Project Life 2012 - Week 36

September 2 - 8

Wow! September is here! How can that be???!?!?!? 

Summer is over and Fall is on the way... and oddly enough, the weather is even turning a little cooler. I swear, it never turns cool here until at least October, right? Bonus!

This week we started off with a Labor Day celebration (lunch, swimming, and general hanging out) at Gigi and Bubba's house.

The water was waaaay to cold for the girls...

but Bennett was determined to get in (just a bit slower than he usually does :)

Brad was a good sport and hopped in too.

They actually ended up catching a few football/diving board combos.

Do you think this will help with Saturday's football game??

On Wednesday, the 5th, we took our consignment stuff to G&G. I've said it for the past few sales, but I really think this is our last sale.

We consigned most of Bennett's winter clothes since he'll be wearing a uniform to school this year and he did a good job cleaning out his toys and costumes. Of course, he is motivated to clean out because I let him have the money that we earn for his toys :)

As we were working together tagging and pricing Bennett said 'You know, this kinda makes me feel grown up. Getting rid of these toys I don't play with any more.' 

I paused and said 'Yup, you are growing up. I kinda wish you'd stop it' or something equally mommy-like. It was one of those stop-me-in-my-tracks-and-pay-attention-moments. Do you ever have those? 

~~~~~

Oh, if he only knew how grown up he is... 

As his mom, I'm keenly aware of every moment of his growing up. 

Every. Single. Moment.

It is flying by right before my eyes. 

Saturday, the 8th

10 AM

1st football game

in the rain!!!!

As we pulled into the parking lot, a few drops began to fall. 'Oh', I thought, 'I wonder if they'll call the game.' Little did I know - flag football pauses for NOTHING! Not even pouring rain!!! 

This picture was taken before the game... we all (Brad and I, and all the grandparents) watched the first half of the game from under a little shelter while the rain poured down.

What a blessed little boy! How many kids have 6 adults that would be willing to stand in a deluge to watch a football game? Surely not very many!

We are blessed indeed!

Project Life 2012 - Week 35

August 26 - Sept 1

Monday, the 27th

Bennett had baseball practice tonight. This is a totally new team - he only knows one other kid on the team, and that is really only an acquaintance. Bennett doesn't care though - I think I was more traumatized about not knowing the moms on the team than he was about not knowing the kids! Ha!
Anyway, the coach was asking who wanted to play what position, and Bennett raised his hand for just about every position! Even catcher! I was shocked! I thought for sure he was going to hold out for pitcher, but nope. His hand shot up for catcher. So, here he was behind home plate.
I have to say... he did a great job! 
When we headed home I said 'Catcher, huh? That really surprised me.' 'Really?' he said.
And that was that :)

Tuesday, the 28th

Bennett is really loving his new coach for his baseball lessons. Today he worked exclusively on hitting. They really worked it out.  I am always amazed at how Bennett can focus and really dig in when he gets that one-on-one instruction.
I think that my sitting under an umbrella on the side of the cage embarrassed him a little bit, but it was hot, and I was sweating :)

Friday, the 31st

So, once Bennett and I got done with our grammar lessons this summer, I had a white board laying around. Have I mentioned how fun I think it is to write on the white board? Yeah, it is fun! 
So, I hung it up in the pantry and we take turns writing secret notes to each other. It is such a nice little surprise to walk into the pantry (probably to get a snack that I shouldn't be getting!!) and see a sweet note. This one from Brad was somewhat poetic!!

And just like that September is here! Wow. Fall is almost here! Yea!!

Project Life 2012 - Week 34

August 19 - 25

Well, school is going great! I mean, really great. 

Bennett has merged right into school as if he has always gone there. It has really been remarkable! He is such a neat little guy :)

Here's a get-to-know-you paper that came home from school this week. I love it! 

Did you see where he said that he was good at memorizing useless facts? Ha!

But there's also that part where he says that he hopes that he makes new friends and then adds (I already have!) Love it!

Talk about answered prayers!

On Tuesday, the 21st, we met with a new coach for baseball. We call him Coach D.

I was very specific about what we were looking for in a coach for Bennett and I think he will fill that (somewhat tall) order perfectly!

 Here they are practicing pop flies and throwing. Bennett had a BLAST! And in just one lesson his skill level AND his confidence level was soaring :)  How can you put a price on that??

On Saturday, the 25th, Bennett had another football practice. Brad and I hung out under the shady awning on the bleachers.

It was so hot. I told Bennett that I was hot and that I wasn't even doing anything. He said 'well, guess how I feel!' That was kinda my point, but he wasn't buying it. So, we went to get Roo cups and we all cooled off. 

We're looking forward to a great fall season - sports are starting up! Yippee!!

Project Life 2012 - Week 33

August 12 - 18

It's back to school week!! How can the summer be gone already??

Honestly, I'm not ready for summer to be over! I've heard lots of moms and dads saying that they are SO ready for school to start, but not me! We've had a great time together this summer (even learning grammar together to get ready for his new school!!) 

We get into a good rhythm, this boy and me. I guess that it only makes sense that we would - it's always been him and me while Brad is at work providing for us (thanks honey!) Anyway, for us, summer whizzed by and we weren't quite ready to say goodbye.

On the other hand, we were excited to be going to a new school! This was a big decision for us - and one that was made with lots and lots of prayer. God opened doors for us and made the path so clear that we were confident that we had made the right choice. 

But if you know me at all, you know that there were some nerves still mixed in too. 

On Monday, the 13th, we went to 'Meet the Teacher' day. We were excited to see his desk and see who he would be sitting by. We had already met his teacher 2 weeks before - I think I said this in my last post - the people at our new school have been so welcoming! His teacher called and set up a meeting with her son, who is also in 4th grade, and Bennett and another boy. They became fast friends - right there in Chick-fil-A! Awesome!

Here he is in his new desk. Front row (which is a first!).
 And right by his other friend that we also met before school. 
God is good! 
Bennett did say that he thought that it was cool to sit in the front but that the other kids behind him might not appreciate his tall-ness :)

Bennett and Mrs. B

The first day of school was on Tuesday, the 14th. Most schools weren't starting until the following Monday, so we were ahead of the game!

Here are the first day pictures:

Look at those long legs!!

Want to remember the kindergarten pictures? Go here. 

Why is he growing up so fast??

Woo-wee! He sure is handsome! Look at the uniform! 

We've never had a uniform before, but I have to admit that it does look nice (and certainly cuts down on the fighting-about-what-to-wear dilemmas that we've had in the past :)

Yes, I know that I should have ironed those pants. Brad and Nana - I am sorry! :)

Honestly, I didn't even think about it until Brad saw these pictures and said 'Why didn't you tell me that his shorts needed ironing! I would have ironed them!" 

Have I mentioned that ironing is not my strong point?

He was very patient with me until the veerrryy end.

So, to be honest, there were some nerves this morning. A little teary-ness. I knew that I would be nervous, but Bennett had kept his cool right up until the big morning. 

But that's ok. 

We talked about it. We prayed about it. 

I was thankful for the opportunity to walk him in - all the way right up to his classroom.

He even held me hand for a second on the way in.

But once we hit the classroom door, he was right in his element. In fact, I had to make a point of calling him over and saying good-bye :)

Then I made it out to the car and I wondered what in the world I was going to do without him for 4 and a half hours. Then I took a deep breath, prayed a little more, and headed out of the parking lot to my first-day-of school massage :)

Oh, and when I picked him up from school and asked him how his first day was, he said 'That was the best day of school I've EVER had!'. 

Answered prayers for sure.

Project Life 2012 - Week 32

August 5 - 11

Well, yet another week that I didn't take many pictures... there were a few exciting things that happened this week, though!

Bennett started the week out by taking the 2nd round of cartooning and art camp at church. Once again, he loved it! I'm sorry that these pictures are sideways, but I think that can still get the gist of what he did :)  Oh, and I don't have any of the cartooning, but they worked on anime (whatever that is - I think that it is that characters with the big eyes :)

The first day they painted on canvas and I guess that the theme was water. I love the anchor and the sea behind it. Things seemed to go awry when the Bible verse was added with a brush that was a little too big for writing. Oh well!

The second day, they painted in wood and used mixed media. I love the cross on the hill! Great job!

Nice and simple :)

On Friday, Brad was post-call and able to be home, so mom, Aunt Sue, Nellie, and I headed down to Gee's Bend to see the real place that was in the story 'Leaving Gee's Bend' By Irene Latham. We drove straight to the Gee's Bend Quilting Collective, where the sweetest ladies met us to show us around. 

 Mary Ann is on my right - she also showed us some of her current as well as her past projects. The quilt hanging the background was her first quilt and it is made out of corduroy. Amazing work!

 Look at all of those quilts! Wow! It really made us have a new-found appreciation for the quilts that our grandmothers (and great grandmothers) made. And it made me think about taking up quilting. But only for a few minutes :)

 After our visit at the Collective, we hopped on the ferry and headed over to Camden for lunch and some shopping. It was a hot, but good ride. 

 Mom, Aunt Sue, and Nellie

Such a fun and interesting day!!

While we were gone, the boys went zip lining at Red Mountain park. It was a blast! No pictures, tho :(  Just take their word for it :)

One more 'weekend of freedom' as Bennett is calling it. School starts on Tuesday! 

That post is coming right up...

Project Life 2012 - Week 31

July 29 - August 4

We returned from vacation and didn't skip a beat! I kept trying to schedule a pajama day, but it just didn't happen! For some reason, though, I didn't take very many pictures during the week... we did have some great meetings with new friends from Bennett's new school. The moms and kids were SO nice and really made us feel so much more ready for school (well, we're not ready for school to start, but now we have many less questions than we had before and some very friendly faces to greet us! :)

On Tuesday, the 31st, Bennett had flag football evaluations. From his excitement level, you would have thought that he was trying out for an NFL team!

 Here he is doing his best sprint work (smiling the whole time!)

And here he is catching a pass. Again with the smiling!

He was on cloud nine when we left there and on the way home he declared 'I'm the happiest boy in the whole world!!'

Who woulda thought it would just take saying 'yes' to flag football this fall???!??

Oh, and he's sure that they will want him as either quarterback or receiver, which I'm sure that they will. Although in flag football, I'm not sure how that's all gonna work. Honestly, I'm not sure how football works at all. But, I learned about baseball, so I'm sure I'll learn this too :)

On Saturday morning I left bright and early to meet Gigi and Evie at the gardens to take some pics of Evie. Can you believe that we hadn't taken pictures since before she turned one?? That's a shame.

 Oh, my! Look at that cutie! 

She was in a good mood, but not particularly smiley - or at least that's what we thought when we were there. When I got home, I was thrilled with the number of GREAT shots that we got!

I could just eat her up!

While I was at the gardens, the boys went over to Brad's parents' house to see Chad and his family.

 Bennett loves seeing his cousins - especially Gabe, who is just about a year older. By the look of Bennett's sweat-i-ness, I'm guessing that they played outside.

Here are all 4 boys :)

Wow! Only one more week of summer. Where has the time gone??

Project Life 2012, Week 30 - part 3

Thursday, the 26th

Our last day in Michigan... how did it all fly by so fast??

 We started out with a little trip to the bakery - YUM!

 After we fueled up, we headed to climb Mt. Piscah's 229 steps to the top for a beautiful view of the lake.

 We made it!

 Then boys headed out for a canoe ride. Bennett practiced a few ninja moves with the oars before they took off :)

 Off they go...

Lunch time smiles

 And even though he's doing his grammar, he's still happy to be outside by the pool :)

Friday, the 27th

On Friday we left The Beach House and headed back toward home. We had planned an overnight stop in Louisville to tour the Slugger Factory, and we were so glad that we did! 

 Brad with some famous guy's bat.

 Bennett with some famous guy's bat.

 After the tour, we went to the batting cages. Both guys did great!

 Outside by the BIG bat :)

Saturday, the 28th

On the way back to Alabama, we stopped in Bowling Green at the Lost River Cave. It was really neat!

 Here we are outside the entrance to the cave. It really was beautiful.

Here are the boys outside Blue Hole #1. Bennett seems scared, but I promise there was nothing to be scared of :)

We had a great time on our vacation, and it was hard to admit that it was over! Each day in Michigan was filled with great adventures and family fun - what more could we ask for??