Happy Thanksgiving!

November is flying by...things we've been doing:

Grant's football banquet - while he didn't get a special football award, he did get an academic award for his 4.0 GPA. We'll take that any day over a football award.

Flag Football: Wyatt continues to play.

Soccer: Fall season is over, but winter season starts today. There is no end to the sports in this family! A few moms and I put together soccer books for all the players:

Stingray Exhibit: New at the zoo. We were there the first day it opened standing in line to get in.

As far as Thanksgiving...it's just us this year so we are going OUT to eat! Woohoo!

Hope everyone has a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving.

And on to November...

...I actually have jeans on! OK, I admit, I had shorts and flip-flops on most of the day. But at least now when we go to a night game, it's cold enough for jeans and close-toed shoes. Sometimes I even wear socks.

Halloween was a blast, as usual. This year I really didn't have the energy to do the 3-hour-trick-or-treating-with-adult-beverage-in-hand deal. All day I was telling myself "ONE hour and we are coming home!" However, when I picked up K&K from school and a friend called out to me "My house. 5:30. Margaritas." I quickly responded "we'll BE THERE!" Oy. I am so weak.

So this year it was 3 1/2 hours out. Perfect weather...I even wore capris. As the kids trick-or-treated for candy, the adults were handed "drinks" at friends' houses along the way. Don't we have such a neighborly neighborhood?

Since DH was off riding in a helicopter that day and didn't get home until late, Grant was designated as the candy-giver-outer. He and a friend manned the door until DH got home and then they headed out to meet up with some friends. He didn't actually trick-or-treat, since he wasn't dressed up. No need though since his brothers brought home gobs of candy.

Wyatt's costume was put together about 10 minutes before we left. It went like this:

Me: Wyatt, what costume are you wearing?

Wyatt: I don't know.

Me: Here, put on Grant's football pads, pants, and helmet and your jersey and cleats.

Wyatt. OK.

Heh.

Kent and Kurt, however are another story. We start deciding on costumes about 2 months in advance. Kurt wanted to be Jango Fett, but I could not find a costume anywhere, even online. So I had to head to eBay and pay way more than I usually do. Kent was easy, when he saw the Bionicle costume, that was it.

Every year I have to tell the boys of when I was a student and going to Catholic school and we always got the day after Halloween off because it was a Holy Day. So my siblings and I got to stay up as late as we wanted. The boys always then ask if they can go to Catholic School. Heh.

I'm loving this time of year...my absolute favorite. Can't wait for all the rest of the holidays.

And it's over!

Last game of the football season last night...

We all have mixed emotions about it:

• sad...that it's over because it was so much fun!
• grateful...that Grant got to play every game
• happy...that Grant has more free time
• relieved...that Grant never got hurt
• hopeful...that next year will be even better for him.

Number 9 for the final time...

October...

How cute are these? Kent and Kurt made these tiny ghosts with Dum-Dums and tissues.

So, October has been busy for us so far. Quick rundown...

• Baseball, baseball, baseball
• Soccer, soccer, soccer
• Football, football, football
• Flag football got started
• Wyatt's 12th birthday
• Fall Break: Zoo, Movies, Board games (my 4 boys and I played a 5 hour Monopoly game one day), sleepovers, and friends, friends, and more friends. The boys went back to school today.

The boys are looking forward to Halloween...and so am I. All the moms walk the neighborhood with the kids (with adult beverages in hand) and we stay out for hours. Last year we had about 50 people traveling together. Not an easy feat!

We only have 2 football games left...Grant is already counting down the number of days of practice remaining. And baseball is winding down. Within a month, we'll be done with everything except flag football (which goes into December). Just in time for me to get started on the school yearbook. :/

If anyone has been hanging with me by continuing to read this blog, I thank you.

Like father, like son

Last night Grant's high school played their rival. And that rival just happens to be the high school that DH attended. DH played one year of football, his freshman year. Even though it wasn't a big deal to him that Grant was playing on the very field that he played on oh-so-many years ago...I, of course, was all sentimental about it and plan to scrap it. Again, not the greatest photo, but at least I got something.

Oh, and WE WON! It was a GREAT game!

A good night...or my boys ROCK!

See that...that bat in motion? It's in motion for a home run! Yes! Wyatt's first game last night...first time at bat and he hit a home run! I was SO excited and so was he. Wyatt had a really great game last night all the way around - several hits, RBI's and perfect fielding. He got game ball from the coach after the game. Wonderful start to the season and a real confidence boost for him.

Last night DH and I had to split up - I went to Wyatt's game and he went to Grant's football game. DH missed out on a great game, but I did too. Grant played most of the 4th quarter and had a great tackle on the opposing player who had the ball. Grant hit him and he dropped the ball. It was so great that when he came back in from the play, all the players were congratulating him. After the game everyone was talking about it. The defensive coach told Grant it was the best hit of the night. :) I'm so sorry I missed it! But also very happy for him and that his dad was there to see it.

On a side note...today is the 20th anniversary of DH and I going on our first date. Anyone else celebrate that? We went to TGIFriday's (now we frequent a different one with our boys) and then bar-hopping. I think he liked me because I could hold my liquor so well. Can't do that nowadays, but back then...ahh, those were the days. ;)

It's Soccer Time!

Time for fall soccer again. Kent and Kurt have been playing soccer with the same little group (there are 3 boys and 3 girls) for 4 years now. Each year it gets more fun to watch as they improve their skills.

During practice last week, one of the trainers told Kent he couldn't wear his sunglasses while playing. The thought being that if a ball hit them, they might shatter/break and injure his eye. Um...ya know...I'm doubting those $5.99 plastic Power Ranger sunglasses are going to "shatter" dude. Anyway, I had to speak to the league director and tell her that he probably won't play if he can't wear sunglasses. He simply has very sensitive eyes and will not step outside without them. He's been wearing them since he was about 2 years old. I finally convinced her that we would get him some "sport" sunglasses and take full responsibility if they "shatter."

Well, Saturday morning arrives and we forgot to get them! So DH pulls out these adult sunglasses and says "wear these" so Kent did. They only popped apart once during the game. :/ Since then I bought him another pair that look pretty sport-like (all black), with a strap that goes around his head. In reality, they are just $5.99 plastic Target ones, with a $1.99 strap. Hee.

While I'm still having lots of trouble getting good football photos, the soccer ones are turning out pretty well and I'm happy.

Tonight we begin baseball with Wyatt, with his first game. In fact, tonight we also have a football game for Grant, plus soccer practice for Kent and Kurt. They all start at 6pm. I need a clone. Or two.

I crashed CE

Creative Escape, Heidi Swapp's event of course! Today I went over to The Pointe at Squaw Peak to pick up my pal Alannah who is attending the Creative Escape and go to lunch and just hang out a bit. First of all, the resort is just exquisite. It's been a few years since I had been there so that was a treat just being there. The event, though...just the tiny, tiny bit I got to see, was magnificent! Heidi truly thought of everything! Even the room keys were custom-made for Creative Escape! I went with Alannah to the store that Scrapbooks, Etc. had set up there and then we went over to get her registered. And that's where I felt like a part of the party! So many old friends I hadn't seen in a while! I just stood around and pretended like I was supposed to be there. Alannah even gave me some of her stuff to hold so that it looked like I was registered. Hee.

Everything was pink and green, of course! Lots of flowers around. There were 13 collectible buttons for sale - $1 each. (You can sort of see them on Heidi's lanyard in the photo below.) By the time we got up to buy them, 3 had sold out. Alannah was sweet enough to buy me one that read "It's a DRY heat Escape" and all the others were just as cute and clever! Before I left, someone with one of the sold-out 3 sold it for $20! LOL

As always, loved catching up with Heidi a bit...she says I "need" to hold her baby soon. (No Capri was not in attendance - Heidi might be insane hosting an huge event a month after she gave birth, but she's not THAT crazy! LOL) So much fun that they probably would have had to kick me out if it hadn't been for Grant calling to say he was sick. That cut my time short and I had to go home. Maybe next time (if there is one), I'll attend it for real.

He got to play!

Last night was Grant's first high school football game. High school sports are always a scary thing. There is always someone left sitting on the bench; a benchwarmer. Or in the case of a football team; a sideline stander. (OK, I just made that up.) In any case, there are always players that rarely, and sometimes never get to play. It's heartbreaking. I remember when my brother played high school basketball and didn't get to play much. It broke my parents' hearts to go to every game and watch his benchwarmer pain. And my mother has never forgotten about it, she still brings it up now and again to illustrate a point.

So ever since football practice began the first of the school year (4 weeks ago), I've been worried. Worried that Grant wouldn't get to play in games, since he wasn't a starter. He didn't have much experience and he isn't the biggest guy at his age. But he could hit and hit hard. And he gave practice his whole heart and his whole focus. I just wanted him to have a chance.

Last night he got his chance and played about a 1/3 of the game. There are 82 players on his no-cut team. That's a heckuva lot of sideline standers! Especially when the coaches insist on playing the same players for both offense and defense (can someone explain why that is a good thing?...because I think it's the worst thing I've ever heard). But this first game was a blow-out: 57-0 with Grant's school winning. While I couldn't keep track, I hope that all of those 82 players got to step foot on that field for at least one play. Grant was lucky and was out there for a long time. And he did a great job. Hopefully it will be enough to get him into future games.

Boy Angels

Of course, my boys are angels! Why do you ask? :) Ha. I wish they were angels all the time, but this isn't about that, or them. If you will remember (those of you who read it), a few months ago I posted about My Sister, the Artist and about the angels she creates. Since that post, she has made me this one - why the fork? Everyone asks that as she is hanging in our foyer. Here's the story:

A Woman and a Fork

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things "in order," she contacted her Rabbi and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. Everything was in order and the Rabbi was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

"There's one more thing," she said excitedly.

"What's that?" came the Rabbi's reply.

"This is very important," the young woman continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."

The Rabbi stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.

That surprises you, doesn't it?" the young woman asked.

"Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the Rabbi.

The young woman explained.

"My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!'

So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder "What's with the fork?" Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork . . . . . the best is yet to come."

The Rabbi's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge.

She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Rabbi heard the question "What's with the fork?" And over and over he smiled. During his message, the Rabbi told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

He was right.

So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come.

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OK, so that's why my sister sometimes puts forks on her angels. But back to topic...yesterday in the mail I received these: I had told her how Kent and Kurt wanted angels, but they all looked like girls and could she please make me some boys angels. So she made one for each of them. They'll go next to my angel in the foyer. Guess I should get one made for DH, huh?