Fall Sports

Covid didn't keep most fall sports from happening - or if htey did we found another one or another way.  The biggest disappointment was Brock not being able to play tackle football.  He has waited almost 5 years for us to "let him play" and this was supposed to be the year!  He will go into high school next year and play football having never played!  Eek.  Oh well... he will figure it out I am sure. 

His best friend, Cameron, talked him into doing cross country for the first time.  He really liked it.  He took Jason out running on his routes, he woke up at 6 am a few times to go running.  It was pretty cute.  I kept wondering when he was going to ask if he could quit becasue it's just running.  But I guess he likes running?!  I don't understand it.

We all made it to one of his meets!

He also played on a rec flag football league.  I meant to take some of him playing... but I guess i didn't.  Dane really enjoyed going to his games.  He loves going to "football games".

He also played on his school flag football team.  There were 4 different teams: A, B, C, and D.  Brock is sure he would have made the A team but he got quarantined the week of "tryouts and the first weeks of practice. So he got put on the B team.  He talked to the coaches and they gave him a list of things to do to "prove" himself and they told him if he did they would put him on A team.  He worked really hard and kept in touch with the coaches and they finally put him on the A team.  He played one game and then he got quarantined AGAIN!!!  He was so sad.  He missed the rest of the season and even missed the play-offs.  He was pretty sad, but a good trooper.

Madison played another season of soccer.  Her old team disbanded so she thought she never wanted to paly again.  I talked her into going on a random team and she ended up on a team with a bunch of girls from school, she was thrilled and had a great season.

Not pictured here: Megan did gymnastics for the first time and LOVED it.  She got really good really fast and even moved up and jumped a level.  We are signed up for another set in January (fingers crossed it doesn't get cancelled).  Noah did 2 plays.  That will be its own post because I haven't downloaded those pictures yet.

And since this is fall and a sport I will put it on this post.  Brock and I went to a Thunderridge football game for special time in October.  I really love spending time with Brock.  I am really enjoying him as a teenager.  He is really funny and cracks me up at the things he says.  He is also really thoughtful and has deep thoughts about things - it just takes about an hour of silence and a perfectly worded question to get him talking.  We got really lucky we got into the game.  We didn't buy tickets online (the website didn't say I had too) and when we got there it was sold out.  It is a long story  but it would have been really devastating not to get to go that night but the guy, out of the goodness of his heart, let us sneak in.  yea!!

 

Halloween Preperation

Having big kids is the best.   They make me better, in so many ways.  Megan and Noah really wanted the front of our house decorated for Halloween.  In my perfect life I would have always decorated for Halloween but there was never enough money, time, energy, or thought.  Plus I am not good at that kind of stuff, so it is a little embarrassing to "try".  So when they kept bothering me about it I said, if they did that whole thing they could do it.  I took them to the dollar store and let them buy what ever they wanted.  Then they did the whole thing.  Their friend Zoe helped

Blessing outfits

When we blessed Eve I got all of our children's blessing outfits and hung them on our fire place mantle.  It was very endearing to both Jason and I.  Our babies blessings mean a lot to us.  Jason puts a lot of faith, prayer, and hope into his children's blessings.  When we first started having children and buying their outfits they didn't mean that much to us.  I probably  wouldn't have bought them but my mother and mother-in-law always insisted and took turns buying our first 4's outfits.  Once I hung them all together like that on the fire place we both realized what they symbolize and represent.  We love them.  Jason asked me to take a picture.  He wanted it over the fire place. 

I got fancy and wanted "my" picture out in the garden. 

Then I got real fancy and took one of each child's.  The outfits were bought specifically with that child in mind.  I spent hours going to stores to find the perfect one.  I had a vision/feeling of how each outfit was supposed to look.  They were all very intentional.  You still can't see the detail as much as I would like, especially for Megan and Madison's dress.  I guess I would need a "real" camera and be a "real" photographer.  

 

Evee Smiles

k - so this is way to many pictures.  But I love them all.

Evee loves her swing and looking at her toys.  She liked this lion early on.  Now she is grabbing them all and putting them in her mouth.

This was the first and last time (as of now) she stuck out her tongue.  I wish she would do it more.  I love babies sticking out their tongue.

 

Other Family Activities

I titled this blog post "other family activities" back in August and planned to add a bunch of photos to our weekly family activity.  Sad truth is this swimming one was our last family activity :(  It is SO HARD!!  We tried once.  We got everyone out to go hiking -but half way there our car broke down.  Every week I decide what the activity is - but then EVERY WEEK something gets in the way.  We are all only all awake and together for a short amount of time and... and... and... excuses, excuses, excuses.  I really want to change and just do it - no matter who is missing something, or who is annoyed, or tired, or busy.  

Eve came - but was sleeping in her stroller.

Any ways we had a good 2 week run.  We went to that athletic park and then the next week we went swimming.  

He was like a little dad to Dane.  Just swam around with him almost the whole time.

And when Eve needed to fall asleep Brock walked her around the pool for about 20 minutes.  I really don't ask him to do this kind of stuff.  He just does it and I tell him he doesn't have too and thank him a ton afterwards.  One of my biggest fears is that in his 20's he is going to say he felt like he had to do all this stuff and resents us for it!  But truly - I think he just has a big heart and a strong sense of responisbility.  

It was so fun.  The kids LOVE LOVE LOVE when Jason goes swimming with them.  They all wanted to give Jason dolphin rides.