Halloween

Before Kyle left for work Halloween morn he asked what spooky dinner plans I had?    Apparently, that's something I do, because the kids chimed in as well, expecting a ghoulish night.  Oh, yes, I remember scaring up a Halloween menu last year.  It's just that none of us got to enjoy it because we spent the night in the emergency room stitching up Ty's chin.  Anyway, I did come up big at the last minute, using everything I had on hand for a spooky meal.  Dinner included witch fingers, slimy eyeball and pumpkin pasta.  A meal that was shoveled down in 15 minutes, for we had makeup to apply for the two oldest and a pumpkin to carve before the tricksters began to arrive.

I love the above shot.  It shows Jaden doing some seriously last minute decorating as the first trick-or-treaters are not but 50 feet down the street.  Of course, decorating until the last minute is something I would have done too.  The apple doesn't fall to far from the tree.  Reese is ready to handout the loot and Ty is bidding his time until he can get started with his plan to collect record amounts of candy.  

Jaden and Ty were rivals this year: a werewolf and vampire, while Reese kept it sweet and adorable as a pink owl.  

Reese and her friend, Chloe, as the cutest pink owls around.  Reese and I made this costume.  I don't make costumes but I couldn't turn this one down.  It was very easy too.  No sewing, just fabric glue.  

Ty can do hard things

This is how Ty started off his first season of tackle football, in tears.  He didn't cry often but enough to break my heart. Tears were shed for one of two reasons: 1. because the one-on-one tackling drills were both painful and humiliating and 2. because his mom and/or dad inquiring as to how he was doing during the practice was apparently just the right (or wrong) question to ask that would open the flood gates.  Kyle and I thought the teams' motto ironic, because it seemed that for the first three weeks of practice it was, Ty's blood, Ty's sweat and Ty's tears. 

It was a rough 3 weeks of daily practices that started at the end of July, you know, one of the cooler months around these parts.  Contact sports are not for the faint of heart.  And Ty showed A LOT of heart for his first season.  I realize I am biased as his mom but I am pretty proud of him.  He fell (often) but kept getting back up.  And for those couple of times when he didn't get up, with his face mask buried in the ground, well, there was a coach there to hoist him up, in one big swoop, by the back of his shoulder pads and send him to the back of the line.  Quickly moving him out of the line of play.  Don't get me wrong, Ty wanted to be there, he just wanted nothing to do with the 15 minute tackling drill that would inevitably occur each day.  And frankly I didn't want him there for that either.  Running fast is more his thing but at some point in the game of football he would have to tackle.  And until Ty learned how to do tackle correctly, it was going to hurt.  But I swear the odds were against him every time he lined up for that tacking drill.  I could have picked 10 other kids better sized for him to tackle, yet he seemed to always line up against one of the big dogs.   

Eventually, Ty learned how not to get pancaked.  It required him to hit back when being hit.  It hurts a lot less to tackle then to be tackled . . . is what I'm learning from being on the sideline and what I so badly wanted him to comprehend.  And he did, he finally got it.  Then his confidence returned and the tears went away.  That's when we noticed the change made to our quote board that I snapped a pic of below.   It was a couple of days before we noticed what once read: "I can do hard things" was changed to "Ty can do hard things."   I've really seen my boy live that quote.  His drive has inspired me. 

Making goals to pancake someone must grow one's confidence too, right?  And I love that it's not specific as to whom he might pancake.  He'll just take anyone at this point! : )



He's all smiles these days.

There's Ty barreling out of the tunnel, number 18, just like his dad.  Oh, these two love football.  And boy did we pick the place to live for some football playin'.  I've had many a conversation with Kyle about that.  Of all the places we could have lived where Ty would be introduced to football, we chose one of the most concentrated and passionate areas in the country.  The deep south.  Where they start full-pads, tackle football at age 4.  Really, age 4?!  I think 8 is entirely too young!  But that's a battle that I lost to Kyle (and Ty).  Of course, football played no part in our decision to move here ten years ago but had I been thinking about this boy of mine playing football in Texas, I think I'd have had something to say about that.  And for my last rant I'll just say that it is uncanny to see an eight year old with muscles.  It's too much too soon.  He'll have muscles the rest of his life.  I want my lean boy back.  That said, I love watching him play because he's my boy and because he loves to play.

Sequence 1:

Now he's just throwing kids down.  I couldn't be more thrilled.  Yep, I'm that mom now.  It's eat or be eaten on that football field.  So, I'll cheer for him to eat. 

Sequence 2:

Wearing their pink spats for breast cancer awareness month.  

Oh, and here I am getting my game on.  Not to be outdone by Ty, I played along side the other moms, in a powder puff game to kickoff the boys' football season.  I played so hard that I pulled my quad. These southern mama's came to play, they were a serious lot.  Admittedly, besides pulling a muscle, I had a really good time.  Sign me up for a league somebody.  I've already been thinking about how I'm going to alter my game for next seasons opener.  ; )  My boys were proud of me.  That's all that mattered.

Reese, as of late and according to my iphone

Just the cutest sideways chocolaty smile you'll ever see.

Reese asked me to take the step stool out of the bathroom because she can reach.  See?

The infamous 'All About Me' poster.   My favorite:  she wants to be a snack shack worker when she grows up.  It makes sense.  All the treats you could ever want are right at your finger tips.

The Kissing Hand.  Some school days she needs one, others she doesn't.  However, her bear needs one all the time, whether it likes it or not because that's permanent marker there on that paw.

If I took a picture of each and every fruit that this has happened to the last few months, I'm sure I'd have at least 20.  Obviously Reese lacks the patience to wait around for these things to ripen.  The problem is that she never tells me. After learning that it isn't ripe she puts it right back in the dish, hiding it's bitten side.  But actually I think since this last pic she's started to catch on -- that it's worth the wait. 

A trip to the zoo.  A trip that is so much better when you request to take your brother out of school to join you.  Have I mentioned how much she adores Ty?

Happy Birthday, Sis!

Jaden's 12th birthday celebrations were raked over two days.  Both days turned out to be quite eventful.  She first had a day on the town with her two best friends, Reese and Reagan, who are sisters.  Just after Jaden finished up her last day of her Lollipop Learners summer camp, we hopped in the car for lunch and a gourmet cupcake downtown.  Along the way they couldn't help but mimic these window models, making fun all the while.  Finally, we just had to go into a shop and try on some things.  These girls crack me up.

That evening Jaden was surprised with golfing with her dad and Reagan.  But actually, she didn't golf.  The point was to satisfy her wildest dream by allowing her to drive the golf cart.  She has an obsession with golf carts.  She's been asking for one as her only Christmas present these past 3 years.  And since that hasn't happened she's now considering saving up for one on her own.  She sure enjoyed cruising around with her bestie, sipping on coke while watching her dad use his mad skills on the golf course.  Nothing says birthday like that.  She was told to take lots of pics along the way since I wasn't there. 

 Friday, her actual birthday, began with presents in bed.  

Nothing like a jar of Goober (peanut butter and jelly made easy in a jar) to derive a reaction like that.  She was sincere in her joy there.

Oreos from Ty.

It was both the last day of summer and Jaden's birthday, so we decided to head for Schlitterbahn. It's serious fun there.  Apparently, so much fun was had by these three that every last one of them zonked on the way home.

We can't quite grasp the fact that this girl is 12.  Twelve means thirteen is just around the corner and being the parents of a teenager is simply unfathomable.  Let's not go there.  Let's slow this train down.  Let's enjoy 12 things we adore about a 12 year old Jaden.

12. Sis is twelve going on 20.  She is mature and responsible.

11. She is confident.  I have been interested in watching how Jaden adapts to new crowds of her peers.  I don't get to witness it at her school (although I'd love to) but because I take her to her sports and get to sit around I've observed that she really is outgoing.  This being a year that she participated on two different volleyball teams (one club and one at school), as well as two different soccer teams (started with one team and moved up to another).  She's the girl wanting to make up a team cheer with a lot of spirit.  She roots her teammates on at every opportunity.

10. Jaden is self-disciplined.  I'm really jotting that down to remind myself, so I'll stand out of her way.   I mean who signs themselves up for math tutorials the 2nd week of school?  

9. She's a singer.  The day we don't hear Jaden belting songs or warm up scales we'll be sure she's lost her voice . . .  from doing just that.  Otherwise, the only reason she stops singing is to eat or because we've shushed her so we can form a thought or do some homework around here, etc.  : )  That girl can't stop singing and, by the way, she has only one volume.  Loud. 

8. She's got a soft spot for animals, just like her dad.  Her heart falls out.  She put $100 towards saving the limb of her hedgehog this summer without batting an eye.

7. I'm so glad she's not drama at school.  (She might be at home but I'm afraid I might be cause for some of that.  Jaden and I are very similar.  We clash sometimes.  I digress.)  I'm hearing all sorts of "drama girl" stories from her that take place at school.  Some of these girls sure do make much ado about nothing.  I'm glad she makes nothing of it and tries to see the bigger picture.

6. She's STILL in competition with her little brother. We can't figure out why.  She bugs him like a plague.  But I know if push came to shove she'd bend over backwards for him.  Unless that included cleaning his toilet for him.

5. Still dislikes piano but is really good at it.

4. Can so often be found cuddled up next to her dad on the couch, tucked right into his side.  You know, the spot where you can't get any closer to the guy.  

3. Creator of Dead Club.  (more on that later)

2. Thrilled to have earned her way out of Primary to join Young Women.  (Where I made sure to follow her.  Do you know that manual was written the year I was born??  Come on now.)

1. Quite the entrepreneur with her Lollipop summer camp.  I think she earned somewhere around $600 this year while making 8 little girls very happy.