September

Dearest Jax and Colton,

September was overwhelming - but in a good way!  I was adjusting to my new role as a 4th grade teacher and, while I was loving every minute of this move up, there was a big learning curve.  Of course, we were also adjusting to y'all being 2nd and 4th graders while keeping up with soccer, baseball, and football at the same time.

Year 5 of soccer kicked off

We celebrated a successful first full week of school with liquid nitrogen.

 Future Marauders enjoyed Friday Night Lights

One weekend you 3 boys traveled down to Waxahachie while I stayed in bed recovering from 4th grade germs.  The older boys went hunting while Michelle & Laura were awesome enough to stay back with the littles.

And then it was time for your first go at football!!  

You played center quite a bit and loved every play!

Baseball wasn't left out though!  We had tournaments with eeaaarly morning games! 

Your first ring was well deserved!

We took notes from the professionals when we took Grandpa and Grandma to watch the Rangers play.

Awesomely overwhelming, indeed.

The rest of summer

Dearest Boys,

These memories are coming to you from December - late December, at that - so to say they're no longer crystal clear would be kind.  These are the pictures I have to help me remember what was happening on our final weeks of summer break:

 Colt, your buddies arranged a meetup at one of the neighborhood's pools.

The ponds is Grandpa & Grandma's neighborhood were perfect for basic fishing.

Marcus hosted a soccer camp and it was fun to play with friends from both your soccer team and your baseball team!! 

You weren't lacking on Team Spirit Day at camp.

Reality set in and we spent time together setting up my new classroom - in the 4th grade hallway!

We hosted friends for one of our final swim "hangouts".

We barely fit in our annual trip to Six Flags.

I guess you were running out of ideas for summer fun  - because you turned to nail painting!

And a pool party turned into a costume party.?.?.

A few more trips to Hawaiian Falls were squeezed in...

 

 Summer wrapped up with a triple date night 

 

And a family date night too!

And then August 28th came and we all had to head back to the real world!
 

7th Birthday

Dearest Colton,

You woke up on August 4th ready to celebrate!  Your breakfast was extra yummy that morning!

You had a party at a local trampoline park that afternoon.  So many of your favorites came to celebrate with you!

 

Just like that - you quickly became my very favorite 7-year-old!