Cowboy, Wedding and Soccer!

What a month it's been. Tobin chose his career path...cowboy. Sela got married. And the girls dominated in soccer.

Apparently his sisters wanted people who saw him to know his name...hence the T.O.B.I.N. stickers on his forehead. Thank goodness, because we were wondering who he was.

So Obse came downstairs and gave me and Jason some homemade invitations to our youngest daughters wedding. Of course we attended, but were totally under dressed. Yes, there is a ring on the doll couch Tobin is holding. He was the ring bearer.

After Jason walked her through the closet, Sela gave a speech telling us who our new son-in-law was. He seems nice enough, just wish we could have met him before the big day.

Obse, the maid-of-honor, gave a touching speech about her sister, which included little known facts like her name and age. I cried.
It was truly a joyous occasion for all of us. Congratulations Sela Baby!

Daddy handled the news of his daughter's wedding with a little less enthusiasm. He'd prefer we don't talk about the subject until they're at least 35.

So the girls had their first soccer game last Saturday. Unfortunately I was out of town, so Jason was the ultimate 'Soccer Dad'. Not only did he bring two of the team members, but also a little cheerleader named T.O.B.I.N. and some fruit roll ups for the team afterwards. This is how they rolled in.

For the love of common sense, can someone please tell that boy's parents that shin guards go INSIDE his socks!

I think the yellow team won just by the sheer intimidation our girls brought to the team. Seriously, would you want to try to get past that impenetrable wall?

Mia Hamm eat your heart out.

For those who aren't in the know, T-bone is hyper-vigilantly anal about his hands being dirty. Here he is absolutely frozen until someone removes that offending piece of lawn on his palm.

What a relief. Now Samuel L. Jackson Jr. can enjoy the rest of the game!

Channeling Michael Jordan.

Frankly, Obse is just down right annoyed with having to carry her team to victory.

Nothing like post-game celebratory water! Thanks soccer dad!

Just look at him. You can see that athleticism runs all the way through the fam even to our dog Twinkle Toes.

However, sometimes just thinking about sports wears out our Mona.

Bye Bye Birthdays!!!

Here's our girl now only one year shy of being in the double digits!!! I guess this is how 9 year olds read...enunciating every possible syllable! It's not a birthday card, it's obviously a royal decree.

Since the girls birthdays are only 3 days apart, they got some shared presents that they opened at the same time. One of which was the following...a karate outfit!

Sela was just certain that having this on immediately advanced her up at least three belts!

Birthday number 1 of his sisters was handled like quite the gentleman.

Birthday #2...Sela Baby turns 8 (or 18) we're not sure.

Opening her present from her little brother. Books...it's a win-win for both of them!

Birthday #2 was handled with a touch less decorum.

So tied for number 1 gift in the girls mind were their walkie-talkies (or as they say, Hawkie-talkies) from cousins Cole and Jackson.

Jason and I struggled with our own decorum when the girls insisted on talking to each other through the hawkie's (as I've dubbed them) while only inches apart from each other (and us). I wish I were exaggerating.

And what other gift tied for gold in the girls minds? Roller skates from Papa and Nanna!

Baby steps.

About 2 feet in 10 minutes!

So Nanna, Aunt Jo and Baby Cole got to come for a visit, which was wonderful! Here are the boys in a bath colored with a yellow dye for kids. Just didn't want anybody to get the wrong idea about the bathwater!
Cue music! Their mama's are singing "Ebony and Ivory" and the boys are obviously impressed!
T just wants to get up close and personal, and Cole is certain that petting is the best way to do that!


Cole's cousins were granted visitation durring his stint in baby prison. He loved it!

Rodeos, Hurricanes and 1 Day of 2nd Grade!

Although not mentioned in the title of this post, I thought the puppet show the girls put on a while back deserved a nod. Clearly, I was confused as to how the puppets were moving on their own. One baby was being Santa (in the background) while another was being 2 friend dolls. Improv puppet shows are truly an untapped market.

Our neighbors gave us tickets to the rodeo for last Saturday. We all, especially the girls, had a really fun time. I'm thinking you may just see some Ethiopian bull riders before too long... Again, an untapped market!
Jason and the babes. On closer observation you may wonder to yourself why Obse and Sela are in long sleeves when it's hotter than the sun here. Well, because that was a bit better than the jacket and heavy sweater they attempted to leave the house in.
If only this picture had sound you could sort-of comprehend the volume that God gave T-bone. Honestly, it must be some sort of gift for that loud of "bye" to come out of someone under 35lbs. At least he has manners, as everyone in the bleachers got an equal farwell.
The bull are great an all, but T was absolutely more interested in scaring his parents while he tried to fall through the bleachers.
Their friend Emily's family helps run the rodeo, so someone felt very old, independent and sassy getting to walk around and help pass out water!
Practicing to get her foot in the bull-riding market.
So my babies had their first (and only) day of 2nd grade on Monday. They are now upstairs in their school and so basically assume they are big-men on campus. Side Note: still learning how to use the camera - it's really not dark outside when we leave. Their career as upper-classmen has been short lived, however, due to Hurricane Fay. They were so relieved to get a day to sleep in after their exhausting one early morning of school.
Truly, our tea-cup puppy Mona was visibly upset by the uproar Fay caused outside her windows.

Tobin Doubles His Age!

It's no surprise, really. He's been breaking us in for quite a while now. But apparently it's official. He's now 2. Or rather, we can mark off 1 out of 4 birthdays this house celebrates in the month of August!

Here's my shot of our little man on his last night of being 1. I was in a bit of a grieving-state.

The first thing T got as a 2 year old was a angelic seranade from the 4 of us.

It might have been the prettiest rendition of Happy Birthday ever.

He totally dug all the attention first thing in the morning.

Aunt Jo sent me this outfit so I could match with my cousins Jackson and Cole. Who doesn't love a man in a muscle T, huh?

Apparently, the distinction between "say cheese" and "squeeze your face as tight as you can" is lost on T-bone.

With the false hope of being able to keep Tobin from having as big a sweet tooth as his mama, his sweet intake has been few and far-between. So this slice of birthday cake his Big Papa made is absolutely spectacular in his book.

The sweetest girls, my Obse and Sela, asked me more than once if they could go buy T a birthday present (with their own $). I finally told them no, to use the money they have saved for something they want. As to be no quitters, they spent a LONG time making him a present instead. What was it? Letters. As in, notes...writing...the art of words on a page. I broke it to them gently that Tobin can hardly even talk. They were unfazed.

This was Mama and Daddy's favorite gift of T's birthday. Amah brought him this hat back from her trip to Scotland. Seriously, we are all about various continents in this family.

In T-Bone's mind, there is no greater thing than tractors, or "Dah" as he says. So Amah hit a home run with not 1 but 2 "Dah's" for the boy's birthday. That, along with the hat...that I love.

Poor man's wrapping paper. Yep, mama wrapped that nugget. However, what's inside was mainly from Nana and Papa in NC.

Here he is, being 2 years and 1 day old. He's getting to experience his gift from Nanny (as he says) and Papa. What is it? Wait for it...wait for it...

It's a push trycicle! Or practically a "dah"! Hurray! This was a smashing success, much to the unbelieveable patience of his big sisters. Mama and Daddy were put to shame.

Please note the pink flowers in the front of the bike.
Thanks Obse and Sela.

Did I mention the patience of his sisters?
Truly, rewards in Heaven are theirs for this!

Completely certain that riding a bike means someone is pushing you wherever you want to go.

Big man with his own wheels!

Practically the speed of light!

Can you see the sassy-girlyness in our girls? It's so funny!
They're quite the fans of any photo-ops!

Well, Bottom's Up everyone!