Henry turns 9

Henry's birthday always falls near the memorial day weekend...which has positives and negatives that go along with it.  The weather is usually gorgeous, but lots of people are busy, busy, busy as they are kicking off festivities and welcoming in summer.  The rodeo is usually in town the weekend before that, and Sky Ranch starts summer camp that weekend as well. 

This year, Henry invited his cousin Cole over to go to the rodeo with us and spend the night at our house.  They had a blast at the rodeo, and we happened to have a field trip scheduled for the next day at the Sabine River Authority, so Cole got to join us for that as well.  

It was a great way to get started celebrating his birthday.  :)

The following weekend (on the day before Henry's actual birthday) we had a small family party for Henry at the house.  Henry requested white cake with blue icing, and ice cream cones with frosting a sprinkles on the side. 

The next day, on his birthday, the kids and I headed to Dallas.  Grandma Austin had sent Henry the one thing that he wanted more than anything else...skeletoes shoes (or 'toe-shoes' as Henry calls them).  The only problem was that they were not a comfortable fit.  So we went to Dallas to find the store where she bought them and were able to exchange them for the perfect pair.  He couldn't have been happier!  Jonah and Bridget even scored new sandals while we were there.  :)

We made a stop at Henry's favorite place (that we don't have in our area), In-N-Out burger.  It was super windy and kept blowing our napkins and french fries all over the place, but we had a great time anyway.  

I just love of my big 9 year old!  Henry is so responsible that I sometimes forget that he is (only) nine years old.  He continues to amaze me with his willingness to work hard, help others and watch out for his younger siblings.  He has a natural ability to care for animals and he is athletically gifted and good at any sport that he tries.  Henry reads his Bible every morning and diligently works on his schoolwork without complaint.  He is friends with everyone he meets.  Henry, I love you so much and am so very proud of you!!!

Upwards Basketball

Henry played on his first ever basketball team with a local Upwards group this year.  It was so fun!  He had a great team and a nice coach.  He already knew some of the kids and made friends with the others...they had a great time together. 

Upwards is a great league for those that want to focus on learning the game as well as sportsmanship, teamwork and godly principles.  

Sam spends lots of time shooting hoops with Henry out in the yard.  It is so fun to have boys take after their daddy!  

Henry scored quite a few goals and really improved on offense this year...way to go, Henry! 

Football 2011

Henry surprised us all this past spring when he announced that he would be playing tackle football in the fall.

Since he was four, Henry has been playing soccer in the spring and fall. He is good at soccer and loves it, so I wasn't really sure what he would say when I told him he would have to skip soccer if he decided to play football. He hesitated only a moment, asked a few questions (along the lines of, "Can I still play on the same team in the spring if I skip the fall?") and made his decision.

I tried to talk him into trying out flag football, to no avail. He wanted to play tackle or nothing.

So we signed him up!

The first two weeks were evaluations/try-outs. The coaches had them run (and run, and run!), catch balls, exercise, do drills, etc...and they separated out the boys into two teams. The White team was mostly boys who have played in the past, and the older kids (4th graders). The Blue team was mostly the younger boys (3rd graders) and those who were new to the game.

Luckily, Henry was picked for Blue, which is coached by a friend of ours. Coach Michael works with Sam at Sky Ranch, goes to church with us, and his son Luke is a friend of Henry's. Sam told Michael he would be willing to help out if needed, and Michael made him an assistant coach.

The first few practices were helmet-only, to get the boys used to the feeling of running with the different balance and weight that it adds. After that they wore full pads and started learning to tackle. Those first few tackle practices were pretty intense and emotional (for Henry and his mom!). Henry and the other boys learned how to tackle properly to avoid injuries. Once they figured it out they gained quite a bit of confidence and lost some of their fear.

After that it was time to start learning positions, plays and strategy. Henry loved learning the plays and the code words they use to tell each other where they should be. He was put in the position of wide receiver...in the picture below, Henry is #82 (blue jersey, player farthest to the right).

Henry loved his first season of football! He was not the smallest player on the team, but he was close...most of the other boys were fourth graders. That left Henry on the sidelines quite a bit, but he definitely got lots of playing time. Henry was enthusiastic and one of the best encouragers on his team. We were so proud to see him paying attention, helping others up, telling his friends what a good job they had done, and generally promoting team unity.

Sam was a favorite among the parents. There was another assistant coach who was a bit harsh sometimes, and the other parents really appreciated that Sam never once yelled at the kids. Sam is a gentle, encouraging, inclusive coach. So fun to watch! Henry was so proud to have his dad out on the field with him. :)

The Blue team lost all their games...they actually scored 7 points in the second to last game, and they were so excited to have points on the board! At the end of the season when the other teams went into play-offs, we were done. So we invited the whole team (along with their parents and siblings) over to our house for an end-of-season football party. We cooked hot dogs, had chips, potato salad, soda and more dessert than we knew what to do with. The boys had so much fun! The parents mostly sat around visiting, and the boys played catch, climbed around in the tree forts and ran around the yard.

From left: Grayson, Nick, Caleb, Dylan, Coach Sam, Luke, Ethan, Henry, Alex, Blake, Coach Michael, Jordan, Seth, Christian, Braxton, Brody.

It was such a great season! I'm grateful to the Lord for keeping all the boys safe, helping them find joy despite the scoreboard, new friendships, and healthy bodies. Way to go, Henry! We are so proud of you for trying something new and learning that you love football! :)

Henry's 8th Birthday

My little cowboy turned 8 this year! I can hardly believe it. Where has the time gone? When Henry was just little (maybe a year and a half old) I made him a cowboy costume, complete with cowhide-print chaps and vest. Way back then, we never dreamed that the cute little cowpoke would grow into a REAL Texas cowboy as the years went on.

This year (as in year's past) Henry decided he wanted a cowboy themed birthday, so we invited all of his friends to get duded up and come on out for a hoe-down.

We set up the party underneath our camper canopy. I threw hay down on the ground, put out folding tables with red-checked tablecloths, decorated with cowboy boots and black eyed-susan's found around the house, and hung 'wanted' posters around the area. Party favors included cowboy hats and bandanas. Our neighbor (who happens to be a cowboy!) brought his guitar over and played a little poem for Henry during cake time.

It was so much fun! The kids all had a blast. As Henry requested, we had a cactus cake with vanilla ice cream...

We decorated with some 'real' cactuses (cacti?) too...as you can see, Henry poked himself on one of the extra sharp needles. LOL. What a comedian.

My wonderful sister-in-law spent a day with me cutting up and painting old appliance boxes (acquired from the very helpful people at Lowe's) to make what Henry dubbed "Cowboy Town."

And of course there was a jail! I think that was the most popular area during the party. There was always some poor child being hauled off to jail. Here the boys are pretty proud to have arrested their sister for one reason or another.

The kids had a blast! We missed out on some of the cousins being able to come because grandkids camp was scheduled to start the same day as Henry's party. As you can see though, there was no shortage of fun kids at the party!

Happy Birthday Henry D! We love you so much and we're very proud of the cowboy you're growing up to be! :)

Spring 2011 Sports

Spring sports are always so fun...this year Henry played soccer for the Jayhawks again. His coaches (Coach Dave and Coach Lyle) are so incredible, patient, loving guys. They really make being a part of their team fun. And all of their hard work paid off...this year the Jayhawks won every single game they played!!! The kids were all pretty pleased to be on an undefeated team.

Henry is the one in blue, kicking in a goal. He had quite a few goals this year and was one of the leading scorers for his team.

2011 Spring Jayhawks
(Coach Dave, Jayden, Quinton, Cody, ?, Kaylee, Tyler, Brett, Dillon, Henry, Bella, Kiana, Coach Lyle)
Jonah was back in action on the t-ball field this spring. Jonah just adores the game of baseball. He loves every little part about it and gets so excited about every practice and game.

During a few games this year, Jonah got to play catcher. While I don't think that is his favorite position (it requires paying attention to where the ball is ALL the time, and that is pretty difficult!), he really enjoyed wearing the 'gear' for it.
Jonah's hitting really improved this year. While last season he struggled with sometimes hitting the tee, this year Jonah whacked the ball right out into the infield every time! It was really great to see the fruit of all his hard work practicing.
The highlight of the games, of course, is the sno-cone. What a way to cool down! :)
We are blessed to live in an area that offers fun, family-friendly sports for our kids to participate in, and we are so grateful for the coaches and officials who donate so much of their time to make it all happen!

Easter Pictures

We went camping over Easter, so we didn't have the traditional church service this year. Our kids had already gotten new Easter clothes before we realized we would be camping, so I made sure to get some great pictures of them a few weeks ago. Henry wasn't really happy with the suit I bought him (the button down shirt is purple and he thinks that makes it a girl color), so I just let him pick something he would be comfortable wearing. Happy Easter!

Henry David, age 7Samuel Jonah, age 6Bridget Mary, age 3

Sweet Brothers

One day this week, Henry found himself in trouble for a minor little issue. I sent him to his room to think about what happened, and he was to come back out when he was ready to talk about it and had a better attitude.Jonah was greatly distressed at having Henry stuck in his room. For this very social child, there could be no worse punishment. (Of course he doesn't realize that Henry actually appreciates time alone now and again!) Less than ten minutes after Henry was sent away, Jonah came to me to plead Henry's case. His brilliant idea to 'free' Henry from the miserable punishment that I had bestowed on him was this: "I'll go up to Henry's room and take his place, so that he can come out and play!"

What a sacrifice! I didn't take him up on it, but I was so touched by his generous and selfless offer. Jonah is blessed with such a compassionate heart! :)

Emmanuel

This week in school we are learning the song O Come, O Come Emmanuel.

It's one of my favorites and has become Henry's favorite this year too.

Today I reminded the kids that Emmanuel literally means "God with us."

After discussing what that actually means for a few minutes, I asked if anyone remembered the definition of Emmanuel.

Bridget's hand shot up in the air..."I know, I know! God is our friend."

"Yes, He is," I said, "but what did I tell you that Emmanuel means exactly?"

Jonah was eager to give me his version next..."Jesus beside us on earth."

"Well, yes. But what exact words did I tell you it means?"

Finally Henry, raising an eyebrow in exasperation with his siblings said, "God with us."

I think they get it. :)

Fall Soccer 2010

Henry had another great season of soccer! I love that he plays two seasons every year, so it is easy to see his progress. And this year there was quite a bit! Henry learned how to 'head' a ball, improved his dribbling and worked on taking shots farther away from the goal. He learned that he really prefers to be a forward and has the speed, energy and talent to be succesful in that position. As a team they worked on passing the ball and how to better position themselves on the field. Our coaches worked hard and the Jayhawks were a pretty competitive team this year.

Ever faithful fans this year included Henry's grandparents, the lovely Dave and MaryBeth:
Henry's best friend (and our next-door neighbor) Blake:Our other neighbors, Miss AnneMarie and her granddaughter, Claire:
(who happened to be at the park and heard me yelling...what can I say, I get excited about soccer?)
and two of our beautiful friends, Ingrid and Crystal:
There were others too, but I either didn't get pictures or couldn't find them. :)

Here's Henry preparing to head the ball...
(I love the concentration/anticipation on his face!) Go, Henry, go! When Henry gets the ball, the other team usually can't keep up with him. :)
The Jayhawks, 2010
Back row, from left: Coach David, Kiana, Ty, Kaylee, Coach Lyle
Front Row, from left: Dawson, Henry, Dillon, Anastasia
(Not pictured: Brett, Brock, Cody, Ethan)

Loose Tooth

Henry lost one of his front teeth a few months ago and now his other top front tooth is very loose. He pulled on it a few weeks ago but at the sight (or taste?) of blood, he gave up on it. Now it's precariously hanging in there and he can twist it sideways and let it sit all wonky in his mouth. I'm thinking we're going to lose a tooth today! :)

Update at 2:20...He lost it! The tooth held up through lunch, then came out when he was eating a cookie later on. :) Henry is so excited! And I just love his new smile. Simply adorable!

Sleepy Henry

A while back Henry was working on school at the dining room table while I worked on some things in the kitchen. He came in to tell me he was done with what he had been working on and asked what he should do next. I suggested he go finish his Math, knowing that he had left some of it to do later. He replied, "Really?" I told him yes, wondering why he would question it.

Quite some time later I realized I hadn't heard from Henry in a while (and he should have been done fairly quickly with his assignment). Checking first in the dining room, I realized Henry was missing. I looked outside where Jonah and Bridget were playing, thinking that he had joined them. They said they hadn't seen him. When I walked back in the house, I saw this:

Later I had to wake him up as he was still napping at 4:00 that afternoon. I asked Henry if he had been pretty tired and he said no. When I asked him why he had decided to take a nap, he told me, "Because you told me to." I denied telling him to nap.

Henry said, "Yes you did! When I asked what I should work on next for school you said, 'why don't you go finish up your nap?'"

Henry's Poem

"If I Knew", by Maud Wyman

If I knew a box where the smiles are kept,
No matter how large the key
Or strong the bolt, I would try so hard
'Twould open, I know, for me;
Then over the land and the sea broadcast,
I'd scatter the smiles to play,
That the children's faces might hold them fast
For many and many a day.

If I knew a box that was large enough
To hold all the frowns I meet,
I would like to gather them every one,
From nursery, school, and street;
Then folding and holding, I'd pack them in,
And turning the monster key,
I'd hire a giant to drop the box
To the depths of the deep, deep sea.

Sign Language

We've been learning about different Native American tribes in school this week. We've studied some of their different houses and locations. Today we talked about how different tribes could communicate since they didn't speak the same languages.

One of our history books has a primitive sign language guide in the back, so we went to that and decided to try and communicate with one another.

It was a fun way to learn a little bit more about another culture. Henry and I carried on a conversation about horses, 'talking' back and forth with the few signs we could get each other to understand.

Not to be outdone, Jonah jumped into the game. His message?

The teepees are on fire!

We laughed and then told him to have his horses take water back to the teepees. He responded by telling us the horses were on fire too.

What a goofball! :)

This is a pretend pout, by the way. Jonah had a bike accident a few weeks back and ended up with a pretty good case of road rash on his nose and cheeks.

Bathroom Duty

We went to the local high school football game tonight. My brother is in town visiting, so he was along with us and we had our neighbor boy along too. Being that we live in Texas and all there were quite a few other people at the game too (if you know Texas football at all, you understand the vast understatement I'm making here!).

Sometime after the first quarter, Bridget announced that she needed to use the bathroom. I told her I would take her, and then asked if anyone else needed to go. Both my boys and Blake said yes, so I headed off with four kids. Sam grabbed the three boys before we all walked off and very seriously told them, "Now you boys stay together. Nobody wander off. And when you go into the bathroom, you go in together and come out together." They all gave him a "Yes sir!" and off we went.

The boys headed down the bleachers ahead of me, and then turned to go down the next set before Bridget and I could catch up with them. We were delayed in the crush of people and by the time we got down to the bottom, the older two boys were gone and I found Jonah standing all alone in the middle of a big crowd of people...looking completely lost.

I caught up with him and asked where the other boys were. He was pretty upset and didn't have any idea where they had gone. We headed over to the boys bathroom and waited, and sure enough, Henry and Blake came bouncing out of there momentarily.

Grabbing Henry by the arm, I told him he needed to walk Jonah into the bathroom, wait for him and then come out and talk with me.

Bridget reminded me at this point that she really needed to go to the bathroom, but I felt like the more pressing issue was to talk with the boys about what had happened. So we waited for the boys to come out.

When they finally all three came out, I lined them up beside a post to talk with them. I was pretty far into my lecturing about listening to instructions, sticking together, strangers, obeying and everything else (I was on a pretty good roll at that point!) when someone tapped me on the arm.

"Um, excuse me, but did you have a little girl with you?"

Frantically looking around, I noticed that Bridget was no longer in my sight.

He proceeded to tell me that he had seen her walk into the men's restroom and that he would go check on her. He popped his head in there, then leaned out and waved me into the restroom. Bridget had gone right in and sat down in one of the stalls, not even noticing all the boys running in and out of there!

I grabbed her by the hand and dragged her out of there and into the ladies restroom. "Mom, why are we going in here? I already went potty!" my three year old insisted. We washed her hands and rushed back out to reunite with the three giggling boys.

Next time I'm not volunteering for bathroom duty.

Henry's Bullseye

Guess I shouldn't have taken the picture straight-on, because now you can't see the arrow! It's right at the top of the yellow bullseye. Henry wasn't strong enough to shoot his bow last year, but this year he is doing really well with it.

After he shot the bullseye, Henry came running inside to tell me all about it. After much praise and sharing in the excitement, Henry walked away from the target. As he left he smiled and said, "I am just so jealous of myself!"

He saw me start to giggle and followed it up with, "I don't even know what that means!"

And another quote from Henry, at the dinner table tonight as he was talking with his dad...."I think we should try and hunt back behind our property. I'm pretty sure there is a lot of doe out there." :)

Henry the Hunter

When we were expecting Henry we briefly considered the name "Hunter" for him. We just really liked it, but as Sam is an avid hunter we finally decided not to go that route.

Last year Henry really got into hunting with his Dad. He really hasn't stopped talking about it since...camoflauge brings it to mind, guns, bows, magazines...just about anything can spark hunting talk around here. But even that love for all things hunting does not explain why, when my son colors a picture of a moose, he feels the need to draw in the 'kill spot' and a tongue sticking out. He made sure to point out to me that the eyes are red because he's dead.

BOYS! :)

First day of school!

It's the first day of school today!!!
The kids are excited and so am I. As much as I have enjoyed summer, I do crave routine and a predictable schedule. I'm looking forward to getting a semi-regular routine down again and having some fun with our new curriculum.

Henry (age 7) is beginning the second grade today. He is starting the "My Father's World" curriculum (for Bible, history, geography, music, art) and we just love it. He enjoys Singapore math (with the exception of word problems, which just seem to elude his understanding), so we're continuing on with that this year, and "Spelling by Sound and Structure" and "First Language Lessons" round out the rest of language arts. His favorite part of today was setting up our timeline that we'll be adding to throughout this year. I had him draw pictures of every member of the family and put them up in the appropriate places. :)

Jonah (age5) will be working on the ABC series from Rod and Staff. These books are gentle, sweet and perfect for our little bear. They cover Bible lessons, pre-reading skills, math, following directions and much more. He started this series last year and will complete it this year. He is also working through "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" and is really excited to learn to read this year. He'll participate in much of Henry's lessons (at his own level). Jonah also has a CD curriculum that was his very favorite part of school today.

Bridget (age 3) has no formal curriculum planned for this year. She'll sit in and participate in Bible lessons and she loves any read-aloud time she can get. Some days she will have short assignments (coloring pages, simple mazes, etc...) and I also have special games that are only for school time (memory, lacing beads, puzzles, etc...). Bridget is wonderful at entertaining herself, so she really requires very little supervision during my teaching times with the boys. My goal this year is for her to begin sitting quietly at the table with us and learning to follow specific directions.

One of my favorite parts of homeschooling is the amount of time it takes. They are typically done with all their schoolwork before lunch time, leaving us every afternoon free. We also have plenty of time for field trips and getting together with friends throughout the week. It allows my kids so much freedom and room for creativity...and I wouldn't trade that for anything! :)