Fall Soccer!

Riley played soccer at the Y again this fall. He moved up into the next age group and had a new coach. He did pretty well running with bigger kids, and (of course) had a great time! When Riley runs, he's like a dog with its head out the window - so happy and free, and more often than not, sticking his tongue out! He's decided to give flag football a try this spring. He'll have to really love it to like it better than soccer!

Still Catching Up: Summer Vacation 2010

(I know one photo is turned sideways. And I REALLY want to fix it... but that would take a long time. So my apologies to Allison S., but y'all will just have to look sideways for 5 seconds.)

Catching Up: Birthdays 2010

A week before Riley's birthday, he participated in a fundraiser for the St. Baldrick's Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research. Riley raised $300 by promising to shave his head! Here we have the "before" look...

...and "after!"

Having almost no hair feels good on a hot summer day!

Riley's birthday arrived - The Big Six!

Our bigger boy needed a bigger Auburn jersey!

Look at all that loot! Somebody must love this kid!

Birthday party at the park - Riley is still good buddies with his first three friends from preschool, Jordan, Will, and Jake.

Instead of presents, Riley asked his friends to bring packaged macaroni and cheese (his favorite food) to donate to a local food bank. His new friend from Kindergarten, Coulson, helped him count them all.

Papa came to visit for July 4th and Donovan's birthday! We celebrated with ice cream...
...water balloons and popsicles...

(it took a long time to fill up the wagon with water balloons, but not long at all to empty it!)

...and, of course, fireworks!
Donovan got one of his favorite foods for breakfast on his birthday - bacon!
But not even bacon would get him to put up 3 fingers for the traditional birthday photo.

He was OVERJOYED to receive the "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" movie!

This was just PART of Donovan's loot... seriously!

(more arrived later)
Alas, I didn't make it to Aldi before they sold out of red-white-and-blue ice cream cake, so we put candles in three cookies instead. Make a wish!

More Catching Up: Spring becomes Summer

Donovan rounded out his first year of preschool with a Grace House tradition: Beach Day!

Donovan and his good buddy Calvin (which he pronounces Cal-uh-vin) loved the squiggly sprinklers...

...but nothing beat the huge inflatable water slide!
A class full of wet burritos!

Riley's school put on an end-of-the-year Kindergarten Celebration, full of songs, poems, and a slide show. Each "group" (class) wore its color. Riley had a great year in Purple Group! Riley even had a speaking part in the program, and he did a fantastic job!

Mrs. Rossi and Ms. Jones were WONDERFUL teachers for Riley! We miss them!
Mrs. Rossi chose one of Riley's favorite "journals" (the topic: his favorite part of Kindergarten) to display in the hall at the end of the year. She said Riley was a great storyteller and that he always made her laugh!
Literal transliteration: "I liket when we took naps. Becus I am tiyerd. Evrey day. And ar field Day."

English translation: "I liked [it] when we took naps, because I am tired every day. And [I liked] our Field Day."

A banner on our front porch greeted Riley when he got home on the very last day! He's wearing a crown because his class celebrated all the summer birthdays that day.

Got any fries? Here's some "catch up!"

Rewind the clock... way back... Here are some highlights from Riley and Donovan's spring!
Palm Sunday

The boys got balloon creations at the church Easter party!

Easter!
photos at WFU on Easter afternoon

Taking in a game at our new minor-league baseball stadium

Finding springtime visitors in our yard

Playing with cousin Garrison

Playing with cousin Joe

Stay tuned for Spring, part 2!

Happy Valentine's Day!

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Ball, Party of Four

February means party time! First we celebrated my birthday at Carrabba's restaurant on Feb. 1.

Then we had our own little Super Bowl party (which I got to attend because bad weather nixed church plans that night). Although we would rather have seen a Colts victory, we still enjoyed watching the game and eating goodies together!

TACKLE!!!


Riley and Donovan both had Valentine parties this week at school. I couldn't believe how much candy Riley came home with! (I wish I'd taken a picture!) I think we're all glad to have reasons to celebrate while we wait out this crazy-cold winter!