Little Boy Blue

It's here.  He is really excited and he thinks he is a natural!  I'm not really in agreement with that.  He is very sensitive about his playing abilities though.  We are going to have to get him a music stand so that he can stop using the end table next to my recliner.  He perches his music against the lamp and stands facing me blowing his horn right at me while I am watching tv trying to keep a straight face...which is almost impossible.  At the first sign of a smile cracking on my face he quits, sits, and pouts.  I try my best but the whole situation is comical.  The Boy, standing there blasting his first attempts at notes on his horn at me while I try to watch tv without looking at him or showing any facial expressions what-so-ever.  At least I could hear his notes getting stronger by the time he was finished...there is hope!

Just Because They are Cute

Learning About Antiques

He just can't believe that the music didn't use to just play from your phone!  What is on that tape is the worst news I've ever had in my life.  The tape my dad's doctor made during his appointment.  Nothing will ever be the same.

Middle School!!

First day of 6th grade is here!  He is so excited!  Gone are the basketball shorts and t-shirts (at least for today).  He has his own house key and will be letting himself in after school.  He packed his own lunch and asked for me to wake him up an hour before school so he had plenty of time to take a shower and get ready.  He even had to get himself off all by himself since I have to leave for work before he leaves for school now.  So many responsibilities and he handled them like a champ!  (with a little help from Oma on the phone.  Not as grown as he thinks, I guess)

He loved his first day.  He said he had no problem getting to all of his classes on time.  He had lots of papers for me to sign and insisted I do it right away, watching over me to make sure I didn't screw it up.  I will be going to open house soon so I can meet all of his teachers, one of which, lives across the street from us!  His favorite, Miss Hapner, his Reading/Language teacher.  I wish it was the math teacher so I could send him to her house when he has homework!

It's Almost Here!

We went to the school for Jayke to put his things in his locker today.  His first locker!  He practiced opening it and we walked his schedule.  He and Oma had done it a few days ago but he wanted to do it one more time before he starts school tomorrow so Oma brought him to the school and I met them there.  The three of us walked to all of his classes.  He is so excited which is good.  I was afraid he would be scared but he doesn't seem to be at all!  I told him there is a school dance coming up and he said he was going without hesitation.  I found out later he asked Oma what it was...LOL!!  Hard to believe he starts middle school TOMORROW and will be going to his first dance a few days after that!

Tidbits

New glasses for when he isn't in the contacts.  Oma thinks he has style after picking out these Ray Bans.

Below is a picture of The Boy getting ready to go to Oma's for the evening....pretty sure that is overkill.

Squid Boys

The dynamic Duo as the Squid Boys!  They won these hats when Bob took them to King's Island by having the guy guess their weight.  You have no idea how much I love this picture!  It's perfect!

16 Days

That is the longest this kid and I have ever been away from each other...but HE'S BACK NOW!  He had a lot of fun with his dad.  They went to Florida where he went parasailing, swimming, played laser tag, went to arcades, played miniature golf, and lots of other fun stuff.  I've been sitting here adding up in my mind what all Jayke got to do this summer and I think it's more than I got to do in 5 years time at his age!

He went to Alabama where he got to go to the beach, a water park, a battleship museum, and a movie.  He also went to Skyzone, Splash house, Kings Island, and several pools.  He had soccer camps and got to go to the fair and I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot of other things he got to do.  Time to start thinking about school and soccer practice again.  It's right around the corner!  

Glad to have him home!

Glasses Be Gone!

This boy got contacts today and LOVES them!!  I love that his cute face is no longer hidden behind those glasses!

Gulf Shores Trip

Oma took Jayke and Zach to Gulf Shores Alabama for a few days.  Here a few pics that they sent home.  They went to the beach, toured a battle ship, went to a movie, and the water park.  Mom said they thoroughly enjoyed hotel living.  

New Level of Ridiculousness!

The Boy conned my mom into buying him this foot spa today.  He has been thinking about this for a while.  He has pointed them out to me in the store in the past.  I guess today was the day he made his move.  Told Oma he needed it for his sore feet.  I didn't even know you could get sore feet from playing xbox all day!!!

Test Driving

Went to shop for a new recliner today.  When we got in the store The Boy's eyes lit up and he was overjoyed by all the features the chairs come with now.  USB ports, cup holders, LED lights in the cup holders and under the foot rest, and a button that raises the foot rest electronically.  He had his heart set on this one...in chocolate, not red, though.  After I finally agreed and we got it paid for he was off to the sectionals to pick out one of those as well!  He better go get a job so we can afford all this new furniture he is picking out!

After getting the chair home I discovered that, although a great idea, the motorized foot rest is not ideal for when you need to get up in a hurry.  It is quite slow and Jayke and Jeff get a good laugh out of watching me impatiently waiting to be able to stand up.  I will get used to it but probably won't be buying any motorized furniture in the future!

We had several arguments who was going to sit in the chair.  I got it so that I would have someplace comfortable to sit in the living room again and could join him in the evenings.  He was all for this until I was actually in the room with him watching the game.  Apparently I'm too enthusiastic about basketball and by half time he was asking me if I was ready to go to bed.  By the fourth quarter he was TELLING me to go to bed, that it was "sleepy time!"  I finally gave up the chair and moved to the bed so he could take over.

Movie Date

Took The Boy to see Tomorrowland for helping in the yard today.

His Practice Partner Brings His Own Equipment

All I do is Win, Win, Win...

No matter what!  Another win today.  Season is going really well!

I Deserve a Lil Appreciation

Apparently the school thinks showing appreciation means letting me buy books at their book fair.  They did have some donuts, coffee, and juice in thanks.  I figured since this was going to be the last one I ever get a chance to go to, I better go.  Jayke was happy I did.  He got to show my the mural the kids painted this year in the cafeteria.  He pointed out the square that his group of three did.  The back pack in the last picture.  He is quite proud of the mural and he should be, it was really nice.  Brightened up the cafeteria.

As we head into the final weeks of elementary school I'm finding it hard to believe that it's over.  Middle school is just around the corner.  We go for orientation on the 18th!  Jayke is nervous that he will get lost but I think he is excited about middle school.  That makes one of us.  :(

Halloween in April

We FINALLY got our championship trophies for the Halloween Classic we played last October.  This whole trophy business was a mess from start to finish.  First we had to wait 6 months to get them since the tournament organizers weren't prepared and didn't have them in time....apparently they hadn't even ordered them since it took so long.  We got a message a week or so ago that we were going to finally be getting them on picture night.  We would receive our trophies and there would be a team photo taken etc. The whole club would watch us receive them since this was our first win at this age group ever.  We have been looking forward to this for a long time!  This morning when I looked at the weather forecast I wasn't even sure that we would have pictures at all let alone the trophy presentation.  It was cloudy, cold, and windy.  I mean, brutally windy.  Turns out we barely did have the presentation.  After this season's pictures were taken the kids were taken over across the field and each one was handed a box with their name on it.  The trophy was inside.  They told them to stand in front of this trailer because it was blocking the wind, and we all snapped a picture.  So here they are...the champs...looking like a rag-tag bunch of kids just trying to stay warm.

At Least There Was no Giant M&M Umbrella

Jayke was so embarrassed that Oma wore this big floppy hat to his soccer game today.  I, oddly, was not phased by it.  I am becoming immune to her old lady ways, I guess.

He will get to enjoy it for an entire week when she takes him to Alabama this summer.

We lost the game, first loss of the season, maybe it was the hat.

Cotton Candy, Jumbotron, and Boomer!

Yes, we have great seats for a change.  Back at another Pacer's game.  Jeff bought 6 tickets for us all to go and made sure we were down on the lower level this time where we could be close to the action!  It's a different experience when you sit this close and the kids loved it.  Jeff and I were pretty happy with it too!  Jayke finally got his $4.00 cotton candy, we made it on the Jumbotron twice.  Apparently we were even on the televised broadcast.  Boomer came up to see us and the game went to double overtime to keep the Pacers' playoff chances alive!!!  It was an exciting night and everyone had a lot of fun.  Definitely the most fun I've had at a game.  This was Jayke's second Pacer's game this season and mine too.  Bob took him to one a couple of months ago as well.  He thinks he is a regular now.  

Reunited...and Rewarded!

These two are teammates once again!  They were both thrilled!  We even brought back the "fancy feet" and got matching cleats again.  This weekend was our first look at the new team.  From what I had been hearing from Jayke after practice I didn't have very high hopes.  He kept telling me how the coach isn't playing anyone in their normal positions and some other crazy stuff.  I quickly changed my mind though once I saw us roll over the competition at our season opening tournament in Brownsburg.  

After day one we had won both of our games and it was looking pretty good for us heading into the final day of play.  We easily won our third game which put us in the championship game.  Great way to start the season.  Coming off of last season's Championship win at our final tournament, this was a great sign for our team this season! 

We ended up going to overtime in the championship game but couldn't quite pull off the win.  We ended up as tourney runner up and got a nice trophy for it!  Finally, getting to bring home some hardware that isn't just for participation.  Runner up right out of the gate isn't too shabby, looking forward to what this team can do the rest of the season and in our next two tournaments!