Life Lessons from a Group of Teenage Boys

I am so proud of the soccer team this year. They all are so different quite and outspoken, calm and wild, leaders and followers, black and white with a few shades in between, fast and not so fast, precise and sloppy, funny and laid back the list could go on and on.

Very early in the season the team suffered a great tragedy. 2 of the boys lost their father in a motorcycle accident. What happened next was inspiring...the team rallied around the brothers, they went to the viewing, the funeral, the dinner. At home games they wore black arm bands in honor of their teamates father. They shared tears and hugs and laughter. Through all of this the team became just that a team, they were stronger and unstoppable as a team. If they were down by a point you could see them all reach deep down to get ahead and work more as a team.

When tragedy strikes our lives or those around us.... do we dig down deep? Do we become stronger? Do we work as a team with our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ? Do we rally around them? Are we there? Do we share hugs, and tears, and laughter?

When you are glad...

I am glad we say our prayers everyday and that I try to remember them in my heart throughout the day. As I drove past the school to see 4 police cars my heart sinks and then I remember the prayer of safety for our family today and know all will be well and I know we will make through yet another bomb threat day this year!!!!

Soccer Season

The Soccer season in short:

• 3 mercies
• No ties
• No losses
• 69 goals scored
• 4 goals allowed
• Undefeated
  
  Go Chemics!!!

Yummy!!! and oh so easy!!!

My love for Bruschetta came from a very yummy restaurant when I visited California. I haven't now or since found bruschetta that was so scrumptious. This quick and easy recipe I found doesn't either but my pickiest eaters liked it!

Bruschetta Chicken

2 cloves garlic minced
1 box chicken stuffing
1/2 Cup Water
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp dried basil
1 cup shredded mozzarella
3 boneless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl add stuffing, water, garlic, and tomatoes: stir until moist, let sit. Cut up chicken and place into a 13X9 baking dish or 3 qt casserole sprinkle with basil and cheese top with stuffing mixture. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

1 prayer, 2 answers, 3 testimony's Strengthened

Where are the car keys? Who knows they aren't in the appointed spot and neither are the spares. They aren't in coats or pants pockets or in purses or bags. They have disappeared on the busiest night of the week for us and we turn to prayer. My little brain offers the prayer asking Heavenly Father to help us please find the keys and when it is over I ask both the smart one and the princess what their first thought was. He answers, "they are in the van." She answers, "they are in my hello kitty purse." And I think great thanks a lot in exasperation.
I decide the van sounds good to me and off I go to start searching the van and what do I find my spares I threw into the glove box when we went on vacation. We were saved, we have the keys and my smart guy is beaming with a testimony of prayer.
Fast forward to the next day. I am cleaning up the toys downstairs and am going through the dress up clothes and run across the hello kitty purse and I open it and I take the purse to my princess and have her open it up and when she sees the keys she knew Heavenly Father heard and answered her prayer that the Holy Ghost whispered to her. Her eyes sparkled like the sun glinting off a stream. I am indeed grateful to Heavenly Father for answering one prayer with 2 answers and strengthening 3 testimony's.

A New Favorite

Apple Blossoms Orchard...who knew 2 miles down the road from my house there was an apple orchard. Not me and it is one of my new favorites. They have the cutest little apple orchard with bees busy making honey, of course apple trees, pear trees, a little pumpkin garden with squash. The kids had so much fun and the owner was great with them. She took them back to show them how the apples are shined and of course they were able to pick one out. They have my favorite apple varieties too which made me even happier with the little place. My hubbies favorite $1.00 apple cider slushies yum! yum! With honey, apples, pears, squash, pumpkins, cider, and slushies how can you go wrong!

How You Know Your Child is Growing Up

WHEN HE....
..says, "Mom I Love You" when you walk into a room.

...takes care of his responsibilities with little to no coaching from you.

...shows compassion for other people.

...decides to go to bed early because he knows he needs his sleep.

...chooses salad over fries.

...needs you because he just does.

...says thank you for something you have done a million times before.

...shows sympathy towards a friend that loses their father almost at the point of empathy.

...starts answering your questions with more than one syllable.

...thinks of others before himself.

..becomes the leader of righteousness.

...tries to call you more than once to get you a message.

...chooses the right and is able to explain exactly why in the moment to a friend.

...starts calling you mommy again in front of his friends.

Another Smart One!!!

"My food goes down my sesophgagus" the laid back one For those of you that don't speak threeish "my food goes down my esophagus"

What is green, brown and wet all over?

You guessed it the soccer fields today or maybe it could describe a few players! It was like soccer soup out there today. The great news is despite the rain and then the down pour which followed the joker and his team mates won 8-0 (mercy rule applies)with 8 minutes left. This is the second time this season they mercied another team. As for the joker personally 1 goal 2 assists and a soaking wet uniform!!!

The Sweetest Thing

One of my friends refers to my little brain and my goodbye before school the "love thump" and the cutest thing happend this week. My little princess called out to her brother waiting in line to go into to school and he looked at her and she gave him the "love thump" and he did it back it was the sweetest thing. I will remember this when I think they might almost kill eachother.

Good week or a Bad week...You decide!

Our week-

We went to an away soccer game(good) in 2 lane traffic with no shoulder- child wets self(bad). I have extra underwear(good) but no pants(bad). Have cell phone type in department store and it readily tells me there is one .2 miles away and tells me how to get there(good). My back, arm, and chin go numb at soccer game(bad). Have mom that is a masseuse(good) along with a day on an ice pack feeling a bit better(good). Come home and our new driveway is done(good) 2 parking tickets and dealing with the bueacry of it all (bad).

Doing last load of laundry for that minute(good). Talking to husband about cleaning out dryer vent early this year and that we should do it tomorrow(good) Moments later smell something burning(bad). Go to dryer pullout clothes see fire(bad). Have fire extinguisher(good). Smell of CO2(bad). Decide after an hour of tearing apart the dryer that we actually can't get to the lint that caught on fire(bad). Call a repairman and he can come in an hour(good). Cost $150.00(bad).

Notice the bumper on the new 2008 car is falling off(bad). Have warranty (good). Hope it gets fixed soon(good) Realizing it was held on by 2 screws and a wing nut(bad) who designed this thing?

Sons friend dad dies(bad). Son very sympathetic(good). Son sad(bad). Sees friend(good). Sees friend laugh(very good). Eveything is going to be okay(good).

So did we have a good week or a bad week I can't quite tell you. We had an insightful week, a week with no stress, a week with some sadness, a week with some pain, we had a week that helped us grow closer to Heavenly Father, we had a week of talking, we had a week of love. I think it was a perty good week!!!!

An I Love You Goodbye!!!!!

My sweet brain and I were talking and he said I didn't wave goodbye to him at school. I of course did and couldn't get his attention. As we were talking he said we should have a special goodbye wave and he decided we should make a heart out of our hands and have it thump on our chests twice. Now we have our very own special I Love You Goodbye!!!!

I hope this teacher is ready for him!!!!

First day of school was an exciting one for us. One to High School(can't believe it) and one to kindergarten so firsts for everyone. The big guy has already been doing soccer at the school since July and so this was no big deal for him. He has been in the school everyday and he has been around buddies so this was a walk in the park for him or should I say a sprint up and down a field would more likely describe him.
The first day of kindergarten was a easy one for my smart guy. They are learning the routines and rules this week and I get a report on it daily. The thing that cracked me up the most was after his first day of KINDERGARTEN he says, "Mom, they didn't teach me about erosion today." He fully thought that they were going to teach him about erosion in kindergarten. I hope this teacher knows what she is in for. Maybe I should let her know.

Tired of packing the same old, same old......

After packing school lunches for about 9 years you get into a rut. Well I found my way out with these yummy alternatives and the little guys like them too!!!

Lunch Box Pizzas

2 tubes(7.5oz)refridgerated bicuits

1 can of diced tomatoes in the blender with basil, oregano, and garlic powder to taste

1/2 Cup diced pepperoni

1.5 Cups shredded Mozarella cheese

Flatten each biscuit into a 3 in circle and press into a greased muffin cup. Spoon 1 tbs of sauce into each cup. Top each with a sprinkling of pepperoni and about 1 Tbs of cheese. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes or unitl golden brown. Store in covered container in the refridgerator until ready to surprise your kids for lunch. These also freeze well. Put them into the refridgerator overnight to thaw.

Pictures, Pictures everywhere!!!

I am terrible about getting pictures on my blogs so this weekend it was my goal to get a few of the newer ones with pictures, so check it out!!!