Laps for Learning

Surprisingly enough, in all the years that my kids have been attending school, this is the first year I've gone to watch them run in the Laps for Learning fundraiser. Due to the stormy weather outside, the gym teachers had set up a fun running obstacle course for the kids inside the gym to break up the monotony of just running laps.
Noah is pumped, ready to go!!

Starting things off with a leap and a smile!

A quick pose mid-run for Mom.

Gettin' some air!

Ready to run through those hula hoop rings!

And ending with a smile; it never came off the whole half hour of running!

And now it's Xander's turn.

He was a bit more business-like about the whole thing.

At least he could have fun hangin' with his friends!

Xander and his buds!

Our Noah

Ahhh, my cute little Noah...I look at his face and I just want to eat him up!

And then there's the other times, the times when he is driving me to distraction by rolling his eyes at what I am telling him to do, sticking his fingers in both ears and chanting, "I can't hear you, I can't hear you" over and over. That little Noah face is not as pleasing.
But then it passes and he dresses up as a ninja and runs all over the neighborhood with his gang.

He writes the coolest things at school, including this "I Believe in my Selfie" where he wrote that he believes in himself because he works hard, he does good things, and he does his best to get an ABBY.

He also writes notes telling me he loves me and is trying so hard to be good...how can my heart not melt as I read these sweet little things??? He's also quite the reader and I am thoroughly enjoying the time we spend together reading The Magic Treehouse series.
Noah loves his country and wants to be a soldier when he grows up so he can go fight the bad guys and keep us all safe. Our next door neighbor gave him his old army clothes and Noah has been in heaven!

And although he might fight us about making his bed and cleaning his room he's more than happy to help out in the yard!

What a good little worker!!

But he's definitely not a good little tooth brusher; we have to fight him to brush his teeth each day. I sing him that old catchy tune - "They call me yuck mouth, cuz I don't brush! How about a little kiss?" Nothing. I've shown him pictures of Mao with his black teeth. Nothing! We tell him he won't get any dates with his dragon breath. His response? "I don't care." He says that a lot!
We thought we had scored big time parent points when we finally got him to wear underwear. Those points have been erased as we battle to get him to change his underwear. Really? Is it that hard? Apparently, though, he does care about his looks because he loves to take showers and he loves to work out!

 

Disgusting smells? No biggie! Big muscles? Now that's a definite must!

He's one crazy little guy, always making us laugh!

And Noah's drawings? Oh, the pictures he draws - I just can't throw them out! I have become a hoarder of Noah's drawings and must have 500 at least. From pictures of current events, like Halloween...

and trick or treating...

to things that matter most to him, like soldiers...

ninjas...

and Star Wars.

His obsession with motorcycles has me driving out of my way just so we can pass the motorcycle shop and he can talk about when he's older and I take him there to buy his first motorcycle.

And knights with their extremely interesting dialogue.

And of course anticipating Christmas morning and what he, Xander, and Savannah will decide to play with once they get all their new toys.

The drawings are left all over the house and I love each time I pick up one of these little treasures. Noah is one of the treasures in our life and I am so grateful that he was entrusted to me and David, no matter how smelly, irritating, or obnoxious he sometimes can be.

The Frozen Tournament

Holy moly, you'd think we'd learn. You'd think we'd learn to be prepared for the winter-like weather that loves to spring on us during fall soccer tournaments. Over the Columbus Day weekend Savannah and her team had a tournament up in Delaware and the forecast called for cloudy, low 60's. However, the weather took a severe plunge and we shivered our way through two games in low 40 degree weather. We had no coats, no blankets, no gloves or hats. Thank goodness we stopped at a Target when we got up there and I grabbed a thermal sweatshirt and pants for Xander (who was wearing shorts) just to be on the safe side; Xander would have gone home a Popsicle if I hadn't. We had to be bused to the soccer fields so we didn't even have the luxury of hanging out in a warmed up car in between games. It was pure misery! But watching Savannah never is...she played really well, as usual.

Love this picture of my soccer girl!

Going for the cross!

Collision!

I had my very own personal heater - Noah sat on my lap almost the entire day in hopes of keeping us both warm.

Never again will we go to a fall soccer tournament without the necessaries to survive a blizzard, if need be!!
With 1 tie and 1 win for the day, the Wildcatz ended up in the championship game on Sunday. Unfortunately they let us know Sunday afternoon that they had lost 1-0.

My 41st!

It's hard to believe but I'm another year into my 40's - blah! Last year was a tough birthday and I really didn't want anyone to acknowledge it; this year, however, I was in an extremely good mood and enjoyed the day immensely. It started off in a very special way - David and I headed over to the kids' school to see Xander receive the ABBY student of the month award for his class. He earned it the very first month of school which obviously made us very proud. I can't think of a better present he could have given me!

A congratulatory handshake from the principal.

Way to go, Xanderman!

With his teacher, Ms. Valentin. She's great and he really enjoys being in her class. (I can't believe they're the same height!)

David took me to lunch and then I spent the rest of my afternoon reading and lounging. It's funny how when I choose to treat myself it's by not exercising for the day, which I hate, eating out so I don't have to cook, and then reading...all such fabulous indulgences! That evening we gathered after Savannah's soccer and my RS meeting to open presents. I got some fun stuff, like a new Niners shirt, a new dress, and a 75th anniversary copy of Gone With the Wind. Such a fun day!