A Whole Decade

A whole decade has flashed before my eyes.  Who knew that my journey of being a boy mom- being this boy's mom-  officially started 10 years ago?

So grown up

Hunter, you are quite simply, awesome.  You are smart, kind, quirky funny, and dependable.  You want to do the right thing.  You get my jokes and my sarcasm and I am starting to get glimpses of your sarcastic nature as well.

The loot wrapped up....

Sporting his new sunglasses... the gifts were so grown up this year!

An archer's target block, a new watch, an archer arm protection thing, Wii game, sunglasses, sweater (not pictured- new pair of Keens, and about $200 in cash) and going to see Mockingjay Part 2 this weekend.  He is quite a blessed young man.

You are super involved at school making the district chorus team, singing with Soaring Singers, volunteering in the Environmentalist Club, participating in the Good News Club, and taking guitar lessons.  Not to mention playing basketball (and soccer in the fall and spring) and being super active at church,  However, though you are social, you must have your alone time.  You have worn, what we call, a dog path in the backyard where you hold a super hero and just walk this path playing.  I love that you need your time to decompress (or what I refer to as depeople.)  Just today, I look at you doing your walking/ play thing, and I tear up a bit.  It has truly been a blink...

this is called... Plate O' Brownies... or better yet, Plate O' slightly burned Brownies)

Happy Birthday!!!

You make some of the goofiest faces and you love that it drives me crazy.  You are messy but will obediently pick up your stuff if I remind you.

Prime example- going through your phone is a hoot.  

I love you so much kid.  I love hanging out with you and all of our car talks.  You are truly going make an impact somewhere.

Getting so tall... Measured him today-  4'11" and 84 lbs and wearing a 7.5 shoe!

Continue to be you and remember to "do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God."  Micah 6:8.
Love ya forever
Mom

A and S stats

Still havent moved docs since we moved a couple years ago...

So, doctor's visits turn into day trips, which is kind of fun.  Ashton and Shepherd were due for their annual check ups and we made a day of it.  Picked them up from school at 11:30 and didnt get home until after 6.  We stopped at Barnes and Noble and the outlets to get shoes.... so many feet in this house!

Both boys are so healthy and growing like crazy.

Ashton Stats

Weight- 50.3 lbs - 21%

Height - 50.5" - 50%

Shepherd Stats

Weight- 58.2 lbs - 94% (yes, he is almost 8 lbs heavier than is older brother)

Height- 49.5" - 98%

So, they both stayed on the same general curve, give or take a couple percentage points.

While there, the doctor asked about diarhera/ constipation issues.  Unbeknownest to him, diarhera is Bennett's favorite word right now and he just started singing about diarhera.  It was just great.

Shepherd and Ashton are so different from size to personalities.  Love these boys so much.  Just a quick funny from this week.  

The boys school does the Santa Shop for kids to come in buy cheap crappy gifts for people.  Both Shepherd and Ashton took $20 of their money to buy gifts (let me note that Hunter is wise and did not particiapte).  They immediately get in the car and start passing out these "gifts".  Ashton gives me a little purple ring saying he picked it because I love purple and because of Clemson.  I thank him, tell him I love it.  

Shepherd then proceeds to give the ring he picked out.... a huge, multi colored flower ring.  Again, I tell him thank you and I love it.  Ashton seeing that Shpherd's ring is much larger feels he needs to justify why his is smaller... he says, "I liked that one too but I didnt have enough money."  I assure him that I love the one he gave me.

I dont think this needs explaining... :)I have worn them the last two days and will continue to wear them until a)they break or 2) they turn my fingers black. 

Twenty minutes later, we are at home and Ashton unpacks his backpack and says, "look mom, I still had $4 leftover from the Santa Shop."  haha- so maybe he did have enough money but thankfully, I huge flower ring is enough.

I love  having boys!  :)

A Little Pink in my World

Woo Hoo!!!  Another healthy baby joins the ranks on my side of the family.  My brother, Zach and his wife Anna welcomed baby #4 today.

Gorgeous! 

Miss Eva Claire weighed in at 7 lb 1 oz, 19" long.  Judging by the pictures, she is a pretty little thing.  Of course she has to be born on a week where we are slammed pack with multiple things so I cant escape to meet her, but rest assured with Christmas break approaching- a day trip is in the works.  

Just a little girl! :)

Her name is pretty cool as well as Eva is a family name on both my mom and dads side of the family.  My dad's grandmother was Eva and her husband was Clarence... hence Eva Claire.   Zach and Anna do the same thing that Chad and I did and use middle names to honor our families.  With 4 kids, it easy to honor each side. 

The new family of 6! 

Congratulations Zach, Anna, Owen, Caelum, and Esme and welcome to the world of 6 and the world of stares... a lot of stares (some admiring and some pitying.)  

Love you guys!

Lots and Lots of Boys

I still have until the 14th to cope with the fact that I have a 10 year old....

This post is all about the PARTAY.  It is Hunter's year to have the big party.  We discussed at GREAT length what he wanted to do and we finally landed on a sleepover where he could invite 6 kids over to spend the night (I also allowed Ashton to invite his best friend).  Last night was that night and everyone was able to come... so if the Lord laid us on your heart, you know now why- 11 boys.

Hunter's invites.... left to right- Austin, Jessie, Noah, Hunter, Brett, my Hunter, Garrett

Shepherd, North, and Ashton

Hunter has made some great friends at his school, soccer, and church.

The evening consisted of...

Soccer

***speaking of, yay Clemson soccer.  In the semifinals for NCAA!  :)

some of the soccer players

Other Hunter and Ashton

Noah and Garrett facing off

ziplining

Only one zipline picture.  Never made it to the back of the yard.  Plus, major injury by a visiting 9th grade brother of one of the kids.  He was ziplining in the dark (we now have a new rule about NO ziplining in the dark).  Hit his head and was literally pouring blood. Thankfully, his parents were here and the bleeding stopped by the time they got home.

Crazy Kid!

power wheels racing

Ready

Set

GO!

trampolining

boardgames

The played this game forerver... forgot the name but basically you have to taste a jellybean that is either good or totally disgusting.. For example, I got black which was either licorice or skunk.  Yall, it was the most horrid thing I have EVER put in my mouth.  

Noah playing the game with Shepherd.  He acted just the like the big kids and would run to the trash and spit it out.

My pick eater would not play.

hanging out

video games

Wii to the left, Sega to the right

Wii time

movies

Star Wars: Phantom Menace.  The dog bed had a kid in it by the middle of the movie.  Molly was not impressed.

and of course, eating.  These kids consumed 4 pizzas, a huge order of breadsticks, countless bags of chips, 4 two litres, 2 1/2 packages of break away cookies, almost an entire cake, many capri suns, 3 boxes of muffins, and half a box of popcorn.  No lie... boys can eat!

Cake and icingless cupcakes for both Hunters

Singing Happy Birthday

Blowing out TEN candles

So tempted to crack open the whine behind those muffins... but, didnt.

Definite memories were made and a lot of fun was had.

Conversation I had with Hunter.
Hunter  Mom- "Thank you so much mom.  I had a blast."
Mom- "Oh, sweetie, you are so welcome."
Hunter Mom- "I love you mom."
Mom- "I love you too Hunt."

ha, after I had this conversation with myself in front of Hunter.  He looked at me like I was a dork and mumbled.  "I love you mom."

Hey, I take what I can get.  :)

--------------------------------------------------------------

And I think Molly sums it up nicely.

Exhausted

I love you a ton Hunter.  Hope you had a blast!

When you are a Shepherd

I have always loved, "the Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want."  The image of a shepherd, compassionately tending to his flock.  The knowledge that my Shepherd tends to my every need- that He provides.  Though the King Shepherd is God, the Bible shows that the job of a shepherd can even be done by a boy.  Big jobs can be entrusted to young people.  Praise the Lord that He did not hinder a young shepherd boy.

It is a big name to wear.  It is a job that as Christians, we are all called to do at some point in our walk- to shepherd.

Six years.  It has been six years since my baby #3 was born.  My Shep.  I pray he sees the significance of his name.  Ironically, of my four kids, he most struggles with want--- as does his mother.  Son, it is a daily battle for those of with a more, more, more attitude. 

My human boy and my doggie boy. :)

Shepherd, you are silly and full of happiness.  As with any high, there is also a low.  You are easily broken with your feelings being crushed.  I pray that as you get older, your feelings will still hurt but instead of self focusing heart break, it will be others focused.  You are growing up in a world that is so full of need- not just physical or emotional- but spiritual... our world needs Jesus.  I pray that you will stand up, stand firm.  Live like Jesus, the Shepherd.


You are loud.  Your voice carries far and wide.  We constantly say, "Shepherd, not so loud."  "Shepherd, shhh."  "Shepherd, I am right beside you, take it down an octave." Find the person who needs a voice and be that voice.  Find a cause that needs a voice and be that voice.  Stand firm on Him and live loud faith.

You love your brothers and have such a special relationship with each of them.  Hunter is where you go when you need help.  Ashton is your best friend and worst enemy.  Bennett adores you, his "Wepwerd" and you play so well with him.  The bond between you boys is so fun to watch.


Carowinds brother picture.

Thinking of Shepherd stories from this past year and I can easily sum Shepherd up in one day.  September 28.  I had this saved in drafts and never posted...
1- Shepherd is very artsy unlike his brothers.  He loves to paint, color, build, etc.  He was coloring on the dining room table- the WHITE dining room table (yes, I have 4 boys and a white dining room table) with a permanent marker.  He pulls his paper up and, you guessed it, the marker bled through.  I, thinking quickly, grab some fingernail polish remover and pour it on the white table (let me add one more adjective to that description.... the white PAINTED table).  I notice it turns my table which apparently was more of an off white to a true bright white.  I quickly grab a paper towel to get the remover off and as you might guess, rubbed the paint right off the table.

Table woes.

Thankfully, my Lowes paint man saved me and introduced me to furniture paint.  I sanded the table down and just repainted another lovely shade of white.
2- 20 minutes after this debaucle.  Shepherd is standing behind Bennett at the computer and is being silly and steps on the base of my curtain and yanks it, screws and all to the floor.  It has since been pulled out twice since then and is no longer hanging up.


Soccer practice wearing Ashton's Bama shirt

3- 40 minutes after that.... we have mashed potatoes for dinner.  I look over and Shepherd has a huge mound of mashed potatoes on his spoon which he proceeds to lick, lower it for Moses to take a HUGE lick, and then raise the spoon and finishes it himself.
And guys, this is typical Shepherd day in and day out.  A free spirit who is accident proned, doesn't think about the effect to his cause, but who is funny as all get out.

Joy-filled

Shepherd, I love you so much.  You are my kindred spirit.  You have the absolute silliest voice, "Hello, my name is Sunshine." (inside joke.)  Continue to be you!

Singing Happy Birthday. 

Blowing oiut his lego Batman cake.  ***Notice the table is good as new.  The bad spot is the area right around Shep's hand.

Happy Birthday Poppatarda!  I love you so very much.  Here are a bunch of rapid fire kisses!
Mom

  

All picture taking ends with silliness.