Splash - April 2016

So it's the month of April - we didn't choose to do rain or spring - instead, I let the kids use Snapchat's face-swap feature to swap their faces.  You know what I learned?  My kids really do look like each other.  I always kinda thought that JMichael and Rachel looked alike and I thought that Josephine and Samantha looked alike - at least those baby pictures are always close and I have to use context and scenery to figure out who is who.  But now, I am seriously seeing Charlotte and Samantha looking alike.  Weird.  Technology is fun.  Happy April Fool's Day!

Little Rock Rangers?

We are a soccer family - each of the kids has played soccer:  Rachel and Samantha played the longest - from first grade through their junior high teams.  They both played goalie mainly, and they have the jammed fingers to prove it.  Rachel left the soccer fields when the high school stage called her away.  And once Samantha made dance team she traded in her cleats for jazz shoes.  Josephine played one season, and when I asked if she wanted to return the next season she quipped, No thanks.  I got a trophy.  I'm good.  Charlotte played exactly ten minutes.  She was in the second grade and she said she wanted to play soccer.  That first practice she refused to go out on the field and she cried and she stood her ground - which was the bench.  James and our friend Dan Woffinden were the coaches, and she had friends on the team, but no way was that child going out on that field.  That is the entire story of Charlotte's soccer career.  JMichael is still playing and loving it.  More here on that, coming up, 'cause we are in the middle of a great season.

 

James and JMichael love watching the pros in Europe play.  JMichael wants to be a soccer player when he grows up and he says he will buy us a house in Europe so we can watch him play.  Good boy.  James recently discovered that Little Rock has a semi-pro team.  These players make about $35,000 per year to travel and play soccer.  Not a bad gig.  Not a bad team, either.  We had a great time in the fresh evening air and cheered on our new hometown team - the Rangers.  It was $5 a ticket, but, we had to get cotton candy.  The sky had cotton candy clouds.  A fun night out.  Go go Rangers.  And yes, there were people there, fanatics, dressed as the power rangers.  It takes all kinds to make the world go round, right?

Graduation Luncheon - Can it be?

Yes, it's true.  It's all happening.  Rachel finished all her requirements to graduate in December, and so she's working full time and she will walk in May, 2016.  It's right around the corner.  The school sponsored a special lunch for the graduating students and the parents, so this handsome couple had lunch together and celebrated.  I was at work, so they stopped by and brought me a hot dog and I snapped a picture.  Love the headgear.  She's going places, folks!

Garden Party and Ward Conference

James was recently called tot he Stake Sunday School Presidency.  What this means for us is that we get to travel a little more!  He goes to each unit's conference, and since we have twelve units in our stake, we get to visit new places about once a month.  We don't always get to go with him, but, it's nice to take a short road trip and see sew places.  This particular Sunday we went to the Stake center in Searcy, AR and the stake President happens to be in that ward.  After the conference, we went back to his backyard for sandwiches and salads and cheesecake.  And hula hoops.  It was so nice to have a good meal and sunshine before heading home.

My Ball Team.  I just love these five.

JMichael's art

I hate to throw away the papers that come home because I know the kids work hard in school.  As a new mom, I used to be so good - I would collect a few papers each week from Rachel and Samantha and mail them off to my parents and some more to my in-laws.  Amazing, right?  Well that ended with the birth of Charlotte and since then I have saved a few precious things but, mainly I feel no remorse in getting rid of most of it.  Instead, I can post cool stuff here.  You don't need to see every weekly spelling test, but, look at this - JMichael's artwork.  I think they are pretty great.

This is a cow, obviously.  JMichael says the clouds and sun are black because it's about to rain.  He even drew the utter.  Awesome.

This is JMichael holding his tree.  He says he was supposed to draw a tree however he sees it.  I'm sure the class had a variety of trees, but, JMichael says he loves the trees in the fall, so he sponge painted the fall colors.  Plus, that's a tire swing hanging from the tree.  'Cause that's what trees are for, right?  They hold our tire swings.  It's so great to be eight and living out in the country!

 

Great art work JMichael.

vandalism?

This is a crosswalk sign near the office where I work.  The extra cross country ski elements are all added on there with black electrical tape.  I suppose technically it's vandalism, but, hey, if you have to deface public property, add to it and make it whimsical, right?  This is especially cool because we rarely get snow.  No one in Arkansas dresses like this!  :)

Shhh...Conference is on.

We have varied degrees of success in getting the kids to all sit still to listen to General Conference.  Josephine discovered her center and balanced this ball on her head to keep herself still and listen.  Hey, whatever works.

Dancing Fools?

Ok, so this is not the best picture of Samantha (is there really a bad one?).  She's happy, though, because she is pointing to her name on a poster which announces who made the 2016-2017 Cabot High School Dance Team.  This is the fifth and final year she could be on the team and she is one of four dancers that have made the team for grades eight through twelve.  Way to go, Samantha.  And to hold the final try out on April Fool's Day?  We are really hoping this is no joke!