We had the neat opportunity this afternoon to attend a season-end celebration for Champ Sports, the youth sports league where our kids have played football & soccer for the past 4 years. The wonderful thing about Champ is that it is equal parts sports & ministry outreach. The focus is on fun, sports, and Christ--a winning combination if you ask me!

So this afternoon we were able to head to a Charlotte Bobcats basketball game where the coaches & players from this season had special access to the courts before the game. The kids (and grown-ups) got to try shooting baskets & there were lots of free prizes including t-shirts, bags, & key-chains. My parents were kind enough to babysit the younger two kids, so Jeff & I were able to spend some time with just Jack & Sophie. We all had a wonderful time! Jack especially enjoyed the fun as he was one of the kids selected from our group to go on the court to be a "high-fiver" or "National Anthem Buddy." For Jack, this event was just the start of many little fun things planned over the next few days to celebrate his upcoming birthday!

Jack excited about the festivities!

Daddy & Sophie

Jeff getting to participate in a coaches shoot-out

Jack getting to shoot the ball on the court before the game.

It was lots of fun for the kids to just get to be out there on the court & feel big!

After the pre-game festivities we had a little time to kill before the game started. A group of us walked to a nearby restaurant for pizza before the game. The restaurant had little balls of pizza dough for the kids to play with while we were waiting on our food...sort of like play-dough...

Yes, I'm posting this on my blog...yes, this is my son with a piece of pizza dough stuck to his nose...yes, he is pretending it is a booger...yes, he is very proud of it!

Watching & waiting to see the kids go out on the court!

Jack (blue shirt) & his friend Corban (yellow shirt) waiting to take the court for the singing of the National Anthem

National Anthem Buddies

Jack & Corban standing in front of the players while the National Anthem was being sung (by our church vocal ensemble!) Don't they look so small compared to those HUGE basketball players! The kids took their job very seriously & were so sweet & respectful with their hands on their hearts. :-)

Brothers

At my baby shower for Drew, a sweet friend gave me an adorable picture frame that she made for me. We knew we were having a boy and, of course after two girls, Jack was SO excited to be getting a brother! On the frame my friend put the Scripture, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." I have had a cute snapshot of Jack & Drew in it from when Drew was a newborn, but he's gotten so big that I needed to update the picture. I had a couple of minutes on Sunday afternoon & was able to snap these photos of the brothers. Can't wait to print one out & put it in the frame!

And it is my prayer that the boys would "sharpen" one another, encourage one another, hold one another accountable to the Word of God. Jack is already a great big brother playing with Drew, making silly faces & cheering up Drew when he is fussy. Even though they are 7 years apart, I pray that they will always be close friends who look out for one another.

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Monday, November 9th and continued on Wednesday, November 11th...and finally posted Sunday night, November 15th!

Outside my window...It is late afternoon & the clouds are coming in now, but it has been yet another gloriously MILD fall day in Carolina! It was pretty much the perfect temperature outside for me today. The fall leaf color continues to dazzle; it is one of the prettiest years I can remember...and now the rain has come and it has rained 2 days straight. It is warm though and I cannot complain, I actually like the rain! (Sunday night note: So it rained almost all week, and I was getting pretty tired of it by the end...especially taking kids in & out of school multiple times a day...but it was a GLORIOUS weekend, beautiful sun & warm temps!)
I am thinking...Great is the Lord & most worthy of praise!
I am thankful for...Our house, it is a great house! I am SO excited about starting a new chapter in our "new-old" house, but having our current home on the market has made me really appreciate it even more...I'm appreciating all of the space here that I will be missing as we down-size a bit for the next few years (until we add-on to the new-old house.) I'm thankful for the house showings we have had thus far...and I trust that God has the right buyer in mind...in His timing, and I'm thankful for that...and if that timing is sooner rather than later, well I would be thankful for that, too!
From the learning rooms...
From the kitchen...Not much has been coming out of our kitchen lately...in efforts to keep it "showing ready" it is much simpler not to mess it up in the first place ;-)
I am wearing...

I am remembering…
I am creating...
I am going...
I am reading...
I am hoping...to be able to complete my Simple Woman's Daybook for next week (tomorrow!)
I am hearing...

Noticing that…I sure didn't find much time this week to blog...how is it that I couldn't even put this one post together? I will try to do better this week!

Pondering these words…

On my mind…
Around the house...
One of my favorite things...
A few plans for the rest of the week:
Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Sweet baby Drew turned 8 months on Saturday!

Darcy & Drew napping after a BUSY Saturday morning...do you notice the bandage on Darcy's head??? More on that tomorrow...

Wordless Wednesday--Four Little Pumpkins...

Four little pumpkins sitting on the steps...

The first one's a cheerleader, all full of pep!

The second one's a football player, his favorite thing!

The third one's a dinosaur for his first Halloween!

The fourth one's a princess, as pretty as can be!

(Please excuse my quite unintentional blogging break for the last few weeks...I have no good excuse other than the fact that life has just been crazy...you try keeping a house "showing ready" at all times with 4 kids, a dog & a cat...God is teaching me LOTS of patience & complete dependence on Him...and I'm really working on remaining cheerful & kind throughout as God has really impressed upon my heart lately how every minute counts--especially with my kids--and so I need to be sure to make the most of each moment and enjoy the ups & downs more and just really give thanks in all things...I'll let you know how that goes! Ask my kids...or maybe don't! Anyway, I promise I'll be back with updates on what we've been up to soon!)