Back To School!

We are all officially back to school!  After one week in, we have got this school thing back down pat!  It is so nice getting back to a regular schedule!  Gabe has successfully tackled his first week of middle school....locker combination, moving from class to class...and has LOVED every minute!  Grady is really enjoying 2nd grade!  He has already aced his first two (yes, I said 2!) spelling tests...he loves his teacher--he says she has the best laugh!  As for me....I have started back to work, taking on a new challenge this year!  I really can't go into too much detail because of privacy laws and such, but it has been a challenge, a challenge I have truly enjoyed!  I prayed about taking this position, and after a week of my new job, I know God has to be with me in this because there is no way I could have done this alone!  I do feel this is my niche...I really do love doing what I do!  I have also started back to college school..taking one class online.  I am officially going to make this college thing last FOREVER at this pace!  



Gabe after his first day of Middle School!  That running from class to class must have been too much!!



Reality!

This is the reality....I can wear Gabe's shoes....they fit perfectly....I knew this day would come, but really, he's eleven!

Winding Down!

A trip to Eskimo Joe's!

Summer is officially winding down.....BOOO!!!  I go back to work on Thursday...and while I am super excited to see what I will be doing this year....I am not ready to have to wake up to the alarm..and actually HAVE to go somewhere each day!  The heat and dry weather has kept us inside a lot this summer....thankfully the last week has been saved by the Olympics..which we have become total junkies of!  We have been spending a lot of afternoons at the pool, mornings outside (but it's still hot and miserable!), and evenings watching movies, playing games and chilling!  It's been a good summer...it just went a little too fast!  So, here are a few of the things we've been winding down summer with!

Shawn coming down the red slide at Rock River Rapids!

The one and only time the boys got me on a slide....we came around a corner and almost flipped over....so much for a good hair day!

Cool Guy on the Lazy River....we didn't see much of this boy while at the water park...guess we aren't cool enough!

Getting ready to man the Walking Taco Stand for Boy Scouts!  There was a car show in Augusta this weekend...a little steamy to be walking around looking at cool cars...but fun none the less!



And Gabe has been making his Christmas list...he will take either this one...or

This one...either one will be just fine!  By the way...he wanted me to let you know...he will not be picky on colors!  HA!

Happy Birthday Gabe!

About eleven and half years ago, Shawn and I found out our world would be changing...drastically!  God was blessing us with a beautiful baby.  And while that pregnancy was not the picture of baby bliss....from that scary, crazy, 9 months came one of the joys of our lives!  Is it even possible??  Gabe has turned 11 and ready for middle school...it seems like just a couple of years ago that I was taking him to his first day of preschool!  He has grown into a wonderful young man..so caring, considerate, and a bright little whippersnapper!  Each day he amazes us with his knowledge of EVERYTHING...he can figure out anything that has to do with electronics...you give him the time and space and he will have a solution!  He has begun making decisions where friends and peer pressure are involved that would make any parent proud...parents that would have had a hard time making the same good decisions at 11!  He is the best brother to Grady...sure they have their arguments... but he is Grady's #1 fan and always has time to toss him a ball or show him something that only big brothers know about!  Not only does he teach Grady something new everyday..but generally he can teach Shawn and I something new each day as well!  He once had to do an assignment for Sunday School where he had to ask people a few words that would explain him as a student, friend, family member...I remember a few of the responses he got back...wise beyond his years, caring, considerate, wonderful example to his friends and family, compassionate...Gabe these things are YOU...don't change!  We are so proud to have you for our son!  11 years ago, God changed our lives forever....I'm so glad He did!  Happy Birthday Gabe!

Grady's Orioles!

Last week was the official end of Grady's baseball season!  His team finished in 3rd place...not bad for only having 7 players for tournament week!  It seems like everyone was on vacation, so that challenged the Orioles team a bit, but still I think they did fantastic!!!  They played 3 games...winning their first and second pretty easily.  It was the semi-final game that was a toughy!  Not only did the other team have a full roster, but they also fielded the ball fairly well.  The final score was 15-13, Cubs.  Grady had a pretty good baseball week, though!  He had 6 home runs on the week, with 2 of them scoring 3 runs including him!  He played mostly 2nd, with a little time at 1st...he had a few assists on outs along with a couple of outs while playing first!  He has already started practicing for next year.....it will be time for machine pitch!  Way to go Grady!  We are so proud of you! 

Gabe's Orioles

On Monday night Gabe and his Orioles team finished the season with a First Place Trophy...and quite a story to tell!  Gabe and his team went into the Catt Leedom Tourney with a first place seed...looked like it would be a pretty easy time getting to the championships...2 games and voila!, playing for first place!  Well, as the old saying goes...it's never as easy as it seems!  The first game was a booger!  With a first place seed, they had a bye the first round, so their first game was against a pretty good team!  Unfortunately, they lost that first game...but not all was lost...because it was a double elimination tournament, they just had to win their way back on the loser side of the bracket---piece of cake!  NOT!  They played their first game on Monday night, lost that one and then continued to play a game Tuesday, Wednesday and 2 on Thursday to win their way into the championship game!  That my friends, is a lot of baseball in one week..plus throw in 3 of Grady's games....yep, we definitely had bleacher bottoms!  Gabe had a pretty solid tournament...he had several good hits, played center and first, as well as pitched the entire game against the Cubs winning that game 12-1!  So, the Orioles had to win 4 games to get back into the Championships....out of those 4 games only one was easy, the others they really had to be on top of their game!  After winning the second game on Thursday night...they had the weekend to rest up and then it was time for redemption on Monday!  They had to play the team that had beaten them at the beginning of the tournament..and in order to get first place they had to win against this team twice!  Well, long story short....they did it!  It was a fantastic evening of baseball.....the boys were no doubt tuckered out, but the look of sweet victory on those faces was priceless.  I'm not sure if they had just went out and won that very first game, the victory would have been as sweet...something about having to come back and work your way to first just makes it that much better!  Thank you Gabe and the Orioles for a very fun and exciting baseball season!!!  Way to Go Gabe...we are so proud of you!!!

Horse Wranglers??!!

Okay, so I just had to share this story....so, last night Shawn and I were chillin' getting ready to watch Police Blotter on Jay Leno when I noticed a van slow down in front of our house, back up to our drive way, pull in, turn on his hazards, and pull back out.  Strange.  So, being uber nosy and concerned that he may have hit something (our precious Katie) I walked outside to have a look.  After I got outside, I could see he was parked, with his hazards on, right past our driveway, honking his horn...the situation just became stranger!  Shawn had then come outside as I was heading out to the road to see what he was doing and low and behold I see HORSES EVERYWHERE!  Oh my goodness, since living out here it has become pretty common to see critters on the road, in our yard, roaming the ditches....but usually it is goats or sheep, never 12 huge horses.  Well, we knew exactly whose they were, so Shawn gave the neighbors a ring and let them know, then Shawn and I switched to horse wrangler mode!  The gentleman who stopped was from Chicago and let me know he had no clue what to do, and that the horses made him nervous...when we found him he was still in his van, honking his horn...obviously not country folk as the honking was making the horses more crazy!  So, Shawn took out after the horses and I used a flashlight to slow traffic coming up the road.  The owners of the horses were actually in bed, so it took a minute for them to get on the scene....after about 10 minutes the horses came back toward their home...and who was standing there???   ME!  I put my little arms up, flashed my light toward the gate and I got all of those horses right back into their home!  Me, the one who is just as afraid as the city slicker of horses!  I will admit when I saw those horses coming my way, I panicked a bit....but I sure didn't want those horses to come any closer than they already were....so freaked city girl turned into horse wranglin' cowgirl!  I was very proud of myself, but I totally played it cool.  When Shawn and Keith came down the hill, they were like "Where are the horses?", and I was like "I put them in the gate."  Yeah, I'm good...I'm sure Shawn was floored as I won't even open the gates at the Fox Farm if the cows are around...but he played into my coolness....he was proud of his city wife!  So, not the usual evening at our house...but a good story none the less!  There are times I wouldn't mind living in the city again...but then I would miss out on times like these!  Ahhh...country life!

Fishing Frenzy!

Last weekend, we spent a hot and humid afternoon fishing at the Fox Farm!  The boys took the boat out and caught over 40 fish in about an hour and a half!  I stayed on the shore, read a book and enjoyed the peace a quiet!  I can't think of a better way to spend a day than with my 3 favorite fellas!

Our Little Fishies!

Gabe completeing his final dive test!  What form!

Last week the boys completed the next levels of their swimming lessons!  I am so proud of both of the boys...they are very strong swimmers...both of them swim with such confidence, and their strokes are improving each time we go out.  Gabe is diving from the board and the side, swimming the length of the pool using each of the strokes, treading water for 2 minutes and retrieving items from the bottom of the diving area (12 foot area).  Grady spent the week learning to dive from the board and the side, and learning the correct way to do each stroke.  For his final test, he had to tread water for 1 minute, retrieve items from the 5 foot area, and swim 25 yards using each of his strokes.  Way to go boys...we are so proud of you!!!

And Daredevil Grady trying to complete a back flip off the board.  At least there were 5 lifeguards watching should things go awry!  He finally was able to accomplish the front flip from the board.....but the back flip is still a work in progress!  At least he was willing to give it a try...more that I can say for his dear old Mom!

Baseball Update!

Last night the boys finished up the regular season for summer baseball!  They will have their end of the season tournament in 2 weeks....and we will definitely enjoy the time off!  Gabe's Orioles team ended the season with a 9-3 record...not too bad!  Gabe pitched and played 1st and SS the last couple of games.  He has improved at pitching, but still has to work on the endurance and brain thing of pitching!  He plays very strong at first...catching anything that is thrown in his direction and stretching like a slinky to stay on base and make the play if it's not such a hot throw!  Gabe's team has the first seed for the tournament, so they will have a bye the first round beginning play on Monday the 9th at 8:00.  Grady's team also ended the regular season on a high note!  There has been vast improvement for Grady's overall team.  Grady has been homeruns right and left after him and Shawn figured out what was going on with Grady's swing!  He had two homeruns in one game last week and one homerun on Tuesday night!  He has been playing mostly at 1st base, but has been trying out 2nd and pitcher.  He is really catching on wherever the coach plays him, so I will be anxious to see where they put him for the tournament!  We have yet to find out when Grady's tournament will begin...but no doubt we will be running from field to field!  Way to go ORIOLES! 

So, when you are busy hitting homeruns you no longer have to slide into home.....you can jog!

Sorry it's a little blurry.....Gabe's game is usually pretty fast paced...at least when he is running, so pics are few and far between!