Clay's 3rd Grade Cross Country 9.28.11

I went to watch Clay in his Cross Country meet.  Clay got 1st in his class to qualify for the finals.  I thought Clay placed 8th but he said he got 9th.  I think he was happy with a top 10 finish! 

Clay being silly with Gabe. 

I had to have a picture with his best bud, Conner.

Clay's Hair and Teeth Removal 9.21.11-9.22.11

On Wednesday 9.21.11, Clay decided to get his hair cut!  We were so happy to have the regular Clay back!  That evening Clay pulled a tooth from the bottom.  I told him his teacher wasn't going to recognize him with a tooth missing and all that hair buzzed off!  Then, on Thursday 9.22.11 Clay came home from school with a "tooth treasure box" with one of his 2 front teeth in it!  So in 24hrs, the boy lost 2 teeth and over an inch of hair!

Brittany's Travel Soccer Team Fall 2011; Family came to support Britt

Brittany's travel soccer team Fall 2011.   

It was a free Sunday for Deanna, so she and Madi came to watch Brittany.  Mike and Sandi also came to this game to root on Miss Britt.

Trip to Chicago 9.11.11 to meet up with Mike, Tina, and Connor

We got a chance to hang out with Mike, Tina, and Connor in Chicago on September 11th, 2011.  This was the 1st time we got to see them since they moved to Wisconsin.  The men went to the Bears game (woohoo Bears won!) and the women and the boys walked around Chi-town.  The above pic is supposed to show the new Marilyn Monroe statue-you can see it if you look really close! 

The weather was perfect-temps were in the 70's and sunny.  We decided to take the boys on a boat ride on the Chicago River and out onto Lake Michigan. 

Think Vince Vaughn in "The Break-Up", that was us! 

September 11th is also an anniversary that I have tried to talk to my kids about and how important the day is to remember.  One of the skyscrapers draped this massive flag, such a pretty sight in the sunshine.  The boat also did a moment of silence and a special "toot" of their horn at noon. 

The famous Sears Tower (now Willis Tower) 

Notice how LONG Clay's hair is.  This school year Clay decided he wanted to let his hair grow.  Chad, Brittany, and I didn't really like the new look but he seems to really like it!  Every day before school I have to gel and hair spray it to achieve the messy style. 

Susie and Miss Tina (love her and miss her tons!) 

After the boat ride, we shopped some, ate some great pizza (with sauce on top, of course!), and stopped by the Hershey store.  Only Connor would get plain vanilla ice cream at a chocolate store!  HA!  This picture is for Brittany, the chocaholic of our house, since she was with Alyvia this weekend in Ohio.  We had a great day with our friends.  I LOVED how easy it was to hang out for the day.  No weird adjustment time, it just felt good to be with each other again.  Friends for life!

Cheer Clinic September 2011

Brittany and some of her friends (complete with tutus) posing the night they got to cheer at halftime of the football game.

Brittany 5th grade Cross Country 9.7.11

Chad and I were able to go and watch Brittany in her 5th grade Cross Country Meet.  The girls and boys ran at separate times with each group running 2 laps on the course (~1 mile).  It was bitter cold!  This was the 1st year that you had to sign up to run (in prior years there was a qualifier in gym class). 

Brittany got 2nd place! 

Run, Britt, Run! 

Brittany relaxing after the race with her friends-such a pretty group of young ladies! 

Kaela got 1st!  Good job, Kaela!   

Labor Day at Dad's September 2011

Labor Day weekend started out with very *HOT* temperatures at the high school football game.  Saturday morning we got up and headed to Dad's.  Dad hasn't been feeling too well and actually had tubes put in his ear earlier in the week.  Miss Kennedy cheesing for the camera!

Britt and Lincoln 

Morgan, Britt, Lincoln, and Clay at Dad's 

These blond boys definitely favor each other! 

Clay, looking enormous, talking to Lincoln. 

Saturday night, Brittany and Morgan had a sleepover at Aunt Pam's and got all dolled up for church on Sunday.  Brittany looks so pretty (and grown up!). 

Pretty girls-Morgan and Britt 

Labor Day weekend ended up with COLD temperatures.  As in 90+ on Friday and Saturday and by Monday it was in the low 60's!  Fall is close but I didn't think it was already here!

Back to School 8.11.11 Brittany 5th grade; Clay 3rd grade

Brittany and Clay on the 1st day of school for the year 2011-2012.  Clay is taller, weighs more, his feet are bigger (even bigger than mine!) than Miss Britt. 

Clay is letting his hair grow so he can spike it! 

This is the longest Brittany's hair has EVER been. 

Brittany starting 5th grade with her friend Bayli!

Saying a Very Hard Goodbye 7.28.11

Mike, Tina, and Connor moved to the state of Wisconsin on 7.29.11. My family was so sad!  We went over the night before they moved to hang out and wish them well.  The kids have become like brothers and sister!

Tina letting Zoe take 1 more dip in their pool!

Tears were shed that night and we all hugged goodbye.  It isn't everyday that you meet a family and have everyone "gel" together. The kids get along so well, the husbands have alot in common and have fun hanging out, and Tina and I became the best of the best friends.  I am not talking in past tense about this family because we will continue this friendship!  Watch out Wisconsin, here we come!

Summer 2011 in Pictures

Our summer flew by!  Here are just a few highlights!  Miss Kennedy is DRIVING the gator! 

Brave Papa is letting Madi and Brittany ride the 4 wheeler all by themselves!

Mr. Lincoln LOVED playing with this watermelon!  He rolled and rolled it around like a ball, a heavy ball at that!  Linc looks more and more like his daddy! 

I took the kids with friends to the Drive In to see Cars 2.   

The 4th of July started with our church's bike parade thru town. 

After lunch we headed to a pool party at Bud and Kara's.  If you notice Clay missing from the water pics it is because we had quite a scare with Clay on July 1st.  Clay had fallen a few days before that and skinned up the palm of his right hand, no biggie, not much blood.  By Friday the sore had swollen up and by the time I got him to the dr. he had red streaks going up his arm!  The sore had turned into a staph infection-2 high powered meds later he was on the mend but with restrictions-no swimming on the 4th of July being 1 of them :( !!! 

Britt and Connor  

Mr. Landry was our fireworks specialist that day.  He not only purchased the fireworks but he lit them for all of us. 

I did let Clay do sparklers!  The boy had to have some fun on the 4th! 

This summer was full of softball and baseball.  Most of the time Chad and I had to divide and conquer.  He went with Clay and I went with Brittany.

One tournament was on Coach Adam's birthday 

Miss Morgan turned 9, complete with hot, hot temperatures and an iCarly cake. 

Clay's team pulled out a victory in the Town & Country Regional tournament to advance to Semi State! 

Brittany's team made it to Town & Country State!  Go girls!

Mr. Sparling, a retired teacher, came to watch Brittany and Baily!  So nice! 

The girls didn't win state but we had 1 more tournament to play.  The girls came in 2nd and took home some hardware! 

This group of girls (and parents) were so much fun.  Everyone got along and it made the summer much more enjoyable! 

We got to have Madi for a weekend!  She came to Britt's softball tournament.  She hung out in the dugout, got her hair braided like the other girls, and made some new friends! 

Of course, summer has to include Papa's fish fry and the Med Evac helicopter!

Summer was extremely HOT and busy, but we had a blast!