Spring Fun

 What a wonderful week!  Lots of soccer, a track meet, a little baseball, and a wonderful Easter celebration.  One of my favorite occasions of the year is always the Easter Sunrise Service held across the river.  It is simply beautiful!  Following the service, we attended church with Caleb and his family in Tuscaloosa, and then enjoyed the afternoon with Taylor's family.  What a wonderful day!

He is Risen!

Love my people!

I'm going to say it again-If you don't have a sandpile, you really need to get one.  So much fun, and clothes are always optional!

I snapped just a few pictures of things in the yard early this morning.  It is simply beautiful right now, and I am afraid this afternoon's storm will dim the blooms somewhat.

One of my two favorite baseball players!  This one hopefully has a game tonight.

Go Jack! My other favorite baseball player!

This sweet thing had 3 soccer games and a track meet this week.  There are no words for how much I am enjoying watching her play soccer!  She is just awesome.  Now, if we could just get her opposing players to stop targeting her, this Nana would appreciate it.  She was knocked down (hard) 8 times in her last game.  Her track meet came after her 3rd soccer game of the week.  She had a PR in the 400, and finished 2nd in the 3200.  You go girl!

I am also so proud of Reed!  He is having a great season, and is so much fun to watch.  His love and knowledge of the game is pretty impressive!

Lillian starts softball this weekend, and we can't wait for that!

More to come.

Busy, Fun Times

 Spring sports are in full force. Lillian is the only one that hasn’t started, but softball begins soon.  Currently, I am in Alex City to watch Reed and Maddie play. Pop stayed home to catch John Sawyer’s game. I truly feel blessed to be able to support each of them. I hate I can’t see each one play every game  Pop and I divide and try to conquer as many as possible. We have several nights when we have 4 of the 5 playing at the same time.   

These cuties enjoyed a ski trip over Spring Break. They both loved it!!

This soccer loving guy has had two great games so far. He loves this game so much!!  Maddie has a game today. Watching them play soccer has become one of my very favorite things to do. 

The little ones had no idea that Reed would be with me when I picked them up from school one day last week. They were quite surprised!!

Jack is loving baseball! He had his first game last weekend. 

This cutie has already had 3 games. He has played catcher some, and I think he likes it. 

Making memories here! Pop and Reed enjoyed youth turkey hunting weekend. They had some great hunts, and Reed was just a little tired on this last hunt. 

More to come!

Hello March!

 I'm on the road again for a couple of days.  I am getting to watch Maddie and her team play soccer.  This is becoming one of my very favorite things to do!  I am also loving the weather.  I have planted a few things even though I know it's a tad bit too early!  The little ones will be heading out to do a little snow skiing later this week.  The big kids are headed our way for Maddie to attend a soccer camp at UA.  Now on to a little bit of life lately---

All I can say is if you don't have a sand pile on your land, you really, really need to work on getting one!  We have countless memories of this from when Lindsey and Caleb were little until now.  It is just so much fun!!

We planted some new trees, and the boys helped Pop clear the dirt in between  Pop has the very best toys!

They also had a great afternoon fishing!

John Sawyer, along with several friends and family, had a ball celebrating his 6th birthday.  Wow!  He's growing so fast!!!

Have I mentioned how much I love watching her play soccer?  I absolutely love it!  She also had her first track meet of the season.

Pictures don't do this tree justice, so I am going to try and explain.  For many years now, the trunk has been hollowed out.  There is really only a fraction of a trunk on one side (all the way to the branches), but it continues to live.  The night Papa died, the ambulance hit it square on very hard.  We just knew that was the end of it, but it continued to live.  Reed hit it with a trailer this winter, and we braced ourselves for it to finally die.  To our surprise, it once again has blooms on it!  Now, it's not the prettiest in the world, but it's hanging on.  In a lot of ways, we are like this tree.  We take lots of bumps along the way, but God continues to help us thrive!

More to come!

Soccer, Six, Flowers and More

I am officially declaring myself the worse blogger in history.  I have the best of intentions, but life keeps us busy and on the go.  We are busy with Spring sports and all that comes with that.  You can find us on a soccer field, track meet, baseball or softball field somewhere across the next few months.  I feel very blessed that we can support these guys!!

I recently spent several days in Alex City doing all the things!  Orthodontics appointment, orthopedic appointment, hair cut, soccer games and more were on the agenda!!

This sweet girl got her braces off and we celebrated at Panda Express!  Lillian has another year to go, and she had brackets added that day.  I don't have a picture of it, but Reed got a splint off his finger after 8 long weeks!

It was rainy and dreary, but I did get to spend a few days in my favorite place with some wonderful friends and co-workers!

Sadly, I missed our yearly trip to Cottontails, but we enjoyed a trip to Vintage Market Days. 

A few years ago, I would never have dreamed of becoming the soccer fan that I am now.  This is the first year that Maddie's school has had a team. (She has played rec soccer). They are doing fantastic!! They are a 2A school, but are playing 5-7A schools.  Their first game against Sylacauga (a very established program) ended in a 1-1 tie-which was as good as a win!!! So proud of her and her team!!!

After the teams first ever game, they headed across the field to a round of much earned applause!!

She has just been awesome!  I can't wait for more games!

I was so excited to discover that one of my all-time favorite students has a son on John Sawyer's baseball team!  He has had a pre-season tournament this week.

Jack has been busy practicing.  He is playing on a 3/4 team this year.  They have 11 3 year olds, so this should be quite the adventure!

John Sawyer didn't have school today, so he is spending his 6th birthday with Nana and Pop!  His party is Sunday, but celebrated today with cupcakes and opening an early present!  Time flies!

Pop also helped put together a little leggo kit.  This is one of Pop's least favorite things in the whole world to do!!!

This girl is ready for Spring!!! Things are sprouting, and I just can't wait!!! I'm ready to complain about being too hot!  Notice that fern-We are very proud of it.  This was one of Mrs. Carolyn's that had died!  About 3-4 years ago, we noticed two very small sprouts.  After lots of love and attention, it has really grown! I have begun to plant things, and have lots more things to add!

                                                                More to come!!

The Boys

This post is all about the grandboys.  I was able to go to the American Village on a fieldtrip with Reed.  Following the fieldtrip, he had a dental procedure (which honestly deserves a post of its own), and then we headed here to wrap up deer season. Sadly, Maddie's first soccer game was cancelled due to all this rain we have received.  This is the beginning of the time of year when we stay in the road.  When it gets too hectic, I remind myself how blessed I am to have 5 happy, healthy and active grandchildren.  I am thrilled to be able to travel and watch each of them.  Jack joins the group this year with baseball, so everyone will be doing something.  Pop and I will divide and conquer as many events as possible.

Reed was selected to do one of the main parts at American Village.  He did a great job and loved it!!

So proud of him!  We had a great time on this trip.  It was very educational, interesting and fun for all!  He and I left a little early to head to that dentist appointment.  He had a procedure done-frenectomy. Basically, it was a cauterizing tool that left a big hole in his gum.  I am only mentioning this because he did such a great job!! It is painful to even look at, but he was quite the trooper!  The dentist did a wonderful job.

Now on to the final deer hunt of the year.  Pop and Reed left before daylight on the final morning.  Reed was able to shoot this deer shortly after the sun came up!  They went back pig hunting later, but didn't see anything.

Making Memories!

John Sawyer, Jack and I enjoyed an afternoon at one of our favorite parks last week.  I can't wait until for warm spring days, so we can do this more often.

More to come!

This and That

 Reed is here this weekend for the final deer hunt of the season.  I am happy to report that he got a buck this morning.  Spring sports start this weekend with Maddie and soccer.  This will be the first season for soccer at her school, and we are super excited!  Baseball, softball, track and more soccer will soon be on the horizon. 

I just love how they love each other! Cousins are the best.

Belle got to go on her first quail hunt of the year.  I absolutely love watching her do what she was born to do.  It's absolutely amazing to watch.  I also love watching Pop with the little ones hunting. We missed the big kids though. 

Jack enjoyed it for a little while.  He and I had quite the time just following in the Polaris!

 Please don't tell JS that he's hunting with a BB gun.  He loves hunting!

A trip to the sandpile is always a hit!  (Clothes are optional!) 

Love this sweet girl and Roxie, too!

And then this happened........I had saved some of Lindsey's dresses from back in the day, and Maddie had a ball trying them on. What a blast from the past!  They fit her perfectly.  Maddie actually wore the black one to a winter formal. Love this pretty girl so much!  

Next up!  Soccer, a trip to the park, and a deer hunt!