The Little Boys of Fall

Today was Jonathan's first game of the season, and let me tell you, it felt nothing like fall! It was so hot! We played the Madison team, and this was only the third game ever played on this field. The high school team played their first game on it last night. It was a really nice football field.

Lining up for the first kickoff. Jonathan is wearing number 30 (second from the left).

This is all new. Last year his age group did not kickoff/receive. This is also the first year they play without the coaches on the field with them. The coaches and referees did guide them a little bit when first lining up.

They look so cute in their uniforms. We thought they did a really good job getting in their positions. Jonathan played the entire game. He played defensive end and wide receiver. He made some great blocks and tackles. One of his blocks helped the running back break free for a touchdown.

Andrew and Lauren were trying to cool off with sno cones.

We were winning 16-0 at halftime.

We won!!! The final score was 30-0!

Those boys had to be exhausted!

Isn't this the sweetest thing? He loves his Grandpa (although he calls him Papaw-still working on that Daddy).

Jonathan loves it when Grandpa comes to his games (actually, we all do)!

Lunch and sweet treats at Dairy Queen. Could it get any better?

Way too much fun sharing a cone!

After our hot afternoon, the kids really wanted to play in the sprinkler. They rounded up their friends only to have their fun spoiled by the rumbling of thunder. Plan B - build forts in the living room and watch Nanny McPhee (the second one).

Lauren and Emily

Jonathan and Jordyn

Hope your Saturday was as fun as ours!

Joe's Birthday

At first glance it would seem that the title of this post should be "Andrew's Birthday", but the candles make it clear that it's not!! Joe would much rather have ice cream than cake any day of the week, so we got an ice cream cake from Cold Stone. It was divine!!

I took it out of the freezer to thaw, and one little guy thought it was all for him!

Who can resist Oreos?

I moved it over to the table so Joe could blow out the candles, and he just moved himself right over there! He had all of us laughing!

Three smiles and one cheesy grin! Ha!

Once again you might think it was Andrew's birthday. Joe loved every second of Andrew helping him open his presents!

I really wanted to get Joe a GPS for his birthday (a surprise gift), but he insisted that I get him a battery jump-starter. Now he can jump-start my car with ease (the kids and I have been known to leave a light or two on - oops!). We did surprise him with a new CD case for his car - his new car is the first car he has ever had with a CD player. The one gift that was actually just for him!!

Happy Birthday! We love you so much!!

PS - This was our last event from May. A few updates from June and July, and I'll be caught up! Ha! Ha! I decided once school started that I was going to have to throw in the "old news" with the "current news" or no one would ever know what we are up to!! Oh, and by the way, the battery jump-starter is still in the box!!

First Day of School and Bears

August 18, 2011

Where did summer go? Time really does fly when you are having fun (and as you get older - Ha!) Yesterday was the first day of school and I cannot believe that Jonathan is now a third grader or that Lauren is a middle school sixth grader!

Lauren was both excited and anxious. It took her a while to fall asleep and she didn't eat much of her breakfast. But despite the nerves, she was all smiles! We met all of her teachers earlier this week, and found all of her classrooms. This eased her worries about getting lost. Everyone was so nice!

This was the first time in seven years that I did not walk her into school, and it was so bittersweet. She had asked me to walk her in, but one of her best friends was right behind us in the car line, so she decided to walk in with her. I was sad to "let go" just a tiny bit more, but it was so precious to see her walking into that new school with one of her closest friends! It just seemed perfect!! 

Jonathan was just plain excited! His teacher was Lauren's third grade teacher, and the assistant in the class was his kindergarten teacher (Ms. Piland retired after Jonathan's kindergarten year, has substituted and tutored, and decided to return). We all love Mrs. Erb and Ms. Piland! It was like winning the lottery! Ha!

Jonathan is also very excited because he and Mrs. Erb have a special connection - they are both allergic to gluten. This is his chance to be the "special student". Love it!!

They both came home with huge smiles on their faces! "Awesome" was the word of the day!!

I was looking for a picture of Lauren on her first day of kindergarten, and I found this picture of Lauren and Jonathan on the day before her first day, taken before we went to "Meet the Teacher". They look so little, and it truly seems like yesterday!!

Sweet, sweet smiles!

This is Lauren on her first day of kindergarten, and I just wanted to cry after seeing it this morning! She looks so little and sooooo sad! She was so brave that morning. She did not cry until we got in the car to leave for school, and it was so heartbreaking. She didn't make a sound; sweet little tears just sort of trickled down her cheeks. It took everything in me not to cry with her! After I walked her to her classroom and settled her in, I cried all the way to my car, and off and on all day!

Oh, what I would give to go back and do all of those days over again! I am so, so blessed with these children, and I LOVE being their mother!!

We had another exciting event in our neighborhood yesterday. About five o'clock in the morning, our neighbor's two black labs scared a mama bear and her two cubs into a tree in their yard. They tried to take the dogs for a walk to see if she would come down, but there was no such luck. Some of our other neighbors were having trees cut down and the chain saws were running all day. The poor bear and her babies were up in that tree for over twelve hours. A little after five o'clock in the evening, she decided to come down with her babies. We didn't get to see her come down, but they said she and those cubs were moving fast!!

They were beautiful!

Just trying to take a nap.

I was glad all of the kids got to see them after school. Jonathan said he would have something to write about now! Love that kid!!

My neighbor took these pictures of the mama bear. He is a phenomonal photographer! I love the one of the paws - so incredibly beautiful!!

Pop Pop's Visit

I am excited to be posting these pictures from Pop Pop's visit in May! We all enjoyed his week long visit!

 Lauren and Jonathan were still in school, so Andrew got to have Pop Pop all to himself. They enjoyed building with the Legos. And if you look closely, you will see the art easel by the rocking chair. Andrew loved drawing "pictures" for Pop Pop to admire, and we learned that Pop Pop is quite an artist!

Pop Pop plays the piano so beautifully! I could sit and listen to him play for hours. He shared with me that his father bought him his first piano when he was ten years old, so he has been playing for 81 years! We are blessed to have the grand piano that was in Joe's home growing up. I love that Lauren is taking piano lessons, and I'm looking forward to Jonathan joining her in the fall.

 Pop Pop's visit fell at the most perfect time, as he got to attend Lauren's very first piano recital. (I don't have pictures, as Andrew took quite a bit of entertaining - church and a piano recital back to back is a lot to expect from a two year old. Ha!)

We enjoyed lots of good food and wine with Pop Pop! I cooked most nights - Joe thought he was in heaven with a home-cooked meal complete with dessert several nights in a row! Joe and I treated Pop Pop to dinner at the Italian restaurant, Travinia's. The food was absolutely divine!! We had the best tiramasu that any of us had ever eaten!! Pop Pop LOVED our night out on the town! The waitress and hostess loved him as well! (I forgot my camera that night.)

Pop Pop wanted to go out to eat the following night and he wanted us to choose a kid friendly restaurant - he wanted to treat all of us to dinner! The kids love pizza, so we chose Brixx- wood fired pizzas, with a gluten free crust for Jonathan! Yea!! Pop Pop enjoyed pears and gorgonzola cheese - seemed like a favorite!

Looks like we all tried to match! Ha!

Ice cream - a Zavaglia favorite! We could not pass up Cold Stone for a sweet treat!

Joe has been shopping for a new car (new to him) for a year or more. He owned his Ford Explorer for seventeen years!! Pop Pop told us he would only take us out to eat if Joe bought himself a new car and tires for my car (we had been procrastinating). I think a prod from Pop Pop was just what Joe needed!

Joe's new (to him) Chevy Trailblazer! Good pick Pop Pop!

It was truly a blessing to have Pop Pop all to ourselves for a week! We love you so much!!