Super Sam

Sam had his first football game ever on Saturday.  I missed it.  Lauren had her first soccer game of the season at the same time, so Rick took Sam to his game and I headed with Lauren to hers(a blogpost to come on that one).  We were up bright an early on Saturday morning(something I don't enjoy).  Thankfully we only have a few early morning games this season.  I love watching my kids play sports, but I also miss our Saturday morning big breakfasts when we are heading out the door on Saturday mornings.  

Sam has become quite the little beast on the field.  He has earned the nickname, SuperSam.  Rick bought him a "Superman" shirt to wear under his football gear.  You can see the blue sticking out below his jersey in the pic below.  I will have to make sure and take a pic of him in the SuperSam shirt at some point during the season.  

The anticipation before the game

 The man standing behind Sam in the white shirt is the doctor that delivered him, actually saved his life.  He holds a special place in our family's heart for sure.  He had twins born the day after Sam was born.  Here we are 8 1/2 years later with all 3 of our boys on the same football team!!

 Sam is on the Ravens

 There he is, #50, ready to tackle anything that moves!!

 I just love how his uniform is a too big on him.

 The next 5 pictures is a sequence of Sam and another teammate going for the tackle.  

 Sam had 4 tackles in the game.  I have no idea what position he played, but he did well!  I wouldn't even know if I had been there!  I have come a long way over the years when it comes to watching football games.  I can actually follow the games, but don't really know positions other than the main ones like quarterback, wide receiver, etc.

That sweet face still melts my heart!

They lost their first game to the Broncos(boo!), 13-6.  There are no football games this Sat.  I will finally get to see him play on Sept. 22.  I cannot wait.

Pie on Friday 2012

Last Friday, we completed another summer of "Pie on Fridays!"  I will say that a few times it ended up being "Pie on Saturday" or "Pie on Sunday" because of some Friday evening scheduling conflicts, but we definitely all took a turn this year.  Rick actually started this tradition a few years ago and it stuck.  He likes pie, and he likes to say, "PIIIIEEE ONNN FRIIIIDAAAAY!" Because we are a competitive little family, at the end of the summer we vote on our favorite pie that year.  Here are the entries this year:

Rick - Apple Pie(it did have ice cream to go on top)

 Laura - Village Inn French Silk Pie (I didn't want to cook on my turn)

 Cody- Hershey Pie(This is a frozen pie that I make)

 Lauren - Frozen Chocolate Pie(From the grocery)

 Abby - Vanilla Ice Cream pie with caramel and chocolate sauce(Gluten Free and homemade)

 Sam - Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Pie(homemade)

 Isaiah - Strawberry Pie(homemade)

Laila - Tollhouse Cookie Pie(homemade)

 A better view of Laila's pie

And the winner is:

Isaiah!!  

His strawberry pie had the most votes.  He was so excited to win.  I think this was his first time to win any of our competitions.

So, until next year, enjoy some pie on a Friday.  I think you'll like it!!

Thursdays

The post is going to be really boring to most of you.

I want to do it, because I want to remember.

There will come a day when my life slows down.

I will totally forget the intensity of these busy days with 6 kids at home.

This will be my reminder.  Unfortunately, most of these events are not near each other  I end up driving all over town dropping off and picking everyone up!

This is what my Thursdays are like this fall:

6:45 - Take Cody to school(Rick helps with this many mornings.   When he isn't able to, I have to take Cody to a friend's house, past the other kids' school,  and then drive all the way back home. This takes about 30 minutes.)

7:40 - Take Lauren, Abby, and Sam to school (Their school starts at 8:15)

9:00 - Go to Bible Study at church

11:30 - Take Isaiah to school (His school starts at 12:05)

12:00 - Take Laila to school (Her school starts at 12:15)

I have the afternoon to do what I want or need to to do.

3:00 - Begin the evening chaos

3:15 - Pick up Laila from school

3:30 - Pick up Lauren, Abby, Sam, and Isaiah from school

3:45 - Pick up Cody from school

4:30 - Drop Lauren off at soccer practice

4:45 - Drop Abby off at piano lessons.

5:45 - Pick Abby up from piano lessons

6:00 - Drop Sam off at football practice at one park

6:00 - Pick Lauren up from soccer practice at a different park

7:30 - Pick Sam up from football practice

(Thankfully, on some nights, Rick is able to help with some of these drop offs and pick ups.  When he can't help, I have to do it all myself.) 

Feed, help with homework, remind everyone to do their jobs, clean the dinner dishes, and get kids into bed.

Collapse into my bed.

Lauren said to me on Thursday as I was yawning and struggling to keep my eyes open during one of the drives, "I don't know why you are so tired, you're just sitting in the truck."  Yes, honey, you are right.  I have no reason to be tired.  There must be something wrong with me.

Daddy Date

A couple of weeks ago, Rick and Lauren went on a date to Denver to see the Colorado Rapids soccer team play.  When I was looking through pics today, I realized I forgot to blog about it.  

Their first stop was dinner at TGIFriday's.  Lauren said she had a great burger

 Walking to the stadium

This was Lauren's first experience at a professional soccer game, and 

since that is "her sport"it seemed like the perfect date for her and Rick. 

I love this pic with her cast on because we don't have many photos of it

Give It To The Lord

I just have to start by saying this parenting gig is hard.  Lately, I have felt like it is kicking my butt.

Last year, I had the opportunity to be a part of a panel speaking and answering questions at a MOPs meeting.  I had a particularly hard morning leading up to that time and we feeling pretty fed up with my older kids.  I was talking to Rick on the phone right before the meeting when he asked me what I was going to share with these moms of preschoolers.  My answer, "Suck it up ladies, it only gets harder!"

Now, I know that would not have been the most encouraging message, but I have had many days where I have felt that way.  Don't get wrong, I KNOW that dealing with babies, toddlers, and preschoolers is HARD WORK!  I have done it 6 times over.  The problem is that I was comfortable in that stage.  I love babies, I think toddlers and preschoolers are adorable, and I feel like I am good mom to them.  I know how to potty train, deal with temper tantrums, make baby food, and love and nurture little ones.

The stakes feel like they are so much higher with my bigger kids.  We are only a few years into this tween/teenager thing, but I already feel like I have messed it up in so many ways.  I am a pretty black and white, justice-oriented kind of person.  That works really well with little kids.  I can say, "I'm the boss" and hold them to that.  I can demand respect and discipline for those times that they rebel.  Heck, I can put them down for a nap when all else fails.  Those methods don't quite work with bigger kids.

There is this ongoing struggle in my head and my heart to know when to lay down the law and when to  show grace for the sake of the relationship.  Grace is not something I am able to give very freely.  I either feel like I am being taken advantage of, giving in, or not teaching my kids "how the real world works."  Rick on the other had is a grace philanthropist.  He just gives it out so freely, without hesitation or concern that it will be unappreciated.  It sickens me actually, both because it is so easy for him and because I just can't figure out how to develop that aspect of my life.

You see, I see older teens and adults all around me that just don't get it.  They think life is all about them, and they will do whatever they have to in order to get what they want.  I shudder to think that my kids could turn out that way.  There is this drive in me to create exemplary citizens and people who contribute positively to society.

I have been having these battles with my kids over the way they treat each other, the words that come out of their mouths, and the way they interact with me.  Some days, I am really scared about how they will "turn out."

Then, I realized today that I have this whole thing wrong.  They have choices to make.  I can guide them and teach them.  I have spent the last 14 years doing that.  At some point, I have to give it to the Lord.  I have continue to fulfill my responsibility, but I do not have control.  They have to choose.

So, where does that leave me?  ON. MY. KNEES.  before God begging Him to intervene in their lives, trusting Him to teach them in ways that I can't, and praying daily that He will give me the wisdom to know when and how to give grace and when to draw the line.

Oh, I am going to have 17 years of parenting teenagers so I should be an expert by the time this is over, a really exhausted expert.  I wouldn't trade this calling for anything.  I am grateful to be a mom and blessed to have these 6 kids.  Today, I am feeling the weight of all that it means.  I want to do it well.  I want to be in my kids' lives and give them the space they need to grow and choose on their own.

Today, I must give it to the Lord, AGAIN!!

14 YEARS OLD!!

Cody turned 14 years old on Friday.  We gave him the option to stay home from school, but he chose to go.  I think he wanted to be around his friends.  This was his year for a family party so it was a pretty low-key Birthday.  

Morning breakfast cupcakes

 The girls decorated so he could come home to a decorated house

 I can't believe how old he looks.  

He is officially taller than me.  He wears bigger shoes than me. 

 Before long, I will have to look up to look into his eyes.

Poor, kid, as the firstborn, he is the "guinea pig" in so many ways!

 Sam gave him coupons for his bday.

 Lauren gave him a 3-liter of soda.  

I don't know what is up with her look here.

 Abby gave him cashews and snow cone syrup for his snow cone maker that he bought at a yard sale

 Laila gave him gum and Arizona Sweet Tea

Are you sensing a theme here?

 Isaiah picked out this water gun and bought it with his own money!

 Mello Yello is scarce in CO.  It is his beverage of choice.

He also got some money from both grandparents, a Walgreens gift card(he loves to ride his bike there), jeans(his favorite, not), a lamp for his bedside table and some milk duds.

I made Korean Beef, Rice, and Egg Rolls for his Bday dinner. 

We had ice cream cake for dessert:  Yellow cake, Snickers Ice Cream

Cody reenacting blowing out his candles.  Lovely photo that I will always cherish!

On the night of his bday, Rick, Cody, and I rented Hunger Games to watch.  He and I had already seen it, but Rick hadn't.  He wanted his dad to see it.  Then, on Saturday, Rick and Cody went to see Avengers at the movies.  Rick and I still plan to take him out for a bday meal.

Cody,
This last year has brought many adjustments to your life. It has been hard to adapt and adjust.  I so appreciate that even though it was hard, you CHOSE to move forward.  You accepted God's plan for our family even though it rocked your world.  On this side of things, you are stronger, more mature, and better for the process.  I see you claiming your faith as your own.  You are sooooo independent that is painful for me at times.  But, I guess that is my goal, right, to make you independent.  It is just happening faster than I can keep up with it.  I will always be your mama and you will always be my baby boy.  You have a tenderness and sensitivity in your heart that takes me by surprise when I least expect it and in ways that I could not predict.  You have the ability to make others feel special and pick out just the right gifts for them.  You are a natural leader.  I have loved watching you take on some odd jobs and excel at them.  You are a hard worker.  Each year is going to bring new adventures, new responsibilities and new freedoms.  I am excited to see God's plans unfold for you.  "You'll always be my little man, I'll love you the best that a Mama can."
Love,
Mom

Dry Cleaner Eyebrows

We have completed our first full week of everyone in school.  I had 4 days of 2 1/2 hours to myself Mon.-Thurs. this week.  It was glorious.  I determined ahead of time that I was not going to do any work during that time for the first week.  Rick said, "Why just the first week?"  Well, honey, since you put it that way, maybe I will extend my time.  We'll see.  I do have some goals for this time throughout the year.  

~I want to use one of those days each week to do a project around the house.  I figure if I consistently do this, I can tackle out some big areas of our house that have needed attention.  I don't know about you, but these things eat away at me, but I feel so overwhelmed with the daily tasks that I feel I can never get around to them. 

~I want to use one day a week to do some make-ahead meals.  I plan to take a day to make breakfast foods, main items for our family meals, gluten free baking, and revive my regular bread making.  Having things prepared and ready to pull out from the freezer really eases my daily stress.

~The other two days, I hope to have some time with friends and some extended quiet time and time for reading.  

I just downloaded these cute photos from Laila's first day of school.  I had to share them:

She was so adorable that first day.

I calculated her "20 hundred seconds" and it is actually 3 1/2 hours.  So she wasn't too far of when she said that school lasts 20 hundred seconds!  She is a math genius already!

 washing her hands in the classroom

I had quite the adventures during my first week "me time."

On the first day, I headed straight to the mall.

I really can't remember the last time I went to the mall, much less alone. 

I didn't need a stroller or have to keep up with kids.  

I was able to take my time and browse. 

 I had a coupon for FREE Chick-fil-a

 I walked around and smelled all the yummy scents!

I had some coupons and ended up get a few hand soaps that we needed.

I even left with a FREE lotion!

I even had a coupon for FREE underwear!

I couldn't resist splurging a bit with my favorite, a French Silk Pie Blizzard

Earlier this year, I purchased an online deal for eyebrow threading.  I was excited to try it out after my time at the mall.  I didn't know where this place was, and when I pulled up to the address, this is what i saw:

 I was thinking, "what in the world."  I had trouble scheduling the appt.  The phone number seemed to be someone's private cell number.  I was suspicious leading up to it, but now I was just plain confused. As I got out of my truck, I thought, "well, at least they will grow back."  As I walked towards the door, a woman came out to meet me and led me to a room off the side of the building.  When I walked inside, I felt like I was in a another country.  There was a chair and a light.  She told me to sit down.  She grabbed her thread and started going all Edward Scissorhands on me.  It was amazing and frightening all at the same time.  She ended by doing a little trimming with some scissors.  The whole thing took all of 2 minutes.  I sat up and was amazed.  I love it!!  I will totally do it again.  I have even had a few people who didn't know about it comment on how great my eyebrows look.  This is the best pic I could take on my own:

 Man, my nose looks huge in this picture!!  

The rest of my week was spent reading, having quiet time, eating relaxing lunches while watching some TV, doing some blog reading, and running some "fun" errands.  I will say that first day seemed really long and each day after, the time felt shorter and shorter.  It goes pretty fast.  Once it ends, I begin a 5 hour marathon that includes picking kids up from 3 schools, delivering kids to sports and other activities, feeding everyone dinner, checking homework, and getting everyone to bed.  It is nonstop.  I am really thankful to have the time in the afternoon to reenergize before the chaos sets in.

Isaiah's first 2 weeks of school have been pretty good.  He did get in trouble on the second day.  I really hoped we could make it through a whole week before we had issues.  Evidently, they were unable to have recess so he decided he was just going to shut down and not participate anymore.  Lovely.

It is interesting to me that every day when I asked what he learned at school he always says things like, "I learned not to punch people," I learned not to stomp on people's feet," or, my favorite, "I learned not to yell in the classroom."  I guess he is testing his boundaries to see what he can get away with.  It should be an interesting year.  As I said earlier, many prayers are going up for his teacher.  She has 10 boys in her classroom.

We found this jiggler mold at Walmart this week.  The kids have love their Phineas and Ferb jigglers: