As political as we get...

Truth is, politics just aren't my thing and in all the time we've been together, I can't say I've ever seen Wes get too passionate about an election or individual candidate.  We don't talk politics at home and televised debates go unwatched, though I will usually read a brief recap on a biased website the day after.  We're not totally oblivious to election events, we just don't get too warpped up in them.

So, on the way to school today we had the car radio on and the radio announcer mentioned the name "Obama".  The conversation continued something like this:

Caleb: "Obama?  Who is that?  Is he the good one or the bad one?"
Me:  "What?  You mean President Obama?"
Caleb:  "Yeah.  I think he is the bad one.  Who is the other one?"
Me:  "Romney?"
Austin: " Yeah, he's the one that makes more jobs."
Me:  "Who? Romney makes more jobs?"
Austin:  "Yeah.  Obama justs makes us all have to pay more money."
Me:  "Who did you hear this from?
Caleb:  "Popo."

All I could do was laugh.  We then went into a short discussion about the importance of voting and making your vote count.  It made for an interesting and enlightening trip to school. 

I will be voting next Tuesday, hope you will too if you haven't already.

OINK!

It's that time of year... time for camo jackets, camo pants, camo hats and anything else camo.  As the boys grow older, their interest in hunting grows.  A few weekends ago the boys headed to the deer lease in Mason to fill feeders and Wes's goal was to get Austin to shoot something on his own.  First night I got a text telling me that Austin had barely missed a pig.

 Next day, I got a text telling me that they found the pig and Austin had actually shot it in the shoulder.  He was pretty excited (so was daddy!).

Caleb shared in the excitement.  Not sure if he will have as much of the hunting love.  Actually, not sure he'll ever be able to be still enough or keep quiet for longer than 3 minutes to sit in a blind.

GO EXTREME!!!

Happy Birthday Mimi!!!

Sunday we enjoyed celebrating a birthday with a very special lady in our lives....

Mimi added another candle to her cake and we celebrated with drinks and dinner in Round Top.  Mimi is enjoying her retirement and we love having her around to help out with A&A&C.  She picks them up from school 2 days a week and is a great help in getting homework compete.  Happy Birthday, Mimi.  We love you and appreciate all you do for us!

Little reminders...

 There's some days you just need to see things like this to be reminded what life is all about.  Avery gave me this sticky note love last Friday.  It was just what I needed!

Car conversations

Today I picked up the kids from school and a conversation took place that went something like this:

Me:  How was school today?
All:  Good
Me:  Did you learn anything new today?
Silence
Me:  What did you have for lunch?
Avery:  I had the spaghetti.
Me:  You liked it?  You never want to eat my spaghetti at home.
Austin:  It didn't have much sauce, just meat and noodles.
Me:  Oh.
Austin:  Mom, I have a girlfriend.
Me:  Oh, really?  Who
Austin:  Blair
Me:  Oh, is this something new?  Does she know?
Silence
Avery:  Mom, Barret and I are still in love
SILENCE!

Week recap

Hello Fall!  We'd really appreciate if the Texas temps would coincide with the season.  Putting out pumpkins in 90 degree weather just isn't working for me.  Between football, festivals, and attempting to run, we are needing some cooler temps to make things a bit more enjoyable, dare I say tolerable.

 It's been a busy week.  I should stop saying that because busy is "normal."  Monday Avery scored 5 goals at her soccer game.  She's aggressive on the field and likes competition.  As we were walking away from the field that night, she said "mom, I like to play other good girls.  I like to see if I can beat them."  Could make for an interesting athletic career.

 Tuesday this #2 scored his first official soccer goal.  Instead of hanging back to play defense he got up in the action and took the ball to the goal!

 This little guy was out at the beginning of the week with a stomach bug.  We thank him for not spreading it to anyone else in the house.  His buddy spike kept him company on the couch.

 Speaking of Spike... he's growing!   

Our reptile collection is growing.  Today Toppe, Avery and I went to Chappell Hill to the Scarecrow Festival and managed to pick up two tiny turtles.  Seemed every kid there had one of these cages in their hands.  I was sold on the "low maintenance" aspect.

In other news, Avery lost her second tooth... pulled it herself on our way home from her 5-goal soccer game.  Tooth fairy must learn to stock up on $1 bills.

Wes got the opportunity to go to the UT/OU football game this past weekend.  Let's just say it wasn't the outcome we were hoping for and he was home well before original estimated arrival time.

Tooth lost twice

Austin has had a loose tooth for well over a month and we were about at the point of taking him to the dentist to have it pulled because of the tooth coming in behind it.  Last week we were on him every day to wiggle that tooth to try and get it out.  Friday afternoon, I  was pleasantly surprised as he ran into my office after school with a huge smile on his face and proudly showed my his tooth case that held the precious tooth.  Ms. Deramus (apparently known for her tooth pulling skills) helped him with that final tug and he was so excited!  Finally, he lost a tooth!
Fast forward a few hours to the Cub football game.  We were sitting up in the stands, a little more than half way up.  About 2 minutes after kick off I look over and tears are rolling out of Austin's eyes.  I asked him what was wrong.  I could barely understand him and he sobbed and let me know his tooth fell.  He had the case... the tooth was gone... under the bleachers.  My heart hurt for him because he was so proud of that tooth.  So proud he brought it to the football game.  Wes knew how much that tooth meant to him too and proceeded under the bleachers to look for the needle in the haystack.  After 2 quarters under the bleachers, the search was called off.  By that time, Austin had a little time to settle down and wasn't as upset.  First thing  he did was write a note to the tooth fairy explaining what had happened.  It read:
"I had a tooth but I jropd it at the cub stateeym but can you still give me sum munee.  happy halloween.  Austin"
It did the trick!!

Future Cubs

Austin & Caleb are Future Cubs again this year.  They were each assigned a player and get to walk out with him at game time, join in on the National Anthem on the field and help carry off their helmet after the game.  

 Caleb is Jeremy Arnold's Future Cub.  He is a member of our church so Caleb thinks it's pretty cool to have a Cub player that he knows.

  Austin walking out before the game.

Caleb walking out before the game.... Avery thought she should get to join in.

Cheer camp

 Avery ready to go cheer on the field.

 Pregame pep rally!

Waiting for the Cubs to run out of the locker room.

Still not sure if we have a cheerleader on her hands, but none the less, at this point she sure does look cute throwing up her spirit sprinkles.  At Friday night's game, the cheer camp performed a few cheers for the crowd and got to cheer on the football team as they ran out of the locker room.  Austin and Caleb got to run out onto the field with their Cub player so all 3 were on the field pregame... it was pretty nice sitting in the stands and just watching.

Hot Shots

It's soccer time!  Caleb and Austin are on the same team this year. We're finding Caleb is our defensive specialist.  He likes to stand back and slide tackle any boy that makes a break towards the goal.  Austin gets into the middle of things a little more.  Action shots to come....

Night time stories...

This is pretty much how we've found Avery the last three nights.  She's been on a reading kick and wants to fill up her reading chart for school so every night she puts a stack of book on her bed and falls asleep mid-book.  I guess she's not reading anything too suspenseful yet :)