School Pictures = Good (Again)

For the second year in a row I have been equally surprised and impressed with the boys' preschool pictures. Once again, they turned out really cute. Last year Mason's were especially good, and this year Roper's are especially good.





Mason also had soccer pictures a few weeks ago. I was somewhat hesitant to order these, because we didn't get proofs. You had to pay for them up front. So I ordered the smallest package and a team picture and hoped for the best! They turned out really good too! I think Mason looks so much like Graem in this picture.





Photo credits: Stephanee Seay Photography (school pics) and Southern Sports (soccer pics).

Happenings

I have been itching to update my blog this week but have had a hard time coming up with a subject. I scrolled through my camera looking for new pictures...and the only new ones I have are from work. While I have appraised some really interesting properties in the past few weeks, I realize y'all don't want to read about them. :) So...I thought I would do a general update on what has been going on here, sans pictures.

Mason is thoroughly enjoying his new age of 4. He announces to random strangers that he is 4, with such pride in his voice. He has told me that he is now an adult (ha). He is doing well in his pre-school class this year; he loves to tell me all about his buddies in class. I think the highlight of each preschool day is the playground -- they either go to the "big kid" playground or the "little kid" playground. He has also been meeting with a speech therapist once a week for the past six weeks and he adores her. We have seen lots of improvement with his speech. Soccer is going *okay*...he says he would rather get to tackle like they do in football.

Roper has to have a minor outpatient surgery next week for a hydrocele. So if you want to know what it is, you will have to click the link because it makes me uncomfortable...or I can just tell you that it involves his private parts...and if he ever reads this later in life I'm sure he'll be humiliated. Other than that, he is doing well and is also loving pre-school. He is so sad on the days we drop off Mason and he doesn't get to stay.

New Baby is giving me fits, but its getting better. :) My first 2 pregnancies were so easy...now I have seen the other side. The nausea has subsided a little but I still have a terrible metallic taste in my mouth and have had some killer headaches that last for days on end. I had an ultrasound last week but it was too early to tell if the baby is a boy or a girl. So...I'll have to be patient and wait for my next ultrasound on November 10...which seems forever away!

Graem & I are doing well too...we are taking a class at our church on Wednesday nights by Paul Tripp, "Getting to the Heart of Parenting." It is reinforcing so many things that we know about parenting, but it is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of life and routine that we kind of forget about them from day-to-day. The most important thing I've taken away so far is that for your children's behavior to truly change you have to get to their heart. The concept is straight from Scripture -- "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." Matthew 12:34. I correct my children all the time when it comes to behavior, but how often do I use those opportunities to minister to them and teach them about grace?

So hopefully this post in all black and white wasn't too boring. :) I promise to post new pictures soon.

"Playing" Soccer

Mason participated in his very first organized sporting event on Sunday -- a soccer match (or is it a game?). I call it "playing" soccer because there was a whole lot of playing, but not a whole lot of soccer. What else would you expect from a bunch of 3-year-olds? It was hilarious chaos!

The team had two practices leading up to the first match...I wasn't sure what to expect, but surprisingly, Mason was really interested. Each little player had their own ball and their coach taught them how to kick, dribble, pass, etc. So...as long as each of the children had their own ball, they loved it. But then in the actual match, when there were 8 children chasing 1 ball, most of the children lost interest. Or in the case of my son, he became distracted with the sand pile on the side of the field...and he practiced turning flips in the grass...and he practiced sliding into the goal feet-first & then getting his shoes tangled in the net.

When we sat down to dinner Sunday night, I asked Mason how he thought his first match went. He responded, "It was really good. Coach Card gave me a high five at the end of the match!" So...if Mason thinks it was a success, I guess that's good enough for me. :) After all, we aren't training for the World Cup...we are just hoping he will have fun (and maybe burn off some of his boundless energy in the process).