A Family Tradition

For the past three years our Flag football team has been invited to play in the Joel E. Barber tournament. So on this very cold Sunday, we all bundled up and headed to Lebanon to watch our 10 and 11 year olds play some Flag football because........THEY ARE JUST GOOD!!!! The really neat thing about this for us, is that my husband Travis, and my sisters husband Jeff, are the coaches of their sons and all the rest of these talented little ones.Ellie all cozy in the car, ready to cheer on her big brother but felt like she needed a nap first.
Dallas playing catch with one of the boys

Ellie trying to stay warm

Family tradition part 2

Cooper always plays hard, before long it will be his turn
Ellie just wishing that it was time to go home. Since she was a newborn she has been hauled to soooooo many games. at the age of 4, she is very use to this.

Jackson taking time for a quick bite between games

The end result of this cold day of flag football.......... we are the Champs again for the third year in a row.

Jeff with Bo, and Jackson with Trav. Its a family thing!!!!

Coopers Hookey Day

Look at that face, and how could you resist??? Coop was completely ready for school and started crying at breakfast, knowing that it was one of my days off. He wanted to be with his momma that day. Daddy was walking out the door with the other two, calling for Coop to come on. Within a minute I went out in the garage and waved Travis on. I guess I could not resist. I love that Lil' dude!!! Look closely and you can see that his little face and eyes are tear stained.
It wasn't long before he was happy again, playing with lil sis and tricksy tripod.

The beauty in the actions of a child and why I simply adore my kids

Ellie has always loved playing with her babies! As I walked out on the porch today, I turned around and this is what I saw. The perfect use for the cat house. How precious?? This is so Cooper D. There is no doubt that my family will appreciate these pictures the most due to just knowing Coops personality. He was born crafty. Loves to shop, only if it is for him of course, and loves to decorate his room. Just recently, his big brother Jackson moved out of this room and into his own, leaving Cooper the master of this "domain". Anytime he comes across something unusual, he will visualize it in his own room. Take this Christmas star for example, it now adorns the walls of Coops room.

I had promised Cooper for days that I would stop at this particular road side stand that featured any and all things Fall. So Sunday, I caved in and he only had his eye on a few things that he felt would be perfect Fall decorations for his room. I didn't think that much more about it until today when I was putting away laundry and walked by Coopers room. I saw his little pumpkin, and corn. He can make me so mad, but man, I love that lil dude!!!!!!

Take a closer look at the corn. I thought it was pretty "crafty" where he chose to hang it.
Nothing could have been done more perfect in his little room, than by his little hands!

A Super Big Day for Ellie Grace

Ellie has just started to ride a bike without training wheels. O.k. the girl needs a new bike that's her own. Mommy ran over hers when she left it out on the driveway the night before, and now her big brother Coopers bike will have to do for now. (how many parents can relate to doing the same thing?)
Look at my baby girl go!!

We are proud of Ellie, and she is so proud of herself!

She is only 4. Travis and I were laughing about the fact that our first born, Dallas was 6 when we finally took her training wheels off her bike for the first time. How careful we were. Now with Ellie being the 4th child, she has to keep up with all the rest, I'd say she is doing a pretty good job of it.

I spy a basketball................

Cooper D. never ceases to amaze me! yesterday he was trying to get to his older sister Dallas and make her mad. He came into the house and said that he lost the basketball, and it went into the lake. This made her so mad and we had no reason not to believe him since we have lost a total of about probably 30 basketballs in the lake since we have lived here. He continued to have that sly little grin, and giggle, which lead me to think that he was up to something. It wasn't until the next day, as we were coming home around the corner.........and we spotted the basketball. On our porch. Cooper thought it was hilarious!!
how that lil' stinker was able to wedge that basketball in that particular spot that he obviously could not reach, just amazes me! Only Cooper D!!!!!!

A beautiful Fall Sunday afternoon....Until the Basketball brawl

As the summer comes to a close, the lake becomes more quiet and peaceful. As my kids were all outside playing, I admired the beauty as I was standing on by driveway...because the "quiet" was getting ready to come to an end..........................
My two oldest asked me to be "referee" while they engaged in a competitive game of one-on one. I recalled that it sure had been awhile since they had done this, and as they started the game, I very quickly remembered why. The yelling "foul", the pushing, the accusations of someone cheating the entire time and the crying, yes I said crying. So......I took pictures to remind me how they used to compete together, because, after this game I said "NO MORE"!!!!
They are both just so competitive, and very athletic. Little brother Jackson can give Big Sis Dallas a real "run for her money". Not a good combo.

My little dude, Cooper D.

Look Aunt Natalie, Ellie has on a shirt!