Football Camp ...

Justin has started his first season with Pop Warner Football.  His first game is not until September 3^rd but he sure has had a summer full of football.  For the month of June he attended a full contact conditioning camp 3 days a week.  Fully padded … playing outside in the heat … I was worried that he would get exhausted and that it would be too much for him.

~ Opening Huddle ~ 

~ Justin listening during Opening Huddle ~ 

~ Guest Speaker for the Opening Huddle ... one of my former Preston Junior High students that is now playing with the Minnesota Vikings ~

~ Justin is on the far left wearing Navy pants ~

~ Closing Huddle with Coach Switzer ~ 

~ Makenna trying to be part of the team ~

I was wrong!  He LOVED it!  … and so did Dwight.  Dwight’s work schedule in June was rather flexible so he helped out some with coaching.  Justin went right from his Conditioning Camp into a Quarterback/Passing Camp the first 2 weeks of July.   I'm thinking my future is going to include a LOT of Footbal!

Fireworks, Family and Fun …

This year we had another fun filled 4^th of July.  We spent the morning with our great friends The Van Cleave’s and Lance’s.   We had our annual breakfast and gathered all the kids together on Mainstreet in Wellington to watch the parade.  Each year the weather seems to get hotter and hotter and the parade seems to get longer and longer.  Not sure if the kids actually LIKE the parade or just the idea of collecting CANDY that the parade participates throw.  Each year we come home with a bag full of candy and 2 tired kids. 

~ Beautiful morning for a ride in the Convertible … headed to Wellington for our morning festivities ~

~ Our little Firecrackers  ~ Jusitn and Makenna ~ 

~ Grace Van Cleave in her adorable Patriotic TuTu ~  

~ The Little Kids Watching the Parade ~ 

~ The Big Kids Watching the Parade ~ 

The afternoon was spent napping.  Ahhhhhhh … I love afternoon naps and it’s not very often I get one so that was a special treat for mom. 

My sister Lori and her family + my dad and Bobbye joined us for an evening BBQ and backyard firework.   It amazing despite all the mature trees in our neighborhood we have a great view of the City of Fort Collins Fireworks show right from our back patio.  It sure makes for an enjoyable show when you don’t have to deal with traffic and crowds. 

~ Holidays are Funnier with Cousins ~

Emily (3), Justin (8), Makenna (4), Taylor (9), Caleb (5), Brandon (7)

FiVe ...

It’s been a crazy and fun few months since my sister Lori and her family moved back to Colorado.  The kids have enjoyed lots of cousin time but last night we got together to celebrate Caleb turning 5!!

~ Making a Wish ~

~ Emily LOVED the cake ~

Caleb wasn’t sure what to think about all of the attention that was being focused on him. He was shy one moment and wild the next but was really happy when he realized the presents were for HIM.

~ Caleb was so excited he smacked Charlie in the face ~

The Birthday Boy!

Schools Out ...

The kids and I made special end of the year Crayon Picture Letter for their teachers

Yeah … summer break has begun!!   The school year ended with mixed feelings for all of us but without a doubt we are all ready for a more relaxed schedule. A little pinch at my heart today with I realized Justin is half way done with Elementary School as he will be adventuring into the 3^rd grade in the fall.  Justin has grown SO MUCH this year both in inches and academically.  We are so proud of him for his high marks, positive attitude and outstanding effort.  This year we were blessed with another AMAZING teacher … Mrs. Palmer. 

Justin with Mrs. Palmer

We decided NOT to say “goodbye” to her instead we said “see you this summer”.  She plans to watch Justin play baseball this summer.  Justin once told me … “I’m pretty sure Mrs. Palmer loves sports as much as I do”. 

The part of the picture I am sure Mrs. Palmer will treasure the most

Makenna with Ernie

Makenna completed another year at The Learning House with Ernie and Mary. Yet another blessing in our lives!  Ernie and Mary are saints of Early Childhood Education and Makenna is so fortunate to spend her early school years at The Learning House.  She too is growing too fast and learning more and more each day.

Full Contact ...

It is official … Justin is playing Pop Warner Football.  Games don’t start until September but conditioning with Colorado Football Academy has begun.  Um …… yeah you read that correct … Conditioning for my 8 YEAR OLD son has BEGUN.  2 days a week for the month of May and then 3 days a week for the month of June.

Justin all suited up in his practice uniform.  I guarantee it wasn’t a mom’s idea to have the practice uniform white … I can’t imagine they will stay white for very long!

 

On The Field

Justin might be getting bigger and adventuring into new things but it is going to take some getting use to the fact that my 8 year old son is “PLAYING FULL CONTACT FOOTBALL”.  I am totally torn between embracing the idea and being completely immobilized when I hear the crashing of pads and look up and see Justin lying on the ground buried under a pile of boys.

It’s a good thing that Justin LOVES it and leaves each practice with a huge smile on his face.  It’s that smile that makes me sweat out the lump in my stomach when I think about my baby boy playing his first year of Full Contact Football.    

Blessed ...

Mother's Day 2011

Going on a EGG Hunt ...

This year there was NO shortage of hidden Easter Eggs for the kids to find. At Aunt Sheri’s and Uncle Bob’s house the Easter Bunny went wild and hid over 50 eggs … Makenna had to bring in her reserve basket cause the eggs were overflowing out of her Elmo basket. 

~ Aunt Sheri, Makenna and Justin ... Ready to Hunt Eggs ~

~ Justin with his Basket FULL of Eggs ~

~ Makenna and her 2 Baskets FULL of Eggs ~

~ The Loot ... MORE candy then we need at our house ~

We had lunch at Sheri and Bob's house and spent the afternoon being lazy just hangin' out ... Sheri and I broke out the wine ... ahhhhh that made for a nice relaxing afternoon while the kids played in outside. ...... then it was time to head to Bruce and Sharon's house for dinner and see if the Easter Bunny left anything at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

~ The kids with Grandma and Grandpa Michael ~

~Makenna looking to see if the Easter Bunny hid any Eggs at Grandma and Grandpa's house ~

~ Justin counting up his finding ... the Easter Bunny aways hides MONEY filled Eggs at Grandma and Grandpa's House! ~

Basket Full of Goodies

The Easter Bunny was super unorganized this year but managed to pull it all together at the last minute.  Lucky she just likes to shop for no reason and hide things in random places! 

Justin wasn't super excited about his basket this year ... might be because he asked for an IPOD Touch or a Nitendo DS.  Apparently he thought the Easter Bunny really hit an Economic Upswing this year.  He did change his attitude when I told him that he might just be getting too old for the Easter Bunny to visit.  He decided real quick that half a loaf was better than none.

Justin's basket was full of trading cards ... candy (opps the Easter bunny didn't buy anything but chocolate and Justin DOES NOT eat chocolate so the candy was a bust) ... water bottle ... Headphones ... I-Tunes Card and a Broncos Sweatshirt.  Justin did get excited when I showed him how to make his own playlist on I-tunes and than downloaded it to my Ipod.  Of course he loved the sweatshirt.

Makenna would have been thrilled to have found anything in her basket.  She is super easy to please and is pretty happy with just about anything.  He basket was full of candy ... hair bows ... water bottle ... headphones ... socks ... a toy and the Tangled DVD which she LOVES!!

The Easter Bunny did not forget the Furry Red Monster that lives with us ... YES - ELMO got his own Easter Basket full with Jelly Beans and Elmo Candy filled eggs. 

From White 2 Beautiful ...

Dying Easter Eggs is an annual tradition at our house. This year we waited until daddy was home so he could join the fun.

From white to beautiful.  Some bright ... some multicolor ... some with FLAMES!! 

Knocked Down ...

Yesterday I experienced heartache. My 4 year old nephew Caleb has Down syndrome. Its amazing how ONE chromosome can be so powerful! The way I live my life has been changed since the day Caleb was born. I am much more patient, have tons more compassion and concern for people with special needs, work delicately at educating my children and others about the importance of “Special Needs Acceptance” and in general try extremely hard to choose my words and actions wisely as I know first hand how the effect it can have on others can be extremely hurtful. You can say I follow the band wagon of others who has been touched by a child with special needs and feels that life is “Better” because of them. But like all things no matter how hard you try...life doesn’t happen without “knock down” moments.

Yesterday was one of those days. My sister Lori shared with me something that happened to her earlier this week. Caleb attends a public Pre-K program in which he is integrated into the regular classroom and has an aide that assists him during class time. Lori has been thrilled with Caleb’s progress, educational growth and the teaching staff and would without a doubt say it has been a blessing to have him attend school. It’s just the “knock down” moments that sting hard. When dropping Caleb off at school the other children where excitedly talking about one of their classmates upcoming birthday party. The sting didn’t come until Lori realized it was one of her close friends hosting the party … a friend who’s children have attended Caleb’s parties in the past … a friend who Lori had confided in about the anguish she feared of Caleb not being invited to parties and other out of school activities … a friend who unknowingly administered the first “birthday party knock down”. Caleb was not invited to the party. None of us know the reason behind Caleb not making “the list” it might have nothing to do with his differences, but as a parent with a child with special needs it hard not to assume the worst.

I’m sure there will be many more “knock down” moments for Lori … nobody ever promised raising kids would be easy nor does she have the misperception that raising a child with special needs comes without social challenges. What I do know is how hard it hit Lori’s heart and how an instant like this is another reminder to continue focusing on building awareness and acceptance. By teaching our children about “God’s Designer Genes” and taking the time to focus on children’s similarities as well as differences we can create a better future for all our children. Every child has a difference some differences are just more noticeable than others; similarities are often easy to see yet easily overlooked.

I’m sorry Lori has to endure these knock down moments but I'm not sorry Caleb has Down Syndrome. Love doesn’t count chromosomes … we love him just the way he is!!