Fun times/Soccer

Carson's birthday is in May. This is an incredibly busy month for us so it seems if there is going to be anything then just a family get together it has to be later, in this case 2 months later. We had originally planned to have a pretty big back yard party when he decided he just wanted to have some friends spend the night. Now I know 6 year olds typically don't have sleep overs but I also have a 15 year old who always has friends over so my little ones are always begging to have friends spend the night. Well I told him two friends from soccer and two friends from school could come and so it was. Now we purposily had it last night knowing my oldest would be gone that way they wouldn't bug him and he wouldn't bug them. What I was not anticipating was that hubby would be gone as well. (I'll explain further into the post).

The kids ate pizza, then Carson opened presents, then of course they played with them. I gave the kids some little toys to thank them for coming one of which was the glow necklace's which they quickly cracked open and went outside in the dark to jump on the trampoline which was a really neat sight. We all watched Alvin and the Chipmunks and ate popcorn after the sleeping bags were layed out on the living room floor. I think the last kiddo went to sleep at 12:00am. Of course all were up by 6:45am and I being on WW and being the health conscience person I am offered them cake for breakfast. :) Now I also made waffles for them but some did eat cake as well. The kids were all gone by 9:30am and I am exhausted. It really was a really fun, easy, little get together. I really enjoyed hearing the conversations 6 year olds have with one another. Bodily functions seem to be the universal topic that cracks them up. So Silly :) Which reminds me that Carson went to a Soccer camp a month ago and he loved it but when you asked him what he favorite party of the whole week was he told us that it was when his friend taught him how to make "special noises" using him arm pit and hand. Yes bodily functions are a topic of comedy for sure for 6 year olds, boys in particular.

My oldest is at Regional Olympic Development Camp for Soccer. He is having a really great time. The state teams play games in the morning against each other and from those games the regional coaches select a few players from each state to play in pool games(combination games of players from each of the different states) He was selected to play in last night's pool game and we just found out tonight's as well. My husband took him to this camp which is at The University of Alabama and said he would stay to watch if he were selected to play. Of course since he was selected last night hubby stayed.

Here is one of my favorite pictures of him playing soccer. Even thought those two other players are on his back he still has his eye on the ball.

Hope you all have a wonderful week.

Blessings,

What a great weekend. We made it to the State finals yesterday morning and in double overtime we were able to score and ended with a 1-0 victory. For the fourth time Chandler's soccer team has managed to win State. It was exciting and nail biting for us. It is always anyones game and fortunately for us it was ours yesterday.
Back to reality for us as soon as we got in the car to drive home. Chandler had to study for a huge English test all the way home and as soon as we walked in we had to move furniture. Our bedroom, Chandler's bedroom and our living room all had to be emptied. I am anxiously waiting for the call from the workers to tell me they are on their way to lay the carpet and hardwood. We are out of school today so this was the best day for me to have them come. I hope they call soon.
I am looking forward to getting to spend a little time at my favorite blogs today.
The kids are still sleeping so I figure I will blog surf for a little bit and then have some quiet time.
Have a blessed day,
Linda

Long time no post.....and YES I know it is a long one

Well I have decided to quit posting that I am busy because it seems to be all I say. So lets just let it be understood that I AM BUSY and that is the end of it. Each and every one of you could make the same statement and I don't want to come off as complaining so on with my post. haha
Teaching has been fun for me. I have really grown to love these little children whose parents have entrusted me to be a part of their education experience. The little girls are sooo girly. I love it!!! They are sooo sweet to me and feel bad that I only have boys. Several of them have invited me to come over to watch girly shows since that does not happen at my home. The little boys are precious and are all boy!!! Everything becomes a gun or sword and is pow pow, of course we are not allowed to let that happen so I have to encourage them to find something else to play. They are loud and fidgety(not a word) I feel very much at home with them because there are not many calm, quiet moments around here with 3 boys and two dogs.
I feel blessed to have been given this experience. I know my dh would probably argue that because he has to hear the other side of me working part time and that is that I am not able to get anything else done around here. I used to be a perfectionist about my home then I had 3 kids and I settled for picked up and maybe really clean a few times a week now I feel like I am just blessed to get every one where they need to be on each day with everything that they need to have. I know this is just a season and I pray that the investments that I am making in my children's and my student's lives will be substaintial. I mean really do my boys care that my house is "eat off the floor" clean or would they settle for picked up and me playing with them?? My house is stuff and while I do believe we should teach our kids to take care of the things we have been blessed to have I don't want them to ever feel that our "stuff" is more important then they are. I have not always had this mentality but I am thankful I finally got it. My younger two will benefit from this but my oldest will probably need therapy. haha
We are off tomorrow for the soccer state championship. Chandler's team has won this 3 times in a row and not to sound greedy but I would love to see the team win it for the 4th time. We have one of our biggest defenders sick right now and if he even gets to play he will be weak. We also have a player that got a red card last game so he has to sit out our first game. Not great circumstances to play under but all teams go through these types of situations so we will just have to see how it plays out. My dh and I love to watch this team play. We have been so blessed by our coach and all of the parents. This team is truly a TEAM. No superstars, everyone is needed and they all know that. It has been fun to see my son and the rest of the team really have each other's back on the field and to see the relationships they have formed off the field is exciting as well. I have been told that teams are not always so special. Meaning that the players may be good but the coach is degrading to them or the parents cannot get along. I don't know what goes on anywhere else but I do know we have a wonderful coach, great players and great parents and my dh and I feel very blessed that the Lord put our son with this team and it's is a long story but it truly was the Lord that placed him here.
I will let you know how it all pans out but would love to have you pray that our team plays their best and that no one on any of the teams this weekend gets hurt. I also am praying that if it is in God's will that we will win and if it not that the boys will be gracious in losing.
Tonight we get to pack for the weekend and then move furniture out of 3 rooms since the carpet and hardwood are being laid Monday. Any creative ideas on keeping the kids and dogs off the floor for 24 hours???? Short of moving out for the night I am not sure how I will be doing that but I know it is doable(sp)
Hope a great weekend is in store for all of you.
Blessings
Linda

Soccer/Harvest Party

Well last night my dh and oldest, Chandler arrived home from Chattanooga from the last weekend of premier league. We had to win the first game against the Huntsville Strikers to win the league and we ended up losing 2-0. It was a great game. The Huntsville team is very good. Chandler's team finished 2nd. The only way to qualify for regionals in July is to win premier league or State. We compete in State on the 9,10, and 11 of November. If we win State we go for sure. If we don't win then we hope that Hunstville will win their state because if they do they go to regionals as State winners and with us being second in premier league we get to take their first place spot and head to regionals ourselves. Was that clear as mud???? It has been a great run for our team and now they are just preparing for State. Chandler will also begin his Olympic Development training in about a month and do a couple of tournaments with that team and then for the first time in a long time he will only play on one team in the spring. His school team. In our State you cannot play on any other organized team of soccer if you are on the school team. It will be strange not traveling on weekends but it will be a nice break.

I just walked in from our Harvest party and Farm animal visit. The kids all got to feed the animals and hold a few of them. Last week it rained everyday so it was so nice to have a pretty sunny day for the children. Then we had our little harvest parties in our rooms. I was pretty hot and sweaty by the end of it all. Trying to run to each of my own children's rooms and then my own class's party it was pretty hectic. Maybe it is pre-menopause but even with the cool temps I am finding myself pretty hot lately and I'm not talking about my looks. (haha) Guess what?? I get to do the same thing tomorrow with the Tues/Thurs. class. Yeehaw!! It really was fun though and I with all the activities I did not even have to teach just coral them in.

We are trying to make changes around here to get the house on the market maybe in mid spring. I met with someone about getting new carpet in 2 rooms and hardwood in the living room so we are about to have that done soon as well as painting some rooms and probably new counter tops. It may look so nice I won't want to leave, who knows?
I don't get to blog as often as I would like but I still lurk around when I have the chance. Hope it is a God-centered week for all of you.
Another one from my late pastor, Dr. Adrian Rogers,

"The most miserable man on Earth is not an unsaved man. The most miserable man on Earth is a saved man out of fellowship with Jesus Christ".
Blessings,
Linda

Happy Birthday Aunt Debbie

Just want to shout out a big Happy Birthday to my sister, Debbie. This is a picture of her and her sweet family. We hope you have had a great day!!!

We just made it in from Alabama where my son's soccer team played the LA. teams. We came out with a win and a tie. It was a great time, great weather and I am glad to be home. The drive there was 5 and 1/2 hours which was the best since our schedules require so much movement and thought I really enjoyed just riding in the car and not having to think about anything. I was also glad to have my dh back in from Europe. He arrived late Friday evening and we were gone by early Saturday morning right after my middle son's local soccer game(they won). He is extremely tired but glad to be home as well. Thank you to those who prayed for us while he was gone.

Have a great week!
Blessings,
Linda

I know it has been a while and saying I am busy would be an understatement. Hubby has gone to Europe and I am trying to hold down the fort with work, school, soccer practices, games, and going away parties and it is only Wednesday. I am looking forward to his return on Friday. We will then leave for Alabama for a Soccer tournament. I am sure I am not the only one in the world who is busy but when you are in the midst of it it can sure seem like it. Oh and did I mention I am pmsing? Lucky for my husband because he is gone but my poor children. Satan is having a field day with me this week.

My nephew, Adam has made it overseas. He emailed us to let us know he made it. As the Lord leads please lift him and all the soldiers over there in prayer. We get caught up in our busy lives and forget there are a whole lot of families out there who are separated and are hurting.

I hope you all have a great day. I want to leave you with this:
Peace is not the subtraction of problems. It is the addition of power to meet those problems. (Dr.Adrian Rogers)
Blessings
Linda

Happy Birthday to my baby Cameron

I know it is said all the time by everyone but I really can't believe that 4 years have passed since I gave birth to my youngest child, Cameron. My pregnacy with him was such a HUGE suprise in fact SHOCKED might be an even better adjective to describe what I was when I read the little "two lined" test. The Lord really blessed us with him. He is funny, dramatic and often times a glass half empty kind of kid.(probably gets that from me:) The events surrounding his birth were pretty crazy. I will give a short synopsis: I deliver him, that was actually the easy part except for the fact that something went wrong with the epideral line and they kept having to pull off the tape that held it on my back, you know the tape that they spray adhesive on your back first and then apply. They had to rip it off 3 times I think it ripped every hair along with it. It hurt so bad I had decided that I would not let them do it again I would have to go natural. Glad they finally got it right:) I decided that because he was my third, and I was older and wiser, I would let him sleep in the hospital nursery as I knew I would need the rest. I told the nurse that was my desire and she said they were short staffed but he'd be okay. Well of course you know I did not put my baby in the short staffed nursery so no sleep for the older wiser mommy that night. My oldest son goes to soccer practice and breaks his leg and because I am being released at the very moment he is getting his cast on my fil had to bring me home from the hospital. As I walked out the people in the waiting room really were giving me a second look and I feel pretty sure it was not because I was looking good in my "maternity clothes wearing but not pregnant self" I have to believe that it was because they thought I had a sugar daddy. :) As we got into my van the check engine light came on. ($800.00 later that was taken care of) My oldest came home with a full leg cast on and a wheel chair. There that was it all in a nut shell. A real day to remember and remember I do as a day that I was given another blessing by the Lord. A blessing to raise for him and his glory. No matter what the circumstances were surrounding his birth He is a true gift from the Lord above. My Jehovah Jire, the Lord that provides, and provide he has done for me and my family.
Blessings

School, Soccer & the Letter "P"

Chandler & DH

Carson

Cameron

Long time no write. I know and I am sure my Sweet Grandmother and parents are wondering where I have been. Where do I begin??? My kiddos are doing well in school. Carson, the middle one, is very much a pleaser and rule follower. He loves school and does his little homework papers on his own. I don't even have to remind him. Cameron likes school (preschool) but says he is tired (daily) and just wants to stay home. Chandler my ninth grader is so happy to go to school and get the awesome opportunity to communicate with other ninth graders who are of the female persuasion and communicate he does. What I don't get though is that I am of the female persuasion and some days there's not a lot of communicating going on between myself and him. Maybe it's just not the same.(haha)

We are spending a lot of time on the soccer fields. Carson's team won their game Saturday 12-2 He scored at least 4 goals. He is doing very well in soccer and looking forward to beginning basketball in about a month. Dad is the soccer coach and will try to do basketball too but with his work schedule he may have to enlist some help from the other dads of kiddos on the team. After Carson's game we went to Jackson, Tn to watch Chandler's team play one game Sat. night and 2 games Sunday. This was a region premier league weekend. The top two teams from Miss., LA, Al,Tn, and Arkansas play in a league. This weekend was Tn vs Ark. and we fit in our Tn vs Tn game. The team did very well and won all three games. My dh and I really enjoy watching our son play and rooting for the team. The team is now gearing up for the next premier league weekend in a few weeks where they will compete against the Louisianna teams. The team record so far in this league is 4-1 so they are progressing nicely.


In preschool this week we are studying the Letter P. Today we wore pajamas and cooked pink pancakes. We also are learning names of God and this weeks is Jehovah Shalom. The God of Peace. I try to cooridinate everything with the letter of the week. Even their show and share items are supposed to begin with the letter of the week. As I was cooking pancakes today in my class, Carson and his teacher showed up at the door and he had a fever so I had to leave my little learners in the care of my very capable assistant and our principal. I knew a trip to the store was going to be necessary as I had no medicine for a fever at home. Did I mention that today was pajama day? Well I too was wearing pajamas. Thankfully though I remembered as I left and was able to run home and change quickly before going to the store. That would have been a great post though huh?

I could go on and on but I think I am going to hop off this computer and see if I can work on figuring out how to put more hours in my day and if that does not work I guess I will settle for balancing and prioritzing it a little better. :)
Hope all of you have a wonderful week and remember God loves you!!!!
Blessings
Linda