Basketball Clinic

Noah and Griffin are in the middle of a 6-week (3-5 year old) basketball clinic at the Y.  It is so cute.  I can't say that they are best players, but they are out there doing all of the drills (verses watching from the sidelines) and they are really loving it.  The most exciting part of it is that ALL of the boys are now excited to play basketball at home.  We bought them a new basketball hoop that goes up to 6 feet and our in-ground hoop goes down to 7 feet -- so they have all of the heights covered.



The Y focuses on skills, and good sportsmanship and faith.  The kids all make prayer requests then pray together at the end of the clinic.  (look how close griffin is sitting to one of his coaches...haha)


Then they all come up with a group cheer and 'break'.



Even Miles, who for years has been a "basketball hater", now loves it.   He and Mike shoot around on the other side of the gym during the clinic.  Miles has been spending a ton of time outside practicing his skills and is doing awesome making baskets.


...all just in time for (Mike's favorite) Carolina basketball season.  :)

Adelaide

I spent another weekend with sweet Adelaide and Lindsey in VA. Jason was out of town for a conference, so I drove up for a girls weekend. My sweet niece just keeps getting cuter and cuter!







(cute onsie made my aunt dana during lindsey's shower last summer)

(getting a skype-kiss from aunt dana)


we went to the beach for a photo shoot there too.  one of these days i'll get through all of the pics.  in the meantime...love this little girl! :)

Halloween

On Halloween night we joined our other neighbors at my good friend Allison's house.  She hosts an amazing party every year (martha stewart style).  Afterward we all split up and go trick-or-treating in the 'hood.

Griffin and his neighborhood BF Jack (isn't Jack's costume amazing?!?!  It was handmade by one of Allison's aunts.)


Griffin cracks me up in this picture.  He's standing with our neighbors Elloree and Davin.  He'd been walking around in his Elmo costume without the hood all afternoon.  Just before I snapped, he had whipped up the hood/Elmo head to entertain them.  :)


My boys spent almost the entire party taking turns swinging on Will's awesome tree swing.  Here's Noah:


Here's Griffin waiting his turn.


Griffin and his friend Elloree.  There are just a couple of months apart. 


Miles, Noah, Griffin and our neighbor Will.


A couple of days before Halloween Noah's school had a "trunk or treat" event. It was really cute. The kids have a Halloween parade in the school's gymn and then the kids trick-or-treat out of parents' trunks. (thankful now for this photo-op with Noah since i didn't get any pictures of him at our family's halloween party!)

Halloween

Its hard to say that our boys love one holiday more than the other in our house -- each one brings such excitement.  With that said, our boys LOVE Halloween.  We go out all with kid decorations and we host a fun family party in our backyard.  Mike makes turkey chili, I make some sides (and our friends bring something to share)....I order a jumpy and plan out some party games....we throw on costumes and turn on the ipod....  Pretty simple, pretty laid back -- just our style.  :)

bob/my father-in-law, shannon/my sister-in-law, miles and his cousin mason.  shannon's cigar-man costume (google him if you don't know who his is) still cracks me up. 


me and my fun neighbor, blake (aka sue sylvestor from glee)


mike makes this awesome sheet/design/cut-out thing every year.  didn't due it justice w/ my partial picture.


we had cute, baby pumpkins in attendance.



my mother-in-law painted miles' face (her's and mason's too).  he was a vampire and loved it.  (i don't have ONE picture of Noah from the party.  If you were here and have one, can you send it to me?)



(mason in her creepy cat disguise -- with a gummy worm for lips)

(like father-like-son....mike went for the creepy costume this year too)

we played some funny games.  one was "eat the donut off the string without using your hands".  sweet kate looked around for about 10 seconds, then just grabbed the donut with her hands.  i still laugh when i think about her just standing there, casually eating it, while the other kids wrestled with theirs.














It was fun (and funny)! More pics here. :)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37361469@N08/sets/72157625185484091/with/5145119376/

Hallelujah

Just have to document some of Noah's comments/questions throughout the day today...my emotional guy with a heart full of faith. 


***
Noah: Mom, I don't love you the most. I love God and Jesus most. Then you.
Me: Well, Noah. That's the way it should be. First God and Jesus, then family, then friends.
Noah: Then neighbors, mom. That means everyone that we know a little bit or don't know too. And robbers, mom. We have to love even the robbers.

***
Noah: Mom, some people don't know Jesus and God. Some people don't have God and Jesus in their heart. I do. I have Jesus in my heart.

***
Noah: Mom, I hope that Jesus loves even the Devil. I wish that the Devil didn't turn bad after he was an angel. I wish that he was still good. I hope that Jesus loves him.

***
Noah: Mom, after the Devil turned evil, is that when he got his red suit?
Me: I don't know, Noah. I don't know if he has a red suit or if that's just how people draw him.
Noah: Mom, how about when Dad gets to heaven he can ask God. And if Dad doesn't want to ask Him, you can ask God. And, when I get to heaven, I'll come and find you, and you can tell me what He said.

***
Griffin: Mommy, God doesn't love bad people.
Noah: Yes he does, Griffin. God loves ALL people.
Griffin: No he doesn't. Not bad people.
Me: Griffin, Noah's right. God might not like bad things that people do, but God loves all people.
Griffin: but, but....
Me: Griffin, God loves all people.
(poor Griffin curled up his bottom lip and started crying huge tears)
Griffin: but I don't like bad people. that makes me sad.
(it took much reassurance that mike and i would always protect him from the bad people for griffin to calm down. so sad. he's only 3...felt like a lot for him to just tear up about "bad people"??)

***
I got this video from my dad tonight (by way of my aunt fran). Not sure if it was my conversation with Noah, or the video on its own, or both combined - but it it made me teary. I'm officially thankful for so much and am suddenly ready to celebrate the miracle of Christmas (maybe that will finally get me to stop eating halloween candy and transition to the next holiday?? :).  Hallelujah!

Griffin

Griffin: Mommy, why you marry daddy?
Me: Because I love daddy.
Griffin: But I love you. I want to marry you.
Me: (melt)


I broke out my camera this afternoon and called Griffin's name.  He immediately squeezed his eyes shut, wrapped his arms around his body (rapper style), and cocked his head to the side.  He kills me.