Friday Night Lights in Hickman

Last night was Taylor's first official football game on the high school level. I think he is a little intimidated at the thought and size of high school opponents, but he is playing, none-the-less. He got put in for two plays last night and did well. He is #82 and sure does look handsome in his uniform! He is pushing 6 feet tall now but hopes to put on some weight and muscle in the next few years to be able to "push his weight around" on the field.

Love this guy!

When I say "Fulton," you say, "County!"

Last night was Marlena's first game to cheer for! The Fulton County Middle School football team played at Murray Middle School. The cheer squad did so well! It brought back memories for dad and I as we watched so many new little 6th graders starting to cheer for the first time. Just two years ago, that was Lindy, and now. . . she is the expert! Lindy is definitely a great cheerleader with crisp, clean moves--nothing "loosey, goosey" about her.

Excited about this year's cheer squad!

Survival Skills 101

Our first class at Reelfoot Outdoor Classroom was on basic survival skills: building a fire, building a shelter, and first aid. It was very interesting and educational, not to mention a nice break from the daily grind of workbooks and reading. Schaeffer is posing beside the rugged shelter that was made from sticks and branches.

Jay listened intently to all that was taught, so I feel sure he picked up a few interesting and helpful facts. But I am sure his favorite part was after the class when we went down the road to a park and had a picnic lunch with some of the kids and their moms. What a beautiful place Reelfoot Lake is!

Schaeffer found a little toad that became his buddy for the day! Mean old mom made him leave it there when we left. Looking forward to going back next Friday for more Outdoor Classroom.

Soccer Season is here!

Today was such a beautiful day that the boys and I decided to have a picnic lunch at the park. Jay brought a soccer play to practice with since tonight is his first soccer practice of the season. This will be his 2nd year playing and Marlena's 3rd year. Schaeffer decided he wanted to try it, and the next thing I knew, big brother Jay had turned into a regular soccer coach!

"You can't use your hands, Schaeffer!" Well, why not put him in the goal then? By the end Jay decided that Schaeffer would actually make quite a good goalie. . .if ever given the chance to play. It will not be his year this year, but maybe next year! When you're #5, sometimes you have to wait a little while for your chance at "stardom!"

Over the Hill?

Look at my cute little "dates" for lunch at the lake today! The Hilltoppers meet once a month, which is a small group of people from all around our association who are "over the hill," so to speak. :) The kids and I used to join them fairly regularly soon after we moved here and honestly, I had forgotten just how much they enjoy seeing young 'uns. These three kids brought a lot of smiles to those sweet, wrinkled faces today and I am so glad we went! Of course, eating lunch at Boyette's on Reelfoot Lake AND having it paid for by dear Mr. Charles was an added bonus. See this nice, brand new van? Someone donated TWO of them to our church about a week ago so we got to break one in right today. A fun fieldtrip!

Meatball Madness

Day 2 of Jay helping in the kitchen started off like this! He was interested in getting his hands messy (don't all boys like that?) until he saw exactly what it was he was going to have to stick his hands into.

"Go deeper! Get those hands messy! You can do it," I cheered from a distance. The deal was that if he would mix it all up and start rolling out meatballs, I would finish reading to him and we could get two things done at one time (remember from yesterday--this is my world of multi-tasking!). Jay makes ordinary kitchen work so much more fun. He threatened a meatball fight, but one look from mom changed his mind. Let me tell you, those meatballs were the best mixed and squished meatballs we have ever had! He decided it was a little like playdough and some like slime, either way, pretty cool feeling.

All in all, we now have a pot of sauce and meatballs simmering on the stove with two packages of meatballs headed to the freezer for another meal! Great help on those 5+ dozen, Jaybo!

Welcome to MY World!

"Do you wanna help me make bread today?"
"MEEEEE??"
"Yep, it's your turn now."
"Sure, I guess so."
That was how the conversation started this morning between me and my 9-year-old son. He's the oldest one left at home, now that the other 3 are in school. Apparently, he wasn't thrilled about the thought of making bread with mom, that is. . . until I introduced him to THE MIXER!! I do have a huge, commercial-sized mixer sitting in my kitchen floor that his sister loved to mix bread dough in all by herself. Well, today was Jay's day.
The plans quickly changed to mixing up a double batch of homemade pizza dough to be enjoyed for supper, so I began the instructions. By the time it came to adding flour, 1 cup at a time, Jay had everything quite under control, as you can see from the looks of his shirt. He might have even been playing in the flour? It's hard to say. :) So I worked on laundry, cleaned up lunch, put cookies in the oven that Jay had already laid out on a pan for me, and continued watching the progress of our dough.

As the dough neared completion, I take over and begin giving instructions on taking the cookies off the hot pan and laying them out on wax paper.
"The cookies are already done?"
"Yes. Be careful taking them off the sheet so that you don't burn yourself. Oh, and if you drop one on the floor--it's mine!"
"What?!"
"Just a motivator for you NOT to drop one." ha! ha!
"Mom, how are we doing two different things at one time?!? Pizza dough AND cookies!"
WELCOME TO MY WORLD, SON!
And now, for the best part about helping mom in the kitchen, taste testing!