Basketball game 2

Both of the B boys took the court at the same time so Steve and I did switch games at half time. Lucas was a little better this game. Got a few rebounds and was actually at both ends of the court. I step away to take K-man to the bathroom and he takes a ball the face and had to leave the game. I was gone like 2 minutes. There were tears but he was tough.

Logan...I think we have found his sport. He was was aggressive. He was the main ball handler when on the court. Took it to the hole anytime he could. Took several shots and sunk one of them. Calling for passes. Guarding his man like a prison guard. WOW! is all I can say. His face is serious and focus when out there. He was proud of him self. You can tell he is having fun. And he didn't even want to sign up this year...

Christmas break will you ever end

Thanks to 3-4 inches of snow, and inch of ice and below zero temps...the b boys Christmas break was extended by a whole week. Which meant a lot of inside time! This is one of the first winters that the cold didn't keep the fellas inside. They played outside as long as we would let them. We put them to work while they were out there.

We also learned the ever important lesson not to put Puma shoes on the hearth to dry. Logan's shoes were scorched on the bottom. Toasted like the perfect marshmallow. How they were damaged that bad without catching on fire, I'll never know. Add new shoes to Logan's Christmas gifts. Daddy handled getting these new shoes and we ended up with black ones...another duty that will not be delegated to dad again. At least they didn't light up and weren't Sponge Bob or Sketchers!

Hoopsters

After two practices the B boys were more than ready to take the court...yeah, right. Needless to say the games had to begin.

Logan's game was bright and early and he started with a classic case of the Logan nerves. He was on deck to be a starter but panicked and didn't want to play at all. So he sat the first period out and joined in the game in the second period. His jitters cleared up quickly. He was really good. Sunk 2 baskets and it is very important to note one of them was a swish. Being a second grader on a 1st & 2nd grade team puts him in a position of leader, which is so good for his confidence!

Lucas' game was the 3rd game of the day so we "scouted" the other teams waiting for our game. Good times! Watching a group of Kindergartners play basketball is an experience...of patience. Most of the kids are clueless on what to do. Lot's of falling and injuries. Lucas was not what I would call an active participant of the game. No matter how much encouragement and direction we provided from the sidelines he continued to basically stand there and hold his arms in front him. No guarding, no passing, a little ball handling. He did move his hands a few times to indicate we needed to zip it. Six periods of 6 minutes each can feel like forever!

Compassion and generosity

The B boys learned a valuable lesson in compassion and generosity this week. One of the first grade teachers at SVdP lost everything in a house fire. Luckily no one was hurt but it was a total loss. Immediately the school community responded with help and we did our part. In lots of talk of the fire and the loss and what the family would do, the B boys cracked open their own wallets and donated to helping this family with a new start. It was a very proud moment for a parent. While Lucas tried to give way too much of his money, Logan had a harder time letting his bills go. Logan is a saver, Lucas is a spender, Kale has still mooches entirely off his parents. Both of them felt really good about doing something.

Christmas 2009

Christmas 2009 - Our last Christmas as a family of 5!
Christmas Eve was spent preparing for the big day.
Cookies
Ginger Bread Houses (hoping to never do those again
Children's Mass
Brotherly Love
Mom & Dad still had to wake the boys us to get Christmas started
White Christmas
Santa delivered just what they wanted
Too Many Presents

We braved the "Blizzard" conditions
Dad helped get a car unstuck so they could get to the casino
Ate carb free (at least mom did) lunch at the gas station
1.5 hours extra time in the car...movies galore!
Lots of Stops to clean the wind shield due to frozen wiper fluid
Cousins, more presents,good eats
Taco Pronto (I missed you carb loaded burrito)

2 days in good ole GB
Presents tempting little ones
More Cousins
More presents
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Shooting the Air Soft BB gun
Daddy's 1st Communion suit

Another good tour of Kansas!

What you learn at 3 when you have big brothers

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Sweet 'O Kale

Kale climbed into bed to watch TV with me before bed, 'cuz he needed to snuggle. Rarely do I say no to snuggle time and this was no different. Soon I fall asleep (not uncommon as growing a human can wear a girl out) and Kale needed more chocolate milk. So I feel him carefully climb over me and slide out of bed, grab his cup and head towards the door to go get Daddy to help him as he didn't want to wake me up. Just at the door I sense him stop and just a second later a little kiss is placed on my lips and off he runs.

I hope I never forget how sweet Kale is. That boy is good to his mama.

Ballers

We're playing basketball again this year...Baptist style. Practice for the B Boys has begun in the Upward league. Logan is playing on the 1st/2nd grade team with his buddy Connor and Lucas is being debuted in the Kindergarten League. They are actually doing really well. Watching a group of 5 year olds trying to put together a game is quite as spectacle. There's a lot of falling. Logan is tearing it up in the drills and actually gets after it. In the one scrimmage they've had he did slip back into his old habit of letting the game go on around him. He's pretty good though!

Games start in early January... you know after just a couple of practices these kids should have this game all figured out.

Watching them play sports is something I really love. To see them interact as part of a team, the pride they have in themselves when they do well, learning how to lose and still have fun... I love that they get out there. Pretty amazing to watch them grow.

Fayetteville Lights

A tradition we started years ago is to visit the Fayetteville Square to see the lights and eat Tiny Tim's pizza. This year did not go by without that trip. Meredith and Connor joined us for the annual trek and we had a ton of fun. It was stinkin' cold and Kale was the only kid that willingly wore his coat, hat and gloves. Apparently it's cool to freeze your A off when you're a kid. Who knew. Kale took his first horse drawn carriage ride and none of the B boys were brave enough to ride the pony or a camel so Meredith had to join Connor for the camel ride. Thank goodness for baby A in the belly as I too avoided the camel ride. Steve and Meredith took advantage of having a DD and downed a couple of pitchers with dinner thus requiring a pit stop at Meredith's before driving around Rogers looking at lights. It was a really good time!

Kale is still very sad that big daddy didn't put up a single Christmas light. Apparently next year is going to be the year of lights for us. Hmmm...we'll see how well that promise holds up.

Santa Visit

Today we took on the anticipated trip to visit Santa. This is the boys big chance to tell Santa the one gift they really want. After carefully sorting through the options...fish tank with 20 fish, new bike, DS/Wii games, Roller skates, etc. they landed on the one choice item. Logan convinced me to allow him to ask for an Air Soft BB gun, Lucas was going in with a Scooby Doo DS game but upon hearing Logan he quickly switched to a Air Soft BB gun. I'm sure Santa was surprise, 'cuz mama definitely was. Kale presented Santa with his entire list but at the top was an Army Tank with a motorcycle in the box. Apparently, it's very important to K-K (It's ok to call him that again) that this all come together in the box. Now the waiting begins to see if Santa delivers.

Kale was very proud of him self this year for not being afraid of Santa at all. He may not of been afraid but the look on his face doesn't make it look like the man in red is his favorite guy.