Sunday, January 9, 2022

October 2020

October brought us more days of school on their computers and slow days. James found this dragonfly outback by the pool one afternoon and had to do a little examination. It is fascinating to take a look at creatures like these when you can.



I can tell the boys have had their hair cut in these pictures, and it makes me so thankful for our amazing babysitter who is also a hairdresser! She made switching to having their hair cut at home so easy, and now it is all we ever do. 

Here the boys are with our sweet friends the Wests and our neighbor Zac. I think they came over for dinner, and Zac was always around. It was really great to have their family bring some more excitement to our house! 


The boys played lots of soccer games in October. The first picture is David's soccer team having a post game team meeting with his teenage girl coaches. They had such fun together! The second is a picture of Hayden, and he's got a serious face. I don't have many pictures of the boys playing because I get so engrossed in the game that I don't want to watch it through a lens, but I do wish I had more pictures of they playing, haha.


Baby Yoda and all the mandolorians.... Not their actual costumes, but some of them. I ordered two sizes of the mandolorian and one fit James; thankfully the other fit Calvin who I bought it for! It inspired them to all dress up. Definitely a great shot!! And then the four of them just hanging out in their costumes, haha!



Hayden's 9th birthday was postponed from July until October because of Covid. I just wasn't sure about trying to plan a party because the numbers spiked, but when we finally had it, it was a blast! His video game party with a game truck was a huge hit. Mimi made him a really incredible cake; the game controller on the top was made of rice crispy and fondant!







He got to have some gifts from his friends, but also Mimi and Grandpa saved their gifts for him until his party. He got a new soccer goal and all kind of other fun things. He was a really happy kid for his party to finally happen.



Matt got inspired one day and found a great deal on this rifle for James. Needless to say it was an early birthday gift that he really, really liked. He was so very proud, and his daddy took him to the range to shoot it. He hung his target on his bedroom door as a trophy. What fun memories.


This day in backyard science, we explored this incredible web made just over one side of our picnic table. It was truly incredible!


I assigned Calvin reading to David some days to help him read, but also for David to get more time being read to. It was a serious win-win. But other days I would just find them like this. I could eat it up.


David, me, and Hermione on the back patio practicing his numbers and his name.


James wanting Papa to see how prepared he was for their first hunting trip. The dreams began...


This was a unique night at the soccer field. It was a full moon and a lunar moth was found. We read that they only live one night and it needs to lay it eggs, so we tried to save him. I promise David did not do any ninja moves on him. He was so beautiful and a bit tragic.



Matt went on a big hunt with my Dad out to Texas and got an Axis deer. It looked so beautiful, and Matt was really excited to have that experience. We had the antlers mounted and the hide tanned. They are beautiful creatures!




Here I am at an Orange Park football game to cheer on my YL girl Isabelle! She was on the dance team. It was so fun to be with Camryn, Jamison, Lauren, and my David!



Game day at the soccer field. The cheering section for James' game was looking good that day. But all four of these fellas all dressed out is my favorite.



Celebratory lunch at La Napolera!


My friend Hannah introduced me to these 'gluggle jugs' that make a 'glug' noise when you pour the water out of them. I thought they were so much fun that I wanted to buy them for Christmas gifts. These were the first two I ordered for testing the size. I gave the small one to Nana and the large one to Teresa.


Halloween time is a great time for the zoo. They do such a fun job decorating and setting up these little photo booths. My photobombers had a blast with this!



I took a picture like this one of all four of the boys with me on the zoo train when David was an infant in a ergo carrier. I think it was our first outing that I took them on by myself. Such fun to see how big they all are now.


Highlights of the all inclusive ticket, by far the best idea Jax Zoo has ever had, was feeding these Australian birds. The boys could not get enough!



I had to take a good picture of my 'Salt Wheels' by my friend Hannah! The black dodge pick up trucks fit out family perfectly. And my box of goodies from the 'Love Not Lost' virtual fundraiser. It was a lovely was to support their incredible work for families facing terminal diagnosis.


I don't think it gets better than a boy-on-bean-bag-on-boy-on-bean-bag-on-boy.





David's class went to the pumpkin patch but we parents weren't allowed to go- some how I have this old photo of Hayden's class in my folder for this month. Wow, this whole time I was thinking it was David's class picture. Hayden is wearing the blue shirt. So, since we didn't get to go to the pumpkin patch with his class, all the boys and I went.




The boys all picked out pumpkins and carved them this year. I was a little nervous, but their Daddy helped them do it, and it turned out so amazing. I loved how the boys each had their own!






Their other favorite thing for halloween is to decorate. Every year I buy dollar store decorations that we can put up and enjoy and then throw away. I don't want to have to store any of it-but the boys have a blast making it spooky!


Our trick or treat squad: my four + Zac



Photo bombing success by David.


It almost can't get any cuter than these two.


Our sweet neighbors always do magic tricks for the boys for 'trick or treat'. It helps when you're a magician by trade!


And they also have the blessing of having their preschool teacher Mrs. Tyree live in our neighborhood. She makes them the sweetest treats every year. Check out these peanut butter cookies with spiders on top! So cute and yummy too.


Thank you Lord for this month of dreams becoming realized. Hayden's delayed birthday party, the boys dreams of Halloween with their friends and neighbors who are so kind to us, soccer goal dreams, and dreams of building bean bag stacks. Dreams of getting a first gun and dreams of hunting a trophy animal.  Thank you for all the small ways we get to see and know and taste the extravagant way you love us Lord. All these good gifts point to you and how good you are. Help me and Matt and my boys to recognize their hopes and dreams of all these good things are really hopes and dreams of knowing and experiencing you Lord. In you we live and move and have our being. Amen.

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