Ashton- 11

Ashton turned 11 in October.  It is funny to me, how for the most part, a baby's personality stays pretty consistent into childhood and so far into the double digit years.

He sits like a bird... perching... all the time.

Ashton with his loot.

Birthday brownies with homemade ice cream

Ashton is opinionated, strong-willed, mouthy, and a leader.  He takes life by the reigns and loves to be in the front to be first player to be the lead.  So far, at school, this has worked in his favor.  His teachers see him as proactive and responsible and a work horse.  His peers see him as a someone they should follow and listen to.

Charlee and Ashton''s Jr Beta Club Induction 

The boys... Bennett is pouting

At home though, oh at home.  He is in the middle of every little argument.  Even arguments he has no business being in!  He can get a reaction out of every single person and being in our house!  Even Moses will occasionally low growl at him when Ashton just keeps pestering him.  It really is a gift.

Example of Ashton bothering Moses.  Ashton kept taking Moses' toy and slinking it around.  Finally,  Moses pinned Ashton down.  He would not allow Ash to get up.  This went on for about 3 minutes.

My prayer for Ashton is two-fold.

1- Be Humble.  Apart from the grace of God, we are nothing.  Ashton has been given much and the Lord will require much.  I pray Ashton will realize his depravity apart from a gracious Savior.  I love seeing Jesus work in Ashton.  Though apologizing his hard for him, I see the Holy Spirit working it out in him.

2- To know when to stand up and when to lay low.  Whether at home or school or work, I pray Ashton will have wisdom and when to fight and when to lay it down.

Ashton, I love you.  You are doing so well in school.  It makes me laugh how much of a dumb blonde you are though.  This is one of those times I wish I had recorded some of the hysterical things you thought that were just not right.  You have had us rolling on numerous occasions this past year.

My skinny blonde baby!

May this next year lead you closer to Jesus.  Focus on Him and His path for you.

Happy Birthday
~Mom

The Summer in Review

Well, I blinked, and then summer was over.

I had a ton planned for this summer from things for work to places to go with kids to things to do at my house, I knew it was going to busy.

Here is our summer in review.
1- Phoenix, AR- For work, I was able to go to the National Career Development Conference in Phoenix with 2 of my co-workers.  We had such a good time and the conference was pretty good too.

In the distance is Mexico.

Suzan and me right before a Kenny Chensey concert.  Love this lady!

Traci, Suzan and I "snuck" in for the last 20 minutes of a WNBA game.  

2- Carowinds.  We went ahead an got season passes this year.  Did NOT get our money's worth.  We only went twice.  I know it is opened until Christmas now but still the fall is always super busy.  Oh well, lesson learned.  We did have fun when we went.  They loved the water pack... I took a bunch of pics but dont feel like going through them all

Little vegis

Taking a snack break at Carowinds

3- Of course, the beach.  Blogged it here.

4- Trip to Cowpens with Mantis.

The cannon picture

monument outside of Cowpens visitors center

5- Mom and I went to Gastonia over the 4th to hang with GrandmaDean

6- Hunter went to youth camp for a whole week and then had a sleepover and then went to one of his best buddies bday parties.  That 9 days was super packed for my recluse of a child- however, he loved it!

7- All the half birthday dates... blogged here

8- Lots of yardwork... blogged here.

9- Riggs watchin'

Riggs did me wrong... we brought him back with when we went to Carowinds.  He was a bad dog and chewed the seatbelt in half (in the new car).

My boys

Riggs loving on Charlee and Ashton

10- Spend the night with A-ville cousins.
     Anna took the picture... and I dont have it!
11- Hours and hours spent playing Legos.  Funny story- First, I love legos..... I was playing with them and look around and realize that I was by myself and had been for almost an hour!!! haha

Massive lego city

12- Numerous pool activities at both grandparents "pools."

13- Circque du Soleil on Ice with Grandma, Uncle Tommy, Aunt Sandee, Charlee, Sami, and Joey

About to find out seats

cousins

Such a fun summer, now time to hit it again.   Kids start back to school Monday and I started back this week. 

Soaking in the last few days of summer

Half birthday Round Up

I finished up my April- July run of half-birthday dates.  Can I just say again how much I love this one on one time?

In April, Ashton chose to take his data to Cheesecake Factory.  He loves cheesecake and had to experience the huge selection.  He ordered the chicken pot pie (it is soooo good by the way.)  Afterwards we went downtown and walked around and talked.  He is going to have this dating thing whipped.  He is so conversational and talked to me like an adult the entire car ride and through dinner.  He was charming and funny.

Our yummy cheesacakes

Ashton and I are excited!!!

Shepherd's data was in May.   I suggested this hamburger place in the mall that has a fun bar-type vibe.  There is outdoor seating and of course, these monster milkshakes.  I knew Shep would be a fan.  After dinner, we wandered through the mall, bought him an Iron Man shirt that he promptly changed into.  I gave him a surprise "quick trip" to Chuck E Cheese where he played for about 30 minutes.   He finished at Barnes and Noble where he got a Minecraft book he had been requesting.  Shep is big/ old enough for the front seat this year which always makes it feel more personal.  He made me laugh multiple times but was also comfortable with some silence. 

With his huge $8 milkshake

Sheppy and me

At Chuck E Cheeses

Just a funny picture between #3 and #2.  

Hunter, oh Hunter.  He had me scratching my head!  The pictures tell the story.  Hunter wanted to go see a move- so we went to see Incredibles 2 (he wanted to see Ant Man, but Ashton had made me promise not to see it if Asthon would not see Infinity War without Hunter.)  Hunter ate a ridiculous amount of popcorn which filled him up and gave him zero energy.  With his youth camp coming up (he is actually there this week), we went looking for stuff he would need for camp.  He doesnt like shopping but humored me.  With all the many choices for dinner, he chose Chick-fil-A (because he wasnt that hungry.)  We had gone to Barnes and Noble before dinner and got a book that he preceeded to read during our entire dinner.  At the end, I informed him that if that had a been a real date, there would probably not be a second.  hahaha.  To top it all off, he tried to take a nap on the way home!  Lots of work to do on this one.  Despite that, he is such a good kid and will really make a great husband some day.

Getting ready for the movie

At least he loves to read... ;/

So tired he sleeps during our date--- he told me he was just enjoying a silent car- which I can relate to

Bennett's half birthday date was today.  We finally left the house at 10 am to go to Chuck E Cheeses because he was hassling me to death.  He wanted pizza so we at at the Rat as well.  We then went to the bookstore where he got a Ninja turtle book and we shared a big milkshake.  He told me multiple times that he loves me so much.  (On a side note, he also tells me often that he wishes that he was still inside my belly--- that is weird, right?) 

Riding at Chuck E Cheeses

 
  ****I will post a picture of Bennett and me together onces it loads through google. 

****  I will also post a pic of my fifth son, Moses though his half birthday is not until next month

*** Also, I realized that we have quite a love of desserts and books. 

Basketball Season

Basketball season was another success.

Hunter decided he didnt want to play.  I didnt give Bennett the option because U6 basketball is perhaps the most painful thing to watch- EVER.

Ashton played U10 and Shepherd U8 for our church league.

Ashton was, well, amazing.  The kid can play.  For example, one game, his team won 44- 36.  He scored all 44 points.  He does have moments of holding on to the ball too long, however, he does also pass a good bit. 

Ashton getting some instruction from his coach. 

Ashton (in white) going after the ball.  

And he steals it

And, an easy lay-up

Not my actual kid, but love him... Connor drives to the lane

Shepherd and another player on his team were the top scorers, if one scored then normally the other one assisted and vice versa.  He towered over all these kids but he did a great job.

Shepherd reaches up for the ball

He saves it from going out

Soccer overlapped with the back end of basketball for A and S.  I love their soccer teams.  I help coach both teams and it is really a good bunch of kids.  Hunter is playing soccer this spring.  He has said over and over again how happy he is to be playing soccer again.  He hadnt played since fall 2016.  Bennett is also playing on his first organized sports team this spring.  He is on a little rec team.  His first game is this week.

So, we did not have even a week off but it is fun!

Fall Sports Round-Up

So, working full-time plus having 3 of the 4 kids participating in sports = very little time at home!

This past fall was a whirlwind- seriously, like the first 9 weeks of school was over in a blink and we are already at the 1/2 way point for the second 9 weeks.

Football was a bust... both with Chad's team and with Hunter's 1st season of playing football.   Chad and I agreed that our boys could play football, if they wanted, in 7th grade/ middle school.  Somehow, Hunter was signed up for 6th grade/ rec ball and I was left thinking, "oh whatever."   For the record, he hated it.

Hunter's team was, well, imagine awful and then multiply it.  haha.  They did win 1 game but it was a long season.  Thankfully, my father-in- law, enjoyed taking Hunter to practice so I didn't have to endure the practices as well.  Hunt was pretty discouraged by the end of the season and has not yet decided if he will try again.  I stress to him often that it is his choice!

Hunter's team playing at the stadium- no idea which one he is.

Some blurry, camera phone action shots.  I think he is the skinny kid on the left side

I need to figure out why my phone is taking such blurry pictures... I think Hunter is right in the middle (skinny kid, blue pants, blocking)

Soccer, on the hand, went much better.  Ashton and Shepherd were apart of an inaugural Pickens United travel team.  Ashton did a great job and was a huge contributor to the team.  Shepherd improved drastically!  Everything just started clicking for him.  He doesnt have speed but he is starting to understand the game.
***Pictures are awful, as mentioned, when you coach you forget to take pictures until the last game and then still get distracted.  :(

Heading up the field

Fighting for position of the ball.

Ashton was on the U11 team and Shepherd was U9.  I don't know their records but they finished somewhere in the middle of the pack.  At the tournament a few weeks ago, Ashton's team finished 3rd and Shepherd's finished 1st. 

Shepherd running up the field (not with ball.)

Dribbling up the field

And Bennett, well he loved practices and games and ran wild.  He has requested, without ANY prompting from me as I am busy enough, that he wants to play soccer this spring.

I mean, of course he loves going to practices, Madi (on Shepherd's team) "fixes" his hair after every event!  And he Loves it and her.

We are now in basketball season with only Ashton and Shepherd playing.  Hunter has decided basketball is not his thing and is enjoying an off season.

Two Hands- Ashton is 10

Kid #2 is 10!  I look at him and marvel.  He is going to rock the world! 


Ten things that make him stand out... He is strong-willed, opinionated, athletic, smart, leader, mouthy, animal-lover, conscientious, intense, and talkative!


He came into this world fiery and with a voice, so it is no surprise that he has still got it.  But, I love him for it.  I also tell him that these things that drive me crazy are going to be the very things that once he gets them under control are going to be his selling points. 

Ashton, I love you.  You stand up for those who need help.  You are not afraid to back down.  I am so proud of all the positive feedback I get from people in your life. 

Continue to fight the good fight... notice it is says the good fight and it actually ends with ... of faith.  Dont' just fight the fight- that will only lead to you being tired, jaded, and sad.  Utilize your shield of faith and according to I Timothy, "fight the good fight of faith."  Remember to listen to that still, small (but sometimes loud and obvious) voice of the Holy Spirit.  Take time to breath and listen and reflect and unwind.  Love people just because- dont love people because they did something for you but love as Jesus loves.

I know, you would probably be rolling your eyes by this point with all my mom tips. 

So, I will finish with saying, I love you and I am proud of you!

This is the first kid birthday that has happened since I went back to work and wow, I am tired!  haha.  I love my kid's birthdays but I just barely squeaked by getting Ashton's presents.  We go to a book study at a friend's house on Wednesday night.  So, we did a mini party over at Jodi' house with some of our friends. 

Singing Happy Birthday

This crew.... Love...  Jackson, Karson, Connor, Hunter, Bennett, Ashton, Shepherd, and Will

I really wanted to take Ashton to Carowinds for his birthday but time and energy (but mostly time) just made that too hard. (We did buy season passes for next year though!)
I got Ashton out of school and we went to lunch.  He picked Coyote Coffee which made this coffee addict quite happy (plus they have yummy food too.)  I then let him play hookie that last 1.5 of school while I ran back to work. 

Happy Birthday at home... he did dessert before dinner since the chicken pot pie was not ready and we had to head to soccer practice!

I made him chicken pot pie, his favorite dinner, tonight.  He requested a cheesecake for his dessert, but I honestly just ran out of time.  So, tonight I made iced brownies and I told him this weekend I would make him a cheesecake.

Blowing out the Big 10!

 (Just a side note, I have some serious issues- I should just go buy something, but in my head, to be a "good mom" I need to do a home made something- I am sure I will learn in time.)

His birthday loot from us- a new soccer goal, a yoga ball (it is much smaller than I imagined), football cards (his favorite gift), pick up sticks (totally forgot about this game), and a new Nikes.
He also racked up $250 from my parent, Chad's parents, Jodi's family, Leah's family, and Aunt Joan. 
Thank you all for loving on our awesome Ash.

Happy 10th! Birthday SmAsh!