Please, Please, Please make time slow down! October seems to have disappeared before I could even blink, and now that I am actually trying to get it all on the blog, I can't believe how much goes on in four weeks! Today was the first day of what looks to be like an unbelievably beautiful fall week, and Garrett, Grant and I spent the afternoon enjoying every minute of it with our friends, the Arney's, on their farm. (Clint spent the weekend in Knoxville at the UT/South Carolina game with friends - Scott has disappeared into the wonderful world of Division I basketball - and Carter decided to play guitars with friends while he is still on limited activity due to his back.) I hated that I couldn't have all my boys with me, but I guess this is what happens as they all get older! Needless to say, we managed to have a blast and I continue to be amazed at the generosity of our friends who include us in their adventures. Thank you, Cammy and Tim!
Me and my precious friend, Ian!
Timmy, Garrett, Ian and Grant
The boys looking for firewood to start a major bonfire!
"A river runs through it..."
No day in the woods with Garrett and his friends is complete without a major "air-soft" war. Today was no exception! And this battle came complete with four-wheelers, woods and rock piles!
Me on my way to shoot a deer, and Tim convinced it was only gonna take one bullet! HA! Well, maybe it would have if we had seen one! I did, however, manage to kill a tree...says Garrett!
By the time I got back from tromping through the woods, these little yum-yums had already killed one! No fair!
Don't you love it when you just happen to be at the right place, at the right time?! Like pulling into a parking lot just in time to see a free Keith Urban concert! One my friends and her little boy were there, and after mentioning to Keith that Parker would be singing one of his songs in an upcoming talent show, Keith invited him to come up on stage and sing with him! I love Nashville! (You can see his performance by checking it out on YouTube! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_f6TRmm9JM)
As long as it isn't raining, Suzanne and I still manage to get in our walks around Radnor Lake. Today Suzanne missed out by calling in sick, and she is gonna be bummed when she sees what came out to play!
Grant's Harvest Party was today! I love all the random, silly things third graders think of to do! I am trying to enjoy all these special days in Elementary School as I know how quickly time flies and the holiday class parties come to an end once they get into Middle and High School. These really are the good 'ole days...!
Last night was the 5th grade Colt's football banquet. What a great way to wrap up an awesome season! The Colt's celebrated a 6-2 record with dinner, trophies, funny memories by the coaches, and an awesome video to recapture the season. They even gave me a gorgeous bouquet of flowers and a card filled with money for being their team mom! (Don't you love it when you open a card and money falls out!) This has really been a fun year for football and Garrett has played awesome! Maybe he will be our one to play football into his High School years. Although, he does play running back, and as the boys get bigger, and the hits get harder, I can't decide if I like that or not!
Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, dear Grant! Happy Birthday to you!
We treated Grant and his football buddies to a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese after their game! They had a great time eating pizza and playing games, but I think they had the most fun acting silly on the dance floor!
Today was "Grandparents Day" at Lipscomb Middle and High School. Thanks so much to my parents - Mimi and Grandpa - and Scott's mom - Nana - for coming up to spend a couple days with the boys. They sure did enjoy your visit...and I think everyone enjoyed getting to hear Gene Stallings speak at chapel!
The boys had a four day Fall Break weekend, so we loaded up the car and headed south in search of sun! Only this time we didn't make it as far south as the beach, and it wasn't quite as warm as I would have liked! Instead, we opted for a new adventure and stopped at Lake Martin to try our hand at some semi-camping and fishing! I say "semi" 'cause we still haven't worked our way down to tents or cooking out over a fire, but I think this still counted as a camping adventure! We took Garrett's friend, Pearson, along - and my two nephews, Everett and Ethan, joined us at the lake! We are still catching nothing but what Ethan calls "bait", but I know we are just waiting for the day we have a big fish story to tell!
My fishing posse!
Thanks to Mimi and Grandpa for coming down and keeping us company! And Mimi for helping to keep us all fed! :)
Although the Colt's lost to FRA in the last game of the season, they did make it to the Championship game and had an awesome year! I LOVE this picture! Garrett and Clint...
This month seems to have had more rainy days than sun, and every other Saturday seems to be too wet to play...but when the sun does come out, Grant and the third grade Colt's manage to pull off some exciting wins! Flag football comes to an end in the month of October, but you can believe we will find plenty to keep us busy inside the gym! :)
Scott and the Bisons have been busy conditioning for the upcoming season. But all work and no play makes Scott a dull boy!, so they took a little break from the more serious stuff and headed outside for a little "friendly" game of Ultimate Frisbee. I have to admit the coaches could hang pretty well with the players! (Although I am sure the players will deny that!) You can follow the Bisons on their website and now on their Facebook page at Lipscomb Bison Basketball!
Living with all boys (five to be exact!) has been an amazing experience! Both wonderfully rewarding and sometimes incredibly frustrating! But if you learn to laugh through the hard parts it makes it all worth while! Here are some very true rules you need to adopt if you are going to survive in "boy world"! (And don't let the word "man" fool you...they are all little boys at heart!)
The Man Rules
Finally , the guys' side of the story. ( I must admit, it's pretty good.) We always hear " the rules" From the female side..... Now here are the rules from the male side. These are their rules! Please note.. these are all numbered "1 " ON PURPOSE!
1.. Men are NOT mind readers. ( FIRST & FOREMOST RULE)
1.. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.
1. Sunday sports, It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.
1. Crying is blackmail.
1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one: Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do not work! Just say it!
1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.
1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.
1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become Null and void after 7 Days.
1. If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask us.
1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one
1. You can either ask us to do something Or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it , just do it yourself.
1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during commercials..
1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.
1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not A color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is..
1. If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.
1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," We will act like nothing's wrong.. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle..
1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, Expect an answer you don't want to hear.
1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine... Really .
1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as Football or Basketball!
1. You have enough clothes.
1. You have too many shoes.
1.. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!
1. Thank you for reading this. Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight;
But did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.
You may have already read this before, but it is just so funny and so true I just had to share it with you!
Grant's team had two games rescheduled for this Sunday afternoon due to the rain outs of the past few weeks...and what happened? Today...more rain! Just enough to be wet - and cold - but not enough to cancel the first game. Unfortunately, the game score was as dreary as the weather. The colts took one on the chin, losing 0 - 24! Oh yeah. But somehow, boys can manage to have fun. Whatever the weather!
Apparently eight! But it was definitely worth the wait! Clint had gone duck hunting back in January for his birthday, and shot one right out of the sky! So proud was I, that I wrapped this yucky, wet, dead bird up in newspaper and stuck him in my freezer until I could find a taxidermist to take care of him. Little did I know how beautiful he would turn out! He really is so pretty! And so cool, that I have already hung him downstairs, so we can all look at him! Now Clint, and I and Garrett have all been on-line working on passing our Hunter's Safety course - and then some class we have to go to - so we can hit the woods! And Clint has had me out in the yard with his BB gun teaching me how to shoot. (No pictures of that! I am still working on hitting the fence, not even close to the can sitting on top of it! But I am getting better!) Forest creatures beware!
(Side note: Yes, Mimi...we will be going with someone with experience!)
A special thank you to our friend Johnny McAlister for making this hunting trip possible! Clint had a fantastic time!
Oh...did I say Garrett was injured?! Hmmmmmm...my bad! Guess the injury only required missing practice...not actual game time! And when I "cautiously" inquired if him playing in two games was a good idea, both fathers and coaches alike looked at me as if I were speaking in a foreign language! So...don't look at me...I just take the pictures! And cheer, very loudly, as Garrett and the Colts won two more games today! And apparently, he was not in any pain as he had two amazing games...scoring several touchdowns - one touchdown wearing only one shoe! - and took a turn at quarterback and threw a touchdown pass to the starting QB! Crazy! Of course, none of this he would be able to do without the help of great and equally talented team mates! All in all, it was an absolutely beautiful day! GO COLTS! and go #12!
OK...so I stole the title from my friend! But we played a little team Wednesday sponsored by Rascal Flatts and we won, and the caption was so clever I just had to borrow it! See more of the game on Grant's blog...but here are some of the pictures I took of him! Grant Sanderson - #6!
What Garrett and his band of bad boys do in their "spare time"! The weapons are getting bigger, so we (meaning me!) have decided we need better head gear than just a pair of goggles! I wouldn't venture out in the woods unarmed when this group is nearby. They show no mercy! (The only reason they let me by without being sniped at is because they have named me team photographer!) I have learned to "drop and roll" though, as they have terrible aim! And don't let the title "air soft" fool you! There is nothing soft about getting pegged with one of those bullets! Oh, the joys of having boys!
Between the innocence of babyhood and the dignity of manhood, we find a delightful creature called a boy.-- Author Unknown
Garrett and Grant
"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up." Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10
Carter and Clint
Roll Tide!
Carter goes Country!
Carter and Taylor Swift
Carter and LeAnn Womack
Welcome to the Great Outdoors
Clint the duckhunter!
Bogie and Birdie
In Memory of our friend...Barry Brewer
Sanderson Basketball - Mustangs, Bisons and the Crimson Tide
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