First Day of Five Year Old Pre-school

Good news! Keagan loves his new school and can't wait to go back tomorrow. 

Notice that tote full of supplies. After paying a $75 supply fee, I almost fell over when his teacher gave me a list of supplies to buy. This list didn't include a .25 cent box of crayons either. Oh, would you believe that I spent $40 on baggies, soap, hand-sanitizer, and other janitorial items? After all of that, he better be the cleanest, germ free kid in town! 

It's All About Having Fun and Winning!

Ask me before a soccer game if pushing should be allowed and I will quickly say no. Ask me before a soccer game if playing your best player the entire game is fair and sitting the weaker players on the sidelines is fair, and I will again say no. But if you ask me these questions when Keagan's team is on the field, my opinion will quickly change. Because even though the players are only five and even though they are playing to have fun, I will quickly explain between plays, please don't disturb me when the ball is moving downfield, that it is all about winning. I really wish that I could be that parent that brings a book and reads while her son plays the game. I wouldn't have such a sore throat after the game if I did. 

By the way, Wes says we did win. I was so consumed with creating ways to win that I didn't realize we were actually winning! 

Let the Games Begin

Wes says it is too much, and I have wondered once or twice what I was thinking. However, how could I tell my boys no when they both wanted to play two sports and swim this fall? With longer days at school, and four days of sporting events, I think I am going to be fried by Thanksgiving. Here are the results of Week One.

Keagan's First T-Ball Scrimmage Pirates vs Rockies
Keagan was the first up to bat and he hit a triple. This is of course because any five year old can run better than he can throw a baseball. Then it was time for Keagan's team to take the field. After hitting the first base player in the chest with the ball, Keagan said forget about throwing the runner out. He decided to run the player down. My favorite play was the hit down the third base line. Keagan fielded it and ran it all the way to first base to get the runner out. I had one dad ask, "Have you thought about track?" 

Evan's First Soccer Game of the Fall Season
This season Team United moved up to a new league, and as a result, they play on a larger field with longer quarters. You can bet Evan is gassed at the end of his turn of play. He scored two goals today and had an assist, but the best was to see him use the "surf", the skill he learned this summer at the UK Elite Camp. It is always a relief to see your hard earned money put to good use. 

In three more weeks we get to add flag football to the Saturday routine. I can't wait!

First Day of First Grade

Today was the first day of first grade. To celebrate the big day, I got up extra early to make cinnamon rolls. Evan says the day went well, but he is a boy of few words so besides the "teacher is nice" and "no homework until October" we didn't get much more out of him. However, he was thrilled to wear his new Transformers shoes to school. 

Amen, Brother!

Today we attended a birthday party in the Lake Lost in the Woods community. This is how we fondly refer to the place in which our friends live because it takes us an hour to get there and it is in the middle of no-where. After finally arriving, and I must mention that it takes even longer to get to the actual house once you have entered the gated community than it does to drive the thirty miles south on the interstate because the speed limit on the community streets is a whopping 15 miles per hour. I am certain we could all hit 30 and still have time to stop quickly if need be, but we abide by the posted speed limit because the rent-a-cops and their threat of kangaroo court have us shaking in our boots. But alas we arrived and after lunch we opened gifts. We brought Isaiah a GI Joe Snake Eyes tank. He seemed really excited about the gift because he told Keagan in his soft, sweet voice, "I saw this in the store and I really wanted it." Keagan in his very loud voice exclaimed for all to hear, "That's what I got for you my brother!" It was as if we were at a Southern Baptist revival sitting under a tent on a hot summer night. I felt certain someone in the background would give out a big AMEN!

Where does he get these phrases? I have no idea, but he sure did love the fact that everyone was laughing with him because as he often says to us at home, "I am really funny!" And every time I say he is his father's son! 

Let's Go Rockies!

I always thought my boys would grow up playing baseball, primarily because it is the one sport that I know all the rules. When Evan showed no interest in the bat and ball and instead picked up the soccer ball, I never looked back. And I thought Keagan would do the same. For the most part he has followed in Evan's footsteps. However, this past year he has asked off and on to play tball, and I was happy to oblige. 

This fall he is playing at the local rec center on the Rockies team. He left today's first practice really happy and upbeat about the experience. Wes and I were not nearly as impressed, and it took all we had to bite our tongues and keep our advice to ourselves during the most unorganized, chaotic practice I have ever experienced. If Evan wasn't playing soccer on the same day within the same half hour, Wes and I would be coaching. And the first skill we would cover is YOU DON'T RUN WITH THE BALL. 

Meet the Teacher Night

Today we visited Keagan's new school and we met Mrs. Stovall, Keagan's new teacher. We were delighted to see the curriculum outline, for math and science anyway, and find that it was just as challenging as Evan's curriculum from last year. Keagan is super excited, and we left assured that our decision to hold off public school one more year is in his best interest.

Yesterday we received a welcome postcard in the mail. Mrs. Stovall asked, "Welcome to Little Hands! Are you ready to learn your colors, letters, and numbers?" When I read this, Keagan said, "I already know all that stuff! Doesn't she know that? Does she know what she's doing?" I assured him she does, and today we know for a fact she does!