A and B play basketball

Last year Avery played basketball and LOVED it! So, this year Bryson also decided to play. I didn't realize when I signed them up that there were games on Sundays. I spoke with the organizer about it and he told me to write "Saturday" next to their names, which I did. This would assure they would be put on a Saturday team. Well, much to my dismay, they were put on a Sunday team. I had to have them switched after the teams had already been picked! Then as it turned out, their new team plays both Saturday and Sunday games! UGH! I sinfully allowed the boys to play a couple Sunday games when it didn't interfere with church attendance. Now that we have church in the afternoons, starting in January, they can't make any of the Sunday games. Oh well, the practices are more fun anyway! Bryson (#11)
Avery (#4)

Surgery

Brady had his second visit to the orthopaedics's office yesterday. This time we saw a different doctor, one that specializes in hands/fingers. Brady will need to have surgery on his finger tomorrow morning, Wednesday October 28th. The doctor said this is a very delicate and tricky surgery. You're doing a lot of procedure in a very small space. The doctor will attempt to place a pin in Brady's finger without having to actually make an incision, to put the chipped off piece of bone back in place. If this doesn't work, the doctor will have to cut open the finger to make the repair. The finger has three bone sections. It is the tip of the middle bone section that is chipped off and off to the side. It was very obvious on the x-rays. Brady needs to keep his finger elevated at all times to alleviate the selling. The less swelling, the better the surgery. When we left the doctor's office we went over to the hospital for pre-op blood work. Brady had never had blood drawn before and he was very nervous. Turned out to be a cinch, lets hope the surgery is the same way!!
These picture were all taken yesterday, five days after the missed football pass, and after the first doctor attempted to reposition the bone. Brady's finger looks much better here then it did five days earlier!

Avery and Bryson are both being inducted into the Littlestown Thunderbolt Society again this year for good character, citizenship and academic performance. Each month their school chooses four fourth graders and five fifth graders for this honor. When I found out, my first question was, "Why can't you behave like that at home?" LOL!! I notified the school that I would be able to attend the induction, but now unfortunately I won't be able to due to Brady's surgery. Avery and Bryson completely understand and don't seem bothered by it. I'm the only one feeling guilty that I won't be there! I'm thinking of sending along a camera with them that day and asking the teacher to photograph them with their principal. Oh, a mother's guilt! I just can't be two places at once, or I would be!

Easy to please

Avery and Bryson made it easy on me with their birthday wants. Both agreed to pizza and hot dogs, orange ice cream and any kind of cake, and that's what they got! Avery
Bryson

Their main gift suggestion was a box of Cheez-Its. Easy. Already had several boxes in food storage!

The next night after their birthday I took them to Wal-Mart. They each picked out a DVD and running shoes. Bryson then chose a 3.75 pound bag of Jolly Ranchers and Avery decided on Gobstoppers and 5 gum to equal the same price as Bryson's large bag of candy. I'm hoping I get off just as easy next year too!

A and B, another year older

Today is Avery and Bryson's eleventh birthday. They want the usual birthday meal, hot dogs and pizza. Avery requested orange ice cream and told me the cake didn't matter. Bryson said he would take whatever Avery said. So, looks like I get to pick the cake. What goes with orange ice cream? At some point this weekend I'll have to take them birthday shopping. So far all they've requested is their very own box of Cheez-Its and a can of Cool Whip!

Bryson at birth.

Avery at birth.

Happy Birthday "Baby A and Baby B"!!

Hey Maren, thanks for the balloons!

Avery and Bryson were invited to Porter Milam's 10th birthday party today. When they returned home from Porter's party they each had a bag of goodies! Included in those bags were balloons -- this afternoon's after-party-entertainment!


Thanks Maren and Porter, for a few good laughs from a few simple pieces of inflatable latex!

Avery and Bryson's school play

This past week Avery and Bryson's class put on a short play. Their class wrote the play themselves with the help of an artist/actor that came to the school to help. The play told the story of how the zebra got it's stripes, how the giraffe got it's long neck and how the monkey got his long arms. Avery and Bryson wait in the stands for their class to take their turn on stage.

Kaden decided to join Avery and Bryson's class!
The play started with a song and dance routine.

Bryson was the voice of zebra number one. Notice the stripes on Bryson's sleeves -- very simple costumes!

Avery was the voice of the tree! It was hard getting a picture of him as he hid behind his prop!
The children all did a great job! Kaden and I enjoyed our time at Rolling Acres Elementary School with Avery and Bryson!

Character Dress-Up Day

Avery and Bryson also had to dress up like a character in a book and give an oral report. Bryson was Jeremy Jacob from the book How I Became a Pirate. He did his own make-up!

Avery dressed up as "the small cowboy" from the book Bronco Busters.

They said their reports went well. We still have two more projects left to do. I'll be so glad when this month is over!

It's all about the hair

Lori, you were so right... the hair has to be long enough to fling, especially when getting out of the pool! Well, now that we're done swimming for the season, it was time to cut the hair!

Ahhh... much better, and even Dale agreed!

From sandbox to swimmimg pool

I couldn't resist adding more pictures of the children having fun in our "new" swimming pool!

I also couldn't resist adding more sprinkler pictures!

Avery

Bryson

Whittling chip

While at camp this week, Avery and Bryson learned how to properly use a pocket knife. Here they are receiving their Whittling Chip for their accomplishment.

Avery

Bryson

What I learned at Cub Scout Day Camp

I volunteered two days this week with Avery and Bryson's Den at Cub Scout Camp. I enjoyed myself more than I thought I would, mostly because of what I learned. Here are a few of those things:

How to whip the end of a rope.

If you roll around in the dirt and grass long enough, you'll grow a tail!

Cornstarch and water does NOT taste good!

There's more than one way to make a ham and cheese sandwich!

(Lori, this was one of the times Josh made me laugh -- when he used his cheese curls as the cheese of his sandwich!)

Chocolate pudding makes a great mustache!

Bryson looks so cute in a pair of goggles!

By far the most interesting thing I learned was the proper way to retire the American flag. Several gentlemen from the Marine Corps helped the boys participate in the proper ceremony. The gentleman doing most of the talking was so passionate about the flag. He had the kind of respect and admiration for the flag that I have never seen before. Listening to him speak brought tears to my eyes.

I hope this week was as memoriable for the boys as it was for me!