Happy Halloween

I was just lamenting to a friend last night that neither of my boys expressed any desire to go trick-or-treating this year. They claimed to be too old for such childish antics. Then today, between soccer games, Keagan asked to run by Party City "to just look for a mask to scare kids at our door." After game two, he decided maybe he could hit one street in the neighborhood "since it's not raining or anything." Within ten minutes of arriving home from soccer, he was ready. 

So maybe he was just a little excited about trick-or-treating after all. 

Evan was kicked back on the couch with his dried mango and root beer content to watch college football for the night when the doorbell rang. All of a sudden, trick-or-treating was a better plan. 

He said to me, "I think I'll go out since I have a jersey, too."

This means I'm curled up on the couch all by myself content to know my boys are still little boys. For at least the day, anyway. 

The First of Many Lasts

It's Keagan's last year of elementary school and the beginning of an entire year of lasts for our family. Today was the quarter one awards assembly. 

Keagan was awarded honor roll and the PE award. My kid is fast and smart!

I'd be sad about both of my boys being in middle school next year except I can't help thinking how liberating it will be next year to not have a spelling list to study every night! On the flip side, please let this year slow down! I can't imagine having two boys in middle school!

We've Got Heart, Yes, We Do!

We lost tonight's state league game and that loss knocked us out of a chance to play in the state tournament in May. But look at those smiles! These boys played with heart and such intensity tonight. 

Some things on the pitch ARE better than winning. 

It's too bad it has taken me forty years to learn what has taken them only twelve. 

The Wall

The traveling Vietnam War Memorial made a stop just outside post's gates this weekend. We have seen the actual memorial in DC, but the boys were too young to remember it. Just in case we don't get Quantico as our next assignment, I thought it important for the boys to see this version.

Wes found his dad's favorite cousin's name and did a rubbing of it. 

Keagan couldn't believe all of those names included only the Americans' lives lost in that war. 

Few people can.

Exploring And Discovering on Columbus Day

We discovered a new walking trail and spent the morning exploring the other side of town today. It is Columbus Day, after all. This side of town is very diverse, and Evan couldn't help but comment that he felt like he was in an international airport instead of a walking trail in Tennessee. 

The weather was near perfect; it has felt more like summer than fall all week. The leaves are not changing colors yet, and our spring flowers are all reblooming. 

Even after a mile run everyone was all smiles until I broke up the fun and said it was time to get haircuts. I guess there is an unwritten rule that boys cannot have haircuts on fall break. 

That's okay. They were all smiles again when I promised frozen yogurt!

Losing is Hard

We left the house this afternoon hopeful and full of excitement for today's football game. Despite perfect playing conditions, it quickly became clear that it would be a tough fight. We had a limited roster with several players out for fall break and three starters benched for breaking team rules. All of this while playing the top team in our district. 

Let's just say we lost big, real big. Losing is always rough - especially for this mama- but a huge loss means I don't get to see my boy kick the football. I take great pride in those long, high kicks. Few 12 year olds can kick 40-50 yards like Evan can. And to think a few years ago we used to joke that kickers weren't real football players. 

The highlight of our tough loss was running into members of our travel basketball family. 

Here's to a better game on Thursday, more opportunities to kick, and perhaps a win!

Work? What's Work?

While my co-workers were spending their fall break vacation in Mexico, France, and Italy, I've had a riveting week taking the cat to the vet, cleaning out closets, fixing a leaking faucet, and cleaning toilets. I've picked up the foster from detention, scheduled counseling sessions, and had a P/T phone conference about skipped classes and missing assignments. I've taken E to multiple sports practices, a physical appointment, two football games, and a soccer match. I've carted K to agility training, helped him study for four tests, fixed his cellphone after he deleted his keypad, and I tried to give him a haircut the night before picture day. I've retaught conjugating the verb ser, solving inequalities, and the major battles of the Civil War. I've hosted a spouse brunch and organized our unit's holiday parties. I've never been more busy, and I'm left wondering. How do I ever manage to fit in a ten hour work day?

I'm really jealous right now of everyone that has this as their view during fall break.

After this week, I'm in need of a vacation

Homecoming Friday

In middle school, homecoming weekend means you ride in the highschool parade, and if you are lucky enough to get a ticket, you watch the highschool football game.

And that's it. No dance. No shopping for new clothes. No dates. No midnight pick-ups.

And if it's raining, you skip the game and hang out on the living room sofa. 

UT - It Doesn't Mean the Same Here

When we moved to Tennessee two years ago, I wondered why so many people were UT fans. Hundreds of miles from Texas, and yet I seriously thought they were referring to the Longhorns. One day I finally realized there were two UTs, and my new friends were not wanna-be Texans. They bled orange but for a different school. 

These same friends have a deep passion for their own UT and are doing everything in their power to convert Keagan.

This weekend he went to the UT football game with one of his best friends.

Keagan reported the fans were amazing, the stadium was impressive, and the excitement "catching". 

I have one thing to say. Hurry up November and the A&M game we have tickets to see!