Happy Birthday, Little Guy!

Happy Birthday, Little Guy!

I can't believe you are 11 years old.   Yet when I look at you I realize that my "baby" is turning into a young man more each day.   You are a mere inches from being as tall as I am.   Your feet are much bigger than mine (you wear a men's size 8 now).    With all of your CrossFit workouts you are giving your Dad and brother a run for their money in wrestling matches.   I love that you are so adventurous.    You are not afraid to try new things.    You asked for things for your birthday to fuel your adventurous side.   

Once again a hurricane has arrived for your birthday.   This year is Isaac.   Thankfully not as big as Katrina, but still making an impact.    We have always known not to plan a beach vacation around your birthday because a hurricane ALWAYS arrives on your birthday, doesn't it? 



Your favorites on your 11th birthday...
Favorite color:   blue
Favorite food:   caesar salad
Best friend:   Jessica Hamer
Favorite television show:  Chopped
Favorite book:   Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Favorite subject:   art
Favorite hobby:   drawing
Favorite sport:  ultimate frisbee
Favorite drink:  coke zero
Favorite chip:   Sun chips
Favorite dessert:  frozen yogurt
Favorite band:   For King And Country/Family Force 5

Favorite Bible verse:   "Let your light shine before men so that they can see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."  Matthew 5:16

Shine on, my sweet precious boy!   We love you!

Picky Eater?

I have never considered myself a picky eater, but lately I have discovered more and more things I do not like.    Is it kind of strange that my palette has become more discerning as I have gotten older?



1.    Pumpkin.   This is the time of year that everything smells and tastes like pumpkin.   Ewww!

2.    Nutella.    Every other recipe I see lately features Nutella.   I couldn't figure out why I didn't like this until I realized the main ingredient for this was hazlenuts.   

3.  Hazlenuts.  Obviously, I don't like this.  And I do not like my coffee to have a nutty flavor either. 

4.  Quinoa.   So far I have not eaten it and enjoyed it.   Is it "gross" to me?  Not really, but not worth wasting my time eating it either.


5.  Coconut.   The big trend right now is coconut and coconut oil.   My husband bought granola bars the other day and I took a bite and could tell immediately that it had coconut oil in it.   He argued with me until I forced him to get the wrapper out of the trash and read the ingredients.   It may be healthy, but I do not like the taste of coconut.


6.   Peanuts and peanut butter.   This is a tricky one.   I don't mind the taste of peanut butter.   It is the smell.  Smelling peanuts or peanut butter makes my stomach turn.   This is a recent development for me.   


Don't ask why I shared all of that.  It just occurred to me today that I have developed a lot of pickiness about food over the last few years and to my knowledge I have never had such aversions (with the exception of coconut which I have always hated!).


Do you have foods which you hate eating?

Little Guy's Father/Son Weekend

Hubs and Little Guy packed up the car and head out yesterday for their Father/Son weekend.   They were both so excited about this time together.   Saturday was also hubs birthday and Wednesday is Little Guy's birthday, so they thought it was awesome that they got to have time together celebrating just the two of them.

A trip to the Blue Bayou water park...

Supper with our nephew, Jared, and his sweet fiance, Jennifer.  

A QUICK trip by the LSU campus.  

Student Choir Party

We had a great back to school student choir party at Reunion Beach.     Building sandcastles, ultimate frisbee, football, eating hot dogs and hamburgers and having a good time.   The best part of any choir party is sitting around with a couple of guys with their guitars and singing praise songs.    What an awesome way to start student choir.   

Boot Camp

Last night, Little Guy was initiated into middle school at church with "Boot Camp".   It a fun night that our youth pastor plans to introduce all the 6th graders and parents to what goes on in the youth group.    It also is a fun team building event that lets the 6th graders meet the rest of the middle school students.   They participate in a multiple event obstacle course where they must work as a team to complete it.  

If the grin that spread from ear to ear was any indication, Little Guy is very happy to be in middle school!

"Mom? Did YOU forget?"

Last night we had an event at church so by the time we got home it was already almost 9:00.    Hubs and I were engrossed in the Olympics (yes I am an Olympics addict).    All of a sudden I was really tired and realized that it was 11:45.   I decided I needed some sleep and headed towards my bedroom when Big Guy stopped me in the hallway.  

"Mom?  Are you going to bed?"

"Yes, sweetheart.  I am tired."

"But you can't go to bed.   We haven't had family prayers."

Oh... he was right. 

"Go get your brother and I'll get your Dad."

We met in the living room and Big Guy said, "Little Guy is sound asleep on his bed.   I think he fell asleep reading his book."

We had our family prayer time and I went to bed.

.....

Sitting on the couch this morning sipping on my first cup of morning coffee, a very groggy Little Guy walked in to the living room.

The first words out of his mouth?

"Mom?   We didn't have family prayers last night before I went to sleep."


Out of all the things we are trying to teach our boys and traditions we have tried to establish, I am so happy that our time of family prayer is one that is as important to them as it is to us.  

Wedded Bliss

Our "son" and "daughter" got married today.   That isn't as weird as it sounds.   We adopted two college students about three years ago and along the way they fell in love and today they got married.   

Their wedding was as beautiful and special as they are.    They had a foot washing as part of their ceremony to symbolize their willingness to serve each other.    Friends played guitar and violin as part of the pre-ceremony music.   Pews were decorated with wild flowers and framed photos of our sweet Daniel and Meagan while they were dating.    Everything was very relaxed and had a family atmosphere.    It was perfect and "so them".

We can't wait for the new Mr. and Mrs. to get home from their honeymoon so we can have the over for supper!