NOT!!!!!