Clayton's Fun Run

On October 2nd, Clayton's school had their second annual Fun Run fundraiser.  Clayton was pumped about Race Day!  He prepared for weeks - lifting weights, doing chin up & push ups, and watching what he ate.  I'm not even kidding.  He had a written out work out routine and turned down dessert the night before the run.  He said, "I can't eat sugar, I have a race tomorrow!"  ;)  That boy is a force to be reckoned with when he puts his mind to something.

Wade, Owen, and I were all there to cheer on our little athlete.  He made us proud, finishing 3rd out of all of the 3rd graders.  Go, Clayton!

All of the 3rd graders with their teachers

 I believe the phrase that you are looking for is "eye of the tiger."  

That boy had a look of fierce determination the entire time.  ;)

 He got to cross the finish line with one of his best buds.

 He walked straight from the finish line to the grass and laid down.  Ha!  The race depleted all of his energy stores.

It was a fun event for our little school!  Nothing like the thrill of healthy competition amongst classmates.  :)

Last Swim of the Summer - 9/12/13

We hung onto Summer 2013 as long as we could, but, alas, September 12th was our last swim of the year.  :(  Pool time is one of my favorite parts of the summer - a healthy dose of Vitamin D for all of us, good exercise for my three little monkeys, time with friends, a free way to cool off, etc.  It is a good time all the way around.

At the very end of the summer, my Drew made huge swimming strides.  I am such a scaredy cat around the water.  I wasn't ready for him to be an independent swimmer yet.  I was so nervous that I wouldn't be able to be 100% vigilant about watching him with Owen still being so little.  So... I made Drew wear his life jacket at all times.  He was sweet to go along with my request and wore his life jacket all summer long.  We both got a little brave in the last few weeks of swimming and he spent some time in the water without his floatation device.  He did so good!  I am 99% sure that he will be a full-time, independent swimmer next year.

 So proud of this little fish!  He really started to take off!

 We may have three independent swimmers next year!  Owen is crazy about the water - loves putting his face under.

So long, Summer!  Bring on the pumpkins, sweaters, and fall weather!  Yes, please!

Owen's First Day of BSF

On September 11th, I started my first year of Bible Study Fellowship.  I have always wonderful things about the organization, but people always preface their rave reviews with a warning about "the rules."  I've heard, "if you miss more than three times, you are kicked out" and "if you don't do your homework, you aren't allowed to speak in small group" and "you have to wear a dress or skirt."  All of those rules made me too anxious to try BSF.  Recently, BSF, as an organization, has changed and all of those rules have been covered by a whole lot of grace.  In light of that, I decided to give it a try.  :)

Owen goes to the kid's program while I am in the adult small group and lecture.  The kid's program is awesome!!!  I cannot say enough about what a good job they do with these little ones.  Owen LOVES it!  He calls it "my school."  ;)  His teachers are so welcoming and friendly - always saying, "I love you, Buddy!" before we leave.  The children's curriculum follows the adult study - teaching the kids what we are learning, but on their level.  We are studying Matthew this year.  A few weeks ago, we were in Matthew 3 studying John the Baptist.  Owen's lesson was about John the Baptist, as well.  When I picked him up, his teachers shared a cute story.  They said that they had taught the lesson and then asked a few review questions.  They asked, "What was the name of the man who told people about Jesus?"  They said that Owen got super excited and said, "I do!  I do!"  Ha ha!  I hope that boy grows to tell everyone that he knows about Jesus!  That would delight my heart like nothing else.  :)

We decided that these two hours away from Mommy warranted a chalkboard photo session.  ;)

 He asked for a picture with his puppy, of course.  That boy is crazy about his stuffed animals!  He sleeps with 8 in his crib.  Ha!

If you have a child in the kid's program, they ask that you volunteer 3 times a year.  I got to help out a couple of weeks ago, and I was amazed by how much they teach even the little toddlers.  They have tons of rhymes and songs to instill the Truth in these tiny children.  It was pretty amazing.  I recorded a video of Owen doing one of his rhymes a few nights ago.

Obviously, he doesn't fully understand the Gospel message yet, but that is quite a seed that has been planted in his little heart.  I love that the Word is being spoken over him by these sweet ladies to reinforce our biblical teaching at home.

Drew's First Day of Preschool - 4s Class

Today was my Drew's first day of school!  Y'all, he did sooooo good!  I have never seen that child more brave and confident than he was today.  I could not have been prouder of my boy!  So, so grateful!  I know that it was a gift from God - an answer to the prayers of many!  Thank you for lifting up this sweet, smiling boy.  :)

We snapped a few pictures before walking in...  He was super particular about writing his name.  He erased over and over again.  I'm hoping that his letter formation perfectionism continues.  Self-correcting his Penmanship sure would make my life so much easier!

He gave Mrs. Chay a little card & gift, put his folder away, put his lunch box in the bin, hung his bag up, then went to sit at his table.  He acted like a seasoned pro!  We have made great strides since this time last year.

He flashed us a big smile and told us goodbye.  I could not believe that he did so well!  I was totally shocked.  You could have knocked me over with a feather.  ;)

He was all smiles when I picked him up, too.  He told me about their gym class, recess, centers, and lunch.  He told me that he was the "Activities Director."  Apparently, as the Activities Director, he "went around to check on what activity all of the kids were doing."  When I asked if that was a job that his teacher gave him, he said, "Nah.  I just wanted to do that."  Ha!

He was out like a light within 5 minutes of leaving the school.  Like head tilted back, mouth wide open, conked out, ah-sleep...

When I snapped that shot of him snoozing, Owen said, "I pitcher!  I pitcher!  I sleepin!" then proceeded to make snoring noises until I took his picture also.  He is getting funnier and funnier every single day!

There were two other funny moments from the morning:

*  On the way to school, Drew randomly says, "I don't know what I want to be when I grow up...  Actually (pronounced "Ack-sha-lee"), I want to be in the circus."  Wade and I both died laughing!  He would definitely win the title of "Most Likely to Join the Circus" amongst our three offspring.  ;)
*  When we pulled in the garage after dropping Drew off, Owen got this super panicked look on his face.  He said, "Fro-got Drew!  Fro-got Drew!"  Poor Buddy, he thought we had left Bubs by accident.  He isn't used to being an only child - ever!  Ha!  I'm sure that he will get used to it quickly.  :)

I'm so glad that we have both of our First Days behind us.  They always make me so anxious!  Now I have a peace in my soul, and know that both of my big boys will have a great year. 

Owen's First "Real" Dentist Appointment

Owen had his first regular dentist appointment on August 29th.  He had been twice before for his chipped tooth, but this was a "happy" visit.  :)  I actually took all three boys at the same time, and they all did really well!  The big boys went first, and both got good reports.  Then the sweet hygienist said in her sweetest tone, "Okay, Owen now it's your turn.  Come sit in the big chair."  Owen said, "Noooooooo...." and took off running down the hall to hide behind a toy.  Ha!  Eventually, we coaxed him into the chair, and the exam was really fast - a quick count and teeth brushing.

Love this sweet boy and all of his 16 teeth!