My Doodle is 8 with a free Clemson party

From the first time I saw your chubby little face and chunky legs, I was in love.

Eight years ago, almost to the hour, I met you and I loved you right then. You have a smile that lights up a room.

He has always had me.

Shepherd, you are pretty amazing.  I love how you are a mystery to people who dont know you well.  You are not an open book.  Often when you are sad, you disappear.  You dont easily open up, but when its just you and me, you will tell me about your life.  And, boy, you can make me laugh.  You have an adult's sense of humor which ironically many adults dont quite understand. 

You still love to play with toys.  You love legos, Minecraft, Pokemon (yuk), Power Rangers.  But, the thing you spend the most time doing is arts and crafts- from coloring to writing to drawing, you can spend hours at the kitchen table or at your desk lost in your creative world.  It makes me smile.

You are sooo smart.  I fear you are not being challenged this year but I am not quite sure what to do about that. 

You are pretty laid back unless Ashton is around and he has way of pressing your buttons (he has the effect on all of us :)  You bellow STOP at him and it drives us all crazy.  Besides the whines with Ashton, you are easy.

You had a great soccer season.  Everyone saw a drastic improvement in your play and confidence.  You are excited to play basketball this season as well.  Though you are not fast, you are started to use your mind to  make up for it (which will definitely serve you better in the long run (no pun intended))

For your birthday...
One of your buddies, Connor, spent the night last night.  You, Connor, and Ashton had a quite time. 

These three have been friends since Shepherd was 6 months old

Even though you are not a football fan at this point in your life, we all went to the Clemson football game today.  I convinced you, we were not going to watch a football game as much as we were going to hang out with Owen, Caelum. and Connor.  We had a great of 9 kids (and 6 adults) and conquered the Clemson game and ate at yummy lunch/ dinner at Joe's Pizza!

So proud of these boys.  The minute the National Anthem started, they all immediately stopped playing football (without being told) and put their hand to their hearts.  Unfortunately, I snapped the picture right when Connor dropped the ball but I was proud of them

Bennett and Caelum exploring a helicopter - It was military appreciation day

Great crew of boys 

Love this picture- Connor is literally in mid air while clapping along with the band

No words for this crazy kid

Listening to the Tiger band

Just call them photogenic

Parachutes coming into stadium

Watching the balloons and parachuters

Mantis photo bombs the kid picture with bunny ears 

Queenie in her element!

Love this funny ornery little thing!

This is trouble though really cute trouble

Pretty Miss Eva

These guys would play football all day!

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Party 1- Last weekend, you spent the night (by yourself) with Mantis and Queenie.  You had your annual shopping/ eating trip.  When I came to pick you up, you had made yourself a birthday cake with Queenie so we started celebrating a week early.

Happy Birthday to you!

Party 2- you opened all your presents and blew out candles the day before your birthday

Power Ranger cupcakes that may or may not have looked like power rangers :/ 

Presents... we got a lot of fun stuff... Kid is wearing a size 6 shoe!

Party 3- When we got back from the game, we did a quick Happy Birthday song and cupcakes again because it was your actual birthday!

My big 8 year old!

9 kids enjoying cupcakes

I think you had a really fun day.  You have spent the last hour coloring with metallic markers (in the Ridiculous coloring book) that Aunt Anna got for you. 

Shepherd, shine on kid.  You have so much change this year.  For a introvert, that can be hard, but you have handled it all beautifully.  I am so proud of you and thankful to call you my kid!  We are reading the Prince Warriors/ Armor of God books and you LOVE them.  Remember to equip yourself daily with these pieces of armor.  Stand firm!

I love you with all my heart!
~Mom

PS- Just one example of Shep's random funniness.  While I am doing this blog, he is coloring behind me and says.... "You know how Moses and I are the same?  We both are competitive, like to be scratched, and we LOVE butter."  haha- If only I could spend a few hours inside his head, I bet it would hysterical!

Happy 8th Birthday Shep-a-doodle!

Halloween a tad late

Yes, I still despise Halloween but we did the whole Halloween thing this year.

The crew--- Bennett as a dinosaur.  Hunter as Harry Potter.  Ashton as Draco Malfoy (he just finished book 5), and Shepherd as one of 5 million red Power Rangers.  

Silliness

My wonderful friend Jodi invited us ( and some of our other friends) over to her house to eat and then trick or treat around her neighbor.

Some of my people.  Sarah, Jessica, and Jodi.  (Missing Leah as her oldest son had an allergic reaction to peanut butter at school on Halloween).
So glad Jodi insisted we snap a picture, we never do this.

The boys had a great time.  Karson drove around in the golf cart with my kids. 

Some of the kids in the group we trick or treated with (Sarah and her kids were not here yet)

Jodi, as always, thank you for opening your home to us and for forcing me to allow my kids to Halloween.... haha.

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!

Baptism Times 3

Last Sunday my three oldest were all baptized.  I am so proud of them but more importantly, so thankful that Jesus chose to save them.  Though they have all been saved for awhile, I waited for them to initiate the conversation of baptism... just as I waited for them to initiate the conversation of salvation.

Hunter prayed over 6 years ago.  At the time, he wasnt quite ready to be baptized.  Then, we moved and started going to an ARP church where they sprinkled during baby baptism.  We continued to put  it off even after he asked about it on occasion.

Ashton prayed about 5 years ago.  At the very young age of 4 1/2.  I remember being a bit apprehensive about his youth but realized I am not Jesus and it is not my decision.  Of the 3, Ashton was the most proactive in lining up the baptism.  He didnt ask when he going to be baptized... he said, "mom, I'm going to be baptized."  To which I said, "ok, we will talk to the pastor."

Shepherd prayed a couple years ago and I am confident he is the SHEPHERDS.  But, he actually never asked about being baptized.  Once Hunter and Ashton decided it was time, I asked him if he was ready or if he wanted to wait.  He said he was ready but wanted to wear goggles (spoiler alert- he thankfully forgot them the day of the baptism.)

We had so many family members come to support them.  All four grandparents, Aunt Sandee, Uncle Tom Tom, and their girls, and Aunt Joan and Uncle John all bore witness to the dunking.

*** These pics were given to me by the person who takes pictures for baptisms... I took some as well- I am ashamed to admit (no I'm not) that I am too lazy to log out of this google account and log into the other google account to get them... haha.  After working on a computer a good portion of my day, the last thing I want to do when I get home is work on the computer even more!  So, these pics give you the general idea.  All 3 got to stand together as Pastor Nick baptized each. 

The Queen

First, it has been so long since I have been on my blog that it did not even save the URL address in my history--- that is sad.  This working thing is no joke.

This post is not to talk about my life or job but to record mom's birthday.  My whole family loves Clemson football, Clemson soccer, Clemson anything.  Zach, Anna, and their kids came down and joined the boys and me and did the Clemson thing with mom and dad on Friday night.  The floats for the Homecoming parade were amazing!  We then watched half of the Clemson soccer game- they lost :(

Queenie with her 8 Solid Orange!

My boys - excuse Ashton, we was mad.

Watching the game the cheap way- from behind the goal.  

Our view of the game = the free way

Mantis and Eva- Hunter is to the left and was making her crack up with a version of peek a boo.

The boy cousins minus Bennett

I then took Owen, Caelum, Esme', and my boys back to our house where we had a big cousin spend the night!  The boys (and girl) were so good.  They had a blast.  They worked out, played football, ran outside, watched a bit of Netflix, and played some Madden on Ashton's phone.  We live right at an hour away from them now so more spend the nights are in order.

It's 11:30 and the club is jumpin jumpin (it was actually only 10:30)

Saturday morning everyone, including Nolan, GrandmaDean, and Aunt Christy (surprise!) came over to my house and we had a good BBQ lunch and watched Clemson beat Wake Forest. 

Singing Happy Birthday

Bennett finally eating lunch once he realizes his girl cousins are getting snacks.

That is a lot of boys on a couch (plus one girl).  9 people and 1 dog.

Shepherd picture- Great pose Nolan (he loves it when I post pics of him like this!)

Thankfully Shepherd came through by snapping a picture of Anna- she somehow managed to avoid all the camera this time.

Oh Esme'... she is so funny.  This was taken right after she said she was going to "milk Moses."  Such a funny child!

We forced some to take some pictures.

You cant say these two are not sisters... they showed up in the same shirt (one solid, one patterned but same brand and style) haha

These 3 are so funny together! 

Every couple of years, I like to get an "originals" picture.

It was such a fun day!

Mom, you are seriously the best!  You work hard but always thing about us and how you can help.  I love you so much.  We really need to take a day off work and just go shopping! 

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 And because I want to post these but know they will not get a post of their own.  Zach and Anna have 11*14's of each of their kids between 20-22 months.  They asked if I would snap a couple of Eva since she is now 22 months! 

I have edited these at all... Anna, I will get them edited and send to you but look how beautiful this little girl is. 

Love this one-- need to fix the lighting but she is a doll

She is such a petite thing but you would never know it by how much she eats.  Guys, for dinner on Friday night she ate chicken, rice and peas, 2 pieces of pizza, a doughnut, and a breadstick.... and this is typical!

Melt!

So, though it has been 6 weeks since I blogged, we are still here... truckin' away.  

Thank you family for coming down to celebrate the Queen!  Love you Mom!