Flag Football Fantasy

Well my dreams finally came true - I have a son playing football!! This was Jalen's first season playing flag football and it was a lot of fun - once we figured out how to fit the mouthpiece. 

He loved playing and thought he was the star of every game.

He got to spend a bit of time as the center. He especially loved that because his granddad was a center.

He was also a star on defense.

He was especially good at talking smack. We really need to work on good sportsmanship.

Team photo. The coach was the father of one of Jalen's friends and the boyfriend of his second grade teacher. He was great with the boys and they learned a lot.

Trophy time!

Drew and Jalen (the coach's son).

 It's been a fun season.

Going Native

Every year the 4th grade at the kids' school does a unit on Native Americans and the kids make amazing displays. Baylie was so excited to get to make a display this year and she did an amazing job. 

She was the only child who did a hogan. She made the play-doh herself (it smells like chocolate). She is fortunate to have been to Native American ruins so often in her life because the ranch where my dad grew up is right across from Mesa Verde and we go there every summer.

The hardest thing about my new job is that I can't be at my kids' school. So it was a special treat that my prep period coincided with Baylie's presentation and I got permission to go. I think we were both super excited.

I was able to stay and eat lunch with both kids. This is the first year that they have had lunch at almost the same time.

The below is from my friend April's facebook page because I'm too lazy to write it out myself:
Alexa and Baylie came home from school (and their bi-weekly I Am Gold club meeting) last Wednesday throwing around ideas for collecting items for the district #FloodTheTruck campaign which their club is working to collect for. They decided on making a flier asking for donation items, attaching them to grocery bags and leaving them on neighbors' doors. The flier asked them to fill the bags with some items from the list and leave them on their porch for pickup this afternoon. Then they (with the help of Jalen and Ava) ran all over delivering them to doors. Today was pickup day and everyone was excited to get home and collect bags. Grateful for good neighbors and sweet kids being taught by great teachers how to think of others and put those thoughts into action! 

I was really proud of Baylie and Alexa and grateful to April because I'm the kind of mom that would have probably tried to talk her out of it. The girls were even featured on the districts' facebook page.

They let Jalen and Ava take a small part in the fun.

We also had the ward talent show this week. David wrote a song for the kids to sing and dance too. They were the opening number and were really excited. they did great.

A Boy's Life

Jalen has been the star of our show lately. Earlier this week he participated in the second grade music program at his school. He was way into it, which was great to see since last year it was hard to get him to even lift up his head.

Baylie and some of her friends started the meeting with the pledge of allegiance. (Notice which hand Baylie is using. Whoops!)

In the audience.

Jalen was dancing even before he got to the stage. He was definitely putting on a performance.

Making sure I saw him. (As if I could miss him!)

Here are some videos of the program. The camera work is horrible, but Jalen is awesome.

Video #1

Video #2

Jalen also started playing football this year. I don't know who is more excited - him or me.

 He's pretty speedy and thinks he's the star of the team.

Jalen's coach is a family friend (his 2nd grade teacher's boyfriend) and we are so grateful. Some of the other coaches are ridiculously intense and we are grateful Jalen is playing for such a great coach.

Jalen is having a good year and we are proud of all the progress he has made.

First Day of School

Wednesday was the first day of school. Jalen started second grade and Baylie started fourth. I was not ready for school to start again. Neither was Jalen. Baylie was definitely ready.

I love this boy.

I love this girl.

I'm glad they get to go to school together.

I also started school this year. I'm teaching Spanish at three different elementary schools as a long-term substitute teacher. Unfortunately, none of those schools is where the kids are. I really miss being at the same school as them. I'm hoping to complete the alternative certification program.

Because of my schedule, my sweet friend April picks the kids up after school. Fortunately, all four kids love it.

Baylie with Mrs. Patton, her AGP teacher.

Jalen rockin' it out in second grade.

Jalen with Mrs. Parker.

My heart still breaks a little bit when I have to drop them off on the first day of school. This year they didn't want me to walk them in. They wanted to just get dropped off. Where has the time gone???

Total Solar Eclipse

Monday, August 21, was an amazing day. We were able to view the marvel of a total solar eclipse. Columbia was in the path of totality, meaning that we got to see the sun completely covered by the moon's shadow.

We had agreed with our friends the Ruppes to watch the eclipse at the church. Word spread and we ended up with several families at the church to watch it. It was an unofficial ward party and it was wonderful to share it with friends.

Waiting for the eclipse.

The unofficial ward party included the Ruppes, Rosses, Cowleys, Harrises, Roberts, Pinsons and Brother Callihan.

Best of all, our good friends the Swansons decided at the last minute to drive down from Maryland in order to experience the eclipse. We hadn't seen them since the kids and I stayed with them while waiting for Jalen's adoption paperwork to clear. They were such dear friends when we all lived in Houston. It was wonderful to spend a couple of days with them.

All of our kids the night before the eclipse.

Trent was a bit eclipse crazy. It was party cloudy and we were afraid we were going to miss everything. Trent checked the weather every five minutes for two days.

Sun gazing.

Jalen, Josh and Ian - waiting for totality.

More ward friends.

Trent and Lukas

David and Baylie

The Swanson kids - Liam, Leyla and Lukas

Brother Harris

Swanson kids

Tia Harris

What it looked like with my phone camera.

Pinsons and Harrises.

The kids played in the church to stay cool since it was hot outside.

It started!

Twilight in the middle of the day.

It was awe inspiring to witness. We all shouted and cheered when the totality occurred (listen HERE). It was very emotional. We couldn't help but make the comparison of the "sun" and the "Son." When even the smallest sliver of sun peeked out behind the moon, it was still so bright. The power of the sun is incredible. And even when it is completely blocked out, the sun still finds a way to shine.

We laid a white tablecloth on the ground so we could see the shadow snakes. We couldn't take a picture, but they were like fog.

Brother Callihan took amazing pictures of the eclipse and was generous in sharing his photos.

Totality.

Bailey's beads

Totality ends.

I hope my children will always remember this day. I will never forget it. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen.